Chapter 2: Little Goblins
"So basically, you don't know what a Digimon is, do you?" Akira asked Zamber the Elecmon.
"Nope. Just that we live here," he answered.
Akira and Zamber were still in the woods after their run-in with Kuwagamon, and now they're trying to find a way out.
"Hmm..." Akira was lost in thought, when suddenly Zamber cried "Hey, look!"
Akira looked up to see two mushroom-like creatures a few meters in front of them, happy smiles on their faces and talking to each other.
"Whoa! What are those things?" Akira said.
"No need to worry, those are Mushroomon. They look like nice Digimon to me," Zamber assured. "Besides, if they weren't, I would be able to take them on no problem."
Before Akira could comment, a buzzing noise came from somewhere to their right. They both looked to see a big yellow dragonfly swooshing through the trees, passing by them.
"And that would be...?"
"A Yanmamon. Yanmamon are Champion-level Digimon."
Now Akira was really confused. "Champion...level? What's that?"
Zamber continued to walk. "Well you see, all Digimon are in a certain stage, or level. With the passage of time, we can grow to higher levels, and when we do, we usually get stronger."
Akira kept up the pace with Zamber while talking. "Like growing and developing is for humans, huh? So what level are you in, Zamber?"
"I'm in the Rookie-level. Those Mushroomon are also Rookie-level Digimon. Champion-level Digimon like Yanmamon and Kuwagamon are a step above Rookies."
"Wait, what? Kuwagamon was a Champion-level?" Akira exclaimed. "Aren't Champion-level Digimons supposed to be a stage higher than Rookie-levels?"
"Well, they are," Zamber continued as he moved onwards. "But that doesn't necessarily mean Champions are stronger than Rookies. Strength depends on both the species of Digimon and the individual. And I have to say, I'm a particularly powerful Elecmon!" he added.
"Species? Individual? I don't get it."
"You see, there are many different kinds of Digimon out there in this world, called species. Each species' name is different, and mine is Elecmon. There are others, like the Mushroomon you already know about."
"So there are other Elecmons out there besides you?"
"Right! Oh and by the way, the plural form of 'Digimon' is still 'Digimon', not 'Digimons'. The same goes for the species' names."
"Okay, got it. So basically you're of the Elecmon species, but you're the only one that's... you. And those two Mushroomon are personally-different; they might be the same species, but they're not the same person, or rather, Digimon. Is that it?"
Zamber nodded. "Yep. I'm the only Zamber you'll ever meet in this world!"
"Now I see. And the –mon endings denote you guys are Digimon, right?"
"I guess so," Zamber said with a shrug.
Akira continued to walk. "So are there levels other than Rookie and Champion?"
"Yes there are. In fact, Rookie is the third level. The first level is Fresh, while the second is called In-Training. After that is Rookie, and then comes the Champion-level. There's a level beyond Champion, but I don't know anything about it other than it exists."
"Heeeeeeeeeeelp!" A cry suddenly came from behind them. They looked back to see the two Mushroomon they saw earlier running towards them, and they're not smiling this time. Akira perched where he stood to see three green caveman-looking Digimon, each with a red mohawk and holding what appears to be bone clubs, all of them chasing the mushrooms.
As the Mushroomon were nearing, Akira pointed to the cavemen and asked "Are those Digimon as well? What are they?"
Zamber quickly ran back while answering. "Those are Goburimon. I know for a fact that they're usually bullies. They get their kicks by pestering other Digimon."
"Well that's not right. We should give those Mushroomon a hand!" Akira said as he followed Zamber and started to run.
"Please help us!" one of the Mushroomon begged as they ran past Zamber.
"I will," Zamber reassured them. "Now run! I'll handle these punks."
The Goburimon didn't slow down when they saw Zamber. "Hey you, get out of our way!" one of them threatened.
"How about you guys stop what you're doing and go back home?"
That stopped them, and they look baffled. "What did you say? Are you challenging us to a fight?"
Another one said "Hahahaha, you've got to be joking! There's only one of you and three of us. What do you possibly think you can do that a pair of Mushroomon can't?"
"This," Zamber answered shortly. "Super Thunder Strike!" A lightning bolt shot out and hit the nearest Goburimon, knocking him down.
"Ha! How do you like that?"
"Mahzora! Why, you... Take this! Goburi Bomb!"
A ball of fire appeared in the palm of the second Goburimon. He held it as if he were pitching a baseball, then threw it at Zamber. Zamber jumped away and the fireball hit the ground, charring it.
"Want more? Super Thunder Strike!" Another lightning bolt shot out from Zamber's tails as he landed, knocking down the one that threw the Goburi bomb.
The last Goburimon made a fireball in his palm, a Goburi Bomb, and threw it at Zamber, while the first Goburimon, Mahzora, stood up and attacked Zamber. "Goburi Strike!" he said as he swung his club. Zamber was able to dodge the hit from Mahzora, but got burned by the hit from the bomb.
"Zamber!" yelled Akira, who was quickly approaching when he saw two more Goburimon to his left beating up on what appears to be a small, pink ball with long ears. "Oh man, I gotta help that guy!" He made a detour and jumped to the rescue of the pink Digimon.
"Hey!" he shouted. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
The two Goburimon looked at him and grinned evilly. "With pleasure."
One of them headed towards him with his club raised. "Goburi Strike!" he said as he swung the club down, but Akira reacted by sidestepping and then punched the Goburimon on his right cheek.
"How do you like that?" he said when suddenly the other Goburimon grabbed his left hand. Akira quickly hit him square in the jaw and the Goburimon squealed, releasing Akira's hand, with which he made a hook and hit him again, before landing a third blow to the gut with his right foot.
The Goburimon took a few steps back, obviously in pain, right before Akira was tackled by the first Goburimon. Akira fell down flat on his face. "Okay, Mr. Heroman-from-out-of-nowhere. How about you take some of this? Goburi Bomb!"
Akira could feel heat emanating from what surely must be a ball of fire forming in his attacker's hand. He tried to get up, but the Goburimon stepped on his back, making him unable to go anywhere.
"Come on, Mister! Don't give up!" Akira turned his face to see the pink Digimon, who was looking very worried. He saw the Digimon's big red eyes, and when their eyes met, the pink Digimon's eyes grew wide. "Hey, you're a human! A human, just like Taichi!"
"Say what?" Hearing this, Akira mustered all his strength into making a crouching position, fighting the pressure of the Goburimon's foot. This was enough to allow him to roll to his left, avoiding the Goburi Bomb thrown at him.
"No! Tch, I'll just have to do that again. Goburi..."
"Not this time, you don't!" Akira shouted as he headbutted the Goburimon on the stomach, then hit him again with a right uppercut and a left hook.
"Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggghh!" cried the Goburimon as he fell down, rolling on the ground with pain.
"Come on, I'll get you out of here." Akira picked up the pink Digimon and started to run away.
"Watch out!" the Digimon warned. Akira peeked back to see another bomb flying in his direction, and ducked just in time. The thrower, the second Goburimon, was hot on his trail.
"Come back here!" he demanded.
"Akira, get down!" a voice ordered him. Akira did so, right as a huge bolt of lightning shot past him and hit his chaser at the chest. The Goburimon screamed in pain, then fainted. Akira looked up to see a furious expression on Zamber's face, and beyond that, the three Goburimon Zamber had been fighting. It appears they had suffered the same fate as the one behind Akira.
"One more for you!" Zamber said angrily as he launched yet another Super Thunder Strike, this time at the last Goburimon, the one that had been rolling in pain. He was still trying to stand up when the electrical jolt hit him, and so he was launched up in to the air and hit a tree. The Goburimon collapsed.
For a while, everything was silent and there were no sounds other than Zamber's heavy breathing; obviously, he was tired. Akira stood up and walked towards his friend and saw that Zamber was bruised in some places and parts of his skin had burn marks. They were light, though.
"Are you okay?" both of them asked at the same time.
Akira answered first. "Those two didn't manage to hit me. Well, not too hard anyway. But forget about me, what about you?"
"Oh, this? Don't worry, I've taken hits worse than this. Nothing serious. As I had thought, those Goburimon were no match for my power."
"Obviously not." Akira grinned.
The pink Digimon, still in Akira's arms, spoke up. "Thank you, you two! I don't know how I would've been able to get myself out of that mess if you hadn't come along."
Akira said, "Don't mention it. But please, tell me more about what you said back there. Have you seen another human being in this world?"
"Seen one? Of course! Taichi's my human partner, after all."
Both Akira and Zamber was surprised to hear this. "What did you say?"