Going Digital

By Lightningstrxu

Beta: Random O Panda

This was it; he couldn't believe it, but after years of languishing in the Ever After, Jaune would finally be going home. Turning, he placed his hand on Juniper's forehead, the jackalope nuzzling it affectionately.

"I'll miss you," he whispered. This was probably the most painful part. Jaune had made very few friends in the Ever After, but his faithful steed and companion had seen him through years of hardship. But this was the way it had to be; he had his place, and Juniper had hers. "Take care of her, Somewhat."

The mouse on Juniper's back positively beamed. "Can do!" He saluted for emphasis.

"Thank you." He continued to absentmindedly pet Juniper, and when a small hand placed itself on his shoulder, he turned to face it.

"Come on, Jaune," Weiss spoke softly. "It's time to go."

"Right," he nodded. With Weiss and the rest of Team RWBY by his side, Jaune went through the portal the Blacksmith had opened for them. Light blinded them all and when it cleared he saw that they had been let out at the top of a large mountain, looking over an island covered with trees the color of the sky. A quick glance upward confirmed a sky as green as the leaves should have been. Horror slowly crept up inside him, and he could see a dawning realization on his friends' face.

"Guys, I don't think this is Remnant…" Yang broke the silence, saying what they all were thinking.

"But..but how?" Ruby protested. "The Blacksmith said the Tree would take us home."

"No…she didn't," Blake spoke softly. "She said the tree would take us where we're needed."

"Just great." Weiss scoffed. "Whisked away to yet another fantasy land. Should I be on the lookout for a punderstorm, or perhaps even curiouser cats!"

Jaune could feel the white-haired girl's frustration. This was finally his chance to go home and see his teammates again, and here it was ripped away from him once more, off on another adventure due to divine intervention.

"Maybe we should be on the lookout for that!" Yang pointed as something was suddenly flying towards them at a fast pace. Something red, something big, and judging by the sound of its roars-

Something angry…

######

Ruby's grip tightened on Crescent Rose, as whatever was coming was closing in fast. The creature stopped in front of them, hovering in the air. It was a huge, red, bipedal beetle covered with black markings, four arms ending in sharp claws, and massive mandibles surrounding a gaping maw filled with teeth of all things.

"Maybe it's friendly." Yang chuckled nervously, her arms up and ready to go in punching at a moment's notice.

"Trespassers!" The giant bug suddenly bellowed. "This mountain is my territory. Leave!"

Well, it definitely wasn't friendly. She wasn't exactly expecting it to talk, though she had seen far stranger things than an overgrown beetle in the past few days. Between the five of them, they should make quick work of whatever this thing was. Digging her feet in she leapt into the air only to fall flat on her face. "Wha?" Scrambling to her feet, she attempted to whoosh into action and semblance this things face off. But there was no whoosh, and definitely no semblance.

"My glyphs aren't working!" Her partner shrieked, flailing her rapier about wildly.

"Scissor Claw!" The giant insect bellowed charging forward at the one closest to him which was Blake, whose dodge was hesitant. Ruby could see her instinctively try and use her semblance to avoid the attack. But just like with her and Weiss, it didn't work. It was only thanks to her reflexes that Blake just barely managed to dodge the monster's claws grazing her arm.

Blake screamed in pain with a bloody gash on her arm. "It went right through my Aura!"

"Blake!" Yang screamed in rage rushing forward recklessly. Ruby could only watch in horror as her sister's punch, something which she had personally seen tear a mech in half caused no damage against the monster. "No way…"

The dawning realization caused unbelievable dread to swell inside her. This thing didn't ignore their Aura, they had none. No Aura…no Semblances. There was but only one plan of action she as a leader could take.

"RUN!" Ruby shouted at the top of her lungs. Sprinting as fast as she could, which unfortunately felt painfully slow without her semblance. The giant bug was hot on their heels, the five of them making a mad dash down the mountain. Running into the tree line for cover the group of them scattered, getting pushed further and further apart by the thickness of the forest. Ruby suddenly tripped on a root, unable to stop she braced herself as she was about to crash into a tree. To her shock, she phased through and into the tree. Feet skidding to a stop she stumbled onto her hands and knees, her hood falling over her face blinding her.

"Wow, are you okay?" A voice called from in front of her.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank…" Ruby lifted her hood. Somehow, instead of slamming into a tree, she was now in a blank gray room. Sitting on the ground in front of her was a brown furry creature, little more than a face with eyes and a massive horn. "...you."

The little creature's eyes widened. "Are you…are you Ruby Rose?" It asked hopefully.

"Yes." She answered hesitantly.

The shriek of excitement the little creature let out startled her, causing her to fall back into a sitting position. "It's you, it's you, it's you! Ruby Rose!" The little guy bounced up and down repeating her name with each bounce.

"How do you know my name?"

The creature stopped bouncing. "Don't know!" It beamed. "All I know is I was waiting here forever for someone named Ruby Rose. I wasn't sure how I would know who that was, but it's definitely you!"

This was strange, okay after the Ever After, nothing was really that strange but still. "But I don't even know who you are?"

The talking head stopped bouncing and stared up at her. "Oh right, where are my manners? I am Tsunomon." They bowed as best they could when you're little more than a head. "I'd shake your hand but you know…" Tsunomon wiggled.

"Right, no hands. " Ruby shifted to sit more comfortably. "So why were you waiting for me?"

"Don't know!" They answered confidently. Ruby sighed, of course, they didn't know. "All I know is that I'm your Digimon partner, we were meant to meet each other."

"My partner, and what's a digimon?"

"I'm a digimon! Pretty much everyone here in the Digital World is a digimon. Well, except you I guess."

"Wait so that bug that attacked me and my friends…" Ruby went silent. "My friends!" She scrambled to her feet. "My friends are still out there! I have to find them!"

"Well then let's go!" Tsunomon suddenly bounced with surprising force at their partner. Ruby catching them instinctively.

"Wait, you want to come with me? It's dangerous out there."

"Yes!" The little digimon affirmed.

There's no way she could take such a defenseless thing out there with her. But then again without Aura and Semblances it's not like she would fare much better, and having a local guide would be better than wandering blindly. "All right, but we lay low." Taking a breath to center herself, partner clutched in her arms, Ruby exited the tree.

######

As Weiss indignantly traipsed through the forest, she suddenly regretted her choice of attire. To most a fancy dress and four inch heels would not be good combat attire. Those people however did not have her impeccable sense of style and grace. However, with the sudden lack of Aura and Semblance this world seemed to impose, Weiss was suddenly brought down to the levels of a normal if fairly fit civilian.

"I knew I should have gone jogging with Yang and Blake!" The white haired huntress complained, regretting slacking if ever so slightly on her fitness regimen. But on the other hand it would have meant putting herself in between that awkward mess of hormones that were her teammates. If there was any good that had come out of all this it was that those two had finally talked to each other, and Weiss would no longer be forced to lock them in a closet until they figured things out. But one didn't realize how much aura helped ease the burdens of her gear. It was not oppressively heavy, but still a noticeable difference.

Weiss let out a heavy sigh this was her life now, being whisked from one fantasy land to the next. Being assailed by giant monsters, well giant monsters that weren't Grimm, and she didn't even have the dignity of being able to fight back. At least that giant insect was no longer chasing her, which means it was most likely chasing one of her friends. She'd have to find them as soon as possible. Finding a clear spot beneath a tree, she sat down closing her eyes.

"Okay, just a few minutes catch my breath, and then find the others." Loathe as Weiss was to take a break she'd be less than useless if she exhausted herself.

"Hey! You look tired!" A shrill voice called above her.

"As a matter of fact I …" Weiss began to retort to whomever had felt the need to so loudly state the obvious to her. But that wasn't any of her friends. Eyes snapping open she looked up. Hanging from the branch above her was a pink blob of a creature with giant orange eyes, with two long ears.

"Greeting!" The creature waved one of its ears. Weiss startled letting out a small surprised yelp. "Oh? I'm sorry," the little blob said as it hopped down in front of her. "AHHHHH!" He inhaled again giving another loud screaming. "Did you understand that? Are we on the same page now?"

Weiss stared curiously at the…whatever this was. Before it screamed at her again. "Stop that!"

"I was merely trying to communicate on your level," the pink thing sneered. "Since you think screaming at someone is a perfectly acceptable greeting, like some sort of uncultured boarmon!"

"Excuse me!" Weiss bristled filled with indignant rage. "I am Weiss Schnee, and I will not be talked down to by a wad of bubblegum!"

"Wait!" The aforementioned bubblegum stared at her intently. "You really are Weiss Schnee! I can't believe it. I finally found you!"

"Found me? Why were you looking for me, who even are you?" Weiss was about at her limit for nonsense today.

"I was looking for you because you, Weiss Schnee, are my partner!" He pointed one of his ears at her. "And you have the great pleasure to have me, Koromon, on your side!"

Weiss stood. "You know for a little guy you sure have a big ego!"

"That's because I am the best!" Koromon boasted proudly.

"Look, I have to go find my friends. It was nice talking to you…Koromon." Dusting herself off she checked herself over. She startled when he jumped onto her shoulder wrapping an ear around her to hold on.

"Yes, let's go find our friends." He stared at her hopefully.

Weiss sighed, he was so lucky that he was adorable. That and she had a strange feeling, inexplicable even that it was a good idea to bring him along.

Here she went, yet again a stranger in a strange land, off to find her friends.

######

It was surprising how fast one could adapt to strangeness. But after who knows how many years babysitting living origami, and paying for items with concepts. Nothing really could phase Jaune as he sat beneath a tree with countless tiny blobs milling about.

"See, what did I tell ya, everybody's here!" a slightly bigger leaf-tailed and thorn-covered blob sat in his lap, spoke up confidently.

"Yep, you were right, Budmon." Jaune nodded. He had run into Budmon not long after separating from the others. The little sprout was absolutely ecstatic upon meeting him, declaring that he was her fated partner. Honestly, it felt like initiation back at Beacon, back in the good ole days.

"Darn tootin I was right!" She beamed. "All the digimon come to this glade to hide out when there's danger. Most bigger digimon want nothing to do with us. Too small to be worth their time so there's an agreement that there be no fighting here."

"Like a law?" he asked quizzically.

"What's a law, is it tasty?" Her leaf tail wagged with excitement.

"No it's…nevermind." That was worrisome, the only thing keeping this place safe was a gentleman's agreement to just kind of not to. So far all Jaune had seen of this world inhabitants were either friendly little blobs or one big angry bug, and without aura he didn't stand a chance against it, even if he had his friends for backup. "Just keep an eye out for my friends."

"I can't take my eyes out, but I can definitely look for them!" Budmon chirped confidently.

Jaune chuckled, they might be a little literal but it was nice having good company, it was still a little odd having others to talk to. A rustling from the tree line caught his attention, making him instinctively grip his sword as someone came crashing into the glade. Jaune instantly relaxed. "Blake!" he shouted, waving his arm to get her attention.

Blake stood hunched over hands on her knees. "Jaune!" she managed to pant out through exhausted breaths. She staggered over to him. "I got separated, have you seen Yang and the others?"

"Not yet!" Jaune shook his head.

"Jaune, your friend is hurt!" Budmon bounced frantically, pointing to Blake's arm. The white sleeve was now red and ragged where that monster had attacked her.

Blake's cat ears twitched, golden eyes flickering down to Budmon. "Don't worry, it looks worse than it is." Blake gave the small digimon a reassuring smile, before turning back to Jaune. "So you found one too?"

"Too?" Jaune asked, a little confused.

Blake turned to the side and fanned out her coattails, gripping to the underside was a blackish blob holding on for dear life. "Found him earlier, he declared himself my partner, pointed the way, and then proceeded to cower inside my coat the whole way here."

"Yaamon!" Budmon bristled. "Quit being a scaredy Gatomon!"

Yaamon released his death grip on Blake's coat and growled. "Who yous callin a coward punk!"

Budmon hopped off Jaune's lap to face her foe directly. "I am!"

"Enough!" Jaune interrupted after about a minute of ineffectual and adorable growling. Startled, Yaamon fled to hide behind Blake's legs.

"So should we stay here, or go out and look for the others?" Blake asked.

"No, it's best to stay here!" Budmon spoke up. "If your friends are like us then they also met other digimon, and they will lead them here."

As if on cue, Weiss and Ruby stumbled into the glade from opposite sides. Perhaps a little too convenient, but then again Jaune had met and talked with capital G God only a few hours ago. So who was he to question fate?

"Guys!" Ruby screamed ecstatically, bounding up to them, Weiss not far behind.

Sure enough Ruby and Weiss had also found digimon partners, just as Budmon predicted. The gang was almost all here. Now they just needed to find Yang.

The loud boom of shotgun blasts and crashing trees in the distance alerted them all.

Well, they had found Yang…

######

It was just another ordinary day for Yang Xiao Long. A perfect sunny day to go for a nice relaxing walk. Have a picnic or do a little fishing.

"Scissor Claw!" A tree nearby Yang was reduced to splinters, as she just narrowly avoided her foe's attack.

Fighting giant angry death beetles, yep just another ordinary day for Yang Xiao Long as she hid behind a tree to get her bearings. On any other day she'd more than gladly give this overgrown insect the golden experience that was her fist. But without her Semblance, the best her gauntlets' shots could do was bug it. "He, he bug." Unfortunately silence and a confused stare was all that responded to her.

"What's so funny?" the red-horned blob, that had somehow affixed itself to her shoulder, asked annoyed.

"Nothing, Gurimon, nothing." Yang sighed, Blake would have gotten her joke. Even though she had failed to voice it out loud. Blake was great like that, it's why she loved her. "Just weighing our options."

"I say we go out there and weigh our fists against his face!" Gurimon growled.

Yang chuckled at the thought of her fistless digimon desperately trying to punch an opponent. "As much as I'd enjoy that, now isn't the time for that."

Gurimon bristled her frill shaking. "What do you mean there isn't time for that. There's always time for that! If I had a watch it would only have one time, and it would be GO!"

"There you are!" Kuwagamon roared. "Scissor Claw!" Yang dove as the massive claw sliced through the tree she was hiding behind.

With a tiny roar Gurimon leapt off of Yang. "Prickle Stickle!" bashing ineffectually off the bug with her horns. "Uh oh." she whispered as she landed right in front of Kuwagamon.

With a primal growl Yang unleashed a flurry of shotgun blasts, "Blondie Barrage!" The shells bounced harmlessly off of Kuwagamon. Well there went her theory that shouting nonsense somehow made her bullets stronger. Guess that only works for digimon.

"Now I've got you!" Kuwagamon loomed over the two of them.

A gunshot rang out as a sniper round hit Kuwagamon in the face causing him to stagger back slightly. "Hey, back off!" Ruby shouted as she fired another shot.

"Ruby!" Yang used her chance to scoop up Gurimon, and fall back while the rest of her friends appeared out of the brush. "What's the plan?"

"We stand and fight!" Gurimon shouted, wriggling out of Yang's grasp.

"Wait, Gurimon!" Yang reached out for her partner.

"Digimon as one!" Tsunomon hopped off Ruby's shoulders joining Gurimon.

"Stop, it's dangerous!" Ruby shouted.

Yang watched in horror as one by one Gurimon was joined by more digimon.

"Koromon come back!" Weiss cried.

"Budmon, what are you doing?" Jaune shouted.

"Yaamon, not you too!" Blake pleaded.

There was a sight, five tiny blobs staring down a giant beetle.

"It's our time to protect you!" Tsunomon declared "That's our job as digimon partners!"

Protect them, they could barely defend themselves let alone her. She was a huntress, it was her job to protect the innocent from monsters. Her feet moved on their own, as Yang bolted towards her partner, unbeknownst to her her scroll began to glow. Gurimon and the others are surrounded by light.

"Tsunomon, digivolve to…" in their place was a white and blue furred being with a large golden horn. "Gabumon!"

"Koromon, digivolve to…" out of the glow appeared a dark blue dragon covered in ice. "Bulucomon!"

"Budmon, digivolve to…" the little plant transformed herself into a strange hybrid of lizard and bird with pink and green feathers. "Pomumon!"

"Yaamon, digivolve to…" the glow subsided revealing a purple demon wearing a red scarf. "Impmon!"

"Gurimon, digivolve too…" Yang could only watch in amazement as her partner was replaced white horned lizard wearing a blue scarf with sharp horns. "Gammamon!"

"What the…they're bigger?" Yang asked, confused.

"Everyone attack!" Gabumon ordered. "Blue Blaster!" They opened their mouth unleashing a blast of blue fire.

"Hail Gun!" Bulucomon shot countless tiny ice shards with a flick of his tail.

"Bullet Seed!" Pomumon released a barrage of seed from her ruffled feathers.

"Bada Boom!" Impmon flicked a tiny fireball from his fingertips.

All the attacks hit home Kuwagamon's armor on his head beginning to crack. Gammamon tensed her legs and leapt into the air. "Horn Slam!" She headbutted Kuwagamon, his exoskeleton splitting open around his face.

With a pained scream, Kuwagamon took to the air and flew off into the distance.

Yang couldn't believe it, they had won!

Sooo, it's definitely been awile hasn't it, about three years. Fell into a huge funk cause of the pandemic and then moving and have been staring at partially written drafts of Last Resort and Disillusioned for the better part of two years. But then got this dumb idea of RWBY and Digimon and who their partners would be and setting up an adventure.

So for now I'm back, as always read and review