SailorStar9: Chapter 23 goes up. This is Chapter 24. To all my non-reviewing readers, I love you all! Will love you more if you review! *hugs all round!* Thomas lovers will continue to hate this chapter, the first half anyway.
Disclaimers: I do not own the animes, expect the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 24: Awaken Belphemon!
Back in Kurata's lab…
"Ah, Thomas." Kurata turned to the teen. "Is it completed yet?"
Thomas nodded and opened the suitcase, "The Digimon control you asked for. Now you'll be able to command Belphemon as you wish."
"Excellent craftsmanship." Kurata noted, admiring his new controller. "I must say since you joined forces with me, my plans are moving forward faster than I anticipated they would. Thank you."
Thomas took Kurata's outstretched hand and shook it.
"I'm the one who should be thankful. Afterall, you're going to save my baby sister." Thomas remarked.
"Your promise to me saved her." Kurata corrected. "Relena's lucky to have you in her life.
"And me." He added before bursting out in laughter.
"Right." Thomas replied. "So you still think she can be cured?"
"Huh?" Kurata blinked. "Oh yeah. Of course, but we have some time before Relena's operation is scheduled. Why don't we take Belphemon out for a test drive?"
"Perfect." He noted after pressing a button on his new controller and awakening Belphemon as he had hoped. "Soon the world will fall on it's knees before me when they learn of my new power."
Engrossed in his victory, he did not noticed Thomas pressing a button on the side of his watch.
Back in the hospital…
Yushima and Kamemon were wheeling Relena away.
"So, you guys work with Tommy?" Relena asked, a bouquet of blue lilies in her arms. "Are you his friends?"
"Yes, I guess you can say that." Yushima replied.
"Are you sure that he wants to see me right now?" Relena inquired. "I mean my surgery is scheduled for today and Tommy told me not to leave my room until he comes to get me."
"He was busy, so he sent me instead." Yushima quickly fabricated a reason. "Besides, you want to see your 'Blue-Lily Onee-chan, don't you?"
"The onee-chan who sends me all those blue lilies?" Relena beamed. "She's here?"
"Yes." Yushima nodded.
"Oh dear." He blinked when he spotted some guards turning the corner. Hurriedly, he wheeled Relena into an empty storage room overseeing the surgery room.
"What's this?" he peered out of the window.
"Wow, look at all those cute Digimon." Relena gushed.
"Criminal." Yushima remarked.
At Relena's look, he corrected himself, "It's so cute it's criminal."
So by surgery, Kurata means fusing her with a Digimon. He mused.
"Do you see anything interesting, Mr. Yushima?" Thomas suddenly asked, appearing at the door.
"Tommy!" Relena beamed.
"Relena, get away from that man." Thomas instructed.
"But, he said 'Blue-Lily Onee-chan' is here." Relena was confused.
Back in Angel's Bath House…
"We have to stop Kurata. He going to wake up Belphemon!" Keenan told the assembled group, a cup of steaming chocolate in front of him.
"Belphemon?" Marcus echoed. "What's that?"
"He legendary Digimon from long time ago." Keenan explained. "He and six others almost destroy whole Digital World once."
"That thing…" Falcomon added. "Must never be awoken or we're all done for."
"Kurata going to use Belphemon to take over both Digital and Human World too." Keenan continued.
"The news keeps going from ad to worse." Yoshi noted.
"Kurata…" Marcus hissed. "I'm so fed up with that guy. We've got to stop him."
Back with Yushima…
After having Kamemon returned to his Digivice, Thomas then had Yushima arrested.
"Form now on, I have to keep a closer eye on you too." The blond told the turtle.
"I'm confused." Relena noted. "Tommy."
"I know." Thomas turned to his sister. "Don't you worry, I'll always protect you, Relena."
"I thought you had betrayed your friends because your sister had been captured by Kurata and you were forced to switch." Yushima remarked, after Relena was out of earshot.
"How absurd." Thomas retorted. "In fact, this is my choice and I'm getting something in return for myself out of it."
"Something in return?" Yushima echoed.
"Professor Kurata is going to cure my sister for me." Thomas replied. "Furthermore, he's giving me enough intellectual challenges that my genius is finally somewhat satisfied. Frankly, I always felt underutilized at DATS and I was too good for them."
"You think Kurata's just going to cure her?" Yushima shot back. "Well, did you know this surgery he was planning is going to fuse your sister with a Digimon, turning her into one of those Bi-Hybrids freaks of his?"
"That's enough!" Mr. Norstein cut in. "That surgery is the only way to cure her. Who are you to interfere with my daughter's health?"
"Who am I?" Yushima retorted. "I'm the one who will make sure your actions don't go unpunished!"
"I'm her father. What do you expect me to do? Just stand around and wait for her to shrivel away when there's hope to save her life like the consequences? I don't care what she turns into, just so long as she stays alive." Mr. Norstein remarked.
"What about you, Thomas?" Yushima turned to the younger Norstein. "Are you okay with this?"
"I am." Thomas replied.
Back in the basement under Angel's Bath House…
"We're picking up a Digimon signal." Duke reported.
Everyone else gasped when Belphemon Sleep Mode appeared onscreen, floating above the Ferris Wheel.
Back with Kurata…
"Now Belphemon." He told the Digimon. "It's show time. Let the world see your attack! Unleash your 'Lampranthus!'"
At his command, Belphemon Sleep Mode released a powerful wave of infernal flames of his chains, destroying everything in his path.
"Eternal Nightmare!" Kurata added.
At that, Belphemon Sleep Mode yawned and released a powerful wave of destruction.
In the National Security Building…
"We're under attack!" one of Hashima's men reported.
"Yes Mr. President." Hashima assured the President over the phone. "Of course sir, we're taking measures to alleviate the situation."
"Where is Kurata?" he demanded after replacing the phone. "How come we haven't gotten through to him yet? Get him on the phone!"
"Director Hashima." Kurata remarked, appearing on the screen.
"Kurata!" Hashima turned to him. "Where have you been?"
"I've been busy holding my newest ultimate weapon." Kurata replied. "I assume you already have the chance to see the power of Belphemon in action. Quite impressive, isn't it?"
"What did you say?" Hashima inquired.
Back in the basement under Angel's Bath House…
"Kurata!" Marcus fumed, seeing the scientist on the computer screen.
Back in Kurata's lab…
"You?" Hashima demanded on his end. "Are you the one controlling that Digimon?"
"Is that so unbelievable an idea for you to fathom?" Kurata asked.
"Alright, just what are you after" Hashima inquired.
"You want a straightforward kind of answer huh?" Kurata noted. "In that case, I'll stop beating around the bush and tell you flat-out. I want world domination. Afterall, I am the one who protected the world from those blood-thirsty Digimon. Therefore, I'm the best suited to rule the world as the new King."
"New King?" Hashima echoed in shock on his end.
"Please notify the proper authorities for every nation around the world. They are to relinquish their power, dismantle their entire military and turn over all sovereignty to me." Kurata requested. "Now, for those who oppose my demands, they will be totally wiped out the face of the planet by Belphemon. And if you don't believe me, just know that this little display is only a fraction of what Belphemon is capable of."
Back in the basement under Angel's Bath House…
"It's now up to us, guys." Yoshi told the group after Kurata cut off his connection as le laughed manically. "The Government can't do anything to stop Kurata and we're the only ones who can defeat Belphemon."
"Yoshi's right." Megumi agreed. "After all we've been through, we can't let Kurata get away with this."
"Me fight with you guys." Keenan added.
"Marcus, you stay here and man the ports." Megumi requested as everyone else, minus Sarah and Kristy took off.
"Hey, you can't fight without me!" Marcus protested.
"Think for a minute Marcus." Miki pointed out. "How are you going to fight without your Digimon partner?"
"But I…" Marcus started.
"Besides," Lalamon put in. "We need someone around in case Agumon's digiegg hatches and we don't know when that will be."
"So be sensible Marcus and stay here." Yoshi added.
"Sensible?" Marcus echoed.
Back with Yushima…
The former General-Commander of DATS was ramping his body against the locked door.
"All these doesn't hurt my shoulder." He noted. "And you go. I can't believe that Thomas. Does he really want his sister to be half-Digimon?"
Down in the operating theatre…
Thomas was preparing for surgery.
"Hey Tommy." Relena looked at her brother. "After I'm all cured, I want to challenge you to a race. And Gaomon too."
"Yeah." Thomas took her hand. "And you'll win."
Relena smiled before she was placed under anesthetic.
Thomas looked at his watch, bidding his time.
Meanwhile, with the remaining DATS group…
The fractured team was rushing towards the battlefield.
"Prepare to fight!" Yoshi shouted, removing her helmet.
"Yeah!" the Digimon chorused.
"D.N.A Charge, Overdrive!" Yoshi called forth her D.N. Charge.
"Lalamon double warp digivolve to Rosemon!" Lalamon declared as she evolved.
"D.N.A Full Charge!" Keenan called forth Falcomon's evolution.
"Falcomon digivolve to Peckmon!" Falcomon announced as he evolved.
"Peckmon digivolve to Crowmon!" Peckmon declared as he went up another level.
"Pawnchessmon, realize!" Miki and Megumi chorused.
"Gomamon, realize!" Duke instructed.
"Gabumon, realize!" Dare told his partner.
"Veemon, realize!" Duncan ordered.
"Patamon, realize!" Angel called out.
"DemiDevimon, realize!" Demon ordered.
"D.N.A Charge, Overdrive!" the five adults chorused after their partners materialized.
"Gomamon double warp digivolve to Marineangemon." Gomamon announced as he evolved.
"Gabumon double warp digivolve to Metalgarurumon." Gabumon declared as he evolved.
"Veemon double warp digivolve to Goldramon." Veemon announced as he evolved.
"Patamon double warp digivolve to Seraphimon." Patamon declared as she evolved.
"DemiDevimon double warp digivolve to MaloMyotismon." DemiDevimon announced as he evolved.
In Kurata's lab…
"Fresh meat." Kurata mused outloud.
Back in the battlefield…
"No more watching from afar." Megumi remarked.
"It's time to show the world that our Digimon can reach the Ultimate level too." Miki agreed.
"D.N.A Full Charge!" the two operatives chorused.
"Pawnchessmon warp digivolve to Rockchessmon." Megumi declared as her partner evolved.
"Pawnchessmon warp digivolve to Bishopchessmon." Miki announced as her partner evolved.
Back with Kurata…
"I love a good game of chess to pass the time." Kurata joked. "Knock all their pieces over, Belphemon."
Back in the battlefield…
At his command, Belphemon Sleep Mode released his 'Lampranthus' attack and forcing the Digimon to dodge the attack.
"Keep your guard up, everyone." Yoshi warned.
"We're not going down that easily!" Rosemon retorted as she, Rockchessmon, Bishopchessmon and Crowmon headed towards Belphemon Sleep Mode. The remaining five Mega Digimon stayed back to guard the humans.
"Now, Rook Gattling!" Megumi shouted.
"Bishop Laser!" Miki added.
At that, the two Puppet Digimon fired their attacks at Belphemon Sleep Mode.
"Go Crowmon!" Keenan yelled when the two Digimon's attacks proved useless.
"Savage Emperor!" Crowmon released his attack, without even fazing Belphemon Sleep Mode.
"Rose Spear!" Rosemon unleashed her attack, her whip bouncing off Belphemon Sleep Mode's armor.
"It has no effect one him." The Mega Digimon was stunned.
Back with Kurata…
The scientist was laughing at the futile attempts.
"The power generated from the Digivices that Spencer Damon created are useless." He mocked. "But really now, what can you expect from machines made by such a sub-standard scientist like my old employer?"
Back in the battlefield…
Belphemon Sleep Mode then released his 'Eternal Nightmare' attack, causing the battling Digimon to fly back.
"Rockchessmon!" Megumi gasped.
"Bishopchessmon!" Miki was shocked.
"Crowmon!" Keenan called out to his fallen partner.
"Rosemon!" Yoshi looked at her partner.
Back with Kurata…
"With ShineGreymon out of the way and Miragegaogamon on my side, they're useless against me!" Kurata scoffed. "Nothing can stop me now!"
Back in the basement under Angel's Bath House…
"Come on Agumon." Marcus begged the digiegg. "I need you. When are you going to wake up? Okay, I admit I wasn't considering your feelings when I got real angry with Thomas back at our last fight. I apologize already, okay? I mean everyone loses control every once in a while. It just seems to happen to me more than it does most people. But still, I didn't mean to corrupt the 'Burst Mode' and turn you back into a digiegg. I would never hurt you on purpose. And if you think you've got it bad, well believe me, I'm the one who's hurting now. It hurts not being able to do anything. And especially, when everyone else is trying so hard to fight. I bet you feel the same way, don't you pal?"
Back in the surgery theater…
Thomas was waiting for his chance.
Back in the battlefield…
"Rosemon, are you guys okay?" Yoshi asked.
"Yes, but there's no way for us to get close enough to Belphemon." Rosemon replied.
"I've heard of his legend." Crowmon added. "But I never imagined he was this strong. Now I know why it took Lady Lilith and the Olympus Twelve just to bring him down."
Just then, Hashima had sent his military choppers into the battlefield.
"Those are…" Yoshi blinked. "Helicopters from National Security Council."
Back with Kurata…
The scientist blinked in confusion when Hashima ordered his troops.
"Target locked in." one of Hashima's men reported.
"Attack!" Hashima gave the order.
Back in the battlefield…
At Hashima's command, the military helicopters fired their missiles as everyone looked on when the missiles clashed into Belphemon Sleep Mode, only to find that the Demon Lord was unharmed after the smoke died down.
"Oh no!" Hashima gasped.
Back with Kurata…
"I take it that this means you're refusing to meet my demands." Kurata noted.
Back in the operation theater…
Thomas watched as one of the surgeons inputted the code to unlock the metal necklace on Relena's neck.
"Gaomon, move in!" Thomas instructed once the necklace was removed.
"Yes sir!" Gaomon replied, grabbing the necklace and tossing it into one of the test cylinders containing Digimon as Thomas took out the surgeons.
"Thomas!" Yushima gasped from above.
"This operation was a success!" Thomas declared, pressing a button on the side of his watch and activating the mini-bomb he implanted into the controller he gave Kurata.
"What?" the scientist was surprised when the controller on his ear fizzled and dropped off.
On the battlefield…
"It stopped." Yoshi noted as Belphemon Sleep Mode paused in its tracks.
Back with Kurata…
"What is going on around here?" Kurata wondered as he picked up his destroyed controller.
"Surprise." Thomas informed him over the intercom.
"Thomas." Kurata looked at the blond. "I'm having a slight emergency. The control device you made for me has suddenly exploded."
"There's actually a very simple explanation for that." Thomas told him. "I secretly built in a small charge and set it for a precise time."
"What?" Kurata was shocked.
"You won't be able to control Belphemon anymore." Thomas retorted. "All of your plans end here and now!"
"Why I…" Kurata fumed. "You…"
"So, you were pretending the whole time." Yushima noted after Thomas turned off the intercom as Gaomon handed him his Digivice back. "Exactly as I thought."
"Just as I put a charge in Kurata's device, he had one in Relena's necklace." Thomas remarked. "It was his safety valve to control me if I ever changed my mind. I had to wait for them to take it off during surgery which is why I had to bide my time and earn Kurata's trust."
"And I can hear Thomas' heart break every time he kissed up to that evil Kurata." Gaomon added. "That's why despite what it looked like to the others, I followed his commands because I knew this time would come."
"Now I see why Ami still believed in you when everyone else didn't." Yushima noted. "Well, her exact words were 'If you love somebody with all your heart, you'll believe him till the end, no matter what.' The both of you really are something else."
"Ames?" Thomas was astonished. "She actually… and all that I've done…"
"Thomas." Mr. Norstein stormed into the operating theater. "What is the meaning of this? Don't you realize that surgery was your sister's last chance of survival?"
"You're wrong." Thomas corrected. "I will cure her."
"I won't give up." He added, noticing his father's confused expression. "I will find a cure."
"Hundreds of doctors have examined Relena and still couldn't cure your sister." Mr. Norstein reminded his son. "Just what makes you think you can do it? What makes you so arrogant?"
"Why did you think I studied medicine?" Thomas shot back. "So, I could cure her one day."
"Yushima." He turned to the former Commander-General. "Could you do me a favor? Watch my sister."
"No problem." Yushima replied.
"Let's go Gaomon." Thomas then told his partner.
"Sir, yes sir." Gaomon replied and followed Thomas out.
"Don't you worry." Yushima assured Mr. Norstein. "Thomas will find a cure and it won't require turning your daughter into a monster."
Back with Kurata…
"Thomas H. Norstein, how dare you betray me?" Kurata fumed. "You little brat."
"He thinks it's all over." He mused. "Well then, he's a fool to assume I won't have a backup plan."
"If I can't control Belphemon from a safe distance, then I'll just have to control him dangerously from within." He added, inputting his programs. Stepping into his Digital Chamber, he turned himself into data before infusing himself into Belphemon.
Back in the battlefield…
"What's that?" Yoshi inquired after Kurata fused himself with Belphemon and the alarm clock kept within the Demon Lord's chains started ringing. Then, the chains snapped as Belphemon Sleep Mode turned into his more vicious Belphemon Rage Mode.
Awakened now, Belphemon Rage Mode unleashed its wrath on the combatants on the ground. The sheer force of the gale blew the National Security Council helicopters away.
"Alert! All units retreat! All units retreat! Land safely!" the squadron leader told his team.
Back in the basement under Angel's Bath House…
The lights suddenly went off.
"Blackout." Marcus noted. "What's going on out there?"
Back in the battlefield…
Belphemon Rage Mode landed in front of the combatants.
"From Sleep Mode to Rage Mode," Kurata's voice sounded from within Belphemon. "This is the true form of the Mega level Belphemon. He possesses the same attacks but will now wield them with great vengeance and furious anger!"
As Belphemon Rage Mode opened its blood red eyes, Kurata added, "I will take no prisoners. Everything in my path will be destroyed."
"That sounds like Kurata." Yoshi noted as she climbed out from the debris.
"How that possible?" Keenan asked as he removed himself from the wreckage.
"He couldn't have fused with Belphemon, could he?" Crowmon surmised.
"We'll be in big trouble if he did." Megumi noted as Duke pulled her up.
"We're already in big trouble." Miki added as Dare helped her up.
With a scream, Belphemon Rage Mode unleashed his 'Gift of Darkness' attack on the combatants on the ground only to have Crowmon fly up into the sky to avoid the attack, taking the humans with him.
"No…" Thomas gaped when he saw the attack from the chopper. "I didn't think Kurata was actually capable of taking it this far. We have to stop him Gaomon."
"Sir, yes sir." Gaomon responded and the two jumped off the helicopter.
"D.N.A Charge, Overdrive!" Thomas called forth Gaomon's evolution.
"Gaomon double warp digivolve to Miragegaogamon!" Gaomon declared as he evolved.
"Thomas H. Norstein…" Kurata hissed from within Belphemon Rage Mode when Miragegaogamon landed, Thomas landing on the Mega Digimon's shoulder.
"Let's end this battle once and for all." Thomas told his partner.
"Sir, yes sir." Miragegaogamon replied.
Back in the basement under Angel's Bath House…
Marcus was furiously typing away on the computers.
"I can't get any information about what's going on!" he fumed. "I can't take anymore of this! I got to go out there!"
"Marcus, don't." Kristy pleaded.
"Look Kristy, Mom." Marcus told his family. "Agumon and I are the only ones still in here while everyone else is out there in the frontline fighting their hearts out and the thing that gets me the most is that I have no idea if my friends are winning or losing! I don't know what trouble is waiting for me once I get out there, but I have to try to help."
"I know, son." Sarah replied. "Go ahead."
"Thanks Mom." Marcus beamed.
"Okay Agumon." He turned to Agumon's digiegg. "It's fighting time again! We're on our way!"
Tying Agumon's digiegg with a cloth on his back, the two hurried to the battlefield.
"Hang in there guys." He remarked. "I'm comin'! This fight's not over yet!"
While all these were happening, somewhere quite far from the battlefield…
Having left Ophanimon outside of the Elemental Site where the statues of the Sovereigns were housed, Lilith entered the sanctified plaza alone where a statue of Fanglongmon, the creator of the Four Sovereigns rested. The figurines of the four Sovereigns stood in the directions they represented.
Within the pillar where Fanlongmon's statue stood was the Sacred Flask; a large ornamental white vase with handles on each side and topped by a similarly white cap. Golden trimmings decorated the flask's outline. Right in the middle of the vase's stomach was a shiny pinkish red heart.
As she walked towards the flask, the seemingly empty armors on either side of the corridor started to move, following her.
When she reached before Fanlongmon's state, she tapped the bird-shaped symbol of her staff on the vase's cap and the Sacred Flask glowed a soft golden light before disappearing into her staff, leaving behind a shimmering golden outline.
The armored warriors had knelt before her after she retrieved the Sacred Flask.
"We, the Ancient Guardians, have watched over the Sacred Flask from the moment you've placed it in the Sovereigns' care, Lady Lilith." The leader of the armored warriors reported. "Now that you have returned to reclaim the Flask, our duty has been accomplished. I beseech you to relinquish us from our obligations."
"I understand." Lilith nodded, tilting the bird-shaped symbol of her staff towards the armored warriors' leader's helmet. The symbol then flashed a holy light and black smoke emitted from the cracks of the armors the warriors wore before the armors clattered to the stone ground.
With the Sacred Flask retrieved, Lilith returned to Ophanimon's side and the Celestial Digimon took off towards the battlefield.
SailorStar9 Rejoice folks, Thomas's back. In the next chapter, Agumon's digiegg finally hatches. What will happen? Stay tuned to find out. In the meantime, read and review.