Hawk: I got bored and wrote this right after the last one. Started it, anyway. Also, I do not own any brand of chocolate.
Kumo: I can't say much more apart from I hope you enjoy it ^_^
The six humans and six Digimon, to Tammy's great relief, walked towards the lightning tower. Cayden had pocketed the device, and was currently at the head of the group. Aiden was right behind, and would have jogged ahead if he still wasn't slightly stunned. Hopping along with him were both Moonmon and Aquakoromon, with Bloxmon not far behind. The three girls followed them, Blackmon still in Holly's arms and Faymon close by. Furzmon was only slightly behind them, with Hawke at the back, walking almost reluctantly after them. "Is it just me or is it further away than it looks?" Tammy groaned.
"Actually, I think we're nearly there." Cayden called back. They actually were as well. Within a minute, Cayden had found the door and opened it, wincing in expectancy of the rusty noise which was curiously absent from the power plant doors. "Ladies first." He joked, which Aiden didn't seem to notice, walking straight in.
"Hello there!" A voice called from within. "Come on in!" The girls, particularly Tammy, stiffened in fear. Aiden backed up, towards the door and Cayden prepared to slam it shut. Hawke didn't react. "Come on, I'm not that scary am I?" A figure walked into view, male and very much human. His hair was brown and combed into an almost spiky style, with dark brown eyes and slightly tanned skin. He wore cream and brown robes over a black t-shirt and trousers. "Tea anyone?" He stood to one side, revealing a table set for fourteen, with two china teapots and matching cups and saucers. There were also several small jugs of milk and bowls of sugar and some bars of white chocolate. The tablecloth had a floral pattern.
"What...?" Aiden asked.
"Of course, what drink would you like Aiden? And you Holly?"
"Coke?"
"... Hot chocolate?"
"Sure thing. Oh, and Hawke?" The blond looked over, mildly interested. "I believe that your drink is already there." There was a nod in response, and the man grinned. "Oh, and the Milky Bars are on me!"
"So. Who are you?" Cayden asked. Cayden had dried off a little thanks to the crackling fireplace which was to the right of the table. It looked very out of place in the whole area. Everyone looked to the head of the table, where the man was sipping his tea. Hawke was the only one not to look, too focused on his mug.
"Well... I may be able to tell you a little... My name's Richard. I have multiple friends and family, all of which are identical. My nickname's 'The Limey'. My bodily dimensions..."
"That's more than enough." Cayden interrupted, suddenly feeling very slightly scarred.
"Sorry, my bad." He had another sip. "So, I bet you want to know what you're all doing here."
"Obviously." Tammy whined.
"Very well." Richard paused. "It was not my doing that you arrived when you did. If it was, then you'd have arrived next week..."
"What?" Tammy interrupted.
"You would have all got an e-mail, directing you to specific places where there are bridges to the Digital World, where we are now." He smiled. "Care to guess where, anyone?"
"Where what?" Cayden asked, confused.
"Where exactly those digital gates were, of course." was the simple reply
"Harrods?" Tammy suggested with a shrug
"Think bigger" Richard suggested. The group looked at him confused
"The Olympic stadium?" Cayden asked, wondering.
"Full points! Well, a sixth of them. We had to use some closer to your homes." He grinned. "Like Birdie down there." That was met with a glare that could have made a supernova look like a candle in the wind, the others sniggering. Richard ignored the former, smiling. "Anyone think of another?"
"BBC head office." It was said almost like revenge for the previous comment, Hawke barely looking up for it.
"Great guess Birdie!" More sniggers went round, while Hawke sighed, before actually throwing his mug at Richard, hitting his forehead and resulting in whatever warm liquid was inside to spread out across the table as Hawke stormed off, radiating anger. "I liked that table cloth..." Richard muttered, slightly angry.
Holly, in a fit of curiosity, picked up some of the liquid with her finger and sucked it off. "Oranges?"
"What else? White chocolate and orange hot chocolate." Richard smiled. "His favourite. The only thing he'll drink other than water."
"I can taste why..." Holly mused, wishing she'd gone for the same flavour.
"Shouldn't somebody go after him?" Aiden asked. "I don't want any of you to get lost again." Jade nearly choked on her tea while Cayden and Tammy glared.
"We got lost?" Cayden muttered angrily while Holly patted Jade on her back.
"I'll go." Moonmon offered, bouncing after Hawke into the dark recesses of the lightning rod. Nobody noticed the Digimon going and the argument quickly petered out.
"So..." Jade said when she stopped coughing. "Did you want to tell us anything other than that our coming here was inevitable?"
"And making us guess where we'd come in." Aiden added quickly.
"Yes actually. who your partners are." That was met with blank stares. Ten of them.
"What?" Bloxmon was at that moment annoyed, due to the fact that he (she?) couldn't drink her (his?) tea, a sentiment shared by several other Digimon.
"Each of you have a partner." He took a sip. "One human and one Digimon." He smiled. "Anyone want to guess?"
"Not this again!" Tammy moaned, nearly hitting her cup as she banged her head on the table.
"I think that's a no." Cayden supplied.
"You guys are no fun..." Holly pouted, surprising them all a little.
"Right. Well..." He paused dramatically. That was the effect he tried for anyway. It sounded more like he was trying to remember what he was about to say. "I'll go alphabetically. Tammy, your..."
Aiden interrupted him. "Hey, you said alphabetically! I should be first!"
"I'm going by surname. Annaliese, then it would be Cappello if Birdie hadn't flown the coop. After that, Downing, Kluss, Nedzweski and then Smith, which is you." Aiden pouted, sinking into his chair and crossing his arms, making Holly giggle.
"Right, Tammy your partner is..." Once again he was interrupted.
"Oh, I know! It's Faymon right?" She grinned, convinced she was correct.
"Wrong." Tammy's grin dropped. "Your partner is Bloxmon." Tammy looked at the metal ball in disgust.
"WHAT!?" She shouted.
"Since Birdie's gone, that leaves... Cayden, you're partnered with Furzmon." Everyone looked to the little ball of fur. Another section of the table had been ruined. While everyone was talking, she (or maybe he...) had managed to break the nearby cup and saucer and tear the table cloth, which was now lying in tatters on the floor.
"How...?" Cayden was the first to emerge from the dumb stupor.
"Holly, the answers in your lap." The little girl looked down and the little Digimon, smiling happily as he bounced on the twelve year old's lap. "Jade, Faymon is your partner."
"Lucky..." Tammy glared at the other girl.
"And Aiden... you have to guess." The boy slumped further.
"Really?" Richard nodded. "Fine... Moonmon..." He knew what 'Aqua' meant.
"Incorrect." Richard chirped. Aiden practically groaned in despair. Just my luck to get a WATER based one of all things!
"So... Moonmon is Hawke's partner?" Bloxmon asked, checking.
"Yes. And be sure to tell Moonmon that." Richard ordered them, his eyes holding a mischievous twinkle.
There was a sudden bang at the door.
"Ah, looks like he's finally here." Richard commented, the twinkle in his eyes leaving. Mostly.
"Who is?" Holly asked.
"Your guide!"
The door opened, and a large orange lizard stepped through. He was shorter than Aiden and Holly by about a foot, but not large enough to be a dinosaur. His head was disproportionate to his body and he didn't look particularly vicious, in fact he looked friendly.
"Hi everyone! My name is Agumon!"
When Moonmon found him, Hawke was leaning against the wall of the lightning rod, one foot by his other knee as he gazed up at the stars. "Hawke?" The little Digimon asked.
"You don't remember then..." Hawke muttered, not looking away from the sky. "I've always loved the stars..." He mused.
"Yeah, they are beautiful..." Moonmon hopped up to the human, tilting himself back against the wall, almost doing a backwards roll in the process. "What was that nickname?"
"Birdie?" He asked. "Something annoying an old friend once called me..." He sighed. "I miss her..." Hawke mused. It was just about the most open Moonmon had ever found Hawke, in the day they'd known each other, so he decided to do a little rummaging.
"Do you have family?" He asked.
"Just my Mum..." He sighed. "My Dad... he died..." Another sigh, and Moonmon instantly regretted his question.
"I'm sorry..." He muttered, still gazing upwards.
"It's been two years..." Hawke muttered.
"Oh..." Moonmon turned to the blond, hoping to change the subject. "So, what do you think of the Digital World so far?"
"Dangerous. But it brings people together." Hawke replied. Moonmon was slightly bemused. Hawke never really talked that much, there must have been something to crack his defences, some memory maybe... He resolved to think on it. Hawke shivered.
"Cold?" Moonmon asked. Hawke shook his head. Sighing, Moonmon rolled upright. "Tiny Flame." He said, making a small flame appear in front of him, hovering there. He hopped onto Hawke's chest, keeping the flame there, a tiny source of heat in the cold night.
Hawke closed his eyes. "Thanks."
Hawke was woken up the next morning by a torrent of water; he opened his eyes to see Tammy emptying the kettle on his head. "They made me wait for you while Richard showed them something, I'm not happy" she grumbled. Hawke stood looking at her alone, Moonmon having jumped off somewhere when the water splashed down on them. After a brief, very dark, glare at the girl, he walked inside, hoping the fire was still lit. It was. "A 'thank you' would be nice!" Tammy snarled as Hawke sat in front of the fire, drying off. "I kept that lit this morning!" An obvious lie. It was Cayden who'd done that, under guidance from Richard. Hawke was silent. He knew the closest Tammy had ever gotten to putting logs on a fire was probably picking up sticks when she was much younger. "Oh, you're welcome!" She was still snarling, trying to remind herself that her expression would lead to wrinkles. "I still blame you for all this!"
"I've never dated you, thankfully." He muttered, remembering a comment she'd made back when they were looking for Aiden.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?" That had driven her over the edge, making her shriek in a pitch that nearly made a nearby window shatter. As it was, it cracked. She was distracted from her rant, though, as they heard an explosion in the distance. Glancing out of the window, she saw a large pillar of black smoke coming from the factory. Turning, she saw Hawke already heading for the door. Sighing, she followed, not wanting to be alone in this world, where everything wanted to eat her. She wouldn't be surprised if a tree was the next to try it.
Hawk: Well, that's done. Cliff hanger for Kumo to pick up on.
Kumo: Well I loved that, just sucks I have to follow on from it. Hope you enjoyed it ^_^
