Chapter 6: All We Can Do Is Try It

 

          “I can’t believe how far you guys have come already,” said Shinobi appreciatively.

 

            “Yeah! It’s great isn’t it?” cried Jess. The group had spent a full day resting by the stream, and everyone was feeling refreshed and in high spirits. This was added to by the sincere and flattering Shinobi.

 

            “I just love forests,” sighed Emulnomon.

 

            “Especially the ones with trees!” put in Lectromon. Jess stifled a giggle.

 

            “Whoa!” yelled Rab stumbling in his tracks. Everyone turned around to see a near blinding glow coming from his chest. Rab grabbed his tag from around his neck and held it at arms length, eyeing it like it might explode at any moment.

 

            “Is that thing defective or something?” asked Tim eyeing it suspiciously, “Maybe we should return it and get our money back”

 

            Shinobi laughed her warn laugh, “That just means your crest is near by Rab”

 

            “I knew that,” said Rab rather haughtily stuffing the tag into his pocked. Penquimon snorted.

 

            “Let’s go!” exclaimed Jess fairly bouncing through the forest, “If we find the crests we can help those poor little digimon back at that cave!”

 

*   *   *

 

            The mall was practically deserted when Joe and Izzy pushed open the door.

 

            “Wow, I hope Mimi is actually present at this time,” said Izzy with concern.

 

            “We didn’t loose my car for nothing,” said Joe as he trudged past racks of computer watches and the occasional nervous person rushing to get out side, clutching shopping bags.

 

            “There, is that the store?” asked Izzy pointing to an outlet full of platform shoes and overwhelming amounts of the color pink.

           

            “It must be,” grimaced Joe, shielding his eyes with his arm.

 

            Deep within the reaches of the store sat a beautiful woman in a tight strapless dress of, (surprise surprise) pink, numerous glittering bracelets, and perfectly manicured nails.

 

            “Mimi!?” exclaimed Joe.

 

            “Oh!” she cried looking up at the men, “Have you come for autographs or fashion advice? It looks like you could use some!” she added with faint distaste.

 

            “No, Mimi,” put in Izzy, “See we..”

 

            “It’s surprising, almost no one has come in to see me,” interrupted Mimi handing Joe and Izzy autographed pictures of herself, “A big time fashion designer like me too. I just don’t know what’s wrong!”

 

            “Well, there’s a computer virus kind of wrecking havoc,” explained Joe, “But the reason we came here is..”

 

            “Oh is that it?” said Mimi, “I was wondering why my cash register kept flashing Fresh Potato Bears Now 2456% Off”

 

            “MIMI!!” screamed Joe shoving his digivice into her face. Her large brown eyes widened.

 

            “A….A….di di digi,” she stuttered, “Izzy? Joe?”

 

            “Did you miss us?” asked Joe.

 

            “Wow! It’s just great to see you guys!” exclaimed Mimi throwing her arms around their necks. Joe and Izzy made slight gagging sounds. “Since you’re me friends you can have those photographs for free!”

 

            “That is not exactly what we are here for,” said Izzy looking uncomfortable. Mimi’s eyes narrowed as she glanced from Joe to Izzy, noticing for the first time that they were both wearing digivices, and seeing the outlines of tags under their clothes.

 

            “It’s the digiworld,” began Joe. He was cut short by a high-pitched scream from Mimi who had shoved her fingers into her ears.

 

            “No!! I’m not going back to that awful digiworld with you!!!” she shrieked.

 

            “Mimi! You have to! Even I’m going!” protested Joe shouting in some attempt to be heard.

 

            “All that fighting and destroying!? No! Never again!”

 

            “What if Palmon is being put in a precarious situation?’ shouted Izzy.

 

            “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!….Palmon?”

            “Yeah, and the computer virus is coming from there, and the only way we can stop it is to go!” yelled Joe in the brief space that Mimi paused for breath. To his surprise she stopped screaming, and large pearly tears were running down her cheeks.

 

“All right,” she finally whispered straightening herself up, “I’ll go…for Palmon”

 

*   *   *

 

            “Look!” exclaimed Jess, “Rab’s tag is glowing brighter. We must be almost there!”

 

            “Correct,” came a hollow metallic voice, “However, you will never reach there. Grenade Launch”

 

            From somewhere within the trees thousands of little bombs came raining down on the group. Everyone scattered, throwing themselves to the ground to avoid injury. When the dust cleared a digimon moved into the clearing. It seemed to be made of bits and pieces of metal that had been fused together and sloppily painted greenish brown. Cannon pipes stuck out of it every which way, and there was a large red button on it’s back.

 

            “It’s Tankmon,” said Emulnomon, “He’s completely made of metal, but that button on his back will make his self destruct”

 

            “Grenade Launch” he said again in his monotone voice.

 

            Coro screamed as he took a hit to the shoulder. Everyone ducked behind a ledge, which served as a shield from the rain of grenades.

 

            “Quantomon digivolve to Tristomon!” shouted Coro’s digimon, “Y2K!!”

 

            Streams of digital components flew out to bombard Tankmon, but they bounced harmlessly off of him.

 

            “That is ineffective,” said Tankmon, “Grenade launch” With his enormous bulk Tristomon was unable to avoid the grenades. They struck him numerous times in the side, and he dedigivolved back to Quantomon.

 

            “Somebody’s got to push that self destruct button!” shouted Lizzie.

 

            “I’ll do it” said Coro bravely starting to stand up.

 

            “No!” cried Shinobi pulling him back, “You’re injured”

 

            “I’ll go then,” said Jess, “I’m probably the fastest anyways”

 

            “My crest!” shouted Rab noticing a glimmer in the distance, “You guys do what you want, I’m going to go get it!”

 

            “Wait! You’ll be killed you fool!” shouted Penquimon hurtling after him.

 

            “Let’s go Lectromon…digivolve!” Tricitymon and Jess went sprinting off behind Rab and Penquimon.

 

            “Oh! Be careful!” called Dema. Tricitymon tried to distract Tankmon as Jess wove around behind him. All of the digimon’s attacks were doing nothing, but she was swift enough to avoid Tankmon’s. Everything was going well until he noticed Rab, and scooped him up between two tank arms, nearly crushing him. Rab struggled and cursed venomously, but to little or no effect.

 

            “Penquimon digivolve to….Polarfreezemon!” came Rab’s digimon’s cry. Polarfreezemon launched his icicle attack at the tank, only to have them bounce off harmlessly.

 

            “Watch it you big oaf!” yelled Rab twisting his head around to avoid a deflected icicle, “You are going to impale me!”

 

            Tankmon swung one of his huge cannons around, striking Polarfreezemon in the stomach. The digimon fell over and dedigivolved back to Penquimon.

 

            “Don’t attack! You might hurt Rab” gasped Penquimon. Tricitymon steered off and began circling in frustration.

 

            “This guy is too strong!” wailed Dema, “We can’t beat him!”

 

            “Affirmative,” Tankmon replied forcing his arms a little bit closer together. Rab screamed and kicked his legs violently, earning himself a stubbed toe.

 

            “You’re not quite indestructible!” said Jess triumphantly, “Don’t move or I push the button” Her hand was poised over the large red dot!

 

            “If you push it my self destruct sequence will destroy your friend,” said Tankmon completely void of concern or any other emotion for that matter.

 

            It was a stand off. The only sounds were the ragged gasps of Rab trying to breath with his half crushed lungs and the sound of Tricitymon pacing back and forth. Finally Shinobi’s voice broke the silence.

 

            “Jess, listen to me. If you push the button there will be a time delay until Tankmon explodes. We could all get away. All except for Rab that is,” Dema looked at Shinobi is horror, but even she could see that it was better for some of them to escape than none.

 

            Meanwhile, Jess’s mind was racing. Rab had never exactly been nice to her. In fact, he had called her a hyperactive annoying b$^!# on their very first day in the digiworld. Her fingers quivered over the button. Jess looked at the other digidestined and digimon’s solemn faces all staring at her. Then she glanced at Rab and Penquimon their faces wearing identical terrified expressions, their eyes silently pleading with her.

 

            “I can’t do it!” she cried finally, pulling away from Tankmon, “Even if I don’t like Rab, he’s a person with a life, and feelings too. I can’t be responsible for taking his life” she was crying now, “I’m so sorry guys, but I just can’t” As she said this her crest began to glow brilliantly. Tricitymon suddenly perked up.

 

            “The power from your crest!” she squealed, “I can digivolve again! Tricitymon digivolve to….Magnatricitymon!” Author’s note: instead of written descriptions of the ultimate digimon, I will be including a link to a picture of them. Ok. Back to the story!       http://www.geocities.com/celestia414/magna.html

 

            Rushing forward, the huge winged digimon forced Tankmon’s cannons apart with her arms, headless of the grenades hitting her at point blank range. Rab sprawled on the ground with his eyes closed. Launching into the air, Jess’s newly digivolved digimon brought her arms up; crossed over her head.

 

            “Gigawatt…” she started. A ball of crackling energy formed between her hands.

 

            “Error. Attacks ineffective,” said Tankmon swiveling back and forth.

 

            “CHAIN!!!” Magnatricitymon screamed, pulling her arms apart. Golden chains of humming electricity shot out of the central ball, wrapping and enveloping Tankmon. After several seconds of this he was reduced to nothing more than charred digital dust. Magnatricitymon dedigivolved all the way back to Voltomon, and fell to the ground.

 

            “Voltomon!” cried Jess cradling the little purple digimon in her arms and doing her best to ignore the golden spikes poking at her skin.

 

            “It was the power of your crest,” squeaked Voltomon with half closed eyes, “You saved us all”

 

            Everyone reached Jess, all talking excitedly.

 

            “That was incredible,” said Lizzie.

 

            “Hey!” exclaimed Tim, “Jess’s digimon is being quiet! Now that’s what I call incredible”

 

            “Don’t talk about Voltomon like that,” said Jess hoisting her digimon high over her head, “She’s a hero!”

            “That she is,” said Shinobi beaming at Jess.

 

            “What about Mr.Rab?” asked Dema her eyes darting around anxiously.

 

            “Over there,” laughed Coro pointing to where Rab was laying unconscious with Penquimon standing over him. Penquimon was frowning deeply.

 

            “Hey! He got his crest sometime during all of that!” exclaimed Kappymon, “You should be happy Penquimon”

 

            Quantomon looked over and laughed, “I know why he’s not happy. He won’t be reaching his ultimate stage any time soon”

 

            “Why not?” asked Lizzie curiously.

 

            “Because,” chortled Lamatomon, “That’s the crest of teamwork!”

 

*   *   *

 

            “What now Tai?” asked T.K. with deep concern in his voice. He wrapped his arm around his wife protectively.

 

            “What do you think!?” yelled Tai, “We all have to go to the digiworld and rescue Lizzie and Coro!”

 

            “Tai!” shouted Matt, “Calm down! There’s no reason to yell at T.K.!”

 

            “It’s Takeru,” said T.K. looking at Matt defiantly.

 

            “Whatever,” said Matt brushing him off.

 

            “But how are we going to get back to the digiworld Tai?” asked Kari.

 

            “I…I…I haven’t quite figured that out yet,” admitted Tai.

 

            “But there just has to be a way,” said Sora, mostly to reassure herself. At that moment the lights went out entirely.

 

            “Oh great!” shouted Tai’s voice, “How are we supposed to figure anything out when it’s dark in here!?”

 

            Matt calmly walked over to the window and pulled open the blinds. The lazy 7:30 sun shone into the apartment. Tai blushed and sat down. Suddenly, five digivices began beeping simultaneously. Sora took hers out while Tai fumbled around for his. Three glowing dots blinked back at her.

 

            “Wow” said Takeru looking at his. It must be Izzy, Joe, and Mimi”

 

            “We haven’t seen them in a while,” said Sora smiling.

 

            “If our digivices can detect them in this world they have to be near by,” said Matt.

 

            “I wonder if Izzy could figure out a way to get us back to the digiworld?’ asked Kari.

 

            “Of course!” shouted Takeru, “He was always so good with computers”

 

            “Then what are we waiting for?” asked Tai, “Let’s go!”

 

*  *  *

 

            “Ah, this is the life,” Tim sighed as he and Lamatomon sprawled out on a large sun baked rock and closed their eyes.

 

            “Yeah! Who knew the digiworld could be so fun?” agreed Jess as she raced the other digimon up and down trees. Coro looked around impatiently and kicked at a rock.

 

            “Guys?” he said questioningly, “We’ve been here all morning. Shouldn’t we get go’in?”

 

            “Leave us alone, or I won’t leave you alone,” snapped Rab, who had been especially touché lately due to the large tender bruises that had sprung up where Tankmon had squeezed him.

 

            “Coro, can I talk to you?” asked Shinobi with her sweetest voice. Coro turned around, startled that he hadn’t known that she had been watching him.

 

            “Um…heh heh,” Coro stuttered looking into her bewitching violet eyes, “Sure”

 

            “Well,” she started smiling at him in a way that made his knees feel like rubber, “That is the crest of leadership that you carry right?”

 

            “Uh huh,” Coro nodded dumbly.

 

            “I was just thinking that you should take,” Shinobi pursed her lips as if considering, “A stronger leadership role”

 

            Coro blinked and glanced over at his sister and Dema who were playing hide and seek.

 

            “You’re right!” he exclaimed, “How are we ever supposed to save the digiworld if we just hand out all day? Thanks Shinobi!”

 

            “My pleasure,” said the girl.

 

            Coro marched into the center of the clearing and cupped his hands over his mouth.

 

            “Attention Digidestined and Digimon!” he shouted as loudly as he could, “Gather up your stuff and move out! We’re leaving!”

 

            “Chill out man,” said Tim rubbing his ears, “I’m too young to be deaf!”

 

            “Tim, I am the leader of this group, and I demand respect! Now get in line!” Coro snapped in response.

 

            “Whatever you say…..sir” laughed Tim falling into line behind Jess and Lectromon. They were having fits of giggles over the whole thing.

 

            “Move out!” yelled Coro.

 

            “Yes sir,” said Shinobi winking at him cheerfully.

 

            After three days of solid marching, Jess and Lectromon weren’t laughing anymore. They had fallen into a stony silence, like most of the group, too tired to speak. Lizzie and Tim were taking turns carrying the near exhausted Dema piggyback, and Rab shuffled along sulkily in the rear. But Shinobi was as lively and cheerful as ever. Coro, driven by her praise and his newly swollen ego, kept pushing them harder and harder.

 

            “That’s it!” screamed Rab collapsing to the ground, “I’m not marching another step”

 

            “We still have five miles to cover today!” announce Coro, “Get up Rab, and that’s an order”

 

            “F^&* you,” growled Rab.

 

            “Fine” said Coro, “We’re better off without you anyway. Resume marching!” He hadn’t walked more than a few steps before he realized that no one was following him. Coro looked back to see the group sitting on the ground, rubbing their sore feet.

 

            “Lizzie!” he exclaimed in shock, “My own sister a mutineer?!”

 

            “Coro,” she said gently, “If you make us all keep going so hard we will all be too tired to fight! Any evil digimon could destroy us easily!”

 

            “I’m the leader and you all have to do what I say!” bellowed Coro frantically, “Now MARCH!!”

 

            “I don’t wanna!!” cried Dema bursting into tears. Jess shot Coro a venomous look.

 

            “Why don’t you go lead yourself hot shot?” said Rab cockily. Coro turned on his heel and walked away in a huff. Quantomon stopped eating and dashed into the trees after him. They walked a while in silence before Coro finally turned on his digimon.

           

            “What do you want?” he asked.

 

            “I’m your digimon,” said Quantomon cautiously, “But I am also your friend, and friends don’t desert their friends,”

 

            “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re implying,” said Coro glaring at Quantomon.

 

            “If you don’t go back there and apologize I know you’ll regret it Coro,” said Quantomon looking hurt.

 

            Coro’s gaze softened slightly, “But how will I make my crest glow if I don’t act like a leader?”

 

            “There’s a difference between a leader and a dictator,” replied Quantomon, “If you would just..”

 

            Quantomon was interrupted by the sound of cackling laughter coming from the clearing where they had left the rest of the group.

 

            “Oh no!” he yelled pulling Coro in that direction, “We’ve got trouble”

 

            The partners burst into the clearing expecting to see a scene of absolute mayhem. Instead, the glade was filled with the peaceful sound of gentle snoring. Their friends and the digimon where all slumped over on the ground, sleeping like babies.

 

            “Don’t worry honey,” came the voice of a digimon who was hovering over the glade, “They’re just taking a well deserved nap”

 

            “I know that digimon,” said Quantomon worriedly, “It’s Sandwomon. She can put you to sleep and keep you that way permanently!”

 

            Sandwomon looked like a gorgeous petite young lady. She wore a tight navy blue dress covered with stars, and her ebony hair lustrous hair fell loose around her face. Unfortunately she had reptilian wings protruding from her shoulders that marred her perfect body. A short staff with strange pieces of metal protruding from it was held in her hand.

 

            “Quantomon digivolve to….Tristomon!”

 

            The large dinosaur swung its tail around to nearly decapitate Sandwomon, but she flew out of the way just in time.

 

            “Bed bugs!” yelled Sandwomon. Clouds of tiny black insects appeared out of nowhere. They flew up around Tristomon, biting him all over. He roared in pain, and thrashed around, somehow managing to drive away most of the swarm. Sandwomon laughed at his plight. It was an ugly sound coming from her lovely face that made Coro’s skin crawl.

 

            “Come on Tristomon! Fight harder!” he shouted, “Hurry up and attack!”

 

            “Stop ordering me around!” Tristomon bellowed swinging his head around to face Coro. Sandwomon instantly took advantage of his distraction.

 

            “Sands of Sleep!” she screamed. Fine sand flew from the metal points on her wand to settle on Tristomon’s back. The gigantic dinosaur digimon blinked sleepily. Then his legs buckled beneath him, and he fell to the ground, sound asleep. Coro watched in horror.

 

            “This is all my fault!” he realized.

 

            “I think it’s time for your nap dearie,” said Sandwomon aiming her wand at him.

 

            “I  shouldn’t have gotten so caught up in my own power. I should have listened to everyone else….” thought Coro. All at once his crest began to glow, and a miracle occurred. Tristomon rose to his feet yawning widely and proclaimed, “Tristomon digivolve to…..Cronosmon!”  http://www.geocities.com/celestia414/cronos.html

 

            Sandwomon looked startled, “Bed Bugs!” she hissed.

 

            “Time shield!” boomed Cronosmon. The air around him glowed with red energy as the bugs were incinerated.

 

            “Sands of aaaaa!” shrieked Sandwomon as her wand was knocked out of her hand by one mighty swing of one of Cronosmon’s maces.

 

            “Crono Force!” he shouted. A thick scarlet beam shot out of each of his mace blades, and despite her agility, one struck Sandwomon ending her digilife forever. Immediately, the others woke up. Dema had time to view Cronosmon and scream before he dedigivolve back to Prehimon.

 

            Tim rubbed his head and raised an eyebrow at Coro, “Did we miss something?”