Lone Wolf: Chapter 11!
Hiei: Hn. No one even realized the real reason of the previous chapter.
Lone Wolf: Ignore him, ignore him! He's just being himself.


Chapter 11: Disappear

Ryo returned to the rest of the group, "Couldn't find them." Rika and Henry turned their heads toward Ryo. "Maybe it's because they're here," Rika said, jerking her thumb in Takato and Guilmon's direction. "In other words, I went everywhere for no reason," Ryo complained. "Yeah. That pretty much sums it up," Rika smirked. "You're too cruel."

"So did he find the castle?" Ryo asked. Henry nodded. "Well, where is it then?" "Ask him yourself," was all Henry said.

Ryo walked over to Takato, "So you found it. Where?" Takato looked at him strangely, "I'm really not sure. It was in an area with lots of clouds. Fukuhonmon sort of...threw us out." "And there were lots of bright lights and mirrors," Guilmon added, trying to help. "I have no idea how to get there besides jumping through hundreds and thousands of data streams," Takato said.

"What do we do now, Takato?" Jeri spoke up. Takato thought about the question, "I think...we should go back home first and figure out what we'll do about Fukuhonmon there. Half the Digimon should stay here, and the other half will come back with us." "Why?" Henry asked. "So we know what's going on here. Fukuhonmon's probably on alert now." "How do you expect the Digimon to contact us anyway?" Alice asked. "With the communicator, of course," came Takato's 'isn't that obvious' reply. "Last I checked, none of them can write," Alice said, "You should stop hanging out with Kazu. His stupidity's rubbing off on you." She high-fived Rika, the latter having said the same thing a couple of hours ago.

"Yamaki improved it. It's almost like a walkie-talkie now, but better," Takato told her, "Now take that back. Kazu isn't that dumb anyway." "Yeah, he's just slow," Kenta said. "Hey! Whose side are you on!" Kazu demanded. Kenta didn't answer. Rika looked at Takato as did Henry. Their thoughts were the same and they knew this when they caught the other's eye.

Now he's defending Kazu? Since when has he done that?

"Onto the next matter of business: Who stays here and who comes back," Takato said, moving along, "I think the larger Digimon should stay since they're, well, bigger and more prone to attracting the attention of people." "You do realize that even if the Digimon come back with us, they can't exactly stay for long. The Monster Makers haven't finished their job yet. Right now, our partners can probably stay for a week, max. Then they'll de-evolve and come back here," Alice told him. "Well, I'm planning on figuring out what to do before the week's up."

"Okay, as I was saying, the bigger Digimon stay. That means Renamon, Cyberdramon, Guardromon, and Guilmon." "Why does Renamon have to stay? She can just disappear and come when I need her. In the Real World," Rika wondered. "Because I don't think an Ultimate, Champion, and Rookie will be enough if they're attacked by Fukuhonmon," Takato told her. "Fine," she answered reluctantly.

"So Terriermon, Lopmon, Impmon, and Calumon will come back with us," Takato decided. "You...don't want me to go back with you?" Guilmon asked. "Of course I do. But you'll stick out too much. I mean, you look like a red dinosaur. Even though most people know about the Digimon because of D-Reaper, we don't wanna draw any extra attention," Takato explained. Guilmon sighed, "Oh, okay."

"Hey, do I have to go back with you guys?" Impmon asked. "Yeah. Calumon can't fight. Terriermon and Lopmon won't be enough if we're attacked," Takato answered. "Hmph. Fine. If you need me that much."

"Okay. Now that everything's settled, I'll call for Yamaki," Takato pushed a button on the communicator. The small device turned on. The screen lit up and soon Yamaki's face showed up. "Ready to come home?" the older man asked. "Yeah. Oh, and I'm leaving this with Renamon. Hope you don't mind," having said this, Takato handed the device to Renamon. "The ark will be there in ten minutes. I've pinpointed your location. Don't go running off." (They built another ark after the old one became Gallantmon's wings. I think its name was Granni?) "Yes, sir."

"Okay, so you saw the button I hit. That's the power switch. It obviously turns it on and off. Turn it off now," Takato explained. Renamon turned the communicator off. "I'm not stupid," she said, annoyed.

Ten minutes soon passed. The smaller Digimon and the Tamers boarded the ark and returned to the Real World.

--

"Want me to walk you home?" Ryo asked Rika after the rest of the Tamers had gone their separate ways. "No. It's okay," the girl answered without a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Ryo looked at her, surprised. Where was the Rika he knew, the one who rarely ever spoke to him without sarcasm? "Your house is all the way in the other direction. It's far enough as it is. You don't have to walk me home. I can take care of myself. Stop worrying about me so much," Rika told him.

"But...I just can't not worry about you," Ryo replied. Rika sighed and gave in. He walked her home.

--

"See you, Jeri," Takato called out as he turned around and began walking back to the train station. "Bye," Jeri answered, entering her house and closing the door. "Calumon, why don't you go with Takato? I'm barely a Tamer anyway. So I don't see any reason for that Fukuhonmon to come after me. Okay? I know you're not much of a fighter, but I'll feel better if you're with him," Jeri told the cream-puff loving Digimon. She opened the door a crack and Calumon slipped out. "Takato! Wait up!" Calumon yelled, running as fast as he could with his short legs...feet...he doesn't have legs, does he? Just feet, right?

Crap.

--

"Terriermon, stay with Alice. Suzie and I have Lopmon. Keep an eye on her for me, would you? And try not to piss her off?" Henry asked his partner. "Fine. It's better than playing Princess Prettypants with Suzie. I feel bad for Lopmon," Terriermon replied, hopping onto Alice's head causing the blonde to almost fall. Thankfully, Henry was wide awake and alert. "That's not helping." "Sorry," Terriermon replied, sounding as if he didn't mean it at all, "Don't worry. I'll take care of Mrs. Wong-to-be." "TERRIERMON!" "Oops..."

--

Impmon returned to Ai and Mako. Lopmon and Suzie also went home. Henry didn't feel like dragging his younger sister along to Alice's house and then walking all the way home. Suzie would start complaining of being tired.

--

The remainder of the day passed by peacefully. Ryo had ended up staying over at Rika's, ignoring all of the girl's protests. He was given the spare guest room. Calumon spent the afternoon and evening swallowing cream puff after cream puff and was now sound asleep. It was almost midnight; most people were. (A/N: In case you couldn't figure it out, I meant most people are asleep. I didn't type it out because it would sound repetitive.)

Takato was the only one who was awake. He couldn't sleep...more like he didn't want to sleep. As soon as he saw that his parents were sleeping, he slipped out of the house. Returning to his true form, Fukuhonmon took the shape of a nearby bird and began to fly.

Reaching the Katou residence, he once again took the form of Takato, setting the bird free from the pitch black darkness. There was no need for him to see a bird every time he went through his collection of stolen identities. Using a spell, he unlocked the window to Jeri's room and climbed inside. He walked over to her sleeping form and began to chant yet another spell. There was a flash of bright yellow light. Fukuhonmon picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

That should keep her asleep until I return to the castle.

Seeing that she was sound asleep, Fukuhonmon returned to his silvery form once again. It was more comfortable in a matter of speaking. He mumbled a few words. His right hand began to glow a light blue color. Thrusting his palm out at the wall, a glass door appeared. Fukuhonmon pulled the handle and entered, closing the door behind him. It disappeared the second it closed.

--

Fukuhonmon returned to his castle. Now in the grand hall, he decided to release Takato. He wouldn't be able to use the boy's form any longer. A bright hole opened in midair, depositing a waking Takato. He stood up wobbling and opened his eyes. They widened when he saw Jeri's limp form. Fukuhonmon smirked, "Reunited at last." He tossed Jeri to Takato, the latter preparing to catch her.

Fukuhonmon raised both arms, palms facing at Takato and Jeri. This time they began glowing a normal shade of blue. He closed his hands, forming fists. Takato began to struggle as if a large invisible hand was squeezing the life out of him; Jeri remained asleep due to Fukuhonmon's previous spell. The copy-cat Digimon made his way through the hall, the two captured Tamers hovering only a few feet in front of him.

Fukuhonmon made his way to the dungeons. That is, if you could call them dungeons. Each 'cell' was made like a one room house, complete with kitchen, living room, and bedroom. The bathroom was in its own room at the back. The floors were carpeted and almost all of the walls were made of glass, allowing the captives to see the prisoners on either side. The only difference was that this 'one room house' had bars.

One of the dungeon guards rushed to Fukuhonmon's side. "Which two, Fukuhonmon-sama?" the Gazimon asked. "The last two on the right, I suppose," came the careless reply. "Hai!" The Gazimon ran to the indicated cells and opened the two doors. Fukuhonmon threw Jeri in one and Takato in the other; the rabbit-like Digimon shut both doors, each locking automatically.

"What do you want with us!" Takato demanded after he finally caught his breath. Fukuhonmon turned around as he had already begun leaving. "Nothing. You are only bait," having said that, the evil Digimon left the dungeons.

Takato looked through the glass at Jeri; she was still asleep.

If only I was more careful...

--

Fukuhonmon smiled wickedly to himself.

It's only a matter of time before the gem belongs to me...and then, both worlds will also be mine.

--

...I'm so sorry, Jeri...

Takato leaned against the glass separating himself from Jeri's limp body.

'Only bait...' Bait for what...?

He gave Fukuhonmon's words no more thought for the moment and began blaming himself hundreds upon thousands of times, saying how he should deserve to die for not being able to protect Jeri. He eventually tired of this and fell asleep.

--

Rika jerked awake, sweating. Her face was pale.

Something's...not right...I can feel it...

She didn't have a nightmare, yet here she was, looking as if she did. Yanking the covers off of her, Rika opened the door of her room and rushed to the guest room.

"Ryo! Ryo, wake up!" she whispered urgently into the boy's ear. Seeing no response from him, Rika began to shake him, gently but firmly. "Five more minutes..." came the sleepy reply. "Ryo!" "Go away." Rika's expression changed to a look of amusement. Lover boy telling her to go away. That was a first. "Well, if you really want me to..."


Lone Wolf: Longest chapter EVER, for HKISA. You know what I find weird?
Hiei: No.
Lone Wolf: I like this story better than INJYTV because honestly, that one doesn't even have a full plot. But you guys seem to like INJYTV better. (Shrugs)
Hiei: What's your point?
Lone Wolf: (Sigh) Never mind. Three out of the four reviews for this chapter actually stated 'Kurama' at the end of their review or implied that they read my notes. Oh well.
Hiei: Put 'kurizu' at the end of your review this time.
Lone Wolf: This is all for experimental purposes. Oh, and, I think you guys know what really happened in Chapter 10 now. If you don't, no offense, but you're slow. (Sweatdrops)