Takuyamon

-o-

Disclaimer: Digimon does not belong to me.

Warning: This story contains slightly more mature content, including fighting/violence, slightly sexual themes, and some swearing, which is why I rated it M just to be safe. Please read with discretion. Thank you.

Thank you the-ice-cold-alchemist, Tenzaromon, and The Keeper of Worlds for your awesome reviews and continued support! Wow, just...just thank you! It means so much to me, and I am so excited that you can enjoy the story that I am having so much fun writing. This chapter is dedicated to you because you took the time to tell me what you thought. Thank you!

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Chapter Four

-o-

Zoe was terrified.

It had always been like walking on eggshells for her, ever since she'd come back from the digital world and found herself changed forever. All her hopes for fitting in with the girls in her class, making new friends, and finally not feeling like an outsider, were dashed to pieces. As a digimon, the chasm between her and where she wanted to be had grown infinitely larger.

Then there was always the fear that someone would find out she was a digimon and condemn her to leave her own home and be exiled to the digital world forever. Surely she had some say in the matter, she tried to reason with herself. After all, she'd become like this only because she had saved the world from ultimate destruction. If anyone could understand her, it would be the Tamers. Right?

Still, just the idea of meeting a Tamer terrified her to the extreme. They were the ultimate authority when it came to her. They could tell her what to do, and she'd have to do it. They were the ones who could grant her the freedom to stay, or order her to leave.

How was that fair?

The HYPNOS building loomed in front of her, and her steps faltered. How had this happened? Four years, she had managed to stay under the radar and act like a normal human girl. And now suddenly, a Tamer had rushed up to her and taken her in like some kind of criminal. What had she done to deserve this?

"This is a misunderstanding," she pleaded with the girl who led her.

Her escort said nothing, but continued to grip her arm with a vice-like hold. Zoe was sure it was bruising her. As they walked, a large, graceful Renamon walked beside them, as though acting the silent guard.

Zoe wished she could talk to it. Even if this Tamer girl did not understand, the digimon would. But every time she turned to look at it, the Tamer's grip tightened, and she was forced to focus again on where they were going.

The large building seemed to swallow them as they walked through the automatic doors, and she shivered with dread as she was taken further into it. What would happen to her while she was here? Would they give her a chance to defend herself? Should she have tried to run?

If she had been paying more attention, she would have noticed the people walking up to her. As it was, she didn't see them until they were suddenly stopping, and two people began to talk to her escort.

"Who is this?" the older man asked—he was tall and had blonde hair, and for some reason he was wearing sunglasses, even though he was inside.

Beside him, a younger guy who looked to be about a year older than she was looked at her curiously. He had brown hair and eyes, and his face was kind. "Rika," he said to the Tamer. "You're bruising her!"

Rika glanced at her hand, as though surprised, and loosened her grip. "Sorry," she said hastily. She turned to the older man without wasting another second. "This girl showed up on my scanner," she said seriously. "As a mega."

"That's absurd," the man scoffed. "Stop wasting my time. Do you have any idea how busy I…"

"Yamaki-san," the boy interrupted. He lifted his digivice—Zoe's eyes widened when she realized that he was another Tamer—and showed it to the man. "My digivice says it too," he said. He looked over at Zoe with awe on his face. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm just a girl!" Zoe tried to say.

"That's not what my scanner says," Rika, snapped. "Are you a digimon trying to pretend to be human? How are you doing this? If you think we're going to let you sneak over here and try to…"

"I didn't sneak over here!" Zoe pleaded. Tears filled her eyes, and her legs grew weak. She was so scared, so overwhelmed, she could barely stay standing. "I was born here, I swear! My name is Izumi Orimoto—my friends call me Zoe—and I'm supposed to be here!"

"Takato," Yamaki-san, the older man, turned to the boy standing beside him. "I want to have a word with Rika. Can you take this girl somewhere…safe?"

Takato nodded, holding out a hand to Zoe and smiling kindly at her. "It's okay," he told her gently. "We'll figure out what's going on, alright? Trust me. And don't worry about Rika, she's not your enemy. She's part of our front-line defense, and she deals with a lot of really dangerous digimon on a daily basis. She's just trying to protect people and play it safe. Alright?"

His voice was soothing, and it reassured her greatly. Just by looking at him, Zoe could feel the great magnitude of strength and character that filled his entire being. Takato was not just a Tamer. He was one of the greatest. She nodded, taking his hand somewhat eagerly—she found herself wanting to be beside him, wanting him to make her stronger—and followed him down the hallway to wherever he was leading her.

She glanced back to see Rika giving her a scowl, before they turned a corner and it was just her and Takato.

"You said your name was Zoe?" Takato asked, smiling at her. "I'm Takato. Nice to meet you."

Nodding, Zoe stared at her hand, hardly believing she was holding his. "Nice to meet you too," she murmured. "So… you're a Tamer, right?"

"Yes," he nodded. They arrived at a door and walked inside, where they found themselves in some kind of lounge. There was a couch, a few chairs, and a table, situated about the room in a welcoming sort of way. He led her to the couch and had her sit down, and moved to the chair across from her. "So what about you? Are you a digimon?"

His face showed no signs of distrust or accusation, and she felt she had no reason to lie to him. Swallowing, Zoe clasped her hands together and stared at them. "Yes…" she said quietly. "That is…I am a digimon now. Once, I was human, just like you."

He didn't answer at first, but clicked a button on his digivice and then stuffed it in his pocket. A few seconds later, the door opened, and a large red saurian digimon walked in and came to stand beside him. "I'm not sure I understand," he said. "How can a human turn into a digimon?"

Zoe stared at the red digimon, wondering if she should be afraid, but then her internal scanner activated and told her that Guilmon was friendly, and far below her own level. She could handle him in a fight…so long as he didn't digivolve. "Well it's kind of complicated," she sighed. "See, I was called to the digital world four years ago, because both that world and this one were in danger. But in order to win against the enemy, my DNA was destroyed and replaced with data. At least, that's what it felt like. In the end, I cam home as a human digimon." Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked up and met Takato's eyes. "Please don't send me to the digital world! I'm still human, even if a scanner says that I'm data. I have a family, and friends, and this is my world as much as it is yours! I haven't done anything wrong, so please, can I just go home now?"

Takato's face twisted with a pang of guilt and doubt. "I don't know what to tell you," he said honestly. "But we just want to understand. I too went to the digital world to save our two worlds, so I understand what that means. I would have given up everything to save them too. I'm sure we'll figure something out, but for now, we just need to have you stay here so we can ask you some questions and run some tests."

"What kind of tests?" Zoe shivered.

"Just a quick scan, that kind of thing. It doesn't hurt, I promise," Takato smiled. "I had the same test done to me when I was certified."

"But what's going to happen to me?" Zoe insisted. "I'm human, even though I show up as a digimon."

"That," Yamaki-san said suddenly, walking through the door with Rika following after him, "is something we will have to figure out." He scowled at her, arms crossed in a frustrated sort of way. It was like he just couldn't believe what he was seeing. "For now, we're going to have you stay here tonight."

"But…"

"I'm sorry," he snapped, not letting her interject. "You're an enigma that we've never dealt with before. And we need to make sure that it's safe for you to be here."

"I don't understand," Zoe pleaded. She stared crying, unable to help herself, and Guilmon stepped forward to nuzzle her head with his snout comfortingly. "I'm not an evil digimon! I'm a girl who almost died to save the world, and you want to punish me for that?"

"You misunderstand," Yamaki sighed. "We are well aware that the digital world chooses its own digidestined in times of need. No one can simply decide to be a Tamer, they have to be chosen. So I am not questioning what you've done. My concern is that you are living on the real world, and digimon cannot live here safely for long periods of time without having to go back to the digital world for a while."

Zoe wiped her eyes, looking up at him with a new fear starting to fill her stomach. "What do you mean?" she sniffled. "You're saying that I'm…in danger?"

"I'm saying that you may be dying," he said gravely. "And unless you have a Tamer that can protect your data, you can't live on the human world. That's why we're going to have you stay here tonight, so that we can monitor your data and make sure that everything is alright. If you deteriorate too much, then you can simply dissipate and never come back. And if you've already been here too long, it may already be too late for you."

"I'm…going to die?"

"We'll find out. If you've deteriorated too much, you will have to go back to the digital world forever. But if your data looks fine, then you're going to have to stay here until we can get you a Tamer. Either way, it's not safe to leave things as they are."

"Don't worry, Zoemon," Guilmon said reassuringly. "Having a Tamer is nice. It means you only have to go back to the digital world once a year instead of forever."

Looking back and forth between the concerned faces that stared at her, Zoe was overcome with fear and despair. She burst into tears anew, hardly aware of Rika and Takato leading her to a bed room, setting her on the bed, and promising her that someone would be nearby in case she needed them.

It was just too traumatic to take in.

-o-

The following day found Ryo leaning against the school building wall, out of sight, watching the students come from all corners of the city. Soon, the one called Takuyamon would show up. And then he'd have to do something about it. I don't want to take him in, he thought, grimacing. Especially when I think of that girl… she looked so scared. Is he really a digimon? It's not really possible for a human to be a mega, is it?

Beside him, Cyberdamon growled impatiently. "Ryo," he growled.

Ryo turned to look at him, feeling relieved to have him beside him once more. It was always like losing his other half when Cyberdramon had to go back to the digital world for a while. "Hey Cy," he smiled. "What's up?"

"There are two digimon approaching," he said, his growling voice filled with eagerness. "They are strong. Let me fight them."

"No," Ryo chuckled. "I'm waiting to see if…" he paused, frowning suddenly. "What do you mean, two digmon?"

"Look," Cyberdramon lifted his head as though to point, and Ryo followed his gaze. Takuyamon and the twins were walking together, talking. "The two that are walking ahead of the other, side by side," Cyberdramon explained. "Those two are megas."

"Both of them?" Ryo whispered. He pulled out his scanner and checked, growing alarmed when the result came back exactly as his partner said. One of them was Takuyamon, and the other was Koujimon. Koujimon had a Tamer. "I don't believe it," he whispered. "There's more of them? How many of these human digimon are there?"

"Let me fight them, and I'll find out," Cyberdramon stepped forward.

Ryo shoved him back quickly, chewing his lip with concern when both Takuyamon and Koujimon froze, looking around them in alarm. "They can sense your fighting spirit!" he admonished. "Go home, Cy, I need to talk to them without you today."

Growling in frustration, Cyberdramon flew away without another word. But it was easy to tell that he was displeased. Thankful that for the first few days after Cyberdramon came back from the digital world he was a little more obedient, Ryo turned his attention back to the digimon.

Now he just had to figure out what the hell he was supposed to do.

-o-

"Takuya," Kouji grabbed his friend by the shirt, halting him before they separated to go to their own classes. His face was grim, and he glanced from side to side to make sure no one was looking. "You felt that right? The digimon that wanted to fight us on our way into school?"

Takuya nodded, thinking back. It was only just a few minutes ago. They'd met up with each other a few blocks from school and were talking to each other about their plans for the day, when suddenly their senses started blaring at them that a digimon was going to attack them. But then nothing had happened, and they'd gone into the building with silent wariness.

"You need to watch your back," Kouji continued. "There are three other Tamers at this school besides Kouichi. That digimon we felt belongs to one of them."

"So what should I do?" Takuya whispered back. "Do you think they know about me?"

Kouji nodded. "I'm sure of it. Kouichi's digivice went off as soon as you were within range, so theirs must have gone off too. Just watch yourself, okay? And if you need help, we'll come to you."

"Thanks," Takuya smiled. They separated and went into their classrooms, but for the rest of the day, all Takuya could think about was whether or not he'd be taken away by the Tamers. It kept him from learning anything all day.

By the time the bell finally announced the end of the day, Takuya practically exploded with relief. He jumped from his chair excitedly, throwing a fist in the air, and dashed from the room in high spirits.

At the end of the hall he froze, skidding to a stop and standing agitatedly, as the rest of the students moved past him. They talked with each other, went about their way, or left building on their way home, while he just stood there like a statue, unable to move.

Across from him, ten feet away, stood a Tamer.

He was alone, standing with his hands in his pockets and a serious expression on his face. His brown hair and blue eyes made him seem not quite Japanese, as though one of his parents had been a foreigner, and his features might be considered good looking. He was Takuya's sempai, probably sixteen years old, and he carried a sense of power and authority that Takuya had never felt in anyone else ever before.

The halls emptied, until only the two of them were left, staring at each other. It was tense, awkward, and it felt dangerous.

It took many minutes before Takuya mustered the strength to do anything. "Oh, look at the time," he laughed nervously. "Guess I'd better go too…" he turned as if to run away.

"Wait," the Tamer commanded.

Takuya halted halfway through his step, unable to move. With just one word, he felt like his will had been stripped from him—like he could do nothing but obey.

"I want to talk to you," the Tamer said.

"Do I have a choice?" Takuya grimaced. His only reply was a blank stare, so he sighed and gave in. "Where?" he asked gravely.

Glancing sideways at the staircase near them, the Tamer nodded his head. "The roof," he said. "Follow me." As he walked, he turned and glanced back at Takuya, and his expression was daunting. "Come on," he insisted.

Again, he was forced to obey, and cursing himself inwardly, Takuya followed him up the flights of stairs and out onto the roof of the school. His thoughts whirled anxiously. Should I try to call Kouji? Maybe I should run away? Or no…I shouldn't have to! I can just explain myself, I've done nothing wrong!

"What's your name?"

Takuya's head snapped up, and he realized he'd been standing on the roof staring at his shoes for a while now. He hesitated, showing his concern on his face. Should he answer? Why not? "Takuya," he said. "What about you?"

"I'm Ryo," the Tamer replied. "And I'm a Tamer."

"I know," Takuya mumbled.

"And you're a digimon."

Waiting before replying, Takuya tried to think of any way he could weasel out of that one without lying. There really wasn't any option. "I am," he admitted.

Ryo turned away, a sudden pang of regret passing over his face. It surprised Takuya, and for a moment, he wondered why he would feel that way. But then Ryo turned back, looking as blank as before. "Why do you look like a human?" he asked. "What are you doing here? Did you not know that you need a Tamer in order to live on the human world?"

"I'm not originally a digimon," Takuya snapped defensively. "I am a human! I only became a digimon because…" he paused. "You wouldn't understand, anyway! I'm not even sure that I understand how it works. But it doesn't matter, because this is my home, and I'm not leaving!"

"Why wouldn't I understand?" Ryo asked quietly. "I've lived on both worlds, and I too have become a digimon briefly when the need called for it."

"Wait…you've been a digimon?" Takuya blurted. "But you're not anymore? Does that mean I can change back?"

"I don't know if you can change back," Ryo shrugged. "But my experience was different than yours. I biomerged with my partner to become Justimon, only briefly. But you haven't answered my question. Why wouldn't I understand? Don't you think that out of everyone on this planet, a Tamer would understand?" His eyes burned, as though his inner feelings were rising to the surface.

He's…concerned about me, Takuya realized. It was something he had not expected. "I…" he turned away, looking out over the roof at the city. It had never occurred to him that the Tamers would try to understand him. He'd just assumed they would attack him and kick him out. "It's just… I was called there, you know?"

"To the digital world?" Ryo asked. Takuya nodded. "You were called to the digital to save it, right? That's what happens. I know, I was called too." He smiled, remembering the experience fondly. "You give everything to save the world, even if it means you never come back the same, don't you? I know, because it's the same for me. That's what makes us Chosen."

"Exactly," Takuya said. He grinned, despite his fears about what might happen. "And I couldn't just give up, not when Lucemon was going to destroy our world too! That's why we had to biomerge together. But then we defeated him, and when we got home…" his voice trailed off as he realized that Ryo was staring at him with a shocked expression. "What?" he asked, growing concerned.

"Lucemon?" Ryo demanded. "You were the ones that fought Lucemon?"

"You know about him?" Takuya asked.

"Four years ago," Ryo grimaced, "a hole opened up between our two worlds, and Lucemon tried to claw his way through. He sent out a message on every phone, TV, computer, everything, that he was going to rule over us. We couldn't even get close to him, though, because another digimon came and yanked him back into the digital world and closed off the link."

"Yeah, that was us!" Takuya grinned. "We all biomerged to become Susanoomon, and totally defeated Lucemon together! It was awesome! But then we all had to go home."

"How many of you were there?"

"There were six of us."

"And you all came back as digimon?"

"Yeah. Originally we had the spirits of the Legendary Warriors, but when we had to biomerge with another human, that's when we had to become digimon."

"What?" Ryo blurted. He stepped back, his eyes wide with disbelief. "That's impossible! Humans can't be combined together. It's impossible!"

"I know that," Takuya sighed. "That's why we became digimon. There wasn't any other way to win, we had already lost up to that point. But anyway, that's what happened, and so I'm not just going to leave my home, leave my family, and go back to the digital world just because I'm a digimon now. I don't belong there, I belong here!"

"I…this is…" Ryo leaned against the fence that protected them from falling off the roof, and held his face with one hand. "So then that girl I met yesterday…"

Takuya's head snapped up, and he rushed forward, grabbing Ryo's shoulders with his hands. "What girl?" he demanded. "Was it Zoe? Did she say her name was Zoe? Where is she?"

Ryo sighed, dropping his hand tiredly. "She's at HYPNOS. Rika, another Tamer, took her there."

"No!" Takuya whispered. "Ryo, you have to help me get her back! They can't send her to the digital world. They can't! You heard my story, we can't be forced to leave!"

"That's…you've got it all wrong," Ryo shook his head. His expression turned serious, and he stepped away and whistled sharply, as though calling someone to come to him. "You obviously don't understand why we send digimon who don't have a Tamer back to the digital world, Takuya."

"Why?" Takuya glared. "Because you can't guarantee they wont go rampaging through the city without a Tamer to be responsible for them?"

"That has nothing to do with it, although it's true," Ryo shook his head. "But we have a good relationship with the digital world. Our two worlds are trying to work in unison, and allowing digimon to come live here is one way that we can do that. But the real reason is much more serious."

Suddenly, a massive digimon flew to the roof and landed beside then, growling menacingly. Takuya's senses informed him that this particular digimon—Cyberdramon—was not something to be trifled with. He growled as he looked in Takuya's direction. "Ryo," it said. There were no other words needed.

"Cy, I want you to take Takuya and me to HYNPOS," Ryo commanded. He turned to Takuya. "You're coming with me, where I can explain everything. Trust me on this."

"Trust you?" Takuya stepped back. "How can I? You're just going to take me in? I'm not the bad guy here!"

"Takuya!" Ryo snapped. His voice was full of authority to such a degree, Takuya felt himself nearly cowering under the weight of it. "You need to come to HYPNOS because any digimon that stays in the real world too long will die! That's why they need a Tamer—so that they can have the strength to live here, and only have to go back to the digital world once a year. You've been here like this for four years! Do you know what happens to a digimon whose data has become too unstable to survive in the real world anymore?"

He shook his head, growing alarmed. That couldn't be true…could it? Kouji and Kouichi never said anything about it.

"I'll tell you," Ryo said gravely. "They go insane, tormented by pain until they go around destroying everything, unable to think or reason, and then dissolve into nothing. Not even a digiegg is left." He pulled out his digivice, swiped a card through it, and watched as Cyberdramon grew massively in size until he towered above them. "Carry us, Cy," he ordered.

Growling, the giant Cyberdramon bent over and grabbed both of them with his clawed hands, and swept off into the air. There was no where to run.

"Now that I know your story," Ryo called across the distance between them, "I have a responsibility to take care of you." He smiled, but his face looked sad. "If I can keep you from having to be sent back to the digital world, I will. But right now, we need to do everything we can to make sure you aren't going to die."

Takuya nodded, staring down at the ground as it swept past. It was too difficult to think about all that right now, so he tried not to. I used to fly, he thought wistfully. Back in the digital world. I wonder if I ever will again?

They arrived at HYPNOS only a few minutes later.

-o-

Only being able to progress in the story one chapter at a time is actually quite difficult. I don't want to overload people on details, but I want them to learn at the same pace that Takuya does. So that makes writing even harder. All the same, I am enjoying the experience, and hopefully learning as I go.

Let me know what you think, I am always encouraged by your comments!

~Rukatofan