Digimon: Digital Monsters
The Next Creation
#04: Enter the Dragon of Fire
"How far is it?" Yoromon whined.
"I can see it fine, so it can't be too far off," Hiroshi said, pointing to Mt. Minahashi. Little did he know they had yet to be halfway there. It was about noon, which Hiroshi confirmed when looking at the watch on his Digivice.
To the north and northwest of them was more and more of the grassland they were on. To the east was the fog and steam surrounding Infinity Mountain. To the south and southeast was Mt. Minahashi. To the west and southwest was the Minahashi Desert.
"Can we take a break?" Yoromon asked, "I'm not used to all this travelling."
"Think of how the girls are faring then," Hiroshi laughed as he sat down and took off his backpack, "Kassie can hardly stand to walk from the Hatching Grounds to the lake. Chimari doesn't get enough exercise because she's always sitting at her computer. Come to think of it, Keri's not used to travel because Gatomon's so protective."
"What does 'protective' mean?"
"I don't know, but it's what Biyomon said. She says Gatomon's like that because she cares about Keri and Nyokomon and wants to make sure they're safe."
"So that's why Keri knew that Gatomon and Patamon wouldn't let him learn how to use a sword?" Yoromon asked.
"Probably," Hiroshi said, "They were probably afraid he'd cut himself."
"Hey, you!"
Hiroshi and Yoromon looked over at a small hill and saw a Kunemon. They got up wearily, and Hiroshi asked, "Yeah?"
"Aren't you just kids?" the Kunemon asked, "Who's taking care of you out here?"
"Our guardians are in Primary Village," Yoromon said, "We can take care of ourselves."
"All they way in Primary Village?" Kunemon asked, "Are they some of the Digimon that defeated that one group at the dam near the Kittimon Village?"
"Yeah," Hiroshi said slowly. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he edged one foot back.
"Since they aren't here to care for you," Kunemon said, "I'll take care of you! Electric Thread!"
"Yahh!" Hiroshi and Yoromon jumped aside, looking nervously at the singed grass they had just been standing on.
"Bubble Blow!" Yoromon said.
Kunemon shot his Electric Thread at each bubble, popping it before it reached him. He fired at Hiroshi and Yoromon again. After several attacks that they barely dodged, one of the threads skimmed Hiroshi's forearm. He was still in the process of dodging, and the sudden pain made him loose his balance.
"Hiroshi!" Yoromon called as he fell to his knees, "Yoromon digivolve to… Pteryxmon!"
-------------------------
Pteryxmon
Group: Bird Digimon
Attribute: Data
Level: Rookie
Technique: Gyre Flame
~~~
He is a fiery flying Digimon capable of good flight for a Rookie. His claws are sharp and his fire hot.
-------------------------
"Yoromon?" Hiroshi asked, turning to his Digimon friend. The Digimon Yoromon turned into was a bird, the feathers on his head arranged quite like Biyomon's, but were mostly maroon with a little red, orange, and yellow. He had a straight green feather where Biyomon had a curling blue and pink one. His beak was longer and a little sharper. His wings had three-clawed hands, the feathers pointing down. His eyes were bright blue, his feathers were blended rainbow colors, and he had five wide rainbow tail feathers.
Pteryxmon flapped into the air, flying threateningly above Kunemon.
Kunemon called, "Electric Thread!"
"Hah!" Pteryxmon laughed as he dodged aside easily. He swooped down and swiped at Kunemon's face with his claws. I was hard to tell whether or not Kunemon was being hurt, despite Pteryxmon's frequent attacks. The Larvae Digimon clamped its beak down on Pteryxmon's wing and yanked out a feather when he flew back.
"Is that the best you can do?" Kunemon asked, his scratches invisible. Pteryxmon frowned.
"You can beat that bug, Pteryxmon!" Hiroshi called.
"Gyre…Flame!" Pteryxmon squawked. On 'flame' he gave a sudden thrust of his wings and sent a small fireball hurling toward Kunemon. It hit the bug in the chest and erupted into a tornado of flames that surrounded him.
The flames quickly diminished, and Kunemon, blackened, exhaled a puff of smoke. He ran off whining loudly.
"Great job!" Hiroshi praised, kneeling by Pteryxmon when he landed, "I can't believe you digivolved! Biyomon and Agumon would be proud of you!"
Pteryxmon blushed and inhaled to puff out his chest proudly. He said, "Yeah, it is cool. I did it so you'd be safe. Since you're a human, you don't have attributes. You can't fight."
"Yeah, but I don't know about that last part," Hiroshi laughed, "Congrats since you digivolved to Rookie. Let's get going." He got up and turned toward their previous course.
"Hey, wait," Pteryxmon said. Hiroshi turned back to him, and he said, "We never had our break! I'm hungry!"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Hiroshi said.
***
That night, Hiroshi and Pteryxmon were tucked tight within a sleeping bag. For no apparent reason, Hiroshi's eyes opened. He looked around, curious to what may have awoken him. He looked up and saw a person. He quickly unzipped his sleeping bag and stood.
"Hello," the woman said. He immediately recognized her by her unsettlingly mysterious brown eyes, though he could now see the rest of her more clearly. She had long brown hair which was braided tightly. She was wearing a red black-rimmed kimono patterned with little sky blue diamonds. She seemed unusually lightened in the darkness, as if she was unaffected by the lack of light or she produced her own light.
"Um, hi?" Hiroshi asked uncertainly. He noticed that she was standing on a round metal thing with a transparent glowing panel of sorts on top.
"I came to tell you something," she said.
"Uh-huh," Hiroshi responded.
The woman took a picture from a pocket on her kimono and held it out so he could see. It looked like a bracelet or ring. It was black and had a glass-covered square on one side. The square was an ugly gray-blue color and had a symbol in a darker shade. It looked like a circle with an X going over it, with a small triangle above, below, and to either side of it.
"What's that?" Hiroshi asked, having the gut feeling that he didn't want to know.
"A bracelet," the woman said, "Find it. And another one."
"Why?"
"Because you have to."
"Why?"
She looked at him irritably and said, "It's your destiny. There are ten of these and you must find two. No argument of the such. You were looking for a purpose, and now I'm giving you one. The one I'm showing you is one of yours."
"Who are you?" Hiroshi asked.
"That's not important," the woman said.
"Do I have to find them right now?" Hiroshi asked, getting back to the subject.
"You deserve a night's rest if that's what you mean," she said, "Just make it the goal of your journey, since you currently have none."
"Okay," Hiroshi said slowly, "Where do I start looking?"
"If only I didn't have to tell you the truth," she said. Her eyes softened as she smiled.
"What's that?"
"You're heart," she said, "You'll find them in your heart."
"Uh…" Hiroshi mumbled. He yelped as the woman faded out of sight. She was soon followed by her glowing metal thing. He looked down at his sleeping bag and asked, "Pteryxmon?"
The Digimon was fast asleep.
***
Still on the plains, Hiroshi and Pteryxmon stood before Mt. Minahashi. Checking the map and compass the Biyomon had given him, Hiroshi said, "We should save the food we have with us for emergencies. The Yokomon Village isn't too far away." He began walking southwest, and Pteryxmon was right behind.
About thirty minutes later, Pteryxmon asked, "Are you sure we're going the right way?"
"Of course," Hiroshi said, "We're relying on my impeccable sense of direction."
Pteryxmon groaned louder and fell over into the hot desert sands.
"Come on," Hiroshi said irritably, "I think I can see it from here."
Pteryxmon flew up a few feet and cried, "Yay! Yay! We're almost there!" When they finally did arrive, not a single Yokomon paid them heed. They were all bouncing around; they appeared to be in a rush to transport grapes, juice, pillows, and other little things.
"Excuse me—?" Hiroshi began, being completely ignored, "Um, excuse—?" After several failing attempts at getting attention politely, he picked up an empty-handed Yokomon at random and asked, "What's going on, why is everyone in such a hurry?"
"We're working for a mean Digimon!" the Yokomon explained quickly, trying to wiggle away, "We have to work fast, or he'll get mad."
"If he's so mean, why do you work for him?"
"Because he's making us!"
"Oh…."
"He's making the whole village work, and we don't even get minimum wage!" the Yokomon sniffled, "Someone went for help, but she hasn't come back yet."
"Can we help?" Pteryxmon asked.
"Probably not; you'd only get hurt," Yokomon said. She finally freed herself and went back to her previous task.
"Hmm," Pteryxmon mumbled. He flew up to be able to see over the short huts. His blue eyes widened, and he said, "KaratsukiNumemon! At the fountain! With some Shamamon!"
"Them again?" Hiroshi had been to the Yokomon Village several times before, seeing that most of Biyomon's oldest friends were here. So he knew the location of the fountain easily and subconsciously began a determined stride toward it.
"KaratsukiNumemon, Hiroshi," Pteryxmon reminded, "I'm a Rookie."
Hiroshi stopped short, thinking. He asked, "How many Shamamon?"
"Two," Pteryxmon said, "But three KaratsukiNumemon."
"A whole village of In-trainings, a Rookie, and a human versus two Rookies and three Champions," Hiroshi calculated.
"In-training," Pteryxmon said, "And I'm freshly digivolved. Can you even fight?"
"Of course," Hiroshi said, pulling his practice stick out put of his pack, "Keri taught me how."
"Just the other day you said that Keri would be slaughtered by a Yuramon…."
"I did not," Hiroshi snapped.
"Why don't we go get help instead?" Pteryxmon asked, "I want to kick these guys' big shelled butts just as much as you do… BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE PEELED OFF THE GROUND WITH A SPATULA!"
"Okay, okay!" Hiroshi said, holding out his hands as if to ward Pteryxmon off, "We'll go get help."
"No you won't."
Hiroshi and Pteryxmon turned around to face a particularly tall Shamamon. It was about a foot or so taller than Hiroshi, and it grinned down at him smugly as it renewed its grip on its club.
"Um, hello…" Hiroshi said nervously.
***Earth Date: 3 years 6 months AA***
"I talked to Joe earlier," Sora said to Matt, Tai, and TK while they sat in Tai's apartment's living room, "and then I released that it was the first time I'd heard from him in about two weeks. I think we're drifting apart."
Tai nodded grimly and said, "At least we know where everyone is…. Did Joe have any new worth repeating?"
"Yeah," Sora said sadly. Tai put his arm around her shoulders to comfort her, and she said, "Mimi's been really upset lately, just like Kari. She just kept getting worse and worse. A couple days ago, she sorta… lost it."
"Lost it?" Matt asked.
"Joe said it's chronic depression," Sora said, "You could classify it under insanity."
"I think Kari's pretty messed up too," Tai sighed, "She make shadow puppets of rabbits being mutilated. I really think that count as loosing it."
Matt looked at TK, who said nothing.
***
Earth Date: 3 years 6 months AA
DigiDate: 19 years AA
***
"Can we at least have lunch?" Hiroshi asked blandly.
"NO! Shut up!" KaratsukiNumemon snapped.
Hiroshi sighed. He and Pteryxmon were in a cage next to the Yokomon Village's fountain. The lead KaratsukiNumemon was being fanned by tired-looking Yokomon with palm fronds.
"However, if you want out…" KaratsukiNumemon began, instantly gaining their attention, "we do need target practice." They slumped in disappointment. KaratsukiNumemon said, "Get the big clumsy one… you." He pointed to the more normal-sized of the two Shamamon.
Shamamon nodded and approached the cage, opened it, flung Hiroshi out, and slammed it shut in Pteryxmon's face.
"Here's your weapon," KaratsukiNumemon said, stifling laughter at the 'weapon,' as he tossed Hiroshi his stick.
"Shaman Hammer!" Shamamon said, his raised club glowing. Hiroshi jumped aside as the club was brought down ruthlessly where he'd stood milliseconds before. He swung his stick and jabbed Shamamon in the eye. Shamamon howled in pain as Hiroshi ran farther out of the way.
"I remember Agumon suggesting that he learn kendo," Pteryxmon mumbled to himself as Hiroshi ran around trying to dodge Shamamon's club, "If he lives through this, maybe Biyomon will change her mind." He looked at his get hit in the arm and knocked down into fairly soft sand a few feet away and said, "Maybe he'll be lucky…."
Hiroshi's stick was knock in half by the Shaman Hammer. He looked at the broken end of the half he was still holding in bewilderment, then stabbed Shamamon's exposed upper arm, tossed the stick's remains aside, and quickly got out of the way.
"Go, Hiroshi!" Pteryxmon cheered, "Knock his block off!"
Remember to stay together! You can accomplish so much as a team and so little on your own! Pteryxmon's cheers brought DemiDevimon's words popping back into Hiroshi's head. They almost distracted him to the point where he got hit again, but he managed to slip away from the club's bash.
In the midst of his attempts of dodging, he came to just in front of the door of the cage.
"Shaman Hammer!" Shamamon shouted, swinging the club again. The bars of the cage were pushed aside like a curtain, making a painful noise as they did; Pteryxmon flew out and slashed at the Shamamon before anyone could stop him.
"Gyre Flame!" Pteryxmon called. The Shamamon turned tail and attempted to run, but the seat of his pants caught on fire. He ran around in circles yelping in alarm for nearly a whole minute before he spotted the fountain and dived into it.
KaratsukiNumemon attempted to make him come out, but that didn't seem too likely to happen. He turned on Hiroshi and Pteryxmon, who were trying to creep away.
"Since you're too tough for him," KaratsukiNumemon said, "I'll get you! Shell attack!" He withdrew into his shell and propelled himself toward them. Hiroshi shouted, only vaguely aware of the sudden glow from his pocket.
"Pteryxmon digivolve to…" the bird Digimon cried, "Archaeomon!"
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Archaeomon
Group: Dragon Digimon
Attribute: Data
Level: Champion
Technique: Astral Blaze
~~~
A worrier of the skies, he breathes huge gusts of flames to char his opponents!
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"A-again?" Hiroshi wondered as the larger pterodactyl-like Digimon knocked KaratsukiNumemon back easily. He was about the size of Birdramon. He had a brown helmet-like shield on his head, his angrily glistening navy eyes clearly visible beyond them. The rest of his scaly body was orange with blue stripes. His tail was like a huge billow of flames.
"Astral Blaze!" Archaeomon cried, hovering above KaratsukiNumemon and his lackeys. He hacked out several fireballs, scorching the bad guys. With the accuracy of small fireballs, he managed to avoid hitting any huts.
"Shell Attack!" all three KaratsukiNumemon yelled, attacking him together. The three shells rammed him from different sides and knocked him down.
"Archaeomon! Are you all right?" Hiroshi called.
"Fine!" Archaeomon squawked, getting to his talons and requiting with his attack. He knocked one of the KaratsukiNumemon out. After trading attacks with him the second KaratsukiNumemon and Shamamon were down. He turned to the leader.
"Shell Attack!" he called. He hit the weaken Archaeomon exactly in the chest and knocked him back roughly.
"Pteryxmon!" Hiroshi called as the bird landed near his feet. He knelt by his friend, who was so dizzy and half-conscious he was mumbling the oddest things.
"But I didn't… take the cookie!"
"Huh?" Hiroshi asked. He looked up as KaratsukiNumemon launched another Shell Attack.
"Flame Fist!"
A blast of fire knocked the shell aside as a Meramon with a Yokomon under his arm like a football skidded to a stop in front of them. KaratsukiNumemon came out of his shell, took one look at the experienced Champion Digimon, and called for his dizzy stumbling buddies to retreat.
***
"I saw it glow!"
"It was definitely a Digivice."
"But the DigiDestined are so much bigger than him."
"Yeah, I saw them once, few years back. They were about six-feet-tall."
"Maybe ten feet!"
"But he had a Digivice! It glowed and, and…."
"And Pteryxmon digivolved! He became Archaeomon, a Champion!"
These claims and several others were slurred together as the Yokomon tried to convinced Meramon of whether or not Hiroshi was a DigiDestined. They were all in a hut that was very large by Yokomon standards, but Meramon was still on his hands and knees. If Hiroshi had not been curled up asleep in the corner of an another room with Pteryxmon, his head would still scrape the ceiling if he ducked.
Meramon started to speak, but there were still too many Yokomon clamoring at once. As they continued the argument, he failed to perceive how Hiroshi and Pteryxmon were still asleep. Yet he glanced into the room and saw that they still were, most of their birdseed still in their bowls.
The chatter quieted a bit as a few finished what they had to say. The rest stopped rather quickly, as if everyone had arguments of nearly the same length.
"I'll talk to him later," Meramon said, "When he wakes up. When he wakes up by himself," he added to make sure Hiroshi was undisturbed, "In the mean time, keep it down."
***
Despite having gone to sleep in the late afternoon, Hiroshi and Pteryxmon woke up at dawn, which was close to their normal time. They exited the hut uncertainly and spotted Meramon near the fountain. Meramon beckoned for them to come over.
"Did you rest well?" he asked.
"Yeah," Hiroshi mumbled like he hadn't, "I guess. Thanks." Pteryxmon nodded.
"Do you have a Digivice?" Meramon asked.
"One of these things?" Hiroshi asked, holding out his Digivice.
"Exactly!" Meramon said, noting that the snoopy Yokomon took not-so-subtle glances as they passed, "You're a DigiDestined?"
"Uh, yeah, I think that's what Puppetmon said," Hiroshi answered. He looked at Pteryxmon, who agreed.
"Puppetmon?" Meramon questioned.
"He's a friend of ours," Pteryxmon said.
"Okay…" Meramon said slowly, "Anyway, your friends are DigiDestined too, right? Is there anything in particular you're doing by yourself?"
"Yeah, some of them are," Hiroshi said, "I'm supposed to find two of these ten bracelets."
"You are?" Pteryxmon asked.
"Bracelets?" Meramon asked, "What do they look like?"
"They're kinda…" Hiroshi began. He trailed off and looked at his Digivice. It was flashing and beeping. Oddly enough, the beeps somehow sounded sort of frantic. It vibrated like it was trying to escape Hiroshi's hand. He looked at the fountain, which was only a few feet away, and shivered as he held the Digivice toward it. The decorative tip of the fountain, which had been partially destroyed by Archaeomon's Astral Blaze, crumbled away completely.
"There it is," Hiroshi said, "That's one of them." The bracelet sat there, pulsing with energy. It vibrated and suddenly shot toward him. He held his arm up to block his face and felt it close around his wrist. He shivered again as he looked at it.
"So… you found it," Pteryxmon said. Hiroshi nodded without looking away from it.
"I have a friend," Meramon said, "that trains young swordsmen. Would you like to become one of his students?"
"Yeah," Hiroshi said, sounding less enthusiastic than he felt because he was still looking at the bracelet, "I'd love to."
"Great," Meramon said, "I bet he'll let you start tomorrow…. Are you okay?"
"Mmm?" Hiroshi asked, tearing his gaze from the bracelet, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you." He glanced back at it. It was not the same one that the lady had shown him. The square on this one was a gross-looking gray-green with a symbol like two halves of a heart shape, one turned upside-down.
"Come with me," Meramon said, "He lives with me in Mt. Minahashi."
"Okay," Hiroshi said, sounding normal again, "Come on, Pteryxmon."
"Right behind ya!"