The sudden appearance of Dark Kari, along with her betrayal and execution of Dark Tagiru, had changed the hope and joyous mood of the Digi-heroes' victory and turned it back into caution and anxiety.
With their enemies gone for the time being, the Royal Knights went to work, shoring up the city's defenses and making sure their forces were ready for the next time their foes struck.
Meanwhile, the Digi-heroes, Appli Drivers and Shadowknight reported back to the DATS Tower, greeted by the welcoming warmth of their friends, with Sora rushing and wrapping her arms around Tai, Jeri coming to Takato's embrace and Kari burying her head into Davis' chest, who wrapped his arms around her, while whispering tenderly into her ear 'Thank you'.
Later on, the group of heroes, minus Davis, many thinking he was back in the medical wing and resting after his battles, were in the mess hall, all sitting in various chairs around the main table, each lost in thought about their foes, particularly the Fusion Fighters, who had just faced and defeated their dark counterparts.
Well, most were in thought, while Tagiru and Gumdramon both had content looks on their faces, the sight causing Airu to get a little annoyed as she looked at them and all but yelled. "What's wrong with you two?! Aren't you even a little disturbed by what we just faced?"
"No, not really." Tagiru replied with a smile, causing the others to look at him as he explained. "Going up against that dark imposter was a challenge, but he taught me two things. First off, we can fight back. So long as we have hope, we can stop all the darkness. And second, I see just how much you all mean to me."
From the later of his words, Airu's anger faded, turning to confusion as she just stared at the Superstar, allowing him to explain his second sentence.
"That Tagiru was a freak. He was selfish, cruel and manipulative, all terrible qualities I could've inherited if I didn't have you guys to keep me on the right path." Tagiru then said with a continued and more sincere smile, causing the others to blink in surprise as they took in his words.
Nodding his head in reply, though proud of Tagiru and Gumdramon, Mikey looked up at the ceiling as he thought about his counterpart, where the Red General spoke his mind.
"We've faced some pretty tough battles, but facing my darkness is one of the toughest things I've ever had to do." Mikey confessed, looking by his side and to Shoutmon, who said back. "It's hard to imagine you in such a dark role. I can't even begin to imagine what the Dark King did to that Mikey to turn him into one with such a dark heart."
"Sadly, I don't think he did anything, from the way they acted and talked, it sounded like our counterparts were like that when he found them." Dorulumon commented, before adding. "It just shows that not every version of us out there can be the good guys."
"Each of them represented our darker sides, and that's why the Dark King brought them here, to show that we can be just as dark as him, that we can't judge him so easily." Christopher then said, leaving the group silent once again, while most of the Digidestined found themselves thinking about something else.
"That... thing, Ahriman... that was..." Yolei started to say, finding herself unable to really put into words how she felt, a feeling most of the others felt as they remembered his taunting remarks.
"Izzy, what was he talking about when he said you never knew your parents?" Tommy asked in confusion, trying to be polite about an obviously sensitive subject, while causing the others to look upon the Digidestined of Knowledge.
"I don't know how he knew that, apart from Tai and the others, I never told anyone..." Izzy started to say, his confusion and concerns growing with his deepening thoughts, before the doors to the kitchen opened, causing the group to look and see Davis and a few Mamemon bringing in trays of food for everyone, apparently having cooked while they were all waiting.
"Either your counterpart or another version of you somewhere might have mentioned it." Davis theorized as he put a tray on the table, adding with a serious look. "His fragments are all connected. It's not like they are individuals, they're literally a part of him, I could feel it when he talked to us."
Blinking in surprise, Kazu was the first to speak, telling Davis with clear concern. "Dude, we love your cooking, but you need to relax, you more than any of us."
"It's ok. I'm a lot tougher with this ascended power backing me up." Davis replied with a more assuring tone, looking amongst the various Digi-heroes in the mess hall with a continued smile.
"Besides, this helps me relax, so dig in." The maroon haired Digidestined added invitingly as he moved to sit beside Kari, Gatomon and Veemon, with the others just shrugging as they quickly moved to dig into the meals, their mouths watering at yet another delicious meal the Digidestined of Miracles had prepared for them.
As the years went by, Davis had continued in his dream to open his chain of noodle carts, with the Digidestined of Courage and Friendship expanding his skills in cooking and making meals for those close to him, which they had come to love, with even Digitamamon begging Davis to come cook for his restaurant every now and then.
Even Astora and Musimon decided to play their own role in helping Davis with his dream, with the duo doing a few of his Apptube videos that have been aired in the various cities in the Digital World, adding to the maroon haired Digidestined's popularity, with many commenters asking for the recipes, to meet the Digidestined of Miracles and so forth.
Looking around, both Azumi and Pulsemon looked on with confusion as they saw how many of them, Digimon, Appmon and human alike, dug into the food before them like it was the greatest thing they had ever had in their lives, with the raven haired girl wondering if it was really that good of food.
"I know you've got a lot on your mind, but just try it." Terriermon spoke up, causing Azumi and Pulsemon to look over the table, seeing Henry's partner stuffing an entire rice ball down his mouth, while Henry laughed nervously at his partner's comments and his actions.
Looking at one another, Azumi and Pulsemon shrugged their shoulders, before each taking a rice ball themselves and taking a small bite into them, their eyes widening as the flavours filled their senses.
"Oh, my god, this is so good!" Azumi let out with sparkles in her eyes after she swallowed.
"If this is food, what have I been eating all this time?" Pulsemon questioned, wondering how food could taste this good.
Chuckling at the pair's reaction, the group fell back into a comforting silence, before Mikey remembered something and looked at Davis, saying in a sincere voice. "By the way, thanks for your help out there. We would have been toast if you hadn't showed up."
"No problem, I just couldn't let you guys fight on your own, not when they're after me, and I could do something about it." Davis commented in reply, with a few not liking the idea of Davis being out in the open like he was, but knew that, had the roles been reversed, they would feel the same.
"Yeah, and the way you reached out to us was super cool! It was almost poetic." Starmon declared, getting cheers of agreement from the Pickmon and the others who formed Shoutmon X7, remembering how Davis seemed to manifest in their Digi-core and empower them.
Davis blinked in confusion at hearing this, before replying. "I did? All I remember was trying to reach out to you guys, and it felt like I did."
"A part of you lives on in each of them, helping them as needed in these dark times." Izael said from the table near the group, the older TK and Shadowknight sitting next to him as the Light Being continued in his words. "It's no different then when Kari reached out to you during the battle as well."
"Yeah, that did feel different..." Gumdramon commented as he remembered the strange feeling of power he obtained before his Digi-fusion with Quartzmon's Digi-Egg.
"Yeah, thanks for that, by the way." Tagiru then said to Kari, who blushed a little, feeling as though she didn't do too much.
"Thanks, but... I feel like I could've done more." The Digidestined of Light confessed, looking down for a moment, before adding with a determined voice. "I need to do more."
"You will. We'll help you unlock your ascended powers in due time." Izael told Kari, before adding in a serious tone. "Rest assured, they won't stop, and things will get much worse before the end."
Izael's warning caused the group to return to silence, unsure what was going to happen next when their enemy would strike at them again.
-Meanwhile-
"I knew they were all weak, pathetic. Let me have a go, I'll crush them, then drag Davis and Kari's broken bodies before you!" The Dark Tai let out as he and Machinedramon stood amongst the other dark counterparts, standing before the Dark King and Witch Queen.
"With your temper you'll probably mess things up." The Dark Izzy countered in a neutral voice, causing the Dark Tai to growl at him, with dark miasma spewing out of his mask's air filters.
"The decision is mine, not yours, as to who I send next." Dark Davis said in a calm voice, but one with just enough of an edge to keep his servants in line, less they set him off and suffer his wrath.
"If I may." Dark Rika then cut in as she moved in front of the group, bowing lightly to her current Master and Mistress, where the former Tamer offered. "They are currently tired and disoriented. Let us send in those they cannot destroy to finish them."
The group then turned to the Dark Legendary Warriors, who stood behind them, the group with blank looks upon their faces as they awaited their command, causing the Dark King and Witch Queen to look at one another, both grinning wickedly.
"A very good idea, my servant." The Dark King remarked as he rose from his throne, with Dark Rika bowing lightly, not caring as the others glared at her from behind, before the Dark Davis looked at the corrupt Warriors.
"Go, wipe out anyone in your path, and bring their Davis and Kari to me!" The Dark King commanded, his voice echoing throughout the throne room, where the Dark Legendary Warriors seemed to come to life, each letting out dark, inhuman shrieks as they turned into shadows and flew out the throne room, leaving those who knew what the heroes were in for to smile wickedly at the battle to come.
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Author's Note: One battle finished, another about to begin. Those who have read my past stories have an idea of what to expect. Can the heroes really defeat what's not really alive? A short chapter, but get ready for another big battle. Tune in to see.