"Everyone ready?"

You nod. One by one, VPNs are activated, shielding you from the instant logging of a partition. Your encryption suite doesn't equate to a permanent, unbreakable VPN, so you still need to be wary of expiry. You've at least solved the metadata issue by running a decoy file beforehand, in your own apartment. Doc wasn't able to rewrite your pre-existing code, but you should be able to pass the alibi file to bots the next time they do street interviews.

If you do anything suspicious that reveals your identity and triggers even a basic investigation, they'll find the false negative from last time. You need to be extra careful to not leave traces.

"Okay. We'll all jump together. You've done test runs, try and remember what it felt like, and make use of it. Ready?"

A chorus of assent passes through the room. Wind picks a television that's displaying high-definition color swirls as a showcase of its resolution. When he touches it, the screen warps into a series of blue and black polygons, rippling like water and crackling like static.

"Commencing Operation Augur."

He enters first, and one by one, you slide into the network. You're the last to go in, and you make sure to set up the lifel1ne.app. It's a brilliant cable that anchors itself into the frame, and follows you as you dive.

==

You thought you were used to the brilliant blue of partition travel. As it turns out, the wider network is black as the sky. Rather than being blinded by oversaturated azure hues, you're thrust into darkness and left with minimal input. The enclosed space you all practiced in was nowhere near enough to prepare you for the new environment. This is the Network. ALL of it. There are countless paths that branch off and form solid ground. There are distant platforms of light that point the way to screens, displays, and devices. And ahead of you, there are numerous rings that form a tunnel, vaguely drifting towards your destination. The ping has carved it out for you, and you're riding the wake of it.

"Woah."

You look down at your hands. Your texture has been peeled back by the travel. All of you are simple avatars now, made of holographic blue, and with shining voids on your hips and your backs. All except you, whose light comes from the wrist. The Digivices and storage servers are beacons of high-density information here.

"Hololize!"

Wind sends his partner out first. Kaus Gammamon is unaffected by the shift in texture. He looks like himself, albeit locked in a constant free-fall. All of you do the same, surrounding yourselves with a small army of Rookie-level Digimon. You keep your partner small until you're in need of his power, wanting to conserve energy first and foremost.

"Hello! Hello? Can you hear me?!" Squid yells over the comms.

"Reading you loud and clear." Wind replies.

"Great! Get your bearings, then just follow the tunnel forward."

"Roger."