Digimon: Digital Monsters
The Next Creation
#05: Flower Tower
"According to the map, we're about a ninety miles southwest of Primary Village, and Bush Town is just a little bit due west."
"You have the map upside down."
"Oh," Kinnomon said. He bounced around to the other side of it and said, "We're northeast of the village and Bush Town is to the east."
Kenji nodded in acceptance and looked around. He saw nothing more than grassy hills. He glanced to the morning sun and identified east.
"Should we keep going?" Kinnomon asked.
Kenji nodded again, stood, and picked him and the map up. He folded the map up, put it in his backpack, and headed east. As soon as he reached the top of the closest hill, he and Kinnomon spotted Bush Town in the middle of the prairie before them.
"Looks like something off PBS," Kenji commented. Most of the houses were extremely large hut-like mushrooms with brightly colored polka-dotted roofs. There were heavily scented flowerbeds practically overflowing onto the cobbled paths. The paths showed more soil between each cobblestone than those of Primary Village. There was a large round white and lime-green tower on the far side of the little town; towards the top it had big pink and yellow petal-like things sticking out to make it look flowery.
"Hmm," Kinnomon said.
"Might as well pick up some extra food while we're there," Kenji said, starting forward. Kinnomon nodded the best that Kenji's grip on him allowed.
Once in the town, they found several little booths made of four small trees with intertwined branches to form a table top. These booths were selling things like food, potted plants, or souvenirs. Almost all of Bush Town's Citizens were Plant Digimon.
"Here," Kenji said after they'd been walking a few minutes. He held out half of a chocolate bar.
Kinnomon looked back towards the closest booth that sold candy, but it was a ways away. He said, "Oh, I didn't notice you bought something."
"I didn't," Kenji said, "We need to save our money, remember?"
"You mean you just took it without paying for it?" Kinnomon demanded.
"That Mushroomon won't know it's gone," Kenji said, "Just eat it."
"I'd rather not…."
"Suit yourself," Kenji shrugged, "It's just a candy bar."
He heard a series of sounds, each of which seemed a bit like a cross between a beep and a whine. He took out his Digivice and held it in his open palm. It had a shocking resemblance to a small living creature trembling in fear. He looked questioningly at Kinnomon, who seemed just as confused, and replaced it in his pocket. Once ignored, the device stopped its sounds.
"Let's go get a closer look at that tower," Kinnomon suggested, "It looks cool… in a slightly girly sort of way."
"Shh," Kenji gestured, "Don't say that so loud. Some of the male Plant Digimon that live here might get upset." Kinnomon stifled a snicker.
They approached the tower and observed it more clearly. It had a flat yellow dome above those petals, and the tower itself narrowed just a little as it went up, making it lighthouse-shaped. It was white with three round petal-bordered windows on all sides. The green double doors and the windows' synthetic petals were bordered by light green. With the cheeriness of the rest of the town surrounding it, it had no problem looking very happy and welcoming.
"C'mon!" Kinnomon said, bouncing forward, but Kenji took a hesitant step back. Kinnomon turned back and asked, "What's wrong?"
Kenji shuddered and regained his casual composure. He said, "Nothing," and walked forward.
"Hi!" shouted two identical Digimon as they jumped out in front of them, causing a scene. They were each bipedal and about three-and-a-half-feet tall, and their colors contrasted noticeably with the surroundings. They were bluish-black with a light gray-blue belly, and had a slight teddy-bear look to them. While the rest of their face was gray, they had a blue mask-like covering over the top half of it, but most of that was hidden by a brown derby. They had big yellow eyes, a long tail, bat-like wings, a pair of fangs, and a suspiciously mischievous expression.
"Um, hello," Kenji responded.
"Good day," the one Digimon on the left said, "We run the well-known—"
"And rather famous!" added the right one.
"—Flower Tower of Bush Town!" the left one finished.
"We only let so many tourists in per day," said the right one, "and you're—"
"—in luck because we still have…."
"Two tickets left!" the concluded together, each of them holding out a pink ticket.
"Wow," Kenji said, referring not to the luck of having available tickets, but to the pair's ability to continue one another's sentences so perfectly.
"You bet!" said the right, "Each ticket is only fifty—"
"—cents each! Buy yours—"
"NOW!"
Kenji looked at Kinnomon, who considered and said, "Why not? It's only a dollar."
"Here," Kenji said, taking a digidollar from his pocket and handing it to one of the two weirdoes.
"Enjoy!" they said in unison. They took the money, handed Kenji his ticket, and stuffed Kinnomon's ticket in his mouth. They ushered them toward the tower, opened the double doors, and shoved them inside the room.
Kenji looked worriedly at the door after they slammed it. The room they were in was round. The walls were white with thin vines of tiny flowers painted on in pastel colors. The ceramic tile alternated pink and white. There was a white pillar in the center of the room; it was surrounded by a circular area without tile from which vines grew. The vines spiraled their way up the pillar and through the inch-wide space in the ceiling that surrounded it. A spiral staircase was pressed against the wall and led to the next story.
For lack of something better to do, Kenji moved toward the start of the staircase and began climbing it with Kinnomon close behind.
Save that they had windows, the next two stories were a each slightly smaller copy of the first, but in the fourth one, everything but the staircase was closed off with a black tarp. Kenji and Kinnomon attempted to find a way to peek through it, but it was fastened too securely.
The fifth story was within the dome atop the building. The pillar was topped with a sort of fountain with three basins in the center of the room. It was very decorative and made of some sort of crystal. It would have been very pretty, but a deep red liquid filled it, trickling a drop or two at a time into the next basin. The vines that had made such a long journey upward were curled on the floor, withered and black.
Hung on the flower-like tip of the fountain was a black ring of sorts. Kenji took a step forward, saying, "Hey, that's one of those things!"
"One of what things?" Kinnomon asked, "Something we saw in a horror movie?"
"No," Kenji said, "The lady that gave me my Digivice? I saw her last night. She said to find two things like that."
Kinnomon made a face and shuddered. He asked, "Why?"
"I don't know," Kenji said, "She wouldn't tell me." He hesitated and took another step toward it. It began vibrating before it flew at him. He yelped as it snapped closed around his left wrist. He gripped it, trying to pull it open, but he had no luck. He tried so hard to pulled it off that he fell to his knees.
"Are you okay?!" Kinnomon demanded.
"Get it off!" Kenji groaned, still pulling.
"Hah! The Bracelets drain the DigiDestined's powers!" laughed two voices.
"You!" Kenji roared, recognizing the voices as those of the two Digimon that had sold them tickets. He glared toward the stairs where they stood.
"We are the two—" one of them began.
"—the only—"
"Airbemon!" they said together. They flung off there derbies to reveal navy bat-wing-like ears accompanied by dark ribbon-like strips.
-------------------------
Airbemon
Group: Small Demon Digimon
Attribute: Virus
Level: Rookie
Technique: Bear Bite
~~~
Airbemon are childish and mischievous
little demons that only work when threatened
and/or heavily paid with candy in mind.
-------------------------
"I oughta…" Kenji growled, standing and advancing on them.
"I know they kinda ripped off our dollar," Kinnomon said, "but that's no reason to be so mad. After all, we did get to see the fountain of…I really hope that's Kool-Aid…." He gulped.
Kenji scowled down at the shackle-like band on his wrist. The grayish-auburn square had a symbol with a knife-like appearance. He took another threatening step toward the two Airbemon.
"We just want to inform you in advance—" began one Airbemon.
"It's nothing personal," interrupted the second, "Please don't take offense."
"—that we have to destroy you," finished the first.
"Sorry," said the second.
Kenji ran at them and swung his fist. They flapped their wings to dodge, and Kenji stopped just soon enough to avoid smacking into the wall.
"Bear Bite!" cried the second one. He clamped down on Kenji's right forearm. He cried out.
"Kenji!" Kinnomon cried, "Ooh! I'll get you! Kinnomon digivolve to… Pardumon!"
-------------------------
Pardumon
Group: Mammal Digimon
Attribute: Data
Level: Rookie
Technique: Flashing Vapor
~~~
Pardumon is a fuzzy Digimon with
a fur coat. His attack blinds enemies
and shocks them at once.
-------------------------
Pardumon held a stunning resemblance to Gabumon. He had short fuzzy yellow fur in place of scales, and his fur coat was yellow with zigzag navy stripes. He had round ears, three reptilian tails, bright green eyes, and paws in place of hands or talons.
He lunged forward in bit into the tail of the Airbemon that was still latched onto Kenji's arm. He whipped his tails and smacked the other away as he tried to attack.
The Airbemon let go of Kenji's arm, yielding to the pain, and was flung across the room.
"Flashing Vapor! Hrah!" Pardumon roared. He breathed out what looked like blue fire onto the Airbemon. Steam flowed from the flames as they hit him, and he jerked around like he was having a seizure.
The other Airbemon cringed as the bristling-hot steam floated to him. Kenji waved it away, feeling sparks crackle around his fingers and make them numb.
The Airbemon Pardumon hadn't attacked directly jumped up and bit one of his tails. He smack at him with the other two.
"Right now I think it's best if we—" the injured Aibemon began.
The other was knocked into a wall. He yelled, "RETREAT!" The two of them made a mad dash for the staircase, practically rolling down the steps. One of them was heard squeaking, "Blackemon? They're all yours!" followed by a snarl and several loud thumps.
"Stupid human!" snapped the huge reptilian feline that came stalking into the room. She was black with long pointed ears and wicked-looking claws. There was a pink ridge of fur down her back. Her solid red eyes reflected irritation as she twitched her tail impatiently. She looked down at Kenji and Pardumon like they were small blobs of something repulsive. She asked, "You're DigiDestined?"
"I… think so," Kenji responded.
"Oh, well," the Digimon snarled, "In all due formalities…" another snarl, "I am Blackemon."
-------------------------
Blackemon
Group: Demon Beast Digimon
Attribute: Virus
Level: Champion
Technique: Thunder Slash
~~~
Blackemon dislikes wasting time
on unworthy prey. Victory is more
important than honor, bit if possible,
she is formal about her destruction.
-------------------------
"Uh…hi," Kenji mumbled.
"What a waste of time. If you stand still, this will be easier on us all." She raised one menacing forepaw and yelled, "Thunder Slash!"
"Pardumon digivolve to… Zuramon!"
-------------------------
Zuramon
Group: Beast Digimon
Attribute: Data
Level: Champion
Technique: Shock Fang
~~~
Zuramon's sharp claws and sharper
lightning-powered teeth make this feline
a tough opponent.
-------------------------
Zuramon was a large yellow feathery lion with blue stripes that faintly resembled a catlike Garurumon. He had three ropy tails, pink claws, and green eyes. He pushed Kenji out of harm's way and growled.
"Ooh, scary," Blackemon said blandly.
"Shock Fang!" Zuramon howled, lunging forward. Blackemon jumped onto her hind legs and left Zuramon closing his jaws on the air below her. She stomped on his head and jumped aside. With the small size of the room, her experienced agility was very noticeably versus Zuramon's clumsy habit of occasionally slamming into the wall.
"Thunder Slash!" Blackemon shrieked, scraping ruthlessly at Zuramon. He was at the stairs when she rammed him, but he lost his balance easier than she'd expected. The two of them ended up rolling down the stairs in a tangled mass.
Kenji gaped at the stairs; it would have been comical if the situation hadn't been so serious. He raced down the stairs after them, catching up quickly. The felines' momentum made them spin around the room on the bottom story and slam into the back side of the stairs. Kenji nearly lost his balance due to the vibration, but he got down safely.
Blackemon and Zuramon continued clawing at each other until their battle managed to force its way out through the partially open door. Kenji saw the two Airbemon duck behind a tree in panic. The two cats parted from their grueling slash fight, glaring at each other and breathing hard. They lunged forward in unison, teeth and claws bared.
"Shock Fang!" Zuramon roared. As he and Blackemon collided, he sank his flashing teeth into her neck. She snarled in pain as electricity crackled around her. She reconfigured.
Zuramon swung his attention to the tree from which the Airbemon were peeking out behind. They panicked and flew slowly out of sight with their awkward wings. Zuramon sighed in exhaustion and shrank back into Pardumon.
"Pardumon!" Kenji called, rushing over to him, "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Pardumon answered, "Are you?"
"Yeah," Kenji said, "I'm fine…. Wow, I can't believe you digivolved twice."
"I did it to protect you," Pardumon said, "But I de-digivolved."
"That's okay," Kenji said, "If you didn't de-digivolve, how could you fit in the house when we go home? By the way, thanks."
"No problem," Pardumon said. He and Kenji jumped a foot or so as cheers erupted around them. There was a crowd of Digimon around them, and a Floramon rushed forward to pull them both into a vice-like hug.
"Thank you! Thank you!" she exclaimed.
"What did we do?" Pardumon gasped.
"You made those bad Digimon leave our tower!" Floramon cried happily, "Thank you! Thank you!" Thank you so much!"
"No problem," Kenji groaned. Floramon finally released her grip and danced in circles around them.
"Let's go see the fountain!" she suggested cheerfully.
A few minutes later, Kenji, Pardumon, Floramon, and as many other Digimon that could fit were crowded around the fountain on the fifth story. The last of the pinkish swirls were disappearing in the midst of the sparkling clear water that poured from basin to basin.
"That's weird," Kenji commented.
"I guess the presence of mean Digimon made the fountain icky," Pardumon said, choosing his words carefully as his face turned green.
"I don't think so," Kenji said. Only Pardumon paid any attention to him; the others were too busy chatting happily among themselves to notice the worried way Kenji looked at his bracelet.
"What?" Pardumon asked, "Maybe someone can tell us what that thing is."
"I know what it is," Kenji said quietly, "I don't know how know, but I do."
"What is it?" Pardumon asked.
"The Bracelet of Immorality…."