Hello. I just wanted to apologize for a few mistakes I made with the last chapter. First of all, there were random symbol typos in there, nothing too bad. But there's another thing I just wanted to apologize for.

At the beginning, I said that you would all find out what happens to Adrian in Chapter 2, and I didn't fulfill that promise, and decided to go with a flashback. It was a mistake, and I apologize for it.

I just want my story to be unlike any other Digimon story on this website. And so far, while I was told the story had potential, I feel like its going the super cliche route. I really need your support to make this story the best it can be, because I have big plans for the plot. If you're reading this right now, I ask you with all of my heart to leave a review of what you like and don't like. It will help out Digimon: Chrono very much in the long run. Thank you very much.

Oh yeah, this will also be the last time a chapter begins with the narrator waking up. Why do I keep doing that?

(DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the Digimon franchise, the digimon featured in this story, or the lyrics of songsI use so you can go on YouTube to listen to them. All I own are the human characters, and the concept of "Chronotic Energy.")

Last time, on Digimon: Chrono!

The Digital World; once a beautiful place with trees, rivers, oceans, and many bustling cities and towns with digimon residing in them, is now a desolate wasteland filled with nothing but destruction and death.

We get a deeper look into Shoutmon's past, and find out that he has a twin sister, Musimon!

We also discover that the two used to be worldwide digi-stars, putting on concerts and soothing the resident digimons' ears with their music, as well.

But, oh no! Zsalm launches his first digital world attack during one of their concerts on the most important day in the digital world, Chrono Day! And Musimon has seemingly been turned into one of Zsalm's forced supporters!

Shoutmon's life has changed for good...

...

(Music starts playing as the camera pans across the green plains. Zooms up and sees two silhouettes on top of a hill; one short and one tall.)

(The camera then cuts to the two silhouettes, revealing them to be Adrian and Shoutmon, looking at the distance. They then look at each other with a smile, nod, and then turn around. White flashes to the two of them running, with Shoutmon in front of Adrian.)

saa ryoute hiroge ano kumo wo koete

(To their right appears Seina, with her partner, Hawkmon.)

niji no aachi kugutte

(Then to their left appears Connor with his partner, Dorumon.)

mezasu basho e

(Camera flies over Adrian's head and into the sky; title appears.)

"DIGIMON: CHRONO"

FLY AWAY!

(mukaikaze datte dekai kabe datte oikaze matotte mezasu basho e)

(Cuts to the six of them stopping at a hill and looking at the distance. Cut to what they are looking at, which is then revealed that they're looking at their hometown, Woodland River.)

kimi ga soba ni iru kara

(Cuts to Woodland Senior High School. The camera goes through the doors to reveal Jessie, Sheala, and Eric, who are all talking and laughing, then they look at the camera and wave.)

I held you hand cuz you said

"Take you to the shining place from a maze"

kimi wo shinjite

(Cuts to Derek, Jake, Amy, Brady M, Brady G, and Luke talking and laughing with each other, then notice the camera, turn to it, smile and wave.)

tsukanda sono te atatakakute

mitsumeru sono hitomi ni kumori wa nakute

(Cuts to a pink background. Seina and Hawkmon float by, with Seina holding a cyber-staff and pink glowing marks on her left hand. They then float away, with the background turning orange, as well as Connor and Dorumon taking their place, Connor holding a cyber whip, and orange glowing marks on his hand.)

kodoku wo tsumikasaneta omoi ga kareta daichi ni otoshita namida

(Cuts to a small pond in the forest. Two silhoettes are standing at the edge of the pond. Again, one shorter than the other.)

hitotsubu no shizuku ga hirogatte

(Cuts to a close up of Iki and his partner, Gabumon, who has a worried look on his face. Iki then turns his head in the opposite direction with a serious look on his face.)

iro toridori no hana wo sakashiteku

(Cut to a ruined city, with many Digimon either destroying things or lying on the ground. A giant figure is shooting off a purple energy beam, destroying everything the beam touches.)

tsuyogari no naifu wo furimawashite

(Cut to Shoutmon's left side, which shows his hometown in the digital world in flames.)

kizutsukete

(Cut to Shoutmon's right side, which shows what seems to be his digimon friends lying on the ground, battered, bloody, and possibly dead.)

kizutsuite

(Cut to Shoutmon's eyes, which are closed and crying, but then open up, showing that the eyes are now glowing red.)

kurayami de sakendeta

(Cut to Connor, a confident look on his face, with his hand glowing orange as he extends it out. Dorumon jumps in, and then digivolves into Dorugamon, then digivolves into DoruGreymon, and finally both human and digimon glow a bright orange, and after the shine ends, stands one tall silhouette with a sword.)

ima hikari terasu ano sora no hate e

(Cut to Seina, with her face stern and serious, and extends her glowing pink hand. Hawkmon jumps in, who digivolves into Aquillamon, who then digivoles into Hippogryphmon. Him and Seina then glow bright pink, and as the glowing ends, there stands a tall silhouette with wings.)

kimi no te o tsukande hanasani you ni

(Cut to Adrian and Shoutmon, both with a determined, angry look to them. Adrian extends his hand up in the air, which is glowing red. Shoutmon then digivolves to SilvShoutmon, then digivoles into OmniShoutmon. Adrian and his partner then glow a bright red, and the glowing end reveals a giant silhouette.)

FLY AWAY!

(mukaikaze datte dekai kabe datte

oikaze matotte mezasu basho e)

(Close up of the silhouette as it raises what seems to be a sword. Cuts back to the first shot, and the figure slashes. Cut to Adrian and Shoutmon, talking and laughing on top of the roof of his house, watching the sunset.)

Boku ga soba ni iru kara

Created by: Russell the Dragon

...

Episode 3: Partnership?! Adrian learns the truth!

[September 6, 2016.]

[Woodland Rivers, United States]

[4:00 PM]

I opened my eyes, and found myself laying in my room, on my bed, staring at the blank, white wall with the ceiling light/fan again. With a gigantic headache.

I sat up and rubbed my head. Ah, fuck, what happened? I wonder. All I remember was my computer going crazy and then an electric shock to my hand.

And my head is killing me, too, not to mention.

My vision started blurring so much, everything looked like I was looking through a fogged up window during the winter time. I went to the bathroom to wash my face, and looked at myself in the mirror.

I was still me, so no body switching shenanigans are going on, which was my initial though, at first. No bruises, cuts or scars, either, so I wasn't in an accident, or some fist fight.. But I can't help but wonder what happened. Wait, what time was it, anyway? I raised my left wrist to look at my black digital watch.

Exactly four o'clock.

Why was I out for almost an hour and a half, then? I returned to my room and got my answer.]

And that answer was in the form of the red dinosaur (Shoutmon, I think his name was) sleeping on the side of my bed, arms crossed.

Okay, now I remember. That son of a bitch electrocuted me. And he claimed that we were "partners." What is he talking about? No, what even IS this guy?

As he slept, I observed him, as creepy as that sounds. I just had to many questions for this guy. For example, what species is he? Surely no species of dinosaur, as I've never seen a picture of a dinosaur that looked like it was made of metal.

And it was able to speak, as well! Unless dinosaurs spoke english before they went extinct, I don't think this guy is a full dinosaur.

At first, I was thinking about just shaking him awake A, because I wanted some answers from him, and B, because he electrocuted me, and this was a way that I could get him back. But for some reason, I didn't. The guy seemed... calm, sleeping like that. If I was that calm when asleep, I sure as hell wouldn't want to be woken up.

It didn't matter, anyways, as he woke up slowly, but naturally. I saw his eyes open, which were big and green. He stood up, and slowly turned to the door, where I was standing.

"Oh, good," he said with a smile. "You're awake."

"Yeah..." I said, softly. "Yeah, I am." I walked over to the bed and sat down on it. "No thanks to you, as you knocked me out to begin with, you little piece of shit."

Shoutmon rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Hehe, sorry about that. It was the only way."

"The only way to put me out for an hour? To kill me?"

"No... to give you Chrono."

That almost made me do a double-take. Chrono? What the hell is Chrono?

"You have a crap ton of explaining to do, you little..." Oh yeah, I don't know what this guy is. "Little..."

He could read the confusion on my face as easily as reading a billboard sign. "Digimon," he said.

"And a Digimon is what, exactly?"

"Digital monster."

A digital monster? Okay, at this point, I realized that something huge is going on.

"Start from the very beginning, please," I asked Shoutmon.

"Definitely," he agreed, "but first, I need to know your name."

"Adrian. Adrian Boriker."

"Nice to finally be introduced to you, Adrian. Now, where to begin..."

He told me everything; about the digital world and its creation, and how digimon were eventually popping up and taking residence in this world.

"And what exactly is Chrono?" I asked after he finished explaining the digital world.

"Chrono is short of 'Chronotic Energy,'" Shoutmon answered. "It's an essence that ties our world together, an essence that makes the digital world possible. And some digimon, like myself, have the ability to harness and manipulate Chrono to our will, and do some pretty incredible things, I must say."

I looked at my hand, which still hurt from earlier. "And you gave... me this power? But why?" I don't think I was expecting the answer he gave me. In more ways than one.

"The digital world is fucked."

As soon as he said that, I looked up in surprise, fear, and shock as he said the word "fucked." What I asked next, I don't really think I wanted to know.

"...what do you mean by that?"

"The original digital world is nearly dead," Shoutmon nearly yelled, and I saw his eyes squint a noticable amount as he said that. "A year ago, there was this monster, known as 'Zsalm.' He just appeared one day, during our most important holiday, and... and..." Shoutmon was on the verge of tears. "...and he destroyed everything." He then looked away from me, and I saw tears hitting the carpet of my bedroom floor.

I honestly did not know how to react to this. So I probably did the most generic thing anyone could have done: "I.. I'm sorry."

"YOU ARE NOT FUCKING SORRY," Shoutmon snapped, with extreme anger in his eyes, his voice literally shouting now. "HOW CAN YOU BE SORRY ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT, HUH?! YOU DON'T KNOW... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ZSALM DID! HE DESTROYED EVERYTHING, HE KILLED EVERYONE, HE FORCED OTHERS TO HELP HIM, HE TOOK AWAY MY ONLY FAMILY, AND ALL YOU CAN FUCKING SAY IS THAT YOU'RE SORRY?! SORRY?!"

I felt like the biggest douchebag on the planet after hearing this. I just sat there, not saying anything, because of this. 'Zslam' really had an effect on his world, if he's this upset about it. After a few minutes of silence, Shoutmon finally starting speaking again.

"I'm a member of an extremely important guild in our world: Chrono-League. And our job is to protect the digimon of our world. And right now, our most important job is defeating Zsalm." He turned to me. "And that's why I'm here. You see, we discovered that if humans can get Chrono as well, they can use it to increase our Chrono, to give us stronger forms." He then held out his right hand. It glew red, and there seemed to be lines forming on it. "Look at your hand."

I did as he was told, and saw that my hand was glowing in the same fashion as Shoutmon's. I held it up in front of my face, unbelievably shocked at what was happening.

"I knew it," he said. "We're officially partners now."

"No," I said as I got up. "No, we are not." I walked towards my TV. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to find someone else. I can't be your partner." I started to leave the room, but Shoutmon stopped me.

"There's no choice involved in this, you know. We are partners, and-"

"I don't even know you," I interrupted. "You barge into my room, electrocute me, then tell me I need to help you defeat some monster that will kill anything it can? I'm only sixteen years old, I just can't help you do this."

"You have to!"

"No I do not. You can find someone else just as easily."

"We've already bonded-"

"Then undo the 'bond.'"

"I'm sorry, it can't be done."

"Well, then I guess you're shit outta luck, because I'm not risking my life to protect some digital world.

"Like I said, you have no choice, you have Chrono now, and together, we can defeat him!"

I paused for a moment, and said: "If this Zsalm thing is all you make him out to be, do you really believe that it can be stopped?" After a few seconds without a response, I asked again. "Do you?"

"Well..."

I didn't even let him finish. "Look, I've got friends and family who would go ballistic if I helped you and ended up dead. I just can't do that to them. I've been through the pain of losing a friend and a family member before. I'm sorry, but I just can't help you."

Shoutmon gave me one more angry glare, and sat on my bed, looking down. "I never thought the one I chose to be my partner would be so selfish..."

...

[7:30 PM]

I was sitting in my room, watching TV, still trying to process what is happening. Shoutmon is still sulking on my bed. I decided to try and be friends with him. I sure as hell wasn't going to HELP him, but nothing wrong with be friends, right?

"Sooo... what do you like to do?" I asked Shoutmon. No response. "Look, I know you're pissed and everything, but you have to understand why I think helping you is a stupid idea. I will be friends, if you like, but I just-"

"Friends..." Shoutmon suddenly said. "That's something we can't be. We're either partners or adversaries, Adrian."

"What's wrong with being friends?" I asked. "Are you against the idea, or something?"

"I'm not against having friends, Adrian. I have plenty of them. But we can't be friends because I put my trust in you to be my partner. To help me save my world. And you betrayed that trust."

"How many times do I need to tell you that if I DID help you, we'd both surely get killed?"

"At least we'd be dying for a good cause. Something you're unwilling to do, apparently. Really says something about who you are."

I had to process what he said. Is it true? Is he saying that I was a coward? That I would do anything just to stay alive, even if it meant dicking over others in the end? It can't be. I mean, I still don't really believe what he's even saying. A digital world? Sounds like something a lame children's TV show from some company in Japan would come up with.

But, look at him... I hurt him so badly. There really is no one else who can help him with this. I had no idea what to do. Do I actually help him? Become his partner? This whole situation was really messing with my brain. It was all just so much to process, in a short amount of time.

My thought bubble was bursted with a sudden knock on my door. "Adrian!" I heard my dad call, "we brought pizza home!"

"Be right there!" I called out. As I got up to go get some pizza, I looked over at Shoutmon. He was still sitting on my bed in a state of depression, but still, he must be starving. I walked up to him. "Hey, Shoutmon, want me to bring you back some pizza?"

"No, I'm good," Shoutmon told me without even looking up.

"Are you sure? You have to be hungry, right?" His head suddenly jerked up at me, and his eyes... man, his eyes were freaky.

"I SAID I'M GOOD."

I stared at him for a good five seconds. "You know, I was actually thinking of helping you. But if you can't treat me like a partner, then maybe I won't be yours." I then left the room, and went to the kitchen.

The pizza Mom and Dad got was a delivery pizza, and my favorite toppings to: nothing but pepperoni and sausage. I grabbed two slices, put them on a paper plate, then went to the living room, and sat on our gray, knit couch that was in front of the giant window at the front of our house, and watched our smart TV with Mom and Dad, both of whom had just got off work.

Just as I was finishing up my first slice of pizza, I looked out into the kitchen, and saw something I wasn't expecting to see during dinner.

It was Shoutmon, with some red light around him, quickly eating a slice of pizza with sheer happiness and joy on his face. Something that I felt was there all along, but wasn't really shown until now. Shoutmon even seemed to get happier and happier every time he chewed.

I smiled and took a bite out of my second slice of pizza.

A couple hours later, I was getting ready for bed. I had already taken off my clothes and was wearing nothing but boxers and a nighttime T-Shirt, and was about to go to sleep when I remembered what I wanted to tell Shoutmon.

I had thought long and hard about the problem Shoutmon has, and how I was the only one who could help him with it. And you know what? Life is already mundane, so what the hell?

Besides, he looked really affected by my refusal to his offer. I wanted to see what Shoutmon was really like.

"Hey, Shoutmon?" I called him, as he was still sulking at the end of my bed.

He looked up. "Yes, Adrian?"

"I'm in."

His face lit up. "What did you say?"

"I'm in. I apologize for refusing before, but if what you say is true, and that is a HUGE if, then I'll do whatever I can to save your world."

I was pretty sure I did the right thing when I saw Shoutmon's smile slowly come back. "Well, then, it looks like we're now officially partners."

"Yes, it does, Shoutmon," I looked at my hand as it started to glow red again. "Yes it does..."

...

[September 7th, 2016]

[6:25 AM]

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

That was the sound I was greeted to the next morning. I slowly opened my eyes, and turned around to turn the alarm off my phone.

Waking up is so hard, I thought as I got out of bed. I walked a few steps before tripping over something, and falling face-flat on the ground.

"Hey, watch it!" a voice yelled, which I immediately recognized as Shoutmon.

Oh, so that wasn't a dream, I bitterly thought as I got back up.

At first, my morning routine went normally. I went to the bathroom, took a shower, brushed my teeth, flossed, and shaved. I then went over to my bedroom, and saw that my choice of clothing for the day had already been decided by yours truly, Shoutmon, all placed onto my well-made bed, which I assumed he did, as well.

And he basically wanted me to wear the same things I wore yesterday. I laughed so hard at this.

"You know nothing about humans, do you?" I asked him, still trying to hold in my laughter.

"Huh?" he asked next, and his general confusion made me laugh even harder.

"Humans tend to wear different clothes everyday," I explained, picking up my outfit from yesterday, and threw it into my laundry bin. I then searched my drawers for something more... clean: A black long sleeve shirt with blue stripes, jean shorts, and white socks.

"How do I look?" I asked Shoutmon.

"I couldn't really say," he responded with his 'feedback.' "I don't get clothes."

I went to the kitchen and grabbed a granola bar for my breakfast, as my watch said it was almost seven o'clock. I grabbed my backpack, and was about to put on my goggles, when I heard Shoutmon say this:

"Can you take me to this 'school' place today?"

I nearly fell over when I heard him say that. It must have been the most random, and the most stupid, thing I've heard him say yet... and as you know, that is saying A LOT.

"Yeah, sure," I sarcastically replied. "Let's bring a red digimon to my high school, and then explain to everyone what you are, and basically cause a panic. Let's do that, that sounds fun." And I am not sure what I said, but he must've laughed as hard as I did when he layed out clothes for me.

"No one's going to be able to see me, silly," he told me.

"Are you going to hide, or something, then?"

"Even better..." Shoutmon's hand glew red, then suddenly his whole body started to glow red.

"Yeah, no one's going to be able to see that," I, once again, sarcastically replied.

"You only see the effect because you have Chrono. Anyone who doesn't will pretty much think you're talking to your imaginary friend instead. So, you might want to be careful where we talk."

I shook my head, just believing it for the sake of wanting to get to the bus on time, and began to head out the door, with Shoutmon, of course, following me.

"See you, Mom," I called out as I opened the front door.

"Bye, honey," I heard her call out from the basement. "Have a good day at school!"

She wouldn't be saying that if she knew what was going to happen...