Episode 3: Connections

"They're finally demolishing this old building," a girl reading a sign tells her friend.

"About time," the other girl huffs out. "It's been abandoned for years." The two gaze at the abandoned building. "The thing is falling apart so much that by the time they demolish it, it'll be more of a clean up than a demolition." The other girl chuckled.

"What a shame, too! It would've been a nice little place next to the lake!"

"Who's there?!" A raspy voice yells from the building.

The sign reading girl jumps. "What was that?!"

"Go away!" The voice yells more as a gray, crab-like creature emerges. "This is my home!"

"Did it…talk?" the second girl looks in confusion. "Let's get out of here!" The two run away.

"There you are," Connor greets Lance and V-mon, sitting at a table in a cafe.

"We had a bit of trouble leaving," V-mon apologizes.

"We have people working on the house today," Lance continues, sitting across from Connor.

"It's nothing to worry about." Connor assures the two.

"What became of everybody's phones that Fangmon stole, anyways?" Lance wondered.

"Me and my contact tracked them down yesterday," Connor answers. " It was a pain in the ass, but everyone got their phone back."

"Good! Everything worked out!" V-mon exclaimed.

"Now then." Connor pulls out his Digivice. "While we wait for my contact to wake up, I told you a little about the Digivice yesterday. The Digivice will display information about the Digimon ours have seen. For example." Connor presses a couple of buttons and the Digivice displays information about V-mon.

=Digital Analyzer=

Name: V-mon

Level: Child

Attribute: Free

Technique: V-mon Punch

"Sometimes it won't be obvious what level a Digimon is at," Wormmon warns. "A Digimon might seem like it's at Child level but it's much stronger than a Child level."

"Another thing the Digivice will display is a Link Strength percentage bar." Connor presses a couple other buttons to display the message: Link Strength 19%.

"I've been wondering about that," Lance proclaims. "What is a Link?"

"As far as I can tell," Connor starts, "it's the connection between humans and Digimon. The Digivice acts as sort of an anchor for that connection."

V-mon's head perks up. "So, I'm connected to Lance?"

"That's right, just the same way I'm connected to Wormmon." Connor scratches lightly at the side of Wormmon's head. "We're far from the only ones. And actually…" Connor pulls out his phone and looks at his messages. "Speaking of which, my contact is ready to meet us." Connor stands up from his chair, pocketing his phone and Digivice. "We're meeting him at his house down the street from here."

"Who is your contact?" Lance stands up beside him.

"You actually already know him. He was my teacher, too, after all." Lance looks at him in confusion.

"I think Lance has already interacted with them," Lauren tells Ezra. "It wouldn't surprise me if Connor has, too." The two walk down the sidewalk.

"Lance was chasing one yesterday," Ezra notes. "But it doesn't mean that he has one."

"Maybe, but it would just be better to come out with the truth. It's only a matter of time until the whole world knows, anyways. Everything is connected, you know."

"Everyone seems to think it's all AI generated images at the moment." The two continue to argue as a yellow furred creature jumps the rooftops.

Connor knocks on the door. A couple moments later, the door opens revealing Mr. Crest. "Connor! Wormmon!"

Connor returns the greeting, "Mr. Crest."

"I told you, you can call me Alex now." Alex notices Lance. "Oh! I didn't see you there!"

"Hello Alex!" Lance greets.

"I'm still your teacher!"

"Right, sorry Mr. Crest." Alex gives a concerned look to Connor as Wormmon rides his shoulder.

"It's alright," Connor assures Alex. "He has a partner, too." Lance moves to the side to reveal V-mon.

"Oh!" Alex moves to the side of the door. "Please, come on in!" They all enter the house, taking a seat around the table. Alex closes the door behind him and joins them.

"You're the Digimon I saw yesterday!" a voice says. Lance and V-mon jump and look around, trying to find where the voice was coming from.

Alex presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose and tightens his eyes. "Espimon. They can't see you."

"Right!" Suddenly, a mouse-like Digimon on a jet-pack appears before them, to the surprise of Lance and V-mon. "You were in a jacket by the school yesterday!"

"You knew?!" Lance asks in disbelief.

"This is Espimon," Alex tells Lance. "He gathers information for me and Connor about Digimon in the area and if they're in critical areas or not."

"We were worried that V-mon was going to be a problem for the school," Connor follows-up. "We didn't even know about Fangmon until we were there. We just assumed something was happening when we were pulled into Digital Space."

"I've been wondering about that," Lance begins. "If Digital Space is separate from our world, why don't we just take the hostile Digimon back there without turning them into a Digitama?"

"It's not a permanent fix," Alex explains.

"From what we can tell, Digimon appear in Digital Space first before entering our world," Connor continues. "It's only a matter of time until they come back into our world."

"This way ensures they can't come back to create more chaos," Wormmon notes. "Once they're turned into a Digitama, their data is returned to the Digital World."

"So, we're just returning them home?" Lance asks Connor.

Connor nods. "In a way. What happens after that, I couldn't tell you."

"Could we go to the Digital World?!"

Alex looks to the ceiling. "If only it were that easy."

"We've tried several times to open the gate to the Digital World, but nothing works," Connor explains. "The Digital Waves have never been stable enough for the gate to open. It seems to be a one way trip until a Digimon is converted into a Digitama."

"So they're stuck here?"

"So what?" V-mon interrupts. Lance turns to V-mon. "Being 'stuck here' is what let us become partners."

"The bond you two share plays a role in evolution," Connor continues. "Keep building your bond and you'll go into unexpected places."

"Right!" Lance and V-mon answer simultaneously.

"Wait a minute!" Espimon interrupts. "There was a Digimon near the abandoned building!"

Alex pulls out his Digivice. "It says Ganimon here. Looks like a crab. If it's that abandoned building I'm thinking of, it's next to the water. That shouldn't be too much of an issue."

"This one seems to be territorial with humans," Espimon adds. "It might be too dangerous to leave it alone with humans."

"I think they're also planning on demolishing it," Connor stands up as Wormmon climbs on his shoulder. "Lance, let's go."

"Wait," Lance hesitates, thinking back to Fangmon disappearing. "Are we going to turn it into a Digitama?"

"We're going to try relocating it first," Alex assures Lance. "Turning it to a Digitama is a last resort."

"We'll try to bring Ganimon there without provoking him." Connor walks to the door. "If we can't, we have to be prepared for the worst. That's our lives now." Connor opens the door. "We don't get a choice in the matter. The only thing we can do is move forward."

Lance stares at the floor. The thought of fighting Digimon like Fangmon scares him. What if V-mon were to disappear like that?

"Don't worry!" V-mon comforts Lance. "I'll be here for you!"

Lance nods. "Let's go!"

"Where did you see it, Espimon?" Connor asks. They approach the building looking for Ganimon.

"It was on the bottom floor." They pull the gate surrounding the building to get in.

"Gotchu," Connor nods, walking into the gate. "Wormmon."

"On it!" Wormmon crawls on the side of the wall of the building, going inside through a broken window.

"Wormmon will survey to see if it's just Ganimon or if there's multiple Digimon."

"What if there's multiple?" Lance wonders.

"It may escalate, but we'll try to approach slowly to prevent that."

Moments later, Wormmon returns. "Ganimon is there with another Digimon!"

"Another Ganimon?" Connor questions Wormmon.

"No, a different Digimon!"

Connor pulls out his Digivice. "Renamon?" Connor's face scrunches to a puzzled look.

"What's wrong?" V-mon asks.

"This is weird," Connor notes. "Normally aquatic Digimon will congregate with other aquatic Digimon. Renamon isn't aquatic."

Lance looks to Espimon. "Was Renamon there earlier?"

"No, it was just Ganimon. What do we do?"

Connor pauses to think for a moment. "Let's proceed as planned."

"They're on the other side of the building, closer to the water outside."

They walk around the building. As they approach the other side, they overhear a conversation between the two Digimon. "Come with us," a feminine voice protests. "This building isn't safe. The humans are about to destroy it."

"This is my home!" a raspy voice protests. "They can leave!" As they turn the corner, they find Ganimon and a yellow, bipedal animal Digimon. "Who are you?! This is my spot! Leave!"

"Wouldn't it be better to find a more stable home?" Connor inquires of Ganimon.

"This spot is perfect!" Ganimon retorts. "It's next to the water and out of the weather! Plus no humans occupy it!"

"This has been where we've been for the last half hour," the animal Digimon tells Connor.

"I assume you're Renamon," Wormmon questions the other Digimon. "How are you involved?"

"Well, I-" Renamon starts.

"Renamon!" a familiar, feminine voice calls out. The animal Digimon turns to the direction of the voice. Turning the corner, Lauren appears with Ezra and another small, gray porcupine Digimon. She stops in disbelief. "Lance? Connor? What are you doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing," Lance tells her.

"We were taking a walk when we spotted this guy inside here," Lauren replies. "Well, Renamon was the first one to spot him."

"I wish Herissmon would've noticed him first," bemoans Ezra.

"I'm trying my best…" the porcupine Digimon whimpers.

"You're doing your best, Herissmon!" V-mon tells the small Digimon. Herissmon smiles.

"I'm still here!" Ganimon protests. "You're all in MY home! You're not welcome here!"

"Let's save the chit chat for later," Connor interrupts. "Let's try to calm Ganimon down!"

"THIS IS MY HOME! MY HOME! MYHOMEMYHOMEMYHOME!" Ganimon continues to rant.

"We can find you another home!" Espimon tells Ganimon.

"IDONTWANTTO!" Ganimon shouts.

"Not good…" Connor pulls out his Digivice. The others do the same.

"Ganimon!" V-mon attempts to call out. "You can always find another home! I found a new home with Lance!" Lance looks over at V-mon. "Home isn't about where you are! It's about the feeling of comfort!"

"NONONONONONONONO!" Ganimon stomps.

Lance turns to Ganimon. "You can make lots of new friends with a new home!"

"What's all the commotion?" A stranger starts turning the corner.

"We're out of time!" Wormmon tells Connor.

"Right!" Connor presses the button on his Digivice and they're all transported to Digital Space.

"HEREAGAIN?!" Ganimon screams as its body starts glowing. "NO! GANIMON EVOLVE!" Ganimon's body grew larger as it changed from a crab to a giant squid, breaking the building in the process. "GESOMON!"

"It evolved…" Lance states. 'It's so much bigger than Fangmon…'

"I'm up!" Wormmon jumps off of Connor's shoulder.

"Let's do it, Wormmon!"

"Wormmon evolve! …Stingmon!" Stingmon flies up into the air.

'Is Stingmon enough to beat it…?' Lance panics in his head.

"Spiking Finish!" Stingmon's spike extends as Stingmon swoops in.

"DEADLY SHADE!" Gesomon spews ink from its mouth, hitting Stingmon out of the air.

"Stingmon!" Stingmon crashes to the ground and Connor runs over.

"Gah!" Stingmon yelps as it shrinks back to Wormmon.

"Are you okay?" Connor comforts.

"I'm okay…But I can't see," Wormmon tells Connor.

"GOAWAYGOAWAYGOAWAY!" Gesomon protests. SWIPE! Gesomon grabs Lance with its claw-like tentacle.

"AAAAH!" Lance shrieks.

"Lance!" Lauren and V-mon gasp.

V-mon charges Gesomon. "V-mon Head!" V-mon jumps into the air. Gesomon knocks V-mon away with one of its other tentacles, knocking V-mon to the ground.

Renamon jumps into the air and curls up as several, shining leaves surround her. "Koyosetsu!" Renamon uncurls as the leaves fire at Gesomon. Unscathed, Gesomon knocked Renamon to the ground.

"Lightning Fur!" Herissmon fires its quills at Gesomon.

"DEADLY SHADE!" Gesomon fires the ink at Herissmon. Dodging the attack, Herissmon returns to Ezra.

"I tried…"

"You're so useless!" Ezra berates Herissmon.

"Mot Bomb!" Espimon fires several mouse-shaped bombs at Gesmon. Unphased, Gesomon swipes them away.

"I…can't…" Lance whimpers.

V-mon puts his hands on the ground, shaking as he tries to pull himself up. "I…must…protect Lance."

"V…mon…" Lance mutters. Lance's Digivice begins to glow.

V-mon puts one foot on the ground. "I will…" V-mon musters the strength to stand up. "Protect Lance!" Lance's Digivice displays the message: Link Strength: 15%. V-mon glows an almost blinding light. "V-mon evolve!" V-mon grew as the mouth and nose grew more into a dragon-like snout with a horn forming on the nose and two forming behind the head, forming a V shape. "V-Dramon!"

"ANOTHERONE?!" Gesomon shouts.

=Digital Analyzer=

Name: V-Dramon

Level: Adult

Attribute: Vaccine

Technique: V-Breath Arrow

"Magnum Punch!" V-Dramon punches Gesomon, knocking it to the ground. Upon hitting the ground, the tentacle lets go of Lance.

"Lance!" Lauren runs over to help him up.

"I'm okay," Lance confirms. "V-mon evolved!"

Gesomon stands back up. "DEADLY SHADE!" Gesomon fires its ink at V-Dramon.

"V-Breath Arrow!" V-Dramon shoots from his mouth a V-shaped fire to intercept Gesomon's attack.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Gesomon swings with its claws. V-Dramon blocks the attack and grabs the tentacle. V-Dramon pulls Gesomon closer.

"Magnum Punch!" V-Dramon uppercuts Gesomon into the air. "V-Breath Arrow!" Firing point-blank at Gesomon, V-Dramon launches it into the remains of the building.

Falling into the build, Gesomon demolishes the remaining parts of the building. "My…home…" Gesmon glows and shrinks back to Ganimon. V-Dramon also shrinks back to V-mon.

"V-mon!" Lance runs over to V-mon. "Thank you!"

"I'm hungry…" V-mon replies. Lance laughs nervously.

"My…home…" Ganimon sobs.

"Ganimon," Connor starts, "Let me show you something." Connor presses the button on his Digivice to return everyone from the Digital Space. Ganimon looks around. "What happens in that place doesn't affect the world here. This place is still in one piece. But if you remain here, you're not going to have a home. This place is about to be demolished."

"But they can't! This is my home!"

"Unfortunately, they won't listen to you," Connor argues.

"Come on, we'll find you a new home!" Lauren excites. "A better home, even!"

Ganimon looks at them all. "You mean that?"

"Of course we mean that." Lance confirms.

Nodding, Ganimon calmly states, "Okay, I'll go with you guys."

"You should come with me for now," Espimon suggests. "I can look for a place for you while you stay at my partner's house." Ganimon nods. Espimon and Ganimon leave together.

"Shouldn't we go with them?" Lance asks Connor.

"They should be fine. Espimon knows how to avoid people." Connor turns to Lauren and Ezra. "But for more pressing matters, when were you guys going to tell us?"

"We were just talking about that not too long ago," Ezra states.

"But now you know!" Lauren blurts out.

"Isn't that good?" Herissmon looks to Renamon.

"We have allies now," Renamon tells Herissmon.

"That's right!" V-mon runs to Renamon. "We're all friends now!"

Renamon raises an eyebrow. "I wouldn't go that far."

"In any case, we don't need to hide anything now," Connor announces. "Let's make sure we tell Sara and Shelby the next time we see them."

"Right!" Everyone agreed. Lance and Connor wave to Lauren and Ezra as they depart their separate ways.

As they walk, Lance's head pops up. "Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you: Why doesn't anything in Digital Space affect anything outside it? They're both the same place, aren't they?"

"From what I can tell, Digital Space pulls information from our world and constantly 'updates' itself, so to speak. The two worlds are connected. When the building gets demolished, it'll update itself. But if the information inside Digital Space is different from the information here, it'll reset itself."

"Oh! I get it!" Lance starts to think about the mysterious building he saw the first time in Digital Space. "Then what about that building where the park should be? That's not present outside Digital Space."

Connor stops walking. Lance and V-mon stop behind him. Turning to Lance, Connor puts his hands on Lance's shoulders. "That's…a story for another time." Lance looks at Connor, confused.

"It's a lot to explain right now," Wormmon continues. Lance nods and they continue on their way.