Chapter 31:
The Way
“Of all the people I could be stuck in a hole with, why did it have to be you?” Seita looked over at Rion and scowled.
Rion shrugged nonchalantly. “Would you rather it be your sister? She could have fallen in and gotten hurt when the sinkhole fell, if I hadn’t pushed her away. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Seita gritted his teeth. “You little…”
The group had spent the past few days following the Digivice map, with its lone blinking white dot. The trail was longer than any of them thought, and the damage done to the land by Megidramon’s appearance was significant. There were landslides, ruined buildings, fallen trees, giant crevasses, and suddenly collapsing sinkholes like the one Seita and Rion had fallen into.
“Hey!” Akira’s voice echoed against the walls of the hole. “You okay down there?” She peered into the hole and saw them at the bottom.
“Fine,” Seita replied dryly. “Just peachy.”
“He’s pretty pissed,” Rion said innocently, “You’d better get us out quick!”
“On second thought, we should just leave you down there,” Akira said with a smirk, “What better way to learn to tolerate each other than being trapped in a hole for a few hours?”
“You wouldn’t,” Seita said threateningly.
“She would,” Gazimon replied.
While all of this was going on, Guilmon was busy digging into the wall. Rion noticed and frowned.
“Guilmon, what are you doing?”
“I’m… climbing… up…” Guilmon struggled to cut handholds up the stone and dirt wall with his claws. He only rose a few feet up the wall until he slid back down. “Aaahh!” He landed back on the ground, along with several large pieces of dirt and stone. Seita, Gazimon and Rion took cover as the wall caved in.
“As if things couldn’t get any worse…” Seita muttered.
“Don’t blame Guilmon for trying,” Rion retorted, patting Guilmon on the head. He looked into the hole in the wall caused by the cave-in. “Hmm…” He pulled out his Digivice, and the holographic screen turned on, showing a blinking white dot on the map and an arrow pointing directly at the hole. He pressed a few buttons, and a small beam of light shined from the screen. He shined it into the hole and nodded. “Aha!”
“What?” Seita demanded.
“Hey,” Rion called out, “It looks like we’ve found something down here! A cave, or something. The Digivice map points right to it!”
Akira and Kodamon looked at each other, then at everyone else. “Okay,” Akira shouted down the hole, “We’re coming down!”
As everyone else made their way carefully down the hole, Seita looked over at Rion, eyes narrowed. “I still don’t trust you.”
“I’m not expecting you to,” Rion replied calmly, “But Digivices don’t lie. There is something in that cave.”
“We’ll see.” Seita pushed past Rion, and with his Digivice out, he and Gazimon started following the trail.
The deeper into the cave they went, the wider it got, and the brighter. Soon, they found themselves in a massive chamber, covered in gold and outfitted like a palace.
“What is this place?” Mana asked, “It’s beautiful!”
“Welcome!” A voice boomed out, “Welcome, honored guests!”
A group of Digimon appeared, tall and furry from head to toe. Their eyes were constantly closed, and they were dressed in opulent robes.
“It has been many, many years since we have had visitors,” one of the furry Digimon said.
“So imagine our surprise at so many of you showing up at a time!” another one added.
“Who are you?” Akira asked, warily.
“Oh, forgive us for not introducing ourselves!” the lead Digimon exclaimed. “We are called Jekumon.” He put out an arm and beckoned everyone toward another, more luxurious room. “Come, let us celebrate, for we finally have visitors from afar who can tell us stories of the outside world!”
Everyone looked at the Jekumon, then at each other. Akira shrugged, and she and Kodamon followed their hosts. The rest followed, with Rion lagging behind, looking around with a suspicious expression.
Yuka stared at the Jekumon leading them, looked over at Rion, then back to the Jekumon. “Something about this…” she started.
“...doesn’t feel right,” Rion finished.
“You too?” Yuka asked.
Rion nodded.
The Jekumon motioned them all to sit in a group of splendid, ivory-carved chairs. Most of the Jekumon dispersed, but a few remained, asking a myriad of questions about the world outside their realm. Does Kiwimon still live in the Valley of Relics? Does the Garden of Rainbows still exist? Is Andromon still guarding that ancient pyramid? And so on.
As the kids and Digimon answered the Jekumon’s questions, wonderful and delicious smells began wafting from a nearby room. Not long afterward, one Jekumon appeared from the room and whispered into the lead Jekumon’s ear. The lead Jekumon’s eyes lit up.
“Ah! The celebration feast is ready. Come!”
He led the group toward the next room, a courteous smile on his face.
When they entered the room, they saw a large table set up in the middle, piled high with delicious-looking food. The mouth-watering smells drifted over to them and drew them over to the table.
“Is this all for us?” Kei asked excitedly.
“Eat as much as you want,” the lead Jekumon said with a smile.
That smile rang all of Rion’s alarm bells. He and Yuka looked at each other and nodded.
“Yay!” Guilmon scampered over to the table and was about to stuff several slices of bread into his mouth.
“Wait, Guilmon!” Rion shouted. “Everyone, wait a second! This doesn’t feel right!”
Guilmon stopped and dropped the bread. “Huh?”
“What are you talking about?” Seita grumbled.
“I think we just walked into a trap,” Rion whispered. He looked around and his heart sank as he saw everyone else digging in.
Yuka and Lopmon looked around suspiciously at the Jekumon surrounding the table. Seita and Gazimon did the same.
“Is the meal not to your liking?” one of the Jekumon asked.
“Uh…” Rion immediately picked up a pastry and pretended to munch on it. “Mmm!” he said enthusiastically, “It’s delicious!” He shot a look at Guilmon, who picked up a few bread slices and pretended to scarf them down.
Yuka’s eyes widened, and catching on, she and Lopmon pretended to eat as well.
“What?” Seita asked incredulously, “What are you-”
Rion kicked him under the table.
“OW!” Then he looked at them again. “Oh…” He picked up a chicken leg and pretended to nibble on it. Gazimon followed suit.
After a few moments, they noticed the others growing drowsy. One by one, the other kids and Digimon fell sound asleep where they sat.
“Close your eyes!” Rion whispered, “Pretend you’re sleeping!”
It was then when they heard the deep, distorted laughter coming from the Jekumon surrounding the table. The Jekumon began to change, becoming taller and more muscular. Their fur grew shaggier, and their eyes opened to reveal black, beady eyes. Their mouths opened to reveal long, sharp teeth.
“I know what these Digimon are,” Gazimon whispered fearfully, “Haimon. The aggressive form of the Jekuhaimon. I’ve heard stories of them laying traps for unsuspecting Digimon and devouring them like food! And we just walked into one of their traps!”
The Haimon approached the side of the table where Akira and Kodamon sat snoring, and the lead Haimon opened his mouth.
“Stay away from them!”
The Haimon turned toward Seita, who was looking at them in horror along with Yuka and Rion.
“You didn’t eat the food…” the lead Haimon growled. He and the rest of the Haimon approached them slowly, claws and teeth out.
“We won’t let you eat our friends!” Seita exclaimed. He pulled out his Digivice and nodded at Gazimon.
“Gazimon, evolve to… Leomon!”
“Fist of the Beast King!”
The attack caused the Haimon to scatter. One of them approached Leomon and raised a claw to slash him. Another one appeared and lunged at him.
“Exhaust Flame!”
“Swift Secret Punch!”
The first Haimon was pushed back by the flames, but remained unfazed. The second Haimon was knocked away but got right back up.
Seita looked behind him to see Growmon and Turuiemon.
“There’s too many of them, and our attacks aren’t working!” Rion said, “We need to evolve again!”
“Got it,” Seita said. “Leomon!”
“Leomon, super evolve to… GrapLeomon!”
“Turuiemon, super evolve to… Antiramon!”
“Growmon, super evolve to… MegaloGrowmon!”
Three more Haimon bounded up to GrapLeomon and brandished their claws and teeth.
“Lion Whirlwind Kick!”
The attack hit all three of them and knocked them to the ground. More Haimon approached, claws and teeth bared.
“Mantra Chant!”
The attack launched them into the air, knocking down more Haimon as they landed.
“Atomic Blaster!”
All of the Haimon were shot down by the beams, and a few began to smoke and catch on fire. They struggled to their feet, then they each let out a distorted roar. Auras appeared around each of them, and the air began to crackle with energy.
“Uh, oh…” Yuka murmured.
The roars intensified, and the Haimon grew larger and more grotesque, and appeared to multiply threefold. They all eyed the three Digimon hungrily and launched themselves forward.
“Poison Claw!”
“Venom Jaw!”
The attacks were overwhelming.
Several Haimon rammed into Antiramon in a frenzy. Antiramon was assaulted by multiple attacks at once, immediately reverting to Lopmon. The Haimon then approached Yuka.
“Watch out!” Seita yelled. “GrapLeomon!” But GrapLeomon was too far away.
The Haimon lunged at Yuka, and she let out a scream. Then, one of MegaloGrowmon’s pendulum arms shot out, batting them all away.
One Haimon clamped its jaws onto one of GrapLeomon’s arms, cracking the grapples, while another slashed through his armor. GrapLeomon let out a roar, and quickly reverted to Gazimon.
Seita ran to him as he struggled to get up. “Gazimon, no!”
“I… can still… fight…” Gazimon grunted, picking himself off of the floor.
MegaloGrowmon continued to swat more Haimon away with his arms, and shoot more down with his Atomic Blaster. But eventually he tired out. After a long struggle, MegaloGrowmon glowed and reverted back to Guilmon, falling into Rion and knocking him to the ground. One Haimon approached them and raised a claw.
“Poison Claw!”
“Oh, no you don’t!” Seita pushed himself off the floor and launched himself at the Haimon, tackling it to the ground.
A bright light enveloped Seita. His Digivice transformed and became a silver device with blue accents, hanging by a blue strap. A Crest appeared within the second Tag that he carried – blue in color, with the symbol of a partially-formed pentagon and a droplet carved into it.
Gazimon glowed a bright blue and immense power suddenly filled him.
“Gazimon, warp evolve to... BanchoLeomon!”
A Leomon with flowing white hair emerged, dressed in a black gakuran, with the jacket hanging from him like a cape. A large sword was fastened to his waist.
Seita stared at BanchoLeomon, awestruck. “Cool...”
The Haimon that Seita tackled to the ground got up and hissed at him, readying its claws.
BanchoLeomon narrowed his eyes. “Not on my watch…” He readied a fist, energizing it with power. “Flash Bancho Punch!”
The attack ripped through the Haimon and caused it to fracture and disappear. A few immediately backed away, while others launched themselves angrily at BanchoLeomon.
BanchoLeomon raised the side of his gakuran like a shield, deflecting the Haimon and blasting them back.
“Had enough?” he taunted them, as they picked themselves off the ground and lunged at him again. “No?” He grinned wildly and energized his fist again. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you…” He punched the ground, and flaming shock waves shot toward the attackers. “Chivalry!”
The attacking Haimon screamed and dissolved, and the remaining ones readied their attacks.
“Hey, Seita!” BanchoLeomon called out, “What do you call doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome?” He readied his fist again.
Seita gaped at him. “Uh… Insanity?”
“Correct!” BanchoLeomon fired another Flash Bancho Punch and vaporized another group of Haimon.
“You’re clearly enjoying this,” Seita said, bewildered.
“Nature of the beast!” BanchoLeomon drew his sword and brandished it at the few remaining Haimon. “Anyone else?”
The remaining Haimon hesitated and backed away, then turned around and ran. As they ran, they shrank and grew more emaciated, then completely reverted to Jekumon.
“Hah!” BanchoLeomon sheathed his sword. “We won’t be hearing from them for a while!” A bright light enveloped him and he reverted to Gazimon. He wobbled, then fell over, exhausted.
“Now that… was cool!” Seita exclaimed, helping Gazimon up.
They were interrupted by a loud yawn. They turned as Akira and Kodamon walked over.
“Hey guys…” Akira said sleepily. Then she looked around the room, eyes widening in shock. “Wait… what happened here?” She noticed Gazimon’s exhaustion, and saw Yuka holding a tired Lopmon, and Rion steadying a dizzily swaying Guilmon.
“It looks like a war zone!” Tian added. “What’d we miss?”
Seita smirked. “Not much… unless you count almost becoming Digimon chow as something you’d miss!”
Akira raised an eyebrow. “Hmm…”
“And Gazimon here making his Ultimate debut!” Seita thumped Gazimon on the back. “And the equipment to prove it!” He pulled out his new silver and blue Digivice and the new Crest.
“Aw, man…” Kei moaned, “We slept through all that?”
Seita looked over at Rion and walked over to him.
“Thanks for your help back there. If it wasn’t for you, we would have all been the Jekuhaimon’s dinner!”
Rion nodded.
“I don’t have to like it,” Seita admitted, “but you are one of us. You help out. You contribute. It’s only fair that I have to help save your butt once in a while.” He smiled crookedly, and held out a hand to Rion. “Truce?”
Rion took his hand and shook it. “Truce.”
Kei’s mouth fell open. “I think I’ve just seen the impossible,” she intoned.
Akira smiled. “I knew you’d come around,” she said to Seita.
“Don’t be so smug,” Seita answered, “You’re the one who slept through everything!”
They were interrupted by a loud beeping noise coming from Seita’s Digivice. The holographic screen appeared, showing the map and the steady blinking white dot. An arrow pointed directly toward an exit at the other side of the room.
Seita stared at the exit and nodded. “Let’s go!”
“But what if we run into more Jekuhaimon?” Yuka asked fearfully.
“Leave them to me!” Gazimon said, wobbling.
Kodamon propped him up, laughing. “You and what energy? I’m the one who slept through everything!”
They all passed through the exit and into a dark corridor. They continued walking through the dark until they saw a shimmering blue light ahead.
They emerged into a circular room with a doorway in the center. The doorway was covered by a long ribbon of blue light, draped over it like a curtain.
“An emergency exit,” Kodamon murmured, seeing the Digicode carvings on the floor in front of the doorway.
“What’s it doing here?” Akira asked.
Seita snorted. “Well, considering what we just escaped from…”
“Don’t make me kick you,” Akira retorted. She pulled out her Digivice and looked at the map. “The arrow’s pointing straight at it.”
“Should we take it?” Tian asked.
Suddenly there was a series of low growls echoing from the dark corridor they just came from.
“We should get going,” Rion said ominously, “Before the Jekuhaimon try to eat us again.”
“Okay.” Akira stepped in front of the curtain and lifted up a hand, palm up. “Everyone hold on to each other,” she said, “This may be a wild ride!”
She brushed her palm against the curtain… and the world accelerated.