Chapter 7: Crimson Dragon Village
I woke up to what I had expected to be later in the day, but to my surprise the day had just begun. I stretched a little before finding my way out of the tent. The digital morning was oddly a bit chilly. I shivered.
"Hey there, Sunshine." Ryo smiled. "Let's hurry up and pack so we can get out of here."
"Where are we going?" I asked.
Ryo reached into the tent and grabbed the sleeping bags. "We are going to find Crimson Dragon Village. Terriormon believes that we may find answers there as to what is going on with you." He zipped up the sleeping bags and attached them to his backpack. "We're also going to locate Baihumon and hopefully find Cyberdramon."
I nodded and helped him disassemble the tent. "I really don't want you to come along."
"You don't really have a choice, and besides, nothing like spending some quality time together."
I frowned. I do need his help, but it's just not safe. "Fine, but if I kill you, don't say I didn't warn you."
xxVxx
We walked for miles through the dense and decaying forest and came across a small, yet deserted town. The buildings were in rough shape and had looked as though no form of digital being had been there in digital years. We passed many signs and what looked to be digital shops until Ryo stopped dead in his tracks. He placed an arm out in front of me, which I almost clothes-lined into, and looked around.
"Do you hear that," he whispered. I held my breath and listened, not hearing anything but digital wind sweeping through the town. I shook my head. "It sounds like someone – or some mon – is nearby. Stay close."
Terriormon jumped on Ryo's head and used his little hands to imitate binoculars. "No sign of life, cap'n." He joked. "Let's move onward."
Ryo turned to face me and gave a worried look, "stay close." Grabbing my hand, we headed into the town more. We walked past an old timely digital fountain, which was probably used for absolutely nothing other than looks, and stopped once more. "Who's there?" Ryo demanded loudly.
"You, human, are trespassing upon my land. Your kind has no place here. Begone." A deep, male voice replied.
"Show yourself," Terriormon spat, "face us if you are not too cowardly."
A large Digimon stepped through the shadows. His appearance was that of a dinosaur mixed dragon and had glaring red armour protecting his body. Orange, fiery wings spanned against his massive body and his eyes shined bright blue. "Say that again to me, rabbit."
Terriormon gulped and Ryo pulled out his D-Power, not getting a reading. "Who are you?"
The Digimon's gray skull faced past Ryo and directly at me. It was my turn to gulp. "I am AncientGreymon. Now, who are you humans and why have you come to my village?"
Ryo stepped forward, confidently, and said,"I am Akiyama, Ryo and these are my friends, Nonaka, Rika, and Terriormon."
AncientGreymon lowered his head, almost as a bow, "the infamous Akiyama, Ryo. The so-called Digimon King has arrived at my village. Unprotected it seems." AncientGreymon returned his gaze to me as he spoke to Ryo. "Why have you come here?"
"We seek answers and hoped this village would hold further knowledge of the Crimson Ocean," Ryo replied.
"And what kind of answers are you looking for, young human?" The massive Digimon asked.
Ryo looked uncertain, "we have reason to believe the data from Flaremon has somehow managed to corrupt the Sea of Peace."
"That is exactly what happened," AncientGreymon snapped. "I do not see how this matter is any of your concern."
"It has everything to do with our concern," Terriormon said. "Plenty."
AncientGreymon narrowed his eyes at me. I could feel hatred inside of him. It almost felt like I could read his thoughts ... feel his feelings. Was it his gaze? I clenched my fists and tried not to look into his eyes, but the blue luminosity was subjugating. As I kept contact, the world around me began to fade, my thoughts and my feelings dispersing. I could no longer remember why I was standing there, still gazing into his eyes. Then, finally, it hit me. A blast so powerful through my chest I could have sworn my insides tore out. An attack so almighty my body went numb and I fell onto the ground. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't see anything ... anything but those eyes. The eyes piercing through my skull.
Suddenly, my view began to change. The blue glow evaporated into a blurry vision of the room around me. I was on the ground looking up into the faces of Ryo, Terriormon, and AncientGreymon. I blinked.
"I see," is all AncientGreymon said before turning to leave.
I sat up and placed a hand over my chest. The touch tingled throughout my body and I cringed in pain. "What happened?"
Ryo looked at Terriormon, "you passed out."
"I passed out? Why do I feel like I'm in pain?" I asked confused and slightly annoyed.
Rubbing my hand over my chest I felt holes and looked down. They weren't just holes but claw marks that ripped through most of my shirt but left no physical scratches on my body. I looked at Ryo and he frowned. "Before you passed out, AncientGregymon tried to catch you from falling," he said.
I could tell just by looking at his face that he was lying. Was it Flaremon again? "How long was I out?"
"A few minutes. Come on, get up. We need to leave this village, now." Ryo stuck a hand out to me and helped me up. Digging into his bag he pulled out a gray hoodie and I threw it on. We left the village and headed towards, what I assumed, was our next destination.
"Is AncientGreymon not going to help us?" I said, breaking the long and awkward silence. I was several feet walking behind Ryo and Terriormon, who was sitting on Ryo's head. Neither of them had said a thing since before we left the town and it made me wonder if I had done something wrong again. "Or was our trip a waste of time?"
Terriormon looked back at me and gave a small grin, "momentai." He faced forward again.
I slipped the hood over me and placed my hands in the pouch of the hoodie, dropping my pace. I wasn't sure what happened or sure of where we were going. IF there was anything I was sure of, it was that I didn't really want to be a burden any longer. As much as I wanted to run in another direction and pray to be hit by a Data Stream, I thought better of it. It would burden them more to have to hunt me down, but if things get too intense, would it be worth their safety?
Rika..? A voice called. I stopped walking and turned around. No one. I killed your partner, Rika. She was weak, weak like you. Join me and I can make you stronger. Join me and we can take over the Digital World.
"No!" I shouted. I looked around. Am I hearing things?
Yes, you can become stronger. You don't need those friends, you need me. Help me and I shall reward you fairly. The voice called again.
"I don't need your help," I growled. Where was the voice coming from? "Where are you?"
I'm you, Rika. I am part of you. I need your help. I am Flaremon. I am inside of you and our thoughts are one.
No, I told him, we are not one. We will never be one. Leave my body and return my partner back to me.
Fool! Did you not see? I killed your partner. She is dead. She was too weak, you deserve better.
I deserve my partner.
You deserve a powerful partner like me. We can defeat the last Sovereign and the one they call the King. You and I, together.
The King? Who is the King? I asked.
Akiyama, Ryo.
