Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I do not own Heroes of Olympus. RIP.

Author's Note: Written for the Novel with Prompts Challenge found on the Digimon Fanfiction Challenges forum. The prompt for this chapter is "promise".

Reminder: I post all review replies on my personal forum topic found right here on this site. Replies to the previous chapter are often posted about an hour after the newest chapter goes up. To find the topic, navigate to the little drop down menu at the top of the screen for Forum to Anime to Digimon. Find the forum called Digital Connections. The topic you are looking for is called "Blurring Boundaries: And so it begins..." Or you can go to my profile and use the direct link there!

Again, still not really "back". Confession: I haven't even started chapter eight. But I didn't want to sit on this chapter forever like I did with Chapter Six. And I kinda like this one. It's starting to set the stage, I think. Mystery, intrigue, puppeteering already in the works by our villains. It's fun to write. Plus, I like Jeri. She came pretty easy to me. Lemme know how I did. Anyway...

Enjoy!


Chapter Seven

Jeri had the strangest feeling that she was introducing two myths of legend, and she found herself holding her breath to see which one would fade from existence first. Just like Takato had.

Until that morning, Ryo was easily the biggest living legend she had ever met. He knew how to stay out of Hypnos's hair, so most of the government officials just saw him as another tamer oddball, an annoying kid who breached protocol by entering the Digital World without permission but no real threat. The tamers knew better. She hadn't known Ryo for very long, only a few years, and they were never exactly what you would call close. But she knew Ryo and his digimon partner were more dangerous than Rika, Henry, or maybe even Takato.

Then TK had arrived.

At first, when she saw him kneeling in that digital field with a Patamon on his head, Jeri had thought he might be a digimon in disguise. Even though he was beat up, dirty, and practically keeling over in exhaustion, he'd had an aura of power and the looks of an angel, with deep sea blue eyes and windblown golden hair.

Oh, and she'd recognized his name immediately, of course. Though she hadn't initially started out a fan of the anime series, she had since seen it multiple times since the D-Reaper days. It was strange, seeing an animated character come to life before her very eyes, but she'd noticed the resemblance right away, even as Kazu called the entire thing bologna.

Then Patamon had digivolved into Angemon and destroyed the Vilemon. He brandished a D-3. He'd caught Hypnos's attention after being in the Real World for mere minutes.

A real digidestined…

TK and Ryo shook hands. They studied each other warily, and Jeri fought the urge to separate them. Both boys were tall and athletic, and she was pretty sure if they decided they didn't like each other and started to duke it out, there wasn't a whole lot that Kenta and Kazu could do about it.

Despite her irrational fear, neither boy looked very frightening. In fact, they both looked like the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet on the street. Ryo had gelled brown hair that had started to wilt into his face. He was tanned with pale blue eyes, and he wore layered clothes like armor, fully equipped with a utility belt.

Jeri remembered when she'd met him. The first time she'd seen him walk up from behind Kazu and Kenta with Cyberdramon as his partner, she'd been a little frightened. Not of Ryo exactly, but his partner, the way he snarled at them even as Ryo smiled awkwardly and called him a puppy deep down. Deep, deep down, it turned out. But she'd given them the benefit of the doubt. Leomon could be as cuddly as a kitten when he wanted to be, after all, maybe Cyberdramon just needed some time to warm up to them.

To this day, she still wasn't convinced by the puppy comment, but she'd come to trust the two as a partnership quick enough.

TK furrowed his eyebrows. "I… Do I know you?"

Ryo shrugged. "I don't know. Do you?" He looked at the others for an explanation.

Jeri hesitated. Something about Ryo's reaction wasn't right; it didn't feel genuine. He was trying really hard to act casual, but when he had first seen TK, Jeri had noticed his momentary look of panic. Ryo had recognized TK, and not just in the fanboy way that Kazu and Kenta had recognized him. The way Ryo's eyes had widened, the way he'd sucked in that small breath of air – that had been a private reaction, like he knew him personally. She was sure of it. But if that were true – how would that be possible? And more importantly, why was he hiding it?

Jeri forced herself to speak. "Um… TK's lost his memory."

Kazu and Kenta mercifully picked it up from there, filling Ryo in on what had happened since the Vilemon appeared downtown.

"So, Ryo…" she started carefully when they were done. "You've been all over the Digital World, and all TK remembers is being there. Maybe you ran into him there or heard something about how he got there…?"

Ryo's expression didn't change, but she saw the muscles along his jaw tighten as his entire body tensed up. Jeri didn't understand what was going on, but she got the message: Drop it.

"This story about Huanglongmon's army," Ryo said, clearly changing the subject, "you tell Yamaki?"

TK nodded. "You heard of this dude?"

Jeri's mouth went dry. She couldn't be sure, not 100% certain, but she felt it deep in her bones… That name… It was all she could do to keep her knees from buckling. She remembered a sleepy male voice, a flickering television set with an image of a golden dragon, and promises of greatness.

"He's the oldest digimon ever created." Ryo glanced around as if afraid he might be listening. "It's said that he sits at the core of the Digital World, but I think it's probably a bit more complicated than that. Either way, he's a sleeping entity that keeps the Digital World afloat, but he's grown to hate humans and their digimon partners."

"So… the Digital World is a being… that's evil?" TK asked.

"Sounds comforting," Patamon said.

"Sort of," Ryo said gravely. "He's more like the core of everything. There are hundreds of worlds out there, whether Hypnos wants you to believe it or not, and they've all become interwoven with him. He keeps the boundaries set. If those worlds start to collide…"

"Boom," Kazu said.

"Darkness," Jeri whispered.

"End of the world," Kenta added.

MarineAngemon chirped with his own input.

"That sounds familiar," TK sounded surprised, like an old memory had partially surface. "But I don't think I've ever heard the part about Huanglongmon."

Ryo shrugged. "He sacrificed himself to keep two worlds at bay. And then it was three—then four—pretty soon, he held the weight of infinite worlds. He used to be a digimon of legend, a hero. That was then, this is now."

"So now he's… crazy," TK said.

"Or something close to it," Ryo continued. "By being at the center of everything, he was exposed to all worlds, both light and dark. Theoretically, it should've kept him in perfect balance, but it didn't. Maybe it was his loneliness or isolation… or maybe something on the outside influenced him…" He trailed off, his gaze turning to look behind him. Monodramon looked up his partner with expressive gold eyes. In this form, Jeri always found it hard to picture the bloodthirsty Cyberdramon that took over when he reached ultimate.

TK followed his gaze, leaning to the side to get a good look at the digimon, and smiled softly. "Hello."

Monodramon raised a claw and waved. "Hi!"

Ryo's lips twitched with amusement. "This is Monodramon, my partner."

"Nice to meet you," Patamon said.

"Nice to meet you," Monodramon mimicked.

Patamon and TK shared a confused look.

"Um, anyway," Ryo continued, "Huanglongmon could be evil and still be a perfectly fine stabilizer for all the worlds if he just stayed asleep. The problem is – he's waking up. Has been for at least two decades. Digimon who've been destroyed are coming back."

"I can confirm that," TK said. "Those Vilemon refused to take a trip back to Primary Village."

Jeri's heart stopped beating. Kenta and Kazu shared a look before glancing toward her, awkward concern written all over their face. She felt hot under their stares. She knew they were just worried about her, but she didn't deserve their concern. Not after what she'd done. She felt like if they stared hard enough, they'd see right through her and figure out the truth. Her secret, her shame…

Ryo hesitated, watching TK's face as if concerned that more of TK's memory might be coming back.

"TK…" Ryo said. "There is no Primary Village."

TK blinked. Confusion crossed his face as if he just realized what he had said and was now trying to connect it to what Ryo had just told him.

"Uh… yeah, dude," Kazu said uncertainly. "When digimon get destroyed, they're just… gone."

"They die," Ryo said softly, "just like we do."

TK wavered unsteadily. "Are… are you sure?"

"Yeah, we're sure," Kenta said. "That's what happened to Jeri's partner Leomon."

Jeri tried not to panic under TK's stare, but it was all starting to be too much. They were way too close to the truth. She could feel the emotion of the memory trying to fight its way to the surface. She flashed a tense smile through the lump in her throat and gave a small shake of her head.

"It was a long time ago," she said, but she stopped herself from sharing anymore details. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep it together if she started talking. She would just tell them everything, and then what good would that do? Nothing. It would just bring her more grief, and she wasn't sure she could survive that again.

"That… that doesn't seem right…"

TK probably wasn't meaning to make her feel worse, but she couldn't help it. She knew what he was referring to, what Primary Village was to him as seen in the anime, but all she felt was the unfairness that came with it simply not existing for them in the Real World. It was just fictional, like the guy they were talking to. She didn't dare say any of this aloud.

Ryo cleared his throat and swiftly steered the subject back to Huanglongmon. "If Huanglongmon is trying to wake up, he's probably not doing it alone. He'll be waking up and reforming every evil he can get his hands on, and their first mission will be to get rid of the only power that can hope to defy him."

"Us," Patamon guessed.

Ryo nodded in agreement.

"Does Hypnos know about this?" TK asked.

"Of course," Ryo said. "But I don't work for Hypnos… secretly or not."

"Ryo's a bit of a lone wolf," Jeri told TK.

"Yeah, he doesn't need no stinkin' Hypnos breathing down his neck!" Kazu said. "He's too cool for that."

Kenta sighed wistfully. "He's the best."

Ryo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly at the compliments. "Cyrberdramon… Monodramon's ultimate… if Hypnos knew what he was like, they'd never just… let him be. Not now. And because I won't play by their rules, they don't trust me. And because they don't trust me, they won't listen to me. I was hoping eventually Hanaharu would have to listen to them…" He gestured to tamers and then looked at TK. "Or you."

"Me?" TK asked. "I just showed up."

"Yeah, but you're different," Ryo said.

"Why?"

"Oh, so many reasons," Kazu muttered.

"TK," Jeri cut in, "we don't know what enemies Huanglongmon might be bringing back, but they're not the worst of it. Even… even Huanglongmon isn't the worst problem out there. What you saw with the Vilemon – how they wouldn't die - that's the real threat."

She glanced at Kazu and Kenta, but they were content to let her do the talking. She was getting dangerously close to her secret now, one that she was keeping from everyone, but she trusted TK. He'd understand; maybe he wouldn't think she was a horrible person… It was a crazy thought. She'd only watched him on television; she didn't know him personally; but if nothing else, he deserved to know what they were facing. She had a feeling he was going to end up stuck in the middle of it.

"I—I think," she said carefully, "what's happening, it could be—"

Before she could finish, a shout came from down the hall.

Terriermon sat on Henry's shoulder as he and Rika walked toward them. They both had somber expressions on their face as they often did nowadays that made Jeri wonder if she weren't the only one holding onto secrets in their group.

She smiled softly, as she did every time she saw Henry and Rika together. She knew it probably wasn't fair to the two of them – especially to Rika – but before Takato disappeared, she'd been scared. Rika was everything she wasn't. She was beautiful and confident and older, both literally and mentally. She seemed to have her whole life figured out. She'd gotten it into her head that there was no way she could ever compete with her. It's not like Takato and Rika ever looked like they were dating – or even interested in each other – but that didn't matter.

In her head, the match was perfect. The Digimon Queen and the Digimon Knight-In-Shining-Armor, together forever. And they were both tamers, and they were both powerful – it just seemed to fit. Jeri had thought this so many times that at some point it had become fact. So when Takato had asked Jeri out while blushing from head-to-toe, she'd been almost too stunned to say yes. Almost.

Of course, then Takato had disappeared, and that date never happened. It left her feeling empty. Broken. Sabotaged. Until Rika had swooped in to make sure she didn't sink into her own misery again. She became a good friend – her best friend. She was one of the only people in their group who didn't treat her like some helpless little tagalong. All the boys just wanted to protect her. Stay back, Jeri. Don't get too close, Jeri. Jeri, it's too dangerous. But Rika didn't look at her in that way. Rika made Jeri feel like an asset.

And one evening, Jeri had the bright idea to share the story with her about the date that never happened. She knew that Rika probably wouldn't be too interested, not really into those kinds of stories, but she'd listened. And smiled. And even said, "It was about damn time for Gogglehead to get his act together."

That was when all concern she had about Rika possibly having feelings for Takato flew out the window. It was also about the same time that she saw how much time Henry and Rika spent together. Maybe she was just lonely or still heartbroken, but she liked to think she saw serious potential there. Of course, neither of the other two tamers seemed to be with the program. They'd been spending time together, just the two of them, for months, and still – nothing.

Stop it, she chided herself. Nobody asked you to play matchmaker – especially considering your track record.

Besides, even if she thought Rika would even consider her boy advice for even a second, she still didn't know her secret. If any of them ever found out, she doubted any of them would ever listen or trust her ever again.

"Hey, Ryo," Henry said as he and Rika caught up to them.

"Henry," Ryo said. Then he grinned and tagged on flirtatiously, "Hey, Rika." He seemed to find Rika's reactions to his flirting amusing, probably because Rika never seemed too impressed by any of his antics.

"I got your message," Rika said. She looked at TK. "How'd it go with Hanaharu?"

"It went," TK said. "He tried to take apart my D-3."

"He what?" Henry asked. "Did he break it?"

TK pulled out his D-3 and showed it off. It looked fine. "No, but let's just say I'm glad he didn't have a hammer around."

"I'm pretty sure digivices aren't the only thing he'd like to break open," Kazu said darkly.

Kenta pushed his glasses up his nose. "Yeah, no kidding. Digimon must have nightmares about that guy." MarineAngemon seemed to chirp in agreement. "But good thing is: TK's in. He's got an access badge and everything, so Riley doesn't have to babysit him anymore."

TK rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks."

"Even better," Kazu said, "we can finally show you where you can get a shower in this place. Because, no offense, dude, but… you need one."

TK went red in the face. "That's not my fault," he mumbled.

"But he's not wrong," Patamon sing-songed.

Jeri glanced toward the large bay windows. She just now realized the sun was starting to set toward the horizon. How had the day gone by so fast?

Henry nodded. "Yeah, you guys go ahead and do that. Ryo, Rika, and I will catch up later."

TK looked at Ryo one more time, as though trying to place a memory. "I'd like to talk with you some more. I can't shake the feeling—"

"Sure," Ryo agreed. "I'll be hanging around. You'll find me."

TK made an uncertain noise, but Kenta and Kazu grabbed him each by an arm and started to lead him away. Rika caught her arm before she could go to follow.

"What was that?" she asked quietly.

Her eyes darted from TK to Ryo. She'd caught the weird tension there just as quickly as Jeri had.

Jeri gnawed on her bottom lip for a second. She didn't want to get Ryo in trouble, especially not with Rika – she could be rather intense. But the last thing she wanted was to add another lie on top of every other complicated thing going on in her life at the moment.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But… TK felt like he'd met Ryo before, like he recognized him. And… I think it was mutual…"

The cogwheels in Rika's mind started to whirl rapidly. She let go of Jeri's arm and nodded. "Go on with Kazu and Kenta, Jeri," she said. "Keep them out of trouble. Looks like I need to have a talk with the Digimon King."