Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon and I am sure you are tired of seeing this disclaimer, but nevertheless.
No more separate notes. Enjoy the Chapter.
Chapter Eleven: Gennai's Hunt
Gennai's face twisted into a sadistic grin as Takeru glared at him. He heard from Taichi about what had happened to Daigo and how the crazed digital entity blew up an entire lab. He never knew what had happened to him after the fight with Ordinemon, but knew he must have been lurking out there somewhere on the net like an internet stalker waiting for his next prey.
"Now, now," he said waggling his finger at him. "That was my servant name. I go by Apotheosis now," he grinned.
"Apotheosis?" Takeru said a little unsettled. "A man who attempts to become god huh? Do you think Homeostasis would allow you to carry such aspirations? There's no way she would ever let that happen!"
"Well," he replied glancing down at the darkly Patamon, "She doesn't have a choice. You see Takeru she may have control over digital entities, but, much like herself if a digital entity possesses a flesh and blood human and controls them then a digital entity no longer has to follow the light or the darkness. It can be free to be it's own master, choosing whatever it wishes," he grinned.
Takeru placed his hand over his heart, feeling it beat within him. "So that's why you're here," he said. "I'm your target."
"Bingo!" he said pretending to shoot him with an imaginary gun. "After you pests defeated Ordinemon our dear goddess found King Yggdrasil and put an end to him. I escaped of course into the dark web," he chuckled, "But I still desired to cause your world chaos. I dabbled in the idea of using Daemon in the dark ocean or the rebooted Diaboromon next, but, then I learned much to my displeasure that even King Yggdrasil was a servant to a digimon of terrifying power called Terrormon! Oh the horror!" he exclaimed putting his hands on his head and shouting out laughing afterwards.
"You see Takeru," he said, his grinning demented face beaming, "I was nothing more than a servant to a servant of darkness! Not darkness itself! So I decided," he said, placing one hand over his chest, "To no longer take a side. Using my connections I would become a digital god like Homeostasis and be above the petty squabbles between the two. I would no longer be a pathetic servant! So then I just had to figure out how."
"And?" Takeru said, still quite unsure how to handle this situation. "What does this have to do with me?"
"Oh, that!" he said smacking his hand over his head. "Using my connections to the past with Homeostasis and being familiar with how she operates I discovered information about something called the digital record. Upon researching it, I learned I myself could not use it, as I also am restricted from even touching it. You could say I am on the no fly list," he cackled. "Though I could not utilize the digital record in it's current state I was able to mess up Homeostasis's dimension somehow by messing with the binary code. With my tampering I unwittingly nearly released a powerful digimon thought to have been destroyed a long time ago named Fiermon. He told me he was sending out his servant Harbingermon to begin his own diabolical plan, and, if I wished to reap the rewards to wait inside the record. While he caused havoc I would slip on in and wait for my chance," he said taking a look around as if everything had fallen into place.
"I felt intrigued, but would not be used again by the forces of darkness or light. So, when I let him loose while Homeostasis dealt with the damage he was causing I rearranged my own code and snuck inside, waiting for the day the record could be used so I could control whoever was using it."
Takeru could barely believe what Gennai was telling him, but it did make a lot of sense.
"So did Fiermon then tell you of what would happen?"
Gennai grinned back. "Clever young man," he complimented. "Yes he did. He told me in order to protect the digital record eventually she would deposit it most likely into a digidestined, and, that digidestined would eventually be the vessel if it ever became the antithesis of itself."
Takeru shuddered at those words, instantly remembering Homeostasis saying them. "No," he said gripping his fist, his knuckles turning a pale white.
A curious glint lit up in Gennai's eye like a lighter about ready to set a building smothered in oil on fire. "Oh? So you have heard that before?" he said grinning, his teeth clenched excitedly, licking his lips.
Takeru tried to stand firm, but felt his resolve waning.
"You might as well just let it be all over for you," he said regaining his composure and walking behind him snickering wickedly. "After all, you don't have that much time anyway. It's almost over."
"What's almost over Gennai?" Takeru asked not daring to make any sudden movements.
"You will call me Apotheosis worm!" he snarled, snapping his fingers.
At that moment, a black thick darkness poured out of the crest of hope above him onto Patamon.
"No!" he cried running over towards it. "Patamon!"
He breathed out through his mouth through his teeth, fighting back the frustration burning within him. "Patamon is my digimon," he swallowed painfully. "I won't let him fall into darkness!"
At that moment Gennai bent down towards him and flicked him in the forehead."YOU. HYPOCRITE," he frowned. "Takeru, don't you see? This darkness you see covering Patamon? It's all been caused by you! Your body is now the antithesis to yourself! There's not a shred of hope left in you!" he laughed.
Takeru gripped his fist, irritated, but terrified as well of Gennai and whatever force was taking over Patamon.
The darkness seemed to pour on stronger, a fierce dark light overcoming Patamon. He thought that Patamon would be struggling against it, but no, he seemed to be relishing it, his teeth getting jagged sharp, his eyes, sharper and pointier, and his body had tinted down to a deep gray.
"What is happening to you?!" Takeru said desperately. "I never wanted this Patamon!" he exclaimed. "I don't want to see you change! Don't digivolve into darkness! Patamon! Buddy! I know this isn't you! I don't want to see you go!"
Patamon looked at him and grinned with a sharp toothy smile. "But I do," he groaned deeply, the shadows enveloping him, changing him.
"Right on time!" Gennai explained walking over to Takeru.
He winced as Patamon changed, his childhood fears realized, personified into the terrifying creation that terrified his early childhood days. Hooves transfigured into outstretched limber arms with claws, the tips piercing out of the hooves. Innocent fluttering wings turned into nightmarish scions of doom, and the reddish eyes blossomed into blood red crimson seeking to kill and dismember. In a painful blur, all the memories of Angemon's decimation came back as Devimon reappeared, the crown of winged fury adorning his head in the form of pointed imposing horns.
Takeru could not take his eyes off of him unable to believe Patamon could truly dark digivolve into such a terrifying monster. He grabbed his wrist with one of his arms, trying his best to stop himself from shaking. This was more horrifying than the first time, even more so than seeing him in the dark ocean, and, lastly the time he came back because of Gennai, Magna Angemon fighting the savage demonic beast, but unfortunately losing.
Gennai walked over to him and felt his pulse, his bizarre touch setting him on edge.
"Perfect," he said bending down towards his ear. "But this is not yet the end. Takeru, you've become the personification of despair," he giggled. "And now that despair will devour you. It will find Hikari, devour her to, and Homeostasis will be no more. I will control both you and the digital record!" he said excitedly. "Then I will be the only god. You will bow before Apotheosis!" he shouted cackling maniacally, as Devimon changed in appearance.
His form changed to a more demonic entity, with sharper claws, fangs, and more jagged wings, but immediately after in the dark light he digivolved once more to what could have only been mega level. His mouth became more jagged and longer, as if he had become more of an unholy demonic monster rather than an emissary of darkness. It's body became more rigid and sharper, claws and slits of dark pieces of itself piercing out of it's skin as if it was clothing, but not clothing.
Those razor like eyes turned even more craftier, more blood thirsty as the slits seemed to focus solely around Takeru. He felt ensnared by them as if the dark digimon had him in his sites to hunt him down.
"Well, what do you think?" Gennai chuckled. "You thought Devimon was terrifying? Try Patamon's dark mega form Devoiremon!"
The name unsettled Takeru hardly able to believe this creature had once been Patamon. He felt helpless, his legs feeling like lead.
"The cruel irony of this is," Gennai said one hand reaching out to him, "Is that this is truly how you feel. You will be eaten by your own digimon! Truly this must be the pinnacle of that quote "Food for thought!" He exclaimed as if he had totally lost it.
"Now go Devoiremon!" he commanded. "Devour him, so I can possess his body and become a Digital God!"
Devoiremon lifted up his enlarged feet, curved bloody claws at the end of them. He stomped over to him, a whipping tail coming from behind him, scraping the floor.
With every motion towards him, Takeru felt even more ensnared. Fear overwhelmed him pouring down the sides of his cheek, barely able to stop himself from losing it.
"I can't be doing this," he said to himself, remembering about his buddy. "Patamon, you really are hope in my life," he said reflecting on his memories. "Whenever I felt sad or cried you always comforted me. You helped me see myself as a child, but looking at you and seeing how you were like me I learned how to grow up and have hope for the future," he said becoming even more calm as Devoiremon approached him.
His snarling breath loomed over him, sharp teeth ready to maul him, drool falling from his mouth.
"It's not all gone," he smiled. "Even now, it might look bad buddy, but I know you are there," he said terrified, but hopeful. "It's not over," he said, the jaws of death ready to come down on him.
"What melodramatic theatrics are you spewing there?" Gennai called out curiously. "Is this not but the tragic last glimpse of hope? You are but a glint in the eye, and nothing more. Now hurry and close your eyes. It's my turn to take center stage," he leered.
Takeru found himself smiling staring at the demented form in front of him becoming less and less afraid, but even more trusting in the potential of what lie ahead.
"It's still there," he said, the jaws overshadowing him. "It's not over. There is still hope," he said anxiously. "Hikari, I know it's there!" he shouted. "There is still hope!"
He watched horrified as the jaws rushed down over him to clamp down.
"Patamon!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
In that instant a flurry of barrages seemed to irritate Devoiremon, who leapt out of the way.
In the absence of his shadow, a familiar friend shot over to him, Takeru unable to believe it.
Those carefree wings and the blue eyes were a welcoming sight. His smiled curved making his heart leap for joy.
Patamon!" he exclaimed rushing forward and hugging him.
"Takeru," he replied rumbling around in his arms. "Too hard, you're kind of smushing me again!" he giggled.
Takeru found himself laughing to.
"You should probably let go of me now though," he recommended, Takeru not feeling him move around anymore. "Takeru, it's about to get serious and I don't want you to get hurt," he said, Takeru noticing him a bit hesitant the way his body tensed up. "If you die here Takeru you won't have your body anymore. But don't worry I will protect you," he said determinedly. "But while I am doing that you have to escape. You've got to find Hikari and the power to take over your own body again."
Takeru nodded his head. "I understand Patamon," he said pulling him up so he looked him in the eye. "I know you'll defeat him."
Patamon grinned, Takeru trusting him. "You better get going," he said. "I'll catch up with you Takeru."
"Ok," he said. "I won't give up Patamon. I will see you again," he said turning around, his shoulders feeling the burden of his responsibility, not only to Hikari, Patamon, the other digidestined and the world, but so much more to himself. Now he had to do all in his power to fight for his very soul. "I will reclaim myself! He said determined, facing the long spiraling tower twisting and turning as the battle between hope and despair raged behind him.
Takeru panted, his lungs feeling as if they would explode, a surreal experience even within himself. The ruckus of attacks from before shook the tower as he had ran down it. He wondered how the other Takeru's could have been so fast, but they seemed to reappear at the base after he left the tower.
"Where did you guys go?" he asked. "You missed it. Patamon became a dark digimon, but another Patamon came to my rescue," he said panting catching his breath.
"Hey, take it easy," the other Takeru said from adolescence. "You've got to relax for a minute."
"We don't have time for that," he replied wiping perspiration from his forehead. "We have to find Hikari. If we can't, then Gennai will take over this body we're in. He will wipe us out of existence," he shuddered, thinking about it.
The little TK nodded. "I gotcha. Let's just walk and talk then. Maybe we'll be able to figure out where she is."
Takeru stood up feeling a little better, rubbing TK's head knowing he himself hated it, TK also making a frustrated face towards him. "That sounds like a plan," he said, "But if we're walking we need a destination."
"Just anywhere but my mom's place," the middle aged Takeru said. "Having just her at my house would not be possible and it would be uncomfortable."
Takeru grinned placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll have the guts one day to tell you how you feel," he said. "And trust me, you never have to be awkward around her you know? She always makes things so much lighter and fun to!"
The little Takeru caught up grabbing Takeru's shirt. "Isn't their some place that the two of you just loved going to? Maybe she's there?"
Takeru turned away looking around him at his environment. "Hmmm," he said, the gears in his mind turning, thinking about her and her memories. Not too long ago, he really started enjoying going to the ice cream shop with her, and lo and behold, it happened to be nearly in the center of the town.
"All right, I've decided." he said. "We're going for ice cream."
The three Takeru's walked focused, but TK could not hold back his excitement to enjoy some tasty flavors. Somewhere out their Gennai was stalking them, but hopefully the older Takeru thought that they would find some answers to Hikari's location so he could control himself once more.
"Oh boy!" The little Takeru exclaimed grinning from ear to ear. "I love ice cream! How about you Takeru?"
"Um," he said, "A little hesitant. I do enjoy it quite a bit."
"No need to hold back," Takeru said wrapping his arm around him and prodding him forward. "Maybe she'll be inside!"
By the time the three Takeru's arrived, Takeru himself felt even more uncertain.
With no one around they all helped themselves to the ice cream of his memories, TK happy as a clam and the other Takeru a bit puzzled like him.
"You know," he said, tapping one foot on the table and staring out the window, "I think this place contains more than just Hikari and Patamon, but I'm not quite sure what it is. The school had something to, but it doesn't seem like it would help at all."
Takeru stared at his younger self a little puzzled. "You're thinking too hard about this," he smiled. "I do think you might be on to something though. And you to Takeru," he smiled turning towards him, the young boy with ice cream all over his face.
"Yeah, it's too bad Hikari did not turn out to be here," TK sighed. "I would think she would be in a happy place like this you know?"
The teen Takeru dropped his spoon and just stared at the table. "Guys," he said, "What if we are looking at this all wrong?"
His words resonated with Takeru, who immediately knew from the look in his eyes that he might have something there.
"Tell me more," Takeru said. "What do you mean?"
"Well," he said, "I think you're hiding things from us. And we can't see the full picture unless you tell us," he said. "If you're the same person as me and TK here then you know things that me and him don't. So we might be going together on all of this to find Hikari, but we're fragmented.
Takeru in that instant took a breath, grinning feeling like a fool. "Boy, you got me there," he said. "Takeru you're smarter than I used to give you credit for," he admitted. "I might have been too lighthearted for awhile," he confessed, "And I stopped thinking critically a lot because that would just cause me pain," he admitted, pushing away his ice cream.
"Well you can't beat yourself up about it!" the little Takeru said pointing at the two of them with his spoon. "So come on! Tell us what you know!"
Takeru felt a bit hesitant, but he shared with them everything he knew. From the creation of all of the memories making the world to the search for Hikari and repairing Takeru's brokenness so that he could personify hope and become integrated with the digital record.
The other Takeru's looked at him entranced, but then both seemed a little frustrated with him which seemed puzzling.
"What do you mean we're broken?" TK asked. "I'm smart you know. I can do things by myself and take care of myself, and can even get myself out trouble!" he exclaimed. "I'm not broken!"
Takeru held his hands up as if trying to calm him down. "That's just what I was told," he said. "I don't see why you are getting so offended Take-"
The other Takeru slammed the table catching Takeru's attention. "How could you not be offended?" he asked. "You believed that if you could just hold out long enough everything would work out in the end. Even years after Mom and Dad divorced you still held out optimistically thinking one day we would all be one happy family," he said incredulously. "You saying we're broken makes that into a lie! A lie!" he said angrily, getting up from the table, nearly having lost it.
His angry younger self really pricked something in Takeru's heart. He placed his hand over it, the pain slightly aching. "So then," he said, reflecting on his words, "Why don't we go to that place you don't want to go Takeru?" he said not even looking at them. "To that place you were afraid to go to for most of your life!"
"There's no need!" the little Takeru said pouting. "If I go in there I will get into trouble and I don't want to see my mom mad and-"
-A slurping sound like lips smacking startled Takeru, and from the looks of the others them as well.
He twisted his neck looking around looking to where the sound had been coming from. It continued, Takeru climbing over the table looking at the stall on the other side.
His spine shuddered, realizing the slurping fiend had been Gennai.
"When did you get here?!" the teen Takeru exclaimed.
"This is bad guys!" TK added, also very worried.
Gennai calmly continued eating and slurping his ice cream, licking his lips not even looking at them, a smug grin on his face.
"Your childhood memories are delicious," he said turning towards them. "But I don't think it would be right of me to have it all myself," he said. "So I'm going to share your childhood memories with my dear friend," he said, his eyes locked onto the vulnerable TK. "Time to chow down Devoiremon."
Upon his words, glass shattered as Takeru turned to the window, Devoiremon breaking through reaching out to TK, but Takeru grabbed him pulling him back.
"I won't let you get my friend," TK said. "Patamon's'-"
"-Toast," Gennai calmly replied still eating. "We wrapped up not too long ago. He's gone," he said, his mouth full, the words insulting to Takeru to even speak about him like that.
"That's a lie!" TK exclaimed. "Patamon would never lose to creeps like you guys!" he exclaimed.
"Then where is he?" he asked, still eating. "This Patamon of your-"
"Right here!" TK exclaimed, fearful but believing as he stared at Devoiremon. With that, in a blinding light, Patamon emerged from little TK's heart.
"Good to see you buddy!" he exclaimed, Takeru even more puzzled to see this bizarre sight.
"Let's get him TK!" Patamon said, his partner nodding his head. With that in a minuscule light Patamon digivolved into Angemon.
"Auuuugh!" Gennai screamed standing up, his hands on his head. "It's so bright!" he exclaimed, Takeru feeling slightly relieved. Somehow little TK must have done something to cause him discomfort.
"Brain Freeeeeeze!" he exclaimed, Takeru's heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, realizing the sinister digital entity had only been taunting them.
With a mighty yell Angemon brought down his staff upon Devoiremon, Devoiremon holding it firmly in control.
"Oh no!" TK exclaimed. "Angemon, you've got to attack!"
"I'm trying TK," he groaned, Takeru noticing him struggling. It really seemed hopeless. Angemon was a champion digimon. Devoiremon was a mega. Unless he digivolved to mega he did not have a chance.
"Come on buddy" TK cheered. "Get that stupid monster!"
As if encouraged by him, Angemon called out his hand of fate attack at a close range, clipping Devoiremon's cheek, only a slight bruise appearing on the side of his cheek.
"It's not working!" teen Takeru panicked. "We've got to get out of here!"
"You guys go ahead!" TK said bravely, Takeru wanting to just kidnap him and race away, but something felt different.
"I'm not scared of monster's like him," he said, an odd smile on his face, that, to Takeru did not seem right.
"This isn't hope," he muttered. "What is that look on your face TK?" he said to himself.
"Not so fast!" Gennai's voice said distracting him, TK's back shirt clenched in his fist.
"Hey!" TK exclaimed, his feet kicking out frantically against him. "Let me go! Let me go!" he exclaimed. "Angemon help!" he cried.
"TK!" him and his teen self shouted.
"Do you see that TK?" Gennai said to him kindly as he turned him towards Angemon and Devoiremon.
Devoiremon had Angemon pinned to the wall, his claw pressed against him. Angemon seemed to struggle just trying his best to keep himself from being dissolved.
"No Angemon!" TK cried. "You've got to digivolve!"
Angemon groaned and grunted, but nothing came of it. "I'm sorry TK," he said. "I just can't," he said, his voice hesitant. "I'm sorry TK," he smiled, Takeru noticing he had the same reaction Takeru had earlier.
Devoiremon opened his mouth and unleashed some sort of dark flame upon Angemon, Angemon not even crying out as he dissolved into digital particles.
"Angemon!" TK bawled. "No Angemon!"
Takeru watched on, Gennai and Devoiremon in complete control over the situation. No matter what he could do, he knew there was no way to save his childhood self from those monsters.
"Now where we?" Gennai said grinning in TK's face. "Bye bye TK," he snickered, his face like a nightmare Takeru desperately wanted to escape from.
TK cried out desperately in agony as Devoiremon lifted him up to his jaws.
"No!"Takeru cried. "TK!"
With one final cry, Devoiremon chomped down on his head and neck, his body going limp. It then started pulling his body forward with his teeth, his backpack falling on the way side, his body vanishing, mangled up in the digimon's jaws.
"Down the hatch!" Gennai yelled playfully, mimicking downing a beverage.
Takeru stared on at the carnage, the blood stained backpack on the ground, the only thing left of his childhood self. He felt as if something started to pull in his heart as if taking something away from him. All of his memories as his childhood self slipped away from him as if tainted, poisoned, and had to be discarded. He clutched his sides tearing as if he had lost a part of himself.
"Awwe," Gennai consoled. "Such a shame. You lost your childhood innocence and wonder," he snickered. "It's mine now. And everything else associated with it!" he exclaimed his hand stretched towards the window.
As if struck by a devastating earthquake any structure associated with his childhood memories turned gray as if they were living entities that had just passed away and then crumbled into pieces.
"Timbeeeeer!" he called out, Takeru not knowing how to process this despair he felt in his heart.
His teen self shouted out in agony, collapsing to his knees, staring at the ground. "He's gone," he said shivering. "Little TK is-"
"-No he's not!" TK snapped, an angry fire stirring within him, his desperation opposing Gennai's malicious confident stare.
"Takeru!" you've got to listen to me," he said, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him. "We're all connected together. As long as I am here then we still have a chance!" he shouted hoping to get through to him. "Don't you get that? We're still alive! There's still hope!"he said, his voice breaking. "Don't you ever forget that!" he said forcing him up on his feet, putting his hands on his shoulders.
His gestures seemed to stir his teen self, who also developed a glint of hope in his eyes. "You're right,' he said staring back, grimacing over the loss of TK. "We've got to go."
Takeru hesitantly pulled through his grief losing his friend and started to race away with his teen self.
"Oh by the way!" Gennai said, Takeru turning around. "go ahead and run!" he shouted. "Nothing is more satisfying than the thrill of the hunt!" he chuckled.
He grabbed his other self and raced forward streaming out the door, Gennai's voice shrieking in his head:
"You can run, but you can't hide!"