Chapter 10

Baihumon's Second Message

Palmon looked around in amazement as she took in the view. After hearing about Tranquil glade from the others, it sounded like the perfect spot for her to visit. She had asked Mimi if she wanted to come, but Mimi said she 'needed to catch up on an errand in the mall.'

Palmon sighed. I know that's just an excuse; she doesn't like the outdoors anywhere near as much as I do. I'm afraid that's just a fundamental difference between us... I am a plant digimon, after all. Still... I could easily lose myself in this place.

As she wandered the forest and took in the fresh air, she sighed with content, and began to doze off under a tree.

A while later, she opened her eyes to see a group of shining creatures flying around in front of her. She stared at them with fascination as they danced away, and she tried to follow them. They almost resembled Calumon, but had a taller body and flatter head, with long arms seemingly used as wings, tiny feet, and a long strand of hair coming out of their heads that curled behind them. They cooed towards her as she followed them.

'Wait! I just want to look at you!'

She stopped as she suddenly felt a regal presence approaching, and as it began speaking to her, she couldn't help but listen to its commanding tone.

'Who are you to intrude upon Tranquil Glade?'

Palmon looked up in awe as Lotosmon extricated herself from a massive tree trunk. Palmon smiled nervously as she approached.

'I'm sorry; my name's Palmon, and my friends had passed through here a while ago... they said I should visit. And it's really quite lovely here. I was just visiting, as long as you didn't mind...'

Lotosmon relaxed as she studied Palmon. 'I can see you're a plant digimon... it makes sense for you to spend time here. Were these friends of yours the Digidestined?'

Palmon nodded. 'I am one, actually.'

Lotosmon smiled. 'Well, let me welcome you, then. I'm afraid there aren't other digimon living here that I'm aware of... so it might be a bit dull for you.'

Palmon shrugged lightly. 'It doesn't bother me. I actually enjoy some quiet once in a while. The others can sure get themselves into a lot of trouble, even without considering the current threats to the digital world.'

Lotosmon nodded. 'I'd imagine... you're group is rather large now, correct? I'm afraid... I have little experience with such things.'

Palmon moved to sit and studied Lotosmon with interest. 'Tell me about your life here.'

Lotosmon studied Palmon curiously. 'I don't talk with many digimon... and I would welcome the reprieve.'

She laid down her staff and assumed a meditative position in front of Palmon. 'My life... is not exactly desirable for most. I spend most of my time incorporeal, moving between trees, the plants, keeping watch on all the creatures that live here.'

Palmon frowned sympathetically. 'Don't you... ever get bored?'

Lotosmon shook her head. 'My form allows me to feel... everything, that goes on here. Something is always happening, but nothing that usually requires my action upon it.'

'And when it does require action?'

Lotosmon tensed slightly. 'I investigate the disturbance... and it is usually an evil digimon wanting to devour all the data here. None have ever bested me.'

Palmon looked slightly shocked. 'Surely not all of them are evil?'

'Well... there's you.' Lotosmon said gently. 'And your friends that came before. I see that you're of the same opinion?'

Palmon raised an eyeridge. 'What do you mean?'

'About my committed defence. It may seem extreme to you, but I assure you, they meant harm to this place. I could sense their intent and thoughts.'

Palmon shook her head. 'Then why did you act so cautious when my friends came? And when I did?'

'Yours... and their - thoughts, are not so easily read. I do not know why that is, however.'

Palmon glanced away thoughtfully. 'Well... we are... different.'

'In what way?' Lotosmon asked.

Palmon hesitated. 'All of us digidestined digimon... we were all - altered, at some point. And I still don't know whether that was a good thing or not.'

Lotosmon seemed surprised as she heard. 'I knew there was something different about you. Would you mind telling me the details of what happened?'

Palmon slowly recounted the Digidestined's near-simultaneous capture and alteration in the YMIR lab. Lotosmon listened on, seemingly concerned at first, but thoughtful throughout.

As Palmon finished, Lotosmon nodded sympathetically. 'I can understand Agumon's distress in losing BlackAgumon... every creature in this forest is precious to me, just as digimon are important to him. And I understand you're distress, too...'

Palmon sighed. 'It's been over six weeks, and we haven't heard anything about AbyssGreymon or Alphamon. While it isn't as - tense, as it was before... I still hope something would turn up, if just to help Agumon.'

Lotosmon paused before she spoke. 'What you've told me, it is starting to make sense. I first felt it when the others came through, and now, I know with you. You are different, and I think... it is in a good way. At least, that's what I gathered.'

Palmon gave her a confused look. 'What makes you so sure?'

'I'm not... but, well... the data, or matter, inside of you... it does feel quite similar to the plants around here. You are more like the plants than the animals, but all your other digimon friends... they felt similar to the animals, too.'

Palmon shook her head. 'I don't get it. What makes me being like a tree and the others being like the animals a good thing?'

Lotosmon chuckled as she levitated, along with her staff. 'Maybe you'll understand, one day. I'll let you be with the quiet, now. Perhaps you can contemplate what I've said.'

Palmon looked up at her in wonder as she disappeared into a tree trunk once more. Exhaling, she attempted to follow Lotosmon's advice, and closed her eyes in thought, all the while with calming breaths.

That weekend, Tai, Matt, Sora and Davis decided to visit the bakery with their digimon this time around. Veemon, Biyomon and Gabumon happily came along, but Agumon and Guilmon had to be convinced to show their faces again. After much coaxing from Tai, they reluctantly poked their heads in and gulped as they sat down with everyone else. They were surprised as they saw Yuji smiling at them.

'Ah, if it isn't my two best customers!' He grinned as he waved them over. 'Don't be afraid, you two. I assume Kari and Gatomon told you what happened?'

Agumon and Guilmon nodded. 'They did.' Agumon glanced away, still ashamed. 'We're still sorry, though.'

Veemon groaned as he beheld Agumon and Guilmon's expressions. 'Come on, you two. Especially you, Agumon. Haven't you learned when to not beat yourself up?' He raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. 'Though, feel free to speak up if you want me to do it for you.'

Agumon blanched slightly and shook his claws in front of him. 'No thanks, Veemon... I... I'll be fine.'

Biyomon, who was sitting next to Agumon on the other side of Tai, frowned sceptically. 'He's right, you know. Yuji's way past that already.'

Tai grinned at Yuji thankfully. 'Thanks again for the exchange front... it's really solved a lot of my problems.'

Yuji nodded with approval. 'Well, I figure if there's a front to digimon in the real world, I might as well be a part of it. I believe open-minded people do indeed refine our society... as long as it's not too far.'

Matt snorted. 'I'm surprised you don't consider: letting digimon in as regular customers, hiring digimon, and becoming the exchange front for both worlds too far.'

Yuji shrugged. 'Well, to each his own. Would you all like to order now?'

Gabumon looked at Agumon and Guilmon sickly. 'After all that baking stuff you two had recently... how can you stomach it? If I had to eat something too much... ugh... especially ice cream...'

Matt smiled sympathetically at him. 'It's just too bad for you that you like it so much, isn't it?'

Biyomon studied Agumon, who was still poring over the selection of pies hungrily. 'You know what, Agumon. I'm going to find out why you like pie so much. I want one.'

Agumon gaped at her, then grinned gleefully. 'Really!? That's great, Biyomon! OK, you should definitely try...'

Everyone else studied Agumon with amusement as he proceeded through the list of pies and gave good and bad points about each and every one of them. Biyomon rolled her eyes and eventually had to stop Agumon's rambling by covering his mouth.

Biyomon smiled sweetly as Agumon's questioning green eyes met hers. 'Agumon, do me a favour, and shut up, will you? I'll just get a plain chicken and vegetable pie, if you don't mind.'

Agumon nodded slowly as Biyomon let him go. Yuji nodded and instantly got one out from the display rack.

'Since Biyomon's just having a plain one...' Agumon said as he glanced at the chicken pie. 'I guess I'll just have a plain mince pie, Yuji.'

Agumon was about to start, but was taken aback as Biyomon gently peeled off the top pastry layer, gobbled it up, and then proceed to eat the meat and vegetables within with a fork. He scratched his head in bewilderment.

'I've never seen a pie eaten like that before.'

Biyomon grinned as she finished the base slowly. 'My way is just a lot cleaner than yours.'

Agumon rolled his eyes slightly. 'And here I thought you'd never eaten a pie before.'

As Agumon turned his attention to his own pie, he was startled by Biyomon stopping him with her wing.

As he looked at her questioningly, she clarified. 'Why don't you try it my way for a change?'

As Agumon stared at her, he grinned sheepishly. 'I guess... for you.'

He traced the edge of the pie with his claw, and quickly gobbled it up. As he took a fork, he gaped slightly as Biyomon gently took it from him, and stared at her slightly, transfixed as she began to feed him, mouthful by mouthful. Agumon soon forgot about eating, as they continued to gaze at each other.

Veemon groaned in disgust, but everyone else studied them with approval, and otherwise carried on with their own orders. Yuji studied the two of them with a sly grin on his face.

'So... I assume you two are dating?'

Agumon scratched his neck uncomfortably as he finished his pie. 'Uh... how did you know?'

'Just a guess.'

Biyomon raised an eyeridge. 'What difference does it make?'

Yuji shrugged. 'Oh, not much. Just... heartening to know, is all. Anyway...' He put on the grin again. 'What base are you up to?'

Tai and Davis gaped in shock, but everyone else just looked at Yuji questioningly. 'What do you mean, which base?' Sora asked.

'You know, bases in the relationship. First, second, third... and, finally, home run.'

Tai studied Agumon awkwardly. 'Maybe you shouldn't be hearing this...'

Agumon looked back at Tai curiously. 'What does home run mean, Tai?'

Tai shook his head. 'I shouldn't tell you, Agumon. It's... well...'

'Come on!' Agumon half-pleaded. 'Tell me.'

Biyomon also looked at Tai questioningly. 'Is this some human thing?'

Tai sighed submissively. 'It's...sex.'

Agumon and Biyomon's eyes widened in shock, so much so in Agumon that they rolled upwards slightly and he collapsed onto the ground heavily. Everyone gaped at him in shock, and in Veemon and Davis' case, amusement.

'Heart of a lion, that one.' Veemon observed flatly as he joined the circle around Agumon. Guilmon poked Agumon repeatedly, but got no response, and he scratched his head in confusion. 'What's wrong with him?'

'Uh...' Biyomon stated incredulously. 'Weren't you just listening, Guilmon?'

Guilmon raised an eyeridge. 'I only heard something about baseball.'

Biyomon turned her attention to Agumon. Tai shook him slightly. 'Hey! Agumon! You all right?'

Davis snorted in amusement. 'He's fine, Tai. Just can't handle the pressure.'

Tai sighed. 'I wish there was a way to wake him up...'

Biyomon, getting an idea, looked to Yuji expectantly. 'Yuji? I need a bucket.'

'Agumon.'

'...huh? Who...'

'It's me, Agumon.'

'Baihumon! Long time no see!'

Baihumon emanated confusion. 'We're communicating telepathically, Agumon.'

'Oh. Well, forget it, then.'

'Hmm... you're thoughts are clouded and confusing, Agumon. What just happened?'

'Uh... well, it's a long story...'

'Nevermind. I have urgent news for you.'

Agumon felt a surge of elation. 'Do you have news about AbyssGreymon?'

'No... I'm afraid not. However, it is just as significant.'

'...really? What is it, Baihumon?'

'I could tell you now, but I'd prefer to tell everyone, instead of just you. I'd like you digidestined to gather in the archives tomorrow morning. I'll also notify Gennai; hopefully he'll meet you there. I have to confirm it, so I apologise for not staying longer.'

Agumon felt curiosity coming on, but saved his questions for later. 'OK. I'll tell everyone, and we'll try to meet you two tomorrow. And I just wanted to say... it's good to hear your voice again.'

'And I yours, Agumon. Until tomorrow.'

Agumon felt cold water splash all over his face just as he opened his eyes. He blinked and spluttered repeatedly, before looking up at Biyomon dejectedly, who was holding the bucket.

'Bee! What was that for?'

Biyomon raised an eyeridge. 'Well, I needed to find some way to wake you up.'

Tai helped Agumon up, and studied him with concern. 'You sure you're okay, Agumon?'

'Huh? Okay with what?' Agumon asked obliviously.

'Nevermind. I don't want you passing out again.'

Biyomon blushed awkwardly as she studied Agumon. 'You actually look good when you're wet, too...'

Agumon blushed slightly in response. Veemon's eye twitched, then he quickly grabbed the bucket from Biyomon and plunged it, and the rest of the water, straight on Agumon's head. When Agumon turned the bucket on his head towards Veemon questioningly, Veemon only harrumphed.

'That's for flaunting you're attraction powers.'

Davis sighed with disapproval. 'Veemon, don't be like that...'

Agumon took off the bucket and shook his head, frowning and suddenly serious. 'Baihumon just contacted me.'

He had grabbed everyone's attention. 'Really?' Tai asked apprehensively. 'What's happened?'

Agumon shook his head helplessly. 'He didn't tell me much, but he wants all the digidestined to meet Gennai in the archives, tomorrow morning.'

'Is it about AbyssGreymon?' Sora asked hopefully.

Agumon shook his head. 'I don't think so... but he still said it was important.'

Tai looked around at everyone worriedly. 'This doesn't sound like a picnic... especially if Gennai and Baihumon are involved.'

As everyone nodded in agreement, Veemon narrowed his eyes at Agumon suspiciously. 'A bit weird, Baihumon contacting you like this... you better not be taking us for another ride.

After Agumon grimaced sheepishly, they proceeded to leave immediately, to Yuji's indignation.

'Hey!' He called out. 'You still haven't paid for all of that, you know!'