Episode 2: The Space Between

At a kitchen sink, a middle aged woman is washing dishes while humming. From the connected living room, a door opens and Lance enters the house. The woman turns, "Oh! You're home! I was starting to get a little worried about you!"

Lance chuckles. "Yeah, sorry, mom. I was out later than I thought."

"Well, there's plenty of food left!" Lance's mom turns around, grabs a dish, and turns to Lance, "Mushroom and lentil shepherd's pie!"

Lance stares at the dish in disgust, "I'm actually not hungry." Lance turns towards a hallway and enters another room.

Confused, Lance's mom stares down the corridor. "But, you always love it when I make this."

Shutting the door behind him, Lance slides against the door and lets out a hard sigh. Picking himself up, he sees V-mon jumping at the window. "Lance! Lance!" Picking himself up, Lance moves to the window and opens up.

"Don't be too loud! Everyone is going to hear you!" Lance extends his arm. "Hold on tight."

"Right!" V-mon takes Lance's arm and Lance hoists him in. V-mon lets out a sigh as Lance closes the window. "Hey Lance, do you have any food?"

"Food?" Lance takes a moment to think.

Lance enters the kitchen. "Hey, mom, I think I'll take some of that shepherd's pie after all." As he takes the dish and scurries back to his room, his mom looks over and smiles.

V-mon looks at the food in excitement. "This looks so tasty!"

"I don't know what kind of food Digimon eat, but I'm not in the mood for mushrooms after tonight. It's all yours."

With the biggest smile on his face, V-mon scoops up a fork-full of food. "Thank you, Lance!"

Watching V-mon stuff his face, Lance starts organizing his questions. "So, V-mon," V-mon pauses his munching, "What was that place we were in?"

V-mon swallows his food. "I don't know. All I know is a hole opened up and I was somewhere different. I just had this feeling that I needed to wait for something. And then you showed up!"

"Wait, so that place was completely different for you?" Lance places his hand on his chin. "When I was pulled in, it was exactly the same as it was almost." Pondering on what V-mon said, more questions enter Lance's head as V-mon shoves more food into his mouth. "If you're not from here, then where are you from?"

Gulping down his food, V-mon answers, "The Digital World!"

Shocked by the answer, Lance pauses a moment. "Digital World?" In disbelief, Lance repeats the answer in his head. 'Another…world?'

"What about you?" V-mon shovels more food into his mouth. "Where are you from?"

"Me? I'm originally from New Mexico, but moved here when I was really young."

Tilting his head, V-mon confusingly asks, "What's a New Mexico?"

"It's another state."

"What's a state?"

Lance scratches his head. "Right…different world… It's kind of a lot to explain. Anyways…" Looking at the clock, Lance reads the time. "It's ten, we should probably go to sleep."

"I'm pooped," V-mon yawns. Laying on the ground, he closes his eyes.

"Wait, why don't you sleep on my bed? There's plenty of room for both of us."

V-mon leaps from the floor and on to Lance's bed. "Okay!"

Lance straps his backpack on to himself. "I'll be back after school. Just stay in here until I get back."

Shocked by the statement, V-mon argues, "But what if another Digimon like Mushmon appears? Or if you're sucked into that place again?"

Pausing for a second, Lance realizes V-mon is right. What would he do if another Digimon appeared? He grabs the device. "Okay, but we'll have to give you a disguise."

"Why?"

Lance starts ruffling through his closet. "Most humans aren't used to seeing Digimon." He pulls out a small, black jacket. "Here! Wear this!"

"Okay!"

Arriving at the school, Lance and V-mon sneak around back to a part with a row of trees. "Stay back here, I'll be back at lunch to see you," Lance assures V-mon.

"But why can't I come with you in the building?" V-mon protests.

"The disguise won't work, they'll be looking for students in there." Lance puts his hands on V-mon's shoulders. "No one ever comes back here. You'll be safe back here."

V-mon looks at Lance in confusion. "But how will I protect you?"

Lance pauses. "I'll come for you if there's danger. We're partners."

"Yeah, partners!"

A group of friends converse on a bench outside the school. A small, grayed-furred creature approaches them, avoiding detection. It sneaks up using its arms and legs to walk. Before they can notice, the creature swipes a phone from the bench, holds it in its mouth, and runs off. One of the boys turns to where the phone was and notices it missing. He looks on the ground on either side of the bench and still can't find it. "Hey, do you know where I left my phone?" he asks his friends.

Lance gazes outside the window, looking to the trees where he left V-mon, pondering. 'V-mon evolved from Chibimon… Evolution is the gradual change over time in species. But the evolution between Chibimon to V-mon was instantaneous.'

The bell rings and Mr. Crest stands up from his chair. "Good afternoon! I'm going to come around and pass back everyone's tests from yesterday."

Lance receives his test back: A+. Barely caring about the results of his test, he turns his attention back to the trees. 'That place where I met Chibimon. What was that place? And just what is the Digital World?'

"Now that you've all had a chance to review your scores, let's continue reading!" The sounds of students reciting Macbeth passes through Lance's ears, with Lance barely following along. TAP TAP TAP! The sound of something tapping on the window interrupted the students. But nothing could be seen. "Excuse me." Mr. Crest opens the window, looks outside, and closes it after a couple of seconds. "Don't know what that was about. I'm going to grab something from the back room. Please continue reading." Mr. Crest enters a closet room as the students continue to read amongst themselves.

Lance resumes his thoughts, 'Can we just…go to the Digital World?'

Attempting to beat the rush to the cafeteria, Lance nearly sprints his way there. Grabbing a packaged, crustless PB&J, he waits in line to purchase it. "Did you ever find your phone?" Lance overhears a conversation between two students.

"No, I haven't!" the student replies. "I had just set it down for a second and it was just gone! I'm gonna have to report it as stolen."

"Shit."

Reaching the cashier, Lance places the sandwich on the counter. "Just this."

"V-mon!" Lance runs to the trees where he left V-mon in the morning.

Popping out from around the trees, V-mon's eyes widen with excitement. "Lance!"

Reaching V-mon, Lance holds out the sandwich. "I got this for you!"

Taking the sandwich, V-mon sits down and opens it up. "Thank you!" V-mon takes a bite of the sandwich.

"Hey V-mon," Lance starts, "I've been thinking: Can we go to the Digital World?"

V-mon swallows. "I don't know how to go back."

"Do you want to go back?"

V-mon pauses. "I'm happy here so far. If I do go back, I wanna go back with you!"

"One of these days, we'll find a way to go!"

"You betcha!"

Leaving the last class of the day, Lance passes by an open space between halls. As he passes by, he notices a gray-furred creature lurking around a corner from afar. 'Is that…another Digimon?' Lance thinks to himself. The Digimon seems to be eyeing a phone that is laying on the ground, unbeknownst to the group of friends chattering away. When they're not paying attention, the Digimon quickly runs up and snatches the phone in its mouth. "HEY! That's not yours!" Lance yells out.

The group looks behind them and notices the Digimon. "What is that?!" one of them cries.

"Uh oh!" The Digimon panics before running off full speed.

"That's my phone you took!" another one calls out. Lance takes off running after the Digimon.

Exiting the girls' restroom, Lauren opens the door humming. Looking to her left, a gray mammal, holding a phone, comes running her way. As it passes by, Lauren's face scrunches up and she reaches for her back pocket. "Here? Now?"

"Excuse me, Lauren!" Lance dashes past Lauren, seemingly chasing the mammal.

"L-Lance?" Lauren stares in confusion.

The small Digimon passes by the trees where V-mon was left. "Another Digimon!" V-mon notes.

"V-mon!" Lance calls out, not far behind the Digimon.

"Lance!"

"Let's go!"

"Yeah!" V-mon tries to run with Lance, but a snag in the hoodie catches on the tree. "Lance, help!"

Lance turns back for V-mon and unzips the hoodie. "We'll worry about the disguise later."

"Okay!" The two rush to catch up with the Digimon. Being backed against a fence, the Digimon attempts to go another direction, but is blocked by Lance and V-mon.

The device starts to beep and Lance looks at the screen. The device displays a picture and information on the Digimon. "Gazimon?"

===========Digital Analyzer===========

Name: Gazimon

Level: Child

Attribute: Virus

Technique: Paralyze Breathe

Gazimon takes the phone out of its mouth. "What's the big idea?! I found this! It's mine!"

Lance looks at Gazimon in confusion. "You stole the phone when she wasn't looking!"

"No one was holding on to it. Humans are looking at them all the time. I wanted some for my friends, too!"

"It's not yours! You need to return it!" V-mon points out.

"And who is gonna make me?!" Gazimon's fur flashes electricity.

"What is that?!" Lance looks behind him and a student passing by is looking at both Gazimon and V-mon. "Are these…the rumored Digimon?"

'This is bad!' Lance thinks to himself. 'If these two fight right here, it'll put everyone else in danger.' He looks at the device. That button brought them back to the human world. Maybe it'll take them back to that place. Would it transport all of them, though?

As the other student takes out their phone to take a picture, Lance presses the button. A discharge is released from the device, transporting Gazimon, V-mon, and Lance to the place from yesterday. Gazimon looks around in confusion. "Here again?"

V-mon charges at Gazimon. "V-mon Punch!"

Gazimon rolls to avoid the attack. "Paralyze Breathe!" Electricity fires from Gazimon's body at V-mon.

V-mon gasps in pain. "I…can't…" Paralyzed, V-mon falls to the ground.

"V-mon!"

Gazimon turns to Lance. "Don't you think about running." Gazimon's body sparks.''

V-mon desperately tries to move. "Leave…him…alone…"

"You two should've minded your own business! Paralyze Breathe!" Electricity shoots at Lance. Lance jumps out of the way of the attack.

"I…will…" V-mon moves into position to lift himself from the ground, struggling to move. "Protect you!" V-mon stands up and rushes at Gazimon again. "V-mon Punch!" Striking the back of Gazimon's head, V-mon's fist connects.

"Ouch!" Gazimon gasps, turning to V-mon. "You'll pay for that." Gazimon's body begins to glow. "Gazimon evolve!" Gazimon's body grows bigger and slender, the fur transitions from gray to red, and the snout elongates, looking similar to a fox. "Fangmon!"

"Gazimon…evolved…" Lance, gazing at the monstrous form, froze in fear.

"I'm going to rip you all to shreds!"

Struggling to keep composure, V-mon replies, "I will…protect Lance."

Realizing the danger they were in, Lance knew they had to retreat. "V-mon! We need to run!"

"You're not going anywhere!" Fangmon pounces on V-mon, pinning V-mon down with a single paw. "This'll teach you to poke your nose where it doesn't belong."

"V-mon!" Overcoming his fear, he charges at Fangmon. Fangmon swats Lance away. Lance lands on his back, letting out a cry of pain.

V-mon struggles to break free. "I…must protect…"

"V-mon…" Lance rolls over, trying to get back up.

Fangmon laughs. "This is the end for you." Hearing a buzzing, Fangmon turns his attention to the direction of the noise. Leaping out of the way, Fangmon avoids an attack by a green, insectoid Digimon, freeing V-mon.

"What-!" Lance looks at the two Digimon, confused.

Walking up to Lance, Connor stands next to him. "Are you hurt?" He extends his hand to Lance to help him up.

"N-no…" Lance takes his hand and gets up. "V-mon!" About to run to V-mon, Connor stops him.

"Don't." Connor looks at Fangmon. "Let's go, Stingmon!"

"Right!" Stingmon took off into the air.

"How dare you interfere!" Fangmon's face tightens in anger as Stingmon approaches. "Blast Coffin!" Fangmon fires a dark ball of energy at Stingmon.

Avoiding the attack, Stingmon's shoulder pads and one of the arm spikes extend. "Spiking Finish!" Stingmon impales Fangmon in the head. Fangmon's face contours before particles start coming out of the impact area.

Lance looks in shock. "Don't worry," Connor comforts Lance as Fangmon's body disintegrates. "Fangmon isn't dead. The data is going back to the Digital World to create a new Digitama. Think of it as being reincarnated." As the last pieces of Fangmon's data start to disappear, Stingmon starts to glow and shrink into a worm-like Digimon.

"V-mon!" Lance runs over to V-mon. Picking up V-mon's head, he asks, "Are you okay?"

With eyes opening, V-mon replies, "I'll be fine."

Connor walks over to the worm-like Digimon, who then climbs onto Connor's shoulder. Turning to Lance, Connor sighs. "I was hoping you wouldn't be dragged into this." Lance looks up at Connor. "As you've probably figured, the rumors of Digimon are more than just rumors. There's been a rift with Digital Waves letting Digimon enter our world and us falling into this place we call Digital Space."

"Digital Space?" Lance and V-mon repeat. The two of them lift themselves off the ground.

"It's the space between our world and the Digital World, it seems to connect the two," Connor continues. "Most end up here by accident. But we're able to travel between our world and Digital Space freely with our Digivices." Connor pulls out a green device, looking similar to the one Lance has.

"Digivice?" Lance pulls out his device. "This?"

"Exactly that." Pocketing his Digivice, Connor continues, "It's also what allows for our Digimon to evolve into higher stages."

One thing was bothering Lance. "How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. I was told by my contact that a small, blue Digimon in a black jacket was laying around some trees at the school." Connor smiles. "We were pulled into Digital Space with you just before arriving."

"That's when I evolved to Stingmon!" The worm-like Digimon chimes in. "My name is Wormmon! It's nice to meet you!"

"We'll talk everything tomorrow. Everyone is waiting for us," Connor reminds Lance. "Let's go."

Lance nods. "Yeah." Looking at the screen of his Digivice, it displays the following message: Link Strength 14%.