Just finding him was bad enough, since he was hiding from the Digimon Emperor. Very few Digimon even knew of his defeat, so most were still hiding in fear. Getting through to him was no help, either. He refused to give any new information, and that he could not say why.
There were too many questions, and not enough details. All Izzy had to answer his questions were sketchy stories and Davis's D-Terminal. The Digiegg of Nobility was the cause of this entire fiasco. For some reason, Control Spire energy covered a portion of the Digiworld, a portion that, oddly enough, was shaped like a Digivice. Izzy had no explanation for that phenomenon.
As though to confuse matters, Davis received a strange Digiegg, the Crest Egg of Nobility, which was apparently a crest of an original Digidestined. He used the egg to armor evolve Veemon into Slaydramon and defeated a Digimon that apparently faced the original Digidestined in the past. To completely botch up the entire mix, when Izzy later checked the map screen, about a third of the Digivice area was covered in a purple color. It was probably due to the Digiegg's crest color being purple, but it made zero sense.
Giving up, Izzy thumped his head down on the table, at the exact moment Cody decided to walk in.
"Hi Izzy," the youngest Digidestined said.
"Hi Cody. I'm trying to find some answers to finding the identity and location of the original Digidestined, but considering the information I've got, its like trying to pan for gold in my bathtub," Izzy said, focusing some of his intellectual frustration into a witty analogy.
"Can I give it a try?" Cody pulled a chair over and tried to reach the keyboard, but, being somewhat small, he was unable.
"Here, this might help," Izzy reached into his backpack and pulled out a huge textbook. He placed it on the seat. When Cody sat down on it, he was able to reach the keyboard.
Cody simultaneously felt grateful and embarrassed. He hated being treated like a little kid. The fact that he was a little kid was irrelevant. He could pull his own wait if he had to.
"I'm trying to see whether or not there's another Digiegg of the originals anywhere near here. Perhaps if we find more of the eggs, we can find out more about them."
"Good thinking, Cody," Izzy said. He was really patronizing Cody. Cody was extremely bright for his age, of course since he inherited Knowledge, but he still patronized him a little bit, due to his size.
Upamon bounced over to the screen and looked at the area, "It's a lot of little islands," he said, "So Submarimon would be useful there."
"I was thinking that while I was reviewing this area. I think you would be the best person to go in there," Izzy said.
Cody paused a little bit before saying what was on his mind. "Izzy," he said, "do you think it would be all right if…what I mean is…"
"Yes?"
"Could I go and scout the islands alone?"
Izzy responded after letting that sink in, "Well, I think it would be best if you went in their with some backup. The Digiworld can be a dangerous place."
"I know that, Izzy, but like you said, I'm the best person for this job. And…I sort of want to prove that I can handle a fight on my own."
Izzy thought about that before saying, "I think it would be all right. You seem dead sure about it, and you can handle it on your own. Just e-mail us if you get into any trouble."
Upamon was rather energetic about this, "Digiport Open, Digiport Open, Digiport Open!"
Cody held his D-3 up to the screen, waved goodbye to Izzy, and was transported to the Digital World.
It was at the beach.
Cody and Armadillomon were standing in front of an ocean cluttered with little archipelagos. Cody sighed, "Well, we'd better start looking around."
"Yup, and that means I've gotta become Submarimon," Armadillomon was rather fond of his seafaring form.
"Well then," Cody accessed the Digiegg of Reliability on his D-Terminal and yelled "Digi Armor, Energize!"
"Armadillomon, Armor Digivolve to…Submarimon, Guardian of the Seas!"
Armadillomon became a creature that was part submarine and part narwhal. He lifted his visor, and Cody jumped in. Submarimon used his smallish feet to pull of into the water, then propelled off in an easterly direction.
Neither of them saw the face lurking behind them.
"Hmm, no Control Spires," Cody commented as they passed through each of the islands.
"That may be, but we're still picking up Dark Energy," said Submarimon.
"Perhaps some force is trying to…wait a minute, after Davis destroyed Preydramon, that area was freed. That must mean…"
"That there's another evil Digimon near here!" as if to jinx it, Submarimon was attacked by a school of Seadramon.
"Oxygen Torpedo!" Submarimon launched a missile made of pure oxygen, which exploded and decimated several Seadramon.
"Ice Blast!" Two of them began to use an ice type attack.
"Hydro Vulcan!" a launch of water fired from Submarimon's drill and ran through the remaining troops.
After the water settled, Cody asked, "How are you doing?"
"I think I have a pinhole leak. I'd better get us to shore before I sink. He gyrated in a confused matter before reaching the next island. Cody hopped out and Submarimon de-digivolved.
Armadillomon spat out a small stream of water, "Yuck, that was disgusting. What could possibly go wrong now?"
To answer his question, blackness appeared in a section of water, before it started bubbling. Minutes later, a creature unlike any the Digidestined have seen yet exploded from the surface.
"Yes," he said in a strange bubbly voice, "I finally have a Digidestined in my sights!"
He looked rather odd, like a cross between a human and a squid. His head was that of a squids, trailing into a mouth of jagged teeth. His arms began as human, but his hands became clawed tentacles. The same was true for his feet. And, from his back, two tentacles sprouted and moved around, like white snakes.
"That's Marine Devimon!" Armadillomon shouted, "He's an Ultimate level Virus type, one of the worst kinds. Half squid, half devil, he uses his Black Seas attack to render his enemies helpless."
"Just one?" Marine Devimon asked, "Pity, I was hoping there'd be more of you brats for me to kick around. Well, one did defeat me on his own, so it all works out," he turned to Cody, opened his mouth, and yelled "Black Seas!" A huge blast of dark water shot at him.
Cody ran, Armadillomon with him, until they were safely out of the range of Marine Devimon's attacks.
"Cowards!" the sea devil shouted, "Come back and fight!"
"Don't worry, Cody," Armadillomon said, "He can't stay out of water, so as long as we stay on this island, we'll be all right."
Just as he spoke, they heard Marine Devimon shout "Ocean Pressure!" and the ground began to split in half, creating a canal. He zoomed through it.
As the human/Digimon pair ran, Cody yelled, "Why is it that every time you say something reassuring, it backfires on us?"
"What do you mean Cody went off on his own? Why didn't you stop him?" Davis was yelling at Izzy.
"He really wanted to go, so I told him he could," Izzy put plainly.
"But he's only seven! He needs us older kids there to protect him," Yolei said, more concerned than angry.
"You shouldn't have let him go, Izzy! Supposing there's danger, he won't have us there to help him!" Davis said, steaming at Izzy.
Meanwhile, Kari was trying to access the area where Cody was. "It's here, guys. Let's go."
"Okay then," Davis held out his D-3, "Digiport –"
"WAIT!" T.K. yelled. The others turned to stare at him. "I think we should let Cody go."
"Are you nuts?" Davis said, "He's just a little kid!"
"There's no telling what kind of danger he might get into," Kari pleaded.
T.K. motioned for everyone to sit down, "I'll explain my reasons," Kari and Yolei sat down, while Davis leaned against the table, fuming.
"None of you have ever been the 'little kid' of the Digidestined. Not even Kari. She entered the Digiworld later, and on different terms. When I first entered the Digiworld, I was barely older than Cody, and a lot less mature.
"No one ever thought I could really do anything, just because I was little. Everyone just tried to protect me. It was like I could never be on my own, I was too little, I couldn't be trusted. Even when I matured, when I began to realize my duties, I was kept out of missions, just because of my age.
"Now, I'm on the other side. We patronize Cody too much. We don't think he's that capable. Now, he's trying to prove himself to us. He deserves that chance. He has his D-Terminal and Armadillomon, and he's proven himself dozens of times that he can handle himself in a fight. If he contacts us for help, then we'll go in. But let's just let him be for now."
There was a long silence before Davis said, "I agree."
"What?" was the reaction from everyone in the room.
"Hey, there's a first time for everything," was the reply.
"I agree, but T.K., you aren't alone," Kari said, "I felt the same way, I just tried not to show it."
T.K. smiled a discreet smile, "Thanks."
"Uh-oh," said Izzy, who was checking something on the monitor, "Cody's in trouble."
"What?" Yolei said, as the other new Digidestined crowded around.
"It says, 'Help, I'm being attacked by an evil Digimon called Marine Devimon. Please come and help me if you can,'" T.K. read aloud, "We'd better go," he held out his D-3.
The other Digidestined mimicked his actions and were transported to the Digital World. Meanwhile, Izzy checked the computer, trying to scrounge up Tentomon.
Cody was anything but happy. He was hiding in a dark cave from Marine Devimon. He managed to send an e-mail to his friends, but he didn't know what good that would do.
He was at a loss for ideas. Digmon wasn't strong enough to defeat Marine Devimon. Submarimon could probably match in power, but would have to fight in water, where Marine Devimon had an advantage. He couldn't do anything in a fight, except get hurt.
He heard what seemed to be a crash of thunder outside. Great, his friends were out there. That had to be Raidramon. His friends were out there, probably being pummeled by Marine Devimon. And here he was, cowering in a cave.
It wasn't long before Armadillomon addressed that issue, "We should go and help them. They won't hold out for long."
"I know," Cody said, "but I can't do it. You aren't powerful enough to go out there and fight. The assessment of the situation is that we should stay here. We can't help them."
Armadillomon let that hang there before responding, "Cody, you are one of the brightest people I have ever met, but that is the stupidest thing you have ever said.
"Perhaps I can't fight as well as Veemon or Patamon, but that doesn't mean I can't try. And, fighting is not what your special trait is. Your trait is assessing the situation and forming plans. That's why you were granted with Knowledge. And you are also someone everyone can depend on, which is why you were given Reliability. What you're doing right now is rejecting them both.
"I know the older kids make you feel bad, making you feel inferior due to your age. Most Digimon would say the same about me, seeing as I take it easy, and I talk in an accent, but I'm smarter than people realize. I wasn't teamed with the Digidestined of Knowledge for nothing.
"No one expects you to know what to do, Cody. No one in your situation does. But intelligence is more than just knowledge. It's making mistakes and learning from them. It's trying, Cody, and you need to do that."
Armadillomon's little speech left a deep impact on Cody. After hearing a distant thud, he stood up and said, "You're absolutely right. I'm just going to keep on trying, and I know we'll find a way out of anything!"
With that, a bright light glowed in the cave, which coalesced into a new Digiegg. It was a gold-orange in color, with claws sticking out from the bottom and what appeared to be cat's eyes and saber teeth on the top, near where the head would be. The symbol on it looked like an eye surrounded by lightning bolts.
Armadillomon noticed this and said, "Hey, I know that symbol! This is the Digiegg of Intelligence. It must belong to you!"
"Are you sure?"
"Never more sure of anything in my life. Now, let's join the fight, shall we?"
"Digi Armor, Energize!"
"Armadillomon, Armor Digivolve to…" Armadillomon was surrounded by golden light, which refracted and caused the rodent Digimon to become imbued with the powers of the Digimon of Intelligence.
It looked vaguely similar to Armadillomon in body shape, but where he was once a rodent, he was now a giant cat. Giant claws appeared on his feet. His forelegs were by far longer and stronger than his hind legs. A sleek tail spurted from his back like a snake. His legs were covered in armor, as was his body, which was divided into two sections, forward, and back. The Crest of Intelligence was carved on his breastplate. Near the base of his neck was a small orb.
His head was definitely feline. His ears were the same in this stage, albeit larger, his face covered in golden fur, and two giant saber teeth extruded from his incisors.
He was an ancient cat, imbued with the power of lightning. He was…
"Smilomon, the blades of Intelligence!"
Cody gasped in amazement, before, regaining his composure and said, "Let's go!"
Smilomon smiled, "Hop on my back, I'll carry you."
They rode out, trying to find where the battle was. Smilomon sniffed the air, before saying, "The battle has moved to another island, to the south."
"Then we'd better get there fast," Cody announced.
"The problem with that is that this body isn't meant for running, just for fighting. And I doubt I could jump too high, so I don't know what we're going to do," and, just as he said that, two wings seemed to jump out of his back.
"Well, that's a new one on me!" Cody was really surprised.
"Prepare for takeoff, Cody!" and, with that, Smilomon jumped into the air and began to fly in the direction of the battle.
"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon yelled, as he launched himself towards the Ultimate level Digimon, completely engulfed in flames. The water devil easily swatted the fire dragon away.
"Double Star!" Shurimon yelled, sending a huge star blade towards Marine Devimon. It bounced off, and Marine Devimon didn't even flinch.
The same was true from the Star Showers and Rosetta Stones launched from both Pegasusmon and Nefertimon. So, with one swift motion, Marine Devimon pulled back a tentacle and swung it in a 360-degree motion, swatting all four armor Digimon into a cliff, causing them to revert to their Rookie forms.
"Okay, this is bad…" Davis said, using a worthy-of-Webster's example of understatement.
"Well now, one, two, three, four…where are the fifth and the sixth? There are six Digidestined and I know that. Wait, there was that short kid who ran from me a while ago, that still leaves one…"
As though to answer him, Izzy appeared, riding on Kabuterimon's back.
"There he is! I know it; he bears the powers of Intelligence! He must be stopped! Black Seas!" The orb of dark water shot at the flying bug, as both human and Digimon were shot from the sky, and Champion reverted to Rookie.
"I've been waiting for this day for infinite eternities! The ability to destroy Intelligence is mine! You hide behind a different face, Crest, and Digimon partner, but it is there! I can destroy Intelligence, and, using the power from the Black Digivice, I don't have to worry about your precious Were Jaguaromon!"
"What's a Were Jaguaromon?" Izzy wondered aloud. He turned to his partner, "Tentomon?"
"Never heard of him, although from what I'm gathering, he was probably one of the Digimon of the first Digidestined. Marine Devimon and he must have fought, with this Were Jaguaromon the winner," Tentomon responded.
"Say goodbye, whelp," Marine Devimon reached out a tentacle to crush Izzy and Tentomon…
"BLADED LIGHTNING!" a flash of orange lightning emblazoned with golden blades hit Marine Devimon full force.
"What?" he turned to his attacker.
Hovering in midair, with Cody on his back, was Smilomon. The first thing that Marine Devimon immediately noticed was the Crest of Intelligence.
"What?!"
"Who's he?" Izzy shouted.
"Distant relative of yours?" Patamon joked with Gatomon.
"I am Smilomon. I am an ancient cat Digimon that uses the Digiegg of Intelligence to Armor Digivolve. I drop from the sky and attack with my Bladed Lightning, wrestle my opponents to the ground, and finish them off with my Sever Bite."
"Intelligence! How incompetent of you to appear so blatantly! This will be your last mistake, Dark Seas!"
"Bladed Lightning!" lightning struck the orb on Smilomon's back, then was shot out again as the bladed beam that attacked him earlier. Marine Devimon was hurled back a few feet.
"Sever Claw!" Smilomon dived at a high speed and dug his foot long claws into Marine Devimon's back, dragging him close to shore.
By now, Cody hopped of Smilomon's back, and joined up with the others, saying "Sorry for getting you all into this, I'm sure you guys won't want me coming back here for a while, seeing the trouble I've gotten into."
Cody made a mental note that Kari, Izzy, and T.K. recoiled at that statement.
"Well," Davis said, impervious to the pain of others, "it's okay, cause you found a new Digiegg! Now we have two Armor Digimon of the First Digidestined!"
"Whoa," Yolei looked out at the battle in front of her, "It's like a cross between the Discovery Channel and pro wrestling."
It was, because, as anyone who studies felines as much as the chronicler of this tale does knows, saber toothed cats finish off their prey by wrestling it to the ground, then biting the flesh of the neck.
"SEVER BITE!" Smilomon dug his fangs into Marine Devimon's neck, causing him to begin to delete.
"Heh, it happens twice. You fight harder than Were Jaguaromon did the last time we fought, without the benefit of a weakness on my part. Don't savor this victory, Smilomon. Now, you're in too deep. You won't stand a chance against Skull Satamon!" and, with that, the last bit of Marine Devimon's data dissipated into the air.
Smilomon glowed orange, and the Digiegg of Intelligence was given to Cody's D-Terminal. Armadillomon wandered up to Cody.
"Well, that was fun! Let's go home!"
"Well, the black has been replaced by orange," Yolei said, looking over Izzy's shoulders and watching the screen.
"Yes," Izzy said, "and from today's battle, I've come up with several theories."
"I'd like to hear them," Cody said.
"All of the Digimon the first Digidestined fought have been reborn, and after the Dark Digivice lost its powers, the evil Digimon took on their powers of the Dark Digivice. When Davis destroyed Preydramon, the power from the Crest of Nobility deactivated the Control Spires and restored the powers of Digivolution. The same was true for Cody destroying Marine Devimon. Approximately two sixths of the Digivice area was freed. I theorize this is because of the six crests of the first Digidestined."
"But, didn't Gennai say there were five original Digidestined?" Kari asked.
"He could've been wrong. He is sometimes. I don't know why he won't say anything about the original Digidestined, but he won't."
"And why hasn't he contacted us?" T.K. asked.
"Something about the holograms and a phone bill."
"Well, I've got to get going, my mom's making something special…I think," Davis left, Demi Veemon on his head.
"Yeah, my sister has a recital of some kind…I think. Man, this Digidestined thing is making lose grip on family," Yolei left, Poromon in her hands.
"I've got to go, too," He whispered to T.K. and Kari, "Talk to him," he gestured to Cody and left.
"I guess I should go too," Cody said, and was about to leave, until…
"Cody, wait!" T.K. said, "We should talk."
"I'm really sorry for getting you all in trouble, I didn't mean to, and I promise I won't go into the Digiworld without you with me," Cody had apparently rehearsed this speech a long time.
"Cody…" Upamon was depressed to see his partner like this.
"We weren't going to yell at you," Kari said, "We want to thank you."
Cody blinked. He hadn't expected this, "But I got you guys in that fight with Marine Devimon! I cowered in a cave while you guys fought him for me! How can you thank me!"
"Suppose you hadn't gotten into trouble, then Marine Devimon would still be alive. And if you hadn't hid in the cave, you'd never have found that Digiegg."
Cody looked down, "But you guys still got into trouble for me. I don't know if I can forgive myself for that."
"You wanted to prove yourself," T.K. said, "You're in a group with four kids at least four years older than you. You wanted to prove that you were a valuable member of this team, not just some little kid."
Now, Cody was really surprised, "How'd you –"
"Cody," Kari said, holding his head, "We were eight when we first went to the Digital World. The older kids always treated us like we were defenseless, even though our Digimon are the most powerful," Patamon and Gatomon puffed out their chests at this.
"We know what its like," said T.K., "It's strange for me to look from this side and find that I'm acting just like my brother did. But, we're sorry for underestimating you."
Cody held back a tear, "But, do you really respect me?"
Kari looked him in the eye and said, "We trust you with our lives."
Cody smiled, "You don't know how much that means to me," with that, he bowed and walked towards his home.
"He reminds me so much of the both of us. Full of my innocence and with your maturity," T.K. smiled.
"I think it's great to be the role models for a younger person," Kari held T.K.'s hand.
"I think we'd better get going, too."
Six figures sat at a bar, looking at the scene in front of them, three adult human, three Digimon.
One human was sort of small and skinny, and despite being an adult, one would easily mistake him for a child. He was of Asian descent, had short black hair, black eyes, and a face that showed little or no expression. He wore a black trenchcoat, a white shirt, and black jeans. At his side was a Digimon that was similar to a huge turtle, blue in color with racing stripes down his face and shell.
Next to him was a tan-skinned man that was almost the exact opposite of the man next to him. He was tall and muscular. His hair was in a short spiked pattern. He wore a gray T-shirt and blue jeans. Sitting at the seat next to him was a squirrel Digimon about at knee height. He had bright red fur and his tail was composed of fire.
Next to the large man was another, who looked more at home in an office than a bar. He was of medium size, wore glasses, and had brown hair in a mushroom cut. His face was blotted with freckles. He wore an orange sweatshirt and a pair of overalls. He was currently typing on a laptop. Next to him was a very odd Digimon. It looked something like a cat and something like a bird. He was a cat sitting upright, resembling a leopard or jaguar. His arms were essentially wings, but ending in feather/fingers. His head was feline, but covered in a black helmet that curved down into a beak.
"And, Cody has inherited my crest, as I predicted," the one on the laptop said. He drank a soda and added Smilomon to his growing list of Armor Digimon.
"Soon, they enter the territory of Faith, where Skull Satamon waits for them," the Asian said.
"Oh yeah?" said the larger man in a slurred voice, "Who died and made you boss of the world? Or you?" he pointed in the Asian's general direction.
"You're drunk, aren't you Dan?" the one in glasses said.
"Nuh-uh Ryan, I just have a speech impediment," he soon threw up in the garbage can nearby, "and a stomach virus," he then collapsed on the table, "and an inner ear infection."
"He's not as thunk as you drink he is," said his Digimon, who was none too sober himself.
"Hold it Flamon," said the turtle Digimon, "you shouldn't drink this much."
"Yeah, Slidermon, well you can't handle anything stronger than lemonade."
"Judging from your current status," said the bird/cat Digimon, "I'd say you can't handle anything stronger than water."
"Shut up Jeagramon. All three of you."
"Eric," Ryan, the man on the laptop, said to the Asian, "we'd better get Dan to his room. I doubt he can even move."
Eric nodded, then they began to lift Dan and carry him to his room. Slidermon and Jeagramon began to lead Flamon out of the barroom.
After getting Dan on his bed, the two friends discussed the next plan of attack.
The new guys were in for a real battle.
Okay, disclaimer time. I don't own Digimon. I own my Digidestined and their Digimon, as well as Smilomon. Smilomon's name comes from "Smilodon," the scientific name for saber-toothed tigers. Flamon's name comes from flame, Slidermon's name comes from the red-eared slider, a species of turtle that Eric, my co-author and the real-world version of the character, owns. Jeagramon's name comes from the combination of "jaguar" and "eagle", my two favorite animals. Dan is based on a real-world person I know who I have had bad feelings toward in the past. I apologize in advance for his protrayal. It's not going to improve.