SailorStar9: Chapter 12 goes up. This is Chapter 13.

Disclaimers: I do not own the animes, expect the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 13: Kurata's Revenge

"Merukimon!" Keenan shouted as both he and Falcomon rushed to the fallen Digimon's side.

"My Lady…" Merukimon gaped, looking at Lilith. "You have… truly returned… the moment I saw Ophanimon… I knew it was you…"

"Save your strength, Merukimon." Lilith told him.

"Falcomon, we can help." Keenan told his partner.

Kurata chuckled, "Too bad. But there's no help to get, he's done for."

"You snake!" Marcus fumed. "I'll do everything I can to make sure you go down for this!"

"What are you going to do?" Kurata mocked. "Sic your Digimon on me like a puppy? Agumon won't be around much longer either, along with the rest of them."

"What?" Marcus demanded.

"They are all going bye-bye." Kurata smirked. "My plan is a simple one: the elimination of all Digimon."

"Elimination?" Marcus echoed.

"Of all the Digimon?" Agumon gasped.

"That's unbelievable!" Yoshi added.

"What even makes a man have evil thoughts like that?" Thomas asked.

"Well, I'll tell you." Kurata replied. "I learnt the true nature of Digimon about ten years ago. I discovered that a Digimon's first instinct upon seeing a human is to attack immediately. Now, some resist the impulse better than others. But sooner or later, they all attack. That's why it's imperative to destroy them before they destroy us. And now, with Merukimon almost out of the way, that task is about to get much easier."

You're wrong about Digimon!" Yoshi rebuked. "There's proof they can live peacefully among us!"

"Of course!" Lalamon chirped. "Just look at all of us!"

"Yeah, Agumon is the best friend I ever had!" Marcus agreed. "I think if you and Merukimon were would have just listened to each other, you could have worked something out. But not you!"

"Why are you freaking out so much?" Kurata asked. "I'm just doing our world a favor by getting rid of the Digimon."

"Oh yeah?" Marcus challenged. "Maybe I should do us a favor and get rid of you!"

"Gizmon AT!" Kurata called out to his invention to protect him.

"Fall out!" he ordered his troops as Gizmon AT landed in front of the charging Marcus.

"Stop right there!" Marcus demanded, but was stopped by Kurata's Digimon. "What is this thing?"

"It's show time." Kurata grinned. "Let's give them a preview of Gizmon's power."

"Yeah, let's!" Marcus agreed, as he leapt up. "And I'll give you a preview of mine!"

"It's fighting time!" he shouted, landing a punch on Gizmon AT. "Let's go Agumon! D.N.A Full Charge!"

"Agumon warp digivolve to RizeGreymon!" Agumon declared as he evolved.

"Trident Revolver!" RizeGreymon fired his attack.

"Bullseye!" Marcus beamed.

However, Kurata simply smirked as Gizmon AT's two appendages extended from the smoke, sending RizeGreymon crashing to the side of the wall.

"RizeGreymon!" Marcus gasped.

"RizeGreymon hit it at full blast." Yoshi noted. "But Gizmon AT doesn't have a scratch!"

"For now!" Marcus added.

"You should've got a read on its strength before jumping in like that." Thomas rebuked.

"Don't preach, just help!" Marcus retorted as Yoshi readied her Digivice.

"D.N.A Full Charge!" Thomas called forth his D.N.A Charge.

"Gaomon warp digivolve to Machgaogamon!" Gaomon announced as he evolved.

"D.N.A Full Charge!" Yoshi followed suit.

"Lalamon warp digivolve to Lilamon!" Lalamon declared as she evolved.

"Machgaogamon!" Thomas instructed.

"Sir, yes sir!" Machgaogamon responded.

"Gaoga Tornado!" Machgaogamon unleashed his attack on Gizmon AT.

"It's gone!" the Ultimate level wolf gasped when the man-made Digimon vanished before him before he could land a punch on it within the hurricane. Before he knew it, Gizmon AT extended its appendages, knocking Machgaogamon to the ground, dispelling his tornado.

"Machgaogamon!" Thomas gasped. "Gaoga Tornado didn't faze it at all."

"Lilamon, use 'Un Deux Pollen'!" Yoshi instructed.

"Un Deux Pollen!" Lilamon released her pollen at Gizmon AT. "Now, my pollen attack will paralyze your heart!"

Gizmon AT simply spun around, dispelling the pollen and sending Lilamon flying back.

"Lilamon!" Yoshi gasped.

"No…" Marcus muttered, seeing the three Ultimates were soundly defeated.

"Attacks that paralyze the heart don't affect Gizmon AT." Kurata laughed. "He doesn't even have a heart!"

"What?" Marcus exclaimed.

"That's right." Kurata smirked. "I built it from the remains of captured Digimon to form my new creation."

"He's right." Lilith gasped, causing the three to look at her. "I can sense all those poor souls of the digimon within it. They don't want to be inside that thing, they're just being forced into it!"

"You mean you Frankenstined it!" Marcus shouted, startled at her revelation.

"No way!" Yoshi gasped. "What kind of monster are you?"

"He destroyed innocent Digimon to create an emotionless machine." Thomas added.

"Pretty good huh?" Kurata mocked. "Even at a mere Champion level, Gizmon AT is still stronger than your Ultimate level Digimons. And unlike your Digimon with their free will, my Digital Monster does whatever I tell it to, whenever I tell it to. All I have to do is give the order to attack and it follows without any irritating questions. Tell you what, if you're willing to join forces with me and help do my bidding, then I'll be gracious enough to let your pet Digimon live."

"What a pal!" Marcus retorted.

"Seriously, what choice do you have?" Kurata taunted. "If you complain to Director Hashima, I'll simply say Merukimon attacked me first. And if you challenge me, I'll have all of you prosecuted for treason."

"I'll never support your evil plan!" Thomas retorted.

"Digimon are wonderful living beings with hearts!" Yoshi agreed. "Using them the way you have is unforgivable!"

"Kurata!" Marcus fumed. "I'm going to kick your butt into next week!"

"I'm growing tired of this silliness." Kurata scoffed. "Gizmon AT!"

"Merukimon!" Keenan gasped. "Stay strong!"

"That blast from Gizmon AT feels like it's eating away at me." Merukimon replied. "Permanently deleting my data. For some reason, it won't heal."

"Merukimon!" Falcomon exclaimed.

"Listen to me." Merukimon told the two. "Keenan, I've always have my doubts about which world would be best for you: the place where you would be the most happy, the Digital World or the Real World. Since you knew nothing, except the Digital World, I wondered what would happen when you met another human. Would your humanity be reawakened or was it buried forever inside your heart? I wanted to know that since the day you arrived. But now I realize that all the doubts I ever had were nothing to worry about. You do not have to choose between the two worlds. Your happiness will depend on something else. It'll come from creating a universe in which both human and Digimon can live in peace and harmony. There was a man once understood this as well as anyone, Spencer Damon."

Flashback

"What's this?" Merukimon asked when Spencer handed a Digivice to him.

"It's a Digivice." Spencer told him. "A tool we can use to connect Digimon and humans together. I'm sure as Keenan gets older, he's going to need it one day. Thank you. I'll try to make it up to you by forging peace between our two worlds."

"You're a noble man with a noble goal." Merukimon told him, sealing the pledge with a fist knock.

"All this very new to Keenan." Keenan replied. "Frigimon never tell me."

"But this means that Frigimon must have known too." Falcomon pointed out.

"Don't you remember Keenan?" he reminded the confused boy. "The last words she said to you."

Flashback

"Listen to me Keenan." Frigimon told the child. "I don't want you to lose your kind spirit, so you must promise not to hate the humans, because you are… you are…"

"Merukimon!" Keenan gasped, snapping out of his musings.

"Please forgive me Keenan for all of my shortcomings, for not being able to come through on all my promises to Spencer and Frigimon." Merukimon managed to speak out.

"Merukimon, no go! Please, you can't! No leave me!" Keenan cried.

"No, My Lady, save your strength for those who will need it more." Merukimon told Lilith when he saw she was about to pull out the 'Seed of Life'.

Back in the fight…

"Trident Revolver!" RizeGreymon fired his attack after being beaten down by Gizmon AT.

"Winning Knuckle!" Machgaogamon tried to land a punch on the floating Gizmon AT after dodging its eye beam but Gizmon AT simply ducked and appeared behind him. Capturing the blue wolf with its tentacles, Gizmon AT proceeded to electrocute him.

"Lilac Dagger!" Lilamon came to Machgaogamon's rescue but was thrown back by its revolving windmill on its back. Then, Gizmon AT tossed the still shocked Machgaogamon at the stunned plant Digimon.

RizeGreymon appeared behind the unsuspecting Gizmon AT, smacking it down to the ground.

Nice one, RizeGreymon!" Marcus remarked, running to the fallen Gizmon AT. "It's can't keep it up forever!"

However, Gizmon AT simply spun itself, tossing Marcus and RizeGreymon off.

"Marcus!" Yoshi gasped when the teen was thrown back.

Continuing its spin, Gizmon AT proceeded to knocked RizeGreymon off his feet.

"Haven't I made my point by now?" Kurata mocked. "Gizmon AT is stronger and faster than your Digimon. Give up now while you still can."

"Yeah right." Marcus retorted. "I've seen snails move faster than that guy."

"You know." Kurata remarked. "I'm growing pretty tired of your inability to listen to reason, Marcus. You're starting to remind me of your father, Spencer; another hardheaded fool."

"What?" Marcus gasped.

"Ten years ago, I warned your father about the danger that Digimon presented to us. I recommended that we take care of them right then and there." Kurata replied. "But he refused. And now, look where it has gotten us. Not only had they continued to invade the real world, but their attacks have even gotten more vicious over the years. It's only a matter of time before they launch a full scale invasion. This is all because of Spencer Damon's inability to listen to reason. I was right, I've always been right! There is no other way but to wipe out all the Digimon now while we have the chance."

"No!" Marcus growled. "Maybe it wasn't my dad's inability to listen, but your lack of bravery."

"What are you trying to say?" Kurata asked.

"Digimon scare you so you'd rather just destroy them instead of dealing with them fair and square." Marcus replied. "I may be fast to use my fists sometimes, but I see every battle through to the end without cheating. You only know how to hand out pain and then run away and that makes you a coward."

Flashback

"That's the coward's way." Spencer told him.

"You really are you father's son." Kurata sneered. "I was going to keep toying with you a little longer but I've just changed my mind. I'm going to make you vanish along with all the Digimon. It'll be reported as a horrible accident."

"What's that?" Marcus blinked at Kurata's Digivice.

"Gizmon AT, digivolve!" Kurata instructed, evolving the man-made Digimon into Gizmon XT.

"It digivolved." Marcus gaped.

"What do you think?" Kurata mocked. "I used synthetic DNA so that it could grow."

"But no heart to gain strength." Thomas retorted.

"Nope." Kurata smirked. "But the fake DNA I installed makes it feel a connection to me which allows Gizmon AT to become Gizmon XT. Now, onto Act Three."

Noticing that Gizmon XT was about to attack, RizeGreymon scooped the humans into his hands, flying them off to safety just as Gizmon XT fired his laser beam. Merukimon shielded the four in his arms.

"What power…" Thomas gasped.

"This isn't just bad, it's horrible!" Yoshi agreed.

"We can't beat him separately." Marcus noted. "We have to merge our strengths together, okay?"

"Yeah." The other two nodded.

"There's no way we're losing to a fake Digimon!" Marcus retorted.

"Here I come." Lilamon hissed. "Lila Shower!"

"Howling Cannon!" Machgaogamon fired his attack.

"Rising Destroyer!" RizeGreymon released his attack.

Gizmon XT simply used the two appendages on its shoulder to shield itself from the combined attacks, only to have all three attacks push it out of the battlefield.

"Take that!" Marcus remarked.

"It can't be!" Yoshi gasped when Gizmon XT stood out from the rubble, unharmed.

"Gizmon XT took them all on and it's still on one piece!" Thomas commented.

"Fine! This fight is just begun!" Marcus retorted.

"It's useless." Merukimon choked as the three Ultimate level Digimon followed Marcus. "There's no way Spencer's son can win."

"Merukimon!" Lilith gasped as the Mega level Digimon stood up.

"This is my farewell, Keenan." Merukimon told the child.

"No, don't!" Keenan cried. "Merukimon, you taught me; you and Frigimon. No! I don't want you to go! Not yet! Now, I know hu-mons bad. Me no believe they can be so horrible. Me no forgive!"

"Keenan." Merukimon told him. "Look at him. Marcus."

Keenan and Falcomon turned to see Marcus jumping to attack Gizmon XT, only to be beaten back to the ground.

"He is impulsive and takes life on with full force. He's human but not evil."

"Two out of three." Marcus remarked as he stood back up.

"He's human, Keenan; like you. If you hate humans, then that means you have to hate him too." Merukimon continued.

"Marcus… he the one who introduced me to real mother and father." Keenan muttered. "He treat me nice but not just him, Thomas, Ami, Yoshi, Kristy, Marcus' mother, all very good to me."

"You don't hate all humans, do you?" Merukimon asked.

Keenan shook his head just as Gizmon XT's attack blew the three teens away.

Kurata chuckled, certain at his victory.

"Omaginasai." came Lilith's stern voice.

"What the hell is she doing?" Marcus asked as the 'Light of Hope' walked down from the platform.

"Kurata." Lilith began as she walked towards the approaching Gizmon XT. "If the world is controlled by someone who has no love or justice in his heart and evil can tyrannize the world, all I can say is this."

Stopping before Gizmon XT, she added, "It doesn't matter if the world is destroyed."

"What?" Kurata gasped.

"What is the real reason that we exist in this world?" Lilith questioned.

"Lilith-sama…" Tailmon looked at her.

"But I always have this belief, as long as we all crave for peace and love each other, no matter the world will not be destroyed. So, that's why we've fought against evil and we'll go on to fight." Lilith told the scientist.

"Look at what hatred can do, Keenan." Merukimon told the child, as the trio looked at Lilith's towering Cosmo. "Do you really want it to take over your whole life?"

"Merukimon, don't!" Keenan tried to stop Merukimon to entering the battle.

"Keenan, protect the 'Light of Hope', she is the only salvation for both worlds." Merukimon added. "And goodbye. Live as you're supposed to, as a human with a heart of a Digimon."

With that, he leapt to attack Gizmon XT just as the man-made Digimon was about to fire it's eye beam at Lilith. Changing its target, Gizmon XT fired its charged up beam at the gravely wounded Merukimon. The attack hit right onto Merukimon but not before the Mega level Digimon punched its head off.

"Merukimon!' Marcus ran towards the injured Digimon when Gizmon XT's attack disintegrated his arm. "Why did you help us?"

"I wanted to believe once again in mankind, like I used to when I knew your father. Like him, I too want to believe that it would come a time when humans and Digimon can live together peacefully." Merukimon told him.

Turning to the horrified Lilith, he added, "It is also the duty of the Olympus Twelve to guard Lady Lilith."

Kurata growled at the proclaim as Gizmon XT got to its feet and fired its chest laser at Merukimon.

"Peace and harmony between us?" Kurata mocked. "That will never happen!"

"Keenan, be strong…" Merukimon choked.

"Merukimon!" Keenan screamed as Merukimon's data disintegrated.

"Merukimon…" Lilith raised her right hand as Merukimon's data trailed past her, forming into a digiegg in her arms.

Sinking to her knees, she wept as the digiegg disintegrated, "Merukimon… I finally understood… your death's meaning… and I also know what I have to do."

As her tears fell onto the 'Seed of Life', the crystal started to glow, evolving into a lotus shape.

On the bottom of the stairs, Keenan sank to his knees as Falcomon hurried to his side.

"How dare Merukimon mess up my masterpiece." Kurata hissed.

"Some Digimon just don't know when to be deleted. I mean, seriously, that guy was a pain until the very end. It's so foolish for any Digimon to think that it can ever defile the whims of a human." He boasted.

"A time when humans and Digimon can live together peacefully." He scoffed. "What a silly and pointless idea to waste you life on."

"I can't stop laughing at the absurdity of it all." He laughed.

"Revenge time, Falcomon." Keenan told the bird.

"We've toyed around enough." Kurata remarked. "It's time to end this. Prepare to destroy everyone."

"Kurata!" Keenan screamed.

"Keenan?" Marcus blinked as the charging child.

"The boy?" Kurata inquired.

"This is for Merukimon!" Keenan hollered, revealing his Digivice. "D.N.A Full Charge!"

"Falcomon digivolve to Peckmon!" Falcomon announced as he evolved.

"Peckmon digivolve to Crowmon!" Peckmon declared as he went up another level.

"Big deal." Kurata scoffed. "Digivolve all you want. It won't help you."

"Merukimon, he teach me, me not supposed to hate all hu-mons." Keenan remarked. "Just those with evil in their hearts. Now Crowmon!"

"Go Gizmon XT!" Kurata instructed.

Just as Gizmon XT was about to fire its eye beam, Crowmon planted his claw onto the eyes, stopping the attack. Grabbing the partially destroyed Gizmon XT, Crowmon then flung it against a wall.

"Attack!" Keenan called.

"Savage Emperor!" Crowmon fired his attack at Gizmon XT, disintegrating it into a digiegg.

"Kurata, you who has no regard for life forms, who destroys life simply because of fear just because you do not truly understand the creatures you seek destroy, you have no right to play God." Lilith told the scientist as she stood up, the evolved 'Seed of Life' between her palms.

Raising the crystal, she added as the jewel shone its healing light, healing the injured Digimon and reverting them back into their rookie forms, "It's ideals like yours that lead to more war."

As one of his men activated a 'Space Isolation Device', Kurata sighed, "Now."

"Stop him quick!" Thomas gasped, running towards the opened Digital Gate as Kurata stepped in. "Kurata!"

The scientist smirked as the gate closed.

That crystal's power. He thought after he entered the gate. It will be mine. I will have it, no matter what it takes.

"Merukimon." Keenan promised after the battle. "I will… I will live as a hu-mon with a Digimon's heart."

"You okay Keenan?" Marcus asked.

"Good." He remarked as Keenan nodded. "Then let's get Kurata."

Back in his lab…

"Oh well." Kurata chuckled. "One of my creations has been defeated. But that was only one. I have many more, so many, many more."

SailorStar9: Well in the next chapter, the DATS team has their memories erased curtsey to Kurata. But Ami escapes the memory-erasing due to a microprobe Duke implanted underneath her skin. Will the DATS' partner Digimon get their human partners' memories back? Stay tuned to find out.