A/N: Happy New Year, guys! Sorry for the wait, but at least we're here.
Special thanks to Ultimateblack for correcting an error I made in Chapter 11. Also, using the advice he gave me, I am now using 'brother' instead of 'Oniichan', 'Mom' instead of 'Okasan', and etc. for the purpose of everyone being able to picture each character's actions and speech better. Some of the younger ones however may call their older siblings by name because in the Japanese dub they call their siblings by name (with an honorific at the end of their names).
Disclaimer: Plot belongs to me, just not the original show or the characters, you know? Yeah you do. On with the story!
~X~
Chapter 12: For Everyone's Important
Shibuya Subway Station, 16:02
"Ack!" Takuya cried as they all rocketed into the retreating train. "We're late!"
"No thanks to you," Koji muttered. "You were the last one to meet us here." Takuya glared at the other boy. Tommy sighed. An argument was just waiting to happen.
"What's wrong, Tommy?" Kumamon asked from the young boy's D-Tector. Tommy weaved to the back of the train so he could speak to his Human Spirit in private. "Are you worried that those two are gonna fight?"
"No," said Tommy. "They'll get over it."
"Then what's the matter?"
"It's nothing, really…"
"Liar. It's something if Korikkakumon and I can feel it coming off you. Now spit it out!"
Tommy was about to answer when his cell phone chimed. He stifled a groan. He didn't want to pick up but knew doing the latter would result in a worse situation.
"Hello?" he greeted wearily.
"Tommy, where are you?"
"I'm out."
"Out where?"
The thirteen-year-old gritted his teeth. "With some friends."
"Which friends?"
"Brother, does it matter?" Tommy's voice was rising.
"You're out with those older kids, aren't you? Takuya and others?" Yutaka's voice had risen to be equally heated on the other end.
Tommy didn't answer. He didn't want to yell at his older brother.
But he didn't want to lie to him either.
"I'm right, aren't I?" Yutaka said. He said it with no boasting.
"So what if you are? They're not who you think they are!" Tommy argued.
"Tommy, get home, now! You were just out for the whole night with Mom and Dad worryi—"
"Brother," Tommy cut in, reining in his stress. "You've always wanted me to be independent, and now I am."
"You know that's not what I—"
"I'll get home soon, don't worry. But there's just somewhere I have to go, and something I have to do." Tommy ended the call before Yutaka could lecture him further. He plopped himself into an empty seat in an area no one else was in.
"Ohh, so that's it," Kumamon realized.
"Uh-huh," Tommy grunted. He looked out the window wistfully.
He let a hand rest on the window, where dimly lit walls, and occasionally people and buildings, blurred by.
"I just wish he didn't worry," Tommy murmured to his Spirits and himself. "But the thing is, he has a right to worry. He doesn't know that my friends are really good friends. They could be a bad influence on me for all he knows. And now, now that I can't tell him anything about Digimon…ugh…" He curled his fingers, letting them grip the window harder as anger and frustration bubbled in him.
His fingers tingled but he didn't pay attention to them. Takuya and the others had come up to him.
"Hey, Tommy, we were wondering where you'd gone," Takuya called.
"Is everything alright?" Koichi asked worriedly.
"…Yeah," the younger boy said.
Zoë scrutinized him. "Okay then. When you're ready to talk about it Tommy, we'll be ready to listen."
A gasp from JP startled Tommy, followed by the shocked stares of the others. They were looking at him.
"W-W-What is it?" he sputtered, equally dumbstruck by their reactions.
"Your hand…" was all JP could say.
Tommy looked at his hand on the window and took a sharp intake of breath.
Frost and crystals swirled outward from his fingers, spreading up the window. At first the ice traveled slowly, but soon spread faster and faster at more jagged and random angles, until the whole window was covered in translucent white and silver. Tiny icicles formed at the top rim of the window.
"What happened?" Tommy gasped.
"Seems to be side effects from each of you having a spiritual element to control," JägerLoweemon mused from Koichi's black D-Tector. "Now even as humans, you still retain some control of your element. Depending on your emotions though, the power you have with it can change."
"So that's it," Koji said quietly, as if he'd put something together in his head.
Tommy retracted his hand from the window. Emotions, he thought. When my hand was on the window, I was…
Angry. Stressed. No wonder the ice had traveled so jaggedly and randomly, it was like they'd been imitating his thoughts, all jumbled and confused.
"Come to think of it," Zoë murmured, mostly to herself. "Back on the first day of school, I felt a wind pick up in the class, but the windows were all closed. I'd just been feeling…happy."
"Carefree," Kazemon asserted. "Like how the wind is."
"Yesterday morning," Koji continued. "JP…"
"…the lightning bolt didn't really miss you, did it?" Takuya caught on, turning to JP. "It really did hit you… You just didn't want the rest of us to be as weirded out as you were about it."
"I…I'd just sensed it coming," JP admitted embarrassedly. "So I felt that I had to protect you two…"
"…and so you're immune to thunder, lightning, and electricity," Beetlemon declared.
"Also…" Koichi said hesitantly. When everyone looked his way, he forced himself to continue. "It's just…I tend to feel more comfortable at night, or in the shadows—"
"And you blend into them too," Koji added. "Like back at Shibuya Park. And I…"
"Feel uncomfortable at night or in the dark?" Tommy guessed. The gruff boy simply nodded.
The five of them looked to their leader.
The Warrior of Flame did a sweat-drop as he was put on the spot. "Well, you see…the thing is…none o' that stuff's actually happened to me, so…" He stopped himself as the train jerked to a halt.
They'd arrived at Shinjuku.
Tommy hated just leaving the window all frozen like that.
Shinjuku Park, 16:36
"Guilmon! Is it done yet?"
The red reptile stuck his head out from the black metal gate. "Almost, Takato! Just a little more!" The group of DigiDestined with the boy named Takato waited by the gate, a red wagon beside them.
Meanwhile, Cody waited patiently on the grass with his other fellow DigiDestined minus Joe and Gomamon. According to the others, the oldest boy would be here as soon as he finished writing a test. Other than that they'd all arrived around fifteen minutes ago. Their Digimon had all De-Digivolved back to the In-Training level, except for Gatomon, who'd gone down to Rookie as Salamon.
At the moment though, their Digimon were all munching away in front of them on snacks that Yolei had brought. Their partners watched them amusedly.
"Cody," Upamon said between bites. "This chocolate bar's so good."
"Well, you can buy all you want at Inoue Convenience," Poromon informed him happily, flapping his wings.
Kari giggled as she turned to her DNA partner. "Did you teach him to advertise your family's convenience store?"
"Again?" Davis and TK added in unison.
"Maybe…" Yolei replied sneakily.
"Upamon," Cody warned. "Leave some food for everyone else."
"Aww…"
"Let him eat," Izzy reassured. "He's not eating as much as—hey, watch your intake, Motimon!"
"'Watch your intake'?" Tai smirked. "Does an In-Training even get—?"
"Hey, Tai," Matt cut in. "Before you start blowing your mouth off on someone else, 'watch your own partner's intake'."
"What do you m—Koromon!" Tai shouted embarrassedly. They all watched, biting back laughs, as Koromon let out a pink swirly stool.
"Sorry, Tai, I couldn't help it…" Koromon said apologetically. "I ate so much 'cause the food was so good…"
"Speaking of which…Yolei, did you bring enough food for…everyone…and not just us?" Sora asked.
"...sort of?" Yolei answered.
"And 'sort of' means…" Mimi prompted.
"Everyone else gets…whatever bags are left?" Yolei reddened a bit. "Well, it's not my fault I have to pay for whatever I take out of the store! I brought at least six more bags and I think I'm eighty bucks in the hole!"
"Six bags?" repeated all ten kids incredulously.
"Six bags?" echoed ten Digimon. "Where?"
"They're not for you," TK reprimanded. "There are other Digimon and people who haven't eaten as much as you have."
"You didn't have to get so much," Ken put in, turning to Yolei. "We could've at least paid for some of it…"
"Hey there, don't start getting too kind," Davis joked, elbowing his best friend.
Soon after their conversation faded into silence as everyone was left in their own thoughts. Even the Digimon had resorted to eating uncharacteristically quietly.
Cody was mainly thinking of what was to happen as soon as Guilmon had finished doing… whatever he was doing. It didn't seem all the kids had even arrived yet (excluding Joe). And even when they did, what were they all going to talk about? It was all so confusing and yet it was happening.
Not for the first time in the day, he looked at the back of his hand. The mark had long gone along with the burning sensation. Either Cody's hand had healed from the acid (which he didn't think was so easily possible) or it had faded from reality and had gone back to being in the dreamscape. He was going with the latter.
Now that he knew and remembered better on who Oikawa was and how he'd died, his visit felt all the more meaningful to Cody, and his warning all the more ominous.
Something in Cody told him he'd have to tell everyone all about it. Not just his fellow DigiDestined—these 'new' ones too.
Among more, this would be one of the huge threats approaching them all.
"OI!" someone called. They all looked in the distance as two figures came sprinting down the path. It was Joe, with Pukamon in his arms. It had been the Digimon who'd yelled.
When they finally caught up, Joe was panting in his suit and tie. "Finally…finished…test…"
Pukamon looked at his friends wolfing down on everything. "Aww...how much did I miss? See, I told you we should've gone earlier!"
Joe sighed, still a tad out of breath. "Sorry, Pukamon…" He noticed the pink dung in the grass. "Uh…did we miss anything?"
Ignoring the pink swirl, Tai looked from Digimon to human. "Well, other than Pukamon getting a small share of the food…not really," he said shortly.
Joe raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you missed Koromon and Tai fertilizing the soil," Matt enlightened sarcastically.
Everyone laughed—except for the said partners.
Guilmon Home, 16:40
"It's ready!" Guilmon declared.
"Finally," Tagiru carped.
He, Mikey, and the rest of the Fusion Fighters and Hunters were sitting on the grass near the trees as another individual group off to the side from everyone else. Actually, everybody was off in their own sort of squad. There was one group of twelve kids also on the grass, a group of seven a little farther from them who looked to mostly consist of the older teens (and two adults), and a group of ten near the black metal gate (who was with other grown-ups). One of them was the one partnered to Guilmon.
As they all heard the reptile's call, ever so slowly, each group stood up, unsure of who was going to go in first. The gang near the gate was already filing in.
"We'd better follow them," Mikey suggested. It was only a suggestion, but it carried so much authority. Everyone instantly followed him, whatever he said. Tagiru wished he had that talent. It was one of the reasons why he looked up to Mikey as a superstar.
Tagiru didn't find himself as good a leader as Mikey was. Mikey had led the Fusion Fighters to victory multiple times, the biggest against Baguramon. Tagiru had led the Legendary Heroes to victory only once. Once. The rest of the time he'd been hunting Digimon…earned some money for it with Hideaki…but for the most part he'd acted like it was all a game.
But it wasn't. And he'd prove that he knew it this time around.
He twiddled with his goggles given to him by Mikey so long ago for reassurance.
They hesitated at the front gate.
"What are you all waiting for?" Tagiru demanded, stepping in. "There's no time to stare at the entrance. We've got to—gah!" He caught himself before he could stumble more. The entrance led directly to a staircase. Leading down…down…down…into a huge room.
"Wow…" he muttered. "Okay, let's go."
When he reached the bottom, Tagiru noticed that everyone was seated on the edges of the room. There was still plenty of space left for the other groups. It was slightly quiet, with occasional whispers to one another. Even the adults were here.
The room had surprisingly good lighting, though Tagiru couldn't see how mere daylight could illuminate a room this large. He had a feeling it was more than daylight.
Eventually, he took a seat, his friends beside him, and then the other groups walked in, and then the pouring of people stopped.
"Hey, Tagiru," Gumdramon said through Tagiru's crimson Fusion Loader. "Can I come out now?"
"Yeah, I guess," Tagiru agreed. "Reload, Gumdramon!" With a flash his partner appeared in front of him. Some of his other friends let their Digimon out too. Others watched it happen, mesmerized.
"So is everyone here?" Mikey checked.
For a moment, no one answered, probably because no one knew the answer.
"Um…"
"Wait for us!" a voice cried.
Everybody's heads jerked up at the entrance, where a boy with rectangular goggles gasped for breath. As he jogged down the stairs, five more kids followed him, looking equally drained.
"Not our fault—we live—in…Shibuya," gasped the oldest boy.
"I think everyone is present now." Everyone jumped as Alphamon strolled out of the shadows.
How the heck does he do that? Tagiru fumed.
"This may seem repetitive, but do you all know exactly who you are now?"
Who I am… Tagiru considered. A Hunter…
A few nodded slowly, as if unsure how to answer. Speaking would result in an undistinguishable chorus of 'yes' that they wouldn't know if someone had said 'no'. Tagiru nodded with the group.
When all was silent, Mikey proposed, "Should we raise our hands when we want to talk?"
"Good idea," agreed a bushy-haired teen. Mikey nodded to him. They looked about the same age. Was he a friend of Mikey's from university? Wait a minute…Tagiru's memory stirred. It was Tai Kamiya!
Near Tai, a redhead raised his hand. "I think the one thing we all have in common is that we're some sort of DigiDestined, despite our different Digivices."
Several people were nodding in agreement. Actually around half the people were nodding in agreement, though Tagiru had no idea what that kid was talking about.
He leaned over to Mikey. "You following that guy?"
His idol frowned. "Not really…but something tells me we're all on the same boat." Actually, come to think of it, if those Legendary Heroes who had saved their worlds had come to them and Mikey and Tagiru were also Legendary Heroes who had saved their own worlds too, then that probably meant they were whatever the redhead was calling everybody.
Another goggle-head raised his hand. Takuya Kanbara! "I think before we should do anything we should introduce ourselves first."
Good idea. The brunet continued.
"We can start here and go…clockwise. I'm Takuya Kanbara." And so they went around in a circle, eventually all the names mingling into a steady rhythm until it was Tagiru's own turn. He introduced himself and it continued in a whole cycle. Even the adults gave their names. All of the kids (and Sampson and Yushima) said their partners' names, except for Takuya's group.
Tagiru suddenly remembered that it was because they didn't have partners (at least, he knew Takuya didn't)! Takuya had been the Digimon when he'd first seen him. But did everyone else know that?
Huh, they were done the intros anyway. Tagiru now knew that the redhead was named Izzy.
Alphamon cleared his throat. Everyone turned to him, hoping for a straight answer.
"Izzy is correct that you are all some sort of DigiDestined, or Chosen Child. However, there is one sole difference that sets you all apart from one another."
Now it was too silent. To Tagiru, anyway. Under normal circumstances, he would've spoken something on instinct, but years had passed and it wasn't like he was the only one who hadn't changed. He had at least—according to his friends—acquired some self-restraint from being impulsive.
Like that helped out anyway.
But in this situation, he felt it was important that he spoke. He knew it was important.
He raised his hand. If Alphamon felt annoyed for having an interruption, he didn't show it, and instead, beckoned for Tagiru to continue.
All eyes rested on him. No pressure or anything. "We're from different universes, aren't we?"
After his statement he was pretty sure he could hear a pin drop.
"That is correct."
"How did you—?" someone started.
"Because you've all met before, that's why," came a voice at the top of the dirt stairwell. From his posture Tagiru could tell it was an old man. Not just any old man…
"The Clock Shop Owner?" he and his friends gasped. The said man descended the stairs casually as if he were quite punctual to the meeting.
"The who?" some blurted out.
"Ah," Alphamon said in relief. "It's good to see you."
"Alive and well, at least," the Clock Shop Owner (CSO) said in return. "Now we can really begin."
"You mentioned something about different universes and that we've all met before," the boy named Henry prompted.
The Royal Knight nodded. "Yes we did."
By the confused expressions of many of the people (and Digimon) Alphamon said, "To make things easier, each group of DigiDestined should explain your adventures with your Digimon before we…get into the interdimensional relationships."
"Tai, how about you begin for your group?" the CSO offered.
The teen blinked. "How do you know my—?"
"The answer is in one of the stories you're about to hear."
Still baffled, Tai began his account. He'd been in fifth grade at a summer camp with six other kids. That marked the beginning of a journey to a world they'd never known existed. As they traveled there and met their partners, their battles became more serious and meaningful with each passing one, their Digimon learning to Digivolve to higher levels. Devimon, then Etemon. Their Crests, he explained, represented traits that they showed best.
"So those are those necklaces that had flashed back at the infirmary?" Megumi checked.
"Yeah," confirmed Matt.
When battling Myotismon they'd had to go to the Human World again to get the Eighth Child, Kari Kamiya. After doing that and defeating VenomMyotismon, they fought (again in the Digiworld) against the Dark Masters, and finally Apocalymon. They'd had to leave their Digimon behind for their home but it was a summer they'd never forgotten.
"And all of it lasted a summer…"
"Yup."
Tai turned to Davis, who sighed almost unnoticeably, then nodded and took the floor.
Three years later, he said, the Gate had opened once again, calling a new group of DigiDestined to fight the new threat, the Digimon Emperor who used Dark Rings to control Digimon and put up Control Spires to stop Digivolution.
"Th—That's awful," Ai remarked. "Who would want to do something like that?"
"…Me…" Ken said meekly. "I…"
"It wasn't your fault!" Davis snapped, then got a hold of himself. "I'm sorry for yelling."
"No…I'm sorry for bringing it up," Ai said.
To counter the threat, Davis, Yolei, and Cody were chosen to get new Digivices (D-3's) and partners, along with a new kind of Digivolution called Armour Digivolution, which could bypass the Control Spires. TK and Kari's Digivices also changed to their model and earned Armour Digivolution too. After a few battles, they learned that the Emperor was indeed Ken Ichijouji, a boy genius at the time. After defeating him, they discovered he was actually a good person inside.
Eventually, they gained the power of DNA Digivolution by combining two hearts into one. With their new power and the help of the older DigiDestined, they managed to defeat Arukenimon and Mummymon, vanish Daemon to the Dark Ocean, and knock sense into BlackWarGreymon and Oikawa.
"Like I said before, it wasn't Ken's fault for being the Emperor," Davis explained. "He ha—something was controlling him."
"A Dark Spore…" muttered a spiked brown haired boy. Only…he was a part of Takato's group. Not a lot of people seemed to have heard, or maybe they'd just ignored him.
Finally, Davis and the gang defeated MaloMyotismon with the assistance of every DigiDestined around the world.
"'Every DigiDestined around the world'?" Takuya echoed confusedly.
"You'll have your turn in a moment, Takuya. Why don't you tell your side, Takato?" the CSO prodded.
Both boys shocked with the man knowing their names, Takato started his own story, though uncomfortably. He'd been obsessed with Digimon as a boy, having played the card game and seen the TV show—
"There was a card game and TV show?!"
"Uh, y-yeah," he stammered. He didn't say anything else about it.
One day he'd drawn Guilmon wishing for him to come alive and one day it happened. Later he'd made friends with Calumon, Henry, and Rika. They'd protected their town from Digimon called Wild Ones, ultimately saved them from Hypnos (who'd once thought Digimon were bad) and eventually fought the Devas from destroying their home. To help their Digimon, they were able to swipe cards through their D-Powers to modify their Digimon.
"DigiModify?" Izzy repeated. "That's…"
They went to the Digital World to rescue Calumon from the Devas and their master Zhuqiaomon. Along the way they'd met Ryo (who'd been stuck in the Digital World for some time) and—
"Whoa," Yolei said. "You were stuck in the Digital World?"
"Yeah," Ryo answered monotonously. He threw a look at someone, then thought better and turned back to Takato, who continued.
After defeating Zhuqiaomon, letting him know that humans were good, they learned from Azulongmon that their true enemy was the D-Reaper. It ravaged the Digiworld, making its way to the Human World as well. With the bonds of their Digimon though, they were able to go to Mega and do something called Biomerge Digivolution, in which they—
"You guys can merge with your Digimon?" Davis gaped.
"Only Takato, Henry, Rika, and Ryo, though," said Mako.
The D-Reaper destroyed most of Shinjuku, but through a great struggle, the Tamers won.
"We don't really go by DigiDestined, or Chosen," Takato concluded. "We call ourselves the Tamers."
"Is it—?"
"Your turn, Takuya," the Owner finished.
"Oh," he muttered. "Well." He cleared his throat.
Takuya's tale started differently than the others'. One fateful day, every kid in Shibuya received a text (with a voice) on their cell phone telling them to take the 17:45 train. In the basement of the train station, kids took some Trailmon to the Digital World. Takuya had taken the one with Tommy, JP, and Zoë on it.
"Where were Koji and Koichi?" Jeri wondered.
"Well, Koji was a loner back then," Takuya said cheekily.
"He still is," Zoë mumbled.
"And Koichi, well…" Tommy turned to the older boy, who looked shy. "I guess Takuya will get to that part."
At the Digital World, their cell phones changed into D-Tectors. They met Bokomon and Neemon, who told them of the Spirits. Instead of having 'partner Digimon', they had the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors, enabling them to Spirit Evolve, meaning—
"You can turn into Digimon?!" everyone gasped. Tagiru noticed others, however, shifting uncomfortably.
"Well, it's similar to Biomerging…" JP pointed out embarrassedly.
"But we merged with our Digimon," Henry insisted, impressed. "Not became Digimon ourselves."
Tagiru thought turning into a Digimon must be awesome! He already felt a huge strength surge through him every time Gumdramon Digivolved.
After staring for a while, he suddenly realized that Koji and Koichi were twins.
Anyway, each one of them (as the Warriors) represented an element. Takuya was of flame, Koji of light (after the group had finally met him), Tommy of ice, Zoë of wind, JP of thunder, and Koichi of darkness.
"Darkness?" TK said. "You're the Warrior of Darkness?"
"Yes," Koichi responded.
"Not all darkness is bad," Koji snapped, quick to defend.
"Easy, Koji," Takuya exclaimed at the same time Koichi said, "It's alright, Koji. You've got to admit…I wasn't good from the very beginning…"
"No, I'm sorry," TK apologized. "I haven't exactly had the best experience with darkness. Sometimes I'm too quick to judge on those things."
"Ah, that's okay. Koji, apologize."
"What? Takuya...!"
"…"
"…sorry 'bout that," the Warrior of Light grunted. "Are you going to continue with the story now?"
Right. They learned that their enemy was Cherubimon, a Celestial Digimon, who had once been good but had gone evil. It turned out that the one calling them on their D-Tectors had been Ophanimon, another one of the Celestial Digimon. Seraphimon was also one but he died in the fight only to turn into a Digiegg and land in front of them before their very eyes, though most Digimon were reborn in a place called the Village of Beginnings.
"Really?" Sora said thoughtfully. "So you don't call it Primary Village…"
This was where Koichi came in. Cherubimon used him and gave him the tainted Spirits of Darkness, Duskmon and Velgemon. Koji and Koichi met for the very first time in battle.
"The very first time…?" Angie repeated. "And in battle…"
"Yeah," the twins said at the same time, signaling the chapter was closed. Probably some private matters, Tagiru guessed.
They had to fight Koichi quite a few times before they saved him and managed to acquire the true Spirits of Darkness, Loweemon and JägerLoweemon. After they finally overcame Cherubimon, they tackled IceDevimon, then Dynasmon and Crusadermon, and then their last enemy, Lucemon, who got to the Real World a little before they were able to bring him down.
"Broth—Koichi risked his life for us against Lucemon," added Koji vehemently. "He nearly died in the Human World…"
"About to call him brother, were you?" Takuya asked playfully. "Why didn't you? You are the younger one of the—"
"Takuya!" scolded Zoë.
"Koji…" Koichi smiled.
"Lucemon…?" Mikey murmured. "We've fought him before…" Tagiru didn't know what he was talking about. Maybe it was during his trip to the Digital World.
What I'd do to go to the Digital World! Tagiru sighed.
"We went back to our world after beating Lucemon and managed to save Koichi too," Takuya went on, "with the help of our D-Tectors and one heck of a miracle. But they turned back into our phones in the hospital."
"But it looks like they turned back again," Zoë mused. "I wonder when…" She trailed off.
"I believe it's Marcus's turn now," the Owner nodded.
"Right then," the older boy said, acting nonchalantly even though the man knew his name.
Marcus began, with another blond (Thomas) assisting him in case he 'exaggerated', particularly in his fighting abilities. DATS (Digital Accidents Tactical Squad) was an organization that dealt with Digimon incidents. Marcus had joined after partnering with Agumon. At HQ, he'd met Commander Sampson, Yoshino, Megumi, Miki, and finally Thomas. They stopped Digimon from wreaking havoc in the Real World, destroying them which turned them back into Digieggs—
"They turned back into Digieggs?" Kari reiterated. Tagiru thought he could see sadness clouding her eyes. "In the Real World?"
"Yeah," Marcus nodded.
The real action happened when they went to the Digital World to defeat Merukimon. There they met Keenan, who, they eventually learned, had grown up there—
"You grew up in the Digiworld?!" Kazu and Kenta cried. "Sweet~!"
"And I thought they were impressed with the One with the Flashing Smile." Rika rolled her eyes.
"Is that what you call me?" asked Ryo innocently, happening to flash a smile. "I'm flattered."
They failed in defeating Merukimon. Their real enemy was Kurata, a man who hated Digimon and instead, ironically, created artificial Digimon that deleted real Digimon for good, collecting their data. There were also three kids who could Bio-Hybrid Digivolve, in other words, turn into Digimon themselves.
"Is that why you looked uncomfortable when we said we could Biomerge—" Takato said.
"—or turn into Digimon?" Takuya added.
"Yes," Yoshino said. "We also haven't exactly had the best experience with people who can change into Digimon."
Kurata's main goal was to awaken Belphemon, one of the Seven Demon Lords. Thankfully, they defeated Kurata and Belphemon before the demon could get any more powerful. Their final foe was the Digimon god itself, Yggdrasil, who turned out to have taken the form of—
"Your dad?" Jeri said softly. "That must have been awful."
It was. But they had to defeat him in order for both worlds to be saved. To do that, they managed to get Yggdrasil's Royal Knights on their side and from BanchouLeomon learned the Burst Mode—a power that surpassed Mega.
"A power surpassing Mega…" Izzy marveled. "Prodigious…"
Tagiru wondered what Mega was.
In the end, they defeated Yggdrasil. Marcus's father Spencer Damon was brought back to life and home at last but Marcus, not wanting to part with Agumon, went with him and the other Digimon back into the Digital World.
"More people staying in the Digital World?" Kazu said.
"But you're here now," Kenta pointed out. "When did you get back? And…how?"
"I…" Marcus trailed off. "I actually don't know."
"Is that why they don't have any records of you going to high school?" Jeremy considered. "Because you were in the Digital World?"
"Uh…I guess yeah."
"Wait a minute," Ewan interrupted. "You never said how Kristy got a Digimon."
"Oh, right," Marcus said. "Well, it's a weird story actually…a Digiegg came to our house…from the sky…and it hatched and Biyomon and Kristy just sort of became partners."
"You make falling Digieggs from the sky seem like a casual thing," Yolei muttered.
"Well, it kind of is for us…" said Tai thoughtfully. "First Parrotmon…then Armageddemon…" His group laughed lightly, probably from past memories. At Alphamon's cleared throat, everyone was silenced.
"Time to shine, Mikey," Jeremy whispered. At the CSO's nod, Mikey began.
Their adventure began one day with Angie and Jeremy when he first heard Shoutmon's call, or a DigiMelody. He was dying. Willing to save him, a voice called to him granting him a red Fusion Loader. As Mikey had taken it, Angie and Jeremy behind him, they were flung into the Digital World where Shoutmon was restored. The Digiworld was in danger from Baguramon, who was collecting Code Crowns from every Zone.
Tagiru understood the terminology after hearing the story so many times, but he still wasn't bored when Mikey elaborated for everyone. He was still excited after hearing every Legendary Hero's story.
Anyway, the main difference between their (Mikey's and co.) story and the others' story was that instead of Digivolving they used something called—
"DigiFusion?" Cody said. "With your Fusion Loader, you can fuse Digimon together into a more powerful Digimon?"
Along the way, they'd met Christopher and Nene, who didn't really work with Mikey and the others at first. In the end, they failed to collect all the Code Crowns and Baguramon threw Mikey, Angie, Jeremy, and Shoutmon back to the Human World. That was where Shoutmon first Digivolved to defeat Tactimon.
"Did he Digivolve to the Champion level or something?" Davis wondered. "Or Ultimate?"
Mikey blinked. "Champion or Ultimate levels? Well, you see, I—we've never heard of levels. As far as I know, that's as far as Shoutmon can go through Digivolution."
"Same with us," added Takuya. "We're either a Human or Beast Spirit."
"Or Unified Spirit," muttered JP almost inaudibly.
Mikey continued. He and Shoutmon were the only ones able to go back to the Digiworld and by then a period of one day in the Human World resulted in months in the Digital World. It had changed a lot (like Christopher's hair).
"Seriously?" The blond punched the speaking brunet.
"Well other than that," Mikey laughed, "Baguramon had made the Digiworld into Seven Lands, each ruled by a Death General."
Christopher finally allied with Mikey, and Nene did as well. Through each land, they fought and defeated each and every General and saved Ewan as well from AxeKnightmon. Ewan had originally been on the enemy's side, believing the Digiworld was all a game.
"A game…" Ken murmured.
As Baguramon was about to destroy them, Jeremy and Angie saved them. Their final battle was back in the Real World (again) where they beat Baguramon. It had taken the fusion of every Digimon to do it.
"Wow," Mako whispered in awe. "That must have looked awesome."
"It sure was," Mikey grinned.
"I still don't see how this ties in with all of us having met," said Miki.
"I think our story does," Ryouma whispered to Tagiru. The goggle-head just realized that he'd be the one narrating it.
"Tagiru," the Clock Shop Owner encouraged. "I think it's your turn."
For a second, Tagiru just stared at nothing. Compared to the others' stories, his would mostly sound of play. No, he thought. I can't think like that! He took a deep breath.
His adventures had started a year after Mikey's. By then all Tagiru had been was a basketball player with Mikey (his idol) and Ewan. That was when it had happened. There was a strange place—not the Digital World yet very close to the Human World—which mirrored their world almost exactly and where Digimon caused trouble sometimes.
That place was known as DigiQuartz. There, he'd met Gumdramon after receiving a crimson Fusion Loader from the Clock Shop Owner. There was something going on called the Digimon Hunt where Hunters like himself hunted for Digimon.
"You hunted for Digimon?" Mimi said in shock. "You mean you—?"
"Didn't kill," Mikey backed up. "Didn't kill. Just defeated."
"And after that, they became your own Digimon and followed orders from you," Tagiru confirmed hastily.
One team of Hunters he'd encountered was Ryouma's team, made up of him, Ren, and Airu. Ryouma hunted strong Digimon, Ren hunted rare ones, and Airu hunted cute ones.
There were other Hunters as well, like Kiichi and Mizuki, who'd helped him at times, as well as Ewan and Mikey supporting Tagiru. With a pang, he realized Kiichi and Mizuki had the possibility of not remembering Digimon. But that wasn't what had stopped him from speaking.
Is that it? he thought. All I did was hunt? I barely did anything unlike everyone else.
No, he told himself.
The significance of his group's adventure, he realized, was the end.
It was what had brought them—Tagiru swept his eyes across every kid in the room—together.
All of them.
Tagiru fast-forwarded. So he hunted Digimon, blah blah blah Gumdramon Digivolved to Arresterdramon (Angie and Jeremy eventually received Fusion Loaders) and…their final enemy was Quartzmon, who wanted to fuse the Human World and DigiQuartz together. (He actually succeeded in that but it wasn't over yet.) Quartzmon was way more powerful than anything they'd ever faced before, and on top of that apparently there were Digimon causing mayhem all over the world too.
The only real way to defeat him was by calling on the Seven Legendary Heroes. To steady the pandemonium going on around the world, the Heroes' teammates were summoned as well.
"Wait a minute," Tai whispered. Something flicked through his eyes. "Who were the Legendary Heroes?"
Tagiru didn't feel it was his place to answer. Alphamon beckoned for the Clock Shop Owner.
"I was the one who summoned the Legendary Heroes with my partner Clockmon," the CSO explained. "The Seven Legendary Heroes are the ones who led their groups to battle—and victory—to save their worlds."
"To save their universes," Tagiru corrected surprisingly.
"And their teammates…" Cody echoed. "It's us…isn't it?" For the first time, no one looked doubtful or surprised. Tagiru found himself unsurprised by the fact that everyone was unsurprised. Maybe at the back of their minds—maybe they remembered. Maybe…
"This is not the first time traveling between universes has happened," said the CSO. His gaze rested on one particular boy.
"Ryo?" the Tamers blurted.
Ryo was silent, staring back at the CSO.
"Well, I suppose that story will be saved for later," the CSO decided. "For now, I think some Digimon want to have their say now."
"Yes," a biped lion responded.
"Leomon…" Jeri murmured.
"Did something happen to him or something?" Airu muttered.
"When we were in the Digital World, Leomon died," Takato admitted somberly. "We thought we'd never see him again."
"But…he should've turned into a Digiegg in the Digital World," said Kari. "Didn't he?"
"I know that for you guys, Digimon would, but the Digital World we know is a lot harsher. When Digimon die, their data either disperses or is absorbed by other Digimon."
"That…" Takuya began, unsure of what to say. "…sounds harsh…" he said softly.
"But I was revived," Leomon said. "By the mercy of the Sovereigns."
"The Sovereigns?" everyone rebounded.
"But I…" Impmon said hesitantly. "I absorbed your data…"
"Yes, but there was a time when some of my data was exuded. Do you remember?" He asked the question softly.
"Do I…remember…?"
"When we were fighting the D-Reaper and you came to save me as Beelzemon, Impmon," Jeri recalled quietly. "You let out a 'Fist of the Beast King' attack." The only thing that made Tagiru perk up was the name 'Beelzemon'…but then he realized it wasn't the same one who was Mikey's friend.
"Yes," Leomon concurred. "That attack let out my data. The rest of it was the Sovereigns' doing, however they managed to give me a second life."
"The Sovereigns turned you into a Digiegg," Alphamon said. "Though I believe the enemy took you before you could reunite with your partner. There was one other Digiegg as well."
"It was me," Psychemon spoke up. "I was also revived, though it was more 'purified' from the control of Quartzmon. And not from the Sovereigns, but the Legendary Digimon."
"The Legendary Digimon?" Mikey's group gasped.
"Psychemon…" Ryouma whispered.
"And that leads us to what and why we're all here," the Clock Shop Owner stated. "And why I'm here as well."
"Indeed," agreed Alphamon. "It is how you are all connected, what you must do, and the enemy you are destined to defeat."
Undisclosed Location, Unknown Time
He pulled his hat down further, strolling down the tranquil path, acting inconspicuous.
It was quite a miracle, really. The children had survived.
It didn't matter, though. Things were still going according to plan. He smiled.
It would soon be time to reveal himself. What a shock some of them would have, he thought amusedly, picturing a certain blond.
Soon, not yet, he reminded himself. He would have to stay unknown for now, and do what he had come to do.
Stepping into the shrubbery, hidden from anyone strolling down the path, he swiftly pulled out a lighter.
After clicking it a few times, it finally sparked.
It was time to test the Chosen.
The Chosen have now been shed some light on the matter at hand, but the revelations have only just started. It looks like the Legendary Warriors are discovering some new powers as well. But who is watching them all, and what does he plan on doing? Meanwhile, what's going on in the Digital World as they speak? We'll find out next time, with the meeting yet to continue!
Chapter Notes:
1. Death/Darkness General: I personally think Death General sounds cooler, and I understand the dub changed the name to make it more suitable for younger audiences…but still. I may switch the two, I may not.
~X~
I'm sorry! I wanted to touch on the Ryo/Ken stuff more but I didn't want it to end up too long. That stuff will come in the next chapter(s) when/if it fits in. The reason every group's adventure summary is kind of long is because I wanted to show some interaction between everybody, showing the differences between each universe. Anyway, FSE's (final summative evaluations) and exams are coming up at the end of this month to the beginning of February, so updates aren't going to be fast. Chapter 12 didn't even come that fast… Well, don't forget to review before you go!
