World Wrestling Digidestined 2014 chapter 12
Ignore the pain. Work through it. Pay no mind as everyone looks at you, worried and fretful. Wade Barrett keeps repeating these things to himself, ignoring the worried expression in Lunamon's fearful eyes as she rests on his good arm, staring up at him. He had felt it, less than twenty-four hours earlier. The pop, the tearing pain. He hadn't needed a trainer to tell him it was bad; he could feel it, he had left it when he'd dislocated his elbow years earlier. And yes, it hurts with every step he's taking along the uneven ground of the Digital World, but he powers through it. Knows that anything could happen, that he and Lunamon could be needed. Especially since she's the only Digimon with a water-based ability.
He keeps his face impassively blank as Luke explains their latest mission, something about an outlaw Digimon who had committed some crime or the other, directing them to the latest place he'd been spotted. "Buraimon," he repeats lowly, trudging after the others slowly. Only Heath remains nearby, watching him with a pensive look on his face. He finally looks up and notices Heath staring, frowning at him. "What is it, Slater?"
The ginger hesitates before walking over to him, Lopmon comfortable on top of his head. "Look, man, I get it, alright? You wanna be useful through your injury 'n' everything, but it wasn't that long ago we were almost drowned, and so much crap happens here, if you're only workin' off of one arm, well-"
"Come off it, Slater," he snaps, glaring down at the younger man coolly. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself with two or zero arms."
They walk for awhile longer before Heath swallows. "I know you're strong and self-reliant, and all of this, but c'mon, Wade, we coulda lost Ricardo not that long ago, and now you're hurt and I just-" He quivers slightly under Wade's angered gaze aimed right at him, recoiling slightly, but he stands his ground in the end. "I don't wanna watch you get in trouble, or whatever else. Just take care of yourself, huh?"
Wade doesn't say anything, tired of it all- being kept out of that world title match, Heath's protectiveness, everything just grating at him. He wants things to be normal. Before his elbow, before his shoulder, before everything bad ever happened to derail his career. He storms ahead, barely noticing the sharp rush of wind behind him, when Lunamon cries out. "Oh no!" This does attract his attention and he spins around to find Heath pinned to the ground by a tall Digimon with large wings, the shrewd face with eagle-like features but a human man's body glaring down at him, his sword held warningly to Heath's throat.
Wade walks slowly back towards them, relieved that the others have yet to notice this happening. Heath chokes against the cool steel uncomfortably close to his flesh and gapes at Wade, shaking his head as much as he dares. "Brit," he wheezes, tears filling his eyes as he stares at his former leader. "Stay back-"
"SHUT UP!" the Buraimon yells right at him, the tip of his sword embedding into the ground next to Heath's head as he leans in closer. "You will not capture me as if I am some lowly criminal, as if my being labeled an outlaw in these parts is a bad thing. I will make you all wish you hadn't taken on this mission to rid the DIgital World of me."
As Wade stares across at Heath, he suddenly is overwhelmed with understanding- that the ginger had merely been fearful of what could happen to Wade, his career, his livelihood should something go terribly wrong here, in this world, so far away from conventional medical help. He knows, he understands, because this is how he's feeling now- should that sword inch a little to the left, slice through Heath's arm, or down through his leg, leave him lame or just unable to compete ever again. Take his dream away from him, whatever future possibilities he could ever have. He knows now why Heath was so insistent, and oh God it hurts, somewhere deep inside, worse than his arm or any other physical injury he'd ever had could.
His thoughts are broken, however, when his Digivice begins to thrum, vibrate. As had happened with Zack and Patamon before them, Lunamon begins to spin, landing softly on the ground at his feet, her eyes wide with the uncertainty of it all as she cries out, "Lunamon Digivolve to...!" White, whispy body turning into a furred, cat-like creature with purple tipped ears and tail, large claws protrude from red and yellow gloves covering her paws. "Gatomon!"
Wade gulps and stares at her, wondering how such a small cat could have more strength than even Lunamon, but his answer comes in a hurry. Gatomon races past him and claws at the massive form of Buraimon, leaping backwards as he turns towards her, sword held with a bit more distance from Heath's vulnerable neck. Wade breathes a little easier at this, wanting to inch forward and pull him to safety, but he can't risk it. Not yet, anyway.
Gatomon stands, unwavering in her determination to end this, and slowly breathes out. "Cat's Eye Hypnotism." Her eyes shine, they gleam, spirals seeming to shoot out of them right towards Buraimon, who quickly kneels to his knees before him, the closer proximity strengthing her attack. He lifts his sword, nods as her in what seems like relief, holds it high over his head and stabs it downwards through his own form. He deletes quickly, not even bothering to say something, do something.
Wade looks around for the others, somehow not surprised that they had remained oblivious to everything while continuing their search, leaning down with his good arm to grip Heath's wrist and pull him up. He looks shocked, resting a hand on the side of his neck, where the heaviest part of the sword had rested only a few minutes ago, stares at Wade incomprehensibly. "Tha- thanks," he breathes out.
Wade nods jerkily, resting a hand on his bad arm. "You're welcome." He releases a faint breath, looking him in the eye. "And you're right. I'll be more careful while I recover. And if I'm not, you'll be here to complain and fuss."
Heath grins, removing his hand from his throat, relieved to find it uninjured, and clapping Wade on his good arm. "Damn straight, man." He looks down at Gatomon. "Well, well, look at you."
Wade too looks at his partner, wondering about her new abilities, how different she is from Lunamon, a certain kind of intelligence and grace lurking in her bright blue eyes as she greets Heath and bats playfully at Lopmon as the younger Digimon leaps down to analyze her.