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Robbie wasn't paying any attention to the details around him until Leomon suddenly stopped, and he bumped into the lion's strong muscular back. The first detail he noticed that his nose suddenly ached slightly, and sweat had plastered his face. He cursed under his breath and stepped backwards, not looking at Leomon. "S-sorry..."

Leomon had felt the impact on his back, and was hardly jarred by it. He had known for several leagues that Robbie was very distracted and distant, withdrawn in his thoughts. He turned around, concern written on his face, with ears flattened. "Robbie, are you ...well? You seem distracted."

Robbie looked up at him and didn't say anything, reddening.

Leomon exhaled softly. "You were distracted, but I don't know if I can help with anything. That's why I made a route to the cavern which is up ahead through an easy path so you wouldn't get into trouble, and ..."

He dared to do something that Robbie might not be comfortable with yet. Leomon laid a paw gently on Robbie's shoulder. "If you need to talk... or ... something. I am here at the moment." He let the paw drop without prolonged contact. He wasn't sure how far or what Robbie permitted as body contact. He fell silent, waiting for a moment.

Robbie sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "...I don't know. This whole thing is a bit crazy, let me tell you. I am not quite sure if this place is real, although the longer I'm here... I'm slowly being convinced, but... How do I get home? I can't exactly... get home the same way however I got here." He let out a sad sigh, and hung his head.

Leomon's heart went out to him. He couldn't imagine how Robbie must be feeling... after all he was in an entirely new world, with no apparent way to get home. Perhaps...

The unconcious thought spurred Leomon to speak. "Perhaps...once we're finished with the Darkness Mist...you could find a way home." He smiled, putting a hopeful expression on his face, in part to reassure Robbie. Inside his heart, he wasn't so sure he wanted to have Robbie return. But whatever the future brought, it will bring.

Robbie was gazing at the ground, then suddenly met Leomon's eyes with hope in his own. "I guess so! We should find out what's in that cavern." He didn't know why, but Leomon had said just the right words to him to cheer him up. Whatever the rules were on this world, he knew he'd find a way home, he was sure of it.

Leomon turned to keep walking, trusting that Robbie would follow. The cave was only a league ahead, and he could see it in the distance. And it was getting dark soon. Not quite imminent, but it would be several hours later before it darkened into true evening.

Robbie quietly trailed behind, now taking in more details about his surroundings. The longer he looked at them, the more he realized that he was truly not at home. Trees looked vaguely familiar, but were distinctly different. Leomon never uttered a word while they were nearing the cave and he wondered why. Was Leomon just a quiet Digimon, or was it something else? He took the time to study some of the geography marks around him, hoping to at least retain some sort of mental map, but it only took him several minutes to realize that it would be impossible. At least without quite a bit of traveling, and a frame of reference, of course.

He resigned himself to thinking about the information he had just learned. What was the Darkness Mist the digivice had mentioned? How could he have the power to help combat these things that the Mist had infected? He had never considered himself strong, other than perhaps physically, and he knew he could stand up for himself when it became necessary. But he didn't know if he had the power to help these Digimon.

He looked up as Leomon's footsteps stopped. Taking in the scenery, he noticed the large cave mouth several feet away. "Is that it? The cave?"

Leomon turned his head toward Robbie, and nodded. "Yes. According to the digivice -- this is supposed to be the spot."

Robbie scratched his goatee thoughtfully, and dug out his digivice, then waited. It suddenly glowed again, as the fluting voice spoke once again inside their heads.

"Good. You have reached the spot. It is carefully hidden behind a rockfall to the back of the cave."

Robbie growled slightly, a bit irked by the cryptic responses. "Find what, and Who are you?"

The voice bubbled in good-natured laughter before continuing. "I cannot say more until the time is proper. My name is not important now."

Robbie rolled his eyes. "That may work on a kid, but I'm a damn adult. I..."

Leomon suddenly laid his paw on Robbie's shoulder, and whispered, "Don't antagonize it. If it is truly our ally, we must trust it for the moment."

Robbie sighed, feeling defeated. "Oh, fine. Any other sage words of advice?"

The voice paused as if surprised by Robbie's tone, but continued to speak once more. "The key to your heart is closer than you think."

Robbie frowned, suddenly thrown off-guard by it's remark. "Um...Okay." The digivice grew dark again.

He suddenly registered Leomon's heavy paw on his shoulder, and his ears tinted pink for a second, then he grunted, wanting to get this over with. Shoving the digivice down his pants pocket, he motioned to the cave with his head. "Ok, let's go find this...thing. Whatever it is." He moved forward, into the cave without looking back.

Leomon had no choice but to follow, even if it were to safeguard his new partner from doing anything reckless. He was similarly puzzled by the being's cryptic advice. Thoughts on that flew out of his head as he saw Robbie kneeling by what appeared to be a rockfall at the back.

As Leomon's feet crunched over a small pile of twigs, Robbie glanced backwards, and waved him over. "Here it is, Leomon. The rockfall it talked about. I wonder what's behind it?"

He seemed to be struggling to remove rocks by hand to the sides, but he hadn't made much progress. Leomon knelt on the ground, and lent his hands to shift the rocks to the other side. After another hour's work, Robbie was sweating and grunting and winded. He finally sat down to the side, and shook his head. "I don't think we'll get it cleared tonight. I'm exhausted."

Leomon flicked an ear at him, nodding. "Rest then. I'm not as winded. I can keep going, if you wish." His nose could pick up Robbie's sweat mingled with pheremones, making his urges grow stronger for a second, then he savagely struck a rock to distract himself from acting on his urges.

Robbie didn't notice Leomon's strange expression, but he had indeed noticed Leomon's savage strike against the rock which had scattered quite a few aside. "Relax, man... These rocks didn't hurt you." He had a weak grin plastered on his face, but he felt a bit more nervous about Leomon. The strike had been very precise and very strong. He wasn't sure if he should be disturbed or impressed.

Crawling to his knees, he kneed his way over to the now cleared rockfall, he frowned. "Hmm... what is that oval rock? That doesn't look like the others."

Leomon sat on his haunches and peered inside as well. "No. You're right. It looks like a Digiegg. But none like I've ever seen before." The rounded rock looked more like a dark purple crystal egg with a symbol etched in it -- he suddenly recognized the symbol -- Hope.

The lion growled in pleased surprise, a bit of history coming to his memories. "Yes, this is the Digiegg of Hope! Legends say that the Digidestined usually touched them or tried to take them to make them theirs."

Robbie sighed. "Me again? Well... I suppose. Here goes." He reached out to take the purple hued egg, and is surprised at how light it felt in his hands, given the size of it. Before he could react, a purple light exploded around Robbie, and he groaned as new sensations flooded his mind.

He floated in white light. A voice whispered softly. "The new Digidestined. You are at last here. Do you hold the hope of the Digital World? If so, I will grant you the power to help save it."

The answer seemed obvious, and it was in his nature to want to preserve things. "Yes. I want to help."

The voice smoothly went from inquisitive to pleased. "You have the power." Then white light flared in his mind, blinding him for a moment.

Leomon stared at Robbie, concerned once the white light had engulfed him in a bright aura that Leomon's eyes couldn't penetrate. He had to shield his eyes until Robbie had reappeared again -- without the egg. Robbie looked slightly ill, and swayed precariously, and Leomon had to grab him before he fell.

Robbie felt really dizzy, as if he may vomit. He tried to keep the bile back, and for the most part succeeded. He started hacking, and breathing heavily. Leomon drew him into an one armed hug, trying to comfort him.

Robbie groaned, and whispered loud enough for Leo to hear. "I... have the power to help." He unceremoniously passed out against Leomon's chest. There was something different about Robbie to Leomon's nose and sharp eyes, but for some reason, he couldn't figure it out.

Leomon picked Robbie up and grunted in surprise. He was slightly heavier than Leomon had expected, but he was sure he could manage. He laid him down about midway through the cave before the entrance, and decided to build a fire for the night. They had fruit if either of them went hungry. Right now, all he had on his mind was protecting his partner. He was a little worried -- he didn't know exactly what happened. All he could do was bide his time and wait for Robbie to wake up.

It was gonna be a long night.

[TBC]