The blue-banded turtle looked at the familiar trees and sky, and picked up his little partner.
"I can't believe I'm home…"
Something rustled behind him, and Leo whirled around.
A young turtle, lighter-skinned than even Anne and Rose, with large, innocent pink eyes and a lighter-hued mask, stood next to a tree.
He remembered Rose's words from their journey…
"There's four of us. Terrie is Teresa, our youngest sister."
He remembered her sad smile…
"She's the cutest little thing you've ever seen…"
"I'm going home, even if I have to cross that ocean alone! I'm not leaving Terrie alone any longer!"
"You're Terrie, aren't you?"
The younger turtle smiled trustingly, nodding.
"Yeah. Have you seen my sisters?"
He looked around, cringing.
"Yeah…they're not here right now…"
She came closer, and smiled, petting Koromon's head.
"Hey, Koromon."
The blue-banded turtle looked surprised.
"How did you know his name was Koromon?"
She seemed to really think about it.
"…I don't really know…" She admitted, smiling cutely.
"I just know it. It's like I've met him before. That's why I'm not scared."
"But he's never left the Digital World…"
"Maybe that's where I've met him."
"But you've never been to there."
"Maybe. It's near here."
Still surprised and mind racing, he let the younger turtle lead him to her home.
The dojo had a Japanese air, even from the outside, and the blue-banded turtle was surprised at the calendar in the front hall.
'June 1st…'
His heart jumped.
'That was the day we went to the Digital World!'
No one seemed to be home, and Terrie seemed to have fun playing with Koromon as his mind spun.
'Did I go back in time? If so, what's going on in the Digital World? Or does time go by slower here than it does over there? This is all so confusing…if only Donnie was here to explain it…'
"Leo?"
He looked down at the little pink-banded turtle, and realized why Rose was so adamant to come back.
The young turtle looked younger than even Judie, with innocent eyes and the sweetest face you could imagine, much like Mikey's.
"Are you hungry? Sensei made some cake before he left."
With a look he used to appease Mikey, he smiled.
"I have a better idea. Why don't I make a healthy lunch?"
After being led to the kitchen, he set about making omelets.
Once the table was set, him and Koromon seemed to jump on their food like hungry animals.
Terrie watched curiously at first, then took a bite of her own.
She smiled.
"This is good."
"Thanks." He managed around a mouthful.
Seeming thoughtful, she pushed her plate towards them.
"I'm full. You two can have the rest."
"Thanks!" Koromon stated, happily eating more.
By the time the food was gone, the two were stuffed like Thanksgiving turkeys.
"I may not have to eat again for a year…"
Koromon seemed to stiffen.
"Oh no…Too full…!"
They managed to get him to the bathroom in time…
Terrie sat outside of the slightly-open door, leaning her shell on the polished wood.
"You don't have to hide…"
"How embarrassing…Why do you wanna hang out with someone whose such a pig?"
"'Cause you're cute." Terrie answered simply, a bright smile on her face.
"Really?"
"Yeah…Wanna hear what happened to me once? We were out by the docks practicing our balance. I accidentally fell in, and Judie started laughing. I remember almost crying until Rosie jumped in with me. Know what she did? She played with me, like I'd actually jumped in on purpose."
Her smile softened in memory.
"Soon, everybody was playing in the water…It was so much fun…"
Koromon remembered the sometimes fiery orange/red-banded turtle, and smiled at this new version of her.
"Whoa…"
"She may seem mean, but she's still the coolest big sister in the world."
Leo, from around the corner, smiled.
'That's Rose alright…'
He wandered into the living room, and sat down on the couch so he could turn on the TV and check the news.
He started dozing, until he thought he saw a hazy picture on the screen.
Opening his eyes, he jumped.
"Meramon?!"
The scene changed.
"Seadramon, too?!"
He was on his feet now, confused and edgy.
"Frigimon?! What are all those Digimon doing here?!"
He looked around at the screen.
"Why doesn't anybody say anything about the Digimon?"
"Finally…someone else can see them…"
The blue-banded turtle turned to see Terrier, who was holding Koromon to her plastron.
"You can see them, too?"
"For a long time now. Sensei doesn't believe me. He thinks I watch too many scary movies with Judie."
"But…"
Suddenly, the TV turned off.
Beeping from his Digivice made Leo jump and grab it, looking at the glowing screen.
"What's going on?"
'It's activated itself…'
A computer on the wall behind him hummed, it's screen hazily coming to life.
"Wha…?"
"There's face…" Terrie stated, hugging Koromon tighter.
"C-Can you hear me…D-Danger!"
"DONNIE!!"
Leo vaulted over the couch, looking at the screen desperately.
"DONNIE!! ARE YOU OKAY?!"
"L-Leo…wherever you are, don't come back here!"
"But I can't just leave you there!! DONNIE!!"
"Digi-monsters…chaos!"
"But I need help with the Digivice!! I may be your only hope!!"
"Y-You're better off where you are…Don't come back…"
"DONNIE!!"
But the screen died, and he was left staring at the reflective surface.
"Great…just great…everyone's in trouble, and I can't even reach them…"
He rested his forehead on the wall, closing his eyes.
"What now?" Koromon asked, him and Terrie looking at the eldest turtle worriedly.
"I don't know, Koromon…I just don't know…"
Leo sighed.
"Our worlds are in trouble, and I can't do anything about it…I just KNOW this Digivice has the power to do something…but I have no idea how to get it to work…"
Looking at the Digivice, his closed his hand over it.
"I should just give up…"
"But Leo…you can't…" Koromon stated.
"What am I supposed to do? Throw the Digivice at the monsters and hope they get scared and run away?!"
Terrie seemed to flinch at his near shout.
"Its okay, Leo…just relax. Have some watermelon."
Leo went to relax with his slices, and Terrie sat with his partner as he ate.
"This world is great!" He cheered, eating another slice.
"I'm glad you like it here…but you may be staying for a while…"
Koromon seemed so surprised that he dropped his slice.
"I'm sorry…but it may take a while for you to go back…" Terrie admitted, looking sad.
Koromon seemed so sad…
The pink-banded turtle brought him into a hug like Rosie did when she felt like crying.
"Its okay, Koromon. I'm sure you'll make it home…"
Leo came out, looking out the window at the darkening sky.
"…This is bad…"
"Leo?"
The blue-banded turtle looked at his partner.
"Earth is in just as much danger as the Digital World…It's troubles are slipping through the dimension…"
"What do we do?"
"Until I can get the Digivice to work, we can't go back and fight the evil Digimon…"
He gripped the device harder, closing his eyes.
"I can't believe it! My brothers and friends are in danger, and I can't do a thing about it! All because of this stupid thing!"
He seemed ready to throw it when the floor shook.
Terrie cried out, looking scared, as Leo turned back to the window.
"It's Tyrannomon!!"
The large Digimon started to blast at buildings, and he grabbed his partner as he whirled around.
"Terrie, you stay here! Me and Koromon need to find that dimensional rift!"
Running out the door, he headed through the alleyways.
'Come on!'
Tyrannomon seemed to disappear, and Leo skidded to a halt.
'No…'
The ground shook somewhere else, and the turtle turned to see Drimogemon.
As Leo got closer, this Digimon also disappeared.
"They're drifting between the two worlds through that rift." Leo mumbled.
"We need to get back before they destroy both our worlds, but it'll take all of us to do it."
"Even if we could, I couldn't help you…"
Koromon jumped to the ground.
"Despite all the food I've eaten, I can't seem to Digivolve…I'd just get in the way…"
"But…I need you, Koromon…we can't win unless we all fight together…don't give up on me now…"
"Leo! Koromon! Wait!"
The blue-banded turtle turned to see Terrie run up to them.
"I want to come with you!"
"Terrie, I told you to stay there! It's too dangerous!"
"B-But…"
"Leo! Terrie! It's Ogremon!"
Both turtles looked across the street and saw the large green Digimon.
He just stood there, people walking by him as if the Digimon didn't exist.
"Why don't they notice him?" Leo muttered.
"Is he waiting for the light to change?" Terrie asked softly.
Suddenly, the light changed, and Ogremon charged at them.
"KOROMON!!"
Leo shielded the younger turtle as the club hit the sidewalk next to them.
Shaking his head free of dirt, he looked around worriedly.
"KOROMON?!"
Terrie pointed.
"He's up there! He's fighting that monster single-handedly!"
She looked as worried as he did, watching Koromon jump up the walls of buildings, Ogremon close behind.
"Bubble Blow!"
It didn't seem to work, and Koromon jumped out of the way before the club threatened to smash him into the concrete.
"Koromon, Digivolve!"
"I can't unless you use the Digivice!"
"I don't know why, but it's not working! You'll have to do it without it!"
"I just can't!"
"You can do it, Koromon!" Terrie shouted.
Ogremon seemed to catch Koromon off-guard, smacking him through the air with debris.
"KOROMON!!"
He closed his eyes, gripping his Digivice tighter.
"DIGIVOLVE!!"
A glow escaped his fingers…
"Koromon, Digivolve to…AGUMON!!"
The rift seemed to open, like a glow circle sucking up debris.
The Rookie-level Digimon landed on a streetlight, and Ogremon jumped down at him from above.
"Pepper Breath!"
The force seemed to throw the opposing Digimon into the rift, and Agumon started to float as well.
"Agumon! Come back!"
Leo ran out of the shadows, looking worried.
"I'm needed in the Digital World…I'll never forget you, my friend…"
Agumon seemed to disappear, and Leo looked down.
"Leo…"
He turned to Terrie.
"…Be careful…and make sure my sisters are okay…"
He nodded, trying to give a reassuring smile.
"I promise…but they need me now…"
She nodded, eyes shining with tears.
The glowing Digivice started lifting him into the air, and her eyes followed him.
"Be careful!"
He felt bad, just leaving her there…
'But this isn't her fight.' He reasoned.
Little did anyone know, she was about to find her own way to the Digital World…
He was back in the desert of the Digital World, and put a hand on his partner's head.
"Now we've got to find the others and defeat all the evil Digimon, or neither of our world's will be safe."
"That won't be easy, Leo."
He smiled.
"Nothing that's worth having isn't worth fighting for…"