Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Digimon Adventure: The First ❯ Hope for Home ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Tamers, or Digimon Frontier. Despite a lack of interest in this story that has been shown to me by the amount of reviews that I have received (thanks, Michelle, J!), I have decided to continue writing. Any similarities to the other series I mentioned above are completely coincidental. So this story should be about as original as a fanfiction fic could actually get. Please enjoy.

FANFICTION.NET KILLED THIS STORIES FORMATTING.

DIGIMON ADVENTURE:

THE FIRST

"So you want to go home?" He asked. "Do you even know how to get home? Do you know how you got here? No? That's not surprising. I have these answers. I can tell you how to return to your homes. Easily."

"For a price, right?"

The five children were huddled up in the hollowed tree. Keanu was leaning over a stack of dry leaves, rubbing a pair of sticks together in hopes of starting a warmth-giving fire. Kaizei, away near the tree's "entrance," stood with his back pressed up against the sturdy interior of the temporary shelter. Ecchimon slept on his lap. It was only moments after that eventful, and thankfully final, encounter with Dark Tyrannomon that the sky had opened up and the downpour, now taking precedent outside, had begun. Even inside their temporary hideout, Kaizei could hear the sound of raindrops pattering against the ground. He shivered.

Akeno sat silently supported by burgundy wood in a similar manner as Kaizei. His head was tilted upward; his eyes were closed. It was almost as if he was asleep. The Owarini hadn't said anything since the last fight with Kaizei. Not even to the said boy -- his favorite victim to unleash those witty insults upon. Thunder abruptly clashed outside, startling Avery from her conversation with Lei.

"I wish it would stop raining. Or rain softer. Stupid thunder. Rain, rain, go away, don't come again any day," she muttered.

"I think we should be talking about more important things than the rain, Avery. Like, for example, how do we get home?" Lei said.

"Got it!" Keanu exclaimed and tossed the two sticks aside, leaning in closer to the stack of dry leaves. He blew very gently. His hands cupped around a spot in the center, where a thin tendril of smoke was rising up into the air. With the precision of a surgeon in the midst of an operation, he crafted everything carefully, until the fire blossomed from the kindle. It wasn't long before he had it roaring, and thus everyone warm. "Am I good, or what?" He asked, grinning.

"Good job, Keanu," Kaizei said softly. He meant to sound more enthusiastic for his friend, but his thoughts continued to dwell on Tentakurumon and the gruesome devouring of Dark Tyrannomon. On top of that distraction, his thoughts would also drift towards his mother, his father, and even Avery's father. That life seemed so distant now, in that logical world, even though he had just been living it hours before coming here - wherever here was.

He would have given anything to escape that life, however - given anything to escape the torture and pain and drama. But now he had escaped; now he was free from it. Kaizei didn't know if this world was a blessing or a curse. Already he was responsible for the death of something, and all it was trying to do was eat him! It was a natural process of life, being the hunter or the hunted, as Keanu had told him.

"Cheer up, Kaizei. Look, we've got fire!" Avery commented. She stood, walked over to her stepbrother, and nudged him with her elbow. "Don't look so down. I'm sure we'll be home soon. This is all just one big nightmare, right? And nightmares always end eventually!"

"That's right... all nightmares have to end sometime," Lei added, scooting closer to the fire.

Suddenly, the noise of the storm outside stopped. Oddly, Kaizei didn't hear the sounds of the storm drifting on with a shift in the wind, or anything like that. All elements of it - the rain, the thunder, the lightning - all just seemed to cease.

This brought something new to everyone's attention. Previously unheard, a pattern of heavy, thudding footsteps were steadily approaching their hiding place. Everyone fell silent. The snap of the occasional twig under a careless foot and the crackling of flames were all that could be perceived.

"Chosen Child. You can come out. I am here to discuss a proposal with you," a voice from outside the tree called. It sounded human, kind and sincere. Kaizei blinked. That was the last thing that he had expected. He thought perhaps another Dark Tyrannomon had arrived, possibly the mate of the one that Tentakurumon had eaten, which had decided to stomp angrily through the woods in search of those responsible for the death.

Kaizei set Ecchimon down on the ground. The heavy sleeper still hadn't found his way to consciousness yet. Kaizei looked to Lei, Avery, and Keanu. Then he turned his back to them, facing the exit to their tree.

He was about to take a step outside when a hand grabbed his arm. Kaizei paused, his eyes following the appendage back to their owner. Akeno had awakened, or was simply alert again. He shook his head silently. It might be a trap - something to lure them out into the open. After a moment, he let go of Kaizei, who blinked. That was surprising. Kaizei grinned, however. Then, almost as if he was taunting Akeno, he padded out into the sunlight. The wet grass and leaves squished beneath his shoes. His eyes scanned for the source of the voice.

"Where are you?"

From behind another tree to Kaizei's right, the voice answered: "Here."

It stepped out. And, in fact, it did look quite human - it was a man, easily in his forties, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a white t-shirt. The words "I am who you think I am" were written on the front in big, dark block lettering. The paleness of his skin was obvious in comparison to the renewed sunlight fanning across the foliage, which in itself contrasting his slicked-back midnight-colored hair.

"What do you want? Who are you? Did you get brought here like us?" Kaizei asked.

"The question is what do you want? As for a name, you can call me Fuseii."

"We want to go home, that's all. Can you help us?"

"So you want to go home?" He asked. "Do you even know how to get home? Do you know how you got here? No? That's not surprising. I have these answers. I can tell you how to return to your homes. Easily."

"For a price, right?" Akeno responded promptly, as he emerged from inside the tree.

Fuseii seemed surprised by this new child, though he smiled quickly. He hadn't anticipated there being more than one. "My, what a pleasant discovery. There are more of you here than I thought. But yes, that is correct. My services to you come at a price. It's a very simple price that is very easily accomplished."

The price, to be paid up front before he would give any sort of information, was something called "digitama." Kaizei and the others were to go to a place known only to them as Primary Village. Fuseii had pointed out a southern course, as a starting point for the directions for approximately where it was supposed to be.

"This is the stupidest idea you've had all day, Kaizei. How can you trust someone you don't even know?" Akeno asked, while marching as part of the straight line - Lei being at the front, followed by Kaizei, Akeno, Avery, and Keanu - their group had formed for the duration of the trek.

"I have to trust you guys, and I don't know any of you, first of all. Besides, I think he's stuck here like we are and needs to digitamas to help get him - and us - back. And this isn't any dumber than anything you've come up with, you know," Kaizei retorted.

"I'm not the one who thought fighting Dark Tyrannomon was a good idea. You just got lucky that Ecchimon got all big and shit. If it weren't for him, you'd be dino toe jam," Akeno muttered.

"Yeah, and you'd be eaten." Kaizei grinned, as he felt he was actually winning their fight.

"Will you two knock it off, before I slap the both of you?" Lei asked, not at all nicely.

"Do we have to walk so fast? I think this time of peace would be a good time to study some of this unusual flora. I have never seen some of these plants before, and others resemble some that I've seen - but they are different... somehow. I'm not sure. Can we slow down?" Keanu asked, as he began to slow from examining everything green they walked past.

"I don't want to go slow! I want to get to that village place, get those digitamas, and then get home," Avery said defiantly. Keanu paused for just a second fully, which was one moment too long for Avery. She had him by the ear in no time and was dragging him onward.

"Let go! Ow ow ow ow!" He responded in protest. "I hate pain! Stop it!"

"I think I see something." Lei announced. She was staring ahead, at towering structures resembling building blocks placed in a stack by little infants. Avery released Keanu's ear from her vengeful grasp, moving up the line to the front where Lei was walking.

"That doesn't look like any village I've seen." Kaizei said, blinking. His eyes roaming over the numerous baby baskets that littered the ground they were now marching through. "I wonder what digitama are, anyway. Fuseii wasn't really helpful on that."

"Digitamas are the eggs in the baskets." Ecchimon clarified from his position on Kaizei's shoulder, wrapped almost around the back of his neck. The little Digimon slipped off of his partner, sliding along the ground with surprising speed to one of the bins. His mouth was pressed against the brightly-stripped egg.

"Hey, get off that! We need those!" Kaizei shouted, moving over to pull Ecchimon off the egg. The white ball was lifted up by one tentacle, his mouth still trying to cover the entire digitama. It came with him about half way up, before plopping back down into its container. "You can eat when we get back to my home, okay?"

"Yeah, right. Like anyone would want to eat any of that road kill you'd have at your place. He'd probably die. Especially if you cooked it. Should I go ahead and have the fire department on standby?" Akeno said, his arms folding over his chest as he examined another egg in a bin next to him.

"No arguing lets just get some and get out of here." Lei said. She bent down slightly, picking up one of the large eggs and holding it against her chest. Avery nodded in agreement and took one of her own. Kaizei glared at Akeno, shrugged, and picked up another. Ecchimon immediately attached himself to the said digitama.

"Food!"

"You can't eat it!"

"Those two make the perfect pair. Stupid and stupid." Akeno commented. He retrieved the stripped digitama he had been examining in the basket. "There. Now we leave, and I won't have to put up with dumb ass over there anymore."

"Sparkling Thunder!" From above, the lightning bolt came crashing down. Akeno stood rigid, his whole body being electrified. His red hair shot up on its end for the few moments that the energy coursed through his body. The circuit was broken, and Akeno was released from his electric experience. He fell to the ground, the egg in his hand dissolving into fragments.

"Dammit, that hurt like shit! Who did that! I'm going to fucking kill you, Kaizei!"
"Me?!"

"You hurt one of my children! You evil creatures!" The red-and-blue stripped rabbit came running at them. The pain of watching the one digitama be deleted showed in his eyes, the pain giving away to anger. He was going to make them pay. They tried to come into his village; his home and steal his children. And now they had killed one of them.

"Uh oh." Ecchimon pointed out the obvious. "I think he is mad at us. ... Can I eat him, too?" The excited little ball detached himself from the digitama he was unsuccessfully trying to eat, and charged to meet the oncoming Digimon.

They met in mid-stride. The Elecmon colliding with Ecchimon in a bizarre exchange of whipping tentacles and electricity from the peacock-like tail of the rabbit. Bins of digitamas immediately surrounding the two were disappearing. Fragmenting into nothingness, the only trace of their ever being there was the little trail of shimmering diamonds blowing in the wind.

"Sparkling Thunder!" Ecchimon's body was wracked with the electric energy. A single tentacle stretching out to connect with the other's form, transferring some of that voltage back to the original owner. The current ceased nearly immediately.

"Ack, get it off!" Avery shouted, flailing around and dropping her egg. It smashed into the ground and fragmented. A baby Digimon was crawling up her leg, blowing little bubbles towards her face. Its eyes showed the fury and anger that was mirrored the ones planted in Elecmon's head. Her fist collided with the ascending creature, and it joined the shattered egg in dissolving into nothing.

Akeno was stomping, and kicking the others that were attempting to attack him with their miniature bubbles. "Stupid little things. What do they think they're trying to do?"

"Knock it off!" Kaizei was swatting the ones swarming over him away. He grabbed one, and threw it. The snowball was caught in a lightning blast from Elecmon and broke into pieces.

Keanu was welcoming the ones that came to him. Deciding that to watch them would be a better course of action than fighting them. He sat down cross-legged on the ground, letting the little Digimon roam freely over him.

Lei were running back in the direction they came. Two digitamas tucked under her arms. "Come on! Grab some and run!"

Kaizei shouted to Ecchimon, but the Digimon didn't hear him. He grabbed one of the digitama. He took a deep breath, then ran. But not in the same direction of Lei. He vaulted in between the two fighting Child Digimon. He winced as a bolt of lightning lightly connected with his body, and grabbed a flying tentacle of Ecchimon. Kaizei's feet were blurs, as he pulled the little Digimon with him in a retreat from Primary Village.

They were all out of breath. Running for whom knows how long, running from the vengeful Elecmon and the little baby Digimon. The six digitama they had managed to gather was placed in the center of their group. Kaizei had his hands pressed against a tree and was trying to recover from the long dash. Akeno was resting against another woodland structure. Lei and Avery were seated, back-to-back against one another.

Keanu leaning against the same tree as Kaizei, his back pressed against the hard wood. "That was not such a good idea. I think we those Digimon and digitama break up like that... I think that they die, or something, Kaizei."

"Digimon don't die. They get deleted and reborn in Primary Village to start life all over again as babies." Ecchimon happily announced, munching on some foliage he had found to his liking.

"That... that would make us... murderers. We murdered little defenseless babies." Kaizei said in between breaths. He closed his eyes and fell to his knees. The thought of him being responsible for more deaths, being responsible for the deaths of little infant Digimon made him uneasy. His stomach was doing loops in his abdomen, and his head was spinning. He was worse than his father.

Akeno slid to the ground, his mouth wide but he didn't say anything. Was he right about Fuseii? He had thought the man had given him this evil vibe, and now he found out that Fuseii had sent them to retrieve digitamas from a place occupied by baby Digimon, resulting in the deaths of numbers of them? Were they now the evil ones? His head hurt.

Lei pulled her knees up to her chest, and folded her arms on top of them. Her head resting on her arms. She didn't kill any of the babies. She didn't think so, anyway. But what if she was wrong? It didn't matter. The five of them were responsible for the destruction and the deleted infants at Primary Village. She stared off into space, trying to get her mind to focus on the aspect of going home. The guilt kept creeping up.

To be killed, or to kill. That's the way nature works. Keanu told himself that. It made him feel better, or at least, he hoped it would. Babies usually had their mothers or caretakers to protect them in the early stages of childhood. Elecmon had tried to do just that, and the little Digimon had tried to help their parental figure defend themselves. He and the others had killed some of them for it. Unwittingly, but that didn't excuse the fact.

Ecchimon was still hungry.

Avery sobbed slightly, her knees pressed against her chest and her head buried in her hands. How could she do something like that? Kill innocent little Digimon offspring. They weren't even really hurting her, but she still put an end to their existence. It wasn't fair. She wanted to be home. She wanted to be warm in her bed, watching television and eating her father's fine dining. Not feeling cold.

"I... finally... found you... bastards." The quivering voice called. A battered Elecmon came slowly into view, a single eye closed. Every inhalation of the digital air seemed to pain the beaten Digimon.

"Ah, I see the mission was completed." Elecmon wasn't the only arrival. From out of some foliage, the pale Fuseii approached. He smiled at the sight of the digital eggs, and frowned when he took notice of their guardian. "Very good. You have recovered several digitama from Primary Village. But you have also let this pathetic creature follow. Why have you not finished him off? Enemies are to be deleted, not let live."

"But he's not our enemy!" Kaizei responded. He pulled himself up to his feet and faced the black-clad man. Elecmon had succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Anything, or anyone, that attacks you is an enemy and thus, must be deleted. I again ask why he has been left alive?" Fuseii responded calmly. He lifted a hand, the palm being pointed at Elecmon. "He has attacked you," then it was directed to Kaizei, "Therefore, you must kill him. This is a lesson for you to learn, Chosen Child."

"Why don't you just go fuck a tree or something and leave us alone? Or wait, can't you find a hole small enough?" Akeno muttered. "We got the digitamas, what does it matter if that Digimon is still alive or not?"

"Enemies are to be deleted. If you will not do it, then I will. This is a lesson for you to learn, Chosen Child." Fuseii gaze had finally moved from Kaizei. The adult moved towards the beaten, and silent, Elecmon. "Goodbye, Guardian."

"He's defenseless!" Keanu shouted.

"You're too mean, how can you do this!" Avery cried.

"Stop it, he's had enough!" Lei yelled. She watched as Fuseii's palm began to glow, chains enwrapped in sky blue energy pulled themselves free of the hand's flesh. He grinned. Broad and menacing, it reminded Kaizei of his father.

"Ecchimon, eat him!" Kaizei called.

It was too late. The chains lashed out.

Akeno let out a grunt of pain, his body being hunched over the fallen form of Elecmon. The chains whipped his back ripping the flesh beneath his shirt. Crimson blood stained the blue glow of energy. He fought against falling unconscious as well, the pain overwhelming his brain's normal functions. His consciousness screamed to be freed from such torment.

The chains ceased their movements.

"Heh. So, it worked." Fuseii whispered to himself.

Akeno and Elecmon were encased in a pillar of orange light, the bloodied chains having halted just outside column. Akeno opened an eye, and stared at the stirring red mass beneath him. Why had he cared? It wasn't his problem. Something was resting in his hand; it felt heavy and yet, like it was made just for him to hold.

He looked. Seated in the center of his palm, rested the orange oval mirror-like object. His own digital device. His own. He blinked, and closed his hand tight around his digivice. He grinned. Now that dumb ass Kaizei wasn't the only one who had one, he wasn't the only one with a Digimon. He'd show him who was the better.

"WELCOME CHOSEN CHILD. DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY?" The words scrolled across Akeno's screen.

"Yeah, yeah."

"ELECMON IS YOUR DESTINED PARTNER. GO FORTH, NOW."

"Wow, go me." Akeno rolled his eyes.

The stream of light died down. Akeno was standing again, with Elecmon in his arms. His eyes narrowed into a glare, straight at Fuseii. The scraps on his back were miraculously repaired, as well as the tears in his shirt. But he also couldn't help but continue to grin. He had foiled the old idiot's plans. Too bad, so sad. "He's my partner now, so you can just go fuck off."

"And yet, what would you do if I insisted on continuing my attacks?" Fuseii asked.

"Kick your ass? How does that work for you?" Akeno retorted.

"Indeed?" Fuseii chuckled. He waved a hand, and turned his attentions back to the rest of the group. "Now, I believe we have some business to conclude. You have retrieved me six digitama. Good job, your attack on Primary Village was successful."

"You make it sound like we planned it." Lei muttered under her breath.

"These eggs belong to the Digimon; we had no right to take them. You had no right to trick us like that." Keanu was on his feet, hands curled into fists and shaking violently at his side.

"I want to go home, now! We did what you said, now keep your promise and take us home!" Avery cried out.

"Yes, indeed. I did say that, didn't I?" Fuseii smiled.

"Yeah, you did, now send us home." Kaizei responded.

"I would; however, there is a reason that you are here. Wouldn't you like to hear it?"
"No." Akeno said flatly.

Perhaps they need a firmer hand, Fuseii frowned, the palm of his hand being pointed at the stack of eggs. Energy enwrapped chains extended from his flesh, smashing into the digitama. They were reduced to little more than dust at the first touch. "The getting the digitama was just a test. You have passed, congratulations."
The Chosen stood in shock.

"You monster!" Keanu screamed.

"Silence, or you will join them. I don't think humans enjoy the rebirth process that Digimon do." Fuseii growled dangerously. "You will do another job for me, and then I will consider sending you home. Start walking northeast," he pointed out the direction for them, "Any Digimon that challenge you are to be deleted, regardless if they are defenseless or not. I will not tolerate insolence again. You are my soldiers, and when I'm done with you, you will go home." He turned his back to them and walked. His form disappeared appear in a bush.

"That meanie! He broke those eggs! They didn't even do anything to him!" Avery yelled.

"What do we do now?" Lei asked, her eyes locked on the place where the eggs had occupied prior to their destruction.

"We start walking. Get moving." Akeno responded. He held the injured Digimon close to his chest. He stared straight-ahead walking in the direction they had been sent. He wondered briefly if Elecmon had the power that Ecchimon had. Could he turn into a large, destructive monster too? A slight smirk came across his face. He couldn't wait to see what his would become. He'd show that idiot Kaizei whose boss.

Ecchimon climbed up the Junnasha child's legs, and rested on his shoulder, tentacles loosely around his neck. Keanu, Avery, and Lei followed after him. He couldn't help but feel that they were going to be walking into more trouble than they cared to deal with. This world just kept getting worse and worse. Was there anything besides death in the Digital World?

* * * *

It was getting late. The sun was already setting in the digital horizon. Rays of purple and yellow intertwining their way across the sky. The little white dots of the stars started to become more and more visible as their trek progressed. Keanu suggested they find some place to sleep for the night, but his request went unheard. Akeno lead the way, simply because if anyone tried to approach him or get ahead of him, he started walking faster.

"Itchy, itchy, itchy!" Avery complained. They'd left the forest hours ago, and were now crossing a field of high grass. It reached just above their knees. It didn't bother any of the pants-wearing members, but Avery's school skirt was a problem. Kaizei walked in front of her, grumbling as he was elected by his stepsister to clear her path.

A roar was heard off the distance.

They stopped, save for Akeno who kept trudging ahead. Elecmon had recovered by this time and he was informed of his partnership with the Owarini. He wasn't too happy about having to leave his babies in Primary Village, but he was determined to pay Fuseii back for what he had done. That man wouldn't get away with his crimes. "Hey, Akeno, stop for a second. There's something out there!"

"What? The great Kaizei is scared?" Akeno barely looked over his shoulder.

Kaizei didn't dignify that with a reply, but started walking again. Eyes glaring straight-ahead towards where the other was walking. Hands stuffed inside his pants and Elecmon at his side. The sun had finally set. Darkness spread its hand over the land, the only light was provided by the full moon hanging in the sky.

Another roar sounded. A silhouette blocked out part of the orbiting object casting it's reflected light down onto the world. The creature was green in color and flew on a pair of wings. Two giant scythe-like objects extended from its arms. The insect Digimon screamed, diving for the Chosen. Kaizei barely had time to look up and shout to the others.

"HEADS UP." Ecchimon leapt off his perch. Tentacles flew forward, aiming to stab the larger creature's eyes. The Chosen dropped to the ground; Elecmon growled a warning that went unheeded to Snimon. He swung one giant scythe, the back edge of the blade catching Ecchimon's elastic body. He collided with the ground and, literally, bounced back up onto his tentacles.

"Sparkling Thunder!" Elecmon's peacock-like tail flared, electricity streaking from the tips towards his opponent Digimon. Snimon roared in pain, the moisture on his hard exoskeleton evaporating under the electric attack. He landed on the ground, giving him some relief from the agony. He screamed again, as Elecmon ceased his attack.

"Keanu, Lei, Avery! Find some place to go hide!" Kaizei yelled as all five climbed back to their feet at almost the same time.

"Yeah, get the fuck out of our way." Akeno actually agreed with Kaizei's suggestion. In his own way, of course.

"Kaizei! Get Ecchimon to hold him down and then have Elecmon electrify him!" Keanu suggested while backtracking as fast as he could manage towards a small ditch where he and the other two were heading for cover. Of course, he overlooked the fact that Ecchimon would be electrified as well.

"Don't let Ecchimon turn into that monster again!" Avery yelled. Kaizei blinked in bewilderment. Didn't she realize that if he evolved, that they would win? That monster Ecchimon had turned into was incredibly powerful... but it was horrific. Did he really want to watch that again?

"Stop daydreaming and get your ass back to the fight, dumb ass!" Akeno's voice brought him back to reality.

The little elastic ball of hyper-ness launched himself at the grounded Snimon again; tentacles immobilized the closest scythe as he landed on the Digimon's head. His mouth was applied to the hard exterior and his teeth went to work on chewing through.

Snimon snarled, and took into the air. Ecchimon hung on with his teeth, quite literally. The enraged insect dove for the ground, planning to smash the smaller Digimon into the hard dirt. But his opponent was prepared for this. He wanted for just the right second and then flattened out his body, and releasing his grip. The wind took him into the air, and he watched as the Champion Digimon slammed into the ground. Snimon did not get back up again. He had managed to knock himself unconscious.

"Elecmon, now's your chance!" Akeno called to his partner.

"No! He's beaten, Akeno!" Kaizei tried to stop him, but it was too late. Elecmon had already begun to blast the other. It didn't take long until their once fearsome adversary was reduced to particles blowing in the wind. Ecchimon landed on top Kaizei's head without him noticing it. Kaizei's hands remained clenched tight at his side.

"Fuseii said to kill them. And he's going to take us home... so we have to do what he says." Akeno said, justifying his actions. Elecmon came hopping to his partner's side. The Owarini turned to face the other, then turned back on the path they had been walking. Hands stuffed inside his pockets.

* * * *

"I don't understand how he could do something like that! Snimon was defeated, there was no need to kill him!" Keanu fumed. His anger burned as brightly as the fire the four sat around. Akeno had chosen to sit on a log by a lake, his only company being his Digimon. They had walked for another hour before having decided to call it a night and settle down. Keanu started up the fire the others were huddling around.

"How can he be so mean!" Avery added into the discussion.

"Listen, I understand his reasons for what he did, and I agree that it still doesn't make it right but he does have a point. Fuseii is the one who's going to bring us home, so we should do what he says, right?" Lei poked at the fire with a stick. She hoped to keep the others from going after Akeno and taking their anger at his actions out on him.

Kaizei sat silent.

"We don't even know if Fuseii is really going to get us home. And that doesn't give us the right to kill everything we come across! First we attack Primary Village and kill all those babies... and then we killed Snimon." He shook his head.

"Well, Snimon did attack us first--"

"We should just go on without him!" Avery cut her off.

Their discussion went on, unnoticed and apparently unheard by the Junnasha. He was lost in his own little world. Like Zacharias when approached by the angel Gabriel concerning the birth of John the Baptist, he didn't know what to think. It could be true, that Fuseii wanted to send them home, and it could also be true that they were going to end up dying there in the Digital World.

Kaizei stood up and left the others to continue their debate on weather or not to leave Akeno behind on his own. He walked carefully to the log that the object of other's discussion sat with his partner. He sat on the opposite side of the other, staring out at the lake. The digital moon reflected off the calm waters, an occasional breeze drifting through to give ripples to the image of that ball in the sky.

"You know, they're thinking of leaving you behind." He broke the ice.

"I don't care. I'm used to doing things on my own." Akeno responded without so much as giving the other so much as a glance.

"Is that why you're such an asshole to people?"

Akeno seemed to wince slightly. "What did you want anyway? Trying to get smarter by hanging around me?"

"Nothing." Kaizei decided to ignore that second remark. "You were just.. all alone over here. So I thought I'd come and keep you company."

"Thanks, but no thanks, I don't need someone like you lowering my IQ." He answered with a sneer.

Kaizei shook his head. "Why are you so mean to people? All I'm trying to do here is be your friend and you treat me like I'm no better than the log you're sitting on!"

"Hey, the log gives me something to sit on. You wanna take it's place?" Akeno grinned, finally looking over where his fellow member of the human species sat. "Being nice and having friends isn't going to get you anywhere. It's all about survival. When you're out on your own, you'll understand that. You can't rely on anyone but yourself."

"You live on your own? What about your par--"

"Died when I was younger." Akeno abruptly cut him off. "I don't even remember them much. But what memories I have I don't want to push out with new ones of idiots like you and the rest of them." Kaizei was surprised to say the least. He thought Akeno was a sort of spoiled brat, getting whatever he wanted. He wouldn't of dreamed that the other was an orphan.

"Well... you're lucky." Akeno's attention perked slightly. That was the first time anyone had called him lucky because of what happened to his old folks. "Parents are all what they're cracked up to be. My father drinks too much and beats me and my mom. We can't leave because our lives depend on him and he's a good man when we can keep him away from the alcohol."

"At least they're still alive." Akeno looked back out at the lake. "I've been raised in different orphanages all my life. Barely there long enough to get to know some people, and then I'm picked up and moved again. So I gave up on making friends. Wasn't really much point when I'd only get to see them for a few weeks... a month at most."

"Heh, guess that means we do have something in common after all." Kaizei grinned, Akeno's gaze returning to the Junnasha. "We both have less than ideal folks."

"Oh God, shoot me now. I have something in common with a moron." He laughed.

Kaizei joined him after a moment.

It was the first time since they had arrived in the new world that he had been able to laugh. Especially like that. A general, happy laugh shared with someone else. Maybe Akeno wasn't so bad after all. "So why do you want to go home so badly then, Kaizei?"

"... I don't know."

"Neither do I. I just do."

In another place of the Digital World, four figures stood inside a cave. Their faces hidden in the shadows. All four had their arms crossed over their chests.

"Fuseii, are you sure this is a good idea?" One asked.

"Yes, without a doubt." Fuseii answered.

"It was very reckless to bring them here the way you did." The same one responded.

"Well, Nisemono, I had to do something. The ends justify the means."

"Why don't you just tell them why they're here?" Another asked. Fuseii turned his head ever-so-slightly to stare in his direction.

"Do you really believe they'll want to fight the Darkness? I don't think telling them will motivate them. All they care about is going home. They care nothing for our world, Itsuwarimono." He sneered. "If I keep pushing them along, they'll learn to defeat every challenge that comes their way. And then when they finally have to confront that vile creature, they'll have to fight it."

"Maybe you should of chose better children, then." Nisemono said.

"I did the best I could manage, considering this is the first time I have tried." Fuseii scowled the other. "You just be ready for when they come to your area. I'll be transporting them in the morning."

Nisemono nodded.

Itsuwarimono agreed as well.

The fourth figure stood in silence.

"The other three will be getting their corresponding partners shortly. After that, we'll implement our plan." Fuseii clarified. "And with that, I bid you all a good night. Get out of my lands."