SS30: It's me again. Well, I'm not going into a big discussion, so I'll just give you this. I've been a fan of the Digimon series for years, since it first came out. But out of all the seasons, three was my absolute fave. I've tried a few times to write a fan fic of that season, but each time it didn't turn out well. After I looked around, I saw some people were writing ones out in a different way than had been done, so I decided I'd give it a shot. Anyway, hope you'll like this one.
It's been…too long…too long I've been like this.
All my life…I heard those words…always knew what they said was right…
Weak…pathetic…useless…hopeless…
Though they were said less as time went on, I knew people still thought them about me. As did I.
Now…I have this power…and I will make all who oppose me pay…I'll do it…for him…Guilmon…
Digimon Tamers: The Ultimate PowerIt was a lovely day in the large city of Shinjuku. Kids were going to school; adults were at work, everyone knowing that they were under the protection of the children who had helped save the world several years ago. It had been in fact 6 year since that day, the day when the dreaded entity known as the D-Reaper, had been defeated by the children known as the Tamers and their loyal Digimon, creatures created within the realms of cyberspace that had come to life. The children by now were in their mid to late-teens. For the most part, everyone had changed little. Everyone was still living at home, they still remained close and for four of the members, they had gotten far closer than before. Henry Wong, the co-leader of the group was currently going out with his girlfriend of two years, Jeri Katou, as were Rika Nonaka and Ryo Akiyama, though they had been together for nearly 6 years, having hooked up only a week after the Parisimon incident that created just as much havoc as the D-Reaper. Kazu and Kenta were on par with Rika and Ryo, as the latter had spent more time on other things than the Digimon Card game. Ai and Mako were in their latter years of grade school along with Suzie, Henry's younger sister. Their digimon, Terriermon, Leomon (had returned as a digi-egg 3 years prior), Renamon, Monodramon, Guardromon, Marineangemon, Impmon, and Lopmon all stayed at their respective Tamers house and had all been accepted into their families, even Ryo's. But there was one Tamer and his digimon that had gone missing. All those years ago, an event that had forever scorned the Tamers, feeling nothing but sadness and despair over what had transpired. Takato Matsuki, and his created digimon, Guilmon had gone missing.
FlashbackA week had passed since the Parisimon incident, and Takato was feeling guilty over what he had done. At Rika's birthday, after she went out into the backyard, he wanted to talk to her, comfort her in anyway he could, but he had let Renamon stop him. Though she thought it was best to let her be, Takato thought it wasn't best for someone like Rika to be alone on her birthday, at least not completely alone. He knew she needed someone by her side, but sighed and turned away defeated.
I'll talk to her later I guess…maybe she'll be better at that point…Takato thought. But fate had other plans, for as soon as Takato went inside, Ryo stepped outside to get some air. He sighed tiredly, wanting nothing more than to go home and relax after everything that had occurred. It was the sound of soft crying that got his attention. Looking for the source, he saw a sight that he never would have seen. There in the soft light of the setting sun, sat Rika, the toughest girl he knew, crying, tears running down her cheeks. Ryo cautiously walked toward her, Rika instantly whirling around on him as he drew up to within a few feet from her.
"Rika?" he asked tentavely. His eyes widened at her puffy eyes and her tear-stained cheeks, her voice nearly breaking as she tried to regain her stone-cold composure
"What the hell do you want Akiyama?" she demanded.
"Rika…what's going on? Why are you crying?" he asked.
"I'm not crying, now leave me alone!" she spat as she tried to walk past him. Ryo grabbed her arm firmly and turned her toward him.
"Rika, I'm not letting you go until you talk to me. Please…I want to help you," he said. She looked in his eyes, searching for some kind of alternate reason. She sighed as she sat down, Ryo doing the same. Rika, being in a broken-like state emotionally from the past hours' events, spilled everything to him, telling Ryo everything that had happened, how her dad had left and had gone missing. Neither she, nor her mom knew what happened to him, he hadn't been seen in years. Ryo listened to her every word, taking it all in. After she was finished, she turned away from him.
"You probably think I'm some kind of weak, pathetic excuse for a person…after I told you all that," she said sadly, more tears threatening out of her eyes. Ryo shook his head and turned her toward him.
"Rika…you're the strongest person I know. I can barely imagine how you're able to stay as strong as you are, while holding all that in for all this time. For you to be able to hold up after losing your dad, the closest person to you in your life…though I know what its like," he said to her, a small smile on his face, one of his own sadness.
She shook her head at this. "How…how on Earth can you possibly know what it's like?" she said, growing angry at him, drawing back as she saw his own eyes filled with sadness.
"I lost my mom when I was only 7…she was the most important person to me. My dad…had to go away to a clinic for nearly 2 years he was so broken up by it. Ever since then, he's been different. He used to be so caring…and loving. Now he's no-nonsense, only working and sleeping. He does this to avoid the pain, hoping that someday he will forget about her completely. I know it's bullshit…and I think deep-down he does too," he said, a tear running down his cheek. Rika instantly enveloped him in her arms, both of them holding one another. A few minutes passed before they pulled back, looking each other in the eyes before they were lost in a passionate kiss…which to the one person who was watching the whole thing and listening to each word said caused immense pain. The young hero of the day, who had saved Rika, turned and headed out of the house, telling Henry to bring Guilmon home. When he got home, Takato cried into his bed nearly the entire night.
I can't believe this…it just can't be true…Takato thought as he slowly drifted off to sleep.
End flashbackA week later, they hook-up, telling everyone they love each other. After that, I spent several weeks in a fog, not caring or knowing what was going on around me. I still remember how angry everyone was when I nearly got myself killed by that digimon. My parents, the digimon, the tamers, Rika, even Yamaki chewed the fuck out of me for being so stupid. Then, that night was the night I slipped out of my house and took off with nothing but a bag of supplies and Guilmon. I wanted to get away…no I HAD to get away. From them, from her…from everything I knew. I stayed at Kai's place…for as long as I could.
Weeks passed…summer turning to fall. I had totally skipped school, wanting nothing to do with my former life. I was nearly found out, getting into the Digital World just as they all pulled up into Kai's driveway to drag me back home. That was 6 years ago…and it's been 4 years since…I lost the only who mattered to me…now…I am alone. I've been wandering the Digital World and the real world so long. I've trained as hard as I could, now I might as well get used to using one place as my hometown. Still…
18-year old Takato Matsuki stood atop the roof of the highest point in Shinjuku, thinking silently to himself. It was a late summer evening, the last before school started again. He had wanted to get some relaxation in before he had to go to school.
"Can't believe I have to go to school after all these years. I think it's a waste of time…but if Azulongmon and the Old Man thinks it's for the best, then I can't really fight off both of them," Takato argued to himself. It was then that an older man, in his late-30s appeared next to Takato. "I thought you were going home already to your family," he asked the younger man.
"There's no way I'm going to them right now. I just got back, and iff I did, you know exactly what group of people would come running, and I will NOT face them, not right now anyway. I'm going to try putting it off for as long as I can," Takato growled. The older man shrugged, a slight grin on his face. He soon turned to regard Takato with a look of seriousness on his face.
"You can't blame them for what happened. It's your fault for letting things happen the way they did," he said.
"I know that…but running away, that's something you did too right? How's it any different than me?" Takato asked.
"I may have run away, however I came to regard what I did as cowardly and pathetic. But I'm going to rectify that when the time is right. I hope that the training I gave you wont go to waste now that you will soon be protecting all this," he said regarding the city.
"I'm only concerned with myself for right now. What those guys do with the city is none of my concern," Takato said. "I gotta go now, see you later…Old Man."
Takato was surrounded in a bright red light, a slight breeze blowing by after it died down, taking with it the young man. The older man sighed as he looked up into the night's sky. "You might not have her by your side right now…but if you truly love someone Takato, then go for her. Don't make the same mistakes I made…"
The next day, everyone was filing into the public high school, the Tamers wearing for the most part similar clothes they wore years ago. Kazu was wearing baggy cargo pants with a plain black shirt that fit loosely on him, his hair had been cut to look more like Takato's, but he hid it under a baseball cap turned backwards. Kenta wore a white unbuttoned shirt over a long sleeved salmon colored shirt, along with the same type of pants as Kazu.
"So Kazu, you gonna ask out your crush this year?" Kenta asked while they both got their books from their lockers. Both of them had ended up with lockers next to one another for their senior year.
"Maybe…if you can remind me which one," Kazu said distractedly, watching some girls walk by. These days, Kazu was always falling for a girl one day, then a different one the next. Kenta slapped his forehead, completely forgetting how stupid Kazu could be.
"Hey guys!" Jeri greeted as she and the others walked up. Jeri was wearing an orange skirt that reached below her knees, matched with a light brown button up. As for the others, Henry wore baggy shorts with a dark green polo shirt, still wearing his old orange vest over his shirt. Ryo was wearing black jeans matching his blue button up, still wearing his old steel-toed shoes. Rika had maintained a similar clothing as she wore years ago, tight dark blue jeans, her steel-toed shoes, and she had managed to still keep her old type of shirt, moving up on the sizes every time the old one grew too small. Both the guys and girls had filled out in the right places, looking closer to adults than ever before.
"This year should be a good one, right guys?" Ryo asked. Over the years, he had become a co-head of their group and was accepted. Though he was no Takato, he was still fairly well liked, especially to those outside of their group. Each year brought at least several ill-intentioned individuals who would try and cause trouble for them, through fights or from trying to break up the group. Each time failed in the end, making them closer as friends. Everyone agreed with Ryo, who had took them all camping with him and his father. With help from Rika, he had been able to get his father to open up and get out more, Ryo feeling glad that his dad was finally opening up after all these years.
"It's too bad they still won't let us take our digimon into school with us, not even the smallest ones," Henry commented as they headed towards their class. Luck seemed to be on their side, as half the day they would have classes together. "Well, what do you expect? If we brought them to school, it's bound to cause problems. And with as many jerks we have to put up with? Our digimon would only cause more problems from incinerating our opponents," Rika said. "Yeah, but still…" Jeri started, before she was cut off by a commotion coming from outside as they walked past an exit to the courtyard in the middle of the school grounds.
"Hey, wonder what's going on?" Henry asked. "Dunno, let's check it out!" Kazu stated, running off out the door. "Kazu! Slow down! Remember what happened last year?" Kenta shouted, a crash heard as Kazu collided with several students, sending them to the ground. Everyone else sighed as they headed out the door.
A large group of students was crowded near the center of the large arena-like court, Rika and the others walking up to the back of them. "Hey, what's going on?" she demanded. One of the students, a girl turned toward her. "There's a new student here, and he's damn good looking. So much so that Damien's group got jealous from all the attention he was drawing from the students, thinking that this guy is like better than him or something, so now he's trying to pick a fight with the new guy." At this, Ryo and the others pushed through. "Coming through, move it people!" they shouted, the others making way.
When they got to the edge of the circle of students surrounding the persons, they saw the new student standing in the middle, his hands in his pants pockets with his headphones on, eyes shut. Surrounding him, was Damien and his crew, 5 of the toughest and most troublemaking seniors in all of Shinjuku High. Rika sighed, rubbing the brow of her nose at the scene. Damien Steele was a linebacker for the schools football team, and also was the head of a gang. He only got away with the crap he pulled because the team needed him and his parents bailed him out of everything, coming from a rich family had its benefits. His bulky muscles and willingness to go all out gave him the reputation he had always desired.
"Hey, new guy. I hear you got a lot of attention coming from the people in this school. Listen pal, I don't like it when people draw attention to themselves. I make those people suffer when they act like they're better than all others. I'm the best, so you best just do as I say. You do that, there won't be any problems, got it?" Damien commented, getting right in the new students face. The latter paid almost no attention to what the muscle-bound offender was saying. He was wearing dark blue baggy jeans, a tight dark red shirt with a black Digital Hazard on it, in the inverted position (same as Guilmon's on his belly) with a black vest. On his feet were white and black sneakers. His hair was spiky and all over the place, light chocolate brown with a few dark red strands near the top. Over his eyes fell one strand of gold, his well-toned body seemingly relaxed as he had his headphones on, listening to his music turned up. The other members of the group looked between the two.
"Hey Damien…I don't think he's listening," one of them said.
"Don't worry, I'll make him listen. This outta wake his ass up," Damien said as he cocked his fist back. Ryo and Henry were about to run over and stop him as Damien threw his fist, but the newcomer simply moved his head, causing Damien to falter forward. Everyone's eyes widened at this, no one had ever dodged a punch from Damien. He grew angry as he threw another and another, each time the young man dodged each one. His face reddened out of anger and embarrassment as the others laughed at his poor attempts, throwing his fist down to break his head open. His fist was caught however, Damien struggling as the other gripped his fist, making his knuckles turn white and then red, a subtle cracking and popping heard. Damien grabbed his hand in pain when the latter let go, opening his eyes, turning his music off, and putting his headphones around his neck, looking at Damien coolly.
"You know, I was listening to my music, and it was one of my favorite songs that you interrupted. That's strike one, oh and you should have that hand looked at," he commented in a dark voice. His eyes were a dark red as he spoke vehemently, his arms crossed as he stared back at his opponent. Damien growled and roared as he rushed at him, intent on beating him near death. Everyone doubled back as Damien doubled over in pain, the student's fist plowed deep into the attackers gut, reeling his fist back he backhanded Damien into a concrete pillar that made up the courtyard, his head hitting the hard ground as he yelled out in pain, a first for everyone to experience someone dominate so easily against Damien in a fight. The other members moved in, each one falling as he easily disposed each with a single strike to the head.
"This…can't be happening. No one's ever been able to beat up Damien or his crew…and it doesn't look like he's even trying! Who IS that guy?" Rika commented, the others looking from her back to the new comer, who was looking boredly at the fallen. "Strike two. Look, can you hurry this up already? I'm getting really bored here," he said.
Damien growled as he stood up, glancing over toward Ryo's group. Roaring in frustration, he charged toward Ryo and Henry, knocking each of them back and grabbing Rika, his thick arm around her midsection as he pulled out a large blade, holding it up to her neck. Everyone either screamed or gasped loudly, his gang looking at him in disbelief as Ryo cried out.
"What will you do now? You take one step, and I'll slit her fucking throat!" he shouted. Rika was scared out of her mind as she gripped his arm, making him put the knife to her skin, her eyes threatening to spill tears.
"Not so tough now, are ya Nonaka? Not so high and mighty without your boyfriend for help?" he laughed, a sick grin on his face. He looked toward his opponent, but was taken back when he saw he wasn't there. A collective gasp went up from the student body, Damien looking down slowly as he saw the new student crouched down. "What the hell!" he shouted as the latter sprung up, bicycle-kicking the knife out of his hand, giving Rika the time to break free of his grasp, kicking him in the crotch which caused even more pain for Damien. The newcomer slammed his foot against Damien's skull, causing it to crack before he grabbed his leg and through the leader to the other side of the yard, crashing into the concrete, creating a large crater before he bounced over and out onto the lawn, landing battered, bleeding, broken, but alive. The fighter turned slowly toward the direction he had sent him, his eyes a deep golden feral as he commented with a growl. "Strike three, you lose," he said, looking toward the rest of the gang members. They quickly shouted in fear, over the broken seats and grabbing Damien, hauling him off the school grounds. The new student looked toward Rika as his eyes flashed back to normal.
"You ok?" he asked. She nodded numbly as he helped her up off the ground. The others quickly moved in to make sure they were all right as several teachers rushed onto the courtyard. The principal ran out as well, yelling over the chatting students. "WHAT IN GOD'S NAME HAPPENED HERE!" Yamaki shouted. After Takato went missing, the government had cut funding to Hypnos and caused the group to be shut down. Tally, Riley, Yamaki, and most of the original Monster Makers had then decided to look for jobs elsewhere. As most of them had had jobs in teaching in one way or another before Hypnos, they decided to help teach at Shinjuku high. Seeing there could be trouble, the newcomer walked up and explained everything to Yamaki, saying that Damien and his gang tried to start a fight and threatened Rika's life, leaving out some details of the fight. After getting the story from other eyewitnesses, he sent out a call to the police to have Damien and his group arrested, knowing that Damien was more or less stacked against this time, this time he wouldn't get away even with his parent's help.
The Tamers group walked up to Yamaki and Riley, the Language teacher at the school. "Hey, who was that?" Ryo asked as the student walked into the building, donning his headphones once more. Yamaki sighed as they watched him walk through the doors, ignoring the clapping and cheering that was all around him.
"A silent ghost from our past has come back to us…one we never thought we'd see again. That…was Takato," a gasp heard from everyone as their eyes widened at what Yamaki said. Inside the hallway, Takato thought to himself. And so…it begins.
So, Takato has returned after 6 years of absence. But he has changed, nearly completely from his former self. Why is avoiding his family? How will the Tamers and all the others react to have the ex-hero back in town? What exactly happened in 6 years time that caused Guilmon to disappear and change Takato forever?
Next time: Chapter 2 – The Fall Home