Chapter 4: Kazemon Kicks It

TAKUYA'S POV

I would guess it was about noon, the way my stomach growled and churned in pain. I didn't say anything though as I let Zoe lead us down the tracks. Was there no other means of transportation? Besides the many Trailmon that always seem to leave right before we get the chance.

"So guys, are we there yet?" JP asked.

"Hmm, let's see. What's wrong with this picture?" I asked, watching as Tommy's shoulders hung in fatigue. "Desert looking wasteland. Forest terminal." With a roll of my eyes I weighed both options in each hand. "I'd say no."

"I'm tired. Let's take a rest." Tommy moaned as he stopped walking. I was behind him though, cruelly placing my hands on his shoulder as I steered him forward. "But there's a scenic tunneling up ahead." I argued playfully, walking beside him to keep him company. "You know JP, if you hadn't fed chocolate to that Trailmon, we'd be riding in air conditioned comfort right now." You definitely have an eating problem. To make things more interesting, I started balancing on the railing… well, attempting to as my arms lifted in the process of me falling over numerous times.

"So he made a mistake. What are you gonna do? Take away his bowling shoes?" Zoe protested. Hmm. Could that comment be a side effect of heat stroke?

"Hey, hey," Stop yelling at me Zoe, "It's a…" what's it called again… oh yeah, "a Trailmon!" I turned away from the group, eyes wide as the pink digimon approached. From a distance, it looked like a sleeping mole… um, up close too. "Hey!" I yelled again, hoping it would slow instead of running me over.

"Finally." Zoe whined.

"Hey Trailmon, what's up?" I asked quickly, hoping he wasn't like the last Trailmon who would leave us all in the dirt if he sensed even the tiniest bit of attitude problems. "Can you take us to the forest terminal?" Shoot. I forgot "please". His cargo must've been heavy 'cause he rolled off to one side of the tracks before slamming back down to the other. At least I'm not the only one with balance issues.

"Oh, I overate at my last stop." So did JP. "Besides, I'm a freight train." Another wobble. "No riders, no exceptions." You've gotta be kidding me. I watched as Zoe snuck up on it, clinging to the pink metal as she bragged about her weight.

"I'm as light as bubble wrap!" She insisted.

"Think of us as cargo!" I joined in, the rest of us finding their own section to hold on to. I was impressed. Purple just had a good idea. No… actually… It was a fuckin' great idea! That is, until the trailmon discussed his disorder involving light touches and tickling. We all fell to the ground, patches of dust flying up, as Trailmon took down the tracks while laughing and convulsing in strange rhythms.

"I'd like to bend the rules, but I'm just way too ticklish!" He apologized, "Sorry kids. Keep on these tracks, you'll get there." Sure. No prob- ow. I sat up as I rubbed the back of my neck. Dammit. My landings still suck.

"So much for getting their soon," I moaned in pain.

"COME BACK HERE!" Zoe yelled. I guess someone is out of good ideas. "Trailmon!" She wailed. Guess it's back to walking.

"Oh!" What is he doing now? Bokomon clung to the track's switch, wrestling it back and forth. "Well the track splits here," he tried to keep his composure as he swung. "Which way to go? Left or right?" He chanted as the tracks kept curving, changing direction up ahead. Bokomon, can't you just admit you're having fun? "Right or left or… up or down… on or off… fast or slow… time to make a decision" This performance continued before he finally slid down the pole in nausea. "I made myself sick." He groaned.

Trusting my instincts I pointed to the tracks on the right. "This way."

Immediately, Zoe's finger was up, pointing in opposite direction. "That way." Typical. Get over yourself!

"You're wrong!" I shouted, not realizing how close my face was to hers until she turned.

"Why? Just 'cause I disagree with you." Her eyebrows curved unhappily down as her protruding finger waved beneath my nose. Better be careful. A shark's gotta bite sometime. "Don't you think the forest terminal might be surrounded by trees?" She shrieked, the high pitch echoing in my ears. Shit. How did I not notice the trees? But being as stubborn as I was, I just folded my arms, coming up with the best excuse I could find.

"Trailmon said stay on this track and your way curves left!" Of course I bothered to listen to someone else this time. "You think you know everything!" But. You. Don't.

"Well I'm right!" She leaned her forehead closer to mine as her shoulders raised in anguish.

"So you want to go right?!" I tried, but she didn't fall for it. Her blonde hair is misleading.

"No. I'm going the way that makes sense!" And with that she muttered a "later" as she took off. I let my arms compliment my march.

"See ya!" You'd think that being someone that has avoided death so many times, that my instincts would be at least a little bit more trustworthy.

"Hey," I was starting to really love this kid, "Wait up, Takuya!" Tommy hurried to catch up to me.

"We should stick together!" JP warned before following Zoe. Bokomon and Neemon must've gone their way too 'cause when I glanced behind me, not that I was having second thoughts or anything, I noticed that Tommy was the only one there.

KOUJI'S POV

"That is one humongous tree." The girl said.

"That means this must be the forest terminal." Jumpsuit deducted. Wishful thinking. I looked down the path, shifting my knee off my lap as I sat up, uncrossed, and hunched over. Where were the other two?

"This is Breezy Village." The small white digimon announced. What? They couldn't read the sign for themselves? そよかぜ風村。

"Welcome tourists." I interjected, looking away as they looked in my direction. "So this isn't it." I told them, leaving the un-replicable comfort of the bench as I stood, hands in my pockets, elbows back and out of the way.

"You're right, it's not." The white digimon spoke again. Then the girl took a step forward. I could already tell she was annoying. The way she giggled when she spoke a simple sentence, such as my name.

"Hey Kouji." Though I can't recall giving her permission to use it. Why weren't Takuya and the other kid running around? "What's up?"

I jumped down from the platform, ignoring the way my ponytail whipped along my back as I landed. I wasted no time before following the tracks away from this village. They must be lagging behind.

"Where are you going?" She pestered.

"Where I go is none of your business. Thanks for asking." I informed. She was easy to mess with. Too easy.

"You're so antisocial!" She called to me. No. I'm just Anti-you. "Why do I try to like a guy that acts like that?" I heard her mumble to JP. Please, don't do me any favors.

"He reminds me of white chocolate." Her boyfriend added, "It looks good but it has no taste." Fantasizing about eating me, huh? What a weirdo.

TAKUYA'S POV

"Should we find a gas station and ask for directions?" Tommy asked, his voice worn out as he dragged his feet beaten.

"No way." I had planned on questioning his thought process, but it was just so damn hot.

"What do we do?" He whined. Turn around?

"Keep walking." I ordered, keeping up this charade. "Something's bound to…" CRACK. Beneath my foot the ground began to crumble into pixels of sand, floating into the quiet sky before disintegrating completely. The ground is falling! The ground is falling!

"Tommy, run!" I ordered, and he didn't respond this time. He didn't whine about the endless journey, or complain about how much his feet hurt. He just ran, using the energy he didn't have to escape this uncertain death. And I was right beside him, hearing my breath hitch as the beating of my heart became painful. "I don't know what's happening, but just keep moving!" I could've ran faster, but I would never leave Tommy behind. He tripped over himself, falling to the ground. And I was there, next to him, screaming in terror as the digital world threatened to erase us too. But it didn't. We sat there, him on his knees and me on my side, as the shock refused to leave our bodies. Bouts of momentum caused our teeth to clatter, our joints shaking in nervousness as we contemplated our next move.

Behind us, where we were just moments ago, were pieces of earth, like flowers, growing up from the soil towards the sun. The tracks were far past broken, reaching down into the destruction, though they still ran across some of the broken land. It was like a jigsaw puzzle, as the small continental remains finally drifted apart.

"Tommy, move slowly." I couldn't help the way my jaw stopped working, my words sounding with more fear than I had ever intended to reveal in front of the kid. He clings to me as he scoots himself away from the fall as I ran my hand over his back in a circular motion. "Now might be a good time to find that gas station, little buddy." I told him, wrapping both arms around him protectively. He didn't appreciate my attempt to lighten the mood as he screamed in terror and relief, tears flooding from his underage eyes. Oh god, Tommy. I'm sorry.

" I think we went the wrong way, so let's stay calm." Calm. CALM? Why did I use the word calm? It just made him sob louder, mouth wide as he wept. I haven't seen him like this for days. Way to go Takuya.

"If this is your calm, I don't want to hear upset." I tried to ease him again, but my little buddy was gone. Kumamon and Tommy, both vanished. In front of me, was a horrified nine year old boy who couldn't control his emotions even if he had tried. Though he truly wasn't.

KOUJI'S POV

C'mon, where are they? I kept my pace, looking up at the branches every other step. I felt like something was nearby. It couldn't be them. They couldn't stay this quiet to save their lives. Static started to ring from my pocket, the device tickling the skin on my thumb as I gripped it, pulling it out. It sounded like the cackle of a ghost, or a really rotten baby monitor with horrid reception.

"Is it a spirit?" I asked, keeping my composure as I heard a voice respond. But it wasn't responding to me. Who's voice? No. Voices. Shielded by the trees. I was always good at hide and seek, able to find my prey before they found me. Trusting my childhood, I risked a step closer. And another. And another. Until I found myself darting from trunk to trunk within the shadows cast down from the treetops. Close enough.

"Ha! Those strangers are in the village, aye?" "That's trouble." "Children, huh? You think those whiny wallflowers called them in to help?" "Who cares? No one can stop the mushroommon brothers!" "We'll get 'em!" "Right!"

I don't understand. What made us such prime targets? Most of these digimon don't even know about us… about Takuya, and the strength I have inherited from the legendary warriors. What does it mean to them, us being human? Why did it have to equal war? Why couldn't we fit in? Why couldn't we ever fit in?

I ran, pushing off the trunk with my shoulder as I retraced my steps careful to avoid snapping twigs as I raced. So much for going solo. As much as I hate it, we're gonna have to stick together. But my decision was futile. The battle had already begun.

"Hey, cut it out!" I tried to get the monsters attention, but it still swung its arm at the girl. She jumped out of the way, only to fall to the ground again. The idiot superhero equipped himself with a shovel in order to protect his beloved damsel in distress, charging at the giant tree, aiming between the digimon's gap for a mouth and large blue eyes.

"No!" I forced it out of my lips, but it still came too late. The shovel broke against its skin, the tree retaliating with its arm as the branch connected with the rescuer's face, sending him tumbling to the unforgiving ground. He hit his chin, the rest of his body sinking to the ground as his position made clear he was not capable of getting up.

I could do this. I've been practicing. I help up my D'Tector as a virtual field silently surrounded me. Though I was no longer me. I was Lobomon, holding my sword and preparing to strike. Finally I got the tree monster's attention.

"LoboKendo!" I shouted as I struck the air with precision. I charged, more successful that the other knight's swing, whose extra-large jumpsuit didn't quite make up for the fact he lacked shining armor. I dodged the tree's counter, jumping over its arm as I made a gentle slash in his forehead. I could see the confidence in his narrow orbs as the blue shined with superiority. He offered me a laugh. Did he think I was through?

"Was that a love tap?" He asked. What a fool.

"Howling Laser." I aimed my fist, eager to shut him up. Who once said we should save the trees? Bull's-eye. My aim was perfect, as to be expected. The laser entered the cut from before while exiting the back of its head. Both wounds grew as the bullet of energy passed, fading before it could hurt the other humans that were still regaining themselves in the background.

"Obviously, you've been taken over by evil." I said, as I readied my D'Tector. "Shadow creature, be purified by the light!" I jumped into the air, holding my D'Tector up as it ate a part of the monsters code. Woodmon? "Farewell, Woodmon!" For good. "Fractal code, digitize!" It was over. Just another training exercise. But why did I feel so tired? I had been prepared, spending the last few days strengthening my attacks as well as Lobomon's. Why do I feel so weak after such a mediocre fight?

I fell to my knees after returning to my human form, looking up at the mushroommon that now shared my position. Their purple gloves gripped the dirt as they took in their surroundings in innocence and confusion.

They were so disoriented. And so was I.

"Kouji." I think the girl spoke my name again. Telling them was a mistake.

"Is that all there is to it?" The boy asked. Fuck you. What the hell would you know about what it takes? It takes focus, dedication, will. But now you think it's easy. You think it's something you could do? I'd like to see you try. "That's it?" He asked again. No. That's not it. That's never it. There's pain, the way this strange new blood seems to agonize your body all through the night. How you can't sleep because you pick up on danger you would've never noticed before. It's not just fun in games. It's a struggle to keep it up. It's a struggle to keep pretending that you can keep pretending, and a hell of a lot of work to ensure your acting lands you a star quality role and that you don't fucking die. My D'Tector beeped as I laid it on the ground. Not again. I pushed a button to shut it up. I just didn't want to hear anything else anymore. I needed myself, my thoughts. It powered off after rendering another fractal code, the barren ground covering with short green grass so overpopulated that it felt like moss under my fingertips.

"Breezy village's fractal code is returning." The white digimon announced. Thank you, Captain Obvious. A bunch of flower digimon stood before their village, a branch serving as a stairway as it led up to the giant oak tree that they called home. The wood was growing around numerous small houses, holding them in place as well as the community itself. Bushes of leaves appeared, sticking to the sap as it provided a nice bit of shade. Back to normal? I struggled to cool down, ignoring the sweat and light headedness I felt from my lack of eating. Water.

"They're all pretty happy thanks to you." The girl smiled at me. I need water. She offered me her hand, but what message would that give? I had come so far from when I used to attack myself because it was easier than defending. I hated myself then, and now I just hate any and all that try to force me to go back. I won't go back to the way I used to be. I don't need anyone else, especially not someone as pathetic as you. I stood up, turning away from her moments later. My hands dug themselves into my pockets as I ignored the blisters on my palm from the clutching the sword. "You know Kouji, you could try being friendly." Been there. Done that.

It wasn't nearly as much fun.

TAKUYA'S POV

"I don't care what that Kouji thinks. We made a great team." Did she say Kouji?

"We have returned!" I announced, looking around for him. My eyes only fell on JP as we ran right past him.

"You guys blew it. Where were you two?" She asked us. I just scratched the back of my head, hoping Tommy would realize my pride would never let me admit what had happened today, and that he wouldn't seek revenge by embarrassing me himself.

"That's quite a story…" I paused as I felt Tommy's sweaty hand on the back of my shirt as he pushed against me to support himself. No need to worry I guess. Poor kid's outta breath. "After a while we thought you might need us, so we decided to check back in."

"No. You made a wrong turn and missed a once in a lifetime show." Psh. As if.

"Yeah right. Don't try to psych us out Zoe. You know we didn't miss a thing." I accused, Tommy's hand still clutching my shirt tight as he tugged in time with his raspy inhales.

"Well you didn't get to see me spirit evolve." She had this stupid grin on her face. I didn't pay attention to it until the pressure from Tommy's hand was removed as he stood, shocked as I was, hands bonelessly plastered to our thighs. She stood before us, hands on her hips as she stuck her belly button out in conceit.

"Wait, you did what?" That must've been it. I heard her wrong.

"You spirit evolved?" It didn't take a genius to tell Tommy was about as skeptical as me. I looked down to him, his expression making me laugh as he too joined in. I rested my hands on my hat as Tommy hands loosely reached for his chest as he tried again to steady his breathing.

"Yeah right!" Slipped through one of my laughs.

"Like you could!" Tommy giggled. The way he did it was kinda cute.

"You really thought we'd believe that?" You thought we were that gullible?

"I've had it with you guys!" Oh shit. I tried to stop my laughing, but it was no use. "You run off and then you don't think that a girl like me could spirit evolve?" We both heard her stomps as she approached, but we couldn't move. "I'll have both your heads!" The hysterics immobilized us, so we stood, body gyrating so hard it almost hurt, as she placed her arms around both of our necks, squeezing until we started to squirm. "I did it! I did it! And there was nothing funny about it, twit." She growled into our ears, tightening her hold.

"Okay, okay! Uncle. UNCLE!" I surrender. White flag. Just get the hell off me.

And please for the love of god, buy some deodorant.