Komodo bolted awake, but immediately lay back down with a groan as her body cried out in agony. Once she was able to open her eyes again, she gave the room a quick survey. Wh...where am I?
The room was small with white walls, a dingy tan carpet and few furnishings. There was a low wooden coffee table littered with empty beer cans, cups, and paper plates next to the couch she was lying on. Next to what seemed to be a doorway to a kitchen was a black stand that held a small TV. There was one other doorway diagonal to the foot of the couch, leading out to a hallway.
Is this...an apartment? She looked up at the ceiling, trying to will her body to stop aching.
"How ya feelin'?"
Komodo jumped at the sound of the gruff voice. She looked around to find where it had come from.
The strange man from earlier was standing in the doorway the led to the hall, arms folded.
A sudden feeling of fear rose up in the young woman and her body began shaking. She pulled herself up as much as she was able, pressing her back against the arm of the couch.
The man rolled his red-wine eyes in an almost exasperated way. "I ain't gonna hurt ya. I'd had let that punk knife ya if I did."
The comment was only slightly comforting to the distressed Komodo.
The man walked over and sat down on the arm of the couch opposite the young woman. "He got'cha pretty good. I cleaned ya up a bit."
Komodo mumbled her gratitude and was surprised when he merely waved his hand.
"Eh, didn't want blood on the couch."
"Why did you...I didn't even deserve...why?"
"Hrm?" He looked down at her, confusion in his hard eyes. "Deserve what?"
Komodo looked down at her hands. "Never mind..."
He shook his head. "What that little punk want with ya anyhow's?"
"He just likes to hurt me...it's all a game."
The man frowned deeply. "That ain't right."
Komodo shrugged slightly. "Do you have any ice?"
"Mhm. Lemme get some." He disappeared into the kitchen.
A few moments later he returned with a paper towel in hand.
She took it gratefully and pressed it to her bruised cheek. She sighed softly. "Why...?" she muttered.
"Why what?"
"Why am I here?"
"I brought ya here. That little punk smacked ya against the buildin'."
Komodo furrowed her brow thoughtfully. So someone did live here.
"So...Komodo, is it?"
She looked up sharply. "How did...?"
"He called yer name earlier. Is that really yer name?"
Komodo looked away, tears stinging at her eyes. "Yes..."
"Ah, thought with how he was treatin' ya it was like a 'pet' name."
She blinked in surprise and brought her eyes up to meet his. "You...you don't think it's a weird name?"
"Eh?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "No, not really. Should I?"
"Everyone else does..."
"And why is that?"
"It's a stupid name for a person."
"Psh. It's a fine name. You humans all have weird names, ta me, anyhow."
"'Humans'? Are you not human?"
This brought a rumbling chuckle from the man. "'ell no! I'ma Digimon."
Komodo tilted her head to one side. "Di-gi-mon." she said slowly to herself, trying to comprehend the meaning of the word.
"Digital monsters. Pretty much."
"Oh, all right." She nodded, though she still was unsure what it meant.
"I never did rightly introduce myself. Seems fair I give my name since I got yers. Name's Beelzebumon."
"'Mon'?"
"Yeh, just somethin'. Same as Digimon, the mon part just means monster fer short."
Komodo shook her head in an attempt to clear it and better her understanding.
"Ya got a place fer me ta drop ya off at?"
She lowered her gaze. "The park."
"Park? Why would ya want dropped off at the park?"
She fiddled with her fingers, not giving a reply.
Beelzebumon frowned. "Komodo, tell me. I ain't droppin' ya off at a park. That punk'll find ya."
"He always does, anyway..." She let out a small squeak when the Digimon moved so he was looming over her, fists planted on his hips in a menacing manner.
"Tell me." he growled.
She put her arms over her head. "I-it's where I live!"
The frown fell from his face. "Wha? Why the 'ell ya livin' in the park?"
"I don't have anywhere else to go."
"Surely there's somewhere. Tell ya what, ya can stay here till yer better. Then we'll find ya somewhere else ta stay."
She stared at him, dumbfounded. "Really?"
He nodded solemnly.
"Oh, thank you! That means a lot-!" She gasped as pain jolted through her and had to curl up more before it eased up. "Ow..."
"Take it easy, there."
"I'll have to get my things later."
"Things?"
"I have some of my possessions in a duffel bag in the park."
"Oh, makes sense, I suppose. I'll get it for ya."
"Y-you don't have to."
He shrugged. "Eh. Yer not goin' anywhere for awhile."
"It's in a bush under the large oak tree smack dab in the middle of where all the paths meet."
She watched him until he closed the door behind him. The moment the door closed, she burst into a fit of excited giggles. "I have somewhere to stay! Even if it is with this strange person...I wonder where he'll find for me to stay."
A short while later Beelzebumon returned with her duffel bag slung over his shoulder, a sour look to his face, accompanied by several small cuts.
"Didn't tell me it was in a damned thorn bush." he grumbled as he set the duffel bag on the floor beside her.
"Sorry. I forgot about it." she said meekly.
"Ferget about it. Not much of a bother." he said as he sat down on the end of the couch, propping his feet up on the table and placing his hands behind his head.
Komodo went to pick up her duffel bag to ensure all of her belongings were still in it, but the aching in her limbs made her think otherwise. She instead cupped her chin in one hand and watched the Digimon with fascination as he flipped through the channels on the television with his tail.
A sudden grumbling noise from her stomach that made the Digimon turn to look at her in surprise. She blushed with embarrassment.
"I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and say yer hungry."
"Oh, n-no!" she said hastily. "It just makes that noise sometimes."
"Yeh, which means it needs fed. Now what do ya want?"
"I get a choice?" she blurted out, surprise overtaking her attempt to stop herself.
Beelzebumon gave her a look of confusion. "Well...yeh. Yer the one eatin'."
"Oh...um...anything will work, I suppose."
He gave her a quirky smirk. "Meanin' ya gotta eat what I give ya."
"I will."
She watched as he disappeared through the kitchen doorway.
As she listened to him rummage around, she stretched herself out some, flexing her muscles in an attempt to push out the soreness. She then realized her shirt was stained with blood.
"Beelzebumon, where's the bathroom?"
"Down the hall, second door on the right."
Despite the aching in her body, Komodo forced herself up from the couch and took up the duffel bag.
In the bathroom, she shut and locked the door before setting her bag on the counter. She stared at her reflection in the small medicine cabinet mirror. She gingerly touched the dark bruise on her cheek. He hit me harder than I thought.
Her collarbone length dull black hair was matted and disheveled and the whites of her eyes were slightly reddened and the right eye had a dark ring around it.
She pulled a baggy black t-shirt and a pair of grey shorts from the bag and commenced undressing herself. Stripped to her undergarments, she found several bruises along her stomach and chest where Kaden's kicks had landed. New trophies to be added to the many scars and older bruises that littered her thin frame. Just what I wanted, more of them.
She quickly dressed and put the old clothes in the bag before returning to the living room.
Beelzebumon was sitting on the couch with his cheek in his hand as he flipped through the channels of the television.
She noticed the coffee table was now free of litter and a small white plastic bowl was set on it in front of the place where she had sat previously.
She halted near the television, not wanting to walk in front of it and chance angering Beelzebumon. She looked towards the Digimon when she heard a small gasp. He was staring wide-eyed at her. "Wh-what?" she asked, looking down at herself.
"Where the 'ell ya get all those?"
"No-nowhere..." she mumbled, tugging her shirtsleeve down farther on her arm.
His pale face set in to a frown but he said nothing further on the matter. After a few moments he spoke again: "Ya gonna sit down or stand there like a statue?"
She quickly made her way around to the other side of the couch and sat down. She stared at the swirling green pieces in the yellow broth.
"Should eat before it gets cold. That stuff never tastes good cold."
Komodo nodded and picked up the bowl. Disregarding the fork, she slurped at the contents.
"Er...ya gotta fork, there, kiddo."
Komodo halted, ducking her head in embarrassment. She set the bowl back down on the table, her appetite satiated for the time being.
"That all yer gonna eat?"
"I..."
"Ya don't eat much, do ya?"
She shook her head slightly.
"Well. While yer here, ya can eat as much as ya want, okay? Don't need ya wastin' away."
She blushed slightly and nodded.
He picked the bowl up and disappeared into the kitchen.
"I hope he's not wasting that because I didn't eat it..."
"I put it in the fridge for later."
She looked up to see him in the doorway, a hand on his side.
"Tomorrow, I want a few more answers from ya, girlie. Need 'em if ya expect me to find ya somewhere ta live."
Komodo fiddled her fingers, uncertain as to what he would need to know to find her a place to stay. She suddenly had to stifle a yawn.
"Tired?"
"A little..."
"Yeh. Ya need ta rest. I'll get ya some bed-clothes," He returned a few minutes later with a pillow and a light blue sheet. He held them out to her. "Here ya go. Make yerself comfortable. If ya need anythin' my room is the first on the left."
"Th-" She stopped when his eyes narrowed. "I mean...all right..."
He gave a small nod and left the room.
After situating the bedding out on the floor in front of the television, Komodo curled up and attempted to sleep.