The Long Winter: Chapter 5
**Disclaimers: I don't own digimon, never will. This fic was produced purely for entertainment purposes, and will not be sold.
**Author's notes: Well, like I said. Someone gets hurt in this, pretty badly. Read and find out who it is! (If you can't guess who it is already, well…)
Darkness was falling, and a light snow dusted the ground. The city looked quiet and serene, as the sun set slowly in the west, softly illuminating the flakes of falling snow. The air was bitter cold. A wind moaned down the desolate streets, blowing a soft flurry of snow along with it.
The sunset was lost on the small group as they ran. Tai's arms and back were beginning to ache from carrying Sora, but he wouldn't let anyone else carry her. He didn't trust anyone else to do it, not even Izzy and Mimi.
Tai, who was leading the group suddenly stopped at a corner. Everyone else skidded to a stop on the icy concrete, and held their breaths. He slowly peeked around the bend.
Damn. A Diaboromon blocked the path, slowly patrolling, its limbs waving as it searched for the five elusive children. Turning back, he shook his head. Quietly, they crept back the way they had come. No-one talked until they were at least a block away.
Then Izzy turned on their leader, his black eyes burning with frustration. "Tai, this is useless. We've been running around for an hour, and we're no closer to getting out of the dragnet than when we first began!"
Tai clenched his fists. "Well, what do you suggest we do?"
Izzy stared back. "We could fight."
The brown-haired boy chuckled. "That's my line." Then his eyes turned grim. "Seriously though, do you think we can do it?"
"No. Not a good idea."
They all turned to Willis, who was still scanning the frozen street, up and down. "Oh, we'd probably be able to take out a few, but my experience is that fighting just attracts more attention. Eventually, they'll overwhelm you. I learned that the hard way." For a moment, his green eyes looked pained, as he recalled something unpleasant. Then he shook his head. "We'll have to find another way."
Mimi beat her gloved hands together, trying to warm them up. "But what else can we do? Diaboromon's good, we've got to give him that. This dragnet is airtight, and it's getting tighter all the time."
Tai gritted his teeth, and turned to Willis. "You've been living here, fighting Diaboromon for some time now. Exactly what kind of a response can we expect in, let's say, five minutes if we charged the line?"
Willis stared into the sky, thinking. "Around three patrols of Bakemon, but they're so weak they don't really matter. In terms of Diaboromon…." He looked at Terriermon. "Around ten?"
Terriermon looked pensive for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, that sounds right. The problem is though, that after five minutes, more and more start to come in. The Diaboromon on the outskirts of town generally need five minutes to get down here. If you don't finish the fight by then, you'd be swamped by the reinforcements."
Tai shifted Sora in his arms. She groaned softly, and Tai looked at her worriedly, then back at the group. The sun sank lower in the sky. "Izzy, what you think? Ten Diaboromon in about three minutes, leaving us two minutes to get the hell out of here."
The auburn-haired boy looked troubled. His face was a bright cherry red from the cold "That's pushing it Tai. I mean, I know we can take ten Diaboromon, but under three minutes? Biyomon can't digivolve with Sora down, so we'd have to digivolve all the way, but…" He looked at Tentomon. The small digimon looked back. Izzy shrugged. "I suppose it's possible."
Willis looked around, confused. "What are you talking about? I know Galgomon certainly can't take out ten Diaboromon in three minutes, no offense buddy, and those rookies of yours won't make a dent. Do you even know how powerful a Diaboromon is?"
Tai almost laughed out loud. "Don't worry, we can take care of ourselves. Like I said, we've done this before." He checked the sky. "Let's try to put this off for another hour or two, until it gets dark. Then we'll pick the weakest point in the dragnet, and try to fight our way through." He looked around. "Anybody have any better ideas?"
Nobody did. After a moment of silence, Tai nodded. "Alright then, let's go." Shifting Sora again, he ran back out onto the street. The sound of footsteps crunching on snow faded away slowly. In a few moments, the street was utterly silent again, as the snowflakes softly drifted downwards.
"Ghostly Fist!"
TK desperately parried the blow with his staff. The attack almost wrenched the bo from the young boy's grip, but he managed to hold on, then strike back with a vicious sideways swing. The Bakemon was caught on the head, and was sent flying across the room. Slamming into the wall, it dissolved into bits of black data.
Bakemon were essentially the foot soldiers of Diaboromon's army. Although rather weak, in large numbers, they still posed a danger. That was why they always traveled in patrols of ten.
Grimly, the young boy looked around the gray and crumbling room. He was outnumbered and surrounded, fighting in a confined space with no hope of escape, and he didn't have Patamon there to help him. He looked down at the flashing communicator clipped to his belt. At least I managed to warn the others, he thought. Bringing his staff up into the ready position, he prepared to fight, despite the overwhelming odds. Come on Patamon, I need your help!
Then, he cleared his mind, and focused. Inexplicably, the debris and stray snow on the ground started swirling around his feet, even though there was no wind. His frame seemed to flicker with a faint, golden battle aura. The crest of hope burned bright on his chest, and he seemed encircled with an almost tangible energy. His staff seemed imbued with a golden light.
The Bakemon hesitated at this sudden show of force, but then they shook themselves out of it. Several of them rushed in. "Ghostly Fist!"
The attacks glanced off TK's staff as he blocked them deftly, and moved to counter, but another group sneaked to his left. Lashing out with their fists, two more Bakemon tried to take advantage of the opening.
Swearing under his breath, TK whipped his staff back to block, and caught one of the attacks on the tip of his bo. The other one managed to get through, and caught him a glancing blow to the left shoulder. The blond boy gasped with shock and pain. Looking down, he saw the thick padding of his winter-coat had been ripped clean off, and his shoulder was bleeding badly. Damn.
Panting, he tried to back off, but the ghosts kept coming. Attacks flew in thick and fast, and TK desperately tried to fend them off, but his shoulder started to freeze up on him.
Even injured however, the young boy was still dangerous. The staff hummed in his hand as he spun it in a blinding blur, blocking attacks from all directions. The flaming bo resembled fiery arcs as TK spun it skillfully. The bo tip lashed out several times, like vicious striking snakes, to score a few blows of its own. Three Bakemon joined their deleted comrade as they got careless and ventured too close.
Eventually however, the numbers began to tell. Several other attacks snaked past his defense and landed glancing blows on his slim body. This isn't working, he thought grimly. Each hit makes it harder to block the next one, and the next blow makes it even harder to block the next one…I can't win.
Finally, one of the ghosts got lucky. TK lost his focus for a critical moment and his battle aura diminished ever so slightly. Lashing out with his attack, the ghost caught TK squarely in the chest.
"Ugh!" The young boy gasped. It was like being hit with a sledgehammer. The breath was knocked out of him, and he felt something give way painfully in his chest with a crack. The blow lifted the young warrior off his feet, and he slammed into the side of the office, cracking his head hard. His vision started to flicker and dim. The long staff slipped from his numb fingers as he slid down slowly, smearing a trail of blood down the wall. His aura started to dim.
The last thing TK saw was the remaining Bakemon floating triumphantly in front of him as they prepared to strike the final, killing blow. Then, everything turned black, as he fell into a swirling darkness…
Matt, Patamon and Gabumon raced down the halls, trying to get to TK in time. Almost there, Patamon thought desperately to himself, as he put on an extra burst of speed. TK, hold on…
As he approached, he could hear the unmistakable sounds of conflict. Then suddenly… "Ghostly Fist!". Patamon heard a gasp, then a sickening crunch as something was thrown against a wall. No…
Rounding the corner, he saw six Bakemon floating in the room. "Ghostly…"
"Boom Bubble!"
The explosive bubble of air burst in the middle of their group, deleting one and scattering the others. For a moment, the Bakemon were too surprised to return the attack.
Gabumon arrived. "Blue Blaster!" The fiery stream took out another Bakemon, slamming it into the wall, and dissolving him into bits of black data. The remaining four Bakemon surveyed the drastically changed odds, and panicked. Disbanding, they each tried to dash out of the room.
"Blue Blaster!" Gabumon chased them out of the building, his fiery stream attack deleting another two as they tried to run away. The beam illuminated the swirling snow outside a bright cyan. The wolf-digimon disappeared into the storm outside as he chased the Bakemon away.
Then Kari and Gatomon came bounding down the stairs. "What happened? Who sounded the alarm...Oh no…" Kari stared in horror at TK's broken form as it slumped against the wall. Then she ran to his side, and cradled him in her arms. "TK! TK! What happened?" She stared frantically around the group. "What happened to him?!"
Patamon was sitting on TK's arm, shaking his shoulder. "TK…TK wake up! Come on…wake up…" I've failed…I was supposed to protect him…and I've failed. The little digimon was distraught, his blue eyes pooling with tears. "TK…come on…"
Matt fought down his panic, and kneeled by his brother's side, gently checking him over. Feeling along his arms and legs, he found no broken bones. Then he ran his hand over his brother's chest. TK grimaced and groaned, and Matt frowned. Not good…probably a couple cracked ribs. He won't be able to run at all. "He was attacked by a patrol of Bakemon. Gabumon's chasing them off."
Then, TK was suddenly caught in a savage coughing fit. His slim body jerked as he coughed, and Matt covered his brother's mouth with his hand. His frown deepened. He pulled his hand away from TK's mouth and looked at it closely. Blood coated his fingers. He's coughing up blood. Internal bleeding as well.
Kari fell onto her knees in front of TK, and took his hand. His face was pale, and his breathing shallow, as blood trickled from a head wound and from his mouth. His blood stained the ground dark red. Tears pooled in her eyes. No…not TK… He had been fine a few minutes ago. The glass pendant she had given him glistened slightly in the dim light, like a teardrop. It had miraculously avoided getting smashed, though the strap had broken. Then with a huge mental effort, she pulled herself together, wiping away her unshed tears with her sleeve. TK needed help, not pity. Time enough for blubbering later.
Gabumon came back in amidst a flurry of snow, shaking flakes off his fur. "That's the last of them. Two of them got away. Pity." He looked at the group, then stared concernedly at TK. "Is he all right?"
Then Mark and Kevin burst into the room, holding their laptops, still with cables attached to them. When they saw TK, they both skidded to a halt. "Wha…what happened?" Kevin ran to his fallen son's side, dropping his laptop.
Matt stood up. "Attacked by Bakemon," he said tersely. Ripping the sleeve of his shirt off, he gently wiped away the blood from TK's mouth, head and shoulder. Then, he took off TK's jacket and bound his brother's chest up tightly with the strip of cloth. "I know it hurts squirt..." he murmured gently as TK groaned with pain, "but it's for your own good."
"Uh...Matt..." Gatomon had taken up a position by a window and was peering tensely up and down the street, every fur on her body standing straight. "we have to get going. If that patrol didn't attract the attention of every digimon in Tokyo, then they certainly caught the general alarm TK broadcasted. And if, by some freak chance, they missed that as well, they'd still be able to track us because Patamon and Gabumon used their attacks..."
Matt didn't answer as he concentrated on bandaging up TK. His blue eyes were worried as he tended to his brother.
Mark stared at his watch worriedly. "Matt, it's been almost three minutes since TK broadcasted the general alarm. If we don't get a move on..."
"I know...I know." Matt finished tying up TK's bandages hastily. "Kari, take Dad and Mark and circle South. Don't go directly back to the base. Circle a little, try to confuse them." Kari nodded, and scooped up TK's pendant and staff.
"TK and I will circle North, doing the same thing. Hopefully, we can throw them off." Stooping, Matt picked up TK's unconscious form. "Remember, the location of the base must remain secre..."
Thump.
Gatomon looked back grimly from her post by the window. "Too late. They're here. Two Diaboromon."
Damn!! "Change of plans." Matt handed TK's unconscious form to his father hurriedly. "Kari you're in charge. I'm counting on you. Lead this group home. I'll meet you there..." Motioning to Gabumon, he started to rush out the door.
"Matt! Wait! Where are you going?" Kari cried after their leader.
Matt turned around, his slim form a silhouette against the crazy chaos of the storm outside. "I'll lead them off your backs." He flashed them a rakish grin. "Don't worry, I plan to live forever. I can't stand those heroic, self-sacrificing types."
Then his ice blue eyes softened. "Take care of my brother for me…" Then he was gone, disappearing into the swirling snow, into the chaos.
A moment later, "Gabumon, warp-digivolve to..." A blinding burst of blue light erupted outside, and the storm abated momentarily as the snowflakes were pushed back. It was as if nature itself recognized the awesome power that was being unleashed. "...MetalGarurumon!"
"Matt!!" Kevin tried to dash outside, but Mark held onto him. "Let me go! My son is in danger!"
"No..." Kari was surprised how steady her voice was, despite everything. "He's doing this so we can get away. You'd be defeating the purpose if you went after him now." Glancing around at the group, she took a deep breath. "Come on. Let's take the back way out."
"But Matt's..."
Suddenly, something exploded outside. For a moment, the entire scene lit up like a lightning bolt had struck. Half the outside wall collapsed, and everyone was thrown off their feet by the concussion. Concrete debris and shrapnel pelted the group. Desperately, Kari struggled to her feet.
"Come on!! Matt can take care of himself. Certainly much better than we can!" Mark dragged Mr. Ishida along, with Kari bringing up the rear as they ran towards the back exit. Spectacular explosions and attacks erupted behind them as MetalGarurumon squared off with the Diaboromon. More of the building collapsed around the small group as they dashed towards safety.
Together, they reached the back door and rushed outside into the dense, blinding snow. Kari paused, and looked back at the titanic conflict behind her, then turned back and ran after the others, into the swirling chaos, into the nightmare. Matt…I'll lead them home safely…I promise.
Four Diaboromon stood along a street, walking along, searching the ruins of the city. Night had fallen, and the inky darkness obscured everything. It was silent except for the steady thump of the Diaboromon's feet.
Tai watched his frozen breath waver in front of his face. "What do you think?"
Izzy looked at the sky. "Looks good. It's night-time. They won't see us coming."
Tai nodded. "Fine. We'll do it here. Have Tentomon ready to digivolve. Mimi, you too."
"I still think this is a bad idea." Willis stared at them disapprovingly.
Tai sighed. "Well, why?"
Willis shook his head stubbornly. Again, Tai glimpsed an incredibly pain in his green eyes, but it was gone in an instant. "Even if you could digivolve, I'm pretty sure that 4 champions combined can't take down 10 Diaboromon in 3 minutes. I'm telling you, it can't be done."
Palmon chuckled. "Who says there'll be four 'champions'?"
Willis looked confused. "That's the term for it. Terriermon told me. When you digivolve from the rookie level, you turn into a champion. Don't tell me you can't even digivolve to champion..."
Agumon and Tentomon looked mortally insulted. Palmon giggled.
This time Tai did laugh out loud, quietly. Has he got something coming. "Don't worry. We know what we're doing." He turned back to Izzy. "WarGreymon will take out that one on the left. MegaKabuterimon will take out the middle ones, and Lilymon'll take out the one on the right. Keep your eyes peeled for reinforcements." He turned to Agumon. "If possible, take the battle into the air. You fight more effectively there. Same for Lilymon. MegaKabuterimon stay on the ground. You know what to do."
Tai turned to Willis, and hesitated. "I know you haven't officially joined us yet, but..."
Willis sighed. "What do you want me to do?"
Tai looked relieved. "Well, if you'd have Terriermon digivolve, and climb on a building, he can strafe incoming reinforcements from afar. His ranged attacks can probably cut down a few of them before they even get here."
Willis nodded reluctantly. It made sense. "Fine. But this doesn't mean I've joined you..."
Tai looked back at the group. "Everyone got that?"
Izzy and Mimi nodded. Willis still looked dubious, but he nodded his head as well, apparently deciding to trust Tai's judgement, for now anyway. Tai shifted Sora on his back, and looked at the four Diaboromon before him. Biyomon didn't look happy. "If I could digivolve…"
Tai ignored her. "Remember, we have to finish this in three minutes, preferably less. Izzy, time us. Once we're done, everyone devolve, and run like hell." Tai was going over this mainly for Willis' sake. Izzy and Mimi already knew what to do.
He looked around. The Diaboromon were getting closer. "OK with everyone?" Nods. "Fine, do it." Agumon, Tentomon, Terriermon and Palmon leaped out onto the street.
"Tentomon digivolve to…Kabuterimon!"
"Palmon digivolve to…Togemon!"
"Terriermon digivolve to...Galgomon!"
Willis watched as three pillars of light erupted in the street. The rookies grew in size, sprouting claws, fangs and wings, until three fearsome champions stood in the street. "So that's your champion forms…"
"Kabuterimon digivolve to…MegaKabuterimon!"
"Togemon digivolve to…Lilymon!"
Willis' stared in amazement. "They…they digivolved again!" He whirled around and stared at Tai. "Who are you guys!?" Then he blinked. "What's with you…" On Izzy and Mimi's chest glowed the crest of knowledge and sincerity. "What are you wearing under your…"
Another flash of light erupted in the street, this time much stronger than the other two. "Agumon warp digivolve to…"
Willis turned back, and his lower jaw scraped the ground. The little rookie was surrounded by an almost blinding aura. Before the blond boy's startled eyes, he saw the rookie flash through no less than three forms. A war helmet appeared on his head, lethal-looking gauntlets with razor-sharp claws covered his hands, and wings with a symbol resembling a sun on them sprouted out of his back.
"…WarGreymon!"
Twisting around, Willis looked at Tai. The brown-haired boy was surrounded by a slight aura, the same symbol on WarGreymon's wings glowed boldly under his shirt. Tai saw his thunder-struck gaze and laughed again. "Told you we had it covered…"
An explosion echoed on the street, and Willis dragged his gaze away from the three glowing destined, and towards the battle.
What he saw amazed him. The two ultimates and the mega charged the startled Diaboromon. Izzy stared at his watch. "Fifteen seconds…" he muttered.
WarGreymon's claws sliced the lead Diaboromon apart before he could blink. MegaKabuterimon simply rammed into the nearest Diaboromon, smashing them into a nearby building. Lilymon flew off into the air. "Flower Cannon!" The bolt of energy hit the Diaboromon on the right, deleting him instantly.
"Thirty seconds…"
Already, more Diaboromon were converging on the battle. WarGreymon shot off into the sky, slashing with his razor-sharp claws. MegaKabuterimon remained on the ground, wreaking havoc, an unstoppable power-house. Galgomon planted his feet firmly, raised his arms, and ripped loose with a lethal stream of flying lead, cutting down Diaboromon as they flew.
"One minute…"
Lilymon buzzed rings around a patrol of Diaboromon. "Flower Cannon!" she cried, deleting another two. MegaKabuterimon roared on the ground, swinging his fists and pummeling everything in sight. "Horn Buster!" The devastating attack smashed right through a city block. Parts of Diaboromon scattered through the air. Galgomon leveled his cannons at yet another group. "Gatling Arm!" The slugs hit home, deleting another Diaboromon.
"Two minutes…"
WarGreymon joined his hands together. "Terra Force!" To Willis amazed eyes, the big mega started spinning rapidly, turning into a raging tornado of slashing claws. Diaboromon screeched as they were sucked in, and slashed apart into fist-sized chunks of data. The tornado spared nothing. Entire buildings collapsed, debris and explosions blossomed everywhere.
In a few moments, it was over. Black smudges of deleted data littered the streets. For a moment, a deceptive silence reigned.
Izzy nodded at Tai. "We're good. Two minutes, forty-seven seconds. Looks like a new record." Grabbing his bag, the auburn-haired boy sprinted out onto the street. The crest of knowledge still glowed brightly on his chest. "MegaKabuterimon! Come on…gotta go!"
Willis stared mutely after him, too stunned to move. Mimi grabbed the boy's arm. "Come on! We didn't look for half a year just to lose you now! Move!" Tai was already running out onto the street, Sora on his back. Dragging the younger boy along, Mimi yelled up into the air. "Lilymon! Let's go!"
In a few seconds, all the digimon had devolved, and were running alongside their human counterparts. Willis forced his feet to run alongside the group, his mind reeling, and feeling more than a little intimidated by the awesome power he had just witnessed. They could've killed me anytime they wanted! Who…what are they? What was that light I saw glowing on their chests? What kind of digimon can digivolve three times!?
What the hell is going on?!
I need a reality check real bad…
**Author's notes: Yes, you read right. TK had a battle aura. It'll be explained, eventually. I'm thinking of giving them all some kind of supernatural power. We all know the digidestined are somewhat more than human. It's established that they have certain powers (Kari glowing in the Machinedramon saga, Matt healing WarGreymon and Tai, all of them glowing whenever their digimon digivolve, TK helping to heal Kari, need I go on?).
In this fic, I'm thinking of giving them the ability to focus and control it, and to call on it at will, probably for combat purposes. And it won't be just TK either. Kari and the others will probably be able to do it too. Kind of like "the force" in Star Wars, except Jedi didn't have auras. Tell me what you think. Should I do it, or not? I think it's a neat idea…