Three missteps is all it takes.
(Intro: Part 2 of 3)
Recap: It was... honestly rather beautiful. All the flowers that go to her knees, or hang off the trees. It's like she stepped into one of her favorite storybooks. A mystical adventure with a new friend!
"Hey, earth to zodiac, getchya ass moving."
"Butt. Don't curse."
"Whateva! Not da point toots."
Okay well, maybe not with a new friend yet. But it's a... work in progress. So she went on her way, wondering what magical things she'd see on her journey.
Now on the less magical side of things, was our next apocalypse bringing child. Back when he started his school morning...
Continued:
SLAM. His locker shut harshly as he cornered the taller student in the empty hall. His voice a coo as he spoke.
"Seems someone's getting above their little station~ I know I told you to follow your heart or whatever, but I didn't think you'd actually go through with it!~"
He smiled teasingly at his beloved friend. Plucking the crumpled note from their shaking hands.
"Dear Violet~ Your eyes are like- oh wow how cheesy~ violets, mhm creative. Ooooooh violet leaves, that's worse somehow. Yeah? And your smile makes my heart flutter, dear fuck you're hopeless. Let me guess, she didn't even glance your way?~ A shame things like you never quite learn, do they? You'll watch it play out to a hundred other idiots, but you'll always think you're special. How adorable."
Their dear friend was shaking quite badly now. Barely holding back- oh, no, there it is, they were sobbing now. Luckily, it's the morning so someone should be here soon! Wait- no one's coming? it's not morning? When are we???
"Nothing to say little puppy? That's okay." He snickers as his voice turned into this sickly-sweet tone. His arm wrapping around the other kid's shoulders. "You followed your heart! You were oh so brave to let it get crushed like that~ I'm sure if you just keep at it she'll notice you eventually. And if not her, well, countless fish in the sea or whatever right?~"
The kid finally tried to speak. "B-but you- won't they just-"
"Ah ah ah~" He pressed a shushing finger to their lips and reached up to rustle their hair. Like a good friend would.
"You want to be noticed right? Soooo, you have to keep trying now dontchya~ What's your other option, dying? Everyone already knows your useless ass is unlovable~ I mean really, you're hopeless. Useless in school so it's not like you have a future. I heard they've been talkin' bout kicking you out soon~ Failed that last test right? How many more can they really excuse."
"I-I got a tutor recently I-I'm getting-"
"How long will this one last? A week? You're just looking for approval now aren't ya. Look at all this effort you're putting in, good dog~" He pauses his smile growing more malicious as he takes their notebook. Free notes.
"But hey, at least you can do this much can't ya~ I'll put these scribbles to more use than you ever could. See ya tomorrow friendy friend!~"
He left with a skip to his step, leaving his favorite friend to collapse on the ground in a nice little panic attack. Oh look! The thing's struggling to breathe! Eh, it's probably fiiiiinnneee. Really who gives a shit about that guy anyways. He barely knew him.
He exited the school doors and was prancing down those steps when suddenly the word turned cold.
Not that it scared him or anything. No, it was just the weather being strange or something. So then why was everything gray, and why were the people at the bus stop not getting in that damn bus. Where did all the noises go anyways? No yeah this was so normal.
"Tha- --s r--her cr--- w---'t it R--n."
Yep. Nope. He was being haunted. Haunted by his sins or some shit because what else was that glitchy fucking ringing in his ears calling him like they had shit to say. He was almost an adult, in a few years, he didn't need the holy spirit or whatever patronizing his ass.
"What the fuck are you on about weirdo!"
It didn't answer his shouts. With a clatter something fell at his feet and the world seemed to come rushing back in.
He jolted back and there on the steps was this fuckass white trinket with these ugly green trims. And a cord. What is this some kind of friendship bracelet? He kicked it away, but the smalls screen lit up and it just started flashing. A piercing wail leaving the advice like the worst of sirens.
"SHUT UP" With a curse he throws himself half down the stairs and onto the box. Fingers slamming into every little side button trying to just turn it off. "Stupid fucking thing." His hissing turns to a sigh of relief as it finally shuts off and cuts the noise.
So why did the box in his hands feel so fucking smug? That's it, he's delusional. Wait- he knew that one. He's haunted! That's it. The ghost was fucking with him.
He was kind of curious as to what the clearly cursed trinket was. But a guy like him had places to be and people to see~ So he tossed in his pocket and started his journey home! Well, started walking the opposite direction but he'd get home eventually. First thing's first, he had an old lady to harass.
He stopped by their fancy picket fence and hopped over. Then claimed his spot on the porch fence. All huffy and impatient. The lady who lived here came out soon enough, all fire and snap herself.
"Someone's late again. Which poor sucker were you bullying this time."
She placed a tray of fresh cookies on the little table with way more force than necessary. Tossing one at his face as she sat in her rocking chair. His hands scrambled to catch it as he started protesting.
"It wasn't that bad this time!" He ducked into himself somewhat. Defensively nibbling on that cookie, listening to her pissy tone.
"Were they breathing."
He paused, thinking about it. Just seeing him pause to think about it made her sigh heavier than before so he hurried up his answer.
"So um....define breathing?" He grins a bit sheepishly, but she only snaps back.
"You know you can't keep doing this hun. You're not gonna have a good time when you-"
"Yada yada who gives a shit-" He huffs, trying to cut her off, but is cut off himself with a harsh tug on his ear. He teeth dig into the cookie, better than his tongue.
"I give a shit you dumb ass." Okay... that hurt a little more than the ear thing. Still he rolls his eyes and hisses.
"Well guess that makes one of us."
They both simply glared at each other. Tense, jaws clenched, breathing a bit harshly before they both settled back in their seats. He caught another cookie and they both stayed quiet for some minutes before she broke the peace.
"How's your grades twerp." "Good." "And your friends?" "Eh." "Yeah yeah, and your family?" "..."
It fell quiet again. She sighs, getting up and heading inside with a slam of the door. He flinches, shifting nervously, about to leave honestly, you know, he's clearly overstayed his welcome so he really should get going. Before he could escape though the door opened again. Out came some sort of cloth flying to his face and a random package shoved into his arms.
"Mph!"
"Happy birthday. Now get home you little fuck."
The door shuts a final time and he's left grouchy and unsettled. Why does he even come back here anyways? Bratty old hag was such a nuisance. Always on about his future or his attitude problems or whatever.
His hands held the gifts tight and close. No need for them to go to waste just because he hates the old lady...
He made it home late that night. "I'm home" He called out all snottily. ...there was no answer. His hand clutched the frame of the door tightly before it loosened with a sigh. "Welcome home me or whatever." The warmth in his pocket seemed to echo his greeting.
He huffs, making his way to his room and dunking the items carelessly on the bed.
...Then sorting them neatly right after.
The package was wrapped in this old timey looking paper. Man her tastes really never aged huh. Still, he unfolded the thing and found a bunch of different hair dyes. ...God damn it. He can't even complain about this. What about the cloth? He unfolds the item and neatens it out. Probably some ugly hand sewn sweater or-
It was wings...Well, definitely hand sewn. But it was a white wing cloak. What was he some kind of angel? It's fine, he could fix it.
He looked away from both gifts, threw his bag in a corner and took out the weird box of convenient warmth. He tried pressing buttons to turn it on again, but nothing worked, so with a sigh he just tossed it onto the bed. He had more important things to do now. Like his hair.
He came out of his color dye crime spree with blue and yellow hair, his blue and yellow wing cape, and a newly carved blue and yellow mask taken out of his collection and freshly painted! Truly he was now extravagant. Surely he could give at least one old person on the street a stroke with his appearance.
He preened more in front of the mirror with a snicker. Checking the time, twelve a.m. wasn't that bad. He'd be a bit tired in the morning but nothing big.
He was resolute in ignoring the weird fucking chirps and whirls that stupid box on his bed gave whenever he was giggly or excited. Could that thing ready his mind??? Was it a mood ring? Whatever, he was ignoring it. Wait...
He slowly turned to look at the box and its hideous green trims. A grin grew on his face. A few moments later and it was painted in the best colors known to mankind. Now it was still stupid, but at least it wasn't ugly as shit. And hey! It kinda looked like those weird devices from those superhero shows right? He tried posing with it in the mirror.
"Fuck yeah, now behold my true power!-"
"Honey! It's late and you know I come home tired after work. Quiet time please."
He shuts up. His whole mood gone. He sighs, flopping on the bed. The box seemed to grow cold with him. Fucking taunts. Well whatever, it's not like he gave a damn how loud he was or wasn't being. He closed his eyes.
Static rung.
"yo--e n-t as --d -- y-- see--d."
Yeah no. Jitters. He sprung up. Aaaand the world was gray again. Great! Not creepy! "Okay what the fuck, who the hell are you?" He growled, voice down. He didn't want to attract his mother's attention again. He could handle a home invading ghost probably. "What do you want, freak."
"Co-- ex-lo-e wi-- me!" A small figure appeared in his window. Just a dark silhouette. Looking like a ten-year-old with angel wings. Oh my god it was the holy spirit. Or is it holy son? He didn't pay attention in church how was he supposed to know!
Still, he had words for this ghost! After all it was his job to harass strangers, not his job to be harassed. He slid open the window in a huff, One foot half out from the get-go. "Out with it, speak properly, the hell you want you fucking cosplayer."
The figure was saying something though it all just scratched at his brain. Still they were frantically pointing at his almost abandoned device before they hopped down and seemed to fly away.
An unconscious grin grew on his face below the mask as he grabbed the weird box and threw himself out the window after that lil guy. If they think they can mess with him he'd show em! His new fancy cape billowed in the air as he skidded past frozen people after that shadow kid. Just when he almost caught up, they turned a corner. Damn, he flew around after them, but they seemed to have disappeared. "Eh?"
His disappointment was replaced by fear as arms suddenly wrapped around his waist from behind.
"Tag! Ca-ght y-u!" They sounded so close. So much clearer too. But he didn't get time to think about it before the world seemed to melt below him.
"hughmph?!"
He tried to catch his breath as he was pulled through the folding floor. Everything a blur around him full of numbers and symbols and lines that fractured and fused in such headache inducing patterns. Was he burning alive? His skin felt tingly.
Ryan Gallows registered. Fourth out of seven to arrive. Welcome.
Oh what the fuck.
Explore the digital world, find me. Only then will your destiny be made clear.
He groans in pain as it feels the void chewed him up and spat him out on something hard yet squishy. His eyes opened to something more blindingly colorful than the grayscale city scape he was just fine in before. At least that obnoxious voice had stopped ringing in his ears.
"There you are friend! Are you finally ready to come play with me?"
Out with the old in with the new as they say. One obnoxious voice for another. He looked to the side and, well, look at that. It's the ten year old ghost. Blondie looked like he came straight out of the bible with his get up. How many wings did he have??? What is that uh, three, no, four- six? Double, twelve??? Is there a name for the fucks with twelve wings?
Oh look the abomination was leaning closer. It looked so concerned how weird. "Are you alright friend? I didn't mean to scare you?"
Hold up. Scare? He was NOT scared. No way. Nuh uh. Oh how he wanted to give this pipsqueak a piece of his mind but...man, he's really been so bored. Surely this could be a liiiittle more interesting than school right?~ So he played along.
"Yeah no. I'm fine. It's like soo nice to meet you though! I never knew I had such an interesting looking friend waiting. I hope I didn't take too long."
Aww the little thing was beaming. Fuck this was gonna be so easy. "Not at all! It's still pretty early I think! there's time to get a head start!"
"Oh? A head start on what?"
Oh now the kid was buzzing. They started prattling on and on about the digital world, fated meetings, saving the world, oh their name!
"So your name's Lucemon? That's a fitting name for a lil guy like you~"
The kid seemed to huff at that. "Not a kid!" Sensitive then, okay then.
"Well my name's Ryan~ Though feel free to call me something cooler. Ya know like a real superhero level name or some shit!"
"Caterpillar?" Eh? "Eh?? Why caterpillar??" What about him screamed caterpillar... "Well, you're blue and yellow and kinda stripped? Like a caterpillar!" No. "Yeaaaah let's maybe scrap that one. We-we'll workshop it kiddo." "Still not a kid!"
Ah great now the cherub thing was throwing a tantrum. Oh yeah what was he again?
"I'm a Digimon! Digital-Monster. weren't you listening to anything I said earlier?" Aww the kid seemed so dismayed. Hate to burst their oh so fragile bubble. "Yeaaaaah absolutely not. So what was that about saving the world again?"
Aww there's that next little sigh. So easily frustrated. "You're here to help save the world with me. I've been waiting forever for you!"
"Got it got it, alright, no need to be so desperate~" "heh?" He ignores their befuddlement. Standing up with a stretch and almost tripping on that stupidly wiggly quilt flavored floor.
"Right, let's get this adventure on track minion!" "Friend." "Yeah, yeah, that's what I said, friend. Now onwards! To the local tavern!" His caper billowed behind him with some effort as he declared their goal. His company seemed a tad slow though.
"Um....Local what?"
He sighs, pinching his nose. Mask nose? Metaphorical nose~ He leans down to look at the angel kid better. Lucemon? Who cares.
"Look here. All adventures begin with someone like, gathering info at the local town or tavern. That's where they hear all about the big bad or whatever trouble is harassing the world or whatever. Get it?"
"Still... lost but... there is this one town nearby? It's full of helpful Digimon that usually help out with taking care of the baby mons!"
"Then that's our first destination friend."
Oh that poor little desperate angel looked so hopeful when he said it right. This would truly be a very, very fun trip for one of them.
What wouldn't be quite so fun, was how the last apocalypse bringer arrived. It was Back on that lovely school morning... (Part 2 end)
