Alicia is quiet while they walk back towards Luke's base, somber. Mike can't blame her but he's not sure they're alone, and he'd rather she be at the top of her game than lost in another world, where trouble could kick in at any time and she'd been too delayed to be any real help. Palmon seems to notice as well, but she keeps to herself and allows Alicia to remain trapped in her thoughts, Mike's displeasure growing with each passing second.

Monodramon keeps his thoughts to himself, the silence as stifling as the heat of the sun gleaming down upon them. Mike sips from a bottle of water that he'd brought from earth, stuffing it back in the bag of supplies they'd all started to bring just in case, when he sees something out of the corner of his eye that makes him spit his drink back out. Since meeting Shakamon for real, he had seen many signs of the Digimon- a golden gleam, a strange pair of eyes staring at him. He wonders what the powerful Digimon thinks of Alicia's declaration of ending what's been happening in the Digiworld- if he would support it or find it to be something going against his bigger image.

It takes until Mike catches his breath, wondering if perhaps he was seeing something for once, for Alicia to look over at him, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What is it?"

Her voice seems to come out of nowhere, making him jump all over again and he squeaks when he tries to speak. "Nothing! Er, I mean, nothing. Just thought I saw something." But the longer she stares at him, the more he's certain he wasn't seeing things. There was another eldery Digimon staring at them- more likely, at him- but not Shakamon. He frowns and rubs absently at his arms, trying to work away the goose pimples that had taken over his flesh.

Monodramon notices that there's still a problem but he keeps his thoughts to himself, following Mike closely, keeping an eye out for anything else strange. Which comes sooner than either expect when a tranquil looking creature appears before them, eyeing Mike closely. It's as if Alicia or the two Digimon don't exist, his every attention on the male Digidestined. "Shakamon is an amusing creature," he says simply, his voice soft but deep. "I enjoy his style. Yes indeed..." Where the sword comes from, no one's sure, but it stops Mike in his tracks as it pokes against his nose, close to slicing through the delicate bit of flesh.

Mike yelps but can't find it in him to move away, not sure where the sword might be directed next. "Who are you?"

"Ochi Musyamon," the creature says, almost boredly. "An honor to meet you."

Mike and Alicia exchange glances before turning back to him. "Ok, but why are you interrupting us?"

"I wished to meet Shakamon's chosen face to face," Ochi Musyamon says with a glimmer of something in his eye. Both Mike and Alicia notice it but it's gone too quickly for either to really get a read on what emotion just crossed his face. "He's expecting great things from you, Digidestined of Light."

Mike gapes at him. Turns and stares at Alicia. Mouths wordlessly for a few moments before finding the words. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Ochi Musyamon blandly states. "I told Shakamon you would probably be more overwhelmed with being chosen by him than being selected to be a Digidestined. But does he ever listen? Of course not..." He smirks, stepping closing to Mike. "No worries. You'll see much more of us over the next while. We'll prepare you for what's to come. You will become one of our greatest allies."

Before Mike can say anything else, he disappears as quickly as he'd arrived. "Did I just hallucinate that?"

"Not unless I did too," Alicia mumbles, eyes wide. "What was that? And who is Shakamon?"

Mike curses, realizing that he hadn't told anyone about that. "Come on," he says awkwardly, casting a glance around the immediate area. "Let's continue onto Luke's and I'll tell you what little I know about it..."