Disclimer: I don't own Digimon

"Brother" Sis said nudging me softly "time to get ready for school."

I waved her off mumbling to let me sleep longer. She hmphed at me and nudged again getting a grunt in response. She sighed and I was nudged, this time with greater force, and I felt wind whipping past me. My eyes opened in shock when cold pond water suddenly washed over me. I rolled over and gracefully swam to the edge of the pond hearing laughter as my head broke the surface.

"Ha ha, very funny Sis." I said climbing onto land

"You didn't want to get up."

"Rikamon, I hope you don't make a habit of doing this."

"Well now I need to bathe. Who knows how dirty that water is."

I made my way into the house and to the bathroom. I was surprised to see that the shower was already on. I stepped under the cascade of warm water and sighed as it warmed my damp fur. I grabbed a large bottle of shampoo and easily popped open the lid. I was wrestling with trying to get the liquid out when Sis's hand reached in, took it, and poured a generous amount of it on my head and back.

"Thanks." I grumbled

"You're welcome. I'll have to see if Rumiko has any of those free shampoos you get from hotels left lying around."

As I scrubbed myself I realized just how hard always having fur would be.

"Hey Sis, why do I have to go to school now? I thought the school had a no Digimon policy."

"They do, but we have friends in high places and thanks to your…condition, the school board decided that it would be a unique opportunity to see how students react to the presence of a Digimon in the classroom."

"So do I have to take notes or something?"

"No, just be you and try not to cause any trouble."

I reached up to shut off the water but it was too high. I could stand on the side of the tub but I might slip. So I just kept trying to reach it from the bottom of the tub. Sis giggle at my antics and after a few seconds reached up and shut the water off for me. Drawing the curtain aside she dropped a hand towel on me. After the towel was completely soaked my fur was still damp.

"It would be nice if my powers could be used in a more domestic manner."

"That'll be the day, a living hair dryer."

I crossed my arms and hmphed at that. I failed to notice both the steam that started to rise off me and the glowing of my red ring. Sis knelt there staring at me. I was getting very annoyed by that when I finally notice my wrist. Uncrossing my arms I watched as the last of the steam vanished along with the glow.

"Well that was unexpected."

"I wonder if I'm safe to touch." Sis picked me up and put me around her neck.

"Question answered." She said as we walked toward the kitchen.

When we got into the kitchen we found Hikari-chan, Takeru-chan, Sora, and Mimi eating their breakfast. I was hoping, hoping, that we would make it where I could jump onto the counter before being noticed. I sincerely want to know why fate picks on me so much. I was quickly swiped off Sis's shoulder by Mimi who proceeded to bombard me with questions and petting. I opened my mouth but before I could answer Sis gave her a look and I was promptly returned to my perch where I had half a slice of toast shoved in my mouth.

"We'll see you guys at our school's assembly this afternoon." Sis said as before phasing us there

"What assembly?" I asked as we entered the building

"Because the school is letting you continue to attend they had to make a public announcement about it. Some major anti-Digimon group isn't happy about it, obviously, so they pulled some strings and are having the school host a 'guest speaker' of theirs to talk to the student body and anyone else that feels like attending about the 'unnatural menace' as they call it. Of course their speaker also wants you up on the stage as well so they can ask you questions and such."

I face pawed "Great, cause I just love talking to anyone who does anything remotely political."

"Relax, I may not be allowed on stage with you but Yamaki said he's sending someone from Hypnos to act as you're 'handler' who can be up there with you. He said it's someone you know."

I just grumbled and swung my tail up to my paws and held onto it like a child's stuffed animal. The day progressed smoothly from class to class, most people didn't seem to care that I was there at all. It was only the girly girls that seemed to be very distracted by me, no doubt because of what was coined as my "cuteness factor". Fortunately they seemed to be more afraid of Sis than they were attracted to me. The "assembly" was scheduled for after lunch and by now I was really not looking forward to it. Despite the fact that Bro wanted to be a politician he once told me that man everyone should have a general sense of mistrust for them. I had more of an outright hatred for them because usually they did absolutely nothing but waste time.

The gym was the location where the assembly was being held and a stage complete with curtains had been hastily erected. Sis left me backstage where I had to wait until it was time for me everything to begin. I heard the clicking of a woman's high heeled shoes behind me. Turning around I saw a woman wearing a black business suit with her blonde hair pulled back into a bun. She looked at me and gave me a gentle kind hearted smile as my jaw dropped in realization. I smiled and jumped at her. She deftly caught me and pulled me into a gentle hug.

"Nina! How have you been? I didn't know that you were the person Yamaki was sending."

"I've been doing great. It's taken some adjusting but the rest of the staff has been very helpful." She put me around her neck

"Glad to hear it. So who's speech am I listening to and answering questions for?"

"That would be me." A man in a blue suit stepped out of the shadows facing us "My name is Yasunori Matsumoto. I'm here representing the Human Protection Agency."

He stepped onto to the other side of the curtain with us following suit as we were ushered out by someone. I looked around at all the assembled people and picked out The Tamers and Digidestined sitting almost front and center. Most of them smiled at me or flashed the thumbs up. I gave them a brief smile before Nina walked to stand behind the podium that had been set up for us. I jumped down and curled up on the top of the podium waiting.

Mr. Matsumoto began to speak "Good afternoon students, faculty, and guests. My name is Yasunori Matsumoto and I'm here speaking on behalf of the concerned members of the Human Protection Agency. As you are all no doubt aware one of your classmates, Alexander David Sinclair, has recently under gone a rather unfortunate and permanent transformation into Digimon. Alex, would you please stand up."

I was already annoyed by this guy and it clearly showed on my face as I stood "That's Mr. Sinclair to you." I half growled at him

"As you can see, Mr. Sinclair is very sensitive about his condition. His increased aggression is no doubt due to the Digimon part of him, but I can assure you all that the HPA has its top scientists working on a way to cure him. In the meantime they would like you all to be informed of the dangers posed by the Digimon." By this time I had lain back down "All Digimon have a set of attacks which they can use to protect themselves from danger or attack others. Mr. Sinclair, what are your attacks?"

"Hm? Sorry I stopped paying attention after you decided I was diseased and needed to be cured. Could you please repeat the question?" This got a few snickers from the audience and a rather shocked look from Mr. Matsumoto

"I would like to know what your Digimon attacks are. Would you please tell us?"

I scratched my ear "Bullet Whirlwind is the only one I know. I'm aware that I probably have others but couldn't care less as to what they are, let alone how to use them."

"I see," Mr. Matsumoto began slowly "in any case Mr. Sinclair's single attack is more than sufficient to cause significant bodily harm to a person and possibly even minor structural damage. Knowing the destructive and violent nature of Digimon it does not take a stretch of the imagination to see what could occur within this building. While the HPA does have the utmost faith in the education system we believe that allowing Mr. Sinclair to continue to attend this school poses a greater threat to the student body than any Wild One that bioemerges."

I hadn't realized I was growling until I felt Nina gently set her hand my back. I stiffened at the contact before exhaling slowly. I rubbed the sides of my head with my paws. This guy had seriously pissed me off with his political and physiological mumbo jumbo and I'd be damned if I was gonna stay here and let him continue to insult me. I stood up on the podium.

"I've had enough of you Mr. Matsumoto." practically spat his name "Yeah; I've been turned into a Digimon so bite me." Shock was the general reaction in the room "Ya'll forget I was born and raised in Southern United States. Sure, I've got manners. But, like most American teenagers I also don't put up with bullshit. And most of what I have heard you say is indeed bullshit, ranking in at grade a. I know that I'm supposed to try and behave myself during this but as a teenager who doesn't put up with BS I can't. Its true Digimon are dangerous and therefore by extension so am I. But as history has taught us humans are equally as dangerous. While Digimon that want to do nothing but cause wanton destruction are still an unfortunately common thing they are handled far quicker and safer than they used to be." For the second time that day I failed to notice a red glow

"Mr. Sinclair, I would like to remind you that we are aware that you are a victim of unfortunate circum"

I flicked the small claws on my left hand at the ground by his feet where a scorch mark promptly appeared causing him to pale.

"Dumbass, I'm not through with my rant. Save all untrue and pointless comments and questions until after I have left your very obnoxious presence far enough behind that my sensitive ears don't detect you. I am no victim, I wound up like this because of choices that I made; me and no one else. So to even remotely think otherwise is pointless. Back state side I chose to help someone. I chose to travel here to Shinjuku and I chose to let this happen to me. Now I'm choosing to go to the park and majorly momentai for a while."

I hopped down from the podium and off the stage heading for the door; we had probably been talking for no more than ten minutes.

"Mr. Sinclair please wait! If you would just put your Digimon instincts aside and listen to reason for a moment"

I glared over my shoulder at him watching him shiver visibly as my right band glowed blue and the temperature in the room began to drop.

"Shut…up." I said slowly

"Mr. Sinclair"

"I said SHUT UP!" I yelled "I am putting my instincts aside, why do you think you're still living? Even if I was still human I wouldn't be normal! Fire and ice aren't things a normal human can produce and control at will. Before you say anything neither can the Digimon species that I've become. I would implore you that if you remember nothing else from our 'discussion' to remember this. Although good is always represented as being nice and sweet and girly lovely, the reality is that it doesn't have to be. Know that when my patience is gone good I will not be nice."

I narrowed my eyes at him before facing forward and walking out of the gym. He called my name once on my way out and rather than ignore him like I should have I popped him the bird. Once outside the door the room started to get noisy, I sighed angrier at myself for losing control of my temper than anything else. I shifted into my human Alt-form and walked outside before taking off. I admired the scenery bellow as everything seemed to stand still because of my speed. That was the tradeoff between my two Alt-forms I knew how to use, unlike the one from my dream world. One was hyper fast while the other was clearly hyper powered.

Rather than fly to the park I decided to see just how high I actually could fly like this. I slowed my speed down so I could keep better track of my vertical climb distance. I could hear air traffic chatter in my ears, probably for the same reason I somehow heard Sis and the others on Monday. I made it pretty high, easily breezing past twenty kilometers. It was odd but for some reason I had no trouble breathing where I rightly shouldn't even be able to I made it to about fifty kilometers before I had to stop. I let gravity take over and entered a freefall from where I was. I heard over an air traffic warning about a falling piece of space debris, it took me a second to realize they were talking about me.

Oddly enough I didn't feel the heat of reentry, just a slight warming to my skin as I fell; it was so much fun, being in free fall like this. I had probably made it to about fifteen kilometers when I was snatched up by Imperialdramon and a group very annoyed looking Digidestined and Tamers. I shifted out of my Alt-form and after we landed in the park was lectured for the next half hour about my actions. It didn't really register to any of us that I was completely unharmed by my flight and freefall. When they were finally done with the lecture I sighed.

"I made it about fifty kilometers into the air with no trouble and then free fell thirty five kilometers and barely felt any heat at all."

"Fifty kilometers," Ken said "You were at the edge of the Stratosphere. If you had hit the ground there would have been a lot of damage, to both you and the area."

"I would have caught myself before I hit."

"There would still have been massive shockwaves from the speed at which you were traveling." Henry said

"I bet if I was in that form I could fly even higher." I mumbled to myself

"You know," Taichi began slowly "you haven't told us what happened to you after you vanished into that black dome thing."

I gave everyone a brief but informative summary about my second trip to the Dark World. Everyone was surprised about the willingness Dagomon showed to work with Daemon. However, they seemed worried when I mentioned the ease with which I destroyed him and the area; I just wish that I had more proof that he was actually gone. When I began telling them about my return I left out the part about being able to hear them talking. Finished with my narrative I looked around at their concerned faces, now they all knew I was being sought after and in all likely hood it was for the power of The Hub.

"I think we should take Alex back with us tomorrow." Daisuke finally said, everyone looked at him "Think about it, that Astamon guy was able to find him here and Daemon now knows that this world is heavily protected. He'd have to be pretty stupid to try and show up here."

"Doesn't that mean Brother should stay here where he is better protected?" Sis asked

"No," I said "Daisuke's right. All they would do if they came here would be wait for a time when I'm by myself and snatch me up then. In our world there is kind of the unspoken rule about how not all evil looking Digimon are evil. If any type of Devimon shows up here without making a fuss people assume it has a Tamer when it might not. Based on past experience in their world most evil Digimon are probably treated to immediate suspicion."

"That still leaves the problem of Astamon.," Koushirou said "What did he mean by saying his 'payment taking care of itself'? From your description he sounds like an evil business man."

"Lex Luthor incarnate minus the megalomania." A few people raised their eyebrows "From the impression Astamon gave me all he cares about is business. My guess about whatever the 'payment' was is that it somehow involved me and a giant maelstrom of fire."

"Payment in the form of data from the Digimon you destroyed." Henry mused "Makes sense."

"But that's just it, I…I don't think it was the data he was after." I hesitated "I feel like…I don't know I feel like Dagomon isn't dead and that Astamon had something to do with it."

"He was at ground zero when your fireball ignited, there's no way he could have survived." Iori said

"I don't know it wouldn't be the first time any of us thought someone was done for but they were still hanging around. I mean look at the examples we have; Myotismon twice, Vajramon, and Musyamon, one Mega, two Ultimates and Champion." Kazu said

"On top of that Daemon probably loaded the data of Dagomon's minions cause it's doubtful that he would have allowed his lackeys to." Kenta said

"If he did then that means he has to reappear in our world." Takeru-chan said

"Why's that? I was dragged away to the Dark World here so why can't he come out here?"

"Um…" Hikari-chan began

"Yes?" I said slowly

"I um…I might have been the one who pulled you into the Dark World…"

"How would you manage something like that?"

"I was kind of panicking and just wished for someone, well anyone really, to come and rescue me."

"So…why did it pull me in? Wait…you don't think that maybe The Hub sort of phased me there do you?" I lapsed into thought

"It's a possibility." Henry said "Even if you couldn't actively use it, the power was still there. Plus there's still a lot we don't even know about your powers."

"You're just one strange power after another." Terriermon said

"Terriermon."

"I know, I know, tact right?"

"Right," I said "I've made up my. I am going with Digidestined when they return home tomorrow." Takato opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off "No buts. This is non-negotiable and before anyone says anything the only people from this world that I would let go with me are Sis, Renamon, and Onee-chan. Sis can take on the appearance of a Digimon and her Gatekeeper abilities will help her. Renamon and Onee-chan don't have to worry about blending in with Digimon for obvious reasons. If and when Daemon and co. show up we'll have two extra Mega's that they won't be expecting and that will play into our favor. Plus if everyone left then this world would be defenseless."

"There's no point arguing with him." Sis said "Brother's got that same look in his eye that Takato does whenever he's set his mind to something."

"First we'll have to tell Hypnos and I'll apologize for not controlling my temper during the 'assembly' today."

"We already talked to Nina about it." Sis said "Apparently Yamaki was expecting you to get mad. The fact that you didn't actually attack Mr. Matsumoto but only threatened him strengthened the point that not all Digimon are mindlessly destructive. But," she gave a quick smack to the back of my head "I was told to give you that for the fireball you flicked."

"So that's the apology out of the way but ya'll have to inform Hypnos for me. I have Boss business to attend to before leaving the park."

"One of us should stay with you then." Ken said

"Any volunteers?" Sora and Yamato raised their hands

"The rest of us will finish getting ready to leave while The Tamers deal with Hypnos." Taichi said, everyone nodded

"Sora, Yamato, follow me."

I started walking down the path towards the same path where, last night I had met Maple. Sora and Yamato chatted the entire time we walked. I was grateful that people ignored me as I still had a lot on my mind from our little meeting. We got to the area of the path that I was pretty sure Maple had landed on. I looked around for a little hoping to catch sight of her, but gave up after a few minutes and just called out her name. She promptly leapt out of one of the nearer trees and gave a respectful bow.

I raised an eyebrow "Didn't I tell ya'll last night not to be so formal."

She shrugged "As the humans say 'Old habits die hard'. Since you called me there must be something I can help you with right?"

"I'm leaving this world tomorrow and going to another one. I don't know how long I'll be gone but my ground rules that I set last night still stand. Would you please spread the word around for me?"

She bowed again "Certainly."

I swear I could feel my eye twitch "What did I say about being formal?"

"Just trying to rile you up Boss." She said giggling as she jumped back into her tree

That evening I sat in the upper branches of Sakura's tree thinking about what I had been told last night and what I had decided to do tomorrow.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I looked to my left and saw Sakura sitting next to me

"I'm just thinking about tomorrow…and about what you said last night. Is old age really the only way I can die?"

She was silent for a moment "In these modern times it's the only probably way for you to die because your body heals a lot faster than a normal human or Digimon."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Well…" she said looking down at her feet as she swung them "they don't behead people or burn them at the stake anymore and with hospitals keeping a large supply of blood you're unlikely to bleed to death."

"What about organ damage?"

She shook her head "As long as your brain, heart, and most of your body is alright you will heal. You'll be comatose for a while but you'll wake up once you've healed enough."

"That's all well and good but, my body is mostly digital data now."

"I may not know much about Digimon but I know their digicore fills the same role as internal organs so as long as it's intact you should heal."

"So it's not that I can't die by normal means, it's just that I'm really hard to kill."

"Mhm, is there…anything else Boss?"

"…Yes."

"Well."

"…"

She threw an arm around me "Well come on then Boss, out with it!"

"Howoldareyou?" I mumbled quickly

"Hmmm? What was that Boss? Speak uuuup!" she said cheerily

"I want to know how old you are okay."

She looked a little taken aback at my brusqueness but quickly smiled "As my people count time about as old as you are 16 or so."

"If you're 16 then why do you look like a little girl?" I jabbed my hand at her

She shrugged "Call it personal preference, but in human years I'm far older."

I raised an eyebrow "How much older?"

"208." She said in a of matter fact tone

If she hadn't had her arm around me I would have fallen out her tree "You're kidding right?"

"No such luck Boss. Dryads age about a year for every thirteen that pass."

"I know this tree is not 208 years old."

"We aren't bound to a single tree for life. When one tree dies we can move on to another and it's not like this is my only tree."

"What do you mean this isn't your only tree?"

"Ooooh, you'll find out." She giggled "You'd better go inside and get to bed. Unless that is you want your Sister to give you another lesson on flying and swimming tomorrow."

I blushed "You saw that?" why was I blushing?

"Mhm," she giggled "but don't worry Boss, I thought you looked cute swimming in the water like a fish."

My blush deepened further, thank God for my fur. I may be oblivious but even I could tell that Sakura was flirting a little with me. She was right though. I did not want a repeat of this morning. She was right though, there was a lot ahead of us tomorrow and I would need to be well rested for it.

"You're right," I sighed "I'll sleep inside tonight."

She took her arm off me and I jumped down "Goodnight Boss."

She disappeared into the tree and I went inside. Despite the fact that Kudamon and I weren't partners anymore we still had a very slight connection. I followed it to the Living Room where I found him on the couch with Kotemon leaning against fast asleep. He glanced at me and flashed a smile. I gave him the thumbs up before going to my room where I curled up and went to sleep.

FYI Alex is fire proof and he can be killed. But like Sakura said killing him if he was a flesh and blood human would be really hard, combine that with the fact that as a Digimon his body is even more durable and the only way to ensure he's dead is to destroy his Digicore and you get one person who really won't stay down unless you go overkill on him. But he can still be hurt like a normal person.

Questions? Comments? Drop 'em if you got 'em

Later
^^;