Red, Gray, or Green?
By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung
Disclaimer: All Digimon and their characters (except for those introduced in this fic/series) do NOT belong to me. I do not have permission to use their characters, but it's a FanFic, so, who cares? =) This story line belongs to me and me alone. Please ask for permission if you wish to use it. Thanks. Now let's get onto reading!
Tao lay flat on his bed, stomach down. He stared at the Crest of Hope bestowed to him during his last visit to the Digital World. Harriermon perched on his left shoulder.
"Do I really deserve this Crest?" Tao thought, placing his Digivice on the night table and laying his head down, Harriermon leaping off his shoulder. "I am full of despair…"
"Never give up…" Tao thought, snorting. "I used to believe that everyday…now…I'm not so sure…" Tao turned rolled over onto his side, staring Harriermon eye-to-eye.
"Does he trust me?" Tao thought. "No one can trust me…I'm so unreliable…so irresponsible…I almost lost my friends…I let my friends down…I don't deserve the Crest of Hope…maybe Marc would be better with it…"
"Tao…" Harriermon spoke softly, breaking his partner's train of thought. "Whatever you're thinking…it can't be good. It's written all over you." Again, Tao entered one of his silent states.
"Listen, friend, Tao," the Digimon continued. "It's as Drowsmon said, the Digivice chose you for a reason. The Crest of Hope chose you for most likely the same reason."
"You have it in you to become better, you just don't see it yet." Tao sighed, half believing the words told to him. "You'll find the path…don't worry, you will…" Harriermon told his partner. Silence soon followed, neither Human nor Digimon speaking their word.
* * * * * *
Shastina sighed, leaning against the balcony railing. Tigramon lay on the couch inside, sleeping peacefully. Shastina held a small picture of her and Tao hugging back in the Digital World that Kari decided to take because 'it was cute'. Shastina smiled slightly, glancing back. She has been spending a lot of time at the Kamiya residence, only because she didn't really have much else to go when she didn't have to attend anything with the program she was in.
"Enjoying?" a voice asked behind her. Shastina turned around, seeing Tai leaning against the doorframe. Shastina smiled lightly, folding up the picture and slipping a note into the hold paper. The picture itself was printed full size on a colour printer that somehow wasn't pixilated on print.
"Shouldn't you be studying for a test for tomorrow?" Shastina asked.
"I should…" Tai muttered, looking away. "But I'm not like Joe…so…"
"It's always good to stay on top," Shastina cut in, turning back around and sighing.
"Something wrong?" Tai asked, stepping towards the younger one.
"What makes you think that?" Shastina asked Tai, not turning to face him.
"Oh, just the fact you've been standing out here for the last two hours or so…" Tai answered, leaning on the railing beside Shastina. "The sun is set, it is night time…and you're still out here. Something has to be on your mind." Shastina remained silent, unable to answer Tai's insight. "It's Hope, isn't it?"
"Hope…?" Shastina asked, turning her head towards Tai.
"The one Hope choose…" Tai elaborated. "You're worried about him. It's like how it is between Kari and T.K." Tai quickly turned to face Shastina. "Of course don't tell her I said that!" he told her sharply. Shastina grinned lightly, nodding.
"But…Tao seems to be in despair…" Shastina remarked, lowering her head sadly. "He's always told me 'there is always hope', throughout the whole year we've known each other…all he continued to say is that. I believe him…but…I am not sure if he believes himself…" Before Tai could respond, Shastina's Digivice began to blast with energy.
"We really have to learn how to open Digi-Portals ourselves…" Shastina commented. One of Tigramon's opened slightly, before she jolted up. With her grace, she ran to her partner and leaped onto Shastina's shoulder, ready for another trip to the Digital World.
"Can't leave without me!" she exclaimed energetically.
* * * * * *
Mimi stretched out her arms, yawning at the same time. K.H. glanced up from his textbook, before returning to it.
"Is that all you can do?" Mimi asked, boredom clearly audible in her tone.
"You know, he's a lot like Joe," Palmon commented, turning to face Mimi. Mimi looked back, smiling lightly.
"Who's Joe?" Kinoumon asked. The four sat around a table in the school library. Mimi decided to join K.H. since she didn't really have else to do, though she was now beginning to regret that decision.
"Just a study freak," Mimi commented casually, leaning against the table. K.H. initially ignored the remark, turning the page on his book.
"That's not a nice thing to say," K.H. remarked with undetermined emotion in his voice. Mimi was about to counter that remark, before K.H.'s Digivice began to go off. K.H. glanced at his Digivice, then set his book into his backpack.
"Well, it was going to happen sooner or later," he explained, standing up and shouldering his backpack. In an instant, the four disappeared. The librarian was to absorbed in her work to even notice the slight disturbance from the only occupants in the library.
* * * * * *
Marc closed his locker shut, ready to get home after a long day at school. He glanced at the locker beside his which remained untouched for the duration of the day. Tao failed to appear at school for the day, and Marc was worried. Shastina e-mailed him about their last encounter, and specifically told the boy to keep an eye out for Tao.
"Well, a little hard to do my job when he's not even here…" Marc grumbled, about to turn away.
"Mr. Durron?"
Marc turned around, seeing a teacher standing before him. He was about Marc's height: 5'10". He wore a red sweater and blue jeans. The man had neatly cut hair and a pair of glasses.
"Mr. Hiroki…?" Marc asked, wondering why this Japanese teacher decided to approach him in the first place. "And what may the pleasure be of this visit?" Mr. Hiroki coughed slightly, trying to pull together his words.
"Before I start, please do not call me by that," he told Marc. "We are out of the classroom, so there is no need to be formal."
"Alright, if you so insist…" Marc replied, cutting off. "And…how may I address you…?"
"My original name was Tsurugi, but I adopted Damon as my first name," he answered. "But before I deviate from the original topic…" he trailed off, revealing a small item from his pocket. "Look familiar?" Marc gasped, wondering the coincidence of something like that happening.
"A Digivice?" Marc spoke in awe. "You…were one of those that traveled with Yasmine?" Now it was Tsurugi's turn to be surprised.
"You know Yasmine?!" he exclaimed, though softly so no one else could hear.
"Yeah…a Digi-Destined in U.K. knows her personally," Marc responded. "Hey, wait…how did you know I was a Digi-Destined?"
"The recent Digimon attack we had," he told Marc. "Took a while to track you down however."
"Oh…I guess I should've known that's how you would've found me…" Marc commented, scratching the back of his head. There was a short kick from his backpack.
"Oh, and please get your Digimon out of your bag…" Damon told the student. "You'll suffocate him if he stays in there…" Marc glanced nervously left and right, before opening the zipper on his backpack, though making sure that Xemon couldn't get out still.
"He'll have enough air now," Marc told the teacher at the school.
"Yeah, easy for you to say!" Xemon shouted out, though muffled by the bag. Again, the dragon like Digimon kicked the bag, ready to tear a hole through it if needed.
"Um…you really need a better way to move with your Digimon…" Damon commented, getting a dirty look from Marc. "I take that back…" Marc grinned, tightening the strap to his backpack and heading down towards an empty hallway. Tsurugi 'Damon' Hiroki followed him.
"Which Crest did you have?" Marc asked, the two walking side by side.
"I had Reliability," Damon spoke, with a sense of pride in his voice. He pushed his glasses back up. "Yasmine had Sincerity, but it's also been a while since I've seen her…"
"Maybe you'll meet her in the Digital World," Marc offered, before his own Digivice began to blare. "Maybe she'll even come now…" Marc concluded. Damon started at him with a dumbfound expression, as the Digivice began to open a Digital Portal.
* * * * * *
"Where…are we?" Mimi asked, blinking in confusion. K.H. looked around, analyzing the surroundings.
"By the looks of it, we are in some sort of building…" he answered, noting the long corridors with multiple doors on each wall. "An office complex of some sort…" he continued turning around. The wall behind him was lined with windows. With much curiosity, he approached the window and looked out. "A sky scraper to be exact…" he concluded, noting the dark clouds that hung above and below, blocking the sun and ground from view. Mimi and their Digimon joined him, also examining the view.
"Um…and how high are we?" Mimi inquired, pressing her hand against the window. K.H. looked down, then back up.
"I'd say about fifty floors above ground…" he told her, continuing to think. "With about anther fifty floors to go."
"You're kidding, right?" Kinoumon asked, just trying to figure out how K.H. could have figured that out.
"I think he guessed it…" Palmon whispered to the Dragon-like Digimon.
"I prefer the term 'educated hypothesis'," he told Palmon, obviously hearing the prior remark.
"And what are we suppose to do?" Mimi asked next, turning around and pressing her back to the glass.
"Explore?" Palmon suggested.
"Well…since we will not accomplish anything by standing here, I agree completely with Palmon," Kinoumon spoke. There was a unanimous agreement between the four. After a short chat, they all decided to take the right path from the three before them.
* * * * * *
"I take it this happens a lot…" Tai told Shastina, quickly looking around.
"I would prefer if there was a better warning when portals decide to open," Shastina remarked bitterly, trying to get her bearings. Tigramon leaped of her shoulder, quickly running down some of the corridors and back.
"Doors, doors, and whole line of windows!" she reported. "Seems like a tower, but I didn't get a good view of the outside."
"Tower?" Tai asked, continuing to look. The walls were white with fluorescent lights hanging on the ceiling. The ceiling was gray, and the floor was carpeted.
"This reminds me of an office building…" Shastina mumbled, taking slight offense to the surroundings. "Never liked these places…"
"They can't all go your way," Tigramon told her partner, leaping back onto her shoulder. "But for now, we shoulder look around. We are not going to get anything done by complaining about the environment." Shastina shot her Digimon an angry look, causing Tai to chuckle, before he decided to pick a direction. Shastina quickly followed behind him.
* * * * * *
"I'll never get used to that trip," Marc complained. He unzipped his bag, Xemon leaping out.
"Get a bigger bag, PLEASE!" Xemon pleaded, inhaling air rapidly. Both Humans chuckled at the Digimon's exaggerated actions. Once the laughing subsided, the three checked out the surrounding area.
"Nice office complex…" Marc commented, picking up Xemon carefully.
"I feel like…this place feels familiar…" Damon remarked, trying to figure out where he's seen this area before. "It'll come back in due time…come on, let's explore…" he suggested, walking down a hallway before Marc could respond.
"You shouldn't let him wander like that," Xemon told his partner. "There may be booby traps around." Marc shook his head at the Digimon's worry, finding it slightly amusing, before running to catch up with the first generation Digi-Destined.
* * * * * *
Shastina pushed the button for the elevator. There was only one button dictating that this elevator only went up.
"Up, up, and up some more we go," Tigramon sang, passing time while waiting for the elevator. The other two Humans remained silent.
There was a soft ding, followed by a short hum as the door opened, revealing the cylindrical interior. The three stepped in.
"Which floor?" Shastina asked, looking up and down the panel. The numbers ranged from 50 to 70. Tai shrugged.
"Pick a random number," he suggested. This time, Shastina shrugged, pushing the sixtieth floor button. The middle number suited her just fine. Tai didn't respond, only watched the doors close and the elevator move up. There was a short buzz of the motors turning before a ding telling the passengers of their arrival. The doors opened with the same hum. The trio stepped out, only to be greeted by anther corridor that resembled what they just entered ten floors down.
"This is really going to be a long day…" Shastina muttered.
* * * * * *
The elevator door slid open, admitting to the four passengers a large open room. The ground was paved with grass, the ceiling stretching high. In the center of the room was a large body of water, not exactly a pond, but also not exactly a lake. Boulders encircled the boundaries of the body of water, with small trees stretching from the ground here and there.
"What is this place?" Palmon asked, stepping onto the grass. "The land is artificial…I can feel it…"
"Possibly a mini-environment…" K.H. spoke. "Sort of a retreat. I think some people find coming to a location like this imitates actually being outdoors."
"I don't see how that works though…" Mimi commented, looking at the walls. They were painted like the sky, with horizons and all. "Wouldn't it be easy to see pass it?"
"Maybe…" K.H. responded, stepping closer to the 'lake'. "I guess it really does depend on the person." Palmon headed towards the 'lake' as well, sitting down on a boulder and dipping her roots into the water.
"The water is good, I must admit," she told the others cheerfully. The plant Digimon kicked her legs, splashing some water about while she was drinking it through her roots.
* * * * * *
"So…how long have you been a Digi-Destined?" Damon asked Marc as the two rode up an elevator. "A couple of months?"
"Just a few weeks," Marc answered, looking up at the elevator floor number. There was a light ding when they arrived. The doors slid open, revealing the same room K.H. and Mimi were in. However, those two and their Digimon had yet to see the new arrivals.
"This place…really does look familiar…" Damon commented, trying to figuring out why. Marc wasn't listening, trying to get the attention of the others while heading over to them. "Wait…if I remember…" Panic and fear struck Damon, recalling the danger of this location.
"Get away from the pool!!" Damon shouted out, scaring Marc and getting curious looks from the other four.
"What? What are you trying to sa-" Palmon was interrupted, a sharp pull on her root forcing her into the water and down below.
"Palmon?!" Mimi cried out, running to the edge of the 'lake' and kneeling down on all fours, trying to find her Digimon companion in the depths below. Marc, with Xemon perched on his shoulder, and Damon rushed towards the others. "Where is she?!" Mimi cried out, unable to locate her friend.
"What happened?!" another voice yelled out. All of them turned around, seeing Tai and Shastina rushing towards them.
"Oh, Tai!" Mimi exclaimed, trying to hold back her tears. "Something…sucked Palmon into the water!" Tai quickly positioned himself near the side of the body of water, also trying to look for Palmon.
"It was a Giasidmon," Damon muttered under his breath, though everyone heard. "A white squid that is about the same size as a Champion level Digimon, though it's an Ultimate level Digimon." All of them turned their head to face Damon. "He likes to take unsuspecting pray from the edge of this pool."
"So…you've had experience with this thing?" Marc asked. Damon nodded.
"I remember now…this was one of the locations we explored while we were on our own journey," he murmured.
"I'd really like to ask for an introduction, but we seem to have more pressing matters to attend to," K.H. quickly butted in. "Come on…where are you…you damn squid…"
As if insulted by those last words, Giasidmon revealed himself, surfacing like a speeding torpedo. Everyone fell backwards, trying to protect themselves from the dropping pelts of liquid. The squid held Palmon in one of his tentacles, lifting the unconscious Digimon above for all to see.
"Well, I think you got his attention," Shastina spoke sarcastically, quickly getting to her feet. Tigramon shook the drops of water off her body, before reeling back, ready to attack. "Alright Tigramon, let's get to work."
"Hey, don't forget about us!" Xemon shouted, referring to both himself and Kinoumon. Both leaped forward, standing beside Tigramon. "Come on Marc, we got a battle to win!"
"You can count on me!" Marc exclaimed, leaping to his feet and getting his Digivice. "Digivolving time!"
"Xemon…" "Tigramon…" "Kinoumon…"
"Digivolve to…"
"Vormon!" "Toramon!" "Legionarimon!"
Giasidmon 'blinked' a few times, trying to figure out if these three Digimon were a joke or not.
"BEAM OF Convergence!" "Shuurai!" "SONIC Mandibles!"
The three attacks speed towards the beast in the water, who only continued to mock the other three. Each attack embedded against the squid, but was then repelled and smashed against the ceiling or wall. Each Digimon retreated a step, unsure how else to attack the squid.
"DENKOU CLAW!"
Toramon decided to wait no longer, and leaped forward, hoping to damage the Ultimate level Digimon with brute force.
In response, Giasidmon tossed Palmon at Toramon with such force the fell back onto the ground, leaving a visible impression on it as they bounced back. Both partners cried out for their Digimon. The impact of the blow forced Toramon back into her Rookie form. Mimi cradled Palmon in her arms as did Shastina to Tigramon. Marc and K.H. exchanged worried looks.
* * * * * *
Joe held the book close to his eyes, studying for his next exam. His Digivice sat on the table, waiting idly to be activated. Joe didn't seem to notice the fact the a gray beam of energy flew out of his Digivice and out the window in his own dormitory.
* * * * * *
Cody swung his wooden staff high, attempting to strike his Grandfather and sensei. He easily parried the blow, and counter attacked. The two continued the exchange of blows, neither gaining an edge on the other.
In Cody's bag, his Digivice began to react, a dull gray colour surrounding it. It wasn't long before that energy as well streaked out of the Digivice and out the window.
* * * * * *
"One down…" K.H. whispered to his partner.
"We'll pull through," Marc responded. "Trust me, we will."
"Yeah, well then I recommend we take it up another level," K.H. suggested, raising his Digivice. Marc nodded, loading his own Crest up. Before either could induce another Digivolve, Giasidmon attacked, lashing out with his tentacles. Vormon was able to defend himself, using his claws and tail to fend of the ensuing mass, but Legionarimon wasn't so fortunate. The first few attacks may have failed to penetrate his natural armour, but the remaining ones hit home, knocking the air of him. With one final blow, he was knocked back, reverting back to his Rookie form.
"Um…that's not cool…" Vormon spoke, stepping back so he can protect Marc from harm.
"Guess it's just you and me now," Marc told his Digimon. "Up to the task?"
"Well…there's no one else to rely on at the moment, now is there?" Vormon respond. "Up the stakes my friend."
"Alright…" Marc replied, lifting his Digivice towards Vormon. However, before the Digital Evolution could be activated, two gray beams of energy sailed past Giasidmon, whirled around his body, then spiraled up Vormon from toe to head. In the end, the final destination was Marc's Digivice.
"I'm guessing that's the Crest of Reliability, guessing from the colour and all," Damon spoke. Marc wasn't sure how else to approach the situation, but having the ability for another Ultimate appealed to him.
"Reliability it is then!" Marc exclaimed, pointing his Digivice towards Vormon.
"Vormon…Digivolve to…"
The bipedal dragon Digimon fell to all fours, blinding light engulfing him. His body slowly got bigger, his wings merging with the new body. His head stretched forward, forming a long neck attacked to the body. The light subsided, revealing the new Dragon Digimon with light blue scales. He cried out in triumph.
"Metamorphazimon!"
The new blue dragon looked up at the squid, who was bigger, but definitely not all that more powerful. Metamorphazimon leaped into the water, readying to take the battle on new terrain.
"LIQUID STRIKE!"
The ball of liquid erupted from his mouth, smashing against the Digimon. The attack wasn't repelled as Giasidmon recoiled backwards. He was angered, lashing out with his tentacles again. The first attack hit home, however, the Dragon Digimon fell apart into a heap of water. Giasidmon started at the location the dragon was just at, trying to figure out where the other Digimon was.
"TIDAL WALL!"
A convergence of water zoomed in front of Giasidmon. A large wall of water that slowly ensnared the squid and dragged him under. There was a loud but muffled cry from under the water, a white tentacle above the surface, flailing about, before it slowly sank back into the water. Marc slowly approached the side of the lake, wondering if it was safe.
Xemon leaped out of the water and right into Marc's arms, soaking the teenager.
"No more squid!" he exclaimed happily. Marc smiled, pulling the Digimon closer and ignoring the bitter cold water on him.
* * * * * *
Marc sat down, kneel pulled to his chest, watching the 'lake' where they were just attacked. The others were chatting. Xemon was drying himself off, shaking water onto everyone.
"Hey…Marc…" Shastina asked, approaching him. He looked back at the female. "Please do me a favour…" she asked. Marc wasn't sure what she wanted, but nodded in agreement.
"Give this to Tao," she told Marc, handing him a folded piece of paper. Marc took the paper, examined it for a moment, then placed it into his pocket.
"Consider it done," Marc told her. She smiled lightly.
"The Crest of Reliability choose you for a reason," she replied, leaving the boy alone in thought.
"I guess it did…" he whispered, lying down on the artificial grass. "I guess it did…"
Fin
Completed: 12/27/00
Additional Notes:
Don't ask where the name of Vormon's Reliability Ultimate came from, Marc made it up out of the blue. Ask him. =)
