- Aftermath -

"Hey, Gazimon, you doing okay?" Shawn asked the next morning waking up the still sleeping digimon.

"Mnph, what is it?" the digimon asked looking up to the red eyed human standing above him holding a drink can.

"You actually slept in today," Serperior answered. "I figured you'd have as hard a time sleeping as we did."

"Then why did you wake me up?" he asked the snake rubbing his eyes and frowning at how bright it had gotten.

"I figured we could go shopping today since we're barred from working for a week anyway," Shawn replied holding out a piece of paper he was using to transcribe their list. "You should come along to make sure we get the right stuff for you and see if there is anything else that catches your interest."

The digimon looked over his two new roommates. The snake was occupied looking over the small potted plant while the trainer continued to write down the list while drinking. The previous day had ended with a few hours spent mostly going over the side effects on the two of them, with a much shorter discussion of his own body that was hindered by a lack of knowledge on what he should be like in the first place. A-0 had only conversed with its sister to get them started and then moved off to use her equipment on itself rather than join the rest of them.

"You don't have to come along," Shawn said as the silence dragged on. "We can get the stuff just fine, and I'm sure there has to be something here you can do while we're out."

"Alright, I might as well. Maybe I can see what normal people look like in this world," Gazimon said getting up and looking around the room. "Where's your clock?"

Both of the others blinked in confusion at the question. "Why would we need a clock?" Serperior asked.

"Yeah, it's 7:43," Shawn replied without looking at any sort of device.

"Okay, how do you know that?" the rabbit monster asked despite being wary of the answer. The two launched into a synchronized description of the current position of the sun, the season, and other specifications that the digital monster was sure came from the plant nature he could easily see in the serpent's form and had been told was also possessed by the so called human.

"Anyway," Shawn finished as Serperior lifted the pot to move it again, "that's how we can tell the time." He began writing an additional item on the list. "But if it doesn't work for you then I guess we need a clock."

"Okay," the digimon said recovering from the presentation. "Anything I need to know while we're out there?"

The two looked at each other somewhat nervously. "Don't believe anything you hear about us?" they said together partially joking, earning a sigh.


Leaving the Digital Storage Systems facility was far more nerve wracking for Gazimon than he had expected. Shawn easily led the way with Serperior laying entirely across his shoulders for once, with the serpent's body trailing behind the left side of the trainer despite his head hovering to his right. Outside of the clean corporate atmosphere was a paved road that extended towards a good sized town a short distance away. Behind the structure was a treeline that extended out of sight, and across the road was a short field followed by more dense trees. The other end of the road split, with one end extending out into the distance and the other turning off into the forest soon after their location.

"We're set up here mostly because it is one of the major connection points of the region's communication lines," Shawn said pointing at a line of overhead cables leading into the town. "From what I've been told the original building is further into the woods, and while they were constructing this one they kept running the original equipment out there."

The snake pokemon nodded in the direction of the trees, moving his face in front of the trainer to do so and nearly wrapping around Shawn's head entirely. "I've always wondered if there is anything they left behind there," he said wistfully.

They continued into the town itself, passing by a number of fairly similar houses and small apartment buildings to reach the center where two main roads met. At the corner itself was a large building with a red roof featuring a large pokeball sign. A few humans were walking into the building as the trio arrived wearing sizable packs and with visible belts of pokeballs. The digimon could just make out their discussion of how their last Gym battle had been rough and that they were planning on training in the forest before trying the local Gym.

"Well, if it isn't the Troubleshooter," a voice said from the building just past. "How are ya doing Shawn?" An older man stepped up to the group and looked the three of them over. "Is that a new pokemon? I'd thought you were sticking with being a one mon trainer," he continued with a laugh.

"I was serpent that a Gym leader had better things to be doing than skulking around. Then again you are a Dark type trainer," Serperior said jokingly to Gazimon, only to blink in shock as the man laughed at his reply.

"You've finally learned to talk huh? Our loss I guess," he said smiling before he turned back to Gazimon. "David Grim, Leader of the local Gym." He held out a hand with a smile.

"Uh, Gazimon. You work with Dark types?" the digimon asked risking shaking the hand. David nodded in answer of his question while giving a relatively loose grip on the claws.

"Another talker then?" the Gym Leader said happily. "Yes, and I can tell them when I see em." He rummaged through his pockets for a moment before pulling out a small tan claw on a short length of cord. "I also know that this three badge wonder you're with gets in more trouble than that usually implies, so here." The item was quickly looped around Gazimon's still partially extended arm. "A Quick Claw to help you get the drop on whatever you run into."

Gazimon simply stared at the small claw for a moment in confusion before huffing at the amused look on the Leader's face. "Gazimon's aware of how bad it gets," Shawn said with a look that made clear that he had heard the insult. "We're on a bit of a break to cool down after a bad one actually," he continued with a false cheer that held a sinister edge due to his altered eyes. Serperior's own eyes were locked onto the older man's face with their own hint of danger, still blue but restored to slits during the last trip to the medical Box.

"Huh. Those new eyes you've gotten really work for you," David said with a more serious tone. "Make it clearer that he's your family more than anything. Easier to see why you never could catch another."

"Well, we have some shopping to get done," Serperior interrupted. "So while it was great seeing you we must be on our way." The snake pokemon then took charge of moving, almost picking up his trainer and ushering the digimon along past the large building and into a more lively area.

The road the serpent moved them onto featured a number of stores lining the sides with a few small stands setup in the middle. The most prominent of these was a large blue roofed structure with "Poke Mart" written across the front. Gazimon looked over the various items visible and the people looking them over with some trepidation.

One of the closer stands was selling medicine, with a pair of fairly young girls in front discussing how their last battles had been alright but there wasn't very many cheap ways of fixing the resulting scratch marks in their pokemons' fur. One was discussing how she was being prompted by her pokemon to simply make them look tough rather than cute to the consideration of her friend.

"What'd you spot, Gazi?" Serperior asked looking over at the stand, only to see something himself. "Shawn, look! Is that what I think it is?" he said pulling the trainer along and pointing at a box near the center of the stand, well out of reach from anyone standing alongside.

"Oh, Crystal Syrup! That's perfect," Shawn exclaimed looking over the clear case containing two rows of six small tubes, each filled with a glittering liquid. "Delta 2 will be ecstatic." He turned to the stand's saleswoman, who had looked over at the two when Serperior called out. "How much for those?" he asked rummaging through a pocket.

The saleswoman rattled off a number and then smiled while taking a card from the trainer. "Its from the first batch made using a new development a researcher discovered. With any luck it will be much easier to stock," she explained when he noted that it seemed low.

"That would be great," Serperior said looking towards Gazimon. "These are a potent medicine for Grass types. Delta 2 loves having that kind of thing on hand, and I don't know of anything better myself." The snake leaned closer smiling widely. "And if you aren't Grass type at first then it fixes that too."

"Don't worry about that too much," the saleswoman said seeing the surprised look on the digimon's face, and causing the snake to twitch. "That particular side effect only lasts a week."

"I keep forgetting humans could understand me now," the pokemon said embarrassed. "She's right though, it isn't a permanent thing."

"I have enough weird changes to worry about you know," Gazimon said with a hint of anger.

"Sorry, I didn't think about that," Serperior replied nodding. "Delta 2 is definitely not going to be using it on you or anyone else who isn't a Grass type. Even if it is about to be a lot easier to get this stuff it is mostly for critical injuries."

"Which means I'm quite happy to pay this much for it," Shawn interrupted finishing the transaction. "Thank you," he told the saleswoman and led the other two away into the Poke Mart. "This is why we only do this once a month," he told the two with a nearly hissing whisper.

"We should probably do it less often if we could," Serperior said slipping off his trainer's shoulders. "I am sorry about that. It seemed like a good joke about the stuff, and I forgot that you aren't from here. You've managed to handle things so far."

"It wasn't that bad of a joke honestly," Gazimon replied eying the snake as it moved beside him. "Right now I'm actually getting worried about you. You're twitchier than normal."

"Half the fun is seeing humans not understanding that I told a joke," the Grass type said quietly. "A-0 knows that I'm messing with it and my bigger joke is seeing how the others react to it being upset by the smaller joke. You're sorta angry like it gets, so I'm forgetting you're not it." He chuckled a bit nervously. "Yesterday isn't helping with that."

"No, I guess being stuck as him wouldn't help you tell us apart," the digimon said looking at the blue eyes of the serpent. "But try to remember. I'm kinda tired of getting stepped on for someone else's joke." The snake flinched at that statement as they stepped into the store.

Gazimon found himself frozen at the sight that greeted them. Row upon row of items filled the room, with scattered humans looking over them calmly. While the market like area outside was fairly close to something he had seen before the organized variety present here was rather intimidating to him. The many sections filled with obviously combat related items in particular caught his eyes.

Near the ceiling by the counter was a small television showing a battle between a dragon with a flaming tail and a turtle with a pair of cannons on its back. The voices of commentators were barely audible discussing a pair of trainers from somewhere called Kanto and their performance in the local League a few months ago. Serperior pushed him further into the store as he watched a massive blast of pressurized water shoot from one of the cannons at the dragon, who shot into the air with an arrogant smirk.

"Right, we have quite a bit of stuff to get. You might want to stick close, Mr. Grim's pokemon have made them a bit touchy about Dark types," Shawn said leading them off towards the far end of the building to start their shopping.


"Janice, how is the instruction going?" A-0 asked as it moved into the Troubleshooter Lab. The Lead gave it a dark look while the Legendary Analysis System turned from speaking with her.

"Porygon Alpha Zero Box Null, you are present," the creature said happily, earning a glare from A-0 and a smile from Janice and her Metang. "Troubleshooter Lead Janice Grades has been providing significant information while I wait for Trainer Grant's arrival."

"Please call me A-0," the Porygon said with barely restrained anger. "Trainer Grant?" it asked the human without changing expression.

"The fossil hunter is going to be here by the end of the week. A length of time you should be staying out of here," she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I am barred from performing my job, not from seeing my siblings," the digital pokemon argued defiantly.

"Try again after at least a day," she dryly replied. "What was your particular set of side effects again?" she asked sweetly.

"My worst issues are the result of access to better data, which is a problem simply because certain capabilities of mine are now more effective overall," A-0 said tipping upwards and away from her. Then it dipped a good ways and turned back to the two of them. "Being stuck inside Gazimon gave me a massive data update on advanced digital life form construction and as a side benefit a key link to physical life form operation." It tipped downward while looking fully at the human. "I am partially surprised that I did not evolve as a result of this data update."

"Should I get the specifications of an Upgrade for you?" Janice asked seriously, drawing the full attention of the Legendary Analysis System which flashed pictures of a number of small disks along with question marks.

"No, I can still function without those changes," the pokemon replied strongly. "However, there has been one notable change to my base capabilities. Metang, can you move around the jellyfish?" The fused pokemon shifted slightly to the side while the larger life form moved well out of the way. "My Conversion move now possesses significantly better scanning and alteration capabilities," A-0 continued before flashing.

Its body immediately shifted in shape to be broader and circular, with its head merging downward to form a spike at the front. The two pylons at its sides extended outward forming short thin connectors to the main body and detailed claws. In just a moment the Porygon became a near perfect copy of the Steel/Psychic type pokemon, with the only notable difference being the flat colors of its body not properly matching the original.

"My Conversion has effectively become a variant on Transform," it said in a slightly off mimicry of Metang's voice, made distinct by A-0's different take on a robotic tone. "It will take some effort to recreate the original functionality now." The changed body flickered for a moment before flashing back to the basic Porygon form, A-0 dipping in the air for a moment. "It also requires notably more power to maintain, especially in the physical world."

"I can guess why you are personally not fond of that sort of ability, but I would think you'd be happier with learning how to teach it to other Porygon?" the Lead questioned, earning a bob and the flash of the word 'Teach!' on the Legendary Analysis System.

"Actually using it isn't something that can be taught," the Porygon replied with a sigh. "The execution is dependent on some error filled portions of my data that are the result of the switch with Gazimon. Delta 2 suspects it is a modification of his own evolution code, or at least related to that data."

"That is worrying," Janice said. "Enough so that I'm still quite certain you need some time away from the Boxes," she continued getting a defeated sigh from the pokemon.

"Very well. I will find something else to do in the meantime," it relented floating back out of the room. "Good luck with the life form."

Janice sighed as it exited the room. "Right, where did we leave off?" she asked the large digital creature, which floated nervously scrolling data on its panes too rapidly to read.

"Documentation on problems resulting from use of Heart Swap historically, and comparisons to the pokemon I've afflicted with them," it said guiltily.


They left the store without any visible difference in their appearance. The sheer amount of supplies that had been packed away in Shawn's fairly small bag was still confusing the digimon, and the amount the store seemed to possess wasn't much better. "Where do they even keep it all?" Gazimon asked looking back at the building trying to judge how large it actually was.

Shawn laughed at the question. "That's actually really ironic to ask," he told the rabbit like monster pointing in the direction they had come from. "Digital Storage Solutions main business is still bulk storage of items for companies that allows multiple locations to access the inventory from across the region. The Box system started as a side project by the development team that took off, and even then we still are second in importance compared to the massive item storage servers that companies like that use to keep their stuff."

The digimon stopped walking and looked between the store and the direction the trainer had pointed. "Wait, does that mean we just walked all the way over here to get stuff that was already in the building we are living in?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," Serperior started, getting a surprised look from a passing trainer that deflated his posture slightly. "But places like that don't really want us to be taking stuff out ourselves regardless of if we pay for it first."

"Technically it is probably in bulk storage. We don't really have a way of getting individual things out ourselves, that is the kind of thing they do for larger quantities of stuff in a back room to stock up," Shawn corrected. "Do you want to keep looking around for stuff?" the trainer asked Gazimon somewhat nervously.

"Calling you all 'battle mad' doesn't really cover it does it?" the digimon replied after a moment of thought on everything he had seen during the day. "Even the humans around here seem to love seeing who would win if you had a fight." He looked at his claws, turning them back and forth and inspecting the points. "A-0 was able to use my own body to fight that giant spike clam without a worry."

"A-0 might not be the best example of that. He's a lot stronger than he acts," Serperior commented. "That mess makes it a lot harder to gauge strength."

"Even just the fight against the black things in the cave was tougher than I'm used to Gazimon managing. Whatever you've all done to me has made me a little stronger." The rabbit monster sighed and scratched between his ears. "I did a lot of things trying to be on top, to push others around, and I've never seen anything like what A-0 did with this before," he said tapping his chest. "'Trainer' means someone who makes you that strong, right?"

"That is part of it," Shawn began to answer. "Trainers are people who build up teams of pokemon to explore the world and compete against each other. The main goal is to learn how to care for pokemon so that they can become better fighters, but you also need to know how to travel the world, do some basic medical tasks, keep your team fed, and other things related to being a leader."

"How big is your team?" Gazimon asked curiously, earning nervous glances from the pair.

"It is actually just the two of us," Serperior confessed rubbing his head with his tail.

"Does that have to do with that 'three badge' thing the Dark guy said? You need more to have a bigger team or something?" the digimon continued to the increasing embarrassment of his companions.

"Actually it is basically the exact opposite of that," Shawn said leading them away from the few other people nearby. "A Gym Badge is earned by challenging a Pokemon Gym, a place where a powerful trainer teaches others about how to care for and improve pokemon, usually all of the same type. Each Badge challenge is meant to be a test of how well you've learned to train pokemon."

"Generally it is just the fights getting tougher and trickier the more Badges you already have," Serperior continued. "Which we worked hard to keep up with just having the two of us. Three Gyms is actually far more than a trainer should attempt with just one pokemon, and the last one we got decided to use her five Badge team instead of her normal three Badge one to make us prove we could do it." The snake pokemon raised his body proudly at that statement. "It was a wonderful victory in my humble opinion," he said not at all humbly.

"But part of being a trainer is supposed to be caring for multiple pokemon, not just one really powerful one. So nobody would give us a battle to try for the fourth," Shawn continued with a sigh. "Another part of the journey is looking for something to do with your life. A task or job that fits what you do and who you are. After Mr. Grim sent us off we ran into Janice looking for help, and here we are."

The digimon slouched at the explanation. "So you two aren't up for additional teammates then?" he asked disappointed. "Any idea where would be the best place to find someone?"

The snake eyed pair once again looked at each other for a moment. "I think we might be willing to take you on," Serperior suggested slowly, getting an unsure nod from Shawn.

"Uh huh, that's definitely what your faces are saying right now," Gazimon sarcastically replied.

"A-0 is basically on the team already," Shawn admitted with difficulty. "Honestly all things considered my own inability might be a bigger issue here."

"That's actually a good point," the snake pokemon agreed sadly. "We've not even tried working with anyone else like that before. However, I do want to help you if we can." The Grass type moved to look Gazimon in the eye. "You're in a bad situation, and out of everyone in the world we are the ones responsible for dealing with it, and you have already helped out immensely with our other work. We owe you to at least try if you want us to train you." The digimon made to contradict him. "If not for you, I would have attacked the Legendary Analysis System without consideration or mercy. If nothing else you have saved that life, and that is important," the pokemon stressed.

The short speech seemed to have given the pair more confidence about the idea. "Alright then, what is the process for joining you? Is there some form or something to fill out?" Gazimon asked with a joking tone, only to pale at the sudden wide smiles it produced.

"Ah, well the way it usually works is that a wild pokemon will come up to a trainer and attack them," Shawn began as he maneuvered the group into a large clear area. This statement causes the few people nearby to take note, and to clear a good ways back. "Then they fight the trainer's pokemon for a bit to show their stuff, and if the trainer decides they want the pokemon then they throw a pokeball at them." He took a black and white pokeball with yellow stripes out of his bag.

"Then the pokemon has a chance to back out by forcing their way out of the ball," Serperior began as Shawn made to toss the ball into the air to catch again. However, rather than the sphere simply landing in his palm there was a loud click sound followed by the trainer vanishing in a flash of white light. Everyone present simply stared for a moment at the slightly shaking ball until it let out another slightly quieter click and went still. "We did check that my pokeball still worked right?" the snake asked the digimon.

"Yeah, first thing Delta 2 had us do," Gazimon answered easily, his slight annoyance at the rather unneeded demonstration vanishing as he noticed the disbelieving looks around them. "That wasn't supposed to happen was it?" he asked as the pokemon slid over to press the button on the front of the sphere.

"Serp, let's keep my ball with you," Shawn said as he rematerialized, acting as if nothing unusual had happened. "I don't want us both in at the same time." The serpent picked up the sphere warily. "So, are you up to fighting to prove yourself?" The smiles returned far too quickly in Gazimon's opinion, but he still nodded.

"Right, let's go back and get ready then," Serperior said cheerfully, earning a quickly hidden look of surprise from his trainer. "I think we've made enough scenes for the month," he hissed at Shawn, managing to not speak like a human for the first time since the switch.


"I take it you three are done with normal human interaction for a while?" A-0 asked floating in the lobby of the building as they returned.

"Did you get kicked out of the lab for a while?" Serperior replied a touch harshly before explaining. "Shawn got himself caught, Gazimon wants to join the team, and everyone understands my jokes. This is almost as bad as last year's craft fair."

The Porygon dropped slightly in the air at that. "You burnt down a stand last year!" it exclaimed looking over the plant pokemon. "Do we need to be ready for the cops to show up?"

"I have a pokeball now," Shawn said pointing to the ultra ball being held by Serperior, earning a loud sigh from the digital pokemon.

"As far as I was aware it was the only other pokeball you owned at the moment," A-0 said dryly. "I'm guessing you mean in the same way the one on your belt is Serperior's pokeball?" The trainer nodded. "And you for some reason want to join these two?"

"I want to learn how to fight better," Gazimon answered. "That's apparently the kind of thing he's at least supposed to do."

"You could probably do worse," the Porygon said with little confidence. "They at least have one powerhouse. I'd personally say keep out of whatever new ball they find rather than going the full way, but being able to not deal with walking around is apparently a big benefit." It turned to look at Serperior. "So do I have to worry about you beating him up in public?" it asked the serpent with a touch of anger. "He does still need to be able to train in using his new abilities with me as well."

Shawn laughed at that response. "Janice kicked you out then?" The glare he received from the statement only increased the laughter. "We work with you far too much to fall for that, A-0. Still, you do have a point about that having been my only empty ball." He rubbed his neck. "Also Serp already stopped me from having the battle in the middle of a crowd."

"Does using this thing really matter so much?" Gazimon asked the digital pokemon while holding out his hand. He staggered as a black pane formed in mid air right in front of the claws, and then proceeded to fall to the ground instantly and smash into rapidly disappearing shards.

"That would actually be lesson number 0," A-0 said with a hint of pride in the digimon's actions. "Digital constructs in the physical world still act using standard physics unless you specifically alter them." It then made a single pink pane of its own that bobbed slightly on creation and was obviously held in the air. "Along with that they are more costly with regards to the energy you expend making them, and as most things are not based on data they are far less useful." It shattered the pane and nodded at Gazimon. "It took me months to stop making them out here from simple habit, and then dropping them like that."

"You've done some cool stuff with it," Serperior countered. "It still allows some degree of connection with computer systems after all."

"Most of which aren't that useful compared to Box admin functionality," it replied sticking its head in the air.

"Is there an arena or something for us to do this battle in?" Gazimon asked Shawn as the two pokemon got into a minor argument over the specific functions available in the physical world.

"Uh, the only place like that is the Gym," the trainer admitted nervously, causing the digimon to deflate and shake his head. "But battles can happen just about anywhere, and wild pokemon don't exactly line up at the Gym looking for trainers." He looked thoughtfully at his starter for a moment. "Or at least I've never seen anything like that. Maybe they do try and find trainers that way too."

"Well, can we put that off till tomorrow? Today has been rather rough," the digimon asked hopefully as he looked at the massive serpent's powerful body and recalled how easily it had been used to smash smaller digital creatures.

Shawn looked over the group before answering, stopping on his new pokeball and on the small claw on the rabbit monster's wrist. "Yeah, I think we can find something else to do the rest of today instead," he agreed.