Bonus Short 6: Candlelit Dinner
Dear Candlemon,
Magic Village really isn't the same without you here. For one thing, I don't have any support when your brother starts biting my head off about being lazy. Please cut your journey short and come back. I'm just kidding, of course. I really do hope you're having a great adventure and that you're staying safe. Things have been going well on our end, though we do miss you.
"FlaWizardmon, darling, we've got an order for three more of your special burgers!" Lillymon called, ringing the bell.
The pyromancer looked up from his seat on the barrel filled with beef patties. He had been sitting, one leg crossed over the other, while writing a letter to his childhood friend when he was called back to work. This job never had any breaks and there was no pay too! Then again, he was serving food to refugees so it was better not to complain.
"Coming right up!" the mage called as he tightened his apron around him. For a moment, FlaWizardmon couldn't help imagining Wizardmon in it, cooking a meal for him.
When you get back, maybe we can have dinner? Just the two of us? You see, there's something that I have to get off my chest and I don't think it can wait any longer.
The kitchen was hot with every stove burning and cooking. Honestly, it was great for someone like him, who was fueled by fire but he could see the other chefs were sweating out from every pore in their bodies. If they had fur, feather, or clothes, then those were clinging to their skin and causing them to constantly wipe their perspiration from their brows.
"Let me take over your station," FlaWizardmon offered a couple of the cooks that looked ready to pass out.
Working beside the wizard was a monkey wearing sunglasses. Usually, he would be dressed as a bartender, but due to the intense temperature inside this large room, he needed to strip down to his natural state.
"FlaWizardmon, we appreciate the concern, but don't worry about us," Etemon huffed. "After all, you're the one offering your hometown for us to stay until this all blows over. The least we can do is help fill everyone's bellies with delicious food."
You've made some good friends on your adventure, haven't you? There's some part of me that would like to be with you all the time but I know that would be too clingy. But still, I was the one who promised to show you a world bathed in light. Yet, it looks like the tables have turned.
Over that congratulatory dinner, I want to hear all about your adventures. The people you've met, the laughs you've had, and the joy you experienced.
The sheriff from Desert West Town was here too. Since there was no need to regulate crime and Magic Village had their own set of guards and sentries, the law enforcer decided to occupy his time by learning how to cook.
It had been a disaster the first few days. But under the tutelage of FlaWizardmon and Etemon, he was starting to get the hang of it. Almost.
"That's salt," FlaWizardmon commented when he saw SuperStarmon about to add the wrong ingredient into the cake.
"Gah! I put it in the last order of creme brulee!" the sheriff panicked. "What do I do?! What do I do?! The customer is going to be so unhappy and I wasted ingredients! I am such a disappointment in the kitchen, aren't I?"
These guys were too innocent for their own good. "No, you're not," FlaWizardmon sighed. "You just need more practice."
So tell me what you'd like to eat on that day. Even if it's recipes I don't know how to make, I'll learn how to prepare them and practice the recipes every single day until the moment you return home so that I'll be able to cook it all perfectly.
It'll all be for you. So just know, that I'll always be waiting, until you can show me a world bathed in light. Candlelight.
Love, FlaWizardmon
-X-
Photon Barrier – 2:31 PM
"D-Locks 1, 2, and 3 Disengaged!" Robert bellowed, enveloping the area in a bright red glow. "Initiate Super Warp Digivolution!"
"Ryudamon Super Warp Digivolve to…" Breakdramon ceased his advance when another massive body crashed into his own. Shrouded in misty clouds was another serpentine dragon with giant, bladed wings and he wore magnificent Japanese armor. In his claws were massive curved blades known as the Armored Dragon Greatswords, legendary weapons that no one believed truly existed. "Owryumon!"
Candlemon's eyes bugged out. "Did he just say…?"
"Owryumon?" Salamon finished.
"That's impossible!" FanBeemon added.
Betamon was the only Digimon who wasn't in some state of shock, he was just cheering for the fact that they now had a fighting chance even if their ally was slightly damaged. The humans were notified of the reason for their awe when they checked out the encyclopedia page for this new Digimon.
Digital Analyzer: Owryumon was thought to be an imaginary Digimon having never been seen by anyone's eyes ever in history. A mighty dragon shrouded in mystery, equipped with the strongest blades including the Gairyū Sadaijin in his left, Gairyū Udaijin in his right, and the Gaiba Daimejin on his back. Clad in frightening, majestic armor, he is known as the Warrior Dragon with data on all the dragons and warriors of Digital folklore.
Breakdramon was not fazed by any of this information as he fired every drill on his body once more. "Infinity Boring!"
Owryumon crossed his blades and without moving a centimeter from his spot, deflected every single drill and sent them flying in all sorts of directions. Once he had finished protecting himself, he held his weapons out in front of him and for the first time, they could see the ferocious expression on his face. It was chilling and not at all comforting. Yet, knowing that it was Robert's partner was enough to put them at ease.
"Breakdramon, my brother…," the armored dragon stated, his voice was deep and reverberated through the air. "I will not allow you to break your promises."
Everyone retreated into the forest in order to avoid the shockwaves that were lifting them off the ground with each class of blades to machinery. Looking back, they could see Owryumon flying around the destructive force while firing lasers of light at him while the grounded Digimon defelected the attacks by uplifting massive chunks of earth.
"I've never seen a battle between two Mega Digimon up close," Betamon remarked.
"I have, once," Salamon whispered. "It was a sparring match between Seraphimon and my mentor, Murmukusmon. The arena was in complete disarray for days."
Daisy grimaced as she nursed her partner's wounds. "If a sparring match could do that, what could a real match between two super-powered Digimon do?"
As much as they wanted Owryumon to come out of this fight victorious, they were worried about the fate of Breakdramon. After all, they didn't know how to get rid of the virus inside of him, festering, growing, and taking over more and more of his mind. What if they were left with no choice but to delete him?
"There's got to be another way," Janyu muttered.
"There is," Shibumi stated. "I know the Dark Chain's program like the back of my hand at this point. The virus inside Breakdramon is probably similar in terms of coding. I've been studying it for the last few nights now and I think I've produced a vaccine."
"A vaccine?" Candlemon repeated.
The boy nodded in response. "Unfortunately, the only way I can administer it is thrugh ingestion."
"Owryumon!" Robert shouted. "You need to be able hold Breakdramon down long enough for us to give him a vaccine! That'll cure him of the virus!"
The flying dragon took a few paces backwards and crossed his blades over his chest to deflect the drills flying at him. "That's… easier said than done. But I'll give it a shot!" He shrouded himself in a bright yellow glow as he rampaged forward like a raging river. "Golden Armor!"
"Gravity Crush!" Breakdramon countered.
Just when his foe was mere centimeters away Owryumon suddenly hit the ground at an incredible speed, creating a sunken crater so massive that even the bystanders standing far away from the battle almost tumbled inside. But unlike when he was in his Ultimate form, Owryumon was far more resilient to the damage he took then.
"Immortal Dragon King Blade!"
From the dust cloud that Owryumon had created, two shining slashes cut through the air and exploded when they made contact with various parts of Breakdramon's body. The onlookers watched as one of the shovel arms and three of the drills were cut off from the main body and fell to the ground due to the still increased gravity.
"Breakdramon doesn't even look like he noticed the fact that several of his limbs were cut off," Rai gasped.
"That's what happens when you're a monster made only to destroy," FanBeemon drooped. "He has no regard for his health or body anymore, only a lust to delete everything in his path. That's why he's such a difficult opponent to defeat."
"It's like he's impervious to pain," Babel grimaced.
Breakdramon pushed forward with his bulldozer and tossed Owryumon into the air before smashing him back down with the shovel arm that was still attached to his main body. Owryumon was skidding across the dirt but he wasn't about to let that stop him from completing his task as he jabbed the ground with one sword to keep himself from sliding across the earth and then proceeded to pierce through the shovel with his other blade, stabbing Breakdramon and keeping him stuck to the ground.
As Breakdramon attempted to break free from the weapon nailing him to the ground, Owryumon covered himself in the same light from earlier. "Golden Armor!" In a flash, the armored dragon had Breakdramon coiled up and with his strength; he forced Breakdramon's head down low.
Shibumi broke out in a sprint, holding out what looked like a small pill in his fist. But before he could get close, his partner fired the drill from his forehead which went straight for the human boy. Owryumon let go of his captive to protect the human by using his sword to bat away the projectile, getting struck by two more missiles from behind.
"Owryumon!" Robert gasped.
"For a Digimon who abandoned his brain, he sure acts smart," Daisy muttered.
Janyu gulped nervously as he watched Babel retrieve Shibumi before the Japanese boy could get seriously injured out there. "I guess that's what they mean when they say a leopard can't change its spots. After all, Dracomon was always fairly independent when it came to making battle plans. It makes sense for Breakdramon to be able think quickly as well."
"So what do we do?" Candlemon inquired.
"If any of us tries to get too close, we'll get hurt," Betamon murmured. "But if we don't give him the vaccine, we'll end up with a dragon Digi-Egg one way or the other!"
Babel made it back with Shibumi in tow. "We can't let that happen!" Shibumi protested. "How much energy do you guys have?"
The remaining four Rookies had enough stamina to spare but the damage they had taken in the fight was far too great. Even if they could maintain their Champion forms, one hit and they would likely be blown away. It's miraculous that Owryumon was still standing despite his injuries.
Shibumi felt like throwing a temper tantrum because he knew that their other option was to destroy his partner and that didn't sound like saving to him. Well, it might not save a life but it could save his soul. Still, he didn't want to see Breakdramon die.
Suddenly, Rai placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "There is one other way. There's still the risk that one of us could get hurt or worse but… if you're willing to try it."
"Anything," said Shibumi. "If it means saving Dracomon, I will try anything."
Owryumon recovered from the last attack but he was now keeping his distance from Breakdramon. There was no way he could take one more hit because if he did, he would surely revert to his Rookie form. But his friends were depending on him to do this.
Suddenly, down below, Robert flew out of the cover swinging his bisento over his head. The dragon flew down like a rocket to protect his partner but as soon as he was hovering just above the ground, the human jumped up and latched onto the dragon. With the pair this close, it was like they could hear each other's thoughts.
"I'm with you," Robert whispered.
"Together, we can't lose," Owryumon nodded.
The two of them were enveloped in a bright red DigiSoul as they collided with Breakdramon. Robert flew of his partner and grabbed the whipping tails with the drills, pinning them down to the ground with all his strength. Multiple arrows came flying down to nail the tails down as Janyu and Babel were suddeny beside the boy, using their exceptional speed to get there.
Owryumon himself shoved the remaining shovel arm to the ground and using his serpentine tail, he wrapped it around his captive's long neck, holding it down. This was there one and only chance with probably ten seconds to make work because Owryumon would degenerate in approximately that much amount of time.
A resounding shout from Digimon and humans alike rang through the air. "Now!"
Rai and Shibumi suddenly appeared out of nowhere, directly in front of Breakdramon's face thanks to a teleportation spell from the mage's staff. Breakdramon didn't have the time to impale them with his spinning drill, especially not with the tip of Owryumon's tail keeping it pinned to his head. So the other plan was to increase gravity, pushing everyone to the ground.
Dedication. That was the trait Baromon had said belonged to Shibumi. The boy was dedicated to changing the world, changing it back, but nothing felt more important to him than saving his best friend. Even when he was being smushed into the ground, he was still pushing forward, and with one final shout, the vaccine was dropped into the mechanical dragon's mouth.
Black Abyss – 2:43 PM
Vademon looked up from his prison cell when he heard Apocalymon release an enraged shout. There was something ironic about keeping five Digimon locked up in a birdcage and then finding yourself in bars a few hours later. The alien Digimon knew he had been in there for a short time, but it already felt like years.
"Every last one of you is useless!" Apocalymon bellowed.
The Ultimate looked over towards the only source of light in the room which was coming from a holographic screen, barely lighting up his captor. He had never seen Apocalymon in full but he always assumed that he couldn't have been much bigger than a human adult male. But now, this close, he could see that this bringer of destruction was colossal.
On the screen, there were two gear-shaped Digimon. Usually, when faced with their master's frustrations, they would be quivering. But they had been perfected as machines, thus became incapable of emoting clearly. Somehow, their expressionless faces made a chill run down from Vademon's head, down to each of his tentacles.
"We apologize, lord Apocalymon," said Hagurumon.
"We know you wanted those humans destroyed as soon as they had set foot on the continent," Solarmon continued. "But it would appear that they get stronger with each battle. We underestimated the amount of progress they've made since day one."
Vademon frowned. What were they talking about? Did the humans take down some bigshot?
"Perhaps I shouldn't have played around with my food so much," Apocalymon grumbled.
Now this was news. Did this Mega just confess to being afraid of the Chosen Children? Had Datamon been right to believe in those kids?
"I thought you were a force to be reckoned with," Vademon smirked. He no longer cared about dying; he just wanted to tell off this guy before passing on. Datamon probably would've preferred that over whatever it is they plan on doing to him. "But I guess even you tremble at the sight of opponents that could bring your end."
"Silence!"
A chain wrapped itself around the Digimon and electrocuted him with black lightning, causing him to scream in agony as he crumpled to the cell floor. Breathing heavily, Vademon attempted to make eye contact with this torturer but he couldn't make out his face in the darkness.
"You're not going to win Apocalymon," Vademon huffed. "Those kids… I've seen them in action. They can win at any game. And they'll most certainly beat yours."
Hagurumon suddenly brought the attention back to the screen. "Lord Apocalymon! Do not let the subject get to your head. No one can best you in battle."
"It's such a ridiculous notion, I could almost laugh," Solarmon nodded along. "Besides, you still have him, remember?"
Vademon didn't know who they were referring to but it was rather chilling when Apocalymon started cackling darkly. Clearly, whoever it was they were talking about was definitely some sort of monster. Why would Apocalymon have so much confidence in an underling but be afraid of the Chosen Children himself?
"Yes, Hagurumon, Solarmon, you two are correct," Apocalymon laughed. "I forgot that after updating you two, I gave you information that I cannot even divulge to NeoDevimon."
Vademon grabbed onto the bars and pulled himself up. "What are you guys talking about?!"
"When you receive our upgrades, you will know as well," Hagurumon droned.
"Don't worry Vademon, it won't be long now," Solarmon added.
The captive could only quake in fear as the sound of three different voices laughing filled the room. Just what kind of secret monster did they have under their control? Why would NeoDevimon, Apocalymon's right hand, be in the dark about it? None of it made sense to him, and all it did was make his stomach churn and his body shiver. The DigiDestined were this world's only hope.
Photon Barrier – 3:22 PM
Opening his eyes, the young In-Training Digimon found himself curled up in the arms of his partner. The world was spinning, his ears were ringing, and his entire body felt numb. It was as if he had fallen down several flights of stairs.
"Babydmon, you're awake!" Shibumi smiled, a wave of relief washing over him.
The group had gone back into the forest to have a meal and wait for the Kyokyomon and Babydmon to awaken from their slumber. While they were at it, they were treating their wounds and cleaning themselves off of the clumps of dirt and dried blood on their skin.
"For the first time… I remember everything after going feral," Babydmon groaned, his eyes shimmering with tears. "I'm so sorry Shibumi. I couldn't keep my promise to always stay by your side and I ruthlessly killed so many. I'm the worst…"
"No, you're not," Betamon shook his head.
Kyokyomon nodded in agreement as he got close to his brother. "It's the same as when Digimon are being controlled by the Dark Chain. You shouldn't be responsible for those actions when you were barely aware of what you were doing."
"It doesn't feel that way to me," said Babydmon.
It wasn't like the others couldn't see where this little one was coming from. If any of them were chosen to play the villain against their will, would they be happy about it afterwards? Sure, they weren't in control, but they had still done it.
"If you can't forgive yourself for what you've done, that's fine," Babel suddenly spoke up. "If you never do, that's fine too. Just never forget the experience because it will shape your future actions. What you do next, part of it will be because of what you've done before."
Daisy finished bandaging up Janyu's shoulder before addressing the dragon. "People will say that you shouldn't be held accountable for some of the horrendous things you had done. Just remember that you had done them. You are responsible for what happened, but that doesn't mean you can't try to do absolutely everything in your power to atone for your sins. So long as you can keep that in mind, none of us will hold it against you."
The group became silent after this as they deliberated on their next action. It was up to them to decide on that but when evening fell, Shibumi and Babydmon were no longer at their campsite. There was just a letter left behind for the others to read.
"What does it say?" FanBeemon asked.
"It says they're going back to the cave with the refugees," Janyu read. "They'll take care of them for a while."
Everyone knew that Shibumi hadn't forgiven himself going around and treating the Digital World like a game so it wasn't much of a surprise. As a matter of fact, they all predicted that once Shibumi reunited with his partner, they would leave the team. But that was fine. The pair needed to figure out what to do next.
"What about us?" Candlemon inquired. "What should we do?"
"I've already sent a letter to AncientGarurumon requesting entrance into the Lost Woods," Salamon chimed in. They had almost forgotten that the Legendary Warrior of Light had a special connection to the League of Angels. "If all goes well, we should get a reply in the morning."
"I guess we camp out here for the time being," Babel shrugged.
It's hard to celebrate someone's freedom when they all knew that what came next was Apocalymon, another Mega Digimon. They had their hands full and more just trying to take down Breakdramon who shouldn't have as much power as the bringer of devastation.
According to a letter from Sanzomon and an old conversation they had with Baromon, there were no leads on where to find any of their gold keys. How were they supposed to fight a beast like Apocalymon when they could only reach the Ultimate level?
"Do you guys remember what Leomon and everyone else at Leomon Village told us before we left?" asked Kyokyomon.
It's not like it was something they could just forget about. After all, their teachers, the friends they made, they all told them the same thing. Simply put, it was the most important thing for the heroes and the refugees of the Digital World to know at a time like this, when the world seemed to be falling apart beneath their feet.
"Have hope," said Rai.
"Even in a world of darkness, as long as a sliver of hope remains, there is light," Candlemon recited. "I always assumed it was some cheesy line of FlaWizardmon's to pull at the heartstrings of Digimon but it turns out to be something a lot of Digimon we encountered would say."
Babel snickered. "Maybe FlaWizardmon flirted with all of them?"
"Either way, I don't think we're ready to fight Apocalymon," said Robert, surprising them all.
"Why not?" Daisy frowned. "I thought you were the most excited to kick his butt."
"I am."
Kyokyomon took it from there, sharing and understanding his partner's sentiment. "We're not ready, not until Shibumi and Dracomon join us again. And then at that point, we will have a completed team just like the legend says."
"That's true," Rai giggled.
"I can't quite imagine us as a team without Shibumi anymore," Betamon agreed.
"Then it's settled," said Robert. "We wait for them, as long as it takes."
Ravaged Trail - 1:01 AM
"I… did all of this…"
It sounded more like a statement than it did like a question.
Babydmon always went crazy when he reached his Ultimate or Mega form, sometimes forgetting the battles he even participated in afterwards. Now they knew why. The virus that had been living inside of him grew over time but remained hidden when he was in his lowest forms to keep Shibumi's suspicions from rising.
But this time, Babydmon remembered the destruction that he had wrought. The plants that were uprooted, the homes that were wrecked, and the lives he had taken in the shape of a monster. And walking down this trail was like entering a museum exhibit of his works of fine destruction. Pleasing only to the eyes of the sadists of the world.
"It's not all your fault," Shibumi remarked. "I was part of the cause."
If they were being completely honest, neither were blameless. And like the other humans had said, it's okay not to forgive themselves so long as they never forget their crimes. It was kind of hard to when every turn they took was some grim reminder.
Babydmon nuzzled in deeper into Shibumi's chest. "Why did we leave them? I know we feel guilty but… with their help, we can change the Digital World back."
The human boy looked off into the distance, as if the answer could be found somewhere on the horizon. "I was visited by Plutomon the other night," he confessed. "In a dream, that is. Well, it felt more like a nightmare. He was… laughing at me. Saying how much amusement I provided and how stupid of a human being I was. I don't know if he actually influenced it or if it was just some meaningless dream, but I took it to heart."
"So?"
"I messed up."
The pair stopped, slumping down against a tree out of exhaustion. The cool night was chilly and Babydmon shivered in the arms of his partner who wrapped his mantle around them, an attempt to keep them warm. It was the best he could do to keep from the freezing overnight.
"We both did," Babydmon chattered. "But so did Apocalymon… right? I mean, we're going to pay him back threefold! Aren't we?"
A thin smile appeared on Shibumi's lips. "We are… I just need to stay away from the others for a while and figure things out. Besides, isn't it better to start fixing things in one place at a time? For now… I want to help those refugees."
Babydmon knew, that no matter what his partner thought of himself, Shibumi was actually a good person. As for himself, he didn't know for sure. Perhaps someone like Ryudamon who claimed to be his brother would say he was. But how could he trust someone else's judgment on him?
"I… want to do my best to help them too," Babydmon added. "It's my fault they lost their home in the first place."
Shibumi glanced at the time shining on the screen of his blue D-Sync, knowing that it was probably best to go to sleep at that moment. But he hadn't had the chance to converse with his partner in ages so he wanted to make up for lost time.
"Do you remember how it looked like?"
Babydmon blinked. "How what looked like?"
"This trail," Shibumi clarified. "The refugees described it to be beautiful with all the flowers that used to thrive around here."
"Beautiful… huh," Babydmon murmured.
The boy realized that this had been a rather poor choice of words as it was his partner who had led the beauty into ruination. To be told that this place used to flourish prior to his rampage was probably like spoon feeding him concentrated amounts of guilt.
"I…," Shibumi trailed off.
"I don't remember," the dragon Digimon suddenly said. "But I can see why. The soil and atmosphere is perfect for gardens to grow and expand on this trail. And that's why… we have to hurry up and take down Apocalymon so that we can help replenish that beauty."
Shibumi was surprised that the little guy wasn't wallowing in the shame but then again, what good would that do? He had a job to do and feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to help him complete it. So with a smile and affectionate pat to Babydmon's head, he slowly drifted off into sleep.
"Yeah, we'll definitely do it," were his last words of the night.
Graphic Desert - 1:03 AM
Two young human children moved their way through the sandstorm with their beige hoods covering their eyes. One was male with brown hair parted through the middle and the other was female, long blue hair tied in a high ponytail. The pair had been traveling together for months on a quest to defeat an out of control warrior who attempted to conquer their hemisphere but right after their final battle, they had lost their partners.
"We need to find a town or village to stop at," said the girl.
The boy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's pointless to get more lost here than we already are."
They both took out D-Syncs from their belts, opening up a holographic map of their continent as they checked to find the closest place to take a rest. As they followed the trail marked on the map, they found themselves at a dusty old town, quiet in the dead of the night. Taking refuge at at a 24/7 convenience store, they revealed their faces, causing the cashier, a Meteormon, to gasp.
"Aren't you two Glare and Julia?" said the Ultimate Digimon. "I heard you guys took down that menace earlier today!"
The boy, Glare, shook his head. "Forgive his actions, he was under the control of a villain known as Apocalymon. Apparently, sent that brainwashed soul over to our hemisphere to conquer us while doing the same on the other side."
"Oh dear," Meteormon muttered. "So the rumors are true then."
Julia frowned as she walked through the aisles, looking for supplies to take with them. "What rumors?"
"Apocalymon's been taking control of continent after continent on the other side of the world," he explained. "Some are saying that he's even passed the equator and is heading for us next. But, I'm not worried. After all, you guys are here! Er… Where are your partners?"
"Gone," Glare answered. Meteormon inhaled sharply. "Not like that." Meteormon exhaled slowly.
Julia brought the items up to the counter. "After we won our battle, this demon Digimon by the name of NeoDevimon showed up and with some black magic, he spirited our partners away. But if this Apocalymon guy plans on invading our home, I'm sure they'll be heading there."
"True, there's no way they would be able to resist a call for help," Glare nodded.
Still, they had never gone to the northern hemisphere before, no human ever has. It's not like Digimon don't interact across the borders but the Digital World is absolutely enormous and along the equator, there is a massive ocean separating them. The only communication they ever had was through paper crane letters to pen pals and trade between sailors.
However, for humans, it was completely uncharted territory. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until a hundred years ago that the human tribe in the southernmost continent decided to move outwards. Most Digimon are still unaware of the existence of these organic life forms existing on their world. Although at this point, many of the doctors and scientists have figured out that the blood in their veins were now data.
The humans here had evolved into something that… couldn't be classified as either human or Digimon. But they still had the same average life span and physical characteristics that their ancestors had when they first arrived to the Digital World by accident.
"Oh, I just remembered!" Meteormon piped up just as the pair was about to leave. "There's something else you should know."
"About what?" Glare inquired.
Meteormon leaned forwards with his rock hand pressing into the counter. "According to some sources, there are actually humans on the other side."
The two humans nearly dropped their plastic grocery bags when they heard this. Their eyes were wide with shock and their mouths were hanging open as if they had just been told that they would never see their beloved partners again. But this news was bewildering to them.
"That shouldn't be possible," said Julia. "Glare and I are the first humans to ever go past the designated areas."
Glare rubbed his chin in thought. "Meteormon… What do you know about these rumored humans?"
The cashier knew that these two were shock but they were about hear something even more eye-opening and jaw-dropping than before. "Apparently, they had come from your ancestors' home world, Earth. Until a year or so ago, they'd never even heard about the Digital World!"
"And they were brought here for what reason?" Julia scowled.
"The same reason you two were given those devices from the Sovereigns."
"To save the Digital World?" Glare questioned. "Why would they do that when they have no attachment to this world like we do? I thought that the reason why we were chosen was because we could bond with Digimon and those wicked brainwashing tools couldn't be used on us."
Meteormon shrugged. "Who knows? The Sovereigns tend to work in rather mysterious ways."
Glare and Julia were going to get headaches from thinking too much about this. They had to deal with one problem at a time and their current predicament was finding their lost partners. Unfortunately, their digivices did not come equipped with the function to track down their missing friends which is a bit strange considering how it was supposed to be a physical representation of their bond.
For the moment, it seemed like a good idea to stay at a local inn. But when they entered, the first thing they saw was an orange dinosaur and a canine-like beast conversing with each other. Upon locking eyes with each other, the four of them sprang forward and hugged.
Sovereign's Summit - 6:00 AM
"Gah, these stupid meetings start too early and end too late."
"Like you, when you go to use the bathroom and drag me with you."
"What are you talking about?! It's your bladder, not mine."
Baihumon, the White Tiger of the West, lay his head in his paws as he let out an exasperated sigh, tired of hearing the old men bickering amongst themselves as they always do. When he had been born, he had been told to trust in the advice from his two elders. However, the Black Turtle of the North had already been at the brink of senility at the time.
"Will you stop arguing with yourself?" Baihumon huffed. "You share the same body so I assume it's the same bladder." Those words left a sour taste in his mouth.
Azulongmon, the Azure Dragon of the East, made his presence known by rising out from the very clouds that the two quadrupeds stood upon. At this point, they were missing only one other member, the Vermilion Bird of the South.
"Where is the whippersnapper?" inquired Ebonwumon's right head.
"Why must he always keep us waiting?" asked the left head.
Azulongmon drifted closer to the two-headed reptile. "Genbu, there is no need to be so distraught. Suzaku will be here soon."
"Bah, don't act all familiar with me! Only my friends call me Genbu!"
The tiger Sovereign rolled all six of his eyes. He considered himself lucky that Azulongmon wasn't losing any of his marbles with age. Well, truth be told, they were immortal so if they chose, they could remain youthful forever. For some unknown reason, Ebonwumon decided to see how many wrinkles he could get without dying.
"You two have been friends for several millennia, old man!" Baihumon roared.
Ebonwumon turned both his heads over to the second youngest of the gods. "Who are you?"
"I'll gouge your eyes out," Baihumon growled. Azulongmon shot him a disapproving look to which the large cat sighed in response. "I know. I will control my temper. But if Suzaku keeps us waiting any longer, I'll be sure to-."
"Sure to what, kitty?"
The three Sovereigns had very different reactions upon finding the six-eyed phoenix joining their ranks. Azulongmon seemed relieved that their youngest finally graced them with his presence, Baihumon looked about ready to pluck his feathers, and Ebonwumon just had expressions of confusion, as if he couldn't figure out who this newcomer was.
"Suzaku, where have you been?" Azulongmon chided.
"Watching over the humans," Zhuqiaomon answered. "With Apocalymon wreaking down below, it's not like there's much else we can do."
Baihumon suddenly roared, somehow shaking the sky where they held this meeting. "Suzaku! You went behind our backs and chose two humans from this world to protect it! How can you be so hypocritical?! You threw a hissy fit when we asked you to choose humans to protect our world!"
"Humans from Earth!" Zhuqiaomon barked back, slamming his head into Baihumon's. "Out of all the Sovereigns, I thought you'd understand, Byakko! Glare and Julia are from this world. They understand why it needs to be protected!"
"Humans and Digimon shouldn't mix this way," Baihumon snarled. "You said those words yourself. This is why we chose humans who we could separate when their journeys are over. What do you want us to do for those two?! Throw them back to the human world?! It would cost us so much power! The Digital World would fall apart without Apocalymon's influence!"
Ebonwumon stomped one of his feet and suddenly, a mountain popped out of the clouds, getting between the two feisty gods. This was not a simple feat. The two-headed turtle lifted an entire mass of land from hundreds of thousands of meters below to the sky.
"Youngsters these days don't know how to get along," huffed the right head.
"Not like we're any better," mentioned the left head. "But we did not come here to fight."
Azulongmon nodded, calmly waiting for the mountain to return to its place down below before continuing. "We've watched over these kids for a long time now. As difficult as it may be to admit, I think… perhaps, Digimon and humans are actually better together."
"Ha!" Zhuqiaomon scoffed. "One of your own humans decided to follow Apocalymon's bidding! He was even the reason why Apocalymon grew in power in the first place! Had the boy not tampered with the program, Apocalymon might not have grown into the being that he is today!"
"But they have overcome every trial they have faced," Azulongmon argued. "No matter how skilled, trained, or naturally powerful an opponent was, they brought out their partners to their fullest potential. And… I have never seen Digimon happier than the partnered ones."
"Everyone that smiles would look like the happiest during these dark times," said Ebonwumon's right head.
"And have you not forgotten Hikaru and Kurogane?" added the left head. "It's because of them that the two strongest Demon Lords exist!"
"Perhaps Genbu isn't as senile as a certain dragon here," Zhuqiaomon grumbled.
Apocalymon existed as the darkness of the Digital World, sealed away behind a supposedly impenetrable firewall. That is, until a boy from the human world somehow stumbled upon it from in front of a computer screen. Deciding to play around, he not only freed the unknown program but he made improvements to it, thinking he could play a god.
Baihumon knew of the dangers of humans.
If they were given just the tiniest taste of power, they could become gluttonous, lusting for more power. If they were approached by a being that was same as them, yet with subtle differences, they would treat them as inferior. If they enjoyed something, then they might impose the object of their joy onto others despite differing preferences.
And yet…
"The humans I chose," Baihumon said. "I feel… proud whenever they achieve something. And their goals for when they return… they are not as selfish as other humans."
"Rare cases," Zhuqiaomon scoffed.
"Suzaku," Azulongmon bellowed, gaining their attention. "Every human is different. Wasn't one of your grievances against bringing humans here the fact that they discriminate? While there are many humans that hate for trivial reasons, there are also humans that love. That, in itself, is evidence that all humans are capable of loving."
"True, the human I chose don't seem that bad," Ebonwumon's left head commented.
"Yeah, and neither is mine!" added the right. "Seiryu may be onto something here."
Zhuqiaomon could not believe his ears. Once again, he was outnumbered among the Sovereigns but at least this time, they weren't taking some sort of vote. Still, the chaos that humans brought to this world was enough for him to believe that he was in the right. Mixing humans and Digimon together would only bring about destruction.
"History exists so that we do not repeat its mistakes," said the phoenix. "I will expect the three of you to prevent those mistakes with the humans you have chosen."
The Azure Dragon of the East was dedicated to bring about the end of Apocalymon's tyranny but patient for such events to take course. Thus, he chose Gorou Mizuno from Japan and Janyu Wong from China to be Chosen Children.
The White Tiger of the West felt the pain of this world's denizens as if they were his own and he was determined to mend the wounds on their hearts. With this in mind, he decided on Margaritka Kaipova of the Soviet Union and Robert McCoy of England.
The Black Turtle of the North was the eldest, having known the Digital World since its birth and felt a kind of responsibility to take care of it. And while it may not always show in his less-than-present words, he is a compassionate Digimon who cares for the land and its people. The ones he believed would best protect this world were Babel Jones of the United States of America and Rai Tabassam of India.
Finally, the Vermilion Bird of the South was stubborn and was wholeheartedly against the idea of bringing random humans from Earth to the Digital World. But when he saw his hemisphere being attacked by a brainwashed minion of Apocalymon, he could not stand still. Versatile in all areas yet humble about his talents, Zhuqiaomon decided on Glare Polaris and Julia Arcturus, two humans already living in the Digital World.
From there, their only duty was to watch over them as they sojourned through the Digital World. Hopefully, they will be able to save it.
-X-
Breakdramon is free from Apocalymon's control but it seems like the end is still far away! Not only did Shibumi and Dracomon leave the group but it looks like there are two more humans looking to save the Digital World! We even got to see the Sovereigns meet though with their attitudes, it's a surprise they actually get anything done. What revelations lie ahead? Find out on the next Digimon: Children of the Past!
I would just like to take this moment to say that my heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one over this last week or so. Whether it was Christina Grimmie or a victim in the Orlando shooting or anyone else anywhere else in the world. I know it can be cruel place, but I hope you can keep looking forward to tomorrow.