A collection of damp, muddy, and disgruntled teenagers squidged their way out of the forest. It had rained most of the day yesterday, alternating between a drenching deluge and a steady drizzle. They had traveled as far as they could in the soggy weather before finally making a camp in the shelter of a partially fallen tree. It had kept out most of the rain, but chill and damp still crept in, and none of them had been able to get a fire going. Dinner had been a damp and dismal affair, with everyone chewing their rations in silence before huddling up together and trying to get some sleep on the muddy ground. Now they were awake, the sun was shining, and the world had gone from cold and damp to hot and damp. All the moisture of the day before was rising back up into the sky, turning the air almost unbearably humid.
"Nobody told me this was a rain forest," said Junpei, mopping his face with a handkerchief. All of them were sweating profusely in the muggy air.
"Look on the bright side," said Takuya. "If we were back home in weather like this, we wouldn't be able to see each other through the mosquitoes."
"What's a mosky-toe?" asked Neemon.
"Mosquito," said Kouji patiently. "It's a... it's a little tiny flying thing that bites you and makes you itch."
"Yuck!" said Neemon. "No wonder you wanted to come back. I wouldn't want to live in a world with those things!"
"Hey, our world has lots of good things, too," said Tomoki.
"Yeah, like air conditioning," Izumi agreed. "Hey, Junpei, have you got any more of those handkerchiefs? I'm about to melt."
"I have enough for everybody," he said. He passed out a rainbow of handkerchiefs so everyone could dry their faces.
"Never thought Junpei's bag of magic tricks would be so useful," said Kouji.
Takuya grinned. "Hey, didn't anybody ever tell you? It's not about what you've got, it's about knowing how to use it."
Kouji raised an eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?"
"It means his magic tricks are useful because he's smart enough to think of practical uses for them," said Kouichi. He gave Takuya a look that just dared him to try to start an argument. Takuya contrived to look innocent.
"I sure could use a drink of water," said Tomoki to no one in particular. "Not that I'm complaining, but..."
"We're all thirsty," said Bokomon, "but if memory serves me, we should be nearing a lake. Its water should be clean enough for drinking."
"Well, why didn't you say so?" asked Takuya.
Bokomon shrugged. "You never asked."
"Then let's pick up the pace a little! Come on!" Takuya cheered.
He put on a burst of speed, breaking away from the rest of the group and crashing through the underbrush, forcing the rest of the group to break into a jog to catch up to him. They scrambled up a sudden rise in the terrain, pushed through a screen of shrubbery, and stopped. In the distance, visible through the trees, was a sparkle of blue water. With a chorus of glad cries, they hurried down the hill, eager to attain the promise of a cool drink and a place to rest.
When they finally reached the lake, they had to stop - not just to catch their breath, but to admire the view. Without trees blocking the way, they could see it was far broader than they had guessed, so large that the far side was just barely visible in the distance, discernable as a smudge of green that meant more trees, and a cluster of angular shapes that might mean a town of some sort. The lake water was clear, blue, and sparkling, and a cool breeze blew off its surface to fan their faces. Everyone trooped eagerly to its edge to enjoy a cool drink and to splash some water on their hot skin.
"Hey, Bokomon," said Tomoki, "is this water safe for swimming?"
"It ought to be safe for just about anything," said Bokomon. "If I could draw your attention to the far side of the lake, you'll see there is a small village there. It is inhabited by a community of Geckomon and other friendly lake Digimon, who make it their life's work to keep these waters clean and free from pests. As long as they don't consider us pests, we ought to be just fine."
"In that case, I could stand a quick swim," said Takuya. "We can dump all our wet clothes on the beach to dry while we all cool off."
Junpei looked mildly embarrassed. "I didn't bring any swimming trunks."
"That's no big deal," said Takuya. "Wear your boxers. Nobody will care."
The boys stepped off behind the trees to change in privacy, returning a few moments later to spread their still-damp clothing along the shoreline. They found the Digmon splashing happily in the shallows, but there was no sign of the remaining human.
"Where's Izumi?" asked Junpei.
"Oh, she's around here somewhere," said Bokomon. "I saw her go off into the woods. Don't worry, if anything starts bothering her, we'll be sure to hear the screaming."
"Hey, Izumi's not the kind of girl to get scared and scream," said Junpei.
"Of course not," Bokomon replied, "but I didn't say she was the one who'd be doing the screaming."
"That's the truth," Takuya said, but quietly, so Junpei wouldn't hear. He tended to take umbrage at any comment about Izumi that didn't sound like it was complimentary.
They splashed their way into the lake. The water was exactly the right temperature, cool without being chilling, and so clear that they could see to the sandy bottom even when the water got deep. For a few moments, they amused themselves with diving and splashing, occasionally startling a fish or some small water-dwelling Digimon, who swam quickly out of sight when confronted with these large, finless creatures.
"Hey, guys, who said you could have fun without me, huh?"
Everyone looked up to see that Izumi had returned, now resplendent in a blue and green striped swimsuit. The boys, obedient to the dictations of hormones, stared, since that was what teenaged boys tended to do when they encountered a pretty girl in a swimsuit. After all, she wasn't a child anymore, and was showing all the signs of growing up to be a beautiful young woman. Takuya glanced over at Junpei to see how he was taking it, and saw him staring blankly as if he'd just been struck by lightning.
"Looks like somebody needs a cold shower," he said, grinning mischievously. "What do you think, guys?"
"Huh?" Junpei snapped out of his daze just in time to see his friends surrounding him. The next thing he saw was a great deal of lake water as everyone reached out to duck him under. They let him up almost immediately, and he spluttered and wiped the water out of his eyes while the other boys swam quickly away before he could catch him.
"That wasn't nice!" called Izumi, laughing.
"No, but it was fun!" Takuya called back.
Izumi splashed out into the shallows, then executed a clean dive into the deeper water. She swam past Junpei without speaking to him, but she turned her head long enough to wink at him. Then she flipped and dove underwater, gliding like a porpoise beneath the water. A moment later, Takuya, who had been treading water at a safe distance, suddenly disappeared under the water. He bobbed back to the surface a moment later, eyes wide.
"Help! Something's got me!" he yelped.
Izumi put her head above water, panting a little after being underwater so long, but looking pleased with herself nonetheless.
"Hey, Takuya, nice boxers," she said. "Maybe I'll take them with me next time!"
He blushed. "Hey, that's not fair!"
She laughed and paddled away, and owing to the fact that she was the better swimmer of the two, eluded him easily, and he finally gave up in defeat after she'd kicked a wave of water in his face once too many times.
"Give it up, Takuya," said Kouichi, chuckling quietly at his friend's predicament. "Water just isn't your element."
"Well, it's not hers, either," Takuya grumped.
"No, but I have learned how to swim," said Izumi. "After dealing with Ranamon, I decided I was going to make sure water never got the upper hand over me!"
She twirled in the water and began a smooth sidestroke to the shore. As she passed by Junpei, she said, "Don't let them pick on you... That's my job."
Then she dove back underwater and vanished from sight.
"Man, she's cool," said Junpei to no one in particular.
Watching the spectacle from the shore, Bokomon and Neemon looked at each other.
"What was all that about?" Neemon asked.
Bokomon shook his head. "Some things even I can't explain."
Witchmon huddled miserably in the deepest shadows she could find, hugging Cat to her for comfort. She was wet and cold and miserable from flying home in a thunderstorm, and her dress was so wet and muddy, she had no idea how she'd ever get clean again. That added just another layer to her level of misery - that she'd get a scolding for getting herself dirty and bedraggled. It was funny how things like that bothered her so much, but she'd never seen any other Digimon having so much trouble with their clothes...
She sniffled a little, and searched her pockets for something to wipe her nose on. She'd been here crying for who knew how long, and she still didn't feel much better. She had failed. The first time Lilithmon had ever trusted her to do anything really big and important, and she hadn't even been able to finish off even the smallest Baby II Digimon! She couldn't understand where she'd gone wrong. She had used her strongest attack aimed right at them, and it had barely dented any of them. She'd worn herself out worse than she'd hurt them! Of course, she wasn't really used to fighting. Maybe that was it. Maybe she just needed more practice...
"Witchmon?" A voice drifted down from somewhere. "Witchmon, are you down here sniveling again?"
Witchmon looked up, peering through blurry eyes to see a dark figure standing at the top of the steps. It was Wisemon, of course. He glided down the stairs to rest a hand on her shoulder.
"I knew you'd be hiding here," he said. "Just like always, whenever anything goes wrong..."
Witchmon sniffled. "I'm sorry."
"I know you are... but I know you are also aware that Lilithmon is going to be very upset when she learns of your failure."
"I know..."
Wisemon waved the comment away. "You really are hopeless, Witchmon. Luckily for you, you are still my sister, and I want what's best for you, so I'm going to help you."
"Oh, thank you," said Witchmon gratefully. "I just don't have any idea what I'm doing, and those nasty people threw rocks at me, and I got my face all burnt, and..."
Wisemon held up a hand, halting the flow of chatter.
"I am well aware of what happened to you. I was watching the whole thing in one of my crystal balls," said Wisemon. "You made rather a fool of yourself, letting them trick you like that. We will have to take some more direct action. Since you don't seem to be powerful enough to take care of these meddling children yourself..."
Wisemon snapped his fingers. There was a rush like a roaring fire, and flame burst up out of the ground. A Digimon appeared in a flash, shining in its own fiery light. Witchmon stared. It stared back with fevered eyes.
"What is this?" she asked nervously.
"This," Wisemon answered, "is the solution to your problems. Send him to do battle with the children, and you'll never have any trouble with them again."
The time eventually came when everyone decided that swimming had better give way to a more vital pastime - like making lunch. Freshly dressed in dry clothes, they set about the tasks of trying to find something for lunch. A search along the lakeside revealed a stand of cattail-like plants whose roots were said to be edible and could be carried with them for later, so the group spread out along the perimeter of the lake to look for more. Within a few minutes, most of them were out of sight from each other. Then...
"Argh!" someone shouted.
Takuya, up to his ankles in lakewater, snapped his head around to look in the direction of the noise.
"What was that?" he said.
"That was Kouji!" said Kouichi from further up the beach. "He's in trouble!"
Everyone dropped what they were doing and ran for the edge of the forest, where the shout had come from. It was ominously silent now, and Takuya found himself worrying. Kouji was his best friend, and a brave warrior even without a Spirit to aid him. The idea of anything hurting him made Takuya feel sick. Of all of them, he was the best able to defend himself. If something could take him out, it could definitely take out the rest of them without breaking a sweat.
Bursting into a clearing, they found Kouji sitting on the moss, grimacing and rubbing his backside. When the others reached him, he looked up at them all balefully.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, irritated.
"We heard you shouting," said Kouichi. "We thought something might have happened."
"Nothing happened," Kouji replied, hauling himself to his feet. "I saw a fruit tree and decided to climb it, and I wound up startling a Flymon. It surprised me so much I fell out of the tree. That's why I yelled. So I didn't really need help."
"Well, excuse us for worrying about you!" said Izumi.
"Ease up on him," Kouichi said. "He's just embarrassed, that's all. It's not every day somebody manages to startle him like that. My brother doesn't spook easy."
"That's why we were worried," Izumi replied.
"Well, if I ever am in trouble, I'll shout for help," said Kouji, dusting himself off. "So, as long as we're here... the Flymon is gone now, so somebody can help me with this tree."
"I'll do it," said Kouichi.
"Okay. You two take care of yourselves," said Takuya. "And don't fall out of any more trees!"
Kouji nodded and returned to the treetops. Kouichi scrambled up after him; he wasn't quite the superb martial artist his brother was, but he was agile enough to climb trees without difficulty. They crept along its thick branches, dropping green and red striped fruits to the ground.
"So," said Kouichi at length, "what's really going on?"
Kouji lowered his eyes. "Why do you think something's going on?"
"Because I'm your twin, that's why. You can't hide anything from me, and you know it," said Kouichi. "Besides, I know you. You don't let yourself get spooked by little things. Why are you so jumpy?"
"I don't know," Kouji replied. "Actually... I do know. I'm just feeling very... exposed. Unprotected. I thought I could deal with being out here without a Spirit, but... I don't remember ever spending a whole day in the Digital World without one. And I've seen the kind of things that are out there. I'm just not very happy about not having any real protection against them. If Witchmon had been more powerful, even by a little bit..."
"We survived. Ifs don't really matter at this point," said Kouichi.
"All right, then, what about what could happen next time?"
"I think we'll survive, then, too," answered Kouichi slowly. "We aren't unprotected. We have each other. And the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors are still watching over us. We saw them. I don't think they'll let us get into too much trouble."
"True..." said Kouji. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am worrying too much."
"Well, next time you're worried, tell me about it," said Kouichi. "After all, I'll find out sooner or later, anyway."
"Sad but true," Kouji answered, smiling a little. "All right. Let's gather these things and get back to camp, before anyone gets worried again."
The gang ate lunch on the shores of the lake, inspected the area to make sure they weren't leaving any unnecessary mess behind, and set out again. A pleasant breeze blew off the surface of the lake, making the air cool and comfortable, an agreeable change after being in the muggy forest. The sun shone as if it had never even imagined the possibility of rain. In the distance, they could see the patchwork sails of fishing boats as the lake Digimon went about their business. The edge of the lake was covered in pebbly sand, hard packed and easy to travel. On the whole, it was the perfect place to walk. The good spirits that had been dampened by the rain were restored, and for a few minutes, they could forget that they had ever been in danger.
At least, some of them could. Takuya was walking a few yards ahead of the others, peering into the trees and shrubbery, watching the sky, and keeping to himself. Tomoki picked up his pace a bit to walk beside him.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You're being quiet."
"I'm okay," Takuya reassured him. "I'm just... you know, thinking about stuff."
"Oh," said Tomoki. "What are you thinking about?"
"I dunno. A lot of stuff, I guess. I mean... I got a scare last night. I thought this was going to be a lot of fun, you know? I thought we'd come and visit some old friends, have some adventures, have a good time. Now I don't know. I don't much like the idea of knowing there's something out there that would like to blast us all to bits... but I don't really want to turn around and go home, either."
"Neither do I," said Tomoki. "We can't give up yet! We just got here!"
Takuya smiled a little. "I knew you were a guy after my own heart. So, what are we going to do now? I guess it's too much to hope we'll find another set of Spirits lying around."
Tomoki's face fell. "I miss having a Spirit. It's just not the same without it."
"I know what you mean," said Takuya quietly. "I hadn't realized until a little while ago... it's not just being here that I missed. I mean, I did miss the Digital World, and Bokomon and Neemon and all our other Digimon friends, and all of us getting to spend time together, but it's more than that. I miss being part of something. I used to be a Digimon. I used to belong here. Now I'm back to being just a human visitor..."
"No, you're not," said Tomoki. "Of course you're part of the Digital World! It wouldn't even be here without us!"
"I know that. It's just... different now," he said. "It sounds weird, but I kind of miss Agnimon. He was my first friend when I got to the Digital World. I kind of thought he'd always be here for me. It's rough to turn around and realize one of your best friends isn't around just when you need him most."
"Yeah..." said Tomoki. "Nobody else would understand it, would they? I mean, except the six of us."
"You're right. Imagine if we tried to explain to anyone who hadn't been here what it's like to be a Digimon!" Takuya agreed. "There's no other feeling like it, that's for sure."
"Do you think we'll ever do it again?" Tomoki asked.
"If there's a way in the Digital World, we'll find it," said Takuya positively. "And if there isn't, we'll make one."
"Yeah!" Tomoki cheered, and Takuya grinned. Having Tomoki around was a good cure for the blues. Not only did it cheer him up, it gave him hope. Who knew? Maybe there was something out there that would let a human become a Digimon. After all, there were parts of the Digital World that were still unexplored, and all kinds of knowledge that had been lost over the centuries. And how many humans had traversed this world before Ophanimon had sent her call out? It was possible that the answer to his wish was out there somewhere, unknown because there had never been a human around to take advantage of it before. Anything was possible, here.
*I sure hope so,* he thought. *I sure would like to be a Digimon again...*
Witchmon risked a glance at the ground below. It was moving along at a terrific rate - which to her meant a terrifying rate. She couldn't understand how Lilithmon could condone this kind of transportation. Her ruler had always been a great believer in moving slowly, with dignity and grace, so how could she possibly want Witchmon to be zipping through the sky like a bolt of lightning? Behind her, Witchmon could hear Cat yowling in terror. As for Witchmon herself, she kept her lips pressed shut so she would not embarrass herself by doing some yowling herself. Or throwing up.
To take her mind off her discomfort, she tried to interest herself in the creature her brother had loaned her. It was the warriors who still served Lilithmon, or were enslaved to her. There wasn't much distinction, really. Since Lilithmon had given up on making war with her neighbors, most of them had either been released to their own homes, except for a few who were sealed away in dungeons below the manor in case Lilithmon wanted someone to practice her spells on. This one appeared to be one of the latter; he still had glowing chains wrapped around his shoulders and torso, chains that glowed with traces of purplish-red magic in Witchmon's sight. The chains would force him to obey Lilithmon or any of her chosen servants, but she knew from experience that compulsion-magic was hardly comfortable, even painful. After being kept imprisoned for so long, the captive Digimon didn't appear to be quite sane anymore. She felt sorry for anything that crossed its path.
*I hope they surrender this time,* thought Witchmon. *Maybe if they just give up the Star and go home, Lilithmon won't want to hurt them anymore... Then I won't have to deal with this thing anymore...*
She glanced back down at the ground, where her traveling companion was loping along, easily keeping pace with her zigzagging flight. Even from up in the air, she could hear it laughing crazily at nothing, a high-pitched giggle that made her stomach knot. Nobody in their right mind could laugh like that. She only hoped that nobody in their right mind would want to fight with it, either.
Meanwhile, a group of teenagers were sitting in a circle around a small campfire, watching the sun set over the lake. Though they had made good time that day, they had been traveling a convoluted path, following the edge of the lake rather than try to fight their way through the brambles of the forest. What had looked like a short hike to the other side of the lake had turned into an hours-long undertaking.
"Looks like we'll reach the village tomorrow," Kouji commented, staring out across the lake. Where they had once been able to see the angular shapes that made up the town, they could only see a cluster of golden lights, as residents lit lamps and campfires of their own.
"Do you think they'll be glad to see us?" asked Izumi.
"The villagers have a reputation as hospitable people," said Bokomon. "Even if they don't welcome us, I doubt they'll give us a fight. I was hoping they would have heard some information about the Fabled Artifacts."
"Oh, I get it," said Kouichi. "You're hoping they'll give us a new lead so you won't have to go to the Fallen Moon Temple, right?"
Bokomon blushed brilliantly. "That's not it at all!" he said, confirming everyone's suspicions.
"What's so bad about that place, anyway?" asked Junpei curiously.
"Well... That's a bit of a story, really. If I could direct your attention to the heavens for a moment..."
"Huh?" said Neemon.
"Just look at the sky!" said Bokomon. "As I was saying, above our heads now are the three moons: Ophanimoon, Cherubimoon, and Seraphimoon. Now, according to legend, there was once a different moon, a Lucemoon, that shone with a pure white light, brighter than any of the others. However, when Lucemon took his fall from grace, the moon fell out of the sky and crashed into the earth, and the Cherubimoon appeared to take its place. Of course, this is only a silly story - moons just don't appear out of nowhere. Still... there is a wasteland where the story holds that the moon fell, and a temple was built there, and that some less-than-savory sorts have held sway there is nothing less than solid fact."
"I can imagine!" said Kouichi. "Who would want to build a temple on ground that was supposed to belong to Lucemon?"
"Well, he was a great leader in his day," said Bokomon. "It was only after years of peace that he became corrupted. Some of his followers were slower than others to abandon him. Some believed his words. Some didn't care."
"I think you're right," said Junpei. "That does sound like the kind of place you stay far, far away from."
"It sounds like the kind of place a corrupted Artifact might be hidden, too," said Kouji thoughtfully. "Maybe we should have a look at it. Maybe we can clean it out once and for all. What do you think, Takuya? Takuya?"
"Hm?" said Takuya. He had been staring into the fire, his expression distant.
"We were talking about going to the Fallen Moon Temple," said Kouji impatiently. "Weren't you listening?"
"Sorry. I was just daydreaming, I guess," said Takuya. "What were you saying?"
"We were discussing whether or not we still want to go there," said Kouichi. "Is something wrong with you tonight? You aren't acting like yourself."
"Oh. Sorry. It's just... I've got this funny feeling..." said Takuya.
"What kind of feeling?" asked Izumi.
"I dunno. I can't quite place it," Takuya admitted. "I just have this funny feeling that something bad is going to happen."
"It's just your imagination," said Junpei. "You're just worried about being out in the wilderness without a Spirit. We all are, a little."
"I guess you're right," said Takuya, relaxing a little. "It has kind of been on my mind."
"Well, don't worry about it too much," said Kouichi. "We may be only human, but we're not exactly defenseless."
Takuya smiled. "I know. Maybe I'm just trying too hard to be a good leader, but-"
A log in the fire snapped, and Takuya jumped, his face going suddenly white.
"Easy, man!" said Kouji. "It's just a log."
"It's coming," said Takuya quietly.
"Huh?" said Junpei. "What are you talking about?"
"I don't know, but I do know," said Takuya. Shaking his head, he said, "I mean, I know something's coming. I don't ask you to understand - I don't really understand - but something is coming, and it's coming by fire."
"What does that mean?" Tomoki asked.
"I don't know, exactly," said Takuya. "I just-"
"You just know," finished Bokomon.
"You know, he's really creepy when he does this," said Neemon to nobody in particular.
"How can he know if something bad is coming or not?" asked Kouichi. "Are you trying to tell me he's done this before?"
"He's done it before," said Bokomon. "He knew when a storm was coming, once."
"So did we," said Junpei. "Remember that, Izumi? Yesterday we both knew it was going to storm."
"That's right. I felt the wind change," she remembered. "And you heard the thunder..."
"That's it, then," said Kouji. "We've still got a connection to our elements. Maybe not as much as we used to, but enough to know when something bad is happening."
"We couldn't do it back home," said Junpei. "I sure wish I could have predicted the weather. I would never have forgotten my umbrella so much."
"It was different, then," said Takuya. "I was Agunimon, then... and I'd just undergone some pretty intense experiences. Right now, though, I'm pretty sure we ought to get out of here."
"Where?" asked Kouji. "Do you want us to swim into the lake? Or should we go into the forest and wait for your fire to come and burn us to bits?"
"Um," said Takuya. "Good point."
"Looks like our only choice is to get out of the way," said Kouichi. "Which way is the trouble coming from?"
"I don't know!" he shouted. "I'm lucky I know as much as I do, okay?"
"Don't panic!" said Kouji. "We should be okay as long as we stay near water."
"Well, there's enough of that around," said Izumi in a tone of resignation.
"Maybe we should at least try to head for the village?" Junpei said. "I mean, if we don't know where the trouble is coming from or how close it is, they could be in danger..."
That seemed to snap Takuya out of his daze. "Right. Good thinking. Come on, gang, let's get a move on already!"
They raced up the shoreline, their feet sinking into the sand as they pounded the ground. A few of them got jostled and wound up splashing their feet into the lake, but they were in too much of a hurry to complain. The lights of the village still looked impossibly distant. Even running at full speed, it seemed unlikely that they would be able to reach it in time. And in time for what? Something bad, he'd said, that was coming by fire... whatever that meant...
Suddenly, Takuya skidded to a halt, making the people behind him crash into him. Kouji managed to catch himself in time; Junpei overbalanced and fell, and Tomoki tripped over him.
"What did you do that for?" Junpei complained.
"Go back! Go back!" said Takuya.
"What? Why?" asked Kouichi.
"I just realized, we're going the wrong way!" Takuya shouted, trying to back away.
"Why couldn't you have thought of that earlier?" Kouji complained.
"Hey, I'm not in charge of this thing," said Takuya.
He turned around and began trying to run in the other direction. He didn't make it. Before he had gone ten paces, the air was rent by a strange sound - a high-pitched giggle that verged on a shriek. Everyone froze.
"I don't like the sound of that," said Kouji grimly.
"You're in trouble now!" shouted a voice above their heads. "Surrender, or you're going to be really, really sorry!"
They looked up and were not surprised to see Witchmon flying unsteady circles over their heads. A gust of wind off the lake made her wobble, and it was preventing her from going straight, or even in a relatively even curve.
"Oh, it's you again," said Junpei derisively. "I thought we got rid of you."
"You won't get rid of a servant of Lilithmon that easily!" Witchmon retorted. "I told you I'd pay you back for what you did to me, and now I'm back, and I brought help. I'm giving you one last chance: gimme the necklace and go home, or you'll have to face my friend!"
"As if!" Izumi shouted back. "Why don't you take advantage of the scenery and go jump in a lake!"
"You're the ones who are going to be swimming!" said Witchmon. "Just wait until you see what I've got! FlaWizarmon, come forth!"
There was a flash, as several trees burst into blue flame and disintegrated into ash. Everyone cried out and shielded their eyes from the heat. When it faded to a bearable level, they looked up, peering into what was left of the trees. There was something glowing there.
"Is that a FlaWizarmon?" asked Takuya. "I think I liked the other Wizarmon better!"
The FlaWizarmon leered at them, the expression made more menacing by the blue flames that hovered around him. He was a scarecrow-like creature, thin and gnarled, with a stitched mouth and unruly spikes of charred-looking hair. Only his eyes seemed truly alive, blue as the flames and alight with madness. Its clothing was in flaming shades of red and orange, from his ragged peaked cap to his heavy red boots, all of it smeared with an accumulation of grime and soot. He carried two wands like giant matchsticks, one red, one blue. He threw back his head and laughed again, and the humans backed away instinctively.
"What's the matter, children?" the wizard sneered. "Don't you think I'm pretty? Maybe if you saw me in a better light... Magic Ignition!"
He flourished his red wand, and the foliage around him burst into sudden flame, filling the area with bloody light. The forest was still damp from the previous day's rain, but the fire was magical, and it was slowly spreading, filling the air with clouds of dark smoke. FlaWizarmon cackled again.
"Stop fooling around!" Witchmon shouted, trying to escape the leaping flames. "You're only supposed to flame them, not me!"
FlaWizarmon shot her a look of pure loathing, but the chains around him glowed more brightly, making him cringe away, and he turned back to the gathering of humans.
"Did you see that?" said Kouichi. "Those chains... those must be what are controlling him!"
"So what happens if we get rid of them?" asked Takuya.
"Only one way to find out," Kouji replied. "Keep him distracted, guys."
Before anyone could agree, he darted off into an unlit corner of the woods.
"Well, you heard him!" said Takuya. "Let's keep Hothead there busy!"
There was an immediate scramble as everyone scattered, running in crazy circles and shouting insults - and then dodging as a flurry of blue fireballs rushed towards them. Neemon yelped as one of them singed the seat of his pants, and he dove into the lake with a hiss of steam. Tomoki's shirt caught fire, and he had to drop and roll in the sand to extinguish it. FlaWizarmon didn't appear to mind that he had thus far not seriously damaged anyone; they were caught between him and the lake, with no real chance of escaping him, not when he could set the forest around them afire and box them in with flames. He was enjoying watching them scamper, waiting for them to tire so he could finish them off at his leisure.
But in the scuffle, he hadn't seen Kouji vanish into the forest. He also didn't see him return again, bearing a long forked stick. He did notice, though, when someone leaped at him from the back, jabbed him with the branch, and twisted, tangling the chains of magic in its prongs. FlaWizarmon howled, and Witchmon winced.
"Don't do that!" she shouted. "Whatever you do, don't break the chains!"
"If you don't think I ought to do it, that's a good reason why I should," Kouji replied. He gave the stick a final twist and a jerk, and the bonds of magic dissolved with an electrical crackle and a burst of purple light. Kouji was thrown backwards with enough force to slam him into a tree.
"Oh, we're in for it now..." Witchmon whimpered.
"Free!" howled the wizard. "At last, after all these years, I'm free! Now I will have my revenge on all those who dared to enslave me... starting with you!"
And he turned and threw a blast of fire at Kouji. The battered teen was just barely able to dodge out of the way, and watched in astonishment as the tree he'd been leaning against burst into flames and acrid smoke.
"What did you do that for?" he shouted. "I was the one who freed you!"
"Don't you get it?" Witchmon shouted at him. "That' thing's crazy! He's been locked up in a dungeon for so long, he doesn't know up from down anymore! He thinks everything is his enemy!"
"Why didn't you tell us that before?" Kouji shouted back.
"I tried to! You wouldn't listen!"
"Oh, shut up," said FlaWizarmon. He threw a burst of flame at her, and it caught the tail of her broom on fire. She lost control and dropped out of the sky with a shriek. More or less fortunately, she landed in the lake. Since no one was feeling particularly kindly toward her at that moment, everyone ignored her.
"Nice going, genius!" Takuya shouted at Kouji. "Got any more bright ideas?"
"I'm allowed to make one mistake!" Kouji shouted back.
"I have a bright idea," said FlaWizarmon. "I'd like to have a little bonfire to celebrate my newfound freedom... and you can be the guests of honor! Fire Cloud!"
Blue fire exploded through the air. The humans a Digimon on the beach had only one option: a dive into the lake. They resurfaced a few feet out, wet and spluttering but more or less unharmed.
"Oh, you want to go for a swim?" said FlaWizarmon. "The water is cold this time of night. Let me warm it for you!"
He walked to the shore of the lake and plunged the tips of both his wands into the water. Immediately, the water closest to him started to bubble. The bubbling spread steadily outwards, filling the air with steam as well as smoke. The unfortunates in the lake gave each other inquisitive looks.
"He can't possibly boil this whole lake," said Junpei. "Can he?"
"He looks like he wants to try," said Tomoki.
"This is awful!" That was Witchmon, still bobbing helplessly a few yards away. "We're all going to drown!"
"Nobody asked you!" Takuya snapped. "Maybe if we swim further out, he won't be able to reach us..."
"No good," said Witchmon. "He's a wizard, remember? He can fly! Don't you get it? We're all trapped out here. I just knew I was going to bungle this again..."
"Well, if we're all trapped together, maybe we can get un-trapped together," said Kouichi. "I say let's make a truce. We can go back to trying to kill each other after we're safe from FlaWizarmon."
"I don't know," said Izumi. "How do we know we can trust her?"
"She hasn't lied to us yet," Takuya pointed out. "And if she doesn't help us, she's sunk. She doesn't have much choice. Right?"
Witchmon nodded meekly. "I just want to go home."
"I think I believe her," said Tomoki.
"Me, too," said Junpei.
"Then I guess we're going to go through with it," said Kouji. "Has anyone got any ideas what to do now?"
"I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Gimme a minute," said Takuya. "Say, Witchmon, how much of a load can that broom of yours carry?"
"I don't know. I've never tested it."
"Well, could it carry one of us?" Takuya asked.
Witchmon thought. "I don't know. I think I could carry one of you, but only one. And I wouldn't be able to fly very fast or very high or dodge very well, so-"
"But it would still be faster than we could swim, and we're less likely to get boiled that way," Takuya finished. "The two of us can keep him distracted, while the rest of you guys swim for shore. I'll keep him from knocking Witchmon out of the sky, and she'll keep me from being toasted."
"I don't know," said Kouji. "Your plans don't always work perfectly."
"And yours did?" he retorted. "Anyway, we don't have time to argue about it. Sooner or later, Torchfinger over there is going to get tired of sitting on the shore, and he'll fly over here to see if shooting fish in a barrel is really that easy. What do you say, Witchmon? Are you up for it?"
She hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I can fly again if someone will hold my broom up."
Both twins grabbed one end of the broom and lifted it a few feet above the water, and Witchmon jumped aboard, splashing everyone with water and making her cat squall. Once she was aboard, she seemed to weigh nothing at all; the boys could hold her up easily. When Takuya vaulted on, the broom lowered very slightly, but the weight was still easy to bear.
"Hold on tight," said Witchmon. "I'm not very good at this, and I've never had a passenger before."
"Thanks for warning me," said Takuya, taking a death grip on the broom.
They went up. Takuya felt his stomach lurch as the lake dropped away below him - and lurch a bit more as the broom wobbled unsteadily. They shot forward, tracing a tottering up-and- down path through the sky. The cat squalled, and Takuya swallowed hard; he'd been on roller coasters tamer than this. Witchmon's hair whipped in his face, blinding and half-choking him. He freed one hand long enough to brush it out of his face, looked down, and saw FlaWizarmon looking up at them.
"Dodge!" he shouted, shoving Witchmon's shoulder as reinforcement.
Witchmon wheeled hard to the left, almost throwing Takuya off the broomstick, and he felt something hot go whizzing past his right ear.
"Thanks!" Witchmon said.
"No problem," he muttered, trying to steady himself.
"I'm going down," said Witchmon. "Get ready to jump. Ready.... Jump!"
Takuya jumped, and landed in a pile of sand and pond reeds. Above his head, he heard Witchmon shriek as her broom suddenly shot to full speed again. Takuya rolled over and spat out a mouthful of sand.
"I'm never riding one of those things again," he said.
He pulled himself to his feet and looked up to assess the situation. Witchmon was zooming in loops around FlaWizarmon, trying frantically to dodge his fireballs. One of them knocked her hat off as she whizzed by. On the lake, the he could see his friends swimming frantically for shore.
A moment later, FlaWizarmon was distracted by a handful of mud hitting him in the face. He bellowed, dropping his wands to wipe the sticky stuff out of his eyes. When he could see again, he looked up to see Takuya standing a few yards away, holding another handful of smelly pond sludge and looking insolent.
"Hey, Fireman!" he said. "Your mother was a Zippo lighter!"
"I never had a mother," FlaWizarmon replied, "and yours is about to lose a son. Fire Cloud!"
Takuya tried to move, but the fireball was faster than he was. He only had taken a few steps before the bolt struck. It was those few steps, though, that saved him; instead of striking him, it hit the place where he'd been standing. Ground exploded upwards, and so did Takuya. He spun wildly through the air, finally coming to rest in the patch of trees and brush that FlaWizarmon had set fire to earlier.
Right in the hottest part of the flames.
The rest of his group, staggering through the shallows of the lake, stopped to stare in horror.
"Takuya!" Tomoki shouted.
"No!" said Junpei. "It can't be... He can't be gone..."
"He's not," said Kouji fiercely. "There's no way he'd let himself get finished off that easily. He's got to be alive in there somewhere. He's - he's back behind the fire somewhere. He can still get out. We can help him."
"No, we can't," said Kouichi gently. "Even if he's still okay, there's no way we can get through the flames to help him."
"That's right!" FlaWizarmon cackled. "Now it's your turn! Fire Cloud!"
"Aqueri Pressure!"
The attack barely fazed him. He stumbled a little, and that was all... but it was enough. His attack went wild, sailing off to one side to land harmlessly in the lake. Distracted from their personal tragedy, the others scampered to avoid meeting the same fate as their friend.
Meanwhile, Takuya lay dazed in a pile of brush, eyes closed. He was dimly aware of being surrounded by warmth - not heat or pain, just a gentle, pleasant warmth, as if he were resting in a hot bath. It dried his cold, damp clothing and eased his pains and weariness, restoring his energy. He opened his eyes.
He was surrounded by flames. From where he lay, there was nothing in the world but the shadows of night and crackling flames that rose man-high or higher, flames that seemed to have no end. He sat up and stared, fascinated. The flames were brushing his skin, and yet he wasn't being burned by them. His clothing was starting to look a little singed around the edges, but he felt fine - wonderful, in fact. The flames were like the embrace of a friend, warm and comforting. As he watched them, something inside seemed to answer them. The crackling of flames and the hissing of steam and smoke seemed almost like words.
*Fire... Fire is the spark of life, the beginning of all things. All life came from the fire of the sun. It burns in the heart of the earth. Fire is the light in the darkness, protection from danger, warmth in the winter. Fire is the symbol of courage and passion. It is in you; you are Fire!*
"The fire is in me," he whispered. "I am Fire!"
To those watching from the outside, it seemed that the fire in the forest suddenly flashed hotter and brighter than ever, so that even FlaWizarmon had to back away a few paces. Then all of it died out, swirling away as if it were rushing down a drain, being pulled to some point at its center. Then it was gone... except for something that glowed ember-bright at the center of the darkness. It was moving.
Out of the forest came a small Digimon. It stood no taller than any of the humans, but it carried itself with pride and determination. It was shaped roughly like a human, clad only in loose pants and a pair of crossed leather straps across its chest, held in place with a large metal medallion. There were stubby horns on its head, protruding from a mane of yellow hair, and a shaggy tail the color of fire sprung from behind him. Its hands and feet were tipped in short claws, and fangs glinted from its mouth.
"Who or what is that?" asked Izumi.
"I'm not sure," Bokomon admitted, "but I have the strangest feeling its... Takuya."
"I am Flamon," said the Digimon, "and I'm here to have a few words with the guy who thinks he can play with fire without my permission!"
"I don't need your permission to do anything!" FlaWizarmon snapped.
Flamon snorted in derision. He'd show this pesky prestidigitator to mess with a Spirit of Fire! He dropped to all fours and sprang.
"Baby Salamander!"
A plume of flame shot from his mouth, briefly engulfing FlaWizarmon. The wizard snarled and twirled his wand, dispelling the flames. Flamon pounced on him, lashing him with his fiery tail before springing away again.
"Takuya, you idiot!" Kouji shouted at him. "You can't fight fire with fire, remember?"
Flamon shot an inquisitive look at the strange being that was shouting at him. What were these people doing on the beach? And what, for that matter, was a Takuya?
*Oh, right, that's what they call me when I'm not Flamon,* he thought fuzzily. *But that's weird. I'm always Flamon...*
Well, he'd worry about it later. Right now, he had to deal with the FlaWizarmon. At least the strange creature seemed to have good advice; it really didn't seem to work to fight this creature with fire attacks. Every time he tried, FlaWizarmon simply batted them away. He'd have to try a different tactic. He went to all fours, racing across the hard-packed sand, gathering as much speed as he could. He could see FlaWizarmon collecting himself, waiting for his opponent to launch another attack. Well, he would get one! With a wild battle cry, Flamon charged FlaWizarmon and kicked him into the air. The stunned sorcerer sailed gracefully through the air with a look of surprise on his face, which was visible up until the point when he splashed into the lake. There was a colossal fizz and a burst of steam. A few seconds later, the bright shape of an egg could be seen rising from the lake and drifting away to start its life over again.
"Way to go, Takuya!" Tomoki cheered. "You really showed him! ... Huh? Takuya? What's wrong?"
Flamon was paying no attention to the humans on the beach. He threw back his head and gave a howl of victory before turning and bounding off into the forest.
"Quick! After him!" Kouji shouted, and he rushed off in the direction Flamon had gone.
The others followed. Fortunately, Flamon was easy to follow; he glowed softly in the dark. They caught up to him in a forested glade, where he seemed to have stopped to rest. He looked at them all with confusion.
"It's you again," he said. "Why are you following me? You're safe from FlaWizarmon now. You don't need to thank me. I was just doing what I had to do."
"Come on, Takuya, quit talking like that," said Junpei. "Don't you recognize us? We're your friends, remember?"
Flamon scratched his head with a hind foot. "I don't think so."
"This is getting weird," said Kouji. "Are you sure this is Takuya?"
"It sure doesn't look like Takuya," Neemon observed.
"Thank you for pointing that out," said Bokomon. "I never would have noticed. However, he does bear a striking resemblance to Agnimon, and he did come from the direction Takuya went..."
"Of course I'm not Takuya. I'm Flamon," the Digimon insisted. "Maybe I used to be Takuya, but I'm not anymore. And I really don't remember you all."
"Nothing at all?" asked Tomoki. "About any of us? You don't remember the first time you came to the Digital World, or fighting Cherubimon, or Lucemon, or any of it?"
"Sorry. None of that means anything to me," said Flamon. "I'm really sorry - I mean, I can tell this means a lot to you, but I just don't remember anything... or... wait a minute. Hm. I think I remember you."
And he pointed at Kouichi. The boy blinked.
"Me?" he said, puzzled. "Why me?"
"I saw you somewhere before... years ago, I think," Flamon went on. "It was in this weird place, like a Trailmon station. I remember being confused because you looked so much like... like Kouji! That's right! Your name is Kouji, isn't it? And you, you're Kouichi. I remember now!"
"That's right," said Kouji encouragingly. "Come on. What else do you remember?"
"Umm... Well, I got on the Trailmon... no, it was a... a train, that's it. The Trailmons that can't talk are called trains. Okay, and, umm... I was following myself, because I didn't want me to go back to the Digital World."
Izumi shook her head. "He's lost it. He's gone completely around the bend."
"No, no, no! I'm telling you, I remember it!" Flamon insisted. "It was right after a fight, and you'd gotten hurt, Kouji, and I had been thinking the Digital World would be better off without me, and I rode the Trailmon of Darkness back home again. He took me back to the beginning, to when it all started, so I could change it so I never came here, and when he did, I turned into Flamon."
"Is any of this making sense?" asked Junpei.
"Vaguely," said Bokomon. "The Trailmon of Darkness can only be found by those who have lost all hope. He's almost mythological. It's not unheard of for him to make such a journey. History has been known to hinge on it."
"I remember that battle," said Kouji thoughtfully. "It was the one where we fought with... with Duskmon," he finished, with an apologetic shrug and a glance at his brother. Kouichi made a dismissive gesture. "Takuya disappeared for a while after that..."
"And it was after he came back that he was able to predict the storm," said Bokomon. "Or cause it."
"Well, you weren't riding any Dark Trailmons today," said Izumi, "so how come you're Flamon now?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "It wasn't like this before. I knew exactly who I was - I knew I was supposed to be Takuya, but I was stuck this way... And I'm still stuck. How do I change back? I wanted to be a Digimon again, but I didn't want to have to stay this way!"
"What's wrong with being a Digimon?" asked Neemon. "I've been this way all my life, and I like it just fine."
"Yeah, but you're supposed to be a Digimon," Flamon complained. "I can't go home looking like this! Nobody will recognize me!"
"Well, let's take this logically," said Bokomon. "Do you remember what happened directly before you turned into Flamon?"
"Well, I, um... I remember getting blasted by FlaWizarmon, and then..." Flamon screwed up his face in concentration. "I remember fire. Lots of fire."
"That's all?" Kouji prompted.
"That's all. I was just looking at the fire, thinking about how good it felt to be there, how it seemed almost alive. I felt like I was part of it, and it was part of me..."
"All the fire disappeared," Kouichi remembered. "Like it was being pulled into something. Is it possible that somehow Takuya... I don't know, absorbed it or something? Really made it part of himself, and that's how he turned into a fire Digimon."
"Lacking any other hypotheses, we might have to go with that idea," said Bokomon. "I suppose if other Digimon around here can absorb fractal code, a former warrior of flame can absorb a forest fire."
"Well, that doesn't help me very much," Flamon griped. "If that's what I did, I don't even know how I did it, much less how to undo it."
"You did it by thinking," said Bokomon. "So if you can become a fire Digimon by thinking about fire, it stands to reason that perhaps you could become human again by thinking about being human."
"Um. Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," said Flamon.
He closed his eyes and tried to think about being human. It was easier to think about rushing through the forest on four paws and howling at the moon, but he buckled down and cleared those thoughts from his mind. Human, human... only two feet, two hands, no paws, no claws. No more horns, no more shaggy ruff of fur, just short human hair. No more tail. Human...
"Ooh! That was neat! Do it again!" Neemon crowed.
"Cut it out! You're distracting me," said Takuya. He blinked and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw were his jeans, slightly scorched. He held up his hands, noting eight fingers and two thumbs, none with claws. "Oh. Did it work? Am I back?"
"Looks that way to me," said Kouji, smiling. "Good thing, too. You're a pain as a human, but you're even more trouble as a Digimon."
"Very funny," said Takuya. He grinned. "Feels pretty good to be back, though."
"See, Takuya? I just knew you'd find a way to be a Digimon," said Tomoki. "Do you think you could do it again?"
Takuya thought about it. Closing his eyes, he thought he sensed something, like a smoldering ember in his heart, just waiting to be fanned to life. He nodded.
"Yeah, I think I could do it again," he said. "I don't know if I should or not, though. I mean, what if I forget who I am again? I couldn't remember anything about being human - not you guys or my family or anything."
"You only thought you couldn't," Kouichi corrected. "You remembered just fine once you had someone to remind you. You're right, though. It doesn't sound like something you should play with. We should all be careful... After all, it could happen to us."
"I hope so!" said Tomoki. "I want to be a Digimon, too!"
"Well, I want to get dry again," said Junpei. "This is the second night in a row we've all ended up soaked!"
"Good idea," said Izumi. "Let's go find someplace that isn't toasted and make a new campsite."
"Fine with me. I'm bushed," said Takuya, hauling himself to his feet. "Just don't ask me to light the campfire!"
Witchmon returned home in low spirits. Not only had she failed in her mission, she'd had to help her own enemies to save her skin. Even so, she had still ended up muddy, soggy, and scorched. To have failed, to have been forced to aid the enemy, and to get dirty... Lilithmon would be furious.
*And they didn't even thank me,* she mused sadly. Oh, she hadn't expected much, but a few words of gratitude wouldn't have killed them, would it? Even if they were on opposite sides, the least they could have done was acknowledge that she had kept the truce, that she had done her best for them. But no, as soon as they had no more use for her, they had gone running off.
*Completely ungrateful. I should have let FlaWizarmon have them,* she thought.
She shook her head. She could think like that all she wanted, but she knew why they weren't grateful to her. It was because she had failed them as badly as she had failed Lilithmon. She hadn't been able to protect their friend - what was his name? Takuya, that was it. They had been trusting her to keep Takuya safe, and she hadn't. If it hadn't been for some miracle, something she had nothing to do with, he would have been dead, and it would have been her fault. They would never forgive her for that... not that they had any reason to, anyway...
*Maybe Lilithmon won't make me go back,* she thought. *She'll realize I'm not good enough for this job, and she'll send someone else to do it instead. Wisemon, maybe. He could do it. He never gets confused like I do. I know they're supposed to be my enemies, but... they helped me, and I just hurt them in return, and I don't want to do it again. I don't want to hurt them when I owe them my life...*
"You are getting mud on my floors, Witchmon."
Witchmon looked up - and immediately kneeled in subservience, moving so abruptly that she bumped her nose on her knee.
"I'm very sorry, my lady," she blurted.
"You are sorry indeed, to have failed me so completely," said Lilithmon. She loomed over Witchmon, seeming to fill the corridor with the spread of her wings. "Twice now, you have proven yourself unable to deal with even the most minor tasks, even with help. You have failed in your mission. You have fraternized with the enemy. You have lost one of my prize warriors. You deserted your post. You have disgraced me with your cowardice and your slovenly ways."
"I beg your forgiveness, my lady."
"You do not deserve it. It is obvious that my objectives will not be completed if the task rests in your hands. You must be punished."
Witchmon braced herself, but bracing did no good. She felt Lilithmon's clawed hand come to rest on her shoulder, and instantly, her world exploded with pain. For a few seconds, every nerve in her body was on fire. She held her breath, trying not to scream or cry out, to give Lilithmon any cause to prolong the torture. At last, it abated. It had lasted only a few seconds, but it seemed like hours to Witchmon. She pulled herself together as best she could. There was not a mark on her, but the ghost of the pain she had felt still resonated through her. That was one of Lilithmon's talents - to cause pain without harming the body of her victims, and draw her magic from that pain. An erring servant warranted only a small dose of it; someone she truly wanted to drain might suffer for days on end.
"Let that be a warning to you," said Lilithmon coolly, "and encouragement to do better next time... which will be sometime in the distant future, I doubt not. You are relieved of your task. I will find someone more worthy to remove these nuisances."
"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon, trying not to sigh in relief. For once in her life, she was glad to have failed!
"You are a disappointing creature, Witchmon," the sorceress continued. "So far, the only thing you've proven yourself even remotely able to do is sneak and spy. That is hardly ladylike... yet it has its uses. Since I will need Wisemon's talents for other things, I am appointing you the task of following these young warriors and reporting their movements to me. After that, I will take what measures I see fit."
"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon.
Lilithmon swept off, leaving Witchmon sitting miserably on the floor, mulling over this new situation. Lilithmon wanted her to be a spy! That was hardly what Witchmon had been dreaming of when Wisemon had announced she was to become Lilithmon's apprentice!
*But if I don't do this right, she might decide I'm no good for anything at all!* she thought. *If she does that... she might get rid of me! I'll have no place to go! Or worse, what if she puts me in the dungeon with the others?* She thought of the creatures that were sealed up down there. Some were so wicked that they reveled in the eternal darkness; others, like the FlaWizarmon, had been driven mad by the imprisonment. Witchmon didn't know which scared her more.
*No, Wisemon would never let her do that to me,* Witchmon thought. *He'll make sure I'm all right... he might let her get rid of me, though. I can't let that happen!*
She gritted her teeth, pulling herself to her feet. She would prove to everyone she could still make it as a great sorceress!
First, though, she'd have to get the mud off her clothes.
A cheery fire crackled at the center of a ring of humans and small Digimon. It was very different from the raging forest fire that had been blazing earlier, as kind as the other had been cruel. The former had been fire's destructive aspect, the side that went wild with violence and greed. This was its friendly side, the side that offered warmth and protection and light. Takuya tried not to think about it too much; the last thing he wanted was to accidentally turn into a Digimon again!
The others were relaxing and chatting, enjoying themselves as they waited for their clothes to dry. Autumn was creeping over the Digital World, and while that meant there were more fruits and nuts for them to eat along the way, it also meant that the nights were getting chilly, and they were all glad to have this campfire to huddle around. Some people were roasting food over the fire. Someone else had started singing a camp song, and others joined in or simply listened in tolerant amusement.
After a few minutes had gone by, Izumi became aware that someone was watching her, and she peered out of the corner of her eye to see Junpei staring intently at her. In fact, he seemed to be staring at a particular section of her. She frowned slightly. She realized that her shirt, rather thin to begin with, had recently been soaked, and that something naturally had to show through, which would of course have to attract his attention, but did he have to be so blatant about it?
"Junpei, you pervert, quit staring at me!" she snapped.
He blushed. "Sorry! I wasn't staring at you! I mean, I was, but, um... I don't know how to say this, but your, ah... your chest is glowing."
"Huh?" She looked down, realizing belatedly that she was still wearing the Star of Guidance under her shirt. She had been distracted by the light of the fire, but now she realized that the gem seemed to be glowing softly of its own accord. She slipped it out, and it blazed with white fire.
"What's that all about?" Takuya asked. "It wasn't glowing like that before!"
"If it had been, I would have noticed," said Junpei.
Izumi glared at him.
"Shutting up," he said.
Izumi turned her attention back to the crystal. "I'm not sure," she said slowly, "but I'm getting the feeling there's another Fabled Artifact close by. We must have gotten closer to it while we were running from FlaWizarmon, close enough to alert the Star."
"So the nearest Fabled Artifact must be over that way," said Kouji, gesturing.
Everyone turned to stare out in the distance. Directly across from them were the lights of the fishing village, glowing like a cluster of earthbound stars.