"There was some nice art in the foyer," Chastity said a little too loudly, clapping her hands together. "Let's go look at the pretty art! We might learn something."

Mirai kind of doubted that the foyer art would be a suitable distraction until she got a good look at it. Running around the foyer walls, just below the ceiling, was a massive mural, or maybe a series of murals, although Mirai could not see how completely the clerestory windows broke up the artwork. One segment clearly depicted Dianamon, the Azure Crescent and Lunarian forests behind her. The segment to the right showed a large bird or turtle-like island against the backdrop of the sky just before sunset. Continuing clockwise, Mirai turned to face the palace doors, where she found a tall, scantily clad woman set against an archipelago, and then a younger looking woman with a large sword against a mountainscape. She paused when she reached the latter, intrigued by her feathered helmet fashioned after a snake head. The rest of her armor, too, had a snake motif, and Mirai found herself unexpectedly fond of its scale patterning. It was… it would be rude to call it "cute," but it did not impede the sense of playfulness Mirai got from the woman. She wondered if armor like that might look good on her.

Moving on, the next mural framed a panther-man with flaming fists against a backdrop of desert sands, and Mirai wondered if he had not perhaps scorched the earth himself. The final mural of the series had a massive, flaming lion warrior with a huge mane that must have reached his feet, if not trailed on the ground. The lush green hills behind him only served to highlight his golden glow, and Mirai realized that if Dianamon represented the moon, then this Digimon must represent the sun.

Between this final Digimon and Dianamon was a separate, larger mural, the obvious centerpiece of the foyer. A geometric mosaic standing in stark contrast to the smooth brush strokes of the others, Mirai was surprised she hadn't noticed it when she came in, the difference was so jarring. Yet, it did not seem out of step with the rest of the art, as though it was attempting to depict something which defied figuration. The background, if you could call it that when there was no clear sense of fore- or background, was a deep, midnight blue filled with sparkling stones of many colors, glittering like the most magnificent night sky Mirai could imagine. In the very center was the suggestion of a white humanoid figure, around which floated eight light blue spikes.

"What do you suppose that is?" Dracomon asked beside her, having followed her gaze around the room.

"The others depict Dianamon and the other Olympians, of that I am fairly certain," Pandamon said. "The stone painting eludes me, however."

"I believe it's called a mosaic," Chassy said. "Maybe it's meant to represent some kind of Digital God? I'm fairly sure I've heard of Earth cultures that avoid concrete depictions of gods out of respect. I'm sure we could ask."

"So, it's not meant to be literal, then?" Haruki asked, not sure he was quite following Chastity's explanation.

"Speaking of literal and figurative," Jonah interrupted, much less interested in the murals than the rest of them, "in what way does that Ishikawa girl look like me? Isn't that the description we were given?"

"Just smaller and with longer hair, if I recall," Floramon said. "I suppose you both have black hair and grumpy faces, but that's about it."

Jonah frowned at Floramon, who had the decency to look sheepish. Jonah sighed. Haruki moved a little closer, both to be more out of the way of the various worker Digimon and to be able to lower his voice and still be heard.

"I suppose Hana's eyes could be considered a reddish-brown," he said, to which Jonah raised an eyebrow. "Personally, I think they're more of a dark magenta. Besides that, maybe it's the pale skin?"

"I would believe it. You and she are both paler than Taki, which is saying something since… never mind," Chastity said, trailing off when she caught Mirai's warning look.

"I think it's not a bad comparison," Cutemon said. "Digimon come in way more shapes than humans, and of all of you Jonah seems the closest to Hana. It's not like Nohemon has seen other humans."

"That's fair," Jonah frowned. The conversation died there, no one sure what to say or do now. The foyer was now largely empty, the various Digimon continuing their work elsewhere in the palace. Mirai looked back at the mosaic, and though she tried to ponder it, the uncomfortable atmosphere kept pulling her back to where she stood in the center of the foyer.

A blast from outside echoed around them, followed by a group of guards streaming out through a smaller side exit. Mirai and the others followed them out into the courtyard in the front of the palace, and saw smoke coming from the direction of the water.

"Captain! We have reports of an infected Shellmon attacking the docks!" a purple rabbit Digimon, Turuiemon, announced as it saluted the wolf-knight that greeted them when they entered. The captain turned to the DigiDestined.

"DigiDestined, if you could-"

"Captain Wolfmon!" a Tailmon interrupted, bounding into the courtyard with haste. "We have multiple infections outside the East Wall. Lady Hana and Lord Kotemon were seen heading that direction moments before the attacks started."

"Can you split up?" Wolfmon asked the children. They nodded.

"Chassy, Jonah, take the docks. Haruki and I can go after Hana," Mirai said. To Wolfmon, she added, "Our fifth member is with Lady Dianamon. Please send him wherever has fewer guards."

"As you wish. Turuiemon, Tailmon, please guide the DigiDestined. I will follow through the city shortly. Doumon, please inform Lady Dianamon of the situation."

The fox Digimon pulled out a talisman and began chanting to summon a shikigami familiar. Mirai and Chassy Digivolved their partners, something which awed the likes of their escorts, but failed to faze either Wolfmon or Doumon. Mirai wished the other team good luck as she pulled Haruki and Cutemon up onto Coredramon's back. Tailmon gracefully leapt up between Coredramon's horns, pointing the way East.

Skirting the edge of the East Wall, Mirai's party kept a sharp eye out for any signs of battle. A series of flashes caught Tailmon's attention, and as they got closer, Mirai saw that they were reflections from steel and ice. A pink and white rabbit was dueling a fearsome samurai. Mirai almost thought the samurai was infected, so tattered was his armor, until she realized his back was to the wall and Hana was doing her best to parry the odd attack of the rabbit's sharp ears with her sword. The field around them was pocked with large ice crystals.

Tailmon jumped off onto the top of the wall as Coredramon flew in lower, ready to provide aid. Hana's expression was unreadable as she looked up at the reinforcements.

"There's another one farther along," she called to them. "Musyamon and I have things handled here."

Mirai bit her lip, thinking that Hana looked rather backed into a corner, but obliged.

"Roger that!" she answered, directing Coredramon to continue.

"Mirai, are you sure?" Haruki asked.

"We're going to have to trust her," Mirai said, thinking of how thinly spread they were right now.

"Hail Machine Gun!"

Ice crystals rained down around them, knocking Coredramon from the air as they caught his wing. Haruki squeezed in close to Mirai as Coredramon tried to land safely, the cold radiating from the crystals warning them away from careless contact. Pointing his maw straight down, Coredramon released his Blue Flare Breath to melt the ice below and give his passengers cover to dismount.

"On the left!" Cutemon warned them, and just in time as another crystal, smaller this time, came flying at them through the steam. Coredramon destroyed it with a flick of his tail, wincing as he did so. The steam quickly dissipated, leaving them face-to-face with a massive, armored mole with ice crystals lining its back.

"Togemogumon," Haruki said, reading from his Digivice. "Don't touch the spikes – they're dangerously cold."

"Figured that out already," Coredramon said, giving his wing an unsteady shake. "Got a weak point for me?"

"I would guess its belly," Mirai said. "If you can hit it."

Coredramon snorted. He aimed his sapphiric flames at the ground, hoping they would be able to reach Togemogumon's soft underbelly. While the flames did force it to brace against the heat, it countered the worst of the damage by making a shield with its spikes, which it then launched forward. The two attacks cancelled each other out where they met, but the spread of the ice crystals was far greater than the flames. Had it not been for Cutemon's shout, Mirai doubted she would have been able to pull Haruki out of danger fast enough as an ice crystal sailed past.

"Thanks," Haruki gasped.

"Don't thank me just yet," Mirai said. "We're still sitting ducks."

"Wait, aren't some of the spikes missing...?"

Mirai followed Haruki's gaze, and sure enough, Togemogumon's back was looking rather bald. Through the steam, the spikes seemed to form an indistinct mass on the Digimon's back, but if Mirai focused she could see new spikes growing up to replace the recent projectiles. If that was the case...

"Coredramon! Upper Strike Bomber immediately after the next attack!"

"What about my tail?" Coredramon barked back at her.

"Trust me on this!"

Coredramon didn't have the time to argue as Togemogumon launched another spray of icicles. Like before, Coredramon defended with his flames, and this time Mirai pulled Haruki and Cutemon close so they were fully in the safe zone. Blinded by the steam, Mirai felt rather than saw Coredramon's forward charge. One, two, three, a beat, and then she could see again as Coredramon's tail spun and smashed into Togemogumon, knocking the poor mole sky high. He landed on his back with enough impact to almost knock Mirai over. One more burst of flames and the virus was exposed and struggling.

Mirai ran forward, Digivice at the ready. Her ears were ringing, and while normally the purifying light didn't bother her, she hadn't anticipated it reflecting off of the many, many ice crystals on Togemogumon and scattered around the field. Neither had Dracomon, it seemed, as she felt him bump into her legs a moment later, having de-Digivolved from his own injuries. She was grateful that her sense of balance was intact, at least, or she would have probably been flat on her butt by this point.

Somewhere above her, Taki's voice rang out, calling Haruki's name. Blinking rapidly, Mirai tried to locate any immediate danger. She found Haruki first, and followed his gaze to Taki running along the top of the wall towards them on Reppamon's back. She didn't see anything in between the two, nor did she find anything amiss around Haruki himself. From his tone, Mirai doubted Taki was simply calling out a greeting, so where…?

It was then that she realized that the small shadows around Haruki weren't lingering spots in her vision but small bits of falling rubble. Mirai, too, tried to get Haruki's attention, but he just turned to her confused. Above him, she saw a huge chunk of wall finally break loose, and she screamed for him to run. Only then, the shadow descending upon him, did Haruki finally look up, and, to Mirai's horror, he froze.

Taki was too far away.

Dracomon was out of commission.

By the time Mirai got there, she would just be crushed, too.

Feet moving before her brain caught up, she strained her muscles to maybe, just maybe, get there in time to push Haruki out of the way.

There was a flash of steel, and then a thin seam appeared in the hunk of rock. It split apart, with each half landing on either side of Haruki, missing him by mere centimeters. Hana's partner, Musyamon, appeared, with Hana herself arriving behind him a moment later.

Mirai came up beside Haruki, with Taki and Reppamon landing next to them moments later. Haruki assured them he was fine, even as he had yet to release any of the tension in his body. Cutemon still cowered in his hold, hands holding down his not-ears. He peeked one eye open and relaxed slightly when he saw the danger had passed, although he made no attempt to leave the shelter of Haruki's arms.

"You're late, Taki," Hana said flatly. Her seeming disinterest was jarring to hear, given that Mirai's heart was still pounding in her ears. "Though I can't say I'm surprised."

"Hey, what!? I was with Lady Dianamon!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Mirai asked, coming to Taki's defense. She did not like Hana, and from the way he was growling, neither did Reppamon. Hana ignored them, turning away as she fastened her sword to her hip. Musyamon lingered a beat longer before following his partner.

"Hana!"

She paused when she heard Haruki's voice, and turned back just enough to look at him.

"Thanks," he said, finding his voice, "for saving me."

"I don't break my promises," she said, turning away once again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go make my report. I trust you will need to do the same."

"What did she mean by that? What promise?" Mirai asked, turning to the two boys once she was gone. Taki huffed, as she expected him to, while Haruki shrugged, looking genuinely confused.

"I have no idea. Taki? Did Hana ever promise me anything?"

"How would I know?" Taki grumbled. "She's weird."

"Should we go help the others?" Dracomon asked, finally walking up to them. There were dark spots on his tail that Mirai worried were frostbite, but aside from a twitch here or there it did not seem to bother him much.

"We should check on Togemogumon first," Cutemon prodded, to which Haruki agreed.

Togemogumon was still on his back, dizzy and confused in the middle of the small crater created by his fall. Feet flailing in the air, he begged them for help, although he was flustered when he realized some of them were human. Taki and Reppamon nearly touched his spikes, but thankfully Cutemon warned them in time.

"Oh, please don't touch my spikes, you'll be frozen solid," Togemogumon cried. "I don't like being touched."

"Okaaay," Mirai said, hands on her hips. She looked Togemogumon up and down. "But I don't see a way to help without touching you at all."

"Oh, oh, I'll make an exception this time, just be careful!"

Slinking underneath and between the upside-down spikes, Reppamon carefully loosed the dirt where Togemogumon had been driven into the ground from the impact. Once he was out, Mirai, Taki, and Haruki did their best to right him, pushing and shoving while Dracomon and Cutemon cheered them on. Eventually some guards from the wall came to investigate the damage, and Cutemon was able to rope them into helping. They also took over questioning Togemogumon, but from what Mirai could gather, the poor bloke remembered little but wanting to break down the wall.

"Oh, DigiDestined!" Tailmon said, looking up from questioning the pink and white rabbit that Hana had fought. They were walking back along the bottom of the wall, hoping to encounter a gate sooner or later. Dracomon made it clear he was not Digivolving anytime soon, even as Cutemon had finally addressed the frostbite. "Are you unharmed?"

"Tired mostly, thank you," Mirai said. "This is...?"

"Bitmon, miss," the rabbit answered. "Thank you and your friends for your help. I don't know what came over me."

"Hana's not our—hey!" Taki yelped, as Mirai had stamped on his foot. It was less than professional, but better than Taki running his mouth.

"It was our pleasure!" Mirai said. "But I think we should be checking in elsewhere. Tailmon, how do we get back into the city?"

Tailmon directed them to continue along the wall for another 300 meters or so, where they would find a smaller entrance intended for the city guard. Mirai thanked them and picked up a brisk pace, not wanting to leave her sister and Jonah without backup for too long. The door was easy to find once they knew to look for it, and the guard inside was more than happy to let them in. She even waved down one of her coworkers to escort them over to the docks.

As the guardswoman was uninterested in small talk, Dracomon turned his attention to Taki and Reppamon.

"What did Lady Dianamon want with you two?" he asked.

"Oh, um..." Taki mumbled to himself, looking between Mirai and Haruki awkwardly, and then at the bustling populace around them. "That's..."

"DigiDestined!" Turuiemon called out. "You appear to have been victorious, as well!"

Behind Turuiemon, the rest of their team looked like they had simply been on an invigorating walk rather than a fight. Mirai waved, then cast a glance at her companions. Haruki was still visibly wound-up, Dracomon dragged his feet as he walked, and Taki and Reppamon looked... distracted. That was odd, she thought, but before she could think much more of it, Chassy was by her side.

"Are you all okay?" she asked, scanning them all with the same scrutiny as Jonah.

"We're fine, we're fine," Mirai said, shrugging her sister off before she could start a physical examination there in the street. "We had a few close calls but we're fine now."

"Hana's partner, Musyamon, saved us," Cutemon explained. He sounded chipper, but he drooped a bit as he spoke. "What about you?"

"One of the dock workers, a Modoki Betamon, had Digivolved to Shellmon when they became infected. They weren't one for strategy, so it was mostly just a matter of avoiding the blasts of water," Jonah said, joining them in the rear as Turuiemon took over leading them back to the Azure Crescent. Reppamon took this as his cue to de-Digivolve, taking up his usual place on Taki's shoulders.

"How often do attacks like these happen?" Kudamon asked Turuiemon.

"Feels like every other day lately," Turuiemon admitted. "Although I believe this is the first time that we've had two attacks at once."

"Three," Haruki corrected. "There were two infected Digimon over at the East Wall."

"Ultimately, it's up to Captain Wolfmon, but I'd personally count that as one. Clusters like that are pretty common, but it's the attacks on opposite sides of the city that are unusual. Let me tell you, it's a big relief to know that we can count on you DigiDestined to help. A week ago, we probably would have been forced to kill Shellmon, regrettable as that may seem."

"O-oh," Taki said, and he shared a look with Kudamon. The rest of the team had similar reactions, and only Jonah seemed nonplussed at the reality check. The only sign that he wasn't heartless was the way he silently held Chassy's hand, walking just a little bit closer to her than he had moments before.

"What happens to their Digi-Eggs?" Pandamon asked.

"Cared for at the palace nursery," Turuiemon answered. Mirai had to admit, after having Hana as their escort earlier, it was surprising how forthcoming Turuiemon was with information. "I don't know the details, I'm not really one for working with Babies, but the good news is there's no sign that any of 'em are still infected. Still, I'm glad we have other options now."

The conversation sputtered out there, as no one relished the thought of killing Digimon that had gotten infected through no fault of their own. Turuiemon, bless her, did her best to point out places of interest around Imbria as they passed nearby, but by that point no one was really listening. It was only once they passed a large cathedral-like structure that Chastity tuned back in and made an effort to engage with the impromptu tour.

Hana was just leaving the reception hall when they returned. Only Kotemon paid them any mind, although Hana did nod politely to Turuiemon. Mirai marveled at the way Hana could acknowledge but one member of a group so naturally. With the way things had gone with her sister today, she was tempted to ask for tips.

Wolfmon and Dianamon were waiting for them in the hall. Their reports were brief – the wall was damaged, a pier largely destroyed – as they had learned nothing new about the virus. Even their interactions with Hana were minimal, so they couldn't even report on how they worked as a team. Wolfmon appeared somewhat vexed by their lack of cohesion, but Dianamon assured him it was to be expected for a team that had only fully formed that very day. However, with the increased risk of attacks, she did encourage them to return to Imbria the following day, which they were more than happy to agree to.

"Then I wish you safe travels home for the evening. Should I need to speak to you again, I will email you as before. And while you are always welcome here at the palace, I do hope that we will not have cause for a formal audience again any time soon. Farewell."

"Thank you, and farewell, Lady Dianamon," Mirai said. Turuiemon ushered them out the door, exiting herself so as to not make them feel rushed or kicked out. Thinking about how crowded the streets of Imbria could be, Mirai stopped Turuiemon before she could go very far.

"Is there somewhere we could go to gate back to our world?" she asked. "We don't want to accidentally bring anyone unexpected along."

"There's a garden just off of the main courtyard that is seldom used this time of day," Turuiemon said. "I believe Lady Hana and Lord Kotemon use it for just that purpose."

"Excellent, thank you!"

The garden was secluded and intimate enough that it made the park look wildly exposed by comparison when they returned. Jonah must have thought the same, as he scanned their surroundings more closely than usual. She doubted that any of Chassy's suitors would have one, managed to follow them after all and two, waited around for hours for them to reappear, but she still had the faintest sense that they were being watched.

"Oh, Taki, do you want to come over for dinner?" Mirai heard Haruki ask. "We've still got time to pick up some extra ingredients."

"Maybe tomorrow," Taki said, waving him off. Haruki shrugged and said that sounded fine to him, so he loaded Cutemon and headed out.

Jonah, having failed to locate any tangible threat, tucked Caprimon in his hood and began to leave as well. He paused when Chassy joined him, presumably to give him a more personal goodbye, so Mirai gave them some space as she took her time loading Dracomon. Once Jonah had properly left, Mirai moved to join her sister.

"Mirai."

Mirai paused. Taki hadn't moved since they arrived back on Earth, rooted to his spot in the middle of the clearing. She glanced back at where Chassy was waiting for her before turning back to Taki, who, to her surprise, had loaded Kudamon.

"We need to talk."

A/N: Finally beta-ed and posted! I've had the scene with Musyamon coming to Haruki's rescue in my head since long before I put this story to paper, so it was fun to finally write out. I look forward to hearing what you think of Hana so far!