Hello! This is the last Origin chapter for a few more chapters of the main story line. As these chapters aren't vital to the story as a whole they will be kept brief but I hope to still work in the critical elements I wish to express through these chapters. I don't own Digmon, but I hope you enjoy this chapter all the same.


Chapter 6:

Origin: Level Up


"Takeshi! Takeshi! Takeshi!"

The student council president caught his in-training partner in his arms as the mini, blue camouflaged Digimon chanted his name. Stratomon was the only in-training Digimon with hands and feet, and Gomamon often compared it to another Digimon called DemiVeemon. Although Takeshi hadn't seen one since he'd arrived in the Digiworld, but evidently an in-training Digimon with hands and feet was fairly unusual.

Stratomon made itself comfortable in his arms, reclining back as Takeshi made his way into the cave Stilvomon had brought them to since it staged their rescue from the Allomon from their first day in the Digiworld. It'd been about three days since then, and the group was adapting to the Digiworld with the aid of their partners and Gomamon. The rookie had filled them in on why they were summoned to the Digiworld. And despite their initial reluctance they'd agreed to help Gomamon when Stilvomon had Digivolved into his rookie form, Crubimon, to save Katsuo from Allomon the next day.

"Did you find a lot of food, Takeshi?" Stratomon inquired, eyeing his bag.

Takeshi should have expected that question. Unlike the others, Stratomon didn't seem emotionally attached to him. They others claimed they could speak telepathically to their partners, but Stratomon and Takeshi lacked the ability. Honestly, Takeshi knew the in-training Digimon was only excited to see him because he had gone out to look for food.

"I thought Gomamon fed you. You should have enough food with Crubimon helping in gathering it," Takeshi commented, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Gomamon only gives us fish! I'm tired of fish!" Stratomon proclaimed, bouncing in Takeshi's arms.

"In that case, I'll stop feeding you altogether."

Stratomon froze at the sound of his guardian's grumpy voice. The behavior of the younger Digimon when it came to Gomamon was only comparable to a child who misbehaved and got caught by their parents. Of course, the distinct difference was no parent would stop feeding their child, expect Gomamon. He tended to carry through with threats.

"No!" Stratomon wailed, "That's not fair!"

"I don't care if it's not fair! There's no point in feeding you if you're going to be so ungrateful!" Gomamon snapped.

The little dragon Digimon jumped out of Takeshi's arms. It faced it's guardian before sticking out its tongue and racing out of the cave, acting much like a small child. If Takeshi had known saving the Digiworld involved taking care of a baby, he never would have accepted.

"Stratomon, come back," Takeshi called halfheartedly.

"Let the brat go. He'll come back when he gets hungry enough," Gomamon grumbled.

Why in the world did Owryumon entrust the saviors of the Digiworld with perhaps the worst possible Digimon parent ever? Takeshi wished he knew. Gomamon was such a bad option as their caretaker. Takeshi was surprised he hadn't already killed the chosen Digimon.

"I can't do that, Gomamon. Could you give this to the others, so they can start on dinner? I'll be back after I find him," Takeshi replied. He dropped the backpack he'd used to collect the fruits beside Gomamon before striding back into the woods.

"Stratomon! This stopped being funny an hour ago, would you please come out," Takeshi called out into the woods. He'd been out for nearly an hour and a half, the sun was already beginning to set above the tree tops, casting long shadows across the wooded area. But regardless of the number of times Takeshi called out to his partner, the young Digimon had yet to respond.

Hopefully, Fujinmon hadn't taken the opportunity to gain his first of the four chosen Digimon. His spies were supposed to be roaming every inch of the Digiworld, quelling what was left of Owryumon's forces and slaughtering rebellions.

"Stratomon!" Takeshi called out again. A movement in the bush ahead caught his eye, distracting him long enough for him to misstep, tripped on a tree root that had been innocently sticking out of the ground. As he plummeted to the ground, the Chosen slipped on the muddy ground, sending him tumbling through the undergrowth.

He could only let out a pained groan before he lost consciousness.

Stratomon…


"Takeshi still hasn't come back?" Kimura asked worriedly.

Yua couldn't blame her, the student council president had been gone for an awfully long time chasing after his troublemaking partner. She counted herself lucky to have the calm Tsunomon as her partner instead of Stratomon. Alas, she had long since taken note of Takeshi's reluctance to communicate properly with his partner. Perhaps an event such as this would give them the push they needed to begin acting like partners.

"Do not worry about them, Asuka. Takeshi and Stratomon may not work well together but they will not fall to Fujinmon without a fight," Liollmon purred.

The lioness Digimon had been the second to reach Rookie, Digivolving only when Crubimon was busy and she realized she could not defend Kimura as at her in-training level. Her cool, rational personality was a decent combination with Kimura's emotionally driven one. But the Digimon was lazy to a fault, never putting more effort into anything than she absolutely had to. While Crubimon had agreed to help Gomamon take care of the younger Digimon, Liollmon took countless catnaps each day, stirring only at the threat of battle or mention of food. Well, food seemed to be the way to all the Digimon's hearts.

"We should let those two solve their own problems. Stratomon has never been good about following direction, he deserves whatever may be coming to him," Gomamon threw in.

The seal Digimon was next to his most powerful charge, Crubimon watching silently as Katsuo cooked their dinner. The dark and fire Digimon rarely displayed emotion, nor was he as openly affectionate to Katsuo as the rest of the Digimon, but their bond seemed to be the most powerful of the whole group. They fully trusted each other in such a short time. Yua enviously wondered if perhaps she'd have a similar relationship with Tsunomon one day.

Chosen children and Digimon alike were startled from their thoughts by the arrival of a certain energetic Digimon who practically bounced back into the cave. "Gomamon, I'm hungry," Stratomon whined.

Yua stared at the small Digimon in amazement, it was just like Gomamon had said, the time dragon was truly fueled by his desire for food. He'd come back all on his own.

"Where's Hirano?" Tsunomon inquired after a second's pause.

Stratomon's head tilted to the side in curiosity, "I thought Takeshi was here."

Liollmon pulled herself up from where she's been laying, shaking her head and glaring at the in-training Digimon. "He went looking for you after you ran off. What kind of Digimon loses his partner?"

"Liollmon, don't put it like that!" Kimura mumbled, astounded by her partner's blunt accusation.

"You're wrong. Takeshi wouldn't come looking for me. He doesn't want me as a partner. He was probably happy I left!" Stratomon yelped, backpedaling from the much bigger lion Digimon.

"If that's the way you feel, you can stay here while we look for him Stratomon," Katsuo pipped up, pulling the night's dinner off the fire. "But you're going to have to realize eventually that Takeshi does respect you as a partner."

"Can you watch Stratomon while we're gone, Gomamon?" Yua questioned.

The guardian of the chosen Digimon sighed deeply, "I guess I'll watch the little troublemaker. Make sure you bring that kid back, not like Owryumon can call another up anytime soon. It's important we have all four of you chosen so we can defeat Fujinmon."


Takeshi woke up to his head pounding. He was caked in mud, due to his fall no doubt. Peeling himself from the pile of mud and underbrush which had been his bed for the time in which he was unconscious, Takeshi grunted at the sheer amount of effort it took to push himself up into a sitting position.

"Great, just great," Takeshi grumbled. His only pair of clothes in this world, completely ruined unless Gomamon knew good Digi-dry cleaners. The sun was already set, he had no more business being out here, he might as well return to the cave once he felt able to stand again. But…

Stratomon's still out here. It's already dark, he's got to be scared on his own. I can't go back until I find him.

"The other Otamamon claimed they saw the human around here," a new voice broke into Takeshi's thoughts.

In a split second he was flat on his stomach on the muddy ground once more, peering through the undergrowth to catch a glimpse of who was speaking. There was no way of knowing where and when Fujinmon's spies would show up, and Takeshi doubted he would be able to fight back if he was discovered.

"It doesn't seem like anything's been through this area besides you Otamamon," another voice replied, thick with disgust.

There was a squelching sound as the spies walked across the mud, surveying the land around them which allowed Takeshi to catch a glimpse of the third member of the small group.

Another human.

Unlike the others, who were all from his grade and school, he didn't recognize this boy. But Gomamon had told them there were only four chosen Digimon and humans. It didn't make sense for there to be a fifth with the lack of partners.

"Fujinmon will be displeased if you've called us out here for nothing," the boy spoke, his voice void of emotion.

The Otamamon shivered, beginning to search the area frantically. So, this human was on Fujinmon's side, Gomamon would want to hear about this. In addition to the Otamamon, the boy was escorted by a Bucchiemon and a small fox like Digimon.

"I can smell something," the small Digimon proclaimed, lifting its nose into the air. Its eyes darted quickly to where Takeshi hid, and he practically planted his face in the mud to avoid being seen.

I've got to get out of here. I need to get away.

"Otamamon, start searching over there. We'll going to report our status to Fujinmon. By the time we return, you had better yield some results," Bucchiemon ordered, beginning to prod the human away from the area.

If Takeshi remembered right, Otamamon was only a rookie, and while Digimon were assumed to be more powerful than humans, if he got caught, Takeshi bet he would be able to outrun the Digimon before it could retrieve the help of its companions.

Get up, Takeshi. Get up.

You can do it Takeshi.

Takeshi pushed himself up, surprising the Otamamon who'd begun to investigate the bushes to his left. He took one look at the rookie before charging up the incline he'd fallen from earlier.

"Wha- No wait! Stop!" the Otamamon yelled after him. The sound of Otamamon's rubbery body against the mud sounded closer than Takeshi would have liked at the Digimon began to pursue him. The injuries he'd received from the fall were already slowing him down and he doubted he'd be able to run for long.

Keep running Takeshi. Don't give up, I'm coming!

"Wrapping Bubble!

"Stratomon Digivolved to Commandramon!"


"You mean to tell us there were originally five eggs," Takeshi clarified, glaring at Gomamon. Such important information that the seal Digimon withheld from them.

"Yes… When I fled with the eggs, Fujinmon was able to hit me with an attack. I dropped the fifth egg. I didn't think it survived the fall, but evidently, I was wrong. We have no idea how powerful this fifth chosen pair is. Until you're all stronger, you must avoid them at all cost."

"Shouldn't we try to help him? Fujinmon is using him," Kimura protested.

"No, absolutely not. You cannot push yourselves at risk to help him. He will have to find his own way out of Fujinmon's control."