"…This is a WEIRD forest…" Don noted, looking at the road signs pinned haphazardly to the bark of trees.
"Unless this is normal in forests." Mikey added, looking around in wonder.
He didn't notice the hole in the road, and tripped.
"AHH!!"
He was jerked up by the arm, and looked up at Rach's midnight black eyes.
"Be careful, sport. Unless ya wanna plant yer face in the floor."
He blushed in embarrassment, looking down as she pulled him to his feet.
"Are you okay?" Elisa asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm okay, dudette…"
Elisa nodded, absentmindedly petting Biyomon on the head, and said Digimon responded by rubbing her leg like a satisfied cat.
They kept walking, and the forest soon dwindled into desert, telephone poles scattered around and disappearing into the distance.
"…Whoa…"
Gio stopped, looking out, and said, "Well…we've got nothing better to do, I guess…"
Leo nodded slightly in agreement, and they headed out over the hot sand.
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"…I hate deserts…remind me NEVER to do this again…" Rach growled irritably, Gomamon on her head, supporting himself on the top ridge of her shell.
"It's so HOT…" Mikey whined, Patamon stretching his wings to try and shield his human partner from the harsh sunlight.
"Has anyone noticed that there are no wires connected to these poles?" Don asked, looking around.
Everyone looked around, seeing Don was right.
"What's the point of telephone poles if there aren't any connecting wires?" Gio asked, still looking.
"There is none…"
Silence befell the group of turtles as they trudged through the burning sand.
"Is there even anything ahead?" Raph asked gruffly.
"I'll check!"
Patamon flew up as high as he could, scanning the land before them.
"I see a village!"
Everyone perked.
"It's got a lake and trees and everything!"
"Then let's go!" Mikey exclaimed excitedly, waiting for Patamon to perch on his head before following the others in their run.
When they got there, however, they were surprised.
The huts were small, only reaching their mid sections at best, and the inhabitants were small Yokomon.
As Biyomon talked with them, Elisa sat down, leaning her shell lightly on a hut. She heard her name, and tried to hear her Digimon partner's words.
"El is good person. It's my job to protect her, and I'll do that with my life. She's my friend, after all."
'She's my friend…'
Elisa thought back to when Agumon and Gabumon Digivolved, and looked at the strange device she'd found in her belt when she'd awoken in this world.
'They did it to protect them…it's like we have guardian angels…'
"El."
The pink-banded turtle looked up at her partner.
"The Yokomon have invited us to dinner."
"Oh…"
Elisa stood up.
"Thank you. That's very kind."
"Hey, guys! WATER!!!"
Everyone's heads snapped in the direction of Mikey's voice, and they bolted.
"It's a fountain!" Gio cheered, smiling brightly.
Before anyone could get a drink, the fountain stopped and a pillar of fire came up, evaporating the water. They all jumped back, and headed to the well to see if there was any water there.
Leo lowered the bucket, hitting the bottom, but all that was pulled up was burnt rope before another column of fire erupted.
Even the lake was dry!
"Something must be happening on Mihirashi Mountain!" The Yokomon chorused worriedly.
Rach saw the mountain, a trail of fire making its way down.
Tentomon flew up, and panicked.
"It's Meramon!"
The turtles looked confused, so a Yokomon explained.
"He's a fiery Digimon that guards the lake up on the mountain. He never comes down, since he burns everything he touches."
"He entered the forest!" Tentomon called down.
"Come on, guys! We need to evacuate the Yokomon into the ship!" Leo ordered, and everyone jumped into action.
As Raph, Rach, and Mikey made room on the ship for all the Digimon, and Leo and Elisa herded them in, the others tried to calm the frightened Digimon.
Elisa looked around, something nagging at her mind.
'Wait…where's Biyo?!'
Biyomon was on the upper edge of the lake, herding the Yokomon down into the dried lake bed.
"Biyo! Hurry and come down!"
"Not until all my friends are safe!"
'Then I'm going up after you!'
She started running, her legs moving on autopilot as she ignored Leo's calls and kept her sights on her Digimon partner. The stream of Yokomon had finally died down, and more voices called for her to come back.
She looked behind Biyomon…and her heart nearly stopped…
"Biyo, look out!"
The call came too late, and Biyomon was struck away, tumbling down the wall of the lake bed.
"BIYO!!!"
Elisa jumped, catching the pink bird Digimon before she hit the ground.
"Are you okay?" Elisa asked worriedly, checking her partner over for injuries.
"Yeah…"
Elisa heard footsteps behind her, and turned to see Leo and Don, their Digimon, plus Palmon, Gabumon, and Patamon, behind them.
"Pepper Breath!"
"Blue Blaster!"
"Super Shocker!"
"Poison Ivy!"
"Boom Bubble!"
The attacks only served to make Meramon larger, and they refrained from repeating the mistake.
"I've got to fight, El…"
Elisa hugged her partner a moment before releasing her hold.
"…Be careful, Biyo…"
The Digimon nodded, and flew up.
"Spiral Twister!"
The attack struck them multiple times, but it had little effect, and Meramon smacked her away again.
'NO!'
Don held Elisa back, giving her a sympathetic look.
"It's too dangerous, El."
Meramon jumped down, ready to crush them, and Elisa closed her eyes, pushing Don out of range.
"EL!!!!"
A bright white light, and…
"Biyomon, Digivolve to…BIRDRAMON!!"
The large bird Digimon caught Meramon, flinging him back on higher ground.
"…Birdramon…" Elisa muttered in awe.
Birdramon flew around Meramon in a circle, and got a fireball in the back.
"Don't turn your back on him!"
Birdramon faced the fiery Digimon.
"Meteor Wing!"
Meramon fell to his knees, and a strange Black Gear came out of his back, shattering into millions of microscopic pieces.
Soon, the lake filled up again and everyone was on land. Meramon apologized for the trouble he'd caused, and headed back to Mihirashi Mountain.
"We're still invited to dinner with the Yokomon." Biyomon informed.
The food looked like uncooked grain, but if you live in the sewers, EVERYTHING looks edible.
Elisa smiled softly as she watched Biyomon eat.
'I'm lucky to have such a great friend…'