So yeah, you may have thought that the whole Jen and Amanda leaving thing was part of John's character arch, and maybe the beginning of a character arch for Jen, but you're wrong. I mean yeah, it's part of John's character arch, but it's also actually a part of Amanda's character arch. Yep, she has one of those. Believe me, I'm surprised too!
Chapter Seventeen
Amanda Grows Up
Amanda
So anyone reading this already knows
me. Even though you do, I want to introduce myself. I'm Amanda. I'm a
little kid, I'm pretty whiny, and I get scared easily. I know all of
these things, and I try not to do them, because even though my family
and friends don't think so, I understand that what we've been asked
to do for the Digital World is important. Those things just come so
easily to me, and sometimes I can't help it. At the time that this
story takes place, I was pretty mad at my cousin John for not being
nice to me when some Digimon scared me. He's supposed to be in charge
and take care of us! Of course I was also pretty mad at my cousin Jen
for taking me away from John and Sarah.
I know I told her that I want to go
home, but I didn't really mean it. She didn't know that, though, and
I didn't want to tell her because I knew that she was only trying to
help me. I was also a little annoyed because I knew that she wanted
me to grow up a little and stop being so scared and annoying and
stuff, but I was plenty grown up! I just don't like hard work, and I
don't like to hurt peoples' feelings. So I keep stuff inside and I
act annoying to make up for it.
“This stinks,” I said, acting annoying, just like I said, “We don’t even know where we’re going.” Jen and I had been walking through the forest all day, and it was getting annoying. My feet hurt. But that wasn't really what I cared about, though. I felt tired and my feet hurt because I really wanted to turn around and go back to the others. But I couldn't say that. Jen was trying to help me, and I didn't want to make her feel bad.
“I know, cousin,” Jen replied, unaware of how I really felt, “but there’s nothing else we can do. We have to keep going until we find someone who knows the way back to the desert. It's the only place I know of that might have a clue as to how we can get you home.”
I sighed. I was walking alongside Chickomon. Jen looked over at me and saw this, and she said, “Why don't you get up on Chickomon's back and sleep for a while.”
“This stinks,” I said, acting annoying, just like I said, “We don’t even know where we’re going.” Jen and I had been walking through the forest all day, and it was getting annoying. My feet hurt. But that wasn't really what I cared about, though. I felt tired and my feet hurt because I really wanted to turn around and go back to the others. But I couldn't say that. Jen was trying to help me, and I didn't want to make her feel bad.
“I know, cousin,” Jen replied, unaware of how I really felt, “but there’s nothing else we can do. We have to keep going until we find someone who knows the way back to the desert. It's the only place I know of that might have a clue as to how we can get you home.”
I sighed. I was walking alongside Chickomon. Jen looked over at me and saw this, and she said, “Why don't you get up on Chickomon's back and sleep for a while.”
For some reason I really didn't want to
do this right now. Maybe it was because if I slept I couldn't go back
to John and Sarah and their Digimon if I decided to. Maybe I just
wanted to feel like a bigger part of the team now that it was just me
and Jen and our Digimon. I don't know. I just know that I didn't want
to sleep, or even ride on Chickomon's back. But Jen thought it was a
good idea, so I climbed up onto my Digimon's back, curled up, and
drifted off to sleep.
It was dark when Jen woke me up. “Amanda, wake up,” she said in that really careful way that older kids and adults talk to little kids, “You’ve been out for, like, two hours. It’s time to set up camp.”
Grudgingly I awoke and went to work helping to make a fire and set up the bed mats. Chickomon helped me out while Jen and Coltmon worked to remove meat apples from the surrounding trees. When an apple fell right on Jen’s head, I almost thought I could laugh.
Finally we had a comfortable camp, a warm fire, a hot meal, and a chance to relax and talk.
“You okay Amanda?” asked Jen. She seemed a bit worried.
“Yeah,” I said, “I’m okay.”
Jen was quiet for a minute, and then she said, “You know, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to find a way home.”
“I know,” I said, my head resting on my hand. In fact, that possibility had been bugging me for awhile. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I found out that I had betrayed my friends, my family, for nothing. If I did get back home, I at least wouldn't have to worry about any of this anymore, and Jen could go back and help John and Sarah and everyone on my place. But if there was no way home, we could be out here looking forever, and no good would come of it.
Jen nodded at my response, but she didn't say any more, keeping me out of the loop. Soon we were finished eating and it was time to sleep. The forest where we were now was so quiet that Jen decided that we could all sleep at the same time. If something came close, we would hear it.
Jen, the Digimon, and I were all awoken by a loud sound nearby. It wasn't the middle of the night, though. It was the next morning, and I was wide awake in a second. I jumped up out of my bedroll and let out an involuntary startled scream.
“Shh,” Jen commanded, crouched down at my side, looking out into the forest through the brush, “we need to head out of here quietly.”
“What is it?” I asked, unable to suppress a whimper of fear.
“A battle,” Jen answered, “and a big one from the sound of it.”
“Should we try to help?” Chickomon asked. “What if some of the ones fighting are our allies?”
“It’s up to Amanda,” Jen said, and suddenly I had three pairs of eyes on me.
Maybe I thought that saving some good Digimon would help get rid of some of the guilt that I was feeling over betraying my duty to this world. So, even though I wanted nothing more than to run as far from the nearby danger as I could, I said, “Let’s go. Let’s help them.”
Jen looked surprised, but she nodded, smiling a little. Chickomon and Coltmon nodded as well. “Okay,” Jen said, entering her “commander mode” that she'd learned from watching John, “let’s go in with guns blazing. One we're there and we've taken control of the situation, we can sort out if we need to fight anyone.”
It was dark when Jen woke me up. “Amanda, wake up,” she said in that really careful way that older kids and adults talk to little kids, “You’ve been out for, like, two hours. It’s time to set up camp.”
Grudgingly I awoke and went to work helping to make a fire and set up the bed mats. Chickomon helped me out while Jen and Coltmon worked to remove meat apples from the surrounding trees. When an apple fell right on Jen’s head, I almost thought I could laugh.
Finally we had a comfortable camp, a warm fire, a hot meal, and a chance to relax and talk.
“You okay Amanda?” asked Jen. She seemed a bit worried.
“Yeah,” I said, “I’m okay.”
Jen was quiet for a minute, and then she said, “You know, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to find a way home.”
“I know,” I said, my head resting on my hand. In fact, that possibility had been bugging me for awhile. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I found out that I had betrayed my friends, my family, for nothing. If I did get back home, I at least wouldn't have to worry about any of this anymore, and Jen could go back and help John and Sarah and everyone on my place. But if there was no way home, we could be out here looking forever, and no good would come of it.
Jen nodded at my response, but she didn't say any more, keeping me out of the loop. Soon we were finished eating and it was time to sleep. The forest where we were now was so quiet that Jen decided that we could all sleep at the same time. If something came close, we would hear it.
Jen, the Digimon, and I were all awoken by a loud sound nearby. It wasn't the middle of the night, though. It was the next morning, and I was wide awake in a second. I jumped up out of my bedroll and let out an involuntary startled scream.
“Shh,” Jen commanded, crouched down at my side, looking out into the forest through the brush, “we need to head out of here quietly.”
“What is it?” I asked, unable to suppress a whimper of fear.
“A battle,” Jen answered, “and a big one from the sound of it.”
“Should we try to help?” Chickomon asked. “What if some of the ones fighting are our allies?”
“It’s up to Amanda,” Jen said, and suddenly I had three pairs of eyes on me.
Maybe I thought that saving some good Digimon would help get rid of some of the guilt that I was feeling over betraying my duty to this world. So, even though I wanted nothing more than to run as far from the nearby danger as I could, I said, “Let’s go. Let’s help them.”
Jen looked surprised, but she nodded, smiling a little. Chickomon and Coltmon nodded as well. “Okay,” Jen said, entering her “commander mode” that she'd learned from watching John, “let’s go in with guns blazing. One we're there and we've taken control of the situation, we can sort out if we need to fight anyone.”
She and I took out our Digivices at the
same time and said, “Initiate Digivolution!”
Again the Digimon nodded. Both of them began to glow, and I felt my Digivice vibrate.
“Coltmon, Digivolve to! BattleStaliamon!”
“Chickomon, Digivolve to! BrauntoPhoenixmon!”
Jen jumped onto BattleStaliamon’s back, BrauntoPhoenixmon lifted me carefully onto his back, and we took off through the air, soaring toward the sound of battle. This was something that just yesterday I would have been afraid to do, but I'd gotten over that fear and ridden Braunto, and it had been really cool.
“Look there!” Jen said, pointing. I looked to where she was pointing and saw a large snake with orange-feathered wings weaving through the trees, chasing a large spider and a massive green-skinned animal with huge horns as thick as tree trunks. Above the snake flew a large red bird launching fireballs at the snake’s back, but not hurting it at all.
“Is that-?” I began, recognizing the Digimon who were fighting the snake.
“Yeah,” Jen answered, “that snake’s chasing Dokugamon and Birdramon.”
“We have to help them!” said BattleStaliamon.
Again the Digimon nodded. Both of them began to glow, and I felt my Digivice vibrate.
“Coltmon, Digivolve to! BattleStaliamon!”
“Chickomon, Digivolve to! BrauntoPhoenixmon!”
Jen jumped onto BattleStaliamon’s back, BrauntoPhoenixmon lifted me carefully onto his back, and we took off through the air, soaring toward the sound of battle. This was something that just yesterday I would have been afraid to do, but I'd gotten over that fear and ridden Braunto, and it had been really cool.
“Look there!” Jen said, pointing. I looked to where she was pointing and saw a large snake with orange-feathered wings weaving through the trees, chasing a large spider and a massive green-skinned animal with huge horns as thick as tree trunks. Above the snake flew a large red bird launching fireballs at the snake’s back, but not hurting it at all.
“Is that-?” I began, recognizing the Digimon who were fighting the snake.
“Yeah,” Jen answered, “that snake’s chasing Dokugamon and Birdramon.”
“We have to help them!” said BattleStaliamon.
“He's right,” I said, a little
desperately. I was already feeling bad enough. I couldn't not save my
friends.
“Right,” BrauntoPhoenixmon said. “Amanda, hold on!”
I whimpered again, shutting my eyes tight, and grabbed onto BrauntoPhoenixmon as tightly as I could. BrauntoPhoenixmon pulled his massive wings in and fell into a tight spiral. He hunched his neck over and slammed, spinning, into the snake’s back, plowing it into the ground. He pulled up sharply and flapped, rising up above the trees again. I opened my eyes and looked down. “You got him!” I said, staring down into the cloud of debris left from the collision.
Suddenly the winged serpent surged up out of the debris cloud and snapped its massive, fanged jaws at BattleStaliamon, who had dropped in at my side. The winged horse pulled up just in time to not get bitten, and kicked the snake in the face, leaving it hanging in the air, stunned.
Birdramon rose up between BrauntoPhoenixmon and BattleStaliamon. “Quick,” she said, “attack! It’s a Perfect Digimon, WingedSerpenterramon!”
“You heard her,” said Jen. “Attack!”
“Dino Fire!” called my Digimon, tossing flames at the enemy, careful not to burn me in the process (it was still hot, though).
“Hoof Blades!” called Jen’s Digimon, firing energy blades at the enemy.
Birdramon rose up higher and yelled, “Meteor Wing!” She dropped a barrage of fireballs toward the snake’s large head from her wings.
The three attacks converged, hitting WingedSerpenterramon hard, but it recovered quickly, pushing off of the ground. It undulated its body, lapped its wings, and flew straight up in a slow spin. When it was just above us and Birdramon it spread its wings wide, and opened its jaws wider.
“Flaming Fang!” WingedSerpenterramon called. A spear-shaped burst of flames shot from its mouth at Jen and I and our Digimon. The Digimon dodged the attack and dropped to the ground near Dokugamon and her big green friend.
“Jen, Amanda, get down fast!” said BattleStaliamon.
“Dokugamon,” said BrauntoPhoenixmon as he lifted me off of his back and placed me on the ground at his feet, “watch the humans. Guard them with your life!”
“Of course,” said Dokugamon, and the Digimon shot back into the air, returning to the battle.
“Dokugamon!” I yelled, running over to my friend and hugging her leg.
“Hello my friends!” said Dokugamon. “This is our newest ally, Tuskmon,” she told us, gesturing to the green Digimon at her side.
“Good to meet ya big guy,” said Jen, smiling.
Suddenly there was an explosion and we all looked up just in time to see Birdramon get clipped by an attack. She was unable to stay airborne and fell to the ground, hitting her head and falling unconscious.
“That’s it,” Jen yelled at the flying foe, “it’s time to show you how we deal with evil Digimon around here. Initiate Digiplayer Digivolution!”
“Right,” BrauntoPhoenixmon said. “Amanda, hold on!”
I whimpered again, shutting my eyes tight, and grabbed onto BrauntoPhoenixmon as tightly as I could. BrauntoPhoenixmon pulled his massive wings in and fell into a tight spiral. He hunched his neck over and slammed, spinning, into the snake’s back, plowing it into the ground. He pulled up sharply and flapped, rising up above the trees again. I opened my eyes and looked down. “You got him!” I said, staring down into the cloud of debris left from the collision.
Suddenly the winged serpent surged up out of the debris cloud and snapped its massive, fanged jaws at BattleStaliamon, who had dropped in at my side. The winged horse pulled up just in time to not get bitten, and kicked the snake in the face, leaving it hanging in the air, stunned.
Birdramon rose up between BrauntoPhoenixmon and BattleStaliamon. “Quick,” she said, “attack! It’s a Perfect Digimon, WingedSerpenterramon!”
“You heard her,” said Jen. “Attack!”
“Dino Fire!” called my Digimon, tossing flames at the enemy, careful not to burn me in the process (it was still hot, though).
“Hoof Blades!” called Jen’s Digimon, firing energy blades at the enemy.
Birdramon rose up higher and yelled, “Meteor Wing!” She dropped a barrage of fireballs toward the snake’s large head from her wings.
The three attacks converged, hitting WingedSerpenterramon hard, but it recovered quickly, pushing off of the ground. It undulated its body, lapped its wings, and flew straight up in a slow spin. When it was just above us and Birdramon it spread its wings wide, and opened its jaws wider.
“Flaming Fang!” WingedSerpenterramon called. A spear-shaped burst of flames shot from its mouth at Jen and I and our Digimon. The Digimon dodged the attack and dropped to the ground near Dokugamon and her big green friend.
“Jen, Amanda, get down fast!” said BattleStaliamon.
“Dokugamon,” said BrauntoPhoenixmon as he lifted me off of his back and placed me on the ground at his feet, “watch the humans. Guard them with your life!”
“Of course,” said Dokugamon, and the Digimon shot back into the air, returning to the battle.
“Dokugamon!” I yelled, running over to my friend and hugging her leg.
“Hello my friends!” said Dokugamon. “This is our newest ally, Tuskmon,” she told us, gesturing to the green Digimon at her side.
“Good to meet ya big guy,” said Jen, smiling.
Suddenly there was an explosion and we all looked up just in time to see Birdramon get clipped by an attack. She was unable to stay airborne and fell to the ground, hitting her head and falling unconscious.
“That’s it,” Jen yelled at the flying foe, “it’s time to show you how we deal with evil Digimon around here. Initiate Digiplayer Digivolution!”
She passed her hand over her Crest Tag,
and the Crest came out and turned into a little CD that she put into
her Digiplayer.
“BattleStaliamon,” her Digimon said, turning into his armored form, “Digivolve to! MetalStaliamon!”
Jen’s now-armored Digimon activated his boosters and shot up into the air toward his foe, just as WingedSerpenterramon smacked BrauntoPhoenixmon in the face, nearly knocking him out of the sky. WingedSerpenterramon head butted MetalStaliamon as he drew near, and then flew straight at me. It's attacks were completely aimless and crazy! I dropped to me knees and covered my head with my hands, waiting for the end to come, but it never did. Cautiously I looked up and I saw BrauntoPhoenixmon caught in the enemy’s huge jaws.
“BattleStaliamon,” her Digimon said, turning into his armored form, “Digivolve to! MetalStaliamon!”
Jen’s now-armored Digimon activated his boosters and shot up into the air toward his foe, just as WingedSerpenterramon smacked BrauntoPhoenixmon in the face, nearly knocking him out of the sky. WingedSerpenterramon head butted MetalStaliamon as he drew near, and then flew straight at me. It's attacks were completely aimless and crazy! I dropped to me knees and covered my head with my hands, waiting for the end to come, but it never did. Cautiously I looked up and I saw BrauntoPhoenixmon caught in the enemy’s huge jaws.
The lower fangs had already scraped
BrauntoPhoenixmon’s side, and the upper poisonous fangs were mere
inches from his back, held up by one of his wings. The other wing was
tattered, with leaves and branches stuck between the feathers. He had
dove straight through a dense grouping of trees, sacrificing one of
his wings, just so that he could get to me in time. The poisonous
fangs were growing closer to his skin every
second!
BrauntoPhoenixmon looked over at me, clearly in great pain. “Amanda,” he said, “run! Get out of here while you can!”
I wanted to run. Really I did. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let my friend down. I couldn’t let my team down. I couldn’t leave my Digimon here to die, just to save myself. So instead of running away, I stood up tall and said, “No, I won’t let you down. I’m gonna stay and fight, no matter what!”
Just then, my Crest of Loyalty came to life. It slid from the Crest Tag and changed into a glowing disk. I was stunned for a second, but then I acted, doing what I'd just seen Jen do. I pulled my Digiplayer and Digivice from my pockets and connected them together. Then I swung my Digiplayer, scooping up the disk as it hung in the air, and pressed the activate button, calling “Initiate Digiplayer Digivolution!” BrauntoPhoenixmon began to glow.
“BrauntoPhoenixmon, Digivolve to!” his wings curled up and morphed into large round metal jet engines. His back, chest, head, and portions of his legs became robotic. All four of his feet became robotic, and his left eye became fully robotic as well, glowing red. He lifted his head high and roared, “MetalBrauntomon!”
Because my Digimon’s new back mounted jets were in the way, WingedSerpenterramon couldn’t close his mouth. MetalBrauntomon activated hover jets in each of his feet and hovered just above the ground, and turbines in his jets began to spin. His jets roared and he shot forward, pulling himself out of his enemy’s jaws with a jolt.
MetalBrauntomon roared again and turned down power on one jet while turning up power on the other, causing him to turn sharply. He shut off his foot-mounted jets and planted his feet firmly on the ground. His turbines began to spin in reverse, blowing air forward instead of pulling air in. Four flamethrowers extended from the armor circling each turbine.
“Metal Dino-Fire!” MetalBrauntomon called. The flamethrowers lit and poured flames into the gusting winds ahead of the turbines, and the wind expanded the flames and blew them forward, engulfing the foe.
WingedSerpenterramon screeched from the pain and undulated back and forth.
“Now’s your chance MetalStaliamon,” Jen said. “Finish him off!”
From behind MetalBrauntomon leaped MetalStaliamon. He called out his attack and fired two beams at the heavily injured foe. The beams cut the foe to shreds, breaking him down into bits off data that dispersed harmlessly into the air.
“Amanda,” Jen said, “you rocked! So did you, BrauntoPhoe-, I mean MetalBrauntomon.”
BrauntoPhoenixmon looked over at me, clearly in great pain. “Amanda,” he said, “run! Get out of here while you can!”
I wanted to run. Really I did. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let my friend down. I couldn’t let my team down. I couldn’t leave my Digimon here to die, just to save myself. So instead of running away, I stood up tall and said, “No, I won’t let you down. I’m gonna stay and fight, no matter what!”
Just then, my Crest of Loyalty came to life. It slid from the Crest Tag and changed into a glowing disk. I was stunned for a second, but then I acted, doing what I'd just seen Jen do. I pulled my Digiplayer and Digivice from my pockets and connected them together. Then I swung my Digiplayer, scooping up the disk as it hung in the air, and pressed the activate button, calling “Initiate Digiplayer Digivolution!” BrauntoPhoenixmon began to glow.
“BrauntoPhoenixmon, Digivolve to!” his wings curled up and morphed into large round metal jet engines. His back, chest, head, and portions of his legs became robotic. All four of his feet became robotic, and his left eye became fully robotic as well, glowing red. He lifted his head high and roared, “MetalBrauntomon!”
Because my Digimon’s new back mounted jets were in the way, WingedSerpenterramon couldn’t close his mouth. MetalBrauntomon activated hover jets in each of his feet and hovered just above the ground, and turbines in his jets began to spin. His jets roared and he shot forward, pulling himself out of his enemy’s jaws with a jolt.
MetalBrauntomon roared again and turned down power on one jet while turning up power on the other, causing him to turn sharply. He shut off his foot-mounted jets and planted his feet firmly on the ground. His turbines began to spin in reverse, blowing air forward instead of pulling air in. Four flamethrowers extended from the armor circling each turbine.
“Metal Dino-Fire!” MetalBrauntomon called. The flamethrowers lit and poured flames into the gusting winds ahead of the turbines, and the wind expanded the flames and blew them forward, engulfing the foe.
WingedSerpenterramon screeched from the pain and undulated back and forth.
“Now’s your chance MetalStaliamon,” Jen said. “Finish him off!”
From behind MetalBrauntomon leaped MetalStaliamon. He called out his attack and fired two beams at the heavily injured foe. The beams cut the foe to shreds, breaking him down into bits off data that dispersed harmlessly into the air.
“Amanda,” Jen said, “you rocked! So did you, BrauntoPhoe-, I mean MetalBrauntomon.”
MetalStaliamon landed beside her and
changed back into Coltmon, looking up at my Digimon with awe in his
eyes.
“Yeah,” I said, “but we’re not done yet. We have to find the others. I’m sick of running when I should be doing what needs to be done to save this world.”
I was pale and shaking, and there were tears in my eyes. But as scared as I was, I knew what I had to do. I would never run scared again, and I would never lie and ignore stuff just to keep from hurting the people who care about me. I would not let my fears keep me from doing what needed to be done anymore.
“I have the others on my scanner,” said MetalBrauntomon, his robotic eye flashing. “They are engaged in battle!”
“We have to get to them!” said Jen.
“We’ll come with you,” said Dokugamon, Tuskmon and Birdramon standing behind her.
“If we go by air,” said MetalBrauntomon, “we can be there in under twenty minutes.”
He lifted me, Jen, and Coltmon onto his back. Dokugamon jumped onto Birdramon’s back, and she took off, grasping Tuskmon’s horns in her massive claws. Blades spread from beneath MetalBrauntomon’s jets, forming wings, and he shot into the air behind Birdramon. Then he swooped around her and shot forward way faster than she could, pulling her along in his jet stream. We were off.
Don’t worry guys, I thought, we’re coming!
Next Chapter >>
“Yeah,” I said, “but we’re not done yet. We have to find the others. I’m sick of running when I should be doing what needs to be done to save this world.”
I was pale and shaking, and there were tears in my eyes. But as scared as I was, I knew what I had to do. I would never run scared again, and I would never lie and ignore stuff just to keep from hurting the people who care about me. I would not let my fears keep me from doing what needed to be done anymore.
“I have the others on my scanner,” said MetalBrauntomon, his robotic eye flashing. “They are engaged in battle!”
“We have to get to them!” said Jen.
“We’ll come with you,” said Dokugamon, Tuskmon and Birdramon standing behind her.
“If we go by air,” said MetalBrauntomon, “we can be there in under twenty minutes.”
He lifted me, Jen, and Coltmon onto his back. Dokugamon jumped onto Birdramon’s back, and she took off, grasping Tuskmon’s horns in her massive claws. Blades spread from beneath MetalBrauntomon’s jets, forming wings, and he shot into the air behind Birdramon. Then he swooped around her and shot forward way faster than she could, pulling her along in his jet stream. We were off.
Don’t worry guys, I thought, we’re coming!
Next Chapter >>
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