I'm so sorry for the late update. I'd make several excuses and all but something tells me you'd rather read the next chapter rather than my rambling. To make up for the long wait I've made this chapter extra long!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter 32: Loaño's Glowing Strength, Strike Down the Enemy KnightGarurumon!
"Happy Birthday Loaño!" the young boy cried happily.
Why do I always have this dream?
"Thanks Touma, come on in we're just about to start the party." Loaño answered excitedly as she took the wrapped package from her blonde friend.
"What is it about this day that always makes me so sad?
"Hey, there's the birthday girl!" Loaño's father cried happily. He picked the now nine year old girl up and, despite her slight embarrassment of being picked up in front of her friend, couldn't help but laugh.
It's not like today was when everything changed. It was years from now.
"Hey dad, she's in here!" her father called back. Her grandfather walked through the room. He had fading blonde hair but his eyes were still as bright a blue as ever he smiled at his granddaughter and her friend.
Is this what I should be remembering?
"I've got a special present for you Lo." Her grandfather said as he took out a small box. Loaño looked at it with interest but also boredom.
"I don't like jewelry Grandpa." Loaño said.
"Lo, don't be rude." Her friend said.
"This isn't ordinary jewelry." Her grandfather continued. "This was given to me by a close friend of your parents'. He wanted me to make sure it ended up with the right person." Loaño opened the bow to find a blank dog tag attached to a silver necklace. Her grandfather put it on her and he smiled at her. "A perfect fit, just like I thought." He said.
"That looks pretty cool Lo." Her friend said as he tried to relieve her disappointment.
Pretty cool huh? Recently I've been thinking, this damn necklace is part of my problems. Back then, I had no idea what sort of things would happen in two years.
"Alright, you and Touma go and play." Her father said. "Your Grandpa and I need to talk about something important."
"Can I open my presents soon?" Loaño asked. Her father chuckled.
"Yes, just go and if you see him tell Biyomon to come here." Her father answered.
"Okay!" Loaño chimed happily as she and Thomas went to play. "Come on Touma, let's go find where Kidd is."
Things were so nice back then. But in a year, everything changed for the both of us. Everything changed for all of us.
Loaño slowly opened her eyes, but closed them when they met a bright light. She slowly opened them again and sat up in the bed she was in. Her room looked as if it had been carved out of the mountain she was staying in, which it probably was. The DemiMeramon had led them all to a group of rooms that were close to each other, and Loaño figured they all looked the same. She looked across the room to see Kidd sleeping in the other bed.
'Are you alright?' a kind, familiar voice asked.
'You.' Loaño thought. 'You're that voice from before. What's your name again?'
'You may call me AA.' The voice answered. 'Are you feeling alright?'
'Not really, in fact I feel down right lousy. Oh well, at least I woke up before the bad part happened.' Loaño answered.
'You can thank me for that. I helped wake you up before things got to that part.' AA answered.
'Normally I'd be mad at you invading my thoughts and dreams but this time I think I'm happy.' Loaño thanked the voice.
'Don't thank me. The fact that I am part of you is wrong in it's very essence.' AA replied.
"What are you?" Loaño wondered aloud.
"Sleepy." Kidd answered as he sat up and stretched. He looked over at his partner and frowned. "You okay Pup?" he asked.
"Kidd, do you know a digimon named AA?" Loaño asked. Kidd's face feel when he heard the name, meaning he probably did. Kidd stood up and walked over to her.
"Has he contacted you?" Kidd asked.
Loaño nodded. "He did a while ago too, but at the time so many thing were happening that I didn't bother telling you."
"This was how you knew about the Crests wasn't it?" Kidd asked. "Your Gramps never told you anything about them, so I wondered if he had spoken to you yet. I guess I have my answer."
"Kidd, what is he?" Loaño asked as she looked up at him.
Kidd looked down at Loaño's confused face. She looked more vulnerable than she ever had before, and that was saying a lot. He tried to form words, but they failed to come out of his mouth. Finally he bent down and hugged her. "It's not for me to say Lo." He answered. "He'll fill you in when he wants to." Loaño hugged her partner back and suddenly felt like crying. She let the tears roll down her face and dampen Kidd's fur.
A knock at the door pulled them out of their sadness. "Who is it?" Loaño shouted.
"It's Celena. I'm coming in." her cousin answered. The door opened and the red haired girl came in quickly. Loaño and Kidd could instantly see there was something wrong with her and Lunamon.
"What's going on?" Kidd growled.
"I'm not entirely sure, but something is happening. Haseo woke Lunamon and me up and,"
"After an embarrassing moment." Lunamon added.
Celena glared at her partner but continued anyway. "He said that Dorumon had sensed something really bad and his crest was acting up. I looked over and saw my Crest was glowing as well." Celena revealed her necklace which was indeed glowing bright pink. "Haseo said the Boss told him our Crests would react whenever great sources of Light or Darkness were around, and it looks like yours is doing the same." Loaño looked over to see her Crest glowing silver and wondered how she had missed that.
"Wait, why didn't they react to the Boss then?" Loaño asked.
"Apparently he has a way of cloaking his powers or something. Basically they just don't and we have to accept it, the same as everything else the Boss does." Celena answered. "The point is, Haseo said that the only thing that could make our Crests freak out like this would be if one of the Demon Lords were attacking."
"Why didn't you tell us sooner!?" Loaño yelled as she jumped up and got dressed as quickly as she could. "Let's go then, we need to get ready for them."
"Right!" Lunamon cried as she and the other three ran out of the room. They all met in the hallway that connected the line of rooms. Everyone looked confused as Haseo and Celena woke everyone else up. Once everyone was together, Haseo quickly explained what was happening.
"Wow, like a bad guy detector or something." Ryou said as he looked at the glowing Crest.
"It can work with allies too, or rather beings of strong Light energy. Nobody really noticed it but it had a similar but weaker effect when we met with Omnimon." Haseo replied quickly, feeling uncomfortable with the possibly unstable Ryou so near him.
"So do we at least know where the Demon Lords are?" Rai asked.
"Or which of them are here?" Sakura asked.
"No, the Crests are not truly meant to work like this. It is merely a normal reaction that can be used to a small advantage." Haseo answered.
"I think we should head to the throne room so we can warn PileVolcanomon." Dorumon suggested. Everyone agreed and waited for somebody to say 'Follow me' or something similar. Nobody did.
"Does anybody know the way back?" Mushroomon asked.
Everyone gave a collective "No."
"I really should have paid more attention to the route the DemiMeramon showed us." Haseo muttered.
"I feel kind of stupid now." Masurao agreed.
"Hold on, why don't we just use our digimon?" Sakura suggested. "You guys have a great sense of smell and hearing normally, right? Why not lead us back to the throne room?"
"We'll try, but honestly everything smells like volcano rock." Koinumon answered. She, Ryudamon, the two Dorumon, and Lockheed all began sniffing the air delicately. Lunamon and Strabimon both leaned ahead, their ears tense and attentive. Everyone waited patiently for their partners to find something useful to guide them. Strabimon's eyes shot open.
"I hear something!" he cried. "But, but it's not PileVolcanomon or any of hi followers. I can hear two people talking. One of them has a gruff voice, and the other a really hazy one, It's hard to make it out. It sounds like they're talking about their followers. The gruff voice is saying how he thinks the other voice's three pets are creepy. There getting closer!"
"Damn, what do we do then?" Masurao asked fearfully.
"We need to put distance between us and them." Jasper answered, taking charge of the situation.
"Hold on, maybe we'll get lucky." Ryou said. "Maybe they actually know where they're going. If we're lucky they'll turn somewhere and head for the throne room. Then we can attack them from behind!"
"That's a great idea!" Hanekuro cried proudly. "Good job Ryou."
"Hanekuro." Kaya muttered sadly, her friend still unaware of his brother's possible instability.
"That won't work. The Demon Lords are stronger than us." Koinumon said.
"I agree. Even if we do get a surprise attack it won't matter." Hawkmon added.
"Hey, my plan is good. It'll totally work!" Ryou said angrily.
"Yeah, I trust my little brother." Hanekuro added.
"No." Celena said decisively. "I'm sorry Ryou, but I agree with Jasper about this. I'm the leader so we're going with his plan." Ryou glared at Celena for a moment before he suddenly smiled widely.
"Okay then, you're the boss!" Ryou said happily.
'And you're bipolar.' Kaya thought to herself.
"Right then, let's go!" Adam cried as the group ran down the hallway. Strabimon and Masurao stayed in the rear so the dog digimon could listen for the Demon Lords. The group ran down the straight hallway in order to distance themselves from the Demon Lords.
"The demon Lords and their friends are getting faster! I think they might have spotted us!" Strabimon cried urgently.
"Hey Jasper, I've got an idea!" Adam suggested.
"What is it Adam?" Jasper asked.
"Maybe we should split up. That way The Demon Lords will have to divide their numbers too. Then one of our teams will find PileVolcanomon and The demon Lords will have their collective strength divided." Adam said proudly.
"Normally that'd be a fairly dumb plan but in this case we can't do much else. Everybody spilt up!" Jasper cried. The group slowly disbanded as the came across other hallways. Loaño and Haseo were the first to break off. Sakura, Rai, and Jasper went down another hallway. Ryou, Hanekuro, Masurao, and Kaya continued running down the central hallway.
"We've split up, now what?" Loaño asked.
"We make sure to draw one of the Demon Lords' or their followers' attentions." Haseo answered. He quickly digivolved Dorumon to Dorugamon who turned around and aimed down the hallway. "Kidd, I need you to tell Ryu-nisan when the Demon Lords are coming."
"You're just going to attack them?" Loaño asked.
"Yes. It is really the only thing we can do to make sure they know we are here." Haseo answered calmly. Kidd listened for their enemies to approach, his hand raised to give Dorugamon the signal. Dorugamon prepared to launch a cannonball down the hallway the minute the Demon Lords were in his line of sight, so to speak.
"Now!" Kidd roared. Dorugamon shot a large cannonball down the hallway. A large explosion shoed down and someone cursed angrily.
"I get the feeling they're down there." A gruff voice said excitedly.
"Indeed." A much quieter voice said. Even though it was quieter it echoed through the hallway, making it sound as if it's owner was standing right next to Haseo and Loaño. "Haseo, Dorugamon, is that you?' the voice asked. "My, my, you seem to be very brave today. Attacking me like that out of the blue. Some would say it's very noble to try to draw the enemy's attention towards you, but I know the truth. You're just trying to make up fro what you've done."
"Shut up!" Haseo cry rang through the hallway. "That is not true, I, I"
"It is true." Daemon said as he was suddenly in front of the white haired boy. Kidd and Dorugamon both lunged at him but he easily pushed them away, his green eyes not leaving Haseo's petrified yellow ones for an instant.
"Poor little Haseo, playing dress up." Daemon said in a taunting voice as he took off Haseo's hat. "Still wishing you weren't so weak? I can still help you with that if you want."
"Get away from me!" Haseo cried as he pulled away from Daemon, tripping in the process. He landed with Daemon looming over him.
"Prove me wrong then. I'm going ahead to the throne room while my little toys deal with Loaño and Kidd. If you think you're so strong, then why don't you stop me?" Daemon taunted as he walked past Haseo. The white haired boy seemed to be frozen in place. Light tears ran down his face as he shuddered in fear.
"Otouto." Dorugamon said worriedly.
Loaño looked at her sad friend but Kidd tapped her on the shoulder. "I think those two toys or whatever of Daemon's are coming this way. We better get ready for them." He growled urgently.
"Right." Loaño, fierce determination in her silver eyes took action. She turned to Haseo and pulled him up. "Haseo, I'm not sure what Daemon's done to you before but you need to get over it! Right now he's walking down that hallway and heading for the king. If the king dies then we're screwed in one way or another. So get off your depressed ass and go stop him!"
Haseo stared in Loaño at surprise. His hand clenched into a fist and he nodded. He bent down and put his hat back on and looked to Kidd and Loaño. "You take care of Daemon's minion, but be careful. If it is Bearmon then you must be very cautious."
"Good luck to you too." Loaño said excitedly.
"Right, let's go Otouto!" Dorugamon roared as he grabbed Haseo and thre him onto his back. Dorugamon rushed down the hallway leaving Kidd and Loaño to wait for their own opponents to come down the hallway. It didn't take long for the small bear and cloaked figure to arrive. They stared at Loaño before the cloaked figure wordlessly evolved Bearmon into Grizzmon.
"This should be easy." Kidd chuckled as he rushed the larger bear. "Knockout Fist!" he roared as his fist slammed into Grizzmon's chest. The large bear was knocked back a few feet, giving Kidd another opening. Kidd unleashed a flurry of punches on Grizzmon, knocking him back further with every strike. Kidd pulled back one more time as Grizzmon stumbled and let loose a powerful punch right onto Grizzmon's face.
Grizzmon stumbled back again and shook his head. He looked up at Kidd with blank eyes and a clear face. His large claws glowed a she lunged forward and knocked Kidd back to where he had started fighting with a single swipe of his claw. Kidd landed roughly next to Loaño. "Damn, all of those punches and I didn't do a thing to him." Kidd growled as he stood back up.
"Come on Kidd, are you really going to loose to an overgrown Smokey like him?" Loaño asked.
"More like an overgrown Smokey the Bear on steroids." Kidd growled in return. All the same, he stood up and glared at the large bear. He charged at Grizzmon and delivered yet another normally bone shattering punch to Grizzmon's face. Grizzmon didn't flinch in the least, his blank eyes still staring at Kidd. "Oh hell." Kidd muttered before Grizzmon spun around and delivered a powerful kick with amazing speed and accuracy you wouldn't think possible from a digimon of his size and shape. Kidd flew down the hallway and crashed into one of the walls.
"We need a new strategy Kidd. Just beating on him won't work." Loaño said urgently as she ran over to her partner.
"I know that, but I'm not really good at much else." Kidd answered as he weakly stood up, a large bruise forming under his fur where he had been kicked.
'AA, are you there?' Loaño asked.
'I'm right here Loaño. And before you ask, I'm afraid I don't have any ideas either.' AA answered.
Before Loaño could stop him Kidd ran towards the bear again, his arm pulled back to punch. Grizzmon also charged, his claw raised above his head to strike. The two digimon swung their attacks at the same time, the fist and claws meeting for a moment before the combined energy between them knocked them both back.
'Loaño, I do have one idea.' AA said calmly as Loaño ran towards her hurt partner. Kidd looked like he was down for the count. His bruise was getting bigger and he had a large cut in his side.
'Anything! I won't let Kidd get hurt anymore!' Loaño answered.
'I understand.' AA answered as he seemed to fade from her mind. Loaño fearfully searched him out, but didn't even sense a glimmer of his consciousness. Loaño stopped, a splitting pain shooting through her head suddenly. She grabbed her head in pain as a memory came flooding back.
The fire. Her parents' motionless bodies. Tears running down her face. Kidd lunging at some unseen culprit but being knocked back. The funeral. Crying as she was comforted by her grandfather. She was going back to earlier that night, when she was still asleep.
"Kammito, I'm worried about her." A soft voice said in the darkness
Mom?
"I know, but this is the only way. We knew what would happen from the beginning." A deeper voice answered.
Dad?
"I only wish we could stay a little longer. But, I suppose everyone always does." Her mother said. Loaño felt her kiss her forehead, and felt the tears that were rolling down her face.
"Keep her safe Kidd." Her father said. Loaño couldn't see, but had a feeling her father had just pet Kidd's sleeping head.
"Are you two ready?' a familiar voice asked.
The Boss?
"Yeah, as we'll ever be." Her father answered.
"You've got until nine o'clock. That's when it'll happen." The Boss answered quietly.
It'll happen? Did the Boss know about what would happen?
"A life measured in a minutes." Her father muttered bitterly.
"I'm so sorry about all of this. If their was any other way I would turn to that, but the only way for her to be strong enough is for AA to be with her." The Boos replied, a strange and alien emotion in his voice.
Is he, guilty?
"I understand Boss." Her mother said quietly. "If it's to protect our daughter, then we'll do anything. That's always been or decision and it still is now." Her mother rested her hand against Loaño's forehead and she felt it heat up. Loaño squirmed in discomfort as she felt a strong energy flow into her body.
What's going on? I don't get this! Is this when you became part of me AA?
Yes. Now, awaken the power that's been dormant in you!
Loaño's eyes snapped open as she was brought back to reality. Her silver eyes glowed brightly as she took out her digivice. Her necklace glowed as she was covered in her silver Digisoul. Her digivice changed just as Celena's had. It was the same shape as hers. It's main body was a pristine silver, and the three buttons were a light gray. Loaño's didisoul converged on her right hand. "Digisoul, Full Charge!" she cried a sshe energized her new Digivice.
"KiddGarurumon digivolve to, KnightGarurumon!" Kidd was surrounded in a glowing silver light. When he emerged he had a glowing cape around him that created a hood that hid his face. His lower arms and legs were covered in shining armor and two large swords were strapped to his back.
"My Digisoul?" Loaño wondered as she stared at her glowing hands. "But how? I haven't been able to use this for years."
'Consider it part of my thanks.' A tired AA answered.
"Alright, ready for another round Smokey?" Kidd roared. Grizzmon lunged at Kidd but he easily blocked the glowing claw with a single hand. Surprise flashed over Grizzmon's face as Kidd picked him up and tossed him across the room. Before he landed Grizzmon turned into dark energy that surrounded his cloaked partner. The two roared in pain as they formed into Callismon.
'Damn, they really can go to their Ultimate form!" Loaño cursed.
'No!' AA warned. 'They might look like it, but they are not as strong as an Ultimate. A Perfect like Kidd can easily take him down if you both focus.'
"Alright then, don't hold back Kidd. Let's cut these two down to size!" Loaño cried.
"Right!" Kidd roared as he drew his two halberds, holding both in his hands despite their large sizes. Callismon roared a she fired several missiles from his mechanical arm. Kidd swung his swords and destroyed the missiles with hardly any damage to himself. He charged forward as Callismon tried to crush him with his claw. Kidd raised his swords and blocked the claw from striking him. He jumped above Callismon, his head grazing the top of the tall hallway. He flew downward and with one large strike, cut Callismon in half.
Callismon had a look of shock on his face as he looked down at Kidd. The two halves of the evil bear glowed and exploded into a storm of dark energy that knocked Kidd back and forced him to dedigivolve. He landed on the ground with a crash, while Callismon reverted to the cloaked figure and an unconscious Bearmon.
"Kidd are you okay?" Loaño shouted as she ran over to her partner.
"Just fine Pup." Kidd answered as he tried sitting up. Loaño tried to help him and let out a sigh of relief when she saw his wound wasn't as bad as she thought. It'd hurt like hell, but she thought he'd live. He winced from pain when he sat up with Loaño's help.
"What happened?" a soft voice asked.
Loaño and Kidd looked to the cloaked boy who was on his hands and knees. His cloak was hanging very loosely from him so it was easy fro him to take it off. Loaño gasped when she saw the boy underneath. He was probably fifteen, but his face was so pale and soft looking he could easily pass as someone younger. He had short brown hair and sleepy blue eyes. He was wearing a white t-shirt with black borders and jeans, both of which looked very clean and simple. He looked around, his fatigue reflected in his eyes.
His gaze landed on Loaño and his face screwed up in concentration for a minute. "Zoe?" he asked but then shook his head. "No, her hair is longer." He muttered. He continued looking around, Kidd and Loaño both without a clue of what to do. The boy's gaze fell on the unconscious bear digimon. "Bearmon!" he cried as he weakly stood up and stumbled towards his partner. He tripped and landed in front of the bear, tears streaming down his eyes. "Bearmon what happened to you?" he sobbed.
"He doesn't remember anything." Kidd muttered.
"I think that's for the best." Loaño answered.
"I think it's a crappy way out!" a loud voice cried. Loaño and Kidd both stood up and glared towards the entrance. Emerging from the darkness was the biker from hell, Beelzemon. He smiled at them, his grin full of evil intent. "Looks like I've got to clean up this mess. I always wandered what would happen when Daemon's toy broke, but I always expected something a little more entertaining. Not some damn 'Oh what happened, where am I?' shit. Oh well, at least Daemon's reaction should be funny."
"Beelzemon." Kidd growled.
"That's right little puppy, I'm Beelzemon." The demon biker said as he drew his twin double-barreled hand guns. "And you're my new prey!"