Chapter 4: Go For It!

 

          Lizzie sighed and looked up at the bright, but completely foreign constellations. She wondered if there were even any real stars in this world. Probably she was just looking at a very convincing picture. This thought just made her feel even more far from home. She hoped that Coro was doing okay. He was always just down the hall in his room whenever she needed his help. Now her brother was out wandering in the middle of nowhere with a sweet but timid little girl, a guy who was just a jerk, and who knows how many monsters. Lizzie drowsily thought that she was probably closer to the edge of nowhere than the middle. Laughing at her semi-conscious little joke she closed her eyes. By the time she opened them it was daylight. Jess and Lectromon were scurrying around collecting food for breakfast. Tim and Lamatomon were still asleep. Lizzie winced as she listened to them. It was hard to tell which was snoring louder. Emulnomon peeped her head up as she saw Lizzie stir.

 

            “Oh! Did I wake you?” she asked.

 

            “That’s okay,” Emulnomon, said sleepily, “The early bird gets the worm”

 

            Lectromon, who had just flown over, giggled loudly at the joke. Tim slowly sat up with a dreamy expression on his face.

 

            “But Mom,” he muttered, “I don’t like worms”

 

            “Tim!” shouted Jess clapping her hands several times in front of his face, “Rise and shine! I brought food! It’s a glorious day!!”

 

            “Must you talk so loud?” complained Lamatomon rising to his feet along with the still half asleep Tim.

 

            After a quick breakfast the group set out along the narrow trail. Two steep rocky cliffs rose up on either side of them. Lizzie had to admit that she was feeling a bit claustrophobic. Several times Jess attempted to climb up the sheer rock wall by grabbing on to roots and such, but she never got very far before falling into an untidy heap. That didn’t stop her from trying again though. Lizzie, however, was getting fatigued. She was just about to suggest that they take a lunch break when they rounded the next bend. Unfortunately, around that bend was the shore of a huge bilious blue lake. On one side was the same steep rocky cliff that they had been following. On the other side Lizzie could see the great wall of fire extending up over the cliff. Humming to herself Lectromon flew a short way over the lake. Then, realizing that the others were still standing on the shore, she flew back.

 

            “Hey!” she cried in dismay, “Why aren’t you coming?”

 

            “We can’t fly you silly Lectromon!” laughed Jess.

 

            “Ooops!” giggled Lectromon, “I forgot”

 

            Tim rolled his eyes, and in the process caught sight of a small brown object floating in the lake, and tied to a rocky overhang.

 

            “Lookee!” exclaimed Jess noticing it as well, “A raft! We don’t have to swim across this lake” With that everyone walked down to the narrow beach to inspect the vessel. The boat was made of some sort of wood, but it had a metallic sheen to it, just like everything else in the digiworld. There were two oars, and it looked to be just barely big enough for the humans and their digimon.

 

            “Oh! This is so convenient,” said Jess jumping in and poising herself over the oars.

 

            “Right” said Tim warily, “The only thing missing is the giant glowing neon sign reading “THIS IS A TRAP! DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!!!”

 

            Lizzie paused, “Yeah, this is a bit too convenient Tim,” she said dryly, “But we have to cross the lake, and if there is something dangerous in the water, aren’t we better off in a boat than swimming?”

 

            “As long as we’re doomed no matter what,” said Tim shrugging his shoulders, “Not like it’s anything new”

 

            “Oh you party poopers,” said Jess pulling Tim into the boat, “I love sailing! Does anyone want to sing row row row your boat?”

 

            “All aboard Mateys!” called Tim helping Lamatomon into the boat and pushing off from the shore.

 

            “Um Tim, What’s a matey?” asked Lamatomon eyeing the water nervously. Jess laughed, and Lamatomon looked a little hurt, not to mention queasy.

 

            “It’s kind of like a friend,” said Lizzie trying very hard not to laugh herself.

 

            “Are we all friends then?” asked Emulnomon.

 

            “I guess we are,” said Lizzie smiling.

 

            “Gak!” exclaimed Tim pretending to barf over the side of the raft, “There’s just too much love in this boat. Either that or I’m getting seasick. Does this boat suddenly seem to be rocking more to you?”

 

            “Now that you mention it… eeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!” shrieked Emulnomon at the sight of a gigantic bulbous transparent head poking through the surface of the water. It wasn’t the purplish bulging brain that showed through the skin that she was shrieking at however; it was the mouth full of pointy gnashing teeth.

 

            “I’m SO hungry!” it wailed, “There aren’t any fish left. I ate them all. YOU look delicious!”

 

            “Did I mention that this was a trap!?” screamed Tim as several long tentacles lashed around the small boat.

 

            “It’s Octimon!” shouted Lamatomon, “The only thing that octopus digimon cares about is feeding itself!” Lizzie screamed in pain as a tactical slapped her across the arm. Tim could see blood dripping from where the serrated edged suckers pierced her skin.

 

            “Emulnomon digivolve to… Osomon!” shouted Lizzie’s digimon. Unfortunately, the weight of the large bird set the small boat off balance. With a splash, all the humans and digimon were thrown into the icy lake water. Lectromon however, managed to become air born and fluttered overhead. Lizzie’s large digimon floated in the lake almost like a duck. With a cry of rage, Osomon began biting off tentacles left and right with her sharp beak. Lizzie somehow managed to climb on to her back fortunately.

 

            “Tim!” shouted Lamatomon who was paddling furiously in the water in an attempt to keep from sinking, “I can’t swim!” Tim swam the short distance between them and tried to aid the struggling Lamatomon.

 

            “Don’t digivolve! I won’t be able to help hold you up if you do!” he called hoping that Lamatomon heard him over Octimon’s pitiful cries of “Hungry”

 

            “Do your attack Osomon!” called Jess swimming over to try to help Tim.

 

            “I can’t!” gasped Osomon while fighting the numerous lashing tentacles back away from her friends, “My wings are waterlogged. They’re to heavy for me to lift”

 

            “Oww!” cried Tim as an accidental kick from Lamatomon caught him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Falling back in the water, he too found himself suddenly struggling to stay afloat. Just as Lamatomon started to drown, Jess managed to reach them and force the digimon’s head above water.

 

            “Food!” yelled Octimon wrapping a tentacle around one of Jess’s ankles and hoisting her upside down into the air. Jess screamed and began pounding at the monster with her fists. Every time she managed to hit the thing, her hand just sunk into his skin, and he hardly seemed to notice.

 

            “Static Charge!” yelled the Lectromon launching microscopic dust particles at one of the octopus’s watery eyes. Just as they made contact they exploded into a blinding flash of light. The monster roared in pain and squeezed Jess a little tighter. The girl squealed cuff of her jeans was ripped to shreds, and the tiny teeth cut welts into her ankle. Sparks of fury blazed in Lectromon’s eyes as she called, “Lectromon digivolve to…..Tricitymon!”

 

            The little digimon became a huge fushia cat like creature with golden wings, spiky fur, and gold spikes protruding from her head. She also had a long zig-zag scorpion tail ending in a deadly looking blade. She quickly cut off the tentacle holding Jess with a flick of her tail blade. Jess dropped, sputtering and crying, into the water once again. Flying is wild loops in order to avoid the long tentacles; the tip of Tricitymon’s tail began to glow. Soon it was too bright to look at. In one rapid movement she pulled in back and whipped it over her head shouting, “Lightning Strike!” A golden electric ray shot out and hit the Octimon directly between the eyes. The octopus gave one last cry of “Hungry!” before exploding into a million digital components. By this time, Osomon had managed to pull Tim, Lamatomon, and Jess from the water and on to her back.

 

            “I did it!!” screamed Tricitymon in a voice that was perhaps even higher pitched and annoying than Lectromon's. Flying down toward Osomon, she dedigivolved just in time, and landed lightly upon her back.

 

            “You digivolved and won the battle!” cried Jess hugging her digimon gratefully, “I’m so proud of you!”

 

            “I needed a bath anyway,” muttered Tim wringing out his soaking wet hat. Chortling a little, Osomon paddled the tired and wet group to shore. When they reached the narrow rocky beach Tim helped Jess of Osomon’s back. Carefully, Jess tried to take a step forward, but winced as she put weight on the ankle that Octimon had been hanging her from. She was forced to lean against a large nearby wall for support.

 

            “Guys,” she said sitting down, “I don’t think I can walk too well. Could we rest here for a while?”

 

            “Sure,” agreed Lizzie gingerly examining her arm, as Osomon became Emulnomon again. There was a row of red spots where she had been hit by the tentacle, and she could see similar marks of Jess’s ankle only worse. Tim looked curiously at the wall that Jess had been leaning against. There seemed to be some kind of symbol engraved in it. He jumped back in shock when it suddenly shrank and fitted it self inside his tag.

 

            “What the?” he asked examining it.

 

            “Ah!” exclaimed Lamatomon trotting over, “You found the crest of responsibility!”

 

            “That’s fantastic!” cried Jess clapping her hands, “We must really be making progress”

 

            “I guess so,” said Tim smiling. Privately though, he was doubtful. Responsibility had not always been his strongest suit.

 

*   *   *

            “Come on!” shouted Joe pounding on his horn, “This traffic is ridiculous!”

 

            “I highly suspect that people are driving to the stores to stock up on food and water Joe,” said Izzy, “Perhaps we should get out and walk”

 

            “Walk!? And leave my car behind?” cried Joe clutching at the steering wheel protectively, “But this is my favorite car!”

 

            “You have other vehicles?” asked Izzy.

 

            “Well sure,” said Joe naming them off on his fingers, “There’s the airo276 and my old Keylacentury and then the Piniondugaree and the truck” Izzy sweat dropped and stared at Joe.

 

            “Would you rather sit here in traffic and wait for the world to end or loose one of your many cars?” asked Izzy.

 

            Joe gulped, “I can buy another car just like this”

 

*   *   *

 

            “How fast….can….that girl….run?” puffed Rab as he jogged along the trail. Coro gritted his teeth and tried to forget about his painful side ache. “I was supposed to take care of her,” he thought mentally slapping himself.

 

            “Hey!” exclaimed Quantomon who was galloping easily at his side, “Maybe she went into that building”

 

            Indeed, up ahead was a high circular wall enclosing an area about the size of a soccer field. It was lit up by lights around the edge and shining directly into it from tall polls.

 

            “Looks like some kind of a coliseum or arena or something,” said Coro slowing his pace.

 

            “Well, don’t just gawk at it. Lets go in,” said Penquimon pushing Rab toward the building.           

           

            “Watch it!” Rab said angrily, but heading for the building a little faster never the less.

 

            With some effort the boys forced open the heave double doors. Booming loudly, the doors slammed shut behind them. This broke the eerie stillness of the enclosure. Rab grabbed one of the handles and tugged on it.

 

            “Locked,” he said darkly. Inside, the arena was just a completely flat earthen floor surrounded by the wall on all sides. The floor had a rectangle marked by glowing paint encompassing most of. In the very corner, a figure stepped from the shadows. The creature or person, it was hard to tell, was wrapped completely in black fabric except for a small slit for its piercing red eyes. It bowed to the humans and their digimon, and spoke in a low raspy voice.

 

            “I am Amurninjmon. You have come to challenge me?”

 

            “No,” said Coro slightly taken aback by the unnerving digimon, “We were just looking for our friend. She’s a little girl named Dema. Have ya seen her?”

 

            “I have not,” Amurninjmon replied. It studied them with its intense eyes for several minutes. The kids and digimon fidgeted awkwardly in the silence. Finally Quantomon spoke up.

 

            “Um. We seem to have locked ourselves in. Do you have a key to the doors?”

 

            “Yes,” it answered holding up the key from some fold in its robes, “You may have it if you fight me and win”

 

            Quantomon nudged Coro, “I’ve heard of Amurninjmon. He is not a virus, he just loves to fight. I think he really would let us out if we fought him and won, but he is pretty strong. I’m not sure that we would beat him”

 

            “We won’t know until we try it,” said Coro taking a step toward the black clad figure, “We challenge you to a battle!”

 

            “Very well!” shouted Amurninjmon jumping forward with a swish of fabric. His voice sounded louder, “The rules are this: first one to be pushed out of the rectangle or who leaves by their own accord looses. Everyone against myself. All else is fair. Begin match!”

 

            With that he drew a shining silver sword from somewhere near his back and charged at the group. Everyone shouted and scattered except for Penquimon who met the swirling blade with a horn. The pair of digimon made contact and separated. Soon they were in a kind of a duel, but unknown to him, Penquimon was being pushed closer and closer to the edge of the line. With a cry, Rab threw himself upon Amurninjmon’s back, pulling him to the ground and giving Penquimon time to skirt away from the line. Amurninjmon gave a blood curdling cry and hurled Rab across the arena. Sword swinging, he ran toward the fallen Rab who screamed. Just before the blade made contact..

 

            “Flutterbe Flash!!” Out of nowhere, a brilliant beam of energy flew out of the sky and hit Amurninjmon full in the chest. He fell back with an oof. Rab jumped to his feet, shouting obscenities at his opponent even as he did so.

 

            “It’s Dema!” shouted Coro pointing toward the sky. There flew a glorious butterfly with Dema perched on it’s back waving at her friends.

 

            “Wait Dema!” cried Penquimon as the girl circled, “Don’t leave the ring or you won’t be able to help us!” But it was too late. As soon as the great butterfly left the boundaries there seemed to become an invisible wall around the stadium. Every time Flutterbemon tried to cross it she bounced back. Waving her antenna apologetically, she came in for a landing out side to wait. But Rab had his own problems, like the fact that Amurninjmon had just tackled his and thrown him out of the ring.

 

            “Why that was a trick you mother @#$%er!” he screamed stomping up and down on the dirt.

 

            “Ya!” shouted Penquimon thrusting with his horns. Amurninjmon was so caught off guard, that he allowed the silver sword to go flying from his hands, or at least everyone assumed they were hands. The weapon flew from the air and landed with a clash out side the ring.

 

            “Go Penquimon!” cheered Coro, “Now he can’t attack us”

 

            Wrongo Coro. “Night Fall!” shouted Amurninjmon. Great folds of cloth from his cloak flew out to completely envelop Penquimon. Stumbling blindly, he accidentally stepped out of the ring, and that was that for him.

           

            “Looks like it’s up to us now Quantomon,” said Coro crouching.

 

            “Crimson Ray!” yelled Quantomon sending out his scarlet beam. Amurninjmon swept his great cloak around himself, and the attack bounced off. In fact, it was heading right for Coro who was too surprised to react in time.

 

            “Quantomon digivolve to……Tristomon!”

 

            Quantomon grew tremendously in size. His three skinny tails grew into one, and blue and black spikes sprouted along his back from the crest on his head to the tip of his tail. The great dinosaur snapped his tail around to knock the beam harmlessly away from Coro.

 

            “Time warp!” he shouted levitating a blue hazy smoke to envelop Amurninjmon. From within the smoke Amurninjmon had ceased moving.

 

            “All right!” cried Coro realizing what had happened, “He’s frozen in time!”

 

            Quickly Tristomon pushed Amurninjmon out of the arena. In a minute the attack wore off and he sprang to his feet, ready to fight, only to find that he had already lost. The ninja digimon looked with new respect at his opponents and bowed deeply removing the key and tossing it to Coro. Shouting victoriously, he pulled open the door and exited along with Rab, Penquimon, and Quantomon who had had to dedigivolve to fit through the door. Outside, Dema and the butterfly were waiting for them.

 

            “What the hell is that thing?” asked Rab.

 

            “It’s my digimon digivolved,” said Dema stepping behind the great insect, “Show him Flutterbemon” Flutterbemon nodded and dedigivolved back to Kappymon.

 

            “That’s cool Dema,” said Coro snickering, “My digimon digivolved again too. I guess Rab’s is the only one who hasn’t”

 

            “Shut up!” shouted Rab glaring a Penquimon, “It’s not my fault I got the weak digimon” Penquimon’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything.

           

            “Why did you guys abandon us!” Kappymon cried looking at the boys accusingly.

 

            “We didn’t mean too. We’re sorry,” said Quantomon in apology, “RIGHT guys”

 

            Coro and Penquimon nodded in agreement, but Rab was already foraging down the trail.

 

            “Never mind him,” sighed Penquimon, “What happened to your tag Dema, it looks different” Inside Dema’s tag was some sort of stone with a symbol on it.

 

            “Hey! That’s the crest of faith!” cried Quantomon, “You must have come across it in the night and not even noticed it!” Dema examined her new crest and smiled shyly.

 

*   *   *

            Before the meal was over, Tai stood up and the table and banged his spoon on a glass.

            “Boy, I’ve always wanted to do that,” he said, “But I have an announcement to make too”

 

            “Are you pregnant Tai?” asked Matt smirking.

 

            “No,” answered Tai not getting it, “What I wanted to say was that Sora’s and mine’s kids somehow got transported to the to the digiworld, and we think that the virus is involved, and we want you guys to help us get back to the digiworld and rescue them”

 

            “Ha ha ha!” laughed Takeru, “That’s really funny Tai! What a story! Ha ha ha!” Kari shot her husband a look, “You don’t usually lie Tai,” she said with concern in her voice, “Are Coro and Lizzie really in the digiworld?”

 

            “Yeah!” exclaimed Tai indignantly, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!”

 

            “Shit,” said Matt probably speaking for all of them.