DISCLAIMER: The following story contains various themes and subject matter that may not be suitable for children under the age of thirteen. Viewer discretion is advised.

Digimon

GODFALL

By. Sonfaro

Chapter 2

My name is Matt Ishida. I am the Digidestined of Friendship.

And I am practicing patience.

It's easy to overlook the simple things in life. Like the time it takes to fix your hair. I'm usually very precise about my appearance; two globs of gel, a quick slick back, even out the sides. Rotate in the mirror, snap the cuff of my designer shirt into place, grab hair dryer and wait three minutes until hair is firm and spiky. Repeat as needed. It's become such a natural part of my routine that I can do it anywhere without really thinking about it. This gives me a chance to zone out for a moment and helps me concentrate on bigger issues.

Like why would there be wires coiling under Neo-Delhi?

It's playing in the back of my mind as I spread another glob of gel through the dirty blond strands on my head. The image of jet black coils writhing around is unsettling at best. But I shouldn't simply make an assumption. There are many mysteries within the Digital world. Undulating wires may be one of them. But where do they come from? They appeared to stretch on forever, just below the surface of the Digital world. And they appeared to have been placed there for some purpose.

That said; we can't jump to conclusions. This is the Digital world we're talking about. I've seen entire factories devoted to building then taking apart a product before anyone had any idea what it was for. Though the wires seem to indicate design, there's just no telling.

More troubling however, is the thought that human beings have gone missing from investigating. There have been a lot of accidents since men were allowed within the Digital realm. But these were the exception, not the rule. That a whole group of foreigners could be lost within the confines of the Digital plane could be trouble – for all of us. Whatever is going on, we have to be cautious.

"Are you still in there?"

The voice is as soft and gentle as it is annoyed. I don't take my eyes off myself. "Nn… Sorry Sora, just a minute."

My girlfriend of three years ignores me and barges in anyway. A trait she seems to have inherited from a brunette friend of ours. "I swear Matt," she pouts with arms crossed about her chest, "you're in there longer than I am."

I scoff. "That's because you have shorter, less defined hair."

To demonstrate, I reach across for her hair. She punches me in the shoulder. I smile and adjust myself, allowing the ginger beauty space in the mirror with me. She doesn't seem too impressed by my minute gesture of chivalry. "If you're going to keep coming over directly after you and Tai go causing trouble -"

"We didn't start anything on purpose!"

"-You're going to have to leave your own hair supplies here. You can't keep using my stuff."

I pout, playfully. "Aw, but I like smelling like flowers."

She rolls her pretty brown eyes at me. "Wuss."

"Ah..." I blink my blues. "You like me when I smell this way too."

She yawns before turning and leaving me in the bathroom. "I like you period. Now get out, you smell like a girl."

I put the finishing touches on my look, making sure that my shirt is only slightly unbuttoned and that the collar is sufficiently popped, before joining my lovely lady friend in her living room. "Thank you for letting me crash babe." I say as I flop down beside her on the couch.

"No problem." Sora says. "Momma says hi by the way."

I choke up a little, and I know the blood in my face is running away. "D-does your mother know I spent the night?"

Sora yawns, unconcerned. "She saw you on the couch this morning. She said: 'So long as it's only the couch he was on last night, it's fine'.

I feel a mixture of relief and embarrassment wash over me. "Oh. Good."

"I don't see why you don't just stay at your barracks in the night anyway." She says. "Don't they yell at you for abandoning your bunk or whatever?"

I shoot her a playful glare. "It's a normal school just like any other. I have regular roommates and everything."

"Normal schools don't have professors who can hold weapons."

And it starts. I sigh, bringing my hand to my forehead to rub away the coming tension that comes from an attempt to quell a Sora-fight before it begins. "That's only in the field. Come on babe, can we not discuss this right now?"

"Fine." She says without another word.

I'm shocked and relieved. Sora hates the idea of me being anywhere near anything military, so avoiding the argument today is a big step forward. Hopefully.

"You hungry?" She asks with no hint of annoyance in her voice. "I'm gonna cook some eggs."

"Nn… Sorry. I've only got a little bit left before I go."

"Off with Tai on an adventure?" She says with mock jealousy.

"Might take the whole day." I acknowledge.

"Aww… I'll miss you Matt-y." She teases. I squeeze her cheek in retaliation.

Ours is a weird relationship. We've never really been as lovey-dovey as other couples, though we do all the typical holding of hands and making out of your average Japanese boyfriend and girlfriend I guess. Every once in a while she'll say something very awkward, but quite sweet. And now-and-again I'll have the money to buy her something simple. It's never been a super tight relationship, but we're comfortable with each other. We don't go on fancy dates, we don't like being too public with one-another. We enjoy the company, and that's enough for us.

She leans in closer to me as we watch the television together. My arm finds its self around her shoulder without a second thought. She smiles. "We are still on for date night tomorrow, aren't we?" She asks.

"Hopefully." I respond.

"So. This adventure you and Tai are on…"

"It's a rescue mission. A couple of MAGAMI Corp. researchers went missing a few days ago." I yawn a little. "If all goes well we'll find these missing researchers in a couple of hours wandering dehydrated or something."

"Ah. Why'd Mina ask for you?"

"Eh… our charming personalities?"

Sora gives me a look.

"Nn… I guess she's really worried. Can't take too many chances outside the safe-zones."

She frowns, moving a strand of ginger hair behind her ear. "That's not really a good excuse though. Davis and Ken could have easily taken this mission."

"Eh… it's not that simple." I sigh. "Davis has to study so he and TK will be at the library most of the day. They say it won't be but a few hours but…"

"It's Davis." Sora nods. "I guess Ken's out too then?"

"He had an open house at some school in Germany and won't be available till later this afternoon."

Sora blinks in surprise. "Germany?"

I nod. "He said he didn't think he'd be going, but it was a good idea for him to make an appearance. Force Tokyo U to drop their tuition to get him." I smirk. "He's a clever kid."

"Still, are none of the others available?"

I shake my head. "Kari and Yolei are working with the villagers of File to build a school for the freshies coming up, so they'll be busy all day. And Cody's mom would rather keep him out of patrols that don't include Yolei -"

"Still doesn't trust us?"

I shrug. "She trusts Yolei. Besides it's a rescue mission, not a full out assault. So that just leaves us.

"The seniors."

I raise an eyebrow. "We aren't that old."

Sora sighs. "We're old enough. Joe still has aches from when he was twelve years old." She leans into my side, her eyes trailing the ceiling in thought. "We can't keep going back and forth like this."

I shrug. "It's not a problem. Just one more adventure. It's been a while since me and Gabumon really had a chance to hang out anyway. I know Tai and Agumon feel the same. And the mission isn't so perilous that the four of us can't handle things. So, we thought we'd make a day of it."

"A day?"

I blink. "MmmHmm…"

"Just you and Tai?"

"MmHmm…"

"Should I be jealous?"

I turn to face her. There is a glimmer of something dangerous in the way she looks at me. I like it. "Very."

She leans up to me, and I feel her smile as her lips press to mine. I return the favor. It's at this point we become just your average loving couple I guess, though it's not without its drawbacks. Kissing Sora scares me sometimes. Because I enjoy it so much that I never, ever, want to stop. Pretty soon it isn't just a kiss anymore. In a moment I feel her arm wrap around my neck. And before I know it, my hand has found its way to her thigh.

I stop cold.

I lean away from her, cursing myself for doing so, but feeling shame about it just the same. Sora bites her lip, her eyes wide in surprise. I turn away, trying hard not to look so guilty. "Sorry."

"For what?" She asks.

"Nn… Just sorry."

"Umm… Matt?"

"Hmm?"

"Momma won't be back for a while."

Her voice is low, almost a whisper. She won't face me, but I know she's blushing. And judging from how warm I'm feeling just now I must be too. It's just the two of us. In her apartment…

Alone.

My cell phone begins beeping, bringing our quiet little moment to a screeching halt. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I blush, leaning away from her for a moment. "Ne… I should probably take that."

Sora clears her throat, her face awash with both relief and disappointment all at once. "Y-yeah. You probably should."

"…"

"Are you gonna?"

"…Yeah."

She giggles a little and leaves me on the couch, heading towards the kitchen area. I clear my throat and flip open my cell phone. "Hello-hello. This is Matt."

"Matt, it's Izzy." The voice from the other end greets me with as much cheer as a bored scientist can give over the phone. "This is your eleven o'clock call."

I blink, remembering I'd asked Izzy to phone me when it was time for me to go. "Thanks."

"Do you want to meet at the lab?"

"Sure Izzy." I say as I rise and gather my things. "Give me a second, I'm at the low end of Odaiba, I'll catch the trolley from here."

"…You're at Sora's again?"

I feel a bead of sweat crossing down my brow. "Uh… yeah."

"…Did I interrupt something?"

"NO! No, I…" I swear and let my forehead flop into the palm of my hand. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright." Izzy says, a little less than enthusiastic.

I flip down my phone and press my fingers to my skull. Sora gives me a humorous smile. "Time to go?"

"Yeah." I sigh as I rise from her couch. "Gotta go save some scientists."

"Well, tell me if something happens." Sora says. "You know how Tai is."

I can't help but nod. "Don't I ever."

We kiss again – I'm sure to keep it short this time. I leave the apartment and make my way to the trolley stop down the street, thanking my lucky stars that it's a lazy Saturday.

It doesn't take long to reach Izzy's lab from the trolley, but I am given a chance to ponder on the way. So much has happened since I was a boy. Advancements in technology have led to a brighter future for humanity. But in a way, not much has changed either. People still go about their business: going to work, buying their groceries, relaxing at home. All without a single concern about the dimension just across from them.

Unfortunately, I fear they'll start to notice now.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat. Something about all this just doesn't add up. Why is it that we're just now hearing about these wires beneath Neo-Delhi? What is it about these wires that are sending people into comas? And why are the MAGAMI Corporation the only group willing to step out and find the answers? I know Mina isn't one to lie. But that doesn't mean these scientists are feeding her the truth either.

It doesn't matter though. In the end I'm just a foot soldier. It's all we are. We can only follow the mission parameters and hope for the best.

Man, do I sound paramilitary.

I reach my destination in under twenty minutes. The lab is a converted supermarket; the windows tainted and a gate added to keep the general public from crossing inside. When Izzy informed us he'd be working here for the fall semester as part of his internship, we'd been both supportive and concerned. We don't know much about the MAGAMI Corporation: only that it was set up directly after we announced to the world that the Digiworld existed. Its stated purpose was the continued research of the Digital plane, which in theory is okay.

It's just that they're so eager about it.

Still, Izzy's presence within their ranks at least gives us an eye on the inside should things be less than friendly between MAGAMI and Digimon in general. I meet with the guard at the front desk and tell him my name. He grunts and points down a few cubicles and gives me Izzy's lab number. It's clear that he probably knows who I am, and even clearer that he doesn't like me.

Figures.

The walk to Izzy's personal corner isn't a long one, but it is an awesome reminder of the leaps in technology humanity has made in the mean time. In every window and every crevice I pass some new fangled machine I can't fully explain sits as if on display for me, glistening in sterile white and blacks. I finally reach Izzy's lab and knock on the window. The doors are opened to me, and there behind the desk sits the bearer of knowledge himself.

"Hey Izzy."

My friend extends as pleasant a greeting as he's known to give: a simple raise of the hand as he stares at his computer screen. I roll my eyes as I approach. Koushiro Izumi – better known among us simply as 'Izzy' – is one of the original Digidestined, and may be the smartest of us all (though our buddy Ken tends to give him a run for his money). In the years since the public reveal of the Digital World, Izzy has become something of a pioneer in the field of Artificial-life research. Heck, he'll get a full ride from Tokyo U off a blog post about the similarities between Digimon base code and human DNA. Just as soon as he graduates highschool that is...

To me though, he'll always be the same old Izzy.

"Good morning to you too." I mutter sarcastically.

Izzy's eyes don't leave the computer screen, but his voice is at least apologetic. "Sorry. Have to put the finishing touches on this report."

"Another blog on Digimon anatomy?"

"A book report on Dostoyevsky." He finally turns from his computer to give me a look of disappointment. "I hate my Lit. class."

I smile. "Don't you think they'd be disapproving if they found you doing someone else's work?"

Izzy makes a face. "What are they gonna do? Fire me? I practically run this place."

I laugh. "Nice to see some humility Izzy."

Izzy shakes his head. "I'm not trying to brag. How many people did you see passing through?"

"Eh… one or two."

"Exactly." He crosses his arms. Fuming. "All this space, this entire lab, and no one else uses it."

I shrug. "Sounds like you love this job."

"It's just an internship." Izzy grumbles.

I get serious. "I take it you've already heard then?"

"Not much." He answers, his humor diminished. "But yes, I've heard. It's all anyone is talking about here."

"What do you think happened?"

Izzy frowns. "I don't know. Hopefully, you'll find out for me."

"That's what we're here for." I tell him, and he nods with assurance. "Anything on the wires?"

"They're intriguing. Familiar even." He minimizes his report long enough to show me a graph of the projected wires on his laptop. "They share similar characteristics with Ken's control spires, though they are not nearly as powerful. They shouldn't hamper Digivolution too much, but they will mess with our sensors a bit. They also appear to have some connection with Etemon's dark network…"

"Didn't the Dark Network vaporize when Tai got sucked back?"

"Indeed, which is why I say they appear to have connection. My guess is; we have a very clever copy-cat trying to run things from behind the veil."

I nod. "Time to bring him out into the open then."

"I suggest you proceed with caution." Izzy warns. "If they're emulating the patterns of Etemon and the Digimon Emperor, who knows what else they've got under their sleeves."

I nod. "We'll be careful."

"Also, while you're in there. Would you mind testing this out for us?"

He hands me a hulking mass of plastic and metal from within a briefcase on his desk. It's heavier than a small child. "What is this thing?" I try not to grumble.

"It's the MAGAMI corp. first generation trans-dimensional phone." Izzy beams. "I helped to design it."

"Why is it the size of a small dog?"

Izzy shoots me a heated look. "The first cell phone was the same size."

"Yeah. But that was a whole century ago. You'd think you could make it smaller."

"At the moment, technology hasn't come along fast enough to create a better module. All the necessary components barely fit in there as is. This thing-"

"-could kill someone." I finish for him.

Izzy snatches the technological monstrosity from my hands and stuffs it back into the briefcase. "It's a work in progress." He grumbles as he snaps the latches down. "Anyway, you should be able to contact me via my cell phone, allowing for direct contact between the worlds."

"If that doesn't work I could always bash someone in the head with it." I grin. Izzy does not look amused.

"Regardless, if you could find time during your search to put the device to use, we'd really appreciate it." Izzy returns to his computer, typing up a few commands, before pulling up a map of what I instantly recognize as the continent of Server. "Their last known location is about twenty kilometers out from Neo-Delhi. I've plugged in your portal coordinates. Just to let you know, there won't be a Portalogist to meet you."

"I figured. Humanity hasn't spread that far yet."i"If my calculations are correct then the grid you're seeing is wider spread than even Mina suggested. About one-fifth of the continent seems to be connected, and It appears to be growing."

"So we'll have to be careful, for all we know it may even be a new Digimon." I zip up my jacket and grab the briefcase. "When did we say Tai was getting here?"

"Hmm?"

"Tai? I figured he'd be late but it's time to jump and he's not here yet."

Izzy blinks. "He's already inside."

I stop what I'm doing to look at Izzy. "What?"

Izzys face is the picture of one who has been conned by the clever mechanations of one Tai Kamiya. "H-he said you two decided to meet in the Digital World."

By now I feel the beads of anxious sweat forming at the top of my scalp. "How long has he been in there?"

Izzy makes a face. "I don't think he left."

"…What?" The beads of sweat are pouring like faucets.

Izzy nervously turns back to his computer, pulling up a few calculations and reviewing his history. "His last response to me came at eleven fifty-two last night. That's when he told me you two decided to rendezvous tomorrow." His face reddens and he avoids my gaze. "Something about you and Sora needing quality time or…"

"Nothing happened!" The back of my ears are on fire.

Izzy shrugs and continues. "Anyway… yeah. He's still in there."

I shake my head in disbelief. He couldn't be that…

I frown. I keep on forgetting who I'm talking about. "Where is he now?"

Izzy turns back to the computer and pulls up a map. With a few strokes on his keyboard he zero's in on a familiar signal. "A few kilometers from the arrival point. Agumon and Gabumon are with him."

"Is he alright?"

"The signal is strong. I'd say they're at full strength." He blinks and takes a closer look. "And making good time too."

"Never mind." I slide my hand across my face in frustration. "Just tell me how close you can port me to his position."

Izzy nods, working the calculations. "Here." He points to a blip on the computer screen. "They'll pass this monitor in a few minutes. You can rendezvous with them there."

"Great." I mutter while fishing for my Digivice.

Izzy types a few more codes and the computer screen becomes alive with activity. "Good luck." He tells me.

"Thanks." I grunt. Then I face the screen, raising my Digivice. "Digiport: open!"

There is a rush of wind, and everything falls around me. I feel the plummeting sensation one gats when crossing the worlds: a feeling of weightlessness at first, before you're hurtled down a corridor of bright lights. It's a humbling feeling; riding the Digiport. It's not for the faint at heart.

The next thing I know my Doc Martens are settled in desert sands and the digital sun is bearing down on me. I squint my eyes and look around. I'm deep in the deserts of Server, with no clear point of reference to tell me how far away I am from civilization. Quickly I set down the metal briefcase and open my D-Terminal, pulling up my map settings. I'm forced to frown. I should be right on top of –

"Boo!"

I yelp at the sudden sound behind me. Immediately however, I know that I'll regret that reaction. I turn with a sense of impending personal doom. Tai Kamiya stands before me, flanked by Agumon and Gabumon, trying desperately not to laugh.

"Yo." He blinks owlishly at me and raises his hand in greeting.

I feel a couple of emotions well up inside of me at once: relief to see that Tai hasn't done something stupid enough to get injured; blind rage that he's so stupid regardless. "You idiot!"

"Whoa, what I do this time?"

"You psychopath, you could have been killed!"

Tai grins like a Cheshire cat. "Aw… Matt, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't." I lie. "I just don't want to deal with Sora if she found out I let some Digimon blast you to bits!"

"Ah don't get your panties in a bunch Matt. I can handle myself. Besides, we made some pretty good ground."

"That doesn't matter!" I bark. "What would have happened if you were attacked?"

"Greymon." Is all he says to me.

"Greymon can't solve everything." I shoot back.

Agumon frowns. "Says who?"

"Look Matt, if there was any real danger, you know I wouldn't dive into it on purpose." His face is the picture of unnatural self assurance. "Besides, what if an ally needed our help? I can't turn my back on them can I?"

"We had a plan!"

"You had a plan." Tai corrects me with a nod. "And had we followed that plan we'd have been five kilometers back by now."

I want to say more but I'm afraid he'd just brush me off with a sly comment and that lopsided grin of his. Instead I turn to my partner, who looks more or less embarrassed about the whole situation. "Gabumon, you too?"

My dog-lizard raises a paw to the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry Matt. I wanted to stay… But Tai promised me chocolate."

"Tai!"

He shrugs, appealing to innocence. "What? I'm totally gonna give him chocolate after we're done. Honest."

"You can't lure my partner away with the promise of sweets!"

"What is that, a law?" He frowns.

"It's like an unwritten code or something." I turn my attention back to my partner. "Seriously, I thought you were going to tone down on the sweet tooth?"

"Eh… maybe after this mission?"

My face finds my hand again. "Why do I even bother?"

"What is that thing?" Agumon asks while pointing at the briefcase.

"Huh?" I look down. "Something Izzy made. Supposed to be a phone."

"Isn't that gonna get in our way a little?" The dinosaur asks me. "One more thing to keep track of?"

"You would thing." I make a face. "We could have planned for it… if we had stuck to the plan."

"What? You wanna hold my hand Matt-y?" He sings my name in the annoying way he picked up from Sora.

I glower. "If that would keep you from running off…"

"Gasp. He admits it!"

I roll my eyes. "Shut up Kamiya."

Tai presses both hands together and bats his eyelashes. It's clearly supposed to be his impression of Sora. "Silence me if you want Matt-y. But I know you can't hide your feelings for much longer."

"Wah! What will we tell Sora?" Smirks Agumon.

I glare. "Alright. Haha…"

By now even my partner is in on the act. "Matt and Tai… hehehe…"

"Not funny Gabumon!"

"I'd be careful if I were you." Tai grins like a madman. "You heard what Mina said. Someone might see us and assume we were; you know… together."

"You'd like that wouldn't you." I glare.

Tai laughs, and unfortunately his mirth is contagious: for the life of me I can't stay mad at the big haired idiot long enough. I let my guard down and give up trying to be angry. It's a useless emotion when you're with Tai. I punch him in the shoulder and we both end up laughing, with Gabumon stifling a chuckle and Agumon scratching his nose in boredom. I don't know what it is about us, but when I'm with Tai the rest of the world just melts away.

We don't see the enemy coming until it's too late.

GODFALL

2

Digimon