LIVE BY THE SWORD
A Ghost Story™
Author's Note: This is a story about a lonely Digimon who set out to find a place where she belonged and to discover her destiny. It will by in two parts, "Apprentice" which his this one and "Warrior" which will be added to this fic later (they are not separate stories). I really can't say much more, save that I hope you like it.
PART I: APPRENTICE
Chapter I: The Quest
Morning had just broken in the Digital World. A cool breeze carried some cherry petals across the blue sky. A lonely Digimon was sitting on a log next to a pond, not far from Primary Village, as still and silent as a statue. She was small, only an In-Training Digimon. Her body was that of a bipedal cat with yellow fur. She wore a red bandana tied around her head, the two ends hanging down long enough to reach her waist. A leather sheath on her back held a small bamboo sword. She watched as the pink cherry petals fall into the pond and drifted like tiny boats over the crystal clear surface.
"Tantomon? Tantomon?" a voice called. The Digimon turned her head. Two Tanemon came wobbling her direction. One of them was jumping up and down as they came closer. "Tantomon, Botamon finally Digivolved into Koromon!"
"Yeah, and he's behaving like he's the king of the world," the other one said.
"Elecmon sent us to get you, we're having a little party and he wants you to come," the other Tanemon said. "You're coming right?"
Tantomon smiled. "Yeah, I'm coming."
"Yay!" They both said. "Come one!"
They ran back to Primary Village, anxious to get to the party. Tantomon followed them in a slower pace.
The party was like parties in Primary Village always were. Elecmon was great in fixing up good stuff for the occasion. Of course, Tantomon had seen it all before. She was the oldest Digimon in the village except for Elecmon. All the others had left to form their own homes. She was the only one left. She wasn't paying much attention to the festivities, just sitting by herself trying not to be all down. The truth was that she was feeling a little more then usually depressed. That had happened allot lately.
"Wanna talk about it?" Elecmon asked. The protector of Primary Village came over and sat down next to her.
"I... I'm just having that feeling again," Tantomon replied.
"Ah," Elecmon nodded. "The feeling that something is missing in your life, is that it?"
"Yeah," Tantomon said. "I've had it since I Digivolved from Tsubumon that day so long ago. But it has been getting stronger lately, and I'm not sure I can take it."
"Look, kid," Elecmon said in his own kind yet stern way. "You've been here a long time, much longer then most Digimon I've had. I've also been here a long, long time. But in all that time, I have never seen a Digimon like you."
"Yeah, I know," Tantomon sighed. "I'm… alone."
"Oh, don't give me that!" Elecmon said. "This here can't be the only place were Digimon are born. There has to be some other Tantomons somewhere." He drew a deep breath. "Look, what I'm trying to say is, maybe it's time you left this town."
"Leave," Tantomon repeated, as if she tasted the word.
"Not that I want to get you out of here," Elecmon hurried to say. "I'll miss you terribly, and so will the other kids, but..." he sighed. "I'm not good at this."
"Oh, you're the best," Tantomon said and reassuringly patted the red Digimon's shoulder.
"Thanks," he said. "What I'm trying to say is that you are looking for something, and you won't find it here. And if you don't go looking for it somewhere else, you'll be feeling bad about yourself for the rest of your life."
Tantomon nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She looked at him. "I'll stay to tomorrow, you know, say goodbye to everyone. Then I'll go."
"It'll sure be empty without you," Elecmon said. "But I learned a long time ago you have to say goodbye sometime." He smiled. "But right now, why don't we have ourselves a last great time, shall we?"
"Sure, Elecmon," Tantomon said and got up. They were just ready to cut the cake, god knows were Elecmon got it from, and the newly Digivolved Koromon was demanding his right to eat it. Tantomon laughed along with the others, but still felt sad about leaving them.
The next day was a day of goodbyes. The younger Digimon of Primary Village didn't take it all too seriously, they were used to seeing the older ones leaving and didn't understand what made Tantomon so special. The older ones understood better, they had been together longer and had got to know her in a different way. But Tantomon knew that Elecmon took it the hardest, even though he was the one who suggested it in the first place.
"I'll really, really miss you Elecmon," She said and hugged the rabbit-looking Digimon. "I promise that if I ever get back to this place I'll come and see you again, okay?"
"Sure kid," Elecmon said. "Now off with you before I start to cry. Find your destiny, I know you have it in you."
And so she left Primary Village for the first time of her life. She had been to the surrounding area, but nothing more then so. Elecmon had taught her enough to know that she was on an island called File, but she had no idea on how big it was or where to go. Wandering aimlessly, she finally ended up on a beach where she sat down to think.
This was the first time she saw the sea, and she was captivated by it. She would never have believed there could be so much water in one place. The calling in her heart grew stronger, and she knew that the answer was out there, somewhere.
"I will cross this sea," she said to herself. "I will."
That would prove to be easier said then done. Tantomon could swim, but she knew that there was no way to swim the entire way. It would probably take days. Instead she started to walk down the beach in hope of finding some kind of vessel. She was lucky, half buried in the sand she found an old wooden boat. It was a tough job to dig it out, and she found that it had a hole in the bottom, but it would have to due. She managed to drag it to the shore and plugged the hole with some plants the best she could. She hoped that it would hold the water out until she reached the shore on the other side. Then she collected some fruits for the journey and set off. Leaving the shore was the hard part. She used an oddly shaped piece of wood for a paddle and after some hard work the currents grabbed her little boat, taking it out to open sea. The only problem seemed to be that the plants she used to plug the boat did not live up to her expectations and the boat started leaking. She solved the problem by removing it and putting her finger in the hole instead. It was a bit uncomfortable but she had little choice.
She kept travelling for God knows how long. The days were hot and the nights were cold, but she was determined to bear it. Her food supply was slowly running low, despite her efforts to raison it. The biggest problem, however, was the thirst.
Tantomon had not brought any water. The very idea had seemed silly, who would need to bring water on an ocean? But she soon learned that the salt ocean water was in fact impossible to drink, and she regretted her error bitterly. After a while, time lost it's meaning for her as she felt her little body growing weaker. The food was all out, and with it her only source of fluid and energy. She noticed dark clouds at the horizon, but she was too weak to care. The waves started getting larger, and before she knew it she was caught in a raging storm.
Struggling not to let go of the boat, which was thrown between the mountainous waves, it's thunderous roar screaming in her ears, she could do nothing but cling to the last piece of strength she had left. But the storm was too much for her, and soon she felt herself let go. Her body hit the water and darkness descended upon her.
When she returned to consciousness, she found herself on a little beach somewhere. For a long time she could not move. She was wondering if she was not dead or dying, only dreaming that she felt the sand against her cheek and the sun on her back. But soon the hunger and pain made her realise that she was indeed alive. There was just no way one could be dead and still suffer that way. She slowly got up and looked around. There was not a hint of life except for a few trees further in against land. She stumbled towards them in hope of finding water, for even though she was hungry, it was nothing against the burning thirst she felt. Somehow she found herself on a hill over looking the landscape. The sight was enough to cause her to stumble to her knees.
She was on an island. And not a large island filled with life like the one she had grown up on. It was a small, desolate piece of dirt with nothing alive on it but some trees. She could not find any water, food or anything else.
She fought to stand up again. She had to do something, but she didn't know what. Returning to the ocean would not save her from starvation and dehydration. And besides, the boat was probably resting on the bottom of the sea by now.
She somehow made it back to the beach and started to follow it around the island. She found nothing that could help her. Finally a huge emerald-green shell appeared in front of her. It had several spikes and ridges sticking out of it with made it look a but scary, but she was way too tired to be afraid. She simply sat down in the shadow of the enormous shell. She would surely have cried, but she didn't seem to have enough fluid inside her to do so. Finally she cried out and started hitting her hand weakly against the shell. "It's not fair! It's not fair!"
"Oh, what's all the noise out there?" a voice from within the shell said. To Tantomon's surprise a large, pink dinosaur-like creature made it's way out of the shell. It had a bush of yellow hair on the top of its head. Tantomon instinctually put her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Who are you?"
"I am Shellmon," the creature said. "And it is my shell you were just hitting."
"I… I'm Tantomon," Tantomon said. "Are you going to eat me or something?" She let go of the sword and sat down with her head hanging down. "Maybe just as good. I'm too tired to carry on."
"Hey, what's that kind of talk?" Shellmon asked. "I'm not going to eat you. I already had my breakfast an hour ago."
"Oh," Tantomon said. "You don't have any water to spare, have you? I haven't had a drink in days."
"You do look kinda dehydrated," Shellmon noted. "Well, I guess it would be kinda cruel of me to let you die like that. Here, let me fix some water for you. Hydro Blaster."
A broad fountain of water suddenly sprayed from the top of his head. He held his hand next to it until it was filled with water and then stopped. He held his hand down for Tantomon. Normally she might feel a bit reluctant to drink anything witch had originated from someone's head, but now it felt like paradise. She drank as much as she could of the fresh, sweet water.
"Oh, thank you," she said when she was done.
"No problem," Shellmon said. "Hey, what does a tiny little Digimon like you have to do out on the sea anyway?"
"I used to live on File Island," Tantomon explained. "But I felt that I needed to get out of there, and crossing the sea seemed to be the only way to do that. So I managed to find an old boat and left. Only I had forgotten to bring water. Then there was a storm, and next thing I know I'm cast away on this crappy old island."
"Well, if it could be some kind of comfort, you almost made it," Shellmon informed. "The continent Server is just a short swim in that direction. " He pointed towards the sea. Tantomon squinted her eyes and she though she could see a distant shore in that direction, but it might have been the light that played tricks on her.
"Well, maybe it's just a short swim for you," she muttered. "But I'll probably have to stay on this island for the rest of my life."
"Look on the bright side," Shellmon said. "You don't have all that long to live."
"Very funny," Tantomon said.
"Look, kid," Shellmon said. "I'm going over to Server now, if you want you can catch a ride on the shell."
"You really mean that?" Tantomon asked. "That's really nice of you."
"Hrmf," Shellmon grumbled, clearly embarrassed. "Don't get any funny ideas, I just want someone to talk to while I swim. Now climb up."
Tantomon hurried to climb up on the great shell. I was easy since the many thick spikes and horns were good for climbing on.
"Ready?" Shellmon asked.
"Ready," Tantomon said and positioned herself upon the shell.
Shellmon dragged himself into the water. Well there he started to swim with powerful
When they arrived at the shore Tantomon quickly climbed down from the shell. "Thank you, Shellmon, I'll never forget how you helped me."
"That was nothing," Shellmon said. "I guess you want to get on your way, huh?"
"Yeah," Tantomon said, a bit sadden that she had to part from her new friend. "I guess this is goodbye."
"Just a little tip on the way, kid," Shellmon said. "Don't have any great expectations on life, it won't do you any good and will just let you down. Always expect the worst, and you won't be disappointed. Got that?"
"Eh, I think so," Tantomon said. She didn't really know what to make of it. It sounded logical, but somehow it sounded wrong as well in her ears.
"Good," Shellmon said and started to retreat to his shell again. "Take care."
Tantomon shrugged her shoulders and turned around. She had crossed the ocean, but her journey had only just begun.