The Fountain of Youth

Chapter 10

"We are Digimon Enslavers"

"We mourn the loss of Taichi as his final breaths showed us what it was like to be a true leader." Mrs. Tatsuno said sorrowfully into the microphone, "Never has there been a man of such great a stature as Taichi. He was truly a real hero. A man who seemed to be a mix of Ronald Reagen, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln all in one. He not only had the respect of all those who followed him, both Human, Chosen and digimon alike, but also the respect of all those he called his enemies.

"Truly a great human to all mankind, and we mourn his loss regretfully, for the the human world has lost more then just a great man. The digital World Chooses only the best for its leaders, and Taichi was the very best. The true icon and hero to all who wish to make a difference." The crowd cheered Mrs. Tatsuno's comments, but their was a slight confusion to the cheer, it was not as loud or as uproaring as it should have been. "Truely, Taichi was a great leader. But he is gone, and while we part ways with his heroism, we must not be deluded that there can be another. Taichi was the key link to forging the pact between the Digimon and Humans. He is gone though, and before even his death can be mourned, the Digimon attack our own homeworld. For the first time in the history of planet, a War was fought on every continent. Our Children died, the monsters will come again. The Chosen are too small of a force to repel them."

Mrs. Tatsuno let out a great sigh, "Truly they are monsters. All you know of Agumon, Taichi-sama's own chosen. Listen to his name, do you understand. Agumon is the Biting Monster, and he is one of the good guys. There are far more horrible then this. Devimon, the Devil Monster, Kyubbimon the Kyubbi Monster, MetalSeadramon the Metal Sea Dragon Monster, and these are just their names. The digital world is created from the nightmares of humans. Some call it the last accumulation of all imagination and they are right. I have seen personally what the sick fantasies of humans have done as the Vampire Digimon Vamdamon took my daughters soul, or how I watched a young girl of age eight be attacked by the Grim Reaper."

"In light of recent events, a certain employer has come to me with financial aid to help destroy this threat of the digimon. There is a five million dollar reward for the person who can bring Taichi's murder to justice. Fifty million dollar reward to the person who can come up with a more reliable way to combat the digimon, and a quarter of a million dollar reward for the man who finds a way to eradicate the digimon on their own planet. We will no longer live in fear, for we shall fight for that which is ours. Our Freedom and Safety against all that is tyrannical and would bring harm to us." Mrs. Tatsuno ended her speech, and the whole crowd erupted into a clapping roar and gave a standing ovation.

The clapping and cheering was still going three minutes later when Sora finally got up from her chair and turned the T.V. Off. Gaiomon glanced over to her, "Well?" he asked in his duel voice. Sora said nothing as she stood there, thinking.

"I don't understand." Agumon spoked, "I mean, was she for Taichi or against him?"

Piyomon thought for a second, "I think she was for Taichi... but against everything he stood for." she said, her wings in a thinking position. Gaiomon gave a grunt.

"No." Sora said quietly. She turned around, her hands clenched and her eyes full of fire and hatred, "She's not for or against. She simply using what's left of him for her own twisted purposes," Sora's tone was dripping with anger, "and that's one thing, that I will not stand for."

-

-

-

Hason eyed the girl and her digimon for any sudden movements. Shuichon and Lopmon were on the ground being forced to bow to Lucemon. "Well, well my child." The Demon Lord said quietly in his Child form, "I am so happy for you to join us."

Crasan's gaze fell over Shuichon's young body, its position on the stone floor reminding him of his a time when another girl he knew had been like that.

-

Crasan breathed heavily, and held his left arm where his classmate had nailed his thirteen year old arm. "Leave... leave her alone."

There were four boys surrounding him and Suki, the girl had beaten them at soccer, and they weren't happy. They had started to hit her, and she lay on the ground badly bruised. Crasan had come to help her half way through the fight, but two against four wasn't very good odds. "Oh, is poor little Crasan trying to stick up for the Crests again. Is that it?" One of them mocked, "Perhaps the Courage you're showing will grant you a digimon to fend us off."

Another one snickered, "Either that or he's hoping his love and friendship for this brat will give him a super powerful digimon. Imagine, one with both crests!" the other one laughed, ridiculing Crasan.

"I know," a different one spoke, "How about we help him with his wish?" The other three looked at him grinningly, awaiting his next line, "We make him hope that he doesn't live through the next three days."

"Yeah, lets!" The three stepped forward.

"Get a life you four. I swear, you're worse then an Fujamon who's eaten a few too many Slime grime berries." A figure said walking up towards them. It was a kid of age fifteen, his wild hair spurting everywhere. Next to him walked a recognizable digimon, an orange dinosaur with three claws that stood three feet two inches. His nose stuck out farther then his body, his large snout wielding powerful jaws.

The four kids turned towards the new comer. "So, a Chosen comes. You Chosen make my blood boil. Thinking you're so high and mighty just because you have some strange pets. You're a fool to think you can take us on." The four ran at him, all bringing out knives.

Crasan watched as the Agumon glanced over to the human. The Chosen nodded, and the Digimon curled up into a fetal defense position. Crasan watched in awe as this humped over Chosen straightened his shoulders back, his blue coat falling open, the zipper undone, and a blue headband pushing back his hair caught the light. "Baka's." Taichi took two steps forward and kicked Agumon's figure straight into the face of the first guy.

-

"Such a shame you've been so easy to beat. I had far hoped you programs would have lived up to you're name." Lucemon said to Shuichon.

Shuichon's shadow, tried to move but couldn't, "If you think you can control me, you've got another thing coming, Lucemon. I'm not just an Adult Digimon you can create a sub server inside and control!" Midna yelled at Lucemon.

-

Crasan had been fifteen when the next event to change his life happened. He had walked over to Suki's house, his friend having told him that she had some great news. He just hadn't realized how great until he arrived. Suki's mom told him that she was waiting for him up in her room. He knocked on her door and she told him to come in.

He looked around the room, then over to her, "So what's the big surprise?" he asked.

Suki smiled a warm smile to him, her hands behind her back, "Crasan-kun. I'd like you to meet Cres, she's a Lunamon." she said, and a child digimon stepped out from behind her.

"Suki!" he said in surprise, "Suki this is so wonderful. You have to tell me everything, when did this happen, what happened, have you been to the digital world yet, you need to let me see your digivice, you're actually a chosen, have you gotten in contact with any other chosen yet have you decided what group you want to be in?" he said very quickly.

"Alright, alright, one question at a time." She told him, "I'll tell you everything, just give me a few seconds to speak.

Crasan laughed, very genuinely excited for his best friend.

-

"Suki's hair." Crasan muttered, the time replaying in his mind, "It's just like Shuichon's." His mind floated on the girl he had once loved, "She reminds me a lot of Suki. Pure and innocent."

Hason looked over as Crasan muttered to himself, but passed off as nothing, but did glance down to his own digimon, then back up too Lucemon-Sama. He noticed that Rena was also very intently staring at Lucemon, which surprised him. She was always paying attention to her nails or something like that whenever Lucemon was doing something, she never watched him.

"No." Crasan muttered.

Lucemon glanced over at him, "What?" the Demon Lord asked dangerously.

Crasan didn't respond, he took three simple steps, with everybody watching him. His foot snapped out and caught the machine emitting a purple light onto the floor where Lopmon and Shuichon were. Crasan then proceeded to pick up both girls and dodged to the side of the room, where he could view everybody.

He set Shuichon down and Lopmon squeezed her body out of his grip and landed next to her partner. Everyone was left astonished.

"Crasan?" Blacsan asked cautiously.

"So, it's come to this." Lucemon said as he folded his arms, "You never were Chosen material."

Crasan snickered, "Never was never have been."

-

Crasan was nineteen, and since Suki's chance at the life of a chosen, he had been able to meet with all of the Odiba kids at least twice, except Taichi. He had been married to Suki for four months now, and those four months had become torture. He hadn't thought it would have been so painful. He had expected it to hurt a little bit, but he had been sure that with Suki and Cres's help, he could get over it. He had been dead wrong.

The bond between a digimon on it's Chosen partner is a powerful one. One just as strong as the one shared between a man and his wife, and it was through this bond that he had started to break. Four long years he had been working his tail off to fortify and strengthen his Courage, Friendship, Love, Knowledge, Purity, Faith, Hope and Light and still he did not have a partner. Still he was not a Chosen. Four long years of seeing his best friend with a partner, while he was still digimonless, four long years of pain kept hidden. A pain he didn't know even existed. Not until their honeymoon.

It was then as he had sex with his wife, that he could feel Cres through Suki's bond with her. His own bond with his wife and her bond with her digimon, and every time he started to taste what it felt like to have a digimon, and then they would climax and it would all be over. He had run Suki ragged in his demand for sex just so he could get a taste of that feeling of having a digimon. It had Suki worried, he had never been like this before or even showed a deep interest in sex, having his mind always kept on the idea of true love.

It had her scared. Crasan knew that, it had him scared, but more then that, it had him furious. She said no last night. She prevented him from once again having the feeling of a digimon. She was saying no more and more often. She was selfishly keeping Cres to herself. Well, if he could not have her, then neither could she.

"Crasan, I'm home!" Suki said and she walked in, Lunamon following behind her. Suki was startled to see Crasan looking into the sink, his hair was wet and a mess, and his body seemed barely able to hold itself up. The counter prevented her sight of his hands. "Crasan... are you all right? I got some more Advil."

Crasan's head shot up, "Why!?" he demanded from her.

Suki was startled at his tone, and stepped back, almost tripping over Cres.

"Why!?"

"Crasan..." Suki said softly.

"Four years... four years I've been just as good as you. I've increased my Courage just as much as you. I have just as much hope as you. I've proven my love to my family and have given friendship to those who were picked on! So why do I still not have a partner!" He demanded from her.

"I... I don't know." Suki told him sorrowfully, "Crasan, please believe me. I feel bad for you. I'm extremely sorry."

"Don't lie to me whore!" Crasan yelled as he stood up straight and brought the gun around pointed straight towards Suki's chest. Suki gave a small grasp, before Crasan started to growl, "Every time we're in bed, you let me know what it's like to have a digimon... but now... you keep telling me no... if you we're truly sorrowful, and If You Truly Pitied Me You Wouldn't Say No!" Crasan screamed at her.

"Crasan... I didn't know."

"SHUT UP!" He roared. He closed his eyes and fired.

The next hour had been a blur. He had somehow managed to call the ambulance and police. He completely admitted to what he did, and he broke down so many times. The police really didn't know what to make of the case. He had been sentenced to jail for four months. As for Suki, he never knew what happened until he got out of jail.

She had survived, but had been very badly wounded, and because of the complications, their unborn baby had died. His son had died. He could hardly stand it. Suki was still hospitalized for one more week when he finally got to go in and see her.

"Suki..." he said quietly as he walked in.

"Crasan."

The silence echoed between them in the room.

"Crasan... I'm sorry, I never knew that's how you felt... please... please forgive me." Suki held her head low, feeling a great pain and sorrow on herself. Crasan broke, everything that he had meant to say, everything that he had thought of for this situation flew out the window. He would have taken anything but those words... those few words that he knew she'd say to him.

"SHUT UP!" Crasan screamed at her, "YOU BAKA! HOW, HOW CAN YOU FORGIVE ME WHEN I CAN'T FORGIVE MYSELF!"

"Crasan please. You weren't yourself, you forced down years and years of emotions and they just created a darkness inside of you, don't let it consume you. Please, I beg you Crasan, it was a mistake, let go of it. I love you Crasan and I don't want to see you tear yourself up about this!" She cried. She got out of her bed and walked over to him and threw her arms around him. "Please, I don't want to lose you!"

"I..I...I" Crasan was strewn with tears, "I almost killed you Suki. I almost killed you." he broke out of her grip and started to run, and didn't stop running, until it was late and the sun had set. He sat down in a park bench, miles from where the hospital was.

"I can help you." A voice said as he sobbed on the bench.

"What?" Crasan asked.

"I can give you your heart's desire. I can make you a Chosen. You can become worthy of the one you call Suki. You can repent of you're sin and return for her. All I ask is one year of service to me." the voice said to him.

"Please." Crasan begged, "I accept. Please let me become a Chosen, and I'll give you you're year."

Lucemon appeared in front of him. "Very well, Crasan. I gave you the Black Digiegg, the digimon that comes out of it depends on you. Serve me well and you will find it very rewarding."

-

"You think you can just go back on you're contract? I hold Blacsan's life in my hand. I can squash all of you're Chosen dreams in an instant!" Lucemon told him, "Now give the girl back and I won't punish you."

Crasan laughed, "You really are Lucemon. Tell me ten truths to get in that one lie, and such a big lie it is."

"Crasan, you think I'll just follow you in this foolishness. As much as I enjoy being your partner, I'm not suicidal." Blacsan told him.

Rena laughed her high pitched laugh, "Finally, things have turned interesting around here. I was kind of getting bored."

Hason looked over at her oddly. Was he the only sane one here?

"You don't really have a choice, partner." Crasan told him. "You know why, because Lucemon didn't fulfill his promise, I am not a Chosen, never have been, never will be. It's taken me this long, but I've finally figured out why Suki is one, and I'm not."

"If we're not Chosen," Hason demanded, "Then exactly what are we?"

"We are neither Chosen nor Digimon Tamers. We my friend are Digimon Enslavers. These devices of ours have far more capabilities then Lucemon would have you know, so if you don't choose to stay by my side, Blacsan. I'll simply force you there."

Blacsan stepped back, and looked down defeated. Then he smiled, "Well, I guess you only live once." he spun around and back handspringed over to his partner, "Guess I'll stick my neck out for you occasionally."

"Do you honestly think you can defeat a Demon Lord? Much less myself who wields the power of the Hazard!" Lucemon demanded.

"I don't know, I think we stand a good chance." Lopmon said, folding her arms as she leaned against Crasan's leg.

"Twust me. We stand more the just a twance." Shuichon put in as she took a step so she was to the other side of Crasan.

"You're not the only one who has a superpower program." Midna said on her wolf next Blacsan.

"You are fools. You shall see the true power of Lucemon!" The Angel Child level digimon told them.

-

-

-

Renamon's fist met Takato's dopplegangers, the Kitsune popped his arm up and moved herself around him.

"Rock Breaker!" Guilmon shouted, and his fist collided into Renamon's side sending her flying into a building.

"Renamon!" Ruki cried.

"Rukimon, stop!" Guilmon growled at her, "Guilmon don't want to fight Renamon, but if Rukimon make Renamon fight, Guilmon attack Rukimon." His eyes held his battle feralness and his body flaired out.

"Guilmon, you wouldn't!" Renamon said appalled.

Ruki glanced over at her partner, then back at Takato and Guilmon, and yet again, with Gogglehead, she was at a loss of what to do. "Fine, you win. Just don't get used to the idea. Now tell me, who the Digital are you and why the Dark Zone do you look like Takato-sama." Ruki spat at him.

The Hazard stepped back for a second, at a sudden fear of this girl. What was she? He was sure he'd felt her somewhere before, and yet as he wracked his memory, other then Takato's own meetings with her, he could find nothing that resembled the power aura she was emitting.

"Oh, Numemon." Hazard swore finally realizing exactly what he was feeling, "I'm such a Sukamon."

-

-

-

Betamon X: Alright, nothing like a cliff hanger to try and spice up the reviews.

Gomamon: What reviews, we've had a two chapter Dry Spell.

Lucas: Meh, it could be worse, I mean Sonic really could have joined the group.

Betamon X: There is that. Well, we hope you enjoyed Crasan's Character development, and this sudden change in things.

Gomamon: As far as things go, next chapter holds what's happening back in the real world with the latest attacks and exactly how the digimon are going to handle it.

Lucas: Lets just hope Sora can handle everything thats going on.

Gomamon: Or at Least F.T. We have at least 12 different subplots...

Betamon X: And no main plot. Go us.

Frozen Triplets

Betamon X
Gomamon

Lucas

P.S. Yes, Sonic was within inches of joining my Frozen foolishness...

Betamon X: Way past cool.

Sonic: Hey, thats my line.