I don't own Digimon. But I do own any original characters that are of my own design.

Title: Expect the Unexpected

Summary: Kimiko is the estranged daughter of Mitsuo Yamaki. For her fifteenth birthday, she acquires the Digimon: Labramon and becomes the fourth Digimon Tamer.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Next Step (In Evolution)

It had been almost twenty-four hours since the Tamers had left the real world for the Digital one. Twenty-four hours since their parents had discovered them missing or had come to the realisation that they were going to be gone longer than anticipated. Many of the parents hadn't believed their children, insisting that they were playing some stupid game, but when they hadn't come home the previous evening they had started to worry.

"Wait, wait, what? They're here and they're not here, what kind of explanation is that?" Katsumi Akiyama asked, bewildered by the explanation he was receiving. He had landed in Shinjuku with his wife and daughter almost a day ago and had received the news that his granddaughter, Kimiko, had disappeared to a different realm in search of a creature called a Digimon.

"How is that even possible?" Yoshiko Akiyama asked quietly.

"Look, just tell me where this Digital World is, and I'll go get Kimiko myself, alright?" Katsumi said.

"Getting there is not so easy, I'm afraid," Daisy explained.

Suddenly, Kenta's mother, Takako, burst into tears. "Oh, my poor Kenta," she sobbed.

"It's okay, honey," her husband said, soothingly. "Trust Janyu, or trust someone I guess." He looked around the room at the others present. "She's upset because Kenta left a note by the coffee pot instead of saying goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Rika's grandmother asked, lowering her coffee cup. "Oh, but I'm sure they'll be coming back."

"What proof do you have of that?" Kazu's father asked.

"People!" Jeri's father suddenly shouted. His voice startled everyone and caused them to turn their attention to him. "We can argue about this all day, but Mr Wong can explain everything. If you would just pipe down for one tiny minute and stop interrupting."

Kazu's father made an impatient sound and returned to his seat.

"I know this is a tense time for all of you," Janyu said, walking over. "But we all want what's best for you children, don't we?" He fixed his glasses. "Now, where did I leave off?"

"You were saying something about why it had to be children," Takato's father answered. "What does that mean?"

"I'll answer this one," said Dolphin.

Mr Wong nodded.

"I was one of the first people to create Digimon back in the day," Dolphin explained. "When we programmed the early Digimon we based them on stories or dreams of our children, and now it seems that those creatures that we created have an affinity for kids. Digimon simply like children. I also think that the bond between a Digimon and the children is based on imagination and belief. You need a child's power of belief to open a gate to the Digital World."

"But how do we get that?" Rika's mother asked, standing abruptly. "I mean, I don't if I've ever had that."

"You'll have to find a deeper belief or we may never see Rika again," her mother said. Rika's mother sighed and fell back into her seat.

Sasha Akiyama buried her head in her hands. Oh, Kimi, she thought. She was desperate to see her daughter again.

~*Expect the Unexpected*~

Kimiko groaned and slowly, carefully, pushed herself to her knees. Her whole body ached and she could only guess it was from hitting the ground. She touched a hand to her throbbing head and looked around.

"Where am I?" Kimiko asked. There was no one and nothing around for miles. Nothing interesting that was, at least. She groaned again and made her way to her feet. Ahead of her looked to be a small wall, she run towards it and looked out over the other side.

The area was as blue as the ocean, and in the dead centre there looked to be a huge bubble. The bubble wasn't a single round sphere, however, it had strands coming out from every surface, each one extending and twisting to a different place.

"Woah, it's like an intersection of tubes," Kimiko murmured. "I wonder where they all lead?" She looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of other bubbles, but there were none except for the giant one. "I wonder if that's where I'm supposed to be? But how do I get inside?"

Turning to her right, Kimiko saw a path leading down to the section below. She bit the inside of her cheek and pushed away from the wall. The path fell at an angle, and the incline looked steep. But from what she could see there seemed to be no other way.

Exhaling heavily, Kimiko gripped the straps of her backpack and looked down the path again. It looked to be endless, especially since she couldn't see the bottom, and she had no idea where it went or even led. It was not a good idea to follow the path, she knew that, but she also didn't have any other choice.

She had to find a way back to her friends.

"Okay," Kimiko whispered, taking a tentative step forward. "Here we go…" She stepped off the ledge, her foot connecting with solid stone, but at an angle. At least there seemed to be gravity in this strange place.

One step.

Two-step.

Three step.

Kimiko mentally counted each step as she walked down, her legs burning with each one as she walked at an angle. But it was too late to turn back now, she had started this journey, and she intended to see it through.

~*Expect the Unexpected*~

"What happens now?" Yoshiko Akiyama asked, looking up at the Monster Makers. "What do we do to help our children?"

"Unfortunately, there's nothing much you can do," Daisy said. She knew that wasn't something the parents wanted to hear, but they had no idea what was happening to their children. "Your best bet now is not to worry, I know that's asking a lot, but worrying isn't going to make matters any easier."

"That's easy for you to say," Katsumi said. "Your children aren't in dangerous lands."

"Dad, please," Sasha said. "They're just trying to help."

"Then they should try harder!" Katsumi said. "Our little girl is in an unfamiliar world. What if she's hurt, or worse?"

Yoshiko squeaked, tears in her eyes.

Sasha shook her head. "I know my daughter," she insisted. "Kimiko is alive and safe, and I believe her friends are too. They sound like a resourceful group. They'll look out for each other." She looked up at the Monster Makers. "Just, please, bring our children home."

Babel, an African-American monster maker, nodded at her. "We'll do everything we can," he promised. "Starting with getting in contact with the other Monster Makers that were on the project, and see what we can do. Janyu," he turned to his friend. "We'll be sure to keep you informed of our progress."

"And I'll be glad to help too," said Yamaki, stepping out of the elevator.

"And how do you propose to help us?" Janyu asked, defensively.

"I've got something here you might be interested in," Yamaki said, holding up his computer.

"Does it have to do with Juggernaut? That's what we saw in the sky yesterday, wasn't it?" Janyu stated. "Even after everything that has happened, you plan to use it again, don't you?"

"That was an accident," Yamaki insisted. He opened his laptop and approached the table that his ex-girlfriend was seated at with her parents. "Here, take a look," he said, setting the computer down in front of her.

Sasha inspected the screen and gasped. "It's from Kimiko!" she said. "She says that they made it and that they're all fine!"

The whole room seemed to relax.

"How did you get this?" Janyu asked Yamaki.

"Before they left, I gave them a gift," Yamaki answered. "One of my communication devices."

"Can you talk to Kimiko right now?" Katsumi asked.

Yamaki turned the computer towards him and quickly sent a reply. "I'll tell her that we're all here," he said.

"Wait," said Sasha. "It's a new email. This time from Takato." She looked up at the boy's parents.

"Takato?" Yoshie asked. "Is he okay?"

Sasha read the email thoroughly and looked up at the room. "He's sent an S.O.S," she said.

"An S.O.S.?" the room echoed.

"What's happened?"

"Are they alright?"

"Everyone, please, calm down!"

"You calm down!"

"Excuse me?"

Sasha sighed and looked back at the computer as another email came through. She tapped out a reply and hit sent.

"What did you say?" Yoshie asked.

"I just asked him to let the others speak," Sasha said. "I believe if we all receive a message, it'll calm things down."

Yoshie seemed to understand but didn't comment.

The computer beeped.

"He replied," Sasha said, turning to the computer again.

For the next few minutes, Sasha read out each child's reply to their respective parents and finally turned to Janyu. "Henry seems to be writing a novel," she joked.

"You're probably right," Janyu agreed, looking over her shoulder.

The computer beeped and both Sasha and Janyu read Henry's reply.

"Alright, here's what I think happened. When we touched the water we thought we were supposed to get wet, so we did, but this comms device didn't know to think that, so it didn't get wet and it didn't break. So all we have to do is believe that we won't drowned, and we can breathe the water. What do you think?"

"Is that possible?" Sasha asked.

"I don't know," Janyu admitted. "I suppose it might work."

"There is no need to guess," Yamaki said. "Tell him it will work. All he has to do is truly believe."

"Are you sure? That's a huge chance to take based on belief," said Sasha.

"I've never met any other group of kids that have used belief as their weapon," Yamaki said. "And these kids have the biggest source of belief known."

Sasha hesitating and turned back to Janyu as he replied to his son.

Just over a minute later, the computer beeped as Henry's reply came through.

"What's it say?" Sasha asked.

"It worked!" Janyu rejoiced.

"I knew it would work," Yamaki nodded. He closed the computer, took it in hand, and prepared to leave. He was stopped by Janyu.

Janyu took a second and then spoke. "Listen, Yamaki, I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye but if you'd like to help us, we'd be glad to have you on board," he held up his hand.

Yamaki considered the offer and then shook hands. "Thanks, Janyu," he said.

"Well, alright," Babel chuckled as he, and the rest of the monster makers, gathered around.

"Now, if only Shibumi were here," Daisy sighed.

Yamaki turned to her. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen," he informed them.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story," Yamaki said. "But I'll give you the short version. I had men looking for Mr Mizuno or Shibumi, but when they found him, he ran off and then disappeared into thin air."

"What are you saying?" Janyu asked. "Shibumi vanished?"

Yamaki shrugged. There was no other explanation for what his men had described, and there was no evidence to state that what they had seen didn't really happen.

As the monster makers contemplated what Yamaki had told them about their friend, Sasha approached her ex-boyfriend. "About Kimiko," she started.

"I'll let you know if I hear from her, or the others, again," Yamaki promised.

Sasha nodded. "Thank you," she said.

Yamaki bowed his head.

Sasha smiled and returned to her parents.

~*Expect the Unexpected*~

Reaching the bottom of the path, Kimiko heaved a heavy sigh as she saw a stretch of water blocking her path. Her gaze swept the area and she noticed the water seemed to engulf the entire vicinity of an island. She groaned and walked a short distance to the left, turned back and did the same on the right.

"Oh come on," Kimiko whined. She sat down and buried her head in her knees. She'd walked for what felt like hours downhill, her legs burned and she was started to get hungry. The only place that looked like a possible salvation had turned out to be a dead end.

The water lapped gently against the shore.

"Labramon, where are you?" Kimiko murmured, lifting her head and looking out to sea. The water was calm. There were no waves. Just silence. In the distance, she could see the bubble that had captured her attention when she had first awoken.

She felt a longing to be near it.

What are you? Kimiko thought.

Kimiko stood and stared into the distance. Her gaze transfixed on the bubble. She felt herself walking, her feet moving on their own accord, and then she felt the water seeping into her sneakers. It moved higher, lapping at her legs and drenching her trousers, making them heavier than normal.

But still, her eyes remained on the bubble.

It was like something was drawing her in, some invisible force that was calling out to her.

The further she walked, the higher the water rose.

A chittering sound snapped Kimiko out of her reverie and she looked up to see a bright creature floating above her. It was then she realised that she was no longer standing on solid ground, but rather treading water.

Kimiko gasped and whipped around in the water. The land was too far away to run back to, the water was up past her shoulders, her hair floating around her in the calm ocean. Panicking, Kimiko kicked her legs, hoping to make it back to the safety of the beach, but she didn't seem to be moving anywhere.

"Labramon!" Kimiko cried as her legs burned, and she was forced to rest. Her distress, she noticed, seemed to be causing a stir in the current. The water around her was no longer calm but rather picking up on speed and accuracy. It churned around her, pulling her in different directions as waves bobbed her up, down, and even under.

Kimiko gasped, choking on water as it entered her mouth. She spluttered as she resurfaced and took a deep gasp of breath as the water washed over her again. Her eyes closed against the clear seas but she could feel herself move.

In her loss of control, Kimiko flexed her fingers and reached for the surface where she could still see a faint light. Her hand broke the surface and she fumbled around for something to hold on to, but she was in the middle of the sea, there was nothing to grab.

Kimiko felt her lungs start to burn as she desperately kicked her legs towards the surface. She had to breathe. If she didn't breathe soon, she'd die from drowning and suffocation. She'd never see her mother again, her father, her family or friends.

Then she felt it.

Something warm.

It touched her fingertips then she felt nothing.

~*Expect the Unexpected*~

The first thing Kimiko became aware of when she started to regain consciousness were the voices around her. They sounded close but distant at the same time.

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know."

"She's freezing!"

"And soaked."

"Where do you think she ended up?"

"She's got grazes on her, so it had to have been a hard landing wherever it was."

"I'm just glad she's alive."

Henry?

Kimiko wrenched open her eyes at the thought. She recognised that last voice. It was Henry Wong. Her friend.

Her vision blurred.

Kimiko closed her eyes again. She kept them closed for a few seconds and then felt a shadow fall over her.

Reopening her eyes, Kimiko allowed them to adjust and a small smile crept onto her face. Henry and Takato were standing over her.

"Oh, thank god!" Takato sighed.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked. He looked relieved and happy.

"I-I think so…" Kimiko answered. She tried to sit up but felt a rush of pain to her head. She groaned and pressed the ball of her hand to her forehead.

"Easy," Henry said. He took her hand and clamped his free hand around her arm. Takato did the same and the two helped her stand, supporting her between them.

"What happened?" Takato asked.

Kimiko grimaced and blinked as she reopened her eyes. "I don't know," she answered. "One minute I felt like I was drowning, and then the next…"

"The next I almost tripped over you," Takato said. "You just appeared out of thin air. How did you do it?"

"I don't know."

Supporting Kimiko between them, Henry and Takato led her to the set of steps and sat her down. She leaned forward and buried her head in her knees, taking a few seconds to regain her consciousness, balance, and sense of self. She'd been on one hell of a trip, even if she didn't remember it.

"Kimi?"

Kimiko looked up and gasped as Labramon sat before her. "You're here!" she said, lunging forward and wrapping her arms around her partner's next. "I thought I'd lost you for good!"

"We're partners, Kimiko," Labramon said. "We'd always find each other."

Kimiko smiled and buried her face into Labramon's neck. "I was so scared without you," she admitted.

"Well, you don't have to be afraid anymore," said Labramon. "Because from now on, where you go, I go."

"I like the sound of that."

Labramon nudged Kimiko's head with her snout.

"Hey, what about me?" Terriermon asked. He ambled forward and jumped up onto Kimiko's shoulders, winding his ears around her for support.

Kimiko laughed and leaned back, allowing Terriermon to flop down into her arms. "I missed you too," she said, hugging him like a teddy. She looked back up at her human friends. "I missed all of you. Never thought I'd see any of you again."

"We'd have found each other eventually," Takato said.

"Yeah, but how long was it going to take?"

Takato shrugged. "We wouldn't have left you here," he said. "You could've counted on that."

Kimiko smiled and stood. She was still a little wobbly, and Henry had to hold her to prevent her from falling over again. But she seemed better than she had done a minute ago. "Where are we?" she asked, looking around.

"We don't know," Henry said. "We got here at the same time you did."

"It looks like a library," said Labramon, looking up at the building that towered above them.

Takato groaned. "We're in a completely different world, and I still can't get away from homework," he whined.

Kimiko carefully lifted her head and instantly felt a feeling wash over her. It was the same feeling she had felt when she had walked right into the middle of the ocean. She shivered and tore her gaze away.

"What is it?" Henry asked.

"I've got this… feeling," Kimiko admitted. "A feeling that just nearly killed me."

Henry and Takato exchanged looks.

"A killer feeling?" Takato asked. "That doesn't sound good."

"It's not," Kimiko admitted. "But, when I first woke up and was looking around for something or someone, I saw this bubble with tubes come out of it."

"That's where are right now," Labramon said.

Kimiko looked down, her eyes wide. "When I first saw the bubble I had this feeling that is where I was supposed to be," she said. "It led me to this steep path, which in turn led me to this island. I was about to give up when I saw the bubble again, and the next thing I know I'm in the middle of the ocean."

"You mean to say that the bubble has some influence over you?" Henry asked.

"Not some," said Kimiko, shaking her head. "It had total control of me. I was aware that I was walking, but I couldn't stop myself, I didn't want to stop myself."

"Then how did you almost drown?" Takato asked.

"Something broke my attention and snapped me out of it," Kimiko answered. "It was then I realised I was waist deep in the open ocean. I tried to swim back, but my legs were tired from the path, and no matter how hard I kicked, I just wasn't moving. I started to sink, and it was like my distress was like a trigger, the water started to churn. I was so scared."

Henry looked up at the building again. "And you get that same feeling from this place?" he asked.

Kimiko nodded. "It's drawing me in," she explained. "I know we should go in there, and we will, no matter how hard I try to fight this feeling, it always wins."

"We don't have to go in," said Henry.

"Yes, we do," said Kimiko. "There's no other way out of here. Don't ask me how I know that because I don't know. I know this place is important."

Again, Henry and Takato shared a look.

"We'll stick together, alright?" Takato offered.

Kimiko smiled and nodded.

Terriermon jumped up onto Kimiko's shoulders, winding his long ears around her again, and Labramon nudged her partner's legs.

"Nothing bad will happen to you while I am around," Labramon promised.

"I know," said Kimiko, petting her partner's head.

"Then let's get this over with," Takato said, starting up the steps.

Kimiko, Henry, and the two Digimon followed him.

The doors at the top opened, and the group stepped inside.

~*Expect the Unexpected*~

The library was deserted, save for a few ghost Digimon that acted as sentries and lanterns. The books looked relatively undisturbed but that didn't stop Takato from whining about them. He was complaining about reading for 100 years by the time they had reached the top of the stairs, and a secret passageway behind a bookshelf opened up as they passed.

"Hey, neat!" Takato grinned.

Kimiko gasped as she looked around the room. "Look!" she said, pointing to the centrepiece in the middle of the ceiling.

"Is that a giant digivice or is it just me?" Takato asked.

"It doesn't look like you," Terriermon joked.

Takato forced a laugh. "Funny," he said, sarcastically.

"I'd hate to meet the Tamer that owns that digivice," Henry said, nervously.

"He'd have to be a giant," Takato agreed.

Labramon nudged Kimiko's leg. "Someone's here," she said, her gaze on the figure at the bottom of the steps.

"He looks to be asleep," said Kimiko, looking closer. Again, she felt her feet move of their own accord. She took each step in stride, and seemingly with a purpose.

"Hey, Kimi, wait!" Takato called, racing after her. He reached her side as she finally touched the bottom step. "You weren't kidding about that feeling. You were on auto-pilot then."

Kimiko shivered and stepped closer to the desk, her hand reached out tentatively, poised and ready to touch the figure sleeping.

"I don't think that's going to work, Kimi," said Takato. "He looks transparent."

"Is he even real?" Henry asked.

Hearing them, but unable to control her actions, Kimiko felt her fingers to brush through the figure on the desk. He shimmered and she gasped. The spell broke and she stumbled back into her friends.

The figure moaned and lifted his head. "Hello," he said, groggily. "It's been awhile since I've seen someone solid."

"Well, that's something you don't hear every day," Takato murmured.

"What do you want?" the figure asked, raising a transparent hand.

"Who are you?" Henry asked. "Are you human or some kind of Digimon?"

"My name is Mizuno," the figure answered. "And, as to being human, the answer is yes. At least, I used to be."

"How in the world did you get here?"

"I could ask the same thing of the five of you. But why waste time with meaningless questions."

Kimiko frowned, cocking her head to the side. Mizuno looked eerily familiar to her. But she couldn't place where she had seen him before.

"I already know who you are, and why you're here," Mizuno said, sitting up straight. "Because, well," he chuckled. "I was the one who created you."

"Created us?" Takato asked. "We're just as real as you are. You didn't create us."

"Are you sure? Maybe you're all dreaming, as I am." Mizuno's eyes widened. "Maybe all beings, everywhere, are dreaming about what they will become, and when we all wake, we will begin our evolution."

"Geeze, even my dreams make more sense than this," Terriermon said.

Kimiko looked up.

"How come our Digivices look like that big thing up there?" Takato asked.

"They're arks," Mizuno explained. "For transporting data."

"Arks?" Henry repeated. "I heard my dad mention then once. You're not one of his old friends, are you? His name is Janyu Wong. He used to work with a group of programmers called the Monster Makers."

Mizuno stood from his seat. "You mean Tao," he replied. "I remember. That was a long time ago. So you're his son?"

"Yes, I am. My name's Henry."

"I'm Terriermon."

"I'm Takato."

Mizuno looked at the two boys and finally, his gaze landed on Kimiko. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Kimiko."

"You're afraid."

"Not of you," Kimiko said, quickly.

Mizuno laughed. "No. But you're scared of the feeling this place gives you," he said. "Would you like to know why?"

Kimiko nodded.

"You crave knowledge," Mizuno explained. "You're curious. Being curious and knowledgeable aren't necessarily bad traits to have, but they can have some nasty side effects. The data in the digital world is amplifying your curiosity and allowing to control her actions."

Kimiko looked down at the ground.

"Can you help us get home?" Takato asked, shifting Mizuno's attention from Kimiko and on to him.

"Well, I suppose I could," Mizuno said. "But I can't really promise anything. It's, you see, getting all the way back is not as easy as you think."

"Can we use one of these digivices or arks?" Takato asked, desperately.

Kimiko gasped as a book floated off of the bookshelf and hovered over the desk. It turned around, with its spine facing the blackboard, and opened its pages, revealing its contents.

"Perhaps. One of the functions of the arcs is to act as a toolbox to store organised data. They can be used to bring kindred. pairs together, just like the animals on Noah's Ark. But not even I'm sure of what they can do."

The book floated back to the bookshelf, and a white creature floated towards Mizuno.

"What is that?" Kimiko asked, quickly.

"It's a Digital Gnome," Mizuno answered. "I call them Digi Gnomes."

Kimiko took a hesitant step back as the Digi Gnome flew towards her.

"It likes you," Mizuno said.

"Likes me?" Kimiko repeated. "Then why did it try to kill me? I saw one of these things just before I nearly drowned."

"The digital gnome was trying to warn you about the dangers you were putting yourself in," Mizuno explained. "You weren't in control of your body and were wading further and further into the open ocean. When you realised what was happening, you panicked, and caused the commotion with the digital field which created the stormy waves."

Kimiko looked back at Mizuno. "How did I get out of it?" she asked.

"The digital gnomes saved you," Mizuno said. "They used precious data to transfer you to where you wanted to go. Here."

Kimiko blinked and looked back at the Gnome. She held out her hands and the creature settled carefully into her palms. Now that she had a better understanding of what had happened, she was no longer afraid. If anything, she'd admit the gnome was a cute little thing.

"What are Digital Gnomes?" Henry asked. "Are they some kind of Digimon?"

"No. They're another form of artificial intelligence that evolved on their own," Mizuno explained. "It just seemed logical to call them Digi Gnomes, at least to me."

"Sorry, but there is nothing logical about this place in the slightest," Kimiko said.

"Did they evolve from Digimon?" Takato asked.

"Not really," Mizuno answered. "They evolved from the Digital World itself. You see, just as the human body is made up of cells and Digimon are made up of data, the Digital World is a living thing. Made up of Digimon and other creatures, and as the Digital creature evolve so does the digital world."

Kimiko looked down at the Digi Gnome in her hand as it floated into the air, leaving behind a blue card in her palm. "Check it out!" she gasped, holding the card up to the others.

"It's a blue card!" Takato gasped.

"It may look like a card to you but it's really an algorithm," Mizuno explained. "A mathematical formula."

"A formula?" Henry repeated. "I don't get it. How does it work?"

Mizuno looked Henry over. "I'm sure Tao and the others forgot about Digimon when the project ended but I wanted to complete our work," he said. "So, I created an algorithm that would allow Digimon to evolve on their own to beyond what we humans could imagine."

"You're the reason for the Devas," Kimiko said as Mizuno's words sunk in.

"I originally wrote the algorithm to prove that the Digimon were more than just toys, that they were a true life form that could grow on their own. But I gather that the blue cards have a different meaning for the three of you," Mizuno said, looking genuinely interested. "How do you guys use the algorithm?"

"Well, I don't know about the algorithm part," said Takato, "but we use the blue cards to become Digimon Tamers."

Mizuno looked impressed. "That makes sense," he agreed. "The digital world is all about communication, and all communication is about bringing things into touch. It seems the blue card algorithm is being used for a purpose that I didn't quite intend - to bring Digimon and people together as partners."

More digi gnomes appeared and soared around Takato. They rested on his hands and allowed a holographic image of Guilmon to appear on the blackboard.

"That's my drawing!" Takato gasped.

"It would seem the Digi Gnomes used packets of data to create him when you dreamed him up," Mizuno explained. "Probably in an attempt to communicate with you, or Guilmon dreamed his data into existence and you simply became aware of him."

Terriermon jumped up onto Henry's shoulders. "Does that mean I was created especially for Henry?" he asked.

"Perhaps," Mizuno nodded.

"Yeah, created especially to annoy me," Henry grumbled.

"Hey!"

"Well, am I wrong?"

"Admit it, Henry, you'd be lost without me."

"Looks like I'm lost with you, too."

Kimiko looked down at Labramon.

"Looks like I was created especially to be your best friend, Kimiko," Labramon said, nudging her partner.

Kimiko smiled.

"Or maybe they were created in order to bring you all together," Mizuno said.

Kimiko and Henry shared a look. Without their digital partners they probably never would've met that day at the park, they would've never have become friends, or develop feelings for each other.

"But then, Guilmon's just data…" Takato murmured.

"So, do you know of a way to get out of here and back to the real world?" Henry asked.

"Yes, you must travel to the highest plane," Mizuno answered.

"So we've got to keep going up?"

Kimiko looked up. "That's the most logical thing I've heard since we arrived," she said. "But it also reminds me of the conversation I had with Ryo. The digital world is made of layers both above and below."

"Exactly!" Mizuno said, looking directly at Kimiko.

"How many layers are there?" Kimiko asked.

"There is only one more level above this one," said Mizuno, "and it's the level where the four most powerful, and evolved Digimon have made their home."

"The Digimon Sovereign," Kimiko said.

Henry and Takato turned to Kimiko.

"Wait, there's four of them?" Takato asked. "If they're anything like Azulongmon from the TV show, they must be huge! Do they protect the digital world?"

"It is rather ironic, don't you think?" Mizuno asked. "The Digimon have tried to evolve into large and stronger forms to set themselves apart from the humans that created them. But they've ended up taking on the form of ancient gods of the humans. Digimon and Humans will never be able to separate themselves from each other, they live in the same world, really, and it's only when that is recognised that the next evolution will begin."

Takato paused and turned to Henry. "If they protect this place then they're good, right?" he asked.

"That's not what Sensei says," Henry admitted. "He says that good and evil can switch definitions depending on your perspective."

"We called them evil because they were attacking us," Kimiko said. "But, from their perspective, they were doing good by protecting their world."

Takato sighed. When did things get so complicated?

"The Sovereign, as you called them, seem to want to accelerate Digivolution in order to resist something," Mizuno stated. "It seems they're afraid that they won't survive unless they find a way to defeat whatever they feel is coming to them."

"That's why they took Calumon," said Kimiko.

"I wonder what they're afraid of," said Henry.

"Yeah," Takato agreed. "What could defeat the Sovereign?"

Henry stepped forward, quickly. "Could it be someone like Yamaki used to be?" he asked.

Kimiko turned quickly to Henry.

"Or maybe it could be us," Henry added, just as quick.

"Maybe it's me," Mizuno laughed.

Kimiko furrowed her brow. "You said something about another form of evolution," she said, turning her attention back to Mizuno. "But it will only happen when humans and Digimon realise they occupy the same space."

Mizuno nodded. "That has yet to happen," he said. "Therefore, I cannot comment on what will happen when it does."

"You're talking about co-existence," said Kimiko. "The state, condition, or fact of living in harmony at the same time and in the same place."

Mizuno nodded.

"Haven't we already done that by accepting that the Digimon are real?"

Mizuno shrugged. "You tell me," he said. "Maybe this what that feeling of yours is leading you towards. Maybe, instead of fearing it, you should follow it."

Looking up, Labramon barked as a beam of light dropped down from the giant ark and engulfed her, Terriermon, and their humans.

"I have told you everything," Mizuno said. "The rest you must learn on your own, I'm afraid."

"What about you?" Takato asked.

"I'm very tired. I must sleep now."

Mizuno disappeared as the tamers and two Digimon entered the giant ark, the door closing underfoot.

"Man, that guy sure did give us a lot of information," said Takato. "But I'm more confused now than I was before."

"Is that even possible?" Terriermon teased.

"Heh-heh. Maybe the Digi Gnomes can erase Digimon, too," Takato said, threateningly.

Terriermon stuck his tongue out at the human and jumped down onto Labramon's back as they both observed the world through the gaping window beneath their feet.

~*Expect the Unexpected*~

After a few minutes of travelling, Henry looked around at his friends. Both Kimiko and Takato stood off in their own corners, both silent and unmoving.

Takato was looking down at the ground, almost afraid that the seemingly invisible glass would break underfoot, while Kimiko was staring into the dark corners of the ark, lost in the thought.

"You're awfully quiet," Henry said, approaching Takato first.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about Guilmon," Takato admitted. "And if what that guy told us is really true. If Guilmon is a part of me, and he's data, am I data?"

Kimiko perked up and turned slightly towards her friends. Takato seemed to be thinking along the same lines as she.

"Big deal, what's wrong with data? All Digimon are like that." Terriermon asked.

"I guess," Takato agreed. "It's just that… it's weird. I can handle being data, but if I lose Guilmon, I'll lose a part of myself."

Kimiko lowered her gaze and turned away as her last conversation with Mizuno played out inside her head.

Was co-existence with the Digimon the next logical step in evolution? Was it possible to merge with the Digimon? To exist at the same time and within the same place? And was that really what she had been feeling since being separated from Labramon and waking in the strange place.