Chapter Thirty Six

Miracle's Light, Darkness Returns

AN: Hey guys! Sorry this one took a bit but hey! I'm uploading in the afternoon, not ridiuclously late in the evening! Score a point for me! And hehehehhe. I had so much fun with this chapter. Which is a little weird as it was intended to be more serious. Ah well. The characters never let me be serious.

Lily-Darn right.

Me-Oh stop being so darn proud of yourself. Anyway, you guys know the drill. Review? To those who don't review but favorite my stories still, I do really appreciate it, even if I wish I could hear more of your thoughts. Brings a smile to my face XD

"OH CRAP ON A CRACKER!" I yell, ducking as several blasts of energy nearly knock my head right off, only to be deflected at just the right moment.

I glance downwards to see my little Ralts straining with all her might to deflect the attacks. She glances up at me and growls, "What are you looking at? Grab pretty boy and let's get the heck out of here!"

"Good plan!" Grabbing Damien by the back of his jacket I yell, "This way!"

"…Wha?! Lily, you have no idea where the way out is!"

"I'm following a mixture…" I pant, hating how my leg muscles are already starting to scream at me as I run down the hall. "Of my instincts and my womanly intuition!"

"Oh for the love of…"

"Hey, everyone knows men stink at directions!"

"Could we please have this argument a later time?!" I hear Ralts shriek once more. The sound of wind wistling echoes and I manage to duck just at the right time to see a blast of energy hit her right in the chest.

"NO!"

Damien spins back around, cursing loudly, just barely managing to grab me by the waist as she collapses to the ground motionless.

"Lily, don't!"

"HE KILLED HER! SO HELP ME I'LL TEAR THE ##$$$%%%%% APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!"

"Actually…." The smug voice fills me with even more rage as the figure that shot at us steps out into the hallway. Wow. Let me just say that up to this point, I never thought in my life that there would be someone who looked even MORE lame than Dorkula. The guy is covered in red skin, leather boots, a ridiculous looking collar, a forked tail, and an actual pitchfork. I kid you not. A freaking…pitchfork.

"…What exactly are you supposed to be?"

He smirks and does a mock bow. "….Phelesmon my lady. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Charmed. Now get over here so I can tear your core out."

"Lily." Damien's hand slips over mine slightly. "….She's not dead."

"W-huh?" I glance back over my shoulder, stifling the urge to sob as I look at Ralts lying there limply. She might not have been a part of my life very long but-"YOU IDIOT."

…Oh. That's not death creeping up her limbs and stiffening her tiny body.

"No, it's stone, you melodramatic moron. Now get out there and kick this guys' butt, because I'll be darned if I end up a stupid garden gnome!"

Phelesmon glances over at us in disbelief, clearly either in shock that we're not bowing down in terror to him or….he just thinks we're insane. Ah well. Get that a lot.

"Do you not fear for your life?" Phelesmon says coldly, glaring at the two of us. I shrug. "Not really. Generally when I get kidnapped, it's because said psycho is obsessed with my powers. Trust me it gets old really really fast. Particularly when it's the same….obnoxius….stupid….smug….lying….cheating….ann oying…bratty…petualant-"Are you quite done?" Damien asks in a deadpan voice.

"Eh. Not really but I can rant/insult Dorkula till the end of time if I really want to, so moving on!"

Phelesmon snorts. "I cannot believe that you are the so-called Daughter of the Demon Lords."

"…How did you know about that?" I say, a warning growl in my voice. "And leave my family out of this mess, got it?"

"Aww…that's so cute. The little bag of flesh and bones defending THEIR honor. Bah! Makes me sick." A slightly glazed over look appears on his eyes. "I remember back in the glory days….when I served under Lord Lucemon…."

A tight knot in my stomach starts to form as I growl out, "Lucemon and the others would never have anything to do with someone who would attack a defenseless being. Alexander….My FATHER….would NEVER…."

His laugh is so full of mocking contempt. "Do you think so? Do you really think so? Child why do you think they're CALLED the Demon Lords in the first place? There was a time when they were much more bloodthirsty than I ever could be…..and I idolized them for it."

"Shut up, you don't know anything!"

Damien glances over at me, his eyes narrowing slightly before glowering at Phelesmon. "Get out." His voice is more commanding than I'm used to. "I'm sure Millenniummon would not be pleased with you threatening this one when he went to such lengths to capture her."

"Oh, I'm sure Millenniummon won't truly care if she dies." Phelesmon snarls as he stalks forwards. "You are the only person in this building that cares, I'm sure."

"Hey I happen to care if she lives or dies!"

"Aww thanks buddy."

"No problem. After all, every evil mastermind needs a few good minions to carry out their orders!"

"…..Why me?"

"You have HER EYES!" Phelesmon howls, his rage so strong I can almost taste it. I back away slightly as the mon is nearly foaming at the mouth. "HER EYES! THE EYES OF THAT MISERABLE LITTLE WHORE WHO SEALED MY MASTER! If it HADN'T been for THEM the Demon Lords would still be ruling the world and I would be a LORD by now, not some miserable flunkie! That is why YOU. MUST. DIE!"

The pitchfork lashes forward with more speed than I would have thought possible, about to cut my throat, when Damien grabs it with, I kid you not, his bare hands. The pitchfork actually melts while his hands glow bright red.

Wait…bright red….My eyes narrow slightly as Damien growls out a menacing, "Over my dead body."

"That can easily be arranged." Phelesmon snarls dangerously. "You're not as strong as you once were."

"…Oh really?"

…

"MIMI!" Lilllymon pounces on her immediately, nearly strangling the life out of the poor girl. Coughing she say weakly, "You know I've been gone less than two hours right?"

"I know but….but I hate being separated from you." She sniffles before reluctantly pulling away. "Every single time I'm afraid it's going to be years before I see you again, like after Apoclyamon."

Mimi's eyes fill with big, overdramatic tears as well as she whimpers, "Oh LILLYMON!"

"OH MIMI!"

"Please stop before the mushiness melts my hard drive." Izzy mutters. Mimi glowers at him. "I'm trying to have a nice, sweet bonding moment with my partner Koushiro." Her eyes harden for them even more. "Are you saying you have a problem with that?"

"Not usually." Izzy stammers, quickly trying to apologize for the look of irritation on Mimi's face. "But when I'm trying to contact Sira then I…sort of need to focus."

"You're trying to contact her?"

"Well yeah." Izzy narrows his eyebrows. "Considering how all of this has happened…Vademon coming back to life and all, I figure it's got to be connected to what Sira was talking about earlier. You know, how she messed up time?"

"She didn't do it on purpose Izzy…"

"Well of course I know THAT. But my point is, that Chronomon's death could have caused all sort of unprecedented occurances. You kill the Lord of Time, who knows what else could happen?" He makes a face down at his computer. "But all I keep getting…is this darn interference."

"It's Viruses."

Nearly everyone jumps out of their skins at this pronouncement. "Gosh DARN it Lilithmon!" Izzy shouts, his face slightly pale. "Don't freaking sneak up on us like that!"

"Sorry." Lilithmon says, glancing over the horizon. "Wasn't trying to sneak. I'm used to Digimon noticing my prescence more easily."

That was the group's first clue that something must be wrong. Because even though they hadn't known her long, they all knew that Lilithmon NEVER…EVER….apologized.

"…What is it?"

"I assume you mean Viruses with the capital." Tentomon says grimly. "As in the bloodthirsty monsters we've had to fight against before?"

Lilthmon flicks out her claws slightly, making him flinch back. "Watch it bug. I am a Virus, remember that. But these…." She clenches her teeth, showing fangs. "…These feel…powerful. Familiar…" She mutters. "…I really really hope I'm wrong. That would be just the icing on the cake, dealing with those crappy people again."

"I'm really really not liking the sound of what you're saying." Izzy says deadpan as Mimi nods vigorously. Lilithmon narrows her eyes slightly before sighing. "….Kid let's just say your friend Sira…she's not the only one whose made really REALLY big mistakes."

….

Something was nudging TK over and over again. He moans, turning over in bed, wincing slightly. "Mum, just five more minutes…please…." He murmurs sleepily.

There's an annoyed sigh above him. "If you don't get up off your butt in five seconds flat I am going to Grand Cross you out of it, and trust me you do not want to have to deal with that experience."

"…Huh?" TK's eyes blink open to see Lucemon levitating at the foot of his bed, his arms crossed over his chest, a very unimpressed expression on his face.

All TK can think to say is, "…You're not in Cupimon form anymore."

"WOW. Alert the media here people, I think we have a genius in the making on par with Albert Einestien."

"Oh my gosh you sound like Ralts."

"Rather or not Lucemon is being an impertinent little brat….again…" GranDracmon says dryly as Lucemon lets out an indignant yelp of "HEY!"

"Isn't the issue right now."

GranDracmon's expression is so grim that TK feels a chill run down his spine. Cody moans, and GranDracmon glances over at Lucemon. "Make yourself useful and get them up as well."

"Aye aye SIR!" Lucemon says deadpan, clicking his heels together (the effect was slightly ruined because he wasn't wearing any shoes) and turned about face before marching over to Cody's bed.

"TK…."

"Huh?" TK glances back over at where Patamon is staring wide-eyed out the window. "What is it buddy?"

The chilly air hits TK as he shoves it open. His eyes widen as he glances up at the sky. The dark clouds roll ever onwards, but even from this point, TK KNOWS that that is no ordinary thunder storm. Instead of the humidity there's an unprecedented tension, as though something very big and very powerful is watching them hungrily, uncurling claws and ready to strike.

TK's blue eyes narrow slightly and he glances over at Patamon. "Are you ready for this buddy?"

"You bet!"

"W-wait…" Cody's eyes are full of unease. "…We're not actually going to have to…to kill these Digimon are we?"

"If we do then we do." GranDracmon says flatly. "Come on, let's get going."

"But…."

"Kill or be killed here squirt." Lucemon says, arching his eyebrows. "I've got a family to protect back home so I guarantee you it won't be me that dies."

Cody glances over at TK who nods grimly and Armadillomon lays a head against his partner's leg. "It'll be okay Cody."

"GOSH DARN IT PHASCOMON WAKE UP!"

"Wait…." TK frowns as he counts the members of the group, Lucemon literally dragging the protesting mini-form of Belphemon by the scruff of the neck. "Where's Sira?"

He doesn't miss a particulary guilty look that passes between Lucemon and GranDracmon. "…Well…."

There's a loud banging sound from the bathroom making them all jump as a particularly furious voice screams, "RAS YOU UNCHAIN ME FROM THIS TOILET SEAT THIS MOMENT OR SO HELP ME I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND MAKE YOUR LIFE A FREAKING LIVING HELL!"

"….You…chained her up in the bathroom."

"What am I SUPPOSED to do?! She's pregnant, she can't possibly go out in a battlefield, and there's no way I can convince her to take her own personal safety more seriously!"

Another loud banging noise echoes menacingly and Lucemon states, with a slight sweatdrop, looking down at his bare wrists and ankles, "Uh, I think that we should probably get going." He coughs, looking around shiftily. "You know those power inhibitors are meant for me, right? Not her. Which means I can't guarantee she'll remained trapped by them forever."

"Crap." GranDracmon mutters. "Well…off we go!"

"RAS! DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME HERE! YOU ARE SO FREAKING DEAD! ALL OF YOU! ARRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHH!"

…

The tightly enclosed space of the Mekanoriomon was definitely one of the more uncomfortrable experiences of Joe's life. However, then again as he'd spent time traveling around the Net Ocean in a Whamon's mouth, this could easily be considered the better option. At the very least, the more hygienic.

Noise crackles inside of the Mekanoriomon and for a minute, Joe panics, thinking, he doesn't know, the Digimon must be breaking or something like that.

But thankfully that's not the case. Instead Dilbert's voice echoes through. "This is your Captain speaking. We are continuing our travel to Who-The-Heck-Knows-Where?. On your left you can see….more water. And on the right, guess what? MORE water. Hope you're enjoying your time and are enjoying the bags of complementary peanuts we have given out to you."

"Oooh, peanuts would be nice right about now."

"I know, wouldn't they?"

Joe rolls his eyes to heaven and wonders how on Earth Sira could possibly tolerate someone like Dilbert when Gennai's voice cuts in. "All right, you two, that's enough messing around."

"Ugh, I'm bored."

Joe finally manages to find the switch to make his own radio come on. "I think you're all messing around., Gennai, I don't see anything here that looks remotely like a Destiny Stone."

"Hmm….things not seen with your eyes, sometimes the most obvious, they are."

"….What on Earth made you decide you weren't being vague enough and you had to quote Yoda? And what idiot let you watch Star Wars in the first place?"

Gennai's laugh echoes over the radio once more. "Heh. They're awesome movies. Plus….. You get really bored when you're all alone Joe." The last part of his sentence was more quiet and somber.

Joe remembers the flashback—of Gennai's race being slaughtered by the Dark Masters, Puppetmon blasting energy bullets and mowing several down, MetalSeadramon's and Machinedramon's roars mixing together, and Piedmon laughing like a complete maniac, his sword dripping with blood as he'd advanced on Gennai.

His hands tighten slightly on the controls. The Dark Masters had nearly wiped out their entire group as well. If it hadn't been for Piximon, then even despite the best efforts of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, it would have been an absolute slaughterhouse. But even that would be better…to being forced to go on alone after all of your companions were dead.

Joe doesn't think he could ever do that. It would be unbearable.

"And hey, if you want to blame my obsession with Star Wars on someone, blame the first Digidestined." Gennai's voice is rueful. "The twins were die-hard fans, I swear to Yggdrasil."

"…" It takes a moment for Joe to close his jaw. "…The…the first Digidestined?"

"Yup."
Dilbert's voice is just as stunned. "Dear gosh man, how OLD are you?!"

"Wow, the idea of tact is just a foreign concept to you isn't it?"

"Oy, you can't speak Wormmon."

"Wait…" Joe's brow wrinkles. "The Digieggs we're searching for…the Golden ones…they're the ones that we're searching for right? They were created by the First Digidestined?"

"No." Gennai's voice was flat.

"Huh? But…but that's what Sorcerymon told us."

Gennai sighs, and there's so much exhaustion in that sigh. "…You have to understand. The first Digidestined's tale…there is far more to it than you could believe. When they left darkness spread over the world. We've managed to surpress it…call more Tamers and more Digidestined…but there's so much of the past we've had to keep hidden. So much…so many memories we've even had to take away from those who were there."

"But….why?"

"I didn't necessarily agree with it. But if I told you, I'm not sure you would believe me. Suffice to say that the first Digidestined were long gone by the time we helped create the Golden Digieggs." There's an anger to his tone as he adds, "The team who used the Golden Digieggs…we do not speak of them."

Joe feels a strange sense of unease rising up inside of him, but before he can ask Gennai to explain his strange comment, there's a frantic yell of "JOE!"

"What?! What is it?!"

Gommamon is speeding next to his Mekanaorimon, a more serious and angry look never before on the seal's face. "Joe, it's…it's HIM!"

"…Wh-"JOE! LOOK OUT!"

Something huge and heavy whacks his ride, sending it spiraling out of control as the glass cracks from the force of the impact, sending water bursting in as the poor Digimon starts to turn into data.

"Gah…I CAN'T…SW-…..!"

"JOE NO!"

…

The cross forms in the air as D'Arcmon shouts out, "LA PUECELLE!" Bursting outwards, it slams into several of the Pipismon that try to force their way into the room.

Edan's blade slices down through the air, cutting one of the massive bats in half and slicing the wing off of another.

"There's too many of them!" He hisses in frustration. Blood runs down one gash on his cheek, and he wipes it off angrily.

D'Arcmon glances back over her shoulder at her partner. "They're not that high leveled, just keep pushing them back!"

An angry roar is the first thing they have time to register before the walls at the back nearly explode. D'Arcmon shrieks and barely manages to push Edan out of the way, rubble crashing down all around them, as a massive clawed foot lands beside them.

The creature towering above them looks almost exactly like a regular Tyrannomon. Same green scales poking from his back, same body. But this monster was covered in grey scales. Marking it as a MasterTyrannomon. A whole level above Tyrannomon and their virus counterpart BlackTyrannomon.

Edan curses under his breath, clenching his teeth in frustration. "You've got to digivolve!"

"On it!"

"D'ARCMON DIGIVOLVE TO….LADYDEVIMON!"

LadyDevimon hisses angrily as her claws lash through the air, but they don't even make a dent on the MasterTyrannomon's scales. She had absolutely no way of knowing at the time, but nearly all of Millenniumon's forces had been infected with the dark spore at that point.

A regular Ultimate didn't stand a chance against a boosted one alone. She screams as she feels herself be grabbed by the leg and thrown to the ceiling, but she uses that momentum to come back with an attack of her own.

"DARKNESS WAVE!"

The bats swoop down and counter the flock of flying Pipismon. At first the attack doesn't seem to do much damage, but as weak as LadyDevimon's bats were, there were a lot of them. And the massive confusion was blocking MasterTyrannomon's sight of her.

He growls, letting out an angry roar as the flames begin to form in the back of his mouth once again. "MASTER FIRE!"

The flames that seer out are so freaking hot that Edan screams as he feels the burns begin to form on his own body, and many of the computers began to melt.

Edan curses loudly, glancing at the one computer they still had left. They had a choice—they could either continue to stay here and fight, or they could retreat now while they still had a chance to find and help the others.

…But abandoning the base to their enemies….?

That would be betraying Sira. That would be betraying everything the Tamers had built!

…

"It's so big…." Edan breathed, his green eyes huge in his tiny seven year old face. Sira shrugs, brushing back a strand of black hair. "I guess."

He really wasn't so sure what to make of this girl, this nonchalant person who seemed to care so little about well, really anything. But the sheer amazement he felt running through his tiny body was all he could really think about. Shaped like a letter E on its side, the building stretched out over the side of the canyon.

He could hear the sound of laughter echoing down the halls as he stuck close to Sira, Salamon wagging her tail excitedly beside him.

"Can't catch me! Can't catch me!"

"Ryo, stop it! You're too fast!" Another voice wailed before he was nearly knocked over by a girl with flaming red hair.

"How many times do I have to tell you to think about what you're doing?" Sira sighed, exasperation obvious in her voice as she straightened both kids to their feet. "One of these days you're going to find yourself in a real mess."

"Aw, you worry too much." Ryo muttered before flashing Edan a crooked grin, revealing a couple of missing teeth. "Hey, new kid!"

"Uh…..hi." He mumbles, drawing in closer to the older girl, not quite sure of what to make of this very loud one. The other girl, with darker skin and braided hair, flashed him a small smile. "…Hi. I'm Stella."

He couldn't help the faint hint of a blush appearing on his cheeks. "Um…um…."

"Wow, he doesn't really have much to say." Ryo muttered. Sira fixed her with another stern look as she touched Edan's shoulders. "All of you need to learn to be more respectful to each other. Someday there's going to be a time where I might not be there to watch over you, and I need to know you can protect the Digital World in my place."

"Heh. Easy peasy." Ryo says, grinning as she crosses her arms behind her head. Stella rolls her eyes as Sira responds, "Strength is only one part of it. Stella, you have a desire to protect others, Ryo, you have a desire to see justice done, and Edan…"

He looks up, startled to hear his own name spoken so soon when she clearly hasn't known him as long as she's known these other girls.

"Even if you've only been a Tamer for a few days, you have a great desire to belong. If you work hard, then I'm sure that will become great loyalty. To us. Can you do that for me?"

Edan's eyes widen slightly before a large smile appears on his face and he nods eagerly. "Yeah! I'll never turn my back on this!"

….

A Youkomon, a creature that looks quite a bit like a Kyubimon except with fur a shade of ugly purple and glowing yellow eyes snarls as she pounces at Edan, his blade being the only defense against her claws sinking into his flesh.

"At the time…I thought that being a good Tamer was all about doing your job, and nothing but your job." Edan thinks, straining his head back and trying to keep his throat out of the reach of her claws.

"But…now I realize what Sira meant. Being a good tamer is far more than simply doing as you're told to do. It's about following your heart!"

LadyDevimon shrieks as the whack from the tail catches her off guard and she screams as the monster's claws wrap around her and squeeze.

Suddenly the giant dinosaur lets out a roar of pain, dropping her to the ground, and blood sprays out from the slash Edan has sliced down his leg.

"Come on!" Edan snaps as more roars echo down the corriders. "We need to get out of here!"

"But…."

Edan's head is down as his sword shrinks back to the size of his Digivice. "There's nothing more we can do here, but maybe we can help the others!"

"But the base!"

"Is just a building." He says. A faint smile appears on his mouth as he turns back around. "Everything that matters is on the outside."

LadyDevimon's red eyes widen slightly before a soft smile appears on her face as well. "…Right."

"GET THEM! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

"Bit too late for that." Edan mutters, the screen of the computer beginning to glow again. "DIGIPORT OPEN!"

…

"DAEMON! SERAPHIMON!"

The storm clouds finally break, letting the moonlight shine down on all of them. Stella scrambles upwards, desperate to get to her partner, despite the attempts of the others to hold her back down.

"….Where's Cherubimon?" Ken's voice comes out, horse and weak, and Davis glances back over at him, like he can't believe that the boy is even still conscious.

But when Davis glances back out, what he's seeing is even more unbelievable. Swallowing, he states, "Um, does anyone notice there's a distinct absence of a certain giant killer bunny?"

"…He ran off?" Veemon's voice is filled with disbelief. "Why in the Digi-world would he do that?"

"I….I don't know."

Stella scrambles frantically again, fear in her voice. "Use your brains! If Cherubimon's gone, the only reason he'd leave is if his opponents are…if they're….if they're…."

"….Oh Yggdrasil no."

"SERAPHIMON!"

There was absolutely nothing they could do to stop Stella from rushing to her partner's side.

Tsukaimon's eyes open weakly as he moans, "I'm sorry Stella."

"It's all right…." Her voice cracks slightly as she cradles him in her arms. "You did your best."

"Where's Dae…." Davis' voice trails off as he sees that Daemon has also shrunk massively down and is now…

"HE'S A FREAKING CANDLE?!"

"Candlemon to be exact." Wormmon says, his antennae twitching upwards.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT THE ACTUAL FORM IS NOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO FREEZE TO DEATH!"

"Davis…." Ken rolls his eyes to heaven and sighs as Davis frantically shakes Candlemon trying to wake him up. "Come on come on come on PLEASE! Just one tiny fireball, is that too much to ask!"

"At least the storm's stopped."

"But I'm not sure if we can carry on this mission regardless." Ken says, his shivering continuing. "Sira sent us out here specifically with Daemon because she thought we'd be safe in these conditions with him. I.,..don't think we can…."

"Uh…guys…" Veemon glances behind him, his own eyes widening slightly. "I think we might have bigger problems than just the cold."

"Oh please don't tell me…."

There's a furious snarl before something erupts like a black missile from the snowbank. Cyberdramon roars, lashing his tail as he soars down at the group, the nails on his elbows starting to shine once more.

"DESOLATION CLAW!"

"MOVE IT!" Stella shouts, pushing Davis out of the way just in time as the attack lands and nearly shatters the ice once more.

"What the heck is his problem?! Cheubimon is gone so why the heck would he be attacking us now?!"

A desperate scream echoes. "STOP IT CYBERDRAMON!"

"Huh?!" Ken's eyes widen with horror as he sees Ryo standing there, looking completely exhausted and her chest heaving in and out in exhaustion, but she still holds her ground. "Cyberdramon…please you're not like this." She whispers, fighting back the urge to let out a sob. "You were never supposed to be like this. Please, I don't want to loose you too."

Cyberdramon's tail lashes from side to side again, a low growl echoing in his mouth. He stands still like a statue. Finally, his shoulders start to slump, and it seems like he's about to relax, and Ryo breathes a sigh of relief, smiling.

"…That's it….."

But that was when things went horribly wrong. Cyberdramon charges at her suddenly, proving the whole thing was a ruse to get her guard down, claws stretching out as Ryo falls back on her butt, looking up helpessly as Ken and Stella scream her name…

"Cyberdramon…."

"VEE HEADBUTT!"

The attack hits Cyberdramon in the back of the leg and with surprising force. The great dragon is even forced down to his knees for the moment, such is the force and unexpectedness of the attack.

Ryo's eyes widen with disbelief as she looks past her partner at Davis and Veemon. Davis' eyes are blazing with so much intensity he doesn't look at all like himself. Not at all like the laughing, bouncy, stupid boy that she'd seen him as for months now.

"You sick ##$$$$." Davis growls menacingly. "You attacked our comerades, us, and now look at them!"

Tsukaimon stirs slightly in Stella's arms and moans once more while Candlemon's eyes slowly blink open. "Now you attack your own partner?! Clearly someone needs a lesson pounded into their thick skull, and lucky for you, I'm a pretty darn good teacher! Right Veemon!"

"Right Davis!"

"Davis, you…." Ryo coughs. "You absolute IDIOT. RUN!"

"No, you're the one who needs to shut up and run Ryo! Quit acting like everything is your problem and your problem alone to solve! You're not THAT important, bigmouth!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE!"

"DAVIS!"

Cyberdramon roars, furious now, before charging, teeth and claws bared, willing to do anything if it means making these little pests shut up.

"VEEMON!"

"STAY AWAY FROM MY PARTNER!" Veemon yells, charging forwards to meet the enemy head on. Davis gasps as his Digivice suddenly shines a bright blue. It had….NEVER….done anything like this before.

Veemon's eyes widen as the huge rush of energy fills him and a smile appears on his reptilian face. "All right! Let's do this!"

"VEEMON DIGIVOLVE TO…EX-VEEMON!"

"No…way…." Ken gasps, his mouth hanging down to his knees, and Wormmon's own eyes widen. "Wow. Didn't see that one coming."

Veemon's form began to grow until he was much bigger and tall, big, scaly white wings tearing from his back, a dagger like horn like in his Flamedramon form sprouting in the middle of his forehead.

"EX-VEEMON!"

Davis' face slowly splits into a huge grin as he watches his partner. "That is SO FREAKING COOL!"

"Should have known those would be the first words out of Davis' mouth." Ken chuckles. Stella holds Tsukaimon close to her. "You really think they can beat that guy?"

"I believe in Davis. Take it from someone whose fought against him before…" Ken's voice trails off as the corners of his lips pull upwards in a smile. "He has a habit of managing to win even when every conceivable odd has been stacked against him."

Cyberdramon's charge is stopped as ExVeemon slams his shoulder into the other dragon's chest. The two lock eyes, an unspoken challenge passing between them with their vicious snarls.

Both of them charge upwards into the air, their wings levitating them above the frozen surface.

…

"WHAT THE ##4$$555%%% DO YOU MEAN MY DAUGHTER IS MISSING?!" Alexander's shout seems to go on for miles, and Tai resists the urge to slap his hands over his ears, because his entire brain seems to be ringing.

"If it helps this happens all the time." Renamon says flatly. Tai and Matt both shoot her horrified looks, clearly wondering if Renamon is TRYING to get them killed at this point, and Alexander whirls around, snarling a fierce, "What do you MEAN all the time?!"

"Not…all the time."

"Yeah. To be honest she hasn't been kidnapped in months. Compared to when Myotismon was still alive that's got to be some kind of record."

"Maybe you guys should both stop talking." Willis says nervously, his blue eyes filled with unease.

Alexander growls. "So what you're telling me is none of you are capable of making sure she doesn't get herself into danger?"

"Hey, Lily's not a little kid." Tai says, a hint of annoyance entering his voice. "She's a grown girl, for crying out loud! Just because she doesn't always think before she acts, doesn't mean that she can't take care of herself."

Staring up at the sky, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, Alexander growls, "I am NOT losing her again. I'll search every corner of this world if I have to."

"And you think we won't?" Tai asks, a bit of incredulousness in his voice.

"I'm not sure you can be bothered to…."

"Are you trying to imply that I DON'T care about Lily?!" Tai shouts, fury entering his voice, and Matt grabs him by the back of the shirt, pulling him back. "Calm down before you do or say something you're going to regret…."

"You guys are the ones who lost her to Myotismon in the first place!"

"Too late…." Willis groans, facepalming. The snarl and the motion is so fast Tai almost doesn't see it coming, but the next second he knows Alexander has him by the front of the shirt and those claws…inches away from his stomach.

Tai's eyes widen slightly and Matt makes a slight gasping sound as Alexander growls, "…Do you want to make an enemy of the Demon Lords, boy?"

"…No." Tai manages to gasp out, not able to feel the air as well. "Never I…that's not what…"

"STOP IT!"

Renamon's shout is so forceful that Alexander actually lets go of Tai, Tai stumbling back and nearly knocking into Matt. "Look at yourselves! Busy infighting when we don't know what happened to Lily! Look, you two. You're BOTH right you're just both too hotheaded and STUPID to see it! Yes, I said STUPID! Chew on that Demon Lord of Gluttony! Look, Lily has come a long, long way, from the girl that would rush in, without thinking, the girl who could be manipulated. She's ten times the better warrior than she was before. So you're wrong in that area Alexander, and Tai is right. But what YOU forget Tai, is the fact that even the best warrior can't help being targeted over and over again, and with all that, it's inevitable something bad is going to happen! And with Lily, it's never slightly bad! It's always REALLY BAD! So Alexander's got every right to be afraid!"

Everyone was staring at Renamon in slight disbelief. They'd absolutely never heard her explode like that.

"Dang." Gargomon mutters. "I think she broke all of them."
"I know right?" Gabumon also mutters, sounding more than slightly appreciative. Until he noticed that Renamon was crying. "Renamon I…."

"Please…..can you all stop acting like children bickering over who loves Lily more for goodness sake, and just find her?!"

"Nice going." Matt mutters to Tai.

Tai's jaw drops. "Wha-….I didn't do any…!"

"Yeah, we're taking a walk." Matt says flatly, grabbing Tai by the shirt collar and dragging him forwards, causing Tai to yelp.

"Renamon…."

Renamon glances over at Alexander, who looks more abashed then you could ever imagine a demon biker looking. "….I'm sorry. That was immature and stupid of me."

"You threatened Tai." She says, a hint of a low growl entering her voice. Agumon's green eyes narrow as well and Alexander holds up his hands slightly in a self-placating gesture. "I know, I….that was beneath me. And…"

"….." Renamon walks past him, punching him in the chest. "Just don't do it again, you got it?" She says flatly, before turning her head to look at him over her shoulder. Her eyes soften slightly and then tighten again with anxiety and determination. "We're going to find her. That is a promise. And then whoever took her from us…." Renamon growls, the fur on the back of her neck standing up again, "is going to wish they were dead."

….

The sounds of bones cracking echo as Phelesmon slams Damien into the wall again. Damien winces, hissing in pain as he slides down and I make a movement to step forwards and….and do what?!

I don't have any powers anymore, what the heck am I supposed to do?!

Phelesmon's smug laughter makes my teeth clench in anger. This guy…this guy makes my blood boil like never before. Damien's shoulder is clearly messed up, and he's breathing hard, and Phelesmon states mockingly, "I suppose the mighty really have fallen, haven't they?"

"Does anyone else beside me feel like things are getting really weird around here?" Ralts says warily. "Or is he talking to Damien…like he knows him?"

…She was right. Other times I'd probably wouldn't be thinking about this sort of thing, would be thinking more about how badly I want to hurt this creep for not only attacking Ralts but also insulting my entire family. And threatening to kill me too, of course. I'm not a big fan of that either but….

I can't keep my eyes off of Damien, and I didn't necessarily mean that in a good way. No I'm ogling him, I swear to Yggdrasil. Something uncomfortable fills my chest as I see him lift his head and smirk like that.

It seems so darn familiar but I can't remember where…..I rub the back of my neck, feeling a burning sensation starting to return there once more.

"You could say that." Damien murmurs, standing back to his full height as though the injuries are no trouble at all. "But then again, you always were the presumptious one, were you not?"

Phelesmon snarls, truly pissed now as he raises the pitchfork again. "Let's see how arrogant you are when you're nothing but stone crumbling into hundreds of pieces!"

"Ooh, let's see you just try." Damien says with an odd anticipating gleam in his eye. "BLACK STATUE!"

"DAMIEN!"

The blast of energy seems to be about to hit Damien but then with speed I didn't think anyone had, he was suddenly behind Phelesmon.

"My move." He whispers, eyes gleaming before his foot connects with the back of Phelesmon's head, knocking him forwards, and knocking him off balance enough so that the Digimon's pitchfork is yanked away from him.

He roars, slashing out with his own claws and leaving a massive gash on Damien's face, but Damien….rams the pitchfork forwards and stabs Phelesmon with his own weapon in the stomach. Phelesmon lets out a strangled gasp of pain and is knocked to the floor as I surpress the urge to hurl. This isn't even a real battle, this is…Damien's playing with him like a cat would a mouse. Correction, I've seen Gatomon hunt mice before.

She's not this cruel.

Damien leers down at him as he clutches his injury, unable to really move or dodge, fear in his eyes, and I bolt forwards shouting "##$%$%%^^ ! DAMIEN! STOP IT! STOP IT-NOW!"

He ignores me and says slyly, "Now who has fallen?" before plunging the pitchfork right into Phelesmon's core.

"…."

I can only stand there as the specks of data fly around my face. Damien slowly looks back up at me and this feeling of fear seems to fill my entire body. He looks…so hungry.

"…Why did you do that? There wasn't any….'

"He was going to kill you." Damien breathes, brushing a strand of hair flecked with blood from his face. "What did you expect me to do?"

"Um…I don't know, maybe NOT give him a horrible death for starters?"

"What are you fussing about?" Damien asks, glancing over his shoulder. "Look, your Ralts is fine now."

"Scarred a little for life…." I feel Ralts' tiny hands grab my jeans slightly. "But other than that….fine."

My hand rests down protectively on top of her head as I move slightly, like I'm shielding her from him. The mere fact that he's actually managed to scare RALTS off all people….

Damien lets out a laugh…an oddly sounding cracked laugh. His eyes lock on mine even when I try to look away and his hand rests on my shoulder. "Come on Lily….it's just me."

"I barely know anything about you." I breath, pushing away from him. "And the more I see the less I like."

His eyes narrow slightly. "…I save your life and that's the sort of gratitude you show?" He asks in a tone that's more colder and angry.

"How did you know Willis' father was here?! HOW Damien?!" I don't care if my shout attracts attention, but I'm sick to death of getting nothing but half-truths from him. The bullcrap stops HERE and NOW.

"Are you really so stupid as to make a fuss here and now?!" He growls, grabbing hold of my wrist.

"LET. GO."

"Lily, there's something wrong with him! There's so much darkness, so much….it's like something's…trying to break through…."

I pull hard, trying to break free but his fingers are like icy claws digging into my wrist. "Show some respect for once in your life you darn brat."

"Ice…vice grip….darkness….so much darkness it feels like poison…."

"LET HER GO!"

"TAICHI!"

Cold laughter all around, the sound of bats chittering, Wizardmon's screams, the red whip lashing over and over again, blood, blood, so much blood, cold blue eyes, cold cold cold dark…..

I put so much force into the yank that it actually knocks Damien off balance….Damien….yeah right….

"….YOU. It CAN'T be."

….

Sora gasps as she feels the knife cutting through her right shoulder. Wincing in pain she pushes herself upwards in enough time to roll away from her doppleganger. She can't help but wonder if this is how Renamon must have felt fighting against Kuzuhaumon.

Someone who looks exactly like you, someone who practically is you….but not. The light of sheer hate shines through the expression of the dopple-ganger's face.

"You've had basically everything!" The fake-Sora slams the knife down inches from Sora's face. Sora responds with a quick upper right punch that knocks the other one for a loop, and she's suddenly very very grateful about those self-defense classes that she took with Mimi and Lily.

"Why should you have a family…friends….why should you have all of those…." The other Sora aims a punch at her face. "When all I am at best is treated like an expensive experiment. No, not even that! I'm a symbol of Datamon's failure."

Sora manages to gasp out, the smoke infecting her lungs, "That….that isn't my fault."

"Then whose fault is it?!"

The kick catches Sora off her guard and knocks her right back to the floor. She can feel the heat from the fire leaking upwards.

"Birdramon please, wherever you are, hurry, help me! Barbamon…someone! Anyone!"

Through the smoke she sees the fake-Sora lunging at her, a look of sheer madness on her face. So she did what anyone who was a soccer star would have done. She kicks outwards, her feet connecting with the girl's ribcage.

The other Sora lets out an agonized scream as the kick sends her flying right over the edge….and into the fiery abyss below…

"Oh Yggdrasil…" Sora breathes, her horror filling her. "Wait no…please….I…." But there's no answer except the sound of the fire crackling below.

Her head pounds and her throat aches and she wants to cry, do something but she…can't do anything. Exhaustion starting to fill her, her eyes slowly start to close as her head drops to the ground and her body slumps there.

…

"METEROR WING!" The balls of flame shoot downwards right at the trapped robot, but what Birdramon has unfortunately forgotten is that even when pinned, Datamon are obnoxiously flexible pests.

His arms stretch at ridiculous lengths, the left one reaching up and grabbing the railing above them, carrying his body upwards, and the right one forming another attack.

"DIGITAL BOMB!"

Birdramon squawks loudly as the attack hits her on top of the head and sends her slamming down into the ground while Datamon laughs triumphantly. Most villains would have been smart at this moment and taken the chance to finish an enemy off, but Datamon was too obsessed with the safety of his own skin.

He wasn't sticking around here a moment longer, no matter what Lord Milleinniummon thought. Pulling himself upwards, he forms another attack, blasting a hole in the roof. "Bye-bye, you overgrown chicken!"

The delicious screams of the other humans in the middle of this previously jovial place sound like music to his ears, but unfortunately he doesn't have any time to go and cause any more agony himself.

Any minute that horrible sparrow would be free and she would never let him escape, of that, the robot was sure. And no matter what punishment Millenniummon gives him for abandoning his post, for not being able to kill the children, he doesn't care. He'd run off and hide somewhere, it would be simple enough.

Suddenly yellow talons were wrapping around him once more, yanking the terrified robot into the air and then slamming him back down on the ground.

For a moment he's terrified that Birdramon had managed to capture him so soon, but the voice that growls menacingly in his audio recepters, "Going somewhere?" Is most definitely male.

Datamon yelps as he's slammed down into the ground with tremendous force. Yolei's glasses gleam menacingly as she crosses her arms while Kari and Gatomon stand next to them, both of them glowering.

"You know, my big brother is going to be so so sorry he missed the chance to kick your butt, you sorry tin can." Kari says, her eyes glinting. "I think we can do plenty even with his absence though."

"Has anyone else noticed that Kari has gotten progressively more and more scary?" Aquilamon mutters to Gatomon.

"So has Yolei."

"…Touche."

"I…." Datamon's one good eye narrows as he backpedals and then bumps into something much taller than him. He nearly split all of his circuits when he saw Barbamon leer down at him.

"Good afternoon." Barbamon says with far too much politeness in his voice. "It's a lovely day to die, isn't it?"

"Barbamon…." Sora pushes herself weakly up from the Demon Lord's protective arms. "You know you're intimidating enough without channeling the evil lord side of yourself right?"

"Oh I do indeed know that Miss Sora. It's just a lot more fun this way. Besides…." He continues, watching as Datamon actually shakes a little bit, "It's a lot more fun messing with those who would dare hurt a young girl this way."

"I….you can't…." Datamon splutters, and Barbamon smiles. "I can't? Actually I think you'll find that I can and it would be absolutely, ridiculously easy."

"….."
"However…." Barbamon inclines his head towards Sora as he sets her down. "I believe your life should be in the hands of those who you have made suffer the most. What is it that the humans call this phenomenon? Ah yes! Karma!"

"He's right about that." Sora growls, glaring at Datamon as the ground below her shakes slightly, and with a loud shriek suddenly her phoenix is right beside her. "I'll give you this much Datamon. A one on one fight between you and my partner. If you cheat, then I'll just let the others rip you apart. What's it going to be?"

…

This is BAD. This is really really REALLY REALLY REALLY ##4$%%% BAD! There aren't many of things in this world that can possibly make me panic like this. Big Bang Theory or Doctor Who getting canceled.

The Demon Lords discovering the Internet and thus generating the Apocalypse.

My….ex-master the Digimon who STILL haunts my freaking nightmares four years later standing in front of me? In a human body I sort of actually ADMIRED?!

….This is NOT happening.

Ralts, apparently able to sense my panic, has positioned herself in front of me, stretching her little arms out, and glowering. "Leave Lily alone!"

Damien….no not Damien….cocks his head slightly to the side. "…Call off your attack dog before you do something you regret."

I can't….move. My legs seem to have turned to lead, my eyes seem to be about ready to pop out my head, and I know I probably look like a complete idiot standing here like this, unable to move.

"…" Damien glances back over his shoulder, glowering at the data specks that are still rising miserably into the air. "Stupid upstart." He growls. "If he hadn't gotten in the way I might have managed to keep my compulsion on you longer, because you're surely not smart enough to figure it out on your own."

He adds the last bit with a sneer that's all too familiar to me. Ralts clenches her little fists. "Why I outta…let me at him Lily. I'll fry his brain cells, the little he has at least!"

"Will you really?" Damien….Myotismon….says in a bored tone, arching one eyebrow before glancing over at me. A smirk appears on his face and he says with mocking sweetness, "Aw, too much for you to handle my pet?" He says the hated nickname with so much added emphasis and I feel my hands begin to curl into fists. "It's almost a shame that you found out so soon. I thought….I might at least get a kiss out of this deception before you figured it out."

His hand reaches up to my cheek….but before he can actually touch me my own hand lashes out and snaps around his wrist.

Myotismon's eyes widen slightly and I narrow my own. "YOU SON OF A ##$$$%%%%^^^^^&&&7&&."

"Oh boy. Crap's about to go down!"

The guards on the end of their hallway knew their mission was clear. Let the master lead the girl around in circles, continuing to keep attacking and ambushing them, whatever they did they were not to let her escape—unless the master allowed it. That part had confused them, but many of Lord Myotismon's plans were confusing so they didn't let it bother them too badly.

However they were relatively certain that their master screaming like a little girl had NOT been a part of the plan.

Hurrying down the corridors, they stopped and stared in disbelief.

".,..Holy crap."

"She's PISSED."

"GET OFF OF ME YOU DISGUSTING LITTLE WETCH!"

"YOU ARE SO FREAKING DEAD!"

I am nowhere near as strong as Myotismon, that much I'll freely admit. But the fact that I had flatout charged him instead of remaining there stammering in confusion or horrified fear, had well, c aught him off guard.

And sometimes sheer rage is a good alternative for power. A horrible burning sensation fills my arm and I screech with pain at the feeling of a half formed Crimson Lightning. He smirks but then lets out a shriek himself when I sink my fangs into the hand holding me.

Now we were BOTH pissed. Snarling, we both circle each other for a moment, and I spit out furiously, "WHAT THE CRAP IS YOUR PROBLEM?!"

His eyes narrow slightly and I continue shrieking, "Since I was SEVEN FREAKING YEARS old you sick creep, you have been stalking me, do you have ANY idea how freaking SAD and PATHETIC that is?!"

"Uh Lily?!" Ralts tries desperately to interject as Dorkula's eyes narrow ominously but I don't listen to her.

"I cannot BELIEVE you actually had the unbelievable GALL to actually FLIRT with me! That is disgusting! That is MESSED UP. Oh my gosh, you realize what this makes you right?!You're basically exactly like those disgusting, old perverted men who hide behind the guise of hot men on the Internet! OH THAT'S RIGHT BLOODSUCKER. I WENT THERE."

His jaw literally drops to the floor a little bit and I can practically hear the sound of his pride starting to crack. It's a very pretty sound.

Grabbing him by the shirt, I snarl at him in the face, "Get yourself a freaking girlfriend, get yourself a freaking LIFE, do you realize at the moment you're more obsessed with me than your sad attempts to take over the world? Oh please don't give me that look, you tried twice, you're not going to succeed a freaking third, you're never going to pull it off, because you're too arrogant and stupid to ever learn from your mistakes! And you look like a freaking women dressed in the world's stupidest cosplay outfit!"

Ralt's mouth is hanging open as well as I drop him to the ground and grab her and walk huffily off.

"I don't think this is how the boss intended things to go." The guards mutter in a daze as I actually manage to walk right past them.

"Lily, was that really smart?! At all?!"

"Shh…." I mutter, quickly speeding up so I can get the heck out of there but not actually break into a run, because that will only snap people out of their confusion and encourage them to chase me. That's how predators are after all.

"Seriously, what were you thinking?!"

"Not much, that was the whole plan."

"...THERE WAS A PLAN TO THAT?!"

"I'm not STUPID you know, Ralts. Yes, of course there was a freaking plan to that!" I know Myotismon probably better than most of the Digital World does. And one thing I do know is that when you manage to completely behave in a way he didn't see coming and shatter his ego at the same time….

Yeah. I figured that the shock would leave his brain broken for a few minutes. Enough for us to hopefully manage an escape before the shock faded away and the absolute rage set in. Besides it's not like I could actually win in a fight or outrun him so….

"….Oh my gosh. That's….that's actually….mildly intelligent…."

"Oy. I can just leave you behind you know."

"Now where would that fun in that be? Come on, let's get out of here before Count Dorkula realizes that it wasn't just a nightmare and you were really were insulting him repeatedly…and biting him…and kicking him…and punching him….? Maybe you should have just gone for a kick in the groin?"

"….Maybe. We'll mark that down as Plan B."

I can smell Myotismon's anger starting to fill the whole corriders. "Uh….I take it back we may have only about…30 seconds left!"

"RUN!"

"YOU DARE…..LILY GET BACK HERE!"