Blue skies were the first thing to greet the Chosen Children when they appeared through the Digital Gate. While it would've been just an average scene for any other location, such a sight at the Battlefield Memorial was reason enough for the children to pause and stare upwards. The sight was so startling that it even distracted them from their sudden costume change, though it was nothing new by that point - beyond Miyako's inexplicable police woman attire.
"Wasn't it gray the last time we were here?" Takeru asked. "Like it was about to rain, but never did?"
"Yeah, it was!" Palmon said, her eyes wide. She lifted her arms, gesturing towards the sky. "Gray and gross, and really dreary!"
Hikari felt a surge of hope and peace at the sight of the clear blue sky. "It's working."
Tailmon turned to glance at her partner, a smile appearing on her face. "You're right."
"Koshiro, we should check the marker." Tentomon said as he hovered over his partner.
"You're right!" Koshiro said as he turned and quickly darted away from the group, the insect Digimon following after him.
"Marker?" Yamato repeated as he quirked an eyebrow before he glanced to Taichi, who shrugged.
Mimi fairly beamed at her friends. "It's been changing slowly each time I visit, but this is the first time the sky was clear."
"Miiiiiimiiiiii~!"
The sound of the Chosen of Purity's name was all the warning she got before a little bundle of gray fluff pounced on her. Kyoumon latched on to Mimi's arm, smiling brightly as he proudly wore his rainbow-colored scarf, which glistened with each movement as it fluttered behind him like a cape. "Mimi, you came to visit Kyoumon again! And you brought Keiko!"
Hikari tried not to cringe. The fact that Kyoumon was still convinced she was Keiko with or without the dress was why she could barely bring herself to stop by and keep him company like Mimi. She forced a smile through the sharp pain in her chest. "Hello, Kyoumon. How are you feeling today?"
"Pretty!" Kyoumon said, brightly. He moved to stand on Mimi's shoulder as he reached up to grab his scarf, lifting it upwards. "Look, look! Mimi gave Kyoumon back his color!"
The smile came a little more easily to Hikari this time. "That's wonderful, Kyoumon."
Kyoumon giggled, his smile bright. "Thank you, thank you~! Kyoumon was all sad when his color got stained away, but Mimi gave it back! Kyoumon feels so much better now! Even Neemon said Kyoumon looks so much better!"
"Neemon?" Takeru repeated as he glanced about. "Neemon's here, too?"
"Yep, yep!" Kyoumon said. "Neemon visits almost as much as Mimi! Kyoumon isn't as lonely anymore!"
Jou frowned as he adjusted his glasses, giving a glance around himself. No matter where he looked, he couldn't see the little yellow Digimon. "Is he still here?"
"Yep!" Kyoumon said before he turned and pointed upwards. "Neemon's taking a nap."
All eyes focused on the sky at first until the sound of nasal snoring caught their attention in the silence, bringing the group's attention to the memorial statue. Stretched out on his back across the head of the angel, belly exposed to the sun, was Neemon.
Yamato stared at the Digimon before it dawned on him what he was seeing, and irritation flashed across his face. "Hey!"
Neemon jerked awake with a startled cry, which quickly became a squeal as the jarring action dislodged him from his perch atop the angel's head. Flailing, the noodly Digimon fell downwards, bouncing off the angel's wings and arms before careening directly for the Digimental of Darkness on the base.
Tailmon moved quickly, diving to block the Digimental and bringing up her paw to bat Neemon away, sending him tumbling away harmlessly.
Kyoumon watched as Neemon crumbled to the ground and blinked, before he pulled the camera off of its perch on his tail and snapped a picture.
A loud, majestic chime caught the attention of the Chosen, prompting some of them to pull out their D-Terminals while the others - Mimi, Sora, and Hikari in particular - checked on Neemon.
Awaiting them was an email from Narakumon.
That twit wouldn't have hurt my Digimental. While it might be light as a feather to you, it's immovable stone to everyone else. He still deserved what he got, however.
Yamato frowned before he eyed Neemon, irritation on his face. "I get that Digimon don't have a concept of death like we do, but come on!"
"I agree," Iori said, stiffly, as Fufumon stared down at Neemon from the comfort of Iori's arms. "Intentional or not, it's still a memorial."
"He doesn't mean anything by it, I'm sure," Takeru said, with a shake of his head. "He doesn't know any better."
Neemon wobbled as he struggled to stay on his feet despite how his entire body swayed. "Neemon fall down, go boom."
"Are you okay, Neemon?" Sora asked as she looked the Digimon over. "That was quite a fall."
Neemon turned to smile at Sora, with a small giggle as he patted his scarred belly. "I'm okaaaaaaayyyyy~! I've gone through far worse owies than that!"
Sora flinched slightly, as the carefree Digimon's words reminded her of the condition he had been in when they found him in the Digimon Kaiser's dungeon. "Neemon…"
Yamato frowned as he looked at Sora and Neemon, then looked up when he caught sight of Koshiro and Tentomon returning. "Where'd you run off to?"
"I went to check on something," Koshiro said, glancing at the others before returning his attention to Yamato's inquisitive face. "After we set up the Digimental of Darkness, I decided to place a marker along the border - right where the corrupted land stopped. There's actually a very visible divide between the cracked and ruined earth, and the untainted land around it. I wanted to see if there'd be a visual improvement… it just didn't occur to me that the sky could act as an indicator, too."
"What'd you see, then?" Miyako asked, reaching up to adjust her glasses. "If the sky's been cleared, something must have changed."
Koshiro nodded, a bright smile forming on his face. "The ruined land has shrunk considerably. I actually had to walk quite a ways past the border to find my marker."
"So it really is working," Takeru said, turning to look at Hikari. "It's doing exactly what Narakumon said it would."
"Which is really surprising," Jou said, with a frown, before he jumped when a loud and angry chime came from his D-Terminal. He didn't even bother to check what Narakumon had to say to him, sweat appearing on his brow. "T-that it worked so quickly! That's what I meant! There's no way I'd call him a liar, even if he is an evil god of darkness-" Another, somehow louder and even angrier sounding chime went off, cutting him off with a fearful yelp. "I-I mean-!"
Gomamon let out a heavy sigh as Jou flailed and fidgeted, sweating profusely. "Anyway… all's well that ends well, right?"
"Hey," Neemon said before poking Gomamon's nose. "You're new!"
Gomamon blinked before he chuckled, reaching up to rub his nose with his paw. "Naw, I was just… AWOL for a little while."
Jou paused as he gripped his D-Terminal, in the process of typing an enormous apology email. He turned to look at Gomamon, his expression pained.
"A wall of what?" Neemon asked.
"It means… missing," Sora offered, helpfully. "He was missing."
Neemon tilted his head. "Missing a wall? Did his house fall down?"
Sora gave an awkward laugh as she felt a bead of sweat fall down her brow. "L-let's just leave it at that, okay?"
Neemon smiled brightly. "Okay!"
"All Chosen Children have partners," Takeru said, glancing over to Patamon.
"It's just that… some of us don't have ours with us right now," Yamato said, reaching up to rub the back of his head.
"Like you!" Neemon said as he pointed at Miyako. "Right? Right?"
Miyako somehow managed to shape her gritted teeth into a vague resemblance of a smile. "Yeah. Right. The Digimon Kaiser kidnapped mine like everyone else's."
Neemon looked around. "Eh? But they're here and here and here!" He pointed to each Chosen Digimon in turn.
Miyako pressed her palm over her face. "Because we got them back, just like we're going to get mine back too."
"Don't you want them back?" Neemon asked.
"Of course I do!" Miyako snapped.
"Then why'd you give them to the Digimon Kaiser?" Neemon asked as he patted his scarred belly. "The Digimon Kaiser likes whipping Digimon. And cutting. And whipping. And burning. And whipping again. And controlling. And whipping."
"I didn't give her to the Digimon Kaiser!" Miyako snarled, losing her composure. "That jackass stole my partner from me just as I got her egg!"
"Ohhhh…," Neemon said slowly. "But why are you here?"
Miyako blinked, startled. "Wha-"
"Why aren't you rescuing him?" Neemon asked as he tilted his head. "Chosen Children always get their Chosen Digimon and their Digivices and their Crests and their Digimentals. Did you want to do it the other way around?"
"N-no," Miyako sputtered. "We're doing our best to save her and the others, and we did save Gomamon, and I've already got my Digivice right here!" She thrust her Digivice out in front of Neemon for emphasis.
It was impossible to tell if Neemon was looking at the Digivice or not due to how his eyes appeared perpetually closed. He let out a sound that could have been wonder or confusion and bobbed his head from side to side before he bounced in place. "Oh! I know! You're waiting for the Digimon Kaiser to kill all your partners and then they'll come back!"
"What did you say!?" Taichi demanded, clenching his fists.
"No," Iori said, his voice sharp and authoritative. Fufumon turned to nuzzle his partner, which had little effect on the young samurai's stern face. "That is not going to happen."
Neemon tilted his head, confused. "Ehhhh? But that's how it works. Chosen Children are like Villages of Beginnings, but for Chosen Digimon instead of all the Digimon."
"What the hell are you even talking about?" Miyako snapped, fighting a losing battle to keep her temper in check. "Letting my partner die isn't how anything works! I don't care if our Digimon won't die for good until we do - I'm getting my partner back alive and well, and so is everyone else!"
Kyoumon turned to Neemon and nodded sagely, crossing his arms. "It'll be fine. They have Keiko with them. Keiko can do anything. There's no way the Digimon Kaiser can stand against her." He smiled brightly. "Kyoumon knows that for - a - fact!"
Iori stared hard at Neemon before he turned to look at Miyako. He moved his hand to grip Miyako's own, giving it a firm squeeze. "It's not just Keiko. We can do anything."
"Okaaay~!" Neemon said with a dopey smile on his face.
Yamato took a deep breath as he tried to push down the anger inside of him. Neemon didn't mean anything by his words, so there was no point in calling the dumb Digimon out on it. Instead, it'd be better to change the conversation entirely. "So, you must be pretty good friends with Kyoumon," Yamato said as he glanced over at the plush Digimon. "I mean, you visit him all the time."
"Neemon has come to live with Kyoumon!" Kyoumon said, brightly. "Especially since it's the only place left!"
"Only place… left?" Takeru repeated, slowly.
Neemon nodded. "Uh huh! The Digimon Kaiser destroyed all of my home and all my friends, and when he finishes killing the Holy Beasts, everything else will be gone too! So I'm staying with my friend Kyoumon until he comes here and we can die together!"
Daisuke frowned before holding his fist in the air in front of him. "There's no way we'll let that happen!"
"But it's happening right now," Neemon said.
"Huh?" Taichi asked.
"The Digimon Kaiser is killing Xuanwumon right now," Neemon said. "Soon he'll be gone just like Qinglongmon."
The Chosen Children gaped at Neemon, who stared back at them with his childishly carefree expression. As his words fully filtered into their heads, all of them answered at the same time - with the same shout.
"What!?"
A massive tree stretched high towards the sky, far taller than a plant had any right to be. Its leaves spread out like a green cloud, dwarfing the wooden temple nestled among its roots with its enormous canopy.
It would have been a wondrous place to visit, if not for the two massive armies glaring at each other - one surrounding the tree and the other little more than an embankment away.
The army of Xuanwumon stared down the sea of controlled Digimon, which stared back with their lifeless eyes. Among them was Mystimon, his sword at the ready and his expression grim. Before him, the main face of the army, were the Devas of the Holy Beasts. Caturamon, Sinduramon, and Makuramon stood among their comrades, the three Devas of Xuanwumon - Vikaralamon, Kumbhiramon, and Vajramon.
Vikaralamon was a huge brown boar Digimon with large white tusks, red tri-horns on his brow, and razor-sharp teeth like a shark. He stood beside Vajramon, a black centaur bull with gold horns and red armor covering his body. Both were a stark contrast to Kumbhiramon, a white mouse with golden wings and a green pronged cylinder on its back, with spindly long legs and a ball-like armor around his body.
The six alone were a sizable source of strength for the army, but even they were joined by yet two more Devas - the last two followers of the late Qinglongmon. Mihiramon, a muscular winged orange tiger with purple stripes and a red sash about his neck, stood with his comrade Majiramon, a white-bearded green Chinese dragon with golden horns and underside who wore a purple breast plate and tan sarong about his waist.
Overall, eight Devas stood at the forefront of the army, giving their followers a huge boost in confidence. With so many powerful warriors, there was no way they would lose. The Digimon Kaiser would fall there, without question.
Ken stared at the army before him, gripping his whip tightly. He stood atop the head of an Airdramon, with Witchmon hovering beside him on her broom as FlaWizarmon stood atop Birdramon with both Agumon and Gabumon by his feet on the avian Digimon's back. The Chosen of Kindness grimaced as he pulled his whip tightly before letting it go slack only to yank it tight again, creating a continuous snapping noise.
"It'll be fine, K-chan," FlaWizarmon said as he stared down at the Devas from his perch, his arms crossed. "We've prepared for this. We're ready."
Witchmon floated closer to Ken and placed one of her large hands on his shoulder. "We're going to win, K-chan. We're going to avenge them."
Ken nodded, his hands shaking slightly, before he straightened up. "Do it."
FlaWizarmon gave the boy a confident grin before he turned, tapping his foot to the back of Birdramon's head. Birdramon immediately understood and swooped downward with a scream, soaring across the heads of the controlled Digimon to carry her cargo directly to the front. FlaWizarmon hopped down on to the ground, with Gabumon and Agumon landing beside him, before he straightened to flash the Devas a bright smirk. "Yo. Long time no see."
"Hah, so it's true then!" Vajramon said as he strode forward, drawing his dual swords out to point them defiantly at the scarecrow. "We don't even need to see the wretched boy to know who he truly is. If you are here, then there is no question!"
"Izzat so?" FlaWizarmon asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Witchmon clapped her hands together before her. "Wonderful! Then we don't need to explain why we're here." She paused, her lips curling upwards in a smile full of knives. "All that's left is to ask those who don't want to die for a child killer to please leave before we get started."
"You can spout as much nonsense as you like," Caturamon said, with a growl. "But yours - and his - actions alone prove that there was merit in our Holiness' decision."
FlaWizarmon's smile grew sharp, like a sneer. "Watch your mouth, dog, or you're gonna be sent to the kennel."
"Enough!" Vajramon said as he stomped his foot. "I will not tolerate you speaking ill of your superiors! That fool Zennyu allowed you far too much reign, much like Lady Tenraimon gave that cur you call a god! But he is no longer here to protect you - or that boy! I will be sure that all three of you join him in the Dark Ocean-"
The bull Deva barely had a chance to finish his tirade before FlaWizarmon lunged, drawing one of his matchsticks from under his cloak as he somehow crossed the distance between them in mere moments. He swiftly brought it about, striking Vajramon in the head and neatly knocking it clean off his neck. The bull Digimon's mouth was still open mid-rant as his head flew through the air before disintegrating, with the rest of his body bursting into data seconds later.
The other Devas whirled to stare as FlaWizarmon hopped back, twirling his oversized matchstick like a baton before aiming it at the gawking crowd. "You first."
"Y-you bastard!" Makuramon shrieked, his expression livid. "You low-level, inferior trash-"
The black tide of Witchmon's cloak flowed over her just a fraction of a second before darkness consumed Makuramon's vision. When next he could see, Witchmon smiled down on him, framed by the blue sky like a halo. He howled, ready to attack and destroy both that smug witch and her phantom familiar, but no sound came out. He couldn't speak, couldn't even smack away Witchmon's hands that held his cheeks.
Makuramon couldn't feel anything but his head.
With a wicked cackle, Witchmon let go of Makuramon's head, watching his eyes widen in horrific understanding of what she had done, how she had used her teleportation magic to cleave him neatly in two as he plummeted back to the ground where his headless body lay sprawled, still twitching. Both halves dissolved into data and disappeared before the head returned to earth.
"By all means, keep runnin' your mouths," FlaWizarmon said as he smirked, bits of data drifting by his head. He twirled his matchstick in his left hand as his right reached up to pull the rim of his hat down. "If you wanna keep givin' us free shots, we're more than happy to take 'em~!"
The Devas crouched before they scattered, putting distance between each other as they prepared for battle. Caturamon lunged forward at FlaWizarmon, baring his teeth in a snarl. FlaWizarmon whipped his matchstick about to block, which the canine Digimon swiftly bit down on with his powerful jaws.
Agumon and Gabumon quickly evolved, going to their adult forms before shifting to the same evolutions that had devastated Qinglongmon - Skull Greymon and Skull Baluchimon. Meanwhile, Birdramon glowed before transforming into a new form entirely - a three-legged, four-winged, four-eyed black crow with a gold beak mask, known as Yatagaramon.
At the sight of the three monstrous Digimon, the Devas balked. However, their reactions only lasted a moment before they rushed toward the threat as the controlled beasts turned to face them with murderous intent.
"Two down, six to go," Ken murmured as he continued to snap his whip, standing on the Airdramon as he watched his army begin its assault from the safety of the air. "Unless the others decide to join up." He had hoped to take the Devas out in smaller groups, but Qinglongmon had known enough to send his servants away before the army could take them out. Intentional or not, it had been a great source of trepidation for the Digimon Kaiser.
It didn't even begin to address the issue of Xuanwumon himself. Despite being a coward, he was still a Holy Beast. The Digimon Kaiser had no doubt that he would fight for his life, and he wouldn't lay down and die like his comrade. But in the end, no amount of training or preparation could account for the unknown - he could only have faith that it was enough.
FlaWizarmon swung his matchstick back and forth, attempting to dislodge it from Caturamon's mouth. The dog Deva held on tight, glaring at his opponent as he let out a low growl and yanked back in his own attempt to disarm the scarecrow.
"Fine, have it your way!" FlaWizarmon said, gripping his matchstick tightly as a sudden blast of flame surged outward from the tip - directly into Caturamon's mouth. "Fetch!"
Caturamon finally released the matchstick with a yelp, flame and smoke coming out of his mouth. He barely had a change to cough and refocus his attention on FlaWizarmon before a sudden boney hand slammed down on him as Skull Greymon grabbed the Deva, then lifted him skywards with a primal roar.
FlaWizarmon paused and watched as Skull Greymon slammed Caturamon in to the ground, then stomped down upon him. The canine Digimon grunted under the brutal assault, gritting his teeth in pain.
"Heel, boy," FlaWizarmon said, with a crooked smirk.
A sonic boom followed in Mihiramon's wake as he charged at Witchmon with blazing speed. Although she managed to evade a direct collision, the tiger tore away her cloak with such force that she was sent into a tailspin.
"Baluluna Gale!" Witchmon shouted as she directed one hand outward as the other gripped tightly to her broom and her phantom feline clung tight to the brim of her hat. A glow of runes consisting of programming code created a spell circle that summoned a mighty gust of wind that surrounded her and righted her descent before she could crash into the ground. She had no time to do more than catch sight of Mihiramon again before she had to evade another deadly lunge.
Witchmon smiled as she dodged attack after attack in a deadly dance that would be fatal should she move a little too slow. A spell circle formed in her hand behind her back amidst her maneuvers, readying another attack. She was prepared to lead Mihiramon into a deadly tsunami of water like a matador leads a bull to the sword behind a red cloak when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. The magic circle disappeared along with her smile.
"K-chan!" Witchmon shouted. "Ten o'clock high!"
Ken looked up sharply in time to see Kumbhiramon, the mouse Deva, rushing right towards him. He grit his teeth as he glared at the Deva before quickly ordering the Airdramon to take off backwards, putting distance between himself and his attacker.
Kumbhiramon wasn't willing to back down, twisting about to give chase. Unfortunately for him, he was so focused on chasing the Digimon Kaiser that he didn't notice Yatagaramon as it suddenly swooped down on him like an owl on a field mouse, scooping him up in her powerful claws.
"For a supposed sage, you certainly didn't see that one coming," Ken taunted as Airdramon continued to fly back, putting more distance between them.
"You-!" the mouse Deva squeaked out in anger as he squirmed in the crow Digimon's claws. It then began to glow before it suddenly split into six copies of itself. "Chu!"
Yatagaramon squawked in confusion as the other copies attacked it, forcing it to release the main body.
Now free, Kumbhiramon whirled about to face down the large crow with all of his doubles. "You'll pay for this, chu!"
Back on the ground, Skull Baluchimon gave a sharp howl before he charged at Vikaralamon, lowering his head as if to ram the massive boar Deva. Rather than move out of the way, Vikaralamon charged forward to meet his opponent, tusks meeting horns in a violent clash.
As the two behemoths pushed against each other, Sinduramon let out a mighty crow as he rushed to attack the occupied Skull Baluchimon. However, as soon as he drew close, his intuition told him to pause.
That intuition was the only thing that spared him from the sudden burst of fire that narrowly avoided incinerating him. Sinduramon let out a startled squawk before he turned to stare at FlaWizarmon, who smirked at him while pointing both oversized matchsticks at him.
"I'd make a joke about Kentucky Fried Chicken," FlaWizarmon said. "But I think the reference'd be lost on ya."
The rooster Deva let out an outraged squawk before he sent a blast of lightning at the scarecrow, who hopped backwards out of the way.
FlaWizarmon landed before he tensed, whirling to glare at the dragon Deva Majiramon as he approached him. "Wanna dance, old man?"
"We may have once been allies, but blood has been spilled," the dragon Deva said. "And there's a price for that blood."
"You're real hilarious, old man," FlaWizarmon said, flashing Majiramon a vicious smile. "'Cuz that's my line. Your bossman voted to draw first blood, an' now he's gotta answer for it. And there's only one answer we're gonna accept." The scarecrow turned to point one of his matchsticks at the dragon. "It's time to pay up."
Majiramon's nose wrinkled with disgust. "You're greatly overestimating the cost of a human child." He then spat a burst of fire at FlaWizarmon, who easily blocked the attack with a burst of his own with one matchstick, the other shooting more fire at Sinduramon as the rooster tried to take advantage of the wizard Digimon's supposed distraction.
FlaWizarmon's expression grew murderous, even as he continued to smile. "That ain't for you to decide, old man."
As the battle of the juggernauts raged on, the rest of the army of Xuanwumon was having its fair share of trouble. The seemingly endless sea of controlled Digimon rushed forward, blindly attacking without any consideration for their own well-being. There was no fear, no intimidation - nothing but mindless obedience. No matter how savagely the defenders attacked, their opponents kept coming.
Mystimon sliced through an opponent, a Gazimon that burst into data as he was neatly cut by the knight's blade. But rather than be demoralized by the death of their comrade, another Digimon simply took the Gazimon's place.
"This is…" Mystimon growled as he drew back, brandishing his sword at his enemy. "If you want me to keep cutting you down, then by all means, come forward!"
A low growl was the response as a controlled Tyrannomon lunged for the knight, reaching down at him. He didn't do more than flinch as the sword slashed at his claws, and continued after his opponent with single-minded determination.
Mystimon continued to hop backwards, putting distance between himself and the large red dinosaur, before he glared upwards at the Digimon Kaiser, riding atop his Airdramon. He spat out a curse before turning swiftly, passing a Lalamon - a plant Digimon reminiscent of a budding pink flower with a yellow leaf sprout on its head - before stabbing it in the stomach as he hurried to find better footing among the chaos. The flower Digimon disintegrated from the blow, with Tyrannomon apathetically stepping into the cloud of her data as he pursued his target.
"Fight!" Mystimon barked, glancing at his comrades as he ran. "Do not embarrass yourselves in front of his lordship! Justice is on our side! Death is a passing moment of pain, but shame is for eternity!"
Skull Baluchimon barked furiously as he continued his struggle against Vikaralamon, the massive boar just as powerful as his body suggested. The boar Digimon paid his surroundings no mind, plowing through enemies and friends alike as he focused entirely on his fight with Skull Baluchimon. The bone canine Digimon continued his valiant efforts to gouge the Deva with his horns while Vikaralamon attempted to return the favor.
Skull Greymon swung Caturamon about wildly, slamming the dog Deva in to the ground like a child having a temper tantrum with a rag doll. He then tossed Caturamon hard through the air, at Vikaralamon's side.
Caturamon bounced off of the boar, who barely noticed, before landing on the ground in a heap. The canine growled as he wobbly stood up, then glanced about to notice the approaching controlled army surrounding him. The canine scowled, crouching, before he lunged to attack Skull Greymon, body-slamming him and sending the behemoth flying.
Majiramon kept his attention on FlaWizarmon, his beard bristling before bits of hair shot out at the scarecrow Digimon like dozens of sharp needles.
FlaWizarmon spun both his matchsticks about him in a circle, creating a wall of fire around him that consumed the needles before they could make it to him.
Sinduramon sent another blast of lightning from the prongs of the cylinder on his back, fanning his wings as he crowed. He couldn't see his opponent within the wall of fire, so he simply attacked indiscriminately. "There's no way you idiots can win! You're vastly outnumbered!"
"You sure about that?" FlaWizarmon taunted from in the flames. "I'd say yer the one with the problems!"
"Come out and say that, coward!" Sinduramon taunted as he flapped his wings.
FlaWizarmon let out a barking laugh from somewhere within the flames. "Oh really? You're the ones killin' children and we're the cowards!?"
"It was necessary," Majiramon said. "For peace in the Digital World, one child's head is more than worth the price!"
A quick strike came from the flames, FlaWizarmon lunging to strike at the dragon's face, who jerked back in time so that the blow whiffed by harmlessly. The scarecrow jumped back, putting distance between his opponents and himself, before he sneered.
"Peace, huh?" FlaWizarmon scoffed. "How'd that work out for ya? Does this look like peace to you?"
"With your death, it will be," Majiramon said, narrowing his eyes.
Yatagaramon pecked at one of the clones of Kumbhiramon, causing it to dissolve harmlessly into thin air.
"Wrong again, chu!" Kumbhiramon taunted, flying about the crow Digimon with several of his doubles remaining.
Yatagaramon didn't respond verbally to the taunt, not that she had the capacity to due to her evil ring. Instead, she fanned her wings, which began to glow. Suddenly, the sky went dark all around her and Kumbhiramon, as if a black fog had materialized out of nowhere.
"W-what?" Kumbhiramon yelped as he paused, stunned. "Where-?"
Yatagaramon took the distraction as an opportunity, lunging forward to slam her beak into the mouse Deva, sending him flying with a startled squeak as his copies - and the darkness - dissipated.
Witchmon tightened her grip on the broomstick, pressing her body close to it in order to lessen wind resistance as she rocketed through the sky with a murderous tiger in hot pursuit. Each time Mihiramon drew close, one of Witchmon's cat familiars lunged out to strike at the Deva's face. While it didn't do much damage before the tiger tore it apart, it was enough to keep Mihiramon both angry and determined to end the witch Digimon's life.
The chase continued, with Witchmon zipping about wildly with her enemy following her like the trail of a comet. Diving up and down, going in circles and swerving about other larger Digimon as obstacles, the tiger Deva kept right on her with single-minded focus.
"Stop and fight!" Mihiramon snarled, growing increasingly impatient the longer his opponent avoided him. "You coward!"
Witchmon smirked as she continued forward, not glancing back as she kept her eyes firmly ahead of her - one blink and she'd lose. Unfortunately for Mihiramon, he was far too focused on his prey and not on his surroundings. When the witch Digimon suddenly shot straight upwards, only then did he see where she had been leading him - right in to Vikaralamon.
Mihiramon had no chance to even begin to slow his speed, instead slamming directly into the mighty boar Deva and piercing him like an arrow. Data spewed everywhere as Vikaralamon let out a yowl, punctured neatly through his sides.
The tiger Deva finally managed to slow himself and whipped about to stare in horror as his ally dissolved in front of him, the boar Digimon letting out a mighty roar that echoed long after his body had gone.
Mihiramon grit his teeth before he looked about wildly to find Witchmon, only to see her off in the distance re-attaching her cape.
Witchmon smirked as she turned to meet the tiger's gaze. "For shame, dearie. Weren't you supposed to be allies?"
Mihiramon baring his fangs as his ears canted back. He let out a roar of rage as he rushed at Witchmon, murder ever more firmly on his mind.
"Down to five," Ken said, with a sigh of relief. His mood was improving considerably, with the odds more equal than they had been at the start. FlaWizarmon and Witchmon were in top fighting form, as he knew they would be, and the controlled partner Digimon were doing fairly well on their own. And while the controlled army was little more than cannon fodder, they still served as a valuable distraction so that his real fighters could get their opportunities. Even so, the sooner they finished off the rest of their enemies, the better. "We need to hurry, before-"
At that moment, a bright light caught Ken off guard and he whirled just in time to see a Digital Gate open on the battlefield - and with it, the arrival of the Chosen Children and their Digimon. Takeru, Hikari, Daisuke, Jou, Mimi, and Koshiro appeared with their respective partners, as to be expected. But even more alarmingly, Iori had arrived with his own partner - the baby, Fufumon.
"You have got to be kidding me," Ken muttered in disbelief before he bristled, anger flooding him. "Those imbeciles-!"
Takeru gathered his bearings after the jump and gave a start, his face going pale at the sight before him. Controlled Digimon stretched as far as the eye could see with several large Digimon fighting with great vigor, including one he recognized with great dread - Skull Greymon. "This is…"
Mimi's breathing hitched as her hands reached up to clasp over her heart. "Horrible… this is horrible…!"
"It's a war," Koshiro said, feeling small at the sight of so many Digimon fighting one another.
"What are you morons doing here!?" the Digimon Kaiser's voice came from far above the Chosen, who looked up sharply to see the corrupt boy hovering above them on an Airdramon, angrily fidgeting with his whip. "Do you have a death wish!?"
"Cease and desist all hostilities immediately!" Iori commanded, pointing his bokken at the Digimon Kaiser. "We won't allow you to murder Lord Xuanwumon!"
Ken's cheek twitched violently as he pulled the whip tightly in his hands. "Don't show respect to trash you've never met, you ignorant brat," He then pointed his whip at Iori. "And just what are you doing, bringing that baby to this warzone!?"
Iori scowled as he tightened his grip on his bokken. He could offer no retort as Fufumon bristled and growled from his position on the Chosen of Honor's shoulder.
"Please stop this, K-chan!" Hikari shouted as she took a step closer to the Digimon Kaiser, though it did little to diminish the distance between them. "Whatever you're after doesn't need to come to this!"
Ken paused, still startled by Hikari using his nickname. She had done so before, but it still sounded so bizarre coming from her "E-eh?"
"Just tell us why you're doing this," Hikari said. "We shouldn't be fighting each other or starting wars; we're the Chosen Children, and that means we all should band together to save both worlds and everyone in it."
Ken stared down at Hikari before he recovered his balance, mentally and physically. "I didn't start this war! I'm just the one that's going to finish it!"
Hikari clenched her fist in front of her chest. "Then tell us who did start it and why. Let us help you!"
"Yeah," Daisuke said as he moved to Hikari's side, "but not with the killing and enslaving parts."
At the sight of Hikari and Daisuke standing before him, trying to reach him even now, Ken faltered. He hesitated, a slight tremor running up his spine. Even as part of him screamed to reject them entirely, a need formed within him. "I-I…!"
"Look, I'm sorry for making fun of you with the princess thing!" Daisuke shouted. "Let's talk this out, okay?"
"We shouldn't be fighting each other," Mimi pleaded. "We shouldn't be starting wars. We should be helping everyone!"
"That's right!" Jou agreed, clenching his fists. "We're here to protect the Digital World!"
"I am protecting it!" Ken protested.
"Tell us how! What are you trying to accomplish?" Iori demanded.
"At least explain your motivations," Koshiro said.
"I don't want to do this! I've never wanted to do this!" Ken blurted out, desperately gesturing widely towards the carnage around them. "But it's the only way to… to get strong enough! To be strong enough-!"
"For what?" Takeru asked, extending his hand to the Digimon Kaiser. "Just tell us already! If you don't want to do this, then why!?"
Kumbhiramon came to a sudden stop, the hair on the back of his head prickling. He whirled to glance towards the massive tree, his eyes widening, before looking past his opponent over to the gathering of Chosen - with the Digimon Kaiser high above them. The mouse Deva paused before his eyes narrowed. He shot Yatagaramon a glare, quickly dodging her attack before taking off quickly - directly at the Chosen Children.
"Tell us! Please!" Hikari pleaded. "K-chan!"
Ken trembled, desperation flooding him. For once, they were listening - they were actually listening. And in that instant, his resistance gave way to weakness. "The Holy Beasts… you don't know what they… what they did! To Keiko… and to-"
"K-chan-!" came Wormmon's scream over Ken's earpiece, causing him to pause. Instinct took over and the Digimon Kaiser leapt upwards - just in time for Kumbhiramon's attack to strike the Airdramon's head where Ken had stood only moments before.
The Airdramon's scream died quickly as his head exploded into data, the rest of his body dissolving soon after. Kumbhiramon flew through the cloud of data before surging upwards, spinning about to face Ken as the corrupt Chosen fell to the ground, barely landing on his feet.
"K-chan-!?" FlaWizarmon whipped about, his eyes wide as he stopped mid-attack.
"K-chan!" Witchmon screamed, alarm flooding her.
Kumbhiramon zoned in on Ken, his expression gleefully malicious. "Die die die, chu chu chu!"
Ken stumbled before he looked up sharply, gritting his teeth even as the icy prick of fear flooded him. He yanked his arm around, his whip lashing to strike Kumbhiramon in the face as the mouse Deva drew close for another attack. It was enough to send Kumbhiramon back, even if for a moment.
"Kill him! Kill him now!" Caturamon barked, even as he danced about to avoid Skull Greymon's claw strikes.
"You bastards-!" FlaWizarmon snarled as he rushed past the Devas he had been fighting, attempting to get to the Chosen as quickly as he could. He grit his teeth as Majiramon dove into his way, attempting to block the scarecrow. "Witchmon!"
Witchmon grit her teeth before she yelped, jerking back to narrowly avoid a slash as Mihiramon lunged at her - slicing her cape and preventing her from teleporting. "K-chan!
Yatagaramon dove at Kumbhiramon, the only one able to make the distance with no Deva to distract her. She swooped down at the mouse, only for the Deva to dodge to the side. Kumbhiramon swiftly struck the backside of the crow Digimon with the pronged pestle from his back. The blow sent Yatagaramon directly into the ground with a sickening crunch, where the crow Digimon lay for a moment before she began to glow - de-evolving to an unconscious Piyomon.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Takeru demanded, anger and horror mixing on his face as he realized what he was seeing. The Digimon was actively trying to kill the Digimon Kaiser, a Chosen Child, right in front of them. He whirled to his partner. "Patamon-!"
"Got it!" Patamon shouted as he began to glow, evolving quickly to Pegasmon.
The other Chosen Digimon followed suit, and soon Fladramon, Shawujinmon, Blade Kuwagamon, and Shutumon were ready for battle.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Mimi screamed as she waved her hands at Kumbhiramon. "He's a human! You don't realize-!"
Kumbhiramon ignored the Chosen and their partners as they quickly evolved, and instead dove for Ken again. The Digimon Kaiser stumbled back, bringing his whip up again, desperation of a different kind flooding him.
"Stop-!" Ken barked, bringing his arm back.
Iori dove forward, lunging between the Digimon Kaiser and the attacking Deva, whipping his bokken about to strike the mouse Digimon with full force even as Fufumon spat small iron spikes from his perch. While the iron spikes had little effect, Iori's bokken sent Kumbhiramon flying backwards like a billiard ball against a pool stick.
Ken fell backwards on his rump, panting heavily as his skin grew slick with sweat. "I-I…!"
"Enough!" Iori snarled, his eyes blazing. The armor-evolved Digimon appeared behind him, all of them bearing equally grim expressions as they glared down Kumbhiramon. "You will stop!"
"You will listen to I-o-ri!" Fufumon declared, growling.
Kumbhiramon stumbled up from the ground, shaking off dirt, before he whirled to glare murderously at the Chosen Children. "So you're going to team up with him, chu!? Even though you're supposed to be protecting our world, chu!?"
"Please!" Hikari said as she stepped in front. "Let us talk to him! Maybe we can stop all this senseless fighting!"
Kumbhiramon's expression darkened. "If you're going to stand by him, chu, then you're going to die with him too!" The mouse Deva immediately split in to six copies, all of which carried the same murderous expression before diving forward at the Chosen Children - and Hikari in particular. "Chu!"
Tailmon immediately moved to intercept the first clone as it rushed at Hikari, striking it harshly with her claws and causing it to dissipate immediately. "Hikari, get back!"
"If you think we're going to let you do what you want, you're wrong!" Fladramon shouted, raising his claws as he was engulfed in flame before lunging at the next copy as it swerved about to the left.
"You've done enough!" Shutumon agreed, sending a blast of wind blades that diced yet another copy as it rushed upwards, easily dispelling it.
"There's no reason to go this far!" BladeKuwagamon said, sending a blast of lightning at the fourth copy, incinerating it.
"You will listen to us, one way or another!" Pegasmon whipped about to kick the fifth copy directly in the face, shattering it.
Shawujinmon brought about his staff, which had what appeared to be a massive revolver cylinder on one end and a crescent blade on the other, to strike down the sixth clone. "So why don't you calm down and behave yourselves?"
Ken stared as the Chosen fought to protect him, slowly standing to his feet. It made his heart clench in his chest, bringing tears to his eyes. "E-everyone…?"
"K-chan!" came Wormmon's voice again and Ken tensed, then whipped about to see the final Kumbhiramon - the original - surging at him from behind after maneuvering around the group.
"Chu!" Kumbhiramon snarled. "It's over!"
The attack failed to make contact as a pair of hands shoved the Digimon Kaiser to the ground.
"Get dow-ow!"
Fladramon slammed his fist into the cylinder before it collided with Daisuke, who stood right where the Digimon Kaiser had been only a moment before. Victory turned to ash in the armored dragon's mouth when he heard his partner's pained cry and saw Daisuke fall over.
Ken felt his heart lurch as he stared at Daisuke, slowly registering what had happened. Metal fragments shattered from the pestle and perforated the goggle boy, creating gashes in the stylish clothes generated by the Digital World that spilled not only data but blood from the pierced flesh underneath. While none of the wounds were fatal, they still elicited a pained moan from Daisuke - and all the Digimon Kaiser could see was red as his eyes widened.
"Ryo!" Ken's young voice screamed as he reached out to shove Ryo out of the way, his body moving faster than his brain. It was the only action that single moment allowed, with the older boy turning to stare at the boy genius as he took Ryo's place.
Pain immediately followed, along with blood as a small barbed object buried itself beneath Ken's skin. Missing its intended target, it still plunged deep within the boy's neck where it would never be removed.
Ken felt his insides clench, a jolt rushing through him - particularly at the back of his neck. "D-Dai-"
"Ken, are you okay?" Ryo asked.
Ken simply stared at Daisuke, ignoring everything around him - including Kumbhiramon coming back around for another attack. His mind had gone blank, unable to respond.
"Daisuke!" Hikari screamed as she and Takeru rushed over to the fallen goggle boy.
"Daisuke, hold on!" Takeru shouted as he tried to stop Daisuke from moving a little too late.
Daisuke spat out a number of colorful curses as he discovered that moving made the pain worse, forcing him to remain sprawled on the ground. "That hurts!"
"Daisuke!" Fladramon was by his Chosen's side in a second, crouching protectively by him. He then whirled to glare at Kumbhiramon, murderous rage on his face. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
"I'd like to see you try it, inferior trash, chu!" Kumbhiramon taunted back as he split once more, his six copies cackling in defiance.
"Daisuke…?" Ken whispered, his voice absent.
"I'll kill you!" Ryo snarled. "Do you hear me, Millenniumon? You're dead!"
The ruined land of the Battlefield Memorial smoldered as unending fires razed the ground. Digimon screamed as the very land itself splintered like broken glass, only to reform under the twisted sky in horrid shapes.
Ken could hear the screams, smell the brimstone, feel the heat around him. And with it, the scent of blood and death.
Ken's eyes shrunk to mere pinpricks, the gray turning deep black. But rather than stopping there, the blackness spread across the Digimon Kaiser's eyes, engulfing all white until there was nothing left. Then, within that darkness, single beads of golden light appeared in each eye.
"I won't allow it."
The voice coming from the Digimon Kaiser was completely unrecognizable - deep and unnaturally hollow. It didn't match even the childishly deep tone that Ken typically took while in his Kaiser persona, instead filled with regal - and deadly - authority.
The Digimon Kaiser's expression had gone blank, easily readable even with the glasses on his face. He stood limp with his head sagging to the side, as if something other than his bones was holding his body up. Blazing gold illuminated the tinted shades, as a matching light came from the front of Ken's shirt - so bright it was visible even under the fabric. It was the Crest of Miracles, proudly announcing its presence.
Takeru looked up from Daisuke to stare at the Digimon Kaiser, momentarily taken aback. "W… what…?"
"Shit… shit, shit, no!" FlaWizarmon slammed his matchstick against Majiramon before trying to dart past him. "K-chan, stop!"
"It can't be," Majiramon muttered, forgetting FlaWizarmon for a second and allowing the scarecrow to dart by as he gawked. "It's impossible."
"W-what's happening?!" Mimi asked, her hands raised defensively as she stared at Ken. "What's going on?"
"No more," Ken said, his voice still the deep and foreign voice from before, his expression devoid of emotion. "You will pay... for harming my Beloved."
"Your… what?" Koshiro repeated, gawking at the Digimon Kaiser.
No verbal response came from Ken. Instead, the corrupted boy's black Digivice began to glow gold, sparking violently.
Fladramon bared his teeth at the mouse Deva, oblivious in his anger to what was happening around him - including the fact that he was beginning to glow gold. "I'll kill you!"
"C-chu… what's happening!? What have you done now, chu!?" Kumbhiramon demanded as he and his copies darted back, keeping his distance as he surveyed the situation with no small amount of discomfort.
A loud, regal sounding chime pierced the air, announcing the arrival of a message from Narakumon. Unthinkingly, Koshiro drew out his D-Terminal to look at the message, somewhat dazed.
Get away from the boy! Now!
The message was promptly repeated, the chime echoing again and again. The constant piercing sound was enough to draw the Chosen out of their stupor, and snap Koshiro to attention.
"Takeru! Hikari!" Koshiro barked. "Get back, now!"
Takeru grit his teeth before he grabbed Daisuke, carefully hefting him upwards and draping one of the goggle boy's arms around his shoulders for better leverage. With Hikari shouldering a portion of the weight, they quickly carried Daisuke away from the Digimon Kaiser.
All of the other Digimon followed suit, save for Fladramon as his entire body was engulfed in gold so that it obstructed his features. "You'll pay… you're going to pay!" A loud shattering sound came as the armor evolution broke, seemingly reverting the dragon Digimon to his child form, though only V-mon's silhouette was visible within the golden glow.
"V-mon!" Daisuke shouted, nearly falling from Takeru's arms as he reached ineffectively for his partner, only to seize up in pain as the metal shards cut into him.
"There's no way, chu! No way, no way, no way!" Kumbhiramon protested. "You're dead! We killed you! There's no way you could-"
"Die." Ken said, his tone cold. The corrupt Chosen raised his left hand, aiming his palm at V-mon's back.
V-mon let out a guttural scream which quickly became a full roar as he began to evolve before the Chosen's - and Daisuke's - very eyes. His body grew in size, jumping through several different evolutions at once before he reached his final form - a massive white-haired blue dragon. The dragon was covered in black armor with gold trim, with matching dagger-like claws and a single enormous curved blade on each of his front forearms and the heels of his back feet. A skull-like white dragon mask obstructed most of his face, sitting atop a red base, as large jagged red wings fanned out behind him. The dragon Digimon was so large that he completely dwarfed the Chosen behind him, putting even the departed Vikaralamon to shame.
"Go, Imperialdramon!" Ken demanded, with the strange authoritative voice. "Kill them all!"
Imperialdramon roared, the sound deafening, before he lunged forward at the closest enemy - Kumbhiramon and his clones.
The mouse Deva could barely let out a scream, a chorus of fear echoed by his clones, before Imperialdramon snapped down on all of them, effectively killing each one instantly within his massive jaws.
Daisuke's eyes were wide with horror as he watched the monster his partner had become obey the order to kill. "V-mon…"
"What's… what's happening!?" Tailmon asked as she stood in front of Hikari, her claws outstretched protectively. "Why did he evolve!?"
Hikari stared in horror at the sudden massive evolution, stunned to silence.
Mystimon similarly stood to stare at the terrifying Imperialdramon as it turned about to face them, gripping his sword tightly as confused and terrified Digimon scrambled all around him and fled in opposite directions. The Digimon Kaiser's controlled Digimon simply stood about with stupid, blank looks on their faces, no longer attacking and not attempting to obstruct the fleeing Digimon. Even Skull Greymon and Skull Baluchimon had ceased hostilities, turning to stare at Ken as if awaiting orders.
"Stop! Stand your ground!" Caturamon barked, turning to glare at the panicking army. "Stand and fight-!"
Caturamon could barely get the words out before Imperialdramon was upon him, slamming his tail downward to crush the Deva as if he were nothing but an ant, with data bursting outward as his body shattered. Imperialdramon swiftly followed up with his foot, crushing the gawking Majiramon between his toes.
With both Devas dead, Imperialdramon reared up on his hind legs and let out a bellowing roar, his tail lashing behind him as he fanned his wings.
"He was right! He was right all along!" Sinduramon said as he flew up to meet the Mihiramon, flapping his wings. "We've got to tell Lord Zhuqiaomon!"
"The battle has been completely lost, and Lord Xuanwumon with it soon enough," Mihiramon said as he glanced at the other Deva. "We have no choice but-"
Neither Deva could finish their words nor their plans for escape as Imperialdramon suddenly shot a massive beam of light at them from the hidden cannon between his wings, vaporizing them from the sky - and blowing off a sizeable chunk of the tree's canopy in the process.
Daisuke struggled to get closer to Imperialdramon despite the pain, but Takeru's grip remained firm. "V-mon!"
"Stop! V-mon, stop!" Takeru cried out, staring in horror as he held Daisuke still. He then faltered and shook his head."Imperialdramon! Imperialdramon, stop!"
Iori trembled as Fufumon growled and bristled protectively from his perch. "This is…" He looked down at his wooden bokken, which suddenly felt so small and useless in his hands - little more than a stick.
"Th-this is bad… this is so bad!" Jou yelped as his hands fidgeted about, communicating his feelings of anxiety quite clearly. "What are we supposed to do!?"
"How did he… how is it that he can keep evolving our partners?" Koshiro asked, his voice breaking. "And to this level…"
Mimi covered her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, before she lowered her hands to face the Digimon Kaiser. "Stop this! Tell him to stop!"
Ken turned to face Mimi, his expression still blank. He said nothing, instead his eyes glowing gold as he stared down the Chosen of Purity, who flinched under the unyielding stare and stepped back in confusion.
The stare was not enough to deter Hikari from seizing the Digimon Kaiser by the shoulders and giving him a firm shake. "K-chan! Wake up!"
For a split second, the Digimon Kaiser's entire body rippled like a desert mirage and glitched like an image on a computer screen. Hints of different colored clothes and hair peeked through the cracks between the glitches, but Hikari could barely catch more than a fleeting impression of the boy underneath the elaborate illusion before it re-solidified into the Digimon Kaiser.
"K… K-chan?" Hikari asked, uncertain who was actually behind the golden eyes staring right through her.
"That's enough!" FlaWizarmon barked as he raced towards Ken and the Chosen, with Witchmon hot on his heels. Without the Devas to intercept them, they crossed the distance and made it in time to intercept the Digimon Kaiser from Hikari, with the scarecrow shoving past her to grab the stoic boy. "You've done enough! Let him go!"
"No one asked for your help!" Witchmon agreed, angrily. "Get out of him - now!"
Imperialdramon let out another bellowing roar as he took to the sky, the army of Xuanwumon completely in tatters with their commanders dead and gone. The enormous dragon paid them no mind as he rushed towards the burning tree with a single-minded focus. As he drew closer, he suddenly took a deep breath, rearing backwards from the force of the suction.
"S-something's happening!" Takeru gasped as he held Daisuke tight.
True to the Chosen of Hope's words, Imperialdramon lurched forward as he spat out a ball of black energy. The ball grew in size as it exited the dragon, flying downward on to the tree before it totally encased it. Canopy, roots, and even the fortress disappeared into the black ball of energy seconds before it burst like a bubble, vaporizing everything with a deafening crack.
The shock wave from the attack sent Digimon flying in all directions, and even pushed harshly against the Chosen as they tried to stand their ground. Rocks and dirt was sprayed in all directions before the dust cleared, leaving absolutely nothing of the temple of Xuanwumon - or even the Holy Beast himself.
The only thing that remained, sitting among the charred crater, were two altars - one made of lilies and the other of roses. They were completely unharmed, despite even the ground around them being vaporized, and bore the symbols of Purity and Kindness on them.
"That is…" Takeru whispered, his voice going hoarse. Even his hold on Daisuke relented, his hands going numb as they fell to his sides.
"Impossible…" Jou finished for the Chosen of Hope, his voice equally weak as his glasses slid down his nose.
Mimi trembled as she covered her mouth with both her hands, staring in shock.
"How can... one Digimon… be so strong!?" Koshiro demanded to know, shaking.
FlaWizarmon glanced back at the devastation before he narrowed his eyes, then turned to face the Digimon Kaiser and gave him a shake. "Did you hear me!?" He shook the boy again, who flopped like a ragdoll. "Don't ignore me, Zeed!"
"Noisy… so noisy," Ken muttered, his expression disinterested. "Barking dogs... barking and barking…"
"Zeed?" Hikari repeated before she focused on the Digimon Kaiser with wide, horrified eyes. "Zeed Millenniumon?!"
Witchmon glared down at Ken, her expression grim. "The one and only, dearie."
"Wait, but how… how can he use the crest of Miracles-!?" Takeru began before he stopped, his face going pale. "...Ryo. He has Ryo."
FlaWizarmon's lips pulled tight as he looked at Takeru, then focused back on Ken. "That wasn't a request, Zeed!"
"More barking... endless barking," Ken growled, an expression finally appearing on his face - annoyance. "Silence... you will be silent… how dare you speak to me... to me... in that tone… I'll destroy you all..."
"You won't destroy a damn thing!" FlaWizarmon snarled. "Go back to the Dark Ocean, where you belong!"
Jou glanced over to Imperialdramon, who was suddenly turning to come back their way, and beads of sweat appeared on his brow. "...Uh…"
The glow of gold in the Digimon Kaiser's eyes and the familiar rectangular shape piercing through his clothes was the focus of Hikari's attention. She moved her hands from his shoulders to his neck, searching beneath the collar until she found the cord of a necklace and gave a firm yank.
The Crest of Miracles burned in Hikari's hand, sending a jolt of pain up her arm that sent her cringing back with a cry. In spite of the pain, she somehow managed to hold on just long enough to pull it free of the Digimon Kaiser's neck before it fell from her trembling fingers as the pain finally overwhelmed her and sent her crashing to her knees. Through squinting eyes hazy with agony, she could see the world in monochrome and hear the faint familiar whispers that filled her with fear.
A blink later, and Hikari's vision was darker, but she could see the Digimon Kaiser again in front of her with someone else in shadow. Though she couldn't see the face past the curtain of black hair turned away from her, she knew without a doubt that Keiko stood before the Digimon Kaiser with a hand on his chest.
In the time it took Hikari to blink her eyes open wide, Keiko was gone, but the darkness remained around the Digimon Kaiser, snuffing out the golden light lingering in his eyes.
FlaWizarmon moved to catch the Digimon Kaiser as he fell backwards, completely limp. His head sagged forward as he collapsed against the Digimon, bits of dark energy drifting up around him before disappearing as quickly as they had come. FlaWizarmon wasted no time in scooping Ken up into his arms, the boy as limp as a rag doll.
Witchmon snatched up the Crest of Miracles from the ground with a chastising cluck of her tongue. "You've been a bad boy, haven't you? I think you need a time out for a while."
"What was…?" Hikari said with uncertainty, holding her still aching hand against her chest.
"Hikari!" Takeru said as he rushed over to the Chosen of Light's side. "Are you…" He paused when he noticed Daisuke rushing away towards the approaching Imperialdramon, despite his injuries. "Daisuke!?"
"V-mon!" Daisuke shouted over and over until his voice grew hoarse. Adrenaline numbed his pain and allowed his feet to fly across the ground to get as close to Imperialdramon as he could, knowing that if his partner failed to recognize him it could mean his death.
Imperialdramon came to a stop, fanning his wings wide before he bellowed out, glaring down at Daisuke with frenzied eyes.
"Dai… Daisuke!" Takeru yelped as he stumbled to his feet, then hesitated as he felt Hikari sag in his arms. Indecision wracked him, as he was uncertain where to go or what to do - or what he could do.
"Someone… someone do something!" Jou said, as his legs quaked in terror.
"I don't know… I don't know what to do!" Koshiro protested as he gripped his D-Terminal, typing furiously into the device.
"What… what can we do!?" Iori asked, his hands shaking as he gripped his bokken.
"Y-you!" Mimi said as she turned to FlaWizarmon and Witchmon, who had begun to turn their backs to the group. The two Digimon paused and glanced back at her. "You know how to stop him, don't you!? You… with all those Digimon…!"
FlaWizarmon tossed Mimi a weak smile. "Tenacity-kun's doin' exactly what he needs to do. Don't worry yer head about it."
"What… what do you-!?" Mimi began before Witchmon gestured, teleporting not only herself and FlaWizarmon out, but the staring and docile Skull Greymon and Skull Baluchimon as well - leaving both the controlled army and the unconscious Piyomon behind.
"V-mon, stop!" Daisuke cried out as he raised his hands up at the massive Digimon. "Stop!"
Imperialdramon roared down at Daisuke, flashing his razor-sharp teeth at the tiny boy at his monstrous feet. He lashed his tail about violently in an obvious threat, a low growl resounding deep in his chest.
"V-mon, can you hear me?" Daisuke called, his hands still extended to the dragon. "Don't you recognize me!?"
Imperialdramon paused as he stared down at the Chosen of Tenacity, the growl still rumbling in his chest. After several long moments, the growl slowly became speech that bubbled up through the dragon's mouth. "Ddddaaaisukeeee…" The voice was deep and menacing, much like the rest of him.
"Yeah, it's me," Daisuke said, relieved. "Come on, the fighting's over for today, pal. Change back and let's go get some pizza with Ken and Wormmon."
"Done… all done…," Imperialdramon repeated slowly, his breathing becoming rough. "Daisuke… all done…"
Daisuke nodded, his eyes prickling with moisture. "Yeah, all done. So come back, okay?"
"Come back… Daisuke… for Daisuke…" Imperialdramon said slowly, before he began to glow. The golden light illuminated the area, obscuring his features seconds before the massive dragon disappeared - and in its place, the small and disoriented Chibimon fell.
Daisuke lunged and caught Chibimon in his arms just before he collided with the dirt. Though the adrenaline started to wear down and brought back his pain, he felt immense relief as he hugged his partner close. "Good job, Chibimon. I knew you could do it."
Chibimon rested against Daisuke, his breathing still rough. Groggily, he lifted his head to look at his Chosen, furrowing his brow. "Daisuke… is everyone okay…?"
"Yeah," Daisuke said softly. He kept his gaze averted from the massive destruction left behind in Imperialdramon's wake.. "We're fine. Let's go home, okay?"
"Good," Chibimon muttered before he closed his eyes, resting his brow against Daisuke's chest. "I'm glad…"
Daisuke curled around Chibimon. "Me too, buddy. Me too."
Takeru stared at the scene before he let out a heavy sigh, dropping down to his knees - and Hikari with him. He lowered his head as he closed his eyes. "Thank God…"
Jou quivered before he flopped to the ground, falling backwards on to his back as he collapsed. "I-I can't take this…"
Gomamon, having de-evolved after Chibimon had returned, placed a paw on Jou's hand. "I think Daisuke's got it right - I think it's time to go home and have some junk food." Though his tone was jovial, his eyes couldn't hide his concern. "I'm thinking cake. Lots and lots of cake."
Koshiro dazedly looked down at the screen of his D-Terminal, and at the dozens of panicked emails that he had received from the other Chosen from the safety of Taichi's home. He didn't even have the energy to respond, collapsing to the ground onto his rump as fear gave way to exhaustion. "...I agree."
Shakily, Mimi took Shutumon's offered hand after her partner landed beside her, tears streaking her cheeks. "I… I wanna go home."
"Okay, Mimi," Shutumon said. "Let's go home."
"We… should all go home," Iori said, finally lowering his bokken after holding it so firmly it had begun to bite into his hands. He looked down at Fufumon, who reached up from the perch on his shoulder to nuzzle his cheeks. "We should go home."
Tailmon headed over to Hikari, carrying the unconscious Piyomon on her back. "Let's go home, Hikari."
"Wait…," Hikari said, her voice coming out as faint as breath. Her hand no longer hurt, but that was only because it had gone completely numb as fatigue crept into every part of her. "What about… K-chan…?"
"Gone," Takeru said. "FlaWizarmon and Witchmon took him, along with… who I can only assume was Agumon and Gabumon."
Hikari didn't have the strength to even swear. They were so close to reaching the Digimon Kaiser, but then everything went wrong and… she couldn't even imagine how many Digimon died during the battle. There was only one thing she did know.
They failed.