[Name: Ina]
[Tamer Rank: Novice]
[Debugger]
[Total Digimon: 1]
[Main Partner: Jellymon]
I quickly glance at my Tamer Card again.
A newbie warrior like me, venturing into the unknown, climbing my way to the top—just like those main characters.
Just thinking about it makes my heart pound.
"Are you even listening?!"
The sharp call yanks me out of my fantasy. I lift my head to meet the annoyed gaze of my jellyfish-like Digimon.
"Yes!" I blurt, sitting up straighter. The cool grass tickles my legs as I adjust my seiza position.
Jellymon crosses her tentacles, her green-tipped appendages twitching in frustration.
"I'm serious! Don't get too clingy with me just because we're partners."
"But aren't partners supposed to be about bonds?" I clasp my hands together in mock plea. "What about the power of friendship?"
"Bonds are foolish!" Jellymon puffs up like a balloon. "Your strength should come from yourself! Relying on others? That's just weakness!"
"Um, aren't you two done already?"
Miss Lily's voice interrupts us, accompanied by her wry smile.
Blanc gently tugs Jellymon's tentacle. "Ina already said she's sorry," she says softly.
"She said that last time too!"
Well, I did. But can you blame me? She is so squishy and huggable.
"Let them be," Labramon yawns lazily, three baby Digimon sprawled across his back like sleepy passengers.
[Ring ring ring!]
The sudden beeping pulls us all to attention. Miss Lily nods at me and taps her Digimon Dock, accepting the call. A young female voice filters through.
["So, I suppose you two have met already?"]
"Oh, it's Miss Mira."
A police officer from the Cybercrime Division. She was very scary last time.
"Why are you on this call? Where's Leon?" Miss Lily asks, her surprise evident.
["Leon is busy with some matters, so here I am. Is there any problem with that~?"]
Mira's icy tone makes me tense up.
"No! Of course not!" Miss Lily answers quickly.
Yeah, I wouldn't want to get on her bad side either.
["Also, this involves the Digipolice. It's related to the Code-Crackers."]
"Code-Crackers?!"
Mask's face flashes in my mind. If Miss Lily hadn't arrived with Labramon back then... I don't even want to imagine what could've happened.
"I get all that," Miss Lily says, her tone serious as she points at me. "But why is she here?!"
["Miss Watanabe sent a dozen applications after the meeting that day, and Leon said she has potential. What even he saw in you two…?"]
"Hehe." I puff out my chest in pride.
"I don't think she's complimenting us," Miss Lily says, eyeing me skeptically.
Mira sighs, hesitating for a moment before continuing.
["A Code-Cracker group has stolen the ReArise technology developed by DDL, allowing Digimon to materialize in the Real World."]
ReArise... Guilmon's materialization is still vivid in my memory. That pink fog covering everything—it was super creepy.
["Freely summoning Digimon in the Real World can have unimaginable consequences. Leon is tracking them as we speak."]
Yeah, I don't want a dragon chasing me every day either.
"So, what's the work we'll be doing?" I ask curiously.
Mira's voice sharpens, turning stern. I can practically imagine her laser-like eyes.
["Your first mission is to search for Code-Cracker activities in Evelia. If you find anything—report to me immediately. The Digipolice will handle the rest."]
"But where do we start searching?" Miss Lily asks, gripping Blanc's hand lightly.
["Head straight north from Impulse City—to the Nu Metal Empire."]
"That late-game area?!"
Miss Lily's sudden shout nearly makes me cover my ears.
Well, now I really can't wait to see it.
As we step through the shimmering holographic gate, the air fills with a metallic scent and the rustling of gears. Piles of machines stand like the ruins of an advanced civilization. Lone train tracks stretch across the abandoned roads, while the eerie silence is almost suffocating.
"Mhm, this area gives me a sci-fi vibe," I nod thoughtfully. "A perfect place for the villains to hide."
"Ahh... do we really have to go into this junkyard?" Jellymon complains beside me.
"Of course!" I point at the broken road ahead. "I'm already pumped up to catch the bad guys!"
"Whatever, I'm going back into the virtual space," Jellymon's translucent blue frame vanishes into my azure wristwatch.
Is she not even a little bit excited?
As we navigate the maze of high-tech ruins, I glance at the Digimon Dock on my wrist.
[Model: Vital Bracelet BE]
Yep! Totally like a hero's morphing device.
"By the way," Miss Lily walks beside me. "Why did you decide to become a Debugger?"
"That's obvious! To join you all!" I beam before scratching the back of my head. "Also… I needed a part-time job."
"For your pocket money?"
"No, for my self-publication work."
"Self-publications...?" Miss Lily raises an eyebrow. "Wait, I remember you used to draw."
"I'm publishing some doujinshi right now, but someday, I'll have my own series," I declare proudly. "Don't worry, I'll give you my first autograph."
"I think I'll pass."
"Blanc will take Ina's auto graphics!" Blanc raises her hand cheerfully.
"It's autograph. And you got it!" I give her a thumbs up.
"You all are too loud," Labramon barks, his sharp eyes scanning the area. "I can't focus."
I kneel down to face the fluffy pup.
No... I must resist the urge to pet him.
"So, why are we following you?" I ask.
"I'm a Virus Buster," Labramon explains. "Digimon like me are sensitive to the environmental changes caused by viruses."
"That's how he found Guilmon back then," Miss Lily adds.
Labramon's curly tail sways as he leads us forward.
"I've been sensing a strange presence ever since we arrived."
"A strange presence...? Ah!" Miss Lily hits her palm. "This area has a high encounter rate, but we haven't seen any enemy Digimon yet."
"The data is modified. A sensation that's telling us not to go down this path," Labramon's eyes glint. "Almost like—"
"There's something to hide, right?" I cut him off with a grin. My eyes flick to Jellymon's form in my wristwatch's display.
"Anyone can guess that." She scoffs, unimpressed. "Leaving a trail like that is just amateur."
Okay, fine! I'll show you—I can be a great Tamer too, just like Miss Lily.
Vowing to myself, I follow Labramon's lead. The moonlight casts a silvery glow over the gleaming machinery scattered around the road, creating an ethereal atmosphere.
After a while, Labramon halts abruptly, his ears perking up.
"Big sis, some Digimon are nearby," Blanc announces, her klobuk ears twitching.
"Not just Digimon," Labramon adds. "There's also the trace of a human."
"You mean... another human is Digitized here?" Miss Lily asks.
"Probably. The data is very similar to you two."
Miss Lily's golden eyes flick to me and Blanc.
"Okay, a Code-Cracker could be here. We'll just take a quick peek and report to Mira," she rests her hands on her hips. "Understood?"
"Yep!" Blanc nods enthusiastically.
"Yes ma'am!" I salute with a smile.
"Please, be quiet..."
As we move cautiously, distant chatter and the clinking of metal reach our ears.
Labramon's eyes narrow, stern.
"They're close by," he confirms.
"Okay, let's check from behind that," Miss Lily suggests, pointing towards a large pile of rusted machinery sitting nearby.
We crouch behind the junk heap, peeking to the other side. My breath catches at the sight before us.
Cages line up the area, crackling energy forming their bars.
A single human in a white jacket sits atop a bulky iron giant. His spiky hair sways in the night breeze as his fingers dance across a holographic keyboard.
My gaze shifts to my wristwatch, the robot's details visible on the display.
[Name: Guardromon]
[Level: 4]
[Attribute: Virus]
"Miss Lily, that person..."
"Yeah, that must be the Code-Cracker," she whispers. "But why are there cages?"
The robot stops before one particular cage. The bars vanish, revealing a large yellow reptile inside, its arms clad in red bands. It appears injured.
"That's an Agumon, right?" I murmur. "But isn't it too big?"
"A subspecies. Discovered in 2006 according to the reference book," Miss Lily explains in a low voice.
The man's black goggles gleam as his fingers move faster.
A cloud of darkness forms above the Agumon, raining pitch-black particles down.
Agumon's green eyes ignite with emerald flames, its yellow scales turning jet-black.
"GAWWWR!"
With a bone-shaking roar, it leaps at the man. But just before it can reach him, the energy bars reappear, slamming the blackened Digimon back into the cage with a loud thud.
"Hahaha! Another success," the man laughs in delight. "NSoC will fetch a good price for these tools."
I shiver instinctively, glancing at Miss Lily.
"Black Digitron...?" Her voice shakes as she clutches Blanc's hand tight.
This blackened Agumon—it's the same as Guilmon from before.
No, I'm not an ordinary girl anymore. A protagonist won't be shaken by something like this.
I peek again but freeze in place as the man's gaze shifts directly to me.
"Well, well," he smirks "Eavesdropping, are we? Unfortunately, curiosity kills the cat."
We're busted? But how?
I step back, but the rustling of metal behind us sends a chill down my spine.
A mechanical gear bursts out from the pile of junk. Two small gears attached to it spin like hands, its eyes flickering with a crimson glow.
[Name: Hagurumon]
[Level: 3]
[Attribute: Virus]
"Two Digitized players? It seems you've seen too much—Guardromon!"
The brown robot marches by the man's command, each heavy step shaking the earth beneath us.
"Tsk, fight is the only option," Labramon growls, stepping forward.
"Warning Beam!"
Twin red-hot lasers shoot out from Guardromon's eyes.
Miss Lily clutches her Digimon Dock.
"Blanc!" She screams.
"Holy Light!"
Blanc raises her Cross Barbée, summoning a beam of brilliant light thatclashes with the scorching lasers.
The resulting explosion forces me to cover my ears as I tumble to the metallic ground. My virtual rear takes a significant hit.
"Ouch! That hurts... Jellymon, it's time for us to shine!"
But despite my call, there's no response.
"Jellymon, you here?"
"..."
"Wait a minute, are you ignoring me?"
I watch Labramon dart around Guardromon and Blanc charging in with Miss Lily's support.
Jellymon... Aren't we supposed to be partners?
My eyes drift to the cages lining the area.
These Digimon—captured to be transformed into that blackened form, just like the Agumon.
There's no way I'll sit and watch that happen—not this time!
"Fine..." I mutter, glancing at the wristwatch display. "If you aren't helping, I'll save them myself."
I get up, dashing towards the cages.
I halt before the first one, spotting a sleek keypad on the corner.
A password lock? Come on, I'm not some pro hacker!
I fidget with the keypad, but a sharp, mechanical voice makes my blood run cold.
"Energy Ball!"
I duck instinctively, a ball of sizzling energy whistling past my head. Glancing over my shoulder, I spot Hagurumon floating closer, its crimson eyes whirling menacingly.
Hold on, I thought it was just for detecting enemies.
A jolting sphere forms before it.
I have to escape.
Pushing myself up, I sprint past the cages as energy balls detonate around me. The blasts echo in my ears as I dive behind a cage to hide.
"Go away already," I mutter, catching my breath.
Weak whimpers of captured Digimon reach my ears.
How will I free them with this thing here?
"Why are you doing this?"
As I ponder, a sharp voice snaps through my wristwatch.
"Jellymon?"
"Answer me!" Her pixelated form glares at me from the display. "Risking yourself for the Digimon you haven't even met, why'd you do that?"
"Why...?"
"It's so stupid," She scoffs. "You're just a weak human. There's no reason for you to do this."
...No reason?
I glance at my reflection in a polished piece of metal—my avatar modeled after Sailor Dawn.
Carrying Blanc on my back to save her from Guilmon, and even now—there's only one reason keeping me going.
"It's because... a protagonist never leaves anyone in trouble!"
Just like those characters I admire.
Jellymon pauses for a moment.
"You're a big idiot," she mutters. "Impulsive, and driven by a stupid motivation."
"Ehehe," I laugh awkwardly.
"I'm not praising you!" she scolds, but her voice softens. "To protect others, without running away... If only someone like that had been there in the abyss that day... just maybe..."
"Abyss?"
"Shishishi~!" she erupts in a sudden giggle. "Partnered with such a reckless fool like you… Guess I am a fool too, huh?"
"Hey! Don't make fun of me!"
"Clank!"
The metallic sound cuts me off as Hagurumon hovers above the cage, its eyes locking onto me.
There's no place to run...
"Okay okay~!" Jellymon brushes away a tear of laughter. "Unlike the other human's device, yours works through the heart. If you're serious, show me this so-called bond of yours~!"
"Wait, you really mean it?!"
Hagurumon moves closer.
"Darkness Gear!"
A jet-black gear shoots from its maw, spinning towards me.
My heart races, not from fear, but excitement.
"Then… let's do it together! Jellymon!"
I shout, and lightning bursts from my wristwatch as Jellymon materializes.
"Heh, maybe I don't hate this stubborn heart~," her playful voice rings in my mind.
A pulse—for a split second, I feel our heartbeat synchronizing.
[Mode Change: Combat Mode]
The jellyfish transforms, a pink humanoid form emerging beneath the translucent body.
"Spiral Kick!"
She flips through the air, kicking the incoming gear back to Hagurumon's face. The machine Digimon stumbles, recoiling from the impact.
"Volt Knuckle!"
Jellymon's fist crackles with electricity as she closes the distance in a flash, her electrified punch blasting Hagurumon flying to the night sky.
"Wow!" I cheer like a fangirl. "Jellymon, you're super strong!"
"It's senpai..." she declares, hovering mid-air.
A sleek black leotard clings to her petite form, paired with striped black-and-magenta leggings. She crosses her legs confidently, her tentacles flowing like shimmering hair.
Pointing a tiny black finger at me, she smirks smugly.
"It's Jellymon-senpai for you, little protagonist~!"
AN:
Since the characters are Japanese, when Ina calls Lily 'Miss Lily', she's actually saying 'Lily-san'. Although, the same couldn't be applied to Jellymon, or 'Jellymon-senpai' if you will.