I don't own Digimon or the quote towards the end of the story.
So Long to the Days of Neutrality
888
Sorcerymon was up. Renamon's ears twitched again. The wizard was trying to sound like he was trying to be quiet. She looked down at the human girl that was nuzzled up in her tail. The fox frowned slightly and gently disentangled her tail from the fingers and arms of the child, much to the dreaming girl's disapproval. Ren grunted and let out a soft 'Awww' noise as she turned and clasped a pillow tight against her chest.
The fox slowly slid from the bed and then stealthily left the loft. Flashes of the hall played across her vision as she swept back and forth between reality and a small kitsune universe that she had learned to utilize before the Armored Digimon had attacked. She had not told anyone of this new ability hoping to keep it secret in case of an emergency.
She crept up to the doorway leading into the kitchen. She decided to remain within her own little bubble of reality, so she could watch the wizard. Sorcerymon was fussing with a stove and with halfhearted effort tried to keep the skillets from clattering.
"Curiosity killed the cat," said Sorcerymon quietly as his head turned and his eyes fixed on the position Renamon was standing. "Well, in this case the fox, but I believe the meaning is the same…"
Renamon phased into sight and looked at the wizard. "You knew I was there…"
"You don't think I wouldn't know what's going on in my own home, Renamon?" Sorcerymon asked quietly. "Plus I knew you'd come…"
"You lured me down here," Renamon narrowed her eyes.
"I did," conceded the wizard with a faux apologetic expression on his face. He walked forward and pulled a chair out and sat down at the table. His hands intertwined. "I want you to leave as soon as possible…"
"Why?" Renamon walked to the table, "We should wait for nightfall and slip away in the dark."
"They won't wait that long," replied Sorcerymon quietly. "I have been watching things…" Sorcerymon reached into his jacket and pulled out a crystal ball. Renamon narrowed her eyes and stared into the glass globe. Sorcerymon looked up at the fox. "Toy Town is in full rebellion."
An image of a golden, bear digimon was marching across the globe's surface. Red lasers shot out of its eyes as Armored Command's Rookie allies retreated. She could make out the images of a few of the Armored Digimon that constituted one of the main enforcer squadrons but not much more.
"Are the rebels winning?" asked Renamon quietly.
"For the time, but its very iffy," said Sorcerymon. He put the ball on the table. "You must go to Toy Town, if you don't…"
"The rebels will be crushed…" replied Renamon quietly. "But the taskforce here will follow us!"
"No, they won't…" said Sorcerymon. The wizard stood up and turned, "I'll keep them busy here."
"You can't!" Renamon retorted with less decorum than she usually held.
"I can at least slow them down," replied Sorcerymon. The wizard turned slightly, "I've sat on the sidelines too long."
"What made you change your mind?" Renamon looked intensely at the wizard.
"I realized that while I sat here hiding from the fact that doing something would lead to digimon being deleted," started Sorcerymon quietly, "that there are digimon being deleted because I have done nothing."
"Will you enlist then?" asked Renamon as she leaned on the table. The wizard shook his head. Renamon released a sighing growl of frustration, "Why not?"
"This is something I have to do on my own…" replied the wizard quietly. "I may go and help Meramon in his guerilla actions along the Mihirashi River, but I will not be part of this officially."
"Then join us," Renamon's eyes tried to tear into the wizard, but his subtle innocence and calmness repelled any glare the fox could muster. "Trust me, we could use your experience and help…we're winging it…"
"It's not my place to interfere with destiny," replied the wizard. "You will do better on your own than with me pulling your strings, plus I'd make you an even bigger target and those poor humans don't need any more stress than what they already have."
"Please, Sorcerymon, don't do this alone," implored Renamon as she looked into the wizard's eyes. "I'm begging you, don't do this alone."
"I won't be alone…" whispered Sorcerymon. He clenched his fist, "I'll have Bearmon, Terriermon, Kotemon, the Patamon twins and even Dinohumon with me…You're never truly alone, just lonely."
Renamon narrowed her eyes and glowered at the wizard, "This is insanity…"
"What is?" yawned Ren as she appeared from the hallway.
"Nothing," growled Renamon quietly as she glared at Sorcerymon.
"I wish someone would tell me something…" whimpered the girl quietly.
"I'm planning on giving you a head start," said Sorcerymon to the girl.
"What?" the girl's eyes widened slightly, "You don't mean…" The wizard nodded silently. Ren looked to Renamon, "He can't, they'll cook him, I mean they took on DORUgamon and Raptordramon and still survived you blindsiding them…"
"I know," said Renamon quietly not breaking her eye contact with Sorcerymon.
"You don't think I can take care of myself?" asked Sorcerymon his voice took a pseudo-threatening tone. His eyes flashed up and met Renamon's, "Young lady, I was fighting evil digimon before your digi-egg even was woven!" Sorcerymon took a step forward, "When you were Reremon I was keeping Primary Village safe from the Server Invasion forces," He took another step forward. "When you were Viximon I was protecting your furry little butt by fighting off ocean digimon as they tried to bring Dragomon back through the whirlpool," He slammed his hand on the table, "and by the Founders I was protecting you as Renamon when you got overwhelmed by those Vilemon, so don't go about telling me I can't take care of myself miss fur face!"
Renamon's eyes narrowed. "If you wish to do this I cannot stop you. That does not mean I don't think it is insanity. They outnumber you and from what I have seen they are very powerful."
"I only have to buy you time, I don't have to win," replied Sorcerymon sternly.
"Win what?" yawned a group of voices. Renamon narrowed her eyes and looked back to see the boys and their digimon were awake.
"What's the commotion about?" grumbled Taku as she stretched.
"Yeah, some wake up call you have here, Sorcerymon," grumbled DemiDevimon.
"He wishes to take on those digimon you faced last evening by himself," blurted Ren.
"WHAT?" yelped Jiro, Haru and Kisho.
"I'm sorry, Sorcerymon, no disrespect or anything," started Kisho as he walked into the kitchen.
"Those guys will cream you!" yelped DORUmon. Kisho nodded quietly.
"They will, Sorcerymon," Haru looked up at the wizard, "They are ruthless, we could barely hold them off let alone beat them…"
"And that was two and a half on four," yelped Agumon. The little orange digimon looked down, "I'd hate to see what four on one would do."
"Please, Mr. Sorcerymon," whimpered Jiro as he looked up at the wizard with large blue eyes.
"My mind is made up, you will leave after you have eaten and bathed," said Sorcerymon. "I have made some packs for you, I included some clothes, and some cloaks, there is a storm rolling in from the north and I don't want you catching yourself a cold…"
"Sorcerymon…" Ren started but the wizard shook his head and turned back to the stoves.
Sorcerymon started to stir something, "Ren you should bathe first; then the boys…the packs are in the living room…"
888
Taku walked out of the bathroom and rubbed his hair. His dark hair spiked up like Haru's and Kisho's hair. Taku grimaced and slid his hand over his hair flattening it.
The others were downstairs. He quickly went up the stairs holding his towel tightly over his waist.
"It took you long enough!" said DemiDevimon as the bat sat on Taku's bed.
"Why aren't you downstairs?" growled Taku quietly.
"I wanted to wait for you," replied DemiDevimon. "Jeesh, you'd think I'd killed someone."
"Well do you need to be here while I change?" asked Taku. The boy narrowed his eyes and looked at the bat.
"Eh, change? Are you going to digivolve?" asked DemiDevimon.
"No!" yelped Taku, "I'm going to take this towel off and put some clothes on!"
"Yeah?" DemiDevimon furrowed his brows. "You're point?"
"The towel…it's coming off!" yelped Taku. He stared at the opaque look on DemiDevimon face.
"I understand that," replied DemiDevimon, "look if you're going to make a point, make it, if not then get on with changing, I'm hungry."
"I'll be naked for crying out loud!" yelped Taku loudly. "As in no clothes covering my…well it's…and…well they're not going to be covered, that's all you need to know…"
"That was as clear as mud," said DemiDevimon as he scratched his head with his wing.
"I mean naked as in no clothes; I just…" Taku blushed brightly.
"I'm your partner, Taku, it's not like we are going to have any secrets…plus, do you think I'm clothed?" asked DemiDevimon. The bat pulled at his fur and skin, "I'm as naked as a…really naked thing!"
"Well…that's true…" said Taku quietly. He looked down. "Just don't…you know, talk about it with the other digimon or the other guys…"
DemiDevimon nodded and Taku sat down and unfurled his towel and started to get dressed. DemiDevimon watched as the boy slipped his jeans on and then slid his arms through the silken, lavender sleeves. Taku looked down at DemiDevimon.
"That's it?" grumbled DemiDevimon, "That's what all this fuss was over?"
"What do you mean that's it?" yelped Taku loudly as he blushed.
"Well, jeesh, it wasn't that big a deal," grumbled DemiDevimon as he hopped off the bed. "I thought maybe tentacles would shoot out your back the way you were going on about it!"
"Well, I just…I'm just…pale and," The boy gulped. "And, and…well it's just…I don't think…It's just I'm old enough and certain things aren't happening…I know I look different."
"Eh, you look like the other boys without your clothes on, I really don't see you humans' obsession with looking like each other," said DemiDevimon. He started walking away, "I mean I don't want to look like Renamon, or ugh…Guilmon. Ren was in here worried about her hair not being 'full enough'. You humans wanting to be all alike is a lot like this one digimon from the past, he wanted everyone to look like him…"
"I guess you have a point huh?" said Taku with a grin.
"Of course, I always have a point," giggled DemiDevimon. The bat flew up and landed on Taku's head.
"Do you have to do that?" growled Taku as he walked forward.
"Yes!" replied DemiDevimon bluntly. "So deal with it, human!"
"Oh I'll deal with it…" Taku chuckled darkly.
The boy walked up to the door way and stopped in the middle of the door and then jumped straight up bouncing DemiDevimon's head off of the door frame. DemiDevimon wobbled back and forth before falling on the floor. The bat glared up at Taku.
"Whadya do that for?" growled the bat.
"Because you were being a brat," replied Taku as he walked past.
DemiDevimon rubbed his head and then ran after the boy.
888
"Please reconsider!" pleaded Ren as Taku walked into the kitchen.
"I have made my mind up, now eat," grumbled Sorcerymon as he walked to the kitchen sink.
"She's still at it?" asked Taku quietly to Kisho as the freshly bathed boy looked up at Ren.
"All through breakfast," replied Kisho quietly. "I can see her point, those guys back on the beach won't be very charitable to Sorcerymon…but it's something that Sorcerymon wants to do…"
"We could stay and stand up to them," said Haru quietly to Kisho. The blonde stood on the other side of the brown haired boy was watching as Sorcerymon cleaned dishes.
"I don't know…" whispered Taku quietly. "You guys didn't seem to fair so well against them the last time…"
"I didn't see you contributing to the effort any?" growled Haru under his breath.
"Well, let's just look at that then…" returned Taku as he leveled his coal like eyes on Haru. "DemiDevimon, were you, or were you not conscious last night when the bad guys attacked?"
"I believe I was unconscious…" replied DemiDevimon as he landed on Taku's head.
"So…do you think you could've contributed to the fight?" asked Taku calmly. He watched as Haru's eyes narrowed and his fists slightly clenched.
"I don't believe I could, that is unless you planned to use me as a cannon ball," replied DemiDevimon.
"Look, it's not just with the fighting!" shouted Haru. Ren and Jiro looked up at the outburst, "You have an overall crappy attitude."
"You would too, I never wanted to come here and be shot at and chased and have cryptic messages given to me by a suicidal wizard!" returned Taku loudly. His eyes shone in the soft morning light. "I just wanted to go home and lock myself in my room so I could just get away from you and your stupid friends and your stupid school with your stupid dress codes and stupid bullies and cliques and clubs and crap!"
Haru looked down. "Do you think I wanted to come here…I mean it's great and all but I wanted to rest and relax too…"
"We all did," said Kisho. "I mean well, it was summer vacation…"
"Are you saying you don't want to be here?" asked Sorcerymon quietly. The wizard was still standing in front of the sink facing away from the children. His hands were in mid-wipe of a plate.
"It's not that…" said Jiro quietly. He patted Agumon's head. "It's just…a surprise."
"Yeah, I mean it's kind of like camp," Ren smiled brightly. "I wouldn't trade in meeting Renamon for anything…, but I would really like to tell mom and dad where I am…"
"I wouldn't trade meeting DORUmon either…" said Kisho as he smiled at the purple digimon. "I mean he's neat and well, fluffy."
"I don't know how I should take that…" DORUmon looked at Kisho with a smile.
"Guilmon is great and all, but…" Haru looked at the red and black dragon. "It's so sudden; I mean we have little information about anything…Like the digivolution, what is it?"
"It's a process in which a digimon has accumulated so much energy that its current form can't contain it," Sorcerymon replied quietly, "the core program of the digimon then establishes a reflex program to re-organize the digimon so that it can contain the energy…"
"Who sent us here?" Haru looked at the wizard intently.
"That…is a question for the Order," replied the wizard promptly.
"Who is the Order?" asked Jiro quietly, his brown eyes looked up innocently at the wizard.
"That is an answer you will receive when you see them," was all Sorcerymon said quietly. He looked at Taku, "You best eat, the morning mists will be lifting soon…"
It didn't take long for Taku to snatch up a little sausage and some rice and hunker down to eat. The others continued to try and convince Sorcerymon to reconsider but the white wizard only shook his head and finally lifted his hand and told them to stop.
"I have a boat here, with an engine; it shall take you to the shore," stated Sorcerymon. The others opened their mouths to protest but the wizard sliced the air with the flat of his hand, "Now, once on the mainland I wish for you to go to a place called Toy Town, there you will meet with a growing resistance and hopefully you may be able to assist them in repelling Baronmon's forces."
"What if you get overwhelmed?" asked Ren innocently. The girl looked up at the wizard with large sad eyes.
"That is not something for which you should be worried about," said Sorcerymon as he walked towards a detailed door that led from the kitchen to the outside, "Now, grab your bags and I'll lead you to the dock."
The children sighed and stood, first the boys and then, reluctantly Ren. They walked over to a line of different colored duffel bags. Kisho lifted a red one, Haru grabbed the blue one, Jiro grabbed the green one and Taku lifted up a lavender bag. Ren slowly looked at Sorcerymon and then at her pack and lifted up the nylon, raspberry duffel and slung it over her shoulder.
"This way…" whispered Sorcerymon as ushered the children through the door.
They walked outside of the house and looked up. Thick interwoven tendrils of greenery laced their way in a green tunnel. Sorcerymon closed the door quietly behind him and then led the children down the path. It was uneasily quiet. No birds sang; nothing rustled through the foliage.
"It's so quiet," whispered Kisho quietly.
"They are surveying the area…" whispered Sorcerymon quietly, "As we speak, Coatlmon is making a flight around the lake…"
"Then how are supposed to get across the lake…they'll see us," Haru hissed at Sorcerymon as they walked along the path.
"That is what this is for," whispered Sorcerymon. Her pulled his hands from his cape and lifted a large quart crystal up. "This crystal shall produce a refraction bubble around the boat, making you very much invisible to those outside the bubble, with any luck they won't know you have left until after you've gotten to mainland."
"Awesome," whispered Kisho as he looked at the crystal.
"Yes, it is quite an awe-inspiring bit of work, but you can ogle it later," Sorcerymon put the crystal in Kisho's hands, "We have to get you to the boat. It's not much farther."
The wizard proceeded down the path. The soft grassy path curled around a bush and there, at the end of the vine tunnel was a grey boat. It was easily big enough to carry the ten destined. Sorcerymon smiled quietly and walked up to the dock. He looked up and pulled a grayish blue hand out of his glove, licked his finger and pointed it to the sky.
"Well?" Kisho looked at the wizard.
"No one is coming in this direction," responded the wizard, "I sense them but they are still on the other side of the island, not out of ear shot of the boat starting though, so you must be fast. I'll keep them as busy as I can." The wizard handed Renamon a ring with a key on it, "You use these to start the boat, just start it and go; the crystal should mask you."
Renamon nodded and with Sorcerymon helped the kids on the boats. He then untied the moorings of the boat. Agumon and Guilmon helped pass out life preservers to the children. DORUmon looked over the edge of the boat with suspicion.
"Renamon, are you sure there isn't anymore evil digimon down there?" asked the lavender, furred digimon quietly.
"Don't worry, I took care of Archelomon, and no there is nothing else in this lake but fish," replied Renamon as she slid the key into the ignition.
The children turned to find Sorcerymon already gone. Renamon turned the key and the boat's engine roared to life. The collective crew of the craft winced at the loud noise.
"ACK!" yelped Kisho as he looked at the crystal, "Sorcerymon never told us how to activate the crystal!"
Jiro's head darted about, "Look, everything looks funny."
"What is it?" Ren asked as she put her hand out to the strange wavy scenery.
"It must be the refraction dome," whispered Haru. "It's affecting our vision of the outside the same way it's making us invisible."
"Renamon, I'd start pushing the gas pedal," called Taku as he looked up and saw smoke rolling up from the tree-line of the island.
The engine growled as the boat lurched forward. They were on their way. Behind them the sounds of explosions crashed through the atmosphere.
888
"Ugh, they have to be here," growled FlaWizardmon as he stomped over the beachhead of the island. He unsheathed one of his matchsticks and flicked to the ground causing the sand to melt and reform as glass.
"I've done several flybys," growled Coatlmon as the large amphitere hovered over the ground, "They have yet to depart."
"Or maybe they already have," Harpymon said as she hovered behind FlaWizardmon.
"No, we'd have known," said Puttimon. The green digimon looked up at the cabin in the middle of the island. "He's shielding them from us."
"Even if he is, they can't stay there forever!" said FlyBeemon. The red insect buzzed forward and looked at the cabin, "I say we blast them out of there."
Another blast of fire and glass signified an increasing level of annoyance from FlaWizardmon, "We have waited too long! They'll have gone by now!"
"Excuse me…" said a simple voice. The five members of Task Force Alpha looked up in shock. A white wizard was standing in front of them. "Would you please stop turning my beach into glass, it greatly devalues the property."
"Sorcerymon," growled the five digimon in unison, "Where are the humans?"
"The what?" Sorcerymon narrowed his eyes and made a quizzical face, "I'm sorry, my old age, and my hearing have gone all fliberdyflap; I thought you said 'Where's the humans?'."
"We did," growled the five digimon.
"Well, that's just silly, I don't take care of humans," replied Sorcerymon innocently, "I think you got the wrong address, are you sure you have the right house, I know it can be hard to get the proper addresses in a time of…"
Sorcerymon was cut off as FlaWizardmon rushed forward and pressed a matchstick against the white wizard's throat, "We don't have time for your little games, Sorcerymon, now tell us where the children are."
"I have no idea," replied Sorcerymon sternly, "Frankly I don't think I like your tone of voice…"
"You don't have to like my tone of voice," growled FlaWizardmon.
"On the contrary…" whispered Sorcerymon. His blue eyes flashed brightly and he swept his leg around knocking the flame wizard off balance and then punched the fiery fiend in the face sending the fire digimon staggering back. "I think I should at least accept your tone of voice."
Sorcerymon spun his staff in his hand and then held it diagonally across his chest, "Well, are you guys going to get off my property or will I have to get persuasive?"
"Tell us where they are?" growled Harpymon loudly. She brandished her talons and formed a ball of wind in the palm of her hand. "Or else!"
"Or else what?" asked Sorcerymon. His eyes were narrowed and his hands gripped his staff tightly.
"This!" Puttimon pointed a single finger forward. A bead of lavender energy formed at the tip, "Heartner Beam!"
The purple beam shot forward like a dart. Sorcerymon pushed his staff forward and a wave of energy smashed the beam like an accordion sending back at the attacker in one pile of purple. Puttimon skidded across the sand and ended up on the edge of the lake.
Sorcerymon then lifted a hand up and five pillars of swirling water rose up from the lake. They formed into giant hands and grabbed up the five attackers and took them out to open water. The white wizard then dropped his hand and the spinning pillars released their captives. Task Force Alpha soon found themselves splashing in the lake.
Coatlmon was the first to lift himself from the water, followed by Puttimon and FlyBeemon. FlaWizardmon had to be assisted by Harpymon to escape the watery depths. The five armored digimon rushed forward only to smack into a huge dome of energy, like mosquitoes hitting a windshield.
"You and the humans can hide in there, but you can't keep those humans safe forever!" shrieked Harpymon.
"That is…" said Puttimon quietly, "if the humans are even in the cabin! Coatlmon, go to the other side of the lake!"
The green and white, winged snake nodded and curled around and flew. Coatlmon flapped once before bouncing its snout against a barrier. The dragon growled angrily and turned to fly in the other direction only to find he ran into another barrier. The dragon looked down at Sorcerymon. The wizard's hands kept shifting.
"Let us through wizard!" shouted FlyBeemon. "Don't make us break this barrier!" The fly's wings started to hum loudly as sparks of electricity trickled from the insect's wing membranes and into its armored hands. "SPARK FLY!"
Rivers of lightning snaked over the surface of the barrier, revealing a generally oval shaped energy field around the five digimon. The barrier shifted slightly to contain the blast but nothing permanent was done.
"Magical Ignition!" growled FlaWizardmon as he unsheathed both matchsticks and sliced them in a cross releasing an 'X' shaped firestorm. Again the barrier wobbled but wouldn't fall down.
"This won't work," growled Puttimon as he hovered to the periphery of the barrier. "We must work together in order to break this barrier…" Puttimon drifted back and lifted his finger, "I'll say Veemon, Veemon, Flamedramon, we fire when I say Flamedramon, ok?"
"Right!" growled the other four.
"Ok," Puttimon charged up his finger tip, "Veemon…" FlaWizardmon's matchsticks glowed with blue flame. "Veemon…" Coatlmon and Harpymon gathered their wind attacks, "Flame…" FlyBeemon charged his wings with electricity, "Dramon!"
"Fire Cloud!"
"Wind Seeker!"
"Fossil Wind!"
"Spark Fly!"
"Heartner Beam!" Puttimon smirked as his lavender beam of energy merged with the spirals of wind, lightning and flames.
The barrier bowed and then snapped; the excess energy flew towards Sorcerymon. The white wizard leapt back hovering over the ground as the attacks exploded into the sand. Sorcerymon looked up and growled and opened his hand.
Spirals of water shot up from the lake, but the Armored digimon weaved between the shafts of liquid and turned attacking them. Sorcerymon narrowed his eyes and concentrated harder. The water shafts reformed into a large beast and it slammed its fists around in sweeping attacks on the group of Armored digimon.
"Pathetic…it's just the same trick over and over again," growled FlaWizardmon. He brandished his matchsticks and twirled them in his hands. "Magical Ignition!"
A blast of flames shot through the water beast. The creature's midsection evaporated, leaving a wave of steam behind. The water beast collapsed back into the lake. The five digimon loomed in the air above Sorcerymon.
"Give up the children…" growled Puttimon loudly. He pointed his glowing finger at Sorcerymon, "I really don't want to…"
"Then don't!" shouted Sorcerymon.
"Sorry…" Puttimon smirked quietly, "This finger is possessed."
The bead of light around Puttimon's finger lanced forward. Sorcerymon shot his hand up but the barrier formed crushed under the beam and Sorcerymon was sent spiraling back. Seconds later Sorcerymon felt claws, fists and slashes of energy cutting across him. Sorcerymon crashed on the ground. His blue eyes looked up. The five of them were chuckling over him.
"Coatlmon…go, find them," rasped FlaWizardmon. He pointed to the far side of the island. "And then do away with them."
The amphitere nodded and turned to fly away.
"No…" gasped Sorcerymon as he stood up. "Crystal Ball!"
A burst of white energy cracked Coatlmon in the head. The dragon growled and shook its head as Sorcerymon took the air. He was mumbling under his breath as light glimmered over his figure.
"He's healing himself!" shouted FlaWizardmon loudly. "Get him!"
888
"What's that?" Jiro pointed up at the sky. A wavy blue light appeared in the sky.
"I can't tell," whispered Kisho as he visored his eyes. "Stupid refraction…"
"I don't know what the blue thing is but I'll give you three guesses what those are!" yelped Agumon as he pointed up at a red burst, a yellow burst, a white burst and a green burst.
"Those digimon…" whispered the children collectively.
"Not only that but we got company…" Taku pointed up. A large form was gliding over the island.
"Cut the engines…" yelped Kisho as he scrambled forward. "He'll hear us. Everyone quiet."
The dragon flew over the heads of the children growling as he flew past them and towards the coast. The large, winged serpent then looped back around for a second pass.
After he flew over the digi-destined looked up at the sky. The red, green, white and yellow bursts were taking turns smacking the blue burst of light.
"Damn it…" growled Taku as the four bursts combined their attacks. The sky filled with a red glow.
"Uh…oh…" gulped Haru quietly. The boy looked up and pointed at the dragon. Its head turned slowly and stared at the children.
"Why do I get the feeling he can see us…?" whispered Jiro quietly.
"Probably because he can…" Haru replied as he put his arms around Jiro's chest, "The red light…it's at a different wavelength…must be causing the refraction bubble to be ineffective…Renamon…"
The engine roared on as the dragon dove for the boat.
"NO!" screamed Ren as she pointed upward. "That blue thing…is Sorcerymon!" The children looked up. The blue bauble of light started to fall from the sky with the other four lights chasing after it firing blasts of energy.
"They're pulverizing him…" Jiro looked up at his brother.
"Keep going," whispered Haru. "He is doing this so we can get away…"
"Renamon stop now, turn us around now!" shouted Kisho loudly. The others looked at him in surprise.
"Kisho he doesn't…" started Haru.
"I don't care, I'm not letting them destroy him!" returned the brown haired boy. He grabbed the pack Sorcerymon had made for him. He unzipped it and rummaged around and pulled out a green, rubber loop of elastic attached to a pair of thick lenses. Kisho pulled the band back and slipped over his head he pulled the lenses forward to let his bangs free and let go. Kisho winced as the band snapped on his forehead, "I knew I saw them in here." Kisho coughed and put on a determined face, "We're going back; we're going to save him now!"
"What about the snake?" Taku yelped as the black haired boy flung his thumb back at the large, winged serpent chasing them.
"Fossil Wind!" gasped the dragon as it opened its mouth releasing a spiral of smoke.
"All digimon to the rear," called Kisho suddenly, "Fire at will! Mr. Yoshida, take the wheel!"
"Have you gone crackers!" yelped Jiro. Kisho looked at the young boy, smiled and gave the boy two thumbs up.
"We'll save ya Sorcerymon," smiled Kisho.
"Uh, I thought you got seasick," murmured Ren behind Kisho's back.
"This…isn't the sea now is it?" replied Kisho with a smile.
The destined digimon fired off a round of attacks. The large dragon took most of them head and slowed down as the boat swerved around in the water and headed back for the island.
"Fossil Wind!" snarled the dragon as he twisted around to catch the boat. Taku swerved as the gust of smoke sliced across the water's surface turning it to stones that sank to the lake's bottom.
"Metal Cannon!" growled DORUmon as a metal ball bearing struck one of the dragon's wings.
"Pepper Breath!" yelped Agumon releasing a fire ball in the dragon's face.
"Pyro Sphere!" the ball of condensed heat struck the amphitere on the chin.
"Demi Dart!" a single needle shot forward and implanted itself in the dragon's head.
"Fox Leaf Arrowhead!" thousands of little glowing darts shot along the dragon's body.
"Who is this guy anyways?" asked Ren as the dragon skittered across the water but retained flight and continued the pursuit.
"Coatlmon, one of the members of Task Force Alpha, he was one of the big guys that attacked Plainsville," growled Renamon. "It was a massacre…"
"Then let's pay back the debt," shouted Haru loudly. He held up his digivice. "Ready Guilmon?"
"Ready when you are, partner," called the red and black dragon with a smile.
"Not on the boat!" yelped Kisho. "Can't you do it in mid-jump?"
"Ok…" The dragon hopped up on the railing, swung its arms and leapt.
"GUILMON!" yelped Haru as the dragon started to fall towards the water.
"Guilmon digivolve to Raptordramon!" Large jets exploded into action as the yellow feet of the cyborg dragon skimmed the water.
The large raptor digimon crashed his metal chassis into the white armor of the amphitere. Raptordramon leveled a metal fist into Coatlmon's torso and fell back as the dragon dropped into the water. Raptordramon turned to join the boat when the white and green dragon erupted from the lake roaring like mad.
The serpent rammed Raptordramon and started to open his mouth.
"Raptordramon, watch out!" shouted Haru.
"DORUmon go help him!" called Kisho loudly. The goggle wearing, brown haired boy lifted his digivice.
"Uh…" DORUmon gulped and looked at the water that was rushing past them. "Ok…" DORUmon perched himself on rail and leapt. "DORUmon, oh please work… digivolve to….DORUgamon!" Long black wings flapped hastily as the large grey furred creature tucked its toes up from the water.
"I should go too," said Renamon as the fox scrambled up to the railing. "Ren, are you ready?" The girl nodded and held up her device. Renamon dove into the water, "Renamon digivolve to Ebidramon! Twin Neptune!" the lobster exploded from the surface unleashing a barrage of aqua-bullets from her claws. Raptordramon swept around grabbing Coatlmon and snagging the serpent's axe like tail and swung him around, tossing him into the air.
"Power Metal!" roared DORUgamon as he fired a golden blast of metal at the winged beast.
"Ambush Crunch!" growled Raptordramon as a pair of black smiley missiles whistled up to the dragon and exploded.
The dragon twirled to down towards the water, deleting in the process.
"Now, let's go!" growled Ebidramon as she swam after the boat. DORUgamon and Raptordramon flew behind her.
888
Sorcerymon skidded across the ground. A large burn mark bubbled on his cheek. He winced and looked up. FlaWizardmon's flaming matchstick was poised to strike again. Harpymon and Puttimon hovered behind him with bemused smirks on their faces.
"Spark Fly!" streamers of lightning shot through Sorcerymon's body. FlyBeemon buzzed above the wizard's head. "Had enough?"
"I…won't go down to the likes of you," growled Sorcerymon as he turned to get to his feet.
"Nuh uh…" FlaWizardmon leapt forward swinging his matchstick like a bat and slamming the flaming end into Sorcerymon's chest. "That wasn't the right answer!"
The white wizard rolled across the ground. Sorcerymon held his chest with one hand and tried to lift himself with the other. One of his eyes was bleeding to the point he couldn't see. Burns seared their presence all over his body. Cuts sliced up and down his arms and legs.
"This is over," announced Puttimon. The long ears on top of the rubbery armored digimon lifted and the heart shaped arrow heads at the ends of the ears glowed. "It's a shame that you wouldn't give up those children, now we're going to have to be rough on them…"
"You won't finish me today…" gasped Sorcerymon.
"Don't count on it," scoffed Harpymon. She opened her mouth. "Silent…"
"Crash Charge!" a blast of blue lightning sliced between the Armored Digimon and Sorcerymon. As the smoke cleared a yellow, metallic dinosaur settled on the ground.
"So, you want round two, eh?" chuckled Puttimon. The plush digimon sneered as his ears flashed forward, "Talon Arrow!"
Raptordramon groaned as the sharp arrowed heads struck across his metal chassis. A black blue shot down slamming Puttimon. A pair of black wings flapped and the creature turned. Its golden eyes glowed like the upside down triangle between its eyes.
"Awe…" chuckled Harpymon. The bird woman lifted its claws, "These little beasts are saving him…"
"Twin Neptune!" Spitfire blasts of water slammed into the side of the hawk woman. Ebidramon scuttled quickly up the beach her claws glowing brightly, "Lobster Step!" She sent the claws slamming into the sand sending a shockwave blistering towards Harpymon.
"Pepper Breath!" yelped Agumon as a fire ball shot over Sorcerymon's head and struck the red insect that hovered there.
"Demi Dart!" a black needle zoomed overhead. FlaWizardmon leapt back as the dart crashed into the ground.
"Rookies!" growled the red wizard. "Fire…"
Raptordramon's tail whipped sideways swatting FlaWizardmon into the bush. "Oops, didn't see you there."
"Silent Symphony!" an aural blast shot from where the sand had covered Harpymon. The white bird woman shot into the sky.
"Heartner Beam!" a lavender blast fired from the lake striking DORUgamon and causing the large, furred dragon to come crashing into the ground.
"SPARK FLY!" a blaze of lightning rained down on Agumon and DemiDevimon sending the two Rookies retreating back up the beach.
Sorcerymon struggled to his knees. The Armored Digimon scrambled to attack the newcomers. The white wizard wobbled to his feet balancing on his staff, but the rod shattered and he started forward. Someone caught him from behind.
"You ok?" Sorcerymon looked wearily at the coal eyes that inspected him.
"I need to rest a little…" whispered Sorcerymon, "My powers, I can heal myself but I need time to chant the spell…"
"You've got it then," said the boy quietly as he bore Sorcerymon's weight.
"Taku…where are the others?" asked the wizard, "They're here."
The boy pointed out a fuzzy group of forms on the edge of the bushes. Taku carried the wizard up the beach to the group.
"Sorcerymon!" yelped the voice of Ren.
"There going to get it," growled Kisho loudly as he clenched his fist.
"They're going down," reiterated Haru.
"Are you ok, Sorcerymon," a small child was at the white wizard's side.
"Just need time to rest," whispered Sorcerymon as he closed his eyes and started to chant.
DORUgamon and Raptordramon took the air after Harpymon and Puttimon. Agumon and DemiDevimon were chasing down FlyBeemon and Ebidramon and FlaWizardmon were trading blows.
"Power Metal!" roared DORUgamon as he whirled around and fired a golden blast at Harpymon.
"Wind Seeker!" the winged witch cupped her hand and fired a twisting blast of wind. The two attacks exploded against each other sending their owners reeling backward.
"Ambush Crunch!" Raptordramon fired a volley of missiles as Puttimon whirled around pointing his finger and firing beams of energy.
Ebidramon was covering FlaWizardmon with a barrage of water pellets as the red wizard shielded himself with a wall of fire. Agumon and DemiDevimon tag teamed on FlyBeemon. The blue bat dove down ramming the insect and then Agumon leapt upwards tackling the bee. Agumon sent a point blank blast of fire onto the back of the bee's head. The insect squirmed free and pushed Agumon off of him. DemiDevimon dove down firing rounds of filled syringes at the insect.
"Spark Fly!" growled the insect sending the two rookies flying backward. The red bug turned and buzzed upward.
DORUgamon slammed his fist down on Harpymon. The white bird crashed to the ground as Fly Beemon rose to challenge DORUgamon. Harpymon was about to turn and attack with her Silent Symphony when a black syringe flew across the beach and imbedded itself into the wing of the woman. She screeched horribly as she watched the black liquid force itself into her arm. She turned. DemiDevimon was flapping his wings and a second syringe was in his crimson claws. Agumon was growling underneath the bat.
"Fools!" shrieked the woman. Seconds later Agumon was laid out on the sand and DemiDevimon was on the ground looking up at the large foot talons of Harpymon. "I'm going to slice you into a thousand pieces."
"Agumon!" yelped Jiro he made to run but Haru grasped the boy around the chest and held him back.
"No…" Taku whispered. Sorcerymon looked at the boy. His eyes were wavering and if the wizard wasn't mistaken there were some pretears in his eyes. "DemiDevimon…"
The boy searched around him and after finding a large tree branch rushed forward across the sand. Harpymon's back was to the boy as he came screaming up behind her. The woman turned and got smacked in the face with the tree limb. She fell to the ground and staggered.
Her eyes narrowed, "Partner like Digimon, never knowing when they are out matched…" Harpymon leapt at Taku with her claws drawn. "I think I'll slice you up first, human then your partner!"
"TAKU!" screamed DemiDevimon. Taku fell to the ground as the bird woman raged towards him. The bat suddenly heard a horrible screeching noise in his ears as his body burned. Harpymon swept past him and DemiDevimon snarled and shot forward, "DemiDevimon digivolve to…" A pair of muscular arms swiped forward smacking the bird woman away. Large, leathery wings unfurled and a horned head appeared. "…ExVeemon!"
Harpymon looked up in shock as the clawed hands grabbed her up by the front of her armor and tossed her down the beach. The dragon looked at Taku and smiled slightly.
"You digivolved!" gasped the boy.
"Well, duh," chuckled ExVeemon. His muscular body was colored in shades of grey and a single horn rose from his snout. The dragon turned his head and saw Harpymon rising into the air. "Back to work!" The dragon flapped his wings and flew toward Harpymon, "Hey, wind witch…eat this!" A tattoo of a pair of crossed swords on ExVeemon's chest glowed brightly, "V Laser!"
A large 'X' shaped beam shot from the dragon's chest. Harpymon screeched as the laser sliced through her. The woman looked down at the scorches on her chest and body and then her eyes went dull and she exploded into dust.
"Yeah you got her!" shouted Taku loudly.
"HARPYMON!" screamed FlaWizardmon.
The red digimon exploded forward. Flames covered his body. Ebidramon slammed her claws in front of the wizard but he cut through the shock wave with his matchsticks. ExVeemon shot past Ebidramon his fists clenched. The wizard roared loudly and punched the dragon across the chops sending ExVeemon rolling backward on the sand. FlaWizardmon's eyes flashed bright red and he lifted his matchsticks up, pointing them at ExVeemon.
"Lobster Step!" Snarled Ebidramon as she dropped a claw down, but the wizard merely lifted a single matchstick to parry the claw.
"You killed her…you will pay," growled FlaWizardmon. He snarled and a shock wave from the matchstick holding Ebidramon sent the crustacean skidding backward as FlaWizardmon dove for ExVeemon.
"Aquarius FILL!" Sorcerymon was heaving and holding his arm up with his other hand. His body seemed to throb with aches. Blue light flooded FlaWizardmon. The red wizard, now frozen in azure light snarled. FlaWizardmon grunted quietly. "ExVeemon, now, strike now."
ExVeemon rose up and crossed his arms. "V Laser!" FlaWizardmon screamed as the laser pushed him across the sand. Ebidramon rose up behind the stunned wizard.
"Lobster Step!" a glowing claw crushed the red wizard and it dissolved into dust.
The sky erupted as Raptordramon and DORUgamon swept about the sky firing at Puttimon and FlyBeemon. A burst of Raptordramon's Crash Charge snagged FlyBeemon's wings sending the insect tumbling towards the ground.
"Power Metal!" DORUgamon blasted a golden ball at Puttimon.
Puttimon swept past and his ears shot around slapping the ball further towards the ground. The golden blast exploded around FlyBeemon. Puttimon's eyes widened.
"You're all alone," announced DORUgamon. Raptordramon hovered next to him. ExVeemon glided behind Puttimon and Ebidramon had her claws ready to fire on the little digimon.
"Not exactly," growled the plush digimon. "I may not have my allies here, but I still have Lord Baronmon!" Puttimon then shot to one side and the destined digimon scrambled to target the spry little imp. "I'll be back; you just watch, I'll be back with a stronger force than before!"
The imp opened his hands and a flash of green light exploded through the air blinding everyone. The digimon shook their heads but by the time the emerald blaze faded Puttimon was gone.
888
After the battle the children and Sorcerymon crossed the lake to the mainland. The children helped Sorcerymon on shore and then helped him lay down.
"We can't leave you like this," said Ren as she touched Sorcerymon's cheek with a wet handkerchief.
Sorcerymon winced and held up his hand, "I'll be fine; I'm leaving this lake…by the time they find me I'll have had a proper amount of time to heal."
"I wish you'd come with us," said Kisho. The brown hair sat next to DORUmon.
"No, we'll be a smaller target on our own," replied Sorcerymon. "You have to get to Toy Town. They need your help, they need your hope."
The children nodded. Ren looked up, "But what about you? I don't think I want to leave you in this condition…they could…"
Sorcerymon lifted his hand, "Trust me I have been through worse than this."
"But…" Ren started.
Renamon laid her hand on Ren's shoulder. "There is no arguing with him," The fox looked up at the sky. "We will go after we eat."
"Not I," said Sorcerymon. The wizard stood slowly and started to walk, "I will see you children much later; you must never forget that we are placing a lot of hope on you."
"Thanks, like we needed that stress on us," grumbled Taku loudly.
"Don't think of it as stress, think of it as motivation," replied Sorcerymon. He tapped his hat, "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." With that Sorcerymon turned and disappeared into bushes.
"He is probably the wisest creature I have ever met," whispered Haru as he watched the branches of the bushes slowly halt their rustling.
"Then why did he act like an idiot?" asked Taku with a growl.
"Sometimes wisdom is not seen by those, who are not yet enlightened," said Renamon as she walked towards a large stone to hunt for mussels.
888
AN: Double the normal chapter; why? Because I couldn't find a good place to cut it off and leave a cliff hanger so I just went, 'oh fudge it we'll do it all.'
Alforce: Yes, he is warming up but he still has fussings. The elemental balance here is not so much but, a lack of water digimon makes certain enemies maybe too strong, because they can escape into watery depths and be free from assault. I guess it is lazy of me to make the evolution for such a reason but then again, it does open one's eyes to the true potential of the evolution.
Miss Oblong: Oh man, such a large review how nice :) …Well as to the prologue, that's more of a machination of fluff and stuff for me, I live by the idea that if you write you should be allowed to indulge yourself once in a while, you'll see that in some of the jokes, situations and such that I make, and the prologue does become pertinent if you read my two other stories. I always love villains, sometimes to the point that it can be detrimental. I always feel so bad when I see Myotismon get impaled or see Lucemon get his just desserts, though I don't have much feeling for the D-Reaper…but that's because the D-Reaper isn't that kind of villain.
As to there only being one girl. I'm trying to follow the human demographics that were presented by digimon, though I am suspect of the digimon, because the presented sillouhette of the first digi-destined was just a copy of Tai, Matt, Tk, Izzy and Sora with their partners so it's up to interpretation if Gennai was only showing a similarity or if that is actually what happened…
Renamon and Ren's relationship, I picture as being sort of a mirror image of Rika's and Renamon's, in that they look the same but are actually opposite. Haru, unintentionally became a bit of an annoyance, and Kisho I see as being rather Takato-ish or even more subdued, though in this chapter he is very assertive. Jiro, I have trouble with small children, and I hope to flesh him out soon. The thing is that it is hard to flesh out some of the more submissive characters when they are with the more flamboyant characters, and well…you will just have to see.
I may have been slightly too overindulgent with the prologue and it probably will get a recap later on. Sorcerymon isn't evil, his mind is just slightly snapped, and his perceptions are a bit off. (I may have things build up here, but…don't know we'll see.) And Baronmon will make an appearance soon, I was going to add him at the end of this chapter but…as it already was double billed I thought it make a nice start to the next chapter.
