chapter 17: A Brave New Digital World
Having entered the portal to the Digital World, the humans among the Digimon were in surprise as they took in the surroundings, finding themselves walking in a back void filled with various data and symbols coding.
However, Takato, Rika Henry and the Digimon had to stop when they heard Jeri call out for them.
Wondering what his girlfriend wanted, henry approached the brunette and asked. "What's wrong?"
"It's too bright." Jeri explained, shielding her eyes with her arms, alongside Kazu and Kenta. "We can't go any further."
From Jeri's reply, Henry removed the sunglasses he was wearing, gently sliding Jeri's arms down and placing the sunglasses over Jeri's face, allowing her to not only see the sights, but also the caring smile Henry was giving her.
"It's alright. After being exposed to so many Digital Fields, I have built up a greater tolerance to their effects." Henry said, his words and continued selflessness made Jeri smile.
"Thank you, Henry." She said, taking his hand in her own and continued to traverse within the area.
"And what about us?" Kazu let out, shielding his eyes with his cap, while Kenta was using his left arm.
"Just follow me." Leomon said, standing before the pair, his massive body blocking the effects of the light.
"I'll be your eyes." Leomon then offered, allowing the Tamers to continue their advance to the Digital World.
Though the scenery was unique, curious, Rika had to ask. "So where are we anyway?"
"A data field." Renamon replied, before the vixen explained. "An ocean of information."
Still amazed and curious to the new (world/region), the Tamers had many thoughts and questions on their minds, but were unable to ask them, for their bodies all began to pixelate, shifting from their single group as they were spread out through the area, with all seemingly floating in space, while Rika and Jeri looked as though they were upside down, but from their perspective, it was everyone else who was defying the laws of gravity.
Confused at the sudden change in their formation, Kazu asked. "What just happened?"
"It might have been a data surge." Henry guessed, floating past the brunette, Kenta and Leomon, where he informed. "New information changes spacial relationships."
"But how do we get back up?" Rika questioned, floating around herself, before looking around and asking. "More importantly, which way is up?"
"It's all the same. Up and down depends on your choice." Renamon replied, seemingly calm and not too bothered by the effects of the data surge.
At Renamon's words, Jeri gave it some thought, before speaking her mind.
"I think that way is down." The brunette said, pointing upward, which was instantly regretted, for Jeri and the rest of the Tamers began to fall, plummeting downward in the direction jeri had chose, not only heading down, but through the data field and past several lines of what looked like data, acting as barriers to the Digital World.
Coming through the last barrier, Takato and the others began to panick further, seeing the ground coming into view.
"If we don't do something, we're going to be eating dirt." Kazu pointed out through his fear, unsure whether or not they'd survive their fall.
But not wanting to test the effects of gravity in the Digital World firsthand, Takato acted fast, drawing out what Cards he could from the holster on his belt.
"Guys!" He called, managing to catch Rika, Henry and Jeri's attention.
"I have a plan, but we need to Digivolve our partners first." Takato then said, causing Rika, Henry and Jeri to nod, before Henry and Rika each withdrew a Digivolution Card and prepared to upgrade their partner.
"Digi-Modify! Digivolve activate!" Takato, Rika and Henry all announced, each running the Digivolution Card through their D-Power and giving their Digimon the power they needed to Digivolve.
"Guilmon Digivolve to... Growlmon!" Growlmon let out with a mighty roar, changing from the small red dino he was to the large dragon beast.
"Renamon Digivolve to... Kyubimon!" Kyubimon called, taking on her more beastly form as she reshaped to a more primal form, while spreading her tail into nine.
"Terriermon Digivolve to... Gargomon!" Gargomon declared, growing in size and gaining a set of gatling guns upon his arms, where he and the other Champion Digimon awaited the next of Takato's commands.
But with their continued descent, they knew they had to hurry.
Tossing the Digimon Cards he had withdrawn beforehand, Rika, Henry and Jeri were each thrown and presented a Card.
"Use those in combination with your partner." Takato told his friends, before instructing the Digimon. "Growlmon, you and the others, make sure you manage to keep a close hold on everyone."
Following Takato's call, Growlmon pulled his Tamer in, allowing Takato to grasp himself around Growlmon's neck, Kyubimon ensured Rika and Jeri's safety as she wrapped her tails around the pair and set them on her back.
And while Gargomon held Henry in his right arm, Leomon managed to secure Kazu and Kenta in his hold, the sight at seeing all his friends now being protected by their Digimon allowed Takato to continue his plan.
"Digi-Modify! Hyper Wing activate!" Takato called, running the Digimon Card along his D-Power, causing the data within the Card to alter the Data within Growlmon, to which a set of large white wings materialized and expanded from his back, not only giving Growlmon the ability of flight, but it also allowed Rika, Henry and Jeri to understand Takato's strategy
"Digi-Modify! Celestial Flight activate!" Rika then followed up, using the Digimon Card Takato had given her, which adorned the image of Angewomon, giving Kyubimon the Card's power and giving the vixen a matching copy of the angelic Digimon's wings.
"Digi-Modify! Aero Wing activate!" Henry declared, slashing the Digimon Card through his D-Power, causing a copy of AeroVeedramon's draconic wings to spread out from Gargomon's back, slowing down their fall.
"Digi-Modify! Airdramon's Wings activate!" Jeri finished, quickly using the Card Takato had given her, causing Leomon to give off a mighty roar as Airdramon's red wings grew from his being, allowing Leomon to soften his landing as he flew downward, though it wasn't as easy for him as the other Digimon, with Kazu and Kenta crying out and begging for life within his arms.
"You can let go of me. We've stopped." Leomon then said after his feet made contact with the ground, his words eventually reaching Kazu and Kenta, where both stopped crying out and opened their eyes, seeing they were on the ground, as were Takato and the others.
After helping their Tamers to their feet, Takato and the others all looked around at their surroundings.
"Wow. So this is the Digital world huh?" Takato then said he look up at the sky, before turning his head up and was left amazed to see a giant sphere in the sky, releasing various lines of pink energies.
"Is that Earth?" The brunette then asked, confusion filling him as he went on. "But wait a minute, didn't we fall all the way from up there?"
"What?" Terriermon asked, noticing the puzzled expression on his Tamer's face, crawling up to sit on Henry's shoulder and then asking. "Did you expect, everything to look like a video game?" Terriermon asked
"No." Henry replied, before telling his partner. "I guess I just pictured something different. I just never thought it'd be so real."
As amazed as the humans were at seeing the Real World above them, taking in the sight around them, Kazu noticed several pink spheres passing by them, where he commented. "Look. They're like Digital tumbleweeds."
But as amazed at the pink spheres, Jeri noticed something she found more breathtaking.
"Guys, what's that?" She asked, causing all to look over to where Jeri was looking and saw that amongst the desert region were countless beams of pink energy were filling the sky.
"It's beautiful." Takato managed to say, almost breathless at the sight, causing Rika to nod in reply, before the red haired Tamer, desiring a closer look, withdrew a pair of binoculars she had stored amongst her provisions and took a closer examination.
"From the looks of it, they are heading right up to the Real World." Rika pointed out, she too left astonished, before asking what was on everyone's mind. "What are they?"
Not one hundred percent sure, but having a working theory, Henry guessed. "They must be streams of data, transferring from our world to this one. Anytime we use a computer, I bet it sends a beam to extract information down here."
While all were continuing to enjoy the scenery, the amazement that the Digital World offered them, wanting to keep a momento of their adventure, Kazu planted Takato's banner in the ground and called out. "C'mon guys, group picture."
Hearing Kazu's idea, Takato and the others turned, looking to see kazu standing proudly before Takato's banner, while Kenta had set up and was adjusting his camera on a tripod, wanting the best quality of their pictures.
"That's not a bad idea." Rika admitted, taking Takato's hand and guiding her boyfriend to the banner, posing so Takato was standing strong and she had wrapped her arms around him, showing her continued love for the brunette.
"And don't forget about us." Jeri spoke up with a smile as she and Henry joined the group, with Jeri taking a similar pose with her boyfriend.
And after the Digimon had arrived and Kenta had finished setting the camera up,he rushing back and kneeling amongst the group, the camera flashed, taking the image, but as the flash went off, Rika, Jeri and Renamon all had the same idea as each gave their respective beloved a kiss on the cheek, leaving Takato, Guilmon and Henry all blushing.
But after the initial surprise, Takato, Guilmon and Henry smiled.
After the picture was taken, the Tamers took several more, taking a moment to enjoy themselves as they took some funny pics, before Kenta walked back toward the camera, wanting to see the pictures they had taken.
However, when he checked, he saw that all the images were scrambled, each one filled with static and near impossible to make out.
"What happened?" Kazu asked as he joined Kenta, confused as to why the pics turned out so badly.
Curious himself, Henry walked toward the pair, holding out a hand as he asked. "Can you let me see it?"
Kenta nodded as he handed the camera over to Henry, where he and Terriermon looked at the picture, they too wondering why the image had been altered.
"That 's weird, they're pixelated." Henry said, turning the camera to show Takato and the others, saddening Jeri that their images had come out so badly.
"Why did that happen?" Jeri asked, turning her focus on Kenta and asking. "Was your camera always like that?"
"I don't think it's the camera's fault." Henry cut in, looking up at the sky and theorizing. "My guess is that it has to do with those Data Streams. They must be interfering with anything digital."
From what Henry had said, Takato reached into his backpack, pulling out the device Yamaki had given him.
"Let me try something." Takato said as he tried to activate the device, but found it unresponsive and the screen filled with static, causing the brunette to comment. "It seems to be bugging out, just like Kenta's camera."
"So as long as we're around those things, any electronics will be practically useless, right?" Rika asked, causing Takato to nod in reply.
"Then if the comms are down, how are we going to get home?" Jeri asked through her puppet, a downcast expression appearing on the brunette's face as she asked. "If we can't communicate with the Real World, how can we get back?"
From Jeri's questions, most of the Tamers began to feel the same solemness Jeri felt, before Takato stood proudly and spoke.
"Don't worry, we'll will find a way. Remember, our Digimon managed to get to the Real World, so there has to be a way for us to use it as well. If there's a way in, then there has to be a way out." Takato said, his confident attitude causing Rika and the others to smile.
"You're right, Takato. We can't quit now. We'll set off on what we came here to do, find Calumon. Then we can worry about getting home when we cross that bridge." Rika replied, not only feeling her confidence return to her, but she could feel Takato's faith in each of them.
Though the Tamers felt renewed by the motivation of their leader, looking around the desert, Kazu had to ask. "Good speech, but where do we start looking or even think to start looking?"
Reacting to kazu's question, Rika, with the help of Renamon got up to the top of the rocks around them, drew her binoculars out again and started scanning the area, looking for anything that could assist them in their journey, before noticing something in the distance.
"Over there!" She called, pointing into the distance. "I think I see a bunch of towers, or maybe antenni."
Looking in Rika's direction, the Tamers could just make out a large mass of tower-like shadows.
"She's right, they do look like antenna." Henry commented, smiling as he then said. "Which means that there might be a city."
"And if it's a city, there might be other Digimon who could help us." Jeri said as she wrapped her arms around Henry, staying close by his side as the group began to head toward the towers.
"Do you think Calumon is there?" She then asked, continuing to embrace her beloved, where Takato, after carefully guiding Rika back down the rock's edge, spoke up, giving off a big smile as he said in reply. "If not, I am sure somebody there can help us."
-Meanwhile-
As the Tamers traversed through the desert, now in search of the supposed city, makuramon had broken through the last barrier to the Digital World, where he kept Calumon close to him, keeping the tiny Digimon locked up in a small cage.
However, as Makuramon managed to get through the last barrier, confusion fell upon him when he saw the cage holding Calumon still wedged between the barrier and the Digital World.
"What's going on?" Makuramon questioned, wondering why he couldn't pull Calumon's cage down and return to the Digital World, before further confusion fell upon the monkey Deva when he and Calumon both noticed small specks of light start to surround the cage.
"Pretty." Calumon commented, taking a liking to the lights, even though he was unsure as to what they were, while Makuramon found the lights to be a hinderance against him, feeling sudden shocks of electricity running through his hand, loosening his grasp on the cage's handle.
"I'm loosing my power. This is impossible. I've got to get more energy" Trying to keep his hold, but finding his fingers slipping, Makuramon then cried out as his final finger gave out, not only losing hold over the cage, but the monkey Deva was sent plummeting down to the Digital World.
"I'll be back, pipsqueak!" Makuramon called from his fall, leaving Calumon trapped in a cage and stuck between the barrier and the Real World.
Although with the lights continuing to playfully flicker around him, Calumon didn't seem to mind.
"What a silly monkey." Calumon then said, happy Makuramon was gone, his ears perking up as he continued laughing, wanting to play with the lights, which he considered as his new friends.
-Back with the Tamers-
Unsure of how long they had been walking, tiredness and the effects of the sun's rays were starting to affect the humans of the Tamers, with Kazu and Kenta dropping to their stomachs in defeated states.
"Are we there yet...?" Kazu asked, feeling as though he couldn't move, let alone take another step.
"According to Henry's calculations, we should be there anytime soon." Takato replied, before taking a seating position, slipping off his bag and said as he began withdrawing food and drink. "But we should take a break. C'mon guys, I have enough food for everyone."
As Takato withdrew his food, the brunette was joined by Rika and Guilmon, with Rika on his left and Guilmon on his right, while Renamon sat beside Guilmon, before the Nonaka withdrew a small cloth from her backpack and began setting some of the provisions she had provided upon it, sharing her snacks with her friends.
With the Tamers setting up their small picnic, Henry and Jeri joined in, they too withdrawing some food they too had brought, causing Kazu and Kenta to drag themselves up, the promise of free food and drinks an incentive to get them back to their feet and join their friends.
"Alright, dig in." Takato said with a kind smile, offering his provisions to his friends, before saying with a continued kindness. "Guilmon and I spent all night making this bread, and it'd be a shame to just waste it."
Helping themselves, the Digimon and Tamers began to eat, sharing their snacks, with Renamon taking some of the bread, finding it in the shape of her head, with chocolate chips used for her eyes, nose and the detailed markings beneath her eyes.
"Delicious." Renamon said as she bit into one of the bread Renamon's ears, before looking at Takato and commenting. "Your skills in bakery are quite impressive."
Though grateful for the compliment, Takato smiled as he corrected Renamon. "Thanks for the support, but you actually have Guilmon to thank for that."
"I just wanted to make them as sweet and as perfect as you." Guilmon said, rubbing the back of his head, a little embarrassed as he retained his modesty, which continued to make Renamon smile.
"Seems Guilmon can be quite the romantic, even if it is through food." terriermon commented
As the tamers continued to eat, looking around the area, Jeri then noticed something.
"Is it just me or do those rocks look like antennas?" She asked, looking around at the pillars around them, which instantly filled Rika with regret.
"Oh no. Do you know what this means?" Rika asked, expressing her building regret as she said. "These are the antenna I saw. They were just a mirage, and because of me, we wasted all our time getting here."
At her misjudgement, Rika felt downcast, blaming herself for making such a mistake, before feeling Takato set his hand on her shoulder/back, causing Rika to look at her boyfriend, seeing him smiling at her with love and care.
"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself, Rika. We all make mistakes." Takato said reassuringly, wanting to assure Rika that there was no hard feelings to her mistake, where she looked past Takato and saw the others smiling, telling they too held no grudges.
With the support of her boyfriend, as well as Renamon and the others, Rika smiled, before she resumed eating, sharing what she could with her friends, before () looked over the horizon, seeing a gigantic mass of the pink orbs from before.
"It's alright, they are just data packets. They are harmless." Renamon told the others as she continued to eat, sensing the humans were a little nervous and made sure she assured them no harm would befall them.
But even with her assurance, Kazu and Kenta freaked out, each jumping up and trying to make a run for it, but were kept back as Renamon grabbed at the back of their shirts, leaving the boys kicking and crying out as the data packets strolled past the Tamers.
Though the data packets were of no danger, after setting Kazu and Kenta down, Renamon then said with a small worry in her voice. "They must be sensing something."
"Like what?" Takato asked, before getting his answer as he and the others all looked around, seeing the area suddenly engulf itself in darkness, causing him to then ask. "What just happened? Is it night time now?"
At his question, Renamon nodded.
Curious, after calming down, Kazu then looked around the darkness and asked. "So it just switches from day to night?"
"Seems that way." Jeri replied, before noticing one of the Data Streams changing paths, causing the brunette to say. "That Data Stream is getting pretty close to us."
Looking at the Data Stream, with curiousness and caution, Henry then asked. "So what would happen if one of those things hit us?"
"Data Streams pull massive amounts of data from the surface and transfer it to wherever the user specifies. If it it us, there is no way of telling where we could end up." Renamon replied, not liking the thought of being separated from her friends, or them being taken away from her.
However, while Renamon spoke, Rika noticed a red flicker run along the top of one of the rocks, getting her attention.
"Rika, is everything ok?" Takato asked, causing Rika to shake her head and point upward to where she saw the red light.
"We have company." The redhead replied, just as the red light revealed itself, revealing to be the flame Digimon, Meramon, who looked down at the group and laughed.
At seeing Meramon, Guilmon, Renamon, Terriermon and Leomon all moved before their partners, moving into defensive stances.
"Be on guard. Let's see what he's up to." Renamon said, unsure if Meramon was a threat to them or not.
And playing it safe, Henry withdrew his D-Power, analyzing the flame Digimon, to know what to expect of him if Meramon attacked.
"Meramon. Champion Level. His special attack is Magma Blast." Henry said, reading the data on the flame Digimon aloud for his friends to hear, before all witnessed the attack directly as Meramon gathered flame in his hands and attacked.
"Magma Blast!" Meramon called, releasing the flame, turning into a series of molten hot rocks that rained down on the Tamers, forcing all to split up as they avoided the onslaught.
Avoiding the attacks, Guilmon tried to counter, to dispose of their new enemy.
"Pyro Sphere!" Guilmon let out, releasing a blast of flame of his own, only for Meramon to jump over and counter, where the flame Digimon jumped down, pushed Takato aside and kicked Guilmon in the side, knocking both boys down.
"Takato!" Rika cried out at seeing her beloved attacked.
"Guilmon!" Renamon followed, feelings of concern filling the foxy Digimon just like Rika's.
Angered that Meramon was messing with their beloveds, Rika and Renamon looked at the other with determined expressions.
"You ready to show that hothead what happens when he messes with our guys?" Rika asked, causing Renamon to nod.
"I thought you'd never ask." Renamon replied, where she and Rika were about to engage in battle, but found Leomon beating them to the punch as he charged in.
"Fist of the Beast King!" Leomon called, gathering his energy in his right arm and throwing it as a mighty punch, sending a blast of energy at Meramon, who was too caught up in attacking Guilmon that he found he had no time to avoid of defend against Leomon's power and was struck down by the attack, consumed in a mighty blast.
With Meramon seemingly handled, Rika and Renamon rushed over to Takato and Guilmon.
"Takato, Guilmon are you alright?" Renamon asked, holding her paw out and helping Guilmon to his feet, while Rika pulled Takato up, looking him over to make sure the brunette hadn't taken any serious damage.
"We'll be fine." Takato assured, smiling at Rika and her show of care for him, before tensions rose as Meramon's hand burst from the dust of Leomon's attack, where all saw the flame Digimon lying within the crater caused by Leomon's power.
But expecting Meramon to burst into a frenzy of rage or refuse to give up until he had destroyed the Tamers, some confusion fell upon the group as to what Meramon said next.
"Well I hope you're happy. You evil fiends have defeated me. Go ahead, absorb my Data. I'm ready for you!" The flame Digimon let out, remaining on his back as the firey aura around him began to die down, confusing Takato and the others.
As Meramon remained in the pit, expecting his demise, he too felt some confusion as he heard a voice say to him. "We wouldn't have hurt you if you had attacked us."
Opening his eyes, Meramon saw Takato by his side, offering out his hand.
"Did the Devas send you?" The brunette asked, confusing Meramon as he asked back. "Devas?"
However, looking at the Tamer, although he could sense the honesty and trust in Takato's voice, Meramon gained a look of awe as he noticed something unique about Takato. "Wait a second... you're a human.
"That's right." Takato replied, confused as to why it seemed so important to Meramon, who continued to remain in a more curious state and questioned. "A real human!? Does that mean you are from the Real World?"
"Yeah. We all are." Takato replied, before telling Meramon. "We came here to rescue our friend, but then you attacked us."
Realizing his mistake, Meramon took Takato's hand and pulled himself up, only to then bow down as he said apologetically. "I beg your pardon. I thought you were Digimon after my Data. I'm so sorry."
"It's ok." Takato replied, realizing they too were at fault. "If we hadn't attacked back or if we had tried to talk to you than this misunderstanding never would've happened."
"You are too kind." Meramon stated, bowing again as he told Takato and the Tamers. "If there's anything I can do to make up for my mistakes, please let me know."
"Perhaps you can help us." Takato replied, withdrawing a pencil and his notepad, where he scrolled through his various drawings, to a new page and began to run his pencil along the paper, drawing two familiar figures.
As Takato continued his drawings, with Meramon looking at the brunette with a curiousness, Kazu and Kenta were staring at Meramon.
"Hey, Kenta. Don't you think Meramon would make a great partner for me?" Kazu whispered, leaving Kenta thinking and whispering back. "I was thinking for me."
After finishing his drawings, Takato turned his notepad, displaying two Digimon, Calumon and Makuramon, both of which were greatly detailed, right down to the sparkling joy in Calumon's eyes and right down to Makuramon's devious grin.
"This is Calumon." Takato said, pointing to the friendlier looking image.
"He was taken by Makuramon." The brunette went on, pointing to the monkey Deva, before asking. "Have you seen them?"
Examining the images carefully, Meramon shook his head.
"No. Sadly I have not seen these Digimon." The flame Digimon said with some regret in his voice, saddened that he couldn't help the Tamers find their friend.
"You know, I used to think traveling to the Real World was a myth, but now I long for the day I get strong enough to go there on my own." Meramon then said, turning his attention to the night's sky and telling the others. "Every night I look at it. So close and so beautiful."
"It sure is." Takato replied, looking at the Real World above them and thinking aloud. "I just wonder when we'll get back there."
-Sometime later-
As the Tamers set up camp for the night, slowly slipping through the final barrier of the Digital World was the beaten form of Impmon, who began to panic, not from the inevitable fall, but from where he was.
"No... please, I changed my mind. I don't need to Digivolve, I was just kidding..." Impmon let out, trying his best to talk his way out of having to go back to the Digital World, but was ignored as the last of his being fell through, where he then cried out. "Why me!?"
As Impmon fell back to the Digital World, crying out the entire way down, from their resting spot, Takato saw Impmon, but from the distance, he perceived the troublemaking Digimon as a shooting star.
"Wow. This place never ceases to amaze me." The brunette said, looking at the night's sky, before wondering. "All Meramon drams about is getting stronger and going to the Real World, I wonder why."
"He just can't help it." Takato heard Henry say, causing the goggle headed Tamer to turn and saw his friend still awake, while looking to see that upon Henry's chest, Jeri was sleeping peacefully.
"You can't sleep either?" Takato asked, causing Henry to shake his head and smile.
"No way, not a wink, too wired." Henry replied, before asking. "How about you?"
"Same here." Takato said in reply, looking down and smiling at the sleeping form of Rika, looking as his girlfriend snuggled up on his chest, smiling in her sleep, causing Takato to smile and gently stroke Rika's hair.
However, curiousness filled Takato as he then asked. "Hey what did you mean by that?"
"Well he's like all Digimon, they just don't know any other way to live." Henry explained, gently and slowly moving Jeri aside to speak with Takato face to face.
"And until they met us, Terriermon, Renamon and Leomon were the same way." Henry then said, looking at the Digimon, seeing Terriermon using his massive ears as a blanket, Leomon resting against a rock wall, while Renamon slept happily, resting in Guilmon's arms.
"It just seems so sad." Takato replied, having mixed feelings about the way Digimon were brought up in the Digital World, before he and Henry noticed the Digimon all stir, all suddenly awake.
Curious and a little worried at the Digimon's change in behaviour, Takato asked. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"I hear something." Renamon replied as she then sensed a rumbling from the distance.
With the Digimon awake on on alert, this woke Rika up.
"Wha...? What is it, Renamon?" The redhead asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes and looking at her partner with confusion, watching as Renamon jumped from rock to rock, gaining a clear view over the desert horizon, where the foxy Digimon saw a massive uproar of dust in the distance, coming closer in their direction by the second.
"Over there." Renamon called, causing all, save the still sleeping Kazu and Kenta to look over and saw the outspread dust cloud, looking to see it was being formed by a herd of stampeding Digimon, causing Rika to instinctively draw her D-Power so she could know what was coming for them.
"Jagamon, Ultimate Level, plant type Digimon that travel in herds." Rika said, reading the data aloud.
Worried at the sight of the stampede, Jeri asked. "Are they mean?"
"I don't know, it doesn't say." Rika said in reply, before grabbing Jeri's hand and rushing toward one of the rock towers.
"But we better not take a risk. Let's move!" The redhead then called, climbing up the rock alongside Jeri, before all began to make a rush for it, with all but Kazu and Kenta, who were still asleep, snoring right through the oncoming stampede.
Luckily for them, Renamon dropped back down, hoisting both boys up and ensuring no harm befell them, just before the Jagamon rushed through the area.
Looking around and worried for his friends, Takato had to ask. "Is everybody ok?"
"I think so." Jeri replied, dusting herself off, before pointing over and calling. "But over there, on the other side of the gorge, it's Meramon!"
Looking over, the Tamers all saw the flame Digimon still on the ground, trying to fend off the stampeding Digimon.
"Magma Blast!" Meramon bellowed, releasing a collection of flaming rocks at the Jagamon, which did nothing to slow the plant Digimon down.
At seeing Meramon in the path of the Jagamon, concern filled Henry, where he declared. "If we don't do something, than Meramon will be hurt, or worst get crushed."
"Not if I have something to say about it." Takato said, drawing his D-Power and his Digimon Cards, acting as fast as he could to ensure Meramon would not meet his end.
"Digi-Modify! Pixie Portal activate!" Takato announced as he slashed his Digimon Card through his D-Power, affecting Guilmon as the red dino Digimon began to gather energy in his maw, only instead of the usual blazing flames, his mouth was brimming with pink/red light.
Spitting out the light, it shot at Meramon, casting around his being and encasing him in a bubble that floated upward, just avoiding the Jagamon, before the bubble floated over to the Tamers, popping and dropping the flame Digimon down.
Worried for his well being, Jeri had to ask. "Meramon, are you ok?"
Looking at the Tamers, a puzzled expression appeared on Meramon's face as he asked. "I am. But I don't understand. Why did you do that?"
From Meramon's question, a puzzled look came across Takato's face, before stating. "Because you are our friend, and friends look out for each other."
"A friend?" Meramon asked, his tone remaining puzzled, which caused Rika to ask. "Hold up. Are you tell us you've never had a single friend?"
"Things are different in here when compared to the Real World." Renamon said, cutting in as she told the humans. "In the Digital World, it is rare for a friendship to occur. Either you are strong or you wind up as Data for the stronger Digimon."
"That seems kinda mean." Takato commented solemnly, which made Renamon sigh as she said in reply. "That is the way of the Digital World. Things here can be cruel."
"But after meeting you, we can see there is more to life than fighting." Terriermon said with a more encouraging voice as he rested on Henry's head, looking at his Tamer with an appreciative smile.
"And who knows, maybe that Takato positivity will affect the rest of the Digital World." Renamon commented, believing if anybody could change the Digital World, it would be Takato, even if it was one Digimon at a time.
Smiling at Renamon's comment, Takato then held out a hand to Meramon.
"We can be your first friends." He said, continuing to express his kindness, which left Meramon unsure how to react.
But following his feeling, the flame Digimon cast his body down, took Takato's hand and smiled.
"Being a friend, I welcome you all to my land and I will do all I can to help you find Calumon." Meramon said, continuing to smile, before stretching out his arms, yawning and suggesting. "But before we do, what do you think about getting some more sleep?"
"Sounds like a plan to me." Terriermon replied, falling asleep atop Henry's head, which made his Tamer smile, before carefully setting Terriermon down and trying to get some rest himself, all knowing they had a long day ahead of them when morning would come.
-Around the sametime with Calumon-
Remaining in the cage, but still in a good mood, Calumon remained expressing his joy at the specks of light around him, which had taken a more physical form, looking like a swarm of flying catfish.
"Look at all the pretty flying fishies." Calumon said happily, continuing to laugh as the lights danced around him.
"Hey there, guys. Wanna play with me?" The playful Digimon then asked, getting an answer of sorts as his being slipped through the cage bars, as if the cage's molecular structure had vanished, allowing Calumon to fly down to the Digital World.
"I'll race you down. Last one there's a rotten Digi-Egg!" Calumon called with a continued cheer, chasing down the flashing lights as they all headed down and toward the Digital World.
-The next morning-
Unsure how long it had been, unsure if the hours were longer or shorter than the Real World's, the Tamers began to wake up, where all were somewhat surprised to see that the ground was more fertile than they remembered, with the area sprouting a line of plants.
"What's with all the plants?" Takato asked, before looking at Meramon and asking. "Did you plant some magic seeds in the ground or something?"
"Who cares where they came from. I'm starving." Kazu said, grabbing at the plant closet to him and pulling at it, expecting to uproot a small vegetable, but found himself confused as what he was grabbing felt a whole lot heavier than he had expected.
"Man, this is heavy." Kazu commented, before looking over and calling. "A little help here."
Acting on the call, Kenta began assisting his friend, managing to uproot more of the plant, where the brown texture of it made them believe it was a potato, but surprise filled Takato and the others to see what Kazu and Kenta had unearthed.
"We can't eat this." Kenta stated, managing to pull a Jagamon from out the soil, which Kazu just ignored.
"Sure we can. Just keep pulling." Kazu said back, continuing to uproot the Jagamon, who seemed quite afraid of what was happening to him.
"Please let go of my tail, please don't eat me I'll do anything you want." The Jagamon begged, thinking the humans were going to harm him.
However, Meramon cut in, forcing Kazu and Kenta to move aside, staring down the plant Digimon and questioning. "Hey! Jagamon. You have a lot of explaining to do. What's the big idea about last night?"
Confused, the Jagamon asked. "Last night?"
"You almost flattened me and my friends with your stampede." Meramon told the Jagamon, who flinched with fear at Meramon yelling at him.
"I'm sorry, we didn't see you. All us Jagamon want to do is find good soil and make it our home." The Jagamon said, cowering under its arms, not wanting to cause any conflict.
At the Jagamon's words, Henry said. "It seems that their stampede was never intended to harm us."
"But the next time you guys want to find a home, maybe slow it down a notch." Rika suggested, before an idea came to her, where she looked at Takato and told him. "Takato, show him the pictures. Maybe he's seen Calumon."
"Good idea." Takato said in reply, before withdrawing his notepad and kneeling beside the Jagamon, finding that it was still in a tense mood.
"Excuse me?" Takato spoke up with a soft and calming voice, getting the Jagamon's attention as it opened its eyes and saw the brunette and his drawings. "Have you seen either of these Digimon?"
Looking at the first image, the Jagamon looked with curiosity, carefully examining the picture.
"This is our friend, Calumon." Takato told the plant Digimon, who showed no recollection of encountering Calumon, causing Takato to then point at his drawing of Makuramon and ask. "How about this guy?"
The second the Jagamon took in the image, it seemed to spark something in his mind, causing not only him but all the planted Jagamon to rise.
"We saw him. We saw him. We saw him." They all began to say, surprising the Tamers at the sudden outpour of Digimon, before Takato smiled.
"Alright. Now we are getting somewhere." He said, now knowing they had a lead and then asked. "Which way did he go?"
"That way. That way. That way." All the Jagamon said, all pointing to the west.
However, while Takato seemed pumped up by the information, reluctance filled Jeri, where she then asked. "Do you think we can believe them? I mean don't you think it's weird that they saw Makuramon but not Calumon?"
"Who knows? Maybe Calumon got away and is now looking for us?" Henry asked in reply, trying to remain optimistic, which was not shared by Rika as she glared at the Jagamon and said. "Listen up, Jagamon. You better not be lying to us about seeing that monkey."
"What's lying?" The Jagamon asked, showing an obvious ignorance to Rika's statement.
And while he was unsure himself, in his gut Takato knew he could trust the Jagamon, before he put his hand on Rika's shoulder and said with a calming voice. "I don't why but I feel they're telling the truth."
"Thank you for showing us." Takato then said, his tone full of respect to the Jagamon, causing all to smile and chant.
"You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome." They all called, before plopping back down into the ground, replanting themselves, while the Tamers now knew where they had to go, wasting no time as they resumed the search for Makuramon.
-Somewhere in the Digital World-
Within another section of the desert, from a sudden blaze emerged a massive dragon Digimon, where Makuramon was ridding the dragon's back, grinning as his new accomplice grabbed at the cage he believed held Calumon.
"I told you I'd be back, peewee." Makuramon declared with a grin, which faded as the dragon Digimon opened its claw, revealing the cage to be empty, filling the monkey Deva with an instant rage.
"How dare you defy me! You little twerp! Maka!" Makuramon let out, infuriated, not only that Calumon had escaped, but now that he had to find and recapture the catalyst Digimon all over again.
-Back to the Tamers-
With the Jagamon's information, the Tamers and Meramon headed back into the desert wilderness, continuing their search, only now their target was Makuramon.
And though they now had a lead, concern filled Jeri as they asked. "Once we get to Makuramon, how are we going to beat him?"
Looking at the brunette, the others could see the worry on her face, before she told her friends. "Without Calumon, we can't Matrix Digivolve, so we'll have a tough time against him."
"Makuramon's tough." Takato admitted, before smiling, confident in himself and his friends as he stated. "But there's nothing we can't accomplish as a team."
"Remember, we already beat nine of the Devas, so monkeyboy doesn't stand a chance." Rika added with her own confidence and Takato's keeping her motivated, the feelings of which were shared amongst the rest of the Tamers team.
However, the mood changed when Henry noticed a Data Stream was coming up from behind Kazu and Kenta, the pair too distracted as they were talking to Meramon, asking him all sorts of questions about him, the Digital World and if he wanted to be their Digimon partner, the later of the questions confusing Meramon, unsure what the boys meant by being their partner.
"Guys, look out!" Henry then called in warning, causing all three to turn and for worry to fill them at seeing the Data Stream heading for them, causing the three to make a run for it, only it was in the wrong direction of the rest of the group.
"guys you're running the wrong way!" Rika then shouted, but found her call was being overweighed by Kazu and Kenta's fear.
And knowing it was the right thing to do, Rika looked at Renamon, where the red haired Tamer then said. "Renamon, we have to go after them
Nodding in agreement, knowing the Digital World was no place for two humans to be running alone, the foxy Digimon and Rika headed over to Kazu, Kenta and Meramon, doing what they could to try and save their friends.
And though he was concerned for the safety of his girlfriend, Takato looked upon the sight, where he thought to himself. 'Rika, be careful.'
Watching Rika and Renamon, all saw that while the pair had arrived, managing to guide Kazu, Kenta and Meramon away from the dangers of the Data Stream, it too changed its pathway, consuming Rika and the others, absorbing the five.
"Rika, no!" Takato shouted with a great concern at seeing his girlfriend vanish, where he tried to chase after the Data Stream, but found Henry stopping him.
"Takato, I know you are worried, but there is nothing we can do." Henry said, before informing. "Data changes on a regular basis, so even if you entered the Data Stream, there is no way of telling if you'd wind up with Rika."
And while he remained thinking with his heart, feeling a hand on his shoulder, Takato looked and saw Jeri, the brunette looking at him with care and understanding.
"Takato, I know you are worried for Rika, but Henry is right." Jeri said, which left Takato a little downcast, before she added. "But please don't worry. We will find a way to get Rika back. And until we do, I know Rika can look after herself, she is tough because you helped make her that way."
At Jeri's words, her care and the shared feelings of the other Tamers and Digimon, Takato smiled, feeling a little better, before thinking. 'Just hold on, Rika, we'll find you.'