Chapter Three

Tina hugged Vincent. He lifted her up.

"There, there, I am here now, I am sure this lady helped you, didn't she?"

Tina sniffled and nodded. "S-she did..."

Vincent looked at Shizuka. "Pardon her, she's very shy." He put her down to the ground and sat down.

"I believe introductions are in order, yes?" He smiled gently, showing his teeth.

"I am Vincent and this is Tina, my sister."

"Sister?" Shizuka couldn't help but ask.

"I am adopted. I came to our parents when I was around seven. A year later, she was born." His bright eyes looked over the two redheads, who had now seated down.

"I am Shizuka, and this is my younger brother Seto." The four of them greeted eachother by waving their hands. "I must say, Vincent, that your Japanese is excellent. Have you studied for a long time?"

Vincent looked suprised at her. "Japanese? No, no, I've only spoken English so far. I thought you spoke it too..."

"Allow me to explain. De Digital World has no languagebarriers, so whatevah ya say, ya understand." Yuzimon told them. "We also learn de spoken language of our sorroundings if we'd hafta go somewhere."

The group chatted for a while, discussing how they'd gotten here.

"...and all we know is that we were told to pack what we'd need for a campingtrip. Then we entered through our homecomputer. I hope mom and dad won't worry too much." Vincent finished his and Tina's story.

Shizuka told theirs.

"So you two know abit about this place then?" Vincent said as he looked at Tina. She was exploring the area around them, typing stuff into her minilaptop she held in her hand.

"Only from stories and some photos. It has changed a bit, but my cousin's adventures took place almost 30 years ago." Shizuka replied. "I have no idea why we were chosen, maybe cause I am related to her, but are you two related to any of the older chosen ones?"

Vincent shook his head. "No, so it's quite mysterious and..." He turned his head to the left. Footsteps. A sigh. Something or someone sat down. He signaled for the group to wait as he walked towards the direction of the sound.

In a small glade, a teenage boy sat down. His long, orange hair was tied in a black band. He wore a t-shirt in a slightly neongreen color, as well as a black vest over. Black shorts. Green and orange shoes. He was sitting on the ground, clearly frustrated.

'He must have gotten here too.' Vincent thought as he moved closer, looking around for a Digimon. He jumped when the boy layed back, closing his eyes, sighing.

The temptation was too great. Vincent placed himself behind the boy. He had beautiful eyelashes.

"Hi!" Vincent said and smiled. The boy sat up, surprised. "Who are you?!" His eyes widened.

"Easy now... The name is Vincent..." He looked at him "...but you can call me Master."

"Why would I do that?"

"Well... You're as cute as a kitty, aren't you?" Vincent squatted down and patted the boy's head. He frooze. "There, there."

"Hmpf." The boy tried to push away Vincent's hand, but Vincent grabbed his hand and pulled the boy closer, placing his hand under the boy's chin. "...And your name is...?" His eyes glistened.

"Koutaro. I am Koutaro Mushiro... Ah, let go of me!" He pushed Vincent, who fell over in surprise.

"Aww, you're so cold... Shi-chan!" He jumped up and glomped Koutaro. "What the...? Stop it, blondie! Arobamon!"

Vincent quickly released his grip, whistled. The rest of the group entered the glade.

Yunamon sided with Vincent. "Let's not fight."

Koutaro looked at her. Around his shoulders was a white snake with a brown belly and a grey headadornment. It grinned at them.

It was a tense scene, until Koutaro looked closer at the girl. He recognized her from somewhere.

"Uhm you. Girl. Do I know you?"

She looked at him. "Do you?" She looked surprised. "Oh, you're... Mushiro-sempai...?"

He nodded at her. "Arobamon, down. They're allies." The snake ringled down to the ground.

Koutaro walked over to the group and introduced himself to all of them.

"... so we went to the same school, but I moved and changed schools two years ago. I am surprised you recognized me, Takenouchi-san."

"Please, call me Shizuka." She smiled and offered her hand. Seto suddenly stood between them, giving a glare to Koutaro. "Seto, what are you doing?" Shizuka asked, confused. Seto just walked away and sat down with Raikemon to take a look at his wounds.

The night closed in, and they decided to set up camp.

The Digimon gathered food and made a fire. Shizuka and Seto unpacked their sleepingbags. As did Vincent and Tina. Koutaro didn't have one.

"You can sleep with me, Shi-chan." Vincent winked at him. "It will be warm and cozy."

"No thank you, blondie." Koutaro said in a forced friendly tone.

"We can gather leaves and you can use a blanket from us." Shizuka offered as she giggled a little at Koutaro's forced tone of voice.

"I-I think it will be a cold night, so we should sleep close together to keep the warmth." Tina said.

Seto looked surprised at her. She blushed.

"Actually, it's a great idea, Tina!" He said.

"T-thank you..." She smiled at him.

They followed Tina's idea, and layed in a row with their Digimon next to them.

They slept well that night. A little too well.

An explosion in the distance woke Shizuka. She sat up and looked around, still sleepy.

She yawned and was about to go back to sleep when she heard a voice.

"Help... Help me." A mediumsized Digimon, about 56 cm in height, crawled out from the bushes. It was purple with a red scarf around it's neck, red gloves and a yellow smileyface on it's belly. The wounds on it's body were bleeding.

"Oh no! Lay still!" She got up and kneeled to the Digimon's side. "You poor thing! What happened?"

"I... separated..." The Digimon fainted from the pain. She tended to it's wounds and quickly placed it in her sleepingbag and made sure it was warm.

Shizuka quietly layed down next to Yuzimon and felt asleep.