I do not own InuYasha or Digimon Adventure in any way!
Speech Key:
"The" – Oral/Normal Speech
'The' – Thoughts
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE BEGINNING!
AN: This'll probably sound a bit choppy, but I'm sick and I'm a little out of it…So please forgive me wif there are any errors of any sort!
Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Review, but if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all!
-The Ninth Child-
xX-The Control Spire-Xx
-Digital World-
"Pepper Breath!" Agumon's fireball hit the bars to the Gotsumon's prison, breaking them apart, just a bit.
"Vee-Headbutt!" Veemon finished what Agumon had started and busted into the small stone cell. "C'mon, let's get goin'!" He pushed the two startled Gotsumon in the cell out.
Once the two were out, the DigiDestined and their partners, including Tai, as well as the rest of the Gotsumon they'd managed to free fled from the stone coliseum they presumed was built by the self-proclaimed Digimon Emperor.
"That was easy enough," Davis panted when they all stopped int eh middle of the forest a little bit away from the coliseum.
"You're officially fugitives," Agumon informed cheerily.
"I don't think that would normally be a good thing," Kagome sweat-dropped. "But in this case, I suppose it could be an exception."
"If that's the puny defense the Digimon Emperor's gonna put up," Davis boasted, "Then this fight'll be over before the first round!"
"I don't think that's the case," T.K spoke up. "It seemed a little too easy and that's what worries me."
"What does?" Patamon asked from atop T.K's head.
"He means the fact that there wasn't any resistance," Kari clarified. "And I definitely have to agree. There's something wrong here…"
"Then we'll have be extra careful," Tai nodded. "But for now, let's get going. I'm so hungry that I think I'm starting to smell the cafeteria food all the way from here!"
"Actually," Davis said sheepishly, "That's the peanut butter and jellybean sandwich I've had in pocket since last week!"
The group, bar Gatomon, Kagome and Kudamon, wrinkled their noses. "EWW!"
'What could that tower be?' Gatomon thought as she looked at the giant black spike a little bit away from them.
Kagome looked at the tower with narrowed eyes. 'That thing's giving off a major negative vibe…And I'm getting a really bad feeling about it…'
"Kagome?" Kudamon whispered. "Is everything all right?"
"The tower," Kagome glanced at the large spike. "Do you feeling something…off about it?"
Kudamon looked to the giant spike and stared for a moment. "I don't know what it could be that you're feeling, but it certainly doesn't make me feel very comfortable."
It was then that Gatomon looked up to see Kagome and Kudamon staring at the black tower. Both human and Digimon have a nod to the feline Digimon to show that they felt something was off as well.
-Hamasaki Academy; After School; Archery Range-
'Something doesn't feel right,' Kagome thought as she pulled back another arrow and let go for it to join the last four that were clustered in the centre of the target. 'But what could it be?'
Kudamon watched his partner in awe, curled up on the ground. 'She's changed since the last time I saw her…and she certainly become very impressive.'
The raven-haired girl was the last person left on the archery range, the rest of the club members having left a little while ago. She hadn't bothered to change out of her school uniform and was shooting in it, rather than the official club uniform she should have been wearing. She walked up to the target and gathered the arrows before heading back to put the equipment she used in their proper places.
Suddenly, Kagome fell to her knees as a cry of pain was wrenched from her mouth.
"Kagome!" Kudamon zipped over to his partner and did his best to comfort the girl. "Kagome, what's the matter? Please, tell me!"
Unfortunately, the girl was unresponsive to her Digimon's pleas. Her eyes were closed as her hands clutched her head to stop the sudden pain.
'Could this be another vision?' Kudamon wondered. 'But why is she in so much pain? Every other vision she's had never caused her any pain, she was probably a little dazed, but never was she in any pain…'
Another pained cry came from Kagome's lips as she watched Gabumon get hurt by a RedVeggiemon and thrown into a river, only to collapse onto a shore, unconscious.
And for a short moment, Kagome saw black.
The~Ninth~Child
"…gome! …Kago…KAGOME!" a voice shouted.
The raven-haired girl moaned softly as she saw two pairs of cerulean eyes hovering above her. "T.K? Matt? What happened? What are you doing here?" She asked softly.
"We came because we got an urgent message from Yolei," T.K explained as he and his brother helped the raven-haired girl sit up. "Kudamon brought us here to help and we just saw you lying there on the ground, unconscious."
"Care to explain?" Matt asked.
Kagome looked at the siblings blankly for a moment before she recalled the last thing that had happened before she'd awoken and remembered the vision of Gabumon. Tears filled the icy-blue orbs, startling the blonde-haired siblings.
"Kagome?" T.K placed a hand on her shoulder. "Was it another vision?"
"It's Gabumon!" Kagome choked out, not hearing Matt's gasp. "He's hurt! Or I think he's going to be! Gabumon was captured by the Digimon Emperor, but when he was escaping he was caught and beaten until he was thrown into a river. By the time he washed up on shore, he was too weak and he collapsed!"
Kudamon wrapped himself around his partner's neck and nuzzled her cheek as he purred, trying to calm the girl. "Do you know why you were in pain?" he asked softly. As much as he didn't want to bring up the subject, it had to be done.
"I think it may have been because Gabumon was getting hurt," Kagome sniffled, using the handkerchief Matt offered to dry her tears. "Every other vision I've had only showed me certain things and they never included pain like that!"
Matt and T.K looked at each other in worry before nodding. The siblings each took a hold of Kagome's hands and pulled her up, comforting her with Kudamon's help to the best of their ability.
By the time they'd reached the Computer Lab, the raven-haired girl's tears had dried, but her eyes were a little red and puffy from the crying she'd done.
"Come on, Yolei!" the trio heard Davis snap. "Can't you go any faster?!"
"I'm doing to best I can!" the lavender-haired girl retorted as she typed away on the open terminal.
"Hey, is everything, okay?" Kari as worriedly, when she saw her sister.
Kagome just nodded at her sister, giving a small smile the ease the younger girl's worried. "I'll tell you what happened when we get home, alright?"
Kari looked at her sister for a moment, but nodded nevertheless.
"Done!" Yolei hit one last key on the keyboard before standing up from the chair before the terminal. "Shall we?"
That said, the group stood before the computer with their Digivices out, the familiar bluish light flashing out around them and pulling them into the Digital World.
-Digital World-
"This is the place," Kagome whispered, "Gabumon…" she and the rest who'd come looked at the blue and white-striped Digimon who laid there on the riverbank, unconscious.
"Gabumon!" Matt ran over to his partner and began rubbing his hand on the Digimon's face gently. "Come on, Gabumon, wake up!"
It took a while, but eventually the horned Digimon opened his ruby eyes. "Matt…"
"Are you okay?" Matt helped his Digimon sit up.
"Let's just say that I won't look at steamed vegetables the same way," Gabumon said wryly.
"Please don't joke around about this!" Kagome pleaded to the Rookie Digimon, walking up to him.
"Kagome?" Gabumon said worriedly looking at the girl's tierd face. "What's wrong?"
"Let's just say that your situation took a toll on her," the elder blonde said briefly. "Now, I want you to tell me everything that happened."
"That would be nice," Gabumon nodded, "We don't talk much anymore…"
Kagome still looked worried, but walked away to give her friend and his partner some time to themselves to talk things out.
"Hey, everyone!" Yolei grinned through the monitor of the small television they'd phased through. "I'm going to go over to Izzy's and get my Digivice, but I'll meet up with you as soon as I can, 'kay?"
"Have no fear while Yolei's gone," Poromon chirped, flying before the screen, "This place shall be guarded by Poromon!"
Davis nodded. "Stay in touch!"
And with that the screen went dark.
"I wonder why they call those things on top 'rabbit ears'?" Gatomon wondered. "I don't see why they don't call them 'cat ears'; when was the last time anyone saw a rabbit napping on top of a TV?"
"This is what you think about?" Kari blinked at her Digimon, only to get a sheepish smile in return.
"Break time's over!" Patatmon called as Gabumon and Matt walked back to rejoin the group.
"So what's the situation?" Davis asked.
"Gabumon's going to take us somewhere first and then he'll explain," Matt told them. He looked down at his Digimon and gave a nod.
Gabumon nodded in return and rushed into the forest, the group and their Digimon right behind him.
Eventually, they stopped at the edge of the forest just atop a hill overlooking a large village of small stone houses and buildings, though Patamon flew ahead to scout out the area.
"It's a small village called Santa Caria," Gabumon explained. "This place was always very peaceful, at least until the Digimon Emperor showed up."
"Look!" Gatomon pointed to the dark pillar in the distance. "It's one of the weird towers again!"
"The Digimon Emperor calls them Control Spires," Gabumon reported, "He said that wherever one is placed, that area will be under his control and the Digimon there, his slaves."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Davis asked. "Let's go!"
"Wait!" Matt stopped the maroon-haired boy. "You can't go rushing in like that! For all you know, this could all be a trap and he'd be waiting there for us. We could be walking straight into an ambush!"
"No problem!" Davis waved off Matt's concerns. "All we need to do is Armour Digivolve and blow 'em apart!"
"It's not that simple!" T.K shook his head. "He has hostages, remember? He could use them as a shield, and we'd have no choice but to give in!"
"T.K's right," Kari nodded, "We need to try and rescue the hostages first before anyone gets hurt."
Davis just harrumphed as his idea was shot down.
"Davis," Kagome tried reasoning, "I know you're eager to this over with, but you need to remember that this isn't just a game. Lives are being ruined as we speak and until we can find out who the Digimon Emperor is, we can only help out the Digimon as much as we can."
"You need to watch out for the DigiSludge, too!" Patamon said from atop a tree branch. "The hostages are being guarded by Veggiemon!"
"Tell us everything you can, Patamon," Matt ordered, "about the Vegiemon and the situation at hand."
"Okay!" Patamon nodded and flew down to sit on top of Gabumon's head, holding his horn to keep steady. And with that, Patamon began telling everyone everything he knew about the Vegiemon and hostages.
Matt nodded. "Okay, I've got a plan, but we need to be careful to follow it or the results could be disastrous."
The group, bar Davis and Veemon, nodded and followed Matt and Gabumon as they walked off in the direction of the village.
"T.A!" Davis shouted. "Aren't you worried about Kari even a bit?!"
"T.A?" Kari giggled. "Looks like he forgot how to spell, T.K!"
The group burst into laughter as Davis only pouted and Veemon looked on in confusion.
The~Ninth~Child
"Stop!" a Veggiemon shouted. "Who goes there!"
"We're with you," Gatomon said as she lifted her paw to show a black ring around her wrist. "We just captured these Digimon and their friends."
The Veggiemon looked at Gatomon, Veemon, Patamon, and Armadillomon (Kudamon was wrapped around Kagome's neck like a scarf) before taking a look at the six humans tied together with Gabumon in front.
"Where are you taking us?" T.K asked.
"Pire down!" Armadillomon snapped. "We're taking you just where you belong!"
"Now shut up and keep movin'!" Veemon added. "Move it! Move it! Move it!"
The Veggiemon only cackled as they watched the four Digimon escort the six humans and one Digimon to the holding area.
"Those guys didn't even notice these rings were plastic!" Patamon glanced behind them.
"Don't start feeling too frisky yet," Gatomon warned them quietly. "Those first set of guards were just flunkies; we haven't even faced the pick of the litter! Even if we get past them, we need to figure out a way to destroy the Control Spire!"
The~Ninth~Child
"Thanks for bringing the prisoners in," a Veggimon said as he threw the tied up group into the cell with a few Gazimon, free of their bindings. "The Emperor'll be pleased, though we could do it—Wha?"
He and the other Veggiemon watched with gaping mouths as Gatomon and the rest of them stripped off the plastic rings before pouncing on the Veggiemon present.
Gatomon was swiping repeatedly at one Veggiemon while Veemon sat atop another and socked it a few times. Armadillomon sat atop two of the Veggiemon while Patamon knocked the last out with his Boom Bubble attack.
"Let's go!" T.K nodded.
And with that, the group ran out of the cell with the Gazimon, Patamon flying ahead to keep a watch out for any danger.
"Wait!" Patamon said quietly before the group rounded a corner. "There're more guards here!"
"That other exit's blocked, too!" Veemon added when he ran back to the group after checking out another corner.
Davi's clenched his fists. "I say we fight!"
"Easy there, Junior," Matt cautioned, placing a hand on Davis' shoulder. "You need to learn that although fighting's an option, it should only be used as a last resort. Storming in fighting could everyone here in jeopardy."
"Then let's go back the way we came," Gabumon suggested. "If we play our cards right, we'll come out on top near the Control Spire!"
"Good idea," Kagome nodded. "Let's go, before the Veggiemon spot us!"
And with that, the group ran in the direction Gabumon had indicated, not noticing that Davis and Veemon were a few feet behind the group.
The~Ninth~Child
'I'm thinking that Davis isn't used to playing things safely or rationally…' Kagome thought as the group walked up the winding path up the mountain towards the Control Spire.
She'd noticed how put out Davis looked when his ideas to fight kept being rejected, but it was something that he had to learn. Sometimes rushing in without a plan other than to fight won't work and could put everyone in danger.
The raven-haired girl winced as Matt and Davis yelled at one another.
"Who does he think he is?" Davis muttered, though not soft enough for no one to hear. "She's my sister and I'll call her what I want. That's what brothers are for, anyway…"
"Stop it!" Kari said sternly. "I can't stand anyone who talks bad about their brothers or sisters!"
"Kari…" Kagome pulled her sister along gently, whispering to calm the girl down.
Eventually they reached the top of the mountain where the Control Spire was situated, but the realized that there would be no way for them to get down as going back down the mountain and through the village was no option while the Veggiemon were still under the Digimon Emperor's control.
"So what do we do now?" T.K asked.
"We could look for some rope," Gabumon suggested, getting ready to do just that.
"Wait," one of the Gazimon came up to them. "You don't need any of that. We'll just hang onto each other and you can climb down our Bunny Slope; our way of saying thanks!"
"Let's do it!" Kari nodded.
"I'm afraid no one's goin' anywhere!" a voice shouted as Gabumon and a few of the Gazimon were knocked to the ground due to a small barrage of DigiSludge.
The group gasped as they saw a RedVeggiemon with a small bunch of Veggiemon behind him standing just a few feet away from them.
"Alright, Davis, it's time for action!" Veemon said determinedly. "I'm gonna take that overgrown vegetable and make him into tomato soup! I'll make vegetarians around the world proud! That should cheer you up!"
Vemon didn't wait for Davis' response as he ran off at the red Digimon. "Vee-Headbutt!"
Unfortunately, the small Digimon was batted away easily by RedVeggiemon's spiked arms.
"And now for a side dish: Chili Pepper Pummel!" The Red Veggiemon opened his mouth to spit out a small barrage of chili peppers at Veemon, throwing him back.
"Veemon, you have to—" Davis began before he was bound and lifted up by the Veggiemon's arms, the same happening to Cody.
"Stink Jet!" The Red Veggiemon opened his mouth to release a cloud f gas at the rest of the group and Digimon, causing them to cover their noses, lest they faint from the scent alone. Unfortunately for them, this left the Veggiemon a chance to bind the rest of the humans and Digimon.
The group just watched helplessly as Veemon continued to try and fight the red Digimon, to no avail.
"Leave him alone!" Davis shouted. "He's had enough!"
"I'm sure he's full!" The RedVeggiemon cackled. "But surely he's got room for dessert? And what a sweet surprise have I cooked up for him today!"
"If only I could Digivolve!" Gabumon clenched his jaw.
"There's got to be a way!" Matt looked on in horror as the small blue Digimon continued to get battered by the plant-like Digimon and eventually get thrown into the Control Spire, causing cracks to form in it. "Veemon doesn't stand a chance like this!"
"And now for the surprise," RedVeggiemon cackled. "I hope you're ready for a good big helping of Double Spiked Punch!"
"Veemon!" Davis shouted.
"Duck!" Matt called out.
"Now!" Gabumon added.
Veemon did as he was told and dodged the two spiked arms headed his way, only for them to be embedded in the Control Spire, causing more cracks to appear in it as electricity surged through the structure.
'What in the—?' Kagome's eyes narrowed. 'I wonder…'
"Gabumon Digivolve to: Garurumon!"
Matt and the others looked shocked at this development, but then again, they wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth; especially when they needed it.
"Howling Blaster!" Garurumon shot a blue stream from his mouth, chasing away the Veggiemon binding the children and their Digimon.
"Digi-Armour Energize!" Davis shouted after a moment's hesitation.
"Veemon Armour-Digivolve to: Flamedramon, the Fire of Courage!"
"Boy, am I glad to see you!" Davis grinned when Flamedramon blocked RedVeggiemon's Chili Pepper Pummel with no problem.
Flamedramon said nothing as he sent RedVeggiemon flying with a well-placed punch.
"You want a piece of me?!" RedVeggiemon shot out his arms, the spiked ends aimed straight for the Armour Digimon.
The group watched as Flamedramon caught the spiked ends with a grin and started lifting and dropping his arms steadily, therefore slamming the RedVeggiemon into the ground repeatedly.
"That hurt," RedVeggiemon said monotonously, causing the group to sweat-drop from behind.
"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon sent a small cluster of fire darts at the plant-Digimon, setting briefly on fire.
"I've heard of grilled Vegetables before, but this is ridiculous!" RedVeggiemon shouted before he slumped to the ground, unconscious.
"Hey!" came a voice from the distance.
The group turned to see Tai, Izzy, and Yolei running up to them with with their Digimon by their side and the Gotsumon running after them.
"Garurumon?!" Tai exclaimed, looking at the Champion level Digimon with surprise.
"How did you Digivolve?" Agumon asked.
"I don't know, but it was a good thing I did!" Garurumon grinned.
"Actually, it just might've been when RedVeggiemon attacked the Control Spire," Kagome spoke up, her face pensieve.
Patamon nodded. "I saw sparks and stuff coming from it," he added.
"That's certainly going to need a lot of glue…" Hawkmon commented.
"We'd better get rid of this thing as soon as possible," Armadillomon told Cody. "And who better to do it, than Digmon!"
Cody nodded. "DigiArmour Energize!"
"Armadillomon Digivolve to: Digmon, the Drill of Knowledge!"
When his Digivolution sequence was complete, Digmon set to work by drilling into the Contol Spire until it collapsed onto the ground.
"Sorry," Digmon joked. "I forgot to say 'Timber!'…"
It was then that the Veggiemon and RedVeggiemon all began taking their Dark Rings off, not a single one of them remembering whatever they'd done.
"Of course," Yolei nodded, looking at the Control Spire to the Dark Rings and making the connection. "It all makes sense now."
"May I enquire as to what you are speaking of?" Hawkmon asked.
"The Control Spire," Yolei gestured to the now fallen structure. "It acted as an electricity rod. The Digimon Emperor built it to send out power to all the Dark Rings, making it possible for him to control all the Digimon throughout the area. Isn't that right, Izzy?"
Izzy nodded. "Very impressive theory you have there, Yolei."
"I wonder just how many more of those things are scattered throughout the Digital World…" Tai said.
"Well, whatever the number it looks like the new DigiDestined have quite the task ahead of them," Matt grinned at the group.
"Leave it all to us!" T.K gave his brother a thumbs up.
"Someone should take these Gotsumon back home now," Agumon piped up.
"I'll do it!" Gatomon volunteered.
"I'll lead the way!" Tai said, getting ready to run off with the Gotsumon.
"I'm right behind you, big brother!" Kari laughed as she, too ran behind the group.
"Aren't you going with them?" Cody asked Kagome.
The raven-haired girl shook her head. "I'll see them back at home. Besides, I have some explaining to do…"
"Garurumon will stay here to protect you from the Emperor," Matt told the Gazimon, who cheered in response.
The~Ninth~Child
"Will you tell me now, why you were upset?" Garurumon asked when the rest of the group, bar Matt, had left.
Kagome sighed before slowly telling Garurumon about her vision, with Kudamon interjecting with details now and then. Matt soon picked up the story and told his partner now he and T.K had found Kagome unconscious and distraught when she woke.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Garurumon nuzzled the raven-haired girl gently. "But I'm glad you're all right."
Kagome just smiled gently and hugged Garurumon back as best as she could before walking a little bit away so Matt and his partner could say their goodbyes.
"Today was…eventful," Matt said awkwardly.
Garurumon just grinned. "I'm just glad we now know how to restore the Digital World to how it was."
But just as quickly as the grin came, it was gone. "Matt…"
"Hm?" Matt looked up to the large wolf-like Digimon. "What's up?"
"Look after Kagome," Garurumon said seriously.
"What?" the blonde blinked, thinking he'd heard wrong.
"Look after Kagome," Garurumon repeated. "I know it sounds strange, but just look after her as best as you can. The vision she had today was probably the worst she's ever had to face, let alone see. But I have a feeling that as long as the Digimon Emperor is around, her visions probably won't get much better and she might end up the way she did today."
"You do know that we're both really busy people, right?" Mat raised an eyebrow. "I only see Kagome in class during the day since I have band practice or a concert during some time after that."
"I'm not telling you to stay with her every second of the day," Garurumon looked on with soft eyes as Kagome and Kudamon played around with some of the Gazimon that were still there. "I'm just asking you to keep an eye on her when you can."
Matt looked on at the scene with a soft expression. "I will, but just so you know, I will be telling Tai and the rest of the gang about what happened with her today. If I'm not there, at least one of them would be."
'You might not understand it just yet,' Garurumon looked at his partner, 'But I do. And I can only wonder when you both will see…'
Ciao,
TsukiyoTenshi