Here we go! Chapter 25! Sorry for the wait on this one. I got a mild case of writers block. XD I went around reading other fan fics and discovered Sightbent! I really like all of Sightbent's stories so any of you who like good 02 and frontier crossovers, I highly recommend reading the fic Bound by a Similar Destiny. It's really good. But anyway, back to my fic, please review and enjoy!
I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON 02, TAMERS, FRONTIER, OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!
Chapter 25: Being Human
The Digital World: Location: The Underground Tunnels
Even though he was still gravely injured, Tai insisted that they should move on. Many were against this idea, but everyone saw the sense in it. They had already stayed in one spot for too long and staying any longer could prove to be dangerous. Tai still hadn't told everyone about what had transpired between him and Paressemon, but he finally did tell Koji, Matt and Izzi while he watched them pack up so that they could move on. The only thing he left out was the strange kiss.
"Well it appears that Koichi was right about her," Izzi mused as he pulled up the map of the tunnels he was making on his laptop. "From what you've told us and if what Koji says about T.K. and Koichi's well being is true, then Paressemon isn't like either of the two Zaigou we've encountered before her. I'm a little surprised that we haven't met any of the other four."
"That's because we must still be in Paressemon's territory," Tai shrugged, wincing slightly at the tug it caused on his bandaged wounds. "Every Zaigou has a section of the Digital World that Kushyamon assigns them, remember?"
"At least we now have something to warn us when one is nearby so we can attempt to avoid them," Matt sighed and he pointed to the dark orb that Tai held in his hands. "But how is that thing suppose to show us which way tunnels to take to get to Netsusa City? Wouldn't it be better if Koji continued to choose which tunnels we take?"
"Well what do you think Koji?" Tai asked. "You're our psychic after all."
It sounded like could have been a joke but everyone knew that Tai believed in Koji's newfound abilities more than anyone. Maybe even more than Koji did himself. Matt marveled at how easily his best friend trusted the younger DigiDestined that they'd only known for a week's time. Koji silently reached his hand out for Paressemon's orb and Tai gave it to him without any hesitation. Koji stared at if, rotating it every once in a while. He paused after a minute of carefully examining it, his eyes widening slightly. He was quiet for a long time, but when he snapped out of it he looked a little shocked and depressed.
"What is it?" Tai asked, leaning forward a bit.
"It's got Takuya's Flame crest on it," Koji answered as he handed the orb back to Tai. "That's all. It is made of pure light energy and isn't something that a Zaigou should have in their possession. They are made up of pure darkness, according to Koichi so a Zaigou shouldn't even be able to hold it. Are you sure it was Paressemon that gave this to you?"
"Yes," Tai blinked. "I'm pretty sure it was her because it was defiantly her dagger that she impaled into my chest before giving it to me."
"As interesting as that all sounds," Matt sighed, getting them back on track, "can that thing really show us the way to Netsusa City?"
"It can," Koji nodded. "It is a fire compass that points to the desert City of Flames, A.K.A. Netsusa. But it will only work in a wielder of flame's hands. Ideally that would be Takuya but…"
"…He's not here," Tai finished gently.
"Yeah," Koji whispered. "But, Tai, you're the next best thing. The symbol of courage is the sun. Either you or maybe even Davis should be able to get that thing to work. All you have to do is press your thumb to the 'fire' character on the orb."
Tai searched the orb's surface for the character Koji spoke of and finally found it lightly etched in faded gold print. He pressed his thumb into the character and it almost instantly came to life. It glowed with an inner flame and it rose, hovering just centimeters above the surface of Tai's outstretched hand. Matt and Izzi staggered back a step as the orb began to vibrate and emit a flame around its spherical body. Everyone else noticed what was going on and quickly gathered in a wide circle to watch. The flame surrounding the orb suddenly flared up and detached itself. Many screamed as it settled in the center of the circle and began to take shape. When it's form stabilized and became recognizable, everyone gasped.
A flaming version of Agunimon stood before them all, smiling. The apparition looked exactly as Takuya had in Koji's dream. He waved at his Warrior friends before turning back to Tai. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Agunimon started to fade. Tai took a few steps forward, his free hand unconsciously reaching out for the Warrior Digimon. Agunimon's smile widened and he became more solid.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Tai pause, looking utterly confused by the flaming apparition's words, but he nodded. He wasn't sure what he needed to be ready for, but he braced himself as Flame Warrior approached him.
"Hold out the orb," the deceased warrior told him and Tai complied, taking the orb back into his hand.
Then Agunimon placed his own hand over the orb and the flames that made up his body flared back to life again and he slowly began to fade into them until he was no longer there. Fire whirled around Tai and the orb until both were glowing gold. When the fire finally died, Tai was revealed to be unharmed and the orb had gone back to being a dark sphere with an inner glow.
"Are you alright Tai?" Izzi managed to ask.
"Yeah, fine," Tai breathed, dazed as he watched the orb float back out of his hand. He pushed his bangs out of his face with his now free hand, but paused when he noticed Koji's stare.
"What?" Tai asked him.
"Your hand," Koji pointed.
Tai looked at the back of his hand that had held the now floating orb and found the warrior's character for flame etched into his skin like a tattoo.
"How…?" Tai whispered, as he looked the black etching over.
"It must have happened when Agunimon touched the orb," Matt reasoned.
"Huh," J.P. snorted as he joined them with Zoe and Tommy. "It seems that even in the afterlife, Takuya and Agunimon are quite the busy bodies."
Koji, Zoe and Tommy nodded.
"Well is it going to lead us to Netsusa?" Matt asked.
As if reacting to Matt's words the orb zoomed in circles over Tai's shoulder before taking off to hover before one of the tunnels ahead of them.
"I guess that answers that question," Tai laughed, following the floating orb.
The Digital World: Location: T.K. and Koichi's Prison Suite
"She wants what?" T.K. gasped.
"You heard," Koichi sighed, plopping down onto the bed beside his friend. After Paressemon had made her request known to him in her library, the lizard Digimon had interrupted them. Apparently something important had happened and she had to send Koichi back to the prison suite without any further explanation.
T.K. was staring at him incredulously for a moment before sinking back into the pillows. He still couldn't move much, but that hardly troubled him at the moment.
"You mean that she doesn't want to be a Zaigou?" he asked, bewildered.
"So it would seem," Koichi mused, rather enjoying T.K.'s shock. "I'm assuming that she didn't have the choice to become one in the first place. The only question is what she will become if I do what she wants me to? What sort of creature was she before becoming a Zaigou?"
"Kinda makes you weary of the prophecy Genbumon told us, huh?" T.K. groaned.
"Are you concerned about the part that said about Hope giving way to Darkness, letting the Lazy one loose, and ultimately deciding our fate?" Koichi asked.
T.K. grimaced.
Koichi sat up and rested his hand on T.K.'s shoulder.
"Now it's my turn to make a promise," Koichi smiled. "I promise you that we will both make it out of this together. I won't let anything happen to you, prophecy or no prophecy."
T.K. smiled gratefully at him, but he still looked a little uneasy about their situation.
"Just how are you going to free her from being a Zaigou?" he asked.
"Not sure yet," Koichi sighed. "She must have something in mind that will get the job, but she has yet to tell me what that is. Until then, I'm not sure what to do. I'm not even sure if I can do whatever it is she wants."
The two of them thought it over a couple of minutes, but eventually came to the conclusion that nothing could be done about it at the moment. Koichi got off the bed again and wandered around the room. T.K. watched him, wishing that he could do the same. Suddenly Koichi opened a closet, yelled, "Ah-ha!" and pulled out what looked like one of those foldable wheelchairs that schools and hospitals carried.
"Need a lift?" Koichi grinned.
T.K. smiled as he eased himself off the bed and into the wheelchair with Koichi's help. Then the two of them set to the task of examining their "prison." Paressemon really had put them up in fancy space. They had a lush gigantic bed and a sitting area connected to the dinning area. A fully stocked kitchen could be found through a connecting doorway that came before the hallway. Down the hallway were three doors. One was a restroom, complete with seats in the shower and bars by the toilet to help anyone who was handicapped use the space. Koichi gently joked that Paressemon must have been expecting T.K. to be handicapped during their stay, earning him a nudge with the wheelchair. The second room was a walk in closet of sorts, racks of all types of clothing lining all four walls, but neither boy was interested in this space. It only meant that they would have clean clothes to change into after they showered. The third and final room was a library identical to Paressemon's own, only this one had an entire wall made of glass, giving them a view of the snowy landscape on the other side. The two of them stared out at it for a moment before they became aware of a presence behind them. They turned around and found their "host."
"You like it?" Paressemon asked them.
When neither of them answered, she stepped into the room, past them, and stood before the window-wall.
"This land is forever frozen in ice and snow," she sighed. "Nothing ever changes."
T.K. had retained a cold expression the moment the Zaigou had entered the room and remained tensed in his wheelchair, but Koichi had become the picture of perfect ease. Paressemon noticed their conflicting expressions and giggled to herself.
"Well?" she smiled briefly.
That threw T.K. off because it didn't look as if it were a foreign expression to her features. He could actually imagine her smiling often and maybe even laughing, which was something he hadn't associated with any of the Zaigou from what he knew about them.
"The rooms are very comfortable," Koichi bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality."
The Zaigou smiled again.
"Your companion doesn't seem to think so."
"Oh gee, I wonder why," T.K. rolled his eyes. "You abducted us and at the moment I'm temporarily handicapped."
"I am sorry about that," Paressemon sighed. "I had to use a stronger method to knock you out because you would have resisted the method I'd used on Dark, who was already willing to come with me."
T.K. couldn't believe that he'd just received an apology from a Zaigou. He sighed shaking his head in disbelief, but Koichi chuckled, earning him a glare from his 'companion.'
"What can we do for you?" Koichi asked, trying to move on to a different topic.
Paressemon sighed, turning away from them to look back out the window.
"There is little time left," she mumbled.
"Until what?" T.K. sighed, getting a little irritated.
"Until becoming normal again will become impossible for me," Paressemon explained.
"The Seven Zaigou used to be Digimon before right?" Koichi asked.
"No," Paressemon sighed. "Not all of the current Zaigou, but that does hold true for some of us. The older generation of the Zaigou were Digimon specifically chosen for our station, but many proved to be… unworthy and were deleted. So newer Zaigou needed to be made and were created from the discarded data of failed DigiVolutions and Digimon eradicated in battle. The new Zaigous of Wrath and Lust were the first ones created by the Master. I suppose you could call them the experiment Zaigou. The Master then went on to make the new incarnations of the Zaigou twins, Gluttony and Greed, with Envy soon to follow. He is the newest Zaigou among us, although it is only a matter of time before the Master makes a new Lust to replace the one that Fire had defeated. Pride and I are all that remain of the old generation of the Seven Zaigou… We must continue to prove ourselves useful, or face being deleted, but since you've all arrived in this world I've begun to long for the old days back when I was not some warped… monster. It is only a matter of time before I too am deleted like my old friend, the original Envy, who was once a charming Elecmon who had a larger than life ambition to become the most powerful Digimon ever so that he could protect everyone he cared about, but he simply couldn't Digivolve. He was envious of everyone else when they did Digivolve and he didn't. He was that way around all higher level Digimon. So he just couldn't resist the opportunity that the Master had offered him after all the others ran away and Elecmon stayed to face him. But despite his new power he lost himself in his envy towards the other, older, Zaigou who were still stronger then he was. He rose up against them bringing about his own deletion and I was left alone. It was after that that the Master decided that Digimon-based Zaigou were too emotional and he began experimenting with discarded data. If we showed the slightest sign of rebellion we were deleted. Pride and I have been extremely careful not to step on any toes and carried out all our orders without any hesitation. But in secret we have been searching for a way to leave the Zaigou and become normal again."
T.K. and Koichi exchanged quick glances before she continued. This was important information to know.
"What kind of Digimon were you before you became a Zaigou?" T.K. asked as nicely as he could.
Paressemon smiled sadly before she turned her back on the icy landscape she'd been looking at while telling her story.
"I was once a human much like yourselves," she stated. "Elecmon was my partner Digimon. I am all that is left of my group of DigiDestined. The Master destroyed them all before turning me into one of his minions."
Koichi and T.K.'s eyes widened.
"You're a human?" T.K. exclaimed.
"I used to be," Paressemon sighed. "My name was… Mai. Mai Kurosaki, but it's been a long time since anyone has called me that. For the last four years I've been Paressemon, Zaigou of Laziness. If I were still human I'd be Sixteen years old."
"How come you allowed Kushyamon to turn you into a Zaigou?" T.K. demanded. "What about your friends and family?"
"That's simple," Paressemon said sadly. "I was all that was left. This Digital World used to be linked to my home world and as a member of the DigiDestined it was our job to defeat the evil that was trying to take over and restore peace, but we failed. The Master had taken control of Earth and destroyed it. My group of DigiDestined was helpless to stop it as he made us watch the destruction of our home world. They all fought back and tried to rise against him, but when he and the current group of Zaigou proved to be too powerful they tried to escape. The original four Zaigou, including Pride, killed all my friends and their Digimon partners. In other words, the Master had them all slaughtered, sparing only Elecmon and I who saw no point in running away. I was only twelve at the time and I was so scared that I couldn't move even if I wanted to run away. The master made me a Zaigou as an experiment to see if humans made a better base then Digimon. I'm sad to say that I became one of the best and that is why I've lasted so long. Maybe it is because of his success with me that all the new Zaigou have a human appearance instead of a Digimon's like the older ones did."
Koichi and T.K. tried to process the information that the human Zaigou had just given them. It had never occurred to them that this world once had a group of DigiDestined too. It made them wonder what would have happened to their worlds if their groups had failed to defeat the evil Digimon like this world's had.
"Do you know how we can help?" Koichi asked.
"I do, but it won't be easy," Paressemon nodded. "That's why I need you. I need you to defeat me in a real battle and then scan my data. If you take away and purify my fractal code then I might be able to revert back into a human and become Mai Kurosaki again."
"Alright but why me specifically? Surely my brother would have been the better choice for this sort of thing," Koichi stated, but Paressemon shook her head.
"No," she sighed, tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke. "Only you can do it. As the Warrior of Darkness you have a connection to the Zaigou whether you are awear of it or not. If Light or any other Warrior other than you scans me then I will simply be treated as if I were any of the other Digimon you scan. That is all that they will ever see me as, an evil Digimon. But you, who have also fallen away from the light once before, see me for what I really am. That is what drew me to you in the first place when we first met. For the first time in four years I feel the shadow inside of me that was once human. I feel remorse for my actions. I actually feel something other than disregard for other living things."
"When do you wish to do this?" Koichi asked.
"I soon as possible," Paressemon stated. "By now the Master has probably caught on to my disloyalty. I have failed to do as he as ordered. I made contact with you DigiDestined and have gravely injured one of you to the point that they could have died."
"I'm not that hurt," T.K. tried to reassure her, but her next words sent ice through his veins.
"It is not you that I was referring to," she said, looking away. "It was your leader. He wouldn't have let me take you two if I hadn't dealt with him."
"What did you do to Tai?" T.K. demanded.
"I stabbed him in the chest," Paressemon suddenly sobbed. "I made sure to avoid hitting any vital organs like his heart, and I didn't leave him until I was sure that help would arrive in time."
"You stabbed him?" T.K. exclaimed, nearly finding the strength to rise out of his wheelchair.
"Couldn't you have simply knocked him out like you did with T.K?" Koichi asked.
"He was too strong willed for that to have been effective," Paressemon shook her head. "Besides, it wouldn't have been the way for a Zaigou to act. When something gets in a Zaigou's way we kill it. From a Zaigou's perspective I was merciful, but from a human's I was …monstrous. I-I can't take it any more! I hate myself for what I've become. Please! Just… help me."
The Digital World: Location: The Underground Tunnels
Tai hadn't been able to walk on his own for long so he was offered rides on the back of some of the other DigiDestined's Digimon. He rode Garurumon for a while before riding Kyubimon with Rika's grudging permission for the rest of the morning. In the afternoon he rode Cyberdramon for a good part of the afternoon before going back to riding Garurumon.
Everyone was surprised by how quickly they were now navigating the tunnels while following the orb instead of having to stop so that Koji could feel out which way they should go next. They had already covered twice as much ground as they had when they started out and hadn't run into any other problems with the Zaigou or any hostile Digimon. They didn't know where they were in comparison to the world above but when Izzi cross referenced his chart of the tunnels with the map of the Digital World he informed them all that they were most likely somewhere below the center of the digivice shaped continent.
"That puts us smack dab below the middle of enemy territory," Matt said uneasily. "I think we should press on until we're a good distance away."
"I dunno," Tai grinned. "This could be the ideal place to rest for the night. Who would expect us to hide ourselves right under the Zaigou's lair?"
Matt and Izzi frowned, not liking the idea one bit.
"I think that that's pushing our luck Tai," Kari said gently. "You barely escaped Paressemon alive. If Angemon hadn't brought you to Matt and the others you could have…"
Tai put an arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm up and down gently, trying to sooth her.
"I'm fine Kari," he smiled. "Just a bit banged up. Really. Joe's fixed me up real good. And don't you worry about T.K. I'm sure he and Koichi are fine."
He looked up at Koji for confirmation and the Warrior of light nodded his head but he suddenly paused. His eyes glazed over and he began to stare unseeingly ahead of him.
"What is it?" Tai asked.
"Is it a Zaigou?" Matt wondered nervously.
"I doubt it," Izzi sighed.
"The orb that Paressemon gave me would be glowing if one of them were nearby," Tai shrugged off the concern. "I'm guessing that it's got something to do with Koichi."
Everyone was now staring nervously at Koji who had yet to snap out of his daze.
"He's shocked about something," Koji whispered, still staring off into space. "They both are. Something has happened that he wasn't expecting…"
"What has?" Tai asked. "What's happened?"
Koji snapped out of it as the link between him and his twin quieted.
"I'm not sure," he shrugged. "Something's surprised them both but not in a bad way. They are both still fine and unharmed."
Sighs of relief rose up from many of the DigiDestined, but Matt looked unconvinced and so did Tai and Kari and Izzi. Koji just shrugged at them again.
"Oh, and I think camping here will be all right," he stated before joining he three remaining Warrior companions. "The enemy above seems to be preoccupied with something they believe to be of greater importance then us."
Tai and Matt traded bewildered glances with Kari and Izzi.
"That guy gets weirder every time he's opened his mouth recently," Matt grumbled.
Kari and Izzi nodded, but Tai shrugged.
"He's coping," Tai said reasonably. "It's probably taking all of his self control not to go chasing after his brother right now. He is trusting his gut instinct at the moment and his newfound power to assure himself that Koichi is all right. If he's anything like you Matt, he's probably used to leaving that sort of thing up to Takuya, who's another person he's trying to cope with loosing. My only concern is what the Zaigou find more important than hunting us down."
"I wonder about that as well," Izzi mused. "Ever since our encounter with Aiyokumon, the Zaigou have been taking a strictly observational stand point other than occasionally riling us up by severely injuring one of us. According to what Tai and J.P. have told us, Iramon and Paressemon didn't wish to have you killed just yet. They haven't received an order to do so, as Koichi once pointed out to us. I can't help but wonder what they have planned."
Yikes! Who would have guessed that Paressemon was once a DigiDestined? What does this mean for Koichi and TK? Find out next time on Digimon Digital Monsters!
While I was suffering from writers block this week i got bored and made a teaser trailer for this fan fic. Since links don't like this site, just go on YouTube and type in: The Ultimate Gathering of the DigiDestined Teaser Trailer and you'll find it. I dedicated it to you guys so i hope someone watches it. if for some reason you still can't find it look up SharaRaizel instead. if any of you do take the time to see the 3 1/2 minute long trailer I made, I'd really like to hear what you think about it and if I should make another the next time i come up with writers block! XD
getting back on track here, I must have rewritten the beginning of this chapter a few times. I kept getting stuck every couple of paragraphs. Paressemon is really starting to grow on me, which could only mean bad things for her. I haven't exactly been too nice to the characters i like. A lot of crazy stuff is going to go down in these next couple chapters so i hope you guys keep reading! i'll hopefully have the next chapter up monday or tuesday, so stay tuned! i apologize that this chapter short, but a lot of stuff was revealed and since I had such a tough time writing this one, i think it turned out well, all things considered.