The Deep One came to a stop, taking a look back at the shore, only barely seeing the flock.
"Good," she thought. A voice sounded in her mind.
"Your efforts are appreciated. I will take you to the queen now." After a moment's waiting, it began. The spirit watched, pleased, then went down as well.
A colossal city filled Dagomon's vision field, almost covering the seafloor, barely one-hundred meters down. Endless rows of domes, crafted from a solid black material. Far north, a colosseum where a pair of giant Deep Ones were having a throw-down, and thousands of others watched. A school swam together above a plaza, frolicking with practiced acrobatics.
His body laid in the place, which a few Deep Ones seemed to find a curiosity worth looking at, he observed with some amusement. His eyes focused on them as life returned to his physical form. Far away, at the very same moment, Hikari's attention was caught by a dark figure, in the corner of her eye. She turned to face the Deep One.
"My queen, they have come," she spoke.
"Thank you for the news," Hikari said. The Deep One watched her expectantly, hoping to otherwise serve. Hikari watched the area shift as the travel software executed. A grid spontaneously formed on top of the surrounding space, extending barely twenty meters ahead and less than half that upwards.
Given a mental command, the linework of the grid expanded outwards and upwards. With her mind's eye, she could see every part of the area, including BlackGatomon and herself. Over on the beach, she could see their group wandering along one of the roads into the city. The bigger Digimon, such as Examon and ShineGreymon, flew above the fences.
Hikari raised an eyebrow at the ones she hadn't expected to see. "It would seem that Takuya is not the only one in the multiverse with access to Aldamon. A fascinating bunch." She scrunched over with confusion when she noticed the absence of Armadillomon, and the presence of Rika outside Sakuyamon.
Then, she grinned with anticipation. It was a rare thing to see regular people like Keiko and Noriko and Mina involved. "Who to choose first?" A thought occurred. If she gave them time, they could assemble a new Royal Knight brigade.
Over where they were, Tai suddenly began flickering, Matt's shout of "What's happening to Tai?!" drawing their attention to him. Yolei gasped, immediately recognizing the visual effect, as did the three Biomerged Megas.
Davis and Izzy broke into a sprint with arms extended, grasping thin air. WarGreymon glared at Ophanimon, silently demanding an explanation. Several of the others willed their surprise down and joined the knight in that.
"We can't say anything with certainty," Ophanimon answered. "This could have been Dagomon or a Deep One, and they could've taken Tai anywhere."
Izzy tried to not think about what this meant. Pupils widened and shrank, lips hung slightly open, and greasy sweat coated Izzy's forehead; all at such a thought.
"Holy crap," Examon breathed, a grin on his face. "So, correct me if I'm wrong, these Deep One things can teleport us anywhere they want, anytime they want to?"
Dismay filled several faces. After looking around, Sora wondered what she could say to lift their spirits. TK and Yolei simultaneously realized that they were playing with them - it was the only explanation they each could think of for why Dagomon hadn't dumped them in a volcano already.
"No wonder they could get to Kari so easy the first time," Yolei thought, goosebumps breaking out all over her. "How do we stop that?"
"It's a psychic ability, so we just attack and break their focus," Ophanimon answered, in Gatomon's voice. A few of them, Rosemon among them, relaxed at that.
A hallway met Tai's eyes. Everything, the floor, walls, and ceiling, seemed carved from what appeared to be an obsidian diamond. On the right side, he saw windows and a series of lamps built into the walls opposite them. Hikari and BlackGatomon slid into space behind him. Lingering bits of the grainy static surrounded them, a notch in BlackGatomon's ear for a second.
"Hello, Tai," she called out. The brunet spun, seeing her, at once struck by her glowing eyes and yellow robes, and the dark-furred Gatomon. The alarm bells went off in his head, but he told himself to ignore that. "Whatever is the matter?" she asked, her voice mocking - something that he hadn't ever heard from her before. "Do you not have anything to say?"
That clinched it for him. "Not buying it."
Surprise came over Hikari. "What do you mean?"
"Drop the act, Dagomon," Tai barked. "Tell me where Kari is."
A small smile came onto her face. "I assure you, Tai, the one who stands before you is who you came to find." Tai glared defiantly. Hikari's smile didn't waver. "Truth be known, I was hoping you would deny me." Hikari's grin returned. It almost made Tai sick to look at. That look belonged on somebody like Myotismon, not on Kari, never. "Tell me, would you accept if I showed you what has made me into this?"
"Not a chance," Tai grunted. "You can either tell me where she is, or we can kick your ass and make you."
"Is empty threats truly how you wish to spend your final moments?" Hikari asked, disappointed. Tai rolled his eyes at that, regretting his statement already. She looked to the cat. "Please take the form of Gaapmon." Thinking the name, the cat glowed again, turning several times taller almost before Tai had time to blink.
The umbral light faded, unveiling a humanoid figure with alabaster skin almost three times Hikari's height. Green and leathery wings grew from its back and a pair of off-white horns from its forehead, while a shaggy mass of deep-brown hair covered its legs.
"Then I will play along," Hikari said, coyly. It was a good chance to demonstrate their absolute power. "I trust that you have WarGreymon in mind for a fighter?" Tai blinked, unnerved by her.
After a moment's silence, WarGreymon slid into space, on his human's right, promptly facing him.
"Tai, what's going on?" WarGreymon asked. Tai looked mutely at his partner. WarGreymon turned, looking with shock at Hikari and the giant.
Gaapmon smirked triumphantly. "MENTAL VOID!" Upon the declaration, her eyes shone red as WarGreymon's did.
"WarGreymon, are you okay?!" Tai hurriedly asked. The concern in his eyes grew when WarGreymon didn't answer him. "What did you do to him?!"
Hikari looked to Gaapmon. "LadyDevimon." The giant changed again into another smaller humanoid with alabaster skin, dressed in black leather clothes along with chains. She advanced towards Tai, smiling like a cat to a cornered mouse. Tai glared back, sprinting off after a moment, muttering an apology as he ran.
"Your efforts are in vain, Tai," Hikari mocked, her voice almost reverberating across the hallway. "You cannot run nor hide from us. Give in."
Ignoring her, Tai scanned the area ahead of him, wishing for a door or something to lose them behind. The aching in his legs steadily growing, Tai willed himself to ignore it. After a long moment, he came to a halt.
Breathing ragged, he looked back, seeing them a good distance back, and that LadyDevimon had taken flight. Alarm flashed in Tai's eyes, at how fast she was approaching. Turning, fumbling to stay on his feet, Tai broke into a renewed sprint.
A gasp escaped him when he heard Angewomon's voice call out to him, "Finished yet?", from the demon. Immediately glancing to his left, Tai hurried to turn and run the other way, barely avoiding to trip. He felt a hand push against his side, then hit a wall head first.
His vision briefly blurry, he looked to LadyDevimon. "They've simulated Angewomon's voice too, that's all it is."
Silence filled the hall for a moment, Hikari walking towards them. Tai got on his feet, intently watching LadyDevimon.
"I will admit to some dismay," Hikari said matter-of-factly, her voice raised. "I had not expected much from you without Agumon, but nonetheless."
He shot her a glare. "Says the coward who had to get rid of him." LadyDevimon couldn't deny either of their points. Hikari stopped, a few meters removed from both.
"The word 'sanctimonious' comes to mind, Taichi," Hikari countered. "We never challenged any of our old foes to single combat, did we? No matter, we have other things to discuss. What would you say to become like me?" Tai stared, then frowned.
Hikari smiled, then continued. "My Dark Ocean makes all things possible. Ken's Digivice was forged anew by it, as I trust you remember. When I bathed in the heart of darkness, I was reborn, free of human weaknesses." The glee in her voice was unmissable. "Imagine yourself and BlackWarGreymon as my dark knights of Fear."
"I'll tell you to go to Hell, but we're already here," Tai bit back. Smiling still, Hikari looked to LadyDevimon.
"Darkness Spear," LadyDevimon announced with a grin. Her claw's fingers curled together into a point, arm morphing into a blade.
A thought came to Tai's mind. "Isn't that attack called Black Wing?" Grabbing Tai by the wrist, she lifted him up, drew her arm back. Hikari watched attentively while LadyDevimon landed the killing blow.
Tai screamed out, the tip jutting from his back. A smirk on her face, she released him, to fall over a crumpled heap. Tai glared up at them, while a pool of scarlet grew around him.
"Did you ever think it would end like this, brother?" Hikari asked. Her tone made his stomach turn, so very similar to Kari in a good mood. She looked down the hall, and soon saw WarGreymon revert to his Rookie form.
Surprise filled LadyDevimon's face when the visual effect of Deep One teleportation began playing around her. A mountain landscape and empty dark skies met her sight, reminding her of being back in Apocalymon's space.
She thought about making a sarcastic comment, but nothing better than 'this sure beats walking' came to her. Hikari arrived silently.
"What do you make of this as a battleground?" Hikari asked.
LadyDevimon gave a shrug of her shoulders. "No objections." Hikari closed her eyes, smiling a bit.
A sudden cry from Matt of his brother's name drew their attention to him. Whispering it, Matt rushed to his side.
Grasping his hand, he said, "I promise you, we'll find you." TK smiled, a split-second before he vanished. Relatively small mountains met his eyes, and he took a look around, freezing at the sight to his far left. Seraphimon arriving didn't register to him.
Almost thirty meters ahead of them, TK saw her. He broke into a sprint, an overjoyed smile on his face, his arms spread wide. In seconds, he reached her, wrapping himself around her.
"I'm so glad you're safe, Kari," TK murmured. A few tears escaped him. Hikari pushed him back, onto the bedrock. He looked at her with shock, only just then getting a good look at her and Gatomon, seeing all that was different. "Kar-Kari, what's happened to you?"
BlackGatomon smirked cruelly. "I think you can figure that one out."
"Indeed," Hikari agreed, her voice openly mocking, "but I suppose I should introduce myself. After all, you have only known our old selves." She gave them a mild bow, while Seraphimon helped TK to his feet. The panic seemed glued to his face.
"Hello, Takeru and Patamon," she greeted. "I can think of a few things to say that might explain matters, but I think my new rank will do. You may call me Queen Hikari of the Dark Ocean." Her voice was laced with pride at that status. TK paled at that. Seraphimon straightened up.
"Kari would never say that," Seraphimon asserted. "Tell me what you've done with them, and I'll let you live."
"An empty threat," Hikari countered. "The Ocean has blessed I and Gatomon with more than you can dream about. Your strength is very literally nothing compared to that." Seraphimon balled his fists. TK continued to gape at her. "I have brought you here to demonstrate that fact," she informed them. "It will be quite the message to the others to see the chosen two of Hope by the champions of the Darkness."
Anger rose in TK's eyes. "You're right, Seraphimon, it's not them." Seraphimon cupped his hands, declaring "Strike of the Seven Stars" in both voices. Seven golden spheres of divine energy materialized and shot at Hikari with a push of the archangel's arms.
Hikari watched the incoming attack with fascination, while panic filled BlackGatomon's eyes. The blasts hit her at blinding speed, searing through, almost vaporizing her upper body. Her arms dropped to the bedrock, leaking black fluid, stray bits of flesh flying around. Her body fell back over, spilling more of the fluid. A pool of it leaked out after she landed. Her head rolled a bit, calm smile lingering.
Seraphimon focused on the water, both sides of him reminded of what had happened with Lopmon, agreeing on not liking what that indicated. TK grimaced at the sight. Seraphimon turned to BlackGatomon.
"Now tell us where they are," the seraph demanded of the cat demon. The waters became animated, flowing together into a puddle. The human and seraph watched, mutely, uncomprehending. BlackGatomon was only mildly surprised by her at this point.
From her waist up, the water shaped new fabric. After but seconds had passed, blobs of the dark water emerged from the neck. Skin grew in patches over the shape of her head, her left eye restored while her hair grew out again, and her fingertips shaped new nails. She smirked at them. TK stared, not a little shaken by the display.
"Wh-what are you?" TK stammered, the memory of Lopmon near to him. Hikari looked at him, calmly. Radiant red-brown met baby blues.
"It seems I must repeat myself," Hikari admonished him. "I am the girl you knew, drowned and reborn in the Dark Ocean." The horror on TK's face almost seemed to deepen at that. "I will spell it out for you," she said slyly. "BlackGatomon and I now do not simply represent the Darkness as once we did the Light, we are the Darkness. Care to demonstrate?"
The cat's body flashed with ebony light and rapidly grew, taking on humanoid proportions. The darkness faded, and they could now see Myotismon standing before them.
"No..." TK whispered. Deep inside, the seraph felt tired, drained. BlackGatomon flickered through various shapes in rapid sequence - LadyDevimon, then Piedmon, Millenniummon, then MaloMyotismon.
The next forms were unfamiliar. A bloody big three-headed dog with a snake for a tail, then a three-headed black cat the same size. Megidramon followed, then Arkadimon's sixth-stage form, then Astamon, then Murmukusmon. The next metamorphosis brought enormous size with it.
"What have you to say now?" Hikari asked. "Come now, do try to make one of your usual bad jokes before the end. Or perhaps a passionate speech to deny the darkness?"
Seraphimon glared, disdain in his concealed eyes. "I'm not impressed." Patamon recalled wondering how his Mega form would measure up to that one, or to MaloMyotismon. Hikari decided against dignifying that with a response.
Grinning, VenomMyotismon reached down for him. Firing another blast, Seraphimon elicited a growl from her. VenomMyotismon glared at the seraph, her movement paused. Hikari stared into TK's eyes, a grin on her face that he recognized so well.
"What do you have to say now, Takeru?" Hikari called out with amusement, studying his face. "Can you accept that I am Kari?" She watched him expectantly. Takeru's despondency was one of the few constant pleasures there was to this war.
"TK felt his breath run short. He just couldn't wrap his mind about what was happening. This couldn't happen to Kari! Seraphimon's halves felt the other exude the same feeling, a wish that it wasn't as they thought.
"I-" TK stammered, fumbling for words. VenomMyotismon threw her head back and a clawed hand to her face, laughing. Hikari felt inclined to share in the laughter. Neither side of Seraphimon knew what to say now.
The blond looked plaintively to Seraphimon. "I want to go home." This couldn't be real, he thought, tears pressing at him. This just couldn't happen. Kari couldn't join the Darkness, ever. This had to be some kind of horrible dream.
Hikari scrutinized TK, pleased with his response. Tears broke loose on his face, and it took visible effort for TK to stay on his feet. Seraphimon looked to Hikari, glaring daggers.
"Stop it," the seraph demanded. "If you want me to believe it, fine. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened to one of us." Hikari smiled, recalling those times. "I don't know how the Dark Ocean turned you into these monsters, but I'm not going to let you torment TK about it."
With that, he started walking. Seraphimon only made a few steps before VenomMyotismon's arm swooped down. She smirked at the angel in her hand. The seraph stared uneasily into her golden eyes. With a swing, she tossed him toward the ground.
Seraphimon glanced down and spun to face the ground. Spreading his wings, he slowed his descent, and made a quiet landing, left foot first. Turning around, he saw that the vampire giant was gone. With Hikari, the seraph now saw MaloMyotismon.
"Crimson Mist!" MaloMyotismon howled, unleashing streams of blood-red vapor from her shoulders towards them. Painfully aware of TK's proximity, Seraphimon rushed around. Grabbing him, he leaped up, quickly landing again. Putting TK down, he turned back to their enemies.
"Have you any more to present?" Hikari asked, calmly. "If not, then we will declare checkmate." TK exhaled tensely, at loss for words.
"Checkmate?" Seraphimon parroted. "You haven't won yet." Hikari smiled at that. Armadillomon felt the sharp taste of rage emanate from Patamon. "We still have a trick up our sleeve," Seraphimon asserted, with Patamon's voice.
Hikari smiled. "I expect nothing less. Is it a new Digivolution? Perhaps you and Takeru have learned to Biomerge? That would entertain me to see."
The seraph ignored her. "Slide DNA Digivolution," with that, he blazed with white light, enveloped like a cocoon.
Hikari looked to MaloMyotismon. "Please take the form of Arkadimon the Mega." The vampire's body flashed with dark light. Before Hikari's eyes, the DNA Mega grew rapidly, turning a fair bit burly. Colors filled back in on the Vikemon, just in time to see the gray four-winged giant emerge.
"DOT MATRIX!" Arkadimon yelled at the top of her lungs. TK gasped, suddenly not seeing Vikemon, hurriedly looking around.
"Nicely done," Hikari complimented Arkadimon.
"Patamon, where are you?" TK called out. Hikari closed her eyes, smiling. As she expected, no answer came. Her body shaking pulled her back to attention, her eyes opening on him. "What just happened, Kari? What did you do to them? Tell me!" TK begged. The words came as a guttural sob.
Hikari turned her head to Arkadimon. "Please dispose of this for me." Arkadimon gave what of a grin her head could, taking MaloMyotismon's form. TK looked fearfully at MaloMyotismon, scrambling back. The vampire swung her claws across his torso, sending him flying, a trail of blood in his path. Silence reigned as TK made a blunt landing. Blood pooled beneath him.
Hikari inspected TK. She was not pleased by this outcome, nor could she say that it troubled her. A thought occurred to her - when her Crest's power was depleted, she would need another means of teleporting and tracking them. Hikari decided to shelve the thought.
"Matt?" the thought appealed to her. It was a fitting end for the brothers to die together. "Yolei and Valkyrimon?" They were as good choices to continue with as the others.