CHAPTER 13: Another Annoyance
The Digidestined had been traveling for hours, with the exception of Tai, Rick, and Agumon. The group had been split up, and without Izzy, no one knew what to do. Rick and Tai, along Agumon, were stuck in some hole, with no way of escaping. "What the heck are we going to do?" Rick asked. He and Tai were sitting on the floor of the pit, and Agumon was staring at the sky, probably thinking of some way out. "I don't know. Hey, what was that?" Tai stood up. "Hey, anybody out there?" A familiar voice answered back. "Tai, is that you?" Andromon called back. "Boy, are we glad to see you! Erm, I mean, hear you!" Tai laughed at his own joke. "It's not funny, Tai... Where are you? My infrared scanners aren't picking up anything."
"That's because we're done here in the hole." Rick was confused. "You know this digimon?"
"Yeah, long story..."
"It figures..." Andromon peered over the side. "There you are!" Then he noticed Rick. "Hello. Who might you be?"
"I'm Rick, a new Digidestined. And speaking of Digidestined, have you seen Ashmon?"
"No, I have not. I'm sorry." Rick looked disappointed. "I hope he's ok..."
~*~
"Master, do you think they'll be able to find each other? What if-"
"Fool! Don't you think that I could kill them now?! But that would be all too easy... " Jakimon looked out the window. "This is much more fun...!" He laughed menacingly. "No, not yet... Let them... What's this? Ah, they have a new friend, now, do they? This will be even more exciting." He laughed again.
~*~
Shouri sighed. They had been walking for what seemed like days. Of, course, no one knew for sure. The sun was completely out of view, and everyone's watches and other electronic devices had short-circuited. "Matt, how long have we been out here?"
"Don't ask me." Gabumon had a look of confusion on his face. Hazukashiimon noticed this, and asked about it. "I just got this feeling. Don't know what it was... like a power surge," Gabumon answered. Shouri was amazed. "Really?" he asked. "Where?"
"Right back over here. C'mon, I'll show you." He led them to the place where he had felt this mysterious new power. "Right here," Gabumon said. Hazukashiimon felt it too. "It's weird," he said. "I feel, strengthened by it." Shouri and Matt were both confused. "Man, Izzy could tell us what it is," Matt said without thinking. They both looked at each other, then to the ground. "I wish he were here... Poor Tai, he must be really torn up about this." Matt nodded. They were silent for a few minutes. Then their minds wandered back to the present problem. "What exactly does it feel like, guys?" Matt asked. The digimon thought about this for a few more minutes. Gabumon was first to speak. "Like... like the energy I get when I'm about to digivolve, with the crest!!!!" Matt was shocked at this news. "But, our crests... Jakimon has them!"
"I know, but that's what it feels like." Shouri's eyes widened. That means it has to be one of ours! Rick and I still don't have ours! Where is it guys?" He was really excited. His eyes were as big as quarters, and his heart, oh, his poor heart, was beating 90 miles a minute. Hazukashiimon was beginning to freak out, his partner was acting so strangely. Matt was even beginning to think that maybe Shouri had had too many glasses of Kool-Aid before he came to the digiworld. But Shouri didn't notice. He was too busy thinking about what would happen when he found the crest. You never know, maybe it was his. Maybe he'd be the one to defeat Jakimon. Maybe... "Shouri, are you ok?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking about something. These crests help the digimon to digivolve to their next levels, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then won't it help us to defeat Jakimon?"
"Yeah."
"You're not too enthusiastic, are you?"
"I'm just worried about TK."
"Oh... I don't have any brothers or sisters. I'm an only child. Akira's my best friend. She's as close to a sister that I've got."
"Lucky duck. No one to bug you all the time."
"No, you're the lucky one. It's really lonely. I wish I had someone, anyone, to love. Akira's my best friend, I don't want to think about what will happen if I loose her..."
"I don't know what I'd do without TK, either."
"Then let's find that crest! For Akira and TK."
"Yeah, let's go!" Hazukashiimon walked close to Gabumon, a little ways back from the two boys. "They're getting along so much better now."
"Yeah. It's good to know that when we really need help, they'll be there. They wouldn't let us down." Hazukashiimon nodded.
~*~
"Oh Fernamon, I hope everyone's ok. It's lonely, not having someone, um, human, to talk to," Akira told her small green digimon. She, Fernamon, and Ashmon had been wandering around, probably in circles. "It's ok, Akiwa. Wea here!!" Akira smiled. She really needs to learn to speak properly, Akira thought to herself. Ashmon is still worried about Rick. Look at the poor little guy. Even his flame seems sad. It was true. The flame on his back was dimmer than usual, and wasn't as tall. "Ashmon, we'll find him, don't worry." Ashmon looked at her with a look that said 'Thanks, but that doesn't work on me.' Akira's eyes widened. "Or he'll find us! Look!" She pointed ahead of her, where a large robot digimon, Agumon, Tai, and Rick walked out of the bushes. Ashmon could have blown up with excitement. "Rick! Rick! You're ok! Rick! C'mere!" He flung himself at his partner, nearly knocking him over. "Ashmon?! You're ok!" The two happy figures stood there, laughing joyfully, for quite a while. Tai, Agumon, and the robot digimon walked over to Akira, smiling. "Rick was worried sick. I'm glad we found you. Andromon here pulled us out of the hole. He's an old friend of ours."
"Oh, hello Andromon. I'm Akira, and this is Fernamon."
"Pleased to meet you, Akira."
"Same here." She turned back to Tai. "I was beginning to really worry. Ashmon was so depressed, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't comfort him, and he seemed to be dying out, little by little. Even his flame was going out." Agumon looked a little offended that these humans knew nothing about digimon like himself. "Of course he was depressed, wouldn't you be if you lost your best friend?"
"Speaking of best friends, have you seen Shouri? Or Yuuki? I'm getting scared, Tai. What if we don't find them?"
"We will." It was the only thing he could say. He didn't want to think about what he'd do if he couldn't find Kari, or any of the others, either. "And as long as their digimon are with them, I don't think there should be anything to worry about." Akira frowned. "But that's just it, Tai. They can't digivolve higher than Rookie. What if-" Rick interrupted her, slightly annoyed that she was worrying so much. "Calm down, ok? Sheesh, 'what if' this, 'what if' that. It's driving me insane!" Akira and Tai were both shocked by this. "Rick, how can you say that?" Akira was on the brink of tears. Tai was more mad than shocked, now. "What are you saying?"
"That you guys worry too much."
"Rick, I have a sister out there, alone, scared, probably doesn't have a clue as to what she going to do or what's going to happen to her, and you're complaining that I worry too much?!" Akira was crying now, tears streaming down her face.
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"Oh, and you weren't worried today? As soon as we got out of that hole, the first thing you did was ask Andromon if he had seen Ashmon." Tai was beginning to really hate this guy's attitude.
"That's not the same."
"How isn't it?"
"Well, for one thing, I didn't go on and on about it!"
"Oh really? For hours, all I could here was 'Tai, do you think he's alright?' 'Tai, what if we don't find him?' 'I wonder where Ashmon is right now. I hope he's ok.'" Rick fixed Tai with an angry stare. He couldn't think of anything to insult Tai with, so he turned on Akira, still staring at Tai. "At least I don't stand around, crying because someone told her to shut up!"
Akira couldn't take it any longer. "I don't understand you! I really don't! You were so nice, until we got to this stupid digital world, then you went crazy, and now you're insulting me! Me, of all people! You're 'only friend!' Isn't that what you told me? I can't believe you! After all that's happened, you'd think you could be a LITTLE more understanding!!!!!!!" She didn't understand this, not one bit. Why was he acting like this? Tai also had had enough. "You're such a jerk, Rick! I'm with Akira on this one. Can't you control yourself a little bit more than that?" Rick was somewhat stunned. "Control myself? She's the one who should control herself!!! She's crying like a baby! Look at her!" Akira's eyes filled with rage. "Why you littleā¦!" And with that, she slapped him.
The Digidestined had been traveling for hours, with the exception of Tai, Rick, and Agumon. The group had been split up, and without Izzy, no one knew what to do. Rick and Tai, along Agumon, were stuck in some hole, with no way of escaping. "What the heck are we going to do?" Rick asked. He and Tai were sitting on the floor of the pit, and Agumon was staring at the sky, probably thinking of some way out. "I don't know. Hey, what was that?" Tai stood up. "Hey, anybody out there?" A familiar voice answered back. "Tai, is that you?" Andromon called back. "Boy, are we glad to see you! Erm, I mean, hear you!" Tai laughed at his own joke. "It's not funny, Tai... Where are you? My infrared scanners aren't picking up anything."
"That's because we're done here in the hole." Rick was confused. "You know this digimon?"
"Yeah, long story..."
"It figures..." Andromon peered over the side. "There you are!" Then he noticed Rick. "Hello. Who might you be?"
"I'm Rick, a new Digidestined. And speaking of Digidestined, have you seen Ashmon?"
"No, I have not. I'm sorry." Rick looked disappointed. "I hope he's ok..."
~*~
"Master, do you think they'll be able to find each other? What if-"
"Fool! Don't you think that I could kill them now?! But that would be all too easy... " Jakimon looked out the window. "This is much more fun...!" He laughed menacingly. "No, not yet... Let them... What's this? Ah, they have a new friend, now, do they? This will be even more exciting." He laughed again.
~*~
Shouri sighed. They had been walking for what seemed like days. Of, course, no one knew for sure. The sun was completely out of view, and everyone's watches and other electronic devices had short-circuited. "Matt, how long have we been out here?"
"Don't ask me." Gabumon had a look of confusion on his face. Hazukashiimon noticed this, and asked about it. "I just got this feeling. Don't know what it was... like a power surge," Gabumon answered. Shouri was amazed. "Really?" he asked. "Where?"
"Right back over here. C'mon, I'll show you." He led them to the place where he had felt this mysterious new power. "Right here," Gabumon said. Hazukashiimon felt it too. "It's weird," he said. "I feel, strengthened by it." Shouri and Matt were both confused. "Man, Izzy could tell us what it is," Matt said without thinking. They both looked at each other, then to the ground. "I wish he were here... Poor Tai, he must be really torn up about this." Matt nodded. They were silent for a few minutes. Then their minds wandered back to the present problem. "What exactly does it feel like, guys?" Matt asked. The digimon thought about this for a few more minutes. Gabumon was first to speak. "Like... like the energy I get when I'm about to digivolve, with the crest!!!!" Matt was shocked at this news. "But, our crests... Jakimon has them!"
"I know, but that's what it feels like." Shouri's eyes widened. That means it has to be one of ours! Rick and I still don't have ours! Where is it guys?" He was really excited. His eyes were as big as quarters, and his heart, oh, his poor heart, was beating 90 miles a minute. Hazukashiimon was beginning to freak out, his partner was acting so strangely. Matt was even beginning to think that maybe Shouri had had too many glasses of Kool-Aid before he came to the digiworld. But Shouri didn't notice. He was too busy thinking about what would happen when he found the crest. You never know, maybe it was his. Maybe he'd be the one to defeat Jakimon. Maybe... "Shouri, are you ok?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking about something. These crests help the digimon to digivolve to their next levels, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then won't it help us to defeat Jakimon?"
"Yeah."
"You're not too enthusiastic, are you?"
"I'm just worried about TK."
"Oh... I don't have any brothers or sisters. I'm an only child. Akira's my best friend. She's as close to a sister that I've got."
"Lucky duck. No one to bug you all the time."
"No, you're the lucky one. It's really lonely. I wish I had someone, anyone, to love. Akira's my best friend, I don't want to think about what will happen if I loose her..."
"I don't know what I'd do without TK, either."
"Then let's find that crest! For Akira and TK."
"Yeah, let's go!" Hazukashiimon walked close to Gabumon, a little ways back from the two boys. "They're getting along so much better now."
"Yeah. It's good to know that when we really need help, they'll be there. They wouldn't let us down." Hazukashiimon nodded.
~*~
"Oh Fernamon, I hope everyone's ok. It's lonely, not having someone, um, human, to talk to," Akira told her small green digimon. She, Fernamon, and Ashmon had been wandering around, probably in circles. "It's ok, Akiwa. Wea here!!" Akira smiled. She really needs to learn to speak properly, Akira thought to herself. Ashmon is still worried about Rick. Look at the poor little guy. Even his flame seems sad. It was true. The flame on his back was dimmer than usual, and wasn't as tall. "Ashmon, we'll find him, don't worry." Ashmon looked at her with a look that said 'Thanks, but that doesn't work on me.' Akira's eyes widened. "Or he'll find us! Look!" She pointed ahead of her, where a large robot digimon, Agumon, Tai, and Rick walked out of the bushes. Ashmon could have blown up with excitement. "Rick! Rick! You're ok! Rick! C'mere!" He flung himself at his partner, nearly knocking him over. "Ashmon?! You're ok!" The two happy figures stood there, laughing joyfully, for quite a while. Tai, Agumon, and the robot digimon walked over to Akira, smiling. "Rick was worried sick. I'm glad we found you. Andromon here pulled us out of the hole. He's an old friend of ours."
"Oh, hello Andromon. I'm Akira, and this is Fernamon."
"Pleased to meet you, Akira."
"Same here." She turned back to Tai. "I was beginning to really worry. Ashmon was so depressed, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't comfort him, and he seemed to be dying out, little by little. Even his flame was going out." Agumon looked a little offended that these humans knew nothing about digimon like himself. "Of course he was depressed, wouldn't you be if you lost your best friend?"
"Speaking of best friends, have you seen Shouri? Or Yuuki? I'm getting scared, Tai. What if we don't find them?"
"We will." It was the only thing he could say. He didn't want to think about what he'd do if he couldn't find Kari, or any of the others, either. "And as long as their digimon are with them, I don't think there should be anything to worry about." Akira frowned. "But that's just it, Tai. They can't digivolve higher than Rookie. What if-" Rick interrupted her, slightly annoyed that she was worrying so much. "Calm down, ok? Sheesh, 'what if' this, 'what if' that. It's driving me insane!" Akira and Tai were both shocked by this. "Rick, how can you say that?" Akira was on the brink of tears. Tai was more mad than shocked, now. "What are you saying?"
"That you guys worry too much."
"Rick, I have a sister out there, alone, scared, probably doesn't have a clue as to what she going to do or what's going to happen to her, and you're complaining that I worry too much?!" Akira was crying now, tears streaming down her face.
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"Oh, and you weren't worried today? As soon as we got out of that hole, the first thing you did was ask Andromon if he had seen Ashmon." Tai was beginning to really hate this guy's attitude.
"That's not the same."
"How isn't it?"
"Well, for one thing, I didn't go on and on about it!"
"Oh really? For hours, all I could here was 'Tai, do you think he's alright?' 'Tai, what if we don't find him?' 'I wonder where Ashmon is right now. I hope he's ok.'" Rick fixed Tai with an angry stare. He couldn't think of anything to insult Tai with, so he turned on Akira, still staring at Tai. "At least I don't stand around, crying because someone told her to shut up!"
Akira couldn't take it any longer. "I don't understand you! I really don't! You were so nice, until we got to this stupid digital world, then you went crazy, and now you're insulting me! Me, of all people! You're 'only friend!' Isn't that what you told me? I can't believe you! After all that's happened, you'd think you could be a LITTLE more understanding!!!!!!!" She didn't understand this, not one bit. Why was he acting like this? Tai also had had enough. "You're such a jerk, Rick! I'm with Akira on this one. Can't you control yourself a little bit more than that?" Rick was somewhat stunned. "Control myself? She's the one who should control herself!!! She's crying like a baby! Look at her!" Akira's eyes filled with rage. "Why you littleā¦!" And with that, she slapped him.
