Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters, or anything relating to it. It is owned by Saban, Toei, FoxKids, and/or Bandai and other people or corporations. I do not claim to own Digimon: Digital Monsters or the characters thereof. I do, however, own the ideas included in this story. You know the drill.

Morning broke in the meadow, clear, calm, and unheralded. The Digidestined slept on, still tired from a night of scant slumber, unconcerned by the sun's gentle early rays.

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Dawn creeped later into the shadowy depths of the forest. Dracomon, too, had had a restless night, silently cursing at his sharp eyes still failed to pierce the gloom of a midnight. As morning came, he was there, waiting, waiting for the first beam of light to glint on his shadowy pool, signaling the new-come day. Already, birds chirped uncertainly in the trees, but he paid them no mind. He knew what he was after.

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Matt woke up, yawning. He stretched and instantly became aware of a million tiny pricks, and several aching places that clearly indicated rocks. Sitting up, he took his customary look around and the kids lying by their Digimon -- there was TK, holding onto Patamon with Gabumon behind; Sora and Mimi, curled up back-to-back; Tai, holding onto Kari tightly; Izzy, who seemed to have made himself a sort of nest; Joe, who, by his crumpled posture, had fallen asleep while trying to keep watch; Biyomon, staring frowningly at the dark green shape wheeling in the sky above them...

Waitaminute...

"Tai! Sora! Joe! Everyone, get up!"

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Revenge was not a mindset that Dracomon normally indulged in. Or, for that matter, had reason to desire. But, then, he just as normally didn't even consider pausing to think about the prospect of another creature that could harm him as much as a scratch -- not to mention get away with it at the end.

But revenge on that creature could wait for later.

For now, his goal was the ones that had caused this ruckus in the first place...

Even with that, though, there was no true hurry, despite his eagerness...

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TK whimpered. "He's getting closer..."

"Don't worry, TK, we can handle him!" reassured Matt.

"Yeah! Lil' ol' Boogie Man'll never stop us!"

Agumon, digivolve to...

"We can do it!"

Gabumon, digivolve to...

The green dragon wheeled closer.

Biyomon, digivolve to...

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"Come, now," the monstrous creature reprimanded, "there's no need for a fight quite yet -- or, indeed, at all."

Tai responded belligerently. "Uh-huh. You just dropped by to wish us a good day, and a pleasant morrow, is that it?"

The great Digimon laughed dryly. "No, indeed. I wouldn't, however, mind a little chat, over that figural cup of tea, if you'd please."

"And if we wouldn't?"

Dracomon gave them a considering glance. "By the looks of you, I'd dare say you'd insist upon a fight." He sighed, an action that blew their hair back, and sent the grass rippling like a wave, throwing flower petals to the air.

"There's no harm in talking, Tai," interjected Izzy.

"Yeah, we might as well," agreed Sora.

"Okay, fine. We'll do it your way." Tai continued without lessening the irritation in his voice. "What do you want? Unless you just came here to talk about the weather."

A silent moment started, then continued growing. Finally, Dracomon's hushed voice whispered three words...

"Who are you?"