-Chapter 19-
...
<Continent Server / Northern Desert> <Noah - POV>
"Hey Noah, can we lie down in some shade?" Herissmon spoke in a dull and slightly tired tone, which was strange coming from the excitable silver hedgehog. "It's really hot..."
"I'd tell you it is... if we weren't in a stupid desert!" I exclaimed in annoyance as I collapsed onto my back and fell into BlackGarurumon's surprisingly soft fur. "Seriously, what's the point of this?!"
Seriously, this World never ceased to amaze me with their constant inconsistencies, it almost seemed like they threw everything into a blender and that's what it came out to be!
I mean, how is it possible that a forest is literally surrounded by a huge desert?!
How?!
"I'm already regretting leaving the village..." I mumbled tiredly as I laughed to keep from crying.
Four days had passed since we miraculously defeated Ogremon and during those four days... not much really happened.
Filmon reverted back to Herissmon immediately after BlackGarurumon finished off Ogremon, apparently a Tamagochi evolved Herissmon temporarily in exchange for some of its Data. Which was annoying but it was a price I was willing to pay considering the situation, and I quickly replaced that lost Data with Ogremon's Data.
TK had been very relieved to see that most of the Tunomon were safe, although he could feel the disgust leaving him when he heard what happened to Ogremon and the Goburimon.
The Tunomon paid tribute to the few Tunomon that had been killed during Ogremon's assault. And BlackGarurumon asked me to help him finish off the other Goburimon that were in the forest.
I agreed to help him, obviously.
I mean, they were easy data and it was the easiest way to make the forest safe for the Tunomon and any other Digimon that you're not inherently evil.
After that I took my much deserved break... I mean, I read the pile of information that was piling up in the Tamagochi which I hadn't read out of sheer laziness.
Which I honestly should have done before I absorbed the Ogremon Data.
***
<Scene flashback...>
"What to do..." I muttered to myself as I looked up at the ceiling of my room lostly.
Herissmon had come out to play along with Tokomon, TK and the Tunomon. BlackGarurumon was getting used to his new Special Attacks and training like crazy, which was no surprise but I feel like he should take a few days off every now and then.
And me... I was lying in my bed wasting time like the lazy sloth that I am.
After everything that happened in this first month this time of peace feels strange. There are no Ogremon, TK is safe in the village and Herissmon is strong enough to beat almost any Digimon Child around.
Letting out a resigned sigh I closed my eyes to sleep... before remembering one thing.
"Right, I haven't checked the Tamagochi in some time" I spoke aloud as I scratched my head and sat on my bed with the Tamagochi in my hand. "Let's see... Notifications."
Suddenly several windows opened at the same time making me recoil in surprise before closing most of them leaving only the most important ones... I didn't want to read more about the fauna of the Digital World, thanks but no thanks.
[=====]
Data: -Open to read-
+ Corrupt Data: They mainly function to accelerate the growth and maturation of a Digimon by making it more complete and complex. However, unlike normal Data Corrupted Data can corrupt a Digimon's Code causing it to suffer a -Dark Evolution- depending on the amount of Data corruption and the Digimon's innate resistance to said Corrupted Data.
Combat Type: -Open to read-
Training Type: -Open to read-
Participation Type: -Open to read-
[=====]
"WHAT?!" my eyebrows shot upwards as I let out a gasp, suddenly the scene of BlackGarurumon and Filmon absorbing Ogremon's Red Data came into view. "Th-Then BlackGarurumon and Herissmon-"
Another holographic screen appeared.
[=====]
Digievolution: -Open to read-
Mutation: -Open to read-
+ Dark Evolution: Due to a powerful negative or sinister influence, usually of an emotional nature, a Digimon can evolve into a Digimon that is destructive and uncontrollable in most cases. If the Digimon is able to control such negative influence it will be able to take full advantage of its new abilities and keep its Code intact.
-Information Locked-
-Information Locked-
...
..
[=====]
"So... BlackGarurumon is a Digimon Virus that managed to control its destructive nature?" I muttered to myself in amazement and relief that one of my friends didn't suddenly turn evil. "But what about Herissmon? What about him?"
...
..
.
Nothing.
The Tamagochi did nothing, he simply remained silent, I could almost swear he was calling me an idiot to my face.
I frowned as I quickly brought up Herissmon's screen, but there was nothing different from how it was before other than the amount of Data Herissmon had. I stared at the screen for a while before shrugging, maybe Herissmon was just more resistant to Corruption or something.
I let out a sigh of relief before another thought came into my head.
"Come to think of it... Ogremon must have also been a Digimon who managed to control his nature" I blinked in astonishment when I realized that detail, Ogremon didn't want to destroy the Village to ashes nor murder all the Tunomon in cold blood.
He... was chasing me.
"He called me Chosen Child..." The words floated in my head for some time before clearing them with a sigh. "Maybe he's looking for the Tamagochi or something. Anyway, I shouldn't worry about that right now."
Just the thought of the big ogre's ugly face caused a feeling of disgust to well up in my body. Shaking my head I went back to my Tamagochi while looking at all the notifications I had gotten so far....
'Let's see... right! The Achievements!' I quickly opened the achievements tab and to my surprise it wasn't empty!
[=====]
-Bronze Achievement Obtained: First Month!
-Reward: Feature Upgrade: Map-
-Silver Achievement Obtained: Ominous Oculus-
-Reward: Carrier Stat Upgrade: Darkness Resistance-
-Reward: Upgraded Feature: Digital Analysis-
-Reward: Random Special Attack-
[=====]
'A Silver Achievement?!' Once again my eyes widened like saucers at that notification, I quickly opened the achievement description to observe what I had done....
[-Ominous Oculus: A Dark Digimon has decided to follow the Way of the Carrier against its nature and programming-]
"Path?" I asked in confusion as I raised an eyebrow.
[-Information Locked-]
I rolled my eyes at that, I had forgotten how incredibly useful and wonderful the Tamagochi was.
"I missed out on a lot of information huh? I guess I'll spend the rest of the day reading..." I spoke aloud as I scratched my head and collapsed on my bed. "Let's start with...[Digimon Biology - Part 1]"
I spent the next few hours reading all the new information I had gotten on the Tamagochi.
But even when the day had gone giving way to night I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing something.
***
<Current..>
That feeling of like I was missing out on something continued to bother me the next day but eventually I just let it go as my usual paranoia, plus it wasn't the most important event of the last few days.
The next day I talked to BlackGarurumon about the Corruption and what it felt like to have Digievolved into what it was now, it was basically an attempt to unlock some more information about the Dark Evolution.
And while I unfortunately didn't learn anything about it, I was pleasantly surprised.
[=====]
Name: BlackGarurumon
Level: Adult
Data: 47 / 500
Follower of: Noah Tatsumi
[=====]
At first I thought I had turned BlackGarurumon into a companion like Herissmon or Tokomon, but it wasn't like that, in fact BlackGarurumon himself doesn't quite understand it but he knows that somehow he is now linked to me.
BlackGarurumon explained to me that it was thanks to his hatred and desperation that he managed to Digievolve in the first place but that it was thanks to my presence that he was able to keep his hatred under control and focus it only on Ogremon for the sake of his friends.
He theorized that it was possibly because I was the source of his stability that he developed a sort of bond between the two of them. And despite that emotional message, he flatly refused to follow my orders as Herissmon.
A total Tsundere.
Anyway, now back to my current situation.
"What's the point of this!!!" I screamed to the heavens complaining about my misfortune as I writhed in exaggerated fake pain. "God... why did I decide it was a good idea to leave the Village?"
"Pff..." Tokomon's choked laugh only made my frown deepen as I sat back down and gave him a snarling look. "You were the one who insisted it was time to move and explore the World."
"You can fight an ogre but not take a little heat?" TK asked innocently, or so I thought but I swore to god he gave me a little smirk for a moment....
...Nah, must be the sun.
"I don't think there's a person who likes the heat-" I stood up with my finger pointing at TK before stopping when the image of a certain girl popped into my head "Forget it, Mimi loves to go out in the summer just to get a tan, I'm starting to realize that maybe she's crazy..."
"I don't know why you're complaining so much..." A grunt silenced us all as BlackGarurumon looked sideways at us in annoyance. "If I'm the one who's been carrying them for hours in this hellish heat!!!"
"Well then find something to protect us from this stupid sun!" I exclaimed back drawing an annoyed grunt from BlackGarurumon and a chuckle from the other three crewmen on his back. "Back me up here Herissmon!"
"Come on BlackGarurumon! Just find a place to rest and we'll be fine" Herissmon spoke as he lazily stroked BlackGarurumon's fur.
"Hmph!" snorted BlackGarurumon mockingly, before turning his gaze back to the front. "Like something like that would magically appear in the middle of-...are you serious?!!!"
That caused me to raise my head and look off into the distance to see....
"I must be dreaming..." I muttered to myself before rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn't sleeping. "Am I hallucinating or really that a church in the middle of the desert?"
"I see it too!" Tokomon exclaims from TK's head.
Feeling a smile tugging at my lips I raised my finger pointing towards the distant church. "BlackGarurumon! Come on!"
"I'm not your damn horse..." Grumbled the number 1 tsundere of the digital world before picking up the pace.
'First class tsundere' I let out a chuckle at the thought before looking towards the church as a strange feeling of excitement and intrigue filled my heart.
This world still had many things to show me.
...