Chapter Twenty-Nine
Fighting as Family
Roaring as one, Takato and Gallantmon charged at Deathmon. "Lightning Joust!"
Deathmon took the blow well, but it was not enough. He staggered backwards and grunted.
"Now we're getting somewhere," said MegaGargomon.
"Right," agreed Henry. "Ready? Mega Barrage!" The missiles struck Deathmon and pushed him against the eastern courtyard edge. Chunks of rock and dried tar came tumbling down, disturbing the dust and dirt. The new Tamers were saved from being crushed by Sakuyamon's Talisman Sphere. They were deposited safely onto the ground.
"Some of you will have to biomerge, and the rest…I'm really not sure." Rika told the second generation. "But do it, and now!"
"But our Digimon were flattened, Momma!" Daiki replied.
"Not anymore," Sakuyamon stated simply. She glowed, and so did the fallen Rookie Digimon. When the light faded, they were up on their feet and ready to do battle once more.
Lina held up her D-force. "All right, Tamers! Let's win this one! Biomerge digivolution!"
"Sytamon biomerge to…Risutomon!" A female version of Gallantmon, Risutomon had gleaming white armor and a flowing light purple cape. She had a round purple, white, and black shield strapped to her left arm, and in her right was a long sword, its hilt a brilliant gold.
"Vipomon biomerge to…Ryumon!" The dragon knight roared, armor gleaming in the available light. He wielded a sword in his right hand, and strapped to his left arm was a shield like Gallantmon's that was engraved with the Crest of Wisdom.
"Nekomon biomerge to…Toramon!" Toramon was a huge tiger-like Digimon, snow white save for the jagged black stripes. Her wings, feathered and glowing faintly, were the same stark white as her fur. Her entire form held a sense of power that could not be put into words.
"Wormmon biomerge to…GranBeemon!" The huge insectoid Digimon, his exoskeleton various shades of gray, stood on his hind legs and let loose an ear-splitting screech, his wings buzzing madly.
"Tetramon biomerge to…Faquanemon!" The large wolf warrior stood upright, his sword in both hands and a shield across his back. Armor gleamed in the sunlight. Red and black paint was daubed on his face, accentuating his keen amber eyes.
"Petalmon biomerge to…Sotanimon!" Sotanimon was a dryad, a forest fairy, clothed in a simple dark green tunic and skirt and bedecked in flowers. Her iridescent wings fluttered, keeping her aloft. In her hand was a silver staff with young, strong vines wrapped around it.
"Patamon biomerge to…Seraphimon!" The armored angel-knight hovered in midair, his wings folded around him. Encased in a piercing light, he floated above the others, regal and proud and angelic.
Riley, Jessie, Naki, and Compass couldn't biomerge, though, so instead their D-forces and pendants glowed like wild fire as they yelled, "Warp digivolve!"
"Terriermon Warp digivolve to…MegaGargomon!" The younger MegaGargomon stood with the elder one, and the two seemed identical in all aspects—in determination, in strength, and in courage.
"Strikemon Warp digivolve to…Gaiadramon!" Instead of increasing his size like the others, Strikemon increased the power of his weapons. Gaiadramon was decked in military-style armor, and in both hands, he wielded a camo-colored semi-automatic. His wings stretched out behind him threateningly.
"Morglormon Warp digivolve to…Puppetmon!" Cackling insanely, the wooden puppet hung upside-down in midair, clutching the metal hammer that was his primary source of destruction. His grin was mischievous and wicked, and showed he was ready for battle.
"Gabumon Warp digivolve to…MetalGarurumon!" Snarling and howling, the armored wolf spread his legs wide as if to brace himself for an attack. He stood at the head of the small army with Risutomon and Toramon, fangs bared.
And then Deathmon spoke, and his voice was like thunder.
"You think you can stop me? Hah, what fools! I could slay all of you with a single blow, and yet you defy me. What is it you hope to accomplish, for evil will always remain in this world even if you defeat me!"
"You want to know what we hope to accomplish?" Lina said from within Risutomon. "I'll tell ya: your death, and the peace of the Digital World! So we're gonna kick your ass till it's sore, and then we'll blow you away!"
Deathmon whispered something inaudible. A sudden pain flooded the Digimon, and even though some of the Tamers remained outside their respectable Digimon partners, they still felt the agony.
"What was that?" asked Justimon.
"That was Deathmon's second attack: Pain Flow. The louder he says it, the more it hurts," Naki whispered in reply.
"It won't matter how he utters it," said David. "We'll succeed, or die trying! Right, Dad?"
Takato grinned. "That's right, son. C'mon! Let's do it!"
And so the battle commenced, the cries of both Tamers and their Digimon echoing loudly.
"Mega Barrage!"
"Gargo Missile!"
"Talisman Sphere!"
"Metal Wolf Claw!"
"Wrath of the Tiger!"
"Dimension Scissors!"
"Dramon Blaster!"
"Nature's Judgment!"
"Gaia Force!"
"Puppet Pummel!"
"Double Impact!"
"Lightning Spear!"
"Fang Acid!"
"Molten Blade!"
"Atomic Ray!"
"Ocean Love!"
"Seraphim Beam!"
The constant bombardment stopped Deathmon from uttering any of his attacks, and when it finally stopped, Gallantmon and Risutomon stood at the head of the army, their weapons ready.
But suddenly, Deathmon roared: "PAIN FLOW!!!"
Screaming in agony, all the Digimon and Tamers fell to their knees on the ground. Deathmon's hidden smile could be felt by all.
"We can't make it," whimpered Josh.
"Yes, we can," said Gallantmon. "We just…"
There was a sudden howl, and dozens upon dozens of DarkWolfmon and MechaLadyDevimon poured from each and every corner of the ruins. They flung themselves at Deathmon, snarling and screaming furiously. Soon the towering monstrosity was covered by a mass of black and gray and platinum.
"Scythe of Destruction!"
The writhing mass vanished, every bit of data forming a dense black cloud. The data floated upwards, and it disappeared against the black sky. Deathmon had killed hundreds with a single sweep of his scythe.
"Holy crap," Riley cried.
Takato and Gallantmon were quivering with rage. "No! No! NO!!!" they roared. They were about to charge when Beelzemon stopped them.
"Wait," he said. "If you go and attack him yourself, you'll be sliced to bits too. Distract him first!"
"How?" snapped Takato.
"Like this, Dad," Lina suddenly replied. "Ready, Risutomon?"
"Ready!" her Digimon replied. She pointed her sword at the ground. The blade glowed a brilliant yellow and pierced the soil. A jagged line ran towards Deathmon and passed him from underneath. Then—"Lightstone Abyss!"—the line became a crack, then a chasm filled with glowing golden light. Razor-sharp chunks of glowing rock flew upwards from underneath Deathmon, slicing him. His bloodcurdling shriek could be heard for miles around.
"Now, Takato!" yelled Jeri, who was standing by the sidelines with the others.
Gallantmon aimed his shield at the disoriented Deathmon. It glowed bright blue, and suddenly, a pillar of energy shot at the immense black figure. "Shield of the Just!"
Cloth and flesh alike tore from Deathmon by the force of the attack. Suddenly, it all vanished and joined the black of the sky. But as quickly as the world became dead, it was filled with color and life again. The sky became a soft blue, the trees and plants turned green, and the rivers and lakes were refilled with fresh water.
The Digimon dedigivolved, some of whom separated from their Tamers. They all collapsed, exhausted from the battle.
David pushed his glasses up his nose. "Dad?"
"What is it, son?" asked Takato, who was slouched against Guilmon.
"Am I still going to present my technology speech at school?"
"Sure, David."
Daiki opened one eye. "School?" Both eyes suddenly popped open. "Mom! We've been away for a little less than a month! What're we going to do about school?"
Rika sighed and shrugged. "I don't know, Daiki."
"We'll find a good reason," Mako reassured them. "Right now, let's head back home. What I wouldn't do for a plate of sushi…"
Laughing and joking, the Tamers—past and present—got up and headed for Chikyuu's beach. They had done it. They had defeated the evil.
And they were going home.
* * *
Sitting in the boughs of a tree, two ghostly figures watched the Tamers head home.
"There they are, friend," said the taller one. "They're going home."
"Yes, hm, yes they are," said the shorter, shaggier one. "Point out your family, Chikiyo."
Chikiyo Neko's spirit picked out her parents and siblings. "They're all mournful over my death, but at the same time, they're happy they won."
"Yes, yes, hm… What was I going to say?"
"Jijimon!" Chikiyo cried. "Don't tell me you forgot again?"
Jijimon laughed. "Yes, I did!"
On the ground below them, Mikara stopped. She scanned the canopy of trees, for she had heard something from above. Then she smiled as her gaze rested on the spirits of her late sister and Jijimon. Chikiyo waved at her, and Mikara's smile widened.
Thank you, Chikiyo, she thought. And then she was on her way again.
* * *
Author's Note: Hope you liked it. And… ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO!!! But I can't post it until everyone tells me what'll happen in five years! Please email it to me (or no chapter thirty and no sequel, and we wouldn't want that).