Chapter 51 – Memories: Part 2
The next few days were quiet. Whenever the group stopped, Imperialdramon, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon began to train. After only a few days, the two were able to hold their fusion for much longer and also the speaking in the I-term became easier. After a good two weeks he was able to keep his fusion and he did not part to his ultimate-levels.
The sun settled towards the horizon as the unusual group stopped. Baalmon sighed heavily as he sat on a fallen tree. He still couldn't befriend the idea that he was no longer travelling alone with his friend.
"This forest..." the armored dragon said thoughtfully.
"What about this forest?" asked Omnimon.
"I've been here before." Imperialdramon said, looking deeper into the forest.
The human-like digimon looked up. At the moment he didn't understand the armored dragon at all. He also felt more and more excluded from him. Baalmon clenched his hands to fists and gritted his teeth.
"Really?" continued the fused digimon.
"But yes. When I was still travelling alone, I was here for a few days." Imperialdramon said, putting his right front leg on the left: "This place is weird. When you sleep here, you get old memories into your dreams. Some even say from their previous lives."
"That is strange." Omnimon replied, shuddering.
/Old memories... from a previous life.../ Baalmon thought: /That's ridiculous./
"You too, Imperialdramon?" asked the fused digimon.
"I don't... It is rather coincidental which digimons remember their former life. Most, however, remember long-forgotten memories. Don't worry, Omnimon. Since we are fused digimons, it will not affect us," the armored dragon nodded to him cheerfully.
"It's going to affect me, isn't it?" the human-like digimon said, standing up.
"Yes," Imperialdramon replied succinctly.
Baalmon narrowed his eyes and quietly cursed a few words. He had already noticed that his friend spent a lot of time with Omnimon and turned his attention almost to him. The human-like Digimon turned his back to the other two digimon and, without really thinking, he raced off.
"Baalmon!" the armored dragon shouted after him.
However, this didn't affect him at all. Baalmon ignored him and continued running. An incredible rage had gripped him. He didn't want to be angry. He understood why Imperialdramon spent so much time with the fused digimon. He understood that his friend also longed for a different society. And that made him angry. The human-like digimon eventually stopped breathing heavily. His eyes were closed and his body trembled. With an angry outcry, he slammed his fist against a tree trunk.
Again and again until he sank to the ground and began to cry. He didn't want that. He didn't want to lose his only friend to someone they barely knew.
"Baalmon." Imperialdramon said behind him: "What's wrong with you?"
The said digimon didn't look up, he just kept sobbing. To show his emotions openly, even before the armored dragon, made him even more angry.
"Why..." Baalmon began: "Why..."
"Baalmon, what's wrong with you?" his friend asked him cautiously.
"I... I don't know..." he shook his head.
"Has it something to do with Omnimon?" suggested Imperialdramon.
The human-like digimon froze. He turned his gaze away and clenched his hands to trembling fists. He then turned to his friend and screamed angrily:
"You don't care about me at all!"
"Baalmon!" the armored Digimon exasperated.
"Since Omnimon travels with us, you exclude me! I can't take it anymore!"
"I..." he looked to the ground: "I'm sorry..."
"And you think a simple apology would calm me down?!"
"No... But you have to understand-"
"Oh, I understand it. Omnimon is a fused digimon, like you!"
"It's not." Imperialdramon growled.
"Then what is it?!"
"I..." he interrupted himself briefly and took a deep breath: "You know Baalmon. My dream is to start a group that protects the digital world from dangerous digimon. We have both seen vulnerable digimon being attacked and killed. We would have been equally affected if we hadn't given everything."
"What does this have to do with Omnimon?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"I want him to be a part of this group."
"And I won't?"
"Baalmon. I'm not going to be part of this group. I just don't want that. You and me will watch over this group."
Imperialdramon winked at him in a cheerful manner.
"Now come. We can't leave Omnimon alone for so long." said the armored dragon: "We should also explain to him your situation that you are jealous of us."
"I am... jealous?"
"That's what I would call it anyway. But you are not jealous because of him... You are also jealous because of me." Imperialdramon humbly bent his head down.
"Why should I be jealous because of you? You're my friend!" Baalmon exclaimed angrily, his arms intervened.
"Because I probably have a closer bond with Omnimon than I have with you." he explained.
"That..." he looked to the side.
"I'm sorry, Baalmon. I'm so sorry. I'm selfish. I don't pay attention to your feelings, even though you're my friend and I've known you for a long time. You are my best friend. But you also have to understand that I have my own dreams. And I want to enforce those dreams. Even..." the armored dragon interrupted himself briefly: "Even if I lose you because of it. Baalmon... As we traveled together, I learned that I can realize my dream. But I also need your help. That's why I ask you... Please, help me, Baalmon."
"Imperialdramon..." he bent his head down, moved by his words: "I... I will help you, Imperialdramon. You are my friend... And nothing will change in that."
Imperialdramon pulled his upper lip up and showed Baalmon a series of pointed teeth. At first, the human-like digimon shrugged, but he quickly calmed down and answered the smile with his. The armored dragon once briefly struck with his large, orange wings before folding them and said:
"We should go back... Omnimon is certainly already worried about us... In addition... You should tell him how you feel now."
"I think that would be best." Baalmon replied: "I understand you now, Imperialdramon... You want to realize your dream..."
Imperialdramon nodded to him before the human-like digimon went ahead.
"I didn't know at the time what Imperialdramon was going to do!" Deemon raved.
By now, he had clenched his hands to fists. His full focus was on Omnimon, who was still held to the ground by his foot.
"What was he going to do?" the fused knight questioned.
"He wanted to create a world where everyone could life in peace." the demon ignored the question.
"That is a good dream!" Jesmon quipped.
The demon extended his hand to the dragon man, and a wave of darkness raced toward him. Magnamon, his arms crossed in front of his body, stood in front of Jesmon and intercepted the attack. The power of the attack pushed the golden knight against the dragon man who caught him. Deemon lowered his hand and looked down at Omnimon again.
"That's idiotic!" shouted the fused knight.
"Isn't it?" insisted Deemon: "It was Imperialdramon's wish. And I will carry out this wish! But you Royal Knights stand in my way!"
He removed his foot and then grabbed Omnimon by the back before forcing him to his feet. The fused knight shrugged in pain and clenched his eyes shut. Deemon pulled out and wanted to chase his claw into Omnimon. But at the last moment, a red laser collided with the demon's back and interrupted him. Dynasmon's palm was pointed at the opponent as he breathed heavily and slowly tried to straighten up.
However, he did not succeed and he could only roll on one knee. Deemon hurled the fused knight with a powerful movement against Akira's partner, who growled in pain and hit the ground with his back. Omnimon lay on him, but quickly rose again and rushed to the enemy. He attacked Deemon with a drawn-out blade. His body was shaking and he couldn't stand for long. Only his will to go to the extreme kept him conscious and let him continue to fight. His friends did not show such strong will, but they were also more injured.
"Damn..." Dynasmon coughed and rolled to the side.
He suppressed a curse as almost unbearable pain chased through his body. Meanwhile, Magnamon completely straightened up and fired a few torpedoes at Deemon. He did not see the projectiles, causing them to collide with his body and he screamed angrily. Jesmon raced toward the Demon and helped Omnimon continue in the melee.
"What happened next?" the dragon man asked as he held Deemon against a wall with the fused knights.
The enemy sent blue flames from his two palms, hurling the two digimon back.
"Fine... I will continue then." Deemon replied.
The trio continued to wander through the forest of memories. Imperialdramon led the group, closely followed by Baalmon, whose relationship with Omnimon had improved somewhat.
"So ,you were alone all the time?" the fused digimon concluded, as the human-like Digimon finished his life story by the time he met the armored dragon.
"Exactly," Baalmon replied, "I killed everyone who approached me. It may sound cruel, but I did it just to survive."
"My two rookie levels did that until they met each other" Omnimon confessed.
"I thought so…" he rolled his eyes.
"This is the world, you two!" imperialdramon cried over his shoulder: "The strong remain, the weak die."
"I think it's more about intelligence." the human-like digimon said, laughing a little.
"That's how I think." the fused Digimon agreed: "Strength means nothing if you don't have the intelligence to use it."
As a result, the armored dragon could say nothing more. He stopped while his two friends continued. Threateningly, Imperialdramon flashed his teeth and his tail hit the ground.
"Stop, you two! Something is coming!" he shouted.
Already a huge axe, no, a sword, hit the ground and hurled the group of three to the ground. A Digimon in black armor looked at the group's virus-type member with angry golden eyes. The unknown digimon pulled out his sword and dropped his weapon on Baalmon.
Omnimon stood in front of him and crossed his sword with the attacker's. He jumped back when Imperialdramon fired a huge laser at him. Baalmon chased the attacker, despite warnings from the fused digimon, and fired several bullets from his pistol. They bounced off the armor of the unknown digimon before it grabbed the human-like digimon by the neck and pushing him to the ground.
"Baalmon!" cried Imperialdramon, and wanted to help him.
A glare from the digimon in black armor forced the armored dragon to stay in place.
"Stay!" the assailant ordered: "Don't get any closer, otherwise I'll kill you right away."
"Let Baalmon go!" Omnimon pleaded: "Please..."
"Why should I do this? There are dark feelings in him, which, if you do not stop him, gain the upper hand. He will be a danger."
"We will prevent this." Imperialdramon insisted: "We are his friends! When he wanders into the darkness, we will bring him back into the light!"
"He is our friend. And we won't let him down!" continued Omnimon.
"You..." Baalmon gasped, looking at his friends.
Gratitude was in his sights, but also fear. If what this foreign Digimon said about him was true, wouldn't it be better if the human-like Digimon did die here and now? No... He wouldn't die. Never. He had to protect his friends. A light formed around the body of the human-like digimon.
"Baalmon digivolve too..." he began.
As the light subdued, a digimon appeared with brown-feathered wings that turned into a white color at the tips. The skin of the digimon was light blue, but also had a few drawings. The face was similar to one wolf and it was wearing a purple mask. The hair was grey and was loosely held together by a red ribbon. Two grey strands of hair decorated with several red ribbons hung over his shoulders. The digimon wore a gold and red striped necklace with a gold border around her neck. Four blue stripes sat on his bare chest, while the waist was covered by a white ribbon. Starting from the ribbon, it wore a white, long sash. Among them was a white balloon pants. On the sides of it, a black fabric with golden signs stretched along. A small part of the lower legs and ankles were wrapped in a white ribbon, while the feet were in golden shoes. On her right arm, the Digimon wore a gold bangle with a blue jewel. On her wrists she wore bracelets that were striped gold and red. The three fingers on one hand were each studded with a black-grey claw.
"Anubismon!" shouted Baalmon's mega-level.
Between his claws, he formed an attack. The unknown Digimon immediately let him go, causing Anubismon to hit the ground.
The divine digimon took a sharp breath and looked up to the unknown digimon.
"If your will is so strong for survival..." the digimon said in black armor: "That it itself evokes a digivolution. I will spare you."
"Why..." Anubismon began: "Why are you doing this?"
"If your "friends" want to protect you from your darkness, I want to see this." the unknown digimon replied: "I will accompany you."
"That's fine... But why?" Omnimon narrowed his blue eyes suspiciously.
"Because It was assigned to me." he replied.
"By whom?"
"By King Drasil."
"Who?" the three friends asked.
"The god of the digital world."
"Sorry, I don't understand." the divine digimon rose up and shrugged.
"There is a god in the digital world?" the fused Digimon questioned.
"It is relatively unknown that there is a god." the digimon in black armor replied.
"And how do you know?" was Imperialdramon's question.
"I was created by this god." he said.
"Is this even possible?" asked Anubismon, after joining the armored dragon's side.
"I'm living proof." the unidentified digimon said.
"Who... are you?" was Omnimon's question.
"My name is Alphamon. I am the messenger of King Drasil." he answered.
"Well then, Alphamon. We welcome you to our group!" Imperialdramon rejoiced, stretching out his front right foot.
Alphamon put his hand around the claw and shook it vigorously. Anubismon also approached him and stretched out his hand, although he felt severe discomfort. The black armored digimon looked down at the hand. However, he did not have enough of his.
"Don't take it personally... but I don't give hand to a former virus-type digimon." Alphamon said.
"Don't take it personally... but I hate you now." growled the divine digimon.
"Anubismon..." Imperialdramon moaned softly: "Maybe you should get to know him before you make your judgment."
"Why?" Anubismon quipped back: "First he attacks me, then he doesn't want to apologize and now he doesn't want to give me his hand."
The armored dragon did not know what to reply to. On the one hand, he agreed with his friend. Alphamon behaved very unkindly towards him. On the other hand, Imperialdramon knew that Anubismon has strong prejudices against new digimon. The armored dragon shook his head with a heavy sigh.
"I'm glad you're accompanying us, Alphamon." Omnimon said: "Please don't take it too personally. It takes him a lot of time to trust you. But you shouldn't have such strong prejudices against him. Just because he is a former virus type Digimon, doesn't mean that he will only cause chaos. Anubismon's trust must first be earned. If you have done that, he is a reliable friend. I also know that it takes a lot of courage from both sides to take the steps."
"Is he a fused digimon?" asked Alphamon.
"Yes, I am." the fused digimon replied.
"I hope that no part of you was a virus type Digimon."
Omnimon took a deep breath. He found it increasingly difficult to like the digimon in black armor. He had strong prejudices against virus type digimon. Alphamon also had a demanding voice. No sooner did the fused digimon think that the new one would become friendlier and more open, so comes a condescending comment.
"Well then. Let's go." Alphamon said.
"Since when have you been the leader?" asked both the fused digimon and the divine digimon.
"Come on, or I'll leave you here." the digimon in black armor replied.
"We're coming." Omnimon and Anubismon said.
"Good."
"Let's go!" said Imperialdramon, following Alphamon.
"I don't like him now." sighed the divine digimon.
"I don't like him either." the fused Digimon agreed.
Five weeks had passed. Throughout, Anubismon and Omnimon spoke little to nothing with Alphamon, who still had strong prejudices against the two. Actually, the divine digimon should be happier. After all, the digimon in black armor was not a fused digimon. Anubismon slowly began to think that all non-fused digimon have strong prejudices against virus type digimon or those who used to have this type.
The day turned night and the group began to rest. Again and again Anubismon felt Alphamon's glare on himself and he had to swallow heavily. His eyes wandered further to Omnimon, who stared at the digimon in black armor with narrowed eyelids. The divine digimon sighed.
"Well. Who will be on the watch tonight?" Imperialdramon suddenly asked.
"I don't," Anubismon said: "I don't like the night."
"How… strange. Usually, former virus type digimon prefer the darkness over the light of day." Alphamon said.
"I am not every former virus type Digimon!" cried the divine digimon, intervening his arms.
Slowly, it was enough for Anubismon. Just as he was about to get up, he noticed how Omnimon had done this and had pointed his Grey Blade at the digimon in black armor.
"I have enough of you, Alphamon!" the fused digimon angrily took a step forward.
"Omnimon!" the armored dragon exasperated.
"Let me say this, Imperialdramon." he looked over his shoulder, before his gaze fell back on Alphamon: "You constantly underestimate Anubismon just because he's a former virus type Digimon! Furthermore, not all virus type digimon are as bad as you always claim! I also distrusted Anubismon at the beginning... But I've learned that he's become a reliable friend to me."
The Digimon in black armor got up and the next moment he raced towards Omnimon and grabbed him by the neck.
"My job is to preserve the stability of the digital world!" Alphamon raved angrily: "And when I see that a Digimon will bring nothing but trouble, I will destroy it. You are blind because of your friendship with Anubismon!"
"No..." the fused Digimon quipped: "You're blind... because of your loyalty... to King Drasil..."
"What did you say?!" he increased the pressure on Omnimon's neck, while Imperialdramon began to growl furiously.
"Alphamon!" the armored dragon shouted: "Let go Omnimon right away! We are a group! We have to stick together!"
Alphamon cursed and let go of the fused Digimon. He hit the ground and coughed several times. Anubismon rushed to his side and supported him.
"Are you alright, Omnimon?" the divine digimon asked softly.
"Yes..." he moaned, watching Imperialdramon showing his teeth.
Meanwhile, the digimon dressed in black armor, folded his arms in front of his chest and looked away furiously.
"Alphamon. We need to talk. Now!" said the armored dragon.
Anubismon recognized in the voice of his friend... mourning? Could he say that? Was he sad? The divine digimon wondered.
He didn't notice his friend disappearing behind the trees with Alphamon. Omnimon looked at him and pointed with a head movement in the direction in which the two had disappeared.
"I don't know what you're up to. But I'd like to listen to the conversation." the fused Digimon said, and went off.
Anubismon followed him quietly, and soon after, the two saw Imperialdramon talking furiously but quietly with Alphamon. Both the divine digimon and the fused digimon knelt down and listened eagerly to the conversation.
"I really don't understand you, Alphamon." the armored dragon sighed: "How can you have such prejudices against Anubismon? I am also a former virus type Digimon. But you don't judge me for that."
"How do you know that I know that you're also a former virus type digimon?" was the question of the black armored digimons.
"I looked at it, Alphamon.", Imperialdramon again sighed from his throat and turned his back to him: "You know Alphamon. My dream is to found a group of digimon which protects the digital world and its inhabitants. And for that I would need someone to lead the group, free of prejudice. I actually wanted to make you the leader of this group, but right now I think Omnimon is the ideal candidate for that. Unlike you, he at least tries to get along with Anubismon. And in the meantime, a strong friendship has developed between the two... But you see only evil in Anubismon. I myself also notice that he is guided by very strong, negative feelings, and I know that one day he will follow the call of the Dark Ocean. But until then, I will do everything I can to maintain our friendship. Alphamon... I would like to tell you something."
"And what?" he swallowed.
"When my dream comes true... I fear that Anubismon will submit to the call of the Dark Ocean and our friendship will stop."
Anubismon's eyes widened with horror, and at the same time they filled with an unknown rage. Omnimon looked at him... He was visibly shocked as well.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" asked Alphamon.
"If he ever submits to to the Dark Ocean I have to seal him."
"Why are you revealing this to me? Why me? Why not Omnimon or Anubismon?"
"Because they can't cope with this when they know the truth." Imperialdramon looked directly at his two other friends, as if he knew they were listening to them: "I want them to have someone they can trust."
"How long... How long will it take for you to found this group?"
"It could be years, but it could only be days. I don't know when. But one thing I know for sure... If Anubismon ever learns of this conversation, he will be filled with deep sorrow. I was, after all, the first digimon to accept him as he was... and this digimon is going to betray him one day." said the armored dragon.
The divine digimon whimpered quietly and turned around. Then he flapped his wings and flew high into the air.
"Wait, Anubismon!" Omnimon shouted loudly, louder than he wanted, after him, attracting the attention of Imperialdramon and Alphamon.
Anubismon ignored him. How could Imperialdramon would do this to him, he thought as he flew higher and higher. They were friends! How could he seal him in the near or distant future?! How could he?! Imperialdramon was a very good friend to the divine digimon, perhaps even his best he ever had... and also his only, real friend. How could he seal him in the future? Why did the armored dragon wanted to this?
"Anubismon." a voice behind him said: "Wait."