| Chapter Fifteen: Onward, Trainee Digidestined! |
| Tim and Darren looked up at the house on the mountain. �Who would live up there?� Darren asked. �Let�s go and see.� Tim replied, walking towards the stone steps leading to the peak. �We�re not gonna climb that, are we?� Darren asked. Tim gave no reply as he and Shocamon continued to ascend the impossibly huge staircase. Darren shook his head and he and Moosemon followed Tim up the flight of stairs. The climb was tiring for all four, but eventually they reached the top, where a huge set of double doors awaited them. Tim, low on strength after the climb, approached the doors and feebly lifted one of the iron doorknockers. Soon, the doors opened, and a little pixie Digimon floated out. It had pink fur and a belt around each leg. On its back were two white wings, each with red stitches in them. It carried a spear, which was adorned with a red ribbon tied just below the tip. �Hi, Piximon!� Shocamon said. �Hey, it�s the Digidestined!� The Digimon welcomed. �Hi! I�ve been waiting for you!� �Err, Moosie, who is this guy?� Darren asked Moosemon. �That�s Piximon.� Moosemon answered. �He�s like a Digimon trainer. He makes weak Digimon tough!� �That�s�pretty cool.� Darren said. Piximon waved his spear behind him. �Why don�t you all come in?� Piximon invited. The Digidestined thanked him and walked through the large doors. Before them stood a large medieval style castle made of stone, which Piximon led them into. Upon entering the building, Piximon turned to the Digidestined. �This is my home, and the training grounds of Digimon.� Piximon explained. �Wow.� Darren mumbled. The courtyard was well furbished with several types of training equipment while the doors to the side lead to unknown places. Nearby, in the corner, there was a spiral staircase leading up to the upper levels. �This is my home. You can stay here for a while, but you must train.� Piximon said, approaching the staircase. �Okay.� Tim replied, following him. �I�ll show you to your�� Piximon stopped when he saw Shocamon and Moosemon standing behind two training dummies. The two Digimon were making the dummies hit each other. �Take this, moose!� Shocamon cried, turning the dummy so it hit the other with its arm. �I will never surrender!� Moosemon shouted, hitting Shocamon�s dummy back. �Hey, hey!� Piximon screamed. �Stop that, they aren�t toys!� |
| �This is your room.� Piximon announced, opening the door for the two boys to walk into the room. It was a dark, small room with two beds against the opposite walls. There was no other furniture, but there was a window on the far wall. Darren and Tim looked back at Piximon, disbelief on their faces. �You�re joking, right?� Tim said. �Why would I joke about this?� Piximon argued. �This room is too small!� Darren complained. �Maybe that�s not the case.� Piximon replied. �Maybe you two are the ones that are too big.� �It�s fine to me.� Shocamon commented. �Me too.� Moosemon said, and they sat on the two beds. ��Fine, we�ll stay here.� Darren receded, sitting next to Moosemon. Tim sat on the opposite bed next to Shocamon. �Good. Get some sleep now, boys.� Piximon ordered, starting to close the door. �What? Why?� Tim exclaimed. Piximon stopped closing the door and looked at him. �Because we�re training tonight, in six hours.� Piximon explained. �I�ll wake you when it�s time.� �What the fuck! Hey!� Tim shouted, standing, but Piximon had already closed the door and locked it. �We�re trapped, we�ll have to sleep.� Darren said. �We could always go out the window.� Shocamon suggested, looking up at the small portal. Moosemon climbed up onto it and looked down. �Not a good idea.� The moose Digimon spoke, jumping back on Darren�s bed. �Why not?� Tim asked, walking to the window and looking down. He instantly knew why. The window overlooked the side of the mountain, and the nearest surface beneath it was the plain at the mountain�s foot. In short, it was a long way down. ��Oh.� Tim said simply, sitting back down on his bed. Darren was already lying down on the mattress, staring blankly at the ceiling. Moosemon lied beside him and fell asleep at his side. The other three soon fell asleep, too. |
| Soon enough, the Digidestined awoke to the sound of Piximon hollering orders at them. �Come on, Digidestined! It�s time to get up!� Piximon shouted. �It�s too early!� Tim complained, throwing a pillow at Piximon. The pixie Digimon deflected the projectile with his spear. �Come on, you have to get up!� Piximon barked. �It�s training time!� �I�m too tired!� Tim explained, throwing his other pillow at Piximon. Once again, Piximon blocked this with his spear. �Tim, get up!� �No!� Tim shouted, feeling around for another pillow. He found there was none left, so he grabbed Shocamon. He was about to throw the small Digimon, when it shocked him. Tim awoke with a start at the jolt of electricity. Darren, who was already awake, laughed at the pair. Tim threw Shocamon on his bed and stood. �Shocamon!� Tim exclaimed. �What?� �Why did you do that?� Tim asked. �You were gonna throw me!� Shocamon said. �Besides, it was fun.� Tim was going to complain to his Digimon partner further, but Piximon stopped him. �Digidestined, please!� Piximon cried. �We have no time for this! Our training must begin now!� |
| Tim, Darren, Moosemon and Shocamon all followed Piximon to the courtyard of Piximon�s home, which was a lawn with many tall trees in it. It was nighttime, which Piximon had obviously planned to increase the difficulty of their training, and the low lighting combined with the said trees made it extremely difficult to see anything in the courtyard. Piximon led the others to one side of the lawn, and turned to them. �Now, listen carefully, Tim and Darren!� Piximon ordered, waving his spear at them to emphasize his authority. �Your Digimon must Digivolve to their champion forms. They must then make their way across this courtyard.� �Sounds easy.� Tim said. �It isn�t.� Piximon continued, his eyes, examining the two boys carefully. �Your Digimon will be attacked along the way, and they must defend themselves! There is a very important lesson for you Digidestined to learn through this.� �Who�ll attack us?� Moosemon asked. �Two of my friends.� Piximon explained. �They agreed to help me out for this training purpose. Don�t worry, if they overpower you, they will not kill you. Likewise, you should not kill them. This is a training exercise, so no deletion!� �Oh, but deletion�s fun!� Moosemon complained. �No deletion!� Piximon repeated. �Now Digivolve!� �Alright then.� Tim said, pointing his Digivice at Shocamon. �Shocamon, Digivolve!� �Shocamon Digivolve to�Fusemon!� The taller champion Digimon announced proudly. �Go, Moosie!� Darren shouted, also pointing his Digivice at Moosemon. �Moosemon Digivolve to�Wumon!� The elk Digimon declared, raising his antlers in the air proudly. �Now, go!� Piximon cried, pointing his spear in the general direction of the courtyard behind him. The two champion-level Digimon ran past him and into the trees. Wumon and Fusemon soon got separated as they made their way through the woods, the trees separating their view of each other. �Wumon!� Fusemon shouted out. �Where are you?� �I�m here, Fusemon!� Wumon replied. Suddenly, a flash of energy was registered in Wumon�s peripheral vision, and the energy hit a tree Wumon was standing near. The tree fell down onto Wumon! Thinking quickly, Wumon used his antlers to hold the timber up. �Fusemon, help!� Wumon cried out. �I�m coming, Wumon!� Fusemon declared, pushing the trees aside in search of his companion. He found Wumon trying to push a fallen tree up. Fusemon rested the tree onto his arm cannons, and together, the two pushed the log aside. �Fusemon, look out!� Wumon cried, and Fusemon turned in time to see a plethora of white balls of energy flying swiftly towards him. Holding up his arm cannons, he shielded himself from the attack. Then, another arc of energy flew out of the darkness. Wumon noticed, but couldn�t block in time, and the attack hit his flank. He flew back, into one of the nearby trees. �Wumon, stay there! I�ll get them!� Fusemon said, holding up his arm cannons and charging them up. �Shockcannon!� He declared, firing the two guns in the general direction of the source of the energy that hit Wumon. Fusemon heard a pained cry, which must have meant his attack had hit. Forgetting Piximon�s words about no deletions, he ran forward, his head extended, ready to pierce the offending Digimon with his horns. Looking up as he charged, he saw something that terrified him � the two Digimon that had been attacking he and Wumon were Katonomon and Serpemon! He had stunned Serpemon with the blast, and was now on a collision course with the snake Digimon, which would surely result in her death! Thinking quickly, Fusemon began to slow down, but it was too late. He was so close to Serpemon when he realised her identity that collision was inevitable. It was certainly the end for her. He closed his eyes, thought apologetic thoughts, and prepared for impact. �Stop!� A voice demanded, before Fusemon felt an extremely powerful force holding him back. Was it Serpemon? No � Serpemon was strong, but not powerful enough to hold him back at full speed. Fusemon opened his eyes again and saw Piximon holding onto his helmet. The small pixie Digimon was pushing him back. Fusemon stopped charging and stood, looking at Piximon. �I thought I told you, no deletions!� Piximon shouted, his face red with anger. �Hey Katonomon, Serpemon.� Wumon said, approaching the congregation. �Have you been attacked too?� Fusemon looked at Wumon with an incredulous expression. �What?� Wumon asked, as Tim and Darren came and found their Digimon. Audrey and Adrian also appeared from the other side of the courtyard. The four champion Digimon, meanwhile, glowed white and returned to their rookie forms. �Hey, it was you guys!� Darren exclaimed. �Hey, Piximon, what�s going on?� Audrey asked. �Allow me to explain.� Piximon said. �I wanted you Digidestined to learn an important lesson. You had to learn to think before you attack.� �We do already.� Tim said. �No you don�t!� Piximon shouted. �Fusemon almost killed Serpemon back there! You think he thought much about that?� �Really?� Tim said, looking at Shocamon. �Shocamon, you should really look before you attack.� �I was just trying to protect Wumon!� Shocamon explained. He approached Slythamon and looked up at her. �I�m sorry Slythamon. I didn�t mean to attack you.� �It�s okay, Shocamon.� Slythamon replied. �I know it was an accident.� �An accident that almost killed her, and jeopardised your entire purpose here in the Digiworld!� Piximon exclaimed, waving his spear in anger. �Well, you�re the one that made us do it!� Shocamon argued. �Because it�s an important lesson to learn.� Piximon said. �You have to think before you attack, learn whether your target is a foe or a friend, learn whether they mean peace or malice. You didn�t bother to learn this before you attacked Serpemon. If you do that in the future, I won�t be there to stop you. And then, it could be truly disastrous.� �But they were attacking us!� Shocamon cried. �Then they needed to learn too.� �We were told to stop you in any possible way.� Onomon explained. �We didn�t know it was you.� ��Any possible way� is not limited to attacking.� Piximon said. �But they assumed that it was. In fact, violence should be the last resort, not the first! You all have a lot to learn, and you should pass these lessons on to the other half of the Digidestined.� �Other half?� Darren repeated. �Do you know where they are?� �No.� Piximon said simply. �But I was expecting you, Darren, and you, Tim. Gennai�s assistant dropped your crests off here. He knew not many evil Digimon would want to climb this mountain to get their hands on them.� �Our crests!� Tim exclaimed. �Yes.� Piximon replied. �If you follow me, I�ll take you to them, and then the nine of us can eat.� �Kung pow!� Tim exclaimed, as he and the others followed Piximon through the courtyard. �Hang on, Piximon!� Moosemon shouted. �Yes, Moosemon?� Piximon asked. �Does that mean, Onomon and Slythamon were the ones that attacked us?� The group sighed at Moosemon�s stupidity and continued along their route. �Hey, wait up!� Moosemon shouted, running after them. |
| �Through here.� Piximon said, opening a door. Darren and Tim walked inside to see a wall of flames guarding a pedestal. Resting on the pedestal was a metallic box, and in the box two charms were clearly visible. They were glowing brightly, and so were the boy�s tags. �How are we supposed to get to them?� Tim asked, referring to the flames guarding them. �You have to figure that out for yourself.� Piximon answered him. �If you can�t, maybe you don�t deserve to possess those crests.� �Let�s see�� Tim spoke, approaching the flames. He carefully put his hand in, his arm shaking with fear. To his surprise, the flames had a burst of intensity, burning brightly and higher for a couple of seconds. �Fire moose!� Darren exclaimed, stepping forward. He shot his arm forward to reach for his crest, preparing himself to get burned. But, to his surprise, the flames parted and allowed his hand in! Tim watched in shock as Darren calmly picked up his crest, took it, and slid it into his tag. He inspected the crest and found that it was a yellow crest with two circles on it. Each of the circles had a dot in the middle and a tail behind it. Tim was puzzled; why had the flames parted for Darren and not him? �Tim, think.� Piximon helped. �Think about your crest! Try your best, and you�ll get it!� �That ain�t much help!� Tim replied, tentatively putting his arm forward again. The flames flared up again, stopping him. �Think that the flames aren�t there!� Piximon suggested. Tim looked up at the flames again and imagined they were not there. He calmly put his hand forward and the flames parted to allow his hand through. He grabbed his crest and took it. It was an orange crest, and its pattern showed a circle with a bar going through it, and four triangles on the outside pointing towards the circle. He slid the crest into his tag. �That was easy.� Tim said, smiling, as he walked back to Piximon. �They are the flames of cowardice.� Piximon explained. �They feed on your fear, and become stronger. Courage, however, saps their energy, and they part. Because you approached them with a courageous frame of mind, you were able to get your crests. The first two times, when you were afraid, you weren�t able to get it.� �Oh, cool.� Darren commented, glancing back at the fire. �This is another lesson, and it doesn�t just apply to those flames.� Piximon said. �You must never let fear consume you! You must face every challenge with determination!� �I knew that already.� Tim spoke. �If you did, you would have got your crest first time.� Piximon argued. �If you show fear like that in the face of evil Digimon, you won�t stand a chance. Evil Digimon are very similar to those flames. They feed on your fear, but you can control them with courage.� Tim didn�t say anything in reply. He looked down at the ground. �Well, now that that�s over and done with, why don�t we go and eat?� |
| That evening, in the dinner hall, Tim sat eating his meal in silence. Shocamon looked up at him, chewing his own meal. �What�s up, Tim?� The small Digimon asked. �I wasn�t able to control my fear today.� Tim explained. �Yeah, you�re pathetic.� Shocamon replied, laughing. Tim looked down at him. �What! You�re supposed to feel sorry for me!� �No, I�m supposed to protect you from evil Digimon.� Shocamon argued. �I can laugh at you if I want.� Tim grabbed a nearby bottle of ketchup, shook it roughly, and after opening its top, he squirted ketchup all over his Digimon�s head. Shocamon looked up with an upset expression. �Well, I can laugh at you too, then.� Tim said simply, laughing. Shocamon scowled and looked across the table as Audrey and Slythamon laughed at them. Shocamon hurriedly jumped down from his chair and dipped his head in a nearby fountain, washing the ketchup off. Tim was laughing heartily now. Shocamon turned back to him with a mean expression. Shocamon jumped onto Tim�s chest and rubbed his head against his t-shirt. �Hey, what are you doing?� Tim asked. Shocamon jumped backwards and sent a bolt of electricity through the wet patch he had left. Tim screamed as the electricity went through him. He then looked at Shocamon angrily. The Digimon just smiled back at him. �Wet clothes conduct electricity.� Shocamon spoke. Tim dove forwards to grab Shocamon, but the Digimon laughed and ran outside. Tim growled and ran after him. �Tim, don�t be too hard on him!� Audrey called, smiling. �How long do you think it�ll take for them to kill each other?� Slythamon asked her. �Not that long.� Audrey answered. �So, who doesn�t have their crests yet?� Darren asked, looking around the table. �I don�t.� Audrey said. �We don�t know about the others�� �Oh yeah, we saw Dracomon carrying three people back to his hideout.� Moosemon spoke. �Who were they?� �Must have been Kerri, Sam and Khalid!� Audrey exclaimed. �I can�t believe they�ve been caught!� �What! They�ve been captured by Dracomon?� Piximon exclaimed, slamming a fist down on the table. �This is a disaster! We must liberate them immediately!� �Guys, they�re here!� A frantic voice called from the door. The group looked up to find Tim in the doorway. �Who�s here?� Adrian asked, standing. �Dracomon and his little crew.� Tim informed. �They�re here!� The entire group, including Piximon, rose to their feet and followed Tim out of the dinner room. He led them to the front gates of Piximon�s castle, to the top of the flight of stairs. There, Fusemon was standing, looking out into the distance. Tim stood beside him and looked out also. There appeared to be an outline of a humanoid Digimon flying towards the mountain, being followed by a large turtle-like Digimon with cannons on its back. �What�s happening?� Tim asked. �They�re coming�� Fusemon said simply. Tim could hear a faint whirring noise coming from Fusemon�s mid-section � a sure sign that the champion Digimon was charging his arm cannons, ready to fire. Tim turned back to the others. �All you Digimon, Digivolve, now!� �Onomon Digivolve to�Katonomon!� �Moosemon Digivolve to�Wumon!� �Slythamon Digivolve to�Serpemon!� �Who�s that Digimon with him?� Audrey asked. �That�s Turpentamon.� Serpemon informed. �A turtle Digimon, he�s amphibious, and uses his cannons in water or on land to fire missiles at his enemies.� �Digidestined!� Dracomon called. �I demand you come down here, now!� �Hang on�� Audrey mumbled. �Nutter!� �Yeah?� Adrian replied. �Dracomon probably still thinks we�re dead from that fall.� Audrey said. �That�s right�� Adrian trailed off, thinking. �We could ambush him!� �Good idea!� Katonomon agreed. �Darren, Tim, listen.� Audrey spoke. �I need you to fight Turpentamon and Dracomon alone, while we get ready to surprise him, okay?� �What?� Fusemon exclaimed. �We have to fight him alone?� �Yeah, but don�t worry, we�ll help you.� Audrey spoke. �Get rid of Turpentamon, then we�ll attack Dracomon by surprise.� Adrian said. �Sounds like a plan to me.� Tim said. �You guys better hide.� Darren concurred. With this, Adrian, Audrey, Katonomon and Serpemon hid behind the large gates that led to Piximon�s castle. Darren and Tim, meanwhile, jumped onto the backs of their respective Digimon. �Let�s go!� Tim cried, and the two champion Digimon began their descent of the mountain. After they had descended it fully, Tim and Darren jumped off of their Digimon, as Dracomon stepped forward. �Look�s like you�re down to six.� Dracomon said, smiling. �The ones you call Audrey and Adrian are dead.� Tim had to stop himself from smiling upon hearing this. �No, how did they die?� �I pushed them down a ravine.� Dracomon informed. �I imagine their corpses lay at the bottom of it now.� �No!� Darren exclaimed. Tim smiled inwardly. He was a pretty good actor. Dracomon laughed. �Oh, how rude of me. Digidestined, meet Turpentamon. He�s here to aid in your destruction. Why not show them what you can do, Turpentamon?� Turpentamon ducked and his shell rotated quickly. Then it stopped, and two hatches opened up. �Turtle Missile!� He declared, firing two missiles at Fusemon. Fusemon held up his arm cannons, which were fully charged, and used the magnetic force to attract the missiles. He then span around on the spot, causing the missiles to rotate around him, before letting go and watching the missiles fly towards Dracomon. Dracomon just about noticed this in time, and jumped over the missiles. While he was busy, Fusemon and Wumon attacked Turpentamon. �Shockcannon!� Fusemon shouted, firing two balls of electricity. �Antler Shot!� Wumon fired his antlers like missiles at Turpentamon. Both of these attacks hit the turtle Digimon, and he split into dust. Dracomon looked at Fusemon and Wumon and smiled. �Perhaps you�re not entirely useless, then.� Dracomon commented. �They�re more than a match for you, Dracomon!� Tim shouted proudly. �Is that right?� Dracomon said, laughing. �Then let�s see.� �Shockcannon!� Fusemon cried, firing two balls of electricity at Dracomon. The evil Digimon blocked with his claws, and the attack was dissipated. Wumon and Fusemon ran around Dracomon, so that he was between them and Piximon�s castle. �Viral Blade!� Dracomon shouted, slashing upwards, the outlines of his claws flying towards the pair. Fusemon ducked, and the energy went over his head. �Viral Blade!� Dracomon repeated, attacking again. This time, Fusemon was hit, and he flew back, hurt by the attack. �Fusemon, no!� Wumon shouted. �Viral Blade!� Dracomon said a third time. Wumon knew this one was aimed at him, so he jumped, and the energy went underneath him. Wumon leaned his head forwards in mid-air. �Antler Shot!� He cried, firing his antlers at Dracomon. Dracomon jumped back, and the two missiles exploded where he stood. He laughed. �Digidestined, you don�t stand a chance against me!� Dracomon said, laughing, as Fusemon gathered the strength to return to his feet. Suddenly, he felt a great load of energy hit his back, first as a small arc, then as several small balls of energy. Dracomon screamed and kneeled down on the ground before him. He turned weakly, and saw something he never thought he�d see again. There, standing behind him, were Audrey, Adrian, and their Digimon. He quickly stood. �You!� Dracomon shouted. �How did you survive?� �Let�s just say a certain cat gave us some of her nine lives.� Audrey replied. �Money Shot!� Katonomon shouted, firing another salvo of white balls of energy at Dracomon. �Shockcannon!� Fusemon declared, firing two more orbs of electricity at Dracomon. Dracomon held up his hands in either direction, shielding himself against the attacks. �Viral Blade!� He cried, slashing upwards and firing energy at Katonomon. �That�s mine! Snake Pulse!� Serpemon announced, firing an arc of energy from her body, which collided with Dracomon�s attack. The two cancelled each other out. �Antler Shot!� Wumon shouted, firing his antlers at Dracomon�s back. The evil Digimon was hit by these antlers, and fell to the ground. �Give up, Dracomon?� Adrian asked. �He who fights and runs away�� Dracomon answered, and with a sudden burst of strength, he jumped up and flew off, presumably back to his hideout. �Stop him!� Audrey cried, but it was no use. Dracomon flew too fast for them to have any hopes of keeping up with him. �Hey, well done, Digidestined!� They heard Piximon�s voice say. They all turned to Piximon, who hovered nearby. He landed on Audrey�s shoulder and pointed his spear at them. �I think you�ve learned how to properly conduct yourself in battle. I was impressed with your reasoning skills in figuring out that he didn�t know you were still alive, Audrey. That enabled you to come up with a good strategy, and strategy is the key to winning battles. If you had just attacked him head on, you probably wouldn�t have stood a chance.� �Yeah, but he still got away.� �That doesn�t matter.� Piximon replied. �The point is that you attacked him in the correct way. If you keep doing that, he�ll succumb to you eventually. Remember, courage is important, but it�s nothing without strength and strategy.� �Well said, Piximon!� Audrey said. �We�ll remember that, don�t worry.� �In any case, you may stay here in my home for another night, then you must head off. If you remain in one place for two long, Dracomon will know, and he�ll bring his entire army to wipe you out.� |
| The next day the Digidestined waved goodbye to Piximon at the bottom of the stairs leading to his house. �Digidestined, I�ve learned that the rest of the group are heading to Primary Village!� Piximon shouted. �I assume they escaped from Dracomon. You can meet them there!� �Okay, thanks!� Audrey shouted. �Farewell Digidestined, and remember the things I have taught you!� Piximon said. �We will! Bye!� Darren called. The Digidestined watched as Piximon flew up the stairs back to his home. �We should head to Primary Village.� Tim figured. �Yeah.� Darren agreed, and the four humans and their Digimon partners walked off in the direction they had come. |