[Server] Logging into the Server

[Super Buu]

"Ooookay ..." said Greg, taking a few steps back. "I think I've finally lost it."

"Argh, this is going to be harder than I thought ..." sighed the floating snake-thing, touching it's forehead with one of its tiny fins. "Listen up, human. You're on the Continent of Server, and I'm supposed to be your 'guardian'. So, like it or lump it, you're going to be sticking with me."

"What are you talking about?" said Greg quizzically. He burst out laughing, "you're like, a little fish-thing!"

"SHUT IT!" roared the Digimon, delivering a short nip to the teenager's hand.

"Ow, dammit!" exclaimed Greg. "You're a vicious little git aren't you?"

"Next time it'll be lower," snarled the snake-thing. "Anyway, check out your belt."

The teenager looked confused, then looked to his belt, pulling off some kind of orange device. It was like a mini-computer, covered in the same symbols that had surrounded him when he fell into this 'world'.

"That's your Digivice," said the Digimon.

"What's it for?" asked Greg, looking up.

"Beats me," said the snake-thing, raising it's tiny fins up in a shrug. "You're supposed to know when the time comes."

"And to whom do I owe the pleasure?"

"Name's Kyokyomon. I already know who you are, Greg0rz," he snorted.

"Hey!" exclaimed Greg. "You sent me a message back in the real world, didn't you? So you're the one that brought me here?"

"Wah wah wah," said Kyokyomon, wiggling around in a mockery of the human. "It's not like I wanted to babysit some kid, you're the one that got us both into this."

Greg opened his mouth to angrily retort, when a loud crash interrupted them. The two looked up to see a human-sized, red dinosaur licked with black stripes.

[Super Buu]

"Ah, Kyokyomon," rumbled the dinosaur. "Just da Digimon I was lookin' for."

"I can't really stop at the moment, Guilmon X," replied Kyokyomon in a busy tone of voice.

"Cut da crap!" the red t-rex drawled. "Don't say you've forgotten about da money you owe me. You was trying to run! Who's dis freak anyways?" he nudged his head towards the teenager.

"This is Greg. He's uh ... from out of town."

"Well, 'Greg'," snarled the red Digimon. "Did your friend Kyokyomon here explain da situation here on Server?"

"Come on, Guil," rumbled the little serpent. "Give him a break, he's only been here 5 minutes."

"No, no. Did dis little freak explain to you that he's wanted all across Server for bets he lost and didn't pay up for?"

Greg looked down dubiously at the serpent, who just shrugged.

[Super Buu]

"Alright," said Greg, stepping between the two Digimon. "I think we can sort this out without any violence, everyone just chill out."

The two Digimon gawped at the human like he was some kind of alien. He stepped back, now feeling suddenly embarassed.

"Actually," said Guilmon X, "I hadn't thought of that, but thanks for the idea, Greg."

Kyokyomon glared up at his human partner. "Thanks a lot," he whispered.

"Sorry," muttered Greg sheepishly.

"'Sorry' isn't gonna stop Guilmon X from erasing my sorry butt!" hissed the serpent under his breath.

The T-rex stomped forwards. "HEY! What are you two whisperin' about? I don't like it when people keep secrets from me!"

"Come on, Guil!" said Kyokyomon. "We've always been friends, right? I'll get the money back."

"That's where you're wrong," chuckled Guilmon X. "I've never liked you, you're too much of a wise guy. You think you're smart, but you ain't nothin' and I'm gonna prove it."

"Hey, don't let him boss you around like that" murmured Greg to his Digimon companion. Then, piping up, "Leave him alone, he said he'd pay you back!"

"Stay out of this, Greg!" snarled the serpent-like creature.

"Listen to yer friend," said the T-rex, a smirk crossing his ugly features.

"No," said the human angrily. "You're just a bully. I don't care if you're tough, you can't just walk all over Kyokyomon."

"You're right. I'll start with YOU then, human!" he roared, raising his claw above the teenager.

"Greg, no you idiot!" yelled the smaller Digimon, and made to leap between the two.

[Burter Jr]

"No!" Greg held a hand out as the claw started to drop. "Don't hurt Kyokyomon!"

The claw was stopped by a sudden flash of light from the small digital device in Greg's hand.

Kyokyomon digivolve to....






















The tail of the serphant broke off into feet, sharp claws coming from the hands that grew out. Armor began to appear as it landed on the ground, topped off with a red jewel right above his now narrowed eyes.






































































RYUUDAMON!

[Super Buu]

Clang.

Where before there had floated a wispy, wide-eyed serpent, now there stood a taller lizard, matching the height of the red, t-rex like monster. His eyes gleamed in anger as he forced the red paw away from his human partner with his own, crystal-white claws. With a sound like two swords scraping across each other, he forced the red Digimon back, throwing him so hard he toppled.

Guilmon X gawped, staggering to his feet. "What da ... what did you do?!"

"Hm ..." said the new Digimon, inspecting the black, scale-like bracer that adorned his hand with a nonchalant air. "Let's see. You can call me ..." he turned his eyes back to his opponent. "Ryuudamon."

"What happened? Are you alright?" said Greg, running forward.

"I'm fine," chuckled Ryuudamon. "Better than fine. I feel great."

"Kyo - I mean, Ryuudamon!" spluttered the red Digimon, backing away. "The money? Forget it! It ain't much, it's nothin'!"

The armour-plated lizard strode forward and seized his red-scaled friend by the neck, raising him up in the air with a muscled arm. "How do I know you won't run off to Greymon and squeal?"

"Hey!" called Greg sternly. "Come on now, Ryuu ... he's learned his lesson. Just let him go."

Looking from his human friend, back to the red Digimon, the black-plated reptile snarled. "Alright, I'm gonna let you go. But you tell 'em. The name's Ryuudamon now." He let the red lizard drop to the floor.

Without another word, Guilmon X scrambled to his feet and ran.

"He'll squeal," said Ryuudamon. "I shouldn't've let him go."

"If he does, he does," shrugged the human. "But anyway, explain what just happened ..."

"I don't know," said the red-jewelled Digimon. "But if you're gonna stick around, I'm gonna have to teach you a few things about the Digital World - you're still just a newbie."

"You're calling me newbie? I saved your ass back there!"

The black-plated dragon sighed. "C'mon then," he said, and started walking without another word.

[Super Buu]

As his new, armour-clad companion strode ahead, Greg walked after him.

"So," said the human, trying to make conversation. "Tell me about yourself."

"Not much to say really," grunted Ryuudamon. "I'm as confused about all this as you are. I've just been told to keep you safe."

Having to walk briskly to keep up with his companion, the black-haired teenager replied; "why did you agree to help out, then?"

"Enough questions, already!" snapped the dragon. "This isn't an interview, you can't just swap me for some other Digimon. As long as you're here, we're partners."

"I wasn't going to ..." muttered Greg, and shrugged.

They continued in silence for a few more minutes, the questions in the boy's head overfilling. Eventually he burst, asking; "so ... what are you, anyway?"

"Didn't I tell you?" sighed Ryuudamon. "I'm a Digimon. Everyone here is. That's why you stick out like a sore thumb."

"Digimon, huh ..." said Greg. "So, what happened back there? You ... changed."

"I digivolved," said the lizard. "Y'see, there are different stages of a digimon's power. Me and that other freak you saw back there are in the Rookie stage. I suppose you could call this our 'average form'."

"So, before then ..."

"Yeah, when you met me I was in the 'In-Training' stage. Before that, there's the Baby form."

"Wow ..." breathed Greg. "Are there more forms, even higher up?"

"Yeah," grunted the dragon. "After Rookie comes Champion, and I think after Champion there's an even more powerful form called Ultimate. Heck, there might even be more than that, who knows."

"Why don't you just digivolve to Champion, then?" asked Greg.

"It's not that simple," chuckled Ryuudamon. "I can't just digivolve whenever I like, ya know! Before you came along, I was stuck at In-Training. I don't know how I got to Rookie, but don't expect me to do it again."

"That's no way to think!" said the human. "You got to Rookie, what's to stop you reaching Champion, or even higher?"

"Ugh, you just don't get it," spat the dragon. "You think anyone can do it if they try hard enough. You don't know nothin'. I didn't ask for you to come along and start tellin' me what to do with my life. Just keep quiet."

Though he was still confused as hell, Greg thought he was beginning to understand his new partner.