Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Beginning of the End

                Rika arrived home at exactly five o'clock, glad that the day was finally over. She put her books down on the coffee table in the living room, took off her light jacket, and hung it on the rack. She entered the dining room/kitchen, where she knew her husband would be sitting and meditating, when she suddenly stopped at the doorway. Henry sat there, sipping a cup of tea. Gobbling up a plate of rice cakes was Terriermon, and sitting calmly at the other side of the table was…

                "Renamon?"

                The three occupants turned to face Rika. Henry smiled. "Hey, Rika. We have some guests."

                "Henry… How did they… What's happened to our children?"

                The smile on Henry's face faded. "Their last enemy is coming for them, but they won't be able to win unless the Tamers gather in Chikyuu's ruins to confront him."

                "But…aren't they already there?"

                "I said the Tamers. That means all of us."

                Rika could hardly believe what she was telling him. "You mean…we're actually going back…and fighting again?"

                Terriermon stopped eating long enough to comment, "'Course! That's why we're here—to tell ya!"

                "The others—including Ai and Mako—are being visited by their Digimon as well," Renamon added. "Rika, your children need all the help they can get. Are you willing to go?"

                Rika's face broke into a smile. "Are you kidding? Do you know what I would give to be with my old friends as a team again? I would give anything to do that again! Renamon, when do we leave?"

                "When we're ready, Rika. When we're ready."

*              *              *

                There was a violent quaking from deep within the Digital World, as if the entire world was splitting apart. The Tamers and the Digimon grabbed hold of anything firmly in the ground, bracing themselves for whatever was coming.

                Then all went still.

                "What happened?" Patamon whispered nervously.

                Jessie shrugged. "I dunno, but—"

                A long, loud howl echoed throughout the ruins. A DarkWolfmon.

                Naki was up on her feet in a flash. She turned to the two MechaLadyDevimon jail guards. "You, with the silver spear. Scout ahead and see what's wrong. Meet us at the eastern rooftop." The first devil lady saluted and ran off. "And you—gather all the Digimon. When you're done, head for the courtyard." The other devil lady also saluted and fled.

                "What's going on?" Gabumon wondered.

                Naki's eyes narrowed, and her fists clenched tight. "He's here."

                "Who?" Lina wanted to know.

                "Deathmon. Legend prophesized that when I fall, he will awaken and make the world his kingdom, enshrouding the Digital World with blackness and death. All who oppose him will die, slowly and painfully." She closed her eyes. "So now I admit my defeat."

                Then a sudden, defiant voice: "No."

                Naki—and everyone else—turned to look at Strikemon.

                "No," he repeated. "You can't just lay down and die, or lay down and admit defeat. You have gotten over your past, and your bitterness is gone. You're still fighting, though, but with a different goal. I knew this would happen some day. Why do you think I've been so loyal to you?"

                Naki lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry I put you in so much trouble."

                "Trouble? I don't think so! Seeing you as your old self again is worth it, Naki."

                "Yeah!" agreed a certain fourteen-year-old brown-haired boy.

                Compass pulled his ear again. "Shaddap! Can't you see it's a sentimental moment between Naki and her Digimon?"

                Smiling, Naki said, "…How long has it been since I heard that name spoken by someone other than myself? Oh, forget it." She turned to the other Tamers. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused for you. I would stand and fight by your side now, against Deathmon, if you will accept me as part of your team."

                The Tamers looked at each other for a moment and silently decided without words. Then Lina stepped towards Naki and held out her hand. "We accept you, Naki Sagano, as the eleventh Digimon Tamer."

                Naki gripped Lina's hand. "Thank you."

                A perilous grin crept upon Lina's face. "Ready to kick some ass?"

                Grinning as well, Naki nodded just once. "Anytime!"

*              *              *

                The Tamers and their Digimon waited on a part of the roof on the eastern edge of the courtyard. They were silent as they watched Deathmon roar and screech and slash at the air with his immense scythe.

                "How're we gonna beat that thing?" Mikara inquired.

                "We burn him, then slash him, then pound him to bits!" exclaimed a giddy Tetramon.

                Daiki blinked at his partner. "Maybe you should take some Ritalin."

                Compass was edgy. "Aww, come on! I agree with Tetramon—let's show him our stuff!"

                Wormmon frowned. "But how do we know we'll win?"

                "Don't be such a doubter! We'll win!"

                Lina stood up. "Compass is right! We can win! Let's go!"

                So eleven voices cried out: "DIGI MODIFY!!!"

                "Wormmon digivolve to…Stingmon! Stingmon Matrix digivolve to…DinoBeemon!"

                "Sytamon digivolve to…Kelaramon! Kelaramon Matrix digivolve to…Canidimon!"

                "Vipomon digivolve to…Dragymon! Dragymon Matrix digivolve to…Drakomon!"

                "Tetramon digivolve to…Chagremon! Chagremon Matrix digivolve to…Rukliemon!"

                "Morglormon digivolve to…Woodmon! Woodmon Matrix digivolve to…Cherrymon!"

                "Gabumon digivolve to…Garurumon! Garurumon Matrix digivolve to…WereGarurumon!"

                "Nekomon digivolve to…Renokomon! Renokomon Matrix digivolve to…Nabikimon!"

                "Patamon digivolve to…Angemon! Angemon Matrix digivolve to…MagnaAngemon!"

                "Petalmon digivolve to…Venumon! Venumon Matrix digivolve to…Botanimon!"

                "Terriermon digivolve to…Gargomon! Gargomon Matrix digivolve to…Rapidmon!"

                "Strikemon digivolve to…Ryuuzamon! Ryuuzamon Matrix digivolve to…Firagamon!"

                The eleven Ultimate-level Digimon flew or jumped down to the courtyard. They surrounded the huge cloaked figure of Deathmon, who stared at them like they were small, irrelevant flies. Even Canidimon and Drakomon, who were almost as big as he was, received disdainful looks.

                Rukliemon snarled, and his cannons locked onto Deathmon. "Double Cannons!"

                The attack did nothing, except maybe make the towering Digmon blink its menacing golden eyes.

                "What!?" the enraged wolf cried out.

                "Hit him all at once!" suggested Canidimon.

                And so they did. When the cloud of smoke and dust cleared, Deathmon still stood rooted to the spot in the courtyard, with only a few tears on his cloak. Then Deathmon lifted his scythe and brought it slashing downwards. Black energy flew from the scythe at the Digimon. "Scythe of Destruction!"

                The black energy hit the Digimon and filled them with an electric charge that had more power than one hundred two-hundred-volt light bulbs. The Digimon screamed in agony, unable to fight the power, and they dedigivolved and fell to the ground, battered and bruised.

                "Aw, dammit," Terriermon muttered, spitting blood. "He's worse than Satanmon was…"

                Then a new voice cried out: "Not unless you can believe in yourselves!"

                There was a brilliant flash of light at the entrance of the courtyard. The Tamers and the Digimon turned to see Takato and Guilmon, Jeri, Henry and Terriermon, Rika and Renamon, Kazu and Guardromon, Kenta and MarineAngemon, Suzie and Lopmon, Ryo and Monodramon, and Ai and Mako and Impmon.

                "Mom!? Dad!?" Lina and David cried out in unison.

                "What're you doing here, Daddy?" asked Compass.

                "Mom? What's going on?" Mikara wanted to know.

                "We're all here to help you," Ryo told them on behalf of all the parents. "We'll show you how to really fight. You ready, guys?" he asked his old team. They nodded in unison. "Right!"

                And they yelled together: "Biomerge digivolution!"

                "Guilmon biomerge to…Gallantmon, crimson mode!"

                "Terriermon biomerge to…MegaGargomon!"

                "Renamon biomerge to…Sakuyamon!"

                "Monodramon biomerge to…Justimon!"

                "Guardromon biomerge to…HiAndromon!"

                "Lopmon biomerge to…Kerpymon!"

                Ai and Mako held their D-arc between them and cried out: "Warp digivolve!"

                "Impmon Warp digivolve to…Beelzemon, blaster mode!"

                Eyes wide with wonder, the other eleven Tamers stared at the Digimon—and their parents. Riley was the first of them to speak.

                "Unbelievable… Megas…"

*              *              *

Author's Note: THE FINAL SHOWDOWN!!! YES!!! But that means there are only two more chapters… *sniffs* I'm gonna miss writing this! A note: the main reason I chose Warp digivolution for Beelzemon (and for some later on) is because it would be a little disturbing to have a girl Tamer in a male Digimon's body, or vice versa if there is any. Also, Ai and Mako are both Impmon's Tamers, and it would be hard to have both in Beelzemon's body. And as you already know from watching the TV show, Beelzemon does NOT digivolve by biomerging. Also: to those who are the creators of Vipomon and Nekomon (you know who you are), I've changed the Mega-level forms for your Digimon (mainly because I lost those stupid files *bangs head against computer*). If you do NOT want me to change them, tell me in your review PLEASE.