Chapter Twelve
Davis groans as he collapses onto his knees in the middle of the forest, panting heavily. "We've been walking…for HOURS…!"
"Oh come on, Davis." Veemon responds, tugging on his partner's shirt. "Whatever happened to that neverending endurance you were telling me about?"
"It left me five hours ago…."
Kari and Sora exchange a look and Kari smirks as she continues walking. "You know…I've always found guys who don't tire even after so much is thrown at them very attractive."
"What are you slowpokes doing?" Davis exclaims in a jovial voice as he walks quickly past them. "Come on! Places to see, people to…." He suddenly doubles over, wincing in pain. "Oh CRAMP CRAMP!"
"Well you tried." Biyomon giggles as she flies ahead while Veemon pats Davis on the back, looking worried.
"He does have a point though." Gatomon yawns, her blue eyes taking in the darkness of the forest. "We've been wandering around this place for hours and we don't seem to be making any headway."
"What are you complaining about?" Kari grumbles, shooting her cat Digimon a look. "You're the one whose been riding on my shoulder for the past two hours."
"Regardless, doesn't that rock look familiar?"
Gatomon points at a large boulder at the side of the road, its light steel grey body glinting from the few rays of sunshine that managed to peak through the thick canopy.
"You're right it…." Sora's eyes widen and she groans before running forwards. "You've got to be kidding me!"
"What?"
She points to a carved marking on the side of the rock. "I drew that two hours ago." Is the grim reply.
"….You mean we've been walking in circles this entire time?"
Davis moans and drops to his knees again, burying his face in his hands. "That's it! We're doomed! We're gonna end up here for the rest of our lives and I'll never get to tell Kari how I really feel!"
"…Davis. I am standing right here."
"Uh…." Veemon blinks, his eyes widening. "Does anyone else smell smoke?"
Gatomon sniffs the air, her eyes widening as well. "I smell…sausages!" And with that she bounds off Kari's shoulder and into the underbrush. "Gatomon, wait! Come back! This is more something like Renamon would do!"
"Occasionally Renamon has the right idea!"
Kari and Sora exchange helpless looks before everyone bolts after the cat—that is, after Veemon manages to forcibly pull the exhausted Davis off his feet and into the underbrush.
Gatomon peers around one massive oak and blinks. "It's….a cabin?"
"What would a cabin be doing by itself out in the middle of nowhere?" Biyomon whispers quietly.
Sora stares at the dilapidated building and feels a chill run down her spine that's not exactly fear, but not a good emotion either. "I vote we avoid it."
"What?" Davis waves his arms wildly around desperation in his maroon eyes. "But…but…there could be food in there!"
"Yeah, or we could end up being the food." Kari comments, grimacing. "Did you learn nothing from the story of Hansel and Gretel?"
"This is not Hansel and Gretel. If it was, that hut would be made out of candy, not…twigs, and quite frankly, even if I would be fattened and butchered afterwards, if I was filled up with chocolate I'd die happy!"
Kari and Sora both sweatdrop as Davis storms confidently up to the hut. "He has….'
"Some serious problems…."
"Hello?" Davis raps repeatedly on the side of the hut. "Is anyone home? Please?"
For a minute, there's silence. And then the door swings open to reveal two glittering eyes in the darkness. "Who's there?" A voice snarls out, and Davis leaps back with a girlish scream.
…
"Tai, get behind me!" I shove him back as the sand covers the both of us in a golden wave. I cringe back, squeezing my eyes tight to prevent the burning sensation before whirling back around with a snarl.
I didn't know how I was going to protect him from this monster, be it another Shellmon, a Coleamon, or even some kind of Digimon I'd never heard of before but even if I didn't have my powers I would die before I let any….any…what. THE. HECK?
"Lils, it's okay!" Tai exclaims, pushing in front of me, his eyes widening before he crouches down. "Hey little guy…where'd you come from?"
The creature in question is a dark blue puffball with cat like ears and golden eyes, a long striped tail and white underbelly. Even my inner voice is laughing at me. Blushing bright red, I scowl as Tai stretches his hand out and snap, "Tai, for Yggdrasil's sake be more careful than that."
Tai rolls his eyes. "Yeah. I'm sure this little guy is REAL vicious."
"Watch it. I own sarcasm and I didn't give you permission to use it."
He just smirks slightly over at me before turning back to the little puffball, who scoots away from him nervously, making faint whimpering sounds.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He says softly, stretching his hands out. "Easy…."
Something about his sweet brown eyes makes the little In-Training seem to relax, the raised fur all along it's body settling back down as it hesitantly hops forwards.
Tai scoops the little guy up in his arms, and then turns around to face me with a pleading look as he scratches him behind the ears gently.
"No." I say flatly before continuing to walk forwards.
"Oh come on Lils! What's the harm?"
"The harm is that I'm not interested in carrying around some little kid with me everywhere, especially when we're on a dangerous mission like this."
"But we're not even sure where Megidramon is." Tai protests, holding the In-Training close to him like I might knock it out of his hands. The little creature struggles slightly before licking Tai's hand as he scratches it behind the ears again. "Shouldn't we…I don't know, help him get back to his parents before he gets eaten by something?"
I groan, raising my eyes to heaven and cursing the fact that Tai is giving me his world famous puppy-dog eyes.
"Lily…please….?"
The fact that he's holding an adorable puffball doesn't really help matters. With a huff of annoyance I sigh. "Fine. We'll help him get back home and then that's it. We're saying goodbye, got it? We've each got our own partners we don't need a little tag-a-long."
"Don't listen to her." Tai whispers. "She's just jealous because you're cuter."
"Hah hah. That's so funny I forgot to laugh. And if it's not toilet trained…." I call over my shoulder, "it's your problem, not mine. I am not dealing with another incident like with Sora's cousin and Koromon!"
…
"Ugh…." Something icy cold is pressing against the side of her face, seeping through her body in a chilly embrace.
Yolei feels someone gently shaking her shoulder. "Oh dear." The voice is familiar and almost tearful. "Yolei, it is imperative that you must awaken! Yolei!"
"My….head…."
Someone nudges her in the side with their foot, hard. "Get up." Damien's voice is cold and near emotionless. "We don't have time for this."
Shoving herself upwards, Yolei fumbles around half-blind, her partner even more fuzzy than usual. "I…I can't see without my glasses."
"Glasses?" Damien blinks, as if the word is unfamiliar to him, and then he says-"Oh….those unnatural devices you put on your face for seeing. I see."
"…Unnatural?" Yolei cocks her head at him as she slips them on. "Where have you been living for the past 100 years or so?"
After she puts them on she turns her head slightly to the side. And she screams.
"Yolei!"
Hawkmon and Damien both grab her at the same time, Hawkmon wrapping his wings around her in a pathetic attempt at a comforting hug while Damien slaps a hand over her mouth.
"Shh…..the last thing we need is for dozens of guards to come running down here." He mutters. He glances down at her horrified face and makes a face of his own. "I know….it's horrifying, isn't it?"
Yolei can hardly speak now even though she wants to simply keep screaming. A dull pale green light fills the room…coming from the gigantic test tubes that line the walls. And inside each test tube, wires attached to their bodies and leading to glowing wires extending out are…
"Tentomon…" She gasps, running forwards. "a Kuwagamon….a Monochromon…and Airdramon…what the heck are they all doing here?"
"It's draining them of their data." Damien whispers, his eyes fixated on the glowing liquid that drifts away from the test tubes and into a massive computer.
"75% scan complete. Two subjects still missing. Capture last two subjects." The robotic voice is completely emotionless, without pity, without the cruel amusement of the Digimon Emperor.
"W-what do they mean, capture last two subjects?" Hawkmon asks nervously, looking from side to side at the doped up Digimon in the test tubes.
Damien glances over at Yolei, his jaw setting. "You're good with computers, right?"
"Well yeah but I…"
"No buts. See if you can't hack in and try to find a way to stop all of this. I'm afraid if I just start smashing things I could really hurt one of them."
Yolei gulps then bends over at the computer, typing frantically as the voice drones out again, "Newest subject. Increasing energy transfer."
Everyone whirls around at a scream of sudden pain. Yolei's face goes ash-white and she's shaking like mad as her eyes scan the room.
In the middle test tube a Rookie Digimon writhes and howls in pain and agony, his eyes rolling back in his head as his data is literally stripped away from him. Damien gulps as he sees what looks like Digital Wiring underneath the skin. The poor Rookie is writhing around so much Damien can hardly tell who it is…but when he does recognize him…his heart stops.
"No…."
The creature's green eyes lock on them before another snarl of pain erupts from his mouth. He writhes wildly trying to break free from the wires which are torturing him.
"AGUMON!"
"But if he's here than that means…." Damien mutters, his eyes narrowing before his face goes pale. "Lily….."
…
"Aw, he's so cute!"
"Tai, no man should ever utter that sentence." I groan, rubbing my forehead as the little In-Training hops around Tai's ankles, chasing his own tail.
Tai raises an eyebrow. "What? Guys can't think little fluffy things are cute?"
"Sure, you can say it. Just please don't say it in a baby voice." I reply, rolling my eyes and trying to ignore the pounding headache that feels like someone is taking a sledgehammer to my skull again and again. He smirks slightly. "What, you mean like this?" He asks, his face completely innocent as he picks the little fluffball up and coos, "Aw, whose the cutest thing in the world? Yes you are."
"Oh my gosh, you are making me feel even more ill than I already do and quite frankly I think you're scaring the little guy."
Tai glances down at the In-Training, who is indeed staring at him with a…slightly disturbed expression in those big golden eyes. Blushing bright red, he looks over at me as I collapse down onto a boulder sticking out from the sand, wincing.
"You're not feeling good?" His fingers play across my arm before coming to rest on my forehead. "You don't feel hot…."
"Thanks Mum." I mutter. "It's just an awful headache I've been getting them all the time recently…."
He brushes the hair out of my face before I can say anything. "You don't get migraines, do you?"
"I…didn't use to think so…but now I'm…"
"Here." Tai stands up, slipping his hand into mine. "Let's get out of the sunshine. I heard that sun and heat can make a headache worse."
I shrug and follow after him, my feet sinking into the sand as he leads me into a small crack in the cliff's edge. I blink. "It's an awfully tight fit, isn't it?"
"Eh. We'll huddle."
"Is that why you suggested this?" I ask, amused as he turns bright red.
"N-no…it's just that…you need to get out of the heat and…unless you want to walk for miles…I…."
"Relax, Tai, I'm just messing with you." I chuckle as the little In-Training looks up back and forth at each of us, blinking in confusion.
The crevice is indeed a tight fit, I'm practically cemented next to Tai, so close I can feel his heartbeat under my palm. It's steady and sure, comforting….
My hand clenches slightly on his shirt as if I'm holding onto something more. Looking up at him I whisper, "At least we're out of the heat."
"…Yeah." He whispers back, staring at me with those eyes that just….ugh…I shouldn't be thinking like this. Thankfully, the tension is broken when there's a quiet, "Wanya."
"Huh?"
Tai's face splits into a grin as he picks up the little In-Training and cuddles him. "Did you hear that Lils? He's talking!"
"…Tai I don't know what Digital World you visited but EVERY DIGIMON CAN TALK."
"Yeah well, the babies can't talk perfectly." He defends. "Koromon was old for an In-Training when I first met him."
"Wanya, wanya." The baby giggles in his arms. Tai smiles. "Wonder what Wanya means?"
"I'm going to make a wild educated guess here." I say, rolling my eyes. "And say that that's his name. Wanyamon?"
He turns and shoots me a toothless smile, and I'm not so heartless as to stop a return smile. "He is pretty cute."
"Haven't you ever wanted kids Lily?"
I nearly choke on my own air. "W-where the HECK does a question like that come from?"
Tai's face turns bright red. "No, I…! I didn't mean necessarily with me, I just meant in general, I…!"
"We aren't even in college!"
"I KNOW that I just …." He glances back down at Wanyamon whose ears have gone back as he whimpers slightly.
"I just….sometimes I wonder…what'd it be like to be a father. That's all."
"…" I slowly raise my eyes to meet his. "Tai I barely knew what it was like to be a child myself growing up. I…wouldn't have a clue how to raise one. And besides, a half star? I don't even know if that's ever happened before and even if a baby was healthy I….I wouldn't want to take the risk of it having powers and being hounded down by psychos who want to use her for their own means."
Tai raises an eyebrow and a slightly small smile appears on his face. "So you'd want a daughter?"
…Did he just ignore everything else I said? I sigh and brush the bangs out of my face, smiling wryly as I look at him. "Yeah. I'd want a daughter."
…
"Tea anyone?"
"Thank you." Sora smiles politely as she sits at the old table that looks like it's been eaten by wormwood slightly. She nudges Davis hard in the ribs when he belches loudly after finishing his finger cakes. "Tea would be lovely."
"See?" He smirks over at her as the sound of their host entering the kitchen and out of earshot fades away. "I told you this wasn't Hansel and Gretel."
"Techinically it still could be." Gatomon yawns, stretching lazily after finishing her bowl of milk and licking her lips. "Of course if it was he'd have to be willing to keep Davis around till he got nice and plump and nothing would be worth putting up for months with Motomiya."
"…Hey…" He sulks just as their host walks back into the room. "I hope everyone likes herbal tea, because unfortunately that's all I could find." He chuckles through his long white beard that's almost indistinguishable from the long white mop atop his head.
In fact, you can't even see his face, which Sora found a little creepy at first, that and the bear paw club he seems to be holding.
"Thank you Jijimon." She smiles, and Kari and Davis both nod. "It's wonderful."
"Well, thank you little missy. Haven't had anyone to cook for since my mate passed away many years ago so…." He waves a hand. "But don't worry yourselves about that. So what brings you little ones all the way out here?"
The group exchanges glances. Jijimon seems nice but they've had too many incidences of letting their guard down around people who seem nice and then paying for it in blood.
Davis is reminded painfully about Ken really being the Digimon Emperor, and his shoulders slump. Sora keeps thinking about Datamon and shudders.
Unfortunately none of these thoughts seems to enter Veemon's head, because he cheerfully replies, "You see sir, we got separated from some friends of ours in the Data Stream. One of our other friends, Renamon, has been captured and forced to dark digivolve into Megidramon so we're trying to track down her location so we can-"VEEMON!"
Veemon's ears droop. "What? What'd I say?"
"Megidramon huh?" Jijimon puts a hand to his face thoughtfully. "That's a very powerful Digimon. You'd need at least a couple of Megas to destroy her."
"With all due respect sir," Kari responds, crossing her arms, "We have no plans to destroy our friend. This isn't her fault in the slightest, she's being controlled by something evil. If we could just get the Dark Ring off of her, she'd go back to normal."
Jijimon is silent for a moment before he says slowly, "There…might be a way to do that….that is…if one of you is the right one…."
"Huh?"
He leans on his walking stick and shoves the front door open. "Follow me children." He calls over his shoulder as he makes his way down the steps.
Davis sweatdrops as he stares after him. "I know I'm not the smartest tool in the shed-"Davis…it's sharpest tool in the shed."
"Oh. Is that how that metaphor goes? Anyway, regardless isn't it generally a bad idea for kids to follow old man out into the dark creepy woods?"
"Wha?" Veemon scoffs, stuffing his face with another muffin. "Are you afraid that I can't protect you?"
"No we're afraid you'd be too busy eating sweets to notice until your partner was thrown around like a rag doll and beaten unconscious." Is Gatomon's sarcastic reply.
"Hey!"
"Well we're not going to find out by just standing here." Biyomon comments, looking up at Sora. "And there are no Dark Towers here so if worse came to worse I can always digivolve and fly us out of here."
Sora hesitates and turns her head to look back at the forest
…
Rage. That's the only emotion TK feels as he storms down the hallway, blood pounding in his brain, the dim lighting off the base showing off the hot fire in his blue eyes.
He slams the door open and begins walking down the steps, his fists clenching so tightly at his side blood drips down from his palms and hits the floor in little droplets.
"TK?"
"TK, where are you?"
TK doesn't listen to the frantic cries of the others from upstairs, or the sound of Ryo and Cody's feet pounding as they search the hallways for him.
He doesn't care at this moment how terrified Cody must be for him, how Ryo must be beating herself up for losing Matt's little brother so easily.
All that matters to him is the being he KNOWS is waiting for him at the bottom. And ripping him limb from limb.
"Angemon!"
An ice cold laugh that seems to cut through the young TK's bones as he watches his glorious partner stretch out his angelic wings that he'd only earned this morning.
"Come here pretty boy…" The monster sneered, towering over the trees and stretching out two massive clawed hands towards Angemon.
Angemon glanced back down at TK only briefly, before glaring back at Devimon, a murderous look in his eyes. "HAND OF FATE!"
The attack is far more powerful than anything TK has ever seen before, far more powerful than it really should be, how he knows this, he doesn't know, but the golden light rips right through Devimon's chest causing him to fall back with a scream of absolute agony.
"ANGEMON!"
His eyes widened with horror as he saw not only Devimon disappearing…but his own partner….his data drifting away from the waist up.
Devimon laughed, broken and weak but triumphant. "You've…used up the last of your strength….what will…your friends do now I wonder…what will your friends do now…without you…what will your partner do…."
Angemon glared at him before turning his head down to look at TK. His Digi-core ached at the heartbroken, horrified look on TK's face. He tried to say something, quickly, before his energy ran out. "TK…I'll come back….if…if…" His data fluctuated and he seethed in pain, forcing the last part out in a quiet whisper, "if…if you want me to." He didn't know if TK could ever forgive him for abandoning him like this, but if his partner wanted him back he'd always be there. His eyes closed…
TK screamed as Angemon disappeared into the flash of golden light and Matt had to race forward and pull his brother close. "NO! ANGEMON! DON'T GO! PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME TOO! ANGEMON!"
TK's fist slams the wall to the side of him as his anger just reaches complete meltdown point. His breathing is hard and shaky and he takes frantic gulps of air to get it under control.
"I won't let that happen again…." He thinks to himself with a snarl, pushing himself upwards. Never again….
"TK!"
He lets out a startled yelp as Patamon rams into his chest, nearly knocking him down the steps. "P-Patamon? What are you?"
Patamon instead just glares up at him, and it's to his horror that he sees that Patamon is…crying? "You big stupid head…" Patamon sniffles. "I was afraid something terrible had happened to you."
"Patamon, you shouldn't be here! Go back to the others."
"Oh please. And let you get killed? Not happening."
TK clenches his teeth. "I'm not asking you I'm ORDERING you! Get back up there! NOW! I am not going to even risk losing yo…." His voice catches as Patamon's eyes widen.
"So…" Patamon's voice is suddenly sounds a lot more mature than it usually does…more like…Angemon's tone. "THAT'S what this is about." His bright blue eyes flicker down the stairway. "It's him, isn't it?"
"Yes and…and that's why I can't…." TK's voice catches and he looks away. "I can't risk something awful happening to you again."
"So what? You were planning to confront him on your own?" Patamon's tone is angry, something it usually never is. "What the heck were you thinking? We don't need anyone to be MORE like Lily!"
A weak laugh and then…"But…I…"
"No buts." Patamon lands on his partner's head. "We're going to do this together, like we always should." His entire body is encased in light and instead of Patamon resting on his head it's Angemon ruffling his hair.
"We fight as one TK." Angemon says warmly, looking down at his partner who smiles weakly back at him. His voice turns more serious. "And keep in mind that I can come back. You….if you died…." His voice trails off. "I'm the one guarding you. Do me a favour and…don't forget that."
The darkness seems to ooze up from the basement floor and Angemon tenses, his hands tightening on his staff. "TK. Stay here."
"But-"STAY HERE."
Angemon's wings spread as he dives downwards, the only thought in his mind of protecting his partner. He's sure without a doubt that Devimon had been manipulating TK's anger, trying to lure the younger boy in to slaughter him. Although you couldn't see it with his mask on, Angemon is PISSED.
Reaching the bottom he spreads his wings out and took on a defensive combat posture. "I know you're there…Devimon." He growls, taking on a defensive position. "Are you going to fight? Or are you going to lurk in the shadows like a coward and mess with MY partner?"
The laugh echoes out and sends a chill down Angemon's spine, though this annoys him to no end. He shouldn't be afraid of someone he beat before. Of course this person did nearly kill TK…and did kill him as well…
"It's been a long time my old friend…." Devimon's face is even more hideous than usual, massive scars across the pale skin underneath his mask…his wings ripped and torn so muscle and bone are showing through….Angemon gulps as what looks like some kind of parasite crawls out of one of his nostrils and into the other.
He can't help it. He retches, loudly, backing away slightly and infinitely glad that TK isn't seeing this.
Devimon grins, although most of his teeth are gone. "Disgusting, isn't it? You see? THIS is the true meaning of hell! My body is linked to this spot, the few bits of data that YOU didn't destroy. I can't move onto GranDracmon's realm and gain some form of peace, apparently….this is to be my punishment. Rather it was on purpose or not, no one cares enough to come and set me free."
Angemon shudders again. His mouth opens to try and find the words but he just can't. "I…I'm sorry…."
"Sorry?" The insane laughter again. "Why in the name of Yggdrasil's flaming bloomers should you be SORRY? If you were at all sane, you would be dancing with joy at the fact that the one who tried to kill you and your partner is now suffering for all eternity!"
Angemon's spine stiffens. "I'm not a sadistic little creep like YOU Devimon." He snarls. "While I might view you as the lowest form of scum I would not wish this state…" He stares at Devimon's broken body. "On anyone…"
Devimon laughs again, the laugh of someone completely off his rocker. "Of COURSE. You think you're so much better than me. So…pure and holy and perfect…you know I used to be like you. So convinced in what was right and what was wrong, so passionate about the belief I held for my God and for the people I protected…but they betrayed me in the end, just like what happens every time. They betrayed me and left me, even the woman I loved. And you'll fall just like me."
Angemon growls. "You really think I'd ever stoop to your disgusting levels? You are in desperate need of a reality check, demon."
The laugh is more of a giggle now. "I know how you feel for her."
"…Shut up."
"You think you are so clever at hiding your emotions don't you? But your horror at losing her is so painfully obvious. You are a fool. She only sees you as a fool, like some form of comic reli-"I SAID SHUT UP!"
The blast of golden light shoots forwards from his knuckles, and strikes Devimon right through the chest. Devimon screams once, long and hard, and Angemon is surprised, wondering if it was really that easy.
Then his surprise turns to horror when Devimon just grins slyly at him as the hole in his chest seals over and he stands in front of him, smirking broadly.
"W-what?"
Devimon flexes his long, bony fingers and grins. "I won't be beaten that easily this time my old friend. Not in my own prison!" Then he lunges at Angemon, hand swiping back as the claws rake forward to tear out Angemon's throat. "NOW WE END THIS!"
…
Cody screams as another explosion rocks the base and he tumbles forwards, hitting the ground hard and moaning in pain as Ryo runs to his side.
"This whole place is unstable." She mutters, glancing from side to side at the shaking walls. "Dang it Ken I would have at least thought you'd be able to build an adequate base."
"Ken didn't build this place." Wormmon says quietly, looking up at her. "It was already here when he appeared for the second time. Same with the Emperor outfit, the whip, the whole caboodle."
"So someone actually…wanted him to become the Emperor…?" Armadillomon blinks. "What kind of nutcase would want that?"
Ryo and Monodramon exchange dark looks with each other, as though they both have an idea they'd rather not think about. "It doesn't matter right now." Ryo mutters, clenching her teeth. "All that matters is getting out of here."
"But we can't leave the others!"
"Cody, we don't have a choice. Unless you want to die as well…" She flinches ever so slightly as the sound of another explosion echoes from downstairs.
Cody glowers at her. "No! What kind of a friend are you that you are so willing to desert others to save your own hide?"
Her eyes narrow. "Are you accusing me of being selfish you little runt? I'm trying to at least make sure YOU get out alive, you idiot."
"…You know there is such a thing called honour."
Ryo lets out a bitter laugh as she leans against the wall. "Honour? Buddy that died out a LONG time ago, believe you me. Trying to be honourable, to go down with the ship, doesn't save the ship. It just adds more death to the casualty list. You can do your best to try and STOP bad things from happening, but facing down the villain once all your friends are gone? Tell me what the point is to that. Because when it comes down to it, no honour in the world can make things right…..It can't erase the red in your ledger." She mutters the last part under her breath bitterly.
Cody stares at her. Even though he was so angry at her moments ago, now he doesn't feel any of that. Just a strong sense of pity. She doesn't seem like a cold-hearted banshee. She seems like someone whose been hurt several times and is close to giving up. Someone who doesn't have much hope and is just forcing themselves to carry on, to try and make things right, but not having to courage to stick with people.
"Look…Ryo…I know you might have given up a long time ago…but sometimes it's okay to put your heart first. That's what honour is about. It doesn't matter if you fail because that will happen and you will loose people. But shutting everyone else out and just giving up on them because you're scared to put heart and soul into friendships….that doesn't work either." He shakes his head. "I'm going. With or without you." He hesitates and then looks back at her. "I'm sorry."
Ryo's jaw drops open as she watches both him and Armadillomon run down the hallway without looking back. Monodramon slowly walks over and looks up at her. "Well?" He growls slightly as another explosion echoes. "Do you want me to just digivolve to Devidramon and get us out of here?"
Ryo hesitates, her eyes flickering to him and back to where Cody disappeared. She groans, raising her eyes to heaven. "I cannot BELIEVE I'm doing this. Cody! Wait up!"
…
I yelp as Wanyamon plunges into the shallow waters of the ocean and splashes me. "Hey…!" I groan as my shirt is now completely drenched in water. "I didn't need a bath, thanks much." Shaking the salt and sand out of my hair I blink as I see Tai standing there, blushing bright red.
"What?"
"Uh...Lils…that shirt's not exactly waterproof is it?"
I blink and look down to see that the outline of my bra is now very well defined underneath my shirt, and my face goes crimson red. Not willing to admit I'm embarrassed I raise my chin and strike a confident pose. "What? Not liking what you see Kamiya?"
"I-I didn't say…! I mean….!" His face turns bright red and then he rolls his eyes as I grin. 'You just live to mess with me, don't you?"
"Well you make it so darn easy." I smile as he picks up Wanyamon and scowls down at him. "This is all your fault you little hairball." He grumbles goodnaturely.
Wanyamon I could swear smirks. Mischief maker huh? Kid after my own heart. The next thing I know as I turn my back I'm pelted from behind with sand.
Twitching, I whirl back around to see both Tai and Wanyamon smirking at me, and I glower playfully. "Oh is that how you want it?"
Let's just say a quick wrestling match later and Tai is buried up to his knees in sand. Upside down. I'm laughing my head off as he struggles to get out before Wanyamon's ears perk up and he suddenly bounds off.
"Hey, wait where are you going?"
He bounds behind the cliff and I run after him as Tai finally frees himself and runs after me, no doubt with revenge on his mind.
"Wanyamon, come back alrea…." My voice trails off as I whirl around, and I freeze like Sorcerymon hit me with an Ice Arrow.
Tai sneezes out more sand as he walks up to me. "Lily, that really wasn't fun…" His voice trails off as he takes in what I'm seeing. His voice turns into a horrified whisper. "Oh…holy Yggdrasil…"
It's a village. Or it…was a village. It's in pieces now, bits of walls and roof all over the place. The leader's house, which was probably once large and majestic, now stands in shambles, huge chunks torn out of the roof, blackened from flames.
Something very angry came in here…..
"Kill…hunt….tear..blood…data…flesh…" Flames spew from her maw as the silly little creature below run, she lands on top of the roof and tears her claws in, ripping away the wood to find more of the cowards hiding inside, cowering in the corner.
A short blast takes care of them, but her frustration at not being able to find what she's looking for fills her. Black hair, auburn eyes, another roar of frustration. "LILLLYYYYYYYYYY!"
"Lily….Lily…!"
Someone's shaking my shoulders, hard, and with a start I finally come to. "W-what?" I manage to stammer weakly, clutching to Tai for support.
"Are you all right?" He whispers, holding me close.
"I…." My voice clogs up as I remember what I just felt, what I just sensed, and I rub my face with my hands repeatedly. "She needs me. NOW."
"Lily, do you see what this is?" Tai exclaims, gesturing to the destroyed village. "This is not Renamon's work, this is Megidramon's."
"They're one and the same!"
"No, they're not. If you see it like that than you could blame Renamon for this and I don't want to see that happen!"
"I'm not saying this is Renamon's fault Tai. But I am saying that some part of Megidramon still sees me as her partner. Why didn't she kill me immediately the first time she dark digivolved around me?"
"I…."
"Tai she did all of this…." I gesture to the wreck village. "Because she was looking for ME! That means it's partly my fault, which makes me feel like crap, but the point is, if she's looking to me that means even under the Emperor's control…or whatever being is really controlling her, she still knows me. And it might mean I could be the only one who can reach her."
"And what if you're wrong? You tried to reach her before and she almost had you for a snack!"
I glower at Tai, crossing my arms. "If things were switched around and it was Agumon who had been enslaved would you do a single thing different?"
He opens his mouth to argue…then closes it….slowly he turns his head back to Wanyamon, whose standing shaking in front of a pile of charred rubble.
"…His home…" Tai's face pales even more as Wanyamon keeps staring silently at the spot, golden eyes emotionless as though he can't understand what he's seeing. Without thinking, I scoop him up and hold him close to me.
"Wanya." He whispers, burying his face in my chest and I sigh. "I'm sorry little guy…." Before looking back at Tai. "Don't you understand now? Why I have to stop this?"
He hesitates, his brown eyes full of confliction….
…
"Matt!" Cody gasps, running forwards upon seeing the blonde lying near unconsciousness on the floor, blood trickling down his lower lip.
Ryo drops to his side and starts checking for a pulse, her hands drifting up to his neck and breathing a sigh of relief when she finds it.
He groans, his blue eyes slowly opening and looking up at her. "…Where's Gabumon?"
Ryo doesn't answer because at that moment a scream echoes from down the hallway, terrified and pained.
"GABUMON!"
Armadillomon races down the hall and, with speed you wouldn't think possible for an Armadillomon, curls up into a ball and rams several of the Bakemon dragging his friend off, leaving them in shreds with his claws.
"Hold on Gabumon!" Monodramon shouts, punching through several more and then whirling around to face Ryo. "You're going to have to give me an energy boost!"
"But you're too big in your Devidramon form!" She cringes as another explosion rocks the base. "You'd send everyone in this hallway crashing down!"
He growls in frustration, realizing the truth to her words. "Then…Ultimate level is the way to go…."
Her eyes widen in horror. "No. No way."
"Ryo, we don't have a choice!"
"It's too big a risk! Yeah you'd end up shredding through the Bakemon but maybe Gabumon too?"
"RYO!"
Her head whips around just as the Bakemon seem to vanish into the shadows…Matt's horrified scream echoes in her ears as she just stands there numbly, horror seeping through her body as she stares at the spot where the poor Digimon disappeared.
"Not again…" She whispers, her voice catching. "Oh Yggdrasil….could my past be any more stained?"
…
"Here we are."
Davis pants heavily, clinging to the rock wall as he asks Jijimon weakly, "Couldn't you have put an escalator instead of all these steps?"
Sora was breathing hard too, but not so exhausted she couldn't roll her eyes in exasperation at Davis' comment.
"What's an..eskaltor?" Jijimon asks curiously, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "Sounds like some kind of disease."
"Never mind." Biyomon smiles at him, feeling perfectly fine considering all she had to do was pretty much fly up. She had offered a ride to Sora but the young girl had declined saying someone other than Kari and Gatomon needed to watch Davis, because Kari wouldn't be hard enough on the boy, and Gatomon was liable to actually shove Davis over the edge.
The building they stand in front of is a simple shrine with a slanting grey roof with four large columns of stone supporting it. Markings are carved all over the stone pillars, and Sora is reminded with a jolt of the similar symbols she saw carved all over the pillars at Hawkmon and Armadillomon's temple.'
"Wha…what is this place?" She murmurs, staring at them as the others bound up behind her. Kari stares at the pillars, transfixed suddenly it seems like, resting her hand on one of them.
"For those who believe in miracles…." She whispers, tracing her fingers down a row of the symbols in the column right in front of her.
Jijimon beams. "Correct, my dear. This is the Temple of Miracles. I…." He placed a hand over his heart, "am its keeper. I believe that one of you might be the next to wield the Digiegg of Miracles…" He gestures over to the Digiegg, "after so many years…."
Sora and Kari glance at each other. Could this be a trap? Sora was doubting this more and more, Jijimon seemed more sincere than most Digimon she met. Kari glances at Gatomon, who shrugs as if to say, what can it hurt?
"Okay…we'll try…."
He nods and Sora steps into the shrine. She glances up and lets out a soft gasp. "Whoah…." The ceiling is decorated with murals all over it, depictions of battle, of a girl with long red hair dressed in armour fighting against some sort of dark angel while the rest of her team stormed out and challenged its army.
The more she watches the more the pictures….seem to be coming alive…flames from the battlefield scorching the walls, coming to life, roars echoing in her mind as what looked like some kind of dragon Digimon and some kind of bird slammed into each other, wrestling in mid air as they dove downwards, the howl of grief for those lost…
"No!"
She backs away, stumbling slightly, and Kari grabs onto her. "Are you okay?"
"I…" Her voice trails off as she looks over at Jijimon. "What was that?"
He smiles sadly. "Tales of one of the bloodiest wars ever fought on this planet. Lifelong friend VS lifelong friend…one became corrupted, the other was forced to betray him to stop it."
"That's an awful choice." Davis says quietly, his eyes flickering back to the mural of the girl with the flaming hair. Instead of looking battle ready her face looks…miserable…like she'd rather do anything else than be forced to do this.
"A horrible choice yes, but a brave one in the end. The fact is that she and her forces were horribly outnumbered and outpowered by those of her old friend. Yet somehow they still managed to pull a spectacular victory, bringing peace and freedom to the Digital World to do so."
He gestures towards the pedestal and the dirty, bulky object that sits on top of it. "Now…oblige an old mon and show me which one, if any of you, can move it."
With another glance at each other, the three of them shrug in unison before Sora steps up. She grasps both edges and pulls as hard as she can, but no dice.
"This is the Digiegg of Love all over again." She grumbles, walking off. Kari and Davis glance at each other.
"Now what? Both of us already have Digieggs?"
Davis shrugs. "Well if any of us are is the most likely to lift a holy Digiegg, it would be you Kari."
"Me, why?" She rolls her eyes. "And if you're response is some cheesy pickup line, like, "because you're an angel" I'm going to scream…."
"…Eh heh…never mind then…"
Sighing Kari walks over and tugs at the Digiegg. Nothing. She gestures over to Davis and Gatomon pushes him forward. "Well? Go on pretty boy."
"But…"
"Just do it!"
Davis hesitates, looking back over his shoulder at the others. Sora nods encouragingly, Biyomon smiles…or smiles the best way a bird can with a beak, Veemon grins and gives him a thumbs up, Gatomon rolls her eyes and gestures for him to hurry it up all ready and Kari-"I know you can do it Davis!"
…That's it. He HAS to do it now, that or die trying! His fingers stretch forward and the minute they brush against the edge of the dark cube, light explodes upwards in a brand new golden column.
"What the?"
He hears the startled cries from the others and at the same time he does not. Slowly his hand reaches out and touches the golden column. The sensation he feels is like none other, like the light is literally traveling up his arm and through his body, filling his very being.
"Davis Motomiya…." The voice rings in his ears, low and musical. "Are you…worthy…?"
"…I….I don't know." He whispers, his voice trailing off. "But I hope I am…"
The next thing he knows he's not with the others but in the middle of a golden desert, the wind buffeting at his face and sending sharp particles bouncing across his skin.
For a minute he's terrified that he's been transported to the middle of nowhere, that the cube was some kind of….dunno, Portkey like in Harry Potter, and now the girls are there on their own and CRAP Tai's gonna kill him.
But then he sees a huge crowd of Digimon at the top of the hill, and relief fills him, Maybe one of them can help!
"Uh…excuse me…" He tries, struggling to make it through the crowd. "Excuse me, can anyone…" His voice trails off as he looks up. And his stomach rises into his throat as he tries not to gag.
A bloody mass is tied to the top of the Control Spire, weakened, badly injured, and not moving at all. Swallowing hard he whispers, "W-what is going on?"
"This is to pay you back for all the suffering you've caused!" A Gotsumon screams before throwing a massive rock at the defenceless victim.
A scream erupts from the near-corpse but it comes out more as a whimper. Davis' eyes are wide with horror as he keeps watching.
"How do you like being the defenceless one, eh?" An Elecmon barks before he and his fellows blast the sap with electricity, full power.
Davis can't stand the screams that are erupting from this boy's mouth as his entire body convulses, and he runs forward. "Stop it! Stop it for Yggdrasil's sake, just STOP IT!"
He runs forward and stares upwards, and his revulsion turns to disbelief as the Digimon Emperor glares down at him.
"I don't need…" He coughs, blood spitting out as he does so. "YOUR help."
Davis takes a step back, torn between his innate desire to help people and his disgust for his enemy. But…right now…the Emperor looks less like a murdering sociopath…and more like a broken child…
"Would you take a chance on him?"
The voice echoes in his mind again, ringing in his skull. It's a woman's voice, he realizes that now, "An impossible chance…that this boy could be redeemed…."
"Redeemed?"
He glances back up at the Emperor and sees something else in the boy's eyes. More than just the anger and hate he usually sees. Just sadness…misery…grief…resolve….and something inside Davis churns at the sight.
"Would you?"
"…Yeah!" Davis turns around with a confident smile to face…well no one in particular, but that doesn't seem to matter right now. "Look at the whole Digital World! Everything about it….Veemon…my friendship with the others…me being picked to be a Digidestined at all…" He smiles. "All of that is a miracle! So who am I to doubt them?"
There's silence for a moment, and Davis can't help but wonder if he's said the wrong thing. The next thing he knows the golden light is everywhere, surrounding him and he throws a hand back to keep the light from his eyes as he falls backwards….
…
"You've got to be freaking kidding me…" I mutter as I peer around the edge of another cliff to the small enclave down below.
You would never have guessed that the giant, scaly monster lying curled up beneath us just ate an entire village a few hours ago. She's sleeping on her side with her tail occasionally twitching, her nose twitching the way Renamon's always does in a dream.
Her back right leg kicks outward suddenly a couple of times as she lets out a happy growl. If there's any of Renamon's mind left in there, I can guess that she's thinking about food. But that's not the sight I'm focusing on, hilarious and weird though it is.
A boy with his arms tied and twisted behind his back painfully sits whimpering in the space between Megidramon's legs and her tail, his face bruised and bloody and terrified.
Tai bites his lip and looks over at me, and it's all I can do to supress a groan. "We're not actually going to…we are, aren't we?"
"Lils, you know we can't leave him like that. Look at him. He looks more than just terrified, he looks sick and injured."
"He is sick. Sick in the head."
"Lily…" Tai gives me a look. "We're pretty sure Ken's not really the big player in this game anymore, remember? Odds are he's been messed with just as much as we have."
I hesitate before slumping my shoulders and crossing my arms as I sigh. "…Fine. But I get to punch him in the face at least once."
"The kid's pissed me off too, Lils, I get one punch as well."
A grin slips onto my face as Tai smirks at me before I lower my voice. "Come on." The two of us slowly make our way down the hill, me grabbing onto Tai and stopping him everytime I notice a loose stone that could go rolling or a twig that could snap under his shoe.
"Wanya?" A whisper of a voice asks, and Wanyamon is sitting on the hill above us ears pinned back as he stares down.
I put my finger to my lips and shake my head frantically. The last thing we need is to bring him along on something like this. In-Training dexterity is not exactly the stuff of legends. And if Megidramon wakes up and sees him, it'd just be like me popping a piece of popcorn into my mouth.
Ugh. There's an analogy I didn't need in my brain. I manage a confident smile Wanyamon's direction and he lets out a whimper so faint I doubt a Terriermon could have picked it up.
Ken looks up as the two of us walk over, carefully, CAREFULLY avoiding Megidramon's tail. His eyes narrow down to slits. "What do you-Mphf!" His voice is cut off as Tai's hand clasps over his mouth and he hisses, "Unless you want to be lunch, be still."
I glance uneasily back at Megidramon, who snarls in her sleep, curling her lip to show massive white fangs. I shudder and motion for Tai to step back. Unfortunately, Ken's face is full of terror as we try to carry him off…terror of us, I realize with a jolt, and before I can hiss at the moron that why in Yggdrail's name would we rescue him if we planned to kill him, he wrestles frantically in Tai's grasp to try and get away. Tai loses his balance and falls…right…on top…of Megidramon's tail….
…..OH ##%%%%%&&&** ^***((!
For a minute she doesn't react, and I think we'll be okay. Everyone is completely silent…..Tai slowly shoves himself to his feet as Megidramon keeps snoring and shoots Ken a "I'll kill you when we get out of this" look.
No…wait…that's not snoring that's GROWLING! "TAI GET OUT OF THERE!"
I ram into him full strength just as Megidramon's teeth clash together in the spot where he just was. Tai grabs Ken and drags him behind us as flames start forming in Megidramon's jaws.
"RUN!" I scream, shoving them forward and feeling the heat of the flames rushing towards us at speeds we can't hope to match.
Tai suddenly grabs my hand and yanks me to the left, pulling me along and Ken into a small crevice in the rock wall. It's freaking close to, as Megidramon's bladed tail literally swipes right above my head.
She snarls, roaring with frustration as her teeth gnash at the gap all three of us crouch in but unable to get at any of us.
"Thankfully the Dark Spiral makes her stupid as well as vicious…" I gasp. "She could just tear the cliff apart to get to us but I guess she hasn't thought of that yet."
"Don't jinx us." Ken hisses, cowering back as the forked tongue slips in and touches his knee. He shudders, terrified, and lets out a shriek of pain as the acidic saliva burns his knee.
"Somebody told me you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend…." A voice sings from my left pocket.
Tai twitches repeatedly as I reach into my left pocket. "I don't know what's worse…the fact that THAT of all your songs is your ringtone, or that you're actually answering your cell at a time like this!" He finishes with a shriek as Megidramon roars and snaps her jaws menacingly.
"You're not really choosing this time to answer a text, are you?" Ken shrieks as I flip the phone open.
"Hello?"
"Lily look it's me…." Sira sighs on the other end of the phone. I hear the sound of voices in the background and the sound of Sira setting down a glass. "Look I feel….somewhat…bad about our argument." Coming from Sira that's a "I'll do anything to have you forgive me."
"Uh…." I shudder as Megidramon's warm breath vibrates across my back. "No trouble! No trouble at-"Lily you moron just tell her what's going on!"
"I just feel sometimes…maybe…I take things out on you when I'm frustrated and I know that's not fair so-"SIRA!" I shriek, clutching the phone tighter to me, as the entire cave seems to shake. "I'm thrilled we're having this wonderful sisterly bonding moment, okay? Really, I am! But we're kind of about to be eaten BY MY OWN FREAKING PARTNER!"
There's silence for a moment and then Sira responds in a terse voice, "Hold on, I can't pick up any of your signals. Wait…" She growls on the phone. "Okay, I've got the fly's signal, just hold on, I'll be right there and you just WAIT until I get my hands on her irresponsible neck…." She curses before hanging up.
…Wait….Fly? My eyes widen as I scream pointlessly into the phone, "NO SIRA! WE'RE NOT WITH RYO! SIRA? SIRA PICK UP!"
…
Yolei keeps pushing pointless buttons on the computer, ready to cry. Nothing was working! Meanwhile the others were crowded around her, desperation in their eyes.
Damien had taken to growling in frustration, pacing back and forth and muttering under his breath. She couldn't hear him perfectly but she thought she heard Lily's name a few times.
That only made her feel more guilty. Damien walks over to her, a frustrated scowl on his face. "Any luck?" He demands and when she shakes her head he swears.
"She's trying the best she can!" Hawkmon snaps, glaring up at him.
"Yes, and clearly that's not enough!"
"I am trying." Yolei pleads, spinning the chair back around to face those grey eyes. "It's that this project is so high-tech and confidential that hacking in is extremely difficult."
"Project 70% complete…."
Damien clenches his teeth. "We don't HAVE that much time!" His heightened senses pick up the sound of something whirring from below and his eyes widen as another tube pops out, a mechanical clawed hand holding….
"Gabumon!"
The clawed hand holds Gabumon with surprising gentleness, lifting him off the tube ready to drop the moaning lupine in.
Damien leaps forward, his hand shining with dark energy. "LET HIM GO YOU ARGHHHHHH!" Another claw seems to pop out of nowhere and grabs hold of him, seizing him tightly and sending volt after volt of electricity into his body.
"DAMIEN!" Yolei screams, leaping up from her chair and running forwards just as Hawkmon leaps into the air, determination obvious on his face. "FEATHER STRIKE!" He cries, pulling the feather off his headband and throwing it like a boomerang into the claw. It slices right through the metal, causing electrical sparks to go flying everywhere and send Damien crashing down to the floor, breathing hard.
"Are you okay?"
She touches his burned face and groans. "Man…if we ever see her again Lily's gonna kill me for this." She glances up at the ceiling suddenly and her face pales. "MOVE!"
Grabbing Damien by the wrist she manages to pull him out of the way, a near impossible feat for such a young girl, and cringes as the cracks grow larger and the ceiling itself comes crashing down.
Amongst the dust and the smoke Angemon and the most terrifying being she's ever seen in her entire life, with its body so rotten and torn that she can even see part of its spine….
She can't help it. She screams, loud and hard as she backs away, terrified.
"YOLEI!" Angemon shouts as he slams another Hand of Fate at Devimon's chest right before the fallen angel smirks and teleports out of the attack's range. "You and Hawkmon get out of-ARGH!"
"ANGEMON!" She leaps up and runs forward as Devimon reappears behind Angemon and grabs him by the neck.
Furious as she sees Devimon start to choke her friend to death, she pulls out her D-3 and shouts, "DIGIARMOR-!"
"Not so fast…." Devimon hisses, grabbing Yolei as the other arm stretches far more than arms should be able to stretch, grabs her by the leg and dangles her upside down causing her to drop the D-3.
"HAWKMON!"
"YOLEI!"
Devimon completely ignores the little Rookie hacking away at him and pulls the choking Angemon closer to him. "Now do you see…." He hisses in his opponent's ear, "why fighting against the powers of darkness is so…futile?"
The only response is a seething look from beneath the helmet and a choked snarl. Still smirking, Devimon only releases Angemon to allow the angel to plummet into another tube. Wires immediately attach to his wings, pulling him under the green liquid and trapping him there. Devimon laughs out loud as he watches his old enemy writhe and scream as his data is pulled away.
"Now I've done it!" Beaming, he whirls around to face the main computer. "Now that I've done it, you will release me from my torment, won't you master?"
"Incorrect."
Devimon's red eyes blink as he takes a step back. "W-what? You gave your word!"
"Inconsequential. More data is needed for the final stage. You sold your soul to me eons ago….."
Yolei shivers in horror and takes a step back from the computer. That last sentence…didn't sound like a computer speaking.
"NO! NO YOU CAN'T!" Devimon screams, taking to the air and trying to run right before wires from the computer burst from the screen and encircle him. He screams again and again as he's dragged backwards INTO the computer, his body convulsing the entire time, and all Yolei can do is watch in horror.
The last thing she sees of him are his terrified, mad red eyes, and then…he's gone. The entire room seems to plunge into darkness, and Yolei grabs her D-3, panick stricken. "H-Hawkmon where are you? I can't see a thing!"
"Yolei!"
"99%...100'%..."
"BUST THEM OUT OF THERE HAWKMON! NOW!" She screams suddenly when the glass from the computer explodes outwards, and she ducks, hitting the ground and covering her head with her hands.
A roar, deranged and oddly high-pitched compared to Megidramon's but just as bloodthirsty echoes. A misshapen foot slams down in front of her, and she can only swallow hard as she looks up, into the twisted, mutated fiend's face.
Kimeramon….
