Mickey Reid's Story

"Really? Now you're getting into fights?"

"I..."

"Shut up."

Mickey stiffened slightly at how sharply his mother cut him off, his scabbed knuckles cracking slightly as he clenched and unclenched his fist as a hard-wired coping mechanism he'd developed at some point. Andy and Donna, his older siblings didn't even bother to dignify the familiar scene with their attention as they sat at the table eating dinner and Abby, his little sister, visibly fidgeted a little and kept her eyes firmly transfixed on her peas.

"Y'know, maybe if you spent less time planting your head into someone else's fist and actually studied, you might actually do something right once in a while."

"But-."

"Shut. Up."

Mercifully, the alarm on his phone went off, letting him know he had to get to work. Usually he would've been able to cram some food into his gullet by now, but under current... circumstances... he hadn't even been able to sit down at the table.

Not that it would've made much of a difference as, quite purposefully, no plate was left out for him tonight.

"I'm going to work." The boy ground out and, in spite of the frigid glare his mother gave him, clicked the alarm off and started back towards the door.

"Try not to fuck it up." She called after him as he went, turning back to her now cold meal "It really is the only thing you've got going for you."

For a second, the boy considered telling her where to shove her opinion, but managed to keep his mouth shut.

Abby, for her part, began to tear up a little, still staring at her peas so as to avoid eye-contact.

---------

Shutting the oxygen and acetylene off, Micky pulled off his goggles, wiped the sweat off his brow and set the torch down, the soot on his face somewhat obscuring the shiner he was sporting around his left eye.

His mother wasn't entirely wrong- a part-time job working a torch and grinder at the shipyard wasn't a bad gig for a kid his age; even if it was 'Grunt Work' as she liked to dismiss it, he was still making hand and fist more than most other kids in this town. Especially when he was being paid double for overtime as he was now, not really having to worry about school this week due to his being suspended anyway.

It occured to him as he brought a bottle of water up to his split lip that he probably should've called home and let her know he wasn't coming back 'til around nine in the morning. On the other hand, she probably would've given him shit for that too, as she had so heartily done so for the crime of caving in the face of the guy dumb enough to try and rob his little sister.

Not that she probably knew that part mind you, but she hadn't exactly cared to let him explain.

A vibration in his pocket derailed that train of thought before it could pick up any more steam, and he pulled off one of his gloves and pulled out his phone to glance at the screen, seeing a bunch of missed calls he'd been too busy to notice; one from his mom, two from his dad and over thirty from Abby.

Plus one email.

Not exactly feeling like calling anybody back at three in the damned morning, he thumbed over the odd message out and opened it.

Suddenly, the world went black around him, and then just as suddenly it came back.

Also, for some reason, he was now falling face-first out of a goddamned tree.

---------

With a groan, Mickey stirred, finally coming to and heaving himself up onto his hands and knees from the heap of dirt and broken twigs he'd been laying in. Blinking a few times as his vision melted and shaped back into something comprehensible, he found himself, oddly enough, surrounded by what looked like subtropical forest.

"What..." He started while picking up his hat, staggering to his feet and brushing the dirt off it and his denim work jacket. "...The hell?"

"Finally had your beauty sleep, eh?"

Mickey stiffened slightly at the low but powerful voice that sounded directly behind him, turning his head slowly to face the speaker. There he found a little orange honest-to-God dinosaur, just a bit taller than his waist and covered nearly head to toe in disfiguring scars.

"Yo."

A talking dinosaur.

Meeting his silent, incredulous stare, with a clearly amused expression, the reptillian spoke again.

"You have no idea where the hell you are, do you?"

"So, uhh... this 'Angemon' guy... what does he want from me, exactly?"

"Eh. Something about an 'Ancient evil', 'Five heroes chosen by destiny', 'Something, something Digivice...'" The scarred dinosaur, Agumon, as he'd learned to call him responded "Wasn't really paying attention to be honest; I was a little caught up in how much I'd rather be talking to his sister."

Mickey could only fix the Digimon with an incredulous stare.

"That... seems like an awful lot of important shit to tune out just to daydream about a girl."

"You've clearly never met Angewomon."

It was with that remark that the duo finally made it into a clearing after what must've been three straight hours of bushwhacking through rough country and dense forest, for which Mickey was quite grateful that he was still in his workboots, as walking through what was behind him without them would've led to his ankles twisting every goddamn way but right. Taking off his cap to wipe the sweat off his brow, the lad turned his eyes to the top of the hill that was before them now, namely at the impossibly bright light radiating from it's summit.

"That's him?"

"Yup."

"Alright." Mick growled, pulling his hat back on and starting up the hill "Let's see what he wants."

"Heh..."

"What is it?"

"Sorry..." Agumon started with an amused grin "...Just thinking that, for someone who litterally fell face-first into another world today, you've got an awful lot of moxie."

"Oh, shaddup..."

With that, the young man and his now-snickering companion pressed on to meet the one guy that could give them some answers.

As the beacon Angemon was creating faded away he landed and looked at the three Digidestined that actually made it to him. "Hello, I am Angemon one of three apostles o the Sovereigns and I have something for you three from them." Angemon said as small balls of light appeared before each of the kids, in the lights were small devices. "I was asked to explain why you have been brought here, and make a request to you all."
Angemon said as he slam his staff in to the ground letting out a blinding light and soon the whole group was in the throne room of a castle.

"This is Castle Eden, it is my home and where the three of you can stay while in the Digital World. I understand that you may feel confused so I will explain why you are here and what the Sovereigns' request is." Angemon spoke as three chairs appear behind where the Digidestined stood, he sat down on the throne."Long ago a great evil threaten the balance of the Digital World, this evil attempted to conquer the whole of the Digital World with fear. Ikelosmon, empowered by the fears of Digimon gained a massive amount of power and soon rivaled that of the Sovereigns, and so in a last ditch effort the Sovereigns decided to try and seal away his strength, as destroying a power of that level may have endangered the the Digital world. It took all of their strength to seal him away for what was supposed to be eternity." As Angemon spoke a large tapestry behind him began to show the the story.

"Sadly though the battle took a toll on the Sovereigns, and the once gods of the Digital world had lost most of their power, and were not able to stop what was to come. Without the Sovereign to keep the world in check chaos ensued and strong Digimon claimed territories. The Territory heads are immensely strong, I will tell you how to deal with a territory head if I assume it may be a problem." Angemon stated as the tapestry showed battles between Digimon illustrating the wars that had gone on prior to them showing up."The Wars and construction of territories weren't the only thing to happen with the aftermath of the war, 10 special artifacts once hidden from the Digital World by the Sovereigns were released into the world, the Digital Matrices. The Matrices are what gave their power to those devices I gave you, only a portion of their powers are in there and you'll learn how great of a power those hold." Angemon continued without giving the Digidestined a chance to talk yet.

"Those Matrices are now the objective of Ikelosmon who has returned in a weakened state like the Sovereigns, he plans to use the Matrices to get his power back. We need your power, the power of the Digidestined, special humans chosen to save our world. Barbamon, a soldier of Ikelosmon is using the power of Digivices that he stole and using humans to get the Matrices to fully return Ikelosmon to power to take over the Digital world. Now will you please assist us in saving the Digital World?

As Jin walked down the hill toward Angemon, they were quickly bypassed by another Human and a lion like creature. After making it to the bottom of the hill he saw another group appear, this time the Digimon looked like a dinosaur. Soon after the got there the light began to faded and Angemon began to land before the three of them.

As the small turquoise landed in his hand, Jin looked at Dracomon, the colors matched him at most exactly. Soon in what seemed like an instant they were in a castle's throne room. Angemon look little time to allow them to adjust and began telling them a story. It was like the plot of a video game, a great evil and of course it is mature adults that are trained or anything but kids that have to save the world. Jin looked around the throne room, this had to be real he now realized. Angemon hadn't stopped talking even though Jin wasn't fully paying attention. Angemon finally made his request and called them something, Digidestined. "So this really is the real deal. Why me? us? What makes us three, and those others so special? If you need people to save this world why kids? Jin asked Angemon who sat quietly before Dracomon butted in, "Because it can't be anyone else, we partners are connected there is no other choice it you are my human and I am your Digimon. We have to do this Jin, this is my world and even if you have to think it is all a game and none of it is real, help us please. I am going to need your power, and maybe just maybe you'll get something out of it too." Dracomon said looking at Jin but also trying to relay the message to the others. "Well said Dracomon. It is exactly as he says it is not our choice exactly, but if you really don't want to help I can keep you safe here until the Sovereigns get the power to send you home." Angemon responded. Jin now whether he agreed or not he was stuck here for awhile. "If I am stuck here anyway I guess there is no reason not to help until I am able to go home." Jin said as he began to walk out of the throne room, Dracomon followed behind him after talking to Angemon. "He is probably just scared he'll coming around eventually I promise. I'll show him to a room. Angemon nodded then looked over at the others awaiting their answers.
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Shiori listened to Barbamon, he got to the point quickly, If she wanted the strength she was promised she would have to agree to these terms. It seemed like a pretty cut and dry deal one favor for another. Lunamon seemed worried by the deal, she never trusted trusted the virus Digimon in general and Barbamon had always made her feel uneasy. While Shiori was still going over her choices Mia and Owen agreed, they hadn't seemed to troubled by the idea. Shiori knew she had to agree but could feel Lunamon's unease, assuming she was worried Shiori may leave "Don't worry Lunamon, I am going to help them. We get to stay together." Lunamon smiled at Shiori's attempt to console her. She was only told that she was to go meet Shiori no detail at all, and now they are to go on this big with these weird people. Lunamon continued to worry about what this was all about until she realized Shiori was ready to answer Barbamon, "Yes! Lunamon and I will help as well. If it is to get what I was promised it is only fair I do a favor for this Ikelosmon." Luna looked at Shiori and just smiled, even though she still didn't know what Shiori had wished for she could see it was important to her.

Once they made it down the Mal started breathing heavily. "All man! We weren't the first ones here! This is your fault, slow-poke!" Coronamon said as he pointed towards the other pair that beat them there. "Right....my bad.....I'm not out of shape or anything, but my God, can an Olympic athlete even keep up with you, you big fuzzy jumping bean?" Mal asked as he finally caught his breath. "Yeah.....I have no idea what that is." Coronamon replied. Mal looked at the pair that beat them down here. He then noticed that his partner was a dinosaur-dragon thing, and so was the guy they pasted on the hill partner. Was Coronamon really the only mammal here?

"So....what now?" Mal asked aloud, not really addressing it to anyone. Then the pillar of light faded, and a angel-like Digimon appeared. "Angemon?" Mal muttered to himself. Coronamon seemed to be in awe. Then the orbs of light appeared, and dropped a small device in his hand. "What the? Yeah, I already have a phone, and this seems to be a few steps back." Mal muttered. Angemon then slammed his staff into the ground, and a blinding light emitted, and suddenly they were in some kind of castle. Mal then rubbed his eyes, not sure to believe what he's seeing. Mal turned around to see a chair that was made for him. Mal sat down, and Coronamon leaped up, and sat on the arm of the chair.

Mal listened to Angemon's story, and watched as the tapestry showed the story as he told it. He couldn't help but feel that he's in way over his head. Then Mal heard that they wouldn't be able to send them back home. Well crap. "Alright, fine. Count me in. I would recommend that you pick someone with ACTUALLY combat experience to be your savior." Mal answered. "But since that's not an opinion, then I guess I have no choice. I can't just sit around here on my hands and do nothing." He said with a grin. "Awesome! That means I don't need to drag you around any where!" Coronamon chimed in.