Butter-Fly Effect

[SeekerofDreams]

You don't actually know what you want to do right now. You have ideas, and lots of them, but you just can't seem to commit to a course of action. That the weather's been terrible recently doesn't do anything to help your mood.
(Project roll: 35)
Thankfully, you aren't listless for that much longer. Eventually, Mimi ends up calling you.

"What is it?" You ask into the phone, while also signaling to Biyomon not to try and raid the cookie jar, what with it being in a precarious position on top of the fridge and all. You really hope those new cabinets get in soon.

"Well, I was thinking about it, and we've never actually gone shopping together, have we?" Oh, no. Bad sign. You cast your mind about frantically for any sort of prior commitment you could use to escape, but come up blank. Your boredom, it seems, has actually gotten the better of you this time.

"...We haven't." You hope you can keep the tone of defeat out of your voice, but Daigo's lessons never covered lying. Apparently, he didn't want to be held responsible if you did something stupid.

Given you and your friends have a tendency to do stupid things, you honestly can't say you blame him, either.

---

"So, you, too?" You ask Joe as you arrive outside the mall in question. Mimi is already there, as well as Matt, and surprisingly TK, who is carrying a small, orange, guinea pig-like creature. Well, small to you. A bit less so to TK. But he seems to be handling it well.

"Yeah... Mimi's scary when she's mad, you know?" Joe laughs, and seems to be trying to pretend that he isn't dreading this just as much as the rest of you. You sort of wish you'd brought Biyomon today, but while you aren't sure whether Matt's told Mimi anything, you know for a fact that Joe just thinks Digicode is a cool cipher he can use so his classmates don't copy his notes.

It's a shame. Had Biyomon been here, she could have played with TK's partner, who looks just as decidedly uncomfortable as the rest of you, though the girl who is the entire reason you are here seems not to notice this at all.

"Okay, everyone's here!" She grins, as cheerful as can be. "First stop, updating Sora's wardrobe!" You don't like the sound of that. "Oh, but first, introductions!"

The first one to introduce himself is TK, surprisingly, and as a part of it, you learn that his Digimon is now called Patamon, though he and Matt have long mastered the art of pretending that he is a toy. They're actually not half-bad at pretending things in general.

Not that it matters now. You're all in this together, no matter how painful it might be.

---

You're almost sad to see the day go, actually. Not the end of the shopping trip- that was torturous, with Joe having the worst go at it, including being buried under the bags- but having to say goodbye to everyone.

But it has to come to an end, just like Matt has to coax Patamon down from the top of one of the shelves to stop TK from crying, or how Mimi has to have pictures of everybody, no matter how uncomfortable they may be, or how Matt and Joe just can't go five minutes without disagreeing over something. If only because you now have more new clothing than you'll ever want to wear.

Really, you can divide the whole thing into two parts. The actual shopping, which was torture to everyone but Mimi, and the portions where you would just be hanging out, which were actually a lot of fun. You sort of don't want to leave, no matter how painful today was, because as much as you hate to admit it, you've had fun.

Not that you want to repeat it, of course. No, when Mimi asks, the next time, if you're free, you'll have the perfect excuse to say no to her.

You have 14 months remaining. Choose your next project.
​

[ ] Apparently, Kazuya's sick and tired of Rikuto being a disaster in the kitchen. You might be able to eke out some lessons of your own, so long as you show up at the right time. (Time: 2 months. DC 45. Gain Cooking skill, improve relationship with Kazuya and Rikuto.)

[ ] Study on your own some more. While Haruka's too busy to teach you, you're sure you can brush up just fine on your own. (Time: 3 months. DC 50. Train Knowledge: Real World skill.)

[ ] Pick up exercise again. You have ideas for what to do, no matter what the weather might be. Lots and lots of ideas. (Time, 7 months. DC 38. Train physical skills, partner's stats increase.)

[ ] It has been mentioned before that it could be possible to teach Biyomon to Digivolve at will. You're not sure where to start, but you think Rikuto might know! (Time: 4 months. DC 60. Partner's stats increase, improve relationship with Rikuto, gain the ability to attempt to Digivolve Biyomon into Birdramon at any time.)

 

[SeekerofDreams]

After the horrendous shopping trip with Mimi, you grasp for one thing you can do so you don't have to go through with anything like that ever again. And what comes to mind is something that surprises you.

You remember, once, Kazuya making a remark about how it could be possible to teach Biyomon how to Digivolve at will. Which interests you. It's been a long time, and the memory's kind of fuzzy, but you remember Birdramon. And you think it would be amazing if she could show up again.

But you're unsure as to how to do it on your own. So you do the same thing you've always done: find somebody and ask for help.

The somebody in this case being Rikuto, because Daigo and Haruka don't seem to have the time anymore, and Kazuya would likely end up throwing shrimp at your Digimon again. He's sort of predictable like that.

Though that's not to say there definitely won't be shrimp. Rikuto's agreeing to this to get out of his hopeless cooking lessons, after all.

---

The first thing Rikuto does, when you and Biyomon meet him at your normal park, is to ask you and Biyomon to demonstrate for him. Soon, she is swooping gleefully through the air, firing Spiral Twisters through rings you have thrown, just as she was taught.

He observes for a second, and then nods. "Yes, you seem to have the power, and overall potential, for Digivolution. Though I suppose we knew that already... you really became a Champion within an hour of first taking Rookie form?"

She nods. "Yep!" I was Birdramon! Though it didn't last long... I blame the bridge."

"Not that I'm complaining," You interject, "Given that I don't think she could have fit inside most buildings."

"Yes, a lot of Digimon tend to prefer forms that are convenient for being indoors," Rikuto laughs. "I think that's why I never saw that many Champions. A lot of them are bulky, so they either tried to get to Ultimate as fast as possible, or they didn't even bother Digivolving from Rookie."

That does make sense... though given Parrotmon, you're not sure if fast Digivolution would necessarily help. "So, you'll teach us?"

"Sure. Why not? The longer it gets me away from Kaz, the better... I can still hear saltshakers in my nightmares..."

---

It's been months of no progress. Not on Biyomon's part, she's doing fine, but you... You just can't seem to grasp whatever Rikuto's trying to teach you.

"You need to try to reach inside yourself," He attempts to explain, though he's not doing very well at it. "Try to find your own source of power, and the bond that links you to Biyomon."

Or maybe it's just you. While the one teaching you has an affinity for meditation and the like, you just can't grasp it as easily as he does. It's been getting easier lately, true, but you simply can't find what he's telling you to look for.
(Project roll: 64. Why do I even bother?)
And then, one day, you find it. Well, you think so. You've certainly found something, at least. You aren't sure what it is, really- it blends in too well with your emotions, especially the ones you feel around other people- just that you can use it, and somehow, it'll help Biyomon.

And then it does, and suddenly, it's Birdramon in front of you, just the way that you remembered. Her wings unfurled, vivid orange coloration that much easier to see under the light of the sun.

There's also a good amount of panic in the park, and you get in trouble once your parents find out, but that doesn't matter, because you can make Biyomon Digivolve... not quite whenever you want, but semi-reliably, and that's probably the best you're ever going to get.

You have 10 months remaining. Choose your next project.
​

[ ] Apparently, Kazuya's sick and tired of Rikuto being a disaster in the kitchen. You might be able to eke out some lessons of your own, so long as you show up at the right time. (Time: 2 months. DC 45. Gain Cooking skill, improve relationship with Kazuya and Rikuto, ???.)

[ ] Study on your own some more. While Haruka's too busy to teach you, you're sure you can brush up just fine on your own. (Time: 3 months. DC 50. Train Knowledge: Real World skill.)

[ ] Pick up exercise again. You have ideas for what to do, no matter what the weather might be. Lots and lots of ideas. (Time: 7 months. DC 38. Train physical skills, partner's stats increase.)

[ ] You don't see TK very much, but you know he has Patamon. You wonder if you could teach him the same thing Rikuto taught you. (Time: 4 months. DC 80. Improve relationship with TK, TK can attempt to Digivolve Patamon into Angemon whenever.)

 

[SeekerofDreams]

If you had to pick just one thing you love about having Birdramon freely available, it's that you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. You just need space to take off and land.

Which, admittedly, isn't as plentiful as you'd like, but that's the price of living in a city. Besides, you have an idea. If Biyomon can Digivolve whenever she likes, there's no reason Patamon can't learn the same thing!

He's excited to try, too. "You mean I can become something like Birdramon? That sounds fun!"

TK nods. "Yeah, it'll be really cool! But... will you be all right coming over so often?"

In response, you just gesture to your giant orange bird. He seems to get the point.

---

Not that you particularly know how to teach him. You start, as Rikuto did, by analyzing what Patamon has going for him already.

...Percussive blasts of air that could probably shatter most windows. You make a mental note to stay on TK's good side. That done, you sit down and start instructing TK in his mindset.
(Project roll: 27. Finally!)
This is where you hit a roadblock. For whatever reason, the things you tell him don't seem to click, in the way that things did for you the second time that Biyomon Digivolved. He tries, of course, but you just can't seem to adequately explain it.

"It's... like how I feel around others, Biyomon Digivolves from that," You try again, on one particularly fruitless day. It's been months since you started, and TK has yet to find a source of inner power. You're starting to think it's sort of hopeless.

"Sorry, I just... don't feel it," He sighs, looking dejected. Patamon flaps over and lands on his partner's head.

"Don't worry, TK! Maybe next time!"

"Yeah... next time."

---

You're woken up in the middle of your night by your Digivice beeping. You fumble for it, and press a button at random.
(Sora's Digivice skill has increased!)
The screen lights up, and you see three words on it, written in Digicode. You don't quite understand the significance of them, but you think one of the others might. Not that they'd tell you anything about that, if it's one of their personal things.

Help us! -Maki

You have 6 months remaining. Choose your next project.
​

[ ] Keep trying to help Patamon Digivolve. If this is what you think it is, having another Champion on your side would be really useful. (Time: 4 months. DC 40. Improve relationship with TK, TK can attempt to Digivolve Patamon into Angemon whenever.)

[ ] Apparently, Kazuya's sick and tired of Rikuto being a disaster in the kitchen. You might be able to eke out some lessons of your own, so long as you show up at the right time. (Time: 2 months. DC 45. Gain Cooking skill, improve relationship with Kazuya and Rikuto, ???.)

[ ] Study on your own some more. While Haruka's too busy to teach you, you're sure you can brush up just fine on your own. (Time: 3 months. DC 50. Train Knowledge: Real World skill.)

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You remember Maki. Not well, it's been years, but... if you hadn't met her, you're not sure you would ever have gotten in contact with the other DigiDestined minus TK. And then she disappeared that night...

What could have happened, that she'd send out a call for help after so long?

It certainly can't be good. Which is why you need to have access to Patamon's Champion form as soon as you possibly can. You know the others probably won't help you. They're your friend, but for one reason or another, they don't talk about Maki.

It never used to be a big deal. But you've never gotten a call directly to your Digivice before, either. And now it's happened, and you don't know what to do, and while you're sure you could ask for help, you'd also be tap dancing right over whatever issues they have, because you just don't see a way to use tact here.
(Project roll: 45)
You've decided. You're going to do this on your own.

---

Well, as much as you can do it on your own, anyway. You suppose TK has to be involved at least somewhat in the process. You've reached a roadblock, but you don't think it's anything that can't be overcome.

"Come on, Patamon! You can do it!" Biyomon cheers from the sidelines. You're not entirely sure where those pom-poms came from, and you decide that you don't want to know, for the sake of your sanity if nothing else.

TK, meanwhile, sits with his Digivice. As far as you can tell, you're the only other DigiDestined he really has contact with, and you didn't ask if he got the same distress call you did, because while you're worried about whatever it was that happened... he doesn't need to be. Not when the one asking for help is someone he's never even met.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do just fine," You encourage him. You aren't trying to tell him what to look for anymore, it's pretty clear that it wasn't helping.

He nods. "I just... have to give my power to Patamon, right? I- I can do that." And then light bursts from his Digivice, more light than you've seen anywhere else, even on Heighton View Terrace all those years ago.

You're not sure what you were expecting. Agumon went from a small dinosaur to a larger dinosaur. Biyomon can turn from a relatively small bird to a larger bird. Patamon's a guinea pig with wings.

He turns into an angel.

---

Patamon's Champion form is called Angemon. In a spar, he's more than an equal match for Birdramon already, and he's just going to get stronger, now that his Digivolution has been unlocked.

You're almost a little jealous. But only almost, since this is a little kid you're talking about. He's just about the same age you were when Parrotmon happened, you can't begrudge him the presence of a literal guardian angel, even if it makes Biyomon feel inadequate.

It takes a while longer for TK to make him Digivolve at will than it took you and Biyomon, but the results seem to be worth it.

If whatever happened to Maki finds its way to your front door, you aren't going down without a fight.

You have 2 months remaining. Choose your next project.
​

[ ] Apparently, Kazuya's sick and tired of Rikuto being a disaster in the kitchen. You might be able to eke out some lessons of your own, so long as you show up at the right time. (Time: 2 months. DC 45. Gain Cooking skill, improve relationship with Kazuya and Rikuto, ???.)

[ ] Haruka and Daigo have been worried about something lately. You need to find a way to get them to lighten up! (Time: 2 months. DC 90. Improve relationship with Daigo and Haruka, ???)

[ ] It's summer again, and with that, the wilderness survival class has returned! Some of your friends have expressed interest in attending this year. (Time: 2 months. DC 40. Train basic survival skills, improve relationship with some of your friends.)

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You consider spending your summer break learning wilderness survival again. A lot of your friends are going, after all. However, you decide against it for one reason and one reason alone.

Kazuya has been spending the past several years attempting to teach Rikuto to cook, to no avail. They've both complained about it, too. Kazuya at how hopeless Rikuto is, and Rikuto that he's having nightmares about spices and condiments. You hate to admit it, but you're honestly curious. Certainly, it can't be that bad, right?
(Project roll: 89)

---

Apparently, it can. You aren't sure of the details, but you apparently arrived on the aftermath of a cake explosion. Biyomon flutters over to ground zero, where she immediately begins pecking at the ruins of what was apparently meant to be a sugary treat.

"Tastes good!" She chirps. "Well, besides there being too much strawberry."

"...This was supposed to be a chocolate cake," Kazuya groans. "How did you get strawberry out of that?"

"I don't even know," Rikuto admits. "At least it's edible this time?"

"...Yeah. Sure. I'll take it. Sora? Make a note of this. This is a lesson on what not to do in the kitchen." There's a crashing sound as Biyomon accidentally flips over what's left of the cake pan. "...I'll clean that up."

You've never heard Kazuya sound so utterly defeated before. It's wrong, like if Mimi were the type to shy away from adventuring outdoors. "But... what do you actually do in the kitchen?" You find yourself asking.

His face lights up. "I thought you'd never ask."

---

You quickly realize just what Rikuto was so scared of. You knew Kazuya takes cooking seriously, it being his preferred career choice and all, but you quickly find yourself scrambling to do as well as you can.

Especially for the seafood dishes. Those are important.
(Sora has gained the skill: Cooking at +6!)
"It's because of his partner," Rikuto tells you one day when you have a break, if only so the chef in question can go restock his spices after Rikuto accidentally knocked all of them into his soup. "He actually used to be a bit of a bully in elementary school, can you believe that? And then EbiBurgamon told him that his secret to happiness was cooking good food everyone loved, and he took it to heart."

"So... he cooks because his partner told him to?" Biyomon questions.

"A little. But don't ever imply that that's the only reason. Maki did, once, and-" He cuts himself off.

Right. They don't talk about her. Even on the rare occasion you manage to wheedle a story out of one of them, she doesn't really show up, with Daigo figuring out ways to cut her out entirely. You're used to it.

"What happened?" You ask, deciding, for once, not to back down.

"Three. Hours. Of yelling." He sounds haunted by this, and you don't ask him to elaborate. From the look on his face, he was stuck in the room with them.

You wonder, again, if you should have asked them about that plea for help you got almost half a year ago. It's too late for that now, really. Still, this is the most you've gotten out of anyone about Maki since she disappeared.

[ ] Let the subject drop.

[ ] Press the issue.

[ ] "You really miss her, don't you?"

 

[SeekerofDreams]

"You really miss her, don't you?" The words are out of your mouth before you have a chance to think.

It takes a few moments for Rikuto to respond, and when he does, it's quiet, even for him. "Yeah... yeah, we do. She was always there, you know?" You guess you do. It's like if Biyomon were gone, almost. You can't really imagine a time when you didn't have your Digimon partner by your side.

"I guess." You decide, in that moment, to ask just a bit further. This is, after all, probably the only chance you'll get. "What was she like?"

"Well... you know how we all have something we're good at, better than anyone else?" You nod, and he continues. "Maki didn't have that. She wasn't best at anything. But that doesn't really mean a lot, when we're the ones you compare her to. Honestly, she's probably the only person who could keep up with any of us at our best. I mean, we can sort of understand each other, but she was actually on our level, you know? She could help Haruka with experiments, lie to Daigo... she even beat me once in a dice game."

You can appreciate that last one. Rikuto never loses in games of chance. You'd know, given how many times you've seen Kazuya make the mistake of challenging him.

"That sounds amazing." And it is. That she could do the impossible like that...

"It was." Huh. You hadn't noticed Kazuya get back. "Why do you think Daigo and Haruka are so worried all of a sudden? I mean, they always were, but more recently. She's survived this long, it always felt like she could do anything, and if she's somehow gotten into trouble in the Digital World that she can't get herself out of... Though, given the circumstances, that's not as surprising as it should be."

You get it. They care, no matter how much time it's been. And Daigo and Haruka, as far as you can tell, are the ones who were hurt the most.

"That does make sense," Biyomon states. "It's always seemed like they don't worry about anything."

Kazuya laughs. "No, they've just got good composure. Anyway, enough about things we can't change. Let's try and make some actually edible soup!"

And so you do.

---

You have gained a level! You have 3 stat points available for allocation.

[ ] Write-in (Vote by plan)

You have completed the segment! Pick your new trait.

[ ] Healthy: You don't get sick very often, though you're not sure why. You enjoy it, though, even if it means you never get out of school. (+2 LUC, +3 CON. Does not roll for sickness unless another DigiDestined is sick, or prompted by 'Diligent' trait.)

[ ] Apprentice of the South: Kazuya Matsumoto, partner to Zhuqiaomon, has taught you a great deal in the past few years. Some of it may even be applicable to your current situation! (+2 CON, +3 DEX. +15 to all rolls in southern hemisphere of Digiworld, +10 to aerial combat elsewhere.)

[ ] Social Butterfly: Making friends is easy. Keeping them, even easier! (+5 CHA. All changes in relationship are doubled.)

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You've been excited for the school camping trip for a long time. It's a new thing, introduced this year, and you can't wait, because there's no way the counselors will be able to keep an eye on everyone at once. Meaning you'll be able to bring Biyomon with you!

All your friends are going, too... well, almost all of them. Joe came down with a nasty stomach virus recently, and while he's feeling better now, apparently they're worried he's still contagious.

But that's fine, because that just means one less person for Biyomon to pretend to be a toy around. You really regret not telling Mimi about her, but it doesn't matter right now.

"Sora, do you have everything you need for camp?" Your mother asks.

"Yeah, I've got everything," You confirm. She turns to your partner.

"Biyomon?"

"She's telling the truth," Your partner tells her. You wish you weren't under this level of scrutiny, but after what happened the last time Matt came to visit, you're just glad you're allowed to go to camp.

The doorbell rings. "That'll be Tai and Kari," You comment, grabbing your bags. You don't have as much as you'd like, but as your father vetoed having Birdramon fly the stuff there, you'll take what you can get.

"Hi, Sora!" Kari pipes up as soon as you open the door. She's graduated fully from whistling this past year, wearing a pink backpack that apparently has all of her essentials. The whistle's still there, of course. At this point, it feels wrong to imagine her without it. It'd be like Joe without his glasses, or Tai without his goggles. Unthinkable. "You ready to go?"

"I've been ready for the past hour," You point out. Biyomon never did grow out of waking you up with the sun. If anything, you've just grown into the routine.

"Then let's go already!" Tai interjects. You nod, and take off after him, your Digimon flying right behind you.

"Have fun at camp!" Your mother calls, and you turn to wave back. But only for a moment.

This is going to be so. Much. Fun!

---

Today has been a lot of waiting. First, it was waiting for the day to actually arrive. Then it was waiting for the Kamiyas, because you'd promised to walk with them. And you arrived at the school early, so now you're waiting for the buses.

Well, at least you aren't the only one suffering. Matt arrived a few minutes ago, TK and Patamon close behind. Izzy and Mimi have been here since before you arrived, and are currently talking about something. And, of course, there are Tai and Kari.

So what next?


[ ] Chat with Izzy and Mimi. You've been meaning to introduce the girl to your partner for a while now, this seems like a good time to do it.

[ ] Chat with Tai and Kari. You arrived here with them, after all, it's only polite.

[ ] Chat with Matt and TK. You haven't actually seen TK since you taught him how to Digivolve Patamon, and you're wondering how he's been.

[ ] Stand around and wait. You need to lay down some ground rules for camp with Biyomon, might as well get that out of the way.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

"Hey, Sora? We're going to go talk with Matt and TK, if you don't mind," Tai tells you. You nod.

"Go ahead. I... actually haven't introduced Mimi to Biyomon yet." And you really feel you should. There's a reason you and Matt decided to bring the Kamiyas into the loop despite not knowing that they'd hatched a Koromon, after all. Likely the only reason she doesn't know about Digimon is the fact that TK isn't around often enough for Patamon to be a common sight, and Biyomon doesn't seem to attract as much attention as she used to.

The two go over to your other friends, Kari calling out an enthusiastic greeting to TK. You pause for a moment to smile before walking to where Izzy and Mimi are currently talking about something.

"I'm just saying, it's an outdoor camp," Mimi says as you start actually listening to their conversation. "You don't need half of this. What's so important about that computer, anyway?"

Wait. Izzy actually brought his laptop with him? You'd thought he was joking! "Hey, Izzy. Mimi," You greet them.

"Oh, Sora! When did you get here?" The girl in pink turns to you, and Izzy lets out an audible sigh. "Where'd that bird come from?" ...And he's tense again.

"You're actually bringing her with you?" He hisses at you. You nod.

"She's been just as excited for this as I am. And I need someone to help me carry my bags. Besides, you don't have any room to talk right now."

"That's different! This is a computer! She is a living being!"

"I'm right here, you know," Biyomon points out. "And I'm old enough to make my own decisions, and I say I'm coming to camp with you all!"

Izzy blinks. "Aren't you four?"

"That's not the point!"

You tap Izzy on the head. Not very hard, but enough to get his attention. "That's enough, you two. Anyway, Mimi, this is Biyomon. She's a creature made of data, commonly referred to as a 'Digimon'."

"Vaccine Type, Avian Species, Rookie Level to be exact," The redhead mutters. "You can at least do the thing properly."

You pause. "How did Haruka introduce you to this thing, anyway?" It comes to mind that this is something you probably should have asked before.

"Giant slideshow. With pictures and scrolling Digicode text. I think she was putting it together for a while." Somehow, that would not surprise you.

"Haruka? Vaccine?" It comes to mind that Mimi didn't know any of this before today, and you're now just throwing her into the deep end.

Oops.

---

By the time you and Izzy have gotten Mimi to a level of understanding about the Digital World beyond 'hey, Biyomon and Patamon exist', the buses have already arrived. Which means it's time for you to try and carry Biyomon along with all of your bags because there is no way she is safely sneaking onto the bus.

Thankfully, nobody notices you with the talking giant pink bird or, if they do, they choose not to comment on it. You and your friends end up sitting in a little cluster towards the middle, with you making absolutely sure to get a window seat. It's nowhere near as nice as riding on Birdramon, of course, but it's as close as you can get right now.

Biyomon, meanwhile, strikes up a conversation with Patamon, who is clinging to the top of the seat in front of you. "Have you been doing anything exciting recently?" She asks.

He shakes his head, as much as he is able when he's a guinea pig with wings. "Not really. Most that ever happens is TK asks me to be Angemon so I can reach the top shelf."

"...But, you have wings," She sounds confused. You decide to fix that.

"Angemon has hands," you explain, and she nods, satisfied. You turn away from the conversation, so you can look out the window again. You wonder what camp will be like.

You hope you get the chance to show off Birdramon to your friends at some point. You don't really have much chance to do that.

---

You have arrived at camp. The sun is shining, the breeze is nonexistent... there isn't a cloud in the sky. There's a slight chill, but you don't think it's worth worrying about.

It's the perfect day. What do you do?


[ ] Find somewhere out of the way and show your friends just what Biyomon can do. Not Birdramon, though. Not just yet. That's for later.

[ ] Try to help Izzy establish a working internet connection on his computer. Emphasis on try, you aren't sure what you can do that he can't already.

[ ] Go and explore. There has to be something cool you can find!

[ ] Lay down some ground rules for the Digimon. Or at least try to. You're well aware of how easily they find trouble.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You don't stick around the main area for very long. You love to explore, and Biyomon needs the chance to stretch her wings. You're not sure you're strictly supposed to wander off like this, but what the adults don't know won't hurt them.

Honestly, at first you're simply interested in taking in as much of the surrounding nature as you can. You just don't get that in the city. Nor does the city get quite this cold in August, but you're sure it's nothing.

Still, you want to see if there's any interestingly-shaped rocks lying around, or perhaps small trinkets left behind by the last group to camp here. Or even just odd plants that you've never seen before, although there's no way to tell if those would be safe to touch.

For the sake of the two of you getting to see as much as you possibly can, you take the ground while Biyomon soars close to the treetops. You try not to venture too far away from everyone else, if only because getting lost in the woods is not on your to-do list. Especially with how cold it is. You can actually see your breath puff in front of you.
(Loot roll: 96.)

You're not sure for how long you look, but eventually something catches your eye. The object has clearly been here for some time, caked with mud as it is, and you make a note to wash it at some point, of only so you can figure out just what is its natural color.

Still, you slip it in your pocket all the same. Who knows? It may even be something interesting.

Biyomon lands in front of you. "What's wrong?" You ask.

"It's too cold!" She complains back to you. That's odd. The temperature has sharply decreased in the past hour or so since you got here, despite it currently being August.

"That's odd," You comment. The temperature was perfectly fine when you got here after all. You glance up. "Where'd all those clouds come from-"

And then the snow starts to fall. At least you and TK have your Digivices, so potential crisis averted. "-We should probably head back now."

Biyomon nods in agreement. Anything but being caught out in this sudden storm.

---

By the time you find the others, the world has become completely white. So you probably don't want to go back out in that.

However, while you're not in danger of freezing to death anytime soon, you're stuck in a small building with just your same-age friends and a pair of Digimon. Being the last one to arrive, the others have already started talking amongst themselves.

Who will you listen to?


[ ] Tai and Matt worrying about their younger siblings.

[ ] TK, Kari, and Patamon planning to play in the snow.

[ ] Izzy complaining to Mimi about losing his internet connection.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You carefully work your way through the small building to check on the youngest of your friends. They're fairly easy to notice, what with TK's head being Patamon's favorite perch.

"Once it stops snowing, we should build a snowman!" Kari suggests, a wide grin on her face.

"That sounds fun!" Patamon agrees. "Can we, TK? Can we?"

"Yeah!" He nods. "And we could have a snowball fight, too! Snow forts can't be that hard to build, right?"

"I don't think so..." Kari pauses and turns to you. "What do you think, Sora?"

"You're not going to try to take Biyomon's feathers, right?" You ask, just to make sure. You remember their brothers' sandcastles, after all.

"Why would we decorate them?" Patamon points out, "We'd be using them for war!"

"I wouldn't call that war," Biyomon remarks. "At least, not on this level. Proper snow warfare requires more than three combatants." You wonder just what shows she's been watching while you're at school. You know you didn't teach her that.

"What would you know?" The other Digimon asks. "You're a bird!"

"Yeah, I'm a bird. You're a guinea pig with wings."

"Biyomon..." You warn her. She winces and backs down.

"Right. Sorry..."

"So... snowball fight?" TK tries to continue. You sigh.

"TK, you and Kari don't have any winter clothes. None of us do, this was supposed to be a summer camp. What will you do if you start to freeze?"

"...Go back inside?" Kari suggests. "That's what Mom always tells me to do." Well, at least they have some amount of sense between them. More than their brothers, anyway.

"...Yeah, that," You finally state, unable to see any problem with the reasoning. Beyond the lack of any winter clothing, and that can probably be excused by the fact that none of you knew you needed it.

"So, there's no problem, right?" Patamon asks, trying to look as sweet and innocent as possible.

You cave.

---

The snow stops falling just as quickly as it began, and when Tai opens the door, you all pile outside as quickly as possible, enjoying not being in such a confining space. Even Izzy, though that's less him wanting to get outside than it is Mimi dragging him.

Though you imagine he's glad she did, given that you don't think he'd ever want to miss this. A shimmering aurora stretches across the sky, shining in more colors than you could imagine.

"...Okay, I know I shouldn't be complaining," Matt admits. "This is really pretty. But aren't these supposed to happen around, say... the north pole?"

"That is why they're called the Northern Lights," Izzy confirms. "Of course, given the existence of things like the Digimon, I suppose it would be hard to conclusively state that anything is truly impossible."

The conversation doesn't continue from there, however, as five bright beams of light come crashing down at your feet, sending sprays of snow against the ones they land in front of: Tai, Kari, Matt, Izzy, and Mimi.

"W-what the-?" Tai starts, and then stops, as the places where the lights fell begin to glow again. "Digivices?"

And they are, five brand-new Digivices that are even now beginning to float upwards. Immediately, they are claimed, Izzy's eyes in particular taking a certain shine- he's always wanted to be a DigiDestined. And now he is. All of you are.

"But..." Patamon pauses, as if he's uncertain of how to say it, before continuing on. "Where are your Digimon?"

"Maybe they're still in the Digital World?" Biyomon suggests. Which makes the most sense, when you think about it.

"That would make sense," Izzy admits. "But if that's the case, how are we supposed to get there?" And it goes without saying that they will get there, now that they know there's something, someone, for them to find.

As if in answer, a giant tidal wave appears out of nowhere. And you mean nowhere, you weren't anywhere near the lake. "I guess this is our ride!" Matt suggests, as the nine of you are all scooped up, and you begin to fall...

---

"Sora?" You groan.

"Five more minutes, Biyomon..." It takes a few seconds for you to realize that you are definitely not in your bed. Right, summer camp... sudden snowstorm... Digivices... tidal wave. Wait, what!? "Biyomon, if I look up, am I going to like what I see?"

"That depends..." Your partner hesitates for a moment, before plowing onwards. "How do you like jungles?" Okay, that's it.

You pick yourself up, glancing around at the nature surrounding you. If your method of getting here hadn't been enough of a giveaway, the lack of any sort of plants you recognize confirms it: You're not in your world anymore.

Panicking, you take out your Digivice. Thankfully, there are six dots that you can see. A brightly glowing beacon of hope. TK. A strongly shining rush of power. Tai. A soft radiance that attracts your attention nonetheless. Kari. A dot that causes Digicode to flash through your mind just looking at it. Izzy. A ilght that is both cold and inviting. Matt. And a shining spot that seems open to the world around it. Mimi.

Some of them are actually fairly close to each other, when you think about it. But what's important is that they're there, and you can find them.

So, who first?

[ ] Tai and Izzy.

[ ] Matt and TK.

[ ] Mimi.

[ ] Kari.