Chapter Three: First Encounters
We continued wandering around trying to find the others until we finally stopped at a stream to rest. The water seemed clean enough, and it was unknown where we would next find a source of water, so I refilled my water bottle. Jou jokingly fussed at me for being over-prepared. He did, however, bring up a good point: we were all very fortunate that I had so many resourceful things in my backpack, and we should conserve them carefully.
Just as Jou was about to pick me up again so we could continue on, I heard a shout from the far stream bank. When I turned to look, I saw Yamato and Taichi. They waded across the shallow stream to our resting spot.
"Are you two all right?" Taichi asked. Jou nodded.
"Yes, besides the fact that I found Mimi unconscious. She's ok now, but still too weak to stand." Yamato rolled his eyes.
"How about letting the patient deliver her own diagnosis, doctor," he sarcastically remarked. I sheepishly glanced away; I know I'm not naturally strong, but I hate feeling helpless. I tried to stand on my own to prove Jou wrong, but my leg muscles shook involuntarily, and my knees quickly gave way. Taichi appeared to hide a chuckle as I fell, but Yamato's cool, reserved expression remained.
"Don't strain yourself just yet; I'll carry you now, since I'm sure Jou is running out of energy." Jou's face tightened, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"If we're ever to work together and trust each other, Yamato's going to have to loose the bitterness he has against Jou," I thought. Yamato seemed nice enough to everyone else, what did he have against Jou? Yamato put my backpack on and effortlessly picked me up and started down the trail.
"Let's go; we have to make sure everyone else is safe, particularly Takeru; he's too young to survive in this potentially dangerous environment." Yamato turned back towards the stream. "Tsunomon, hurry up! We haven't got all day!" A fuzzy, orange creature with a horn growing out of head burst through the surface of the water.
"Aw, Yamato, I'm not done yet!" he protested. Yamato tapped his foot impatiently.
"Oh please, if you drink any more you'll explode!" Tsunomon reluctantly bounced onto the shore.
"Koromon, you too!" Taichi shouted. Another ball-like Digimon bounded out of the water. He was pink with long ears and two curious eyes. He jumped up into Taichi's arms, giggling. "All right, that's everyone; let's go," Taichi commanded. I felt Yamato's grip on me tighten; I doubt he liked being bossed around any more than I do (and I don't). I thought it was quite strange how many of my own qualities I could see reflected in the others since I've always thought of myself as being unusual and different.
The trail was rather flat, probably because we were following the river, and so traveling along it was fairly comfortable.
"So, do you guys know if there are any villages around here? I would like to make a call home." Taichi asked the little monsters. Koromon shook his head.
"Nope, you four are the only humans anywhere around here." My heart sunk; I was kind of hoping to get back to camp (or better yet, home).
"Where do you suppose we are then?" Yamato wondered out loud. "Could we be in Korea or something? I've never seen these types of plants back in Japan." Jou nodded in agreement.
"I've never come across plants like these in botany class; look as this flower, could it be a new species?" Jou asked as he reached for the plant. Bukamon sprang forward.
"That's not a plant; it's another Digimon!" Jou stepped back as the flower rustled and stepped forward.
"You woke me up! I was having such a nice dream too." This Digimon was pink and round like Koromon. She had several long toes, all lined up in a circle, and a tropical-looking flower (I think it was a flower) growing at the top of her head. Although this Digimon sounded slightly annoyed she still had a warm smile.
"Who are you?" Jou asked, still taken aback.
"Yokomon, Sora's Digimon!" she exclaimed with a wide grin. "She's over there, playing with a little boy." Yamato's eyes widened.
"That must be Takeru! Takeru!" He shouted and started running in the direction that Yokomon had pointed. I clung to his arm tightly so he wouldn't accidentally drop me as he leaped over shrubs and roots. We neared a clearing and saw Sora and Takeru calmly sitting on a mossy log.
"Hiya Onii-chan! Where were you? Guess what! Me and Sora got our own Digimon! Do you have one too?"
"Sora and I," I muttered, "Sora and I. Wow, this kid could use a grammar lesson or two." Yamato dropped me on a soft pile of leaves and rushed over to his little brother and placed my backpack on the ground.
"I'm so glad I found you!" he exclaimed, hugging Takeru.
"Me too!" his brother replied.
"Ow," I moaned. Sora jumped off the log.
"What happened to you?" she asked as she helped me sit up.
"Thanks. I, well, I kinda injured myself when I landed here," I lied. I strangely didn't want anyone to know the truth; maybe I'd tell them some day.
"Well," Takeru interrupted as a white Digimon with long ears and a toothy grin jumped joyfully onto his shoulder, "My Digimon's name is Tokomon, and he's real nice. I wonder if all Digimon are as great as he is? Where's yo-" he was sharply cut off by a loud humming sound; it reminded me of a bee, only much louder. Suddenly, a giant, red beetle came crashing out from the trees on the other side of the clearing. Its massive pincers sliced at the air and its dangerous-looking mouth let out high-pitched screeches that sent chills down my spine.
"Um, Takeru? That's not a very nice Digimon," Tokomon informed Takeru, "in fact, he's really dangerous!" I rolled my eyes at this comment.
"Well, no duh," I thought, "what will your next suggestion be: that we run away? Slight problem: I CAN'T RUN!" I tend to get sarcastic and rather nasty when I'm scared, and I had never been more terrified in my life. Considering what Katamon, a little pastel-blue ball, had done to me, what was this monster capable of? Sora and I fell to the ground and began crawling to the nearest tree (well, I slithered more than anything; my legs were still mostly immobile). Yamato grabbed Takeru (who was still holding Tokomon) and dashed behind our hiding tree.
"Now what are we supposed to do?" he hissed as the huge beetle turned around and swooped down at us again. I then realized as Sora, Takeru, and Yamato squatted there in terror that they would have taken off if it wasn't for me.
"Run," I answered to Yamato. "Don't worry about me; I can hide in these dead leaves." Yamato stiffened up, debating whether to go or not. I was really getting ticked. "Listen, if you don't go, I might just have to try and stop this thing myself; I'm certainly crazy enough!" I grasped the tree trunk and pulled myself up to show I wasn't bluffing (although I'm pretty sure I was). Sora stood slowly and took a step back and bit her lip. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes but she blinked them away and took off running. Yamato put Takeru on his back and followed her, but only after giving one last remorseful glance. I collapsed back to the ground and frantically scrambled to cover myself in leaves.
The Digimon's humming wings grew louder until they were right behind me. I ducked into a ball, covering my head with my arms. Cold tears flowed down my cheeks as I tried to still my shivering body. There was a loud crack followed by a whoosh of air and a dull thud. I slowly lifted my head an inch and glanced around. The thick trunk of the tree I had taken cover behind was lying six inches away from my right shoulder!
I sat up, in hopes that the Digimon had disappeared, but found no such luck. It had only flown in another circle and was coming right back to finish me off! I pushed myself off of the ground and tried to run but couldn't even stand before falling face-flat on the ground. My arms strained to try and push me back up to a sitting position and I could almost feel the adrenaline being released into my bloodstream. My heart was pounding a hole in my chest and my lungs felt as if they would burst. I took in one deep breath and let out the loudest, most forceful scream I ever have (and ever will) hear. The attacking Digimon was obviously shocked by the scream and wobbled a little, just barely missing my head as it flew by. However, it quickly regained its composure, turned around, and streaked through the air.
A short pink blob rushed by my left arm in the direction of the beast.
"Hi," I heard it say, "sorry, but there's no time for proper introductions, Mimi." I probably would have wondered how this pink ghost-looking thing knew my name if I wasn't absolutely petrified. I heard the rustle of leaves as someone kneeled down beside me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I looked over and saw Koushiro helping me up. "Why didn't you run?" His question was answered as my knees buckled and I fell. "Sorry, I didn't know," he apologized as he scooped me up.
"Good thing I don't weigh much," I thought, "considering that this is the third time someone's needed to carry me." Koushiro turned back towards where the pink blob and the beetle Digimon were fighting.
"Motimon! Be careful!" He shouted before carrying me deeper into the forest.
"Motimon, that must be his partner Digimon! That means, I'm the only one without one, or should I say, with a defective one." Izzy ran thirty or so feet before setting me back down.
"I have to go back and make sure Motimon's okay, but you'll be perfectly safe here if you stay hidden in here." He motioned to a nearby tree with a huge hole at the base of the trunk. It was a tight squeeze to fit in, but it was roomer inside. I slithered in and found it rather comfortable. "If you look out at the right angle, you can see the entire clearing!" He shouted as he dashed after Motimon.
"Wait! I yelled as Koushiro took off, but he had already left. "What about your safety? . . ."
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
We continued wandering around trying to find the others until we finally stopped at a stream to rest. The water seemed clean enough, and it was unknown where we would next find a source of water, so I refilled my water bottle. Jou jokingly fussed at me for being over-prepared. He did, however, bring up a good point: we were all very fortunate that I had so many resourceful things in my backpack, and we should conserve them carefully.
Just as Jou was about to pick me up again so we could continue on, I heard a shout from the far stream bank. When I turned to look, I saw Yamato and Taichi. They waded across the shallow stream to our resting spot.
"Are you two all right?" Taichi asked. Jou nodded.
"Yes, besides the fact that I found Mimi unconscious. She's ok now, but still too weak to stand." Yamato rolled his eyes.
"How about letting the patient deliver her own diagnosis, doctor," he sarcastically remarked. I sheepishly glanced away; I know I'm not naturally strong, but I hate feeling helpless. I tried to stand on my own to prove Jou wrong, but my leg muscles shook involuntarily, and my knees quickly gave way. Taichi appeared to hide a chuckle as I fell, but Yamato's cool, reserved expression remained.
"Don't strain yourself just yet; I'll carry you now, since I'm sure Jou is running out of energy." Jou's face tightened, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"If we're ever to work together and trust each other, Yamato's going to have to loose the bitterness he has against Jou," I thought. Yamato seemed nice enough to everyone else, what did he have against Jou? Yamato put my backpack on and effortlessly picked me up and started down the trail.
"Let's go; we have to make sure everyone else is safe, particularly Takeru; he's too young to survive in this potentially dangerous environment." Yamato turned back towards the stream. "Tsunomon, hurry up! We haven't got all day!" A fuzzy, orange creature with a horn growing out of head burst through the surface of the water.
"Aw, Yamato, I'm not done yet!" he protested. Yamato tapped his foot impatiently.
"Oh please, if you drink any more you'll explode!" Tsunomon reluctantly bounced onto the shore.
"Koromon, you too!" Taichi shouted. Another ball-like Digimon bounded out of the water. He was pink with long ears and two curious eyes. He jumped up into Taichi's arms, giggling. "All right, that's everyone; let's go," Taichi commanded. I felt Yamato's grip on me tighten; I doubt he liked being bossed around any more than I do (and I don't). I thought it was quite strange how many of my own qualities I could see reflected in the others since I've always thought of myself as being unusual and different.
The trail was rather flat, probably because we were following the river, and so traveling along it was fairly comfortable.
"So, do you guys know if there are any villages around here? I would like to make a call home." Taichi asked the little monsters. Koromon shook his head.
"Nope, you four are the only humans anywhere around here." My heart sunk; I was kind of hoping to get back to camp (or better yet, home).
"Where do you suppose we are then?" Yamato wondered out loud. "Could we be in Korea or something? I've never seen these types of plants back in Japan." Jou nodded in agreement.
"I've never come across plants like these in botany class; look as this flower, could it be a new species?" Jou asked as he reached for the plant. Bukamon sprang forward.
"That's not a plant; it's another Digimon!" Jou stepped back as the flower rustled and stepped forward.
"You woke me up! I was having such a nice dream too." This Digimon was pink and round like Koromon. She had several long toes, all lined up in a circle, and a tropical-looking flower (I think it was a flower) growing at the top of her head. Although this Digimon sounded slightly annoyed she still had a warm smile.
"Who are you?" Jou asked, still taken aback.
"Yokomon, Sora's Digimon!" she exclaimed with a wide grin. "She's over there, playing with a little boy." Yamato's eyes widened.
"That must be Takeru! Takeru!" He shouted and started running in the direction that Yokomon had pointed. I clung to his arm tightly so he wouldn't accidentally drop me as he leaped over shrubs and roots. We neared a clearing and saw Sora and Takeru calmly sitting on a mossy log.
"Hiya Onii-chan! Where were you? Guess what! Me and Sora got our own Digimon! Do you have one too?"
"Sora and I," I muttered, "Sora and I. Wow, this kid could use a grammar lesson or two." Yamato dropped me on a soft pile of leaves and rushed over to his little brother and placed my backpack on the ground.
"I'm so glad I found you!" he exclaimed, hugging Takeru.
"Me too!" his brother replied.
"Ow," I moaned. Sora jumped off the log.
"What happened to you?" she asked as she helped me sit up.
"Thanks. I, well, I kinda injured myself when I landed here," I lied. I strangely didn't want anyone to know the truth; maybe I'd tell them some day.
"Well," Takeru interrupted as a white Digimon with long ears and a toothy grin jumped joyfully onto his shoulder, "My Digimon's name is Tokomon, and he's real nice. I wonder if all Digimon are as great as he is? Where's yo-" he was sharply cut off by a loud humming sound; it reminded me of a bee, only much louder. Suddenly, a giant, red beetle came crashing out from the trees on the other side of the clearing. Its massive pincers sliced at the air and its dangerous-looking mouth let out high-pitched screeches that sent chills down my spine.
"Um, Takeru? That's not a very nice Digimon," Tokomon informed Takeru, "in fact, he's really dangerous!" I rolled my eyes at this comment.
"Well, no duh," I thought, "what will your next suggestion be: that we run away? Slight problem: I CAN'T RUN!" I tend to get sarcastic and rather nasty when I'm scared, and I had never been more terrified in my life. Considering what Katamon, a little pastel-blue ball, had done to me, what was this monster capable of? Sora and I fell to the ground and began crawling to the nearest tree (well, I slithered more than anything; my legs were still mostly immobile). Yamato grabbed Takeru (who was still holding Tokomon) and dashed behind our hiding tree.
"Now what are we supposed to do?" he hissed as the huge beetle turned around and swooped down at us again. I then realized as Sora, Takeru, and Yamato squatted there in terror that they would have taken off if it wasn't for me.
"Run," I answered to Yamato. "Don't worry about me; I can hide in these dead leaves." Yamato stiffened up, debating whether to go or not. I was really getting ticked. "Listen, if you don't go, I might just have to try and stop this thing myself; I'm certainly crazy enough!" I grasped the tree trunk and pulled myself up to show I wasn't bluffing (although I'm pretty sure I was). Sora stood slowly and took a step back and bit her lip. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes but she blinked them away and took off running. Yamato put Takeru on his back and followed her, but only after giving one last remorseful glance. I collapsed back to the ground and frantically scrambled to cover myself in leaves.
The Digimon's humming wings grew louder until they were right behind me. I ducked into a ball, covering my head with my arms. Cold tears flowed down my cheeks as I tried to still my shivering body. There was a loud crack followed by a whoosh of air and a dull thud. I slowly lifted my head an inch and glanced around. The thick trunk of the tree I had taken cover behind was lying six inches away from my right shoulder!
I sat up, in hopes that the Digimon had disappeared, but found no such luck. It had only flown in another circle and was coming right back to finish me off! I pushed myself off of the ground and tried to run but couldn't even stand before falling face-flat on the ground. My arms strained to try and push me back up to a sitting position and I could almost feel the adrenaline being released into my bloodstream. My heart was pounding a hole in my chest and my lungs felt as if they would burst. I took in one deep breath and let out the loudest, most forceful scream I ever have (and ever will) hear. The attacking Digimon was obviously shocked by the scream and wobbled a little, just barely missing my head as it flew by. However, it quickly regained its composure, turned around, and streaked through the air.
A short pink blob rushed by my left arm in the direction of the beast.
"Hi," I heard it say, "sorry, but there's no time for proper introductions, Mimi." I probably would have wondered how this pink ghost-looking thing knew my name if I wasn't absolutely petrified. I heard the rustle of leaves as someone kneeled down beside me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I looked over and saw Koushiro helping me up. "Why didn't you run?" His question was answered as my knees buckled and I fell. "Sorry, I didn't know," he apologized as he scooped me up.
"Good thing I don't weigh much," I thought, "considering that this is the third time someone's needed to carry me." Koushiro turned back towards where the pink blob and the beetle Digimon were fighting.
"Motimon! Be careful!" He shouted before carrying me deeper into the forest.
"Motimon, that must be his partner Digimon! That means, I'm the only one without one, or should I say, with a defective one." Izzy ran thirty or so feet before setting me back down.
"I have to go back and make sure Motimon's okay, but you'll be perfectly safe here if you stay hidden in here." He motioned to a nearby tree with a huge hole at the base of the trunk. It was a tight squeeze to fit in, but it was roomer inside. I slithered in and found it rather comfortable. "If you look out at the right angle, you can see the entire clearing!" He shouted as he dashed after Motimon.
"Wait! I yelled as Koushiro took off, but he had already left. "What about your safety? . . ."
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~