Back for the Gateway (open) (part 3)

So they were Digimon! Fran was more surprised than Hagu, but that was not what occupied his mind. They were about to have a fight, if he didn't manage to calm things down. How to do it? He had always been the guy who fled when problems were in sight, but he couldn't do this. It was not right, plus he couldn't leave Collectdramon there. And his partner wouldn't want to leave either.

The Kapurimon was surprised. It expected them to be Digimon, but not that they were so powerful! Their bodies, the energy that came from them... It just knew that they overpowered both him and Collectdramon. There was no use in fighting. Why was his pal acting like that? It was sure that he knew that they didn't stand a chance. Why was he being so aggressive? The small Digimon had to intervene.

"Stop, all of you!" shouted both Digimon and human.

"What are you going to do, Collectdramon? That's not you! You won't get anything from them! Can't you see that their strenght is far beyond yours?" asked Hagu.

"Come on, guys. Let's relax a bit! We've just met, and you already want to put up a fight? Collectdramon didn't know what he was doing! He... He thought that we were in danger! So it was all a misunderstanding!", said Fran, thinking that his excuse could be gullible.

Betty seemed to have relaxed a bit once he stood down. Well, problem averted, it seemed. Vetina, at the moment, started playing with a small rock with the tip of her sphere. Since she was saying nothing still, Betty continued talking with the embarrassed digimon.

"It's fine, you don't have to 'repay' us in any way. Yes, we're going back to the digital world ourselves. Since this is actually my first time here, I don't personally know where it is. But Vetina can tell you."

"Able, yes. Willing, no."

And there was an awkward pause.

"He shot first. So, no location shall be provided from my end."

"Vetina, you aren't *that* petty. I'm sure you wasn't going to tell them anyway..."

Again, the Ranamon laughed. "Affirmative, I'm your familiar book. Ah, but justification was altered, not added. Prior, to maintain a sense of adventure. Traveling youth needn't one to give set ends. Where there is no fun or practicality in general practice, methinks.

But the intent changed, with a static affect. He envoked in me a practice of self defense. His scalely dome heats faster than yours, and you spit fire. "

Betty looked at Vetina, then turned around. "The portal is roughly 20 feet downstream, give or take."

"Nyeeeehhh!?" Vetina was shocked. How could Betty have correctly guessed it's rough location? On cue, Betty gave her answer.

"Judging from where we walked to and how many subtle glances you performed..."

"...m-my eyes? " The girl was flustered. She did have large eyes, and Betty was more detail oriented than herself. "Checkmated, you spoilsport."

Betty smirked.

So they were friends after all. At least, the blue one with a fire-patterned armor was. The one who spoke in a decimononic manner -Was Vetina her name?- sure was a weird Digimon, and Fran wondered if they would meet many more of her kind. He struggled to understand what she said, but he could understand that she was not glad. Her friend had spoiled all her fun. And yet, nor Fran nor Hagu did want to jump after Collectdramon.

"Well, thank you... I didn't get your name, but thank you anyway", said the human to the blue lizard. "I am Fran, by the way."

"And I am Hagu! Thank you very much!" exclaimed the Kapurimon, approaching Fran again. Now that she had pointed where the portal was, its location was so obvious that the Digimon felt a bit ashamed. However, its good mood kept it up and sunny.

"There's one thing, thou, that I'd like to ask you... I promise it won't take away much more of your time", said Fran quietly. "Do we... Do we have to jump into THAT to get into your world?"

Even Hagu shook with the thought. It did not want to get itself dirty, and it was hoping that the portal was... Well, in some other place. Maybe in the opposite shore, or behind a column. But not inside the river. It wasn't as used to it as Collectdramon was.

When Fran saw that the waters were opening, he did not doubt. Weird as it was, he got a hunch: there wouldn't be another chance to get inside. He picked up Hagu, who was amazed by that Digimon's power, and he rushed through the corridor. The walls of water at both side scared him, but he -somehow- trusted in Vetina. And then, it appeared. At first it was just a shade, and Fran thought that it was an illusion, but he blinked while running and it didn't disappeared. He glimpsed Hagu, and the Digimon nodded. That was the energy surge.

The Kapurimon, astonished as it was, only felt that it was being raised. When it regained its senses it saw the huge river torn apart and menacing to fall over them. But then it was that feeling. That thing that had been in its head for almost a day. The portal... They were heading towards the Digital World! It looked at Fran, who was serious as it had never seen him. Hagu could tell that it was both fear and excitement. And when the human looked back, it nodded. They HAD to go in there.

And so, both of them entered through the portal.

[EXIT]