A/N: Okay Hell Hauntress here you go, sorry this took so long I've been working a lot and have been trying to get other projects done before the school break is over. Just so you know I want to see chapter 4 of yours up soon too. Hope this lives up to your expectations.
Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Eyes that were once brown and blue now glowed a blood red in rage as they left the nightmare that were once their digimon to the unmoving bodies of their beloved siblings on the floor before them. Maliki watched in awe giving himself a mental pat on the back for finally getting two of them to turn. Clearing his throat he spoke in a careful tone knowing that if they wanted to the boys could wipe him out of existence with a mere command to their digimon.
"Now boys do you see the light of evil?" he asked watching their reactions carefully pleased when they focused on him and nodded. "Now who are you going to take out your revenge on, for it is because of the powers of light that your beloved siblings lay before you now". The mad man omitted the point that he was the one who had actually put them there.
In union their eyes flashed and their fists clenched "We will destroy them". Chills ran through the digidestines spines as they heard their leader and second in command utter the cold phrase those chills turning to shakes when they looked directly at them. Matt's eyes lingered on each one before he bent down carefully picking up his brother pushing a few stray hairs away from his pale face. "Little Takeru" he said quietly boarding Skull Garurumon taking flight so he was level with the pods stopping before Sora.
The bearer of love stiffened up fearing he had come to kill her dismissing that notion when she saw the sadness in his eyes. "Take care of him until I return" he said handing the limp body off. Tears filled Sora's eyes as she pulled TK close this confirming her worse fears. "The digital world will pay for ending their innocence" Tai said handing Kari off to Mimi "once every ounce of light is gone we will return to honor their memories".
"That's not what they'd want" Izzy said realizing the two were about to wipe out the entire digital world "They would want you to fight the darkness, not give into it. It wasn't the light that took them it was darkness. The genius immediately regretted his little speech when both boys hovered before him with narrowed eyes. It was Matt who spoke in a dangerous tone "If light hadn't called them they would still be here" he hissed.
No more words were needed and the now dark digidestined flew off into the darkness of the lab to enact their revenge. When they were gone Maliki let out a malicious cackle "That couldn't have gone any better. Come Lady Devimon let us go watch the carnage in the viewing room…I'll bring the best clips for your viewing pleasure tonight".
When he was gone the tears finally fell in full force. Sora held the bearer of hope in her arms letting her tears fall onto his face her soul praying for fate to step in. Her prayers were answered when she felt a shuddering breath force its way through TK's body. Letting out a small scream she sat him up in hopes of getting more air to his lungs hearing Mimi calling Kari's name.
The stasis chamber was in shambles as Gatomon peeked her head out from under a consol carefully. Kari's fear had once again brought her out of the drugs affects, her instincts telling her Maliki didn't know she was a champion or he would have used something stronger. She had watched in horror as Agumon and Gabumon made their horrific transformations into true monsters, monsters that tore apart nearly everything in their path. Unfortunately none of the other guardian's stasis tubes were in that path.
After they had left she had Lightning Pawed her way out of her own container and now sat on the ground looking at the others. They all looked worse for wear but the one who seemed to have the most damage was Genni. Bruises covered his body and dried blood lined many cuts along his arms. Gatomon ran across the debris filled floor clawing her way in.
It only took two swipes to get through before her claws broke through the glass as the green liquid flowed out nearly dousing her with its vile smell. Genni too fell through the hole landing in a heap in the floor his breathing slow but stable. Carefully she laid him straight shaking his body fearing broken bones. The elder moaned his eyes fluttering opening to the steel coldness of the lab "He got us?" he said weakly his dark eyes finally falling on Gatomon.
"And the kids" she added helping his sit up "but that's not the worse of it. I think something happened to Matt and Tai". Genni looked at her seriously her heightened senses picking up the increased speed of her heartbeat "What kind of something?" he asked carefully noting the other shattered tubes.
Gatomon spoke her fears "I think he got them to turn because Agumon and Gabumon turned into some sort of skeleton digimon with glowing red eyes".
"They have turned" he said simply moving to the controls before the other digimon "and if we don't hurry it will be too late for the digiworld and us".
Lady Devimon followed behind Maliki to the viewing room her emotions in a knot. Hours ago she had been on the brink of getting everything she had ever wanted, all the power and love she could handle and now it was gone. Gone in a few tragic seconds. Angemon would never even look at her again because not only had his digidestined died but because had lost her leverage.
Maliki's cool voice shattered her thoughts "My dear you look as if you thought I actually killed the little brats". Hope shown through the clouds in her mind and shock filled her system "Why wouldn't I, I held them, there was no heartbeat no nothing". An evil chuckle passed through his lips at that moment as he entered the viewing room "I would never throw away that much power".
Not waiting for her to answer he continued his ramblings "Those two have more power in their pinkies than you do in your whole body. Any fallen digimon of a crest bearer if amazingly powerful but the fallen of Hope and Light are nearly unstoppable. I have planned every move from here on out once the little ones awake to see what their brothers are doing they will fall too and then it will only be a matter of time for the rest".
Lady Devimon couldn't believe what he had just said and had to contain the part of her wanting to shout with happiness "It is a marvelous plan master" she cooed "but what if they don't fall…" she stopped her question when the screens flickered to life and what was left of Genni's lake appeared on the screen. The crystal blue water was gone replaced with a black creator still smoldering. The lush trees that had surrounded the lake were reduced to black sticks, many still burning the fires representing the rage and sorrow the brothers.
"You were saying" he sneered "can you imagine what they will do to Primary Village when they get there". He fell quiet and focused his attention on the screen intent on watching every glorified minute of the destruction and from the ashes of this destruction he was going to build his new world.
Patamon huddled into a small ball trying not to throw up again. Tears were streaming down his furry face soaking the ground beneath him though tears on the verge of turning to sobs of despair. He had allowed himself to be taken away by Lady Devimon, allowed the two to be left alone, allowed them to die. The sinister look of Maliki's eyes was forever burned into his memory. Also burned there was the way his precious digidestined looked as he was taken away.
It was too much for the tiny digimon to take anymore and the rest of his dinner forced it way up his throat. When he was done he looked around the cell his red-rimmed eyes his eyes falling on where the digidestined had fallen. "I'm sorry Takeru," he whispered over and over praying some for some sort of divine intervention to his pain.
"He's in here," a familiar muffled voice said from outside his cell door breaking his chant but not his tears. Pounding began on the sturdy wood putting Patamon in fear that their captors would hear. Gatomon however didn't seem to care and bashed her way in within a few chops followed in by a worn looking Genni. Gatomon looked at her counterpart noting the redness of his eyes "What happened?" she asked in a small voice knowing it would tie to how she was awakened.
Patamon took a shuddering breath before delivering the devastating blow "TK and Kari are gone, Maliki injected them with something…I couldn't protect them". Tears filled the cat's eyes and her legs gave out "Can't be" she said shaking her head in disbelief.
"Your quite right about that" Genni said in a calm tone that angered the guardian of hope, how could he be calm at a time like this. Seeing the look he was getting he continued, "You are tied to your digidestined, if Takeru had truly died you would have gone with him. Maliki did it to get Matt and Tai so I can assure you both TK and Kari are alive right now and probably waiting for two certain digimon to come and save them".
The tears that had been flowing stopped as if someone had turned off a faucet the tears replaced with looks of sheer determination "Then we'd better not keep them waiting" Patamon said wiping the last of his tears a thought suddenly coming to him as he walked out the door "What about the others they were all in stasis…"
"And are on their way to the lab right now" Gatomon finished holding her paw out to guide him out the door. Without second thought or a look back they left the cell hurrying down the halls for none of them knew how long Matt and Tai would keep up their rampage and Maliki's attention.
Kari took a few deep shuddering breathes before opening her eyes, only to have the breaths nearly chocked out of her by Mimi squeezing her tight. "Air" she muffled startling Mimi finally getting her to let go. Again she breathed in greedily letting her eyes focus on what was around her finding herself back in the lab and back in the pod. "I hate needles" she whined rubbing her arms laying back into Mimi's lap.
The bearer of Sincerity brushed away stray hairs "We're just happy your okay" she said soothingly getting a questioning look from the little girl. Sora let out a sigh not wanting to tell them the next part "We thought you were dead whatever Maliki injected into you made it look it…"
"Where's my brother" TK asked not really caring how he got here his eyes scanning the room not finding any sign of the other blonde. Finally his innocent eyes came to rest on Sora, pleading with her to tell. She did stumbling over her own words as she spoke "Well Matt and Tai thought you were dead too and it was too much for them to handle" she began watching the tears begin to fill his eyes "and they gave into Maliki". The tears came unhindered after that Kari muttering something about how Tai would never do that.
Both girls went into action pulling them close trying to offer whatever comfort they could in what was becoming their darkest hour. "Can we get them back?" Kari asked through her tears her eyes turning to Izzy for answers. The bearer of Knowledge had been wondering that same this the possibilities running round and round in his head trying to conceive every possible outcome "Perhaps" he finally said coming from his own world "There's a chance that if they see TK and Kari alive and unharmed it may bring them back. However there is a big risk, if it doesn't Matt and Tai could destroy them with a flick of their wrists".
"Matt won't hurt me" TK said in a determined voice ignoring the fear welling within his stomach "Matt would never hurt me it doesn't matter what they did to him he's still my brother".
No one was willing to tell him otherwise "Then we'd better figure out how to get out of here" Joe said with an exasperated sigh as he finally found himself back at square one.
"Have you ever considered just asking for help?" a playful voice asked. Joe nearly jumped out of his shoes when the voice registered his brain "Gomamon!" he cried plastering himself against the wall of his pod to get a better look. Sure enough down on the floor just before his pod stood the little seal digimon grinning from ear to ear "The one and only".
The names of the other guardian digimon soon echoed in the small chamber as Tentomon, Palmon, and Biomon hovered below their partners. The relief in their eyes was evident though it was hindered by pain. Izzy was right about the digimon's link with their digidestined meaning that each one had suffered each agonizing moment their digidestined had, only on a smaller level.
Tentomon and Biomon took to the air hovering over their partner's cages all to ready to get them out of there. Sora held TK up first wanting the little boy out first. Biomon took him carefully in her clawed feet holding on tight as she lowered him to the ground getting there the same time Tentomon did with Izzy. Both the flyers took trips up and down until all were down gratefully stretching their legs fully for the first time in days.
After getting the muscles loose they wept their guardian up into their arms "I thought you were dead" Mimi whispered looking Palmon over for any signs of torture. "I thought worse," the guardian said quietly hearing footsteps coming down the hall causing them all to tense up and hold their breath.
"Calm down it's only us" Genni said calmly entering the room looking as bad as the digidestined did. Patamon shot past him like a bullet into TK waiting arms crying all the way "I'm sorry" he wept into the little boys shirt thanking the fates for his second chance. An innocent smile swept across his face "Its all right everything turned out okay". This only caused more tears to fall forcing the digimon to hide his face again.
The elder looked around the room grimly his mind unable to fathom what they had been put through, his thoughts then turning to getting them as far away from this place as possible and shutting down Maliki n the process. "First things first lets get your digivices back so we can stop Matt and Tai before they cause irreparable damage".
Sora walked over to the torture device they had each been put in her shaky hand pulling out one of the drawers and their digivices along with it. "He needed them to make the machine work," she said with a shudder passing the devices back. The tiny computers flickered to life as they were reunited with their masters. Within moments of flickering to life the evolutions began bringing the Champion digimon to life for the first time in months.
Angemon stretched his wings gratefully feeling a tug on his sash so TK could get his full attention "We need to go get Matt" he said in a determined voice. The angel wasn't about to take on the two alone voicing his concern "I know we do but not now". A stubborn look crossed the young boys face ignoring what the other digidestined were planning his mind on one thing "No we go now if oniisan sees me he'll stop".
"Tai too" Kari added entering the conversation holding Angewomon's hand (Don't ask me how she did its she's just there) tightly within her own. Angemon got ready to refuse him again but make the mistake of looking down; looking down into innocent scared blue eyes that only wanted his brother. So with an exasperated sigh he looked to his love that scooped her digidestined up into her arms spreading her wings in order to take flight. Angemon copied her actions giving her a quick kiss for luck.
It was that movement that caught the other digidestines attention eliciting cries, "Where are you going?" Joe cried in a strangled voice watching helplessly as the angels blasted their way out of the roof.
"After Matt and Tai" Genni said panicked knowing that in their darkened state the boys might very well kill the two without second thought "and we have to stop them Matt and Tai could be to far gone…meaning despite their protective streak could kill them". No more encouragement was needed and the chosen ran to their digimon boarding to take flight.
They had gotten no more than two feet off of the ground before a blast of pure darkness rocked the room blocking their path after the youngest. Maliki's malicious laugh followed the explosion his frame filling the doorframe backed up my Lady Devimon. "You really must be quiet when you're trying to escape" he taunted summoning another ball keeping everyone in place.
Genni clenched his fists in fury silently cursing Piedmon and his block for if that block was gone he could summon his own powers to fight off the madman. But the block was there and there was nothing me could do except guide the children and protect them at all costs. "And you have lost" he shot back his voice full of pure venom "There are four of them and one of you".
"Two" Maliki corrected stepping aside for Lady Devimon too step in. Her eyes were glowing in their fully unholy glory and whatever notion the digidestined had of her helping them vanished with that one look. The dark angel had seen the kiss between her love and the harlot making her blood boil in agony and jealousy. Her thoughts turned to revenge and making him pay for his unfaithfulness, starting with killing his friends and ending with Angewomon.
She raised her hands casting her wings out unleashing her fury upon the room. Thousands upon thousands of bats flooded from her wings reining terror upon the children sending them and their digimon diving behind anything that would protect them. After the initial wave passed the guardians fired their first rounds of attack popping up from behind charred machinery to launch their attacks. Like a tennis match the battle went back and forth with the digidestined loosing ground with every passing second.
Izzy winced as another wave of darkness flew over the consol he was crouched behind. Kabuterimon did his best to shield his charge from the flames feeling his strength fading. The genius could sense it too. So he summoned his courage and crawled along the wall trying to get to any of the others. After twenty feet he found Sora.
She like him was curled behind some twisted metal her eyes shimmering with a hint of fear. "Are you all right?" he asked putting a comforting hand on her back getting a quick nod in response. Another crash got her to look up "We need the others" she said. Izzy knew she was right "They won't know to come back one of us will have to go". The bearer of love didn't like this at all they were barely holding their ground as it was, having another one of them go would make things worse…yet it had to be done. "Who's faster Birdramon or Kabuterimon?"
The young genius wished he had his laptop at that moment, if he had it he could have pulled out stats from their former battles. But he didn't have it so he had to rely on himself. Going deep into thought he blocked out the crashes and cackles coming from Maliki and Lady Devimon. Hundreds of battles ran through his head as he compared the two side by side finally coming to a conclusion "Kabuterimon".
"Then go get them" she said in an authoritive voice pointing to the open hole we'll create cover for you "if Matt and Tai aren't with us get TK and Kari…if we're not here when you get back do everything in your power to stop Maliki where we failed". Izzy gave her a determined nod climbing onto his digimon's back waiting for the signal. Sora waited for another wave to pass before she made the cover "Everyone fire" she yelled at the top of her lungs only having to wait seconds before torpedoes, needles, and fire balls filled the room.
Genni watched as Izzy took off uttering a prayer to the ancients "Gods speed my boy" he said picking up a piece of debris to hurl at the demonic pair. He may have that block but he wasn't about to just sit there and let them kill the chosen.
TK scanned the sky anxiously as the plume of smoke they flew toward grew bigger. He was finding it hard to believe that his brother was doing so much damage over him even feeling it was his fault. After all if he hadn't let Maliki inject him and protected Kari like he had promised none of this would have happened. Angemon's voice forced him out of his thoughts with a start "We're getting closer hang on". TK obeyed setting his sights on the charred ground for his golden haired brother.
"There" Kari cried pointing down to the tree line to the four figures working on destroying the beautiful forest that had belonged to Puppetmon. Angewomon turned to go in at a lower angle wanting to have the element of surprise on their side…but Kari had other ideas. "Taichi" she called at the top of her lungs stopping the attacks instantly.
The boys froze in place slowly turning as TK's voice followed hers "Yamato". They came fully around their eyes glowing in a bloody fury faces white as snow. The anger coursing through them was completely evident striking fear into the angel's hearts, yet they landed staying in front of their digidestined who again went against their wishes and ran to their brothers with open arms.
Angewomon let out a cry taking off after Kari surprised how fast she was running "Kari please no" she pleaded suddenly slamming into something big, hard and white. Dazed she felt Angemon's arms close around to in comfort and protection his helmeted eyes on what she had hit, Skull Greymon. The two-skull digimon had moved in front of the charges protecting them from the holy threat affectively keeping the angles from getting to their own charges.
TK didn't hear his guardian's cries or notice the monsters who cut off his escape all he saw was his big brother and for the first time in his life his big brother needed him. His young mind didn't sense any danger thought it was present. "Matt" he called happily running full tilt latching onto his brother's leg burying his face in the soft cloth of his pant leg. "I missed you Matt and see I'm okay. Maliki was just trying to trick you".
Matt looked down at the little boy holding his leg narrowing his eyes as he did "Pathetic" he spat kicking TK off putting tears in the bearer of hopes eyes. Matt however continued the verbal assault "Fools think they can trick me with this illusion, Takeru is dead and you whatever you are will die for trying to trick me". The once bearer of friendship raised his hands summoning the dark power he had accepted.
Kari wasn't fairing much better going at Tai with the same approaching winding up in the same position of looking at a deadly ball. Tears streamed down her face unable to believe the person before her was her brother. The same brother who had watched over and protected her all her life. "Tai its me Hikari" she pleaded "you taught me how to play soccer and hide mom's food in a napkin so I didn't have to eat it…please believe me…he gave us a shot I couldn't stop him". She didn't know if it was the tears or the details but Tai's red eyes began to slowly fade into the comforting chocolate color she had always loved.
"Matt please" TK said seeing Kari's success went the same path "before you do this play your harmonica for me, the song you played before mom took me away". Through the darkness light began to flicker in the blondes mind, a tortuous copy would never know that no matter how much digging Maliki had done. TK saw the flicker in his eyes and took tentative steps forward wrapping his arms around his brother once more, this time not getting thrown off.
Color began to return to their faces and their legs gave way their arms enfolding their sibling's tears falling. "Takeru" Matt sobbed holding him tight thanking everything that was good that he was still alive. Tai too held Kari tight his eyes roaming over the havoc they had caused "We did all that" he said in horror feeling Kari squeeze him tighter in comfort.
"It will grow back and you can hardly blame yourselves," Angemon said approaching slowly hating to break the beautiful moment unfolding before him. Koromon and Tsumamon were his and Angewomon's arms sleeping off the events of the day.
"All that matters is you are now safe" Angewomon added noting the looks of confusion "I freed the others and they should be far from the lab by now".
Matt stood up still holding his brother "Then why is Izzy coming this way alone?" No one could answer his question everyone forced to wait until he landed. Izzy hit the ground running panic stricken "Your back" he said catching his breath for the first time in the digiworld not talking their ear off with an answer to their unasked question.
After a few more lung fulls of air he was ready "Maliki and Lady Devimon have the others cornered and they can't hold out much longer…"
To Be Continued…