"Hey, whatchyour name! Izzy, you gotta see this." I looked up from my computer, hesitant to comply. It was Tai Kamiya's voice. I characterized him as the athletic one. He was also the most popular, so most likely accompanied by the scaredy-cat, the cool guy, the kid, the girl obsessed with pink, and the girl obsessed with Tai. They intimidated me. It didn't help me feel any better about myself, the way they hardly knew my name, or looked down upon me… literally. I was but a few inches taller than TK, the baby of the group. It didn't earn me that much respect. That's for sure. But the loading screen. It had been flickering on an off for the past two hours, ever since this snow storm hit in the middle of our summer camp. It made no logical sense really. And I couldn't fathom what could possibly be going on outside that they think is worth looking at. Haven't we seen our fill of strange occurrences for one day? I felt my legs start to cramp under me, so I stood. Folding my laptop screen down about half way before walking out into the morning cold.
"Woah." I heard TK as I trudged through the snow.
"It's beautiful, magical even!" Upon hearing Mimi, I semi-expected to see the sun setting already, a glistening pink haze across the sky. I took my place behind Tai and Sora, watching as Tai's jaw dropped with an absent minded "yeah."
"Yeah." I mocked, but he didn't notice. "What is it?" I asked, although I knew none of them would be keen enough to know.
"Maybe an aurora?" Sora guessed. But that still didn't sit right. Over a hill of snow, was the sky. The bottom was hot pink, but as you scanned higher it turned yellow and then the normal blue. The sun wasn't in its normal position. It wasn't anywhere really.
"You mean Aurora Borealis? The Northern Lights?" I asked her, but she stayed silent. "That's impossible. You see that in Alaska. We're way too far south." I declared, crossing my arms as to think of a better solution.
"Tell that to the snow." Sora said. But what would that solve?
"I really think we outta get back inside before we all come down with pneumonia." Joe said with a shiver, although I don't think it was really from the weather. I could see the fear in his eyes as he stared into the unknown.
"Miss this?! The sky is like short-circuiting." Circuiting… Maybe Joe is right. We should go back inside. I can check my computer. I turned, ready to head in when I heard Tai's call.
"Hey! What's that?" I looked over my shoulder, right into a circle of light shining through the sky. At first, I thought that maybe it was the sun. It made sense. But it darkened, turning green before a smaller circle of yellow appeared in the center and divided into six beams. They were heading straight for us, like meteors, perhaps? But they were moving too fast for us to find shelter. The first one hit, only a few inches from Tai. The snow flew up and I couldn't see, but I felt as the next one set in between Sora and I. I heard two more crashes as Matt and Mimi's screams intensified. Bang. Bang. Bang. And then it was done. Silence. Everyone was hurtled on the ground except for Sora and Tai, who were still standing, each hugging their arms into their chest. I had taken a knee, holding my hands on my hair, as I ignored the feeling of the skin on my leg getting numb. Matt also took a knee, though he was wearing long jeans that prevented some of the pain, and in his arms was little TK, his brother, shaking with his head tucked as well. Mimi clutched her hat, and I couldn't help but wonder if she was more concerned with her hair than anything else. And Joe, already uncoordinated and uneasy on his feet, had completely toppled over. Sitting on his butt and trying to fight the urge to pass out.
"Everyone," Sora was the first to speak, "Are you alright?" Tai woke upon hearing her voice, shaking the snow out of his hair.
"We're still here." Matt said, as if accusing her for the explosion.
"That was scary." Mimi dared to look up, but her hands were still clutching her hat, her elbow locked tightly against her bag.
"Wha-what was it?" Joe stuttered.
"Meteors?" I voiced aloud, before cursing myself. They would've been meteorites now. Crawling towards the hole in the ground, I watched as it began to cave in by droplets of incoming snow. The ground started to glow, and I remember reading something about dog urine and how you should never eat yellow snow unless in the proximity of a snow cone maker and vials of food coloring, but this was a different color. A dark blue, like an octagon with a square cut from the middle… and a little stub on the side. It expanded until it was floating in the air, atop a beam of light. Without thinking, I reached for the ray but my hand swiped through it. Tai had a similar idea, though he clutched the shape in his hand. I reached for it again, feeling something harden in my glove. Everyone looked down at their fists in awe.
"What," Sora took a pause, "are these?"
"My guess is some sort of miniature remote digital apparatus." I said, admiring how the square had become a screen, the rest of the octagon holding buttons. The little stub on the end seemed to be an antenna.
"No instructions?" Joe complained, but he had nothing to say about the giant wave that built right before our very eyes.
"Forget the instructions," Tai kid, "surf's up!" I didn't want to think about how weak a swimmer I had always been, so I didn't. Instead I pondered. Could the thing that exploded have been the moon?
The ice underneath our feet instantly disappeared, and we were falling between two tall walls of water. There didn't seem to be an end.
And then I woke up.
Carefully, I peeled myself of the ground, rubbing my neck and shoulders. I didn't notice it at first, the creature resting among the flowers and the trees. It was pink, shaped like an old stuffed animal I used to cuddle with on especially dark nights. It had big purple eyes, and an animated expression. Maybe this would be a suitable gift for Mimi? But he didn't seem interested in anything but me. I'm not gonna lie, the attention was kinda nice but was it only because no one else was around? I stared at it, and it stared at me, though unlike a human it didn't require the ability to blink. I stood, dusting of my green shorts, messing with the collar of my orange button shirt. Looking down at my shoes, void of laces, I realized the purple of the toes and tab complimented the thing's features, and he was even smaller than I. His height only amounting to just under my knee in size. I took a step, and he took two. Another step, another following. I ran, but he easily kept up. And I tried to dart the other way, but I was running out of breath and he was laughing like a child at a circus tent. Giving up quickly, I headed in the only direction that didn't seem to die. Shortly after, I heard a loud voice I recognized in an instant.
"Tai?" I hoped, grabbing onto a tree trunk to steady my balance as I freed myself from the vines. He seemed to be holding one too, though it was more rotund than my stalker.
"Izzy, that you?"
"It's me." I answered, before he had time to turn around. "And I've got this little pink thing following me everywhere." I said.
"It is me." It talks!? I couldn't help but become fond of his speech pattern in an instance, and the tone of his voice was just so cute. "Motimon, at your service!" He introduced, his walk resembling that of a penguin. "Anybody want lunch?" Upon hearing that, Tai dropped his own creature, causing me to wince at the way he bounced off the ground. Relax Tai. I don't think he was talking about eating us.
"Another one!" He cried, "what are they?"
"Oh!" I looked behind me but Motimon had disappeared, only to dart out past the other side of the tree and take his place in front of Tai. "Allow me to introduce myself." I thought he already did? "My friends call me Motimon. Everyone does, actually." I struggled to get around the tree, standing behind him as I examined his paws, three clunky fingers loosely wiggling.
"I believe those miniature remote digital gadgets have taken on an actual life form." Teasingly, I put my hands on my hips, "I don't remember anything like this in the camp brochure."
"You think?" Obviously, Tai didn't understand my acute attempt at being funny. "It's weird." Tai sighed.
"The vegetation is rather lush but the soil appears rather common." I became serious again, taking in as much of this jungle as fast as I could.
"Nothing is common in digiworld." Motimon announced proudly.
"That's right Tai, you're in the digiworld." Tai's bubblegum buddy spoke.
"And just where is the digiworld?" Tai asked, but I didn't care in the slightest. I want to know what it is. "Guess I'll just take a look around for myself." He decided in response to our silence. Without a second thought… rather… without a first thought either, he locked his foot in a hole, boosting himself up to reach a branch. Holding onto it, he began to climb a tree that was not a comforting distance from the ground. I felt my cheeks turn pink as I watched him climb, the way his knees locked and his butt clenched tight in his brown cargo shorts when he had to take an extra-long jump. And I imagined him falling. At first I imagined him breaking himself, dying on the digital floor. Then I imagined me trying to catch him, though the outcome wouldn't be any better, except for he'd be on top of me. He'd be moaning, in pain, but still. He'd be there in close relation and for the first time in a long time I wouldn't feel alone. But what would I feel? Anything?
"ROAR!" Interrupted my thoughts, and before I knew what was happening Tai was hanging upside down from the highest branch, the top of the tree sawed clean off by a giant red, flying insect.
"I can't watch, that is one seriously bad digimon, even when he's in a good mood." Motimon whimpered before covering his eyes. But I couldn't look away. Not for the same reason as before, but because he was the closest thing to a friend I ever had. I refused to lose him now.
"Kuwagamon, he's an insectoid digimon. Vicious and ruthless. With teeth like knives and scissor hands that can chop through anything." Motimon's description didn't help calm my stomach, neither did what happened next. The bubblegum buddy blew a tiny bubble at the monster, but it was a joke. Easily deflecting as he fell to the ground, followed by Tai. And I was nowhere near close enough, fast enough, or brave enough to try to catch him. He hit the ground at such speed. I thought he was dead until I heard a mumble.
"Tai, you okay?" I called through the dust, and it faded, and there he was, sitting crossed legs with his hand scratching at his head in thought.
"Well I have had better days." And then he noticed the bubblegum buddy. "Little guy!" Tai rushed to him. "You should pick on bugs your own size." You know Tai, even bugs his size would be huge by our standard. "What's your name… Koromon?" He guessed.
"That's me." Koromon smiled weakly.
"You're pretty brave for a little guy," Tai praised. "I'm impressed." And I couldn't help but lower my head for I was nothing but a coward.
A blush seemed to cross his cheeks. "It was nothin'".
"Tai, he's heading this way again." I tried best I could to keep calm as I pointed to the sky, but Motimon released my anxiety for me.
"Oh dear! Oh dear!" He jumped while flailing his arms, "Quickly everyone, this way."
"Cmon, Tai motioned for me."
"Hurry up!" Motimon cried. "For having two long legs you boys are awefully slow." Wait, rewind. Long legs? Me? "Inside this tree!" He motioned, before disappearing into the trunk. Tai and I stopped running, catching our balance as our feet glided against the rock. I didn't notice Tai's eyes narrow in what I could only identify as stupor and determination, so it caught me off guard when he grabbed by wrist and pulled me with him past the tough looking bark. We felt cold for a second, passing through. Until we got to the other side of this… portal. We were in a metallic base, reaching to the sky. The sound of the monster echoed within, and I couldn't help but compare it to the artificial sounds that were produced in the Jurassic Park movies. My parents didn't like me to watch such things. But I knew how to work a computer. And if this digiworld is anything like the stream of data utilized in my laptop, I'll think we'll be just fine.
"What kind of tree is this?" I asked.
"It's a hiding tree, silly." Motimon answered with a look of superiority in his eyes. Another grunt as a tree collapsed. And then another. We dropped to the floor, holding our heads just in case he was to swoop extra low. Quiet now, Izzy. Don't make a sound. You don't want Tai to hear your fear. Be as brave as you can, for a little guy. Motimon looked as scared as I felt, his eyes clamped shut as his whole being shook. Koromon on the other hand, had its pink eyes wide open, as did Tai with his large brown orbs. A drop of sweat fell from his forehead onto the hollow of the tree. But slowly, and I noticed as well, the sound disappeared. And Tai stood, looking up into the small hole at the top of the base, and into the sky. Still another second before we let out a breath, and I could hear as his heart beat skipped as did mine when she called out from the other side, telling us it was all clear. No need to hide anymore. Tai led us out, only our heads protruding as we saw her standing there, instantly a large smile taking over his face.
"Sora!" I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. I couldn't see what was so interesting about her. She always wore a hat to hide her inevitable bad hair days, she had a temper like you wouldn't believe, and though I'll admit, her smile was contagious, you didn't see it that often and never without the mischievous look in her eye warning all potential acquaintances to tread carefully.
"You can come out now." She smiled at the fact that we were still frozen, half of our bodies still in the trunk.
"Oh," he grinned sheepishly, "we were just planning the trap we were gonna set for that big bug." We were? But before I had time to argue, I noticed it to. Another creature in the shape of a flower. And it let out a soft purr before speaking.
"I am enchanted to meet you friends of Sora." I don't know that I qualify. "Welcome."
"Tai," I swear Sora winked, "Izzy, meet Yokomon." She looked down at the flower in pride. "My own personal something or other."
"Looks kinda like a radish." Tai said, as if trying to rid of Sora's triumphant grin.
"Must be another one of them… like the other… whatever they are." I couldn't believe it. My words were failing. Too much was happening at such a fast pace. I couldn't keep up. I couldn't explain. I was reduced to the same "its", and "they", and "whatevers" as the rest of my peers. We both turned to look at them, Motimon and Koromon, but another one appeared. This one was white, with pink circles on his cheeks. It reminded me of a piggy bank, a rabbit nose instead of a pig, and large wrinkly ears sticking up from the forehead.
"They're popping up everywhere." I said, still angry with the fact I couldn't do a better analysis of the definition 'they'.
"Hello. I am Tokomon." He bowed before twisting his head to the side and calling into the trees, "Hey TK, I'm over here." And to our surprise a small voice answered the call and there he was, standing before us, not a bruise on the child. His outfit of green blended in with the surrounding plants, which must've made it even more difficult for Matt to keep up. He had his own creature in his arms, yellow, fuzzy, and round, a thin silver horn shaped like a blade erect from his forehead.
"Hey, Matt! You too?" Tai couldn't believe it, though something in his voice told me he was relieved to have found the others. Don't get me wrong. I was relieved too. But was it really so bad being with only me? Matt just nodded, doing a hair flip with his free hand, his companion balanced between his other arm.
"Hello. You appear pleasant." It spoke, "Tsunomon is my name. And I am quite pleased to meet you." This speech was followed by TK's giggle. At first I thought it was at the peculiar choice of words, but we soon realized that it was because Tokomon was tickling him with his cheek. The adorability of the moment was lost by a certain shrill scream. It came from Joe, no doubt, as he emerged from between a bush. He was running, doing his best from keeping his items from falling out of his bag.
"Joe?" Tai asked dumbly, although not for confirmation of the elders presence, rather in question of why he was running like such an idiot. But the answer was obvious. Behind Joe flew a grey little guy, orange hair spiked from its head.
"This thing!" A pant. "This thing!" Another pant. "It won't leave me alone!" He stopped, resting his hands on his knees as he doubled over.
"Hey! Who are you calling a thing?" The creature spoke, leaning in and resting a fin on Joe's shoulder. "I'm no stuffed animal. The name," he did a little spin as if modelling, "is Bukamon." Joe shriveled up, offering one more display of hysterics before looking at us wide eyes, lessening by the fact that none of us were impressed.
"Wha-what's wrong with you guys?" He stressed, "Don't you see this creature hanging off me, and those creatures right there?" His eyes widened again as he realized what he had just said. "They-they're everywhere! What are they?" As if on cue, Bukamon pounced from his shoulder and into the crowd of creatures.
"We're", he took his place in the lead, signaling to the rest of the creatures to join in. "Digimon, Digital Monsters!" They cheered in unison.
"Digital Monsters?" Tai took an astonished step forward.
"Yes, Digimon!" They confirmed with a smile and an overexerted nod of their heads.
"We're not just digital monsters, we're much more than that," Koromon began, "we're, kinda cute!"
"And… very loyal." Tsunomon added.
Yokomon blinked her green eyes before offering, "with beautiful hair."
"Or maybe no hair at all." Motimon pointed out.
Bokumon's aqua eyes were about as wide as Joe's as he held up his fin. "We can be funny. HA!" He laughed with an over animated drop of the jaw.
"And adorable!" Tokomon wiggled his ears.
"It's a pleasure to meet each of you." Tai greeted, "My name is Tai, and these are my friends from camp. I'd like you to meet Sora." Of course he introduces her first.
"Nice place you got here." She smiled, "except the bugs."
"And the self-proclaimed cool one over there is Matt." Tai continued.
"No autographs, please." Matt gave another hair flip.
"This is Joe." And that's all Tai said about him.
Joe held out a hand, pulling it back as he realized his mistake. "I'd shake hands, if you had any."
"Izzy here's our computer expert." I guess that's all they know about me.
"Do you have internet access?" I asked, before realizing that my computer was still on the table back at camp… but then, what was so heavy in the backpack I had slung across my shoulders. I turned as Tai tried to remember TK's name, unzipping the green bag in surprise. There, rested neatly between the mesh material, was my computer. How in the…
"TK," TK took over for the stuttering soccer star, "call me TK. And I'm not as small as I look!" You're not the only one.
"Now, is that everybody?" Tai asked. Wait, what happened to the girl with the funny pink hat?
"Hey, what happened to the girl with the funny pink hat?" Sora demanded.
"Now, now." Tai corrected, "her name is Mimi." Ah, yes. Mimi.
"Well, perhaps she's off picking flowers." I suggested, pressing the power button on my laptop. But nothing happened. "Or going on a nature hike." I pushed it again only to give up and shut it again, zipping up the bag and slinging it back over my shoulders. Who was I kidding. Immediately following my suggestion we heard her scream in terror.
"Somebody help me!" Was drowned out by the loud sound of a buzz. That evil digimon… it must've come back.
"Come on!" Tai ordered, and we all took off after him.
"Ok, so she's not picking flowers." I said as I fought with Sora for the number two spot. But she was taller than me, and faster than me, so it wasn't a fair race.
"Mimi! Where are you?" He called as we made it into an opening.
"There she is." Sora spotted her as she appeared from the other side of the opening, screaming with a little green digimon following her. Wait, all of our digimon have touches of pink except for Joe's, and the one that is with Mimi is green? That's karma at its finest.
"Mimi, it's ok." Tai tried to soothe, but I had no idea why. Was it not obvious that everything was in fact NOT Ok? Was it not obvious what they were both screaming from? Was it not obvious why they were running? It was for the same reason we would soon be retreating as well, but I said nothing, just took this opportunity to stand beside Tai and hold my ground as he looked into the sky in fear.
"It's that big bug again." He shook as we ducked, letting it narrowly fly over our heads. It cut through a couple of trees before flying into the sky and away from the clearing.
"Mimi, are you alright?" The little green digimon asked to the fallen girl, collapsed like a puppet, legs unevenly under her as her head bowed in defeat. The digimon looked like a weed, something in dire need of being plucked, but it's eyes, shaped and colored like apple seeds, drooped in worry as it tried to comfort her.
"I think so." Mimi managed, still paralyzed in fear.
"Don't worry, Tanemon's here to protect you." It promised, giving an approving look to Sora as she knelt down infront of Mimi, telling her everything was ok now and putting a light hand on her quivering shoulder.
"Oh Sora." Mimi's voice sounded as if it was ready to break, but we had no time for that. The bug had finished making its loop. It was on its way back.
"Watch it! Here it comes." Tai stared behind us as we ran, making sure we were still a safe distance away. Treetop after treetop fell, caving into the forest. It was a good idea, but since he didn't know where he was going he ended up tripping, falling onto the ground. I helped him up only to hear an extra loud roar followed by Matt screaming "down." And we hit the floor again, the strength of his wings sending gusts into our face.
Joe took a deep breath as if choking on air. "Will this nightmare never end?" He asked, a branch falling in front of him as if a sign of things to come. "My mom will want a complete and total refund." Joe whined. And that was the first time I thought about it. Our parents. Where were they?
"Here he comes again!" Yokomon called from behind me. And she was right.
"Alright, that does it." Tai stood, an angry look on his face. "No more running away."
"What else can we do?" Sora asked, as she helped Mimi get back to her feet.
"She's right," Matt agreed, "There's no way we could fight that thing." His eyes darted to TK as he pulled him closer. We can fight.
We can fight, but "We can't win, anyway." Tai looked at me with frustration in his eyes. Wait, did I say that aloud? With a huff, Tai took off running again and none of us wasted a second. But his navigation skills had run out, and we had stopped running as we stared at the end of the plateau. A cliff just waiting for a few innocents to fall off.
"Great," Matt gave a roll of his eyes, "anyone bring a helicopter?" Tai, balance still off from his fall from the tree, wobbled closer to the edge. Be careful, Tai.
"Be careful, Tai." Sora called. Dammit. Why was it so hard for me to say? After but a moment, Tai turned back to us.
"There's no way down." He said, shoving his hands into his pockets in pure anger. "We're gonna have to find another way." But I could tell, something in his tone of voice. We had let him down. He wanted to stay and fight, but we were a disappointment. I recognized the feeling. And I didn't like it. I didn't want it to come back. Not now. Or ever, yet there it was. Tai was looking at us all, but I felt like he was staring at me. And in that moment he knew my secret, and he saw my vulnerability, and he didn't give a damn.
"Another way where?" Sora asked, not bothering to look around her as she waited for the leader's brilliant ploy. But he didn't have one. He just watched as the trees around us crumbled to the ground like a rattling earthquake, watched as we fell to the ground, the small digimon trying to fend of the bug with bubbles that did nothing but piss it off further. And they were all unconscious on the burning ground. And I don't care what Tai thinks, as I raced to Motimon, he was the one that let us down. He held Koromon in his arms as I lifted Motimon.
"They must be programmed for courage." I said, though I knew no one else was paying any attention to me. They all had their own companions rested in their arms. Even Joe had no hesitation cradling the inured Bokumon in his arms. And we backed away until we were inches from the cliff, just watching as the bug took a step closer, and another, each one shaking the ground due to the weight.
"I knew I should've brought my bug spray." Matt said, but none of us found the joke of any amusement. We clenched our digimon tighter as Tai's teeth clattered.
"Alright, get ready to run." He said, bracing himself with a slight bend of the knee. Koromon twisted in his arms, looking at him with a fire in his eyes.
"No!" He said, "we fight."
All Tai could muster was a shocked, "huh?"
"That's right," Koromon agreed, "it's the only way. Stand and fight"
"Give it up, will ya?" Tai pleaded, trying to tighten his grip on the little guy. Upon the protest, Motimon started wriggling out of my grasp as well.
"No, Koromon's right," he said, "It's time that we show what we're made of." Fluff?
"No don't." I argued, also struggling to keep my hold on him but we were as much of a match for them as they were for the Kuwagamon.
"No!" Tai got but a step, "Don't Koromon!" Our devices hooked to our pockets or belt buckles began to flash, "Come back!" And then he stopped in his tracks as the digimon were enveloped in light, just like the devices we had found back at camp.
"Koromon digivolve to Agumon." A little dinosaur swiped at its claws.
"Yokomon digivolve to Biyomon." A small purple bird, shaped like a flamingo with small legs and hawk feet.
"Motimon digivolve to Tentomon." Tentomon looked like he could've been an offspring to Kuwagamon, an insect as well as tiny stingers emerged from his lady bug shaped and colored back.
"Tsunomon digivolve to Gabumon." A baby white tiger unicorn crossbreed?
"Tokomon digivolve to Patamon." An orange hamster with bat wings for ears?
"Bukamon digivolve to Gomamon." A hole digging seal mole?
"Panemon digivolve to Palmon." A hedge bush shaped Venus fly trap? Some scientist, somewhere in this, 'digital world', was having a bit too much fun with his experimentation. And we were just lab rats caught in the maze. Each digimon transformed before our eyes, and although we all saw it, none of us knew what happened.
"They're bigger." Tai pointed out as they charged. They were easily knocked down by a bat of Kuwagamon's arm, but they were quick to get back on their feet.
"All right then." The dinosaur warned, "you asked for it!"
"Poison Ivy!" Palmon called as her thorn-like fingers extended from her leaf-like hand, wrapping around Kuwagamon's leg and keeping him from flying back into combat. Patamon, the flying hamster bat thing flew up to Kuwagamon's level, shouting "Boom Bubble" as he released another one from his mouth. It wasn't the same shade of pink, or as easy to pop. You could see the energy, feel the power as the air expanded and recoiled him away. Tentamon was the next to approach, his attack called Super Shocker as electricity resonated from somewhere between what appeared to be his wings. Gomamon, like a seal, slid across the ground, squeezing under Kuwagamon's foot, tripping him and smiling as he fell over on one side.
"Together everyone!" Agumon ordered, and it was then that I saw fire in his eyes. The same fire I had seen in Tai's. And not only in his eyes, in his mouth too. "Pepper Breath." He shouted as a sphere of flame shot forward.
And like Matt's soul, I saw the ice in Gabumon's eyes as he called out "Blue Blaster."
Biyomon took to the sky, spreading her wings as she called out "Spiral Twister", and as I watched the green trail of energy warp like a hypnotist's finger, I realized I knew more about them than I ever wanted to. Tai was hot… but I had already noticed that. Matt was cold- hearted and souled. Sora, she was a manipulator, and it was obvious that it was Tai she wanted spiraled around her finger. The attacks kept coming, one after another until they fought in unison. With an enraged moan, Kuwagamon was set on fire, falling back before he escaped helplessly.
"Amazing." Tai said, speechless for the second time in his life.
"Told you we could do it!" Agumon laughed, running towards us along with the others. I stood next to Sora, though I tried to ignore her, struggling to hold a sincere thumbs up when Tentomon asked me about his Super Shocker. But we had celebrated too soon, and Kuwagamon returned, digging his mandible into the ground as the cliff broke apart. We all fell, landing in what I could only hope to be a deep enough stream.
Did Tentomon's power mean something too? That I'd shock them? That I'd go against everyone's expectations and become something? Or was it too late now.