Chapter Twelve: Mister Wright
The dawn sun of the Digital World greeted Thompson's aching eyes. That night of wondrous sleep had reminded him just how tired he was. Back home on Earth life was much easier, luxury and convenience were paramount and yet, back on Earth, he wasn't happy. Here in the Digital World things were hard, every journey left them with aching feet and grumbling bellies and yet there was happiness to be had. There was the thrill of adventure in a new strange world and the building of bonds of friendship between them. Thompson sprung to his feet and despite his aching muscles and he smiled. The sun's first rays peaked over the horizon and a knock came at the door.
"Come in," Thompson called washing his face at the sink
"It's me," Solara said walking toward the bathroom, "I brought you some breakfast."
"Thanks," Thompson replied with a smile exiting the bathroom and lifting his shift over his head, he noticed Solara's expression at the sight of him shirtless and he felt a little embarrassed.
"The guy downstairs in the hotel kitchen says its fruit of some kind, but it looks more like an omelet to me."
"Is everyone else awake?" Thompson whispered extra quiet hopping not to wake Adlimon, who was still asleep.
"No," Solara whispered back, "Xander's still out… it was his snoring that woke most of us up. I suppose I better go wake him, we have a long day ahead of us."
"Yeah," Thompson nodded as Solara slipped toward the door silently, "thanks for the breakfast."
"You like her don't you?" Adlimon asked with a yawn, "No use denying it friend, I know love when I see it."
"Digimon don't even have love do they?" Thompson blurted absent mindedly.
"We most certainly do!" Adlimon grumbled crossing his arms as he did.
"Of course you do," Thompson said apologetically, "but now that I think about I'm not sure us humans have it either. Maybe we've been fooling ourselves all along."
"Please Thompson," Adlimon griped suddenly smelling the food, "no philosophical musings before breakfast."
"Fair enough," Thompson replied with a smile, "Let's eat."
Thompson and Adlimon finished up their food in a feeding frenzy and set out to meet up with the others. Thompson spotted Solara trying to drag Xander out of his room by his ankles. It was a sight made all the more funny by the fact Xander was still snoring up a storm as she dragged him. Once Alexander had been awakened they set out from the Inn with a mission in mind. Thompson, Adlimon, Anselm and Patamon would go out and gather a supply of food for the trip. Solara and the others would head out to find any other gear they needed including some new more comfortable clothing.
The morning air was quite chilly and despite the fact they were now hundreds of miles south of the Fortes Island they could feel the encroaching winter. In the hustle and bustle of the city it was impossible to be cold especially with the sun now a full sphere in the Eastern sky. Patamon was leading the way with Thompson and Anselm struggling to keep up with their Digimon partners. Patamon, his belly already full with one breakfast, seemed just as ravenous about food as if he were starving. His little orange wings pounded as he darted from cart to cart testing an assortment of Digital World fruits and vegetables. Harborhail was a city of variety and produce from all over the Digital World was processed and sold here. While Patamon and Adlimon filled several sacks with fresh produce Thompson eyed what appeared to be canned goods from outside a store window. He entered the store noting one of the humanoid customers was watching him. The Digimon looked more or less human and was dressed in a robe that kept his features hidden. Thompson shrugged it off and made his way over to the shelves of the store picking up several cans and trying in vain to figure out the contents.
"How much for ten cans?" Thompson asked the shop-keep, a bizarre fish looking Digimon.
"You've come to the right place traveler," the shop-keep said, "Divermon has the best canned Ouqu Beans around. Only one gold piece for each can but I'll let ten go for just nine gold pieces."
Thompson had a feeling he was getting conned but he shrugged his shoulders dealing out the coins to the Divermon and sweeping the cans into his bag. He left but looked back to the store as he made his way into the crowded city streets. For a moment he thought he saw a figure shadowing him as he left but in the sea of Digimon moving from place to place he chocked it up to imagination. Thompson found the others in the middle of a heated debate. Patamon was attempting to barter the price of his purchase down and the owner of the stall seemed less than happy with the offering price. Anselm was just watching helplessly and Thompson had to chuckle.
"Just give him the money he's asking," Anselm said pulling Patamon away for a second.
"That crazy old loon is asking a fortune!" Patamon protested, "I refuse to pay it!"
"What do you think?" Anselm asked Adlimon and Thompson.
"There's no money in the village I'm from but I understand the nature of bartering," Adlimon started, "let Patamon do his thing, there are plenty of food carts to buy from."
"I'd have to agree with Adlimon," Thompson admitted.
Half way across Harborhail Solara was staring at the handsomest human face she'd ever set eyes on. She cut through the crowd drawing the attention of her companions, who had been busy picking out tents for their journey. Solara saw the man dart away back into the crowd but she was determined to catch him. She saw him lift his hood to conceal himself in the endless sea of pedestrians but still he stood out, like a fire in the darkness. Solara caught him then, grabbing his gray-blue robes and spinning him around to face her.
"It can't be," she mouthed, "How can you be human?"
"I should ask you the same question," the man replied, a smile appearing on his handsome face.
"Solara, what in the hell did you take off for?" John asked running to catch up but he stopped short when he saw the man, the human being, Solara was talking to.
"Another human," Haomon and Vera remarked simultaneously, arriving to stand beside their bewildered friends. Xander and Bogmon arrived last.
"My name is Ayden Wright," the robed man said with a bow, "I have been here in the Digital World for three months."
"Why did you run when I tried to catch you?" Solara asked staring into Ayden's eyes; they were a deep fiery blue.
"I panicked," Ayden admitted, "It's been three months since I've seen a human face. I followed you and your friends for a while. At first I thought you were all a hallucination, I thought all this time here alone had driven me mad."
"This place is pretty maddening," Xander agreed with a nod.
"Do you have a Digimon or a Digivice?" John asked holding up his device and motioning to Dyrasmon.
"I have one of those," Ayden said absently, he reached to his robes pulling out a strange looking Digivice that seemed far newer than the ones the others possessed, "but I have no Digimon… I, I become one."
"What?" Solara asked with a flash of intrigue in her eyes.
"Agunimon," Ayden said, "When I first came here I found a strange glowing idol, it seemed to dissolve before me into pure energy and enter my, what did you call it, Digivice. Later I found I could become a Digimon. Last night when you entered the city I saw you through Agunimon's eyes."
"This is fascinating and all but we've got supplies to gather and a quest to complete," Xander replied with a yawn.
"Xander," Solara growled elbowing him in the side, "Mister Wright here must be a seventh member of our team."
"Hey!" Haomon complained.
"Twelfth member," Solara corrected.
"Yeah, and, so what," Xander replied, "Look - Ayden was it? - I'm sure you're a nice guy and all but we are on a mission so if you'll excuse me I have a jumbo tent to purchase."
"Shouldn't you pick a tent that is portable enough to carry?" Bogmon reminded him as the two of them hopped away together.
"Don't mind him," Solara said feeling engrossed in Ayden's endless eyes.
"So you all have Digimon and these Digivice thingys?" Ayden asked.
"Well, actually, I don't have a Digivice," Solara said though by the end of the sentence her voice had lost its upbeat tone, "or a Digimon."
"Yet." Vera said offering Solara a reassuring smile.
"So will you join our group?" Solara asked offering Ayden a beaming smile.
"What choice do I have? It'll be good to be among my own kind," Ayden replied offering his own smile, "No offense to the Digimon of the group."
"None taken," Haomon replied.
The group moved off toward the marketplace. Solara recounted every bit of their journey thus far and what their ultimate destination was. She filled Ayden in on every detail from the strange feeling that had drawn them there to the finding of their Digimon friends. Ayden had his own story to tell of course and Solara hung on every word feeling like she was walking on air when she was in his presence. He explained how he came to the Digital World while exploring a cave network near his house. How an odd feeling had coursed through him when he found the doorway, a rift in reality, deep underground. Solara was surprised to hear that he was eighteen and had graduated high school that past year. She felt truly embarrassed explaining to him her origins as an orphan. Ayden gawked at that revelation replying that he was amazed anyone could have abandoned so beautiful a girl. Thompson Anselm and the others rejoined the group less than an hour later and Thompson realized immediately who the robed figure was.
"I saw you at the canned goods store," Thompson said shaking hands with Ayden, "I knew there was something about you that didn't fit in."
"I'm not one for conformity," Ayden joked.
"Did you guys get the goods?" John asked.
"Yep," Patamon replied beaming with happiness, "and at a discount."
"He won his heckle," Anselm explained.
"Good, we need to get out of the city and get moving," Solara said, "We have a long walk ahead of us."
"Where are we going again?" Ayden asked.
"The Celestial Castle," Xander said, the words seemed magical to him, "Supposedly there's someone in that Castle that can figure out why in the hell we're here."
"Let's move," Solara advised, "it's already afternoon."
They left the city less than an hour later making their way as quickly as they could across the crowded cityscape. Soon enough the Harborhail Eastern gates were behind them and they were headed out of the city on the main road. It was still crowded, with trade caravans and Digimon of all shapes and sizes wheeling carts and carrying bushels and baskets and buckets of every variety. Ayden stopped for a moment, staring back at the city he'd called home for nearly two months. He'd made his way along the Western coast of Severa for the first month trying to find a refuge where he'd be safe from the curious and sometimes unscrupulous folk. Most Digimon were decent enough to each other but their hospitality was a bit downgraded when it came to bizarre creatures from other worlds. Ayden hadn't a penny in his pocket but he'd found a home in the colorful and crowded city of Harborhail.
As they put the first two miles behind them the road branched off and the group had to reference the map to find the correct route. The road the map marked as the correct one was narrow and winded through the forests and fields. Now out of the city they came upon several suburban villages including one called New Harborhail. The Digital denizens of these towns cast curious glances at the odd group as they passed through. Soon enough the sun was low in the sky and the air had an autumn chill brought on by the absent sun. One of the Digital moons, the tan one, was reduced to a tiny sliver that night while the other hung full in the sky above them as they made camp near a small patch of trees.
The twelve of them soon had a fire raging and Thompson thought it time to try out his canned goods, Ouqu Beans as the Divermon had called them. He popped open the lid and poured the contents into a small pan they'd purchased. The beans were purplish in color and packaged with a salty liquid likely meant to keep them fresh for a long time. Thompson, being the one who'd risked buying them, was the first to have a taste. He dipped his spoon into his bowl and lifted a steaming spoonful of beans blowing at it to cool if off before poking out his tongue to taste it. Satisfied that it wasn't instantly deadly Thompson put the whole spoonful in his mouth and swished it around letting his tongue make sense of it. It was salty, but not without a flavor of its own which was unlike anything he'd ever tasted. He took another bite nodding his head as he did to signal the others that it was satisfactory.
"I wonder if beans have the same effect here as they do on Earth," Xander mused aloud as he woofed down his bowl of Ouqu.
"If so it won't be just your snoring that keeps us up," John joked.
"It's a medical condition," Xander assured him, "I don't snore by choice."
Solara stared across the camp toward the fire but it wasn't the dancing orange flames she was focused on. Ayden stood some distance away from the others leaning against a tree and slowly, almost sadly, eating his dinner. Solara moved away from the others then, toward Ayden. Normally romance was the farthest thing from her mind, after all an orphan doesn't get many chances at love but perhaps that was what motivated her boldness.
"Why don't you come eat with the others?" Solara asked sliding up beside Ayden.
"I'm not sure I'm one of the group. You guys have a history together."
"Yeah, we've been through a lot these past three weeks," Solara said, "I can't imagine what it was like, being here for three months, alone."
"You get to think," Ayden replied with a smile.
"Bout what?" Solara asked suddenly feeling her stomach turn. She looked away from him toward the moons as they rose.
"About the fact that you don't want to be alone," Ayden sighed, "I suppose that's behind me now."
"Yep," Solara confirmed with a smile, "You've got me now… I mean us."
"How lucky I am," Ayden said.
"So what do you think they're talking about?" Vera asked turning everyone's attention toward Solara and Ayden.
"I think Solara's got her panties all in a bunch over the new guy," Xander replied getting himself a few more spoonfuls of food.
"That's a lewd way to put it," Vera scowled.
"Well I'm a teenage boy," Xander admitted, "And she's a teenage girl. We're all hormone raging red blooded sex addicts even if we pretend not to be and hide our true desires under flowery romantic nonsense."
"That's actually pretty much true," John said as though surprised he was agreeing with Xander's assessment.
"Some of us are looking for something that's more than skin deep," Thompson disagreed, "Some of us would like a little romance alongside our red-hot lust."
Xander shrugged as though he'd suddenly lost interest in the conversation, he let out a belch and made his way toward his pack. Thompson looked over at Solara and Ayden suddenly feeling stupid for having not made his move when he had the chance. Then again how could he have predicted that she would meet Mister Wright? Besides, he reminded himself, Ayden seemed like a nice guy. At least Solara wouldn't be falling to some scoundrel and wouldn't be stuck being alone. Thompson looked to Adlimon and the rest of his friends. He didn't need romance, he didn't need lust. All he needed was the open road, his friends, and adventure. He was young after all and there would be plenty of time for romance when he set foot back in the real world where there were actually some fish in the sea. The Digital World wasn't exactly teaming with women.
Solara's body lay in her tent but her mind, her heart, was elsewhere. She knew it was silly to be so suddenly enamored, so quickly infatuated, with a man she hardly knew but she couldn't help it. There was something about those fiery blue eyes and that handsome face that made her feel instantly attracted to him. Solara knew that this kind of man was rare, one that was as attractive outside as he was in. With each word he said she could feel the fire in his soul a fire that she had always believed lived within her. That was why they had named her Solara when the orphanage found her. She had been sick, a weak child almost too ill to cry out. The doctors had given a grim prognosis and she had fought it, she had proven them wrong. The nuns decided to give her a special name, one that reflected her inner fire and the heat of her hazel eyes. Solara felt a chill run through her spine, a faint electricity much like the one that had led her to that forgotten gate three weeks ago. She felt peace cover her then as sleep came to ferry her into the realm of dreams.