Hazard of Hatred

by SorrowfulReincarnation

Picks up towards the end of "Runaway Locomon". Takato is forced to make a sacrifice, and is separated from his friends and family. Upon trying to return to the real world, he ends up in the eastern quadrant. And it slowly begins to seem like someone set this all up for a greater purpose...! And what has it all do to with the Digital Hazard? Season02xTamers Crossover. Rukato.

6. The contract

Everything necessary will be said at the end, I'm not going to keep this chapter from you anylonger. Enjoy~

---

Hazard of Hatred

ARC 2 - ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE

Chapter 4: The contract

"Guilmon..." I winced silently at the thought of my partner. The horrible image of Megidramon in the cage of light flashed in front of my inner eyes again, leaving me to sigh at the position I was in. Helpless. Lonely.

My gaze trailed over to the window to my left, and the world outside the school. I was trapped inside here.

Instead of being with Guilmon, trying to reach him, I was stuck in this school building in class, unable to do anything. It really didn't help, made me feel of even less worth than before.

It's been another week since I've met my partner again... One week since I had failed to get through to Guilmon. And since then, I've been nothing but a wreck, a shadow of my former self. Every day, I woke up early and felt tired, not getting enough sleep at night because the thoughts of Guilmon kept me wide awake.

This led to me being tired in school, often about to doze off in the middle of class. I hadn't met with Lilithmon during lunch breaks either, had told her that I needed time for myself. She had given me that time, had accepted my need for loneliness, to think things through.

Maybe that was the mistake, though, as thinking only made the pain worse... And the thought of how useless I was.

The Digital Hazard hadn't acted up again. Since my entire anger had been replaced by sadness, it had nothing to feed on, and had found no chance to become active on it's own.

My days had become dull, my will to live slowly drained from my body. First, I had been seperated from my home, my friends, my partner... And then had him taken from me by no one but myself. I was alone. Helpless.

I wanted nothing more but to turn time back to a point where nothing of this had happened. I wanted to turn time back to the day of Parasimon's attack, Rika's birthday. I wanted to defeat the parasite before it could create all the chaos that had led to me being in the Eastern Quadrant, and then enjoy Rika's birthday the way it had supposed to have been...

But I couldn't.

All I could was to sit here, crying silently to myself, slowly losing myself to grief and regrets...

"Would you kindly follow my lesson as well, Mr. Matsuda, or have I become that boring to you?"

The playful voice pulled me out of my thoughts and made me turn to the front of the class. Realizing I had been staring out of the window for the past ten minutes when I sent a glance to the clock above Lilithmon (or rather her disguise Uri Laxus), I let out a groan of displeasure, but blushed in embarrassment nonetheless.

Unable to look directly at her, I chose to stare somewhere to her left. It was because of that that I noticed the angry glares from nearly every male in the room, which in return made me groan inside my head. Lilithmon had become quite a popular subject among the boys, much to the displeasure of the female students of the class... And apparently, she hadn't only become a popular subject among my classmates.

That woman...

"I'm sorry, Laxus-sensei..." I murmured, "I've just been... thinking."

"About what? Care to share where your thoughts have trailed off to, young man?" she inquired, enjoying it as I cringed, "Perhaps a certain... girl?"

I felt my cheeks heat up. She was teasing me. She was teasing me, and she was enjoying it. She knew that I had been thinking about Guilmon, she was aware of my state of depression... Was this attempt to pull me out of it? If so, it really didn't help to embarrass me!

"N-none of your concern." I growled, forgetting who I was talking to for a moment. A teacher was the correct answer. A teacher that I had to respect, and not Lilithmon who I could be rude and daring to. I only remembered when she rose an eyebrow at me, frowning in confusion... before her lips curled up into a small smirk.

"Listen up, Mr. Matsuda!" she bellowed all of sudden with a strictness I wasn't used to from her, "Just because we're both from Shinjuku and I'm good friends with your mother doesn't mean that you can just treat me like that! I am your teacher more than a childhood friend of your mother now! So show some professionality and get these two apart!"

I cringed away, sunk deeper into my chair. I was kind of relieved that she had used my carelessness to finally voice the lie we had prepared so well to explain her slip of a tongue a week earlier, when she had accidentally called me by my first name... But she still scared me that moment.

"Perhaps you should step out for a moment to regain your composure, Mr. Matsuda. That was no suggestion, though." she continued, and I nodded meekly. Rising from my seat, I quickly made my way through the classroom and to the door, sliding it open with one hand.

"Oh and..." began Lilithmon anew, making me stop for a moment, "I expect you to show up in detention after school. This classroom."

I nodded quickly, slipped out of the door, but not without sending a last apologizing glance towards Lilithmon. One that she mirrored.

---

"...What was that about?"

Hearing TK mutter silently, Davis, Ken, Yolei, Cody and Kari leaned closer to the DigiDestined of hope.

"I don't know but... Takato has been behaving like that all week now. I'm kinda worried about him... Do you think someone close to him died?" whispered Kari towards the others, causing them all to frown in worry, even TK. As much as he didn't like Takato... This worried him as well. Takato was indeed behaving out of character, and hadn't even reacted to anything that TK had done in an attempt to make him accidentally spill anything.

"Something is definitely not right, at least... I asked him a week ago if he wanted to hang out with us and he seemed to be pretty eager to do so, since he hadn't found friends and all... But when I asked him again three days ago, he declined and said he had things to do." added Davis, surprising the others.

"Wait, what happened about being careful around him, Davis?!" growled TK silently, making sure that Laxus-sensei, who had turned her back towards them to write something on the board, didn't notice them whisper.

"I asked him before the whole thing with Matadormon happened! And besides, why can't I decide to spent time with him just because you don't like him? He seems like a nice guy!" shot the goggleheaded DigiDestined back.

"Will you stop it, you two? Now is not the time for pointless arguing! Especially considering that the two of you are both right! Davis, we agreed to be a little more careful due to TK's suspicions of Takato... And TK, we can't even be sure if you just don't like him or if he's really involved into all of this!" hissed the DigiDestined of light, making both boys flinch at being scolded.

"Sorry, Kari..." they sighed in unison, lowering their heads.

"I'm not entirely convinced that Takato may have nothing to do with this as well, but Laxus-sensei just destroyed our only lead at the two of them plotting something: She is indeed a close friend of his mother, which explains the slip of a tongue last week." commented the bluehaired genius of the group, making Kari and Yolei nod, while Cody just became all thoughtful.

"I'm not entirely convinced either, Ken, but... I think we should follow Davis' example and spend some time with Takato. If anything, that will either prove TK's accusations to be true, or will destroy his suspicions once and for all. We cannot get anything out of Takato unless we get closer to him. That's the only way to find out if he is indeed connected to this new incident." mused the youngest member of the second generation of DigiDestined.

"I agree!" concluded Yolei, causing everyone but TK to nod in agreement.

"Which leads me back to the incidents... Has anyone encountered a Digimon with a black datachip since Matadormon a week ago?" inquired Kari, sending questioning glances towards each of her friends. Everyone but Ken shook their heads, muttering something about 'only normal ones'.

"I have." he muttered after a few seconds of silence, "That means, I saw it. It was on my way home yesterday... I noticed a digital fog and immediately rushed in, ready to fight the Digimon inside, but it was already fighting against another Digimon."

"What?" hissed Davis, narrowing his eyes at his fellow DigiDestined.

"I just hadn't found the time to tell you yet. Anyways, the Digimon with the black datachip was a Harpymon. It had increased agility and strength, just like with Matadormon, but that's all that I saw before it had been defeated." sighed Ken, rubbing his temples slowly.

"By whom? Come on, don't make this a freaking mystery novel!" growled Davis in return, once more showing his impatient side. The others shot him an irritated glance, but Davis couldn't have cared less. He was getting riled up, the thought of more controlled Digimon making him angry.

"A LadyDevimon... Not the one we have encountered before, for all I know. This one had been much more powerful, able to defeat the Harpymon with two strikes without getting hurt herself... That aside, she had something that clearly distinguished her from any other LadyDevimon I have ever seen... Her right arm was enveloped in a large, golden, glove-like claw... I talked to Izzy about it already, and he's going to ask Gennai if he knows anything." replied Ken eventually, his face full of seriousness.

"A golden, glove-like claw?" repeated TK, Davis and Cody in confusion.

"It looked like that, at least. And it was able to impale Harpymon just like that..." sighed the blue haired genius of the second generation of DigiDestined.

"Hey, are you following my lesson or not?! Mr. Ichiyou, I didn't expect you of all people to be that disrespectful!" snapped a voice, causing the DigiDestined to cringe and turn to their furious teacher.

"I'm sorry, Laxus-sensei! It won't happen again!" they all shouted in unison, while Uri Laxus merely huffed and turned back to the board.

"Guh... Why can't she be a bit more tolerating with us like with Takato?" whined Davis, before his forehead hit the table.

This comment, however, merely made TK and Ken start thinking about the whole connection between Uri Laxus and Takato Matsuda, yet not fully pleased with the facts presented to them.

Little did they know that Uri Laxus, or rather Lilithmon, had let Takato leave the classroom because she had seen his despair and had wanted him to calm his thoughts outside, where there was no additional pressure put on him.

---

Meanwhile in the Southern Quadrant...

Shinjuku

"It's been... almost four weeks now." whispered Jeri, sitting on the opposite side of the table in the small café that the Tamers and I had met in. Not like I had wanted to come in the first place, my mind somewhere else... Actually on the topic that Jeri had been about to talk about. With little interest, I glanced up at her, but then glared down at my cellphone again and turned the volume of the song I was listening to up, not wanting to hear them whine and get all teary-eyed about that.

They hadn't even been there. They hadn't seen what Henry and I had seen... And Henry hadn't even seen what I had seen.

Nobody but me and Henry had seen Megidramon claw himself to death...

And he hadn't seen Guilmon turn into that beast...

I mean, I think it's good that Jeri didn't see Megidramon. I don't think she'd be able to stand it for a second time after what had happened the last time that Megidramon had been created... I myself had problems keeping my composure when I saw the dragon of hatred again, the raging beast of our nightmares.

But it was true... The others hadn't seen how Guilmon's innocent expression turned into one of sadness and anger in one moment. They hadn't been in my school with me and Guilmon when he goddamn turned into Megidramon inside the building, tearing it to shreds! We've been lucky that Guilmon and I had been in the entrance hall, which had no other rooms above it, or there would've been casualities as Megidramon rose to his full height.

He still did a lot of damage to my school... No one is going to use that for a while. Can't say that I am particularly disappointed about that. But seeing the innocent face of Guilmon, who had followed me to school like every other day since Gogglehead's disappearance, distorted into rage and sadness...

Well, after causing quite a lot of destruction to that private school for overly snobby girls that my mother had forced me to attend to, Megidramon had looked down at me for a last time, and had then lifted off the ground with his mighty, torn wings.

Renamon had been there instantly and had grabbed me, moving with me in her arms towards the midde of the city, following the hazardous dragon. When we arrived, Megidramon had already curled around Hypnos, the Digital Hazard symbol flashing on every eletrical device all around Renamon and me as we stood on the intersection in front of Hypnos and stared up at him and the dark clouds that had gathered above him.

It was like a repeat of the events back then, the foul winds, the raging beast, the Digital Hazard flashing everywhere, especially on his chest... Only that time, there had been no Takato, and no Beelzemon to stop him.

And that time, instead of destroying everything around him... He simply began clawing his own chest, the Digital Hazard glowing brightly on it, damaging his own chest until his body wasn't able to keep it's shape anymore after having taken too much damage.

He destroyed himself in front of my very eyes, the only thing that remained of Takato...

The only thing that had remained of Takato eventually let out a last shriek, fell off the building and crashed into the street before me, my own reflection staring back at me in the teary, empty eyes of the beast... before he began to delete, his data flying up into the heaven, into the vortex of dark clouds, which began to dissolve as the beast of a dragon had vanished.

There was nothing left of Guilmon and Takato now. Nothing but a memory.

It wasn't until a moment later that I realized that I hadn't only fallen to my knees, but had also picked up something that lay before me on the damaged street. A single fang of a dragon, as tall as my index finger, having broken out of Megidramon's mouth when his head had slammed into the ground.

It hadn't deleted with the rest of him...

A moment later, I felt a hand on my right shoulder, a paw on my left. Renamon and Henry stood there, staring down at me, as if to comfort me... Henry had seen everything from the moment that Megidramon began to attack himself, but from a greater distance.

Of course, Yamaki and the rest of Hypnos had seen the entire event as well... They were the ones who later came up with that idiotic theory of Takato having died, and Guilmon being unable to stand the loss of his partner, having felt it through their bond.

In my eyes, that was bullshit. I knew that the two of them were alive... I tried to convince myself each and every day, the reason why I refused to listen to the others being all teary-eyed.

How I knew that the two were alive?

That tooth of Megidramon, that fang... It hadn't deleted. It had remained... Guilmon was alive. That fang told me so... I wore the goddamn thing on a necklace around my neck now.

It was Guilmon's silent promise to return eventually with Takato, both being alive and well. Only when the fang would delete, would he have deleted as well...

And he would only delete if Takato was no more.

So until that fang breaks and deletes... I refuse to accept that Guilmon and Takato are dead.

They always keep their promises, even the unspoken ones.

I rose my left hand and clenched it around the fang on my necklace, ignoring the stares I was getting from the other Tamers, who didn't know where that fang had come from... And turned the volume of my music up to the max.

I wouldn't listen to their stupid whining about Takato and Guilmon being no more.

They don't seem to trust them enough... But I do.

I trust Takato and Guilmon with the life they had given me... Without them, I'd still be dead on the inside...

---

Eastern Quadrant...

Odaiba

The mood was anything but happy. In fact, the mood was pretty bad.

While I sat in my seat, glaring down at the empty piece of paper while trying to come up with something to draw, Lilithmon sat on the teacher's desk and was flipping through several sheets of papers, which I had identified as the homework of my classmates and me, which she had collected earlier.

With a long sigh, I tried to focus on anything that I could draw in particular, but couldn't come up with anything at all, something that had never ever happened to me before. Ever since I began to draw, and I had greatly improved since then, I had always come up with something to draw, no matter how insignificant.

Digimon, buildings, places, people, my parents, my friends, fantasy worlds and people...

But now, the paper refused to have anything on it, the pencil in my hand not moving a single bit.

There was nothing on my mind that I could draw... Nothing but Megidramon, Guilmon, the Digital Hazard and some dark scenes that I desperately wanted to forget.

Glaring over to the pile of drawings to my right, drawings I had made during my first days here in the Eastern Quadrant, I felt the weight on my shoulders increase, my body heavy with exhaustion and guilt.

It wasn't until two pale hands picked up the pile of drawings and began to flip through it that I looked up, finding Lilithmon standing right in front of me, smiling softly at my drawings.

"These are really good, you know?" she complimented me, before turning them around, "And I see you enjoy to draw that redhead of yours."

I felt my face heat up a little as she waved with the drawings that showed Rika and Renamon, either alone or together with the other Tamers. I admit that she was fun to draw, looking good in different positions and scenes, blending in or standing out. She was different from the other Tamers when it came to drawing them, and I always enjoyed drawing her into a scene the most...

"What do you mean with 'my readhead'? It's Rika, she doesn't belong to anyone!" I grumbled, not too happy with what she was indicating. Yes, I knew what she was implying... I'm not as dense as people tell me to be. Not always.

"That so? I would've guessed you'd be all over her... She's a cutie, ya know? And that tomboy-act of hers must be quite the..."

"Stop it. What do you really want?" I hissed, my anger getting the better of me as I interrupted her like that. To say that I was way more easy to irritate than ever before was an understatement... The whole things up to now had really begun to affect me, and even I became easy to irritate if I didn't get enough sleep.

"Quite the direct one, aren't we? Hmpf. Look, I'm trying to cheer you up, Mister Grumpy-Matsuda. Try to take your mind off the topic that is bugging you... It's like you fell into some dark hole and can't get out on your own, so I'm trying to help you get your lazy ass out of there!" snapped Lilithmon, surprising me. Apparently, I wasn't the only one fed up with how things were turning out.

"Since when do you care? It's about the Digital Hazard, isn't it? You know very well that the Digital Hazard won't work unless I can get angry... That's the only reason I am of importance, right?" I hissed, pushing the piece of paper away.

"That's not true, and you know it! I, for my part, do care about you! You aren't just some tool I want to use! Maybe you were at first, but that changed! You're different! You're not trying to get into my pants or anything, you don't like me just for my looks... That's why I want to get to know you better! I want to help you! I do care about you!" she objected, leaning closer, glaring at me.

"Then stop caring! Don't try to get attached to me... I'm starting to hate the Eastern Quadrant, and the moment that I'm done here, I'll return home!" I snapped back, jumping up, slamming my hands down on the table.

"Stop being unreasonable! Get out of your damn depression... Don't you see that people care about you? Maybe you aren't at home, but there are still people who want to get to know you, who are worried about you... The DigiDestined, Azulongmon, Beelzemon, Lucemon, me... So get your damn ass up and realize that we aren't just doing this for the Digital Hazard, and that the damn situation can still be changed! And it will only change if YOU get your ass up and actually do something about it!" she roared with a hint of finalization, slamming her fists down on the table as well, actually breaking it apart, sending my drawings flying everywhere.

The mood had turned from serious to dangerous. For a moment, I had almost forgotten who I was butting heads with - Lilithmon, a Digimon that had several times my own strength.

For a moment, it became silent. We both stood on one side of the broken table, glaring into each other's eyes, breathing heavily in our rage. Neither of us moved, savoring our rage for one another at that moment, until I suddenly lost all strength and anger, and fell back into my chair, hiding my face in my hands.

"What is wrong with me, Lilithmon? I mean... I know that you care. And I don't really hate this place..." I whispered, knowing that she'd very well be able to hear me, "...but lately, I've been thinking and saying things that I really don't want to... It's become worse since I saw Guilmon in that cage... It's like I can only look at things the worst way possible."

"It's the Hazard. It's affecting you." she sighed, sitting down on the table closest to the remains of mine. I looked up at her and frowned, pleading with my eyes for her to explain. She saw it and understood, nodded, but then crossed her arms in beneath her chest, closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"Lucemon warned us about that after the meeting during which you were present... It's why he doesn't want anyone to interfere with your development. You will have to learn how to deal with the personality of the Hazard, which will try to overpower your own one. You will have to change according to that, finding your own way to deal with it." explained Lilithmon, opening one eye to look at me.

"You mean that... The Hazard, which according to Lucemon is a sentient being, is trying to... to take me over?" I muttered, not quite believing what I had just heard. Up to now, I had been under the assumption that he'd just try to overpower me to get even more rage for him to feed on... But if Lilithmon was implying what I think she was, then the Hazard wasn't just trying to get my hatred and anger... He wanted my place. He wanted my body.

"In fact... Yes. That's what Lucemon suspects, at least. He suspects that the Digital Hazard will try to take over your body to be able to interact with this world. And it seems that Lucemon's theory is true, seeing as you begin to behave out of character... You best build up some stronger resistance against it, Takato, or that which we try to prevent is going to happen..." sighed the Demon Lord of Lust.

"I see... You don't want the Hazard to take my place... Then it finally makes sense what Lucemon told me about the incident back then, and what could've happened if I hadn't stopped myself... The Hazard could've and possibly would've taken me over..." I whispered, realization hitting me hard. So that's what Lucemon had been talking about...

"Look, don't worry about it for now, alright? As far as I can see and have understood Lucemon, your trauma that you have because of the Megidramon incident will prevent the Hazard from being able to take you over until you actually manage to overcome it... Which will be late in your training with Lucemon. He is not going to lift that barrier until you are ready to face the Hazard's full power." commented Lilithmon, probably trying to cheer me up...

Didn't really work. After all, being told that you had to fight a powerful, megalomaniac personality was trying to take your place to cause destruction doesn't really look like a bright future... Especially considering that it was already affecting you, being already in your body since god-knows-when, and it's personality also already leaking into yours in shape of unexplainable anger...

I clenched my fists, stared down at the ground, the bad aftertaste of being unable to do anything about the situation heavy in the air. I was stuck with powers I didn't want, in a place I didn't really want to be anylonger, without friends or my partner... The only people I could really rely on were Lilithmon and Lucemon... And I still wasn't sure if to trust them entirely. Sure, Lilithmon had proved to care about me, and Lucemon was trying to protect me from the Digital Hazard... But...

Well, we were talking about the Seven Great Demon Lords...

"You're thinking too much. Thinking only makes the situation worse... It's going to make you depressive, and we don't want that, do we? I know it's easier said than done, but you should try and stop thinking. Live for the moment, ya know? If you only care about the moment and stop looking back or ahead, you may be able to handle this a lot easier..." whispered Lilithmon, stepping over the broken table.

I looked up at her, almost as if in a trance. She stepped in front of me, rose a hand and ran it up my chin until only her index finger rested on it, gently held my head upwards. I didn't even struggle or resist as she stepped over me and sat down on my lap, making me frown at the little weight that she was. Her other hand roamed over my chest, up my neck, hesistated there and moved down to my left shoulder again, while the finger on my chin traced along my jaw until her hand eventually cupped my left cheek, making me blush slightly as I came to realize what position we were in.

"I could... Help you a little. I could take your mind off things for a moment..." she breathed, leaning closer until her hot breath was hitting my chin, "It may not last long, maybe one or two days, but... Wouldn't you want to forget rather than to suffer, even if temporarily?"

"What... are you talking about?" I whispered back, hissing as another hot breath of her hit my lower face. Was I really in such a position with Lilithmon? With a Digimon? Why was I actually thinking about whether or not to accept whatever she was offering me?

"Don't get me wrong... I'm not trying to flirt or to seduce you, not trying to offer something weird... I am Lilithmon, the Great Demon Lord of Lust. As such, I also represent the Demon that represents the seventh sin, Asmodeus of Lust... I am the Digimon that is possibly the most like the demon known to you humans as succubus. As such, I have similar powers... Powers of seduction, powers of lust. A mere kiss from me could make you think of nothing but what I want..." she continued.

She leaned closer, her breath getting hotter and hit my lips more often. Our noses were already touching, her lips just a breath away from mine. I couldn't snap out of the trance I was in, continued to stare at her full lips as they drew closer, and then those closed eyes of hers... That was, until her chest touched mine. Until I realized how close our bodies were. When that happened, I came to realize what was about to happen, and reacted quicker than I thought.

I pushed her off me, she stumbled backwards and almost fell over the broken table, but then regained her balance and frowned at me. We were both staring at each other, breathing heavily, both trying to understand the reason for each other's reaction.

"What...?" she began, but I shook my head and rose from my chair.

"Did you really just ask me that? Did you really believe I would rather feel nothing than to suffer? If so, you're wrong... I'd rather suffer knowingly than to stop feeling anything, because it wouldn't be me! I would feel things that aren't me! Lilithmon, I understand that you care, but... Let me suffer. I need this... I need this to control the Digital Hazard, but mostly for selfish reasons..." I muttered, taking two steps forward until it was only the broken table between us. I rose my gaze and stared into her eyes with all seriousness I could bring up.

"I need to suffer like this, or I'd feel like I'd betray my friends, my family and Guilmon... Forgetting them and not suffering because we're being apart, no matter how short this period of forgetting would last, would come equal to abandoning them forever." I added, before letting my gaze become hard with returning anger.

"I was about to accept your offer, you know? It would mean that I'd stop to suffer... You can tell me what to say, you can tell me what to feel, you can tell me where to go... I doubt that I'd care. But then, I remembered those friends that I have, and that I'd betray..." I turned away as I continued, turned to the window and stared at the setting sun lingering on the horizon.

"And I remembered what Lucemon said... About me being easily influenced as long as I am learning how to control the Hazard. And because of that, Lilithmon, let me ask you one question..." I turned back to her, "If I would have accepted and would've let you numb the pain, would me making another move not mean that there'd be no turning back? Because everything would change, everything..."

I rose my right hand and showed her the back of it, well aware that the Hazard was glowing brightly on it.

"I'm tired of the pain already, the misery inside. I wish I could continue to live, not feeling anything like that, and I would have accepted your offer if this thing here, the Digital Hazard, wouldn't be... I carry a great responsibility because of this thing. And because of it, I don't even know who I am anymore... I've forgotten how to be Takato Matsuki, I've forgotten, and would love nothing more than to learn how to be the carefree guy again that I've been only a few weeks ago, my only worry in the world how to make Rika's birthday the best thing she ever experienced..." my voice became raspy and I felt tears drawing near.

"Instead, I ruined it. And the guilt is now heavy upon my shoulders. And this thing here only makes it worse... It makes my heart, formerly innocent, black... Is there a way to return my heart to white, Lilithmon? Because I've already closed my eyes to that around me... I've forgotten how to see, forgotten if I can... And..." I clenched my hand to a fist, causing the Digital Hazard's crimson light to become even brighter as surpressed anger came through, and the tears finally rolled down my cheeks.

"This thing here keeps on whispering in my head that, if I open my eyes, which are now heavy with guilt... It whispers that opening my heavy eyes would destroy it all.. And somehow, I want to turn it all..." I sniffled, "There is this other voice in my head, my voice, and it always responds to that question with a single sentence..."

"If opening my heavy eyelids means to destroy it all, Lilithmon, then... Then let it all turn black."

The Great Demon Lords mouth fell open and her eyes widened. I must have been a pitiful sight, standing in front of her like that while crying, telling her the twisted desire that my own voice whispered to me in my nightmares.

"Takato, don't...!"

"I'll not give into that voice's request, Lilithmon. I'm not tempted by it... Not unless you do something that makes my worries, my guilt, my suffering, which is holding this voice back, vanish... That's why I can't take up your offer. Because I'd not only never be able to forgive myself for abandoning my family and friends... But also because I'd lose myself. I'm scared, Lilithmon. Scared of my own twisted desires of destruction, scared of the Digital Hazard... Scared of myself."

It became silent, the only thing echoing through the classroom my occasional sob. Lilithmon kept staring at me, and I eventually just dropped back into my chair and lowered my head. At least the tears stopped at that moment, and I felt myself calming down little by little. It was still a long way to accept what I was feeling, but I'd have to go it... And along the way, I would have to learn how to control the Digital Hazard.

I don't know how much later it was that I had finally calmed down and had allowed Lilithmon to at least try to comfort me. I couldn't deny that the warmth of her body as she held me wasn't calming me down, helping me to relax. It wasn't a motherly embrace, but also not one of love... It was one of comfort, to share the grief, to make it bearable.

And I was more than thankful towards Lilithmon for being there.

"Better?" she whispered into my ear after an eternity. I nodded into her shoulder, even though I wasn't entirely sure about that. I almost winced in displeasure, displeased with the warmth suddenly being gone. It had been so comforting, so relaxing... While she hadn't used her powers to make me forget, at least her embrace had soothed the pain, even if only temporarily.

"Come on now... It's getting late. We should fix this mess here and leave..." smiled Lilithmon, nodding towards the broken remains of my table, "Or do you want to stay here overnight with your teacher?"

I sighed and shook my head, even allowing myself to smile a little. Lilithmon... Even though she had many different sides to her, she always stayed the same. It's weird to explain, but this woman had shown so many faces now, and it was intriguing me. Not in a way that would mean love or affection... She was just kind of a mystery to me, one that I didn't even want to solve, just because it would mean that she wouldn't surprise me again.

Somehow, I enjoyed being surprised by her. It made this whole mess a lot more endurable... I don't know if I could call her that already, but the idea of her being a friend began to draw closer and closer... I knew that I could rely on her, she had just proven it again, after all...

I rose from the chair I sat in and moved over to the broken table. We both grabbed one half of the table and carried them out of the room in a comfortable silence, down the hall to the janitor's office, where we put them next to the locked door. We both knew he wouldn't be pleased to find a broken table in front of his office as the first thing in the morning, but we really didn't want to leave the remains of our fight in the classroom...

The remains of our bond growing stronger, that was.

On the way back to the classroom to pick up our bags, I took a broom and a dustpan with me, finding both in an unlocked closet. Lilithmon, on the other hand, went into one of the other classrooms and carried a table from it to our classroom, to replace the one we had broken, and to not leave back anything that would lead to us regarding that broken table.

So while I took care of the splinters of wood, she replaced my table. Only when we both were sure that nothing was left back that would hint at us having fought, did we both grab our bags and leave the school building. We were just off the school grounds, heading towards the sun that had now nearly completely set while just having started our first attempt at a conversation after nearly going at each other's throats, when it happened.

My cellphone let out a single noise.

Lilithmon frowned at me, and I frowned back, confused as to who would message me now. Until now, only Azulongmon and Lucemon had done so, and the latter one was still on his mission.

"Where are you going after school, anyways?" I muttered as I pulled the cellphone out of my pocket, my gaze resting on Lilithmon, "Are you going back to the Digital World every time?"

She shrugged at that, not letting a single emotion change her expression. I rose an eyebrow at that, but then turned to my cellphone to see who had messaged me at this time.

"Not every time... I have a nice little apartment not too far away from yours, just in case that something would go wrong and you'd need help. I've got a computer there with an active gate to the Digital World." she replied, before she peered down at my cellphone, "Now, who is that message from?"

I frowned, having almost forgotten why I had that thing in my hand, but then nodded and opened the message. To both our surprise, the sender was nobody else but Lucemon.

"Digital World in twenty minutes. A gate is awaiting you in your apartment. If Lilithmon is with you, tell her that I'll talk to her afterwards, but that she is not allowed to come along." I read out loud, before sharing a confused glance with Lilithmon, "Seems he already finished his mission..."

The Demon Lord of Lust nodded, just as confused as me about Lucemon's sudden message... It seems that he was a mystery even to her. But what else would one expect from the leader of the Demon Lords, and one who wielded part of the powers of the Digital Hazard? He certainly wasn't someone easy to see through...

"Well, I guess I still tag along if you don't mind. I'll just stay at your apartment until you and Lucemon are done with whatever he wants from you." huffed the Great Demon Lord aside me, and I nodded, seeing nothing wrong with letting her stay at my place until I was done with whatever Lucemon wanted. Maybe it wouldn't feel as empty and lifeless if someone other than me would occupy it at least for a little while...

With my mind entirely focused on wondering what Lucemon wanted and if his mission had been a success, a bored Lilithmon and I returned to my apartment. I couldn't even remember how I got from the school grounds to my apartment until Lilithmon suddenly pulled me into a doorway, pressing herself tightly against me while glaring stealthily around the corner at something I couldn't see... But hear.

"I still wonder about that Digimon that Ken saw..." I heard Kari mutter, "I mean, a LadyDevimon with a golden claw? I never heard of such a thing..."

"Well, it's not like we haven't wondered if there was someone fighting against those Digimon with the black datachips..." came Cody's reply, nonchalantly as ever.

"Still, a LadyDevimon? A bad Digimon, fighting against the bad side? It's a little unlikely, isn't it? Maybe Ken just thought it was a LadyDevimon and it was some other Digimon..." snorted TK. Hearing this, I frowned up at the taller Demon Lord, which was still pushing me up against that door. Now I knew why she had done it... To hide us from the DigiDestined at the end of the corridor. She must have heard them leave TK's apartment...

Anyways, she didn't even have to nod for me to know that she was this LadyDevimon with the golden claw - Her Nazar Nail, which was part of her Mega Form Lilithmon. Apparently, she was able to keep it even as she dedigivolved...

"I don't know, but we shouldn't just jump to conclusions until we know more about this... After all, you're still suspicious of Takato and that biology teacher, TK. If we just continue to accuse people like them, and Digimon like a LadyDevimon, this is getting us nowhere. We need facts, not ideas and weird accusations, that for sure..." sighed a clearly irritated Yolei.

"I'm not just accusing them, I know that something is wrong with them!" countered TK the moment that Yolei stopped, "I have no idea why, but every time I'm around Takato, I get this feeling that all hope is lost... Even now, I can tell that he is in this building! Look at this! It's like my crest is being drained of it's power... Just look at the damn thing!"

The sound of an object hitting the ground made me perk up, and I shared another glance with Lilithmon. She nodded, then gently turned sideways and allowed me to glance around the corner of the doorway as well.

What I saw shocked me. It was TK, standing in front of Yolei, Kari and Cody, a small object lying to his feet.

The necklace with the crest of hope in it. I recognized it easily, especially now that I had my own version of the crests... But what I did not recognize was the lack of color it had. The orange color of the crest of hope inside the golden pendant had faded to a dull gray, ocassionally flickering in a weak shine of it's old color. It was indeed as if it had no power at all.

Slowly raising my right hand, I glanced down at the back of it. The Digital Hazard was not present, was not reacting... I was about to sigh in relief that i wasn't the Digital Hazard that was causing this reaction of TK's crest, when I remembered the necklace around my own neck. The necklace, that suddenly seemed to weigh a ton.

Lilithmon and I stared at each other as I rose my right hand to the collar of my hoodie and slipped it in, getting a hold of the black string that the golden pendant with the crest of hatred hung on. Pulling it up until the golden pendant became visible, neither of us had to look a second time at it.

The crest was glowing a malicious crimson, shining brighter than ever before.

It was feeding on power of TK's crest of hope... No, it was overpowering it, and feeding on the hopelessness that resulted due to the hope being gone. The Digital Hazard had found another source of 'food'...

The Digital Hazard was getting stronger even without me feeding it my hatred.

"And you think this has to do with Takato...?" I heard Kari mutter uneasily as she bowed down to pick the crest of hope up to get a better look at it. Lilithmon and I simply stared at one another in meantime, our eyes wide in shock. She had realized as well that the Hazard was doing this, and why.

"It's been happening ever since this weird mood of Takato started... It's been one week now. And whenever I get close to him, my crest reacts like this. It didn't happen before... And once I get away from him, the crest starts to regain it's old color and power." hissed TK, taking the crest out of Kari's hand.

"That could prove to be problematic... If it really has no power in such a moment, this could mean that Patamon would be unable to digivolve further than champion, right?" analyzed Cody, getting a grunt from the carrier of the crest of hope.

"It means exactly that. We tried it already... As long as my crest is like that, it won't work..." growled the carrier of the crest of hope. After that, with the foreboding message in the air, it became quiet. Too quiet. Too damn quiet.

"What now, Takato? If your crest is sucking away the power of his crest, then this could lead to a lot of trou..." began Lilithmon, but was interrupted when we heard Kari gasp.

"TK, it's back to full power! Didn't you say it wouldn't be like that as long as you are near Takato...?"

Lilithmon cringed, then glanced around the corner at the crest that TK still had in hand, which was by no doubt glowing again by now. She frowned, then turned back to me and stared me into the eyes.

"How...?" she whispered, before lowering her gaze to my right hand, which was still holding the necklace with the crest of hatred. And I saw how her face distorted in shock. Well, I could understand why she was reacting like that... After all, the crest of hatred in my hand had stopped glowing, was no longer feeding on the hopelessness created by the lack of strength in the crest of hope.

It had stopped, but the Digital Hazard on the back of my hand was glowing.

"Stop doing that..." I whispered, causing Lilithmon to flinch again. No doubt had she thought that I had adressed her... But even she seemed to realize pretty quickly that I wasn't talking to her.

I was talking to the vile thing that had become my crest.

"Stop feeding on the crests of the DigiDestined... I'm your only source of food. Only my hatred and my anger are what you should feed on..." I growled lowly, before hammering my fist into the wall next to me. Even though I hurt myself that way, and even though I knew that it wouldn't hurt the Digital Hazard, which was just a symbol on my hand, I couldn't stop myself from punching the wall in rage.

"If you're in need of food, then just feed on all my anger. This is between you and me, don't get other people involved...!" I hissed, my eyes focused on the crimson symbol on the back of my hand. All my hatred was not directed at that thing, and I knew it enjoyed this. I had already stopped treating it as just an object, to me, it was long a being with an own personality.

It had become my very own enemy. My nemesis.

Glowing a bright crimson as if it was in glee, the Digital Hazard was proudly on the back of my hand. But not only that, it was pulsing. Was sending wave after wave of heat up my arm and up into my shoulder.

It was like a snake about to catch it's prey.

"I don't understand it myself... What is going on?" I heard TK mutter, pulling me out of my very own fight. Directing my glare at Lilithmon, I saw the Demon Lord cringe another time... It looked like she was actually slightly scared of me. Shocked, or intimidated at least...

"We leave. Lucemon is waiting..." I growled under my breath, before boldly pushing past her and ascending the set of stairs up to the story I was living in, not caring if any of the DigiDestined would see me - Luckily, they were too lost in musing about the sudden return of power to TK's crest, and didn't see me or Lilithmon as we rushed up the stairs.

Reaching my own apartment, I yanked the key out of my pocket and pushed it into the lock, missing slightly on the first try and carving a straight line into the wooden door as the key sled along it's surface. I almost did something out of character for me that moment... I nearly cursed. But I simply blamed it on the Digital Hazard affecting my personality, now that it had fed on my hatred - Was still feeding on it.

Kicking the door open, I didn't care as it slammed into the wall aside it, nor did I care when Lilithmon rushed in and yelled at me to calm down. I had my mind set on only one thing: I needed to learn how to control the thing that was keeping my life worse and worse - and was now starting to affect other lives. That, I would not allow it.

Allowing such a thing... I would not forgive myself for such a thing.

"Make yourself at home. This may take a while." I hissed over my shoulder at the Demon Lord of Lust as I strode through the living room and to the computer, which was already active and presented a gate to the Digital World to me.

"Just wait a second! Takato, what is wrong with you?!" she yelled, causing me to hesitate for a moment, even though I already had my D-Power in hand and was about to point it at the screen, "This isn't just the Digital Hazard anymore... You're already behaving out of character on your own, and the Digital Hazard is only taking advantage of this! Why are you behaving so ou..."

"I told you before." I growled, interrupting her. I bit down on my lip, clenched my hand around the red and golden D-Power in my hand, new anger flowing through my system, much to the Digital Hazard's glee.

Lowering my head a little, I glared at the screen and the gate, the picture of the location it was going to transport me to that of a meadow in the middle of a valley. Raising the D-Power and pointing it at the screen, I took a deep breath in hope that it would help me calm down. I closed my eyes, but didn't stop to clench my teeth.

"The Digital Hazard has unlocked that which I refused to accept, a part of me that I never wanted to come through, a part that I locked away within a shell of childishness... Now that the shell of childishness has broken, I begin to mature... I'm losing my innocent childishness, because..." I continued, my own voice raspy as it tried to contain the anger that was still boiling within me. I opened my eyes, stared straight ahead at the screen, and bared my teeth.

"Because my heart is black with guilt, Lilithmon... Black with guilt... And hatred."

I didn't need to turn around to know that Lilithmon was staring at my back in fear.

"Digiport open."

---

Not caring as my clothes changed upon entering the Digital World, I waited until gravity kicked in again, causing me to fall on all fours. Staring at the grass below, I finally felt the anger turn into despair. My hands clenched into fists, dug into the dirt and the grass beneath me, as tears finally started to roll down my cheeks, a hiss of absolute misery escaping my clenched teeth.

"I didn't think it would affect you that much already... The Digital Hazard is truly beyond what one can grasp with his mind."

Hearing the voice, I gasped and rose my gaze, which immediately found Lucemon. And the large castle behind him. It looked like one out of a movie, old and grim, plain and gray, with tall towers and scary gargoyles atop the walls. Why was such a dark thing here, in this beautiful meadow...?

"I've been expecting you... And I've been fearing that such a thing would happen, actually. The barrier of your traumatic experience, the Megidramon Incident, still stands strong and prevents the Hazard from taking control, but it has begun to still make his whim happen in other ways..." sighed the strongest Demon Lord before turning his back to me, "Anyways, Takato... Welcome to the hideout of the Seven Great Demon Lords in the Eastern Quadrant; our fortress, called Saligia."

"Saligia?" The world rolled off my tongue, feeling strange and foreign, mysterious. For some reason, saying the name of the fortress finally helped me to calm down, the tears and anger already having stopped when Lucemon had arrived, but now contained again.

"Don't just lay around. Let us go inside. There is much to talk about... All that has happened since my departure." spoke the Demon Lord as he began to leave for the fortress. Quickly stumbling to my feet, I fell into a small sprint to catch up with him, which I did just as we entered the fortress through the large main gate.

The corridor we entered was dark and old, but at no point uninviting. Though only illuminated by torches on the walls, the corridor was at no point in complete darkness. The walls were decorated with red curtains and several pictures of signs, planets, demons and scenes associated with the Demon Lords and their respective sins. A red carpet on the floor led down the corridor, with several branches leading to the doors to our left and right.

But even though I would've guessed that we'd go into one of the rooms, Lucemon kept walking straight ahead, deeper into the castle.

"Tell me..." began the Demon Lord all of sudden, catching me off guard and making me cringe, "About the first infested Digimon that you have encountered."

"How did you know that I met one...?" I muttered in return, daring to raise an eyebrow at the incredibly powerful Digimon's back. He stopped for a short moment, then began to walk again, but turned his head a little so that he could look at me over his right shoulder.

"You just confirmed it. If you wouldn't have met one, you'd ask me what an infested Digimon was." huffed Lucemon, turning his head away again, "And besides... It would take something like an infested Digimon, a former host of the Virus, for the Digital Hazard to become this eager to act. You cannot see and feel it like I do, as for I have the powers of the Digital Hazard as well, but you are radiating the powers of it... They're leaking out of you, are like hands that try to grasp onto the hate of beings around you, trying to draw power from their anger."

I stopped and looked down at the back of my hand, the Digital Hazard still glowing brightly on it. It wasn't active, but was visible, and feeding on the hatred that I was giving it ever since the thing with the DigiDestined and TK's crest of hope. And yet it still was trying to find some other power to feed on...? Just how gluttonous was this thing...!

"It cannot be satisfied. The hunger of the Hazard is insatiable... It's like filling an abyss stretching through several landscapes with a spoon full of sand - before you can fill it, you're either dead, or the abyss has grown through the centuries that you took." spoke Lucemon, turning his head to me again, "That's what you were just thinking about, right? Don't look at me with that surprised face... I cannot read minds, but I figured you'd be thinking about it."

Indeed, I had been wondering if he had been reading my mind, but came to the same conclusion. The course of the topic had led to that question.

"Now, tell me about the first meeting with an infested Digimon." requested the powerful Digimon, turning away from me again. He took a sudden turn and rounded a corner, surprising me. Rounding it as well while speeding up, I almost fell flat on my face when my right foot hit the first step of the stairs hidden behind the corner.

Lucemon was almost halfway up and only turned around to snort at me and my clumsiness, before turning away again. I quickly stumbled up the stairs and caught up with him anew, even though angry at myself for being so clumsy.

"Are you going to tell me what happened now or not?" snorted Lucemon, glaring down at me from the corner of his eyes. I nodded shortly, then took a deep breath.

"It was a..."

"Matadormon, I already know everything." interrupted the Demon Lord, reaching the top of the stairs. Immediately, he pushed the double door on the wall before us open and stepped into what seemed to be a huge throne room. White tiles stretched through the room, giant marble pillars rose extending up to the golden hemisphere that the ceiling was, large paintings hanging on the walls, a huge throne on the far side of the room at the end of a long red carpet.

This was, without a doubt, Lucemon's personal room in the fortress.

Crossing the room with quick steps, he stepped up to the throne and fell into it, resting his hands on his lap while he crossed his legs.

"Then why did you...?" I began, still shocked that he knew everything already.

"Just to see if you were hesitating to talk about the events. Beelzemon already filled me in about Matadormon's attack, as well as your ability to cleanse an infested Digimon with the Digital Hazard. I expected no less of the vessel of the Digital Hazard." huffed the Demon Lord of pride, before closing his eyes.

"As it seems, you have come to accept the Digital Hazard... At least, you have come to accept that it is now part of you." he added, "However, you still have not enough control of the Digital Hazard yet to turn Megidramon back into Guilmon... That is what happened, right?"

"Azulongmon told you that, right?" I sighed, closing my eyes, "Yes, I figured that I'd have to use that which created Megidramon to turn him back into Guilmon... And no, I have not enough control of the Digital Hazard to turn Megidramon back into Guilmon."

"Hm... No, Azulongmon didn't exactly tell me what happened. It's more like I figured that the Digital Hazard would eventually activate the 'Completion Protocol' to return Guilmon to him after this time apart from him. Seeing as Guilmon is not with you, and that the meeting of the Four Great Dragons was postponed by one day, it wasn't that hard for me to figure out that the Completion Protocol must have been started, and that the Great Dragons have caught Megidramon... And that you must have faced him." grumbled Lucemon, looking uncharacterisitically angry.

"Yes, it sure seems like the events as of the last week have been nothing but unfortunate. But perhaps necessary..." he added, opening an eye to observe my reaction.

"What do you mean with 'necessary'...?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at the Great Demon Lord, who I was not that afraid of anymore.

"Have you not been feeling different all week? Has the Digital Hazard not started to influence the world around him, searching other ways to act? Takato, the events of the last weeek have awoken it from the slumber you unwantingly put it in... It's only a matter of time until Hazaado will try to get full control."

Hazaado. The word reminded me of the words I had unconsciously used to command the Digital Hazard to help Raidramon against Matadormon. Hazaado... Did Lucemon know more about it?

"That word!" I exclaimed, taking a step forward, "Hazaado! Dejitaru Hazaado, what does it...?"

Seeing Lucemon's mouth fall open in shock, I trailed off, watching as he stared at me with wide eyes, his hands clenched around the armrests of the throne he sat in.

"Dejitaru Hazaado... Has he... Has he...?" he whispered, before letting out a sharp hiss and hammering his right fist onto the armrest, catching me off guard. Cringing away as Lucemon jumped out of the throne, I lowered my head, fearing I had said something wrong.

"What does that mean...? What is this Dejitaru Hazaado? I said that when... that Matadormon incident..." I muttered, taking another two steps back. Lucemon cringed again and glared at me like I was going to jump at him any moment, but then let out a deep huff and his serious frown turned into a mocking grin.

"Oh my, we really underestimated his power... It seems that he has grown more powerful since his last incarnation into a vessel... In fact, it seems that Hazaado has grown strong enough to act through your mouth already. How sad that we won't hear from him just now." chuckled the Demon Lord.

"Could you explain it finally...?" I asked, unsure about whether or not this was a wise decision.

"Don't you understand it?" shot Lucemon back.

"I have a small suspicion, that I really don't want to be true..." I breathed, still loud enough for Lucemon to hear. He nodded, muttering something about understanding what I was talking about... But then turned to smirk at me again.

"Dejitaru Hazaado... Better known as 'Hazaado'... Is the same thing we have spoken about the entire time. Hazaado is the Digital Hazard's consciousness, it's personality. It is that, which eventually corrupts the minds of the vessel, and will take it's place. I have encountered his incarnations several times... I've spoken to him before. He isn't exactly a pleasant person to be around, but at least he isn't a vain, power-hungry fool like me." chuckled the Demon Lord, for the first time admitting his sin in front of me.

"Until now, he has overpowered his vessels each and anytime, destroying their personality and consciousness, replacing them from within. There has never been a trace left. Until now, I never cared about that, but this time, I truly wish that you will find a way to overpower him, rather than the other way around. You would prove to be a way more efficient user of the Digital Hazard's powers than Hazaado himself, seeing as you are able to feel empathy, which he cannot." commented Lucemon, dropping back into his throne, leaning his chin onto one hand, smirking at me with incredible amusement.

He wasn't amused, though. I could clearly see the irritation in his eyes. It was a sarcastic smirk upon his lips, a sarcastic smirk at the fact that everything that he had planned was failing. I could sense that his last words were meant in all honesty - he really didn't want my personality to vanish. I didn't want it to, as well.

Did you ever experience the fear of death? The fear that is going through your system as you are falling to your secure death?

Experience the same thing. I felt the same thing... Not because I was falling to my secure death, but yet because I was going to die if nothing would change - Having your soul erased and replaced by some other soul meant, in a sense, the same thing. Death of the soul or death of the being... It is, in the end, the same.

"That's why we are going to train you now how to work with the powers of the Digital Hazard, but against Hazaado himself. Over the last week, you surely must have felt the effects of his meddling stronger than ever before - Even now, I can see the exhaustion written upon your face. A long way of emotional instability must lay behind you... Is there anything you want to tell me about that?" inquired Lucemon, raising one eyebrow in a questioning, but knowing way.

"Nothing that you probably don't know already..." I sighed and lowered my head, "I bet you already know about why I was behaving so out of character."

"I do, but I want to hear it from you. Takato, I have met several vessels of the Digital Hazard before, have observed as they grew... That is why only I am allowed to influence you now. I know where to meddle with the path of the Digital Hazard for you to achieve full power, and for Hazaado to not interfere. That is, as long as you allow me to, and do not do things without telling me before." spoke the Demon Lord, nodding to himself.

"Let me tell you: You are different already. You do not show one aspect that every other vessel of the Digital Hazard has shown - So either the Digital Hazard cannot control you, which we already proved to be wrong or... Or you are just not telling me everything." he added, narrowing his eyes at me. I shifted uncomfortably, knowing very well what he spoke off... It was the thing that I had yelled at Lilithmon earlier, the thing that I hadn't really explained to her.

"I... Lied." I muttered, glancing to the side, the flickering flame of a candle next to one of the pillars suddenly incredibly interesting, "I lied to myself for a long time now. And because of that, I have lied to others as well..."

"Continue. Acceptance is an important step for what we are about to do. So speak about that which you have refused to ever tell anybody... I doubt there is anyone but me who can understand it better. After all..." Lucemon trailed off to raise his right hand, slipping the glove on it off, revealing a purple Digital Hazard symbol on it, "We are one of a kind, are we not?"

I let out a small sigh, glancing down to my right hand, the Digital Hazard still shining in it's malicious crimson on the back of it.

"I am not a kind person." I continued, clenching that hand to a fist, "At heart, I am... At mind, I am not."

Lucemon nodded slowly.

"Hm... Yes, that is what you were lacking..." he muttered, continuing to nod, "The unexplainable feelings of wrath and anger, even at a young age. Care to explain why you did not show such signs? Or better, how you managed to seal the Digital Hazard away for so long?"

"I knew pretty soon that something was wrong with me... I mean, I was never really any different from what I am now. I've always been kind. But only at heart, not in mind." I chuckled a little at the rhyme at the end, something I've always enjoyed to recite while alone.

"What I am trying to say is... That, even though I always was kind towards others, I had always had sinister thoughts. Thoughts about getting revenge on other kids. Thoughts about standing up to my parents. Thoughts about hurting those who have done wrong to my friends..." I sighed, glaring down at the Digital Hazard on my hand, "It stopped when I refused to do such things anymore. I didn't want to feel this unexplainable rage anymore... I kept it inside for so long... And eventually, refused to feel it anymore."

I turned to look at Lucemon, now with great seriousness.

"It returned when Beelzemon killed Leomon... That broke the seal, I guess. The seal of childishness... Because I wanted to be more like other kids, I managed to overcome the unexplainable rage that I now know as the Digital Hazard... But when Leomon died, it reminded me too much of the time before the seal... thus breaking it. At first, I denied it... But now I see that it was futile. I cannot overcome the Digital Hazard anymore by denying it. It won't work a second time... I've matured too much." I continued, and Lucemon nodded once more. Yes, until this point, it seemed that he was able to know exactly what I felt.

"The Digital Hazard has indeed always been inside of you, and was responsible for that unexplainable hatred that you've felt before. And yes... The Digital Hazard is now taking advantage of this fact... It is trying to come through already. It is assaulting the barrier of your trauma with waves of rage. The rage that you feel at times, and that you cannot explain. In a sense, you have begun your rapid descent towards madness - As that is, what Hazaado is going to try to turn you into. A madman." agreed the Demon Lord.

"His power is that of a madman, after all. I doubt that someone entirely sane can even use it's full strength. You are no exception - In fact, you have confirmed my theory when the Digital Hazard got out of control when you first used it to enhance your sense of hearing. Being sane, you could not keep it under control once distracted only a little... Dejitaru Hazaado, being insane, has full control of his very own powers." he explained, closing his eyes again while huffing aloud.

When he suddenly rose from his throne, I cringed and took yet another step back, intimidated by him. Lucemon was smirking, despite the grim mood and topic.

"That is, why we are now starting a counterattack on him! Until now, I thought that slowly teaching you his powers would eventually make you control him - Now I am proved wrong, and know how to react to him trying to take you over. Takato, we are going to ignore every other aspect of the Digital Hazard first. We're not focusing on his destructive powers, not on his manipulative powers and not on his enhancing powers - I'm going to teach you how to control and act against him." smirked the leader of the Demon Lords, stepping towards me slowly but surely.

"Wait... Are we going to train? Now?" I asked, shocked at the sudden turn of events.

"Well, it's not Saturday... But that isn't going to stop us, right? We cannot risk wasting too much time... We need you to learn how to control the Digital Hazard now, to subdue Hazaado. We are going to teach you how to use his own powers against him." annocuned Lucemon, placing a hand on my shoulder the moment that he stood before me, and his glowing eyes met mine, "We will not allow the Virus to grow to full power... But we won't allow Hazaado the same. We won't make that mistake again. Either it's you that has his full power - Or it's him never achieving his full power again."

He scared me a little, something ominous laying in his words. Something I never wished to know the true meaning of.

"Takato, I'm going to do something that might scare you. But don't worry... You're entirely safe. I do share some powers with you... The manipulation is one of them. Do you remember how you controlled Matadormon... Well, rather, how Hazaado controlled Matadormon? After all, that was what happened - You called out for him, and he listened. Why, I don't know. It seems that he heard you call for him, and recognized Matadormon as his enemy. Seeing as Guilmon was not with him, he chose Raidramon to attack - But that isn't important. What is important in that is the fact that he controlled Matadormon."

"I do remember." I replied, "But why do you want me to?"

"Because I have that power as well, like I mentioned. It isn't nearly as strong as yours - The one that you will eventually have control of, that is. However, I do have enough control of that aspect of the Digital Hazard to manipulate a weak infested Digimon - I have one in the next room, one that follows my every command. It's a Gotsumon." explained Lucemon, suddenly taking three steps back.

"You will fight it. While you fight it, you will slowly channel more and more hatred into the Digital Hazard, until you feel that it is starting to drain the power from you rather than you giving it your power. It may be a slowl process, and surely will take us several times until you get the hang of it, but... HUH?!"

Lucemon gasped, seeing what I had just done... Seeing that my right hand was engulfed in a crimson aura of menace.

"It is reacting this much already, as you can see... Right now, I am feeding it as good as no hatred." I growled, the hand with the Hazard on it still clenched to a shaking fist, "I'm a little scared of fighting a Digimon myself, especially without power, but... Let us begin. It's like you said - We can't waste any more time."

"Determined, are you? Well, just let me tell you a last thing - If things are going to get out of control, I'll interfere with my own Hazard. Believe it or not - But one part of the Digital Hazard's power, even if it's just a fragment as small as mine, can cancel the others out." he informed me, before swinging his hand in a horizontal way, to which the double doors we had entered through swung open, revealing a Gotsumon with a black datachip on it's forehead, and with several of the rocks of it's body having turned black.

"It's not going to attack you... It'll be our training dummy for now. All I want you to do, is to charge at it, and punch it... Then go back, release a little more of the Digital Hazard by giving it a little bit more of your anger, and then attack it again. If you feel how it begins to drain your strength and tries to feed on it's own, stop it immediately... We see about how to go from there then." instructed the Demon Lord, sinking back into his throne.

I nodded, then turnd to the Digimon made of stone, and stepped up to him. I knew this was going to hurt a little - Gotsumon was made of stone, after all - but I understood why Lucemon had chosen this Digimon as a training dummy. It wasn't too strong, and so he wasn't risking to lose control of it, and it was incredibly resistant due to it's body being made of stone... It wasn't going to blow up the moment that I'd go out of control.

"What are you hesitating for? This Digimon is dead inside, Takato. It's an empty shell, nothing more... It's not going to feel any of this, and won't remember once it will return to the Primary Village - But it won't until you defeat the Virus. And that is, after all, our ultimate goal." huffed Lucemon, leaning onto his hand again.

I nodded slowly, even though insecure - not as much about hurting the Gotsumon, which I had already figured to be nothing but an empty shell, but more about using the Digital Hazard. I had seen where giving it more power than necessary led to. And now I was back to doing that which I didn't want to.

So I rose a hand... And punched the Gotsumon.

Aside my fist starting to hurt, nothing happened.

"No result. Are you even feeding the Hazard with rage? Is the aura only a visual effect, after all?" snorted Lucemon in displeasure. I glared over to him, the pain in my fist already gone, and turned to Gotsumon again. I didn't need to increase the anger pouring into the Digital Hazard - Lucemon had just done that on his own, by increasing the anger that I felt.

I swung my fist another time. It hit the Gotsumon in the chest, but showed no reaction again. Neither from me, nor the Gotsumon. I did notice, though, that I felt less pain than before. Not exactly much less, but a little less. Either my fist was going numb already from punching solid rock, or the Digital Hazard was increasing my pain treshold as it became stronger - I never had really paid any attention to it.

Then again, I had never really considered using the Digital Hazard to fight on my own, and I doubted that I'd ever be able to take on a Digimon on my own - 'Cause, seriously, fighting a Digimon with your bare fists? That sounded unlikely and way too dangerous.

Pouring a litte more hatred into the Digital Hazard on the back of my right hand, I swung my fist again - And for the first time, wondered why it was on the back of my right hand, and nowhere else. Could I make it appear somewhere else? If so, where? How? And what if I could summon it more than one time at once on my body? I had never really considered using it at all... I was afraid of it, after all.

I swung my fist again. Was Lucemon really going to teach me how to use the owers without losing myself to the entity that I now knew as Hazaado? If so, how? Would my own strength be enough to push him back and keep him under control? My pure will? I doubted it, since I didn't really have a lot of will to begin with...

My fist swung through the air and hit Gotsumon, but bounced off it's face again, the Stone Digimon showing no reaction at all. At least the pain began to vanish slowly... But this way, it would take too long for me to control it. Was there no other way to learn how to control it? There was no time to waste, and yet I felt like I was not making progress - Sure, this was only our first attempt, but...

A sudden pull on my heart made me cringe. It was only brief, but was still enough to throw me off balance, my punch missing the Stone Digimon. Just when I thought I was about to get the hang of it, the pain from punching stone nearly gone, the first symbol of the Digital Hazard draining my power showed itself.

I cast a short glance towards Lucemon - Had he noticed? No, it didn't seem like that. He was still staring at me, frowning slightly. Deciding to cover this up, not wanting to stop just now after only a few hits, I chuckled uneasily and rubbed the back of my head.

"Sorry, I slipped. I'm so clumsy..." I chuckled uneasily, hiding the truth. Lucemon frowned, but then waved his hand, gesturing me to continue. I nodded, took a deep breath, and turned back to Gotsumon.

I resumed my actions from before - Gave the Digital Hazard a little more anger than before, punched, repeated. It went well for a short while - the occassional pull on my heart not stopping me, even as it began to grow and became constant. If I was going to learn how to handle this might, I would have to go further than just the moment where the pull would start.

It all went wrong when the pull suddenly tripled.

Instead of just a short, sharp pain, my whole body felt like it was on fire even before punching, the mere increase of power of the Digital Hazard starting the pain. I let out a sharp hiss, but my legs suddenly gave away and I fell onto my knees, eyes wide. I was sweating. Sweat was running down my forehead in large drops - A short glance towards Lucemon confirmed that he had noticed, but he was still only watching. After all, I had not given him any reason to interfere just yet.

And yet, I stumbled to my feet again. I rose to my ful height, and even though my arms felt heavy and exhausted, especially my right arm, I rose it, and swung it at the Gotsumon again.

It never connected.

I missed by a lot, and instead fell onto my knees again.

It was that moment that I realized something that Lucemon hadn't realized yet - I was fighting against Hazaado, and with that, the Digital Hazard. And Hazaado knew. And because of that, he was making it even more of an exhaustion for me to use the Digital Hazard's power. That was the reason why it felt so exhausting this time.

On all fours, I began to pant, forcing air in and out of my lungs. Was this punishment? Was Hazaado punishing me for trying to overpower him? This was his doing, was it not? Was this his punishment for me trying to use his powers, surpassing my limit, despite trying to overcome him?

I rose my hand to my face, held it in front of it, palm directed towards my face, and...

Wait! Wait, I didn't do that! I didn't want to raise my hand, didn't want to do that! So why was my hand moving on it's own? Why was my hand directed at my own face?!

In panic, unable to do anything but cough and pant, I was forced to watch as my right hand, shaking and trembling, slowly began to turn slowly, ocassionally jerking back into the wrong direction, movements clumsy and weak.

As the hand was almost turned around, the symbol on the back of my hand became visible to me, crimson light invading my eyes. The aura around my hand had compressed, had vanished into the Digital Hazard symbol on the back of my hand more and more as I increased the hatred pouring into it, and I hadn't even noticed it...

The hand was turned around. The back of my hand was pointing at me, the palm away from me. The Digital Hazard symbol was directly in front of my face, and I was forced to look at it. So this was Hazaado's punishment. This was his message to me, the message that he was stronger than me, able to overpower me, able to control my arm the moment that he gained enough strength... I had been foolish, I had been...

My eyes widened as the Digital Hazard on the back of my hand, which had always been the same, suddenly began to change.

To move.

It began to spin slowly, the Digital Hazard began to rotate counter-clockwise, the lower triangle soon right, then at the top, then at the left, then at the bottom again. Lucemon must have seen it too, and yet he wasn't doing anything, frowning at the turn of events as well.

The moment that the Digital Hazard had rotated once, it stopped again, remained in place... Until it changed, this time for real. And something that I had never seen before happened. The upper left triangle of the Digital Hazard began to melt. Yeah, that was the best way to describe how the crimson triangle began to change shape, a thin red line beginnning to draw itself onto my hand, beginning at the upper left triangle of the Digital Hazard... When it was halfway around the Hazard, I realized what was going to happen.

The line that drew itself onto my right hand... Was a circle. A circle surrounding the Digital Hazard symbol on the back of my hand. And seeing it nearly finished, I understood something. This wasn't punishment.

It was a message. Carrying no real message, just a shout from the darkness, a simple "I'm here as well, don't forget me!". He wanted me to know that he was there as well. He wanted to show me that... What exactly was he trying to show me?

I tried to understand what this message was really meant to say, wanted desperately to understand the reason for all of this, watched the line as it continued, almost completely around the Digital Hazard symbol on the back of my hand.

It was almost completely around the Digital Hazard when Lucemon finally interfered.

He tackled me, slammed into the side of my body, knocking me onto my side. Lucemon was on all fours above me, holding my right arm down on the ground in a painful way. I screamed in pain, yet kept my eyes open to watch as Lucemon stared down at my hand in... madness?

His eyes were wide, as if in shock, but his mouth twisted into the sickest smile I had ever seen. His eyes were glowing a deep violet as he continued to grin at my hand. I followed his gaze, gasped in pain and yet shock at the sight of my strangely twisted arm.

Which was covered completely in violet triangles.

I watched in pure shock, unable to do anything, as the violet triangles began to turn on their spot, rotating much like the Digital Hazard on the back of my hand did before. The triangles on my arm began to rotate, rotated faster and faster, only to stop all of sudden, connecting at the edges, covering my arm in a lot of familiar symbols.

Small, violet Digital Hazard symbols.

The moment that all triangles had connected to Digital Hazards, something like a wave of electricity shot through my body, made me jerk once. And then, as the triangles faded, so did the Digital Hazard on my hand...

Already surrounded by a crimson circle.

"What..." I whispered, my voice weak and trembling, my body suddenly all exhausted, but slowly regaining strength.

"I cancelled the power of Hazaado..." muttered the lunatic Angel on top of me, his expression back to the same void of emotions that it had been before, before he slowly let go of my arm and rose to his full height.

"What... What was that circle...?" I asked, pushing myself up with my left hand, my right one now feeling sore and weak, like several forces had just pulled on it.

"I have never seen that happen before... I have never seen the Digital Hazard surrounded by DigiCode..." whispered Lucemon, staring down at the now empty back of my hand.

"DigiCode? You mean that was... DigiCode?" I murmured. Lucemon nodded slowly, before averting his gaze and growling.

"Takato... I need to think over what just happened. I need to be alone. But let me tell you one thing..." muttered the fallen angel as he stepped towards his throne, waving his hand once to open what I indentified as a Digital Gate, actually just a white hole in the throne room.

He stopped in front of his throne, staring down at it.

"Takato... You carry indeed the Digital Hazard. And as it seems, your body is, unlike any other vessel before, able to handle the full power of the Digital Hazard... A DigiCode surrounding a symbol like the Digital Hazard usually means that the full potential is present. You may not have it now, but... You definitely hold Hazaado and the main part of the Digital Hazard inside your body. Now we know for sure." spoke Lucemon, before pointing at the gate he had opened, "Now leave, please. I... Need to be alone."

"Is... Is everything alright?" I asked, worried about the Demon Lord.

"Y-Yeah... Just... using my fragment of the Digital Hazard against the real thing... Is kind of affecting my mind. I told you before... The Digital Hazard is a thing of madness. I need to calm down a little before i can do anything again. I'm sorry..." he muttered, his voice weak and hesistant.

"Then... Please recover soon, okay?" I sighed, before stepping towards the gate.

"Don't worry about me... Please sent Lilithmon here. I need to talk to her." he spoke, "And like I told you... Don't do anything drastic. It's best if you don't use the Hazard again unless I am with you... I think we just unwillingly opened a window for Hazaado to take advantage of, a window that opens as you use the Digital Hazard."

I nodded slowly, standing before the gate back home... But as I stared into the white hole, and then down at the black clothes that I wore, bearing the Hazard proudly on them, I clenched my right hand and turned my gaze to it, as if the Digital Hazard was still on it.

I had my mind already set on it. Even if Lucemon was telling me not to, there was something I needed to know and try... Later on, when I'm alone. I can't risk anyone seeing that.

"I'll contact you about the training on Saturday. Now go." growled Lucemon, his left hand clenching down on the left side of his face, which I couldn't see, as his back was towards me.

"Yeah. Goodbye." I whispered quickly, before stepping into the white hole.

---

My feet sat down on the ground of my living room. My clothes had returned to normal, the familiar blue hoodie making me relax. No sign of the Digital Hazard on it.

"Back already?" moaned a voice, causing me to cringe. Glancing over to the counch, I found Lilithmon lounging on it, arms and legs sprawled out, her black hair hanging down from the couch. She opened her eyes and sat up, frowned from me over to the clock, then to the window and the dark sky outside, and then let out a groan.

"Or maybe rather 'finally'`... It's been four hours." huffed the Demon Lord of Lust. Really, these Demon Lords were everywhere lately, now that I think about it... At school, in the Digital World, my apartment... Guess we really had become allies.

"Huh? What's this?" I heard Lilithmon, pulling me out of my thoughts, and thus finding her standing before me, a questioning frown on her face as she inspected me, "Is your 'innocence' back? You seem a lot more relaxed now..."

I frowned, thought about what she said and then realized that I indeed was... Well, not exactly back to the normal, cheery Takato Matsuki from the Southern Quadrant, but the calm Takato Matsuda from the Eastern Quadrant.

"Yeah..." I began and sheepishly rubbed the back of my head, "Guess Lucemon really helped me control my emotions."

"And actually allowed me to blow off some steam." I added in my thoughts, realizing that punching Gotsumon had helped a little.

"That's good... You really had me worried, you know?" huffed the Demon Lord of Lust as she placed her hands on her hips, "You've been all weird all week!"

"Lilithmon..." I sighed, and upon realizing what I was about to do, blushed a little. "Geez, I'm really no good with women... Blushing over such a trivial thing..."

"Thanks for earlier. I really needed someone to talk to... Sorry for behaving all weird and having you worried. But I guess if you hadn't been so forceful, I'd still be sulking about things. So thanks for that... You've made the whole situation a lot more bearable." I chuckled.

The Demon Lord of Lust let out an interested 'Huh?', before grinning at me in a wicked, seductive way.

"Oh my, is that a blush that I see? Oh my, Takato, didn't think you were thinking about me like that! So you are interested in older women, after all!" laughed Lilithmon, causing me to let out a groan and blush even worse.

"Stop teasing me like that... It's not like that..." I huffed, irritated, "Lucemon is waiting for you. You should go."

At that, Lilithmon burst into another fit of laughter, showing her trademark of hiding her mouth behind her wrist, but still moved over to the computer and waved at me, unable to stop laughing to properly say goodbye to me.

A bright light flashed through my living room - then she was gone, and the computer shut itself off. I frowned a little at that, but figured that she wouldn't return through my computer. And guessing that Lucemon had activated it from the Digital World, it didn't seem like a surprise to me that the computer shut off on it's own.

With a heavy sigh, I stretched my tired body, but then grinned to myself. Despite it being late already, the day wasn't over for me yet. There was one thing remaining, and I wasn't even sure how to, or if it would work.

Turning the light in the living room off, I decided to skip dinner and go straight to bed. On the way through my bedroom, I shut off the ceiling lamp, grabbed my noteblock and a pencil, then flopped down on the bed and turned the bedside lamp on, which spend just enough light to draw a little.

Beginning to scribble a little, I decided that it was time to start what I was trying.

"So... You wanted to talk?" I muttered, my eyes glued to the back of my hand.

Seeing that nothing happened, I frowned a little, but then huffed, closed my eyes and let a little rage free, focusing it on the back of my right hand. Opening my eyes again, I was greeted by the sight of the Digital Hazard on the back of my hand - Surrounded by a crimson circle now.

"Now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at the symbol.

Still, nothing happened. I let out a sigh, but wasn't quite giving up yet.

"I think I understood your message earlier... You wanted me to know that you were there when I was using your powers because... Because you didn't want to get rid of me, right? We interpreted things wrong, didn't we?" I continued to talk, slowly drawing the symbol that I had feared so much until now - That I was still fearing. The Digital Hazard.

"I don't really want to overpower you either... Neither of us is going to get anything out of this if we continue like before, right? You'll just make it complicated for me if I continue using your powers without your permission and you won't stop trying to overpower me, and I won't let you do that in return... We're fighting a pointless battle, that neither of us is ever going to win completely."

I glanced down to the symbol on my hand, then began to correct my scribble of the Digital Hazard - Adding a circle around it. If what Lucemon said was true, then the Digital Hazard was still incomplete - What he had thought to be DigiCode was indeed just a circle. But that didn't mean that there wasn't ever going to be a DigiCode around it, so...

My hand moved away from the scribble all of sudden and over to a free spot on the paper. My hand began to move on it's own, something I hadn't expected to happen again. And yet I didn't panic - Especially as my hand began to write a message in my handwriting.

"I am asking for alliance. You are right. Neither of us is going to gain anything if we continue like before..." I read aloud, surprised that the Digital Hazard, and with that Hazaado, was actually thinking like me... Or was this a scheme to gain my trust?

No... No, it didn't feel like one. He was honest, he wanted an alliance! I frowned as my hand continued to write.

"Feed me. Continue to feed me your hatred, vessel, and let me finally get rid of my grudge. Let me destroy my archenemy and his vile creations. In return, you shall have full access of the Digital Hazard - And I won't try to overpower you again. Let us become one, Takato Matsuki, my vessel - Let us not fall apart. We are one. Let us fuse. Let use merge. Let us grow."

The last part of the message actually scared the crap out of me, the cryptic meaning mysterious and scary. And yet, Hazaado didn't let go of my hand, continued to write.

"Do you accept?"

Reading the last sentence several times and waiting to see if he would do anything again, I let out a sigh, closed my eyes...

"Yes. I accept." I whispered... And felt my hand moving again.

Opening my eyes quickly to see what he was going to write this time, I could barely contain my surprise, shock and glee as I read the last message he had wrote, before he suddenly let my hand throw the pencil across the room.

"But first, we have to get back what is part of me. Now that you have come to accept me, let us bring the Dragon of Apocalypse under control. Now."

Seeing this message, I let out a yelp of glee and jumped up, throwing the noteblock off the bed in the process. Rushing through the room and back into the living room, I turned to face the computer, only to find it already active, the Digital Hazard sign glowing on the screen that displayed the Gate to the Digital World.

Destination: The Celestial Plane.

The Digital Hazard had forced a gate to the Celestial Plane to open. That was how powerful he was.

I grinned as I pulled my D-Power from my belt and directed it at the screen. Yes... This what Azulongmon had wanted me to understand. He had wanted me to understand that I needed the Digital Hazard to get Guilmon back, and for that, I would have to accept it first as part of me...

"Thanks, Hazaado... This may be the start of a great alliance, you know?" I chuckled, staring down at the sign on the back of my hand, before turning my gaze to the screen.

"Digiport open."

A bright flash enveloped me, the ground beneath my feet vanished and I was falling again - Falling back into the Digital World, back into the Celestial Plane, back to where Guilmon, alias Megidramon, was...

"Guilmon... I'm coming to get you boy. We are."

---

And that's the end of the rather dark chapter. I know this is a sudden ending, but I decided to split it here, because what's happening next is a large event that shouldn't be seperated.

Anyways... Two days late - We're getting closer to the monthly updates! Next time, I may actually make it on time~

Sooo... Seeing as I'm running late for my short vacation, I really need to end this here and leave - Hence, the chapter is not proofread. I'll fix any errors that I or you may find as soon as I am back next week... But I just couldn't let you wait another day, so thus the chapter today.

Soooo... Next time on Hazard of Hatred, a chain of interesting events is going to happen, which will also finally involve the DigiDestined a lot more into the story.

Next time on Hazard of Hatred: "Guilmon comes alive ~ redux!"

This is SorrowfulReincarnation, signing off to go on a short vacation...

So long!