Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to their respective franchises.
"I can't believe this…"
Mitarashi Anko, having awoken to a chilly morning in only her tank top and panties, cursed the heavens as she brewed her morning coffee, riding out the aftereffects of a late night binge. Like the sound of glass breaking, she had been forcibly awoken out of her beauty sleep by the sound of knocks on her door. And by "knocks", it sounded like someone with a death wish that day decided to just say "fuck it" and take a hammer to ensure that she'd be pissed off enough to slit their neck. Her kunai met empty air no sooner after kicking her door open, bloodshot eyes betraying her rage. Breathing heavily that her exhalations came out in vapors, she did a cursory scan of the foyer. She snarled, biting back the urge to scream out bloody murder upon finding no living meat sack to slice open and warm herself with their entrails.
Instead, what she found was a parcel on the floor, wrapped in brown paper. She was tempted to smash it flat with her foot, but a card taped on top held her back, embossed with an odd symbol of three intertwined triangles. She didn't need any hints to know that this had Digimon written all over it. With her mug on hand, she sat next to her kitchen counter where she had placed the half opened parcel. She took a sip as she picked up the box, shaking to get a feel for the contents. It didn't feel fragile, which was a shame, before putting it down to fully unravel.
The box was simple white cardboard, with no discernible markings or imprints. Pulling the lid open revealed a navy blue wristwatch held in place. The kunoichi cocked a brow. She could tell that this wasn't just any ordinary time teller. Picking up the card she carelessly discarded to the side, she flicked it open, causing a folded piece of paper to spill out. On the card were characters written in their language.
Please read the instructions.
She growled under her breath, her headache already waning. Might as well.
She picked up the paper and unfolded it with both hands, discovering that it was also written in their language. Skimming it over, her eyes widened, her mood perking up immediately. She downed the rest of her coffee and rushed to her bathroom. Minutes later, she was in her usual attire but with her jacket zipped up, in the midst of tying her ponytail when another knock, milder than the last, interposed. Clicking her tongue, she marched to the door and opened it, finding a more well rested looking Kakashi.
"I just got a free watch," the recently minted Jōnin greeted rather smugly, flaunting the item around carelessly. "Cool, huh?"
Anko, rather than snap back with her own witty retort, sighed. "Let's just go."
In the Hokage's private study…
"It's called a 'Digivice-V-'," Anko explained, presenting the item to her superior, who took it to examine carefully. She fished out the paper from her pocket and placed it in front of him as well. "And these are the instructions that came with it. Not only is it a communicator, but a scanner in the same vein as Short Man's computer, an alarm system that alerts us to any unusual Digimon activity in our world within a hundred mile radius, and one other feature that stands out, which I think you should read carefully, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen, who was doing his level best to ignore another headache, did so. Even rereading it to avoid any misconceptions.
Pressing the middle right button twice projects a dimensional field parallel between both worlds that confines any activity from affecting either. Only those wearing the bracelet will synchronize with and perceive this field, though outliers exist. If one wearing a bracelet happens to be in direct contact with another non-digital lifeform, said lifeform will be dragged into the field.
Warning: Failure to resume contact with a wearer upon exiting will cause anyone without a bracelet to become trapped. Wearers can simply reactivate the field to retrieve them. Digimon do not remain trapped in the dimension unless there is at least one Digivice-V- left active.
Hiruzen directed a suffering gaze at his co-conspirators. A device that could place them in a separate dimension. During his younger, more ambitious days, he had hypothesized the feasibility of such a jutsu, only the chakra and level of skill needed would have to be astronomically exorbitant to downright impossible, and not without caveats or limitations. Unless one had a mastery over Fūinjutsu or had access to the Rinnegan. What's more, for their mysterious acquaintance (as he was still tentative to use the word "ally") to be able to have access to the village at all to come and go as they please with their rise in security was concerning.
"One question that stands, though. If this thing really is a Digivice, shouldn't we have to be children to have received them in the first place?" Anko forwarded.
Twirling the watch in his hand, Kakashi chimed in, "When I took Guy to show him proof of the Digital World, our friend in common alluded to being preoccupied with something. This must be it."
"So, it's artificial," Anko proffered.
Kakashi shrugged. "Could be. I say that this little add-on only makes things easier for us."
"I'm going to have to agree," Anko concurred, folding her arms. "Other than an alert, having a convenient place to isolate our activities is just what we need. As unorthodox as it may be."
To this, Hiruzen had to as well. Unless they happened to be unseen or stayed out of human affairs, a standard cover up might prove insufficient in case more Digimon did cross over. Playing them up as Summons was a simple solution, but one that was sketchy overtime. Needless to say, the potential unpredictability of where they would manifest was more alarming. AncientGreymon did say that the dimensional veil separating their worlds had been fortified by Yggdrasil centuries ago.
Could he have been wrong? For all they knew, Digimon could have been coming and going with none the wiser for years, perhaps longer. Hiruzen could see no real reason for him to lie unless there was malice or subterfuge involved. The only other logical possibility was that the barrier was weakening, like tears or slip points. Or perhaps, as was the case with Naruto and his computer, someone had simply assembled a means to open a portal. Regardless, it was a bridge they would have had to cross eventually.
If they happened to be hostile and posed a threat, they would have to be neutralized. Alternatively, captured for questioning.
Provided they could.
Hiruzen was under no illusion that what they were dealing with was still largely unknown, even with what they've come to learn from Bokomon. There was also the ever present issue of secrecy. They needed to keep everything on the down low lest the facade be broken before it could even be established.
Lord knows that if Digimon, and in extension, the Digital World, were to be revealed, it would plunge the Elemental Nations into chaos. These creatures couldn't rightly be compared to Summons, barring a few superficial similarities, with the potential to reach godlike heights of power that dwarfed whatever the Tailed Beasts were capable of. There would undoubtedly be those who would jump right at the chance to attain them, or raid their world for whatever treasures it may hold. He should know, for even he was tempted, but knew better than to use force or coercion. Not least of all would be Orochimaru, and what sick depths of depravity he'd sink to, how disastrous of a calamity he'd become when; not if, he'd find a way to integrate such power into his repertoire.
All three looked to one another, their suspicions aroused with the timing of it all, prompting Anko and Kakashi to slap on their respective watches. A thin white line initialized into the tiny screen, followed by a blinking red dot in the middle, which expanded into a circular, holographic map of Konoha.
"Naruto's apartment," Kakashi stated in recognition, before his eyes widened in alarm. To his knowledge, the boy had been staying at Seiko's gym for the past few weeks, with only Bokomon to come back every once in a while to fetch extra clothes or other belongings.
Furthermore, Yugao's recent update detailed that he and his friends, along with the Nara and Akimichi heirs, had gone for a picnic to the Hokage Monument.
Which could only mean one thing.
Hiruzen wasted no time in dispatching the two to respond where the signal was pointing. Both sped out of the room not a second in after having been given the order. Fearing for the worst, he followed suit, intending to gather Shikaku and Inoichi.
Atop the Hokage Mountain…
"Whoa~!" Choji had stars in his eyes as he beheld the feast laid out on the mat. Huddling close to him on both sides were Naruto and Piyomon, who were the same, their mouths watering.
Bokomon held up a hand for them to wait, and then closed back the lids on each of the bento boxes, eliciting disappointed cries from the starving trenchermen.
"Why'd you do that, oji-san?!" Naruto complained, lips pouting.
"Yeah! Why?!" Choji echoed, also pouting.
"I'm starving!" Piyomon bemoaned, with an approximation of a pout from her beak.
Bokomon wagged a finger, eyes closed. "Not yet! Be patient. For this nippy weather, it's better to have a hot meal."
"A hot meal?" Naruto echoed in confusion. "Don't tell me we have to make a stop at a restaurant."
"'Course not," Bokomon answered. "You see that flap sticking out of the side?"
Sharing perplexed glances with Choji and Piyomon at what the scholar was pointing at, Naruto picked up a box and swiveled it around until he found a small flap sticking out of a hole in the middle near the bottom, believing it to be decoration.
"Hold the bento down and grab the flap like this." Demonstrating, Bokomon pinched the protuberance with his thumb and index finger. "Next, you pull. Like so." Drawing his arm back revealed a string attached, stretching it out of the hole until it snapped off.
The blonde did as was shown to them, followed closely by Choji and Piyomon.
"Now we wait."
"Wait?"
"Yep!" Bokomon nodded.
Shikamaru knew right away what it was. "Quicklime, right?"
"That's right," Bokomon pointed at him commendably. "There's a layer of quicklime, or calcium oxide, fitted into a compartment at the bottom, under a sachet of water that's torn open from being tethered to the string. When sufficient moisture is introduced, it produces a chemical reaction of intense heat that can reach temperatures of up to 250 degrees fahrenheit."
"I think my dad has one of those," Choji recalled. "He showed it to me once when we went out camping."
"Ready to eat rations, Choji," Shikamaru clarified. "My dad has them, too."
"Can you cook ramen that way?" Naruto pondered aloud, rubbing his chin.
"You can," Bokomon confirmed. "It'll just take longer than three minutes."
"Never mind, then," Naruto griped. As they sat back and waited, steam erupted out of the meals being reheated, surrounding them in a light cloud. Piyomon let out a trill, mesmerized by the display.
"Wow."
"So, Naruto, how'd you get the Hokage to give you a Summon to take care of?" Shikamaru tossed in his question, watching carefully for the boy's reaction and body language.
The blonde tore away his focus from his steaming bento to stare at Shikamaru from the corner of his eye, answering with a shrug, "He just did."
"For what reason," Shikamaru specified more firmly. "No offense, in all the years I've known you, you don't exactly inspire the word 'responsible'."
Naruto grimaced from the blunt assessment. "Well, about that. A few weeks ago, Jii-chan called me to his office a day after I…tried playing a prank on him."
"Of course," Shikamaru deadpanned, though he was paying attention to the blonde's eyes.
"So, as punishment and to teach me a bit about responsibility, he gave me Piyomon."
"Piyomon?" Shikamaru repeated pointedly. "That's what you named her?"
"Uh-huh!" the avian exclaimed from her spot. "I'm Piyomon!"
"Right," Shikamaru heard, nodding his head. "So, what kind of Summon are you? A cockatoo? Parrot?" He could make out minute traits belonging to both, save for the unusual crest. At the same time, Piyomon didn't seem to have the right body structure that could be attributed to any related species of Aves, besides the fact that she was bipedal and no bigger than a preschooler, but large sizes were typical for Summons. No, what struck him the most was her upright posture that was almost humanoid in nature, compounded by her oddly shaped wings that reminded him of arms.
"Uh," Piyomon scratched her head, trying to remember the lie she was told to repeat in case she was asked such a question. "A chicken?"
Naruto and Bokomon felt the need to smack their own foreheads. She was supposed to say eagle!
Both Shikamaru and Choji paused, with the Nara heir being the one to voice out skeptically, "A chicken?"
"Y-Yeah, she's a chicken Summon," Naruto sputtered, trying to back up the claim, flailing his arms about in swinging and thrusting motions. "She, uh, can cluck really loud and fly. A-And she can do fire jutsu, too. Bam! Whoosh! Choo!"
Now, only Bokomon wanted to smack his own forehead.
"Okay," Shikamaru sighed, his shoulders falling. "I'm just gonna let this go for now before I end up in a really dark place." He passed a glance over the bento boxes. "That should be enough."
All five each removed a lid, treating them to a rush of warmth courtesy of the quicklime still doing its job. The food certainly looked and smelled cooked, with Choji humming approvingly after taking a good whiff.
"To perfection," he remarked, rubbing his hands vigorously in anticipation.
The others followed suit in clapping their hands together and exclaimed, "Thank you for the food!" and dove in, grabbing the nearest bento and wolfing down its reheated contents, the sheer size not even an afterthought. Only Shikamaru, who didn't share in their enthusiasm, poured himself some warm miso soup first from a thermos.
"Come on, Shikamaru," Choji called to him through a mouthful. "You should really try this. It's so good!"
So good, in fact, that he was conflicted in comparing it to his mother's cooking. The rice wasn't soggy nor sticky, the tonkatsu was tender and juicy without being overly greasy, which was shared by the yakitori meatballs. The coating was crispy from being refried while being light and fluffy. The breadcrumbs used must be high quality. There isn't even an oily stench.
There was the distinct absence of sauce, though. Still, it was brimming with flavor. Hmm. Either bouillon or soup stock was mixed into the egg wash.
Trying the salad to clean his palate, he was surprised that it was still cold. How? He closely inspected where the vegetables were placed, then at the lid. Of course! An insulated section that was partitioned from where the heat needed to go. Using a cored tomato as a bowl to contain the dressing. Onions, cucumber, and lettuce. So refreshing.
Next, he went for the pickled vegetables. Turnip pickled in sweet vinegar, topped with peppers and kombu. Pretty standard, but coupled well with the rice.
The omelet, rather than being sectioned into slices, remained whole. Picking it apart with his chopsticks, he found bits of green in the center. What? He plucked a green chunk of it into his mouth.
Avocado! A rich and creamy texture, with just the right volume. Never could he have imagined that the fruit would go so well with eggs.
Turning to Shikamaru once more, he saw that his best friend was using his chopsticks to unravel an aluminum foil above where the rice was, finding baked salmon drenched in herb butter, with onions and mushrooms thrown in.
"Huh, this is pretty good," Shikamaru pronounced approvingly after taking the first bite. The quicklime had reheated it well, as foil baked fish was best eaten hot, the juices yet to coagulate.
Choji could hardly believe his eyes and ears. Grumpy and cranky Shikamaru, who had a perpetual scowl even when he was eating the best yakiniku in Konoha, complimenting food, with a grin on his face. Truly, Naruto's uncle must be a wizard to have accomplished such a feat.
Naruto beamed, pushing forward a separate open bento. "Right? Here, try these sandwiches!"
Choji didn't need to be told twice, pulling one out and taking a peek at the filling. Red cabbages, cheese, tomato, green lettuce, hard boiled egg whites, bacon, avocado slices, and… He gasped, "Menchi Katsu!"
"Yep! And the honey mustard sauce makes it crazy good, too," Naruto said as he took a big bite of his own sandwich.
Choji's eyes welled with tears. "Naruto!" He placed everything down to grab his friend firmly by the shoulder. "For you to have shared such good food with me, I hereby declare you a friend to the Akimichi Clan." He balled a fist tightly, letting his emotions flow as he hooked the other boy in for a one armed hug around his neck.
Naruto glanced at Choji strangely, reeling awkwardly from the contact. "Uh, aren't we already friends?"
Shikamaru sighed through his nose, unable to fault Naruto for being clueless, which added to his sincerity. Being a "friend" to a Noble Clan was a privilege to those whose members placed their utmost trust to. This was true for the Nara, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Aburame as well. Per their aversion to outsiders, the Hyūga were the only ones not beholden to this custom, even after their stringent breeding program was put to an end.
Contrary to what one might assume, the Akimichi were not receptive to those who treated them to food, snubbing anyone who tried. From the generations of perfecting their jutsu, coupled with their own past breeding program, those of their bloodline had developed particularly sophisticated palates geared towards high calorie and nutrition rich food, but never to the point of unhealthiness. The potato chips that Choji would enjoy all hailed from a line of snack brands that the family owned, the recipe a well guarded secret. The same was true for the majority of their meals, which were prepared from equally secured family recipes.
"Just roll with it," Shikamaru said flippantly, leaning back on one arm, the other slung over his knee. He pitched a glance over at the sprawling village down below, and the tranquil scenery of the sun overhead, letting out a foggy breath. Is it getting colder?
Elsewhere…
This is it? Standing from across the apartment building that the man directed him to, he scanned the entire foreground, taking in the general state of his surroundings that seemed to reach up to the decrepit foundation. His nose wrinkled from the smell of garbage and droppings. What a dump. Reminds me of home.
He slipped a hand into his pocket to draw out the paper, the three people pictured in order staring back. Just gotta find these three and get this over with-
He was broken out of his train of thought when he caught sight of two humans around the corner of his eye, elderly by the looks of them, strolling down the street in his direction, dressed in warm clothing. He didn't bother to hide himself, the people of this town barely reacting or too frightened by the sight of him. Either they were used to people like him, or they were just dumb as bricks, contrary to the warning he was given before departure. Bah! Whatever. Thank Yggdrasil for small favors. He approached the couple just as they were about to head for the apartment and called out, "Hey!"
The two humans paused in their tracks, swiveling their heads searchingly until their gazes landed on a figure that made them recoil.
Ten feet tall, standing with knees bent and a hunched form that mirrored the man's, its skin was a pale blue. Swaths of black belts were wrapped around its left leg up to the kneecap, as opposed to the cloth wrapping on its right. Its forearms and feet were disproportionately massive compared to its still imposing frame, obscured by a thick black cloak that went down to its waist that fed into a pair of black leather shorts. Its right forearm had the same belt wrappings, leaving the left bare. On the back of both its clawed hands, three metal studs could be seen jutting out. Its face was shadowed over by a hood, with only a lone curved horn spilling out, flanked between two sharp humps atop both shoulders.
The human couple reacted as well as expected.
"Gah! A monster!" the woman hollered, grabbing the man with both hands by his shoulders and wringing him in panic. "Quick, honey, get the mallet!"
The giant rolled his eyes, bringing a placating hand up, which only caused the couple to back away. "Easy, easy, I'm not gonna hurt you folks, I just want information."
Hearing this, the woman ceased in the torment of who the creature had to guess was her husband, releasing her hold, causing the poor man to fall on his side. "Oh! Well, that changes everything. Ask away."
The sudden shift in demeanor took the creature aback. Gaining a better look, the woman was thin, with gray hair done in a boyish style. "Uh, sure. Can you tell me where I can find these three?"
Presenting the paper to them, the man drudged back to his feet in the time it took his wife to take the document for a closer look. The male human had a wiry build, standing lankily with a hunch. With a grunt, he placed both hands on his lower back and pushed his midsection forward to realign his spine, letting out a breath of relief after a creaking sound took place. Taking another moment to regain his bearings, the grandpa rubbed the back of his neck before glancing up suspiciously at the creature.
"You a solicitor?" he asked.
The creature paused, and said in an irritated and offended tone, "No, I'm not."
"So, what are ya', then?"
Before the giant could answer, the woman piped up. "Nope, never seen these three 'round these parts before in 'ma life. 'Ya must have the wrong address."
That jackass. "You sure?" the creature questioned, wanting solid confirmation.
"Yep!" the woman chirped, handing him the paper back. "Why 'ya lookin' for 'em?"
"Ya sure yer not a solicitor?" the man added, rubbing his chin as he kept eyeing him from top to bottom.
"No, I-" the creature sputtered with a snarl. "Look, I just want to know where I can find these kids, and I'll be on my way. That's all. That's really all I want."
The couple shared a look, shrugging their shoulders before turning back to him. The woman spoke first. "Sorry, but, we can't help 'ya."
"You could try the station," the man suggested, scratching his cheek with a finger. "These kids yers?"
"Yeah, they're my niece and nephews," the creature answered with a roll of his eyes, sounding every bit insincere, figuring that these old humans weren't very bright to pick up on it.
Unbeknownst to him, the woman had slid a hand in the front pocket of her jacket after returning the paper, her fingers touching cold steel. The man grabbed her free hand, the gesture telling her to wait. The language lessons with Bokomon had paid off, and while not fluent, they picked up enough to make out what was actually a wanted poster.
"Well, why didn't you say so? Looks like we're gonna be helpin' 'ya after all," the woman offered jovially. "Why, my husband and I know the feeling. We lost our kids once upon a time, too. Searched high and low before we found 'em deep in the woods from a day of explorin'."
"Riveting," the creature replied curtly, clearly uninterested. "Which way to the station?" Gonna have to bail for now.
"Over yonder," the woman said, swinging her arm out of her pocket to throw a kunai straight at the creature's chest, a Kibaku Fuda dangling from the tailend of a string. The creature, not wholly expecting it, espied what was clearly a sharp knife zooming right at him, with only a split second to dodge. The elderly couple had disappeared, leaving him to witness the odd slip of paper fluttering from the handle smolder.
The resulting explosion resounded throughout the street, rattling the nearby civilians and alerting other shinobi within earshot. Standard protocol when a battle was being undertaken.
Stage 1: Doors and windows locked at all times until everything was in the clear.
Stage 2: Move into the nearest bunker through a trapdoor installed at home.
Stage 3: Comply with evacuation procedures.
Anko and Kakashi dropped their henge before they landed on the far end of the street. "You think that got him?" the kunoichi wondered.
Kakashi knew better, unfurling his headband to reveal the Sharingan, signaling to her that they were in for a fight. She drew out another kunai, tapping into her full reserves of chakra now that she was no longer bound by a curse. The cloud of smoke and dust soon settled, revealing the creature unscathed save for his cloak, which was torn just enough to reveal his face and bare muscular upper body, veins grotesquely bulging. On both his shoulders, just under a single sharp spike of ice, was an additional metal stud. A skull and crossbone tattoo was etched on his left bicep.
"Now that's definitely a face only a mother could love," Anko jeered, taking in the monster's full appearance of a large head, features set in a perpetual openmouthed scowl, jagged and curved teeth, ear piercings, and wildly flowing white hair, slicked back to reveal a bluish horn jutting from its forehead.
The creature ripped off what was left of his ruined cloak and tossed it aside. "Didn't think you humans had the stones. And here I thought this was gonna be a walk in the park."
"You hear that, Cyclops?" Anko nudged Kakashi. "Baby boy here thought this was gonna be easy peasy. So sorry to rain on your parade, but we don't take kindly to bounty hunters looking to cash in on our own."
"So you do know where they are," the giant growled, his scowl deepening. "Tell me what I want to know, and this doesn't have to get bloody."
Anko grinned dangerously, brandishing another kunai. "Oh, we're counting on that."
"Your funeral."
He raised his foot and slammed it to the ground, causing a small tremor that soon arose in volume. "Snow Barrier!" Large columns of ice rapidly sprouted out, advancing on the duo. Anko and Kakashi sprang up into the air, the former countering with a volley of kunai. Conjuring a large club of ice, the creature brought it up to block the assault, lodging a few of the projectiles into the makeshift weapon.
Ice, huh. Kakashi mused, one of the rarest Seishitsu Henka (Nature Transformation) in existence. This was going to be tough. He vanished in a puff of smoke, surprising the giant as he had been keeping a discreet eye on who he could tell to be the immediate threat. The former ANBU Captain, who had been hiding underground the whole time, absorbed the recent memories of his clone, almost caved in by the unexpected quake had he not distanced himself from the epicenter. Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique)
Knowing where he needed to strike, he snaked his way through the ground, flaring his chakra to ready his next technique. He launched himself up directly beneath his target, driving a solid punch to the giant's chin. Doton: Ressenga (Earth Release: Rending Drill Fang).
The force of the blow propelled the creature upward, but only by a few feet. Damn. Had Kakashi not reinforced his fist with chakra, the bones and joints of his knuckles would have been done for.
The creature, mouth wide open to reveal his long and curved canines, smirked. That was barely a love tap. He fluidly arched his entire body back in a surprising show of agility midair, winding his giant club above his head with both hands all the way before swinging down. "Ice Konbou!"
Kakashi smoothly veered to the side right as the cudgel hovered a mere inch from his forehead protector, gyrating his upper body downward for a somersault, allowing the beast to slam his weapon hard against the closest pillar, shattering both to pieces and sending debris flying in a hail of shrapnel.
Kakashi barely stuck the landing a few feet away, skidding along the dirt, his uniform sustaining tears and a few minor cuts. "Anko!" he cried.
The kunoichi, having hidden herself behind the nearest column, weaved a series of hand seals. "Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)" She jumped high into the air, her cheeks ballooning before spewing a large stream of fire straight at her target, engulfing him in flames. She upped the output, tapping into her chakra reserves at full power until she could no longer sustain it to conserve her stamina.
Landing next to Kakashi, she huffed out, "Not enough?"
On one knee to save his own energy, Kakashi grunted, "I suggest we move."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a large ball of ice shot out of the fire and barreled towards them, covered in a sheen of moisture from the heat melting some of the surface. A second one followed after they evaded the first, traveling at the speed of a bullet. A third clipped Kakashi's foot right as they took to the air from the edge of the opposite building, forcing Anko to grab him as they reached the roof of another. Soon enough, the fire dispersed as the creature kept conjuring and flinging projectiles in quick succession, scattering them about in every direction as fast as his eyes could follow his elusive prey.
"Did you peabrains seriously think fire was gonna slow me down?!" the ice ogre cried out, looking none the worse, his voice echoing throughout the snow and ice logged streets, ceasing in his onslaught when he could no longer catch sight of them.
Anko muttered something under her breath as she tended to Kakashi's foot with her basic Shōsen Jutsu (Mystical Palm Technique).
Taking cover in a nearby crawl space; one of many scattered throughout the village, Kakashi opened a compartment full of weapons to restock. Passing Anko a scroll, he then tweaked with his Digivice -V-. He pressed the top right button, curious to try something. A holographic screen brimmed to life, revealing the data of the monster they were fighting.
Hyougamon
Stage: Champion
Type: Ice-Snow
Attribute: Virus
A subspecies of Orgemon that has adapted to the cold, this territorial creature will lash out violently against trespassers, maintaining fierce rivalries with other ice inhabiting Digimon.
Attacks
Snow Punch: Dishes out a punch that launches a dense blast of cold energy that freezes anything it comes in contact with.
Hyougan Nage: Throws a huge ball of ice.
Ice Konbou: Attacks with an ice club.
Snow Barrier: Erects a barrier or pillar of ice and snow.
Ice Punch: Punches with a hard, ice clad fist.
"Well that's certainly helpful," Anko grumbled, huddling next to him.
"At least we now know what we're dealing with," Kakashi demurred, moving his foot with little pain. "This'll have to do."
Anko in turn began to fiddle with her own Digivice. Kakashi glanced at the act and then at the woman herself, nodding his assent for her to do it. She pressed the middle button twice, and in an instant, out of the device, a ring of multicolored pixels poured out, painting the already dim room in a deeper gray, the background peppered with smaller multicolored dots. The once grainy walls of the crawl space were now petrified and cracked with age. The kunoichi ran a hand across the hard and dry surface. "I always knew I had a gift for renovating."
Kakashi sneaked a glance into the cabinet full of weapons and was shocked to find them worn and rusted. He checked his own inventory in concern, and found to his relief that they looked as new as the day they were forged. "Interesting."
"Plenty of time to sightsee later, Cyclops," Anko told him before placing the scroll to her mouth. They exited the crawl space and soon found the monster wandering a nearby alleyway in search of them. As the two were making a beeline at the beast, masking their footsteps, the kunoichi punctured her thumb with a fingernail, drawing blood. Kakashi, jumping in first, went into the motions to generate his Chidori (One Thousand Birds).
Hyougamon only had half a second to react when the ear piercing sound assaulted his sensitive hearing, whipping his head around just in time to see a flash coming his way before it vanished. Before he could make sense of it, a sharp paroxysm of pain lanced up from his stomach, stunning him in place. He bit back a howl with gritted teeth, peering down to see the human's arm digging into his gut, arcs of electricity flooding his body. He flailed his trunk-like arm at his assailant, who vanished in another flash, leaving the other one at the far end of the entryway to take his place.
Anko unraveled the scroll, smoothly slathering the blood from her thumb across the characters to unseal its contents, unleashing a rain of weapons that rushed at the ogre. An assortment of kunai, kusarigama, shuriken, and machetes, the monster's eyes widened as he could only form another club to defend himself against the seemingly endless barrage, parrying as many as he could, with only a few managing to hit or graze him, the shower of metal chipping away at his weapon.
He roared more in rage than pain after a shuriken nicked his left temple, spurning him to throw his club at breakneck speed at the kunoichi, the weapon spinning through the air with such force that it parted the salvo and tore through the scroll, hitting her squarely on the head. Seeing this, Hyougamon's anger was replaced by a triumphant rush as the human disappeared in a puff of smoke, the club continuing in its course until it crashed into a store.
"Ha! One down, one to-blergh!" His minor victory was spoiled by the kunoichi coming in from nowhere, both legs extended in a fierce kick to the side of his head, sending him sprawling and embedding him into a wall from the neck up.
Anko flipped back to land gracefully against the opposite wall, clinging to it with chakra. She looked up, spotting Kakashi diving in from above, accompanied by a clone, a long and intense line of electricity tethering them.
Intending to end this, Kakashi closed in to guillotine Hyougamon with Raiden (Lightning Transmission).
The monster only needed to bring a fist up. "Snow Punch!" A blast of cold energy flew up to meet the attack, the collision generating an explosion that rocked the alleyway, resulting in a large cloud of frost and snow spilling out of the gap. Anko, seeing this, vaulted up the walls to intercept the man as he plummeted, his right arm encased in a layer of ice.
Hyougamon pulled himself out of the rut, looking up in time to catch the two making their escape above the mist.
"How's the arm, Cyclops?" Anko asked breathlessly.
"Other than the powerful numbness from frostbite, pretty good," Kakashi replied, forcing chakra into the limb to help maintain blood flow. Halfway in fleeing to the next rooftop, Hyougamon violently landed in front of them, pitting the floor in a deep spiderweb crack. The shinobi were sent lurching backwards, falling into a heap, but not before Anko pitched a kunai straight at the ogre's eye. With sharper than presumed reflexes, the beast lightly pivoted his head to the side to let the blade whisk past.
Hyougamon quickly raised an arm, palm facing upward. "Snow Barrier!" A large glacier erupted out of the rooftop floor beneath the trio, tearing the entire building apart, with the ogre sectioning off a platform to bring the humans up to eye level.
Catching their breath, the humans and Digimon stared down the other in silence, the only sound being a cold wind that blew past between them. "Now," Hyougamon started, watching as the two slowly sat up, "I know what you're thinking. How in the hell is this son of a bitch so gosh darn fast? Couldn't be that these leg muscles aren't just for show. On that front, nobody told me you humans were going to be tough customers, but it's gonna take more than fancy tricks to take down the likes of me."
Anko clicked her tongue, leaning on one arm before recoiling her hand from the cold ice. "Well, you got us. What now, blue balls? You gonna cut us up and cook us for dinner?"
"Actually, I'm just going to kill you," Hyougamon bluntly replied with a shrug.
"Whoa, slow down, shouldn't you be asking us where the kids are?" She was buying time, she knew. Kakashi knew, and even their soon-to-be killer knew.
"You know, funny you should be asking that," Hyougamon said smugly, pointing in the direction of the very last place they wanted him to go. "I picked up on it during that little song and dance we did, and it got me thinking that you were leading me away from there." Away from the Hokage Monument. "Am I hitting the right notes, buttercup?"
Anko looked genuinely impressed, though she and Kakashi weren't that worried. So long as they were within the dimension, they had the sucker trapped. That included them, to their chagrin. "Oho, guess you're smarter than you look, big guy."
Hyougamon's brows flattened. "Just because I'm big, doesn't mean I'm dumb. That's just a stereotype." He pointed an accusatory finger at the kunoichi. "You're the one who's dumber-erer…for thinking that…I'm…dumb."
The humans stared at him.
"Uh, that's not an actual word," Kakashi slated.
"Shut up!" Hyougamon snapped. "I can't stand being corroborated!"
"You mean corrected," Anko followed.
Hyougamon growled, glaring daggers at the duo. "I was going to pound you fuckers into a soupy paste, but now I'm just gonna turn you into statues to take home as a trophy. Two for the price of one. Immortalized as the lovely couple that you are."
"You're way off on that last part," Kakashi rebutted drily, earning a side glare from the kunoichi.
Hyougamon retracted his arm, forming a fist that began to emit subzero energy. "Say goodnight and count to seven, when you wake up, you'll be in heaven. Snow Pu-!"
"Dynamic Entry!"
Flying in like a missile, Might Guy slammed his foot directly at the nape of Hyougamon's neck, lurching him forward to be hurled off the roof as the two other shinobi split away from each other on time to make way for the beast, the latter's massive frame demolishing the platform with the combined weight and inertia.
The jumpsuit clad man landed on the ice in front of them and struck a pose. "Fear not, friends, for I, Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey, am here!" A hand on his hip, he flashed the pair a thumbs up and his signature smile, the white of his teeth giving off a sparkle.
"Impeccable timing as always, Guy," Kakashi complimented, nursing his still numb arm as he picked at the ice with a kunai. He spied the shape of something on the man's wrist. "Nice watch."
"Right back at 'ya," Guy said as he relaxed his form. "I believe this is yours."
He tossed a kunai at Anko, who deftly caught it through the ring pommel with her finger. "How'd you get here?" she asked as she pocketed her weapon.
Guy related to them that he had been on his way to the Hokage's office to present his own Digivice -V-, having found it by his doorstep in the same vein as theirs, when an explosion caught his attention. Not long after as he was hopping over rooftops to check in on it, he bore witness to an unbelievable sight. The once vibrant village of Konohagakure had transformed before his very eyes, altered by a wave of pixels passing over like a veil. The townsfolk vanished as the wave passed over them, wood and stone becoming petrified with age, the sky overhead clustered with dark clouds. Vines, thickets of trees and shrubbery sprouted and latched onto the worn fabric of houses and buildings, as if nature had come to reclaim the once developed village.
"At first, I thought I had simply been ensnared by a genjutsu. When I couldn't dispel it, that was when I remembered the instructions that came with this." He gestured to the watch. "Next thing I knew, a kunai almost lopped my nose off," Guy concluded with a chuckle. "But without it, I wouldn't have found you guys in time."
"Okay," Anko started, placing her hands on her hips, "post-apocalyptic backdrop aside, what are we gonna do about blue balls?" She thumbed to where Guy sent the beast hurtling.
"What Guy and I are gonna do," Kakashi corrected her, scraping off the last of the frost from his limb. "You need to desynchronize from us and report back to the Hokage."
This earned him a light punch on the shoulder from the kunoichi. "You want me to chop that arm off?" She gestured to the once frozen extremity. "The way I see it, you can't fight in that condition, and between the two of us, you're the closest to exhausting your chakra."
"Guy and I work best together, and I've got some hyrōrōgan (food pill) as a pick-me-up," Kakashi intoned unflinchingly, giving her a look behind his mask that brooked no argument. "Go to the Hokage. I'm giving you an order."
The Chūnin ground her teeth, giving the Jōnin a glare that would have killed a lesser man on the spot. "Just don't expect me to go to your funeral, Cyclops." She pressed the button on her watch to desynchronize, disappearing before them in a flash of pixels.
"What's your secret?" Guy asked as he stepped up next to him.
Kakashi kept forcing just enough of what he could spare of his chakra into the still numb limb. He took out a canister from a pouch on his flack jacket, and with the same hand, he pulled down his mask and proceeded to pop a pill into his mouth. Chewing the bitter tasting supplement, he replied, "What secret? It's Anko."
Guy just smiled knowingly at him, before a rumbling snapped them back to the present. A meaty arm latched itself onto the edge of the glacier before them as the two men stood back to back in preparation. Hyougamon craned his head up, eyes bloodshot with rage. "Enough playing around." His already warped scowl was screwed into a frigid glare, colder than his element. "I'm going to enjoy smashing your frozen corpses into a million pieces!" he spat out the last part with spittle flying.
"Ha!" Guy huffed, flashing the incensed monster a thumbs down. "Our combined flames of youth will melt your ice to boiling, foul beast! Together, we're unstoppable. Right, Kakashi?" He gave his friend and rival a nudge.
The man sighed, deciding long ago to just roll with whatever pace Guy was going at. Flicking his affected arm, he got into a combat stance with his newly tagged partner. "Just try to keep up."
Guy beamed with excitement and determination, pumping down a fist. "Yosh! Let's do this!"