[Directory] A Meal for Two

[Tobias]

?So that?s what digivolving is. Not everyone digivolves to the higher levels, usually only the really strong ones, and , or so I heard, the ones with a human partner.? Rael was lounging in a convenient pocket in between the roots of one of the swamps many trees, where he had slept through the night. He and Kormon were completely obscured in there; anyone looking would have to actually get close to the gaps in the roots and stare through to find them..

?So your telling me there are more things out there like you, only bigger and badder.? Koromon hopped with the equivalent of a nod.

?And they?re always looking for a fight most of ?em. We Koromon and other in-training survive mostly by hiding, and sometimes getting together into groups for protection. I hear it isn?t like this every where. But this has always been my home, and I wouldn?t know where to go whether it was true or not.?

?Sounds just like life on the streets back home.? Rael wished he could grin at the happy memories of life at home, he really did. Truth was there weren?t too many now that he really thought about it. Every time he remembered some fun he had with one of his gang brothers his mind slid into that night, last night, and wondered if they were even still alive. A rumbling in his stomach reminded him that he hadn?t eaten for awhile. Last night was one of the nights he couldn?t afford dinner, and breakfast should have past already.

?So what does a guy do for some grub around here?? Rael brushed a few shaggy locks from his eyes and stood up, poking a head between the root.

?No!? Koromon tugged him back down by yanking on his pant leg with his mouth.

?I?ll get you something later. Right now is hunting time for the?the?? Rael frowned at the stunned look that passed Koro?s face.

?What??

?Goburimon!? the digimon shrieked in terror. Rael spun on his heels to see a large yellow and red eye peering though the gap he had just looked out. Working purely on instinct the teen picked up a stick and jabbed as hard as he could. The subsequent howl of pain urged him to run like mad. But first he stopped and gathered his only friend in this hell hole. The teen was thin but he still had to squeeze to get through the crack. When he was finally out he took large squelching steps, but it was no good. The slime made his run sluggish at best, but even if he went full speed he had no chance. Two more Gaburimon were marching expertly through the murky swamp towards him from the front. They were large digimon, but not humongous. Each one was a sickly green with a mohawk gracing the tops of their heads. Their grins showed off their dull teeth and two large tusks. It was like seeing the bogeyman in the flesh for Rael. It was like seeing a carnivorous tiger for Koromon. Both were to the same effect. The pair of them screamed and turned, and went face to face with another Goblin creature. This one was squinting out of one eye and seemed pissed.
?Cum ?ere dudeletts.? The Goburimon grabbed Koro by his long ears and Rael by the neck ?Me thinks you be good nummies.? If Rael thought he understood the garbled English it seemed they were about to be food.

?Eh! Looks like we?s got us some nummies!? One of the other called out. Oh God let nummies be ?friends who we aren?t going to eat?.

?Lets bing ?em to Grumble-boss-dude-mon.? The third spoke up.

?Neh,? the squinting Goburimon grunted, ?Too ittie bitty. Me eat now as snack.?

?Dude-boss say bring food to him first-like. We give ta him, then eat.?

?I ams thinking yer a assdumb!? Rael would have spoken up about now, if only the tight hold on his throat left for anything more that shallow breathing. Koro seemed stunned in fear; his wide shimmering red eyes stared from one ogre to the other. The Goburimon that had not yet begun to argue stepped foreword a raised a beefy arm.

?Yoose both shut it. We deal! We split little pink thing then take monkey thing to Grumblemans. Okie?? Startling intelligence from one of these monsters, Rael thought bitterly. Koromon seemed to shake out of his shock with the talk of eating him right away. The in-training digimon seemed angry for an instant before screaming,

?Bubble Blow!? He then took a deep breath and blew. To Rael?s amazement bubbles actually streamed from his mouth and struck the one-eyed Goburimon in the face. The teen doubled this blow with a kick to its gut, and for the first time he was satisfied when he felt himself hit the muck ridden ground.

[Tobias]

Rael moved to his feet with a stick in one hand and a stone in the other. He had brushed death before, but this time he would not go down whimpering. Koromon hopped onto his shoulder glaring defiantly at the three green-skinned digmon closing around them in a circle. At the moment a fight was about to break out a loud buzz intercepted their violent thoughts. This time all fire looked around fearfully. The Goburimon scattered as the buzzing grew to deafening proportions. Rale dived into the undergrowth, narrowly avoiding the huge insect that cut through the muggy air above. The teen got a quick glance at its face, expressionless with rows of razor sharp teeth and mandibles.

?Yanmamon. We wanna watch for those ones.? Rael certainly didn?t need to be told that. It had served its purpose though. No more Goburimon at least. If he kept his damn head down maybe there would never be anymore Goburimon. Rael moved in a crouch several yards, ducking from cover to cover. He couldn?t be too careful. But apparently he could do with a little more stealth.

?Th? others say ?No like Yamna-thing.? Me no scared. You make me angry-face-mad.? It was the very Goburimon he had jabbed in the eye earlier. Somehow he seemed even more menacing looking out through that one pupil. Rael Like the odds now. Two to one. Rael moved forward his fists up. Koromon gave a shout and hoped in front of him.

?I?m here to protect you. Run, I?ll catch up.? It was a laughable attempt at bravado.

?Koromon, you?re actually growing on me. Let me tell you one thing though, if we?re going to be together we have each other?s back. We are brothers, that means we fight and die together.? Koromon seemed to swell with pride at finally being treated properly by his human counterpart. They advanced to fight together.

[Burter Jr]

A light began to emit from the digivice Rael had been given. He looked down on it attached to his belt. "What's going on?"

Koromon could feel a new strength start to glow over him. "Our new partnership is making me stronger! Watch this!"

Koromon digivolve to...





















































































Small little limbs began to sprout from the growing Koromon, it's eyes dissolving into a now yellowish skin tone. It's ears spread back into an antenna-like figure, while it's mouth moved out into an insectiod beak








































































































KUNEMON!

[Tobias]

"Kenemon!?" both the Goburimon and Rael called out in surprise at the sudden transformation. The yell was the same, but the emotions behind them were quite different. Rael felt a stab of elation. It was really the first time that he could remember feeling so good about something that wasn't illegal. Goburimon was surprised and angry. The meal would be much harder gained now. It would be rookie on rookie.

"Goblin Stirke!"

"Electro Thread!"

Kunemon's attack was the faster. With his break open wide he shot a jet of silky threads at the Ogre then, before he even had time to flinch, sent a current of electricity through. Gobuimon stumbled backwards with a wail frustration as he desperately tried to claw the thread away. His heel caught a protruding root and the green digimon toppled to the grimy ground. Rael moved forward to help finish the monster off but hesitated at his changed digmons request.

"Come on." Kunemons now instectoid voice asked. "There's a Yanmamon out, we shouldn't stick in one place exposed like this." Rael glared at the downed goblin. A moment passed before he nodded and turned away.

"Alright, but he'll be back. If this is anything like the street he'll be back and his whole gang will back him up next time."

"Better than a Yanmamon!" Rael had a hard time disagreeing. He lifted the insect into his arms and admired the digimons new features as they jogged away. He was a pink ball with bubbles now he was a wiggling bug with electricity. Like a glow worm.

"Glowwyrms" Rael muttered to himself, inaudible even to Kunemon. ?To much of a coincidence.?

[Tobias]

Rael trusted Kunemon's experience this time, and hid without a fuss. That is not to say he spent this time idle. The struggle with the Goburimon had opened his eyes to this new world and he wanted to know everything about it.

"I don't know, Rael. I told you I've never left the swamp." He seemed to be getting that answer far to much.

"Well can you at least tell me what this is?" He held up the small device. "It was glowing and beeping like crazy when you digivolved." Kunemons antenna drooped.

"I really wish I could tell you."

"But you say digivolving isn't easy, and that you're actually pretty young. Too young for it."

"I'm not an expert on digivolution, Rael. I'm just saying it was strange is all."

"I think this had something to do with it," the teen tossed it into the air and caught it," A digvolving device. Digivice."

"Thats a pretty cool name." Rael grinned at his digmon's aproval. Kunemon raised his head and his antenna perked.

"I think its about time to eat." Rael's eyes sparkled at the thought of food. Glorious, wonderful food.