Chapter Ten

Of Sickness and of Health

Riku, Compass, Daiki, Riki, and Jessie walked through the jungle, their Digimon walking beside them. Riku suddenly stopped.

"Guys, I'm really tired," she said. "I feel dizzy."

"Are you okay? Are you sick?" Petalmon asked.

Riku put her hands to her head. "I don't know…I just feel dizzy and tired…"

Compass put her hand on Riku's forehead. It was slightly warm. Compass frowned. "You're kinda warm. Maybe you have a fever?"

"I…don't know. What day is today?" Riku wondered.

"Uh, December second, I think," replied Riki. "Why?"

Riku shook her head and straightened up. "Uhn…never mind. I'm fine."

Compass frowned again. "Riku, there's something wrong with you. If only we had some water…"

Jessie grinned. "Terriermon and I can take care of that!" She turned to her partner. "Terriermon, look for some bloom-hydras. Make sure they have water in them. I'll head for a nearby stream, wherever it may be."

Terriermon nodded. The two of them went in separate directions and disappeared into the undergrowth.

"I hope they get back soon," Daiki stated.

—————

By the time Jessie and Terriermon got back, Riku was in a worse condition. She was shivering despite the warmth of the jungle, and she was burning hot. Compass dipped a leaf in a red bloom-hydra, a flower native to the Digital World, and put the leaf on Riku's forehead.

"That should do for now," Compass told the others. "We don't have a rag or anything, so a leaf should do it. Did you get drinking water, Jessie?"

Jessie sighed. "Well, I didn't find the stream I hope to find, but there was a pool of water near a patch of bloom-hydras. I wasn't sure whether the water was safe or not, but I soon saw a Koromon drink from the pool and hop away unharmed. I think it's safe."

Jessie held out a large green leaf. On its cup-like surface, a bit of water was being held.

Riku struggled to a sitting position. "I just…want water…"

"Riku, lay still," Riki told the girl. "You're tired and weak."

"No…" Riku shook her head. "I'm not weak, I'm just tired…"

Compass looked hard at Riku. "Riku, please, lay still. You're weak. I don't know what's wrong with you, but—"

"Car crash," Riku said bitterly, lying down. "Car crash…almost killed me…on December second…"

The others stared at her with shock.

"In coma…hospital…two months…"

"Does this mean you won't get better until two months pass?" Tetramon asked.

Riku said nothing.

"I don't think we'll be here for two months," Daiki said. "Maybe just…three more weeks?"

Compass sighed and shook her head. "Forget the two months. Jessie? The water?"

Jessie gave Compass the leaf, and Compass urged Riku to drink. Riku finally gave in and, after drinking all she could, went to sleep.

"Phew!" Morglormon exclaimed. "That was easy enough!"

"We better stay here with her," Riki stated. "We have enough food in our packs, I think."

So the Tamers sat down near Riku, silently eating their food. Compass occasionally went to check on Riku, and found out that her fever was going away. Smiling, Compass sat by Riku after the third check-up and watched a trail of ants march to their nest.

"It's getting late," Vipomon told the others. "We should get some rest. Let Riku sleep for the night."

"She skipped dinner," Terriermon pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. Let Riku rest."

So the Tamers went to sleep.

—————

Riki woke up suddenly. Something was not right. Everyone was asleep but him. Sitting up, he made sure he didn't wake Vipomon. Riki looked around the campsite and, suddenly, saw Riku. She was curled up in a ball, shivering madly. Riki got up and checked Riku's temperature. She was burning hot.

Riki was in a panic. He didn't know what to do. So, following Compass' example, he took a leaf, some water, and soaked the leaf. He then put it on the sick girl's forehead.

"Oh, please get better," Riki whispered absently.

"Is she going to be all right?" a voice asked quietly. Riki almost yelled with surprise. Petalmon was also awake.

"Er, yeah, I think," Riki told the Digimon.

Before Petalmon could say anything, an unfamiliar voice replied, "No, she won't."

Riki and Petalmon looked to the trees and saw a Sukamon hanging from a branch.

"Whaddya mean, 'she won't'?" Riki demanded.

Sukamon laughed harshly. "She won't coz the water's fit for Digimon, but not for humans! Nyahahahahah!"

This evil laugh woke the rest of the Tamers. Daiki stood up and shook his fist at Sukamon. "Whaddya want with us?"

"Sukamon's my name and playing tricks is my game," the yellow Digimon replied. "And your friend there,"—he gestured to Riku—"has fallen into my trap! She's sick coz of the water!"

Jessie's eyes widened. "Poison water!" she gasped. Everyone awake (but Sukamon) stared at her.

"What?!" Petalmon screeched.

Sukamon laughed again. "And the bloom-hydras too!"

Terriermon growled. "You'll pay for contaminating the water!" He opened his mouth wide, and—"Bunny Blast!"—a large energy ball shot from it. It hit Sukamon's branch, causing the yellow Digimon to fall. Sukamon landed with a thud.

"Ow, that hurt!" Sukamon yelled.

"It should, and so should this—Bunny Blast!"

The others jumped into the frenzy.

"Fungus Crusher!"

"Mega Bite!"

"Energy Beam!"

"Tetra Blast!"

However, Sukamon jumped out of the way. He threw blobs of pink goo at the Rookies. "Bomber!" The pink goo stuck to the Rookie Digimon.

"Ew, what is this horrible stuff?" Tetramon complained.

"It's sticking to my wings!" Vipomon whined.

"And my ears!" Terriermon declared.

"Don't give up…" a faint voice murmured. Everyone looked to Riku. She was sitting up, shivering. "Don't give up…"

Petalmon smiled. "Riku!"

Riku didn't look at Petalmon. She stared at the ground, holding herself. "Don't give up…"

"Riku, you're not in a fighting condition," Compass told her friend. "You must rest!"

Riku tried to stop Compass. "No…must fight…must help Petalmon…"

"But Riku—"

Riku struggled to her feet. When Compass and Jessie tried to help, she pushed them away. Weak but fighting to be strong, Riku held up her D-Force. It glowed with a brilliant white light. In a hoarse voice, Riku called out, "Digi Armor energize!"

Petalmon glowed as the pink goo that was stuck to her melted.

"Petalmon Armor digivolve to…Naturimon, flower of Sincerity!"

Naturimon was a green fairy with flowing light brown hair. Flowers of red, orange, and yellow were braided into her hair, and wings made of narrow leaves sprouted from her back. Naturimon wore shoulder guards and a green chest plate, which sported the Crest of Sincerity. Naturimon held a whip in her left hand and a sword made of thorns in her right.

Riku sat down hard. Her strength was drained, but she forced herself to look up at her Armor Digimon. "Naturimon…" she whispered. Then she closed her eyes and drifted to a troubled sleep.

Naturimon faced Sukamon. "That's it—your evil reign in this jungle has ended." She charged at Sukamon, her sword at the ready. She swung her sword and—"Thorn Stinger!"

Sukamon yelled hoarsely as the sword struck his arm. His arm disappeared.

"That was a warning shot," Naturimon said bitterly. She raised her sword arm, and it glowed with a brilliant yellow light. "But this isn't! Nature Hyper Beam!"

Naturimon brought down her arm, and a bright energy beam shot from her sword and pierced the Sukamon. The yellow Digimon squealed in agony as the energy ate away at him until he was reduced to nothingness…

—————

Naturimon held a leaf out to Riku. The sick girl drank the potion on the leaf, and her strength returned. However, she was very tired.

"Let her rest," Compass told the others. "She's had a long, tiring night."

"Yeah?" Daiki complained. "What about us? We had a long night too!"

Riki grinned. "It's almost dawn, so we'll rest for a few hours and start walking when Riku feels better. Okay, Daiki?"

Daiki pretended to ponder this statement. Then, grinning widely, he sat down underneath a tree with Tetramon. "Sure, no problem," Daiki replied, his eyes closing. "I just wanna sleep. I'll wake you guys when we're ready to go…"

Riki smiled faintly at the sound of his brother's snores. That's my bro, he thought proudly.