A/N: Get ready for a few surprises this chapter…

Sunlit Town was more of a village than a town. It reminded Artur of night elf architecture from WoW, the mix of Japanese and magic wood bending. Yet whereas those in-game areas were more blue and purple, Sunlit Town was a modest brown and hints of dark red, warm was the best word to describe it. The only thing sticking out was a small train station cutting right through the middle of the village. Now in the mayor's building, yep democracy all the way, Artur and Guilmon awaited not so patiently.

"That old Mon better hurry up, we have a quest to fulfill!" Guilmon muttered under his breath. Artur was glad to see his partner was nothing like the one from the show. Tamers might have been his favorite season but nonetheless, he was glad his partner had a mentality around his own age. Kids were better in brief doses for the DigiDestined. The inside of the living/waiting room was decorated with a few photos of past mayors and their deeds, a couch and what looked a lot like a TV. There was a door leading to the mayor's office, it was guarded by a tall reptilian man that according to Guilmon and the 01 digivice, was called Dinohumon.

The stoic guard had only nodded at Guilmon when they entered and told them to wait until the mayor wrapped up some other business. A few minutes ago he was glad that he had a reply on the chat group. Fred was there, good, he was as loyal as they came, surely a valuable ally in the future. The DigiDestined chuckled. The warm sound took Guilmon out of his own thoughts. The dragon, for no dinosaur could light up a fireplace like Guilmon, tilted his head as his eyes met Artur's.

"I got an answer, Fred and his partner, Phascomon, are on a trailmon heading here," Artur had received a story of what happened to his friend since arriving. Good news were that he and his partner were getting along, bad news was that there was a bounty on their heads. All of them. Artur got worried for the other DigiDestined whomever they were, Lynn went offline a while back, not making any posts on the group. From what Guilmon had told him, he estimated there were at least 4 or 5 more people scattered around the place.

"Phascomon? He up and left town a few days ago, so now he decides to come back," Guilmon frowned as he remembered the quiet demon digimon. Despite the space on the couch, Guilmon preferred to pace around the room. Artur nodded with a hint of amusement, if he wasn't tired from the walk he would probably be pacing with his partner. Yet, for a tired body a couch was like heaven. Despite the exhaustion, the thought of sleep was foreign, his mind was in a rush. While he learned a few new things during their walk, he still worried for his friends and unlike the original, the 01 digivice lacked tracking capabilities.

"You two know each other?" Artur asked, Fred admitted that the koala didn't share his background. Guilmon didn't answer, not vocally at least, the two wing like appendages on the back of his head flattened. Before Artur could inquire further, a knock from the office before the door burst open. Artur could swear he saw a few splinters flying. A short demon with a mouth as large as his body, short red hair and large eyes had kicked the door open.

"The Oni have given you more than enough time elder, now you're done for!" The short figure barked, the mayor looked like a very short human. But with a scruffy white hair and beard that concealed nearly all of his face. He didn't reply as the short demon shot off through an open window.

"Come in DigiDestined," The mayor beckoned them with his staff, which ended with a decoration similar to a clawed paw. Guilmon frowned but moved quickly, Artur stood up and followed. As they entered the office, the elder beckoned for him to close the door. Artur noted how it creaked ever so slightly. Not enough to be annoying but enough to notice, it reminded him of a Halt's hut in Ranger's Apprentice.

"Guilmon said you already knew much of this events, and he already covered the details, I'm Jijimon, Mayor of Sunlit Town and I'm glad to see another human after all these years," The mayor introduced himself. He sat on a chair that elevated him to a respectable height. Guilmon snorted at the elder's words, Artur gently poked the dragon beneath the ribs, respect. Jiijimon also noted the dragon's rudeness and rewarded him with a whack on the head.

"Oh come on, you're old but a millennia? Even for you that's overkill gramps!" Guilmon spoke up, clutching a growing bump on his head with his left arm while swinging the right arm wildly. Jijimon shook his bearded visage and slammed the butt of his staff on the floor. Guilmon frowned but stopped arguing.

"As I was saying, I was just a hatchling when humans appeared for the second time, even so, there have been over 3 times in the past when humans appeared," Jijimon continued. Artur sighed, so what was he and his friends? Team 04? Ignoring the teen's response the old mayor continued.

"Each time, they brought a new possibility and abilities to the table, oh the power of Fractal Scan, the union of BioMerge, DNA Evolution… I wonder what new power your generation will bring…" Jijimon spoke in a dreamy tone. Artur just crossed his arms. BioMerge and DNA he recognized, but Fractal Scan? Artur voiced his questions, as jijimon considered it, he retrieved an old book with yellowed pages from his library. When he opened the page, Artur leaned closer even as Guilmon looked away in disinterest.

"The first time humans came was in an age of tyranny, a prophecy had foretold their arrival so the tyrant's forces were on edge," Jijimon explained, Artur could picture the humans scrambling and meeting their partners. He didn't even bother to consider if the characters from the show were real, no, if they were his world should be far more aware by now. Yet he couldn't help but picture an Agumon and a boy at the head of the group.

"Instead of simply channeling the Light of Digivolution like the second generation, the humans could, even if not consciously at first, turn a piece of themselves into data and then convert it into Fractal Code. Fractal code is essentially the second deepest layer of a digimon's being, it can also reveal itself to save the digimon's primary data if said digimon lose a fight. Well, in the Digital World, the transformation of a soul's essence into data was easy, humans sacrificed it to empower their partners," Jijimon explained. Artur shot a worried look at Guilmon. Despite knowing that his digivice didn't, or at least shouldn't, work that way, the idea of sacrificing a piece of himself every time the dragon had to digivolve…

"But the other generations didn't have to," Guilmon spoke up, his golden eyes meeting Artur's in reassurance. Artur gave the dragon a brief smile in thanks for the support. Yet by then, the dragon was already back to gazing through the open window.

"Yes indeed, newer digivices just needed to contact their user's will to empower evolution, the evolutions weren't as amazingly powerful but they got the job done so to speak," Jijimon explained in a little more depth. Artur sighed in relief, at least he didn't have to worry about losing his essence, whatever that meant. Before he could inquire further, Guilmon spoke up.

"Phascomon and a guy I assume is Fred are here, come on Artur!" Guilmon rushed out without sparing the mayor a glance. Artur turned to the mayor, the bearded figure nodded and made a shoo gesture with his free hand. The teen nodded in return before running after his partner. As soon as they were out of range, Jijimon chuckled.

"To think he shares the same name as the original Chosen of Courage, fate works in strange ways doesn't it…" Jijimon chuckled to himself, hidden in his drawer was a picture. A large group of teenagers and young adults had joined together for the picture. At the forefront was a young adult in his twenties with an Agumon, a teenager reaching adulthood years with a Dracomon and another teen, not too young nor too old, a Dorumon smiling by his side. Yet Jijimon's eyes trailed to a boy in the corner, he looked a bit shy but the Patamon on his head was smiling broadly.

"Ah Michael, I wonder what you would think of current events…" Jijimon spoke fondly as memories of past adventures filled his ancient mind. Alas, his time as a hero was over, it was the new Artur and his generation's turn now…

Outside, Fred breathed in the fresh air. Phascomon had insisted they remained in the train through the stops and on their set to avoid bringing attention to themselves. After the grime and closed alleys of Smoke City, the seemingly magical village with that sweet fresh air was wonderful. While Fred would never admit it, seeing Artur again would be great. He might be stubborn, he might talk a bit too much once he got excited and he would nag him about lore, but he was like the brother Fred always wanted.

First his partner, Fred recognized Guilmon from Artur's description. The red dragon spared an annoyed glance at Phascomon, who was once again sleeping on Fred's head. Occasionally the short demonic wings flapped to adjust him to Fred's movements. Otherwise, the koala slept soundly. A few moments after Guilmon, Artur arrived with a grin.

"I don't have a thermometer but I can tell it's too hot for a hoodie," Fred decided not to show how glad he was to see his old friend. Guilmon looked confused and Phascomon continued to not pay attention, Artur just shrugged before adjusting the sides of his unzipped hoodie.

"Keeps me comfortable, any news on other people?" Artur asked curiously, Fred shook his head. Aside from Lynn briefly appearing online, none of their friends were online. That left them with 3 possibilities. Their friends had damaged their phones somehow, were unable to take them to this world and lastly, and worst case, they had never met the other DigiDestined before. The last possibility worried both, neither was good in socializing.

"How does a tour of the village sound?" The soft voice of Phascomon almost went unheard. But he was fairly close to Fred's head and a certain someone had made Artur really good at catching words spoken softly. Guilmon raised a brow, about a few seconds ago he thought Phascomon didn't even bother learn the name of the train station. Sure neither did he but that was because Guilmon was busy training to fight. Fred looked uncertain at Phascomon.

"Might as well, we can discuss how to find the others at dinner," Guilmon decided, Artur looked a bit uncertain about food but Fred had not eaten since breakfast. At Guilmon's agreement, Phascomon pointed north, time to get a lay of the land. None of them were aware, at least not consciously, that peace would not last for them…

"We are so lost!" Lynn shouted angrily. After the incident with Ebidramon they had tried to make their way through the forest without success. Despite the heat, Lara put on her hoodie to protect her arms from the constant thorny bushes they had to make their through. Lynn had no such option, her arms had quite a few light cuts and bruises already.

"Perhaps if you hadn't ran when we first met, we might be in Sunlit Town by now," Leormon pointed out, annoyance clear. Yet whereas Lynn struggled through the terrain, Leormon moved like he was a fluid part of it. His soft yet thick fur protected him from the thorns and his agility allowed him to run past roots and obstacles without ever tripping. Lynn glared at the lion, but the feline didn't seem to care.

"Sunlit Town… what is it like?" Lara asked, hoping to divert their focus before another argument erupted. Leormon's angry expression soon turned proud as he puffed his chest. Kudamon cast an amused glance as Leormon started to talk.

"It's the best place in the Digital World, there is this huge train station that goes right past the center, the houses are all painted with warm colors, it's just awesome!" Leormon described it in his own way. Seeing the lion cub so cheerful despite her own troubles angered Lynn, before she could voice it, another, raspier voice caught their attention.

"The mayor refused to surrender the names and locations, if he doesn't cooperate, we take them by force!" Unknown to them, it was the same short demon that had barged out of Jijimon's office earlier. In front of him was a huge creature Lynn compared to an ogre, for Lara, it was more an oni. The horns and gaping mouth gave it away for an anime fan like herself. The ogre nodded with a cruel smile before raising his club and resting it over his shoulder.

"Good, the bosses finally decided it was time to step out into public view, been a while since I had a good rampage," The ogre spoke, he sounded older than the partners, but rough and arrogant. A thug, a brief memory passed over Lynn's head, she locked it away. The shorter demon chuckled as they began to walk, on the opposite direction Lynn and Lara had been aiming for.

"Sunlit Town is going to become Dusty Ruins in a few hours!" Ogremon cackled. The partners and humans shared a look and a decision. At least they weren't lost anymore.

A/N: Chapter 4, I had been hoping to introduce a second surprise. But yeah, this story will be connected to the future rewrites of my old stories. I can guarantee there won't be many changes other than more characterization and a few tweaks of the plot. Oh and changing Lucas' partner to Dorumon for other special reasons. After much consideration, I had to change Zubamon to Guilmon, but there is a very, very good reason I hope you guys approve. That reason? Chapter 5 should offer the answers you seek…

PS: Don't forget to leave a review, a wise author once said:

"What you call being "too lazy to review" is what we call "a flame to the pages" as the writers. That one minute or two that you felt "too lazy" to review is another minute of creeping discouragement that all writers feel as they begin to think..."