"Bïfrost?" Alex asked Yusuke.
Yusuke shrugged. "Kind of just took a guess, really. This man said his name was Heimdall, the god's name is Yggdrasil, so I just used process of elimination and figured that may as well be it."
"You're a wise boy, aren't you?" Heimdall asked.
"I guess," Yusuke said.
"Well, I'll be off. Duftmon, I leave them in your care."
The humans, each carrying their newborn Digimon, turned to the lion-masked Royal Knight.
"Great, I'm stuck babysitting," Duftmon muttered.
"Don't worry, Duftmon," Sheena assured him. "We'll try not to give you too much trouble."
The large group descended down the rainbow bridge. After walking for a bit, they came to a bustling town. The buildings weren't that very tall, and there were stalls all over the place. In truth, it really looked more like a market than a town.
"So what's here?" Alex asked.
"Not much," Duftmon replied. "Heimdall's a cool guy and all, but I just don't like his style. Takes things too quickly, a bit needless. I figured I'd get you guys acquainted to this new world. You guys must be a little upset, being taken from there and all, right?"
No one bothered to answer, trying to think of what to say. They were all worried about being taken from home. Hana was the first to talk.
"How long will we be here? Are we going to go back?"
"You guys just need to help us with a couple things," Duftmon said. "See, there's a time difference between this world and your world, only it's very inconsistent. It's like a glitch, to put it simply. One day here could be like a minute in yours, but the next day could very well be a whole year, at most."
"A whole year?" Derek shouted. "How is that a "small" glitch?"
"Look, that's just how things work here. If you're lucky, you guys will only be missing for a day in your world. If it's really bothering you that much, I'm sorry."
They still couldn't just accept it. The feeling of success from being in the Trials was gone. They didn't know just what they'd gotten into until now. Their Digimon were still looking on, oblivious to the conversation. However, Lance's Botamon tried to wiggle it's way out of Lance's arms. Lance let it go, and the black blob started to bounce up and down. Lance followed it, but the rest took a look around. The people in the town looked so different from each other, it was hard to keep track. Monkeys, dogs, goblins, there were monsters that looked so different. The humans were a bit disturbed to be looking at them, and while the monsters were too, they all bowed once they saw Duftmon.
"Sir Duftmon," a goblin called out. "Thank goodness a Royal Knight is here. There have been a couple miscreants invading the town. Gazimon!"
Duftmon shrugged. "I wouldn't mind helping, but can't you guys take care of it yourself?"
"We would, but we don't want to start a fight, and they said they got reinforcements if we ever dare fight back." The goblin looked to each side, before calling Duftmon down so he could whisper. "And forgive me, but are those humans? Why have you brought them here?"
"Some plan Omnimon came up with. Let's just say they're here to help with the X Digimon."
"What? Why humans? They can't fight! And the Demon Lords are even a bigger threat! You should be worried about them!"
"Listen, Goblimon, that is not for you to decide. We're just going to have to believe that they can find the strength. Omnimon suggested this, anyway."
"I'm sorry. Forgive me."
Lance followed his Botamon through the town, ignoring the slander of the Digimon that cursed his mere presence. Some actually seemed to praise him, which he really didn't care for. Several Digimon started to rush towards him, but Alex and Yusuke stepped in front of him.
"Remember, guys, the old man said I'm the leader," Alex said. He rest Fufumon on the ground, taking his Digivice so that it became a sword. Yusuke took out his own Digivice, taking its rifle form in one hand. Tsubumon bounced alongside Fufumon and Botamon. As the Digimon approaching came closer, it became clear that they were actually running from something.
"Gazimon!" a tapir-like creature cried. Behind them pounced a quintet of gray-furred animals, slashing the poor little tapir with sharp claws before killing the others. The Digimon immediately shattered into shards of data, all of which reformed into a number of eggs. The animals, presumably the Gazimon, stood on their back legs. They all kicked an egg or two into the air, only for each egg to be grabbed my Duftmon. Turning to face them, he flew off immediately until he was nowhere to be seen.
Each Gazimon took turns talking about what they saw.
"That was a Royal Knight!"
"He could have killed us!"
"But he didn't, right?"
"What do we do now?"
"It's obvious. He's gone, so we can attack the village!"
The Gazimon roared in unison, and ran onward. Lance used a silver pole to trip the beasts, but each of them just jumped over it. The other teenagers joined in, Sheena and Yusuke firing their weapons, Alex, Hana, and Kekio charging with their swords. Derek skillfully swung his staff around at them.
Daniel started to back away, dropping his daggers.
"I-I can't fight those things!" The little Kuramon wriggled at Daniel's feet, purring. He felt a smack in the head, and Daniel turned to see it was Duftmon.
"What are you doing, just standing around for?" Duftmon asked.
"I can't fight!"
"How did you even get past the Trial? Shame that maniac who did in the Minotarumon didn't make it."
"Maniac?"
"Heimdall wanted someone else, so really only you or that girl should have made it, not both of you."
Daniel looked back at the Gazimon, who were thrashing the kids. "Duftmon! Help them!"
Most of them were cut and bruised. Hana was on the ground, holding back a Gazimon with her sword. Sheena was on her knees, slowly firing shots and missing. Kekio and Lance were stumbling on their feet, taking swings when they could. Lance chucked a number of throwing stars, which managed to pierce the Gazimon's flesh. Yusuke was firing bullets one at a time, shooting a few of the Gazimon. Alex was in a close battle with another Gazimon, blocking and striking with his sword as his opponent attacked with his claws. All the while, Quint was sitting down, playing with Punimon. The other young Digimon simply sat and watched. Duftmon only smiled.
"A good start," he told Daniel. "I think they'll survive this." Before Daniel could protest, his Kuramon began tugging at his foot.
"What's wrong, Kuramon?" Daniel asked.
"I...wanna get bigger, papa! Like the big puppies!"
"Papa?"
Duftmon said, "Digimon undergo Digivolution, where they progress to the next stage."
"How do we do that?"
"Just wait a little longer. Newborn Digimon don't take too long to become In-Training."
Alex sliced his foe across the chest, knocking it to the ground. Hana managed to push her opponent back, kicking him to the ground and holding the blade to its throat. Sheena and Yusuke had shot two down, and the last one was corned by Lance, Derek, and Kekio.
"I can't believe I actually shot one," Sheena muttered. She ran to Duftmon. "If they're dead, does anything happen to them?"
"Dead Digimon will be reincarnated. Just watch." Looking back, Sheena and the rest could see the two shot Gazimon shatter into light, reformatting into eggs. "They'll be reborn, but their memories will remain."
"Please spare me!" the Gazimon that was still under Hana's blade begged.
"Why don't you try running?" Hana asked.
"You're a human! The last time humans were here-"
"We'll do what you want!" the Gazimon lying before Alex cried. He looked at the last Gazimon. "We surrender!"
The third Gazimon held up his hands, leaving room for a punch from Lance to knock it to the ground. "Any of you know about the Demon Lords?" Lance asked.
"Of course," Alex's Gazimon said. "Thing is, we were sent here by one of Demon Lord's higher servants, goes by the name "Maja". He said we should look here for some important data, but there's been nothing but trash. We've been coming here day after day, but Maja insisted that something big would be here."
"Did he expect humans like us to come here?" Alex suggested.
"Maja's a pretty clever guy, so maybe."
"Guys, come here!" Quint called out. The eight teenagers ran back to see their young Digimon were glowing in a bright light. The Gazimon turned to run, only to find Duftmon standing in front of them.
As the Digimon were glowing, their forms began to change, and particles gathered around them.
Fufumon lost his horn, but grew into a yellow lizard with a gray underbelly, large green eyes, and little stubs where his feet should be. "Kyokyomon," it said, slithering along Alex's leg and onto his left shoulder.
Tsubomon's single hair shrunk back into its head, growing a little bigger and gaining tiny wings made of three feathers where ears would be. It used its wings to carry its tiny body atop Yusuke's head. "Upamon."
Pupumon became a bee about the size of a pigeon. Its eyes a beady black-and-green, two tiny blue antennae sticking from it's forehead. "Puroromon." It flew to Hana and nested itself in her hair.
Pichi was a small brown seal, its little ears gone, and a flame-shaped streak of orange hair sprouted from it's forehead. It cried "Bukamon!" as it waddled next to Sheena.
Ketomon sat up, gaining a cone-shaped tip and tiny little ears as took a shade of purple. "Bukamon." Kekio picked up the little creature and hugged it.
The two Botamon took upon vastly different forms. One of them turned a bright pink, two strands flowing from it's blobby form. It's eyes glimmered with an amber tint, a few sharp teeth sticking out from it's mouth. "Koromon!" It lunged at Lance, knocking him in the chest and throwing him down. "Ah, no fun," it pouted. "You're too tall."
"You're mine, right?" Lanced asked.
"Yep!"
The second Botamon had the face the fact of a blue cat, with an "M" printed on its forehead. A little blue tail wagged happily as the cat smothered Derek in the face.
"So what's your name now?" Derek smiled.
"I'm Wanyamon!"
Punimon lost it's red color and was covered in orange fur, a single black horn sticking from it's head. Quint grabbed it from the horn and wagged his finger. "Rule number one, my friend: Don't let yourself be caught so easily. Just look at yourself!" Punimon looked as if it was going to cry. "Sorry, don't be like that, Punimon."
"Call me Tsunomon."
Kuramon turned blue, growing little claws beneath its feet and two antennae. It looked down at itself then turned to Daniel. "Papa...why didn't I get bigger?" Daniel frowned, but patted the little blue creature on the head.
"It's okay, you'll get there."
"Y-Yeah! Thanks papa! That's because I'm Tsumemon now!"
"So Digimon always get different names when they evolve?" Alex asked. He looked to see Duftmon, who had tied up the three Gazimon in a rope.
"That's correct," said Duftmon. "It's just part of how we evolve."
"What should we do with those eggs?" asked Sheena. "We can't just leave them here."
"Of course you can't," said a voice. Everyone turned to see someone dressed in a mob boss suit and a ragged jacket. In his right hand he twirled a knife, and in his left hand he held a machine gun. Tiny demon wings stuck out from behind his back, but to everyone else what was more frightening was his face. He had the face of a black demon, empty red eyes and a pair of horns on his head. A mane of white hair flowed behind his back. Immediately, he threw the knife straight through the eggs that lied on the ground. Duftmon charged at the demon with a raised sword, but was shot back with bullets from the machine gun.
"I totally called it," the demon sneered. "Those rats probably already spoiled it, but I had a vision that humans would arrive in this very spot."
"Please, Lord Maja!" one of the Gazimon plead. "Spare us, kill them!"
"Nah, how about a game first?" He pointed his machine gun at the three Gazimon. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!" Without even moving his gun, the other two Gazimon were shot clean in the head. The Gazimon, the humans, the young Digimon, and all the Digimon in the town couldn't help but watch in horror. "See, Gazimon, I said I wanted to play a game. You know my Auroramon likes to play favorites, that's why I only shot two bullets. The bullets like you, so I like you too. Come on, let's get out of here."
Gazimon still couldn't look up from his fellow Gazimon as they were turned to eggs. "You bastard, why did you kill them?"
"Two of you were already dead when I got here, you couldn't get beat these kids, and honestly, I'm just bored."
As the killed Gazimon reformed into eggs, the remaining Gazimon made his way out of the rope and charged at the demon. "Curse you, Maja!" Maja delivered a punch to the Gazimon's face, knocking him down. Sheen and Yusuke prepared their weapons to fire, but Maja grabbed the Gazimon and the two eggs, flying away from the humans, but he still called out to them as he fled.
"I had a vision of humans coming to this world after so long! I wanted to see how you're like, and I like you! Can't way to see when I won't need you anymore!"