| Chapter Five: Hereticmon |
| The group continued walking along the riverside. It was about one o�clock in the afternoon, and they had been walking for a long time. Tim looked down at his CD Walkman with a scowl on his face; the batteries were running low. In a desperate attempt to restore them, he turned the volume up. Unfortunately, this didn�t work, and soon afterwards the batteries ran out completely. �Oh shit�� Tim cursed. Shocamon looked up at him. �What�s wrong, Tim?� Shocamon asked. �The batteries have run out!� Tim exclaimed. �Do you have any spare?� �No!� Tim declared. �I left them in my bag, back at camp.� Infuriated at this setback, Tim put the Walkman back in his pocket and continued down the river with a scowl on his face. �Guys, my feet hurt!� Kerri announced. �We�ve been walking too much, can�t we take a break?� �No!� Tim replied sharply. �But I�m tired!� Kerri explained. �Please?� �We�re not gonna get anywhere if we keep taking breaks!� Tim shouted back at her. �We have to keep going.� �What�s up with him?� Kerri whispered to Andrea. �Dunno.� Andrea whispered back. |
| �You�ve failed me again!� The tall figure shouted. �I am becoming sick of your failures!� �Please forgive me, sir!� The short figure pleaded. �I have a plan that should work�� �Should?� �I mean, will work!� The small dragon Digimon corrected himself. �I�ve set a trap that they won�t be able to resist!� �They better not, DemiDevidramon!� |
| The friends and their Digimon had continued down their path. Eventually, however, they reached a building by the side of the river. The group all stopped outside and looked up at the sign above the door. It read, �Come eat at Maitremon�s restaurant! Show a Digivice and eat free!� �Hey, we can eat for free if we show our Digivices!� Kerri noted. �Yeah, and I�m pretty hungry.� Slythamon commented. She looked up at Audrey. �Can we eat?� �Sure, go ahead!� Audrey replied, and Slythamon slithered into the building, followed by Audrey. All the other kids and their Digimon followed her. Once there a white humanoid Digimon with four arms, each holding a different kitchen utensil, greeted them. It was also wearing a dinner jacket. �Welcome, welcome, welcome!� The Digimon cried happily upon seeing the arrivals. �I hope you enjoy eating here at Maitremon�s restaurant. My name is Maitremon, and I will be your host and your chef for today!� �Great.� Audrey replied. �Oh, what�s this I see?� Maitremon said, inspecting the eight humans. �You all have Digivices! You can take advantage of our great special offer! Well, we�re pretty full up now, but you can sit wherever you can!� The group looked around. They were the only ones in the restaurant. �Well, why don�t you all take a seat and our waiter will be ready to serve you in a moment!� Maitremon cried enthusiastically, before running off into a door at the back, supposedly the kitchen. The young people, though slightly bemused, sat down with Digimon and humans alternating around the biggest table, which was round and had sixteen chairs around it. �Don�t you think there�s something funny about this?� Khalid asked Slipmon. �Like what?� Slipmon replied. �Well, we�re the only ones here, and we don�t have to pay because of our Digivices.� Khalid noted. �Isn�t that suspicious to you?� �Hey, just enjoy it and eat!� Slythamon said, hissing happily. �Err, guys�� Sam interrupted, his face buried in the menu. �What?� Khalid asked. �There isn�t much choice here�� He continued, turning the menu around so they could see it. The menu consisted of three items: chicken, mushrooms and milk. �Oh my god! Is that it?� Audrey exclaimed, reading the menu. �Looks like it.� Sam said. �May I take your orders?� A voice requested. The group turned and saw a small mammal Digimon, with brown fur and blue fur on its underbelly. It had elephant-like tusks and a metal helmet. �Who are you?� Darren asked. �I am Tapirmon, and I�ll be your waiter this afternoon.� The small Digimon informed. �Now, what can I get you? May I recommend the dish of the day, the mushrooms?� The group all ordered their meals and Tapirmon, after writing the orders down on a small notepad, walked off into the same room Maitremon had disappeared into. Eventually, the meals all came, and the kids and their Digimon companions hungrily ate up everything they had ordered. �That was nice.� Sam commented, patting his stomach. �Yeah�� Onomon concurred. �Hey, does anyone else feel light headed?� �Yeah, I do�� Kerri trailed off, before her head hit the table and she fell asleep. �Me too�� Tim said, scowling, before he fell asleep. �What�s going�on?� Slipmon asked. �The food�must be�drugged�� Adrian trailed off, before he fell asleep. The rest of the group and the Digimon all fell asleep too. Maitremon watched this from inside the kitchen. �This is perfect!� He turned back at Tapirmon and another Digimon, which resembled a bat and dragon hybrid with piercing red eyes. �DemiDevidramon, it�s time!� With this, the three Digimon carefully entered the room and approached the sleeping figures. Upon reaching their table, Maitremon turned to DemiDevidramon. �Which ones were you ordered to take?� Maitremon asked. �All of them, but he�s especially concerned with the one belonging to that boy.� DemiDevidramon said, making nodding motions towards Tim. �Why?� Maitremon asked. �I don�t know, he never told me.� The small dragon replied. �Tapirmon, you have the sack?� Tapirmon held up a small, brown sack. �Right here.� �Good.� DemiDevidramon turned to Maitremon. �Help me get the Digivices!� With these words, DemiDevidramon and Maitremon went around the table, taking the Digivices of all of the young people, with the careful exception of Tim. Upon doing this, they threw all the Digivices into the sack and Tapirmon closed the sack tightly with a drawstring. Tapirmon then gave the sack to Maitremon, who carried it over his shoulder. DemiDevidramon then went back to Tim and carefully removed his Digivice. �Let�s go!� DemiDevidramon shouted, and the three set off through the front door of the restaurant. |
| �Did you get the devices?� The tall figure asked. �Yes sir!� Tapirmon and DemiDevidramon said in unison. Tapirmon then handed the bag over to the tall Digimon. �Proper Bo! And did you pay special attention to that boy Tim�s device?� �Yes, master!� DemiDevidramon replied, showing his boss the device he was holding. The taller figure took that Digivice in his other hand. �Oh, that�s proper Bo, I tell ye.� The figure said. He reached into the bag and picked out one Digivice at random. He then threw it to Tapirmon. �Here, keep that in a safe place.� �Yes, master.� Tapirmon spoke, before turning and walking off. The tall figure then handed the sack to DemiDevidramon. �Hand one of these to each of my most powerful henchmen.� He ordered. �Sir, are you sure that�s wise? I mean�� �Are you questioning my orders?� He shouted. �No sir! I�ll start right away, sir!� DemiDevidramon complied, before flying off to do his duty. In his absence, Maitremon turned to the figure. �A question, if I may, master?� Maitremon requested. �What is it?� �Why did you wish to keep that boy Tim�s device?� �Because he is the one�� The figure begun, holding the device up to a light and smiling as the light reflected off of its screen. ��That is destined to destroy me.� |
| Back at the restaurant, the eight young people and their Digimon pals were stirring. Upon awaking, they immediately jumped up from their seats. �They drugged our food!� Tim shouted. �Damn them!� Kerri screamed. �I think it�s worse than that�� Sam begun. �What do you mean?� Darren asked. �Check yourself.� Sam requested. �Notice anything missing?� Adrian looked around his person and then looked up in wide-eyed shock. �My Digivice!� �Shit, mine is gone too!� Khalid exclaimed. �And mine!� Andrea repeated. �They must have stole them!� Shocamon concluded. �Wait, they might still be in the kitchen!� Adrian observed. �Let�s go!� Tim exclaimed, and the entire group approached the door to the kitchen and opened it ajar. Inside they could see several pieces of cooking equipment and utensils hanging on hooks, but across the room they could see a door, and next to it, in the wall, a safe. Tapirmon was in front of the safe and putting a Digivice inside it. �He�s got one of our Digivices!� Darren said. �Let�s get him!� Darren was about to burst into the room when Adrian stopped him. �Wait.� �Why?� �If you go in now, he could just run through the back door.� Adrian said. �Then we�ll never find out the combination to the safe!� Kerri reasoned. �Some of us should go outside through the back door to surround him.� Tim resolved. �I�ll go.� Andrea said. �Me too.� Khalid volunteered. �And me!� Audrey offered. �I�ll go too!� Darren spoke. �Alright, you eight go round the outside.� Shocamon ordered. �Give us a signal when you�re there.� �Okay.� Andrea said, and the four exited the building, on their way to the back. Meanwhile, Tapirmon was closing the safe. �Come on� Hurry up�� Tridemon muttered, as Tapirmon closed the safe and was making his way to the back door. Suddenly, it burst open, and the four young people and their Digimon burst through the door, giving Tapirmon the fright of his life. �Good signal.� Sam commented, before bursting the door down. Once again, Tapirmon got a good fright. He tried to get away, but his path was blocked by the advancing foes on either side of him, not to mention the cooking equipment around him. �Okay Tapirmon, what�s the combination?� Khalid asked. �I�I don�t k-know what you�re t-talking about�� Tapirmon stammered. �The combination to the safe!� Slipmon shouted. �What is it?� �I can�t tell you!� Tapirmon shouted. �If I do, he�ll kill me!� �Who�ll kill you?� Slythamon asked. �Maitremon?� �No, someone much more powerful than that!� Tapirmon informed. �Who, then?� Onomon questioned. �No, no, I can�t say!� Tapirmon insisted, shaking his head frantically. �If you don�t tell us the combination, we�ll kill you.� Moosemon said. Hearing this, Tapirmon looked down at the ground, shook his head, and let out a groan of despair. Finally, he looked up. �It�s 2971.� Tapirmon confessed, shaking his head. Khalid looked at Adrian and nodded, and Adrian approached the safe and entered the combination. Sure enough, the safe opened, revealing the Digivice behind it. �What do you think you�re doing?� A voice exclaimed. While watching Tapirmon and the safe, the group did not observe Maitremon�s entrance through the kitchen door. Now, all the kids and Digimon turned to Maitremon. Tapirmon used this distraction to run for his life out the back door. �How dare you open my safe!� Maitremon shouted. �Especially after I accepted you in and cooked you a delicious meal for free! Your insolence must be punished!� Following these words, all of the Digimon ran between Maitremon and their human partners. �Adrian, hurry up with that Digivice! We might need it!� Kerri called. �Oh, no you don�t! Utensil Toss!� With these words, Maitremon used his arms to rapidly throw utensils at the safe. The barrage of the small objects shut the safe. Onomon jumped up. �Adrian, get the safe open again and we�ll distract him!� Onomon said. �Okay!� Adrian shouted, inputting the combination again. �Semblance bomb!� Onomon shouted, drawing energy into his body and releasing it as a ball. Maitremon ducked and the energy flew above him. �Virus Fist!� Slipmon called, releasing some dark energy in a punch. Maitremon rolled forward, dodging the attack. He then stood and leapt at Adrian. �Ah, shit!� Adrian screamed as the humanoid Digimon tackled him. �Adrian!� Onomon shouted. �Semblance bomb!� Once again, Onomon launched a ball of white energy at Maitremon. This time, the attack hit, and Maitremon got up. �Utensil Toss!� Maitremon screamed, throwing utensils at Onomon. Onomon shielded himself and prepared to get hit. �Trident Flame!� Tridemon called, a string of flames appearing from his trident. The small objects flew through the flames and disappeared into their component atoms. Meanwhile, Adrian was getting back to undoing the safe, and Maitremon turned to Tridemon. �Utensil�� �Snake Constriction!� Slythamon shouted, shooting a string from her teeth that wrapped around Maitremon�s legs. Maitremon then lost his balance and fell, managing to hold onto one of the stoves as he fell. Andrea thought fast and turned on the hobs, causing flames to appear. Maitremon screamed, his hands burning, as Adrian finally got the safe open again. He pulled out the Digivice inside. Maitremon pulled free of the constricting strings and shook his hands free of the fire before standing. He turned to Adrian. �Give that to me!� Maitremon shouted. Adrian thought fast and threw the Digivice to the nearest person, Khalid. Maitremon jumped and tackled Khalid, causing him to fall to the floor. �Give it to me!� Maitremon screamed. To Khalid�s surprise, the Digivice in his hands started to glow. �Shit! It�s mine!� Khalid exclaimed, as he looked up and saw Slipmon engulfed in white light. �Slipmon Digivolve to�� Slipmon announced, as he grew bigger. ��Hereticmon!� He shouted, in a deeper voice, as the light dissipated. Hereticmon was a humanoid Digimon, with black and red skin and four arms. His face was covered in some kind of paint. �Oh my god!� Khalid exclaimed, looking up at his Digimon. Maitremon got up and ran towards Hereticmon, and the two Digimon locked their four hands together. However, Hereticmon was the stronger of the two, and managed to throw Maitremon around into some of the pots and pans. Maitremon regained his composure quickly, however. �Utensil Toss!� Maitremon announced, launching some utensils at Hereticmon. �Darkness Grenades!� Hereticmon shouted, throwing several balls of dark energy at Maitremon. These balls destroyed the utensil missiles and hit Maitremon. While his enemy was stunned, Hereticmon grabbed Maitremon by the dinner jacket and threw him through the kitchen door. Maitremon landed with a scream on one of the tables. Hereticmon picked up a chair and threw it at Maitremon, as he was about to get up, knocking him down again. �Darkness Grenades!� Hereticmon shouted, throwing another volley of dark balls of energy at Maitremon. This time, once the volley had finished, Maitremon died, splitting into his component atoms. With the threat eliminated, Hereticmon glowed white and returned to his original Slipmon form. �Slipmon, that was hectic!� Khalid exclaimed. �Yeah, well done, Slipmon!� Tridemon agreed. |
| �So what should we do about our Digivices?� Darren asked. The group were discussing the day�s events outside the restaurant�s main entrance. �We have to look for them.� Adrian answered. �But they could be anywhere!� Kerri shouted. �Tapirmon was talking about some guy that he worked for.� Audrey recollected. �He probably has them.� �And where�s he?� Andrea questioned. �We just have to keep looking for him.� Moosemon spoke. �I think we�ll find them eventually.� Darren said. �That�s optimistic, isn�t it?� Sam commented �Yeah, but I just have this feeling that we�ll find them.� Darren explained. �I can�t explain it.� �That feeling is probably indigestion.� Tridemon noted. �You did eat your chicken pretty quickly.� �Hey, shut up!� Darren said, smiling. �Well, I don�t have to worry about it, because I�ve got my Digivice already!� Khalid exclaimed happily. �Show off�� Kerri commented. �This is great.� Tim piped up. �I�m in the middle of nowhere, with no Digivice and loads of Digimon trying to kill me, and I have no music!� With these words, he took out his CD Walkman again. �Will you shut up about that?� Shocamon asked. �Here!� Shocamon built up some electricity and used it to shock the batteries in Tim�s CD Walkman. To his surprise, the device began playing music again! He put one earphone in his ear and looked down at Shocamon. �Hey, why didn�t you do that before?� Tim asked. �Because, it was a laugh.� Shocamon replied, smiling. �Shocamon!� Tim shouted, annoyed. �What?� The small Digimon replied innocently. The rest of the group laughed at this, despite their situation, before heading off downstream once again. |