“You really are much lighter than I expected, for how pudgy you look.” Izabel noted. As she soon carried a blushing Muchomon outside through their automatic garage door. Briefly glancing up at the light grey clouds covering the sky, and then proceeding to fast-walk into their fenced-off backyard.
“A-are you sure it’s safe to be out here?” Sunny murmured, staring at the colorful playground equipment that was in the middle of the otherwise open lawn.
“No one else can see us.” Izabel replied casually, bending down to set the bird on his own two feet. Quickly noticing his anxious expression and feathers quivering, which caused her to stare in the same direction that he was.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” A question that made Sunny frown a bit and lift his gaze to hers.
“Nuh-no Izzy, I would never hide anything from you…” Although his upset words would trail off, as Izabel headed straight between the pair of swings to approach a single wide gap of broken boards in the fence. Peeking in her neighbor’s lush garden and stone patio to spot a evident crater in their ground. Feeling a gentle tug on her pants as she noticed Muchomon had waddled up beside her.
“H-hey Izzy. I just remembered where I fell-”“You landed in someone else’s yard, but decided to squeeze yourself past the gap in our fence.” Izabel interrupted dispassionately. Even if Muchomon could feel a sensation tingling across his back about how she truly felt.
“It’s because of the m-monster right there.” Sunny admitted softly, while pointing forward with his wing. His eyes widening at the massive creature lying low and on the prowl. As Izabel then curiously observed ‘Melon’, the neighbor’s bulbous orange Maine Coon, attempting to sneak up and ineffectually swipe at the more nimble blue butterfly. Before looking at the still larger-sized digimon’s traumatized face and shaking her head in disbelief.
“But how am I going to get over there?” She pondered aloud, dismissing her other niggling thoughts. Figuring there was only one possible option that had nobody else getting involved.
“I’ll be back. So stay here, okay Sunny?” Izabel instructed to earn his attention. Receiving a reluctant nod from Muchomon, as he watched her run off and eventually return with a six foot stepladder that she fetched from their garage. But it was too heavy and awkward to move without her dragging it all the way toward the fence.
“What are you doing with that?” Sunny asked, while she stopped to take a breather.
“It’s a ladder. And I’m using it, so we can go to your world.” Izabel explained, starting to unfold the ladder and position it up against the fence. As he nervously watched her climbing up to the top rung that matched the fence’s height.
“Please be careful Izzy.”“I’ll be fine.” Izabel asserted, though she had never done this before.
“And I’ll keep ‘the beast’ distracted, so you can run into the portal first.” She quipped, seeing the abnormal shimmering white light and recognizing it as the portal that Apollo described. Then fearlessly jumping to the neighbor’s grass below and promptly having their cat waltz over to her. As Izzy’s brave statement of self-sacrifice had fueled him with enough courage to waddle on up to the gap and wriggle his way onto the other side. Soon gawking in awe at Izabel idly kneeling and getting the beast to remain prone — when she was merely stroking its fluffy belly.
”My partner is so cunning.” Sunny uttered in surprise, before recalling what he was meant to do and taking slow steps toward the light. Pausing for an extended moment to gulp and reach up in the air with his wing.
“Are you c-coming with-”Interrupted by her hand firmly grabbing his wing and standing there by his side. As the cat stalked them from within a bed of snapdragons.
“Yes bird-brain, we’re going in together. Come on.” Izabel chided, leading Muchomon in closer. Which was when the cat lunged out and dashed into the suddenly empty space where the two disappeared along with the portal.
* * *
The dark mushroom forest and its glowing flora was much cooler to witness in real life. Though the feathery ball curled up beneath her feet would’ve probably disagreed.
“Do I need to pick you again, scaredy bird?” She teased him, while checking in her pockets. Pulling out a gold and orange colored device and smiling from ear to ear.
As he uncovered his eyes and relaxed when he looked up at Izzy.
“No. I just don’t like the darkness.” Sunny answered, with his wing touching her leg for reassurance.
“I have poorer vision, and I can’t even see my beautiful wings glisten in the darkness.” He whined. Hastily clinging himself onto Izabel’s leg while she focused on fiddling with her device.
“I-I-Izzy! Someone’s scared-” “Yeah, I can tell.” She scoffed, eyes still glued to her device.
“No. I mean someone may be in trouble.” He clarified, which caught her interest.
“Where?” Izabel asked quickly. Getting Sunny to point his wing at a section of dense trees with no source of light. As she lifted him up without hesitation and headed into the unheard cry for help. With her wild imagination running faster than her legs.
“Then let’s be their heroes.”“O-oh my.” Sunny murmured, not being able to stop her from spotting a light and racing out to another nearby clearing. Making her presence obvious after she saw another older human girl and a purple digimon both facing the forest. Able to make an educated guess on who she was after remembering what was said in the messages.
“Doormaus?” Izabel called out, with Muchomon lately covering her mouth with his wing. But it was probably too late to prevent them from noticing the goggle-wearing twelve year old holding a tropical-colored penguin.
When Asher asked Vorvomon to do a physical task that was unfamiliar to him, he didn’t expect to see Vulcan be so eager to try it. But that was why Asher was standing in the mulch bed and monitoring the dragon dashing back and forth across the backyard’s overgrown grass with a reel push mower.
“Die by my blades you fools!” Vulcan exclaimed with a bombastic laugh. While Asher sighed with a cellphone in hand and waited for his guildmates’ messages.
“Hey, Vulcan.” Asher called out in a normal volume. Not ceasing Vulcan’s zealous efforts to ensure that everything was cut short as originally requested.
“What is it, Asher?” Vulcan inquired, joyfully zipping by. Which was quite a stark contrast to the aggression displayed mere hours ago — not that Asher was complaining.
“Is there anything you remember about your world?”Causing Vulcan to abruptly skid to a halt in front of him and frown.
“No.” He grumbled with his tail flicking in the air.
“And neither do I like not knowing what I should.” Staring down at his hind claw grinding the dirt. While Asher understood who he was upset at and rubbed his stiff shoulders.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you figure it out.” Asher stated calmly, reversing Vulcan’s mood as he grinned.
“Thanks, my ally.” Vorvomon said, immediately resuming his hyperactive mowing.
“No problem partner.” Asher replied quietly, glancing at the vibrating phone to notice Afton’s texts confirming that he went through the same thing. Feeling a slight weight releasing from his shoulders in the process, as he leaned against the wall in thought.
“I suppose it’s better to believe that they all can handle it themselves-” However, Vulcan suddenly intervened and appeared directly at eye level by briefly flying to snap Asher at attention.
“An enemy is near us. North of your dwelling.” Vorvomon warned in a hushed growl.
As Asher swiftly drew a separate conclusion and raised his hand in a stopping motion. Knowing that everyone around him were a bunch of old people that rarely left their house and maybe the occasion visiting grandchild. So despite this particular city’s reputation, the street he lived on was certainly not dangerous.
“Wait. It might be my dad-” He uttered.
“No, I can smell their hostile intent.” Vulcan counted with a light stomp.
“Okay, I trust you. But I don’t want anyone seeing you if I don’t have to. So I’ll check it out. Alright?” Asher reasoned, taking it seriously by approaching the back corner of their home. Really not sure what he was expecting to find as he walked toward the front of his house. But peering at the mail van that was idly parked driver’s side beside his opposite neighbor’s mailbox, was at first, a merely bothersome sight. Because it was an alarm over nothing important. Though he’d start to wonder how late they usually delivered packages on this road. But he continued to scrutinize and realize that the van wasn’t moving. Nor did the person sitting inside belong here — since mailmen didn’t work today. So whatever impulse possessed Asher to keep walking closer, it wasn’t long before the vehicle's tires were screeching and speeding away before he could get a decent look at its license plate. Though Asher did catch a glimpse of Vorvomon, who was already perched on the rooftop of his house and watching this unfold.
“Vulcan, we need to get inside now!” Asher half-shouted, with enough urgency that Vorvomon leapt off the building and landed with aplomb. While Asher rushed up to open their door.
“I told you it was a threat.” Vulcan remarked, as he followed him inside.
Asher typed out a message of what happened, but deleted it afterward. Instead closing the door and shaking his head in dismissal.
“It’s unlikely that we’re their target...”“And who else lives here exactly?” Vorvomon scoffed. Although both of them arrived at the same answer.
“So why does your Dad have enemies?” He pressed, creating a silence between the pair. As Asher rubbed his forehead to ponder a question that wouldn’t have any positive result, and muttered his reply.
“I...I don’t know.”
“Ouro, tuck your tail in. The tip is sticking out of your disguise.” Kate instructed, before kneeling on her bedroom floor. Getting close and helping Dracomon make the proper adjustments to a hooded vampire robe that she insisted he put on. So Ouro quickly curled it up, and kept his blushing gaze affixed to the emptied and discarded plastic bag of peppers.
“Human clothing is uncomfortable and itchy.” He muttered aloud.
“And yet you still wanted to wear my dog’s collar.” Kate scoffed, as she stood upright and circled around to inspect the now cloth-enveloped digimon.
“That’ll probably work...” “I only like it because it’s shiny.” Ouro mumbled with a pout. Soon staring up at her uncertain expression, with the hood partially obscuring his view.
“Is this...really necessary?”Kate sighed wearily in response and rested her hands on her hips.
“I already told you that I didn’t expect my parents to call me and say that they’re both coming home early from work.” She stated firmly.
“Your parents voices sounded nice to me.” Dracomon commented, with his tail swishing to the other side.
“So why can’t I meet them too? I promise I’d go easy on them in a fight.” He asked with a joking smile. As Kate rolled her eyes and shook her head. Beginning to turn around and grab her phone off the bed, to check exactly how long ago it was when her parents called.
“Yeah, well my mom is eccentric enough that I could almost see her not freaking out over a dragon being next to her daughter.” Kate surmised, looking at the Digimon Tamers 2.0 title screen that remained running on her computer.
“But my dad will shoot you on the spot.” She added emphatically. As Ouro’s stare followed her toward the closed door, he squirmed and shifted in the fabric that repeatedly brushed up against his scales.
“Are you that eager to visit my wonderful shrine?” Dracomon questioned, itching himself very carefully with his claw.
While Kate opened the door and then looked at him.
“Well the least I can do is get you back safely.” She replied, suddenly realizing something.
“Wait, are you saying I could enter that portal too?”“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.” Ouro answered in a vibrant tone.
“And there’s no need to be afraid. Since you can use the same portal to return. Plus, everyone in the kingdom is friendly to the meek-”“You mean a kingdom full of dragons?” Kate interrupted, letting his disparaging remark slide, and allowing her imagination to sell the once in a lifetime opportunity that supposedly existed on her neighborhood’s sidewalk. However, she then pictured all the various ways it might go terribly wrong.
“I don’t plan to stay. But if you insist...I’ll take a quick peek.” She conceded, trying to sound uninterested. Which made Dracomon’s wings flutter briefly, as he began to follow her into the hallway.
“Wait until you see how ginormous it is.” He boasted with a grin, walking a few steps behind her to the back entrance of her house, all without tripping over his flowing cape. Although Ouro stopped and waited beside Kate as they waited for a police car to drive by. Exchanging glances with each other, as Ouro became the one leading the pair straight to where they were first acquainted.
“Woah.” Kate thought in awe, after watching Dracomon walk near the portal and vanish suddenly. Giving her a moment to reconsider what she was about to get herself into — until she took another step and found herself being pulled in. Feeling her anxiety building up in the tunnel of blinding light, before it was soon replaced with a vastly different scenery than she had envisioned. For in front of her stood a massive golden archway, with endless rows of intricately etched glyphs which seemed like ancient writing. However, it was standing tall atop the remnants of stone steps that lead up to the lone structure that didn’t seem to be destroyed ages ago. From the numerous large golden spiral pillars that collapsed on either side of the steps, and remains of what seemed to be several dragon statues. As she turned to stare at the purest of blue skies and a black robed figure standing silently at the mountain’s cliffside. And though the air was crisp, Kate still felt as if she was having trouble breathing.
“Ouro? Is this...what you wanted to show me?” She called out, to no reply. Realizing something was inside her pocket, and pulling it out to look at the odd green and orange device. Not even noticing that there was no portal, as Kate’s attention turned to Dracomon. Cautiously approaching to witness the same bird’s-eye view he had, once she got close enough to the edge. Seeing a sprawling sight of many heavily damaged golden buildings and no one else in her sight.
“Ouro?” She uttered in a concerned tone, due to her disguise doing too good of a job in concealing his expression. Causing Kate to reluctantly reach out her hand to gently grip the hood and pull it off of Dracomon’s head.
Instantly feeling her fingertip barely brush against one of his horns in the process, as Dracomon swiftly spun around to reveal a scowling glare.
“Don’t touch me.” Ouro snapped in a critical yet restrained tone. Sounding similar to a parent scolding their young in a public space, even as Kate could feel his emotional punch of wrathful anger. Something that changed both of their expressions to ones of deep regret.
"I’m really sorry I-"They both stopped to sigh.
“Please don’t hate me, Kate. It’s simply not safe for others to touch me.” Dracomon pleaded, with his head hung low and staring at the ground.
“My...home is gone.”“Your Gekirin, right? I know. But-” She mumbled, stopping herself from making an excuse for what she knew from reading the MMO game’s description. Though not much consideration went into what came spilling from her mouth next.
“If that’s the case, you’ll live with me!” She declared with a brash passion that seemed to render Dracomon’s slightly agape maw speechless. However, in the following seconds of awkward silence, he did finally respond to her with a clearing of his throat.
“A Dragon’s Code permits me to take up temporary dwelling if it is offered...” Ouro answered while turning to the side and closing his eyes. Failing to appear stoic when his downcast expression returned.
“Ouro. How do we leave?” She inquired anxiously, knowing the whole new world and all of its unanswered questions would have to wait. As Ouro faced Kate again, but then widened his eyes at the device that she held in her hand. Soon pointing at the device with his claw, and causing her to look at it.
“Start off by clearly picturing where you’d like to be in your mind...” 
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