Author's note: Sorry for the late update. I had school and then a smal concusion because of a stupid horse that was not trained and the ignorance of the horse's owner who did not listen to me then I said that my horse should go first because he is the calmest horse in the group.
Whatever. I am fine now and here is the chapter. Hope you like it. ^^
Chapter 40 – The search: part 2
Phoenixmon's eyes scanned the area as she flew through the air with Sora and Meiko on her back and SaviorHackmon next to her. They didn't know that they shouldn't attack DexDorugoramon. Neither DigiDestined had a communication device such as Davis, Yolei, Cody, T.K. and Kari, which was also used to store the DigiMentals. However, only the red-brown-haired man used these Mentals, because the others could no longer use them.
The black-haired woman sighed and looked at her hands, which had burrowed into the feathers of the phoenix.
"Is something wrong, Meiko?" her partner asked her.
"I just wonder if the others are doing well." she said.
"Honestly, I'm more worried that we don't have a chance against DexDorugoramon." Phoenixmon said before flapping her wings again.
"Why?" was SaviorHackmon's question: "It's not because I can't digivolve to my ultimate-level yet."
"But. You are the weakest partner of all of us at the moment... But don't take it badly, SaviorHackmon. Before you were reborn, you were very strong... but now..."
"Hey!" he exasperated: "I'm glad I was reborn. My life before was marked by loneliness."
"Loneliness..." Phoenixmon repeated when she recalled that before she met Omnimon in her previous life, she was also very lonely.
"You were lonely?" Sora asked him.
"To watch as the original DigiDestined defeated the Dark Masters, as you had defeated Devimon, Etemon, Myotismon, the Dark Masters and Apocalymon... Let my loneliness only increase." explained the dragon man with a heavy sigh: "Then the Homeostasis had the idea that in order to free me from my loneliness, I should get a human partner. But King Dasil had created Meicoomon... Then she became Meiko's partner, not me."
"Did you know that Gennai was Alphamon?"
"Not until just before my death."
"But you're no longer alone," Meiko said cheerfully.
"I know. I'm also very grateful for that," he said to his partner.
Sora had to start smiling at the encouragement. The two understood each other very well as if they had been together for a long time just like her and Phoenixmon. If she was already thinking about her partner...
After the reboot by King Drasil she had been very arrogant. But Sora had also rushed things, as she was very attached to her partner. Luckily, she got used to it again, allowing her to digivolve to her ultimate-level. After she also received her old memories, which were stored in Meicoomon, and Ordinemon was defeated, she had often apologized to Sora for her outrageous behaviour. However, her partner was a very friendly person and accepted her apologies.
"Phoenixmon." her partner said.
"Yes?" the phoenix looked at her briefly.
"I'm glad you're my partner."
"I'm just as glad you're my partner."
Both laughed cheerfully and Sora stroked Phoenixmon over her back. The golden bird closed her eyes briefly and sighed contentedly. She always liked to take her partner through the air, which was already the case when she could only digitize to her adult level, Birdramon.
"There's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time, Sora." Meiko began.
"Yes?" she looked over her shoulder at the black-haired woman.
"Were you in love with Tai?"
Sora stared briefly at her partner's back. She didn't like to remember it. She and Tai would have been better friends than starting a relationship that had been doomed to failure from the start. Both were good friends and often supported each other, but they also often argued about small things. Kari's brother always had a different opinion than her and the relationship eventually broke down.
"Yes. However, we once argued so badly that we ended our relationship." Phoenixmon's partner explained.
"If you don't mind what were you arguing about?" asked Meiko.
"Tai had given me a hair clip."
"And that's why you argued?" was Phoenixmon's question.
Her face was expressionless.
"Yes. Hey! I was in puberty." Sora defended herself.
"To argue about a hair clip..." Meiko said dryly: "I would always be happy about a gift..."
"The hair clip looked extremely ugly..." she said.
"I would also be upset about such a gift... But Tai would never give me such a gift..."
"Matt doesn't either."
The two DigiDestined began to laugh happily. Meanwhile, SaviorHackmons' eyes caught something.
"Look out!" he shouted, before dodging a green ray of energy.
Phoenixmon also dodged and flew higher. She picked up fire in her mouth and shot it at DexDorugoramon. When he was engulfed in a swarm of flames, the dragon man raced to the enemy and attacked him.
"Trident Saber!" he shouted, attacking the purple dragon with his red blades, while DexDorugoramon was still struggling with Phoenixmon's attack.
The purple dragon freed itself from the fire and hit with its tail ball to SaviorHackmon, who had already risen into the air again.
/With OC Generics I could defeat it... But I still can't digivolve to my ultimate-level to Jesmon.../, he thought: /Damn.../
The phoenix fell in a dive, while the two people cramped on their backs.
"Phoenixmon!" screamed Sora.
Shortly before her partner reached DexDorugoramon, she stretched out her claws and threw it on her back. The golden bird flew high into the air. SaviorHackmon joined in and observed the situation... The purple dragon farded as it rose up and looked up to the four.
"Phoenixmon..." her partner moaned: "The next time you attack someone, please let us down beforehand."
"Sorry." said the phoenix as she narrowed her eyes.
DexDorugoramon seemed to want to carry out the next attack. Phoenixmon rushed sharply to the left. However, this came as such a surprise to Meiko that she could no longer hold on in time and fell off Phoenixmon's back. Sora tried to grab her by the wrist, but she wasn't fast enough.
"Meiko!" shouted SaviorHackmon, running after her.
She fell from a dizzying height towards the ground and rowed helplessly with her arms as she screamed in fear.
Meanwhile, the purple dragon began to gather energy in its mouth, which it shot at the black-haired man in a green laser.
/Damn it!/, it raced through the dragon man's head when he noticed the attack.
Why couldn't he digivolve to his ultimate-level now? Then he could summon Por, Atho and René, the energetic beings who always accompanied him as Jesmon, and command them to protect his partner. He would also be able to overpower and defeat DexDorugoramon with OC Generics. But since he couldn't evolve to his ultimate-level, he couldn't do anything. Suddenly a red flash came in and took Meiko with it. The laser shot past the lightning and into the sky, missing it by mere inches. The black-haired rescuer placed herself in front of Phoenixmon, while SaviorHackmon flew by her side.
"Thank you, Sleipmon." the dragon man said with relief, before turning to his partner and asking, "Are you doing well, Meiko?"
Her mouth was completely dry and she had to swallow several times before she spoke:
"Y-yes..."
There was still the shock of free fall in her.
Sleipmon aimed her crossbow at DexDorugoramon and fired an arrow at it. It jumped back, causing the bullet to miss it. Behind the purple dragon appeared a distortion, after which the six-footed horse shot at it. But she couldn't reach it in time, which landed her on the spot where the purple dragon was standing a few seconds ago.
"Um..." Meiko began hesitantly.
"Ah... Of course." Sleipmon lay down so that the black-haired woman could climb down from her back.
The six-footed horse then rose again before noticing how SaviorHackmon joined in and looked at her tacitly. Normally the Homeostasis would never command its knights to save anyone. So why was the six-footed horse here?
"The Homeostasis gave us the order to kill the DigiDestined,." Sleipmon began explaining after Phoenixmon also landed on the ground.
"What?!" Sora said, terrified: "How? Why?"
"The Homeostasis did not give the order. I asked a short time later." the six-footed horse said.
"But what about Gallantmon?" asked SaviorHackmon.
"I will go to him immediately to dissuade him from his plan." replied the Royal Knight, and wanted to fly off.
"T-thank you... for the rescue," the black-haired woman said uncertainly.
"You're welcome. I like to help. But I really have to get going now." Sleipmon said.
"I have another question. How did you know Meiko was in danger?" was the dragon man's question.
"I was nearby when I saw your partner fall and you tried to rush after her," the six-footed horse explained, flying into the air before saying goodbye.
Vikemon's eyes could see almost nothing through the murky waters. The lake was almost overpopulated with plants. Here he also saw a few Digimon, which were native to lakes, seas or rivers. Especially many Divermon had settled in this lake. But even a Seadramon seemed to like the vegetation. It swam between several underwater plants with the help of its slender body. Joe's partner sighed and swam back to the surface of the water. Unlike, for example, Seadramon or Divermon, he had no gills to breathe underwater, so he had to reappear every thirty minutes. As he broke through the surface of the water, his eyes immediately saw his partner.
"And?" he asked.
Vikemon just shook his head and sighed heavily.
"DexDorugoramon is unlikely to be in the water. Do you remember what Dorumon had said? DexDorugoramon could be anywhere it can live... It can't breathe in the water, so it won't be there." Ken concluded.
"Hm... You might be right." said BanchoStingmon, who just landed on the ground.
He was in the air looking for the purple dragon. But unlike Phoenixmon or Ornithmon, he didn't have too sharp eyes. He could see everything sharply, but with distant objects he was no longer able to recognize them clearly enough.
"Where are we supposed to look?" was Joe's question.
"No idea." Vikemon replied.
"Maybe a little further north." suggested the insect man: "I saw ruins there."
"How far away are these ruins, BanchoStingmon?" his partner asked him.
"About one mile." he replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"We're probably going to have to run something..." sighed Vikemon's partner.
"One mile is not far." said his partner: "You can at least fly."
The group eventually set off for the ruin. Once there, however, they realized that it was not a ruin, but a village full of in-training Digimon.
"Are we in Primary Village?" asked Ken.
"No!" replied a Nyaromon.
"You're in an in-training village!" said a Pagumon.
"There's only in-training Digimon living here." the only rookie level digimon said.
"Guilmon!" said BanchoStingmon, terrified, because he did not expect to meet him here.
"Good morning." Guilmon greeted her.
"What are you doing here?" was Joe's question.
"I'm looking for survivors." the red dinosaur continued his explanation.
"Survivors?" repeated Vikemon.
"Survivors of the Guard of the Royal Knights." said the rookie digimon: "But there are hardly any. We have only found two so far... DarkKnightmon, who is already dead again, and Dorbickmon, who will not help us."
"How do you know that Dorbickmon will not help us?" the insect man asked.
"Dorbickmon told us personally after he was conscious." Guilmon sighed, hitting his tail on the ground: "And what are you doing here?"
"We're looking for a digimon called DexDorugoramon..." said Ken: "Alphamon said we must find it."
"Alphamon?" the eyes of the red dinosaur widened: "Why should Alphamon-"
He broke off and began to think.
"Alphamon was able to force Piedmon's sphere out of his body." Joe explained.
"However..." his partner continued: "The sphere formed into DexDorugoramon."
"Which we have to stop-" BanchoStingmon concluded.
"I see..." Guilmon nodded his head briefly before looking at the group seriously: "Do you think it's such a good idea?"
"What do you mean?" asked Vikemon.
A loud scream rang out, causing the in-training digimon to shrug and disappear into their homes.
"Now we've finally found it!" said Joe's partner.
"More like us, Vikemon." the insect man replied.
"Guilmon warp-digivolve to... Gallantmon!" the Royal Knight ran to DexDorugoramon and tried to put him down with his lance.
The purple dragon grabbed the weapon with his two claws as light gathered around the top.
"Royal Saber!" Gallantmon fired a light laser at DexDorugoramon from a short distance.
He immediately let go of the lance when he was thrown away by the Royal Knight. The purple dragon hit the ground and stopped briefly.
/ Why doesn't DexDorugoramon rise again?/, Gallantmon thought.
"Arctic Blizzard!" cried Vikemon, breathing an ice-cold breath that froze the enemy.
Then he let his morning stars crush into the ice, causing it to shatter. DexDorugoramon remained lying on the ground. But not for long. It straightened up again and again emanated a loud scream. BanchoStingmon rushed to it, jumped over his head and crossed his weapons before trying to perform a cross-shaped blow. However, the purple dragon used its tail ball and hurled the insect man away, so he slammed onto the ground and digivolve back to Wormmon.
Joe's partner wanted to use his attack Arctic Blizzard again, but DexDorugoramon fired a green energy beam at him. Vikemon also went to the ground and turned back to Gomamon.
Meanwhile, Gallantmon narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was ready to fight to the end and rushed to the purple dragon. Before he could launch an attack, however, a distortion appeared behind DexDorugoramon. The Royal Knight stopped and had to stand idly by as the enemy disappeared into the distortion. Gallantmon suppressed a curse and looked at the two humans.
"Attack and then disappear again... Weird." Joe said.
"He only collects data... A very natural behaviour of the DexDorugoramons." explained Guilmon's ultimate-level: "DexDorugoramon try to get their minds by fighting. Through the collected data it learns and becomes stronger, not fleeing from fights, which is why it is under King Drasil's command, which in turn means that DexDorugoramon uses the collected data to better fight you on the second encounter."
"That's..." Ken's eyes widened: "So it would be better if we didn't attack DexDorugoramon, wouldn't it?"
"No. If you don't attack it, it will kill you." Gallantmon replied sharply.
"And what are we supposed to do?" asked Joe.
"Don't attack it and let you kill... Either way, DexDorugoramon will kill you." the Royal Knight said coldly.
"What?!" the DigiDestined said in horror.
"It's not my will... It is the will of the Homeostasis... The Homeostasis doesn't want to let you continue to act as a DigiDestined." explained Guilmon's ultimate-level: "You have made too many mistakes. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to kill you here and now."
"What?!" they both screamed, looking at Gallantmon with their eyes widened as the Royal Knight pointed his lance at the two.
"Wait!" a voice shouted, standing protectively in front of the two people.
"Sleipmon?!" Guilmon's ultimate-level still didn't sink his lance.
"It's a misunderstanding, Gallantmon!" she said.
"What are you talking about?" his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"I received the same command... However, a short time later I asked the Homeostasis again... It said that King Drasil had hacked into our communication system and had given us the command. The Homeostasis doesn't like the DigiDestined very much, but it would keep them alive as long as they don't interfere in its plans."
"And what if King Drasil had hacked the communication system afterwards."
The six-footed horse sighed and briefly closed her lids. However, they opened up a little later and Sleipmon looked Gallantmon hard in the eye.
"You know the Homeostasis... It would never want to execute such a drastic command... peace is not endangered. The Homeostasis still sees hope that the DigiDestined... and Alphamon..." she added: "that they can defeat DexDorugoramon."
"I see..." Guilmon's ultimate-level breathed a deep breath.
"You should also ask the Homeostasis if you're not sure."
"Good. I'll ask it." Gallantmon said, before jumping into a distortion.
Meanwhile, the six-footed horse turned to the two humans.
"You have to forgive Gallantmon... We are stressed because of DexDorugoramon..." she apologized.
"Okay..." said Joe after he had arranged his thoughts.
Ken, meanwhile, went to Wormmon and lifted him up. His friend, meanwhile, rushed to Gomamon and lifted him up as well. Sleipmon nodded at the two before disappearing into a distortion.
"We should go back to Seadramon's lake." Ken said.
"Good idea." Joe agreed.
Sera and Shin sat at the table and looked at each other. On the table were two cups filled with smelly coffee. On one cup the Japanese character for hope was engraved, on the other one one was a beautiful bird. Both former DigiDestined sighed.
"Um..." the two wanted to start, but interrupted each other.
Wanyamon, who was lying on the couch and was still dozing a few seconds ago, opened an eye and watched the former DigiDestined.
"When it comes to Akira, I'm all ears." the in-training digimon said, jumping from the seat.
He hopped to the table and then to a chair. Eventually, he jumped on the table.
"Wanyamon..." Sera said, "It wasn't about her..."
"We, I mean, no we, I... Oh forget it!" shouted Shin, standing up before going into the bedroom.
Wanyamon watched him briefly before turning to Akira's sister.
"What's going on with him?" was his question.
"I'd like to know that as well." she sighed, rubbing her hand over her forehead: "He's been like that for days... Sometimes I think he wants to propose to me..."
"Would be nice." one voice replied.
Akira stood with her arms crossed and with a gentle smile on the door frame. She briefly pushed herself off and went to the closet, where she got a glass out. She then wandered to the fridge, opening it and picking an orange juice before putting the glass on the table and sitting on a chair. She smiled at her older sister and gently stroked Over Wanyamon's fur. He snuggled up to her and relaxed.
"I think such a wedding would be nice... whether it's traditional Japanese or traditional American." Akira enthused.
"You seem to be doing better." Sera said: "I'm happy about that."
"Yes... Wanyamon did a good job..." she laughed a little before getting serious again: "Just the nightmares remain."
"I was kidnapped by a digimon at the time..." she began: "It was horrible, but my friends and Monodramon saved me after I was nearly killed."
"Monodramon?" the young woman repeated.
The older sister nodded and explained:
"She had been my partner."
"I see... You could talk about that time more often." Akira smiled: "I'd love to hear more about your adventures."
"Me too." added the in-training digimon.
Sera laughed and stroked Wanyamon over his fur. She smiled as he snuggled up to her hand. Meanwhile, Akira studied her sister's face. A question has been burning in it for a long time.
"Sera... What were our parents like?" she asked.
"You mean our biological ones?" expressionlessness formed on her face.
"Yes... I would like to know who our parents were."
"Our parents... More specifically, my father and our mother-"
"We are half-siblings?!" she interrupted her.
"Yes... I never met my father." she pondered the next words.
"Why?! How could this happen?!" Akira stood up and was about to leave the room.
But her older sister held her by the arm, causing her to sit down again.
"It's like that... I..." Sera paused and nervously kneaded her hands.
"Please tell her the truth, Sera." one voice asked, "It's better if we don't lie about it anymore. Akira is intelligent enough to suspect that you are telling her another lie."
Shin stepped back into the living room and sat on a chair as Akira's eyes widened.
"You wanted to tell me a lie again?" her voice was filled with suppressed anger.
"It's not easy for me." Sera sighed as she closed her eyes.
"Not easy for you?" recalled Wanyamon's partner.
"Yes." she nodded to her as Shin put his hand over hers, gently squeezing it: "The truth is... the truth is... The truth is that we are half-siblings!"
Her older sister got up and rushed out of the room while Mr. Kawa massaged his eyebrows and sighed.
"That's not the truth." he said.
"What is the truth?" asked Wanyamon.
"I promised Sera not to tell you, Akira."
"Shin." her lips formed a narrow line: "Please. I want to know the truth. Who were my parents?"
"Your father was a mean man." Shin began to explain: "He had taken advantage of Sera."
"How did he take advantage of it, Shin?"
Mr. Kawa sighed again and closed his eyes. He thought about how he could teach her.
"The reason why Sera got your custody in the first place was... because you are her daughter." he said.
"What?" Akira's eyes widened with incredulity: "W-what?"
All the colour drained from her face. Her mouth was dry and she only produced a few notes.
"Sera is..." she finally said.
"Your mother. She was fifteen when your father raped her." Shin looked hard into her eyes: "After this incident, she noticed one morning that she was pregnant. Her parents and grandparents then urged Sera to have an abortion. But she didn't want to. Instead, she decided that her child should grow up with her parents, while Sera herself was taken in by relatives."
"That's-"
"One year after your birth, you and your grandparents had a car accident. You had only suffered minor injuries... but your grandparents died at the scene of the accident."
"Sera is my mother... And I've always acted so rude... Wait a minute! That would mean that your child was my little half-sister."
"Yes." Mr. Kawa nodded his head: "That's why Sera cared so much for you. Have you never wondered why you have fifteen years of age difference?"
"Yes, I have... but-"
The three heard a door closed.
"Sera!" shouted Shin, rushing into the hallway.
But there was no trace of his girlfriend. Akira joined him with Wanyamon in her arms and asked,
"What happened?"
"Damn..." he cursed: "Sera eavesdrops us."
"What? Sera... I mean mum... eavesdropped us?"
"Looks like that." the in-training digimon replied.
Mr. Kawa quickly put on his shoes and then tried to get the car key out of the dresser. He noticed, however, that it was missing.
"She drove off in the car." he raved: "We can't catch up with her."
Suddenly the phone rang. Akira looked at the number briefly. It was Izzy.
"Hello?" was her question.
"Akira? Good that I reach you." the redhead replied.
"What is? My sister... Mother." she corrected herself: "My mother ran away."
"Your mother?" Izzy looked on the other side, somewhat astonished: "Doesn't matter right now. DexDorugoramon is out now in Tokyo... Ueno."
"Okay. I'm coming."
"Good. Hurry up. I and Tentomon are already on our way there."
The redhead turned off his phone while Akira sighed annoyed.
"What is it?" asked Wanyamon impatiently.
"DexDorugoramon has appeared in Ueno." she said.
"Akira you go to Ueno, I will search for Sera alone," Shin said: "If I find her, I'll call you."
"Okay-" she nodded briefly before put on her shoes and stormed out.
Mr. Kawa also rushed out of the apartment and locked up. He only hoped that Sera would not go to Ueno, where the enemy was. Meanwhile, Akira rode her bike fast.
A good ten minutes later, she reached Ueno out of breath. Wanyamon immediately jumped out of the bike basket and digivolve to his ultimate-level. He took a quick look at his injured wing. The crack was now very small and with a lot of effort he could fly. Dynasmon flapped vigorously with his wings and rose into the air.
"Do you see anything?" his partner asked him.
"Yes. I see an insect digimon." he shouted.
"That must be Tentomon!"
"No... It's a dragon."
"Then DexDorugoramon."
"I'm going to fly there. You stay here." he ordered.
"What?! I'm your partner!" she replied angrily.
"I'm not going to risk you being kidnapped again."
"But I want to see for myself the situation." she argued.
"Definitely not."
"Dynasmon!" she raved, looking at him angrily: "I'm taking care of myself. That's why I'm going to come along!"
"Well, fine. But don't get in my way."
A smile formed on her lips as she swung back onto her bike and cycled off. Dynasmon watched her a little before he flew off and overtook her a few seconds later. The Royal Knight noticed his injured wing hurting him, but he tried to ignore it and ended up in front of DexDorugoramon. A few feet away, Izzy was with Tentomon in his arms. The insect himself had already lost consciousness. Dynasmon looked at the purple dragon with his red eyes and gathered energy in both of his palms. Eventually, he pointed them at DexDorugoramon and fired two lasers.
The purple dragon countered the attack with a green beam of energy, which immediately neutralized Dynasmon's attack and struck his chest. The Royal Knight was thrown against a building and remained motionless. Only his gaze, which was still directed at the opponent, revealed that he had not lost consciousness.
Dynasmon straightened up again and wrapped himself in a white-bluish aura. A short time later, Wanyamon's ultimate-level released the aura in the form of a wyvern, which made its way to the enemy. DexDorugoramon growled furiously and hit the wyvern with its tail ball, causing it to split in half.
The Royal Knight suppressed an emerging curse before noticing that DexDorugoramon was firing a green laser again. But this time not in his direction. His eyes widened when he saw where the ray of energy was going.
Akira's eyes widened briefly before someone knocked her to the ground. The green laser shot past the two people and smashed into another building. The young woman's eyes looked into her saviour's.
"Is everything okay, Akira?" Sera asked her.
"Y-yes..." she briefly swallowed the lump in her neck: "Yes, Sera... Mom..."
"If you feel uneasy, you can continue to call me Sera, Akira." she gently placed a kiss on Akira's forehead before getting up and offering her daughter's hand.
The young woman pulled up and then nervously bit her lower lip. There was discomfort between the two. But before either of them could say anything, DexDorugoramon screamed. It was shrouded in a dark aura before it faded again and revealed a new digimon.
"Damn." Dynasmon raved: "Damn..."
"This Digimon..." Izzy gulped: "Is this Dexmon?"
"Yes." the Royal Knight confirmed: "That's Dexmon."
"Impossible." Sera said scared: "Why now? Why was DexDorugoramon digivolving now and not earlier?"
"I... don't know..." Akira looked to the ground depressed.
