THE TEMPLE OF ELDORADIMON

Keiko hadn't ever been in a treehouse, a marsh, or a jungle. Today was just a wondrous, FUCKING WONDROUS, day of experience. It was humid and muggy, breaking her usually demure countenance with sweat and frustration. The amount of manhandling was already too much for her pride to take and it was nowhere near over. Rickety bridges between treetops, cryptic stupid wizards and their maps, but this is what she had been told about. 'Information from a Wizardmon, please investigate' was the memo that slid across her inbox. Once she had read it, her computer's brightness setting went to nuclear, bathing her and everything attached to her with groping digital rays.

Through an awkward tunnel ride on a log raft with an incredibly stoic Shamanmon, there came into view this magnificent alcove in the canopy and a temple face across a ravine. This was the Digital World, alright.

"Just like a god-damned video game," she muttered. Keiko had lost all calm, only running on anxious nerves and weariness. Vulcan, her scarred little Solarmon, was the driving force of the expedition, so palpable was his excitement that it was like there was a second sun here in the wood.

Finally, solid ground. There was the occasional rock or root to push herself over on the path. She slung her bag into her lap and produced the map, then with a violence of jostling and determination, brought herself to the right tree. The murals needed inspecting, no temple was without its puzzle. She directed her Solarmon to take himself along the dirt pathway between the two trees and:

"Get me some rocks, also. A decent weight." She hadn't exchanged any pleasantries or small talk with anything she came in contact with since being thrown into this festering place. She knew if she even tried to feign nicety she would end up letting her internal screaming get the best of her. She held the map up so it and the mural occupied her vision together. She needed any help she could get.

"Ms. Keiko, back away. Back away now." Vulcan didn't even give her time to do it on her own, gears around the handles of her wheelchair and pulling her back. Keiko stowed the map into her bag and drew her pack of cards and digivice, cursing under her breath for her curiosity. Why would there be anything of use on a tree?

Once a bearable distance away, Vulcan took up bulwark directly in front of her chair. The soldier in place, ready to bare whatever danger they could possibly face on this expedition.

This would not be an easy time.

Vulcan said nothing. When it came to the concepts of riddles, his mind just wouldn't move. The clockwork visible in the gash of his left eye could be seen shuddering and stopping. Keiko leaned forward to push him out of the way to view this minuscule pine cone.

The vice in her chest lessened its grip at this cute creature. Then it automatically came back again when she realized she had a single chance to answer, and God knows what would happen should she get it wrong. This Minomon could be a diabolical mastermind, omitting the punishment to keep her on her toes, so to speak. Then she took a moment to consider his riddle.

Vines...red and white...

It clicked almost immediately.

"Wine."

"I should've answered grapes. Why would a Digimon know what alcohol is?"

"Ms. Keiko, we passed a sake distillery on the way here."

There was a small drop of silence as Keiko took a deep breath and exhaled. She turned away from the tree, towards the bridge.

Footing. That was hilarious.

She rolled forward, eyes glued to the floor ahead.

Of course.

Of course some god would be this cruel.

Probably some fat faced nerd named Ethram on his ass back at Invicta, laughing his ass off about this. She dug deep. Tried to find that runner's strength in her lungs. She just wanted to scream at those specks. Maybe they'd leave.

Doubtful.

This...this was better. Solid stone, well masoned but...very overgrown. The left two doors had not seemed to have moved. She swiveled around to look towards those magnificent birds. As big as jet planes, they were utterly amazing when she wasn't being chased down for sustenance. Vulcan was taken aback by the stifled laughter that was echoing about.

"Are...are you okay?"

"Fucking awful, Vulcan. But we can't go back outside. Only way is through."

The brazier lit the room fine, so those sconces...they must've been locks. Who knew what could possibly happen if she lit that torch. It could be dynamite for all she knew. Then she saw the symbol on the ground. Watch where you step.

She'd go look at that first.

Keiko was, and she may have been completely wrong about this, noticing a theme. Brazier, sconces, and fire.

"You must feel right at home, Vulcan."

The clockwork monster gave a start, silence of observation being broken by a more relaxed voice.

"Strangely enough, Miss....yes."

Keiko's eyes came up to inspect the mural, looking for any information at all.