Goggle Boys

The Digital World was in a state of unnatural calm. There was always a calamity, major, minor or otherwise, going on, and this peace seemed strange; almost too strange. Then came a crashing sound as a foot landed on the ground. The creature had a skeletal body and demonic, demented appearance. It was a rogue Skull Satamon who sought to bring his own brand of destruction upon the Digital World. "SKULL HAMMER!" he slammed his weapon into the ground and sent up a shockwave of dark energy.

Data exploded around him and a cloud of smoke blew around the area. Through that smoke he saw a spinning spiral of data in a reddish-orange hue. Through the noonday sunlight the Skull Satamon could just barely make out the forms of seven figures. Four s were human sized. The other three were about half that height and lizard-like in appearance. "Who dares to interrupt me?" Skull Satamon demanded, "Who goes there?" The next he heard was the simultaneous snapping of four pairs of goggles across the heads of the human-sized figures.

The human to the right of the center, clearly the leader, stepped forth. "Taichi Yagami," he said, "and you're messing with the Digital World. Agumon and I won't stand for that." Agumon was an orange Digimon not unlike a mini T-Rex that stuck close to his side. Taichi, a boy with wild brown hair, dressed in a green school uniform, reached into his pocket and took out a squarish device with an LCD screen and three buttons. He leaned to Agumon.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"You know I always am," Agumon said, "Let's do this."

Tai and Agumon leapt off the cliff as the boy's silvery-blue Digivice took on an orange tone. "Agumon, Warp Shinka!" the dinosaur roared. Orange data surrounded his body as he became larger, stronger and faster. When the data had cleared from around him he had become a dinosaur-man donning silver armor with a chestplate, knee pads, a helmet, and two golden-orange wings with the Crest of Courage symbol etched in. "WARGREYMON!"

Taichi flew on War Greymon's back as the mighty dinosaur flew overhead. "Gaia Force!" War Greymon had a massive orange ball of fire form between his hands. He threw the sphere like a dodgeball in Skull Satamon's direction. Skull Satamon slunk into the shadows and narrowly avoided being struck by the blast. He aimed for the cliff only to find his next challengers stepping forward.

Next in line was a boy slightly younger than Taichi. He, too, had a pair of goggles on his head. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a blue jacket with flame designs. He had short brown hair and a blue lizard-like Digimon with a single silver horn on his nose and a "V" design on his forehead beside him.

"Daisuka Motomiya!"

"And V-mon!"

"Let's do this!"

"Yeah!"

Daisuke took out an ovular Digivice, much like Tai's, that was primarily white with blue around the edges. A small antenna was at the upper-left. As he and Vmon jumped from the cliff, the D3 shone with a brilliant light that engulfed Vmon in the power of digital evolution. "Vmon, Warp Shinka! Imperialdramon! Mode Change! Fighter Form!"

Daisuke now stood atop the shoulder of a powerful, black-armored dragon-man with a gigantic black-and-gold laser in his hand. A crown design was atop his head, and a pair of red wings extended forth from his back while his tail hung behind him. Imperialdramon Fighter Mode aimed the cannon at Skull Satamon and called out "Positron Laser!" Skull Satamon barely escaped the blast as he jumped out of the way.

Next up was a boy with a pair of yellow-and-blue goggles dressed in a simple blue shirt. A red dinosaur was beside him. Black markings covered the Digimon, known as Guilmon's, body and a smile of simple but elated joy was on his face. "Takato Matsuda….ready…" his voice spoke of a calmer disposition than Daisuke before him. "So is Guilmon!" said his partner beside him, "They could use our help."

Takato held out a Digivice with a golden circle around the LCD screen and a slot on the side for cards. A basic button interface was at the bottom. Takato pointed the D-Arc to the sky and quickly moved it near his heart. Takato and Guilmon became covered in a golden sphere of light.

"Matrix Evolution!" Takato called out.

"Guilmon Shinka!" Guilmon spoke immediately after.

When the golden light had faded there stood a Digimon of a knightly sort. A red cape flowed across his back; a spear and shield were his weapons. Within seconds a jet-like vehicle hovered overhead and split apart. The data reconfigured over Dukemon's body to give him a sword in place of his old weapons, wings, and plates of crimson armor. "Dukemon! Crimson Mode!" spoke the voices of Takato and Guilmon as one.

Dukemon soared overhead and slashed the air with his blade. "Invincible Sword!" A crimson crescent of energy aimed for the rogue Skull Satamon. "Nail Bone!" Skull Satamon retaliated with one of his own attacks, but it was no use. His hiding place had been revealed. He looked to the cliff where the last boy stood.

The last of the seven had khaki pants, a yellow shirt, red jacket, and a pair of goggles like the others. "Takuya Kanbara's the name," he said, "Yeah, I know I'm alone. But that doesn't mean I can't fight." In his hand was the primarily red D-Scanner; a black grip was on the right side. Takuya checked that he had all he needed – the Human and Beast Spirits of Fire, Wind, Ice, Wood and Earth, and activated his technique.

"Hyper Spirit Evolution! Kaiser Greymon!" Takuya literally transformed into the Digimon as the spirits covered his body. He was now like a knightlier version of War Greymon with Dukemon Crimson Mode's armor. He drew his sword and prepared to fight. Kaiser Greymon jumped from the cliff just as Skull Satamon fired.

"Eneryuugeki!" Beams of flame shot from his hands and wrapped around the Virus Digimon. Dukemon, Imperialdramon, War and Kaiser Greymon grouped together and stood over the rogue Digimon. There was a fire in their hearts and a gleam in their eyes as they looked down upon him. Taichi, perched atop War Greymon's shoulder, spoke first.

"Trying to take over the Digital World? Not going to happen."

"Several others have tried that before, and we've stopped every single one of them," Daisuke exclaimed.

"Only those with courage and heart can truly make this world their own," Takato spoke alongside his partner, "That's our secret to victory."

"And it's clearly something you don't understand," said Takuya-within-Kaiser Greymon.

"We finish him off now," Tai said, "NOW!"

"With our courage…" War Greymon launched a Gaia Force into the sky that exploded into a giant version of the Crest of Courage symbol in the sky.

"And our spirits…" Imperialdramon added a burst from his Positron Laser into the mix. The symbol grew even larger and brighter.

"And our hearts…" Dukemon sent a crimson beam straight up into the center of the growing vortex. It took on a reddish tint.

"And the fire within us…" Kaiser Greymon finished with a yellow-orange flare from his sword.

"WE WILL ALWAYS TRIUMPH!" the four spoke together, "HORIZON FIREBALL!"

The symbol in the sky fell to the Digital World's surface and imposed itself over Skull Satamon. The Virus-type screamed in disbelief as he was engulfed in flame and deleted on-the-spot. The four Digimon present celebrated their victory as a bright golden-red fire blazed behind them. The battle was done with.

War Greymon powered down to Agumon.

Imperialdramon returned to Vmon.

Takato and Guilmon separated from their merged state of Dukemon.

Takuya dropped his evolved form of Kaiser Greymon to become himself once again.

The four humans and three Digimon stood on the cliff overlooking the fire still burning from their battle. They could feel it in their hearts. In their bodies. In their minds. Taichi turned to his partners in battle and congratulated them on a job well done. "I knew you guys had it in you," he said, "If anything, you do the goggles proud."

"What do the goggles mean, anyway?" Takato asked.

"They're the sign of a leader," said Agumon.

"They're the sign of one with the fire in them," said Vmon.

"They're the sign of courage," added Guilmon.

"Then it's no wonder we wear them," Takuya commented, "We have it in us."

"That we do," Daisuke cheered.

"As do I," said Takato.

"As do all of us," finished Taichi, "Chosen Children. Tamers. Whatever we are, it doesn't matter. Just as long as we keep that flame within us alive."

Taichi, Agumon, Daisuke, Vmon, Takato, Guilmon, and Takuya placed their hands one on top of the other and looked out to the sign of courage just over the horizon. That was what the goggles were a sign of. It was their past, their present, and their future. It was why they, above all others, had been chosen to lead. It was why they were goggle boys.

END