Let's reach 250 Power Stones for an extra chapter
***
I arrived at Central Park with Renamon, and the usual city noise kind of just faded into the sounds of leaves rustling around us. It was actually pretty nice, if I'm being honest.
"Have you found Impmon yet?" Renamon asked, her voice calm as she looked around.
I shook my head, my Digivice held out in front of me like a compass. "Not yet, but I'm using the scanning function. It should pick up his signal any second now, I hope."
The park stretched out, a mix of open lawns where people were walking dogs, and then denser trees that were kind of spooky. It was a huge place, like a giant green maze. I really hoped Impmon wasn't planning anything too wild. I was ready for anything, though.
My Digivice pinged, and the screen glowed a soft orange.
"He's close," I said, pointing the Digivice towards a cluster of trees.
We heard screaming just then, and my head snapped up. Two men burst out of the trees, their eyes wide with panic.
"Fire!" one of them yelled.
"Purple fire! Like a demon!" the other shouted, tripping over his own feet.
They stopped dead when they saw Renamon, and I watched them flinch away from her. They didn't even look at me.
"It's another one!" one of them shrieked, and they just ran off, leaving us behind.
That was so rude. Renamon was definitely not a monster.
"Are you alright?" I asked, looking at Renamon.
"I am unfazed, Gwen," Renamon said, her voice completely calm. "We should continue our pursuit of Impmon."
My Digivice was practically vibrating in my hand now, and the little map showed Impmon's signal getting stronger. Renamon and I walked carefully, pushing through some thick bushes, and then we saw him. Impmon was just sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, laughing his head off. His purple skin and bright red scarf really stood out against the green. He had those pointy ears and a tail, and he just looked so smug.
"Impmon!" I said, my voice probably a little too loud, but I wanted his attention.
He stopped laughing and looked up, his green eyes glinting. He had this wide, mischievous grin. It was hard to stay mad at him when he looked so… impish.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," he said, pushing himself up. "Another Chosen Child, huh? And a furry fox to boot. What's the big idea, barging into my playground?"
His tone was so playful, like we were just playing a game, but those guys had been genuinely scared. That wasn't cool.
"We're here to stop you, Impmon," I said, trying to sound firm.
He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Stop me? For what? I'm just having a little fun. Scaring a few people, maybe setting off some harmless purple fire. What's the big deal?"
"It is a big deal," I countered, stepping a little closer. "You're scaring people, and you don't belong here. You need to go back to the Digital World."
"No way, kid," he said, sticking out his tongue. "This world is way more fun than that digital dump. Besides, why does she get to stay?" He pointed a red-gloved finger at Renamon. "She's a Digimon too, a big furry fox. What makes her so special?"
"Renamon is my partner, Impmon," I said, trying to make him understand. "That's why she gets to stay. She's not causing trouble."
Impmon just snorted, a puff of air escaping his nose. "Partner, schmartner. I can get a partner too, you know. Then I can stay and cause all the trouble I want!"
"It's not that easy to find a partner," I told him. I thought about Ethan and how he just happened to stumble into Gatomon and BlackGatomon. It wasn't something you just decided to do.
"Oh, is it not?" he teased, his grin getting wider. He really was just playing with us. This whole thing was a game to him, but it wasn't a game for the people he scared.
"Just surrender quietly, Impmon," I said, trying to put an end to the argument. It was clear he wasn't going to listen to reason.
He stuck his tongue out at me, a quick, cheeky gesture. "Nah! This is way more fun."
whoosh
He darted away, a purple blur disappearing deeper into the trees. My Digivice pinged again, the signal moving fast. He was definitely making this a chase.
"Renamon, go after him!" I said, pointing towards where Impmon had disappeared.
"Understood, Gwen," Renamon replied, then she was a golden blur, darting into the trees after the mischievous Digimon.
I jogged after her, my Digivice still beeping like crazy in my hand, trying to keep up. Renamon was fast, seriously fast, weaving through the oak and maple trees like they were nothing. Impmon, though smaller, was just as quick, bobbing and weaving. He seemed to know every twist and turn of the park. It was like a game of digital tag, except with more purple fire and terrified citizens.
A couple picnicking on a blanket shrieked as Impmon zipped right over their heads, nearly knocking over their basket. Renamon followed close behind, her movements fluid and graceful, but still startling them.
"Hey, stop!" Renamon called out, her voice clear even as she ran.
"You'll never catch me, foxy!" Impmon's laugh echoed through the trees, bright and annoying.
He summoned little balls of purple fire, fwoosh, tossing them behind him. Renamon dodged each one with a casual flick of her tail, barely breaking stride. She tried to cut him off, leaping onto a park bench and then vaulting over a trash can, trying to corner him near a statue of some old guy on a horse.
"Power Paw!" Renamon shouted, her paw glowing faintly as she swiped at him.
whiz
Impmon twisted mid-air, a show-off, landing lightly on the horse's head. "Too slow, foxy!" he taunted, blowing a raspberry.
He launched himself off the statue, disappearing behind a dense line of bushes that separated the main path from a quieter, less populated area of the park. Renamon followed, pushing through the foliage. She was clearly getting frustrated, I could tell by the way her ears twitched and her tail swished a little faster. This whole chase was turning into a public spectacle, and I knew my dad would be thrilled about that.
"Renamon, don't let him get away!" I yelled, running harder, my lungs burning a little.
I heard more muffled shouts, and then a clatter. Someone probably dropped their ice cream. This was just a mess. I really needed to figure out how to stop Impmon without causing a full-blown panic in Central Park.
The chase kept going, with Impmon's purple blur and Renamon's gold weaving through the trees. My lungs were really starting to burn.
"He's getting away!" I puffed, trying to keep Renamon in sight.
Suddenly, this shimmering white figure appeared, almost out of nowhere. She had bright pink hair that really popped against her suit. It was Jewel. I'd seen her on the news, saving that school bus, so I knew who she was.
whoosh
Jewel moved so fast, she just swooped in and grabbed Impmon right out of the air. He was so surprised, he just stopped wiggling for a second.
"Gotcha!" Jewel said, holding him up like he was a naughty kitten.
I finally caught up, leaning against a tree to catch my breath. Renamon stopped next to me, her eyes wide with surprise. Impmon was just dangling there in Jewel's arms, looking completely bewildered.
"Hey, uh, Jewel?" I said, trying to sound normal, even though I was still out of breath. "What are you doing here?"
***
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