Digimon Tamers: North of 49
Episode Two: First 'Imp'ressions
"I'd just like to state for the record that this blows." Darkness griped as he sat under a tree, in what barely passed as a grove on the edge of his high school's property. "Ben gets all the juicy jobs…all we ever do is watch and take notes."
"Our operations would cease to be without surveillance." Renamon replied calmly, seated in a branch above him, and tapping away at Darkness' laptop. "Besides, with you completing classes, I have little else to do…I cannot remain seated in a classroom as long as you, and the others' partners will only spar with me so many times."
"Speaking of classes, could you hurry it up? If I'm late getting in from our lunch break, Mr. Lowell will go into another of his speeches." Darkness made a twisted face and began mimicking the teacher. "Andrew Chen, if you had any concern for your future blah blah blah…"
"Relax, this will only take a short time longer…I'm running another Medal Scan…"
"You do that almost daily." Darkness scowled.
"It is for our best interests…our Digiworld contact said there would be a total of nine of us throughout Calgary…so far, we have three…four, if B.J. will join us."
"He will…did you see the shots of that criminal when they apprehended him? If he didn't break the guy's nose, he came pretty close! The guy had a shoeprint on his FACE!" Darkness noted.
"A desire to fight won't be enough. And Shademon alone won't make him Tamer material, either." Renamon leapt down from the tree, the laptop in one arm.
"Shademon?" Darkness sat up straighter.
"I dropped Ben's message off at the Pepin household…and saw B.J. talking with a tall, bronze dragon. I overheard his name, but I've never heard of such a Digimon."
"You always find out the good stuff while I'm taking some damn test." Darkness growled, crossing his arms.
"It's not my fault, it's just coinci-" Renamon was cut short by the laptop beeping. "What's this?"
"The batteries are probably dying again." Darkness said nonchalantly.
"No…we've got THREE new signals…two coming from Junior Highs in the Northeast, and one from a Northwest High School…Initial scans label all three D-Medal carriers as Female…Two 14, One 16. One is incomplete…she's only a potential." Renamon began running her paws across the keyboard at a blistering pace.
"Incredible…see what more we can get…" Darkness said, leaning in. "Digimon files loading…"
"Signal 1…James Fowler High School…Digimon detected…ID…Impmon." Renamon mumbled. "If we cross-reference with that school's Student Database…"
Darkness pointed. "There! The only Impmon there…Student Name, Rachael Ruzicka…"
"We should alert Valerie immediately." Renamon stated.
"Heck no. Who put her in charge anyway? I'm sick of surveillance…I say we locate this Rachael, talk to her, and show her why she has to join us!" Darkness said, shutting down the laptop.
"But…the other signals should be reviewed…and we are not a vigilante group." Renamon said, stunned at Darkness' growing enthusiasm.
"I know, I know. We're special, or whatever. Listen, I can cut my last class since I'm ahead. Be ready at 2:30, and we'll go confront her!" Darkness said, getting up.
"But…this is highly…"
"Renamon…promise me you won't tell Valerie…I want to prove I'm good for something more than surveillance." Darkness stared intently at the fox.
She bowed her head. "I will not-"
"Andrew!"
"Don't call me that Renamon, you know I hate it." Darkness scowled.
"I didn't. I'd best go." She phased out.
"Hey Andrew, talkin' to yourself again?" One of his classmates came into view…people often joked about his mysterious conversations, which appeared to be with no one. Renamon, like Darkness, didn't like other students much, but had the advantage of not having to deal with them.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Darkness joked.
"Yeah, well, class is in like 5 minutes…better hurry unless you want an encore of Lowell's tardiness rant!" He ran off toward the building.
Darkness headed in the same direction, mumbling. "How's The Merchant of Venice ever gonna factor into my life anyway…"
B.J. awoke near noon, reveling in his day of rest. He sat up, stretched, and looked around. Shademon was nowhere to be seen.
"Shademon?" B.J. got up, dressed quickly, and stepped out of his bedroom.
He found Shademon in the family room, looking at the TV remote. He managed to notice B.J., and ran over. "Morning sleepyhead! What's this?"
"It's a Remote Control."
"Oh." Shademon looked at it again. "…Can I eat it?"
"No…it's for the TV. Watch." B.J. took the remote and turned it on.
"Whoah! There are people in there!" Shademon ran up to the TV and stood less than a foot from it. "Why are they screaming and shoving each other?"
"Huh?" B.J. walked up behind Shademon for a closer look. "Oh, it's the Jerry Springer show." He shut the television off. "Word of advice…don't watch TV during the day, except on weekends…it's not good for you."
"Why?"
"Just trust me. If you hear names like Oprah, Jerry Springer, or Rosie O'Donnell, shut it off immediately." B.J. said.
"Uhm, B.J…" Shademon started, when his stomach suddenly did the talking for him, growling audibly.
"Now I know why you were looking for something to eat. C'mon, let me introduce you to what'll be your favourite room in the house…the kitchen."
A few minutes later, Shademon was seated on the counter, childlike, watching B.J. prepare the ingredients for lunch. "What's that thing?" He asked.
"It's an apron, so I don't get flour all over myself." B.J. explained.
"Can we eat that?"
"No! Be patient, Shademon, I have to cook lunch before we can eat it."
"I'm so hungry I could eat a Whamon!" The draconic Digimon whined, rubbing his stomach.
"I'll believe that…after all, you almost ate that gun yesterday." B.J. joked.
"Blech! That thing tasted awful!" Shademon shook his head and made a face. "So…what're you making?"
"Pizza. I know the recipe off by heart."
"It's off your heart? Gross! I don't want any, then!"
"It's a figure of speech, Shademon!" B.J. said, rolling his eyes while mixing the dough. "I got a lot to teach you. Listen, go grab the mail while I knead the dough."
"Of course we need the dough, otherwise you wouldn't make any, right?"
B.J. sighed. "Just go on."
Shademon walked away, then paused. "How do I grab the mail?"
"Just open the front door, and take out whatever's in the box on the wall outside, and bring it back here." B.J. said, trying not to be angry.
"Oh, Okay!" Shademon ran to the front door, his huge feet pounding the floor, sending vibrations all the way back to where B.J. stood.
The young man sighed. "Never knew being a Digimon's partner meant being their teacher too." B.J. noted as he spread the dough on a pan and applied sauce, cheese and pepperoni. "It's like he'd been sheltered his whole life or something…"
"Got it!" Shademon said, dropping a number of envelopes on the counter as B.J. placed the Pizza in the oven.
"Okay, let's have a look see…" B.J. picked up the stack. "Mom, Mom, Heather, Mom, junk mail, Bill, Bill…I told the mailman there's no one by that name here…"
"Hey, that one has your name on it!" Shademon said, pulling the last one from B.J.'s hands.
"…And no stamp…What if it's an HFC threat? Or a letter bomb?" B.J. asked nervously.
"Letter Bomb? What kind of attack is that?" Shademon asked.
"Well, unless there's a Mailmon somewhere out there, I think we're safe." B.J. joked. "Besides, a mail bomb would be bulky, this is flat. I learned that somewhere. Can't remember."
"Well, open it!" Shademon said, jumping from one foot to the other.
"Stop it, you're shaking the foundations!" B.J. said as he took back the envelope and ripped it open. There was a single sheet written in neat script.
B.J.:
I wish to speak with you. Meet me at the monument in Confederation Park at 4:00. It is of the utmost importance. Come armed if you so desire.
"It's signed 'An Ally'." B.J. finished.
"What's Confederation Park?" Shademon asked.
"It's a grassy stretch of land with a monument celebrating Canada's 100th year as a country, back in 1967." B.J. explained.
"Should we go?" Shademon asked.
"It sounds suspicious, but I think it's safe…the monument's right by the road, so they can't be planning anything bad…they'd have witnesses. Still, I think I'll bring that wooden dowel Mom keeps with her exercise stuff. It'll make a decent staff."
"Okay, but can we eat first?" Shademon said, opening the oven door.
B.J. pushed it closed again. "Gotta wait until it's ready. Besides, we have lots of time."
"Awww…but I'm hungry NOW!"
"Alright, remember, this Friday I'll be quizzing you on the three branches of government, their duties and how they are composed. Class dismissed."
Finally, Valerie thought, packing up her books and exiting the University building, grateful the day's classes were over.
"It's hard to stay awake in that class…" Monodramon said, stretching. "Wish it was optional."
"I hear that." Valerie conceded, shifting the position of her backpack. "All I need now is some peace so I can study a bit, then we can relax." Just then a beeping noise alerted her, and she sighed.
"Was that…" Monodramon started.
"Yeah, our D-Medal…right on cue…I gotta stop saying these things out loud." She scanned the area, then casually made her way to a narrow alley between two buildings, and rolled up her sleeve, allowing the green device to drop from where it hung about her wrist, before flipping it up into her hand and turning it on. "I'm listening."
"Val, it's Ben." The voice on the other end replied.
"Good thing classes just ended…what's wrong?"
"I've been alerted to a minor issue in need of handling…unfortunately, it's going to make things a little close. I need you to cover for me." Ben explained.
"What's the problem?" She asked.
"Nothing major, but it will be time-consuming."
She rolled her eyes…there goes studying BEFORE crunch time. She checked her watch, the time nearing 3:00. "Tell me where I need to be."
Darkness stood across the street from James Fowler High, twirling his closed umbrella in one hand and watching the doors…classes let out five minutes ago, and he was scanning the Digimon accompanying the students for an Impmon.
"Nothing yet…" He muttered, just before Renamon, who was waving from the roof and gesturing to the parking lot, caught his attention. Darkness' eyes followed her hands until he saw it – a brown-haired girl in jeans and a dark blue jacket, with a purple creature with red gloves and a bandana marching beside her. Darkness grinned. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Impmon has landed."
As Renamon leapt down to ground level, Darkness quickly caught up to her, then moved to catch up to the pair they sought. After clearing his throat, he began. "Excuse me, are you Rachael Ruzicka?"
The girl and Impmon both turned. "Yeah, that's me."
"Who's askin'?" Impmon added, suspicion obvious in his voice.
"Renamon and I are friends…we just wanna talk to you about a certain piece of technology you may have."
"Technology?" Rachael looked stunned, then quickly recomposed herself. "Can't help you."
"We know you have it." Renamon said. "A D-Medal."
"Yeah, like this." Darkness added, taking his own purple one from the bag worn on his belt.
"So? We gotta D-thingie. What's it to ya?" Impmon shot back, while Rachael removed hers from a chain around her waist, the actual device out of sight in her pocket.
"It's more than a simple device." Renamon began explaining. "It is a sign. A symbol of your purpose. You and Rachael are Tamers, Impmon…a rare breed."
"Tamers?" Rachael said, unconvinced.
"Yeah, exactly! People and Digimon whose abilities stretch beyond the norm." Darkness said, excited. He thought he was being convincing. 'Just a little more, and I'll have bagged us a new ally! Then Val and Ben will HAVE to show me more respect!'
Rachael and Impmon both paused, then began laughing. "What, are we superheroes?" Impmon joked.
"Yeah, right! Hey Impmon, let's go save the world! Up, up, and away!" Rachael added, and their laughter rung louder.
Darkness looked shocked. "No, seriously! I'm not kidding here!"
"Listen, pally, there's a pharmacy up the street. Go get your medication refilled." Impmon said. "C'mon, Rachael, we got homework." He took his partner, who was wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, by the hand, and began to walk away.
"We are not joking here." Renamon said testily.
"Game's over, Foxy, go comb your fur or something." Impmon said.
The sound of scraping metal interrupted them, loud, long, and irritating.
"What was that?" Darkness asked. Rachael paused.
"Sounded like someone's messing with the dumpsters round back." She replied. "Better check it out. Last time they were vandalized there was a school assembly, and we all got chewed out." She headed behind the building.
B.J. was trying to keep his patience. He'd arrived a bit too early, and was pacing the length of the monument out of boredom, holding the six and one half foot long wooden dowel like a walking stick.
"Lookit all the flags!" Shademon said, staring upward at the flapping banners. "What's that one for?"
"That's Nova Scotia's flag, Shademon."
"And that one?"
"Quebec." B.J. replied calmly.
"What about THAT one?" Shademon asked, pointing.
"I think it's the Northwest Territories."
"Not even close. That's British Columbia's."
"Huh?" Shademon and B.J. both turned to face the girl almost B.J.'s age standing on the other edge of the monument, her partner, a draconic creature with winglike, leathery material attached to it's arms, beside her. B.J. took up his staff into both hands. "And you are?"
"The one who called you here, or rather one of them. My name is Valerie, and this is Monodramon." Her partner took a quick bow. "We want to talk to you."
"If you have anything to do with the media, bugger off. I can only answer the same questions so many times." B.J. said, easing his stance a bit.
"Oh, I have nothing to do with the TV or Newspapers, but I do have questions. You answer mine, I'll answer yours." She said calmly.
"Fine, you first." B.J. said tensely.
"How long ago did you acquire your D-Medal?"
B.J. was so surprised he took a step back. "My WHAT?"
"Oh come now, like you don't have one. We already know."
"I got it Saturday night, then."
"Is that so…we detected yours rather quickly, then…"
"My turn…why the hell is my D-Medal important to you?" B.J. said suspiciously.
"They're rare. We have to gather as many as we can." Valerie responded.
"Like hell you're gettin' ours!" Shademon shot back, growling. B.J. tightened his grip on his staff.
"That ain't what we mean, relax!" Monodramon said, interceding. "You know what something like that means, right?"
"I THINK I know…"
"Trust us…you know." Valerie said, reclaiming the discussion. "It means you and your partner share a purpose above and beyond the average pairing of human and Digimon."
"And how do you know?" B.J. said, as though not believing he could be anything special.
"Because I have already awoken to my own." Valerie said, rolling up her sleeve, and letting her own, green D-Medal drop from it's hiding place.
"I see…" B.J. said, still nervous.
"A friend of ours warned us our hometown would be a focal point in determining the future of Digimon/human relations…and said that there would be a group of us chosen to forge that path…nine of us, to be precise." Valerie began explaining. "Right now, there is only myself and two others, Ben and Darkness…a total of three…but there could be four."
"Go on…" B.J. said.
"We need you…and you need us…if the kind of bonds humans and Digimon have are to remain strong, or even, we can only hope, become stronger. I'm asking you to join our cause." Valerie said.
"Whoah whoah whoah…I made one little speech…I can't go around staging protests and championing some movement." B.J. said. "I don't do politics."
"That is not our purpose at all…there are…" She struggled for a term, "…forces…beyond our control…that seek to shatter things…to burn down the bridges we've just begun to build. We're not protesters…we're enforcers."
"Oh, so I should join a MILITANT group…Riiiiight…" B.J. said sarcastically. "You're losin' me fast here."
"We're defenders…in the past the fight to unify Digimon and Humans was fought on their turf…now we have to protect that unity on ours." Valerie's tone grew softer. "If we fail…humans and Digimon could grow apart…or worse…"
Monodramon took Valerie's hand like a child. "We wanna keep things the way they're going…but we'll have to fight for it…" He began. "There are humans like the HFC, wild Digimon that despise humans, and even factors we don't know anything about yet!"
Valerie took charge once again. "I wouldn't want to lose Monodramon…would you want anything to happen to your partner?"
"Of course not!" B.J. replied, thumping the staff on the concrete for emphasis. "We only just met! I wouldn't want things to end before they start!"
"Then you'll join us?" Monodramon asked, eyes gleaming like B.J. had already said yes.
"I…we…uhm…"
The discussion was cut off by the sound of screaming, as a handful of teenagers shot by on foot, blades, skateboards and more, some followed by their Digimon, some carrying their partners, and some BEING carried by them.
"What the hell?" B.J. said.
He was answered by a familiar beeping, and Valerie checked out her D-Medal while B.J. stood a bit confused.
"Wild Digimon about a Kilometre east of here…it's at James Fowler…we're too far to get a reading on what Digimon…"
"A wild Digimon THIS far into town?" B.J. replied, stunned.
Shademon grabbed B.J. by one sleeve. "Let's go!"
"WHAT? Why us? The cops should do it! They have guns and tear gas and stuff! We've got you, me, and a STICK!"
"The cops can't do it." Monodramon replied. "Wild Digimon are becoming increasingly volatile…police aren't prepared for it!"
"Then how in hell are WE gonna be prepared?" B.J. said desperately.
"We are prepared…we have these." Valerie said, holding up her D-Medal. "Come on…the odds are better if we both go." She took off through Confederation Park, Monodramon and Shademon hot on her heels.
B.J. gulped. "I'm gonna save the day with a hunk of molded plastic…I hope my student health plan covers this!" He said before dashing to catch up.
Rachael dove and rolled as the enormous red bug zoomed overhead, its razor- sharp pincers missing by inches.
"How'd something this BIG get this far into town unnoticed?" She said desperately.
Renamon spoke as Darkness scanned it with his D-Medal, quoting the display almost verbatim. "Kuwagamon, Champion level Insectoid Digimon. Ruthless, vicious, ravenous…"
"…and those are its GOOD qualities!" Darkness butted in, gulping loudly. "You know what to do, Renamon. Keep it from the building, there may still be people inside."
"No sooner said than done." She replied, and leapt onto the roof of a car still parked in the lot. "Now…Diamond…WHOAH!" Her attack was cut short as another low buzz nearly took her from her perch, had she not leapt over the enormous beetle-like creature. It turned and headed back, but not towards the vulpine.
"Why is it…"
"Renamon! It's Rachael! Kuwagamon wants Rachael!" Darkness called. "It's another T-Hunter!" Sure enough, the enormous bug had its sights set on the girl trying to shelter behind one of the cars. Impmon was on the vehicle's hood.
"You wanna piece of us, buddy? I got two words for ya…Bada BOOM!" The small purple creature pitched a fireball fastball-style at the bug…which merely bounced off.
"What the…we're better off throwin' spitwads at it!"
"Impmon, MOVE!" Rachael grabbed her partner and ran as the creature's pincers impaled the car she'd hidden behind as though it was made of paper.
"Oh, man, I need backup!" Darkness wailed.
"Ask and ye shall receive…" A voice behind him said. Less than ten feet away stood Ben, a black, feline Digimon at his side.
"Your timing's impeccable, guys!"
"Not quite, I was too late to keep you from talking to the potential Tamer." Ben said, fixing an accusatory glare on Darkness, who blinked, then turned to his partner.
"You said you wouldn't TELL anyone, Renamon!"
"I said I wouldn't tell VALERIE."
"Traitor…"
Ben broke it up. "Nevermind that! Stop talking and get moving, or we're not gonna have a potential to fight over! BlackGatomon, get in there!"
"Right!" The cat leapt into the fray.
"Back to business, Renamon. Keep that thing away from Rachael." Darkness instructed. The foxlike Digimon soon followed the feline.
"We'll be having a talk about this later, Andrew." Ben said sternly.
Darkness groaned. "Don't call me that."
Despite the best efforts of the Digimon, their partners, and even the unwilling target and her Impmon, nothing seemed to slow the enormous insect down. B.J., Valerie and the dragon Digimon arrived just as Kuwagamon reduced a pickup truck to scrap metal.
B.J. broke the stunned silence. "What the F*** is going ON here?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Valerie said. "Ben, what's the situation?"
"Andrew found a potential, and went to check on it…then this T-Hunter showed up."
"Wonderful…" Valerie said sarcastically.
B.J. scratched his head. "T-Hunter?"
"Tamer Hunter." Darkness said bluntly. "Digimon whose job it is to find people like us and wipe 'em out. If he finishes off Rachael, we're next on the hit list."
"Well then, I guess it's obvious. We take him out, right?" B.J. asked nervously.
"Right!" Shademon answered. "I can take him!" He began joining the battle, and Monodramon wasn't far behind.
"Shademon, get back here!" B.J. tried to chase down his companion, but found two sets of hands holding him back.
"This is no place for us, B.J.. We're of better use to our Digimon on the sidelines." Valerie said simply.
"How is standing here WATCHING gonna help?" B.J. shot back angrily.
Ben sighed. "As much as we would want to help, our involvement would only hold them back…this is no place for humans."
"Last I checked, that girl dodging that bug like a bullfighter was human! And my partner's out there too! Now, one side!" B.J. pushed his way past.
"B.J., wait, you know nothing of a Tamer's role!" Valerie blurted out.
"S'like being a cop…serve 'n' protect, right? The rest is all details." B.J. readied the wooden staff and jumped up on a minivan.
"HEY!" he cried, "TALL, RED AND UGLY! YOU WANNA TAMER? OVER HERE! I DARE YOU! C'MON, YOUR MAMA WAS A COCKROACH!" He waved his arms and the staff to further attract attention. It worked, and the insect turned, took a look at B.J., then screeched and changed course.
"He's either crazy or stupid." Valerie said blankly.
"I vote both!" Ben added.
"He's my kind of Tamer!" Darkness added, readying his umbrella like a sword.
"The kid's a psycho…" Impmon said as he and Rachael used the opportunity to join the others.
As the insect closed in, B.J. took a step forward and thrust the end of the staff, striking it dead between where one would assume it's eyes were, the staff splintering against the hard shell. The bug squealed in pain, its pincers flaring open from almost crushing the young man. As it passed on, it's body knocked him from the van to the street, his head bouncing roughly off the asphalt. He moaned and began to slowly push himself up.
"He's toast, if you don't act!" Rachael cried to the three Tamers. "You're the elite fighting force or whatever, so DO SOMETHING!"
"He's tougher than our other foes…" Ben said critically.
"Our attacks are just bouncing off…" Andrew added.
Valerie searched her pockets and blushed. "Did anyone remember their cards?" Both guys searched, then imitated their female counterpart. "Great, too weak, and we can't Digi-modify…"
Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of breaking asphalt as Kuwagamon's pincers missed a rolling B.J. by inches, spearing into the pavement.
"Dark Missile! ROAR!" Shademon fired off the black bolt, doing little more damage than Impmon's fireball.
"Digi-What?" Rachael said.
"Digi-Modify…Enhancing our parameters with cards…" Renamon began explaining.
"Digi-Battle cards?" Impmon asked.
"Yes. An embarrassment I'm not prepared…" Ben replied.
Rachael's face changed, and she grabbed Valerie by the shoulders. "How is it done?"
Valerie looked shocked, like she was being interrogated. "By running a card through one's D-Medal and stating it's purpose, but we…"
"Good, thanks." Rachael pushed the other girl aside and ran into the middle of the parking lot, Impmon in tow. "Ready?"
"No…" Impmon said nervously.
"Tough, we're doing it anyway." Rachael took a deep breath. "KUWAGAMON!"
The insect finally pried its pincers loose, and returned its attentions to its original target…the female human with the Impmon. She stood alone…wide open, with one hand in her jeans pocket, the other reaching into her jacket. He screeched, took wing, and prepared to dive.
"Hungry, bug-boy?" She muttered to herself. "I got a can of whoop-ass you can chow down on…" In one swift motion, she drew from her jeans her D- Medal, the device coming free from the chain around her waist smoothly, and producing a colourful card from her jacket.
She brought the two items together swiftly, to collide before her…the card passing swiftly through the device.
"Digi-Modify!" She shouted. "Starmon Activate!"
Impmon began to glow faintly.
"Whoah…I can feel it…like I'm two Digimon at once! Cool!" Impmon turned and grinned at the enormous beetle-monster, raising his hands over his head. "METEOR STORM!"
Space seemed to rip open in the sky above the high school, just before flaming boulders poured from the opening, blasting the bug from the sky and pounding it, blow after blow, into the earth. As the last burning stone struck, Kuwagamon burst into a shower of black debris, fading as it drifted.
"Wow…it actually worked." Rachael said, stunned.
"That ROCKED!" Impmon said, easily jumping his own height into the air. "Digi-Modify me again!"
"Most Impressive." Ben said calmly.
"You KICKED ass!" Andrew added.
"And saved ours." B.J. finished, limping slightly. Both he and his partner looked beat up, and we being supported by Valerie and Monodramon, respectively.
"More like a quick payback. No big deal." Impmon said, casually waving it off.
"Good thing I keep a card on me at all times for luck!" Rachael said, shaking a bit.
"Not the best way to introduce two potential Tamers to the fold." Valerie said. "But we must make do."
"Call it their crash course." Andrew joked.
"I'd say they passed. Reflex, instinct, intelligence…though one's Judgement skills need work." Renamon said.
"Stuff it, furball." B.J. and Shademon shot back.
"Attitude needs work too…" She mumbled, suppressing laughter.
"Regardless, they've seen what we're up against…and in the worst possible light…knowing all this…would they still join us?" Ben said nervously. The Tamer trio looked at the battered young man and the girl trying to tame her wildly pounding heart.
Both paused…looked into their partner's eyes…and, all four as one, turned to the small group. "Damn Straight!"
The Tamers breathed relieved sighs, their faces breaking out into a smile.
"We were three, now we are five." Valerie said, staring at the sky and mouthing out "Thank You."
"We should celebrate!" Darkness added.
"Good idea. We should leave before the cops arrive anyway. And Darkness? You're buying." Ben grinned.
"WHAT? ME? WHY?" Andrew stammered.
"Because…you taking matters into your own hands made things complicated." Ben said. Valerie, upon hearing this, glared at Andrew, who popped his umbrella open between himself and her as though it could protect him.
"Renamon, what do I do?" He asked tensely.
"In your situation?" Renamon looked as nervous as her counterpart. "I'd beg."
"I'll pay if we drop this whole thing!" Darkness blurted out.
Valerie grinned. "Done! Let's eat, in honour of our newest allies! Introduce yourselves, you two!"
Rachael took a quick bow. "Rachael Ruzicka, and Impmon." Her partner copied her.
B.J. tried to follow suit, but found his bruises didn't like the idea. "This is Shademon, and I'm B.J."
Rachael blinked. "B.J. Pepin? Seriously?"
"Uhm…yeah…that's me." B.J. replied nervously, before finding himself suddenly off-balance. "What the hell?"
"It's him, Rach!" Impmon responded, holding up B.J.'s foot and looking under it. "The shoeprints match the ones off the crook's face from TV!"
"OW! Leggo! I think I bruised that ankle! You're making it worse!" B.J. whined.
"You take a few slugs and you don't complain, but a little hurt foot and your bawling? What kinda Tamer are you?" Impmon said haughtily.
"You wanna be the second guy to taste his sneakers?" Shademon shot back, and the discussion dissolved into assorted threats and insults between the two Digimon, their partners trying to clam them up.
The original tamers and their Digimon all shook their heads.
"These four…are gonna seriously affect the team dynamic." Monodramon said, scratching the back of his head.
"No kidding." All three humans replied.
How will Rachael and B.J. handle the role of Tamer, and can the others survive teaching them?
What about those other D-Medal signals? There are four left, right?
Get the answers in Digimon Tamers: North of 49 – Episode 3!
Episode Two: First 'Imp'ressions
"I'd just like to state for the record that this blows." Darkness griped as he sat under a tree, in what barely passed as a grove on the edge of his high school's property. "Ben gets all the juicy jobs…all we ever do is watch and take notes."
"Our operations would cease to be without surveillance." Renamon replied calmly, seated in a branch above him, and tapping away at Darkness' laptop. "Besides, with you completing classes, I have little else to do…I cannot remain seated in a classroom as long as you, and the others' partners will only spar with me so many times."
"Speaking of classes, could you hurry it up? If I'm late getting in from our lunch break, Mr. Lowell will go into another of his speeches." Darkness made a twisted face and began mimicking the teacher. "Andrew Chen, if you had any concern for your future blah blah blah…"
"Relax, this will only take a short time longer…I'm running another Medal Scan…"
"You do that almost daily." Darkness scowled.
"It is for our best interests…our Digiworld contact said there would be a total of nine of us throughout Calgary…so far, we have three…four, if B.J. will join us."
"He will…did you see the shots of that criminal when they apprehended him? If he didn't break the guy's nose, he came pretty close! The guy had a shoeprint on his FACE!" Darkness noted.
"A desire to fight won't be enough. And Shademon alone won't make him Tamer material, either." Renamon leapt down from the tree, the laptop in one arm.
"Shademon?" Darkness sat up straighter.
"I dropped Ben's message off at the Pepin household…and saw B.J. talking with a tall, bronze dragon. I overheard his name, but I've never heard of such a Digimon."
"You always find out the good stuff while I'm taking some damn test." Darkness growled, crossing his arms.
"It's not my fault, it's just coinci-" Renamon was cut short by the laptop beeping. "What's this?"
"The batteries are probably dying again." Darkness said nonchalantly.
"No…we've got THREE new signals…two coming from Junior Highs in the Northeast, and one from a Northwest High School…Initial scans label all three D-Medal carriers as Female…Two 14, One 16. One is incomplete…she's only a potential." Renamon began running her paws across the keyboard at a blistering pace.
"Incredible…see what more we can get…" Darkness said, leaning in. "Digimon files loading…"
"Signal 1…James Fowler High School…Digimon detected…ID…Impmon." Renamon mumbled. "If we cross-reference with that school's Student Database…"
Darkness pointed. "There! The only Impmon there…Student Name, Rachael Ruzicka…"
"We should alert Valerie immediately." Renamon stated.
"Heck no. Who put her in charge anyway? I'm sick of surveillance…I say we locate this Rachael, talk to her, and show her why she has to join us!" Darkness said, shutting down the laptop.
"But…the other signals should be reviewed…and we are not a vigilante group." Renamon said, stunned at Darkness' growing enthusiasm.
"I know, I know. We're special, or whatever. Listen, I can cut my last class since I'm ahead. Be ready at 2:30, and we'll go confront her!" Darkness said, getting up.
"But…this is highly…"
"Renamon…promise me you won't tell Valerie…I want to prove I'm good for something more than surveillance." Darkness stared intently at the fox.
She bowed her head. "I will not-"
"Andrew!"
"Don't call me that Renamon, you know I hate it." Darkness scowled.
"I didn't. I'd best go." She phased out.
"Hey Andrew, talkin' to yourself again?" One of his classmates came into view…people often joked about his mysterious conversations, which appeared to be with no one. Renamon, like Darkness, didn't like other students much, but had the advantage of not having to deal with them.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Darkness joked.
"Yeah, well, class is in like 5 minutes…better hurry unless you want an encore of Lowell's tardiness rant!" He ran off toward the building.
Darkness headed in the same direction, mumbling. "How's The Merchant of Venice ever gonna factor into my life anyway…"
B.J. awoke near noon, reveling in his day of rest. He sat up, stretched, and looked around. Shademon was nowhere to be seen.
"Shademon?" B.J. got up, dressed quickly, and stepped out of his bedroom.
He found Shademon in the family room, looking at the TV remote. He managed to notice B.J., and ran over. "Morning sleepyhead! What's this?"
"It's a Remote Control."
"Oh." Shademon looked at it again. "…Can I eat it?"
"No…it's for the TV. Watch." B.J. took the remote and turned it on.
"Whoah! There are people in there!" Shademon ran up to the TV and stood less than a foot from it. "Why are they screaming and shoving each other?"
"Huh?" B.J. walked up behind Shademon for a closer look. "Oh, it's the Jerry Springer show." He shut the television off. "Word of advice…don't watch TV during the day, except on weekends…it's not good for you."
"Why?"
"Just trust me. If you hear names like Oprah, Jerry Springer, or Rosie O'Donnell, shut it off immediately." B.J. said.
"Uhm, B.J…" Shademon started, when his stomach suddenly did the talking for him, growling audibly.
"Now I know why you were looking for something to eat. C'mon, let me introduce you to what'll be your favourite room in the house…the kitchen."
A few minutes later, Shademon was seated on the counter, childlike, watching B.J. prepare the ingredients for lunch. "What's that thing?" He asked.
"It's an apron, so I don't get flour all over myself." B.J. explained.
"Can we eat that?"
"No! Be patient, Shademon, I have to cook lunch before we can eat it."
"I'm so hungry I could eat a Whamon!" The draconic Digimon whined, rubbing his stomach.
"I'll believe that…after all, you almost ate that gun yesterday." B.J. joked.
"Blech! That thing tasted awful!" Shademon shook his head and made a face. "So…what're you making?"
"Pizza. I know the recipe off by heart."
"It's off your heart? Gross! I don't want any, then!"
"It's a figure of speech, Shademon!" B.J. said, rolling his eyes while mixing the dough. "I got a lot to teach you. Listen, go grab the mail while I knead the dough."
"Of course we need the dough, otherwise you wouldn't make any, right?"
B.J. sighed. "Just go on."
Shademon walked away, then paused. "How do I grab the mail?"
"Just open the front door, and take out whatever's in the box on the wall outside, and bring it back here." B.J. said, trying not to be angry.
"Oh, Okay!" Shademon ran to the front door, his huge feet pounding the floor, sending vibrations all the way back to where B.J. stood.
The young man sighed. "Never knew being a Digimon's partner meant being their teacher too." B.J. noted as he spread the dough on a pan and applied sauce, cheese and pepperoni. "It's like he'd been sheltered his whole life or something…"
"Got it!" Shademon said, dropping a number of envelopes on the counter as B.J. placed the Pizza in the oven.
"Okay, let's have a look see…" B.J. picked up the stack. "Mom, Mom, Heather, Mom, junk mail, Bill, Bill…I told the mailman there's no one by that name here…"
"Hey, that one has your name on it!" Shademon said, pulling the last one from B.J.'s hands.
"…And no stamp…What if it's an HFC threat? Or a letter bomb?" B.J. asked nervously.
"Letter Bomb? What kind of attack is that?" Shademon asked.
"Well, unless there's a Mailmon somewhere out there, I think we're safe." B.J. joked. "Besides, a mail bomb would be bulky, this is flat. I learned that somewhere. Can't remember."
"Well, open it!" Shademon said, jumping from one foot to the other.
"Stop it, you're shaking the foundations!" B.J. said as he took back the envelope and ripped it open. There was a single sheet written in neat script.
B.J.:
I wish to speak with you. Meet me at the monument in Confederation Park at 4:00. It is of the utmost importance. Come armed if you so desire.
"It's signed 'An Ally'." B.J. finished.
"What's Confederation Park?" Shademon asked.
"It's a grassy stretch of land with a monument celebrating Canada's 100th year as a country, back in 1967." B.J. explained.
"Should we go?" Shademon asked.
"It sounds suspicious, but I think it's safe…the monument's right by the road, so they can't be planning anything bad…they'd have witnesses. Still, I think I'll bring that wooden dowel Mom keeps with her exercise stuff. It'll make a decent staff."
"Okay, but can we eat first?" Shademon said, opening the oven door.
B.J. pushed it closed again. "Gotta wait until it's ready. Besides, we have lots of time."
"Awww…but I'm hungry NOW!"
"Alright, remember, this Friday I'll be quizzing you on the three branches of government, their duties and how they are composed. Class dismissed."
Finally, Valerie thought, packing up her books and exiting the University building, grateful the day's classes were over.
"It's hard to stay awake in that class…" Monodramon said, stretching. "Wish it was optional."
"I hear that." Valerie conceded, shifting the position of her backpack. "All I need now is some peace so I can study a bit, then we can relax." Just then a beeping noise alerted her, and she sighed.
"Was that…" Monodramon started.
"Yeah, our D-Medal…right on cue…I gotta stop saying these things out loud." She scanned the area, then casually made her way to a narrow alley between two buildings, and rolled up her sleeve, allowing the green device to drop from where it hung about her wrist, before flipping it up into her hand and turning it on. "I'm listening."
"Val, it's Ben." The voice on the other end replied.
"Good thing classes just ended…what's wrong?"
"I've been alerted to a minor issue in need of handling…unfortunately, it's going to make things a little close. I need you to cover for me." Ben explained.
"What's the problem?" She asked.
"Nothing major, but it will be time-consuming."
She rolled her eyes…there goes studying BEFORE crunch time. She checked her watch, the time nearing 3:00. "Tell me where I need to be."
Darkness stood across the street from James Fowler High, twirling his closed umbrella in one hand and watching the doors…classes let out five minutes ago, and he was scanning the Digimon accompanying the students for an Impmon.
"Nothing yet…" He muttered, just before Renamon, who was waving from the roof and gesturing to the parking lot, caught his attention. Darkness' eyes followed her hands until he saw it – a brown-haired girl in jeans and a dark blue jacket, with a purple creature with red gloves and a bandana marching beside her. Darkness grinned. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Impmon has landed."
As Renamon leapt down to ground level, Darkness quickly caught up to her, then moved to catch up to the pair they sought. After clearing his throat, he began. "Excuse me, are you Rachael Ruzicka?"
The girl and Impmon both turned. "Yeah, that's me."
"Who's askin'?" Impmon added, suspicion obvious in his voice.
"Renamon and I are friends…we just wanna talk to you about a certain piece of technology you may have."
"Technology?" Rachael looked stunned, then quickly recomposed herself. "Can't help you."
"We know you have it." Renamon said. "A D-Medal."
"Yeah, like this." Darkness added, taking his own purple one from the bag worn on his belt.
"So? We gotta D-thingie. What's it to ya?" Impmon shot back, while Rachael removed hers from a chain around her waist, the actual device out of sight in her pocket.
"It's more than a simple device." Renamon began explaining. "It is a sign. A symbol of your purpose. You and Rachael are Tamers, Impmon…a rare breed."
"Tamers?" Rachael said, unconvinced.
"Yeah, exactly! People and Digimon whose abilities stretch beyond the norm." Darkness said, excited. He thought he was being convincing. 'Just a little more, and I'll have bagged us a new ally! Then Val and Ben will HAVE to show me more respect!'
Rachael and Impmon both paused, then began laughing. "What, are we superheroes?" Impmon joked.
"Yeah, right! Hey Impmon, let's go save the world! Up, up, and away!" Rachael added, and their laughter rung louder.
Darkness looked shocked. "No, seriously! I'm not kidding here!"
"Listen, pally, there's a pharmacy up the street. Go get your medication refilled." Impmon said. "C'mon, Rachael, we got homework." He took his partner, who was wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, by the hand, and began to walk away.
"We are not joking here." Renamon said testily.
"Game's over, Foxy, go comb your fur or something." Impmon said.
The sound of scraping metal interrupted them, loud, long, and irritating.
"What was that?" Darkness asked. Rachael paused.
"Sounded like someone's messing with the dumpsters round back." She replied. "Better check it out. Last time they were vandalized there was a school assembly, and we all got chewed out." She headed behind the building.
B.J. was trying to keep his patience. He'd arrived a bit too early, and was pacing the length of the monument out of boredom, holding the six and one half foot long wooden dowel like a walking stick.
"Lookit all the flags!" Shademon said, staring upward at the flapping banners. "What's that one for?"
"That's Nova Scotia's flag, Shademon."
"And that one?"
"Quebec." B.J. replied calmly.
"What about THAT one?" Shademon asked, pointing.
"I think it's the Northwest Territories."
"Not even close. That's British Columbia's."
"Huh?" Shademon and B.J. both turned to face the girl almost B.J.'s age standing on the other edge of the monument, her partner, a draconic creature with winglike, leathery material attached to it's arms, beside her. B.J. took up his staff into both hands. "And you are?"
"The one who called you here, or rather one of them. My name is Valerie, and this is Monodramon." Her partner took a quick bow. "We want to talk to you."
"If you have anything to do with the media, bugger off. I can only answer the same questions so many times." B.J. said, easing his stance a bit.
"Oh, I have nothing to do with the TV or Newspapers, but I do have questions. You answer mine, I'll answer yours." She said calmly.
"Fine, you first." B.J. said tensely.
"How long ago did you acquire your D-Medal?"
B.J. was so surprised he took a step back. "My WHAT?"
"Oh come now, like you don't have one. We already know."
"I got it Saturday night, then."
"Is that so…we detected yours rather quickly, then…"
"My turn…why the hell is my D-Medal important to you?" B.J. said suspiciously.
"They're rare. We have to gather as many as we can." Valerie responded.
"Like hell you're gettin' ours!" Shademon shot back, growling. B.J. tightened his grip on his staff.
"That ain't what we mean, relax!" Monodramon said, interceding. "You know what something like that means, right?"
"I THINK I know…"
"Trust us…you know." Valerie said, reclaiming the discussion. "It means you and your partner share a purpose above and beyond the average pairing of human and Digimon."
"And how do you know?" B.J. said, as though not believing he could be anything special.
"Because I have already awoken to my own." Valerie said, rolling up her sleeve, and letting her own, green D-Medal drop from it's hiding place.
"I see…" B.J. said, still nervous.
"A friend of ours warned us our hometown would be a focal point in determining the future of Digimon/human relations…and said that there would be a group of us chosen to forge that path…nine of us, to be precise." Valerie began explaining. "Right now, there is only myself and two others, Ben and Darkness…a total of three…but there could be four."
"Go on…" B.J. said.
"We need you…and you need us…if the kind of bonds humans and Digimon have are to remain strong, or even, we can only hope, become stronger. I'm asking you to join our cause." Valerie said.
"Whoah whoah whoah…I made one little speech…I can't go around staging protests and championing some movement." B.J. said. "I don't do politics."
"That is not our purpose at all…there are…" She struggled for a term, "…forces…beyond our control…that seek to shatter things…to burn down the bridges we've just begun to build. We're not protesters…we're enforcers."
"Oh, so I should join a MILITANT group…Riiiiight…" B.J. said sarcastically. "You're losin' me fast here."
"We're defenders…in the past the fight to unify Digimon and Humans was fought on their turf…now we have to protect that unity on ours." Valerie's tone grew softer. "If we fail…humans and Digimon could grow apart…or worse…"
Monodramon took Valerie's hand like a child. "We wanna keep things the way they're going…but we'll have to fight for it…" He began. "There are humans like the HFC, wild Digimon that despise humans, and even factors we don't know anything about yet!"
Valerie took charge once again. "I wouldn't want to lose Monodramon…would you want anything to happen to your partner?"
"Of course not!" B.J. replied, thumping the staff on the concrete for emphasis. "We only just met! I wouldn't want things to end before they start!"
"Then you'll join us?" Monodramon asked, eyes gleaming like B.J. had already said yes.
"I…we…uhm…"
The discussion was cut off by the sound of screaming, as a handful of teenagers shot by on foot, blades, skateboards and more, some followed by their Digimon, some carrying their partners, and some BEING carried by them.
"What the hell?" B.J. said.
He was answered by a familiar beeping, and Valerie checked out her D-Medal while B.J. stood a bit confused.
"Wild Digimon about a Kilometre east of here…it's at James Fowler…we're too far to get a reading on what Digimon…"
"A wild Digimon THIS far into town?" B.J. replied, stunned.
Shademon grabbed B.J. by one sleeve. "Let's go!"
"WHAT? Why us? The cops should do it! They have guns and tear gas and stuff! We've got you, me, and a STICK!"
"The cops can't do it." Monodramon replied. "Wild Digimon are becoming increasingly volatile…police aren't prepared for it!"
"Then how in hell are WE gonna be prepared?" B.J. said desperately.
"We are prepared…we have these." Valerie said, holding up her D-Medal. "Come on…the odds are better if we both go." She took off through Confederation Park, Monodramon and Shademon hot on her heels.
B.J. gulped. "I'm gonna save the day with a hunk of molded plastic…I hope my student health plan covers this!" He said before dashing to catch up.
Rachael dove and rolled as the enormous red bug zoomed overhead, its razor- sharp pincers missing by inches.
"How'd something this BIG get this far into town unnoticed?" She said desperately.
Renamon spoke as Darkness scanned it with his D-Medal, quoting the display almost verbatim. "Kuwagamon, Champion level Insectoid Digimon. Ruthless, vicious, ravenous…"
"…and those are its GOOD qualities!" Darkness butted in, gulping loudly. "You know what to do, Renamon. Keep it from the building, there may still be people inside."
"No sooner said than done." She replied, and leapt onto the roof of a car still parked in the lot. "Now…Diamond…WHOAH!" Her attack was cut short as another low buzz nearly took her from her perch, had she not leapt over the enormous beetle-like creature. It turned and headed back, but not towards the vulpine.
"Why is it…"
"Renamon! It's Rachael! Kuwagamon wants Rachael!" Darkness called. "It's another T-Hunter!" Sure enough, the enormous bug had its sights set on the girl trying to shelter behind one of the cars. Impmon was on the vehicle's hood.
"You wanna piece of us, buddy? I got two words for ya…Bada BOOM!" The small purple creature pitched a fireball fastball-style at the bug…which merely bounced off.
"What the…we're better off throwin' spitwads at it!"
"Impmon, MOVE!" Rachael grabbed her partner and ran as the creature's pincers impaled the car she'd hidden behind as though it was made of paper.
"Oh, man, I need backup!" Darkness wailed.
"Ask and ye shall receive…" A voice behind him said. Less than ten feet away stood Ben, a black, feline Digimon at his side.
"Your timing's impeccable, guys!"
"Not quite, I was too late to keep you from talking to the potential Tamer." Ben said, fixing an accusatory glare on Darkness, who blinked, then turned to his partner.
"You said you wouldn't TELL anyone, Renamon!"
"I said I wouldn't tell VALERIE."
"Traitor…"
Ben broke it up. "Nevermind that! Stop talking and get moving, or we're not gonna have a potential to fight over! BlackGatomon, get in there!"
"Right!" The cat leapt into the fray.
"Back to business, Renamon. Keep that thing away from Rachael." Darkness instructed. The foxlike Digimon soon followed the feline.
"We'll be having a talk about this later, Andrew." Ben said sternly.
Darkness groaned. "Don't call me that."
Despite the best efforts of the Digimon, their partners, and even the unwilling target and her Impmon, nothing seemed to slow the enormous insect down. B.J., Valerie and the dragon Digimon arrived just as Kuwagamon reduced a pickup truck to scrap metal.
B.J. broke the stunned silence. "What the F*** is going ON here?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Valerie said. "Ben, what's the situation?"
"Andrew found a potential, and went to check on it…then this T-Hunter showed up."
"Wonderful…" Valerie said sarcastically.
B.J. scratched his head. "T-Hunter?"
"Tamer Hunter." Darkness said bluntly. "Digimon whose job it is to find people like us and wipe 'em out. If he finishes off Rachael, we're next on the hit list."
"Well then, I guess it's obvious. We take him out, right?" B.J. asked nervously.
"Right!" Shademon answered. "I can take him!" He began joining the battle, and Monodramon wasn't far behind.
"Shademon, get back here!" B.J. tried to chase down his companion, but found two sets of hands holding him back.
"This is no place for us, B.J.. We're of better use to our Digimon on the sidelines." Valerie said simply.
"How is standing here WATCHING gonna help?" B.J. shot back angrily.
Ben sighed. "As much as we would want to help, our involvement would only hold them back…this is no place for humans."
"Last I checked, that girl dodging that bug like a bullfighter was human! And my partner's out there too! Now, one side!" B.J. pushed his way past.
"B.J., wait, you know nothing of a Tamer's role!" Valerie blurted out.
"S'like being a cop…serve 'n' protect, right? The rest is all details." B.J. readied the wooden staff and jumped up on a minivan.
"HEY!" he cried, "TALL, RED AND UGLY! YOU WANNA TAMER? OVER HERE! I DARE YOU! C'MON, YOUR MAMA WAS A COCKROACH!" He waved his arms and the staff to further attract attention. It worked, and the insect turned, took a look at B.J., then screeched and changed course.
"He's either crazy or stupid." Valerie said blankly.
"I vote both!" Ben added.
"He's my kind of Tamer!" Darkness added, readying his umbrella like a sword.
"The kid's a psycho…" Impmon said as he and Rachael used the opportunity to join the others.
As the insect closed in, B.J. took a step forward and thrust the end of the staff, striking it dead between where one would assume it's eyes were, the staff splintering against the hard shell. The bug squealed in pain, its pincers flaring open from almost crushing the young man. As it passed on, it's body knocked him from the van to the street, his head bouncing roughly off the asphalt. He moaned and began to slowly push himself up.
"He's toast, if you don't act!" Rachael cried to the three Tamers. "You're the elite fighting force or whatever, so DO SOMETHING!"
"He's tougher than our other foes…" Ben said critically.
"Our attacks are just bouncing off…" Andrew added.
Valerie searched her pockets and blushed. "Did anyone remember their cards?" Both guys searched, then imitated their female counterpart. "Great, too weak, and we can't Digi-modify…"
Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of breaking asphalt as Kuwagamon's pincers missed a rolling B.J. by inches, spearing into the pavement.
"Dark Missile! ROAR!" Shademon fired off the black bolt, doing little more damage than Impmon's fireball.
"Digi-What?" Rachael said.
"Digi-Modify…Enhancing our parameters with cards…" Renamon began explaining.
"Digi-Battle cards?" Impmon asked.
"Yes. An embarrassment I'm not prepared…" Ben replied.
Rachael's face changed, and she grabbed Valerie by the shoulders. "How is it done?"
Valerie looked shocked, like she was being interrogated. "By running a card through one's D-Medal and stating it's purpose, but we…"
"Good, thanks." Rachael pushed the other girl aside and ran into the middle of the parking lot, Impmon in tow. "Ready?"
"No…" Impmon said nervously.
"Tough, we're doing it anyway." Rachael took a deep breath. "KUWAGAMON!"
The insect finally pried its pincers loose, and returned its attentions to its original target…the female human with the Impmon. She stood alone…wide open, with one hand in her jeans pocket, the other reaching into her jacket. He screeched, took wing, and prepared to dive.
"Hungry, bug-boy?" She muttered to herself. "I got a can of whoop-ass you can chow down on…" In one swift motion, she drew from her jeans her D- Medal, the device coming free from the chain around her waist smoothly, and producing a colourful card from her jacket.
She brought the two items together swiftly, to collide before her…the card passing swiftly through the device.
"Digi-Modify!" She shouted. "Starmon Activate!"
Impmon began to glow faintly.
"Whoah…I can feel it…like I'm two Digimon at once! Cool!" Impmon turned and grinned at the enormous beetle-monster, raising his hands over his head. "METEOR STORM!"
Space seemed to rip open in the sky above the high school, just before flaming boulders poured from the opening, blasting the bug from the sky and pounding it, blow after blow, into the earth. As the last burning stone struck, Kuwagamon burst into a shower of black debris, fading as it drifted.
"Wow…it actually worked." Rachael said, stunned.
"That ROCKED!" Impmon said, easily jumping his own height into the air. "Digi-Modify me again!"
"Most Impressive." Ben said calmly.
"You KICKED ass!" Andrew added.
"And saved ours." B.J. finished, limping slightly. Both he and his partner looked beat up, and we being supported by Valerie and Monodramon, respectively.
"More like a quick payback. No big deal." Impmon said, casually waving it off.
"Good thing I keep a card on me at all times for luck!" Rachael said, shaking a bit.
"Not the best way to introduce two potential Tamers to the fold." Valerie said. "But we must make do."
"Call it their crash course." Andrew joked.
"I'd say they passed. Reflex, instinct, intelligence…though one's Judgement skills need work." Renamon said.
"Stuff it, furball." B.J. and Shademon shot back.
"Attitude needs work too…" She mumbled, suppressing laughter.
"Regardless, they've seen what we're up against…and in the worst possible light…knowing all this…would they still join us?" Ben said nervously. The Tamer trio looked at the battered young man and the girl trying to tame her wildly pounding heart.
Both paused…looked into their partner's eyes…and, all four as one, turned to the small group. "Damn Straight!"
The Tamers breathed relieved sighs, their faces breaking out into a smile.
"We were three, now we are five." Valerie said, staring at the sky and mouthing out "Thank You."
"We should celebrate!" Darkness added.
"Good idea. We should leave before the cops arrive anyway. And Darkness? You're buying." Ben grinned.
"WHAT? ME? WHY?" Andrew stammered.
"Because…you taking matters into your own hands made things complicated." Ben said. Valerie, upon hearing this, glared at Andrew, who popped his umbrella open between himself and her as though it could protect him.
"Renamon, what do I do?" He asked tensely.
"In your situation?" Renamon looked as nervous as her counterpart. "I'd beg."
"I'll pay if we drop this whole thing!" Darkness blurted out.
Valerie grinned. "Done! Let's eat, in honour of our newest allies! Introduce yourselves, you two!"
Rachael took a quick bow. "Rachael Ruzicka, and Impmon." Her partner copied her.
B.J. tried to follow suit, but found his bruises didn't like the idea. "This is Shademon, and I'm B.J."
Rachael blinked. "B.J. Pepin? Seriously?"
"Uhm…yeah…that's me." B.J. replied nervously, before finding himself suddenly off-balance. "What the hell?"
"It's him, Rach!" Impmon responded, holding up B.J.'s foot and looking under it. "The shoeprints match the ones off the crook's face from TV!"
"OW! Leggo! I think I bruised that ankle! You're making it worse!" B.J. whined.
"You take a few slugs and you don't complain, but a little hurt foot and your bawling? What kinda Tamer are you?" Impmon said haughtily.
"You wanna be the second guy to taste his sneakers?" Shademon shot back, and the discussion dissolved into assorted threats and insults between the two Digimon, their partners trying to clam them up.
The original tamers and their Digimon all shook their heads.
"These four…are gonna seriously affect the team dynamic." Monodramon said, scratching the back of his head.
"No kidding." All three humans replied.
How will Rachael and B.J. handle the role of Tamer, and can the others survive teaching them?
What about those other D-Medal signals? There are four left, right?
Get the answers in Digimon Tamers: North of 49 – Episode 3!