IT LIVES! AND I GOT IT UPDATED BEFORE MIDNIGHT! *dies*
Writer's block is an evil thing......I'm sorry for the wait, but I was also dealing with stuff that basically depressed me too much to write...and I hate writing when I'm depressed because it always leads to character suffering. (And I mean unnecessary character suffering. Excess drama and stuff like that - things I've been trying to purge from my universe entirely. Some of it in a story here and there works. Too much.......and I find it ridiculous......)
(Not only that, but deviantART chatrooms are additcting......especially the RP ones......)
As usual, I don't own Digimon - just the plot, certain characters' pasts, and some different Digivolution lines I came up with that made sense.
Chapter Twelve: A Moment of Peace
That night, at Light Castle, things were going rather well. Kuzuhamon, Noah, and Labramon were working while Ophanimon and Nefertimon had gone to Forest Castle to meet with Seraphimon and Cherubimon (Nefertimon was there as Lady Beast Regent). Beelzemon was in the storage shed where Behemoth was being kept, making sure the motorcycle wasn't going to kill anyone.
While Beelzemon was taking care of Behemoth, Takato and Guilmon showed up at the castle itself.
"Kato-kun and Guilmon, what brings you here?" Labramon asked the duo.
"Well," Takato said. "We showed up for more training, but since too many of the others were busy, I figured Guilmon and I could hang out here for awhile."
"Oh, okay," Labramon said. "Though I find it only fair to warn you guys……Beelzemon's here."
"I thought that he lived in the Dark Area," Takato asked.
"He does," Noah said, walking up to them. "It's just…complicated…"
"When can we have bread?" the ever-hungry Guilmon asked. "I want Guilmon Bread."
"Um……we only have normal bread…" Noah said.
Guilmon was starting to look dejected, but a rustling from Takato's backpack made the little dragon's eyes light up with joy. Takato had just pulled out a loaf of bread shaped like his naïve partner's head.
"Bread!" Guilmon said happily, taking the loaf from his Tamer's hands and beginning to eat it happily.
"I figured out a long time ago to have a few loaves of Guilmon Bread ready for him to eat," Takato said to Noah.
"Well, if it keeps Guilmon quiet…" Noah said. "I'll make sure some……extra food gets prepared for Guilmon."
"Thanks, Noah," Takato said gratefully. The peace and good will lasted for about two more seconds and ended when a loud, irritated groan came from the doorway.
"Not you two again!" Beelzemon growled.
"Hi, Beelzemon," Guilmon said. "Do you want bread? It looks like me."
"No, I don't, you little pineapple-head," the Demon Lord said scathingly.
"Leave him alone, Beelzemon," Takato told the Mega.
"What? It's true," Beelzemon said.
"Guys, cool it," Noah said, walking between the two so they wouldn't get into a fight.
"I'm already calm. It's Beelzemon who's trying so hard to start a figh – are those bandages?"
Beelzemon growled at the human. "That is none of your business."
"What's going on?" Kuzuhamon said, finally drawn into the room by all the noise. "Oh, uh……hi, Takato and Guilmon."
"Hello, Kuzuhamon," Guilmon said to the Mega Digimon.
"Hey, Kuzuhamon," Takato began, already feeling the death glares from Beelzemon. "How did Beelzemon get those bandages?"
"Um…that's not really that important…" Kuzuha said to the human teenager.
"Someone tried to take Beelzemon's position as Lord of Gluttony," Takato said. It wasn't so much a question as a statement of fact.
"Um…"
"Shut up, goggle head," Beelzemon snapped. "It isn't any of your business."
"Well, I could help! We are allies!"
"And the other Demon Lords don't know that I'm allied with you, you moron! If they find out, I'm as good as dead!" he snarled. "And so's Kuzuhamon," he finished coldly.
He's trying to protect her, Takato realized. "And the last time you tried to take on something big by yourself, the D-Reaper almost killed you," he said. "And if it wasn't for Grani, you'd have been absorbed by the D-Reaper for sure!"
"That was different," Beelzemon said. "I know how to fight Murmuxmon now."
"Yeah, but can you do it without getting yourself killed?" Takato asked. "I remember your kamikaze mission to save Jeri when she was captured by the D-Reaper."
If looks could kill, Takato would have been brutally slaughtered and ripped to pieces by the force of Beelzemon's guns. Beelzemon's blood red eyes met Takato's reddish brown ones, and the human had no choice but to either step up to the challenge he saw in the demon's gaze or look away. Takato sighed and chose the latter. He remembered all too well what had happened the last time he let his anger with Beelzemon get the best of him - and the Tamer wasn't sure if he would be as lucky a second time.
"Anything else you'd like to add, goggle head?"
"No," Takato said. I won't tell Kuzuhamon about how you once tried to kill me and my friends so you could have power, he thought.
"That's what I thought," Beelzemon said, walking past the Tamer.
"Kamikaze mission?" Kuzuha whispered to her Demon Lord.
"It's a long story. I'll tell you later," Beelzemon said to her.
"All right," Kuzuhamon said before continuing with her work.
"Hey guys, dinner's ready!" Noah called from the dining area. The digital human had shown quite an aptitude for the culinary arts, and also enjoyed cooking for the inhabitants of Light Castle.
"Coming!" Kuzuha said from where she was – which was on top of a ladder. As she began to climb down from the ladder, Kuzuha slipped and began to fall from the near-dizzying height, taking a few books with her.
The fox woman's scream as she fell caused Beelzemon to immediately look up from the book he was reading to pass the time.
Kuzuhamon! Beelzemon thought in horror as he saw her purple form fall. Ignoring the stab of pain from an injury not yet fully healed, Beelzemon rushed over in an attempt to catch her.
The whole little event ended with Kuzuhamon landing rather awkwardly on Beelzemon, her face hitting him in the abdomen (and, unfortunately, the injury, causing Beelzemon to growl in pain). And just to add injuries to more injuries, the corner of one of the books smacked Kuzuhamon on the head, causing her to flinch in pain.
And to top it all off, Takato, Guilmon, Noah, and Labramon all ran into the room when they heard the noise.
"Um……are you guys okay?" Takato asked, concerned for the pair. It took all the discipline Takato had gained from being a Tamer and a Royal Knight to keep from staring at the couple's rather.........interesting positioning.
Beelzemon tried to sit up when he noticed the mortified expression on Kuzuhamon's face. The embarrassment almost was enough to kill her.
And if embarrassment could kill, Kuzuha would have died multiple times by that point.
"Takato, shut up," Beelzemon growled.
"Are you and Kuzuhamon playing a game?" Guilmon asked.
"No, pineapple-head, we're not."
"It looks like a game…"
"It isn't, pineapple-head."
"But I wanna play, too! Can Kuzuhamon and I play next? I'll land on top of her because she might squish me..."
Before Beelzemon could go on a rampage at Guilmon's innocent (though misguided) phrasing, Noah had helped Kuzuha to stand up. The fox woman Digimon was wincing as she touched the small bump that had formed on the back of her head.
"Are you all right?" Beelzemon said, getting up and going over to her side immediately.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Kuzuha said.
Beelzemon didn't look convinced as he looked at the smaller Mega.
"Guys…food's gettin' cold," Noah said.
"Right," Beelzemon said, taking Kuzuhamon's hand and walked with her into the dining room.
After the strange little group ate their dinners, Beelzemon and Kuzuhamon went upstairs, leaving the Rookie Digimon and their human (or digital human) companions alone to talk and hang out.
"Where are Beelzemon and Kuzuhamon going, Labramon?" Guilmon asked the canine. "Can we go with them?"
"Um…I think it's best if we just let that alone, Guilmon…" Labramon said. "Beelzemon's already mad enough as it is....."
Upstairs, Beelzemon had just been allowed into Kuzuhamon's room after the fox woman had changed. He noticed with some regret (and to Kuzuhamon's relief when she saw it) that Nefertimon had moved a second bed into the room for Beelzemon's use.
"So……don't crawl in with me if ya get cold," he said when he noticed the second bed.
"Yeah, I wasn't planning on it. I'm certain if I get cold I can always find Lord Ulforceveedramon to help me," Kuzuha said teasingly, having completely forgotten about his reaction to said Royal Knight's visit that morning.
Beelzemon growled. "Don't even mention that, Kuzuhamon," he said.
"Oh…I'm sorry, Beelzemon," she said.
"I should hope so. You scared me for a minute."
"I……scared you?" Kuzuhamon gaped in astonishment. "I....scared a Demon Lord?"
Beelzemon looked away.
"I see……you're afraid of losing me, aren't you?"
"What was your first clue, Kuzuhamon?" Beelzemon asked. "My reaction this morning, how I hate leaving you after our dates, how I saved you, what?"
"I……I didn't realize. I'm sorry."
The Demon Lord sighed. "It's okay. I'm not mad at you. It's just…that Ulforceveedramon. Pretty much all the Royal Knights in general who treat you like a weakling."
"Hey, you did too, at first," Kuzuha pointed out.
"And did I or did I not start training you so you can kick some serious butt?"
"True…"
"I just wish we could have some decent time to train…but I have to get back to the Dark Area Castle soon and destroy Murmuxmon."
"I know, Beelzemon," Kuzuhamon said. "Why don't we go to sleep? Maybe things will look better when we wake up?"
"Good idea," he said, flopping down onto his bed. Kuzuhamon smiled at him and crawled into her own. "Now, you know I was just kidding when I said that thing about you being cold, right?"
"Oh shut up," she said, throwing a pillow at him. "Now, about that kamikaze mission Takato mentioned…"
"Oh……that…" Beelzemon said. "Well, I felt bad about what I did to Jeri's partner, and when she was the D-Reaper's prisoner, I tried to save her. That…almost killed me. I wasn't as aware as I shoulda been, and I got badly hurt."
"I see……well, at least you survived, right?"
"Yeah. I just wish I could make up for what I did."
"You will," Kuzuhamon said. "Actually, since you tried to save her, I think she may have already forgiven you."
"Good point," Beelzemon said. "We should get some sleep, now."
"All right," Kuzuhamon said. "Good night, Beelzemon."
"Night, Kuzuha," he said.
The next morning, when Kuzuha checked Beelzemon's wounds, she found that they had finally healed completely.
"Looks like you can go home now," Kuzuhamon said, a bit sad that he'd healed that fast.
"After breakfast, okay?" he said as he pulled on the bits and pieces of his outfit that had been left unworn for the past couple of days, such as his boots and gloves. He finished dressing, all but for the scarf he normally wore tied around his left arm.
"Aren't you gonna put that on?" Kuzuha asked.
"Eh. You keep it. What with you bein' all sad about me goin' back to the World of Darkness and all, I figured you'd need something to keep you sane."
"I'll be fine," Kuzuha said. "But thanks, Beelzemon. Who knew you had a soft side?"
"Just don't let it get around, ya know? I have a reputation, Kuzuhamon."
"Don't the other Demon Lords think you're dead?"
"So?"
Kuzuhamon just laughed and hugged him. "You'll be careful, right?"
"Yeah, I'll be careful, Kuzuhamon. I really don't want a repeat performance of a couple of days ago. That wasn't very fun."
"Imagine my position. I had to bandage you! You're heavy."
"That isn't nice…you'll hurt my feelings with that kinda talk, Kuzuha…"
"You'll live, you lump."
"Lump?"
"Well, it's true. You're very lumpy."
"When you put it that way……" he trailed off, smiling suggestively at his girlfriend.
"Beelzemon!" Kuzuha snapped, turning bright red.
"It was a thought…and you're the one who brought it up."
"You know what I meant."
"I most certainly did, Kuzuhamon," he said, giving her a quick kiss.
"……………………you…are a perverted little freak," Kuzuha growled.
The Demon Lord looked surprised and hurt at this.
"But…you're also my freak," Kuzuhamon added, hugging him tightly. "Be careful, Beelzemon. I already lost everything else that mattered to me. Don't make me lose you, too," she told him, letting him go, small tears in her eyes.
"Kuzuha…" Beelzemon said, wiping them away. "I…I'll be fine."
"You better," Kuzuha said. "Otherwise I'm gonna find you and kick your butt!"
Beelzemon smiled at his girlfriend and went downstairs. "I'll see ya after this blows over," Beelzemon told her.
"Okay," Kuzuhamon said as he left. Please…stay safe……she thought, clutching the bandana to her.
In the library, Ophanimon was reading as the Demon Lord was making his way out.
"Are you going to go back to the castle?" Ophanimon asked.
"I have to. As much as I'd rather be here with Kuzuhamon, I have to go back because I'm needed more there," Beelzemon said.
"Thank you," the angel told him. "I know this must be hard, but I truly am thankful for what you've chosen to do for us."
"Yeah, well…Ophanimon?"
"Yes?"
"Will it ever be over? Will the Demon Lords ever really be beaten?" Beelzemon asked.
"I don't know. I hope it ends soon, but they have so many tricks up their sleeves…"
"I just…ah, never mind…I'll be back in a few days," he said.
Ophanimon smiled at the Demon Lord as he left the castle.
In the storage shed, Beelzemon tapped Behemoth to get the motorcycle's attention.
"Come on, we're goin' back."
Behemoth revved up, and then turned back to the castle.
"I know Kuzuha's still there. She can't come to the World of Darkness with us, you know that."
Behemoth turned around slowly towards the door and waited for Beelzemon to get on. Within minutes, Demon Lord and sentient motorcycle were speeding back to retake the title of Lord of Gluttony.
Another chapter done! And this one will be a LOT longer than its predecessor, I promise. Master Copy: 75 pages and counting! (This chapter ended on page 39 on the Master Copy)
I hope you enjoyed, and please review!
