"…Goma-Goma?"
"Hm?"
"How long have we been floating through the eternal nothingness that is the ocean?"
"…Huh?"
"…How long have we been here?"
"OH…Dunno."
"…You're so helpful…"
Staring out at the wide expanse of blue, she blinked at dew on her eyelashes as the mist curled through the air.
"…Jenny?"
"…Just feeling a little under the weather…"
Lying on her side and gripping the sheets tighter, Jenny tried to control her breathing as Gomamon rubbed her shoulder.
"It'll be okay, Jenny…"
"Yeah…Once the sea stops shaking…"
Silver eyes lifted from the foaming dark water, and looked around for something to soothe her aching belly.
"And you're supposed to be part dolphin…" Gomamon teased.
"I just don't like rough water…" She admitted, turning to look up at the sky.
"Why?"
"…I don't really remember…"
A smile crossed her face, and Jenny sat up, holding her feet as she crossed her legs Indian style.
"I just remember the good times, you know?"
"Like what?"
"Sleepovers and going to my favorite pizzeria and playing football in the park…"
Jenny sighed, putting a hand on Gomamon's head.
"I guess I miss some things more than others…"
"When you go back, will I go with you?"
"Of course!"
Her smile grew to a grin, and Jenny pulled him into her side enthusiastically.
"There's plenty of things I want to show you!"
"Like pizza and sleepovers and football?"
"Definitely! You'd enjoy it, Goma-Goma!"
"What IS that stuff anyway?"
"Pizza is food-."
"Say no more! I'm in!"
Giggling a bit at his enthusiasm, and glad she'd been distracted from her nausea, Jenny looked out at the ocean in search of land.
"Hey, what's that?"
Eyes trained on the strange shape bobbing object amid the water, Gomamon climbed up onto her head.
"I think it's a crate."
"A crate?"
Stretching herself upwards, Jenny's eyes narrowed in an attempt to identify it as well.
"Well, Jebus…It IS a crate!"
Getting onto her knees to watch as it drifted closer, the blonde tilted her head in curiosity.
"That's strange…Why would it just be randomly floating through the ocean?"
"Maybe a ship dumped them?"
"An airplane could have too, I guess…"
Leaning forward to pull it alongside the floating bed, Jenny easily kept her balance as it bounced against the frame.
"I wonder what's inside…"
"Maybe food!"
"…I wouldn't be talking, Goma-Goma…You ate my beef jerky!"
"…Um…What beef jerky?"
"…May Jebus have mercy on your soul…"
Running her hands over the wood top, silver eyes narrowed when she found no nails.
"Guess we'll have to pry it open by hand…"
"How?"
"Well, I'm not a genius! At least not this kind of genius…"
"If we use our hands, we'll get splinters!"
"Do you see a crowbar around here?"
"We could use you as a crowbar."
"…Ha ha…FUNNY…"
Smacking Gomamon upside the head, Jenny tried to find a crack to fit her fingers in, biting her lip.
Suddenly, the wood bent in the middle, and silver eyes widened as she pushed away from it.
Splinters exploded into the air, and Jenny shielded Gomamon from them as Ogremon and Poisontail shot up.
"Oh holy whipped cream dragon…"
"You're done!" Poisontail hissed, pouncing on the blonde and causing them to roll towards the edge, wrestling.
"Pummel Whack!"
Gomamon ducked beneath the club, but Jenny kicked Poisontail up, getting her smacked instead.
Both cried out, and Gomamon rushed to his partner's side, ducking under a stray swipe from Ogremon.
"You'll pay for that!"
"Pummel Whack!"
"Jenny, get down!"
Gomamon shielded his partner's head as the club took another swing, and was struck instead, flying into the air and hitting the water.
"Goma-Goma!"
Almost choking as Poisontail pounced on her chest, fingers tightening on her throat, Jenny flailed in an attempt to free herself.
"Fool! You won't be able to talk your way out of this, little girl!"
"I-I won't need to…"
A smirk crossed the teen's face, and the grey charm over her heart began to shine…
"Dolphin…"
The light came in a sudden surge, causing Poison tail to hiss in pain and back off, shielding her face.
"Jennifer, Spirit Evolve into…TRICKSTER!"
"Gomamon, Digivolve to…IKKAKUMON!!"
Rearing out of the water, Ikkakumon caused the bed and crate to sway dangerously, setting his opponents off-balance.
Tail morphing over her legs, Trickster leapt into the water, avoiding her opponent's fangs.
"Where are you going?! Fight me!!"
Poisontail's eyes widened in surprise as the dolphin-girl shot out of the water like a torpedo.
"You asked for it!!"
Slamming into the Spirit Evolution's stomach, Trickster knocked the air out of her and pinned her to the bed.
"Get off of her! Pummel Whack!"
Jumping up to avoid the weapon, Trickster caught onto her partner's horn.
Swinging as her legs came free of her tail, the blonde brought her feet up to smack into Poisontail's chin.
Using the momentum, she flew into the water, propelling herself forward with her strong tail.
Shooting out of the waves, and twirling away from Poisontail's namesake, Trickster locked eyes with her partner.
"Get him, Ikkakumon!"
"Harpoon Torpedo!"
Ogremon cried out as the attack struck, and Poisontail writhed in pain as the pair made their escape.
Clinging to Ikkakumon's fur, Trickster tried to blink stars out of her eyes…
"I-Ikkakumon…"
He shifted, trying to keep himself awake and his partner afloat…
"C-Can't…swim a-anymore…"
"W-We're going down…"
Tail flapping wildly in vain, she tried to help her Digimon keep his head above water…
"W-We can't give up…C-Come on, Ikkakumon…"
The light returned, making them normal, and Jenny felt herself sink without the help of her tail…
Darkness ate at her senses as the water lapped over the blonde's head, and she sputtered…
'No…'
All there was in her world was dark water, swirling currents, the warm weight of Gomamon in her arms…
Flashes of shattering water, cold liquid in her throat, muted screams, light vanishing before her eyes…
'NO!'
Then…
Blackness…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Stephie?"
Looking up from her fishing pole, the brunette smiled, brushing crimson bangs from her eyes.
"Yeah, Biyo?"
"Have you caught anything yet?"
"Not yet…I'm sure I'll get something soon, though."
"I'd be happy if you caught a little fish…"
"I'd get you the biggest fish in the ocean if I could, Biyo. You know that, right?"
"I know you would, Stephie."
The line suddenly went taught, and Steph immediately dug her heels into the ground to keep from being pulled over.
"WHOA!"
Leaning back as far as she could, the brunette pulled her arms back as Biyomon grabbed onto her forearms.
"PULL!"
Using all of their strength, the line began to pull the catch closer to shore, when something popped out of the water.
Onyx eyes narrowed a bit to see what it was, then widened in surprise.
"JENNY?!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Piling together wood and stones, Steph had Biyomon light a fire as Gomamon shook himself dry.
"How are you two?" Steph worried, drying off her older friend and covering her with broad leaves.
"We're fine…Thanks for the save."
"I'm just glad my line was out…"
"What happened to you two?"
"You see, we were just floating around in the ocean when we were attacked by Ogremon and Poisontail."
Steph winced a bit, imagining the situation all too clearly.
None of them would have been happy to face Ogremon and his Spirit Evolution under any circumstances…
"We fought them off, but we couldn't swim very far. We ran out of strength and started sinking. The only thing that woke me up was her strong fear of drowning…"
The brunette looked towards her friend, looking curious…
'She has a fear of drowning?'
"I tried to get her to the surface, but I was running out of air. That's when your fishing line came, and I wrapped it around her so you could pull us up."
"It's a good thing you guys found it." Biyomon noted.
"You're both alright, though? I mean, Jenny hasn't woken up…"
"She'll be fine, Steph…"
Gomamon sighed, crawling onto his partner's chest and relaxing, looking a bit down-heartened…
"I'm just worried that she'll backtrack again…"
"Backtrack?"
Concern crossed the brunette's dark eyes, and she turned to face the pair fully.
"Why?"
"She has some issues, that's all…But if she fears the water…"
"She won't be able to realize her full potential…"
"Exactly…"
Biyomon sighed, looking up at her partner.
"What do we do?"
"…I guess we just need to find our way back to the others. I'm sure Tonya could think of something…"
Leaning back on her hands, Steph blew her bangs out of her eyes, gaze looking towards the forest.
"…This island is deserted, as far as I know…Maybe we'll be able to find a boat or something…"
"Once Jenny wakes up, that is." Gomamon reminded.
"Right…"
Jenny shifted, and Gomamon perked, excited.
"Jen?"
"Jeez…I feel like a whale is sitting on top of me…Oh, it's just you, Goma-Goma…"
"HA HA…FUNNY…"
"I try…"
Smiling cheekily, Jenny sat up, catching her partner in the crook of her arm and shaking out her hair.
"Thanks for the save, Steph. Even though my head is throbbing and my throat is hoarse…"
"Nice to know that you're just as grateful as always, Jenny…"
"Don't fix what isn't broken."
Rubbing her shoulder, the blonde released a breath.
"Where are we exactly?"
"Deserted island."
"…Nice…Any idea where the others are?"
"Nope."
"…You need more intel."
"I'm aware of that."
Smiling slightly at the usual banter, Steph stretched her arms and shoulders slowly.
"Where do we go now?"
"I say we explore."
Standing, Jenny shook her legs loose, grinning now.
"Maybe it's a haunted island."
"That's not funny, Jenny."
"Only because you believe in ghosts and ancient curses."
"You would too if your parents were mediums and psychics."
"Guess so."
Shrugging, Jenny paused as Gomamon climbed onto her shoulder.
"…Isn't your older sister some kind of psychic, too?"
Steph flinched, and grey eyes flickered as the older girl took note of it.
"Yeah…Yeah, she is."
Jenny hadn't known her friend's elder sibling, but she'd heard enough to know it still affected her.
It had caused Steph to have a slight inferiority complex when it came to her parents, and what caused her to strive for excellence in sports.
Apparently, that had been the only thing that vaguely got her parent's attention…
"Come on, Steph. Maybe there's a cemetery around here."
"That's not funny, Jenny!"
"Trust me, it is."
Smiling cheekily, Jenny led the small group into the trees, ducking under branches.
"What are cemeteries for, anyway?"
"They're for burying dead people, Goma-Goma. Sometimes, they come back from the dead as zombies!"
"No they don't!" Steph interrupted.
"Sure they do! And then they eat brains!"
"Jenny, stop trying to scare them!" The brunette scolded, lifting a frightened Biyomon into her arms.
"I'm just saying…"
Gomamon was shaking atop her head, clinging tightly, and Jenny shook her head.
"I'm just kidding, Goma-Goma. Chill."
"I didn't believe you for a second!"
"That's a good one…Then why are you shaking?"
"It's cold."
"SURE…"
Moving up the incline, the blonde jumped over thick roots, a chill rushing down her spine at the sight of the gnarled dark trees.
"…You're sure there's no such thing as zombies, Steph?"
"Why?"
"This place is creepy…"
"There's no such thing as the living dead." Steph assured, rubbing Biyomon's back to soothe her.
"What about…demons?"
"…"
"STEPH…?"
"I can't tell you that, Jenny…"
"LIE to me! I need a lie!"
"I won't lie, Jenny. You know I don't."
"Can't you just start now?!"
"No! Now MARCH!"
"But-!"
"MARCH!"
Pouting, and feeling tense now at the prospect of evil spirits, Jenny picked up the pace.
"If demons exist, why isn't this whole place burning in hellfire?"
"They're evil SPIRITS, not humans. Or Digimon."
"What are spirits?" Biyomon wondered.
"It's the life force that all living creatures possess. I guess Spirit Evolution is making it stronger…"
"Do you think we could fight actual spirits?" Jenny wondered.
"Maybe…"
Gomamon perked, seeing something through the branches and leaves surrounding them from above.
"What's that?"
Everyone's eyes followed his gaze, and Jenny tilted her head…
"Looks like an old-fashioned church."
"I think that's a cemetery beside it…"
"Let's not start that again…I'm already regretting starting it in the first place…"
"We should check it out either way. Maybe there are people."
"Yeah…You check."
"We'll ALL check."
Grabbing Jenny's arm, Steph dragged her up the rest of the way, careful to keep them hidden in the foliage.
Moving along a hidden section of the old building, where the worn bricks were infested with vines, they looked out back.
"…Why are those people wearing weird masks?"
"No idea…"
"Why are those weird masked people dancing in a circle?"
"No idea…"
"…Do you have ANY idea?"
"Apparently not. Haven't you been listening?"
"…Damn you and your logic, Steph…"
Smiling slightly at her surprisingly-older friend, the brunette turned her attention back to the 'party'.
"It looks like a strange Halloween party…"
"Hallo-what?"
Both jumped, screaming in fear at the sudden appearance of the church priest, eyes wide as they stared at him, panting heavily.
"Holy butterscotch ripple! Don't DO that!"
"I almost had a heart attack!"
"What are you two doing here? Have you come to celebrate the Bakemon Holiday?"
"Bakemon Holiday?" Steph wondered.
Motioning for them to follow, the priest led them towards the front door of the church, and the girls shared a glance before doing so.
"Is it about a Digimon?" Jenny questioned.
"Why, yes it is. We'd like it if you joined us."
"Why? Are you going Trick-Or-Treating?"
"Something like that…We don't have a lot of young people around, and no holiday is complete without them."
"I think that's a lie…I'd rather people not teepee my house…" Jenny admitted.
"You arrived just in time for some FUN."
"Wait a sec…"
Gomamon scrunched up his nose, seeming to notice something.
"Did you say Bakemon? As in Lord Bakemon?"
"Yes."
"But the only Bakemon I know of is a horrible Digimon that lives among ghosts as their ruler. Why would you honor and celebrate someone like that? In the words of our friends, he's a loser."
"You've got that right." Biyomon agreed, looking up from her partner's shoulder.
"Don't you dare come in here and tell us who to honor or not!"
"Whoa, chill!"
Steph's eyes narrowed sharply, and the priest seemed to sense her protective aura.
"No need to snap." She warned.
"Besides, weren't you going to have some fun?" Jenny interrupted.
"You're not afraid?"
"Nah."
"Well, you should be…Because it's a trick…"
Four pairs of eyes widened as the mask cracked, and forms up in the rafters spread shadowy, sharp-looking wings…
"And YOU'RE the treat!"
The group was frozen in surprise at the white, claw-handed ghost…
"HOLY JEBUS-PICKLES!!!"
"RUN!!!"
Rushing out of the church as fast as their legs could carry them as the other people became Bakemon, crow Spirit Evolutions swooped down.
"FASTER!!!"
The people dancing before blocked their path, also becoming Bakemon, and they were forced to stop.
"FUDGE-NUTTERS!!!"
"BIYO!!!"
"Spiral Twister!"
As the Bakemon were knocked away, their partners swooped down to strike Steph.
Rolling out of the way, she chucked a rock, looking towards Jenny as it connected.
"Come on!"
"I'm on it!"
Putting a hand over her charm, the blonde closed her eyes.
"Dolphin!"
The light came in a flicker, dying almost instantly, and her eyes fluttered as she fell to her knees.
Gomamon collapsed, feeling his partner's weakness, and Steph clenched her teeth.
'Damn!'
Putting a hand on her own charm, she hoped it would work…
"Eagle!"
That same flicker, a light coming on only to be suddenly extinguished, and she felt all strength leave her body as she fell back on her behind.
Biyomon flinched in midair, eyes half-closed in surprised weariness, and fell to the grass in a dazed heap.
The Bakemon and their partners swooped in to restrain them, but no one was going down without a fight.
Kicking at one's face, Steph felt her breathe steal away from her lungs as Biyomon was being pulled away.
"BIYO!!!"
Struggles becoming more frantic as a pain settled deep in her chest, she struck a crow-girl in the face.
"Let me go! BIYO!!!"
Jenny almost cried out as her own bond was tugged mercilessly, legs flailing wildly in panic.
"GOMA-GOMA!!!"
They were forced into the church once more, and rope almost burned their skin as it was tightened around their limbs.
Digimon taken below the building, the girls were thrown onto a strange pedestal, lying side-by-side.
"MAN…"
"Jenny?"
Silver eyes flickered to her younger friend, and froze at the pained, vulnerable expression crossing the brunette's features…
"What will happen to our Digimon if they really DO eat us?"
"They won't eat us."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I won't let them."
Onyx eyes blinked up at silver, and the teen relaxed…
"Jenny…?"
Steph coughed as salt and pepper assaulted her senses, and Jenny wriggled, sneezing.
"Holy pickle juice! Could you stop?!"
"You're not going to eat us, so stop!!"
"How foolish you children are! Do you really think your Digimon will come and save you?"
"They will! And then you'll be sorry, you life-sucking leeches!" Jenny retorted.
"We'll see about that…"
The Bakemon began to chant something, but the words began to blend as they did…
As the Digimon merged, so did their partners, and they both came out of it much larger.
Steph's eyes widened a moment in fright, before the feeling of wholeness rushed upon her…
Jenny must have felt it too, since a gasp of surprise left her as the bond filled her chest…
"Dolphin!"
The bright shine of her charm had Bakemon and his Spirit Evolution, a dirty-skinned dark crow, backing away with hisses.
"Jennifer, Spirit Evolve into…TRICKSTER!"
"Gomamon, Digivolve to…IKKAKUMON!!"
Busting through the floor behind their heads, he used his horn to drive away the Digimon as Trickster used her tail to break her bonds.
"Eagle!"
The light surrounded her, and she felt calm…
"Stephanie, Spirit Evolve into…TALON!"
"Biyomon, Digivolve to…BIRDRAMON!!"
Flexing her wings to snap her bonds, Talon sped away from the pedestal so the Spirit Evolution wouldn't crush her.
"Watch out for Razor!" Birdramon warned.
Trickster turned to head for the door, knowing they'd need open skies, when Razor dove for her from behind.
Bringing her tail up, she smacked the crow-girl into the ground, tackling the door open.
"TALON! BIRDRAMON!"
"COMING!"
Swooping out into the night sky, she twirled to avoid her opponent as everyone came out into the open space.
"Meteor Wing!"
"Harpoon Torpedo!"
Neither attack seemed to cause any real damage, and Trickster looked concerned as Talon and Razor did a deadly dance in the air above.
"Talon, they're too strong!"
"We just need to be stronger!" Talon shouted back, diving low to avoid a tackle.
Flying inches from the ground, she landed, looking up as Razor hit a tree, cursing.
"We need a plan."
"But what can we do? There's no way we can fight them!"
"…Mind over Matter."
Blinking at her younger friend, Trickster tilted her head.
"Focusing our minds on making them weak will actually work?"
"It should. Bakemon is a ghost Digimon, after all."
Talon sighed, looking at her friend in the eyes piercingly.
"You start the chant, and no matter what happens, don't stop."
"But what about you?"
"I'll keep Razor busy."
The crow-girl cawed as she came free of the bark, racing towards the brunette.
"GO!"
Flying sharply into the air, Talon barely avoided the flow, twirling to dodge sharp claws.
Sitting Indian style on the ground, Trickster closed her eyes…
"Bakemon, lose your power. Razor, lose your power. Bakemon, lose your power. Razor, lose your power."
Bakemon froze, beginning to shrink, and Razor halted in midair.
Talon grinned, and the Digimon readied themselves to strike as their opponents weakened.
The crow-girl swooped down to attack the source of her weakness, and Trickster kept herself still…
"Razor, lose your power!"
She skidded to a sudden halt, looking up at Talon as she easily found the beat.
"Bakemon, lose your power! Razor, lose your power!"
Trickster's eyes shot open…
"NOW!"
The two Spirit Evolutions leaped to meet their target, Trickster twirling to bring her tail towards Razor's stomach as Talon had her elbow between her shoulder blades…
"Meteor Wing!"
"Harpoon Torpedo!"
They seemed to disappear like smoke in their defeat, and Talon caught her friend before she fell to the earth below.
Both landed, relaxing, when the earth cracked beneath their feet.
Startled, they jumped to the side, seeming confused as the split widened, showing Black Gears beneath the surface.
"What the CORN SYRUP…?"
The ground quaked as the intricate system below fell apart, and they shared a look.
"Guess we have to find the others our way."
"I bet they went to Infinity Mountain."
Steph nodded, spreading her wings and taking to the sky with Birdramon, patting her partner's head.
"Let's go."
"Devimon, here comes the butt-whooping!"
Grinning and cheering, Trickster jumped into the water, tail morphing over her legs as Ikkakumon followed her.
'Hold on, guys…We're coming…'