BlackTerriermon: *Takes out a piece of paper and starts reading it* Okay, Daneel Rush doesn't own Digimon, or BlackTerriermon, as he belongs to Digidestined of Courage…hey! What's THAT supposed to mean!? I'm his partner, that doesn't mean he OWNS me! Who wrote this crap!?
Renamon: *appears out of nowhere, a threatening look on her face* I did.
BlackTerriermon: *visibly scared* I…should have known…this horrid handwriting could only be yours…
Renamon: *slowly getting closer* my paws weren't made to write…they were made to kill……
BlackTerriermon: *gulps* Hehe…where's DR, anyway?
Renamon: *Smirking* Daneel Rush, Henry, Takato and Terriermon left for a snack. It's just you and me, sweetie……
BlackTerriermon: Geez…lucky me. I got foxymon for a night…
Renamon: *In an obvious battle position* Oh, yes, it's gonna be one wild night…
BlackTerriermon: *gulps again* I guess Momentai won't help me now, will it?
Renamon: Hmm…let me see……nope.
BlackTerriermon: Thought so.
"FORGET THE Y2K, THIS IS MADNESS!!!"
Chapter 2
The Price of Freedom, Part I: The Gate's Open!
Dawn hadn't arrived yet, but there were already people on the streets. One of them was Rika Nonaka, who had chosen to change her usual exercise program to include a session of…well…jogging. Trying to keep a constant pace, the young girl swiped away the sweat on her forehead. She knew Renamon was following her from nearby, just in case some pervert tried to do something nasty to the only girl in the still empty street, even if we all know Rika can take care of herself. Her route included the park, which she was now enjoying, as she inhaled the sweet scent of the morning, pure until the cars ruined it with their noise and smoke. Rika looked around, enjoying the green scenery, the trees and the grass, knowing that Guilmon slept nearby. She considered the idea of visiting the reptile Digimon, but she threw away the idea almost immediately. Rika changed her course to return home, but she found a surprising scene in the way.
A young man of approximately 18 years old fidgeted with was Rika recognized as the biggest collection of Digimon cards ever. His black hair was wet with sweat, as the man's clothes gave Rika the certainty that he had been doing the same as her for a while. However, his black eyes were now focused in the Digimon cards. Rika liked collecting cards and playing with them, but at 5:15 in the morning? I mean, come on! Rika couldn't help but get a little closer, as the strange young man seemed to be talking to himself.
"Let's see…should I organize them by evolutionary steps, by level, or maybe alphabetically? Maybe a mixture of the three should do it. Then…the first one in alphabetical order would be……"
"Aero Veedramon." Rika interrupted. The man looked up and met her violet eyes, a glow of triumph coming from his dark orbs.
"Oh, yes, Aero Veedramon! Then Aero Veedramon Zero, Agumon and Airdramon, yes…" the man said to himself, organizing the cards as he announced the names. (A/N: Technically, Agunimon goes before Airdramon, but he's not supposed to exist in the Tamers World, right?)
Rika walked closer, considering that in the remote case the man attacked her, Renamon would there in an instant. Curiosity taking the best of her, Rika approved everyone of the man's choices, as he continued with the alphabetic organization.
"…Baronmon, Beelzemon, Beelzemon Blast Mode…Betamon, Big Mamemon, Birdramon…oh, by the way, I'm Daneel Randt."
"……Rika Nonaka."
Rika regretted saying her name the second after she said it. She knew what was going to happen now. The boy, obviously a Digimon fan, would immediately change to fan mode, and she hated when people did that. However, the guy didn't even look at her, and continuing his work, he replied.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Nonaka. How's your Renamon doing?"
That took Rika by surprise. "Renamon? How do you…?" Oh, yeah, right. Everyone knows I have a Digimon. After all, everyone saw me (naked) fighting the D-Reaper. But…
"Everyone knows my Renamon left to the Digital World after D-Reaper was destroyed."
Daneel didn't even flinch. "Oh, yeah, right." Then he got up, carefully hiding his cards in his pocket. "Anyway, it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nonaka. Hope to see you again soon. You should better get back home, or you'll be late for school."
Rika looked at her watch to see the man was right. She was late. "Oh, crap!" She ran away in the opposite direction, so she couldn't see how Daneel stopped on his tracks to look at her one last time. He looked at Rika, then at the gracious figure jumping from tree to tree, keeping a constant distance between herself and her Tamer. Daneel smirked for a second, and then returned to his usual frown. "Might as well get back home, or I'll be the one who arrives late to work. I already have Yamaki a little nervous with my presence, wouldn't want to give an excuse to fire me."
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Takato, time to wake up.
Ruki's voice echoed in Takato's head, but it wasn't enough to wake up the sleeping Tamer. "Guilmon, you can't mix peanut butter with guacamole…" Ruki did the digital equivalent of a sigh. Gogglehead, wake up! Nope, that didn't work either. It's not easy to wake up Takato Matsuki anyway, especially not when he stayed until late thinking of a certain red haired girl. It's not everyday your dream girl decided to be your classmate for an entire year. It's easy to predict Takato's reaction, so I'll not go into details. If Ruki wanted to wake up Takato, she would have to use some…not very orthodox methods. Of course, being connected to Takato's memory gave her everything she needed. Making a perfect simulation of Rika's voice, Ruki used the best possible method.
Takato…oh, Takato, you look sooo hot in those pajamas……makes me want to do some……naughty things with you…
"WHAT THE!?" Takato shouted as he suddenly got up, his eyes widened in shock. It didn't take him long to realize what had happened. Ruki! Don't mess with my feelings!
………baka.
Takato slowly got up, looking around his bedroom, as messy as ever. On his desk still rested the unfinished drawing he had begun the day before at the school. He would finish it, if he found some free time to do it. The last thing he wanted was to be forced to stay extra time in the school. Ruki, noticing that Takato was taking his time, did the warning.
Hmm, Takato, shouldn't you check the time?
Doing as he was told, Takato looked at the clock on his desk. 6:25 A.M. "Holy crap, I'm late!"
Dashing towards the bathroom, he didn't bother to take off the Digivice as he got undressed and got in the shower. Whoa, so you ARE growing up…
Dammit, Ruki!
Taking a shower in record time, Takato proceeded to get dressed with his usual outfit: blue t-shirt, yellow wristbands…Takato, aren't you supposed to wear the uniform?
Aw, nuts!
After changing his clothes to the appropriate uniform, Takato grabbed his backpack and jumped down the stairs to the first floor, where his parents were waiting for him. Don't forget Guilmon's breakfast, Goggles……
"Aw, jeez, Guilmon! Mom, give me my breakfast, I'll eat it on the way!"
"I don't think so, Takato. You're going to eat in the dining room, like a decent person!"
"Mom, we don't have dining room. It's just a table on the kitchen. See ya!"
"Takato, come back here!"
Of course, Takato had grabbed some day old bread, his breakfast and his lunch, and dashed away to the park as fast as possible. Takato, you're just wasting your energy. You'll never make it on time, so why do you bother?
Realizing that Ruki was right, Takato decided to slow his pace a little bit…well, not really, he slowed a lot. Taking his time, he walked to the park, slowly making his way to Guilmon's hut. "Guil? Good morning, Guilmon!"
As usual, the reptile Digimon appeared out of the hole in the middle of the booth, the one with the Gate. "Takato!!!" And as usual, the rookie jumped on top of his Tamer. "Guilmon, my uniform's going to get dirty!" And Rika wouldn't want an untidy Gogglehead, would she?
"Oh, shut up, Ruki!"
Guilmon, who had been informed by his Tamer of Ruki existence, sniffed the Omnivice. "Good morning, Ruki!"
Good morning, Dino-dude… She replied, even if Guilmon was unable to listen to her. The Digimon sniffed the air, guiding himself to Takato's bag with food. "Takato, Guilmon's hungry!" Gee, what a surprise…
"Takato is hungry, too. Why don't we have breakfast together?" Takato decided. I know I told you to take your time, but this is too much…
Ignoring Ruki's words, Takato and Guilmon had breakfast together, something they had never done. Enjoying their time, Takato promised the rookie Digimon that he would visit him during the afternoon. After all, a creature like Guilmon needs some exercise. And we don't want Takato to get all fat either, do we?
Anyway, Takato knew he had to go to school. Even if he didn't have a REAL watch, he knew he was very late. Ms. Asagi is going to kill me…
From what I have seen in your memories, it's not that unusual…
But it's humiliating…
It's humiliating just because Rika will be there, right? Come on, after all, you're Rika's very own clown!
Very funny…
However, Takato's walk would end a little sooner than expected, as Ruki changed to Digivice mode. Takato, you might not like this, but I'm getting some readings here…
You mean…Digimon?
Uh-huh. Looks like we've got company. Might as well go get Guilmon. Weren't you wondering about Dinoboy's shape? Well, here's your answer.
Shut up and guide me. There's Digital Fog around. I can't see a thing. Why do these things have to happen to me?
I guess it's the whole Omni-Tamer thing…
****************************************************************
Rika impatiently tapped her pencil against the notebook, looking at the seat right next to her. Classes had begun a while ago, and Takato didn't arrive. The weirdest thing was that the teacher didn't seem to be surprised. In fact, she smiled when she noticed Takato's absence! Rika looked at the blackboard, where Ms. Asagi was writing…dates? Boring… she thought as she wrote some random stuff on her notebook. Right behind her, Jeri and Henry were locked in a conversation, which Rika could hear very easily.
"I wonder what happened to Takato…" Jeri said, quite concerned.
"I'm sure he just overslept." Henry replied.
"I don't know. He's never arrived this late, not even when he oversleeps…"
"Momentai!" a muffled voice spoke from inside Henry's schoolbag. "I'm sure Gogglehead is okay!"
"Henry Wong, Jeri Katou and……" Ms. Asagi interrupted.
"Terriermon!" the rookie Digimon completed.
"…and Terriermon! Is there something you wish to tell us!?"
"Well, we're just worried about Takato, that's all." Jeri explained. Ms. Asagi smirked.
"I understand your concern, but I can't allow you to interrupt my class. I'm already giving you much freedom by allowing……Terriermon to be in the classroom. Anything else?"
"Actually…" a voice from outside the window spoke. Everyone looked to the left, to find Renamon, who was standing on the window frame. "Rika…"
"Renamon, don't you see I'm in the middle of a class!?"
"Yes, but there's a Digital Field in the park. I thought you might want to check it out."
"What!?" All the Tamers stood up at once, reacting to Renamon's words. Immediately, they proceeded to pack their things and leave, when the teacher's voice stopped them.
"Now where do you think you're going!?"
"To save the day, of course!" Kazu said cheerfully, right before being smacked on the head by Rika.
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to leave this classroom."
"What!?" Henry complained. "But teacher, with all the respect you deserve, we don't want wild Digimon wreaking havoc in the middle of Shinjuku!"
"Yeah, show her who's boss, Henry!"
"Terriermon!"
"Sorry, you can't leave."
Groaning in disbelief, the Tamers returned to their desks. Renamon looked at Terriermon, who nodded in response. "I guess I shall leave." The Animal Digimon said.
"What?" Henry wondered.
"I can see Takato is not here. He's probably there, fighting the wild Digimon. We're going to help him." Renamon explained. Rika nodded in agreement. "Do you want me to use a card, Renamon?" Renamon shook her head.
"That's not necessary. I can make it faster with this form. Takato can help me digivolve, so that's not a problem."
"Well, I could use a speed card!" Terriermon commented. Henry nodded, taking out his Digivice and a deck of cards.
"You bring cards to the school!?" Jeri asked in disbelief.
"Never know when you might need them. Digi-Modify, High-Speed Plug-In T, activate!"
Without any warning, the two Digimon simply disappeared, leaving the entire classroom in a daze. Ms. Asagi, as surprised as the other students, took things calmly. "After that…interruption, I think we should continue with our class."
However, Rika wasn't one to think about classes in that moment. Questions like what kind of Digimon it was, or what could Renamon and Terriermon do against it. And more importantly, Takato and his "special" abilities. She wanted to be there so badly, she wanted to see Takato in action, just to see by herself if Renamon was right. She wanted to know if Takato had really become the strongest Tamer. I can't believe I'm stuck here while Gogglehead get all the fun…
*************************************************************************
"What!? That's not possible!"
Riley Ootori was in shock. What the display showed was simply unacceptable. Yet it was true. Not one or two, but three Digimon had emerged in the real world. But…how? Her thoughts were interrupted by her partner's voice.
"I already called boss. He's as puzzled as we are, Riley." Talley said.
"Of course, he's puzzled! This wasn't supposed to happen! I can't believe Hypnos is restarting its activities like this."
"Well, at least we're earning our salary by doing something." A voice from below replied. Both women looked down to meet Daneel's grin.
"Good morning, Daneel." Riley replied.
"Good morning, newbie." Talley retorted. Daneel's grin grew wider. "Good morning, Talley. Man, you look really cute in that techno outfit…"
Chuckling at the sight of Talley's blush, Daneel looked at Riley, and noticed the expression on her face. "I've just thought of the perfect catch phrase for you, but by the look on your face, I can tell boss is right behind me, with a murderous look." Daneel immediately looked back to find the never-smiling face of Mitsuo Yamaki, his shades covering his eyes, as usual. "Hello, boss! Kind of an early start today, huh?"
Yamaki growled. "Shut up and get to work. I want full info on those Digimon, now!"
"Okay, okay, don't need to tell like that, Growlmon…"
"How did you just call me!?"
"Me!? I didn't say anything!" Daneel said as he ran as fast as possible to the computers. Yamaki looked at him, until he noticed some giggling from above.
"What's so funny!?"
"No, nothing!" Both women replied at once.
Meanwhile, Daneel was analyzing the data he was receiving. This is indeed an unexpected surprise. I didn't think they would make it so soon…let's hopethey're easy to control…there! Daneel exclaimed in triumph as the info on the first Digimon appeared on the giant screen. Daneel spoke out loud to explain to those not familiarized with Digimon stats.
"BlueMeramon, a Flame Digimon of the Ultimate Level, Data Type. His special attacks are Ice Phantom and Cold Flame. Quite a toughie…" But it's not something Takato can't handle… After a few instructions, the second Digimon appeared on the screen.
"Panjyamon, a Beast Man Digimon of the Ultimate Level, Vaccine. His special attacks are Ice Beast Fist and Cold Attack. Hmm, not bad…" Two Ultimates…what a day…anyway… Finally, the third Digimon appeared, and Daneel's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't bother to hide his feelings.
"Now THIS one could be a problem……"
**************************************************************************
"Piedmon, a Demon Man Digimon, Mega Level, Virus Type. This Digimon's special powers allow him to appear and disappear at will. His special attacks are Trump Sword and Clown Trick. What did I do to deserve this?"
We're just in the wrong place, in the wrong moment.
Takato looked to his left, where Guilmon's feral look was the final call to an unavoidable battle. "Two Ultimates and a Mega…Guilmon, Ruki, any suggestions?"
Well, you might as well go Mega right now…
"That's not a suggestion, that's stating the obvious. Guilmon?"
"We must call Rika! Takato is stronger when Rika is around!"
Dinoboy has a point…
"Why do I even bother…? Anyway, we'll buy some time until the others arrive. We'll focus our attacks on Piedmon, while keeping an eye on the other two. Got it?"
Hmm…what if the others don't come?
"Why wouldn't they? It's not like Ms. Asagi won't let them come help or something like that. Guilmon, let's get ready to-waaahhh!!!"
Takato was interrupted by Piedmon, who threatened to slice him in half with his swords! The Demon Man looked at Takato with evil eyes, before speaking its first words. "I know of your powers, Digimon Tamer. I won't allow you to digivolve!" Piedmon shouted before dashing forward for the second time, Takato barely avoiding it. "Hey, that's definitely not fair!"
"Who cares!?" The Mega Digimon responded at the same time he attacked. He's got a point. It's about time an evil Digimon came out with this idea.
Ruki, you're NOT HELPING!!!
The mere second Takato spent arguing with Ruki was all Piedmon needed to send Takato to the ground. "Now, Tamer, I'll have all the data…"
"Terrier Tornado!"
The attack didn't harm Piedmon, but it was the distraction Takato, Guilmon and Renamon needed.
"Diamond Storm!"
"Pyro Sphere!"
The two combined attacks sent Piedmon a few feet away, but didn't do much else. Takato had already retreated, to be surrounded by the three rookie Digimon. The Tamer checked the surroundings, where BlueMeramon and Panjyamon seemed more interested in finding a way out of the Digital Field. Takato looked back at his savers.
"Guess I owe you one."
"Big time!" That was Terriermon's answer. Renamon seemed more preoccupied about the three Digimon, which is understandable. "We must take care of the three of them at the same time. Takato, we're waiting for instructions."
"What? What about Henry and Rika?"
"Big, meanie teacher won't let them come." If you can't guess who said that, well, why are you reading this in the first place!?
………well………
Don't say it!!!
Regaining his composure, Takato searched through his backpack for a deck of cards. "Aha! Well, let's see…Rapidmon will handle Panjyamon…"
"Piece of cake!"
"Renamon, BlueMeramon is yours…"
"……got it."
"…and I better slash these cards soon, because Piedmon is getting up and he doesn't seem to be very happy about your appearance!"
Euki, prepare for some heavy slashin'
Got it. Renamon and Terriermon selected as partners.
"Digi-Modify! Super Evolution Plug-In S, activate! Digi-Modify! Win Ratio 40%, activate!"
EVOLUTION
"Terriermon, digivolve to…Rapidmon!"
"Renamon, digivolve to…Taomon!"
As the Ultimates moved forward to meet their opponents, Takato prepared some other cards to help them. Panjyamon uses ice attacks. Rapidmon could use some fire techniques. On the other side, BlueMeramon is part fire, part ice, so what do I do……Rika is going to kill me…… Takato concluded as he selected two cards.
***********************************************************************
"We have to admit that Piedmon's smart…" Henry stated.
"Smart!? That was cheap! An act of cowardice! I can't believe he didn't let Gogglehead digivolve!"
"Whoa, if I didn't know you I'd think you're worried about him…"
"Shut up, brainiac!"
It didn't take long for the classes to be interrupted. Just like during the battle against the ADRs, the students (and teachers) of every school, house, and office in Shinjuku were turned on, as the newscasters broadcasted the battle between Takato and the Wild Digimon on live TV. Copter cams, close-up cams, every single type of cams were there, and the crazy thing was that Takato hadn't even noticed them. For once, Rika acknowledged television. It had put a drastic end to school's boredom, and she now had the chance to see the upcoming battle. At the moment, she saw how Taomon and Rapidmon were ready for battle.
"So…what do you think?" Jeri asked, her knowledge of Digimon being relatively small.
"Well…" Henry began, thinking about it for a second. "When it comes to numbers and attack power, Takato has the advantage. But this is not the card game, so we don't know what tricks Piedmon has under his sleeve."
"Yeah, remember what he did to those guys in the TV show!" Kenta commented, rather frightened. Jeri gulped when she considered the idea. …keychains?
"Digi-Modify!" Takato's voice echoed in the classroom as Takato slashed another card. "Phoenixmon!"
Henry witnessed how Rapidmon was charged up with Phoenixmon's powers. With the add-ons of Starlight Explosion and Crimson Flare, Rapidmon had a great advantage against the beast man Digimon, Panjyamon. Way to go, Takato!
"Digi-Modify!" Rika watched how Takato prepared yet another card, and she knew it was meant for Taomon. But what she heard next was clearly unexpected.
"IceDevimon!"
************************************************************************
"Don't look at me like that, Taomon!"
Takato lowered his head and sighed as he finished the preparations. Piedmon, who now seemed to be content with waiting, walked several steps forward. Takato looked at Guilmon, who had always remained next to him. "Guilmon…are you ready?"
"Guilmon will get sick if he fights right after having breakfast, Takato."
What's up with Dino-baby and the third person speaking thing?
Takato shrugged. "It's not like we have a choice, Guilmon."
"Okay." The reptile Digimon agreed.
Takato, if you haven't noticed, this thing is been broadcasted on live TV.
Really? Takato pondered, finally noticing the "hidden" cameras all around him. Might as well give them a show…"Biomerge, activate!"
MATRIX EVOLUTION
OMNI-TAMER…
"Guilmon, digivolve to……Gallantmon!"
Where Takato and Guilmon once stood, a Holy Knight was revealed in all its glory. An invisible wind made his red cape flutter, while his eyes, now fixed on Piedmon, irradiated pure determination. Assuming a battle stance, the Mega Digimon revealed his first words, in the dual voices of Takato and Guilmon.
"You're trying to alter the peace my friends and I worked to hard to obtain. For that, you and your friends shall experience the power of Gram!"
*************************************************************************
"Gram? What the hell is Gram?"
Rika, still a little altered after Takato's choice when card slashing, looked visibly confused. And so were the rest of the students who watched the Omni-Tamer on the screen. Hirokazu seemed to be the only one who had understood Gallantmon's sentence.
"Don't you know? Gallantmon's lance is named Gram, and his shield is The Aegis."
"Really? And how do you know that?" Rika wondered.
"Takato told me ages ago!"
Great, now he also had names for his battle arsenal. I knew about the shield, though… Rika pondered, her right hand caressing the deck cards hidden in her pocket. "Anyway, not that it really matters, as long as he wins."
The sound of clashing metal got everyone's attention back to the screen. The battle had begun.
**************************************************************************
"Cold Flame!"
"Talisman Spell!"
Taomon easily deflected BlueMeramon's attack with her shield, at the same time a question kept popping out in her mind. Why did Takato give her IceDevimon's powers? Obviously the Tamer expected her to do something. The problem was, she had no idea what it was. A few meters away, Rapidmon was fighting…no, toying with his opponent.
"I'm here! Think you can catch me? Nope! Whoa, close one! Na-na-na-na-na-na! You can't catch me! You can't-whoa! Watch out with those lion-head things! They might hurt me, you know!?"
Taomon sighed, as she floated away to evade another of BlueMeramon's attacks. The advantage of flying gave Taomon and Rapidmon the lead in the battlefield. On the other side, Takato…
"Lightning Joust!" The Holy Knight, Gallantmon, attacked with his lance, but Piedmon simply disappeared right before the attack struck him. Takato didn't know how to counter Piedmon's powers.
"Now what do I do? I don't want to become a keychain!"
Oh, shut up, Gogglehead…
Gosh, you really sound like Rika at times……
"Trump Swords!" Gallantmon was barely able to turn back and cover himself with his shield, as the many swords tried to pierce through his defenses. Not moving the shield, Gallantmon prepared another attack.
"Lightning Joust!"
The attack seemed to be a direct hit, as a cloud of smoke arose from where Piedmon had been standing. "Yes!" Takato shouted in delight, but it didn't take long to see that Piedmon was far from defeated.
"Nice try, but I'm still faster! Clown Trick!"
Once again, Takato was barely able to turn 180 degrees and slash the feared blanket with his lance, tearing it apart. Phew…close one… Gallantmon tried a second strike, but Piedmon easily avoided it by disappearing again. Takato immediately ordered his digital form to turn back, and Gallantmon immediately obeyed. It was a good decision, as Piedmon was right there to strike again. This time, Gallantmon simply jumped back, avoiding the demon's attack. Immediately, the triangles on his shield began to glow, as he prepared his strongest attack. However, a new idea popped out in his mind. Hey, it might actually work!
"Shield of the Just!" Gallantmon shouted as a massive beam of holy energy was irradiated from the shield. As expected, Piedmon simply vanished into thin air, Gallantmon's attack crashing with the trees behind the place where Piedmon had stood. Meanwhile, the Demon Man Digimon reappeared right behind Gallantmon, just to find an unexpected surprise. As Gallantmon launched his attack forward, he had his lance pointing backwards, the same lance which now glowed with a bright light.
"Lightning Joust!"
The attack took Piedmon by surprise, and the dark Digimon received the full impact for some serious damage. The blast sent him flying away, ending up behind some nearby bushes. Impressive…it actually worked…
"Good job, Takato! Can we eat now?" Guilmon spoke from somewhere unknown. Takato smirked at the comment.
"We just ate, Guilmon. Remember breakfast?"
"That was breakfast!?"
Takato sighed. Anyway, I guess I should check on the others…
Wham! At that precise moment Taomon was sent flying against a tree by one of BlueMeramon's attacks. "Taomon, are you alright!?"
"Of course." That was Taomon's response. Her pride wouldn't let her admit that she was in pain. "Taomon, just use your Thousand Spells to buy some time, then use the Zero Freeze attack I gave you!"
"That was it? Is that your big plan!?" Taomon asked, not able to believe Takato had planned such a…miserable strategy.
"Just do as I say!" The glow on Takato's eyes told Taomon she should better shut up. The last thing they needed was an angry Takato. The Demon Digimon (not Piedmon, but Taomon) floated forward, preparing herself for the next round. Takato looked at Rapidmon, who seemed to be having a blast (literally) against Panjyamon. I guess…he can handle things by himself…
"Starlight Explossion! Whoo-hoo!!!"
"TAMER!!!!"
Taomon and Gallantmon looked back to see the now-battered Piedmon, who carried the vilest look a clown can manage, and in Piedmon's case, it's really evil. Suddenly, the pierrot Digimon began laughing. Of course, it was the trademark evil character sinister laugh. Taomon looked at Gallantmon, who nodded in response. "Just…take care of BlueMeramon. I'll handle this freak."
"I can tell you know how to fight. In fact, I may accept that you're a genius in the art of fighting. Let's see how you handle…this!" Piedmon stated as he launched his swords directly towards Takato. Gallantmon raised its shield to protect him, but the swords changed direction and were aimed towards Rapidmon and Taomon. Damn it!
"You can't save the two of them, Tamer. What will you do now?" Piedmon chanted in victory, soon followed by more maniacal laughter.
***********************************************************************
"That's not fair! He can't save both of them at the same time!" Riley exclaimed in shock at the Hypnos crew watched the battle on the huge screen. Yamaki and Daneel watched silently, one analyzing the Digimon, the other one analyzing the Tamer. What are you gonna do now, Takato? Piedmon just called you a genius, now it's time to prove it…
Daneel's thoughts were interrupted when a nameless worker showed up next to Yamaki. Daneel could easily hear the muttering. "The transport's ready, sir."
With just a simple hand motion, Riley and Talley, Yamaki's top assistances, followed their boss outside the dark room. They were about to leave when Yamiki stopped to look at Daneel. "Weren't you expecting to meet Matsuki? Here's your chance."
Daneel smiled in approval right before following him.
**********************************************************************
"Taomon!" Rika shouted in desperation, as she was unable to do something for her friend. She didn't even have time to look for a card and slash it. But that wouldn't have worked, either, as Taomon was under Takato's command.
"He'll save Taomon." Henry said with a grim look on his face. Jeri looked at him, then at Ruki in front of her, and immediately understood. Takato…
"What makes you so sure?" Kazu wondered. Henry simply sighed.
"I just know." And the worst thing is that I understand Takato's reasons.
Exactly as Henry had predicted, Takato started a mad dash towards Taomon, who was too busy freezing BlueMeramon to notice the sharp blades flying towards her. So was Rapidmon, engaged in a close combat with Panjyamon, delivering punch after punch like a martial artist. Henry sighed as he waited for the unavoidable. Takato had chosen, and Henry would have to face the consequences. Rapidmon won't survive an attack from a Mega, not if he doesn't expect it… He felt Jeri's hand over his, and he received the much needed comfort. But it wasn't enough. Rika, on the other side, was puzzled. No matter how hard she thought, she couldn't understand how Takato had made such an important decision in a matter of microseconds. Suddenly, she understood.
"He has a plan."
And then, it happened. The unexpected. An act of pure genius, indeed. Positioning himself between Taomon and the blades, Gallantmon moved his left arm around his neck, and with a swift move, extended it to his left, leaving it fully stretched. The force and speed of the move were high enough to launch the Aegis shield off Gallantmon's arm, directly towards Rapidmon. "Rapidmon!" Gallantmon shouted.
"Don't you see I'm in the middle of-oof!!!" Rapidmon lost its breath as the shield impacted his lower torso, sending him away just in time to avoid the sword, which struck Panjyamon right on the chest, deleting him on instant. Gallantmon had saved Rapidmon, but without his shield, he was now easy prey for the other swords. Gallantmon saved Taomon by receiving the powerful attack. When Taomon finally looked behind her, a worried Guilmon stood next to his unconscious partner. It didn't take Taomon too much to realize what had just happened.
"Takato!!!"
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Rika was at a loss of words. But Kenta pretty much resumed what she was thinking.
"That was the coolest move EVER!"
Jeri's gaze averted the screen for a moment to check on Henry. And what she saw touched her in a way no other thing in her life had touched her before. Years later, she would admit that was the precise moment she fell in love with Henry Wong. A tear of joy falling down his right cheek. That was everything Henry needed to conquer her heart. Henry was at a loss of words, too, but his mind spoke clearly what the mouth couldn't. Takato……thank you.
It was then when they noticed Takato's fall. He was unconscious, and there only remained two Ultimates and a Rookie to stand against a Mega. When's Beelzemon when you need him, for God's sake!? You may guess whose thought is that…Come on, Gogglehead, get up!
"Get up, Gogglehead!"
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Takato slowly opened his eyes. A terrible pain filled him as he barely managed to get up. He could listen to the expressions of relief from the journalists and watchers nearby. He knew he had to get up. He knew he had to help his Digimon friends. But he was too tired. He let his body return to the soft ground that called him, but he still refused to admit defeat. Several yards away, a very satisfied Piedmon joined his hands in continuous clapping.
"Genius. Absolute genius. That was a stunt worthy of the strongest Tamer ever. This is indeed very encouraging, Omni-Tamer."
What the…!? "How do you…?"
"Oh, everybody in the Digital World knows who you are, Tamer. It was a matter of time before Digimon like me crossed the Gate. We want your power, Omni-Tamer. Your Digimon's data…and who knows? Maybe your data, too."
"Data? But I'm no Digimon. I don't have any data…unless…do you want me to be your Tamer?"
Piedmon laughed in ecstasy. "Tamer! I need no Tamer! As I just said, the only thing I want…is DATA!!!"
The Demon Man Digimon sprinted forward, ready to finish off Takato once and for all. Maybe my legs don't want to work…but I'm still up to some card slashing! Before Piedmon could reach him, Takato had already slashed two cards. The effects were easily seen an instant later.
"Guilmon, digivolve to…WarGrowlmon."
The massive cyborg Digimon blocked the way, and the two other Ultimate Digimon, Rapidmon and Taomon, stood proud next to Guilmon's Ultimate form. Piedmon stopped on his tracks, a little taken aback by the new appearance; but the surprise faded just as soon as it arrived.
"Three Ultimates!? So you actually think three Ultimates stand a chance against me!?"
Takato chuckled. "We've performed bigger miracles before." Rapidmon and Taomon looked at the Tamer with odd faces. Takato ignored them and delivered the next instructions. "Okay, you two: protect WarGrowlmon at any cost."
"How come?" Rapidmon wondered.
"WarGrowlmon is the slowest of you three. He could easily fall prey of Piedmon's tricks, and I need the three of your for my strategy to work." Taomon nodded in agreement. As usual, she had no idea of what Takato planned, but…the other plans had worked, why shouldn't this one?
"Trump Swords!" Piedmon used his special attack, aimed at the three Ultimates. Rapidmon and Taomon easily flew away, while WarGrowlmon swatted them away like flies. Then it became his turn to attack, as the blades on his arms began to glow.
"Double Edge!" (A/N: I'm using the Japanese name because the dubbed name escapes my mind right now. I'll thank anyone who helps me with this little doubt…) The Demon Dragon roared as he lunged forward. However, his speed (actually the lack of it) allowed Piedmon to easily evade it. Meanwhile, Takato was busy looking for a card. THE card. One that could put an end to that battle. Tai Kamiya…nope…Cherrymon's Mist…nope…hmm, I didn't know I have this card…I have to keep a better record…here it is!!!
"Clown Trick!" Piedmon had appeared right behind WarGrowlmon, ready to strike.
"Thousand Spells!" Taomon's attack reduced Piedmon's blanket to tiny pieces, though.
"WarGrowlmon! Use your Atomic Blaster! Not at full power!" Takato ordered.
"Roger! Atomic…" The cannon on his chest accumulated energy particles, to create a powerful blast. "…Blaster!!!!"
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"That's not going to work, and he knows that!" Kazu affirmed. Rika shook her head. For once, she agreed with the visor boy. What the hell is he thinking!? What the hell am I thinking!?
Rika looked back, to the other side of the classroom. The teacher, Ms. Asagi, took the spare time to finish some paperwork, not without giving the occasional glance to the TV screen. Rika finally lost it. "Teacher!"
Ms. Asagi looked up to meet a pair of fiery violet eyes. "Yes?"
"You HAVE to let us go help him!!!" The teacher simply shrugged.
"Sorry, but rules are rules."
I can't believe this!!!
"Neither can I." The voice in Rika's head replied.
It's just me, or there's something fishy about the teacher?
"Bingo."
When Rika stopped talking with, er…herself, she noticed that Ms. Asagi had her eyes fixed on her. However, the concerned look suddenly changed into a grin.
"If I didn't know you, Miss Nonaka, I'd think you're worried about young Takato."
"You know, I was THIS close to saying that!" Kenta commented from the other side of the room.
Rika was about to explode. Holding her urge to scream, she hurriedly walked back to her original place, right in front of the TV. Takato was about to change the course of the battle, with a tactic Rika, or anybody else by that matter, could have possibly imagined. Piedmon had used his disappearing technique to evade the Atomic Blaster, to reappear a few feet over the place he had been seconds before. It was the moment.
"Digi-Modify!" Takato exclaimed as he slashed the decisive card. Then, he said the words that froze the entire population of Japan, all of them focused on the young 12-year-old boy who was about to save the day.
"…Trinity Burst!"
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The campfire was small, but it was enough to keep the small Digimon warm. From his place, somewhere in the Digital World, he reflected on the events that had leaded him there. "Jeez, it's the first time I follow a dream, and I end up in the middle of nowhere. I could use a steak right now…"
He had traveled for weeks, looking for the path that would lead him to his final destination. And when I get there…what else? I just know I have to find him…
Takato Matsuki. That was the name the voice of my dream said. I have to find this…Takato guy, and then…who knows?
He wasn't the type of Digimon who believed in weird, metaphysical stuff, but the dream had been so real, he was forced to leave his comfy place in the World of Humans to go on a trip of his own (A/N: Come on, at least DC must know who's this little fella by now…). Destiny had taken him to the south quadrant, and from there, to a challenge he would never imagine. Bur first, a close encounter of the freaky type…
It happened so suddenly no living things could have been prepared for it. Where once there had been grass, trees and clean air, it was suddenly replaced with darkness. Only the small Rookie Digimon remained. Well, the Digimon and…it.
There was no only way to describe it. It was… a thing. The small Digimon remained silent as the thing slowly walked in front of him. It was a walking black mass of pure nothingness, with four appendages slightly resembling arms and legs. It had only one eye, which looked in fact like a camera lens. However, its massive size (the size of a MetalGreymon, just to give you an idea) was what scared the little Rookie Digimon the most. The size and the power. Not necessary evil, but it was there. Immense power, and without a cause, because he was almost sure this…thing (because it's certainly not a Digimon) had no purpose in life.
Suddenly, the thing stopped, right in front of the small animal Digimon. Looking at him with its only eye, it analyzed the Digimon with utmost care. The Digimon, meanwhile, was of course, scared. Scared!? I'm this close to piss my pants! Oh, wait; I have no pants…forget it… But what really caught the little Digimon by surprise was that the thing, even without a mouth, spoke.
Ta…ka…to…?
"Hmm……nope, I'm definitely not him." The Digimon replied, confused by the fact that this creature was looking for the same person as him.
Where…Taka…to…?
"Probably somewhere in the Real World."
…re…real?
"Yes, real. That is, not here. You have to find a Gate to reach that place."
…Gate…OPEN!!!
Immediately, a portal popped out from absolutely nowhere, and the creature slowly made its way inside it. However, the small Digimon had its doubts.
"Hey, I don't think that Gate leads to the…oh, never mind."
As soon as the thing jumped in the portal, the place returned to normal. The darkness disappeared, and the grass, the air and the trees returned. However, the small Digimon knew it was no time for sightseeing. As he had absolutely nothing to pack, he immediately restarted his walk, now with a more urgent pace. Something tells me I have to find this Takato dude before that thing does…*sigh* It's gonna be a long day…
What he ignored was that it wouldn't be just a day. That would be the most thrilling week of his life. It wasn't a coincidence that he had that encounter, as the Thread of Destiny has strange ways to impose its will. It's up to every person and Digimon to try to find its way to the other side…the side of happiness. However, Takato, Rika, Henry and the other Tamers, as well as their Digimon were still far from that other side. There's still a long way to go, as the prophecy would leave a deep mark on their lives and the lives of everyone somehow close to them. And in that moment, a new being, a Digimon, to be precise, entered the complicated labyrinth of the Ultimate Prophecy. A prophecy so complex, yet so simple, that it would only be completely understood in the very end. Yes, it would be a tough journey for BlackTerriermon.
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End of chapter 2…
Daneel Rush: Whoa, that was a long chapter!
BlackTerriermon: But it was worth it, because I'm in it! I'm a part of the prophecy, right.
DR: Yep! *Looks at Renamon, who is tied to a post. Henry and Takato guard the place*
BlackTerriermon: So……what about my Tamer? Will be have a cameo, too?
DR: I'm working on it…*evil grin* Anyway, no Tamers Trivia today?
Terriermon: Nope! We'll give it a one-chapter break.
DR: Okay, then I guess that's all for today. See ya!
Terriermon/BlackTerriermon: And don't forget to review! Momentai!
Next Chapter: I guess it's because my birthday was a few days ago (I'm now 18!), but I'm too lazy to keep fast track of my work. I'll probably work on my other fic now, but I guess I can give you a preview! Nope, not really, just a bunch of annoying questions: Will Takato's Trinity Burst work against Piedmon? What about the mysterious things that appeared in front of BlackTerriermon? And what about BlackTerriermon himself? And why it seems that everyone's after Takato!? Are Rika's suspicions about Miss Asagi more than a product of her paranoia? What plans do Yamaki and Daneel have in store for poor Gogglehead? All this and more (well, not really) in the next chapter of "Forget the Y2K, This is Madness!!!": The Prize of Freedom, part II.