The Reign of Courage
Chapter Three: The Search for Courage Begins
***
Standard Disclaimer Thingy: Digimon and all the characters are NOT mine. The plot is.
***
Taichi stared at the strange necklace that he now held in his hand. "What is it?"
"According to Gennai, it's a tag," Koushiro explained. "He said that each of us six who had managed to evolve our partners were to get one."
"He didn't say who the other two were for," Mimi added.
"So that means us three, Jyou, Sora, and Yamato," Koushiro clarified. "We though t we'd give you yours first."
The not-yet-king nodded. "Thanks," he stated appreciatively. "But – what do they do?"
"Gennai says they hold something called a crest," Tentomon buzzed from his hovering spot behind his partner.
"A – crest?"
"Apparently, they help in the evolution process," Koushiro explained.
"So the old man thinks we'll need to evolve again?" Agumon asked.
Mimi answered this question. "He thinks you'll have to evolve higher," she clarified.
"Higher?" Taichi repeated. "Using the –crests?" Koushiro nodded. "Did he say how we're supposed to find these crests?"
"The tags are supposed to be magically linked to the crests in some way," Koushiro clarified. "And to whoever wears them. The crests apparently accentuate a strength within the human partner which helps the digimon to evolve."
"What sort of strengths?" Taichi was slightly intrigued now. He pulled the strange necklace over his head.
The young wizard could only shrug, however. "Gennai didn't say."
***
When Miyako finally arrived at the palace for the second time in her sixteen years (and the second time in two months), she, Sora, and the rest of their party found a rather hysterical-looking Mimi Tachikawa waiting for them at the gates.
"I thought you said you would be in last night! Now we're going to be behind because I was counting on you to help me finish with the decorations!"
"Sorry Mimi, we got a bit delayed," Sora apologized.
"By what?" Mimi asked, but was cut off by the sound of the royal guards dragging a man, bound entirely in what appeared to be an insect's webbing, away from the carriages. "What the -?"
"We'll explain later, Mimi," Lady Takenouchi assured the girl. "Right now I think we need to speak to Prince Taichi. He'll want to know of this, I should think."
"Of course," the girl agreed. "Wait here, I'll see if I can't get Iori to announce you."
A few moments later, the young man arrived. He looked relieved to get away from Mimi for a moment. "The Prince is very busy," he stated bluntly but kindly. "But he'll make room to receive you, I'm sure. Do you mind waiting a few minutes?"
"Not at all," Lord Inoue replied. "Tell him we are in no rush."
Iori bowed politely and rushed off into the castle, returning to his duties. In the meantime, Mimi showed them to where they would be staying, filling them in on the preparations for the party as they walked. Miyako and Sora were pleased to see that they would be sharing the suite they had shared the last time they were there. This time, the third room was not yet occupied.
"We're not sure yet if Jun, Daisuke, or Lord Motomiya will come," Mimi explained. "We're leaving the room open just in case. My room is just down the hall. Momoe, you can suite with me if it's not a problem. Across the hall, Yamato and Takeru share that suite, and the other one is empty for now."
Miyako tried not to sound too worried when she spoke next. "What about Ken?"
Mimi shrugged slightly. "I've not heard anything yet. Would you like to get settled for a bit? I'm sure Iori will call us when Taichi's ready for us."
"That'll be great, Mimi, thanks," Sora nodded.
"Mimi, what about Princess Hikari?" Miyako wondered just as she was about to step in to her room. She'd not heard the young princess mentioned yet, and was wondering if she might spend some time with her newest friend.
"She's not in the palace!" Mimi exclaimed, exasperated. "I wanted to get her opinion on some of the flowers, but I couldn't find her. Taichi absolutely refuses to tell me where she is, and Takeru and Yamato haven't a clue either." She sighed, obviously frustrated.
"I'm sure she'll turn up before the party," Sora assured the slightly frantic young woman.
"She'd better!" Mimi huffed, turning away to get back to her preparations. Miyako couldn't resist a slight chuckle.
***
The first time Miyako had been to the castle, only last month, she had been ushered ceremoniously by the young court advisor into a large throne room. The King, Queen, and both children were seated ceremoniously in thrones atop a slightly raised platform that overlooked the room.
This time, the small group was lead down a corridor to the Prince's personal chambers. Inside, they could hear a heated discussion taking place.
"I told you – I'm not wearing any flowers! That's just that!"
"But Taichi – it'll go with the color scheme!" Mimi was half-pleading, and Miyako stifled a chuckle.
"I don't care. Have Hikari wear flowers. Have the guests wear flowers. Have everyone else wear flowers. But I am not wearing flowers!"
Iori coughed and tapped on the door. "Come in!" Taichi's voice rang out, and he opened the door.
"Uh, your majesty, the party that just arrived – they wished to speak with you – remember?" Iori coaxed the older boy into remembrance.
"Oh! Yes, yes, come in."
With some amount of confusion, Miyako followed Sora and her parents as they entered the chamber.
Miyako had been inside Hikari's chambers several times when she and the princess were becoming friends. She was not surprised to see that the young soon-to-be-King's chambers were much the same – large, spacious, and connecting to a balcony. Like most of the rooms in the palace, his bedroom had a separate sitting room for just such an occasion as this.
Iori proceeded with the introductions quickly and with much less ceremony than would previously have been required. Instead, he simply ran through the names of the visitors before carefully stepping out of the way of Mimi's flower baskets.
Taichi was currently dressed in an outfit that would most likely have not suited Mimi's preferences for the occasion. Gray pants, casual-style leather boots, and a green tunic were all the young Prince wore. His hair, as usual, was a mop of unruliness, echoing, Miyako thought, his somewhat unruly and casual style, as well as his state of mind.
He nodded at the sight of Miyako's parents, a large, confident smile appearing on his features. "Glad to see you," he greeted, shaking hands with Lord Inoue. "I hope that whatever differences arose between my father and you are behind us now."
"I assure you, they are," Miyako's father replied with some determination.
"Iori said there was something important you wanted to talk about?"
"Yes," Lady Takenouchi spoke up. "I think Sora would tell it best."
All eyes in the room immediately turned to the girl. Miyako noted a slight blush creep into her friend's face at the sudden attention, but she nodded and began to speak, hiding her nervousness as best she could.
"On the way here, we were attacked by a group of Airdramon," she began, and immediately an audible gasp was heard from the three spectators who had not yet heard the story.
"Tamed Airdramon?" Taichi repeated thoughtfully upon the revelation. "They must be some very powerful tamers, then."
"They weren't just there to show off, though," Sora continued. "They started attacking us."
The Prince frowned. "Did they know who you were?"
"When we saw them, most of us stepped out of the carriages to watch," she replied. "They would surely have seen us, even from that height. They swooped down close to the carriages and fired on us."
"What reason would Airdramon tamers have to fire upon carriages headed to the palace?" Taichi wondered aloud.
"What reason would anyone have to tame an Airdramon?" Mimi asked. "Too much trouble! Especially if you have a partner of your own."
"There are advantages," Iori stated, speaking his opinion. "Flight, speed, strength. Airdramon, I believe, classify into the adult level. A stage above most partner digimon."
"Most," Sora agreed, and continued with the story, concluding with Piyomon's evolution to Birdramon and the capture of one of the riders.
"So that wasn't a one time evolution then," Taichi concluded. "If your digimon was able to evolve again, then there's no reason why one of ours wouldn't." He frowned for a moment as though he wanted to say something more, but didn't. "Where's the prisoner now?"
"He was taken to the dungeon," Lord Inoue replied.
Taichi nodded. He'll have to be questioned later. Has he given any information voluntarily?"
"Not a word of it."
"I suspected not. Thank you, Lord, Ladies," he stated politely. "For the information and your presence at the celebration."
The group turned to leave. "Sora, Miyako, stay here. I need a word with you. Iori, go fetch Yamato and Takeru. Mimi, see if you can't coax Koushiro up here. Miyako, if you could drag the good doctor Jyou from his work, it would be appreciated. Tell all of them to bring their partners. I would have hoped everyone would be present for this meeting, but this is as close as I can hope for now."
A moment later, the messengers and the older guests had left. "You're calling the Chosen together?" Sora asked. "Why?"
"This information is important," Taichi stated. "If you can evolve again, it means something. And Koushiro has new information for us all as well."
"You think there's a new threat." It was a statement and not a question.
"I'm positive there is." He stepped from the room to retrieve Agumon, leaving Sora alone with her thoughts. A moment later, the young Prince poked his head in the room. "Ah – Sora?"
"Yes?"
"You might want to get Piyomon for this."
***
Fifteen minutes later, the group assembled in the same chamber. Taichi sat on the window seat, looking suitably distressed and serious. Agumon sat on the floor beside him, watching the others as they entered, but looking a bit more carefree.
"What's this about?" Yamato questioned as he entered, followed by his partner Gabumon, brother Takeru, and Takeru's partner Patamon. He seated himself on the floor near the door. He had known Taichi since they were young boys, and he could tell when he was serious about something. This latest issue threatened to be a long meeting, so he made himself comfortable.
"That will be clear when everyone arrives," Iori stated as he entered, standing near the door in case he was needed on an errand.
Takeru said nothing, but stood between his brother and Iori, frowning slightly. Patamon rested on his head, observing the situation as well.
"Come on! I said there would be no flowers discussed. Taichi wants to see you, and that's that!" The door opened, and Mimi entered, half-dragging a reluctant Koushiro behind her.
"If you go back on your word," the young wizard warned. "I'll see you're a Numemon for a week."
Mimi shuddered, and promised again. "A Numemon? Ech," Palmon commented, making a face.
Tentomon couldn't help but chuckle. "It would be funny. The first coronation decorated by a Numemon." Mimi glared at him, and he wisely stopped his laughing.
While they were conversing (or arguing, whichever you prefer), Sora slipped in with Piyomon, and Miyako, Hawkmon, the royal physician Dr. Jyou, and his partner Gomamon entered.
"Everyone here?" Taichi asked.
"All present and accounted for," Yamato replied mock-seriously. "Mind telling us why we're here?"
"Two reasons," their leader replied. "Sora, if you don't mind retelling the story?"
Sora quickly retold the story of the attacks from the Airdramon and how Piyomon had been able to evolve to prevent injury.
"They took off after only one of them had been felled?" Yamato questioned. "Looks like they weren't in for a serious battle. Just troublemaking."
"Most likely," Sora agreed. "But why would anyone go through the trouble of taming an Airdramon just to cause problems with some passers-by?"
"Maybe they're planning for something greater," Takeru theorized. "Maybe this was a warm-up."
"Practicing? On a group of defenseless travelers?" Miyako wondered. "Doesn't seem like much of a practice."
"It seemed to me the brigands were afraid," Hawkmon stated. "They left as soon as there was a real retaliation; they didn't even make an attempt to assist their comrade. Not trustworthy soldiers, if you ask me."
"I wonder what that Wormmon's role was," Koushiro spoke up. "What reason would a lone Wormmon have for saving the Airdramon tamer?"
"Maybe he was working with them?" Yamato thought aloud.
"No," Piyomon disagreed. "Then he would have attempted to save the man afterwards – to pull him to safety."
"It was more like he was an impartial observer," Miyako explained. "He didn't want the rider to die, but he didn't want to haul him to safety either."
"He had to have some sort of reason," Yamato frowned, disagreeing.
"I find it intriguing that the evolution was in response to a danger other than Sora's," Koushiro continued. "I'm sure that must have some significance."
"Maybe the evolutionary requirements have changed now?" Taichi wondered.
"I don't think so," Jyou spoke up for the first time. "The danger element was there, it was just redirected. Perhaps the first evolution makes it easier, so that danger doesn't have to be as great – that is, personally directed – for it to occur afterwards."
"That's a logical probability," Koushiro agreed.
"There's another reason you're here, too," Taichi spoke up again. "Koushiro, your turn."
The young wizard nodded and reached into his shirt, pulling out a string with a strange pendant attached. "Recently, Mimi and I went to find Gennai," he began. "We found these." He indicated the pendant. Miyako turned her head and saw that Mimi was wearing one as well.
"They're called tags," Mimi clarified.
Koushiro nodded in affirmation. "According to Gennai, they hold something called a crest," he continued. "Those crests tap into a strength within the partner to help to evolve the digimon to an even higher level."
"Higher?" Sora repeated. "There are hardly any digimon above adult level. And none with human partners."
"For now," the wizard agreed. "But there will be if we find the crests and get them to function correctly. There are eight tags. Six of them go to those of us who were able to evolve our digimon previously – myself, Taichi, Mimi, Sora, Yamato, and Jyou. The other two, Gennai wasn't able to identify."
As he spoke, Mimi reached into the pockets of her skirt and removed the other three tags. She handed them out as Koushiro identified their owners.
"How do we find the crests?" Yamato wondered as he hesitantly put his on over his head.
Koushiro restated what the old man had told them about the magic within them. "Some may be hidden here in the palace," he theorized.
"So the crests help the digimon evolve?" Sora repeated. "Does that mean the digivices are useless now?"
The wizard frowned. "I don't think so," he replied. "I think that they just – enhance the power. The digimon still evolve without the crests, but with the crest magic they can evolve further."
Jyou frowned pessimistically. "If we need to evolve higher that means there are probably others that can evolve even higher," he noted. "That means we'll have another fight on our hands soon."
"We knew that already," Gomamon told him. "Don't you remember the scary guy in the dark cape that paid us a visit?"
The doctor shivered. "Don't remind me."
***
Daisuke stretched out as luxuriously as possible in the back of the carriage. It was nice to have one to himself. Plenty of room.
Hikari, who was accompanying them on the return to the palace, was riding with his sister, Jun, in another carriage. The leader of the men who had kidnapped him had been left at home for their father to deal with. His father, still feeling the effects of the death of Daisuke's mother, was remaining at home. Daisuke hadn't been sure his sister would go either
"Mother would have wanted us to enjoy ourselves, wouldn't she?" the older sibling had reasoned. He had to agree, and it was that line of logic that finally convinced him to make the journey as well.
"I hope this party isn't cancelled," V-mon spoke up, cutting into his thoughts and reminding the boy that he was not entirely alone in the carriage. The last celebration they had planned to attend was cut short after danger and injury had made it impossible.
"Probably won't be," his partner replied, closing his eyes and enjoying the sun. Suddenly, a shrill beeping noise cut into his dazed state, jolting him out of his half-asleep state and into awareness once more.
"What is that?" V-mon wondered.
Daisuke cautiously reached into his pocket and removed his digivice. "This thing," he realized. He looked at the screen. "It's detecting something, I think."
"What?"
"I don't know. Should we look for it?"
"Probably," the blue digimon stated. "We're not in a hurry, are we?"
"Nope. Hey!" the boy stuck his head out the window. "Stop!"
The carriages both jolted to a stop. "What's going on?" Jun asked, exiting the carriage in front of him. "We ate already."
"I know," her brother replied. He held out his digivice. "You getting this?" he asked Hikari.
The princess reached into the pocket of her own dress and removed her identical blue box. "No," she replied. "I don't get anything."
"I'm going to see what it is. You two can go on ahead."
Hikari shook her head. "I'm coming. I want to know what it is, too."
Jun frowned and looked at the sky, trying to judge the time. "How far are we?"
"There are at least another few hours to go."
She shrugged. "I'm not in a hurry. I'll come, too."
***
A few minutes later, after bringing a bag of supplies and sending a messenger ahead in one of the carriages, the three young people left the safety of the road, leaving the drivers to watch the remaining luggage and carriage, and headed off, Daisuke in the lead, digivice held in front of him. They walked through a forest, the leaves crunching beneath them as they walked.
"I'm not sure I get what we're doing," his older sister confessed. "What do those little boxes do, anyway?"
"They help evolution," Tailmon replied. "That's pretty much all we can say."
"How?"
The feline digimon shrugged. "I haven't a clue," she replied.
Alraumon, Jun's partner, spoke up. "Neither of you have evolved, have you?" she asked of V-mon and Tailmon. Both shook their heads. "Then, what's the point?"
"We're not sure," Hikari repeated. "We know what they do, and we're not going to lose them."
Daisuke, who had been paying no attention to the conversation, suddenly turned to the left and nearly tripped over a rock. "It's getting closer, I think."
"Do we have any idea what we're looking for?" Jun asked.
"Nope."
"How far is it, Daisuke?" V-mon asked.
"We're getting closer," Daisuke repeated. "It should be just over here." He ducked under some low tree-branches and climbed over a large rock.
"In there?" Hikari wondered, pointing ahead. There was a small cave just in front of them.
"Looks like it." He held out his digivice, turned a few times in different directions, and nodded. "In there."
There was a moment's hesitation, and then the small group entered the cave. At the far end were a plaque and a red and yellow object, both of which were placed on raised rock platforms.
"I think this is what we're looking for," V-mon stated.
"What does the sign say?" Tailmon questioned, trying to read the words but failing because it was above her head.
Hikari peered at the old markings. "I could use some light," she frowned, squinting in the dimness of the cave.
"Wait – I've got some." Daisuke opened the bag he had brought from the carriage and removed a small lantern. A few moments later, there was enough light to see.
"It says 'digimental yuuki'," she read. "'Only the rightful owner can move the digimental which belongs to them.'"
"Digimental yuuki?" Jun repeated. "Yuuki means – courage?"
Hikari nodded. "Koushiro told us about digimentals," she remembered. "He said they were rumored to be myths from ancient times. Then again, so was Demon, but we saw him."
"So this is the digimental yuuki," Daisuke repeated. "I wonder who the rightful owner is."
"Maybe it's yours, Hikari," Tailmon theorized. Hikari shrugged. "Try moving it."
Hikari stepped forwards and tried to lift the strange round object, but failed. The digimental remained firmly attached to the rock. "Nope. Must be yours," she said to Daisuke.
"Mine?"
"Well, that would make sense," Jun noted. "You are the one who found it."
"Yeah, that's right, I did," her brother recalled. "All right, I'll try." He stepped forward and placed his hands on the egg-shaped digimental. He braced himself for a major tug, and lifted with all his might.
And fell backwards into the sign, because the strength he used was more than was needed.
"I guess it's mine," he decided, looking at the strange object in his hands. "But what does it do?"
Before either of the girls could speculate, a rumbling sound shook the ground. "Spinning Needle!" a deep voice shouted.
"Airdramon?" Tailmon recognized the attack. "Why would they attack?"
"There's something else out there, too," Daisuke noted. "Airdramon attacks wouldn't shake the ground."
A few moments later, they had rushed outside. "What is that?" Alraumon gasped.
The digimon before them laughed. "Bone Club!" he shouted, slamming a large club to the ground.
"That would be Ogremon," Tailmon informed the group as they struggled to stay on their feet. "He's adult level, and pretty strong."
"What do we do?" Jun shouted.
"Run!" Daisuke shouted. "Scatter! Before that Airdramon can attack again!"
Without another word, the group scattered into the woods beyond the cave. Daisuke hid behind a tree. "There's got to be something we can do," V-mon grumbled as they caught their breaths.
Daisuke looked at the strange orange and yellow digimental in his hands. "Courage," he noted. "I've got to use courage to make it work."
"Courage?" V-mon repeated, somewhat interested now.
"I think so. I've got to - be brave. Yeah! I can do that!" With sudden conviction, he found himself forming the words before he was completely conscious of what he was saying. "Digimental Up!"
The egg shaped digimental began to glow. Daisuke shielded his eyes, and heard his digivice squealing loudly. "V-mon armor evolve!" he heard his partner shout.
A moment later the light had faded. A tall, blue digimon stood on two legs. Its claws, feet, chest, thighs, and head were covered with armor in the same red and yellow color scheme as the digimental. "Fladramon!"
Daisuke barely had time to stare in surprise when the ugly green digimon reappeared. "Bone Club!" Ogremon shouted, swinging his vicious club.
The human boy dodged out of the way, diving behind another tree, and his partner leapt into the air to avoid the attack. "Fire Rocket!" he shouted, bringing his front claws together. Fire leapt from the digimon's fists, and shot at his opponent.
"Augh! That hurts!" Ogremon shouted. He turned and ran, trying desperately to douse the fire on his head.
"Boy, that was easier than I thought," Daisuke noted.
"Where are the others?"
Before he could reply to his partner's question, a scream came from a few feet away. "The Airdramon!" Daisuke realized.
***
Yea! Cliffhanger! Okay, okay, don't all throw tomatoes at once. I'll get the next part up soon, I promise. School's done – yea! So I have something called gasp Free time!
I try to keep some things the same as the show, but some things are obviously different. So therefore Daisuke discovers his digimental before any of the others discover the crests. And since this story deals quite a bit with Taichi, he's not going to be the first to discover his crest. Coming up soon will be some real drama, in case this isn't dramatic enough. And yeah, Ken does show up eventually. I promise! ^_^