Frontier 02: Rebirthing – Chapter 25: Infiltration
madjack89: Hey guys! If you were wondering, we had a very interesting Thanksgiving. We went to a Thanksgiving get-together at the Akatsuki base, hosted by the reviewer TobiGB!
Kouji: Never again…
madjack89: Aw, you know you had fun!
Kouji: No I didn't. ESPECIALLY not with all the tension surrounding that stupid fight Itachi picked with Kouichi!
Zoe: Well, he did win, at least.
Kira: Hell yeah he did! Kouichi pwned that Itachi guy!
JP: Old red eyes was begging for mercy!
Takuya: Chief is, without a doubt, the best Crispin Freeman-voiced character around!
Kouichi: Oh god, don't say that. Next thing I know, Alucard will be coming after me.
Takuya: Alucard's a vampire! Can't you just stake him or something?
Kouichi: He's Alucard, Takuya.
Takuya: True…
Kouichi: Anyway, I didn't really beat Itachi on my own. I had help.
Nina (in Kouichi's head): You're welcome, kitty!
Kouichi: Get out of my head, Nina!
Everyone else: stares at Kouichi like he's gone insane
Kouichi: So…gotten any more calls from Kisame, Kira?
Kira: Yes, I have! I swear the shark man is stalking me!
Takuya: You're not…interested in him, are you?
Kira: Taki, are you jealous of a fish? Seriously?
Takuya: Well, he's got a big sword…
JP: That could be taken the wrong way.
madjack89: Stop being a pervert!
JP: Pervert…
madjack89: I don't wanna hear it!
Tommy: How could that be taken the wrong way? He does have a big sword.
Everyone: …
madjack89: Review time!
-
apapa155: Thanks for all the nice reviews and the treats! And happy Thanksgiving!
61wisampa: Well, you're mostly right, but there is one BIG thing about Masumon that I'm about to reveal. Anyway, I'm glad that someone else agrees with me about this whole Jasper thing! He really is the best! (Jasper: smirks) Of course, I still like Edward and Jacob too, but Jasper! (lol) Alright, thanks for reviewing! Adios!
garnettfox: Heh, sorry! But in all fairness, it was not MONTHS…just one month. I'm glad you like those three and I'll really try to update more, kay? Okay Shun, what do we say? (Shun: Thanks for reviewing.) Good boy! I'm teaching him to be nice! (Shun: sigh)
Aldamonburst: If you want fighting, just wait till the next arc…(glances at Kouichi) (Kouichi: I really don't like the look you're giving me…) Hooray for Sora torture! (lol) Okay, thanks for reviewing!
GoldenDragon326: (Seiko: Glad to be here!) Yeah, Kouichi and Seiko met, but Chief just wrote it off and concluded that she was psycho! (Kouichi: Yeah…kind of.) Witchmon's cloak has holes in it (though most Witchmon don't have holes in their cloaks), so JP was picking on her (though the cloaks she gave them do have some holes). I'll leave you to your ponderings, then! Thanks for the review!
beybladeingninjaprincess: I'm sorry the update took so long, okay? And you can have Jacob as long as I get Jasper! (Hee hee!) Squishy can't be in every chapter, unfortunately. Thanks for reviewing!
ladyaura12: Well Yin, if you enjoy Kouji torture, you have DEFINITELY come to the right story! (Kouji: Yes you have. And I am NOT an idiot!) There there, pretty boy…Shino, apologize for smack talking Taylor! (Shino: I'm sorry Taylor, though I doubt you're reading this unless you're a nerd like the rest of us.) Technically, you guys aren't nerds. You're just the objects of the rest of our nerdiness! (Shino: True.) Alright, thanks for reviewing! (I'd go for Wolfsbane, btw! It sounds cool!)
DigiBleach: Yeah, I'm an easily distracted person. Just ask my friends! (lol) (Masumon: Thank you for your concern!) And thanks for reviewing!
Rain621: Heh, sorry Shino! I kind of forgot you existed! (Shino: glares at me) Heh heh…anyway, thanks for the great review, and thank you for complimenting my writing! Comments like that always make me feel good!
TobiGB: Hey Kouichi! (Kouichi: What?) You don't have to worry about Itachi anymore! (Kouichi: I kind of already figured that out, but thanks for telling me!) You're welcome! Alright, thanks for the review and of course I'd like to join your club, especially since Kyon's in it! Yay! (Kyon: Are you obsessed with me?) Kind of! (Kyon: …Wow.)
-
madjack89: Okay guys, time to go save Masumon! Ready?
Shino: That depends. Do I get any lines in this chapter?
madjack89: smacks Shino
Shino: Ow!
madjack89: Ready, set, go! (It's time to run!)
Dai: Hey, my character theme!
—
"Ready, you two?" Gotsumon whispered to JP and Dai, who nodded determinedly.
While they stepped out from the cover of the trees, the rest of the gang, plus Gotsumon and the additional Digimon member of the squad, Gaomon, watched warily to see whether their plan would work or not.
"What the hell kind of things are those guarding the RMS?" Kira asked Gaomon, whom she was hiding behind a tree with. "They look like ogres."
"Ogremon, actually," Gaomon clarified, boxing gloves raised in case the guards needed to be taken out.
Kira smirked. "You Digimon are a literal lot, aren't you?"
"So, you think they'll pass as Digimon?" Shino asked, staring nervously at JP and Dai's advance toward the guards.
"Well, we gave them cloaks and painted something on their faces," Takuya replied, shrugging.
Shino glanced at Takuya. "You drew smiley faces on their cheeks. I don't think that's very Digimon-like."
"That's why I told JP to tell the guards that he and Dai are Smileymon," Takuya explained, looking proud of himself for coming up with the name.
Shino, along with Kouji and Hotaru, who weren't far from the two, gave Takuya skeptical looks. "Honestly, Takuya? Smileymon?" Kouji said flatly.
"You guys just watch," Takuya said, confidence brimming. "Those Ogremon won't suspect a thing!"
As the others continued to have whispered conversations amongst themselves (which they probably shouldn't be doing because they're trying NOT to be discovered), JP and Dai walked slowly toward the two menacing-looking guards.
Oh crap, we're gonna die! JP thought, trying to keep a straight face as they came closer and closer to the Ogremon. One swipe from those bone clubs could easily take us out before we can even grab for our D-Tectors! We are so screwed!
Dai was having very different thoughts. This is so exciting! We're like secret agents disguising themselves to fool the enemy! And those guards are so cool! I wonder what those clubs are made of? They look almost like femurs! Awesome!
One of the Ogremon suddenly spotted JP and Dai and gave his fellow guard a nudge. Then they began to glare at the two approaching figures, raising their clubs.
JP still kept a straight face, though he had paled significantly. Dai just continued to grin broadly, oblivious to (or choosing to ignore) the danger that he and JP faced.
When they were about a femur-length away from the guards, the Ogremon concurrently lowered their clubs, missing JP and Dai by a hair-length. JP began to tremble as he stared wide-eyed at the guards, while Dai smiled cordially and said "Hello! How are you today?"
The Ogremon glanced at each other, slightly perplexed by Dai's behavior. Then one said, "State your business or we'll be forced to mangle you so horribly that not even your Fractal Code will be able to put itself back together."
Shit! We are going to DIE! JP thought this, but still managed to say in a shaky voice, "Anybody want to see a card trick?"
"Card…trick?" The two guards gave JP simultaneous looks of confusion.
"Yup!" Dai said, nodding vigorously. "We're a couple of traveling magicians and were wondering if you'd like to see some tricks! We won't charge you or anything!"
The two Ogremon turned for a moment, discussing something. Then they turned back around and said, "Very well. We will observe your so-called 'magic.'"
"Alright!" Dai turned to JP. "Take it away!"
I love you, Dai, JP thought, grateful that Dai was able to keep his cool against nearly anything. "Okay, let's begin," he said, grabbing some cards from his pocket with one hand. The other hand was behind his back, giving the others the thumbs up sign.
"That's the signal!" Gotsumon hissed, shutting everyone up. "Go!"
While the Ogremon were poring over JP's cards, the others quickly and quietly ran one at a time through the glitch in the wall until they were all safely inside the RMS.
"Wow, that was easier than last time," Takuya muttered, glancing at Kouichi. "Chief didn't even have to save us with his ninja skills."
Everyone directed their attention toward Kouichi momentarily, expecting him to react to or even rebuke Takuya's statement. Instead, he was staring at his feet with a blank look on his face.
The others gave him concerned looks while Zoe shook his shoulders gently. "Kouichi," she said softly, causing him to jump. He glanced at Zoe, then realized that everyone was staring at him.
"Um, sorry, I guess I spaced out. Did you guys say something?" Kouichi asked, forcing a sheepish smile to try to fool the others.
They weren't convinced, though. "Chief, are you alright?" Kira asked.
"You've been acting a little weird lately," Takuya added.
"Ever since that last encounter with Duskmon," Hotaru muttered, putting everyone's thoughts into words.
Kouichi flinched slightly at Hotaru's statement. Do they know the truth? he wondered fearfully. No…no, they couldn't. They wouldn't have let me come on this mission if they knew. They'd have left me back in the tunnels to protect me…leaving the entire Resistance unguarded if I lost control and went on a rampage.
Kouichi closed his eyes, dispelling this thought. Alright, I have to tell them something, but what?
"Kouichi's been feeling a little off ever since his fight with Duskmon." Kouichi turned quickly to his left, staring wide-eyed at Zoe. Was she really going to tell them the truth?
"But it's really nothing to worry about," Zoe continued, glancing at Kouichi. "He just didn't want you guys to worry about him."
Kouichi relaxed, smiling slightly at Zoe. How could he have thought for one second that she'd betray his confidence? He then turned to face the others and said, "I'm sorry I've been worrying you guys over nothing."
"Hey, no biggie, Chief," Kira said. "We're just glad you're okay."
The others nodded in agreement. Then Gotsumon said, "Alright, let's split up and search until we find Masumon's cell."
"Sure is dark," Takuya muttered, noticing for the first time that he could barely make out his surroundings. The gang appeared to be standing in a hall of some sort. The walls were made of stone and there seemed to be light coming from either side of the tunnel-like hallway, though it scarcely managed to illuminate the part they were in. "Hey Kouji, think you could use that Light Saber of yours as a flashlight?" Takuya said, glancing to his left and expecting to see an annoyed Kouji. Instead, he saw nothing.
"Kouji?" Takuya scanned the group and realized that Kouji was no longer among them. "Guys, I think we have a problem."
—
Kouji took the first turn out of the hall, sprinting down an identical hallway lit every few feet by lamp-like structures built into the wall. He knew that he didn't have to run anymore, that no one had noticed him leave, and that he could stop. But he was so shaken up that he ran to the end of the hall and turned left, then finally came to a halt.
He leaned heavily against the wall, taking deep, trembling breaths. He shouldn't have left the others. It was a stupid move that could cost him his life. He was now alone in an enemy fortress with absolutely no back-up. He was lucky he'd lasted this long.
But…he hadn't been able to bear seeing Kouichi's pained expression when the others had been questioning him. Especially when Hotaru had mentioned Duskmon. That was when he'd backed away quietly and started to run down the hall. And Kouichi hadn't even noticed.
"Not that I wanted him to," Kouji muttered to himself, clutching his D-Tector tightly. "I'll find Masumon on my own, bring her back, and then I'll talk to Kouichi. If I don't, he'll…"
Kouji didn't want to finish this sentence, though one thing was becoming painfully clear to him. The more he distanced himself from his brother, the harder it got for Kouichi to resist the lure of darkness within him. If he continued to stray away from Kouichi, his brother would be lost. Forever.
"I won't lose him," Kouji said to himself, finding strength in his resolve. "Not again."
Feeling determined, he Spirit Evolved into Lobomon so that he'd be ready if he were attacked. Then he ran down the hall, not realizing that Renamon followed not far behind.
—
"I just love that now we have to look for Masumon AND Kouji," Takuya muttered sarcastically, walking down one of the basement's many halls with Kira and Hotaru.
"Well, that's pretty boy for you," Kira said, shrugging. "A loner through and through."
"He wouldn't just run off without a good reason, though," Hotaru pointed out, holding his D-Tector at the ready and he glanced left and right.
"That's true," Takuya mused, remembering another time this had happened. The first time they'd been in the Dark Continent, Kouji had run off to find and confront Duskmon. He'd felt a strange connection to him that he hadn't bothered explaining to the rest of the gang before racing off.
"Why can't he just let us help him?" Takuya wondered, frowning. "When is he gonna realize that he can tell us his problems and we can help him figure things out?"
"Maybe he's afraid." Both Takuya and Kira stopped and stared at Hotaru, perplexed by his statement.
"Maybe he just doesn't want to bother us with his problems," Hotaru continued, fixing his gaze firmly ahead. "Or he thinks that we won't understand if he tells us."
Takuya and Kira considered what Hotaru said and realized that he might be right. There always seemed to be a part of Kouji that none of the others could understand. None but Kouichi, that is. If he confided anything with anyone, he always went to Kouichi first, then told the others.
Kira smirked at Hotaru. "Hey Taru, has anyone ever told you that you'd make a great shrink?"
Hotaru glanced at the ground, looking slightly embarrassed. "No."
Takuya and Kira chuckled, each grabbing one of Hotaru's arms. "C'mon Taru, let's go save the basket case," Takuya said while he and Kira dragged Hotaru further down the hall.
"In case you can't tell, he's referring to pretty boy," Kira clarified.
Hotaru smiled slightly. "I know."
—
"Okay Tommy," Gotsumon said quietly, back against the wall. "This mission depends on stealth. We have to have cunning, be utterly ruthless, and, above all, be very, very quiet. There is no guarantee what we'll find around any corner…"
"Uh, Gotsumon?" Tommy said, standing a little ways down the hall and staring down the turn at the end of it. "I think you should see this."
Gotsumon nodded, edging slowly along the wall. After about a minute of this, Tommy said, "You know, you can just walk over here."
"Fine," Gotsumon replied, sighing and trudging a last few feet to the end of the dark hallway. "I guess stealth doesn't matter…"
Gotsumon instantly stopped talking when he saw what Tommy had found. Lining the walls of the new hall were cells as far as the two could see, occupied by various Digimon, big and small, with all sorts of different physical characteristics.
Gotsumon turned to Tommy and said, "I think we found the dungeons."
—
Shino peeked around the corner, finding only another long, empty stretch of hallway. "Nothing here," he said, glancing back at Gaomon. "I'm really beginning to think that this is just a maze of halls constructed in case prisoners ever manage to escape," he added dejectedly.
"Then we'll just have to keep going until we either find Masumon or a way out," Gaomon said, leading the way down this new hall.
Shino followed, trying to concentrate on the mission at hand. But he couldn't keep his thoughts from drifting, no matter how hard he tried.
I don't want to believe it, he thought, for about the thousandth time trying to convince himself that the conclusion he'd formed a few days ago couldn't be true. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. His feelings for Zoe were just an illusion. Smoke and mirrors. He'd never really loved her.
After all, I told myself I'd never let this happen again. Shino tensed involuntarily, remembering the last time he'd let himself fall for a girl. I always go for the things I can't have. Mai's heart was never mine. All the times she told me she loved me…I was stupid enough to believe her!
Shino squeezed his eyes shut, breathing slowly through his nose. He remembered all too well what would happen if he didn't keep a cap on his emotions. Wizardmon could easily infiltrate his mind in moments of emotional turmoil. Unfortunately, emotional turmoil for him usually meant being in Zoe's, or even Kouichi's, general vicinity. Plus, he was a teenager, which meant that he was already an emotional time bomb.
Shino sighed. Hormones suck.
"Shino, why won't you tell the others that Wizardmon found his way into your mind a long time ago?"
Shino stopped abruptly, staring wide-eyed at Gaomon. "What?"
Gaomon turned and smirked at Shino. "I've been watching you since we split up from the others, and you really let your guard down when you're not around them. All your bottled-up emotion has been showing plainly on your face for the past ten minutes. And you proved my assumption of why you've been keeping things to yourself correct just now."
"No." Shino took a step back, glancing left and right frantically. He could try to run, but what good would that do? Gaomon would just tell the others, and more likely than not, he'd end up running straight into Ilsemon's clutches anyway. He was trapped. "I…I didn't…"
"Calm down," Gaomon said evenly, taking a slow step forward. "I'm not going to hurt you, and I won't tell your friends what's happening with you. That's an explanation you have to give them yourself."
Gaomon seemed to be telling the truth, so Shino relaxed, lowering his raised arms. "I'm sorry," he muttered, staring guiltily at his feet. "I didn't mean to keep it a secret. I was just…"
"Afraid?" Gaomon guessed.
Shino nodded slightly. "I don't know what to do."
Gaomon was about to reply, when his eyes suddenly grew wide. Then he fell face down onto the ground, and behind him stood his attacker.
"Sucks to be him, huh?" Wizardmon said, wand smoking.
—
"Hey, Zoe?" Kouichi said quietly, finally speaking up after several minutes of uncomfortable silence.
Despite the fact that he spoke softly so as not to scare her, Zoe jumped and whirled around, D-Tector raised. She quickly calmed down when she saw that it was still just Kouichi behind her.
"Sorry," Kouichi hastily apologized, taking a step back.
"No, it's fine. I'm just a little jumpy," Zoe said reassuringly, holding back the fact that, for a second, she'd thought that Duskmon was behind her. Kouichi sounded just like him…stupid Crispin Freeman. "So, what'd you want to say?"
"Well," Kouichi began hesitantly, "I just…first of all, thank you."
"Thank me?" Zoe gave Kouichi a questioning look. "Why do you need to thank me?"
Kouichi smirked. "You really have to ask that?" Zoe's indignant glare caused Kouichi to chuckle. When he caught his breath again, he said, "I just felt like I should thank you for…being you."
At first, Zoe seemed shocked. Then she smiled slowly, moved by what Kouichi had said. "You know, Kouichi, you really say the sweetest things sometimes."
"Yeah, maybe," he mumbled, blushing slightly. "Anyway," he continued, expression growing somber. "I'm beginning to think that I was…I made a mistake."
"What do you mean?" Zoe asked warily, preparing for bad news.
"About not telling anyone what's happening to me," Kouichi began, taking a deep breath. "I should've listened to you and told Kouji."
This surprised Zoe more than the earlier incident. "Really? You want to tell him?"
"I honestly don't see any alternative," Kouichi muttered, eyes downcast. "I mean, look at us. I don't need to have a bond with him to see that he's just as miserable as I am, possibly more so. And now he's running off by himself…he could get himself killed in here, and it would be my fault."
Zoe stared at Kouichi for a moment, realizing that he really intended to tell Kouji his secret and perhaps put an end to this whole mess. Feeling elated, she suddenly rushed up to Kouichi and embraced him tightly. "You don't know how happy this makes me!"
Kouichi's eyes widened in surprise. "Zoe," he began.
"Kouji will know how to fix this," Zoe continued, interrupting Kouichi. "He has to."
It was then that Kouichi realized how scared Zoe was, how worried she was for him. His fear had been realized. From the very beginning, all I've done is make her worry…I'm killing her.
Kouichi was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he didn't notice Duskmon standing before him, his raised sword reflecting the gleam in his eye as he prepared to kill two birds with one stone. So to speak.
—
"Damn it!" Lobomon cursed, finding yet another empty hallway stretched out around the corner. "How many halls does this basement have?"
Lobomon quickly surveyed the hall and realized that it didn't have any lights on the walls, so he raised his, that's right, Light Saber! Yay, the triumphant return! "Madjack, shut up," Lobomon muttered, eye twitching with annoyance. (Alright, but I'm still referring to your weapon as a Light Saber.)
"Whatever." Lobomon rolled his eyes as he crept cautiously down the dark hall, using his Light Saber as a flashlight. He continued in this manner for at least another five minutes before coming to the end of the hall, which turned out to be a solid stone wall.
"Damn," he muttered, realizing that he'd taken a dead end turn. He quickly pivoted back around, ready to go back the way he'd come and try a different hallway.
Before he got the chance, however, Renamon's glowing paw grabbed his arm. Lobomon realized too late that he needed to release himself from her grip, as he could feel his energy ebbing away. His Light Saber clattered to the floor and dissipated as data surrounded Lobomon and, in moments, Kouji stood were his alter ego had. He then sank to his knees, lacking the strength to stand. Just as he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, though, Renamon released his arm, letting him fall to the floor.
This motion managed to bring him out of his dazed stupor and he pushed himself slowly and shakily back to his feet, using the wall for support. Then he glared at his attacker and said, "What's this about, Renamon? Are you kidnapping me, or are you going to kill me?"
Renamon scrutinized Kouji for a moment, then answered, "Neither."
Before Kouji could retort, Renamon continued, "I believe what you're searching for lies in there." She pointed toward the end of the hall and Kouji turned, wondering what Renamon was talking about.
He was surprised to find that the wall had opened up to reveal a secret chamber hidden at the end of the hall. He barely at time to register the fact that it was pitch black in the room when Renamon suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, lifted him up, and threw him into the darkness of the chamber.
He flew until he hit the far end of the alcove, falling to the ground with a thump. As he slowly regained his senses, the wall across from him closed, trapping him. Worse, trapping him in the dark.
"Greetings, Kouji Minamoto."
Kouji flinched, recognizing the voice he heard. He remembered the torture it had put him through, what it had convinced him to do, how he'd nearly killed his friends…
"Ilsemon." Kouji jumped to his feet, adrenaline taking over as he grabbed his D-Tector.
Kouji suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and he realized it had to be Ilsemon's. He could realize little else as he suddenly found himself on a street corner. He recognized it instantly as the one he always conjured up in his nightmares.
As if to confirm his thoughts, Kouji watched helplessly as Seiko rushed past him, headed toward a younger version of himself. He wanted to try to stop her, as he always did. But he was paralyzed, just as he had been all those months ago, when he been forced to see this so many times he thought he'd be able to keep his composure seeing it once more. He quickly understood that was impossible as he was forced, once again, to watch the girl he loved get hit by a truck, without being able to stop it.
Suddenly Kouji was back in the pitch-black cavern, eyes wet with tears. He felt Ilsemon lift her hand from his shoulder and he quickly shot his hand out into the darkness and, by chance, managed to grab her arm. After a moment of silence, Kouji growled softly, "Why did you make me witness that again? I thought your fun with me was over."
Ilsemon chuckled softly, in a way that made Kouji's skin crawl. Then she said, "My fun with you is just beginning."
With that, lights placed along the walls instantly lit up, allowing Kouji to get his first look at Ilsemon.
She was several inches taller than him with dark hair that fell to her shoulders. Her skin was relatively pale, made more noticeable by her black robe which fell all the way down to her bare feet. She was staring at Kouji's hand that still gripped her purple tattoo covered right arm.
"Please let go of my arm, Kouji," she said quietly, meeting Kouji's gaze with her own light blue one.
Kouji glared at her a moment longer, then released Ilsemon, not taking his eyes off her.
Her black wings twitched with amusement. "Well, since you seem to be in such a bad mood, perhaps we should just skip the pleasantries and get right to the point."
Kouji followed Ilsemon with his eyes as she strode across the small cavern, stopping in front of a blanket. There were bumps in the blanket, indicating that it was covering something up. "What are you doing?" Kouji asked, though it came out as more of a growl.
Ignoring his question, Ilsemon bend and grabbed the edge of the blanket, preparing to reveal the surprise it held under it. Before she did, however, she glanced at Kouji and said, "You know, this is a torture room, and the funny thing about torture rooms is that you're never quite the same after you've been in one."
Kouji's brow furrowed ever more. "You already tortured me."
Ilsemon smirked. "True," she muttered, adding, "Still, try to prepare yourself for what you're about to see."
"I can handle…" Kouji's sentence trailed off as Ilsemon lifted the blanket, revealing that the 'thing' under the blanket was a person. A girl, in fact.
Kouji didn't even blink as he stared at the girl, afraid that when he opened his eyes again, she'd be gone. For several minutes, all he did was stare. Then he finally found his voice.
"Seiko?"
—
madjack89: Another suspense-filled chapter, wouldn't you say?
Kouji: What…what just…
madjack89: We'll find out the answer to THAT question next chapter, along with witnessing the fate of the rest of the gang!
Kouji: You…she…was…why…
madjack89: Will someone please take care of Kouji? I'm tired of listening to his monosyllabic babbling!