Digimon Tamers: North of 49
Episode One: Blood Oaths
B.J.'s Journal – (Date Deleted)
My name is B.J. Pepin, I'm 20…and I'm pretty much alone in this world.
Not like that, I mean. I've got my family. My Mother, sister Samantha, and Aunt Heather who lives with us…Dad passed away when I was 15. I've got my friends and relatives and classmates and stuff, I've got all of that.
What I meant is, I don't have a partner.
You see, around nine months ago, bizarre creatures began popping up…first in far off Japan, then all over the world. Word spread, through news and the Internet, that these creatures were formed from the data that passes through almost any device with computer chips in it. They're called Digimon, and before this, we'd only believed they were fiction, the work of an imaginative mind. At the time they terrorized cities across the planet. My hometown of Calgary was lucky…monsters had popped up in nearby Edmonton, Banff, even the Drumheller badlands, but none strayed toward my prairie metropolis. Armies were mobilized, warnings were issued, and in some countries I'd heard martial law was even declared. The threat disappeared, rumour had it, thanks to the efforts of a dozen or so Japanese citizens.
Peace reigned…until they came back.
Slowly, digimon were being sighted absolutely everywhere…and they were endearing themselves to the people, rather than attacking like the huge behemoths that had plagued us shortly before. The first reported sightings were in hospitals worldwide…nurses checking in on newborn babies in the maternity ward would find the infant cuddled up to a little puffball in their bassinet with them, or crying their eyes out while the little creatures frantically tried to comfort them. From there it spread, young, old, male, female, heedless of nationality, faith or otherwise…soon every human on the planet encountered a creature that knew them so well it was like they were separated at birth.
Every human on the planet, save for me, it feels.
No matter where you go, no one walks alone. Though Calgary was small by most places' standards, at just shy of one million people, it had seemed crowded even before Digimon came into people's lives. The world had changed seemingly overnight. Digimon had learned about us, and us about them, so fast it was like we'd known of the others' existence for eons.
It isn't utopia, of course. Wild digimon prowl the earth, and many are bold enough to explore urban areas. But naturally, they're driven off by law enforcement…never thought I'd be addressing a "Constable Tyrannomon" at any point in my life.
Like I said, I had to be the last person on earth to have not met "My" Digimon. People stopped, stared, some were even bold enough to ask where my partner was. I'd say nothing and move on.
It's become like that old romantic tale where everyone has a soulmate…everyone has a partner. So, why am I alone? Am I so weird that there can't be a Digimon out there that understands me, that thinks like I think?
I dunno…I hope it's not true…
Knocking interrupted B.J.'s writing. "It's open." He stated.
Opening the door, a pink bird stuck its head in. "Donna…I mean your Mom, says she'd like you to set the dinner table. We're having pasta tonight."
"Okay, Biyomon. Tell Mom I just need a minute to wrap up." B.J. replied, turning back to his journal.
At night, I wonder…if I actually DO have a Digimon partner, what is he or she like? Would they be someone strong like a Cyberdramon, intelligent like Tentomon, or cute and compassionate like Calumon? Whenever I look at the type of person I am…relatively smart, good kid, a bit immature…I don't see a Digimon like that.
Maybe that's why I have no partner…no Digimon exists like me.
B.J. closed the book and went into the dining room to set the table.
Seven spaces around one table, He thought, and just months ago, there used to be only four… He laid out the places around the table, listing each person as he went. Their partners, naturally, sat beside them.
"Mom, Biyomon, Samantha, Tsukaimon, Heather, MarineAngemon, and me." Being partner-less now stung far more than the old complaint that he was the only guy in the house, since Dad passed away. When he wasn't sorry for himself, he wondered who his father's partner would have been. Knowing him, it would have been some strong, smart, righteous Digimon, Like WarGreymon or AeroVeedramon or something.
"Something smells good!" A small purple mammal with bat-like wings for ears peeked around the corner from the living room. "Is dinner almost ready?"
"I'm serving it right now." Mrs. Pepin answered, handing a steaming plate to Biyomon, who took it to the table and set it in the place of its owner.
"Right, I know the drill." The little Digimon disappeared from view. "Samantha, hurry up and save your game! Dinner's on the table!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming! God, Tsukaimon, hold on, just a minute!" B.J.'s fourteen-year-old sister entered and took her seat at the table. Dressed in jeans and a cropped shirt, she pushed her shoulder length brown hair behind her and waited.
"B.J., go downstairs and wake your Aunt up for dinner." His Mom asked.
"Right." He hurried down to the door of Heather's basement bedroom. Knocking, he then opened the door a crack. "Aunty Heather?"
A little white winged creature appeared from nowhere, hovering right in front of B.J.'s face, almost scaring him. "You know Heather likes to nap on weekends. What is it?"
"Dinnertime, MarineAngemon." B.J. said flatly…how Heather slept with the hyper little Digimon in her room was a mystery. When he'd first appeared, Biyomon described the Sea Animal Digimon as '3 Gigabytes of energy on a 2 Gig drive', and the whole household believed it.
"I'll get her up…be at the table in 5! Now go on, get!" The creature said, pushing the door closed.
"Got it." B.J. replied, and went back to the table.
Dinner passed, and conversation was the usual for their dinners. Heather complained about one of her supervisors, Samantha talked about the Movie she and Tsukaimon had seen with their best friends, Brittany and DemiDevimon, and commented on how the two still spoke little to one another. Mom just said work was work, but Biyomon confessed she'd spilled coffee on the boss' Gazimon "by accident"…and she had been sorry…but only while the two were around to hear her. Soon after she and Mrs. Pepin locked their office door and laughed themselves stupid.
"What'd you do, B.J.?" Heather asked.
"Same old stuff. Sentry Box, card tournament. Lost." He replied quietly.
"Why do you have a hobby you suck at?" His sister said.
"Samantha!" Tsukaimon said incredulously.
"What? He never comes home with any other response than 'Lost'. Why's he play?"
"It kills time." B.J. responded.
"As long as you enjoy it, it doesn't matter." Biyomon said, obviously trying to diffuse the situation.
"Yeah." He said, and went back to eating.
Once dinner was finished, B.J. wordlessly washed the dishes, then went to bed…he had to get up early, to cover a story for his Journalism class…he hated journalism…they seemed to want robots to report the news. No flash, no flair, just facts. How boring. Not to mention his own free time was required quite a bit for his work, which explained why he would be getting up before noon on a Sunday. Only a few minutes into his attempt to sleep, he had to pound on his bedroom wall. His sister came through the door to his bedroom soon after.
"WHAT?" She asked.
"Keep it down in there, I'm trying to sleep!" B.J. said grumpily.
"Well, Sorry! I was having a few Capcom VS. SNK 2 matches with Tsukaimon."
"Fine, just turn it down." He responded. "And another thing…I want my PS2 back in my room tomorrow."
"Fine. G'night." She closed the door behind her.
B.J. rolled over in bed and tried to relax… "Lucky stiff…she doesn't know how good she has it with Tsukaimon." He managed to quell his mind just long enough to drift off to sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in his bedroom. In fact, he wasn't anywhere he recognized. He'd never had a dream this vivid…the trees looked like they were painted in pastels, and the ground was patterned like a quilt.
"Weird…I KNOW I'm dreaming, but I'm not waking up. Heather's into this mystic stuff, what'd she call it…Lucid dreaming?" B.J. spoke to himself. "Now what?" He scanned the area, and caught sight of what looked like a city…made of an infant's soft building blocks. "Well, I got nowhere else to be." He said, turning to head toward it.
"It's almost creepy…I feel like I've been shrunk and I'm stuck in someone's toy box!" He mused. Further into town, he came across as field full of baskets. "What's with the bassinets?" He knelt down and looked in.
A little black ball with golden eyes and little, rounded, cat-like ears squeaked back at him.
"Heh heh, how cute…it's like a really tiny-"
"Digimon?" A voice behind him finished his thought.
"Yeah…" B.J. stood and turned around to find a red and blue mammal just a few feet away. "You're, Elecmon, right?"
"That's right. How did you get here?" He asked.
"Uhm, it's my dream, right?" B.J. asked, dumbfounded.
"Dream?" Elecmon stepped forward, reaching for B.J.'s shin…and his paw passed right through. "Ah, now I get it."
"Get what?"
"Astral Projection. You're dreaming, but you're traveling in real places." Elecmon explained.
"Like a living ghost?" B.J. asked, seeing if his own hands would pass through himself…they did not.
"Kind of."
"Well, if you're Elecmon, then this is Primary Village, right?"
"Bullseye. How'd you know?" Elecmon asked, stunned.
"Long story. So, how'd I Astral perfect myself here?"
"I don't know HOW...but I can guess WHY." Elecmon turned and dashed off.
"Hey! What way is this to answer me?" B.J. asked indignantly.
"Follow me! I have something of yours!" Elecmon called back.
"Something of mine?" B.J. asked himself, dashing after the mouse like digimon.
"In here." Elecmon wandered through a field full of eggs. "Now where is it?…"
"Where's what?"
"Never mind, I found it." Elecmon gestured to an egg patterned like his own fur.
"Uhm, I'm not a fan of eggs. Make me sick."
"It's fake. Crack it." Elecmon said.
"Uh, a'ight." He touched the egg to be sure he could, and found it resisted the poke. Elecmon grinned. "Uhm, aren't I supposed to be unable to do this?"
"What good is something of yours if you can't touch it?" Elecmon said sagely.
"Uh, okay." B.J. picked the egg up and broke it over his knee. A small device tumbled out, and he caught it before he hit the ground. "What's this?" He examined the small device…it was round, white and almost disc-shaped, with a slot in the side and a screen with buttons on the front. It also had a chain attached…like it was meant to go around his neck. "Is this a…Digivice?"
"It's a D-Medal…your D-Medal, to be precise." Elecmon said. "Go ahead, put it on."
B.J. slipped the chain over his head. "Weird…it feels like it belongs here."
"Because it DOES belong there, naturally." Elecmon nodded. "Well, my job is done, back to watching out for the younger Digimon. Besides, it looks like your time is almost up." Elecmon turned and began to walk away.
"Huh?" B.J. looked down, and realized he was now obviously transparent.
"Maybe I'll see you again, kid. Later."
"Wait! Why would I have this thing? I don't even…unghh…" B.J. brought his hand to his temple. "I feel lightheaded…" Try as he could, he could not remain conscious…the last he saw was the world on it's side, as he settled down to his knees, then lay on the ground, unable to stay awake…
"I…don't even have…a partner…" B.J. muttered.
"Samantha…your brother's talking in his sleep." A familiar voice said.
"He's even complaining in his sleep. Jeez, what a baby." Things clicked, and he realized Samantha and Tsukaimon were in his room.
"I heard that." B.J. said as he sat up. "What the heck are you guys doing in here?"
"You wanted us to be your backup alarm, remember? Mayor Bronconnier's speech?" Samantha replied, playing with a few things on B.J.'s computer desk.
"Yeah. Samantha and I are taking pictures for Social Studies." Tsukaimon added, holding up his camera. Sam's was around her neck.
"Really…thanks then. If you guys get a good shot, can I get a copy for my story?"
"Sure."
"Great…now one more thing." B.J. said.
"What's that?" Tsukaimon asked.
"Get out of my room…I gotta take a shower and get dressed."
"Oh, right." Tsukaimon flew toward the door, taking Sam's hand and pulling her out.
B.J. yawned and stretched…before noticing an unusual feeling on his chest…looking down, the device from his dream hung around his neck.
"So I DID do that astral thing…but how'd I bring it back with me…and what good is a Digivice when you have no partner?" He mumbled. A moment later, he gave up on those questions and took it off, not wanting to short it out in the shower.
After a shower and getting dressed, he looked the medal over again…bizarre…but when he looked at it, he felt like there was a piece of him missing while it wasn't around his neck. In the end, he put it on, and tucked it under his shirt, before shouldering his bookbag and running out with his sister to catch the bus, headed downtown.
They arrived early enough for the speech to stand up near the front…B.J. was guaranteed to hear every word, and Sam and Tsukaimon were close enough to get top-notch shots at a moment's notice. The mayor was already on the stage set up in Olympic Plaza, the fountain drained for the event.
"I know we assume most politicians are slime, but Bronconnier's got it hard with a Sukamon following him around." Samantha giggled.
"Give the guy a break, he was only elected six months ago…he hasn't had long enough to come off good or bad." B.J. replied.
"But with this big event in the middle of downtown, he must have good news to report." Tsukaimon observed.
"Let's hope so…but what's with all the security? I haven't seen this many Champion Digimon in one place before." Samantha said, her eyes straying from cop to cop…among their partners a Leomon, Flamedramon and Shurimon.
"Perhaps it's something controversial…there's still the HFC out there." Tsukaimon said nervously.
"Those guys are sick, in my opinion…the Humans First Coalition…believing digimon are tools, even though they're living things." B.J. scowled.
"I'd like to take my shoe and shove it so far up their butts the laces'd hang out their noses!" Sam added, growling. Tsukaimon blinked at the response.
"Shh! It looks like he's starting!" B.J. said, as the mayor approached the podium.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, and Digimon," Mayor David 'Bronco' Bronconnier began. "In one corner of this very parkspace, sits a monument to the brave women who, earlier in our nation's history, fought for the right of women to vote…to have women considered persons under Canadian law. Their trial was a long, hard, arduous journey, beginning with one person, and spreading to the thousands."
"Today, I seek to emulate their example. It started with myself, has spread to the aldermen, and will grow faster than it's predecessor, to the hundreds of thousands." The Mayor's Sukamon seemed to get more excited as the tension built. Sam and Tsukaimon snapped photo after photo, and B.J. scribbled down potential quotes furiously.
"Our government has been working on this, as has countless others. Today, I seek to start the ball rolling, spreading the issue across our province, our country, and eventually, to the United Nations, and speed their acceptance of the same."
"Come on, Dave, hit us with the big one…" Shade mumbled eagerly.
"Today, by municipal legislation, Digimon in Calgary are considered persons, under Law!" A Wild chorus of cheers, whistling and various cries arose from the gathered people…until, scattered amongst the gathered, various citizens donned large shades, bandanas and ski masks in the April sun, drew guns from their purses, bags and backpacks, and each fired a single round into the air, turning the cries into screams. People began to run immediately, but more disguised troops began to line the outer rim of the park, barring exit with firearms and ferocious digimon.
"Trash!" One masked man raised a megaphone and began heading for the stage, a Gargomon following right behind. "Digimon are tools, as any electronic device is! This digimon suffrage you tout is ridiculous! Would you give rights to your computer, your television? Digimon are data…walking programs…they are to take commands and follow them; no more, no less." He had ascended to the podium, shoved aside the mayor and began speaking into the mic.
"We of the Humans First Coalition shall make an example of this town…no one leaves this Plaza until these foolish rights are revoked!" The main cried, raising his firearm, and the assorted supporters, and even their digimon, did the same, cheering.
"We'll see about that." Bronconnier muttered, and strode straight up to the distracted 'preacher', laying a straight punch into his jaw. The gunman followed up by elbowing the mayor and pointing his automatic rifle at him.
"Purple Fog!" Tsukaimon flooded the stage with gas, choking the attackers, then "Slamming Attack" tackled the masked assailant, making him drop his gun.
"Open Fire!" He cried, and all hell broke loose.
People began charging, overpowering human adversaries only to find their digimon right behind. No HFC member's shot hit anything that couldn't withstand it. As B.J. fended off a shade-sporting assailant with a sharp, backward kick to the face, he saw the whole thing in pieces.
Samantha, Blinding a charging, armed woman with her camera before punching her in the stomach, setting up, and pile driving her into the grass.
A Renamon springing off a Hyogamon, while a human, his back turned to B.J., followed up, smashing it with an umbrella.
A BlackGatomon Hypnotizing both human and digimon, the pair falling asleep back to back.
A policeman's Leomon, deflecting bullets with his sword.
Mayor Bronconnier's Sukamon bombing the onstage attacker's Gargomon, as the fog cleared.
"Don't mess around with that piffling thing, take him out!" The masked man cried, pointing to the Mayor, whom Samantha and Tsukaimon had gotten to in the confusion, and was leading off the stage. "Ventilate all of them!"
"SAMANTHA!" B.J. ran toward the stage as the Gargomon lined up his gun, apparently focused less on the primary target, and more on the girl between them. The mayor and B.J.'s sister continued to run, Gargomon's bullets missing by inches, save for one, which grazed both Samantha and her digimon. Neither stopped for an instant, running despite the pain.
"Don't TOUCH her!" B.J. cried, charging madly at the heavily armed Digimon. It turned to face him, rounds still pumping from its gun-arm, but slowing down.
Thud, thud, thud…B.J. heard before feeling the 3 bullets pound into his torso. He was pushed back a step…and brought his hand to his shirt…already more red than black with his blood…he could feel the sticky liquid of life against his body, soaking into his clothes, and coating the device under his shirt, around his neck.
His whole world seemed to turn red as he slumped to his knees…he heard "Let's go, Police reinforcements are coming!" and the heavy footsteps of Gargomon following his partner, then, nothing…
"This is my fault." Samantha said that afternoon as she sat outside B.J.'s hospital room, trying to ignore the itch of the salve on her wounds and the bandage concealing it.
"Don't say that." Tsukaimon replied, a similar dressing around the small digimon's foreleg.
"But B.J. got hurt because I tried to play hero. Last the doctors told me, his condition was still Serious, and threatening to drop to Critical."
"What's wrong with playing hero? After all, what do you think HE was doing distracting them?" The little mammal climbed into his partner's lap.
"I guess you got a point…" Sam said, stroking the bat-winged creature. "It's just…why wasn't I smarter? Faster? Maybe even stronger?"
"What's wrong with you now?" Tsukaimon asked, looking up.
"I dunno…I just feel like…I'm not doing enough…I'm like B.J., kinda…I have my partner…" She scratched behind one of Tsukaimon's ears, "…but I don't feel whole."
"Whole?"
"Y'know…meaning to my life…when things got hairy today, my blood was pumping…I want more of that." Samantha said. "I sound weird, don't I?"
"Not really. We Digimon are always looking to better ourselves…why can't a human look for that?" Tsukaimon nodded sagely.
"Well, you guys Digivolve…Humans just get older."
"Humans change too, Samantha…it's not as visible, but it's there." Tsukaimon replied.
"You're right…besides…I have a purpose now…" Samantha said, looking up at a TV, showing the mess around Olympic Plaza, the attack being covered on the news…
"The Plaza stands deserted after today's HFC strike, the memories of fear lingering like the smell of gunpowder over this area. Fortunately, there were few injuries, and Mayor Bronconnier was safe, due to the efforts of a girl who wished to remain anonymous. Only one person was seriously injured, 20-year-old B.J. Pepin, who remains in hospital in serious condition after suffering from three gunshots to his body. Some HFC members were caught, but the one responsible for the shooting, as well as his partner, a Gargomon, are still on the loose. This is Nima Tokata, Global Calgary News."
"…A Purpose?" Tsukaimon asked.
"Yeah…to keep this place safe…protect the rights Digimon have just earned…" Samantha's eyes smoldered with hatred, "…and to stick it to the b*st*rds who nearly killed my brother!"
"I'm with you!" Tsukaimon said confidently, and the pair high-fived, accidentally reopening their wounds a little in the process.
"Ow!"
"That smarts!"
A Single drop oozed from under each one's dressings…Samantha's crimson blood, and a dark liquid swimming with ones and zeroes from Tsukaimon's gash…the droplets landed on the plastic cushioning between them, and ran downhill toward the same button in the upholstered chair…as the drops touched, a faint light was emitted, grabbing the two's attention.
"Huh?" Tsukaimon said, as the glow remolded itself into a disc, then outward…the light faded, leaving a bizarre-looking, blue wristwatch.
"What happened?" Sam said, puzzled, and picked the item up. "And what's this?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but I get the feeling it's ours." Tsukaimon examined it. "Put it on.
Samantha strapped the device onto her left wrist. "Weird…feels like I've worn this thing all my life." She rolled her wrist and stretched her arm out…it felt as though she were wearing nothing at all. "But…where did it come from?"
"There's a slot in it, like the card scanners for your brother's card game." Tsukaimon noted.
"Wonder if it takes Visa or MasterCard…" Sam half-heartedly joked.
"Miss Pepin?" A voice said, and Samantha looked up at a policewoman, a Piximon fluttering beside her. "I'm Constable Lenelle…I was sent to bring you home to your parents."
"But what about B.J.?" Sam asked worriedly.
"Your brother is being held overnight…he'll need to recover after they removed the…ahem, after his incident." The woman held out her hand. "Come on now, it's late…the doctors can't let you stay."
"Alright…" Samantha shyly took the offered hand, cradling Tsukaimon in her other arm.
You'd better live, B.J…I'll never forgive you if you die!
B.J. never moved throughout his night's rest in the empty room…or almost empty…a tall, lithe figure phased in, out of view of the moonlight streaming through the window. It hung back, while a cloaked figure stepped forward, looking at the wounded young man.
"You sure it's him you sensed, Renamon?" The figure asked.
"Positive." The Vulpine figure took a single step into the light, the pale moon making her fur appear a silvery grey.
"He took a few shots from a Gargomon…and he's still alive…barely, but that's still impressive…" The figure turned back to its partner. "What do you know about him?"
"I did my homework. B.J. Pepin, aged 20 years…SAIT Journalism student, first year of a two-year degree course…unemployed, with no criminal record." the Renamon said, firing off each fact.
"How'd you get all that from a sense?" the cloaked being asked.
"Looking, listening, then using what I found to search further. It's called the Internet, Darkness." Renamon said simply. "There is one unusual factor, though; He has no partner."
"You sensed he'd be one of us, but he doesn't have a partner?"
"Correct." Renamon said, stepping closer…specifically, to a tray of personal effects on the nightstand…a necklace with a Medic-Alert amulet and a small charm on it, a pair of rings, one adorned with a dragon, a watch, and…
"Here's proof…his D-Medal." She said, holding it up.
"It's…red…I thought the vision included Blue, Yellow, Black and White."
"Change of plans, I guess…Fate isn't a set course, Darkness…it's just the best course…besides…the device reeks of blood." Renamon stated.
"Well, Duh, he only got juiced like a tomato today!" The figure, whose name was apparently Darkness, snorted, crossing his arms. "Is it damaged?"
"It seems to be functioning normally, despite what happened to it." Renamon reported, setting it down.
"Well, I dunno how this partner-less guy is going to help, but that's not my business." Darkness turned away. "C'mon, Renamon, Valerie and Ben probably expect a full report. I just hope it's still worth something when we give it."
"B.J. will recover…I foresaw that…we'll marshal our forces soon enough." Renamon finished, before both human and digimon faded from the room, leaving the still unconscious B.J. alone again.
"Mr. Pepin! Mr. Pepin, a word please!"
"Not now…another time, I'm still tired."
Geez…and in another year, I'll BE one of these people…they're vultures! B.J. moaned to himself. He'd come to mid-morning, and after a few tests, was released from hospital around sunset, and advised to keep activity to a minimum until his body replenished the lost blood.
He had no idea how the media knew…maybe they just kept circling the building, he joked.
"Mr. Pepin, your views on the HFC?" A female reporter asked, holding out a mic to him. B.J. paused. I may as well give them their sound byte.
"May I?" He said, reaching for the microphone, which she surrendered to him. "The Humans First Coalition is heavily misguided, in my opinion. No one got their point across by shoving it down someone's throat…or pumping it into his stomach." He paused as the collected people chuckled at the joke.
"The fact is, they believe Digimon are appliances…tools…this couldn't be farther from the truth. Your TV can entertain you, but it can't console you. Your Computer can educate you, but it can't advise you. Digimon laugh, cry, feel pain, get angry, and so much more. Can an appliance be jealous of you? Can it congratulate you, be proud of you, or hold you up when you can't do it yourself? HELL no. Digimon are living creatures, and the rights they've been given are wholly earned." He then meekly gave the microphone back.
"Mr. Pepin, where was your digimon during this incident?" Another reporter asked.
B.J.'s face turned to a scowl. "No further questions." He forced himself through the throngs of mic and camera-wielding people and into a squad car. His Mother and Aunt were unable to pick him up, as he'd learned by phone the media had hounded them much like they just did him, and both were so shaken they did not feel they could drive.
"Nice speech." The officer commented once they had pulled out of the hospital, breaking the silence hanging over them.
"Yeah, did you plan that?" A huge canine face poked in from the backseat – that of a Dobermon.
B.J. stared at his feet. "No…I was just upset and it all came to a head…scaring people, and even killing for one's beliefs just makes me wanna…wanna…"
BEEP BEEP!
"It makes you wanna beep?" The dog digimon blinked.
"Huh?" B.J. reached into his sweater and pulled out something on a chain. "My D-Medal…"
"Your what?" The cop asked.
"Nothing." B.J. replied, studying the device. "Say Officer…uhm…"
"Kensie."
"Yeah, Officer Kensie…could you turn right up ahead?" B.J. asked.
"…But that'll take us downtown…don't you live up in the Northeast?" the cop said, confused.
"Ethan…" Dobermon nudged his partner. "Do as the kid asks."
"Okay…but I don't like it." Ethan stated.
"It's alright…I have a bus pass…I can take the train home." B.J. said reassuredly.
Dobermon studied the readout. "Give me a closer look." B.J. removed the device and held it up. "Looks like it's coming from the Eau Claire area."
"Great, just drop me off." B.J. said.
"WHAT?" Officer Kensie said incredulously.
"Trust him, Ethan. Or at least trust me. He'll be fine." Dobermon said solemnly.
"All right…we'll be there in a few minutes." The cop said, watching the bridge across the Bow River approach. What none in the squad car saw, was a simple grey van, pulling in 50 yards behind them.
"This is it…Eau Claire Market…will you be fine from here?" Officer Kensie asked.
"Yeah." B.J. said, getting out of the car. "Call and tell my family I'm OK, and I'm covering some side business."
"All right." The cop replied, and B.J. began striking off after his D- Medal's signal.
"Hey, kid!"
B.J. turned around to see Dobermon poking his head out the rear window.
"Got a message for you to deliver, when you get where you're going."
"What's that?" B.J. asked.
"Tell 'em 'Welcome to Calgary'."
B.J. grinned, realizing what the canine hinted at, nodded, and dashed off after the signal.
" 'Welcome to Calgary?' What's that about?" Ethan asked.
"It means a lot, Ethan…a hell of a lot." Dobermon replied.
"Ahhh…" The cop said, and pulled away.
B.J. circled behind the mall, the lot empty and all inner lights extinguished – it had closed, it's Monday operating hours long passed. He stood at a bridge connecting a small playground to the side of the mall to a patch of land, standing solitary in the middle of the Bow River.
"Looks like it's in Prince's Island Park…" He mumbled, walking across nervously…the silence was oppressive…he almost felt as though he were trespassing…looking at the setting sun, he urged himself onward. "Just do this, and you can go home…"
Prince's Island was pretty big…about 2 acres of grass and large trees out in the middle of the river. B.J. passed the half-cared for stage used for festival entertainment…the signal he hunted for led him farther and farther from the solitary exit.
B.J. examined his D-Medal again. "I've almost found it."
"Too bad…" a voice drifted back to him, "…seeing as I found you first." B.J. whirled around to find the same masked man from the attack on the Mayor's speech facing him…both he and his Gargomon had weapons drawn. "Heard about your little speech over the radio…you're passionate, I'll give you that."
B.J. backed up against a tree. "You…"
"You set back our cause with your hero act…taking those bullets and bouncing back…now I have to remain in hiding…" The hoodlum chuckled. "But before I go, I figured, if you wanted to be a martyr, you ought to go all the way."
B.J. tensed as both man and Digimon took careful aim.
"You've got a lot of heart, kid…hope you're an organ donor."
B.J. growled at the gunman…and was surprised to hear it come out far more powerful than he expected…it also continued though he had stopped…
"Hatchling Dash!" A Bronze blur shot out from the trees to one side, tackling the human and rolling away. It came to a stop…the creature stood 5' tall, like a little bronze, wingless dragon, with a long tail ending in a spade, and teeth poking out from it's upper lip. Stubby, swept back horns grew from it's head, and a silvery, downward pointing triangle lay between golden eyes that burned with anger while it flashed a superior smile.
"Why you…" The gunman reached for his gun again, only to find it wasn't there. "What?"
"Looking for this?" The creature spun the gun on a claw before throwing it up, catching it in his mouth, and chomping it up. He spat out the remains, so battered they were useless even for scrap metal.
"Get him, Gargomon! I'll handle the kid." The crook ordered, drawing a switchblade. Gargomon advanced on the dragon, leveling his gun. "Gargolaser!" It cried, pumping out shot after shot, but the creature sidestepped them all.
Meanwhile, B.J. was ducking and dodging slashes from the frenzied criminal, looking for some chance. He found it, catching the assailant's wrist and wrenching it in a direction it was not meant to go, forcing him to drop the knife. Still holding the hand with his right, he struck the enemy in the face with his left wrist with snapping, semi-backhand motions. He tried to punch with his left, but B.J. released his other hand and blocked the strike with his forearm, pushing it outward, and trying to force the masked man off balance. It worked, and B.J. followed up by thrusting both open palms together into his chest, forcing him back a few steps, then dashed the distance, pushed off with his left, and spun around to plant his right foot square into the would-be murderer's face. He fell onto his back, moaned, and lay still.
"I've had about enough of this." The bronze digimon said, before tendrils of black energy seemed to gather around his mouth. "Dark Missile! ROAR!" A ball of dark energy flew from its opened mouth, and struck the Gargomon, shoving him harshly up against a tree. "Hatchling Dash!" The dragon pounded his entire body into the creature, and it slumped against the tree, unconscious. "Yeah, that's more like it!"
B.J.'s legs seemed ready to give out under him…the heat of battle plus his weakened condition left him exhausted. "Th…Thanks…for saving me…"
The creature ran over and tried to support the young man. "Think nothing of it, B.J.!"
"How…how do you…" B.J. wheezed, and couldn't finish his question.
"Know your name?" It asked, and B.J. nodded. "I'd better…how would I find my partner if I don't even know his name?"
"You're my…and I'm your…"
"Yep. Name's Shademon." The dragon hugged B.J. as best he could. "And you and me's gonna be closer than brothers!" B.J.'s D-Medal went off, and he held it out as a holographic display appeared.
"Shademon," B.J. read, finding his breath again. "Vaccine-Type Hatchling Digimon, Rookie Level. Attacks: Dark Missile and Hatchling Dash. A gifted, all-around brawler digimon with a thick hide and quick reflexes."
"That's me! So…what do we do about Dumb and Dumber over there?"
"Oh, I've got an Idea…" B.J. Replied. Shortly thereafter, the two left the island, headed for the train home. "By the way…someone wanted me to say this…and I want to say it, too…Welcome to Calgary."
"Incredible…" B.J.'s mother said.
"You made the news twice in one day, and three times in two!" MarineAngemon laughed, as the whole family watched the TV late that night…
"In a follow-up story, the man and digimon who orchestrated the HFC strike on Mayor Bronconnier's speech yesterday morning have been apprehended. The man and his Gargomon were found at Prince's Island Park following a phoned- in tip, tied together - and to a tree - by the Gargomon's ears. When escorted to a police wagon, the accused was verbally abusive, cursing the existence of attack victim B.J. Pepin as he was taken away. Police believe an attempt to get revenge upon Pepin for his earlier remarks was foiled, and by the recuperated college student himself. As of this time, neither Pepin nor anyone else has claimed credit for subduing the terrorist pair. However, this reporter would like to express her gratitude to the responsible party, no matter whom it is. This is Nirmala Naidoo-Hill, Global Calgary News."
"I didn't expect to make news until I passed Journalism!" B.J. joked.
"Well, there goes that plan!" Shademon added.
"You've been excused from classes tomorrow, B.J., to recover from your wounds, but the coordinator said you'll have to catch up on any work assigned today and tomorrow." Tsukaimon reported, reading the message it had taken.
Samantha picked up the purple mammal. "Well, I'm going to bed. Way to kick butt, B.J.. Goodnight." Other goodnights were mumbled as everyone broke off to get some rest.
Biyomon fluttered up and gave B.J. a quick kiss on the cheek. "Donna and I are really proud of you." She then flew back to her partner, and off to bed.
B.J. climbed into bed, then shifted aside as Shademon crawled in beside him. "This'll take some getting used to." B.J. commented.
"Yeah…but I'm worth it." Shademon joked.
B.J. turned the light beside the bed off and got comfortable. "You bet you are, Shademon. 'Night partner."
" 'Night, partner."
Elsewhere in town, a figure sat before her TV, a draconic creature of her own beside her, and a cordless phone to her ear.
"This proves it, Ben, Andrew…he's one. Undoubtedly."
"How soon should we approach him?" One voice asked.
"Soon, unfortunately." The female responded. "I would like to let him rest, but he's made enemies with a dangerous group, and quickly. If we don't get to him, an HFC bullet will…and it won't strike him where he can recover."
"Leave it to Renamon and I." Another male voice spoke.
"No…you do too much, Darkness…let me handle it." The first male interceded.
"Fine. Let's hope B.J. will be approachable during his 15 minutes of fame, then." Darkness hissed.
"He will be…he's not one to get wrapped up in the hero aura." The female voice added. "See that you speak to him soon, Ben. We need him, as much as he will need us."
"Understood, Valerie."
The girl hung up, putting an arm around her digimon.
"Our numbers are growing, Monodramon…we'll have a chance after all."
How will B.J. handle having a partner?
Who are Valerie, Darkness and Ben, and why do they want B.J.?
And how safe is B.J. from the wrath of the Humans First Coalition?
Find out next time, in Digimon Tamers: North of 49 - Episode 2!
Episode One: Blood Oaths
B.J.'s Journal – (Date Deleted)
My name is B.J. Pepin, I'm 20…and I'm pretty much alone in this world.
Not like that, I mean. I've got my family. My Mother, sister Samantha, and Aunt Heather who lives with us…Dad passed away when I was 15. I've got my friends and relatives and classmates and stuff, I've got all of that.
What I meant is, I don't have a partner.
You see, around nine months ago, bizarre creatures began popping up…first in far off Japan, then all over the world. Word spread, through news and the Internet, that these creatures were formed from the data that passes through almost any device with computer chips in it. They're called Digimon, and before this, we'd only believed they were fiction, the work of an imaginative mind. At the time they terrorized cities across the planet. My hometown of Calgary was lucky…monsters had popped up in nearby Edmonton, Banff, even the Drumheller badlands, but none strayed toward my prairie metropolis. Armies were mobilized, warnings were issued, and in some countries I'd heard martial law was even declared. The threat disappeared, rumour had it, thanks to the efforts of a dozen or so Japanese citizens.
Peace reigned…until they came back.
Slowly, digimon were being sighted absolutely everywhere…and they were endearing themselves to the people, rather than attacking like the huge behemoths that had plagued us shortly before. The first reported sightings were in hospitals worldwide…nurses checking in on newborn babies in the maternity ward would find the infant cuddled up to a little puffball in their bassinet with them, or crying their eyes out while the little creatures frantically tried to comfort them. From there it spread, young, old, male, female, heedless of nationality, faith or otherwise…soon every human on the planet encountered a creature that knew them so well it was like they were separated at birth.
Every human on the planet, save for me, it feels.
No matter where you go, no one walks alone. Though Calgary was small by most places' standards, at just shy of one million people, it had seemed crowded even before Digimon came into people's lives. The world had changed seemingly overnight. Digimon had learned about us, and us about them, so fast it was like we'd known of the others' existence for eons.
It isn't utopia, of course. Wild digimon prowl the earth, and many are bold enough to explore urban areas. But naturally, they're driven off by law enforcement…never thought I'd be addressing a "Constable Tyrannomon" at any point in my life.
Like I said, I had to be the last person on earth to have not met "My" Digimon. People stopped, stared, some were even bold enough to ask where my partner was. I'd say nothing and move on.
It's become like that old romantic tale where everyone has a soulmate…everyone has a partner. So, why am I alone? Am I so weird that there can't be a Digimon out there that understands me, that thinks like I think?
I dunno…I hope it's not true…
Knocking interrupted B.J.'s writing. "It's open." He stated.
Opening the door, a pink bird stuck its head in. "Donna…I mean your Mom, says she'd like you to set the dinner table. We're having pasta tonight."
"Okay, Biyomon. Tell Mom I just need a minute to wrap up." B.J. replied, turning back to his journal.
At night, I wonder…if I actually DO have a Digimon partner, what is he or she like? Would they be someone strong like a Cyberdramon, intelligent like Tentomon, or cute and compassionate like Calumon? Whenever I look at the type of person I am…relatively smart, good kid, a bit immature…I don't see a Digimon like that.
Maybe that's why I have no partner…no Digimon exists like me.
B.J. closed the book and went into the dining room to set the table.
Seven spaces around one table, He thought, and just months ago, there used to be only four… He laid out the places around the table, listing each person as he went. Their partners, naturally, sat beside them.
"Mom, Biyomon, Samantha, Tsukaimon, Heather, MarineAngemon, and me." Being partner-less now stung far more than the old complaint that he was the only guy in the house, since Dad passed away. When he wasn't sorry for himself, he wondered who his father's partner would have been. Knowing him, it would have been some strong, smart, righteous Digimon, Like WarGreymon or AeroVeedramon or something.
"Something smells good!" A small purple mammal with bat-like wings for ears peeked around the corner from the living room. "Is dinner almost ready?"
"I'm serving it right now." Mrs. Pepin answered, handing a steaming plate to Biyomon, who took it to the table and set it in the place of its owner.
"Right, I know the drill." The little Digimon disappeared from view. "Samantha, hurry up and save your game! Dinner's on the table!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming! God, Tsukaimon, hold on, just a minute!" B.J.'s fourteen-year-old sister entered and took her seat at the table. Dressed in jeans and a cropped shirt, she pushed her shoulder length brown hair behind her and waited.
"B.J., go downstairs and wake your Aunt up for dinner." His Mom asked.
"Right." He hurried down to the door of Heather's basement bedroom. Knocking, he then opened the door a crack. "Aunty Heather?"
A little white winged creature appeared from nowhere, hovering right in front of B.J.'s face, almost scaring him. "You know Heather likes to nap on weekends. What is it?"
"Dinnertime, MarineAngemon." B.J. said flatly…how Heather slept with the hyper little Digimon in her room was a mystery. When he'd first appeared, Biyomon described the Sea Animal Digimon as '3 Gigabytes of energy on a 2 Gig drive', and the whole household believed it.
"I'll get her up…be at the table in 5! Now go on, get!" The creature said, pushing the door closed.
"Got it." B.J. replied, and went back to the table.
Dinner passed, and conversation was the usual for their dinners. Heather complained about one of her supervisors, Samantha talked about the Movie she and Tsukaimon had seen with their best friends, Brittany and DemiDevimon, and commented on how the two still spoke little to one another. Mom just said work was work, but Biyomon confessed she'd spilled coffee on the boss' Gazimon "by accident"…and she had been sorry…but only while the two were around to hear her. Soon after she and Mrs. Pepin locked their office door and laughed themselves stupid.
"What'd you do, B.J.?" Heather asked.
"Same old stuff. Sentry Box, card tournament. Lost." He replied quietly.
"Why do you have a hobby you suck at?" His sister said.
"Samantha!" Tsukaimon said incredulously.
"What? He never comes home with any other response than 'Lost'. Why's he play?"
"It kills time." B.J. responded.
"As long as you enjoy it, it doesn't matter." Biyomon said, obviously trying to diffuse the situation.
"Yeah." He said, and went back to eating.
Once dinner was finished, B.J. wordlessly washed the dishes, then went to bed…he had to get up early, to cover a story for his Journalism class…he hated journalism…they seemed to want robots to report the news. No flash, no flair, just facts. How boring. Not to mention his own free time was required quite a bit for his work, which explained why he would be getting up before noon on a Sunday. Only a few minutes into his attempt to sleep, he had to pound on his bedroom wall. His sister came through the door to his bedroom soon after.
"WHAT?" She asked.
"Keep it down in there, I'm trying to sleep!" B.J. said grumpily.
"Well, Sorry! I was having a few Capcom VS. SNK 2 matches with Tsukaimon."
"Fine, just turn it down." He responded. "And another thing…I want my PS2 back in my room tomorrow."
"Fine. G'night." She closed the door behind her.
B.J. rolled over in bed and tried to relax… "Lucky stiff…she doesn't know how good she has it with Tsukaimon." He managed to quell his mind just long enough to drift off to sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in his bedroom. In fact, he wasn't anywhere he recognized. He'd never had a dream this vivid…the trees looked like they were painted in pastels, and the ground was patterned like a quilt.
"Weird…I KNOW I'm dreaming, but I'm not waking up. Heather's into this mystic stuff, what'd she call it…Lucid dreaming?" B.J. spoke to himself. "Now what?" He scanned the area, and caught sight of what looked like a city…made of an infant's soft building blocks. "Well, I got nowhere else to be." He said, turning to head toward it.
"It's almost creepy…I feel like I've been shrunk and I'm stuck in someone's toy box!" He mused. Further into town, he came across as field full of baskets. "What's with the bassinets?" He knelt down and looked in.
A little black ball with golden eyes and little, rounded, cat-like ears squeaked back at him.
"Heh heh, how cute…it's like a really tiny-"
"Digimon?" A voice behind him finished his thought.
"Yeah…" B.J. stood and turned around to find a red and blue mammal just a few feet away. "You're, Elecmon, right?"
"That's right. How did you get here?" He asked.
"Uhm, it's my dream, right?" B.J. asked, dumbfounded.
"Dream?" Elecmon stepped forward, reaching for B.J.'s shin…and his paw passed right through. "Ah, now I get it."
"Get what?"
"Astral Projection. You're dreaming, but you're traveling in real places." Elecmon explained.
"Like a living ghost?" B.J. asked, seeing if his own hands would pass through himself…they did not.
"Kind of."
"Well, if you're Elecmon, then this is Primary Village, right?"
"Bullseye. How'd you know?" Elecmon asked, stunned.
"Long story. So, how'd I Astral perfect myself here?"
"I don't know HOW...but I can guess WHY." Elecmon turned and dashed off.
"Hey! What way is this to answer me?" B.J. asked indignantly.
"Follow me! I have something of yours!" Elecmon called back.
"Something of mine?" B.J. asked himself, dashing after the mouse like digimon.
"In here." Elecmon wandered through a field full of eggs. "Now where is it?…"
"Where's what?"
"Never mind, I found it." Elecmon gestured to an egg patterned like his own fur.
"Uhm, I'm not a fan of eggs. Make me sick."
"It's fake. Crack it." Elecmon said.
"Uh, a'ight." He touched the egg to be sure he could, and found it resisted the poke. Elecmon grinned. "Uhm, aren't I supposed to be unable to do this?"
"What good is something of yours if you can't touch it?" Elecmon said sagely.
"Uh, okay." B.J. picked the egg up and broke it over his knee. A small device tumbled out, and he caught it before he hit the ground. "What's this?" He examined the small device…it was round, white and almost disc-shaped, with a slot in the side and a screen with buttons on the front. It also had a chain attached…like it was meant to go around his neck. "Is this a…Digivice?"
"It's a D-Medal…your D-Medal, to be precise." Elecmon said. "Go ahead, put it on."
B.J. slipped the chain over his head. "Weird…it feels like it belongs here."
"Because it DOES belong there, naturally." Elecmon nodded. "Well, my job is done, back to watching out for the younger Digimon. Besides, it looks like your time is almost up." Elecmon turned and began to walk away.
"Huh?" B.J. looked down, and realized he was now obviously transparent.
"Maybe I'll see you again, kid. Later."
"Wait! Why would I have this thing? I don't even…unghh…" B.J. brought his hand to his temple. "I feel lightheaded…" Try as he could, he could not remain conscious…the last he saw was the world on it's side, as he settled down to his knees, then lay on the ground, unable to stay awake…
"I…don't even have…a partner…" B.J. muttered.
"Samantha…your brother's talking in his sleep." A familiar voice said.
"He's even complaining in his sleep. Jeez, what a baby." Things clicked, and he realized Samantha and Tsukaimon were in his room.
"I heard that." B.J. said as he sat up. "What the heck are you guys doing in here?"
"You wanted us to be your backup alarm, remember? Mayor Bronconnier's speech?" Samantha replied, playing with a few things on B.J.'s computer desk.
"Yeah. Samantha and I are taking pictures for Social Studies." Tsukaimon added, holding up his camera. Sam's was around her neck.
"Really…thanks then. If you guys get a good shot, can I get a copy for my story?"
"Sure."
"Great…now one more thing." B.J. said.
"What's that?" Tsukaimon asked.
"Get out of my room…I gotta take a shower and get dressed."
"Oh, right." Tsukaimon flew toward the door, taking Sam's hand and pulling her out.
B.J. yawned and stretched…before noticing an unusual feeling on his chest…looking down, the device from his dream hung around his neck.
"So I DID do that astral thing…but how'd I bring it back with me…and what good is a Digivice when you have no partner?" He mumbled. A moment later, he gave up on those questions and took it off, not wanting to short it out in the shower.
After a shower and getting dressed, he looked the medal over again…bizarre…but when he looked at it, he felt like there was a piece of him missing while it wasn't around his neck. In the end, he put it on, and tucked it under his shirt, before shouldering his bookbag and running out with his sister to catch the bus, headed downtown.
They arrived early enough for the speech to stand up near the front…B.J. was guaranteed to hear every word, and Sam and Tsukaimon were close enough to get top-notch shots at a moment's notice. The mayor was already on the stage set up in Olympic Plaza, the fountain drained for the event.
"I know we assume most politicians are slime, but Bronconnier's got it hard with a Sukamon following him around." Samantha giggled.
"Give the guy a break, he was only elected six months ago…he hasn't had long enough to come off good or bad." B.J. replied.
"But with this big event in the middle of downtown, he must have good news to report." Tsukaimon observed.
"Let's hope so…but what's with all the security? I haven't seen this many Champion Digimon in one place before." Samantha said, her eyes straying from cop to cop…among their partners a Leomon, Flamedramon and Shurimon.
"Perhaps it's something controversial…there's still the HFC out there." Tsukaimon said nervously.
"Those guys are sick, in my opinion…the Humans First Coalition…believing digimon are tools, even though they're living things." B.J. scowled.
"I'd like to take my shoe and shove it so far up their butts the laces'd hang out their noses!" Sam added, growling. Tsukaimon blinked at the response.
"Shh! It looks like he's starting!" B.J. said, as the mayor approached the podium.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, and Digimon," Mayor David 'Bronco' Bronconnier began. "In one corner of this very parkspace, sits a monument to the brave women who, earlier in our nation's history, fought for the right of women to vote…to have women considered persons under Canadian law. Their trial was a long, hard, arduous journey, beginning with one person, and spreading to the thousands."
"Today, I seek to emulate their example. It started with myself, has spread to the aldermen, and will grow faster than it's predecessor, to the hundreds of thousands." The Mayor's Sukamon seemed to get more excited as the tension built. Sam and Tsukaimon snapped photo after photo, and B.J. scribbled down potential quotes furiously.
"Our government has been working on this, as has countless others. Today, I seek to start the ball rolling, spreading the issue across our province, our country, and eventually, to the United Nations, and speed their acceptance of the same."
"Come on, Dave, hit us with the big one…" Shade mumbled eagerly.
"Today, by municipal legislation, Digimon in Calgary are considered persons, under Law!" A Wild chorus of cheers, whistling and various cries arose from the gathered people…until, scattered amongst the gathered, various citizens donned large shades, bandanas and ski masks in the April sun, drew guns from their purses, bags and backpacks, and each fired a single round into the air, turning the cries into screams. People began to run immediately, but more disguised troops began to line the outer rim of the park, barring exit with firearms and ferocious digimon.
"Trash!" One masked man raised a megaphone and began heading for the stage, a Gargomon following right behind. "Digimon are tools, as any electronic device is! This digimon suffrage you tout is ridiculous! Would you give rights to your computer, your television? Digimon are data…walking programs…they are to take commands and follow them; no more, no less." He had ascended to the podium, shoved aside the mayor and began speaking into the mic.
"We of the Humans First Coalition shall make an example of this town…no one leaves this Plaza until these foolish rights are revoked!" The main cried, raising his firearm, and the assorted supporters, and even their digimon, did the same, cheering.
"We'll see about that." Bronconnier muttered, and strode straight up to the distracted 'preacher', laying a straight punch into his jaw. The gunman followed up by elbowing the mayor and pointing his automatic rifle at him.
"Purple Fog!" Tsukaimon flooded the stage with gas, choking the attackers, then "Slamming Attack" tackled the masked assailant, making him drop his gun.
"Open Fire!" He cried, and all hell broke loose.
People began charging, overpowering human adversaries only to find their digimon right behind. No HFC member's shot hit anything that couldn't withstand it. As B.J. fended off a shade-sporting assailant with a sharp, backward kick to the face, he saw the whole thing in pieces.
Samantha, Blinding a charging, armed woman with her camera before punching her in the stomach, setting up, and pile driving her into the grass.
A Renamon springing off a Hyogamon, while a human, his back turned to B.J., followed up, smashing it with an umbrella.
A BlackGatomon Hypnotizing both human and digimon, the pair falling asleep back to back.
A policeman's Leomon, deflecting bullets with his sword.
Mayor Bronconnier's Sukamon bombing the onstage attacker's Gargomon, as the fog cleared.
"Don't mess around with that piffling thing, take him out!" The masked man cried, pointing to the Mayor, whom Samantha and Tsukaimon had gotten to in the confusion, and was leading off the stage. "Ventilate all of them!"
"SAMANTHA!" B.J. ran toward the stage as the Gargomon lined up his gun, apparently focused less on the primary target, and more on the girl between them. The mayor and B.J.'s sister continued to run, Gargomon's bullets missing by inches, save for one, which grazed both Samantha and her digimon. Neither stopped for an instant, running despite the pain.
"Don't TOUCH her!" B.J. cried, charging madly at the heavily armed Digimon. It turned to face him, rounds still pumping from its gun-arm, but slowing down.
Thud, thud, thud…B.J. heard before feeling the 3 bullets pound into his torso. He was pushed back a step…and brought his hand to his shirt…already more red than black with his blood…he could feel the sticky liquid of life against his body, soaking into his clothes, and coating the device under his shirt, around his neck.
His whole world seemed to turn red as he slumped to his knees…he heard "Let's go, Police reinforcements are coming!" and the heavy footsteps of Gargomon following his partner, then, nothing…
"This is my fault." Samantha said that afternoon as she sat outside B.J.'s hospital room, trying to ignore the itch of the salve on her wounds and the bandage concealing it.
"Don't say that." Tsukaimon replied, a similar dressing around the small digimon's foreleg.
"But B.J. got hurt because I tried to play hero. Last the doctors told me, his condition was still Serious, and threatening to drop to Critical."
"What's wrong with playing hero? After all, what do you think HE was doing distracting them?" The little mammal climbed into his partner's lap.
"I guess you got a point…" Sam said, stroking the bat-winged creature. "It's just…why wasn't I smarter? Faster? Maybe even stronger?"
"What's wrong with you now?" Tsukaimon asked, looking up.
"I dunno…I just feel like…I'm not doing enough…I'm like B.J., kinda…I have my partner…" She scratched behind one of Tsukaimon's ears, "…but I don't feel whole."
"Whole?"
"Y'know…meaning to my life…when things got hairy today, my blood was pumping…I want more of that." Samantha said. "I sound weird, don't I?"
"Not really. We Digimon are always looking to better ourselves…why can't a human look for that?" Tsukaimon nodded sagely.
"Well, you guys Digivolve…Humans just get older."
"Humans change too, Samantha…it's not as visible, but it's there." Tsukaimon replied.
"You're right…besides…I have a purpose now…" Samantha said, looking up at a TV, showing the mess around Olympic Plaza, the attack being covered on the news…
"The Plaza stands deserted after today's HFC strike, the memories of fear lingering like the smell of gunpowder over this area. Fortunately, there were few injuries, and Mayor Bronconnier was safe, due to the efforts of a girl who wished to remain anonymous. Only one person was seriously injured, 20-year-old B.J. Pepin, who remains in hospital in serious condition after suffering from three gunshots to his body. Some HFC members were caught, but the one responsible for the shooting, as well as his partner, a Gargomon, are still on the loose. This is Nima Tokata, Global Calgary News."
"…A Purpose?" Tsukaimon asked.
"Yeah…to keep this place safe…protect the rights Digimon have just earned…" Samantha's eyes smoldered with hatred, "…and to stick it to the b*st*rds who nearly killed my brother!"
"I'm with you!" Tsukaimon said confidently, and the pair high-fived, accidentally reopening their wounds a little in the process.
"Ow!"
"That smarts!"
A Single drop oozed from under each one's dressings…Samantha's crimson blood, and a dark liquid swimming with ones and zeroes from Tsukaimon's gash…the droplets landed on the plastic cushioning between them, and ran downhill toward the same button in the upholstered chair…as the drops touched, a faint light was emitted, grabbing the two's attention.
"Huh?" Tsukaimon said, as the glow remolded itself into a disc, then outward…the light faded, leaving a bizarre-looking, blue wristwatch.
"What happened?" Sam said, puzzled, and picked the item up. "And what's this?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but I get the feeling it's ours." Tsukaimon examined it. "Put it on.
Samantha strapped the device onto her left wrist. "Weird…feels like I've worn this thing all my life." She rolled her wrist and stretched her arm out…it felt as though she were wearing nothing at all. "But…where did it come from?"
"There's a slot in it, like the card scanners for your brother's card game." Tsukaimon noted.
"Wonder if it takes Visa or MasterCard…" Sam half-heartedly joked.
"Miss Pepin?" A voice said, and Samantha looked up at a policewoman, a Piximon fluttering beside her. "I'm Constable Lenelle…I was sent to bring you home to your parents."
"But what about B.J.?" Sam asked worriedly.
"Your brother is being held overnight…he'll need to recover after they removed the…ahem, after his incident." The woman held out her hand. "Come on now, it's late…the doctors can't let you stay."
"Alright…" Samantha shyly took the offered hand, cradling Tsukaimon in her other arm.
You'd better live, B.J…I'll never forgive you if you die!
B.J. never moved throughout his night's rest in the empty room…or almost empty…a tall, lithe figure phased in, out of view of the moonlight streaming through the window. It hung back, while a cloaked figure stepped forward, looking at the wounded young man.
"You sure it's him you sensed, Renamon?" The figure asked.
"Positive." The Vulpine figure took a single step into the light, the pale moon making her fur appear a silvery grey.
"He took a few shots from a Gargomon…and he's still alive…barely, but that's still impressive…" The figure turned back to its partner. "What do you know about him?"
"I did my homework. B.J. Pepin, aged 20 years…SAIT Journalism student, first year of a two-year degree course…unemployed, with no criminal record." the Renamon said, firing off each fact.
"How'd you get all that from a sense?" the cloaked being asked.
"Looking, listening, then using what I found to search further. It's called the Internet, Darkness." Renamon said simply. "There is one unusual factor, though; He has no partner."
"You sensed he'd be one of us, but he doesn't have a partner?"
"Correct." Renamon said, stepping closer…specifically, to a tray of personal effects on the nightstand…a necklace with a Medic-Alert amulet and a small charm on it, a pair of rings, one adorned with a dragon, a watch, and…
"Here's proof…his D-Medal." She said, holding it up.
"It's…red…I thought the vision included Blue, Yellow, Black and White."
"Change of plans, I guess…Fate isn't a set course, Darkness…it's just the best course…besides…the device reeks of blood." Renamon stated.
"Well, Duh, he only got juiced like a tomato today!" The figure, whose name was apparently Darkness, snorted, crossing his arms. "Is it damaged?"
"It seems to be functioning normally, despite what happened to it." Renamon reported, setting it down.
"Well, I dunno how this partner-less guy is going to help, but that's not my business." Darkness turned away. "C'mon, Renamon, Valerie and Ben probably expect a full report. I just hope it's still worth something when we give it."
"B.J. will recover…I foresaw that…we'll marshal our forces soon enough." Renamon finished, before both human and digimon faded from the room, leaving the still unconscious B.J. alone again.
"Mr. Pepin! Mr. Pepin, a word please!"
"Not now…another time, I'm still tired."
Geez…and in another year, I'll BE one of these people…they're vultures! B.J. moaned to himself. He'd come to mid-morning, and after a few tests, was released from hospital around sunset, and advised to keep activity to a minimum until his body replenished the lost blood.
He had no idea how the media knew…maybe they just kept circling the building, he joked.
"Mr. Pepin, your views on the HFC?" A female reporter asked, holding out a mic to him. B.J. paused. I may as well give them their sound byte.
"May I?" He said, reaching for the microphone, which she surrendered to him. "The Humans First Coalition is heavily misguided, in my opinion. No one got their point across by shoving it down someone's throat…or pumping it into his stomach." He paused as the collected people chuckled at the joke.
"The fact is, they believe Digimon are appliances…tools…this couldn't be farther from the truth. Your TV can entertain you, but it can't console you. Your Computer can educate you, but it can't advise you. Digimon laugh, cry, feel pain, get angry, and so much more. Can an appliance be jealous of you? Can it congratulate you, be proud of you, or hold you up when you can't do it yourself? HELL no. Digimon are living creatures, and the rights they've been given are wholly earned." He then meekly gave the microphone back.
"Mr. Pepin, where was your digimon during this incident?" Another reporter asked.
B.J.'s face turned to a scowl. "No further questions." He forced himself through the throngs of mic and camera-wielding people and into a squad car. His Mother and Aunt were unable to pick him up, as he'd learned by phone the media had hounded them much like they just did him, and both were so shaken they did not feel they could drive.
"Nice speech." The officer commented once they had pulled out of the hospital, breaking the silence hanging over them.
"Yeah, did you plan that?" A huge canine face poked in from the backseat – that of a Dobermon.
B.J. stared at his feet. "No…I was just upset and it all came to a head…scaring people, and even killing for one's beliefs just makes me wanna…wanna…"
BEEP BEEP!
"It makes you wanna beep?" The dog digimon blinked.
"Huh?" B.J. reached into his sweater and pulled out something on a chain. "My D-Medal…"
"Your what?" The cop asked.
"Nothing." B.J. replied, studying the device. "Say Officer…uhm…"
"Kensie."
"Yeah, Officer Kensie…could you turn right up ahead?" B.J. asked.
"…But that'll take us downtown…don't you live up in the Northeast?" the cop said, confused.
"Ethan…" Dobermon nudged his partner. "Do as the kid asks."
"Okay…but I don't like it." Ethan stated.
"It's alright…I have a bus pass…I can take the train home." B.J. said reassuredly.
Dobermon studied the readout. "Give me a closer look." B.J. removed the device and held it up. "Looks like it's coming from the Eau Claire area."
"Great, just drop me off." B.J. said.
"WHAT?" Officer Kensie said incredulously.
"Trust him, Ethan. Or at least trust me. He'll be fine." Dobermon said solemnly.
"All right…we'll be there in a few minutes." The cop said, watching the bridge across the Bow River approach. What none in the squad car saw, was a simple grey van, pulling in 50 yards behind them.
"This is it…Eau Claire Market…will you be fine from here?" Officer Kensie asked.
"Yeah." B.J. said, getting out of the car. "Call and tell my family I'm OK, and I'm covering some side business."
"All right." The cop replied, and B.J. began striking off after his D- Medal's signal.
"Hey, kid!"
B.J. turned around to see Dobermon poking his head out the rear window.
"Got a message for you to deliver, when you get where you're going."
"What's that?" B.J. asked.
"Tell 'em 'Welcome to Calgary'."
B.J. grinned, realizing what the canine hinted at, nodded, and dashed off after the signal.
" 'Welcome to Calgary?' What's that about?" Ethan asked.
"It means a lot, Ethan…a hell of a lot." Dobermon replied.
"Ahhh…" The cop said, and pulled away.
B.J. circled behind the mall, the lot empty and all inner lights extinguished – it had closed, it's Monday operating hours long passed. He stood at a bridge connecting a small playground to the side of the mall to a patch of land, standing solitary in the middle of the Bow River.
"Looks like it's in Prince's Island Park…" He mumbled, walking across nervously…the silence was oppressive…he almost felt as though he were trespassing…looking at the setting sun, he urged himself onward. "Just do this, and you can go home…"
Prince's Island was pretty big…about 2 acres of grass and large trees out in the middle of the river. B.J. passed the half-cared for stage used for festival entertainment…the signal he hunted for led him farther and farther from the solitary exit.
B.J. examined his D-Medal again. "I've almost found it."
"Too bad…" a voice drifted back to him, "…seeing as I found you first." B.J. whirled around to find the same masked man from the attack on the Mayor's speech facing him…both he and his Gargomon had weapons drawn. "Heard about your little speech over the radio…you're passionate, I'll give you that."
B.J. backed up against a tree. "You…"
"You set back our cause with your hero act…taking those bullets and bouncing back…now I have to remain in hiding…" The hoodlum chuckled. "But before I go, I figured, if you wanted to be a martyr, you ought to go all the way."
B.J. tensed as both man and Digimon took careful aim.
"You've got a lot of heart, kid…hope you're an organ donor."
B.J. growled at the gunman…and was surprised to hear it come out far more powerful than he expected…it also continued though he had stopped…
"Hatchling Dash!" A Bronze blur shot out from the trees to one side, tackling the human and rolling away. It came to a stop…the creature stood 5' tall, like a little bronze, wingless dragon, with a long tail ending in a spade, and teeth poking out from it's upper lip. Stubby, swept back horns grew from it's head, and a silvery, downward pointing triangle lay between golden eyes that burned with anger while it flashed a superior smile.
"Why you…" The gunman reached for his gun again, only to find it wasn't there. "What?"
"Looking for this?" The creature spun the gun on a claw before throwing it up, catching it in his mouth, and chomping it up. He spat out the remains, so battered they were useless even for scrap metal.
"Get him, Gargomon! I'll handle the kid." The crook ordered, drawing a switchblade. Gargomon advanced on the dragon, leveling his gun. "Gargolaser!" It cried, pumping out shot after shot, but the creature sidestepped them all.
Meanwhile, B.J. was ducking and dodging slashes from the frenzied criminal, looking for some chance. He found it, catching the assailant's wrist and wrenching it in a direction it was not meant to go, forcing him to drop the knife. Still holding the hand with his right, he struck the enemy in the face with his left wrist with snapping, semi-backhand motions. He tried to punch with his left, but B.J. released his other hand and blocked the strike with his forearm, pushing it outward, and trying to force the masked man off balance. It worked, and B.J. followed up by thrusting both open palms together into his chest, forcing him back a few steps, then dashed the distance, pushed off with his left, and spun around to plant his right foot square into the would-be murderer's face. He fell onto his back, moaned, and lay still.
"I've had about enough of this." The bronze digimon said, before tendrils of black energy seemed to gather around his mouth. "Dark Missile! ROAR!" A ball of dark energy flew from its opened mouth, and struck the Gargomon, shoving him harshly up against a tree. "Hatchling Dash!" The dragon pounded his entire body into the creature, and it slumped against the tree, unconscious. "Yeah, that's more like it!"
B.J.'s legs seemed ready to give out under him…the heat of battle plus his weakened condition left him exhausted. "Th…Thanks…for saving me…"
The creature ran over and tried to support the young man. "Think nothing of it, B.J.!"
"How…how do you…" B.J. wheezed, and couldn't finish his question.
"Know your name?" It asked, and B.J. nodded. "I'd better…how would I find my partner if I don't even know his name?"
"You're my…and I'm your…"
"Yep. Name's Shademon." The dragon hugged B.J. as best he could. "And you and me's gonna be closer than brothers!" B.J.'s D-Medal went off, and he held it out as a holographic display appeared.
"Shademon," B.J. read, finding his breath again. "Vaccine-Type Hatchling Digimon, Rookie Level. Attacks: Dark Missile and Hatchling Dash. A gifted, all-around brawler digimon with a thick hide and quick reflexes."
"That's me! So…what do we do about Dumb and Dumber over there?"
"Oh, I've got an Idea…" B.J. Replied. Shortly thereafter, the two left the island, headed for the train home. "By the way…someone wanted me to say this…and I want to say it, too…Welcome to Calgary."
"Incredible…" B.J.'s mother said.
"You made the news twice in one day, and three times in two!" MarineAngemon laughed, as the whole family watched the TV late that night…
"In a follow-up story, the man and digimon who orchestrated the HFC strike on Mayor Bronconnier's speech yesterday morning have been apprehended. The man and his Gargomon were found at Prince's Island Park following a phoned- in tip, tied together - and to a tree - by the Gargomon's ears. When escorted to a police wagon, the accused was verbally abusive, cursing the existence of attack victim B.J. Pepin as he was taken away. Police believe an attempt to get revenge upon Pepin for his earlier remarks was foiled, and by the recuperated college student himself. As of this time, neither Pepin nor anyone else has claimed credit for subduing the terrorist pair. However, this reporter would like to express her gratitude to the responsible party, no matter whom it is. This is Nirmala Naidoo-Hill, Global Calgary News."
"I didn't expect to make news until I passed Journalism!" B.J. joked.
"Well, there goes that plan!" Shademon added.
"You've been excused from classes tomorrow, B.J., to recover from your wounds, but the coordinator said you'll have to catch up on any work assigned today and tomorrow." Tsukaimon reported, reading the message it had taken.
Samantha picked up the purple mammal. "Well, I'm going to bed. Way to kick butt, B.J.. Goodnight." Other goodnights were mumbled as everyone broke off to get some rest.
Biyomon fluttered up and gave B.J. a quick kiss on the cheek. "Donna and I are really proud of you." She then flew back to her partner, and off to bed.
B.J. climbed into bed, then shifted aside as Shademon crawled in beside him. "This'll take some getting used to." B.J. commented.
"Yeah…but I'm worth it." Shademon joked.
B.J. turned the light beside the bed off and got comfortable. "You bet you are, Shademon. 'Night partner."
" 'Night, partner."
Elsewhere in town, a figure sat before her TV, a draconic creature of her own beside her, and a cordless phone to her ear.
"This proves it, Ben, Andrew…he's one. Undoubtedly."
"How soon should we approach him?" One voice asked.
"Soon, unfortunately." The female responded. "I would like to let him rest, but he's made enemies with a dangerous group, and quickly. If we don't get to him, an HFC bullet will…and it won't strike him where he can recover."
"Leave it to Renamon and I." Another male voice spoke.
"No…you do too much, Darkness…let me handle it." The first male interceded.
"Fine. Let's hope B.J. will be approachable during his 15 minutes of fame, then." Darkness hissed.
"He will be…he's not one to get wrapped up in the hero aura." The female voice added. "See that you speak to him soon, Ben. We need him, as much as he will need us."
"Understood, Valerie."
The girl hung up, putting an arm around her digimon.
"Our numbers are growing, Monodramon…we'll have a chance after all."
How will B.J. handle having a partner?
Who are Valerie, Darkness and Ben, and why do they want B.J.?
And how safe is B.J. from the wrath of the Humans First Coalition?
Find out next time, in Digimon Tamers: North of 49 - Episode 2!