Someone types a password to log onto a server.
On the server, a group of people were conversing among themselves.
"Hey guys." A cheerful female voice said. "How's everything going?"
Off to the side, a avatar with a pointy nose commented.
"Why bring that up all of a sudden."
He wasn't the only one that was curious.
"What made you mention that, Akkino?"
"Not much. Hey, have you ever heard of Digimon?"
"The dangerous programs that hackers use?" Another avatar questioned Akkino.
"How dangerous are they exactly?"
"They're able to break through security, steal data, enter password-protected forums effortlessly. All sorts of nasty stuff." A avatar by the name of Old Man Fanta explained.
"That's nuts!" Akkino exclaimed.
"A friend of mine had their account targeted by them." AlgerNON, another avatar added.
"When did that happen?" Someone asked AlgerNON.
The avatars continued conversing among themselves when a saw cut a hole in the floor. From the hole emerged a weird figure.
"Mr. Navit!"
"That's EDEN's mascot! What's it doing here?"
"What brings a EDEN official here?"
"This was a private room, you know? Just who are you?" The avatar with the pointy nose demanded.
"What's with that greeting? It hardly suits a official."
"Wait, is he a hacker?" Akkino asked.
"That's right. I'm Mr. Navit, the hacker." Mr. Navit confirmed this. "I have a fantastic present for all of you. Make sure to log into EDEN tomorrow."
"Don't forget now. If you don't log in, I'll hack you!" Mr. Navit then logged out.
The avatars were then left alone.
"What the? Was that actually a hacker?" Aioba asked.
"Think someone's playing a prank on us?"
"Sounds fun, doesn't it? Let's check it out!" Akkino suggested.
"Are you sure about that?" The avatar of a dragon flew down. It simply went by the name Drago.
Drago's avatar landed in the middle of the room.
"Count us out." Three others left the screen.
"I'm in." The avatar with the pointy nose commented.
"Me too." Aioba added.
"Meh, got nothing better to do." Drago shrugged his shoulders.
The four were going to meet up on EDEN later.
Sometime later...
Takumi was heading through cyberspace to find the others that he was going to meet up with. He passed by Arata who was walking through another section of EDEN.
"You're late." A red-haired woman, Nokia Shiramine complained after Takumi landed in front of her.
"As long as he meets us here, it really doesn't matter if he's late." Yusuke remarked.
"Yeah, I guess." Nokia sighed.
"What kind of present do you think Mr. Navit has for us anyway?"
"Let's find out." Nokia perked up after that.
"Oh yeah, Arata went running off after a ghost not that long." Yusuke informed Takumi.
"Ghosts in cyberspace. That's not scientific. It makes no sense. Not that I'm scared or anything." Nokia was skeptical about the claims of a ghost in EDEN.
"Boo." Arata sneaked up on Nokia, freaking her out.
"Overreacting much." Yusuke sweat dropped.
"Oh it's just you Arata." Nokia noted. "I thought you were a ghost."
"Sheesh. You don't have to act all tough by coming to a place like this if you're chicken, you know."
"Weren't you the one that left Nokia here by herself." Yusuke pointed out.
"Shut it." Arata instructed.
"Anyhow." He continued. "We've never met here before, have we?"
"I'm Arata Sanada." Arata introduced himself. "Nice to meet you and all that."
"Yusuke Hirata."
"Arata here is actually behind the avatar known as Blue Box." Yusuke revealed.
"You probably didn't know that, did you." Nokia continued. "He's not really what you imagined, is he? During the chat, he was kind and considerate, like a reliable big brother figure, right?"
"When I first met him, I was really weirded out. He's surly, self-absorbed, he's got a weird look in his eye..."
"Let's move on to something else, shall we?" Yusuke interrupted.
"Arata and I decided to check the area out while we were waiting for Takumi to arrive. The two of us figured that Mr. Navit was around here along with the ghost."
"Neither one of us found anything though. The weird part was, there wasn't anyone to be found. You'd normally expect one or two hackers in Kowloon, no matter how dangerous the place is."
There was a sudden beeping noise.
"That's probably Mr. Navit now." Yusuke noted.
Sure enough, Mr. Navit appeared on a screen.
"I've got something for all you good boys and girls who showed up here today. This is the miraculous power to change the world."
"Miraculous power?" Yusuke repeated.
"Huh? Wha? What is this?"
"We've been hacked." Arata realized what was taking place just now.
"Hmm. It could be the Digimon Capture hacking tool being installed." Yusuke theorized. "Digimon Capture allows someone to gather data on and maintain the user's Digimon."
"Digimon...Capture."
"A lot of hackers have been using that lately."
"Wait...so have we become hackers?"
"Seems that way." Yusuke commented.
"Hackers are nothing out of the ordinary nowadays."
"Hackers are bad news. I'm not doing this." Nokia then tried to force delete the program.
"Give a rest. That program's protected. You'll probably break your Digivice beyond repair if you continue." Then out of the corner of his eye, Yusuke noticed someone disappear into thin air.
"Who was that?" He asked out loud.
"Don't let him get away." Arata and Yusuke give chase.
"Hold up? Why are we chasing him?" Nokia demanded.
"I...I'm out of here. I'm going home, you hear." Nokia was determined to leave Kowloon.
The exit was blocked by a firewall.
"What the? That wasn't here before. What's it doing here?" She asked herself. "Did some hacker do this too?"
"Going back home isn't what's important right now. Arata and Yusuke could be in trouble. We need to go after them." Takumi argued.
"No way. I'm not going." Nokia still refused to go any further and went in a opposite direction.
'Looks like I'm finding them alone.' Takumi thought.
He went to a different area of Kowloon to look for Arata and Yusuke.
'Where could those two have gone?' Takumi inspected the area. 'Further inside perhaps?'
"I should be careful." His search continued on the first level of Kowloon.
Along the way, he came across the specter of someone and suddenly felt dizzy before losing consciousness. While unconscious, something was inscribed on him.
Takumi then regained consciousness with someone standing right in front of him.
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." The figure asked.
"Well..."
"I see. You encountered a ghost that looked like me. If that's the case, it might have been me. Some people refer to me as the Wrath of EDEN."
"Wrath of EDEN?" Takumi questioned.
"The truth is I appear when people least expect it." The figure admitted.
"I'm not actually a ghost. I'm very real here in EDEN. I'm here to guide those who are lost, like you."
"That's your role, huh?" Takumi was impressed.
"You've just had a program installed. Digimon Capture. That marks you as a hacker. Here in EDEN, hackers have a lot of different motivations. Some find and report security holes, while others rob accounts to steal money or data in addition to testing their skills. What kind of hacker would you prefer to be?"
'I don't know.'
"If that's your response, you haven't been a hacker for long." The figure calmly stated. "You're free to become a hacker or something else. It's up to you."
"What led you to this is neither here or there."
"Hacking interested you and now you have the Digimon Capture program. As such, I recommend you give the remarkable power of these "Digimon" programs a try."
"Digimon?" Takumi was stunned. "Let's do it."
"That's fine. Now, to commemorate your birth as a future hacker. I shall present you with your first Digimon."
"There, behind you, is a Digimon program." Takumi turned around.
Behind three blocks were a bunny-like creature, a walking plant and a series of gears floating in the air.
"Those are Digimon?" Takumi asked out loud.
"Yes." The figure nodded.
Out of nowhere, another Digimon appeared frightening the other three and making them run away.
"The Digimon I prepared for you have just run off. Wait a moment please. I'll find another one."
"I'm worried about those three." Takumi told him.
He prepared himself to go after the four Digimon.
"You're a curious one." The figure noted. "All the more reason not to get involved. You'd look foolish getting hurt interfering in a fight between two mere programs."
"I have to help them!" Takumi protested.
"If that's what you want, then you should do it. Chase after it, if that's your decision."
Takumi eventually found two of the Digimon and got between them.
"You really are new at this. Do you intend to fight a Digital Monster unarmed?"
"You truly are curious." The figure corrected himself. "No...you're just a soft touch. That's all."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Takumi demanded.
"What a coincidence. I'm both of those things as well. Just this once, allow me to aid you."
"You don't need to do anything for the moment."
"Watch and learn. This is how a real hacker uses their skills." A giant mechanical Digimon then appeared next to him. This was a Machinedramon, a Mega level virus type Digimon.
"Oh no, you're not leaving me out." Takumi argued.
The bunny like creature made it's way over to him.
"Well. It seems it wants to fight with you. Intriguing."
"It may have been something of an ordeal, but that Digimon is now yours. Instruct it well and master the program."
"You ready." Takumi called out to the Digimon, who nodded in response.
"Terrier Tornado!" A tornado strikes the enemy Digimon.
Three bolts of lighting struck it as well, deleting it.
"We did it!" Takumi cheered.
"It's very rare to obtain Digimon without scanning it through Digimon Capture."
"What's more, for a program to like a person..."
"Everything about this is odd. You'll probably be an "irregular" element among hackers."
"Anyway, you're free from your shell now."
"Thanks..."
"The rest is up to you. I shall take my leave now."
"Before you go, have you seen two of my friends?" Takumi asked.
"They were heading to that area over there."
"That originally was the old EDEN entrance area. The remains of it's creation. It's forgotten dregs."
"Proof is a original logout zone remains there, untouched."
"It can't be used currently, but a hacker can take care of the lock."
"Yes, if you want to leave, using that logout zone would be best."
"That boy should be able to unlock it in a snap. Provided he hasn't gotten rusty."
"What? He didn't tell you?" The figure asked.
"In that case, it's not my story to tell. You're better off hearing it from him."
"That's right. I haven't introduced myself."
"I'm Yuugo. Yuugo from Team Zaxon."
"If you want to become a top tier hacker, you should seek us out. Our doors are always open to you."
"I'll keep it in mind." Takumi replied.
Yuugo then headed off in another direction.
"Arata and Yusuke headed to that area over there." Takumi said to himself. "And there's supposed to be a old logout zone. I'll get Nokia."
Speaking of Nokia, she walked through another section of Kowloon.
"Where did those three go? L-like, could hackers maybe have..." She then trailed off.
A orange dinosaur and reptile with a fur pelt ran across the floor and then hid behind a wall, peering out at Nokia.
Takumi continued his search elsewhere.
"Aah!" Nokia's scream pierced the air.
"What's going on?" Takumi rushed to find her.
When he got there, the dinosaur and reptile were running around Nokia in a circle.
"What? What are you?" She asked in a panic.
"Um, who are you?" The dinosaur questioned.
"It...it can talk. It's so...so...so adorable."
"My name's Nokia. What're your names?" She introduced herself.
"Me? My name's Agumon."
"I...I'm Gabumon."
"Agumon and Gabumon. Hee hee. What weird names."
"Hey, they're not weird." Gabumon countered.
"You're the one with the weird name." Agumon stated.
"As if! My name's not weird. Hee hee."
"Huh?" Agumon was now confused.
"Huh? Have my good looks stunned you speechless?" Nokia asked Agumon and Gabumon.
"I can smell something. Something...familiar."
"Wait, what? Me?"
"Yeah. Familiar and reassuring." Gabumon nodded.
"Uh, what?! Come on, this is kind of embarrassing." Nokia stated. "Oh, sorry! Guess my naturally alluring pheromones are working full force today."
"What?" Takumi said in disbelief.
"Ahaha! See, you are weird." Agumon laughed.
Takumi rushed over to the three.
"Oh, Takumi. Where the heck have you been?!" Nokia demanded.
"Looking for you. I found out where Arata and Yusuke went." Takumi responded.
"Yikes! It's...it's another scary person."
"Who?" Takumi was at a loss.
"I'm sick of being chased around. Run away!" Agumon ordered.
"Wait, I just came here to..." Takumi tried to tell them he came over here to meet up with Nokia.
"Hey! Calm down! This is a friend of mine!"
Agumon and Gabumon didn't listen and simply ran off.
"Aw, shucks. They're gone. Just what were those cute little critters?"
"They're called Digimon." Takumi explained. "This is Terriermon."
"So those little cuties were Digimon, too."
"Yep." He confirmed it.
"But...both those Digimon and this one here...they don't seem like bad programs."
"Why would they be? Terriermon fought alongside me earlier and those two, Agumon and Gabumon, they didn't seem hostile."
"Having cute critters like them around could be okay. Maybe having this Digimon Capture thing won't be so bad after all." Nokia perked up.
"They aren't all as cute as Terriermon, Agumon and Gabumon." Takumi shook his head. "Terriermon here was chased by a rather aggressive Digimon earlier."
"Aggressive? Whatever it was sounds super-duper scary!"
"Arata and Yusuke are in the area through there? I'll go with you. Let's go find them ASAP!"
After running around that section of Kowloon for a bit longer, Takumi and Nokia got closer to where their friends were and stopped walking.
"Hmm...something feels really strange. Like all this happened before when I was a kid." Nokia stated.
"It's like I met you, Yusuke and Arata before..."
"Like yesterday."
"No. Not like we met yesterday in chat or anything like that."
"Huh? Like...maybe, yeah...maybe."
"Something's strange."
A image then flashed into their heads.
"What...what was that? Did...did you see it?!"
"I did." Takumi nodded.
"Again with the hacking? Honestly! What is WITH this place?!" Nokia hollered.
'Was that hacking. It felt more like memories resurfacing.' Takumi thought to himself.
"Let's go! Arata and Yusuke should be up ahead, right?"
Takumi and Nokia went to reunite with their friends.
"What was that image just now? A child? I am so weirded out." Arata asked out loud.
"You and me both. Have we met him before?" Yusuke added.
"Ah! There it is! There!"
Yusuke took notice of Nokia and Takumi.
"Hey guys." He called out to the two.
"You two can't think about yourselves." Nokia admonished Arata and Yusuke.
The outline of a nautilus shell then formed in the air.
A creature resembling a nautilus shell landed in front of the group.
"Never seen anything like that before." Yusuke mused.
"What's that? Another Digimon?" Arata questioned.
"It can't be! The "Black Monster of EDEN" people have been talking about? They say it devours your data."
"Regardless of whatever it is, let's use the logout zone and get out of here." Yusuke suggested.
"I'll break through the lock on this thing." Arata offered.
"While Arata's doing that, I'll cover our escape." Yusuke took out a flamethrower he brought with him from the real world and a wall of flame separated them and the creature.
This bought them some time.
"I've taken care of the lock. You can log out." Arata told the other two.
"Nokia, hurry up." Yusuke insisted.
"But what about them?" Nokia argued.
"We need to worry about escaping for the time being." Yusuke reminded her that they still had to log out to get away from that creature.
She reluctantly agreed and then logged out of EDEN.
"Nokia's logged out. Arata and I are next. Log out after us." Arata and Yusuke proceeded to log out of EDEN as well.
Takumi was on the verge of logging out, but tripped before getting to the logout zone.