Train of Revelations: Runaway Locomon
In a crowded train station in Tokyo, a goggle-headed boy stood in a phone booth with a fighting box outside. In the booth, an argument was taking place between the boy and a fire-headed tomboy
on the other end.
"Look Goggles, I don't want a party. What don't you get about that!"
"Don't get mad at me, it was Jeri's idea."
"Crazy girl, sure. How do I know you don't have a crush on me and
planned it yourself?"
"Wh-what! What gave you that idea!" Takato answered, flustered and blushing.
"Ugh, just who all is coming goggles?"
"Everyone except Ryo." He said.
"Hmm, that's good."
Takato felt a pull on his leg.
"Takato, the train is leaving soon." He heard Guilmon say from inside the box.
"Sorry Rika, gotta go!" he said hanging up.
"Takato," Rika said sighing, "why?"
"Maybe it is as you said." Renamon said, materializing behind her.
"What do you mean?" Rika asked.
"Perhaps he has a crush on you."
"How do you even know what that is?"
"Guilmon once told me."
"Huh?"
"We talk from time to time, I ask him things about humans, and he answers. For his age, he is surprisingly wise." She said smiling.
"Now look who's got a crush." She said, walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Renamon asked.
"Might as well meet Goggles at the station." She said, leaving.
"Takato, when is the next train?"
"Soon, boy."
"When is that?"
"Guilmon." He said sighing. However, when he looked back at the box, Guilmon was standing up erect, and out of the box.
"Hey, get back in the box!" he said.
"I smell danger Takato." He said growling, his eyes glowing red. "What do you mean?" Takato asked, nervous. "A digimon." The dinosaur responded.
"Get back!" he shouted, grabbing Takato and jumping backwards. Just then, a train sped by at a dangerous velocity.
"That could have hurt. Thanks buddy." Takato said, pulling out his d-power.
"Come on, we got to beat it to the next station!"
"Henry! When's the train gonna be here!" said Suzy, sitting on a bench, waiting for the aforementioned train to arrive.
"It will be here soon Suzy." Replied Lopmon, who sitting next to her pretending to be a doll.
"Excuse me! Coming through!" a voice shouted, followed by screams.
"Isn't that Takato?" Terriermon asked.
"Sounds like Guilmon's with him too." Henry said.
"What on earth are you two doing?!" he asked the running duo.
"I'm not sure, but the next train coming is more than just a train." He said.
"You ready boy?"
"Ready Takato!"
"Card Slash! Digivolution!"
"Guilmon digivolve to… Growlmon!" Growlmon jumped on the tracks, and stood in what looked like a sumo position.
Meanwhile, on a bridge above that same track.
"Hey Renamon, isn't that Growlmon?"
"Yes, but what is he doing?" Just then, Rika's d-power went off as a train slammed into Growlmon, who was holding it back for now.
"Look here. Locomon, transport train digimon. Guess that explains that. You ready to jump?" Rika asked Renamon.
"Somehow I knew you would ask that." The vulpine responded, scooping her up and disappearing as Locomon rushed under after breaking free of Growlmon's hold.
"This is really old fashion." Takato said, inspecting the interior of the train. He began to walk to the front of the train, towards the engine room. When reached the engine room, he said, "Guess it's heat powered."
"What gave that away, Goggles? The coal, or fire?"
"Rika! How'd you get here?"
"We decided to drop in." Renamon answered. "Where Guilmon?" she asked.
"He couldn't get on in time, so I told him to go with Henry and find a way on." Takato answered.
"So, how do we stop this thing?" Rika asked.
"I was thinking that maybe this card would work but Guilmon's not here." Takato said, hand Rika a Shellmon card.
"Shellmon's Hydro Blaster. Not bad Takato." Rika said.
'Did Rika really just call me by my name?' wondered Takato.
"Hey Kazu, isn't that Henry?" asked Kenta.
"Yeah, it is. Why is Guilmon with him?" asked Kazu.
"Yo, Henry, need a lift?" he asked as Gardromon landed.
"Guys, we got a problem. I just got off the phone with Yamaki and he says a digital portal is trying to materialize downtown!" Henry said.
"Whoa, whoa, what?!? What's going on here?" Kenta asked.
"There's a digimon running amuck on the railways, Locomon, and he's going around in circles to stabilize the portal. Takato's on Locomon along with Rika and Renamon trying to slow him down
while Yamaki is having the railway workers reroute Locomon to break his loop and send him back through. Meanwhile, me, Terriermon, and Guilmon are trying to find a way to get them off before
they're sent back too." Henry explained.
"Say, Kazu, what if we used Gardromon to push that abandoned train car?" Kenta asked.
"What do you think Gardromon, are you up for it?" Kazu asked the rust-colored machine digimon.
"Yes sir!" he said, getting behind the train car. Guilmon jumped up on the roof and stood at the front, his eyes and hazard symbol glowing red.
"We are coming, Takato." He said quietly.
"Card Slash! Shellmon's Hydro Blaster activate!" Rika shouted. Renamon then began to shoot high pressure water from a shell around her paw, similar to a firefighter battling a blaze. The battle was
futile, however, for the only thing that progressed was the amount of steam. "Renamon, stop, all were doing is making it harder to see. Got any other ideas Takato… AHH!" she screamed.
"Rika!" Takato & Renamon shouted as one. When the steam cleared, there stood Rika, unscathed.
"Are you alright Rika?" Renamon asked. She just looked back at the vulpine with dull, glazed over eyes.
"I want to sing." She said, her thoughts deep in the corridors of her mind.
Rika stood in the mist of her mind, pondering. "Why am I here?" she asked. Suddenly, the mist cleared, and she was back in the past, back in the park, back beside a man who broke her heart.
"Papa!" she cried, but the scene remained unchanged, as the ghosts of her past could not hear her. She saw herself on a swing, singing.
"Promise me you'll stay for the sunset, and when the moon shines through the darkness." Her younger self sang. Suddenly, she was in the swing, and her father said,
"That was a beautiful song, Rika. Would you sing it again for me?"
"But I hate singing." She said quietly. 'But maybe if I hadn't stopped singing, papa would have never left.' She thought as she began to sing her song.
"You want to sing?!? At a time like now? Are you out of your mind?" Takato asked angrily.
"I want to sing." She responded, and picked up a heavy wrench. She began to chase after Takato, at a fairly decent pace. As Takato was running through out the train he heard a clear, beautiful voice sing out.
"Every morning, every night
You watch over me like the sun in the sky
Every morning and every night
Will you promise you'll be my guardian light?
Promise that we'll stay for the sunset
And when the moon shines through the darkness
We can find the path that leads us home
And on the way you'll, maybe, sing me a song
Promise that you always will be there
Hold my hand if ever I'm real scared
Help me stand up tall if I fall down
Make me laugh away all my bluest days
How could you promise you always would be there?
Why'd you have to go away somewhere?
Every morning into every night
Do you watch over me like the sun in the sky?
Am I all alone or standing in your light?
I wish that I could, maybe, sing you a song tonight
You promised me we'd stay for the sunset…"
"Her song, it's so sad." Sniffled Takato as he was standing on the roof of the train. He then noticed Rika began to climb the ladder up to the roof as well. "How is she climbing with that wrench?" Takato asked.
"I have no idea." Said Renamon, behind him. "Hold on Takato, we're running out of train." Renamon said, scooping him up.
"Hey! Wait! What are you doing!?!" Takato exclaimed. They then appeared behind Rika, who was still swing the wrench at where they were. But she then slowly began to turn around, and walk
towards them.
"I want to sing." She said. Just then, a red eyed Guilmon leapt off a neighboring train that had pulled up beside them, and launched his claw at Rika.
"Guilmon, NO!"
"Rock Breaker!" he shouted, and clawed off a strange parasite that had materalizled on her back. Immeataly, she dropped the wrench and fell to the ground, dazed.
"Come on guys, lets get out of here!" said Henry from the next train over.
"Yeah, lets go." Takato said, walking towards Rika. However, she began to roll off the side of the train. "Rika!" he shouted, which snapped her out of it in time to grab his hand before she fell off the
train. Then there they were, Rika's life hanging on the balance of Takato's grip.
'But, if I fall, I'll drag him down with me, and I couldn't stand it if I let that happen!' Rika thought.
"Hey, look, it's Beezlemon." Guilmon said, pointing.
"Beezlemon! Try and slow this thing down!" Takato called to the biker digimon.
"Can do, lover boy." He said, revving up his bike and pulling out a shotgun. "Ha!" he shouted, shouting at the front wheels.
"Grand Wheel!" the train said, impaling Beezlemon's motorcycle with a spike from a wheel.
"Arg!" Beezlemon growled, frustrated by the passing train.
"Well, there goes his bike again." Kazu said.
"Hold on Rika!" Takato shouted.
"Takato!" Rika shouted.
"Locomon, digivolve to, GrandLocomon!" the train digimon said, transforming into a faster and fiercer locomotive.
"He's speeding up! Takato, let go, if you don't I'll drag you down with me!" Rika cried.
"No! I'm not letting go!"
"Do it you fool! I don't want you to die because of me!"
"NO! The Rika I know and care about would never give up! There has to be a way!"
"Takato…" Rika said; newfound strength and resolve taking hold. Her grip tightened, and kept pulling up.
"Rika. Give me you other hand." Renamon said, appearing from behind Takato. Rika grabbed Renamon's paw, and the two pulled her up.
"Where have you been?" Rika asked.
"Guilmon says there must be another one of those things that's was controlling Rika controlling Locomon. I was helping him look." She said.
"Takato." Guilmon said, coming up from behind, his hazard sign glowing a dull red.
"Wh-what is it boy?" Takato asked nervously.
"There is a disturbance in the rift portal. We must hurry. I believe I found the problem, but it smells bigger, too strong for a rookie."
"So, it's time?"
"Yes, let us fight together." Red light began to shoot out from around the pair as a familiar tingle filled the air.
"MATRIX EVOLUTION!"
"Shinka!"
"Dukemon!"
Then, out of the light, stepped a knight in shining armor.
"This way!" he shouted, running towards the engine.
"Let's follow them Renamon." "Yes Rika."
"It's here somewhere…" Dukemon said, staring at the roof of the engine car. Suddenly, tentacles shot out from the air and grabbed Rika.
"AAHH!" she screamed.
"Damn you, not this time!" Dukemon shouted, cutting the tentacles with his lance. "Are you okay?" he asked Rika as he handed her over to Renamon.
"Yeah, thanks." As a result of the attack on the tentacles, a purple spider like digimon had appeared on Locomon.
"BEEP, BEEP!"
"Rika, your d-power."
"Let's see, Parisamon, Parasite digimon. Mega level. Often found in swarms."
"Parisamon," Dukemon spoke, "how can you justify what you have done? You have caused pain and risk to an innocent life."
"We have come to take this world as our own, where we can thrive and multiply. We will not allow you to stand in our way."
"Then so be it." Dukemon said.
"Takato, should you not have mercy on it? Because of them, we got to hear a beautiful song." Renamon said.
"Yes, the sad song of a beautiful soul." Dukemon said. Rika gasped and blushed at that.
'He thinks I'm beautiful.' She thought.
"And for that I thank you, and grant you this: a swift death!" he roared, impaling Parisamon through his large eye.
"You cannot stop us…" he said as he disappeared, and shot a beam of light towards the digital zone.
"That's not good." Dukemon said.
Then, out of the digital zone, hundreds of Parisamon began pouring out, and attacking people.
"You ready Rika?" Renamon asked.
"Yeah."
"MATRIX EVOLUTION!
Renamon shinka!
Sakuyamon!"
"Come on Terriermon, we gotta help too!" said Henry.
"Right!"
"MATRIX EVOLUTION!
Terriermon shinka!
SaintGargomon!"
"Lightning Joust!"
"Amethyst Mandala!"
"Mega Barrage!" The tamers were valiantly trying to defend the city, but there was no end to the army of parasites.
"We're swatting them like flies!" SaintGargomon boasted.
"Yeah, but there's so many of them." Sakuyamon said.
"Look, it's Justimon!" Dukemon said, pointing to the portal.
"Hey guys, princess, need some help?" he asked.
"I'd rather work with Takato." Sakuyamon said.
"I think we should try that then, this is getting out of hand." Dukemon said, back to back with Sakuyamon.
"Your willing to try?" she said, shooting away a Parisamon.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Lets do this." They said, crossing Sakuyamon's staff and Dukemon's lance. "Izuna's Thunder!" they shouted, releasing a giant wave of electrical energy.
"That slowed'em down." Justimon said, shooting some farther off Parisamon.
"But it still isn't enough!" Sakuyamon said, fighting off the tentacles.
"Sakuyamon! AHHH!" Dukemon screamed, being overwhelmed by the tentacles. They began to drain his energy, taking away his willpower.
"Dukemon!" Sakuyamon shouted. "Twin Blades of Beauty and Truth!" she screamed, realieasing Dukemon from their grasp.
"Thank you." He said. "I don't think I can go on." He continued.
"No, you can. I believe in you. There has to be a way!"
"I'm just not strong enough." Dukemon said sadly.
"No, you ARE strong; you're the strongest one out of all us. I'll make you believe." Sakuyamon said. She began to glow a golden light. "All the power in my body, my mind, my soul, my heart, I now
freely give to you." She said, armor disappearing and lotus leaves appearing surrounding her.
"Sakuyamon what are you doing?!? You'll get yourself killed!" Justimon screamed, but his words fell on deaf ears, as Sakuyamon and Dukemon were lost in the trance.
'Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump'
"Guilmon, what's that sound?"
"Her heart beat."
"Why can we hear that?"
"She is giving us everything she has."
"Why, I'm not strong enough."
"You are strong, tamer. You just have remember why we fight."
"Yeah, you're right! We have to protect our friends." Takato said.
"Our family." Guilmon said.
"And…"
"SAKUYAMON!" Dukemon screamed, a beam of red light shooting up. "Sakuyamon, your power has resonated with our own, and now we are reborn." A voice boomed from the light as it died
down to reveal… "DUKEMON, CRIMSON MODE!" In the light stood an angel in red armor, surrounded by the lotus leaves. The leaves became two rings, and rotated around his jagged lance, a
fusion of his weapons. "With the spirit of Sakuyamon behind us, we will not fail! QOU VADIS!" he screamed, throwing the lance into the digital zone, and it let loose a blast of crimson light. The light
was so great, it consumed all of Shinjuku.
"Amazing." SaintGargomon said in awe.
"That was sweet!" Justimon said, patting DukemonCM on the back.
"I knew you could do it." The now armor less Sakuyamon said softly.
"We couldn't have done it without your help." DukemonCM said. They then regressed back into their separate forms.
"So, now that we've saved the world again, aren't forgetting something?" Terriermon asked.
"What's that?" Ryo asked, while behind his back, Rika made a silencing gesture.
"The party!"
"What party?"
"For Rika's birthday, of course."
"It's her birthday? I didn't know that. I didn't get her anything." Said Ryo, not really sounding interested.
"Momentai!" Terriermon said.
"Okay Rika, I know that it's not a surprise, but you could try to act surprised!" Jeri said to an unexcited Rika.
"I told you I don't want a party, Jeri." Rika said with a sigh. She had actually had a small hope that this was Takato's idea, but he told the truth.
"Blow out your candles honey!" Rika's mother said. When she did, everyone popped confetti in to the air with party poppers. Rika just had a blank look on her face, not wanting this right now.
Takato proceeded to nervously pick a stray piece of confetti out of Rika's hair.
'How cute.' Renamon thought at the scene. As everyone was eating cake, Kazu and Kenta bugged Ryo, who came much to Rika's dismay. Jeri and Henry were talking about school; Suzi was playing
with Ai and Mako, and then Takato…
'What's his problem?' Rika thought as he just sat alone and occasionally glanced worriedly at her. Suzy began to sing a little tune she made on a whim, and at the end said,
"Now it's Rika's turn."
"Yeah, we heard you sing like a bird!" Kazu said.
"Who told you that?" Takato asked.
"Guilmon." He answered.
"Hey, wait, where's she going?" Kazu asked, pointing to a departing Rika.
"Aw man, hey wait!" said Takato, chasing after her. Kazu and Ryo attempted to follow him, but Guilmon stood in the way, and refused to budge.
"Yo, Guilmon, what's the deal?" asked Ryo.
"This is something Takato must do alone." Guilmon answered.
Takato had followed Rika to a part of the house where there was no one else.
"Rika…" he said. Renamon had appeared behind him, and was motioning for him to go with her. Takato shook his head no. He sat down next to Rika.
"What do you want?" she asked. Takato remained silent. "Well, answer me!" she demanded.
"To be here." He answered quietly.
"Huh?" Rika said, confused.
"I'm not here to ask about the past, just to be here for you. I know something was dug up today, something buried. Something you wanted kept buried. Whatever it is, I don't need to know, but you
need to understand I'm here for you." Takato said. He didn't know when, but sometime during his speech, they began to look each other in the eye.
"Why, Takato?" Rika asked, a small tear rolling down her cheek.
"Rika, you have to remember that your not alone. You have people who care for you." He said with a small, sad smile. "But, if you really want to be alone, I'll go." He said, standing up. It was then he
noticed Renamon was gone. 'When did she leave?' he thought. He began to take a step forward, but was stopped by Rika grabbing his wrist.
"No, please, stay." She asked, almost pleading. So he sat back down.
"So, Rika, do you like holding my hand?" he asked smiling. Rika blushed, taking her hand away, realizing she didn't let go.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, Rika."
Rika gave him a questioning look. "Your not sorry, so don't apologize. Besides, I bet it much more pleasant than when I was holding your hand early today." He said grinning. Rika let out a laugh.
"Got that right, Takato." She said, pulling him closer.
"Rika?" Takato asked as she looked in his eyes.
"I just don't get it Takato. Even when I'm real sad, you can make me laugh. What is it about you I find so intriguing? Why do you stand by me and cheer me up?" she asked, once again taking his hand in hers.
"I told you, I care for you."
"Promise me you won't leave?"
"Not even after the sunset, Rika." Takato said. She drew him even closer, so their faces were just centimeters apart.
"Thank you." She said, and kissed him. It just a simple peck of her lips, but it sparked an inferno all the same. A strange feeling rushed through both their bodies: lighting, a blazing fire, and a calm breeze. Little did they know, their thoughts were one and the same:
'Is this… love?'
"Takato." Rika said breathlessly as they parted.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Will, will you stay with me right now?"
"I just said that didn't I?"
"No, I mean overnight. I think, I need someone to be there for me." She begged.
"Yes." He said.
"Thank you." She said, hugging him.
"Let's go ask your mom to use the phone; my mom's a worry wart." He said, standing up.
"Let's go." She said, grabbing his hand, leading the way.
"Hey guys, what's up with Guilmon and Renamon?" Henry asked Kazu, Kenta, and Ryo.
"They think Rika and Chumly need their alone time." Kazu said.
"I beat princess is just using him as a punching bag. Or a love machine." Ryo said snickering.
"Careful, she might hear you." Kenta said, pointing to a newly emerged Rika and Takato.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Henry asked the pair.
"It's nothing now." Takato said.
"Hey, Kazu, are they holding hands?" Kenta whispered.
"Yup. Looks like he's under her spell. Poor guy." Kazu whispered back.
"Hey mom, can I ask you something?" Rika asked.
"What is it honey?" she responded.
"Since it my birthday, could we, maybe, see if Takato could stay the night?" Rika asked blushing.
"You know how I am about boys."
"Please?" Rika begged.
"Don't worry, you have my honor as a knight that there won't be any funny business." Takato assured her. "After all, don't want Renamon castrating me." He said, causing everyone listing to the
conversation, including said vulpine, to chuckle.
"Oh alright." She relented. "You would have to be pretty stupid to try something with three other females in the house."
Rika then got the phone and Takato began to try to convince his mom to allow him to stay.
"I don't know, I like knowing your safe."
"Mom, I'm at Rika's, not some 2-star motel."
"I know it's just…" she said.
"Hold on, Guilmon wants to say something." Takato said, confusion in his voice.
"Mrs. Matsudi, please try to understand, although he is wanted at home, it is here he is needed." Guilmon said, although the tamers were lost on how he was holding the phone with his claws.
"What do you mean?"
"There is something here he must do, something no other can."
"O-okay." She said. Guilmon handed the phone back. "I guess you can stay."
"Thanks, mom." Takato said, hanging up.
"So Takato, what makes you so special?" Henry teased.
"I guess you'll just have to figure that out for yourself, won't you?" Rika said, entwining her fingers in Takato's.
"Hey Guilmon, just what is it Takato has to do here anyway?" Ryo asked as the couple walked away.
"Yeah?" Terriermon added.
"Restore balance." He said. Everyone just gave him a blank look.
"The heart is the source, and if the heart is disturbed, so will balance. I know this for when the heart was disturbed before, imbalance was released, and balance is as dangerous as imbalance." He
continued.
"I'm even more confused now." Kenta said. Guilmon pointed to his hazard symbol.
"Imbalance." He said, the symbol glowing a dull red. The boys nervously fidgeted, either remembering or having heard the story of Megidramon. Guilmon then gently grabbed Renamon's arm, and
touched his claw to the Yin-Yang symbol on her glove. "Balance." He said, the symbol shining gold for a moment. Now the boys were really nervous, having never seen that before. Renamon just
looked on in wonder.
'What does this all mean?' she thought.
"Well, I think it's time we head out, see ya!" Kazu said.
"Yeah, it's getting late. Let's go Terriermon, let's take Suzy home." Henry said.
"Momentai!" the bunny replied, hopping onto his shoulder.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the house, Rika was snuggled into Takato's side as they were looking at the stars as Renamon and Guilmon watched from the shadows.
"Thanks for staying, Takato." She said.
"I said I wouldn't, didn't I?"
"Yeah, you did. It's just hard for me to open my heart, after what he did…" she trailed off sadly.
"Do feel like talking about it?" he asked.
"No, not right now." She said sadly. Takato gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"You don't have to if don't want to, just know I'm here for you."
"I know that know." She said softly, pressing her lips to his.
"It seems you've rubbed off on him." Renamon whispered to Guilmon.
"Takato always was a caring person." He whispered back.
"I guess that's true, huh." She said, walking away. Guilmon followed, giving the two humans the privacy to simply enjoy one another's presence. Rika led him to her room, sat him down on the bed,
and continued to kiss him, not seeming to get enough of the electricity that flowed through her when she did.
To be continued in A War to End All Wars