#terriermon

Janyu Wong was busy hiding in his room alongside his wife. While he knew he’d created a form of life a while back, he’d never expected to become one!

He wasn’t sure what happened - some squid Digimon had appeared in their home and tapped both parents in the chest while saying “Beautiful Wish”, and the next thing they knew, hours had passed, and they were a lot smaller - Janyu white and green, Mayumi brown and pink. Janyu recognized the design from his days with the Wild Bunch - he was a Terriermon, like the plush his son had picked up a few months ago. As for his wife, he wasn’t sure exactly what she was, other than a Digimon of some sort. Either way, going into work wasn’t an option until this got fixed.

He was not in the mood for being vivisected (which was very understandable; who would be?).

But that wasn’t the only issue right now - For one, they weren’t keen on being treated like plushies by an enthusiastic Shaochung. For another, there was this…strange feeling, like someone was looking for them-

“Hiya!”

Husband and wife screamed, grabbing each other as they leapt into the air, enlarged ears inflating as a new voice chimed in. Turning to look, the glasses-wearing pair of Digimon blinked. Was…was that Jianliang’s Terriermon plush? How’d it get in here-

“Didn’t think I’d ever see more ‘Mon like me, but I'm not gonna complain!” The talking plushie - was it actually a plushie?- closed the door behind him carefully, looking at the couple. “…well, one of you’s like me. The other…me but chocolate?” A head tilt as the pair finally touched down. “Eh, momantai, momantai. It’s just nice to meetcha!”

They just stared as he walked on over. “I was hoping to find ol’ squid-face, but he seems to have flown the coop as it was.” Both parents tensed at the reminder of their assault before relaxing. It was gone, thank goodness...

“But anyways, what brings you here? Wanting to check me out?” The little guy flexed like a bodybuilder, the sight almost comical with how small his arms were. “Or ya just hoping to meet my Tamer? I don’t think we can share, but I bet he’d at least be willing to help you get settled.”

The pair shared a glance before turning to the natural Terriermon. Janyu’s mouth opened -

Only to quickly shut as the door creaked open. Crap, they needed to hide or something - All three Digimon tensed, Terriermon going rigid. Probably best to pretend to be plushies…

“There you are, Terriermon.” The natural-born ‘mon relaxed, not noticing how the other two stayed stiff.

“And speaking of!” A laugh as Terriermon just… jumped onto their son’s (thankfully still human) arms, where he was caught with practiced ease. “Jian! Lookit what I found!” This brought their son’s gaze to his changed parents, and he seemed... oddly at ease with the idea of real-life Digimon.

“Huh. Another Terriermon and a…” digging into his pocket as he held the Digimon with his other hand, Jianliang pulled out a white-and-green device and held it out. The screen lit up, displaying a holographic display of Mayumi’s current form (sans glasses). “Lopmon. Rookie Level. A small Holy Digimon that can pack a surprising punch. Its Blazing Ice move shoots supercooled air to strike enemies. Well then.” He smiled, putting the device away. “I…don’t think we want my parents to find you here, and one Terriermon is enough trouble.” That seemed to perturb his cargo slightly. “Maybe I can find you a place to stay?”

“…Jianliang?”

The youth locked up as Janyu spoke, Terriermon piping up. “Hah, you finally said somethin’! Although your voice sounds familiar…” the Digimon scratched his chin, hrming as the human slowly looked down at the other Terriermon.

“…Dad?”

“Eh? What do you mean, Jian? Your dad’s a human last I-“ Terriermon’s jaw went slack as Janyu nodded, Jianliang shakily pointing at him - and slowly moving his pointer finger to Mayumi.

“M-mom?”

Another nod, this time causing the boy’s eyes to roll back as he teetered over with a THUD.

Thankfully, his apparent partner had gotten off in time, drifting to the ground on inflated ears. “…well, uh, I guess that’s two less people to worry about finding me? Welcome to being a Digimon then…erm, sorry for my Tamer. I. Guess he had a bit of a shock?” A nervous chuckle from the natural Terrier as the other two Digimon slowly gave him a Look.

——

After Jianliang had come to - and Shaochung was convinced to leave her now plush-like parents alone, no need to keep only her in the dark - the family (plus one) sat at the table, awkwardness hanging in the air, leftovers just sitting on plates.

Until finally, Mayumi broke the silence. “So, Jianliang… that plush you got -“

“Was an actual Terriermon.”

“And you’ve been going out and fighting wild Digimon when they appear in reality.”

“Yep!” Jian sighed at Terriermon’s… enthusiastic answer.

“And you-“ turning to Janyu now - “knew about these… Wild Ones?”

A sad sigh from the patriarch. “Yes, I… got pulled in to help with the government’s electronics warfare program, which was switched to Digimon control and containment once they started coming into the real world. It’s…” sigh as he took off his glasses, rubbing them on an ear. “Been eventful.”

“Clearly.” A glance over at Jian.

“Look, I…don’t like Terriermon getting into fights-“

“Hey!”

“- but these “Wild Ones” are usually too risky to leave alone. Almost to a man, the ones we’ve encountered would’ve hurt or killed innocents if we just sat back and did nothing.”

Grumbling from the Wong matriarch ensued, Janyu looking down solemnly as Terriermon chuckled. “Momantai! Besides, I got so strong from those- ERK!”

“Not the time, Terriermon,” Jian grumbled, tugging on his partner’s ear as Janyu just watched in surprise. He’d never envisioned humans and Digimon living together like this, and his son had… a surprising level of control over the rabbit/dog. They truly had known each other for a while… “Apologies in advance for his lack of a filter.”

“Hah, all it would do is get in the way!”

Janyu chuckled… probably best to roll with the punches. “Maybe I should code one for him?”

That led to a series of laughs surrounding the table, Terriermon slumping. “You’re no fun...”

——

The last week had been quite...unique. Between Janyu and Mayumi’s transformations, the revelation of Jianliang being a Tamer, and Janyu coming clean about his work, a lot was going on in the Lee household.

At least Shuichon didn’t use her parents like plushies... but she still did with Terriermon now and again. A quick chat with Jian revealed that sometimes his sister just found his partner and played with him... and sometimes he intentionally let her as a way of disciplining the impish Rookie.

They’d let it slide for now, but now that Terriermon’s existence was known, more traditional versions of punishment could work. And once Shaochung worked out how Jian was basically using her-

WHAM!

“Shaochung!”

...she might run off...

Terriermon cursed as he watched the door. “Dangit, maybe that filter could be useful Jan... I could’ve been a bit gentler when telling Shaochung how I really felt playing with her!”

Deciding to ignore his partner’s sudden bit of maturity (even if he was privately proud of it, this was not the time!), Jianliang quickly grabbed his backpack, emptying it of schoolbooks before pulling it on. “I can’t carry all three of you in my arms - hop in!”

Terriermon hopped into the bag, Mayumi joining him as Janyu tried to get on his son’s head... unfortunately, he underestimated the jump, leading the human to catch the Terriermon. “Sorry about that, Dad.”

“It’s not your fault...” A small smile as Jan climbed to his intended perch. “Right, let’s get moving; we need to find Shaochung as quickly as possible.”

A series of nods came in reply, the group agreeing with the need for speed. With that, the lone human ran out the door, three Digimon in tow... one of them sniffing the air.

——

“Jian…”

“Yes, Terriermon?” The boy sighed as he looked at the fog bank ahead of them.

“I told you I was smelling something.”

“I know you did, I know you did…” a groan as he pulled out his glasses.

“Jianliang, what’s this?” His mother asked from her spot in the pack. “And why are you wearing those glasses?”

Janyu chimed in. “I haven’t seen one in person before, but… it’s a Digital field. It means a Digimon is Bio-Emerging into our world. And if Shaochung’s in there…”

That caused the Tamer to start running. “Thanks for pointing that out, Dad!”

Said parent was now hanging on for dear life. “A-as for the glasses - I’d heard that it helps to have eye protection at times in a Field!”

“Bingo. Now to find the problem…”

“GWAAAH!” “Evil Hurricane!”

The runner curved into a turn then started making his way towards the attack… and his sister’s cry.

——

Lee Shaochung was scared.

She was mad when Terri told her he hated playing Princess with her, and that Jianny gave him to her when Terri was being naughty. Terri had to hate her for it! But she shouldn’t have run this far. Now she was lost in this fog, and there’s an Oni chasing her like in those stories …

Sniffling, she backed against a wall, watching the spinning red demon come closer and closer…

“Blazing Fire!”

Suddenly, the Oni was peppered with green thingies, knocking his spin off course.

Looking the way they came from, a small gasp left the kid’s mouth - Jian was here! And Mommy and Daddy and Terri!

…oh... Terri…

Before she could get upset again, Jian had helped her up, causing her to wince - the mean Oni had left an owie earlier on her leg with a sparky thing! It’s why she didn’t run when he was spinning!

She just leaned into her brother and cried a bit, not paying attention to the things around her. She felt safe now. Her family was here.

——

Jianliang patted his sister, smiling a bit before pulling out his D-Arc. “Fugamon. Champion Level. It belongs to the same family as Ogremon and shares its love of destruction. Its special move, Evil Hurricane, can decimate the space around it.”

A wince as he looked up. “Mom, Dad, you might want to hang back, let Terriermon and me handle this-“

“No!” The sharp reply made the Lee boy jolt, his partner wobbling from where he’d climbed to his shoulder.

“This… thing hurt Shaochung!” A growl - an actual, animalistic growl from his mother. “And I suspect it’d do more if it could…”

“As much as I would prefer peace...” Janyu adjusted his glasses. “I believe this one needs to be dealt with. Jian, we’re helping.”

“Guys...” He didn’t want them getting hurt, though, and they’d not been in combat! Dad’s Tai Chi was going to be not much help, not with that small body versus a Champion...and Mom didn’t even practice... what should he-

“Culu?”

Out of the corner of his eye, the Tamer spotted the familiar form of Culumon poking out from behind a building. He was already ready to shrug off Terriermon when the gem started to glow, but…his partner wasn’t getting any heavier. So what was-

Turning to his diminutive parents as a familiar red light bathed the space, Jianliang’s jaw fell open as they began to glow. Was Culumon actually -

“Terriermon, SHINKA!”

“Lopmon, SHINKA!”

He was. Oh my gosh, he was…

——

(Red pixels of light fly out of Culumon’s forehead gem, forming eggs around Janyu and Mayumi as the pair of Rookies drift to the ground, ears deflating as they stand at the egg’s bottom.)

What was going on? This… power, this energy?

(Glasses dissolve as fur pulls away, revealing wireframe underneath.)

He recognized the algorithm his body was receiving - the “Entelechy” formula he’d spent so much time perfecting back with the Wild Bunch. But it was...different...

(The wireframes swell and grow, Mayumi’s more feminine and Janyu’s more muscular).

Her body was growing, changing... and it didn’t hurt? Oh, this was quite interesting...

(Pink/brown and white/green pixels begin to fill in on the pair, fluffing out into fur.)

The way his body was interpreting the formula, using it to cascade changes in his body - oh, this needed to be studied when he could.

(Wireframes of a gi for Mayumi and a Tai Chi uniform for Janyu form, filling in with pixels)

This was a biological impossibility, but so were Digimon as a whole! Oh, she wanted to look into this...

(Ears grow larger, faces pulling into lapine and canine visages)

But now wasn’t the time. Shaochung was in danger.

(The eggs burst, revealing the evolved Digimon as they pose.)

And protecting their family always came first.

——

“Taolumon!”

“Kyushomon!”

Jianliang just stared at his parents’ new Champion forms. His father was a relatively muscular white canine with large Terriermon-like ears, one horn, and a short, sharp muzzle, wearing a green Tai Chi outfit alongside the green accents in his fur. On the other hand, his mother was more rabbit-like in appearance, keeping her brown-and-pink coloration, ears, and horns from her Lopmon form. However, she was wearing a dark pink martial arts gi with brown accents and a belt, still muscular but more streamlined and feminine.

Snapping out of his shock, he pulled out his D-Arc to Analyze his parents (...a weird turn of phrase...). “Taolumon. Champion Level. A Terriermon who practiced marital arts until gaining skills to rival Turiemon. Wonder who that is. His special move, Sanshou Flurry, pummels the enemy with martial arts strikes. Ho-kay... and now for Mom. Kyushomon, Champion Level. A Digimon who balances the diligence of martial arts with knowledge of the body. Her Hiko Strike and Hiko Recovery special moves can harm and heal with just a touch. Well, can’t say that doesn’t fit her...”

Jian’s shock was mirrored in a brief moment of awe, the pair looking over each other’s new forms - at least until the Fugamon’s roar re-focused the pair on the fight, leading them to dash off in different directions.

Janyu rushed to the enemy, hand-paws ablaze with energy. “Sanshou Flurry!” A rapid array of strikes flew out, pummeling the ogre - even as he tried to use his club to defend. The flurry of blows just kept coming, weaving around the attempts at defense.

Mayuimi, on the other hand, darted over to Shaochung, instinct taking over as she knelt, eyes roving over her daughter. They glinted as certain points on her daughter’s form lit up in her view - pressure points, she faintly remembered from some alternative medicine thing she’d read out of curiosity once. She hadn’t expected to use them, but... if that’s what this form did, that’s what it did.

Her paws lit with pink energy as the mother took a deep breath, letting instinct guide her. “Hiko Recovery.” Fingers lanced out, precisely pushing on the lit points in a specific order...and a startling amount of force - her face slipped into shock as her arms drew back, the Kyushomon tense. ‘D-did I just hurt Shaochung?! Oh nononono...’

But her fear was assuaged as Shaochung stood up and hugged her mother with a surprisingly strong grip, almost driving the air out of the Champion’s lungs! “Mommy, I’m sowee-ee-eeee...”

“Whoof…I-it’s ok, honey, you’re safe now…” Mayumi gently patted her daughter’s head, smiling - even if it was a bit strained. How was that girl so strong all of a sudden?!

“Shaochung, come on!” Jianliang had run over, taking hold of his sister’s arm. “We need to get away from the fight.”

“Yeah, you kids are a bit too squishy to fight a Digimon, no offense!” The walking peanut gallery was given a small nosebap for that comment, but it did get Shaochung to nod and let go.

Now freed, the Kyushomon gave a short nod - “You two, get to safety!” - before turning around and leaping into the fight.

——

As she watched the brawl develop, Shaochung pulled up to her brother, eyes wide. “Jian, Mommy and Daddy got big again...”

“They did...” A smile as he patted his sister’s head. “And they’re gonna beat up that mean Digimon. Along with Terriermon.”

“Eh?” Shaochung blinked, looking up at Henry and his partner, ignoring her parents brawling with the oni.  “But he...”

A laugh. “I don’t hate ya, Shaochung, I just... didn’t really like being treated as a plush. But I’ve tucked you in more than once when you tried sleeping with me.” The youngling’s eyes widened in recognition as Janyu nodded.

“Yeah. He cares for you, even if he has a funny way of showing it sometimes.” Jian then turned to his partner. “Terriermon, let’s go.”

“Awyeah, it’s show time!” The rabbit-dog Digimon leapt from his partner’s shoulder as Jian held out his D-Arc, a card plucked from his deck.

Janyu looked back, blinking as he tried to puzzle out what was happening - and was treated to his son going through a smooth series of practiced motions, card placed at the slot on the Digivice.

“Card Slash!” The card was slid through the Arc, sparks crackling. “Super Evolution Plug-In S, activate!”

The swipe now completed and the card having left the device, Terriermon began to glow, grinning wide as he launched into the battle.

“Terriermon, SHINKA!”

——

-E V O L U T I O N-

(Green rings shoot out of the D-Arc, forming a tunnel around Terriermon as his fur pulls away to show a wireframe.)

Heh - he’d gotten used to fighting with others by now, but this was something different.

(The rings turn upwards, surrounding the Digimon in an egg-like shape as the wireframe inside grows and shifts)

Not only martial artists, but his Tamer’s parents? Talk about a double whammy!

(Pale fur and denim form around the wireframe, pulling in to attach itself as the rings forming the egg “rumble”, showing the digivolving Terriermon inside.)

He’d need to be careful not to hit them. Bullets hurt people, and he didn’t wanna hurt Jan or Mayu.

(Gatling guns latch onto the arms, the figure inside the egg now larger and stockier.)

Knowing Jian, though, he probably had a plan in mind.

(The wireframe’s head stretches and grows as fur forms on it, slowly moving up as the muzzle stretches and expands.)

First step, though, was to just get in there and shoot ‘em up!

(The new Champion explodes from the egg, smirking and throwing out one arm before whirling an ammo belt around his chest as it snaps shut.)

‘Cause right now? It’s time to show the new ‘Mon how it’s done.

——

“Gargomon!”

The gun-armed Digimon landed, smirking as he pumped his arms with a ka-chick. “OK, who asked for some Dakka?”

Janyu just gaped. “Did you just-” That was impossible. How could a mere card have sent the Entelechy algorithm, much less have contained it?! Was there more to that little device? There had to be...

Jianliang smiled back. “Like I’ve said... we’re partners.” Ah. That may be a factor too.

“You bet we are! And right now, it’s time to get this show started!” Gargomon took aim at the enemy ‘mon and grinned, arm-cannons whirring. “Gatling Arm!”

Taking the cue, the Lee parents dove to the side as Gargomon began unloading his machine-gun arms into the Fugamon.

“Buddabuddabuddabuddabuddabudda-WHOA!” A rogue Damp Cloud sent his way caused the gun-’Mon to stop firing and dodge, pants barely clipped by the electrical sphere.

Mayumi and Janyu shared a look, the matriarch nodding before rushing around to the back of their foe. As Janyu began moving his arms in an alternating, circular pattern, the Kyushomon launched her next move - “Hiko Strike!” Paw-like hands lashed out, fingers landing at specific points on the (enemy)’s limbs, making it seize up.

Its confused cries were cut off as the Taolumon spoke up: “Reeling Tornado!”

At the same time, its arm motions sped up, creating small tornadoes that rushed out from the limbs towards the enemy, buffeting them with counter-rotating winds.

Watching Janyu close in as his twin storms continued, Gargomon grit his teeth as he stood. “Grr…” Turning back to his Tamer, the gunslinger voiced a very valid complaint. “Jian, I can’t shoot like this, not unless you want friendly fire!”

“Then let’s do something about that. Card Slash!” Another card slid through the Digivice. “Aurvandil's Arrow, activate!”

A bow and arrow briefly glowed on the twin Gatling guns as their owner blinked. “…that… right, here goes!” Arms up, the guns started spinning as small crosshairs appeared in the shooter’s eyes. “Gatling Arm!”

The pellets of energy flew out, peppering the red ogre precisely - not a one hitting his allies.

Janyu paused in his strikes to watch in brief awe before returning to combat. Jianliang sighed a bit, hoping his dad wouldn’t get too interested in studying his D-Arc - that would be...annoying.

And he couldn’t even worry about much else, because between Gargomon’s pinpoint shots, the disabling effects of his mother’s continued Hiko Strikes, and his father’s repeated pummeling via Sanshou Flurry, the Fugamon soon fell. With one last, pained cry, the enemy Digimon exploded into red pixels, leaving the Lee parents staring at the sight. “I…hate that we killed him, but…”

Mayumi looked at her husband. “Wait, don’t they reform in the show?”

Janyu blinked. “They…do…” he rubbed his chin, not seeing how some of the data was drifting towards him-

Only for Gargomon (whose eyes were normal again) to rush headlong into the data, it turning blue as it was sucked up into him. “Gah… sorry about that, guys. I figured you’d rather not load his data… saw Jan was about to do so instinctively, so. Uh.”

“…or that.” The scientist blinked. “Terri-er, Gargomon, is this what normally happens?”

A small nod. “Yeah, it is. Almost happened to me; thankfully Jian pulled me to the real world. Uhh, don’t ask how.” He waved his hands in a defensive gesture, already seeing the look on Jan’s face.

“…alright.” A sigh. “Just… I guess this is better? If he’d been left alone, who knows what damage he could’ve done…”

Mayumi looked back at Jianliang. “This is why you go out and fight, isn’t it? To stop these bad Digimon?”

Jian sighed. “That’s why I back him up, even if I think Gargomon would try anyway.” A small smile. “At least he doesn’t fight just any Digimon - otherwise, I’d have been a lot more worried for you.”

The family shared a fond look at that, even if Shaochung seemed a bit lost-

Grrrrumble

The touching moment was brought to a sudden close as the married Champions looked down at their stomachs, confused at the sudden growling noises coming from them.

Not a second afterward, they were bathed in light, shrinking down and down. When the light faded, what remained were two round heads atop blob-like bodies - Janyu being pale green with a single horn, and Mayumi brown with three horns.

The pair looked down, then at each other - and began stammering and murmuring and just generally freaking out.

“Why are we so small?!”

“M-mass doesn’t just. Vanish like this!”

“This is impossible, the Entelechy algorithm shouldn’t work in reverse-”

As if to cut off the rambling, Gargomon cut in as he pointed at the green blob. “Hey, I’ve seen them before! He’s a Gummymon-” and now he was pointing at Mayumi “-and she’s a… umm, a Chocomon!”

Mayumi blinked, the oddities of the name cutting off her rambling. “That…can’t actually be right-”

“No, he’s right.” Jian had his D-Arc out, scanner lit up as he looked between it and his mother. “Apparently that’s Lopmon’s In-Training form.” A quirked eyebrow as the Tamer glanced at his partner. “Did you really know that, or did you just guess?”

“Ahahah, of course I knew, why wouldn’t I? I was a Gummymon once myself, after all...”

“That doesn’t say anything about Chocomon.”

“Aw, momantai Jeeeeeeeehhhhh...” Shaochung had climbed up, tugging on Gargomon’s mouth a bit the way she would when playing plushie with him.

“Uhh, Shaochung? I thought-”

“He’s being silly. I thought this is what you wanted me to do if he was being silly?” Her brother and parents chuckled a bit as Jian walked over.

“I... yeah, just maybe not all the time. Remember what happened earlier?” The big brother asked, arms out to take his sister.

“Oh yeah...”  She gently went into her brother’s arms, even as he stumbled a bit from the weight.

“Whoof... right. Gargomon, can you help us get Mom and Dad home? I get the feeling we’re going to be having a big dinner tonight.”

“Oooohoohoohoo, we’re gonna empty out the fridge!” The two In-Training ‘mon tensed a bit as the Champion started to sing: “Buns n’ beans n’ sauerkraut, I’m gonna eat ‘til I pass-OOF!”

A whack on the back from the Tamer had cut off the song. “Not that much.” It also had the side-effect of making his parents relax, even as they were scooped up by a grumbling Gargomon. It was almost like the Digimon was a brother Jian never had, and it was surprisingly easy to see him as part of the family…

honestly, one of my only complaints about Digimon UP right now… is the fact that they totally snubbed Lopmon 😒

jester-inspired Terriermon line I made to get out of my art block :')