Deon walked alongside the group, closely following Leomon. The sun was overhead now and the heat combined with the long walk was tiring the entire team. Even still, nobody, not even Edward, wanted to be the one to call for a break. They all had one goal: get home. There was an unspoken determination among them; this place was dangerous, and they would do everything in their power to get out.

Though determined, it was a somber walk - the pristine forest heavily damaged by the events of the previous day. Large holes scattered the once-thick canopy of trees, letting in more light than they had seen on their first day in the Digital World. They looked on in sadness as they passed Digimon who had lost their homes and even comrades.

Small and large residents stopped what they were doing and stared at the party. There were a lot more insectoid Digimon as they got further and further away from Sanctuary Village and into the depths of the forest. Some looked like yellow bees with brown stripes, and some like red ladybugs with hard shells.

He saw Edward squirm a little bit more than usual when they passed by, a little ironic considering who his and his sister's partners were, but even Deon shuddered when they passed a large, hairy spider.

Dokugamon, honeybeemon, tentomon [https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/immortalfork/97476102/1195/1195_original.png]

"Say, Leomon." Deon began, breaking the hours-long silence. Leomon turned his head to look at him. "A lot of Digimon look like they'd like nothing more than to attack us. Yet we're passing quite peacefully." He had hoped it wasn't too presumptuous, but he noticed a lot of similarities between some of these creatures and dangerous ones in their world. The large spider even had a skull and crossbones on its back. Leomon nodded as he continued walking.

"Those Digimon live in their own little ecosystem, hunting and trapping weaker Digimon as they need to. You, on the other hand, are new to them. These Digimon are creatures of habit and instinct mostly. You are not instinctually on their lists of prey, so they will not attack unless agitated or their only other option is starvation." Deon sat on that information. They looked large and scary to them, but really this place was no different than the real world. His eyes opened as a lightbulb went off in his head.

"You mentioned viruses when we set off... Are those viruses?" Leomon smiled at his observation.

"Indeed, viruses are those that feed on data."

"So, are they like, evil Digimon?" Edward asked, sweat dripping down from his toque. Deon wondered why he was still wearing that. Leomon shook his head.

"No more than any predator in the human world. Most virus Digimon are just looking for their next meal to survive. It just so happens their appetite consists of other Digimon."

"So what about those Nightmare Soldiers you spoke about earlier?" Tavaras chimed in. He was the only one of them who didn't look like he needed a break. Leomon held a silence for a little while, as if measuring his thoughts.

"Just as there are Digimon like those you've met in Sanctuary Village, who are intelligent and driven by more of a sense of community, there are those that were driven by more selfish desires. Those Digimon thrived in the time of the Seven Demon Lords, and warred with the rest of Digimon of that time. They were, along with the Demon Lords, trapped inside the Dark Area by Susanoomon." They all sat on that information as they walked.

"OK. Enough of this." Senna finally said. "Can we take a break? My feet are killing me. This is the most walking I've done in years!" She pouted. Deon almost sighed in relief; he didn't know how much more of it he could have taken. As all of the group, including Tavaras, gave a nod of agreement, Leomon led them to a clearing where fallen logs were scattered.

Deon took a seat next to Senna and took off his pack, rummaging inside. He had already been sipping on some water as they moved, but other than that the pack held fruits and dried meats. Taking a red fruit out, Deon looked at it in wonder. It was around the size of his hand and bumpy.

"Ohhh" Senna squealed when she saw him look at it. "That looks like a dragon fruit! Yummy." She dug into her pack with renewed vigor and pulled out a similar looking one of her own. Deon looked with curiosity as she dug her fingernails under the skin and peeled it. She noticed him staring and winked. "Normally you cut it... but Babamon didn't give us a knife." She took a bite of the white flesh with tiny black seeds speckled throughout, savoring it, and then passed it to Biyomon who hungrily wolfed it down.

Deon emulated her, taking a big bite of his own. His eyes widened as he took another one. Delicious. He rummaged around and found another one for Veemon who was staring at him, drooling. Finishing his fruit and a few pieces of jerky, he looked around and saw everyone else on their own logs, eating their own snacks. Leomon stood next to Imogen and her partner, arms crossed and waiting.

"So who is that LadyDevimon?" Tavaras asked between mouthfuls of meat. "One of those Demon Lords?" Leomon scoffed.

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"Thankfully, no. She is one of their lieutenants though. Incredibly powerful in her own right." The lion narrowed his eyes. "Her forces being free does not bode well. Susanoomon trapped the Demon Lords themselves in the deepest reaches of the Dark Area, beneath the strictest layers of security. Their own forces were then trapped within preceding layers; the Digimon you fought were trapped in the first one. The fact she or any other lieutenants weren't among them when you were attacked thankfully means the second layer is still holding."

"So we just have to find a way home before the really dangerous ones are released, right?" Edward asked with a little laugh. Leomon stared out into the world with a distant look, and Deon groaned internally at his lack of tact.

—

Imogen felt the cool breeze flow through her long blonde hair and beneath her jacket as she sat on Guardromon's arm. In the hours since what she could loosely call lunch they had moved non-stop. To stem the increasing amount of complaints, she, Senna, Deon, and Edward had taken turns riding on Guardromon to rest their feet.

She had lots of time to think throughout their journey; as much as she groaned at how bluntly Edward had put it, she did agree with him. They needed to get out ASAP before it became even more difficult. Palmon and Floramon's words rang in her head too. We'll fix our own problems our own way .

The more Imogen learned about this world the more she thought about what her new friends will have to go through. But they and the others have beings like Leomon and Metalgreymon fighting for them too - what would she be able to offer that they couldn't?

As she thought, the group came to a halt in another small clearing, the setting sun in front of them. Jumping off Guardromon, she looked at Leomon, who had turned around to face them.

"This is a good spot to stop for the night." He said, in that comforting deep tone.

"Ahhh" Senna fell back into the ground, arms spread eagle. Imogen smiled and went to sit next to her. She had found a kinship with the other girl. Although their personalities were different, she had a good heart. As Jijimon said, that's what was important. Tavaras and Deon had good hearts in their own ways.

Tavaras, though abrasive sometimes, cared deeply for his friends and would go to the ends of the Earth for them. Deon was quiet and introspective, but he had a thirst for knowledge she admired, and when push came to shove he was just as courageous as Senna and Tavaras.

Chrysalimon hovered next to her and she took her pack from it; she still had no idea what it was, but it took hers and Senna's packs after lunch, carrying them without question.

As she rummaged through it, her eyes widened as loud explosions rang all around them, worryingly close. Shocked, Imogen dropped the pack and sat there paralyzed, eyes and head frantically moving around. Senna had gotten up and stood next to her, Biyomon flying close by scanning the area. Leomon, Guardromon, Tavaras, and Deon were all tense, each facing different directions as if forming a protective ring.

Leomon growled and flexed his claws. "Sounds like Kuwagamon and Flymon. Be ready!" He yelled. Edward sat in the middle of the small ring, flat on his ass. Imogen gulped. She would not be a coward like him. Stumbling to her feet, she stood next to Senna, Chrysalimon with her.

She heard a faint buzzing from all around them getting closer and fear rang in her head. No. Her heart pounded as the trees, denser and less impacted by the hailstorm this far away, started to shake.

A scream got caught in her throat as waves of yellow, purple, and red flashed out of the trees.

Kuwagamon, Flymon [https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/immortalfork/97476102/1517/1517_original.png]

"FIGHT!" Leomon's voice rang clearly through the noise.

Imogen shut her eyes as a large, red beetle with giant pincers went straight for her, and heard a clink as Chrysalimon shielded her and Senna. Biyomon shot green fire at it, causing it to roar and flinch back, taking off into the sky. There was no time for relief as another Kuwagamon and multiple Flymon converged on them, the screams from the latter’s purple wings hurting her ears.

Imogen's heart stopped, and she stood there quivering. Memories from her past flashed before her, rooting her in place. Memories of playing in the park. Of her running from a swarm of bees. Of her tending to crying children. Of a sting across her face as she faced the consequences of letting them down.

"VEEMON, DIGIVOLVE"

"DORUMON, DIGIVOLVE"

Imogen blinked as she felt an intense heat pass her from behind and crash into the incoming swarm, disintegrating the new Kuwagamon into blue particles and sending the giant yellow and blue striped hornets scattering. She turned around just in time to see Veedramon jump closely over her, and she flinched as he spring boarded off Chrysalimon to land a massive punch on the beetle Biyomon had scared off.

As their foe disintegrated, Veedramon crashed on top of a Flymon that was almost right on top of a tired Biyomon and Senna, while Chrysalimon moved to block one that was converging on Imogen's left. Deon moved to stand next to her and nodded.

Around them, Leomon shot a fireball in the shape of a Lion's head into the swarm incoming on his side, deleting two Flymon at once. He then lunged forward, roaring as he grabbed the horns of a Kuwagamon and swung it, throwing it into a Flymon converging from his right. He leapt up, drawing his sword, and drove it into the head of the red beetle, deleting it instantly.

As Leomon fought off the ones in his vicinity and Veedramon helped Senna and Imogen, Dorugamon and Guardromon took to the skies, the latter surprising Imogen with a jetpack. The two airborne Digimon scanned the area, shooting down the Flymon that made it past the two land-based Digimon with cannon balls and lasers respectively.

Another Kuwagamon emerged from the trees, and headed straight towards Veedramon. Engaged with a Flymon, Veedramon had his back to the new enemy. In desperation, Dorugamon roared and crashed into it at full speed. Leaves fell as he pushed it into a tree and tore it apart with his claws. As Dorugamon fought back the Kuwagamon, Guardromon, seeing the Flymon futilely trying to pierce Chrysalimon, opened a hatch on its arm and shot a missile towards the hornet, deleting it.

Leomon roared and shot one final fireball. Silence fell as it deleted the final Kuwagamon. As quickly as it had started, the skirmish ended and the group waited in abated silence. Imogen allowed herself to breathe as the seconds ticked by, the only sound being the wind softly whistling through the trees. Planting his sword into the ground, Leomon wiped his brow.

"Well done, looks like it's over. For now.”