Never, Never, Neverland (Aurora, thread continued)

Elliot nodded as he listened to both Aurora and Moonmon's points. He had to admit that he was somewhat lost in this situation, the heavily disguised tracks confusing him greatly. He may have been able to take Digimon form, but he wasn't a Digimon by nature. He was still very much used to relying on his human senses of sight and hearing, usually leaving scent by the wayside in the process. If the Moonmon could identify Charlotte's scent, she was without a doubt the better leader of the two. If anything, Aurora mentioning that she was better for making decisions than him was more worrying to the boy. He looked at Aurora, voice taut with concern.

"Isaac and I have been doing this for almost a month now. I have way more experience than you," he said. "You might be smarter than me and older than me in the human world, but you don't know what it's like around here. You haven't been chased around by giant monsters, or forced to fight for your life just to make sure the people you care about are going to be okay. Maybe in video games, but this isn't like the games we play. It's real, and it's painful, and it's terrifying. And I don't want to make you have to try and push through this. It's really dangerous, and I'd feel awful if you got hurt. Please, trust me here.

But Moonmon, I'm not a Digimon all the time. I'm human first, and that means your judgment goes on the scent. I trust you. So please, lead the way." He looked very anxious, hoping Moonmon would pick a direction soon so that he could start finding his way to Charlotte. Each second they waited was a second during which she could be seriously hurt.

~~~~

With a smirk on his face, Petermon whistled. It echoed through the trees, who bowed out of his way as if knowing that they were in the presence of their king. Descending from the skies was a great flying pirate ship, cheers and bellows of triumph pouring out from the crew onboard. Some were other lost humans. Others were Digimon, generally smaller and scrappier varieties such as Monmon, Terriermon, and Veemon. They dressed in filthy rags spruced up to look like pirate outfits, all eagerly waving as they saw Petermon bringing a new sister to join them. The forest's sprite took a dramatic bow, receiving adoring applause from his audience. They showered him in flower petals, confetti, and most importantly a thick rope ladder. With this he would be able to ascend back to the command of his ship, and once more lead his Lost Ones into the wild blue yonder.

He motioned for Charlotte to climb first, holding the ladder steady for her.

Aurora didn't need to tell Elliot twice. He wanted nothing more than to charge into the woods, letting out a battle cry and tearing down the trees that separated his friends from their missing sister. If he could just rush into battle and make things right, maybe then everything would be okay. Instead he had to follow behind Moonmon, knowing that she would be able to follow Charlotte's trail far better than he ever could. He seemed bristly, as if he would snap into action any second now if not for being held back. Surely it'd be trivial to bludgeon his way through the forest, but in his charge he would likely miss Charlotte. Sometimes slow and steady really was the way to go, especially when you didn't know what you were doing or where you were going.

Being the tallest of the group meant Elliot would be the sentry by default, even if he wasn't half as attentive as Isaac could be. He peered from beneath the metal skullcap that Strikedramon was saddled with, thankful that his eyes were already strongly adapted to the shade. Peeking around the understory wouldn't be so hard when he was almost always under darkness. He just wished that Isaac could be there to help. Then maybe he wouldn't be so nervous, and could better be a pillar of strength and optimism for the group. This was one case where he wouldn't try to fake a smile, though. The Digital World was real, and dangerous, and confusing. Pretending everything was okay while these children were in trouble would be horrible of him. Already calling them children, even when he was their age. Elliot was starting to realize just how deeply the Digital World influenced him.

Of course, even with his best attempts at being attentive, he found it hard to notice one particular glowing dot in the forest. It seemed to blend alongside a cloud of fireflies as it slowly drifted out of his eyesight.

~~~~

"No need to be so formal! Just call me Pete," the roguish gentleman said, flashing a grin behind his bandana. "The others are gonna be so excited to meet their new sister. Why don't you go introduce yourself while I wait for the others to get here?" He had to wait behind regardless. Tinkermon was still out on the field, making sure they hadn't been followed. Barely the height of a mote of dust, she was his most crucial operative and essential to the recruitment of future Lost Ones. It was her fairy dust that held the key to putting them in the proper dreamlike haze, finally giving them the strength to fly away from the dreariness of their lives. They they could finally be free!

As if on cue, that was when the little sparkle appeared and began whispering to Petermon. Petermon seemed to pout in response to the news, clearly disappointed in what Tinkermon had to report. "Really? That's all? Man, that's not even gonna be a fun fight. Am I gonna have to switch sides just to keep things interesting?" With a tingling of bells the sparkle vigorously shook back and forth, as if so tiny that she couldn't even express disapproval with just the shake of a head. "Well, if this one's not gonna be fun for me, I might as well let some of the Lost Ones have some time to play. Hey, guys, grab your saws!" He whistled, four Monmon jumping from the side of the ship and eagerly gathering at their boss's side. "You're gonna be having some super-secret fun today, okay? So secret, not even I'm gonna know what's happening! Just go to the clearing to the-" Tinkermon jingled a little. "-West, grab your saws, and when you see some big, scary shark guy start cutting. It's gonna be a great game of lumber tag!" The Monmon nodded and ran off, jostling and shoving at each other to see who would be first to the fight.

~~~~

As Elliot, George, and Aurora came over the horizon, the Monmon settled into position. They lined up two by two at the side of the path, each pair crouched behind a big tree. When the pesky interlopers were in view they began cutting in a frenzy, Elliot stopping short as he heard the noise of metal chewing into wood. "Guys, get back! Now!" he called desperately as the trees began to fall over. Still hidden in the shadows, the Monmon laughed like hyenas and let out mocking cries of "TIMBER". Just to be sure everything would be okay Elliot dashed to the front of the group, buckling down to one knee and doing his best to brace one of the falling trees before they hit anybody. It was unclear whether gravity or the Digimon was winning the fight, but such an impact had to hurt like hell.

"I'm fine," Elliot muttered, voice obviously strained from the pain. He slowly forced himself to his feet, hurling the tree away with all of his might. The Monmon stared in shock, one of them dropping its saw in the process. "Don't worry about me. We need to find Charlotte first." It was clear that Elliot wasn't doing 100%, but he wasn't going to let that further endanger his friend's sister. They needed him! He couldn't slow down now! Not when everything was on the line like this!

He looked around in the direction of the Monmon who dropped its saw, unable to properly see the monkey Digimon but following the sound that it had left in its wake. "If you were trying to pull a trick like this, I bet you're way weaker than me. Why don't you just run so we don't have to make this a fight?" His voice was shaky. He didn't want to make it a fight on his own, without Isaac there. At the same time, he didn't want the Monmon to slow them down. It seemed that he didn't have the Monmon very convinced, however, because they lept from the trees with their slingshots readied.

Their antics were quickly put to an end by Moonmon's burst of light, though. The flash was made all the worse by the comparative darkness of the forest, and they dropped their weapons in the rush to cover their eyes. Elliot motioned for the group to hurry and run past them all. He was limping, but he wasn't about to let himself stop.

They arrived just in time for Petermon to leap aboard his ship, starting to pull the rope ladder up behind him. Was there any more obvious end to the trail? Maybe it was rash for Elliot to charge first, ask questions later, but he wasn't about to let this strange Digimon escape without answering questions first. With a shout of "Rolling Start!" he flipped forward, using the extra height of his jump to grab at the rope ladder and drag it back down. An intense game of tug-of-war between the Strikedramon and Petermon ensued, Elliot shouting "Now's our chance, guys! I think she's been snatched over here." He wasn't sure how long he could hold this ladder for.

Was he right, or was he wrong? Elliot really hoped that his hunch hadn't misled him.

Elliot continued to steadfastly hold the ladder as George and Aurora climbed. Interestingly enough, the Petermon seemed to hesitate slightly as he saw them making their way up to his ship. His dagger hand wavered, and it didn't seem like he was willing to draw it against unarmed humans. Fortunately, there was another target he could focus on, and judging by the limp in his gait his Lost Ones had already softened him up nicely. What kind of game would that be, though? It would be so selfish of him to take all the credit without letting the others get their hits in. And Tinkermon always got so jealous when he played with other Digimon than her. It was a pity, but it looked like it would be the Lost Ones' turn to meet their new playmate head on.

Once Aurora and George had climbed, and Elliot followed behind them, Petermon began floating to the back of his ship. Judging by his pose, lying down with his hands behind his head, it was clear he wasn't taking this seriously at all. "Hey there! I was waiting for the new playmates to show up! My Lost Ones haven't had a good tussle in a long time." Speaking of the Lost Ones, they were already arriving by Petermon's side. Charlotte's warning set off the alarms, and they'd already rallied to their master in order to help him fend off the intruders. Naturally, Petermon was pretty displeased with this turn of events. "You guys! You gotta wait until I give you the cue, okay?" he whined, the Lost Ones nodding and quickly retreating to their cabins.

With that out of the way, Petermon flipped out his dagger and pointed it at the intruders. "Lost Ones! It's pummelin' time!" he cried, his troupe of swashbuckling youths bursting from their cabins with new vigor. The Monmons primed their slingshots, the Veemons held their cutlasses high, and the Terriermons flopped their giant ears as if cracking their knuckles. All in all there were about eight Rookies, easily enough to overwhelm a lone champion.

It was a good thing that Elliot wasn't alone. He would have recognized that shout of "Cross Slash!" anywhere. The Strikedramon's grin widened as he saw Isaac, in Yasyamon form, hop onto the bow of the ship. Before he landed he fired an X-shaped blast of wind from between his two blades, sending the rookies scattering out of the way.

"I knew you'd make it!" Elliot cheered, having fired off a desperate text of warning to his brother. Isaac always knew the right moment to arrive. It must have been part of that knack for theatrics he had. "We need to get these guys out of the way fast. Aurie, see if you can get bast them and get to Charlotte! Tailblazer!" Elliot swung, tail-first, and fired a whirling gout of flame at the Rookies. They backed off, walled toward the left side of the ship. That left the perfect opening for Aurie to run past on the ship's right side.

Once she was gone, though, it would be time for Elliot and Isaac to test their mettle against a tide of blades, bullets, and beatings. Would they be able to fight their way through the horde?

The rookies were putting up a surprisingly intensive fight. Even with Yasyamon's speed and reflexes, eight attacks from all directions were far too much to parry at once. A slingshot stone straight to the mask left him reeling, and in that time two Terriermon leaped onto his arms and started trying to pull him down. Elliot struck in their general direction to try and scare them off, but in return a Veemon gave him a powerful headbutt to the back. In desperation he spun in a circle, firing his Tailblazer once again to try and get them to back away. They leaped away from the fire, buying Isaac and Elliot just enough time to form a brief planning huddle.

"There's way too many of them to deal with," Isaac whispered.

"Yeah. And we can't hurt them, either."

"Seriously?"

"They're just kids!"

"So are we! And they'd be laughing their butts off if we got shoved off of this airship."

"But that doesn't mean we have to stoop to their level. Besides, I know neither of us wanted anyone to get hurt today."

"You're right. I'd really like to not get killed either, though. If that means I have to fight them off, I will. Right now, though, the plan's to just scare them."

Elliot looked over his shoulder to check on Aurora, and noticed that Petermon seemed to be hovering dangerously close to their current position. He turned back to Isaac, fiercely whispering "Well, we need to think of something fast! Can you cover me while I check on the others?"

Isaac nodded, smirking behind his mask. "Oh, I know just what to do." The Yasyamon held his sword high, glowing brightly as he started slide Digivolving. His flashy transformation held the attention of the Rookies, who wasted their time ooh-ing and aah-ing as the demon burst into tongues of snake-headed flame. That gave Elliot the perfect time to sneak away and start running after Petermon.

In Yasyamon's place, the flame crystallized into the eight-headed Orochimon. Isaac let out an uproarious laugh as he looked down at the assembled Rookies, who took a step back in shock. They were right to fear the power of an Ultimate! "Come on! There's one of me for each of you!" the serpent boasted, eight heads swirling around each other as they stared each Rookie in the eye. "You still going to fight, or are you just gonna run away?" The Lost Ones looked at each other pensively, then hefted their weapons high and charged at Isaac. It was time for some extreme babysitting!

~~~~

"Aw, shucks. How could I turn down such a sweet offer?" Petermon said. He stepped aside with a flourish, letting Charlotte's siblings approach her unimpeded. However, he couldn't help but sprinkle in a few words of his own. "Are you sure you want this to just be a visit, though? It's gotta be really boring where you humans are from. Less adventure, more jobs. Less pirates, more taxes. Taxes! Is that really how you want to live your life? 'Cause me and the Lost Ones don't have a care in the world! We just sail the days away, battling pirates, chasing monsters, exploring the wild blue yonder. So many just like your sister, lost, and confused, and frightened, all come to me to get just a little bit of happiness in their lives. Sure, sometimes it takes them a while to follow along, but they all end up loving it in the end! I'm sure you guys will, too. I mean, I hate to break up a happy family."

The space around Petermon seemed to warp as he spoke. The breeze seemed to slow, a light pink fog filled the air, and an overall feeling of tranquility settled on this ship. This was the dreaded Petermon Syndrome technique, where a little bit of illusion and a lot of fast talking started burrowing his beliefs into the minds of children. It had happened to Charlotte earlier, and now he was trying to set it up on her siblings. If Aurora and Moonmon had a plan, now was the best time to set it in motion.

Petermon let out a yelp of surprise as the entire world went white. His concentration broken, both the illusion and his otherwise persistent levitation spell dissipated. The king of the kids fell to the ground as gracelessly as a sack of potatoes, rubbing at his eyes and letting out surprised noises. He climbed back to his feet, opening his mouth to issue another order, but before he could say anything he crumpled like a sack of potatoes. Elliot charged out of the blue, spearing the Petermon right in the midsection with a beautiful tackle. He turned back to the trio, shouting "Now's our chance! Let's get Charlotte out of here!" He figured it would be fine if he was the one to distract Petermon, as Isaac was more than capable of focusing on both the Lost Ones and Aurora.

And capable he was! Even as Isaac's heads were busy dealing with Lost Ones, who clung to his many jaws and flailed their swords against his iron-scaled necks, he extended his tail to corral Aurora and her family away from the pirates. "Right this way, please," he said, voice echoing through his eight heads. Now there was a solid barrier of snake between any pirates and the human trio, it seemed they were perfectly in the clear. For his part, Isaac was having a blast too. He juggled a few Lost Ones through whips of his many heads, the pirate kids exchanging giggles and screams alike. Two of them began dueling each other with their cutlasses as they hung from Orochimon's bottom jaws. One, riding on top of one of Orochimon's heads, planted a jolly roger flag right on top of his forehead. Isaac was playing his part of Leviathan wonderfully, all things considered.

Against this backdrop of the rowdy pirates and raging leviathan, Elliot and Petermon stared each other down. The two charged each other, clashing dagger to gauntlet. Both had been banged up and bruised from before, leaving them evenly matched, and it seemed that Elliot would be more than capable of holding the Petermon off until everybody was safely off of the ship. Unfortunately, there was a little mote of light floating around Petermon's head with more than enough power to turn the tide of the fight. As Elliot and Petermon were caught in a clash, the kidnapping Digimon let out a quick two-tone whistle. That was the cue for the light, his ever-loyal Tinkermon assistant, to promptly fling a huge mess of dust in Elliot's face. The Strikedramon stumbled back, blinded, only for Petermon to dive his knife viciously into Elliot's injured shoulder. The pain was severe enough to force Elliot down to one knee, finally turning the tide in Petermon's favor.