And So It Begins... (POST HERE FIRST)

[Krillin]

Life was going pretty smoothly. About four months ago, Garet and his family had moved from their country home to a city apartment for job opportunities. The transition had been rather rough, but everyone adapted quite quickly. Each of them began to settle into a comfortable routine, and with that came security. Even on shady streets, Garet felt safe.

Well, not really, but he usually felt safe elsewhere. Except now. The back of his neck prickled. His heart rate quickened.

Someone's watching me?

Garet stopped at a bench and took a casual look behind him. No one stood out, except for a small sandwich-ad man advertising a new restaurant that'd likely go under within the month. Somehow, he thought it unlikely that a sandwich man would be following him, so he mentally shrugged it off and kept moving.

Press the Walk button. Wait. Go.

The prickle nipped at his neck again. Garet involuntarily quickened his pace and made for the nearest JC Penney store. Once inside, he lost himself in the Maternity section, amid odd stares from some ripened women. Garet smiled back, and they moodily went back to their pants with elastic waistbands. Garet wandered out of that section and found himself in with the lingerie. More odd stares, but at least there were more guys as support here.

When everyone's back was conveniently turned, a figure reached from behind a coat rack, and promptly removed Garet's consciousness from the physical world.

=================

A few cycles later, Garet awoke on a beach, with a headache that was almost, but not quite, splitting. Artificial air whirled around the artificial sand, providing a flurry of spontaneous mini-tornadoes. The gentle pattern of the gushing waves wasn?t enough to wake Garet from his slumber, but the gelatin figure that jumped on his stomach was.

?Wake up!?

Garet swatted at his stomach out of reflex, but completely missed the stranger. His eyes opened, but they didn?t yet focus.

?It?s about time, sleepy.?

?Huh??

Garet?s eyes slowly began to assemble the hazy pieces together. He found himself staring at a blue glob of goop with two eyes and a small, smiling mouth.

?You look odd. I?m dreaming.?

?I hope not, ?cuz that would mean I am too!?

?You?re particularly cheery. Most of my dreams aren?t this happy.?

?See? I?m not a dream.?

Garet was tired. The little glob seemed to be making sense.

?Alright, then. Where am I? Why am I on a beach? Where?s the JC Penney?s? Wait, what are you, anyway??

?I?m a digital creature. You?re in the Digital World!?

?Snazzy. Fine little bit of a dream this is turning out to be. I?m Garet.?

?I?m Poyomon! Let?s go!?

?Where??

?What do you mean, where? You want to stay on this beach forever??

Again, the little glob of Jell-o sounded quite logical.

?Lead on, then, Poyomon. Let?s find some cool stuff.?