Rated PG...

Fuck it no one under 14 should read this story.

Chapter Sixteen

Good Morning Digiworld

I'd like to say that when I woke the next morning I lied in bed for a moment with my eyes closed hoping the night's events had been just a troubled dream. Seemed a rational response, who would want to wake up to find that their mother was really hospitalized and their house was blown to pieces and was now faced with the choice of joining the digi-squad or death.

No, I knew it hadn't been a dream, and didn't have the luxury to hope because when I woke up I could hear Jessie and Sarah snoring in the twin beds to either side of me. I expected it to be past noon. We had stayed up past two the night before, but when I looked at my watch it read 11:30. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep again, but alas, the effort went to waste. Jessie and Sarah apparently were having a subconscious competition of 'who could snore the loudest.' Jessie was winning.

I threw the blankets off me and opened the dresser across from my bed. Caroline had said there would be clothes for us to wear and the Numemon would do our laundry. I'd been too tired to shower last night, and had just slipped into the old-school-dress-like nightgown neatly folded on my bed.

I'm glad I waited till the morning to check out the dressers. Why? Because all of the clothes looked exactly like the clothes I came in, save that they were clean.

"Huh," I said out loud as I pulled out a pair of underwear identical to the pair I was wearing.

Shower.

Jessie and Sarah still sleeping.

I met Brian in the kitchen, munching on toast with Wizardmon. He beamed at me from across the table. "So, what kind of Digimon do you think you'll pick?"

I blinked. "Where did you get the toast?"

Brian pointed to a cupboard and I found a loaf of toast. Yes, a loaf of toast. All warmed up and buttered and ready to eat. In fact, there were several loafs of toast, peanut buttered toast, jam and butter toast, banana and peanut buttered and honey… I stopped reading and grabbed that one.

"Convenient," I said and opened the somehow not melting or sticky plastic bag. The toast was wonderful. Wonderful, first time I've used that word in a while. I sat down across from Brian and munched on my banana and peanut buttered and honeyed toast.

"So?" Brian asked.

I took another bite of toast and looked at him. My lack of response prompted him to ask again.

"What kind of digimon do you think you'll pick?"

I shrugged.

After a few more noneverbaly answered questions, Brian quit talking to me and pursued a discussion with his digimon.

"So, how strong are you compared to the other digimon?" Brian asked.

"I am stronger since bonding with you," was all Wizardmon said.

"Could you—holy shit on a stick a DINOSAUR!"

Justin had entered the kitchen on the heels of a four foot tall orange T-rex, only its arms were far too big.

"Good Morning!" the T-rex amiably replied and somehow managed to smile without looking horrifying.

"Oh," Justin said. "This is Agumon, the digivolved form of Koromon. You've already met."

"Wait? Their names change?" Brian asked.

"Uh, yeah," Justin said.

"Why?" Brian asked.

"I… Don't know." Justin replied. He frowned at Agumon. "Why does your name change when you digivolve?"

"Because I become a different digimon." Agumon said.

"But, you're still my digimon."

"Yep, I'll always be you're digimon." Agumon smiled again and despite his huge, sharply, toothed, mouth he managed to look cute… somehow.

Justin sighed and shrugged. "The world will never know."

"Huh, how many times can a digimon digivolve?" Brian asked.

Justin shrugged. "Well, the highest level we know is Mega. So that's the sixth level."

"Cool, and what level is Wizardmon?" Brian asked.

"I'm Champion," Wizardmon said, a note a pride in his voice.

"How far are you from Mega?" Brian asked.

Wizardmon shifted uncomfortably. "Two, but it will take some time for me to digivolve. And I can no longer maintain a form higher than champion once I do, not now that I am bonded to you."

"Oh, so, you're already as strong as you can get without me getting a crest?"

Wizardmon nodded.

"Alright! What do I have to do to get a crest?" Brian asked, leaping from his seat as if the deed had already been done.

"You have to prove yourself to your digimon," Justin replied. "Once you do that, you will earn your crest."

"Okay!" Brian said and took Wizardmon by the shoulders. "What do I need to do to prove myself to you?"

Wizardmon glanced away from the intensity of Brian's gaze. "I'm not sure."

"You're not sure? How can you not be sure? How am I supposed to get a crest if you can't tell me how to prove myself to you?"

"Calm down," Justin said. "It'll come in time. Digimon are our friends, and like any friendship, the relationship take's time to build."

"Dude, that sound's really gay…" Brian said.

Justin opened his mouth, but let out a breath. "Yeah, I know it does."

One by one the rest of the group entered the kitchen, all wearing the exact same thing they'd been wearing the night before. Sarah didn't seem happy about being stuck in my father's undershirt and my best pair of pajama pants. Caroline, surprisingly, was the last person up, and the only person stupid enough to point it out (aka Brian) earned a slap in the face by her digimon, now in the form of the green, plant, alien looking creature, Palmon.

"Aren't you going to defend me?" Brian gasped, rubbing his sore cheek. Wizardmon did some motions with his fingers and Brian quit rubbing his cheek. "Huh, the pain's gone."

"Alright," Caroline continued as if Brian had not spoken, "once I eat, Leomon is going to escort us to Primary Village. And yes, I'm going to tell you what that is, so shut your mouth," (Brian shut his mouth) "It's the village where most of the digimon are born from eggs. They remain there until they are strong enough to leave. Hopefully more of you will find a digimon there to bond with."

"What if we don't?" Josh asked.

Caroline shrugged. "Then you keep looking. But, I suggest you bond with someone fast. We won't always be there to protect you, and we are leaving the human world fully exposed to Myotismon every moment we are here. Luckily, I checked the forecast and it'll be sunny for a bit. However, his little shits are still prowling about, so once we get to Primary, either Justin or I will head back and patrol."

"Since I already have a digimon, can I go with—"

"No," Caroline said and after a moment let up. "If Justin goes you can accompany him. But you better keep that little shit inline!" She pointed at Wizardmon who narrowed his eyes at her.

At that moment, Impmon randomly fell into the kitchen through the unopened window. Surprisingly, or at this point I really shouldn't be surprised, unmarred by the shards of glass now scattered all over the kitchen. He pushed himself to his feet and dusted himself off. The whole table went quite, staring at him.

"You were listening to us weren't you?" Caroline asked.

"What?" Impmon gaped, shocked. "No, why would I do a stupid thing like that? Listening to humans is as interesting as listening to a bunch of chickens!"

"That all you got?" Justin asked, crossing his arms. "Come on, you can do better."

"Don't push me, it's hard to insult a creature that enjoys it." Impmon said, and paused for effect.

Justin shrugged. "A little better."

"Whatever," Caroline said. "Clean that mess up and you can come with us, Impmon."

"Huh? What? No I'm not cleaning this up. I broke the window on purpose! And why would I want to go with you idiots to babytown? Do I look like a baby to you?" Impmon asked, pointing a thumb at his chest and glaring at everyone.

"No, but you're acting like one," Palmon said, and both she and Agumon burst into fits of laughter. Everyone else shifted uncomfortably, except for Impmon who went beet red.

"I'm not a baby! You are! Both of you are babies! Just look at you! Idiots doing whatever a human say's like some kind of lapdog!" Impmon jumped onto the windowsill and glanced over his shoulder at us. "Good luck finding any digimon to bond with you all! You're all going to need it! It'll take an especially dumb creature to waste its life on you all! Especially her!" He snapped pointing at Sarah, and fell out the window. He let out an 'oomph' as he hit the ground and stormed off before anyone could make fun of him.

"What's his problem?" Sarah snapped after Impmon had left.

"His name is Impmon, that's his problem," Josh said with a quirk to his lips.

"Good one," Justin said.

"Thanks," Josh replied.

"Can I call my mom?" I asked, and predictably Caroline answered:

"No."