Greetings my readers, it's time for chapter sixteen of Digimon Frontier: Rise and Fall of the Guardian! Before we get to the chapter, I'm happy to announce that I was able to find a new job! Furthermore, I got my first car, so I've been driving it around like crazy. On another note, I'm in the middle of writing another crossover. I'm still in the prototype stage, but the first chapter is coming along quite nicely. I'm not sure when I'll be posting it, but I look forward to that day as it's not often I write crossovers. With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Sixteen: Zephyrmon's Island
Shortly after losing sight of the Toucanmon, the group began their search for them. They searched every corner of the island with no luck. They were desperate to get the boys' D-tectors back before Ranamon appeared again. With Zoe being the only one to spirit evolve, she's at a disadvantage without her own Beast Spirit.
"Toucanmon, come out, come out wherever you are!" Takuya called out, searching through the bushes while Koji climbed a tree for a better view. "Come out already, pretty please!"
"For colorful birds, they sure know how to hide." Michael commented as he, J.P., Zoe, Tommy, Bokomon, and Neemon searched the beach. "You'd think we'd have spotted them by now."
"Who are we kidding?" Takuya muttered, stepping out of the bushes, scratching the back of his head in frustration. "We couldn't find them if they came and bite us on the nose!"
"Let's stay positive, Takuya." Michael said, adjusting his hold on Guardiamon's digi-egg. The childhood friends were oblivious when a small crab digimon sinked its pincers on J.P.'s behind. "They can't have gone far."
"Where could they be?" Zoe asked herself after admiring her reflection in a barrel of water.
"Toucanmon!" Neemon called out, peering in Bokomon's waistband.
"They're not in my pants, dorkus!" Bokomon cried out angrily, turning away from Neemon with his hands protectively over Seraphimon's digi-egg. "You're going to be in big trouble if the egg got cold."
"You know, you really are a good mommy." Neemon commented.
"Thanks, I-" Bokomon stopped mid-sentence when he processed Neemon's words. "Oh hush."
"It's no use, we'll never find them!" Takuya laying down on a bench outside of Toucan Paradise.
"We looked all over this beach and still no sign of them." Koji frowned, his hands in his pocket.
"I bet they're still on the island, somewhere." Michael added, him and Tommy taking a seat beside Takuya. He looked in the direction of the beach with a contemplative look. "Considering their body shape, I doubt they can fly."
"Let's just take a break for a while." Takuya suggested, exhaustion weighing down on his body.
Meanwhile, J.P. lets out a depressed sigh, catching Zoe's attention. Michael also heard the sigh, but was preoccupied with tending his Guardiamon's digi-egg. He had noticed something off with the egg a minute ago. It felt slightly less warm than it did before, in fact, it was getting colder. This worried the blond as nothing he did warmed the egg.
The boy knew that digi-eggs were different from normal eggs, but that didn't mean they were different entirely. It was still an egg, and eggs needed to be warm in order to hatch. His thoughts wandered to what'll happen if the egg gets too cold. A mental image of the egg shattering and fractal code scattering came to mind.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Zoe's voice brought Michael out of his thoughts and turned to see the blonde girl consoling J.P. "I bet you'll find your D-tector real soon."
"Huh?" J.P. look up at Zoe, a look of confusion on his face. "What were you saying, Z?"
"J.P., weren't you thinking about your D-tector?" Zoe asked, a look of confusion on her face as well as she was sure that was why J.P. was down.
"Oh, uh, well…" J.P. looked down, an awkward smile on his face. "I was wondering if you'd be like that."
"Huh?" Zoe was even more confused as to what J.P. was getting at. "Be like what?"
"Like Calmaramon."J.P. replied, causing Takuya to bolt into a sitting position as he thought Calmaramon returned. "I was just wondering if you'd be scary like that, you know, like when you got your beast spirit and all that."
J.P.'s words got everyone thinking about the possibility. In truth, none of them knows what a beast spirit will look like. They only knew once they obtained theirs, and learned to control them. At the thought of Zoe's beast spirit, everyone looked up and thought of a monstrous Kazemon.
"Stop that!" Zoe shouted, breaking the image everyone thought in frustration. "I can't believe you guys would think something like that!" She crossed her arms as she tried to calm down. "I'm nothing like her!"
"Of course." Neemon said nervously, slightly scared of the blonde girl's outburst.
"Hey, say that like you mean it!" Zoe snapped Neemon's waistband, causing the digimon's eyes to bulge.
"He's not saying you're evil or anything." Takuya said, trying to calm the angry girl before she lashed out on someone else. "Just that beast spirits are hard to control."
"Yes, remember what happened with Takuya and Michael?" Bokomon pointed out, recalling when both boys were possessed by the beast spirit of flame.
"I'll always be a cool and beautiful girl digimon." Zoe said confidently, releasing her grip on Neemon. "That I know."
"But how?" Tommy asked, confused with how the girl can be confident she won't lose control.
"Cause I'm a girl!" Zoe replied, thinking her gender is all the explanation she'll need. "And girls know how to handle power when they need to."
"What about Ranamon, then?" Michael asked, remembering how she lost control of her own attack. "She's a girl, and she didn't know how to handle her power."
"Only because she let her ego get in the way." Zoe waved off Michael's question, before noticing the looks of fear on J.P., Tommy, and Neemon's faces. She then got up to their faces with a fist raised in the air. "Knock it off, having power does not make you scary!"
"Geez, you sure?" Takuya gave the blonde girl an awkward smile while Koji, Bokomon, and Michael just watched. He then heard the sound of flapping and looked up to see the Toucanmon. "Hey, it's the Toucanmon!"
"What do you know, they can fly." Michael commented, a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun and letting out an impressed whistle.
"Where are they going?" Tommy asked, watching as they flew towards a nearby island. "Look, they're landing over there!"
"Right!" Takuya ran towards the ocean in the direction of the island. "Don't let them get away, we can swim over!"
"I'll race you there!" Zoe said, running beside Takuya.
"Tommy, you guys wait here!" Takuya called out behind his shoulder before tripping and falling into the water.
"Takuya?" Zoe stopped running and turned towards the fallen goggle head as he surfaced.
The goggle head looked down to see that something with claws caught his foot. The head of a white, furry sea lion-like digimon surfaced. It has no nose and long ears, purple markings, an orange-red mane, and large claws. It also had a short tail like a sea otter, and a W-shaped smile with two pointed teeth popping out.
"What the heck is that?" Takuya asked rhetorically, unsure of what he was seeing at the moment.
"That's Gomamon." The digimon replied.
"Well whoever you are, let go of my foot, okay?" Takuya said, pulling his foot out of the digimon's grasp.
"Sorry, but we had to stop you guys." Gomamon said as more popped their heads to the surface.
"Whoa, there's a whole herd of them." Michael said, taking in the number of them surrounding Takuya and Zoe. He then had a look of contemplation on his face as he looked to the side in thought. "Wait, maybe it's a raft since they also look like sea otters."
"Gomamon are cute and curious." Bokomon explained, standing beside Michael. "But if you get them mad, they won't hesitate to attack. Then again, what does around here?"
"How cute!" Zoe squealed, picking up the nearest Gomamon and pulling it into a hug.
"Yeah, girls are tough." J.P. muttered, having trouble believing the blonde's previous statement with her current behavior.
"We wouldn't be very good friends if we let you go out there." One of the Gomamon, presumably the leader, said. "The water looks so cuddly and inviting, but really it's very dangerous."
"What do you mean?" Michael asked, looking at the ocean and seeing nothing but the calm surface and waves. "It looks safe to me."
"Just look." Gomamon said, pointing in the direction of the island, which the group can see foam along the edge of it. "All that foam by the island is caused by a whole bunch of whirlpools."
"Whirlpools!" Takuya took a closer look, and to his dismay, there were indeed a group of whirlpools.
"Don't worry, we're safe here." Goma said reassuringly. "But if you get too close, they'll suck you in and never spit you out." He then pointed to the cliff that surrounded the island's only beach. "And even if you could get past them, you get slammed up against the cliffs that surround the only beach you could land on."
"You guys seem to know an awful lot about that island." Michael commented, noting the familiar tone the Gomamon had when explaining the island.
"We know all about it because we used to live there." Gomamon explained, a look of depression along with the rest of his group.
"So, is there some kind of secret way to get there or something?" Takuya asked, further depressing the Gomamon.
"No, I wish there were."
"You can't get home?" Zoe asked, feeling sorry for the Gomamon for being unable to return home.
"That's right." Gomamon nodded, thinking back to when they were back home. "Everything used to be so wonderful here."
"What happened to change all that?" Michael asked, a look of sympathy on his face as he knelt down and placed a comforting hand on the head of a smaller Gomamon.
"One day, when we went out to play and get some food, there was a big earthquake." Gomamon explained, trying to recall every detail of what happened. "That's when the whirlpools started. We have been cut off from our island, and we haven't been able to get home since."
"I'd be willing to bet that the earthquake happened when the destruction of the digital world began." Bokomon surmised, letting out a small sigh as they came across another group of distressed digimon. "It seems there's no one Cherubimon's evil touch hasn't hurt."'
"You poor things." Michael said softly, feeling sorry for the Gomamon who were unable to return home.
"So you're saying there's no way to get across, huh?" Koji surmised, a frown on his face at knowing they can't reach the island the Toucanmon are on.
"Maybe we'll be able to find some kind of flying digimon who will take us over to the island." J.P. suggested, seeing no other way to get past the whirlpools.
"Wish Trailmon was still here." Michael lowered his head thoughtfully, kicking up some sand with his foot. "He can probably get us all there in no time."
"I don't think so, Michael." Bokomon said, raising a paw to get the blond's attention. "The Trailmon follow a strict schedule, and won't drop it just to help under any circumstance."
"In that case, we'll go with J.P.'s idea." Takuya said, facing the Gomamon and giving them an appreciative wave. "Thanks for the help guys, you really saved our necks."
"No problem." The lead Gomamon said, watching as the human children and companions walked away.
Michael and Zoe moved to join their friends, but stopped to look at the Gomamon again. They saw them looking in the direction of the island, sad and longing looks in their eyes. The sight broke their hearts as they thought of themselves in their position. In fact, they all are in the same position as them. They were separated from their families too and unable to return home for now.
Seeing these digimon in the exact same situation didn't sit well with either blond. Michael looked in the direction of the island and the whirlpools that surround it. If only they still had their D-tectors, then they could carry the Gomamon over. Kazemon alone would just exhaust herself if she tried.
"Why don't you all come with us?" Zoe suggested, approaching the Gomamon and giving them an inviting smile. "I mean, don't you wanna go back home?"
"It must be painful." Michael crouched down to look one of the Gomamon in the eye, stretching out a hand for it to take. "Being separated from your loved ones I mean."
"Oh, don't worry about us." The Gomamon leader said, a forceful smile on his face. "We'll be just fine."
"Are you sure?" Michael questioned, looking around the Gomamon with worry.
"Yup." Gomamon nodded. "If we swim close up to the whirlpools, we can catch a really good view of our friends on the other side."
"You're telling us you're fine watching all your friends from afar, not even able to talk to them?" Zoe suddenly said, catching the Gomamon by surprise as he gave them a stern look. as they avoided making eye contact with her. "I don't buy that in the least!"
"It's alright to be sad." Michael added, causing the Gomamon to turn their attention to him. "It's as obvious as water being wet, you miss your friends." He got to his feet and pointed in the direction of the island. "I'm willing to bet they miss you too."
"Listen guys." Zoe said, turning her attention to her friends. "We should take them all with us!"
"Although I appreciate the sentiment," Bokomon said thoughtfully, giving her proposal some consideration. "Don't you think it'll be a tad dangerous?"
"Come on guys, we have to try!" Zoe said, trying her best to persuade her friends to get on board.
"We can't even help ourselves." Koji interrupted, cutting Zoe off before she could say anything else. "I mean, we don't even have our D-tectors anymore."
'Koji has a point.' Michael admitted begrudgingly, despite himself admitting earlier that they can't do much. 'Without our D-tectors, we can't even fight back if Ranamon shows up.'
"That's a great excuse if you want to give up." Zoe said, regaining Michael's attention and seeing the determination in her eyes. "But I'm not going to!"
"Zoe, what you're suggesting isn't going to be easy." Michael pointed out, adjusting his hold on Guardiamon's digi-egg. "What if Ranamon comes back, we won't be able to defend the Gomamon."
"Sure, it's tough." Zoe admitted, hesitating for a moment before pressing on. "But I believe that we can do whatever we put our minds to."
"Whatever we put our minds to." Michael and Takuya muttered, casting a side glance to each other. Having been friends for so long, they both knew what the other was thinking.
"When you put it that way," Takuya finally said, a small grin on his face before walking to stand beside Zoe. "The only way to know for sure is to help each other out and make it together."
"Even without our D-tectors, I guess there's plenty we can do as a team." Koji admitted, his hands in his pockets as he also stood beside Zoe.
"You mean it, really?" Zoe asked, looking at the two boys with a bright, hopeful smile.
"I can't swim well and I'm afraid of water, but count me in!" Tommy said, a smile gracing his face.
"Hey, finding flying digimon is too much work, anyway." J.P. added.
"It's decided, then." Bokomon concluded, adjusting Seraphimon's digi-egg in his waistband.
"I think I might have an idea." Michael said, gaining everyone's attention as he picked up a nearby stick. He then crouched down and drew in the sand for a moment before standing. "What if we use a raft to get across?" He tossed the stick aside and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I would've suggested a kind of plane, but that'll take too long."
"Anything's good at this point." Takuya said, looping an arm around Michael's shoulders. He then faced the rest of their group and raised a fist in the air. "Alright, let's get to it!"
With the combined effort of the children and digimon, they were successful in building a raft. They made the body and mast with the surrounding trees and the sail from cloth in Toucan Paradise. They even included a barrel for Tommy as he couldn't swim and Michael entrusted him with Guardiamon's digi-egg.
In no time at all, they were in the water, sailing towards the island with Koji steering the raft. Everyone was excited except for J.P., who was sad no one looked at his design for a boat. While Michael felt sorry for him, he knew the kind the warrior of thunder wanted to make would take a couple years.
As they neared the island, they saw how bad the whirlpools really were. Despite there being so many of them, they make a near impassable wall to the shore. Deep down, Michael felt there was something off about these whirlpools. It almost seemed like they were protecting something.
'Protecting what, though?' Michael though, blocking out what his friends were saying as he tried to peered beneath the water's surface.
"Whoa there, buddy." Takuya said, placing a hand on the blond's shoulder and pulling him back. "Don't want you falling in."
"Takuya, there's something off about these whirlpools." Michael said softly, not taking his eyes off the swirling funnels of water.
"Something off?" Takuya blinked in confusion, looking at the whirlpools and his childhood friend. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know." Michael pressed his lips into a thin line as he tried to understand what he's feeling. "It feels like they're protecting something."
"Tidal wave!" The childhood friends' conversation was cut off as they turned to the side and saw a tidal wave was indeed approaching.
Not able to avoid it in time, the tidal wave crashed into the raft, nearly capsizing it. Two pillars of water then shot into the air. The children looked on in worry as they knew what that entailed. Their suspicions were proven right as another pillar of water rose up with Ranamon standing atop it.
"Hi there, cutiepies!" Ranamon greeted cheerfully, wiggling her fingers in a wave.
"Great, now what do we do?!" Takuya cried out, not sure how they'll escape since they're surrounded by water.
"Well, if y'all have any last wishes," Ranamon said thoughtfully, "Now would be the perfect time to make them, don't ya think?"
"Why do they always choose the worst time to show up?" Michael complained, tightly holding on to the barrel that had Tommy and Guardiamon's digi-egg. He then saw Zoe standing up with her D-tector in her hand. "Zoe?"
"Don't do it, Zoe!" J.P. cried out, concerned for the girl after remembering the last time she fought Ranamon. "Don't you remember, you were no match for her last time!"
"For pete's sake!" Zoe said in exasperation, looking at J.P. for a moment before looking back at Ranamon. "Am I the only one here with even a pinch of optimism?"
"But Zoe." Takuya said softly, worried that the blonde would get hurt if she fought alone.
"Don't "But Zoe" me!" Zoe interrupted, pointing at the gogglehead. "Just figure out how to stop the whirlpools while I hold her off!" Without waiting for any protest, Zoe spirit evolved into Kazemon.
The group watched on with worry as their friend fought the warrior of water alone. Kazemon started with a flurry of kicks, but Ranamon blocked them with her water pillars. Kazemon then tried her Hurricane Wave, but that too was blocked. It seems as if nothing is phasing the warrior of water as she just lounged around.
Michael knew that Kazemon was at a disadvantage out in the sea like this. While she may be the warrior of wind, one would think she would have the advantage in the air. However, as wind has no physical form, it has its limits. Ranamon, on the other hand, has an infinite resource in the water. She can bend the water to do anything she wishes.
"Honey, I can do this all day." Ranamon said, a smug smirk on her face as she positioned her fingers for a snap. "But I'll take pity and destroy you now." With a snap of Ranamon's fingers, dark clouds formed over Kazemon. "Draining Rain!"
The cloud began to pour down on the warrior of wind, sapping her of her strength. The boys could do nothing but watch on as Kazemon plummeted in the water. Unfortunately, Kazemon fell directly into one of the many whirlpools. While the others called out Zoe's name in worry, Michael didn't. He didn't know why, but he felt as if Zoe was going to be just fine.
He gripped his feather necklace when he thought he heard something. Closing his eyes and straining his ears, the blond listened. At first, he only heard the cries of his friends and the roaring waves of the whirlpool. However, there was another sound beneath it all. It was difficult to hear, but Michael is certain he could hear the sound of flapping wings. And not just any wings, the wings of a bird.
'Could it be?' Michael opened his eyes and looked at the whirlpool Zoe fell in. In the center, he could see something shining. If he squinted, it was as if the center of the whirlpool had stars in it.
"What a bother!" Ranamon's voice brought Michael out of his thoughts as he looked up at the warrior of water. "And here I thought I'd get a chance to test out my beast spirit, it's really not fair."
"You're toast, lady!" Takuya shouted in anger, raising a fist and marched towards the warrior of water. Michael had to quickly hold the gogglehead back unless he fell in the water too.
"Thanks, but I already had my breakfast." Ranamon said dismissively, stretching her arms. She then had a sudden thought and turned to the boys. "Hey, maybe I can test out my beast spirit on y'all!"
"It's when you say lines like that I wonder how you're one of the legendary warriors." Michael said, glaring at the warrior of water, who wasn't the least bit intimidated.
"Takuya, Michael!" Tommy shouted, getting everyone's attention as he pointed at the whirlpool. "The whirlpools going away!"
"It's what?!" Ranamon asked, a look of shock as, true to Tommy's words, she saw that the whirlpools had indeed disappeared. "Now how in the world did that happen?"
"I thought you were the warrior of water." Michael taunted, letting go of Takuya to stand beside him. "Isn't something like this your forte?"
Before Ranamon could say anything in return, a sudden pillar of water caused her to recoil back. The boys on the raft were also shocked at the appearance of the water pillar. Michael noticed that the water pillar came from the same place that Zoe had fallen.
"What is going on?!" Ranamon cried out, not understanding where the water pillar came from as she didn't create it.
"Oh my, could it be?" Bokomon looked up at the pillar as it dispersed and revealed Zoe.
"It could!" Takuya said, relieved that his friend was completely alright despite falling into a whirlpool.
"It's Zoe!" J.P. smiled happily upon seeing his crush while Ranamon looked nervous.
"Yes, I'm back." Zoe said, spreading her arms out to the side before bringing her D-tector forward. "And I brought a little friend!"
Zoe brought her left hand out as three rings of code appeared around it and swiped her D-tector against them. "Execute!" She fully swiped his D-tector over the data and it along with feathers started to surround her. "Beast Spirit Evolution!" Screens of data covered Zoe from the front and back as pink panties, a pink top with detached sleeves, gauntlets, and metallic shoulder pads appeared on the front screen and a pair of brown wings appeared on the back screen. The screens came closer and in Zoe's place was a beautiful bird-like woman with light-blue wings growing out of its head along with a ruff of feathers that resembles a hairdo, lightly tanned skin, light blue eyes, and two black stripes on its face. It has a pair of brown wings on its back, and three digits on both its hands and feet. It wears pink panties, a pink top with detached sleeves, and metallic shoulder pads. It also wears gauntlets with purple soft-edged pentagons with the symbol of the Spirits of Wind on them, pink boots with metallic knee pads, a long black scarf that resembles a strap, and a pink breathing mask. Its boots are connected to its top by pink straps that pass through the inside of its panties. The bird woman descended onto a platform and spread her wings and held up her arms. "Zephyrmon!"
"Who is that?!" Takuya asked, an excited smile to see Zoe finally getting her beast spirit.
"That is Zephyrmon, behold the legendary warrior of wind!" Bokomon explained, also happy to see another of his human companions obtaining a beast spirit.
"Oh my, why?!" Ranamon cried out in disbelief, leaning forward to get a good look at Zephyrmon. "You're pretty, your beast spirit made you pretty!" Realizing what she just said, Ranamon turned her back to Ranamon with her hands on her hips. "Well, of course it's not like you're prettier than me, I mean that's not even possible!" Slightly irked by the silent response, Ranamon turned to Zephyrmon and pointed at her. "But just because you are prettier than me doesn't mean anything, you got it?!" She then crossed her arms. "Do you have adoring fans all over the world who worship you?" When met with silence again, Ranamon held up a finger as if to prove her point. "I don't think so!"
"You know something." Zephyrmon said calmly, not even annoyed by how much Ranamon said. "For a legendary warrior of water, you sure give off a lot of hot air."
"I have to agree on that." Michael whispered to Takuya, who placed a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh.
"That does it." Ranamon growled out, upset with what Zephyrmon said to her. "You're going down, sugar. Now how should I defeat you?" Ranamon thought about it for a moment before holding out her hands. "Dark Vapor!" Michael shivered upon seeing the familiar dark fog surrounding Zephyrmon. "You're in for it now, girlie, that haze will melt anything!" She smirked at her handy work as she waited for it to take effect. "Have your feathers started molting yet?" Ranamon gasped upon realizing that Zephyrmon seemed to be just fine. "Wait a minute, how come you're not molting?"
"I think it's because beast spirits are stronger than normal ones." Michael theorized, getting everyone's attention, even Ranamon's. "If that's the case, then that means all of Ranamon's attacks will have little effect."
"I think it's time you learned a little respect." Zephyrmon said as the fog cleared. "Plasma Paws!"
Red energy gathered in Zephyrmon's hands and feet before charging towards Ranamon. Out of desperation, Ranamon raised her water pillar to dodge. Zephyrmon passed through the water pillar, dispersing it. This caused Ranamon to gracelessly fall into the water.
"She's controlling her spirit!" Takuya shouted, amazed that Zoe isn't losing control like he and the others.
"She's amazing, isn't she, J.P.?" Tommy said, turning to the warrior of thunder upon not receiving a response. "J.P.?"
"He's a bit preoccupied." Michael sweatdropped, pointing at the bewitched J.P. upon seeing Zoe's beast spirit as Ranamon's head surfaced.
"Right, no more pussyfooting around." Ranamon said, jumping out of the water. "Ranamon Slide Evolution!" Ranamon becomes engulfed in a cocoon of data that soon disperses, revealing Calmaramon. "Calmaramon!" She started laughing as her tentacles wiggled about. "Let the party begin!"
"Zoe, get away!" J.P. called out worriedly, holding on to Tommy.
"You won't be so pretty when I get through with you, sweetheart!" Calmaramon cackled, creeping closer to Zepyrmon, who backed away to keep her distance. "Acid Ink!"
Calmaramon took a deep breath before releasing a black liquid from her mouth. Zephyrmon dodged the liquid and got behind Calmaramon, who turned to release more liquid. Zephyrmon dodged again, watching as the liquid struck a rock and being dissolved into nothing.
"That's what'll happen to your friends!" Calmaramon said, turning towards the raft, enjoying the looks of panic on the boys' faces. "Ready boys?" She then released more of the corrosive liquid towards the raft. She laughed when Zephyrmon got in front and dispersed it, dissolving some feathers from her wings. "Aw, what's the matter little girl, did I burn you all up?" Calmaramon repeatedly released liquid for Zephyrmon to deflect before being constricted by her tentacles. "I'm just too good!"
"That witch!" Takuya gritted his teeth, frustrated that there was nothing he or his friends could do to help.
"Witch is right!" Michael clenched his hands into fists at being powerless, unable to spirit evolve into either Saintmon or Orthomon.
"Stop it, let her go, you scum queen!" Koji shouted.
"Yeah, you ugly fish head!" J.P. added.
"What?!" Calmaramon cried out, glaring at Koji and J.P. who insulted her. "What did you say?!"
"You heard him!" Koji replied, looking at Takuya and Michael. "If we call her names and distract her, maybe Zephyrmon can escape."
"Okay." Takuya said nervously, facing Calmaramon and cupping his hands around his mouth. "Hey, you slimy, dateless wonder!"
"You're so ugly, every mirror in the world will shatter!" Michael shouted, grateful for once that he can't lie.
The childhood friends' insults were added by the rest of their group and the Gomamon. With each insult, Calmaramon's patience was waning. To her, she was the most beautiful digimon there is. And yet here they are, calling her ugly and a slimy, dateless wonder.
"Can it!" Calmaramon yelled, her patience finally running out as she turned her attention to the boys. "You are so dead!" This, however, led her to loosen her grip on Zephyrmon, allowing her to escape. "Uh-oh."
"Hurricane Gale!" Zephyrmon flies up into the air and hurls the feathers of her hair and wings as pointed arrows. The force of the attack knocked Calmarmon into the ocean. "That's for picking on my friends."
"And go tell your friends they'll get more of that if they mess with us!" Takuya added to the cheering of his friends as Calmaramon struggled to get up.
"Not so tough now, are you, Calmaramon!" Michael taunted, pulling down an eyelid and sticking out his tongue.
"Now you're gonna get it!" Calmaramon turned to face the boys, revealing her makeup was smudged up by the water, making her more terrifying. Her face caused the boys to scream in fear with Michael and Takuya holding each other. "Be quiet!" She towered over the raft as Zephyrmon moved to protect her friends. "You brats are in for a heaping helping of pain!" Calmaramon tossed herself in the air before straightening her tentacles to the side and twisting her lower body. "Titanic Tempest!" She then started to rotate like a drill, however, she began to lose control and couldn't stop herself again.
"Here we go again." Michael sweatdropped, feeling dizzy just watching the out of control warrior of water.
"Ooh, I'm going to enjoy this." Zephyrmon said, amusement clear in her voice while her friends watched on in dumbfoundment.
"I'll let you off easy this time!" Calmaramon called out as she spun her way out of sight and became a twinkle in the sky.
"What was that?" J.P. asked, voicing everyone's thoughts of what they just witnessed for a second time.
"I guess someone can't control her beast spirit yet." Zephyrmon surmised, turning her attention to her friends once the danger had passed. "Now let's get everybody back to that island."
With that said, they continued their journey to the island, where the Gomamons' friends were waiting. Once the raft beached, the children bore witness to a happy reunion. Michael felt happy for the Gomamon, glad they were reunited with their friends and family. He hoped that he and his friends would have a reunion like that one day.
"Hey, Zoe?" Michael looked over to Takuya, who had a look of confusion on his face. "How were you able to control your beast spirit so fast?"
"I'm curious about that, too." Michael nodded in agreement, looking from Takuya over to Koji and J.P. "I mean, the four of us had a hard time when we first beast spirit evolved."
"Well, just luck, I guess." Zoe replied, unsure herself as to how she could control her beast spirit.
"Not 'cause you're a girl?" Tommy teased, remembering what the blonde said back at Toucan Paradise.
"Yeah, maybe, but I won't tell." Zoe looked at the boys coyly, before blowing them a kiss. "A girl has to have secrets."
"You feel as sick as I do?" Takuya asked, giving Tommy a side glance as he felt uncomfortable.
"No, I'm sicker." Tommy replied, holding his hands against his stomach as he felt a wave of nausea.
"I think the only one enamored is J.P." Michael said, pointing to the warrior of thunder, who never took his eyes off the blonde girl.
"Guys." Zoe sweatdropped at the boys' response.
"Me too!" Neemon said.
"Knock it off!" Zoe shouted at the bunny digimon.
"Hey guys." The group turned to see the Gomamon approaching them with grateful smiles on their faces. "We just wanted to thank you all. If it weren't for you, we would never have seen our friends again."
"Don't mention it, Gomamon." Michael waved off the gratefulness, giving them a smile. He then looked in Zoe's direction. "If anything, you should be thanking Zoe."
"Yeah, she's the one who did everything." Koji said in agreement.
"You can say that again." Takuya grinned, adjusting his goggles and hat. "Zoe's definitely today's MVP."
"Aw!" Zoe surprised the three boys by pulling them into a hug, causing them to blush. "You guys helped me more than you know!"
"Cut it out." Koji muttered, embarrassed by the close contact the girl was making. He then watched Zoe hug J.P. and Tommy when they complained before turning to the Gomamon. "Hey, did you guys see the Toucanmon?"
"They're gone." One of the Gomamon replied, catching everyone's attention. "They all left for the Autumn Leaf Fair."
"The what?" Takuya asked, confused as to what that is.
"The Autumn Leaf Fair is a large bazaar in the Area of Ice." Michael said, surprising everyone as he adjusted his hold on Guardiamon's digi-egg. "Digimon of all types go there to trade and barter various items." He looked around and saw the looks that he was receiving. "What?"
"Michael…" The blond looked at Takuya, who had a perplexed look on his face. "How did you know that?"
The blond's eyes widened at the question, looking around once again to his friends. He saw that they too looked perplexed by his knowledge of the Autumn Leaf Fair. But how, how did he know all that? It should be impossible for him to know anything about the digital world.
"I…" Michael paused, trying to find the right words to say. He looked down as he tried and failed to find his voice. "I don't know."
The day just keeps getting better, Zoe finally got her beast spirit, but a new mystery reveals itself. How did I know about the Autumn Leaf Fair? Why don't I know how I knew? I might find the answer on the next Digimon Digital Monsters!
Now onto Review Corner, where I reply to the reviews you kindly left and answer your questions to the best of my abilities.
Lei Lei: I'm looking forward to that as well.
HunterHQ: I greatly appreciate your concern, and I'll be sure to reach out if I ever get stuck again. Indeed, Apollomon and Dianamon do play a rather unexpected role in the future, but probably not in the way you think. You're correct, and I hope that this chapter has met your expectations.
DragonBladeB5: What I meant by "Important to the plot" is that the corrupt warriors will make future appearances, it just isn't time for their redemption chapters to be written yet. As for why Grumblemon's digi-egg not entering J.P.'s D-tector, I'm afraid I can't reveal that out of concern of giving out spoilers.
With the reviews done, I hope to see you all again in the future.