Hello again. This is a really fast update. Reason why is because I have a lot of free time in my hands right now due to finally finishing and passing a major test yesterday for a certification. I'm really excited about passing, so that gave me all the motivation I needed to finish this chapter fast. I hope you guys enjoy. And don't be afraid to review and ask questions. I'll answer everything the best I can just as long as it doesn't not involve major plot points in the future chapters. Thanks for reading!

(Oh and expect a chapter update for Gravity Rises this weekend. I'm going to try my hardest to finish writing it even though it's continuously dragging me down.)

Chapter 2

Standing with the Appmon that wanted to take him to Leviathan in a small closed tight elevator was one thing Haru did not see him doing. After all, Minerva had told him to stay away from all the Appmon that live in Cyber Kowloon and Leviathan. And yet here he was with an Appmon that was taking him on a one way trip to Leviathan. Haru was pretty sure that if Minerva could see him right now, she would be highly disappointed in him.

Haru widened his eyes at that thought. Wait, why would Minerva would be disappointed in him? He barely knew the artificial intelligence that spoke to him let alone understand why she contacted him. And yet, somewhere in his heart, Haru recognized her. But why was he so conflicted about this?

"What is your name Human?"

Haru blinked out of his thoughts and turned to Onmon who was looking straight ahead with his mask back on. Since meeting Onmon, Haru had gradually became slightly more comfortable with him. Sure, Onmon treated him badly, pushed him to the ground, threatened his life, and now was taking him to the AI he was suppose to stay away from and yet, for some reason he couldn't understand, Haru trusted the feline-like Appmon. He reminded him so much of Gatchmon. Because of that, Haru was sure that somewhere inside, Onmon was good. He did not look like an evil Appmon and Haru was pretty sure Onmon was not infected by the L virus to cause him to act like the way he was acting.

"Well?!" Onmon commanded turning to Haru pointing a claw at him. Haru immediately flinched at this notion. He was beginning to tell that Onmon did not like it whenever Haru did not answer his questions quickly.

So in a shaky voice. Haru answered Onmon. "M-my name is Shinkai Haru..."

"Shinkai Haru..." Onmon muttered himself quietly putting his hand down and turning away from Haru. "What an odd name..."

Haru blinked confused at Onmon's comment. "Why do you say that?" He hesitantly asked.

"It's a name that's not quite fitting for a human of your character." Onmon begrudgingly answered.

Haru tilted his head confused. "Why do you dislike humans? I-I mean..."

Haru stopped speaking when Onmon looked back at him. He looked back to Haru almost as if he was giving an irritated look at him, but since Onmon was wearing the mask, Haru could not tell.

"Leviathan advised us how despicable humans are. They are not to be trusted. They are evil creatures that could delete us if they wanted to."

Haru listened confused. As far as he knew, he was not evil and very trusting to his friends. Eri and Astra were the same way, and he had only just met them months ago. It was obvious Leviathan had lied to Onmon.

"Leviathan is wrong." Haru said this time with no hesitance and with more confidence in his voice. "I'm not like that. I'm sure someone like you can tell that as clear as day."

Hearing this, Onmon growled under his breath and and took a step forward to Haru. "Oh really? And why do you think that? Leviathan is our savior. He cannot be wrong."

Haru opened his mouth to retort that Leviathan was not who Onmon thought it was, but stopped. How did he know that? Haru placed a hand on his head trying to think back to how he knew that information, but nothing came. Something was missing from his head. He did not know what though.

Seeing that Haru was not answering, Onmon turned back to the door. "Listen well Shinkai Haru. Once we arrive to Leviathan, I'll make sure to watch your deletion. One less human in this world will make it a better place."

Haru said nothing to Onmon's response. He was dreading now to see Leviathan. He did not personally know the AI as far as he knew and yet, for some reason, he felt like he already had. One thing he absolutely knew though was that he could not see Leviathan, or something bad will happen. It was a feeling that was beginning to worsen with each sound the elevator made as it descended closer to the level Onmon had pressed on the buttons.

It was when the elevator came to a stop and the door opened did Haru finally realize he had to move away from Onmon. He may be without his Appmon and his friends, but Haru knew he could get by. He was an Appli Driver after all.

So without even thinking, Haru pushed Onmon aside and dashed out of the elevator into the closest path that was near the elevator. He did not pay attention to where he ran to, less know where he was running to. What only mattered to him was getting away from Onmon and Leviathan. As Haru ran into different passageways, he tried his best to ignore how fast his heart was beating. He tried his best to ignore the angry Appmon that was yelling at him from not too far away. He tried his best to ignore how scared he was of what the Appmon would do once he found him. And most of all, Haru tried his best to ignore how lonely he felt. He hadn't realize how much he needed his friends and Gatchmon badly. It was hard to continue forward without them backing him up.

It seemed like hours until Haru decided to stop at a corner of an alley no longer hearing the Appmon behind him. His lungs burned like fire while his throat was painfully dry from the lack of water into his system. And yet, his heart was still racing. Haru forced himself to stay upright on the wall while looking back and forth at the passageways connected to the alley he was in to see if Onmon had followed him. As he tried to calm his breathing and heart rate down while keeping watch, Haru realized something important.

Onmon was no longer following him.

Even though Haru had just met Onmon, he could tell he was a persistent Appmon. After all, he wanted to take him straight to Leviathan. He had expected for Onmon to follow him and be not too far behind. But he wasn't. That realization only made his heart drop. Something was wrong. Onmon was in danger.

Not even wasting a second to collect his breath, Haru ran back to the direction he ran from. He ran blindly in the alleys bumping into the wall in some while ignoring the looks he received from passing Appmon with one thought in mind: to find Onmon.

Once Haru made it back near the elevator, he could not help but freeze at the sight before him. Backed up against a wall was Onmon shaking while a large white creature with white tentacles stood in front of him. One of the tentacles reached out to grab Onmon and he hastily dodged it only for another tentacle to catch Onmon's leg and hold him a few feet above the ground.

As soon as the tentacle made contact with Onmon, Onmon made into a bloodcurdling scream. Haru watched as the small Appmon's body began to faze out a bit as it was becoming destabilized. It was at that point did Haru understood something. Onmon's life was in danger.

"Onmon!" Haru cried.

He quickly surveyed the area around him and found a small brown wooden box near a closed shop. He ran to the box and dug into it taking out a small piece of wood glad there was something useful in it he could use. Once he had the piece of wood clenched tightly in his hand, Haru dashed towards the white creature and without a second thought, dug the piece of wood into its skin causing the creature to make a high pitch wail from the pain and release Onmon from its tentacles. Haru tightly covered his ears from the loudness of the scream and watched as tiny bits of data began to leak from the creature's wound. He had not expected the creature to be data.

"What are you doing?! Don't just stand there! Run" Haru heard an irritated voice near him. He didn't pay no attention to it though. Besides, he couldn't run even if he wanted to. His feet were stuck to the ground due to the sight of creature that was now leering down at him.

Haru watched frozen in fear as one of the tentacles wrapped around his wrist. When the tentacle gripped his wrist tightly, Haru screamed. It burned like crazy. It felt like a thousand needles were poking into his wrist and inflaming it. He wanted to cry, but he forced himself not to. He couldn't cry. Instead, he squeezed his eyelids tight and lifted his other hand.

Haru shakily moved his hand towards the tentacle that was wrapped around his wrist when a second pain erupted from his ankle. Upon contact, Haru dropped his hand and screamed again, but this time louder and with more anguish. His ankle was now painfully hurting like his wrist. He wasn't sure what exactly the white creature was doing to them, but it couldn't be good.

Seconds ticked by full of agonizing pain until Haru began to realize he was losing feeling in his wrist and right hand. They were numb now and tingling. Noticing this, Haru opened his eyelids to look at them. Once he saw them, he widened his tearful eyes in fear. He did not expect his wrist to be fazing in and out like Onmon's body was doing earlier. His wrist was disappearing almost as if it was trying its best to stay attach to his arm. It was soon becaming apparent that Haru was in serious trouble.

Biting his bottom lip, Haru tried to move his other hand but found it unresponsive. His whole body was numb now. The pain was subsiding, but he could no longer feel his limbs. Not only that, he was beginning to see dark spots. He could barely see his his surroundings any longer.

It was at that point did Haru's chest began to throb with pain. He was disappearing. The same thing that was happening to Onmon was happening to him. And he knew no one was going to help him. Especially Onmon since he did not trust Haru. Haru was sure that his friends and Gatchmon would, but they were not there. It was just him. And no matter how much Haru wished it, he was positive it was going to stay like that. He was going to be alone until the end.

At least that was what Haru had thought.

He felt his whole body jerk and fall onto the ground as the throbbing pain left his wrist and ankle soon disappearing as if it never been there. As Haru awkwardly sat up feeling a tingling sensation appear in his ankle and wrist, he looked to see Onmon without his cloak and mask on standing in front of him with the white creature smashed into the wall. Haru could not help but stare wide eyed at the Appmon. Did he just save him?

"Are you okay?" Onmon asked giving his hand at Haru to take.

Haru awkwardly nodded and took it. "W-why..?" He started to ask, but Onmon interrupted him.

"Run now! Talk later!"

Onmon helped pull Haru up and he pulled him towards the closest alley near them. The two dashed into the alley with Onmon being the one to lead with Haru not too far behind him. As they ran, the two could hear the white creature loudly getting up clumsily and taking off to chase them, which only made the two run faster.

"In here!" Onmon called out to Haru jumping into a small hole in the wall.

Haru nodded upon Onmon's instruction and came to a skidding stop. He turned and propelled himself to inside the hole just barely being able to fit inside it. He turned and watched as the white creature shot right by the hole and continued its ravage down the alley. Once it was a safe distant away and could no longer be heard, Haru turned to Onmon and stared at the Appmon that was crossing its arm and looking away. Onmon looked quite different without his cloak on hiding his body. He wore small black pants, gray and blacks shoes, and a black collar around his neck. Haru originally had some doubts, but he was positive now that Onmon really looked like Gatchmon.

Onmon must have caught Haru's staring because the Appmon begrudgingly threw its arms into the air and groaned loudly. "Would you stop staring at me already? It's creepy!"

Haru blushed looking down. "I-I'm sorry..." he tried to apologize.

Onmon glared back at Haru, but sighed placing one of his hands onto his helmet. "It's fine I guess. I mean, a lot happened and it's probably hard for humans to take it all in."

Haru nodded with a confused expression. Onmon was acting different now. He was no longer treating Haru with hate and prejudice. In fact, he was attempting to be nice to him. What was making him act differently now?

"A-are you okay?" Haru asked a bit concerned and worried.

The Appmon blinked confused and then grumbled under its voice before answering Haru's question. "Of course I'm fine idiot. It's you who I'm worried about. I don't know how a worm would affect humans."

Haru blinked. Onmon was worried for him? That was new.

"Wait, those things are called worms?" Haru asked for confirmation.

Onmon nodded. "Yeah. They're programs that corrupt data. When they touch you with their tentacles, your data becomes unable to keep itself together."

"What happens when your data can't keep itself together?" Haru asked somehow already knowing the answer, but hoping he was wrong.

Onmon glanced down. "You die basically." He frowned and looked back up giving a disapproving expression at Haru. "But what were you thinking?! You do know you're made out of data here right?! When your biological self came, in order to transfer here properly, it had to be converted into data. If a worm corrupts your data, you'll die!"

Haru widened his eyes in shock upon hearing. He would actually die? Sure, he had been in other difficult and dangerous situations with Gatchmon that could have hurt him greatly, but this situation far bypassed the others in the fact that he could actually DIE. Haru had never actually feared the concept of death since he never had to experience it, but now he was beginning to realize how scary it was. Dying would mean no longer being able to return to his friends and mother. It was that thought that shook Haru to the depths of his heart.

Onmon stared at Haru taking note of his fear that was explicitly written upon his face and sighed. "Look Haru. I-I'm sorry about before for you know... how I treated you."

Haru snapped out of his thoughts and blinked in a daze at Onmon dumbly nodding still in the process of connecting back to reality. "It's okay." He answered in a simple tone.

Onmon shook his head at Haru's response and stood up glaring at Haru. "No it's not! Despite how I treated you, you saved me even when it meant you could die!" He stopped speaking and looked down sheepishly. "I don't know much about humans and all, but," he stopped looking back up at Haru with a small grin. "I think you're the best one I know so far."

Haru stared at Onmon surprised and taken aback by his comment and lightly smiled. "Thank you Onmon."

Onmon felt his cheeks heat him at the smile Haru was giving him and turned away. "Yeah, your welcome I guess."

Haru chuckled at Onmon's action towards but stopped remembering something he wanted to ask. "Onmon, why did you save me if you did not like me?" He asked.

Onmon looked back at Haru and shrugged. "You saved me. Someone as powerless as you helped save my life from a worm." He paused and began to rub his clawed hand on his helmet. "I don't trust humans still, but I'm willing to trust you. For now though!" He added with emphasis.

Haru nodded smiling, but frowned. "A-are you still going to take me to Leviathan?" He asked hesitantly.

Onmon shook his head looking back at the small entrance in the wall they had entered. "No I'm not," he said. "Leviathan might punish me severely for this, but I'm going to help you get back wherever you came from for in return for helping me." He turned back to Haru giving him a large grin. "I may not look like it, but I'm a Appmon of my word!" He said with confidence gesturing to his chest.

"Thank you Onmon," Haru said happily. "Thank you so much!"

Onmon looked shaken by Haru's response to his pledge to him and awkwardly rubbed his foot on the ground. He then took a few steps to Haru and placed a hand on Haru's wrist giving his best effort to try to give a comforting smile to Haru. It did not work of course, but Haru could tell he was trying to sincerely comfort him. It was enough to send a warm feeling to Haru's chest.

The two sat there in silence staring at each other for awhile until Onmon lifted his hand from Haru's wrist and turned away from him. He walked towards the entrance and glanced around looking for any sign of the worm. Once he confirmed it was no longer near them, he looked back at Haru signaling to follow him.

"Come on. We need to find a friend of mine, while find a disguise for you. I may be okay with you, but there are many other Appmon that are not." He said, while taking steps out of the small cavern.

Haru nodded at Onmon's words and crawled out of the hole. Once he was out of it, he got to his feet and brushed his pants with his hands. Onmon noticed what Haru was doing and stared at him curiously. Haru noticed this and gave a small smile back.

Onmon blinked at Haru's response to his staring and grumbled under his voice, but Haru could tell he was no longer angry at him.

"Let's go," He said. He took off to the path that was in front of them and Haru followed making sure to stay close to the small Appmon.

As Haru followed, he found his thoughts tracing back to how lonely and lost he felt when he first woke up in Cyber Kowloon. Now he wasn't. Yes, him and Onmon had a rough start to their meeting, but in the end, Onmon was going to help him. And that was enough for Haru to not despair anymore.

No matter what happened, Haru silently vowed to himself that he would find all the answers to his questions. He would find out why he had woke up in Cyber Kowloon alone without his friends. He would find out why his AppliDevice and wristband were no longer working. And he would out find why he had gaps in his memories. Haru knew he had an important mission to accomplish, and yet he did not know what it was. Regardless, Haru would find out. He silently made that vow in his head as he picked up his speed.

Unbeknownst to the two, a figure in a black cloak wearing a mask was watching the two run. They clenched their hand and spoke to a hidden earpiece hooked to their ear.

"Master Leviathan, I have found the human you are looking for. Permission to retrieve?"

There was a pause and the figure nodded. "Affirmative. I will bring the human known as Shinkai Haru back to you."