War Diaries - Adventures Zero-Three

Entry 7: Guidance

By Lord Archive

Digimon belongs to Toei Animation Inc., Saban Entertainment, Fox Kids and
others. They are used without consent. And since Toei doesn't want them
anymore, I'm not giving them back.

----------------------

Koushiro smiled at Sayuri as she arrived at his apartment. "Hi, Sayuri. I'd
like you to meet Kido Jyou and Tachikawa Mimi."

Sayuri fidgeted and then bowed. "Hello." Her digimon partner bounced in
behind her.

"Tsunomon?" Mimi chirped.

"Yes?" Tsunomon replied with a feminine voice.

"That's Sayuri's digimon. That's what she turned into after using up too
much energy and de-evolved from Psychemon," Koushiro explain.

Mimi nodded. "I see. Had the same problem with Steve's Gabumon. I was
shocked when it turned into Frigimon... and that they called him that
instead of Yukiduramon."

"Well, Frigimon is more American," Koushiro ventured.

Mimi's eyes flattened slightly. "Oh, and Sayuri, be careful how you
approach digimon. Sometimes it's possible to avoid needless fighting by
talking things through with them."

Sayuri laughed nervously. "Right." She bowed. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Just keep an open mind," Mimi commented.

Gomamon hung over Jyou's shoulder while chuckling. "Gee, they're both cute,
Iori. You've got a hard choice ahead of you."

Iori blushed and fidgeted.

Yume blushed and scowled slightly.

Palmon flicked Gomamon off Jyou's shoulders with her vines. "Stop picking
on him."

Sayuri gave the group a questioning look.

Jyou shook his head. "Gomamon has been giving either Iori and me a hard
time since he got here."

"So what brings you all here?" Sayuri asked.

"They're coming with us to the Digital World," Yume answered.

"Is there some kind of trouble?" Tsunomon asked.

"None that we know of," Koushiro answered, he turned toward Jyou and Mimi.
"So, any particular place you want to go?"

Mimi looked at Jyou.

"Some place that we're needed," Jyou replied.

"In other words... a random location." Koushiro typed into the computer.

"Random?" Sayuri questioned. "Why random?"

Jyou pushed up his glasses. "Because, as Chosen we go to where we are
needed. If we aren't needed, then we'll go somewhere relatively safe and
have a nice day. If there is trouble somewhere, that is where we will be."

Mimi folded her arms. "It's part of his Crest of Seijitsu. He has faith in
how events will guide him and us. He believes things happen for a reason
and he will do as is required of him."

"I suspect that we are needed somewhere though. This is the first time I
have free time during the day in a long time and Mimi is here as well."
Jyou slouched. "That may not seem like much of a coincidence, but little
things like this tend to foreshadow the bigger things."

"Like when I fell into icy water and Jyou had to stay behind to help me,"
Iori mentioned. "Because we had stayed behind, we became decoys for the
other members of the second group to destroy a Dark Tower. We might not
have succeeded if the Digimon Kaiser had been able to concentrate all of
his forces against us correctly."

"Though be worried when you start noticing bigger coincidences. Things like
a large number of Chosen gathering somewhere that wasn't planned or a
series of events that seem to build off each other and yet should be
unrelated. Then something really bad is about to hit." Jyou shook his head.
"There are some digimon who have god like power and can manipulate events.
To them we are pawns."

"What? Are you saying some digimon are playing with our lives?" Yume
squeaked.

"Not exactly," Koushiro replied. "There are a few forces of light that work
to guide things. They tend to nudge us in certain directions, but we don't
have to follow them. The ones we know of for the side of light are
Quinglongmon, Gennai, and Jijimon. The last is more active in American and
European areas. However, I suspect that there is at least one other entity
that affects us."

"You mean the one that possessed Hikari and told us about how we became
Chosen?" Jyou asked.

"Yes. I don't think she's gone." Koushiro nodded. "Anyway, for the side of
darkness, we can only suspect that Dagomon is involved. I'm sure there are
others, but he's the only one we know of."

Yume rubbed her forehead. "This is hurting my head."

"Why don't we go to the Digital World and see what's going on?" Mimi
suggested.

Iori nodded and went to Koushiro's computer. "Digiport open!"

----------------------

Sayuri blinked. "You evolved."

Psychemon looked down. "Guess I have."

"It's easier to be a higher evolution in the Digital World. I use to evolve
like that all the time," Armadimon informed.

Mimi frowned looking at the desert like scenery. "Anyone know where we
are?"

Iori slouched noticing a nearby group of buildings. "A wild west town,
don't remember the name of the place."

"So who lives here?" Jyou asked.

"Starmon, basically acts as if he was a sheriff, and Revolmon, his supposed
deputy who's a bit... proud," Iori answered.

"Proud?" Jyou asked.

"Don't ask," Iori replied.

Jyou shrugged. "Might as well see if there's a problem."

"Are you sure." Iori fidgeted. "They're not exactly bad guys, but
they're... different."

"Different how?" Mimi questioned.

Iori sighed. "They like games, we won't be able to leave until we've play
for a while."

"A few games would be nice," Yume commented.

"What about several hours of games?" Iori returned.

Sayuri blinked. "That could get bad."

"Trust me. It will get bad." Iori trudged forward. "Might as well see if we
are needed."

----------------------

Iori blinked seeing a multitude of various digimon. "There's more digimon
here."

"You here to join the posse! Great!" greeted Starmon, a silver star shaped
digimon with a cowboy hat and blue arms and legs.

"With your help we're sure to get the scoundrel," added Revolmon, a walking
revolver with a head and arms. "Do you want to check me for evil rings?" He
took off his hat.

Iori blushed. "No! That's all right. No one has had an evil ring for well
over a year now."

"If you say so." Revolmon reluctantly put his hat back on.

Iori sighed in relief.

"What was that about?" Yume asked.

Sayuri shrugged.

"What's going on?" Jyou asked.

"There's a thief that's been taking stuff from all of us." Starmon clenched
his fist. "He even took my favorite toy I had when I was Hagurumon."

Revolmon nodded. "He's been taking personal items from all the local towns.
And we mean to catch that hombre."

"So, who is he?" Jyou asked.

Starmon and Revolmon exchanged looks. "We don't know."

Iori blinked. "You don't know?"

"Sorry, pilgrim, but no one has seen the guy. Though we have figured out
all the crimes committed have been within a half day's walk from that there
mountain." Revolmon pointed. "He could only be there."

Iori nodded. "That would seem to be the best place to look then."

"Just what do you plan to do if you find him?" Mimi asked with concern.

"Give him a trial and then delete him," Starmon replied simply. "Assuming
he doesn't die while resisting arrest."

"How horrid?!" Mimi screeched.

"Why such a fierce penalty?" Yume questioned. "It's just theft."

"Just theft?!" Starmon yelled. "He broke into the sanctity of our homes and
robbed us of our priceless possessions. Deletion is too good for the
scoundrel."

"Ahem." Jyou cleared his throat. "Why don't you let us handle this? We deal
with the thief and get your items back, as long as we're the ones to decide
on what happens to him."

Starmon and Revolmon went to the posse of digimon to talk it over. They
returned with their verdict. "You have until tomorrow morning. If judge
Super Starmon gets here and he's still on the lose, you can kiss the
mountain and the thief good-bye."

Iori sweat-dropped. "Isn't that excessive?"

"When it comes to justice, that's all Super Starmon knows," Starmon
replied.

"That isn't justice," Iori muttered.

"Do you know of potential hiding places on that mountain?" Jyou asked.

"There are a few caves he could be using," Revolmon mentioned.

"Can someone show us where they are?" Jyou questioned.

An Airdramon, a giant serpent like dragon, moved closer to them. "I spotted
a few on my way over. I could take you to them."

Jyou approached the group. "We don't have any flyers in our group.
Sabirdramon, can you help us as well?"

"I suppose so. Just be sure to get my toy too," Sabirdramon replied.

Jyou scratched the back of his head. "Did all of you have only toys taken?"

"Toys and food," was the general answer.

"Is something wrong?" Mimi asked.

Jyou glanced nervously at the mountain. "Just a bad feeling."

----------------------

"Cave number four," Mimi whined. "I always hated this part of the
adventure."

"More than the killing?" Sayuri questioned.

Mimi shivered.

"We didn't kill if we could help it," Palmon stated flatly.

"I read on Koushiro's disk how you were involved in that war, and would
like to know what it was like," Sayuri said.

Mimi looked up. "I hated it. It took me away from my family, my friends and
made me do things I never wanted to do. The friendship I gained with the
other Chosen and basically gaining a sister with Palmon are the only things
I truly cherish from that time." She sighed. "But that's also the time I
felt most alive."

Jyou stared on ahead. "We were needed to fight and sometimes kill. Mimi was
the only one of us who found ways of not killing her opponents when they
were grunts. I have always been raised to be a doctor and I tried to avoid
killing, but Gomamon and I weren't very successful at that. I've come to
terms that killing is sometimes necessary."

"Have you ever gone after someone with the intent to kill him?" Sayuri
asked.

Jyou swallowed. "Yes. Metal Etemon mortally wounded a friend of mine and I
wanted him dead for it."

Yume pointed ahead of them. "Look. What's that?"

"A jack-in-the-box?" Iori questioned.

Maniacal laughter emanated from it.

Jyou's eyes dilated. "Get down!" He jumped on top of Mimi as the box sprung
open revealing an M-16 assault rifle, which sprayed the air with bullets.

"It can't be...." Mimi shook.

"Stay away from my toys!" someone yelled who sounded like a little boy.

Jyou stood up and swallowed hard. "It certainly looks like that it's him."

"Who?" Armadimon asked.

"Pinnochimon," Jyou answered.

Mimi unsteadily got to her feet. "Palmon, we'll need some more power if it
is him."

"Right. Palmon evolve!" A pillar of light formed briefly, and when it
finished a two story cactus with boxing gloves stood there. "Togemon!"

"Togemon evolve!" Light flared around the giant cactus digimon. The top of
her head flowered revealing a petite pink flower pixie with leaf like
wings, as the rest of her cactus body dissolved. "Lillymon!"

"Should we evolve too?" Yume asked.

"Hold off for now," Jyou suggested. "Pinnochimon is an Ultimate digimon.
Being a child or an adult wouldn't make much difference."

"Yes! I'm Pinnochimon, the Dark Master. Leave now and face my wrath," the
child like voice threatened.

"Are you sure?" Yume asked. "That sounds awfully hollow for a threat."

"Something doesn't add up here," Jyou commented.

"Besides the fact that Yamato killed him?" Mimi asked.

"Digimon have been reborn with most of their memory intact," Lillymon
pointed out.

Jyou studied the area ahead of them. "It's just that if this was
Pinnochimon, he wouldn't threaten us, he'd force us to play some sadistic
game."

Mimi blinked. "You're right."

"Maybe he's afraid of us?" Gomamon commented.

"Not likely. If Yamato was here, then maybe. But not just us," Jyou
returned.

"Well, there's nothing we can do but go forward. Flower Canon!" Lillymon
fired off a shot down the cave, taking out the jack-in-the-box and setting
off three bladed traps.

Gomamon sweat-dropped. "Hate to see what he does to door-to-door salesmon."

"If you know what's good for you, you'd be quiet," Lillymon warned.

Gomamon gulped. "Yes, dear."

Lillymon lead the group down the cave, launching her attack every so often
to clear out any traps.

"I said STAY AWAY FROM MY TOYS!" the child like voice yelled. A rumbling
sound emanated from down the cave. A large boulder was rolling toward them.

Lillymon blew up the boulder. "You have to try harder than that."

"Why don't you come out here and make us!" Gomamon shot back.

"Don't tempt him," Jyou hissed.

"I'm not seeing much of a threat," Sayuri commented.

"That's what's troubling me," Iori said.

The group came to a door at the end of the tunnel.

"Should I blast it open?" Lillymon asked.

"Allow me." Iori stepped forward. "Digimental up!"

"Armadimon armor evolve!" A yellow sphere encased the armadillo like
digimon. It then shattered revealing a three meter tall yellow insect with
drills for hands and another drill for a nose. "Digmon, the wisdom of
steel!" He stepped toward the door. "Big Crack." He pressed his hand and
nose drills to the floor.

The door collapsed kicking up a cloud of dust. When it subsided a room
filled with various odd toys like items were on shelves. Standing before
them was a golden gear like digimon. "Please stay away from my toys!" he
begged.

Mimi blinked. "A Solarmon?"

"I'm not familiar with that digimon," Iori stated.

"It's a mechanical child digimon, a vaccine child at that." Mimi scratched
her head. "And I was sure he was Pinnochimon."

"But I AM Pinnochimon, or at least was. You two were those dopey Chosen who
wouldn't play fair," Solarmon commented. "Where's Takeru? I want ta play
tag with him again."

Jyou shivered. "He won't be coming to the Digital World for some time."

Solarmon slouched. "Darn. I wanted a rematch. This time for sure I'd touch
him first. But keep his brother away. Okay?"

"You wouldn't use a gun while playing tag, would you?" Mimi asked.

"No. That wouldn't be fair. Guns are to protect my toys," Solarmon replied.

"Well, he's not exactly the same," Jyou commented.

"But, those aren't your toys," Sayuri said.

"Yes they are. Those adult digimon wouldn't play with them, so I took them.
They're mine now," Solarmon insisted.

"But those digimon valued those toys. They're reminders of times past when
they were younger. You didn't just steal an unused toy. You stole their
memories that they have tied to them," Yume told him.

"They may be adults now, but those toys help them dream of when they were
children," added Bakumon.

"Eventually one or two of them might have a child of their own and would
like to give their toys to their kids," Lillymon explained.

"But, but, but... I want to keep them." Solarmon pouted.

Lillymon put her face in front of his. "They are NOT yours to keep. They
belong to other digimon. Stealing is wrong."

"They're my toys!" Solarmon whined.

Lillymon slapped him. "They are not yours," she said coldly. "You will
return them and apologize for your actions."

Solarmon sniffled. "Why should I?! I won't give them up. I won't! I won't!
I won't!"

Lillymon glared. She squatted down and forced Solarmon to lie face down on
her lap and began to spank him. "You. Will. Give. Them. Back."

Solarmon cried out in pain with each hit.

"Now what do you have to say," Lillymon demanded.

"I give them back. Just stop doing that." Tears poured from his eyes.

Sayuri shifted. "She's acting like a parent."

"He could certainly use the guidance," Psychemon commented.

Mimi looked over at Lillymon. "That wouldn't be a bad idea."

Lillymon took a step back. "Are you suggesting I adopt him?"

"He could use a strong digimon to raise him," Iori commented.

"I don't need-" Solarmon shut up with a glance from Lillymon.

Gomamon looked away. "You have been commenting on how you'd like to be a
mother."

Lillymon's mouth hung open. "Are you sure?"

Gomamon nodded. "Besides, we can help him make friends. He wouldn't be
lonely."

"Friends... I'd like to have friends," Solarmon said meekly.

----------------------

Revolmon blinked. "This little feller caused all this ruckus? Here I was
suspecting some mean hombre."

"As you can see, he's really sorry," Palmon mentioned.

"Couldn't you stay as Lillymon, Mommy? You're prettier that way," Solarmon
said shyly.

"I wish," Gomamon commented.

Palmon blushed and scowled. "No I can't. That takes up too much power."

"At least you still have access to your perfection form," Gomamon said.

Sayuri leaned over to Mimi. "Are those two... together?"

Mimi nodded. "It's something you'll notice with your digimon as your bond
deepens. Psychemon will likely develop feelings for Armadimon because you
have feelings for Iori. It works the other way around too, where it's the
digimon that brings their partners together."

"My feelings for Iori aren't like that." Sayuri blushed. "Which way was it
for you?"

"Not sure." Mimi shrugged. "A bit of both. Though Palmon liked Michael's
Betamon more than I liked Michael."

----------------------

Koushiro didn't pay much attention when a portal flashed open on his
computer.

"Hello. Want ta play a game?" squeaked a childlike voice.

Koushiro nearly jumped out of his skin, recognizing that voice. He blinked.
"Who are you?"

Palmon hugged the golden gear digimon. "Meet my son, Solarmon, formerly
Pinnochimon."

Koushiro's jaw dropped. "You're going to raise Pinnochimon?!"

"All's he needs is loving parents to set him straight," Mimi said.

Yume was being helped into her wheelchair. She gave the group a sad smile.
"It was nice working with you. Come on Bakumon, let's go."

"Is she okay?" Mimi asked.

Jyou sighed. "I suspect that's something she'll have to work out, herself."

"Can I see Takeru?" Solarmon asked.

"NO!" was the chorused response.

----------------------

Author's Notes:

There is a reason why there won't be a fourth member in Iori's group any
time soon. In the next ten chapters, only two of them won't have older
Chosen directly involved in it. They won't be on their own like the
Zero-Two kids were most of the time.

I was hoping to involve Yume and Sayuri more, but there wasn't much I could
use them for this time. Oh well.

Coming soon:
Entry 8 - Soul Reaper.
Hunter becomes the hunted as while Takeru hunts for a job, a portal opens
and what comes through leaves a trail of corpses and has set his eyes on
Takaishi.

For the ADULT readers, Red Digivice Diaries Entry 12 is next in the
continuity, then back to War Diaries 8.