Question: Zoey, in the Frontier Drama CD, you said that you were interested in someone on the team. Takuya challenges you, fires you up, Kouji makes you feel protected and safe, JP has been the most open, and Kouichi is "perfect boyfriend material." While you disregard Takuya to be an option, I'd like to know, who do you really like?
Zoey: Oh god.
Marcus: Wait, what?
Tommy: While traveling through the Digital World, we got really homesick so we decided to write letters to home. Apparently, that's what Zoey wrote about.
Yolei: Come on~. *Pokes Zoey's buried head* Don't keep the boys waiting~.
Zoey: Okay, first of all, I was twelve, my opinions and mindset has changed. Second, at the time, I was confusing romantic feelings with platonic ones. I was young. Kouji made me feel the way that the princesses in storybooks describe, being protected and sheltered from the dangers in the world. JP's obvious crush on me was appealing because it made me feel attractive. And Kouichi was a mystery but he's good-looking, kind, and smart, and what schoolgirl doesn't have a crush on guys like that?
Cutemon: She's avoiding the question!
Akari: Shush! Don't aggravate the girl that can knock out a black belt with a single kick!
Zoey: The truth is… at the time, I probably had authentic feelings for Takuya. He treated me as anyone else would. Everyone I met, they were so accommodating because I'm a foreigner in a world I couldn't understand. If not that, then it was because I'm a girl. Takuya saw me as an equal and… I really liked that.
Takuya: We did date for a bit but we broke up when we realized that we kept turning all our dates into competitions.
Zero Unit: Well, that answers the second question, "Why do you like someone that challenges you?"
Zoey: It's a legitimate reason to like someone. Being around Takuya makes things fun, whether it's as friends or more. We jump into debates, we make friendly bets, and we have some fun contests as well. Why date someone who will agree with everything you say or accommodates because they think that's what you want?
Matt: Hey… There's more on this letter. "I personally think it's Kouji since it goes along with the trope of the lone wolf getting the girl/guy on each season leaving the leader friendzoned (Sorry Takuya, Tai, Davis, Takato, Marcus - good for you Taiki for avoiding the "leader's curse"- and Tagiru, but nobody really likes you, so...)"
Tagiru: *Depressed* No one likes me…?
Yuu: If it's any consolation, I like you at the very least.
Mimi: My ship is sailing!
Ryouma: Well, in Tagiru's defense, the only Hunters-exclusive girls are Airu and Mizuki… and we all know who they had crushes on.
Tai: Sora and I have always been best friends. I've never had a crush on her and she never had a crush on me. That's how we work.
Sora: Yeah, stop looking at us as if we have to be in love just for being close. Heterosexual guys and girls can be friends without any romantic tension going on.
Davis: Isn't… Ken the lone wolf in our team? Does that make the girl… Yolei? *Retches*
Yolei: Oh, shut up! It obviously means Kari!
Rika: I'm pretty sure Jeri reciprocates Takato's feelings. They're just too scared to take the next step.
Jeri: Um… I'm pretty sure you're the girl, Rika.
Rika: *Goes wide-eyed* You know what, I retract my statement! I'm going to go with Sora and shame the audience for thinking that a heterosexual guy and a girl can't just be friends!
Terriermon: Hold on now! Henry and Ryo are great and all but I don't think either of them count as lone wolves. Rika, you're often seen as that member of the Tamers by the majority of our fan base. So if Jeri is the girl and you're the lone wolf, then that means you two must be the ones to have feelings for each other!
Mimi: My other ship has sailed!
Kouji: Wait… Zoey, did you think that I was protecting you because you're a girl?
Zoey: Were you not?
Kouji: No, it's because you were weak.
Zoey: *Drop kicks his face* I can't believe I ever thought you were attractive!
Marcus: Really? Kristy makes one comment about Yoshino and I acting like an old married couple and suddenly we're shipped. I have no interest in her at all. As a matter of fact, I can say, with pride, that I've never felt anything for anyone.
Kristy: And you want an award for that or something?
Zenjirou: I thought Nene was the girl.
Shoutmon: I like how we all universally thought of Akari.
Kiriha: Well, they couldn't be any more obvious.
Cutemon: *Thumbs up* I approve!
Akari: Stop! Stop this madness! *Turns to camera* Sorry for the incredibly long answer to what should've been a quick question, please enjoy today's chapter! *Turns back around* Everyone, stop! Zero already said no pairings!
Mimi: All my ships are sailing!
-X-
January 2: Kingdom Town — 1:02 AM
"I figured you'd be out here."
Three bright moons shined down, lighting up the garden in iridescent shades of blue, orange, and pink. Standing at the crossroads, staring up at the marble Shoutmon that acted as the centerpiece for the castle, was Kari. It was relaxing just to be amongst the tulips and to hear the water flow from the top of the fountain, into the pool below. She hadn't expected to find that JP had followed her.
Kari turned around to face him. "I just thought I'd take a walk."
For the first time in a long while, the pair weren't in torn up, sand-covered clothes. Dressed in soft white pajamas provided by the castle staff, they looked like ghosts in the dark.
"Really?" said JP, walking up to her. "And here I thought you were just avoiding sleep again."
The nature of her nightmares was no secret to anyone. Once they heard that she was having trouble sleeping, they all had their suspicions. So without even arguing, she sat down on the stone circumference of the fountain as JP took the spot beside her.
"There's no way that they're just dreams," Kari muttered. "But what do they want from me? Why do they just keep… taunting me?"
"Revenge?" JP shrugged.
It was the first thing to come to mind and it made sense. Villains on television are often depicted to be cruel and petty. When they feel like they've been wronged or humiliated by the hero, they'll go to ridiculous lengths just to spite them.
"The dreams have been getting clearer," Kari admitted. "And they've been getting closer."
"Closer?"
"In proximity."
"Proximity?"
The dreams often start the same. There's nothing but darkness but there's no telling if this is the same in every direction because Kari can't turn her head. But after what feels like an eternity of silence, a small white line appears, ebbing and flowing back and forth in her line of vision. After that, the sound of the ocean begins sloshing away at her ears. When the first sound of a wave crashing onto shore hits, everything goes white.
JP cocked his head to the side to get a better look at Kari's downcast expression. "And that's when you wake up?"
"Not recently," Kari shuddered. "It would continue from then… I would get submerged into cold water and… several pairs of eyes would look down on me. The owners of those eyes would chant something under their breath… It didn't sound Japanese. Latin… maybe? Regardless, I would always feel like I was suffocating, struggling to breathe and when I opened my mouth, a flood of water would invade my lungs."
"So that's why you always breathe so hard upon waking up," JP concluded.
Kari stared down at her reflection in the water as the Legendary Warrior tried to come up with something to say to cheer her up. He's blunt, often speaking his mind, so it's rare for him to be stumped on words. But to her surprise, rather than speaking, he held a white flower up to her face.
"Hey, that tickles," she giggled as she felt the soft petal run across her cheek. "Tissue paper?"
JP chuckled softly as she took it in her hands. "Made it for a magic trick of mine." He hooked his fingers into his sleeves and tugged. "Nothing up my sleeve…" With a flick of his wrist, a rainbow bouquet of tissue paper flowers appeared in his hand.
Kari laughed gleefully as she accepted the bouquet, applauding the magician. "I wish you'd tell me how you do it."
"Magic doesn't need an explanation to exist," JP winked. "Though if it does have a reason, I think it's to make people happy. And knowing where that it comes from ruins that aspect."
"True," Kari agreed.
She was suddenly reminded of her summer days as a child. When there was nothing to do but watch reruns and eat ice cream. She was too sick to actually go outdoors and even though he could, Tai chose to stay inside and keep her company. He couldn't do magic tricks, but he tried to make her laugh and smile by putting on sock puppet shows.
It was often poorly executed. And his storytelling could use some work. But it was so much fun watching her older brother talk to himself in different voices.
"You look deep in thought," JP remarked.
"Yeah," Kari nodded. "Hey… Did I ever tell you why I want to be a kindergarten teacher?"
"I don't think so."
The brunette folded her hands across her lap as she turned to face the falling water. "Since I was always terribly ill and locked inside, I wasn't able to play with a lot of the other kids. I always felt lonely and sad and it was times like that when my older brother, when Tai, really came through for me. I'm constantly reminded of that and think to myself, well, I want to make other kids smile too!"
"You want to be their big sister?"
"Exactly!" The laughter faltered quickly as Kari stood up, hugging the bouquet to her chest. "That's why I have to start being brave and fighting for myself. I can't always be protected by Gatomon, Yolei, TK, you, or even my real big brother!"
"Eh? Real big brother?"
She spun around with a bright smile on her face though it vanished as quickly as it had come. JP raised an eyebrow in confusion before the sound of water bubbling reached his ears. The moment he turned to look at the fountain was the same moment a black claw reached out and grabbed Kari by the leg, yanking her into the water.
"Kari!" JP shouted.
The fountain was probably waist deep but only if you were a toddler. Yet somehow, Kari was already up to her shoulders and it wouldn't be long before her head would be submerged as well. JP latched onto her wrists and prayed that he was stronger than whatever was on the other end of this tug-of-war.
"JP!" Kari yelped. "I'm slipping!"
So was he. The water on the marble fountain gave JP zero traction so he ended up falling into the pool face-first which caused Kari to sink deeper as well. But this allowed the Warrior to see the thing that was trying to snatch away his friend.
It was black and wispy, almost like it wasn't actually there and just the shadows of the water's surface shining down on the bottom. Had it not been for the chilling feeling and the taste of iron and unbelievable amounts of salt on JP's tongue, he wouldn't think it wasn't anything terrifying. To make matters worse, there were at least four pairs of blood-red eyes staring up at the boy as the hands slowly reached for Kari's face, ready to pull her over to the other side.
JP threw his head of the water as his left fist sparked with electricity. "I'm sorry about this, Kari!"
With a splash, the creature was hit right in eye with an electrified punch. It let go and that was enough leeway for JP to pull Kari out of the water and on top of him. They were both short of breath and a little fried from the lightning but otherwise okay.
"Okay…,"Kari huffed. "If it's something like what just happened… I will need help."
The older teen sat up and pushed the girl away from him. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to electrocute you or anything."
"No, no, I'm fine," she replied, shaking her head. "It did sting but… it's way better than the alternative. Thank you, JP."
"Kari!" Gatomon called out.
The soaked pair turned to see the Champion and Zoey running towards them. The Digimon immediately leapt into her partner's arms while the Legendary Warrior took a moment to examine the scene before her with an expression of suspicion.
"This is not what it looks like!" JP yelled.
"I know," Zoey said, putting her hands on her hips. "Regardless, we still heard Kari scream. I woke up half the castle on my way down here."
As she said, Digimon and humans alike were either arising from their beds or sleepily entering the courtyard. Yolei somehow managed to cover the distance between the corridor and the fountain in three seconds flat but before she could drop kick JP, Zoey stopped her. Before long, Kari was surrounded by worried Chosen Children as she told them what just happened.
"A Deep One tried to take you?" TK repeated.
"We should probably keep you away from any large bodies of water from now on," Kristy determined. "It seems to be their method of moving between worlds."
Shoutmon turned to his guards. "Turn off the fountain."
"What about the baths?" Knightmon asked.
Rika stepped forward. "We'll just have to keep a closer eye on her. Besides, we're going to be undergoing some heavy training in the morning, right? This'll be a good reminder as to why us humans have to get strong as well."
They all knew she was right. They also knew that that meant they needed to sleep before daybreak. For now, Kari was safe, and that's what mattered most.
January 2: Hypnos Training Facility — 10:16 AM
Izzy and Joe were rather disappointed in themselves. Everyone else had already passed through the free running test. They knew that they weren't exactly physically fit compared to their comrades but they didn't think they would have so much trouble clearing an obstacle course in under three minutes.
As expected from their athletic peers though. Sora did the best in the group. Marcus was pretty upset that he ended up fourth but he proved to be the best in terms of strength. Tai was also still hesitating to put too much pressure on his leg so he might actually spike to first once he does. For now, the pair in last had to watch as the others advanced to the next round of training: weapons.
"As I thought," a college-aged Daisy nodded. "The sword suits you best."
"It's like a really heavy tennis racket," Sora grunted.
"Perhaps a lighter one would do you better," the older woman concluded.
Some were more obvious than others. Marcus preferred bare-handed fighting so it made sense to just wear special enforcements rather than use a projectile or blade weapon. And while he had immense strength and five years of monster-fighting experience, he was still no match for a college-aged Janyu who was maneuvering past his blows like they came from a sloth.
Tai and Thomas joined in the sparring match not too long ago. Yet all three were missing hits like they were playing Guitar Hero blind. At some point, Janyu redirected Tai's foot into Thomas's face and Marcus's punch into Tai's gut and Thomas's roundhouse on Marcus's back all at once. The trio toppled over into a messy dogpile.
"Amazing," Tai huffed. "His real body is working on the portal and his mind is preoccupied on Suzie yet his focus is unwavering."
"Shush!" Akari hissed at him. She was undergoing training with a spear under Robert's wing. "Don't be so insensitive."
Janyu took a deep breath. "Thank you for the concern but I'm fine, Akari."
Akari and Airu took second and third in terms of strength which surprised everyone aside from the Hunters. The former proved that it wasn't a fluke by heaving a fifty pound sack of sand over one shoulder and tossing it aside like it was no lighter than a shoebox. The latter proved it by shot putting a bowling ball on a string into the wall… from twenty feet away.
"Heavy weapons," Robert had deducted. "That's what's going to help you two the most." So they ended up with a stinger and rake similar to their partners' weapons.
Gennai was nearby, trying to recreate the silver keys so that Robert's group could at least reach Ultimate. At the same time, the Champions were teaching the digital partners some new ways they can fight. JagerDorulumon and AtlurBallistamon were sparring so that they could get used to their new forms. But it was Lillymon who seemed to be the most into the training.
"Zudomon! Let me use your hammer as a weight!" the fairy demanded.
"Eh?!" the gargantuan walrus blanched. "There's no way you could pick it up!"
Rosemon placed a hand on the Ultimate's shoulder. "Even as a Mega, I wouldn't dream of lifting such a weapon. Maybe you should focus on other areas, like your speed."
"You're right!" Lillymon huffed, puffing up her chest and flexing her skinny, nonexistent biceps. "I'll try to imitate Togemon's Lightspeed Jabbin'!"
"Your punches aren't very strong though," MetalGarurumon muttered.
"Oh yeah?"
Lillymon spun to WarGreymon and threw a right jab at the bipedal dragon's face. A clang resounded through the gym before she crumpled to the floor, fist to her chest and wings wilting. They watched as she slowly stood up straight, put on a straight face, and was trying very hard not to cry.
"Are…," Arresterdramon took a step towards her. "...you okay?"
A pause. "...Yes?" she squeaked.
Mimi had been thinking about it for a while now. Her partner's been sneaking out at night and doing a variety of exercises in the backyard. The one-sided fight she experienced back in Sapporo affected her more than she let on.
Mimi didn't say anything though. If Palmon was determined to get stronger, then she had no place to tell her otherwise. Besides, it was nice to see Palmon getting so fired up.
"Look at the time!" Mimi gasped. "I was supposed to meet Jaarin so we could go shopping and then take a shrine visit."
Sora fell onto her butt thanks to Zenjirou's superior swordsmanship. "Oh yeah," she heaved. "She had a game yesterday and couldn't go."
"Is it really okay to be skipping out on training?" Babel asked.
"It'll be fine," Rai giggled. "After all, Mimi did pass third on the obstacle course so if she runs into trouble, she can always just run away."
Mimi flashed the older woman a thankful smile before grabbing her bag, grateful that her old school in America allowed her to do both cheerleading and track and field. She was much more athletically able than one would think at first glance. So she and Lillymon took off, wishing their comrades luck in their training.
January 2: Kingdom Training Grounds — 10:17 AM
The dirt fields where the royal guards train to protect their king was given to the DigiDestined to use. Kouichi and Yuu were excused since they both already knew how to fight and had their own jobs to do. Until the blueprints and mathematics were finished, Yolei wouldn't be called in to start engineering. It would put them at a disadvantage compared to their friends but they were willing to put in the extra effort to keep up.
Just like in Hypnos, there was an obstacle course and a strength test. Unsurprisingly, anyone with prior athletic ability passed with flying colors. Very few of them failed.
Once that was done, they moved on to fighting mobile dummies that reassembled after being blown apart. Kristy recalled her older brother talking about having to go through a similar trial in order to achieve Mega. Though in this case, the training was mostly for the humans' benefit.
"Don't try too hard to keep up with the men," Sayo instructed the girls. "At least, in terms of strength. The guys can grow more muscle mass than you so try to figure out a way to trump them without using physical strength."
Zoey already surpassed many of the boys when they sparred with her. Speed and flexibility were both things she used to gain the upper hand when muscle and size could not.
Yolei proved how useful her photographic memory could be in battle. With a single glance, she was able to memorize the battlefield, using various objects and obstacles to her advantage. She was even able to clear the obstacle course blindfolded. Though she ended up wasting a whole minute chasing Davis for shifting the position of two of the hurdles, causing her to trip.
Rika was the only exception to the strength rule as she rivaled many of the boys in strength. Sayo did remind the redhead not to depend too much on it though.
Most of the girls couldn't keep up with their comrades. Kari was having the most trouble. After the incident last night, everyone agreed that she shouldn't be pushed too hard though she fought against their decision. They finally settled on a compromise to teach her to use a ranged weapon.
"Ever used a bow before?" Angewomon asked.
"Not really," her partner replied, holding up the weapon. "But Rika says it gets easier after releasing the first shot."
The angel smiled. "It does. Just keep your aim steady and you should be fine."
"Easy for you to say. You've never missed a shot," Kari smirked.
Then there's Jeri who was told that she had a lot of potential in her. Unfortunately, she was unable to show it in combat. Her partner was trying to teach her martial arts but while her punches had a lot of force put into them, it didn't mean anything if she couldn't connect it with her foe.
"You're too fast!" the brunette huffed.
GrapLeomon let out a heavy sigh. "Do you think any reasonable enemy would actually stand still for you?"
"Well, no…," Jeri replied, pushing herself back to her feet. "But maybe… get progressively faster instead of treating this like a real battle?"
"...I'm going less than a fifth of my usual speed."
"Oh… I'm hopeless."
GrapLeomon didn't want the Tamer doubting her skill. She had the power but lacked the discipline and training. Glancing around, he noticed JP sparring with Takuya. The older male was barely getting any hits in but the way he bounced around allowed him to evade many of his opponent's blows as well.
"Jeri," the leonine warrior realized. "You should try fighting like a boxer."
"Eh? A boxer?" she repeated.
Rather than going right into a mock battle, her partner began teaching her how to move like a boxer. "Keep nimble and your arms locked in front of you," GrapLeomon explained. "This is for both dodging and defending."
"But how will I know where the enemy hits?"
Turuiemon ducked under one of TK's punches. "Keep your eyes on the shoulders, not the fists. The way they roll, move, and shift will tell you which direction the next punch is going to come from. The same goes for the hips when they go for a kick." She performed a roundhouse which TK was able to dodge.
"What if they fake it?" the blond inquired.
"Facial expression," Cody explained as he sidestepped another one of Taiki's slashes. The General held the sword in front of him to block Cody's oncoming blows. "Usually, it's hidden underneath the kendo helmet but luckily for us…" The younger male feinted left before slamming his hilt into Taiki's side. "Our faces are uncovered."
Taiki rubbed his sore side as he looked at Cody with one open eye. "What if we end up taking on a Digimon like Knightmon or Jijimon, whose expressions are difficult to discern unless it's greatly exaggerated. Or someone as stoic as you?"
Commandramon shot a bullet right through a dummy's head. "Then you have to cover up your holes."
"Easy for you to say," Mako muttered, trying to keep his firearm steady.
"Yeah, we're long-range fighters," Ai agreed. "What if they come right in front of us?"
"Keep your elbows tucked in," Tommy told Shinya. "I may not know how to use a gun but I know that much. And it's not just a projectile weapon. You can use it as an extension of your own body, much like my tomahawks. They won't draw blood but blunt trauma to the head is as good a blow as any."
"And if the Digimon resists?" Kiriha wondered aloud, avoiding more of Kouji's hits.
"Add extra force," the raven-haired teen responded. "If it's an uppercut, then a jolt to the elbow. If it's a kick, rebound with the other foot. If it's a headbutt, then two fists to the sides. Just don't let a solid enemy phase you because every second counts."
No matter who was teaching who or what level of experience they had on the battlefield, everyone pitched in when it was needed to help someone get stronger. It also didn't matter how long they knew each other, they were all fighting for the same cause. They were all careful not to disrupt one another and give advice as to how to fight depending on the opponent and skill level.
During their lunch break, Glare and Julia were giving the humans some extra information they had never heard of before. Thanks to the two adults, everyone had already learned how to produce their DigiSoul and transfer it into another object but there was apparently a way to make it even stronger.
"DigiSoul conversion?"
Glare nodded. "For Digimon, their entire being is made up of DigiSoul but it's already been converted into an element. We, as humans, are unable to do so automatically but we each have the inherent ability to do it."
"It takes a lot of practice and training," Julia added. "But it seems the Legendary Warriors already have it down."
The group of six jolted upwards in their seats, eyes wide with shock. They had wondered why every time they tried to produce their DigiSoul, some variation of their element appeared instead. But this was news to each of them.
"Wait," Takuya stated, snapping his fingers and producing flames in his hands. "You mean this isn't a side effect from spirit evolution?"
Koh shrugged. "Who knows? Truth be told, none of us can do an instantaneous conversion like that. It takes a ton of concentration."
"Perhaps it is a side effect," Sayo chimed in. "Just… not a bad one. After all, only Digimon can convert their soul without having to think and… well… you guys are sort of part Digimon."
Coronamon took a bite out of his meat bun and grinned widely. "At least there's no questioning what your elements are."
"Well, for most humans, their elements match their partners," said Lunamon. "Like how Koh is light and fire while Sayo is dark and ice. They match us."
Takato looked down at his hands. "You mean I'll be able to shoot Pyro Spheres from my palms?"
"Whoa there," Koh chuckled. "That's a very advanced skill. For the most part, you can't 'shoot' anything without years of practice. The most you'll be able to do in a short amount of time is producing the element and cover your weapon with it."
"Unless it's a physical object," said Sayo. She stood up and turned to face one of the dummies. The kind Yolei was tossing throwing stars at. Squeezing her fist, white mist started seeping out of the crevices before it hardened into an icicle in her palm. With a flick, the icicle struck the dummy through the forehead. "Like that."
None of them were expected to achieve this advanced step in DigiSoul manipulation and it wasn't necessary in the first place. But if they wanted to practice it on their own time, they were encouraged to do so. As of right now, they were just happy to catch a break from training.
"I wonder…," Davis muttered, with a mouth full of riceball and staring at the rolling clouds in the sky, "What the others are doing right now…"
Yolei held up a phone. "You can ask."
"I forgot about the communication channel!"
Just then, the communicator started ringing much to their surprise. The bespectacled teen turned it around so that the screen faced her. She then pressed the speaker button so that everyone could hear the following message from the human world.
"Ah, Yolei, is that you?" Samson's voice echoed. "Could you give the phone to the Legendary Warriors? I completed their favor."
It was more of the Celestial Angels that had suggested it to them. They knew that the four remaining spirits would be kept safe in their possession but if they wanted to unlock the power of all the Warriors, then they would need to find new hosts. Of course, it wasn't that easy. Just because Takuya and the others could choose four people they thought would best suit the bill didn't make them automatically compatible. Yet they knew the exact people to choose when faced with the decision.
A new voice came through the phone. "Takuya? Tommy?"
"Katsuharu!" Tommy piped up. "Thanks for coming!"
"Are the others with you?" Takuya asked.
"Uh, yeah, we're all here," came the answer. "But why? The government dude with the sunglasses wouldn't tell us anything."
Zoey placed an elbow on Takuya's shoulder and leaned forward. "That's because he doesn't know either."
"Then just tell us that," Teppei grumbled under his breath. "Instead of being so creepy about it…"
The first order of business was asking Katsuharu's group why they decided to stay in the Digital World three years ago despite being told countless times to go back. It wasn't exactly a difficult query for them to answer.
"It's a whole new world!" Teppei exclaimed. "We didn't want to leave when we had just arrived!"
Teruo scratched the side of his head and crossed his arms. "Actually… I stayed because… something was telling me to stay. I don't know. Maybe it was just a weird gut feeling of mine. But honestly speaking, I was really scared of everything yet I couldn't tell my feet to go back on the Trailmon."
"Come to think of it, I had a similar feeling," Katsuharu nodded.
"During our adventure," Chiaki confessed, "I felt like I was… searching… for something. That feeling intensified when we met you guys."
Teruo rubbed his chin for a bit in thought. "Now that you mention it…"
The six Legendary Warriors shared a knowing smile before turning back to the phone. Aside from the twins, they each raised up their D-Tectors and bright gray, brown, green, and blue lights flashed. Suddenly… nothing.
"Wha… What happened?!" Samson's voice reached out. "It's like they're in a trance! They're not saying anything!"
"They're… taking an exam," said Tommy.
JP snorted before rubbing their youngest member's head. "To get their Warriors' license."
It took a few seconds for this to register in the DigiDestineds' heads. "Eh?!"
January 2: Spirit World — 12:18 PM
In hushed tones, the humanoid silhouettes floated through the town, gossiping about the strangers that dropped in on them. As for that group themselves, well, they didn't how they got there or why. They just remembered the last place they had been was a government building.
"Bonjourno!"
"Gah!"
In this flowery world, there was a watercolor sky and medieval-era hovels. Iridescent butterflies floated from one thing to another and as they passed over the group's line of sight, they almost missed the spiraling mountain made of cloud in the distance and sunflowers as tall as pine trees. So when a familiar face appeared to them in this bizarre world, they all sighed in relief.
"Zoey!" Chiaki breathed. "What are you doing here? What are we doing here?"
Katsuharu butted in. "Where is here?"
"The Spirit World," Kazemon answered, doing a twirl in the air. "And I'm not Zoey, sorry Chiaki. I'm pure Digimon." There was a pause as she realized what she said. "Well, more like the spirit of a Digimon… but I'm not a ghost! I'm not dead! Just… the remaining data of Sylph."
"Sylph?" Teppei frowned.
"An invisible spirit of air," Teruo defined.
Just then, they felt intense heat appear to the right of them and they turned to see Agunimon. "Actually, Sylph is the name that AncientKazemon prefers to go by."
"Okay… you answered two of our three questions so far," said Teppei, crossing his arms. "Can you tell us what we're doing here now?"
"Please don't be rude to the beings that can obliterate us in one go," Teruo stated.
Kumamon appeared, skiing down from a perpendicular street and coming to a stop directly in front of them. Somehow, just being in his presence was bringing balance to the warmth they felt on their backs. "It's a reasonable question. But basically, you're here to find out if you have what it takes to be fellow Legendary Warriors."
It took a moment but when it processed through their brains, they were blown away. Once they had calmed down enough to stand up straight, they were split up into pairs, each with a different Legendary Warrior, and led in separate directions. They were to meet with their possible spirit partners.
According to the Warriors, until they found suitable hosts, the other four spirits will remain corrupted. Because of this, they're especially resistant to finding a human partner. Their only hope was Katsuharu's group being able to break through and bond with them.
"Why us though?" Katsuharu asked.
"Because of what you told Takuya and the others," Agunimon answered. He was leading the boy in the direction of a metropolis.
Teppei frowned. "What we told the others?"
Beetlemon nodded. "JP believes that you guys stayed because your DigiSouls were drawn to those of the other Warriors." They were hiking up a rocky mountain.
"What does that even mean?" Teruo inquired.
Kumamon pondered this a bit as they ducked under the overgrowth of the dense jungle. "It's kind of hard to explain but… to put it in layman's terms…"
"All humans and Digimon are connected?" Chiaki repeated.
Kazemon nodded as her companion placed her bare feet on the sandy beach. "And you guys just happened to be connected to the Legendary Warriors! ...In theory."
"In theory?!"
January 2: Shinjuku — 12:24 PM
"You're slouching again."
It couldn't be helped. Just as Mimi was out the door of Hypnos, Daisy stopped her and attached weighted bracelets to her wrists. They were supposed to help her train while performing ordinary activities. At first, it wasn't so bad, but as time went on, they felt like they got heavier and heavier.
"I know," Mimi groaned, placing her hands on her lower spine and stretching before letting them rest on the table. "This is terrible for my posture."
The pair had stopped in local cafe to get some tea before continuing on their shopping excursion. They chose a booth so that Palmon could be hidden from view from the other patrons. They didn't exactly know where this venue stood on the whole Digimon debate. Better to be safe than sorry.
Jaarin swirled the tapioca bubbles at the bottom of her glass. "I have to admit, I'm a little surprised that my dad is training you guys. I never imagined you to be fighty type. Then again, you have been involved in fighting since… how long?"
"Nearly eight years," Mimi answered. "Though I do get long breaks in between Myotismon revivals."
"Another inside joke I don't understand."
Mimi couldn't help thinking about it. Just like many of their old enemies, it was likely that the sunlight-deficient villain had come back as well. Every time he has, he was stronger than the last time they fought. How much worse can the vampire get exactly?
Jaarin noticed how solemn the usually bubbly girl became. Even Palmon stopped slurping down on her strawberry parfait and just stared into space. Actually, it was kind of a scary expression on the plant Digimon's face while her partner just looked out the window forlornly.
"Are you two okay?" Jaarin asked, getting their attention. "It's unnatural for you guys to be so quiet."
Mimi blinked and turned back to her classmate. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about the time I was held hostage at the rec center."
"Wait, what?"
"You have got to finish the show."
"Hey! I'm halfway there!"
"The first season!"
The two of them paid for their beverages and continued going down the street. Light flurries dropped from the skies, none of it stuck to the streets which was honestly a relief. It's pretty to look at but once you graduate middle school, you start to see it as an obstruction on the street.
They climbed up the steps of the pedestrian bridge to cross to the other side where a popular clothing store just opened up. As they watched their breath escape from their lips, Jaarin remembered something she saw on the news a few nights ago.
"By the way, have you heard of the Midnight Prince?"
Mimi shook her head. Having been so busy training and fighting, she hadn't had the time to sit down and just turn on the TV. "Is that a new drama or something?"
"An urban legend," Jaarin corrected.
"You mean like the headless rider in Ikebukuro?" said Mimi.
"That's right," Jaarin giggled before continuing. "Supposedly, every night, a beautiful prince will appear before an ordinary person and whisk her away from the stress of daily life. They say that a fog sets in around your ankles and then you'll hear the sound of horse hooves hitting the ground before a pumpkin carriage stops in front of you."
"Like in Cinderella?"
"I guess so."
Urban legends don't just pop up out of nowhere. Someone would have to start spreading rumors. But she hadn't heard about any recent kidnappings. Hypnos had been keeping track of news sites and channels to make sure Digimon wasn't being slandered too harshly but they also had to watch for unusual events in case they might be tied into Digimon. A string of abductions sounds like it would fit into unusual. So this was probably just a myth.
Mimi adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "Do you believe in it?"
"No way," Jaarin chuckled. "But with entrance exams coming up, I honestly wouldn't mind a prince spiriting me away."
The Chosen Child stopped in her tracks, right on the steps. "You don't mean that."
"Hm?" Jaarin paused, looking up at her friend. "Micchan... what's wrong?"
When Jaarin found out that Suzie had been taken by the enemy, the elder sister was absolutely devastated. It took a whole twenty-four hours before she started eating again and another after that for her to hang out with her friends. After that, she started saying things like, "My sister's strong! Who do you think you're talking about?" She was certain Suzie was safe.
"If something like that happened… How would you greet your sister when she returned?" said Mimi.
"Micchan…"
Mimi shook her head, giving her a small smile. "Sorry, I know it's just cynical humor and you're not serious but I really hate that." She laughed awkwardly. "Though I should be used to it, almost all of my friends have made jokes like that and entrance exams are a lot of pressure!"
"You like when people are honest with their feelings, right?" Jaarin laughed. "It must be difficult… It's like every other person masks their pain with self-deprecating humor."
"Jaarin…"
In the middle of the steps, Mimi pulled her classmate in close and embraced her tightly, almost afraid to let go. But in that moment, things became silent. No cars passed under the bridge, pedestrians were nowhere to be seen, and the television sets went blank at a shop window. Mimi and Jaarin had no time to think before they heard someone call out their names.
"Out of the way!" Palmon screamed from at the top of the bridge. "Poison Ivy!"
The girls were lifted off the stairs just as they exploded. They both stayed remarkably calm though the initial shock did cause them to involuntarily yelp in surprise. But as they landed, they looked over the side of the bridge to find a man standing on the sidewalk, staring right at them.
"Wh… Who is that?!" Jaarin screeched.
"A humanoid Digimon," Mimi grimaced. "Either that, or it's a demon. But according to Kuroku, they can't enter our world."
"A-A demon?!"
The figure raised his hand and swung it in an arc like he was pitching a ball but instead, red energy burst from his fingertips. Like a whip, the energy nearly struck down the trio had they not possessed the reflexes to dodge it. Though looking back, they could see that the bridge was cracked clean in half.
Mimi and Palmon glanced at each other and they knew exactly what kind of enemy they were up against. Fate was a cruel mistress. Or was it irony in this case?
"Myotismon," Mimi hissed. "Closer to a demon than an actual demon." She grabbed Jaarin's hand. "We have to make a run for it. Do you have any free running skills?"
Jaarin raised a brow. "You're asking me if I have free running skills? The girl who made a parkour video over the summer."
"Less talking, more running!" Palmon ordered.
The girls took off just as another Crimson Lightning attack struck down on them. Without taking a moment to catch their breath, they leapt off the railing, grabbed onto a lamppost and swung themselves onto the awning of a hotel. Using the momentum from the trampoline-like structure, they latched onto windowsills and scaled the brick building like they were on a rock climbing wall.
"This would be so much easier without these weights," Mimi groaned.
"Would it also help if I wasn't hanging onto your back?" Palmon asked.
They made it to the roof but only to find that Myotismon was already there, stripped of his disguise and smiling menacingly at the group. Mimi wasn't quite sure why she forgot that he could fly but it did remind her of someone else who could. And it would also lift some weight off her shoulders… literally.
"Palmon Digivolve to… Togemon! Digivolve to… Lillymon!"
"Distract him," Mimi stated. "Give me time to get Jaarin out of here. Don't try to be the hero and beat him. You can't on your own."
The fairy nodded before glaring down her opponent. They had faced off before and she lost so quick one wouldn't even call it a battle at all. So she had desired a rematch for a while and it was a good chance to put her training to use. Yet she also knew that she stood no chance against him at the moment. So her priority was keeping her partner and their friend safe.
Myotismon's smirk widened when he saw that Lillymon was his foe. It brought back a rush of memories that he relished so much. The crying children in the rec center, the panicked parents nearby, and the absolute look of fear on the Digimon he defeated. It was such a shame that the nasty expressions that the women shot towards him were the complete opposite of the ones he received all those years ago.
"I'll make sure you feel that fear again."
-X-
The Chosen Children are training their butts off in order to topple over the evil Demon Lords but they are just humans. Will they be able to pull it off? To make matters worse, Myotismon has finally made his appearance! This was probably the one enemy that Tai and the others were tired of seeing again. So how will they manage to defeat him this time? Find out on the next Digimon: Children of the Future!
This chapter has been so incredibly draining. Well, no, correction. The process was draining. I've been swamped with real life work and personal problems popped in from every corner. The newest Sentai has been pretty disappointing so far though not awful. There are points where I do enjoy it. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review down below! I need them to get through the rest of this hellish semester.