Italics = thoughts
"Quotes" = dialogue
underlined = reading something that is written
Bold= words and thoughts of Norn/Yggdrassil/The Mistress
Disclaimer: I do not own digimon or any of its characters. I do however claim ownership of any original characters introduced.
Chapter 53: Wishes Denied
Sakuyamon drops her charges before separating into Rika and Renamon. As Atticus rolls to his back and tries to sit up, Rika kneels down at his side, helping him into a sitting position. "You ok?" she asks, some worry clearly bleeding through. Atticus clenches his eyes and moves his head in a nod. "I'm ok for now, but something is very wrong. It feels a lot like when I was first infected with the Hazard: like my insides are on fire."
"Mine too…" Chiblynmon says, clenching his own while attempting to roll to his feet. "What were those things?"
"I know I'd like to know," Rika adds, wrapping Atticus' arm over her shoulder to brace and lift him to his feet. "I've never seen a card for a digimon like that."
"DexDoruGreymon is not a digimon that anyone should be familiar with…" Atticus grumbles as his legs tremble beneath him. He removes his arm from Rika's shoulders and, though wobbling slightly, manages to stand of his own volition.
"So how are you familiar with it?" Rika asks with an arched brow. "Why did your d-ark recognize it and mine didn't?" Atticus releases a sigh. "Because…I created him…"
"What? What do you mean you created him?" Chiblynmon asks.
"DexDoruGreymon is the ultimate level of Ryudamon; Ren's partner. That thing we fought is the result of my tampering with his digivice. What I don't understand is what it is doing here and why there are so many of them…"
"Maybe tampering with that digivice did more than you originally thought," Rika offers. Atticus crosses his arms, his face contorting in thought. "Maybe… That just means I've screwed up worse than even I could imagine. Question is now what do we do about it?"
"Who says we do anything?" Rika asks with a shrug. "I say we find Gogglehead and get to the ark's emergence point."
"It may not be that simple. You saw what they did. They were destroying the very fabric of the Digital World itself. The DexDoruGreymon that I accidentally created couldn't do that; no digimon I've ever seen has been able to do it, save perhaps for the Digital Hazard. If left unchecked, who knows what they might do. Then there's whatever they did to me and Chiblynmon…"
"It will likely wear off," Renamon interjects. "The effects of attacks may sometimes persist after the conclusion of battle, but usually subside shortly thereafter."
"Yes," Atticus responds in kind, "except that Chiblynmon and I are no longer biomerged. Whatever they did literally caused us to separate and continue to experience effects… Chiblynmon!"
Rika and Renamon look to the little gremlin to notice his data distorting dangerously as he grips his head. Atticus pulls out his d-ark and swipes a card, "Digi-Modify! Recovery activate!"
As Chiblynmon's data stabilizes, he collapses forward, groaning. "That really hurt…" Atticus picks him up, holding him up, as if inspecting him. "This definitely isn't your average after-battle effect…"
"We'll figure it out, I'm sure," Rika states confidently. "Right now, we need to get back to finding Gogglehead." Atticus gives a light nod before asking Chiblynmon, "Will you be ok to continue?" The gremlin blinks rapidly before pushing himself out of Atticus' hands and scurrying down his arm to his shoulder. "I think so… I'm not afraid as long as you're with me."
"Then we should see if the bauble will show us anything," Atticus says, glancing at Renamon and Rika. Chiblynmon forms the bauble and hands it to his tamer who peers within. Atticus squints and says, "He's… running…"
"Is he being chased?" Rika asks, concern easily recognizable. "No… At least I don't think so… He's definitely in the desert level though…"
"And he needs your help."
Atticus and Rika turn a startled look towards the voice and see a man in a white robe gazing back at them, as if scrutinizing them. "Who are…?" Rika starts.
"Gennai…?" Atticus asks. The man smiles and nods. "I'm both happy and a little disappointed to see you still alive Atticus. Please don't take that the wrong way…"
"I suppose no offense is taken, given you merely obey the command of your sovereign," Atticus answers dryly while pulling his d-ark. "Did Azulongmon send you to deter us from assisting the Hazard?"
"No," Gennai answers simply.
"So why are you here?" Atticus asks suspiciously. "Are you here as a friend, or a foe?"
"A friend," Gennai assures. "I need your help." He quickly glances at Rika and Renamon, who both turn their heads away as he returns his gaze to Atticus.
"My help?" Atticus asks.
"Well, more so hers than yours," Gennai answers. "It has to do with the Digital Hazard."
"What about Takato?" Rika asks, looking back at the white-robed gentleman. "We saw the sovereigns heading out, and you can be sure I will stop them, no matter what that means!"
"I was hoping you might say that," Gennai answers with a bow of the head, "because I too want the Hazard to survive this purge."
"Sounds to me like you'd be going against orders," Atticus states in suspicious tone. Gennai frowns at the shade before answering, "I can assure you that I speak the truth. You should know by now that programs such as I cannot lie."
"I'm very well aware of your programming," Atticus retorts, his tone seeming to grow harsher. "You may not be able to lie, but you can withhold information. Why do you want the Hazard to survive, clearly counter to your own sovereign's wishes and the wishes of the Mistress, Norn?"
"All I can tell you is that the sovereigns are not in agreement on this matter and that I personally find it vital that the Hazard live on, especially now given the circumstances."
"What circumstances?" Rika asks. Gennai looks to her and shakes his head. "All I may tell you is that the Mistress is determined to destroy the Digital Hazard and has put numerous contingencies into action to ensure it."
"So basically, you can't tell us why: just that you need us to do something. Need I say this is all sounding very familiar to me…"
"Don't make this about then, Atticus. You know I had nothing to do with what the other digi-destined did."
"I don't care why he wants to help," Rika states, interrupting them. "What do we need to do?" Atticus frowns at her but lowers his gaze and a smiling Gennai nods at her and says, "I can send you to the desert level right now. You must rush to his side and be ready to defend him. This is the only assistance I may give you."
"We'll take it. Anything to get us closer to him at this point."
"I wouldn't trust him, Rika," Atticus states in pleading tone. "He wants something: the sovereigns would not allow him to come to us to enable us to foil their attack."
"I assure you that only my sovereign even knows I am here," Gennai responds. "I am choosing to trust you, Atticus, despite what I know about you and despite what the sovereigns would do to me if they found out I aided you. I am only asking for trust in return: The Hazard must survive."
"Atticus, let's go," Rika commands. "All he is doing is sending us closer to him. We can take that much." Atticus looks to Chiblynmon, who wears a look of utmost confusion before looking back to Rika and nodding.
"Best of luck to you, Rika Nonaka," Gennai states. "Atticus, I hope you and she will save him and do take care of yourself."
"…thanks…" Atticus says while diverting his gaze.
"My programming says I should hope that you perish in the fight against my sovereigns," Gennai continues in a lighthearted voice, "but I hope you will live long enough to find what you have been seeking since receiving your crest." Atticus seems to chuckle at this and shake his head. "I think it's a little late for that."
"You shouldn't be so sure," he responds while forming a sphere of light in his hand. It suddenly shines brightly, blinding the two tamers and their partners. Gravity suddenly seems to shift as they find themselves pulled up from the ground, the bright white shifting to the familiar pink of a data stream. As suddenly as it came, the feeling vanished, and Rika, Atticus, Renamon, and Chiblynmon plummet down to the sand below, landing in a heap in the middle of the desert.
The door to Yamaki's office opens slowly and quietly, Riley entering calmly before closing the door. Yamaki looks up as she enters and gives a wry smile. "What did he say?"
"He'll help if we want, but he has conditions," she replies. "He won't help us so long as we aim to trap Mr. Matsuki."
Yamaki scratches his chin as his mouth contorts with unease. "You know already that I don't want to do it either, but trying to convince Kurota and the Monster Makers is near pointless."
"So we don't convince them. We bypass them," Riley responds. Yamaki arches an eyebrow, as if confused. "We send the ark before they install the contingencies on it."
Yamaki shakes his head. "They've already begun installing them. Janyuu and Dolphin have mostly taken care of it."
"Are all of the ark's essential functions complete?" Riley asks.
"Well, just about. Maybe one more day till they're done…another three or four until all the contingencies would be installed."
"Then we can do it tomorrow," Riley suggests. Yamaki again shakes his head. "Kurota has the launch program. Only he would be able to send it."
"So we hack in," Riley says with a shrug and a smile.
"I doubt that either of us are capable of hacking into Hypnos, Riley…"
"Mr. Mizuno can. All we would need to do is get him through some of the security checks and he could do the rest."
Yamaki bites his lip and turns away. "If we're caught, we're all in prison… maybe even death row given they charge treason."
"But we save them," Riley points out. "I think it's worth the risk."
"Technically we only save one more person by doing this…"
"I'm willing to risk it to save him. So is Mr. Mizuno. I understand if you don't want to take part in this boss…"
"No," he says interrupting her. "I'm in. No matter what it means for me, I want to bring him back. Kurota won't have such an easy time hurting him when he has the public scrutinizing him." He looks at her. "Tell me what you need me to do."
"For now, just make sure no one finds out. Try to finish the necessary functions on the ark and, if you can manage it covertly, disable some of the contingencies they've already installed. I'll tell Mr. Mizuno that we're moving forward with it and I'll sneak him into the main lab tomorrow. Meet us there and we can get him access."
"I'll take care of it. Thank you Riley."
"Good luck, boss," Riley says with a quick nod before turning and leaving to return to her post.
MadLeomon crosses the desert in vast leaps and bounds, the Royal Knights following behind him, hardly keeping up. "This pesky shade is fast little bugger…" a knight with black armor and a white cloak mutters. "Let's seem him run once I hit him with… Chabudai Flip!" He leaps and slams his foot into the sand, causing it to crystalize into glass and metal on contact. MadLeomon leaps as the crystallization process reaches the sand he is on and rolls to face his aggressors.
"Beast Blaster!" The purple shot of energy arcs towards his target and the knight barrels to the side, allowing one of his compatriots to be struck by the blow and knocked backward and out of the chase.
"Maintain formation!" the blue knight orders.
"Relax, UlforceVeedramon. I'm sure Kentaurosmon will be fine." The black armored knight says in response.
"I give the orders here, Gankoomon," UlforceVeedramon retorts. "Leopardmon, Examon, engage!"
"Gladly! Black Aura Blast!"
"Pendragon's Glory!"
Each knight fires from their weapon and the beams slam into MadLeomon, kicking up smoke and dust.
"Beast Blaster!" A purple beam fires from the smoke column and the knights dodge to the sides. Two are caught by the blast and shoved backward, rolling in the sand before regaining their footing and huffing in annoyance.
"This guy doesn't seem to understand who he is dealing with…" The grey knight grumbles.
"Then show him, Alphamon…" A white knight with heads for hands suggests.
"What? Too squeamish, Omnimon? Very well…" Alphamon rushes forward as the smoke clears and MadLeomon lifts his claw to strike.
"Poison Claw!"
"Divine Sword!" Alphamon parries the blow before delivering a kick to MadLeomon's stomach. The snarling digimon staggers slightly but brings his other claw around. "Poison Claw!"
Alphamon is unprepared for the strike and is batted aside as Omnimon and UlforceVeedramon rush forward, flanked by a golden armored knight and a red-cloaked knight with numerous blades.
"Beast Blaster!" Omnimon and UlforceVeedramon roll aside, their followers taking the blow and being flung backward.
"Transcendant Sword!"
"Ulforce Saber!"
Both knights land their strikes, cutting deep and causing MadLeomon to fall backward into the sand, data distorting. "Time to finish it. Dragon Imp…"
"Gigastick Lance!" UlforceVeedramon turns to his right to notice Darkdramon firing an attack at the now downed MadLeomon. The shadowy bolt lands square on his target's chest, kicking up dust and smoke once more as the mega rushes in to absorb the data.
"Poison Claw!" With a swipe, MadLeomon bats Darkdramon aside and leaps out of the smoke, fleeing rapidly over the desert sand.
"I'll get him…" Dynasmon states with annoyance, preparing to take off.
"No need." Darkdramon states firmly. "We'll run into him again…"
"You interfered with my kill," UlforceVeedramon growls at the wounded knight. "Perhaps I shall take your data as recompense!"
"The Mistress wouldn't like it if you deleted her newest knight," Darkdramon growls back. "I'm sorry: I'm supposed to absorb him so I can finally reach my next form."
"We are aware," Omnimon pipes in. "But one thing you will need to learn is never to intervene in a fight that is not your own. Lacking in such honor will not be tolerated in our ranks."
Darkdramon bows his head. "Yes, of course. I will avoid allowing my zealotry to rule me in the future. I have been chasing that thing for a while now and thought my only hope might be to get the tamer children to delete him for me, given my weakened condition. When I saw you all…"
"I did not request an explanation," UlforceVeedramon interrupts as the other knights re-join them. "I care not for your excuses as to failure, and can assure you that our Lady will not care for excuses either. Darkdramon again bows his head.
"Still…" UlforceVeedramon continues, placing a hand on his chin, "perhaps you are correct that this pest is best left to those humans." Darkdramon looks up at the blue knight. "What made you think of it?"
"That shade has a vendetta against them," Darkdramon explains. "He kept babbling on about how he would destroy then one who took 'Jeri' from him. He seems willing to fight anyone who gets in his way and the power he possesses is unnatural: almost like that of the demon lords my tamer and I fought with those humans."
"So you are one of the pets our Lady told us about?" Leopardmon taunts, eliciting a low-throated growl from Darkdramon. "Not anymore. Now, I serve the Mistress."
"Play nicely, Leopardmon. He's going to be one of us soon," Craniamon croons as Crusadermon huffs next to him.
"Anything else about this shade?" Omnimon asks, clearly becoming impatient. Darkdramon gives a shrug. "Atticus said something about his mind degrading; that he was becoming more savage and acting more on instinct."
"Irrelevant to us," Dynasmon grumbles. "Let us…"
"Let us return our focus to our real mission," UlforceVeedramon interrupts. "Darkdramon will continue to pursue his target: certainly he and that shade will be enough to keep those humans busy while we deal with the Digital Hazard."
"But Ulfor…" Alphamon starts.
"You have my orders. Darkdramon, do you know where the Digital Hazard is?"
"No. When my tamer defeated me in our last battle, the Mistress ordered me to flee, but I have strong reason to believe the Digital Hazard is somewhere on this level of the Digital World. I'm also willing to bet that my tamer is with him."
"That's at least a start. We will split up and scour the desert. Find the Hazard, and show no mercy."
"Don't underestimate Atticus," Darkdramon warns. "Like me, he now is using the power of his dark spore and he will not cooperate with your demands."
"I will deal with the Tamer of Darkness," Omnimon states, a large sword shooting out of one of the heads on his hands. "Dark spore or not, he will be deleted, as will all who defy our Mistress. I trust you have no objections?"
Darkdramon frowns but shakes his head. "Good. Go destroy that shade and get the data, which our Mistress has commanded you collect. Then you will ensure that those brats do not aid the Hazard's escape. One way or another, that virus will be deleted."
"Perhaps you would like to take a team?" UlforceVeedramon says with a smirk. Omnimon scans over the other knights. "Crusadermon, Dynasmon: with me…" The three knights shoot off across the desert.
"I will take Leopardmon and Craniamon," Alphamon remarks, looking to UlforceVeedramon, who nods. The three knights rush away in the opposite direction of Omnimon.
"Magnamon, Examon; you're with me. You three go the other way. Find the Hazard and deal with him if you can. At the very least, prevent him from reaching the other humans. Alone, he will be a much easier target for us to overwhelm," UlforceVeedramon commands before rushing off.
Darkdramon watches them rush over the desert, smirking inwardly. We're going to win. I'm going to finish my mission. Atticus, you chose the wrong side…
Henry sits quietly, hugging Terriermon close as Ryo and Alice look him over, Jeri staring blankly at them as they do. "You seem to be fine," Alice remarks, placing a hand on her chin. You're saying Terriermon hasn't woken yet?"
"No…" Henry states weakly. "And his data keeps destabilizing. I'm afraid if I let go…"
"Maybe he took more damage in your last fight than you thought," Ryo offers, but Henry shakes his head. "They hardly did anything to us. They just sort of…swarmed us and then stabbed into our joints. I suddenly felt lightheaded and the next thing I knew, we separated and I was in so much pain…"
"And now?" Ryo asks. "You feel better now?" Henry shakes his head. "I feel…I guess tired…" Terriermon groans in his grip and his data suddenly shifts. Henry squeezes tighter and is partner's data seems to settle. "What do I do?" Henry asks, his voice becoming frantic.
"Maybe MarineAngemon can help?" Kenta asks, looking to his partner. The pink pixie flutters forth and begins emitting a stream of hearts into Terriermon, who groans but does not otherwise respond.
Henry seems to relax a little as Terriermon settles and bats his eyes, as if trying to fight off the urge to sleep. "So did you win?" Jeri asks after some silence, drawing everyone's attention.
"Oh yea. Did you find Chumly and…" Kazu starts before trailing off. Henry doesn't answer, though his hand subconsciously moves to his pocket, pulling out the object within. Kai pushes forward and snatches it from his hand. His face melts into one of sadness upon seeing the yellow frames of his cousin's goggles staring back at him.
"Whoa… Chumly's goggles…" Kazu says softly.
"You did it then…" Alice mutters sadly. "It's over."
Henry shakes his head. "I failed. I wasn't strong enough…and I think I made it worse…"
"You mean he got away?" Jeri asks.
"Why would you have these?" Kai asks. "If he's still out there, how'd you get them?" Henry merely gives him a tired look and blinks his eyes before diverting his gaze. Kai grabs Henry by the cusp of the shirt and yanks him up, causing Terriermon to roll out of his grip and MarineAngemon to flutter away from fear. "Tell me!"
"Kai! Stop it!" Alice says, moving to pry the two boys apart. Ryo and Kazu grab onto Kai and pull as Alice tries to pull Henry's shirt out of Kai's fingers. Masahiko scurries forth and grabs Terriermon off the ground, holding onto him as the older tamers struggle with one another and Calumon buries his face in Ai's shirt.
"…He threw them away…" Henry mutters, catching Kai off guard. Ryo and Kazu manage to pull him away and Henry half sits, half falls back to the ground. Kai pulls himself away from the other two boys and turns his back to them. "I don't believe that. Takato wouldn't throw them away."
Masahiko moves to Henry's side, handing Terriermon back to him. Henry gives the boy a weak smile before taking the little digimon and holding him close once more, MarineAngemon fluttering back over to continue healing.
"I have to admit it's hard to imagine him parting with them willingly…" Kazu remarks, a hand on his chin.
"Well he's still out there," Jeri adds while hanging her head. "And that means we're all still in danger."
"Let's try to focus on one thing at a time," Ryo suggests, eyeing Henry once more. "What happened after you fought Takato?"
Henry tightens his grip on Terriermon. "I found him wandering in the desert," Impmon interjects. "A little after that we were attacked by those things I mentioned."
"A swarm you said. Any idea what digimon?" Ryo asks. Henry shakes his head. "My d-ark didn't recognize them…"
"You would think it had been one nasty battle…" Alice states with concern.
"That's just it. They hardly touched him," Impmon speaks up. "He just suddenly collapsed and broke apart and they've been writhing and groaning since."
"Think maybe this has something to do with that anomaly that Riley lady warned us about?" Alice asks.
"Stands to reason…" Ryo responds. "She did say it would appear wave or swarm-like."
"What did these creatures look like?" Jeri asks.
"Black and red, mostly," Impmon responds. "Lot's of blades and spears too."
"Black and red… Those are Guilmon's colors, aren't they?" Kenta asks.
"…and Terriermon is suffering from severe data-destabilization despite not taking many nasty hits." Jeri adds, "It's just like with Megidramon."
"You think Chumly has something to do with those creatures? Kazu asks.
"I don't know…" Ryo says with a frown. "I've never heard of a digimon being able to digivolve into a swarm before but we know the Digital Hazard possesses dangerous properties."
"I don't think it was Pineapple-Head or his tamer," Impmon butts in. "These things… they felt different… even different from Megidramon."
"Different how?" Kai asks suddenly, craning his neck to look behind him.
"They felt almost…dead. I wanna say, like a husk or a…"
"A shade," Jeri interjects, drawing everyone's attention. "We shouldn't have let Atticus run off to help him…" Ryo quickly glances at Kotemon, expecting some form of retort, but the rookie gives none, turning his eyes downcast.
"No…" Alice finally says. "The message… we got it before he left. This swarm or anomaly… it existed before he went to help Takato."
"Well, then I'm not sure how to explain it," Jeri says with a frown, "but whatever attacked Henry sounds exactly like the Digital Hazard."
"Then we can be sure the Royal Knights will deal with it," Ryo says. "I'll send another message to Riley to update her on what's going on and see if I can get an update on when the ark will be coming."
"I don't think we should wait around here," Kotemon speaks up. "We should find cover-somewhere safe from the Royal Knights—until your ark gets here."
"They're after Takato, not us," Ryo retorts.
"He might be right actually," Jeri joins, much to the rookie's surprise. "We know that Takato will make his way here if he survived and if the Royal Knights catch us with him, we would be in danger."
"She has a good point, Ryo," Alice concedes. "At least until we hear back from home, the safety of the group should take precedent."
"Alright. Where do we go then?" Ryo asks.
"I recommend the Village of Discarded Data," Kotemon interjects. "The Royal Knights won't look for us there."
"They will if Takato goes there," Henry utters, drawing everyone's attention. "He knows about the Chucidarumon same as us. I'm willing to bet he'd go there to wait for the ark too."
"It does kind of sound exactly like the place Chumly would wander to…" Kazu remarks while scratching the back of his head.
"Well I'm going then," Kai states firmly. "If there's any chance I can help my cousin, I'm doing it."
"I'm with you," Impmon says with a nod and a glance to his tamers. "Ai and Mako will be safer there too."
"Kai…" Ryo groans, exasperation clear in his voice. "You saw what those Royal Knights did to us earlier. If he were to come back, we'd all be caught in the crossfire."
"There's no escaping that now," Kotemon pipes up. "I'm telling you: if they manage to find him and deal with him, we will be next. My tamer and I are going too."
"You're not taking my step-brother anywhere," Jeri retorts.
"But Jeri," Masahiko speaks up. "I want to go with Kotemon to see Takato!"
"Me too!" Calumon cheers while gliding over to the boy's head.
"Am I speaking to a wall here?" Ryo asks, looking at Kazu, Kenta, Alice, and Henry.
"Do whatever you want," Kai states harshly. "We're going to help Takato.
"You're going to get us all killed," Ryo responds. "If the Royal Knights catch any of us helping him, they'll never let us leave."
Terriermon suddenly groans loudly and the tamers stop arguing to look to the little digimon and his tamer, MarineAngemon still sending his stream of hearts forth.
"Piu puh pu…" the pixie digimon says.
"Terriermon's getting better, but he's not healing as fast as expected," Kenta translates. "It's almost like he's constantly taking damage." Henry hugs his partner tighter as his data distorts slightly once more. Alice looks at Kai, catching his eyes momentarily before saying, "Ryo, I think I agree with them. We should go to the Village of Discarded Data. Its pretty obvious this healing process is going to take longer than we thought and it's the safest place we can think of at the time."
Ryo looks at Kai one more time and sighs. "I guess you win. Terriermon needs to be cared for and we need to be somewhere safe for that."
"Ryo, we can think of another place to go," Jeri remarks.
"No need to," Ryo states solemnly. "It won't be for long: just until Terriermon is patched up and I hear back from Ms. Ootori. I'll send the message and we can head out."
"What if Takato is there?" Kazu asks. "Won't that mean the Royal Knights will come after us?"
"Let's just hope that's not the case," Alice answers. "Otherwise we might need to fight him again."
"I'll handle it if need be…" Henry mutters while struggling to push himself to his feet. "I failed once. I won't let my failure result in losing anyone else."
"You better not lay another finger on him!" Kai shouts.
"Oh, will you stop, Kai!" Ryo says, giving him a determined look. "I've been trying to put it lightly until this point, but I just don't think you're getting it."
"What am I not getting, Ryo? That he's dangerous? He wasn't dangerous when you attacked him and he's not dangerous now!"
"That's where you're wrong. I hate to break this to you, but Takato is already gone. You're holding the proof of it!" Kai steps back, as if startled.
"What do you mean?" Masahiko asks, glancing at the goggles before returning his inquisitive look to Ryo.
"I mean there's none of him left," Ryo answers, somewhat more sympathetically. "Kai is right: Takato wouldn't throw his goggles away. Either we destroyed all that was left of him in that fight or the Hazard did. There's no one left to save except those here… I'm sorry Kai…"
"No, you're not," Kai states while turning his back and tucking the goggles in his pocket. "And you're wrong. I'll show you." He begins to walk off, Ai, Mako, Impmon, Masahiko, Calumon, and Kotemon following him after a moment. Ryo looks to Alice, Kazu, Kenta, and Jeri who each stand idly for a moment before ultimately following after the others, their partners trailing behind them.
Henry steps up next to Ryo, still clearly exhausted. "We didn't destroy him: I did," the blue haired boy mutters. "I destroyed my best friend and in doing so put everyone in worse danger."
"You think we were wrong?" Ryo asks. Henry hangs his head. "My mind says no, but my heart says otherwise…"
"I hate the fact that I did it," Ryo admits. "But I know what would have happened if we didn't. What Norn showed me…I just can't let it happen…" Ryo gives Henry a light smile. "Hopefully we'll be able to put this all behind us soon. Get going. I'll catch up as soon as I send this message."
Henry nods and begins to walk in the direction the others had gone. Ryo takes out the comm device and begins typing. He doesn't notice Henry's data violently shift as he walks away.
Atticus peers around the area, noticing several rock formations in different directions. He checks his d-ark once more, but the compass needle continues to spin rapidly, unable to lock-on to any signals.
"This is getting tiresome," he says as Rika comes up next to him. "We should have found his signal by now. I hope we didn't walk the wrong way."
"We better not have, or that dark spore of yours will be the least of your worries," she answers, somewhat playfully.
"How are you holding up, Chiblynmon?" Atticus asks. The gremlin merely grumbles incoherently from his shoulder. "Tired, I suppose?"
"Did whatever was affecting him wear off?" Rika asks. Atticus shakes his head. "I doubt it. I'd say this is merely a new symptom."
"Well you don't seem to be all that affected. Come to think of it, you seem a lot better than before. You haven't had any convulsions since we got here." Atticus blinks rapidly, as if confused. "You're…right. I hadn't noticed that…"
"Perhaps you have the spore under control again," Renamon offers, phasing in next to her partner.
"But I haven't been trying to suppress it. This can't be a coincidence…"
"What do you mean?" Rika asks.
"The DexDoruGreymon… they did something to me. We know that much. We didn't know what, but I think I know now…"
"What is it then?" Renamon asks neutrally.
"Chiblynmon and I are being decompiled," Atticus mutters, some fear bleeding through in his voice. "I've got another virus, and Chiblynmon has it too. Our data is becoming unstable. It's moving slower in me: probably because it's trying to break down the dark spore. I'm sure soon enough, I'll begin outwardly destabilizing like Chiblynmon and Ill grow lethargic as well."
"You think those things we fought infected you with something?" Rika asks. Atticus nods. "A swarm like anomaly is one of the things the message warned about. Whatever this is, I think your friends back home know about it and wanted us to avoid it. Now we know why."
"Do you think it has anything to do with Norn?" Rika asks.
Atticus frowns and places a hand to his chin. "I don't know. They were destroying the Digital World's data: I highly doubt it's something Norn unleashed. The whole reason she wanted to destroy Takato was to end the threat he posed to her and this world…"
"Is something wrong?" Rika asks after a few silent moments. Atticus shakes his head. "I just can't shake this feeling that I somehow caused this… I created DexDoruGreymon and somehow it's multiplied and now it's destroying everything…"
"Lighten up," Rika says with a smirk. "We'll figure it out: after we help Gogglehead."
Atticus gives a slight nod. "We'd be wise to avoid the DexDoruGreymon for the time being. If we run into them, we should retreat: they didn't follow us last time, so I'd presume they're not targeting anything in particular… Now if we could just figure out which way to go…"
The sound of chirping suddenly reaches their ears and they look around, ultimately spotting a yellow creature fluttering about in front of them, as if dancing. "A DigiGnome…" Atticus remarks with a frown.
"I remember these things…" Rita states dryly. "They're always way too happy for my taste…"
"Of course they're happy: their very essence is that of hope. They love to grant wishes and…" Atticus trails off his eyes widening slightly.
"What?" Rika asks. "Having flashbacks to your last wish?"
"Yes… DigiGnomes gather when someone wants to make a wish. Have you wished for anything recently?"
"You mean other than finding Gogglehead?" Rika asks clearly annoyed and confused.
"They only gather when someone is wishing from the heart. I didn't make a wish, and you didn't make a wish…" Rika squints at him, as if still confused.
"I think Takato is nearby…"
"Well that's good, isn't it?"
"Not entirely. I think he's making a wish…" Atticus says, looking up at Rika, his eyes like wide saucers of both fear and angst.
"Well why would that be bad?"
"Because there's only one thing I can imagine him wishing for…" Rika continues to squint in confusion until her eyes suddenly widen in realization. "You mean…?"
"We need to move… fast." The DigiGnome flips in the air once more before fluttering off in the direction of one of the rock formations.
"Follow it! And hope we're not too late!" Atticus yells frantically.
Numerous DigiGnomes flit about the cave as Takato scans between them. Guilmon chases a couple around, laughing and playing while the DigiGnomes chirp. "I know you guys grant wishes. You've always been there when I needed you. Please, grant me one more wish: take the Hazard away so I can go home with my friends!"
The DigiGnomes continue to chirp and flit about as more enter the cave and join in the dance. "I know you can do it! Please! I don't want it! Please take it away!" The DigiGnomes flutter over to him, beginning to encircle about him. They seem to glow brighter as they speed up—encircling him faster and faster. His body glows red and he closes his eyes. Thank you, DigiGnomes…
"No Takato! Don't!" Takato opens his eyes to see Atticus rush into the cave and dive, tackling him out of the vortex of DigiGnomes. Some of the gnomes screech as they touch Atticus, crying out in pain before evaporating. "What? Atticus… What did you…?" Takato asks, still somewhat dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry Takato, but you have to listen to me! You can't wish the Hazard away! I can't let you make the same mistake I did!"
"But Atticus… I've lost everyone… I don't want to be alone anymore!"
"Stupid Gogglehead! You're not alone!" Rika says as she rushes in. "Rika!" Takato shouts in surprise. "You're alive!" Rika grabs Atticus and shoves him aside before embracing Takato tightly. "Of course I'm alive, Goggles. You think I can't take care of myself?" Takato returns the hug, squeezing her tightly. "I thought that I lost you… I thought I was alone…"
"You'll never be alone. I won't let you be ever again!" Atticus pulls himself up from the floor just as Renamon phases in, Chiblynmon resting in her arms. "That was too close…" he remarks as he looks at the two digimon. "I presume no one followed us? No sign of the sovereigns?"
"None that I could see," Renamon responds simply.
"Renamon!" Guilmon cheers happily, loping up to her. "Hello, Guilmon. Are you well?" The red saurian nods vigorously. "We came here for Takato to make a wish."
"So I see…"
Chiblynmon groans once more and Atticus smiles at them before returning his attention to the two tamers still embracing in front of him and stepping forward.
"I'm glad to see you're ok, Takato, and I hate to break up this moment…"
"Yea, you're right. We need to go," Rika agrees, releasing Takato and pulling him up to his feet. "What's going on?" he asks.
"The sovereigns are after you," Atticus explains. "The other members of your group are currently awaiting the ark from your world to arrive. Our only hope would be to get you onboard and back to your world: they can't follow you there."
Takato frowns and turns his gaze downward. "But the others won't let me onboard so long as I have the Hazard…"
"Then we'll make them let you onboard," Rika states confidently. "We're getting you out and that's that."
"I'm sorry to send you back with it, Takato," Atticus starts, adopting a sympathetic tone. "You must understand… if you were to wish it away, someone else will simply be infected and this whole process starts again. "I don't want you to become like me: some wandering husk ensnared in the Dark Ocean or any other realm."
"I…understand… It's just…" he starts as Guilmon lopes over to him and nudges his hand with his snout. "We go home now, Takato?"
Takato directs an anxious expression toward his partner before giving him a slight smile "Yea boy. We'll go home."
"Yay! Takatomon is going home! Taka-chan got his wish!" Atticus lets out a chuckle at the red saurian's antics. "We better get moving then. We have a lot of ground to cover and for all we know, the ark has already come."
"Then there's no time to waste," Rika says. "Let's go: one last trek and we'll be home bound…"
