Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Dejimon Armor 01 ❯ Gotsumon no Tasukeru! Tsubasa no Kibou, Pegasmon ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Dejimon, or any of the Dejimon in this fan series, except for enemy Dejimon. I do own all the human characters in the series. So don't sue me!

Episode 3: Gotsumon no Tasukeru! Tsubasa no Kibou, Pegasmon

(Save the Gotsumon! The Wings of Hope, Pegasmon)

"I didn't know it rained in the desert."

"Technically-"

"Oh, stuff it."

"This had better not soak through my backpack. I'd be really pissed off if it whacks up my Walkman."

"Let's sing a song!"

Everyone groaned.

It had been a long and tense day. With the news of Shinkou's Deji-mentaru and Armor Evolution, they had made the decision to move on, back through the desert to the canyon Hawkmon had mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, it started raining in the middle of their trip.

Shinkou had her backpack on her head to protect herself from the rain. It wasn't working too well. Kenichi had the pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up but the rain only soaked through. Tao had pulled of his shirt and draped it over his head. Jishin's do-rag flapped in the wind as she held it over her head. Genki clung to her hat, which was severely soaked.

"It's raining, it's raining, Nii-chan's coming home with an umbrella just for me. Drip-drop, plip-"

"Aaaagh, I can't take it, damn it!" Shinkou moaned. "Stop the singing!"

Genki shut her mouth. Jishin glanced at Shinkou. "Aw come on, she was only lightening the mood. You can't bitch all the time, right?"

"It's raining, cold, and we're in an endless desert. What reason is there not to bitch?"

"If we find the canyons we will have shelter from the rain," Hawkmon pointed out.

"Do you see a canyon, bird-brain?"

Tao looked pleased. "Well, that's reasonable. A desert can become a canyon. How far is it, Hawkmon? A few more kilometers?"

"Kilometers? What are kilometers?"

"A unit of measurement represented by one thousand meters."

Of course this only led Hawkmon to ask about meters. Tao tried to explain the metric system to the Dejimon. He pointed out an approximate centimeter with his right index finger. "As soon as we get out of this rain, I'll teach you the rest of the system. It's quite easy to learn."

"Fascinating," Hawkmon murmured. "Zatumon, come take a look at this."

"I'm wet!"

"You're an idiot."

Kenichi moaned and plopped down in the wet desert sand. "Damn it, I'm sick of walking!" he complained. "We're getting nowhere like this!"

"The more we walk the closer we get to a canyon," Jishin said. "So quit whining. You're in the eighth grade."

"Which makes me responsible for you all, but certain people keep running off!"

"Oi! You trying to say something?"

Genki hurried over to the two older children and held her hands up. "Don't fight!" she pleaded. "We gotta stick together, remember? Hawkmon said it's Jishin-neechan's job to keep us together."

"There's no `e' in team," Zatumon agreed.

"Uh . . .yeah there is," Tao said, looking at Zatumon strangely.

Kenichi gestured wildly. "See what I mean? How are we supposed to be a team? Face it, Genki-we're a mismatched group of confused kids who stumbled onto that stupid portal by chance."

"I don't think this was by chance," said Tao, stepping away from Hawkmon and Zatumon. Rain slipped down his face and into his eyes-he wiped the droplets away. "Think about it. Two of us have already gotten Deji-mentaru. Two of us that happened to be in the right place at the right time, just like before at the portal. It could have been anyone, but it was us."

"I still think it was random."

"Kenichi, doesn't it strike you that each one of us happened to be in the park at the same time? And at the precise moment that Genki needed our help? Could have happened to anyone right? But then, suppose it had been Shinkou that Fugamon attacked. Would she still have Armor Evolved? Probably."

Kenichi shook his head. "Coincidences. There's no web, no pattern, and no `greater power'. We just came here."

"Kenichi," Jishin said suddenly, "why were we in the park anyway?"

Kenichi opened his mouth to respond, but instead frowned and scratched his head. "That is weird. I don't remember. It was kind of on an impulse. Jishin started walking out of the apartment and I followed. Neither of us asked why we were leaving or where we were going."

"In other words, something led you there. There were tons of children in the park that day. Why were we the only ones to find the portal? Surely someone else would have found it too. Or maybe, just maybe, some common thread connects us all. But what could that be?"

"Maybe Tao is right," Jishin said slowly, gauging the others' reactions.

"Oi! We'd go faster with less talking and more walking!" Shinkou shouted.

Genki-who was bored with the conversation anyway-hurried up to Shinkou, bouncing on the wet sand, completely oblivious to the rain. Jishin turned to Tao. "So you think we're all here for a reason?"

"The Deji-mentaru that have appeared prove it."

"I'm glad." Jishin smiled, rain plastering strands of red hair to her dark-skinned face.

Tao blushed. His face turned bright red. Jishin giggled. "Your ears are redder than a tomato."

"I . . .nani?" Tao self-consciously felt his ears.

"I think it's cute," Jishin told him.

This only enhanced the crimson flush of his face. He stammered incoherently. Jishin laughed and patted him on the back, ignoring the soaking fabric of his shirt. "Just chill, Tao-sempai."

"The rain is letting up," Kenichi announced from up front. "The sun is coming out. We'll be out of here in no time."

Genki threw up her hands and cheered. "Yay! When we get out of the rain I wanna eat dinner!"

"A nice, long bath sure would make up for half a day of tramping around like a wet dog," Kenichi mused. "Jishin! What do you wanna do?"

"I'm gonna have me a feast!"

"Feast! Feast!" Genki shouted, running around.

"Bed," Tao muttered.

"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day! Rain, rain, uh-"

Tao laughed. "Rain, rain, please make haste. Travelers have no time to waste," he helped. "Jishin! Don't you have some Pocky left?"

"My Pocky, mine!"

Kenichi raised his head to the sky. "Hurry up, sun!"

Shinkou yawned and looked over her shoulder, bored. "We'd better reach this canyon of yours soon, Hawkmon. This isn't my idea of a nice hike." She looked at Genki, who was dancing for foot to foot and singing softly. "You getting tired of walking, kid?"

"My stomach's growling. And my feet hurt."

"We'll find some food soon." Shinkou stopped walking and bent down, ignoring the rain that pelted against her back. "Here, get on," she commanded. Genki clambered on her back and wrapped small arms around her neck. Shinkou hefted her up and continued trudging. "Goggle-girl! Why don't you let the kid have some of that Pocky, huh?"

Jishin glanced at the box of Pocky. "Sou . . ." she said uncertainly, handing over the box to Shinkou, who opened it and handed Genki a stick of Pocky. The brown-haired child frowned and cocked her head. "Don't you want any, Shinkou-neechan?"

"Not hungry." Shinkou closed the box and returned it to Jishin.

The redhead smiled worriedly at Shinkou. "You are hungry, aren't you?" she whispered.

"She needs it more."

"It's nice of you."

"Whatever."

"I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Whatever . . .Jishin-san."

Jishin sighed and kept walking. It's a start. She's never called me by `Jishin' before. She glanced at Shinkou, whose spiky hair was slick with rain. Maybe the girl really wanted to be a bit friendlier?

"Hawkmon, is it just me or-"

She took one more step and abruptly felt the heat of the sun on the top of her head. No more rain. She reached up and felt her bone-dry hair, her smooth dark skin, all perfectly dry. Not a drop of water rested on her. "Na . . .ni?" Jishin whispered.

"It's not wet anymore," Genki observed.

"What the hell?" Kenichi muttered.

Tao looked seriously annoyed. "This is simply not possible. It was raining a minute ago? And now we're dry as ever? Because we took one step?"

"Welcome to Dejimon Sekai," commented Shinkou.

"But it's physically . . .scientifically impossible! It's like-"

"A human becoming a Dejimon?" Kenichi spoke up. "You saw it happen, Tao. Can't deny that this world is upside down."

Tao folded his arms across his chest and sighed. "Well . . .at least we're out in the sun. Maybe now we can find this canyon we've heard so much about. I'm starved."

"Should we take a break?" Kenichi suggested.

"Good idea. We haven't even had lunch," said Jishin. "I have a feeling we'll be skipping a lot of meals in our stay here. Let's take a break, ne?"

Shinkou set Genki down and the seven-year-old ran around in circles before flopping on her back in the sand. "Mmm . . .warm," she said softly. "This feels nice. I don't wanna get up ever again."

"Trust me, you will. This is the desert. Too hot to lay back and smell sakura blossoms," Shinkou laughed.

"There are no sakura trees in the desert, though at this point I wouldn't be surprised," Tao muttered irritably.

"Lunch today is Pocky, everyone. Make it last," Jishin announced, passing the candy out.

Hawkmon took one and examined it curiously. Zatumon peeked out from a hole he'd burrowed then promptly disappeared. Hawkmon opened his mouth but Zatumon popped up in front of him, grabbed the Pocky and disappeared into the sand.

"Zatumon, you brainless idiot! Oh, dear."

"Daijoubu," Jishin said, handing him another.

"So, Hawkmon, what exactly happened back there? Tao inquired. "The rain disappearing and all."

"It could have been a fault or malfunction in the desert's data code. That happens. Data gets switched or located elsewhere. Sometimes it breaks up naturally and repairs itself with an incorrect default program."

"Wait a minute. You keep talking about data. As in computer data? Binary? Are you saying that this world is one big computer program? That means if you can crack the code, there is nothing you cannot alter!"

Hawkmon nodded. "That is why we appear to speak the same language. Anything can be translated into binary, the common tongue of our world.

"Great Amida Buddha-sama, that means that portal was just another opening in the Internet! It's like a physical representation of an `html' program. We found the code and entered it. Then the program updated itself to accommodate us into it! Whoever designed the program for this world is an absolute genius! More amazing than Confucius, Buddha, Einstein . . ."

"Tao's in technical Tengoku," Jishin giggled. "Did anyone catch what he was saying just then."

"GIF," said Genki.

"Nani?"

"We've become GIF's. When Kenichi-niisan found the Deji-mentaru, it updated his file type and he became a GIF."

Tao looked shocked. "Brilliant, Genki! A dot `GIF' file is often an animation file. It is usually a quick, uncomplicated file with a small capacity. When animated it goes through a sequence, changes, and then returns to normal. Like when Kenichi-sempai and Shinkou Armor Evolved."

"How the hell did you come up with something like that, kid?" Shinkou almost smiled. "You're smarter than you look."

"Nii-chan taught me about computers." Genki grinned.

"A base code, multiplied, updated," Tao muttered, "would explain the diversity of the Dejimon species. How they got a physical form is a mystery. An unknown element that chemically reacts to silicon. If only I could get a DNA sample!"

Shinkou shook her head. "We don't understand a word you're saying." She was about to lie down next to Genki when something caught her eye. "Nani? Oi, did any of you guys see that?"

"See what?" Jishin muttered, scanning the horizon.

"I know I saw something."

Tao stopped babbling like a street crazy and spared Shinkou a quick look. "Sunstroke. Mirage. Nothing more. Desert sun can cause your brain to malfunction."

"Dude, I'm not going crazy."

"Mirages are common enough. You don't need to be insane to see one."

"I am not seeing things!"

"Wait, she's right." Kenichi scrambled to his feet. "Something is definitely out there." He cast a hopeful glance at Shinkou. "Yeah, I totally agree with Shinkou here." Shinkou groaned.

Tao discounted it as mass hysteria.

"Damn you skeptics. You're all the same." Kenichi cupped his hands to his mouth. "We won't hurt you!"

"Much," Shinkou muttered.

"Tomodachi desu! Friends!" Jishin agreed, sparing Shinkou a withering glance. Whoever-or whatever-it was seemed encouraged by the mention of friends. Something peeked out of the sand briefly, then disappeared.

Kenichi began to sing to the tune of "Spiderman." "Dejimon, Dejimon, friendly neighborhood Dejimon."

"Kenichi, don't sing," Jishin groaned.

"Show them the Deji-mentaru," suggested Genki. "They'll recognize those, I'll bet they will!"

Kenichi and Shinkou pulled out their D-1's and pointed them all around. The sand broke up somewhere and a rock plowed up through it slowly.

"We are Armor Evolutionists! We Armor Evolve!" Kenichi called.

Shinkou raised an eyebrow questioningly. "We're . . .Datists. We uh . . .possess the powers of the Deji-mentaru." She grabbed Jishin and said, "This is our leader."

The rock appeared fully now, sand draining off its body. It blinked. It had eyes and a mouth. Then a gravelly hand rose up out of the sand and placed itself in front of the rock. Then a body emerged, which had been submerged in the sand.

"Gotsumon. A Child level rock Dejimon," Kenichi read off his D-1.

"Show me!" shouted the Gotsumon. "If you really possess the Deji-mentaru, then you'll fight me! Gotsumon Shinka!" A data ring encircled his body and he grew into a huge, turtle-esque monster covered in armor plates. "Tortomon!"

"Wait, don't-" Jishin started.

But Shinkou already had her D-1 out. "If that's the way you're gonna play it-Armor Evolution! The flames of courage, Fla Dramon!"

Fla Dramon grabbed her D-1. "It'll absorb you and become stronger! Fire-"

"Waaagh! Wait, stop!" Tortomon suddenly burst into dust and gravel, revealing a terrified Gotsumon. "Don't hurt me! I can't fight, only the Elders can, I was just making sure you were telling the truth!"

Fla Dramon growled and devolved back to Shinkou. "I could have absorbed you, but I didn't. Be grateful."

"I told you not to Armor Evolve!" Jishin chided.

"Easy for you to say; you don't have a Deji-mentaru!"

"I'm still the leader which means you have to obey my orders!"

Gotsumon watched them with wide eyes. "You really can Armor Evolve, can't you! Humans! I can't wait to tell the Elders! You have to come to the Gotsumon Village! Once the Elders learn that the next Great Revelation will be soon upon us, there'll be a celebration and feast! The Knowing One doesn't speak, but there'll be dancing, and ceremonial rituals, and-"

"Feast?" all the humans shouted, knocking the poor Dejimon off his feet.

"Free food!" Zatumon wrapped his arms around Hawkmon's neck. "We gotta go, we gotta go!"

"Feast! We're gonna have a feast!" Kenichi cheered. "Show us to this village."

Gotsumon pointed to the horizon. "To the canyon!"

Genki froze. "C-canyon?"

"Don't you want to visit our canyon village?"

"I-is it up high?"

"Nah, you have to climb down the walls to get to it."

Genki shrieked and clung to Shinkou's hand. "I don't wanna go! You can't make me!"

"Genki-"

"Kid, listen-"

Gotsumon looked worried. "Is she one of you? This child."

Genki turned around, insulted. "I am not a child and of course I'm one of them! I came here, didn't I? I'm not afraid! I just don't like high places, that's all."

"Acrophobia?" questioned Tao. "All you have to do is face your fears, Genki. The moment we start climbing down that canyon you'll be cured."

Gotsumon seemed shocked that anyone could be afraid of heights. "What's so scary about it? Our canyon is nice. You'll like it. You can stay the night!"

"What a deal!" Jishin grinned broadly. "Well guys, we can't possibly turn down such a generous offer, now can we?"

They all agreed to follow Gotsumon to this village. He turned and headed back out toward the bleak horizon. "Watch your step," he warned lightly, and disappeared.

"Nani!" Jishin shouted.

"Another illusion?" wondered Tao. "Should we go?"

"O-one way to find out, n-ne?" Genki said uncertainly. "I can go first if no one wants to."

Shinkou glanced at her. "Kid, you don't have to."

"Don't call me `kid'!" Genki snapped, rejecting Shinkou's concern. "You're only ten and I'm seven, almost eight! You shouldn't treat me any different than you do the others!"

"I didn't mean to-"

"I'm not just a little kid! Let me take care of myself! Just because I'm younger doesn't mean I need someone watching over me all the time, even if I am scared a lot. I'll only drive you away if you get too close, like I did to Hondo?" She took a deep breath. "Can we go now? I'm hungry."

"Well, go on then."

"Uh . . ." Genki started walking cautiously forward. She felt a faint tingle and let her feet hit firm ground. "It's okay! Come on!" She turned around and saw empty desert where her friends should have been. Then a leg appeared and she shrieked. But following the leg was Tao, stepping through an invisible doorway.

He saw Genki and poked his head back through the barrier. He was obviously reassuring the others. Moments later they appeared along with Hawkmon and Zatumon, looking relieved that they came through in one piece.

Gotsumon hurried over to them. "We don't have all day. Look!"

"Now I'm seen everything," Tao sighed.

A few more steps put them on the edge of a gaping maze of chasms cut deep into the reddish walls. The canyon loomed before them and they gaped. "Like the Grand Canyon in Amerika," Kenichi said in awe.

"Ugh. Too high." Genki took a step back. "Rragh . . ."

"You need a minute?" Shinkou asked. "Might as well rest, anyway. Long way down."

"If I throw up, I won't on you."

"Gee, I'm flattered."

"Are you coming or not?" Gotsumon called, already moving down a set of steps carved out of stone. "It isn't all the way at the bottom, you know. It's cut into the walls of the canyon itself."

"That's worse!" Genki complained, but she was the first to follow Gotsumon on the descent.

At one point he disappeared into the canyon wall. The children caught up and gasped at the sight they beheld. Holes, tunnels, and monstrous niches were carved into the walls of the canyon. Several stone stairways and rope ladders connected the many cavities.

"Yay, like a playground." Trying not to look down, Genki wormed her way into the same hole where Gotsumon went. "That wasn't bad at all."

Hawkmon and Zatumon flew in. Genki scowled. "We don't all know how to fly," she muttered. "Where are the others?"

They arrived a moment later, clambering up into the cave and examining the inside. It was a small cavern, aglow with the light of a fire. Sitting by that fire were several Gotsumon, but they looked tired and worn, and the stones that made up their bodies were cracked with none of the sheen of the children's Gotsumon guide. One of the old ones leaned on a makeshift cane.

"Perhaps it is meant to represent a congregation of ancient tribal shaman," Tao said aloud.

"Shhh," their friend Gotsumon whispered. "Sit. These are the Elders. The one with the cane is the Knowing One. On each side of him are the Deep Ones, and the last two are the Strong Ones. They are the Mind, Soul, and Body of this Gotsumon tribe."

They sat down by the fire. The old Gotsumon watched them in silence, not speaking. Jishin shifted uncomfortably. She hated the quiet. It held too many memories of the cold silence she had hated and feared for so long.

"Fortunately, Tao nudged her, having noticed her anxiety. He nodded and glanced pointedly at the Elders.

A moment later the Deep One on the right spoke. It is a sad time-"

"-when our Mind does not speak," finished the one on the left. "I am The Deep."

"I am the Deep One."

"'We are the Soul.'"

The Strong One on the right, presumably The Deep, followed up. "It is a sad time when our Mind does not speak-"

"-and his eyes say nothing but pain. But when the humans come-"

"-it is a happy time when our Mind speaks again. I am The Strong."

"I am the Strong One."

"'We are the Body.'"

A heavy silence ensued. The cavern seemed significantly darker. If the fire had dared to go out someone would have screamed. Then the sounds of a rough, laborious breathing broke through the quiet.

"Worlds will fall to Darkness-"

"-if they do not find their Light," spoke the other four Elders.

"The Knowing One speaks," said The Deep. A new time is upon us."

"Please stay in our village," the Knowing One said. "We will provide you with the best of feasts and reveling."

"Party!" Genki cheered.

"Yeah! Snacks!" shouted Jishin. She grabbed Genki by the hands and they danced in a circle, laughing and singing at the top of their lungs.

"Dancing! Hope it's a boys ask girls affair, ne?" Kenichi winked at Shinkou.

"Don't count on it, Romeo."

A smile that almost cracked the old Gotsumon's cheeks spread across the Knowing One's features. "You'll stay the night?"

"You bet!" Jishin confirmed enthusiastically.

Hawkmon sighed. "Don't get too excited, now. We're bound to run into trouble at some point."

Before Jishin could point out his pessimistic attitude Zatumon swooped in. "Party!" he squealed, joining Jishin and Genki in their festivities. Hawkmon just rolled his eyes and ignored his companion's antics, while the ghost Dejimon zipped around the girls' heads.

The Strong One laughed. "An energetic spirit. Good for the body."

"Food for the soul," added The Deep.

"Young ones today," mumbled the Knowing One. "Youngling," He pointed at the children's guide, "Show the humans where they will stay the night."

"Right away!" The young Gotsumon beckoned to the children and their two Dejimon companions. "Follow me. There's an empty cave not far from this one."

"More climbing?" Genki moaned. "I don't like canyons."

Gotsumon merely shook his head and led them out of the cave, pointing to another stone stairway that led to a niche quite a ways downward. "We'll be celebrating at the top of the canyon tonight," he said. "Meanwhile, you might want to rest up."

They made it into their cave with little trouble, although Genki was having problems with keeping from being sick. She scrambled to the back of the cavern and huddled, waiting for her stomach to stop turning over.

"Who would have thought? Little rock-headed hermits living in a canyon." Shinkou leaned against a wall and dug through her knapsack, looking for something to entertain herself with.

Jishin didn't want to rest. She headed for the edge of the cave and moved as if to climb down the ladder to the steps. Kenichi cautioned her, reminding his sister that this is a canyon and you could easily slip off and-

"I'm just going to check things out. I'll be fine. It's no different from rock climbing back home, you know."

"I'm older, I'm smarter, I'm Puttimon-sama the Great. Will you not ignore me?"

Jishin peered up above the edge, still climbing down the ladder. "Well, I'm the leader. I make my own choices."

"You are just so, so-" Kenichi spluttered. "You're such a sister!"

"My job," Jishin called. They glimpsed her dropping to the platform and running to a set of steps, stopping only to yell, "Yakitori!" trying to make an echo.

Genki poked her stomach. No longer feeling sick, she walked over to Shinkou. "Can I go explore too?"

"If you have to do business, we have a whole cave."

"I don't need to go! I went back in the forest. I want to explore."

"Fine, go on. Oi, Kenichi-sempai! Take the kid for a walk, will you?"

"Tao's more dependable!"

Shinkou grunted. "Exactly. I don't trust some as undependable as you alone with me around. Tao-sempai I trust just fine. `Sides, you gotta sister three years younger than you. You have experience with potty problems."

"I don't need to go!"

"I'm just joking with you, kid. Lighten up. Look, I'm about to pass out here. You wanna run around and play tourist, fine with me. Go have fun."

Tao shrugged and grinned. "Crazy as she sounds, she's got a point."

Kenichi grumbled. "C'mon, Genki, maybe we'll find some real food."

He followed Genki out of the cave. They started down the ladder, and Genki gripped the rungs tightly, dropping softly to the stone steps below. She hugged the canyon wall and shiuvered. Kenichi trailed behind. Genki's foot caught on a loose rock, but before she could fall Kenichi grabbed her and gently pulled her up straight.

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" Genki chirped. "Look! Gotsumon kids! Kawaii!"

As they descended, Kenichi brought up a question that had popped into his head. "Genki, why do you want to explore if you're afraid of heights?"

Genki watched her feet warily. "Nii-chan told me to never let my fears get in the way of my dreams. Before he started doing bad stuff, like drinking." She smiled. "Besides, I don't want to be afraid. You aren't. I wanna stay here in Dejimon Sekai. I wanna be like you and Shinkou-neechan and do brave stuff. If I come home brave, maybe Okaa-chan will forgive me for leaving her."

"That's a lot of responsibility for one little girl to carry."

"But Tao-niichan said that we're here for a reason. If I was chosen, I must be strong. And that means I have to carry my own weight?"

"Did Hondo tell you that too?"

"Uh-hunh."

"He sounds really smart."

Genki beamed. "He's the smartest person in the world!"

Kenichi smiled. There had been times when Jishin thought the same of him. Smug and arrogant he may be, but he was still "Nii-chan." There was nothing he valued more than Jishin's safety.

"Can we see the little Gotsumon now?"

"Hai. Let's go."

Humming a merry tune, Genki carefully made her way down the steps, trying not to look down. She did anyway and felt a little queasy. But the rock wall pressed against her comfortingly and she continued walking, proud of overcoming her brief and mild panic attack.

They passed an empty cave and Genki's D-1 gave a sudden, fleeting "brrreep." She pulled it out and peered curiously at the device. She would have investigated further but Kenichi called to her and she hastened over to him once more.

****

"Look, you can't eat all of it. Iie! Just-oi! Don't touch that! It's not food!"

"Kami-sama." Shinkou rolled her eyes.

A group of Gotsumon was trying out Jishin's Pocky. Shinkou sat on a rock and watched some wildly dressed Gotsumon do a dance around a big bonfire by the edge of the canyon. Genki had joined them, cheering and dancing, making sure not to go too close to the cliff.

"An evening tribal dance ceremony is a great experience," said Tao, next to Shinkou. "I wouldn't miss this for anything."

Jishin came over, looking torn as she tipped over an empty Pocky box, looking for crumbs. "I'm flat broke," she moaned. "All my Pocky. Gone."

"We were all tired of Pocky anyway," Tao reassured her.

"I could have made a profit, introducing Pocky to the Dejimon population. Whatever constitutes as money here, we need it." She brightened. "Great party, ne? I wish they had soda."

Right on cue Kenichi came over to them holding a carved wooden bowl. He sat down and put the bowl to his lips, sipping something. He passed it to Jishin. "Water?" she questioned. He nodded and they all took turns drinking from the bowl.

"How Sengoku Jidai like," muttered Tao. "Drinking from one bowl. Oh, well."

Genki bounced their way, giggling. Her sea-green eyes shone with glee. "That was fun!" she chirped, sitting down by Shinkou and chattering about the dancing.

"Looks like the Elders are about to speak," Jishin pointed.

The Knowing One leaned on his cane and observed the Gotsumon tribe and the small visiting group. The other Elders were on their respective sides of him, raising their hands for silence. As soon as the dancing stopped and noise died down, they spoke their routine words and the Knowing One took his stand.

"Our lives here have ridden on that of this noble canyon since the first Great Revelation. And until now we have lived in peace, but the Darkness had awakened once more. These human children with their companions Hawkmon and Zatumon, and the spirits of the Deji-mentaru, come to converge our world with theirs and restore peace.

"Nice speech," Tao complimented.

"What's next?" Kenichi wondered aloud. "Food?"

"It's cold," observed Genki. "I'm gonna go back to the fire and get warm."

Shinkou waved her off and pulled out her Walkman, bored with the Knowing One's words already. It reminded her too much of the assemblies at school. The memories twisted a knife in her chest. Not three days and she was homesick. But she wanted to get away from Joanna and Kazuhito, right?

" . . .more pain inside of my brain in the eyes of a little girl inside of a plane aimed at the World Trade-"

Startled, Shinkou yanked off her headphones and stopped the CD in terror. It hit a little too close to home. No, way close to home.

"Oow! Atsui ma!" Genki cried from over by the fire. She had gotten too close to the flames. She jumped back and sat down where it was safe.

I told you not to touch that stove. Hot isn't it? Don't worry. The best way to learn is form your mistakes.

But it hurt.

We all pay a price for our curiosity, don't we? Just be more careful next time. Now come on, let's put some salve on that burn.

I tried, Nii-chan, thought Genki. But I'm here now. And what's gonna happen to me? I'll come home strong because Okaa-chan needs me.

"Genki, are you asleep? Ne?" Jishin bent over, patting the girl on the head.

"I was thinking. I'm hungry. When do we get to eat?"

"The Gotsumon will tell us when it's suppertime," Jishin assured her. "So, tired of dancing?"

"Plain tried. I don't stay up late."

They looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw the Knowing One shuffling toward them. He held out a hand to Jishin. "Young leader of the humans, please come with you."

Genki jumped to her feet. "I wanna come too!"

"No harm in it." Jishin shrugged.

"If you must. Come along, then."

They followed the wizened Gotsumon down the canyon, Genki staying close to the walls. Otherwise she did not complain. The Knowing One led them to an unoccupied cave. Genki peered in and was shocked to realize that this was the same cave she'd stopped to look at earlier.

"In the back, there is a mark burned on the wall. It is the symbol of the guardian of Hope, Pegasmon."

"No kidding?" Jishin squinted in the dark.

The Knowing One cleared his throat and spoke again. "We dare not enter the cave lest we disturb the mark. You claim to possess Deji-mentaru. Perhaps you could take it."

"How long has it been here?"

"Since the oldest Gotsumon was a Fresh Dejimon."

Maybe it's my Deji-mentaru, finally! "We'll take it!

"Once we figure out how to get it off that wall."

****

The children woke in the morning to sunlight flooding their little cave. Jishin was the first to get up, pulling on her do-rag and goggles and smoothing out her shirt. "Wake up everybody!" she shouted. "It's a brand new day and we've got a destiny to fulfill."

Everyone groaned and berated her for waking them up so early. Kenichi sat up and finger-combed his red hair, yawning as he did so. "Destiny? Such as?" he mumbled, scratching his neck.

"A new Deji-mentaru! Let's go for it, ne? Tao? Tao, don't you want to try it out?"

"I suppose," he mumbled sleepily.

"Hop to it! Oi, Karakau-san, what are you?"

Shinkou spared her an "I'm tired so screw off and turn off that light" kind of look. Jishin could only think of one time that she had seen that look-when her mother drank too much cheap wine and got a hangover.

"Well, I suppose because you already have a Deji-mentaru you can be lazy. But Onii-chan is getting up right now!"

Kenichi lay back down and rolled over, flinging an arm across his eyes and pretending to snore. But Jishin grabbed his ankles and yanked him forward. He yelped and shot up, throwing a punch that caught her squarely in the jaw. "Why you-" Jishin stopped rubbing her jawbone and dove at him.

"Is it just me or do they do this a lot?" Tao muttered/

"Mm," mumbled Genki, face buried in the backpack she was usoing as a pillow. She would have gone back to sleep, but the cave seemed to give a sudden lurch, shaking violently.

"Dear me!" exclaimed Hawkmon, thrown out of his slumber.

"Whee!" Zatumon bounced off the floor and hit a wall.

Ears ringing, Shinkou rubbed her head where it had been smashed against the stone floor. "Talk about a wake-up call. That's my second concussion in how many days? Two?"

"K-Kenichi? What was that?" Jishin asked her brother.

He moved away. "An earthquake?"

"Tao, could you go check it out?"

"Uh-sou!" He stood up and hurried to the front of the cave. Then he shouted and pulled back in when something shot up past the opening, nearly taking his head off. "Nani! Oh, Kami-sama!"

"It was huge!" Genki yelped.

"Come on, everybody! We have to go and stop it!" Jishin announced. "Or the Gotsumon will be in danger!"

"But not all of us can fight," Tao reminded her.

"That doesn't matter! We still need to be there, understand?"

"And just because you can't become a Dejimon doesn't mean you can't fight," Shinkou pointed out. "Goggle-girl was pretty good against Fugamon. Ultimately, it's the human part of us in battle."

Jishin beamed.

"Nice speech," Kenichi commented. "But less talking. If we're going to fight, let's get a move on."

"Follow the leader!" Jishin whooped and disappeared out the cave entrance. The others trailed behind her, making for the steps.

"All right! Nothing can beat us!" Jishin cheered, swinging from the ladder.

Something hit the wall above her and she gulped. "Spoke too soon."

The creature scrambled up the wall madly, roaring and shaking the stone. A number of Gotsumon came out and caught sight of the creature, screaming in terror. "D-1's out!" Jishin ordered. "Careful, now!"

"Rockmon," Tao observed, reading the holographic display of his D-1. "Adult level Virus Dejimon. Special attack is Rock Punch."

"Let's go to the top of the canyon. Shinkou and Onii-chan can Armor Evolve while the rest of us warn the Gotsumon. Now, let's get moving, team!" Jishin turned away from her companions and scrabbled up the steps.

Kenichi and Shinkou exchanged glances, then nodded. Both whipped out their D-1's and shouted in unison, "Armor Evolution!"

They were encased in glowing spheres of light. The spheres shattered with a high-pitched whistle and the two Armor Dejimon leapt out. "The spirit of kindness, Puttimon!"

"The flames of courage, Fla Dramon!"

The children, Hawkmon, and Zatumon scrambled to the top of the canyon, peering down as Puttimon and Fla Dramon bounced off the canyon walls to get to Rockmon. Jishin announced that she was going to go and find the Elders.

"It's just us now, Genki. Let's get out of the way," Tao suggested worriedly.

"But Shinkou-neechan-"

"Daijoubu. She can take care of herself."

A voice echoed in the canyon, "Fire Rocket!"

Accompanied by, "Heavy Beam!"

Tao smiled reassuringly. "See? They're doing just fine. Rockmon won't be able to beat the both of them."

"Aaaaaaaagh!" Fla Dramon flew across the canyon and crashed into a wall. Rockmon came roaring at her, but she used her Knuckle Fire to push off again, flipping over and landing at the top of the canyon. "These reflexes rock!"

"Heavy-" Puttimon was swatted away like a fly.

"Fla Dramon!" Genki screamed. "Look out!"

"Rock Punch!"

The attack caught Fla Dramon completely off her guard and she dropped like a rock, hitting the ground and groaning. Rockmon raised a rocky foot and brought it smashing down on her back, hard. She screamed in pain. There was the sound of bones cracking, and a ring of bright light circled around her.

"King of Hearts!"

The cards did not even faze Rockmon. He grabbed Puttimon by the ankle, swung him around, and slammed him on top of Fla Dramon with a painful smash. The light encirled Puttimon as well, and both returned to their human forms.

"Can't say I don't like this position," Kenichi whispered, grinning weakly. Shinkou groaned.

Rockmon came thundering toward them, so Kenichi rolled off of Shinkou and reached to help her up. "Come on, quickly," he panted, still short of breath. He might collapse at any given minute.

"I don't need-"

Rockmon smacked Kenichi away and his foot flew out, striking Shinkou and sending her flying over his head.

"Shinkou-neechan!" Genki shrieked.

Shinkou reached a hand out and just barely caught the edge of the cliff, her legs dangling uselessly. She dug her fingers into the sand, gritting her teeth as she bore the strain of holding on, even though it was becoming harder every second. It was tempting to just let go.

"I didn't know it would be so . . ." Her grip loosened and her fingers slid off the rock, and she dropped into the canyon.

"Iie, iie! Shinkou-neechan!" Genki screamed as she tore away from Tao. I'm not gonna let her fall! I'm not gonna stand by as a helpless little kid anymore!

"Genki" Tao shouted.

"I'm-"

Then she jumped.

****

Jishin was passing the cave when a light burst from it and streamed past her. She fell back, stumbling, and moved out of the way. It put a shock in her as she watched it curve upward.

"Oh, my . . ."

Something shot past her into the canyon, following the trail of the light. "Wait a minute-was that a Deji-mentaru?" she gawked.

To Genki it seemed she was falling in slow motion. She plummeted downward, terrified and on the verge of a major panic attack. Then she saw the light below and fell feet first into it, closing her eyes as a great warmth spread through her body

At the center of the light she saw something hovering peacefully, and to cease her descent she snatched out and grabbed it. To her amazement, it was an egg. No, not an egg. It was-

"The Deji-mentaru of Hope is yours. It is time."

Genki held out her hand and scanned the yellow data ring with her D-1, shouting into the canyon, "Armor Evolution!" Wings sprouted from her back and marked the beginning of the changes. Within seconds, she had disappeared. A yellow horse with a white mane, white wings, and golden armor with various engravings, she reared proudly and announced, "Pegasmon!"

Shinkou saw the burst of light and had watched Genki fall into it, but she didn't quite register what was happening. Then her descent suddenly stopped and she landed on a soft, warm back. Her eyes opened and her hands grasped silky blond hair. Two feathered wings fanned the air on either side of her.

"G-Genki?"

Pegasmon's blue eyes rolled back to peer at her, then the majestic, flying horse landed at the top of the canyon and gently set Shinkou down next to Tao.

"Onii-chan!" Jishin saw Kenichi lying on a set of steps and hurried to him, anxious. "Wake up! Genki did it, she Armor Evolved!"

Kenichi popped a crick in his neck. "She had it in her, after all."

Two figures in a nearby cave watched the scene from the shadows, unseen and unheard. "I doubt she'll be able to use the power," a deep, resonant voice said softly to its companion.

"She's gotten this far. You underestimate her, you know. I think you will be pleasantly surprised."

I'm flying, I'm flying! I'm really flying, oh no, I'm really flying! The familiar panic flashed briefly through Pegasmon's mind, but she pushed it away and steered toward Rockmon.

"Star Shooter!"

She waved her wings and hot flakes of silver fire rained down on her opponent, striking him with the fury of a meteor shower. He roared and scrabbled to the top of the canyon, tossing rocks at Pegasmon.

"Ack! I need help!"

"Pegasmon, wait!" Tao shouted from the ground. "Aim for his right arm!"

Pegasmon slowed to a canter in midair. "Nande yo?"

"Trust me!"

Pegasmon spiraled into the sky and cried, "Star Shooter!" The molten silver showered Rockmon and smashed into his arm. He howled as a great pain racked his body, and a horrible cracking sound reverberated through the canyon. Something dark, quick, and pulsating flew out of the wounded creature's body.

"What the hell?" Jishin wondered.

Pegasmon landed in the sand and neighed, reverting to Genki, who grabbed her D-1 and shouted, "Shadow creature! Be purified by the light! Data Purge!" She aimed her D-1 at Rockmon.

A ray of saffron light streamed from the device and hit the black orb, filling it with yellow luminescence. The sphere cracked and burst into sparks of ochre that rained over the canyon. "It's like fireworks, or a storm of shooting stars," Tao whispered. "Genki, you did it!"

Genki smiled. "I did, didn't I?"

"Oiiiii!"

Puttimon appeared over the rim of the canyon. Jishin was hanging onto his back, cheering and whooping. They landed, Puttimon went back to human form, and Jishin swept Genki up in an enthusiastic hug. "Genki, you little twerp, you!"

They joined hands and began to dance in a circle, shouting for joy. Zatumon and Hawkmon jostled around them, cheering for their victory. Shinkou stood by Tao, who smiled. "She did good."

"We underestimated her, ne?" They watched the small group cheer into the morning.

****

Rockmon came to a few hours later and the Datists gathered to hear his explanation of his actions. He seemed terribly regretful, apologizing profusely for causing such trouble. Genki shrugged. "Well, if you'd never done it, I wouldn't have gotten my Deji-mentaru. And that wouldn't have been very happy."

"I'm glad you were able to remove that dark thing from me. It's called a Dark Orb, and it's been striking various Dejimon lately. I've seen some of my friends and family go crazy from the invasion of one."

"We're sorry too, for judging you to be evil," Jishin answered. "Can you tell us where the Dark Orbs came from?"

"There is someone that works in the shadows, whom we know not whether to be human or Dejimon. But she calls herself the D-Tazen and she created the Dark Orbs. But right now, I really want to see my home again. It's a few days from here. By the way, you'll come to a city near a volcano if you head out towards the big rocks. Good luck, friend humans!"

He lumbered off, leaving the Datists once more to contemplate their journey.

"A mission! We have a mission!" Genki squealed.

"We sure do. We've got to find all of the Deji-mentaru. And then . . .

"We will defeat the D-Tazen!"