"Trees, trees, and more trees. Is there an end to this jungle?" he asked tiredly while Kitmon remained on his head.
"There is, yes. Your complaining won't get us there." BlackGatomon told him with a cold stare, "And with Devimon after us, you shouldn't waste your energy and breath. Keep moving or who knows what Digimon he will throw our way." There was a dangerous spark on her narrowed eyes.
"I get it..." he groaned tiredly, before noting her stare, and how angry she looked, eyes similar to something she saw before, "You really hate him, huh?"
Snapped out of her thoughts by him, she turned to him, "Devimon? How could I not?" she got icier, "Dastard is the word that suits him best. His tactics are cowardly and vile, the words that describe a dastard. Add to it his thirst, nay, his lust for power, and he's one truly sickening Digimon."
"I saw..." he frowned at the memory of Ranamon attacking him, "Using others like that's beyond cowardly, but is there more to it?"
"What else is needed?" she asked coldly.
"I know for a fact no one has that look in their eyes for nothing." He pointed at her, "Trust me, I've seen it enough from a brooding machine whose guts I hate."
"And do you believe they have a purpose?" she asked, "Because I at least have more than revenge planned."
That piqued his interest, "What is it?"
"A lady has to keep her secrets." She wagged a clawed finger at him, smiling in a way that was nearly a smirk yet didn't feel condescending.
"Aw, come on, tell me." he pouted like the child he was. Being twelve, he was as impatient as any other kid nearing puberty.
"You shall find on your own, but let me put any worries you may have to rest." She eyed him with one eyelid closed, "My intention for my gaining power isn't meaningless. I plan to gain more power to achieve what I truly desire after I defeat Devimon. And that, my partner, is something you'll see in due time."
Frowning deeper in an adorable manner for the preteen he was, Haruto voiced his thoughts, "Ugh, you sound like some snob telling me about a book but not giving enough interesting things about it so I read it. You're making me want to know more, but just want to confuse me to gloat about how you saw twists at least a mile away, right?"
Then she finally smiled smugly, "Is the surprise not worth the wait?" He opened his mouth to protest, but slowly shut it, looking away, "Precisely." She said softly before moving forward.
Following the black cat, Haruto tried to think of what to do next. All they had for dinner was some leftover fish he had wrapped in some clean leaves, but they would go bad fast. Not to mention, it was getting dark, he was tired, and he could tell that his partners were too. Despite riding his head, Kitmon hadn't said much after they left Ranamon, the exhaustion from two fusions showing in him.
BlackGatomon was as tired. She didn't show it, but fighting Ranamon and the long day they had was taking its toll on the small Digimon. As the sky grew darker and darker, the feline Digimon's head started to drop every so often before she forced it up. Pitying her, Haruto was quick to grab her by the scruff of her neck and place her on her shoulders, her clawed hands gripping his head while her chin rested on it.
"Haruto, don't force yourself to find a decent place to sleep..." Kitmon, currently in his partner's arms, whispered from how tired he felt, "Anything is fine."
"Anything where Devimon won't get us, you mean." The blond retorted.
"His plans go beyond just you, trust me on that," BlackGatomon told him, her ears dropping was a sight that clashed against her glare. "In his mad quest for power, he's seeking to go beyond this island by any means necessary... Oh, you are one of his top priorities, but he also has other top priorities."
"So, we're like out of his schedule for the time being?" the boy asked confusedly.
"Pretty muuuuu—yawn!" Kitmon responded with a loud yawn.
"You guys are really tired. Well, can't blame you, so am I..." Haruto then tried to stifle a yawn, "Where do we sleep, though?"
"Oh, there's a cave there!" BlackGatomon's sharp eyes found an entrance, her claw pointing to their left.
Our trio set a small campfire thanks to BlackGatomon while Haruto went to get leaves to use as blankets. Kitmon wanted to help, but the fox Digimon was only a head. At the very least the smallest of the group had an eye out for any incoming dangers while the feline Digimon started the fire. Once Haruto got back, the three ate their dinner, finished their fish, and lied next to the fire to remain warm.
Kitmon spoke, "So, camping... Never done that before, have you, Haruto?"
"I've never been outside of my village, so this is a first." He answered truthfully, or as truthfully as he allowed himself when talking of his past, "But this is good. I may not have a bed, but it feels better than being all alone. You guys will make it the first time I sleep around someone." He commented with a small smile.
"Given our situation, you'll possess more than enough time to get used to such a thing." BlackGatomon told him before stifling a yawn, "Anyhow... A lady does need her rest."
"Good night, Black-chan, Kitmon."
"Sleep well, you two."
BlackGatomon stared at the two, they simply lied down like that after saying good night, as if they were familiar with each other. It felt weird, her mouth was opened to say something, but a part deep inside her did its best to keep it inside. After what felt like five seconds too long, the black cat tried to choose, but the sound of low breathing told her it was too late: Kitmon was out like a light.
"Such odd ones..." she commented.
"You said something?" her partner asked, turned to her with curious, innocent blue eyes.
"Nothing of importance. Please wake me up gently when it's my turn to play guard." She retorted, moving her eyes away from his.
Observing her for an answer didn't get the blond a proper answer. He grabbed a stick to poke the fire with in order to make sure it didn't go out. Observing the flames dancing, his mind finally started to wonder. If he was in another world inhabited only by creatures like his partners, what else was outside? What was away from that island they were on? Why did he arrive there? Was there an end to his little adventure?
More and more, his mind went to dark places. He could picture the village he was from, the people there. Would they rejoice from his absence? Cheer that he was gone from their lives? Should he return, what kind of reaction should he expect? Trusting his fuzzy allies' words, he could imagine an elder ape-like man being worried. Everyone else was a different story. Sneers, whispers, glares, backs turned to him... Loneliness.
Such a word could hurt so much. One never understood what good or bad something was until their lives took a change. For Haruto, looking at his partners, he started to wonder out loud. Perhaps he did it to keep a piece of sanity in himself. Maybe he was going mad. Or he could have tried to fool himself that it would give him an answer to questions he didn't even know should be asked.
"It's the first time I'm camping with someone..." he repeated the idea that was mentioned before, looking up at the starry night sky outside the cave. "It's the first time I'm talking with others, working with others, being... with others. So why...? Why is this so odd?" he clutched his head.
Despite his strength, Haruto was still a child, a twelve-year-old who had no idea how the world around him worked. No matter how one looked at it, he was dealing with something no normal child endured. To him life had been nothing but shadows. Shadows cast by those who looked at him in anger, shadows of those who had far more blessings than he could ever dream of obscuring his existence even more.
He was so absorbed in the confusion, he failed to sense a presence nearby, "Is this the boy?"
"Dammit!" Haruto whisper-exclaimed, "What am I doing? What am I supposed to do?" he gritted his teeth, "What if I never see them again?" When that question escaped him, his eyes snapped wide open, small tears at the corners of his eyes, "Black-chan and Kitmon... What if I lose them?"
"That Digivice..." there was a shadow looming closer, observing as the black device glowed red.
"All I did when being ignored was it laugh off, but..." he looked at them, and gasped when feeling a tear dripping down his cheek, "D-Dammit, I'm done crying!" he whispered to himself, "I don't want to cry. I don't! I just...don't want to cry..." he growled, digging his nails into his scalp at the overwhelming feelings of suppressed negative emotions swirling inside him.
"You don't have to, boy." Said a deep masculine voice. Gasping, Haruto turned and readied a kunai, which the intruder reacted to by raising both hands in surrender, "Worry not, I'm not here to battle with you! My only intention is to help you, your partner, and the others."
Glaring at the Digimon—because of course it had to be—,Haruto snarled, "Like I'm falling for that after Devimon attacked Ranamon-chan!"
"If it is your intention to fight, go right ahead, but I won't resist." The Digimon pulled something from his back, putting it on the floor, "I swear on my honor, I'm on your side. You may call me Leomon."
Doing his own name justice, the Digimon was a towering humanoid with muscles over his muscles, orange fur, black pants, a wild and majestic golden mane, and a lion's head. What he put down was just the largest combat knife Haruto had ever seen. The thing was at least as large as he was, if not more. He could be broken like a twig by such a big Digimon, but stood his ground and spoke as firmly as he could.
"You're not going to hurt Black-chan or Kitmon, will you?" he asked and stepped between his partners and Leomon.
"It'd be my worst nightmare to do such a thing, O Digidestined." Leomon told him softly, "Although, your Digivice is different from what I imagined. Not to mention, possessing two partners... I guess you must be a rare breed of human for this to happen."
"I've been wondering that myself, to be honest." Haruto commented truthfully, yet didn't lower his kunai. "So, where's proof you're on my side? I'm not letting you near Black-chan or Kitmon like that."
Both his partners were so exhausted they were out cold, and he didn't like the idea of leaving them alone, "Your concern for your partners is beyond commendation. However, it is the internal turmoil—"
"Smaller words, please!" Haruto embarrassedly blurted out, confused.
"I... will try." Was Leomon's reply while he tried to remain calm, "I sensed the negative emotions inside you oozing out, and your own Digivice fed off them." He sat down, cross-legged to be as inoffensive as possible towards the boy, "Listen, O Digidestined, your link to your Digimon, your bond with them, is what will shape your future. Whatever burden you're carrying is obviously one that won't be easy to take by yourself. It is for that purpose that I wish you allowed me to train you."
"Wait, why me!?" Haruto asked, but he wasn't shocked, he was angry, "You... I knew something was off!"
Leomon grew worried, "What do you mean!?"
Pointing a finger, Haruto snapped, "You said train me, just me! Even if I'm armed, what would be the reason to do so!? When I met Black-chan as a Salamon, she spoke as if she'd fight for me, not with me! Kitmon and I only learned how we could fight together just now, and it was a shock to us three. Why do you seem to know I can fight along them!?"
Normally, anyone would've been worried, panicking even... Leomon turned rather calm after that, "Oh, that..." he sighed in relief, "It's easy. I met three Bukamon who told me of you and what you could do. They all mentioned they wanted me to help you grow stronger for helping a Ranamon."
"Huh?" What else could Haruto say?
Scratching his cheek in mild-embarrassment, Leomon continued, "The three of them even took me to her, and she was insistent I aid you. At first, the tale of a dark Digivice like yours worried me. But after hearing how you saved her from Devimon's control and now seeing you stand for your partners, I'm convinced I need to aid you."
"Are you... Wait, no... Urgh, dammit, this doesn't make sense!" he clutched his head again, took a deep breath, and finally let himself fall flat on his back.
"Excuse my rudeness," Leomon was truly at a loss. "Are you trusting me enough to let your guard down or are you too confused to stand?"
Closing his eyes tiredly, the boy tried to shut his mind, "At this point, I don't even care. Even if I'm not smart, everything you said is too ridiculous to be a lie."
"That's... one way to look at it." The lion Digimon replied and waited for a response.
And waited… until the soft sound of snoring told him he'd have to wait until morning.