Chapter I: The Genesis of Dorugamon
Falling. For entire seconds, they fell with a distinct sense of vertigo, and of terror that sickened them far more than they had ever been before in their short lives, even had the vertigo not done so already.
Asuka Island was not the highest island, nor in possession of the greatest of cliffs, for it was a volcanic and heavily forested isle, with the greater isles near her being far more well populated and civilized to an extent.
In that moment, when panic set into several of the digimon and humans, the only one who could fly out of the group of Chosen digital monsters beat his wings as mercilessly as he possibly could, determined to save little Sana.
"SANA!" He cried out as she screamed alongside the other humans, reaching down with his talons to grip her flailing hands.
This gave the little girl hope, not that it lasted as she was soon found to be too heavy for the small bird to properly hold her weight, and maintain airspeed velocity at the same time. He was dragged down with her, soon enough with the two being amongst the lasts to hit the water with a loud crash and sploosh sound.
Meanwhile Dracomon was beating his own wings futilely, though aware that he could not normally fly, he still attempted to against all odds, desperate to save Kira. It didn't matter to him if he perished, so long as the messy-haired human did. His efforts though were in complete vain, he discovered when he splashed down to the left of where Biyomon soon landed and to the right and behind a bit, where the heavy Dorumon and Kaitou had landed (with the boy having just pulled down his much-loved goggles, instinctively a few mere seconds before, soon after they hit the water).
Further away, from the group Sakura with Kotemon and Michiru and Elecmon landed almost more heavily than the rest, with the two digimon hampered by both armour and fat in their individual cases even as they tried to swim and assist their partners. With neither Sakura nor Michiru faring very well at sea themselves, as they flailed their arms in a panic.
"Help!" Screamed Michiru, his mouth and nose filling with cold water as it shocked him and paralyzed him at the same time with fear.
"Somebody do something!" This time it was Sakura, as she struggled to keep her nose above water, however the young girl had never learned to swim all that well, and only succeeded in pulling herself further downwards.
The only one who had kept a level head as they fell, pulled by Newton's most well-known discovery, was the viral Keramon. Eyes scanning the area, he had caught sight of the island closest to them, calculated the weight of the rocks and of Kuwagamon, and had considered his own individual options carefully in the passage of seconds. So swift of mind was he, that those seconds may as well have been entire hours.
'I could save only Itachi, as he's the only one that matters, as he's the only one whom I need to digivolve.' Keramon mused almost conversationally with himself, as he made twisted and twined his body to fall head-first into the water. Still unconvinced that the others were on his side, particularly with the computer geek Michiru and the cheerful Kaitou having possibly recognized him from a few mere months before. As Itachi screamed in terror as they fell, he even considered leaving the infant behind but scrapped that plan, his revenge required the lad, so therefore he'd need to save him should he ever hope to reach Diaboromon ever again.
'Then in that case I must keep him safe, and play at being a good little pet, however should I save only him, he may question my commitment, and that is something I will not tolerate.' Keramon thought pensively, as he made the split-second decision to save the others, they could still be of use he supposed, as Itachi seemed to be friendly with that Kaitou boy, and better to play it safe for now before seeing what opportunities life would offer him.
As they broke the surface of the sea, Keramon extended two of his tentacles that served as feet, in preparation of kicking out with them, even as he grabbed Itachi by the waist with one large hand.
Easily plucking his tiny body, from the middle of the water, reaching out with another four tentacles, he grabbed Kaitou, Dorumon by their middles with two, and with one Biyomon and Sana around their waists also (though he could tell Sana was almost as good a swimmer as Kaitou), while the last grabbed Dracomon. Frowning a little (difficult for him given his physiology), he reached out with another to grab Kira, aware he'd be too slow to dodge the falling debris of rocks and dirt.
Keramon propelled them forward, reaching out and stretching out with another couple of tentacles he knabbed Michiru by his left leg, and his partner around the middle, only to do the same for Kotemon and his partner, using his other arm for the Shinai-wielding digimon, as he was fast running out of tentacles.
His last two, the ones acting as something of a propeller rotated about as rapidly as he could twist them, sending them all but flying through the sea, towards safety, faster than any of them were capable of processing, stunned and relieved as they were. A sentiment that was short-lived, when they soon found themselves short of air, a few seconds later as they remained underwater.
Keramon had no need for an atmosphere or oxygen, but he well knew, from much data that had been processed in his previous life how humans and other digimon operated physiologically. Not to mention, the effort of dragging the whole group, in particular Kotemon and the plump Elecmon had his own bones and muscles burning from pain and exertion.
'I have grown weaker in this form, damn those digidestined! This would be so much easier, in my previous life.' Keramon groaned as he summoned all of his willpower and strength to move just a bit further, just a bit faster.
Pulling them all from the river, the first being Itachi, whom he treated as delicately as porcelain, the rest soon followed as they were dragged onto the beach by the exhausted digimon. Panting, as he did so, exhausted by his efforts, he threw himself onto the beach, panting and glaring at the Digidestined he had just saved.
Coughing up sea-water, Itachi all but puked, as he pulled himself onto all four, crying from the pain of it, before he collapsed forward feeling the sand of the beach against his right cheek and hands.
'I'm alive! I'm not dead!' He thought relieved and shocked, as he sagged down, too tired to think anything else or feel much more, his hair plastered to the nape of his neck.
The next one to react was Elecmon who coughing helped drag Michiru up the beach, shortly after he had finished coughing and spraying the water from him. Glancing behind him to spot his partner coughing and gasping, still half in the water with his legs dangling in the water.
"Michiru!" Elecmon called out, as he reared back onto his back-paws and pulled his partner backwards onto the beach, with all his strength, grabbing him from his armpits. "We're safe!"
Michiru nodded heavily, exhausted and unused to swimming or not having enough oxygen as he looked up through heavy lids, to see Kuwagamon roaring in a rage, only to be sent crashing downwards trapped by the debris of rocks and sand he had shaken loose, straight for the bottom of the sea.
The genius didn't know what to think or how they had made it so far away, but all he knew was that when he made it back home, he had to learn to swim, on top of getting a full-refund for this stupid camping trip.
"Sana, it is a miracle!" Shouted Biyomon as he moved to help his 9 years old partner who was already pulling herself up, or was trying to only to lean on him heavily.
Sakura and Kotemon in turn, were both busy gasping, neither one equipped for the water, with Kotemon bending forward and backwards all to try and rid the water from his helmet, while his partner flipped herself onto her back.
'The sun, the wind, it is so beautiful! Why didn't I realize how perfect they are before?' Sakura wondered after she had finished coughing up her water, and rested there by the beach, eyes on the sun stunned to still be alive. She vowed then, never to step foot into water again for the rest of her life, if she could help it. If humans had been made for it, they'd have been given gills she believed then.
Kira and Dracomon coughed, hacked and plopped onto the beach, miserable and defeated, the latter feeling as though he let down his newfound friend, while the former though a skilled-enough swimmer for his age, felt furious at how close they had come to dying.
"I *cough* h-hate this place!" He grumbled to himself.
The first to recover was Kaitou, a gifted swimmer he knew how to hold his breath better than most, he had all but been raised in the water. Accustomed maybe not to the danger of their escapades, he was however accustomed to ocean-swimming, given that he was natively from a short-distance away from the Tohoku region.
Pulling up his goggles, with a huff he coughed but a little, having swallowed more water from when he was grabbed by Keramon than during their rapid-trip, he glanced at his huffing and panting partner, who was possibly the best swimmer outside Keramon out of the digimon. Shaking energetically, he sprayed the water on his now stinky fur, all over around him, to the cries of frustration and irritation of those around him.
"We made it!" Kaitou panted happily, "We're alive, it is a miracle!"
"Indeed," Affirmed Dorumon just as pleased as his partner.
"But how?" Kira asked confused at how they had survived, "I thought for sure we were fish food."
"Or to be crushed into paste, under those falling rocks," Michiru added as he clicked open his laptop in a rush to make sure it was okay. To his surprise and relief, he found it not only unscathed but in perfect working order, as though it hadn't endured much more than its usual sleep-mode.
"It was Keramon, I saw him he saved us all! He's a hero!" Kaitou cheered, eager to thank the swift-thinking virus who blinked in surprise, only to shrug in reply, as Sana added her voice to his.
"Thank heavens for the squid!" She remarked.
"Yeah! I don't know what we'd without him," Dorumon pipped up, just as Itachi objected to the girl's remark.
"He's not a squid!" Itachi called out heatedly.
"Then what is he?" Sana snapped disliking his tone.
"Guess he's useful for something," Kira remarked lightly, as he glanced at the forests that stood before them, studying them suspiciously. He had learned not to trust an inviting environment in this world, already.
"Never mind what he is, we should thank him," Sakura said gently, hoping to mediate the argument about to pick up between the two kids, it was the Japanese way she knew, to keep peace within the group, for its own good. She then bowed, with her partner glancing at her, only to hurriedly follow her example, "Thank you Keramon, for saving us all."
"It is fine," He murmured before helping Itachi to his feet, by lifting him up effortlessly and placing him on said feet.
"We should leave, and fast if we don't want Kuwagamon to maybe prep for another fight," Elecmon suggested as he kept an eye on where the giant-bug digimon had fallen.
"A good idea," Michiru agreed as he pulled himself to his feet, with a minor groan.
"Thanks, Keramon," Itachi murmured shakily, as he trailed after his partner, who nodded absently without offering a word in response.
"Before we move, Elecmon, if I may enquire what happened to you all?" Michiru asked, as he studied his partner attentively, staring at him from the blue marks on him, to his now red colouration and large ears on top of his head.
"Yeah, what the heck happened up there?" Kira queried confusedly.
"We digivolved," Biyomon pipped up, eagerly as he jumped up and down akin to an over-excited child. "We're better than ever thanks to you all!"
"Whenever we eat and rest, enough we can change shapes to reach the next stage of power," Keramon said simply, "Think of it as a part of our evolution, yet we can't do it without your energy, or you being in danger. I was Tsumemon, and became Keramon."
"So it isn't Kapurimon anymore?" Sakura asked as she smoothed out her dress, with a perplexed glance at her partner.
"Nope, my name has now become Kotemon, Sakura." Kotemon explained in his usual formal tone, though with a smile distinctly heard in his voice.
"Ah I see, so when you digivolve you change shapes, reaching the next stage, with us humans supplying our energy, to you. Do you use up your own energy too in the process?" Michiru wondered fascinated, wishing he had more equipment with which to study his suddenly nervous partner.
"Um, yeah we do, we all have to pitch in, I was as you saw Tsunomon and am now Elecmon," Elecmon explained in his slow drawl.
"I was the incredible Babydmon, and am now Dracomon, no autographs necessary everyone." Dracomon said to his own partner.
"Makes my head spin, ugh, think next time I'll go for summer school instead," Kira murmured even though he'd probably prefer to get a part-time job to summer-school that or he'd skip.
"I was Yokomon, but became Biyomon, with some minor help from you Sana," Biyomon joshed to his partner who perked up with her hands on her hips.
"Wow, you're incredible, but I suppose I am too if I made this possible!" Sana retorted with a loud chuckle.
"So you're Dorumon now huh?" Kaitou remarked having overheard his partner's cry earlier, when he digivolved, "That's really cool!"
"Aw, thanks Kaitou," Dorumon mumbled cheeks staining red from embarrassment, "I was Dorimon, but yeah I am now Dorumon."
"Huh," Was all Itachi said, like Kaitou he had overheard his partner and remembered it, glancing at his partner he saw him ignoring everyone and focused on the woods. He supposed he understood what had happened, his protector had grown considerably, thanks to a combination of their energies, with the little boy, suddenly aware that his partner suddenly seemed distant, in stark contrast to everyone else's partners. It made him feel a little lonely, not that he was unused to such a feeling, one which he crushed swiftly enough. "Something the matter Keramon?"
"Yes, we have dawdled enough, Elecmon is right in that we need to move," Keramon growled at all those gathered behind him.
Kira gave him a cross look, even as Elecmon nodded a little and with a lazy shrug remarked to the others, "He's right, let's get going and see if we could find any land-marks we recognize, I think we landed on Byakko island, it isn't much to look at from above. Just one forest after another, save for one or two beaches, but it should be more than safe if we're smart."
"You heard him, everyone into the forest, or face uncertain doom here on the quiet beach." Biyomon joined in, as he all but shoved his partner towards the forest.
"Jeez when she puts it that way, the beach is ever so scary." Kira muttered to himself, drawing a short guffaw from the small dragon next to him.
The forest was not a really famous one, it was so lacking in danger and in considerable mayhem in comparison to the last one they had been in, that it had almost never garnered a name for itself. It was simply known by many of the denizens of the Digiworld as 'Byakko woods', taking its name from the isle it was on.
The trees clung together, with many mushrooms sprouting here and there, berries growing from some of them, and bananas dangling from others as they all stared about, some of them clinging so tightly together, that they blotted out the sun. Leaving them, with the feeling that the trees were oppressing them as surely as Kuwagamon had previously done. All this even though the sun was high in the skies above them.
"Next stop, the forest of hidden deaths," Kira called out to everyone, as he stepped forward with Dracomon, "No pictures, videos or pets allowed."
"Very funny," Sana retorted sarcastically, as she followed not liking the forest one bit, given how dark it was, and how it seemed to
"Digital monsters, who came up with the name? How did your species develop? I wonder if there was an intelligent purpose or not, and also how is it that you are all of the same species and yet developed differently?" Michiru had asked his partner towards the middle of the group, perplexed by the simple nature and appearance of his partner. "Because if you consider Darwin's theory you should all be more alike, given how evolution normally works, consider for example homo-sapiens having evolved from-"
"Tell me, is it in your nature to question everything? I am what I am, to ask more about it seems too exhausting." Elecmon interrupted the barrage of questions, already feeling a headache setting in due to said verbal barrage.
"I was simply asking, is all." Michiru said defensively with his hands raised a little, "I mean this is intriguing and we are all but pioneers in this mysterious world."
"Can't you just accept that I'm friendly, and who I was always meant to be, and leave it at that?" Elecmon grunted, "Let whatever purpose or non-purpose fulfill itself, and see whichever it is, with some time."
"Hey Biyomon, can I ask? Have you ever considered dying your colour to a-well less girly colour?" Sana was in the midst of asking just ahead of her brother, of her partner who shot her an amused look.
"To what? Polka-dots? Or what about yellow? Or lightish-red?" Biyomon joked to her, with a quiet giggle to himself.
"Well I was just thinking, I'd look like such a girl standing next to you, in front of my basketball team, if you ever ended up coming home with me." Sana explained crossing her arms lazily behind her head, "And I hate pink."
"Well I like my colour, and I don't think you may have noticed but you are a girl, Sana." Biyomon retorted a little amusedly, as he kept up with his partner, earning him a frown from her.
"Dracomon, I was thinking; you ever waxed your scales? I mean, it might give you a buffer look, for the SheDracomon in the neighbourhood," Kira advised sagely, considering his advice all but solid gold in that moment, having considered this carefully. After all if he was to have a partner, he had to be the manliest, coolest one and best looking one around.
"There are no 'SheDracomons', and I don't wax nor do I need to, I mean I wake up in the morning always looking perfect and draconic so, there really isn't any need to." Dracomon snapped, not amused or pleased by this conversation, not at all.
"Still, something to consider." Kira shot back, with a grin as he missed his partner's revulsion.
"You think maybe I'm satisfied by my appearance?"
"Not at all, I mean you look good, but you could look better." Kira said with a grin, blind to the fact that he was digging a grave.
"Ugh," Dracomon groaned suddenly wistful for a quieter partner, maybe one less superficial like Sana or Sakura, then again maybe not in the former's case, she seemed like trouble and as though she was thinking similarly to his own.
"So you became even bigger, can swim better and can shoot fire from your mouth? You are so cool!" Kaitou gushed from directly behind Michiru and Elecmon, causing his embarrassed partner to smile a little shyly.
"Thanks, Kaitou," He mumbled quietly, moved by the young boy's obvious adoration.
"But, if you don't mind my asking do you need spicy foods to do it?" Kaitou asked innocently, unable to contain his curiosity, as he remembered one particular incident when his cousin had had too much spicy foods, and had all but breathed fire himself.
"Um, no, not that I know of." Dorumon murmured faintly embarrassed now, "I just spit it out, in battle is all, no spices required."
"But would it work better with spices?" Kaitou wondered as he thought of some of the tofu recipes he had been taught since before he could walk.
"No! I mean, um not at all, not at all. It'd work the same I hope," The last part was added as an afterthought by the suddenly panic-stricken digimon who prayed his partner wouldn't feed him spicy foods in order to help him. He hated spicy foods, he could anything but them. 'I better cook from now on, and keep an eye on my food.'
Further behind Kaitou and Dorumon, walked the last members of the team, with Sakura keeping pace with Itachi and Kotemon, both to keep an eye on the young boy and to have a private chat with her own partner.
"I can't believe this, I hope the dirt doesn't stain my dress, or get too much into everyone's hair, it'll be impossible to keep us clean if it does." Sakura grunted as she sagged a little defeat, all but itching to scratch at her head where she imagined thousands of microbes of dirt and sea-water to have dirtied it, and then smoothing out her dress.
"Bah, dirt is the badge of all true heroes, it is an honour to be covered in it Sakura." Kotemon scolded her proudly, "I myself enjoy keeping clean, but should my armour ever get dirty or damaged I consider it another tale to tell later."
"Ugh, that sounds worse than death," Sakura sighed in defeat as her partner shook his head energetically.
"No, no not at all. If you wore a men you wouldn't have to worry about dirty getting into your hair," Kotemon said only to change tact mid-speech and to focus on his beloved men, which was worth more than one's life in his book. "Or perhaps you should consider shaving your head, it might be more practical."
"Anything but that!" Sakura nearly shrieked, hands flying to her head as she clung to the black tresses she was so proud of, those that were her only vanity in life to speak of. "And won't you sweat under that hideous mask?"
"Hideous?!" Kotemon growled horrified that his honoured partner could ever utter such preposterous and hurtful words, "Why I consider this men the most beautiful thing in Digiworld!"
"Hmm," Itachi murmured without saying a word, as he tried to suppress his revulsion and distaste for her silly conversation. It was beneath him to comment, he thought as he turned to glance at his own partner who walked just a few steps ahead of him, or glided or hopped or whatever it was he did to advance forward.
A quiet child, Itachi had learned since long ago the value of silence. Words hurt, they stung and they rarely were ever used to bridge distance. And yet, part of him felt unsure of how Keramon truly felt, he wished he could he suddenly read his mind. Or that the grey digimon would speak up, but instead he simply advanced without comment.
For his part Keramon did his best to keep from rolling his eyes at the innateness of the conversations around him, they were as far as he was concerned beneath him. He was a virus, not one akin to the petty stupid ones in this world, but a true-born bug, one meant to corrode and devour. One who needed to find his programmer, his maker, not play at being a slave like these others.
And yet he could not deny, the need he had for this annoying weakling behind him, or the power that those two boys had given their partners. Perhaps in time, he thought if he applied Itachi's energies well, he could achieve a better and higher state of being than that of Diaboromon if that was even possible.
The conversations were halted after nearly an hour and a half of walking, when the group of children and their partners were halted, as Elecmon sniffed at the air a little.
"Ah, the ocean, I smell water! I could use a tan, so why don't we stop near here." Elecmon announced cheerfully, as the faint smell of ocean water hit his nostrils, cheerful the electric digimon could not help but hope they could avoid being attacked on the beach, he'd prefer to slow down, smell the flowers and enjoy the scenery than to battle.
To the digimon it was a beach they were well familiar with, having seen it from Asuka island in the past, none of them aware of anything particularly strange about it (save for maybe Keramon). But to the humans, the first thing they noticed about the beach, was the abandoned gas-station, with the windows broken, and the door firmly closed.
This struck them all as strange, yet was a ray of hope they opined, as they knew what could be found inside of a gas station, and that should there be a station there in the middle of nowhere, even if a phone was not in working order, there had to be at least one or two employees present to assist customers.
"Do you guys see what I see?" Sana shouted pointing at it, excitedly from where the stood uphill of the gas-station in the distance on the sandy beach.
"Affirmative! That would be a gas-station, which means-" Michiru answered excitedly as he stared bug-eyed at the all but shining station.
"Service! People! Phone-service!" Sakura completed his sentence more eager for something than she had ever been in all her life.
"Screw that, maybe there's food inside!" Sana gasped cutting her off, only to grow more excited with each second, "I hope there's candy or potato-chips! Or health drinks!"
"Well then, what the hell are we waiting for folks? Christmas?! Let's go!" Kira screamed as he began to charge forward, right behind the Akechi siblings, behind him Kaitou and Itachi brought up the rear.
"First thing I'm going to do when we get home, is play video-games!" Kaitou cried out happily, his smile as bright as the sun that gleamed off his goggles, as he gave chase. Out of the group he was also the only one, who strayed behind enough, as he didn't want to be in front of the bigger kids and be mowed down by them in their excitement, enough to notice Itachi trip on the beach.
"Wait for me-Yeowch!" Itachi yelped out as he tripped over a wire hidden under the sand, cursing his clumsiness and pain-stricken knee, grateful for the fact that he wore long-dark pants that offered some minor protection.
"Are you okay Itachi?" Dorumon asked worriedly, offering him a paw to help him stand up.
"Are you bleeding?" The brown-haired boy enquired just as worried, as the dark-haired boy immediately tried to act tough.
"Fine!" Itachi snapped as he jumped to his feet with a well-hidden wince, annoyed by their pity, as he refused the offer of help from the gentle purple digimon, while his own brought up the rear, his gaze pointed downwards.
'What is a wire doing here?' Keramon wondered to himself, as he examined the wire which looked suspiciously like a cable wire, that on one head seemed to lead he discovered upon pulling it up, to the lake and on the other end towards an opposite end of it, and then twisted around towards the gas-station. 'Why would they need a cable, when satellite connections are better?'
"What's that for?" Dorumon asked curiously, staring at it and wondering if he should bite into it.
"I think it's a phone-cable, or something akin to that," Keramon explained as mystified as him.
"Maybe we should cut it." Itachi grumbled still sore about looking oafish.
"I don't think we should touch it, maybe we'll need it." Kaitou suggested cautiously, figuring that maybe it'd be better to trust a big person, he added swiftly. "Maybe Michiru or Sakura will know what to do with it, I'm sure of it."
Meanwhile, those who had reached the gas-station came to a halt, for they soon found to their extreme bitterness and disappointment that not only was there no food inside, but neither was there anyone present. It was barren, save for the counter, the empty isles where food and drinks should have been.
Sakura and Kotemon were quick to search the back, while Sana all but sagged to the ground in heart-break.
"What's wrong Sana?" Biyomon asked confused by how crushed she was.
"No food," She mumbled back, while Sakura searched the back hurriedly, only to shake her head to the others.
"Nothing back here, darn," The older girl muttered with crushing finality to their ears as she stumbled from the back with her partner traipsing after her with a look of curiosity in his eyes.
"What are you looking at, Michiru?" Elecmon asked noticing how his partner's gaze was fixated on the corded telephone on the other side of the employee's counter.
"The phone, if I can't gain internet access wirelessly, then with a wire it should work," Michiru stated firmly as he raced around the counter, nearly crashing into Sakura who yelped and leapt backwards nearly onto her startled partner, who barely slipped to the left.
"Watch it!" Kotemon scolded him, but his warning fell on deaf ears, as Michiru unplugged the phone and shoved his computer's internet cord that he had brought with him only out of doubt of the summer camp's internet capabilities and had nearly left behind.
"There now lessee here," Michiru murmured as he tried to gain access, but there was no reaction, instead the internet came up but no page showed itself, and he could see it offering the troubleshoot option. "Darn, but there must be some place with internet access here."
"Michiru, what are you doing?" Sakura snapped irritably, startling him and making stare at her from over his shoulder, "We might need that phone to call for help!"
"I was just trying to understand what happened to us, whether we had internet access or not. And we don't, which suggests that we're not on earth, which validates my current hypothesis." Michiru replied firmly as he reconnected the phone line to the wall-jack, and stepped back around the counter to let Sakura have a go at the phone.
"Which is?" Kira asked curiously, back from investigating the rear of the station, having hoped to find ice-cream or bottled drinks, but there was natta.
"That we've been abducted by aliens. You see it is quite elementary, we have monsters here, that have a completely different kind of evolutionary pattern than what we understand, there is the lack of satellites, and ergo no internet access." Michiru explained eagerly, clearly convinced of his theory, while his acquaintance shook his head, doubtful.
"Yeah right, hey Sakura how's the phone working?" He queried loudly, hoping to ignore the nerd's babbling.
"At exactly four o'clock,it'll be half-past three." Babbled the phone operator on the other end of the phone, with Sakura staring at it in stunned disgust. "So please, hang-up and pretend to try your call again."
"Not well, I should try again though maybe this time I'll call the police and not my parents." She stated as she hung up then tried re-dialing, deciding that her parents were clearly out of range, and she'd have better luck with a 119 call.
"Hey we found something! We found a phone cable out on the beach!" Kaitou shouted as he came running inside, only to be shushed by the girl on the phone.
"Don't you know it's rude to shout while someone is on the phone?" Sakura hissed at him, causing him to sag a little in disappointment, having hoped they'd be as excited by his and Itachi's discovery than what they were.
"A phone cable?" Sana enquired curious, as she looked to her brother for an explanation, aware of how smart and clever he could be.
"Let's go check it out," He replied as he motioned to Kaitou with his right hand, "Lead the way Kaitou."
"Sure, let's go Dorumon," the boy cheered as he led the way all but barreling out of there back to where Itachi was busy waiting, alongside his contemplative partner.
Once outside, they proceeded to the cable which led directly to beneath the gas-station, Michiru examined it carefully, yet was completely puzzled by what he found. The wire was definitely connected, and yet there was no reception he looked up at the two boys gazing at him expectantly, in order to quickly ask them, "Hey you two, can you dig up the cable carefully? I need to see if it's been torn or cut anywhere."
"Right," Kaitou said eager to help.
"Umm, okay." Itachi agreed also, stuttering as he noticed Kira peering outside, from one of the windows of the building.
"What do you need me to do?" Sana asked thinking he had a task for her as well, which he didn't as he had forgotten about her.
"Just sit there for a minute, I want to see if this is connected to the building," He told her causing his little sister to pout without him noticing, as he sank to one knee and removed some of the sand from on top of the cable, for several minutes he did nothing else, save for this until he reached the wall, only to furrow his brow and stroke his chin in a gesture of pensiveness.
"That we could do, I'm gonna catch up on my tanning then," Elecmon volunteered lazily, relieved to have nothing to do, as he sagged to the ground to prepare for his 'power-nap'/tanning session.
"I think it is connected, and yet the phone isn't working," Michiru remarked puzzled and fascinated, "Maybe it was always broken."
"Try telling her that," Sana retorted motioning to the older girl with her thumb over her shoulder, as she studied the cable.
"She seems awfully thick," Biyomon remarked with a snicker to herself, as Sakura's voice could be heard trying to reach the operator and convince her to send someone over to repair the phone as it didn't seem to be working properly.
Soon enough, Itachi and Kaitou showed up again with their partners, to report what it is they had found; nothing. Not a wire out of place, no cuts to the cable and nothing of note that stood out.
"It doesn't seem torn, but it does come to an end over there," Kaitou explained pointing behind towards the area just short of the forest.
"It fell short of the forest," Dorumon added helpfully.
"He knows that, given how Miyamoto is pointing," Itachi stated scathingly to the dino, who gave him a wounded look.
"No need to be mean," Dorumon scolded only for Michiru to cut in.
"I see, nice work you three, now we just need to go over what can be done, maybe I can fix the phone." The otaku suggested wearily, unsure if that was even possible, or if he was providing them with a false hope. He supposed a false hope was better than none at that moment.
But it was in vain he soon found, the phone was determined to be uncooperative he discovered, and so with Sakura reclaiming it impatiently, and Kira shaking his head, he left the gas-station for the outdoors, to discuss at length his failures.
"I have found after much research little to nothing, I think we need to consider leaving the station." Michiru advised totally beaten and conceding defeat to the phone cable and the gas-station.
"If only we could-" Kira began to suggest something only to be interrupted by a loud growl, glancing over he saw Sana clearly embarrassed with red-cheeks rubbing her belly and looking downwards, her stomach's voice was joined by his, as he sighed. "Time for a break."
Itachi was visibly relieved, more so than the other two children as he glanced about quietly only to ask, "Does anyone have any food, I didn't bring any."
"I've got nothing, except my sneakers, my basket-ball key-chain and I think that thing that came out of the sky," Sana explained, half-moaning, "Does anyone have any food?"
"I came with only my goggles for swimming, my swimsuit in my bag and a couple of comic-books, and manga, and a miniature first-aid kit." Kaitou replied equally disappointed as the others, "I already gave my half-eaten chocolate bar to Dorumon."
"Sorry, I was just so hungry, if I had known you'd need it, then I'd have gladly offered it up." Dorumon said to them, evidently disappointed in himself only for Michiru to wave away his concerns.
"I doubt a half-eaten chocolate bar would have gone very far," He said as he glanced at Kira who proudly forked over his own bag.
"I on the other hand came much more well-prepared; I brought several chocolate bars, and have brought even a convenience store bento and a chicken-sandwich." Kira explained, as he smirked at them, "You never know when you'll want to snack, and as I was planning to be out all day, I figured I'd need the food. You guys can have the bento and bars, the sandwich is mine."
He said the latter part with a greedy look to the sandwich, while he was congratulated, soaking in the pleasure of his well-deserved praise as Keramon nodded to himself in approval, and Itachi gave the sandwich a longing look, and Dorumon jumped on the bento, with all the eagerness of a starved pup, alongside Kaitou.
"Well-done! This was nicely thought out even if it was sourced in irresponsibility!" Michiru praised excitedly, not aware of how his words could be construed, as he got a 'hey' from the annoyed boy.
"Wow, you sure are more helpful than my bro," Sana pipped up.
"That's a lot of food," Biyomon murmured salivating from his pink beak.
"But wait, how long will it last us with us here?" Kotemon asked, having wandered over from the gas-station, having given up on his partner.
"With nine large chocolate bars, one lunch, and a sandwich? Probably not long at all," Michiru predicted as he did the mental math within a second, "We should find a way to ration it, though it will barely last us through to the morrow with the digimon included."
"Then in that case, don't worry about us, we'll forage and hunt for ourselves." Keramon replied confidently having not yet noticed that Dorumon was in the midst of contradicting him, "We could handle ourselves, and if you ask anyone; Elecmon could stand to do more exercise."
"HEY!"
"Um, we already have a problem with that Keramon," Itachi pipped up having noticed the problem ahead of him, with Kira only now noticing it also.
"Kaitou and Dorumon have already packed away two of the chocolate bars and the lunch." The dark boy pointed out quietly.
"Why didn't you point it out sooner!" Kira cried out without thinking, "You're eating all the food we have in the world!"
"But I thought we were gonna share it," Kaitou argued some soy sauce and rice on his chin, "I thought you were offering it."
Elecmon sighed heavily, rolling over onto his back so he was resting on it, already exhausted by the bickering and indecision that this group of children suffered heavily from. With Kaitou not thinking of others, Sana eager to punish him, Kira outraged and self-righteous, and Michiru unsure of what to do.
At times like this, he supposed Sakura would come in handy, with her penchant for mediation but she was determined to remain glued to the phone.
"If Dorumon gets some food, then I want some too!" Dracomon cried out, having been salivating over the chocolate, loving the scent of it and eager to try out this newfound food, as he was always eager for new foods.
"I was not offering it, and Dracomon give me a minute here," Kira shot back clearly losing what little patience he had at that moment, while Sana was busy grilling Kaitou.
"What the heck were you thinking?! It's not fair, spit it back out!" She said working herself up into a fury.
"I can't, I already swallowed it all!" He answered frightened of her, while Itachi groaned and rubbed his hands against his temple, his head starting to throb, the beginnings of a headache taking root in his skull.
"Hey wait, what's that sound?" Elecmon wondered as an odd sound pricked at his ears, from near the gas-station.
"What is it Elecmon?" Kotemon asked glancing at his friend, as he noticed how the other digimon seemed increasingly worried.
"Trouble," Was the simple answer as he stood up on his hind-legs, his partner only now noticing his concern and how he was facing the beach.
"Something the matter, Elecmon?"
"Yeah, there's trouble on its way." Was the repeated answer as a burst of water spiralled upwards startling them all, and causing them all to jump in surprise as what looked like a giant red octopus with a hand-gun in one of its fearsome tentacles and a sword in another, both pointed at the children and their digimon partners, from where it stood amongst the waves of the sea.
"What is that thing?" Sana asked as her partner took flight batting his arms/wings with a scowl on his face.
Digimon Analyzer/Biyomon: If you were to pick up all the trash and everything nasty on land, toss it into a vacuum cleaner then mix it with an octopus you'd get Octomon. Violent and unfriendly, Octomon is feared throughout Digiworld for his Spurting Ink attack, be warned it is toxic to most whom it touches.
"Great, what do we do now?" Kira wondered as he gaped at the peculiar monstrosity which began to make its way on land, eyes wandering from the children to the sandy beach, to the cable that cut across it towards the near-empty gas station.
"We have to keep Octomon from the station, Sakura's inside of it!" Kotemon shouted as he bolted into action, remembering his partner and desperate to protect her from the harm that, was represented by the monstrosity that towered over the aforementioned building.
"Right, I forgot," Elecmon said worriedly, as he sprang forward, "Digimon attack!"
'Let's hope it'll be enough,' Michiru thought to himself, unsure of what to do were they to face another situation akin to that which they had faced with Kuwagamon; where they were overpowered by the enemy.
"Super Thunder Strike!" Elecmon called out as he attempted to zap the octopus with all he had, only for his blast to sputter out and fall short.
"I'll get him!" Dracomon roared as he charged forward to attempt to blast the enemy digimon. The small blue dragon came to a halt a short distance from the gas-station, planted his legs firmly into the ground beneath him, opened his maw as his horn began to glow a bright dark blue colour and attempted to fire upon the ugly octopus monster. "G-Shurunen!"
But the attack petered out, just as the previous one did, and it was soon joined by the pathetic excuse for a 'Spiral Twister' and 'Bug Blaster' that Biyomon and Keramon tried to dish out without much success. Kotemon on the other hand, took this interference as a signal and began to race across the battlefield, in order to get to the station and save his partner.
"Spurting Ink!" And with that the various Rookies were knocked back, all except one of them who rolled beneath the black ink, and continued to race forward, while a second dark clothed figure raced by largely ignored.
"Cover him," Kaitou called out, to his own partner who had likewise stepped forward, to protect them.
"Roger, Metal Cannon!" Dorumon roared as he fired off a powerful heated iron ball at the enemy, hitting the tentacle with the pistol out of its grasp.
"What's with all this racket?" Sakura wondered as she stepped out, only to be knocked down by her partner.
"Get down!" Kotemon shouted, as he shoved her out of the way of one of the enraged Octomon's tentacle and to the right of the doorway of the gas-station, which had just been hit by Octomon. "You okay Sakura?"
"Yeah, but what's going on?" She asked as she raised her head a little, grateful to her partner for yet again saving her life, as she stared or to be more accurate gaped at the Champion level digimon threatening them all.
"We're under attack." Kotemon replied glibly, as he noted his fallen shinai, and began to calculate the distance between him and it.
"Metal Cannon!" Dorumon cried out once more, firing again, this time he aimed for its main body and hit, causing it to glower at him.
Slamming his tentacle at him, he struck the purple dragon/dino who yelped in pain at the sudden attack, as his partner screamed at the offending monster, "Leave him alone, you bully!"
"Why is only Dorumon still fighting?" Michiru wondered confused as his partner groaned in pain, both from the hit he had received earlier, and at the pain in his gut.
"We're just too tired," Elecmon moaned as he placed his head in his beloved partner's lap, as he stroked his ear affectionally.
"I feel so weak," Dracomon added as he groaned also.
"Damn, there must be something we could do, I mean I'm too good looking to die here," The green-haired Kira grumbled as he glowered over at Octomon hatefully.
"Keramon, are you okay? Talk to me!" Itachi whimpered as he held Keramon's face in his hands, the viral digimon stared up at him in bewilderment.
"I can't stand this! Get up Biyomon!" Sana said to her own partner, who painfully shook his head too tired and pain-stricken to explain yet, desperate to comfort her at the same time.
"I can't."
"It is because we haven't eaten, only Dorumon came prepared," Keramon murmured to his partner ashamed of his weakness and confused by the worry he saw mere inches away from him.
"Can you fight him?" Sakura asked of her partner, more frightened than she'd ever been in all her short life.
"Not, as I currently am, I wish I could do more." Kotemon uttered as he sighed in near defeat, "But I can get you away from here."
"Metal Cannon!" Dorumon pelted another much more ineffectual blast at his enemy, hoping it would be the blast to end the other digimon.
"Dorumon, it seems its just you and me, so do something!" Kaitou called out to his partner who nodded, only to blast once more, and once more was ignored as Octomon looked about for his gun, only to find the shinai lying in the dirt a few feet away from Kotemon.
Seeing that the octopus had just to say noticed his partner, Kotemon made the split-second decision to get her out of there, screw his weapon, his partner was so much more important than a sword. His honour as a digimon and as a Kotemon could call for nothing less, as he pulled her to her feet.
"I-I-I-I-I th-think he noticed us!" Sakura shrieked nearly wetting herself, in her terror as she was hurried to her feet and leapt back a few feet.
"Sakura!" Kaitou called out, as he realized that the enemy had changed tactics, racing forward, he moved to run to her instinctively, horrified by the notion that he and his new best friend had somehow put the pretty camp supervisor in danger.
"Wait Kaitou, it's much too dangerous!" Michiru screamed after him, raising a halting hand as the little boy all but bolted away from him, faster than he thought possible. "He's doomed!"
"Kaitou, be careful!" Sana added her own voice, as she leapt to her feet to race after him, only to be pulled down by Biyomon.
"Don't! You can't help him, so just stay put!" He ordered as he struggled and failed to reach his feet.
"Poor fool is a dead man," Keramon noted without much care.
"Kaitou." Itachi murmured worried despite himself for the other boy, the only one to have ever treated him fairly, at camp or ever in his life as he sat there paralyzed by fear and uncertainty, hating himself for how all he could do was gape and stare as the four of them moved into action.
"Well, dibs on the goggles," Kira said already sagging in defeat.
"How could you give up already, we gotta do something," Dracomon bit out as he struggled and fell back to the ground, with a minor groan.
"Don't strain yourself, you're too weak to help," Kira told him, as he cradled him again, his mood and tone changing from one of defeat to concern.
"Kaitou don't be a fool!" Dorumon warned as he began to race forward, shooting off another 'Metal Cannon' only to notice it hit and get ignored.
Screaming Sakura was thrown to the ground by Kotemon, who had noticed a huge mechanical tipped red tentacle ripping towards them, shattering bits of stone and trees nearby as though they were little more than wet-paper in its way.
Octomon with his sword took a swing at Dorumon who panicked and dropped, losing a few threads of fur but little else. Octomon's eyes though fixated themselves upon the 9 years old boy who was nearly at Sakura.
"Kaitou, don't!" Sakura called out, stressed and destroyed by the idea of putting the brave little imp of a boy in danger.
"But, I have to help you! You'd do the same for me," He called back as he slowed down, not seeing the tentacle that was baring down upon him until it was too late.
"Duck!" Kotemon shouted but it was too late, and Kotemon felt tears already welling in his eyes, as he watched the boy get plucked off the ground by a red tentacle, just as everyone called out the little boy's name, frozen where they sat and horrified by what was happening.
"Somebody, Dorumon help me!" Kaitou whimpered loudly, as Dorumon answered his call by charging forward.
"Let him go! You put my baby down this minute or so help me I'll-ooofff!" Dorumon growled only to be crushed beneath a tentacle with all of Octomon's weight bearing down upon him.
"Kaitou, get out of there!" Dracomon called out.
"It's too late," Michiru muttered full of despair.
"Don't say that! It can't be over," Sana replied as she clutched Biyomon more tightly.
"I know there must be something that can be done," Itachi said strongly.
"Shut up, he's dead, he rushed in and died it happens, now what are we gonna do for ourselves?" Kira wondered to the horror of his partner.
'I don't wanna die yet!' Kaitou thought meanwhile, screaming and feeling the tentacle tighten all around him, starting to crush him, he thought of his life, of his grandpa who loved tofu more than his family, his grandma who cared more for her husband than anything else, his cousin Wataru who had always treated him like a kid brother, of his mother who had… and he realized he'd only miss two of them, and the newest, more mature parent and best-friend he had met but a few hours before. 'Dorumon, help me! I need you!"
'I can't fail him yet! He's so young, so full of future possibilities, so eager for the future, so full of faith in me. I must help him. I have to!' Dorumon mused as he felt his bones start to crack and pop, from underneath Octomon.
All looked bleak. Hope had been dashed, light began to fade and darkness encroached upon two of the young group. But then a light shimmered and shined bright green then bright white, from the digivice on Kaitou's waistband, facing his rear, where he had previously put it without much thought to it.
"Woah!" Dorumon called out as he began to glow a bright white colour, brighter than the sun causing everyone to stare then look away, but none moreso than Octomon, as Kaitou gaped down.
"He's about to grow," Itachi murmured, reaching out to his memories as he stared through the light without difficulty.
In the blackness, it as though Dorumon entered an embryo, an egg of sorts one of his own thoughts and feelings, of his own being and that of Kaitou surrounded only by the belief that he and his partner were deep down one, halves of a whole. "Dorumon digivolve tooo….. Dorugamon!"
He was larger. He felt powerful, with wings at his disposal, a large mouth on a long neck that could sever a shark's fin without so much more than a small chomp, a body as tough as any modern day tank and a mind clearer and greater than ever before.
Octomon thrown off by this increase in weight and size fell back, as he lost his grip upon the lad in his tentacle who got thrown back into the water, with a loud splash as Octomon more by instinct than thought slashed out with his sword.
Ducking underneath it, Dorugamon raised his right paw and grabbed the hilt, as it finished passing by him, and opening his mouth wider than it had ever been opened roared, "Power Metal!"
The firey-iron ball ripped through the heavens, as Octomon went flying howling out in its hatred and pain, yet not wholly destroyed.
Taking flight after him, with his powerful wings beating against the air as he did so, Dorugamon fired two more blasts at him, both sending him flying further and further away, as he did so, only to circle back and begin searching for his partner who had fallen into the sea, a short distance from the gas-station.
"Kaitou!" Sakura had screeched in the midst of all this, the first to notice that the small boy had fallen into the ocean.
"I'll help you!" Kotemon added as he raced forward alongside his partner to go help the boy out of the water. "Are you okay?"
"Well I've had better days, but I think so." Kaitou replied as he was assisted to his feet only to be shaken by the older kid.
"What were you thinking you little dolt!" Sakura screamed almost hysterical in her anger, "You could have been hurt!"
"I-I just wanted to help you," Kaitou mumbled hurt and feeling betrayed by her anger, which caused her to yield a little.
"I know, but you could have been hurt!" She repeated.
"Sakura, maybe it is best left as is, Kaitou did something foolish, he knows it and will never do it again, clear?" Kotemon said his hand coming to lay upon hers.
"Fine, but next time you worry about yourself, you got that?" Sakura said sternly, causing her partner to stare at her with pride.
'She can be so noble,' he thought proud to have her as his partner, and not one of the others, aware that though she tried to not stand out, at times like this when she had to play older sister she was truly shining.
Ashamed of how upset she was, and genuinely contrite by how he had placed himself and Dorumon in danger, Kaitou murmured back, "I'm sorry."
"You better be," Dorugamon added equally sternly as he came in for a landing behind him.
"Kaitou you're alive!" Kira said loudly as he raced towards him, guilt ridden for how he had so easily given up, he tried to cover his failure by congratulating him more heartily than the rest, "You must be the bravest little kid in all of the Kanto region!"
"Prodigious is what you are, Kaitou!" Michiru congratulated, calling upon his and his old elementary school computer club's catch phrase. "And Dorugamon that was incredible."
"That was a leonine feat, my lad," Elecmon remarked pleased, before he added for Dorugamon's sake, "I'm impressed my friend, you are something else."
"Uh-huh!" Biyomon and Dracomon added both cheerily.
"You the man! You and D-mon there!" Sana added, as Dorugamon blushed at her nickname for him and all the praise being heaped upon him and his partner.
"Th-thank you," He mumbled feeling shy again.
Keramon in turn remained silent, while Itachi nodded also, his head ressembling almost that of a bobble-head as he nodded so energetically alongside the rest of the team. "Kaitou, that was impressive."
"Aww thanks, but it was all Kotemon and Dorugamon," Kaitou said modestly, his ego properly abashed from the scolding from earlier, as he spoke though Dorugamon de-digivolved causing his partner to race over to him.
"Ugggghhh, I feel exhausted," Dorumon groaned wearily, as he spoke up, "You guys wouldn't happen to have some more of that boxed lunch, would you?"
"Of course," Kaitou murmured, as Sakura smiled down at him.
"I'm willing to give up my share as thanks," Sakura said eagerly.
A short time later, the team sat discussing their options as all their food was gobbled up by the digimon, all except a certain sandwich.
"We should get going, before Octomon returns for round two, as it seems he was merely relocated further upriver and is unlikely to take kindly to us usurping his home in such a violent manner, I advise we pack up and back into the Byakko woods." Michiru suggested sagely, looking from teammate to teammate, his words earning him a nod of approval from Kira, Kaitou and Itachi.
"NO! The phone, the station it's all in ruins!" Sakura cried out, only now noticing how utterly destroyed it was, an after-effect of the battle.
"Leave it, it didn't work anyways," Sana grumbled irritably.
"I'm ready to go when you all are," Itachi said firmly, "I just want food soon."
"I'll go wherever you guys want to," Kaitou added, uncertainly with a glance at the partners chowing down upon the food.
"Hmm, gulp so good! You were right about this sandwich Kira!" Someone said from the side, nose and snout half hidden by a certain backpack, as he gulped down a particularly delicious sandwich.
"Of course, I was-wait don't eat that! That chicken sandwich is mine! You little sneak!" Kira shouted furiously as his partner swallowed gleefully, and snickered at him.
"Not anymore it isn't, wait a while and you could have it back bro," Dracomon replied as he grinned.
"Anyways, you guys ready to go?" Michiru asked of Elecmon and the others who all nodded to each other.
"Yeppers, so let's go you slackers!" Biyomon cheered as he pumped his fist into the air.
"Digimon gooooo!" Most of them cheered back (save for Dorumon).
"C'mon, Kira," Added Dracomon, "It's all in good fun."
"And you too Sakura, leave it." Kotemon ordered as he dragged his own heartbroken partner.
Kaitou Miyamoto: Now, Kaitou wasn't originally supposed to be all that interesting even to me the writer, with the character originally a rather bland character, namely a simple shounen main character like Tyson from Beyblade. The idea being that he was originally going to be an orphan, growing up in an orphanage who discovers initially Guilmon but after thinking about how that was done in season 3. It was decided that Dorumon was a better choice, in particular with some of the ideas that soon came out of developing the relationships between Kaitou and the other kids. Dorumon was also much blander, but then the idea occurred to me to write Kaitou with the flaws of a shounen mc like Tyson without the strengths or intelligence of characters such as Goku or Joey Wheeler from Yu-Gi-Oh! with Kaitou soon becoming a blabbermouth, insensitive at times and generally just a lonely little boy.
Further, he was also supposed to be much older, being 14 years old but when it was decided that Michiru, Sakura and Kira would be thirteen he was downgraded as the main idea behind the story was that Sana and Itachi were the same age as Kari and T.K. at this point in time. Kaitou thus became a whiney 9-year old, with extreme social issues, a lot of neediness and yet with Yu-Gi-Oh! in mind, he took on some facets of Yugi's character, that is to say his shyness and kindliness. Kaitou thus became a fuller character, a deep-down insecure, shy little boy who offsets his needs by being louder, than anyone saying a lot, yet revealing none of his needs. A liar by nature.
Further his original Crest was to be that of Loyalty, but as you'll see, this was dropped and folded into a much more logical and interesting Crest, also due to a major plot-point later in the story.
Thus, while at first simply a character to bind others together, and due to the needs of the narrative Kaitou became a much more complex, more empathic character, who went from being a dull orphan without any real issues who would be changed due to the world's circumstances around him, to a momma's boy, with a hole in his heart and a longing to fill it so to speak. A very big improvement even from a writing standpoint.
