Chapter 6
A Step Closer to the Truth
Moments ago Takuya had received notice that a Rift was going to be opening near him very soon and he went running off in search of it. He jumped over fences and ran through backyards trying to make good time. He had good reason to hurry too. The energy of the Rift he was racing toward was rising much quicker than he had ever seen before. When it reached a certain energy level the Rift would open and the digimon would appear and that time was going to be very soon. If it continued to rise at the speed it was Takuya wasn't going to make it before it opened. He might miss the opening by several minutes which would be plenty of time for it to go on a rampage and for people to notice it.
"What is going on? I've never seen one go this fast." Takuya said to himself as he cleared another fence.
The readings from the Rift had now reached the critical point; slowly turning the once blue target into a red one. The moment all hints of the blue were gone and it became pure red the Rift would have completely formed and the Rift Digimon would begin its rampage.
"Dammit! I'm not going to make it and there's nowhere safe around here to spirit evolve." He added to his earlier thought as ran past another family out for a peaceful nighttime walk. All he needed was an area where people wouldn't see him transform and take off into the sky; but right now there was no such place.
*BEEEEPPPPP…..*
Takuya's cell phone suddenly began to emit a long, loud beeping sound before it became completely quiet moments later.
"Damn…!" Takuya cursed. It was already too late the Rift was open.
"Thanks for the ride Izzy we didn't realize how late it was getting." Kari thanked Izzy from the backseat of his car.
"Yeah, thanks Izzy." TK added his own appreciation.
"It's no problem you two; but what made you decide to walk all the way to the park instead of driving?" Izzy asked as he pulled to a stop at a red light.
"You know how it is. You get to a street corner and the walk is so nice you decide to continue onwards, and then you do the same thing at the next one until you're a few miles from home and it's getting dark." TK laughed slightly embarrassed by the situation he and Kari had found themselves in.
"Hahaha… I wish Davis was here to hear that." Izzy laughed before the couple joined in.
*BEEEEEPPPPPPP*
The laptop beside Kari suddenly began to emit a loud beeping sound while the lights on the sides flashed rapidly. The cars three occupants jumped when the silence was broken and began to stare at the loud piece of technology. A second later Izzy shifted the car into park and reached into the backseat. He grabbed the flashing laptop and pulled it into the front seat with him where he flipped it open. The screen sprang to life revealing a colorfully map of the city. A location close to the cars position was highlighted with a flashing green target.
"It's close by…" Izzy said in a stunned voice.
"What's close by Izzy?" Kari asked as they all stared at the screen.
"Whatever's putting out that digital signal!" Izzy stated before he shifted the car into drive and pushed the gas pedal to the floor making a screeching right turn.
"Izzy, do you really have to go so fast?" TK question as he tested and retested his seatbelt making sure it was in working order; just in case.
"I've never been this close and the signals never been this strong." Izzy explained before turning another corner and slamming on the breaks.
"Okay now that hurt!" TK moaned as he rubbed his chest where the seatbelt and held him in place.
"Izzy, why'd you stop so suddenly?" Kari asked while she rubbed the same sore spots as her husband.
"We've got to hurry!" Izzy announced before he pushed open the door and grabbed his computer. With it in hand he ran around the front of the car, without even closing the driver's side door, and jumped the concrete barrier he had luckily managed not to hit; leaving the confused couple behind in the car.
"I guess we should follow him…?" TK finally spoke up in just enough time to see his wife jump the same concrete barrier and follow after Izzy. "Or it could just be me who had to think about it…?" He sighed before throwing open his door and chasing after the two.
The path beyond the stopped car was a winding dirt road that bent and curved randomly; all the while twisting upwards. It was apparently an old service path through the woods leading to some unknown part of the city. It didn't take long for Kari and TK to catch up with Izzy who had to stop every few seconds to check the readings on his laptop.
"Izzy, are you going to tell us what's happening?" Kari asked sliding to a stop next to Izzy who was at the moment trying to figure out which of the three turns to take. Izzy said nothing in response; far too distracted by his search to even hear the woman. After an understanding glance to the left he took off running again and the couple followed.
This path steadily began climbing upwards before giving way to a gap in the tree cover. Quickly after reaching the top they found themselves standing at the top of steep hillside that overlooked one of the many parks that populated the area. Down below was a field of unkempt grass and scattered trees; apparently this park wasn't used very much or at least this section of it wasn't.
The couple prepared to ask Izzy what was happening again before a slight rumble and a familiar feeling quieted their questions. This feeling was something that they hadn't felt in so many years but it easily came flooding back to them. Down in the clearing below, hidden in the shadows of the night something was moving. Something big. The steady small vibrations of its steps reached all the way up to them on the ridge. It just had to be; it had to be a digimon. The electricity in the air and the feelings in their bones told them so.
They stared down into the clearing peering through the darkness looking for anything moving amongst the trees and shadows. They neither breathed nor talked; all their focus concentrated on one single task. See the truth for themselves.
"GIGA CRACK" A voice suddenly roared out of the shadows. After that cry the park once again became quiet; but those on the ledge knew better. This was the quiet before the storm. The attack was just taking a moment to take effect.
Suddenly the earth shook violently sending rocks and breaks of earth sliding down the side of the hill. Down in the clearing large dark cracks opened wide in the ground swallowing and toppling trees. Towards the center of the disturbance a ring of trees collapsed revealing a large shaking shadow in the middle. The three observers held onto whatever they could, waiting for the quakes to end but the longer it went on the more intense it became. It appeared that whatever this digimon's attack was doing this it wasn't going to stop unless someone stopped the attacker.
"If this doesn't stop soon it'll tear apart the city!" TK yelled over the shaking earth. For now the quake seemed confined to the park but if it continued as it was it would soon spread to the houses and neighborhoods around them.
"ROSETTA STONE" A familiar cry rang out as several pink explosions struck the shadowy beast ending the quakes.
The flashes of pink illuminated the park revealing the massive green dragon. It stood on four thick scaly legs that terminated at three whites claws on the feet. Jotting out of the elbow joints of each limb were steel pistons. Where a normal dragon would have wings on its back this digimon had two massive arms tipped with armor plating and three long red claws at the ends. These arms were apparently how it launched the massive quake attack. Running along the full length of its back was a row of jagged red spikes of armor terminating at the tail which had a large steel spiky ball attached to the end. The head was pointed with two jagged horns sticking out the back and three spines pointing out from the face. It was now hunched over and baring its sharp white teeth at something floating in the air above.
"It's a digimon! And it's big!" TK announced. He like the rest was in complete shock at this moment. It had been eighteen-years since they had last seen a digimon and now here one was before them. The mixture of finally seeing a digimon again and the fact that it seemed to be trying to destroy the area had made it difficult for them to process exactly what was happening.
"It is! I knew it!" Izzy cheered before releasing his death grip on the fence post and picking up his laptop to locate and classify the digimon before him.
"Kari do you see that thing? Kari…?" TK turned to look at his wife in excitement before realizing she wasn't even paying attention to the dragon digimon below; but to the skies above it. Then it clicked for him. The attack they had just heard. Floating above the large digimon was a very familiar white digimon in shining armor.
"Nefertimon…" Kari awed as if she would cry for joy any moment. However that was before the reality before her and the rest sunk in. This was a fight, and it was only getting started.
"That's Groundramon!" Izzy shouted to the two before following their line of sight to the winged digimon in the sky. While TK and Kari's minds went to the familiar white cat Izzy had no idea what to think. Was the Nefertimon in the sky the same one they knew? Whatever had transpired to seal the Digital World might have changed everything they knew.
"MEGATON HAMMER CRUSH" The large green dragon called out as it swung it spiked wrecking ball of a tail at the flying digimon. With an agile grace the Nefertimon easily dodge the attack in midair before returning with one of her own.
"QUEEN'S PAW" Nefertimon cried out before launching a barrage of gems from the bracelets on her arms. They quickly sped towards their target closing in on the large digimons head; but with a simple swipe of the large arms on its back the gems exploded into fragments causing no damage to Groundramon.
"GIGA CRACK" Groundramon roared as it began to vibrate and the earthquakes started once again.
"QUEEN"S PAW" Nefertimon called out sending another barrage of empowered gems raining down on Rift digimon. But with a sick smile Groundramon again used one of the massive arms on its back to swat away the attack and the quake continued. Nefertimon had hoped that while doing that attack he wouldn't be able to defend himself but this proved to me a misconception.
"Stop it!" Nefertimon ordered while she dive-bombed the Rift digimon hoping that shortening the distance her next attack would have to travel the dragon digimon wouldn't be able to block in time. But something was wrong; the wicked smile on the Rifted grew wider.
"SCRAPLESS CLAW" Groundramon suddenly called out extending the massive arms on its back towards Nefertimon. The armored digimon had made sure to stay out of the reach of the claws but as they hurtled towards her they seemed to stretch until they clamped around her. The pain of the pressure ran through her body as the evil digimon began to sickeningly grind her in between its scaly paws; forcing the light digimon to cry out in pain.
"NEFERTIMON!" Kari cried out for the trapped digimon. As she did she clutched the D-3 in her purse ignoring the cold unresponsive feeling she was getting form it. All she could think about then was that the digimon before was in pain; her partner might be suffering.
With another sick smile Groundramon throw Nefertimon to the ground before him. She crashed into the ground with a painful bounce before sliding a short distance and coming to a stop. The pain had been too much; leaving her without the power to escape the massive scaly paw that Groundramon swung down to crush her. In a burst of dirt and pieces of grass the paw impacted.
"NEFERTIMON!!" Kari cried again falling to her knees fearing the worst possible outcome.
"Kari!" TK dropped down beside her and wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her. They all might have been on the verge of tears but they never took their eyes off of the spot where the winged digimon had disappeared under a cloud of dust.
A slight wind slowly wafted across the field working its way towards the impact point. It calmly began peeling back the dust cloud and the first thing that came into view when it did was the white fur of Nefertimon. The moment the group saw that the winged digimon was still alive a collective relief spread through them; while at the same time a new question arose within them. What had stopped the attack? As the dust cleared some more they could see the angry face of Groundramon staring down as his paw and it quaked slightly in the air.
"Hands off." An angry voice from beneath the large scaly paw growl.
In a final gust the dust blasted away revealing Nefertimons savior; BurningGreymon. However up on the ridge the three observers view of the new digimon was obscured by the large green scaly paw. They just stared waiting for what would happen next.
"Nefertimon are you alright?" BurningGreymon asked as he continued to hold up Groundramons massive arm.
"Yes… Just a little winded… and sore…" Nefertimon moaned, painfully getting back to her feet.
"Rraawwwhhhh!" Groundramon roared exerting more pressure downwards hoping to crush the two, but getting nowhere.
"Shut up!" BurningGreymon growled as he threw the arm to the side letting fall to the ground with a powerful thud. Up on the ridge the three final got their first view of the powerful dragon digimon that had seemed to come out of nowhere. It was unlike any digimon they had seen before; in some way it seemed to radiate with power.
"Who's that digimon?" TK inquired of Izzy, not taking his eyes off of the new digimon. Beside him Kari stared down at it; mentally thanking it for saving the Nefertimon. Instantly Izzy's fingers hit the keyboard as he worked the database to its limit.
After a few seconds Izzy spoke again "That doesn't make any sense!?" Izzy shouted as his fingers came to a rest.
"What doesn't make any sense Izzy?" TK asked taking his eyes off of the battle to concentrate on the computer genius; who seemed to be troubled by some recent development.
"That digimon… My scanner doesn't recognize it and I can't find anything like it in the database…" Izzy answered not knowing how to deal with the first time his computer had failed him.
"How can it not be in the database?" TK questioned turning back to the digimon below. He turned back just in time to see the new arrive slam its fist into Groundramons head making the larger digimon stumble backwards in a daze.
"Nefertimon, thanks from keeping Groundramon from tearing apart the city. But now get out of here and leave this to me." BurningGreymon stated as he watched Groundramon stumble and come to a stop. The larger digimon seemed to be very angry now; but a weakling like him wasn't going to scare Takuya.
"Are you sure?" The armored digimon asked. BurningGreymon just gave her a thumbs up before he slowly walked off to finish the fight. With her answer Nefertimon kicked off of the ground putting some distance between herself and the soon to be battle field.
"Is that new digimon going to take on Groundramon on his own?" TK inquired to no one in particular. The digimon did appear to be strong but the size difference between the two made it seem uneven.
"More important than that… Where is its partner?" Izzy questioned as he began to scan the park below for any sign of a child with digivice. The other two quickly joined him hoping that the child would call out to his partner or at least make his presence known during the fight. But there search was cut short when the field burst into a flurry of flames.
"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI" BurningGreymon roared as he released the flood of flames upon his foe. In response Groundramon braced himself and brought down his massive arms blowing away a good share of the flames. His ploy had worked for the most part but the flames had still burned the large digimons arms and sides sending pain shooting through it. But this wasn't the end of Groundramons pain BurningGreymon was going to make sure of that.
As soon as Groundramon raised his large arms out of the way so he could see his opponent he was greeted by the charging form of BurningGreymon. He easily slipped through Groundramons defenses and slammed his fist into the massive digimons snout. The impacted erupted with searing flames and Groundramons roars of pain. Not wasting an opportunity BurningGreymon grabbed hold of the reptilian digimons face and used all of his strength to slam it into the ground. Again Groundramon roared in pain and surprise as his head was slammed into the hard earth and the front half of his body was twisted onto its side.
Up on the ridge the three former Digidestine stared down at the scene that was unfolding before them. This small in comparison digimon was easily throwing this massive digimon around. The sheer power and strength it was exhibiting was much different than what they were used to during their days.
"Look at him go…" TK commented as Groundramons head hit the ground before the smaller digimon began to twist it turning the front half on its side.
"Yeah…" The other two respond not taking their eyes off of the battlefield. They were still trying to find the digimons partner but it was getting increasingly hard to look away from the battle. It had been many years since they had seen any sign of digimon and now here were two fighting it out before them. They really couldn't be blamed for being distracted.
"PYRO BARRAGE" BurningGreymon growled releasing another pointblank attack on the digimons head. With this combined attacks he managed to inflict some serious damage leaving Groundramons left eye burned shut and shattering a few of the digimons large teeth. However this time Groundramon wasn't going to let the assault on him go unanswered.
"MEGATON HAMMER CRUSH" Groundramon roared in anger as it brought the metal spiked ball over its shoulder and down on the spot where BurningGreymon stood. It impacted the ground with a powerful crash shattering the soft earth and digging a crater in the dirt. Leaving the ball buried in the earth Groundramon got to its feet once more and began to sickly smile in triumph.
"What are you smiling about scaly?" BurningGreymons asked from somewhere behind the metal ball. Hearing that voice again Groundramons blood froze and his eyes widened in fear.
In the next instance the large spiked metal ball rushed forward and lifted off of the ground. With a final push BurningGreymon forced it into Groundramons face shattering its front teeth and wedging the large ball into the surprised digimons mouth. "Now maybe you'll finally shut up." BurningGreymon added with a laugh as he prepared to bring the fight to an end.
Charging up is next attack with intense flames BurningGreymon brought his left fist forward and roared "BURNING GREY BASHER". His fist impacted with a powerful blast of flame and force, driving the ball further into Groundramons mouth and putting a large crack in the ball. Taking another step forward he brought his right arm to bear and slammed it into the ball with a second "BURNING GREY BASHER". Pushing the ball back further and blowing it to pieces with a powerful explosion.
The resulting explosion turned the fragments of the once devastating spiked ball into speeding shrapnel which tore its way through Groundramons body. With pain coursing through its shredded and useless body Groundramon fell to the dirt in a heap. Its large red eyes glazed over and its breathing became shallow. The fight was over and the only thing left was the merciful finishing blow from BurningGreymon.
"It's over…" Kari noted after seeing Groundramon fall. She was glad that the fight was over and the city was safe.
"That's good. We should be able to get a good look at its human partner when they go to send Groundramon back to the Digital World." Izzy stated his eyes darting about for any form approaching the red dragon digimon.
"I don't know Izzy… Something feels different about this situation…" TK commented. He could feel that this wasn't like the battles they had fought with Davis and the others. This one felt very different in some way.
"What do you mean…" Izzy began to ask before he got his answer.
Down below BurningGreymon slowly walked the short distance between himself and Groundramon. Once he reached Groundramons head he raised his right leg and planted his foot directly between its large reptilian eyes. He then leaned back slightly letting his arms fall to the side before the golden blaster on his right arm sprung open and began eradiating a crimson heat. As it quickly increased in temperature Groundramon stared at it in disinterest. Takuya really hated that look. They never seemed to care that the end was upon them. As if the little bit of chaos and destruction that had brought was worth their lives… as if they weren't really alive to begin with.
"What is he doing…?" Kari began to ask before the answer became obvious. With a low roar BurningGreymon brought his right blaster forward and plunged it deep into Groundramons head. "PYRO BARRAGE" It roared as flames began to pour out of the wound. After a second of this BurningGreymon pulled its arm out and began walking away. Groundramons eyes simply closed and a second later it burst into a flurry of digital bits. Up on the ridge the three watched in utter shock; unsure of how they should feel about what they had witnessed.
"Why did he destroy Groundramon!? Couldn't he have just sent him back?" TK said as he clenched his fist. Izzy and Kari were also having their own reactions to the current situation.
"I don't know. And I still haven't seen any sigh of its partner." Izzy commented while he never stopped looking for a sign of a chosen child. But soon looking would no longer be an option as the dragon digimon lifted into the air with a powerful flap of its wings and headed towards the Nefertimon that continued to circle in the skies above.
"Let's get out of here before someone shows up." BurningGreymon instructed Nefertimon before arching over and flying away from the park. Down on the ridge the three watched as the two digimon disappeared into the night sky, leaving them with more new questions than answers.
"Thanks again for intercepting that one." Takuya thanked the small white feline digimon sitting on his desk before he let himself fall back into his bed. "I don't even want to think what would have happened if you hadn't shown up when you did Gatomon." He added as he listened to the small digimon jump down from the desk and walk over to his bed. With a small jump she was on the bed and made her way to Takuya before lying down next to him. When she did Takuya reached out his arm and began stroking the feline digimons white fur.
"You don't have to thank me. That's why I'm here." Gatomon purred happily as she tried to forget about her injuries and concentrate on the gentle petting. "Anyways I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see the human world for the first time." She added with a long happy purr as Takuya found a good spot behind her ear.
"Remind me to thank Lady Ophanimon for sending you back with me to help keep an eye on things." Takuya noted as his voice slowly became quieter.
"Sure…" Gatomon replied before falling silent. With that the two drifted off to sleep to recover from the long night.
For these two the day was done but for the older members of the family the night had only begun.
To be continued…