Okay, new chapter ladies and gents.

Disclaimer: I really would like to own the rights to Digimon, but that comes into some pretty high finances. And, as a college student, that just isn't possible.

LAST TIME:
KIYOKO: We followed the trail to where my crest was supposed to be. But before we could find it, LadyDevimon showed up for a final showdown. During the skirmish, I managed to find my crest (hidden in plain sight, really) and used it to Digivolve Gatomon into Angewomon, who took out LadyDevimon in no time flat. But she did leave one last attempt by using her attack to notify another Agent about what happened, likely Apollomon. Course, we all know what happened with him.

Chapter 28
Derailed

"We got to the Flower Fields sometime the next day," Kiyoko continued. "We had been there for a few days until you showed up. And, at the risk of sounding cliché, the rest is history."

There was a pause between her, Gatomon, and the boys and their Digimon. "Quite a story," Dracomon said, breaking the silence.

"Well, yours wasn't exactly dull either," Kiyoko pointed out. "I mean, I had been wondering what happened with that Hyogamon. Didn't even consider that there might be other humans here."

"Well, to be honest," Daichi said, "neither did we."

"One thing I'm still wondering, though" Isamu said. "How is Gatomon able to maintain champion level?"

"What do you mean?" Kiyoko asked.

"You see," Isamu explained, "Digimon have different stages in Digivolution. Minomon was an in-training level Digimon, Dracomon and Wormmon here are at the rookie level, Gatomon is champion level, the Digimon we gain with our crests are ultimate level, and GranKuwagamon earlier was a mega level Digimon. See, with most Digimon, especially those with a human partner, they tend to use the rookie level as their default, but Gatomon can stay champion even after Digivolving to ultimate. How?"

Gatomon spoke up. "Well, before I met Kiyoko, I was traveling throughout the Digital World and getting stronger on my own. So I had Digivolved through more natural means."

"Makes sense," Isamu said. "The Gatomon in the TV show was the same."

"I still find it hard to believe that all this Digimon stuff is an actual thing back home," Kiyoko said.

"Well, the cards should have been some kind of tip-off," Daichi reasoned.

"When I came here," Kiyoko defended, "I thought they were from this world. I mean, why else would I find them and be able to use them like that?"

"The reasons for being chosen as a Digi-Destined aren't always clear," Isamu said. "In the first two seasons of the show, it was because they had some prior experience with Digimon, but it becomes fuzzier in future seasons."

"I'm going to have to remember to try to watch it when I get the chance," Kiyoko said. She then looked down and turned to look out the window. There was snow on the mountain, but that didn't seem to slow Locomon down too much. More was falling from what looked like a strong wind.

Daichi looked at Kiyoko and started thinking. This did not go unnoticed by Isamu, Dracomon, and Wormmon (who had Digivolved from Minomon during Kiyoko's story). "What's up, Daichi?" Isamu asked in a whisper.

"Even if, by the end of this whole thing, we do get home," Daichi replied just as quietly, "Kiyoko won't exactly have anywhere to go."

"Well, what can we do about it?" Wormmon asked, trying to sound as inoffensive as possible.

"I'm thinking about it," Daichi answered.

Everyone sat in silence, waiting for Locomon to signal their arrival. The one thing on everyone's minds was the Digimon they would be seeing on the other side of the mountain. Suddenly, they all felt Locomon lurch to one side. He stopped and almost all the lights went off in their car, possibly the rest as well.

"Hey, Locomon," Isamu said, "what's happening?"

"Seems we picked up a few unwanted guests," was the reply. The two boys turned around and Kiyoko joined their side of the car. Through the snow, everyone could see a large number of Digimon. They looked like ghosts made of torn sheets. They had sharp teeth showing from their open mouths.

"What are those things?" Kiyoko said with a hint of fear.

"Bakemon," Daichi reported with his D-Power's analyzer. "Ghost type virus Digimon at the champion level. Often the result of deleted data, these Digimon mostly travel in groups and are usually called 'Dancing Spirits.' Their Poison Breath attacks will probably leave you joining their ranks."

"How much you wanna bet they're the ones who attacked Locomon?" Isamu asked

"That's one bet I'd lose," Dracomon responded.

"Why would they attack him, though?" Wormmon wondered.

"Um, this is probably a bad time to mention this," Locomon's voice said, "but they actually hit your car."

"So they're after us?" Gatomon asked.

"My guess is whatever Digimon we saw in our dream must have known we were coming," Daichi surmised.

"So what now?" Kiyoko said.

After a pause, Isamu said, "I say we take the fight to them. Locomon won't move until we clear these Bakemon."

"I hate to say it," Wormmon said, "but I think Isamu's right. These guys won't leave until they either kill us or we get rid of them."

"Given the options," Dracomon said, "I like that last idea." Everybody agreed and went out the door on the opposite side of the Bakemon. They were hit with a sharp blast of icy wind upon exiting. They climbed on top of the car and faced the Bakemon; they didn't seem to realize that the humans and their partners were there.

"Dragon Breath!" Dracomon made the first move, destroying many of the ghost Digimon. Wormmon used a Sticky Net attack to trap many of the Bakemon to the cold, snowy ground. The Bakemon figured out what happened and saw everyone on top of Locomon. Many charged in, but Gatomon's eyes shone, causing them to head back and attack their comrades. Kiyoko used a Nefertimon card to give Gatomon a long range technique, using the Rosetta Stone.

"All forces," one of the Bakemon said, "pull back now!" The others followed and disappeared into the snowy wind.

"You think we beat them?" Kiyoko asked.

"Why else would they retreat?" Dracomon replied.

"Wait a second," Isamu said. "They didn't retreat, they just pulled back."

"What's the difference?" Dracomon asked. Suddenly, Locomon lurched forward and everyone clung to the roof. The train Digimon started rolling along the tracks.

"Hey, Locomon," Daichi yelled, "couldn't you have waited until after we got back in?"

"It's not me," Locomon replied. "One of the Bakemon got into my engine and hit the gas. I'll try to get him out, but you guys better hold on." Everyone held tighter to the car, but the cold was quickly making their fingers numb.

It wasn't long before Locomon spoke again. "Uh-oh. We have a new problem, kids." After getting a collective "What now?" Locomon said, "Looks like those Bakemon carved a big hole in the ground."

"Starting to see the difference now, Dracomon?" Isamu yelled. The dragon Digimon didn't have time to answer; Locomon fell into the hole, causing everyone to let go of the car. Daichi grabbed Dracomon and flew higher up the mountain. Isamu and Kiyoko, with their Digimon, fell down the mountain, but Kiyoko's screaming stopped suddenly. Soon the only beings left in the immediate area were a derailed Locomon and a Bakemon flying out of the engine to rejoin its comrades.

What happened to everyone? Will the Digi-Destined be okay? Stay tuned for the next Digimon: Digital Monsters!

Great to have the whole gang back on the same page. Too bad it only lasted for so long.

This is CF signing out.