| Chapter Three: Serpemon's Snake Pulse |
| The sixteen-strong group, after filling up on apples, returned to walking along the stream. Eventually, the forest stopped, and the group found themselves on a vast plain. Andrea yawned and stretched. �Can we rest for a minute?� Andrea asked. �I�m tired.� �Yeah, it�s almost midnight!� Kerri informed. �No it�s not, it�s about six!� Audrey argued. �Audrey, you�re six hours behind us, remember?� Sam reminded her. �Andrea�s right, we should rest.� Tim chipped in. �I�m tired too.� |
| The small dark dragon Digimon flew downstream, carrying the jar in its talons with an amazing strength one wouldn�t expect from such a small creature. His facial expression a mix of determination and boredom, he deliberately spilt some of the dust in the jar over the banks of the stream, before flying back in the direction he had came. Shortly afterwards, a figure grew from the bank and walked downstream. |
| The group had all settled on the bank of the lake the stream flowed into. A fire had been created, and most of the group was sitting around it in silence whereas Andrea, Kerri and their Digimon companions had all fell asleep. Audrey looked down at Slythamon. Her companion was lying down, quietly and slowly eating an apple which Sam had picked up after the fight with Flymon, while every so often looking up and giving Audrey a smile of satisfaction. The creature intrigued Audrey, so she had to ask. �What are you?� Slythamon looked up at Audrey with an expression of incredulity. �I�m a Digimon.� �I know, but�� Audrey trailed off and looked up, glancing at the other Digimon in the group. �What is a Digimon?� Slythamon sat up and looked up at her. �You know, now that you ask me, I don�t know what a Digimon is.� �You don�t know?� Audrey asked, looking down at Slythamon. Now it was her turn to be incredulous. �I�ve never thought about it.� Slythamon said. �I know that we can Digivolve, and different species of Digimon Digivolve into different things.� �Like Tridemon Digivolved to Novadramon back there.� Audrey mused. �That�s right. But we all become different things. So I could never become Novadramon.� �That�s alright.� Audrey smiled. �You�ll probably Digivolve into something better!� �Hey, are you insulting Novadramon?� Tridemon, who had been eavesdropping, interjected. �No, don�t worry.� Audrey replied with a smile. �Hey, be quiet!� Salamon called. �Me and Andrea are trying to sleep!� �Sorry.� Slythamon replied to Salamon, who rolled over and closed her eyes in satisfaction. �I�m not tired.� Sam said simply. �Yeah, same.� Khalid announced. �It�s about half past twelve.� Shocamon reported, reading the time on Tim�s Digivice. �We should get to sleep, Shocamon.� Tim looked down at his friend. �Yeah.� Shocamon concurred, and the two curled up on the grass. Darren, Adrian and their Digimon shortly followed suit. Khalid stood, turned away from the rest of the group, and walked off to the stream. �Khalid?� Slipmon called, before standing and following him. �Where are they going?� Sam asked Audrey. �I dunno.� Audrey replied. �We should go with them.� �Yeah.� Sam concurred. The two of them and their Digimon stood, Tridemon stretching his legs upon standing, and they set off after Khalid. |
| �Khalid!� Slipmon called, running up to his friend. �Khalid, where are you going?� �I dunno.� Khalid answered. �I just wanted a walk.� The two walked towards the stream in silence. The birds in the trees were singing heartily, as if praising the moon high above their heads. Suddenly, a flock of birds flew quickly out of the trees downstream, as if escaping something. The sudden noise got the attention of the two, but they quickly dismissed it. �I�m not tired enough to sleep.� Khalid complained. Slipmon just sat and stared into the distance in silence. Khalid soon did same, the pair staring into the horizon in silence. Then the looked to their right again as the distinct sound of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the area. Khalid looked into the distance and saw a dark figure walking towards them. �Slipmon, what�s that?� Khalid asked. �I can�t tell; it�s too far away.� Slipmon replied. �Khalid!� A voice called. Khalid and Slipmon looked at Audrey and Sam approaching them. |
| Back at the campsite, the rest of the group were abruptly awakened by the sound of the footsteps. �What�s that noise?� Kerri asked as she rubbed her eyes. �Oh my god, it�s Mudmon!� Moosemon realised. �What�s Mudmon?� Darren queried. �Mudmon is a Digimon made completely of mud.� Salamon explained. �It�s normally docile, but very protective of its territory.� �But Khalid and the others aren�t in his territory!� Eaglemon announced. �Why is it going after them?� |
| Khalid, Audrey, Sam and their Digimon watched as the large figure hulked towards them. �What is that, Slythamon?� Audrey asked. �It�s Mudmon�� The small Digimon replied. Mudmon roared and staggered towards them a little faster. �Mud sling!� Mudmon shouted, picking up some mud and throwing it at Slythamon. Slythamon tried to dodge the attack, but was not fast enough, and the mud hit her flank. The small Digimon fell to the ground with a cry of pain. �Slythamon!� Audrey cried, approaching her companion and holding her. �Virus Fist!� Slipmon yelled, gathering energy in his fist and releasing it as a punch. �Trident Flame!� Tridemon called, pointing his trident at Mudmon and creating a string of fire. The two attacks hit Mudmon in the chest, but the larger Digimon simply flinched and returned to his fighting stance. �What the fuck?� Khalid exclaimed. �It didn�t do anything!� �Tridemon!� Sam called. �Can you Digivolve?� Tridemon closed his eyes and concentrated. �Tridemon Digivolve to�� Tridemon spoke, before opening his eyes and looking down. He was still in his Tridemon form. He turned to Sam. �Sam, I can�t Digivolve!� �Why not?� Sam asked. �I don�t know, I just can�t!� �Help!� Sam and Khalid looked up and saw Mudmon holding Audrey in one hand. �Audrey!� Sam called. �Oh shit!� Khalid shouted. �Slipmon, help!� �Virus Fist!� Slipmon shouted, launching his fistful of energy towards Mudmon, to no avail. �It�s no use Khalid! I�m not strong enough!� �I�ll help you Audrey!� Slythamon announced, standing. �Snake Constriction!� Slythamon shot a string at Mudmon, but Mudmon grabbed the string and used it to throw Slythamon aside. �Slythamon, no!� Audrey screamed, looking down at her Digimon. �Hey, Mudmon!� Slythamon called up to their adversary. �Leave her alone!� Khalid and Sam were watching from afar and looked up when they saw a light shining just below Mudmon�s fist. It was Audrey�s Digivice! They looked down again when they saw Slythamon glow a brilliant white light. �Slythamon Digivolve to�� The small Digimon said, as it grew bigger. �Serpemon!� It said, in a much deeper voice and the white light disappeared. The new Digimon was a large snake Digimon covered in hard reptilian scales. It looked up at Mudmon and hissed. �Serpemon?� Audrey repeated in shock. Serpemon grunted and head butted Mudmon with all her strength, causing her foe to drop Audrey. Khalid and Sam ran over to Audrey and knelt down beside her. �Are you okay?� Sam asked. �I�m fine�� Audrey claimed, sitting up and rubbing her temple. The three looked up at Serpemon and Mudmon. Serpemon was staring at her foe, anger in her eyes. Mudmon picked up some mud from beneath him. �Mud Sling!� Mudmon shouted, throwing the mud at Serpemon. Serpemon simply bent her body forward and the mud hit her back. Serpemon then returned to her normal stance and swung her tail around at Mudmon. Mudmon tried to dodge, but failed, and Serpemon�s tail hit his leg, causing him to lose his balance. Serpemon saw her chance. �Snake Pulse!� Serpemon shouted, sending out a shockwave from her body. Her adversary was knocked back by the attack, causing him to lie down on his back. Then some black dust appeared to rise from his body. �What�s that?� Khalid quizzed, looking at the dust. Serpemon approached Mudmon and was about to land the finishing blow, when Mudmon raised his hands in defence. �Stop, please!� Mudmon pleaded. Serpemon was suspicious, but nevertheless returned to his normal stance. �Hey, what�s happening?� Darren�s voice called. Khalid looked back at the campsite and saw the rest of the group approaching them. |
| �I�m sorry, I don�t know what came over me.� Mudmon explained. �I was just sleeping over there on the riverbank and the next thing I know something�s flying over me and pouring this black dust all over me. Then I just got this urge to come down here and attack you guys.� �What flew over you?� Onomon asked. �I don�t know.� Mudmon answered. �It might have been a bird, but I doubt it. Anyway, I�m normally a friendly Digimon, and I don�t mean you any harm. I know you might not believe that now, but�� �Forget it, Mudmon.� Slythamon smiled. �I know you didn�t mean it.� �Does this mean someone�s pouring dust on good Digimon to make them evil?� Shocamon asked. �I don�t know. I just hope that it doesn�t happen again.� Mudmon said. �I should get back to my patch of the river. Sorry you guys, and thanks again!� �Bye!� Andrea shouted as Mudmon turned and walked off. �I�m still tired.� Kerri noted with a yawn. �Can we go back to sleep?� �Yeah, okay.� Sam agreed. �I�m pretty tired now, too.� �Hey Sam, why do you think Tridemon wasn�t able to Digivolve back there?� Khalid asked. �What? Tridemon couldn�t Digivolve?� Eaglemon spoke. �Yeah, it�s strange.� Sam thought for a second. �Hang on� When we were fighting Flymon, I was hanging onto a branch of a tree. When Slythamon Digivolved just now, Mudmon was holding on to Audrey.� �So?� Andrea questioned. �Hey, that�s right!� Khalid said. �So what, do we have to be in danger for our Digimon to Digivolve?� �Maybe.� Sam said simply. �I mean Tridemon�s had plenty to eat, so that ain�t a problem.� �Let�s talk about this tomorrow.� Adrian said. �I�m tired.� �Yeah.� Tim agreed, and he and Adrian walked back to the campsite, followed by their Digimon. �Alright.� Sam said, and the entire group walked back to their place of rest. |