FicWad

Episode Three: The Weird Woods

They made it out of the cave in record time, and with no new injuries to boot. Using the knowledge they had obtained, they had used the Albino Snowmen like bulls, getting out of their way so that they slammed headfirst into the ice pillars, thus cutting a shortcut for them through the cavern. It had become something of a game to them, trying to see how close the giant ape could get before they moved. Kari held the record on that, and none of them were going to complain.

Now though, they were happy to just be outside, out of the cold.

“Geez, I never thought I’d see the sun, or actual water again!” Palmon quickly ran over to the lake, absorbing water to regain some strength.

“I know what you mean.” Sora stretched, working the kinks out of her arms. They made a series of cracking sounds, reminding them of how they had been put through the ringer. Granted, after what they all had seen in the cave, she could have cursed them all to hell and back, and they wouldn’t have cared enough to comment on it."Adventuring here on Lunar is definitely different than in the Digital World."

“And it looks like we’ve been in there for quite some time. The sun's almost set,” Joe observed, looking at the reddish sun in the sky. “But I think we can get a few miles in before we set up camp.”

“Geez, Joe, you sound like you actually enjoy walking all over the place.” Mimi let out a moan as she rubbed her back, finding kinks there that she had never known she could get. "Some of us are tired, you know, considering that this is the first time someof us have ever really taken an active role in combat. And I exercise!"

Agumon nodded, remembering witnessing her near inhuman exercise regime in the early days. “Yeah, we know. I never met anyone, human or digimon who could do eighty pullups without breaking a sweat. And you still complain about walking.”

“These boots are /not/made for walking day in and day out.”

“Ah. So, Alex... what do you think?”

“Well…” Alex looked over at Palmon, who was still drinking from the lake, then at Kari, who didn’t look like she could withstand anymore today, then at the rest of them. ‘Not exactly the most upbeat bunch,but I don’t feel pretty upbeat myself.’In fact, he felt like he was almost eighty years old. “We might as well walk for a couple of minutes, then set up camp. Is that alright with the rest of you?” A chorus of “Yeah!” answered that question. “Okay, it’s settled. Let’s get going.”

Tai ended up having to carry Kari for about four minutes, her head lolling on his shoulder. Her new scepter was in the hands of Gatomon, who was examining it thoroughly. His own thoughts however, were on Kari. ‘How is it, that Kari, who is only nine years old, has supernatural strength, when the crest of light is supposed to give her nothing but magical power?’he asked himself.‘And how did Quark know who the guardian of Light was? It could have been any of us!’He had many questions, and it was frustrating to not have any answers to them.

Unlike last time, dinner was a quiet affair, as everybody just wanted to go to sleep, Kari most of all. Nall and Ramus stared at the Diamond for about a second, before lying down and closing their eyes. Luna and Alex talked quietly to themselves for about a minute more before going to sleep. The Digi-Destined and their partners formed a little blanket city. Most of them were out like lights before they even hit the blankets.

The guardians of Hope and Light slept a bit apart from the rest of them, almost as though they had begun distancing themselves from them. Kari, T.K., and Patamon, exhausted emotionally as well as physically, were asleep the second before their heads touched the ground.

Gatomon stayed up for a second longer, just watching them all. Her champion level strength gave her more endurance than the rest of them, so she almost always took the first night shift. But she was also thinking about something else. Namely, them. ‘They’re so cute!’she thought. ‘Just like a bunch of kittens. I hope none of them have the dream tonight. Hah! Like that’ll ever happen!’

To take her mind of the inevitable dream, she looked at the scepter again. As she had carried it, she had also examined it carefully. It was about the size of Kari’s leg, with rubies engraved in gold plating. It had jewels encrusted on a crescent moon that had curved around what looked a giant ruby sphere. Its most telling feature though, was the crest of Light that stood in relief on the sphere, as well as the handle. For all intents and purposes, it was something that Gatomon had never seen before.

But whenever she looked at it, she was hit by a strong wave of déjà vu. It felt like she had seen it before from somewhere, but had forgotten where. She also knew that she had never been to Lunar before, so it made the feelings of déjà vu even more disquieting. ‘And I have the feeling that they are only going to become more pronounced.’

Looking over at the others, she observed them all, sleeping contently, sleeping in peace. Not like her, who still had nightmares about Myotismon, even though he had been defeated the previous year. ‘They have it so lucky,’she thought to herself, a surge of envy going through her system,‘never having to worry about an evil warlord beating you every night, abusing you, just because you have eyes that he doesn’t like.’They never had to go through what she had gone through. They never had the life she had, and she prayed that they never did. She would make sure it never happened. Even if she was deleted, she would continue to protect Kari, and all the others.

Her code of honor demanded no less.

----

After an early breakfast, something the Digi-Destined had much experience with, as well as some jokes at Tai’s and Gabumon’s eating habits, the group was now on their way back to Burg, their spirits considerably lighter than before. They had accomplished what they had set out to do; retrieve the Dragon Diamond from the White Dragon's lair. They just didn’t get it the way they thought they would.

They all laughed as Izzy and Ramus engaged in another argument, this time the subject was the importance of gaining money in society over family. Izzy’s belief was that family and friends were more important than money. Ramus’s of course, was that money was as important as family. If nothing else, it was the single best form of entertainment that they had. Then they listened to Matt and Alex, who had pulled their ocarina and harmonica, respectively, playing a tune that they had made up on the spot. The rest of course came up with asingular conclusion; that harmonicas and ocarinas could make beautiful music together if in the right hands.

Finally though, they saw the village of Burg in the distance. “We’re almost home,” Luna said.

“I’m thinking we’re about twenty minutes from the village,” Tentomon stated. “Thank god this road was up higher than Burg.”

“I think you’re right.” Ramus grinned “How about we race the rest of the way?”

“How about we don’t?” Alex replied. “I’m planning on practicing our song for the festival, and I can’t do that while I’m panting. We’re making good time as it is, so why hurry.”

“And besides,” Luna added, smiling, “how do you expect T.K. and Kari to keep up? We'd be leaving them alone. Then they would be upset, and we can’t have that kind of mood so close to the Goddess Festival.”

“You have a good point,” Ramus conceded as they continued on their way. Luna then looked over the two in question, frowning thoughtfully as they talked to each other. She had a good idea as to what they were talking about, all things considered.

Kari and T.K. were looking at the scepter in Kari’s hands. “It looks so familiar,” T.K. said. He was no longer surprised by how everything felt like home territory to him.

Apparently, so was Kari. “It feels familiar to me, like I’ve used it before.” It feels…” she searched for a word.“Comfortable in my hands, like a piece of candy.”

T.K. laughed, before looking at Gatomon. The cat-like digimon had been silent for the entire journey, a thoughtful expression on her face.‘I wonder what she’s thinking about.’

“I wonder what she’s thinking about,” Patamon whispered, voicing what T.K. had just thought. T.K. nodded in agreement.

Sora and Tai walked in silence, their Digimon partners chatting behind them. They were both thinking about something, but kept whatever it was to themselves. Finally though, Sora turned to Tai and looked at him. Tai of course, noticed this and asked, “Yeah, Sora?”

Sora didn’t speak for a second. “Thank you Tai, for saving my life back there.”

For a moment, Tai didn’t speak either. When he did, it was with atender smile on his face. “I told you in the Digital World that I would never let anything happen to you. And I meant it completely.” He looked her in the eyes. “You are one of the four best things to happen to me in my life. I don’t want to lose you, as afriend, or confidante.”

Sora was deeply touched, and moved to tears. But she held back from crying. Instead, she simply said, “That means a lot to me.” The two of them walked on for a few minutes more before Sora asked,“What were the other three things?” she asked, curious.

Tai grinned widely. “Having Kari as a sister, having Matt as afriend, and meeting the Digimon.”

“Yeah, having Matt as a friend and the meeting the Digimon were among my favorite times, too.”

“Is there anything else that you peg as a favorite?” Tai asked.

“That’s something you are going to have to find out on your own, Tai.”

“Rats…” Tai muttered, forcing Sora to stifle a giggle.

----

Ramus looked at the sack that carried the Dragon Diamond in glee as they walked into Burg. He was just about ready to salivate, with the thought of the millions they was going to make. “Alex, this Dragon Diamond is going to make us rich!” he gushed. “I can almost taste the money we’re gonna get!”

Joe turned to look at blandly. “And the fact we almost got killed, and where the diamond comes from means nothing to you.”

“Oh come on Joe,” Gomamon said, “we’ve faced death more than a hundred times in the Digital World.”

“Yeah, and I don’t ever want to face it again, thank you very much!”

Matt almost fell to the ground in disbelief. He couldn’t believe that the two of them were arguing about that!

While the two partners bickered, Nall landed on Alex’s shoulder, panting slightly. “Alex, can we go to Althena’s statue?All this adventuring really wore me out.”

“I agree, Nall,” Luna said, giving him a small scratch on his head. “The Diamond can wait a little while.”

“Well, is there a medic there? Because I want to see if I have any more cracked body parts,” Tai grumbled, still rubbing his chest.

“Oh, there’s a ‘medic’ there alright,” Ramus replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes, though he was confused.‘What the heck is a medic?’

“Well, lead the way then.” Tai gestured in the direction of the Statue. He had noticed the glint in Ramus’s eyes, and was worried about it. So it was with a sense of caution that he followed. The others followed him, wondering what was at the Statue.

“Shouldn’t we be getting back to the house?” Sora asked. “Why are we going to Althena’s Statue?”

Luna just smiled mysteriously as they approached. When they all had reached the statue, she, Alex, Nall, and Ramus put their hands, or wings, on it. The Digi-Destined immediately saw them stand up straighter. Nall even looked more energized. “Ahhh! I feel like a million silver!” he said happily.

“Uhhhh…What just happened?” Agumon asked.

“I don’t know, buddy,” Tai answered in a strangled voice.

Alex looked at them. “Come on guys. It doesn’t take a great deal of faith to use. You just put your hand on it and feel the results, for lack of a better description for you." His voice held no humor, just the usual friendliness that was always present.

Cautiously, they all reached out with various appendages, and touched the statue.“If this is some sort of plan to make us believe in divine-.”

Izzy never finished that sentence.

A pale green glow, just like the glow in the Dragon Cave, flashed across their eyes, and they felt a surge of power go through their bodies. It helped lighten their moods considerably as well.

The glow dissipated, leaving the lot of them feeling refreshed and amazed, except for four of them (I think you can guess who I mean by now.) Matt saw the looks on his brother’s face, but decided to inquire later. Instead he said, “To paraphrase Nall, I feel like a million bucks!”

“I bet that’s how much we’ll get for the diamond!”

“All right, all right, Ramus, we get the point!” Mimi and Palmon bellowed. Sora and Kari tried to stifle their laughs. Failing, of course.

“The sooner we sell this baby, the sooner I’ll shut up about it! So let’s hurry to the shop!” He started for the shop in question.

“Hold on!” Sora called out, catching their attention. The rotund man even halted dead in his tracks, turning back in her direction. “We can’t all go into the store at once. We’ll give the poor shop clerk a heart attack. How about you, Alex, Tai and Agumon go in, and the rest of us wait out here? It'll be less intimidating.”

“Ya know, I like how you think. Let’s get this thing out of the sack and sell it!”

"Good idea. Where’s the nearest shop?” Matt asked.

Ramus pointed in the direction of the item shop, as everyone in the village called it. “Right behind us.”

“We’ll wait right here. You just go in and get your business done,” Biyomon called on the other side of the statue. She was extremely curious on how the statue worked. A local was trying to explain it to her, but it always brought up more questions. The local was at a loss on even how to answer it in a simple way.

“Be back in a few,” Agumon called back over his shoulder.

Sora leaned against a sturdy tree near the store, looking rather smug about something. Luna noticed this, and smiled. “They won’t be able to sell the Diamond here, will they?” she asked knowingly.

Sora simply nodded, smirking.

----

The shop clerk did not look up at the sound of the door opening and closing, as she was trying to repair something one of the villagers had given. She kept her head down and finally managed to get one of the handgrips of the vase back into vase, then using her limited knowledge of magic to seal it. She heard four sets of footsteps approach the counter, and heard one of them say, “Jake broke his aunt's vase again, didn’t he?” in good humor.

“Hello, children!” she finally said, looking up and smiling. “You two are looking healthy!” The she got a good look at the other two. “And they are…?”

One of them was wearing what appeared to be a blue short-sleeved shirt with an orange star on it, and brown pants that looked too short on him. A pair of goggles were on his head, at least, she thoughtthey were goggles. The other looked like a small lizard. It did looked intelligent, because it was looking around the shop, staring at everything curiously.

“They are Tai Kamiya and his ‘pet,’ Agumon,” Ramus replied, shooting a sly glance at the lizard. “He can talk like Nall too, so don’t be surprised.”

“Well, welcome to Jolie’s item shop. How can I be of service?” Jolie carefully put the vase underneath the counter.

“I’m here to discuss business.” The rotund boy put a sack on the counter. He opened it, and pulled out what looked to be a glittering gem. “How much are you willing to give us for this Dragon Diamond?”

Jolie did a double take, unable to believe what she was seeing, and what she had just heard Ramus just asked. “Oh my gosh!”

“Yeah, it’s amazing. How much can you pay for it?” Tai asked.

“I can’t buy a Diamond like this! I don’t have enough for even a slice of this rock!”

Ramus looked unfazed. “Oh, I see…you’re trying to trick me. Very clever!” he said, looking impressed. “But seriously, how much?”

“I am serious! You’ll have to travel to a big city like Meribia to unload this baby!”

“Meribia?The big harbor town on the mainland? But that’s too far away from here!”

“Hey who said the best things in life are near?” Agumon asked. “How do we get to Meribia?”

Jolie was struck dumb for a second before remembering that Agumon could speak as well. “You’ll have to go to the town of Saith, through the Weird Woods,” she stated. She then gave them instructions on how to get to the woods.

“Thanks for the instructions, Miss Jolie.” Tai shook her hand. “Come on guys. Let’s get back to the others.”

Jolie watched them leave, then took a deep breath. “How in Hell,” she asked herself, “did they get their hands on a Dragon Diamond?”

She suspected that she didn’t want to know though.

----

“Too bad, Ramus,” Luna said, after the four boys returned from their unsuccessful trip to the shop. They had told them everything, to the knowing glances of the rest of them.

“You’re telling me Luna,” Ramus stated gloomily. “I thought I was to be rich. Instead, I have to go to Meribia to unload this. Sometimes trying to get rich sucks.”

“Yes, well I am not the one trying to become rich, now am I?” She turned her attention to Alex. “Alex, let’s get home before your mom gets worried.”

“That’s a good idea…because I’m starving!” Nall cried out.“Maybe we can sneak in and raid the pantry!”

“I like how YOU think,” Patamon stated, some glee in his voice.“Lead the way, Mac duff.”

“And besides Luna,” Alex added, “Mom’s worried about me twenty four-seven. I’ve gotten used to it.”

“Apparently, it’s a mother’s instinct,” Tai said. “I have never seen my mom look like she wasn’t worried about me or Kari at some point.” He shrugged. “I think it’s acurse.”

Alex chuckled a bit at that as they walked, feeling happier than before, concerning the circumstances. And like Tai, he found himself thinking about Kari’s new-found strength, and the scepter that Quark had entrusted to her. But he wasn’t concerned. The White Dragon seemed to be a wise being, despite his age. He knew what he was doing.

As they walked to Alex’s and Luna’s home, everyone decided to figure out the new mysteries later. Even Kari was laughing at ajoke that Nall had pitched in as an encore to a story he had regaled them about.

They had just reached the beginning of the bridge when Ramus suddenly stopped in his tracks. The others continued on for a few seconds before realizing that the largest of them had vanished, and turned around. “What's up, Ramus?” Nall asked. “You look so serious.”

Ramus looked hesitant. “Well…”

Alex now looked at him. “What is it, Ramus?” he asked.

Ramus hesitated some more, then steeled himself. “I need to have aman-to man with the guys.” He turned to Luna. “Ladies, T.K., can they meet you at home?” he asked.

Luna laughed, making them all feel like they were being made fun of.“Man-to-man talk?” Her eyes were twinkling in mischief.“Why of course, Ramus!” she stated mock-imperiously, grinning. “We don’t mind at all.” She looked at Alex. “I’ll see you soon, Alex. Enjoy your ‘talk.’”

It proved too much for the three Digi-Destined females and their partners. All of them exploded, clutching their sides in hilarity. They continued to laugh as they walked up the road to the house, with a confused T.K. and slightly put-off Patamon in tow.

The boys stared at the backs of the girls for several moments. “Ya know,” Tai finally stated, sounding remarkably nonchalant for someone should, “I think I’m scared of them all now.” Alex nodded to agree.

“I agree with you, Tai,” Izzy vocalized. “That was…weird.” He definitely looked spooked about it.

Ramus watched this for a second, than called out, “Gentlemen,” to get them back on track. “You heard what Jolie said. The only place we can sell the diamond is in Meribia.”

“We know that already. What’s your point?” Gabumon asked impatiently.

“I…I think we should go.”

Everyone stared at him in shock. Ramus certainly didn't sound like himself.“How far are you willing to go for money?” Alex asked in disbelief.

“It’s not just money…I also want to prove my dad wrong!” Ramus’s smile had a determination behind it that was incredible. He looked at Alex. “You’ve always talked about adventure…so come with me!”

Alex was stunned for a second, then shook it off. “Boys,” he said, gesturing to him. “Let’s discuss our options.”

As one, the boys all formed a small circle, talking in hushed tones. Ramus saw them gesticulating venomously in every direction. He watched expectantly, his hands starting to tremble in anticipation.

Finally, after five minutes of discussion, the group dispersed and turned as one to him. “Of course we’ll come with you!” Alex said, smiling. “After all, I have to explore the world, and pass the Dragon Trials.”

“The same reason as Alex,” Tentomon added, “as well as trying to find a way to get back home. Also, we want to see how long it takes for you to run back to the village.”

“Excellent!Except for your second reason, Tentomon.” Ramus looked definitely put off, but no less ecstatic. “Let’s go…right this minute…before I change my mind…”

They hadn’t even turned around when Nall brought up an interesting point. “Hold on, guys. What are we going to tell the girls and T.K.?”

“You can’t tell them, guys!” Ramus cried out immediately. “I don’t know about your friends, but you know Luna would never let you go!”

“And why not Ramus?” Alex asked, looking confused.

“You have to understand, Alex.” The pudgy boy looked uncharacteristically grim, since he knew how. “Girls are supposed to prevent boys from having fun.” He let his shoulders go in a shrugging motion. “It’s just their nature.”

“He’s right, Alex,” Nall put in. “We both know what Luna would say to you.” With that, he did a perfectly good impression of Luna. “Absolutely not! Now make your bed and do the dishes before I tell your mother!”He gave Alex a critical glance. “Do you want that Alex? I don’t think so.”

“Our girls would react in the same way,” Tai recalled, shivering. “I certainly don’t want to find out what’s in store for us if we so much as breathe of this in their presence.

“Me either,” Ramus said.

“I second that,” Matt added. There was a murmur of agreements from all of them. Gabumon even said, jokingly, “We will keep the secret to our graves."

Agumon turned to him. "That's a distinct possibility, considering that these are the girls we are talking about. If they find out that we did this, our heads will most likely roll off our bodies.”

“My god, Agumon. Thanks for the pretty picture. Lighten up!”

Ramus observed them all. “So we agree that we don’t tell the girls?” Everybody nodded. “Then let’s go!” And led the way to the exit of Burg, confident that they would have no problems.

Turns out, he was a tad optimistic.

----

As it turned out, the Weird Woods were only a half hour walk from the village. It made them all feel a little bit happier. “Well, that was easy,” Tai said, looking around.

“Let’s not get cocky,” Izzy stated. “After all, we don’t know what to expect in these woods.”

“Good point, Izzy.” Alex looked into the forest as far as he could, which wasn't possible. “We better get in there, then.”

With daggers in hand, Ramus and Alex led the group in, all of them prepared for anything that came their way-

except for what they encountered.

“I don’t recall fog as part of the forecast,” Alex grumbled, trying in vain to see anything through the fog. “This definitely qualifies as a crimp in our plans.”

“Actually, I think this is just a far more permanent way to tell us to go home,” Joe stated. “Because I’m feeling depressed.”

“You always are, Joe,” Izzy reminded him quietly. "It's in your nature."

“Hey, we can at least try to make it through.” Nall started to fly slowly forward, his eyes darting every which way. The others followed, just as slow, just as carefully. They continuously scanned the fog, trying to see through it.

Ramus spoke after a few minutes of walking blind. “You know, guys…um…they say that the Weird Woods are…uh…haunted.” He was starting to turn pale, but no one noticed.

Tentomon looked around nonchalantly. “You don’t say.”

They walked on in silence for several more minutes. Then Agumon stubbed his toe. “Damn it,” he grumbled, massaging his clawed foot.

“Language, young mon,” Tai stated teasingly.

Agumon just shot him a dark glare before turning his attention back to the fog. “Is it just me,” he asked, “or is the fog getting thicker?”

“Yeah, it is getting thicker. Not a good sign.”

Now Ramus was trembling. Not the bravest person in the best of times, his newfound courage was crumbling under the strain. “Guys, we can’t see where we’re going…and we can’t see any of the monsters.” He looked behind him. “Why don’t we go back?”

Nall turned in mid-air. “If you’re scared Ramus, just come out and say it.”

“Yeah,” Izzy added encouragingly. “None of will think any less of you any differently.”

Ramus seemed to obtain some sort of reserve deep within him with those words. “I…I’m not scared. Not at all!” he proclaimed. His voice sounded stronger than before.

Izzy and Gomamon had to admit that they hadn’t expected Ramus to get even this far. They had expected the boy to already be back at Burg.

Less than thirty seconds after he figured that out, Ramus lost his nerve.“I’m sorry, guys, I can’t go any further!” With a cry of fright, he turned tail, and bolted.

Alex and the others at his retreating backside. “The only other time,” Nall commented, “I’ve ever seen Ramus move like that involved a chow bell ringing.”

“So much for going to Meribia,” Gomamon added, annoyed now.

“I know what you mean,” Joe stated. “All that effort, for nothing!”

Before any of them could add their thoughts into it, Nall looked up into the sky. “The sun’s going down,” he said, “and the fog’s thicker than ever…why don’t we go home?”

They all stumbled out of the forest, nursing bruises from all the trees they had hit trying to get out of there in one piece. They were, to put it bluntly, not in the best of moods. And they weren’t looking forward to going into the same house as the females.

Ramus was waiting for them at the entrance of the forest, looking very ashamed at himself. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, not looking at them. “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.” He looked at them. “Let’s go home for now.”

“Good idea,” Gabumon said, getting a leaf out of his fur.

----

The walk was silent, with even Gomamon being quiet. They all had one thing on their minds; that they hadn’t prepared for this properly, and that they were all a little scared. It was not an encouraging thought.

When they had reached Burg, they saw that torches had been lit all around the village, especially around the statue. Stumbling in that direction, with a few hellos to the people who were going by, as well as a quick healing trip, they walked over to the bridge near Alex’s house.

It was there that Ramus spoke, full of sorrow. “My father’s right about me, Alex. I’m all talk and no action.”

Alex couldn’t say anything to that statement, so he kept quiet. Nall on the other hand, did find a way to make him feel better. “Don’t say that Ramus! With all that dense fog, we had to turn back. You were smart, not cowardly!”

“I agree with Nall. You are selling yourself short!” Tai added enthusiastically. “If you were all talk, you wouldn’t have gone to the Dragon Cave with us, or even gone in as far as you did in the Woods. In my book, you’re just as brave as any of us.”

Ramus was silent for a few seconds, a look of surprise on his face. He had not expected them to say that to him. He expected them to agree with what his father called him. Slowly, a smile broke through, and he said, with a stronger and more assured voice, “I hope you’re both right. Because I really needed to hear that.” He turned to Alex. “I’m going home to rest up. Let’s try again in the morning. I’ll wait for all of you at the entrance. Okay?”

Alex grinned, slapping him on the shoulder. “Okay.”

“Good idea,” Tai put in.

“We’re there,” Agumon added. "And don't worry. It was the right idea to come back. We weren't ready."

Ramus started walking, then stopped, and turned around. “And guys, maybe you should tell the girls, and T.K., where we’re going.” With that last bit of advice, he turned and jogged away.

Every young man remaining there stared at each other for a very long moment. Tai was the one to finally break the silence, asking the numero uno question on each of their minds.

“How the hell are we going to explain this to the girls?”

----

The females and T.K. were, at that moment, waiting for the boys to get back. Alex’s mother, a kind woman named Angelina had taken it upon herself to make a very special dinner for all of them. Sora had asked to help, but the mother just told her to relax, and enjoy her stay here. She didn’t need help to cook dinner.

So far, she had proved it. A heavenly smell was already making its presence known from the kitchen.

To fill in the time, as they couldn’t keep sniffing the air for ascent of the culinary delights in store for them, Luna had pulled out a photo album of the family. It reminded T.K. of the photo album that Kari had of their adventures in the Digital World during the Dark Masters war. The most prominent picture was the one that had all of then, as well as their digital friends and a newly hatched Digimon in Kari’s hands. That was by far T.K.’s favorite.

As they looked at each photo, they also talked about the upcoming journey to Saith. Luna had been there once, when she was six years old. It was the only time she had been outside the village until recently.

At that moment, they were all laughing at a picture of Nall wearing ababy bib and a diaper, a look of outrage on his face. T.K. had found the camera, and marveled at the fact that for a place that had never heard of cars and planes had managed to develop something like acamera. And a handheld one at that! When he asked about that though, all Luna had said was that it had been in the family for years. And it still looked new! ‘One of the advantages of having some magic!’he thought.

As they reached the end of the book, Sora found herself wondering where Tai and the others were. ‘Now where did that line-up come from?’ she asked herself. ‘Kind of strange of me to think of Tai before the others.’She couldn’t stop thinking that way though.

Mimi was thinking along the lines of someone else, and was being honest with herself. ‘I hope Izzy’s okay. It’s taking too long for a simple chat.’

Kari and T.K. were just wondering, ‘Where in the Goddess’s name are they?’Both of them weren’t worried. They were however, greatly annoyed. And they had a feeling they knew why.

As if to punctuate that state of theirs, the door swung open, depositing the group of boys in the living room. “Hey Matt,” T.K. called out.

“Hey, T.K. Hey, girls!” Matt called back, a bit too enthusiastically. T.K. immediately found his suspicions confirmed.

Angelina hollered from the kitchen, “Where have you boys been? Luna and the others were worried about you!” T.K. noted that she had aknowing tone in her voice. ‘Same instinct.’

At that, Tai and the others fidgeted a little, except for Nall, who just grinned a little. Luna, who had come to the doorway, saw this, and immediately had a bad feeling in her gut. Behind her, Biyomon and Palmon were watching from behind Sora and Mimi. Kari and Gatomon had just gotten off the bed and were walking towards them. All their expressions were, to put it bluntly, not exactly cheery. In fact, they were eyeing the boys suspiciously.

“Gentlemen…” Luna asked, her gaze piercing, “Did you travel somewhere with Ramus?”

“Nope,” Nall answered cheerfully. “The fog was too dense, so we came back home.”

For an extremely long moment, silence reigned. The kind that usually happened when a natural disaster was about to occur.

“Ummm…Nall,” Alex began, sounding strangled. The Digimon hid behind their partners, looking even more scared than they had a right to be. Tai could even be heard muttering, “They say cyanide is a quick way to go.”

Luna processed this in less than half a second. “The Weird Woods?” Sora, Mimi, and their Digimon snapped four glares that spoke of death and daggers at the boys. “You were planning to go to Meribia without us? Nall is only joking…isn’t he?”

Alex absently made arrangements to have Nall turned into a throw rug as soon as possible. ‘I knew this would happen, but nooooo, don’t listen to gut instinct,’he thought scathingly.

“Well, you see…” Izzy began to say, but that was all the confirmation the girls, and T.K., needed.

“I can’t believe you’d leave here without so much as agoodbye!” Luna exploded, trembling. She was irate, no, furiousis a better word to describe her mental state at the moment.

“Well, there’s a perfectly good explanation for this…”

“And you!” Sora roared, turning in his direction, coming within an inch of Tai’s face. “Leaving without us! We’re part of the team too. You know that!”

Tai had a rather insane urge to kiss Sora right then, but was at the moment too terrified to do anything. But one thing that Tai knew was that when he was scared, he got angry. And this time was no exception. If anything, it was worse. “Well excussse me for making a mistake!” He shot back, his own face darkening considerably. “And for your information, I wasn’t the only one who went. So how about you face somewhere else so I can breathe?!”

Everyone knew immediately that that was the wrong thing to say, as Sora’s, and Biyomon’s faces began to become a darker red. Agumon groaned in fear, knowing that Tai was in trouble again, and hid behind Alex.

As the three of them vented their anger at each other, Mimi took the role. “Why’d you leave us here?” she shouted. “I would think that you would have some common sense after everything that we went through in the Digital World!” She looked at Izzy.“And what was with you?” she continued. “You’re the smartest of them! You should’ve told them to wait!”

“Well…ah…uh…” Izzy tried to speak, but he was paralyzed with fright. This was the same girl who would have destroyed his computer if he hadn’t started paying attention to her. Now he was wishing he was still an addict to the Internet. At least then he could hide behind his computer.

Gatomon and Palmon just glared at them all in silence, letting their gazes tell them off. Patamon spoke for all them by saying, “I think that I want to know whose idea this was, and who you all thought you were by listening to him.” His voice was firm, albeit a little sad.

“I wanna know that too,” T.K. added. He looked at Matt with a look of sadness and confusion.

“As would I!”

Luna and Palmon barely moved in time as Kari stormed out of the room, her face etched with fury. Everyone looked at her like she was a demon, and began to fear her too. In the case of Tai, his anger turned to shock as he looked over at her.

Kari rounded on him, her face hard as a diamond. “Did you think,” she began softly, fury peaking, “that you were trying to protect, us brother? Did you think that we weren’t ready for this?” Her voice grew stronger by the moment. “Let me remind you, Tai, that I was there when Myotismon tried to conquer our home last summer! I was there when the Dark Masters corrupted the Digital World! I helped defeat Apoclamon! I am not afraid of whatever’s out there! Does that sound good enough for you?”

Tai almost had a heart attack right there and then. Kari had /never/raised her voice at him, or anyone else before. It was scary, to say the least. “Kari…”

“I don’t think we have anything left to talk about boys!” Luna interrupted, turning her back on them. “Let’s go, ladies!” With a last glare at them, Sora and Mimi followed after Luna. The door slammed with a finality that was deafening.

“Come on, Luna,” Alex said, the thought of apologizing on his mind.

“You don’t want to talk to me, so why should I talk to you?”

The boys stared at one another for a moment, completely silent. The Digimon slowly came from behind their human counterparts and stared at the door in amazement. T.K. and Patamon on the other hand, were staring at them all with a look of annoyance on their faces.

Matt finally snarled, “I am going to killRamus!”

“And I am going to keep a promise I made to someone, that of turning acertain flying fur ball into a throw rug!” With that, Alex started towards Nall, his intent obvious. The other children also knew this, and moved.

Apparently, Nall realized it too, and hid behind Agumon. “I’m sorry, Alex,” he cried out, terrified. He knew that Alex would really do it. "You know I can’t keep quiet around Luna!”

"This is why I never tell you anything!"

Matt, Izzy, and T.K. had managed to get in front of Nall, and were busy restraining Alex before he could get his hands on the flying creature. “Come on, Alex!” Matt cried out, his grip firm,“He isn’t worth it!”

Slowly, ever so slowly, Alex calmed down. After a while, he stopped struggling. “Okay guys,” he said, “you can let me go now.”

Cautiously, Izzy and Matt released their holds on Alex’s arms. T.K. backed off, and then asked, “So what happened?”

After a minute of discussion, where they told T.K. everything, he just looked at them. “Don’t ever leave us here again, okay?”

“Okay,” Gabumon stated, knowing that that wasn’t going to happen. Otherwise, the girls would skin them alive.

----

“You’re going to Meribia…just like Dyne, of course. I’m not surprised.” Noah looked Alex right in the eyes. His tone held anote of sadness, but also of acceptance. He had always known that this day would come.

Alex was surprised. “You’re not?” he asked.

“No, I’m not. You’re old enough to make your own decisions, Alex. I would never stop you from pursuing your destiny.” He paused, as if just thinking of something. "Just one word of advice,” he added, taking on his most responsible voice, “talk to Luna about your plans. She cares about you. Let her know what’s going on.”

Alex looked at him pityingly. “Great idea, dad. Just one small problem. I don’t think Luna, or any of the girls for that matter, are going to speak to me, or any of the boys for a while. Imean Tai and the others are trying to get them out so we can apologize, but they won’t let us.”

“And you deserve every last bit of it too,” Angelina spoke up from the kitchen, having listened into the entire conversation. “You’re going to Meribia? Are you sure you realize what a frightening and dangerous place it can be? You’re just a child, Alex!”

“Mom, I’m fifteen!” Alex argued. “And no, I have no idea how dangerous it is, because I have never been there!” He was not surprised that his mother had brought up the old danger factor into the conversation. ‘But then again, she is the mother.’

Noah got out of his chair. “Angel,” he said soothingly, “just calm down.”

“No, you calm down, Noah!” She turned her attention back to Alex.“Please Alex,” she begged, “don’t make a huge mistake. Don’t do this.”

‘What is it with women and trying to guilt-trip me?’Alex asked himself rhetorically, though he already knew the answer. Out loud though, he said, “Mom, I have to. I need to get out of the village every once in a while. And I can’t let the Digi-Destined down. I promised that I'd help them.”

Angelina sighed, observing the determination on his face. “I know Ican’t stop you. All I ask is that you be careful, Alex.” She turned around and picked up a money sack. “And that you spend this wisely,” she added, tossing the bag to Alex.

Alex caught it, opened it, and stared at it in disbelief. “One thousand silver?” he whispered. “Mom, I can’t take this.”

“Take it, son,” Noah said, having anticipated this sort of reaction.“You’ll need it more than we do. And besides, I don’t think you and your friends earned enough in the Dragon Cave.”

“What do you-?” Alex started to ask, but suddenly realized the heaviness in his own money pouch. He opened it. “I was wondering why my money sack was heavier after a while.”

“How’d ya think I managed to obtain enough money to hire John last month to fix that hole in the roof? The creatures have the money. Don’t ask me how that’s possible. Maybe a side effect of Althena’s bringing life to this world. I also think your friends money bags will be filled up too.”

As if to punctuate the point, Agumon’s voice could be heard saying, “How did this money get into your pouch Tai?” followed by Gabumon saying, “Let me see that.” Alex and Noah looked at each other and laughed.

“I think I’m going to apologize to Luna now,” Alex finally managed to say. “Wish me luck dad.”

“Good luck,” Noah stated, as Alex began walking to Luna’s bedroom door.

----

At around the same time Alex and Noah had had their little chat, someone had decided to knock at the door.

“Boys,” Luna began to say, but T.K.’s voice came through, saying, “May I come in?” She got up, and opened the door, letting T.K. and Patamon in. “What was that all about?” she asked, referring to the commotion that had occurred after they had left.

“Oh, just Alex trying to get his hands around Nall’s neck, and my brother and Tai restraining him.” T.K. sat down next to Biyomon and Kari. “I think they wanna hurt Ramus, too.”

“Oh?” Mimi asked, intrigued. “And why is that? Because Ramus was the one who said that they should go without us? That we should stay behind to stay safe?”

“Actually, except for the last part, that IS what they said,” Patamon mentioned, flying around the room for a few seconds before settling down near Gatomon. “And it looks like they’re trying to apologize to you all,” he added. “They didn’t mean to do it like that.”

“Well, they should’ve thought of that before they left!” Biyomon looked angry enough to spontaneously combust. “We’re part of the team, damn it! Not a bunch of fragile-.”

“They care,” T.K. interrupted, “and they don’t want to see you get hurt. They just acted like big kids do sometimes.” He looked over to Luna. "Also, Nall apparently did a fairly decent impression of you, Luna. Said something about doing the dishes, I think.”

Luna slowly began to understand why Alex and the others had done what they did. “That was what I would have said, before I had gone to the Dragon Cave.” Comprehension began to grow in her features. “I wouldn’t have let him go anywhere outside of Burg, so I can understand his reaction somewhat.” She looked over at Sora and Mimi. “Maybe we should let them apologize.”

Sora nodded, already feeling guilty.

As if on cue, someone knocked on the door, and Matt’s voice asked,“Can we come in?”

“Sure.” Luna went over to her dresser picking up her teddy bear. Alex had given it to her when she was six, after protecting her from some bullies. He had said that day that he would never do that to her. He would never lie, or hurt her in any way. Now that Luna thought about it, he hadn’t broken his promise. He hadn’t lied to her, or anything like that. He simply had done what any headstrong boy would have done. She could understand that, at least.

Moving like they were convicted criminals, Tai led the group into the room, immediately saying, “We are sorry that we didn’t tell you where we were going. It’s just that Ramus kinda hit the point when it came to how you would react.”

“Oh?” Sora inquired, arching an eyebrow imperiously. Luna barely was able to stifle a laugh. “And why oh why, should we forgive you?” she asked.

T.K. had to turn around to hide his grin. ‘Sora, you should’ve been an actress,’he thought. ‘You play a very good queen.’

“Well…” Tai stuttered for a second. “Because you are such kind and caring souls, and we are not worthy to be in your presence. So please, /please/forgive us.”

Sora, Mimi, and their Digimon partners just stared at them for a moment more. The boys were starting to wonder what they were going to say, and why was Luna biting her lower lip? Why were Kari and T.K. just sitting there with their backs turned? None of it made sense to them, and they were ready to go crazy.

Just as they were thinking about bolting, Sora simply sighed. “Very well. We forgive you.” Then the girls and T.K. cracked up.

“Traitor,” Matt muttered good-naturedly under his breath as he watched T.K. and Kari laugh at them. But even he had to admit it. They had that coming.

“That was…that was…soooooo funny!” Palmon exclaimed, clutching her sides in hilarity. “I mean…the looks on your faces…” she finally lost cohesive speech as she doubled over again.

“You almost gave me and Joe a heart attack!” Gomamon yelled, almost sounding like Joe for a second. He immediately blushed red. “Did I just say that?” he asked timidly.

Joe and the boys cracked up as well with that. “My god, Joe, you’ve rubbed off on him! We’re all doomed!” Agumon cried out, trying to calm down, and not particularly succeeding. All the other Digimon had by that time were rolling on the ground, howling in laughter.

Gomamon started to chuckle as well. “I sounded like an ass, didn’t I?” he asked.

“You still do. Language!” Sora shouted, still giggling madly.

“Sorry,” was all the aquatic digimon could say. Everyone started laughing again, and they didn’t stop for five minutes.

Afterward, Tai, Izzy, and Alex decided to talk to the three girls in front of them. Alex couldn’t hear what the other four were talking about, but he knew what he wanted to say.

“Luna, I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you where I was going.”

Luna was silent for a few moments. “Alex, I’m sorry that I was upset with you. I forgive you…this time.”

Alex let out a huge sigh of relief as she said this. He heard Tai and Izzy give out similar sighs, and decided that they had been apologizing to those two. He also had a very good idea that they cared for the girls. “Thank you,” he said. ‘For both the apology, and for giving me a clue into the mind of those two.’

Then Luna blew it all out of the water when she stated, “But we are going with you and that’s that!”

Alex and Nall were shocked, to say the least. Tai and Sora were openly smirking now. Izzy and Mimi were smiling. T.K. and Kari looked on, laughing a bit more. Joe and Matt just looked on, confused.

“Okay, your girls, I understand completely,” Nall stated, sounding nonchalant about it. “But Luna---What?!”

Luna was adamant in this decision. “If you and Ramus went all by yourselves, you’d be in danger. Even with them helping you, you would get hurt-or worse! I have no choice!” She stared at Alex with steely determination in her eyes. “Don’t even try to talk me out of this Alex!” she added, just as Alex was about to open his mouth.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Alex stated. “In all actuality, I was about to suggest it myself.”

Nall looked at him in confusion. “You were?” he asked skeptically.

“Yeah,” Tai spoke up, walking to where the teddy bear had been. “We talked about it, when you were and Agumon were deciding who was going to hide behind who.”

“Let’s review the facts,” Agumon began, ignoring his human partner totally. “None of us have any magical healing powers. Luna does. Also, Luna did help Tai out of a jam back in the Dragon Cave. And she’s definitely more sensible than Sora, and that’s saying something!”

“Hey!” Sora laughed, chucking a pillow at the orange Digimon. “No one can be more sensible than me! You know that!”

“Oh don’t you mean on Earth?” Luna asked teasingly, before giving Alex a tender look, making his heart go pit-a-pat a little faster. “We should say good-bye to your parents, Alex,” she said.

“Yeah, and eat dinner too,” Nall interjected. “I’m starving!”

“Me too,” Gatomon added, her stomach grumbling rather loudly. “I think dinners done, and waiting like a school of fish.”

Luna looked at her strangely. “Do you always make references to fish?” she asked. Gatomon merely nodded. “Oh, okay.”

“Just so long as she doesn’t cook like our mom,” Tai said, shuddering as he did so.

Luna now stared at him, then at Kari, then back at Tai. “Your mother can’t be that bad,” she stated.

“Oh, she’s a good cook,” Tai conceded, “if you like fungus cookies, liver sticks, or celery shakes, or LIVER shakes.”

“Liver shakes? YECH?” Alex, Luna, and Nall, all shouted at once, shuddering as they did so.

----

As it turned out, Angelina was not a good cook; as it turned out, she was the antithesis of Mrs. Kamiya. It was the Digi-Destines turn to be amazed.

“This is delicious!” Matt exclaimed, helping himself to seconds. “I don’t think I have ever had such great cooking before in my life.”

“I haven’t either! Screw trying to get home!” Tai cried out, nearly crying in sheer happiness.

“Tai has as much control as Miko does when it comes to food,” Kai mused, as Gatomon practically inhaled her dinner. “ Then again, so do you,” she added.

The Digimon had agreed with Matt and Tai, unless Angelina was willing to come with them. Angelina had simply blushed, and said modestly,“Well, I’m not that good.”

Mimi looked at her in shock. “Are you kidding?” she exclaimed.“You’re a better cook then me!”

Throughout the meal, the children told stories about their adventures in the Digital World, and about all the friends they had made. Sora told them of the time that she finally understood why her mother wanted her to help run the flower shop, and the underlying reason behind it. She had tears in her eyes when she finished, but she felt happier. ‘I hope mom’s okay,’she thought.

Tai told them of when he had tried to make Agumon digi-volve into his Ultimate form, only to have it go horribly wrong. His eyes crimped considerably as he did so. All Nall said though was, “You learned from it.”

When Gatomon started telling them of when she joined the Digi-Destined and learned of her destiny, she refrained from telling them the exact circumstances. No one pried, and the subject was dropped for less painful topics.

Finally though, as everyone got some dessert and began to vacate to the living room, Alex asked his dad to stay behind for a moment. When everyone else had left, he began to tell Noah about what Luna had told him.

Noah beat him to it. “Luna is going with you then? I’m glad,” he said, not looking the least bit surprised. He had known that this would have happened.

Alex just looked at him in bewilderment. “How did you know?”

“I’m your father. I know everything that goes on in both your minds.” Noah suddenly had a thought. “Also ‘cause Dyne had had the same thought when he said he was going to leave Burg. It was just after Althena had come to the Goddess Festival about, thirty years ago.”

“Oh.” Alex was silent for a moment. “Will you and Mom be okay?”

“Don’t worry about me or your mother Alex. We’ll be fine.” Noah studied Alex closely, seeing something akin to concern. “What is it?” he asked.

“It’s just…” For a moment he couldn’t articulate his answer. “What if something happened to either of you?” he finally asked. “I mean, I probably won’t be returning to Burg for a few months, and anything could happen in that time period. I don’t want to lose either of you.”

“Like I said, don’t worry about it. If something happens, something happens. Besides, you have other things to worry about, like helping them find a way back to their home.”

“Yeah, you got a good point there.” Alex looked over at the Digi-Destined group. “I just don’t know what to think of them. They seem so like us, yet at the same time, they are completely different.”

Noah simply nodded, then looked at the clock. “It’s late,” he said. “You had better get some sleep. Tomorrow is the big day, son! Tomorrow you embark on the greatest adventure of your life. The adventure I always wanted, but was too afraid to pursue.” At this admission, his eyes grew distant, as if he was remembering something very important to him. Alex was about to inquire when his dad snapped out of it. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve gotten used to your zone-outs.” Alex stared at Luna for a moment. “It’s just…I don’t know if Ramus and I can protect Luna. I’m a little bit scared about the prospects.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Noah stated with a knowing glance at Alex.“Don’t be afraid, Alex. Don’t give up. And don’t come back until your destiny is fulfilled!”

“Yes sir!” Alex flashed a crisp salute.

Nall flew up to him and said, with enthusiasm, “Alex, your father is right! That was the best speech I’ve ever heard!”

Noah grinned. It felt good to deliver a rousing speech once in a great while. It felt even better that it was his son and adopted child he was giving it to. “Nall! Boys and girls!” he announced, getting their collective attention. “You all go to bed, too!Adventurers need their rest! And I assume that the lot of you will need it in order to find a way back to your own home.”

“Yes sir!” Nall exclaimed, now thoroughly excited. “Starting today, I am an adventurer.”

“So are we,” Gomamon added, then yawned. “Right after a dog nap.”

“I’ll go with that. Just don’t snore, Tai.” Joe gave Tai a very significant look. “Otherwise, you know what we’ll have Sora do to you.”

“I get the point, Joe. Geez.” Tai looked around. “I’ll just sleep on the couch,” he said.

“I got the floor next to the couch,” Agumon stated.

“We’ll take the chairs!” Matt and Gabumon exclaimed almost immediately.

Sora was confused. “What was Joe going to have me do?” she asked. Mimi whispered what she would have had to do in her ear. After she got the majority of it, she turned crimson. “Oh, that. Joe!”

Luna giggled at that. “Mimi!” she stated, sounding scandalized. “You are going to have to tell us what that was about!”

“Not in front of Kari, you’re not!” Gatomon exclaimed immediately.

Kari just looked at them all confused. “When can I find out?”

“When you grow up,” Palmon replied. Biyomon giggled behind her wings.

“Well, good night, children. “Now go to bed. Boys, Alex’s bedroom.” Angelina moved them like a drill sergeant moved his cadets in training. “Girls, Luna’s room. Tai, you and Agumon can have the couch. Matt, you and Gabumon can’thave the chairs.”

“Shit. Does Nall snore?”

“Like a dragon,” Alex replied, shuddering. “I think the birds fly from their nests in terror when he starts.”

“Definitely another sleepless night,” Gabumon muttered to himself. “And I thought Tai was bad…”

“I heard that!” Tai called indignantly.

Angelina saw where this was heading, and called out loudly, “Good night!” so as to stop a potential fight before it began.

A chorus of “Good Nights!” followed that, and everyone went to their respective areas of rest.

Noah watched them go to their beds, or couch, smiling to himself. ‘I used to be like them,’he thought, ‘so full of enthusiasm and wonder. Then I set foot in the Dragon Cave and realized that adventuring was not for me. So I stayed in burg, and let Dyne travel to become a Dragonmaster.’He paused, as a thought occurred to him. ‘I wonder if his plan worked.’

As he pondered this, Angelina came and sat down next to him. “What is it dear?” she asked quietly.

Noah smiled sadly. “Just thinking about the past. What my life would have been like if I hadn’t made the choices I made. About lost chances.”

His wife nodded, understanding. She picked up his hand, holding it. “And if you could do it all over again,” she asked, “would you do it differently?”

Noah considered it, but shook his head. “No,” he finally decided, “I wouldn’t have done it any differently. Except tell Althena that joke that I promised I would…again!”

Angelina laughed softly. “Well, I for one am glad that you stayed.”

Noah looked at her, a twinkle in his eye. “Oh?” he asked, leaning in to kiss her softly. “You are?”

Angelina looked at him with a twinkle in her own eye as she kissed him back.“Yes. Now let’s go to bed.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Noah got up, and walking hand in hand, went into their room.

And all was quiet.

----

In the middle of the night, Luna woke up.

She woke slowly, coming out of her dream state with a groggy expression on her face. Her mind however, did not find peace in the world of the living.

“Not again…” she mumbled as she shook her head slightly, trying to clear it. She was really tired of getting up in the middle of the night. She got out of bed slowly, trying not to step on Gatomon’s tail.

Looking around, she stared at her room, all the memories and vanities that she had. The teddy bear, that heartfelt present from Alex, the picture that Allison had drawn of her and Alex at last year’s festival, and the good luck charm from two years past. A necklace, with a single pendant of silver, hung on a small rung near her mirror. She had bought it during a trip to Saith, from a woman who had been selling antiques. When she had asked about the stamp on it though, a crescent mark and a small sphere above it, she had simply said that it was the symbol of the Goddess. Luna had told her that it was illegal to sell anything that the Goddess blessed, but the woman had smiled warmly and told her that Althena had given her the necklace, and had told her to hold onto it until someone came along who was worthy to wear it. She had then given it o her as a gift. “It the only one of its kind,”she had said, smiling at her.

It turned out to be true. Everyone who looked at it had told her that they had never seen anything like that before. And no one had ever seen another one like it again.

“Tomorrow, I leave this village,” she told herself, “The only home Ihave ever known.” She tip toed out of her bedroom, careful not to wake anyone as she did so. She stepped in to the living room, noting that Tai was on his side, so as to keep the snores down to aminimal. She silently thanked the Goddess for that. The she listened to the sounds coming from Alex’s door. ‘Nall or one of the boys snoring,’she decided, although she was wondering how in the Silver Star Alex was able to stand that. ‘Probably with ear plugs.’

As she pondered this as only a sensible person can, a light melody reached her ears, a melody she knew rather well. “Alex?” she whispered. She listened. It wasn’t coming from his room. Instead, she realized, it was being carried by the wind. “I know where you are Alex.”

Smiling as she said this, Luna walked out of the house, and headed in the direction of Dyne’s monument.

----

At that moment, the young man in question sat at the edge of the cliff, playing his ocarina, looking up to the Blue Star. His thoughts were somewhere else, as they always were when he was alone.

After the others had turned in, and he had been driven out of his own room by Gabumon’s and Nall’s combined snoring, he had left the house and made his way to the monument. It was his favorite place to go when he was thinking about something. Now he was sitting on the precipice of the cliff, playing the song he and Luna had worked on together for months. ‘And we probably won’t get to play it at the Festival,’he thought, the only bitter thing he could think of. He was leaving the village that he called home, and next to leaving his family, he felt like he was letting the people of Burg down by not being there for the festival. And he felt like he was forcing Luna to do this.‘Maybe I should try to talk her out of it.’

As he was thinking this, the sound of footsteps, muffled by the grass, approaching him. He recognized them of course. After all, it was easy to recognize Luna’s footsteps after living with her all his life. He turned around, a little surprised that she was here. “Luna…”

Luna smiled, a little embarrassed. “Hello Alex. I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” she replied, coming up, and sitting down next to Alex. “I heard your song on the breeze.” She stared at the Blue Star for a moment “It’s beautiful tonight.”

“It’s the time of the year when the Blue Star is not partially obscured by clouds. That pull I feel is definitely back in force now.” Alex looked over at Luna for a second, taking in her slightly furrowed brow. ‘I wonder what she’s thinking about.’

Luna’s thoughts were elsewhere as well. ‘I wonder if Dyne couldn’t sleep the night before he left.’She mentally slapped herself. ‘How silly I am comparing Alex to the mighty Dragonmaster! I must still be groggy…’“What are you doing up, anyway?” she asked.

“I had a lot on my mind,” Alex replied. “Also, Gabumon’s and Nall’s snoring was getting on my nerves. I swear that they could empty a barn with that in thirty seconds!” Both of them shared a laugh at that, knowing that it probably could happen, before quieting down.

For a time, they stared at the Blue Star in companionable silence, both of them thinking about the events that were going to happen tomorrow. Finally though, Luna broke the silence, unable to stay quiet for once.

“Adventure,” she said, trying the word out, letting the full magnitude of it wash over her at long last. “We’re going on a real adventure.” Now she looked at Dyne’s Monument in amazement. “I never paid much thought to the course our lives might take, Alex.”

Alex looked at her. “Neither did I,” he admitted. “I always thought I would go on an adventure with my friends. Instead, not only am I going on an adventure with my friends, I’m going on an adventure with a group of kids that I have never met before until several days ago. Talk about craziness with a person’s plans.” He paused. “What about you, Luna? How did you picture our lives to be? You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”

Luna was silent for a moment, contemplating the question. Finally she said, “Well, I guess I always imagined the two of us would have a home of our own someday.” She blushed as she said this.‘Oops. Slipped on that one.’

“Just the two of us?” Alex asked mischievously.

“Oh all right… maybe Nall, too.” The two of them laughed for a few seconds before Luna continued. “But I never imagined we’d be leaving Burg without knowing when we return.” At this she began to falter. “I…I’m…”

Alex was concerned, as he had never seen Luna look so…/lost…/before in her life. She was always so sure of herself, always having an idea as to what she wanted. “What’s wrong Luna?” he asked.

For a moment, Luna looked like she was going to cry, but she steeled herself and pushed her fears and doubts away. “Nothing, Alex. Ijust had a bad dream is all.” She giggled a little. “I’m silly aren’t I? We’re about to experience the greatest thrill of our lives… and I’m afraid of the fun and excitement I know we’re going to have.”

Alex suddenly found himself unable to say the words he had been ready to say for several minutes. Instead, he simply stared at the one person who he loved with all of his heart and soul. “Luna…”

“Tomorrow is the start of a great adventure Alex,” Luna continued on, alook of growing excitement on her face. “A real adventure.”

Alex now allowed the magnitude of tomorrows events to flow over him.“Yes…yes it is.”

Luna was silent for a few seconds more. “I’m going home Alex. Don’t stay out to late. We won’t be able to journey far if you catch cold” She got up, and started to head back to the house. When she had taken a few steps though, she stopped and turned back around. “And brush your teeth before you go to bed silly!” she called out.

Alex recognized the tone she was using, and visibly relaxed. “Yes…yes I will,” he called back.

“Dragonmaster Dyne had great teeth! You had better not aspire to any less!” Luna giggled at the mock confused look on Alex’s face.

Alex was feeling very relaxed now, and decided to tease her about her last sentence. “So, you’ve actually /seen/Dyne’s teeth?” he asked. “Where?”

The two of them laughed for what seemed to be hours, before Luna, her voice softening, said, “Good night, Alex.”

“Good night, Luna.” He watched as Luna return to the house, then turned his gaze to the monument. He felt a pang of nervousness, but he pushed it down. He was not going to have second thoughts about this. His friends, new and old, were counting on him. He wanted to be like Dyne, but at the same time, he wanted to be completely different. He didn’t know what path he would take, but he knew that he would take the path that he thought was best.

Tearing his gaze away from the monument, he looked back up to the Blue Star for a moment, again marveling at the fact he felt drawn to it for some reason or other. He sent up a silent prayer. ‘Goddess, please don’t let me screw this up.’

Getting up, he walked back to his home… for possibly the last time.

----

Breakfast the next day was a hectic affair, as they scrambled around to get everything they together. Supplies, food, antidotes, herbs, as well as more powerful weapons and equipment were a part of that list. Alex and Luna were now armed with a short sword and poison darts, respectively. Ramus, they had learned, had already bought himself some new equipment and had another fight with his dad, basically along the lines that Ramus was a lazy pig who had no courage whatsoever, and should be trained to take his rightful place as the next mayor of Burg. All this was relayed by Tentomon, who had gone to see if Ramus was ready.

T.K. decided, as only a nine-year old would, to take the mayor aside and tell him of the wonders of elections.

The Digi-Destined realized that they would need weapons as well. The way the monsters had attacked them made it perfectly clear that they would need to be able to fight back. They couldn’t depend on their Digimon to be able to help them. So Sora and Mimi had gone and acquired Poison Darts and Short Swords for themselves and the boys, as well as a couple of bracelets for themselves. “Could make afashion statement,” Mimi had stated as they walked out.

Finally though, it was time to leave, and they were as ready as they could possibly be. They gathered their bags and began filing out of the house in a single file line. Agumon and the other Digimon had the honor of carrying the food bags, on the grounds that they weren’t allowed to touch that food until they stopped to have lunch. Gomamon looked heart broken, to say the least.

“Bye Dad! Bye Mom!” Nall shouted. “We’ll bring you back a memento!”

“Goodbye!And thanks for the tips on throwing!” Patamon said.

Luna hugged them both farewell. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered, unshed tears brimming in her eyes. “And I love you. Don’t worry about Alex. I’ll take care of him.”

“Yes, she will,” replied Alex, rolling his eyes as he did so, before smiling. “Don’t worry about us! We’ll return soon!Perhaps with sixteen less people!” ‘I hope for the first part to be true,’he added mentally to himself.

“Just for that,” Agumon snarled good-naturedly, “I’m going to stay behind and make your life miserable!”

Tai just chuckled. “Keep up with that and I’ll let you stay here,” he stated, smirking.

While this was going on, Noah stepped up to Alex and put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. His eyes shone with pride. “Alex… I’m looking forward to hearing of your many adventures. I know you’ll make me proud son.” He turned his gaze towards the Digi-Destined, all of them now carrying some sort of weapon. “I don’t know if your story is really true or not,” he said,“but I /do/know that Alex is in good company.” Finally, his gaze settled on his adoptive daughter. “Luna, take care of Alex. Make sure he doesn’t get himself killed.” Then, as an afterthought,“Nall, don’t speak to anyone unless spoken to!”

“I tell you… no respect,” Nall grumbled as the others laughed.

Sora finished tying her shoelace, then stood up. “By the way,” she asked, “is there anything in the woods that we should be concerned about?”

Angelina thought long and hard. “I heard Goblins are among the most dangerous of the creatures,” she reported from memory. “There are also the Gorgons.”

Alex thought about it. “Was that the creature that almost killed Dad?” he asked.

Noah answered it this time. “Yes it was. You’ll know what it looks like, by the tentacles on its head, and a strange looking mouth that looks like an eye.”

“An eye, acting like a mouth? Truly bizarre,” Izzy noted.

“Yeah, we thought that way too. AfterI had healed. It’s extremely powerful, and can poison you rather quickly.”

“But that’s why you have the antidote herbs,” Angelina put in.“They’re used to cure you of poison immediately, if you’re not in range of a statue at the time.” There was asudden commotion at the back of the house, interrupting her. “Drat!The chickens are acting up again! Sorry to cut this short kids, but I’ve got to sort them out… again!” She started running to the chicken coop.

The others laughed silently. “I’m guessing that happens often during the springtime?” Gabumon asked.

“Unfortunately, yes. But we’ve gotten good at sorting them out.” Noah looked over at Alex and Tai. “Before I go help your mom, I have a little bit of advice for you. If you get in trouble with Luna, this is what I want you to do. Run like mad!”

Alex laughed. “Don’t worry Dad. I will take your advice and consider it seriously.” Alex gave his Dad a pat on the shoulder. “Good bye, Dad.”

“Good bye Alex. Good day children!” Noah called out, starting to walk back, just as Angelina shouted, “No, get away from there, damn it!”

“Bye bye!” They all called out, before turning around and heading for the entrance. Most of them were almost skipping.

“Wow,” Palmon murmured. “We’re going to see more of Lunar. I’m so excited about this!” She found it to be something unique to her. She wanted to go see a new world.

“You’re excited? I’m about ready to do cartwheels!” Nall exclaimed in disbelief. “I’ve never been on a real adventure before!”

“Oh really? Be thankful that you didn’t go on adventures that almost got you killed!” Joe retorted sharply.

Nall was quiet for a moment. “You do raise a good point, Joe. But hey, that’s why we have the items with us this time!”

“Which reminds me,” Tai put in, “Where are the items we bought today?”

“I’ve got them. I have them in a subspace pocket that I created.” Nall sounded proud of himself. “That way, you guys can carry more stuff of your own, and can access the supplies if you need to.”

Sora asked, “How much can you hold?”

“Removing the weight and size of the object, ninety six items. Not a great deal, but definitely more than any backpack.”

Sora turned to Izzy. “How do you create a subspace pocket?” she asked curiously.

“I would say… very carefully,” was the only reply she received. She simply shrugged and kept walking.

“Actually,” Luna began, “it’s basically second nature to him. He’s the most compact travel bag you will ever see.”

“And he never weighs any more than he does now,” Alex chortled.“He’s the lightest travel bag ever!” He looked very relieved. “Which is all that spared my poor shoulders from breaking off from the rest of my body.”

“Hardy har har.” Nall said sarcastically.

They reached the entrance to find Ramus already waiting for them. “Hey guys!” he called out. “I was starting to worry about you!”

“Sorry about that, but our friends wanted to get weaponry for themselves. After what happened in the Dragon Cave, they didn’t want to take any chances.”

Ramus nodded appreciatively. “I can live with that.” With that said, he turned to look at the Weird Woods in the distance. “I hope the fog clears soon,” he said.

Alex nodded. “I don’t think anything short of the voice of the Goddess could clear that fog. Speaking of Goddesses,” he motioned at Luna, “look who we brought.”

“What?” For a moment Ramus was speechless, but slowly, a smile began to form on his face. “Guess Nall was right,” he revealed. “Luna is coming after all.”

Luna looked at him sternly. “Of course Ramus,” she replied.“Someone has to keep you out of trouble!”

“That’s no fun,” Nall grumbled. Kari laughed at that.

“Okay!Everybody ready?” Ramus asked. A resounding chorus of “Yeah!” answered that question for him. “All right! Weird Woods, here we come! Next stop, the port town of Saith!”

“Let’s get started!” Tai called out excitedly.

“Yeah!” Nall added. And with that word, they started on their journey to Meribia.

And unknowingly, to their destiny. For they were being watched.

----

For several minutes, the woman watched the small group as they walked out of the village. She had to admit, she was impressed that they had met up with the Digi-destined, and that they had so quickly hit it off.'Gennai’ll be happy to know that,’she thought to herself, smiling slightly ‘But then, Gennai would be happy to have a cure for arthritis.’

A flash caught her eye suddenly, and she saw Noah give her the thumbs up. They were on their way. Well, sixteen of them, anyways. The Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, that little child she had seen in her dreams, two felines that had a feel of familiarity to them…and Greg Urawa were not accounted for, still.

'They must be on the main continent, near the Goddess Tower,' she thought about it for a moment.‘They’ll be all right. There are no foreseeable threats there.'The woman began packing her bag, then turned to leave. Before she left though, she did a two-finger salute, letting Noah know that she had gotten the message. Then she leaped, silver hair tied in meatball strands glittering in the sun, her white dress fluttering in the breeze.

Guided by her instincts, she began jumping up the nearby mountain range like a Sailor Scout, and began her journey to Saith, taking a shortcut only a few would have dared. That way, she would arrive before Kari Kamiya, T.K. Takahashi, and their Digimon partners, Patamon and Gatomon. After all, she wanted to be ready.

She just hoped that Mercury and Greg had arrived on Lunar with more grace.