Last time…The Legendary Warriors sought help in Willow Village, where a Shamanmon treated Jomei's wounds. When the town was attacked by a Minotarumon, Kado went to fight him, but found himself in over his head when Yatagaramon joined the fight. Luckily, Kado found his Beast Spirit and Kodamamon was able to save the day. Now they're off to find Nao!

Chapter 14: A Bird in the Hand…

A beast does not know that he is a beast, and the nearer a man gets to being a beast, the less he knows it.
-George MacDonald

He found himself alone, wandering through a city of steel, flinching away from his reflection. Everywhere he looked, he found his own haunted eyes, underscored by the same violet darkness that filled the sky above him.

Unable to face himself any longer, he bowed his head, only to find that the road upon which he walked was made of the same mirrored surface as everything else. The face gazing up at him was weary and dirt-streaked, the black hair disheveled and falling into his eyes. He looked like he had come through a battlefield, and he had to admit that felt about right. He was nearing exhaustion, both physically and emotionally, but he couldn't find any injuries. What had happened to him?

Suddenly, he was halfway across the city, watching a girl and another boy walking side-by-side down his street. The boy, who had the same black hair as the watcher, kept his eyes on the looming mirrors, while the girl, a brunette, gazed straight ahead.

The watcher stepped out onto the street behind the pair, but the other boy did not appear to notice him. In all the reflections, it was just the two of them, boy and girl, best friends – hundreds of identical images, and in the midst of it all, one lonely Watcher. He spared only a fleeting glance for these specters, caring only for the real pair, and he drew nearer. Hand outstretched, he came close enough to touch the other boy.

The boy whirled around, perhaps sensing the presence of another, and the watcher retreated into the safety of his mirrors.

"What is it?" the girl asked, not turning.

The boy said nothing as his eyes roved the countless reflections. They passed over the watcher, lingering for a moment, and the watcher was sure the boy had seen him. But the eyes moved on, and the boy turned to his companion. "I thought I heard him following us."

"Again?" she groaned. "Why's he always following us around?"

"Just ignore him, and maybe he'll go away."

The scene changed again, and now the watcher was sure the pair could see him; they stood only a few feet away, and both were staring at the mirror he currently occupied.

"So that's his Beast Spirit, huh?" the boy asked, eyes traveling the length of the mirror. The watcher felt his cheeks burn at the scrutiny.

Hands on her hips, the girl smirked. "You think he'll be able to control it?"

"What, him? I wouldn't count on it."

"You're right…" The girl turned, surveying the crater surrounding them. "Hey, don't you think we should get out of here? I'm not sure I wanna be around when he gets this thing."

The boy shook his head. "Me either. That's just asking for trouble."

The pair turned and hurried away, leaving the watcher behind. Hurt, angry, and confused, he remained where he was, staring after them, mind racing with a thousand plans, a thousand ways to make them quake in fear, or wither in shame, or beg for his forgiveness. If only he could make them see him! If only he could make them feel his pain…

He wasn't aware of the transformation until it was over and he was airborne, weaving through the sky in pursuit of the boy and girl.

When he found them, they were jogging north, talking and laughing, unaware of the beast above. The watcher waited until he was in position, then roared, loud enough to rattle every mirror in his city, and then he dove. The boy and girl whirled, eyes widening at the sight of their assailant. Her knees gave out and he caught her, whispering words of encouragement, but the watcher paid this display no mind. He passed inches above their head, and when the time was right, he flicked his dagger-edged tail.

Their screams echoed off the mirrors, and the watcher smiled.

-.-.-.-

He'd lost track of how long he'd been walking, of how far he'd traveled, and in what direction. All he knew was he wanted to put as much distance between himself and the other Warriors as he could.

I see… The silken voice rose up in his mind, reverberating in his chest the way it had in the steel city. They are your enemy. They have caused you much pain. Very well. I shall help you destroy them.

Shaking his head, to dislodge the memory, Nao shuddered and leaned against a tree for support. Dark dreams had plagued his sleep the night before, and he had been walking since he woke an hour before dawn. His legs ached, but whenever he stopped to rest, his thoughts returned to the ruined city and his friends – if he could even call them that. How would he ever be able to face them again?

He had known from the start that it was a bad idea. Nao didn't pretend to be as strong as his cousin, and if Jomei hadn't been able to control his Beast Spirit, Nao didn't stand a chance. And then they had to go and point it out. He'd been angry when he had reached out for the Beast Spirit; angry and hurt. But no more so than usual – insults and disdain were commonplace when Nao was around Jomei and Taura, but he could never bring himself to confront them.

Arkenmon had no such qualms.

Now Nao wasn't sure what hurt more, Taura's thinly veiled hatred or Kado's naïve forgiveness, for Nao knew that Kado was wrong. It was his fault – Arkenmon had been imprisoned for years, and knew nothing about the Flock's oppression of this continent. The Spirit had looked to Nao for information on who could and could not be trusted…and Nao had turned his rage against Jomei and Taura.

He had known it was wrong as soon as his fingers entered the crystalline statue that had imprisoned Arkenmon. He had wanted to prevent it, had tried to stop what he could feel coming, but he hadn't been strong enough. And when they had merged, when Arkenmon had taken over, Nao had let it play out, indulging that corner of his heart that wanted them to feel his pain.

And look what happened to them, Nao thought miserably. They'll never forgive me.

"Warrior of Steel…"

It was the voice he had heard in the Crystal Castle, the one who had identified Jaymon for them, but it was clearer now than ever, and Nao reached for his D-Tector. Static filled the screen, as it had before, but this time it was not as thick, and Nao could almost make out a symbol on the screen.

"Quiet your heart, child," the voice murmured. "What troubles you?"

"It's nothing."

"If your disquiet is great enough for me to sense, it must be very great indeed. Tell me, why are your friends not with you?"

Sinking to the ground, Nao took a deep breath, resisting the urge to cry, and stared at the static-filled screen. "They aren't going to be my friends after what I did to them."

Silence filled the air, fueling Nao's guilt until he buried his face in his knees. Finally the voice sighed. "Hush, child. Tell me what happened."

For a moment, Nao resisted, fearing the story would be too hard to tell, fearing the digimon that owned the voice would think less of him for his failure, and desperate to cling to her as perhaps the last being who believed in his worth as a Warrior. But her silence stretched on – patient, like a mother letting a child speak in his own time, and Nao knew he couldn't lie to the owner of the voice. He told her everything, from their arrival on the Continent of Earth to his new evolution. He even told her of his dreams. When the words ran out, he stuttered to a stop and waited for the condemnation.

But it didn't come. The voice shushed him. "You are too hard on yourself. You are dealing with powers far greater than any you have known, and no one can demand perfection of you."

"But Jomei warned me," Nao protested. "I should have been prepared."

"No two Beast Spirits are alike. Their reactions to their human are unpredictable, sometimes violent and sometimes less so. That is the nature of chaos."

"Chaos?"

"The chaos in your heart."

Nao shook his head. "What are you talking about? I'm not –"

The voice cut him off with a gentle laugh. "I do not say that in contempt. Chaos is part of all humans' nature, and should not be a cause for shame. We digimon owe our very existence to that chaos."

"What?"

"This world was lifeless data until human chaos transformed it. Dreams, fears, affections…these things spilled into our world from yours and gave life to strings of numbers."

"What does chaos have to do with the Beast Spirits?" Nao asked.

"The Legendary Warriors are the champions of peace and order in the Digital World. They stop wars and destruction because it is in their nature to abhor such manifestations of chaos. Unlike other digimon, the Ancient Warriors were born without chaos. As such, their Spirits defy the chaos of any who tries to wield them, human or digimon. The Human Spirits, being akin to humans in their own right, reconcile with the chaos more easily than the Beast Spirits."

"And that's why we lose control of our Beast Spirits?"

"Yes. It is different for each Beast Spirit. Some reconcile to the chaos as easily as Human Spirits, while others resist and hinder the intentions of the child within. Yet others are swayed by the chaos, sometimes to catastrophic ends. I believe you humans have a saying – a butterfly, in flapping its wings, creates a hurricane halfway around the world? When the Beast Spirit is so affected, it may rampage, unable to think rationally as it releases the chaos, or it may latch onto a thought and channel the chaos to an end."

"Like what happened to me," Nao concluded, grip tightening around his D-Tector.

"Yes. What happened was not your fault. Your Spirit could not comprehend your chaos and created a reason to explain what it was feeling."

"Will the same thing happen every time?"

"No. As you spend more time with your Spirits, you will influence them, and they will influence you. Your chaos will be tamed, to an extent, and your Spirits will become less ordered, more like you. The same happened with the others. Before you came, your Spirits were fundamentally different from those who had already met their humans. Mercurymon and the others tried to emulate the genuine emotions and spontaneity of their companions, but could not. Like the Ancient Warriors, they were not alive in the same sense as most digimon are. That will change, now that you have claimed your Spirits. You have made it through the worst; now you can learn to cooperate with Arkenmon."

Nao managed a smile. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now you should reunite with your friends. The four of you must work together if you are to defeat the Flock."

"You know about the Flock?"

"I know many things. All will be explained in time, but you must focus on the task before you for the time being."

"Do I even get to know your name?"

"Soon," the voice assured him. A globe appeared above the screen, a yellow dot flashing near the edge. "This will guide you to your friends. Go to them." With a crackle of static, the communication ended, leaving Nao with no choice but to stand and turn in the direction indicated by his D-Tector.

-.-.-.-

Ever since leaving Willow Village, Jomei had been having second thoughts. He'd said he didn't blame Naoko for what Arkenmon had done – and he didn't. He couldn't. But still he had to wonder. What if Naoko hadn't yet gained control of his Beast Spirit? Kado was fatigued from the battle with Yatagaramon, and Jomei himself ached to sit down and rest. If he was leading them into a fight, would they even be able to win?

He remained silent, however, for he could tell that Taura was equally reluctant. She probably shared Jomei's doubts, and if he voiced them, she would insist they give up on Naoko, and regardless of how Jomei felt about his cousin, he refused to delude himself into thinking they could beat the Flock without him.

And anyway, until they found Naoko, Jomei couldn't be sure there even was anything to worry about. All these second thoughts might be simple paranoia. He had to at least give Naoko a chance.

It had taken half the day to retrace their steps to the city where they had found the Beast Spirit of Steel, and from there they had set out after Naoko. Shortly before dusk, they entered the forest, where they stopped to rest for the first time since leaving Willow Village. Tapirmon and Taura left to find food, and as soon as they left, Kado yawned and lay down on the forest floor. Jomei wanted to do the same, but someone had to keep watch, so he sat with his back against a tree, staring at the dozing ten-year-old.

He still couldn't believe Kado had managed to control his Beast Spirit so quickly. From what he had said, Kado had been nearly killed by Yatagaramon; it would be only natural to be afraid of facing him again. Most other kids would have been glad to hide in the forest until the battle was over – but not Kado. Jomei had to admit, he was impressed.

And if someone as young as Kado could control a Beast Spirit, surely Naoko had already done the same.

Jomei sighed and turned his eyes to the canopy, searching for something else to think about. Less than two weeks ago, he hadn't had anything to worry about – nothing important, anyway. Nothing life-threatening. What had he worried about? Spending too much time with his cousin? And now here he was, roaming the woods of another world in search of that same cousin.

"Well, well! Looks like I've caught you napping." Jerking upright, Jomei turned to find a digimon that was half man, half bird leaning against a tree. He grinned. "Some Legendary Warriors you are."

"Who are you?" Kado demanded, sitting up.

The digimon laughed, a squawking sound that reminded Jomei of Jaymon. "Why don't you check those precious digivices you love so much?"

The D-Tector was already in his hand, but before Jomei could read the name, the voice of the woman from the Crystal Castle spoke. "Raptormon. An Ultimate level Data digimon, Raptormon's sharp tongue is only matched by his talons. Watch out for his Understory Hunter attack, or this bird of prey will turn you into his next meal."

Surprise and confusion flashed over Raptormon's humanoid face. "That voice..."

"Another Ultimate?" Kado groaned. "Can't we catch a break?"

"Shut up, human!" Raptormon snapped, masking his confusion with a scowl. "Which one of you is the Warrior of Earth?"

Groaning, Jomei got to his feet, as did Kado. "Doesn't the Flock have anything better to do than send its minions after us?"

"I'm not a minion," Raptormon seethed. "And I would have come two days ago if Egalamon didn't want to try out her idiotic plan. Now tell me which one of you murdered my brother or I swear I'll kill you both!"

Brother? Jomei hadn't realized digimon had relatives. "Go ahead and try. We aren't going down that easily! Execute: Beast Spirit Evolution! Latranamon!"

Raptormon's eyes narrowed as the fractal code faded. "So it was you…"

"Execute: Beast Spirit Evolution! Kodamamon!"

Both Raptormon and Latranamon stared dumbly at the Warrior of Wood, but it was the bird who voiced what they were both thinking: "You don't actually plan to fight like that, do you? You're a tree."

"Rootlet Ambush."

Raptormon squawked as the roots erupted from the ground, stabbing his feet and legs as he leaped clear of the attack. Latranamon snickered, but Raptormon was considerably less amused. "Falconer Spiral!" The Ultimate rose into the air and began to spin, gathering green energy around his body. The energy began to screech like a hawk. Sprouting wings, it detached from Raptormon's body and dove at Kodamamon.

The attack fizzled out as it crashed against the Spirit's bark, and Raptormon let out a cry of disbelief as he settled onto a high branch. "No fair!" he protested. "How come that didn't work?"

"I've got thick bark," Kodamamon said. "It'll take a lot more than that to hurt me."

"Then it's a good thing I don't care about you."

"You should. It's not like I'm just going to sit back and watch you attack Latranamon."

Raptormon laughed. "Aren't you forgetting something? I've got wings. Your little root things can't reach me while I'm in the air!"

"I think you're the one forgetting something!" Latranamon growled, leaping at the bird. "Granite Claw!" Together the two crashed to the ground, and as Latranamon had expected, Kodamamon called out another round of his Rootlet Ambush. Latranamon jumped clear and Raptormon was thrown into the air, flailing his wings in an attempt to right himself. After crashing through two trees, he finally succeeded.

This time he hovered well out of range of either Warrior's attacks, scowling from underneath his beaked mask. "Just the kind of cheap shots I'd expect from humans. Fine. Let's see how far the little sapling's roots reach. Falconer Spiral!"

The glowing hawk crashed against Latranamon, not doing much damage, but driving him back nonetheless. Raptormon followed it up with a headbutt that took both of them out of Kodamamon's line of sight. Then, as Raptormon grinned in triumph, the Warrior of Wood cried out, "Guardian of the Forest" and an amorphous phantom zipped through the shadows. Latranamon shuddered as the hollow eye sockets turned on him.

"What the…" Raptormon turned his attention off Latranamon for a split second, and the Warrior of Earth took the chance to barrel into the bird, biting down on his wing.

"Pay attention!" Latranamon snapped, spitting out a mouthful of feathers. "This battle's just getting started!"

Lashing out with his spiked boots, Raptormon put some distance between himself and the Warriors. "I know that!" he whined, then cocked his head to the side. "Wait just one minute. What's this I hear? Sounds like another one of you brats is coming this way. Maybe I should go welcome her to the party!"

"Taura!" Latranamon cried, taking off after Raptormon, who wove between the trees faster than the large Beast Spirit could manage.

"Don't worry," Kodamamon breathed, floating past. "I'll keep him busy until you get there."

And then he, too, was gone. Snarling in frustration, Latranamon unleashed a Howling Concussion that uprooted most of the trees in his path and charged on ahead. He could hear the sounds of battle up ahead and followed them to a clearing where he found that Taura had already evolved.

"Shimenawa," Kodamamon called. "Fuyu!" Pale brown cords shot out from his raised arm and wrapped around Raptormon, solidifying into thick, barren branches that bound the Ultimate in place. The Warrior of Wood turned his empty eye sockets on Latranamon, making the canine squirm.

"What?"

"Was it really necessary to kill half the forest like that?" Kodamamon asked.

Latranamon paused for a moment, wondering how he could tell how much damage he had done, but decided not to ask. "Excuse me for wanting to help you guys out."

Flinging a Vapor Trident at the immobilized Ultimate, Ranamon sighed. "Will you two quit bickering and come help me?"

"Not so fast. Eyrie Defender!" A new form burst from the underbrush, knocking Latranamon aside with a bolt of energy from her talons, and seized Ranamon's shoulders. They crashed through the canopy and rose into the air, well out of Latranamon's reach.

Raptormon struggled out of Kodamamon's bonds and joined the newcomer in the sky. "Nice timing, Egalamon!"

Egalamon, a bird-like digimon who looked strikingly similar to Jaymon, though with darker feathers and a fringe of feathers that looked like hair around her head, scanned the forest below. A breeze caught the green ribbons entwined around her body. "There are only three, Raptormon. Where is the Warrior of Steel?"

"How'm I supposed to know? Besides, I only care about the one who killed Jaymon."

Egalamon clicked her beak and glared at Raptormon. "Did you listen to none of Inoxmon's warnings? If we let one human slip our mind, it will be our undoing."

"Well we have these three here," Raptormon pointed out. "Let's take care of them now and go after the other brat when we're done."

While they continued to bicker, Latranamon caught Tapirmon's eyes. "What's the deal with Egalamon?"

"It would appear she is the leader of the Flock," the Rookie whispered. "But I..."

A D-Tector beeped, though Latranamon didn't know where it had disappeared to, and the voice spoke for the second time that day. "Egalamon. An Ultimate level Vaccine digimon, she surpasses Jaymon and Raptormon in cunning if not in strength. She will take advantage of any weakness she sees, so be on your guard."

Vaccine? That's unusual… Turning to Kodamamon, Latranamon indicated the trio in the sky. "You think you can get Ranamon away from the other two?"

"Well…I might be able to get Egalamon to drop her, but after that I'd be pretty much useless. I don't have a physical form right now." To demonstrate, he reached out for a nearby tree. His arm passed right through. "They're pretty high up, too."

They would have to get Egalamon to fly lower. But as Latranamon tried to think of a way to accomplish that without hurting the Warrior of Water, Ranamon decided she'd had enough of being held hostage.

"Aqualine Metamorphosis!"

Egalamon could do nothing but watch as Ranamon transformed into a stream of water that slipped effortlessly out of her grip, dropped a few feet, and reformed to find a place to land. Bemused, Latranamon loped toward her, ready to berate her for being so reckless, but Egalamon wasn't about to let her prey get away.

"Eyrie Defender!"

Twisting around, Ranamon started another Aqualine Metamorphosis, but was cut off as the attack struck her midsection, sending her tumbling head over heels toward the treetops. Latranamon and Kodamamon hurried forward – though what Kodamamon hoped to do, Latranamon couldn't say – but Egalamon was faster than them and wrapped her talons around Ranamon's ankles.

Egalamon shot off eastward, away from the plain and deeper into the forest, and the others scrambled to keep up. At a cry of "Falconer Spiral," Latranamon was forced to dodge the incoming hawk, which put him several seconds behind Kodamamon, who continued to literally fly through the trees until Latranamon lost sight of him.

"Woah!" Kodamamon cried after several long moments of silence. "Latranamon, stop!"

Latranamon skidded to a stop at the edge of the forest, less than a foot from a cliff. Kodamamon hovered a few feet away, glancing between Latranamon and Egalamon, who had drifted out over the sea. The bird grinned and released Ranamon, who fell screaming to the waves below.

-.-.-.-

Ranamon panicked as she began to plummet, and scrambled for the focus necessary to trigger an Aqualine Metamorphosis, but all she could think about was the churning surf rushing up to meet her…

Seconds before she hit the water, she remembered: she was the Warrior of Water. What was she so worried about? As she fought her way to the surface, she wanted to smack herself. Some digidestined she was, scared of her own element! Sunlight sparkled just over head, and she broke the surface with an attack ready.

"Dousing Torrent!"

Thanks to the abundance of water around her, the attack more closely resembled a geyser than the usual Frisbee-sized disc of water, and it was all but impossible for Egalamon to dodge. Unfortunatly, though she emerged thoroughly drenched, the Ultimate looked more angry than hurt.

Ranamon didn't let that intimidate her. Treading water more easily than she'd ever been able to as a human, she crossed her arms and smirked up at the leader of the Flock. "Way to go, genius. Don't you realize who I am?"

"Don't you realize you're surrounded by salt water?" Egalamon replied, shaking the moisture from her wings.

"Water is water. I don't care if there's salt in it or not!"

Laughing, Egalamon spread her wings, which began to crackle with electricity. "Well you should. Want to know why? Allow me to show you. Jupiter's Reign!"

The cloudless sky lit up with a dozen lightning bolts that struck the water around Ranamon, sending up enormous clouds of steam and coursing through her body. She would have screamed, but it was over too soon, and she was sinking, dimly aware that she had devolved. The water around her roiled, roaring over the ringing in her ears, spinning her around and around until she didn't know which way was up.

As her tumbling slowed, Taura forced her eyes open despite the stinging salt. With all the bubbles swirling around her, she couldn't see much, but lightning continued to flash, making her skin crawl, and she instinctively swam in the opposite direction.

Her hands found the bottom, and she flailed for a moment, cutting her hand on a rock, clawing at the seaweed that plastered itself onto her face. It took her a moment to turn right side up, but eventually she saw the sky, clear of lightning at last. Her lungs were aching now, so she planted her feet on the slick mud and pushed off.

She didn't get far. Twisting, she saw the seaweed that had caught her foot. She tugged against its grip, but that did nothing to free her; she tore at the strands, but they held fast, and her vision was beginning to fade.

It can't end like this! she thought, fear renewing her struggle. Jomei and Kado were still up there with Raptormon and Egalamon – they needed her help! She was a digidestined for crying out loud! She was supposed to save the Digital World, not drown here!

In her struggle, Taura kicked the rock that had cut her hand, which fell away to reveal a small chamber underneath, and within the chamber, something small and red shone brighter than the sunlight overhead. Taura stopped thrashing to stare at it, and the pressing need for air lifted as her hand reached into her pocket of its own accord.

It can't be…my Beast Spirit?

Smiling despite her predicament, Taura pointed her D-Tector at the Spirit. Finally, she wouldn't have to sit on the sidelines while the boys did the fighting! And she would show them that controlling the Beast Spirits was no big deal.

She wasn't worried as the Spirit entered her D-Tector. She wasn't scared when the ocean around her faded away. She wasn't intimidated when she felt the other consciousness rising from the Spirit to mingle with her own.

-.-.-.-

Egalamon had kept the lightning coming long enough to ensure the human brat was dead, whether from electrocution or drowning. She didn't care if the little twerp was the Warrior of Water! What had the Warriors ever done for digimon like her and her brothers? The Guardian of Water – now there was a power worthy of respect! But this pathetic little human would probably kill him, too, if given half a chance.

That was why she had to kill the children who thought some old prophecy gave them free reign over a world that wasn't theirs.

The other intruders screamed the girl's name from the cliff, obviously worried about their companion's wellbeing, but Egalamon couldn't afford to be swayed by the display. Even the basest of villains cared for their allies; Egalamon had seen enough villains come and go to know that much.

Glancing to where Raptormon hovered, Egalamon wasn't surprised to see that he was unmoved by their emotions. Empathy had never been his strong suit.

"Raptormon, let's finish this. I'll leave the Warrior of Earth to you."

But before either of them could attack, a deafening, sloshing clamor drew Egalamon's eyes to the ocean, where a maelstrom large enough to swallow a Tyrannomon had formed. The swirling water gained speed, drawing the funnel downward until Egalamon could see the ocean floor. Then all at once, the whirlpool collapsed in on itself, sending a jet of water thirty feet into the air. The human girl's voice echoed from the geyser.

"Execute: Beast Spirit Evolution!"

The Beast Spirit hovered in midair as the geyser receded, and Egalamon couldn't help but notice that even the human's supposed "beast" form still looked suspiciously like its host's frail species. It did, of course, have considerable improvements.

For one, it had a long, slender back end like a fish's tail – though, to be fair, the silvery scales covered the humanoid torso, arms, and neck, and even trailed across the Spirit's face like freckles. In addition to the caudal fin at the end of her tail, she had a dorsal fin that started at her waist, a ventral fin picking up opposite it a few feet later, and a small pelvic fin at her navel. Each of these fins, though translucent, had a bluish tint and bony white spines.

Glossy white webbing stretched between her fingers, and hair like seaweed cascaded down her back from underneath a crimson cap, in which a lone white feather rested. Her face itself was more wedge-shaped than Ranamon's, giving the Beast Spirit a fishy visage that Egalamon vastly preferred to the human's lumpy egg of a head.

The Beast Spirit turned her wide-set gaze on Egalamon, smirking, and announced her new form: "Merrowmon!" The fish-girl took a moment to run her hands over her new body, and as she did so her grin widened. "Well this ought to be fun."

"Taura!" the Warrior of Earth cried. "You're alright!"

"Oh, I'm better than alright. I think it's time we put an end to the Flock once and for all."

Egalamon sighed, marveling at the thought of all the thousands of digimon who still clung to the humans as saviors. "Don't get too cocky, girl. You're still only human. Eyrie Defender!"

Merrowmon wriggled her tail like the fish she was and cut through the air as though it were water, neatly avoiding the oncoming attack, then darted forward. "Fin Blade!" she cried, and the bony spines in both her dorsal and ventral fins elongated. Pivoting in midair, she slashed at Egalamon, managing a shallow gash across her back.

"Only human, huh?" Merrowmon laughed. "I've got a Beast Spirit now, birdbrain! I could beat you to a pulp all by myself!"

Scowling, Egalamon rose higher into the sky. Typical human, she thought. Always trying to do everything alone. Doesn't even know the meaning of teamwork. As Merrowmon glided after the avian Ultimate, Egalamon executed a loop that put her in a perfect position to peck at the Spirit's exposed back. The Warrior tried to retaliate, but Egalamon tucked her wings in and dropped out of range, then raked the mermaid's side with her talons as the amateur tried to mimic the maneuver.

"Still think you can beat me?" Egalamon asked, backing away as her opponent launched a rather weak punch. "Even if you had my experience – which you don't – you just aren't suited to aerial combat like I am. Try all you want; you won't be out-flying the Flock. You probably don't even know how to use that new Spirit of yours!"

"I know what I'm doing!" Merrowmon snapped, coming in for another assault that Egalamon easily countered. This time she actually managed to rip off several of the fish's scales, which earned her a strangled cry of pain.

Out of the corner of her eye, Egalamon saw Raptormon's Falconer Spiral heading her way, and she plummeted again, watching with glee as the attack sent Merrowmon tumbling into the water below. This girl was clueless! Not only was she ignorant of her own limitations, but she acted like the battle taking place between Raptormon and her friends didn't even matter. Perhaps Egalamon could use that to her advantage.

"Take this, birdbrain! Fin Blade!"

Sighing, Egalamon fluttered aside. "The same attack? Let me give you some advice, kiddo. You can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. Are you really that simple-minded?" The Spirit ignored her and tried again; Egalamon caught the sharpened fin in her talons and tossed the fish aside. "Or maybe you're just scared."

"Scared?" Merrowmon crossed her arms as she righted herself. "Of what?"

"What else? Losing control. Everyone knows Beast Spirits are dangerous! Why, they destroyed two whole cities while I was just a Champion, you know." Egalamon shot the Warrior a knowing sneer. "No one will blame you for playing it safe, but you should know that won't win this fight."

"What are you talking about?" the Warrior demanded. "I'm completely in control of my Beast Spirit! What do you take me for?"

Egalamon shook her head. "A human, of course. That's the whole problem. Your kind is notorious for causing problems for everyone around you. It's downright foolish to give you the power of a Beast Spirit. It will only end in tragedy, sooner or later."

"You're wrong!"

"Well then, why don't you prove it?"

Merrowmon hesitated briefly, then reached up and plucked the feather from her cap. "Fine. I will!" The feather began to glow and Merrowmon flung it at Egalamon, shouting, "Druith Lullaby!"

A hundred replicas of the feather appeared, but all of them were aimed a bit too high, and in an altogether unfortunate direction. Egalamon wrapped her wings around herself and dropped safely out of the attack's path, turning to watch it continue on – right into the midst of the other battle. The combatants were all pricked by a score of white feathers, which dissolved into vapor while Egalamon waited to see what effect they would have.

And what an effect it was! Latranamon began to stagger, Raptormon dropped from the sky, and even Kodamamon, who had not actually been pricked, swooned as the mist drifted around him. Within moments, all three lay unconscious on the bluff.

Egalamon chuckled and turned to Merrowmon, whose face had turned the same gray as her scales. "Congratulations, O Legendary Warrior. I've never seen anyone take out their own allies so swiftly. Well done, indeed."

"Sh-shut up!" Merrowmon cried. "I got Raptormon, too."

"Yes, and in the process you took away the only advantage you humans had – your numbers. Once I put an end to your wearisome existence, Raptormon and I will finish off your friends in seconds."

Despite her obvious fear, Merrowmon managed to look resolute – or resigned, perhaps – and Egalamon had to admit she had spunk. "I'm not dead yet, Egalamon," she growled.

"Too true. But don't worry. I'll fix that soon enough!"

Next time: "Siren Song" – Taura and Egalamon face off, but will the Warrior of Water be able to beat the leader of the Flock alone?

Trivia! Yay! Merrowmon is based primarily off the merrow, the Scottish/Irish version of a mermaid. Her red cap is called a cohuleen druith (also the origin for her attack Druith Lullaby) and it allows her to breathe underwater. Hide it from her, and she'll stay on land as your wife, but if she finds it, she'll feel compelled to return to the sea. And she doesn't look like Ariel, either (Disney's mer-folk always looked too much like humans and not enough like fish for my tastes). Her appearance is pretty closely based off the Fiji Mermaid, a piece of art by Takeshi Yamada. Give her non-mummified colors, a fishier face, and one less fin, and you have Merrowmon.