Me: For everyone who been reading my work. I am truly sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but a friend of my roped me into doing a piece for him and it took longer then I thought it would, but I hope to have no more interruption.
Rika: So, Space for brains, you finally came back down to us, I see.
Me (Muttering darkly): Except for the royal pain in the backside kind of interruption.
Rika (Grinning): What was that, Space for brains?
Me: Nothing and why are you grinning like that? You're not planning something, are you?
Rika: No, I'm just happy that you didn't work on this story for a few mouths.
Me: Well, there was that other story.
Rika (Frowning): I'm not even touching that one.
Me (Grinning): Well that's one up for me and now long with this story. Finally.
In-Training: The next Level
Chapter Three: A dangerous game of Cat and Mouse.
Renamon stared into the night skies, thinking. Things just didn't add up for her. First, Kai took control of the tamers, their digimon and Rumiko's working stuff and had them attack the small band of heroes. But in the end, he lifted empty handed. Then IceDevimon had gotten into the house, intent of stealing a simply flower; which Renamon learned had great magical powers. The only plus side to this whole confusing day was the fact that IceDevimon revealed that he had a human form. So now it would be easier to know if he's following them.
Why are they doing all of this stuff, if only to end up with nothing? Renamon mental asked as she took a seat at the porch and continue to stargaze.
Usual, Renamon was able to put pieces to a puzzle together quickly, but the actions of IceDevimon and Kai were truly confusing her and she didn't like it. When she was confused, she felt like the entire world was enclosing around her, cutting her off from air. She liked to know the facts before she acted. Renamon let out a light sigh as she turned away from the stairs and looked in the direction of the flower that IceDevimon was after.
"Flower of the moon, that's what it's called," Renamon muttered to himself, deep in thought.
Renamon learned early that the flower of the moon carries great magical energies, which could be used to make a bunch of powerful spells. She figures that why Kai wanted the flower, to cast a powerful spell to use against Renamon and her friends. But beyond that, she was lost. She let out another light sigh and returned her eyes to the night sky.
"You know, you have that same look in your eyes that Matt did when he was confused about things," a soft voice said from behind Renamon.
The humanoid fox smiled a thin smile as she looked over her right shoulder to see Rumiko, all dressed up in her fighting clothes. The global model was leaning on a support beam and the way she was positioned, remain Renamon of Matt so much.
"Going somewhere?" Renamon asked in a semi friendly tone.
"I was thinking about going for a run to clear my head," Rumiko said casually and pushed herself off the beam.
Rumiko walked up to her friend and took a seat beside her. For the next few minutes, the two remained in a peaceful silence, staring up at the stars and thinking things over. Both had things on their minds, but neither wanted to break the silence that they were in.
"So, this whole thing with Kai and IceDevimon also has you worried," Renamon said calmly, breaking the silence.
"Well, when you're a cat trapped in a house for more then year, you do nothing but think," Rumiko said casually.
"So, you are worried," Renamon replied, understanding the hidden message in her friend's words.
"Yes, I worried," Rumiko, muttered softly. "I very worried."
"Hmm," Renamon looked at her friend and mother of her tamer out of the corner eye.
It didn't take much to see how worried the model truly was. She was worried that her kin might never return to flesh and blood. Renamon was also worried about that as well, but at the moment she was more worried with what Kai and IceDevimon was planning.
Rumiko stood up and stretched. She looked at Renamon with a kind smile and said," Well, I'm going for that run. Care to join me?"
"Sounds good, but I think, I'll…" Renamon suddenly cut herself off as she felt something wrong.
The fox spring from the porch and joined her friend. Rumiko also felt a strong presences heading straight for them. The famous model narrowed her eyes and stared intently in the direction that the presence was coming from. At first, she couldn't see a thing, but soon she could make out a tiny dot in the night sky. At first, she couldn't make it out good, but as it got closer, she could make it out better. Rumiko suddenly gasped as she saw who was coming at them.
"It's IceDevimon!" Rumiko screamed at the top of her lungs and Renamon let out a small gasp of surprise.
"That's right, ladies!" IceDevimon screamed viciously. "I here for a rematch!"
Renamon and Rumiko quickly got into a fighting stance and tried to counter the icy devil's assault, but in the end, IceDevimon was to fast and he cloth lined the two.
(Rika's room)
In the room of the famous ice queen, all was quiet, but not peaceful. Takato was going through his nightly tossing and turning as he was pledged by his nightmares. Sweat covered the cursed tamer's entire body and he was letting out soft moans.
Rika stared intently at her follow cursed tamer; worry hidden deep within her large, violet eyes. For the last few nights, she had to endure this and though she didn't show it, seeing Takato suffering like this, was tarring at her little heart. Each moan she heard, she felt her heart creaks more. She felt so helpless, knowing that the one she cared for the most was just a few inches from her and yet she could do nothing to help. It was tarring Rika's soul to pieces just sitting here and watching all this.
Rika tore her eyes off of Takato, unable to watch him suffer any further. She looked around her plain looking room, trying to find anything to take her mind off of the boy beside her. Renamon was outside, stargazing, she knew that and dinoboy was sleeping blissfully. Beyond that, there was nothing much to focus on. So, Rika decided staring at Guilmon was better then anything.
Look at him sleeping in such bliss, Rika thought a little solemnly. I only wished Gogglehead could sleep like that.
Guilmon suddenly rolled onto his back and reached for the roof with both claws. He was smiling a Takato smile and he was mumbling something in his sleep. Rika thought she heard him mumble the word, Renamon. At this, she became curious and decided to see what the dinoboy was dreaming about. She got up from her bed and silently made her way to Guilmon.
"Oh, Yes, Renamon, I would like some more bread, especially if it's made by your loving hands," Guilmon said in his sleep.
Hearing that caused Rika to smile slightly, her troubles forgotten for the time being. She was thinking about ways to use this to her advantage to get Guilmon to do some favors for her, when she suddenly heard loud moaning coming from the direction of Takato's bed. Her worries returning in full force, Rika silently hurried over to Takato. His tossing and turning had become more intense, causing his sheets to entangle around him and the sweat was just rolling off his body. Rika figure he must be reaching the climax of his nightmare and wished there was something she could do to stop it.
"Comfort him," a soft, fatherly voice spoke in Rika's ear.
"Who's there?" Rika whispered suspiciously, casting her eyes around the room.
There was on one around, expect for Guilmon and he was still in dreamlands. So who said that, Rika wondered? Plus she got this feeling that she heard that voice from somewhere else, but where, she didn't know.
Rika heard another moan and looked back at Takato. He was close, she could tell. His moans were now going into small groans and he stopped tossing and turning. Rika knew it wasn't long before Takato's nightmare reached its end and that's when he would snap awake. That feeling of helpless returned with avenges and Rika could wish for this one time, that she knew what to do.
"Just comfort him," the voice said again. "Let your feelings calm his troubled spirit and he would sleep for the rest of the night."
Rika stare suddenly became hesitant. She wanted to help her friend, but she wasn't so sure she should trust this voice in the wind. Another painful moan from Takato and Rika made up her mind quickly. She silently walked up to Takato and carefully got into his bed. With a light gulp and a hidden blush, Rika cuddled up to Takato. Instantly, Takato settled down quit a bit and his breathing even out. She then did something really out of character. She let out a soft, low growl that almost sounded like purring to further smooth Takato and it wasn't before the calming sound put Rika into a light slumber of her own.
Suddenly a transparent figure appeared in front the two cursed tamers, smiling down at them. It was the same ghost that had bee seen around since the mass with Kai and IceDevimon started. He was wearing his usual attire of white t-shirt, light blue jeans and shoes matching Rika's. But again this figure is a ghost and it's not like he could change at any time he likes.
The ghost kneeled down and carefully unwrapped the sheets from around Takato. He then covered both of the cursed tamers, making sure that the sheets were set so Rika could be a quick escape in the morning.
"You know, for such a touch girl you can sure have a soft spot for the ones you care for, my flaming fox," the ghost said in pride and suddenly turned serious. "Now that's that taken care of, it time to get down to business."
The ghost straightened up and looked toward Guilmon. He got down on both knees and thought of the best way to wake this boy up. An idea popped into his head quickly and he flicked one of Guilmon's bat-like ears. Guilmon responded to that and bushed his claw against the bat that was just flicked. The ghost did it again and Guilmon repeated what he just did. The ghost then leaned toward the ear he been flicking and placed his mouth close to the ear.
Guilmon," the ghost spoke softly into his ear. "Guilmon. Renamon is in danger. She needs your help."
Guilmon instantly snapped awoke when he heard that and he was immediately bombarded by IceDevimon's odor. The crimson dinosaur/lizard let a fierce growl exploded from deep within his throat as his eyes want viral and he jumped to his feet. He ran to the door, not even thinking about opening it. He was focus only on getting to Renamon. Luckily the door "opened" on its own and Guilmon stormed through it.
The ghost silently closed the door and let out a light sigh. It then looked towards the cursed tamers and was glad that all the stomping hadn't awoken up the two smaller digimon.
"I have done all in my power, now it's up to Guilmon," the ghost said calmly, but then grinned. "But with the power of love behind him, he's going to put that's icy freak in his place."
(Outside)
"What's the matter, ladies?" IceDevimon asked insanely. "CAN'T CATCH YOUR BREATH!"
The icy devil had a death grip on the two female warriors by their necks, squeezing the life right out of them. Rumiko and Renamon kept pounding away at the demon's hands, but the icy devil seem to be enjoying it! He began laughing insanely as he saw Rumiko's face turning blue from lack of oxygen.
"HAHAHA! THIS IS THE BEST!" IceDevimon screamed at the top of his lungs. "SCREW KAI AND ALL OF HIS PLANNING! I'LL CRUSH BOTH OF YOU WHERE YOU STAND!"
"Y-You, n-n-never w-w-win," Renamon choked out as she did her most threatening glare she could mustard.
"How are you going to do that, fox?" IceDevimon asked insanely. "If you haven't noticed, you're a little tied up at the moment!"
The icy devil then went into another fit of insane laughter as he tightened his grip around the two females' necks. Renamon was starting to feel lightheaded and her vision was blurring. Rumiko wasn't in much better shape herself. Despite all of her training, she was still human and against a digimon death grip, she was loosing ground faster then Renamon. She was close to fainting. IceDevimon continued his insane laughter, enjoying the looks on his victims' faces.
"Pryo sphere!" IceDevimon suddenly felt something hot collided with his back and he recognized that voice instantly.
The icy devil dropped his captives and turned around. He sneered when he saw Guilmon, growling at him fiercely. The crimson dinosaur was boiling over on the inside when he saw his secret love struggling in IceDevimon's grip.
"YOU!" IceDevimon said viciously in his voice and pointed angrily at Guilmon. "You're the reason why I'm like this! So, I'm going to take your data FIRST!"
Without a second thought to the two blondes at his feet, IceDevimon launched himself at Guilmon. The virus digimon held his ground as he stares fearless at the charging icy devil. IceDevimon was smiling insanely at the mere thought of his victim's painful screams. Suddenly Renamon and Rumiko appeared in between the two viruses and they preformed a double roundhouse kick to the icy freak's face. IceDevimon was sent flying backwards, but caught himself before he hit the ground. He straightened up and glared fiercely at his opponent. The two warriors were still winded from the devil's death grip, but they could manage.
"I DON'T CARE IF THERE THREE OR THREE HUNDRED, I'LL STILL WIN! FROZEN WING!" IceDevimon flapped his wings at a fast pose, sending thousands of ice shards at the trio.
Renamon and Rumiko got a few steps from the porch and began punching and kicking at the shards to break them before they reached the house. The ones that got by them, Guilmon used his pryo sphere to melt them. Soon all of the frozen wing was either laying in small pieces or a puddle of water. IceDevimon growled to himself as he saw all of his best affect beaten by two rookies and one humans.
There too much for me along, IceDevimon thought angrily. So, I think I'll take the door prize instead.
IceDevimon took to the air and went for the location of the flower of the moon. When they saw what the icy freak was after, Renamon and Rumiko quickly shadow walked over to it to project it.
"NOT THIS TIME! FROZEN CLAW!" IceDevimon stretched his right claw out and sweep the two aside.
When Guilmon saw what was happening, he rushed over to aid his friends. IceDevimon heard him coming and expended his wings. Then he spun around and knocked Guilmon upside the head, stunning him for the moment. IceDevimon smiled at his down opponents and quickly took the flower.
"It's been fun, but I have to go home, now!" IceDevimon screamed mockingly and then rocketed into the air before his foes could recovered.
Rumiko got onto his knees, couching as she caught her second wind. She looked up and watched as IceDevimon faded into the night sky. She was getting that feeling that something bad was coming and she didn't like it.
(Kai's lair)
"Hmm, well it's looks like your earn your take for now," Kai committed coldly, smiling emotionlessly at IceDevimon. "I have to admit, even I was shocked by this. You must be shocked the pants right off of my darling sister."
IceDevimon didn't reply to any of Kai's words. He just stood in his corner, arms folded and growled to himself. He was also making sure not to make eye contact either.
"What the matter, cat got your tongue?" Kai asked coldly.
IceDevimon closed his eyes, trying to drain out Kai's voice as imagined tarring that smug look from Kai's face when he was free from his spell. He smiled slightly at the pleasing thought.
"Hey, you icy freak, pay attention when I talk to you," the commanding voice of Kai said, breaking IceDevimon out of his dream land.
The icy devil opened his eyes partly and looked at Kai. "What is it?" he asked in a cold whisper.
"I was telling you about the next ingredient for the chaos ritual," Kai answered coldly, glaring at IceDevimon.
"Well tell me it again," IceDevimon, said emotionless, brushing off the glare he was getting.
"Hmm," Kai glare at his slave for a moment more before turning back to the piece of old paper in his hands. "Locks from the fairest maiden in the land."
"What does that mean?" IceDevimon asked.
"It means, we need hair from someone who's a true beauty," Kai answered in annoyance and then grinned. "And I can't think of anyone more beautiful then my darling sister, Rumiko."
Hearing that, IceDevimon let out a frustrated groan. He knew what Kai getting at and also knew that he was going to get hurt at the same time.
"Do you enjoy seeing me in pain?" IceDevimon asked, keeping the edge from his voice. "And why does it have to her? Can't it be another woman from this world?"
"Because, I think if the beauty is the best, it would make the spell that more powerful," Kai replied smoothly, that grin still in place.
"But to get to the woman, we need to go through that fox and dino breath," IceDevimon muttered roughly. "And incase you have forgotten, your "darling" sister isn't a pushover."
"I already have that figure out," Kai replied smoothly. "I have already made a plan that wouldn't lay a single hair on your head, if you had hair that is."
IceDevimon snorted lightly and turned his head away so he didn't have to look at Kai's smug face anymore. "Just tell me, already."
Kai's just kept on grinning as he got out o his chair and walked up to his shoves that holds all of his magical items. He began searching through them, while humming a tone. IceDevimon clinched his teeth as he impatiently waited for Kai to finish this nonsense.
"Do you know today's Thursday?" Kai asked smoothly, watching his slave from the corner of his eye.
"Why do I care about a stupid day in the human world?" IceDevimon replied in annoyance, clinching his teeth tightly.
"Well, every Thursday, that fox took her hairball of a tamer out for an afternoon stroll and I have a feeling she will be taking that brown water bag with her," Kai answered smoothly. "Ah, here it is."
"And what does this have to do with us getting hair from that sister of your?" IceDevimon asked in rising anger.
"It's quit simple, even for you," Kai replied, walking up to the digimon. "We capture those two and force my darling sister into a trap and if you're worried about the fox, took this."
The evil sorcerer showed the icy devil something in the palms of his right hand. It was bracelet made from beads. The beads were a deep red with a Japanese marking on them that IceDevimon didn't recognize. At the tip of the bracelets was some kind of woodenhead, shaped like a dragon.
"And what does this do?" IceDevimon asked in annoyance.
"Just one of my many items I have collected from my travels," Kai replied in his smooth voice.
"I can see that, but what does it do?" IceDevimon asked again, the annoyance in his voice turning into anger.
Kai just kept smiling as he forced the bracelet into IceDevimon's hands. "Trust me on this one, it will help."
IceDevimon stared at the object in his head, weary. He didn't trust Kai or half of the spells he uses, but it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter. He sighed and then slipped the bracelet into his right wrist.
"All right," IceDevimon said emotionless. "What's the plan?"
(Afternoon…. Nonaka/Makino household)
"What brought this on, little one?" Renamon asked and eyebrow rose in surprise. "This isn't like you at all?"
The humanoid fox stared down at her counterpart, hiding the surprise she was feeling. Rika shifted her weight uncomfortable; feeling like the world was watching her. Just before Renamon was going to take the curse tamer out for their usual Thursday run, she had asked if Takato could come along for the ride. It surprised Renamon greatly, but like any good trained warrior, she kept her surprise in the inside.
"I just starting to get bored with this whole things we set up, that's all," Rika snapped, managing to sound like her usual self.
Renamon just smiled as she said," well, of course he could come along. I was actually thinking about asking him, so he wouldn't be bored waiting."
"Don't push it, Renamon," Rika said threateningly.
"I don't know what you mean, Rika," Renamon stated calmly. "Now go and get Takato."
Rika glared at her digimon for a second, before turning towards the house and ran inside. Renamon watched her curse tamer disappeared into house, seeing the eagerness that Rika was trying to hide. Renamon smiled slightly to herself and got herself comfortable on the grass. She closed her eyes and let the sun warm her as she waited for the curse tamers.
As she waited, she began thinking things over again. There were many pieces to this ever growing puzzle and none of them fitted together. She didn't like how things seemed to be leading too, either. She couldn't shake this feeling that something big and dangerous was coming.
"Renamon. Renamon! RENAMON!"
The yellow fox snapped opened her eyes and looked at the source of the voice. It was an annoyed Rika and an embarrassed Takato.
"Daydreaming, Renamon?" Rika asked mockingly. "Now, that's not like you."
"I was just thinking that's all," Renamon replied calmly, getting up from her seat on the ground.
She then scoop up the two cursed tamers and jumped into the air before Rika had a choice to make one of her famous sarcastic remarks and jumped over the fence. She ran across the rooftops at a nice brisk pose. She let the feeling of the cold fall air, calm her nerves for the time being and she got lost in the sense of freedom she gets when she running.
Takato watched as Renamon jump clear across the rooftops. He was soft of use to this when he was merged with Guilmon. But this was a different story. When he was merged with Guilmon, he had the skill and instinct need to do that kind of stuff. But now, that he was just a small digimon, he was very afraid and clanged to the nearest thing next to him. Which just happened to be Rika.
Rika gazed at Takato with her eyes. This was another of the times that she was glad that her thick, ashy fur hid the deep, red blush that was running across her face. The female parts of her were jumping for joy at having Takato this close to her. But the other side, the tougher side of her, was very uncomfortable with all of this and wanted to punch Takato right in the face. Luckily she didn't have any hands or she just might have decked him one. So, to take her mind off of this inner battle, she did what her partner did and lost herself in the freedom the wind brought with it.
The small band of digimon swiftly ran across the rooftops, watching as the world passed by, below them. Trees, buildings, people and other things were just a blur to the eyes of the cursed tamers. The usual sights they were used to seemed new and exiting. Even Rika, who had experienced this quit a number of times, was still in awe by all of wondrous sights she was witnessing.
Renamon suddenly came to a halt on the next rooftop. She held the cursed tamers in a defense gesture as her body tense up. Her head began snapping around in every direction, obviously looking for something.
"What's wrong, Renamon?" Rika asked calmly, but was worried by her friend's behavior.
"We're not along," Renamon stated simply, still looking around.
The cursed tamers looked at each other in worry. They knew if Renamon had a reason to be worried, they were in for some trouble. They tried to get free to help, but Renamon held them in a firm grip. So, they settled for helping the best they could. Takato begin sniffing the air, using his slightly acute sense of smell to see if there were any abnormal scents in the air. Rika joined her partner in looking around the area.
Why did I feel like there something quit not right here? Renamon wondered to herself, stopping her searching and looked down at the cursed tamers.
If there were some kind of attack being planned, Renamon would have a hard time, defending her charges while fighting off whoever was here. But she would protect the cursed tamers to the ever end if needed.
A figure suddenly appeared before the digimon and cursed tamers. This person appeared out of thin air and that was cause enough from alarm. Renamon pushed the two smaller digimon further into her chest as the figure began advancing towards them.
"What's this?" a smooth voice asked in dry sarcasm. "Someone threw a digimon bash and didn't invent the life of the party? I'm hurt."
Renamon growled lowly and tightened her protective grip on the curse tamers so much that they were being cut off from air. She recognized that voice and knew it wasn't anyone she wanted to see at the moment. IceDevimon, in his human form of Ivan, walked up to the humanoid fox, wearing that smooth grin of his.
"Hey, fox how's it hanging?" he asked in that sickening smooth voice of his.
"What do you want now, IceDevimon?" Renamon asked calmly, keeping her anger at bare.
"Please, when I'm like this, I'll rather be called Ivan," Ivan stated smoothly.
"Okay, Ivan, what are you doing here?" Renamon asked, a slight edge appearing in her voice.
"Just to talk," Ivan replied smoothly.
Ivan then shoved his hands in his hands into his pants pockets and proceeded to walk slowly around the fox. Renamon kept all of her sense trained on the false human, watching him just in case he tried anything funny. Ivan walked a complete circle around Renamon and stopped in front of her again. They were nearly nose-to-nose. Renamon could smell the garlic on the false human's breath. All of this was starting to really get Renamon angry.
"If you're here to talk, talk," Renamon said, the edge in her voice growing slightly.
"You know," Ivan said smoothly. "He's right, you are quit the sight."
Ivan reached out to touch Renamon with his right hand. By instinct, Renamon quickly brought up her arm to intercept Ivan, thinking he was trying to hurt the little ones. Ivan grinned when the arms connected. Ivan's sleeve rolled back, revealing the bead bracelet that Kai given him, it's dragon's heading bobbling slightly. The eyes of the head lit up and a thick, purple gas came from the mouth. The gas quickly passed over Renamon, causing her to cough slightly.
Renamon suddenly felt very light headed and her vision was blurring in and out. She took her hand away from Ivan and held it to her head, shacking it slightly to see if she could clear away the clouds from her mind. Her head felt like blood was rushing to her head. She shook it again in another adept to clear it, but whatever that gas was, it strong and she felt herself losing consciousness fast.
"What the matter, Renamon?" Ivan asked smoothly. "Not feeling sleepy are we?"
The last thing she heard before she slipped into a world of darkness was the sickening laughter that IceDevimon was known for and the calls of the cursed tamers.
Ivan watched as Renamon fell onto her back with a faint thump, grinning through the entire show. He thoroughly enjoyed watching the fox struggling with the sleeping gas that was hidden in the bracelet's dragonhead. He also enjoyed watching as the cursed tamers tried in a desperate adept to wake their protector, with no luck. He only wish the fun didn't have to end, but sadly, he knew it had too.
Ivan closed his eyes and concentrated. A pair of icy white wings folded from behind the false human and enclosed around him, creating a cocoon like object. The cocoon hovered off the ground a few inches and glowed. Soon the glowed faded and the wings opened, revealing IceDevimon in all of his glory.
The icy devil walked up to the distracted tamers and lifted them up by their tails. Both let out yikes of surprised as their were lifted away from Renamon. IceDevimon brought the two cursed tamers up to his eye level and looked at them in victory.
"It would be so enjoyable to see if you dissolve into data like any normal digimon," IceDevimon said in his soft, snake-like voice. "But that human needs you for his plan, so you're coming with me."
The icy devil then opened his wings and took to the air. He flew off to where Kai was waiting for him, enjoying feeling of the squirming tamers in his arms. Unknown to IceDevimon, there was someone else there. This third party was hiding in the safely of the shadows. He was waiting for the icy freak to leave so he could make his move. He looked towards the down Renamon and grinned.
(Some time later)
Renamon slowly worked her way back to consciousness, images playing in her mind. She saw a split image of a grinning IceDevimon and Ivan rolled by her closed eyes. The image of that bracelet IceDevimon used on her, rolled by. Finally she heard the cries of the cursed tamers mixed with the laughter of IceDevimon. And just like that, everything stopped.
Renamon moaned lightly as she slowly opened her eye half way. She let her eyes adjust as she wondered what was going on. As her mind cleared, she recalled what happened and her eyes snapped opened fully. She bolted up right and looked around. There was no IceDevimon around, but also no cursed tamers either. That wasn't a good sigh at all.
IceDevimon must have taken them when he knocked me out, Renamon thought as she got to her feet.
Surprisingly, she felt no after affect from the gas that she breathed in. In fact, she felt like a million bucks. Renamon would have taken this into thought, if she weren't so worried about Rika and Takato. She looked around the area, searching for any clues that would her good since of where IceDevimont might have want. Sadly there wasn't any. So, she decided to do something she doesn't do often. She began sniffing the around.
Renamon wasn't one to sniff around like a normal housedog. She thought it was truly beneath a warrior of her level and that a lady shouldn't do something that could get her dirty. It was one of those things she picked up from living with a family of females.
Renamon sniffed the air, hoping to catch the scent just as quick as Guilmon. She actually did pick up on IceDevimon's terrible smell, but another scent was cutting off the icy Devil's smell. Renamon tried to bypass the smell, but found it to be strong. She kept trying for several minutes, but soon quiet. The scent was just too strong to break through and pick up IceDevimon's scent.
Renamon let out a light sigh as she looked towards the afternoon sky. "What would you do, my old friend?"
"Rena!"
Renamon looked to her right to see Rumiko skipping across the rooftops, quickly making her way to the fox. The model was dressed in her battle clothes and wearing a worry expression on her face.
"Rumiko, what are you doing here?" Renamon asked calmly as her friend made to her.
"Well, when you didn't come home, my mother got worried and called me at work," Rumiko quickly explained.
"How long has it?" Renamon asked.
"Just about thirty minutes," Rumiko replied.
"Thirty minute?" Renamon repeated in slight surprise.
"Yeah, why?" Rumiko asked.
"No reason," Renamon replied calmly. Even I know a trail can't get cold in that length of time. So what's going on?
"Renamon? Renamon!"
Renamon snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Rumiko, confused. She obvious said something that Renamon didn't get. She felt like sighing, but kept it in.
"What was that, Rumiko? Renamon asked calmly.
"I was just wondering where Rika and Takato are?" Rumiko asked, searching around for the cursed tamers.
Renamon narrowed her eyes shamefully and looked at the ground. She couldn't bear to look Rumiko in the eyes at the moment. She was angry, but not at IceDevimon. She was angry at herself. She had massed up big time and that's something she tries not to do often.
"Rena, is something wrong?" Rumiko asked, concern with the look on her friend's face.
"I'm not going to lie to you, Rumiko," Renamon muttered solemnly.
"You know me, Rena," Rumiko said kindly. "I trust you completely and that I don't get mad just like that."
And that's why this is so hard Renamon thought solemnly and let out a light sigh. She then looked at her follow warrior with fear and regret. "IceDevimon showed up from out nowhere. Though he was in his human form, I was still on my guard. But it didn't matter. He used that to his advantage and gas me with something he more then likely got from Kai. I tried to fight it, but found the gas to be strong and soon I was out. He must have taken Rika and Takato why I was out. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect your daughter."
Rumiko stared intently at her friend, taking all of this in. Renamon waited for her friend's reply, actually fearing that she might be punished for failing in her duties to protect the cursed tamers. Instead, Rumiko did the opposite of what Renamon was thinking. She smiled knowingly and reached out towards Renamon. Renamon tensed up, thinking she was still going to get the punishment she deserved.
"Don't worry about it, Rena," Rumiko said kindly, patting Renamon on the shoulder. "I know better then anyone how tricky Kai can be."
Renamon looked at the mother of her tamers, feeling both relieved and even guiltier then before. Here was a woman who trusted her with all of her being, even when she screwed up. That actually made Renamon feel lower then she already was. The fox looked away in shame. She couldn't face a person who had become such a close friend in such a short time.
"Well, I guess, we should get Guilmon and have him track down that freak," Rumiko said in a sort of Rika way.
"I tried that already," Renamon muttered solemnly.
"And what happened?" Rumiko asked curiously.
Renamon sighed and said in defeat," There's something kind of strange smell in the air. It's mixing with IceDevimon's own scent, making it hard to figure out where that freak took them."
"Then we look around, I'm sure Kai lift some kind of clue as to where he took the kids," Rumiko said in an up-beat tone.
Rumiko began looking around the place, searching for clues that might lead them to Kai and the cursed tamers. Renamon stayed glued in place. She felt that fear of guilt growing in the pit of her stomach again. How could she tell Rumiko that she searched the area and came up with nothing? She was again afraid of her friend's reaction to this news and that halted her from disclosing the news to the model.
Rumiko halted in her searching and stared at Renamon's back. She actually understood what Renamon was going through. Protecting Rika was always an issue with Renamon. But with the whole cursed thing happened, her protecting instinct had kicked into a mothering instinct. Rumiko knew what that was like all to well. That was one of the reason she wasn't upset with the fox. The other reason is that she knew that Renamon would give her very life for Rika and she couldn't be mad at that.
Rumiko was about to go back to her searching when she spotted something sticking out of the back of Renamon's right gauntlet. She walked up to Renamon and snatched the object out of Renamon's gauntlet. The action got Renamon's attention and she looked over her shoulder, curiously.
"Looks like Kai lift his calling card again," Rumiko said and showed Renamon a folded piece of paper.
"I actually have forgotten he likes to leave notes that have clues on them," Renamon said in slight annoyance.
Rumiko nodded her agreement and unfolded the paper. She looked at it and began reading.
"Greeting my darling sister," Rumiko scowled deeply at that commit, but kept reading. "You're probably noticed by now that your hairball of a daughter and her friend are missing."
When they both heard Rika being called a hairball, the two blondes narrowed their eyes and growled lowly. No one gets away with calling Rika a hairball and lives to tell about. Renamon was also going to give that human an extra punch to his over sized head for Guilmon.
Rumiko had to force herself to continue reading instead of tarring the paper into tiny little pieces. "If you're small brains haven't figure it out yet, I have them both. If you want to find them, look at the riddle on the bottom of this paper and if you know what good for your daughter and her friend, I would leave that fox behind."
"Once I have that human in my paws, I going to slowly take the life from him," Renamon said angrily and completely out of character.
"Just hold on for a minute there, Rena, the note said to came alone, remember," Rumiko said calmly.
"Yes, but it doesn't mean I can't follow you," Renamon said out of character.
Rumiko was surprised by her friend's behavior at the least. At the moment Renamon was sounding a lot like Rika, instead of her usual reasonable self. But then again, Rumiko wasn't in the right state of mind either. She was also thinking about ripping out Kai's black heart and stuffing it into IceDevimon's mouth. She would watched in pure enjoyable as the two were slowly killed. Rumiko shook that image out of her head, quickly. She knew that with the two cursed tamers in his hands, she couldn't slip up even once or Rika and Takato would pay dearly.
Rumiko looked at Renamon and figure she was thinking along the same line that Rumiko was thinking about. She shook her head lightly as she sighed and walked up to her friend. She suddenly punched Renamon lightly in the face.
Renamon was to caught up in her mental imaging to notice that Rumiko had walked up to her. She was surprised when she felt Rumiko fist meat with her face. Though the punch didn't have enough power to hurt her, Renamon still fell onto her rear from the surprise of action. That snapped her out of her fantasy world and she looked up at Rumiko in surprise.
"Now, listen, Renamon," Rumiko said in grim seriousness. "At the moment those two holds all the cards. If we don't play by they rules, then they could hurt Rika and Takato. So I'm asking, not as a mother or a companion, but as a friend, please stay out of this one."
Renamon looked at her friend, anger growing inside of her. She wanted to argue with Rumiko, telling her that it was dangerous to go in along. But after she started to calm down, she realized that Rumiko was right. If she was to follow Rumiko, there was a good possibility that Kai or IceDevimon would hurt the cursed tamers or worse. Then how would She live with herself?
Renamon got to her feet and hanged her head in defeat. She muttered lowly," Okay, you win. But at least tell me the riddle, so I can be back-up if needed?"
Rumiko nodded. She could tell that took any single ounce of Renamon's will power to actually say that. She looked at the riddle at the bottom of Kai's note. "Where was the place that the shadow shed tears over a dieing cat?"
Where was the place where the shadow shed tears over a dieing cat, Renamon repeated the riddle in her head, feeling a memory clicked in the back of her head. Can it be that place?
Rumiko stared at the riddle intently. She also had a good feeling of the place where Kai wanted her to be. She wasn't looking forward to seeing that place again, but if she didn't go, then Rika and Takato would get hurt.
Rumiko tare the note into tiny pieces and let the wind take them. She looked at Renamon and the fox returned the stare. They nodded in unison. Rumiko then faded into the shadow in the style that she learned from her late husband. Renamon stayed in the same place she has been in from the last few moments, an unsettling feeling forming in the pit of her gut. She debited about following, but she then remembered her friend's word and decided against it. She turned in the direction of home and stared into the horizon for a second.
"I wish you best of luck my friend and please bring them home safely," Renamon said softly to the wind.
(Rumiko)
"I can't believe this place haven't changed in the past fourteen years," Rumiko mumble softly to herself.
The famous model was staring at any old playground in a neighborhood in the East Shinjuku area. This place actually holds great meaning to her. This was the place where she nearly died in her own cursed state. This was also the place where she saw a hard man shard tears over her. This was the place where Matthew smith, the only man she ever truly loved, broke her free of her family's end old curse. This is where the shadows shed tears over a dieing cat.
Rumiko touched the scar on her right side, thinking back to that fateful day. She could remember it almost as if it was just yesterday. She could see her husband as a fourteen-year-old boy, fighting his way past various gang members to get to her. At his back was a beautiful girl about the same age as Matt. Her long, silly blonde hair was flowing freely as she executed moves with the grace of a swing. Her name was Rena kemiya also known as Renamon in this day and age.
Matt fought past all that was in his way and rescued the cursed Rumiko from the gangsters holding her. Once free, the shadow fighter took the blonde cat that held the human soul, lovingly into his arms. For the time being, they were lost in the other love and time itself seemed to stop for them. The two were rudely brought back to reality by some gangsters who were trying to attack the shadow fighter. Matt easily took care of these guys and then hid Rumiko in a sandbox. Then it was time for Matt to face off with Kai.
Now Kai wasn't as powerful as he is today, but he was just as insane and tricky as he always was. He used some of his usual tricks, such as his trademark fire bending and lightening for the sky. But in the end, Matt was just the more powerful of the two and knocked Kai for a loop. That's when Kai did something that ever took Matt by surprised. He fought the shadow fighter hand to hand. Of course, Kai had cheated and wrapped the element of wind around his hands and feet for extra power. Still in the end, it was Matt who was standing and not Kai. But Kai, being the sore looser he is, had one last trick up his sleeve.
Kai had hidden some of the gangsters he was controlling by a cloaking spell and one even had gun. The armed gangster took aim quickly and fired. Not even the shadow fighter's skill could match that surprise attack and he was frozen in place. Rumiko had seen the shooter and without a second thought, come out of her hiding place and raced towards Matt. She jumped up just as the gun was fired and she had taken the bullet in the side. Things after that were a blur to Rumiko. She remembered something wet hitting against her fur and she thought she heard Matt's solemn filled voice in her ears. Her head began spinning and she thought she was going to die. The next thing she knew, she was staring into the shocked face of her lover.
The sound of a bird's wings taking to the air brought Rumiko out of her thoughts. She shook her head once to clear away all of those remaining memories and stare into the park. She shouldn't be getting caught up in old memories at a time like this. She did a quick scan of the area by her sixth sense and didn't found anything out of the ordinarily, but with Kai's involved, one could ever be to carefully.
Rumiko took one cautious step into the park, expecting some kind of trap to spring forth and tried to cut her head off or something. Surprisingly, nothing happened. No trap door opened beneath Rumiko. No hidden item came out from the entrance of the park to try and take Rumiko's head. Everything was at a dead silence and Rumiko knew that meant only one thing. Trouble.
Rumiko ventured further into the park, keeping her eyes sharp. Anything that moved, she locked onto it instantly. Every little shadow could be a dangerous trap just waiting for her just to step into it and trigger it. Every little leaf could be a hidden weapon waiting for it time to strike. Anything and everything in this park could a lethal weapon when Kai Makino was involved.
Rumiko stepped into the center of the park and looked around one more time, trying to find the traps she knew Kai had set for her. Still everything was at a dead silence and it was starting to get on Rumiko's nerves. A thin lair of sweat began running down her brow and she quickly wiped it away with a rug she kept with her.
'All right, Kai! I'm here! Now where are Rika and Takato?" Rumiko screamed calmly into the air.
The famous model waited patiently for her former older brother to responded. The seconds ticked away, but there was no sigh of the evil sorcerer or his icy massager. She was quickly loosing her patients, but knew she needed to keep in control of herself. She knew if she looses control, she forfeit it over to Kai and that's something she didn't want to do. She opened her mouth to say something, when she suddenly felt a dark presence, causing her to close it.
"No need to shout, my darling sister, I can hear just fine," the smooth sarcastic voice of Kai boomed from all direction. "And for the hairball and her friend, I have them."
"Well, I'm here now! So let them go!" Rumiko screamed into the air.
"Not so fast, little sister," Kai said smoothly. "First you need to do something for me."
Rumiko kept herself from growling in frustration. She was already getting tired of hearing Kai's annoying voice. Those dark thoughts from earlier was starting to resurface and she was almost tempted into them. She quickly pushed those dark thought back into the deep, darkest concerns of his mind. Now wasn't the time to get reckless and do something foolish. A move like that could cost Rika and Takato dearly. That's a risk that Rumiko wasn't willing to keep.
Rumiko took several calming breath and waited until her anger was under control. She looked up at the sky, a grim look of determination on her face. "What do you want for me?"
"You may have not notice, but you're standing a magical dimension zone," Kai said smoothly.
"Magical dimension zone?" Rumiko repeated to herself in confusion.
She scanned her surrounding again, but still found everything, as it was when she came into the park. She then closed her eyes, relaxed her body and opened her senses to the wind around her. There was just one little problem that threw her whole plan out of whack. They was no wind, what so ever. No South wind, no North wind, no West wind and no East wind. There was no wind in this place and that was just weird. Rumiko opened her eyes and stared intently skyward.
"I bet you're wondering about this, aren't you?" Kai asked mockingly. "A magical dimension zone is created through the use of magic."
"Well that's a big fat, due," Rumiko said sarcastically.
"When a zone is created, its area is determined by the amount of magic the user has, and as you might know, I'm one of the greatest out there," Kai said, boosting.
"Would you get to the point, already!" Rumiko growled angrily.
"Getting anger, are we, little sister?" Kai asked mockingly. "Well, if you insist. A magical dimension zone is use by most sorcerers to watch their prey slowly die of hunger, but I'm different."
Of course, he can't do anything normal. It has bee all lights and show, Rumiko thought sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"My zone stretched out for miles. Traps lined this zone and if you're not careful, you could loose you head," Kai said in that sick humor of his.
Rumiko felt the dark presence around her subside slightly; meaning Kai had broken his connection. Now that Kai's presence had left, she could feel how wrap this area was. She felt like she was standing in nothing. At the same time, the air suddenly felt thick and sticky, but she had no trouble breathing. She watched the sky as turned from the black of night to a thick blackish blue color.
She sighed and fixed her gloves, which had slipped off her hands because of all sweat she was dipping. She took a moment to collect herself and think things over. She really didn't have a choice but to play Kai's game. That or let the cursed tamer die a horrible death. Rumiko quickly shook off that thought and hurried out of the park.
Rumiko looked right, then left and then right again. She needed to think about this carefully. If she chooses wrong, it could cast her dearly.
"All right, Rumiko, which way? Right or left?" Rumiko asked herself and suddenly slipped herself in the forehead as she remembered something. "Duh, Kai's left handed.
She looked toward her left. She knew it was a long shot, but this was better then anything at the moment. She took one step forward, keeping her eyes peeled for anything that looked like a trap. Nothing looked dangerous, so she began walking at a slow pace. When no traps spring forth, she picked up her pace.
As Rumiko walked away from the park entrance, darkness around it began rising around it. It quickly stretched out across the walls of the park. The entire park was soon encased in darkest and it faded away. Now all that was lifted was a wall of darkness.
Okay, this is getting weird, Rumiko thought to herself. He said there would be traps and I haven't come across any, yet.
Rumiko have been walking in a straight line for a few minutes now, keeping herself close to the "wall" and she still haven't ran into any of the traps But it was still early in the game and she knew how clever Kai could be when setting a trap.
What Rumiko wasn't aware of was how the wall beside her was stretching out, keeping up with the famous model. She should have remembered that the wall should end a long time ago. She also wasn't aware of that faint echo that seemed to come from all around her.
Rumiko kept on walking, keeping her eyes and senses sharp. Still no trap came springing out from the shadows, trying to take her life and she was starting to get a little paranoid. She kept expecting anything to jump out at her and tried to kill her. She stopped suddenly, hearing a sound close by. She looked towards the source of the sound and realized that the wall has been following her since she left the park. Plus the noise was coming from the wall too. Curious, she stared at the wall. A small groove opened up in the center of the wall and she felt a rush of air, escaping from the opening. Rumiko's eyes snapped opened and she drove to her side just as a saw came spinning out of the groove.
Okay, so maybe I spoke to soon, Rumiko thought, looking up at the whirling saw.
Rumiko watched at the saw retracted back into the wall from where it came from, it's sound dieing down. Suddenly she heard the same sound, coming from beneath her and she rolled outward as the saw coming out from where she just was. She quickly jumped to her feet and watched as that saw returned to where it came.
Rumiko waited for a few moments to see what the next trap No more traps were triggered and she relaxed slightly. Keeping her senses alert for anything unusual, she resumed her journey. She didn't take more then five steps when she heard this noise. It sounded very much like a swinging rope, holding something heavy. Rumiko looked over her shoulder and saw nothing. Returning her eyes forwards, she took one more step forward. Suddenly a pendulum appeared beside of the model. Rumiko saw the thing and jumped back just before the thing would took her head off. Small strain of blonde hair fell to the ground below the pendulum.
Blast that Kai and his cloaking spell, Rumiko thought angrily, glaring at the pendulum.
Now, that she had triggered it, Rumiko could see more pendulums behind the first one. There were six in total, five more behind the one Rumiko was looking at. They were each swinging at their own speed, making it hard to find a pattern to cross through.
Rumiko studied the pendulums, trying to determine the best possible way to get through, but they was just to fast for Rumiko to get a good beat on them. The only thing she could figure out was that the first pendulum was the fastest of the six. And all of the pendulums were to close to jump in and study the next one.
"No guts, no glory," Rumiko muttered to herself and got into a splinting position.
Rumiko's muscles tensed as she stared intently at the pendulum, waiting for the right time. The first pendulum swings to the right and Rumiko acted. She took off, splinting pass the first one with ease. The second one was just swinging into center, so Rumiko used the momentum she gained from her splint to jump over it. The third one was in the process of swinging down and would have taken her out, if she haven't rolled into ball the second she hit the ground. She was nearly there. There were only three more lifted and she would have gotten through this with only loosing a few locks of hair.
The last three were actually the slowest and Rumiko made it through them easily. She only lost a few more locks of hair in the process. The famous model stood in front of pendulum, watching as their melded into the shadows, one by one. Once the final one faded away, Rumiko sighed in relief. She was slightly winded from running through that gauntlet, but it was nothing she was used too.
Rumiko was about to move on, when suddenly the area she standing on, opened up and she fell in. She let out a small cry of surprise as she fell into another one of Kai's traps. She looked below her and saw some very sharp spikes, rushing up to meet her. Without thinking, the blonde warrior stuck her hands and feet out and touched the sides of the pit. Surprise quickly subsiding, she press her limbs tight to the wall, hoping to stop herself before she reached the spikes. She slowed slightly, but still the spikes were still coming fast. Desperate, she pressed her hands tighter to the wall and squeezed her eyes shut. Her hands were starting to burn from all of the pressure that was being forced onto to them, but still she kept them tight to the wall. She stopped mere inches from what men would call the point of no return.
Rumiko was almost afraid to open her eyes in fear of what she might see. After a long moment, she forced herself to creak open one eye. What she saw caused her to break out in a cold sweat. She was just close enough to be barely touching the tips of the spikes. This was one of these times, she was glad to be born a woman. She crocked her neck up and looked at the entrance to this trap.
"Well, at least he didn't make the hole disappear," Rumiko muttered nervously to herself.
Looking away from the hole, she studied the position she had gotten into. It looks like she could climb up, but she would have to be very careful. One slip up and she would meat a horrible end.
Taking two short breathes; Rumiko returned her eyes to the hole. She then began slipping her hands up while pushing her feet up at the same time. Slowly she pulled away from the dangerous pointed objects. She kept up this and soon was up half way. She felt like smiling, but kept from it, in fear that any sort of distraction would end badly.
(With Kai and his icy slave)
"Saws. Pendulums and now traps holes?" IceDevimon asked and shook his head in disgust. "As few as your plans go, human, this is far the worse one."
"You really think so?" Kai asked in his smooth composure.
Kai had fashioned a chair of darkness from his zone and IceDevimon were leaning against it. The two where currently watching Rumiko climb out of the trap hole through the orb of truth. Kai was thoroughly enjoying watching his sister squirm so much. IceDevimon on the other hand, thought this was just a big waste of time. He thought action should be directed and not all of this cloak and dragger stuff that Kai was into. But he knew with the stupid spell around his neck, he had no choice but to follow this fool for the time being.
"Yes, I do!" IceDevimon snapped angrily at his master. "Do you actually think a warrior like your sister would fall for these second rate trap?"
Kai just bushed off his slave's tone with a composed smile. "I don't expect these traps to trip up my darling sister."
"Then what are they for?" IceDevimon yelled in Kai's ear.
"They meant to wear my sister out," Kai answered in his smooth voice. "My real trick is at the end of this little gauntlet."
IceDevimon growled to himself in frustration and looked away. He hates how calm and composed his master is. It actually remained IceDevimon a lot of himself, before the dino breath defeated him with the help of that fox. He also hated of how Kai was so sure that his plans would never fail, that also reminded IceDevimon so much of himself.
The icy devil looked around the small room, searching for anything to take his frustration out on. The room that the two tyrants were in, wasn't actually a room, but more like a closed off section of the magical dimension zone. It would count as a middle-sized room. It has four walls, but no ceiling. If someone would to look up, all there would see is the endless dark abyss.
Personally, IceDevimon hated it with all of his heart. It didn't have his unique style. He still could remember all of the lairs he created when he was back in the digital world. He wouldn't delete a defeated foe. Instead, he would freeze them in ice and treat them like art. He would only get rid of them when he was either tired of looking at them or when he got a new piece of art to look at. He missed those days and long to be back doing what he's does best.
IceDevimon was getting angrier by the second. There was nothing in this dark place for him to vent his frustration on and it was causing him to get more frustrated. He looked in the center of the room and saw a sight that only made him even more anger.
In the center of the room was a small cage, made from the same material as the room. In the cage was none other then the cursed tamers, in a deep sleep thanks to a spell cast by Kai when IceDevimon had delivered them here. IceDevimon walked up to the cage and growled to himself.
Rika and Takato were cuddled close to together, no doubt dreaming of wondrous things. Rika had a small burn make on her lift side, about a few centimeters from the center. Takato has a swallowed tail from all the rough handling IceDevimon did while coming here, but in the end, they were basically unharmed. IceDevimon continued to stare down at the ones who helped caused him all of this pain and suffering.
The icy devil had a changed his mind while on route him and decided to delete them before reaching Kai. But he had surprised him with the second spell that was came with the stupid bracelet. If IceDevimon would to take any action that wasn't the one Kai gave him, the bracelet would release a painful, almost numbing shock to IceDevimon system, stopping him from deleting the two cursed tamers. And he couldn't take it off until he reached the evil sorcerer. Truthfully the viral digimon was getting sick and tired of all of Kai's underhanded tricks.
IceDevimon's right hand began twitching as nasty thoughts begin popping into his twisted mind. He could easily dispose of these two and thanks to the deep sleep spell, neither would make a sound. All he had to do was raise one claw and quickly pierce through the cage.
The icy devil quickly looked over his shoulder and saw Kai glued to his Orb of Truth. He was obvious enjoying watching his sister pain and wouldn't noticed anything else. IceDevimon returned his eyes to the cursed tamers, a wicked grin quickly spreading across his face. He reached out his right-clawed hand, positing it over the cage. He held the claw in place for a moment, savior this moment. Then, with a widening grin, he thrust his hand down.
Like a falling star, the claw quickly descended, straight for the cursed tamers. Down, down, it want, almost as if the claws had claimed a life of their own and was doing it out of their own free will. The look of pure joy was lining IceDevimon's eyes as he watched his claws fly free to their destiny. His eyes suddenly widened in shock as a familiar sensation overtook him. His claws stopped a mere inch from the cage.
IceDevimon collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. He quickly grabbed the glowing collar around his neck and began pulling with all of his strength. But no matter how hard he pulled the collar wouldn't loosen nor let fresh air into his lungs. He turned his head in the direction of Kai and was surprised to see that Kai was still watching his orb of truth.
"If you have forgotten, this is my zone," Kai replied coldly, still watching the orb. "Even if my eyes are not on you, I still knows what happening in my zone."
If IceDevimon wasn't gasping for air, he would have threw an insult Kai's way. So, he had to settle for a menacing glare. Kai smiled when he felt the glare he was getting. He loves to mass with the icy devil's head and he was wondering how long before he tried something.
"I hope you learn not to be rude when you're someone else home," Kai joked coldly and thrust his hand open.
Instantly after Kai opened his hand, the spell on the collar was halted and IceDevimon could breath again. By now he was use to when Kai activates the spell collar, but it still takes his breath away. As he caught his breath, IceDevimon continued to glare at Kai. His hatred for Kai grew each time he uses that spell on him. He vows when he was free from the stupid thing, he would return all the pain he has caused him, only much worse.
"Hey, Ice Boy!" Kai called over his shoulder. "If you're done sulking, you would want to see this!'
IceDevimon continue his glare for about a minute, before dropping it and sighing lightly. He decided watching the human was better then doing nothing at all. He got to his feet and looked at the cursed tamers one last time. His vengeance would have to wait for another day. He then looked toward Kai and walked away from the cage.
(With Rumiko)
The famous model sighed in exhaustion as she leaned up against the "wall" that has been following her since she left the "park". She been running for what seemed like hours and she was wearing out fast. She has to dodge saws, get pass pendulums and avoid traps holes. It doesn't sound that hard, right? Well when you have more saw appearing each time and more pendulums appearing, it wasn't a walk in the park. Plus when trap holes are widening doesn't help either.
"I have to give it to him on this one," Rumiko muttered coldly. "This is sure one tricky trap he roped me into, but I'm not going to give up that easily."
Rumiko pushed off the wall and resumed her quest to get out of this crazy place, the wall following her as she walked. The famous model walked for what seemed like hours on end, the only source of company she had, was her echoing feet. She kept her eyes between her front, the wall and the ground, just in case another one of Kai's tricks popped up. Surprisingly, no traps were triggered. In fact, there haven't been any traps in a good while and though she was glad about it; she was also starting to get paranoid. She knew when something wasn't happening; it meant that Kai was about to pull something big.
She fastened her pace, suddenly eager to find the cursed tamers and get as far away from here as possible. She stopped suddenly as she realized something was missing. The echo that followed her footsteps had vanished. The fear was starting to build in her as she looked around, expecting to see some of Kai's traps springing from the shadows. That's when she noticed something else was missing. The wall that has been following her from the start of all of this has also vanished. The air has also become thicker, like when Kai was talking to Rumiko. The famous model also felt a little heavier.
Rumiko was now close to panicking, but she quickly pushed that back into her mind. She knew if she looses it at this point, she would be giving Kai the upper hand. She'll bet that what Kai would want too. He would liked to see his former little sister going into a panic, but she wouldn't gave him that pleasure. She would tough this out and wins over her former brother.
Rumiko took a step forward and she felt the ground pulse beneath her. Curious, she looked down and saw that the shadow beneath her was a different shade. While the surroundings around her were a blackish blue, the shadows beneath her were a pure black. And it pulse with a live of it's own. Rumiko kneeled down and touched the shadow. It's felt like a rough silk.
The shadows suddenly shoot ahead and Rumiko jumped up. The shadow lifted the space beneath the model's feet and centered in a circle about five feet from her. Rumiko tensed up, sensing impending danger. The shadow set there, motionless. It soon began bubbling. At first it was just little water bursts. Then it began bubbling more intensely. Now it was shooting from bursts of shadowy water like a geyser. Suddenly, the entire puddle just rose up, matching Rumiko height.
The underground street fighter got into her usual fighting stance, readying herself for anything that might come from that shadow. The shadow just stood there, like taunting Rumiko into attacking. But she kept her ground. The shadow pulsed again and it began going through another change. The shadow split up the middle and formed what appeared to be legs. Large pieces of the thing shoot out from its sides. Fingers grew out from the tips of the ends. The center of the body was divided into two halves. One for the head and the other half made up the body. Suddenly the entire thing just collapsed in on itself and it resulted in the final from of this shadow creature.
Rumiko gasped lightly when she saw the final form of the strange creature before her. It was a shadow copy of the famous model herself. It has everything that original did. Right down to the ill-fitting jacket. The Shadow Rumiko stood in the spot where it formed, head titled down and eyes closed. The only sigh that this thing was even alive was the small twitching of the fingers.
Shadow Rumiko pulsed again and the real Rumiko quickly got tensed up. The shadow clone slowly raised it head up, straightening it up. Its "eyes" snapped opened and what the real Rumiko saw, scared her. Where there should have been eyes, were only swirling, black vortexes. It was like these "eyes" were trying to suck Rumiko's very soul into them
Shadow Rumiko titled its head to the right, sizing up the real thing. It suddenly snapped into a stance that mirrors Rumiko's own fighting stance exactly. Rumiko narrowed her eyes, sizing up her shadow copy. The stance was prefect. It was almost like Rumiko was looking into a black mirror. It was creepy and a little frightening at the same time.
So, Kai thinks he can shake me up, can he? Well he's has another thing coming, Rumiko thought sternly.
She then charged at the shadow clone and surprisingly, the clone did the same thing. Rumiko ignored this fact and threw a punch with all of her might, intending to smash that copy in half. The clone also threw her fist out and the two meant. Normally this would end in a draw, but this wasn't an ordinarily fight. The fist that had locked with Rumiko's fist began swelling up. It swelled up to twice its normal size and then exploded, releasing a wave of dark energy. The energy pushed against Rumiko, quickly forcing her away from her shadow clone. Rumiko managed to keep herself balance as she fought against the dark energy pushing against her.
The energy continued to force the blonde warrior back. It pushed her two feet away from the shadow clone and it suddenly stopped. Rumiko quickly got her bearings and look at her clone. She was surprised to see all of that energy she was just fighting against, being pulled back into the clone. Once it has reabsorbed all of the energy, a tangle of shadow, shoot out of the limb were the arms was and quickly reformed.
"Okay, I wasn't excepting that," Rumiko muttered in sarcasm.
Rumiko resumed her fighting stance and the shadow clone mirrored her. The two stood there for the longest time. Rumiko was trying to figure out how to beat this thing while the clone was just waiting for Rumiko to make the first move.
Okay, this thing can mirror me and blocks all of my moves and threw all my energy back at me, Rumiko thought, going over everything she just learned about this creature. Suddenly an idea popped into her head. What if I could trick this thing and caused it to explode when I'm nowhere near it?
Rumiko crouched down and spread her arms out to their fullest length. Her fingers tips were just barely toughing the ground of this strange place. Her head was up, looking straight ahead. If someone would see her at the moment, they'll say that she looked like a bird, readying to take to the air.
Rumiko was about to perform one of the few techniques that her late husband has taught in their short time together. It was called the soaring shadow. Like any other techniques in the shadow fighting style, it needs prefect timing or everything would fall apart. Basically the move is just a lunging charge, but the difference is in how the charge ends. When the two fighters were toe to toe, the user of the Soar Shadow wall leap over their opponent and kicked them in the back. While they were off balanced, the user of the Soar Shadow would rebound off the ground and stuck them again.
Shadow Rumiko mirrored the real Rumiko and got into the same position. Rumiko glare at the shadow copy, studying the stance it was in. It was mirroring the stance perfectly, but Rumiko was counting on that. Rumiko doubted that this copy could get the timing down when it was needed. Rumiko couldn't even get the Soaring Shadow down when she first tried it.
"Lets see if you can do this?" Rumiko asked the copy coldly.
The shadow copy didn't reply, instead it titled it head to its side. Rumiko grinned when learned that she could do something that copy couldn't. She turned serious and prepared to execute the Soaring Shadow. She leaned forward slightly, so the palms of her hands were firmly set on the ground. She then charged in, keeping low to the ground. The shadow copy mirrored her in every step of the way.
The blond warrior and her copy rushed at each other like two missiles on a collision cause. Just when Rumiko was toe to toe with her copy, she leapt up. Unfortunately, Shadow Rumiko was just as quick and light on her feet as the real thing and she jumped at the same time as Rumiko. The two slammed against each other and the shadow clone instantly swelled to twice its normal size. The clone exploded, releasing a massive wave of dark energy onto Rumiko.
"UUUUUUUURRRRGGGHHHHHH!" Rumiko screamed as she went flying backwards.
The famous model went spinning out of control as she tried disparately to regain control of herself. But the dark force engulfing her, made it hard to move one finger, let along her entire body. She went flying about 30 feet before she finally came down. Then she skidded about an extra foot.
Rumiko lay there, motionless. It looks like it was the end of the line for the self-proclaimed shadow fighter. Suddenly, she let out a light couch and her body began twitching. She slowly opened her eyes and let them focus. She then tried to get up, but was only came with overwhelming pain in her back. She decided to lie there until the pain subsided.
Great, Rumiko thought sarcastically. I lay here, Batter and broken, while that thing rebuilds itself. Fresh and smelling like a rose.
(With Kai and IceDevimon)
The two tyrants watched Rumiko suffering through the orb of Truth, both enjoying it to their fullest. IceDevimon had to admit he was enjoying this. He only wished that its one of his rivals suffering at the hands of a shadow clone, instead of the human.
Kai on the other hand, was completely and thoroughly enjoying this. He was close to crying tears of joy. He had waited for years on end and want through a lot of pain to see this moment. He only wish he could witness this moment in person.
"I hate to admit this human, but this is one good spell," IceDevimon said coldly. "Why haven't you used it before?"
"There's just a small problem with this spell," Kai said casually, not looking away from the orb.
"Hmm," IceDevimon crossed his arms and looked around with his eyes. "Let me guess, the spells power isn't as good in the light then in the dark, right?"
Kai looked at IceDevimon with his eyes as a small smirk spread across his face. "Once again, you're simple mind fail to understand the complexity of the spell."
IceDevimon glared in Kai's direction as the evil sorcerer looked back at the Orb of Truth. If there was one thing IceDevimon hated most of all was being called simple minded. Those thoughts began popping into the icy devil's head again and he quickly began tipping one claw against the cursed collar around his neck. He let the faint, metallic sound calm his nerves.
"Then what is the real reason you don't use this spell more often?" IceDevimon asked, keeping his jaw set so not to gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"This spell had no resistance with any forms of light," Kai answered without taking his attention away from the show. "Rather it's man made or otherwise."
Ah, I see now, IceDevimon thought, casting his eyes over the area again. He created this place of pure darkness so no light can portrait it.
"Ow, she getting up," Kai said in a smooth, moonstone voice.
IceDevimon looked at that the orb of truth to see the female human slowly rising to her feet. Shadow Rumiko had long since pulled herself back together and was patiently waiting for her opponent's next move. Rumiko got to her feet, only to fall to her knees as she gripped her chest in pain. The famous model slowly looked at the clone, as if studying it.
IceDevimon grinned, despite all of the heavy anger in the air. He was looking forward to what the human would try and do next. Just then something crossed the icy Devil's mind that causes his grin to turn into a light frown.
Wait. Wasn't the whole purpose of this to get some hair from this human? IceDevimon asked himself and then looked at Kai.
He thought about bringing this up with Kai, but noticed quickly how absorb he was this show he was and decided to wait. Beside he didn't care if they get what they need as long the human get taken out. Then the fox and her dino breath boyfriend will full easily.
(Back with Rumiko)
"Okay, maybe getting up prematurely wasn't one of my better ideas," Rumiko muttered with her gasping breathes. "That stupid clone is just standing there."
The famous model was in a real bound. If she attacks, that clone would just counter her and exploded. If she didn't attack, she would be safe while the curse tamers were be in immediate danger. And that's something Rumiko couldn't live with.
I can't win! Rumiko screamed angrily in her head. That thing can mirrors by best techniques and just threw their power into my face.
Rumiko tried to think of any weakness she might have uncovered about this thing during their brief fight, but she was drawing a big fat blank. The shadow clone could copy her to the littlest detail and with her body in its broken state, she couldn't hope to even harm a feather, let alone a clone that knew all of her moves.
I can't win, Rumiko thought, her anger giving away to sorrow. Oh, Renamon. Do I wish you and Guilmon were here. Then we might have a shoot of winning. But I wish you where here the most. You'll know just want to do to win.
Suddenly she felt the air around her became less thick and easily to breath. The atmosphere also became a lot colder and more comfortable to be in. Rumiko felt a pair of warm, caring arms wrapped around her and she felt a strange, yet familiar energy entering her. Her body last of sigh of exhaustion and she melted into this feeling. It was like the first time she meat her late husband and the time they reunited.
"You're never alone, my wildcat," A soft, caring voice spoke into Rumiko's ear.
Rumiko's eyes snapped opened fully when she heard that name and recognized that voice. It was Matt, her beloved husband. And that energy she was feeling, was his loving arms, wrapping themselves around her. It was giving her the power and strength she needed to go another round. She rose to her to feet, feeling like a million bucks.
"Remember, Wildcat, you're strength is your heart," The ghostly voice of her husband spoke lovingly in her ear.
Rumiko felt the voice of her husband fading into the darkness, and yet, his love reminded around her. She stood in place, pondering her husband's words carefully. She felt that there was a deeper meaning to his words, but if there was, she couldn't find it.
What did he mean, by my heart is my strength? She wondered and pressed her hand against the area where her heart was.
That's when she felt her hand pressing against something. She knew it wasn't the medical bag. She keeps that in the side pockets. She wondered what could be in the jacket and how it's there? She then remembered that Matt had long ago sewed an extra pocket long ago, but what could be in it?
Curious, Rumiko pulled her hand from her body and into the jacket. She reached into the extra pocket and pulled out whatever was in it. She took it from the jacket and looked at it. It was a small pouch, identical to the one that carries the Smith family remedy. But it was heavier then the other bag. Rumiko stared at the bag, pondering where it came from. Suddenly a memory clicked and she remembered where this bag came from.
It was about five mouths ago, just after Rika got trapped in her cursed form. Seiko thought with Kai being around, would make things a lot harder for the blonde underground fighter, even with her training. So to remedy this problem, the elder sorcerer gave her daughter the bag she's holding. Inside the bag were some metal beads, about the size of a pea. Seiko told Rumiko that one bead had great magic stored up in them, but there was also a warning with these beads. The magic in stored in a single bead was powerful, too powerful. It not only could hurt the user opponent, but the user itself. So Rumiko was told to use them wisely.
Where I couldn't think of a better time, then now, mother, Rumiko thought, opening the bag and looked into it.
The bag was about half full, which gave Rumiko plenty of beads to burn. The model thought about this quickly, but thoroughly as well. If these beads were as strong as Rumiko's mother made them out to be, then only a few would do. She held out the palm of her free hand and titled the bag slightly. Three beads dropped into Rumiko's palms and she decided that was enough.
Okay, mother, let see if you're magic is as great as you say, Rumiko thought, closing the bag and putting it back into the extra pocket.
She then kneeled down and placed the beads on the ground. She stood up and took a few stands away. The shadow clone watched all of this, confused. It couldn't copy this strange action and it didn't know how to reacted to any of this. But it did show a sigh of some level intellect by showing curiousness.
The beads suddenly began shacking slightly. They began picking up momentum and shacking more fiercely. Soon a thin lair of orange light coated around the beads. The grow build until it covered the entire bead from sight. Both Rumiko and her shadow copy stared at the beads in shock, surprise and confusion. Suddenly the beads exploded, releasing all of the light it has built up. In surprise, Rumiko got into a blocking position, shielding her eyes from all the intense light. The shadow copy, confused by what was going on, did the only thing it knows how to do. It copied the stance Rumiko was in.
The orange light shot out to all corner of the dimension zone, piercing through it and allowing the light of the outside world to shine through. Rumiko kept her eyes shielding. She could feel the warm glow of the light as it passed all around her. But it didn't hurt. Instead it felt like she was in a tanning booth. Maybe she would get a good tan out of all of this. Suddenly a horrible cry reached her ears and without thinking, lowed her arms, slightly. What she saw cause her to gasp lightly.
The shadow clone had several beams of light were piercing through it. It was thrashing about badly; trying it's hardest to break free of the bounding light. Another light cut through Shadow Rumiko from behind, adding more anguish to the creature painful cry. Rumiko became in traced by all she was witnessing and completely forget about shielding her eyes. More lights became converging on the copy, causing it to cry more viciously. It eventually stopped trashing, but it kept on screaming. The last few beams of light joined the rest of the beams and the creature cried it's last cry as the beams cut through the rest of it body, dissolving it completely.
(…)
Me: Well, I think, I'll end it here.
Rika: Well that's one thing I did mass about you, Space for brains.
Me: And what's that, you royal pain in the backside?
Rika (Grinning): The fact that you're a bad writer.
Me (Returning the grin): All right, I admit, I'm not that good, but that's why I do this. And again, I'm sorry for any reader that actually read my work, about me being so late with this. I hope to have no more interruption so I can continue with this story.
