Archive of Our Own

Elecmon sped through the Village of Beginnings, a flurry of paws against the quilt-patterned ground. He cursed. He had asked for advanced notice. He was on a fixed schedule. The Holy Beasts said they were going to give him time to prepare.

A single announcement that They Were Arriving was not notice. He’d been in the middle of feeding time, for heaven’s sake! It was going to be chaos when he got back.

Elecmon thought, not for the first time, that maybe he needed an assistant.

Light flared at the southern border and Elecmon aimed for it, his irritation quickly smothered by a surge of nerves. The light flickered and spiked, so bright Elecmon had to blink spots out of his vision. When it dissipated, something powerful rushed through the air; a ripple so profound there were no words to describe it. It was love and light and strength and peace all at once.

It took his breath away. Elecmon struggled to keep pace when he felt like he was floating.

There was no doubt. The Pillars of the Digital World were here.

The Holy Beasts had deemed Elecmon worthy of being the one to greet them. It was the highest honor. Elecmon wished there were older digimon in the Village to brag to. When he told the babies, they had jumped about and cheered, but they did that when he brought dinner. They couldn’t understand.

Elecmon bounded over the river and landed with hardly a sound on the far bank, heart racing. Being late wasn’t a good look. Would the Chosen be upset at having traveled across dimensions only to find no one here to welcome them?

Would they be angry? Forgiving? Elecmon had no idea what to expect.

What did a human even look like anyway?

Elecmon neared the border and slowed, confusion silencing his thoughts. The air smelled of energy and the very dirt beneath his paws hummed with it, and yet he saw no one.

It was quiet. This far from the babies, Elecmon couldn’t hear their squeaks and peeps anymore and it put him on edge. He wove between the trees, eyes hunting, searching. Elecmon hopped up onto a stump and stood tall on his hind legs, ears swiveling.

A hitched breath behind him.

Elecmon whipped around and spotted four little things partially hidden in the long grass. Was that them? Were they unconscious? Alarm sent a shock through his system. Had the dimension transfer gone wrong? Had merging with the crests been too much?

He slunk down and crept closer, wary. He wasn’t sure what size a human was supposed to be, but these ones couldn’t be much larger than himself. Elecmon reached the closest one, taking in the long lashes and dark, wavy hair. It was sprawled half upside down against a tree trunk and didn’t so much as twitch when Elecmon sniffed at its hand.

Deep outrage surged through him.

It smelled like Baby.

Elecmon jerked back and shook his head in dismay. Was this why he’d been chosen to greet them? Had the Holy Beasts known they would be this young?

This one wasn’t even the smallest. Little hands and little faces, they looked far too innocent for the power they were meant to wield.

Elecmon narrowed his eyes and sniffed them all head to toe. They smelled like Baby, and yet there was no mistake. Lingering on them was the power aura that had blown through the Village. He could see the faint tracings of the legendary symbols glowing through their clothes.

The upside-down one was Miracles. The smallest, Hope.

There was another smell coming off Light that made his fur stand on end. It was the only one that didn’t appear to be at peace, face flushed and eyebrows wrinkled in discomfort. What was wrong with it? Its breathing was louder than the others, a faint rattle that made Elecmon hesitant to step away.

Elecmon forced himself to move on to the final human and stopped dead.

That was not the smell of Destiny. Elecmon inched toward it, inspecting every inch of the Chosen’s body. The familiar curves of the crest were missing, and instead, light lines of lavender decorated fair skin.

Kindness.

Elecmon withheld his panic. Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. He did not want to be the one to tell the Holy Beasts that one of the Pillar Crests had not manifested. Would they send the human back? Was there another that could be brought here instead?

Elecmon dragged his claws down his face. He had no idea what he was going to do.

Miracles suddenly squirmed, toppling over and ending up face-first in the grass. “Ow…”

Elecmon fumbled to compose himself. He hitched a warm smile on his face and clasped his paws politely when Miracles pushed up onto its elbows, big brown eyes blinking around.

They found Elecmon and went wide.

“Welcome, Miracles,” Elecmon said in the friendliest voice he could muster.

Miracles screamed.

No, this was why the Holy Beasts had picked Elecmon for the job. Because he was used to screaming babies.

Miracles’ screech woke the others, and even with Elecmon’s baby-rearing expertise, it took a long time to calm them down. All the while, he swallowed down half a dozen curses and took back every nice thing he’d thought about the stupid, idiot Holy Butts.

These were not protectors. These were not warriors. These were babies.

Okay, so they could walk and talk, and seemed perfectly capable of introducing themselves once they were no longer under the impression that he was going to attack them. Elecmon got them to sit and listen, and impressed upon them that they were safe and that he was there to help them out. They pinched each other to prove they weren’t dreaming.

But still.

Elecmon was going to have a word with someone about all this. A strong word.

Apparently, the Holy Butts were too busy freaking out about Ken’s messed up crest to come talk to Elecmon. He checked for a messenger three times and found the spot empty.

He was on his own.

The four Chosen followed him around like ducklings, asking more questions in a single afternoon than Elecmon usually fielded in a week. Most of them came from Daisuke. The other three listened intently, eyes wide with curiosity. Once Elecmon presented the baby digimon to them, Takeru gave Daisuke a run for his money in chattiness.

“Are those eggs? Can we see them?” Takeru pushed to his tiptoes.

“Ah, not yet,” Elecmon said. “For now I need you guys to stay over here, okay? No eggs until I say so.”

“Aw. Okay.”

Takeru was not the only one that sagged with disappointment. Elecmon internally cringed. The Holy Butts had said their partner digimon would call out to their Chosen. This close, it was likely that the eggs were practically screaming for their partners to come meet them.

Elecmon pretended he had acquired four assistants and had the Chosen help him feed the babies and get them down for an afternoon nap. He shouldn’t have been so surprised when they did an excellent job.

Elecmon considered himself an expert on digimon babies. He did not claim the same about humans.

One moment they were happily settling a batch of Yuramon down, and the next, Hikari was coughing. She couldn’t stop. Ken took the baby she hurried to pass off.

“Are you okay?” Ken asked. “You don’t sound good.”

“I’m fine,” she got out between coughs. “It’s just- My throat tickles.”

She said that, but her face got very red and the others started to look nervous.

Elecmon nodded his head away from the cradles. “Come on, before you wake everyone up.”

“S-sorry.”

She and the boys trailed along behind him as he led them between the stacks of blocks. Her coughing tapered off, but the flush remained.

“It’s just a cold. Oh- Could I make the babies sick too?” Hikari asked like she thought she was in trouble.

“Sick?” Elecmon turned the word over in his head. “I thought you said you were cold?”

“I have a cold.”

Elecmon wanted to pretend he understood. He didn’t. It must have shown on his face.

“You know, a bug,” Daisuke said like it was obvious.

Ken saw that it wasn’t. “A virus,” he clarified.

“A virus!” Elecmon spun to face them fully. “How did you get a virus?”

“No, no- Not a computer virus,” Ken stammered. “A person virus. She’ll be okay. She should just sleep a lot and have tea and soup or something. Right?” He looked to his companions for help.

“Yeah, when I get sick my mom makes me drink a lot of broth,” Takeru said. “Do you have that?”

He did not.

“I’m really okay…” Hikari curled in on herself and wove her bare toes together. She was the only one that had arrived without socks.

“Well, it’s naptime anyway,” Elecmon said cautiously. At his words, the sky darkened and stars popped into view. “Why don’t you find a cozy spot to lay down. Do any of you need to nap too?” With the rest of the babies, he kept to himself.

Daisuke put his hands on his hips. “I most certainly do not.”

“Suit yourself.”

Hikari gazed around the Village, biting her lip and winding the string of her whistle around a finger. She didn’t move.

There wasn’t really anywhere in the Village that was uncomfortable, so what was holding her back from grabbing a quilt square and plopping down?

“You need something else?”

“Um, no! I’m sure it’s fine…” she said quickly.

Daisuke cocked his head. “Do you want us to come with you?”

“You don’t have to… But if you want to, that would be okay.”

Hikari smiled at him and it took Elecmon one moment too long to realize that she didn’t want to sleep alone. Here. In a different dimension.

Because she was a Baby.

Apparently baby humans liked to be tucked away from sight when they slept because the four of them all crawled under the drooping branches of one of the trees. Elecmon poked his head in. There was probably just enough space for them all to lay down.

“Nice hidey-hole, Babies.”

“It’s a fort,” Takeru corrected sharply.

“Sure it is. I’ll bring you some water. I can heat it up. We don’t have soup.”

“Thank you, Elecmon,” Hikari said, already closing her eyes.

Elecmon patted her foot and ran off to collect water in a bowl. Sick. One of the Pillars of the Digital World was a sick baby. Nice. Excellent.

Hikari was asleep when he returned. Resting, yet restless. She couldn’t seem to stay in any one position very long without coughing. And even when she wasn’t, she mumbled off and on, asking for an Onii-chan. Unsettled, Elecmon sat under the tree with them while and the boys took turns rubbing her back.

When she woke up, she seemed to have regained some energy. Her voice wasn’t so hoarse. The rest of the afternoon passed without incident. In fact, Elecmon had one of the easiest few hours he’d ever had in the Village.

The boys found a ball and tried to teach the digimon babies a game called soccer. Then a game called kickball, which was aptly named. Hikari climbed up on a block and played referee, happy to whistle at them and call penalties. She joined in when they switched to hide and seek, and sat out again while they played tag.

The issue came when Elecmon brought back a bulging bag of fresh fruit and declared it dinnertime.

“Dinner?” Ken said, and Elecmon had no idea why such a word should make him sound afraid.

“Are we- Is it going to be night soon?” Takeru asked.

The Chosen were stiff. They looked to each other, shuffled closer to each other, faces worried.

“What, are you Babies afraid of the dark? Nothing can get you here. The Village of Beginnings is very strongly protected,” Elecmon said, only half joking.

“How do we go home?” Daisuke asked.

Elecmon’s heart dropped into his stomach. Oh no.

“We’re going home, right Elecmon?” Takeru said. “I was supposed to go to Eiji’s house and be home for dinner. I didn’t- I didn’t even get to call my mom to tell her I went somewhere else.”

“I need to call my mom too,” Ken added.

Nausea was an unfamiliar sensation. It made it exceedingly difficult to speak.

“I don’t actually remember going anywhere,” Daisuke said, fidgeting with the ball. “I think I was just in my living room. Then I was here. And that’s totally cool! But yeah, I think my mom and dad want me to be… not here now.”

Hikari’s eyes were on him, her gaze penetrating. “Elecmon?”

“Ah… You see. I do not... know when you are going home,” he said haltingly. “I am not in charge of that.”

“What do you mean we’re not going home?” To Elecmon’s horror, Takeru’s eyes filled with frightened tears. “I want to go home!”

“I can’t get you home.”

“But- but- I want my mom and dad,” Ken whimpered.

Daisuke grabbed Ken’s hand and gave him an encouraging grin that might have worked if not for hs own panic that he was so clearly failing to hide.

“I’m sorry, Babies,” Elecmon said, hating himself a little. Mostly he hated the Holy Butts for putting all of them in this situation. “You’re very important to the Digital World. You’re probably going to be here for a long time. But I’ll do my best to take really good care of you. Elecmon’s honor.”

Elecmon’s honor meant nothing to them.

“You can’t keep us here,” Daisuke challenged, voice trembling. “I’ll just- We’ll just go and find our own way back.”

He turned like he truly meant to leave the Village, and Elecmon darted forward, blocking him.

“I can’t let you out of the Village of Beginnings,” he said, emphatic. “That’s the thing. I’m not supposed to let you out of my sight and even if I could… It would be dangerous for you to go out there.”

Daisuke drew back. “Why?”

“There are digimon out there that aren’t nice, and you kids are… special. And I think some of the bad digimon probably already know you’re here.” Elecmon tried to be gentle. “The Village of Beginnings has a very strong protection around it. Once you step outside the barrier, you’ll forget how to get back. I’m the only one that can get in and out.”

Takeru clung to Hikari’s sleeve. “We’d get lost?”

“Immediately.”

“Oh,” Hikari said, looking sad. “And you won’t take us?”

“I can’t, Hikari. The Holy Beasts entrusted you to me. I’m sorry. I really am. But I promise you are safe here.”

Takeru burst into tears and Ken was not far behind him.

Elecmon needed to hire an assistant because he still had fifty baby digimon to feed and put down for the night. That meant leaving the Digital World’s legendary heroes crying in their fort for longer than he wanted. The amount of time he wanted was zero seconds.

There was room under the tree for all of them to snuggle up in a weepy pile with Elecmon in the middle. One by one, their sobs tapered off and were replaced by hiccuping, wet breaths. More than one woke in the middle of the night and started all over again.

Elecmon did not sleep.

Early the next morning, Gennai sent Centalmon to let him know that under no circumstances was he to allow Ken to the egg fields until they came to a decision on how to proceed.

“Then I’m keeping all of them away,” he told Centalmon, crossing his arms.

They all got their partners or none of them did. Elecmon knew how young ones worked. Singling Ken out would be cruel. There was no reason to hurt him when he was already upset.

“The Holy Beasts will not be pleased.”

“Welcome to the club!” Elecmon snapped. “They put me in charge of the Chosen Babies, so I’ll do as I see fit. Tell them they can come visit anytime. I’d love for them to meet their mighty defenders. They cried themselves to sleep last night, seeing as we’re basically holding them hostage.”

Centalmon said nothing. He stomped a hoof and sighed sharply. With a dip of his head, he turned and left through the trees.

Elecmon stalked back to the Village, praying the Holy Butts wouldn’t deliberate much longer. He wasn’t sure he actually could keep the Chosen from their partners. Despite their tears, the kids had started drifting toward the eggs in moments of downtime before breakfast.

Eating and the rising sun had put them in better spirits. Now, Elecmon just had to keep them occupied for some indeterminate amount of time.

No problem. He totally had this.

Digimon were simple. All Elecmon were called Elecmon. All Elecmon were Child Level. Most Elecmon had similar personalities and temperaments, though there were some variations due to environmental factors and upbringing.

In the days that passed, Elecmon discovered that humans were not simple.

Takeru only liked one of the fruits Elecmon brought for them. Ken liked all of them except the one Takeru liked. Hikari had no appetite, so Daisuke ate all her share and got a stomachache. Daisuke got loud when he was nervous, Takeru cried, and Hikari and Ken clammed up. Hikari could fall asleep at the drop of a hat, yet Daisuke and Takeru needed to run a hundred miles a day to be able to sleep at all.

Ken and Hikari didn’t mind when he called them Baby. Ken even smiled when he did. Daisuke and Takeru were adamant that they were not babies, and were perfectly big enough Big Kids.

“How do you know how big you are?” Elecmon asked.

“I’m eight,” Daisuke said, stretching as tall as he could. “I’m in second grade.”

“Me too,” Hikari said.

Ken nodded.

Takeru bounced in place. “I’m going to be eight tomorrow! I think. How many days have we been here?”

The kids all congratulated him and he puffed up, beaming.

“Eight years old?” Elecmon said, still not understanding where that was on the scale of baby to adult.

“Yes,” Hikari said. “You count the years since you were born. You get a year older on your birthday.”

“Do digimon not have birthdays?” Daisuke was scandalized.

Elecmon did not remember the day he hatched. “Not that I know of.”

“That’s so sad,” Hikari said. “Would you like us to pick a birthday for you?”

Takeru gasped. “Tomorrow can be your birthday too! We can share a birthday. Do you want to?”

Elecmon found himself incapable of saying anything but yes.

“We should have a party,” Daisuke said. “We should have cake. Elecmon, do you have a cake?”

“No…” Elecmon scrambled when all four kids were crestfallen. “I could make a cake out of fish?”

Their disgusted faces were all he needed to know that they were not keen on that idea. The fake barfing and noises of horror were overkill.

“So, you’re eight,” he said, eager to get the conversation back on track. “How many years is considered grown up?”

There was debate on that. Ken said legally the age was twenty, but most of them agreed that high schoolers were pretty old and that was sixteen or something. Their moms and dads were in their thirties and forties, and then Daisuke laughed and said his dad acted like he was a hundred when he didn’t have his coffee.

“A hundred?”

Takeru shoved at Daisuke’s arm. “He’s kidding. When you’re a hundred, you die.”

Elecmon blanched. “Die?”

“Not right away!” Ken said quickly. “Sometimes a person can live longer than that. But-” He shrunk when he realized all eyes were on him. He did that a lot.

Hikari finished for him. “Not everybody lives that long. I don’t think most people actually get to a hundred. Seventy or eighty is really old.”

“Humans die from being old? And then… You start over, right?”

Digimon lived infinitely unless they were killed or died during an attempted evolution. Elecmon felt nausea rising up again at the confused looks he was given.

“Start over?” Takeru asked.

Elecmon swallowed. “I mean, do people that die come back?”

“Like a ghost?” Daisuke said with a weird smile.

“Like an egg.”

“Kids don’t come from eggs, Elecmon,” Ken said. “If you die, you’re just dead.”

“Forever?”

“Yeah.”

None of the Chosen seemed to be worried about that. Elecmon wanted to scream.

Whose idea was this?

The next day Elecmon made a cake out of fruit and celebrated his newly appointed birthday. He used his electricity to light a stick on fire because the kids said it was a requirement for Takeru to blow out a candle, or some equivalent, so he could make a wish. Then they told him to relight it so he could blow it out too.

Elecmon wished the Chosen would wake up in the morning all the way grown.

They sang and clapped for him and Elecmon smiled through his dread.

“The Holy Beasts have reached a decision.”

Elecmon scoffed. “About time.”

Centalmon ignored him. “The Holy Beasts have decided that it is in the Digital World’s best interest to retain the Child of Kindness as the fourth Pillar. You have their full permission to bestow their partners upon them.”

“They did?” Elecmon was stunned. He had been operating under the assumption that a new child would be summoned to fill the gap. “Is that going to be a problem? What about Destiny?”

“Taking the time to choose another child is a risk they are not willing to take. The Dark Ocean has been overflowing more frequently, and it’s possible the crest could reject a Chosen Child a second time. Destiny and Miracles have always been finicky.” He swished his tail and shuffled in place, losing some of his stiffness. “For now, they are putting their faith in Kindness. It is something the Digital World needs dearly at this time.”

“I don’t disagree,” Elecmon muttered. But something nagged at him. “Will the crest of Kindness be able to channel that kind of energy?”

“We do not know,” Centalmon acknowledged just as quietly.

Elecmon didn’t like that. Ken was a sweet kid. He was unendingly patient with the baby digimon. Gentle even when they chewed on his clothes and tugged his hair. Each day he came out of his shell more and more, speaking his mind and laughing freely. Elecmon did not wish to see him struggle.

“Bring them to the egg field, Elecmon. We shall see.”

Elecmon nodded absently.

He gathered the kids. They sat around him, round-cheeked and eyes glittering with anticipation. They knew something was happening. Elecmon looked to each child with his heart thumping off-beat in his chest. A breeze blew through the Village and tussled their hair, smelling of change. He cleared his throat.

“Alright, Babies. The head honchos are all done chatting. I know you’ve all been wanting to go poke at the eggs. You’re going to get to do that in just a minute-” Elecmon pinned Daisuke in place with his eyes.

Daisuke flashed him a sheepish grin, planting his butt back on the ground.

“Just listen. Don’t go in there and pick up any old egg willy-nilly, okay? You…” Elecmon wasn’t actually sure how this worked. “Listen to your gut, or your heart, or something. You only get to pick once. That digimon is going to be your partner, your responsibility, your protector, your friend.”

The kids were still and solemn, and then Daisuke whispered, “Can we go now?”

Elecmon rolled his eyes. “Yes, Baby. You can go.”

“I’m not a baby!” Daisuke crowed as he launched past Elecmon.

Takeru wasn’t far behind him, laughing like the sun.

Elecmon watched them.

Daisuke ran through the egg field at top speed. He hopped over and around eggs in a way that probably should have made Elecmon feel faint, but he only observed, a strange calm settling over him. For the first time since they arrived, he felt that maybe things would turn out alright.

With a wild hoot, Daisuke skidded to a halt. He tripped over his own feet and went tumbling, coming to a stop in front of a sky blue egg.

“You!” Daisuke scooped it up with both hands and held it high over his head.

Ah. Elecmon smiled. One of the ancient dragons.

Takeru ran to the field, but upon reaching it, he slowed. He peeked at every third egg and studied it, sometimes brushing a finger over the top. It was not very long before he stopped at a yellow-striped egg and went still. Wonder lit his face when he touched it. He sat down and pulled it into his lap, whispering to it.

A holy digimon.

Restored to full health, Hikari happily waited beside Elecmon, smiling serenely. And then she padded out to the field in a straight line, eyes locked on an egg. She lifted it and rubbed her cheek to the shell. Kissed it.

Elecmon almost laughed. Hope and Light with matching holy partners made a lot of sense. He sought out Ken and his amusement faded.

Ken was still looking, wandering slowly through the eggs. He picked at the hem of his shirt and twisted it, tipping his head at the eggs at his feet. Each time, he moved on. He pretended he wasn’t looking at the others out of the corner of his eye. And then finally, Ken reached the end of the field and jerked to a stop. The biggest grin Elecmon had seen on him burst across his face.

Elecmon held his breath as Ken picked up a heart-patterned egg. A regular, normal egg with a regular, normal digimon inside of it. He chose to stifle his anxiety and enjoy Ken’s pure delight instead.

And then the sky went white and all the eggs hatched at once.

Elecmon wished the Holy Butts hadn’t waited half a dozen days to figure out if they wanted to keep Ken, because once the kids had their partners, episodes of crying and asking to go home went from frequent to near zero.

Not zero though. Not quite.

But the kids treasured their digimon, and it warmed Elecmon’s heart to watch them bond. It was a good thing he’d given them time to practice with his babies first. They carried their partners everywhere. Fed them carefully and complained about their own food a lot less. They slept with them snuggled close.

The kids walked them around and showed them all the things they themselves had only just learned about the Digital World as if they were experts. Elecmon snorted at that.

Humans were a little ridiculous.

They were also alarmingly fragile.

Elecmon was tidying up the cradles when the kids’ laughter in the background abruptly shifted to shouts of pain. He bolted, images of attacking digimon flashing in his head. The Village was safe. It shouldn’t be possible.

“What? What happened?” Elecmon called, coming up to the scene of the disaster.

Takeru and Daisuke kicked and rolled on the ground, clutching at their faces. Chicomon and Poyomon hopped around frantically, peeping and chirping.

Daisuke sat up, holding something in his hand proudly. There were tears streaming from his eyes, but he laughed through it. “Ow. Look! I lost a tooth!”

Takeru got to his knees and glared at him. “You bit me!”

“I did not.”

Takeru dropped his hands and Elecmon startled at the red smeared on his chin. “I’m bleeding!”

“You knocked my tooth out.”

“You knocked your own tooth out! On my face! I’m going to get diseases.”

Daisuke made a face at him.

Hikari arrived and shook her head. “I can’t find any band-aids. Only big bandages. Ken is looking for a handkerchief.”

Takeru grumbled. He bunched his shirt up and pressed it to his chin. Poyomon bounced into his lap, poyo-ing softly. Takeru wiped his eyes on his arm. “Don’t worry, Poyomon. I’m okay.”

The fact that the kids were disgruntled and not screaming and panicking kept him from doing exactly that. Still, Elecmon couldn’t take his eyes off the white thing pinched in Daisuke’s fingers. “Human teeth come out?”

Daisuke stuck his tongue out through the new hole in his mouth. “Yeah! See? I’ll get a new tooth now.”

“Here.” Ken was suddenly there, handing Takeru a wet cloth. “How did you guys even do that?”

“Daisuke jumped off a block on me,” Takeru said with a huff. He cleaned the blood off his hands and made a noise of frustration when he saw the mess on his shirt. “Aw, man. Daisuke! We don’t have more clothes.”

“I said to watch out!”

“After you jumped!”

“You can wash it in the river,” Hikari said, tugging Takeru to his feet. “Come on. I’ll go with you.”

Takeru hooked Poyomon into the crook of his elbow and followed along. “Am I still bleeding?”

“I think it’s done.”

Takeru wrestled his shirt off and Elecmon did a double-take. He had kind of forgotten that their clothes could come off. And there, just visible in the morning sunlight, was the crest of Hope. The faint yellow lines traced over Takeru’s back and shoulder, only the highest tips of the crest reaching up towards his neck.

Digimon didn’t have blood inside them. Just data.

“What happens if a lot of blood comes out of a human?” Elecmon said without meaning to.

“What do you mean, a lot?” Ken said.

“Like if your arm gets chopped off?” Daisuke asked, still excited. “It all comes out and you die. Or you go to the hospital and they give you more. I think you can put your arm back on sometimes? But that doesn’t work if it’s your head or something. Then you’re just dead.”

Elecmon wavered on his feet.

“Hey, Elecmon! Does the tooth fairy come to the digital world?”

There was a problem.

Somewhere along the line, Elecmon stopped being angry at the Holy Beasts on principle, and started being angry because…

Because Ken sat beside him and showed him how to make straws out of reeds from the river, and showed him how to make bubbles as soon as he found the soap Elecmon used to give the baby digimon baths. Because Ken made the biggest bubble he’d ever seen, and laughed and laughed and then started to cry. Sometimes Ken cried at night, and all the others would curl around him and whisper to him until none of them could stay awake any longer.

Daisuke would hold his hand and make jokes that didn’t even make sense, and Hikari would wipe the tears from his cheeks, and Takeru would sit with them with a soft smile and give Ken the biggest hug when he felt better.

Because the sound of Hikari’s giggling was like angels singing, and Elecmon’s soul fluttered every time. Because there were days when she was distant and silent, and Takeru would fill the space with funny stories. Ken would pick her flowers, and Daisuke stood on his head against their tree until he turned red and Hikari had to crack a smile.

Because Daisuke got anxious when the others did anything without him, and would either run off to sulk with Chicomon to cry as quietly as he could, or go to the others and be so loud there was no way they could possibly ignore him. Because sometimes Daisuke climbed the block towers at sunrise and Elecmon couldn’t breathe for a moment, a boy silhouetted by gold.

Because Takeru was a huge hypocrite and was quick to get annoyed and quick to start arguments, but if anyone near him raised their voice in anger, he ran off to hide. He’d cover his ears and cry until Elecmon sat with him. Because Takeru was the smallest and the youngest, but that didn’t slow him down or discourage him, and for every time he was knocked down, he got back up that much faster.

The problem was not that they were babies.

These children were here to battle darkness. To purify corruption. To witness the worst this world had to offer.

They were here to be strong when no one else could be.

Elecmon watched them fall asleep and he was so angry that his eyes burned with tears.

The problem now was that these were his babies.

Centalmon stomped, squaring his shoulders. “Are they ready?”

“Ready for what?”

“Gennai wishes for the Chosen to be prepared. He wants to send a teacher to inform them on the Digital World and their role in it. No digimon can enter the Village without your permission. Do you give it?”

“Just to talk? Just a teacher?”

“Indeed.”

Elecmon hesitated. “Yes. They may enter.”

“Good. Leomon will be here shortly after sunrise.”

Well, Gennai certainly could have picked a worse digimon. Elecmon returned to the Village with the intention of informing the kids of an early wakeup tomorrow.

Hikari found him first.

“Elecmon! Elecmon, look! She evolved.”

In her arms was Nyaromon.

“Congratulations!” he said, patting Nyaromon and ruffling Hikari’s hair. “Good job, both of you.”

“Thank you!” Hikari was pink-cheeked, her eyes crinkling with the force of her smile.

She ran off to show someone else and Elecmon bit back a scream.

Leomon arrived bright and early the next day, looking so out of place among the sea of little ones that Elecmon couldn’t stop from cackling.

The kids were as intimidated by him as they were impressed. They asked Leomon a hundred questions and showed him their partners, and were about as polite and friendly as they could be. To no one’s surprise, Leomon loved them.

He let out a rumbling chuckle at Daisuke’s antics, and indulged Hikari when she climbed into his lap, and then scooped up Ken and Takeru to sit on his other knee. When Daisuke squawked, Leomon plucked him and Chicomon off the ground and sat him up on his shoulder.

Yes, Gennai had picked well.

“You have so much potential within you, oh Chosen Children,” Leomon said proudly. “I have no doubts that you will be able to keep the Darkness in check.”

“You really think we can do it?” Ken asked, Leafmon secure in his arms.

“I do. And I am here to ensure you know as much as there is to know about the world you are protecting. Here-” Leomon reached around Daisuke and pulled out a roll of paper from his pack. He laid it flat on the ground and motioned for some of the curious baby digimon to sit on the corners to hold it flat. “This is the Digital World. The Digital World, the Real World, and the Dark Ocean overlap. They occupy the same space in each of their dimensions. They are interconnected perhaps more intricately than we can understand.”

He traced a claw around the circle on the map and the kids peered down. “It is written that the Digital World came to be when humans in the Real World created the first computer. When there are changes in technology in your world, ours shifts as well. Though, it is not always clear the manner of that relationship.”

“What about the Dark Ocean?” Takeru asked, frowning.

“The Dark Ocean was birthed from the first computer as well. If the Digital World is where data comes to life, then the Dark Ocean is where it ceases to be. The Holy Beasts believe that the original purpose of the Dark Ocean was to be a place of cleansing.

“Real World files, programs, information- Once it is deleted, it goes to the Dark Ocean to be broken down into binary. Digimon, however, once they die, will also pass through the Dark Ocean. There, they are stripped of all viruses or corrupted data. Their remaining code is sent back to the Digital World to be born again.”

Daisuke hummed. “They go back to the egg field?”

“Yes. Those are our returning brethren.”

“So the Dark Ocean is full of just bad data? Broken files and viruses and stuff?” Ken asked.

Leomon sighed, and Elecmon inched closer. This was the part that he did not understand very well himself.

“Ideally, yes. But if that were the case, you four would not be needed.” Leomon tapped the map in three places. “There are areas where the barrier between the worlds is thinner. Weaker. Those places are where the Dark Ocean can spill through when it becomes overloaded.”

“Overloaded? How?” Ken asked.

“Humans are creating and advancing technology faster than the Dark Ocean can break down the leftovers. When left to rot, it seems that strings of code are being absorbed by the corrupted digimon data that enters the world. These conglomerations are taking the forms of dark digimon and breaking through the barrier, causing havoc in the Digital World. They are no longer true digimon. They are hive-minded and dangerously hostile. As the speed of technological advances increases, as does the rate of spillovers.”

Elecmon didn’t blame the kids for looking apprehensive.

“It is not a task for the faint of heart, my Chosen Children. You will find none who think this. But know this,” he said, his broad chest swelling with his breath. “Each of you was chosen for a reason. You are right for the job. It has been long foretold that when darkness rose, the legendary children of the light would be there to meet it.”

He tipped Hikari’s chin up with a tender finger pad. “Light is what brings life to all worlds. Light is joy. It is power. You rise mighty with the sun, young one, do not forget that.

“Hope will remain when all else seems lost,” Leomon said, wrapping a huge paw around Takeru’s entire frame. “Hope comes not from around you, but from within. It cannot be stolen or extinguished. Your power is endless so long as you are you.

“The child of Miracles-”

Daisuke squeezed Chicomon, yelping when he was enveloped in light. When it died, Chibimon sat in his place, squealing in delight.

“I did it!”

“Nice timing, buddy!” Daisuke cheered.

Leomon roared a laugh and clapped Daisuke on the knee, shaking him. “A child of surprises! Let no one tell you anything is impossible. For you, it shall not be.”

Leomon paused, and Ken hugged his knees, looking away.

“I will be candid with you, Ken. I do not care much for the idea of Fate or Destiny. We all make choices. To believe our lives are predetermined takes away from the strength we carry in our agency. Perhaps we were destined to have you here with us, perhaps not. But you are here, a child bearing Kindness in a time when we desperately need it.

“Kindness is not weakness, my child. It is a choice. To be kind in a world that is not always just, is a powerful thing.”

Leafmon nodded and Ken wiped at his eyes, bobbing his head. The other kids sent him supportive grins.

Elecmon’s throat was tight. He turned and made his way to the river. There were fish to catch.

On the third day of their lessons, Poyomon evolved. Takeru and Tokomon shouted their delight and ran wild with the mob of cheering baby digimon until Elecmon had to come and tell them to simmer down because it was time for morning nap.

Takeru gave him a smile that was positively radiant. Elecmon was affected.

For two days, Ken and Leafmon were quiet.

“You’re doing just fine,” Elecmon said, shaking his head. “You don’t have to look so worried. Every digimon evolves at their own rate. You’re doing a bang up job taking care of Leafmon. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

Ken shrugged, unconvinced. Every time their crests were brought up in their lessons, he made himself smaller. Pulled away from the others.

“Doubt makes you susceptible to the pull of the Dark Ocean,” Leomon said. “There have been rumors that the creatures that come up from the Ocean are attempting to find their own Light. You are all Light to them, Ken. Do not give them an opening. They are drawn to you as much as they are repelled. Believe in your power and the Dark Ocean will have no chance.”

Takeru, Hikari, and Daisuke boxed Ken in. Their hands found his, squeezing and supporting and comforting. They were all growing incredibly close. Elecmon knew they would not let each other fall.

“I remind you, Ken, that the Holy Beasts could have sent you home. They could have looked for another child. But they did not. They put their faith in you and your partner. They put faith in Kindness. No one can do the things that you can.”

“You can do it, Ken,” Takeru said earnestly. “You don’t have to worry.”

“Yeah?”

Takeru threw his arms out. “Of course!”

Something glinted in Ken’s eyes. “Really?”

“Really really!”

Ken laughed, and in a burst of lavender, Leafmon evolved. Ken would have toppled over in shock if it weren’t for Daisuke right behind him.

“Hi, Ken! I’m Minomon!”

“Hi, Minomon,” Ken murmured, eyes shining with awe.

“See? You’re amazing!” Daisuke grabbed Ken and shook him around. “Way to go!”

Hikari blew a short tune on her whistle, their digimon singing along.

Leomon’s grin was all teeth. “Have no doubts, Ken. You are Chosen.”

Leomon taught them the layout of the Digital World.

Elecmon showed them how to catch fish. He showed them how to navigate by the sun, and follow rivers, and build a shelter. In his opinion, those things were just as, if not more important than knowing where the different digimon settlements were.

“How are we supposed to get off File Island?” Hikari asked one day, crouched over the map of the region. “Server looks so far away.”

“At Adult Level, one of your partners may be able to fly you there,” Leomon said, raising an eyebrow at the gaggle of giggling babies. “Though they might not be large enough to carry all of you at once. Digimon sizes begin to vary quite a bit past Child Level. You could also ask for a ride from some of the larger marine digimon. I’ve heard of Whamon who don’t mind acting as a ferry for those looking to cross the ocean…”

“Wait, you think they’ll be able to fly? That’s so cool!”

The kids were too distracted by the concept of having a flying partner to hear the rest of Leomon’s talk. Elecmon chuckled at his attempts to rekindle their previous lesson.

Chosen Babies were still babies.

Elecmon lost track of how many times Leomon visited. The kids were changing. Slowly, but surely, and in subtle ways.

He almost wished they weren’t.

He almost wished he didn’t notice when Hikari began to admit when she was tired or missing home. When Ken began to speak his mind without shrinking in on himself. When Takeru began to tolerate conflict, or when Daisuke stopped hiding away when he felt left out.

It was good, but it hurt.

Centalmon asked when he thought they would be ready.

Elecmon told him to shove it.

Daisuke was the first to get his crest to activate, and with that success came V-mon.

Elecmon was suddenly scared.

Digimon grew quickly through the early stages. The kids didn’t seem to be growing at all. Not physically, at least. The only way Elecmon could tell that time was passing for them was that Daisuke’s new tooth was coming in, and that they had been talking about how to cut their hair.

Eight years old. Humans took so long to grow.

“Elecmon?”

“Huh?” Elecmon spun around, fish and ladle in hand, to meet Daisuke’s nervous little face. “What’s up, kid? I didn’t hear you coming.”

He bit his lip, V-mon clinging to his arm. “Uh. I was wondering.”

“What?” Elecmon prompted when Daisuke stalled.

“Do you want me to?” V-mon whispered loudly.

“No, I got it. I- um. Elecmon?”

“...Yes?”

“You said that once digimon evolve to Child Level, and they can- you know- take care of themselves… You said they have to leave the Village of Beginnings.”

Oh.

Oh jeez.

“I’m not kicking you out!” Elecmon sputtered, waving his paws around. The fish flapped against his arm. “You Babies are kind of special, you know. You’re not going anywhere until all four of you can channel your crests. Isn’t that what Leomon is trying to get you to do?”

Daisuke deflated dramatically. “Oh good. I mean, I wasn’t worried. But Hikari just got Nyaromon to evolve and she was. Not me, though. I’m cool.”

“Nyaromon evolved too?” Already?

“Yeah, Plotmon’s a neat little… dog? Or a cat? She’s acting kind of catty. I actually don’t know. Would it be rude to ask?”

To everyone’s surprise, Minomon was the next to evolve only days later. It was a much-needed victory for Ken’s self-esteem. Leomon let the kids take a few hours to celebrate and play before getting back to business. Elecmon came by with a bag of fruit, frowning at what he saw.

Takeru was not with them.

It did not take Elecmon long to find him. He was tucked away behind a block tower, Tokomon in his lap. He stared out at nothing and played with his partner’s ears. The air about him was distinctly unhappy.

“Tired, Baby?”

Takeru didn’t rise to the bait. He shrugged.

Elecmon sat next to him. “You’ll pull off your evolution soon. You don’t have to get all pouty about it. For all we know, it could happen before dinner. What do you think, Tokomon? You up for it?”

“I’m ready!” Tokomon said proudly, puffing up. He gave a scary, toothy smile. “I can’t wait to see what kind of digimon I’ll be. Do you want to guess, Takeru?”

Takeru wouldn’t look at either of them. He shook his head, irritated. “No.”

“Takeru?” Tokomon put his paws on his partner’s chest.

Takeru shook him off, getting to his feet in a rush.

“Woah, what’s the matter with you?” Elecmon asked.

“Why don’t you go away? It’s none of your business,” Takeru snapped. He stormed off and left Tokomon behind.

Elecmon was stunned. He had never been on the receiving end of one of Takeru’s outbursts. His chest ached. “What the hell was that all about?”

“I don’t know…” Tokomon said sadly. “It happened last night too. He won’t tell me anything.”

“Is he just bummed because he’s last?” Elecmon asked.

“I don’t think that’s it.”

“Hm. Well, don’t take it personally,” Elecmon said, trying to take his own words to heart. “He’ll perk back up. He always does.”

“Yeah.”

Takeru did not, in fact, perk back up.

For days he was quiet, only speaking when he had no choice. His smiles never reached his eyes. He was snappy and impatient and barely paid attention during Leomon’s lessons. He got into three arguments with Tokomon, and one with Daisuke before the other kids were sick of it.

Elecmon went to get them for dinner and walked into an intervention.

“You’re being a jerk,” Daisuke said. “Knock it off and just say what you’re so mad about.”

Takeru backed into a tree, stiff and defensive.

Ken put a hand on Daisuke’s shoulder to stop him from getting in Takeru’s face. “We’re not angry at you. We’re worried.”

“Please, Takeru?” Hikari asked gently. She looked near tears. “Please. We just want you to feel better. We’re supposed to be a team.”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it.”

“But something is bothering you a lot.” Hikari dusted her fingers over the back of his fist. “We love you. We- We’re kind of like a family now-”

Takeru yanked his hand away. “Shut up! Everybody just leave me alone!”

Hikari jerked back like he’d slapped her. Ken stumbled behind Daisuke, startled by his volume.

Takeru’s eyes went wide and a horrible sob escaped him. He ran.

“Takeru-” Hikari called, hands cradled to her heart.

“I got him,” Elecmon said firmly. “You kids stay here. Go have dinner.”

He didn’t hear their response, already bolting away. Elecmon was faster. He could have caught up to Takeru in moments, but he held back, just fast enough to keep Takeru in his sights. The kid wanted space. Elecmon could give that to him unless-

Shit.

Elecmon’s heart skipped a beat. He put on a burst of speed.

Takeru veered around a tree and tried to stop too late, tripping down the bank and into the river. He caught himself on his hands and knees in the shallows with a splash and a cry of shock.

Relief flooded through Elecmon. He bounded to the edge of the water as Takeru stomped back up the bank, spluttering and even angrier still. Takeru shook out his waterlogged sleeves. Wrestled his socks off and threw them at the ground.

He looked up and saw Elecmon.

“Go away!”

“I can’t, Takeru. I need you to stay right where you are, alright. No more running-”

“I don’t want to talk to you!”

“You are very, very close to the Village barrier.” Elecmon’s gaze flicked twenty feet to their left.

Takeru spun. He eyed the trees beyond with apprehension, a spark of fear interrupting his fury. He scrubbed a sopping wet sleeve over his equally soaked cheeks.

“Fine!” he shouted, scattering water droplets around him. “I guess I’ll just- just- stay here forever then!”

To Elecmon’s confusion, that statement seemed to set Takeru off all over again. He sat down right where he was and started to cry, very, very hard. He pulled at his sleeves and ripped off his hat and howled.

Even after hosting the Chosen for months, Elecmon would be lying if he said he understood humans. Digimon tended to be pretty upfront about their emotions.

Where on earth was all this coming from? Since when had Takeru been this upset?

Elecmon cautiously crept toward him, saying nothing. He lay down next to Takeru and Takeru cried. Takeru cried, and the sun set behind them. It went on so long that Elecmon wondered if he should be doing more.

He moved to sit up, and Takeru gasped, lurching and snarling his damp fingers in Elecmon’s fur.

“Don’t leave,” Takeru sobbed. “Don’t leave. Don’t leave me…”

Elecmon shifted closer. Put his head in Takeru’s lap. “I won’t, kiddo.”

Takeru curled over him and sniffled. “I don’t want to leave.”

The Village? Elecmon internally sagged. Daisuke had been upset too. Dammit. They were so young.

“I’m sorry, Baby. I wish I could keep you forever too.”

“I don’t want to- to leave my home again.” He hiccuped and tightened his grip. “I don’t want Tokomon to evolve, and we’ll have to- have to go away forever. I don’t want to forget how to come home. I want to… I want…” He gulped and crumpled into Elecmon, pressing his face to his fur. “I want Yamato! I want my brother! What if I never see him again? I h-hate that.”

Elecmon froze. Hikari and Ken had big brothers. Daisuke had a big sister. They’d explained families to him not long after they’d arrived, and Takeru… Takeru had been bizarrely quiet. He’d said almost nothing the whole afternoon, and Elecmon hadn’t clocked it as abnormal because at the time he had no clue what Takeru’s normal was.

“I don’t want to never see you again either,” Takeru wailed into Elecmon’s neck.

“It doesn’t have to be never,” Elecmon said slowly. Carefully. “I bet Gennai’d be okay with you Babies coming to visit sometimes.”

“But we won’t remember how to get here.”

“We can find a way. Set something up. Every few months or something, you can go to where Centalmon and Leomon wait for me, and I can come pick you up.” Elecmon let out a short laugh. “Scheduled visits, you know? I’ll put you on my calendar.”

Takeru had gone silent, and Elecmon looked up at him, hoping to see evidence that Takeru was as attached to the idea as he suddenly was. He was wrong.

Takeru was devastated. A betrayed noise crept up his throat. He hugged himself and Elecmon was dismayed at the new wave of tears that crashed over him.

“No, no, no…” Takeru was quiet now. “I don’t want to be on your- your calendar.” He said the word like it was a death sentence.

Elecmon was at a loss. There was something deeper here. He had no idea how to proceed. No idea how to make whatever this was better.

Maybe he couldn’t.

Takeru didn’t say anything more, and Elecmon stayed with him until the stars decorated the sky. He’d missed dinner. Missed putting the babies down for bedtime. Elecmon hoped that the other kids had done it for him and felt a stab of guilt.

But leaving Takeru was not an option.

Elecmon grew drowsy. He did not let himself fall asleep. It was never cold in the Village of Beginnings, but the nights could be cool, and Takeru was wet. He needed to get him back and warmed up.

Elecmon wiggled gently, raising his head. “Come on, Baby. Bedtime.”

Takeru hummed. He sat up, but his eyes were closed. Elecmon could barely make out his face in the dark. It was still crumpled with misery.

“Let’s get you back.”

Takeru shook his head. “I bet everyone hates me. I yelled at Hikari.”

“I don’t think Hikari is capable of hating anyone,” Elecmon said, nudging Takeru to his feet. “Say sorry, and the boys will forgive you. Up.”

Takeru held onto Elecmon as they walked back, his eyes only half open. Elecmon deposited him at the entrance to their tree.

“I’ll be right back. Go lay down.”

Elecmon hurried to his den, grabbing the blanket he used as a nest. He was happy to see Takeru curling up beside Hikari when he got back.

His shuffling around woke her.

“Takeru?”

Takeru made a sad noise and Hikari sat up.

“I have Tokomon,” she whispered.

“Thanks,” Takeru said, the word crackling.

Elecmon slunk in and tucked the blanket around Takeru. He clung to a corner, snuggling into it with a shiver.

Elecmon fought back a yawn. “Do you want me to stay?”

Takeru peeked up at him and then at Hikari. At Daisuke and Ken tangled on his other side, and the pile of digimon by their heads.

Hikari waited too. Takeru reached out from under the blanket and held her hand. She hugged him the best she could and laid down with him.

“Why are you all wet?”

Elecmon patted their feet and went out into the night. The Village was quiet. The toys and block towers were covered in silver sheets of moonlight. The cradles were rocking, a slow swaying dance. A fresh breeze rustled the leaves, telling the world to shush. Elecmon walked back to his den.

There was no peace in his heart tonight.

Elecmon didn’t know what Takeru said to the others, but by the end of breakfast, they were all acting like nothing had happened. Elecmon was glad. There would be no room for holding grudges once the kids were out on their own.

In the end, it was only another week before Patamon made his appearance. It was a bittersweet moment.

Elecmon left the kids with Leomon and ventured out of the Village, further than he had in years. He hunted down a path that was only a vague memory. It took longer than he’d like, but the trip paid off. He came back with eggs and some bags of chips from a fridge.

The kids acted like he’d given them the whole world.

Maybe he’d underestimated how sick of fish they were.

Centalmon stared him down and Elecmon felt his hackles rising.

“They’re not ready yet,” he repeated.

“The Dark Ocean will not wait for you to stop babying them.”

“Well, maybe you guys shouldn’t have sent me babies!”

Centalmon sighed. “Elecmon.”

“No.”

He couldn’t do it. They still smelled like Baby. Hikari had no front teeth. They’d given each other haircuts two days ago and they all looked like ragamuffins. Yesterday, Ken had told him he loved him.

He couldn’t send them into the world like this.

“You have one week,” Centalmon said imperiously. He went to turn away and faltered. “I am sorry, Elecmon. We need them.”

Elecmon went straight back to his den, ignoring the kids’ greetings at his return. He was hollow.

There was no more time.

Leomon was to take them as far as the north shore. From there, they would be on their own.

“Thank you, Elecmon,” Hikari said tenderly. She hugged him for a long time. “We’ll miss you so much.”

Daisuke wiped his eyes and pouted, glaring at his feet. “Yeah. You were great. This kind of sucks.”

“I’ll miss you Babies too.” Elecmon hugged Hikari so tight he squeezed a laugh out of her.

“I’m not a baby,” Takeru and Daisuke said at the same time.

Elecmon smiled painfully. “Of course not.”

Takeru took Hikari’s place when she finally stepped back. Patamon fell off Takeru’s head and caught himself on Elecmon’s ear.

Elecmon winced. “Ouch. Hey, keep that for the bad guys, alright?”

“You don’t have to worry. We’ll keep them safe,” Patamon said proudly, crawling up onto Takeru’s shoulder instead.

“You betcha!” V-mon bounced and gave him a thumbs up.

Ken didn’t wait for Takeru to be done hugging Elecmon before he took his turn. He nuzzled under Elecmon’s chin and murmured, “Thank you. For everything. We love you so much.”

Elecmon sucked the tears back into his eyes where they belonged. Nope. No waterworks. He was supposed to be brave and calm and confident for them. No crying.

“Aw, Elecmon…”

Crap.

His vision blurred, and Hikari and Daisuke piled on, little arms grabbing and holding tight. A warm tangle of shaky limbs and even shakier breaths. Someone kissed his cheek. More weight. All four partners had joined in.

“Okay, Babies. Go save the world.”

The Pillars of the Digital World walked through the barrier and vanished, and Elecmon swayed on his feet. Gone. He’d watched thousands of digimon grow up and leave his care, and not once had he experienced anything like this.

Chosen or not, those little humans were special.

Elecmon stood there for what felt like hours, staring at the space before him. The Village seemed to ring with their absence. Too still. Too quiet. There were forty-two babies here and it wasn’t enough to fill the sudden chasm yawning in Elecmon’s chest.

He needed…

Elecmon needed an assistant.

Gennai didn’t question his request. In less that a week, Centalmon brought him Kamemon.

Elecmon busied himself with showing his assistant the ropes, and in no time, Kamemon settled into the flow of the day. He was good. He didn’t easily fluster or get frustrated, and despite his tough shell and helmet, the babies were more than happy to snuggle with him.

Elecmon had someone to talk to who could talk back. Though Kamemon wasn’t exactly a Chatty Cathy.

Having someone to watch the babies meant that for the first time, Elecmon could leave the Village for longer than a brief meeting with a messenger.

It meant Elecmon could catch up on the digital dirt. Word didn’t travel terribly quickly in the Digital World, and news took a long time to make it to File Island especially, but it did get there. And these days all the news was about the Chosen Children.

Elecmon grasped at every detail like a digimon drowning. They’d been spotted at a Koromon Village. Stayed for some time with Piccolomon. There had been a series of Dark Ocean overflows near the colosseum that they’d taken care of. They were doing well, if word of mouth could be trusted.

Doing well at their job didn’t speak to if they were happy, or healthy, or missing home terribly. When Elecmon pried for information, he generally received bland confusion and shrugging.

As the weeks passed, another topic began to whisper its way across the island.

Y2K was coming.

What effect would the new century have on the Digital World? Rumor had it, (and where on earth had such a rumor come from?) that the Real World was preparing for some end-of-times level technology crash.

Was this why the Holy Beasts had been pushy with the Chosen’s timeline? Was there something they knew about the Dark Ocean that they wanted the kids to be prepared for?

Elecmon found himself distracted, rocking the babies long after they had fallen asleep. What would happen if there was an apocalyptic crash? A system reboot? What on earth would happen to a human caught in the Digital World when it happened?

Many times Elecmon waited at the meeting spot alone. Centalmon did not bring him updates nor news.

Elecmon did not have a clock. He lived by the sun. By the cries of the babies. He would not know when midnight arrived on New Years.

He spent the night in his Babies’ hidey-hole, Kamemon and all thirty-four digimon babies surrounding him.

Morning came, the same as it always had. Elecmon got up, stretched, and patrolled the Village. Then the entire perimeter. Nothing was out of place.

Nothing had happened at all.

What a waste of anxiety. Elecmon woke everyone for breakfast, trying not to be as outwardly irritated as he was inside. It’s not like he wanted anything bad to happen. Of course he didn’t. It was just that Kamemon had been picking up an awful lot of his slack lately, and he felt like an ass.

He needed to focus. He’d done his part. He had babies here that needed him.

Elecmon poured every ounce of energy he had into being the best caretaker he could be. All day he played harder, joked sillier, and sang better than he had in too long. The babies were in excellent spirits and there were four evolutions. Almost a record.

It felt good.

In the middle of afternoon nap the sky glitched.

Elecmon whipped his head up, staring as pixels snapped and flickered in a nightmare of rainbow colors above the Village. The sky went pitch black for a moment and then slowly warmed back to the naptime dimness. Elecmon’s heart was in his throat.

“What is that?” Kamemon asked distantly.

“No…” Horror strangled Elecmon. “No, no, no-”

Feathers trailed down through the air.

Elecmon ran for the egg field. A trail of long white feathers fluttered gently to a vacant spot on the pillowed ground. Elecmon arrived as the last one landed atop the small pile, feeling like he’d been gutted.

A yellow striped egg formed from the feathers and Elecmon wanted to cry. He nuzzled Patamon’s egg, a pained sigh pulling all the way up from his toes. He curled around it.

“Hey, buddy,” Elecmon whispered thickly. “Don’t you worry. He’ll come get you. I bet he’s on his way right now.”

The partners' connection was the only thing that could override the Village's protections. Elecmon would have done anything to see the kids again. But not like this. Anything but this.

He visited Patamon’s egg every day. He patted it, and rambled about the weather, and cleaned imaginary smudges from the shell.

It was six days before the barrier blinked in the back of Elecmon’s mind. They were here. They must have been very far. He rose to his hind feet and the wind blessedly shifted in his favor.

He could smell his Babies.

Elecmon bounded East like the devil himself was chasing him.

The kids came into view and Elecmon’s heart flip-flopped unpleasantly. They were taller. Mostly Ken, but his eyes were on Takeru. Takeru, who remained silent while the others called out to him. Takeru, whose eyes were red-rimmed and lined with guilt. With grief.

Takeru, who was riddled with bruises all along the left side of his face and down his leg. His arm was hidden in his sleeve, but there were healing scuffs on his knuckles that didn’t bode well.

Elecmon went straight for him.

The others held back and Takeru dropped to his knees. Elecmon nearly knocked him over with the force of his embrace.

“He’s alright, Baby. I kept him company.”

Takeru folded into him, a tired sob muffled by fur. Elecmon rubbed his back. His eyes were scrunched shut out of fear of what he’d see when he opened them.

He couldn’t hide forever.

Elecmon looked up at his kids and ached. They were exhausted. There were bags under even Daisuke’s eyes, his hair unruly and clothes wrinkled. A long scratch decorated Hikari’s cheek, and another peeked out from the collar of her shirt. Both Ken’s knees were skinned.

Their partners were on edge and no less tired, holding tight to their children.

“What happened?” Elecmon said.

Ken grimaced and shook his head shortly, eyeing Takeru.

Elecmon nodded once.

Takeru shuddered and drew in a hitched breath, pulling away. He stood up and blinked hard, wavering for just a moment. Without a word he turned and headed for the egg field.

Once Takeru was a polite distance away, they crumpled.

“Oh, Babies…” Elecmon reached for them and they fell into him.

They sniffled and hiccuped and got him all wet with their tears. He did his best to comfort them. He felt woefully inadequate.

“What happened?” he asked softly.

“We don’t really know,” Daisuke said, faint traces of anger in his voice. “New Years did something bad. There was an overflow, but it wasn’t a bunch of bats. It was just one big digimon.”

“A Devimon.” Hikari shivered a little and Plotmon pressed closer to her.

A noise of disgust escaped Elecmon’s throat. He’d never had the displeasure of encountering such a creature. One made from the Dark Ocean’s corruption must have been an abomination.

“There was something wrong with it. Devimon was obsessed. It was only going after Takeru.” Daisuke pulled out of the hug, sitting back and wrapping his arms around his knees. “I mean, Angemon was able to destroy him, but… It was scary.”

Ken sat next to Daisuke, laying his head on his shoulder. Wormmon squeezed his way between them.

Elecmon held onto Hikari a little longer. They weren’t even nine yet, were they?

She hugged back tighter. “He hasn’t said anything since.”

“Takeru?”

A nod.

“He’ll feel better when he’s got Patamon back.” Elecmon hurt for them. “Come on. I’ll get you something to eat.”

Hikari rose with him, and the boys staggered along behind, fatigue overtaking them now that their mission had been put on pause. Takeru was already back at their tree. Patamon’s egg was cradled in his lap. Takeru blinked slowly, unfocused.

“Fish or fruit?” Elecmon asked.

“Fish.” Daisuke flopped down and used V-mon as a pillow. “We’re really bad at fishing,” he said when Elecmon looked surprised.

“You got it.”

Elecmon wasted no time, and yet all four kids were asleep when he hurried back. Only Plotmon’s eyes were cracked open, her fuzzy brow furrowed in thought or memory.

“Thank you, Elecmon.”

He placed the steaming bag of fish near the tree trunk. Despite the kids’ growth, there was a suspicious amount of clear space in here. The kids had always liked to sleep close, feet tangled and elbows bumping. Now it was hard to tell where one kid ended and another began. They were wrapped in each other, faces burrowed into necks. Hands clasped in clothes. The four of them were curled with Daisuke in the middle, his small arms trying to hold them all at once.

Patamon’s egg lay nestled between Takeru and Ken, barely visible.

“Are those the Chosen Children? The Pillar Crests?”

Elecmon nearly jumped out of his skin. Kamemon stood behind him, peering over his shoulder at the kids. His eyes were round with wonder.

Sometimes Elecmon forgot that the general public only knew the kids through rumors and stories. That some digimon might only think of them as the powerful Pillars of the Digital World and not…

Not the way Elecmon thought of them.

“Yeah. That’s them.” Elecmon rubbed a tender claw over Daisuke’s ankle.

“Are they okay?”

Elecmon shooed Kamemon back and exited himself, relieved when Kamemon got the message and got some distance. He was glad the digi-babies had all been put to bed. The last thing the kids needed was a hoard of curious onlookers.

“Elecmon?”

“They will be. They’re tough.”

It only felt a little bit like a lie. The last thing the Digital World needed was its citizens doubting their protectors, so Elecmon set aside his internal anguish and threw Kamemon a reassuring nod. “You’ll see.”

The night was long and quiet, and Elecmon had to remind himself a dozen times that the kids had been out on their own for months now. They didn’t need anyone hovering over them.

That didn’t mean Elecmon couldn’t bring them breakfast as soon as the sun was up.

To his surprise, Daisuke and Hikari were already awake.

Hikari saw him and smiled. “Good morning, Elecmon,” she whispered.

“Morning, Baby,” he greeted back. “Sleep well?”

She nodded, and Daisuke groaned, rolling over to hug the plush ground.

“I miss this… Why can’t the whole Digital World be made of pillows?” He looked up at Elecmon. “Did you know that sand is hard? You would think it would be all nice and soft and comfortable for sleeping, wouldn’t you? Well, it’s not. It’s the worst.”

“We only had to sleep there one night, Daisuke,” Hikari said.

“The ground isn’t much better anywhere else.”

“There were beds in that house,” Ken mumbled, startling all of them. He shuffled around so he was facing them and propped his chin in his hands, tangled hair falling to his nose. He was the only one who appeared to not have gotten a haircut recently.

“You mean the house that got up and walked away while we were still in it?” Plotmon asked dryly.

“But it was nice to have a real bed, right?”

Hikari brushed Ken’s hair away from his face and it flopped right back. “You need a brush.”

“We need a backpack,” Daisuke said with a sigh. “You don’t have a backpack, do you, Elecmon?”

“Only my fish net,” Elecmon was sorry to say.

“Bummer.”

They tucked into their fish and fruit with more gusto than Elecmon had ever seen, quickly going through both last night’s and this morning’s rations, minus Takeru’s share.

“Maybe I can weave you a bag,” Elecmon said after some thought. “I think I have more rope.”

Three heads popped up, eyes sparkling.

“Oh, could you?” Hikari asked. “Thank you, Elecmon!”

“I don’t see why not. I made the net myself.” Elecmon thumped his chest proudly. “Hasn’t broken yet.”

“That would be awesome,” Daisuke said through a mouthful of fruit.

“I’ll get the babies breakfast and then start on that.” Elecmon paused, eyes catching on the last occupants of the fort. “...I’ll try to keep the little guys away for a while. Let him sleep as long as he wants.”

The kids’ smiles weakened.

“We will,” Ken said with a small nod.

Elecmon kept his word. He fed the babies as quickly as was reasonable, got them started on a game of hide and seek with Kamemon, and then dug out his leftover rope. When he returned to the tree, Takeru was still asleep. Still clinging to Patamon’s egg.

The kids told him stories of their travels while Elecmon set out to tie one hundred and twenty knots. Somewhere around knot forty-seven, Ken fell back to sleep propped against his leg. Elecmon’s heart hummed a note he had dearly missed.

Wormmon, Plotmon, and V-mon piped in and added their details to the commentary. They were all very proud to have made it to Adult now. Plotmon could even maintain her evolution the entire time the sun was up these days.

A Botamon hopped into the fort a little before lunch, a small object with staggered bristles pinched in its mouth. It gave a muffled peep and offered it to Hikari.

“For me?”

“Meep!”

“Is it a comb?”

“Mee-p!”

“That’s very sweet of you,” Hikari said warmly. She stoked the Botamon between the ears and elicited a pleased trill from it. And then she grinned at Daisuke, her eyes glinting mischief.

“No!” Daisuke covered his head with his arms.

“You’re going to be one big knot,” she huffed, brandishing the comb at him.

When he didn’t back down, Hikari sat at Takeru’s feet and started picking snarls from her own hair.

“Ugh, alright. But you better be nicer about it than Jun. She was always yanking my head right off.” Daisuke dropped down in front of Hikari and submitted, bottom lip jutting out.

“It won’t hurt. I’ve combed Onii-chan’s hair. He whines even more than you.”

“If you say so.”

Elecmon had missed them so much.

At a hundred and ten knots, Ken woke up and sat perfectly polite and still for a grooming session. When Hikari was done, his hair was surprisingly sleek and reached all the way to his chin. Only a few strands in the front still fluttered about, too short to lie with the rest of it.

Elecmon blinked at him, uncertain of what emotion it was that was swelling within him.

A crack rang through the quiet, and Takeru’s eyes snapped open.

Elecmon’s heart stuttered. Those were not his Baby’s eyes. Those eyes were deep blue with a power and determination that made him a stranger.

Patamon’s egg rocked, a jagged split running its length. Peeping and crackling came from within. Takeru sat up and ignored his audience, holding the egg reverently.

The top of the egg popped off and Poyomon peeked up out of the shell.

“Poyo!”

Takeru let out a shaky sigh, his shoulders slumping. “Hi, Poyomon.” He closed his eyes and hugged his partner to his chest. Takeru sniffed. “I’m sorry.”

Poyomon shook himself back and forth in a rejection. “Poyo poyo!”

Hikari crawled over and hugged them both. “Welcome back, Poyomon.”

The others crowded around, and pats and greetings and congratulations were exchanged. Takeru sat in the middle of it all, staring at his partner solemnly. Hikari kissed his cheek and he looked up at her with an expression Elecmon could not parse.

“We need to go back,” Takeru said.

At those words, the team was united. Grins gained purpose. Backs straightened, and fists clenched. Their partners’ eyes sharpened.

“We will,” Daisuke said with a quiet confidence he’d never quite pulled off before. “We have work to do.”

The finished bag lay draped over Elecmon’s legs. He suddenly felt like an outsider.

In the end, the kids stayed another night to catch up on sleep and pack their new bag with the few supplies they’d been carrying in their pockets. Elecmon filled the rest of the space with food.

He had to say goodbye to them all over again. He couldn’t bring himself to call them his Babies. Not this time.

They hugged him and waved and threw farewell smiles over their shoulders, vanishing through the barrier. Elecmon shook his head slowly. He felt like he was recovering from whiplash.

Were all human children this full of contradictions?

Kamemon waved enthusiastically beside him and the crowd of cheering babies. “Wow. You were right, Elecmon!” He gave him a double thumbs-up. “They are tough.”

Two weeks later, Elecmon waved goodbye to a Gaomon, and like a lightning strike, realized that it was the last digimon to have been raised alongside the kids. The last one that could remember them as playmates. As needing Elecmon’s care.

He gazed around at the babies shouting their well-wishes and farewells, and it felt like the end of an era. There was no longer any hint of the kids in the Village.

He wasn’t actually sure he’d see them again.

Elecmon blew out a long breath and tried to be at peace with it. Not seeing them again meant they were doing well. It meant no more tragedies. It would be a good thing.

Elecmon went out after the babies were asleep and hunted for gossip instead.

There was no darkness this time. No fluctuations or defects in the sky. If Elecmon hadn’t been retrieving a ball near the egg field, he might not have noticed.

But he was only a few feet away, and he sure did notice.

Usually an egg was delivered to the Village of Beginnings over the course of a few seconds, data flowing to a spot and piecing itself back together to make a shell. It was a silent process. Easy to miss. Elecmon counted himself lucky that he’d witnessed the phenomena a couple dozen times.

This egg arrived in a flash of purple, ugly grey shadows dancing across the ground. Elecmon lurched away from the rush of rancid-smelling air that came with it. His stomach turned inside out. It was stale. Salty. Unnatural.

The light though… The light had been a gorgeous lavender.

Pain lanced between Elecmon’s ribs at the sight of Wormmon’s egg. Before he met them, Elecmon could never have imagined being a partner digimon. Couldn’t imagine putting his life on the line over and over, even to protect a beloved.

Of course, he would do what he could to protect the Village and his babies, but the risk of an attack was negligible. In all his time here, he had never had to face a direct threat.

The Chosen Digimon flirted with death daily.

“You’re doing great, buddy. Couldn’t be prouder,” Elecmon choked out. He ran a paw over the heart-patterned egg. It smelled healthy. It was warm.

Uneasiness welled in his gut. So why had some of the Dark Ocean’s influence come through with his egg? Was Ken alright? What was happening out there?

He wouldn’t find out for four days.

A blink of the barrier and Elecmon was off. He shouted for Kamemon to keep the babies busy and bolted for one of the towers. There was no wind today. He’d have to spot them from above.

Elecmon teetered on the edge of a block, squinting into the sun. Why did the Village have to be so big?

Movement to the south had him leaping to the plush ground, launching himself in an arc in their direction. He couldn’t maintain the speed and caught himself just short of face-planting, cursing under his breath.

“Ken!” he called when he was close enough to see them.

Ken did not call back. None of them did.

Elecmon slowed, eyes going wide. These were his kids?

Takeru was leading the group, his hand clenched around Ken’s with a white-knuckle grip. His hat was missing. He radiated a cold, focused fury that was honestly alarming to behold. Patamon was perched on his shoulder, somehow no less formidable.

Ken was pale and unsteady on his feet. His eyes did not meet Elecmon’s. They were fixed on Takeru and Takeru alone.

They passed right by Elecmon as if he wasn’t there.

Elecmon stepped back, his mouth dry. The Crest of Hope was outlined on Takeru’s neck in shining gold. The air around him crackled. Elecmon’s fur stood on end.

The curl of the Crest of Kindness around Ken’s calf was disturbingly dull.

“Elecmon?”

Hikari dragged his eyes away from the two boys. Elecmon turned to her and felt his breath catch.

What was going on? How long had it been?

Hikari was tall, her hair pulled back in a stub of a ponytail. Gone were the pajamas she had arrived in. Her whistle hung over a light pink shirt he’d never seen before. Pale cream pants. She was wearing shoes. They all were.

But more importantly was the fact that Hikari was glowing head to toe.

Elecmon forgot how to make words.

“Yeah, she’s a glowstick. You’ll get used to it,” Daisuke said. He sounded vaguely exasperated and not at all in awe. He ran his fingers through his hair with a snort, his expression turning serious as he peered past Elecmon. “Takeru’s starting to freak me out though.”

Where had he picked up a pair of goggles?

Hikari bit her lip.

“Hey, they’ll be okay. I hope,” Daisuke said with a cheesy grin in her direction.

“Don’t,” Tailmon said.

Both of them grimaced. And then they seemed to remember Elecmon existed.

“Sorry. Hi, Elecmon. Hi. We missed you.” Hikari had to kneel to wrap him in a hug.

Through the heavenly scent of the glow, there were still hints of Baby. Elecmon didn’t understand.

“Missed you too,” he said. “I was kind of hoping the next time I saw you, it would be a happier visit.”

Daisuke crossed his arms and suddenly looked so, so tired. “Yeah. Us too.”

“Wormmon’s egg…” he found himself saying, but when they looked at him, he faltered.

Hikari tightened her grip on him. “What happened?”

Daisuke took a step towards the egg field like he wanted to break into a sprint. “What’s wrong with it?”

Elecmon followed his lead. They ran through the Village, Elecmon’s heart pounding in time with his paws. “The egg’s okay,” he made sure to say first. “It’s just that when it got here, a little bit of the Dark Ocean came too, I think.”

Tailmon zipped ahead of them, tail ring flashing in the sunlight. She disappeared around a corner.

Hikari looked scared. “Did it affect anything? Were the babies okay?”

“It was just for a second. A nasty stench and some shadows.”

“I don’t like that at all,” Daisuke ground out, speeding up.

Elecmon had to push himself to keep up with him.

They came up on the egg field and Elecmon was relieved to see nothing horrible had happened in the minute he had been away. Ken sat cross-legged on the ground, silent tears pouring down his cheeks and dripping onto Wormmon’s egg. Takeru, Patamon, and Tailmon were crouched beside him. They eyed the egg critically.

Takeru gently rubbed a thumb over the shell and some of the softness returned to him.

“Is he okay?” Ken wept.

“I think so.” Takeru scrubbed the heel of his hand into his eye and blinked hard. “I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong with it.”

“It happens, Ken,” Tailmon said, bumping her head on his arm.

Ken just shook his head.

“Ken?” Hikari reached him first. “Oh, Ken. He’ll be okay. We’ll make sure of it.”

“You okay, man?” Daisuke asked Takeru.

“Fine,” Takeru said shortly. He was staring at the egg, but his eyes were far away. The lines of his crest still gleamed through his shirt.

Elecmon hadn’t seen the crests glow since the initial merge.

Patamon squirmed under Ken’s elbow and put himself beside Wormmon’s egg. “Wormmon knew you’d come. I knew Takeru was coming. He’s happy you’re back. I know it, Ken. Just give him a little time to rest and he’ll pop out and be with you.”

V-mon rubbed his back. “Yeah! Don’t worry too much. Eggs are pretty comfy.”

Ken wiped at his eyes and hiccuped on the ghost of a laugh. “Thanks.”

Takeru stood up. He blinked rapidly and staggered. “Woah-”

The light of his crest evaporated and Takeru dropped like his strings had been cut. Daisuke and Elecmon lunged to catch him a second too late.

“Takeru!” Ken startled a second time. “Ah! Patamon too.”

“What the heck? Did he just pass out?” Daisuke yelped. He kicked at Takeru’s foot lightly. “Liar. You said you were fine.”

“Takeru. Takeru. Hey, please-” Hikari dusted her fingers over his cheek. Patted him. Brushed his bangs off his forehead. Her brow furrowed.

“Is he sick?” Elecmon said faintly.

Hikari shook her head. “He’s okay. He’s tired. There’s… There’s something wrong with his crest.”

“Leomon never said this was what would happen,” Tailmon hissed. She sniffed Takeru’s hand and narrowed her eyes. “But maybe the Holy Beasts didn’t know.”

Elecmon didn’t like this. Not at all. Hadn’t the concern all been about Ken? What could have gone wrong with the Crest of Hope?

“What’s the problem?” he asked, sounding much more put together than he felt.

“It’s my fault,” Ken cried.

Hikari and Daisuke shut that down immediately.

“Ken, no.”

“You gotta stop that.” Daisuke poked Ken in the chest “Leomon said that Hope came from within, remember? It has nothing to do with you.”

“But if Destiny had accepted me, none of this would have happened-” Ken argued.

“You don’t know that,” Hikari said firmly.

“If I could channel the energy better-”

“Then Takeru would still be like this!” Daisuke cut him off. “You’re not baggage, Ken. I thought we were… I thought we were done with this.” Daisuke grew sad. “I know you’re feeling like garbage right now, but please don’t do this again.”

Hikari picked Patamon up and placed him by Takeru’s head. “Daisuke’s right. And if this is happening to Takeru even though he has a Pillar Crest, there’s no guarantee that you wouldn’t have lost Wormmon if you had Destiny. Ken you… you know that’s not enough to save him.”

Ken looked miserable, choosing to lay his head on Wormmon’s egg in lieu of continuing the conversation.

Elecmon gazed at them. At Takeru. His eyes roved over Takeru, his littlest Baby, crumpled at his feet, and his insides tied themselves into a knot. It felt wrong to not be holding him.

“Are we just leaving him here like this?” he asked absently. “He’s gunna get stepped on.”

Daisuke groaned, long and loud, completely breaking the tension that had settled over them. “How come I have to pick up your stupid butt?”

“I could evolve,” V-mon offered.

“Waste of energy. You’d eat Elecmon out of house and home.”

Hikari considered her hands. Her glow had dimmed and was continuing to diminish quickly. “I could try.”

“I don’t think your mystical shiny lady powers give you bigger muscles.”

“I wish.”

“Yeah, I do too. I’m just complaining. Now help me get Mr. I’m Fine on my back.” Daisuke crouched beside Takeru and made grabby hands.

With Elecmon and Tailmon’s assistance, it really wasn’t all that hard. The problem was that Takeru was a limp noodle.

“I think he’s doing it on purpose.” Daisuke muttered, shifting Takeru twice before setting off for their tree.

“What, being unconscious?” Tailmon said.

“Getting heavier. He’s supposed to be the shrimpy one.”

Elecmon walked so close he was probably making it harder for Daisuke. Not that he’d be able to do much more than break Takeru’s fall if he slipped. The ground was undoubtedly a softer landing. Hikari and Ken trailed behind with Patamon snuggled in Hikari’s arms.

Daisuke loomed over him.

“How old are you?” Elecmon asked.

“Almost eleven. Do we fit in here anymore?” Daisuke bent and peered at the opening of their tree. “Here goes. Oh my god, have you been eating rocks? I’m going to drop you.”

Takeru said nothing and Daisuke let him slip to the ground with much more care than his words would have Elecmon believe he meant to. As soon as Takeru was down, Daisuke joined him on the ground, spread-eagle. His arm whacked off the tree so he threw it over his eyes instead. His foot stuck out into the leaves.

“Too small.”

Hikari crawled in and laid Patamon on Takeru’s chest. “I’m taking Ken for a walk.”

“’Kay.”

Hikari and Ken took off their shoes and left them at the entrance of the fort. Their happy sighs could be heard from inside. Daisuke kicked his off too and sent them tumbling into the others. He rolled back to his spot, going still.

The only movement Elecmon could see was the gentle rise and fall of the boys’ breathing. Daisuke and Takeru had never been so still. It was unnerving.

Elecmon moved closer. He felt a little insane.

“Daisuke?”

“Hm?”

“Could you pretend I have no idea what you kids have been talking about and explain even a little bit of this to me?”

“Oh. Uh. Oof. Yeah.”

Nothing more came.

V-mon cocked his head. “Daisuke, you forgot to say more words.”

“Working on it,” Daisuke said. He scrubbed his hands over his face and swallowed tightly. “Um?”

To Elecmon’s horror, Daisuke’s next inhale was shaky and wet. He wiped his eyes on his wrists.

“You know? Things aren’t going so great?”

Elecmon padded to him and put his head on Daisuke’s belly in a hug that felt terribly lacking.

“Something’s going on with the Dark Ocean. It’s- It’s spilling over all the time now. And it’s stronger and stronger corrupted digimon. We’re doing our best! We are. But we’re not really cutting it anymore,” Daisuke said, gesturing about. A tear streaked down his temple. “We can’t be everywhere at once. And digimon are getting hurt. I hate it.”

His fingers wound into Elecmon’s fur and stroked in jerky motions. “Things were getting kind of crazy and now this- Wormmon.”

“What happened?” Elecmon asked, nosing closer.

“We were fighting a normal Ocean spill. A swarm of bats. Nothing weird. And then it- This thing came up out of the swamp.” Daisuke shuddered. “Tailmon said it was a chimera. It was super messed up. There was a Bearmon village there, and we tried to get everyone out, but…”

Daisuke’s breathing sped up. “We couldn’t contain it. There were… casualties.”

V-mon whimpered.

“Is that how Wormmon…?”

“Stingmon tried to- He went for Perfect and something went wrong. The evolution took too long.”

Elecmon’s stomach swooped. He’d heard of that. Of well-practiced evolutions gone bad in times of stress.

Daisuke’s face crumpled. “Kimeramon wiped him out before he could finish.”

Oh. Oh no, that was a hundred times worse.

“Something happened when it grabbed Stingmon, it- It crushed him. Water came up everywhere. Up through the rift.” Daisuke raked his hands through his hair. There were tears caught in his eyelashes. “It tried to pull Ken back down with it.”

A spike of dread jammed itself between Elecmon’s ribs.

“Takeru went ballistic. He was already kind of… Kimeramon had Devimon’s arms.” Daisuke curled onto his side and pulled Elecmon with him. “Takeru was way too close to him. I thought the Ocean was going to suck him in too. It was making a whirlpool. HolyAngemon got them out, but. Everything was just. Really bad.”

“You made it,” Elecmon said slowly, as if he could reassure himself of that fact as well.

“I think I hallucinated. I don’t remember. I jumped off this big statue? Maybe that wasn’t real. I summoned some digimon artifact.” Daisuke tapped his knuckles to V-mon’s, a wobbly smile gracing his face for a second. It faded and Daisuke was left shaken. “Magnamon blasted Kimeramon into oblivion.”

V-mon nodded fiercely. “And I’d do it again.”

“That’s my Miracle Baby,” Elecmon said, his voice thrumming with pride and relief.

Daisuke pressed his face to Elecmon’s fur, taking a few deep breaths. He drew back and glared halfheartedly at Takeru.

“And then this stupid kid and Hikari are always pulling crap like this. It’s like they think they’re immortal.”

“What’s wrong with his crest?” Elecmon asked, trying and failing to keep the fear out of his voice. He’d never gotten his answer before.

“I mean it’s not really his fault,” Daisuke grumbled. “Leomon said the crest of Hope is like a purifier. It gets rid of corruption, but it’s not- Takeru isn’t in control of it. The crest just reacts when the Dark Ocean is around.”

“And that’s not a good thing?”

“Not when ‘Hope comes from within’! Hikari’s crest reacts the same way, but Light is different. It’s everywhere. So long as the sun keeps rising, Hikari can keep going. Tailmon can keep evolving. Hope doesn’t just happen,” he stressed. “It takes effort.”

“I don’t…”

Daisuke jackknifed upright, dislodging Elecmon. “The Crest of Light draws energy from the Digital World, and Hikari channels it. The Crest of Hope draws energy from Takeru.” Daisuke ran his hands through his hair. “So Kimeramon kills Stingmon, and the Dark Ocean almost swallows Ken, and Takeru’s crest has been going bonkers since then because I swear the Ocean did something to Ken, and Takeru hasn’t been able to leave his side in days. If they aren’t holding hands, Ken is spiraling, and I don’t think Takeru has slept since Stingmon died, and now look at him.”

Daisuke hid his face in his hands. “But Ken thinks Stingmon couldn’t finish his evolution because he doesn’t have a Pillar Crest. He’s completely convinced himself that his crest malfunctioned or something and couldn’t handle the pressure.”

“Evolution is complicated,” Elecmon said.

“I know…” Daisuke said with a gulp. “But I think if I was him I’d be thinking the same thing. Miracles is cool and all, but it’s not exactly reliable. All I can do is hope I can pull something out of my butt once in a while and save the day. If I tried to pull a stunt and-” He pointedly looked away from V-mon, his hands clenching in his lap. “I’d never forgive myself.”

V-mon clambered into his lap and hugged around his neck. “Daisuke…”

“We need Wormmon back.”

“You’re just kids,” Elecmon heard himself say. “You’re only babies.”

He wanted to hear Daisuke push back. Needed to hear Daisuke refute that wholeheartedly.

Daisuke wiped his nose on his sleeve. “Yeah, what else is new?”

A red-hot ire kindled within Elecmon. He felt like frying something. “You… get some rest. Stay as long as you want. I’ll be close. Call for me if you need anything.”

Elecmon marched into the forest and set four bushes on fire. One for each of the Holy Beasts.

Takeru woke the next morning, disoriented and ravenously hungry. He spent the day in a daze, slipping in and out of consciousness while Ken stuck close. The color was slowly returning to Ken’s cheeks the longer he held onto Wormmon’s egg. It was good. He cried only a little, and spoke more as the afternoon wore on.

Wormmon’s egg did not hatch.

“He’s just resting,” Elecmon assured him. “I know Poyomon popped out pretty soon after you kids got here last time, but his egg was here with me longer. Give him another day or two.”

“He can take as long as he wants,” Ken said, tracing the hearts on his shell.

He laid his hand over Ken’s. “Daisuke told me what happened,” Elecmon said. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Ken froze, his eyes glazing over. He licked his lips. “Did you know the Ocean sings?” His eyes darted around as if checking for eavesdroppers. Takeru was again asleep, snarled in a complicated knot with Patamon and Tailmon. “Daisuke thinks I’m nuts, but Hikari hears it too.”

A chill ran down Elecmon’s spine. “Sings?”

A nod.

“Like with words?”

“No. I don’t think I can explain it,” Ken said. He dipped his head and his hair spilled over Elecmon’s ear. “When it sings, I can only think of terrible things. It’s hard to think at all. It’s been giving Hikari nightmares.”

Elecmon was suddenly, selfishly grateful he lived in the Village of Beginnings.

Takeru whined in his sleep. He curled tighter around Patamon and kicked a leg out, narrowly missing them.

“Takeru too?”

Ken shook his head, frowning at his friend. “He says that’s not it.” The frown eased into something Elecmon dared to call mild amusement. “But his legs have been hurting a lot. He’s taller than Daisuke now.”

“You Babies grow so weirdly.”

Ken gave him a watery smile and Elecmon inwardly cheered.

Noise from outside the fort cut their conversation short.

“Excuse me, coming through,” Daisuke wheezed as he crawled under the branches and collapsed into a sweaty heap.

Hikari followed after, pink cheeked and breathing heavy. Her hair was plastered to her forehead. She flopped to the ground only slightly more gracefully, using Takeru as a pillow.

“The babies should be all tired out for bedtime,” Daisuke said. He wormed his legs into Ken’s lap and forced him to move his egg. “You’re welcome.”

“Playing tag, were you?”

“Soccer. I haven’t played in ages. I forgot how hard it is to dribble here and not step on anybody.”

“You definitely stepped on someone,” Hikari said.

Daisuke slapped her arm. “He was fine and I said sorry!”

Takeru moaned into the plush ground. “Why are you so loud?”

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. How are we looking?” Daisuke said with an angelic smile.

Takeru picked his head up and sent him a withering look.

“Ohh, bad luck, buddy. Three out of ten. Needs more beauty sleep.”

“Do not make me get up.”

“And what? Give me a princess kiss?”

“I’ll smother you with Patamon and enjoy the silence.”

Patamon woke with a chirp and leaped up onto Elecmon’s head, wings flared. “You will not!”

"Aw, your murder weapon ran away. Too bad, so sad."

Takeru pushed his feet into Daisuke’s face. Daisuke grabbed his leg, yanking off one of his socks and hurling it out the door.

“Hey!”

“Guys, there isn’t room for wrestling,” Ken said tiredly, holding his egg over his head.

Daisuke went for his other sock. Takeru kicked at his hands.

"Cut it out!"

“Watch it!” Daisuke squawked, barely dodging a jab near his mouth. "What, are you going for two?"

“I didn't hear you complaining last time."

"Yeah, yeah, how's your face?"

"I still have a scar, thanks for asking." 

Tailmon escaped up to the lower branches, the end of her tail flicking. “Some of us were taking a catnap,” she groused.

“Yeah, Daisuke,” Takeru said, pinning one of Daisuke’s hands down with his ankle. “Some of us were sleeping.”

Hikari closed her eyes and endured the jostling. “I have four brothers. Four. Who decided I deserved this?”

Takeru hooked his foot in the collar of Daisuke’s shirt and Daisuke flailed, abandoning his spot on the ground as soon as he was free.

“Incoming!”

Hikari got out of the way just in time for him to land bodily on top of Takeru.

“Oh god.” Ken lurched away from them. “Tailmon!”

Tailmon reached down and took Wormmon’s egg up into the tree and away from the mayhem.

“Get off of me!”

Elecmon was forced to back up. He cringed. Of all of the kids, Takeru and Daisuke had always been the two to squabble, and they’d certainly gotten a little physical before… But they were a lot bigger now and Elecmon wasn’t sure how much of this was playing.

The boys tumbled over themselves, faces suddenly illuminated by the sun streaking in between the leaves. Elecmon’s heart clenched, warmth spreading through him like a balm. Thank heavens.

Behind the fierce spark of battle in their eyes, they were fighting back laughter.

“Get him, Takeru!” Patamon shouted.

“Mature,” Tailmon said with a long-suffering sigh.

Ken tried to scoot back out of the fort and Daisuke caught him by the hem of his shirt.

“Come here!”

“Hikari! Help!”

“Nope. I’m not part of this,” Hikari said, crawling to the entrance.

Elecmon was inclined to follow her when V-mon jumped in the fray. There was less and less room in here with each passing second. Patamon flew up to Tailmon’s branch, alternating encouragements and trash talk.

“Don’t break anything,” Elecmon chuckled. “Or each other.”

“No promises!” Daisuke said.

“Hey, no, no. You promise,” Elecmon said, pointing at him severely. “No breaking anybody’s anything-”

“The tree! I meant a branch or something. I don’t know!” Daisuke had a hard time getting his words out when Ken and Takeru were pinning him. Takeru yanked Daisuke’s shirt up over his head and his words came muffled. “I was being funny. Sue me!”

Hikari giggled. She was no longer glowing, but the sparkle had returned to her eyes and her smile was so, so fond.

Daisuke managed to flip Ken off of him.

Ken went sprawling, and Takeru and Daisuke chased after, intent on restacking the dogpile. Ken’s face was flushed a healthy pink and he laughed helplessly, pawing at them. Takeru wrestled his way to the top this time, cackling. He was jubilant.

Squashed in the middle, Daisuke’s smile was entirely victorious.

Elecmon laughed, his worry evaporating. Daisuke had been wrong when he said his only power was a hail mary. This was just as important.

The Holy Beasts had chosen well.

Three heads popped in their direction. “Get Hikari!”

“No!”

Leafmon hatched on day three.

Ken cradled him and sobbed, but the wan, defeated air about him did not return. He rose and the others crushed him in a group hug.

Kamemon was sent to get celebratory eggs from the far fridges, and V-mon entertained the babies by cooking them with an ancient form of evolution. Elecmon sat back and was content to watch the festivities. The kids said they were going to stay a few more days to recover. The Digital World wasn’t safe for a newborn digimon. Not right now.

Plus, Takeru was still sleeping long and deep, and they needed him at full strength if they intended to head back to the Bearmon Village to help rebuild. The area had been left in a state of disaster.

They were happy here, but Elecmon could see the weight of their responsibility settling back on their shoulders as the days passed.

They would leave again, and Elecmon would wait.

And he did.

He waited.

And waited.

And no more partner eggs came to him.

Elecmon waited, and the winds shifted.

Elecmon waited, and the sky flickered. Dark and light again. Pixels skittered between clouds.

He waited, and the rumors were worrying.

The sky glitched, and the ground glitched, and Elecmon waited for his Babies to return.

Centalmon came instead.

“What do you mean the Pillars are crumbling? What kind of vague BS is that?” Elecmon growled, anxiety closing in on him like a barbed wire cage.

“The Pillars have been separated. Without them as one, the stability of the Digital World has been compromised.”

“Why?” Elecmon said. “Digital World was functioning fine for ages without the kids here.”

“The Pillar Crests have always protected the Digital World,” Centalmon said in a somber tone. “But those protections were like the ones around the Village of Beginnings. Passive. Adequate for deterring trouble and the occasional mild threat. Now those crests no longer simply uphold the integrity of the barrier between the worlds.” Centalmon swallowed loudly. “They are tied to the wellbeing of the Chosen Children. If the Children falter, so does the barrier.”

Elecmon shrunk inwards, cursing. He licked his lips. “...The kids aren’t together?”

“The Holy Beasts are unsure of what happened to cause this, but it is a blow the Digital World cannot afford.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Fear threatened to consume him. “Why are you here?”

“The Holy Beasts have instructions for you. In the event that one of the Chosen Digimon arrives to you, and subsequently, its partner, you are to notify me immediately. You are not to let the Chosen leave the Village grounds.”

Elecmon nodded. He had let his Babies go before. He would not do so again. “You have my word.”

Centalmon dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Our thanks to you playing your part in this. What the Holy Beasts have planned may take time.”

The leaves rustled, a hissing whisper on the wind. Pixels streaked across the treetops. Elecmon suppressed a shiver.

“Do I get to know this plan or am I just blindly trusting them and hoping the world doesn’t end?”

Centalmon hesitated. “There is a plan to bring in more Chosen.”

Elecmon bristled with indignation. “What! Are they crazy? They’re just going to replace the kids?” My Babies? “I don’t think even the Holy Beasts can make new Pillar Crests.”

“Not replacements,” Centalmon snorted imperiously and Elecmon withdrew a step. “A support team. The Pillars must be reunited. They need assistance beyond what can be provided by good samaritan digimon. New Chosen are being selected as we speak.”

“Am I being sent an entire new group of Babies?” Elecmon recoiled at the thought.

“No. The Holy Beasts decided this will not be necessary.”

“They’re being thrown straight into the wilds?” He wasn’t sure what was worse.

“There is no time for coddling. They will know their mission,” Centalmon said.

“But-”

“I have already divulged more than I was deemed allowed to. I tell you all this because I am fond of you, Elecmon, and I know your care for the Chosen is more than just out of duty. I wish, for your sake and for the sake of the Digital World, that our Pillars return to you safely.”

Elecmon wilted. “Right.”

“Farewell.”

Elecmon waited.

He waited, and the sky blinked blue. A 404 error that stretched horizon to horizon.

He waited, and the rate of eggs arriving in the Village skyrocketed.

There were seventy-nine babies in his care, and that was both too many and four too few.

Elecmon waited.

And waited.

And then, finally, the barrier blinked in the back of his mind. Yet no partner eggs had arrived, and Kamemon was right beside him.

“Hide the babies.” Elecmon’s hackles raised, sparks gathering on his tail.

Intruders.