The day was considerably somewhat fresher than the previous day, hence the group was back to wandering the desert. Thought it didn't help with Theo and Dana lightly singing 'Arabian nights'.
Mimi was holding up her crest by the tag. "I have a Crest now, but…"
"We don't know the right way to use them." Joe said thoughtfully.
"Or whether we're raising our Digimon the right way?" Sora finished.
Matt reminded them. "But keep in mind that we haven't yet found all of the Crests."
"Or how long we have to be exposed to the digivices light so the older girls and I can use a new form." Kylie chimed in.
"You're right." acknowledged Izzy, thinking deeply. "We best should hold our thoughts on this until we've got them all before using them."
Tai and Agumon had been walking ahead of the group when the ground suddenly opened right under them! Did they just fall into an open pit?
Kuwagamon, who they recognize from before, hiding underground. Kuwagamon gets a hold of Tai, and all seems lost when Agumon hesitates to digivolve due to lingering trauma from the incident with SkullGreymon. Tai rescues Agumon from the attacking Kuwagamon's pincers.
Just before the guardians could leap in to fight, there came a light whistling sound through the air.
"Pit Bomb!"
The Kuwagamon had stopped in place before disintegrating into a pile of dust, blown away by the breeze. Fortunately, Tai and Agumon were unharmed, only covered in most of the sand. "Wh-What just happened?"
As the boy inquired this, something walked about two inches in front of him and Agumon. It had a fuzzy pink body, large grey eyes and a pair of white fairy-like wings.
"Pi pi pi pi pi pi pi…" the little being said with each step.
Beth spotted it and smiled, clapping her hands together in delight. "What is this little thing?"
Immediately the new digimon turned to face them. "Pi! You greenhorns!"
Piyomon rushed up front. "Oh, you must be Pixiemon!"
While Mimi did the exact same thing the guardians were thinking of doing: picking him up into her hands.
"He's cute." Mimi smiled.
Pixiemon didn't mind too much but that didn't stop him from rebuking the group. "Pi pi pi! Impressed by the force of my magic, aren't you pi?! You're supposed to be the Chosen Children, so I can't sit back and watch. You were so weak I couldn't stand watching you pi! And it cost you so much to get the Crests, since you don't even know how to use them right, you're wasting them pi!"
"This Digimon isn't pleasant." Mimi grumbled.
"Well neither are you, Mimada." Beth sneered back at her, "But we still put up with it!"
The ten year old scowled at the remark.
"Hey, what about us?" Dana questioned Pixiemon.
Theo snarked. "Yeah, what're we? Chopped liver?"
"Ah yes, the guardians of the ethereal Veil. Yet I see only five of you. If you're going to attain a new form, you must take responsibility for your actions and duty. The same goes for you Digimon pi! All of you are slacking off pi! You're lacking exertion pi! You have no guts pi!"
"Pi-pi-pi! That's all he says!" Matt grumbled.
Zaira elbowed him. "Don't push our luck, he may be onto something we don't know. It wouldn't hurt to listen."
"The thing is I don't like exerting myself." Palmon admitted, lowering her head.
"We don't even have the guts." Gomamon said.
"That's why all of you… will be coming with me to my terrritory for some training pi!"
"Training?" asked Sora.
"What do you mean?" Tentomon flew up.
"Especially for you over there!" Pixiemon then pointed to Tai. "You and your Agumon win the grand prize pi! You'll have intensive training with a special menu pi!"
"Special menu?"
"Intensive training?"
"Now, follow me pi! Pi pi pi pi pi-"
He began walking away while the group quickly huddled together – well the children mostly, the guardians were more keen on following Piximon seeing as he was another magic user.
"What should we do?" questioned Izzy.
"Can we even trust that Digimon?" Joe muttered.
Matt looked to his digimon. "How's he like, Gabumon?"
"He's a little fussy, but he's a good Digimon deep down."
"He doesn't have a black gear or a cable either." Palmon pointed out.
"I don't know about you all but he's already got my vote!" Dana piped up.
Kylie moved away, "I agree. Surely he can give us a few pointer revising spells or potions."
"And this new obscure transformation." Zaira added.
Sora said. "Then why not do what he says? It's true we don't know how to raise our Digimon correctly, anyway. It'll be fun if we think of it as a training camp."
"He said training, and I'm getting a little rusty on the area so I'm in." Theo added.
"Well, it certainly can't be any worse than simply walking around." Mimi commented.
"Hey, shouldn't we be catching up to him… right now!" Beth began to sprint after Piximon.
"What's taking the rest of you so long?! Hurry up pi!" Piximon had paused long enough to yell back at the others.
They all followed the little digimon through the desert for a couple of hours before he stopped in what looked like the middle of nowhere. However he flew up over their heads reciting an incantation, twirling his staff, causing a circular portal to open up much like the ripples in the water to reveal and immense jungle.
"Don't be so surprised pi. This is just the entrance through my barrier pi! Now follow me pi!"
The group nodded to one another before walking right in the portal closing behind them. As they followed Piximon they heard the sound of a truck horn behind them.
Sora cried. "Hey! Look behind us!"
They all turned to see a cylindrical trailer being pulled by a Monochromon and the kanji on it clearly read Etemon.
"What now?" Joe was greatly alarmed.
"That's Etemon's trailer pi. Nothing to worry about pi." Piximon flew up reassuringly. "He can't see through my barrier on the other side pi."
Meanwhile, Etemon was NOT happy. It's been couple of days since SkullGreymon had wrecked most of his dark network and thus completely unaware of Cockatrimon demise.
"You incompetent-! Have you fixed it yet or what?!" He snapped at the two Gazimon seated before the screen.
"It's being restored at a superb rate!"
"Wait just a little longer, please!"
"I can't wait anymore!" The ape snapped, jumping up and down on his seat impatiently. "Hurry up and repair my network now!"
After walking through the jungle for several minutes and passing by large columns, the group arrived to a an average sized mountain with a long stone stairwell engraved right into it.
"My house is up here pi." Pixiemon explained.
Naturally they started protesting, save for Theo and the Pantheon girls who looked at it in deep thought.
"Wait, does this mean our training has already started?!" Sora asked in disbelief.
"Exactly pi."
The kids fell to their knees with a tired groan.
"This is a piece of cake. After all, I can just…" Tentomon said brightly.
Pixiemon shook his right index finger at him. "Just so you know, flying is not allowed during training pi."
Tentomon fell over in disappointment.
"Now stop thinking how to cheat and start climbing pi!" Piximon said reprovingly.
Everyone moaned.
Theo urged, "C'mon you guys, we can still make it into something fun like a race."
"Give it a rest, it's not a competition!" Joe grumped.
Beth scoffed, "I can't work with this miserable crew!"
"Fine, but we're reaching the tip and getting better view of the area BEFORE YOU!" Dana taunted.
Without warning, she and her sisters sprinted to the stairs like a rabbit running through an open meadow.
"Hey, you're not leaving without me!" Theo called as she ran after them.
Zaira sighed shaking her head, "Ever since they've been training in martial arts from childhood they always have to go head first when it comes to a physical challenge… Hey, speedy! Wait up!"
The kids just groaned again, more at the fact that Theo and the girls had better stamina than them due to years of training.
It was sunset by the time the children and Zaira reached the top.
"It's pathetic to see you worn out from simple stuff like this pi! Your four friends have arrived less than an hour ago and waiting for you all pi?" Piximon scolded.
"About time you guys got here." Beth said, leaning casually against the side of the mountain.
Piximon then gestured to a semi circular building with at least five floors. "Look, there's my house pi."
The kids were exhausted but the mere mention of food had them hurrying inside. The inside looked be traditional architecture possibly from another Asian country. However most notably in the center of the building was a stone statue of Pixiemon himself.
"Hey… Where's the food?" Gomamon questioned.
"You have to complete another test before that pi."
"I knew you were going to say that."
Pixiemon again twirled his spear again, causing rags and buckets to appear at the groups's feet. "You'll be scrubbing all of these floors pi!"
Matt was taken aback as the others. "S-Scrubbing the floors?!"
"All of them from top to bottom?!" Tentomon gaped.
"No way!" Mimi whined. "This isn't fair!"
Piximon turned to Tai and Agumon. "You two have the special menu pi. Come with me pi."
"Special menu…" the two mumbled as they began to follow him.
"Will they be alright?" asked Kylie.
Piximon reassured her, "Your concerns are understandable. You don't need to worry about this boy, pi. I'll protect him with my life, pi. I might not look like it but I'm a Perfect Level, pi."
Tai made up his mind. "I'll take the training," he said. "But it won't be for me. It'll be for Agumon. For everyone. I'll do the best I can."
"There's no other choice. Let's get this over with." Sora said as the two walked out of sight.
"I've never scrubbed floors, not even in my own house!" Mimi griped.
Of course scrubbing the floors was no easy task and even the older girls had a hard time about it. Except unlike the children they didn't dare complain, feeling too curious and eager for any training related to magic.
"Is this really training?" Piyomon wondered.
"Maybe he's just using us to work as his maids…" Palmon guessed.
Zaira shrugged, "At least it's better than being out in the scorching desert."
"Tokomon, Dana, let's race to see who's faster!"
"You're on!"
"Okay! I won't lose to you!"
In an adorable idea to turn it into a little game, Dana, T.K. and Tokomon did a little race with their rags making their siblings smile.
That night, the group had fallen over, tired out from the day's work. Mere minutes before sunrise, Izzy and Matt had awakened full of unease.
"Tai and Agumon haven't come back yet."
"Yes. I wonder what happened to them."
Just then something glowed blue from under Matt's shirt and something purple form Izzy's, which could only mean their crests were nearby.
They walked out of Pixiemon's home and walked down the stairs guided by the light of their tags.
"Do you think maybe we should've brought our digimon with us or least one of the older girls?" Izzy questioned.
"Nah. Besides, we're safe within the barrier. Let's let them sleep."
"It's this way! Let's go!"
"Okay!"
The two boys were watched by a warmly smiling Pixiemon.
That very morning the group was awakened by the sound of Pixiemon banging his spear on a bucket. As if by instinct the older girls leapt to their feet looking alert, as if waiting to be attacked. Granted, it wasn't too far-fetched, taking into consideration the past events.
However upon seeing Pixiemon they gradually relaxed.
"It's morning pi! How long do you plan on sleeping pi?! Look sharp pi!"
Tentomon asked. "Has anyone seen Izzy?"
Gabumon perked up noticing his partner was gone too. "And Matt?"
"Hey, Pixiemon, do you know where they are?" asked T.K.
"Those two left to find their Crests pi."
"Oh, so he left me behind." Tentomon muttered, looking disappointed.
"Tai and Agumon haven't come back since last night… And now it's Izzy and Matt." Sora leaned in close to Joe's ear mischievously. "It's quite mysterious how they're disappearing one after another."
"Maybe Upperclassman Joe is next." Mimi said equally impish.
Joe looked greatly alarmed. "H-Hey, don't say weird stuff like that, you're scaring me! M-Maybe Pixiemon…"
"I'd like to see YOU disappear!" Beth jeered at Mimi.
The cowboy hat wearing girl glared back, "Same to you!"
"Oh, Joe, you get scared too easily!" Gomamon piped up. "It's all right. We can trust Pixiemon."
"Yeah, don't be such a wuss!" Theo said smacking Joe on the back a little too hard.
"Now, time for training pi!" Pixiemon shouted.
That very same morning, Matt and Izzy walking through the jungle in search of their crests.
"Why do you want your Crest, Izzy?"
"Why? It's very simple. I want to see what Kabuterimon evolves into next, of course! What about you, Matt?"
"It's because… what I want most is to improve! It's not just the Digimon who evolve and become stronger. We both grow to see things from another angle."
The boys stopped at the barrier and out to the portal seeing a well in the desert. They checked to see the tags still glowing… as was the inside of the well outside.
"The well is glowing! Our Crests must be inside!" Izzy cried.
"But it's outside the barrier!" Matt protested.
Izzy cautiously walked up to the barrier and reached out to make sure he can pass through. "We can go to the other side!" He said pointing.
Moment afterwards, they were scaling down the well's bucket's rope, counting their blessings for being younger otherwise the rope would've snapped.
They continued downwards until they spotted the symbols on the walls that glowed the exact same color as their tags. They help them up.
Izzy's crest was a purple symbol of three circles on one side connected by a line to two circles. Matt's was that of a blue circle with two half-circles within, along with two curved points at both sides.
Not one of the two boys noticed the cable spying on them…
Etemon was performing one of his many concerts, with and the Gazimon cheering, he was having a spectacular time. Pity it had to end.
"Etemon!"
Etemon spun around waving his arms frantically, as all the lights turned a dark, poison pink color.
A woman's voice bellows. "STOP YOUR INCESSANT SINGING, AND ANSWER THE PHONE!"
Etemon rushes to grab a communicator given to him by a Gazimon.
"Yes, your wickedness?" Etemon asked frantically. "You bellowed?"
"The crest of friendship and crest of knowledge, the brats who they belong to are out poking for them," A voice hissed in disgust. "Catch those boys, or I'll reduce you to your original state, comprende!?"
"Yes, your foulness, right away!" Etemon said with a salute.
And right on schedule, the network was back in working order and relayed the boys' location.
"There's a signal in the K-1 area!" A Gazimon pointed out.
"What? Hey! We just passed the place!" Etemon actually grabbed onto one of the Gazimon to the near point of strangulation. "The K-1 area is Tyranomon's territory. All right, I'll teach them a thing or two!"
Matt and Izzy climbed out of the well only to stare up at a bipedal, red-colored dinosaur with green plates in a line from the back of its head to its tail, it's back connected to several dark cables.
Naturally, the boys panicked and quickly fled to the barrier. Tyranomon attacked with a fiery breath that sent the boys flying forwards and as collateral damage, part of Pixiemon's barrier shattered now revealing the jungle oasis.
Back in Pixiemon's domain the guardians, remaining children and their digimon were meditating until Pixiemon suddenly stopped and tensed up.
"The barrier has been smashed pi! Matt and Izzy are in danger pi!"
"Oh no, Matt!" Gabumon cried.
"Izzy!" added Tentomon.
Quickly they all followed Pixiemon outside to meet with two of their missing comrades with the cable spying on them again.
"Oh goodie, they're all gathered there." Etemon guffawed, still shaking one of his subordinates. "Since I haven't done 'that' in a while, why don't we go with it? It's showtime!"
To the group's bewilderment four black cords sprung up before they're greeted with the unpleasant holographic sight of Etemon with his guitar. "Here I go! Destructive Concert!"
"Oh no!" Gabumon groaned.
"M-My power is drained." Tentomon fell down.
Etemon's awful singing had sapped the Digimon and the guardians of their energy yet again.
"With him singing like that none of them will be able to evolve!" Izzy said worriedly.
Tyranomon kept launching his attacks to the group except they were all shielded by a wall of energy held up by Pixiemon.
I n the meantime, Tai and Agumon had been inadvertently sent on a spiritual journey into a brief glimpse of the past. Tai hadn't thought about Agumon's feelings or everyone else's feelings at all. He had gotten caught up in excitement of obtaining the first crest all by himself, had rushed forward all by himself, had tripped over and failed all by himself… …even though he had friends like T.K. who, despite being so young, knew how to treat people like him with kindness.
However it was thanks to his spiritual journey in Pixiemon's cave that enabled him to find what he needed the most: not to fear getting back up and trying again. Be it riding a bicycle or a new digievolution.
And so the sight of Greymon charging Tyranomon was a welcome sight for the group with a proud feral roar.
"It's Greymon!" Gabumon smiled.
"Agumon was able to evolve again!" Tokomon said.
While the two dinosaurs clashed, Tai walked to the others proudly.
"Tai!" Sora happily cried.
"Good to see you!" Beth smiled.
Tai nodded her as one leader to another. "Likewise."
Greymon then picked up Tyranomon intending to toss him to the ground, snapping several of the dark cables.
"Go! That's it, lift him up!" Gomamon cried.
"You can do it!" Palmon cheered.
Greymon slammed down Tyranomon, causing him to disintegrate. Victorious, Greymon roared triumphantly much to the cheers of the others.
'Tai and Agumon did an excellent job pi.' Pixiemon thought with smile.
By sunset, the group was ready to leave Pixiemon's home. Sure, it wasn't the Ritz but it was thanks to his teachings that the children no longer feared using the crests to help their digimon digivolve.
"Thank you all for your help and hospitality." Kylie thanked Pixiemon.
"Thank you for taking care of us." Agumon nodded.
"Don't think your training is over yet pi. Everything in life is a training session pi. Just do your best while never giving up pi!"
"Yes, sir!"
And so the group departed.
The next day, Beth presented Izzy with a suggestion.
"Izzy, would you be able to get in touch with Gennai? There's a lot we all want to talk with him about… not just on evolution, but also what we should do from now on."
"If it's not impossible, does that mean you can do it?" asked Sora.
"How?"
"Black cables?"
Everyone, including Sora, had seen the black cables connected to the enemy Greymon at the coliseum, but after SkullGreymon's frenzy, Izzy revealed that he had gone to where the enemy Greymon had first appeared in order to investigate how it had been set up. There, Izzy discovered that ahead of the ripped black cables was another black cable attached to a modular jack buried underneath the stone floor.
"Those black cables are probably laid all throughout Server Continent like a meshnet, creating the network. The modular jack was of the same standard as my laptop, so it may not be impossible for me to use my computer to break into the network. Except, it's the same network that Etemon uses. If we break into it without anyone noticing us, there wouldn't be a problem, but if we do get spotted, we're in trouble."
"Is there a way to keep us from being noticed then?" questioned Zaira.
After that, Izzy talked enthusiastically about access logs and proxies, but Sora (or most of the other girls for that matter) couldn't understand any of it. What she thought Izzy was trying to say, in the end, was that it was possible to hack into Etemon's network without him noticing, but if it failed, Izzy couldn't take responsibility. But he seemed confident, they had to break out of this stifling and cramped situation somehow.
"…Very well. I'll try it," Izzy consented. "But I don't think we should get our hopes up. I'm used to not finding him."
He smiled in an attempt of playfulness in order to set them at ease.
Folding himself within the small bottom of the empty well, Izzy tapped continuously on his laptop keyboard. From above the well, Sora looked down at him as he worked with a worried frown on her face.
Little did they know, that this would set off a chain reaction to important events yet to come.
To be continued…