A bright light formed on the screen of the four
devices. It stayed, suspended and bubble-like, for a
few moments before becoming a beam of light, hitting
the nearest electronic device.

***

Allana jumped as the light hit the screen of her new
iMac. But as soon as the initial shock subsided, she
was curious. “Wicked…” She whispered, as a program
opened on the previously frozen screen. “What is
this?” Clutching the device in the palm of her hand,
she touched the screen of the computer. At first it
was jell-o like, then it became an odd, gooey liquid.
She tripped over a barbell in front of her desk and
went headfirst into the substance.

***

Tempest touched the light, thoughtful, before the beam
headed straight for his television set. Kismet’s face
appeared, cocked dog-like in merriment at the
surprised look on the boy’s face. “At the risk of
turning the words around from some movie from the era
I was made in, head towards the light.” The voice came
over the other devices also. 
Tempest was frozen to the spot, but instinct betrayed
him and he went over to the television, intrigued at
the prospect of what he believed was a bizarre
light-trick and too little sleep. He touched the
screen gently, then pushed a hand through as he
realized the “screen” was water in suspended
animation. He put the arm holding the device through,
then his legs, and, finally, his head.  

***
Kassidy blinked as the light formed about the small
screen and bubbled out.  After a moment it became a
beam and hit the computer screen on the desk in front
of her.  She glanced around; the office was quiet
because it was a Saturday.  What would someone think
if they saw this anyway..? She wondered.  She stood
and glanced toward the monitor and walked over
tentively touching the screen.  It felt solid yet
gooey for a moment and then her hand passed easily
through it.  Kassidy gasped and swore softly in
Japanese.  She gazed toward her dad's office,
wondering if this was just a dream.  She shook her
head.  She had to see what was going on.  Wanted to
know what a Crest Bearer was.  With her free hand she
drew out the papers for her dad and dropped them on
the desk.  She fixed her bag and drew in a breath.
With that she plunged the other hand through the
screen and slowly climbed in, leaving the office
behind.
***
Waya gently closed the front door shut.  It was a
crisp night for summer, but she did live in the
mountains, after all.  Her DTU was stuffed into the
pocket of her sweatshirt-like jacket and she started
walking down the driveway.  Here and there were street
lights, adding light to the darkness of the forest at
night.  Warmth began to spread from the pocket in
which Waya put the DTU.  Curious, she pulled it out.
A bright light engulfed the entire screen and then
shot off, like a beam, to the nearest street light.
The ground underneath this light turned maroon with
the light's now maroon light.  Waya raised an eyebrow.

I suppose this has something to do with this
thing. she thought.  She felt compelled to stand
in the light and since her intuition was never wrong,
she went under the light.

The maroon softened to a pale color and she heard a
faint 'Beam me up, Scotty!' before she was pulled into
the light above.

It was like nothing she'd ever felt before.  There
were charges of electricity all around her, some
reaching out to shock her, only to fall short, no
matter how close they got.

“I don't think I'll forget this feeling anytime soon."
she whispered to herself.

***

Tempest landed on his back. The ground under him was
hard; cold. His DTU clattered onto the ground next to
him, along with something that sounded faintly wooden.
He had started to move, when something large landed on
him with a slight “oof.” He blinked; he was looking
into a mass of hazel and black. Allana jumped lightly
and off of Tempest. “I’m so sorry!” She said, smiling
lightly at him in good humor.
“I bet.” Tempest replied sarcastically. Allana frowned
at him; she didn’t like his attitude at all, and she
could tell he already didn’t like her.
“What’s wrong?” She asked soothingly.
“Have you always been this moronic or is this a new
improvement?” He snapped in reply. The younger girl
looked at him, wary, as he glared at her, green eyes
piercing.
***
Kassidy felt herself falling and before she knew it
she landed hard on
her
butt between Allana and Tempest.  Something fell with
a metal clank ext
to
her, but she didn't notice as she stood and rubbed her
bottom with a
wince.
She started muttering softly in Japanese and glanced
bout.  She noticed
the
two and stepped back from between them.  The boy, who
looked about her
age
was glaring at the younger girl.
"What is going on?" She asked quietly, still gazing
between the two.
She
held her DTU tightly in her hand and her bag was still
swung across her
shoulder.  Possibly this was a dream?  She had climbed
through a
computer
screen??

***
Waya looked at the three others who were in this
place.  She had
fallen,
like the rest, but she landed in a cat-like crouched
position,
something she
had gained from years of jumping out of trees.  Two of
the others, a
boy and
a girl, seemed to be at some kind of odds.

"It's not going to do us any good if we've got to work
together and
some of
us are fighting over stupid things like wolves
fighting over
territory!" she
said, as if it were something obvious, which to her,
it was.

Waya looked at her DTU and brushed some dust off it.
The light that
had
been coming from it before was gone now.  She shook it
and all it did
was
beep.

"Weird..."

***

Tempest gave a sigh of disgust and turned away from
Allana. "Have you always been this rude, or did that
fall jar your brain?" Allana whispered, slightly on
the brink of tears.
Tempest whirled around, and grabbed the wooden katana
on the ground next to him. He pointed it at her. She
easily grabbed it away from him, and threw him over
her shoulders. As he moaned, getting up, the younger
girl smiled at the elder two. "Hiya! I'm Allana Riona!
Who're you?"
***
Kassidy silently watched in surprise as Allana easily threw Tempest over
her shoulder.  She blinked as the cheerful younger girl turned to herself
and the other girl that had appeared just after her.
"Hi Allana." Kassidy said, almost shyly.  "I'm Kassidy Tala.  Any idea
where or what this place is?"  She glanced at the DTU in her hand and
realized she had half-fingered gloves on.  And that the rest of her
clothing had changed as well.  "Weird." She muttered softly.  She looked
toward Tempest.  "Do you have a name, or are we going to have to guess it?"
She questioned.


***

Cichy was in the privacy of her own bedroom since
 she
  had told her
 grandmother she was going to take a nap. Fluffy
  again
 looked down at
 the
 egg and squeaked. Cichy was now holding Serena in
  one
 arm as she
  picked up
 the egg and sea foam green aura over took the room.
 Astonished by this
 Cichy walked over and said
 
 "What is this?" in polish before pushing her hand
 straight through her
 stereo. As she did so she stepped in believeing it
 was a dream and
 took
 Serena with her. Before she knew it she was
 plummeting at great speed
  in
 some kind of travel system and landed in front of
 four people. She
 looked
 up as she held Serena closer
 
 "Where the heck am I?" she shouted
 
 ~*~
 Waya giggled at Allana's throwing Tempest over her
  shoulder. She
  noticed
 that her outfit felt different that it did before.
  It
  felt more, well,
 natural. She looked down and ran her hand over her
 pants.
 
 "Deer skin..." she breathed. Waya then noticed the
  weight of a quiver
  of
 arrows on her back and the feel of a long bow in
 the
  same place. She
  smiled
 and took it off her back, running her hand along
 the
  dark wood.
 
 "It's mahogany. Cool." She drew an arrow from her
 quiver, nocked it
  and
 pointed, only to have it point at a girl with a
 tiger
  cub. The girl
  shouted
 'Where the heck am I?'
 
 "I believe that you're in the same place we
 are." Waya answered.
***

Tempest rubbed his shoulder gingerly. "You're a...a
girl? And a little girl none the less."
"What's your point?" Allana asked, cocking her head in
a puppy-dog style. 
Tempest gave an exuberant sigh and looked the girl up
and down, re-evaluating her. "I've never seen someone
do that before...And I'm a black belt in Judo." He
shook his head, then glared at her again. "But that
still doesn't change my feelings towards you. And yes,
Kassidy," he turned his green eyes on the girls his
age. "I do have an age. Tempest Yves, if you really
must know." He brushed his bare arms off. 

 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Cichy stood up as she looked at Serena to make sure
  she was ok then
  looked
 at the others.
 "Well I could have figured that out myself. Where
  exactly is this
  place?"
 she asked more calmly now. She looked at her own
  outfit which was a
  usual
 pair of jeans and
 sneakers but her top was a little more elegant and
  she wore a belt
  with a
 light weight sword. 'What is the purpose of a
  weapon?' she thought to
 herself then looked back up at Waya.
 "Oh I am Cichy Roder!" She said to everyone smiling
 ~**~
 Kassidy glanced at Cichy.
 "We got here only a short time before you did. We
  haven't figured out
 anything yet." She remembered that when she had
  fallen something had
  fallen
 with her and she now glanced to the ground beside
  her
 and picked up
  the
 short metal pole. It was fairly light in weight and
  had a very long
  thin
 wire attached to it.
 
 "A garrote?" She questioned softly. She gazed to
  the
  others. "Where
  are you
 all from?" She asked.
***
Waya smiled slightly at Kassidy.
"I'm from Athens, West Virginia." she said. "It's a
 really nice small
 town
up in the Appalacian Mountains. We live in the
forest
and it's really
peaceful. I don't think I could stand all the noise
 of the city..."
~~~~
Cichy looked up at Kassidy and then to her garrote.
"Yes I believe that is what that is. I am from
Charleston,North
 Carolina.
Where are you from?" she question awkwardly. Serena
watched all this
 with
her giant tiger eyes
and had a look of confusion. Cichy laughed at her
 little cub as she
 added
on to her earlier comment "Oh if you could please
 call me Chy I prefer
 it
better then my whole
name." she said ma! king a face
***
"I'm Tempest Yves, aged seventeen years, from New
London, Connecticut if it's so important for you to
know." Tempest said, glowering slightly at Allana.
Allana smiled back at him, completely throwing the
aggresive youth off.

"I'm fifteen and I'm from Worcester,
 Massachusetts!"
 She replied to
 Kassidy
happily.

"Well, I'm glad some of you are getting along."
 Kismet said, appearing
 on a
low branch next to the teens.
*******
Chy giggled alittle at Tempest's seriousness as she
 looked to Kismet
 and
nodded.
"Yes but why are we here?" Cichy asked curiously as
 she took another
 sigh
and taking in her surroundings. She held her young
 tiger cub closer.
"Oh I am 16 years old" she added.

**~**
"I'm 17 and I'm from Riverside, California."
Kassidy
said, smiling at
 the
younger girl. Not understanding why Tempest seemed
 to
 be so agressive.
 She
glanced toward the voice of Kismet. It was the same
 woman from when
they
were still sure of where they were;induvidually at
least. Kass nodded
to
Chy's question and added.

"And where is here?"

***

Kismet smiled happily and jumped, landing
gracefully
 between Tempest
 and
Allana. "...wicked." Allana whispered. Kismet
smiled
 at her.

"You're here because you are the Crest Bearers. You
 found the DTUs, or
Digital Tracking Units, and by rebooting it you
 released the data from
inside of it. "You're in the Digital World;
 American
 sector. This
 place was
created almost twenty-four years ago with the ANA
 computer system. You're
first mission as Crest Bearers is to unleash the
 powers of the
crests...and
to get along." She gave a pointed look towards
 Tempest.
"Wicked." Allana said again .
"You say that a lot, don't you?"
**~~**

Kassidy gazed around their surroundings.

"This... Is the Digital world? Cool." She studied
 the
 silver and black
 DTU
she held in her hand. "But if this place was
created
 nearly
 twenty-four ago
why are we here now? What's the problem and why are
 the Crests so
important?" She quizzed of Kismet, clipping the DTU
 to her belt.

~~~
"A digital world huh? Well that is cool. Why are we
chosen though?" Cichy asked looking around more
 closely at their surroundings.

 ***

 Kismet gave a small, secretive smile. "You're here
 now because now is
 when
 the problem is occurring. The firewall surrounding
 the Digital World
 is in
 shambles, and if it isn't fixed, it will destroy
 both
 my world and
 yours.
 The crests were the symbols of what each of the
 sixteen creators
 wished was
 the best trait of the world. As for why you were
 chosen...you found
 the
 DTU. Although anyone could have done it, most
people
 wouldn't have the
 curiosity and adventurous spirit to walk right into

 TV, or trip into
 a
 computer, or get beamed up by a traffic light." She
 smiled again. "Any
 more questions?"

 ~~**~~

 "There are 16 crests, so we can expect that they'll
 be others joining
 us?"
 She asked of Kismet. She glanced to the others. "I
 have the crest of
 Creativity. Which do you guys have?" She! asked
 curiously.

 ***

 "I have the crest of Honour." said Waya, playing

 the fringe on her
 shirt. "My name's Waya, by the way." She smiled.
 "I'm 17."

 Up until then, she'd been listening to the others
 talk, and fight, and
 she
 hadn't given her name or anything. Now, she had
 given
 in and spoken.
 She
 wasn't sure if they wouldn't treat her like deer a
 wolf, though.

 ***

 "Heya Waya!" Chirped Allana. "I've got the crest of
 Innocence...I wonder what the other crests are."
her
 comment was pointedly directed towards Kismet.
 "You've got to find out on your own. To tell the
 truth, I'm not sure anymore."
 Tempest scowled. "You're a nuisance. And I've got
the
 Crest of Valor." He eyed Allana, half expecting her
to
 comment.
 ***
 Cichy looked at Waya and smiled
 "You have a very pretty name Waya. Am I to assume
it
 is a native name?
 Oh I have the crest of Serenity." She then replied.
 Cichy then looked
 at Tempest and shook her head "You really need to
not
 be so protective
  just calm down."
 
  ***
 
  "Thank you for that lovely assessment of my
persona,
  but I...-"
  "He's scared of change; fate." Kismet answered,
  floating slightly above the group, legs crossed and
  chin resting in the palm of her hand. "Let me
guess,
  how did I know?" She asked the dumbfounded Tempest.
  She stuck her tongue out at him. "All your data,
  including personality traits and the like, were
  downloaded into your DTUs, and any of the things
that
 were created with the same html tags that were used
  when making said things."
  "So, now that we're here, this thing has all of our
  data in it? Like a personal computing system?"
Allana
asked. "Wicked! Isn't that wicked cool Tempest?
 Tempest?" Allana looked around her, and her hazel
 eyes
  finally rested on the older boy sitting in on a log
 in
  a patch of sunlight, eyes closed, mouth rapidly
 moving
  to unspoken words. "Um...what's he doing?"
  ~~**~~
 
  "Someone needs to learn manners." Kass muttered,
the
  comment directed at Tempest. She gazed toward
 Kismet.
  "So now that we're here; how are we supposed to go
  about our task? How are we supposed to unleash the
  power of the Crests?" Kassidy turned toward Allana
 as
  she heard her question and followed her gaze to
  Tempest. "Meditating I think...." She drew in a
  breath and smiled slightly. "I say we forget about
  standing around here and look around. What do you
  guys think?" She looked to Waya and Chy.>
  ***
 
  "You unlock your crests by forming a pact with the
  person who has the corresponding crest. Don't ask
 how,
  that's for me to know and for you to find out. Now,
 as
  for going about your task...See those weapons?
Those
  are for you to protect yourselves...And you'll
  also..." She whistled, and a little leprechaun-like
  creature and a monitor lizard-like creature both
ran
  to her side. "You also get your very own personal
  protectors."
  Allana smiled. "Oooohhhh! There so cute!" She
looked
  at the two creatures. "But which one's mine?"
  "Crest Bearer Allana?" Asked the leprechaun.
  "That's me!"
  "I'm your digimon partner. Now please stop
 squealing."
  The leprechaun said, shaking her head.
  "Sorry."
  "It's okay. I'm Lepreconmon." Lepreconmon smiled at
  the young girl and walked over to her, only to be
  grabbed and put into a death-hug by Allana.
 ~~~~
  Cichy smiled at Allana as she looked around at the
 other small
 critters running around as she noticed a tiger cub
and
 knew immediately it had
 to be her Digimon partner.
  IT soon introduced herself "I am Toramon and prefer
 to be called
 Tora. Where is the crest bearer Chy?" It asked.
  Cichy smiled as she walked over and kneeled down
next
 to Toramon
 petting behind her ears as Serena Cichy's tiger cub
 from the real world
 played with Toramon's tail curiously.
 "Ummm Kismet. What am I supposed to do about
Serena?"
 She asked alittle
 worried.
 
 ~~**~~
 Kassidy watched as a few digimon appeared and
watched
 a black and silver puffball.
 "Is the crest bearer Kassidy here?" Kassidy half
 raised a hnad that's me. His eyes lit up and he
 walked over to her, his tail wrapping aro! und her
leg.
 "I'm your digimon Fermon!" He said happily. Kassidy
 grinned and knelt to pet the puffball.
 
 
 ***
 “I’ll take her back to your world.” Kismet said,
 taking the tiger cub and disappearing, with one last
 warning to be wary of other creatures.
 
 Tempest cracked an eye open as he finished his
 meditation in French, only to find the lizard
 meditating next to him. “Who’re you?” Tempest asked
 warily.
 “I’m Macabremon, Crest Bearer Tempest.” The creature
 said, not rupturing its own concentration.
 Tempest smiled. “I like you already.”
 
 “Hey, he can smile!” Allana enthused. She grabbed
her
 spear and teddy-bear sized companion and jumped up.
 “Alright! Once Waya gets her creature, we can go and
 save the world!”
 The comment received glares of disapproval from both
 Macabremon and Tempest.

***

A soft yip came from behind Waya and she spun
around. Sitting behind her
was a young maroon colored coyote with what looked
like dust on it's coat.

"I assume that you are the crest bearer, Waya?" it
asked in a feminine
voice, cocking it's head to the side.

"You would assume correctly." Waya answered.

"Good." it said. "I am Nuwishamon." Waya noticed that
her tail wagged and
that she had a sort of wolf, er, coyoteish grin on her
face.

"Pleased to meet you, Nuwishamon." Waya said wih a
small nod. She turned
back to the others. "Well, I guess I've got my
digimon, now, too."

***
Cichy smiled back at Waya and nodded in agreement
with Allana.
"Alright let's go save the world. But I am sure we
can't do it in a
hurry or we will make many mistakes." She said as she
pulled out her own
light metaled sword and looked at it in awe. Toramon
growled a sigh as
she too got ready to leave.
"Where exactly do we start anyways?" Cichy asked
looking around at
the others

~~**~~

"Well, now that we have our digimon, let's go see
what's out there." Kassidy said cheerfully. "Standing
about is growing to be boring." She stood and Fermon
uncurled his tail from around her leg. "I'd like to
see if there's anything intersting to be found." With
that she turned and started down the nearest path and
out of sight, Fermon hurrying to catch up with her.

***

"I think we follow Kassidy." Waya said with a giggle.
Nuwishamon ran a
circle around Waya and ran off down the path after
Kassidy. "Hey!
Wait for
me!"

Waya adjusted her bow and her quiver full of arrows
and went after
Nuwishamon, easily catching up with her digimon
friend.

"You shouldn't leave me like that." said Waya.

"Then you should keep up with me." Nuwishamon
responded with a laughing
yip.

Waya giggled. "I bet I can outrun you."

"You're on. How about we race to catch up with
Kassidy and Fermon."

"Sounds good. Ready, go!"

Waya and Nuwishamon took off, running at full speed.
They were evenly
matched and ended up running past Kassidy and Fermon
before they slowed
down.

~~~~
Cichy ran slowly behind Waya as Toramon sped up ahead
of her and smiled at Nuwishamon. She then roared
alittle at Waya as Cichy to sped up but still wasn't
as fast as the three of them, so Toramon fell behind
to stay with Cichy.
"You know Chy you'll have to work on your agility if
your going to keep up with your friends in the digital
world." Toramon said laughing. Chy just rolled her
eyes as she nodded in agreement.

***

Tempest gave a small sigh as he and Macabremon
followed slowly behind the three girls. "So, are you
coming, brat?" He called back to Allana. He turned his
head back in front of him, only to have Allana's spear
in between his eyes.
"Don't call me brat. The only person allowed is my
sister, and you're not her. Unless you're a
cross-dresser." She smiled at him and put the bronzed
object back across her shoulders. "Hey wait up guys!"
She called. She, with Lepreconmon in her arms, started
to jog towards the others. She slowed as she neared
Cichy. "Hey, Chy!" She said cheerily as she slowed her
pace to match the other girl's. "Mr. Cheerful's back
there. Think we should wait for him?" She asked,
looking over her shoulder at the stubborn male of the
group.
~~**~~
Kassidy slowed slightly as she heard Waya call out and
chuckled as she
and
Nuwishamon raced past she and Fermon before slowing.
Kass glanced back
as
her pace slowed and she called to Allana, Chy and
Tempest as well as
their
digimon friends.

"Come on guys, we really should all stay together.
That way at least
if we
run into trouble we'll be able to help each other."
She held the metal
pole
of the garrote balanced behind her neck with both
hands, with the wire
curled into one hand as she gazed around.  "This place
is great..." She
said
quietly.  "I wish I had my camera... or maybe even my
sketchbook..."
Fermon
gazed up at her.

"Camera?" He asked.

"Of course." She answered.  "To take pictures."

***

Waya sighed as she and Nuwishamon slowed their running
to a walk.  They
eventually stopped and looked back down the path, so
that they could
see the
others, and they waited for them to catch up.

"You should come home with me, sometime." Waya said to
Nuwishamon.  "We
could go hunting in the forest where I live."

"You live in a forest, too?" Nuwishamon asked.  Waya
grinned.

"Of course I do!  I wouldn't live anywhere else,
either."

"Maybe we could do some hunting here?"

"I don't know...  I don't think I could put an arrow
in something that
talks
just out of sport."

Nuwishamon's shoulders slumped slightly and it looked
like she had a
pout on
her face.  She then perked up.

"It's okay.  We could find something else to do."

***

Tempest scowled. "I'm going as fast as I want t-" He
was cut off when Macabremon stopped him. "What?"
"There's something close to us." His eyes narrowed.
"Tempest! Hurry it up back there!" Allana called,
turning full round to look at the only boy of the
group. Instead, her eyes grew big as she looked behind
him.
"What? It isn't a monster? Don't you know there's no
such thing as...What the?" Tempest had turned to face
a rather ugly-looking centipede with a cat head. Both
he and Allana stood there, facing off with the
creature.

***

Something beeped in Kismet's control tower. The older
woman flipped her hair over her shoulder and floated
over to the computer. "Just lovely. Maemomon. The
crests are starting to awaken the firewall. Perfect."
She put her chin on her hand and watched as the
creature roared.

~~~
Cichy smiled at Allana as she nodded in agreement and
slowed to a halt
as
she
waved at Tempest who was far behind them.
    "Come on!!! I know your stubborn but please be
reasonably stubborn
and run
while you sulk." Cichy offered as Toramon giggled
alittle and looked at
Lepreconmon. Then Cichy turned back to Allana and
smiled some more.
    "Why is he so stubborn?" Cichy asked politely

***

Waya spun around instinctively when Tempest questioned
there being a
monster
behind him.  Her eyes went wide and Nuwishamon turned
around as well.

"Grandfather Thunder..." Waya whispered.

"Stay here." Nuwishamon told Waya.  She ran back up
the path towards
Tempest
and Allana before Waya could stop her.  Baring her
teeth, she began to
growl
at the centipede with the cat head.  Waya came up
beside her and placed
a
hand on the digimon's back.

"We're in this together, silly." she said.  "Which
means we help
everyone
else together, and we protect them together if it
comes to it."

Waya readied her bow and nocked an arrow, pointed at
the creature and
ready
to loose.

~~**~~

Kassidy and Fermon stopped as Waya and Nuwishamon.
Kassidy blinked and hurried after the two toward the
centipede like monster.  Fermon right on her heels.
As Waya notched an arrow, Kassidy let the wire of the
garrote uncoil from her hand.  Getting ready to use it
to help defend herself and the others as well.  Fermon
growled at the creature, his fur bristling as he came
up beside Kassidy.  Kass glanced toward Waya and then
to  the others.

"Be wary." She said quietly before turning her full
attention back.

***

Cichy stood close to Allana as Toramon jumped up to
attack. She looked
at Cichy and nodded as Cichy got her sword ready to
battle.
Toramon shouted "Clawing Disaster" as he baby blue
claws began to glow
and prickly things hit the monster then 2 tiny scratch
marks appeared
on the monsters back.
"What do we do now?" she shouted

***

"I like the idea of running." Allana whispered to
Cichy. "But I know we can't
do that."
The creature, for it's part, was now steadily heading
towards Waya and Kassidy. "Hey! I thought I told you
to stay away from her. That 'her' was generic, buddy.
If you haven't noticed, I'm the only guy here. Now,
let's try this again, shall we?" Tempest was in
between the creature and the girls in a matter of
seconds, his katana aimed at the soft spot next to the
creature's temples. "Now, don't move, or your skull
gets it." His green eyes were placid, but there was an
unidentified strength in the scrawny boy's words that
made the monster recoil.
"Now, that's what I like to see. Crest Bearer of
Valor, I'm guessing?" A hooded figure jumped off a
low-hanging tree branch. It was definately male, and
his moves were something akin to a serpent. "You're
living up to title, all of you, I see..." He nodded
approvingly.
"Wh-who are you?" Whispered Allana.
"I? I am I." The man said, not turning away from
Tempest.
"Why you-!" Tempest jumped over the monster and made
to attack the figure. The man put one red-tinted hand
out, stopping the youth with an invisible
energy-field.
"Right. You're the one touchy about the Old Testament,
aren't you? Yes, Kismet's files were very
amusing...about all of you." He seemed to smirk. He
turned to face the black haired girl who had
previously spoken. "I'll humor you. My name is
Kleshmon."

~~**~~

Kassidy held her ground next to Waya as the creature
came at them and only felt tension leave her body
slightly as Tempest came between them and the
creature, causing it to stop.  She turned her gaze
toward the figure that appeared and spoke to them.
Egging Tempest into attacking.  She tilted her head in
wonder, listening to him.  Next to her Fermon's fur
remained bristled and he remained tensed as well.

"You know about us from Kismet's files?" She
questioned.  She coliled the wire of the garrote back
into her hand but was still ready to use it if she had
to.

***

"Of course I do." Kleshmon threw Tempest into a tree
and walked over to the head of the monster. "They
didn't hurt you, Maemomon, did they?" He asked. An
ungodly purr came from deep within the creature.
Allana shuddered.
"D-did you make that...that thing? Um...Maemomon?"
Allana asked quietly, shaking.
"Yes I did, Crest Bearer of Innocence. Do you like
him? Now, Crest Bearer of Creativity, I am sure you
know about the firewall?" His hand came out to grab
Kassidy's garrote. "Kismet expects you to defeat
someone like me with these toys. Sit down, boy.
Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" He moved another
hand and sent another wave of energy towards Tempest,
throwing the boy into the tree again.

~~**~~

Kassidy shivered at the sound of the unearthly purr
from Maemomon.  Her attention remained on Kleshmon as
Allana asked if he had created the digimon before
them.  She blinked as his hand shot out and grabbed
hold of her garrote as he asked her if she knew about
the Firewall.  She kept hold of the weapon, wide-eyed.
   Fermon growled low in his throat.

"Leave her alone Kleshmon!" He growled out, claws
extending as he jumped at Kleshmon.

***

"Now, why would I do that?" Kleshmon asked, letting go
of the garrote.
"You'd leave her alone because if you don't, I'm not
afraid to tear you apart. Limb by limb. Cuticle by
cuticle." There was an iciness in Tempest's voice.
Kleshmon jumped, the boy had easily come up to him
from behind without a trace of sound. The figure
turned to the boy.
"So, what do you want?"
"To know what the firewall is. Easy for you to answer,
isn't it?" The figure stood, dumbfounded, as the boy
stuck the wooden katana where he supposed his neck
would be.
"Tempest!"
"Shut up, Allana." The girl looked hurt, but it seemed
that Kleshmon sneered slightly.
"Why are you listening to him, Innocence?"
"Okay, how 'bout this. You shut up too." Tempest
whispered, body shaking with loathe.

***

Waya listened, for the most part, but her eyes stayed
focused on
Maemomon.
She shuddered at the purr and Nuwishamon continued to
growl.  She then
looked over at Kleshmon.

"What are you trying to achieve by getting even one of
our number
angered?"
she asked.  It would be easy for her to shift the
positioning of the
bow to
shoot him, if necessary.
~~**~~

Kassidy took a step back as Kleshmon released her
garrote.  Fermon came back to her side.  She watched
as Tempest angrily came up behind Kleshmon, saying he
wasn't afraid to tear him apart, limb by limb, cuticle
by cuticle.

"Tempest." She said softly, as she watched him grow
more upset by the moment.  "He's trying to make you
angry! Calm down!" She swore softly in Japanese and
gripped the metal pole of the garrote tighter until
her knuckles were white.

***

Every muscle in Tempest's body tensed. "Dear fool,
what have you gotten us into?" He whispered, averting
his eyes and allowing his body to relax.
"Master okay?" Macabremon inquired.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks." Tempest grumbled.
"Now why would I try to make him angry?" Kleshmon
asked sarcastically. He eyed Allana for a moment, then
started over to her.
"Leave me alone." She said, pointing her spear at him,
nervous. He grabbed the spear's tip and tried to jerk
it out of the trembling girl's hands, but instead
found himself eating grass.
"Let's get in a group, Allana. A group can protect
itself better than one person." Lepreconmon whispered.
"Right." Allana nodded, running over to her friends.
Kleshmon shook with rage. "Maemomon, let's move. They
want to be lost in this world forever, so be it. I
tried going easy on them, but now they'll soon learn
the real wrath of the guardian of the Firewall!" And
with that, the two digimon dissappeared, leaving
Tempest shaking with rage and Allana shaking with
fear.

~~**~~

Kassidy shakily settled to the ground as Kleshmon and Maemomon vanished 
leaving just the small group.  She let the garrote fall from her hand.  
Fermon nuzzled against her.

"Are you okay Kass?" he asked.  The black-haired girl nodded slowly and 
glanced to the others.

"What have we gotten ourselves into by coming here?" She whispered.


***

"Probably more than the Trickster can get us out of." Waya said.  "But 
I bet 
we wouldn't be here if we couldn't handle whatever we're supposed to 
do."

Nuwishamon yipped in agreement.  "Hopefully, we'll handle it before it 
gets 
too bad."

***

"Sionnach igcraiceann na caorach." Allana whispered, shaking. "SIONNACH IGRACAICEANN NA CAORACH!" She screamed. 
"Oh shut up, Allana, or else that centipede-thing will come back." Tempest growled. "And are you just making those words up or what?" He was eyeing her now. "That doesn't sound like any type of real language."
Allana stopped, her face flushed from yelling. "It loosely translates into 'wolf in sheep's clothing'. You know, he did trick us. And it's not a made-up language, it happens to be Gaelic."
Tempest cracked a small smile and nodded. "And I hope we have what it takes to do...whatever we're here to do." He sighed. "I reallly hope we have God on our side, Waya, I really do."
***

"I don't know if God's on our side, but I know the Trickster is." Waya 
said. 
  "Grandfather Thunder, and the Great Spirit, too."

"The Trickster will help us," Nuwishamon said, "in his own way and in 
his 
own time.  Let us hope that his way is the way we need and that his 
time is 
the time in which we need it."