Lizzy sighed softly, looking out across the soft green prairie, as if the answers to all her questions lay somewhere just out of reach.
It was cooler here than in the desert, but the blonde was more curious about HOW they'd gone from such different climates so quickly…
A curious soul by nature, theories and assumptions and equations began rushing through her head.
Lizzy couldn't help that her brain was buzzing, and studied everything within sight.
"Lizzy?"
Almost jumping, violet eyes flicked down to Tentomon immediately, and she relaxed.
"Y-Yeah, Tento?"
"Are you…alright?"
"Y-Yeah…Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'm TIRED…" Mel complained, leaning on her equally whiny friend, Jenny.
"We've BEEN here before…"
"We can't have walked around a whole PLANET." TJ stated in disbelief, falling back on her butt out of exhaustion.
"…Could we?"
"I highly doubt that." Meg assured.
"It doesn't FEEL like we walked around a planet…Maybe an island?" Steph suggested.
"BIG island…" Tonya voiced.
"Maybe we should stop."
Blushing at the sudden attention, Lizzy looked down, fiddling with her laptop bag.
"I-I mean, everyone's pretty tired…A-And we don't really have anywhere to BE…"
"That's a good idea." Tonya assured.
"There's a tree just up ahead that we can use for shade."
Lizzy seemed to relax now that her idea was accepted, and the group settled against the trunk.
Opening her laptop as Jenny and Mel immediately took to entertaining TJ, the blonde opened it carefully.
"What's that?" Tentomon wondered, sitting next to her so it would be easier to see the screen.
"It's a laptop. I-I'd show you how it works, but…"
A sigh escaped her as the screen stubbornly stayed dark…
"I-It doesn't want to turn on…"
"Perhaps it is broken?"
"I-It couldn't be…There's no dents or scratches, nothing to indicate trauma…"
"The battery?"
"…I-It could have been knocked loose…Or it ran out of energy…"
The thoughtful look on her face turned curious, and she reached into her bag, pulling out the small pouch of tools.
"May I help?"
Amethyst eyes flicked to Tentomon, and a soft smile crossed her face.
"S-Sure you can, Tento."
Opening it, Lizzy carefully extracted the two needed to open the casing after turning off the power switch.
Prying it open, the inner workings were laid bare before her, and Tentomon watched the transformation in her eyes.
It was like her insecurity just fell away, like the teen was finally in her element and at ease with herself.
Amazed at this, he helped hold it still as Lizzy dug carefully through the wires, looking for the problem.
She was intense in those moments, focused as a laser, and nothing could break her concentration.
A spark flew, burning Tentomon a bit, and he yelped in pain.
Startled, Lizzy almost dropped her tools, but carefully put everything down before taking hold of the hurt claw.
"Don't worry, Tento…" She soothed, studying the small burn.
"It'll stop hurting in a minute. It isn't so bad."
Blowing on it carefully, Lizzy put her hand over it, looking to Tentomon for confirmation.
The Digimon nodded a bit, and she smiled sweetly, releasing him with care before turning back to her laptop.
"Y-You don't have to help anymore…I-I wouldn't want you to get hurt again."
Nodding a bit, Tentomon watched as she checked the revealed components, looking confused.
"It looks like nothing's wrong…"
Still perplexed, the blonde put everything back in its proper place before closing the casing.
"I wonder…"
Tonya rolled her shoulders, looking around as had become a habit after so many attacks, when something caught her eye.
Turning to face it, the redhead tried to find out what it was…
"Smoke?"
"What is it?" Mel wondered.
"I see smoke…"
"Where?" Agumon wondered, trying to find what his partner had.
"One sec…"
Jumping up the tree's trunk to reach a low branch, Tonya pulled herself up until she reached an area free of leaves.
Looking out, gold eyes scanned for the dark column she'd found before, and paused.
"It's a factory!"
"A factory?" Meg wondered.
"What's it doing way out here?"
"Maybe it's Area 51?"
"…"
Jenny blinked at the unamused look she received…
"What?"
"…Never mind."
Tonya jumped down to the ground from her initial branch, and faced the rousing group.
"I say we check it out. Who's with me?"
Lizzy looked hesitant, putting her laptop away and biting her lip to hold back a negative reply…
"It shouldn't be a problem." Steph agreed, shrugging.
"It's not like we have anywhere to be, anyway." Mel added.
TJ smiled, scratching Patamon behind the ear as the Digimon settled on her shoulder.
"Maybe they make toys!"
"Or candy!" Jenny agreed.
"Let's go, then." Meg decided, shaking her head a bit.
As they moved towards the smoke, Lizzy halted, looking unsure as she stared after them…
"Lizzy?"
"It doesn't feel right…" She whispered, as if she didn't realize he was there.
Grabbing her hand, Tentomon snapped her out of the trance, and she looked down at him, a bit confused, as dirty blonde bangs fell into amethyst eyes.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah…Yeah, I should be alright."
'Just paranoid, that's all…Just the same old paranoid Lizzy…'
Tightening her fingers around his claw, Lizzy followed the others, looking up as the smoke became more pronounced.
Once they reached the crest of the hill, the expansive factory spread out before them, surrounded by a metal fence.
Everything was steel it seemed, some a bit smudge with soot or grime, but still shining in the sunlight.
"Let's check it out."
Once within the metal fence, Lizzy was distracted from her worry by the machinery they were passing.
It looked very self-sufficient, without any apparent need for sentient help, though she couldn't begin to imagine the purpose for what they made.
The seven of them split into two groups, with Tonya, Steph, and Jenny going one way and Meg, Mel, and TJ going another.
Lizzy stayed where they'd branched off, looking around in order to memorize what was surrounding her.
"Lizzy?"
"…Wh-What's that door for?"
Tentomon looked up at the metal door further off in the room, reading the words on the top.
"It's the power room."
"…C-Could we check it out?"
"Sure."
The blonde led the way towards the doorway, pushing it open carefully and gazing in awe at the mammoth battery within.
"Oh gosh…"
Stepping inside, she walked towards it, laying a hand on the smooth exterior.
"It's so beautiful…"
"What is it?"
"A battery. I wonder…"
Sitting down beside the large black colossus, Lizzy pulled out her laptop, flicking it on.
Violet eyes widened as it started up, battery full and humming happily.
"Maybe I could get in…?"
Her fingers ghosted over the surface, and she smiled as a doorway opened…
"Come on, Tento. Let's check this out…"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"This place is kinda quiet…"
"Well, I think it's loud."
Jenny looked around the sterile hallways, looking uncomfortable.
"The machines don't stop humming. I'm surprised they don't overheat."
"It doesn't matter."
The three jumped, hugging their Digimon, as something crashed.
"…Then again…"
"Come on, Steph. Don't be such a scaredy bird."
"It's scaredy CAT, and that's ME, Jenny."
"Sorry…"
"Let's find out what it was."
"Are you crazy? It'll probably eat us!"
"Jenny, not EVERYTHING here will try to eat us."
"How do YOU know, Red?"
"You're so PARANOID!"
"Oh REALLY?"
"GUYS!!!"
Both girls turned to Steph, who had her arms crossed and the three Digimon at her back.
"Let's just go check it out."
Grabbing the redhead and the blonde by their wrists, the brunette pulled them along the hallway, Biyomon happily keeping step.
"Can't stop fighting for two minutes…I don't even know why we became a group…"
"You know you love me!"
"…"
"…"
"…You guys are jerks…"
Tonya rolled her eyes, looking down a hallway they were passing, before digging in her heels.
"Whoa! What's that?"
Her companions looked down said hall to see what had caught the redhead's attention, and froze.
"It looks like a robot…"
"Or a cyborg!"
Following Jenny as she raced to see what it was exactly, Gomamon clinging to her shoulder, Agumon almost tripped as they skidded to a halt.
"WHOA…"
There was another form, looking like human/lizard/robot mix, with the initial form of a boy, with green scales and random metal armor.
A red mechanical eye was placed over his left eye, and he had claws.
His Digimon partner, a male cyborg-creature, was stuck from the waist-down in a wall of gears.
Both were unconscious, and the six of them studied the scene for a moment.
"Who are they?"
"That's Andromon and Liztech." Gomamon answered.
"They're very powerful. Very advanced." Biyomon added.
Steph shuddered, stepping away as she noticed the spiked chain in Liztech's hands…
"I hope they're friendly…"
"He's stuck, though."
Tonya studied Andromon, looking a bit concerned, before turning towards her friends.
"Let's get him out of here."
"Alright."
"Fine, fine…But if I break my back, you're carrying me around…"
"Stop whining…"
As the girls grabbed hold of one arm and their Digimon the other, they pulled with all their might.
Nothing was budging, and Tonya got a bit frustrated before digging her heels into the metal again and tugging.
"Come ON…"
Jenny's grip slipped, and stumbled backwards even as Gomamon reached to grab hold of her.
Hitting something with her hip and flipping over it, she landed on her face as something shifted, starting up the gears.
Lifting herself up, the blonde blinked at the lever before her, and beyond it to the moving gears.
With the rest still pulling, Andromon slid free almost effortlessly, and Steph took a step back, puzzled.
"Maybe a gear got stuck on him and it didn't let go until it moved…?"
"Maybe…"
"He's still out of it, though." Gomamon noted.
"Maybe he just needs a good smack."
"Tonya, NO!" Steph shouted, grabbing hold of her friend's arm.
"Smacking doesn't solve every technical problem!"
"I'll do it!"
"JENNY!"
SMACK!!!
BONK!!!
Steph glared at Agumon and Gomamon, who looked sheepish as Andromon began to awaken.
Pushing both of them away, the brunette crouched down, inspecting his face.
"Are you okay?" She wondered as the Digimon's eyes locked on her face.
Liztech seemed to be awake as well, and beginning to stand, both eyes glowing a strange red…
Steph yelped when Andromon grabbed her arm, lifting the teen into the air as he stood to his massive height.
"STEPH!"
"Biyo, HELP!"
Tonya had to dodge Liztech's sharp weapon, pulling Jenny along with her as their partners moved to protect them.
"Spiral Twister!"
Andromon seemed surprised at the green flames in his eyes, and dropped Steph, who rushed away, catching Biyomon in her arms.
Skidding to a halt as the spiked chain hit the ground before her, panicked dark eyes looked up at her friends.
Tonya stepped forward as Andromon attempted to pursue, and something caught her eye.
"Agu, shoot the ceiling!"
"Pepper Breath!"
Some beams fell from their suspended position on the ceiling, crushing the Digimon to the floor and causing his partner to cry out in pain.
"COME ON!"
They rushed out the door, feet pounding down the hallway.
'We need to get out of here!'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lizzy looked around in amazement, staring up at the tall room within.
Stepping inside fully, she studied the strange, colorful symbols decorating every surface save the floor.
"It's amazing…" She murmured, putting her laptop on the floor.
"It's like it doesn't need anything to work…"
Putting a hand on a symbol, her finger accidentally slipped, erasing a corner, and everything fell into sudden darkness.
Jumping back with a yelp, she looked around in confusion, Tentomon pressing against her leg in worry.
"I-I think I erased the wrong one…"
"It's a possibility…"
"B-But that would mean…"
"What?"
"…That would mean that the symbols are somehow making energy…"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jenny hit the brakes once the lights died, and her younger companions crashed into her at the suddenness.
"Who turned out the sun?"
"I don't know, but we'd better keep moving." Steph warned.
"They can't be far behind, you know."
"Let's keep an eye out." Tonya agreed.
"Then what's THAT?"
All three turned to see two pairs of glowing red eyes, and froze in fright…
"Um…I say we just back away VERY carefully…"
"And SLOWLY…"
With Steph holding Biyomon and Gomamon on Jenny's shoulder, Tonya pulled along Agumon as they stepped away carefully.
Everything seemed fine…
UNTIL…
"Lightning Blade!"
"RUN!"
The trio JUST jumped around the corner when the attack struck the wall, followed by a spiked chain.
"Come on!" Tonya urged, practically pulling her friends from their knees and running.
'Not good-Not good-Not good!'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lizzy sat on the dimmed floor, laptop in place and bringing up a homemade program.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to figure this out…" She admitted, beginning to type.
"You see, most batteries are driven by an acidic chemical reaction that creates a current. This one creates its own current INDEPENDANTLY…"
"What does that mean?"
"I'm just trying to figure out if it's these symbols…"
Looking up at the one she'd accidentally erased, the blonde stared at it a moment…
"Maybe I erased one that was important in the creation of energy for the factory…But how do I recreate the energy flow?"
"Perhaps it would be wise to recreate the SYMBOL."
"…That might work…"
Reaching around within her laptop bag, amethyst eyes searched for her find, fingers curling around a permanent marker.
"This should do."
Standing, with her laptop still open in one hand, she turned on a scanner before popping off the cap and redrawing the corner.
The lights came back on, and she almost felt the hum through her shoes.
"…Data is creating energy…"
Sitting again, Lizzy looked towards her partner, mind still whirring, and Tentomon could almost see the gears turning.
"Lizzy?"
"Energy is matter, and matter can be ALIVE…Which means data could be…alive here…"
"What does that mean?"
"…I'm not sure…" She admitted.
"I'll need to work on it…Just to be sure…"
As her eyes turned back to the screen, fingers flying with the fluidity of practice, Tentomon sat down to watch her.
"…Lizzy…"
"Hm?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" The blonde wondered.
"Solving puzzles and working while your friends are out having fun?"
"…I enjoy it."
"Really? Then why don't you look like it?"
"…"
Her fingers slowed, finally stopping over the keys, and amethyst eyes stayed on the screen.
"…I need to do this, Tento…Everyone says how smart I am, and sometimes I just…I don't FEEL it…If I can figure this out…"
Lizzy raised her eyes, looking unsure…
"I'll feel like I deserve to be here…"
"Deserve it?"
"…I've always believed there's something bigger than us going on…I just…This feels IMPORTANT…I'm not worth it."
"I don't believe any of that." Tentomon replied determinedly, stepping up to her.
"I think you're meant to be here, and I don't care what anybody says about it!"
"Tento…"
"And I know any of your friends would tell you the same thing! You're smart and sweet and kind and if anyone tells you otherwise, I'll shock them!"
"…"
The Digimon paused at the tears swirling in her eyes, and deflated.
"Lizzy…?"
Lizzy pulled him into a hug, the tears sliding down onto his shoulder…
"Th-Thank you so much, Tento…I-I've never felt like someone cared so much…"
"Oh, Lizzy…"
Returning the embrace, he held her until the tears stopped flowing, and Lizzy pulled back, wiping the saltwater from her cheeks.
"Th-Thanks…"
"You're welcome…"
Managing to compose herself, Lizzy returned to her work, fingers moving at a slower pace than before.
The screen began to glow, however, and the blonde paused, unsure of what was going on…
A 'map' of an island, zooming out from their location, with high mountain peaks and racing numbers…
"AH! IT'S HOT!"
Her eyes shot up to see Tentomon jumping around, light seeping out through the cracks in his insectoid armor, and became concerned.
"Tento?"
Purple light leaked into her vision, and Lizzy blinked before looking down at the glowing charm and strange violet device.
'What's going on?'
"LIZZY, STOP IT!!! I'M DANCING LIKE I'VE NEVER DANCED BEFORE!!!"
Turning off the power, she breathed out as the light died down, and Tentomon slumped against her.
"I hate computers…"
Giggling, Lizzy pat his head before closing the laptop.
"Come on, Tento. Let's go find the others."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steph shielded her eyes as they burst out onto a steel, suspended walkway crisscrossing with others.
They were out in the open, with sunlight breaking through the gray smoke clouds up above.
Tonya almost stumbled from the sudden brightness in her eyes, but Agumon helped her catch her balance and keep going.
"DUCK!" Jenny shouted, pushing down the girls before her, jumping to the ground as…
"Lightning Blade!"
It zoomed over their heads, and Gomamon looked back.
"Liztech's coming!"
Tonya's heart was pounding, and she looked around in panic.
'What do I do-What do I do?!'
A crane caught her eye, and the redhead steeled herself before scrambling to her feet, jumping over the railing of the walkway.
"TONYA!"
"RED!"
The two scrambled to their feet, concerned and edgy, before they turned with the three Digimon.
"UH OH…"
Liztech was standing on his partner's shoulders, chain twirling over his head like a lasso, and both girls froze.
"Oh crap-Oh crap-Oh crap-!"
A hook caught Andromon in the back, lifting both into the air, and Jenny blinked before looking over the railing.
"Nice one, Red!"
"Run! I'll catch up!"
Steph nodded, grabbing hold of her partner and friend before doing just that, and Tonya managed to leap back onto the walkway.
Following after her friends, the redhead looked back to make sure they weren't being pursued before picking up the pace.
'This won't end well…'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holding Tentomon's hand as she walked up the stairwell, Lizzy peeked through the doorway access to the roof.
Meg, Mel, and TJ were looking over the rest of the factory, the elder of the group looking decidedly concerned.
"H-Hey, guys."
TJ whirled around, smiling as brightly as her Digimon.
"Hey, Lizzy! Where have you been?"
"Yeah, we were wondering where you went off to." Mel agreed.
"I-I found out something, and I need to tell you guys about it."
"What?" Meg wondered, looking intrigued.
If Lizzy felt it was urgent enough to tell, it was worth listening to.
"I-I ran some tests, and I found out that data is actually ENERGY here."
"What does that mean?" TJ wondered.
"Energy is matter, and matter can be a living organism."
The blonde looked excited now, trying to explain the enormous find.
"Data is ALIVE in the Digital World. The Digimon really ARE digital. Information is what makes everything up!"
Footsteps thundered behind them, and the four of them turned to see the others rushing up onto the roof.
"Guys, we need to go!" Tonya shouted, looking winded.
"What?" Mel questioned, confused.
"Why-?"
Andromon busted through the floor between the groups, and everyone cried out as he stood tall, Liztech looking ready to pounce.
The Digimon's chest opened, revealing two missiles, and the larger section of the group tensed.
"Aim…FIRE!"
As the missiles raced for their targets, Liztech pounced, and the elders jumped out of the way.
TJ, however, was too terrified to move…
"MEGGIE!!!"
"TJ!!!"
Charm glowing, Meg crouched on the ground, hand over the bright wolf.
"Wolf!"
The light surrounded her, familiar and comforting…
"Megan, Spirit Evolve into…FANG!"
Tackling Liztech in midair, she knocked him to the ground as Lizzy saw the blue device glow…
"Gabumon, Digivolve to…GARURUMON!!"
Knocking the missiles off-course with his paw, he growled as one exploded safely in the sky above them.
The other righted itself, heading for the others as Liztech kicked Fang off.
The missile's mouth opened to reveal a machine gun, and opened fire on them as he threw his chain.
Tonya's eyes narrowed, gold irises flashing, as a hand went over her glowing charm…
"Tiger!"
The orange light covered her in an immediate cocoon, almost blinding those closest to her.
"Tonya, Spirit Evolve into…TAWNY!"
Grabbing the chain between the spikes with inhuman reflexes, she snarled, charging under the weapon with claws unsheathed.
The orange device on her jacket began to glow brightly, and Lizzy's eyes widened in understanding…
"Agumon, Digivolve to…GREYMON!!"
Destroying the final missile with a swing of his tail, the large dinosaur Digimon turned with Garurumon to face Andromon.
Fang joined Tawny, who faced down a hissing lizard-android.
The battle begun in a flash, and those uninvolved in the fight held each other, keeping their heads down.
Greymon and Garurumon were being overpowered, and knocked off the roof, hitting the ground a few stories below.
Tawny jumped back from a stalemate with Liztech, hissing in pain as she felt the impact, and Fang almost fell to one knee.
Liztech took the opportunity to wrap them both in his chain, which cut into their arms, and flung them over the edge after their partners.
As Andromon and his Spirit Evolution jumped after them, the group raced over to the edge.
"Get him, Tawny!" Steph shouted.
"You can beat him, Meggy!"
"Burn him up, guys!"
They winced as the battle progressed, the ground shattering under Fang's blows and the larger Digimons' movements…
They were losing…
"What are we gonna do?" Mel worried.
"He's so strong…Like he's a level above them…" Jenny muttered.
Lizzy's eyes darted after every movement in the fight, and looked towards Tentomon…
"I-I think I know what to do…B-But…"
"I trust you, Lizzy."
Nodding after a moment, she pulled out her laptop and turned it on, fingers flying as she reentered the same sequence…
"Come on…"
The screen glowed, as did her charm, and Lizzy closed her eyes as the violet light encompassed her vision…
"Ferret…"
Violet light encompassed her in a cocoon, and she breathed out…
"Elizabeth, Spirit Evolve into…"
The glow flowed over her like a warm touch, and it condensed around her form…
"TECHIE!"
The cocoon shattered like sparkling glass, and she hit the ground with a start.
Golden ferret ears and a long, fluffy matching tail twitched, and she looked down in surprise at her changed outfit.
A purple belly shirt and white leather pants covered her frame, with a loose purple belt and matching open-toed shoes.
A waist-length white sash headband held back most of her hair, with her purple device glowing on her waist…
"Tentomon, Digivolve to…KABUTERIMON!!"
Techie looked up at her large partner, managing to grasp the confidence he was trying to give her.
"Come on, Kabuterimon."
Grabbing his ankle as the insect Digimon flew down, she timed her jump to knock Liztech away from a rising Fang.
"Lizzy?" Tonya wondered, barely sitting up beside Greymon.
Smiling towards her friend, Techie nodded.
"Yup."
Liztech hissed, twirling his chain, before loosing it towards her like a striking snake.
Bending farther back than humanly possible, Techie avoided the weapon, landing on her hands so she could bring up her feet.
Catching the chain, she slammed it to the ground, and twisted in the air to avoid his sharp claws.
Landing in a crouch, Techie managed to dodge his swipes until his claws sliced open her stomach.
Stumbling back in sudden pain as Kabuterimon faltered in the air, she breathed deeply as the skin repaired itself before their very eyes.
"WHOA…"
Doing a back-flip, she executed a split kick that made Liztech release his weapon before landing in a crouch.
Neither was gaining ground, as was their Digimon, and Fang growled.
"We need to shut him down somehow…"
Techie paused, ducking under a kick as she looked towards Andromon, seeing his right, flesh leg spark.
"That's it…"
Jumping over the next strike, she landed on his shoulders, leaping off and flipping into a somersault.
"Kabuterimon, attack his right leg! You'll disrupt his energy source!"
"Got it!"
Scooping up Liztech's weapon, she skidded, staying low to the ground as she threw the weight end towards his shoulder.
"Electro Shocker!"
Both attacks struck at the same moment, and the moment seemed to move in slow motion as a Black Gear escaped Andromon's flesh…
As Liztech hit the ground, the lizard scales withdrew to the tail and various patches, returning his face to a more human look.
Andromon, returned to normal, stood and retrieved his weary partner.
Kabuterimon landed beside his own, and she smiled up at him as both glowed and returned to normal.
Feeling tired, Lizzy took hold of his hand and joined the others as they converged on the now-peaceful pair.
"I'm sorry we attacked you. We're normally nonviolent."
"Yeah, that gear reprogrammed Andromon, and it reprogrammed me through our bond."
"It's alright." TJ assured.
"That Black Gear did the same thing to Meramon and Silverwing…" Steph remembered.
"It's trying to kill us, I swear!" Jenny exclaimed.
"We can't tell you about this place or how it came to be…"
"But we can tell you how to leave."
"Really?" Mel wondered, looking hopeful.
"The only way to get out is through here."
"The underground waterways should lead you away from here."
"Thank you." Meg replied, and the group began to move towards the circular hole.
"Thank you, Elizabeth."
"We're grateful for your assistance."
"We hope that you won't judge all partners like us by how we were."
"D-Don't worry." She assured, smiling up at them with Tentomon.
"I-I'm just glad I could help."
Walking into the darkness, Lizzy looked down at her charm, seeing the glitter of light across it.
She had a feeling that this wasn't over, that she really didn't NEED that program anymore, that she wasn't alone…
And for once, she wasn't scared.