Vritramon knew that it was now or never.
Ophanimon's sacrifice had caught him by surprise, but he wasn't allowing himself to absorbed by his shock for much longer than he had to. He was fully aware of everything that was riding on the present battle, and he wasn't about to let Ophanimon down by going against her final wish that the Legendary Warriors would be able to purify Cherubimon and save the Digital World. He knew what he had to do, and he was going to do everything he could to accomplish that goal.
The fire inside of him had been burning with confident passion ever since he returned from his adventures with the Dark Trailmon. He could feel it dancing at his core as he watched Aerismon finish the absorption process on Ophanimon's Fractal Code. There was no other choice for him than to embrace the fire within, and he was more than happy to do so.
He could feel the warmth spreading outwards, and part of Vritramon knew what it meant before he even saw the sudden explosion of Fractal Code that surrounded him. His form began to change slightly, and his deep red armor was suddenly highlighted with gold on his knees and chest. Black waited beneath the surface of both colors, and bright red patches appeared on his shoulders. The helmet that he wore as Agunimon framed his features, and a mane of wild yellow hair fell down his back. His orange wings remained the same as before, fighting to keep him aloft.
His tail stayed the same as well, but it wasn't the only beastly feature that he possessed in this form. White claws stuck out from his feet, two on the front of each foot while one was at the back. Yellow streaks of armor stuck out from his arms, and the edges were sharp. Flames sparked across the surface of his body, and he relished in the familiar sensation. He was going to allow this newfound strength to fuel him in the coming battle. He had to if he wanted to stand any chance of winning against Cherubimon.
"Aldamon!"
He didn't even fully register the fact that he had achieved his Hybrid form. Instead, the Warrior of Fire simply rushed forward, and flames gathered around his hands to create the illusion of him becoming a comet. He charged through the air with his arms outstretched, and he slammed into Cherubimon with everything that he had. In the name of Ophanimon, the Celestial patron who had granted him such strength in the first place, he couldn't lose.
Much to Aldamon's surprise, Cherubimon actually stumbled backwards, his eyes wide in wild surprise. He was clearly angered by the final actions of Ophanimon, but he still refused to give in and allow the Legendary Warriors to succeed. He created a sphere of dark energy and attempted to hurl it in Aldamon's direction, but the Warrior of Fire created a twister of flames that blocked out the strike before it could make contact with his body. The shadows fizzled out of existence a moment later, and Aldamon grinned at the realization.
He glanced down at his hands, admiring the new power that he had come to possess. It truly was incredible that he was capable of so much. He had been Vritramon for so long, and yet, there he was at the next stage. He could feel the sudden rush of strength flowing through his body just as naturally as blood did, and he moved forward to attack Cherubimon once again. He needed to succeed. They all did.
Aldamon wasn't the only one to do damage in the subsequent charge. Aerismon managed to get off a few attacks using the rapier that they held to tightly. Thundramon unleashed a blast of electricity as Daipenmon sent a series of snowballs hurtling through the air. The combined force of the four Legendary Warriors forced Cherubimon backwards once again, and the segments of pale white, pink, and yellow slowly began to spread outward. The Celestial Digimon breathed heavily in his exhaustion, and Aldamon concluded that Ophanimon's attempts at purifying him were maintaining their effects even after her defeat.
Zephyrmon swept down from the skies alongside Cygnusmon. She attacked with a series of twisters that tore mercilessly at the visible pink on Cherubimon's upper body. Cygnusmon unleashed a shower of stars that poured down on Cherubimon's head. The Celestial Digimon threw up his arms to try and guard the attacks, but he ultimately wasn't able to do much to keep himself safe.
"He's unstable," Beowolfmon muttered under his breath, his eyes growing narrow. Aldamon knew that he was right; nothing about Cherubimon was at all composed, and the Celestial Digimon was on the verge of completely falling apart. Ophanimon had done significant damage when she attempted to purify him, and even if she failed in fully freeing him of the dark influences that had taken hold of his mind, she had done more than enough to destabilize him. Cherubimon had been living in a fragile balance thanks to his sudden influx of power, but Ophanimon's attempts at purification had been enough to make him fall apart. Nothing could keep him together. Cherubimon's raw determination and ambition meant little before the holy light that Ophanimon exuded.
Calanthemon was the next to lash out, and she closed her eyes before allowing vines to curl up from the ground to make a grab for Cherubimon's arm. The plants mercilessly tore at his skin, and Cherubimon cried out in pain as the pale areas across his body were torn into growing wider by the plants Calanthemon had conjured.
Cybelemon took this as a chance to jump free from Calanthemon's back. They fell through the air freely before rearing one arm back and scratching with everything they had at Cherubimon's face. The Celestial Digimon screamed in pain before sending his hands flying up to cover his head once again. Cybelemon was able to get out of the way just in time, and they landed on a column of rocks that had risen from the ground at their command.
Rhihimon and Beowolfmon glanced to each other before they swept towards Cherubimon with a shared sense of confidence. Rhihimon swung his staff while Beowolfmon did the same for his sword. Outlines of light and darkness enveloped them before flying towards Cherubimon. The attacks swirled together to create a twist of white and black energy as they merged fully.
The combined force of the Warriors of Light and Darkness was too much for Cherubimon to handle, and he was forced to his knees. One of his hands was braced against the ground to keep him from fully collapsing, but the other was held firmly to his chest. He was breathing heavily, a sign of just how close he was to fully falling apart. All it was going to take was a little more pushing from the Legendary Warriors for his power to fully give out on him.
Aldamon glanced up to Zephyrmon once again, and they shared a nod before unleashing their strongest attacks. A tornado of fire swirled towards Cherubimon, but instead of hitting him from the front, it curled around to strike at his back. Cherubimon's eyes shot open in surprise, and he nearly fell forward into the debris below. He was only barely able to stabilize himself before he could be sent into the rocks that remained of Rose Morning Star, and fury mounted in his darkened gaze.
Ceruleamon held up her staff, and a deluge of water burst forth from the gem at the top of the weapon. All of the Legendary Warriors seemed to understand what she was trying to do, and they retreated accordingly. As the flood of liquid continued to travel towards Cherubimon, the Celestial Digimon was knocked backwards. There was a particularly notable spot where his paler colors were trying to shine through the shadows around his chest. Ceruleamon's strike only made the area more noticeable, and Cherubimon continued to hold his injury as if he believed that it would bring him salvation from the damage being done by the Legendary Warriors.
Aldamon couldn't help but think about how ironic this all was. They had spent so long hearing about how dangerous and powerful Cherubimon was, but when the time came for them to fight back against him, the Celestial Digimon was far from being the threat that Aldamon had imagined. He knew that they had Ophanimon to think for such. Without her powers of purification, they never would have come close to rescuing the Digital World from Cherubimon's influence. Cherubimon was falling apart because of what Ophanimon had done. She had given her life because she trusted the Legendary Warriors to keep the Digital World safe in her stead, and she was relying on them to defeat Cherubimon.
Aldamon gave a brief glance over to where Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon were watching the fight. All three of them were nursing Ophanimon's egg clearly, looking over it with concerned, wide eyes. Patamon seemed to understand the full weight of Ophanimon's sacrifice even if he hadn't been given the chance to see her following his rebirth. All that he knew of her was death, and yet, he still seemed to worry for her. Perhaps it was because, even in death, the Celestial Digimon were connected.
Bokomon and Neemon had minimal experience with Ophanimon, and yet, with the concerned expressions on their faces, Aldamon would have expected that they knew her well had he not known any better. It dawned on him that Ophanimon wasn't the only one who was counting on them. The whole Digital World was waiting for the Legendary Warriors to bring the light of salvation to the battlefield and end the war. Bokomon and Neemon had been searching for this peace from the instant that Seraphimon ordered them away from Evergreen Dawn during the first attack of the war. Aldamon knew how their lives had been thrown askew by the sudden invasion at Cherubimon's hands. For their sake, he had to fight back until the end.
Cherubimon slowly staggered to his feet, his breathing heavy and uneven. He raised one hand above his head, and he created yet another sphere of dark energy. This time, he didn't release it in a simple blast, instead holding it to his chest and nursing it with all of the power that he possessed. It slowly began to grow in size before expanding massively, sending out a shockwave that threatened to knock Aldamon out of the air.
The Warrior of Fire yelped in surprise and willed his wings to keep him aloft. He was barely able to keep himself from being sent into free fall, but he pulled it off regardless. The rest of the Legendary Warriors clearly struggled to keep from being harmed severely by Cherubimon's attack as well, and Zephyrmon was knocked out of the air entirely. Thundramon and Ceruleamon flew to her side before curling their hands around her upper arms until she was able to keep herself in the air on her own. Zephyrmon gave both of them nods of thanks before flying up alone.
Aldamon could see this for what it truly was. This was a desperate last stand on Cherubimon's part, and pain was clearly reflected in his eyes. Still, Aldamon could see that there was something hiding beneath the surface. Cherubimon was enraged that he was losing the battle, yes, but there was something more lurking underneath even that.
He was pleading.
Aldamon was caught by surprise as soon as he realized that was what it was. Cherubimon didn't appear to be fully angry with the Legendary Warriors. It was as if he was a puppet on the end of a string, being dragged through the motions of combat because of some higher power forcing him to do so. Cherubimon had been tainted and corrupted, but the original incarnation of the Celestial Digimon still wanted to believe that there was hope. Ophanimon had been trying to break through to the real Cherubimon that lurked beneath the surface. Cherubimon was begging for the Legendary Warriors to free him of his suffering. Aldamon was simply the first one to notice that was what he was asking for.
Aldamon mind was rushing at a pace of a million miles an hour. If Cherubimon had been corrupted, that begged the question: who had gotten to him in the first place? What had caused Cherubimon to fall apart so suddenly? Was there truly a puppet master that had forced him to start the war for the sake of their own convenience? If that was the truth, the war wasn't over with Cherubimon's defeat.
All of a sudden, it wasn't simply about defeating Cherubimon for the sake of freeing the Digital World. This was the first step to fully purifying the Digital World of the dark influence that had taken control of Cherubimon. Aldamon didn't know who or what could have been responsible for the sudden change in Cherubimon's demeanor, but he had the sneaking suspicion that he would learn the truth soon enough. All that mattered in that moment was that he was able to defeat Cherubimon and purify the fallen Celestial Digimon of the pain that he had been wrapped in.
Aldamon raised his hand before he knew what he was doing. Pale purple flecks of data were starting to fall from Cherubimon's various injuries, almost as if he was trying to free himself of the darkened influence as well. Aldamon closed his eyes, and he summoned as much of the data as he could manage. It slowly began to stream towards his palm, and he could feel the corruption's influence diminishing. Aldamon's jaw clenched as he enjoyed the familiar sensation of data being purified. It had been ages since he was given the chance to free another creature of such agony, and he was going to follow through with it. Freeing Cherubimon was a far more daunting task than rescuing a smaller Digimon of a lower power level, but Aldamon was going to try.
He could feel the eyes of the Legendary Warriors on him, and Aldamon was vaguely aware of Cherubimon screaming in pain at the attempted purification. Cherubimon attempted to lash out with a lazy arm, and Aldamon's eyes went wide in surprise. He wasn't going to be able to mount a defense before he was hit.
Luckily for Aldamon, he didn't need to. A barrier of purple energy formed around his body, and he glanced down to see that Aerismon was holding their hand up firmly to create the shield. He gave them a small smile of relief before nodding. Aerismon pulled down the barricade, but they refused to acknowledge him directly. Instead, they followed his lead in raising their palm. More pieces of purple data began to flow through the air towards them, and the pale colors on Cherubimon's body began to grow more prominent than before.
It wasn't long before other members of the Legendary Warriors were joining Aldamon and Aerismon in attempting to purify Cherubimon. The Celestial Digimon roared in pain, clearly trying his best to maintain his control against their attack. He was losing his strength and will to fight despite this, but his anger was only growing in magnitude.
Cherubimon lashed out with one arm to Zephyrmon and Thundramon, but they both flew above him to keep from being hit head on. Cherubimon continued to scream and struggle against the purification process, but he wasn't doing enough to stop the Legendary Warriors from freeing him of the dark data that had taken hold of him.
Aldamon glanced to the other Legendary Warriors as Cherubimon's pale colors hit the halfway point of covering his body. They weren't making as much progress with purifying him anymore, so Aldamon knew what they had to do. If they were going to succeed, they were simply going to have to hit Cherubimon with all the energy that they had. As far as Aldamon could tell, Cherubimon was far past the point of no return. He wasn't going to be able to fix his past actions, and the virus could have grown too strong for him to escape. There wasn't a Spirit that he could separate himself from to eliminate the dark influence. The data had been part of him for ages, and he couldn't be spared.
Aldamon felt fire spark around his body, and he rushed towards Cherubimon with everything he had after he lowered his palm. He slammed into Cherubimon's shoulder with his body, causing the Celestial Digimon to stumble backwards. "Now!" Aldamon declared, gesturing towards Cherubimon to indicate to the Legendary Warriors that they were going to have to join him.
Daipenmon was the first one to respond, and he raised his axe, unleashing a barrage of snowballs before he slashed the weapon at Cherubimon. He wasn't close enough to make contact with the large Digimon, but a large wave of ice magic spread throughout the region before hitting Cherubimon in the foot. Jagged icicles pierced his skin, and Cherubimon screamed in pain but was unable to fully free himself of the pain Daipenmon had brought him.
The next strike came from Cygnusmon, and he flapped his wings quickly to create a shower of stars that fell upon Cherubimon's shoulders. Each passing flap unleashed more beams of light, and they seemed to grow stronger with every motion. Cherubimon held up his hands to try and defend himself, but since the stars were hitting the pale patches across Cherubimon's back, he couldn't truly keep himself from getting hurt. The pale colors were spreading, and more purple data was flaking away from his body with each moment that flowed by.
Sheyumon's tails all primed themselves to lash out, and twelve blasts of white fire spiraled through the air before hitting Cherubimon in a rhythmic fashion. They all glowed with different hues to represent the elements of the Legendary Warriors, but the flames moved too quickly for anyone to identify just what attack was for each element.
Beowolfmon raised his sword to the sky once again, allowing an outline of white to cover the blades. He lunged towards Cherubimon before digging the sword into the Celestial Digimon's ankle. The wolf crawled up the side of Cherubimon's body before biting down on his arm and slamming into Cherubimon's chest.
Rhihimon followed up on Beowolfmon's strike by raising his staff to the sky, summoning a thin whip of dark energy that soon condensed into a black lion. The beast sprang towards Cherubimon before making harsh contact with Cherubimon's side. The combined force of the wolf and lion forced Cherubimon back one step.
Before his foot could make contact with the ground though, he was cut off by yet another strike from the Legendary Warriors. Cybelemon stomped one foot against the ground, and a column of rock shot up from the debris of Rose Morning Star to keep Cherubimon from maintaining his balance. Cherubimon's foot was hit by the rock, and his balance was completely eviscerated. Cherubimon fell to one knee while breathing heavily, clearly trying to hold back a scream of anger.
Calanthemon was the next to strike back, and she allowed the gems scattered across her body to glow as vines of thin green energy grew from the rocks below. The plants wrapped around Cherubimon's limbs, successfully pinning him to the ground. He once would have been able to easily break free, but between the purification and the constant onslaught from the Legendary Warriors, he couldn't muster the energy needed to lash out.
Zephyrmon flew backwards before diving down towards Cherubimon. She took advantage of the injuries blossoming across his body, and she unleashed mighty slashes using her claws before kicking downwards. The cuts opened holes of data on Cherubimon's arm, but the kick didn't make contact with him. Instead, a forceful gust of wind knocked him to the side from the motion of the strike.
Thundramon lowered his head as electricity danced across the surface of his body. He unleashed a blast from his cannon before raising the arm with the blaster mounted to it. Another explosion of energy tore through the air, knocking Cherubimon around successfully. His attacks were timed so that the strikes made contact at the same time that Zephyrmon hit Cherubimon, leaving the Celestial Digimon substantially weakened.
Ceruleamon descended from above and raised her staff. The water that she had summoned before rose back up before hitting Cherubimon roughly. She repeated the action a few times until Cherubimon was left hunched over in his instability. Cherubimon roared in anger, but he lacked the ability to lash out due to Calanthemon keeping him in place.
Aerismon was the final of the Legendary Warriors to fight back. They pressed their rapier up to the sky, and the blade began to glow with purple energy. Their expression hardened as they spoke. "It all ends here," they said softly. They charged toward Cherubimon soon afterward, and Aldamon saw his eyes go wide with shock that Aerismon had raised their weapon to him.
Aerismon's sword opened a mighty gash in Cherubimon's side, and data began to flake away from his body far faster than before. Cherubimon's scream pierced the air, and his silhouette grew dark as Fractal Code surrounded him. His figure began to shrink down to a reasonable size once again, and Aldamon figured that he was returning to his original form.
Aerismon held up one hand, and Aldamon thought that they were going to scan his Fractal Code. Instead, though, they were simply telling the rest of the group to hold back. Sure enough, they all followed Aerismon's silent instruction, and Cherubimon's silhouette was slowly filled out once again.
Purple data was still flaking off his body, but he looked far better than he had before. His darker colors were completely gone, and he was now only white, pale pink, and gentle yellow. Cherubimon looked tired, and tears began to stream down his face soon afterward. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Liquid continued to fall from his eyes, leaving water to splatter on the remnants of Cherubimon's palace below.
Aldamon didn't know what to say, but he took a step closer to Cherubimon. The Celestial Digimon was dying, but he seemed so different from how he had been before. He seemed so peaceful and kind, a far cry from the cruel leader of conquest that Aldamon had come to know. The Warrior of Fire realized just how right he had been when he assumed that Cherubimon had been under the influence of some higher power who used him for dark purposes. Cherubimon had started to return to his senses when Ophanimon began to purify him, but it wasn't enough. The damage had already been done, and Cherubimon couldn't be freed anymore.
"I leave the Digital World in your hands," Cherubimon went on. He closed his eyes, and a small sphere of purple flew out of his chest. It spiraled through the air before dividing itself in half and falling downwards to Cybelemon and Calanthemon. Aldamon's eyes went wide as he realized what Cherubimon had just done. The Celestial Digimon had truly returned to the being that he once was. He had given the Warriors of Earth and Wood the blessing of his strength that they would need to reach the Hybrid level.
Cherubimon's eyes fell closed soon afterward, and his silhouette was once again filled with darkness. This time, his regular colors never reappeared, and a ring of Fractal Code surrounded the center of his body. Aerismon allowed themselves to reach one hand out, and the Fractal Code that wrapped around Cherubimon slowly began to flow into their palm. Cherubimon's shadow began to fall apart, and when it faded completely, there was only an egg left behind.
The egg didn't shoot into the sky. Instead, it simply fell down before finding a home nestled in the rocks below. Aerismon landed before walking towards it. They reached out with both hands before lifting the egg from the ground. Fractal Code surrounded them, and Saki was left in Aerismon's place a moment later. They continued to hold Cherubimon's egg close against their chest, unmoving in their silence.
Aldamon allowed himself to land near Saki, and he transformed back into Takuya soon afterwards. The rest of the Legendary Warriors followed suit, and they examined the egg silently until Saki began to move. They started walking back towards where Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon were waiting with Ophanimon's egg. Saki somehow seemed even more distant and impossible to comprehend than before, and Takuya hadn't even realized that was possible until it happened.
Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon were all watching in silence. Bokomon and Patamon looked concerned, and Bokomon's eyes were fogged with tears. Even Neemon appeared crestfallen, and he reached out one hand to touch Ophanimon's egg where it rested in Bokomon's arms.
As the Legendary Warriors reunited with their Digimon guides, a gentle breeze blew through the area. Takuya looked between the eggs and sighed to himself. He didn't say anything, but he knew what everyone was thinking. They had saved the Digital World, but it had come at a heavy price. Cherubimon had been corrupted by an outside force before his death, and the subsequent war he waged stole the lives of the other two Celestials. The Digital World was without its rulers, and the land had been destroyed and ravaged by the battle that had thrived between the Human and Beast Digimon.
Takuya couldn't help but wonder what could have caused Cherubimon to turn against the rest of the Digimon he cared for in the first place. He knew that the shift was sudden and made no sense, and Takuya was positive that their battle wasn't over yet. Who could have done such awful things to Cherubimon? What was their motive in controlling him? Why would anyone want to visit such destruction upon the Digital World while using Cherubimon as their puppet?
"We'll look after them until they hatch," Bokomon suddenly declared, and Takuya looked up to the small white Digimon before nodding. Bokomon was right. They were going to have to be careful and look after what little remained of the previous era of the Digital World. Ophanimon and Cherubimon were gone, and they would never return to their former glory.
It was bitter and twisted, but Takuya thought that it was for the best. Poor Patamon didn't deserve to remember the pain that had been caused in the days leading up to his demise. Ophanimon and Cherubimon were going to be spared the curse of remembering as well. It was the only way any of them were going to ever find peace. They wouldn't be able to rule over the Digital World even if they remembered. Their memories would only be a punishment to show them what they had failed to accomplish, and Takuya knew that they deserved better than to live with such agony for the rest of their days.
Takuya didn't know that he was walking until he took the first step. The rest of the Legendary Warriors glanced up to him, and Takuya let a small laugh pull free of his lips. "We had better get out of here. Our mission is finished," he whispered, but the words felt hollow and foreign. He didn't tell the other Legendary Warriors that he wanted to escape the guilt that lived in the remnants of Rose Morning Star. They had been planning to save Ophanimon, but they were too late, and she perished in an attempt to save them from Cherubimon. The Legendary Warriors would never have won the battle if not for Ophanimon's help in purifying their foe, but it was a tragedy that she had to give her life in order to end the war.
Footfall followed after Takuya as he did what he could to escape the pain that lived in the air around Rose Morning Star's remains. He would never forget that day, but part of him wished that he could banish the memories. Takuya forced himself to banish such a thought though, reminding himself that he needed to live on and honor what Ophanimon had left behind for them. They had accomplished their mission, and the Digital World was going to see peace soon enough. In the name of the three Celestials who had been left to suffer so terribly in the name of a peace that no longer existed, Takuya would remember. All of them would bear such memories in the place of Seraphimon, Ophanimon, and Cherubimon, the fallen rulers who had left behind a failing world in the hands of the ones they believed would be able to hold up the torch for another generation.
None of the Legendary Warriors spoke for a long time after that. All they wanted to do was get away from what had happened that day. They needed to escape the unfortunate events that had transpired before their very eyes, and Takuya understood completely. Their mission was complete, and they had to look to the future. They couldn't afford to drown in silent inquiries about what could have happened if things had gone differently. There were too many Digimon waiting for them to change the world to be caught up in the past or present.
Takuya took in a small breath as he took off his goggles before adjusting them to sit atop his forehead once again. He had no idea what was going to come next, but he knew that he was going to fight to ensure that the years ahead were safe. The Digital World deserved the peace that it had been deprived of for so long. After all, he was one of the Legendary Warriors, and it was his job to ensure that those who could not defend themselves were kept safe. It was the destiny that had been left behind for him by the Celestial Three, and Takuya was going to uphold such a legacy for the rest of his days.
After the Legendary Warriors managed to close the distance between Rose Morning Star and the train station, they gave one final bid of thanks to the Burgemon before hopping on the first Trailmon to come by. Luckily, this time the Trailmon was on the way back to the rest of the Digital World, and the group took full advantage of such as soon as they were able to. Returning to the main area of the Digital World was their first step to getting back home.
Even so, Takuya couldn't stop thinking about how Cherubimon's defeat couldn't have been the end of it. He watched as the rest of the world rolled past, his arm propped against the backrest of the seat that he was in. Chihiro was beside him, and his fingers occasionally graced their shoulder as the train continued to jostle along. They didn't mind in the slightest that he was so close, and Takuya was sure that they wouldn't have been so relaxed about it if not for their trip to the Digital World. Chihiro had always been alright with being touched by Takuya, but it was still clear that they preferred to avoid human contact where possible.
"It isn't over," Takuya muttered under his breath. No matter how he looked at this, he was positive that there had to be something more to it all. Chihiro glanced over at him as he spoke, and Takuya took this as his cue to continue. "Cherubimon was being controlled by something. If he infected you and the rest of the Fallen Warriors with that virus to change your personalities, then that means that something else must have done that to him. Ophanimon knew that he was corrupted somehow, and that was why she decided to try and purify him upon being freed from her captivity."
Chihiro looked at Takuya for a long minute before shifting their gaze so that they were staring down at their lap. "I think that you're right," they admitted carefully. "Cherubimon seemed so different before he was completely freed from the influence of the virus. His colors changed completely, so the influence must have been significant. I think that whoever was responsible found a way to alter his outlook on the world to be a complete reversal to how he once was."
"It doesn't make sense," Takuya sighed, looking up to the ceiling of the train. "Who would have a reason to do something like that? We've spent all this time trying to defeat Cherubimon because we believed that he was the one at the end of this journey responsible for all that we've had to deal with. Still, I'm sure right now that there has to be something else. Who would want to do all of that to Cherubimon? We haven't heard about a being more powerful than the Celestial Three, and it's not like Seraphimon or Ophanimon could have been capable of this. Unless there's an enemy hiding in the shadows, then there really isn't an explanation for Cherubimon's sudden change in demeanor."
"If you ask me, that's even more terrifying," Chihiro admitted. "If we're up against an enemy that's powerful enough to take control of Cherubimon while still remaining hidden from the rest of the world, then we're in trouble. I just hope that they don't decide to show themselves, but I know that they will. If their plans with Cherubimon failed, they're going to be forced to do something on their own, and that's not a good thing at all."
Takuya closed his eyes and shook his head, almost as if he thought that would banish his fearful curiosities about the true mastermind. It didn't work in the slightest, and he was left in the same dizzying cycle as before of wondering who would want to do such awful things to Cherubimon. He still couldn't figure out who it could have been. He was positive that there was an answer somewhere out there, but he lacked the information he needed to make the pieces fully slide into place.
Chihiro's eyes fell upon the other side of the train, and Takuya followed their gaze when Chihiro tapped at his leg gently. Takuya could see what they were focusing on, and he found himself biting down on his lip a moment later. Chihiro was trying to get Takuya to pay attention to Haroi, Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon. The four of them were fawning over Ophanimon's egg. A short distance away, Junpei, Saki, and Mayumi were staring down at Cherubimon's egg. The rest of the group was scattered throughout the train car out of view.
Takuya's heart felt as if it was being snapped in half as he watched Patamon. There was an indescribable sense of grief on Patamon's face, but he didn't seem to understand why he was so upset in the first place. Patamon's head was tilted slightly to the side, as if he was confused about why the egg would evoke such a reaction from him.
Takuya felt his stomach twist at the sight. Patamon didn't remember his life as Seraphimon or the times when he had been connected to Ophanimon, and yet, a few pieces of that seemed to be streaming in. This was an emotional time, and even if Patamon no longer had access to his memories, there was still a lingering trace of how he had reached out to Ophanimon so long ago. They had been such close companions in life, but that all fell apart when Cherubimon waged war. Patamon likely would have had a similar response to Cherubimon's egg if it had been in his line of sight.
"I think it's best he doesn't remember," Chihiro muttered, prompting Takuya to look over at them. "None of them would ever be able to find peace if they were aware of what they did to each other and the rest of the Digital World. They couldn't ever escape their guilt."
Takuya nodded his agreement. "Yeah... I was thinking about that after we grabbed the eggs," he confessed. "I mean, they have no way of being sure about what happened to them as it is right now. Saki is holding all of those memories, and I don't even know if there's a way for them to give back that data to the Celestial Three. I think that's a good thing though. They aren't the rulers of the Digital World anymore. It'll be a long time before they're able to reach the level that they were at previously, and by that point, I think that the Digital World will have changed to adapt to living without them. They won't be needed as its guardians anymore."
"They deserve to live in peace after all of this. This war has been traumatic for everyone involved, and if they can forget about what they did to one another and the people around them... That's for the best," Chihiro said softly, shaking their head. "In a way, I wish that it was that simple for the rest of us. You know... Just able to forget about things after something happens. I mean, it's not that easy, and it's probably good that we're able to remember things the way that we do, but... I don't know. I guess we've all got things that we want to leave in the past, you know?"
"Oh, believe me when I say that I get it," Takuya assured Chihiro with an empty snort of a laugh. "But... I think that we're all getting better about dealing with this stuff. Being together and being forced to confront the past has done us some good. That's how I'm choosing to look at it, at the very least. I mean, we've all changed a lot because we were given the chance to interact with one another. I can tell that you're opening up a bit more because you have other people to rely on. Most of us were loners before this, but we're allowing ourselves to trust each other, and I think that's what we really needed."
"Yeah," Chihiro murmured. "I don't think that I'm the same person that I once was. None of us are. We've been forced to change because of the Digital World, but change isn't a bad thing. It can be nasty sometimes, but on its own, change isn't evil. It took me a long time to understand that, but I get it now. I guess that I have all of you to thank for that."
Takuya chuckled at their words. "Yeah... We've all changed. People are going to wonder what happened to us when we get back to Earth, but I think that this is a good thing... We've all been able to come to terms with the past and the issues that we've dealt with in the past. I thought that I was coping fine with the past, but then that turned out to be wrong. In that respect, I guess that our Beast Spirits helped us out. They're terrible to encounter on their own, but they've helped us all out in a weird way."
"I used to think about Cybelemon as being a frustrating echo of who I really am," Chihiro confessed. "I thought that they were just an irritation and a sign of my stubbornness and instability, but... Not anymore. Cybelemon is just as much a part of me as Aeoelmon is. The same applies to the Hybrid form that we don't know about yet. They're all parts of the greater whole that makes me Chihiro. My perspective has changed a lot. We're a sum of our parts. The good and the bad make up who we are as people. We can't really cast that aside and act like we'd be the same."
"The Digital World has done a lot for us, and I don't know how we could ever fully describe it," Takuya confirmed. "There's so many ways that we've changed, and I don't think that I could get into every single detail. We've been here for a while, and we're not the same as we once were. I think that we're better at coping with the past now because we were forced to face it. Rather than ignoring our problems, we had to open up to others and understand that it's alright to be vulnerable."
Chihiro nodded. "We're going to find peace soon enough, and when we do... It's going to be great. Recovery is hard, but we're getting better by leaning on each other. Seraphimon, Ophanimon, and Cherubimon are going to be able to recover one day too," they told Takuya.
Takuya glanced back over to the pair of eggs being held on the other side of the train. "One day... I'm sure that they'll be alright. The Digital World will recover, and when it does, I'm sure that everyone will be given the chance to live in peace," he whispered, allowing his eyes to slip shut slowly. "It's just a matter of time... We know how time can heal injuries. I mean, it seems like it's done wonders for all of us in some way or another."
Chihiro didn't offer a direct response to Takuya, instead simply allowing a gentle smile to grace their lips. Across the train, Haroi was brushing one hand against Ophanimon's egg, and Patamon was curled up against its side with a serene smile on his face. He still appeared to be somewhat sad, but he was masking it behind a grin. Takuya couldn't help but wonder if Patamon was subconsciously celebrating the life that he had shared with Ophanimon once upon a time. Much had changed, but they still cared about each other. Even when the memories were gone, the emotions remained, and Takuya thought that one day, Patamon would feel that way towards Cherubimon as well. The Celestial Three would be reunited as friends rather than enemies, and he was sure that it would be nothing short of glorious.
Chihiro's eyes next shifted over to where Saki was sitting with Junpei and Mayumi. Their hands were curled defensively around Cherubimon's egg, and their fingers rubbed lazily at its surface. Chihiro examined every part of Saki's body from their glossy brown eyes to the small freckles that dotted the bridge of their nose.
"I forgive them," Chihiro finally said after a long moment of silence. "I didn't think I would at first, but... I'm not mad anymore at what they did while they were Lyramon. It wouldn't be fair of me to hate them when I was awful back then too. It doesn't hurt as much anymore. Cherubimon made them target my emotional weaknesses. He was being forced to use my shortcomings, and he simply used Lyramon as a proxy to hurt me, but... I don't hate Saki for it. I thought that I would be angry at them forever, but not anymore. I know I have problems with getting temperamental when I'm defensive, but... I'm going to work on that. We're all getting better, and that's what matters most. I don't know if Saki is mad at me for being so snappy back then, but I don't hate them the way I used to."
Takuya felt his expression soften into a small smile. He had known Chihiro for years, and he was fully aware of how stubborn they could be when it came to grudges. Chihiro could be mercurial and petty at times when in a particularly bad mood, though they always exempted those they cared for from such rage. Chihiro remembered wrongdoings by classmates from childhood in stunning clarity, and they never forgot no matter what happened. Seeing them forgive someone was beautiful to Takuya in a way that he didn't know how to describe, and he felt his chest swell with warmth.
"Time heals a lot of injuries," Takuya repeated, leaning forward so that his elbows were braced against his knees. "Time helped all of us to move past the ways that we were hurt before coming to the Digital World. Time altered the way that we healed in response to everything that has happened. Time is going to help the Celestial Three to look to the future despite their previous actions."
"You know, time might be a human construct, but I don't think that it's a particularly bad one," Chihiro joked, nudging Takuya with their elbow playfully. He snickered in response before returning the gesture, and after a few more actions of back and forth, the pair had completely devolved into soft laughter that could no longer be contained. They didn't care if anyone was staring, too wrapped up in spending time with one another to care. For just a moment, they weren't soldiers who had ended a war less than three hours previously, simply teenagers who were as messy and broken as they were splendid and beautiful. They were perfect in all their flawed imperfection, and they didn't give a damn what anyone had to say about it.
Takuya gave a glance over the rest of the train, and he had to admit that he rather enjoyed what he saw. Hinoka was sitting in front of Izumi, and the latter was braiding her hair. The two giggled at some quiet inside joke as Koji and Koichi watched. Tomoki and Yumiko were a few feet away, threading their fingers together as they started to hold hands. There was this silent sensation of magic in the air that hung over all of them as they reached out for levity despite the dark situation that they found themselves in.
Takuya couldn't help but think about how he never would have met these incredible people if not for them being all shoved together in such a life-altering event. They wouldn't have even given one another a second glance in another timeline, and Takuya was glad that the whims of the fantastical had dragged them in. Having supernatural abilities was fun, but that mattered little in the face of the incredible companionship that they had found in one another.
Mayumi got up from her place near Saki and Junpei and she watched over to where Tomoki and Yumiko were sitting together. Her sudden appearance startled both of them, and the three of them burst into giggles as Yumiko and Tomoki nearly jumped out of their own skin. Mayumi settled down beside them soon afterwards, and they began to talk as if nothing had happened in the first place.
Takuya shifted his eyes over to where Saki and Junpei were still looking at Cherubimon's egg. They were speaking softly, and he couldn't help but wonder what they were discussing. Junpei had a somber expression on his face while Saki seemed more vulnerable than ever before. His eyes narrowed from curiosity, and he found himself wrapped up in potential theories as to what the basis for their discussion could have been.
Junpei didn't know what told him that it was a good idea to probe at Saki's secrets, but as soon as Mayumi got up to interrupt what she presumed to be a "romantic moment" between Tomoki and Yumiko, Junpei knew that he had to jump on this opportunity. The words left his lips without any true input from his mind, but he didn't bother stopping them.
"What do you think of all this?" Junpei questioned. There was something sober about Saki's eyes that caught him by surprise, and he didn't think that he would ever see them this honest again. He had to take advantage of it while it was still happening. Who knew when Saki would openly admit weakness this way again? Hell, they hadn't even said that they were feeling less than perfectly strong; he had put the pieces together since he knew that they wouldn't say anything.
"It's special," Saki said immediately, and Junpei couldn't help but wonder if they had been planning a response to the question for quite some time. After a brief pause for consideration, they continued. "I'm used to relying on myself only. Other people only disappointed me. I know that I have to look after myself first. Not all people are selfless enough to look out for those who are weaker than they are, so you have to do what's necessary in order to survive. I thought that meant blocking out all interactions with others, but... I suppose not."
Saki's fingers brushed against Cherubimon's egg as a melancholy smile appeared on their face. "If you want my opinion, you should all hate me. I've done awful things, and I'm not just talking about the Digital World. I know that I'm selfish in my sense of self-preservation, and I'm not going to pretend that it's always justified. I don't deserve your affection, and yet, here you all are, showering me with it anyways. It's weird."
"It's just how we do things around here," Junpei shrugged. He contemplated their words for a moment, trying to figure out the right thing to say, before offering a proper response. "If it helps at all, I don't think you're a bad person. I've done things that I'm not proud of in order to scrape by too."
Junpei could still remember the way that he had neglected his own sense of self to impress others. Once, he had been a paragon of Izumi's worst habits, wanting so desperately to earn the care of his peers without recognizing the personal repercussions of his own actions. The only reason that he was so unflinchingly loyal to himself in the Digital World was because he had learned that it was unlikely anyone would care about him on his own, so he would have to look after himself. He had gotten sick of trying to make himself more marketable to others, so he simply stopped.
Saki seemed almost shocked for a fraction of a second before they covered it up once again with their regular passive gaze. They looked down to the egg again. "It's hard," they confessed, their voice barely above a whisper. "I always thought for sure that nobody would want to help me out no matter the situation. I was positive that I simply wasn't capable of leaning on others because I was so used to being disappointed by them... And yet, here you all are, destroying all of my established conceptions of companionship just by existing."
Junpei laughed, and the sound was as bitter and hollow as it was precious and full. "Yeah... That sounds like us," he agreed. "None of us really had a place in the world before we came here and found each other. We were all alone, and we didn't think that it was possible for us to branch out. It took a while for us to open up, but now... I couldn't imagine my life without them. I hope that you'll be able to feel that way about our group too. I get the feeling that you could really use someone to open up to."
Saki nodded slowly. "Yeah," they murmured, and Junpei quickly realized just how right he was. "I know that life is cruel and difficult. In order to survive, you sometimes have to do awful things. The world isn't fair, and I've understood that for as long as I can remember. I thought that it lacked any sense of beauty. I wanted to live, so I fought the rest of the world in order to do so. I know that life is the most valuable gift that anyone can be given, so I look after mine while trying not to hurt others."
Junpei thought about their words for a moment before forcing himself to speak. "You never would have hurt Seraphimon if not for Cherubimon's influence," he concluded. "If he hadn't forced you into it, you wouldn't have crossed that line since you understand the value of life and how important it is to survive."
"That's putting it lightly," Saki snorted, closing their eyes for a moment. "But you're right. I wouldn't have ever crossed that line if Cherubimon hadn't pushed me into it. I understand that life is hard. I'm not going to go out of my way to make it more difficult for others. Surviving is an accomplishment in and of itself sometimes, and I don't want to take that away from anyone else if I can avoid it. It's part of who I am. Even if I've done things I'm not proud of, I have lines that I still won't cross."
"I'm happy that you're on our side," Junpei confessed a moment later, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. I can tell that you're a better person than you're choosing to tell us openly, Saki. You might think of yourself as awful because you've done bad things before, but no person is perfect. We're all responsible for things that aren't exactly positive, whether it be the destruction of ourselves or others, but as long as we change and try to get better... I think that it's alright. We're making an attempt to improve ourselves, and that's the most important part in my opinion."
Saki snorted, but the sound was affectionate. "You're an idealistic person, you know," they commented, but it seemed more like a compliment than a criticism. "I don't know how you're able to do it. I came to terms ages ago with who I am. I've got all sorts of jagged edges that I understand all too well. They're sharp to keep anyone from getting close enough to see the truth. Humans are weak and vulnerable on their own, but in order to survive, we can't let that show. Others can take advantage of those facts, so we have to keep it hidden from the rest of the world."
"If you're alone, maybe that's how you need to do things," Junpei began. "But if you have others to help you through the world, you don't need to keep yourself as guarded. There are others here to defend you, and we aren't going to leave you out to try, Saki. You might feel isolated because you've spent so long on your own, but it doesn't have to be that way anymore. You don't need to act perfect, and you don't need to push others away. Don't deprive yourself of ever having because you're scared of getting hurt."
Saki perked up at his words, and a gentle smile appeared on their face. "Thanks for this," they remarked, and for the first time since they arrived in the Digital World, Saki's eyes were perfectly sincere. There was no glossy veil to keep unsuspecting onlookers from learning the truth about who they were inside. They were simply Saki, flaws and all, and Junpei had to admit that he loved it.
"You're welcome," Junpei said in response, unsure of how else he was meant to reply. He felt warmth swell in his chest, and he smiled back to Saki. Somehow, he knew that he would never forget this moment, sitting inside the rumbling train after defeating a creature with the power of a god with a person who simply wanted his companionship. Junpei had spent many years alone the same way that Saki had, and it almost didn't feel real to him, but he loved it just the same.
Saki was quiet for another moment before they spoke once more. "I never had the chance to open up to other people like this," they began. "My parents passed away when I was young, and... Let's just say that the resulting series of events showed me just how cruel and twisted the world is capable of being. I didn't want to put myself at risk more than I had to, so I didn't let anyone find out more about me. I put up walls, and I never let anyone through."
"You don't need to do that anymore," Junpei pointed out. "We accept you as you are even if you struggle to find happiness in yourself. It's how we are. We know that life is hard, but we don't force anyone to go through it alone. We're a team, and we always will be. If you need anything, all you need to do is reach out, and we'll do what we can to help you out. That's how we function. We're a team."
Saki nodded at his words, and even if the action was detached and unreadable, Junpei was sure that they were registering every syllable deep inside. "Maybe I'll tell my story one day," Saki said next. "I never bothered to open up before now. I never saw the point in putting myself at risk of being hurt, so I didn't tell anybody the truth of what happened to me, but... I think that's changed now. Look at you and your sappy band of fighters You're changing everything about me that's remained firm even after years of keeping myself closed away from the world."
Junpei grinned in response, and he felt his heart begin to float in his chest. "I would love to hear your story," he told them. "I would be happy to tell you all of our stories too... You know, if you were interested in hearing them. We're all little disasters deep down, but we're trying our hardest to make it through life, and that's what matters most. We've got others to rely on, so we aren't ever truly alone, and now... Now you don't have to be alone either."
Saki's subsequent smile was so perfect that it caught Junpei by surprise in a way that he didn't know how to describe. They finally appeared to be perfectly honest with him after vowing for so long that they would keep their secrets forever. Saki's nature kept all people out, avoiding those who attempted to get out with an effortless grace that most could only dream of. It was effective in keeping them from being hurt, but it caused pain in another way that they didn't appear to have ever considered until the Legendary Warriors walked into their life and changed all of their previously conceived notions of care and friendship.
Saki opened their mouth to speak, but they were cut off by a sudden jolt of the train. This was different than the previous small jostling motions that Junpei was used to; it felt as if the Trailmon was about to give out and collapse fully onto its side. Junpei and Saki were both sent lurching forward out of their seats, and both of them collapsed onto the ground from the force of the sudden shift. All others who were sitting on the same side of the train of them-Izumi, Hinoka, Koji, Koichi, Haroi, Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon-were sent forward as well, and the floor of the train was suddenly covered in haphazard piles of limbs as the Digimon and humans tried to gather their bearings once again.
On the other side of the train, Mayumi, who had been standing near Tomoki and Yumiko, was flattened against the latter's torso with a yelp of strangled shock. Takuya's head hit the train window, and he cried out in pain before rubbing at the place where he had hit the glass. Chihiro placed their hands on his shoulders to keep him from falling over out of pain and surprise.
Saki forced themselves to their feet, and Junpei followed suit as soon as he was able to ignore the pulsing pain in his lower back. They were still holding tightly to Cherubimon's egg, and Junpei could see that their hands were shaking from unchained adrenaline. Junpei glanced around the train in a desperate attempt to figure out what could have caused such a sudden jolt. He didn't find anything immediately, but the Trailmon was starting to slow to an uneasy stop already, so he had the sneaking suspicion that he was going to learn the truth soon enough.
Why did he already know that this was going to end terribly?
And with that, act three is finished! We're all set up to start the fourth act next week, and I absolutely can't wait!
This chapter's first half was fun to write just like the second half of the previous chapter, and I loved seeing Cherubimon purified. I had to hint at the truth behind what happened to him, but don't worry about that. I'll be revealing all of the details soon enough, so it's just a matter of time before we hear about what happened to Cherubimon.
The character moments in the second half of this chapter were lots of fun too. Takuya and Chihiro remain one of my favorite pairs to write for in this story. When I started writing this book, I didn't think I was going to enjoy them from a romantic perspective, but I'm starting to think that it might be my thing. There aren't any canon pairings in this story, so everyone is free to love what they want (aside from Koji/Koichi or Haroi/Mayumi because I can and will beat you with a brisket if you ship those), but I love those two so much.
Speaking of romance, Mayumi's claims of Tomoki and Yumiko being romantic are still hilarious to me. Mayumi is just kind of nosy like that, and when she saw them getting sweet with each other, she jumped to conclusions. I maintain my statement that no ships are canon, but that doesn't stop Mayumi from doing her regular Mayumi Things(TM).
Fun fact about this chapter: it wasn't going to include the scene with Saki and Junpei at the end. I didn't think it would fit in, so I was going to go into more detail about Saki later on. In the end though, I found that I rather enjoyed the idea of giving them the chance to talk, so it squeezed its way in. Saki was vulnerable after seeing what happened to Ophanimon and Cherubimon, so I thought it was the perfect chance to give them a chance to open up to Junpei. And would you look at that? Junpei isn't quite as bad with feelings as he thought he was. You can blame Izumi for that. She definitely rubbed off on him, but I think it's a good thing for everyone involved.
Before I end this author's note, I want to give one final announcement. If you've been keeping up with weekly updates for this story, you'd know that I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was working on a rewrite of Digimon Adventure Tri under the name of "Echo". I posted it this past Friday, and I'm going to be updating it weekly on Friday until it ends. If you've enjoyed this story and want to see content in this style of the Adventure universe, I highly encourage you to go and check that out. I've put a lot of time into it (as in more than 100 pages of outlining, planning, and scheming), so I'm hoping that everyone likes it.
Now that my promotion is finished, I should be done for the week. When we come back together next week, act four will be starting with chapter forty! Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is always appreciated, and I hope you all have a nice day!
-Digital