Teardrop
By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung
Disclaimer: All Digimon and their characters (except for those introduced in this fic/series) do NOT belong to me. I do not have permission to use their characters, but it's a FanFic, so, who cares? =) This story line belongs to me and me alone. Please ask for permission if you wish to use it. Thanks. Now let's get onto reading!
K.H. blinked a few times, trying to regain his senses. His vision focused in front of him, with Kinoumon watching over him intently.
"He's awake!" Kinoumon exclaimed. The Dragon-like Digimon had a grin ear to ear, happy to see his partner.
"Keep it down…" K.H. told Kinoumon softly, sitting up and shaking the dizziness from his head. Marc quickly came over to him, as did Marc's Digimon.
"Don't move around so much…" Marc suggested. "You're still weak from the last battle." K.H. initially ignored the advice, but when moving again, and getting dizzy yet again, decided to follow Marc's instructions. The injured boy looked around, trying to figure out the new environment.
"Wait…this is…my room?" K.H. spoke aloud, now confused as well as dizzy. "Or is it just my head that's throbbing?"
"No, it's not your head. This is your room." K.H. heard, recognising Kinoumon's voice.
"How is that possible?" K.H. asked, shutting his eyes in an attempt to subdue the spinning in his head.
"I got an e-mail from Tao," Marc answered. "He wrote it in Japan…"
"So…would that mean…" K.H. spoke, hard to think with the pounding against his head. "He figured out…how to open Digital Portals and use them to go around the world…" K.H. 'saw' Marc nod, despite his eyes being closed.
"Fun to know that we won't be randomly summoned to the Digital World anymore," Kinoumon remarked. Xemon agreed.
"I'm not so sure about that…" K.H. retorted. Both Digimon and Digi-Destined turned their attention towards the wounded comrade.
"What are you implying?" Marc questioned. K.H. exhaled, collecting his thoughts.
"We've been summoned all this time before," K.H. spoke. "So that means we can still be summoned whenever and wherever. The ability to open Digital Portals on our own is just a convenience. They may still need our immediate attention when danger arises."
"Well…I guess I should've thought of it that way…" Marc commented, looking away.
"Guess that's why K.H. has the Crest of Logic!" Kinoumon exclaimed.
"And Courage…can't forget about Courage," Xemon spoke. "You saved Marc today, and I thank you for that." K.H. forced a light smile. Marc patted his Digimon over the head, glad for K.H.'s intervention in that previous battle.
"I owe you one K.H.," Marc told his comrade.
"Just put it on my tab," K.H. joked, turning his head to the side. The boy finally realised he was lying on his own bed, closed his eyes and began to doze off, proud of his achievements.
* * * * * *
Marc flopped onto his bed, exhausted after a long day's work. A quick trip from K.H.'s room to the Digital World and back to his own room only took about half an hour, since it takes some time for the Digivice to regenerate enough energy to open another portal. To Marc, the trip seemed forever in his exhausted state.
"Tired?" Xemon asked, leaping onto the bed. Marc nodded slowly, fluffing up his pillow.
"Good thing it's a Friday," Marc told Xemon. "I can sleep in tomorrow." Xemon grinned lightly, curling up beside Marc and preparing to get some shuteye.
"G'night, friend," Marc spoke.
"Good night to you too Marc," Xemon replied, closing his eyes. Marc turned off the light on his night table before closing his eyes as well.
* * * * * *
Tao quickly disassembled his Clarinet and replaced it in his pouch by his side.
"Leaving already?" Shastina asked, watching him.
"It's past Midnight back in Toronto," Tao answered. "I'm going to have a hard time explaining this to my parents…if they get back home before I do."
"Huh?" Shastina asked, wondering what was happening.
"Oh, just my mom and dad were invited this really fancy party or something," Tao explained. "They said they probably won't be back until late at night or even possibly early morning. I don't want to take any chances though." Shastina nodded, realizing what kind of trouble Tao could get in if he had to explain himself.
"So…um…when's the next time you can visit?" Shastina inquired, hoping for a positive answer.
"I…really don't know…" Tao responded. Shastina's smile turned into a frown, before turning back into a smile again. She leaned down beside Tao.
"Then…I'll visit you…" she whisper in his ear. She smiled coyly as Tao recoiled from the response.
"And…pray tell…how am I going to explain that to my parents?" Tao asked, regaining his composure and standing up.
"I'm sure you will think of something," Shastina told him, smiling. "You always do…" she added softly. Tao didn't respond. He made sure his Clarinet pouch was secure, then headed for the door to get his shoes.
"You leaving?" Tai asked, looking up from his discussion with Izzy. Tao nodded, tying his shoelaces. Harriermon, upon hearing the news, approached his partner. Shastina, unable to stay silent much more, also donned her shoes.
"What are you doing?" Tao asked.
"Just thought I'd escort you home," she replied, smiling lightly. Tigramon was surprised that Shastina would do something like that, but at the same time, happy that she would.
"It shows her caring and loving relation with Tao," Tigramon thought, leaping towards them. Tao stood up, patted his pants, and then pulled out his Digivice. He didn't have the energy to argue with Shastina, especially when she usually wins these kinds of arguments.
"Come back soon," Kari told Tao. "Your music playing is very nice."
"Not really…" Tao muttered. He took Shastina's hand. "Hang on, it's a bumpy ride." With those final words, he activated the Digital Portal, sucking the two and their Digimon into the Digital World.
* * * * * *
Tiberius clicked furiously away at his computer, searching for a certain piece of information he needed. He downloaded his Digimon Analyzer program onto his computer, and now, there was something he was looking for. It didn't bother the boy that it was five thirty in the morning.
"Ah ha…here it is…" he whispered. He didn't want Lepumon waking from his slumber.
"Darkness Blast…" he read aloud, albeit softly. "An attack designed to annihilate the target and anything within a certain radius from existence when used upon full power. However, the attack is also generally used just to knock down a foe with Gravity/Unholy energy."
"The unusual apparatus of this attack is the long term affect. When used for the general ability, the attack impacts, knocking the foe down. The energy afterwards is nullified."
"A low energy attack, however, has a completely different attack. On impact, the foe feels nothing. The energy from the attack does not nullify like before, but instead, enters the target's body and begins to wreck havoc on the system. The one infected will usually die within three days."
"The only cure is if the user of Darkness Blast nullifies the energy from the attack voluntary or if that Digimon is deleted." Tiberius read that entire explanation again, unable to believe the seriousness of the attack.
"Tiberius…what's wrong?" Lepumon moaned, turning from the bed to face the computer. "You're still searching?" Tiberius was silent, only turning off his computer and getting into the bed as well. "Did you find it?"
"No…I didn't," Tiberius told Lepumon.
"Oh well…too bad…" Lepumon spoke, yawning. He quickly fell back asleep. Tiberius kept his eyes open, though placing his glasses onto the night table. He couldn't sleep after what he just read.
* * * * * *
"Shas, why did you want to come?" Tao asked once the four materialized in the Digital World. She shrugged, leaning against his arm.
"Well…since two minutes in the Digital World is equal to one in the Real World…" she told him. "We basically doubled our time. So…I dunno…let's just spend the amount of time it takes for the Digivice to recharge in the Digital World together." Shastina turned her gaze towards the other two Digimon.
"Alone, I presume," Tigramon told the two, before grabbing Harriermon's wing and dragging him off somewhere. Shastina smiled, happy that her Digimon was so understanding.
"So…um…what do you want to do then?" Tao asked, unsure with how else to proceed with the current event. Shastina giggled lightly, looking around. A sea of forest surrounded them, though there was still enough sunlight shining through to light their way.
"This way," she told him, pulling farther into the forest.
* * * * * *
"I'm taking a wild guess here…but I think they like each other," Harriermon told Tigramon. The two sat in a tree, keeping an eye on the two but making sure not to hear their conversations and not be heard themselves.
"It's the same thing between you and Biyomon…" Tigramon responded, keeping an eye on Shastina. Harriermon remained quite, unwilling to respond to that remark.
"We shouldn't be spying on them," Harriermon spoke next.
"We aren't spying," Tigramon replied. "We are just protecting our friends, nothing more." Harriermon shook his head, but could understand the logic behind that reasoning.
"Protecting it is then," Harriermon agreed.
* * * * * *
Tao leaned back against a tree, playing his Clarinet softly. Shastina was beside him, also leaning back against the tree and her head on Tao's shoulder. Tao tried not to move that arm around so much as he didn't want to knock Shastina's head around.
"Your music is so sweet…" Shastina sighed, closing her eyes. Tao glanced at her, but didn't stop his playing. "I don't see why you think everything you do is bad," Shastina commented. Tao continued to play, though there was hints of his tone getting flatter.
"I mean…look at you!" she told him. "You're writing is good, you play excellent, you get very good marks in school…" Shastina was trying to think up more things to say.
"But most of all…" Shastina told him. "You're a really good friend, even if we haven't had personal contact for very long." Shastina lowered her head. "And…I guess…I thank you for helping me through those troubled times every time we were on-line." Tao stopped playing now, staring at Shastina.
"I haven't done mu-" Tao answered, but was hushed when Shastina placed a finger against his lips.
"Hush boy, you know you've done a lot, you just don't like to admit it," Shastina told him. Tao again was about to respond, but before he could, Shastina kissed him on the cheek.
Tao shut up for good now, turning a bit red with the incident. That was something he truly didn't expect from this short field trip.
"Like it?" Shastina asked, with a smile ear to ear. Tao also smiled, regaining his composure.
"I'm sure you'll like this too," Tao spoke, kissing her back against her cheek. Now it was Shastina's turn to blush as well as look away.
"You sly boy, you," she whispered, smiling.
"You should be the one talking," Tao retorted, grinning. Shastina grinned back, snuggling up against him.
* * * * * *
"Yeah…those two really like each other," Tigramon commented. "Well, Shastina's always talking about him." Harriermon remained silent, watching the two, who were unmoving. Well, he was watching until something caught his attention.
"Hey, what's that?" he asked, turning Tigramon's attention away from their partners.
"I don't see anything," Tigramon muttered angrily, but changed. "Wait…" The Tiger Digimon could distinctly see a humanoid like person heading towards the two. A very green humanoid being to be exact. "Who is that?" Tigramon asked.
"I dunno…" Harriermon answered, trying to get a better view without revealing himself. "Think we should alert Tao and Shastina?"
"No…not yet…" Tigramon spoke after a bit of thought. She entered a 'combat readiness' mode, keeping a close eye on the actions of this new being. "Let's see what happens first…we don't want to give a false alarm." Harriermon nodded in agreement, also keeping alert, ready to attack at the first sign of danger to his friends.
* * * * * *
"Are you…the Digi-Destined?" the voice asked. Both humans looked up, seeing a humanoid like being in front of them. She wore a 'leaf' skirt and her hair was made up of vine tendrils. Her arms were made of bark and wood with extremely point edges. "It doesn't matter, I know," she answered. Both Digi-Destined blinked in confusion. "But it doesn't matter…time to die!" With those words, the person lifted her arm and was about to stab her sharp roots into their bodies.
"GALE WING!"
Harriermon reacted fast, slamming into the backside of the attacker and knocking her aim off. Her hand was thrust into ground, allowing time for Shastina and Tao to scramble to their feet. Tigramon leaped in between the two Digi-Destined and the attacker, growling viciously.
"That's Viramon," Tigramon informed. "A plant like humanoid Digimon, as you can see. I couldn't tell who it was at first, but if I'd known, I would have warned you in the first place."
"Yeah," Harriermon continued, flying beside Tigramon. "Viramon are known for their killing tendencies. Everyone stays away from them."
"NEEDLE BIND!"
Viramon's arm stretched out quickly, ensnaring Harriermon before he or Tigramon could react. The roots were slowly crushing his body, though Harriermon was more concerned about the needle point from the bind that slowly advanced towards his eye.
"Let him go!" Tao shouted, running forward. Unsatisfied, Viramon used the arm that held Harriermon like a bat, swatting Tao away. He feel over, groaning from the force of the blow. Harriermon cried out for Tao, before he also yelped in pain from the crushing vines.
"You're asking for it!" Shastina yelled out, grabbing her white Digivice. "Tigramon! Take it to the next level!" Her Digivice surged with energy.
"Tigramon…Digivolve to…Toramon!"
Toramon roared out at Viramon, before leaping towards the plant like Digimon. In order to be fully ready for the attack, Viramon idly discarded Harriermon, tossing him against a tree and knocking him unconscious.
During this time, Shastina ran towards Tao, trying to get a feel for his injuries.
"I don't look to good, do I?" Tao asked, smiling lightly.
"You'll be fine…" Shastina whispered, holding the injured boy in her arms.
"You don't believe that…do you?" Tao asked next.
"Of course I believe that!" Shastina exclaimed, wondering what kind of question he was asking. "You're always pessimistic."
"And…how long did it take you to figure that out?" Tao questioned, smiling lightly and slowly getting to his feet with a little help.
"A while, but yeah…I figured it out," Shastina responded honestly, supporting Tao when he got onto his feet.
Toramon fell back in pain, getting knocked around by those arms of Viramon.
"Toramon!" Shastina exclaimed, but failing to move so she could continue to support Tao. The Tiger grunted, getting back to her feet. "You can do it! Just keep trying!" Toramon leaped at Viramon again, only to knocked away.
"Toramon, don't give up!" Shastina shouted. "I have to make Toramon go Ultimate…" Shastina thought. "Or else we will have no chance at this." Shastina closed her eyes, angered that Tao was injured. She slowly opened her eyes again, loading the Crest of Light onto her Digivice. Well, she would've.
* * * * * *
Mimi slept peacefully in her humble abode. Her Digivice lay on the night table nearby. The second generation bearer of the Crest of Sincerity, she was so peaceful in her sleep.
The female's Digivice began to beep, slightly as if not to awake its mistress, before releasing a emerald green beam.
* * * * * *
Yolei's room was empty, being that the teenager was taking a shower at the moment. Her Digivice lay on her desk, undisturbed except for a green beam of energy blasting from it and out the window.
* * * * * *
Twin beams of emerald energy merged together and blasted into Shastina's Digivice faster then anything Shastina's ever seen. On the screen was an image of teardrop like object.
"Another Crest?" Shastina asked herself aloud.
"Try it out…" Tao suggested. Shastina faced Tao for a sec, then nodded, pointing the Digivice towards Toramon when she was far enough away from her pray.
"Toramon…Digivolve to…"
Vines ensnared Toramon, forming a large protective box around her. Emerald energy surged outwards as the Tiger slowly began to change form, though no one could see. Slowly, the vines retracted, leaving a very humanoid looking Digimon.
"Rorimon!"
The new form was truly humanoid, though with distinct feline features. She still had the cat like tail as well as two black stripes across her cheek. Her nails were long and claw like. She also donned a suit of lightweight emerald coloured armour.
Rorimon gazed at her opponent, ready to deal some more pain. As if on cue, both Digimon rushed forward, claws and point bark slashing at each other, though neither getting a direct hit, only scraps against armour or wood. Rorimon finally made her move.
"DAICHIKI!"
Vines emerged from her right hand, binding Viramon in a tight knot. Viramon's arms were tied to her side, but she wasn't very concerned.
"NEEDLE BIND!"
Viramon's sharp vine arms extended forward, bending and headings towards Rorimon, hoping to impale her with the sharp tips. Rorimon leaped out of the way, but Viramon found a new target, the two Digi-Destined.
"Shastina!" Rorimon shouted, still in the air. She raised her left hand, a whip of vines materializing in it with golden radiance. With one quick and deliberate strike, she whipped the roots, tying the whip around them. In one quick pull, Rorimon redirected the tree spikes back towards Viramon, who was to angered to noticed the new direction until it was to late.
The spikes went through her body. Viramon cried out in pain as Rorimon loosened her grip on Viramon and the roots she used. The plant like Digimon fell to her knees, twitching in pain, the roots slowly shrunk back to normal length.
"Damn…you…" Viramon told them weakly, before disintegrating into black bits of data. Rorimon exhaled, still holding the whip in her hand, tired, but proud of her achievement.
Until more came.
"SONIC SWORD!"
The attack knocked the whip out of Rorimon's hand, surprising her and the other Digi-Destined.
"DARKNESS BLAST!"
The next attack blasted Rorimon into a tree, which was also the same tree that knocked Harriermon out. Rorimon reverted back to Tigramon and slid down beside Harriermon, also knocked out.
"Never lower your guard…" Drowsmon spoke, revealing himself.
"You!!" Shastina hissed. She knew Tao was now strong enough to support himself and was ready to knock Drowsmon out.
"It's not you I am after," Drowsmon told Shastina. He pointed the sword towards Tao. "One Sonic Sword could kill him." Shastina halted, not wanting to see harm come to him.
"Wait…" Shastina thought, gripping her Digivice. "This is…like that dream…no…nightmare I had…" she thought, now trembling. "And if it is anything like that…" Shastina couldn't think of it anymore.
"Hope was always a thorn in my side," Drowsmon spoke. "Especially when a Hope or Light Digimon could punch through my AE Field. So…if I take care of Hope…well, I've defeated Light before…it should not be a problem again." Tao gritted his teeth.
"But Light would get away safely if Hope fell?" he asked. Drowsmon nodded, charging energy into the blade. Tao sighed, his gaze falling onto Shastina. He didn't want to see her hurt, and would do a lot for her…
"But am I willing to lose my life?" he thought, closing his eyes.
"Wait!" Shastina exclaimed, stalling Drowsmon. All eyes fell onto her. "Take me instead."
"Shastina?!" Tao exclaimed, not wanting to believe what Shastina just said.
"Aye…but Hope is my concern," Drowsmon countered.
"Well, then you'll have to kill us both," Shastina spoke next, trembling still, but stepping in front of Tao.
"I'm a Digimon of my word…and I can't harm Light if Hope dies…" Drowsmon spoke. "Very well, I can compromise." Shastina closed her eyes, ready for the blow.
"DARKNESS BLAST!"
The attack pushed Shastina back and into Tao. Both fell over.
"Shastina?!" Tao cried out, cradling the female in his arms. He was relieved that her pulse was still good and she was still breathing, but she was also unconsious.
"I suggest you get Tiberius to look over that attack," Drowsmon told him, walking away. "You'll be surprised at what can happen."
Tao held Shastina in his arms, just relieved that they and their Digimon survived this encounter when Drowsmon had all the opportunity to kill them all.
"Or did we all survive?" Tao thought, a gut feeling that something was terribly wrong with Shastina.
Fin
Completed: 01/02/01
