New month, new chapter.

Disclaimer: The characters, places, and events described herein are fictitious and... Oops! Wrong one. Give me a sec... I don't own Digimon.

LASTI TIME:
KIYOKO: As Gatomon and I went on our way, we found an old tree that reacted to my D-Power. We checked it, but LadyDevimon was back and ready for more, this time with a Mummymon henchman and Vilemon army. It wasn't easy, but we managed to fight them off. We quickly went back to the tree and got some sort of necklace thing. One think we knew, though; if LadyDevimon was upset to find it missing, then we definitely have a way to fight back. We just need to find out what it is first.

Chapter 25
Beginnings

"Are you sure we're supposed to go this way?" Kiyoko asked.

"You heard what Cherrymon said," Gatomon answered. "If we head this way, we should find him." The two had been traveling from village to village, speaking with the shamans and wise-mon trying to find out what the necklace really was. Their only solid lead to finding out came the afternoon the day after LadyDevimon's last attack; a Cherrymon from a Mushroomon and Woodmon village told them of a Digimon wiser than most, if not all. He pointed them in the direction they were to go, but never gave any specifics on where or, more importantly, who.

"We've been walking for so long," Kiyoko said. "You'd think we'd be there by now."

"Well, we couldn't have just found him right away," Gatomon pointed out. "With someone this important, it makes sense to be so well hidden."

"I guess," Kiyoko said reluctantly. "But something better happen soon." In her impatience, she started walking faster. Suddenly, a strange sight stopped her; where there were once trees, there were now structures that looked like they were made out of giant, plush building blocks. She looked down and saw that the ground had changed as well, almost like a giant playmat.

"Kiyoko?" Gatomon said. "What's wrong?"

Kiyoko didn't pay attention and asked, "Gatomon, what is this place?"

"Looks like an ordinary forest to me," Gatomon answered. Kiyoko turned to Gatomon, who was standing behind her.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Can't you see this big… toy town?"

"Toy town?" Gatomon repeated inquisitively. She began to walk forward. "I don't see…" she stopped next to Kiyoko and looked up. Her mouth hung open. "…anything."

"See it now?" Kiyoko asked. Gatomon stepped back for a bit, then returned to Kiyoko's side.

"There must be some barrier that prevents this place from being seen," Gatomon said.

"Why?" Kiyoko asked. "Why would someone want to keep this place invisible?"

"I think I know," Gatomon replied. She motioned for Kiyoko to follow her. Soon they reached the center of the town and saw something even more amazing: a mix of large eggs and cradles that carried small Digimon.

"Kiyoko," Gatomon said, "welcome to the Village of Beginnings. This is where Digimon are born and reborn."

"Reborn?" Kiyoko asked.

Gatomon was about to speak when a voice different from her own made itself known. "If a Digimon is destroyed, its data reconfigures itself into an egg form." The voice was female, and sounded soft and motherly. They turned to find a large swan, with a metal plate covering its head behind the beak. Its feathers were colored gray on the tips and the area below its neck was adorned with a chestplate that extended around the back.

"My name is Swanmon," she said. "As your little friend said, welcome to the Village of Beginnings."

"Swanmon is the perfect Digimon for caring for everyone here," Gatomon explained. "Not only is she sweet and caring, but she's very protective and her White Wings attack will blow away anyone."

"Nice to meet you," Kiyoko said. "My name is Kiyoko. I'm sorry if we're intruding."

"It's no trouble," Swanmon said with a smile. "Besides, if you were able to make it past the barrier, you must be goodhearted. Those with impure hearts could never get in."

Kiyoko looked around. "So these are all baby Digimon?" she asked.

"Technically, they're in what's called their fresh forms," Swanmon answered, "but essentially, yes."

Kiyoko walked toward one of the eggs. "So when will these hatch?"

"It all depends on when the eggs first appeared and what kind of Digimon they are. That egg, for instance," Swanmon pointed to the one in front of Kiyoko, "should be ready. Just pick it up and rub it."

Kiyoko was tempted to say something about a genie's lamp, but decided against it. She picked the egg up and started to rub her hand across it. The egg soon began to crack along the top and a little creature broke through. It was small and white with a completely round head and a simple, smiling face. Its bottom was concealed by the remaining portion of the eggshell, but Kiyoko thought there wasn't much more to see. "Poyo! Poyo!" it cried.

Kiyoko smiled. "Well, aren't you a cutie." The creature happily "Poyo'd" a few more times.

"That's Poyomon," Gatomon said, "one of the most basic Digimon in terms of data structure."

"Hey, Swanmon," Kiyoko said, "where do I find an extra cradle?"

"Just set the egg down," Swanmon said. Kiyoko did as she said, and what was left of the egg turned into a cradle similar to the others seen around them. Poyomon cried out happily. Swanmon took out a bottle of milk seemingly from nowhere and put it close to Poyomon's mouth; the little Digimon took it eagerly.

"You must be pretty good at this," Kiyoko said.

"I should be," Swanmon answered. "I've only been at this for so long, after all." Suddenly, a bell rang. "Oh," Swanmon exclaimed, "it seems as though another egg has just appeared." She let the bottle go so that Poyomon was still holding it in its mouth and drinking. "I should go check it out."

As Swanmon left, Kiyoko and Gatomon turned to Poyomon one last time, who had just let go of the bottle. Kiyoko took it out of the cradle and waved a goodbye to it before both she and Gatomon ran to see what happened. Poyomon "Poyo'd" a couple more times as if saying, "Bye bye!"

They both found Swanmon standing next to another egg. It was dark blue with streaks of lighter blue across it. Kiyoko thought it looked ugly. "What kind of egg is that?"

"Well," Swanmon answered as she picked up the egg, "judging by the design, I'd say this was a Hyogamon." Kiyoko started to gain a sense of familiarity about that name. "And it appears to have been touched by darkness." Kiyoko immediately remembered LadyDevimon saying that name when relating to Digitamamon about a henchman of another Digi-Agent being destroyed. If this was the same Hyogamon, Kioyko wondered, could that mean that somebody destroyed a Digi-Agent? Kiyoko decided not to tell Swanmon, mostly because this was mere speculation.

"So does that mean it will hatch into an evil Digimon?" she asked instead.

"Only if we don't purify it," Swanmon answered. She walked to one of the only buildings that was not made from those soft blocks. Kiyoko and Gatomon followed her, curious as to what would happen.

Inside, Swanmon set the egg on a table; more specifically a platform that was under a strange device. The device whirred to life and shot a white energy to the egg itself. The egg glowed white and when it stopped, its color had changed to white with red spots.

"There," Swanmon said as she lifted the egg off the table. "That should get rid of the darkness." She took the egg outside and set it down on the playmat ground.

Kiyoko approached with another question. "Would that Hyogamon have remembered anything if it wasn't purified?"

"Most Digimon forget their former lives after reentering the egg stage," Swanmon explained. "We use that machine for two reasons: one, the darkness they had doesn't go away even when they become eggs; two, as insurance that they will forget the evil things they've done."

Kiyoko shrugged. "Makes sense."

"Hold on," Gatomon interjected. "You keep saying 'we.' Why is that?"

"Because 'we' usually denotes more than one being," a new male voice said. Kiyoko and Gatomon looked around but saw no one.

"Don't you think it would be better," Swanmon said, "if you'd show yourself?"

"Forgive me, Swanmon," the voice said again. "But I couldn't resist." Suddenly, something appeared behind Swanmon. It looked like a male human in a tattered yellow suit, purple cape, and brown gloves. He carried a staff with an egg-shaped ornament that contained spiked adornments going out from it like a sun; Kiyoko noticed it also had a large hole on one side. He wore a purple wizard's hat with a skull sitting on the inner edge of the brim. "My name is Wizardmon, guardian of the Village of Beginnings. That shield you came through was a result of my magic."

After getting past the shock of Wizardmon appearing so suddenly, Kiyoko managed to say, "Uh, nice to meet you. I'm Kiyoko. And this is Gatomon." She indicated to the cat Digimon next to her.

"Ask him," she heard Gatomon whisper. Kiyoko understood immediately.

"Um, Wizardmon, can I ask you something?" Wizardmon nodded. "We came through here because we're looking for a Digimon who may know what," she reached into her pack and pulled out the necklace, "this thing is."

Wizardmon approached Kiyoko and kept his gaze on the necklace. "I've only heard of this in legends and prophecy. It is called a tag. It is only to be used by a very special person. Tell me, do you have a Digivice?"

"Well," Kiyoko said as she reached into her pack, "we call it a D-Power, but 'Digivice' does seem to be the alternative." She pulled out the D-Power and showed it to Wizardmon.

"With both a Digivice and a tag, you are definitely a Digi-Destined," Wizardmon affirmed.

"The way LadyDevimon was talking, I should think so. So what does this tag thing do, anyway?" Kiyoko asked. "I doubt it's supposed to be the next fashion trend."

"Indeed, it's hardly just a piece of jewelry," Wizardmon said. "A special object called a crest, a physical manifestation of your strongest trait, is supposed to go inside it. The tag harnesses the energy from the crest and uses it to allow your partner Digimon," he motioned to Gatomon, "to obtain a new level of power."

"New power," Kiyoko repeated to herself. "So where is this crest?"

"I can't truthfully say I know for certain," Wizardmon answered. He thought for a few seconds. "But I may have something. Follow me." Wizardmon turned and walked away from the village. Kiyoko and Gatomon followed, leaving Swanmon to her duties.

They had arrived to the edge of town, where the number of eggs surrounding them had decreased, when Wizardmon stopped. He pointed his staff at what appeared to be the bud of a large, pink flower.

"What is it?" Kiyoko asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Wizardmon admitted. "All I can tell you is that it is filled with life that is yet to be unveiled."

"So, some type of egg, than?" Gatomon asked.

"That's the simplest way of putting it," Wizardmon said. "However, it's been here for a long time now, a few months, and other Digi-Eggs are ready to hatch within weeks at most. And whatever secrets lie within it, it will not relinquish them by force alone. Observe. Magical Game!" A mysterious energy flowed from the hole in Wizardmon's staff and went to the object. The energy touched, creating a connection in the gap between Wizardmon and the so-called egg. The energy began to curve upward, and Wizardmon tried to pull his staff closer to him. Kiyoko understood what he was doing; he was trying to lift the egg. However, the egg didn't even shift from its position. Finally, the energy stopped flowing and disappeared.

"As you can see, not even my magic can affect it," Wizardmon said.

"So what does this have to do with my crest?"

"Observe what's on the petals of the egg," Wizardmon said. Kiyoko looked as he instructed and she saw something she hadn't noticed before: a red design that looked like the petals of a tulip. In fact, now that Kiyoko realized it, this same pattern appeared on the ground, with pieces of the playmat forming this design and the egg in the center of the middle petal.

"That is what is known as the Crest of Kindness," Wizardmon explained. "It goes to one who is gentle to others and hates to see the innocent suffer, especially needlessly."

"And you think this is my crest?" Kiyoko asked.

"I can't say for certain," Wizardmon admitted, "but I believe it's no coincidence that you showed up and are searching for a crest only to have one in this village. And I know that you at least deserve this crest. I've been watching you since you passed through the barrier. You showed great kindness to the newly hatched Poyomon, treating it gently."

"Not only that," Gatomon added, "but when we first met LadyDevimon, you went right to her so she would stop attacking Digitamamon." Kiyoko admitted to herself that these points made some sense.

"So, assuming this is mine," Kiyoko said, "how do I get it?"

"Hold your tag up to the egg," Wizardmon said. "If it is your crest, the tag will glow and the crest will come off its surface and come to you." Kiyoko looked at the tag, still in her hand. Holding it by the string, she held it in front of her and waited.

Nothing happened. Not even a flicker. They all stood there for several minutes before finally deciding that it was futile; this was not her crest.

Kiyoko put the tag away defeatedly. "I should have guessed," she said. "I'm not that kind, not with the way Hayato treated me."

"Just because he treated you badly," Gatomon said reassuringly, "doesn't mean you can't have some innate kindness."

Before Kiyoko could think of a counterargument, they all heard a bell ringing. "Isn't that the bell that rings for a new Digi-Egg?" she asked Wizardmon.

"Indeed," he answered. "Let's see what's happened." They all ran back to the village proper and saw Swanmon carrying an egg. "Swanmon," Wizardmon said, "which Digimon was that?"

Swanmon looked at the egg. It was purple on top with a pale, skin-like color on the bottom. "I believe this may have been a Mushroomon."

Kiyoko immediately perked at this. "Hey, wait a minute. Gatomon and I just came from a Mushroomon village."

"Do you think maybe…?" Gatomon asked her. Suddenly, Wizardmon bent over and stepped back, almost like something had hurt him. "Wizardmon, what's wrong?" Gatomon asked worriedly.

Wizardmon grunted before answering, "Someone is trying to break through the barrier. I can sense an embodiment of evil striking at it."

"But someone like that can't get in here, can they?" Kiyoko asked.

"I can sense pure evil," Wizardmon said, "and a power to match. Magical Game!" He held his staff above his head and the magical energy began to flow out of it. This time, it created a circle, and an image appeared inside it. Like Wizardmon stated, a Digimon was slashing a blade at seemingly thin air, but shockwaves were produced at a certain point in its attack. But it was the Digimon itself that caused Kiyoko's heart to sink; a pale woman, dressed in black, a flap of fabric on her right shoulder that looked alive, with the blade being what should have been her left hand.

"LadyDevimon," she and Gatomon said together.

Boy, that chick don't give up easily, huh? Will Kiyoko and Gatomon be able to save the village? And what about her crest? The answers on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters?

Remember folks, No-Prizes to the one who can figure out Kiyoko's crest. Also, if you haven't yet, check out my profile: I've put up a poll there, the answers of which I'm very interested in knowing.

This is CF signing out.