Amelia belongs to Jeabird, and I thank her and Black Cat Angel for helping me with this story.
After losing the fight with Daemon, and tumbling down a hole like Alice, you'd think it couldn't get much worse, right? Wrong. Takuya, Meredith, DemiVeemon, Tommy, Amelia and Koji fell into a world of living toys, where they fought and fought and fought with each other. And then an over-grown teddy bear working for the ShadowToyAgumon captured Tommy! Takuya, Meredith and Koji Spirit Evolved and made quick work of the bad toys. But when they got to Tommy, they found him playing with his captor. Oh well, at least they all got a free ride to the forest kingdom. The two groups met back up and they regrouped, the gang's all back together again.
As the group trekked through the woods, a Trailmon traveled above them on some tracks.
"I believe the forest kingdom begins beyond that track." Bokomon was standing on a hill and some fallen wood as he stared off past the track he spoke of.
"Sure looks big." Takuya was also staring at what Bokomon spoke of.
"Hey Bokomon, how much farther do we have to walk to the Forest Terminal?" J.P. looked at Bokomon as he asked the question.
"Don't worry. You should only have to walk a little bit more." Bokomon's answer didn't seem to really please J.P.
"A little bit more? These little bits are killing me." J.P. sighed and hung his head.
J.P. and Tommy ended up in the back since Koji, Zoe, Meredith, Amelia, and Takuya ran off. With them running ahead but Takuya was in the back of the running group.
"Wait up!" Takuya called, trying to get the others to slow down.
"Man, isn't it time for a dinner break? I'm wasting away here!" J.P. stopped, staring after the others that were running as if they had endless energy.
"We didn't even get any breakfast yet." Tommy interjected.
"I think we better stop here and make camp." Takuya spoke once they had stopped running.
"It's been a long day for all of us." Zoe pointed that out, it was something that they didn't need to be reminded of though.
"It's getting late too." Meredith glanced at the sky, the sun was setting already.
"Yeah, whatever." Koji didn't seem to care either way.
"We're stopping?" Tommy sounded a bit happy at the thought.
"Does that mean I get to eat, and lay down, and eat? Yes!" J.P. was excited at the thought.
"Look what I found! I hope it's edible." Zoe held up a green apple.
"It's called a Meat Apple." Bokomon's words confused the group.
"Meat Apple?" The parroted the words back to him.
"Yes, each one has the flavor of a different meat. It's quite nutritious, actually." Bokomon smiled as he explained it, pointing to the apple that Zoe was holding.
"Oh, like the cabbages we had?" Meredith thought back to the different colored cabbages that they had eaten.
"Where'd you find that thing?" Takuya pointed at the apple as he asked.
"It was just lying on the ground. There has to be a tree somewhere nearby." Zoe's words suddenly had J.P. and Tommy really happy.
"Bokomon, will you help me find some more?" Zoe asked that as she stared off in the direction that she presumably found the apple the first time.
"Certainly." Bokomon started to follow Zoe.
"Can I come?" Bokomon stopped when Neemon asked and Bokomon grabbed Neemon by his pants, starting to drag him along via pants.
"Wait for me!" Tommy took off after them.
"Well, I guess we better gather some firewood." Takuya looked at Koji as he spoke but J.P. followed after those two, leave the group separated once more.
"I'm not gonna have to lift anything heavy, am I?" J.P. whined the question out.
"Ah yes, fresh young minds. They'll have sweet dreams tonight." A Digimon that hid in the tree watching the group laughed evilly.
The two groups gathered what they set out to gather. Zoe, Tommy, Bokomon, and Neemon gathered the apples so they would have food. Takuya, Meredith, Koji, and J.P. gathered the fire wood. Amelia had started to follow Takuya and them, but had paused, looking around the trees. Soon enough though as they worked on the tasks that they had assigned themselves night fell and they reconvened at the camp site. Meredith and DemiVeemon brought more firewood as Takuya and Koji were trying to make a fire.
"Maybe you should Spirit Evolve to Agunimon. That'll give us a fire in no time." Meredith pointed that out to Takuya.
"You shouldn't treat the Spirit of a Legendary Warrior as a fire starter!" Bokomon chimed in, standing up and pointed at Meredith, who just stared at him.
"Am I done yet?" Takuya leaned back, tired but there was a small bit of smoke coming from the wood he had been trying to start the fire with.
"Yep, I'll take it from here." After Koji said that he blew on the smoke, well the tiny spark to try and make it bigger.
While they were doing that Zoe, Tommy, J.P., and Neemon was putting the apples that they collected on sticks. Bokomon eventually went back to working alongside of them.
"Apple, you're my best friend." J.P. stared at the apple as he spoke, he decided to take a bite out of it.
"Disgusting!" J.P. spat out the bite he had just taken, looking sick.
"You don't eat them raw, you know." Bokomon chimed it, staring at J.P. as if that should've been common sense.
"Why didn't you say that, before?" Neemon pouted and Bokomon looked at him, who had also taken a bite out of the apple.
Takuya and Koji were still on fire duty and it was going along well, since they actually did manage to get one started.
"I got a question. All seven of us kids now have the spirits of Legendary Warriors, right?" Takuya looked at Koji as he spoke and the ponytail boy paused.
"Uh-huh." Koji stared at Takuya, waiting for what he'd say next.
Takuya crossed his arms. "So tell me, how come even when we combined our forces, we still couldn't beat that stupid Daemon?"
'Good question.' Koji didn't admit it out loud but he certainly thought it.
"At one point, we seemed to have the upper hand, but then..." Koji stopped, trying to think about when it changed. "It seemed like he stopped playing around almost, as if he wasn't really fighting us at first." He sounded bothered as he spoke.
"He's a Demon Lord and he mentioned Beast Spirits as well," Takuya paused for a second and the fire in front of them burned brighter, "Just what does that mean? Any clue?"
"The fire's ready! Bring your apples!" Bokomon called out once he saw the fire.
As everyone went to the fire Meredith stopped, looking around. She sensed something and it gave her a bad feeling. She caught up to the others though and they started to roast their apples.
"Hey, Bokomon. Anything in your book about a Beast Spirit?" Takuya looked at Bokomon as he asked the question.
"I haven't seen anything." Bokomon stared at Takuya as he answered.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you just take another look?" Everyone was letting Takuya do the talking.
"Certainly," Bokomon pulls the book out and starts to look through the book, "Let's see now. Beast, beast, beast, beast... I'm afraid I still don't see anything."
Neemon stared at the book when Bokomon turned to talk to Takuya. Neemon reached over and started to rub one of the pages.
"Paws off, baggy!" Bokomon was quick to snap at Neemon.
"But I think I've found something. This page seems to be folded over. Maybe there's other stuff inside." Neemon had his hand in between the page and another page that was hidden from sight thanks to the top page.
"Oh, it's a miracle. You're actually right. This changes everything." Bokomon unfolded the page and looked at what was written.
"Huh?" Everyone was stunned.
"The first is the Human Spirit like Agunimon. But the second is called the Beast Spirit." Bokomon explained as he looked over the book.
"I wonder what life would be like as a beastie." Neemon wondered aloud.
"Let's feed you to one, and you can find out from the inside. Don't you realize this means the children may have the power to Spirit Evolve again?" Bokomon stared at Neemon as he spoke.
"Well then, if Bokomon right, each of us should be able to get a Beast Spirit." Koji stared at the others as he spoke.
"But if that's true, then we're only half way there." Zoe pointed it out, looking at Koji.
"Oh man! It's like starting over!" J.P. whined.
"You think we'll get them in the same order?" Meredith asked the question which caused some thought.
"If it happens in the same order, I sure hope it doesn't happen in the same circumstances as the first time." Amelia placed her hand on her head as she thought back to when she got her Spirit.
"Bokomon, Bokomon." Bokomon slapped Neemon's hand away so he would stop poking him.
"But if we get our Beast Spirits, maybe we can beat Daemon." Tommy sounded hopeful.
"Well I'm willing to give it a try. Beast Spirit Evolution, here we go!" Takuya was raring to go.
"Yeah!" The group cheered besides Koji and Amelia, but Amelia did smile.
"Bokomon, Bokomon." Again Neemon got his hand away but he didn't let it deter him, "Is this a good idea?"
"What's the matter with you? We have to help you find your Beast Spirits as soon as possible! After all, it may be the only way to save the Digital World! We haven't even made it to the Forest Terminal, we're running out of time! These Beast Spirits must be our number one priority!" Bokomon had stood up and had his hand clenched into a fist.
"Nope, not good." Neemon's words annoyed Bokomon, and he looked at him.
"What is not good?!" He glared at Neemon.
"The meat apples. While you're talking, they're burning up." Neemon's words put the attention on the apples.
The food looks dark and they panicked to grab them out of the fire. They burned their fingers as they pulled the apples out of the fire. Yet they let the apples cool off a little before they started to eat them.
"Mine's like a meat bun!" J.P. was happy with what he ended up with.
"This one almost tastes like a chicken drumstick!" Tommy took another bite as he spoke.
"I think I'm eating prime ribs!" Takuya spoke with his mouth full.
"Mmm. Yeah. Gingered pork!" Despite being rarely happy, Koji seemed happy with what he got.
"I got some sausage!" Meredith grinned.
"Mmm, I got bacon." Amelia bit into her apple, savoring the taste.
"Mine's Osobuko!" Zoe was happy enough to fall backwards onto the ground with her arms thrown up towards the sky.
There was a sudden crackle from the sky and when they looked up, all they saw was clouds covering the sky.
"Hey, you're blocking the view!" J.P. yelled at the clouds as if that would make them move.
"Something is happening." Tommy was staring at the trees that were glowing.
"Wow, a TV." Tommy was surprised when he figured out what it was.
The screens that were on the tree trunks reflected an airport where an airplane was taking off, along with mountains and a tower.
"A bunch of them." Takuya was staring at them as he spoke, they were all surrounded by the trees that the screens in them.
"That is pretty sweet." Koji actually sounded pretty surprised.
"Whoa, trick TV! I hope it isn't all travel channels. I wonder if we can get music videos." J.P. was looking at the various screens.
"Music would be very nice." Amelia spoke as she scanned the screens, looking for something other than the sights of around the world.
"Wait a minute, that's our world! Those scenes are from back home!" Zoe was in awe as she spoke.
"That's right, Zoe. It's called the TV Forest. A video gateway to the human world." Bokomon was looking at his book even though he sounded all expert like.
"Now that's really weird." Koji turned around as he spoke.
Zoe approached a tree and placed a hand on the screen. "It's my school. It never looked so pretty to me. Oh look, the cherry tree's blooming."
"I love cherries. You know, come to think of it, I love pretty much any kind of food. By the way, is this pre-recorded?" J.P. approached Zoe as she spoke.
"There's the beach where I go to swim and collect seashells." Meredith also approached a tree, staring at the waves that lapped at the shore; there was melancholy look on her face.
"Everything ok, Meredith?" Takuya approached the redhead as he asked, worried about her.
"That's the park where my mom used to always take me to play." The view of Tommy's tree shifted as he spoke and someone came into view, "My mother!"
Everyone looked at Tommy's tree and gasped. They rushed over to Tommy, but when they were all looking at his tree, Amelia looked at the tree that she had been blocking from their view. The tree just reflected a lake that had an old rope swing, a young messy orange haired girl sat on the rope swing.
"You weren't kidding. Your mother's very pretty, Tommy." Zoe spoke carefully, hoping not to set Tommy off.
"You have her eyes." Meredith smiled as she eyed the woman.
"Oh, mom." As Tommy spoke the clouds started to move and once they did the screen started to fade.
"Wait! Where are you going? Don't leave me! Please! Momma!" Tommy broke down into sobs.
Everyone was sitting around the fire besides Koji, well neither was Amelia, but she was laying on the ground in between the fire and the tree line, staring up at the sky.
"I bet my mom is really worried about me." Zoe stared at the fire but her mind was a million miles away – no it was a world away.
Meredith patted DemiVeemon on the head, sadly. DemiVeemon stared at her and he started to feel sad as well.
"Cheer up little buddy. Go on, try my apple, it's hot dog." Takuya offers the apple to Tommy and the little boy took the apple, biting into it.
"Tommy could be your little brother." Zoe spoke as she watched the exchange with a soft smile on her face.
"He already has a little brother." Zoe looked at Meredith when she said that.
As they spoke something streaked across the sky and Takuya noticed it. While Amelia blinked and rubbed her eyes, staring at something else that was slowly twinkling and descending through the sky.
'A shooting star, I wish-.' Amelia rubbed her eyes but smiled, laughing at the childish thought and wish.
"Hey Koji, are you falling asleep?" Takuya looked over to Koji when he asked the question.
"Sleep? I'm lucky I'm not bored to death." Koji turned away and crossed his arms.
"Hey bud, what's your problem?! He needs a nap." J.P. raised his voice as he addressed Koji.
"He's just grumpy. Hey JP, maybe Tommy would like to see you do some of your magic." J.P. stared at Zoe as she spoke.
"Magic? Since when?" Takuya asked confused.
"Since I was a kid, myself. Ladies and germs, I present to you the magic of Howie Doodat!" J.P. exclaimed and every gathered around.
J.P. showed off with his magic tricks dealing with handkerchiefs while everyone clapped, besides Koji who gave some friendly critiques you could say. Amelia watched J.P. as well but hadn't moved, she was slowly drifting off though. When Takuya demanded another trick, Tommy got up to get another meat apple, but before he could take a bite out of it, a dark essences goes into his ear and his eyes lose focus.
Tommy, Zoe, Bokomon, and Neemon fell asleep shortly after J.P.'s magic show.
"This stinks. I do a spectacular tonight, and I still have to watch the stupid fire." Takuya was laying on his side with his head propped up by one of his arms as he listened to J.P. talk.
"Stop complaining. We drew straws and you lost fair and square." Takuya stated that rather matter of factly.
"I'm just wiped out from all the walking. I think I need to pass out for a while." J.P. curled into himself a little bit as he spoke.
"Hey, JP?" Takuya sounded curious.
"Hmm?" J.P. looked at the gogglehead.
"I was wondering. Are you an only child?" J.P. looked a bit surprised at Takuya's question.
"Yeah, but how could you have known that?" Takuya shrugged at J.P.'s question.
"It's pretty obvious." He smiled at J.P. as he spoke.
"So? Big deal. What about it?" As J.P. asked Takuya shifted so he was sitting crossed legs, looking at the fire.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just miss my little brother. Same age as Tommy." As Takuya spoke he and J.P. looked towards Tommy.
"Never thought I'd hear you say that. With all the fights you two have." Takuya looked at Meredith.
"Hey weren't you asleep?" Meredith shook her head at Takuya's question.
"Nope." Takuya just sighed at her response.
"It was my little brother's birthday. The day we came to the Digital World. Ah, man! I missed all the cake and ice cream!" Takuya's shoulders fell when he thought about that.
"Arg, is that all you think about? Isn't there anything else, like your parents?" Meredith questioned Takuya.
"Well, yeah of course. Don't you miss your dad Meredith?" Takuya asked it, tilting his head slightly.
"No way that I miss him after everything that's happened." Meredith crossed her arms as she spoke.
"Not even a little bit?" J.P. asked, he didn't know the whole situation but he didn't believe that she didn't miss her dad a little.
"Why should I miss someone like him?" Meredith shot it back to poor J.P. who didn't really know anything about her father.
"Uh." J.P. was at a loss for words but Takuya gasped suddenly and looked up when something rushed above them.
"Did you just see a ghost?" J.P. asked the question, hoping to change the topic.
"I saw something, I'm just not sure what. But it feels like we're being watched." At Takuya's words the three of them looked around.
"Um, maybe it was a squirrel or something." J.P. tried to sound hopeful as he spoke.
"I can't believe you didn't feel anything just then." Takuya was on his feet as he spoke, he was in a tense stance waiting for something.
"I did. But I think it might have just been gas from eating too many of those meat apples, if you know what I'm saying, and I think you do." J.P. had an odd smile but Meredith made a face.
"JP, you're disgusting!" Meredith looked at J.P. as she spoke and the Warrior of Thunder's shoulders fell.
While those three were busy looking around Koji was lost in his own head. While he was still laying down and staring up at the stars his mind was focused on the voice that told him to look for his spirit.
'Everything will become clear? I wish I knew what everything was.' Koji closed his eyes as he thought that.
Tommy's previously rather silent noises grew louder, drawing everyone's attention. Everyone who had been asleep was woken up by the noises he was making. Tommy stood up, taking hold of a smoking stick. He held it in his hand as he stood still, eyes unfocused.
Sensing something amiss with the small boy, Zoe looked at him in worried. "Tommy, what is it?"
Tommy kept muttering "I won't forgive you" repeatedly.
"There's something wrong with him." Takuya stated.
JP went up Tommy. "Hey, half pint comma snap out of it." He reached his hand out to him, but Tommy slapped it away. The boy swung the stick it like a sword.
Zoe became even more worried. "Tommy, stop that right now!"
Meredith decided to make an approach. "Put that down!"
He swung again. "I will not forgive you!" he repeated.
Takuya's protective side showed its surface. He went in front of his neighbor. "Now cut it out! This isn't funny, Tommy!"
"I won't forgive any of you!"
Meredith felt that Tommy was out of his character. She noticed how there was no shine in the boy's eyes. "He's in a trance!" she yelled to the others.
"You're going to pay for what you've done to me!" This was so unlike the Tommy they met before. He was angry at them, but why is the question the DigiDestined asked themselves. Tommy threw the stick away and pulled out his D-Tector. He spirit evolved into Kumamon. He puffed out his chest. "Crystal Freeze!" He threw out his icy breath, but the team moved away from his attack. Kumamon advanced forward. "I'm tired of you bullying me! Crystal Freeze!"
The attack reached the trees, causing them to fall. The one near Zoe toppled over. The girl became frozen in fear, but Takuya came to her aid and pulled her away.
"When did any of us bully you?" Amelia fired the question off as she dodged the attack, the icy draft caused by Kumamon's attack was enough to make her wake up fully.
JP looked at the two. "Hey, how come Takuya gets to fall with Zoe?!" he complained.
Meredith looked at the Warrior of Thunder and gave him a 'that's what you worried about!' look. "This is not the time, moron!"
Koji pulled JP with him. "Run, you jerk!"
"Crystal Freeze!" Kumamon called.
"Looks like the only choice we have is to Spirit Evolve and take him out."
"I will never forgive you." Kumamon chanted.
The Warrior of Flame couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Spirit Evolve? I won't do it! There has to be another way to stop him." There was no way he could fight Tommy. He's the same age as Shinya! He wouldn't have the heart to even lift a hand at him. It'll be like fist-fighting his brother. And not the friendly kind of fist-fighting.
"There's no way I'll hurt him", Meredith agreed, "no matter what!"
"Right!" Zoe encouraged.
"Sorry, JP. I'm with them." Koji proclaimed, along with Amelia nodding her head at his statement since she favored keeping her attention on Kumamon.
"Fine, well, what do you propose?" JP challenged. Obviously, he wasn't sure what else he would do either. He didn't want to hurt Tommy either, but he doesn't see any way around it no matter how hard you tried.
The possessed Warrior of Ice puffed his chest again. "Crystal Freeze!"
Koji grabbed Amelia's wrist. "Run!" Takuya grabbed Meredith's wrist and ran with Koji to one area as JP and Zoe ran to the other side. Kumamon decided to go to Takuya's group. The four kids heard rustling noises.
The Warrior of Light looked at the direction of the noise. "What was that?"
Takuya at the direction as well. "I know I definitely heard something that time!"
"Right!" Koji and Amelia looked at each and nodded in unison. They knew what they have to do. They took out their D-Tectors and Spirit Evolve. "Lobomon!"
"Legnamon!"
JP became shocked. "Wait a minute!" he exclaimed, "I thought we all agreed not to Spirit Evolve! Who do they think they are, anyway?! Sometimes I hate them!"
"Koji and Amelia must have a good reason." Zoe reassured him. "Maybe they know something that we don't." She wanted to have faith in them, but she had doubts about their approach.
Lobomon pulled out his sword and raised it above his head. "Ancient Spirit of Light!" he yelled. As commanded, the entire sky and forest light up. It was so bright that there was a shadow in sight. It gave away the mysterious digimon's hiding spot.
"There he is!" Takuya yelled, pointing at the digimon. It looked at Takuya with a glare. The gogglehead looked at Meredith. They nodded. It was time to take action.
"Execute! Spirit Evolution!"
"Agunimon!"
"Sakanamon!"
Agunimon released his signature roar.
"Ok, now something is definitely wrong." The Warrior of Wind said. Now Takuya and Meredith Spirit Evolved? They better have a good reason or else she was going to Spirit Evolve herself to protect Tommy.
"All I know is that they broke the agreement, and we have to protect Tommy!" JP declared.
"Lobomon, Legnamon, don't you harm a hair on that bear, ok?"
"Frozen Tundra!" Kumamon became a living icicle and threw himself on the ground. The ground became frozen.
"Kumamon, this has to stop!" Lobomon yelled. Still, the bear didn't respond.
Meanwhile, Agunimon jumped onto the strange pig digimon who was behind the possession. "Incoming!" The Warrior of Flame rode that little piggy like he was in the rodeo.
"Stupid humans," he sneered, "this is too easy!"
"Run, little warthog!"
Zoe saw Agunimon riding the pig. "What is he riding?"
"Whoa, piggy!" His rodeo soon ended as Agunimon fell off the digimon. It hid behind a tree and laughed.
Sakanamon asked, "What is that that?"
"It's a Bakumon!" Bokomon replied. "They're harmless digimon who give off good dreams."
"He looked pretty nasty for a Bakumon. Aren't they supposed to eat bad dreams?" Neemon stated.
"You sap! Did it occur to you that Cherubimon may have turned him evil?!"
Neemon titled his head. "But how?"
"I have no idea!" Bokomon took out his book. "Ah," he found the page he was looking for, "he's supposed to be wearing his power ring, but apparently, Cherubimon has taken it away."
"Then I got to let Agunimon know!" Sakanamon said and ran to aid her friend. She soon caught up with Agunimon, but before she could warn him, Bakumon made his move.
"Nightmare Syndrome!" His black fog wrapped around the two warriors. Bakumon laughed victoriously.
In Takuya's mind, he was surrounded by darkness. He didn't like it at all. Then, shadows moved under his feet and turned into human shapes.
"These are not your friends." Bakumon's voice echoed his mind. "Use your powers to punish them." The shapes became Zoe, JP, Meredith, Amelia, Koji, and Tommy. They have evil grins plastered on their faces.
Takuya gasped and shifted so he was in a fighting stance. His hands were curled into fists and raised while his center of balance was a little lower than the usual posture. He was ready to fight whatever came his way.
"They're all against you, Takuya. Destroy them before they destroy you!"
The evil doppelgangers moved onto Takuya. Takuya became frightened, but suddenly he realized something. They would never go against him. They've been through too much already. They've become a team and on a mission. This isn't real. It's all a dream!
Takuya blinked. "No, it's... not real! Now get out of my head!" He pushed the kids back. They turned into shadows again. He panted hard. He can hear his heart pounding against his chest. 'That's it! Tommy must be having this nightmare, too!'
Back into reality, Agunimon pushed away the dark fog. "It's only a dream! Bakumon has convinced Tommy that we're his enemies!"
Zoe and JP gasped at this information. "Oh no!" she said.
Unfortunately, Sakanamon was having a difficult time fighting off her nightmare. Agunimon saw this and approached her. "It's all a dream," he told her, "it's not real." He made a very bold move; he hugged her tightly and repeated his words to her ear.
"Attack him!" Bakumon ordered to his new puppet. Sakanamon pushed her friend away. She positioned herself to attack, yet she didn't make a move. Agunimon believed she was having doubts deep down.
"Come on, Meredith. I know you won't attack me." he reassured her. "We're friends; we're both each other's best friend. We're not going to let some stupid dream come between us, are we?"
Memories of their time together flashed through Sakanamon's mind. She smiled as the black fog fell off her.
"What are you doing?!" Bakumon yelled. "I ordered you to destroy him! Do your job!"
Sakanamon glared at the pig digimon. "The way you are right now, you're the one I'll never forgive!"
"What?!"
"Moonlight Mist!" Sakanamon held her hands open, mist escaping from her fingers and it covered the ground blocking out Bakumon's Nightmare Syndrome completely, while it shocked Bakumon.
"I don't understand! Why weren't you fooled by my Nightmare Syndrome?! Didn't you hate your friends?!"
"You don't know what it's like to have friends, or you would have if Cherubimon hadn't made you evil!" The Warrior of Water proclaimed.
With Bakumon's latest puppet, Kumamon advanced on Lobomon who backed himself against a tree. "Stop, Tommy!"
The Warrior of Ice pulled out his blizzard blaster. The plea remained as non-effective. "My name is Kumamon, and you are nothing but a big bully!
"No, you're wrong!"
"Kumamon, stop right there!" Legnamon's voiced wavered but the vines on her arms were extending, as if she was going to do something and that caught Zoe and J.P.'s attention.
Agunimon ran up to the white bear. "Kumamon, you're under the spell of Bakumon's Nightmare Syndrome! It isn't real! You have to fight it!"
Kumamon stopped tilted his head as he stared at Agunimon. Kumamon's eyes were still unfocused but there seemed to be the slightest flicker of life for a matter of seconds.
'Agunimon, you're not my enemy?' he thought.
Agunimon pounded his fists together.
"Takuya!" Zoe cried.
"Wait, don't do it!" JP yelled.
The Warrior of Flame burst into flames. The moment that he burst into flames Kumamon shifted. He lowered his head slightly and glared at Agunimon. Kumamon also turned to face Agunimon.
"You have to trust him." Sakanamon told them as she walked up to Agunimon.
"Now let's finish him!" Zoe covered her eyes. She leaned into JP for his support. JP would've thought it as a dream come true, but now wasn't the time to dwaddle in his daydreams. They were up against a terrible dilemma.
"It's time to end this nightmare!" Agunimon threw his fireballs!
"Tempest Whirlpool!"
Their attacks hit their main target… which happen to be Bakumon! Bakumon had seen their attacks coming though and was going to turn to flee. The attacks though hit him dead on because out of the ground, shot tendrils of wood that stopped him from moving and holding him in place. The pig dropped to the ground as its fractal code appeared around him.
Agunimon pulled his D-Tector. "Now for some purification. Fractal Code, Digitize!" The device absorbed the code. Then, the pig Digimon fell back on the ground.
It was then that Kumamon returned back to Tommy. "Lobomon, wow! Have you been fighting somebody?"
Lobomon smiled. "Glad to have you back, Tommy."
After seeing what happened, Zoe sighed and ran up to the small boy. "Tommy, don't you remember? You just had a terrible nightmare."
Tommy tilted his head. "Huh?"
"That's right", Bokomon scolded, "you gave us quite a scare there, young man. Bakumon's dream made you think we were your enemies."
"Yeah", JP retorted, "but it was actually Cherubimon's fault."
"Bakumon's better now. He didn't know what he was doing at the time." Neemon added.
The sad pig Digimon floated up to the kids. "I'm sorry. From now on, I promise I'll only send you good dreams." Bakumon apologized with a bow.
Tommy rubbed the back of his head. "I had an adventure and I don't even remember it."
"It's good you don't…" Zoe put it.
"...otherwise, you'd regret ever remembering at all." Sakanamon ended.
With that settled, the gang decided to head back to camp so they could get some amount of rest before they would carry on when the sun rose.
"Thanks Koji. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I owe you one." Takuya looked at Koji.
"You don't owe me anything. Besides, you're the one who sensed something out there." Koji's words made the group stop and look.
"Huh?" Takuya was surprised since he hadn't expected something like that from Koji.
"I've always heard savages rely on initiation." Those words sounded much more like Koji.
Takuya turned his head away, "You really hate being nice, don't ya?"
"At least our friendship is getting somewhere." Meredith words made the three chuckle and they bumped wrists together.
Meredith couldn't help but feel like she was getting a new best friend.
With everyone settled in, Meredith sat next to Takuya. "How were you able to fight off the Nightmare Syndrome so quickly?" She asked him.
Her neighbor smiled wholeheartedly. "That's easy. I listened to my heart. It was then I pulled through the mind games."
Meredith smiled as DemiVeemon hopped onto her lap.
"Sweet dreams, children." Bakumon spoke as he exhaled pink mist.
Soon enough everyone, besides Meredith and Koji, was fast asleep.
"Are you ready to sleep?" Bakumon looked at Meredith as he asked.
"In a minute." she responded as she petted DemiVeemon. She glimpsed at her best friend and watched him inhale and exhale in slumber. She had to admit… he looked cute sleeping. She remembered a lullaby her mom used to sing to her at nighttime.
In Takuya's mind, he was at his neighborhood throwing his soccer ball up and down. His ball went out of his hand and rolled away. It was stopped when a foot lay on it. He looked up to see Meredith smirking at him. It made him smile, too.
Back with the group, Meredith sang as the others sleep.
You are the new day
You are the new day
I will love you more than me
and more than yesterday
If you can but prove to me
you are the new day
Send the sun in time for dawn
Let the birds all hail the morning
Love of life will urge me say
you are the new day
When I lay me down at night
knowing we must pay
Thoughts occur that this night might
stay yesterday
Thoughts that we as humans small
could slow worlds and end it all
lie around me where they fall
before the new day
One more day when time is running out
for everyone
Like a breath I knew would come I reach for
a new day
Hope is my philosophy
Just needs days in which to be
Love of life means hope for me
borne on a new day
You are the new day
Meredith finished her lullaby and in the heap of the moment, she kissed his cheek. He smiled softly and Meredith fell asleep on his shoulder.
With Koji, who was awake through the ordeal (he liked the song, but he wouldn't admit it aloud), looked at the others. "Now that is the way to sleep." he commented. It was his turn to keep watch. He didn't mind it anyway. With what was left of quiet, his D-tector beeped. He took it out of his pocket.
"You're Beast Spirit awaits, Koji Minamoto." it said, which caused Koji to stand. "But first, you have some growing to do."
The voice made both Bokomon and Neemon awake, yet Koji didn't hear them stir. He was too focused on the new message he received.
"What?" he thought aloud. "What does she mean by that?"
So Koji thought he had all the answers? Typical. There are only more questions ahead on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.
"You are the New Day" is by The King's Singers. I have some news. If anyone wants to create and OC and their own Warrior of Earth, please PM me.