Masters of Oblivion 

II

Companions  

Digidentity

Shieldmon: A large metal covered digimon and pretty impenetrable. He’s attack is Power Punch.

Elfmon: A human like digimon with a deep love for nature. Her attack is Starlight Arrow.

Felamon: Resembling a panther Felamon’s attack is Feline Claws.

Venomon: A plant digimon with sinister motives. His attack is Coiling Vines.

‘My dad should have been home by now, I know he would love to meet you.’ Luke said putting a plate of rice and sauce in front of Aviemon.

The bird hopped with excitement when he saw the food and immediately started eating, not quite pecking as a bird but rather devouring like a small animal. Luke had already noticed Aviemon could move like no other bird, his movements were more like to a human in fact than a bird.

‘I think anyone would find an orange talking eagle interesting.’ Luke said mostly to himself.

Aveimon mumbled an intelligible response while still devouring. He finished with a deep sigh of pleasure and sat back on the couch like a human would.

‘You said your father works at the military base did you?’ He asked.

‘Yeah, he’s a general and in command with four other generals.’

‘And you’ve never met these other four generals?’

‘No, a lot of what dad does there he keeps secret and he never tells me a lot, I’ve got used to it though.’ Luke said channel hopping with the remote.

‘I would think a boy of your age, around fourteen if I’m not mistaken, would be rather more, what’s the word, emotional to find a talking bird of my kind.’ Aveimon said standing up in a much more bird like perch.

‘Well that’s not going to help much is it if I just act surprised all the time. I am surprised, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.’ Luke said still looking at the TV.

‘You’re quite remarkable Luke.’ Aveimon complemented.

Luke laughed and then said thanks.

‘Where did the other Digimons go?’ Luke asked.

‘Oh, I don’t know, I was too busy getting away from them and the men in uniform with guns. I remember several of them were not of the most friendly nature, there was one particular large individual who tried to “smash” me as he claimed.’

‘Sounds charming.’ Luke said.

‘What is it with you and this box?’ Aveimon asked noticing that Luke was looking at the TV all the time. ‘You don’t find all those flashing lights interesting do you?’

‘No.’ Luke said. ‘I guess it doesn’t stimulate me, it’s brain numbing and that’s why I watch it. Oh, I just remembered! Lee phoned me today, I probably have to phone her back.’

He stood up and went over to the telephone and Aveimon jumped onto the couch’s backrest.

‘A girl?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you like her?’

‘As a friend, but she’s a little eccentric.’

As soon as he put the phone to his ear he took it away again and slowly put it down.

‘What is it?’ Aveimon asked.

‘The line’s dead.’

Luke checked if the phone was plugged in and it was, he tried again but it still wouldn’t’ work.

‘They’re probably working on the lines again, I’ll try again later.’

Luke sat down again but before grabbing the remote he looked out over the lit city but could not see Trojan in the darkness.

Just then there was a rapid knocking at the door and Aveimon sprang back onto the back rest almost as if he had had a fright.

‘Who’s that?’ He asked in a hushed quick voice.

‘I don’t know.’ Luke said and walked to the door.

‘Check who it is first!’ Aveimon insisted.

Luke did as he was told and peered through the peep hole.

‘It’s just Lee!’

As soon as he opened the door Lee came rushing in followed by Abby and Pat and also a large metal clad man, a blue woman and a panther. The kids struggled to get their shoes off as they were pushed into the apartment. To say the very least Luke was surprised.

‘Digimon!’ Aveimon cried jumping up onto the TV behind him and sprang from side to side ready to fight or flee.

‘No fear wild creature!’ The blue woman cried.

‘Hi Luke!’ Lee cried very loudly in his face and patted him on the cheek.

Luke relaxed deciding he wasn’t going to be surprised and closed the door to the suddenly very crowded room.

‘I assume these are also Digimon.’ Luke said to Pat.

‘They could be mutated alley cats for all I know!’ Pat cried and Luke saw that he had probably had a worse day then he had. He also noticed he had his hand around Abby’s waist, he tried to ignore this.

Luke surveyed the room. The large metal man had gone into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He was bent over now looking with two shiny greedy eyes into its interior. He didn’t look like a machine at all but rather like a big person glad in metal shields. On his arms were long rectangular blocks of shields and his hands had metal gloves on. On his chest was a big triangular shield and his legs were similar to his arms. The only part of his face that was visible through a helm was his glowing round eyes inside a slit. Everywhere on his body there were patterns of red colour but mostly a brown silver

The large black cat went and lay down on the couch without any hesitation and looked at the TV with its luminous eyes. In the light of the room it could be seen that the cat wasn’t all black but rather a deep brown with many different coloured patterns of dark colour laying hidden except for when it moved its pelt. The cat just shone of feminism and elegancy but the muscles that became visible when she moved were strong.

The woman was almost as strange as the metal man with her sparkling blue skin, green hair and black eyes. She seemed smaller than an average person and looked young enough to also be a teenager, not to mention a sexy one, yet old like the biggest trees outside.

Aveimon settled down a little bit after a few moments when no one made an attempt to kill him and he began a conversation with the cat.

‘Dead trees.’ The blue woman was saying looking down at the floor boards and the walls.

The metal man was emptying the fridge like one empties a bin of wood into an incinerator.

Abby and Pat stood close both looking rather disturbed and confused Pat being more so than Abby. Abby was paying more and more attention on the blue woman.

‘My name is Abby.’ She said finally to the woman.

‘I am Elfmon, I am honoured to meet you Abby. I think I like you, in a way I feel connected to you.’

 ‘Oh.’ Abby said looking extremely complemented and a little excited.

Lee was jumping up and down like a jack hammer pounding the floor. She looked from this way and to that with such glee it was threatening to flow over at any moment.

‘Settle down child.’ The cat said. ‘Come sit here with me, let’s watch this box, it’s strangely compelling.’

Lee was all too glad to do this and she seemed to calm down a little after this.

Little time had passed when Luke went over to Aveimon.

‘This is chaos.’ He said.

‘Quite.’ Aveimon said.

‘Hey, everyone!’ Luke shouted and all but the metal man turned to him, he was rummaging in the fridge for more food and started eyeing the cupboards.

‘Big metal guy!’ Luke called to him and he finally started to pay attention.

‘What is it?’ The cat asked expectantly.

Luke suddenly found he didn’t quite know what he wanted to say and stood stunned for a little while.

‘Hmm… I was wondering if you are all Digimon. I mean did you all come out of the military base together?’

There was a general agreement to this.

‘Okay good, maybe we can start by knowing everyone’s names.’ Luke suggested.

‘I am Elfmon,’ the blue woman said, ‘lover of nature and protector of it.’

‘I am Felamon.’ The cat said seductively.

‘Shieldmon!’ Said the metal man. ‘General tough guy and quite hungry, you wouldn’t have any more food would you?’

‘Yeah,’ Pat said, ‘I agree with him, I’m hungry.’

‘And I’m Aveimon.’ He said ignoring the great brute.

‘And now for the humans, my name is Luke.’ He said.

‘Lee!’ Lee said jumping a few inches.

‘I’m Abby.’ She said smiling to everyone.

‘My name’s Pat.’ Pat said waving quickly with his hand.

‘Good, now that the pleasantries are done with,’ Aveimon said, ‘I am willing to say I agree with Shieldmon, I’m hungry.’

There was general consent between the Digimon, even Felamon got an uncharacteristic glint in her eyes.

‘Look,’ Luke said, ‘all my food is already gone and anyway, I didn’t invite you here so go back to your own homes and find some food.’

‘What food in our own homes?’ Pat said with despair. ‘I’m in the same boat as you man.’

‘Are you sure there’s no food around here?’ Shieldmon asked.

‘Unless you’re willing to break into a convenience store.’ Luke said.

‘Sounds like a plan to me, I think Luke should be our leader.’ Shieldmon said and might have been smiling under his helm.

‘Wait a second!’ Luke cried.

‘Where did you say this store is?’ Felamon said sitting up.

‘No one’s knocking over a store!’

‘No, I think I should be leader.’ Shieldmon said.

‘As long as you get the grub man.’ Pat said.

‘Hush, everyone!’ Elfmon said and her clear voice was immediately effective.

She was stalking towards the window as if she were afraid something might see her if she didn’t approach carefully. She peered out into the night and her dark eyes had a light in them like an animal at night.

‘There’s something dark outside there, it’s just slipped away.’ She said.

‘Well, that’s good then, we don’t need to bother about it.’ Pat said.

‘Yes, food is a lot more important than cowards.’ Shieldmon said.

‘Hush, I think it was another Digimon, there were after all, many others. This may be the one that attacked us in the park.’

‘Attacked?’ Aveimon asked with some surprise and interest.

‘We must find him and quench his anger!’ Elfmon said going towards the door. ‘Will you come with me Abby?’

‘Sure.’ Abby said letting go of Pat and going to Elfmon.

‘We’ll come too.’ Lee said smiling broadly.

‘Yes.’ Was Felamon’s vote.

Luke and Aveimon also consented to the search but Pat and Shieldmon were both less than excited.

‘Goodbye, tell us how it turned out.’

‘Come now Shieldmon, you’ll get to smash stuff.’ Felamon said.

‘Really?’ He said turning to them brightly.

‘Come with Pat, for me…’ Abby said beckoning to him.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘wouldn’t want you girls going alone with only A boy here to watch your back.’

It wasn’t the mentioning of him as A boy, with remark to his school grades of course, but the fact that Pat actually went with Abby that kept Luke quiet. Luke felt a weird feeling he had been feeling often the last while, Pat was his good friend and the reference to him as an ‘A boy’ had of course been a joke, but that didn’t change the fact that he didn’t like to see him with Abby.

When they were outside the building once more they stood in the dark street with only the street lights to show them the way.

‘I could not tell which way the Digimon went,’ Elfmon said, ‘I suggest we split up and search for him.’

‘I’ll go with you two!’ Pat said quickly and Shieldmon without a word went with them also.

‘We’ll go this way then.’ Luke said meaning he, Aveimon, Lee and Felamon. Luke managed to hide his disappointment.

‘You still have a crush on her don’t you.’ Lee said.

Luke was at first surprised by her regulated voice and insight but forgot about it.

‘No, I don’t have a crush on her anymore,’ he said, ‘I’m completely and totally in love with her.’

‘Young love.’ Aveimon said hopping along.

‘What are you talking about?’ Felamon said gracefully walking next to Lee. ‘You don’t even have a full day’s memory, you’ve never seen young love before.’

‘This is awkward.’ Luke said blushing a little.

Lee giggled.

He looked at Lee. She’s a pretty girl with long blond hair making her look even thinner than she really was. She wasn’t by any means very tall, Luke was taller, but she always seemed thin and the clothes she picked to ware didn’t always complement this fact. Luke admired her though, she had always done her own thing and whenever anyone had said it was wrong she had laughed in their faces and continued to do it.

Much like Abby actually, except Abby preferred to stay quiet instead of shouting at the top of her voice. Abby had black hair only half the length of Lee’s but well looked after. She was one of those girls that didn’t need make-up to look pretty but put it on anyway. Without beauty products she was beautiful but like all women she failed to realise this. When she was at school there was a general bustle always around her whereas Lee was always doing her own thing.

Luke’s thoughts inadvertently went from Abby to Pat. He is the living embodiment of the tall dark and handsome jock that the girls all want to be with and plays the best soccer in the school being captain and all. He’s actually a really nice guy if you get to know him, Luke thought for he was one of Pat’s few good friends, but the difficulty is getting to know him. Despite his popularity he, for some reason, hid his feelings and limited his friendships.

Luke realised that he could be one of the popular guys if he liked, but he didn’t care much for it. He did good at school, had a selective few friends which Lee, Abby and Pat were most of and spent his breaks in the library where no one else went. Many girls had asked him out but he had made a reputation of being untouchable to all but Abby and the whole school knew this. With his brown hair, well formed body and deep eyes it was easy to see why the girls went for him.

‘So what do you think you are?’ Lee asked of Aviemon seeing Luke had gone into thought.

‘Digimon.’ Aveimon said. ‘Please don’t ask me what that is because I like having all the answers.’

The others had gone down the other way and were looking into the allies. Elfmon walked ahead of them all only glancing quickly into every dark spot as if it were day and there were no shadows.

Shieldmon, on the other hand, was strolling along confidently making a lot of noise with his heavy feet.

‘What an experience this has turned out to be!’ Pat said. ‘I’m telling my mind I haven’t seen anything like this before in my life, I should be shocked with disbelief, but I think my minds broken.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Shieldmon said, ‘you don’t need it anyway, all you need to know is when to sleep, when to fight and when to eat.’

‘There is so much more to life than that!’ Elfmon said.

‘That’s right!’ Abby said. ‘Is food and violence all you two can think of?’

‘Hmm.’ Thought Pat. ‘Are we men? Well me at least.’

‘Hush!’ Elfmon said again crouching and looking around, everyone fell still behind her and stopped. ‘The putter patter of sneaky feet.’

The others look around but none of them noticed anything.

‘Danger!’

They saw Elfmon jumping aside and they did the same. All but Shieldmon who was hit. Long green coils rapped themselves around his arm and pulled tight. It then pulled at him but he pulled back. Out of the shadows from where they had come a yell came and a Digimon came flying out by the force of Shieldmon’s tug. Shieldmon lifted his arm and held it dangling by its coils.

It was stranger than any of the Digimon yet, it was a eerie gooey sort of green with the coils coming from knobs on its back. It looked sort of like a small crocodile with much larger paws shaped more like hands with claws at the end.

‘Alright, you got me!’ It called.

‘And who are you?’ Shieldmon said shacking him a little.

‘Venomon!’

‘Why were you stalking us?’ Elfmon asked coming up to Venomon.

‘Me? Stalking you? I wouldn’t do that now would I? I’m an honest Digimon I am.’ He said.

‘No you are not, your heart is full of deceit and I heard you whispering your attack from behind us,’ Elfmon said, ‘when our backs were turned.’

‘Oh!’ He said smiling with bright sharp teeth. ‘I see, big ears.’

The next moment his coils let go and he jumped onto Elfmon’s face.

‘Elfmon!’ Abby cried running to her aid.

Shieldmon seemed very willing to hit Venomon with all his might no matter on who’s face he was.

But Venomon had no intention of staying. He cried ‘Coiling Vines’ and the coils shot out again rapping around a lamp post. He was pulled away and landed on the top of the lamppost. Spinning around he cried his attack again and the vines came at Abby.

‘Starlight Arrow!’

The arrow hit the Vines and hit them away. The arrow lodged itself into a nearby wall.

Venomon snorted and turning around he jumped onto a wall and dug his claws into the walls. He climbed up quickly making deep holes in the concrete.

‘We can not let the vile thing escape!’ Elfmon said.

She surprised them all as she ran to the lamp and jumped landing on its top with grace. She then jumped to the building near it and landed on a windowsill. Jumping from one spot to the other she reached the top of the roof.

‘I’ll be right there!’ Shieldmon cried and without warning he picked up both Pat and Abby each on a shoulder and started running heavily into the alley in the direction they had gone. When they came out the other side they saw Venomon and Elfmon close behind him jumping to the next building.

‘What’s that?’ Lee cried pointing a black bulge in the road.

Felamon sniffed the air and then cried. ‘Wait, don’t go closer!’

It was too late, Lee had already run to the bulge and was looking down at it aghast with her mouth and eyes wide.

The others came to join her and they found it was a person lying there in a puddle of blood. Luke leaned down and saw his eyes were open and he was breathing with difficulty.

‘What’s wrong?’ He asked of the man.

The man’s eyes looked up at them as if he could just muster the strength to do so. They then turned towards Lee and the two Digimon standing by her and back to Luke.

Luke noticed he had wounds on his arms where the clothes had been ripped, it looked like people had attacked him with many whips.

The man put his hand in his pocket groaning.

‘Ly still.’ Luke said. ‘Lee, call the hospital!’

‘Wait.’ The man managed to gasp.

From his pocket he let fall several things all identical in shape but differing in colour.

‘For you,’ the man said air not seeming to want to come through his throat, ‘and them.’ He pointed at the Digimon with the last of his strength.

Luke looked at the others but when he looked back the man wasn’t breathing anymore. There was a long time that no one dared to move or speak.

‘Oh my…!’ Lee cried falling back from the man’s body.

Luke sat on the ground staring at the man not ready to act yet.

‘Calm down Lee!’ Felamon said rubbing her fur against Lee’s legs. ‘Let’s go back to the apartment.’

‘Luke, are you alright?’ Aveimon asked hopping next to him and looking at him concerned.

‘Oh, yeah, I’m fine.’ He said his voice maybe a bit too calm.

The next moment there came a scream from above and something landed from the air before them. It looked up at them with red eyes and then smiled evilly.

‘Coiling Vines!’

The vines shot out at Luke who sat closest.

‘Razor Wing!’ Cried Aveimon as he flew into the air.

Sharp lights spinning like blades sprang from his wings and cut through the vines before dissipating,

‘Erg!’ The enemy Digimon said in pain but more frustration.

‘What do you want?’ Felamon said walking closer confidently.

‘I want,’ the Digimon said, ‘to kick your asses!’

The vines shot out again and grabbed Felamon throwing her a small distance. Aveimon came turning around in the air and diving back to the battle.

‘Felamon!’ Lee cried.

‘Don’t worry.’ Felamon said. ‘Feline Claws!’

She cut through the vines with similar flashes of light to Aveimon’s attack and stood up again.

Aveimon swooped down and threw two blades of his attack at the Digimon but the quick sly thing jumped aside.

‘Your time has come Venomon!’

It was Elfmon on top of the same roof Venomon had jumped from. In her bow she had an arrow and her eyes had a light in them.

‘Ah!’ Venomon cried his frustration again. ‘Bring it!’

Eflmon fired her arrow but Venomon grabbed it between his teeth and broke it in two casting the bits aside.

‘That’s enough.’ Felamon said casually and came pouncing at him with little effort.

Venomon went bolting away and with his vines he pulled himself up onto another roof.

‘I will find him!’ Elfmon said amazing the children as she sprang over the street and landed on the other building.

‘Where is he!’ It was Shieldmon, he came rushing in through a back alley with the other two children still on his shoulders.

‘They’ve gone.’ Luke said standing up as Aveimon landed next to him. ‘Thanks Aveimon.’

‘No problem, it was actually quite enjoyable.’

‘Who’s that?’ Abby asked jumping off Shieldmon.

‘He’s dead!’ Lee said.

‘Are you sure?’ Shieldmon said looking concerned and half afraid at the body.

‘We’re not idiots! And have some respect.’ Aveimon said.

‘He’s dead?’ Pat asked.

‘He’s dead.’ Abby repeated to herself.

‘What are these?’

Lee had dared to come a little closer to the body and found the devices he had dropped from his pocket on the ground. She inched closer and quickly snatched one up. Felamon came to look at the device with her as she pressed the few buttons on it to see what it did.

‘Was that another Digimon?’ Asked Luke.

‘Yes.’ Shieldmon said, he and Pat still staring at the dead man. ‘Venomon…’

Abby stood aside her eyes darting this way and that without her body moving, they constantly darted towards the body.

‘Did that thing kill him!’ Pat cried suddenly with rage.

‘No… we found him like this… he died just now.’ Luke tried to explain. ‘No,’ he said then, ‘it might have been Venomon. The man has wounds like those vines would make on his body.’

‘Oh!’ Abby said in sorrow and disgust and sat down on the tar.

‘This one says my name!’ Lee shouted to them all. ‘It says my name! It says Felamon’s name too!’

Luke turned and saw Lee was holding one of the devices.

It was about then that Elfmon returned dropping from the building landing on her feet.

‘He is too tricky in the night, I lost him.’ She said bitterly. ‘But I know he killed this man without mercy.’

‘Why would he do that?’ Lee asked.

‘Same why we decided to be your friends, it’s his choice what he does with his life.’ Felamon said.

They were back in the apartment all looking like they had had a long night although they had only been away for a few minutes. They had collected the devices on the ground and then phoned the hospital saying they had found a dead body on the ground, none of them liked lying. They then had to flee the scene with their Digimon and looked from a distance as the ambulance arrived on the scene. They all felt pretty horrid now, almost as if they were the guilty party.

The devices they put on the table between the couch and the TV except for the one Lee had picked up, she kept it, pressing buttons.

‘Maybe we should have left them there,’ Pat said, ‘they are sort of evidence.’

‘The man told me it was for me and the Digimon.’ Luke said, he, as everyone else was looking at the table. ‘He knew what they were, he’s probably from the military base.’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if that Venomon chased him all the way here.’ Felamon said thinking as only a predator can do.

‘He gave them to us.’ Luke said.

‘But why would he do that? He doesn’t even know us! And look, if each pair takes one there is still one extra!’ Pat said outraged at nothing in particular.

‘I know!’ Luke shouted back, but it wasn’t a shouting contest, they were just relieving their stress. ‘I wonder where my dad is.’

‘It’s telling me there is no upgrade installed.’ Lee said.

‘Let me see.’ Abby said taking one of the devices and started pressing buttons. Everyone knew that she was the best in computers between them and sometimes came to school bragging that she had hacked into a government computer and implanted a virus that messed the whole thing up, no one believed her dough.

The device was shaped like a dull star with four points like an octagon. There was a small screen in the middle with a few buttons placed around it and at its back was a clip to put it on ones belt. It looked a lot like a digital pet. But Abby could see at first glance that it was much more advanced than that and as she explored the hard drive she became more and more depressed.

‘This is yours.’ She said finally holding the device out to Luke.

‘How do you know?’ He asked taking it hesitantly, as soon as he touched it his own name flashed across the screen.

‘It had Aveimon’s name on it.’ She said.

‘It has mine now.’ He said.

‘It can detect what your name is, it chose you because you already have a friendship link with Aveimon.’

‘How do you know all this?’ Luke asked.

‘I read the help file.’ She said. ‘But I don’t know how it can possibly detect your name, something to do with brain waves.’

‘But what does it do?’

‘I don’t have the foggiest idea. It keeps saying it doesn’t have an upgrade available but I don’t know what it means.’ She said as she checked another device. ‘This one belongs to someone called Kai.’

‘I don’t know him.’ Lee said, no one did.

‘Hey, mine is saying “Digivice” now.’ Pat remarked.

Somewhere else in the city in a much more run down part where the buildings seemed to slouch over the lightless dirty street a shadow was moving. It moved past the old breaking buildings and the stray dogs and cats scattered before it in panic. But it wasn’t moving smoothly and quickly like one would expect a shadow to move, it was hunched over and slow. Behind it left a line of black pools.

Finally it collapsed right in front of a door that stood ajar. The sound was obvious and the shadow became more materialized as it lay there. From the door a boy with dark straw like hair watched with his eyes wide.

The shadow noticed him and turned its head to him almost pleadingly, but it had too much dignity to plead.

The boy came forward, helped the shadow up and helped him into the old house closing the door behind him.