PART 7: REUNION
To say that Celamon was dumbfounded by the new King of Sector and his protector would be a great understatement. She just couldn't figure them out. It's almost like they weren't who they put forward to other people. As if it was all just a strange act.
Just this morning, T.K. and FallenAngemon were sitting in the Throne Room, musing about their newfound freedom. Takeru suggested to the dark angel that they were now free to do things that they weren't able to do before.
"Exactly what do you mean, Takeru-san?" Fallen asked the young King.
"Well…"T.K. hesitated. Then a huge grin took over his face as he looked up at his companion gleefully."…Well we can say bad words now, and the others wouldn't be able to scold us!" T.K. told him.
"You wouldn't!"
"Yeah I would!" T.K piped up. He looked around the room, seeing only Celamon stare at them in certain uncertainty. Then he leaned close to FallenAngemon and whispered. "Damn" And began to laugh hysterically.
FallenAngemon grasped his mouth in shock, and of course, to stifle his laughter. " I can do one too!" He boasted. Then he leaned close to his charge's ear…and after a moment of thought whispered "booger".
T.K. frowned, looking a bit disappointed. "That's pretty lame Fallen." He chastised his friend. Fallen's smile faded, and Takeru patted him on the arm. "You gotta do something like…crap." T.K. giggled, and the laughter started again.
Celamon stared incredulously. They were children, both of them. The little one had taken over the entire city just a few days ago…and now he was giggling at the word 'crap'. She almost understood the boy's mood-swings…but she couldn't understand his protector's.
She gazed at him again, laughing away with the little boy. She couldn't understand him. One minute, he would fight as if he was 1000 years old, with all the wisdom and grace that came with age. The next minute, Fallen would be acting like an 8 year old, suggesting bad words to say, or nice games to play. Celamon couldn't figure out for the life of her why he was so strange that way.
She also, for the life of her, couldn't understand why she couldn't get FallenAngemon off of her mind.
She shook her head in annoyance, and added. "If you two are finished being bad, I've got some real work to do." And with that, bowed briefly and left the room.
FallenAngemon looked at her as she left. The Digimon was certainly no fun, he thought. Still, there was something about her.
************
The DigiDestined had finally reached Sector. There were no other attacks or delays to get in their way. The walked in wonder, looking at the surroundings of the colorful, but strangely subdued town.
The other Digimon of the town stared too, not at the 7 small Digimon that had entered the town, but at the strange looking creatures that they followed.
"Geez," Tai whispered. " You think they never saw a human before."
Joe moved in next to him. "How many humans do you think they get as tourists a year, Tai?" Taichi scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly.
Matt looked around cautiously, looking for any sign of his brother. Koushiro suddenly noticed why the looks were so strange. " I think they're staring at us because they have seen people like us before!" He said to the group.
Mimi's eyes suddenly brightened. "Maybe T.K!"
Koushiro nodded. "That's what I'm hoping."
Kari came up and pulled her older brothers arm. "Listen. I heard them talking about someone. They said Mat looked like the 'new Stranger'." She told him.
Taichi turned to a Digimon and began to ask about T.K. The Digimon cowered back from him and took several steps in the opposite direction.
"You'd better ask the King!" One of them said quickly. No one was able to discover who actually had said it.
"King?" Yamato thought aloud. " Gatomon, you didn't say anything about a King."
Gatomon shook her head. "There wasn't one, last time I checked." She purred. "But then again, it was a long time ago."
"Well let's go check it out" Hikari said, and with Gatomon beside her, headed for the North end of Sector. The others followed, until they reached the gates to the large palace.
Two huge guards ( the same ones FallenAngemon had trounced a few days ago ) stood in front of them and boomed simultaneously "STATEYOURBUSINESS!"
The DigiDestined looked a bit stunned. Then Taichi smiled. "We're here to see the King." Tai said. "We bring many gifts of um…insight and wisdom."
"I have a few rotten candy bars" Mimi piped up behind him. "If he likes that sort of thing..." She leaned down to Palmon's head. "And he probably does." She whispered. Palmon stifled a laugh.
Yamato didn't feel too much like mincing words. "I want to ask him about my brother!" He told them, ignoring the pikes they had pointed to his head. "He looks like me, except shorter. He has a big green hat on…"
The guards suddenly began sweat in realization, and they stood rigidly at attention. "NOONECANPASS!" They told them.
"You'd better let us pass!" Taichi threatened. "…or…or Agumon here will eat you! And he will, he's pretty hungry!"
"I am?" Agumon asked. Then he snapped to attention and added "Oh yeah, I am! And you look pretty tasty to me." He said, eyeing the guard on the right, licking his chops at the same time.
"He's bluffing." The one guard whispered to the other.
"Sora?" Biyomon asked sweetly. "Can I eat them too? It's not fair that Agumon gets all the fun."
"Well…" Sora smiled. " Let's ask Tai. Tai dear?" She asked extra-sweetly.
"Sure!" He exclaimed. "These two look hearty enough for all of them." He grinned loudly.
"Great!" Gomamon added. " It feels like I haven't eaten in weeks!"
The guards started to sweat some more. "The-they're just bluffing." The one whispered to the other.
"Koushiro-san, I'm going to start. Is that OK with you?" Tentomon asked the child prodigy.
"Of course, I don't see why not." Izzy smiled. And with that, Tentomon digivolved into Kabuterimon, slobbering intently, gazing at one guard and then the other. "I hope you know how insects eat." Izzy told the guards. " They puke out acid and dissolve you, then they suck you up.
The guards began to tremble. "They're just bluffing." The said simultaneously.
Following Tentomon's lead, the others digivolved as well. Greymon, Birdramon, Ikkakumon, Togemon and Garurumon looked at the two guards with hunger in their eyes.
Gatomon grunted in disgust. " Ugh, that's gross." She walked up to the guards and flashed her claws. She smiled. " At least let me start off first. There will be equal pieces for everyone, I assure you."
"Fine, go ahead…" Garurumon growled at the Kitten. " but be fair! I'm watching you!" He winked.
The guards ran off.
Taichi and the others burst out laughing. " Now there's a tactic we should use more often!" Joe smiled.
Tai looked back at the others and swung his arm. "Well then, now that that's taken care of, let's go get T.K." And with that, the DigiDestined started up the stairs and into the palace walls.
*************
Celamon had been beckoned into Dawoemon's chambers. Obediently, she came, head down, into the room of the older Digimon. Dawoemon simply pointed at the mirror she had mounted on the wall.
Celamon's eyes widened in recognition. She turned to the taller Digimon. "The DigiDestined!" she breathed. "W...where are the Automomons?" The other Digimon said nothing. "Aren't we going stop them??" She asked frantically.
Dawoemon put a hand up to silence her. " We don't need the Automomons. " She said simply. There is someone much more powerful than them that will take care of those children for us."
Celamon frowned, and looked at the doorway out of the chambers. It was completely blocked by huge weeds and vines. It was obvious Dawoemon wasn't going to let her out to help Takeru. She sighed. It looked like she had front row tickets to what was sure to be, a horrific show
************
FallenAngemon's head snapped up in alert, and he peered at the doorway to the courtyard of the Throne Room. Takeru had been nodding off, he had not been sleeping too well lately. He looked at his dark protector and yawned.
"What's the matter, Fallen?" he asked groggily. Fallen looked at him and smiled, shaking his head.
"It's nothing, Takeru-san." He lied. He looked at the huge wall that separated the Throne Room from the courtyard. It didn't look like any sound would escape from one room and into the other. This was a good thing, Fallen decided.
"Go back to sleep, Takeru-san." He said, and walked towards the entrance. Takeru nodded off again, back into a disturbed sleep.
Fallen frowned and unsheathed his blade. They were here, and he would die before he let them harm T.K. again.
*************
The DigiDestined were walking through a large courtyard. They had seen a few Digimon during their ascent, but they didn't make any move to attack. Perhaps it was the look of the 6 huge Digimon and the one small one that made them decide it wouldn't be smart to attack.
Mimi glared around, disapprovingly. "Whoever their personal decorator is…" she began "…they're being wayyyy overpaid for this. Nothing but gray and green. I haven't seen anything so depressing." She sighed.
"Green is T.K.'s favorite color." Matt mused quietly. Then he suddenly stopped and stared ahead.
"Yamato-san?" Garurumon growled. Then he two looked ahead. The rest of the DigiDestined and their Digimon stopped in their tracks.
In front of them stood a Digimon, around 6 feet tall, with long black hair, a mask covering the top half of his face, and 3 shining wings sprouting from his back. He looked eerily familiar.
"Angemon?" Mat whispered. "But…that can't be right."
"Can it be another Angel-type Digimon?" Taichi asked silently.
The Dark Digimon stepped forward and looked at each and every one of the Champions. Then he visibly relaxed and sneered. " Leave." He commanded. "Now."
The others were shocked. "It sure sounds like Angemon." Mimi said, inching nearer to Togemon. " I wonder what happened to his cute golden hair? Well, I guess we all need some changes every now and the-"
"Be quiet." The Digimon growled. Mimi yelped and took a step back. " On and on like a Parrotmon!" He looked at the others. "Get out! Or are you deaf too?"
Togemon took a step forward. "You don't talk to Mimi like that!" She boomed. "Apologize, or I'll pound ya." She put of her gloved fists as an indication of what was to come.
The Digimon just smiled. At that moment, a look of pure terror took over Gatomon's face. She got in front of Kari protectively. "T-That's not Angemon!" She gasped.
The other Digimon's smile grew even wider, and he seemed to disappear. His action was too fast to follow. Togemon's stomach exploded in pain as the Digimon fired a wicked punch to her midsection.
Mimi stared in horror. Togemon seemed to be shocked in place, but finally the impact of the blow registered, and she was flung back 20 feet, blasting into the east wall.
The Digimon straightened and looked sideways at Taichi and Yamato. He then looked at their Digimon, seemingly sizing them up. He sneered again. "She's right. I'm not Angemon. If you must know my designation, call me Fallen." He turned and faced Mimi. "FallenAngemon."
Mimi looked at the frightening figure in front of her, then looked at her friend, struggling to get up after that one attack. Suddenly, Mimi reared up and slapped Fallen in the arm as hard as she could. " I don't care what your name is!" She yelled, tears filling her eyes. ", nobody hurts my friend like that!" She slapped him again and again.
Fallen got bored and nudged her away. The simple blow took Mimi back several feet and Joe had to catch her as she stumbled to the ground. She looked up at Fallen fiercely, tears flooding her eyes, and the Crest of Sincerity began to glow.
Lillymon bloomed from the body of Togemon, stronger than ever. Tai turned to the others, "Get them to Digivolve!" He yelled. The Champions glowed and transformed. MetalGreymon, WereGarurumon, Garudomon, MegaKabuterimon, Zudomon and Angewomon stood, surrounding the dark figure standing calmly before them.
FallenAngemon smiled, and appraised Mat and Tai's Digimon, ignoring the rest. Then, nodding quickly, he winked out of existence. Tai started. "Watch ou-"
It was a credit to Taichi, for him to know what was coming, but he was far too slow. Fallen reared and gave MetalGreymon a devastating roundhouse kick that sent him flying towards the far side of the courtyard. In the same movement, he elbowed the unsuspecting WereGarurumon in the chest, sending him hurtling back in the opposite direction.
Angewomon stayed by Kari protectively. She just kept whispering something again and again. Kari stared at the fight and looked at her brother. Koushiro suddenly exclaimed. "He's been corrupted!"
The others looked at him as the battle continued. Izzy explained quickly. "His file has been corrupted. He's basically become 'evil'! And he's obviously more powerful!"
Yamato gritted his teeth. "He must have been the one holding T.K. hostage" ,he assumed.
Angewomon looked at the DigiDestined frantically. "We must go!" She hollered, holding on to the wild-eyed Hikari.
"What about the others?" Sora cried out.
Taichi looked back at MetalGreymon. He let out a fearsome roar and turned back towards FallenAngemon, anger flashing in his eyes. He leapt towards the dark angel as if to impale him with his massive horn.
Fallen put his hand up and stopped the attack in its tracks, skidding backwards slightly as he took hold of MetalGreymon's horn. Smiling, he turned and hurled the huge Digimon into Zudomon, who was trying to attack FallenAngemon from behind. The two crashed together and crumbled in a heap.
Taichi winced…then looked back at Sora. "We have to let the duke it out. The important thing is to rescue T.K." he said solemnly. " He's the only one who can control this guy." He said, thumbing in FallenAngemon's direction.
Sora nodded. She and the others turned and ran towards the huge steel doors that marked the entrance to the Throne Room.
Fallen whipped his head around, and quicker than thought, moved to block the DigiDestined. He looked down at the stunned kids with pure malice.
"I thought I told you to leave." He sneered. He looked Angewomon up and down and smiled. "You want to try your luck, friend?" He prodded.
His smile vanished pretty quickly, when he found himself on the wrong end of MegaKabuterimon's vicious Horn Buster. Force exploded from the center of the impact, and the insect-like Digimon drove Fallen deep into the far West side of the compound wall.
MegaKabuterimon's horn was stuck in the wall, but he still managed to sound elated. "I think I got him." He said, before a huge blow from Fallen's fist drove him back into the ground several feet. Fallen snarled, and his wings suddenly flared.
"We must go!" Angewomon persisted, and with that, opened the huge doors and ushered the DigiDestined into the Throne Room.
************
Celamon watched the action wide-eyed. She was amazed at how strong FallenAngemon really was. She was even more amazed at how these obviously weaker Digimon still continued to engage him in battle. "What are they fighting for?" Celamon thought to herself.
She was torn in half. She had taken a liking to T.K.-san, and she had taken a peculiar liking in FallenAngemon. Her heart tugged towards the dark creature. She wanted to fight alongside him, even though he obviously needed no help. Celamon frowned and shook her head. "What is it!?" She thought furiously. "What's wrong with me?"
Dawoemon laughed beside her. Celamon looked up at the beautiful plant-woman's cold face. Dawoemon caught her look and pointed at the mirror. "The DigiDestined have entered the Throne Room." She explained. "Now the fun begins."
************
Fallen grunted as he was slammed back by a thunderous punch from Garudomon. He picked himself up only to have her attack him from above. Fallen flared his wings, and flipped back. The ground exploded with the force of Garudomon's fury, just where FallenAngemon had been. She leveled a steel gaze at him and drew energy.
"Blade Wing!" She boomed, and a phoenix blade of blood-red energy blazed towards FallenAngemon. Fallen braced himself and took the blow of energy in his palm. He was pushed back, his feet digging into the hard cement. With a growl, he redirected the energy towards Lillymon, who was readying an attack behind him.
Lillymon gasped and vanished, moving quickly away from the attack. The Blade Wing demolished what was left of the East Wall.
A cloud of dust and debris filled the area, and Fallen smiled. They were weak, and he was having a good time at this. He turned to look for where the DigiDestined and suddenly realized they were gone.
"Takeru-san!" he whispered to clenched teeth, and he dreaded the storm that was to come.
************
T.K. had been trying to go to sleep for some time now. There was no loud noises or anything to interfere, he just had a nagging feeling that something was about to happen. His ears twitched, as he heard the sound of the huge steel door opening behind him.
Takeru wheeled around in his huge Throne, expecting Fallen, Celamon, or at the very least, Dawoemon. What he saw made his blood run cold. The DigiDestined were there, Taichi, Koushiro, Sora, Joe, Mimi, Hikari, Yamato, and Angewomon hovering silently above the littlest girl.
His eyes focused in on the blonde boy of the group, and his eyes narrowed.
"T.K.!" Yamato yelled. The smile that was on his face faded, however, when he saw the look his little brother was giving him.
Takeru simply stared at him, his eyes cold, his body flowing with the full power of the Crest of Despair. In the corner of his vision, he thought he saw the darkness creep in again. He didn't care. All he cared about was the hateful form that stood before him.
"Mat." T.K. growled, and the darkness grew triumphant, threatening to consume all in the room today.
NEXT: THE BELL TOLLS!
Incognito here. Ooooh freak.y o_O. Hey thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed so far. I really appreciate it. The next part should appear pretty soon. What's gonna happen? Well alls I can say is that you should not ask for whom the Bell Tolls, for it Tolls for one of the Good Guys! In other words….DEATH. Ahhhh! I scared myself. Gotta go bye! - Incognito.