Kelly: I can't believe we were almost eaten by that spidery Dokugu-monster thing. Skeet was able to trick him so we could escape, but it wasn't long before he found us again! Hawkmon became Veedramon and knocked him out, but I get the feeling that there's more trouble on the way...
"Troubled Waters" by Chet "Tech" Weaver
"I don't see why I need to hang around with dopes like you," Carl grumbled as he trudged on through the forest.
"There's safety in numbers," Skeet explained. "We'll be more likely to survive if we stick together."
"That and the fact that we just can't get enough of your sparkling personality," Dizzy said.
"Shut your trap, tuna-breath," Carl said. "I wasn't talking to you."
"I'm exercising my right to free speech," Dizzy countered.
"If you don't shut up, I'm gonna exercise my fists on your head!" Carl threatened.
"I'd like to see you try," Dizzy commented.
"Guys! Guys!" Skeet stepped between the two. "Stop it, alright? We don't need this!"
"He's right," accepted Dizzy. He held out his hand with an exaggerated grin. "Let's be friends. Friends?"
Carl slapped the hand away.
"I may have to stick around with you, but I don't have to like you," Carl said.
"Ooh," remarked Kelly. Everyone looked to where she was standing.
They had stopped at a spot where trees had parted. This gave way to a spectacular view of a beautiful lake. The water reflected the brilliant yellows, reds, and purples of the sunset.
"It's beautiful," Kelly added breathlessly.
"Yeah, isn't it?" Floramon agreed, leaning against her partner and putting an arm around her waist.
"I guess this is as good a place as any to set up camp," Skeet said.
"I wholeheartedly agree," said Hawkmon.
"I bet there's plenty of fish in there," Kokuwamon suggested.
"I hope so, I'm starving," Dizzy said. He took a deep breath and plunged his head underwater. About twenty minutes later, he pulled his head out and said, "It's a smorgasbord down there!"
"Great," Skeet said. "I'll go find a stick and make a fishing rod out of it with a shoelace."
"Forget that!" said Dizzy as he took off his shirt. "I'm goin' in! Kokuwamon, hold my wallet and my PDA."
With the robot beetle Digimon holding the requested items, Dizzy dove into the water.
"Save some for the rest of us!" Kelly called out.
"I don't understand," Tapirmon said. "If dolphin hearing is so advanced, why would he need to... Hey, Carl! Where you going?"
"For the luva... Leave me alone!" scolded Carl as he disappeared into the woods.
"But you need us, and we need you!" Tapirmon said as he chased after him.
Skeet decided to prepare for dinner by collecting firewood to cook with. Kelly attempted to catch some fish by the bank with her hands, but Dizzy pulled her into the water playfully. She spent the rest of the night as far away from the water as possible, wrapped in a black towel that Dizzy happened to bring with him. After everyone else had eaten and dried off, Carl and Tapirmon returned with the former wiping red liquid off his lips. That creeped everyone else out.
"Here's your towel back," Kelly said to Dizzy.
"Nah, you keep it," Dizzy said. "Use it as a blanket."
"Thank you," accepted Kelly.
"What were you doing on a midtown bus carrying a towel?" Skeet asked.
"You never know when you might find yourself stranded halfway across the galaxy by alien abductors," replied Dizzy with a shrug. "Besides, I had swimming in my P.E. class that day."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Gatomon uncurled and stretched herself out as best one could in an air duct. She preferred privacy while she slept, but felt no real need for her own quarters. She liked small spaces anyway and didn't keep anything that couldn't be hidden in her gloves.
She dropped out of an air vent into the monitoring/control room and headed straight for the coffee machine.
"Mornin' Big Boy," she said after noticing that the rest of the crew was already there.
She didn't get a response. Glancing around, she noticed everyone else was staring transfixed at one of the monitors. She cleared her throat and everyone took notice and tried to look busy.
Gatomon chuckled while pouring herself some coffee and said, "Watching Miss Kitty using the litter box again, huh?"
"What? No, no," Leomon said. "Nothing like that."
"She's just swimming naked, that's all," a Gotsumon technician said.
Gatomon choked on the coffee she was drinking at that moment.
"What?" she demanded.
"Kelly had gotten up to bath before anyone else awoke," Wizardmon reported.
"But she was already in the water last night," Gatomon said.
"Big cats like the water," the Gotsumon said in an almost perverse tone.
"Maybe she likes to get in some early-morning skinny-dipping," suggested Leomon.
Gatomon rolled her eyes and asked, "What's everyone else doing?"
"Most of them seem to be asleep," Wizardmon replied as he checked the other monitors. "Except for the Dolphin and Floramon. Dizzy has been on guard duty all night, but I can't tell if he's conscious or not. Not with these instruments, at least."
"What about Flora?" Gatomon asked.
"She also appears to be spying on the feline," Wizardmon said.
"Is it just me, or is she just a little too over-protective?" Leomon observed.
"I think she's more than protective," Gotsumon said.
"You're all a bunch of perverts," Gatomon muttered. She walked over to the control panel and grabbed a microphone. "Hey, Marley. Give the girl a little privacy, why don't'cha?"
The rest of the crew groaned in disappointment as Kelly disappeared from view.
"Serves you punks right," Gatomon scolded. "She's only, what? Fifteen? Sixteen?"
"That's legal age in some states," Gotsumon said. "And it's at least thirty in dog years."
"And what if the Seadramon in that lake attacks?" Leomon offered.
"I think we'll know when the Seadramon attacks," Gatomon said. Noticing the view getting a little shakey, she turned back to the microphone and said, "Both hands on the camera, Marley."
Skeet woke up. He noticed someone was missing and that it wasn't Carl. He got up and walked over to where Dizzy was sitting on a rock.
"Hey, Diz," Skeet said. "Where's Kelly?"
Dizzy didn't answer.
"Dizzy?"
Skeet took a closer look at Dizzy. He was just sitting there, staring off into the distance. He LOOKED awake. He was even breathing normally. However, the dolphin was almost completely unresponsive.
"Dizzy," Skeet said as he began prodding him with his finger. Dizzy eventually got up and walked out of Skeet's reach. "Huh."
Skeet walked over to Dizzy and held a hand up to his face. Then he slowly moved it closer. He got pretty close before Dizzy snapped at his with his jaws.
"Dizzy!" Skeet shouted.
Dizzy snapped to attention, blinked, then looked at Skeet.
"Did you have to interrupt me?" Dizzy asked. "I was having such a nice dream."
"Dizzy, where's Kelly?" Skeet asked.
Dizzy thought for a moment before replying, "I think she's in the lake taking a bath."
"Will you two shut up?" Carl requested as he sat up. "Some of us are trying to sleep."
Hawkmon got up and yawned.
"Good morning everyone," he said.
"Good morning!" Tapirmon cheerily said as he leapt up from his position of laying on his back.
A few musical notes emitted from Kokuwamon as his consciousness booted up.
"That's it," Carl said, getting up. "I'm outta here."
Dizzy ran up to him to keep him from leaving.
"Waitaminute!" he said. Then he turned his tone to something more coy as he continued, "Didn't somebody Kelly was taking a bath?"
"Wasn't that you?" Skeet asked.
"Yeeees, yes it was," Dizzy said. "And she's not that far away, too."
"What's your point?" Kokuwamon asked.
Dizzy rolled his eyes and said, "Uh, hello. Do I really have to spell it out for you? Cat girl? Taking a bath? In a lake?"
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then I like the way you think," Carl said with a smirk.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Skeet said. "You're going to watch her without her knowing? What's next? Pie humping?"
"And you have a problem with that?" Dizzy asked.
"I think it is best if we respect the young lady's privacy," Hawkmon said. "After all, she did leave before everyone else got up and if she even thought we were spying on her it would betray her trust. And without trust there's..."
Hawkmon stopped when he noticed everyone else was walking off towards the lake.
"Hey! Wait up!" Hawkmon said as he took off after them.
"Hold it!" Floramon said. She jumped out of the bushes and slid to a stop in their path. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Busted," Tapirmon said.
"We were just, uh, you know," Dizzy floundered.
Floramon crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
"No, I don't," she said. "Enlighten me."
"We were just going for a walk," Skeet said.
"Yes," agreed Hawkmon. "The lake so beautiful this time of... Oh. Oh dear."
"What is it?" Skeet asked.
"I can't believe I didn't recognize this place last night," Hawkmon replied. "I've been here before. This is Cache Lake and a terrible monster lives in its depths!"
"What!?" Floramon exclaimed.
"It's true!" Hawkmon said. "I'm not making this up! Kelly could be in mortal danger!"
"Aw, man," Floramon lamented. "Okay, you guys stay here, I'll go warn..."
By this time the water had begun to get choppy. There was a sound of something huge breaking the surface of the water, followed by the water cascading back down and a girl's scream.
"It looks as if her privacy will have to take a back seat," Skeet said as he pulled his magic coin from his pocket. "Let's do it!"
The coin flew into the air, transforming into energy before zooming into Hawkmon.
"Hawkmon, digivolve to..."
"VEEDRAMON!"
They raced to the scene. Kelly had chosen a spot where the land abruptly stopped in a rocky ridge and gave way to chest-deep water. Here she was cornered, her back to the rocks, by a white creature that could only be described as a giant squid.
"That's him!" Veedramon growled. "Gesomon, the monster of Cache Lake! His long tentacles are capable of bone-crushing strength with his Coral Crusher attack!"
Gesomon slammed his arms into the water, sending a wave crashing over everyone and making Kelly scream with fright.
"Veedramon!" Skeet called. "Keep him busy while I help Kelly."
"Gotcha," Veedramon confirmed. He leapt into the air. "V-NOVA BLAST!"
A "V" shaped blast of energy crashed into Gesomon, followed by the bulk of Veedramon. The squid Digimon was toppled and the two began wrestling in the water.
Skeet ran up to Kelly and knelt down.
"Kelly, grab my hand," he said, extending said hand. "I'll help you out of the water."
"No," Kelly said. "I can't!"
"ELASTIC ARMS!"
Gesomon's arms wrapped around Veedramon's neck and began strangling him. The dragon Digimon tried to pry them off, but ended up being dunked under the water.
"Why not?" Skeet demanded.
"Because... because..." Kelly whimpered.
"CORAL CRUSHER!"
Veedramon wrapped in his tentacles, Gesomon lifted his opponent into the air and squeezed.
"You have to get out of the water!" Skeet ordered. "Veedramon can't take much more!"
"I can't!" Kelly replied. "I'm naked! I don't want anyone to see me naked!"
There almost seemed to be a short pause as the revelation sank in.
"Get out of the water!" Dizzy cheered.
"Skeet..." Veedramon struggled. "... Hurry...!"
Skeet looked around. Nearby was Kelly's clothing and the towel Dizzy had lent her last night. Skeet ran over, got the towel, and went back to Kelly.
"Guys, turn around," Skeet told the others.
"What?" asked Carl.
"Why?" Dizzy added.
"Just do it!" Skeet ordered. "All of you!"
"Fine, fine," Kokuwamon said as he and the others turned around.
"I brought you a towel," Skeet said to Kelly. "You can put it on."
"Alright," accepted Kelly. "But you have to close your eyes and turn your head."
Obligingly, Skeet did as requested. Kelly quickly climbed out of the water and wrapped the towel around herself.
"... The coin..." Veedramon gasped. "...Use it... Kelly..."
"My coin!" Kelly exclaimed. She ran over to the pile of clothes and took the coin out of the front pocket of her cut-off overalls. "Floramon, digivolve!"
Everything seemed to pause as the coin flipped. It rose into the air slowly until it reached the height of its leap. There it hung in midair, spinning faster and faster. The air around it turned dark as the coin itself began to glow brightly and emit a high-pitched whine. For the briefest moment, it stopped, with the leaf-engraved side facing Floramon. The coin gleamed before exploding into energy that streaked down into Floramon. The energy struck, and the plant-lizard Digimon began to glow and grow.
"Floramon, digivolve to..."
Floramon's legs began to lengthen as her arms receded into her body. Her body expanded, becoming bird-like with a green plume on and a long beak on her head. In the place of the green-skinned Rookie Floramon stood the brown-feathered form of...
"KIWIMON!"
"Kiwimon may look small," Kokuwamon said, "But she's pretty fast. She can deal a lot of damage quickly with her Pummel Peck attack and can strike with her High Jumping Kick before you can blink!"
"PUMMEL PECK!" Kiwimon called out. Out of her open beak flew smaller version of herself that struck Gesomon's tentacles. The DemiKiwimon sunk in, causing the squid to drop Veedramon.
"You know," Dizzy said, "If we don't turn back around now, we'll miss all the action."
"You haven't turned back around yet?" Carl asked.
"ELASTIC ARMS!"
Gesomon lashed out and churned up dirt as Kiwimon dashed out of the way. The ancient bird Digimon zoomed out over the lake, water spraying up in her wake.
"Catch me if you can!" Kiwimon teased.
Gesomon threw out his limbs again but Kiwimon proved hard to hit. Weaving and banking, Kiwimon was literally running circles around the squid. Gesomon tried to follow but got disorientated and lost track.
"HIGH JUMPING KICK!"
Kiwimon leapt forward, striking him in the side of the head and knocking him down.
"Finish it, Veedramon!" Kiwimon called out as she raced back to shore.
Veedramon caught Gesomon before he hit the water. He threw him into the air and doubled up his fists.
"HAMMER PUNCH!"
Veedramon swung as Gesomon came back down, sending him careening into the distance.
"... and he's going... going..." Veedramon remarked.
Gesomon landed in the forest over the horizon.
"He's outta there!" finished Skeet.
"That's what you get," Gatomon chided. "Think about THAT next time you want to sneak a peek."
"I don't think anybody really learned anything from this," Wizardmon said. "If anything, this whole encounter isn't about anything other than gratuitous..."
Just then the phone rang. Leomon answered it.
"Hello, DM Voyeur Unit 1, Leomon speaking," he greeted. "Oh, hello sir. ... Yes, we're on the fifth group now. ... WHO's back!? ... No, no, no. W-we can't do that. ... What!? But, that's not enough time to... I see. ... Uh, huh. ... Okay. ... I'll get right on that. ... Bye."
Everyone's wide-eyed attention was on Leomon as he hung up. He sighed heavily.
"Leo...?" Gatomon asked.
"This project..." Leomon began. He strained for a moment to hold back his emotions. Then, with a primeval roar, he drew his sword and swung it hard in frustration. The phone, and the desk it was on, was sliced neatly in two.
"The schedule has been pushed up," he said, putting away his sword. "Release the Damocles."
Everyone gasped.
"The Damocles!?" Gotsumon exclaimed.
"It's too soon!" Wizardmon protested. "We can't release the Damocles again at this early stage of testing! There hasn't been enough time to..."
"I SAID DO IT!" Leomon roared.
"You're the boss," Gotsumon said, spitting a key into his hands.
"You know what you doing," Wizardmon complied, pulled a similar key out of his pocket.
The two of them simultaneously placed the keys into the slots in front of them and turned them. The room went dark and was lit with the dull red of safety lights.
"Damocles Launch System on-line," a computerized voice reported. "Awaiting authorization codes."
"Authorization code: Leomon," Leomon stated. "Gemini omega ogre."
"Authorization code confirmed," the voice accepted.
"Authorization code: Gatomon," Gatomon said. "Theta pata sparky."
"Authorization code confirmed," the voice repeated. "Voice patterns confirmed. Data scans confirmed. Access granted. Your command?"
"Unlock Damocles," Leomon commanded.
There was a loud click and the room began shaking. There was a low moan, like a dark soul being tortured.
"That sound," shuddered Wizardmon. "I'll never get used to that."
"Damocles unlocked," the computer confirmed.
"Energize Damocles," Leomon ordered.
There was deep hum and the room shook more violently. The moan grew more agonized and erupted into a wail.
"Aw, man," Wizardmon groaned and winced. "It gets worse every time..."
"Damocles energized," the computer confirmed.
"Launch Damocles," commanded Leomon.
The room shuddered as the sound of a medium-sized object being launched echoed in the chamber. The shaking ceased and the wail faded, turning into evil laughter. On one of the monitors Leomon could see a black object fly out of the forest. It streaked into a cloud, which turned black and flashing with internal lightning.
"Damocles launched," the computer confirmed.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Leomon," Gatomon said.
"Let's just hope this group is as good as you thought they'd be yesterday," Leomon said.
These waters look troubled indeed!
What is the Damocles?
What was that mysterious phone call?
What danger awaits our heroes?
Tune in next time, but until then...
TO BE CONTINUED...
"Troubled Waters" by Chet "Tech" Weaver
"I don't see why I need to hang around with dopes like you," Carl grumbled as he trudged on through the forest.
"There's safety in numbers," Skeet explained. "We'll be more likely to survive if we stick together."
"That and the fact that we just can't get enough of your sparkling personality," Dizzy said.
"Shut your trap, tuna-breath," Carl said. "I wasn't talking to you."
"I'm exercising my right to free speech," Dizzy countered.
"If you don't shut up, I'm gonna exercise my fists on your head!" Carl threatened.
"I'd like to see you try," Dizzy commented.
"Guys! Guys!" Skeet stepped between the two. "Stop it, alright? We don't need this!"
"He's right," accepted Dizzy. He held out his hand with an exaggerated grin. "Let's be friends. Friends?"
Carl slapped the hand away.
"I may have to stick around with you, but I don't have to like you," Carl said.
"Ooh," remarked Kelly. Everyone looked to where she was standing.
They had stopped at a spot where trees had parted. This gave way to a spectacular view of a beautiful lake. The water reflected the brilliant yellows, reds, and purples of the sunset.
"It's beautiful," Kelly added breathlessly.
"Yeah, isn't it?" Floramon agreed, leaning against her partner and putting an arm around her waist.
"I guess this is as good a place as any to set up camp," Skeet said.
"I wholeheartedly agree," said Hawkmon.
"I bet there's plenty of fish in there," Kokuwamon suggested.
"I hope so, I'm starving," Dizzy said. He took a deep breath and plunged his head underwater. About twenty minutes later, he pulled his head out and said, "It's a smorgasbord down there!"
"Great," Skeet said. "I'll go find a stick and make a fishing rod out of it with a shoelace."
"Forget that!" said Dizzy as he took off his shirt. "I'm goin' in! Kokuwamon, hold my wallet and my PDA."
With the robot beetle Digimon holding the requested items, Dizzy dove into the water.
"Save some for the rest of us!" Kelly called out.
"I don't understand," Tapirmon said. "If dolphin hearing is so advanced, why would he need to... Hey, Carl! Where you going?"
"For the luva... Leave me alone!" scolded Carl as he disappeared into the woods.
"But you need us, and we need you!" Tapirmon said as he chased after him.
Skeet decided to prepare for dinner by collecting firewood to cook with. Kelly attempted to catch some fish by the bank with her hands, but Dizzy pulled her into the water playfully. She spent the rest of the night as far away from the water as possible, wrapped in a black towel that Dizzy happened to bring with him. After everyone else had eaten and dried off, Carl and Tapirmon returned with the former wiping red liquid off his lips. That creeped everyone else out.
"Here's your towel back," Kelly said to Dizzy.
"Nah, you keep it," Dizzy said. "Use it as a blanket."
"Thank you," accepted Kelly.
"What were you doing on a midtown bus carrying a towel?" Skeet asked.
"You never know when you might find yourself stranded halfway across the galaxy by alien abductors," replied Dizzy with a shrug. "Besides, I had swimming in my P.E. class that day."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Gatomon uncurled and stretched herself out as best one could in an air duct. She preferred privacy while she slept, but felt no real need for her own quarters. She liked small spaces anyway and didn't keep anything that couldn't be hidden in her gloves.
She dropped out of an air vent into the monitoring/control room and headed straight for the coffee machine.
"Mornin' Big Boy," she said after noticing that the rest of the crew was already there.
She didn't get a response. Glancing around, she noticed everyone else was staring transfixed at one of the monitors. She cleared her throat and everyone took notice and tried to look busy.
Gatomon chuckled while pouring herself some coffee and said, "Watching Miss Kitty using the litter box again, huh?"
"What? No, no," Leomon said. "Nothing like that."
"She's just swimming naked, that's all," a Gotsumon technician said.
Gatomon choked on the coffee she was drinking at that moment.
"What?" she demanded.
"Kelly had gotten up to bath before anyone else awoke," Wizardmon reported.
"But she was already in the water last night," Gatomon said.
"Big cats like the water," the Gotsumon said in an almost perverse tone.
"Maybe she likes to get in some early-morning skinny-dipping," suggested Leomon.
Gatomon rolled her eyes and asked, "What's everyone else doing?"
"Most of them seem to be asleep," Wizardmon replied as he checked the other monitors. "Except for the Dolphin and Floramon. Dizzy has been on guard duty all night, but I can't tell if he's conscious or not. Not with these instruments, at least."
"What about Flora?" Gatomon asked.
"She also appears to be spying on the feline," Wizardmon said.
"Is it just me, or is she just a little too over-protective?" Leomon observed.
"I think she's more than protective," Gotsumon said.
"You're all a bunch of perverts," Gatomon muttered. She walked over to the control panel and grabbed a microphone. "Hey, Marley. Give the girl a little privacy, why don't'cha?"
The rest of the crew groaned in disappointment as Kelly disappeared from view.
"Serves you punks right," Gatomon scolded. "She's only, what? Fifteen? Sixteen?"
"That's legal age in some states," Gotsumon said. "And it's at least thirty in dog years."
"And what if the Seadramon in that lake attacks?" Leomon offered.
"I think we'll know when the Seadramon attacks," Gatomon said. Noticing the view getting a little shakey, she turned back to the microphone and said, "Both hands on the camera, Marley."
Skeet woke up. He noticed someone was missing and that it wasn't Carl. He got up and walked over to where Dizzy was sitting on a rock.
"Hey, Diz," Skeet said. "Where's Kelly?"
Dizzy didn't answer.
"Dizzy?"
Skeet took a closer look at Dizzy. He was just sitting there, staring off into the distance. He LOOKED awake. He was even breathing normally. However, the dolphin was almost completely unresponsive.
"Dizzy," Skeet said as he began prodding him with his finger. Dizzy eventually got up and walked out of Skeet's reach. "Huh."
Skeet walked over to Dizzy and held a hand up to his face. Then he slowly moved it closer. He got pretty close before Dizzy snapped at his with his jaws.
"Dizzy!" Skeet shouted.
Dizzy snapped to attention, blinked, then looked at Skeet.
"Did you have to interrupt me?" Dizzy asked. "I was having such a nice dream."
"Dizzy, where's Kelly?" Skeet asked.
Dizzy thought for a moment before replying, "I think she's in the lake taking a bath."
"Will you two shut up?" Carl requested as he sat up. "Some of us are trying to sleep."
Hawkmon got up and yawned.
"Good morning everyone," he said.
"Good morning!" Tapirmon cheerily said as he leapt up from his position of laying on his back.
A few musical notes emitted from Kokuwamon as his consciousness booted up.
"That's it," Carl said, getting up. "I'm outta here."
Dizzy ran up to him to keep him from leaving.
"Waitaminute!" he said. Then he turned his tone to something more coy as he continued, "Didn't somebody Kelly was taking a bath?"
"Wasn't that you?" Skeet asked.
"Yeeees, yes it was," Dizzy said. "And she's not that far away, too."
"What's your point?" Kokuwamon asked.
Dizzy rolled his eyes and said, "Uh, hello. Do I really have to spell it out for you? Cat girl? Taking a bath? In a lake?"
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then I like the way you think," Carl said with a smirk.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Skeet said. "You're going to watch her without her knowing? What's next? Pie humping?"
"And you have a problem with that?" Dizzy asked.
"I think it is best if we respect the young lady's privacy," Hawkmon said. "After all, she did leave before everyone else got up and if she even thought we were spying on her it would betray her trust. And without trust there's..."
Hawkmon stopped when he noticed everyone else was walking off towards the lake.
"Hey! Wait up!" Hawkmon said as he took off after them.
"Hold it!" Floramon said. She jumped out of the bushes and slid to a stop in their path. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Busted," Tapirmon said.
"We were just, uh, you know," Dizzy floundered.
Floramon crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
"No, I don't," she said. "Enlighten me."
"We were just going for a walk," Skeet said.
"Yes," agreed Hawkmon. "The lake so beautiful this time of... Oh. Oh dear."
"What is it?" Skeet asked.
"I can't believe I didn't recognize this place last night," Hawkmon replied. "I've been here before. This is Cache Lake and a terrible monster lives in its depths!"
"What!?" Floramon exclaimed.
"It's true!" Hawkmon said. "I'm not making this up! Kelly could be in mortal danger!"
"Aw, man," Floramon lamented. "Okay, you guys stay here, I'll go warn..."
By this time the water had begun to get choppy. There was a sound of something huge breaking the surface of the water, followed by the water cascading back down and a girl's scream.
"It looks as if her privacy will have to take a back seat," Skeet said as he pulled his magic coin from his pocket. "Let's do it!"
The coin flew into the air, transforming into energy before zooming into Hawkmon.
"Hawkmon, digivolve to..."
"VEEDRAMON!"
They raced to the scene. Kelly had chosen a spot where the land abruptly stopped in a rocky ridge and gave way to chest-deep water. Here she was cornered, her back to the rocks, by a white creature that could only be described as a giant squid.
"That's him!" Veedramon growled. "Gesomon, the monster of Cache Lake! His long tentacles are capable of bone-crushing strength with his Coral Crusher attack!"
Gesomon slammed his arms into the water, sending a wave crashing over everyone and making Kelly scream with fright.
"Veedramon!" Skeet called. "Keep him busy while I help Kelly."
"Gotcha," Veedramon confirmed. He leapt into the air. "V-NOVA BLAST!"
A "V" shaped blast of energy crashed into Gesomon, followed by the bulk of Veedramon. The squid Digimon was toppled and the two began wrestling in the water.
Skeet ran up to Kelly and knelt down.
"Kelly, grab my hand," he said, extending said hand. "I'll help you out of the water."
"No," Kelly said. "I can't!"
"ELASTIC ARMS!"
Gesomon's arms wrapped around Veedramon's neck and began strangling him. The dragon Digimon tried to pry them off, but ended up being dunked under the water.
"Why not?" Skeet demanded.
"Because... because..." Kelly whimpered.
"CORAL CRUSHER!"
Veedramon wrapped in his tentacles, Gesomon lifted his opponent into the air and squeezed.
"You have to get out of the water!" Skeet ordered. "Veedramon can't take much more!"
"I can't!" Kelly replied. "I'm naked! I don't want anyone to see me naked!"
There almost seemed to be a short pause as the revelation sank in.
"Get out of the water!" Dizzy cheered.
"Skeet..." Veedramon struggled. "... Hurry...!"
Skeet looked around. Nearby was Kelly's clothing and the towel Dizzy had lent her last night. Skeet ran over, got the towel, and went back to Kelly.
"Guys, turn around," Skeet told the others.
"What?" asked Carl.
"Why?" Dizzy added.
"Just do it!" Skeet ordered. "All of you!"
"Fine, fine," Kokuwamon said as he and the others turned around.
"I brought you a towel," Skeet said to Kelly. "You can put it on."
"Alright," accepted Kelly. "But you have to close your eyes and turn your head."
Obligingly, Skeet did as requested. Kelly quickly climbed out of the water and wrapped the towel around herself.
"... The coin..." Veedramon gasped. "...Use it... Kelly..."
"My coin!" Kelly exclaimed. She ran over to the pile of clothes and took the coin out of the front pocket of her cut-off overalls. "Floramon, digivolve!"
Everything seemed to pause as the coin flipped. It rose into the air slowly until it reached the height of its leap. There it hung in midair, spinning faster and faster. The air around it turned dark as the coin itself began to glow brightly and emit a high-pitched whine. For the briefest moment, it stopped, with the leaf-engraved side facing Floramon. The coin gleamed before exploding into energy that streaked down into Floramon. The energy struck, and the plant-lizard Digimon began to glow and grow.
"Floramon, digivolve to..."
Floramon's legs began to lengthen as her arms receded into her body. Her body expanded, becoming bird-like with a green plume on and a long beak on her head. In the place of the green-skinned Rookie Floramon stood the brown-feathered form of...
"KIWIMON!"
"Kiwimon may look small," Kokuwamon said, "But she's pretty fast. She can deal a lot of damage quickly with her Pummel Peck attack and can strike with her High Jumping Kick before you can blink!"
"PUMMEL PECK!" Kiwimon called out. Out of her open beak flew smaller version of herself that struck Gesomon's tentacles. The DemiKiwimon sunk in, causing the squid to drop Veedramon.
"You know," Dizzy said, "If we don't turn back around now, we'll miss all the action."
"You haven't turned back around yet?" Carl asked.
"ELASTIC ARMS!"
Gesomon lashed out and churned up dirt as Kiwimon dashed out of the way. The ancient bird Digimon zoomed out over the lake, water spraying up in her wake.
"Catch me if you can!" Kiwimon teased.
Gesomon threw out his limbs again but Kiwimon proved hard to hit. Weaving and banking, Kiwimon was literally running circles around the squid. Gesomon tried to follow but got disorientated and lost track.
"HIGH JUMPING KICK!"
Kiwimon leapt forward, striking him in the side of the head and knocking him down.
"Finish it, Veedramon!" Kiwimon called out as she raced back to shore.
Veedramon caught Gesomon before he hit the water. He threw him into the air and doubled up his fists.
"HAMMER PUNCH!"
Veedramon swung as Gesomon came back down, sending him careening into the distance.
"... and he's going... going..." Veedramon remarked.
Gesomon landed in the forest over the horizon.
"He's outta there!" finished Skeet.
"That's what you get," Gatomon chided. "Think about THAT next time you want to sneak a peek."
"I don't think anybody really learned anything from this," Wizardmon said. "If anything, this whole encounter isn't about anything other than gratuitous..."
Just then the phone rang. Leomon answered it.
"Hello, DM Voyeur Unit 1, Leomon speaking," he greeted. "Oh, hello sir. ... Yes, we're on the fifth group now. ... WHO's back!? ... No, no, no. W-we can't do that. ... What!? But, that's not enough time to... I see. ... Uh, huh. ... Okay. ... I'll get right on that. ... Bye."
Everyone's wide-eyed attention was on Leomon as he hung up. He sighed heavily.
"Leo...?" Gatomon asked.
"This project..." Leomon began. He strained for a moment to hold back his emotions. Then, with a primeval roar, he drew his sword and swung it hard in frustration. The phone, and the desk it was on, was sliced neatly in two.
"The schedule has been pushed up," he said, putting away his sword. "Release the Damocles."
Everyone gasped.
"The Damocles!?" Gotsumon exclaimed.
"It's too soon!" Wizardmon protested. "We can't release the Damocles again at this early stage of testing! There hasn't been enough time to..."
"I SAID DO IT!" Leomon roared.
"You're the boss," Gotsumon said, spitting a key into his hands.
"You know what you doing," Wizardmon complied, pulled a similar key out of his pocket.
The two of them simultaneously placed the keys into the slots in front of them and turned them. The room went dark and was lit with the dull red of safety lights.
"Damocles Launch System on-line," a computerized voice reported. "Awaiting authorization codes."
"Authorization code: Leomon," Leomon stated. "Gemini omega ogre."
"Authorization code confirmed," the voice accepted.
"Authorization code: Gatomon," Gatomon said. "Theta pata sparky."
"Authorization code confirmed," the voice repeated. "Voice patterns confirmed. Data scans confirmed. Access granted. Your command?"
"Unlock Damocles," Leomon commanded.
There was a loud click and the room began shaking. There was a low moan, like a dark soul being tortured.
"That sound," shuddered Wizardmon. "I'll never get used to that."
"Damocles unlocked," the computer confirmed.
"Energize Damocles," Leomon ordered.
There was deep hum and the room shook more violently. The moan grew more agonized and erupted into a wail.
"Aw, man," Wizardmon groaned and winced. "It gets worse every time..."
"Damocles energized," the computer confirmed.
"Launch Damocles," commanded Leomon.
The room shuddered as the sound of a medium-sized object being launched echoed in the chamber. The shaking ceased and the wail faded, turning into evil laughter. On one of the monitors Leomon could see a black object fly out of the forest. It streaked into a cloud, which turned black and flashing with internal lightning.
"Damocles launched," the computer confirmed.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Leomon," Gatomon said.
"Let's just hope this group is as good as you thought they'd be yesterday," Leomon said.
These waters look troubled indeed!
What is the Damocles?
What was that mysterious phone call?
What danger awaits our heroes?
Tune in next time, but until then...
TO BE CONTINUED...