[@Pudding] To answer your second question, no, you don't begin with your partner. The characters are experienced at the game and have used Digimon within the game, but they do not have any real Digimon partners until the plot gives them one.

Edit: They did. And we probably will too when the Digivolutions start happening. But they won't happen right away due to plot reasons. So basically the Cards are gonna have to be the interim method for powering up at first.