Me: Well, well, well-another Saturday has swooped upon us like a hawk! Hopefully, Takato has learned his lesson after last week's beating?
Takato: (sighs) Please don't remind me!
Me: In any rate, I don't own Digimon, nor do I own "Only Goodbye Knew" from Megchan's site. (eyes Takato with a knowing look) You and I both know Jeri's talking about Leomon in this, but since the Champion Digimon's back in our ranks, who could she be talking about?
Rika: Like you don't know!
Me: (holds back a scream) One of these days, one of these days...POW! BOOM! Straight to the moon!
Takato: Uh...what are you talking about?
Me: (groans) Never mind-it's waaaaaaay before your time. To fellow Rukato fan Flamegaruru, nothing you say could ever offend me; Frozen Phoenix-
Terriermon: Let me! I'll take over from here! DC thanks you for mentioning what really happened to Jeri's mother and he wants you to know he's made the necessary changes to the previous chapter. By the way, he's also gonna use some sayings from "The Simpsons."
Henry: Terriermon?!
Me: Yeah-what he said. Onward to the chapter!
Digimon Tamers: The Lost Tamer
Chapter IX-Enter Grani!
"Bart...how would you like to do something incredibly noble?" -Sideshow Bob
"Do we have to?" -Bart Simpson
"Yes." -Sideshow Bob, The Simpsons
After his time traveling experience, you'd think Takato would get some time off to himself, but a
Tamer's work is never done! While Leomon scours the Digital World to see how everything has
prospered, Henry does something brain-dead and breaks up with Jeri! Once Takato catches
wind of it, he nearly goes postal and explains why Jeri's the way she is-from her mother's death
to today. When Henry overhears it, Takato actually punches his friend and to his surprise, a
fight didn't break out. That's probably because Jeri and Calumon ended up being kidnapped by
the D-Reaper! Now the Tamers have to band together for one final mission-to save their friends
and stop one of their most toughest opponents ever!
The wind blows, the rain falls on every day I think of you
I can't believe I think of you more now than when we were together!
Gazing at the stars, singing a song...
Are such fun things really so difficult I can't do them alone?
Feeling the sadness beat even more on her broken heart, Jeri simply sat in her bubble-like prison with Calumon attempting to get her to talk to him.
"Aw...come on, Jeri! I can't stand to see you so sad. When you get sad, I get sad..." The In-Training Digimon wiped some tears away to prove his point. Forcing a tiny smile on her face, Jeri turned around and picked Calumon up gently.
"It's not your fault, Calumon. None of this is. Even though he doesn't want anything to do with
me anymore, I can't help but see him...how brave he was while helping me try to get over
Leomon's death, everytime he would sneak out of his parents' house these past few nights and
together, we would watch the stars, which seem so different than the ones back in the Digital
World. Why can't he just be with me, despite what his parents say about us?"
I can't see it, but I believe in what lies beyond the deep, deep sadness...
"...and that's pretty much what happened." Takato concluded grimly to Kazu and Kenta later on that afternoon back at Guilmon's hideaway. Only half-listening, Henry brooded by himself while remembering the harsh words he'd said to Jeri to break her heart...
"I can't see you anymore. It's not you, Jeri-not at all, please don't believe that. It's me. Actually, my parents. They can understand the whole Digimon thing, they've accepted it. What they don't accept is me being in a relationship with someone I go to school with now, since I'm so far behind in my studies. I'm sorry, Jeri. Maybe in another few years, after everything's quieted down...?"
"So your tellin' us that Romeo Jr. over here slipped up and dumped the second Juliet because he was too chicken to face her father, and that's why she and Calumon were taken?" Kazu spoke up. Angered, Leomon glared at the Tamer while narrowing his eyes downward.
"It's only natural that Henry would feel a lapse of fear! Facing one's elder-such as Jeri's-takes a great deal of courage, and after we've saved Jeri, he should have enough of that remaining."
"That's the big question-what's happened with Jeri and Calumon in the first place?" Rika asked calmly.
"Wasn't there a surge of electricity where the two of them were captured at?"
Eyeing Renamon with a calculated look, Henry snapped himself out of his depression and nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense! Whatever that thing was that took Jeri and Calumon had to have come from somewhere, right? So, all we have to do is use a strong enough power source to open whatever's on the other side of those bolts of energy!"
"Excellent assessment, Mr. Wong. I think your father and his team of 'Monster Makers' have just what you need for this second and final rescue mission."
Raising their eyebrows as if they'd been trained since childbirth to do so, Takato, Rika, Henry, Kazu, Kenta and the Digimon all turned to see Yamaki, their former adversary now assistant in helping them safeguard the Digital and the Real Worlds.
"What are you talking about, sir?" Takato managed to ask.
"Ever since you kids have returned from the Digital World, your friend's father and his cohorts have secretly been creating something that should assist you and your partner-" at that response, Yamaki pointed directly at Takato and Guilmon before continuing. "-in handling enemy Digimon, and from what you just told your friends, you'll be needing it earlier than expected."
"Cool!" Takato grinned wickedly at Rika before seeing Yamaki turn and leave. "So, what is it?"
"You'll find out when you arrive at the Hypnos building later on today."
I miss you, but I can't see you!
But it's sad to think that's the end-after all, we finally met
The tenderness I received from you is still right here in my heart
I'll give it to someone-that precious thing which goodbye brought
While crossing between worlds-the Real World and a completely different realm-Jeri reflected on how her relationship with Henry had began, whereas Calumon was wondering where they were being taken to.
"The only reason I started seeing him like that was because Takato has let his anger completely take over which resulted in Megidramon showing up-twice, as I recall! He was sweet, understanding, caring and compassionate. I didn't even get a chance to tell him what I thought about the whole thing!"
"Maybe you'll get a chance to try and help me figure out where we're at!" Calumon exclaimed while hiding in Jeri's lap!
"Huh?" Confused, the young Tamer looked up and realized that they weren't in the Digital World at all!
"Where are we?"
"That's what I just asked you, Jeri!"
"Your final resting place, Catalyst!" a voice boomed out from what seemed like an abyss. Worried, Jeri and Calumon stood up from within their protective bubble and found themselves being glared at by dark red eyes that seemed twice as dangerous as Daemon's ever could! That wasn't the tip of the iceberg, however-those eyes bobbed up and down as the figure started laughing evilly, his voice carrying past them and resounding all around them. Trembling with fear, Jeri eyed her Digivice before she remembered that Leomon was supposedly in the Digital World. Knowing he wouldn't hear, she called out the one name of the person who'd she'd given her heart to long ago.
"HENRY!!!!!!!!"
Flowers bloom, rainbows appear, the small changes in each day; if I could go on noticing them, surely my smile would return
Even though I can't hear it, it resounds-your voice, as it yells from far, far away...
"Huh?" As the three Tamers were making their way to the Hypnos building-Kazu and Kenta had to go and retrieve Susie from Henry's house, much to his chagrin-Terriermon eyed his Tamer with a look of amazement the second his head snapped up.
"What's wrong, Henry?"
"It's nothing, but..."
"What is it?" Leomon asked calmly, his voice still slightly spooking Takato a bit.
"I thought I heard Jeri, like she was in trouble."
"That must be the connection the two of you have." Renamon suggested.
"That's just great! These two get to hear each other from great distances, and what do Gogglehead and I get-we get to feel each other's pain whenever one of us gets hurt!" Rika ranted sarcastically, though she wouldn't trade what she had with Takato for anything, and he knew that.
"Different people have different types of links, Rika-"
Whatever Renamon would've said after that was broken by Guilmon's low growl as his eyes dilated a second later.
"What is it, boy?"
"Something's coming, Takato...it could be a Digimon, but then again, it couldn't." The Virus-type was preparing himself for anything that would show to threaten his Tamer.
"When did Dinoboy start talking in riddles?" Rika repressed a laugh while eyeing her boyfriend with a quizzical look.
"Don't look at me-probably because he's been hanging out with either Calumon or Terriermon for too long-though, I'd settle for the latter."
"Guys-enough flirting, 'cause we got company!" Terriermon yelled out.
The Tamers all quickly looked up to see hordes of Digimon suddenly appear from nowhere!
"Whoa! Who are these guys?!" Takato exclaimed. Managing to remain calm, Rika pulled out her Digivice with one hand and massaged Takato's shoulder with the other.
"What's wrong with this thing? The last time it wouldn't give me any data was against the Devas!"
"You're saying these things aren't Digimon?"
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean we can't fight them!" Rika replied while pulling out a Modify card.
"Can't argue with you there." Takato smiled while reaching for his own Digivice and a Modify card.
Digimodify!
"Digimodify!" Takato and Rika chorused. "Digivolution, activate!"
"Guilmon Digivolve to..."
"Renamon Digivolve to..."
"GROWLMON!!!/KYUBIMON!!!"
"Henry, get out of here! We'll hold them off." Takato advised.
"On second thought, why don't you get out of here, and we'll hold 'em off?" Terriermon retorted while leaping off of Henry's shoulder.
"What-me? Why me?"
"Because Yamaki said that thing my dad and his friends made was for you and Guilmon! Trust me-we'll cover you!"
"PyroBlaster!!" Instantly, Growlmon's main attack deleted most of the Digimon, but more appeared in their place!
"Dragon Wheel!!"
"Fist of the Beast King!!"
"Terrier Tornado!!"
Rika gritted her teeth angrily while slowly backing up beside Takato. "This isn't getting us anywhere! No matter how many of them we beat, more of them are gonna show up from wherever they're at!"
"Well, I've never suggested this before, but running for Hypnos seems like a good idea right now." Takato noted.
"And leave these guys to wreak havoc on this part of Shinjuku?"
"I really don't think that'll be a problem, Rika." Terriermon cautioned while backing up.
"And what makes you say that?"
"'Cause they're gonna attack us!"
Seconds later, the Digimon were blasted backward to the ground by numerous streams of power! Takato held in his breath as he felt Growlmon's injuries slowly escalate to extreme pain! From Rika's silent cries, he knew that for some reason unknown to either one of them that their link had been reactivated.
"How...can this happen now, after all this time?" Takato gasped out.
"No time to figure this out now, you two-I think your first idea was a good one, Takato!" Henry insisted while picking Terriermon up and, with Leomon, raced off.
"Oh, sure-after we've gotten our butts kicked by the unknown enemy-now we can run away!"
Takato griped impatiently as he grabbed Rika's hand and pulled her away, making sure that
Growlmon and Kyubimon were hot on their heels!
I miss you, but I can't see you!
I want to remember the loneliness I embraced and how to look straightforwardly
The courage I learned from you is still right here in my heart
I'll live more strongly-that precious thing which goodbye brought
That wonderful thing which only goodbye knew...
Jeri choked away her fear and remembered how brave she'd been against multiple foes during her time back in the Digital World, as well as her attack against Beelzemon and Takato's clone!
"If it wasn't for Henry, as well as Rika and Kazu, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have today. And, I can't forget that Takato's helped out too. Even though Leomon isn't here with me now, I can still try my best to fight! The only problem is, I don't have my partner here to fight with me." Jeri's thoughts were broken as the mysterious being laughed even harder than he had before!
"You honestly think you can best me without your partner here to assist you?! You must be
joking! Allow me to introduce myself: I am known to your world as..."
"...The D-Reaper. It's a being of data that was supposed to assist us in eradicating data that didn't belong within places, and eventually, it possibly ended up in the Digital World-or beyond it, if what you're telling me is correct, son."
"Uh-huh." Henry nodded while, with the other Tamers fast on his tracks, raced toward the Hypnos building as fast as they could. "Anything else?"
"Apparently, the D-Reaper is attempting to breach the barrier between our worlds-between the realm he's trapped in and our world."
Pulling Takato up to where Henry was at, an irritated Rika yanked the comlink out of Henry's hand and spoke civilly to his father. "And how'd you get all this information? Did he send you guys an e-mail or-?"
"Actually, he did."
To be blunt, that shut Rika up within seconds!
"What?! But-how?"
"No more time to talk, guys. If what I'm reading on this screen is correct, those beings behind you are going to overtake you within minutes, if not seconds! Figure out a faster route to get here!"
"Any bright ideas, Gogglehead?" Rika asked with a grim look on her face.
"We could surrender, but I don't think these guys take prisoners. Ooh-I've got it! Use this, Rika, and I'll use this! Henry-get on!"
Pulling Henry and Terriermon on top of Growlmon's back, Takato and Rika each swiped a Modify card once again.
"Digimodify!"
"Hyper Wings, activate!" Takato demanded. Instantly, a pair of wings appeared on Growlmon's back and the Tamer scrambled on as he took to the skies.
"Hyper Speed, activate!" Rika yelled. The second she jumped onto Kyubimon's back, the two of them shot off like a light. Grinning at the ingenuity of Takato's plan, Leomon leaped forward, pacing himself and, along with the others, made it to the Hypnos building in time. The second they got there, Growlmon and Kyubimon deDigivolved back to their Rookie forms.
"Guess we should've fed them before we left." Takato remarked with a weak laugh.
"This isn't a laughing matter, Takato." Rika warned, and he knew she was right. A second or so later, the mysterious Digimon surrounded them!
"Quick-get inside the door!" Takato yelled while pushing Rika, Henry and the others inside.
"Takato, don't!" Henry insisted.
"Takato, no!" Guilmon pleaded.
"You can't take these things on yourself!" Rika objected, struggling against his hold. "Even with that Sword of yours, you wouldn't stand much of a chance!"
Not even trying to hide the sadness or the disappointment from his eyes, Takato whispered sadly, "You just have to trust me, Rika...just like I did inside that lava pit in the Digital World."
Before Rika could protest further, Takato found a lock on the door-on the outside-and locked his friends inside!
"I can do this." Takato declared while stepping forward and preparing to face his destiny. To his surprise, he-and the others-ended up on top of trapdoors that were activated the second Takato locked the Tamers and the Digimon inside. Screaming, they all went spiraling down a deep, dark hole that ended under the Hypnos building!
"The next time you keep me from helping you..." Rika advised, locking her eyes onto Takato's brown ones. "...the enemy won't be the only one who feels my wrath! Got it?"
Matching Rika's glare with one of his own, Takato stared defiantly back at her, which amazed and startled her at the same time. "That's the last time I try to help my girlfriend out of a jam."
They both knew he was kidding, but Takato and Rika almost looked as if they wanted to start something, so Yamaki chose that time to interrupt them.
"Sorry about the secret compartments, but you can never be too careful. Matsuki, Tamers, fellow Digimon..."
Looking over to their far left, Takato, Rika, Henry, Guilmon, Renamon, Terriermon and Leomon found themselves staring at what looked like a metallic dragon that had jet-propulsion as well as wings. The second Takato looked at it, it let out a terrifying shriek of recognition and a dedication to help in anyway possible.
"...meet Grani."
Well! What do you know? The Tamers get to finally meet the creature/Digimon made by the Monster Makers. Can Grani truly help the Tamers get to the D-Reaper's realm and save Jeri and Calumon? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters!