This is way overdue and I'm sorry about that but you guys should know how it is. Life, reality, but now it's time for a little fantasy. Well, I hope you all enjoy and thank you to everyone who has shown their support, this one's for all of you!
-X-
Desert of Emptiness – 3:43 PM
"I cut my hair so that whenever it got really hot, I wouldn't have to feel the stupid heat," Daisy huffed in frustration. "Granted it never helped in the winter but I always liked the idea of not having to wait too long for my hair to dry and I could always wear a hat. But never did I think I'd be walking through an accursed desert, sweating like a hog!"
"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," Robert shrugged with a rather satisfied grin on his face. He was marching ahead of the rest of them. "Then again, I was raised in Florida so I'm more used to the heat than the rest of you guys."
"I don't know what this 'Florida' is but I'm generally okay with the heat too," Ryudamon agreed with a smile.
"You do have a similar appearance to an armadillo," Janyu nodded.
FanBeemon tilted his head to the side. "You mean an Armadillomon?"
"I think an armadillo would be the equivalent in their world," Salamon pointed out.
"Well, armadillos in our world don't fight like you guys can so I don't think they would be equivalent. In appearance and size perhaps if that's what you mean," Babel chuckled. He paused and looked behind him and noticed how the youngest member of their group was trailing rather far behind from the rest of them.
"My wax is melting really fast…," Candlemon moaned.
"Don't worry Candlemon, I'm sure it won't be long before we find a place to rest," Rai assured him. It was clear that the heat was getting to her as well, especially since she had hair that fell just above her waist.
Betamon, who was in his partner's arms looked up towards the one carrying him as he turned around. "Babel?"
Babel didn't answer and he just walked over to Rai and placed his cap on her head. Rai blinked in surprise and she looked up rather timidly. "I realize it's probably a bit warm and tad big for you but it'll keep the sun out of your eyes at least. It might even provide a little bit of a shade from the heat."
"Ah, you don't have to worry about me," Rai quickly said as she tried to remove the hat and return it.
The older human placed his hand down on her head to keep the hat from being removed. "Trust me, you need it a lot more than I do right now," Babel chuckled.
When the oldest of the group turned back around, he noticed Robert staring at them with a wide smile on his face. "Aw, don't you two look adorable."
"I'd rather look adorable than like an idiot with those goggles over your eyes," Babel retorted.
"And he didn't miss a beat," Daisy chuckled.
Robert adjusted the goggles as if to fix some slight alteration at the same time as a rather strong gust blew, bringing along sand with it. "Hey, they look awesome on me," he shot back as the others shielded their eyes. "And besides, they protect me from the sand. I bet you guys wished you had a pair of these babies right now!"
"As if!" Daisy scoffed.
"You never know, they could become a fad in the future or something," Janyu smiled.
"Totally," Babel nodded although it was obvious he didn't think so.
Apparently, it wasn't obvious enough. "Thank you," Robert grinned.
"I think he was kidding," said Ryudamon.
Daisy chuckled. "I'm starting to think your goggles are strapped on too tight."
"It's amazing how far this group has gotten," Salamon smiled. She was sweating and miserable in this heat but she liked how everyone was getting along better compared to their first week there. "Do you guys remember how you interacted with each other in the beginning?"
"Yeah, none of you guys could really joke around, especially not during a time like this, when we're completely lost," FanBeemon buzzed.
"Well if we didn't joke around at a time like this then we'd always be complaining," Daisy grinned. "And after all this time, I am nearly certain that no one wants that from me. The same as how I won't want to hear that from Rob."
Almost as soon as she said that, Robert started moaning and groaning as if in serious pain. "Are we there yet? I want to go home. I need to use a bathroom. Daisy's hair is reflecting the sunlight in my eyes!"
"You're wearing goggles and she's walking behind you," Babel replied in her defense.
"You also lack common sense," Daisy snickered.
"Hey, there's no need to gang up on me!" Robert gasped in mock insult although he was laughing along with them.
Rai decided to walk a little faster to catch up with everyone else as she held Babel's cap above her eyes so she could see where she was going. Hearing the group laugh and talk to each other was a great leap to the opposite side of the spectrum from when they were all arguing in that forest. She was glad. For her whole life, she had been deprived of social interaction with kids her own age outside of school that she had almost forgotten what group laughter was.
"Hey," Janyu stopped, causing them all to pause as well. "Do we have any idea where we're going?"
Candlemon hopped forward. "Well, my brother told us that the next stop on our journey would best be Leomon Village. It'll give us a good chance to stock up on more provisions since we only received enough supplies to survive for about another two or three days."
"How long until we get to Leomon Village?" Betamon inquired.
Robert glanced around. "First we need to find a spot to rest, my feet are killing me."
"Sounds like the best idea you've had so far," Daisy huffed.
Ryudamon tugged on his partner's pant leg and pointed into the distance. "Hey, look! An oasis!"
Robert used one hand to shade his eyes from the blinding light, squinting to get a better look at what appeared to be a palm tree on the horizon. He smiled giddily and made a break for it, leaving the others behind. "Oh, yeah! Finally we can get some more water!"
"Hey! W-Wait for me!" Ryudamon stammered as he pursued his partner.
The rest of the group watched them run off, each of them thinking the same thing; the oasis could very well be a mirage. But they chased after their unofficial leader anyway. Surprisingly, none of them could catch up to him. It was like he either had a ton of extra energy in reserve or his veins had adrenaline pumped into them at several doses per second.
"Geez, this guy doesn't know when to slow down," Daisy huffed.
They screeched to a stop when they heard Robert shout from ahead of them.
"Ryudamon!"
This was followed by a rather large explosion, causing them all to duck down for their own safety as a wave of debris went over them. They were coughing up sand by the time they were getting back up.
"It sounds like they ran into some trouble," Salamon muttered as they stood back up.
They agreed with the holy Digimon and their thoughts were confirmed when they heard Robert's voice once more. "D-Lock 1 Disengaged! Initiate Digivolution!"
"Ryudamon Digivolve to… Ginryumon!"
The armored Digimon charged towards the black figure in front of them but the opposing Digimon simply sidestepped, causing Ginryumon to crash into a sand dune. The figure began to take form rather than stay as a terrifying shadow. Robert instinctively took a step back when he saw the tall, thin demon-like Digimon, he had arms that reached down to his feet pointed with sharp claws, along with blood-red, cracked wings. His face was hidden beneath a mask with six eyes and his head was topped with two long horns.
"I think I'm face to face with the devil," Robert shivered despite the intense desert heat.
The demon tilted his head to the side, not saying a word as he studied the human.
"Robert, stay away from him!" Ginryumon warned his partner. "That's NeoDevimon, a servant of Apocalymon and he is far more powerful than any other enemy we've faced."
"You mean he's even stronger than Scorpiomon?" Robert asked although he knew the answer to this question already. Scorpiomon was elderly and frail, not to mention all they had to do was destroy a Dark Chain. This guy knew exactly what he was doing and he definitely didn't look fragile.
Digital Analyzer: NeoDevimon is a completely new Digimon, born from a dying Devimon. Devimon wished for more strength and was consumed by the powers of darkness, artificially enhanced so that his wish could be granted by Apocalymon. The mask he wears restrains him and suppresses his own power. It is said that he wears it in order to control his own will.
Okay, so maybe he didn't know exactly what he was doing. "If we destroy that mask, will he be freed from Apocalymon's control?" Robert asked tentatively.
NeoDevimon's voice was finally revealed in a deep, guttural, and satanic tone. "Foolish human, I have full control of my own actions. Lord Apocalymon only gave me this mask in order to make sure I do not disobey his orders."
"So he doesn't trust you?"
"It's more like I'm not the most predictable of Digimon."
"Uh-huh… I see."
"Enough talk!" NeoDevimon bellowed. "Stun Claw!"
Ginryumon charged forward and threw Robert onto his back, leaping out of the way of the outstretched arm. The goggle-head leapt off of his partner as soon as they got far enough away and then Ginryumon rushed back towards NeoDevimon. The fallen angel Digimon only laughed as he stopped Ginryumon's attack with his open palm, lifting the dragon over his head and tossing him into the lake.
"Ginryumon!" Robert shouted out of concern as he ran into the oasis.
NeoDevimon didn't stop him; instead, he just gave another deep laugh and vanished into the air. He reappeared a couple yards away, startling the four humans and four Digimon who were running towards the oasis.
"NeoDevimon!" Salamon hissed.
"I'm guessing he's bad news," Daisy muttered.
The Digimon all took their places in front of their respective partners in defensive positions.
"Do not fret, little ones," NeoDevimon laughed. "I will not delete any of you just yet. Right now, I am most curious about the spiky haired one and his little pet dragon."
"Rob," Babel murmured before shouting at the Ultimate Digimon. "What have you done with them?"
"Nothing," NeoDevimon raised his hands up innocently. "Not yet, anyway."
"You better leave them alone," Candlemon growled.
"First, I must keep you occupied so you will not interfere," NeoDevimon replied.
"You asked for it!" FanBeemon buzzed. "Let's digivolve!"
The humans nodded as they all pulled out their keys. However, right before they could jam them into their D-Syncs, NeoDevimon raised his claws and expelled a wispy shadow over them. "Deep Sorrow!"
The humans suddenly froze up as they dropped the objects in their hands into the sand. The color was drained from their eyes and they crumpled to the ground. The Digimon panicked as they try to awaken their respective partners and keep the keys from getting lost in the grains of the desert.
NeoDevimon laughed as he vanished once more. He reappeared within the oasis, in time to find Robert helping Ginryumon out of the water. "Now then… Where were we?"
Janyu's Nightmare – 4:02 PM
Janyu continuously looked behind him as he ran through the crowded streets of the marketing district in Hong Kong. He couldn't really see his pursuers through the masses but he knew they were still after him. He wished he wasn't so weak, he would be able to protect himself, but the very fact was, he was a weakling.
The bespectacled boy paused when he found himself in front of an old building, it didn't seem like anyone had been there for years. He turned around and realized that the crowds were starting to thin out, he was going to lose his cover once his pursuers broke through that last line. So Janyu did the first thing to come to mind, he ran into the building. He continued running, bounding up steps three at a time, even after he heard the front entrance doors burst open, he didn't stop. He found his way into an office and began pushing objects to block the door.
Janyu was breathing heavily as he sat down onto the dusty floor. He waited patiently and listened to the scuffling outside in the halls.
"I think he went that way!" someone called.
"Wait, what about this room?" someone else inquired.
"Nah don't even bother trying, the door is locked, we can't get in," another one replied.
"Idiot, then he might be in there," the first guy chided.
Janyu tensed up when he heard them attempting to jiggle the door open. He hoped that the office desk, chairs, and filing cabinet would be enough to keep them from coming in. Hopefully, they would eventually give up and leave him alone. They would just leave, forget about him. But they would only pick on him again the next day when they saw him at the dojo.
Janyu suddenly started crying into his knees. He wished they would just go already! He wished his parents hadn't signed him up for tai-chi! Why couldn't he just learn from his grandfather or something? He just wished he had nothing to do the stupid martial arts.
The sudden, loud banging on the door almost scared Janyu's soul out of him.
"Hey, Janyu!" the bully outside shouted. "I can hear you crying!"
"Yeah, why don't you come out and face us like a man?" another one jeered.
"You're just a wimp," the last one laughed. "You don't deserve to be taking the same class as us. Sensei is just wasting his time with you."
"Then stop wasting time with me!" Janyu screamed with the tears running wildly down his cheeks. "Just leave me alone!"
"…Leave me alone…," Janyu muttered.
FanBeemon stared at his partner in disbelief. "I'm not going to do that! Please Janyu, wake up! You're just trapped in some dream!"
Daisy's Nightmare – 4:02 PM
Daisy stared at herself in the mirror, touching the various bruises all over her face. She quickly shuffled through her mother's makeup and then applied some in an attempt to blend the injuries with her skin. She was glad that her parents weren't home just yet. But it was probably a bad idea to do this now, she felt like crying and that would made the makeup run. Daisy had to hold her tears inside as she took off her shirt.
There was a long pause as she stared at the large purple bruise on her side where she had been kicked by one of the older kids. She was lying on the cold, hard ground, in tears but they didn't care about that. They especially didn't care that she was physically weaker than them and she was also a couple years younger.
So she's a tomboy who liked having her hair short, to them it only meant she was a dyke. She's ten; she didn't know what type of people she liked. And besides, she didn't think it mattered too much but she knew it mattered a lot to everyone else in the Soviet Union.
She held her shirt up and stared at the words they wrote on the back of it in big black letters. They were all derogatory, demeaning, and insulting words. And they burned through the fabric and into her skin.
Daisy couldn't take it anymore. She could feel the weight of their fists raining down on her as she felt to her knees and started sobbing into her shirt. It was painful, oh so painful. And it didn't help being all alone, just crying in her bathroom.
Her breathing caught in her throat when there was a single, booming knock at the bathroom door. Had her parents come home?
"Hey Margaritka, what are you doing in there, you little queer?" the person outside taunted.
Daisy froze. She knew that voice; it belonged to the teenager who had kicked her. She hated him with all her heart but there was no way for her to fight back against someone nearly twice her size. And she was sure that he had others with him, waiting for her to exit so they could pummel her some more.
"Go away!" she croaked. Her throat hurt from crying.
"Come on now!" the guy snickered; obviously he was trying not to expose that he wasn't alone. "Why don't you step out here? I came to apologize for my rude behavior from earlier."
"Stop!" Daisy shouted. "Just stop it and go away!"
"…Go away…," Daisy mumbled.
Salamon's eyes became sadder with Daisy's negative tone. She wished that she could get through to Daisy somehow. "Please wake up. I can't stand to see you like this…"
Babel's Nightmare – 4:02 PM
Babel sat on the park bench as he looked around the dark playground. It certainly felt lonely and quiet around here without anybody else around here. Then again, what other kid would be taking a midnight jog in crime-filled New York? Hell, what adult would take a midnight walk in crime-filled New York? The seventies are a time filled with criminal happenings.
He had to consider himself lucky that he hadn't been caught up in any acts. Well, depending on whether or not those pranks his 'friends' drag him into constitute as criminal acts. He really wished they would grow up already. Though he couldn't really say he was exactly mature but he certainly wasn't as childish as the people he hung out with.
"They can be so annoying," he whispered into the night.
Just then, he heard rustling coming from the bushes next to the bench he was sitting on and immediately, he stiffened. Like he had believed, no reasonable adult, teenager, or child would be outside in the night, especially on a night when crime was high. This meant that this person was either insane or he was a criminal and judging from the sounds of approaching sirens, Babel knew exactly which one it was.
Except that he was wrong.
"Babel?" a voice in the dark called.
Babel's eyes had long since adjusted to the dark so he could recognize the owner of the voice pretty easily. "Pete? What in the world are you doing here?"
Pete gave Babel a disapproving look as if Babel had done something wrong. "As if you don't know," Pete chided. "We were supposed to be egging Mr. Eckerman's house but you failed to show up. So we decided to go along with the plan without you but then the fuzz showed up and now I'm going to have to get out of here. Since you didn't show up, you should take the fall for me. It's the least you can do after ditching us."
Babel blanched. "Ditching you?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Just take these egg cartons!"
Babel refused to comply. "You guys were the ones who ditched me last night when we egged Mrs. Fielder's house and I didn't even want to do it. I was just watching you guys throw eggs, I wasn't even needed. But when the cops showed up, you guys decided to use me as a scapegoat and then fled the scene! I'm still in trouble for that stupid stunt you pulled and I'm not even supposed to be out tonight."
"So you're still breaking the rules anyway?" Pete laughed. "You don't deserve to be walking around, acting all righteous."
Babel wanted to cuss him out right there but then realized that he couldn't hear the sirens anymore though the lights were a giveaway. He could tell that the police were approaching them and apparently, so did Pete, who dropped the egg cartons at Babel's feet.
"Dude!" Babel shouted, realizing his mistake as Pete ran off.
A flashlight was beamed at Babel's face and he came face to face with two burly looking cops. "Didn't we find you yesterday?" one of the policemen asked.
"Yes…," Babel nodded. "Good evening… officers…"
"Is it?"
"Not for me right now," Babel sighed. "But I had nothing to do with Mr. Eckerman's house, honest!"
"Oh really? Then how did you know that was why we confronted you?"
"…Lucky guess?"
"And what about the egg cartons at your feet?"
"A chicken flew over my head and laid it?"
Babel didn't know what he was doing, covering for Pete. The guy was a jerk anyway. Why was he taking the fall anyway? It was probably because he didn't have any other friends. But this wasn't right. They only hung out with him because he was so easily pushed around by them. He was always their scapegoat, not their actual friend.
"You have a sense of humor, eh kid?" one of the officers scoffed. "Come on, we're taking you to you back to your parents."
Babel quietly followed them to their car and sat in the back. "Great. I really am alone in all of this…"
"I'm all alone…," Babel grumbled.
Betamon spit out a wet bubble at his partner's face but there was simply no reaction. "Aw man, please Babel, you're not alone! I can promise you that!"
Rai's Nightmare – 4:02 PM
Rai sat in her chair, her posture was perfect, hands together on her lap, her eyes were soft, a smile graced her features, and her feet stayed together at the heels. She was quiet and polite to the customer in front of her as she served him with her best manners as she always did.
"You're such a well-rounded girl," the man chuckled softly as he took a sip from the tea she poured for him. She was now preparing a fresh dish of curry in front of him. "I'm surprised. Most children your age would most likely be spending time with their friends."
"Well my parents hope for a better life for me one day than having a permanent job at this inn," Rai explained. "So I spend the majority of my time focusing on my studies."
"Quite impressive," the customer nodded. He then sighed heavily. "Although it feels like you should be outside with other children your own age. It must get pretty lonely when you don't spend enough time with them."
Rai paused as she was about to pour the rice onto the plate from the rice cooker. "Um…I don't really have any friends to spend time with in the first place so it doesn't really matter."
The man blinked in surprise. "Really? I figured someone like you would be very popular. You must have some friends from school."
"I don't talk much," Rai replied. This was true, to the teachers; she would talk all the time to answer questions. But she had been taught never to talk too much so she stays quiet whenever she was around other students. They would often get bored due to the lack of conversation from her end. "And it's difficult for me to actually approach anybody."
"Quite a shame," his eyes softened.
"Yes, it is…," Rai nodded. She felt like crying but she wasn't supposed to expose such a negative emotion in front of a customer so she mustered up her strength into another one of her award-winning smiles. "Your curry is ready. I hope you come back again."
"Of course."
She hated the pitying tone in his voice but hated herself more for telling him that one fact about herself. As soon as he was gone, she relaxed her spine so that her shoulders slumped a little bit. Even highly trained hostesses had trouble maintaining their posture all the time.
Rai glanced out the window and immediately regretted her action. She saw kids from her class playing a little ways away while she was stuck inside. She wanted badly to join them, to talk to one of them, but she knew she would never be able to. She started to cry when this reality hit her.
"I don't have any friends," she sniffed. "Everyone probably hates me…"
"…Everyone hates me…," Rai whimpered.
Candlemon winced upon hearing Rai degrade herself in such a way. "How could you say something like that?! I'm your friend Rai and I don't hate you at all! I love you! I will never leave you alone! So please wake up already!"
But it was no use, the four human children were all still, motionless, and silent.
Desert Oasis – 4:04 PM
Robert clung tightly to Ginryumon's armor as they ran the inner perimeter of the oasis to avoid NeoDevimon's deadly claws. But there was no way they could count on evasion forever so as soon as they were able, Robert dismounted and Ginryumon launched several sharp blades flying towards the dark Digimon who batted them away with his equally sharp claws.
"This is impossible for me to do alone," Ginryumon growled. "Where are the others? We need backup!"
"I hate to admit it but you're right about that," Robert breathed. He looked behind him in the direction where he had been before running off on his own. "I'll try to get them here! You just try to stall NeoDevimon!"
"Right!" Ginryumon affirmed. This meant he didn't have to win, he just have to keep on the defensive for as long as possible.
"Stun Claw!"
"Oh, no you don't!" Ginryumon snapped as he leaped in NeoDevimon's way, blocking the attack from reaching Robert. It wouldn't be the first time Ginryumon was thankful for the heavy armor he wore as he readied his counterattack. "Hurry Rob!"
Robert didn't have to run very far. He had been expecting to find his friends back at the large boulder he had left them at but it turned out they had all passed out nearby, with the Digimon trying frantically to wake them up. "What happened?" he asked. "This is no time to be taking a nap!"
"They're not napping!" FanBeemon buzzed, he was on the brink of crying. "They were put under some spell by NeoDevimon and now they're stuck in some eternal nightmare! We can't seem to reach out to them!"
"What?" Robert gaped. "But Ginryumon can't beat that guy without your help. What are we supposed to do?"
"I have a theory," Salamon chimed. "Robert, none of us are able to get through to them but that may be because they're stuck in the human world of their nightmares. We don't exist there so we can't really help them but maybe you can."
Robert wasn't quite sure how to respond to that so he simply nodded and went for the closest unconscious human. He grabbed onto Janyu's hand and held onto it tightly. "Come on Janyu… I'm right here, buddy. There's nothing to be afraid of."
Janyu's Nightmare – 4:07 PM
Janyu searched around the room, his panic increasing with each slam he heard on the door. There had to be some way to escape this godforsaken enclosed space! But there wasn't a ventilation system, a window, or a second entrance. Yeesh, no wonder this building was closed down. It must've been suffocating for the previous owner.
"What do I do?" he muttered to himself.
As if the bullies outside heard him, one of them answered. "Give yourself up!"
"Yeah! You can't stay in there forever. Just come out and get it over with!"
Janyu wanted them to just disappear off the face of the Earth but he learned from his parents and his teacher that such thoughts shouldn't enter his mind. Then he wished that he would disappear, that he never had been born in the first place. He wouldn't have to suffer this way then.
"GO AWAY!" Janyu screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Janyu?"
Janyu opened his eyes that were squeezed shut just a moment earlier. He stared at the door. He recognized that voice from somewhere, it didn't belong to those bullies but it didn't feel like he had heard this voice before and yet there was something familiar and inviting about it.
"Robert?" the name passed his lips without him even realizing it. His breath caught and he almost felt like crying again, except in relief this time. "Robert! Help me!"
The bullies' voice came back. "Hey, who is this kid?"
"I'm a friend of Janyu's," Robert spat back.
"Janyu has friends?" one of them laughed. "I thought only Cho stuck up for him but it looks like there's a second idiot in town."
"Hey!" Robert shouted. "Anyone would be lucky to be friends with Janyu! That kid is stronger and cooler than all three of you losers!"
Janyu could hear a fight happening outside and he couldn't believe he was inside this musty office while Robert was fighting his battles. It was just like with Cho. He was always hiding behind someone rather than standing up for himself. Janyu began tearing away at the objects he used to block the door and quickly came out to find two of the bullies pinning Robert down to the ground while the third one was about to start stomping down on his face.
"Leave him alone!" Janyu screamed and he pushed the third bully to the ground.
His companions were stunned by Janyu's sudden tackle which loosened their grip on Robert who took this as his golden opportunity to move his arms in a way that made his two capturers collide heads with each other. He got back up to see Janyu kicking his opponent's butt, it was rather impressive.
Janyu finally stopped when the bully pleaded for mercy. "Leave me alone from now on!" He then looked over to Robert. "And leave him alone too."
The three bullies ran off quickly and Janyu walked over to Robert.
"You did awesome," Robert smiled.
"They're a lot tougher in real life," Janyu chuckled. "…Thanks for coming to save me."
"What are friends for?"
"You… You really think of me as your friend?"
"Did you not hear what I said about you?" Robert grinned as he pulled Janyu into a one-arm hug. "You're an amazing friend. This reminds me, we have to save our other friends who are also trapped in their own personal nightmares. We need everyone in order to beat NeoDevimon."
Janyu had almost forgotten about the demon that placed him under this horrible experience in the first place. "Right, I'm with you, Rob."
Janyu blinked and realized that he was lying on sand. He sat back up and started brushing the sand that had stuck onto his face and gotten into his mouth. "If my mouth wasn't dry before then it certainly is now," he groaned.
FanBeemon flew into his partner's arms, hugging him tight. "Oh, Janyu! I thought I had lost you!"
"You'll never lose me, FanBeemon," Janyu chuckled. He glanced up at Robert who gave him a small nod. Janyu returned the gesture before moving over towards Babel and taking his hand. He watched as Robert took Daisy's.
Daisy's Nightmare – 4:09 PM
Daisy stood on the toilet, trying to block out the relentless taunts coming from outside her bathroom door, as she tried to reach for the small window above her. She gave up eventually though; she just wasn't tall enough to reach it. And if she tried to stack any of the items around her to get herself to actually reach it, then she would surely fall. Something made of the toiletries around her would be very unstable.
"I can't believe this," she groaned as she sat down on the toilet. The incessant banging on the bathroom door was only getting louder. She didn't even care anymore. She reached forward, her fingertips on the door handle, when she realized something.
There was a quiet tapping sound from above her and then she saw the window open and a boy's face peeking in. At first, she had thought it was one of the kids who came to beat her up but then she realized that his face was much too kind to have those ill intentions. Her eyes widened when she remembered who this face belonged to.
"Hey," he smiled, his goggles glinting.
"Robert!" Daisy gasped in shock. "What are you doing here?"
He put a finger to his lips to signal her into silence. "You don't want those guys outside your door to hear you," he whispered. He reached his hand out to her and she took it in hers. He pulled her out of the window and once they were both out into the fresh air, they ran for cover behind the neighbor's house.
"How did you get here?" Daisy asked.
"I'm your friend," Robert replied simply. "Like I could ever leave you alone."
"Well… Thanks, you really saved my butt," she chuckled. She looked down and her smile faded when she realized they were still holding hands with each other. Robert seemed to realize this as well as they glanced at each other and quickly pulled their hands away.
"Sorry," they both blushed.
"Um…," Robert hummed before deciding to change the subject. "It's surprisingly warm here in Russia. I was expecting it to be colder."
"I live in Moscow, not Siberia," Daisy rolled her eyes. "And besides, it's a misconception that my country is cold all year long. We follow the seasons like every other country, you dolt."
"Yeah, I knew that," he laughed.
"So… What do we do now?" Daisy asked.
"We take care of the guy who put you through this hell," Robert answered matter-of-factly.
Daisy had almost forgotten but then she gave a firm nod. "NeoDevimon."
"Right. So let's get a move on. But we have a stop to make first."
"Then let's do it."
Babel's Nightmare – 4:09 PM
Babel was escorted out of the patrol car by the two cops as he was led to the front porch of his house. He should've been used to this routine of seeing his parents after he got into trouble, even if he wasn't the actual cause, but every time felt more nerve-wracking than the last.
"I keep telling you guys that I didn't do anything wrong," Babel huffed.
"And we've told you that you've failed to produce any evidence that you aren't too blame because right now, all the signs point to you," one of the cops replied.
Babel didn't even know why he tried. He watched the officers ring the doorbell and it only took about two more rings before his father answered the door, a new record. Mr. Jones stared at his son who looked up at him guiltily. The man sighed as he pulled Babel closer to him.
"What did you do this time?" he asked in a tired voice. "I'm getting sick of answering the door in the middle of the night just to find you accompanied by policemen. Do you know how hard I work just to try and give you a happier life than I did?"
Babel had heard this a hundred times before. Automatically, his father would try to pin the blame on him and then try to appeal to his sympathetic side by talking about how lucky he was. After all, his dad lived during a time when African Americans were sharply shunned. Sure, they weren't slaves anymore but it sure as hell wasn't much better growing up in the forties as a black man. Not to mention living through World War II as well.
"I…," Babel paused but he decided not to even try. "I egged Mr. Eckerman's house, I'm sorry."
"Again?" Mr. Jones blanched.
"Technically, I didn't egg his house again, this is just the second time I went egging," Babel responded. But he could tell his dad wasn't in the mood for humor that night. And technically, he had never gone egging before.
"I am so sorry for him officers," Mr. Jones apologized. "I'll try to keep him indoors during the nightly hours from now on."
"Actually, there's more," one of the officers said, stopping them from going back inside. "The egging incident caused about two thousand dollars in damages for the windows, a couple of lamps, and the couch."
"Did you use eggs or rocks!?" Mr. Jones snapped.
"I honestly don't know," Babel sighed.
Just then, someone ran up into the porch light. He looked like some random kid about a year younger than him but there was something about him he recognized. The kid ran up to the officers and tugged on one of their sleeves.
"Um, actually, Babel had nothing to do with the egging," the random kid said. "It was me and a couple of other guys. Don't blame him. He wasn't even there! One of my friends probably bumped into him and then dropped the carton in front of him to frame him."
"And who are you?" the cop asked.
"My name is Janyu," he replied. "I'm a friend of Babel's."
Babel's eyes got wider. "Janyu?" he breathed.
"Is that like a generic Chinese name?" one of the officers asked.
"Don't ask such a question," the other one chided.
"Look, the point is, Babel is completely innocent. My family and I will pay the two thousand dollars of damages for Mr. Eckerman," Janyu continued as he stood by Babel's side. "I've known Babel for a short time but I know he would never participate in something like that."
Babel couldn't have Janyu get in trouble, even if this wasn't real. "No! It was me! I was there too. Janyu, you don't have to cover for me."
"And you don't have to lie," Janyu replied.
Babel didn't even care that he was in front of his father or the policemen, right then and there, he pulled the younger boy into a hug. "Thank you. I can't believe you're actually willing to do something like this for me."
"That's what friends are for," Janyu chuckled, returning the embrace.
They separated and they noticed how they were alone now. The adults around them had suddenly vanished into thin air without a trace of their existence. "So, what's going on?"
"NeoDevimon," was all Janyu had to say for Babel to understand.
"Let's go take care of business then," Babel chuckled.
Rai's Nightmare – 4:11 PM
Rai didn't know when she had finally stopped sobbing but she did know that the sun was setting now. Her eyes darted from the fading orange light coming in from the window to her stretching shadow on the other side. She wondered how long it had been but she didn't really care.
She staggered onto her feet at the same time the door opened. She was expecting to see another guest but instead, she saw her mother standing there.
Just like Rai, Mrs. Tabassam had perfect posture, her hands were together, and a polite and respectful smile graced her features. Rai hated this image of her mother. It was so fake; generated by the policies of the inn they ran.
Not to mention, while they pretended to be ladies of high society, there were so many people outside their quiet inn who were suffering. Just because Rai doesn't go out much doesn't mean she's blind and naïve to the world. One of the few children she spoke to was the daughter of a prostitute from a nearby brothel. Then when her mother found out about their relationship, she restricted Rai from ever speaking to her one friend ever again. And this came from the very woman who wanted her daughter to make some friends her own age. Well, whose fault is it that she was an outcast?
"Rai, it's about time we went back home," Mrs. Tabassam smiled.
Rai hated the tone her mother used on her. It was if she was talking to a guest rather than her own flesh and blood. But Rai knew the rules so she quickly assumed the exact same posture and face as her mother, becoming a mirror image of the wretched machine standing in front of her.
"Yes, mother," Rai nodded politely. "I will be with you in a minute. Just allow me to collect my bearings."
Mrs. Tabassam gave a nod and then left through the door. Rai relaxed her shoulders and she let her long hair cover her eyes. She didn't hate her mother, at least, not the one she was with at home. The one in the inn, that one, she couldn't stand. But what could she do about it? It's work.
Rai felt some fresh tears threatening to pour down her eyes as she looked around the empty room. It was in this room that a part of Rai would die. Every time she entered, she felt another piece of her heart rot and fall off into a corner to disappear. It was a room, in which there would be no escape, not unless she followed through with her parent's plans for her, become some big shot and move far away from here. But she doesn't need to make it big, she just needs to get away but her parents have driven her own will out of her. She can't do anything without them.
Rai stopped when her eyes landed on the window, she saw someone standing out there. It was a child not much older than she. But it wasn't just one child, there were three others with him, waiting for her to crack open the one thing separating them.
"Who are you?" Rai whispered when she opened the window.
"Rai, you're not saying you forgot us, have you?" the boy at the front inquired.
She recognized his voice and she searched her memories to connect the voice to a face. But she didn't need to; his goggles gave his identity away. "Rob?" She took a closer look at the people behind him. "Daisy, Janyu, and Babel too! You're all here!"
"I can't believe you actually forgot about us," Daisy chuckled. "Then again, you're not really the one who's at fault for that."
Rai nodded, she knew exactly what the older girl meant. "Yeah, NeoDevimon did this to us."
"Rai, you know that we'd never leave you alone right?" Janyu asked.
"Besides, you still have my hat," Babel reminded her.
Rai looked up and noticed the cap on top of her head. She hadn't even noticed that she was still wearing it the entire time. Her mother would not have approved of her wearing something so out of uniform. That's when Rai realized, she wasn't as mechanical as her mother and she didn't plan on being a machine like her. "Thanks again for this."
"What are friends for?" he shrugged in response. "Now let's go take care of unfinished business."
Robert opened the window all the way so that there was no longer anything in between them. The four of them held out their hands to Rai even though she only needed two to pull her out of that dreadful room. Rai smiled, happy knowing that these guys were there for her. If this had been real life, she wondered if she would've been able to grab onto their outstretched arms and gone with them, defying her mother. But as they pulled her out that window and into the outside world, she felt the curse breaking and she was set free.
"You're free now," Robert chuckled.
Rai nodded; a real smile on her face. "Let's use some of that freedom."
Rai opened her eyes and realized her arms were in the air, being held by four other hands that pulled her to her feet. She dusted herself off and then picked up the key in Candlemon's hands. The four previously dreaming kids held their keys up high and they reflected the sunlight from above.
Babel chuckled softly as he knelt down, picked up his hat, and put it on Rai's head. "You almost forgot this."
She nodded. "Thanks."
-X-
Whew! That was close! Rai and the others were trapped in some awful nightmares but it seems Robert came just in time to save them all. But they still have NeoDevimon to take care of. Will five Champion level Digimon be enough to take care of one Ultimate? It may be tough but I'm sure our heroes will prevail! After all, they always do. But let's see how in the next Digimon: Children of the Past!
I am surprisingly satisfied with how this chapter turned out. I hope you guys agree and please leave a review informing me of your feelings. I would really like to know. Until we meet again! Au revoir!
