All rights to Digimon belong to Bandai and Toei Animation.
For a Digimon, the best death was within the flames of battle.
The little Koromon was glad that this was not his time. Cracking open his bulbous eyes, he blinked at the embers that scratched them. If he'd had limbs, they'd be aching in pain. Instead his antennae flopped lifeless and a migraine overwhelmed his head-only body as everything shifted into focus.
He heard his own breathing as he gasped for air. It quickly became a cough. Then came what sounded like a stampede of hungry Digimon. A stampede of Monochromon? No.
There were flames, everywhere. Fire swallowing everything with an insatiable appetite. Fire was like him, loving to eat and never having enough.
That was his last memory – the start of a nice warm dinner with everyone in his village. The elder had brough the meat from the garden, his favoritemeal aside from the meat he had for lunch. Then there was a loud exploding sound just as he set the plate, and everything went white. He then found his village as nothing more than burning sticks and smoke smothering the moon and stars. Heat engulfed him as he groaned shifting onto his other cheek. Voices from his neighbors were lost to the screams from the wood crackling and breaking apart as well as the dull ringing in his head.
"W-What happened…?"
A voice came. A piercing screech.
The little pink creature shuddered. Craning himself up he saw the wingbeats of a much larger Digimon.
A black dragon with broken wings and a soulless gaze through its many blood-red eyes. Pixelated fluid dripped from its long claws. Devidramon, a Digimon that could eat a hundred of him and still hunger for more. It soared with what soon became hundreds of others of its kind, almost pulled along the black skies. He huddled down as it screeched again.
They swooped down from the skies only to be struck by lasers and lightning bolts. Their husks became balls of molten flesh simmering once they cast craters in the ground. Like a gust of wind crashing upon another, they were met by giant bird Digimon with feathers like bolts, sparks charging along their blue plumage – Thunderbirmon. The two hordes of monsters clashed, with fire and lightning casting racks along the sky and turning the night to day.
The birds chased the dragons like mere prey rather than opponents. Pairs would swoop in between one another, mindful of the chaos surrounding them. Koromon watched as one Thunderbirmon struck a Devidramon in the leg. Its limb was hacked off and crashed nearby with the open wound leaking bits of data.
That's when he saw them. The bodies of other Digimon like litter on the ground.
The crackling of their bodies as they fizzled between solid form and base data rand in his ears. Glowing, gaping wounds went along their limbs and chests, leaking data bits towards the moons. Their eyes stared blankly, gasping for breath or data or whatever salvation laying on the ground, grasping at dirt for whatever else. All of them were Digimon much stronger than him, and yet it wasn't long before they succumbed and disintegrated.
What came next were a thousand and one stomps, any one enough to make the ground tremble under him. He turned to the sight of about that many Digimon, armed to the teeth and roaring out battle cries into the distance. The bodies before them were no more than junk data to be swatted away.
Koromon scanned fight after fight. A Turuiemon that swatted away a Snimon with its long ears. Its claws sunk their way into the abdomen of the large mantis, who hissed as its wings stopped beating.
The shink from the swing of Dinohumon's blade, the arm of the dinosaur man pulsing with veins and blurred with speed. It cleaved the head of a Kokatorimon who screeched its last before its body collapsed. Its feathery head rolled into the fire and burned away to nothing.
A Gaogamon charged and blocked the strike of a Kuwagamon's scissors through its skull, and Koromon could hear the crack of bones. The large dog bounced back and swung its scarves at the insect's feet, making it topple. It leapt and landed on its prey and gave it a bone-chilling glare into wherever its eyes were before rending it down to the membrane. Pixelated fluid flew like fountains.
Everywhere was more of the same. Digimon attempting to kill each other, and bodies lining the ground more than dirt itself. Koromon had no strength to speak, or even to turn away. His eyes remained locked on the carnage at every corner. He stared until his eyelids lacked even the strength to remain open, and they lidded shut.
"I found another one!" Someone cried. Stomping came from his left, becoming heavy breathing from something big. "Hey, you alright, little guy?"
Koromon righted himself and cracked his eyes open again. The fire only lit half his body, but he could still tell the blue hide and large horns. A Veedramon, a Champion Digimon. Leagues stronger than him.
"You got roughed up a little, but you're still in one piece. Well, that's all you are but…"
Koromon felt himself rising. The blue dinosaur had scooped up him and the scorched earth he sat upon. There was something in the way he looked at him, concern shining through those red orbs.
"Kids like you shouldn't be getting caught up in all this."
"Where are…" Koromon coughed again. "…My friends? Where's the elder? Tsunomon?"
Veedramon flashed a grin. To any other Digimon, those rows of razor-sharp teeth would be intimidating. But Koromon felt sure. "Don't worry. We're getting you and you're buds out of here!"
"There's one! A Resistance member!"
The two Digimon turned to the pack of mask-wearing monsters cocking their guns as they charged towards them. Troopmon, they were called – henchmen by trade. Veedramon flipped his back to them as they let loose with a rain of bullets. His jaw clenched while his claw closed over Koromon's head, shielding him from the barrage. The champion was brought down to one knee, releasing a growl of pain.
Koromon shuddered, only able to stare at Veedramon's grimacing features. But then he caught the rush of wind from two shadows moving past. The bullets had stopped.
His eyes opened to a shower of feathers and the glint of blades. Peckmon steeds and the warriors who rode them.
The first was a green-skinned demon who swung his club onto the head of a Troopmon and cracked its head into data bits. He let loose a yell that was almost savage as he mowed through the enemy like garden weeds. The other was a lion man who drew back the sword he gripped in his right hand in reverse. His muscles tensed as he swung his blade through a current of Troopmon and sliced them apart in one fell swoop.
The little Digimon watched their forms dash through the flames, like shadows envisioned in a tale of heroes. They were more than just Digimon like him. To Koromon, they were gods.
The lion-man pulled at the reins and turned the Peckmon back to the tow of them. He spoke in a deep, commanding voice. "Veedramon, is this the last of the villagers?"
"Far as I saw, Leomon. He was talking about some others. A Tsunomon."
That's right. In his stupor he'd forgotten about everyone. Tsunomon was barely the furry head he was without him.
"We'll hold them off." Leomon turned to the army. "Find the rest of the villagers and head for the base."
"This is a fool's errand, Leomon!" The green-skinned Digimon galloped over. He jerked his Peckmon's reins which got a cry of pain from the bird. "Their forces outnumber ours! We waste our ranks and strength saving these weaklings!"
"Ogremon, this is not the time!"
"It is the way of Digimon! The strong survive, the weak are fodder!"
"Ideals as those make us no different from the monsters we slay." Leomon's back turned to his partner. "Come. We will fend off the invaders and buy as much time as we can."
"Too late!" Veedramon pointed a clawed finger to the sky. "It comes!"
All three of the Digimon looked to the sky and the resolve drained from their faces. Koromon turned himself to their view and watched as the stars were swallowed by a shroud of clouds as thick as tar. Black streaks of lightning rolled along the surface, bouncing and arcing along. A flash of a black bolts sucked the light away – even the fires looked darker in comparison.
"The black lightning!" Leomon gasped.
Somewhere on the battlefield came a cry. A bolt flashed down like an arrow screaming for the blood of its victim. Koromon shuddered watching as it struck a Digimon in the center of the warzone, cracking the earth it stood on.
It roared into the shadows, deafening, sending tremors into the ground. Its eyes turned bloody red and drool poured from its maw like some feral monster. A Minotaurumon, with a sledgehammer for an arm and a hide of leather that pulsed and bulged, some alien force being shoved inside and now wanting to tear what was a false skin out. It reared its head and stomped the earth, gripping itself as if in pain. And it grew, it grew, quickly doubling its height, the black lightning crackling along its arms and hooves.
It raised its jackhammer arm high. "DARKSIDE QUAKE!"
It thrust it down. The earth shuddered and rumbled, cracking. Red light screamed out through the fissures, forcing chunks of earth upward. Everything shook, and Digimon were either struck by the pieces or fell into the chasms formed. Trees toppled, fire leapt, and chaos broke loose.
Whatever Digimon remained were broken into pieces. Whether they were friend or foe meant little.
Minotaurumon roared once more, and its body glowed a pale light. Data leaked from the shattered bodies, pulling from them like a stray yarn unraveling cloth. The bodies vanished and their data entered the beast man, doubling his size once more.
"The lightning from the other world has strengthened him!" Ogremon shouted pointing. "Our armies will be wiped out!"
"Then we will retreat." Leomon regained himself. "My orders stand. Gather the weak and the villagers, and flee!"
"They will only slow us down!"
Leomon turned to his comrade. "Then we will slow it down."
The resistance leader whipped the reins of his steed. With a screech and a rise of its wings, the Peckmon charged forward. It leapt between shattered stones like a raindrop along a leaf, gliding and leaping from rock to rock. The Minotaurumon locked its dead gaze with him, rearing his jackhammer arm again.
Koromon shut his eyes as Veedramon ran forward as close to the clash as he could. He expected to hear the leader's final battle cry.
But heard the clash of steel instead.
Leomon had leapt from his Peckmon's back and brought the blunt edge of his sword against the jackhammer. The clang rang through the skies and earth, sending shivers into the trees. Sparks flew and wind burst out as Leomon remained suspended in midair, not giving an inch.
Finally the lion-man dropped. He twirled his blade and gripped it between both his massive claws. It was practically a metal toothpick with the hilt lost in his grip, and yet it met the jackhammer again. They traded blows again and again, back and forth like pendulums that hypnotized the little Koromon.
The lightning flashed again. Jumping, Koromon looked to the cliffside.
Someone else was here.
A shadow that rose from the ground and cast itself in pitch-black armor, a cape fluttering in the wind. The golden glare from his head matched the blood red gaze that emitted from his chest – two sets of eyes locked on the carnage below. He made no moves, as if he was here for no other reason than to revel in the fires of war. Though the pink youngling wondered if those eyes were trailing him as well.
A bolt of lightning flashing only barely revealed the features of his suit. "Who is that?" Koromon whispered.
Veedramon looked up as well. He gave a shuddered gasp, which shook Koromon. "What's DarkKnightmon doing here?"
"Somebody help me!"
Koromon jumped. He knew that voice. A voice usually so meek that that volume was almost unheard of.
"Tsunomon!" Koromon bounced out of the dinosaur's hand. "I gotta go! Tsunomon needs help!"
"Hey, kid! Don't go running off by yourself!"
Veedramon's stomps were close behind him. Being only able to move by bouncing, it was just a matter of time before the champion's large mass caught up with him. So long as he found Tsunomon before then, that was fine.
His friend's cries came from every which way, in the little Digimon's panic. He darted his eyes everywhere in between hops, scanning past every bit of debris. Every hut in the village, the old well, the square – all of it reduced to ruin. Their happy village was a memory now, burning into oblivion. Between the shock and panic, Koromon's vision was starting to go black.
He heard it again. This time, it was straight ahead.
Koromon focused on the sound of his friend's voice and nothing else.
His sight still darkened, but this time, it was because of the darkening ground around his form. A clawed shadow. Stopping, he looked up to see a Devidramon's claw reaching out to him. The evil monster it belonged to let out a dying wail for one last feast of data.
Koromon screamed and jumped out of the way, just in time for the claw to grab only rock. The monster didn't move, its cries ceased. It dissolved into data, as if it was never there.
"Someone! Anyone!" Tsunomon screamed at the top of his little lungs.
"Tsunomon!"
Just past the next rock and huddled inside a small hovel of rocks by a broken tree, he'd finally caught his friend's orange fur. Tsunomon was ducked down, eyes clenched shut with tears falling out of control. His head was ducked down in a weak show of courage, hoping the horn atop would impale any Digimon that tried to eat him. Poor Tsunomon was always trying to be brave like the big Digimon he admired.
Koromon broke out into a smile, pity aside. He hopped over with twice the speed, like the other little Digimon had invited him to a big dinner with meals ten times their size. He'd even forgotten the fact the world was burning around them in that moment.
Tsunomon opened his eyes. "K-Kor… Koromon? Is that you!?"
As soon as Koromon had reached him, Tsunomon tackled him to the ground. He was a vibrating ball of fluff babbling through his panicked tears. Koromon had to duck minding his horn. "Koromon! Koromon! I'm so glad you're safe! All the scary Digimon! And the lightning and the fire! I thought I was gonna get eaten!"
"By the fire?"
"No! By the scary Digimon!" Tsunomon sniffled. "How can fire eat anything!?"
"Oh, yeah." Koromon giggled.
Tsunomon almost joined in, Koromon saw, until he froze. Every fur on his head-body stood on end. "K-K-Koromon! Don't look now… but there's a really big, really scary Digimon right behind you!"
Koromon turned anyway, hearing Tsunomon seethe behind him. Veedramon was there panting for dear life. The little head took the time to blink at the fact that he had outrun a Champion Digimon.
"Okay, you found your friend." Veedramon still panted. "Now, let's-"
"DON'T EAT ME! I TASTE LIKE DIGI-SLUDGE!"
"Tsunomon, it's okay. He came to help us!" Koromon shouted.
"I'm not gonna be eaten! I'm not gonna be eaten!" On some crazy high level of panic that Koromon couldn't fathom, Tsunomon made a leap out of the crevice and back into the field. Koromon bounced after but his orange fur melded into the flames.
Though in doubt, he fell back on the last great plan – run in and yell.
"TSUNOMON!"
"Kid, wait!" Veedramon jogged after. "Oh, I gotta cut back on the meat apples!"
Koromon hopped with double the speed and continued to call his friend's name. He had almost missed the slice of pink light that cut through the sky ahead. Little by little, it expanded, and a humming sound reverberated through air and land that became louder and louder.
A data stream. They came from the skies and carved into the Digital World, taking what was brought into their light wherever. One minute a Digimon could be minding its own business in a forest or by the lake, the next they could be in some barren wasteland with no scrap of food to eat, left to deletion through starvation or whatever other grim fate was waiting. Either way, most times Digimon that went in were never seen again.
Koromon was frozen, gaping, with wide eyes. The light and hums shook the ground beneath him with glowing hands. Running was somewhere in the back of his mind but was quickly lost. He wouldn't make it in time.
"Help!" Tsunomon's voice came through the beam. "Help me!"
"Tsunomon!"
His friend was going to be taken away. He couldn't lose Tsunomon – days wouldn't be as happy, and meals wouldn't be as delicious without him. Knowing that, Koromon moved without thinking.
"I'm coming!"
"Kid, no!" Veedramon's voice was the last he heard from his old village.
The little head turned to see the champion's claw reaching out to him. He took one last look at his village – it may be that this would be the last he'd ever see of it. Koromon smiled, despite it all, and turned to the light once more.
In the midst of the glow that was swallowing his senses whole, something whizzed by. He swore he saw a shadow ahead of him, peering at him with soulless eyes and shading his view with a dark cloak. It vanished as quickly as it appeared. Koromon only blinked again.
And everything went white.
Hello to all the Digimon fans out there.
Name's Chaos. So let me give a rundown of this.
I want to do my own version of the Digimon Adventure: anime. I was really getting back into Digimon for a while, and I was keeping up with episodes of the reboot. However, I feel as though it's got some plot and structural issues. I can't promise that my version of the story will be any better, but this is how I envisioned it. I was a 90's kid like many others here and I have enjoyed Digimon in all its iterations.
I do not want to say that was the nostalgia talking, especially since I'm not much of a critic to begin with. However, when you spend a few years researching what makes up proper story structure and all that, you pick up a few things.
All that being said, it did take a while to get this one chapter out and right now I am in the middle of a writing burnout. I have ideas but I lack the energy to write. Plus, for those that have taken a look at my user page, I have several projects that are currently in the works. Curse my active imagination.
Hope you give this one a chance. I'd love the support – Digimon fans are a more positive sort compared to other fandoms, I've heard.
Anyway, as I always say, review, favorite, follow! Until next time!