Part 1: The Five Generals
Chapter 3: Green Zone's Attacker, MadLeomon
"Are you all okay?" asked Taiki as he approached the site of the battle against Mammon. The ground was torn, with massive craters strewn about haphazardly. Starmon was rushing between the Pickmons, ascertaining their condition, while Shoutmon was lying on his back, breathing heavily.
"We'll live," reassured Shoutmon as he stared at the sky. Something was bothering him. Ever since he saw that insect Digimon, he felt certain that he knew it. Of course, he had never seen such a strong Digimon before, but, for some unfathomable reason, there was something about that Digimon that he recognised. "What I'd like to know is who that Digimon is who saved us."
"I'd like to know that too," said Taiki, scratching the back of his head. "He was so strong."
Akari was quiet. Even though it had only been for an instant, she was beyond certain that she saw another human standing behind the insect Digimon who had said them. She didn't recognise them from the distance, but she was thankful they were they. Without them, there was no telling what would have happened, other than the fact it most certainly would not have been pleasant.
"I think introductions are in order," said Taiki as he stood before the gathered Digimon. "My name is Kudou Taiki. I'm in 7th grade. It's a pleasure to meet you. This," he said as he grasped Akari's hand and pulled her towards them, "is Hinomoto Akari, my best friend."
Akari smiled at Taiki briefly, before looking at the Digimon herself. "I'm Hinomoto Akari. I'm in 6th grade. Pleased to meet you," she said with a slight smile.
"So, now that we have a little time," said Taiki wryly, "I think you should tell us some things, Shoutmon."
"What would you like to know?"
"You're a...Digimon, is that right?"
"Yes, I am. Everyone here is a Digimon."
"What is a Digimon?" Taiki asked the most crucial question.
"We're who live here in the Green Zone. But, better still, why don't you use your Xros Loader to check me out?" Shoutmon suggested. Taiki did as instructed.
"Shoutmon. Adult Level. Mini Dragon Type. Attacks are Rock Damashii, Soul Crusher, Rowdy Rocker and Rock Damashii Arrow. That...doesn't really answer my question, Shoutmon. It just told me a bunch of details about you, similar to what it did for Mammon and Pteranomon."
"Did it not?" answered Shoutmon mysteriously with a glint in his eye. "I thought it was very informative. We are Digimon, short for Digital Monster."
"Digital...Monster...?" whispered Akari.
"That's right, Akari," said Shoutmon sagely.
"Do other humans come here?" asked Taiki.
"No. Never before have we seen humans in the Green Zone. You're the very first."
"This is the Green Zone, right?" said Taiki suddenly.
"That's right."
"Where is the Green Zone?"
"In the Digital World," said Shoutmon incredulously, "obviously."
"Digital World?" repeated Akari.
"Wait," began Shoutmon, a sinking feeling beginning to plunder his stomach. "You do know about the Digital World, right?"
"Never heard of it," said Taiki and Akari simultaneously.
Shoutmon couldn't stop his mouth from falling open. "Then, why are you here?"
"Well, you were dying. I couldn't let that happen. We didn't plan on coming to the Digital World," answered Taiki.
"But...but...you're supposed to be my General! Here to help save our world from the Bagura Empire! You wouldn't turn your back on us, right, Taiki?" Shoutmon pleaded behind a badly veiled wall of bravado.
"I've nearly gotten Akari killed far too many times in this short space of time," he replied. "I'm going to try to take her home. It's far too dangerous here. We don't know what we're doing."
Shoutmon blinked rapidly, words failing him.
"Brother! Perhaps we should take them back to our village," suggested Starmon, knowing that Shoutmon was on the verge of losing control of his emotions.
"To the village, let's go!" chorused the Pickmons, hovering above Starmon's head.
"What do you think, Akari?" asked Taiki, absently checking their surroundings for any sign of dangerous Digimon.
"We should rest for tonight, and then tomorrow we can look for a way home."
"Okay. We'll stay at your village for tonight, thank you very much," said Taiki to Starmon, who took it upon himself to lead them the correct way. Shoutmon was still in a daze, but consented to follow after the group, mumbling dark curses to himself.
After a while, Akari noticed this change. "Shoutmon seems upset, Taiki."
"I know. I'll speak to him later. For now, I would love a hot meal."
Akari giggled at this. "I don't think we'll be getting anything like that until we find our way home." She sighed deeply. "I guess Marine Day is ruined."
"Don't be upset," said Taiki cheerily. "When we get back home, we'll have our own Marine Day! We'll do whatever you want for the whole day."
"I'll hold you to that," she said, a calm expression of acceptance on her face. It twisted into a frown of confusion. "What is that sound?"
Taiki listened. "I don't hear anything...Wait." There it was. A deep boom, something like a massive bass drum being beaten periodically, followed by the distant sounds of shuffling feet and the harsh cackling calls of other things. "It sounds like we have an entire army following after us! We need to find somewhere to hide."
"Where though?" panicked Akari, looking about themselves and finding nothing but grassy plains and sparse trees. "We're completely in the open!"
"I have you now, humans!" Taiki and Akari looked up in shock as an enormous lion with bared teeth pounced over their group. Saliva trickled down his jaw and his eyes held murder within them. "Disgusting humans! Sneaking into the Digital World! I'll rip anyone who dares to defy us to shreds!"
A mass of Digimon came into view behind the lion, with Mammon at the head. Small Digimon that looked like sea-mines floated along, defying gravity whilst a group of solemn creatures armed with what looked like machine-guns trooped along, gas masks covering their faces.
Taiki's Xros Loader beeped, glowed and then revealed information on the Digimon before them.
MadLeomon. Adult Level. Undead Type. Attacks are Juuoudaken and Fudokusou.
Troopmon. Child Level. Undead Type. Attacks are Khoroso Attack and Death March.
Chikurimon. Child Level. Mine Type. Attacks are Final Chikurimon and Kompeito Hammer.
"What? A Xros Loader?" snarled the now identified MadLeomon. "Tactimon-sama will want to hear about this! For now, I'll settle for your corpses!"
MadLeomon snarled as he swept at them with sharp claws. Taiki dragged Akari to the ground with him as the claws swept over their heads, missing them by mere inches.
"Hear my roaring soul! Soul Crusher!" screamed Shoutmon as a torrent of flame blazed from his microphone, wiping out a swath of Troopmon.
"Damn you! Weak Digimon serving even weaker humans!" screeched MadLeomon as his anger took a hold of his senses. Rising onto his hind paws, he roared a guttural sound as he began to absorb the data of his own army.
Taiki and Akari could only watch and listen in horror as they all cried out in anguish as their lives were snuffed out, one by one, heart-rending cry after another, only to be absorbed by their commander, until MadLeomon now stood an awful lot bigger than he was before. He now towered over the children, a massive chainsaw replacing his right arm while a giant iron gauntlet covered his left, the fingers now the size of cars.
Taiki read in horror as the Xros Loader showed him MadLeomon's data. "Armed MadLeomon. Adult Xros Level. Undead Type. His attacks are The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Lion Heart. Adult Xros?"
"He mustn't have absorbed enough data to be able to reach the next level," said Shoutmon as he stared down his opponent with narrowed eyes. "Taiki! Take Akari and find cover!" he ordered as he and Starmon prepared to face down their opponents, their expressions grim. They were still weary from their earlier battle and could really do without fighting, but knew that they were hardly going to be allowed to leave peacefully. No, this would require a quick and decisive victory.
"No! We stand and fight with you!" declared Akari as she took a hold of Taiki's arm. "Right?"
He grinned at her. "Right!" He held the Xros Loader before them as it gleamed brightly. "Shoutmon! Starmon! Pickmons! DigiXros!"
The change was instantaneous. Shoutmon held the Star Sword in his hand, a crimson flame burning down its length.
"What? DigiXros?" exclaimed Armed MadLeomon, stepping back momentarily out of fear for the unknown.
That was all the opportunity that Shoutmon needed as he swept the Star Sword down in a savage arc, screaming out his attack. "Star Blade!" The flame flew in a mighty rage, colliding with the retreating Armed MadLeomon in a cataclysmic explosion of terrifying force. Akari and Taiki shielded their eyes from the debris raining down around them while Shoutmon hollered out his victory.
As the dust settled, Armed MadLeomon was revealed to be not quite so armed anymore as the weaponry fell away from his body, crumbling into small pieces of data which harmlessly floated away, borne on the breeze. "Damn! I won't lose to the playthings of humans!" he declared before a gash appeared in the sky behind the beast. MadLeomon's demeanour changed immediately as he began to sweat profusely. "No! Tactimon-sama! I can still fight! Curses! I swear it, humans! I will return to exact revenge on you all! Sleep not, for I will reap your souls at a moment's notice! Humans!" With a savage snarl, MadLeomon was sucked into the void which dispersed.
"Shoutmon!" cried Taiki as he and Akari ran to their friend, grabbing him between them in a hug.
"You were amazing!" declared Akari.
"Heh!" said Shoutmon, both pleased and embarrassed by their compliments.
"Hey! He didn't do it alone, brother!" stated Starmon, clearly annoyed he was being left out. All he received in response was laughter. "Hey!"
oOo
Unnoticed to the group of friends below, a safe distance away, high atop a bluff, stood a young girl holding what was similar to a small television, except this television had a face and had two buds atop its head.
Scattered around her were similar beings, although they wore outfits not too dissimilar to those worn by ninjas, their faces television sets. "Nene-sama, we shouldn't ignore this," said one, looking to his master.
"You're right," said she as she looked upon Taiki's group, a contemplative smile upon her face. "Red is strong."
Above even her stood a young man with an impassive frown on his face and a blue Xros Loader in his hand. "The Bagura Army approaches."
"We will handle them," came the response of the two Digimon behind him. One, an enormous dinosaur with a metal mask surrounding his head, imposing claws and horns and a deep snarl, while the other was a large mechanical bird with sharp talons and an equally impressive beak.
"Destroy them all. DigiXros."
oOo
"Curse that MadLeomon. He has stained my military prowess. It is an outrage." Thus spoke the helmed figure. If he had eyes in the normal sense, they would have been squinted in rage.
"It's a laughable situation, wouldn't you agree, Lilly-chan?" asked a strong warrior who gleamed in the sparse light penetrating the dark room in which they were gathered.
All that was heard was a woman's clear laughter echoing through the space.
A solemn masked person stood by passively, watching the three with an emotionless stare.
"Laugh all you wish, my fellow comrades," said the first. "The only one who shall laugh at the last is I. Green Zone will be mine. I shall capture it. Perfection. That is the only word that shall describe this victory."
To Be Continued...
oOo
A/N: Kiriha and Nene are introduced, as is our antagonist for the Green Zone, MadLeomon. Taiki and Akari are scraping through by the skin of their teeth, but with more impressive enemies to come, how do they hope to return to the human world? And what of Shoutmon and his devious plans? Will he derail Taiki and Akari's efforts to return home? Wait and see.
