Hawk: We can't really avoid emotional chapters, can we Kumo?
Kumo: Haha, I guess not.
The group walked away from the Valley of Rebirth without speaking. Although they all felt better now that the information was sinking in, there was so much to talk about that it was better to not talk at all. Even Spiritmon was fairly stoic, not even thinking of making fun of any of the team.
Renamon watched as they left, smiling fondly. "We will meet again, Jade Nedzweski."
As they walked through a very sparse woodland, there was still silence. "I recognise this forest," Spiritmon muttered.
Faeremon looked around, taking in landmarks. "Intel Forest?"
"Oh, my village is in here!" Spiritmon exclaimed.
"You have a village?" Jade asked, cocking her head. "I thought all Digimon were born in the Valley of Renewal?"
"No, Digimon of my species all collect in this village after birth. Sometimes, rarely, eggs have even been known to be reborn there!"
"Wow…" Holly muttered.
"I have a village too, you know," Liomon pouted.
Suddenly, they heard shouting up ahead. "Should we?" Jade muttered.
"Let's go!" Liomon yelled, charging off ahead.
"Liomon, I told you about this!" Cayden yelled as he ran after the little Digimon.
"Help!" a voice screamed.
Everyone froze as they realised it was a real distress call, except Liomon and Cayden who kept running.
"Run the other way!" Tammy yelled but her partner grabbed hold of her arm.
"Tammy, be brave," he stated with a smile.
"Come on, Tammy," Hawke said, slightly reluctantly looking at her as the others rushed off.
"What do you want, birdbrain?"
"Don't get left behind, I don't know," Hawke said, sighing and walking off.
"Rude," Tammy scoffed, following after him.
Cayden ran out into the clearing ahead and stopped as intense heat and an orange light assaulted his senses. Liomon had also stopped and the others quickly caught up. "What's happening?" he muttered.
"I'm not sure, but we should do something, surely," Jade said slowly.
"Are you kidding, that's fire!" Tammy exclaimed. As she spoke, the flames blazed higher in front of them.
"Cool Beam!" Iontramon spat out a stream of water, extinguishing the flames ahead with ease, and they could once more look upon the burning village.
In the middle of the village, a Candlemon thrust his golden arm through a Faymon and the latter's data began to disperse. "It's my village…" Spiritmon muttered, her wings ceasing to beat as she fell to the ground. "I have to do something!" she screamed, flying straight forwards, energy erupting from her body.
"Spiritmon!" Jade exclaimed, running after her.
"Should we?" Cayden muttered. A scream came from a short distance away and they all turned to look. "Split up, me and Liomon will go with them and you guys head for the scream."
"Got it!" Aiden yelled, charging off with his partner sighing.
Tammy whined, "Not again."
Spiritmon felt only fury as she flew through Candlemon's body and caused it to reset instantly. She stopped flying and knelt next to the dying Faymon. "What's happening?" she whispered gently as the Faymon touched her cheek.
"Father Spiritmon is defending our village from Boogeymon with the others."
"I'll get you some help and then—" The Faymon's data cracked and then she shattered audibly and her data spiralled away. "No!" Spirtimon screamed, shaking as Jade ran up behind her. She flew off without thinking, knowing that he'd be at the school if he was anywhere.
"Wait up!" Jade exclaimed as her partner flew off again. She sighed and started panting as she heard footsteps behind her.
"Liomon will follow her, have a breath and calm down," Cayden said as he knelt down next to her, recovering his breath.
True to his word, Liomon ran past them and after Spiritmon, the former's eyes focussed as she sprinted at full speed.
"I'm just worried—"
"Don't be; let's go." Cayden grabbed her hand and then she nodded, trying to muster a smile but her brow and eyes forsook her. Cayden shook it off and the two ran off after their Digimon.
"Who's that?" Aiden asked as he came to a stop on the crest of a hill.
"I'm not sure," Iontramon muttered as the others walked up next to him.
"Aiden, you shouldn't run off so often!" Hawke stopped, looking awkward. "I guess..." The blond stopped talking, instead looking down at a bird-man Digimon slicing through a Candlemon, a little shocked.
"That's Buraimon, a tough customer," Faeremon said as he and Tammy stopped next to the others.
"He's one of the Resistance's Captains," Agumon announced with a smile.
"You finally knew something useful," Wolfmon grumbled
Agumon exclaimed, "Ye— Hey!"
Buraimon moved fluidly, his loose fitting yellow and white clothing fluttering as he slipped between the opposing Digimon, his katanas tearing through them with ease. He cocked his straw hat up, smirking. "Grand Eagle Slash." His blades fused into a single, extraordinarily long, katana. It began to glow red as he ran towards the gaggle of Lynxmon at the back of the group of Candlemon. They all leapt into the air and he brought his blade through them all in one sweeping movement, releasing a swarm of data and turning his katanas back to normal. Leaping back, he rejoined the ranks of small ninja Digimon battling the Candlemon.
"What's going on?" Holly asked, having finally caught up.
"Buraimon and the Ninjamon are defending the Faymon village from an attack by Candlemon and Lynxmon," Agumon explained. "At least that's what it looks like."
"That's lots of names," Aiden said, sitting down and counting on his fingers to take them all in.
"Yeah," Holly mumbled, sitting with him.
"Be careful," Hawke chided.
"Leave them alone," Tammy interjected, causing tension.
"Keep calm, guys, we don't want to draw any attention." Agumon indicated the fight below with his claw.
"I think he might benefit from our help." Hawke looked around at the struggling forces.
Agumon sighed. "I wouldn't get in Buraimon's way, he can be quite…"
"Quite what?" Aiden asked, looking up.
"He's a mean guy," Faeremon explained.
"Oh," Aiden muttered. "Okay."
Suddenly the Digimon in question looked up at them, readying his blade.
Spiritmon flew around the village, desperate to find Father Spiritmon before he got hurt too. He would know what to do; he would know how to save everyone. Glancing over, she spotted the school and there he was. A small army of Candlemon surrounded him, trapped in a pool of mud as the Faymon behind him cowered. "Father!" she called, flying over.
"Howling Buster!"
The words echoed in her head as she looked over to see a Lynxmon flying through the air, flames erupting from its body.
"No! Please!" she screamed, speeding up.
It was too late. The flames struck him and the mud pool faded. "No, don't you dare!" Spiritmon screamed, her eyes glowing with energy.
"Spiritmon!" Jade screamed as she saw her partner rushing into certain death.
"Father!" Spiritmon's eyes exploded into beams of purple light and her data began to peel back to reveal a black exoskeleton beneath.
"Spiritmon, stop!" Jade screamed, running over as Liomon charged ahead.
"Liomon, stay back!" Cayden yelled, grabbing onto Jade as spikes of purple energy erupted from Spiritmon and tore up the ground around her.
One of the spikes impaled a Candlemon, resetting it instantly. The other Candlemon became hesitant about attacking the Faymon but their leader, Lynxmon, seemed undeterred.
"Destroy these pitiful souls," it said, laughing.
"NO!" Spiritmon roared, her voice primal and almost guttural now as her data began to expand and warp.
"What's happening? Let me go help her!" Jade yelled, struggling against Cayden.
"Jade…" Cayden muttered as he looked down at her Digivice. It was flying about on her waist, purple light blaring from it.
"Spiritmon!" Jade screamed but as she did, the Digivice unleashed several arrows made of purple energy, each one impaling the amorphous mess that was ahead of them and forming a pure black Digivolution egg.
Spiritmon's body keeled over; her arms and legs morphed and warped to turn her from bipedal into quadrupedal. The purple data rippled and then began to turn a deep red colour. Her spine raised up against her elongating back, tearing out of the skin and becoming spiked. Her wings became blackened and leather like with gaping holes across the membrane. A tail tore out of the back of her lupine body in the form of a swirling blob of mud with purple poisonous gas rippling off. Her face shifted, becoming more angular as long fangs grew from her teeth and they became jagged and yellow. The eyes stayed the same hue of deep purple, matching the long, curved claws that came from each paw. She roared and tore straight through the egg, leaping out and snarling.
"Spiritmon…" Jade muttered weakly.
"Eifamon!" the terrifying Digimon roared as it charged forwards. Her voice had become gravelly and more masculine.
"Wild Nail Claws!" Lynxmon lifted its claws as it jumped.
Eifamon raised her claw. "Venom Slice!" Her voice was distorted and seemed almost in pain. She smashed Lynxmon away with ease, advancing on the Candlemon slowly as they tried to retreat. "Run, let me watch your data fly!" Eifamon roared malevolently, her tail swaying from side to side.
"Lava Loogie!" They all began to spit flames from the fire on top of their head but Eifamon started to charge, roaring.
The flames exploded against her body but she still continued, the toothy smirk on her mangled face growing. Leaping on top of one of the Candlemon, she crushed it under her weight, biting down on another and swinging her head to the side to tear it in half as she spat out the remaining half, her drool burning the ground. The Candlemon started running, but one after another they were torn apart; she was savouring every moment.
"You have to stop!" Jade screamed as she saw the Faymon cowering. She pushed a stunned Cayden off and starting running towards her partner. "Spiritmon, you're still in there! I know it!"
Eifamon turned her head, cocking it to the side as she chewed on a Candlemon. She looked at the remaining ones and then spat out the remainders of the one in her mouth. "Swamp Death." Opening her mouth, she unleashed a torrent of acidic mud at the escaping Candlemon, resetting them all instantly and then turning back to Jade. She started to walk over slowly, the bodies of the Candlemon resetting all around her like a fireworks show to denote her approach.
"Please, you have to stop!" Jade screamed, sprinting as her partner walked past the house with the Faymon.
"Elpida, you've come."
The ghastly Digimon turned her head to look down at the old Spiritmon, a snarl creeping across her lips as his data blurred.
"The hatred that you bear—let it go," he whispered as he began to fade away. "Life is for the living, you cannot fight for the dead anymore than they can fight for themselves, my child."
Eifamon lifted her paw above him, preparing to end it.
"I still love you."
The paw crashed down and the data slipped through the claws, flying up past her as Jade slowed to a stop, completely crushed.
"S—" Jade was unable to form words to comprehend how it felt to see her happy partner reduced to this murderous predator. It was her fault, if she'd ran faster they could have stopped this happening. She wasn't cut out to be Spiritmon's partner or to save any world. The footsteps of an advancing Eifamon didn't frighten her. At least, that's what she told herself. It was fair.
"Ignite!" Liomon leapt through the air, blocking the pathway between Jade and Eifamon.
Eifamon growled, blowing the fire away with a simple puff of air and bringing her paw down on Liomon's small body.
"Liomon!" Cayden yelled, running over as his partner struggled under the weight. "Jade, do something!"
Jade felt almost detached from her body; like she was watching this situation from the outside rather than in it.
"Jade!" Cayden yelled as Eifamon pushed down and Liomon began to shudder, her data fizzling.
"You won't get me this easy," Liomon growled, her voice strained by the pressure on her body.
Eifamon increased how hard she was pushing and then turned to Jade, her eyes ravenous for more.
"Liomon!" Cayden yelled, wishing he could run faster.
"I—" Jade faltered, swaying from side to side as her head became heavy.
"You have to do something! If you do nothing Liomon will die anyway! Please, Jade!" Cayden yelled. He wasn't going to make it in time. Only she could do something now.
"S—" she stammered, walking forwards slowly. Her body was moving on its own. She was screaming at it to stop and run, this was dangerous, but something was drawing her towards certain death.
A deafening roar erupted from Eifamon's mouth and then she lifted her paw to finish the job as Liomon lay, lifeless.
"I won't give up on you." Jade leapt in the way of the paw, closing her eyes. These actions didn't feel like her own but they felt right. The paw flew at her, the claws glinting as the reflections of fire danced across them. "I'm not giving up on you!" she screamed, clenching her eyes shut as she was certain of her doom.
She waited for a second. Then another. Why was it taking so long? Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Eifamon was frozen on the spot, she looked exactly the same except her eyes had changed. The familiar light green orbs looked back at her, shaking as tears filled them and then spilled over, dribbling down the disfigured face. "J— ade." The voice was almost like a broken, computerised voice. Fragmenting the sound and distorting it.
"I won't give up on you, Spiritmon. You wouldn't give up on me."
Eifamon howled in pain, staggering backwards. She retched and spat up a black tarry substance as Cayden picked up Liomon.
Jade moved to walk forwards but she felt Cayden's hand rest on her shoulder.
"Jade…"
She shook him off and walked forwards as Eifamon howled again. "I'm here."
Eifamon looked up wearily and then charged at Jade, her eyes flickering back to black.
"I'm here."
As Eifamon reached her, the data peeled away, revealing Spiritmon underneath. The little Digimon hovered for a moment. "I'm sorry, Jade. I wasn't strong enough."
"No, it wasn't you!" Jade protested, reaching to touch her partner but as she did her fingers slipped through and the data fizzled. "No, please," she begged, shaking her head.
"Goodbye, Jade."
"No, don't go, I need you!" she pleaded, grasping at the body of her partner as her data began to fly away into the sky. "Please, stop!" She leapt forwards, trying to grab hold of the particles and prevent them from flying away but she simply fell forwards, landing in the dirt. "Spiritmon!"
"Spiritmon…"
"Jade…" Cayden muttered weakly, not knowing what to do as Spiritmon disappeared. He walked over slowly, touching her on the back gently. She didn't respond, so he slowly turned her over. "I'm sorry." Cayden looked into her broken eyes and felt a fraction of the pain she must have been feeling. "Digimon never really die, remember?"
"They just lose their memories." Her face didn't move, her expression remaining blank as she spoke.
Cayden opened his mouth to protest but it was true. "I'm sorry—"
"Let's go," she muttered, standing up and walking past him.
"Jade..."
Buraimon leapt through the air as the final few Candlemon were finished off and landed in front of the group. "Who are you?" He placed his sword at Hawke's throat as he stood, not totally by choice, at the front of the rest of the group.
Hawke gulped as the sharp blade touched his skin but regained his cool quickly. "We're the Digidestined."
Buraimon burst out laughing, keeping his blade steady at Hawke's throat. His face became steely. "Don't mess with me; I will reset you all in an instant."
"No, really, we are!" Holly said, slightly meekly, from the back of the group. She stepped forwards and held out her Digivice. "Lookie."
Buraimon looked them all over cautiously and then snatched the Digivice from Holly's hand.
"Hey!" Holly reached for it but Hawke held her back.
"Believe us now?" the blond asked.
Buraimon looked the Digivice over and then tossed it back to Holly, who just barely caught it. "Restrain them."
Ninjamon leapt down and surrounded the group.
"What, why?" Hawke yelled, trying to protect the others. Blackmon and Wolfmon snarled, trying to protect their partners.
Iontramon stood in front of Aiden, shaking his head. "We'll go calmly," Iontramon announced.
"Even still, you're not coming unless you're restrained and blindfolded. Ninjamon, go."
Cayden stopped as he reached a clump of rock, hiding behind it and grabbing onto Liomon. "Jade, get behind here." The girl stormed straight past, continuing up the hill. "Jade," he hissed, frowning as he saw her walk straight towards their captured companions and the enemy.
"Who are you?" Jade asked, pulling the blindfold off Holly swiftly.
"Kill her," Buraimon ordered dismissively.
"Wait, no!" Holly screamed as a Ninjamon leapt through the air, raising its blade towards a relaxed Jade.
"What's going on?" Aiden asked, trying to look around, but the darkness still didn't shift from his eyes.
"Stop!" Holly screamed.
"Ignite!" Liomon burst up the hill, blasting the Ninjamon backwards. Before Liomon touched the ground, Buraimon had brought his blade to her neck.
"If there are any more of you come out now or I'll kill everyone. Digidestined or no, I don't like sneak attacks."
Cayden walked out slowly, holding up his hands. "I'm sorry, we're Digidestined too. Please don't hurt her."
Buraimon moved his blade away, slipping it in one of the dual scabbards hanging at his waist. Liomon immediately leapt for his face but she was knocked down into the ground, creating a crater, an instant later. "Tie them up."
A Ninjamon tied up Liomon, despite her protests and two more did the same to Cayden, blindfolding them both.
"Where's the girl?" Buraimon looked around, a little amused that she'd managed to slip away but slightly concerned. "Karatenmon. Find her and put a stop to her childish behaviour. We have a schedule to keep to."
"Yes, sir." A Digimon with features like a raven and purple armour disappeared in a flash.
"So you're the fabled Digidestined?" Buraimon asked, looking at Holly.
"What does that mean?" Holly replied, puffing out air to get the hair out of her eyes.
"It means we don't believe in your existence or your efficacy."
Holly cocked her head. "What does—"
"Is there anyone with basic linguistic skills here?" Buraimon waved his hand and a blindfold was slipped back over Holly's eyes.
Looking around, Holly asked, "What are—?"
"Conundrum for you." Hawke looked towards where Buraimon's voice came from. His voice was harsh. "Are you cognizant it is prescribed to ameliorate the remuneration subsequent to this conjuncture?"
"Shut it." Buraimon turned, looking out across the land. "We leave immediately. Don't be gentle."
Jade stormed down the hill, screaming at some of the Faymon that were hanging about crying. They scattered and she pushed one of the huts, caving it in. Swinging her arm, she smashed the adjacent hut and then continued her rampage as she ran at the next hut. As she reached punching distance she stopped. There was something inside. Falling onto her knees she started crying. It was an egg. She looked up at the sky, wailing as the clouds moved so peacefully overhead.
After she felt her eyes become sore she just stopped crying. Looking back at the egg she felt nothing but rage. Why had that Spiritmon survived and not her own? Why was her friend gone and everyone else alive? Why is dad always so unsupportive? It was always the same. She dived for the egg, bringing her fist down.
She felt something or someone grab her arms and pull them behind her back tightly. She grunted in pain and her hair fell down over her face as she struggled in distress.
"Stop struggling."
She craned her neck to see a pointed black beak. "Who're you?"
"That Digimon you were going to smash? It's an unborn new Faymon. Isn't it worth protecting that Spiritmon in place of your own rather than causing more pain?"
"You don't understand." Jade looked back down at the ground in anger.
"I understand plenty, young human. We've all lost someone. It's our line of work here, you'll soon see that pain favours those with a warm heart." He loosened his grip, tying her arms with a rope.
"Why?"
"I couldn't tell you, but I will leave you to decide if you want to take the egg. If you do, I'll pick it up. If you say nothing we're going back to Captain Buraimon."
He pulled her up, taking her away from the hut. Jade looked down at the scorched ground. She wasn't sure what to feel or say but this was a moment where instinct would decide. "Wait!" Jade said, cursing herself and clenching her eyes shut.
"The egg?"
She nodded. "The egg."
Kumo: So Jade really turned it around last second. I bet everyone saw it coming but still, it's nice that we haven't completely destroyed their humanity yet. Give it time.
Hawk: *whisper* It's all Kumo's fault if that happens.