None of the Digimon knew how they'd gotten there, but there
they were in a space of their own: Renamon and Terriermon. The other
Ditimon thought they were altogether very strange. Before Yamato and
Takeru left for school that day, Gabumon asked Yamato, "Where did Renamon
and Terriermon come from?"
"I really don't know," said Yamato. "They came in last
night and woke me up. I told them they could stay."
"Oh," said Gabumon.
After Yamato and Takeru left, Gabumon went to find Patamon and see what he thought
about it. When he found Patamon, he also found Lopmon, a brown-and-pink
rabbit Digimon who was good at organizing things. So, all three of them
talked about it together.
"The whole thing just makes my paws itch," said Lopmon.
"Here we are, me, and you, Patamon, and you, Gabumon - "
"And Wormmon," said Patamon.
"Yes, and Wormmon, and -"
"And Hawkmon," added Gabumon.
"And Hawkmon, too," said Lopmon.
"Don't forget about Takeru," said Patamon.
"Here we are," said Lopmon, "all of us, and suddenly,
we wake up in the morning to find a strange Digimon among us. A Digimon
we've never even heard of before! A Digimon who carries her family around
on her tail! Imagine!"
"It certainly is very strange," said Gabumon.
"And Terriermon!" Lopmon went on. "He's just as bad.
He looks like a mint-flavored me, except with only one horn. Something
has to be done about them."
"Like what?" said Patamon.
"Like stealing Terriermon and hiding him. And then when Renamon realizes he's gone, we'll all tell her that we know where Terriermon is, and that she can't have him back unless she promises to leave. Now I've got to think about this, so don't talk."
For a little while, Lopmon thought, and no one talked. Then Patamon said:
"I've been thinking, too, Lopmon. We can see that Renamon is bigger and stronger than any of us, and I think taking Terriermon away will only make her angry, so maybe stealing him isn't such a good idea."
"Patamon," said Lopmon, finding a paper and pencil, "you have no pluck."
"It's hard to be brave," said Patamon, "when you're only a very small Digimon."
Lopmon was now writing quickly. "Because you're a very small Digimon," he said, "you will be useful in this plan I'm writing."
"And me?" said Gabumon. "Will I be useful?"
"Yes, you too," said Lopmon.
When Lopmon had finished writing the plan, he read it aloud to Gabumon and Patamon.
Plan to Steal Terriermon1. Fact. Renamon is bigger and stronger than any of us.
2. Another Fact. Renamon never takes her eye off Terriermon, except when she's carrying him on her tail.
3. Therefore. If we are to steal Terriermon, we must get a long start, because of fact #1.
4. A Thought. If Patamon held on to Renamon's tail instead of Terriermon, Renamon wouldn't know the difference, because Patamon is a very small Digimon.
5. Like Terriermon.
6. But Renamon would have to be looking the other way, so as not to notice Patamon getting on.
7. See #2.
8. But if Gabumon were talking to her, she might be distracted.
9. And then Patamon could get on her tail and I could run away with Terriermon.
10. Quickly.
11. And Renamon wouldn't discover the difference until later.
"And what happens when Renamon does discover the difference?" Patamon asked.
"Well," said Lopmon, "that's when we tell her that we know where Terriermon is, and make her leave."
"Sounds like a good plan," said Gabumon.
"Then let's get to it," said Lopmon.
"Okay."
They went into the master bedroom, where Terriermon was jumping on the bed and Renamon was watching him.
"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!" squealed Terriermon.
Gabumon, Patamon, and Lopmon went up to Renamon. "Hello, Renamon!" said Gabumon.
"Hello," said Renamon. "Who are you?"
"I'm Gabumon, Yamato's partner."
"I'm Patamon," said Patamon.
"I'm Terriermon!" interjected the excitable little Digimon.
"Hi," said Gabumon.
"What did you mean, you're Yamato's partner?" Renamon asked.
"I meant that Yamato and I are meant to be friends and protect each other."
"From what?"
"I don't know."
"Look at me jumping!" said Terriermon.
"Yes, dear," said Renamon.
Gabumon and Renamon watched Terriermon jump. Lopmon and Patamon moved quietly behind Renamon. Lopmon gave Gabumon a nudge.
"Would you like to hear a poem I wrote?" said Gabumon.
"All right," said Renamon.
"Look at me jumping!" said Terriermon.
"We are," said Renamon. "Terriermon, you need a bath, so I expect you to be on my tail by the time Gabumon finishes, understand?"
"Awwwwww," said Terriermon. "Okay."
"Go ahead, Gabumon," said Renamon.
Gabumon began to recite his poem.
"The sun is shining down on me,
The wind blows on my face.
There is a reason I can't see
For being in this place."
Terriermon climbed off the bed.
"We came here from another plane
And found ourselves a home,
And now I have a partner, so
I'll never be alone."
In a flash, Lopmon had Terriermon in a headlock. "Up you go, Terriermon!" Lopmon announced loudly. Patamon climbed onto Renamon's tail. Lopmon hurried out of the room, dragging Terriermon with him.
"Perhaps someday we'll all find out
What being partners means,
We'll take them back where we came from
And realize our dreams."
"That's it," said Gabumon.
"Very nice," said Renamon. "Are you ready to go, Terriermon?"
"Yes," said Patamon, attempting to imitate Terriermon's voice.
"Hey, where did Lopmon and Patamon go?" Renamon wondered.
"Oh – they thought of something they wanted to do, suddenly," Gabumon fibbed.
"Oh," said Renamon. "Well, I must be going. Goodbye, Gabumon."
"Goodbye, Renamon."
Renamon ran off to the bathroom, completely stunning Patamon with her speed. When he got off her tail, she took a long look at him and knew that this was not her Terriermon. So you like to play games, huh? Okay, then.
"Bath time, Terriermon, dear," she said, picking Patamon up and setting him next to the sink.
Patamon, who wasn't exactly thrilled about this, looked nervously around and said:
"Uh, Renamon, I think I should tell you something."
"Funny little Terriermon," said Renamon, turning on the water.
"I am not Terriermon. I am Patamon!"
"Even imitating Patamon's voice," mused Renamon. "What will he think of next?"
"Can't you see?" exclaimed Patamon. "Look at me! I'm Patamon, not Terriermon!"
"I'm looking, dear. What did I tell you about making faces? If you make faces like Patamon's all the time, you'll eventually look like Patamon, and you'll regret it. Now, into the bath, and don't make me tell you this again."
Before he knew what was happening, Patamon was in the sink and Renamon was scrubbing him firmly.
"Hey!" squeaked Patamon. "Let me out! I'm Patammmmmph!"
"Don't say anything," said Renamon, "or you'll get soap in your mouth."
"You did that on purpose –" and the soap got in his mouth again. In another minute, it was over, and Renamon was drying him off.
"Come along, Terriermon," said Renamon, picking Patamon up again. "It's time for your nap."
Patamon was about to say that he didn't need one when Yamato and Takeru entered the room.
"Takeru!" cried Patamon. "Tell Renamon that I really am Patamon. She thinks I'm Terriermon."
"What's going on here?" asked Takeru.
"Lopmon wanted to make Renamon and Terriermon go away," explained Patamon, "so he made a plan to switch me with Terriermon, but it didn't work, and Renamon thinks I'm Terriermon, but I'm Patamon!"
"Actually, I knew you were Patamon all along," said Renamon. "I've beaten you at your own game."
"So now what happens?" said Patamon.
"Now," said Yamato, "I'm going to clean up the mess you made in here, and you guys can go and find Lopmon and Terriermon and straighten things out. What were you doing in here, anyway?"
"Giving Patamon a bath," Renamon said as she left with Takeru and his partner.
They went into the brothers' room and found Lopmon and Terriermon playing catch and Gabumon jumping on the lower bunk. "Gabumon, stop! You could break that!" said Takeru.
"Hi, Takeru," said Gabumon, dismounting from the bed. "Where's Yamato?"
"Cleaning up the mess Patamon and Renamon made because of Lopmon's plan."
"What happened?" asked Lopmon.
"It didn't work," said Patamon. "Renamon saw through our trick, so I guess she's not going anywhere."
"That's okay," said Lopmon. "Terriermon and I are friends now. I wouldn't want them to leave."
"Good," said Takeru. "That's the way things should be."
So from then on, whenever they wanted to, Terriermon played catch with his friend Lopmon, and Gabumon played with his friend Renamon, and Patamon played with his friend Takeru. And everyone was happy.
Disclaimer: All things Digimon belong to Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Disney. The story idea really belongs to A.A. Milne, but then Disney got it, too. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)
