Here is Chapter Four of Syedaabbas8's Private Challenge, Slavery.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
Matt stared at the number on his Glucose Monitor. For the first time in months, it was normal. Then why do I feel so rotten? He wondered, flopping backwards onto his bed. He closed his eyes, fighting another headache.
I don't need this right now…
Not when things were starting to stir up again in the Digital World.
Lying on his dark green comforter, Matt thought back to when he first met Gabumon. During their time in the Digital World, Matt had managed to keep his Diabetes a secret. He was accustomed to handling it on his own. Until the day Devimon broke apart File Island. Lost in a blizzard with Gabumon, Matt caught a cold that worsened into Hypothermia. Gabumon had saved his life. It was shortly after he awoke from the chill-induced coma, that he went into shock caused by low blood sugar. Barely able to walk Gabumon through the motions that would once again save his life—Matt spilled his secret to Gabumon.
It was then that he truly knew that Gabumon would do anything in his power to help him; even if that meant conquering shyness to give Matt his fur coat.
T8unking about Gabumon's fur made Matt feel itchy. He realized, with a sinking feeling, that he had been itchy a lot over the last few weeks. It wasn't just an annoying 'the mosquitoes are eating me alive' kind of itch, but an unbearable itching. So bad, that he had broken out in a rash a couple times.
Along with his other symptoms, Matt realized that it could only be one thing. His kidneys had stopped working again. He wasn't really surprised; this had been happening off and on since he was eleven years old. Dr. Kido had diagnosed him with a kidney disease whose name he couldn't quite remember. But it caused damage to the filters in his kidneys. He took medication for it, but sometimes that wasn't enough to keep his kidneys running.
Too tired to worry about it, too much stuff on his mind, Matt shrugged it off.
As long as I take my medicine, maybe it will sort itself out, he thought, rolling over and falling into a restless sleep, his worry for Gabumon giving way to nightmares.
The dungeon's heavy iron doors burst open, and Dragomon's massive form filled the entryway; although he was a water-type Digimon, he possessed the ability to walk on land. He moved swiftly down the hall, causing many of his captives to shrink back deeper into their cells.
Just his presence struck fear into the hearts of many Digimon. He was very powerful, and could bend the seas to his will. It had been said, that Dragomon was born from a computer virus that infiltrated the computer systems of ships, submarines, and other watercraft.
"You will rise and look at me," Dragomon commanded, the venom in his voice intensified by the sinister expression on his face.
The Digimon shuffled to the front of their cells, wary of his every move.
Dragomon spoke again. "I would assume by now that you've realized there is no escape," he said, addressing the entire dungeon. "The world you once knew is now gone. Your freedom is nothing more than a memory—you're here to serve new masters now."
"You'll never be able to break us!" Agumon shouted from the cell he shared with Biyomon. "The Digidestined will stop you—you won't get away with this!" He glared at Dragomon, praying that he wouldn't be made an example of because of his newfound bravery.
Dragomon was silent for a moment, but then his eyes took on a malicious glint. One of his tentacles shot out, flying towards Agumon and gripping him tightly around the throat.
"You insolent fool," he hissed as Gabumon's choking gasps filled the dungeon. "The DigiDestined are powerless against me, they have abandoned you." He locked gazes with Agumon, whose face was steadily turning blue.
"That's not true!" Biyomon protested, flying she was eye-level with Dragomon.
"Think what you like," Dragomon sneered, releasing Agumon, who fell to the ground like a limp rag doll. "I don't mean to burst your bubble of disillusion—but where were your precious DigiDestined when you were cowering from me like sniveling insects?"
Twelve pairs of eyes glowered fiercely at Dragomon, but he grinned unscathed.
"They'll come—you can't keep us locked up forever!" Veemon insisted.
"On the contrary, I have no intentions of doing so—you were brought here to work. From this point on, you're going to be rebuilding the Control Spires your human friends destroyed." Dragomon signaled to a group of SkullMeramon, who opened the cell doors, attached fetters to the legs of every Digimon, leading them outside.
Control Spires? Wormmon thought frantically. What reason did Dragomon and Daemon have to erect the Dark Towers? They already captured over half the Digimon population, and slaughtered the other.
A whip cracked painfully against Wormmon's back. "Hurry up!" a SkullMeramon growled.
Ken, please…we need you, Wormmon thought, stumbling to catch up with his friends. He hoped that Dragomon's words weren't true. Ken would never give up on him—but if the Digidestined attempted to rescue them, they would be walking straight into a trap.