| Chapter Six: Editing for Katonomon |
| Continuing down the river, the group eventually came to a waterfall. �Where do we go from here?� Kerri asked, looking down the waterfall. �Hey guys, there�s a ladder here!� Moosemon called. The group turned, and surely enough, there was a ladder by the side of the waterfall. The eight humans climbed down and the Digimon made their own way down. Upon reaching the bottom, Andrea turned to the others. �Don�t you think it�s getting pretty late?� She said. The others looked up at the sky as if they had just noticed it was there and realised she was right; the sun was setting. But because of their nap in the restaurant, none of the young people felt tired. �Yeah, but I don�t feel tired.� Khalid spoke. �Same here.� Audrey agreed. �Let�s keep going, then.� Kerri said, and the group were about to set off, when the heard a door open. They all turned to face the sound, which came from behind the waterfall. Thinking quickly, the group all dove behind a nearby shrubbery and watched as two Digimon appeared from behind the wall of water. �Remember, guard it with your life!� One of them, a bat-like Digimon, said. �Don�t worry, you can count on me!� The other one, a mole-like Digimon with blue fur and a metal horn replied. The bat Digimon then flew off and the mole Digimon went back behind the waterfall. Adrian then turned to the others. �Shit, did you see that?� Adrian exclaimed. �What, that Digimon?� Andrea asked. �Yeah.� �Garurumon was talking about a bat Digimon.� Adrian reminded. �You think that was it?� Khalid asked. �Of course that was it!� Darren spoke. �That Digimon was DemiDevidramon.� Shocamon informed. �It�s an evil bat and dragon mix.� �We should follow it.� Darren said. �Hang on.� Tim interrupted. �It said, �guard it with your life�.� �Yeah, so what?� Darren asked. �He might have been talking about one of our Digivices.� Tim informed. �We should look behind that waterfall.� Kerri offered. The group came out from behind their hiding place and tentatively looked behind the curtain of water. Behind it, they could see a small cave and a metal door. The group all walked up to the door and Khalid opened it ajar, peering in. �What�s inside?� Darren asked. �It�s just a tunnel.� Khalid announced, opening the door wide for them all to see. Surely enough, it was just a tunnel, with walls of dirt that were lined with lanterns holding candles. The sixteen-strong party slowly entered the tunnel, taking extra care around corners to make sure there was nobody there. Eventually, they came to a fork, with one tunnel leading off to the side and a dead end and another one leading forward. This is when Khalid stopped the group. �Shit, I think I hear someone coming!� Khalid warned. �Hide!� With these words, the band all went down the side path and watched from the shadows as the mole Digimon walked past. �What Digimon is that?� Sam whispered. �His name is Drimogemon.� Tridemon answered. �He�s a mole Digimon that loves digging.� After Drimogemon had walked past, the group stood and were about to move on when Adrian noticed something. �Hey, what�s that?� Adrian asked, approaching it. After investigation, he realised that it was a computer terminal. �Hey, cool, a computer!� Audrey spoke, looking over Adrian�s shoulder as he searched for the power switch. He found it and, upon pressing it, a small hole in the wall opened and some strange symbols appeared on the screen. �What the fuck? What does that mean?� Khalid spoke. �It says, �please insert subject for editing�.� Eaglemon said, reading the symbols. �You can read that?� Kerri asked. �Of course, that�s the Digimon language.� Eaglemon informed. �Oh.� Kerri uttered. �But, what does �please insert subject for editing� mean?� �I dunno.� Eaglemon said. �I think it means that someone has to go in there.� �I�ll go.� Khalid offered, and he entered the small hole, which shut behind him. Inside, the room was small and covered with dark blue lines. On one side of the room lay a pedestal. Khalid walked up to it and examined it. It appeared to be holding a small, purple rectangular charm. Suddenly, Khalid stood up when he heard a strange noise. It was a beam of light, sliding down the wall and washing over him. Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, the group watched as some symbols flashed on the screen. Then a collection of zeros and ones flooded the screen. �It�s binary!� Adrian noted. �What�s binary?� Kerri asked. �A way of storing digital information.� Adrian informed, turning to Kerri. Then, some wild beeping made him turn back to the screen. Some symbols were flashing on and off the screen. �What does that say?� Adrian asked. Eaglemon read the words. �It says �error, error, error, error, error, error, error, error��� �We get the point!� Kerri interrupted. Then, the little door slid open again and Khalid stepped out. �Hey, are you okay?� Slipmon asked his companion. �Yeah, I�m fine Slipmon.� Khalid informed. �I think a Digimon has to go in.� Onomon said. �You go in.� Adrian said to his Digimon pal. �What? Why me?� Onomon asked. �I dunno, because I�m on the computer.� Adrian said. �Now go!� Onomon turned and walked into the hole, and it closed behind him. The others waited, and soon zeros and ones flooded the screen again. Eventually, a screen came up with some symbols and below them, three digits: a one and two zeros. �Hey, what are you doing here?� A voice called angrily from behind them. The group turned; it was Drimogemon! �You guys carry on, we�ll take care of this!� Slipmon shouted. �Virus Fist!� He drew his fist back and released a black ball of energy, which hit Drimogemon. �Iron Drill Spin!� Drimogemon cried, his metal horn spinning rapidly, as he dove for Slipmon. Slipmon jumped and dodged the attack. Meanwhile, Adrian turned to Eaglemon. �Eaglemon, what does that say?� Adrian asked, pointing to the symbols on-screen. �It says, �please enter Digivolution level�.� Eaglemon read. �Hey, does that mean this machine can make a Digimon Digivolve?� �Wow, let�s try it.� Khalid spoke, reaching for the keyboard. Adrian tried to stop him, but couldn�t, and Khalid managed to replace the rightmost zero to a one before pressing send. �No!� Adrian called, staring at the screen, as some symbols flashed on screen. �Eaglemon, what does that mean?� �It means, �processing�.� Eaglemon translated, before the symbols disappeared and some others took their place. �That means, �Digivolution successful�.� �Onomon Digivolve to�� The kids heard from inside the room. �Katonomon!� �Katonomon?� Adrian said. �Iron Drill Spin!� Drimogemon shouted, once again trying to stab Slipmon with his horn. The smaller Digimon dodged the attack. �Err, guys, you could help me out here!� Slipmon called, watching as Drimogemon turned. �Allow me, Slipmon!� Katonomon called, breaking through the wall leading to the small room. Drimogemon, Slipmon and the rest of the group looked up at Katonomon. He looked like a larger version of Onomon, only with a larger body and limbs, and with a harder outer shell. He looked down at Drimogemon. �Iron Drill Spin!� Drimogemon, not fazed by the sight of Katonomon, charged with his drill spinning rapidly at his foe. Katonomon swung his tail at Drimogemon, tripping the other Digimon up and hitting the wall, which cracked. �Money Shot!� Katonomon announced, jumping back as his leg armour opened up. Four white missiles of energy flew out from holes in his legs, hitting Drimogemon. The mole Digimon split into atoms. Katonomon glowed white and shrunk down to his original Onomon form. �Badass!� Adrian shouted, approaching Onomon. Onomon looked up at him and smiled. �Hey, guys, look at this!� Slipmon called, standing near where Drimogemon had died. The rest of the group gathered round and looked at what Slipmon had seen; it was a small pouch, closed by a drawstring. Tim picked up the bag and opened it, smiling when he saw its contents. He took it out and showed the rest of the group. �It�s one of our Digivices!� Tim shouted happily, smiling. He stopped smiling, however, when he saw the sober expression on the faces of the others. �What�s wrong?� �We don�t know whose Digivice that is.� Andrea said. �Yeah, and we�re still missing six others�� Sam reminded. �Why are you guys so negative?� Khalid interrupted. �He�s just trying to�� A low rumbling sound interrupted Khalid. The group looked around in terror as they tried to figure out what was happening. Then, a few pebbles fell from the ceiling. �Oh shit�� Tim exclaimed. �This place is collapsing! Run!� Kerri screamed, and the rest of the group ran down the passageways from whence they had come as the cavern collapsed behind them. |
| The group frantically opened the steel door and ran through it. Thinking fast, they ran out from behind the waterfall and jumped onto the riverbank as the entire waterfall collapsed behind them, sending it back a few paces. The group watched this spectacle whilst attempting to regain their breath. |
| Later on, while walking along the river, the group reminisced on the day that had passed. �Why did that cave collapse?� Andrea asked. �I think the battle damaged the walls too much.� Adrian informed. �It�s a shame, we could have used that Digivolution machine again�� Sam mused. �Yeah.� Kerri concurred. �By the way, how will we find out whose Digivice that is?� �The person has to hold it when they�re in danger.� Salamon answered. �That�s what happened to Khalid.� �So we can�t find out unless we�re in danger?� Kerri said. �Bummer, what if it isn�t ours?� �Then you�re dead.� Tridemon said. Khalid didn�t speak. He couldn�t take his eyes off of the little purple charm in his hand. It had some strange symbols on it, and he couldn�t help but wonder what they meant. �Hey Khalid, what you doing?� Slipmon asked. Khalid hurriedly pushed the charm back into his pocket, looked down at Slipmon, and smiled. �Nothing.� Khalid reassured his Digimon partner. |