Okay, newsflash: I am making a change to "Destiny"!!! I repeat, I am changing an important detail to my story, "Destiny" and it will affect things later in this one. Specifically, I am changing Leomon's Biomerged form. Rather than the quadruped SaberLeomon that is so commonly used, I have decided to use one that I found only after I finished "Destiny." For now on, they combine into Regulumon, a more humanoid mega form. I went back to chapter 22 and 23 of that story and made the changes. You can go back and read that if you like.
After I finish writing this, I intend to go through that story and edit it entirely. Likely, I'll add more scenes and create more detail to it, but the events that do occur will remain the same. This change of mega form will probably be the only major change. Hope that the change from SaberLeomon to Regulumon doesn't bother you too much.
Now that I have that out of the way, I want to say that I truly appreciate my loyal readers. I enjoy the wonderful feedback and hope you enjoy all the things to come.
"Okay, I understand now why less than half of you guys are back and everything," remarked Izzy. "Now, Tai could you get off me?!"
The portal opened by Destiny lead the group into the Digidestined of Knowledge's room. Unfortunately, the group of humans and digimon were packed into the small room tightly, similar to how the larger group was crowded in the living room earlier. In the process, Leomon was holding Jeri and perched on the bed, Impmon and his partners were crammed in the corner, and Tai had tumbled on top of the red-head genius.
"Sorry, Izzy," mumbled the goggle-head, pushing himself off and nearly tripping over Guilmon. "Next time, we'll try to have a better return point."
"One with more room," added Agumon, pinned between Tentomon and Takato.
"Maybe we could take this into the living room?" Jeri suggested. "There should be enough space there."
Izzy nodded, "Perfect idea. Who's closest to the door?"
"Me," Ai declared, raising her hand.
"Can you open it please?" asked Guilmon. "I'm feeling squished in here."
The young girl grabbed the doorknob and turned. Moments after the door opened, the humans and digimon tumbled out of the room. Mrs. Izumi blinked in surprise as a tangle of children and dinosaurs joined her in the living room. A second later, the familiar insect and his reddish-brown haired partner poked their heads out.
"Hi…," the boy waved uneasily. "Did I mention that some friends were coming over?"
"Hi, Mrs. Izzy's mom," Mako added. "We went to visit an old guy and he was in the digital world. But we came back afterwards because there are bad guys here too."
"So we're going to help here while Renamon, Rika, Henry, Terriermon, and the other, new people take care of the bad guys in the digital world," finished Ai.
The woman sighed and looked at Izzy, "I just have two questions. One, is that a giant lion in your bedroom? Two, something is coming and you will be involved whether I like it or not, aren't you?"
The boy glanced at where Leomon was trying to squeeze through the door. The large leonine digimon seemed resigned to the fact that buildings were not designed to accommodate him. Jeri looked particularly sorry for her partner's predicament.
"Well… yes, it is," the Digidestined of Knowledge nodded. "And for the second question… quite likely. I know you'll worry, but we do have a responsibility."
"Yeah," piped up Ai. "We're good guys and have to save the day."
"And from what I've learned, what we're dealing with is not a dangerous digimon or anything like that," he continued. "While the others deal with that sort of thing in the digital world, we're actually just handling a more human and far less violent problem. There should be almost no threat to us."
She looked uneasy still, but replied, "If you say so, Izzy. I don't suppose there is any way I can help or anything."
"Sure, toots, I got something you could do," grinned Impmon. "Drop the munchkins off at the Hairball's house," he suggested, pointing at Tai.
This idea provoked a flurry of protest from his tamers. The purple rookie gave the pair a mild glare that told the young pair that they weren't going to change his mind, no matter how they pleaded. As the twins fell silent, the virus digimon explained his reasoning.
"All I'm going to be doing is showing the guys a building across town. No psycho digimon, no zombie programs reaching out from beyond the grave, and not even a ticked off Rika or Renamon. The biggest problem will be a couple of grumpy humans and a weird building I don't plan to touch. But I don't see any reason to make you walk across the city if you don't need to and, since digimon creep out a few idiots, you're not getting a ride from Beelzemon. The fact is that it's a boring recon mission and the only reason I'm going is because these guys wouldn't be able to find it. So, you two can hang out and wait for something more interesting. Deal?"
The two brown-haired children exchanged looks. If Impmon thought that he would be safe, then he probably would be alright. Memories of him being hurt and they unable to help stayed in the back of their minds, along with the knowledge that he'd almost disappeared away forever. Still, they had high confidence in his abilities and it didn't sound dangerous. And if he wanted them to wait, they would. Besides, Jeri and Leomon would be there too and they'd help him if there was trouble.
"Okay, Impmon," the young girl sighed. "But you be really, really careful. Please?"
He grinned, "When am I not?"
"Well, my mom should be home all day and I don't think she'll mind watching you two," commented Tai. "Just don't eat her spinach cookies, beef jerky shakes, or anything else she offers."
"And you two listen to what the Hairball's mom says," instructed the purple rookie. "Because your mother will kill all three of us. It's Ai's turn to pick the game, but no dress-up or tea party. And don't do anything I would do. Got it, munchkins?"
As the twins nodded, Guilmon asked, "Why are you talking like Takatomon's mom?"
"Pineapple-head, don't make me hurt you," sighed Impmon.
"Alright, I'll walk them over to the Kamiya household," Mrs. Izumi agreed, indicating for the young pair to follow her. "It is best to keep children this age out of these things."
She led them out the front door, the twins protesting they were big enough to help out. As soon as the door closed, Izzy turned towards Tai.
"Okay, according to you, Gennai thinks there's an organization that could be related to the government that is attempting to… I don't know, stop digimon from being here?" He was trying to confirm everything he'd heard while buried under the spiky-haired boy. New crests, a DigiGnome, anti-human digimon and vice-versa, "bug-zapper" building, the original DigiDestined, and every other surprising piece of information flew through his mind as he tried to fit it together with what he'd learned in their absence. "Develop weapons? Destroy the digital world?"
"If it's anything like Hypnos," grumbed Takato, "probably all of the above."
"Prodigious," Izzy breathed in stunned horror. "If they are, then what I've learned promises to be really bad."
"When is it not," reminded Tai.
The reddish-brown haired youth pulled out his laptop and explained, "When I sent out an e-mail to all the digidestined asking if they'd noticed anything strange or out of the ordinary lately, a few mentioned very similar experiences. They were dragged to a meeting of PAD…" He noticed the confused look of the tamers and their digimon and clarified, "Parents Against Digimon, a group protesting children being partnered to digimon. But the kids were dragged there where they tried to separate the partners."
"That's barbaric," gasped Jeri, drawing near Leomon instinctively.
"They haven't succeeded yet," Izzy reassured. "The digimon just get better at hiding. But in addition, these digidestined mentioned that strangers in suits seemed too curious of them and treated it all like a giant experiment. They said these people looked like professionals of some kind."
"And you think that these individuals are related to the hypothetical government agent," reasoned Takato.
"Correct," the digidestined nodded.
"And the freaks in the suits are likely the same losers that set up the thing that made the building deadly," remarked Impmon.
"So that's our target," Takato nodded to himself. "But it's probably not best to march to their front door with all our digimon."
"Can we go to the park then?" asked Guilmon. "We could play."
"Guilmon…" sighed the boy.
Impmon interrupted, "Let Pineapple-head wear himself out chasing his tail. The park's in the same direction. Be easier than sneaking him all the way to the skyscraper of doom or keeping him here."
"So the plan is for Impmon to lead you guys to his 'bug-zapper building,' which is not a comforting term in my opinion, while we play hide-and-seek?" asked the insect digimon. "Meanwhile, the others are in the DigiWorld facing crazy megas?"
"Pretty much," shrugged Tai.
Tentomon stared for a second before muttering, "Oh… Okay."
"Gennai, do you have any advice on which direction to start with?" Kari asked.
Rika suggested, "If not, we could go with the goggle-head strategy of just wandering around until we run into something."
"Yeah, that sounds like what Davis would do," chuckled Patamon.
"Or Tai, once upon a time," added T.K.. "Now, he isn't as impulsive."
"He has changed," nodded the goggle-head's sister. "Especially since Diaboromon's return and when we ended up with Armageddenmon attacking downtown. He just doesn't seem to have his old conquering spirit any more. I mean, the old Tai would be here trying to find the aggressive digimon with us. But, instead, he picks handling the easier job in the human world."
"Goggle-heads bounce back," the red-haired tamer declared. "I'm sure he'll get over whatever mood your brother is in. Until then, we've got business to handle." She glanced at the digital being. "So, Gennai, do you have any advice on a direction?"
He pointed towards a mountain range in the distance, just barely visible over the tree line. The tamer's first thought was that climbing it would not be fun, especially after actually having to get there in the first place. Doubtless, Kazu and Kenta would have surrendered after five minutes.
"Some of the most strongly opposing digimon of the human's influence and presence seems to come from that direction," he remarked. "Quite possibly the digimon who is guiding the megas you encountered today can be found there."
"Too bad Davis didn't wait to find that out before he ran out," Gatomon grumbled. "He and Veemon ran off already and Ken, Wormmon, and your friends had to chase after them."
Rika glanced over and noticed the feline was correct. The three boys and their partners were nowhere in sight. She sighed to herself, wondering how she'd handle the pair of digidestined. The old "cold-hearted loner" personality she once had was now mostly gone, she could still fall back into some of her habits of pushing people away. Strangers were usually met with her sharp tongue if she wasn't careful and she still felt a certain amount of distance when interacting with anyone but close friends and family. Somehow, she wasn't that optimistic that she'd be able to connect well with the Digidestined of Hope and Light.
"Then we better get moving," she replied. "Renamon, let's find whatever joker is responsible for the warm welcome we received this morning."
As she stomped off into the forest, the yellow fox appeared at her side, "Rika, you're leaving behind the others. Is something wrong with them that will explain why you don't want their help? You accept Takato, Henry, mine, and the others' help. Why do you not seem to want to accept the same from the digidestined?"
"I'm sure they're great in a fight," the red-head shrugged. "Patamon and Gatomon turn into powerful angel digimon. And those two have been involved with digimon since they were kids near Suzie's age. It's just…"
"You don't trust them," suggested the vulpine creature.
Rika stopped, "Trust is hard for me, Renamon. Even those you think can be trusted on may betray you in the end."
The tamer felt a painful memory of her father flashed through her mind. As a child, she thought she could trust him to be there for her. She trusted him to be her father. But he left. He left her and her mother. And if you can't even trust your family to stand by you, who can you trust?
"You can trust me, Rika," her partner reminded her. "And you know your friends want you to be able to trust them. They've never given you a reason not to and many reasons to do so. I just hope you can learn to trust others too."
"I know," nodded the girl. "I know."
"Hey, wait up," called T.K., jogging after her and the golden-yellow fox.
"…And then I informed Takato it was still a stick," finished Terriermon, causing Davis and Veemon to burst out laughing.
"So, the best idea they could really come up with to hide Growlmon was to paint him?" the goggle-wearing youth asked. "I'll need to remember that one. Painting camouflage."
"Just wait until it rains," the rabbit advise. "It lost some of its effectiveness when it washes off."
Henry shook his head as the three burst out laughing. It seemed the long-earred rookie had found a perfect audience. And Davis was devising some kind of plan of having Terriermon carrying Veemon for an aerial assault. The green and white vaccine was not as enthusiastic about that plan.
The tamer shot a look towards the quieter digidestined. Ken was staring at the crest in his hand. The boy's intent gaze reminded Henry's own, differently-shaped crest. As he glanced at the white rectangle around his neck, he decided to break the silence.
"At least you know what it is."
Ken looked up, "Hm…?"
"Your crest. I don't know what this could be or what it will turn Terriermon into. You, at least, know that you have the Crest of Kindness," explained the dark-haired tamer.
"But I don't know how to use it," the digidestined reminded. "Crests were the staple of the old group. Davis, Yolei, Cody, and I have never used them."
"Well, from what I understand," Henry remarked, "you have to display that trait strongly. When you demonstrate the particular trait strongly enough, you'll activate the crest."
"Which is why you wish you knew what your crest is," concluded Ken. "It would be easier to show the right trait if you know what it is."
"Exactly," he nodded.
"Don't worry," Wormmon suggested. "Ken, you're often kind without realizing it. It's who you are. I'm sure you'll find that your crest will be the same sort of thing, Henry. It will come natural to you."
"Momentai," called Terriermon, Veemon, and Davis in unison, having heard the end of the conversation.
Henry rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Oh no. They're multiplying."
Destiny smiled comfortingly at her new companion. The rookie had been just as confused as BigAgumon originally was upon being informed they possessed human partners, but memories were returning to them quickly. And as they spoke between each other, more memories were recovered.
Giving the pair a moment more to talk, she glanced at her new possession. She hadn't expected to receive a crest herself. In fact, her lack of partner made the object of power seem obsolete. But here it was around her neck.
BigAgumon interrupted her thoughts by asking, "Shouldn't we find the others?"
"Of course, but they are in Primary Village currently," she answered. "But I have a short-cut to get there."
With a practiced move, she pulled out her D-arc and created a portal in midair. How many of these portals had she created over time? More than she could imagine probably. Honestly, she wasn't even sure how she did it. It was just some kind of instinct that translated into action. There was no button pressing or card sliding. After all, her lavender D-arc with a dark-green ring possessed no buttons at all. All it had was a faint warm glow. Perhaps the glow was connected to the device's extra abilities.
After blinking in surprise, the two rookies followed her through the portal. The three of them emerged into a colorful landscape with soft padding and cradles holding baby digimon. Some of the closest blinked in surprise at their arrival.
"What are you doing here?" cried out a stunned Elecmon, dashing between the cradles. "How did you get here?"
Destiny smiled at him, "We're here to pick up a few old friends of theirs." She gestured at her companions. "Don't worry about it. We know how to find them."
The red rookie stuttered about them bothering the babies. Her companions gave him a glare, silencing him.
"If you are concerning that I'm a threat to them, don't be," she added. "I'm no more intending to harm them than T.K. or another Digidestined would."
Elecmon froze at the familiar name. When she assured herself that he wouldn't try to stop her, she began to move through Primary Village. She came to one cradle holding a bright, yellow, slimy blob with red eyes.
Reaching down, she greeted, "Hello, Zurumon. It's nice to have you joining us. I know that someone will be happy to see you again."
The tiny being gurgled as she picked him up. Glancing around, she spotted a small shape bouncing out of the cradle. Shaking her head, she walked over to the orange creature with a black horn.
"Tsunomon, you digivolved already?" the girl remarked.
"Yep," the in-training digimon answered; its voice female. "Who are you?"
"Someone who'll take you where you belong."
That's right. The Tsunomon in this story is female. I see no reason why not and its higher levels I've picked would work better in my opinion as a female. There will be more to come. Feedback makes me a happy person and happy people write more quickly.