Digimon Universe (Digimon 01)[Indefinite Hiatus]

Ch. 14: High-Class Meal

It isn't until we come up over a hill that a sharp pain in my head catches me off guard, following a terrible and foreboding sensation of malice originating from ahead. I put the breaks on and stop Tai from proceeding any further, prompting him to look at me in panic and confusion.

Instead of explaining anything, I grab Agumon's clawed hand and drag the two of them towards the treeline to our far left, looking back to see the Numemon halting in their advances to the loud stomps of an audibly much larger approaching digimon.

The feeling of being noticed through my "gift" makes me shiver.

As soon as Tai notices this, he joins me behind a couple of bushes with Agumon.

This isn't going to work with me here, I think to myself, making a subtle attempt to peel Tai's hand from around my wrist. I can't be here- that large digimon that's coming closer obviously has a black gear and knows I'm hiding in this spot. They don't know Tai and Agumon are here too though. I could lead the digimon away from them and-

The large digimon comes into view- long enough for us to get a good look at one leg before Tai is standing up again and shooting me a knowing look for my subtle attempt at escaping.

"Izzy told me what you tried doing to lead Andromon away in the factory. You're not doing that on my watch," Tai says, keeping my wrist prisoner and quickly leading me away with Agumon.

Darn it, why can't that boy keep his mouth shut! I think to myself, glancing back nervously and allowing my eyes to jump around to search for any potential dangers that could be lurking in the woods as we walk deeper into them.

"Don't worry, Marie, we're gonna take good care of you!" Agumon insists, emitting pleasant emotive signals to make me feel better. Although I'm highly dubious of this, considering the level of the large geared digimon's power, I stop trying to peel Tai's hand from my wrist, following the duo out of the trees into another clear field.

"Shoot..." I hear Tai mutter to himself, looking around and playing with his goggles in thought as he scans the clear hills ahead of us.

"What is it?" I dare to ask, despite already preparing myself for bad news.

"...If we stay here in the trees and just keep walking deeper for cover, we're likely going to get split from the others for real. If we're gonna meet up together again and continue in a group, we need to round this clearing and head back to the river," Tai explains without looking down at me, leaving me to share a look of concern with Agumon.

I sincerely doubt my speed for this if I could barely keep up when it was just the Numemon chasing after us. Not to mention, if we're going to be chased down by this large digimon that no doubt has a gear embedded in it, my speed is going to be chipped down with all the headaches that accompanies it.

"I- Tai, I don't think I'm going to be able to- Eeep!" I suddenly squeak when Tai turns around entirely, pulling our linked arms over his shoulder so I'm forced to wrap my arms around him. Next thing I know, he's grabbing my legs and hoisting me up piggy back- throwing me a big grin from over his shoulder.

"There. Problem solved," he responds to my half-addressed concerns, turning back to the clearing ahead as my cheeks tint an embarrassing shade of red that makes Agumon cock his head to the side curiously at me.

"Marie, why is your-?" Agumon finally opens his mouth to ask before the sound of an explosion a few feet behind us stops him short of saying anything. Tai jumps in surprise and takes off without another word, darting out into the clearing with Agumon at his heels. I cling to his shoulders tightly- but not enough to strangle him or anything. From the way he carries me, I'm able to look back and see for myself what exactly is coming after us.