The City of Light and Shadow
By: SilvorMoon
Gatomon was becoming concerned for their partner. For the moment, the two of them seemed to be safe, walking alongside Mimi, TK, and their respective Digimon, following the lead of the unlikely warrior, Piximon. Gatomon had never met Piximon firsthand before, but she knew of his reputation, and she doubted there were few beings short of the Dark Masters themselves who would dare mess with the pint-sized magician. Even if there were, it was still likely he'd come out the victor if he had Angemon and Angewomon to back him up. The tunnels, though dark and damp, were certainly less forbidding than anything she'd seen in Myotismon's lair, and she thought they were actually rather pretty, in their way, with the torchlight flickering off the crystalline spires and arches. Piximon had augmented the small light of Mimi's torch with a glowing ball of light, and to Gatomon, everything looked reasonably pleasant. Mimi and TK seemed to think so - they were walking along cheerfully, chatting with their partners and Piximon. But Kari would not stop fidgeting!
"What's wrong?" Gatomon finally asked. "You look nervous about something."
"I'm not... nervous... exactly," said Kari, sounding distracted. "I just have this feeling. It's like I've been here before, a long time ago, only I can't remember it. Nothing looks the same... how can I be remembering something and not remembering it at the same time?"
"It's not exactly a memory," said Piximon. "Not yours, anyway."
"Huh?" said Mimi.
"I'll explain it all later," Piximon replied. "For now, we must move quickly! The city awaits, and so do the queen's subjects."
"I wanna see an underground city!" said TK. "Does it have skyscrapers and everything?"
"I wouldn't mind seeing the city," Mimi muttered, "as long as they don't want their floors scrubbed."
"You can say that again!" Palmon agreed. "I had blisters on my leaves for days!"
"I didn't work you that hard, did I?" asked Piximon.
"YES," said TK, Mimi, and their Digimon in unison.
Piximon preened. "I'm getting better as this training stuff. Yup yup!"
His former students sighed, and Kari looked curious. "Scrubbing floors? What are you guys talking about?"
In reply, Mimi began a description of the Digidestined's first encounter with their flying friend and his notions about how young warriors should be trained. The description, with much elaboration on how hard they had to work, how little they got fed, and what all that soapy water had done to her nails, lasted them for several minutes. Gatomon smiled a bit, trying to hide the grin behind her paws. She didn't want Mimi to think she was laughing at her; the truth was she was simply pleased that Kari had been distracted from whatever had been haunting her... and, she was forced to admit, Mimi was an entertaining storyteller. She caught TK and Patamon trying to stifle similar grins, and she winked at them. The little group barely noticed that the walkway was gradually becoming wider, the floor more level, the walls smoother, and the ceilings developing graceful arcs instead of whatever shape nature had let it settle into. They did notice, however, when Piximon suddenly let his light go out.
"Hey!" TK shouted. "What'd you do that for?"
"Didn't I tell you?" Piximon asked. "We're going to the City of Shadows! That means you don't bring in any lights! The inhabitants don't allow any lights but their own. Do you want to get in trouble with the law?"
"Kind of a silly law, if you ask me," Mimi grumbled.
"Good reasons they have for it," answered Piximon, "so put that torch out!"
Mimi did as she was told, though not without complaining about it quietly to herself, bending down to dunk the torch in a nearby puddle. She stopped with the flame just barely not touching the water and said, "How are we going to find each other in the dark?"
Piximon made a face, and the children giggled.
"Half asleep, I still am!" Piximon exclaimed. "Everyone hold hands, so you won't get lost. I'll lead the way."
They lined up, Gatomon holding Kari's hand, Kari holding on to TK with Patamon riding on his head, TK holding to one of Palmon's leaves. Palmon held Mimi's hand, and Mimi was left holding on to the end of Piximon's spear. The torch got dumped clumsily into the water, and it fizzled and went out. The shadows became very intense.
"Everyone ready back there?" called Piximon. "Let's go!"
They went... slowly. The floor that had appeared smooth in the light suddenly seemed full of traps to trip the unwary, and every curve in the wall became an opportunity to stub a toe or bruise an elbow. The blackness didn't seem to bother Piximon, who flew merrily above their heads, calling down encouragements every time he heard the thumps and mutters of his charges stumbling in the dark. The children and their companions wandered along as best they could.
"Now I know why they don't allow lights," Mimi said to Palmon. "They don't want anyone to get in alive."
"It's not that bad, is it?" asked Piximon. "Don't worry! Only a little ways to go! See, there's the main entrance up ahead!"
Everyone looked up, straining their eyes for a sight of anything. It was Gatomon who picked out the first shapes of a great doorway, ever-so-faintly outlined with weak blue light.
"He's right, Kari," she said. "We'll be there soon."
Kari nodded and gave her partner a light squeeze of thanks. Truth be told, she was developing a bad case of butterflies in the stomach. It wasn't, she realized, so much that she was afraid of something down there - or at least, that wasn't all of it. She felt like she was about to be called to task, as if she was about to go accept the blame for something she'd done wrong, apprehension mixed with guilt and a desire to go away and leave well enough alone.
*What's the matter with me? I didn't do anything wrong. I've never even been here before!*
Just then, her attention was caught by something moving, a heavy metallic clunk and a whine of gears. Two lights became visible in the dark, pale gold like fireflies, but they stayed a fixed distance apart, about eight feet off the ground. They were eyes.
"Who goes there?" said a rumbling voice. "Show yourselves!"
"We can't show ourselves any more than this!" Piximon retorted. "Open the door and shed a little light on the subject!"
"But you might be intruders," the voice pointed out. "No intruders can be allowed into the City of Shadows!"
The word "intruders" penetrated Mimi's fear and went wandering around in her head looking for the memory it was attached to. It found an image of a factory, a battle, a quarrel over a computer, and a robot who carried a spinning blade of energy. Then it found a name.
"Andromon!" she exclaimed. "We aren't intruders, Andromon! It's me, Mimi - and TK, and Patamon and Palmon. You remember us, don't you?"
The eyes blinked in the darkness, and then vanished entirely as their owner clanked over to the doors and shoved them ponderously open. A wave of blue-green light fell over all of them, illuminating everything in sickly colors. Now they could all see a tall, manlike machine with attenuated limbs standing guard next to the doorway.
"It is you!" he exclaimed.
"You know this guy?" asked Kari.
TK nodded, smiling. "He's our friend. We met him a long time ago, back on File Island. He had a Black Gear stuck him that made him all crazy, but Izzy and Kabuterimon fixed him."
"I came here after the Dark Masters reordered the world," said Andromon. "Now I act as guardian of the City of Shadows. I'm sorry for mistrusting you, but since this place became a haven for Digimon trying to escape Piedmon's rule, his minions have become harder and harder to keep out."
"Things will get better now, though," said Piximon. "See what I've brought with me: the Child of Light!"
Andromon tipped his head to look several feet down at the tiny child that stood looking up at him. Kari looked up at him, not sure what to make of this monstrous creature with the skull- like face and half-formed body. After a moment's consideration, she decided she liked him; his eyes showed nothing more sinister than a bit of puzzlement.
"Are you sure?" Andromon asked. "She doesn't look like-"
"Of course she doesn't look like her," interrupted Piximon. "That doesn't matter. You robotic types have trouble sensing things you can't see or hear or touch. I'm telling you, she is the one."
"What one?" asked Kari.
"Not here," was all Piximon said. "I'll explain it inside. Come on!"
He fluttered through the gates, leaving the children and their companions no choice but to follow along. The city was, as they had been told, a city of shadows, where even the lights were thin and strange, glowing in shades of blue or green or sickly yellow. The travelers walked quickly and quietly, trying not to look too much at the scenery. The blue lights made them feel as if they were underwater; the yellow was eye-dazzling, giving them brief headaches. They only got vague glimpses of the world they were traveling through: rough, moundlike buildings like wigwams or beehives. The streets were of the same slick white stone they had seen in other parts of the cave; here it flowed between the buildings like a river of melted vanilla ice cream, reminding Mimi that it had been a while since breakfast.
However, any thoughts of food were put out of her head immediately as she realized who the inhabitants of this city were. They were hard to see, at first, because they shied away from even the weak and strangely shaded light that lit their underground world. They had small, slimy bodies and large, bulbous eyes and tongues that hung from between rows of knobby teeth. They smelled awful. They recognized Mimi.
"Hey, cutie!" one burbled. "Long time no see!"
"Didn't I see you in Toy Town?" another one asked.
"Weren't you on Kokatrimon's ship?" asked a third.
"Ew, gross, get away!" Mimi yelped. She looked around for someone to hide behind, but everyone was smaller than she was. She settled for moving closer to Piximon and hoping desperately that he wasn't really cruel enough to let those things get too near her.
"What are they?" asked Kari, staring at them with wide, curious eyes.
"They're Numemon," Gatomon explained. "Myotismon used to have a few working for him, but they're not all that dangerous."
"Yes they are!" Mimi wailed. "They keep trying to kiss me!"
"Hey, that's not a bad idea," said one of the Numemon, licking his lips appreciatively. Mimi shrieked at new levels of intensity.
"Leave her alone," said Piximon, whacking the Numemon with his staff. "We don't have time to fool around. Besides, is that how you behave in the presence of your queen?"
"What?" yelped several Numemon in unison. Their eyes bobbed around crazily as they searched for the monarch, shivering like globs of green Jello. "Where is she? Where is she?"
"She's nearby, and she's watching you all," said Piximon sternly, "so you'd better behave!"
Several dozen Numemon nodded in unison, despite their lacks of heads and necks, and they became models of propriety.
"They won't bother you now," said Piximon. "Very frightened, they are, of the queen's wrath. She cursed them once, and they've never forgotten."
"She sounds bad," said TK nervously. "Is she really here? Is she gonna get mad at us?"
"Now's not the time," the little Digimon replied. "I want to take you to the palace. Come on! Step lively! Won't be long now."
They kept moving. They left the little group of Numemon behind quickly enough, with Mimi practically dragging her small charges behind her, but news of their arrival preceded them anyway. Everywhere they went, little faces peeked out of shadows to look at them - mostly Numemon, but other creatures as well, refugees who had come to the City of Shadows seeking shelter from the Dark Masters. The pairs of staring eyes made them all nervous, as did the total silence that they maintained. Piximon was right: these people were afraid. And yet, there was a weird sort of hope in their eyes. Kari watched them all, suddenly feeling sorry for them. What had been done to them to make them like this?
Finally, they came to a hill, barren of all buildings except one, much larger and more complex than the others. From a distance, one could make believe that it was a beautiful palace, but closer inspection revealed that it was only a much larger mound-house with other lumps and bumps added to make towers. There was, however, a grand, sweeping staircase leading up the side of the hill and into the gaping mouth of the building. The travelers stared in dismay.
"You really like stairs, don't you?" Mimi muttered.
Piximon shrugged. "I didn't put them here. Up we go! Then we can rest, and I'll tell you everything."
Despite the number of steps, the climb wasn't steep, not bad at all, and it only took a few minutes for them to reach the top. There, they were met by what appeared to be a large Numemon with a snail shell on its back. It glared at them all and bobbed its eyes in the most threatening expression it could manage.
"Halt!" it barked. "No one enters the castle of the queen!"
"No one but the queen," Piximon corrected.
"Right," the creature replied.
"That means we're coming in," said Piximon.
"But - but - but," stammered the Digimon, obviously confused. "I thought you said no one but the queen could get in, and she's not here."
"Yes she is," Piximon replied. "Right there!"
The little 'mon turned and flicked his spear at Kari, who froze as if turned to stone.
"Me?!" she squeaked.
"Her?" the Numemon creature asked.
"Her," said Piximon. "I'm absolutely sure of it. Only the Queen of Light could have healed me and brought me back from death. It was her voice I heard. Even the name is right."
"This is... Queen Kari?"
Piximon nodded, bobbing in midair. The Numemon made a bubbling sound of surprise and suddenly became the soul of hospitality.
"Welcome! Welcome!" it said, smiling and clearly attempting to look pleasant. "Enter, Majesty and friends of the queen! I am Shell Numemon, leader of this Numemon tribe. If there is anything you need, just ask."
"Could we have something to eat?" Mimi piped up.
Piximon glared at her as if he thought this was not at all the time to be worrying about their stomachs, but Shell Numemon looked pleased and scuttled off. Within a moment, he and a few other Numemon appeared carrying plates made of unglazed clay, each of them stacked with some form of food - small flat biscuits, something that looked like grapes, something else that appeared to be sushi. They set it on the floor and bowed respectfully before scampering away again.
"Enjoy!" said Shell Numemon. "If there's anything else we can do for you, just call!"
With that, he and his followers vanished into the shadows again. Piximon shrugged.
"That wasn't what I wanted to do," he said, "but I suppose it can't hurt to eat while we talk."
"You bet it can't!" said Mimi. She sampled a biscuit; it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good, either. It was chewy and flavorless, reminding her faintly of clay. Still, she was hungry enough that she wasn't going to complain. What else could you expect from a Numemon? The rest of the group settled down to the serious business of eating - all but Kari, who stared at the spread in puzzlement.
"Why did you tell them I'm a queen?" she asked.
"Because you are," came the matter-of-fact reply, "and yet you are not."
"You're going to have to explain a little better than that," said Kari.
"I intend to," Piximon answered, "right now. You see, it all began many years ago, in the Old Days before the dawn of history, the time when all legends are born. In those days, the Digital World and your world were not two worlds, but one. It was a different kind of world, a World With No Name, because it was the only one we knew of. The World With No Name was full of Digimon, just like it is now, but many more different kinds then there are today, and the rulers of the world were the Hyumons."
"Humans?" Kari repeated.
"Hyumons," Piximon corrected firmly. "They were unlike any other kind of Digimon - each one was different, and they could master powers that were beyond all but the most powerful Digimon. They formed societies and built cities and schools. Many of the Digimon were so amazed by their powers that they chose some Hyumons to be kings and queens, to rule over them, to settle disputes, to teach them, and to protect them from enemies.
"One such was a lady Hyumon who was called Kari, who ruled over the City of Light. Her subjects loved her for her beauty and grace, and also for her healing powers. She could put life back into the dying and strength into the weak. However, all the admiration and power also made her vain. She became less concerned with the doings of the world and more involved in enjoying the comforts of her palace and the company of her friends.
"As it happened, her greatest admirers were the Numemon. They were weak and lowly creatures, and they believed her to be the most perfect thing that lived. They would have done anything for her, but she scorned them because they were so ugly. The more they tried to come near her, the more annoyed with them she became, until she finally lost her temper. She put a curse on the Numemon, banning them from her presence and from the light forever, dooming them to a life in the deep underground shadows. Until the curse is lifted, they can never see the sun again."
"That's sad," said Kari softly. The Numemon weren't the most agreeable-looking creatures, but they didn't deserve to be cursed forever! "What happened to the queen?"
"The same as happened to most of the other Hyumons," Piximon replied. "There came a time when other Digimon became jealous and frightened by the Hyumons' power. A few dark Digimon led a war to have the Hyumons driven away. Legend tells that such was the force of the war that followed that the very foundations of the world were split. Many Hyumons died, and so did many innocent Digimon. Most of those Hyumon that did survive were cast into one half of the world, along with many of the Digimon that had aided them. There, parted from the primal stuff of this world - what you'd call magic - they gradually lost their powers. Those that were most like animals became fully animal; the Hyumons..."
"They became us. Humans," Kari finished.
"Right," Piximon replied. "Only a very few of the most powerful remained here. Many went into hiding, slipping into other spaces where they couldn't be followed. A few were killed, Queen Kari among them. Thus, the curse was never lifted. The Numemon tell of a prophecy that someday their queen will return and release them." He leveled her a piercing stare. "The legend has now come to pass."
"But..." Kari began, and realized she couldn't think of anything to say next. It was all a little much for her to absorb at once. Maybe to the Numemon it was matter-of-fact, but she couldn't take all this business about Hyumon's and wars and queens without a little time to think about it.
However, it didn't look like she was going to get a chance to think - at least not right away. In the silence that followed, the group could make out distant sounds of someone shouting. Lots of someones, very excited someones. They were getting closer and closer to the palace, becoming louder as they went, until it was plain what they were saying: "Prisoners! Make way, make way! Prisoners for the queen!"
Kari may not have been sure about this queen business, but she knew trouble when she heard it marching up the road. Without waiting to ask questions, she hurried out the door and down the front stairs just in time to meet a massive throng of Numemon on their way up. As soon as she came into view, all of them lowered their eyes in a bow, leaving in plain view the fact that they were carrying things. Bound tightly in ropes of some greenish material that looked suspiciously like seaweed were six wiggling shapes, three large and three small, all looking very uncomfortable. Several of the Numemon, who wore sashes of grey material to mark them as soldiers, marched forward and dropped the squirming bundles at Kari's feet. The captives, blindfolded, thrashed around in terror.
"We captured these prisoners for you, Majesty," said one of the soldier-Numemon. "They were sneaking around the south exit. They are intruders. We recommend they be thrown in the lake to drown. No outsider can see the secret City of Shadows and live."
Kari stared. The bundles were wrapped so thoroughly that there was almost no figuring out what they were, but one of them looked familiar to her. For a moment, she was dumbstruck. Then she spoke.
"You can't throw him in the lake!" she shouted. "That's my brother!"
Noises echoed through the narrow cavern. One was a steady plod of footsteps on hard stone, but that was nothing unusual. The others were a bit stranger: a buzz, a flutter, and a metallic clanking.
"These tunnels just go on and on," said Jim, looking around with discomfiture.
"They have to end somewhere," Sora replied.
"That may be true," said Izzy. His face was faintly illuminated by the glow from his laptop "Still, some underground tunnels can go on for miles and miles. We don't have any idea whether we're going up or down anymore."
"I was just trying to be optimistic," said Sora, "unlike some people."
"And I was trying to be realistic. Optimism's not going to get us out of this mess."
"Oh yeah? Well, neither is scaring us with your useless facts!"
Izzy glowered. "My facts are not useless!"
"Hey, hey, hey!" shouted Jim, stepping between the two. "We don't need to have an argument in here! We have no idea what kind of critters might be living down here... besides the fact that fighting isn't very good for morale. Apologize and shake hands, and let's put our minds to thinking of a way out."
For a moment, his fellow travelers looked affronted, but then they relaxed.
"He's right," said Sora. "We're not accomplishing anything this way. Sorry, Izzy."
"That's okay, Sora. We're all a little unnerved down here," Izzy replied. "I didn't mean to upset you. People just aren't meant to spend so much time underground; I can't blame you for being tense."
"Digimon aren't meant to be underground either," said Tentomon. "At least, I'm not. I'd almost rather be out in the rain again. At least then there would be some fresh air."
"You said it," Biyimon agreed, mournfully flapping her wings.
"Personally," said Kokuwamon to Jim, quietly so the others wouldn't hear, "I'd rather be down here. I'm a machine Digimon - I don't do so well out in the weather. If I went out in the rain now, it would short my circuits. If we do find the way out, would they be angry if I wanted to stay inside?"
"Don't worry," said Jim. "I'm sure they'd understand. Everyone here is so different from each other... they've got to be used to accommodating each other by now."
"I don't know about that. They're fighting with each other now, aren't they?"
Jim was stumped by that one. While he was looking for an answer, Izzy glanced over and noticed his companion's discomfiture.
"What's wrong, Jim?" he asked.
"Kokuwamon's just worried," said Jim. "He thinks you might get mad at him if you disagreed with him over something."
"We wouldn't do that!" said Sora. "Though we have been a little grumpy, lately, what with rain and monsters and all. We're not usually this tense; you're seeing our bad side."
Kokuwamon clicked his pincers, and Jim sensed more than saw that his partner was frowning. "I think it's something more than that. I have... not quite a memory. A feeling. People used to get angry at me a lot. I don't think they were very nice people, though. You all are much nicer."
"Thanks," said Izzy, looking pleased. "Sora's not usually bad-tempered even when she's unhappy. She always looks for the good side of things. Not like me. When I'm in trouble, I just hide in my computer and wait for everything to blow over."
Kokuwamon's eyes lit up. "You can hide in that little computer?"
Jim laughed. "That's just a figure of speech. He means he ignores everything but his laptop until the problem goes away."
"That's not much different from what I do," said Sora glumly. "If something's going wrong, I try to pretend it isn't, or that it's not as bad as it really is... just like I was doing a minute ago. We really are in trouble, aren't we?"
"It can't be that bad," said Jim. "If nothing else, we've beaten MetalSeadramon, haven't we? That ought to get us out of some trouble at least. He can't send any more monsters to chase us."
"I sure hope not. Our Digimon must be pretty wiped out after that last fight," Sora commented.
"I am a little hungry," said Tentomon. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."
"Do you think there's anything to eat down here?" asked Biyomon plaintively. She looked around, but all there was to be seen were rocks.
"At least that's one thing I don't have to worry about now," said Kokuwamon. "I don't need to eat in this shape... my batteries could do with charging, though."
"Let me try something," said Izzy. "Right now, there's so much rock in the way, my Digivice can't get any clear signals, but I think that if I can tap into one of the main communication channels through the DigiWorld, I might be able to use it to boost our Digivices' capabilities enough to find our friends in this maze."
"I'll take your word for it," said Sora.
"I hope that was a joke. I was being purposely simple just for your sake," Izzy replied. "Anyway, just give me a minute, and hopefully I'll find something useful."
The Digidestined halted a moment, leaning against the walls while Izzy sat down on a rock and hunched over his laptop. For a moment, the only sound was a frantic scrabbling against the keyboard that echoed from the walls. Jim, peeking over Izzy's shoulder, could see row after row of computer symbols appearing against the white screen. Then everything shifted, showing him a brief series of wireframe images that twisted and turned until the screen was full of them. Finally, everything flattened out, showing a number of black and green lines laid out like worm tracks. Little lights blinked here and there.
"Prodigious!" Izzy enthused. "I've got us a map! See, here we are and there's the rest of the gang... they're not far off."
Tentomon buzzed over for a better look. "They're straight ahead. We would have found them without a map."
"Humph," said Izzy, sounding miffed. "We wouldn't have known that unless I'd looked. We could have been completely lost, for all we knew. Anyway, let me see if I can get this thing a bit clearer, just to make sure there's nothing obstructing the path." He tapped a few keys, then gave a start. "What the...?"
The other Digidestined craned their heads for a better look. The point where their friends had been was now swallowed up in white light.
"What's going on?" asked Sora.
"I'm not sure," Izzy replied. "My computer's picking up a tremendous surge of energy coming from that direction... and there's something else. Look at that!"
He pointed at the bottom of the screen. They could see a long golden streak moving rapidly through the corridors, occasionally boring its own.
"What is it?" asked Jim, though he had a sinking feeling he knew.
Instead of answering, Izzy shut his laptop with a sharp snap and slung it back over his back. He grabbed the other Digidestined's hands and began dragging them away as fast as he could run, leaving the Digimon to scamper after them.
"What are we running from?" Sora panted.
"We've gotta find the others," Izzy called back. "MetalSeadramon's alive - and he's headed right for them!"
The Numemon looked at each other in puzzlement.
"The queen has a brother?" one wondered.
"I didn't know that," another one said.
"What's all the commotion out here?" called a voice, and Piximon fluttered out into the crowd. He caught sight of the bundles, looked at them curiously a moment, and then shot a glare at the Numemon guards. "What's this all about? You can't go capturing my students without telling me about it first!"
"These belong to you?" one of the guards asked.
"These are the Digidestined children!" said Piximon sternly. "You should know better than to go capturing them out of hand. Here."
With a deft twirl of his spear, he slit the prisoners' bonds, leaving three human boys and three Digimon panting for breath on the ground.
"Tai! Are you okay?" asked Kari, dropping to her knees to help her brother.
"I'm fine," he said, pulling himself to a sitting position. "Looks like you're okay, too. I was worried about you."
"I'm fine. Mimi and Piximon and Gatomon were here looking after me," she answered.
"Matt!" shouted a little voice, and TK came hurrying down the stairs to hug his brother. "Where were you? I missed you!"
"I missed you too, TK," said Matt.
Joe resettled his glasses and looked at the reunions going on around him.
"It's times like this I feel left out," he said.
"It's okay, Joe! I still love you!" Gomamon chirped, jumping playfully onto his partner's shoulders.
Just then, there was a squeal - Mimi had arrived on the scene and had figured out what was going on.
"You're all right!" she exclaimed, latching onto the only un-hugged member of the group, which happened to be Joe. "You guys ran off and left me to look after everyone all by myself, and I had no idea where you were or what to do! I thought you'd all been eaten by Crabmons or something! I'm so glad you're okay!" In her fits of hysterics, she was hugging Joe as hard as she could without even seeming to know what she was doing, while the boy struggled to loosen her strangle hold. Gomamon and Palmon were making matters worse by trying to hug both of them.
"Me and my big mouth," Joe muttered.
"But where's everyone else?" asked Agumon, looking around. "Shouldn't Izzy and Sora and Jim be around somewhere?"
Kari looked puzzled. "I thought they were with you."
"So, if they're not with us and they're not with you..." Tai muttered.
"They're still out there somewhere," said Matt. "They wouldn't let themselves get caught."
"But Agumon and Gabumon are the only two 'mons that can go to Mega," Joe pointed out. "Jim's Digimon hasn't even gone up to Rookie yet. If they run into MetalSeadramon, aren't they sort of going to get creamed?"
"Joe, don't say things like that!" Mimi exclaimed.
"Mimi's right," said Kari. "Thinking like that won't get us anywhere. Hey, Numemon..." All the bug-eyed creatures looked up expectantly. "Why don't you guys go out into the tunnels and see if you can find the rest of my friends - more humans like this."
The Numemon turned that one over in their minds, muttering to each other in their burbling voices.
"Whatever you wish, my queen," said the leader. "Come on, guys, let's get moving!"
With enthusiastic noises, the creatures streamed away in a slimy wave, heading down the street and into the shadows. The newly arrived Digidestined watched with blank looks.
"What was that all about?" asked Matt.
Tai gave his sister a curious stare. "Was I imagining things, or did that Numemon call you a queen?"
"It's a long story," said Kari with a sigh. "I don't really understand it myself."
"I'm not going to have to explain it all again, am I?" asked Piximon, sounding annoyed.
"I'll take your word for it!" said Tai hastily. To Agumon, he added, "I'm not about to get him on my case again."
"So now Kari's the queen of the Numemon? That's one I'd never have seen coming," Matt commented.
"Not exactly," Piximon replied. "Queen Kari is the ruler of the Numemon. Your sister is only a stand-in."
"Huh?" said Gatomon. "But I thought you said... wait a minute, I'm confused."
"Queen Kari is long gone," Piximon replied, "but her strength of spirit is such that she could not be completely destroyed. She lives on as a spirit and a collection of data, watching over the Digital World, biding her time. Your spirit is in harmony with hers, joined to her by the power of Light. You might even think of her as a soul-sister. You two are so close that she is able to communicate through you across the void."
"Is that possible?" asked Tai.
"It's been known to happen," Piximon answered with a shrug. "I know what I heard. Queen Kari was an old friend of mine, way back when. It was her voice I heard when I lay dying, and her power that healed me. No one else could have done it, and she did it through your sister and the power of the Crest of Light. I believe it is also through her that the curse can be lifted."
"That's crazy!" said Tai. "There's no ghost lady hanging around my little sister!"
"He's right, Tai," said Kari quietly. "I have felt something, the whole time I've been down here. She's right here with me, somehow... I can feel what she's feeling. She's sorry for what she's done, and she wants to make it right."
"So," said Piximon, nodding. "It's just as I thought. You really are the one. Now all you have to do is break the spell."
"How do I do that?" asked Kari.
Piximon shrugged. "No idea."
"What?" asked Kari. "How am I supposed to break a spell when I don't know what I'm doing? I can't do anything if I don't know where to start."
"You have to," Piximon replied. "You're the only one who can."
Kari paused at that, thinking hard. Somewhere in the back of her mind was a flickering light, dancing through her thoughts, hinting, suggesting. The Numemon had been cursed. Why? Because the queen had been angry at them. All that time, her annoyance with them had built and built, growing like a steadily fed bonfire until it had finally lashed out to hurt all of them. Now they lived in fear of the queen even though she was long gone. They had never forgotten that they had angered the queen they had been so loyal to. Now Queen Kari had been through a few centuries of ghostly near-death, time to think about all she had done and to realize the folly of her pride. She wished to atone for what she'd done, but there was no way left for her to do it, except through her young avatar. It was such a small, simple thing...
"The wait is over," said Kari softly... but her voice resonated, carrying up and down the streets, into the houses and finding the ears of every living thing in the city. "The waiting time is over. You are forgiven, and I am sorry."
Something in the air shivered. The air around Kari seemed to shimmer - no, it really was shimmering, casting off a cool, pearly glow that spread out from her, slipping in a soft rush down the stony streets. Everywhere it went, shadows were driven away, and the ghostly lights turned into pure ones that burned like earthbound stars. For an instant, the entire city pulsed with light. Then, with a sound like a long, satisfied sigh, the light vanished. Kari dropped to her knees, looking pale.
"Are you all right?" asked Gatomon, trying to prop her partner up.
"I'm fine," said Kari weakly, "just a little dizzy... Did it work?"
"It is done," said Piximon solemnly.
"Three cheers for Kari!" shouted one of the Numemon. The cry was taken up by others, until the entire city echoed with reverberating, bubbly shouts. Kari rose to her feet slowly, a quiet smile playing across her face. She bowed, and the cheering redoubled. The other Digidestined stared blankly, still not sure what was going on.
"I'm still not sure what just happened, but I'm guessing it's a good thing," said Tai.
"It's the stuff of legends," said Piximon. "Be proud, you should."
It took a while for the celebrating to die down - the Numemon were dancing in the streets, and even the refugee 'mons who had nothing to do with the prophecy were joining in the fun, realizing something great had happened. Kari, still seeming a little dazed, smiled and even consented to hug a few of the Numemon who came to thank her. (Mimi preferred to deny them that pleasure, though not for their lack of trying.) However, in the middle of all the jubilant chaos, someone was winding up the crowded streets, pushing their way toward the capital building. It was Joe, uncomfortable with all the noise and commotion, who first noticed the new arrivals.
"Jim!" he shouted. "Jim, Sora, Izzy, you made it! Hey, look, everyone, our friends are here!"
"Huh?" Tai turned around to see the remaining Digidestined hurrying as fast as they could up the steps. "Hey, guys! Glad you could make it! You're just in time for the party."
"We don't have time for a party," Izzy panted. He'd been running full-throttle, and he wasn't the athlete that Tai was. "MetalSeadramon's on his way here, and I have a hunch he's really, really angry."
"Oh, man, we totally forgot about him!" Matt exclaimed, slapping his forehead in chagrin.
"While you guys have been partying, we've been trying to get away from him," said Jim. "We've already had to stand and fight him once, and we were lucky to get away."
"Well, you'll just have to fight him again," said Tai, his expression turning businesslike. "This time, he'll have the whole team to deal with!"
"And me," Piximon added, brandishing his spear. "I'm with you all!"
"And me as well," added a deep voice, as Andromon pushed through the crowd. "I won't allow intruders here, even if they're the Dark Masters themselves!"
There was an echoing murmur from the crowds. Shell Numemon stepped up to Kari.
"We can never thank you enough for breaking the curse on us," he said. "My people and I will pay you back by fighting your enemies!"
"We'll help, too!" piped up one of the refugee Digimon, a Gotsumon. "This place is the only home we have left since the Dark Masters came, and we're not giving it up!"
"That settles it, then!" said Tai. "When MetalSeadramon gets here, he's going to find a lot more than he's bargained for!"
In the next instant, there was a crash as the steel dragon ripped through the front gate of the city and came crashing down the main street. His eyes were blazing; he was beyond furious now, smashing buildings in a blind rage. River of Power attacks shot at random through the city without a care for what they hit, if anything. Stalactites rained down, and for a moment, there was utter chaos.
"Don't panic!" shouted the Numemon soldiers. "Prepare to defend your city! Fire!"
MetalSeadramon was enraged to find himself suddenly being pelted with sludge from all sides as thousands of Numemon attacked for all they were worth. Here and there another attack would make it through to him as the refugees joined in. Everywhere he turned, he was either being barraged with rocks or fireballs, or nearly being blinded by flying slime. He bellowed and thrashed, and a few defenders dissolved into digital sparks, but the attacks kept coming at him. With a wild war cry, Andromon rushed at the dragon brandishing his Lightning Blade, and MetalSeadramon had to duck to avoid having one of his fins sliced off. Piximon hovered over the melee, lobbing bombs down at the enemy that left dents in his armor.
"That'll buy us some time," said Tai, "but they won't last forever. Time to digivolve, guys!"
There were assorted shouts as the Digimon rose to their highest forms and rushed to join the battle. Jim glanced at Kokuwamon inquisitively.
"You think you're ready to take it up another level?" he asked.
"I'm always ready for a fight!" Kokuwamon replied.
"Right, then. Do your thing!" Jim held up the Digivice, and Kokuwamon nodded.
"Kokuwamon, digivolve to... Mechanorimon!"
Jim stared. Standing before him was a heavy-bodied robot, with short legs and long arms that dragged the ground, tipped with knifelike claws. Just above the head was a glass dome, which flipped open as Jim watched to reveal a cockpit.
"Jump in, Jim," said a reverberating voice. "You're going for a ride!"
Jim didn't hesitate; it never occurred to him that he might not go into battle with his partner once that cockpit opened. Mechanorimon used one arm to lift his friend into place, and Jim settled into a chair that fit like it was made for him. The glass dome flipped down, sealing him inside. He set his hands on the controls.
"Ready," he said.
There was a soft rush of rockets, and Jim felt himself being lifted off the ground. There was a slight lurch as the 'mon's arms folded into airfoil wings, and then he tilted and shot forward. Jim guided the living machine effortlessly; it was as if he'd been doing this since the day he was born, or as if his mind was working in synchronization with his Digimon's. It was as if they had become one being, and despite the fact that he knew he was in danger and was quite likely going to get himself hurt, Jim grinned.
"Hang on, Jim, we're going in," hummed Mechanorimon's voice. It came from all around, thrumming through Jim's bones, reinforcing the feeling that the two were one. Jim nodded and fastened a handy seatbelt. As soon as he was secure, they went into a sharp dive. They could see a swarm of green blobs mobbing a thrashing golden streak that was MetalSeadramon. Beams of blue shot from the mass like spotlights, and the flying duo swerved as one missed them by a yard. A pair of gleaming shapes shot by: Angemon and Angewomon, pitching white and gold lights back at the thrashing dragon. Also hovering above the battlefield were Garudamon and Lillymon, hurling fireballs, while MegaKabuterimon sent blast after blast of lightning raining down. Zudomon was wading through the crowd, smashing his hammer down every time he could get close enough to MetalSeadramon, sending radiating cracks through the golden armor.
"Where are Matt and Tai's Digimon?" Jim wondered.
"Holding back," came the answer. "See? They're over there in the corner. There are too many people around here right now; if a Mega Digimon fired off a blast at full power in here, someone would get hurt."
"Then what we need is a change of scenery," Jim muttered. "How far up is the ground, do you think?"
A computer screen in front of him flickered, a visual record of Mechanorimon's mental calculations. "Not far. Only a few hundred yards, less than that in a few places."
"Can you get through?"
"Just watch me work," Mechanorimon replied. "Twin Beam!"
The machine Digimon sent two blasts of light at the ceiling, and a large chunk of rock was reduced to sand and pebbles. A few stray Digimon scurried to get out of the way as the rubble fell, but Mechanorimon didn't worry about them. He continued blasting, clearing a rough but fairly straight tunnel going straight up. With a final explosion, they burst through, and warm sunshine streamed down, letting Jim and his partner hurtle up into the sky.
Down below them, MetalSeadramon saw the flash of light and looked up. By this point, he was beginning to have a creeping feeling that he was beaten. Mega he might have been, but he was outnumbered to the point where it was ridiculous. He could barely see, thanks to the smaller Digimon who were lobbing their attacks at his eyes. He was scorched, battered, chipped, dented, and even frozen in a few places, plated with ice where MetalGarurumon had managed to take a few shots at him. All in all, he was ready to get out of here, and the opening of the hole drew him like a magnet. He shot straight up out of the fray, trailing Numemon like dust from a comet. The smaller Digimon shouted at him, but he didn't bother to listen to their taunts; he wanted out. Those 'mons that could fly took off after him, each pausing long enough to lift up their partner as they passed. Zudomon, unequipped with wings, scooped Joe up and took a flying leap, bounding from the ground to the top of the queen's palace, then leaping from there to the tunnel entrance, using his huge paws to grip the freshly broken rock while Joe clung to his shell for dear life. Then they were at the surface, facing off with a gleaming golden dragon. He was burned, befouled, and pain-maddened.
"You," he growled, managing to imbue the single word with every profanity known since time began. "You think you're going to destroy me, do you? I'll make you pay dearly for it! You'll pay for doing this for me! River of Power!"
"Twin Beam!" The attack struck the side of MetalSeadramon's face, throwing off his aim, and the streak of blue energy flew harmlessly into the sky. MetalSeadramon whirled on Mechanorimon.
"Oh, it's you again," he snarled. "Getting bigger and badder all the time... and carrying a human, of all things. When I knew you, you had more pride."
For a moment, Jim felt a weakening in his partner's defenses.
"You knew me?" asked Mechanorimon. "You remember who I am?"
"Of course I remember," MetalSeadramon replied. "I was there the day they hatched you. I couldn't see the point of you then, and I don't see why anyone needs you now."
"You're lying," said Mechanorimon. "I never would have spent any time with a creature as evil as you."
"Oh, you want to bet?" MetalSeadramon laughed. "Shows just how wrong a Digimon can be."
"Don't listen to him," Jim urged. "He's just trying to bait you."
"You shouldn't be helping these people," said MetalSeadramon. "The Dark Masters are the only ones who know your true heritage. Destroy us, and you destroy yourself."
Jim felt his partner trembling, anger and pain coursing through his circuits.
"Don't listen to him," said Jim again, sounding almost pleading.
There was a thrumming noise deep within the machine as his gears turned. Then there was silence. Mechanorimon had come to a decision.
"Destroy him," he said.
His lasers flashed, and bolts of light rained down on the serpent. At that signal the other Digimon began their attacks, and MetalSeadramon roared his defiance. For a moment, he was silhouetted against the sun, all power and glory and golden armor. Then WarGreymon rose up above him, and, with a carefully aimed dive, went straight down the monster's throat. Blades flashed as his Dramon Destroyer weapons went into effect cutting the monster apart from the inside out and leaving nothing but shimmering ribbons. They hung in the air for a moment before exploding in a golden light and vanishing. With a communal sigh, the Digimon dropped to the ground in exhaustion. However, no sooner had they come to rest when the ground began to tremble.
"Is it caving in?" called Joe over the rumbling.
"Even worse!" Izzy called back. "The Dark Masters had reprogrammed the Digital World to suit themselves. Now that the Dark Master controlling this area is gone, it's reverting to its original state!"
"What does that mean?" asked Matt.
"It means we have to run for it before the ground gets deleted!" Izzy shouted back. He leaped onto his Digimon's back. "Come on, MegaKabuterimon - move it!"
There was a scramble as Digidestined bounded onto the backs of their partners and made a mad dash for whatever direction was away. Mimi, risking a glance back, could see the distant ocean vanishing in a cloud of blue sparkles, giving way to a measureless expanse of darkness. Finally, they reached a place that was neither wet nor sandy, but covered with soft grass and covered in trees. As soon as they were on solid ground, the Digimon dropped their partners onto the grass before dropping themselves, flopping down on the turf to rest. From there, they could stand and watch as the last of MetalSeadramon's empire faded away.
"Is it... gone?" asked Sora, staring out in wonder at the stretch of nothingness.
"Fortunately, no," Izzy replied. "It's just being reprocessed. It's my theory that when the last of the Dark Masters falls, the world will be rebuilt the way it was."
"No turning back, huh?" Tai remarked. He scooped up a rock and tossed it into the darkness. It sailed a little way, then vanished in an explosion of data. Tai shuddered. "Well, I'm not going out there, anyway... Hey, Kari, what's wrong?"
Kari had come to stand next to him, looking out into the darkness. Her eyes had a faraway look to them.
"What do you see?" Tai asked softly.
"A city," said Kari dreamily. "It's all white walls and spires, everything shining... It's the City of Light. The Queen... she wanted me to know what I saved. What it looked like before the Dark Masters took it away." She turned her eyes to her brother, slowly coming to look more focused. "It's beautiful, Tai. I wish you could see it."
"Someday we will," Tai replied. "After the world it put back the way it was, you can take me here and show it to me."
"So where are we now?" asked Mimi. "I think I like this place better than the last one. I hate having sand in my clothes."
"This is the Forest of Gears," said Kokuwamon. "Hey, how did I know that? I haven't been here before... have I?"
"Isn't that what you said last time?" Jim asked. "Maybe your memory really is coming back."
"Maybe," said Kokuwamon. "It feels like, the more I grow up, the more powerful I become, the more I start to feel clear in my mind. Do you think if I could make it up to Mega, all my memories would come back? Then I could remember what happened to the thing I lost."
"I sure hope so," Jim replied.
"Me, too," said Tai. "No offense, but there's something just a little creepy about you not being able to remember anything. I dunno why, but there is. Something feels wrong about it."
"You said it," Kokuwamon muttered. "I hate not being able to remember!"
"The Forest of Gears, huh?" Izzy muttered. "I wonder why they call it that? It looks like an ordinary forest to me. No gears at all, not even wooden ones."
"It looks like a good place to rest, anyway," Matt replied, "and maybe we can find something to eat, while we're at it. Is anyone else hungry?"
"Starving," said the Digimon in unison.
Tai laughed. "Fine, then. Let's go find some food! Into the Forest of Gears!"
And the little band trooped into the woods. Kari spared one last glance over her shoulder,
and felt a twinkling presence brush through her mind, running through her thoughts in something
that felt like a smile and a goodbye. Kari smiled back, and then turned and followed her friends
into the darkness of the forest.