Chapter 36 – Conversation between the Royal Knights
Akira stretched out in her bed. She yawned once before cuddling up to her blanket and turning to the other side. However, Wanyamon fell out of her bed and hit the floor, causing him to wake up.
"Hey..." he growled quietly before hopping back into the sleeping place and cuddling up to his partner.
She made a pleasant sound of herself and exhaled. Suddenly the door was ripped open.
"Akira, wake up!" shouted Sera.
The young woman shot up with a scream and finally looked at her sister with tearful eyes. A single tear made its way down before Akira touched it. More tears flowed as Wanyamon jumped on her lap.
"Is everything okay, Akira?" he asked.
She nodded weakly and swallowed.
"Is it because of the-" Sera broke off when she saw her sister's nod again.
The former DigiDestined approached Akira and hugged her gently.
"Hey... If something depresses you, you can tell me. Why am I your older sister?" said Sera.
"Sera... I… I want to be alone right now." she quipped.
"Okay."
She broke the hug and walked to the door. She then took a look at her before leaving the room. Sera closed the door behind her and left Akira and Wanyamon alone. The young woman looked briefly at the door before looking at her partner. He sighed a little and stared in her eyes. There was a crushing silence. Neither wanted to say anything and waited for the other's answer. At some point, the in-training digimon sighed again. He didn't like silence at all.
"Say something." Wanyamon quipped.
"And what?" was her counter-question.
Again, they remained silent.
"How... are you?" asked the training digimon.
"How many more times do you want to ask me that?" Akira replied annoyed, rolling her eyes.
Ever since Crusadermon died, her partner has been asking this all the time. He was just worried about her, she knew that. But she didn't want to worry anyone.
"Until you feel better." Wanyamon replied.
"But I'm not going to be feeling better because of what happened!" she quipped: "You have no idea what my kidnappers did to me!"
"That's why I'm worried. You don't have to be so stubborn, Akira! I'm your partner, I don't want you to just be sad and depressed all the time! You are a good friend and I trust you very much."
Her eyes widened before she put her hands under the in-training digimon, lifted him up and pressed him to her.
"Sorry, Wanyamon." she quipped: "I... I'm still trying to get over with my kidnapping."
Akira put her partner on the bed again and sighed heavily. Then she rubbed her eyes.
"Tell me... What exactly happened?" he asked her.
"I was put in a bubble. I chatted briefly with Crusadermon before she left and Alphamon showed up."
"Alphamon?! Why would he bother to see you?!"
"Something doesn't seem to be right with him... He was kind of very understanding. Anyway. Eventually Alphamon appeared with Omnimon in tow and disappeared shortly afterwards. Omnimon woke up and we talked until I fell asleep. When I dreamed, someone had freed Omnimon. I don't know who it was."
"That means that Omnimon is safe! Why didn't you tell Davis and the others?!"
She cast a reproachful glance at him.
"Did you forget that I was kidnapped, Wanyamon? And I nearly died?" she sounded far calmer than she actually was.
"Sorry. Back to Alphamon. You said he was behaving strangely."
"Yes... He was far more understanding than I expected... I thought Alphamon was... sadistic."
"That was because one of his copies was running free and tried to take on his role." one voice said.
Akira was startled, while Wanyamon began to growl slightly. But the two quickly calmed down because they recognized who the voice belonged to. It was Guilmon.
"How long have you been here?!" the in-training digimon raved.
"Not for long." the red dinosaur replied calmly.
"What do you mean by copy?" the young woman asked.
"Shortly before Alphamon succumbed to the influence of Piedmon's sphere, he had created a copy to take over his position both as Alphamon and as the messenger of the Homeostasis."
"I have a question, Guilmon... Why didn't Alphamon remove that sphere?" was Wanyamon's question.
"That would have cost him his life."
"But he's a digimon... He could be reborn." Akira said.
"Alphamon..." Guilmon closed his eyes: "... would not have been able to remove this sphere... Even if he had died and been reborn..."
"... the sphere would still affect him." said Kudamon, who was in Izzy's workspace.
In the room itself, all Digiritter and Partnerdigimon were represented.
Only Agumon and Gabumon were not present, as they were in the Digiwelt according to the white weasel.
Tai sat on a sofa with Meiko and Sora. Izzy himself was behind his computer and translated the old legend. The redhead didn't even really listen to the conversation. Opposite Izzy's desk sat Matt, T.K., Cody and Kari. On the last sofa were Yolei, Mimi, Davis and Ken. The Digimon themselves were on the lap of their partners. Kudamon herself sat on the table. She was a little uncomfortable. Because she was practically in the middle of the room and she was exposed to all eyes.
"And what are we doing now?" asked Mimi cautiously.
"The Homeostasis wants to separate you from your partners for your own safety." the white weasel explained.
Everyone in the room froze. Had they interrogated themselves or really wanted the deity... With their eyes wide open, they stared at Kudamon. She felt as small as a flea, reinforced by her size. Her ears hung down and she herself looked at the table top.
"What?!" cried Biyomon.
"Say it again, Kudamon!" Tai urged her.
"Never!" Hackmon was equally indignant: "I don't want to leave Meiko!"
"It's only temporary." the weasel continued, though she would have preferred to jump into a distortion.
"How many times has the Homeostasis been wrong?!" raved Matt, who had his arms crossed in front of his chest.
He just recalled that the Homeostasis nearly caused a reboot of the digital world, which would also have caused the loss of all technical devices.
"You can say the Homeostasis that we will never leave our friends!" said Gomamon, upset.
"Exactly!" Armadillomon agreed with the white robe: "I don't want to leave Cody!"
"I don't want you to separate from your partners either. But I can't ignore-" Kudamon's ears stood straight.
Veemon took a sharp breath, while Hackmon looked at the weasel with serious eyes.
"Yes? Please end the sentence, Kudamon." Yolei demanded angrily.
"The Homeostasis calls for me." Kudamon said.
"Not just you." the blue dragon replied as he felt a tingle over his scales.
"I don't want to talk with the Homeostasis." the four-footed dragon raved.
"Why does the Homeostasis want to see you?" asked Davis.
"The Homeostasis wants to tell its Royal Knights something..." Hackmon said.
"Then we shouldn't let it wait any longer." Veemon said.
"Yes. But it would be best if we digivolve to our ultimate-level-" suggested the weasel.
"You mean my armour digivolution and Hackmon's perfect-level." the blue dragon corrected her.
"Yes..." Kudamon created a distortion behind her, while both Veemon and the four-footed dragon jumped from their partners lap onto the table.
Meiko looked at her partner with uncertain eyes. Ashamed, he looked at the table top before saying:
"Don't worry. The meeting will certainly not last long."
"Okay..." the black-haired woman replied, before she and her friends saw the three rookie level digimon of the allied Royal Knights enter into the distortion.
"DigiMental of Wonder, up!" exclaimed Davis, while Hackmon had already digivolved to his perfect-level and Kudamon to her ultimate-level.
After the blue dragon had completed his digivolution, the three took a quick look before they left.
Everyone in the room remained silent until Gatomon exclaimed upset:
"The Homeostasis only causes problems!"
"Gatomon..." Kari calmed down on her.
"King Drasil was shut down..." Ken thoughtfully said.
"But leave a door, which allowed Alphamon to restart up again." Joe replied simply.
"In other words... The Homeostasis is not very reliable!" said Gomamon.
"You're right!" Hawkmon began to clean his feathers.
"We should not talk about Homeostasis behind hits back." T.K. defended the god.
"Why?" was Palmon's question.
"Um..." the blond-haired man looked briefly at his older brother.
But he shrugged his shoulders.
"The Homeostasis once enlightened us about the Dark Masters, or am I mistaken?" Patamon looked to his partner.
"It enlightened us about the Dark Masters." Tentomon said.
"And many times it took over Kari." Sora added.
"I don't think we can rely on the Homeostasis," Cody said thoughtfully.
"If it goes on like this, then yes." Wormmon sighed.
"It's already crossed the line several times." Izzy said: "I just completely translating the legend."
"Really?" said Davis, astonished.
"Yes." the redhead nodded, "Do you want to hear it?"
"Why are you asking?" asked Matt.
"Okay, okay." Izzy breathed deeply:
"Thirteen knights, once blessed, protected the world.
Thirteen knights, once proud, fell into an argument.
Alphamon, the leader, and Omnimon, the second-hand, started it all
The eleven knights also clashed.
Gallantmon, the Pure One, Magnamon, the Wonderful, Examon, the Dragon Emperor,
Sleipmon, the Fast, Gankoomon, the Helper, Jesmon, the Friendly,
Allies with the White.
UlforceVeedramon, the Courteous, Duftmon, the All-Knowing,
Dynasmon, the Righteous, Crusadermon, the Rose, Craniamon, The Faithfulness,
Allies with the Black.
Oh, their former protector of the world,
Now you are divided.
Evil attacks you,
and destroys you.
Now you are gone,
The world will still exist,
Even if they lost your protection."
There was a thick silence in the room. They were all immersed in thought because of the legend.
"So... uhm..." Meiko began hesitantly: "We already know... who is a Royal Knight..."
"What are you talking about, Meimei?" was Mimi's question.
"In other words. Izzy wouldn't have needed to translate the legend." Tai explained, sighing heavily.
"But I had to translate the legend," Izzy said.
"However. We now know the names of all the Royal Knights." Biyomon said.
"However, we don't know anything about the dreams of our partners..." Sora immediately destroyed the good mood.
"Maybe it's the same case like our partners who remembered that they were companions of Magnamon." Cody said.
"Do you think so, Cody?" Patamon looked at him.
"Sure." the boy smiled.
"I'm pretty sure you're also associated with a Royal Knight." Armadillomon said.
"Hm... That would explain our dreams." Gatomon sighed heavily.
"Your dreams?" Ken repeated curiously.
"Me and the others have had dreams of our previous life for a few weeks." Palmon said.
"I assume we're somehow connected to Omnimon." Tentomon added.
"Why are you thinking that?" asked Yolei.
"Tentomon and the others were able to fuse with Omnimon in the fight against Ordinemon." Joe said.
"Exactly! It was the first time we fused with anyone! It was such a great feeling!" recalled Gomamon gleefully.
"Um... Gomamon. What does this have to do with the subject now?" was Hawkmon's question.
"Not at all." T.K. replied simply.
"Are you looking for the reason why Gatomon and the others had been fusing with Omnimon?" asked Kari.
"Exactly!" Tentomon confirmed the words: "I don't think it happened for no reason."
"What makes you so sure?" Gatomon tilted her head slightly to the side.
"Nothing happens without a reason." Izzy replied: "Everything has a reason, no matter how stupid it is."
"Thank you for allowing me to sit on your shoulder." Wanyamon said.
"You're welcome. But why are you sitting on my shoulder?" asked Gallantmon, looking briefly at him.
Both Digimon travelled through the digital space to get to the Homeostasis, which had heralded a meeting between his Royal Knights.
"In the fight against Crusadermon, she left a long cut wound on hmyer right wing, so I can't fly anymore." the in-training digimon growled angrily.
"You have suffered a serious wound." the Royal Knight said.
"I couldn't do anything about it. Crusadermon had thrown Akira over the cliff..."
"In the past, you wouldn't have sacrificed yourself for someone."
"I changed. I used to follow King Drasil without hesitation or questioning him..."
"Yes... I was actually surprised that you are fighting against him."
Both then remained silent. Wanyamon was immersed in his mind. He was still very depressed by Crusadermon's death. But at least he had been able to kill her in the digital world, which allowed her to be reborn. That was at least a ray of hope. The in-training digimon also hoped that their next encounter would be more peaceful and without King Drasil. By now, Wanyamon had become really angry with the god. Not only did he force a reboot again, but also because he manipulated his long-time friend so that they fight each other.
At least in-the training digimon was glad that Akira was now safe, even though she had suffered psychological damage. Shortly after his partner woke up in her home, she immediately began to cry. Wanyamon didn't understand the situation at first, but he snuggled up to her and waited until she calmed down. She then walked with Wanyamon on her arm into the living room, where Sera greeted her happily. Then her sister started cooking her favourite food... Even as a young child, Akira liked hamburgers. Especially with a slice of bacon between cheese and salad gave the dish a delicious taste. The in-training digimon devoured a single burger with one bite. After that, he was already fed up.
"We're here." Gallantmon said when he discovered an opaque bubble.
"Huh?" Wanyamon looked at the Royal Knight in question, bewildered.
"We're here." he repeated.
"Ah yes... Excuse me... I thought..." he broke off.
"About Akira?" the white knight suspected.
"Exactly."
Gallantmon entered the bubble before the in-training digimon jumped off his shoulder and digivolved to Dynasmon.
"Wait!" shouted the white knight.
He sounded alarmed, but too late. Akira's partner digimon raced to the ground. Desperately, he tried to coordinate his wings. However, he could not do so due to the injury. Gallantmon raced after him and grabbed him by his right shoulder plate.
"Flap with your healthy wing!" he instructed him.
"I do!" shouted Dynasmon.
"Digivolve back to your in-training level!"
"Too late."
Both hit the floor. The white knight landed on top of Wanyamon's ultimate-level.
"You're too late." Sleipmon said: "You're usually on time, Gallantmon."
"Sorry." he replied, rising before Dynasmon rose.
The two ultimate-level Digimon stood in a ring of three other Royal Knights.
"So... Why exactly did the Homeostasis initiate this meeting again?" asked SaviorHackmon, who was the only one who has not yet been able to digivolve to his ultimate-level.
"We don't know." Magnamon sighed, his arms crossed.
"Hm... The Homeostasis certainly has a reason for its actions." Gallantmon said.
"Really?" Dynasmon looked at him sceptically.
"We shouldn't insult it." Sleipmon said.
"I don't care." Wanyamon's ultimate-level growled angrily: "How exactly does the Homeostasis know I'm on its side? I could also be neutral."
"You fought against two enemy Royal Knights." the white knight replied simply.
"Because I had no choice. I have no desire to support the Homeostasis in its project... I just want to protect the humans from King Drasil." Dynasmon said.
"And that's exactly what the Homeostasis wants." said the six-footed horse: /More or less.../
"I honestly don't think the Homeostasis wants to protect humans." Magnamon said.
"I know, for example, that sometimes it can be quite unique..." recalled SaviorHackmon.
"Hey, hey... You three shouldn't have such an opinion about the Homeostasis." Sleipmon replied, "It has..."
"What has it?!" Wanyamon's ultimate-level interrupted her.
"It wanted a reboot of the real world." said Meiko's partner: "I said to it not to do so, because then humanity would have-"
"Silence!" a voice interrupted SaviorHackmon.
Immediately, everyone fell silent. While Sleipmon and Gallantmon bowed, the other three looked rather furiously at the appearing glitter.
"We know you three don't have a high opinion about us..." said the Homeostasis.
"Yes... So why did you call us here again?! I would much rather be with Akira." Dynasmon growled angrily.
"Exactly! I have better things to do than waste my time here. Today, Meiko has all sorts of tempura dough." said SaviorHackmon.
Everyone then looked at him tacitly. The dragon man smiled sheepishly and stared at his feet.
"It had been a good idea to make you Meiko's partner." the god said.
"I didn't complain." SaviorHackmon replied: "I'm happy, despite or just because of my memories."
"We can see that... We are all really happy that we have partners and live with humans." Magnamon closed his eyes to show his joy.
"Back to the topic..." Wanyamon's ultimate-level raved: "Why did you call us?"
"We didn't call you." the Homeostasis said.
"Then who?" asked Gallantmon.
"Me." said one voice.
A digimon landed on the bottom of the bubble and looked back and forth between the Royal Knights with his sapphire-blue eyes.
"Omnimon!" Sleipmon exclaimed with delight: "Great that you are doing well."
The fused Digimon nodded and said:
"I called you to plan the next steps..."
"Regarding the Royal Knights?" was Gallantmon's question.
"Not only..." Omnimon closed his eyes and sighed.
"We have noticed that a dangerous digimon has fled from the Dark Ocean." the god said.
"What?!" shouted SaviorHackmon, Magnamon and Dynasmon.
"Who exactly fled?" the six-footed horse asked.
"We don't know yet." the Homeostasis replied.
"Do you know anything?!" Wanyamon's ultimate-level growled angrily.
"What we do know is that we have to stop King Drasil at all costs." Omnimon said.
"The question is how..." sighed Davis's partner digimon.
"By killing Alphamon first." the fused Digimon continued.
"Kill Alphamon..." Dynasmon laughed dryly: "How do you imagine that? With Alpha inForce, he can turn back time and then fight in such a way that he does not lose..."
"We have developed a program that will block Alphamon's ability." the god replied.
"That's..." SaviorHackmon's eyes widened with astonishment.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Gallantmon: "That would give us a chance against him..."
"But why kill him?" asked Sleipmon: "Can't we convince him to join us?"
"During my captivity..." Omnimon began: "I have learned what Alphamon is capable of. We must not let him run free. It's just like a bomb that could explode at any time."
"But that doesn't mean we have to kill him!" said the six-footed horse: "Alphamon is still our comrade and friend!"
"That's why we have to kill him." Magnamon raved: "I don't like the fact either that we have to kill Alphamon... But it's the only solution."
"Yes..." Dynasmon confirmed the words: "There is no other way..."
"Sleipmon... I understand that you don't want to kill Alphamon." Gallantmon said, "But see it that way. How are we convincing Alphamon to join us? By being reborn, the Homeostasis has the chance to free him from Piedmon's sphere."
SaviorHackmon closed his eyes. When he reopened the lids, he looked to the ground and sighed heavily.
"What is it, SaviorHackmon?" Homeostasis asked him: "You're depressed."
"Should we involve our partners in this? I don't want Meiko to be drawn into the fight." the dragon man replied: "Alphamon, the enemy Royal Knights and King Drasil are not shying away from any means... We saw that with Akira. Crusadermon had kidnapped her and nearly killed her... So is it right that we involve our partners?"
"SaviorHackmon..." said Magnamon, putting his hand on the shoulder of the said digimon: "Without our partners we are weaker than usual... I can't do anything without Davis. Dynasmon and Omnimon are stronger by their will to protect their partners."
"It is selfish that we are involving them in this fight for our own reasons... But the bond between humans and Digimon is strong." Omnimon said.
Everyone was silent.
"That is the end of the matter. You will do everything you can to kill Alphamon." the Homeostasis said, before several bright spheres parted from his glitter: "That's the program. Alphamon just needs to come in contact with it so that it can no longer use Alpha inForce."
The Royal Knights looked at each other while the Homeostasis disappeared. There was a crushing silence.
"So... Uhm... how do we use the program?" asked SaviorHackmon.
"No idea..." Magnamon said.
"Hm..." Sleipmon began to think: "Maybe we can just chase the program into Alphamon?"
She didn't sound very convincing with her proposal.
"I'd be frankly surprised if this would work..." Gallantmon said, entangling his arms in front of his breast guard.
"Maybe we should chase the program into Alphamon with a long-range attack." suggested Dynasmon, whose right wing hung powerlessly from his back.
Omnimon looked briefly at this wing.
"What exactly happened to your wing, Dynasmon?" he asked.
"Fight against Crusadermon... She had half-cut it with one of her ribbons..." he raved and could hardly suppress a growl.
"Can you even fly with it?" was the dragon man's question.
"No..." replied Guilmon's ultimate-level: "He can't."
"That would mean..." the eyes of the six-footed horse widened: "You are extremely limited in future fights."
"I'd even say he can't fight..." Davis' partner sighed heavily.
"What do you want to say, Shorty?!" Wanyamon's ultimate-level growled angrily.
"Shorty?!" Magnamon repeated: "Hey! I may be short, but I don't need wings to fly! Unlike you... Half of your fighting style is based on flight..."
"Silence!" the fused Digimon shouted: "Dynasmon, Magnamon! Stop arguing."
"These squabbles drove us apart 10,000 years ago..." Gallantmon reminded them.
"I know that we are stressed because of King Drasil and our former comrades, but we have to cooperate with each other!" continued Omnimon.
Dynasmon suppressed an angry growl and looked to the side. Davis' partner, on the other hand, stared to the ground and muttered an apology.
"We really should separate again. You four..." Sleipmon said to the partners of the humans: "Should return to your partners. I and Gallantmon will continue to try to find out King Drasil's hideout."
"Okay..." Magnamon sighed, nodding his head: "Davis will be worried."
"So will be Akira..." said Wanyamon's ultimate-level.
"And Meiko!" added SaviorHackmon.
"Good." Guilmon's ultimate-level nodded decisively: "Let's separate now..."
"Yeah..." Omnimon let his gaze wander between them all: "I'm going back to Tai and Matt... They certainly missed me very much."
"They have." said the dragon man: "They have..."