Daichi: If things are going in episode order… let's see more of Joe! It'll be less depressing!

Verity: We don't own these things. Thankfully.

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It was sort of strange, not having Ib there. Joe had sort of gotten used to relying on the older girl, in some strange way. She certainly didn't seem like the most reliable person, and she certainly relied on him just as much.

But she had also been his one point of familiarity in this strange new world he'd found himself a part of, so he supposed it wasn't really that odd.

"Joe… are we there yet?" Gomamon asked, sprawled out on his back in the middle of the bed they were floating on.

"Not yet, Gomamon. I don't even know where 'there' is." If Ib were there, she would have said it would be the way out. While most people would be excited at the idea of adventuring in another world, and exploring a new land, she wouldn't. And with the stories she told… he didn't blame her.

"'There' is land, silly! Or food, then I could Digivolve to Ikkakumon and take you to land!" The little seal sounded rather proud of himself for his deduction. Joe didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd considered the idea hours ago, but gave it up because of the low odds of them finding food, unless they wanted to try raw fish, and he didn't know how to make sushi.

"Yeah… you could, couldn't you?" He sighed and leaned back, wondering if they'd actually reach land, or if the bed would capsize first. Sure, Gomamon had his Marching Fishes, but…

"Joe… hey, Joe!" He sat up, glancing around for an enemy before glaring at Gomamon. "...Sorry. But you were starting to worry again."

"We're drifting on the ocean with no food or fresh water. Trust me, I am as calm as I'll ever be." He might never have been camping before this whole fiasco took place, but he did know that going without those things was bad.

"...You know, I don't think I've ever seen anyone less calm," His partner pointed out. "Unless you count the time Ib went crazy, anyway."

"That wasn't her fault, though," He sighed. "She just… she's been through a lot. This isn't her first time going between worlds, and… well, it hurt her, the last time."

"And she's the only one who's less calm than you! So you need to lighten up."

"Tell me that again once we find land." Or food. Or fresh water. But saying those things out loud would make Gomamon declare that he'd won their little debate. And Joe didn't think he'd be able to bring himself to disagree with him.

Assuming, of course, that they lived long enough for that to matter.

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Even after she was certain Devimon wasn't immediately following her, it had taken some time for Ib to get back to sleep. She knew she needed it, there was little she'd be able to do for herself or the others if she collapsed, but there could be any number of dangerous Digimon around and she didn't have a proper way to defend herself. The sleep she did get wasn't all that restful, either, though she supposed it was better than nothing.

Lalamon didn't have any of those problems. She'd just made sure the world was still, and then had dozed off in her partner's arms. Like none of the nightmare that just occurred had affected her at all.

It was probably just an act. Ib was well-versed in the art of pretending that everything was okay, to the point where most people believed it, a lot of the time. Why would her Digimon be any different?

Still… seeing the peacefully-sleeping little plant, she didn't have the heart to wake her. So she adjusted her grip as to not drop her Digimon, and started wandering through the forest, in search of something, or someone. Whichever ended up happening first.

In a sense, she found both. She'd heard the waterfall first, figured it would be nice to go there, get some fresh drinking water, and pretend that everything was going much less terribly than it actually was.

When she got there, she saw T.K. sitting next to Patamon, looking up at the sky. "T.K.? Patamon? Are the two of you alright?" She asked, stepping into the clearing.

The little boy immediately turned around to face her. "Oh! It's Ib and Lalamon! Have you seen Matt anywhere?"

Ib shook her head. "No, sorry. I don't know what happened to any of the others. How are you feeling?"

"...I want to Digivolve," Patamon finally muttered. "I-I can't do anything right now. Biyomon would already be up there by now." He gestured towards the top of the waterfall.

"Not without any food, she wouldn't," She pointed out. "Have either of you gotten anything to eat?"

The fates of the others were still unknown… but right then, they could at least take care of themselves. Maybe they'd even find something on the way.

Whatever that thing was, though… if none of them knew what is was, things were bound to go much worse than they would have otherwise. That was just how things worked.

Maybe she should wake Lalamon up… just in case.

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Coniferous forest… full of fog… and a spooky looking church on a hill. Joe figured Ib would be able to handle a place like that a lot better than he and Sora would- she'd had experience in the world of settings from out of horror movies.

But Ib wasn't there. She was… wherever she'd gone, after Devimon split them all apart. Maybe she'd be okay, maybe she wouldn't. He didn't know, and it wouldn't matter to him unless he managed to survive this.

"Look!" Sora hissed, sounding rather hopeful for someone in their position. "People!" Yes, the denizens of this area did, in fact, look human, but if Ib's stories meant anything, it was that just looking human was no guarantee of it- let alone that they would be allies.

"Are we sure we should be doing this right now?" Joe found himself asking. "I mean- Gomamon, Biyomon, can you Digivolve?"

Gomamon shook his head. "I'm too hungry. What about you, Biyomon?"

"I haven't eaten in more than a day."

"So, if it's a trap, we have no way of getting out." He wasn't sure why that was such a hard concept for her, Matt, and Tai to grasp. Then again, the three of them were best friends…

"Why would it be a trap? Joe, there are humans there. Actual humans!"

"Do you know that for sure?" It was funny, he thought. In another world, he might not have questioned this odd turn of events, or at least not so thoroughly. A world where he'd never met Ib, where she hadn't chosen to confide in him. It wasn't something he could easily imagine. In a world like that… his best friend might as well have not existed.

It was sort of a scary thought. With how they'd first met… maybe a world like that could have happened just by her not remembering, and continuing to live life as a normal girl, and this new world would be where they met for the first time.

But there was another way it could have happened. If she had never been there, her existence stolen by a world with an atmosphere like this area. Joe decided not to think about that possibility.

"Our Digimon say we're the first… humans… here." It was that moment of realization on Sora's face that, in a better time, would have given Joe an odd sense of vindication. Now, though, the victory felt rather… hollow. Being a life-threatening situation probably helped with that. "Let's… go grab some fish real quick."

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Ib saw Primary Village as a good place to rest. Maybe to stay, if they never figured out how to do anything about the demon on the mountain. T.K. and Patamon would like it there, and Lalamon could think up a good lullaby for the babies.

If they ended up staying there. She wasn't entirely sure about that part, but she didn't think she'd be opposed to it.

"Hey, T.K.." Ib glanced over to see Patamon trying to get his partner's attention.

"Yeah?"

"When these babies Digivolve, they'll have to leave. And I-"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to Digivolve anymore!" The little winged guinea pig proclaimed. If Ib was closer, she thought she might have been able to see tears in his eyes. "I don't want to leave! I want to stay with you!"

"Patamon, why- why would you leave?" T.K. asked, sounding more than a little hurt by the notion. Okay, this needed to stop now. Lalamon could handle a Choromon, anyway.

"What's going on here?" They both turned to face her, as though they'd forgotten she was there with them. Given how quickly the two of them had bonded with Elecmon, maybe they had. "Why is Patamon crying?"

"...I don't want to leave T.K.."

"Are you planning to?" She asked, because that seemed to suddenly be a very important question.

"Of course not! It's just… I think… Devimon's really strong, and I'd only be able to do anything if I Digivolve. But if I Digivolve…"

Ib sighed. She wasn't qualified for this, in any way. "When Gabumon became Garurumon, did he leave Matt?"

"No…"

"And now that Biyomon can become Birdramon, do you see her leaving Sora?"

"Of course not!"

"Then what makes you think you'll have to leave T.K.?"

"I-I don't know. I just- what if I don't have a choice?" And in a moment, Ib wasn't there anymore, but in a dark hallway that smelled like blood and paint, thorns biting into her hand as she was given an empty promise.

Her hand slipped into her pocket, fingers brushing cold metal, and she was in the present again, forced to think of an answer to a question that she'd been trying to keep herself from asking the whole time.

"...There's always a choice." She just as quickly made her way over to Lalamon, because she couldn't let the kids see her tears. Of all the ways for that to come rushing back… well. She'd stand by what she said. There was always a choice.

And it was her choice, there and then, to look after those children as best she was able. T.K. was even younger than she had been, he needed someone to take care of him. And she was the only one who could. So that he and Patamon would never end up having to leave each other alone.

And, when Leomon attacked, a few days later, and her wish to protect them enveloped Lalamon… she thought maybe it was a sign, that she'd made the right decision after all.

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Daichi: So, yeah… Digimon Adventure canon takes place in a timeline where Mary, Garry, and Ib all died. Or, at least, never left the Gallery.