Aftershock

Shadow- "Welcome to the start of part three! To new readers, welcome! And to old readers, welcome back! If you haven't read part one and part two of my story (The Coming Sunset and Nightfall), please go to my profile page, and read those first. Or else this part won't make any sense to you what-so-ever.

To those who have read those parts: Thank you for reading this far! The story contiues right where it left off, so you'll feel right at home. Enjoy this chapter!"

Renamon- "Shadow does not own digimon. He does, unfortunately, own my soul..."

Shadow- "I keep it in a jar. It's really psychedelic... I could stare at it all day... oh, and don't forget to R&R!"

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dark ocean

Takato... no... thought Rika as Takato was stabbed through the chest by Blackknightmon and deleted.

"YOU BASTARD!" she screamed, and launched herself at Blackknightmon, followed closely by everyone else. Their attacks shook the land and caused the nearby lighthouse to crack through the foundations and break against the ground. Blackknightmon never stood a chance against the fury of the digidestined's revenge for their murdered friend.

dark ocean

The digidestined stood around the burning wreckage of the village that Blackknightmon had destroyed, unable to cope with what had just happened. Though at first they were hopeful, that changed when they spoke to Efremon.

"Efremon!" shouted Rika. "We'll be able to bring back Takato, right?"

Efremon sighed. "...I don't know..."

"What! How can you not know! Can't we bring him back like we'll bring back Izzy and Trish?"

Efremon shook his head. "I doubt it. Because we're not in the digital world, I don't think that he'll come back as a digi-egg. Even if he does, It could take months, or maybe even years."

"Why wouldn't he come back immediately like you, Izzy, and Trish did?" asked Justin.

"Because," said Efremon, "We were created because the digital world needed all the available data it had to reform itself. If they worlds hadn't collided, we might not have come back for a long time."

Justin nodded. "That's true... and that explains why it took so long for Leomon to return to Jeri..."

Now, after the depressing conversation, the digidestined felt hopeless. Even they had destroyed all the dark lord's underlings, they had yet to destroy him, and three of their friends had already been killed. When they fought the dark lord, would more of them die? Would they be able to restore anyone to their original forms?

The digidestined did not know the answers to these questions, and prepared to go to sleep on the wreaked landscape, wondering what would happen to them.

dark ocean

"Kouji!" Koichi whispered. "Kouji! You awake, brother?"

Kouji groaned. "No, Koichi. I'm asleep. Now shut up so I can stay that way!"

Koichi sighed. "I wanted to ask whether you thought I have a chance with Zoe."

Kouji sat bolt upright. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

Koichi chuckled. "I knew that'd get you up."

Kouji blushed. "Oh, shut up..." he muttered.

"Stay away from who?" Zoe asked groggily.

"Zoe!" said Kouji in suprise. "I... um... that is... well..."

Koichi laughed. "You're the same as ever, brother..."

"What'd you want, anyway?" Kouji asked.

"I wanted to ask you what we should do next."

Zoe yawned. "S' what now?" she said.

"About what?" Kouji asked.

Koichi sighed. "About Izzy and Trish! How should we start looking for a way to save them?"

Kouji yawned. "I dunno, but I bet you won't know if you're tired. Now go to sleep!"

dark ocean

Elsewhere in the camp, Justin, Rika, and Jeri were discussing what should be done next as well.

"I think we should go now!" said Rika. "The faster we find a way to save Izzy and Trish, the faster we can save Takato!"

Jeri nodded. "I agree, but what about that evil guy? He's still out there, and the others will need our help."

"That's why we should go now!" said Rika. "The faster we find a way to save them, the faster we can get back with more help for the others!"

"Okay..." said Justin. "One problem with that: How the heck are we going to save them?"

I might have an answer to that. a voice that seemed to echo from everywhere said.

dark ocean

"What... the hell... was that?" Kouji said.

Zoe gulped. "Do you think that was the dark lord?"

The voice chuckled, causing the nearby ocean to transform from peaceful and placid to rough and choppy in a matter of moments. The voice that followed seemed amused "The dark one? Whose voice have you been listening to?"

"Well, if you're not the dark lord, then who are you?"

The voice seemed to smile. (A/N: I don't know how that's possible, so don't ask.) "I am the golden dragon. I am the creator of the gods. I am the only chance of salvation for your friends."

A warm golden light surrounded Kouji, Koichi, Zoe, Justin, Rika, and Jeri, as well as Elecmon, Motimon, and Efremon, and they vanished into thin air.