I do not own InuYasha or Digimon Adventure in any way!
Speech Key:
"The" – Oral/Normal Speech
'The' – Thoughts
AN: Umm, I think this is a long enough chapter, considering the fact that it's comprised of two episodes… Sorry if ti sounds or seems a bit choppy, I've been a bit stressed out with a bunch of stuff lately…
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 Abduction of Agumon-Xx
-Hamasaki Acadmey; Tuesday Morning-
"So that prodigy kid's the Digimon Emperor?" Matt whistled lowly. "I never would've seen that coming…"
"I did," Kagome said dryly, "Except I just didn't know who it was at first; only that he looked familiar."
"And now he's run away?" the blonde teen clarified. "Izzy sent the rest of us a message last night," he explained when Kagome shot him a look.
The raven-haired girl nodded. "I think I know what he's up to, but something's…off about that brat. I don't know what it is, but his aura felt evil, and at the same time, not."
"How does that work out?" Matt raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"I couldn't tell you since I don't know myself," Kagome shook her head.
Silence fell over the two teens, each with a worried expression painted on their faces. Just then Matt's cleared and took on one of annoyance.
"I just remembered," he reached into his pocket and took out his cellphone and started punching buttons quickly, "What is this?!"
Kagome blinked at the blonde's tone before she looked at the photo in question…
…and flushed as she groaned in exasperation. 'Not again!' "It's not what you think!"
"Then what is it? 'Cause it looks like you two were getting pretty cozy," Matt asked with narrowed eyes.
"Matt, take a look at the picture again and tell me what you see," Kagome said wearily.
"You in some costumed guy's arms," the blonde replied readily. "Does Tai even know about your little boyfriend!"
Kagome sighed. "First of all, Matt, that's just Sorcermon; he's Kudamon Armour-Digivolves into him using the Digi-Egg I found. Second: What are you getting so worked up about? Sorcermon's my friend, one of my best friends since he's Kudamon, too, not my boyfriend or anything like that. And third: How did you even get that photo in the first place?!"
Matt blinked for a moment. 'She's right, why am I acting like this anyway? And why do I feel so…relieved? If she wants to date someone, she can date whoever she wants…though they'll have to get past Tai first…' "Sorry about that," he sighed, "I guess I just saw the picture and jumped to conclusions…"
"You still haven't answered my last question," the raven-haired teen pointed out. "Where did you even get that photo?"
"T.K," Matt answered. "He stayed over at my place Saturday night and was working on some kind of scrapbook or something with Kari. I saw the picture, had him send it to me and, well, you know the rest."
"And I just remembered something, too," Kagome said slyly, ignoring the pang that shot through her at her next question, "How was your date with June?"
The blonde teen flushed. "It wasn't a date…at least, to me it wasn't. I spent an entire hour listening to her drone on and one about herself, how cute she thinks I am, and how she knows we're soul mates!"
Kagome giggled. 'What's going on with me? Matt's free to date whoever he wants!' "Who knows, maybe you are!"
The teen shuddered visibly. "Don't…Just don't ever joke around like that… She's a nice girl, I know she is, but she's just a little too…energetic for me to keep up with." He cleared his throat, changing the subject. "So you said that you knew why Ken ran off?"
Kagome nodded. "I'm not exactly sure, but I need Izzy to check and see if my guess is correct." 'And I pray to all the gods above that I'm not right…'
Just then the teacher walked into the classroom, intending on starting his lesson.
Kagome stifled a gasp when images of Agumon and a large skeletal Digimon flew threw her head. She bit her tongue, to hide her reaction to the sharp twinge of pain that shocked her body. 'That definitely didn't look good!'
The~Ninth~Child
-Hamasaki Academy; Computer Lab; After School-
"Izzy I need you to check up on that map of the Digital World that showed us where the Control Spires were located?" Kagome asked the auburn-haired genius when she stepped into the room, followed by the rest of the group.
"Yeah," Izzy nodded slowly, somewhat confused by the request, "But can I ask why?"
"You know that Ken's run off," Kagome reminded him, "What else could he be doing and where?"
Dark eyes widened in realization as his fingers flew across the keys at a rapid speed.
"Kagome did you have another vision?" Kari asked.
"Not exactly," the raven-haired girl replied as Kudamon pulled himself out of Kagome's blazer to wrap himself comfortably around her shoulders. "I had one today, but it's not about what I asked Izzy to look for. Look, Ken is the Digimon Emperor, and he's bent on taking over the Digital World, right?"
The younger DigiDestined nodded.
"And since the only other place he'd run off to would be the Digital World," Kagome continued, "What do you think he'd be doing?"
As if on cue, Izzy gave a loud yelp.
"What's—Does that mean what I think it means?" T.K asked weakly.
Izz nodded gravely, "Kagome was right; Ken's taking over sectors of the Digital World faster than ever before!"
"That's only because he had to be home at a certain time," Kudamon spoke, "he has a family, remember? Now that he's run off to the Digital World for good, he can do whatever he wants without a time limit."
"Then let's go already!" Davis said determinedly.
"Don't be reckless," the auburn-haired genius cautioned. "Remember the saying: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
"So what do we do then?" Kari asked worriedly. "The more we wait, the more time he has to plot against us and take over the Digital World!"
"Why do evil geniuses have to be so…evil?" Cody looked at the smiling face of Ken in the Magazine Yoeli had brought the day before.
"He doesn't really look like he's capable of causing so much trouble!" Yolei sighed, frustrated.
"But he is," Kagome pointed out, "And you'd best not forget that. Like I said before, he had a nice exterior; nice enough to keep people from looking into who he really was."
"I don't mean to sound like a fool," T.K spoke up, "But I can't just sit here and do nothing!"
"Then I say we fight!" Davis held his D3 tightly in his hand. "The clock's ticking away and I'm getting ticked off!"
"He's right," Kari nodded, "I say we kick it into gear."
"It's better than sitting here and watching him do who-knows-what to all those Digimon," Kagome added.
One by one, each of the other DigiDestined gave let out sounds of agreement.
Izzy just looked at the group of six with an unreadable face before a small determined smile broke out over his lips. "You've convinced me; as much as I want you all to be careful, I know that we can't always just stand by. I'll be watching over you from here, so good luck."
The group nodded and held out their D3s to the computer terminal. "DigiPort: Open!"
And within a few seconds, all six DigiDestined were drawn into the computer through the familiar bluish-light that enveloped them.
-Digital World-
When the group landed in the Digital World, they found themselves on a rocky plain with flaming ditches and a lone Control Spire in the distance.
"Look at all this fire!" T.K exclaimed. "Seriously, it reminds me of that movie, 'Land of Fire'!"
"I know," Yolei said wryly, "And it sure is hot…"
"Five-star chili hot, if you ask me," Davis commented.
"Keep your guard up," Kagome advised them as they began walking towards the Control Spire, "for all we know, the brat just might've set a trap for us…"
Suddenly, as if on cue, six flaming Digimon leapt out of the nearest fiery pit to land before the group with malicious smirks on their faces.
"Meramon!" Kari exclaimed. "Meramon are very dangerous. They can burn you with their Roaring Flame attack or just by touching you!"
"Then let's show 'em who's boss!" Davis said. "Digi-Armour: Energize!"
"Veemon Armour Digivolve to: Flamedramon, the Fire of Courage!"
"Flame Fist!" Flamedramon shot a fireball at the Meramon, knocking one of them back a few feet, but unscathed otherwise.
"That's not going to do much against Meramon!" the raven-haired teen told the maroon-haired boy. 'Really?! A fire-based attack against a fire-type Digimon?!'
"Then it's my turn," Hawkmon stepped up, giving Yolei a certain look.
"Go for it!" the lavender-haired girl nodded. "Digi-Armour: Energize!"
"Hawkmon Armour Digivolve to: Halsemon, the Wings of Love!"
"Temptest Wing!" Halsemon spun around rapidly, forming a twister of air around him that was launched straight at the group of Meramon.
"Yolei, call him off now!" Kagome warned. "Wind won't help us here, right now, it's only making things get worse!"
The preteen looked over to the Meramon and yelped when she saw the flames of the Digimon grow larger and larger due to Halsemon's attack. "Halsemon stop! You're only making the flames bigger!"
Almost immediately, the bird-like Digimon stopped spinning and looked down at the scene with a perplexed expression.
"I guess it's up to you, Armadillomon," Cody looked at his partner, who gave him a nod in reply. "Digi-Armour: Energize!"
"Armadillomon Armour-Digivolve to: Digmon, the Drill of Knowledge!"
"Rock Cracking!" Digmon's drill turned on as the gold-armoured Digimon bent down to touch them to the ground, cutting into the stone beneath the Meramon.
"You did it!" Cody exclaimed, watching the Meramon tumble into the nearest fire pit.
"Okay, I don't mean to be rude," Kagome said slowly with a sweat-drop, "But you do remember that Meramon are fire-type Digimon and you just sent them tumbling into a lava pit?"
The preteens looked at the raven-haired teen for a moment before looking into the fiery pit to see the Meramon climbing out of the lava unscathed. "Ehehe, oops," Cody rubbed the back of his head sheepishly while Digmon flushed.
"I think it's time we joined in," T.K said, looking to Kari and Kagome when the group of Meramon jumped back out of the lava pit.
"Definitely," the light-brown-haired preteen nodded.
"Digi-Armour: Energize!" the three DigiDestined called out in unison.
"Patamon Armour-Digivolve to: Pegasusmon, the Soaring Hope!"
"Gatomon Armour-Digivolve to: Nefertimon, the Angel of Light!"
"Kudamon Armour-Digivolve to: Sorcermon, the Mage of Compassion!"
"Udjat Gaze!" Halsemon shot two orange-glowing rings at two of the Meramon, stopping them in their tracks.
"Hey, I think it's working!" T.K exclaimed. "Your turn, Pegasusmon!"
"Star Shower!" the undersides of the winged-horse Digimon's wings shone dark with tiny glimmers of stars before he flapped them, releasing a literal shower of glowing stars down at the frozen Meramon.
"Beam of Isis!" Nefertimon shot two pink beams from its headdress at the dark rings enslaving another two Meramon.
"That's what you get for playing with fire," Kari nodded.
"Crystal Barrage!" Sorcermon shot off a stream of crystals at another few Meramon that had joined in, both knocking them back and destroying their Dark Rings.
"Good," Kagome muttered, "But I don't think that's the—" She cut herself off with a gasp as her head snapped of in another direction.
"Kagome?" T.K asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"The brat's headed this way," the raven-haired teen all but growled, "But there's something else with him; another Digimon. I feel like I know who it is, but at the same time, I can't tell because something's…poisoning its aura…"
"Poisoning?" Kari repeated. "Oh that doesn't sound too good…"
They watched with horrified looks as a group of Airdramon along with the Digimon Emperor himself came onto the scene with a large skeletal Digimon.
"Oh no!" T.K exclaimed. "It's SkullGreymon! He's an Ultimate-Level Digimon and the only thing more terrifying than his looks are his fighting skills; especially his Dark Shot attack!"
"I take it you know that Digimon?" Kagome asked.
The blonde preteen nodded. "It's Agumon over there, but the Digimon Emperor must've forced him to Digivolve or something! The only time this happened before was when Tai forced Agumon to Digivolve and it backfired on him, four years ago!"
"Well, that explains the poisoned aura bit," Kagome said weakly, "now how in the world are we going to get him to turn back to normal?"
"We'll just have to fight," Davis spoke, "right now, I don't think we have much choice." He winced when SkullGreymon smacked a the few remaining Meramon off into the distance.
"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon shot off a few fireballs from his fists at the skeletal Digimon.
Unfortunately, the attack didn't even faze SkullGreymon, who only knocked Flamedramon, Halsemon, and Digmon away with a bat of his hand.
"So now what do we do?" Cody asked.
"We run," T.K suggested, "And then he hightail it and run some more!"
"Everyone get out here!" Nefertimon ordered. "Run!"
"But we have to stay and fight SkullGreymon!" Kari protested.
"Yes, great idea," Pegasusmon said sarcastically, "Stay right here, all clustered together so you create an easy target!"
"You know, he has a point," Kagome pointed out.
"Get to safety while you can!" Sorcermon told them. "Now!"
Just then, SkullGreymon leaned down slightly. "Dark Shot!" a fleshy-looking missile was launched from his back atop his spinal cord and straight at the Control Spire. A shockwave ran through the ran before a bright flash of light erupted from the site of the now disintegrating Control Spire. Nefertimon, Pegasusmon, and Sorcermon, having gotten cought up in the shockwave, reverted back to their Rookie forms.
"I guess we could be thanking him!" Davis exclaimed. "But that's if he didn't look like he was about to come over and destroy us!"
And sure enough, when the Control was gone, the skeletal Digimon stalked forwards towards the group of humans before him.
"So you wanna play rough?!" the Digimon Emperor snarled. He pulled out something small from his pocket and put it to his mouth. A few seconds later, a loud whistling sound pierced the air, getting the skeletal Digimon's attention.
"I'm afraid to find out who he's calling!" T.K looked around the area warily as did the rest of the DigiDestined as they climbed a rocky hill.
"Hey, what's that over there?!" Yolei pointed to a few shadows stalking up closer and closer from beyond the horizon.
Large black dinosaur-like Digimon resembling the Tyrannomon they'd seen before walked in a pack, eyes glowing red as the Dark Rings gleamed around their necks.
"Those would be DarkTyrannomon," Kagome told them, "The result of a computer program that corrupted Tyrannomon's data, and his Fire Breath attack definitely isn't one to dismiss so easily."
"Why can't we ever fight something small or short?" Yolei complained. "Like mice or something?!"
The DigiDestined watched as the six DarkTyrannomon Surrounded SkullGreymon and unleashed a strong dark stream of fire at the skeletal Digimon.
"Do you think they'll be able to do anything?" Cody asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Davis said weakly, watching as SkullGreymon wasn't fazed by the flames and simply started throwing the six Digimon around like they were nothing.
"He's tossing them around like they're ragdolls!" T.K shouted, watching on DarkTyrannomon crash into a hillside a few metres away from them.
"That's not really surprising," Kagome commented.
"Huh?" Kari looked at her sister in question. "Why do say that?"
"SkullGreymon is an Ultimate-Level Digimon while the DarkTyrannomon are all Champion level, s it's not too surprising with the way things are going so far," Kagome explained. "And that's not counting the fact that SkullGreymon seems to only think about fighting and nothing else…"
They watched as SkullGreymon threw one last DarkTyrannomon into a lava pit before a gold light overtook his body. When the light died away, there lay an unconscious Agumon with a Dark Ring clasped around his neck.
"Agumon!" Kari shouted as the group ran as fast as they could towards the downed Digimon.
Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough as the Digimon swooped in atop an Airdramon, who picked Agumon up by his tail and flew off. "From defeat, I snatch another victory!" Ken cackled as he and his group of Airdramon flew off.
"Wait," Kagome's eyes widened, "What happened to the areas Agumon was guarding?"
"Oh man," T.K breathed out, "I completely forgot about that!"
"Then I say we check up on 'em," Davis spoke up, "We might not be able to do much, but at least we can check up on the Digimon living there."
The group nodded in agreement as their Digimon Armour-Digivolved once more, each taking their respective partner and heading off for Agumon's domain.
-Kamiya Residence; That Night-
"Agumon's been what?!" Tai burst out.
Kari and Kagome shook their heads while Kudamon and Gatomon looked at the brown-haired teen sadly. "It's true," Kari nodded. "The Digimon Emperor's taken Agumon and the area he was guarding under his control!"
"And if that wasn't enough," Kagome said cautiously, "he forced him to Digivolve."
"H-He what?" Tai collapsed onto the bed with a stricken look. "T-Then that means he—he…"
"He turned into SkullGreymon," Gatomon finished softly.
"I'm coming with you tomorrow," Tai said quietly, looking at his sisters with a serious and determined expression. "Agumon's my partner and my best friend and I'm not going to let some snot-nosed know-it-all brat get away with controlling him!"
Kagome said nothing even as images of a black spiral on a red-eyed Agumon's arm and of a dark version of MetalGreymon flashed through her mind.
A tear only ran down her cheek. 'We can try to save him, but I don't think it'll be enough this time.'
-Hamasaki Acadmey; Computer Lab; Wednesday Afternoon-
"Where are they?" Tai asked impatiently, looking up at the clock, tapping his foot on the ground.
"Calm down," Kagome tried soothing her brother. "Getting worked up and acting reckless won't get us anywhere close to saving Agumon. Just be patient; I'm sure they'll be here soon."
As if on cue, Davis, Kari, Cody, and T.K burst in through the door, they Digimon with them.
"There you are!" Tai snapped. "You're late! Where were you, anyway?"
"Tai…" Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, don't get mad at Kari about it," Davis stepped up, "It was my fault. I had an appointment for a haircut, but when I looked in the mirror, I realized my hair was perfect!"
"Except, he was looking into the mirror for over an hour!" T.K glared at the maroon-haired boy.
"And what about Agumon?" Tai asked sternly.
"Have him make his own appointment," Davis shrugged.
Tai only growled.
"Davis, now that you're one of the DigiDestined," Kari said firmly, "You need to think less about your hair and more about others!"
"All right, so you're all here," Kagome looked at the preteens and child, "But where's Yolei?"
"Oh, she told me she was going to clean her glasses," Izzy spoke up from where he was typing away on a computer terminal.
"What?" the maroon-haired boy all but whined. "As big as her glasses are, that could take hours! When are people going to learn that wearing goggles, or even contacts, are easier?"
"Just hurry up and find her so we can leave already!" Tai ordered.
"Right!" Cody and Davis snapped to attention and made to run out of the room, before they stopped at the doorway. "Yolei, there you are!" Cody said in relief. It was when she walked in did he notice the sullen expression on her face. "Hey, what's the matter?"
"I'm not going," Yolei told them quietly.
"Well I can see that you're the last person I'd go to for help," Tai snorted.
"Tai…" Kagome said again, this time more firmly.
"Please don't be angry," Kari pleaded.
"Sorry," Tai sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I'm just really worried about Agumon."
"Is there something wrong?" DemiVeemon asked. "Please tell so we can make it better!"
The raven-haired teen looked at the lavender-haired girl before her. "Yolei, if you don't want to go, it's fine; don't put yourself at risk when your heart isn't in it."
Tai nodded in agreement, "That goes for all of you. I don't want anyone to go and put themselves in danger if they're not up to fighting."
"If it makes you feel any better," T.K piped up, "You can do my math homework!"
"Mine, too!" Davis added.
"And my Kendo sticks need a little polishing," Cody put in.
"So it's really okay if I don't go?" Yolei asked.
"What do we have to do?" Gatomon commented. "Hold up a sign? Look, if you don't want to go, and everyone says it's okay, you can stay!"
Izzy nodded. "You can do homework, cleaning, or anything else that you want. Or if you're up to it, you can even stay here with me and keep an eye on things from this end while the others go and take care of things in the Digital World."
"So if everyone's ready, then let's go," Kari took out her D3 and held it up to the open computer terminal. "DigiPort: Open!"
-Digital World-
"Oh it's so nice to see everyone again!" Tentomon buzzed happily as he sat atop a branch in what looked like a charred and near-decimated tree. "Welcom to my tree house! Or at least it was a tree house until SkullGreymon went around destroying whatever was in sight, so it's more like a TreeTwig now."
"It's great to see, you, too, Tentomon," Tai said quickly, "But we're not here for a social call; we have to find the Digimon Emperor and stop him before he takes put the entire Digital World at risk at the rates he's gaining power!"
"I've never seen Tai this angry before," Davis said quietly. "Not even when I accidentally kicked a soccer ball through the Principle's office window…"
"If you think about it, he has every right to be mad," Kagome reminded the maroon-haired boy. "If Veemon were taken under the brat's control, you'd probably be going mad with worry and out for blood by now, wouldn't you?"
"But how in the Digi-World are we supposed to find Agumon?" Patamon asked from T.K's arms.
"Tentomon can help," T.K suggested, watching the insect Digimon fly around.
"What does the Digimon want with Agumon, anyway?" Kari asked her sister as she watched Tentomon. "Besides wanting to take over the Digital World, that is." The preteen frowned when she didn't get an answer and looked at her sister, only to gasp. "Kagome!"
Everyone looked at Kari when they hear her surprised tone. "What's wrong?" Cody asked.
"Kagome…" Kari trailed off worriedly.
The group, including the already high-strung Tai, looked at the raven-haired teen, only to see her eyes blank and glowing brightly. "Kagome…" Tai whispered, walking over to his sister, shaking her a little, trying to jostle her out of whatever trance she'd fallen into.
"You won't be able to wake her," T.K told the brown-haired teen.
"What?" Tai looked at the younger blonde. "Why?"
"I don't know why, but we couldn't snap her out of it; me and Sora, anyway. It happened once four years ago just before the battle with Piedmon," T.K explained. "Her eyes just started glowing and she just up and left. The next thing I know, I found her all right with Matt and Joe when I was with Sora looking for them. But the thing is, is that once she's back to normal, she never remembers what happened while she was in her trance."
"Is it another vision?" Kari asked.
"Maybe," T.K said, unsure, "but even if it was, it's probably not an ordinary one. Some of her more extreme visions usually left her hurt and weak, remember? If this is a vision, then it's probably got to do with something else."
"Uh, does somebody want to explain what's going on here?" Davis asked.
"Huh?" Tentomon looked at the two confused preteens and their Digimon. "Oh that's right, you don't know, do you?"
"Know what?" Cody asked.
Kari, Tai, and T.K quickly summarized how Kagome was able to have visions and sense auras because of a gift she was given by a dragon that came to her in her dream. They told the new DigiDestined of how Kagome's visions typically revealed certain things, but not everything, which is the reason why she'd gotten so weak when Gabumon and Gomamon were hurt.
"Wow," the two preteens blinked as they took in the information.
"Yeah and—wait, where's she going?" T.K asked when he saw the raven-haired teen running off with Kudamon wrapped around her shoulders.
"We should probably follow her," Patamon piped up, "I think this was how she found Matt last time."
"Do you think she's might be going after Agumon?" Tai asked urgently.
"It's possible," the small winged Digimon nodded.
And with that, the group started off after the raven-haired teen, running to catch up so they wouldn't get too far from her.
The~Ninth~Child
"Uh so where are we?" Davis asked when the group found themselves walking into what seemed like an abandoned town.
"Rail Town, I believe," Tentomon replied, looking around the place. "Yup, it's definitely Rail Town!"
"So where's Agumon?" Tai asked as they followed Kagome, who stopped before a long line of train tracks.
"The captive comes free upon the rails," Kagome spoke in a layered and almost breathy tone.
"Say what?" Cody blinked.
Kagome didn't reply, as she looked into a tunnel from which a long trail of train tracks emerged.
"Hey what's that noise?" Veemon asked when the blaring of a train horn pierced the calm silence around them.
"It's either the local or the express," Kari said dryly, watching as a bright light shone out of the tunnel, eventually leading into a large black steam engine chugging out of the darkness.
"And look who's driving!" T.K laughed.
"Agumon!" Tai called out. "AGUMON!"
The orange dinosaur looked up at the sound of his name and they all watched as his eyes widened at the sight of Tai and the others. "Tai!"
"Let's see if this'll stop it in its tracks…" Gatomon grunted as she pushed on a lever, chaning the course of the train to spin back around, but this time to a dead end.
"Tai!" the little orange dinosaur jumped into his partner's arms happily.
"Are you okay? You're okay, right?" the brown-haired teen checked over his Digimon frantically. "Oh, just gimme a great big hug!"
Agumon whimpered a little and Tai pulled back quick as lightning. "Wait, are you sure you're okay? Did that brat do anything to you?" Tai asked.
"No, you were just squeezing my ribs too hard," Agumon grinned.
"Um, I don't mean to be a downer, but shouldn't we get out of here?" Kari asked. "Since Agumon's escaped, he's bound to come after him again." She looked at Kagome, whose eyes still glowed brightly. "Besides, if Kagome's still like this, then something's definitely bound to go wrong."
Agumon perked up at the mention of the raven-haired teen. "What do you mean? What's up with Ka—Hey, what's going on with Kagome?"
"We think it's vision," T.K replied, "but we're not too sure; she's the one that lead us to you, actually."
"Okay, that's great and all but why don't we get back on topic?" Davis butted in. "We came here to fight and now you're running away?!"
"Look, Davis, sometimes you have to learn that there are times when you need to fight with your head and not with your heart, no matter how good or justified your intentions might be," Tai told the younger boy. "Besides, you have to remember that we're not at full strength here; and besides, Agumon's been through enough for a while and we have to make sure he gets to safety."
"You mean we can come back later to get him?" Davis blinked.
Tai nodded with a smirk. He turned to Agumon and kneeled down before him, "Why don't you get on my back and I'll carry you the rest of the way?"
"You sure about that, Tai?" the small dinosaur Digimon asked.
"Definitely," Tai nodded. "Besides, you deserve some rest after everything you've been through."
"Thanks Tai," Agumon grinned as he clambered onto the brown-haired teen's back. "So where are we going?"
"You're coming home with me, buddy," Tai answered as he and the rest of the group started walking out of Rail Town by backtracking along the train tracks. Kari and T.K each took one of Kagome's hands and began guiding her with them as she still hadn't snapped out of her trance.
"He doesn't seem to be very grumpy anymore," Cody observed quietly.
"Agumon is Tai's best friend," Kari explained, "And that's all he's been worried about since we told him about what happened yesterday. Now that Agumon's safe and with him again, Tai knows he can relax a bit."
"But that doesn't mean that he'll give up on going for ken," T.K pointed out.
"Just wait till we get home, Agumon," the brown-haired teen said excitedly, "I say we have a little party to celebrate; there might be cake if someone decides to go and buys one, but there'll definitely be cookies and ice cream!"
"I want mine with chocolate sprinkles!" Agumon exclaimed.
"The captor comes to capture once again," Kagome spoke as she stopped, "He will take what is not his and will never accept that which is."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Davis asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"Well, isn't this touching?" a familiar voice spoke from above them. "I really should have remembered to bring my camera!"
"It's Ken!" Kari cried out, seeing the spiky-haired boy atop a tall platform in his Digimon Emperor regalia with four Airdramon settled around him like a pack of bodyguards.
"My name is the Digimon Emperor!" Ken snarled.
"So you don't like your name now, huh?" the maroon-haired preteen snapped. "Then how's Kenny or Kenneth?"
"You really don't want to make me angry!" the Digimon Emperor roared.
"So you're the one who locked Agumon up like some wild animal!" Tai spoke as he let his partner off his back.
It was only then did the glow in Kagome's eyes recede. "What the—What happened? Where are we, and how the heck did we find Agumon so quickly?"
"Kagome!" Kudamon said in relief as he rubbed his head against her cheek. "You were in a trance, but it was you who lead us to Agumon here. But right now, it seems that the so-called Digimon Emperor wants Agumon back."
She looked up just in time to catch the spiky-haired boy snap his whip down onto the platform he stood upon. One by one, six DarkTyrannomon stepped out from here and there to surround the DigiDestined.
"Just say the word, Davis!" Veemon nodded.
"Hey, don't let those two have all the fun," Armadillomon winked at his partner.
"Digi-Armour: Energize!" Cody and Davis called out in unison.
"Veemon Armour-Digivolve to: Flamedramon, the Fire of Courage!"
"Armadillomon Armour-Digivolve to: Digmon, the Drill of Knowledge!"
"Fire Rocket!" Flamedrawmon was surrounded by an aura of fire as he launched himself at one of the DarkTryrannomon, knocking it to the ground.
"Rock Cracking!" Digmon used his drills to open up a chasm underneath three of the remaining DarkTyrannomon.
"Flame Fist!" Flamedramon let loose three large fireballs at the platform the Digimon Emperor stood on, causing it to slowly crumbled to the ground.
"NO!" Ken roared furiously, jumping onto the skull of one of the Airdramon.
"He doesn't give up easy does he?" Gatomon commented.
"Nope," Patamon agreed.
"Did you ever think he would?" Kudamon asked.
"Digi-Armour: Energize!" Kagome, T.K, and Kari called out.
"Gatomon Armour-Digivolve to: Nefertimon, the Angel of Light!"
"Patamon Armour-Digivolve to: Pegasusmon, the Soaring Hope!"
"Kudamon Armour-Digivolve to: Sorcermon, the Mage of Compassion!"
"Wild Mane"
"Beam of Isis!"
"Crystal Barrage!"
The three attacks were sent towards the Digimon Emperor and his small fleet of Airdramon, but ultimately doing no damage as the Digimon were able to dodge the attacks.
"Equess Beam!" Pegasusmon released a green triangle-shaped shot at the Airdramon with Ken, getting a direct hit on it, causing the boy to fall though he wasn't hurt.
"We have to attack now!" Agumon shouted, running to where the Digimon Emperor stood.
"No, wait!" Tai ran after his partner, trying to stop him, but to no avail.
"I see you've come back to me, after all, Agumon," Ken chuckled darkly.
"If you think I'd come back willingly, you're not right in the head," Agumon stated. "Which you aren't!"
"No matter," the spiky-haired boy shrugged, "I'll just need to give you a little…present!" He took out a black spiral that glowed red and threw it at the small orange dinosaur.
"What's th—ARGH!" Agumon fell to the ground as dark-violet streaks of electricity and sparks ran over his body when the spiral clasped around his arm.
"Welcome back, Agumon," Ken chuckled.
"Agumon?" Tai asked, stepping closer cautiously.
"Look out!" Davis shoved the older teen out of the way when a red-eyed Agumon fired his Pepper Breath at Tai.
"What's going on?" Tai asked in horror.
"Agumon, Dark Digivolve!" Ken ordered.
A deep-violet light overtook the small Digimon's body, slowly and steadily growing larger and larger until it took on a very familiar shape.
"No…" Tai breathed out at the sight of his partner's Ultimate form, MetalGreymon.
However, this MetalGreymon was quite different from the one Tai had known. His skin was now a dark-blue, where it had been orange, and his armour, which had been silver was how tinted with a darker grey-shade, closer to black. His auburn hair was now a deep-maroon, and his eyes glowed a bright red.
"This really isn't good," T.K winced. "That's MetalGreymon! His armor not only protects him from harm, but it conceals his destructive Giga Blaster attack!"
"MetalGreymon, you have to fight the Digimon Emperor's comtrol!" Tai shouted u to his partner. "Don't you remember me? It's Tai! You're best friend!"
"Oh isn't this touching," Ken simpered mockingly, "but I'm afraid that he belongs to me now. Allow me to demonstrate: MetalGreymon, attack!"
"Look out!" Kagome pulled her brother out of the way quickly. "Tai, it won't be of any use to try and reason with him! As long as that brat has him under his control, he won't know us! He won't know you!"
"Nefertimon! Sorcermon!" Pegasusmon called out to the two Armour-Digimon. "Help me stop MetalGreymon!"
The braces on both winged Digimon glowed gold. "Golden Noose!" The two Digimon crossed over each other to create a thick golden thread which bound MetalGreymon.
"Ice Illusion!" Sorcermon sun his staff a few times before letting his magic flow into the Golden Noose, causing the binding to tighten and solidify, leaving the Metal Digimon no room to move a muscle.
"Hey!" Tai, who was being held back by Davis at the moment, protested as he struggled to get free. "Don't hurt him!"
"Don't worry," Flamedramon stepped forward, "He's metal."
"Hey!" Davis shouted when Tai started struggling even harder at the statement. "Seriously?!" he shouted at his partner. "You had to go and say something like that he's already riled up enough as it is?!"
"Digmon, can you take care of the Dark Spiral?" Nerfertimon asked.
"That won't any problem for old Digmon here!" the gold-armoured Digimon answered. "If he'd stop dancin' around! Hey, stop that!"
Kagome and the other sweat-dropped as they saw MetalGreymon literally dancing around on his legs, trying to free himself from the binding placed around him.
"No AGUMON!" Tai shouted struggling in Davis' grip. "Davis, let me go!"
"Tai, if I let you go, the only thing you'll be seeing is the bottom of his foot!" the maroon-haired boy held on tight to the upperclassman.
"He's trying to break out of the Golden Noose!" Sorcermon's eyes widened.
"He is Breaking out of the Golden Noose!" Flamedramon corrected just at MetalGreymon snapped through the binding with a great roar.
"Giga Blaster!" two dark torpedoes were shot out of MetalGreymon's chest straight at Flamedramon and Digmon, the impact causing a huge cloud of smoke to appear in the aftermath.
"Goodbye Digi-Fools!" The Digimon Emperor cackled when the smoke cleared as he stood atop MetalGreymon's head. "And say goodbye to your precious pet Agumon! With the Dark Spirals and MetalGreymon, I will be invincible!" MetalGreymon flew off with the Airdramon flanking his sides.
"Agumon," Tai collapsed to his knees. 'I-I let him down; and just when he needed me the most…'
"That kid's begging to get knocked down a peg…or ten!" Davis growled.
"Hey everybody!" a voice called out to them along with the sound of metal on metal.
The group, bar Tai, looked in the direction of the sound and voice to see Yolei, Hawkmon, and Matt sailing towards them in a pair of mining carts. "Hi, everyone, I'm really sorry about not coming before…" Yolei said hesitantly.
"It's okay," Cody shook his head, "I just knew you'd come sooner or later!"
"And it's a good thing she stayed, too," Matt replied, hopping out of his cart, "or I wouldn't have been able to find you." He looked at everyone and his eyes stayed firmly on the desolate Tai.
The blonde looked to Kagome and raised his eyes brows. "That bad?" his eyes seemed to ask.
Kagome only nodded.
"So mind filling me in?" Matt asked.
The~Ninth~Child
"Well, it certainly sounds like you guys had an eventful day," Matt sighed.
"Yeah," the brown-haired teen nodded, "And it's all my fault…"
"Should I do it, or do you want the honours?" Kagome looked at Matt.
"I think I'll take this one," the older blonde nodded as he walked over to his friend. "Tai…" He pulled back his arm and let it fly into Tai's cheek, knocking the teen to the ground.
"Hey, why'd you punch him?" Davis asked. "I thought you're supposed to be friends?! Unless you're friends who're on the boxing team, but that wouldn't make any sense here since—"
"Let them be, Davis!" T.K shouted to the maroon-haired boy, causing the preteen to stop and watch the proceedings with increasing confusion.
"Tai," Matt held out his hand to the brown-haired teen on the ground.
"Thanks, Matt," Tai took his friend's hand and pulled himself up, "I needed that."
"Don't mention it," Matt nodded, "I'd be happy to do it again."
"And if he doesn't, I will," Kagome chimed in.
"I know I was blaming myself for something that was completely out of my control," Tai spoke, "And I know I'm not doing anyone any good by just standing here moping around. But right now, we need to figure out a way to get Agumon back."
"If we're going to do that," the blonde spoke, "We have to be willing to fight him at full strength. I know Agumon, and I know he'd rather be defeated by us than run around playing slave for the Digimon Emperor."
Tai nodded and looked at the rest of the group. "In the future when we face the Digimon Emperor, we have to be ready to face Agumon and well…I don't really know how to say this…"
"Don't worry," Gatomon cut in, "I'll take care of it." She turned to the rest of the rookie Digimon who stood in a line, bar Kudamon (who was once again wrapped around Kagome's shoulders). "When we see Agumon again, trash him, do you understand? I can't hear you!"
"We'll trash Agumon!" all the Rookies called out in unison.
"The let's go defeat Agumon!" T.K cheered. "Oh man, I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth!"
In a matter of moments, the DigiDestined and their partners all piled into the two large mining carts. Tai, Matt, Kagome, Kudamon, Davis and Veemon into the first, while the rest piled into the other.
"I've never traveled by cart before," Daivs joked.
"That's how the important people travel," Kari said with a mock-haughty tone.
"We'll get him back," Kagome looked up at her brother with a smile, "I promise."
"And you know how Kagome is," Matt added with a grin.
"Yeah," Tai nodded, putting an arm around his sister's shoulders and pulling her close, "She always comes through no matter what."
Ciao,
TsukiyoTenshi