"I don't understand this," Raul Mendoza mumbles, staring at his digivice. Something changed in the new year. It was like after the year changed, their devices all stopped registering them. No commands were heeded to, no button presses would bring the device to life. Their partners are also trapped, unable to go home to their world, and the more time passes, the weaker they seem to become. Raul holds Minomon close and frowns down at the still unresponsive digivice.
"It's weird," Joaquin says, also holding his partner close. Bibimon pouts, burying his face in Joaquin's shoulder, clearly not feeling well. "We've been digidestined for how long and something like this has never happened."
Raul nods. "Yeah. We've gone through new years before, and it never affected things to this extent. We can't even get in contact with Luke anymore."
"Do you think it had something to do wtih those cameras stalking Ariya?" Joaquin wonders, stroking his partner lightly.
"It could be," Raul says. "Nothing really came from that, did it? They never really said if Ariya ever interacted with Scorpmon. Did he?"
"Not that I remember," Joaquin says, adjusting Bibimon. "It's ok, little guy, we'll figure this out," he says.
Bibimon whines, staring up at him with wide, wet eyes. "Bibi," he says miserably.
"Poor little guy," Joaquin says, nuzzling him closer. "I know you miss the Digiworld. We'll get you back there as soon as we can, I promise."
Bibimon and Minomon both start crying, soft little pitiful sounds that eat at both Joaquin and Raul the longer they have to listen to them.
Looking at each other uncertainly, the two men exhale and hold their partners tighter. "There has to be something we can do."
It's hard to sort out, with all of the digidestined scattered in so many different places, working such different schedules. But all Raul can do is hold onto his partner and the belief that things will work out. That they'll be back where they belong before too long.