You ended up joining back up with the rest of your group who Tomoki had spotted sailing on LAND in a wooden boat, not even downhill they were just cruising along on a straight path with very little wind pushing the sail. Despite how odd that was no one batted an eye, not even the group in the boat who had stopped it to watch as you were given parachutes and were ejected out of the plane.
"WHHHHHY!" You clung onto Takuya for dear life as your parachutes automatically activated.
"Calm down Y/n, it's okay." Takuya nervously reassured as you reached the ground.
"We just jumped from a plane! I'm the appropriate level of calm! Why couldn't we just land? Why did we need to do that?!"
"It was easier this way." Kouji told you as he and Tomoki landed safely as well.
You glared at him as the rest of the group circled around you and began telling you what they did and how they acquired a boat which in turn caused Takuya to share the previous events with them as you all continued onwards to a forest area that contained lots of trees. Also, weird apples called meat apples.
Anyways after wandering around the forest in hopes of finding the Forest Terminal, your group decided to stop and make camp seeing as it was already starting to get dark. Izumi, Tomoki, Bokomon, and Neemon went to retrieve more meat apples while you, Junpei, Kouji, Takuya went to get firewood for the camp.
🌟🌟🌟
By the time everyone had finished collecting everything, it was nighttime.
Kouji and Takuya were making a fire together while everyone else stabbed the meat apples so that they would be able to roast by the fire.
"*Crunch*"
Your eyes glance over to the source of the noise. "You didn't..." Junpei coughs as he spits out the apple bits he had in his mouth. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just didn't expect them to taste this bad..." Junpei says, looking down at his bitten apple in disgust. You notice the inside of the apple was bright pink.
You sigh. "Bokomon said earlier they needed to be cooked first... you basically just ate raw meat." Neemon's ears lower as he too holds an apple he had tried without cooking first.
Bokomon picks up a pile of skewered apples as the flame the two were working on becomes a fire. "I'm surprised you remembered Y/n-han! The fire's ready now."
Everyone grabs their sticked fruit and gathers around the fire Kouji and Takuya made, placing the sticks close to the fire so the apples would cook.
Takuya had wondered if Bokomon's book had anything about Beast Spirits and well turns out it did and Neemon was the one to find it, leading Bokomon to say that each Warrior had two Spirits the first one a Human Spirit, something you all currently had and the second one a Beast Spirit.
Zaeramon, do you have a Beast Spirit?
... She stayed silent.
Zaeramon?
I don't want to talk about it. You're not ready for yet... you need more time.
Okay...? That doesn't sound ominous at all...
"Well then, if Bokomon's right each of us should be able to get a Beast Spirit." Kouji informs, bringing you back to their conversation.
"But if that's true then we're only halfway there." Izumi replies.
Junpei whines. "Oh man, that's like starting over again."
"It's not that bad Shiba-san, look on the bright side you get to experience the joy of having to no doubtedly save someone or a group of someones while trying not to die." You chirp.
"But we do that for every fight..." Junpei points out.
"True..." You make a sound of agreement. "you got me there."
"Bokomon. Bokomon." Neemon repeats, poking Bokomon who slaps his hand away.
The meat apples are done. Zaeramon tells you, wiping away the drool dripping from her mouth.
I wonder if I should say something?
Nah, let them find out on their own. But... you should definitely eat that, right now preferably. You take your apple away from the fire and nibble on it while everyone else keeps their focus on Bokomon and the concept of Beast Spirits. Meat apples~ Meat apples~ Why are you so good?~ Zaeramon sang as you took another bite of the weird meat fruit.
"What if we get our Beast Spirits? Maybe we can beat Grumblemon!"
"Well, I'm willing to give it a try, Beast Spirit Evolution here we go!" Takuya cheers.
You giggle. "Yay! Let's get our beasties!"
"Bokomon. Bokomon. Bokomon. Is this a good idea?" Neemon implored.
"What is the matter with you? We have to help Takuya-han and everyone else find their Beast Spirits as soon as possible, after all, it may be the only way to save the Digital World. These Beast Spirits must be our number one priority."
"Nope. Not good." Neemon says.
"What is not good?" Bokumon questions.
"The meat apples. While you're talking they're burning up!" Neemon clarifies and everyone quickly grabs their meal.
"Mines like a meat bun!" Junpei happily exclaims, eating one of the two apples he held.
"This one almost tastes like a chicken drumstick!" Tomoki excitedly says.
"Mhine tasthes like Ihnm eathing a prhime rihb." Takuya talks with his mouth full.
"Yeah, ginghered pork!" Kouji does the same.
"You shouldn't talk with food in your mouth, you could choke or something. Plus its bad manners." You scold the two.
"Haha, it's fine Y/n-chan, let them enjoy themselves." Izumi says, falling back so that she was laying on the ground.
You sigh as you watch the clouds above you darken, blocking the light of the three moons, an odd sight you still couldn't get used to.
"Wh-what's that?" Tomoki asks, looking at the trees surrounding your group which showed different parts of your world.
"What the..." Takuya began
"Th-this is..." Kouji continues.
"Our world...?" You finish.
"What? Why is our world appearing?"
"Your guess is as good as mine Izu-chan..."
"This is the TV Forest that shows the Human World." Bokomon informs.
"That's... weird." You mutter, glancing at all the different areas shown.
"Yeah..." Junpei agrees, standing next to Izumi who was in front of one of the many tree TVs.
"Hey... This... is my school." Izumi softly said, touching the tree. "It never looked so pretty to me. Oh, look, the cherry trees are still blooming."
"It's probably been over a month since we came here. Is it a recording?"
You approach one of the tree TVs showing a familiar sight of a playground, one that you and your best friend always went to hang out. "Maybe... but regardless it's showing real places that aren't in this world..."
"That's the park where my mom used to always take me to play." Tomoki touches the tree which shows a park and a lone woman. "Mama!"
Everyone's attention is drawn to him as they move to stand behind him.
"You weren't kidding. Your mother is very pretty Tomoki." Izumi compliments.
"Oh, mom." Tomoki softly croons, tears welling up in his eyes. The picture in front of him started to get fuzzy as the clouds above shifted. "Wait! Where are you going? Don't leave me! Please! MAMA!" Tomoki cries as the picture disappears.
Poor kid... "Tomo-chan... hey... it's alright, you'll get to see her again soon, okay?" You reassure, offering him a hug which he gladly accepts, crying into your shoulder as you lift him up, "For now you just gotta wait and be strong. You can do that right?" he nods, trying to stop the river of tears coming out from his eyes. "...We should probably get back to camp now." You suggest to the rest of the group who were all a bit saddened.
🌟🌟🌟
When you arrived back at the camp, Tomoki grew silent along with everyone else. You place him onto the ground, trying to give him some space as you sit down next to the fire, though instead, he stays glued to your side, comforted by your presence.
"I bet my mom is really worried about me." Izumi sadly notes, looking into the flames.
"That must be nice..." You quietly mutter under your breath, making shapes in the dirt. (Mom/Dad) probably doesn't even realize I'm gone... Though I did leave a note so maybe (she/he) did this time...
Don't think like that, surely (she/he) must be worried sick about you.
"Here, cheer up little buddy." Takuya holds out a meat apple. "Go on, try my apple. It's hot dog. It's really good!"
Tomoki slowly accepts, taking a bite out of it. "Tomoki could be your little brother."
"And what about me? Am I not big sister material?" You playfully pout, trying to liven up the mood.
Izumi smiles. "Haha, of course, you are."
"Hey, Kouji, come here too!" Takuya invites Kouji over who was laying down against a tree.
"Yeah, come on Mina!"
"I'll pass. I like being alone."
Neemon tilts his head to the side to show his confusion. "But aren't you with Y/n all of the time? You two are never apart, not even when you're sleeping." Kouji blushes and turns away from the group.
"Hey, Junpei, maybe Tomoki would like to see you do some of your magic?" Izumi suggests, changing the topic.
"Magic? Since when?"
"Since I was a kid myself." Junpei answers. "Ladies and germs, I present to you the magic of Howie Dodat!"
"Yay magic!" Takuya and Izumi clap for Junpei.
"Observe, there's nothing up my sleeve. I happen to have this beautiful red scarf here." He pulls out a red cloth from one of his yellow pockets, "But now this blue one wants his friend back." Junpei holds out a blue cloth in his opposite hand.
"Woah! Two pieces of cloth! So magical!" Kouji chuckles at your faked amazement.
"Y/n-chan... I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or if you're just really excited."
"Eh, if you continue your little 'magic' trick I might be in awe at your ability of combining and separating fabrics." You answer him with a smirk.
"Yeah, put them back!"
"That wasn't my trick yet." Junpei brings his hands together fiddling them around, "Tada! My clothesline!" he holds up a line of four small red and blue cloths made up from the two from before, everyone 'ohs'. "Yes, my friends but this is just the beginning." Junpei does the same fiddling as before. "I will now bring them back to normal!" He holds the red and blue cloths which were now separated.
"Amazing!"
"Now how did he do that?" Bokomon questions.
"Well, guess that explains where he got his stage name from." Takuya said, clapping to show he enjoyed what Junpei was showing.
"It doesn't explain why he's so annoying." Kouji remarks, smiling as you silently snickered.
"Do another one!" Takuya cheers to Junpei's surprise.
"I'm not sure if I know another one... I'm not even sure how I just did that to be honest." He nervously admits though when he notices Takuya's grin filled with childish glee start to drop he quickly does the first thing that comes to mind and closes his eyes before fiddling around with the fabric. "Tada?" He holds the object out to the audience, more specifically towards Takuya in hopes of impressing him.
"Haha, that's... pretty cool?" Takuya unsurely looks between the object and Junpei visibly confused.
Tomoki tilts his head. "Junpei-san do you...?"
"...Hahaha... It's perfect, go Shiba-san!" You snicker, Junpei finally looks down at what he made.
"H-Huh! Whaaat?" It was a heart made up of the fabrics from before. "I-I didn't- uh Izumi-chan!" He swirls around to present it to Izumi who, like you, was enjoying Junpei's embarrassment.
"Good job! I'm sure Takuya's one happy guy!" She giggles causing his blush to worsen before he quickly stuffs the heart away and ends the show.
🌟🌟🌟
Eventually, everyone decided it was a good time to get some sleep so you settled down for the night.
Aren't you going to join the lone wolf like you usually do? Zaeramon questions as you head over to Junpei and Takuya who stood watch over the fire, waiting for it to go out.
Nah, not tonight. I'm not really tired and Mina probably could use a Y/n free night... You sit beside Junpei and place a hand on his shoulder. "You put on quite a show tonight."
Junpei covers his face recalling the last bit, the only part you seemed to enjoy. "I don't want to talk about it..."
"Aww come on, don't be like that. You made everyone's night! Isn't that right Kana-san~" You look over at him, hoping he'd play along.
He nods. "Yeah, that trick you did with the cloth was really cool! I'm sure Izumi was impressed as well, right S/V/L/N-san?"
You smile. "Totally, I think at the very least you showed her a cool new side of yourself."
"It's a good step in the right direction."
Junpei blinks before chuckling. "Don't tell me... Are you two trying to give me love advice?" Takuya simply whistles while you poke the flames with a nearby stick. "...Thanks I guess..." He yawns. "Man I'm wiped out... I think I need to pass out for a while."
"You can rest your head on my lap if you want?" You offer, patting your legs.
"I'll wake you up if anything happens."
He looks between the two of you suspiciously. "You two are being awfully nice to me all of a sudden... You're not planning to sneak off together while everyone's asleep are you?!"
Takuya chokes on his salvia, quickly sitting up to shake his head rapidly at him as he raises his hands in surrender. "N-No way!"
"Sneak off together? Why would we do that? Everyone's already asleep anyways."
Junpei gasps while Takuya's face heats up some more. "Y/n-chan, how could you! With him? What about Kouji? Though I don't blame you..." He mutters to himself.
You tilt your head to the side in confusion before it clicks. "O-Oh, ooh I didn't mean it like that... I-I just- there's no reason to be sneaking off anyways!" You huff in embarrassment.
"R-Right." Takuya agrees, his gaze a little hostile as he and Junpei meet eyes.
Junpei nervously shrinks feeling as though he's messed up. "Sorry! Just forget I said anything!"
"You're both... only children, right?" Takuya softly smiles, accepting his apology while trying to change the topic to keep the conversation alive.
Junpei looks up at him in surprise while you simply nod. "How did you know?"
Takuya laughs before smiling. "Just a hunch."
"So what about it?" Junpei questions with a slight frown.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I just miss my little brother. He's the same age as Tomoki." You all glance over at Tomoki's sleeping form. "The day we came to the Digital World, it was my brother's birthday..." He quietly admits before gasping. "Aww man, I missed out on the cake and ice cream!"
"Hahaha, you're too cute Kana-san." You coo at his pouty face.
"Afraid it's a little too late for that now bud." Junpei tells him with a smile.
"Yeah, no big whoop."
Your skin tingles in alarm as you look over at a cluster of trees. "Hey, guys... this may sound weird but..."
"It feels like someone watching us, right?" You nod causing Takuya to stand up and look around.
"It might just be a squirrel or something?" Junpei suggests.
"AHHH STOP IT!" Tomoki yells in fear startling everyone as he walks over to the dying fire and picks up a burning stick. Izumi looks over at him in worry. "Unforgivable... unforgivable... unforgivable... unforgivable."
"Ummm..." You cautiously stare at the boy, awaiting his next move.
"There's something wrong with him." Takuya points out as the four of you stood around him.
"Are you half asleep kid?" Junpei inquires, noticing the dazed look in his eyes. "Hey, half-pint snap out of it."
Tomoki charges at Takuya waving the hot weapon at him, he jumps out of the way and when Tomoki goes after Junpei he just barely manages to do the same.
Seeing Tomoki getting ready to burn Junpei, Izumi calls out to him, catching his attention which in turn causes him to run towards her. "Izu-chan!" You quickly jump in front of her and narrowly avoid the weapon. "Holy Hell, you're going to hurt someone Tomo-chan! Put the stick down!"
"What's wrong?! Stop it, Tomoki!" Tomoki turns to Takuya with an icy cold glare. "Cut it out!"
"I won't forgive bullies! I'll punish you!" Tomoki exclaims, throwing the stick to the side before transforming into Kumamon and freezing the fire.
"Hey, stop that." Takuya nervously commands as Kumamon gets closer.
"I'm a hero of justice and I will defeat you. Crystal Freeze!" Kumamon freezes the tree beside you causing you all to run to cover as it falls to the ground.
"What the hell's going on?" Takuya asks the question on everyone's mind.
"We'll be in trouble at this rate." Junpei mutters. "I'm really sorry Tomoki!" The sound of another tree falling is heard making you run away again. Kumamon appears behind your group. "I guess sorry wasn't the magic word!"
"Izumi!" You yell at Izumi who stood like a deer in headlights as a tree that Kumamon froze started to fall in her path, "Look out!" you tackle her out of the way causing the two of you to roll away. "You okay?" You inquire, straddling her in your arms.
"Yeah..." She nods, her face a light red as you get off of her and help her up.
"Thank goodness..." You breathe a sigh of relief as you brush a stray piece of her hair out of her eyes before taking her hand and running away from the scene to join up with the others who were gathered at the bottom of the hill you were previously on.
"Looks like the only choice we have is to Spirit Evolve and take him out!" Junpei suggests.
"I am a hero... I will never forgive you!"
"I won't do it. There has to be another way to stop him." Takuya said and everyone else agreed as you ran away from Kumamon.
"Izumi-chan, Y/n-chan!" Junpei holds his hands out for the two of you to grab before he trips and falls to the ground, Izumi straight-up runs over him before peering down at him in concern.
"Are you okay?" She questions the defeated Junpei.
"Come on," You struggle to lift him up. "There." He sighs as he stands up. "Come on now." You offer him your hand which he stares down at with stars in his eyes. "I'll protect you." You tell the two as you do the same to Izumi.
🌟🌟🌟
"SPIRIT EVOLUTION! Lobomon!" Lobomon looked around for the shadow that passed by him and Takuya while they were hiding.
"Wait a minute, I thought we all agreed not to Spirit Evolve? Who does he think he is anyway? Sometimes I hate him!" Junpei yells.
"Kouji-kun must have a good reason. Maybe he knows something that we don't?" Izumi offers an explanation.
Lobomon creates a huge beam of light. "Ancient Spirit of Light!"
"There it is! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!" Takuya yells as he changes into Agunimon and begins to run after the flying mammoth that appeared when Lobomon turned on his flash feature.
"Lobomon, don't hurt him!" Izumi calls out. Agunimon jumps up and lands onto the creature which pulls him along with it and throws him off where you, Izumi, and Junpei were standing. "What is that?"
"Come back here you flying horsefly!" Agunimon yells, chasing after the Digimon.
It's a Bakumon... the kid is probably under his Nightmare Syndrome spell which means...
You snap your fingers. "I'll be back, you two stay here." You instruct the pair before sprinting to Lobomon who was being cornered by Kumamon.
"My name is Kumamon, I'm an ally of justice. A hero and you are nothing but a big bully!" Kumamon points his green gun at Lobomon who raises his Lobo Kendo to block any attacks.
"Oi Tomo-chan!" With no concern for your safety, you tackle Kumamon and force him into a hug despite his flailing about. "Right now you're not acting like a hero if anything you're being a villain... Listen to me carefully, you're under the spell of a corrupted Digimon, we're not your enemies."
"Tomoki! Evolving into a strong Digimon to get revenge... is that really what a hero would do?" Agunimon inquires.
Your words seemed to get through to him but you weren't sure how long Kumamon would be still, "Oi Agunimon, I can handle this cutie! Hurry up and take care of it!" you order.
"Wait! Takuya!"
"Don't do it!"
"It's time to end this nightmare!" Agunimon threw fireballs at the tree Bakumon was hiding behind causing Bakumon to turn into a ring of data. "Now for some purification!" Agunimon scanned its code as Kumamon changed back into Tomoki.
"Y/n-oneechan? Why are you holding me?" Tomoki asked in obvious confusion.
"Well you see, you had a nightmare Tomo-chan." You tell him with a slight smile as you let him go and everyone joins you three. "But your big brother and sister made it go away!"
Tomoki looked over at Agunimon and then up at you in awe. "Wow! Really? What about Lobomon?"
"The big bad wolf boy wanted to make sure you were okay, so he volunteered to be a nightlight." You joke.
"I did not!" He barks.
"Shut up Mina, play along!" You playfully shout.
Agunimon laughed at your antics before patting both yours and Tomoki's heads.
"You gave us quite a scare there young man. Bakumon's dream made you think we were your enemies." Bokomon informs him.
"For a while, you had us really worried there." Junpei adds.
"Bakumon's better now! He didn't know what he was doing at the time!" Neemon explains.
Bakumon floats over. "I'm sorry. From now on, I promise I will only send you good dreams."
"Ah okay! I had an adventure and I don't even remember it!"
"It's good you don't!"
🌟🌟🌟
Your group began to walk back to the camp. Bokomon and Neemon led the party with Tomoki and Izumi behind them, Kouji and Takuya behind them, and you and Junpei in the back.
"Kouji, I'm sorry I ever doubted you, I owe you one." Takuya apologizes.
"You don't owe me anything besides your the one who sensed something out there." Takuya and Kouji stop walking. "I always heard savages rely on intuition."
"You really hate being nice, don't cha?" The pair look away from each other for a moment and then smile, the two lift their fists and share a moment.
Awww! My boys are finally getting along~
"I'm not sure I'll ever understand them." Junpei said to himself.
🌟🌟🌟
Last edited: September 23, 2020 (11.2 pages)
Are you ready? It's time for... Noteworthy Changes! A rather pointless section but I figured if I randomly edit something some point after originally publishing the chapter, you, as the reader, should probably know about it! This chapter, the one I have called the untouchable chapter, has finally been messed with!
✮ The title
✮ Heart 'magic'
✮ Y/n's not sleeping and is hanging out with Junpei and Takuya
✮ Y/n's awake during the Tomoki/Kumamon attacking scenes
✮ Hugs solve all problems
✮ Now with an additional four pages!