Chapter 2– Digital Impact on Magnificent Mile

Chapter 2– Digital Impact on Magnificent Mile

The Real World – Chicago, IL, USA – 10:17 a.m.

Fifteen–year-old Abe Copper was fast asleep, snoring his head off and lying in a messed-up bed until his alarm clock began to ring. Abe didn't move at all and soon the sound of the alarm grew louder and annoying as each passing second. At last, annoyed from the sound that woke him up; Abe reached a fist and slammed it upon the clock to silence it. Groaning out of bed, Abe stood up and placed his legs upon the carpet and began to do his usual routine of the morning: He went and took a quick warm shower, do the usual bathroom stuff, and dressed him in a green sweatshirt with a white t-shirt underneath, a pair of jeans, socks, and navy-blue goggles upon his head. "Yo Abe! Will you hurry in there?! Mom's starting to worry about you and so I came up to check if you didn't die…something like that…" a voice shouted from behind Abe's bedroom door. Abe knew that belonged to his older brother Joe who was going to college this upcoming fall. "Hold your freaking' horses Joe! Tell Mom I'm coming down!'' hollered Abe as he finally fastened on a belt around his waist.

A quiet chuckle was made and then Joe replied, "O.k. then, lil bro. See ya downstairs…" Abe heard the loud footsteps of his older sibling heading downward to the family's kitchen. Abe soon flung out of his room and processed to run down the staircase of their apartment and into the dining room to get his breakfast. "Abraham J. Copper! You had me worried for a while but now you can have your breakfast and get ready for school." Cried out Abe's mother from the kitchen as she was busy cooking something on the stove (maybe it was bacon thought Abe to himself). Abe picked up a chair with his backpack on it from the table and pulled it to start eating his first meal of the day.

Once at the table, Abe saw his mother come out of the kitchen and placed a plate of fried eggs with sausages and hash browns in front of him. Quickly after the tasty food was placed in his sight, Abe instantly chomped into it and soon he was finished in minutes (pretty fast-eater, huh?). "Wow, even though I seen many times, I'm still impressed about how fast you finish your plate…" said Abe's mother as she returned to the table and picked up the dirty plate to be washed in the kitchen. Abe rose from his seat and snatched his backpack and began to dash toward the door to start his long walk toward his school. Once after he flung the door wide open and stepped out of the apartment, he stepped down the small concrete stairs and began his journey through on the sidewalk.

Abe knew that his mom was lucky to chosen an apartment nearby Magnificent Mile; this was where the best stores and restaurants of downtown Chicago were, and Abe could get to them simply by walking. He walked between the streets of South Michigan Avenue and Roosevelt Road and turned onto the sidewalk on South State Street. There were sights to see along the way, such as people walking together or having a cup of coffee from Starbucks and seeing cars coming into Chicago from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and even some from Mississippi. Abe continued to enjoy the sight-seeing while keeping his feet on the right direction to his school.

Moments (and many spotted views) later, Abe found at the front door of his high school where his best friend stood waiting near. "Hey Rich!" shouted Abe as he climbed the steps and stood by his friend. The two then performed their secret handshake (I'm not telling what it is, it's a secret!) and together, the duo walked into the building side by side. Fifteen-year-old Richie Gunderson was not only Abe's best friend, but also the one who introduced him into the unique of Digimon World Online. This was the ultimate in Digimon gaming for any Digimon fan of every age; the game allowed one to customize and create their own Digimon and to move across many of the continents of the Digital World created for the game (it was Richie's uncle who headed the development and designs of the video game). While on their way to Algebra 2, Richie soon asked, "So…Abe? You got any update on your game profile yet? My uncle says that it due today…" Abe paused for a thought and quickly said, "Nada, nothing yet. My profile's still the same and I still can't found the freaking right Digivolution for Archaedramon!" Richie sighed at Abe's remark; Archaedramon was Abe's custom Digimon and his most favorite, one in shape of a feathered velociraptor whose attacks involve shooting an opponent with flaming feathery darts and clawing at them with its sharp claws. The bad part about it was that Abe couldn't find a Digivolution for Archaedramon sadly (Richie once tried to tell Abe to try out the Digivolution line for ShiningGreymon but Abe stubbornly refused.)

Hours later when school was done for the weekend (it was Friday), Abe and Richie walked together back to Abe's apartment to see if the game update occurred on Abe's laptop. After several miles, the duo reached their destination. But as soon Abe and Richie managed to step inside, the duo heard a similar voice from the dining room cry out, "Oh! I didn't know that you were having a friend over…" Abe and Richie turned their attention to the source of the voice and saw Abe's mom standing at the table with a cup of green tea in her hands. Abe groaned under his breath and with clenched teeth spoke to his mother, "Mom…we're just going up to my room to check something out on my laptop…and you know Richie, he's being coming here since he became my best friend!!" Richie. How are your parents doing?" Richie answered kindly, "My mom's fine, Ms. Copper, and so is my dad. Oh, I almost forgot…my mother told me to remind you that the next book club meeting is on next Thursday." Abe grasped Richie by his right arm and flashing a false smile on his face, Abe said to his mom, "Why thank you Rich for that kind update, but now…you can update my game profile on my computer, so let's go!!" Abe rapidly ran up the stairs with Richie being dragged behind, while this happened, Abe's mom called out from the dining room, "O.k. due. Have fun on the computer and stay on safe websites!" Abe didn't have time to answer the call since he was now in his room and grabbed his black laptop from the desk and powered it on. Richie looked around at Abe's room and stared at Abe's messy and disorganized bookcase (it was messy, that's all I will say). "Dude, have you ever consented organizing your books some time, like…this weekend…now?" Abe snorted and replied in a grouchy tone, "You can be Mr. Clean and all that…after we check that new update on my laptop…"

About during this time, on the Navy Pier of the city, a strange battle was occurring on the high docks by the water of Lake Michigan. A tall sixteen-year-old boy of Mexican origin stood firmly with an odd violet pager-like device in hand against the face of a monstrous gray creature with a terrible stench reeking from its body that roared and growled at its prey (or so it thought).

Raremon

Type: Virus

Level: Champion

Group: Ghost Digimon

Attacks: Acid Sludge, Breath of Decay

This Digimon is a living toxic waste dump that lives only to destroy everything that get in its way. Raremon are also known to have the foulest smell ever and no one can even stand to be around them by this.

The stranger stood quietly, though weary by the stench of his opponent, and grasped his device hard in his warm palm. Soon a short skeleton dressed in a purple and black poncho with a large sombrero on its skull appeared from the shadows and stood by the teenager's side. "Amigo listo?" (Ready pal?) asked the boy in Spanish to his partner as they stared at the Raremon that was slowly moving toward them with hunger in its emotionless eyes. The skeleton grinned with glee (which is oddly impossible for one to do) and simply replied back in Spanish, "Era hombre listo nacido..." (I was born ready man…).

Calaveramon

Type: Virus

Level: Rookie

Group: Puppet Digimon

Attacks: Skull Bash, Tequila Cannon

. According to some folklore, this Puppet Digimon serves as a beacon of the afterlife and can contact spirits of the netherworld for aid.

As soon the smelly Ghost Digimon was almost upon the duo, the boy quickly rose out the hand with the bizarre item and cried out loud for the Viral to hear: "Elemental Charge!! Digivolution Activate!" A bright light surrounded Calaveramon before the sight of Raremon and soon as the light faded away, a six-foot tall skeleton dressed in Old American West clothing with a pair of pistols in a holster stood silently with a gloved hand tipping the ten-galloon hat on his head. Not concerned of this new threat, Raremon roared and blindly charged into battle. The new Digimon only reacted by drawing the pistols from their holsters and pointed their barrels straight at the face of his foe. The newcomer just knew that this was a quick one tonight since his foe apparently lacked a brain, and all he had to do to end it was pull the trigger…

Abe placed his orange laptop computer upon his lap as he sat on the wrinkled sheets of his bed while Richie stood over his shoulder staring at the screen. The computer powered up and soon the logo for the game appeared along with the start icon on the monitor. Abe used the mousepad of his laptop to click on the start icon to begin. Abe and Richie continued to search the game for signs of the acclaimed update but for the while they had no luck on their quest. But at long last, Richie eyed something that caught his attention while Abe was nearly asleep from the searching and shaking his friend to wake up, he said, "Abe! Wake up dude! I found the update! Check it out, it's right here!" Abe grunted and after rubbing his eyes he looked at the laptop and instantly he spotted it (since now he was wide awake). "Whoa! I can't believe it!" Abe quickly clicked on the computer and the Digivolution Line page appeared in front of the two teens.

"Your uncle…gave Archaedramon his very own Digivolution and he did it…for me?" remarked Abe as he stared the image of a bigger and ferocious form of his beloved Digimon that hung on the screen. "Maybe this is a gift from my uncle," Richie said as he too stared at the new Digivolution and soon he continued, "The screen says it's called Ravenermon and the techniques it can use is Saber Edge and Inferno Predator those sound pretty cool." Abe drooled with excitement at the new Digimon and he shouted, "I gotta have it! It looks so awesome!!" Abe clicked on the image and transferred it to Archaedramon's page. Richie stretched his legs (they were stiff from his standing upward) and headed to the bedroom door and said his farewells for the night. Abe powered down his computer and went off to his usual stuff before he headed into bed; took a shower, brushed his teeth, and changed into his pajamas.

Abe slowly crawled under his sheets and soon he fell asleep, dreaming about his Digimon's new Champion form and how cool it would be to see it in action against any opponent who challenged it. But outside Abe's apartment in the middle of the dark streets nearby, a strange phenomenon began to occur in a lone alley five blocks away from the apartment. A strong breeze swept through the silent alley but then suddenly slowly with each minute, an odd blue portal began to mold and expand within the shadows. At last, the portal was at its full size and soon a small (about 4'7'') figure came out from it. It awoke from its stance and was startled by its new surroundings. This place was strange and none of the sights the creature saw were any familiar. This was a brand new environment, meant to be explored. Driven by its new-found curiosity, the creature moved swiftly in the darkness, seeking to see all the new sights of this place.

Morning – 8:34 a.m.

Abe woke up with a big yawn and placed his feet from his bed upon the carpet. He scratched his hair and began to walk downstairs to get a bowl of cereal for breakfast. As he processed down the steps, but as his feet landed upon the tile floor, suddenly a moving blur from outside caught his eye. Abe turned away from his attended destination (the kitchen) and went to the front door. Slowly he grasped the doorknob and turned it to open the door. The door creaked as Abe pushed it wide open to see whatever he thought to saw out here. Abe poked his head out of the door and scanned the street for any sign of the mystery thing. Seeing that nothing was there, Abe sighed and began to close the door. Once the door was locked, Abe walked away from the entry and once in the kitchen, he went directly to the fridge and grabbed a carton of milk for his cereal. But once he closed the fridge to get his bowl, what Abe saw was behind the whole time shocked him beyond any of his senses; "Hello there. My name is…" "Archaedramon!?"