4. To a New World

It was a quiet dinner at the Babu household.
Tarumon was enjoying his dum aloo, but he was aware that Kartik and his family were all taking care to avoid eye contact with him. He guessed they were all processing the information he'd given them about the impending change to their world.
The only one who didn't look like she was having an existential crisis was Saachi. She was happily eating the porridge that Gajara was feeding her and banging her little hands on the tray attached to her chair.
Tarumon couldn't stop looking at her. A baby human. She really was basically a miniature version of the adults. It was so strange, and so amazing.
He let his gaze wander around the rest of the family. He could see similarities between them; like how Kartik shared his father's thick eyebrows, and Jalena had her mother's wavy hair; but they all looked unique as well.
A part of him wished he could just stay in the Physical World for a while. He had so many questions and there was so much he wanted to see.
But he knew he had to get back. The only question was; would Kartik come with him?
His thoughts were interrupted by Jalena putting down her naan and looking around the table.
"So, we're just going to sit here in silence? We're not going to discuss the end of the world?"
"Jalena, mind your tone." Gajara spoke sternly then, glancing at Tarumon, added in a softer voice. "No one said the world is ending. It's just going to change a bit."
"Do you even know for certain that that's going to happen?" Zahin spoke directly to Tarumon who chewed slowly on a piece of potato before answering.
"No." He admitted. "We don't know exactly what's going to happen at all. But the fact that it's becoming easier for digimon to travel to your world proves that the barrier is weakening. This isn't something we can just ignore."
"Hold up." Jalena raised a hand. "Did you say that other digimon are coming here?"
She looked over her shoulder, as if expecting to see monsters walking past the window.
"A number of us were sent here to make contact with our chosen humans; but there are others." Tarumon's voice dripped with distaste as he went on. "We call them poachers. They see humans only as a source of power. They've made several attempts to break through to the Physical World in order to hunt them."
Tarumon could see the fear growing in his hosts' eyes, but he kept going. They deserved to know the full story.
"Whenever an opening; or gate as we call them; between the worlds appears, Yggdrasil assigns a powerful digimon to guard it. They usually have a small army to help them defend the gate. But the overflowing data has caused so many more to appear; and so frequently; that Yggdrasil can't keep track of all of them. It's only a matter of time before poachers start making their way to the Physical World, if they haven't already."
The Babu family sat staring at him in silence. Even Saachi had her mouth wide open, though she may have been mimicking her father.
It was Gajara who spoke first.
"And you want us to let you take our son to this place? Where monsters are lying in wait to snatch him up?"
Tarumon's ear flicked and he struggled to meet Gajara's eye.
"Well, when you put it that way; it sounds bad. But I'll be there to protect him. And not just me. There's an entire city of digimon who want to keep your world safe."
"I'm very thankful to hear that." Gajara replied. "But I'm afraid the answer is no."
"But -"
Before Tarumon could argue, Zahin raised his hand in a halting gesture.
"Do you have children in your world, Tarumon?"
Tarumon closed his mouth and nodded.
"Then you must know that it is a parent's duty to protect their child. I would be a poor father if I let my son put himself in serious danger on the word of; and I mean no disrespect; a total stranger. Kartik's place is with his family. Whatever happens to our world; we'll face it together."
Tarumon's ears drooped and he looked down at the table. How could he argue with that? He couldn't promise that Kartik would be safer in the Digital World than in his own home.
"Excuse me? Aren't we forgetting someone?"
Everyone turned to face Jalena.
"Tarumon came to ask for Kartik's help. Shouldn't we hear what he thinks about all this?"
Kartik had been listening to the whole conversation without saying a word. Jalena nudged him with her elbow and nodded towards the others. He looked from Tarumon to his parents and back.
"Well... I..."
His gaze lingered on Tarumon for a few seconds before dropping.
"I need to stay with my family." He said softly.
Tarumon tried to hide his disappointment. He nodded to Kartik and gave a reassuring smile.
"It's okay. I'm just happy I was able to visit the Physical World. I've wanted to see this place for so long."
Gajara stood up and lifted Saachi out of her highchair.
"Alright. It's getting late and we've had a long day." She looked to their guest. "Tarumon, why don't you sleep here tonight? You can go home tomorrow. Kartik, go fetch some bedding and set up the sofa."
Kartik nodded and stood up. He headed for the stairs, but stopped when he heard Tarumon's voice.
"Just a minute. Before you go..."
It turned out that he was talking to Gajara. He walked up to her and looked bashfully at Saachi.
"I was wondering if I could..."
He held his arms out.
After exchanging a look with Zahin, Gajara knelt down and carefully placed Saachi in Tarumon's arms.
The digimon held her gently and spoke in a soothing tone.
"Hi there. You're a lot different from the babies I'm used to. More limbs for starters." He cast his eyes down and an anxious tone wormed into his voice. "I really hope you get to grow up in a world where humans and digimon can be friends. ...I want us to be friends."
Kartik tried to ignore the gnawing feeling in his stomach as he climbed the stairs to his room. Upon entering, he saw his laptop lying open on his bed. Figuring he should charge it, he picked it up and saw the website he'd been looking at the previous night.
It was displaying information about student exchange programs. There were lists of schools in other countries that were accepting applications. At the top of the page, in bold letters were the words; Experience A New World.
Kartik closed the laptop and held it to his chest. He leaned back against the wall and slowly sank to the floor.
Half an hour later, he came out of his room with some bedding. He passed his parents' bedroom and could hear his mother quietly singing to Saachi in her crib.
As he descended the stairs, the sounds of his father's and sister's voices reached him from the kitchen. It sounded like they were having a disagreement. Jalena sounded exasperated while their father's voice had that polite but firm tone that told you his mind was made up. Kartik had a pretty good idea what they were talking about.
He entered the living room and saw Tarumon by the open window. The sun was going down and Tarumon was standing on the tip of his hooves as if trying to take in as much of the sight as he could.
Kartik put the bedding on the sofa and went to stand next to the digimon. They watched the pink sky in silence for a few minutes before Tarumon spoke.
"I can barely remember the last time I saw a sunset." There was a slight hitch in his voice as if he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. "The Digital World used to have really beautiful ones, until..."
Kartik sat cross legged next to Tarumon and asked him;
"Can you tell me about the Digital World?"

-

"A-And some of the trees are h-holographic. I u-used to hide in them when b-bigger digimon tried to k-kill me."
Charlie sat on an armchair, transfixed by Kumomon's story. She was still in her pajamas, having spent the whole day asking Kumomon questions about the Digital World and the digimon that inhabited it.
"So these bigger digimon; how big are we talking? Horse size? Elephant size? Whale size?"
"W-Well, it depends. R-Rookie level digimon l-like me are usually pr-pretty small. Shorter than m-most humans. Champion l-level and beyond can be twice as t-tall as a human to b-bigger than this house."
Charlie slapped the arm of her chair and let out another laugh.
"This world has freaking kaijus in it?! Now that is something I have got to see!"
Kumomon was starting to wonder if this human was mentally sound. No matter how often she tried to emphasise the dangers of the Digital World, Charlie only seemed to get more excited at the prospect of going there.
Maybe Yggdrasil had made a mistake, or had a very cruel sense of humour.
The sound of keys turning in the front door broke off their conversation. Jordan came in holding two flat boxes.
"I got some pizza. Kumomon, I don't know what digimon eat so I got you a margarita."
Kumomon nibbled on a slice, silently amazed at all the different sensations she was getting. Physical food was certainly more varied in taste than what she was used to.
Charlie swallowed a bite and turned to her sister.
"Jordan, you won't believe the things Kumomon's told me about the Digital World. Like, it doesn't have a sun or moon. I mean, it used to, but now the days just turn on and off like a light switch. Oh, and there's this huge digital sea where all the data from our world is collected and whole new continents just spring up out of the water. There's also... "
Jordan ate quietly while her sister rambled on. She often got like this, usually after watching a new TV series or finishing a book. Usually Jordan had no problem with it, but Charlie's obvious excitement about the Digital World concerned her.
She waited until her sister stopped to take a breath before interjecting.
"That's certainly amazing. I'm sure Kumomon will be happy to return there."
Charlie narrowed her eyes.
"You mean, without me?"
"Charlie, we already discussed this."
"No, we didn't! You just decided that I wasn't going and left! I'm the one being asked to save the world. Shouldn't I have some say in the matter?"
"First of all; Mom and Dad left me in charge so, no, you don't get a say in the matter. Second; save the world? This isn't one of your comic books!"
"Did you miss the part about our realities colliding with each other? That's a world saving scenario if I ever heard one!"
As the sisters argued, Kumomon sank lower and lower in her chair. The sheer awkwardness was worse than when she'd thought they were going to set her on fire. Once again, she wished she hadn't come to this insane world.
"Stop acting like you know what's best for me! I'm not a little kid!" Charlie was standing up now; her hands tightened into fists at her side.
"Then stop acting like one!" Jordan shot back. "Then maybe I can have my own life instead of having to deal with you all the time!"
The moment the words left her mouth, Jordan regretted it. The way Charlie's face fell and the hurt in her eyes made her stomach twist. She took a step towards her sister.
"Charlie, I - "
Charlie walked past her and disappeared up the stairs. Jordan listened to her footsteps and the slamming of her bedroom door, before slumping into an armchair with her head in her hands.
Kumomon fiddled with her pizza slice for a while, until she couldn't take the uncomfortable silence anymore.
"I-Is this a bad t-time to ask where the b-bathroom is?"
Charlie lay on her side, looking at her bedside table. On it was the book she was currently reading; The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle. Next to that were some rocks she'd found that may or may not be fossilised prehistoric bugs; she was waiting for her parents to get back to get confirmation. Closest to her bed was a framed photo of her family from nearly a year ago; the last time they'd all been together. Everyone was smiling; even Jordan. She didn't smile much nowadays.
Charlie turned onto her back and let out a frustrated sigh. Her parents got to disappear to far-off places without getting grief for it. And if Jordan wanted her own life so much, then surely Charlie should get to live hers as well.
The sound of a toilet flushing came from the bathroom. Charlie sat up. She couldn't hear any footsteps. Could that mean it was Kumomon?
A thought entered her head. It was one of those thoughts that she knew was a bad idea, but felt like a great idea; and Charlie was never one to ruin something by overthinking it.
She moved quickly to her bedroom door and threw it open.
"Kumomon!"
"Ghaargh!"
The digimon jumped straight into the air and grabbed the ceiling light hanging in the hall. Looking down she saw Charlie grinning up at her.
"Once Jordan falls asleep, come into my room. I'll be ready to go."
"O-Okay... G-Go where?"
Charlie looked over her shoulder as she went back into her room.
"Where else? The Digital World."

-

Shinyu stood in his bedroom's doorway, watching Tigremon's sleeping form. She'd scarfed down all the snacks he could find for her before passing out at the tea table.
He'd carried her into his room, for the first time taking note of her weight. Was there really no flesh and bone beneath that fur; just a wireframe full of ones and zeros?
After tucking her into his futon and moving to the doorway, Shinyu noticed Mamoru crouched just outside the room. He was glaring at Tigremon through narrowed eyes.
Shinyu knelt down and stroked his cat's back.
"I know. None of us were expecting this. But she's really not that bad. Keep an eye on her for me, okay?"
Mamoru looked up at Shinyu, then got to his feet. He rubbed himself against the boy's leg and went into the room, curling up at the foot of the futon.
Shinyu walked back into the living room and joined Arisu at the tea table. She passed him a cup of tea and a plate of rice crackers that had escaped Tigremon's feeding frenzy. She'd been too shaken up by the story of his near abduction to cook a proper meal.
Shinyu didn't mind. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, the realisation of what he'd just experienced was tying his stomach in knots. Any food heavier than a cracker would probably have made him sick.
The two of them sat and ate quietly for ten minutes. Shinyu gulped down the last of his tea and took a deep breath.
"I think I should go with Tigremon, to the Digital World."
Arisu didn't answer right away. She put her cup down and took a breath of her own.
"You really believe everything she said?"
"I believe what I saw. Baboongamon tried to take me, and Tigremon almost died stopping him. And, from what I heard, there's more like him."
He looked down at the center of the table. The small white and orange device was lying there; the screen blank. Shinyu picked it up, half expecting it to activate again, but it remained quiet.
"This machine did something to Tigremon. It made her bigger, stronger. It also closed the hole that Baboongamon made. I need to know more about it. Maybe I can use it to protect us. But I won't find any answers if I stay here."
He waited for Arisu to reply. She was staring into her cup, her eyes shifting the way they did whenever she was especially distressed. Shinyu felt the familiar ache of guilt in his stomach, but he knew he had to stand firm on this. They were in real danger, and the problem wouldn't just go away if they ignored it.
"What am I supposed to say?" Arisu raised her eyes to meet Shinyu's. "That I understand? That this is bigger than you and me? Shinyu, I almost lost you today. Now you expect me to just wave you out the door?"
Shinyu forced himself to look Arisu in the eye.
"I don't know what I can do. But what happened today showed me that I have to do something." He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Arisu. I don't want to cause you more trouble. But I need to do this."
Another minute of silence passed before Arisu rose to her feet.
"I guess I should pack some lunches. We don't know what kind of food they have in the Digital World."

-

"I can't believe I'm doing this."
Kartik slipped on his brown shoes and looked over his shoulder for the seventh time that minute. There was no sound from upstairs where his family were sleeping. The house was dark and quiet.
He was standing in the living room with his laptop open on the sofa. Tarumon had said any digital device could serve as a gate to the Digital World, but it seemed only right that he exit the same way he had entered.
The digimon was placing some wrapped up leftovers from dinner in a green shoulder bag.
"Are you sure your family won't mind?" He asked.
"About the food? No. Maa always makes more than we can eat. Anything left is usually given to the animals outside." He hoisted the bag over his shoulder. "I think they'll be more concerned with the fact that I've disappeared to an alien world against their wishes."
"I'm sorry I put you in this position, Kartik." Tarumon said. "I knew humans had strong social bonds, but I didn't think they'd be so averse to you leaving; even though it's for the good of all of you."
"Well, it's a bit different when it concerns parents and their children. Things get... complicated."
Kartik shook his head, determined not to talk himself out of this. He was doing this for his family, for the whole world; and, okay, maybe a little for himself.
He straightened up and turned to face the laptop, steeling himself for the great task ahead.
"I'm ready."
"I don't believe it."
A shriek escaped Kartik's lips as he jumped in the air. Turning around, he saw Jalena standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.
"You're actually going. Even after Maa and Pita said you were staying here."
Kartik struggled to form cohesive words as his sister marched over to him. She stopped right in front of him, so that they were practically nose to nose; maintaining eye contact the whole time. It reminded him of their mother's glare, which could freeze a troublemaker from twenty paces away.
"Well done!" Jalena's face broke out in a smile. She gave Kartik a playful shove. "Here I was, thinking you were never going to leave the nest."
Kartik blinked a few times as his breathing resumed.
"What? You want me to go?"
"I want you to do what you want to do. I saw the way your eyes lit up as Tarumon was describing the Digital World. It was just like when we had those guests at school, talking about the foreign exchange programs. I know you want to sign up; but you're too afraid of hurting Maa's and Pita's feelings to ask."
Kartik knew he shouldn't be surprised. His little sister had always been able to read him like a book. Even so, he couldn't shake the feeling of shame over leaving without his parents' knowledge.
"I'll come back as soon as I can." He promised. "I'm going to find out what's happening to our worlds; and what I can do to fix it. Then I'll return. Please look after Maa and Pita for me until then."
Jalena put her arms around him and gave him a tight hug.
"Take care, bhai." She then leant down to speak to Tarumon, who had been watching the siblings with a wistful look.
"Look after him, okay? He's not used to being out on his own."
"I'll keep him safe. I promise." Tarumon bowed his head respectfully to Jalena, before looking up at Kartik.
The boy nodded. He really was ready now.
"Let's go."
Tarumon reached out with his hand towards the laptop. With a swing of his arm, a glowing blue circle appeared in the air. It was just big enough for Kartik to squeeze through.
With one last look at his sister, Kartik stepped through and entered the unknown.

-

"A-Are you sure you want t-to do this?"
Kumomon was sat on Charlie's bed watching the girl preparing a small backpack. She was dressed now; wearing a sleeveless dark blue zip up hoodie over a black and white long-sleeved shirt. Her jeans were a light blue and black trainers adorned her feet. A gray beanie hat with the word 'Monster' printed across the front was on her head.
"What do you mean 'Are you sure'? You're the one who asked me to come."
Charlie held up a box of matches in one hand and a gas lighter in the other. She looked between the two of them, shrugged and stuffed them both in her bag.
"Y-Yes, but now I'm th-thinking that maybe I'm asking t-too much. The Digital W-World is a very d-dangerous place. It's full of m-monsters and harsh en-environments. Do you r-really want to visit a pl-place like that?"
"Ever since I was six!" Charlie stood up with her backpack on. That worrying grin was on her face again. "Relax, Kumomon. This Yggdrasil wouldn't have chosen me if I couldn't handle myself, right?"
Kumomon didn't know what she was going to do. She hadn't expected her assigned human to be so... enthused. It had come as a relief when Jordan had forbidden Charlie from going. Kumomon hadn't expected her to disobey orders so flippantly.
Now she was really returning to the Digital World with a human in tow. The thought of what was to come made her legs cramp.
"What about Jordan?" She tried to keep the desperation she was feeling out of her voice. "Won't she be upset when she finds out you're gone?"
Charlie's grin disappeared and she looked pensive as she gazed at her bedroom door. Kumomon allowed herself to hope that maybe she'd successfully dissuaded her. But Charlie shook her head and straightened her back.
"This isn't about her. I don't want to look back on this day and say I ignored a plea for help. Two worlds are counting on me and I'm not letting either down. Allons!"
Kumomon sighed and raised her two front legs towards the tablet computer on Charlie's desk. The gate opened, flooding the room with blue light. She hopped up to the opening and gave one last questioning look at Charlie.
The girl just gave her a confident smile and stepped into the light.

-

"Are we ready to do this?"
Shinyu had to admit that the excitement in Tigremon's voice was infectious. As much as the thought of encountering more digimon like Baboongamon made him nervous; now that his mind was made up, he found himself looking forward to seeing what the Digital World was like.
He strapped a diagonal backpack on and made sure the device was secure. He'd run some rubber bands through the gaps in it's sides and tied it to his belt.
A meow sounded from down by his feet. Mamoru was looking up at him with a paw on his leg. Shinyu picked him up and gave him a gentle hug.
"I won't be gone long. I'm counting on you to protect Arisu for me, okay?"
Mamoru answered with a purr and rubbed his head against Shinyu's cheek.
Arisu entered Shinyu's room, carrying a bento box. She slipped it into his pack and zipped it up.
The two of them stood looking at each other, both trying to think of something to say. Finally, Arisu put a hand on Shinyu's shoulder.
"Be safe."
"Don't worry." Tigremon stepped up to Arisu with a smile. "I'll take care of him. And if anyone tries anything, I'll introduce them to Smilomon."
Arisu didn't look entirely convinced, but she gave a small bow to Tigremon.
"Thank you. I hope you're able to find an answer to this crisis."
Shinyu gave Mamoru to Arisu and turned to Tigremon.
"Let's go."
Tigremon swiped through the air with her claws, causing a bright blue hole to open up in front of Shinyu's computer. She looked up and winked at him.
"See you on the other side."
With that, she bounded into the light and disappeared.
Shinyu gave a final bow to Arisu and stepped into the hole.
Instantly, his vision was bombarded with light and a thousand sensations ran through his body. In what felt like both a single second and several hours, he felt freezing cold and unbearably hot. His body felt light as a feather and as heavy as steel. He wanted to laugh, cry, scream and roar until every emotion was squeezed out of him.
All of this came to an abrupt stop and he found himself on his hands and knees, staring at his own reflection in a metal floor that was being spattered with drops of his sweat.
The sound of claws clacking against the floor caught his attention and he lifted his head; coming face-to-face with a red creature that resembled a large tadpole.
The beast smiled with a mouth of jagged teeth and offered a clawed limb.
"Welcome to the Digital World."