After explaining the situation to Kiyoko and the girl heading off to continue walking her dog, Miyuki and Hikaru eventually split ways and Hikaru returned to his parents' home. Miyuki sat for a bit on the bench seat and pondered the situation.
How will I explain this to my family? As the nine-year-old wondered how to tell her family about her getting a Digimon partner, Miyuki heard the buzzing of wings and the light pattering of feet. She looked up sharply when she felt something off about the air and found herself staring in shock.
There, in front of her, were two Digimon battling. The larger one looked like an armoured fly but with bee-like attacks and the other was a smaller dragonesque creature. The two parried each other so well, Miyuki at first thought they were friendly rivals. This thought was soon dismissed when they spoke.
"They sent a lowly scout? Why, Flybeemon?" The small, green dragon quipped as it shot a blast of fire at the larger Digimon.
"It's just as well they did, Dracomon. Otherwise they'd never know about the chosen Digimon being here already. Tell me, how did you slip through? Was it the one with his head in the clouds?" The now identified Digimon sniped back, preparing to unleash another attack.
"No comment." Dracomon replied curtly and drew back for a second. He breathed in and a glow overtook him. He changed shape into a much taller, fiercer looking dragon.
Miyuki stood quickly at this. What on earth was this? Some kind of evolution? She watched the two Digimon battle each other. Flybeemon seemed hellbent on ending Dracomon, or whatever he was now. And the new dragon was intent on defending himself. Who would win?
As they fought, Miyuki failed to realize Flybeemon was bringing the battle closer to her in an attempt to use her as a hostage. Before she could comprehend what had happened, the armoured Digimon grabbed her and held her in front of him. He was daring Dracomon's evolution to attack, knowing the consequences.
The Digimon stopped charging his technique, displeased. "You dare use an innocent human child as your hostage?!" Small wisps of flame were coming from his agape maw, Miyuki noticed with some trepidation. She hoped he wouldn't burn her alive. "You really are the worst of the worst, Flybeemon."
The armoured creature sneered. "What are ya gonna do about it, Coredramon?"
Coredramon? That must be the name of this form , Miyuki pondered as she swallowed nervously. How would she get out of this situation? Would she even make it back to her family today? Lots of what ifs were depending on her getting rescued.
"Defeat you, for starters."
Flybeemon scoffed behind her and his grip tightened momentarily. Miyuki didn't know anything to defend herself and tensed as the thin fingers dug into her shoulders. She withheld a cry of pain and cast a glance at Coredramon, her eyes showing she was scared.
The dragon shook his head once, with a determined expression. Miyuki watched his jaws as he mouthed something only she could understand and a bit of hope was renewed for her. He had promised her she would be rescued. She was happy with that.
"Whatcha waiting for, Coredramon? This kid ain't gonna save herself." Flybeemon boasted.
For you to let your guard down, idiot . Miyuki crowed to herself as the Flybeemon's guard started slipping from the lack of movement from Coredramon. She and Coredramon shared another look and she ducked at the same time a huge fireball shot out of his mouth, a giddy laugh bursting from hers.
Miyuki raced towards Coredramon, where she felt she would be protected. It was at this moment, when she was by his side, that a light formed in her hands. It turned into a Digivice and Miyuki made a questioning noise.
"Oh!" She heard Coredramon gasp from beside her.
Flybeemon screamed, wordless, as the fireball scorched him. Almost ended his life right then and there. But it seemed he was just strong enough to not completely disappear, Miyuki noted as the fireball vanished. The armour Digimon was very badly burnt, but still willing to fight. He was also standing on trembling legs.
"Well, well… I should have guessed, after all." Flybeemon sounded mean now when he spoke. Miyuki didn't like it. "If I report back to Vamdemon, I'm sure he'll be very pleased." His wings began buzzing as if he was ready to fly away.
Coredramon stepped in front of Miyuki and stared Flybeemon in the eyes. Miyuki watched the confrontation unfold between them, not entirely sure why she had been chosen.
"I can end you right now, Flybeemon. You're badly injured as it is. If I let you go, what will you do?"
Wait, what? Miyuki thought, eyes widening in panic. Why would you let him go? He took me hostage . She didn't understand that Coredramon was testing the armour Digimon to see what he would do.
"You always were a fool." Flybeemon laughed in the dragon's face and flew into the air.
Only to be shot down.
Coredramon didn't say anything after knocking Flybeemon out of the air. He glanced behind him to ensure the girl, his Chosen partner, was okay. She seemed in shock, but was otherwise alright from what he could tell. Turning back to his foe, he watched as the second fireball continued to burn on the armoured mon's carapace.
"The Digital Dungeon isn't enough for you and never will be, Flybeemon." Coredramon said quietly as he came to stand in front of his enemy. "You won't be getting back to Vamdemon or the Digital World in one piece, I'm afraid." After saying that, the dragon lifted his foot up and brought it down hard on the motionless bug Digimon.
A low grunt of pain came from the armoured monster before his body burst into data from the finishing move.
"Wh-What did you just do?" Miyuki struggled with the question, still in shock. She wasn't shaking yet, but she didn't think it was too far off. She observed him turn his whole body to face her.
"I reconfigured him. His data is being sent back to the Digital World." Coredramon explained.
Miyuki stared at him, her expression confused.
He sighed, quiet. "I killed him."
The silence stretched out between them as Miyuki took in what Coredramon had said, before collapsing to her knees. "You killed him?" She repeated, voice hollow, wanting to know why but also not wanting to ask.
Coredramon exhaled through his nose and walked over to her. "I had to. I'm sorry. He was going to let Vamdemon know if I didn't do something."
"You were both talking about Vamdemon. Who is this Vamdemon?" Miyuki asked after a moment, her eyes still looking at the ground.
"An evil Digimon. A Perfect level. His goal is to find the Eighth Child and stop them so he can take over both worlds." The dragon clarified, scratching his chin with a claw. What else should he tell her?
Miyuki could feel herself shaking as the shock set in and reached out for Coredramon. There was a flash of light and the dragon had devolved.
Dracomon shuffled a little closer to her and placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. There was no point in taking things slowly anymore. "The fact you had a Digivice come to you means you are a Chosen Child." Miyuki heard him say.
"I didn't think it would be like this." Miyuki admitted. Was this what the other Chosen faced every day? How did they cope?
"There's always some form of mischief or evil afoot in the Digital World, unfortunately." Dracomon replied. He saw she was shaking and figured it was from the shock of everything. "Come with me, I need to find you something warm. You're cold from the shock."
"O-Okay." Miyuki got to her feet with only a small bit of trouble and followed Dracomon. "You're my partner Digimon then?"
"I am. It's an honour to be partnered with a Chosen Child. I never thought this day would come."
Was there anything else I needed to know? Miyuki wondered as she walked beside her Digimon partner. As they were going back along the path to her family's apartment, she saw a clean blanket lying unwanted in front of a shop. She tapped Dracomon's arm and pointed to it.
Dracomon saw it and nodded to her. He went over to retrieve it and then came back, draping it over Miyuki's shoulders.
Miyuki wrapped it tighter around her and the duo stopped for a moment. "Is there anything else I need to know, Dracomon?" She wanted to be as up to date with everything as possible, so she wanted to know everything her partner knew.
"Well…" The small dragon exhaled and paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "There are different stages to a Digimon's evolution line. Baby I, which is the very first stage that comes after the Digitama has hatched. Baby II, which the Baby I evolves from. Child, evolves from Baby II and starts gaining power.
Adult, the stage after Child; this stage has more power than a Child Digimon would. Perfect; Digimon at this stage have even more power than an Adult and are almost fully evolved. Ultimate; most Digimon at this stage are normally fully evolved, but there have been instances of Super Ultimates. Super Ultimates are typically the highest stage a Digimon can reach, but not every Digimon can reach this level."
Miyuki blinked for a few moments. "That's a lot to take in."
Dracomon nodded. He understood where she was coming from, but they were limited on time. He was sure Vamdemon had come through by now. "There are a couple of other things I need to raise with you."
"Oh? What are they?" Miyuki asked, glancing at her Digimon partner, feeling warmer.
"We need to become stronger in order to stop Vamdemon when he comes through and starts his reign of terror." Miyuki listened to her Digimon start his explanation.
Miyuki thought for a moment. "You can reach higher levels, I'm guessing?"
"I can. Also, there are five other Child levels each looking for their own partners. I know who they are. We conversed often before we took the chance to slip through, thanks to Wizarmon."
Miyuki's eyes widened at this and she whirled her head in Dracomon's direction. We were right?! "How is he? He risked a lot to tell us."
Dracomon sighed, his expression looking a little lost. "I don't actually know. We entered the real world when he opened the Gate from Vamdemon's castle. After that, we lost contact with him."
"Wait, you came through from Vamdemon's castle? Were you… working for him?"
"No. We weren't aligned with him."
Miyuki fell silent as she processed the new information, before she realized she should probably head to Hikaru's place and check in with him. "Let's keep going, Dracomon. I'm feeling a bit warmer now. I want to check how Hikaru's going. If you're right, he should have his own partner as well."
"Sounds like a good idea." Dracomon responded with a smile, sticking close to Miyuki, guarding her.
The pair headed towards the apartment complex that Hikaru and her lived in. Hikaru was only three doors down from her family. She was very grateful he was so close to her. Entering the complex, she walked into the elevator with Dracomon and made her way up to the twentieth floor. Exiting the elevator, Miyuki came down the hallway and knocked on the Kaneko's door.
Hikaru answered the door with a small smile. "Hey, how are you doing after earlier?"
Miyuki noticed the look of concern that crossed his face after he saw the blanket. "I'm doing okay now. Dracomon helped. You?" A little head poked its way out from behind his leg and Miyuki looked down when Dracomon got her attention. "Oh! Hello."
"Hi." The Digimon replied.
"This is Plotmon X." Hikaru shed some light on the Digimon for Miyuki.