Chapter 7: Hope in Ashes...

Brock, May, Max and Leomon managed to get through the skirmishes on the way to Ash's house. Whether the attacks were from the air, beneath the dirt or on the surface, all four dodged the swings and shots. "Let's get in, quick!" Brock yelled. They get inside, where they take a breather. Leomon wasn't feeling too confident about letting Ash go to the DigiWorld. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Tell me, how often do you leave a friend?" Leomon asked.

"I'm not sure I follow you," May said with a misunderstood tone.

"The reason I'm asking this, is that I let Kari take Ash to DigiWorld. I thought, because of the injuries he suffered, he would be a vunerable target to any attack."

"Understandable," Max quoted. Just then, Ash's mother walks downstairs in hearing about Ash.

"What was that about my son?" she asked in demand.

"Delia, calm down," Brock started, trying to calm Ash's mother. "He's in a safe place, away from the battlefield." Delia starts to relax.

"I heard...he was injured," she tearly spoke. "How did he?"

"I can explain," Leomon said. "He was protecting someone we've been searching for, since disappearing from the DigiWorld. It just so happens that Ash found her, while we were in the midst of our look-through." Max knew Brock should pay attention to how to get the girls the right way.

"Now you know why Ash is the ladies' man," he mocked the breeder.

"But what got Ash hurt?" Delia demanded an answer.

"The Machinedramon launched missiles at your son's group," Leomon monotoned. "The blast caused the cliff to collapse under the kids, and your son reacted fast to keep her from harm. Ash is a brave and determined young man." Delia looked at the lionman Digimon, believing him.

"I see now," she muttered. The room went silent for a second.

"I wonder," May began to speak. "If the war had anything to do with Ash's dream?" Everyone looked at May in shock.

"A dream?" Delia wondered.

"You mean...a prophetic dream?" Leomon rose up.


Ash was laying face down as Joe and some Digimon were tending to the injuries to his back. "Looks all scraped up," Joe said as he pondered how to close the wound. A white bear stepped forward.

"Allow me," it said. He places his palm to Ash's back. "Sub-Zero Ice Palm!" The back becomes covered in ice. Ash feels the chill, but notices the back was numb, and that he feels no pain.

"Thanks, Fridgimon," Joe said. "Now take it easy and don't move for ten minutes. Let the ice work its magic."

"I will," Ash said. "By the way, how's Pikachu doing?"

"Who?"

"Pika-" Ash pauses to relize that they have no idea on what Pokemon are. "There should be a yellow mouse, with a tail shaped like a lightning bolt."

"I'll go check," Cody said as he heads to the exit. When he opens the door, he sees Kari and Yolei watching Patamon playing with Pikachu. Cody walks to the girls.

"So, how's he?" Kari asked.

"Just cuts and scrapes."

"Thank goodness."

"Just one question, why did you give him a kiss?" Yolei was surprised by Cody's curiousness. Kari was caught off-guard with the question.

"Whatever you do, don't mention that when Davis is around, okay?" Yolei growled. The small digidestined gulped and nodded. That was when Davis and Ken arrived.

"Kari, you're okay," the goggle-headed leader shouted as he ran to Kari. "I've...missed...you." He hugs her like Tai did on her return.

"Nice to see you, too, Davis," she said. "Same to you, Ken." Ken smiled. Veemon and Wormmon walked over to the eighth child as well. "I guess everyone's here, right?"

"Hey, don't forget me," Tai yelled entering the scene with Agumon.

"Okay, I guess I can talk about what happened to me."


TO BE CONTINUED...