A/N: Hey! You know, one of these days, this will get weekly updates. No idea when that's going to be but probably when I get all of this backlog done. Anyway, this remains a very fun fic. No warning other than for the usual violence and the fact that Sayo cannot stop swearing. Oh, and death threats. Anyway, thanks for your support!

Chapter Three: How to Make a Bang

One of the most important things that you need to know about me would be that I am not a morning person in any sense of the word. If the world ended, I would probably sleep through it in favor of not getting up before the sun was so high in the sky that it hurt to still be asleep.

Apparently I am the only one with this problem in my group because Dorothy shook me and I could still see the stars through the light of the rising sun. However, she looked like she'd been up all night and didn't even care about the lack of coffee. "Dorothy, what the hell... you said I could sleep in." Urgh, my mouth tasted disgusting.

She shook her head. "Not anymore. Newton had to get his spot in the tournament switched with yours in Group B." Dorothy's daze of a voice sounded sympathetic. "Doctor's orders."

"Can he still fight?" I tried to tug the covers back over my head. I'm dreaming, I have to be fucking dreaming. This sucks...

"He can fight, but the doctor insisted his entry point get switched for longer resting time." Dorothy yanked my blanket away and I glared. At least it was dark, but still. "Yours was the first contestant they picked."

"I'm murdering them," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "Fucking bastards. I filed in the stupid report, saved people's asses, and now they want me to be their dancing monkey. Urgh."

"Welcome to government work. Enjoy your stay." Dorothy patted my shoulder, grabbing my clothes and throwing them over my head. "Take it out on those little Light Fang kids. Rip them into shreds that we can put in tonight's soup."

You know, I often think shit like that, but I have never said it with the same straight face as Dorothy Evergreen did. To be fair though, I have actually met her mother. She would say that with a straight face.

I grinned, but it was hard because I was so damn tired. I managed to roll myself out of bed. "How long do I have?"

"Twenty minutes to get ready. Registration starts in thirty. The Light Fang are almost all done. We had to wait because of injuries injuries."

I grunted. "Check the squad is okay. I'm going to wash up." I leaped from bed in nothing more than a falling oversized short sleeve shirt. Dorothy squeezed her eyes shut, I know she did because she is a stinking prude who shrieked like the devil the first time she saw my chest. I live on a stupid island thing, no one is gonna actually see me.

Not like I have much to look at in the first place.

"Julia said to pick a uniform you hadn't shredded with your teeth," Dorothy said with her back to me. I scrubbed my face, hating the cold water before traipsing back.

I rolled my eyes, picking a clean outfit from the chest of drawers. "Then she'll have to buy me a new one."

"You really are invested with making an absolutely shitty impression on the Light Fang, aren't you?"

Another straight faced moment, one I deigned to ignore.

I spun my belt over my waist. I didn't know why I bothered with screwing up the girl's uniform. I looked like a boy, and I loved it. Of course, if I had a choice, it could have happened differently, but eh, not important.

"I'm decent," I said, tugging on my socks and cleaning my goggles.

Dorothy giggled, opening her eyes again. "Decently inhumane."

"That was cold," I whined, finishing with my bandanna. "How are the Digimon?"

"In top murdering formation, tick!" said Solarmon in a whining grind.

Wonderful. They were all insane. I guess that was perfect fighting condition.

I grunted to myself, tapping my foot as Dorothy creased my bedspread. "Are you done? You're the one who said we had a timer hot on our asses." I snatched my Digivice from her fingers, and she chuckled.

"You're going to fall into bed when today's over," Dorothy said with a wink. "Least I can do is make it easier on you."

Hmph. She had me there, I guess. Still. Damn her.

I tapped my foot and almost smacked into Phascomon on my way out. "Whoa, sorry, man. Don't eat the pudding, all right?"

"Oh, you're no fun at all," the bear protested. I took a minute to kneel and scratch one of his matted ears. He scratched my arm in return and I pouted when it drew blood. Little bastard. All of my Digimon were sadists. All of them.

Well, okay, there was that Scan Data in my computer. They were pretty innocent. But they'd be corrupted soon enough.

I hopped to the portal and Dorothy took my hand. Okay, no one tell anybody, but taking the teleporter pad with a person made it easier. Or maybe it was just because it was Dorothy. Hard to tell, really.

We crept across the quiet Darkmoon City. The early morning made me yawn, but the lack of people just made me uncomfortable. I always felt I had to whisper during the mornings.

"How are the others?"

"Good night's sleep perked them right back up. Barone, you, and me are on A team."

I winced and rubbed my head. "Shi-it. I have to face Barone."

Dorothy hummed a laugh. "Her dual affinity has been blocked for the tournament. So's yours."

"Damn it, they just want to eat my ass."

Despite just hearing that my ace in the hole was now drowning in a ditch under the city for the time being, I grinned. Challenge accepted, you meddling old farts. If I didn't hate transportation, I'd have skipped to the pad.

But, it was me, and I'm a boy-girl person. Not happening.

It took forever for registration to end. I came into the Wait Room with barely a few minutes to breathe. Barone gave me a yawn and a wave, offering a plate of salmon and asparagus.

At this point, I was too hungry to say no, and I hate teriyaki sauce.

"Your turn yet," I asked between bites.

Barone shook her head, rubbing at the eyeliner. "Ch-Chief is sih-hitting-" She yawned. "Through the opening ceremonies. Th-threatened to punch the mic down the referee's throat if they took as long as they di-hid last year."

Dorothy and I both laughed. She'd do it too. The Chief has never made an empty threat.

"H-how's Ne-Newton?" Barone yawned again, rubbing her eyes.

"Ticked," Dorothy chirped, since I had no damn clue. "He wanted to be here now and tearing through Light Fang jackets and all of that."

"We are such good sports," I said with a sigh, slumping onto a nearby bench. "I'm so tired~"

For a while, we were all quiet. If we were nervous, after yesterday, we were stupid. Bunch of kids in a controlled environment, compared to some Vilemon swarming like parasites after our heads? Nah, we were golden. I rolled over, staring at the portal. What was that dude waxing on about? Playing fair? Did he realize what psychos he was talking to?

Finally, it flashed and Julia stepped into view. Her eye was twitching. Aww, shit.

"That bad?" Dorothy said, giggling a little. Don't giggle at your aunt like that, you crazy bitch.

Julia mussed her hair with a low sigh, deciding, much like I did, to ignore Dorothy being chirpy like that. "After that horrific accident that was that man on the podium, I think the audience is baying for some excitement. I think my girls are capable of doing that, hm?"

The humming noise made us straighten where we were. Oh, hell to the yes. Electricity ran up my spine, scaring away all of my exhaustion. It was time, fuck coffee.

"Barone."

The blond girl shifted."Y-yes ma'am?"

"Play it defensively." She tossed a pendant to her and to me. "Since you two aren't allowed to have as much fun, keep as much close to your chest as possible, so long as you don't ruin the show."

Barone saluted. "R-right! I'll give it my best."

Dorothy gave Julia a dazed smile before she could speak. "I know the drill: keep it to the speed, quick tap, don't expect much from my section. Oh," She winked at me. "And pray I don't face Sayo in the lottery draw."

Barone burst into giggles, and ChaosDukemon cracked a snort.

I only grinned. "The usual, boss lady?"

Julia fixed me with a grave stare, then she smiled. Let me tell you, when Julia smiles like a cat with the cream, it means nothing but good things. "Make sure they see red."

I rolled from the bench and straightened into a salute. "Yes, sir."

And I meant every bit of that salute, let me tell you.

The battles were never all that good in the beginning, straightforward battlefield, no environment, and all the hot ass lights.

But it was a stage, and if there was anything I found fun that was controlled by adults, it was showing off.

I took lazy steps into view. The crowd didn't roar. It was too soon after shitty speech number one-thirty. The girl on the other side was almost impossible to see in her bright Light Fang outfit.

She waved at me. "Hi! Ooh, you look a mess."

Hey, she wasn't woken way too early. Oh wait...

I grinned, jagged and toothy. To her credit, the girl didn't get flustered. I could respect that. I made it into view. "You're... Komachi, huh?"

"Yeah!" her braids bounced as she cheered. "And you're... oh, you're Sayo, right?"

My grin widened. "Afraid so."

"Oh, then this will be tough!" she held out her Digivice. "If I can get through you, it's just Barone left!"

Just Barone? I snorted. "Ooh, do I feel sorry for you. Don't worry, though." I cracked my knuckles. "It ain't happenin'."

The referee raised one pale hand. "Group A, battle two! Begin!"

I didn't even have to think. "Solarmon, realize! Shield!"

"Yes, tick!" The orange gear burst out, just as as a claw struck towards my face. They clanged and I laughed.

Komachi winced. "Ooh, I forgot you were suppoed to be speedy!" Agumon crouched back by her feet, fireball forming.

"Ain't all I am, firehead!" I grinned. "Switch, Gaomon, spin!"

Gaomon's fist connected with a fireball and he winced. Agumon lunged, swiping. Gaomon backpedaled, dodging and dancing. The look on the enemy's face was utter irritation and I was cheering so much on the inside.

Komachi glanced at me, and there was an odd look on her face. Eh, whatever, she was weird. Light Fangs were weird. I proclaimed it as law.

Gaomon ducked under and kicked Gaomon in the stomach, wincing at the flames to his face. "You all right," I called, shifting, prepared to switch again. She had only shown one. I had shown two. Did she have another?

"I'm fine," he coughed, shaking away the smoke and jumping back to me. "Her Agumon's a nuisance though. Get ready."

I bared my teeth. "Sir, yes sir."

If he wasn't wearing big ass boxer gloves, I would guess he was flipping me off for that one. "Soul, Charge!" I snapped out, feeling the energy swirl about my fingertips and to Gaomon himself. He lunged mid-evolution, smacking Agumon to the edge of the ring.

"Ooh, raising the stakes!" Komachi hopped to her partner's side. "Then I will too-"

Gaogamon lunged before she could make it, knocking him into the barrier, which burst alive with electricity. Agumon howled and grit its teeth. "Komachi!"

I saw her falter and almost winced. Come on girl, do it. I ain't kickin' ya while you're down. Do it.

"D-Digisoul, charge!"

I was actually kinda relieved when GeoGreymon swung at us. Gaogamon didn't flinch, of course. He swung his claws and the two of them smashed together like rocks in a rock slide. Flame met wind and for a moment, I had to cover my face. It was hot enough in here, yeesh! Turn down the animal roast.

Then, after a few more slices, at which point I could see had drawn blood, Gaogamon threw GeoGreymon into the barrier again.

There was no way it could handle that a second time. He screamed as long as it took for Komachi to reel him in.

"Match over!" the ref shouted and I took a step back in relief, then squared my shoulders.

One down, two to go.