Xavier's New Student
A Digimon - Xmen Cross-over.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: Neither Digimon nor ANY of the X-related titled Comics
are mine! "Digimon" (the Anime) is the property of it's creator, Houso Miyoshi, and Toie Amination, while the dubbing rights belong to Hayim
Saban; The X-Men,
New Mutants, Generation X, and any other X-characters
belong to Marvel Comics.
Notes: The song I use in this episode, "Morning Train" is a folk-song that was done by the trio of Peter, Paul, and Mary.
The song "City of New Orleans", was written by the late Steve Goodman, and first sung by Arlo Guthrie.
For the movie-buffs, Shadowcat's quote- "Well, I'll be damned, that's funny!"- Was spoken by Val Kilmer's character, Doc Holliday,
in the movie "Tombstone". Interestingly, "Well, I'll be damned.. this is funny!", were the actually last words of Dr. John Henry Holliday, who
died of tuberculosis in 1887 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 04
After ther CARE-Package supper and a rest-period to replenish much-needed energy (in Digimon and Digi-Destined alike), the group sat around Koushirou and his Pineapple plannig their next move.
"I am not sure which is the bigger surprise!", Koushirou noted with a grin, "That I am still using the old Pineapple, or that it still runs!"
"Well, you HAVE taken very good care of it, Izumi-sama!" Motimon said.
"Hai!" Mimi responded. "And you haven't loaded it up with unneccesary up-grades!"
"Hai." Koushirou smiled. "Anyway! I've pulled up a map of this part of the Digital-World. Katarin-sama?" Koushirou turned the Pineapple around to Shadowcat. "You will see the there is a railroad-line about 20 kilometers from here! As I expand the view," he zoomed-out the image, "you will note
the line takes us out of the mountains and onto the plains! And you see
this symbol at the end of the line? That is a portal to our world!"
"Hmmm..", Shadowcat mused, "we'll have to hike through this forest to reach the line, and it appears to be uphill!"
"Why isn't anything easy, here?" Taichi asked.
Jyou patted Taichi on the shoulder. "You better watch yourself, Taichi!" He smiled sadly. "You are starting to sound like me!"
"OK, people! Grab your partners and let's go! It may take us two days to get to that portal, and I do not want to keep the X-Men waiting in Japan any longer than they have to!"
"Hai!" Mimi grinned grimly. "Tanemon? Digivolve!"
"Tanemon! Digivolve to.. PALMON!"
"Motimon?" Koushirou said, "It's your turn!"
"Motimon! Digivolve to.. TENTOMON!"
The group then set out through the forested slope.
"Everyone stay close!" Kathryn called out. "This forest looks like it gets pretty thick! I don't want us to loose each other."
"And this is the place to do it!", Wizardmon warned. "I know this place! It is Mori-no-Noumu!"
"The Forst-of-the-Dense-Fog, huh?" Kathryn smiled. "Lovely place for a
get-together!"
"Hai, Katarin-San!" Wizardmon said. "I always felt safest from my enemies, here! At least.. at the edges of the forest, for none dared venture farther inside!"
"A 'Catch-22'." Kathryn grinned. "We set ourselves up to get lost. We had to destroy our origal-way of getting here, and getting back to school, to save ourselves from the Mekanorimon. Ao, we have to go through this forst to try to return home, and maybe make our enemies' job that much easier by wandering around lost forever. *Heheh* Well, I'll be damned, that's funny!"
"Jyou-san?" Gomamon asked. "Is not Katarin-sensei starting to sound familiar?"
"Do not worry, Gomamon!" Kathryn grinned at the others. "We WILL get out of here! Now! I want everyone to hold hands! If you loose someone's grip, shout out their name! That way, we hopefully have a better-chance of finding them! Everyone leaves the Digital-World... or no one does! Understood?"
"HAI!"
As the group ventured into the Mori-no-Noumu, they found themselves walkin in a skirmish-line, and started calling names out:
"Katerin-sama?"
"Here, Mimi-san! Taichi?"
"Here! Hikari?"
"Here! Takeru?"
"Here! Yamato?"
"Here! Miyako?"
"Here! Jyou?"
"Here! Koushirou?"
"Here! Ken?"
"Here! Daisuke?"
"Here! Sora?"
"Here! Iori?"
There was silence.
"Iori??" Sora cried out louder. "Mimi-san?! Katarin-Sama?! I CAN'T
FEEL Iori's hand!"
"HALT !!!!" Mimi and Kathryn shouted as one!
"SORA!!", Mimi shouted. "Scream as HIGH as you can back to
where we may have lost Iori-chan!"
"IIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!"
"Oh, DEAR!!" Exclaimed Biyomon, "THERE GO a few eardrums!!"
Soon, Sora's scream was answered by a flash of brilliant light!
"That's GOTTA be IORI!!" Miyako cheered, having (like the others) homed
in on Sora's sonic-beacon!
"I'm going in for him!" Sora called out. "Watch out! GOIN' LOW!!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...!!!!"
"What do we do now?" Veemon asked. "Besides wait for our hearing to
return?"
Just at that time, Sora's scream and Iori's light faded out at roughly
the same time.. and then reappeared, seemingly to rise over the treetops!
"I have an idea!" Mimi smiled. "Let's wait here until they land! Now!
join hands, minna!"
Soon the scream was heard going in a definite direction! And the light, though dimmed through trees and fog, was seem to land! Soon, Mimi closed her eyes.. and consentrated.
"Hold on, minna!", Mimi said as her opening eyes seemed to glow a
hot pink. "We are gone!!"
With that, eleven children and eleven digimon left the Mori-no-Noumu..
ony to reappear at the edge of the wood and a vast, rolling prairie. A short
distance away, tracks could be seen though the swaying grasses. And, farther
in the distance, a whistle's scream could be heard on the winds.
"Sounds like the 'Lonesome Express' is keeping good time!" Tentomon said excitedly. "That means, we can make it to the terminal! If we can catch the train, of course."
"What do you mean.. 'If we can catch the train'?" Iori asked.
"And why is it called the 'Lonesome Express'?" Miyako interjected.
"I mean there's no station around here to safely board the train on.
That's why they call it the 'Lonesome Express'. It make a run two times a week
between the port we're going to and the mines of the mountains on the other
side of the canyon we were in. The reson it an express is because it has few
stops between the start and end, and absolutely none on this plateau."
"That is gonna make catching this train interesting!" Daisuke said.
"Get ready, minna!" Wizardmon called out.
"Agumon! Digi-volve to.. GREYMON!"
"You are half-way there, my friend!" Taichi looked up and smiled.
"Greymom! Digi-volve to.. METALGREYMON!!"
"Climb abourd, Taichi!" The dinosaur laughed. "I'll *try* not to make
this *too* difficult!"
"Awwww!" Taichi pouted, then smiled with a bit of his old wrecklessness.
"Then you'll take all the FUN out of it!"
"Gabumon! Digi-volve to.. GARURUMON!"
Yamato climbed aboad the great wolf-digimon's back.
"Biyomon! Digi-volve to.. BIRDRAMON!"
"Arigatou, Birdramom!" Sora bowed. "Jyou-san? Would you and Gomamon
care for a lift?"
"Arigatou, Takanouchi-Sama!" Jyou bowed respectfully, hands held together
in prayer. "Come, Gomamon! I will not leave you here!"
The small seal-digimon climbed on his partner's shoulders.
"Tentomon! Digi-volve to.. KABUTERIMON!"
Koushirou climber upon Kabuterimon's shoulders.
"We're up next, Ken-kun!" Daisuke said.
"Are you sure about this.. Daisuke?" Ken worried. "After all, it was I
who brought everyone here.. to die.."
"Hey! I think you gave us more of a chance than some of us would have
gotten back home! I'm not entirely blind and stupid. I saw Miyako-chan's
reaction to there being so many mutants among us, and Kido-Sama has been too
lost in thought for those thoughts to be good ones! I think your plan to get
us away from Odaiba was better than anything I could have come up with!"
The young men grasped hands and hugged, their Digi-vices glowing.
"V-mon! Digi-volve to.. XV-MON!"
"Wormon! Digi-volve to.. STINGMON!"
"XV-mon!!.."
"Stingmon!!.."
"DNA-Digi-volve to.. PAILDRAMON!!"
Paildramon than scooped up Daisuke and Ken.
Katherine was jotting down as many notes as she could.
"Professor Xavier and Miss Frost will want to know about this! I'll
translate my shorthand and abbreviations on the train.
"The Boys have the right idea!" Hikari said.
"I agree!" Miyako said. "Hawkmon?"
"Hawkmon! Digi-volve to.. AQUILLAMON!"
"Aquillamon!.."
"Gatomon!.."
"DNA-Digi-volve to.. SYLPHIMON!!"
Sylphimon picked up her partners. "Come on, ladies! We have a
train to catch!"
"That leaves us, Iori-kun!" Takeru said. "Come!"
"Armadimon! Digi-volve to.. ANKYLOMON!"
"Patomon! Digi-volve to.. ANGEMON!"
"Ankylomon!.."
"Angemon!.."
"DNA-Digi-volve to.. SHAKURAMON!!"
Shakuramon then lifted up Iori and Takeru as gently as possible.
A long, loud blast of a whistle signaled the coming of the Lonesome
Express.
"POISOM IVY!"
Palmon wrapped Mimi up in some vines.
"Hold on, Mimi! This WILL get rough! Need a lift, Katarin-Sama?"
"We will, manage, Palmon!" Wizardmon bowed. "You will need all your
strength to hold Mimi and catch the train!"
Wizard made a few signs with his hands, then he and Shadowcat were
surrounded by a forcefield bubble.
Soon, the ground by the tracks seemed to shake with the pounding-speed
of the Lonesome Express!
Metalgreymon was the first to start off, flying with Taichi after the
Express.
Garurumon then sprinted after the train with Yamato safely on his back.
Birdramon and her passengers flew off.
Kabuterimon buzzed after the train.
Paildramon, Sylphimon, and Shakuramon started for the train.
"Hold on tight, Mimi!" Palon said. "POISON-IVY!!"
Palmon and Mimi were yanked along as the plant-digimon tried to reel
herself and her partner onto the train!
The bubble that held Sahadowcat and Wizardmon floated along just
above the train-cars, then landed on the roof. Then the bubble just slid down
through the foof and into the car!
Soon the rear car was being filled. As Shadowcat and wizardmon phased
through the roof, Mimi and Palmon swung in through the rear-door! Thry then
made way for Birdramon, Sora, Jyou, Gomamon, and the rest of the Digi-crew.
Soon everyone was on-board, the Digimon that had evolved de-evolved to save
their strength, and ewveryone tried to find a place to rest.
As the sun was going down, the Digi-destined, Shadowcat, and their
Digimon found themselves in the dining car.
"I have to ask!" Kathryn said. "What is a dining car doing on a freight-train?"
"Katarin-sensei?" Mimi bowed. "I've found that, to keep your sanity here
in the Digi-world, somwtimes, it's best not to ask questions like that!"
After dinner, everyone moved to the freight-train's observation car-
yet another thing Kathryn was advised to just accept- and the group settled
down for the rest of the trip.
Soon, Yamato was strumming his guitar to the rhythm of the train along
the track.
"May I please borrow your guitar, Yamato-san?" Shadowcat asked. "I will
be very careful with it!"
"You may, Pryde-Sama!" Yamato smiled and handed over the instrument.
Shadowcat then started to play and sing:
*********
"Riding on the 'City of New Orleans', Illinois-Central, Monday-morning rail,
"Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders, three conductors, and twenty-five
sacks of mail."
*********
With fingers snapping and hands clapping, Mimi joined her voice to
Kathryn's.
*********
"All along this south-bound oddysey, the train pulls out of Kankakee, and
rolls along past houses, farms, and fields!
"Passing trains that have no names, freightyards full of old black men, and
the graveyards of the rusted automobiles!
"Good Morning, America! How are you?
"Say! Don't you know me? I'm your native-son!
"I'm the train they call 'The City of New Orleans'!
"I'll be gone five-hundred miles before the day in done!"
"Dealing card-games with the old man in the clubcar, penny-a-point, ain't no
one kepping score.
"Pass the paper-bag that holds the bottle, and feel the wheels rumbling
'neath the floor."
*********
The Digimon and Digi-destined started to relax to the song and train-
rhythm, as Takeru dug around for an old harmonica and joined in.
*********
"And the sons of Pullman porters, and the sons of engineers, ride their father's
magic-carpet made of steel.
"Mothers with their babes asleep, are rocking them to the gentle beat. And the
rhythm on the rails is all they feel."
*********
As the train continues to roll, Miyako looks down, smiling gently as
Iori lays asleep in her lap. Across the aisle from her, Takeru, Hikari, and
Daisuke start to drop off to slumber.
*********
"Good Morning, America! How are you?
"Say! Don't you know me? I'm your Native-Son!
"I'm the train they call 'The City of New Orleans'.
"I'll be gone five-hundred mile before the day is done."
"Night-time on 'The City of New Orleans', changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee.
"Half-way home, and we'll be there by morning, through the Mississippi darkness rolling down to the sea.
"But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream, and the steel
rails still ain't heard the news.
"The conductor sings his song again, the passengers will please refrain.
"This train's got the Disappearing Railroad Blues."
*********
Most or the Digimon and Digi-destined now joined in the chorus:
*********
"Goodnight, America! How are you?
"Say! Don't you know me? I'm your Native-Son!
"I'm the train they call 'The City of New Orleans',
"I'll be gone five-hundred miles before the day is done!"
*********
"Arigatou, Yamato-san!" Shadowcat smiled as she handed the guitar back
to the young man.
"It is you I should thank, Katarin-Sama!" Yamato bowed and nodded toward
Takeru. "For everything!"
Destined and Mon then settled in for the night in the observation-car.
In the morning, the Digimon and Digi-destined woke up to a slower-
rythm from the train. As they ate, several of the Destined noticed the
steepness of the grade they were going down, and then noticed that their
track was hugging the sides of a rather high, steep cliff!
"I've always been nervous of these mountain-trains!" Miyako whispered
to Piyomon, Ken, and Wormon.
After breakfast, Shadowcat and Wizardmon journeyed to the engine. On
entering the empty cabin, Kathryn mused, "Hmmm.. looks like it's all
automated! I hope they don't mind a Human and a Mon lending a hand."
"Hai." Wizardmon replied. "Katarin-Sama? Do these windows not give a
spectacular view?"
"I love this view, Wizardmon!" Shadowcat agreed. "Especially, once my
stomache stops flip-floppimg over!"
"Hieghts are a problem?" Wizardmon asked.
"Sometimes."
As the train made its downhill-run over curving track, Kathryn and
Wizardmon started to hear music in back of them: Yamato, Takeru, and Hikari.
*********
"I'm goin' home on the morning train,
"I'm goin' home on the morning trian..
"I'm goin' home on the morning train! If you can't see me, you can hear me
singin',
"All my sins been takin' away.. takin' away."
*********
Yamato's voice came to the front:
*********
"Sister Mary wore three links of chain,
"Sister Mary wore three links of chain..
"Sister Mary wore three links of chain, and on each link was my Jesus' name,
"All my sins been takin' away.. takin' away."
*********
Hikari's voice came to the front:
*********
"I'm on my way to the Freedom-Land,
"I', on my way to the Freedom-Land..
"I'm on my way to the Freedom-Land! Lord, God Almighty, hold my hand,
"All my sins been taken away.. taken away."
*********
Takeru's voice now took the lead:
*********
"Well, I don't know, but I been told,
"Streets in Heaven are paved in gold!
"Keep your hand on that plow! Hold on..
"Hold on.. Hold on! Keep you hand on that plow, hold on.."
*********
Kathryn then added her voice to the trio in back of herself and
Wizardmon as her hands gently worked the train's controls and her eyes
watched the tracks.
*********
"The Devil he has a slippery shoe,
"and if you don't watch out he'll slip it on you!
"Keep your hand on that plow! Nold on..
"Hold on! Hold on! Keep your hand on that plow, hold on..
"I'm goin' home on the morning train,
"I'm goin' home on the morning train..
"I'm goin' home on the morning train, if you can't see me you can hear me
singin',
"All my sins been taken away.. taken away..
"Taken away.. taken away..."
*********
"Katarin-Sama." Wizardmon observed his partner as she tensed up a bit,
"will you be all right?"
"Hai." Kathryn answered as she the applied the brakes gently and warned the Digi-destined and Digimon on the train of changes with blasts of the whistle. "This isn't that much different then flying the Blackbird. Except, if we get in an accident, we won't have that far to crash."
"Do not worry, Katarin-sensei!" Wizardmon gently patted his partner's
shoulder. "We will be at the station at sunset!"
A Digimon - Xmen Cross-over.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: Neither Digimon nor ANY of the X-related titled Comics
are mine! "Digimon" (the Anime) is the property of it's creator, Houso Miyoshi, and Toie Amination, while the dubbing rights belong to Hayim
Saban; The X-Men,
New Mutants, Generation X, and any other X-characters
belong to Marvel Comics.
Notes: The song I use in this episode, "Morning Train" is a folk-song that was done by the trio of Peter, Paul, and Mary.
The song "City of New Orleans", was written by the late Steve Goodman, and first sung by Arlo Guthrie.
For the movie-buffs, Shadowcat's quote- "Well, I'll be damned, that's funny!"- Was spoken by Val Kilmer's character, Doc Holliday,
in the movie "Tombstone". Interestingly, "Well, I'll be damned.. this is funny!", were the actually last words of Dr. John Henry Holliday, who
died of tuberculosis in 1887 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 04
After ther CARE-Package supper and a rest-period to replenish much-needed energy (in Digimon and Digi-Destined alike), the group sat around Koushirou and his Pineapple plannig their next move.
"I am not sure which is the bigger surprise!", Koushirou noted with a grin, "That I am still using the old Pineapple, or that it still runs!"
"Well, you HAVE taken very good care of it, Izumi-sama!" Motimon said.
"Hai!" Mimi responded. "And you haven't loaded it up with unneccesary up-grades!"
"Hai." Koushirou smiled. "Anyway! I've pulled up a map of this part of the Digital-World. Katarin-sama?" Koushirou turned the Pineapple around to Shadowcat. "You will see the there is a railroad-line about 20 kilometers from here! As I expand the view," he zoomed-out the image, "you will note
the line takes us out of the mountains and onto the plains! And you see
this symbol at the end of the line? That is a portal to our world!"
"Hmmm..", Shadowcat mused, "we'll have to hike through this forest to reach the line, and it appears to be uphill!"
"Why isn't anything easy, here?" Taichi asked.
Jyou patted Taichi on the shoulder. "You better watch yourself, Taichi!" He smiled sadly. "You are starting to sound like me!"
"OK, people! Grab your partners and let's go! It may take us two days to get to that portal, and I do not want to keep the X-Men waiting in Japan any longer than they have to!"
"Hai!" Mimi grinned grimly. "Tanemon? Digivolve!"
"Tanemon! Digivolve to.. PALMON!"
"Motimon?" Koushirou said, "It's your turn!"
"Motimon! Digivolve to.. TENTOMON!"
The group then set out through the forested slope.
"Everyone stay close!" Kathryn called out. "This forest looks like it gets pretty thick! I don't want us to loose each other."
"And this is the place to do it!", Wizardmon warned. "I know this place! It is Mori-no-Noumu!"
"The Forst-of-the-Dense-Fog, huh?" Kathryn smiled. "Lovely place for a
get-together!"
"Hai, Katarin-San!" Wizardmon said. "I always felt safest from my enemies, here! At least.. at the edges of the forest, for none dared venture farther inside!"
"A 'Catch-22'." Kathryn grinned. "We set ourselves up to get lost. We had to destroy our origal-way of getting here, and getting back to school, to save ourselves from the Mekanorimon. Ao, we have to go through this forst to try to return home, and maybe make our enemies' job that much easier by wandering around lost forever. *Heheh* Well, I'll be damned, that's funny!"
"Jyou-san?" Gomamon asked. "Is not Katarin-sensei starting to sound familiar?"
"Do not worry, Gomamon!" Kathryn grinned at the others. "We WILL get out of here! Now! I want everyone to hold hands! If you loose someone's grip, shout out their name! That way, we hopefully have a better-chance of finding them! Everyone leaves the Digital-World... or no one does! Understood?"
"HAI!"
As the group ventured into the Mori-no-Noumu, they found themselves walkin in a skirmish-line, and started calling names out:
"Katerin-sama?"
"Here, Mimi-san! Taichi?"
"Here! Hikari?"
"Here! Takeru?"
"Here! Yamato?"
"Here! Miyako?"
"Here! Jyou?"
"Here! Koushirou?"
"Here! Ken?"
"Here! Daisuke?"
"Here! Sora?"
"Here! Iori?"
There was silence.
"Iori??" Sora cried out louder. "Mimi-san?! Katarin-Sama?! I CAN'T
FEEL Iori's hand!"
"HALT !!!!" Mimi and Kathryn shouted as one!
"SORA!!", Mimi shouted. "Scream as HIGH as you can back to
where we may have lost Iori-chan!"
"IIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!"
"Oh, DEAR!!" Exclaimed Biyomon, "THERE GO a few eardrums!!"
Soon, Sora's scream was answered by a flash of brilliant light!
"That's GOTTA be IORI!!" Miyako cheered, having (like the others) homed
in on Sora's sonic-beacon!
"I'm going in for him!" Sora called out. "Watch out! GOIN' LOW!!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...!!!!"
"What do we do now?" Veemon asked. "Besides wait for our hearing to
return?"
Just at that time, Sora's scream and Iori's light faded out at roughly
the same time.. and then reappeared, seemingly to rise over the treetops!
"I have an idea!" Mimi smiled. "Let's wait here until they land! Now!
join hands, minna!"
Soon the scream was heard going in a definite direction! And the light, though dimmed through trees and fog, was seem to land! Soon, Mimi closed her eyes.. and consentrated.
"Hold on, minna!", Mimi said as her opening eyes seemed to glow a
hot pink. "We are gone!!"
With that, eleven children and eleven digimon left the Mori-no-Noumu..
ony to reappear at the edge of the wood and a vast, rolling prairie. A short
distance away, tracks could be seen though the swaying grasses. And, farther
in the distance, a whistle's scream could be heard on the winds.
"Sounds like the 'Lonesome Express' is keeping good time!" Tentomon said excitedly. "That means, we can make it to the terminal! If we can catch the train, of course."
"What do you mean.. 'If we can catch the train'?" Iori asked.
"And why is it called the 'Lonesome Express'?" Miyako interjected.
"I mean there's no station around here to safely board the train on.
That's why they call it the 'Lonesome Express'. It make a run two times a week
between the port we're going to and the mines of the mountains on the other
side of the canyon we were in. The reson it an express is because it has few
stops between the start and end, and absolutely none on this plateau."
"That is gonna make catching this train interesting!" Daisuke said.
"Get ready, minna!" Wizardmon called out.
"Agumon! Digi-volve to.. GREYMON!"
"You are half-way there, my friend!" Taichi looked up and smiled.
"Greymom! Digi-volve to.. METALGREYMON!!"
"Climb abourd, Taichi!" The dinosaur laughed. "I'll *try* not to make
this *too* difficult!"
"Awwww!" Taichi pouted, then smiled with a bit of his old wrecklessness.
"Then you'll take all the FUN out of it!"
"Gabumon! Digi-volve to.. GARURUMON!"
Yamato climbed aboad the great wolf-digimon's back.
"Biyomon! Digi-volve to.. BIRDRAMON!"
"Arigatou, Birdramom!" Sora bowed. "Jyou-san? Would you and Gomamon
care for a lift?"
"Arigatou, Takanouchi-Sama!" Jyou bowed respectfully, hands held together
in prayer. "Come, Gomamon! I will not leave you here!"
The small seal-digimon climbed on his partner's shoulders.
"Tentomon! Digi-volve to.. KABUTERIMON!"
Koushirou climber upon Kabuterimon's shoulders.
"We're up next, Ken-kun!" Daisuke said.
"Are you sure about this.. Daisuke?" Ken worried. "After all, it was I
who brought everyone here.. to die.."
"Hey! I think you gave us more of a chance than some of us would have
gotten back home! I'm not entirely blind and stupid. I saw Miyako-chan's
reaction to there being so many mutants among us, and Kido-Sama has been too
lost in thought for those thoughts to be good ones! I think your plan to get
us away from Odaiba was better than anything I could have come up with!"
The young men grasped hands and hugged, their Digi-vices glowing.
"V-mon! Digi-volve to.. XV-MON!"
"Wormon! Digi-volve to.. STINGMON!"
"XV-mon!!.."
"Stingmon!!.."
"DNA-Digi-volve to.. PAILDRAMON!!"
Paildramon than scooped up Daisuke and Ken.
Katherine was jotting down as many notes as she could.
"Professor Xavier and Miss Frost will want to know about this! I'll
translate my shorthand and abbreviations on the train.
"The Boys have the right idea!" Hikari said.
"I agree!" Miyako said. "Hawkmon?"
"Hawkmon! Digi-volve to.. AQUILLAMON!"
"Aquillamon!.."
"Gatomon!.."
"DNA-Digi-volve to.. SYLPHIMON!!"
Sylphimon picked up her partners. "Come on, ladies! We have a
train to catch!"
"That leaves us, Iori-kun!" Takeru said. "Come!"
"Armadimon! Digi-volve to.. ANKYLOMON!"
"Patomon! Digi-volve to.. ANGEMON!"
"Ankylomon!.."
"Angemon!.."
"DNA-Digi-volve to.. SHAKURAMON!!"
Shakuramon then lifted up Iori and Takeru as gently as possible.
A long, loud blast of a whistle signaled the coming of the Lonesome
Express.
"POISOM IVY!"
Palmon wrapped Mimi up in some vines.
"Hold on, Mimi! This WILL get rough! Need a lift, Katarin-Sama?"
"We will, manage, Palmon!" Wizardmon bowed. "You will need all your
strength to hold Mimi and catch the train!"
Wizard made a few signs with his hands, then he and Shadowcat were
surrounded by a forcefield bubble.
Soon, the ground by the tracks seemed to shake with the pounding-speed
of the Lonesome Express!
Metalgreymon was the first to start off, flying with Taichi after the
Express.
Garurumon then sprinted after the train with Yamato safely on his back.
Birdramon and her passengers flew off.
Kabuterimon buzzed after the train.
Paildramon, Sylphimon, and Shakuramon started for the train.
"Hold on tight, Mimi!" Palon said. "POISON-IVY!!"
Palmon and Mimi were yanked along as the plant-digimon tried to reel
herself and her partner onto the train!
The bubble that held Sahadowcat and Wizardmon floated along just
above the train-cars, then landed on the roof. Then the bubble just slid down
through the foof and into the car!
Soon the rear car was being filled. As Shadowcat and wizardmon phased
through the roof, Mimi and Palmon swung in through the rear-door! Thry then
made way for Birdramon, Sora, Jyou, Gomamon, and the rest of the Digi-crew.
Soon everyone was on-board, the Digimon that had evolved de-evolved to save
their strength, and ewveryone tried to find a place to rest.
As the sun was going down, the Digi-destined, Shadowcat, and their
Digimon found themselves in the dining car.
"I have to ask!" Kathryn said. "What is a dining car doing on a freight-train?"
"Katarin-sensei?" Mimi bowed. "I've found that, to keep your sanity here
in the Digi-world, somwtimes, it's best not to ask questions like that!"
After dinner, everyone moved to the freight-train's observation car-
yet another thing Kathryn was advised to just accept- and the group settled
down for the rest of the trip.
Soon, Yamato was strumming his guitar to the rhythm of the train along
the track.
"May I please borrow your guitar, Yamato-san?" Shadowcat asked. "I will
be very careful with it!"
"You may, Pryde-Sama!" Yamato smiled and handed over the instrument.
Shadowcat then started to play and sing:
*********
"Riding on the 'City of New Orleans', Illinois-Central, Monday-morning rail,
"Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders, three conductors, and twenty-five
sacks of mail."
*********
With fingers snapping and hands clapping, Mimi joined her voice to
Kathryn's.
*********
"All along this south-bound oddysey, the train pulls out of Kankakee, and
rolls along past houses, farms, and fields!
"Passing trains that have no names, freightyards full of old black men, and
the graveyards of the rusted automobiles!
"Good Morning, America! How are you?
"Say! Don't you know me? I'm your native-son!
"I'm the train they call 'The City of New Orleans'!
"I'll be gone five-hundred miles before the day in done!"
"Dealing card-games with the old man in the clubcar, penny-a-point, ain't no
one kepping score.
"Pass the paper-bag that holds the bottle, and feel the wheels rumbling
'neath the floor."
*********
The Digimon and Digi-destined started to relax to the song and train-
rhythm, as Takeru dug around for an old harmonica and joined in.
*********
"And the sons of Pullman porters, and the sons of engineers, ride their father's
magic-carpet made of steel.
"Mothers with their babes asleep, are rocking them to the gentle beat. And the
rhythm on the rails is all they feel."
*********
As the train continues to roll, Miyako looks down, smiling gently as
Iori lays asleep in her lap. Across the aisle from her, Takeru, Hikari, and
Daisuke start to drop off to slumber.
*********
"Good Morning, America! How are you?
"Say! Don't you know me? I'm your Native-Son!
"I'm the train they call 'The City of New Orleans'.
"I'll be gone five-hundred mile before the day is done."
"Night-time on 'The City of New Orleans', changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee.
"Half-way home, and we'll be there by morning, through the Mississippi darkness rolling down to the sea.
"But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream, and the steel
rails still ain't heard the news.
"The conductor sings his song again, the passengers will please refrain.
"This train's got the Disappearing Railroad Blues."
*********
Most or the Digimon and Digi-destined now joined in the chorus:
*********
"Goodnight, America! How are you?
"Say! Don't you know me? I'm your Native-Son!
"I'm the train they call 'The City of New Orleans',
"I'll be gone five-hundred miles before the day is done!"
*********
"Arigatou, Yamato-san!" Shadowcat smiled as she handed the guitar back
to the young man.
"It is you I should thank, Katarin-Sama!" Yamato bowed and nodded toward
Takeru. "For everything!"
Destined and Mon then settled in for the night in the observation-car.
In the morning, the Digimon and Digi-destined woke up to a slower-
rythm from the train. As they ate, several of the Destined noticed the
steepness of the grade they were going down, and then noticed that their
track was hugging the sides of a rather high, steep cliff!
"I've always been nervous of these mountain-trains!" Miyako whispered
to Piyomon, Ken, and Wormon.
After breakfast, Shadowcat and Wizardmon journeyed to the engine. On
entering the empty cabin, Kathryn mused, "Hmmm.. looks like it's all
automated! I hope they don't mind a Human and a Mon lending a hand."
"Hai." Wizardmon replied. "Katarin-Sama? Do these windows not give a
spectacular view?"
"I love this view, Wizardmon!" Shadowcat agreed. "Especially, once my
stomache stops flip-floppimg over!"
"Hieghts are a problem?" Wizardmon asked.
"Sometimes."
As the train made its downhill-run over curving track, Kathryn and
Wizardmon started to hear music in back of them: Yamato, Takeru, and Hikari.
*********
"I'm goin' home on the morning train,
"I'm goin' home on the morning trian..
"I'm goin' home on the morning train! If you can't see me, you can hear me
singin',
"All my sins been takin' away.. takin' away."
*********
Yamato's voice came to the front:
*********
"Sister Mary wore three links of chain,
"Sister Mary wore three links of chain..
"Sister Mary wore three links of chain, and on each link was my Jesus' name,
"All my sins been takin' away.. takin' away."
*********
Hikari's voice came to the front:
*********
"I'm on my way to the Freedom-Land,
"I', on my way to the Freedom-Land..
"I'm on my way to the Freedom-Land! Lord, God Almighty, hold my hand,
"All my sins been taken away.. taken away."
*********
Takeru's voice now took the lead:
*********
"Well, I don't know, but I been told,
"Streets in Heaven are paved in gold!
"Keep your hand on that plow! Hold on..
"Hold on.. Hold on! Keep you hand on that plow, hold on.."
*********
Kathryn then added her voice to the trio in back of herself and
Wizardmon as her hands gently worked the train's controls and her eyes
watched the tracks.
*********
"The Devil he has a slippery shoe,
"and if you don't watch out he'll slip it on you!
"Keep your hand on that plow! Nold on..
"Hold on! Hold on! Keep your hand on that plow, hold on..
"I'm goin' home on the morning train,
"I'm goin' home on the morning train..
"I'm goin' home on the morning train, if you can't see me you can hear me
singin',
"All my sins been taken away.. taken away..
"Taken away.. taken away..."
*********
"Katarin-Sama." Wizardmon observed his partner as she tensed up a bit,
"will you be all right?"
"Hai." Kathryn answered as she the applied the brakes gently and warned the Digi-destined and Digimon on the train of changes with blasts of the whistle. "This isn't that much different then flying the Blackbird. Except, if we get in an accident, we won't have that far to crash."
"Do not worry, Katarin-sensei!" Wizardmon gently patted his partner's
shoulder. "We will be at the station at sunset!"