Hello again everyone and here's yet another chapter of "A Fox Among Tamers"! Just a few more chapters and I'll be passing the 100k mark for this story...damn that's a lot of words. I never realized just how much it was until I actually tried: to those of you out there with several 100k+ stories, I salute you! Now then, yes I know I was a little cruel in putting in such a cliffhanger, but it was meant to keep you on your toes; throwing in a little excitement now and then is good for the soul...I think...meh. Thank you once again for your support, and a double thanks to those of you who took the time to read my other story and review on it. Now I'll just step on out of the way and let this story continue, ne?
"You want me to talk into what?" – Kyuubi speaking, jutsus/digimon attacks
"Get that thing out of my face!" – Normal speaking
'What the hell was that thing?' – Thoughts/thinking
'Hello?' 'Hello?' – Thought-speak
~~~Scene Change~~~ : Obviously denotes a scene change.
-(Location)- : place of current scene.
Disclaimer : I do not own anything belonging to Naruto or Digimon. However, I DO own this story.
-Hidden allies, and the makings of greatness-
Naruto stared...and stared...and for the hell of it he stared just a little bit more at what was before him as his mind kept trying to deny the scene in front of him...irony would not do it justice. For you see, there laying on the ground behind a very reminiscent barrier of bars laid a massive beast. Oh, Naruto could tell that this was most certainly not the Shiki-Fuuin, nor did this one have anywhere near the power Shiki-Fuuin had...but it was a seal nonetheless, and it was doing an all too familiar job of keeping something locked up and unconscious.
'Someone up there hates me...Kami why? So help me if I find out this thing's some kind of alternate-bijuu, I'm gonna kick your ass Kami!'
As he finished his mini-rant, Naruto looked at the beast which slumbered in the cage and was admittedly impressed; if he wasn't what he was he would have been intimidated. The first thing he noticed was that almost its entire body, with the exception of its lower jaw and wings, was clad in some type of metal. Its general color-scheme was simple enough, consisting of mainly white, red, tan, and black here and there. Secondly, he noticed that it did not have any legs, instead it had a massive tail which began where a person's hips would, where intricate armor plates covered it. The massive wings upon its back were tattered as if damaged, but certainly fit on the beast. It had a mean looking jaw, its fangs presented for all to see due to its seemingly lack of gums, giving it a constant-snarl, even in sleep. Finally, and most importantly he noticed a very familiar symbol on the being's chest, which had what appeared to be ribs protecting its sides. The reason the symbol was so familiar is because it was the exact same symbol Guilmon bore on his own chest.
'Now that I think about it, this big guy kinda looks like what Guilmon would be if he went bad-ass...hmm. I know there's some truth to the saying "Let sleeping dragons lie"...but since when did I listen to that? Time to wake up!'
His decision made, Naruto let loose a youki pulse which washed over the entire room including the beast within. It may have been unorthodox, but it worked; not long after, the beast began to stir, and finally woke up, stretching its massive body as it seemed to simply defy gravity by hovering in the air while its wings remained stationary. While this intrigued Naruto, he was not in here for such questions, so he merely waited for his presence to be noticed.
As the dragon finished stretching, it spoke up in a deep voice, still having its eyes closed. "So, you've finally decided to come and meet me, have you hatchling? Its about time, I was getting..." It was at this time the dragon finally decided to crack open his eyes, which Naruto noticed had ruby irises surrounded by a sea of black, and noticed that whom he thought was in here was in fact not...instead some armor clad human was looking at him with nary a care! The dragon's entire demeanor changed from calm and composed to angry in an instant and let loose roar which shook the cavern before he confronted the human below him.
"Who are you? More importantly, what are you doing in here, human!"
Naruto's eyebrow twitched behind his helm...he really didn't like the tone this lizard was taking with him, and decided to let such be known.
"Now is that anyway to treat a guest? And for the record, I'm not-" He wasn't able to speak any further before the dragon let out another bellow and slammed one of his claws against the bars as he interrupted Naruto.
"Answer my questions human! I do not care about whatever else you may want!"
His eyebrow twitched violently once more...this punk was beginning to piss him off.
"Now just wait one damn-"
"Who are YOU to tell ME to wait, human? I asked you some questions, and I expect them to be answered!"
"If you would just let me-"
"I will NOT be refused by some weak human who thinks he can play twenty questions with me! You will answer my questions or you will suffer the consequences, monkey!"
That did it. He tried being civil...and this little lizard not only calls him a weak human, but went as far as calling him a MONKEY? Oh Ho! It was high time to show this little shit who was in charge here. Naruto quickly glanced around the cavern, taking in its size. He would certainly not be able to fix on this side of the bars...but he fit over on the other size...it would be a squeeze, but thankfully the cavern was several hundred meters high and long...though why escaped him. This dragon was big...to a human; he guessed it stood...err floated about thirty meters high...which was laughable compared to himself. His decision made, he tossed off his armor and sealed it within a scroll and began to march right up to the dragon's prison.
"Oh that is IT! Call me a monkey will you? Scoot your metal ass over, I'm coming in there!"
Meanwhile, the actions of the human left the dragon bewildered...he not only refused to answer his questions...now this monkey insulted him and approached his prison without any fear? However, once the human passed the bars, his bewilderment turned into anger, and he lashed out at the human with one of his massive claws.
As Naruto entered the prison, he could see the rage burning inside the lizard's eyes and saw the claw coming as if it were in slow motion. He simply raised his arm and manipulated his youki to launch a massive claw that intercepted the oncoming claw. His move had the intended effect of shocking the dragon into a stunned silence as it tried to contemplate what just happened. That was fine with Naruto, he would let the punk know just who he was dealing with in a second. He quickly walked into the back of the cave where the most room was, and once he was positioned let out a sigh of relief as he resumed his true form in what had to be years...it may have been in a mindscape, but damn if it didn't feel good! As he fell onto all fours and rose to unholy heights, what he predicted came true; it was a squeeze and he had to crouch. But all this did not matter to him, the lizard needed to be taught a lesson, and he was bathed in darkness. He let out a small amount of his killing intent, which was simply packed with malice and watched the effects take place with a fierce smirk on his massive muzzle.
Meanwhile, aforementioned 'lizard' was staring at the darkness where Naruto walked off to in confusion...what the hell was going on? Before he could think any further, his senses picked up something...massive, and the air that just whooshed past him gave a clue of its size. This was quite confusing; the only being back there was that puny human, and he couldn't have caused such a large displacement of air! He was about to investigate this disturbance when he felt it. He barely managed to stay afloat as an ocean of...malice washed over him. What truly disturbed him was that it was more malice than he could muster...and he could muster quite a bit, yet this...presence just oozed it, leaving him short of breath. Unfortunately for him, what little breath he did have soon left as two MASSIVE glacier blue eyes opened up and peered at him through the darkness...far, far above him. If that wasn't enough, the entity took a step forward, its massive blood-red paw shaking the ground as it came into view...the damn paw was slightly larger than his entire body! He finally fell to the ground as a menacing red aura lit up the thing before him, showing an entity he could not have fathomed had he tried. In a way in was very reminiscent of a vulpine...if said vulpine was hundreds of meters tall and looked like he just merged with the devil himself. It was when the creature spoke that he lost his composure and backpedaled to the bars of his cage; that voice would be engrained in his mind for a long, long time.
"A 'weak human' am I? A MONKEY am I? Let me introduce myself! I am the Kyuubi-no-kitsune, clan head of the Kitsune Clan and leader of the Tailed Beasts! The only beings above me are Kami and the Shinigami! You asked who am I to tell you to wait, well now you know! Now the question I have for you, is who are YOU to demand things of ME?"
As Naruto peered down at the now tiny form of the dragon, his patience ran thin as it refused to answer, seeming lost for words...well, he had ways of making it talk.
"Well? I am waiting for an answer, dragon!" He waited a few moments more, and when nothing came, he flared his youki around him, bathing the cavern in waves of potent energy. "It was not a request, and I back up my threats. ANSWER ME DRAGON!"
This seemed to snap the dragon out of his daze as his entire being screamed at him to answer else he receive a gruesome fate at the paws of this nightmarish fiend. As he gripped the floor beneath him to stay in place amidst the waves of energy, he yelled out his answer.
"Megidramon! My name is Megidramon! I thought you were a mere human, forgive me!"
Unexpectedly, his answer worked. As if a flip had been switched, the waves of energy abruptly stopped, as did the aura of menace that surrounded the gargantuan kitsune. Confused, Megidramon glanced up at the fox's eyes and saw that while it was still annoyed, it was no longer murderous...a good sign for him. When it spoke up once more, its tone was civil as if what just happened never occurred.
"That's better. Megidramon huh...you are forgiven, though it would be highly unwise to do such a thing again. Now I'm sorry I probably scarred you for life, but you needed to be put in your place, and I do not take kindly being referred to as a 'monkey' when I am far, far from one. You are probably confused about my title, but I will simply tell you I am not from this world originally, and we'll leave it at that for now. What I am here for is your story. I am a...friend...of Guilmon's, and am familiar with seals...especially containment seals. Imagine my surprise when I found one engraved upon Guilmon's belly, and when I delve into his mind find an occupant locked behind bars...care to enlighten me?"
While the question was asked in a civil tone, Megidramon did not miss the underlying message; it was a demand, and ignoring such a demand would be quite unwise. However, now that he was aware that this "Kyuubi" had come for the sake of Guilmon, he was a bit more willing to acquiesce. So he spoke, and for possibly the first time in his life was extremely respectful in his words...after all, this entity before him was not one to cross.
"Very well, but you might want to get comfortable; its not all that long of a story, but I imagine constantly crouching like that isn't comfortable Kyuubi."
Naruto did as he suggested, his form covering most of the area they occupied and quickly spoke up before Megidramon began his tale. "Oh, before you begin; just call me Naruto. Kyuubi is my title, not to mention my father's name...being called such is just awkward for me."
Megidramon tried to keep the quiver out of his voice as he replied...the thought of this being's father scared the piss out of him. "Err...alright...Naruto. Now then, the reason why I am locked away in here is because back in the digital world I was considered to be a calamity. In fact, I was considered one of the four great dragons which consisted of Azulongmon, Goldramon, Magnadramon, and finally me, Megidramon. Out of all of them, I am the only one classified as an "Evil" dragon, the other three are considered "Holy" dragons. There are a few reasons for this. One: My appearance is quite...wicked, especially when compared to the other three, whom look completely opposite of me; where I am jagged they are soft, where my wings are torn and wicked, theirs are either smooth or angelic...it helps keep the general opinion about me firmly entrenched. Two: I, unlike the other three, have a very short fuse; I simply do not tolerate those whom I dislike with a passion or those whom I deem as a threat, and I let them know it. Three: this one is the most important, and the main reason I am viewed as a calamity." Here he tapped on his chest plate with one of his claws, right on the symbol engraved there. "This symbol is known as the digital hazard, and I am one of a very few whom have ever had such. The reason for such panic when this symbol appears is mainly due to Lucemon, an angelic digimon that nearly caused the destruction of the digital world a few years back, but was fortunately defeated. The only other digimon to have ever bore this symbol was MirageGaogamon, and not much is known about the digimon's whereabouts, or even if he still exists. However, due to the symbol being present on Lucemon and the destruction he caused, digimon everywhere connect this symbol with calamity. The fact that it is on me, one of the four legendary dragons, and the one considered "evil"...well that didn't go over well."
Here Megidramon took a short breather to gather himself for the next part...he wasn't too fond of bringing up these memories. But the intensity by which the massive fox peered at him unnerved him and he decided not to linger for long.
"Anyways, for a long time all was well, even if relations were tense. Everyone, including the other three legendary dragons avoided me like the plague due to the aforementioned reasons, and I didn't mind too much; solitude was something I had grown used to and became comfortable with. However, everything went to hell when some upstart "holy" mega decided that I needed to be "purged". Its name was Dominimon, and I'll admit the punk was good with that glowing sword of his, but it wasn't enough. Unfortunately, he did manage to awaken my ire due to his incessant ramblings about the evil that was I. Due to such, he managed to piss me off and I...well I kind of went berserk. I am not proud of the fact, and when I finally snapped out of it Dominimon wasn't even a stain on the ground and the ground itself looked like Kami assaulted it with a sledgehammer. As you can probably guess, my rage attracted not only the other three legendary dragons, but what digimon call "sovereigns". Basically, sovereigns are considered to be the guardians of the digital world and there are four that guard the four cardinal directions. Ebonwumon of the North, Baihumon of the West, Zhuqiaomon of the South-he's an ass-, and finally Azulongmon of the East...yes he is both a legendary dragon and a Sovereign. There is a fifth that is considered the "ruler" of the digital world called Fanglongmon...but he hasn't shown himself for a long time. Anyways, when they arrived on the scene to find me floating there still calming down, with the landscape rearranged around me and my digital hazard symbol still glowing bright red...they jumped to conclusions, and quickly. Now I am a very powerful being, especially with the hazard, but the combined might of the other three legendary dragons and the sovereigns was far too much, and they promptly defeated me. To be honest that was the last thing I remember before I found myself awakening in here, but I have a damn good idea of what happened."
He paused once more, getting ready to voice his theory on what the reasons behind his current situation was, and looked up at his audience...craning his neck quite a bit. Oddly enough, the titanic fox was looking down at him with something akin to understanding...how odd. However, he had a tale he needed to end.
'Ahem' "Anyways, one thing you need to know is that when a digimon is deleted in the digital world, they regress back into an egg and are quickly whisked off to an egg nursery until they hatch once more in their Fresh form; the lowest on our evolution scale. However, upon my regressing into an egg and whisking off towards a nursery, those that were present followed, wanting to make sure I did not come back. So, when they finally found my egg in the nursery, Azulongmon sealed the egg so it would not hatch, and also sealed up any memories of my past life, just in case. It is my theory that I instinctively reached out to any being that could release me, and it was Guilmon's tamer who did so. However as you can see the memory sealing worked; I am merely a representation of my former life's memories; I am in essence the other half of Guilmon; I am him and he is me. That is the end of my story, and now here we are. Before I finish though, tell me; do you have the knowledge to undo this seal?"
Naruto sat there for a minute after Megidramon asked his question, still sifting through what he was told. If he was completely honest, he sympathized with this dragon; he may have been a violent being, and may have had a short fuse...but only if others were stupid enough to draw his ire. Just like himself, the beings that surrounded him drew conclusions about him without ever asking for his own input. As his thoughts concluded, he actually smiled down at the 'small' dragon, internally chuckling at the surprise of Megidramon. 'Yes...yes I do think I'll break this seal...but not before I know the consequences of doing such.'
"To answer your question, yes I can break this seal with ease; from what I can see it appears to be an instinctive sealing. While that is definitely impressive, it cannot compare to a seal done by one whom knows the intricacies of sealing. However, before I do such there are two conditions that must be met. One: what will this do to Guilmon if I break the seal? And two: I will do this only with the permission of Guilmon himself; after all he is the other half of you and has a say in this."
Megidramon slowly nodded as Naruto finished...those were agreeable terms. "I can agree to those conditions. Upon the breaking of the seal, both Guilmon and I would technically cease to exist. What I mean by that is we will be one entity; the personalities and memories of both entwined and meshed into one being. Also, when the time comes he will be able to digivolve into me without consequences; if he were to do such without my knowledge he would have gone into a rage...one that would have dire consequences. As for asking Guilmon, I would not expect any less; he is part of the whole as well."
Naruto nodded...it was odd, talking to essentially a different aspect of Guilmon...but it made sense now. He laid the tip of one of his massive tails on one of Megidramon's shoulders, shocking the digimon with the show of support before he spoke up once more.
"Very well...I suppose this will most likely be the last time we talk...well at least like this. Before I leave, I just want to let you know I understand what you've gone through more than you know...you were not the only one the others made assumptions about." As he finished he smiled at the shocked look on Megidramon's muzzle as he slowly faded out of Guilmon's mindscape. The last thing he saw was the slight uplifting of Megidramon's muzzle and the understanding that briefly showed in his eyes.
~~~Scene Change~~~
-(Underground Training Cavern)-
When Naruto opened his eyes again, it was to the familiar gentle blue glow of the massive training cavern. He stood up and stretched his sore tails; he had unknowingly fell on them when he lost consciousness. As he stretched he looked around and noticed that Guilmon and his absence went unnoticed. He was greatly relieved when he felt his father's presence in his mind once more; it was the first time he was away from his father and the experience unnerved him.
'Father, man am I glad you're back! It was unsettling being alone in my own mind...but anyways, how much time has passed since I was in Guilmon's head?'
He heard his father chuckle a little before he responded, and amusement could be heard in his voice. 'You knew as well as I that we both couldn't enter his mind. As for how long you've been gone, barely a minute has passed; you forget that a mindscape can run at an entirely different time-continuum. For me, you've barely been gone, but I am curious as to what happened, may I see it through your memories?'
When Naruto gave his permission, he waited patiently while his father sifted through his memories. Meanwhile, he himself watched over the still unconscious form of Guilmon with softer eyes than before. 'Funny...at first I thought Guilmon was nothing more than some childish lizard. Now I know that he's more like me than I ever imagined...how truly ironic. He may not ever become as powerful as I am...but I can tell he will do great things, and I will help him.'
As he finished his musings, Naruto carefully moved Guilmon's body into a more comfortable position. After he positioned Guilmon in a more comfortable position, he felt his father return from his recent memories and waited patiently for him to speak.
'That...was quite informative. To think that another being led a life so close to your own and that you found him...the chances are astronomical. His life may not have been as...violent as yours, but nonetheless he was treated poorly for something that was not his fault. What do you plan to tell Guilmon?'
Naruto needed no time to think on his answer. 'Everything. He has just as much of a right to decide as Megidramon does...more really, considering that Megidramon has already lived a life before this...shitty it may have been. And honestly, if I were to break the seal he wouldn't really be gone, they'll be combined...hard as that is to imagine.' As he finished explaining, he focused some youki onto the tip of a claw and touched it to Guilmon's head. Almost instantly, the golden orbs opened and shifted in and out of focus a little before finally focusing on Naruto's visage. Guilmon rolled onto his belly and stood up before he addressed Naruto.
"Naruto? How long were we out? Did you find anything? If so, what was it, was it bad?"
Naruto placed a paw over Guilmon's mouth and chuckled at the dinosaur's eagerness before he addressed him. "Slow down, I'll answer your questions but you'll have to give me the time to do such! Now to answer your first question, hardly more than a minute has passed here; I was in your mind for hours, but a mindscape can move much faster than the outside world. As for your second question, yes I most certainly found something alright, as for the last question...well its hard to say and ultimately up to you to decide, so let me tell you of what I found, and the story I gained from it..."
As Guilmon listened, his jaw slowly dropped lower and lower, so by the end of the story his jaw was hanging slack as he stared at Naruto. Naruto himself was feeling a little worried about Guilmon...the vacant look in his eyes and the complete loss of control of his jaw made him wonder whether he fried Guilmon's brain with the information. However, he didn't need to worry as soon Guilmon's facial features shifted into a look of deep contemplation before he spoke up.
"So...let me see if I have this right. I have another aspect of myself locked up inside of me...and he was once one of the most powerful and feared digimon ever known. When he briefly lost control in a fight, everyone assumed he was going to become another digimon like Lucemon and endanger the world, so they defeated him and sealed him away...in his own reborn self...me? And to top it all off, you both want my permission to break the seal and basically merge us both?"
Naruto simply nodded...when Guilmon put it like that, it was quite a bit to absorb.
Guilmon's eyes lost focus as he went deep in thought once more and Naruto waited patiently; this wasn't something to take lightly.
'Kid's got a lot of heart to even be considering this. He's really thinking this one through...seems we've underestimated him, ne father?'
His response was a chuckle before Kyuubi spoke up. 'Indeed. He bore his own mask for the sake of his tamer, and now he's seriously contemplating letting something he's never known share his life. These tamers might just make a team yet. Oh, and don't think I missed that look you gave him.'
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly...seemed his father found him out.
'Uh-huh, I knew it. While I support the idea, how exactly will you train him? It was sheer luck that Renamon's anatomy was compatible with your fighting style...but Guilmon has a completely different anatomical structure.'
'In truth, I plan on training all of the tamers and their partners here to some extent. However you are, right...I'm not quite sure how I can train Guilmon in anything other than the basic endurance, strength, speed, and dexterity...but I'll figure something out.'
Their conversation ended when they both noticed Guilmon come out of his thoughts, his muzzle set in a serious expression. Naruto couldn't hold back the small smirk that adorned his own muzzle when Guilmon looked him right in the eyes...that was quite a spark the dinosaur had. When Guilmon spoke up, it sounded admittedly odd having a childish voice say something so serious.
"...Do it. He didn't deserve what happened to him, and to be honest I've always felt like something was missing. Now that I know what, or who, was missing, I know what I have to do."
Naruto nodded slowly before he gave Guilmon his final warning. "Alright, I'm going to break the seal now...if you're going to back out, now would be the time." Upon seeing no reaction from Guilmon, Naruto concentrated his youki into his claw tips until they each seemed to have small bonfires on them. He then quickly went through nearly one-hundred handsigns before he finished, crying out "Ātoshīru: Baindingu no yurushi o" (Sealing Art: Binding Absolution) and slammed his claws into Guilmon's gut...not hard enough to pierce his hide, but certainly enough to knock the wind out of him. Naruto did this for one simple reason: an outside entity forcibly breaking a seal on another hurts. As Guilmon attempted to cry out in pain and failed due to lack of breath, Naruto watched as the symbol on Guilmon's belly seemed to warp in on itself, slowly sucking into some invisible epicenter before it disappeared altogether, leaving unmarred white flesh in its place. Naruto knew it would be back, but only when Guilmon gained the ability to become Megidramon...after all, the seal on his belly just symbolized that he held an entity whom bore the Digital Hazard.
As Guilmon writhed on the ground in silent agony, Naruto eventually gave into what he had been wanting to do since the process began. Guilmon's agony awoke memories of his own; when he himself was in just as much or even greater agony...yet no one was there to help him through it. He would not allow this being to experience that, and so he silently sat cross-legged on the ground and dragged the writhing dinosaur into his lap. While Guilmon was still struggling, it has lessened somewhat at the knowledge he was not alone, and Naruto silently bathed Guilmon in his youki in small amounts. Early on he had found out that while his youki was generally extremely destructive, to the point where it removed flesh from bones in an instant at its most potent form...it could also serve as a painkiller when used in very mild amounts, such as now. After a few minutes the writhing stopped and Guilmon's body went slack from the exertion.
Naruto remained seated as he waited for Guilmon to recover. However, he was alarmed when he not only felt Guilmon shaking, but dampness on his fur. Peering down, he saw something he did not expect...Guilmon was crying. Hard. 'What the hell could have brought this on? I know that breaking a seal like that would hurt, but its not THAT bad...and there is no lingering pain; once its done its done. So then what? Maybe the merging of their two identities...but that wouldn't...'Naruto's train of thought halted as he realized one very important fact...if he wasn't busy comforting Guilmon he would have smacked himself. 'Dammit! Its the memories from Megidramon...he might have been used to the cruel treatment he was given, but now that they're one being, Guilmon now has those memories, and HE doesn't know how to cope...shit!' Naruto had to act fast...while he did not doubt that his own memories were likely far worse, he had been abused his whole life...he was used to it back then. Guilmon was still new to life and had a pretty good one so far...being exposed so suddenly to those kinds of memories was likely to break him if Naruto didn't do something. Naruto quickly grabbed onto the sides of Guilmon's head with his paws and made the dinosaur look at him, those amber orbs of his showing a mix of so many emotions it hurt just to think about it.
"Guilmon...Guilmon! Look at me! You need to calm down, I want you to listen to my voice. Don't focus on anything else, just listen to my voice. Take a deep, slow breath in and hold it, then after a few seconds slowly breathe out. Keep this up until you're okay. Think of the good times you've had with Takato, think of all the times you played with him, had fun with him...any good memory you have, remember it...view it...live it." Naruto's voice was at first loud to grab Guilmon's attention, but as he went on he made it settle into a soothing baritone to calm Guilmon. Thankfully it seemed to be working...Guilmon's eyes slowly seemed to cloud over and his shaking soon stopped, though the tears still remained. Naruto waited for a minute more before he spoke up once again.
"There...you doing alright there?"
Guilmon didn't bother saying anything, he just slowly nodded his head. It was quiet once again for a minute before Guilmon spoke up in a voice that barely passed as a whisper, but Naruto heard it nonetheless.
"Why...why were all those digimon so cruel? They never even tried to get to know me...instead they just shunned and eventually deleted me...why?"
Naruto sighed heavily as he thought about what to say. He himself had asked those very same questions countless times when he was still in the village...and to be honest he wasn't entirely sure of the answer. However, he knew that Guilmon needed something to cling to at the moment, so he spoke up in a soft voice.
"You know...I myself asked those very same questions a long time ago, when very similar things happened to me."
Guilmon's head snapped up in surprise and he looked at Naruto with wide eyes...Naruto could see all too well the conflicting emotions that swirled in those depths. Sadness; that someone else went through this. Surprise; that he was not alone. Hope; that someone else knew what he was feeling. And lastly anger; at himself for hoping such a horrible thing on another. Naruto gave him an understanding smile before he spoke again.
"Yes, I too have experienced being shunned. Up until the age of five I was shunned by my entire hometown, sans one old man...but oftentimes he was too busy to help. You must understand that this is before I became what you now see before you, but that is a story for a different time. Almost daily I was beaten, tortured, and poisoned in the hopes that I would just die." Guilmon had a horrified look on is face, but Naruto continued on...Guilmon needed someone to latch onto, and he could provide just that. "I eventually escaped, and just like you I had my vengeance on at least some of whom caused me such harm. I cannot answer why they did such atrocious actions...I personally think it is because you and I were unknown...they didn't know what to make of us, what we could do...and that scared them. This does not excuse them for their actions, and I will never trust the vast majority of humans, just as I'm sure you won't trust the vast majority of digimon...but know this Guilmon." There he leveled his gaze at Guilmon, trying to make sure Guilmon understood. "...You are NOT alone, nor will you be."
He watched as the message sank through as Guilmon's eyes teared up once more before actually burying his muzzle into Naruto's chest fur and hugging him, clearly not wanting to move. Naruto himself was momentarily shocked, arms spread to the side for a moment before he slowly and awkwardly just laid his arms around Guilmon and let him be. He heard movement off to the left of him and saw Renamon coming around the corner, most likely to see what they were up to.
While the others were still busy talking, Renamon was starting to get worried. Naruto and Guilmon had walked off almost half an hour ago, and had not been back since. Deciding to see just what was going on, she walked in the general direction that they headed in. Once she was a good twenty meters away from the group, she heard the faint sound of...crying? Becoming more worried at this, she pinpointed the location as behind one of the massive columns and approached it. However, upon emerging on the other side the sight that greeted her rendered her stunned speechless. There was Naruto, still in his hybrid form, sitting cross-legged soothing a sniffling Guilmon, who had wrapped his arms around Naruto's torso in what could only be a hug. Naruto merely nodded to a spot next to him and indicated for her to join him, and so she did quietly.
Naruto gave Renamon a quick nuzzle once she sat down next to him before he returned his attention to Guilmon, who was now showing signs of calming down again. Seeing her very bewildered look Naruto quietly whispered in her ear. "I can see you're confused my mate; would you like to view my memories of the event?"
Upon seeing her simply nod, he subtly formed handsigns with his dextrous paws while continuing to comfort Guilmon and whispered out "Maindoāto: No kage kako" (Mind Art: Shadows of the Past). As he finished, his youki concentrated on the tip of one of his tails and he gently pressed it to her forehead, causing her to go slack while she viewed his recent memories.
Guilmon finally let up on his hug and looked at Naruto with gratitude. With an emotional depth that didn't belong in a child's voice, he spoke up saying two very simple words, but they conveyed all they needed to.
"...Thank you."
Naruto just smiled and rubbed the top of Guilmon's head playfully before he spoke up. "No problem. I know what its like, and I'll be there to help when you need it. Now before we return to the group, how are you handling the merge? From what I can see you have retained most of the old Guilmon's personality for now...am I to assume that as you progress in digivolution, your personality will shift accordingly?"
Guilmon cocked his head to the side in thought for a moment, before giving a slow nod. "I think so...I still have all the memories of my old life, so I'll definitely be different, even as I am now. What will I do about Takato? I really don't want to hide behind a mask, but he's bound to notice the change if I don't." Guilmon looked especially worried about how his tamer would take it, and that just made Naruto smile more...this little guy had heart.
"My advice to you is to simply be yourself. Sure he will notice the difference, but once he realizes that this is the true you, he should accept you. As a tamer, he is obligated to accept you...and as a friend, he should accept you for who you are. While I highly doubt he would have a...negative reaction towards your new mindset...if he indeed does react poorly, I will intervene and show him the error of his ways. Now I hope you do not mind, but I am currently letting my mate Renamon here view the memory of my meeting in your mindscape. You need not worry, I trust her with my life and she will keep this information well guarded."
Guilmon blinked a few times before seeming to just now notice the large yellow fox leaning against Naruto, clearly unconscious. Then he registered the rest of Naruto's words, and slightly shuddered as he clearly remembered the demi-god fox that was supposedly Naruto. Looking up with slightly nervous eyes, he voiced his question.
Neither he nor Naruto realized that Renamon had finished viewing the memory and was silently listening in. She had never seen his true form, and what he told her about it was still an incomprehensible idea...but the height at which she peered down at Megidramon in the memory opposed her skepticism. However, she knew that things inside a mind were completely different from outside, thus she still held onto her doubt. Upon hearing Guilmon speak up she quickly paid attention, making sure to keep her breathing at a slow and steady pace.
"Naruto...speaking about minds...that form you took when you entered the prison...what was that? You didn't mention anything like that when you informed us of what you were."
Naruto sighed, but guessed Guilmon deserved an answer...he did scare the shit out of the dinosaur after all. "What you saw was my true form Guilmon. While I did not lie to any of you about my past, I also withheld a great deal, and I ask that you keep this between us until the time is right. You see, I can change between three forms: near-human, hybrid, and Kitsune. As you have probably guessed, the form I took in the mindscape was my true Kitsune form...I needed to stretch out; it had been years since I last was able to take it, and I tend to feel cramped every now and then. And before you ask; yes I am really that big...to be honest your prison was quite snug, I was practically laying down on my belly."
Naruto's words caused Guilmon to blanch slightly at the thought...he was practically lying down and he still scraped the ceiling of that massive cavern! If Naruto was at his full height...he shuddered at the thought. Now he had one last question to ask...and it was about that...energy that literally exploded from Naruto.
"I have one last question for you Naruto...just how strong are you? That energy that exploded from you...it was unreal!"
His words caused Naruto to chuckle a bit before he spoke. "Guilmon...what you felt in there was a very, very small fraction of my power...back in my home dimension, the nine-tailed beast Kyuubi; that's what they called me, was said to have an infinite amount of energy. While this is false...its is only so by a little. Not only do I have a frightening amount of youki, but I regenerate it almost as fast as I can expend it...so in all practicality I do have infinite energy. You no doubt felt the malice within the energy as well...that is simply a trait meant for psychological warfare; my youki makes my would-be enemies feel a foreboding presence. Just consider yourself lucky I did not focus any of my KI, or killing-intent on you...even in small amounts it has been known to make the recipient die of fear if it is solely focused upon them. As for how strong I am? Well...just like you, I was known as a calamity back in my home dimension. The humans spoke many tales about me, how just one swish from one of my tails could cause a tsunami, an earthquake, a firestorm, or a hurricane gale...and for once they were true; such is well within my capabilities. To be honest I do not know the full extent of my powers, and I hope I never have to find out."
His answer elicited yet another blanch from both Guilmon and Renamon, thought the latter's was not seen. The thought of such a creature was hardly imaginable, and while Guilmon believed his words due to the fact he had felt such power firsthand, Renamon still chose to withhold judgment until she saw such a thing herself.
Acting as if what he spoke of never happened, Naruto smiled once more and set Guilmon onto his feet before he spoke up. "Alright, now go on ahead and go back to the others Guilmon, I need to get Renamon up before we join you." Guilmon nodded and walked around the pillar until he disappeared from view. As he did this, Naruto's expression morphed into a smirk as he turned his attention to the 'unconscious' Renamon.
"Alright he's gone...nice try by the way with faking unconsciousness. It would have worked if I didn't pick up the hitch in breathing the moment you woke up...its an involuntary reaction, and one that can't be controlled."
The fact that he knew she was listening all along made her open her eyes and pout, something Naruto found incredibly cute. Chuckling, he gave her a chaste kiss on her lips and pulled back before speaking once more. "As much as I would like to continue laying here with you, we really should be getting back to the others; no doubt they're wondering where we are."
Renamon nodded, but needed to clarify what she saw. "Alright...but just to make sure I wasn't imagining things...Guilmon is or was Megidramon, the supposed calamity of the digital world? Not only that, but now he'll be able to once more resume his original form once he can obtain Mega level?"
Naruto stood and offered her his paw as he answered. "Hard to believe I know, but its the truth. I wouldn't worry though, really he was just completely misunderstood...everyone drew conclusions about him without ever getting to know him." He trailed off as a sad smile spread across his muzzle, causing Renamon to hug him as they walked back.
"He's like you...isn't he?"
Naruto chuckled, but there was hardly any mirth in it. "Yes...its honestly quite shocking just how similar our pasts are. He might not have been tortured, but he still had it rough." They both lapsed into silence as they walked back, each lost within their own turbulent thoughts.
'Heh...it was almost like looking back in time, what you just did son.'
The sudden announcement startled Naruto momentarily, but what his father said confused him. 'What do you mean father?' A deep booming laugh was his response before Kyuubi spoke up once more, his voice laced with amusement and warmth.
'What I mean is that when you were comforting Guilmon, it was almost a reenactment of the times I comforted you in similar ways, especially during our first year together when you still had nightmares over what the village did to you. In short, your actions were very similar to those of a parent caring for their child.'
His father's answer caused Naruto to choke on the breath of air he just took, but he managed not to stumble. 'W-What? What are you saying, that I see Guilmon as my child in some very weird way?' Once more his question was met with a laugh...apparently his father was finding great amusement in his awkwardness.
'Perhaps not quite like you would view a child of your own, but you view him as a child nonetheless...and one you want to look over. While he may retain the memories of Megidramon, he is still little more than an infant in terms of age, and it shows at times. He may mature more as he digivolves, but as he is right now he is a child. On top of this, his past is almost a damn near replica of yours, and because of this you feel a connection with him; do not shun this, embrace it. While he may not be yours, that does not mean you can't care for him as I have done for you.'
His father's words made Naruto pause in his thoughts...did he really see Guilmon as someone to protect...a child to care for? Perhaps he did...but now was not the time to ponder such things. 'Perhaps I do, but right now we need to focus on what's in front of us...that is, the tamers.' And indeed, they just now walked up to the tamers, which included a now-conscious Takato that was happily chatting away with Guilmon, whom simply nodded as he listened. However, upon noticing Naruto and Renamon's entrance, everyone quieted down and gave Naruto their attention, much to his relief...he really didn't want to get their attention the hard way. After clearing his throat, Naruto spoke up.
"Alright, now you're probably wondering why you're still here even after I've already told you of just what I am." His response was merely the bobbing of many heads. "Alright...well I'll put it bluntly. Your teamwork is horrendous."
The blunt brutality made a few of them flinch while others, such as Rika, bristled slightly at the accusation. "Now before you get all pissed off at me, hear me out. I do not say this with bad intentions, I am merely stating a fact, and one that was ultimately unavoidable. For four of you, this was the very first time you were not alone with your tamer/digimon partner in a fight, and thus had no experience to work off of. For two of you, this was most likely your first time fighting an enemy digimon at all, excluding the 'fight' in the garage. That compiled with the fact that this was your first time working in tandem with others, and it is not surprising that it didn't go so smoothly. Renamon was able to defeat Icedevimon, and that was due to a digivolution and training...training which I gave her." Here their eyes widened as his own eyes peered over them all with a piercing gaze, letting them know just how serious he was.
"For those that do not know, I have trained Rika some as well, though not nearly to the extent I have trained Renamon. I fully plan on training everyone here to some extent, regardless of whether or not you will be the ones fighting."
His answer was met by a confused Takato speaking up. "Wait a second...why are the tamers going to be trained? It not like we have a chance of actually fighting digimon!"
Naruto had expected this answer, and gave his own in response. "While this is most certainly true, let me present you with a scenario. What would you do if, while your digimon was busy fighting an enemy, a different one decided to attack you? Most likely, there wouldn't be much you could do except hope your digimon saves you, and that may very well leave them open to an attack. I will not be teaching the tamers how to fight digimon, I will be teaching them how survive attacks from digimon, by working on your dexterity, speed, and evasion techniques. I will also require you all to help each other when it comes to those cards you use...I am not familiar with them, so I expect you to work on maximizing your efficiency with each other. As for the digimon, I fully plan on teaching you battle tactics and how to work in a team; such will be essential in the times to come. Including this, I will be working to improve your strength, speed, dexterity, evasiveness and endurance. Lastly, I will be teaching you how to fight without spamming your instinctive attacks; useful they may be, but they are also very energy-consuming and predictable; why use some flashy attack when a well-aimed punch or slash could have the same effect? Now before we begin, are there any questions? I warn you, there will be no questions once we start, and I fully plan on working you into the ground, after which I will simply take you home."
Those that listened to him were reminded of different things when he spoke. For the humans, they could have swore a drill-sergeant was standing in front of them with the way he spoke while remaining ram-rod straight. For the digimon, they were reminded of the very few times they ever saw a sovereign; he just seemed to exude leadership. Little did they know that this had been drilled into him by his father with blood, sweat, and tears. When no one spoke up, Naruto's demeanor completely changed as his muzzle now wore a smirk that made them want to scamper. Next to Naruto, Renamon winced in sympathy...while she was going to be doing the same thing, she was used to it by now...they were not.
Everyone watched in curiosity as Naruto fished out a scroll from his pocked and opened it, mumbling to himself as he searched for whatever it was he needed. He apparently found it, if his triumphant "Aha!" was anything to go by. With a large plume of smoke, an duffel bag appeared before them, almost bursting with whatever it held within. Naruto's smirk only grew wider as he effortlessly lifted it up, unbound the opening and dropped it. Everyone paled a few tones as the impact created a small crater from the weight withing and they found out just what the bag contained; weights...lots and lots of weights. When his smirk was about to split his muzzle in two, Naruto spoke up.
"As you have probably guessed, these are training weights. I will eventually be putting a gravity seal on the digimon...and maybe you tamers, should you exceed my expectations, but for now, I need to get you guys in the shape needed to even consider gravity seals. As such, I will be issuing everyone here weights with the exception of Renamon; she already has a gravity seal. Takato, Rika and Henry, you each will wear ten pound weights on all your limbs to start off...you can expect this to increase at time goes on. Terriermon, you will simply wear a twenty pound strap on around your torso due to your size and stature. Guilmon, you will be wearing thirty pound weights on all of your appendages, including your tail." Naruto greatly enjoyed the gaping looks he was getting from everyone except Renamon...his mate just gave him an exasperated look, which he returned with a smirk.
When he looked back at the others and realized they were still gaping at him, he allowed himself to fully immerse into his "Drill-Sergeant" persona. With a voice that made everyone jump, he barked to the others, "Well? I told you what you were to wear, but I don't see any wearing! HOP TO IT MAGGOTS! BY THE TIME I'M THROUGH WITH YOU, YOU WON'T HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO GAWK, LET ALONE STAND!" His words sent them into a flurry of movement, not wanting to arouse his ire once more.
For the next several hours, the sounds of mad cackling and groans of pain and exhaustion could be heard echoing around the massive columns of the cavern.
Ending Notes: And there you have it, chapter seven complete! Oh and I just need to let of a little bit of excitement...FINAL FANTASY 14 COMES OUT SEPTEMBER, WOOT!...-ahem- Now before I say anything more I would like to apologize you my readers for the late update; life's been kicking my ass the last two weeks, and this weekend (with the exception of two hours this Thursday night) has been the first time I've been up to actually putting in some considerable effort into this story. This brings me to my next announcement; I'm getting pissed off at myself because I keep trying to predict when I'll update next, and then I let you guys down when I'm proved wrong...no more. Simply put, I will update when I update, though I assure you there won't be massive gaps between the updates...I'm simply saying I won't get your hopes up only to dash them the next second anymore. As for those of you whom are or are becoming fans of my new story, "Awakening of the Serpents' Avatar", I'm letting you know I am going to begin the next chapter right after I finish wrapping this one up, literally. As such, I will hopefully have the next chapter of that out before Tuesday comes rolling around (I have Monday off). And now onto review responses!
Gallantmon228: Hello once more my loyal reviewer! Thanks for sticking around and responding to each chapter, I do appreciate it. Now then, as to whether Renamon will get a weapon or not...I honestly don't know, I haven't decided yet. I'm leaning towards no, due to the fact it will simply be in the way for her other forms, but it isn't set in stone. And thanks for your concern on my well-being, but rest assured I am fine now; the hole is healing nicely and will simply be a decently large circular scar in but a few days I expect.
Storylover213: Thanks for the compliment, glad you enjoy it so much!
Lightningblade49: Oh no, not a ninja at all.
Sh8ad8ow: Here you go!
Holyfoxboy: Heh, yeah I know the cliffhanger was a killer, but it ensures that I keep people on the edge of their seats, which only adds to the enjoyment once the next chapter comes around.
DarkIncubisKing: Heh...well now you know!
Hades45: Sorry about the late update, hope you didn't suffer from withdrawal symptoms ^^;
Drac-frst: Aye, I do admit using the same digimon twice was probably not the best course of actions, but as you know the first one barely even made an appearance before it was decimated by Naruto, so it wasn't too bad. Lastly thank you for considering this story one of the best crossover stories you have read, I'm honored you think such. Oh, and don't worry, the wound won't be bleeding again soon (hopefully), right now its just a large...crater ^^;
Trife: Hmm...an interesting concept, using the training cavern as an emergency shelter...I'll have to think on that one. If I use it, full credit goes to you, and I'll say as much in the story (If I forget, just say such in a review or message and I'll be sure to correct it).
Childofthelord: Ehh, I don't know about more commitment than Naruto...that guy's fanatic! But still, thank you for the compliment. As for the random person that no one detects...erm don't mean to sound rude but what exactly would it be for, what plot device?
Vandenbz: Actually, she really did own Guilmon when they fought; he may have been holding back his true personality, but he still had no former experience on how to fight, while Renamon was well-versed in wartime strategy due to Naruto. Dunno how advanced I plan on making Renamon in seals...but I do have many devious ideas...especially when they find out her Ultimate form ;D. As for the bell test, I don't think I'll implement it in this one...they have the will to work together, they just need the knowledge on just how to do that, which Naruto will happily provide. As for anything coming from their relationship...that would be telling ;P. And I have plans for when Taomon is revealed, thought that will probably be a good few chapters down the road from now. Thank you for your continued support!
Magician Girl Mirani: No problem, I was more than happy to use your idea, and remember; while you may like the design, if never would have happened if you didn't suggest it, so thank you. As for drawings of him in his armor, I wouldn't mind at all if someone wanted to do such. I give permission to anyone wanting to draw him in his armor or Renamon in hers, I just ask that you send me a message so that I can see the end outcome, I'd certainly be interested. Hai hai, I know it was cruel of me to leave you all hanging like that...but it just makes the next chapter all the more sweet! As for Guilmon, yes I most certainly plan on developing his character...while he won't have as much 'screen-time' as Naruto or Renamon, he will still play an important part. As for the hangslow brothers, yes I did truly enjoy writing that part and just imagining people's reactions as they read it ^^. And your PS on lemon drops gave me an idea for my other story...-cackles madly-
cmcwiki: Ding Ding Ding! Got it in one!
Jeikobu Kyoudai-teiru: Thank you for your concern over my health, but no worries, I am well on the road to recovery!
Archon Dragon: Thank you for the compliments on my story. Now as for where Naruto would compare to a sovereign...you will find out later in the story, as he WILL be facing down at least one.
Aka No Kuro: Thanks!
Aurikki: Demon?...well to the other digimon I suppose he kinda was. Thank your for your compliments!
Windmaster324: Thanks for the compliments, and yeah I know the cliffhanger was cruel...but a necessary cruelty.
RasenShuriken92: Thanks!
CajinAsian: Thanks for your review, and don't worry, I make sure to read each review and if I can, respond to them all. The only way I can see this not happening is if my story suddenly gains a massive boost in popularity and I gain something like 100+ reviews in one chapter. If that happened, I would basically be forced to only respond to reviews that asked a valid question, else most of the chapter would be taken up with just responding.
(blank): Ding Ding Ding! Yet another figured it out!
Yomikage Kazuma: Glad to see I'm not alone in the opinions on this pairing. Thank you for your very generous comments, I'm honored you think so highly of my story. And I read all my reviews, no matter how miniscule they may be, and your was certainly not miniscule.
BlackRoseFire: Thanks for the compliment!
Deadkid23: Hehe, thanks for the compliments!
Hanzo of the Salamander: Thank you!
Fan of Fanfics: Yeah, I couldn't really figure that one our either...you'd figure a crossover would have a pairing consisting of characters from both themes...but that is often not the case. Thanks for the compliments on the story, and I've actually read the first chapter of your story; it certainly has promise, don't doubt your abilities. And...wow, this is your favorite story of all-time?...I'm not sure what to say, other thank I'm honored, and thank you!
Ninja bat master: Here you go!
Solitare: Ahh, "Digital"...I've read that one, and have greatly enjoyed it. I too am saddened by the time between updates, but I can understand; sometimes life just won't give you any time. Thank you for considering this one of your favorite crossovers, it means a lot to me knowing people enjoy it so much.
Firehedgehog: hehe, I know, cliffhangers are cruel, ne?
Inuboy86: Thanks for the compliment!
Silver Winged King: Hah! I'm so amused that people were so hung up about the cliffhanger!
Rockon5002: Heh, and yet another falls to the cliffy! Anyways, thanks for the compliments. As for more of my writing, I have another story that is quickly gaining length, hopefully I'll be releasing a large chapter on it before next Tuesday.
Soul Painted Black: I'm honored that you think so highly of my story, and thank you for the compliments!
