Me: Okay, people-I don't own Digimon in either way, shape or form. Why? I just don't know.

Rika: None of us do, but we are glad you don't. Who knows where we would be if you did?

Me: (slightly irritated) Veeeeeeery funny. Just be glad I don't have you in trouble-ack!

Rika: (starts choking me) That reminds me-you have my Gogglehead in a precarious situation, one which I want him out of right now!

Me: (gasps loudly) I know this means my life, but...I can't do...as you request...

Rika: (grip tightens) Can't...or won't?

Terriermon: Momentai already! Don't things always turn out on the up and up?

Rika: (releases hold) I'll "momentai" you, you lop-eared rabbit! Come here!

Terriermon: Whoa-I'd rather face Susie again than feel Rika's wrath. What the heck am I saying?! Get me outta here! (races off; Rika runs after him)

Me: (gasps for breath) And on that note...we start the next chapter, which is dedicated to Frozen Phoenix and the author known as "The Pilot." Their reviews for the previous chapter gave me the notion for this one.







Digimon Tamers: Tamers V.S. Dracula

Chapter VIII-Yin against Yang









"In grave danger, you are..." -Yoda, "Star Wars-Episode II: Attack of the Clones"

"Your fears will be your downfall!" -ADR-01 (Jeri's clone)







So far, things were looking okay for the team, until most of them spent the day and most of the night hunting down the evil vampire who was cooking up a little something of his own! Thanks to Calumon and Guilmon's escapade while out on the town, Takato and Rika have to help out a vendor until the time they leave Transylvania. As if the day couldn't get any worse, Dracula cast some kind of spell on Takato and Guilmon. I sure hope those two aren't gonna cause any trouble, but if the vampire's involved, trouble's just around the corner!







Rika moaned to herself as she woke up, feeling a sense of foreboding that radiated from her head to her toes. While pulling more of the blanket over her body, her eyes snapped open to see Takato's eyes shaded the crimson color of red. That one act caused her to wake up!

"Takato...? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's..."









"...wrong, my sweet."

The Dark Prince chuckled to himself. If he hadn't come across this spell while searching in his books, he might've been forced to stay up all night looking for it, or something else. With this, he could gain control of any mind, be they human or otherwise, as long as they remained asleep.

Seeing whatever Takato and Guilmon saw, Dracula noticed that Rika had righted herself and had protectively draped her arm across the Tamer's broad chest. This...mundane act of love, passion and desire for the leader would be the girl's downfall just as her love for him had done so beforehand.

But, there was work to be done if he had to head on to the next spell and that alone would require both Tamer and Digimon at the castle. Eventually, the rest would follow in order to save him, but for that to occur, he would have to leave.

"Rika, I've got something..."







"...to do. Could you let me go, please?"

Rika's eyes slowly narrowed. Takato was usually like this whenever he'd done something wrong, and as far as she knew, or what things Renamon had told her, he hadn't done anything wrong. Instantly, she knew something was up, and that it concerned the Prince of Darkness. At that second, Takato's hand rose up and grabbed Rika by the throat, constricting her windpipe and causing her breath to come out in short gasps.

"Since you've figured out it was I who's done this to your beloved, you won't mind if I end your putrid life within a hairbreadth, then."

A second later, Renamon appeared behind them and picked Takato up by his collar, effectively saving Rika and stopping Dracula for the moment.

"I know you're possessing him, vampire. So if I were you, I'd release Takato before I have to do something I wouldn't be too fond of doing, now!"

"PyroSphere!!"

Both Takato and Renamon were hit by a powerful blast of fire, sending both down to the ground. Looking back up, Renamon saw that Guilmon's eyes had completely gone viral, and he was standing upright, poised for battle. Pacing herself, Renamon had guessed that Dracula had momentarily done what she'd asked and released Takato, only to possess Guilmon in his stead!

"Guilmon, it's me. Listen to me-Dracula is controlling you. Whatever you're feeling, it isn't real. Just wake up and whatever hold he has on you and Takato should fade away." Renamon cautioned calmly, noticing Rika get up and move over to the comatose Takato to check for any injuries.

"He's not in control..."







"...of me, not anymore. And soon, he'll have all of Transylvania under his power as well. PyroSphere!!"

Dracula laughed out loud as he watched Renamon avoid the potent fireball long enough to protect Rika and Takato, then as she rolled away from them and launched an attack of her own.

"I don't want to do this, but you're leaving me with no other option, vampire. Power Paw!!"

Smirking, the vampire had Guilmon dodge the attack, then turned toward Renamon and responded in his own voice, but through Guilmon's mouth. "Excellent. You and your partner are just as connected as your partner's soul mate and his own partner, especially if you've both figured out it was I who has control of them. Now, if you'll just allow me to borrow them for a little while, they should be back for the reckoning by tomorrow night."

"Fat chance, pal!" Rika yelled angrily, holding on to Takato's limp body firmly, refusing to let go. "If you want my Gogglehead and Guilmon for whatever freaky plan you've got concocted, you'll have to take 'em both by force!"

Grinning, Dracula replied calmly, "So be it...Tamer."

That said, the Dark Prince started chanting in Latin, his voice inevitably growing louder with every pronunciated word he spoke until Guilmon started glowing brightly and, to Rika and Renamon's horror, started to Digivolve!

"Guilmon Dark Digivolve to..." A second later, Guilmon floated outside of the opened window and, within moments, Megidramon was in his place, the biohazard symbol on his chest glowing irradically! In shock, Rika released her hold on Takato, who floated out after Megidramon until he landed on the Virus Digimon's back. Roaring loudly until all of Transylvania could hear, which woke up the other Tamers, Megidramon flew off towards the Transylvanian Alps!









"Takato! You bring him and Guilmon back now, you pale faced, undead freak!" Rika screamed angrily, struggling against Renamon's hold and ignoring the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Rika, I believe we're in even more danger than ever before."

Wiping her tears away, Rika turned towards her partner with a look of scorn on her face. "How much more danger could we be in?"

"The biohazard sign on Guilmon's chest." Henry spoke up as he, the other Tamers and the Digimon slowly filed into her room a moment later. "We all saw it glowing, but didn't understand what it meant, until Calumon reminded us."

"Huh?!" The look of scorn was replaced with one of confusion. "How could Calumon know about that biohazard sign, but doesn't know about food that you don't eat until you pay for it?"

Shrugging in response, Calumon hopped into Rika's lap a second later. "Remember when Leomon kicked the bucket back in the Digital World?"

Everyone eyed the In-Training Digimon with an amazed look, except for Terriermon.

"I taught him that. Sue me if you want, but all I have is a name, rank and serial number to give you."

Slapping himself on the forehead, Henry grumbled, "Terriermon, you can't watch 'A Few Good Men' for a month."

"Anyway, when Megidramon started beating up on Beelzemon, that symbol thingy on his chest started glowing like crazy! No one actually noticed, 'cause you were all busy trying to keep Takato from joining his clone and betraying us. He could've had the power necessary to destroy the entire Digital World if he wanted to!"

"So, in effect, what happens in the Digital World would happen here." Leomon summarized up quickly.

"Mmm-hmm!" Calumon nodded in agreement, pleased that his memory, though extremely short at times, had stayed intact throughout that one incident.

"Basically, as Megidramon, Guilmon could have the power needed to destroy the Real World!" Ryo spat out, noticing Monodramon pacing around the room. "We've gotta stop him, and Takato!"

"Their both being controlled by Dracula! It's not their fault!" Rika insisted heatedly, glaring at Ryo with a look of indignation written over her features.

"That doesn't mean we can't stop them, Rika. All we have to do is to wake them up, and whatever hold Dracula has on them should break." Renamon advised. Nodding, Rika ushered everyone else out of the room.

"Unless any of you don't want to live to graduate, which for a number of you, I don't see happening in here anyway, get out while I get changed!"

Rika knew time was of the essence, so she quickly changed, grabbed her coat, then, as an afterthought, grabbed some clothes for Takato, his shoes, socks and jacket.

"Renamon, it's time to carve a name for ourselves into Dracula's hide."







As midnight approached, Megidramon landed at the entrance to the castle, which was a few feet away. Instantly, he deDigivolved into Guilmon, and both he and Takato landed onto the snowy ground, the latter and the former shivering rapidly as Dracula exited his household with an evil sneer on his pale face.

"I warned you that you shouldn't underestimate me, but you youth today-you never listen, do you?"

"And I believe Rika told you not to underestimate us! They're probably on their way right now."

At that statement, Dracula chortled before clearing his throat. "That's precisely what I have planned. The downfall of not only Transylvania, but the world at large would be on your shoulders unless you and a select few of your friends can stop what I'm about to do."

Guilmon purposely went viral on his own accord, but Takato held him back. "Guilmon, wait! It could be a trick."

The evil vampire started reciting another spell in Latin, even as Rika and the others came in.

"Hey, Gogglehead-leave something behind?" Smiling, as well as blushing, Rika tossed Takato his clothes at that moment. Knowing chivalry truly wasn't dead, Takato simply covered his pajamas with his clothes and placed his socks and shoes on, as well as his jacket.

"Hey, Chumly, what's old fang face doing?" Kazu asked grimly.

"I wish I knew."

Ignoring the Tamers entirely, Dracula continued chanting his spell, his voice raising bit by bit.

"Okay, enough is enough! It's bad enough I've gotta dress up like 'Princess Pretty Pants' every now and then, but to be roused outta bed by a possessed friend? This vampire's gonna taste cold steel!"

A second later, Henry swiped a Modify card through his Digivice.

"Digimodify! Digivolution, activate!"

Digivolution!

"Terriermon Digivolve to...GARGOMON!!!"

"Gargo Lasers!!"

At that second, Dracula completed the spell, and a blue energy beam flew out and not only incinerated the bullets, but forced Gargomon to deDigivolve into Terriermon and trapped all but Takato and Guilmon behind a powerful forcefield!

"Let Rika and my friends go, now!" Takato demanded angrily, feeling ice run down his veins at that moment.

"Oh, I think not. Nor will I simply respond to your 'demand,' until I get what I want."

As Dracula started chanting rapidly in Latin, Takato's anger started to escalate. "You said you wanted me here for another rematch! I'm here, but you're not willing to battle with me? You have to resort to spells to trap my friends? Come on, you pasty-faced jerk-GET OVER HERE AND FIGHT MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"

The golden Digivice shrieked loudly, forcing the others to cover their ears as Dracula completed his spell and two beams of dark, red energy flew out from the palms of his hands and struck both Takato and the Digivice! Takato screamed in silent agony and pain as he felt a part of himself die away, and he dropped to his knees at that moment.

"Houston, we have a problem...two humongous problems, matter-of-fact..."

"Takato, look."

Groaning, Takato forced himself to look up, and, to his surprise, he saw not only Megidramon, but ChaosGallantmon side-by-side, both Virus Digimon intent on slaughtering the known world until they got what they wanted!

Whoa! Both Megidramon and ChaosGallantmon together? The Tamer team just might have their hands full with this one. Find out what happens next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters!