[center][h3][u][color=orchid]Katsuo Baker and Captain[/color][/u][/h3][/center]

In the end, it was the itching that brought Captain back to the waking world. He groaned as he sat up, scratching everywhere he could reach and knocking what felt like sand loose from his fur. Ah, that explained it - his fur, good at trapping heat, was also annoyingly good at trapping dust and sand, and other small particles.

Except, he and the kid weren't anywhere near sand before... before.

Captain opened his eyes to a vast shoreline and the ocean, something he'd only witnessed on television and in magazines beforehand. He'd thought it looked amazing and he would grumble from time to time about the kid taking him to the beach sometime. Now, he sort of regretted it. His eloquent, comprehensive opinion on the matter was: beach sucked. Give him a sunny day, a clean towel, and a clear window any time. He shook his head, sending a cloud of sand flying from the fur on his head and ears, and he sneezed. Alright, normally, his instincts were dead on. That tomcat outside could not be trusted, and what had happened? It spent every visit to the Baker household hissing and pawing at the window that separated it from Captain. A teacher from one of the kid's stories rubbed him the wrong way? Well what do you know, guy had [i]issues[/i]. Point was, Captain was very used to trusting his instincts. So when his instincts demanded he go for a walk and take the kid with him, sure, maybe they were gonna a stray for the kid to smuggle home, or the kid was going to ake a new friend. At the very least, nothing bad would happen. 

Maybe he should've questioned his instincts a little more when they told him the weirdo glowing portal was harmless, but everyone was entitled to a mistake or two, right? As long as neither of them got hurt-

The sudden realization that the kid was [i]not[/i] at his side made him feel sick. He twisted and turned, looking to either side of him (were those... other humans? Further down the shore?) before looking behind him. Ah. There was Katsuo, stirring and pushing himself up off the sand. Captain stifled a snicker as the kid spat out a mouthful of sand and pulled off his glasses to rub away the sand. So, wherever they were, good to know sand was universally an issue, for human and digimon alike. Seriously, why was the beach so popular? 

Captain got to his feet and strutted over to Katsuo as if he hadn't panicked over possibly losing his kid mere moments ago. Katsuo seemed to have deemed his glasses clean enough and put them back on, only to take a moment to cough and spit out what was probably more sand.

[color=bc8dbf][i]"Jeez, kid, if you told me this is what the beach was all about, I would've bothered you less about going."[/i][/color] He grinned as Katsuo huffed.

[color=orchid][i]"I guess I don't have to ask if you're alright-"[/i][/color]

[color=bc8dbf][i]"Ask anyways, it feels good knowing you care."[/i][/color] His grin grew as Katsuo managed to get up on his knees and really look around for the first time. Captain did as well - it was very different from home to be certain but somehow, it felt - familiar? Natural? Right. It felt right.

[color=orchid][i]"Where do you think we are?"[/i][/color]

[color=bc8dbf][i]"I... think this is where I came from."[/i][/color] There was no point in trying to hide it or deny it. Katsuo seemed to have a sixth sense for being lied to, and it always made Captain's job of keeping him safe that much harder. He wondered if Katsuo would bombard him with questions, but the kid surprised him - he just got to his feet.

[color=orchid][i]"Are you sure? I mean, you were an egg when we met."[/i][/color] He seemed distracted by their surroundings, but Captain decided to entertain the question anyways.

[color=bc8dbf][i]"Well, yeah, but it just feels right somehow. You know, like after you stretch for the first time after sitting still for forever and a day? You know exactly what I mean."[/i][/color]

[color=orchid][i]"Homework's important."[/i][/color] Captain frowned; normally, the kid was a bit more spirited about this line of discussion, but he seemed focused on their surroundings. So he did what came naturally - he jumped behindthe kid and hopped up to cling to his shoulders.

[color=bc8dbf][i]"Somethin' going on in that big brain of yours?"[/i][/color] And this close, he could tell the kid's breathing had grown a tad shallow.

[color=orchid][i]"Cap, why do you think there are so many abandoned baskets along the beach?"[/i][/color] Captain frowned at the simple question and looked around. He wouldn't call them 'so many', but he counted several of them, now that the kid had mentioned it.

[color=bc8dbf][i]"I'm gonna guess it doesn't mean everyone went out for a swim, huh."[/i][/color] He let go of his kid and flicked his ears. It was quiet - which felt weird as well, after coming from a city-like area, but even then weren't there birds at the beach? He thought of the commercials on tv, where squawking birdcalls would accompany the breaking waves, and mentally compared it to the silence around them. It sent shivers up his spine. He then remembered - the humans! [color=bc8dbf][i]"Any chance the baskets are theirs?"[/i][/color] He gestured towards them. Katsuo tore his glance from an oddly-shaped footprint and looked to the others - two awake, the rest stirring bit by bit.

[color=orchid][i]"Maybe?"[/i][/color] He bit his lower lip. Captain could tell his kid could probably use a distraction.

[color=bc8dbf][i]"Hey, Kid."[/i][/color] He held up his arms, which would easily reach Katsuo's ears were he closer. [color=bc8dbf][i]"Carry me over? I'll do the talking. I'm better at it anyways."[/i][/color]

[color=orchid][i]"You are not!"[/i][/color] Katsuo bristled. For a moment, Captain figured he miscalculated just how stressed Katsuo was, being somewhere this unusual. Then, Katsuo sighed and picked Captain up under his arms. To the unaware, it looked like a child carrying a massive bunny plushie (and a strangely-made one at that, Captain had overheard a few times). [color=orchid][i]"Sorry. Didn't mean to snap."[/i][/color]

[color=bc8dbf][i]"Just weird, yeah."[/i][/color] Captain nodded as the two headed over. They caught snippets of speech - English, it sounded like. [color=bc8dbf][i]"Oh. You wanna introduce us or should I?"[/i][/color]

[color=orchid][i]"I can. I should ask about the baskets anyhow."[/i][/color] Despite their attempts to keep their voices down, they were close enough to be overheard speaking Japanese. Katsuo cleared his throat, and Captain could tell the 12-year-old was taking a moment to remember his lessons (their lessons, really, Katsuo had taken great pains to repeat them for Captain).

[color=orchid]"Hello. My name is Katsuo. My friend's name is Captain. Do any of you own the baskets along the beach?"[/color] Captain gave a lazy wave as Katsuo spoke. Hopefully, someone would claim responsibility, and the worry would be for nothing.