Mukuro: Okay, first I'd like to apologize for the long wait. My computer contracted a virus, so I had to get it fixed. When I did, all the files were erased, so I had to type this over from scratch. Anyway, please enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own digimon, and that goes for the action figures, videogames, cards, and everything else.
Digimon: Illuminated Dusk
Chapter 8: Mystery of Shinjo Ruins, Part 3
"Now, what will we do?" I asked.
"Well, we have to go forwards, or there's nothing we can do." Hiruko said, standing up.
"So, we're going down that path?" Eve asked, pointing towards the hole in the wall.
"Exactly!" Hiruko said, smiling.
"Well, we should probably get going!" I said, standing up and walking down the path.
"Welcome, guardians of the ten shadows." A black robed figure said, laughing.
"So, I take it there's some reason for our presence, right?" Another figure asked.
"Correct."
"Well, Omega Red, what exactly is this reason?" A third figure asked.
"Very good question, Lampo. Now, if you will all direct your attention to the monitor, I'll show you." Omega Red said, turning his chair around and switching on the monitor.
"Alright, my friends. This is Ryuko Takenori." Omega Red said, gesturing to the picture of Akira on the monitor screen. "Ryuko here has begun to change in a way that might be helpful or hurtful to us."
"So, what do you want us to do?" Another person asked.
"Well, I'm glad you asked that. Whether or not Ryuko can help us, we must first proceed with restraining him. Now, here's where it becomes complicated. It seems that a familiar face has shown up with Ryuko. This face also comes with a name, Hiruko."
"See?" One figure whispered to another. "I knew Omega Red should never have saved him."
"Anyways, Hiruko has been deemed Ryukos' protector, and is trying to do all he can to stop the reawakening of The Origin. Fortunately for us, Hiruko has proved to no longer be a problem. All we have to do is wait until he becomes one of us…" Omega Red said, standing up. "Now, the ten of you are ordered to observe Ryukos' growth, but until it becomes mature, do not interfere. Until then, we shall wait…"
"So, now what?" I asked, staring down the fork in the road.
"Well, I would choose for myself and Ryuko to go down one path, and Eve and Piomon go down the other path. If either side reaches something, com back and go down the other path, no matter what it is." Hiruko said.
"But… neither of you can fight…" Eve said.
"That's why we're together!" Hiruko said, smiling.
"…Fine… but I don't like it." Eve said.
"Why? Would you rather just go alone with Ryuko?"
"Not a chance." Eve said, matter-of-factly.
"Then it's decided!" Hiruko said, smiling.
"So, which way should we go?" I asked.
"Left." Hiruko said.
"Why?"
"Because I remember what happened last time I went right."
"Well, then I guess we're stuck with the right path, right Piomon?" Eve said, walking down the path to the right.
"Hiruko, are we there yet?" I asked.
"No…" Hiruko muttered.
"How about now?" I asked.
"Ryuko, I have no idea where we are going, and I have even less of an idea as to when we'll get there." Hiruko snapped.
"Well, that door looks promising." I said, gesturing towards a large door in the wall that we just reached.
"Well, what's behind the door, I wonder…" Hiruko said, walking up and pushing on it. However, the door refused to open.
"Well, I can't open it. Why don't you give it a try, Ryuko?" Hiruko asked, gesturing towards the door.
"Fine…" I muttered, pushing against the door at full force.
"Sorry, Hiruko. No dice." I said, walking back.
"This is a problem. How will we get this open…?" Hiruko asked.
"Ushi-shi-shi! You don't!" A voice said, laughing.
"Who's there?" I shouted.
"Ushi-shi-shi! Look, Mihiramon! Fresh meat!" A monkey looking digimon said, jumping down.
"Who the heck are these two?" I asked.
"Makuramon, a monkey digimon, and Mahiramon, a tiger digimon. Be careful, they're both ultimates." Hiruko said. "Either way, neither of us have any means of fighting, so we'd best run."
"You're not getting away that easily!" Makuramon shouted, smiling. "Right Mihiramon?"
"Yes, Makuramon!" Mihiramon growled, flying into the air.
"Akira! Watch out! They're going for-"
"Samurai Tiger Tail!" Mahiramon shouted, and long, thick object shoved itself into my stomach.
Hiruko POV
"Darn it…" I muttered, staring at the tiger digimon. "If Yukamon was still here, this guy would be dead meat…"
"Ushi-shi-shi! Did you humans honestly think that you would be allowed to waken The Origin?"
So, these guys work for them, huh? That makes sense… I glanced at my right arm. Should I…?
Suddenly, Ryuko stood up.
"So, you're coming back for more, huh?" Mihiramon shouted, turning towards Ryuko.
"Wait, Mihiramon! There's something wrong with him!"
Ryukos' eyes… they're frozen… I thought, staring at Ryuko. Then, the wounds on his body began disappearing. No, not disappearing… regressing.
"What are you worried about, Makuramon? You know your boss wants The Origin to stay asleep for as long as possible!" Mihiramon shouted.
Those eyes… they're the same as his… Makuramon thought, staring at Ryuko.
"Armored Tiger Tail!" Mihiramon shouted, shoving its armored tail at Ryuko.
"What… is happening?" Mihiramon shouted as Ryuko grabbed onto his tail, and it deleted instantly.
"To bad, kitty…" Ryuko said in an icy voice, smiling.
"Run, Mihiramon!" Makuramon shouted. But it was too late. Ryuko moved forward as if he teleported and grabbed onto Mihiramons' head, and deleting Mihiramon. The data was then condensed into a crystal, which Ryuko tossed to the ground, and ground it up with his shoe.
"So, are you the next one to die?" Ryuko asked, smiling even larger, turning towards Makuramon.
"Well, there's nothing here…" Eve said, looking around at the empty white chamber.
"Should we go back?" Piomon asked.
"Sure." Suddenly, a flash of light erupted from the center of the room. A figure appeared from the light, stepping forward.
"Ayumu?" Eve exclaimed, staring at Ayumu as he walked forwards, before stumbling to the ground as Falcmon fell to his side.
"That voice… E…ve…?" Ayumu asked, raising her head.
"Ayumu, are you okay?" Eve asked, leaning over him.
"Yeah…" Ayumu said, before blacking out.
"Darn it…" Eve said, picking up Ayumu, and scooping up Falcmon.
...
"Why do you have to be so darn heavy?" Eve shouted.
"…Tch. Stupid cowardly monkey." Ryuko said, staring at the fleeing digimon.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, walking up to Ryuko.
"What do you mean?" Ryuko asked, turning towards me.
"Leave that body. It is not yet time." I said.
"Oh, really? Why should I?" Ryuko asked, smiling.
"Because. If you don't, you might not be able to survive for long." I said.
"Darn it, I think you might be right." Ryuko said, falling to his knees.
"Listen, you need to abandon that body now or Ryuko might die." I said.
"Why should I care about some human?" Ryuko asked, smiling.
"Are you really willing to destroy your one chance at rebirth?" I asked.
"Hiruko… you make… a good point…" Ryuko said, smiling. "I'd like you to leave young Ryuko a message."
"Really? What?" I asked, surprised.
"Tell him… 'The time is running out. You need… to… re…mem…ber…'" Ryuko then lost consciousness.
Ryuko POV
"Wait, what's going on?" I exclaimed, waking up.
"Ah, Ryuko! You woke up!" Hiruko said, smiling.
"Huh? What happened?" I asked, looking around.
"Oh, well, we arrived at this door." Hiruko said, gesturing towards the closed door.
"So, why was I asleep?" I asked.
"Well, we arrived here, and then you just lost consciousness." Hiruko said with a full bloom smile.
God, I sound like a loser… I thought.
"Hey, guys!" Eves' voice echoed from down the cave hallway.
"Eve? What are you doing here?" Hiruko asked.
"Well, look who I found!" Eve said, placing Ayumu down on the ground.
"Wait, where did you find Ayumu?" I asked.
Click
"Well, why are you lying on the ground?" Eve asked.
"Well, I lost consciousness…" I muttered.
"What? Are you okay?" Eve said, rushing over to me.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" I muttered.
"Quiet." Hiruko said.
"Huh?" Eve and I both said, staring at him.
"Did anyone else here a click?" Hiruko asked.
"You mean like the kind of click before 'kaboom'?" I asked, shakily.
"Yeah." Hiruko said.
"Quick! Let's run!" I shouted, turning to face… a wall.
"Um, wasn't there an exit there?" Eve asked, pointing towards the enclosed wall.
"Yeah." Hiruko said.
"So, what you're saying is basically there's a bomb in that large door over there that will kill us all."
"Yeah. My guess it was activated when the guardians were defeated." Hiruko said.
"Guardians?" Eve and I both asked.
"Never mind. All I know is that the door will go off, killing us all." Hiruko said.
"Well, let's look on the bright side of things!" Eve said. "Maybe, the door might just blow up and we'll survive."
"Are you serious?" Hiruko asked. "That only happens in lame cartoons."
"BOOM." The door blew up, and we all came out in one piece.
"Oooookaaayyy…" I said, staring at the opening of the door.
"Well, let's go." Hiruko said, walking through the doorway.
As soon as we walked through the doorway, an arrow of petals shot in front of us.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?" A female voice shouted.
"What?" I shouted, looking up at the people in front of us.
"Hey! Those guys look kind of cool!" A child-like voice said, coming from a smaller figure.
"Hey, does it matter? They're intruders!" Another, larger figure shouted out in a booming voice.
"So, what do you think we should do, boss?" Another voice asked, looking back at a figure taking the hood of a cloak off.
Mukuro: So, what's going on? Well, I'll give you one hint! There will be a new character introduced! Whose will it be? Find out soon!
Jami: Next time, on Digimon: Brightly Lit Dusk. So, who are these people? What do they want? What is going on with Ryuko? What sort of backroom game is Hiruko playing? What is Omega Red planning? What will happen next? Maybe you'll find out next time in "Awakening"