Digimon Frontier: The Warrior's Return

Chapter 23: Worries in the Dark

Chapter 23: Worries in the Dark

"Well, I still say that we should keep heading for that factory!" Takuya shouted not long after you de-digivolved. "I'm sure Agunimon will be there!"

"We already agreed that we would, Takuya! Simmer down!" Izumi scolded.

"Really," Kouji added. "We're not kids anymore. You're going to run us into the ground if you keep pushing us so hard."

"But we're on a mission, remember?! This isn't like a vacation or something! We have to find all the spirits as fast as we can!"

"And we will," Junpei said. He thumped you on the shoulder, which nearly sent you over onto your face since you had been lost deep in thought. "With Ally keeping an ear out for those souls, we'll find all of 'em in no time! Right?"

"Right, totally," you agreed absently. You just couldn't get the conversation Mercurymon had with Dramon out of your mind.

Maybe they hadn't really been listening or maybe you were more convincing than you had given yourself credit for but no one questioned how out of it you seemed. You barely heard as one of the lesser Drimongemon directed your group to follow the cart path over the mountain to get to the refining factory. And no one heard when he questioned whether or not the factory would even have a spirit in it.

You trudged placidly along with the group for the rest of the day, still mulling over your worries. Had you felt anything strange when Tuskmon appeared? Or maybe you had seen something and not realized it? You didn't think so... but you could be forgiven for not noticing while a mine was coming down around your ears. Or maybe the puppet master hadn't even been nearby when Tuskmon had been teleported? Your head spun with thoughts.

Finally Tomoki's voice broke through your funk when he asked Takuya if you could all stop for the night. Everyone else spoke up to second the youngest Digidestined - it had been a long day for you all. Thankfully Takuya had the sense to listen to the majority and he switched from pushing you all to move faster to ordering individuals on how to set up camp for the night. You were on the bedding-collection team with Tomoki.

"Hey, Ally-san?"

"Hm?" You were surprised out of your circuitous thoughts by the sound of your name. "What's up, Tomoki?"

"Is something wrong? You've been awfully quiet all day."

His concern touched you and you almost told him what you had been thinking over since leaving the mine. But a voice deep inside you told you not to - there was no point in causing the others to worry as much as you. You would find the answer yourself soon enough.

You gave him the most convincing smile you could muster. "No, nothing's wrong. I've... just been listening really hard. That's all."

The look on his face showed that he didn't really believe you but he couldn't call you out on lying. "Well, okay... But if something's bothering you, you can always talk to me."

"I'll remember that, Tomoki. Thanks." But rather than feeling better, you felt worse for keeping a secret when he was being so nice. As if you needed more stress.

Your group settled down to bed after an extremely tiny meal of edible plants from the surrounding forest. Junpei wouldn't shut up about it right up until the moment he passed out. On the other hand you were completely docile and tame - at least initially. But when you realized that the rest of the gang was starting to pick up on your odd behavior you quickly scrambled for something quirky to do or say.

"Hey, have you guys ever tried eating tree leaves?" That was the best you could do on short notice.

"What?!" they all yelped.

"They're terrible FYI," you continued. "I thought it'd be like lettuce, but ugh! So not."

"Man, and I thought Junpei was the one who ate everything!" Takuya laughed.

"Hah! I'm an amateur compared to Ally!" your big blue friend added. "She'd eat anything!"

In response you blew a raspberry at them both. "Sue me, I was a curious little scamp way back when! And it wasn't all about what I could eat!"

That exchange seemed to reassure everyone that everything was normal and they stopped giving you weird looks for the rest of the evening. At bedtime you settled down onto the leaves you had helped collect as if you were going right to sleep. But once you heard enough convincing sleep-sounds from the others you stealthily got up and snuck away. Or tried to.

"Hummm, where do you think you're going?" Bokomon asked you in a sleepy tone.

Luckily you had a decoy plan. "I've got business to take care of out of earshot," you replied, giving him a meaningful look.

He got the message. "Very well, just be careful."

"I'll be fine. I've got my spirits."

You walked off until the glow of the campfire was gone behind the brush. With a last look around to be sure that no one had followed you, you focused on your task.

"Dramon. Mercurymon. Come out, I'd like to talk to you."

"Oh, what now?" Mercurymon griped as the two souls appeared in front of you. "Don't you ever sleep?"

"I want to talk about Tuskmon," you said with complete seriousness. "What did you mean when you said it was teleported into that mine?"

If Mercurymon was surprised he hid it well. "A Tuskmon would never accidentally wander into a mine. It's a Digimon of open plains and mountain crags not confined tunnels. Furthermore, teleportation is a specialty of mine. I would know the signs anywhere and they were present when Tuskmon appeared."

"But who would teleport it into the mine like that? And why?"

"Regrettably that is not within my expansive knowledge."

"I think it's safe to say," Dramon interjected, "that whoever was responsible is an enemy. Were it not for luck and quick action, the Digidestined could've been hurt or killed."

"Me also feel strange thing when Tuskmon appear," Grumblemon said as his soul appeared too. "Data of earth warp and twist by something. Then Tuskmon appear and feeling disappear."

"Interesting," Mercurymon mused. "Then it may not have been just any enemy but the true source of the world's damage trying to eliminate us."

"Ooh, that's creepy!" you groaned.

"If that's the case," Dramon growled with fierce intensity, "then, my fellow spirits, we must make an extra effort to protect these chosen humans until this enemy comes close enough to be destroyed!"

"Right!" Grumblemon cried.

"I agree," Mercurymon said.

"Then I'll also do my best!" you said with unexpected vigor mirroring Dramon. "I'll stick close to the others to help them find their spirits! And together we'll all save this world!"

"That's the spirit!" Dramon cheered.