Kazemon of the Wind:
Doubts in the Wind
I cried out as I was sent flying backward and crashed into the side of a building. Unfortunately that didn’t stop me, as I went through the entire building and came out the other end. Finally I stopped when I crushed into a much thicker wall. I cried out as I felt the power of the warrior leave me and I changed back into my human form.
I slid down to the ground, groaning because every inch of my body was in pain. I tried to get up but all that did was sent a jolt of pain through my back. I rested my head on the side of the building with the only sound I could hear is my own shallow breathing.
What was I thinking…I should had known better…just because I now looked like Zoe didn’t mean I could fight like her. That Navigate Kabuterimon threw me around like I was a wet paper towel. I could do nothing to gain the edge, and in the end all I did was end up in a ditch somewhere.
Hah, story of my life. I try to help but it would never ends well for me. All I really do was end up hurt, with bills I couldn't pay. Still, I smiled slightly when I realized that I brought the ponies some time. Hopefully, they would be able do something and fight off that soulless digimon, they had magic after all.
I must be more injured than I thought, my mind's playing tricks on me as I saw a strange glow surround me, and I suddenly felt very sleepy. I didn’t even try to fight it as I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
(…)
I was dreaming, watching an old memory play out like a broken movie. There is no color and everyone in the room was featureless. I was watching from the sidelines as two kids, about a few years older than the body I’m currently was in, walked to the center of the training area. Even though both kids were featureless, I knew the kid on the right was me, back when I was just a young boy.
The two kids bowed, and they began the match when they were signaled. My older self made the first move, charging his opponent and tried to get him into an arm lock. My former self was sloppy, the hold wasn’t tight and his opponent easily broke free. The other kid dropped down and knocked my former self’s onto his back with a leg swipe. My past self’s opponent tried get my old self’s leg into a lock, but my old self was fast enough to get his leg out of the way and scrambled to his feet.
I let a bitter sigh escape my lips as I looked away from the old memory. What happen to me? I used to be fit and nimble, it’s almost hard to believe that the boy I was watching now would one day grow up to be out-of-shape loser who couldn’t hold a job. Then again, said loser is currently trapped in the body of a 12-year-old girl from a Japanese cartoon.
Yeah, it was best not think about which one of those scenarios was worse and I looked back at the memory playing out before me. My dread grew when I saw that my memory-movie was still playing, and has reached a scene that I knew I didn’t want to see, but found myself unable to look away.
My old self was currently in an arm-lock and trying to get free, but his opponent’s grip was just too good. Even though my old self’s face was featureless I could remember that he was getting mad, madder than he had ever been in his life. His opponent said something that sent him off the deep end, and the end results was a punch to the gut. The attack, while not very effective, was so sudden the other guy let my old self go and stumbled back, more confused than actually hurt.
My old self wasn’t done with his opponent just yet, he rushed him and grabbed his right arm, locking it in place and threw his opponent to the mat. This was where things changed, the sound of breaking bone filled the air as the space around me became fully detailed, and I looked at the shock faces of the others at the martial arts class.
But probably the most surprised one in the entire room was the boy with blood-red hair, pale skin and green eyes, who was standing over the black boy with a shaved head and a broken right arm.
“RICHARD!!” the instructor screamed in outrage, stomping up to the 15-year-old. “What were you thinking?”
“I-I don’t-I don’t know,” my past self, Richard, stammered as he looked between his sparring partner and his instructor.
The instructor let out an irritated sigh and just looked at the injured kid, and kneel beside him. Once he had done a quick examination of his student, he looked back at Richard with a cold face.
“Listen Richard,” the 28-year-old said calmly. “You’re a good kid, but I think you shouldn’t come here anymore. This is the second time something like this happened in the last month and a half. As it stands, I barely dodged a lawsuit from your last incident.”
Richard just sighed and nodded weakly before turning and walking toward the back of the room, heading for the locker room to shower and change. I watched my former self disappear and with him the scene around me returned to the black and white coloring.
I knew this was all a memory, something that happened long ago, but I couldn’t stop the bitter sigh that escaped me. This was point when my life really starting to suck. I don’t know, but after this point I rarely could catch a break. It was like I was cursed or something.
I didn’t know why, but I started to get up, seeing if I could look around this strange dream-realm, when a voice spoke to me.
“You may awake now child.”
Suddenly, my surrounds began to dissolve; swirling inwards and turning into a muddy brown color as the little detail that were there bleed away. Before I complete awoke from this memory-induced dream, I noticed one thing that I missed throughout the entire thing.
“What the-why am I wearing a purple Gi?”
(…)
I awoke with a start and bolted up right. That was bad move, I felt a mild jolt of pain go through my body, and my vision blurred for a second. Through my blurry version I thought I saw something making a hasty exit. I just shrugged it off as a trick of my mind and took a deep breath, to allow my body to stop aching and my vision to clear.
When my vision cleared, I looked around and noticed something…I was in some sort of room. How did I get here? The last thing I remember was slamming into a wall after going through a building. So how did I get here? And more importantly, why isn’t my bodying screaming like it was before my nap?
I looked down at my body and noticed my entire midsection has been covered in bandages. My right elbow to my shoulder was also covered, and my left leg as well. I moved them slightly and found that they weren’t restricted, but I still felt some pain when I moved them.
But that could only mean one thing…I gasp as I suddenly remembered someone trying to warn before the Kabuterimon rammed me. Someone was indeed looking after me.
“Hello,” I said, calling into the room. “Is anyone there?
I listened, but the only sound I can hear was my own breathing. I let out a sigh when I realized I was alone and decided I was best if I just got up. There was no point in lying around when there were more important matters at hand.
I inhaled deeply and slowly stood, noticing some things about my body; the pain had dulled to the point where I can move with little trouble. My body’s still aching, but it wasn’t anything too seriously…the worse of it was around my midsection.
I had to take it easy for a while, I wasn’t sure if any of my ribs were broken, though I didn’t have trouble breathing.
The next thing I noticed was my outfit. The shoes were on the wrong foot, my skirt and shirt are also on backwards and I was missing my jacket and hat. I quickly set the outfit right (don’t get me started on the skirt), and found my other items on the ground around my resting area.
I guess whoever was treating me must have used that stuff as a pillow.
I shrugged at that idea as I picked up the items. I heard something hit the ground when I was slipping on my jacket and looked at my feet. I saw my D-tector, an old brown bag, and something stuck between the two. I frowned as I put on my hat and picked up the things, and uncovered the hidden item.
It was a Hexagon locket, with the symbol of the wind on it. I frown as I pocketed the other items and looked at the locket. Something about the item nearly triggered a memory. Unfortunately, the memory slipped from my mind before it could fully surface, and I sighed, moving to slip the locket into a pocket. I stopped and looked at the locket for a second time before sighing once more, and lifted it over my head and let slid down my neck coming to rest comfortably on my chest.
With that task done, I decided it was time to get moving. I really didn’t want to be here when whoever owns this place got back. I took it slow trying not to irritate my injuries as I limbed to where I hope the exit is. I found the exit easily, and opened the door just crack. I stepped out into the street when I saw no one in the immediate area.
The sight I saw caused my heart to skip a beat. I could see smoke in the distance; also, as I looked around, I noticed some damage around my immediate area. I could also hear the panic cries of the ponies, and the distance clipping of hooves as they flee from whatever was attacking them.
What happened here? Could it be because of that digimon? Why would it do this? I gasp as I remembered the order the Kabuterimon was given…it was told to “rip ponies to ribbons”! Did that mean it went back to it orders after it took me out? And if that’s the case, why did it follow me after I attacked it?
ARGH, this isn’t helping you, Zoe, just take out your D-Tector so you can help! I fished out the item from my pocket and began the process of evolving when I remembered how my last outing as the legendary warrior of the wind went. I slumped slightly as I painfully recalled the experience and remembered how I couldn’t do anything to stop that poor-man’s version of a digimon. I lost what little resolve I had left when my eyes traveled to my bandaged midsection, and the code disappeared completely from my hands.
What’s the use…I’ll probably make things worse, like I normally do. The best thing for me to do was just to walk away and find another ditch to die in. I pocketed my D-Tector and was about to walk away, when a voice suddenly rang out.
“Can somepony help us? We’re stuck in here, and I think my auntie is hurt. Please, somepony has to help us!”
I don’t what happened, but I guess hearing that someone…or some pony’s aunt is hurt push me in the right direction. I wiped out my D-Tector and went through the motions once again, failing to notice that my fractal code was just a bit brighter than before.
“Execute!! Spirit Evolution!!” I ran my digivice through my code, allowing it to cover me and allowing the power of the wind into my body once again. As the power began to surge within me, causing my body to grow and replaced my cloth with armor, I noticed how different it felt. It felt more powerful than last time I spirit evolved, as excess power flowed from me as my evolution was completed and I called, “Kazemon!”
I looked at hands wondering why I felt different than before, but I shouldn’t be focusing on that matter at the moment. “Hello...where are you?” I called out as I began scanning the area.
“We’re here!” I heard a voice, clearer than before, and I was able to pinpoint the source…an upturned, large cart with some debris on it.
I took off in a light sprint, and used the momentum to gain a small boost as I took to the air and delivered a powerful, double heel kick to the large slab of concrete that pinned the cart down. The slab exploded into million pieces as I landed next to the cart, my eyes wide behind my visor.
Some part of me couldn’t believe just how much power I now process, it’s like I’m on a different level than before. But what’s different about this then my first evolution?
No, I screamed in mind. I couldn’t focus on that now, some ponies were hurt and need attention. I rushed over to the cart and got my hands under it and sent it flying because I used too much power when lifting the thing. I choose not to focus on that, and looked at the two ponies, a colt and mare I believe they were called, and took in their conditions.
Say for the tears running down the colt’s face and soaking the collar of his fancy coat, he was fine. It was the mare that looked bad, she was out cold and I could see blood running for an open wound on her right front leg. I instinctively focused my sense of hearing onto the mare, and found her breathing even and her heartbeat steady, so I guess she wasn’t in any grave danger. Still, that wound could be a problem.
“Hey kid,” I called softly, to gain the colt’s attention. “Mind if I use that coat of yours to help your aunt.”
The young pony looked at his aunt, and then at me uncertainly, but nodded anyways. My eyes widened as I watched the colt’s horn light up, and a glow surrounded the coat as it was removed from the colt’s body. The article of clothing was then hovered over to me, and I awkwardly took it.
I began working, my body almost running off the training I got from my failed army career as my mind was stuck on one fact. I knew that ponies had magic, but to actually see it in action was quite a sight. If I have been born a girl I thought I might had actual gosh at the sight.
I gave my head a quick mental shake as I finished dressing the wound. It wasn’t the best but it should stop the bleeding and hopefully stop any infections from settling in.
With the mare taken care of, I needed to figure out what to do next. The world answered me by having the colt ran up to me and looked at me with his big eyes.
“Please Miss-” I have to bite my gums to keep myself from groaning when he called me “miss”, “-You have to help my mommy and big sis. That big bug is chasing my mommy and big sis!”
I sighed and looked away from the colt. I could feel my confident dropping already. “Sorry kid, but I tried to fight that thing before, and didn’t go so well,” I said in a low voice.
“But-” the colt whined in a cute voice, “-you’re a superhero like the Power Ponies in my comic!”
I blinked twice under my visor…they had comics in this world, go figure. My surprise quickly wore off and I was about to tell the kid I wasn’t going to be able to help his family, only to be caught off guard by the colt’s pleading eyes.
Yup, I such a girl…I couldn’t say no to those big eyes, so I just sighed and nodded. “I don’t know what I can do, but I will try,” I told the colt weakly.
The colt broke out a big smile and began bouncing up and down. “Oh, thank you, thank you, miss-” the colt stopped his bouncing and looked at me with a curious frown.
I couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped me as I said, “you can call me Kazemon.” I then took to the air before the colt could say anything else, though my acute hearing did picked up the last thing the colt said, something that caused me to let out a deep groan.
“Thank you Miss Kazemon!!