Chapter 5: Reinforcements and Enemies
Hikari and Tailmon followed Wizarmon as quickly as possible through the underground caves. Since the above ground area was impossible to traverse safely, Wizarmon and the few free digimon left had created a tunnel system to stay in contact.
Wizarmon walked ahead, carrying a torch that he had produced out of his hat. It wasn't much, but it was enough so that he was able to see where he was going. Hikari and Tailmon followed.
"So who are our allies?" Hikari questioned. She tried to think of all the possible digimon to survive the Kaiser's attacks. The older chosen's digimon had been safe for a time, but they weren't impervious either.
"There are seven of us," Wizarmon reported, dodging the question slightly. "I don't know if any of them will be able to help you, but I think most of them will be willing to try."
"Are they all in one place?" Tailmon asked.
"No," Wizarmon replied. "Not normally. However, they will be today. We decided to meet once a week and discuss our progress." He sighed. "At one time there were ten of us. But our numbers are reducing everyday."
"But Wizarmon, who are they?" Hikari asked, getting slightly impatient.
"We're almost there," he interrupted, avoiding the question yet again.
***
"Lighdramon, can't you go any faster?" Daisuke urged his partner. "I think Taichi's a bit impatient."
"Sorry Daisuke, but this is about my speed limit," Lighdramon replied.
"We're getting closer," Taichi reported, still staring at his digivice.
"Are you sure that thing isn't just broken or something?" Daisuke questioned. "Mine isn't reading a thing."
Taichi shrugged. "We've got to check it out any way," he answered.
"Hey! I see something!" Takeru shouted from slightly to the left. He pointed ahead of them, and Daisuke and Taichi both looked to see what it was.
A giant mushroom cloud was rising from the forest floor.
"What's that coming from?" Miyako wondered.
"Probably a fight," Taichi decided. "And that's right where I'm getting the signal on my digivice."
"Do you think Hikari-chan could be involved in a fight?" Iori questioned.
"I don't think so," Daisuke stated. "Then the rest of us would be getting her signal, too, right?"
"But then what's causing it?" Takeru asked.
No one had much of an answer to that question. Their only choice was to keep riding and they'd discover when they got there.
***
"Here we are!" Wizarmon announced. He pushed on a piece of odd-colored rock that was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the cave walls. As if by magic(or some other programming miracle), the walls slid open to reveal another rock chamber.
Six figures stood inside. The rock chamber was high enough to permit the tallest to stand inside, but most of the inhabitants were at that point in smaller stages, so it was unnecessary.
"Hikari-chan!" several voices called, and Hikari was able to recognize the figures immediately.
"Agumon! Piyomon! Andromon! Gomamon! Palmon!" she cheered, kneeling down to hug the rookie digimon that crowded her immediately. "I'm so glad you're okay." Even if these weren't the same digimon that she knew in her world, they were still her friends' digimon.
"Hikari-chan, we thought you'd been killed," Agumon said as he hugged her (and Tailmon, though the digi-cat didn't appreciate it very much).
"She was," Wizarmon replied in a solemn voice. "This isn't the Hikari you know."
"It's not?" Piyomon repeated. "Why not?"
"She looks the same," Palmon noted, and Gomamon agreed with her.
"Yes, but we're not from your world," Tailmon reported.
"Not from our world?" Andromon repeated blankly.
"No, Andromon. They were transported from another reality," Wizarmon explained.
"Then Hikari was destroyed?" Piyomon asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid so," the wizard replied.
"But I'm eager to help you guys defeat Ken," Hikari assured them. "I - we did it in my world, I'm sure that we can do it in this one."
"Ken?" Gomamon asked.
"That's the Digi-Kaiser's real name," Tailmon explained. "He's really just a troubled boy."
"How did you manage to defeat him?" Palmon asked, interested.
"Well, we had some help from a little guy named Wormmon," Hikari began.
***
"Looks like some fight!" Taichi commented. Up ahead, a Golemon and a Yukidarumon were involved in a fight. The Golemon looked sufficiently annoyed, and the Yukidarumon was no less angry.
"Hey!" Daisuke dismounted Lighdramon, who de-evolved back to V-mon and rested for a bit. Neither Digimon noticed him.
"Daisuke, look out!" Takeru warned.
"Daisuke, you can't just barge in there!" Taichi shouted in agreement, running after him.
Miyako shook her head and sighed. "He's gonna get himself killed," she remarked to Iori and Ken as they arrived.
Ken shrugged slightly, but concern was evident in his eyes.
"Hey!" Daisuke shouted to the Golemon and the Yukidarumon. "What's the big fight?"
"He's - trying - to - break - the - dam!" Yukidarumon shouted.
"Dam?" Daisuke repeated blankly.
"Over here!" a smaller voice shouted.
"Palmon!" Taichi shouted a greeting. "What's going on?"
"The dam!" Palmon replied as the boy ran to greet her. She pointed a green "hand" in the opposite direction. "He tried to climb it. He started to break it, too. If Yukidarumon hadn't come along, it would have flooded the whole valley."
Taichi peered at the dam in the distance. He could see a hole in the side of the dam that was already beginning to spew water.
"Guys, we've got to fill that hole!" he shouted to the others, who came running when he shouted.
"I'm on it!" Daisuke shouted. "V-mon! Digimental Up!"
"V-mon armor evolve! Fladramon - burning with courage!"
"I'll help," Iori offered. "Armadimon! Digimental Up!"
"Armadimon armor evolve! Digmon - the wisdom of steel!"
"Allow me to assist," Hawkmon offered.
"Sure thing!" Miyako agreed. "Digimental up!"
"Hawkmon armor evolve! Shurimon - bursting with purity!"
***
"And so Ken realized the error of his ways," Hikari explained. "Recently, he's begun helping us to destroy all the control spires that he had put up."
"What a heartwarming story," Agumon commented, wiping a tear out of his eye.
"The question is, will we," Andromon gestured to the surrounding group, "be able to defeat the Kaiser without Wormmon's help."
"I've never hear d of this Wormmon," Piyomon agreed with a frown. "I wonder if the Kaiser's keeping him a secret."
"I suspect it's more likely he's being kept secret from the Kaiser, even," Tailmon replied.
"Why do you think that?" Hikari asked.
"Well, Wormmon was always a threat. He never really agreed with Ken and he helped us quite a bit," Tailmon reminded her. "It's possible that someone or something is controlling Ken and they know that Wormmon is a liability."
"Or the evil jerk could have just had him eliminated," Gomamon grumbled.
"I doubt he'd do that," Hikari assured him, but she was worried.
"There's just one thing I wonder about," Tailmon stated. "In our reality, Andromon was under the Kaiser's control." She turned to the mechanical digimon. "How did you manage to escape?"
"You assisted me," he replied in his mechanized voice. "When I saw you, the memories of you and your brother helped me to over ride the dark ring."
"It was your most helpful act," Wizarmon added. "Unfortunately, right after assisting in the freeing of Andromon, you were captured by the Kaiser."
***
"Ugh," Yukidarumon groaned as he collapsed on the ground. "I can't take all this hot weather."
"Guys, look out!" Taichi shouted as the Golemon rushed past him without a second glance.
"We see him," Fladramon replied. "Fire Rocket!" Fire burst from his claws and roared toward the Golemon. Golemon groaned slightly, but the attack barely hurt him.
"Aim for the dark ring!" Iori advised.
"Let me try," Digmon offered. "Gold Rush!" Golemon staggered a bit from the attack, but rushed past him and up the side of the dam.
"Permit me," Shurimon bounced up the side of the wall. "Kusanagi!" The stars attached to the end of his springy arms flung into the side of the rock creature.
"Shurimon, don't hurt him!" Miyako shouted in horror.
Golemon groaned and roared with pain. Without a word, he grabbed the stars from the side of his rocky body and flung them back towards Shurimon. A light surrounded him as he de-evolved, returning to Hawkmon.
"Oh no!" Miyako moaned. She looked helplessly towards the bird, but he was in the river bed far below her, and she couldn't reach him.
"Pegasmon!" Takeru shouted. "Go for it!"
"On it," the flying horse replied, flying towards the Golemon, who had since returned to his climb up the dam. "Shooting Star!" Bright lights flew down from the sky and whacked the Golemon's back.
He groaned and turned back towards Pegasmon. When the horse flew around for another pass, he reached out and whacked him. Groaning from the strain, Pegasmon glowed and de-evolved to Patamon, falling to the ground.
"He's too strong!" Takeru gasped.
"It's up to us, Iori!" Daisuke told his friend. "Fladramon! Go for it!"
"Aim for the dark ring," Iori added.
"I'm not seeing it!" Digmon replied.
"I don't either," Fladramon replied.
"Well then, we'll just have to fight him," Daisuke replied with a slight shrug.
"Daisuke!" Miyako gasped in horror. "You can't hurt him!"
Daisuke turned back to her. "If we don't then that village down there will be flooded," he shot back, pointing past the dam.
"You can't kill him!" she repeated. "It's not his fault."
"Miyako, if there isn't a dark ring that we can find, we might not have a choice," Takeru replied sensibly.
Miyako frowned. "Try not to kill him, please," she begged her friends.
"I don't see why he should have to die," Iori agreed. "We should do everything to prevent that."
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Golemon had succeeded in pulling a large rock from the side of the dam. He heaved it at Digmon and Fladramon, who were standing close together to combine attacks. They de-evolved as well.
"Should we try, Ken-chan?" Stingmon questioned. He and Ken had been standing off to the side, helping Taichi and the exhausted Yukidarumon.
Ken nodded. "Doesn't look like we have much of a chance," he replied. "Go get 'em, Stingmon." He smiled slightly as the giant bug took off.
"I hope someone can stop him," Taichi commented as he watched Stingmon fly off.
The other four chosen were still arguing. "If there's no other way to stop him, we're going to have to kill him," Daisuke stated. "It's just that simple."
Miyako shook her head adamantly. "No. I won't be responsible for out right murder of a digimon. There's got to be good in him, there's just got to be."
Behind her, Iori nodded in agreement. "I agree. There's got to be someway to stop him without killing him."
"There may not be time to sit down and talk with him," Daisuke shouted, loosing his patience with the other two.
"I don't care!" Miyako shouted back. "There's still no reason to kill him!"
Iori and Takeru stepped back, slightly surprised. This was obviously becoming a personal fight.
Down below, on the riverbed floor, Hawkmon slowly managed to stand up. Patamon, lying nearby, looked at him in astonishment. "How can you manage to move?" he questioned, barely able to summon the strength to lift his head.
Hawkmon blinked. "I - don't know," he replied. He felt a rush of energy and in the distance heard a high-pitched squealing sound. "I - think I'm evolving," he gasped.
Patamon, V-mon, and Armadimon could only stare.
"Hawkmon evolve!" A pillar of light surrounded the bird as he grew larger. "Aquilamon!"
Aquilamon looked a bit like Holsmon, but without the metal helmet. Instead, two impressive horns grew from his head. Immediately, he took to the air and flew towards the Golemon.
Miyako stared. "Hawkmon evolved?" she asked, dumbfounded.
"Blast laser," Aquilamon shouted in a deep voice. Two lazer beams shot from the horns on his head and blasted at the Golemon. It was enough to shake him up enough but not seriously injure him.
"Aquilamon, don't hurt him too bad!" Miyako reminded him, her argument with Daisuke forgotten for the moment.
Taichi ran up, Yukidarumon right behind him. "Whoa Miyako, that's impressive," he complimented.
The fight with Golemon continued for a few moments, without anyone making much progress.
"Spiking Finish!" a deep voice shouted from somewhere, and before Aquilamon, Golemon, or any of the humans could react, a green blurb rushed past and a bright red spike was soon lodged in Golemon's back.
Golemon through back his head and screamed loudly. His skin somehow peeled away, revealing a dark interior, which then dissolved into digital data.
The others simply stared, dumbfounded.
***
Author's Notes: Boy that was a long part, no? Don't worry, I'll get back to Hikari and focus on her more in the next chapter.
In case any one was wondering about the things that are different in this story and the timeline, this is what you need to know. First, this story takes place right after the episode "Davis Cries Wolfmon" (I don't know what it's called in Japanese, that was the English title). However, Daisuke was able to convince Ken to join them for trips to the digital world, unlike in the original version. Although Miyako, and especially Iori, are uncomfortable about this, nothing much has come of it, yet. Though that WILL change.
In the meantime, thanks for all the reviews, stay tuned!
^_^
Hikari and Tailmon followed Wizarmon as quickly as possible through the underground caves. Since the above ground area was impossible to traverse safely, Wizarmon and the few free digimon left had created a tunnel system to stay in contact.
Wizarmon walked ahead, carrying a torch that he had produced out of his hat. It wasn't much, but it was enough so that he was able to see where he was going. Hikari and Tailmon followed.
"So who are our allies?" Hikari questioned. She tried to think of all the possible digimon to survive the Kaiser's attacks. The older chosen's digimon had been safe for a time, but they weren't impervious either.
"There are seven of us," Wizarmon reported, dodging the question slightly. "I don't know if any of them will be able to help you, but I think most of them will be willing to try."
"Are they all in one place?" Tailmon asked.
"No," Wizarmon replied. "Not normally. However, they will be today. We decided to meet once a week and discuss our progress." He sighed. "At one time there were ten of us. But our numbers are reducing everyday."
"But Wizarmon, who are they?" Hikari asked, getting slightly impatient.
"We're almost there," he interrupted, avoiding the question yet again.
***
"Lighdramon, can't you go any faster?" Daisuke urged his partner. "I think Taichi's a bit impatient."
"Sorry Daisuke, but this is about my speed limit," Lighdramon replied.
"We're getting closer," Taichi reported, still staring at his digivice.
"Are you sure that thing isn't just broken or something?" Daisuke questioned. "Mine isn't reading a thing."
Taichi shrugged. "We've got to check it out any way," he answered.
"Hey! I see something!" Takeru shouted from slightly to the left. He pointed ahead of them, and Daisuke and Taichi both looked to see what it was.
A giant mushroom cloud was rising from the forest floor.
"What's that coming from?" Miyako wondered.
"Probably a fight," Taichi decided. "And that's right where I'm getting the signal on my digivice."
"Do you think Hikari-chan could be involved in a fight?" Iori questioned.
"I don't think so," Daisuke stated. "Then the rest of us would be getting her signal, too, right?"
"But then what's causing it?" Takeru asked.
No one had much of an answer to that question. Their only choice was to keep riding and they'd discover when they got there.
***
"Here we are!" Wizarmon announced. He pushed on a piece of odd-colored rock that was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the cave walls. As if by magic(or some other programming miracle), the walls slid open to reveal another rock chamber.
Six figures stood inside. The rock chamber was high enough to permit the tallest to stand inside, but most of the inhabitants were at that point in smaller stages, so it was unnecessary.
"Hikari-chan!" several voices called, and Hikari was able to recognize the figures immediately.
"Agumon! Piyomon! Andromon! Gomamon! Palmon!" she cheered, kneeling down to hug the rookie digimon that crowded her immediately. "I'm so glad you're okay." Even if these weren't the same digimon that she knew in her world, they were still her friends' digimon.
"Hikari-chan, we thought you'd been killed," Agumon said as he hugged her (and Tailmon, though the digi-cat didn't appreciate it very much).
"She was," Wizarmon replied in a solemn voice. "This isn't the Hikari you know."
"It's not?" Piyomon repeated. "Why not?"
"She looks the same," Palmon noted, and Gomamon agreed with her.
"Yes, but we're not from your world," Tailmon reported.
"Not from our world?" Andromon repeated blankly.
"No, Andromon. They were transported from another reality," Wizarmon explained.
"Then Hikari was destroyed?" Piyomon asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid so," the wizard replied.
"But I'm eager to help you guys defeat Ken," Hikari assured them. "I - we did it in my world, I'm sure that we can do it in this one."
"Ken?" Gomamon asked.
"That's the Digi-Kaiser's real name," Tailmon explained. "He's really just a troubled boy."
"How did you manage to defeat him?" Palmon asked, interested.
"Well, we had some help from a little guy named Wormmon," Hikari began.
***
"Looks like some fight!" Taichi commented. Up ahead, a Golemon and a Yukidarumon were involved in a fight. The Golemon looked sufficiently annoyed, and the Yukidarumon was no less angry.
"Hey!" Daisuke dismounted Lighdramon, who de-evolved back to V-mon and rested for a bit. Neither Digimon noticed him.
"Daisuke, look out!" Takeru warned.
"Daisuke, you can't just barge in there!" Taichi shouted in agreement, running after him.
Miyako shook her head and sighed. "He's gonna get himself killed," she remarked to Iori and Ken as they arrived.
Ken shrugged slightly, but concern was evident in his eyes.
"Hey!" Daisuke shouted to the Golemon and the Yukidarumon. "What's the big fight?"
"He's - trying - to - break - the - dam!" Yukidarumon shouted.
"Dam?" Daisuke repeated blankly.
"Over here!" a smaller voice shouted.
"Palmon!" Taichi shouted a greeting. "What's going on?"
"The dam!" Palmon replied as the boy ran to greet her. She pointed a green "hand" in the opposite direction. "He tried to climb it. He started to break it, too. If Yukidarumon hadn't come along, it would have flooded the whole valley."
Taichi peered at the dam in the distance. He could see a hole in the side of the dam that was already beginning to spew water.
"Guys, we've got to fill that hole!" he shouted to the others, who came running when he shouted.
"I'm on it!" Daisuke shouted. "V-mon! Digimental Up!"
"V-mon armor evolve! Fladramon - burning with courage!"
"I'll help," Iori offered. "Armadimon! Digimental Up!"
"Armadimon armor evolve! Digmon - the wisdom of steel!"
"Allow me to assist," Hawkmon offered.
"Sure thing!" Miyako agreed. "Digimental up!"
"Hawkmon armor evolve! Shurimon - bursting with purity!"
***
"And so Ken realized the error of his ways," Hikari explained. "Recently, he's begun helping us to destroy all the control spires that he had put up."
"What a heartwarming story," Agumon commented, wiping a tear out of his eye.
"The question is, will we," Andromon gestured to the surrounding group, "be able to defeat the Kaiser without Wormmon's help."
"I've never hear d of this Wormmon," Piyomon agreed with a frown. "I wonder if the Kaiser's keeping him a secret."
"I suspect it's more likely he's being kept secret from the Kaiser, even," Tailmon replied.
"Why do you think that?" Hikari asked.
"Well, Wormmon was always a threat. He never really agreed with Ken and he helped us quite a bit," Tailmon reminded her. "It's possible that someone or something is controlling Ken and they know that Wormmon is a liability."
"Or the evil jerk could have just had him eliminated," Gomamon grumbled.
"I doubt he'd do that," Hikari assured him, but she was worried.
"There's just one thing I wonder about," Tailmon stated. "In our reality, Andromon was under the Kaiser's control." She turned to the mechanical digimon. "How did you manage to escape?"
"You assisted me," he replied in his mechanized voice. "When I saw you, the memories of you and your brother helped me to over ride the dark ring."
"It was your most helpful act," Wizarmon added. "Unfortunately, right after assisting in the freeing of Andromon, you were captured by the Kaiser."
***
"Ugh," Yukidarumon groaned as he collapsed on the ground. "I can't take all this hot weather."
"Guys, look out!" Taichi shouted as the Golemon rushed past him without a second glance.
"We see him," Fladramon replied. "Fire Rocket!" Fire burst from his claws and roared toward the Golemon. Golemon groaned slightly, but the attack barely hurt him.
"Aim for the dark ring!" Iori advised.
"Let me try," Digmon offered. "Gold Rush!" Golemon staggered a bit from the attack, but rushed past him and up the side of the dam.
"Permit me," Shurimon bounced up the side of the wall. "Kusanagi!" The stars attached to the end of his springy arms flung into the side of the rock creature.
"Shurimon, don't hurt him!" Miyako shouted in horror.
Golemon groaned and roared with pain. Without a word, he grabbed the stars from the side of his rocky body and flung them back towards Shurimon. A light surrounded him as he de-evolved, returning to Hawkmon.
"Oh no!" Miyako moaned. She looked helplessly towards the bird, but he was in the river bed far below her, and she couldn't reach him.
"Pegasmon!" Takeru shouted. "Go for it!"
"On it," the flying horse replied, flying towards the Golemon, who had since returned to his climb up the dam. "Shooting Star!" Bright lights flew down from the sky and whacked the Golemon's back.
He groaned and turned back towards Pegasmon. When the horse flew around for another pass, he reached out and whacked him. Groaning from the strain, Pegasmon glowed and de-evolved to Patamon, falling to the ground.
"He's too strong!" Takeru gasped.
"It's up to us, Iori!" Daisuke told his friend. "Fladramon! Go for it!"
"Aim for the dark ring," Iori added.
"I'm not seeing it!" Digmon replied.
"I don't either," Fladramon replied.
"Well then, we'll just have to fight him," Daisuke replied with a slight shrug.
"Daisuke!" Miyako gasped in horror. "You can't hurt him!"
Daisuke turned back to her. "If we don't then that village down there will be flooded," he shot back, pointing past the dam.
"You can't kill him!" she repeated. "It's not his fault."
"Miyako, if there isn't a dark ring that we can find, we might not have a choice," Takeru replied sensibly.
Miyako frowned. "Try not to kill him, please," she begged her friends.
"I don't see why he should have to die," Iori agreed. "We should do everything to prevent that."
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Golemon had succeeded in pulling a large rock from the side of the dam. He heaved it at Digmon and Fladramon, who were standing close together to combine attacks. They de-evolved as well.
"Should we try, Ken-chan?" Stingmon questioned. He and Ken had been standing off to the side, helping Taichi and the exhausted Yukidarumon.
Ken nodded. "Doesn't look like we have much of a chance," he replied. "Go get 'em, Stingmon." He smiled slightly as the giant bug took off.
"I hope someone can stop him," Taichi commented as he watched Stingmon fly off.
The other four chosen were still arguing. "If there's no other way to stop him, we're going to have to kill him," Daisuke stated. "It's just that simple."
Miyako shook her head adamantly. "No. I won't be responsible for out right murder of a digimon. There's got to be good in him, there's just got to be."
Behind her, Iori nodded in agreement. "I agree. There's got to be someway to stop him without killing him."
"There may not be time to sit down and talk with him," Daisuke shouted, loosing his patience with the other two.
"I don't care!" Miyako shouted back. "There's still no reason to kill him!"
Iori and Takeru stepped back, slightly surprised. This was obviously becoming a personal fight.
Down below, on the riverbed floor, Hawkmon slowly managed to stand up. Patamon, lying nearby, looked at him in astonishment. "How can you manage to move?" he questioned, barely able to summon the strength to lift his head.
Hawkmon blinked. "I - don't know," he replied. He felt a rush of energy and in the distance heard a high-pitched squealing sound. "I - think I'm evolving," he gasped.
Patamon, V-mon, and Armadimon could only stare.
"Hawkmon evolve!" A pillar of light surrounded the bird as he grew larger. "Aquilamon!"
Aquilamon looked a bit like Holsmon, but without the metal helmet. Instead, two impressive horns grew from his head. Immediately, he took to the air and flew towards the Golemon.
Miyako stared. "Hawkmon evolved?" she asked, dumbfounded.
"Blast laser," Aquilamon shouted in a deep voice. Two lazer beams shot from the horns on his head and blasted at the Golemon. It was enough to shake him up enough but not seriously injure him.
"Aquilamon, don't hurt him too bad!" Miyako reminded him, her argument with Daisuke forgotten for the moment.
Taichi ran up, Yukidarumon right behind him. "Whoa Miyako, that's impressive," he complimented.
The fight with Golemon continued for a few moments, without anyone making much progress.
"Spiking Finish!" a deep voice shouted from somewhere, and before Aquilamon, Golemon, or any of the humans could react, a green blurb rushed past and a bright red spike was soon lodged in Golemon's back.
Golemon through back his head and screamed loudly. His skin somehow peeled away, revealing a dark interior, which then dissolved into digital data.
The others simply stared, dumbfounded.
***
Author's Notes: Boy that was a long part, no? Don't worry, I'll get back to Hikari and focus on her more in the next chapter.
In case any one was wondering about the things that are different in this story and the timeline, this is what you need to know. First, this story takes place right after the episode "Davis Cries Wolfmon" (I don't know what it's called in Japanese, that was the English title). However, Daisuke was able to convince Ken to join them for trips to the digital world, unlike in the original version. Although Miyako, and especially Iori, are uncomfortable about this, nothing much has come of it, yet. Though that WILL change.
In the meantime, thanks for all the reviews, stay tuned!
^_^