(Season one fic, AU)
A/N: Okay, so I'm rifling through my old files and what do I find? This. I wrote this years ago, so I figured…well I don't know. It was intended to be much longer, but I don't know if I should continue.
Summary: Okay, so basically, the digidestines (from season one) encounter a small problem, in that they have inadvertently stepped 13 years into the future. Here, they encounter not only their future selves (which causes quite enough complications) but an even greater evil which is perhaps more important even than returning home…
Disclaimer: Do I look like I'm rich enough to own Digimon? (eyes scruffy jeans)
Warnings: Um…dodgy, confusing plot line? Potential slash. Nothing heavy.
I'd like to think I've improved as a writer since this was written; but comments would be appreciated nonetheless.
Chapter one: Lost, in the most flexible sense
"Are we lost?"
"You're supposed to be the whizzkid, why don't you tell me!"
"It doesn't take a genius to know we're totally lost."
"Second time this week, and counting."
"That is a new record, though!"
"Yeah, and it's the second time Joe's said that in a day, too…"
Silence reigned for a few seconds, as the group fought their way through some vicious and stubborn undergrowth.
"Ow!"
"Smart, Tai."
"Stupid twig!"
"Its only bending to the laws of momentum, you know."
"I'll show you the laws of momentum…"
Aforementioned whizzkid squinted up at the sky. It may have been his imagination, but this world seemed…different, somehow, from the one they had left when they has stopped for overnight camp at a small lake. The foliage was more overgrown, and the sun did not ride so high in the sky. The days were shorter, too.
"Has anyone noticed something…well…different, about this place?"
"What, like maybe there are more killer branches?"
"Funny, Tai. No, not the killer trees."
"Then what, Izzy?"
Izzy stopped for a moment, taking in a deep breath of the air, and staring around, thinking.
"Well, for one thing, the air seems clearer. And for another, we passed that tree before."
"Yes, thanks, Izzy. We've already established we're lost."
"No, not today. Before now. Another day. About…nineteen days ago, to be exact."
"Gee, that was really useful, thanks statistics boy."
"No need to be sarcastic, Tai."
"Yeah. Well, sorry. It's a bit frustrating, with the heat and all."
"Apology accepted."
They continued their progress, the air growing heavier and more humid as the day wore on. When the sun was directly above them, Tai called a break in a small clearing for a short (and probably unhealthy) lunch.
"Okay, who has the food?"
"Uh…you do, Sora."
Sora blushed as Matt indicated the large shoulder bag swung over her chest and across her back, and hastily lifted it off her and dumped it on the ground. TK snickered behind his hands, and Sora glared at him.
As the food was unpacked and shared out, the clearing was filled with the sound of hurried munching and chomping, as the group hastened to finish the meal and move one before the afternoon became too hot to walk in. Tentomon flew away to scout the area, and Izzy checked for emails from Gennai while absentmindedly dropping biscuit crumbs into his lap.
The atmosphere was quiet, not exactly peaceful, the children could not remember a time when it had been peaceful here…but it was as close as they had ever been, idle chat on what they would do next only half-heartedly discussed. After about half an hour (fourteen minutes and thirteen seconds according to Izzy) Tentomon returned.
"Anything there?"
"Nothing much. Is there any food left?"
"Sure, here you are."
About halfway through the freshly picked fruit, Tentomon spoke up again.
"There was something strange, as I was flying over the lake we just left."
"Oh?"
Izzy asked, not really interested. The summi conductor just wasn't connecting with the infra-red internet server…
"There were two digimon. One was hidden by the dapple shade, but the other was a species I've never seen before. It looked almost human."
"Human?"
"But Matt! What if it is a human?"
"You've got the crest of hope, not me, little bro. Believe what you want."
"Actually, it couldn't have been a human. It was too tall. Almost twice Izzy's height."
Silence.
"That would be an adult, Tentomon."
"Oh. One question."
"Yes?"
"What's an adult?"
Joe groaned.
"I despair sometimes."
"Don't you mean always?"
The children turned back to their food, some letting thoughts of other humans slip from their minds. TK stood at the edge of the trees, frowning at something moving not far away.
"What do you see, TK?"
Inquired Patamon, rising off TK's head and hovering beside him. Matt came and stood beside them.
"What is it?"
"Over there! In the trees!"
Matt squinted, and saw the shadows of two figures making their way slowly towards them.
"Everybody, hide! Something's coming!"
The camp immediately erupted into complete turmoil. Mimi gasped and scrambled for a nearby tree. Tai and Sora dived headfirst into a bush and lay still. Matt grabbed TK's hand and dragged him behind a large tree stump. Izzy gathered up his computer and crawled around behind a rock, then crouched low. Joe stood for a moment in the middle of the clearing, looked around, then dived for the rock Izzy was crouched behind, slamming the smaller boy in the back.
MattAn eerie silence settled over the now deserted camp, as soft footfalls were heard coming nearer and nearer. Matt clutched TK tighter as the two figures entered the clearing, not far from their hiding place.
Matt leaned out as far as he dared from behind the tree, and had to bite his tongue to keep from gasping in shock.
It was a human.
An adult, he was sure of it, about two heads taller than Matt.
From what Matt could see, he was quite tall, with short, slightly spiky dark brown hair the colour of chocolate. He was wearing a short sleeved, creamy yellow coloured shirt and dark blue jeans. Slung over his shoulder was a small, shiny black briefcase, and a shoulder bag hung at his side. His back was turned to Matt, so he couldn't see his face. By his side was a figure half his size, a digimon…
Agumon?
Matt knew there were many kinds of digimon, and that each were plentiful in number, but it was still strange to see another small yellow dinosaur digimon. Matt strained his ears as he listened to what they were saying, trying to ignore the initial shock of seeing another human at all.
"…the embassy knows this. As 'concerned' as it supposedly is, Agumon, I don't think they are fully comprehending the damage this could do! I mean, it is only a small rift in the network, but small rips grow, just look at all my old shirts!"
The small yellow dinosaur sighed deeply as they came to a halt.
"Yes, I know…"
They had moved too far away. Matt could no longer make out exactly what they were saying. The digimon was speaking in a comforting tone, however.
"…doesn't mean we have to come here illegally!"
The man chuckled, and turned towards Matt for the first time. He had a charismatic face; although mature, full of mischief, and the hint of a childish impness not fully fled from his eyes, which were a deep brown. His eyes sparkled as the twosome started to move back towards Matt and TK's hiding place.
"Agumon, Agumon. It's not illegal, I'm the head of the embassy! Besides, if I say I'm going on a picnic, I'm going on a picnic, even if it is an unauthorised picnic."
The Agumon shook his head, green eyes worried. They had stopped right beside the tree, and the man sat down beneath it and placed the briefcase on the ground, clicking it open with a soft snap.
"How about some food, washed down with a bit of paperwork and a side dish of lawbreaking?"
He said, grinning lopsidedly at his companion. Matt couldn't quite place it, but he felt he knew that face from somewhere…
The man retrieved a fountain pen from his pocket with a slender and slightly tanned hand, and scribbled a slanted title at the top of the page. It read:
T-C. KHead of ONU
Report on habitat welfare of File Island
1st April, 2005
Two thousand and five?
That didn't sound right…not right at all.
A/N: So, any thoughts? Constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks for reading!