Updated: 4/11/21

I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON ADVENTURE, 02, TAMERS, FRONTIER OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!

Chapter 16: Making Progress

Tamer Digital World: Location: Level 2 – Gekomon Lake

Kai was having a blast. Being able to breath underwater?! It felt like a dream come true. He was sure he'd done this before in dreams many times, so to be able to do so for real was just mind-blowing. It was too bad Gotsumon didn't seem to like the situation. Even though he could breathe underwater, he was still a rock, so Gotsumon didn't have the buoyancy that the others had and walked along the lake floor below them.

"There!" Minami suddenly said, excitedly. "Up ahead!"

Kai looked up and saw a slight glow in the distance. It got brighter the closer they swam and after a while when they got close enough they were able to make out what looked like an underwater metropolis inside this great big bubble dome.

"Swim down!" Alice instructed, pointing to what looked like a gateway. Gotsumon was already approaching the "door" to the dome.

Just as they joined the rock Digimon on the lake bottom a small army of Gekomon surrounded them.

"Halt!" shouted the one Kai assumed was their leader. "Who goes there?"

"Peace, friends," Babamon said, stepping to the front of their small group. "I am Babamon of tha Desert Level and I bring with me these humans who seek ta help us lift this lockdown imposed upon us."

"You can't be from Level 1!" shouted another Gekomon. "Travel between the levels has been made impossible because of the lockdown."

"Idiot," the Gekomon next to him hissed. "Don't you see that Gotsumon? His kind don't live here. Where else could they have come from?"

"And they are humans, like the ones on our viewing bubbles. Humans have never come here," another said.

"Have too," yet another argued. "My cousin from the Milkshake Village said that some humans visited some months ago. That group of kids with the Guardromon that was taken to that other Digital World. Don't yous remember? That Guardromon used ta be Andromon, self-proclaimed protector of this Level."

"Oh, right," said the third Gekomon. "I remember him now."

"Quiet!" the first Gekomon snapped at his fellows before returning his attention to Babamon. "What do you want?"

"An audience with your leader," Babamon said.

"Lord ShogunGekomon isn't seeing anybody," the Gekomon sighed. "Ever since the Fire Kid died, he hasn't seen anybody."

"He'll see us," Alice said confidently, stepping up beside Babamon. "Tell him new human children have arrived to help end the lockdown and seek to find a way to bring aid to the DigiDestined trapped in that other world."

The Gekomon around them chattered to each other before their leader called for silence again. He reluctantly agreed to speak with their leader and led them through the gate to their home. It was like sliding through a thin wall made of gelatin and once inside, gravity seemed to reestablish itself and everyone was back to walking instead of swimming. Kai was blown away by what he saw. It was like walking into an old Japanese historical movie set, complete with a castle in the middle of the sprawling city. But instead of actors dressed in old Japanese clothing, there were tons of Gekomon and Tamamon bustling about.

"Welcome, guests," the lead Gekomon shouted so that he could be heard over the noise that always seemed to fill a populated area. "To the great Gekomon City, home to our Level's Lord, ShogunGekomon!"

Many of the Gekomon and Tamamon they passed in the streets stopped and stared, many of them whispering about "Humans" and "DigiDestined." Beside him, Kai noticed that Minami looked nervous. But not Alice. Alice continued walking forward confidently beside Babamon. It took a good half hour, but finally they made it to the castle at the center of the Gekomon City. Once inside they had to wait for their guide to go seek an audience with Lord ShogunGekomon.

While they waited Tamamon served them food and drinks. Kai had never been so happy to see steamed cooked rice and fish. He was even happy to eat the salad and drink their tea, things he didn't normally like to eat, but after eating the same rations for however long they'd been traveling in the Digital World, it was nice to eat something different. Minami seemed to relax after eating a good meal.

When the Gekomon returned he led them into what Kai could only describe as the "throne room" where an enormous frog Digimon with what looked like tuba horns peeking out over his shoulders was seated at the end of the room on a raised dais in a chair that looked more like it came from a European castle instead of a Japanese one.

"Bless my data, it's true. Welcome!" the giant frog Digimon boomed. "Welcome human children. Seeing you here during times like this… It gives me hope. What can I do for you?"

Alice and Babamon stepped forward and explained what humans were doing in the Digital World and trying to accomplish. When they explained about the locks on each level and asked him where theirs might be, ShogunGekomon pursed his frog lips together in contemplation.

"There is nothing but swamp, forest, and water here on this level. It suits me and the Gekomon and Otamamon just fine so we've never thought to leave, but not many others like it here. Most other Digimon find this level unpleasant. We received few visitors on this level even before the Lockdown. Most ended up here on accident, getting caught up in the core beams and transported here. To leave, they left the same way they came."

Kai suddenly had an idea, thinking back to where the lock was on the desert level.

"Is there a structure or something that might reach up to the next level?" He asked. "Perhaps a giant tree you can't see the top of or something?"

Lord ShogunGekomon eyes widened in surprise. "Why yes," he boomed." There is the sacred tree in the swamp to the east of here."

"That sounds like a good location to start," Alice said, nodding at Kai.

Kai beamed. He'd figured something out before Alice. He made sure to savor the moment.

"I'll have some Gekomon escort you to the Sacred Tree," ShogunGekomon insisted. "You won't be able to get near without them. The Gekomon charged with the protection of our Holy Site take their duty guarding it very seriously and will not allow anyone near it without my approval. I'll send you with a message granting you permission to inspect the tree."

"Thank you," they all bowed.

Kai only hoped that his hunch was correct.

Frontier Digital World: Location: Flame Terminal

"I think I'm getting the hang of this," Shinya beamed as Mokuseimon as he dodged another of Yutaka-Tetsukomon's attacks, his quarterstaff twirling effortlessly in his hands and he countered a backhand strike from Tetsukomon's blades.

"Good for you," Tetsukomon grunted, launching another offensive and Mokuseimon danced away out of reach before retaliating with an attack of his own.

"Don't get too cocky," Sorcermon warned Shinya as the two new Warriors continued their afternoon sparring session. "Tomorrow instead of fighting each other, you'll be up against skilled fighters. Then we'll truly see how well you've got a handle on things.

"Oh joy," Tetsukomon muttered, making Mokuseimon giggle.

"But you two are doing remarkably well," Sorcermon admitted when he allowed them to break for the evening. "Especially considering that this is your first day using the Spirits. You still have a long way to go, however."

Much like they had in the late morning, Yutaka and Shinya sank down to the ground in exhaustion.

"Looking good, my boys," Bokumon said, approaching them with Neemon in tow.

"Very good!" Neemon added.

"Thanks," the two tired boys sighed.

"Come on you two, up you get!" Bokumon said jubilantly. "Neemon and I are treating you to dinner! Then you can rest all you want. Tomorrow morning we'll go see the new Fire Warrior Shrine before your morning's training."

Shinya looked down at the ground at the mention of the shrine to his brother and his role as the Warrior of Fire. It made his eyes sting. He felt as if he were being a big crybaby every time Takuya was mentioned or even vaguely referred to. But he did want to see the shrine. He told himself that it would be an opportunity to get closure. He could properly mourn Takuya there.

"…There won't be morning training," Sorcermon said. "But I'll still expect you two to be here for your afternoon session."

"You got it," Yutaka said, grateful to the Digimon for his small gesture of understanding. "Come on, Shinya, before our stomachs start grumbling again."

Shinya huffed, smiling a bit as he got to his feet.

Both humans were sore, but shuffled along behind Bokumon and Neemon as they were led to a bathhouse. Shinya and Yutaka were grateful that they were given a private bathing area and enjoyed a nice soak before getting out to join Bokumon and Neemon for dinner at a nice restaurant on the other end of town. The servers there were Palmon and Floramon, serving really good soups and salads. But again, the proprietor of the restaurant refused payment for their meals, saying what an honor it was to serve them.

"We better not get used to that," Shinya chuckled as they left the restaurant. "I doubt we'll be getting any free meals anywhere else."

"No kidding," Yutaka sighed, but he smiled.

The sun was going down now and everything in Flame Terminal was getting quiet as Digimon vendors returned to their homes or went out for dinner after a long day working. There was excited chatter, though, about the shrine to the Fire Warrior reopening tomorrow and speculation on what changes had been made, what the new statue would look like, and what kinds of flowers the Lillymon and Rosemon had brought to decorate the shrine with.

Shinya was silent the rest of the way back to their tiny little hut on the outskirts of town. He wasn't trying to think about anything in particular and just wanted to sleep now. If he thought about anything, it was his training and transformations as Mokuseimon. They were happy thoughts at least. He felt as if he had more energy as a Digimon than he did as a human. And the thrill he got every time he transformed was exhilarating. The movements came easily, and he was already an expert on wielding his quarterstaff. His archery, and knife fighting on the other hand still needed work.

And then there was Yutaka as Tetsukomon. His new friend and pseudo older brother was really good at combat and had already mastered fighting with his swords, but he wasn't as fast as Mokuseimon. Yutaka was still struggling with some aspects of the transformation, meaning that his movements weren't as synced or flowed as well as Shinya's were as Mokuseimon. But then again, it was only their first day, but it felt so much longer than one simple day. It felt like two, but maybe that was because of the three-hour long nap they took after lunch.

Just as their little group was reaching their huts there was a commotion. Gazimon and Pagumon cried out in alarm, rushing this way and that, ducking into shelters and scrabbling up into the trees.

"The devil?" Bokumon grumped. "Just what is going on here?!"

Then an evil looking demon dog Digimon jumped onto their path and snarled.

"DigiDestined," it growled. "I've finally found you."

"It's Cerberumon!" Bokumon cried, stumbling back into Yutaka's legs. "He's one bad dog! Takuya fought and saved us from him when he first arrived in the Digital World."

"Oh no!" Neemon cried, ducking behind Shinya. "Do something!"

Shinya and Yutaka exchanged a determined look before pulling out their D-Tectors.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!" They cried, changing into Tetsukomon and Mokuseimon.

"We have to lead him out of the village," Tetsukomon said. "He could hurt someone."

"Right," Mokuseimon nodded. "Oi! Slobber breath! Come and get me!"

He cracked the end of his quarterstaff down on the Digimon dog's hindquarters and took off running into the woods. Cerberumon howled with rage and charged after the Warrior of Wood. Tetsukomon left Bokumon and Neemon in charge of making sure the other Digimon were all right and ran to catch up with the chase, praying that Mokuseimon would be smart and keep out of biting range. Mokuseimon actually did one better, and led the dog Digimon to a clearing where there were no trees surrounding them, which turned out to be a good thing when Cerberumon spat out a line of fire that just barely missed Mokuseimon.

"Yikes!" he gasped. "I've heard of dog breath, but this is ridiculous."

He tried to retaliate with arrows, but most of his shots missed their target. Damn, he really needed more practice in this area. To his relief, that's when Tetsukomon arrived and knocked Cerberumon off his feet with a slash of the enormous broadsword he carried on his back. Cerberumon didn't go down easy though. He got right back up and charged, knocking the slower Tetsukomon off his feet and pinned him to the ground, letting loose another fire blast at point blank range.

"Yutaka!" Mokuseimon screamed, finding a surge of speed and ran full pelt at the enemy Digimon and knocked him away from Tetsukomon. He sighed in relief when he saw a very singed looking shield, but an otherwise uninjured Tetsukomon regaining his feet.

"Together!" Tetsukomon shouted.

Mokuseimon nodded, baiting their opponent with more sarcastic quips until he was nearly taken out. Cerberumon got too close to him and it was only with quick reflexes that Shinya managed to bring his quarterstaff up in time to stick it between the dog Digimon's sharp teeth. While he had Cerberumon at a standstill Tetsukomon sheathed the broadsword and came at it from behind, running it through with the twin blades normally concealed along his sides.

Adventure Digital World: The Forest of Signs

The sun was finally going down so Hiroaki and his friends began their trek out of the forest and across the desert during the cooler twilight hours. The little Tokomon that Haru had befriended kept waddling after them, even after they started crossing the desert. When he began falling behind due to the slippery nature of the sand, Haru picked the little guy up, and set him up on his head like he'd done with his own partner all those years ago. Hiroaki felt that it would be best to leave the little guy in his home in the forest, but the two looked so happy that he didn't have the heart to say no. Saito had only sighed and shrugged helplessly. Keisuke and Yumi didn't say anything either, so the little Tokomon came along, chattering to Haru and Gabumon.

The sun had completely set and the moon was high in the sky by the time they reached the Yokomon village. The little flower Digimon greeted them with squeals of delight and treated them to a rice dinner and fresh spring water. Yumi looked around, trying to see if any of the Digimon might be her own partner, but none of them showed any sign of recognizing her. Like Haru had with the Tokomon, though, she was drawn to one of the Yokomon and played games with it and it's fellows before they got ready to bed down for the night with plans to cross back over the desert in the early morning to avoid the heat of the day.

In the middle of the night, however, the ground began to shake.

"Earthquake?" Keisuke mumbled, propping himself up on his forearms.

"No!" Saito gasped, quickly getting to his feet. "We've got trouble!"

That woke the others up more and sent them scrambling to their feet to better see what had Saito so worried. In the distance crossing the desert there was a herd of stampeding Boarmon, their flame bodies lighting up the night as they headed straight across the desert from the Forest of Signs and towards the Yokomon Village.

"Quick!" Yumi cried. "We need to get all of the Yokomon out of their path!"

Hiroaki looked around, trying to find a safe place to take the Yokomon.

"There!" Saito shouted, pointing to the Yokomon's freshwater lake. "It's looks to be just out of the Boarmon's path!"

"Everyone head towards the lake!" Haru said, taking up the cry and it was a mad scramble out of the village.

They hurried the frightened Yokomon along, carrying some of them who were still sleepy and were starting to fall behind.

"Faster! They're almost here!" Keisuke shrieked in alarm as the sound of the stampeding herd grew louder every passing minute.

The Yokomon were skirting the lake, heading around the shore as far as they could to get out of the path of the stampede. Hiroaki and his team were bringing up the rear of the group when one of the Yokomon that Yumi had been carrying – the one she'd played with all evening – and Tokomon, who'd been riding on Haru's head, fell away from them.

"Ah!" Yumi and Haru gasped, quickly setting the rest of their riders down and ushered them after the others, before turning back around to rescue the other two.

"Yumi! Haru!" Saito cried.

Hiroaki could only watch in horror as the stampede reached his friends. Haru and Yumi snatched up Tokomon and the Yokomon and dodged the first Boarmon, trying to make it back to the others, but it was getting harder to keep dodging and moving forward at the same time when the full force of the herd came upon them.

"They'll be trampled!" Saito cried, watching as his wife just barely missed getting sidelined by another Boarmon.

"Gabumon!" Hiroaki called out to his partner, digivice in hand.

"On it! GABUMON DIGIVOLVE TOO… HOUKOMON!"

The silver wolf Digimon wasted no time going after Haru and Yumi, tackling and blasting aside any Boarmon in his path. He was worried because he'd lost sight of the two humans.

Stuck in the middle of the stampede, Yumi and Haru did their best to keep dodging Boarmon, grateful that these Digimon didn't run in tight formations. Yokomon and Tokomon looked up at the humans fearfully, awed by the bravery and compassion they showed. But Haru and Yumi were tiring and were eventually clipped by passing Boarmon and were sent sprawling, having to roll to avoid being trampled. Tokomon and Yokomon remained clutched tight in their grips, feeling the human's fear, but also their determination to keep them safe. They were willing to lay down their lives for them…

"Haru…"

"Yumi…"

Then the little Digimon started to glow and memories of these same humans came flooding back to them. Memories of times when the humans were younger. Life times ago for the Digimon…

"TOKOMON DIGIVOLVE TO… PATAMON!"

"YOKOMON DIGIVOLVE TO… BIYOMON!"

The newly digivolved and awaked partner Digimon stood guard over their fallen humans, firing attacks to divert the stampeding Boarmon. Houkomon was fighting to get to them, now that he could see where they were, but there were just too many Boarmon between him and them. Yumi and Haru were still in danger of being trampled.

"Our attacks aren't working! There's too many," Patamon cried. "We need to digivolve again."

"Yumi!" Biyomon cried. "Lend me your strength!"

"Please, Haru!" Patamon cried.

Yumi and Haru stared at the Digimon. Their partners. It felt so unreal to find them so easily and without even realizing it. But upon hearing their Digimon's pleas, they snapped out of it, raising their reactivated digivices.

"BIYOMON DIGIVOLVE TOO… HIROTORIMON!"

"PATAMON DIGIVOLVE TOO… PIDDOMON!"

Savers Digital World: Location: Unknown

Masaru Daimon waited, growing impatient with every passing minute.

"I thought you said they'd be here soon Kentaurosmon," he growled, looking up at the Royal Knight.

"They will be. Patience, Masaru," the tall armored horse Knight said. "We are gathering from all across the Digital World. Some of us have a long journey to make."

"It's already been a couple of days," Masaru grumbled.

Agumon, Lalamon, Gaomon, Piyomon, Falcomon, the black and white PawnChessmon and Kamemon, waited with him, watching.

Masaru started to pace. He'd learned a lot of things in the five years he'd spent traversing the Digital World, but patience wasn't really something he'd improved upon much. He'd say that he'd learned patience and was less hot tempered and rash in his actions, but in times like these, waiting only made him nervous. Time was something he doubted was on their side. If he and any of the other former members of DATS were going to be of any help to those children fighting in that other Digital World, then they needed to act fast, because who knew how much time they really had or how long it would take just to travel there. Traversing between the worlds could take seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, maybe even months! And he doubted that those kids had that long. He didn't doubt the children's bravery or their resolve. It was the strength of the enemy that gave him his doubts and worry. He'd eat Agumon's cooking if Aiyokumon was the strongest member of that Zaigou group. No, he bet that she was one of their weakest members.

"Here they come," Kentaurosmon reported.

Masaru's head snapped up and spotted the other eight Royal Knights as they landed nearby before approaching.

"It's about time," Masaru grumbled under his breath.

"Ah, Daimon Masaru," Omegamon said as he approached. "I thought we'd be hearing from you sooner or later. This is about the events happening elsewhere in the Multi-verse, I take it?"

"Multi-verse?" Masaru frowned. "The hell is a Multi-verse?"

"To put it simply," Kentaurosmon interjected, "It's a collection of other worlds; planet, digital, reality, dream, virtual, and whatever else there is out there. As you are by now aware, there are more human and Digital Worlds in existence apart from our own."

"And you wish to aid those chosen children trapped in that Digital World suffering injustice at the hands of an evil Digimon Lord," Omegamon finished. "That is why you summoned us, correct?"

"Yes," Masaru said grimly. "Is there a way you can send me and my friends back to the human world? Uh, our human world, that is."

"It is possible," Craniummon mused. "As this world's protectors we have the ability to make contact with outside worlds, though it may be difficult."

"Difficult how?" Masaru sighed. Couldn't they just send him to Earth already?

"There is a darkness expanding over the Multi-verse," Magnamon spoke up. "A powerful force of incredible influence."

"To put it into terms your human brain can better understand," Dynasmon huffed, "something is blocking travel between worlds, making what you request very difficult. Travel between universes has been made impossible altogether."

"But the influence this force has over our worlds doesn't appear to be as severe as it might be for the worlds that those children come from," Rhodonitemon added. "We just might be able to send you to your Earth, but the trip will be rough and we cannot control where it is you'll end up."

"I don't care," Masaru said. "If you can get us there, do it."

"But to what end?" Dukemon asked. "Even if you were to regroup with your old human friends, how could you ever hope to reach that other Digital World?"

"My friends at DATS are smart," Masaru said, grinning. "Tohma is a genius. Trust me. If DATS can find a way to make it to this Digital World, then with all of us, human and Digimon working together, I know we can find a way."

The Royal Knights traded contemplating stares before nodding.

"I shall go with you," Kentaurosmon stated. "You'll need one of us present if you wish to return here."

"You just want to see Captain Satsuma again," Masaru laughed. "Can't blame ya, though. We all want to see our old friends."

The Royal Knights formed a circle around Masaru and his group of Digimon friends. They focused a good concentrated amount of their power and in a flash of bright light, sent them to the human world. When Masaru blinked his eyes open, he was greeted by the morning sun… and the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

So is the lock to the next level at the Sacred Tree like Kai thinks? How have Shinya and Yutaka faired after their first real fight as Warrior DigiDestined? Haru and Yumi seem to have found their old partners, but how will they fair with the stampeding Boarmon? And it looks like the Savers World has finally gotten into the mix! Will Masaru be able to find and put back together the old DATS team in time to give the other DigiDestined aid? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital monsters!

That's right, guys! Savers has officially joined the line up!