I find myself standing in a forest, its dense canopy creating a beautiful play of light and shadows. Strangely, phone booths line the meadows, their polished glass and metallic frames starkly out of place amidst the wild surroundings.
"Am I in the Dark Web again...?" I mutter, staring at the blue sky above. The sunlight is bright, yet it carries no warmth.
I try to move, but my body doesn't respond.
Hold on... I know this feeling.
A dream?
Just like before, I can only observe, unable to interact with anything here.
"Tokomon! Where are you?"
A cartoonish voice echoes in the distance, growing louder with each passing moment.
A spherical, toy-like figure steps into view, clad in red gloves and boots. Its metallic body glints under the sunlight as it strolls through the peculiar wilderness with a carefree gait.
That voice... I've heard it before—in my last dream.
The toy-like creature halts, glancing around as though searching for something. After a moment, it approaches a nearby bush and pokes at it with a gloved hand.
"Eeek!"
A high-pitched yelp bursts from the bush. Two pink, bunny-like ears perk up, twitching nervously.
Those ears... I've seen them countless times.
The creature pushes the foliage aside, revealing a small, nun-like girl curled into herself, trembling as though hiding from some unseen terror. She lifts her head slightly, her silver eyes catching a glimpse of the spherical creature. They are timid and reflective—a stark contrast to the cheerful curiosity I'm used to seeing.
"Brother Mamemon...?" she murmurs, her voice barely audible.
Mamemon's gaze softens as it steps closer, speaking gently.
"What happened to your village was terrible, I know," it says, its tone caring. "But you can't keep hiding in the shadows. Aniki told you the same thing, didn't he?"
As if summoned by the words, a large shadow looms overhead.
"What are you whispering about me?"
The voice is powerful yet warm, reverberating through the forest like thunder.
Blanc's timid expression lights up as she turns toward the source. "Big Bro... BanchoLeomon?"
A humanoid lion steps into view. Its golden fur shimmers with an imposing aura, its white mane fluttering like silk in the breeze. A black gakuran, reminiscent of Japanese high-school uniforms, sways behind it like a cape.
Blanc scrambles out of the bush, and BanchoLeomon catches her effortlessly.
"Haha, so you've managed to evolve. Tokomon—no, I should call you Sistermon now," he says with a hearty laugh.
Blanc nods furiously, her silver eyes sparkling.
BanchoLeomon grins, retrieving a bright red apple from his pocket. A playful smiley face is drawn on its surface.
"Here, I found this on my way here."
"Thank you, Big Bro!" Blanc beams, eagerly sinking her teeth into the apple.
Mamemon crosses its arms, its eyes narrowing. "A Cheerful Apple? You're spoiling her again, aniki. She needs to toughen up already."
"She's still young," BanchoLeomon replies, his voice solemn. "It's up to us to bring peace to their future."
"That's true," Mamemon admits, its tone growing serious. "Speaking of which, did you find the nearby village?"
BanchoLeomon falls silent for a moment, gently placing Blanc on the ground.
"It's gone... already wiped out when I arrived," he says, his words heavy with bitterness. "Judging by the scale of destruction, it was the Wyvern."
"Dynasmon?!" Mamemon freezes, its eyes widening in disbelief. "How can that chivalrous warrior do such a thing? Just what is happening to our Digital World?"
BanchoLeomon's gaze softens as he glances at Blanc, who continues nibbling on her apple, seemingly oblivious to their grim conversation.
Still, his thunderous voice remains unwavering.
"No matter, we must keep resisting. For the future of Digimon!"
The scene begins to blur, a deep haze washing over my vision. BanchoLeomon's voice lingers, echoing faintly in my chest.
A soft snore pulls me back to reality. Blanc is curled up beside me, her klobuk ears twitching as she mumbles something in her sleep.
Okay, I'm awake.
But why do I keep dreaming about her memories? Is it because of the MindLink?
BanchoLeomon's final words...what exactly did they face in the Digital World?
For a moment, I ponder the question, then my eyes dart to the clock.
[7:00 AM]
"Wait! It's this late already?"
Scrambling out of bed, I grab my brush in one hand, toothpaste in the other, all while mentally cursing myself for not setting the alarm.
"You're late," Labramon says, stretching nonchalantly on his basket bedding.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" I ask, heading to the sink. "You know today's my first day at Abadin Games!"
"You never asked."
"..."
The automatic door swishes open as I step through the white door. The room, a mere 10 square meters, is dominated by a zero-gravity chair and a single desk.
"This feels more cramped than your place," Labramon remarks, his tail twitching.
"Big sis's place is better," Blanc nods thoughtfully. "The bed is fluffier than this one."
"That doesn't sound like a compliment... And Blanc, this isn't a bed," I mutter, heading to the wall-mounted shelf.
A sleek VR headset rests there, its white and green handle lending it a sci-fi aesthetic, its black lenses gleaming.
I set my bag by the desk to pick up the headset.
"So this is the latest model, huh?" I narrow my eyes, examining it. "It looks more like a goggle than a VR equipment. I think it's called T.A.L.E?"
"Transportive Another World Engine, developed by Abadin Electronics in collaboration with another company," a female voice answers.
"That's a mouthful," I mutter, only to turn and find Eri's holographic form standing in the room, her smile unchanging as before.
"Please put your Digivice here," she says, gesturing to the panel-like handle of the zero-gravity chair.
As I follow her instructions, I scan the room for any hidden projectors.
Nothing... How is she still here? Is she some kind of hologram ghost?
"So, this Digivice is DDL's latest product, right?" I ask, placing the Digivice X over the panel.
Eri smiles, her golden eyes glinting. "The Denrin Ward Digital Lab upgraded it from the previous model—the Digimon Linker. Currently, only the DigiPolice are given access to this," she adds. "Although, Miss Lily's isn't developed by us."
"I see..."
Not by AE Corp? Then why did my phone morph into this?
Well, no use pondering that now.
I turn, holding the Digivice X towards Blanc and Labramon.
"Okay, are you two ready?"
"Blanc is ready!" she replies with a cheerful smile.
"Can't believe I have to go to that fake world..." Labramon complains, twitching his ears reluctantly.
"Well, it's part of our job, remember?" I say, swiping through the options on the Digivice X.
[Starting Hololization...]
Two beams of light shoot out from the Digivice X. Blanc and Labramon's forms flicker before slowly turning transparent, akin to holograms.
"The Digimon have been successfully Hololized," Eri confirms, pointing to the Digivice X. "You may now use it as a gateway."
"Um, you heard her." I smile awkwardly, holding the smartphone out to them.
"Blanc will go first!" Blanc raises her hand eagerly before leaping into the Digivice X.
"Huh?!"
My jaw drops as her petite form vanishes into the tiny device.
I quickly shift my gaze to the smartphone There she is, her image visible on the display.
"Big sis, this space is really connected to that world!" she exclaims, her klobuk ears twitching.
Seems it went smoothly.
"A gateway, huh?" Labramon murmurs softly, jumping into the Digivice X.
Okay, now it's my turn.
I lean back on the zero-gravity chair, putting on the T.A.L.E. headset.
"Remember, your mind will be digitized. What you'll face in Evelia will be real," Eri's serene smile wavers for a split second. "Please, be careful on your journey."
Real? I already know that from my last experience.
Honestly, I'm still scared. But I've made up my mind—to stand by Blanc's side.
I click the green button on the headset, and a familiar window appears.
[Digimon Daydream]
[Start Game?]
[Yes] [No]
"Yes!"
Then—a blinding light engulfs my world.
[Connecting... Please wait...]
[Welcome to Evelia: Impulse City!]
The light fades, and I stumble, the sensation of solid ground beneath my feet jarring after the earlier weightlessness.
"Big sis, big sis!" Blanc's joyful voice rings in my ears.
"Uh, it's different than the usual…"
As I blink my eyes open, a dazzling cityscape fills my vision. Towering buildings pierce the endless sky, defying the laws of physics. Countless cables, like veins, cover their surfaces, glowing with bright neon lights, creating a futuristic dystopian landscape.
Several Digimon soars across the night sky, seemingly oblivious to the passage of time, their silhouettes slicing through the central, clear blue lake.
"This is… way too realistic compared to before," I mutter in awe. "It feels like I'm actually here."
"You are actually here," Labramon says bluntly, giving me a look.
I know, but you can't blame me for being surprised.
"Big sis, where are we going first?" Blanc asks, her klobuk ears twitching excitedly.
"Well, that's obvious," I grin, pointing to the shimmering exit gate. "To our base!"
"You base?"
Labramon tilts his head skeptically, but I just smile knowingly.
"You'll see when you get there."
As we walk further from Impulse City, the bustling atmosphere fades away, replaced by a lush grassland dotted with small, still ponds.
The air feels fresh, free of pollution. A soft breeze greets me with a gentle caress, rustling the tall grass.
"This place resembles the Dina Plains," Labramon comments, following close behind. "They managed to replicate this much of the Digital World..."
"And there are more places like this," Blanc replies brightly, her knee-high boots padding the soft ground as she walks beside me.
Her small hand clutches mine, its warmth making her words echo in my mind.
["Even though big sis couldn't understand Blanc, she never let Blanc feel alone."]
She said that... but I suppose a part of her really wanted me to understand, didn't she?
I reflect on the past, but Blanc's gentle tug pulls me back to the present.
"Big sis, we're here!"
"Oh, already?"
A small settlement comes into view, too tiny to be considered a village. A series of tents are scattered across it, resembling those seen in tribal encampments.
"This is the place you wanted to visit?" Labramon shoots me a skeptical glance, but I only smile, walking towards the settlement.
"Yep, that's because..." I turn, facing Labramon. "Welcome to our personal DigiFarm—Yurimirai!"
"A digi...farm?" The puppy tilts his head, puzzled.
As I step towards the entrance, a chorus of playful voices rings out from the settlement.
"Koromon, is the Tamer back?"
"The Tamer is here! Chicchimon, wake up!"
"Zzz..."
"He's sleeping again! Wynamon, help me wake him up!"
Labramon halts, his eyes widening. "There are Digimon living here?"
Three round Digimon appear from within the settlement. Their tiny bodies lack limbs, giving them a cute, playful appearance.
"Did the Tamer bring a new friend?" The pink dinosaur head-like Digimon—Koromon—asks excitedly.
"I did. This is Labramon, he's also joining our team."
"Ohhh! Another friend!" Koromon bounces joyfully towards Labramon, but freezes the next moment, its eyes wide with shock. "Wait! The Tamer can understand us?"
Yeah, I already expected that reaction.
"I can hear you loud and clear," I confirm, nodding.
"Blanc! Can the Tamer really understand what we're saying?" Wynamon—the blue cat-like Digimon—asks.
"Mhm," Blanc beams smugly, suddenly hugging me. "Big sis is really here with us."
"Oooo~!"
The three Digimon leap into my arms, their combined weight making me stumble for balance.
"It's real!" they exclaim in unison.
"Ahaha..." I let out a soft chuckle.
"By the way..." Labramon asks as Chicchimon—the round yellow bird with a red ponytail—sleepily lands on his back.
"Why are all of them here baby Digimon?"
"That's because big sis is very kind," Blanc answers proudly. "So she's protecting them from outside harm."
"Ah... that's just like her."
Crap, now I can't admit it's because they were absolutely adorable...
"That's true, Miss Lily is always kind and cool."
"Haha, you're exaggerating," I reply, scratching my cheek.
Wait, I know that voice!
I turn to find a girl in a white sailor uniform walking towards me, her outfit adorned with laces reminiscent of magical girls in anime. Her golden hair gleams under the moonlight, her sapphire-like eyes shining with admiration.
"Ina?! Why are you here?"
And did she customize her avatar to match her IRL cosplay? Or is this how she sees herself?
"That's because," She taps her chin like a detective. "I've to know my coworker, don't I?"
"Coworker? Wait, you mean..."
She twirls in place, pulling out her Tamer Card with a wink.
"Part-time Debugger! Ina Watanabe reporting in!"
"HUHHHH?!"
I stun.
Why did no one tell me? Leon... What is he planning?!
"If you're in this world, then you have a partner too?" Blanc asks, scampering to Ina.
"Fufufu, you want to meet her?"
"Yes!" Blanc says eagerly, her silver eyes sparkling.
"Then get ready for my ultra-cute partner!"
She taps the azure watch-like device on her wrist, and a beam of light shoots out.
That model—isn't it the new one?
The beam shatters, revealing a blue jellyfish floating in the air. Its green-tipped tentacles sway gently in the soft breeze, its gray eyes studying us cautiously.
"See? Isn't she super cute?" Ina leaps to hug the jellyfish, but it slips out instantly. It swirls before brushing Ina's back with a tentacle.
"ZAPP!"
"Ina!" I shout, rushing to her side as she collapses face-down on the grass.
"Don't worry, she's just paralyzed," the jellyfish says while hovering over Ina, huffing exasperatedly.
"You're so mean... This is the third time you've shocked me," Ina mutters, her voice muffled by the grass.
"Then stop pulling me into that death grip!" The jellyfish snaps, crossing its tentacles.
"Um, are you two okay?" I ask, a wry smile playing on my lips.
"Perfectly fine!" Ina answers, raising her hand shakily while still on the ground.
"Not! Keep this clingy human away from me!" The jellyfish protests.
"Well..." I trail off, not knowing how to respond.
The Digimon Dock lights up, displaying information about Ina's partner.
[Name: Jellymon]
[Level: 3]
[Attribute: Data]
AN:
The name of Lily's DigiFarm, Yurimirai, is a reference to her name. "Yuri" means lily flower in Japanese, and "Mirai" means future. Together, it can be seen as "Lily's Future."