Author's Note: Since I skip two weeks once, do anyone wants two chapters, a little bonus, next week? Please tell me in review or in private chat. Otherwise I will post one chapter per week as usual! I should stop trying, lol.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon
Chapter 13: A Reliable Strength
Joe's POV
"This is horrible! Why do we have to fight every time!? And I thought Davis and the group took over the job already but they got turned evil instead! And everyone has powers except me! I'm the oldest! I'm supposed to be responsible for them!" Joe said in frustration.
"Joe, lighten up! You sound like Yolei!" Gomamon groaned.
"Well I can't help it now, can I?" Joe snapped.
Gomamon rolled his eyes, crawling to Joe's bedroom door, "Well then, the responsible Joe is late now!"
"Ah! Gomamon! Why didn't you tell me!?" Joe exclaimed, he quickly stuffed the rest of the precautionary items he have and then put Gomamon in his bag.
"Because you were complaining and packing a ton of useless stuff!"
"They are not useless!" Joe replied, running out of the door.
A few minutes later, "I'm here!" Joe wheezed, falling forward through the open door.
He sprang up, moving his fingers to push up his slipping spectacles.
"Man, I never thought I would miss seeing Joe like this!" Tai snickered.
"You became less clumsy and more responsible. I wonder is it because we are fighting for both worlds again." Izzy mused.
"Don't ponder it, Izzy!" Joe exclaimed, picking himself up and dumping his bag on the floor, letting Gomamon out.
"So, what's happening?" Joe asked, moving into the living room. "And why is Davis here!?"
"He came by himself, he guessed that there might be another meeting today," Sora whispered.
"I'm not as dumb as you think!" Davis smirked, obviously he heard Sora's answer.
"Well then, why don't you ever get my name right? It's been five years already!" TK joked.
"Shut it, TC!" Davis grumbled, making the whole room laugh.
"To answer your earlier question, Joe. We were about to wake Yolei up." Izzy said.
"Yeah, great idea." Davis interrupted sarcastically.
"As Izzy was saying, we were about to wake Yolei up before going to the Digital World to meet up with Gennai. Without Davis, of course." Matt replied while glaring at Davis.
"Why not!?" Davis protested.
"So, let's get on with it!" Tai said, ignoring Davis.
"Don't ignore me! I want in on the adventure! It's been boring for five years!" Davis exclaimed.
Everyone glared at Davis before Sora gestured for TK and Kari to start.
Joe saw Davis watched in awe as TK and Kari presented their powers. Joe wished he had his, then he wouldn't feel like a burden.
Yolei gasped before tears leaked out of her eyes. "Ohmigosh, don't hurt us! Ken!"
"Calm down, Yolei. You're safe." Hawkmon comforted his partner having realized where they are.
"Yolei! I'm so glad you're alright!" Mimi exclaimed happily, hugging the lavender-haired girl tightly.
"Mimi?" Yolei widened her eyes, blinking them repetitively.
"Wow, Yolei's actually speechless." Davis quipped, grinning like an idiot.
"Davis!" Everyone shouted.
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! I just wanted to lighten up the mood." Davis mumbled.
Yolei had untangled herself from Mimi's arms, jumping and hugging Davis. "I thought we lost you! Ohmigosh, where's Cody!?" Yolei shouted, looking left and right frantically.
"Is she going to start ranting? I have the earplugs here." Tai said quietly.
"Shh, Tai. Let's leave Davis to explain. We need to go now. We had already filled him in about yesterday!" Matt replied, smiling in a very suspicious way.
The eight Digidestined moved slowly into the kitchen, their partners followed them.
"Wait! Are you seriously going to leave me here!?" Davis yelled desperately, trying to pry off Yolei.
"Sorry Davis! Good luck!" Kari replied sweetly, waving as she vanished into the gate that TK had opened.
Joe followed suit, shooting an apologetic glance at Davis.
Daemon's POV
"Almost... I'm so close... I might have lost two slaves but their purpose was to stall. The Dark Spore's power is nearly at its peak! Go! Give me more time!" Daemon sneered at a figure hidden in shadow, only his glowing red eyes were seen.
Daemon saw him bowed his head and melded into the shadows before turning back to behold the quivering form of Ken.
"The more fear he has, the more pain he feels, those emotions powers the Dark Spore and soon its power will be mine!" Daemon roared with laughter, his head tossed back and his eyes widened in crazy joy.
Mimi's POV
Having hit her butt again due to the stupid portal, Mimi walked towards Izzy. Though she was happy that Yolei was fine, she really does not appreciate hitting her butt every time they come to the Digital World.
"Izzy, could you please make that program?" Mimi asked extremely nicely, having the pleasure of seeing Izzy sweat. Everyone knows how scary she can be when she is faking to be nice.
"Mimi!" Palmon called.
"Not now Palmon," Mimi replied, looking hard at Izzy.
"Sorry, Izzy!" Sora apologized, pulling Mimi away.
"Sora!" Mimi exclaimed.
"Izzy's working on it! Right now there's a more serious problem?" Sora pointed at an old man walking out of the temple near them.
"Fine! But I wonder why Gennai decided to look old? He was more of a hunk when he was younger." Mimi mumbled.
"That's cause this is the form you older Digidestined are more used to," Gennai replied, having overheard her.
"Oh." That was all Mimi could say.
"Izzy, I assume you have a lot of questions to ask me but now's not the time."
"Affirmative, Gennai. But I still want to know."
"As usual, the curious one." Gennai laughed heartily. "Then I will tell the most important things."
"Well get on with it!" Tai said impatiently, tapping his foot on the ground. Mimi noticed Sora didn't hit him, usually she does. Mimi looked at Sora and saw her face flushed.
"No more force of habit, Sora?" Mimi giggled, poking her, a deeper red appeared on Sora's face.
"I have explained the Crests and Ryo. But now Homeostasis. She was a program made by Yggdrasil to keep the balance of the two worlds when Yggdrasil lost control. There might be worlds where Yggdrasil still rule but I'm not sure about that. It seems that she had decided to aid you in awakening your true powers by clearing your doubts if there are any." Gennai spoke with such wisdom that no one made a sound, well, except Tai.
"But five of us heard her when we got our powers! TK and Kari didn't. And didn't last time she said that only Kari could hear her?" Tai asked.
"That is because they haven't awoken their powers fully. Remember they will have a harder time doing so because of Daemon. And to answer your second question, Homeostasis couldn't do much under the influence of the Dark Masters." Gennai explained.
"But what's our power exactly? Tai's and Matt's are obvious. Mimi is probably control over plants? TK and Kari is some kind of purification. I and Sora are more mysterious." Izzy stated.
"Tai's Courage burned like fire, Matt's Friendship is cool as ice. Mimi's Sincerity binds the truth. Sora's Love holds authority. Izzy's Knowledge peered into secrets. TK's Hope cast a shield against Darkness. Kari's Light breaks the Darkness." Gennai explained.
"Please be more specific, Gennai," Matt asked.
Sighing, Gennai continued, "Tai's power is fire, Matt's ice, Mimi's power is to bind things and Sora's is to order but can be broken if the person is really strong-willed. Izzy can access the Digicode of the Digital World, allowing programs that were once nearly impossible to become easier. TK's power is to cast a barrier against evil and Kari to destroy it. I went to all the trouble to make it sound cooler, kids have no appreciation these days."
"Woah, cool!" Tai smiled goofily.
"But Izzy's program didn't work the second time!" Joe exclaimed.
"Did he use his powers? The program that he made alone wasn't enough, he had to fight against the Dark Spore's power." Gennai clarified.
"Now that you mention it, Izzy didn't get surrounded by numbers yesterday during the time he was activating the program," Tentomon answered.
"Oh yeah, Izzy was surrounded by numbers when we were fighting Davis!" Sora said.
"So that means we can't use our powers just like that? Even though TK and Kari could?" Mimi asked.
"Every hero needs practice. To gain full mastery of your Crests." Gennai stated plainly.
"So we have to practice?" Tai groaned.
"Looks like it. But how? We can't even activate our powers at will yet!" Izzy informed the others.
"You need to hold the same feelings of when you first used your powers. It will get easier after that." Gennai explained, hoping to help. "TK and Kari, it's better if you don't practice. You have control over it already and should save up your strength for when you save your friends."
"Save or be destroyed by that very friend." A calm and mature voice spoke with a sinister tune.
"Ok, let me guess, it's Cody on an Airdramon!" Tai said.
"And the Mega form of Armadillomon beside him," Matt added.
"And now we should run!" Joe finishes and the Digidestined plus Gennai and their Digimon quickly ran away as a blast created a crater when they once stood.
"It's impolite to not reply a courteous greeting," Cody said.
"And it's not polite to attack defenceless people!" Tai retorted.
"Oh. Then I will stop." Cody answered.
"Wait, he actually did?" Joe asked unbelievably, turning around and letting out a shocked gasp.
Mimi looked stupidly at the magnificent angel Digimon. It was black all over, with blades on his wings and body.
"Woah, Armadillomon digivolves to an Angel Digimon?" TK asked.
"I do not know, TK. Perhaps it's because of the influence from DNA digivolving with Angemon?" Izzy replied.
"No time to ponder it, Izzy. Cody might have stopped but there's definitely another Control Spire somewhere so get your program running!" Tai yelled urgently.
"But I don't know how to make my powers work!" Izzy yelled back.
"You're the smart one! You find out! I'm going to fight even so." Tai said strongly, his body suddenly wrapped in orange light, flames danced around him.
Mimi watched in utter amazement, this was the first time she saw Tai using his powers.
"Don't leave me behind, Tai. I got your back." Matt said, the temperature around dropped lower as his body got shrouded in blue light.
"Not again, you two! Agumon and Gabumon aren't in their Mega forms, they can't protect you!" Sora shouted disapprovingly.
"They are gonna fight with us! Right, Agumon?" Tai replied, the light fading, leaving his Crest glowing.
Matt smirked, his Crest glowed alone, the light ebbed away from his body.
"Argh! I can't believe them!" Sora groaned, "Do something, Gennai!"
"They are slowly grasping how to activate their powers. Though weak, if used in a correct strategy, it can be strong. Digidestined of Love and Sincerity, help them." Gennai replied.
"And how exactly do we do that!?" Sora growled, her body enveloped in red light.
"Um... Sora?" Kari called.
"Later Kari! Right now I want these two not to rush into battle!" Sora commanded.
"Yes, madam!" Tai and Matt chorused, saluting Sora.
"Eh? What?" Sora gasped and looked weirdly at the boys.
"Sora, your power is to command, remember?" Mimi said. "You should use this on Tai when got the chance!" Mimi whispered this to her.
Sora blushed deeply at the comment, turning away.
"So we attack that Patamon and Gatomon can destroy the tower!" Mimi exclaimed.
"SlashAngemon, Mega form of Armadillomon. Blades cover its wings and hands, fit to tear evil Digimon to pieces"
"No need to, Mimi. I did it!" Izzy informed her, his body glowing purple and numbers swirled around him.
Mimi watched as purple gems appeared above each Digimon, creating some kind of flexible barrier around them.
"We are still fighting, okay? Take it as practice!" Tai pleaded with Sora, his Crest still glowing.
"Fine! But I'm not doing it! My power is useless in a fight anyway!" Sora huffed, Mimi knew she can't take Tai's puppy eyes.
"Agumon! Warp digivolves to... Wargreymon!"
"Gabumon! Warp digivolves to... Metalgarurumon!"
"Tentomon! Warp digivolves to... HerculesKabuterimon!"
"Palmon! Warp digivolves to... Rosemon!"
"Biyomon! Warp digivolves to... Hououmon!"
"Gomamon! Digivolves to... Ikkakumon!"
"Ikkakumon! Digivolves to... Zudomon!"
"Patamon! Digivolves to... Angemon!"
"Angemon! Digivolves to... MagnaAngemon!"
"Gatomon! Digivolves to... Angewomon!"
Tai's POV
Tai and Matt hopped onto their Digimon's backs. Mimi decided to stay below, providing back-up, she said it so sincerely that her Crest had glowed and she was ready for action.
"So you are finally ready? I hope this will be an exciting fight." Cody nodded to them.
"He really is polite, isn't he?" Tai said.
"Well, better than someone I know," Matt answered sarcastically.
"Hey!" Tai yelled.
"Not wanting to disturb your wonderful chat but Cody's attacking!" Wargreymon said with a hint of urgency, jumping out of the way.
"Well, let's give him a fight worthy of his attention!" Tai yelled, hands ablaze with fire.
"Starlight Explosion!" Hououmon released golden particles onto SlashAngemon. SlashAngemon sliced the golden particles, emerging undamaged.
"That's scientifically impossible! Such fine dust cut up like that?" Izzy exclaimed.
"Don't care about it, Izzy!" Matt replied, blasting ice spears from his hands which were also cut up in seconds.
Green ropes shot up and wrapped themselves around SlashAngemon, tightening around him. SlashAngemon just spun and cut the ropes easily.
"Those blades are troublesome!" Mimi exclaimed.
"Well, he won't be able to cut through my Rose Spear!" Rosemon shouted, aiming her strengthen vine to attack him.
"Impossible!" Rosemon breathed when SlashAngemon destroyed her vine.
"Is that all you've got?" Cody asked in a sinister way.
"Cody got a personality change!" Tai quipped.
"SlashAngemon, destroy them!" Cody ordered.
"Look out!" TK yelled as SlashAngemon tunnelled through the air, heading right for the two Angel Digimon.
"Golden Ripper!" SlashAngemon sliced through the two Angel Digimon, causing them to de-digivolve.
"Gatomon!" "Patamon!" The two partners yelled, catching their battered Digimon.
"What happened to the kid who hates killing Digimon!?" Matt exclaimed.
"He's gone!" Cody answered maliciously, "Destroy them all, SlashAngemon!"
"Golden Ripper!" This time the five Mega Digimon and Zudomon was struck, crashing into the ground.
"Matt! Tai!" Mimi shouted, using her power to grab them from the air, putting them gently to the ground.
The five Mega laid on the ground, bruised and unmoving while Zudomon had returned to being Gomamon.
"One attack and this much damage?" TK said, holding Patamon tightly in his arms, his eyes blazing with the hatred for evil.
"He's too strong..." Tai breathed out, his eyes widened in horror. What can they do now?
Joe's POV
When Joe saw Tai say that, he finally snapped.
"We can't give up! We never had! So what if we're losing!? We still fought against the Dark Masters! We fought against Apocalymon! Why are you guys giving up!?" Joe yelled.
"Woah, Joe! I didn't say we're giving up! But you stole my words out of my mouth!" Tai said.
"I will not give up! I'm the oldest but it doesn't mean I have to still take care of you guys! We have all grown up afterall!" Joe said so calmly that he was sure everyone thinks he's weird.
"That's the way, Joe!" Gomamon shouted weakly, standing up if you called on all four paws standing. The five Mega followed suit.
"You have done well, Digidestined of Reliability. Now release the power within you." Joe heard a voice in his head, he immediately thought of what Tai and the others said.
"Gomamon! Warp digivolves to... Vikemon!"
"Vikemon, the Mega form of Gomamon. It lives in the coldest region of the Digital World, it's fur is as strong as Chrome Digizoid! It's Arctic Blizzard attack can freeze you solid."
"That's our good old reliable Joe!" Tai exclaimed in joy after a good look at the newest Digimon.
Joe stared at the huge beast beside him, clad in armor and huge morning stars on his back.
"Come on guys! Let's beat that evil angel!" Vikemon roared.
The six Mega Digimon charged and released their attacks.
"Terra Force!" "Metal Wolf Claw!" "Starlight Explosion!" "Forbidden Temptation!" "Horn Buster Kai!" "Arctic Blizzard!"
SlashAngemon just spun and destroyed each attack.
"Man, that guy's really tough!" Matt grumbled. "How are we gonna beat him!?"
"You guys don't call me 'good old reliable Joe' for nothing!" Joe exclaimed, his body glowing grey, a good grey. He whipped up his hands and a tornado suddenly appeared around SlashAngemon, trapping him within.
"Awesome! Now we can attack!" Kari yelled, signalling the Digimon to attack again.
"Terra Force!" "Metal Wolf Claw!" "Starlight Explosion!" "Forbidden Temptation!" "Horn Buster Kai!" "Arctic Blizzard!"
Being whirl around uncontrollably, SlashAngemon was unable to defend itself, getting hit directly. The force was hard enough to push him out of the tornado.
"Underhanded tricks! Fight fairly!" Cody retorted angrily.
"Um... Sorry?" Tai replied, before turning to the Digidestined. "I got an idea."
"Well, tell us then, genius," Matt replied.
"Joe, you are in the center of this!" Tai called to him. "This is more than underhanded now!"
"Do it, SlashAngemon," Cody ordered.
"Now!" TK yelled when SlashAngemon tunnelled towards them.
Joe raised his hands and another tornado formed, but this time Tai and Matt add in their powers too. A fire tornado mixed with sharp icicles spiralled around SlashAngemon.
"Prodigious!" Izzy exclaimed when he saw the ingenious plan of Tai's. "I guess Tai can come up with good plans when he wants to!"
"Terra Force!" "Metal Wolf Claw!" "Starlight Explosion!" "Forbidden Temptation!" "Horn Buster Kai!" "Arctic Blizzard!"
The Digimon released their strongest attacks, knowing that this chance is all they have. Combined with the fiery tornado and the six attacks, SlashAngemon was flung out of the tornado and de-digivolve back to Armadillomon.
"No!" Cody screamed in anger.
"Yes!" The eight Digidestined cheered, TK having captured both Cody and Armadillomon in his shields.
Everyone moved far away from TK and Kari as they were about to start to purify Cody, while the Digimon had destroyed the tower and returned to their standard forms.
"But then Joe, the wind is an element of running away, isn't it? It fits you a lot!" Tai smirked, patting Joe on his back.
"Tai! Don't be rude!" Sora yelled at him when Joe looked downcast, "It's thanks to him, we won, you know!"
"Joe's Reliability might be fleeting but it will always be there. Like the air that surrounds us." Gennai explained.
"That doesn't sound good either..." Joe sighed.
"Bear with it, Joe!" Gomamon answered.
Then screams shattered the air before it stopped.
"They're fine now," Kari informed them, slumping onto the ground, leaning onto TK.
Joe saw Tai visibly twitched and Matt held him back from slaughtering his little brother.
"Then let's go home! I hope Davis didn't die from boredom." Mimi joked lightly, causing the Digidestined to laugh.
Another battle probably awaits them tomorrow, but for once, Joe wasn't so worried.