Tai, looking very sleepy, knocked on Izzy's door. Allison and Sarran stood behind him. When Izzy answered the door, he looked a little suspiciously at Sarran before she displayed her digivice at Allison's urging. As he opened the door wider to let them in, Tai and Allison froze at the sight of Jihan, Vari, and Tarini.
"It's okay," Izzy insisted. "They're part of us now." Allison understood. She drew Tai and Izzy off to one side, leaving the four new Digidestined to meet each other.
"So what crests have been found," Allison asked.
"The Indian looking girl is Friendship, surprisingly enough. Her name is Jihan," Izzy said. "The little girl, Tarini, is Hope and the other one, Vari, is Reliability. And Courage is..."
"A friend of mine, Sarran," Allison said.
"So where are the others," Tai asked.
"Busy. But I have to get out of here," Izzy said. Both Tai and Allison thought they understood why. "And I know I have to leave them with one of the Digidestined from our group."
"Let me guess," Tai said, "you've discovered where the digivice with the Crest of Knowledge is."
"You're right. So will you two stay?"
"I'm not staying here," Allison said. "I'm going with you. Besides, I don't have as much experience as the rest of you do. Tai's going to be better at telling them about the Digiworld than I am."
"I'll stay here," Tai said.
Izzy looked at Allison. "Let's get going then."
"Kay."
Izzy looked at the building he and Allison stood in front of. "Why do I not believe this place is where the digivice is?"
"Um, maybe because this place is ritzier than anything any of us are used to?"
A proud young woman walked out of the building. Her blond hair was cut boyishly short. Her clothes had the look of being very expensive.
"That's her," Izzy whispered, so softly that Allison could barely hear him. "The one with the digivice."
"Great," Allison said dismally. "So how are we supposed to get her to the Digiworld?"
"Why do I get the suspicion that she's going to act like Mimi did when she first got to the Digiworld," Izzy asked the empty air. Suddenly his face lit with an idea. "I've got it. You see, there's something Matt told me that you should know about Jihan that's rather important..."
Tai looked into first Jihan's, then Sarran's eyes. "I might was well warn all of you that Matt and I, Friendship and Courage, didn't get along well on occasion. I hope you are all on better terms than we were, because our disagreements hurt the group."
Izzy opened the door with enough force to slam it. "Jihan, I need to talk to you." Tai looked at him, then at Allison, wondering what had brought them back so quickly.
Jihan knew just how to get to the "rich" Digidestined. Her skills, honed in the worst parts of another city, outside of Japan, were perfect for what Izzy had in mind. Jihan crept to a window and opened it, then beckoned Izzy and Allison forward. They crept into the building. Jihan led the way, with Izzy occasionally pointing out turns and Allison as silent as she could be while carrying a laptop.
Jihan silently pushed open the door that Izzy indicated as the right one. She padded in, Allison and Izzy still following. Allison, once they had spotted the girl, turned and set down the laptop, turning it on.
Jihan shook the girl awake, then put one of her strong hands over the girl's mouth. Izzy, having found the digivice, picked it up and showed it to the girl, a questioning ook on his face. Jihan removed her hand. "Give that to me," the girl demanded. She looked surprised when Izzy didn't comply.
"Get dressed," Jihan ordered. The girl's eyes flicked first to Izzy, then to Jihan and Allison.
Allison understood what Izzy couldn't and Jihan wouldn't. She laughed quietly. "He'll leave the room, I promise." Allison pointed to the laptop. Izzy walked over to it and Allison closed the door behind him. "Better?" The girl's eyes locked on Jihan. Allison threw up her hands in disgust. "You are picky. Jihan, will you please step outside. I can handle her." Jihan left the room, albet reluctantly. "And I don't care if you change in front of me or not. It's like my gym class many years ago, if you really want to know."
Allison stepped out of the room. Izzy and Jihan looked up at her as she entered. "Presenting her oh so royal highness," Allison said sarcastically, "Msaada." Jihan chuckled at the way she'd introduced the girl.
The girl stepped out in clothes that looked much more worn than what she'd been wearing earlier. Her lip curled as she now looked at Jihan with her green eyes. "Thief," she sneered. Allison looked at Izzy, fearing the beginnings of a deep dislike between the two. Izzy remembered the actual physical fights that Matt and Tai had gotten into and was beginning to think that Msaada and Jihan would do the same thing again.
"Allison, go," Izzy said quickly, pointing to the laptop. Allison entered the Digiworld. Msaada's face had paled considerably. "Go on," Izzy urged her, handing her the purple digivice with the Crest of Knowledge. Tentatively she held it to the screen. Then she was gone.
"Jihan, will you guard our backs," Izzy asked. The young woman nodded. Then Izzy entered the Digiworld.
Allison had the feeling that it was a good thing that she was already in the Digiworld when Msaada showed up. The obviously sheltered girl screamed the moment she landed. "It's alright, it's alright." Izzy appeared and pointed almost irritatedly at Msaada. Her initial efforts to quiet her having failed, Allison slapped Msaada.
Msaada held a hand to her reddening cheek as she abruptly stopped screaming. "What was that for?"
"We had to shut you up somehow," Allison pointed out. "And I tried to tell you that things were alright.
Msaada turned to face Allison. "How dare you slap me? I have never been struck in my life."
Allison smiled at her in a mocking way. "Then it's about time someone did. And you were just struck, so that statement isn't true."
Msaada was outraged. She rushed at Allison before Izzy could stop her. "She's got quite a temper. It's a great deal like mine," Allison told him over Msaada's shoulder.
Izzy shook his head ruefully. "I figured."
Allison shoved Msaada to one side. "Izzy may be the kind of person to put up with you, but I'm certainly not. So don't try that again."
Msaada's eyes locked on Allison's and knew she wasn't joking. Her green eyes widened as Sylvimon and Tentomon appeared. "What are they?"
Allison looked at Izzy in exasperation. "You explain to her. If I try, I'll get too fed up."
Izzy knew by what Allison told him that Msaada was really wearing down her nerves. "They're Digimon," Izzy said.
"Digimon?"
A blue Digimon ran up to them. It looked like a small wolf. "That's Lupimon. She's a very intelligent Digimon," Tentomon said.
"Sardrimon's coming," Lupimon barked. Her feet carried her quickly to Msaada. "I won't let you get hurt. Come on, I know a place to hide!
Slightly unsure, Msaada started after Lupimon. But then her digivice let off a light. The light became a star of yellow tones. Allison pointed to it. "Take it, it's yours." Msaada grabbed it and ran on, Izzy and Allison behind her.
Lupimon led them to a small cave. Msaada and Lupimon squeezed in, but there was no room for the others. "Great, just great. We're stuck out here and our Digimon can't digivolve. Wonderful," Allison said bitterly.
Sardrimon bounded up. "I have you now!"
"Super Shocker!"
"Ice Breath!"
Neither attack did enough damage to drive Sardrimon off. "They aren't strong enough," Allison yelled.
Msaada saw that Allison and Izzy needed her help. "Lupimon, will you help them?"
"But then you'll be on your own."
"That doesn't matter, Lupimon. I'm safe in here. Please help them, Lupimon."
With a resigned sigh, Lupimon moved to their aid, much to the amazement of Allison.
"Wolf Slash!"
Again, Sardrimon wasn't driven off. "You'll never defeat me," he said, laughing.
"Msaada, throw the star to Lupimon," Izzy yelled. Confused, Msaada threw it to the Digimon. Lupimon caught it in her mouth. "Now call out Power of Knowledge!"
Msaada licked her lips nervously. "Power of Knowledge!"
The yellow star in Lupimon's mouth glowed as she spoke.
"Lupimon Knowledge Star digivolve to...Knolupimon."
Knolupimon was taller but a little stocky. The star had formed armor around her upper torso. Her claws on her front paws had lengthened to form much deadlier weapons. Despite her obvious appearance as a fighter, there was a beauty and grace to her.
"Wolf Thunder Slash!"
Across Sardrimon's face was drawn four cuts, burned around the edges. He snarled in pain. "I'll be back," he yelled before leaping away.
A light shot away from Knolupimon as she dedigivolved. Instead of the star, it formed a small computer in front of Izzy. He reached out and grabbed it. He then walked over to Msaada, just now emerging from the cave, and held it out to her. It had a small purple star in one corner. "Here, this is yours."
Msaada took it from him. "Listen," Izzy said, "before we go back, I have to ask. Will you help us?"
Msaada considered for a moment. "Is that girl you left behind with you?"
It took Izzy a little while to understand, but Allison knew who Msaada was talking about instantly. "Her name's Jihan," she snarled.
Msaada silently absorbed the information. "Well," Allison asked. "I'm not patient, so answer."
"I'll help," Msaada said, although she did sound reluctant.
"Great," Izzy said. "Now let's go back."
Jihan watched impassively as Izzy, Allison, and Msaada returned. When they had their footinr again, she said, "We must go. The sun will be rising soon. If we are caught..." She left her thought hanging.
"Right," Allison said. She pulled out a scrap of paper and scrawled an address and e-mail on it. "That's his address and my e-mail. Can you meet us there tomorrow?"
Msaada nodded. Allison smiled. "Good. See you then," she said. Then the trio left, leaving behind a confused Msaada.
Will Msaada and Jihan ever get along? And when will the Master of Digimon actually show his face? How long will it take the new Digidestined to save the Digiworld? Tune in to find out.
