Summary: Kari & Angewomon have a fight over the fate of an injured Digimon.
Path of a Black Cat
Chapter 1: Sally the Savior
"Celestial Arrow!"
The white arrow flew through the air and struck the Control Spire, vaporizing it instantly.
"Good work, Angewomon," Kari said, making some notes on her pad. "That's twenty-three Spires you've knocked down today!"
Angewomon sighed and landed next to her. "That may be true, but the Digimon Emperor will only build forty-six more while we're asleep. You can do that when you've got an endless supply of Digimon slaves."
Kari frowned as she stared up at her friend's face (rather, the half that wasn't hidden by her helmet). Angewomon had been getting more and more moody lately, especially when it came to the Digimon Emperor and his Control Spires. Kari had tried to help by making extra trips to the Digital World and spending more time with her, but it didn't seem to help very much. Still, she enjoyed every moment she spent with her Digimon partner, even if Angewomon was in one of her moods. Kari slipped her hand into Angewomon's. "C'mon. Let's go home."
Angewomon jumped a little at the sudden contact, then looked down and smiled, squeezing Kari's hand gently. "Sorry. I know I haven't been much fun to be with lately."
"I hadn't noticed." Kari laid her head against Angewomon's arm. "You're always fun to be with."
Angewomon's cheeks turned bright pink, and she suddenly wished that her helmet covered her entire face. "Kari…" she began, then stopped.
"What is it?" Kari asked, looking up at her.
"I…was just going to say it'd be faster if we flew."
"Are you sure you don't mind carrying me? I think I've gained a few pounds…"
Angewomon almost laughed. "You could use them. You're nothing but skin and bones."
Kari frowned. "You didn't have to say it like that, you know."
"Sorry. But it's no trouble, really." Angewomon scooped Kari into her arms and flew upward.
Kari automatically latched onto Angewomon's neck. "So, who should I brag to first when we get back?"
"Brag to?"
"Yup. You broke X-Veemon's old record of twenty-one Control Spires," Kari explained. "I have to tell someone. Maybe Tai will still be up."
"How late is it in your world?" Angewomon asked, slowing down a bit.
Kari checked her D-3. "Almost midnight. I left my parents a note that said I'd probably sleep over at Yolei's house, so don't worry. We've got plenty of time."
"Actually…you could just stay here for the night…with me," Angewomon said after a long moment.
Kari looked at her. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"
"Don't be silly, Kari. I've slept in your room many times. I'd love to have you stay with me."
"You mean you have a house?"
"It's more along the lines of a fortress, but yes. I think you'll be comfortable there."
"Well, I would like to see where you live…when you're not with me, anyway."
"Then it's settled." Angewomon began to fly higher. "I hope it hasn't moved too far. It's been a while since I was there last."
"It…moves?" Kari asked.
"Not really, but the cloud it sits in does. You'll understand once you see it."
Kari couldn't see much of anything at the moment, unless you counted the clouds, which were starting to get thicker. Then she realized the air was getting thinner and began to gasp. Suddenly, a gloved hand was pressed over her mouth.
"Sorry," Angewomon said. "I forgot to mention how high up we were going. It'll be easier for you to breathe once we're inside."
There was a great lurch as Angewomon skyrocketed even higher, propelled by a single, powerful thrust of her wings. They burst into a particularly thick cloud, and Kari was forced to close her eyes.
"We're here," Angewomon whispered after a few seconds.
Kari slowly opened her eyes. They were inside a huge, dome-shaped room. Above them, she could see the round skylight window that Angewomon had flown through.
"Make yourself at home," Angewomon said as she set Kari on her feet. "I'll be right back."
Kari took a long look around the room. The walls and ceiling were clearly made from stone. Despite that, the room still looked quite comfortable. There was a queen size bed with pink sheets and pillows, a walk-in closet against the far wall, and a desk and chair directly across from the closet.
Kari sat down on the bed to wait for Angewomon when something warm and soft dropped onto her shoulder. She gasped and came face-to-face with a Salamon. The furry Digimon stared at her with wide, blue eyes. Kari reached up and gently patted its head. "Hi, there. Do you live here, too?"
The Salamon rubbed against Kari's cheek and tumbled into her lap, where it curled into a ball, purring contentedly.
Kari smiled and stroked the Salamon's soft fur.
"I see you've met Sally."
Kari looked up to see Angewomon approaching with a tray of food. "Does she live here with you?"
"Yes. Every now and then, a Salamon finds its way up here, somehow. I give them food and shelter until they decide to leave on their own."
"You mean…she'll leave soon?" Kari asked, sounding a little sad.
Sally hopped out of Kari's lap and ran over to Angewomon, pawing at her white boots until she picked up the Salamon and set it on her shoulder.
"That's the strange thing. When Sally came to me, she was very sickly. I nursed her back to health, but she doesn't want to leave. She helps me take care of the other Salamon that come here, but every time I try to take her back to the wild, she follows me back here. I guess she's grown fond of the place."
"Maybe she's just grown fond of you?" Kari suggested, watching Sally rub against Angewomon's cheek.
"Perhaps," Angewomon said, absently reaching up to scratch Sally's chin. "But I've hardly been here at all lately, and yet she's still here."
"You almost sound like you want her to leave."
"I do, in a way. I don't want the Salamon to become dependent on me. They need to know how to survive on their own. If they stay here too long, they'll lose their natural instincts."
"Maybe her instinct is to stay with you," Kari said. "Just like yours is to stay with me?"
"I…suppose that's possible," Angewomon said slowly. "But I stay with you so I can protect you."
"Oh? You mean it has nothing to do with us being friends?"
"Of course it does, Kari. I protect you because I care about you. I'm your guardian angel. I wouldn't know what to do if you didn't exist."
Kari lowered her head. "As nice as that sounds, Angewomon, you called yourself my angel…not my friend. Is that how you think of me? Just some human you have to protect?"
Angewomon put down the tray of food and sat down beside Kari. "No, Kari. I didn't say friend because you're so much more to me than that. You're…well…everything to me." She gently lifted Kari's head. "Everything," she repeated.
"And do you trust me?" Kari asked.
"Yes, of course."
"Then…why do you hide behind this?" Kari wondered, reaching up to touch Angewomon's helmet.
Angewomon placed her hand over Kari's. "I've…never taken it off for anyone. No one's ever asked."
"I'm asking," Kari said quietly. "I want to see the real you. Not the angel that protects me. Just…you."
Angewomon nodded and carefully lifted off her helmet.
Kari gasped as she saw her friend's face for the first time. Her eyes slowly took in the pale skin, high cheekbones, bright blue eyes, and flowing, golden hair. "Angewomon…"
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing! You're…beautiful…" Kari pressed her hand against Angewomon's cheek. "I had no idea you looked like this."
Angewomon blushed slightly and leaned into Kari's palm. "I've always wanted you to touch me like this," she murmured.
"Really?" Kari asked. "Why didn't you say something?"
"I was…afraid. I didn't want you to be uncomfortable around me."
"But you not talking to me does make me uncomfortable. I don't want there to be any secrets between us."
"Are you sure?" Angewomon said, lowering her voice.
"Yes, I'm sure," Kari replied. "What else is there?"
"Oh, Kari…" Angewomon closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her face. "I'm just so afraid of losing you…"
"Losing me? What do you mean? Tell me!"
"I want…need…to tell you something, but…I don't know if you'll feel the same about me afterwards."
"Tell me what, Angewomon?"
She stared into Kari's eyes. "I want to be honest with you, Kari, really. But…I've never told anyone about this, and I just know you'll be angry if I tell you."
Kari sighed and shook her head. "This wouldn't be a problem if you were Gatomon."
Angewomon blinked. "What…?"
"I mean…you're so…different!" Kari cried at last, clearly exasperated. "Gatomon and I would never be having this kind of conversation. She's so open and clear-cut about how she feels with me; I know she doesn't hold back. But you…you're so afraid to let me know you. How can I decide whether I like you or not if I don't even know the whole truth about you?"
Before Angewomon could reply, the room suddenly flashed red.
Kari froze, looking around cautiously. "What's that?"
"My alarm system," Angewomon replied, rising from the bed and heading for the door. "Another injured Salamon, most likely."
Sally sprang from her seat on Angewomon's shoulder and sprinted down the hall.
"Can…I go with you?" Kari asked.
Angewomon paused in the doorway, clearly startled by the request. "I suppose," she answered after a long moment.
Kari slowly stood up. "I'm sorry, Angewomon. I didn't mean to upset you."
Angewomon stared at her. "I might be upset…if you were anyone else." She held out her hand. "We'll need to fly; it's faster that way."
Kari took the offered hand and was almost instantly swept off her feet. She let out a little gasp of surprise and wrapped her arms around Angewomon's neck. "Aren't you worried about hitting something?!"
Angewomon gave her an amused smile. "Like what? I purposely designed the halls to allow my wingspan, and I always keep them clear."
Kari then realized that the halls were quite wide, and there was no danger of slamming into anything. "You don't walk?" she asked.
"Well, if you could fly, wouldn't you want to do it as much as possible?"
"No," Kari said, blushing slightly. "I'd still want you to carry me."
Angewomon hid her own smile fairly well. "As you wish."
The hall soon opened up into another wide chamber with a skylight. Sally was already there, peering curiously at the new arrival from a safe distance.
Angewomon jerked to a stop quite abruptly, nearly losing her grip on Kari in the process. Her hands trembled noticeably as she set Kari on her feet and took a step back.
Confused by Angewomon's behavior, Kari kneeled to get a better look at their guest.
At first, she thought the creature might be severely burned, whatever it was. Then Sally ventured forward and licked the black mass, revealing it to be fur. The wounded Digimon shuddered and slowly rolled over.
Kari's heart leaped into her throat at the sight that met her eyes. It was like looking into a distorted mirror.
The Digimon looked almost exactly like Gatomon, but the colors were all wrong. It was covered in sleek fur of the darkest black and wore a pair of mauve gloves. There was even a golden tail ring that resembled Gatomon's.
Kari reached down to pick up the cat, but it instantly came to life and shrank away from her fingers, yowling in anger. "Wait! I just want to help you get better!"
Still the black Gatomon backed away, hissing warily.
Sally suddenly bounded over to the larger cat and nuzzled its neck, purring loudly.
Kari watched in amazement as the black Gatomon gradually calmed down and sank to the floor. It kept its eyes on her, though, absently licking the fur on Sally's head. "Sally," Kari said quietly. "Can you find out where she's hurt?"
Sally sprang onto the black Gatomon's back and tumbled out of view.
Kari walked around to the black cat's other side, where she found Sally tugging at the larger cat's right leg. There were a series angry-looking scratches that were too big to be from another cat. "Sally, can you make her understand that we only want to help?"
It took a few more minutes of Sally's nuzzling and licking, but the black Gatomon finally allowed Kari to pick her up. Only then did Kari realize that she didn't know where to take the cat. She turned to ask Angewomon, but her Digimon partner was mysteriously missing. Fortunately, Sally was able to lead Kari to what seemed to be an infirmary.
Kari cleaned and bandaged the black Gatomon's wounds with little trouble, but kept wondering where Angewomon had disappeared to and why. She passed the time by stroking her patient's fur, marveling at how soft and shiny it was.
"You're not like other humans, are you?"
Kari blinked and realized that the black Gatomon was staring at her, its golden eyes locked on her. "What?"
"I asked if you were different from other humans."
Kari simply stared at her. "You can talk?"
"Of course I can talk. Any halfway intelligent Digimon can."
"I know. It's just that you didn't say anything before."
The black Gatomon calmly licked her paw. "I wasn't sure if I could trust you then." She quickly added, "I still don't, by the way," crushing Kari's hopeful smile, "but you did help me like you promised."
"What happened to you? How'd you get hurt?"
"It doesn't matter," the cat replied, stretching carefully. "I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you."
"You really don't trust me, do you?" Kari asked.
The cat gave her an amused smile. "Oh, don't worry. I'm this evasive with everyone. It adds to my dark mystique and alarming elegance."
"You are very beautiful," Kari agreed, stroking her back.
The black Gatomon purred softly. "You're quite good at that, you know."
"I've had practice. I have my own cat." She paused, unsure if she meant Miko the family cat, or Gatomon.
"A very fortunate creature then," the black Gatomon sighed, leaning into Kari's fingers, "to have a caring owner like you."
"That's nice of you to say."
The cat flattened her ears against her head, looking insulted. "No, it's true of me to say. I don't do nice."
"Well, you're being nice to me," Kari pointed out.
The cat smirked. "That's just until you feed me. Then I'll claw your eyes out and scratch up your ankles something fierce." And she truly looked as if she'd do just that, too.
"I don't believe you," Kari said, pulling the cat into her lap and scratching behind her ears. "I think you just need someone to love you and treat you right."
"Foolish human," the black Gatomon purred, resting her head on Kari's knee. "Foolish, kind human…" Within seconds, she was asleep.
Kari smiled. "Bet she's a lot more interesting than your usual Salamon friends, isn't she, Sally?"
Sally rubbed against Kari's ankles and purred in agreement.
* * * * *
Angewomon knew she'd have to go back to Kari sooner or later. It was just that the DarkGatomon had surprised her. And the tail ring had really shocked her. It could only mean one thing.
She knew that she was the only Angewomon in existence. No other Digidestined anywhere had a Gatomon for a partner. It was likely there were other Gatomon, though, since she'd gotten that far without Kari.
But she'd only run into one DarkGatomon in her life, and it had a tail ring that matched hers…
Angewomon forced the thought away and decided to find Kari. Even if she couldn't reveal her past to Kari yet, she could still stop DarkGatomon from doing it first.
* * * * *
"Hello, kitty. I'm glad to see you're awake."
DarkGatomon sighed in annoyance, but was enjoying Kari's body heat too much to leave her spot on the girl's chest. "I am not a kitty."
"You're cute enough."
"I told you, I don't do cute."
"No, you said nice."
"Well, I don't do either."
Kari smiled and rubbed the cat's head. "Well, I've decided that I like you, anyway. So there."
"Of course you do," she purred. "What's not to like?"
"I don't have the slightest clue." Kari looked thoughtful for a moment. "If I asked nicely, would you stay with me?"
DarkGatomon's ears perked up. "Why would you ask me that?"
"I told you, I like you. If I ever want to be an old lady with a house full of cats, I have to start collecting now."
"Be serious, human."
Kari frowned. "Let's make a deal. If you call me Kari, I'll call you whatever you want."
"You may call me Bast[i]. Or Cleo. Or something clever like that."
"How about Violet?"
DarkGatomon looked murderous for a moment before asking, "Why?"
"Your mittens," Kari said, lifting her front paws.
"Gloves," DarkGatomon corrected instantly, drawing her paws from Kari's hands rather quickly. "They are battle gloves. Not…mittens. Anyway, they're mauve, not violet."
"But who'd want to fight you?"
"Plenty of Digimon, actually. I'm stronger than I look. It's part of the reason I'm suddenly so popular."
"What's the other part?" Kari asked.
The cat sighed. "Look, hu…Kari," she said stiffly. "If I agree to tell you a story, will you promise to keep your mouth shut until I'm done?"
"Maybe. What's the story about?" Kari was far too curious to be offended.
"Two cats and a monster. Well, two monsters, actually."
"You're one of the cats?"
DarkGatomon just looked at her.
"You never said it was a TRUE story."
"Fine, it's true!" DarkGatomon snapped. "At least, it was for me. You might not think so."
"I'm listening." Kari grinned at her. "Violet."
The cat glared at her, then sighed. "Very well…"
* * * * *
Next: Pick of the Litter – The story of two cats in Myotismon's army.
----------------------- [i] A cat goddess in Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" comics.
Path of a Black Cat
Chapter 1: Sally the Savior
"Celestial Arrow!"
The white arrow flew through the air and struck the Control Spire, vaporizing it instantly.
"Good work, Angewomon," Kari said, making some notes on her pad. "That's twenty-three Spires you've knocked down today!"
Angewomon sighed and landed next to her. "That may be true, but the Digimon Emperor will only build forty-six more while we're asleep. You can do that when you've got an endless supply of Digimon slaves."
Kari frowned as she stared up at her friend's face (rather, the half that wasn't hidden by her helmet). Angewomon had been getting more and more moody lately, especially when it came to the Digimon Emperor and his Control Spires. Kari had tried to help by making extra trips to the Digital World and spending more time with her, but it didn't seem to help very much. Still, she enjoyed every moment she spent with her Digimon partner, even if Angewomon was in one of her moods. Kari slipped her hand into Angewomon's. "C'mon. Let's go home."
Angewomon jumped a little at the sudden contact, then looked down and smiled, squeezing Kari's hand gently. "Sorry. I know I haven't been much fun to be with lately."
"I hadn't noticed." Kari laid her head against Angewomon's arm. "You're always fun to be with."
Angewomon's cheeks turned bright pink, and she suddenly wished that her helmet covered her entire face. "Kari…" she began, then stopped.
"What is it?" Kari asked, looking up at her.
"I…was just going to say it'd be faster if we flew."
"Are you sure you don't mind carrying me? I think I've gained a few pounds…"
Angewomon almost laughed. "You could use them. You're nothing but skin and bones."
Kari frowned. "You didn't have to say it like that, you know."
"Sorry. But it's no trouble, really." Angewomon scooped Kari into her arms and flew upward.
Kari automatically latched onto Angewomon's neck. "So, who should I brag to first when we get back?"
"Brag to?"
"Yup. You broke X-Veemon's old record of twenty-one Control Spires," Kari explained. "I have to tell someone. Maybe Tai will still be up."
"How late is it in your world?" Angewomon asked, slowing down a bit.
Kari checked her D-3. "Almost midnight. I left my parents a note that said I'd probably sleep over at Yolei's house, so don't worry. We've got plenty of time."
"Actually…you could just stay here for the night…with me," Angewomon said after a long moment.
Kari looked at her. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"
"Don't be silly, Kari. I've slept in your room many times. I'd love to have you stay with me."
"You mean you have a house?"
"It's more along the lines of a fortress, but yes. I think you'll be comfortable there."
"Well, I would like to see where you live…when you're not with me, anyway."
"Then it's settled." Angewomon began to fly higher. "I hope it hasn't moved too far. It's been a while since I was there last."
"It…moves?" Kari asked.
"Not really, but the cloud it sits in does. You'll understand once you see it."
Kari couldn't see much of anything at the moment, unless you counted the clouds, which were starting to get thicker. Then she realized the air was getting thinner and began to gasp. Suddenly, a gloved hand was pressed over her mouth.
"Sorry," Angewomon said. "I forgot to mention how high up we were going. It'll be easier for you to breathe once we're inside."
There was a great lurch as Angewomon skyrocketed even higher, propelled by a single, powerful thrust of her wings. They burst into a particularly thick cloud, and Kari was forced to close her eyes.
"We're here," Angewomon whispered after a few seconds.
Kari slowly opened her eyes. They were inside a huge, dome-shaped room. Above them, she could see the round skylight window that Angewomon had flown through.
"Make yourself at home," Angewomon said as she set Kari on her feet. "I'll be right back."
Kari took a long look around the room. The walls and ceiling were clearly made from stone. Despite that, the room still looked quite comfortable. There was a queen size bed with pink sheets and pillows, a walk-in closet against the far wall, and a desk and chair directly across from the closet.
Kari sat down on the bed to wait for Angewomon when something warm and soft dropped onto her shoulder. She gasped and came face-to-face with a Salamon. The furry Digimon stared at her with wide, blue eyes. Kari reached up and gently patted its head. "Hi, there. Do you live here, too?"
The Salamon rubbed against Kari's cheek and tumbled into her lap, where it curled into a ball, purring contentedly.
Kari smiled and stroked the Salamon's soft fur.
"I see you've met Sally."
Kari looked up to see Angewomon approaching with a tray of food. "Does she live here with you?"
"Yes. Every now and then, a Salamon finds its way up here, somehow. I give them food and shelter until they decide to leave on their own."
"You mean…she'll leave soon?" Kari asked, sounding a little sad.
Sally hopped out of Kari's lap and ran over to Angewomon, pawing at her white boots until she picked up the Salamon and set it on her shoulder.
"That's the strange thing. When Sally came to me, she was very sickly. I nursed her back to health, but she doesn't want to leave. She helps me take care of the other Salamon that come here, but every time I try to take her back to the wild, she follows me back here. I guess she's grown fond of the place."
"Maybe she's just grown fond of you?" Kari suggested, watching Sally rub against Angewomon's cheek.
"Perhaps," Angewomon said, absently reaching up to scratch Sally's chin. "But I've hardly been here at all lately, and yet she's still here."
"You almost sound like you want her to leave."
"I do, in a way. I don't want the Salamon to become dependent on me. They need to know how to survive on their own. If they stay here too long, they'll lose their natural instincts."
"Maybe her instinct is to stay with you," Kari said. "Just like yours is to stay with me?"
"I…suppose that's possible," Angewomon said slowly. "But I stay with you so I can protect you."
"Oh? You mean it has nothing to do with us being friends?"
"Of course it does, Kari. I protect you because I care about you. I'm your guardian angel. I wouldn't know what to do if you didn't exist."
Kari lowered her head. "As nice as that sounds, Angewomon, you called yourself my angel…not my friend. Is that how you think of me? Just some human you have to protect?"
Angewomon put down the tray of food and sat down beside Kari. "No, Kari. I didn't say friend because you're so much more to me than that. You're…well…everything to me." She gently lifted Kari's head. "Everything," she repeated.
"And do you trust me?" Kari asked.
"Yes, of course."
"Then…why do you hide behind this?" Kari wondered, reaching up to touch Angewomon's helmet.
Angewomon placed her hand over Kari's. "I've…never taken it off for anyone. No one's ever asked."
"I'm asking," Kari said quietly. "I want to see the real you. Not the angel that protects me. Just…you."
Angewomon nodded and carefully lifted off her helmet.
Kari gasped as she saw her friend's face for the first time. Her eyes slowly took in the pale skin, high cheekbones, bright blue eyes, and flowing, golden hair. "Angewomon…"
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing! You're…beautiful…" Kari pressed her hand against Angewomon's cheek. "I had no idea you looked like this."
Angewomon blushed slightly and leaned into Kari's palm. "I've always wanted you to touch me like this," she murmured.
"Really?" Kari asked. "Why didn't you say something?"
"I was…afraid. I didn't want you to be uncomfortable around me."
"But you not talking to me does make me uncomfortable. I don't want there to be any secrets between us."
"Are you sure?" Angewomon said, lowering her voice.
"Yes, I'm sure," Kari replied. "What else is there?"
"Oh, Kari…" Angewomon closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her face. "I'm just so afraid of losing you…"
"Losing me? What do you mean? Tell me!"
"I want…need…to tell you something, but…I don't know if you'll feel the same about me afterwards."
"Tell me what, Angewomon?"
She stared into Kari's eyes. "I want to be honest with you, Kari, really. But…I've never told anyone about this, and I just know you'll be angry if I tell you."
Kari sighed and shook her head. "This wouldn't be a problem if you were Gatomon."
Angewomon blinked. "What…?"
"I mean…you're so…different!" Kari cried at last, clearly exasperated. "Gatomon and I would never be having this kind of conversation. She's so open and clear-cut about how she feels with me; I know she doesn't hold back. But you…you're so afraid to let me know you. How can I decide whether I like you or not if I don't even know the whole truth about you?"
Before Angewomon could reply, the room suddenly flashed red.
Kari froze, looking around cautiously. "What's that?"
"My alarm system," Angewomon replied, rising from the bed and heading for the door. "Another injured Salamon, most likely."
Sally sprang from her seat on Angewomon's shoulder and sprinted down the hall.
"Can…I go with you?" Kari asked.
Angewomon paused in the doorway, clearly startled by the request. "I suppose," she answered after a long moment.
Kari slowly stood up. "I'm sorry, Angewomon. I didn't mean to upset you."
Angewomon stared at her. "I might be upset…if you were anyone else." She held out her hand. "We'll need to fly; it's faster that way."
Kari took the offered hand and was almost instantly swept off her feet. She let out a little gasp of surprise and wrapped her arms around Angewomon's neck. "Aren't you worried about hitting something?!"
Angewomon gave her an amused smile. "Like what? I purposely designed the halls to allow my wingspan, and I always keep them clear."
Kari then realized that the halls were quite wide, and there was no danger of slamming into anything. "You don't walk?" she asked.
"Well, if you could fly, wouldn't you want to do it as much as possible?"
"No," Kari said, blushing slightly. "I'd still want you to carry me."
Angewomon hid her own smile fairly well. "As you wish."
The hall soon opened up into another wide chamber with a skylight. Sally was already there, peering curiously at the new arrival from a safe distance.
Angewomon jerked to a stop quite abruptly, nearly losing her grip on Kari in the process. Her hands trembled noticeably as she set Kari on her feet and took a step back.
Confused by Angewomon's behavior, Kari kneeled to get a better look at their guest.
At first, she thought the creature might be severely burned, whatever it was. Then Sally ventured forward and licked the black mass, revealing it to be fur. The wounded Digimon shuddered and slowly rolled over.
Kari's heart leaped into her throat at the sight that met her eyes. It was like looking into a distorted mirror.
The Digimon looked almost exactly like Gatomon, but the colors were all wrong. It was covered in sleek fur of the darkest black and wore a pair of mauve gloves. There was even a golden tail ring that resembled Gatomon's.
Kari reached down to pick up the cat, but it instantly came to life and shrank away from her fingers, yowling in anger. "Wait! I just want to help you get better!"
Still the black Gatomon backed away, hissing warily.
Sally suddenly bounded over to the larger cat and nuzzled its neck, purring loudly.
Kari watched in amazement as the black Gatomon gradually calmed down and sank to the floor. It kept its eyes on her, though, absently licking the fur on Sally's head. "Sally," Kari said quietly. "Can you find out where she's hurt?"
Sally sprang onto the black Gatomon's back and tumbled out of view.
Kari walked around to the black cat's other side, where she found Sally tugging at the larger cat's right leg. There were a series angry-looking scratches that were too big to be from another cat. "Sally, can you make her understand that we only want to help?"
It took a few more minutes of Sally's nuzzling and licking, but the black Gatomon finally allowed Kari to pick her up. Only then did Kari realize that she didn't know where to take the cat. She turned to ask Angewomon, but her Digimon partner was mysteriously missing. Fortunately, Sally was able to lead Kari to what seemed to be an infirmary.
Kari cleaned and bandaged the black Gatomon's wounds with little trouble, but kept wondering where Angewomon had disappeared to and why. She passed the time by stroking her patient's fur, marveling at how soft and shiny it was.
"You're not like other humans, are you?"
Kari blinked and realized that the black Gatomon was staring at her, its golden eyes locked on her. "What?"
"I asked if you were different from other humans."
Kari simply stared at her. "You can talk?"
"Of course I can talk. Any halfway intelligent Digimon can."
"I know. It's just that you didn't say anything before."
The black Gatomon calmly licked her paw. "I wasn't sure if I could trust you then." She quickly added, "I still don't, by the way," crushing Kari's hopeful smile, "but you did help me like you promised."
"What happened to you? How'd you get hurt?"
"It doesn't matter," the cat replied, stretching carefully. "I'd rather not talk about it, if it's all the same to you."
"You really don't trust me, do you?" Kari asked.
The cat gave her an amused smile. "Oh, don't worry. I'm this evasive with everyone. It adds to my dark mystique and alarming elegance."
"You are very beautiful," Kari agreed, stroking her back.
The black Gatomon purred softly. "You're quite good at that, you know."
"I've had practice. I have my own cat." She paused, unsure if she meant Miko the family cat, or Gatomon.
"A very fortunate creature then," the black Gatomon sighed, leaning into Kari's fingers, "to have a caring owner like you."
"That's nice of you to say."
The cat flattened her ears against her head, looking insulted. "No, it's true of me to say. I don't do nice."
"Well, you're being nice to me," Kari pointed out.
The cat smirked. "That's just until you feed me. Then I'll claw your eyes out and scratch up your ankles something fierce." And she truly looked as if she'd do just that, too.
"I don't believe you," Kari said, pulling the cat into her lap and scratching behind her ears. "I think you just need someone to love you and treat you right."
"Foolish human," the black Gatomon purred, resting her head on Kari's knee. "Foolish, kind human…" Within seconds, she was asleep.
Kari smiled. "Bet she's a lot more interesting than your usual Salamon friends, isn't she, Sally?"
Sally rubbed against Kari's ankles and purred in agreement.
* * * * *
Angewomon knew she'd have to go back to Kari sooner or later. It was just that the DarkGatomon had surprised her. And the tail ring had really shocked her. It could only mean one thing.
She knew that she was the only Angewomon in existence. No other Digidestined anywhere had a Gatomon for a partner. It was likely there were other Gatomon, though, since she'd gotten that far without Kari.
But she'd only run into one DarkGatomon in her life, and it had a tail ring that matched hers…
Angewomon forced the thought away and decided to find Kari. Even if she couldn't reveal her past to Kari yet, she could still stop DarkGatomon from doing it first.
* * * * *
"Hello, kitty. I'm glad to see you're awake."
DarkGatomon sighed in annoyance, but was enjoying Kari's body heat too much to leave her spot on the girl's chest. "I am not a kitty."
"You're cute enough."
"I told you, I don't do cute."
"No, you said nice."
"Well, I don't do either."
Kari smiled and rubbed the cat's head. "Well, I've decided that I like you, anyway. So there."
"Of course you do," she purred. "What's not to like?"
"I don't have the slightest clue." Kari looked thoughtful for a moment. "If I asked nicely, would you stay with me?"
DarkGatomon's ears perked up. "Why would you ask me that?"
"I told you, I like you. If I ever want to be an old lady with a house full of cats, I have to start collecting now."
"Be serious, human."
Kari frowned. "Let's make a deal. If you call me Kari, I'll call you whatever you want."
"You may call me Bast[i]. Or Cleo. Or something clever like that."
"How about Violet?"
DarkGatomon looked murderous for a moment before asking, "Why?"
"Your mittens," Kari said, lifting her front paws.
"Gloves," DarkGatomon corrected instantly, drawing her paws from Kari's hands rather quickly. "They are battle gloves. Not…mittens. Anyway, they're mauve, not violet."
"But who'd want to fight you?"
"Plenty of Digimon, actually. I'm stronger than I look. It's part of the reason I'm suddenly so popular."
"What's the other part?" Kari asked.
The cat sighed. "Look, hu…Kari," she said stiffly. "If I agree to tell you a story, will you promise to keep your mouth shut until I'm done?"
"Maybe. What's the story about?" Kari was far too curious to be offended.
"Two cats and a monster. Well, two monsters, actually."
"You're one of the cats?"
DarkGatomon just looked at her.
"You never said it was a TRUE story."
"Fine, it's true!" DarkGatomon snapped. "At least, it was for me. You might not think so."
"I'm listening." Kari grinned at her. "Violet."
The cat glared at her, then sighed. "Very well…"
* * * * *
Next: Pick of the Litter – The story of two cats in Myotismon's army.
----------------------- [i] A cat goddess in Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" comics.