With time my army of Digimon grew. Well. Army isn't the correct word. Small group is better. I had a variety of Tentomon types however. Icy, an Ice Tentomon, Firebug, a Kuwagemon, and Arsenist, a FireTentomon, were among my favorites. Tentomon and Gomamon continued to grow too. Soon I had a Kabutarimon and Ikkakumon, but they liked to stay in Rookie form when not battling. We trained and trained, and then I could feel the day for preparation had come. We'd have to attack soon. Unfortunately, there are some things that will hold you back from your goal no matter what. One of them being.

"Tentomon." I groaned weakly, after my sneezing fit. "Can I have another popcycle?" Being sick was no fun at all. Tentomon and Gomamon were nursing me in the meantime.

I took the popcycle from Tentomon and sucked at it weakly. Gomamon was sitting at the foot of my bed, watching over me.

"What would lift your spirits more?" he inquired. I snuggled deeper into the covers and didn't reply. They both sighed and went about their own business.

Tentomon was startled to hear the IM system beeping. So he answered it and was greeted by a stranger and darkpandemona83.

"Yes?" he asked. "If you want to talk to Squirtel, she's sick at the moment."

"That's why we're calling," darkpandemona83 replied. "We wanted to see how she was doing and ask if we could help out someway."

"We?" asked Gomamon, who had wedged himself into view of the screen. "Who's your friend?"

"This is WarGreymon2099," darkpandemona83 answered. "He's seen STS around the Talk before and was wondering about her as well."

"That's nice of you two, but she's very very sick," Tentomon answered. Gomamon could sense his protectiveness. Tentomon was always too protective of me.

"I think I could help," WarGreymon2099 interjected. "If I see what she's sick with, I can get some medicine."

This softened Tentomon up a bit as he responded with, "Well. Then come on over. WarGreymon2099."

"Thanks and you can call me WG2099 instead," he laughed.

"What about me?" asked darkpandemona83.

"No dice," Tentomon replied briskly, hanging up on them both.

"Gee, aren't you Mr. Manners?" Gomamon snorted, waddling off.

Tentomon flew up and smacked him in the back, "Don't lecture me! I'm just looking out for Squirtel. She needs us right now, and you want to invite every player in this world."

"I never said that!" Gomamon shouted bristling. "But did you stop to think that she might enjoy the company?!"

"I don't have to, she's a part of me, I know," Tentomon muttered, flying off.

Gomamon waddled to my room again, seriously upset by now with Tentomon's behavior and curled up to nap.

"You're going to have a visitor today," he yawned. I sat up a bit.

"Really? Who?" I inquired.

"WarGreymon2099," he responded, drifting to sleep. I laid back down and fell asleep wondering just who he was.

Tentomon hesitantly opened the door after hearing the knock. I was still napping, and he didn't want me disturbed at this hour.

"Hi!" the guy at the door greeted, WG2099. Tentomon yanked him in and shushed him. "What?"

"Squirtel is napping right now," he scolded. WG2099 nodded and bit his lower lip.

"Err, sorry about that," he mumbled. "So can I see her?"

"I suppose." muttered Tentomon, leading him to my room. "But I'll be watching you!"

Gomamon opened his eyes and saw WG2099, and smiled. He nudged my feet gently and whispered, "Squirtel get up. You have a visitor."

I slowly opened my eyes, wishing I could escape back into the warm numbness of sleep. Gomamon noticed and shook my feet again, then helped me sit up.

"Boy you don't look good, do you?" he mumbled, looking me over.

"Watch where your eyes wonder!" Tentomon snapped. His eyes quickly fixated themselves to mine again.

"So what are your symptoms?" he inquired, pulling up a chair.

"Uhn.." Was I could muster out, my eyes starting to close again. "Gomamon."

"Fine, I'll tell you," Gomamon sighed. "Sore throat, fatigue, sleepiness, and sneeze."

"Just sounds like the common cold," WG2099 shrugged.

"I could have told you that," Tentomon sighed, trying to urge WG2099 to get up and leave. Gomamon swatted at Tentomon.

"Don't be so rude!" he growled.

"No, it's alright," he muttered, standing up. I forced my eyes open again.

"No." I requested, practically whispering. "Please.Stay. It's nice. When people come." WG2099 smiled graciously and sat back down. Tentomon growled angrily and flew off into another room.

"Don't mind him," Gomamon apologized. "He's just feeling over protective today."

"That's fine," he yawned. "So what should I do while I'm here?"

Gomamon and WG2099 spent an hour at most talking about miscellaneous things with one another. All the while, Tentomon remained in the living room, skulking and sulking. When WG2099 walked back out, he flew up quickly and opened the door for him.

"Well it was nice seeing you," he forced himself to say. WG2099 laughed and nodded, walking through the door. "Bye."

"By-"

Tentomon slammed the door shut and flew into my room, checking over me.

"One of these days, Tentomon," Gomamon muttered, scuttling over to the couch. "One of these days."

"How do you feel now?" Tentomon inquired, as I stood up and stretched a couple days later.

"Much better, thank you," I laughed happily. I still had some pains in my side, and a runny nose, but other than that I was fine.

"Good," he sighed in relief. "Well in my spare time, I was looking over our total stats and." He smiled at me.

"And?" I continued.

"And we're ready to go against the Level One boss!" he announced happily. I grabbed his talons and hugged him tightly.

"Do you mean it? Oh Tentomon this is wonderful!" I exclaimed. Tentomon laughed happily.

"Well what are you waiting for?" he inquired. "Let's go!" I nodded, grabbed Gomamon into my arms, the teleportation map, and my master Digivice and we all went to see the level One boss again.

"STOP!" A huge Shellmon bellowed. "Who goes?!"

"I, Squirtel the Squirtle, wants to pass this level," I announced, trying not to shake.

"THEN YOU MUST STOP ME!" The Shellmon bellowed. "I AM LEVEL 13, CAN YOU HANDLE ME!?"

"Gomamon, Digivolve!" I shouted, pointing at his target.

"Gomamon digivolved too!!!" Gomamon shouted. "Ikkakumon!"

"Ikkakumon's at level. 15," I announced happily. "Take him on!"

"HARPOON TORPEDO!" Ikkakumon shouted, launching his attack. Shellmon took the hit hard and saw how obvious it was he was up against his match. He tried a weak Hydro Cannon attack, but Ikkakumon was winning with another Harpoon Torpedo.

"No! Seadramon, help me!" Shellmon shouted. Seadramon slithered out of the river that was nearby and joined in the battle.

"I AM SEADRAMON, LEVEL 18!" Seadramon roared. "Ice Blast!" Ikkakumon was driven back a little from the attack.

"Okay then, you help too Icy!" I shouted, taking out my Digivice and releasing her from data storage. Icy flew out and combined her attacks with Ikkakumon's. It still wasn't enough.

"Me!" Tentomon shouted. "Send me in!

"No, Tentomon, I have a plan," I whispered. "Go, Arsenist!" Soon she was in on a trio attack on the two guards. It didn't look good, but the teamwork paid off and we beat them both!

"Are we done?" Inquired Icy. I shook my head. "Then who's left?" As soon as she stated her question, a loud buzzing was heard. A shadow loomed over us and then a Digimon landed before us.

"I AM KUWAGEMON!" he shouted. "LEVEL 24! IN ORDER TO PASS THIS LEVEL YOU MUST DEFEAT ME!"

My gaze went to my three previously battling Digimon. They seemed so tired, and Ikkakumon had de-digivolved to Gomamon. I smiled softly and squeezed my master Digivice in my hand. Then I released him - FireBug.

"I'm ready, Squirtel!" he shouted, fired up. "BURNING BITE!" He got a good piece of Kuwagemon, but he easily tossed him to the side.

"Again!" I ordered, hoping he could hold on. He got another strong attack in, and suffered another blow. It was time to end this. "Tentomon, digivolve and team up."

"About time!" he shouted, taking flight along side FireBug. "TENTOMON DIGIVOLVE TOOOO!!!! KABUTARIMON!" I was never gladder to see Kabutarimon as he fired his Supershocker, combined with FireBug's Burning Bite to blow Kuwagemon to digital dust.

"We. Won?"

Tentomon, Gomamon, and I were jumping like nuts at the Talk. We were ecstatic. I could swear I'd start flying, I was so happy. We'd beaten the boss! Some people were giving us the weirdest stares; others laughed, and some even started to join us in a crowd. Everyone was all smiles for the talkative newbie they liked.

"That's great to hear, STS!" BHOF exclaimed.

"Ya, great job," WG2099 commented.

"Wish I was there to see it," laughed darkpandemona83. But then he secretly gave me a small smirk, to prove he was teasing me again. That's darkpandemona83 for you. You never knew whether he meant what he was saying or not.

"How are we going to celebrate?" asked Tentomon, tugging at my tail playfully. I swatted him away and grinned.

"Anyway we darn please!" I shouted joyfully.

"I say, we have a party," Gomamon decided.

"Good idea, but how do we start one?" I asked. WG2099 rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Simple," he commented, grinning happily. "You're not the only one who can get things mentally, you're just one of the bests. I can do a small thing." He closed his eyes and concentrated. Soon we all had a soda in our hands. "See?"

"That's cool, but where did it come from?" I asked, inspecting mine.

"Thin air," he shrugged.

"You mean you didn't teleport it," Gomamon asked in wonder. "from an already existing area?"

"Nope," smirked WG2099. "That's the beauty of this world."

"Is that so?" I inquired slyly. "Okay boys, prepare for a party!" They gave a cheer and stepped back. I shook out my hands, like it would have anything to do with powers, and concentrated. I couldn't see what I was creating, except for the picture in my mind.

"Tentomon tell me what appears in order, alright?" I called back to him, still concentrating.

"There's a square."

"I bet I know what that's gonna be."

"Oh, it's a dance floor. A nice sized one!" Already I could feel my mind a bit fatigued.

"Now there's a table. Oh! With bowls of chips and soda!"

"Better be careful, Squirtel, there's a crowd forming."

"Well it's not like I can see that right now, Gomamon."

"Now. There's. A shiny ball?"

"That's a disco ball you nut case!"

"Shut up, Gomamon."

"Both of you shut up and keep telling me what's happening!" My mind was getting a dull ache.

"Okay, calm down. Now. There's. Woah."

"What?! What?!"

"A kick arse stereo system!!"

"I don't feel good. Tell me when it's finished."

"Just about. Almost."

I thought to myself quickly, "Finish up before I faint!!"

"There."

I felt something give deep in my mind, and suddenly I was in a flood of pain. I collapsed to my side.

"Squirtel! Squirtel! Wake up!"

I fluttered my eyes open, then groaned. That hurt.

"What happened?" I moaned. I was in someone's arms, but who?

"You collapsed, STS," my holder said calmly. I tipped my head back a bit. It was WG2099, massaging my temples.

"Don't touch me," I snapped bitterly. He paid no heed and continued.

"Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you," he sighed. "I'm practically a doctor."

"Where are your credentials?" I asked, in an icy tone. He rolled his eyes.

"Just trust him, STS," BHOF whispered. "I've seen him, he's good with psychics."

"*Is he psychic*" I psyed to BHOF. I got a throb in my mind and WG2099 pressed a bit harder on my temples.

"Stop it!" I shouted, trying to sit up. He calmly pushed me back down and continued.

"Quit using your powers," he lectured.

"Well no, he's not," BHOF admitted.

"Then why should I trust him?" I sneered. I was in no mood for politeness.

"Because you can ask any psychic, shape shifter, whatever, here and you'll get pretty much the same answer," he said hotly. I was beginning to get to him.

"What, that you force your treatments on your patients?" I laughed sourly. He gave a sharp jab to my temples and I howled in pain.

"Don't hurt her!" Tentomon growled.

"I didn't mean to," he muttered. After a few more moments he let go of me. "You're free, my slave."

"Oh ha ha," I mocked. "What happened with the dance?" I could hear the music playing loudly.

"It's a BIG hit," Gomamon laughed. "Great job!"

"Gee. Thanks," I yawned. Stretching, I winced again. I still wasn't in the best of shape. WG2099 steadied me but I shook him off. I could almost feel the sadness in his sigh. I felt a deep stab of regret, but then quickly shed it. He was just some guy. Tentomon hovered around me protectively. The only guy I would ever care about.

"Oh, Squirtel, you had me worried sick!" he fretted. I hugged him close. "Don't ever push yourself like that again!!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Really I am."

"Well, I guess you are forgiven," Tentomon sighed and hugged back.

"I think you'd better go home and rest," WG2099 advised. "Fourth of July is coming up in a few days, and around here that's a big event. So go home, and sleep."

"I'll do whatever I pleased," I growled. Then regretted that as well, I added, "But I guess you might be right."

So I teleported back to our room, all three of us, and snuggled into the bed. Before drifting to sleep, I thought, "Fourth of July is big, huh? We'll see how big."