Disclaimer: I don't own the Digimon, but the characters belong to the moderators and members of the Digital Connections forum – found here forum/ Digital-Connections/ 22352/ and under the "So you want to be a Digidestined?" topic
A/N: It's been a long time since I uploaded a chapter, so here it is! I apologise for the predominance of Kate in this character – after all, it is much easier to write a character based on myself!
Special thank you to Miss Anonymous hp for her amazing notes and background that have really assisted in piecing together this chapter, so thank you
Without much more waiting, I give you, the next chapter!
Chapter 03
Heather watched Jake sitting by himself, staring out the window. She felt the need to go and talk to him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, even though she wasn't sure if there was a conversation to be had, a question would at least instigate one. "Jake?"
"What? Oh, Heather, sorry. I'm just thinking about what we're going to do next. What lies ahead for this rag tag bunch that come from all over the world. From America, Canada, England and even Australia…" Jake lifted one hand to his forehead. "Then there's the vision from Wisemon. Wisemon told Akiza, Chris and I that there were going to eventually be twelve teens that would end up coming to the Digital World. From what you've told me, there's the six of us and this other girl – called Kate, or Kat – so that makes seven of us. It's just that, Wisemon told us that there were five other teens out there waiting for us. Or looking for us."
"I wonder what they're like," Heather replied, smiling. "But you don't need to worry, because we'll get to the bottom of it soon. I guess I'm more worried about how we're going to get home." She then lifted up her Digivice. "I'm a little curious about what this egg on the screen means too. Whether it's going to hatch or not."
Jake looked down at his own Digivice. "Yeah, I guess so too."
Charles called out to Heather, "What's the plan, Heather? We should really get out of here before anything happens."
"That sounds like a good idea." Heather nodded in agreement. "What do you think, Sonja?"
Sonja was startled to be asked and smiled back at the older girl. "Oh of course- we shouldn't stay anywhere for too long. From what Wisemon said, there are dark forces who will be looking to take us out. And I don't know about you guys, but that's not something that I want to happen. Right?" Sonja looked over at the other teenagers.
-o-
After some further discussion and strong deliberation, it was decided that they would leave the hut – Wisemon insisted on staying behind in case the remaining five turned up in their current region of the Digital world.
On their way out of the hut, one of the group was still a little unsure. Akiza was uneasy and couldn't help but think about how bad an idea it was for them to leave the hut without a food source, or form of shelter – but since she had come to the Digital World, she hadn't really ever felt hungry. Part of her just longed for her favourite meal. It seemed that the more she thought about food, the more that she ended up wanting it.
The want turned into hunger a little.
As she shook her head, she noticed that the butterfly clip in her dark brown hair was slipping and stopped to reposition it. Fortunately the clip was only holding back only a small bundle of hair that wasn't quite long enough to seal in her bun. She then wondered whether anyone would notice that she had stopped walking. After all, she had been walking at the back of the group.
"Are you alright, Akiza?"
Akiza looked up to see Heather smiling at her from a little further ahead. "Oh, yeah, just sorting out my hair- nothing too special." She quickened her pace to catch up and started to walk with Heather. "So what's it like where you're from? From your accent, I want to say America, or maybe Canada?"
Heather smiled, "I'm from Canada- Toronto to be precise. I think it is one of the few places in Canada that people who aren't from Canada know of! What about you?"
"From Australia, but I have family in the Philippines-" Akiza replied, but she stopped mid-sentence. It was the first time that she had actually thought about her family. She missed them. Without them around, she felt like something was missing from inside of her.
"Akiza?" Heather put a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I think I'm just a little bit cold, I suppose…" She sniffed, rubbing her slightly dripping nose because of the particularly cold temperature of this part of the Digital World. As she looked ahead of the group, she could see something moving. Moving through the air. "Can you see that?"
"What? Where?" Heather squinted at the horizon, searching for what it was that the other girl had seen. "I don't really see anything."
"It's gone behind the clouds…"
Heather was first to react, she quickly ran towards the others. "We need to get out of the open and head to somewhere a little more secluded… Quick!"
Charles and Sonja turned to look at Heather with expressions on their faces that asked for more information.
"There's something that has been circling around overhead, and I'm worried it might be another Chrysalimon. Part of me doesn't want to lose another friend." Heather pointed up the cliff to their left at a small cave in the rocks. "We can climb up there."
The others looked a little apprehensive at the steep rock face, but agreed that it was for the best. As they tried to find the easiest route up to the cave, the three guys helped the girls – pointing out loose rocks or tricky points.
Sidling along a ledge that was no more than a thirty centimetre ruler long, Sonja could feel her heart racing and negative thoughts fighting to get out.
What if I slip? What if one of us falls? What if when we get to the cave, it's home to something even darker? I feel like I'm going to die…
She felt trapped between Heather and Charles – unable to get away from the dangerous situation she had found herself in. As her head turned to see Charles, she could see that he was also in a similar position to her.
"Charles?" she said calmly, wondering what response she might get.
"Yeah?" Charles tilted his head up to the dark and grey sky.
"You okay?" Sonja reached out her hand that was already flat against the rock and grazed his fingers. Though she didn't want to at this moment in time, she felt like strengthening the bond. "I'm scared too…"
"Heights just aren't my thing," Charles said, hanging his head in shame. His head jerked as his eyes focused past his feet and if he could have shrunken any further into the wall, then he would have been inside the cliff.
Sonja carried on shuffling away, before realising that the distance between herself and Charles was growing. "Charles…"
"I can't move. This is too much." He was frozen to the spot, unable to move at all.
By now, Chris, Heather and Akiza were already at the cave, watching from the mouth.
Sonja was close to the cave and all she wanted to do was leap towards the cave, but she couldn't bring herself to just abandon Charles like that.
Jake was on Charles' other side and didn't have a clue what to say to in this situation. He wasn't used to this- because he had overcome so many phobias by himself and not been through any kind of pep talk.
Until Jake saw a creature flying across the sky – even closer than when Akiza saw it. "I hate to force this on you, but there is a little bit of urgency in the air…"
"Knock it off, Jake…" Charles gritted his teeth, and then his gaze met the Chrysalimon – and like the first time he saw the Digimon, a flurry of worry surged across his body and mind. "Oh god."
"Why? What's that?" Jake lifted the Digivice up from around his neck. "Chrysalimon – that's the Digimon that took Kate, right?"
"Yeah-" Charles mumbled.
Heather called out to the two boys, beckoning them over. "Come on Charles, you can do it!"
Jake knew deep down that it was going to be difficult for Charles to move, so he started shuffling the other way – much to the dismay of the others who called out for him to come back. Scrambling along the cliff face, he was forced to stop when a black cable shot out and hit the cliff face, only an inch to the side of his face. His breathing quickened drastically.
"Woah- that's a little too close for comfort…" he mumbled, ducking under the cable as the Chrysalimon struggled to free itself.
As Jake turned to look over his shoulder, he saw the Digimon's attention avert to Charles.
"Hey- over here!" Jake called out loudly, but the Chrysalimon didn't move.
The distance between the Digimon and a slowly moving Charles was getting shorter and the urgency was at its peak. Heather and Sonja ushered the others into the cave before calling out for Charles to keep going.
Jake crouched down and dropped onto the ledge below him which was a lot wider. There, he was able to pick up some loose rocks to throw at Chrysalimon.
"Hey- over here, Chrysalimon!" Jake yelled, throwing as many of the rocks in a consecutive manner. "Come and get me!"
Chrysalimon swung around to face Jake and then he realised that he had to get out of their now. Before the Digimon could attack, Jake make his way down the cliff side, scrapping his hands and knees, ripping the clothes he was wearing.
"Data Crusher!" Chrysalimon bellowed and the black cables shot out and wound themselves around Jake.
He struggled and writhed in pain as the cables tightened around him. "Stay there!" Jake shouted to the others who looked like they were about to leap into action and save him.
"Maybe I can find Kate – or other kids… Find the others!"
The Digimon yanked Jake away rapidly, soaring away from the cave and his companions.
Wake up, Kate…
Kate's blue eyes opened and looked up ahead of her. This was the Circuit Labyrinth… It was cold and empty, apart from black walls either side of her. She had called out to anyone so many times that she had given up calling again and forced herself to start walking. Her shoes scuffed the floor as she walked along the corridor. The walls of the Labyrinth were solid, but there was a green light pulsating along the bottom. It looked as though it was lighting up the way for Kate, but the more she followed the random green lights, the more lost she felt.
Until she was sure that she felt something following her. Chasing her.
Kate's heart raced and she started to run through the labyrinth for fear of finding another creature like Chrysalimon. That was her first thoughts, but with all the running, she barely had time to focus on the turns she had made – let alone the way she was going.
The corner she told herself that once she had turned, she would rest, was one that caused her to fall to the floor.
"Hey! What was that for?" a voice asked her.
It took Kaitlyn a while to say something, she was completely shocked by the fact that she had run into another person in the Circuit Labyrinth.
"Who- what? How are- no, who are you?" Kate threw a series of questions at the boy who was slowly getting up to his feet.
The boy rubbed his head. "I'm- Jake. Jake Smith… You must have been running really fast, because my head is killing…"
Kate awkwardly shuffled about, feeling bad for causing an injury. "Okay, I'm- I'm Kaitlyn, but everyone here seems to call me Kate. I don't mind what you choose. So how did you end up here?" She seemed to settle when she realised that there was no movement behind them.
"You're Kate – the others are looking for you... Wow, I know I joked about finding you when the Chrysalimon got me, but I never for a moment thought that I would find you here so quickly. Not that I even know where here is."
Kate turned to look over her shoulder. "Well a royal knight called Craniamon mentioned something about the Circuit Labyrinth. At least we know that we're definitely somewhere in the Digital World… At least that is what me and the others discovered from this device here."
"You mean Heather, Sonja and Charles, right?" Jake looked at the device around Kate's neck. "Yeah – I've got one too. How did you get yours?"
"This? Well it appeared to me and the others- Heather, Sonja and Charles – but I don't really know many of the details, I'm afraid." Kate scratched her head, wondering why she didn't know many of the details. "Which sounds worse than it is."
"I don't know about that. Well, I was hoping to find a way out of here but-"
A tremendous roar rumbled through the labyrinth and startled Kate, she knew that they were going to be running again.
"That doesn't sound good…" she murmured.
Jake felt as though he had to take action and instinctively grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her away along the corridor. "It's the thrill of the chase. Can you feel your heart going?"
"Sure, but- I'm struggling to keep up!" Kate panted, unable to complete the simple sentence in one breath.
Suddenly, the wall ahead of them exploded, causing large black building blocks to be thrown across the corridor just in front of the pair. She squeezed Jake's hand and froze when they saw a gigantic Digimon come into sight out of the gap in the wall.
"It's a minotaur…" Jake whispered. "Just like the story."
Then it was Kate's turn to pull Jake away, she pulled him away by the wrist and away from the Minotaur. She remembered reading about Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur in History classes and with this knowledge, she didn't want to hang about. But both she and Jake were exhausted.
"Earthquake Drill!" a strong, booming voice shouted.
The ground began to shake greatly and the ceiling started to crack – everything was about to cave in on Kate and Jake, and there was nothing they could do about it.
"Keep running!" Jake urged her on, sensing that the girl was close to giving up.
With Jake's encouragement, Kate found some extra strength and on the next turn, she saw a tall, rectangular shaped light at the end.
A way out of this god forsaken place!
A slab of ceiling dropped down in front of Jake, narrowly missing Kate who was now somehow managing to sprint to the door – adrenaline pumping in her body. Jake jumped over the fallen slab, clutching his side which was already aching.
"Bull Fighting Attack!" the Digimon called out, turning onto the same corridor that the pair was running along. There was a whirling sound of the Digimon's weapon as it absorbed energy from the atmosphere.
Kate squealed as she got the 'door' that she hoped would lead out of the labyrinth. Placing her hands on it quickly, she pushed against the door until it suddenly disappeared. Without even stopping, Jake crashed into her and they both toppled over the edge, falling through the darkness.
The pair screamed out as they fell – gravity dragging them down.
"Stop!" Kate squealed, blinking rapidly as her clothes and hair rippled in the wind. "Why aren't we stopping?"
Jake struggled to reply, but his eyes grew wide when he saw the ground – they were heading towards it so quickly that he braced himself for imminent pain. His arms went up to shield his face. In the last moments, he debated whether it would be safer to land on his front, as opposed to his back. Through the thoughts rushing about his mind, Jake didn't even realise that he was hovering about the ground, inches from it.
"Woah."
"You're telling me…" Kate said, breathing heavily.
"Oh hello children – what a delight to find you here, in my humble abode. This really is an honour. But first, allow me to introduce myself to you…"
Jake and Kate were lowered onto their feet as the Digimon that spoke to the from the shadows came out into view. It pressed a button on a handheld device and the room was lit up in a bright white.
The pair were standing in a circular white room where there were control panels and brightly coloured lights accompanying them. It was like a geek's den in Kate's eyes. To Jake, it was amazing.
"I am Datamon- guardian of the Circuit Labyrinth. You are two of the Digidestined children and you are searching for your Digital-Eggs, are you not?"
Kate was a little bit confused. "What's a Digital-Egg? Is it to do with the egg I can see on the screen of my Digivice?" She held up the Digivice and looked at the small square screen. "It's been something that's bothering me recently…"
Jake pulled Kate back, away from Datamon as he thought it was all too convenient. He wondered what Datamon would want with the egg. There was no way of knowing whether or not Datamon was their friend or not. Deep down, he had hoped that there was an easy way out of this situation.
Datamon lurched forwards and snatched the Digivice from around Kate's neck. "This will do nicely in addition to my collection. Now, I have two Digital devices from the Digidestined. Maybe now, I can find a way to create a new bridge between this world and yours. Take your world for mine."
"That's mine!" Kate squealed, reaching out for the Digivice Datamon held. She was desperate to get it back, knowing that somehow it was very important to get her and the others back home. "You have to give that back to me, please!"
A cackle escaped from Datamon's mouth. "No a chance, Miss Prescott. I'm putting this someplace safe. Somewhere where you won't find it… It was only a matter of time before another child appeared to me. Mr Villarama thought he could be smart about it, but he was wrong."
Kate was a little uncertain at this point. Datamon knew my surname, Prescott… Mr Villarama – that's another surname. He must be another teen who's been transported here.
Jake pulled Kate back. "Then let's make a deal- in exchange for the Devices, both of them." He smirked a little, wondering whether Datamon would accept. "If I win, then I take my friend's device back, and the one you already have. If I lose, then you can keep them and take mine too."
The girl's eyes grew wide at Jake's bargain and she knew that the devices were important. They were important somehow – she just knew they were. She gripped his arm, pleading him not to do it. When Kate looked at Jake, he seemed unphased and ready for the challenge. "I hope you know what you're doing…" Kate mumbled, stepping back away from Jake.
Datamon's robotic arms folded. "A worthy bargain, a deal has been met."
"Jake, don't – we might lose all of the devices…" Kate protested, her eyes darting between Jake, Datamon and the devices. She then thought about how she was coming across and took a step back from the situation. She began to wonder where this Mr Villarama guy was.
He simply shook his hand at her. "Name your game, Datamon." Jake folded his arms slowly.
"You have to defeat the Minotarumon that roams the labyrinth." Datamon grinned, knowing that this must be an impossible task for a pair of teens.
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = SURPRISE! I've finally finished another chapter and holy moly, that was a long process (not help by the fact that I lost half of the first draft when my laptop ran out of power!)
