Disclaimer: In no way do I own Digimon.
sp- No need to worry, I don't recycle plots and the only reason Sora could break through to Karatenmon is because he was wearing a dark ring. In this chapter, Lilimon is controlled by the more powerful dark spiral.
Sync The Dragon Tempest- Thank you for the constant support, it means a lot to me.
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Binary
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06:16:16 Saturday. Digi-Port OPEN.
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07:28:46 Sunday. Dungeons, Emperor's Base, Infinity Mountain, File Island.
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"You lied to me."
It isn't a question. In the dimly lit dungeons of Emperor's Base, Firamon turns to look at BlackWarGreymon properly, straight in the eye to show his genuine surprise at the accusation. "Pardon...?"
"You lied to me," BlackWarGreymon repeats, though he doesn't raise his voice, and he throws a black leather bag at the beast Champion's feet. Bluish-grey digivices pool out, dozens of them, all in identical octagon except the last one, as it is in the shape of an oval with the colors of green and white. "You told me you can destroy them. That's the only reason I hand over these devices."
Gasps of fright and anger spread like wildfire within the jail cells, and the Mega turns to glare at the captives held behind the steel bars. Betamon, Gotsumon, Floramon and many more, all partnered digimon of children Tamers from around the world. And all of them imprisoned.
"Monster!" "Heartless!" "Fiend!" three Shakomon scream at him one after another. A Crabmon clutches at the bars hatefully but in vain, and Floramon asks weakly, "What have we ever done to you? Why do you separate us from our partners?"
"Just ignore them," Firamon chooses his words carefully.
"Or I can kill off a few to make a point," BlackWarGreymon growls, thus effectively shutting up the prisoners' murmurs, though the reproachful glares are still there. He is impatient, even in his better days. "And you have yet to give me an answer, Firamon."
"I did say that I can destroy the digivices," Firamon admits, "But it would take time, and I am unfortunately preoccupied by rebellions recently, as you should know."
"Excuses," BlackWarGreymon hisses.
Firamon changes tactic. "Take them back then, if you do not trust me," the Champion says, subtly placing himself between the Mega and the many captured Rookies, as a wordless statement.
BlackWarGreymon huffs, turning to leave, but he makes no move to pick the scattered digivices up. "Do your job," the jet-black dragon warrior says, almost threateningly, "And I shall do mine."
"Of course," Firamon promises, but he only dares to gather the scattered devices once the Mega level has left.
"You are a partnered digimon, too, are you not?" Floramon asks carefully from behind the bars. And Firamon nods, "Yes, I wa... I am."
"Then why are you helping BlackWarGreymon?" Betamon accuses with a deep frown, "You should be on our side!"
Firamon sighs. "If I let you out, any of you out," the Vaccine Champion throws a hard look at all the captives, "You would only end up killed by BlackWarGreymon, many times if he has to until you cannot even recall your original name. Does none of you understand?"
"Why does he hate us?" Chocomon cries, and Gummymon moves closer to comfort his InTraining twin. They both want to be back with their shared Tamer.
"He doesn't," Firamon answers slowly, "BlackWarGreymon is only trying to undo the mistake he had made."
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07:30:35 Sunday. Coela Beach, Unwavering Forest, File Island.
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Taichi feels like he is being nailed onto the ground, and can only watch, helpless, as the thunders of Zudomon's Hammer Spark! strikes towards him, and... Ice Phantom! blue flames suddenly burst from inches before the chosen child's feet, forming a wall of burning cold fire. Then the powers of thunder and flame clash together, resulting in a massive explosion that knocks Taichi backwards.
Things are happening too quickly, Taichi barely has any chance to react. A humanoid creature taller than a three story building and covered from-head-to-toe in blue flame walks over the tiny human teen to stand astride before Zudomon, with his two hands outstretched.
[BlueMeramon] [Ultimate-Data/Virus-NSo]
"Wh-What?" Taichi stammers, picking himself up awkwardly.
"Go now, Child of Courage, I'll hold him back," BlueMeramon says without turning around, voice crackling with the burn of his fire as he summons another column of Ice Phantom! fire wall to block Zudomon's attacks. But it is obvious he isn't gaining any upper hand... his flames are diminishing slowly and his voice is obviously strained. "See this as a debt repaid!"
Taichi doesn't understand, but before he can answer, a large reptilian talon grabs him against his will and he is lifted from the ground. "Tyrannomon, take him somewhere safe!" Monochromon says, stepping behind them also to cut off pursuit. A spear of the DS Ultimate's Hammer Spark! manages to penetrate the wall BlueMeramon has made, and instantly a line of a dozen Crabmon and Mushroomon perish into data!
"And take care of my shop for me," Monochromon grins at his reptilian friend, firing a last round of Volcano Strike! before an arrow of thunder pierce cleanly through his throat. Tyrannomon turns away, unable to watch his dear friend die, and he is running, trampling mounds and dirt.
"B-But...!" Taichi struggles in the dinosaur Champion's hold, turning back to the bay. BlueMeramon is so much smaller now, no more than the height of an average human adult. But then Tyrannomon is looking at the human teen straight in the eye, "We have no time, Child of Courage, and you alone cannot fall."
Taichi doesn't understand.
So many others are being left behind as cannon fodders for him to escape. But why? Why?! He doesn't understand!
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A short distance away, west of Unwavering Forest there is a mountain named Mount Panorama. And at the base of the mountain is a place called Yokomon Village.
When a stream of data dust flow past this small village before scattering in the wind, many Yokomon see. And many Yokomon cry, and many Yokomon cheer.
Cry... for they have just lost their protector.
Cheer... for a legend of the Digital World is saved.
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07:49:41 Sunday. Secret Cave, Freezeland, File Island.
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The change in personality is instantaneous and without warning, Garurumon lurches, throwing his two human riders violently to the cavern floor. Yamato inhales a pained breath when a huge wolf's paw lands inches from his face, and Mimi whines softly in fear.
"Garurumon," Yamato tries, hands subtly search the rocky ground behind for anything that can be used as a weapon, but all he can find is dirt and sand. "This isn't you, snap out of it!"
"Save your breath, Yamato," Garurumon growls deeply, for the first time ever, using his menacing voice against his teen master. Then the wolf digimon leans close, baring his long fangs. "You two will serve as gifts for Lilimon," Garurumon says, turning his cold yellow eyes to Mimi, who is cowering behind his human boy, "You, especially."
Mimi is shivering now, but is holding back her tears. Yamato clenches his fists as he glares helplessly at his brainwashed friend, but he has to at least create an opportunity for Mimi to escape.
"Sorry, bud, but you'll have to go through me!" Yamato cries, unexpectedly throwing a handful of dirt into Garurumon's eyes, causing the Champion to flinch. The opening is only fractions of a second so without another thought, Yamato pulls Mimi up and pushes her aside, just as Garurumon slams him back onto the floor.
"You," Garurumon snarls, but the human boy has grabbed hold of his front leg with both hands, making his movement difficult. "MIMI, RUN!" Yamato shouts. And with no other choice, Mimi turns, running off at the top of her speed.
But then a small area of her path is lit up, and Mimi can only look up in alarm when a ball of condensed dark green energy is fired straight at her. Too late to turn, she cannot dodge that attack!
Flower Cannon!
"PRINCESS MIMI!"
A large explosion echoes between the walls of Secret Cave.
Yamato watches in dread from afar, but he is being securely pinned under the forepaw of his digivolved partner. He cannot move and reaching out, he attempts to pull at the flower wreath around his digimon companion's neck, but it is too far and his strength is fading. And then Garurumon increases the pressure applied to his body, and Yamato cries out in pain, before fainting.
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The smoke from the explosion disperses, and slowly, Mimi comes back to herself and looking up, she can vaguely make out the shape of a humanoid figure. Standing some ways off and walking towards her, in a short flower dress and with twin pairs of dry leaf wings... Lilimon, but withered and broken.
"... ess... Princess... Mimi..." an Otamamon squeaks weakly, being the one who has just saved Mimi by pushing her out of harm's way, but ends up severely hurt. "R-Run, the Emperor... cannot... have you."
Mimi covers her mouth, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Why is it happening again? She wants to cry, why is it happening again? "I can't," she sobs, her legs too weak to support her weight. "I don't want to leave you behind."
Then a pair of shoes decorated with withered black flower lands before her, and Mimi looks up to see Lilimon, her now virus partner. "Child of Sincerity," the fairy digimon says in monotone and without recognition, the dark spiral strapped around her wrist reflects in the weak underground lights. A thorn vine extended from her petal sleeves and she uses it to whip at her forgotten human girl.
Mimi cringes, too shocked to react, but the hit does not land. Instead, there is a stifled cry of pain, and to Mimi's horror, that wounded Otamamon has again leaps before her to take the thorn whip to his own back!
"No! Otamamon!" Mimi cries, hugging the child digimon from the place he has fallen, but the Rookie's breathing is weak. Lilimon doesn't care for the drama though, and is again raising her whip.
"Otamamon, hang in there," the Child of Sincerity begs in broken sobs. Lilimon does not remember her and Garurumon has lost his mind, digimons are dying around her and there seems to be no end to the bloodshed.
Otamamon twitches in her arms. The data reality bends, just a little, and digital codes starts to concentrate and rain, forming a swirling light pillar that blasts straight at the weak form of the Rookie digimon held in Mimi's embrace. Lilimon backs half a step, shading her eyes against the luster of natural digivolution.
The Otamamon starts to grow, bigger and bigger, until he reaches the size of a small pony, surpassing the average of a Gekomon. Two pairs of rotor blades extend from the machines at his back, and a leaf-shaped transparent mask falls before his face.
(Otamamon)... digivolve... Frogmon!
[Frogmon] [Champion-Data-DS/NSp]
"I'm going to save you, Princess Mimi!" the Champion declares, and with a swipe of his hand he grabs hold of the surprised human girl by the waist. Turning swiftly, he chucks a knife strapped to his hind leg Ambushed Dagger! at Lilimon, but, knowing it is at best buying time, he is already leaping high. The rotor wheels on Frogmon's back is spinning rapidly, and he is carrying the DigiDestined soaring through the air.
But Lilimon can fly as well and gives chase. The Ultimate is faster despite her lost time, is already quickly reducing the distance from her prey.
Frogmon scans the cavern ground, where many digimons are still locked in battle, and he makes a choice. "I am sorry, Princess Mimi," he says softly so only the human girl can hear. To save a legend of the Digital World, sacrifices must be made.
Mimi understands what he does not put into words, and already is shaking her head. But regardless of the kindhearted girl's protest, Frogmon flings her many feet downwards, to a relatively safer zone. "Take her for me, Tuwarmon!" the DS/NSp Champion cries out, turning to face Lilimon alone in the open grotto space. Leaf Wheel Cutter!
Mimi falls, her tears dripping down her cheeks.
She doesn't notice a tall metallic ninja in silver and golden armor catches her mid-fall. Her eyes following Frogmon as the amphibian takes his last stand, perishing under the frightening power of Lilimon's Flower Cannon! And he only just digivolved... Mimi thinks sadly.
"We're not out of the warzone yet," a high-pitched voice chirps, and a patchworked dirty yellow mouse with red gloves pokes his head from the metal ninja's back.
[Tyutyumon] [Rookie-Virus-NSp/NSo]
"I know," the metal ninja answers with his stiff mumble, using the boosters split from his Punpun Armor to increase his maximum speed. He breaks through the last group of assailants with the use of his Smokin' Boogie! attack to fire rainbow-colored fumes as diversion, and finally, they make it out the cave onto the surface of the tiny island.
[Tuwarmon] [Champion-Virus-ME]
A wounded Frigimon has frozen a temporary bridge across the sea, connecting to Ice Cape some distance away, and he is gesturing quite wildly. "Quickly! We must rescue the DigiDestined!"
Tuwarmon knows that. So many have already fallen for this reason, but another beam of concentrated dark green energy Flower Cannon! is fired, and Tuwarmon grimaces in pain when one of his boosters is torn right off. He doesn't stop running though, and he rushes past that Frigimon, who is making no move to escape himself.
No, please, please don't sacrifice yourself for me. Mimi weeps, wrapping her slender arms around Tuwarmon's neckline region. The Champion blushes lightly, though his attention does not waver. His mission is to take the Child of Sincerity to a place where the tyrant Emperor cannot find nor touch.
Don't sacrifice yourself for me.
Silent tears fall, but Mimi's wish is unheard.
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08:16:08 Sunday. Primary Village, File Island.
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Another day has passed since the Digi-Port is made accessible for dimensional travel through digivices, but that is exactly the problem Takeru now faced.
His digivice is gone.
He is still trapped in the DigiWorld for this reason, and Takeru is also having troubles contacting his brother or friends. Apparently, the D-Terminal recognizes his digivice but not his fingerprint, thus he cannot log in that stupid communicating device nor use his Digimental. It is fairly inconvenient is putting it lightly.
Takeru has a pretty good guess who had possibly taken his digivice, however, since it disappeared when he was at Infinity Mountain. And his mind immediately goes to the Digimon Emperor.
How to get it back though, Takeru thinks hard as he prods Patamon on the soft cheek. His digimon raises his head and looks at him cutely with big blue eyes. Takeru knows a full-frontal attack would not work, as he has learned the hard way, and the last time had come way too close.
Would sneaking in work? It is worth a try, but Takeru still has a mild concussion and a couple fractured ribs that cause him to wince whenever he moves too much. However, he also understands that waiting around would be pointless, not to mention his brother is likely going to do something foolish and rash if he doesn't show up soon.
Of course, at this point Takeru doesn't know that what he feared has already happened, and that his friends are currently separated at different parts of the island.
"TK?" Patamon hops onto his lap and tilts his head, "What are you thinking?"
Takeru smiles at his digital companion, shaking his head. "Nothing," he lies.
Later, he will go. Alone.
He is not going to lose his partner again.
Not ever.
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08:32:59 Sunday. Unwavering Forest, File Island.
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Daisuke wakes on the edge of a small forest clearing, with V-mon leaning over him in worry. He doesn't remember what knocked him out, only that he now sports a lump on his forehead. "Aww," Daisuke groans, sitting up, he recalls that huge turtle-like sea monster. "What was that thing?"
"That was Zudomon," V-mon supplies rather unhelpfully, "He is an Ultimate level so we had to run."
"Ultimate level...?" Daisuke repeats. He has only just learned the different stages in a digimon life-cycle but hasn't quite figured it out yet, though regardless, it sounds like top tier. There are more pressing matters at hand however, and Daisuke looks around. "Where's Taichi?"
V-mon's gaze turns downward. "I'm sorry," he says, but Daisuke immediately pats his partner on the arm. He doesn't want his little friend to blame himself for something he has no control over. "Don't worry, V-mon, I'm sure he's fine. I mean, he's Taichi!"
The blue dragon smiles, hugging his human friend in thanks and his embrace is returned. Daisuke is the best partner he could ever hope for.
An unexpected snapping of twigs. V-mon jerks, twitching around in alarm as he gazes into the thick surrounding foliage. Daisuke turns around as well, expression puzzled, "What is it?" he asks, and then a looming shadow appears, towering over them both at fifteen feet of height, a reptilian anthropoid in black armor.
"What have we here?" BlackWarGreymon's voice is grating and cold. His footfalls heavy as he moves forward, and a tree blocking his path falls with an easy push of his hand. "Another Tamer?" the dragon warrior narrows his eyes at the oval-shape device clutched in the human boy's hand, and his tone grows even colder. "Ahh... or perhaps you are a DigiDestined."
Daisuke and V-mon leap into focus. "Who are you?" the human boy demands bravely, as his digital partner glows white. (V-mon)... armor-digivolve... Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!
"Careful, that is BlackWarGreymon," Flamedramon warns, standing between his boy and the unwanted encounter. He is not yet sure whether the Virus digimon is a friend or a foe.
"You should not be here," BlackWarGreymon says, ignoring the Armor level to glare directly at the human pre-teen behind the slim dragonish figure. "Return to your world, human, and don't ever come back."
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Daisuke snaps. Flamedramon lets his fire blaze, for his instinct can now discern the hostility in the air.
Neither of them sees the next move that other digimon makes, though, only a violent gust of wind that forces Daisuke back a step. Flamedramon cries out, a crater formed where he stands, he is being hammered straight into the ground by a force strong enough to split the earth. His red chestplate and facemask cracked.
"Flamedramon!" Daisuke falls on his hands and knees to check on his fallen friend, before glaring angrily at their assailant, however, not without a hint of dread. "Is he an Ultimate, too?"
"N-no..." Flamedramon answers weakly, trying in vain to pick himself up, but soon he loses even the energy to maintain his digivolved form. "He is... Mega."
Daisuke doesn't get to inquire further, for then he is being manhandled, seized by the collar of his shirt with his legs dangling pathetically in midair. "Let go of me, freak!" he protests, but the hold on him is impossibly strong. "Do you work for that Emperor, too?!"
BlackWarGreymon scoffs. "I work for no one but myself," he sneers, plucking the sky-blue digivice from the human boy's feeble grasp. "Hey!" Daisuke struggles, but all his attempts are pitiful from the Mega level's perspective. "Humans do not belong here, child, go home."
"And leave all my friends behind?" Daisuke rebukes, "NEVER!"
The dragon warrior narrows his yellow eyes dangerously, tightening his hold just the slightest to make Daisuke choke for breath. "I've wasted too much time on you."
Lio Claw! Liollmon leaps from a tree branch, claws glistening extended for strike. He and Ogremon have come through this area by chance, but he is not going to ignore a DigiDestined in peril, even if it would likely cost him his life.
The attack isn't unanticipated, as it is never easy to sneak up on BlackWarGreymon, and he has sensed those two digimon's presence from miles away. But when the Mega Virus faces that conceited Rookie, he is suddenly paralyzed on the spot.
Another cat. Weaker. With white paws and tan furs.
Liollmon is so surprised that his attack actually lands, he almost loses his balance. His claws cannot penetrate the Chrome Digizoid armor on BlackWarGreymon though, not even leaving a scratch, but he does get the Mega level to drop the human child.
He was smaller back then, BlackWarGreymon remembers, and that cat had left a scar on his forehead. How can you lose to a cat? He shouldn't care. It has been too long.
On the ground, Liollmon is trying to help Daisuke stand. Ogremon has arrived as well, but is smart enough to not make a move. BlackWarGreymon walks forward, one step, then two. Liollmon's fur stands on his back, and the beast Rookie hisses.
We don't make much of a tag team, do we?
The same scar on that human boy's right cheek, because he defended him from that horrid scratching furball. BlackWarGreymon lashes out at a random tree in frustration, causing the sudden fall of three tons of wood. It shouldn't matter. It shouldn't matter! And he death-glares at the human boy's spiky brown hair and round goggles that have personally offended him.
A sign of friendship.
"I've wasted too much time on you already," BlackWarGreymon repeats, talking more to himself. He is still holding that oval-shape digivice in his hand, and he turns away, retrieving the unconscious V-mon from the ground. One more victim to join the ranks of those captured Tamer digimons.
He broke the world a long time ago. So now he's going to fix it, little by little.
"Where are you taking my partner?!" Daisuke exclaims, but his question falls on deaf ears. And BlackWarGreymon flies off, in an explosion of sonic boom as he breaks the sound barrier.
He is not running away.
He is not running away.
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Daisuke is completely helpless as V-mon and his digivice are taken by that Mega level digimon. Towards the tallest peak of the island, to the monolith black tower atop Mt. Infinity.
He makes a snap decision and start running in the direction of that tall mountain. If people call him foolhardy, so be it. Daisuke doesn't care, but he is not going to let just anyone kidnap his friend and then expect him to return home like a defeated loser.
Wait for me, V-mon. Wait for me.
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A/N: Comments are loved, please give me some feedback. There are many hints and foreshadowing between character interactions/thoughts, I'm curious how many of you pick up on them. But since few reviewed, I can only assume and cannot adjust future chapters accordingly.
BlackWarGreymon's past should be obvious by now, and like Tsukaimon's Champion form, I'm not going to spell it out before the time is right, but am going to assume that most of you already know the answer. If you have any questions, PM or leave it in a review.
A small note on the many additional digimon characters appearing in this chapter: due to over seven centuries have passed for this fic in the Digital World since the ending of season01, some digimons will have a different form or stage. BlueMeramon, Frogmon, Tuwarmon and Tyutyumon are all characters from season01.
I only decided to actually show Otamamon digivolve into Frogmon in the second draft of this chapter. And depending on how that digivolution stage is achieved, Frogmon can also be an Armor lv... from the Digimental of Sincerity. He is a very deliberate choice for saving Mimi, the Child of Sincerity.
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Attributes
Vaccine
Data
Virus
Variable- Mimics the opponent's attribute(s)
Free- No strength, no weakness
Fields
(NSp) Natural Spirits
(DR) Dragons' Roar
(VB) Virus Busters
(NSo) Nightmare Soldiers
(JT) Jungle Troopers
(WG) Wind Guardians
(ME) Metal Empire
(DS) Deep Savers