(A/N: Ok, so this chapter is a little bit of a filler. We can't have a plot driven chapter each and every time with one enemy after another appearing. But even though this one is meant to be more fun and humorous, it's still a setup for the upcoming arc. So lets get started.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 26: A Friendly Village

It was a quaint little village, the kind that usually appeared in anime that took place during the feudal era. Several Digimon, ranging from In-Training to Champions, went about their daily lives, although many stopped to stare as Cardmon and Cutemon came wandering into the village accompanied by six humans.

"Hey, guys," said a Digimon that resembled a flower. "What are those things?"

"Floramon, don't be rude," Cutemon scolded. "These are our new friends, they're called humons."

"Um, that's humans," Takato corrected.

"Right, humans. This is Floramon. He and I work together at the bathhouse."

Kari's face lit up. "You have a bathhouse?"

Davis, however, had other things on his mind as he stared at the flower Digimon. "Wait, that thing is a dude?"

"Davis!" the others snapped.

"What? It looks like a girl."

Shoutmon jumped up and punched him over the head. "Idiot!" He turned and bowed to Floramon in apology. "Please excuse them. They're from a different world, so they've never seen Digimon before."

Floramon raised an eyebrow. "Um, ok, I guess you're forgiven."

He wandered off, still looking at Davis strangely. The others sighed before glaring at him. "Try not to insult the locals," Tai told him.

Davis' shoulders sank. "Well, I'm sorry, he looked like a girl. And how are you supposed to tell apart two Digimon of the same species anyway, let alone what gender they are?"

"Well, his voice was a bit of a giveaway," TK replied.

"I wasn't asking you, TQ."

"Actually, you kind of asked all of us," Takato pointed out.

Shoutmon sighed. "Most Digimon of the same species can be either male or female, though some species are exclusively only one gender." He nodded at TK. "All Angemon, for example, are only male. Some Digimon even end up changing genders when they Digivolve. Oh, and in case you couldn't tell, I'm a guy."

Davis just stared. "That's really weird."

"What, that I'm a guy?"

"No, the whole gender-bender thing you guys have going on. How do relationships even work in those cases?"

"Davis, just let it go," Tai told him. "Quite frankly, there's a lot about Digimon that we don't understand and will never be able to. Just go with it."

"To be fair," Shoutmon relented, "there's a lot about you humans that I don't understand either. I still can't wrap my mind around that reproducing stuff you told me about. I mean, I understand mating, we Digimon do that too, but how does that create a new life? The only way a brand new Digimon is created is during an extremely rare case when a great deal of data comes together to create one, usually from the lingering data another Digimon leaves behind after it's destroyed."

"Oh, so it's like mitosis?" Takato asked.

"My toes what? What's that?"

"Anyway," Kari said loudly, attempting to change the subject, "Cutemon, didn't you say you work at a bathhouse?"

The fairy Digimon nodded. "Yeah, we all contribute here and have our own jobs."

"Any chance I could get a soak?"

"Yeah, me too," TK agreed.

"Same here," said Takato.

Cutemon gave them a smile. "Of course. But first you'll have to meet our village leader. She'll decide if you're safe, or if you're an enemy."

Tai placed a hand on his hip. "So we haven't earned your trust yet?"

"Sorry," Cardmon told him, "but those are the rules. We can't take any chances with the snatchers." He smiled. "But don't worry, you'll be judged fairly. I'll even vouch for you."

"Well then," Takuya muttered, "we might as well get this over with."

"It'll be fine," Cutemon assured them. "And once you get the ok, you can stop by for a long hot bath."

"After we eat," Davis insisted.

"Yeah, what he said," Shoutmon agreed.

Cardmon motioned for them to follow. "Come on, I'll take you."

Cutemon waved goodbye as the teens followed the card Digimon through the village, receiving more strange and suspicious stares from the resident Digimon. They eventually came to a vegetable garden that grew giant vegetables, some growing even taller than the teens' heads.

"Whoa, did we shrink?" Davis asked. "These things are huge!"

Cardmon gave him a strange look. "They always grow this big here." He flew higher into the sky. "Hey, Kazemon, I have some visitors here to see you."

From out of the giant vegetable patch, a fairy Digimon with butterfly wings and a rather skimpy outfit flew up in the air and settled down next to them. "Visitors, you say?"

Cardmon nodded. "From another world."

The human boys stared at Kazemon in wonder. "Wow," Takuya muttered, "if I Zoe weren't my girlfriend, I'd totally go for her, even if she is a Digimon."

Shoutmon thumped his chest. "Sorry, but I only have Renamon in my heart." He held up one of the Digimon cards Cardmon had thrown at them early, which just happened to have the fox Digimon's picture on it, and kissed it. "Wait for me, my love."

Kari frowned, looking back and forth between TK and the fairy Digimon, but didn't say anything, though a scowl still crossed her face.

Kazemon chuckled. "Cute first impression, boys." She walked over to them. "I can see what you mean, Cardmon. They're definitely not from around here."

Tai snapped out of his stupor. "Yeah, and we're not enemies either."

The fairy Digimon looked him up and down, her smile dropping. "What infiltrating enemy would admit they were?"

"Ok, that's a fair question," Takato admitted. "But we really don't mean any harm. We're not with the scavengers."

Beneath her headgear that hid her eyes, Kazemon raised an eyebrow. "You mean the snatchers?"

"Yeah, them," said Davis. "Um, who are they anyway?"

The answer came from them as another Digimon approached. "They're a team of evil Digimon that reek havoc on our village."

Kazemon nodded to the cat Digimon. "Any sign of them, Gatomon?"

The newcomer shook her head. "All's clear for now." She looked at the teens suspiciously. "Except for them."

"I'm determining if they're a threat or not right now," Kazemon told her.

"Hey, come on," said Shoutmon, "we're all friends here. In fact, Kari her can actually turn into a Nefertimon."

If he thought this would help, he was wrong as Gatomon glared. "You don't say."

Kari glanced at Shoutmon. "Why should that matter?"

He snapped his fingers. "Oh, right, you don't know. Gatomon is an alternate Champion stage of Salamon." At her blank look, he added, "Nefertimon's Rookie level."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, that's cool. It's kind of like we're sisters."

Gatomon pointed a gloved claw at her. "It makes us no such thing! And if you give me any reason to suspect that you might hurt anyone in this village, I'll scratch your eyes out."

"Gatomon!" Kazemon snapped. "These people are our guests, treat them as such."

Takato blinked. "I feel like we've been here before. Yeah, this was just like when we were in the caves of Infinity Mountain."

Gatomon humphed. "I don't know what happened in Infinity Mountain, just know that I have my eye on you."

Having said her piece, she turned and left. Kazemon sighed and shook her head. "You have to forgive her. You see, one of the snatchers used to be her best friend." She looked at Kari. "And she was of the same species as her."

A sympathetic look crossed Takuya's face, and he looked back at Gatomon. "No wonder she's so suspicious. How can you trust strangers when you can't even trust your friends?"

TK stepped forward. "Excuse me, but who exactly are these snatchers? What sort of trouble are they causing?"

The fairy Digimon sighed again. "They come one or two times a month to destroy different parts of our village and kidnap someone."

"Whoa, they actually kidnap people?" Davis asked.

Kazemon nodded. "That's why we call them snatchers. And no one that's been taken has ever come back. We've sent rescue parties, but they've never returned."

Tai nodded. "Now I see why you don't trust us."

"But I do trust Cardmon," Kazemon replied. "I've known him since I was a Rookie. Besides, Cardmon has a very shy nature. If he trusted you enough to bring you here, then I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but consider yourselves on probation."

Takato nodded his head in gratitude. "Thank you, ma'am, but we really can't stay long. We have to find a way to get back to our world. We were just hoping to find some food and shelter for the night."

Kazemon smiled. "Well, we can certainly help with that. We have plenty of food. Eat up and rest. As long as you don't cause any trouble, you're welcome here."

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"Ah, this feels great," Takato sighed as he sank into the hot water.

"You said it," Davis agreed. "I don't realize how sore I was before."

"Well," said Tai, "we have been in a lot of battles. Devimon, Dragomon, all those other bad Digimon."

Apparently, the bathhouse that Cutemon worked at was more of a hot spring resort. The teens were currently enjoying a good soak in a spring that was large enough to swim in.

"Hey, Kari," Tai yelled to the large wall separating the boy's side from the girl's side, "you ok over there?"

"Never better!" Kari called back. "This was exactly what I needed!"

"That's for sure," TK replied. He looked around. "Hey, where's Shoutmon?"

"Present!" came the dragon Digimon's voice from the other side of the wall. This was followed by a scream from Kari, followed by a scuffle before Shoutmon came flying over the wall to the boy's side. He splashed into the water and floated to the surface with dizzy swirls in his eyes and a bump on his head.

"Shoutmon," Takuya snapped, "why were you on the girl's side?"

"What?" the dragon Digimon argued. "I wasn't trying to peep or anything. Besides, most Digimon are naked all the time anyway, so I don't care if I see you humans in the buff. Davis, what are you doing?"

The boy in question had suddenly pressed himself against the wall and seemed to be looking for something. "I'm trying to find a hole. Don't these walls always have hidden holes somewhere to look through?"

Tai's eye twitched irritably. "And why would you be searching for a hole?"

Apparently, Davis didn't pick up the warning/accusation in the older boy's voice, nor did the fact that Tai was Kari's brother register to him as he turned to give him a look that stated the obvious. "To see the other side, duh."

Two fists slammed into Davis' face, one from Tai, the other from TK. Davis went down, splashing into the water with his feet in the air.

"Idiot," Takuya muttered.

Shoutmon shook his head. "A total pervert."

"As if you have any room to talk!" Tai snapped.

The dragon Digimon scoffed. "I don't want to see a naked human. I just wanted some more room to stretch out; this side is too crowded."

Takato blinked. "You know, now that I think about it, when we Spirit Evolve, only Angemon and Agunimon have clothes. And I guess Nefertimon to some extent." He turned red. "Wow, I'm suddenly feeling really self-conscious."

"What are you guys talking about over there?" came Kari's voice from the other side of the wall.

"Nothing!" the boys called back.

"Just guy stuff!" Tai added.

The door to the bath opened and Floramon entered carrying a tray with drinks. "How is everything?"

The flower Digimon smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. Care for something to drink?"

Tai accepted one. "Sure thanks. You've got great service here."

Floramon smiled. "You flatter me. Anyone who's a friend of Cutemon is a friend of mine." His smile vanished. "Um, is that young man ok?"

They looked back at Davis, who was still underwater with his legs in the air, bubbles rising where his head was submerged. Takato quickly lifted his head above the water, but Davis seemed to be out of it, frothing at the mouth.

A loud explosion suddenly shook the land, causing Floramon to drop the drinks. Another one followed, and Takato dropped Davis. His head hit the wall, and he seemed to snap out of his daze. "What happened?"

"Wait here," said Floramon, looking pale. "I'll go check."

He hurried away, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was. The boys exchanged worried looks as Kari's voice called to them. "What was that?"

"Not sure!" Tai called back. "It felt like an explosion!"

This was followed by another, this one much closer. The wall trembled, and the boards fell over. On reflex, the boys turned to look at the falling boards, and they received an eyeful of what was on the other side.

Kari was in the water, having risen to her feet when the explosion hit, as had the boys. For a few seconds, they simply stared at each other, then, all at once, a shower of blood flew from the noses of four of the boys while a look of horror crossed over Tai's. Kari's face suddenly turned red in embarrassment as tears of humiliation filled her eyes. She cried out, crossing her arms over her chest, and crouched down into the water again.

Shoutmon just blinked, looking confused. "I don't get it."

The door opened again, and both Floramon and Cutemon hurried in. "We've got trouble!" the latter shouted.

"I've got trouble!" Kari cried. "Hurry and throw me my towel!"

"Forget the towel!" said Floramon. "The snatchers are here!"

(A/N: Trouble's brewing. Our heroes have barely had a break before a new problem has arisen. But who are these snatchers? Why are they kidnapping Digimon? For what purpose? And, most importantly, is there anything the teens can do to stop them. Don't forget, they're on the mainland now; there's going to be a lot more powerful Digimon than there were on File Island. The plot for this arc is getting started, and it's going to be darker than the last two, so be prepared for next time.)

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New Digimon that appear. Replace the DOT in the link(s) with actual periods.

digimonDOTwikiaDOTcom/wiki/Floramon

digimonDOTwikiaDOTcom/wiki/Kazemon

digimonDOTwikiaDOTcom/wiki/Gatomon