Chapter 14 - Judgment Day
"VENGEANCE!"
How sweet. Megidramon's first word.
I smiled grimly as I watched Megidramon fling himself at the enemy. Ghoulmon laughed and motioned. Armageddemon stepped up to the plate.
"BLACK RAIN!"
Megidramon took the attack and kept going. I'm not even sure he felt it. He slammed into Armageddemon with a force that would shatter most large cities, knocking the smaller foe through a couple three buildings. I smirked.
This is going to be fun.
Delia: DIGI-MODIFY! Hyper Speed Activate!
Suddenly, Armageddemon was behind Megidramon.
"ULTIMATE FLARE!"
The attack hit Megidramon right in the back of the head. He slammed into and through the same building that Armageddemon had just gone through. A thick curtain of dust appeared. When it cleared, all that remained was a large, smoking crater. Ghoulmon laughed again. Alicia sneered and spoke.
"So much for your dragon, Matsuki!"
Armageddemon turned towards us and started walking over, with a confidence that made him move slowly, as if he was savoring the moment. I stood my ground while Jeri stumbled backwards only to be caught by Henry. My smirk never once left my face as he got closer and closer. The huge digimon's face came and leered down at me, then it opened it's mouth to strike, or swallow me. I never found out which. It was a moot point after all.
Because then the ground started to shake.
From directly beneath Armageddemon's enormous stomach, the ground cracked and collapsed as Megidramon's equally enormous head came out from directly beneath him, jaws open to attack.
Delia: DIGI-MODIFY! Hyper Wing Activate!
Armageddemon barely avoided Megidramon's snapping jaws. He roared in disappointment, and glared at where his foe hung in the sky.
"ULTIMATE FLARE!"
Again, Megidramon took the attack. Then I understood why.
It's not only a demonstration of superior power, but Megidramon gains power from his own pain!
Good.
Armageddemon roared back, and made a diving charge toward Megidramon.
Bad idea.
Megidramon reared back, and then flung himself up at Armageddemon as he charged.
Delia: DIGI-MODIFY! Taomon's Talisman Spell Activate!
Armageddemon was encased in the familiar ying-yang designed shield. But reminders of Renamon only increased Megidramon's pain, and with it, his power. He blew through the shield like it was nothing, and wrapped himself around the mega, just like he did with Beezlemon. As Megidramon squeezed, Armageddemon roared in pain.
*Megidramon, stop toying with him. We've got bigger fish to fry.*
*GRRRRRRRRRRR*
A growl was all I got, but still, Megidramon complied. Sort of. He was determined to enjoy this, even if it was rushed. He loosened his coils enough to expose a piece of Armageddemon's back. Upon feeling this shifting, Armageddemon's struggles increased franticly. Megidramon cut of his hopes for escape quickly though, by having the jagged end of his tail slam directly into his back. If Armageddemon had been a biological creature, it would have ripped trough his spine. Armageddemon roared in pain.
Seeing a perfect chance, Megidramon finally ended it. When Armageddemon roared, his head flung back, exposing his neck. Mimicking WarGrowlmon's Radiation Blade, Megidramon used the blades on his arms to slice through Armageddemon's neck, deleting him instantly. Megidramon calmly began to load the data, knowing he would need the strength.
I looked around. They were all in shock, humans and digimon alike, at the sight before them. Ghoulmon was the first to recover. Picking up Delia, Dirk, and Alicia, he took of into the night, Piedmon in close pursuit.
Megidramon finished his feast and roared, then phased, looking for all the world like he was going to delete. I knew better. My digimon's careful balance had been disturbed once more. When he phased back in, he was Megidramon no longer. He was now BlackMegidramon. He looked into the east, following his prey's flight path, then took off after them.
"Grani."
The blue and gold dragon swooped in beside me, and I got on. Jeri came up next to us. She smiled, a little hesitantly, I might add.
"I know you can stop BlackMegidramon, Takato, I know you can!"
I just looked at her like she was just as crazy as I knew I looked.
"Who said I'm going to stop him?"
Jeri suddenly looked very, very frightened of me, and had to be caught by Henry again when she fell. I redirected my gaze toward him.
"Take care of Rika."
Something in my words must have clued Henry in on something.
"You're not coming back, are you? Even if you kill him you're not coming back!"
"No, Henry, I'm not. At least, not for a while. I'll give things some time to cool down."
I nodded at the panic-stricken Jeri, who still stared at me in shock. He took my meaning, and smiled grimly. I turned to leave, and follow my partner.
"Takato."
I looked back. Henry was looking at me seriously.
"Try not to let any innocents get hurt."
I turned back and Grani began to lift into the air.
"That's up to Ghoulmon."
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What power!
I was more than a little frightened now. Megidramon had taken everything that Delia's Armageddemon had thrown at it and kept going. It had been toying with him! I was also pissed.
How dare he! I am the best! I will be the best! No upstart with some dumb dino is going to be better than Alicia Waterton!
Then I froze at a sudden roar behind us. I looked back.
"Megidramon?"
Surprisingly, Ghoulmon answered. He usually just left me in the dark. Something totally unacceptable to someone of my considerable skills, but I put up with it. He had made me the woman I was. The Best.
"No. BlackMegidramon. This breed is by far the stronger of the two. But, it sacrifices what's left of its intelligence. It won't be able to comprehend even the most basic of battle strategies. It also appears to have left Matsuki in the dust. Piedmon, attack."
Piedmon nodded and went to work.
"TRUMP SWORDS!"
The attack flew straight at BlackMegidramon, but the digitally generated swords bounced off of Megidramon's horned skull. Piedmon swiftly flew over it and attacked again.
"TRUMP SWORDS!"
This time the swords flew into the wing joints in BlackMegidramon's back. He roared in pain and stopped to confront Piedmon.
"MEGIDO BLAZE!"
A sheet of flame engulfed the area, but Piedmon swiftly flew above the assault.
"CLOWN TRICK!"
Dirk: DIGI-MODIFY! VenomMyotismon's Nightmare Claw Activate!
"NIGHTMARE CLAW!"
BlackMegidramon had dodged the first attack, but the second hit him directly in the chest.
Takato: DIGI-MODIFY! Viral Boost Chip Activate!
I looked sharply left. There closing on the back of that stupid dragon-thing was Takato, fully supporting his abomination. The dark aura of power created by the modify card enabled BlackMegidramon to grab Piedmon's clawed hand before it could pull away, and smash him with his other fist, which, given the difference in height, was approximately as tall as he was. The blow sent him flying back through a few buildings. Piedmon flew back at BlackMegidramon with a vengeance.
"TRUMP SWORDS!"
The attack headed straight for BlackMegidramon but he waited. Almost calmly, I noted.
"NOW!"
When Takato shouted, BlackMegidramon lunged forward into the attack. I watched in shocked amazement as BlackMegidramon swallowed both the swords and Piedmon whole. Dirk's D-Ark converted to a static screen almost immediately afterwards. BlackMegidramon shuddered as he loaded Piedmon's data. Then it turned towards us, a feral gleam in its eye. The resemblance between Tamer and Digimon was uncanny as they both gave us crazed leers.
And I thought Ghoulmon was creepy…
"So that's it."
"Huh?"
"Matsuki is doing BlackMegidramon's thinking for it. Clever boy. But it still won't be enough. With the sustaining rage pushed out of the way, he will dedigivolve shortly."
Takato apparently understood this as well.
"Finish it BlackMegidramon! Do it quickly!"
BlackMegidramon roared and lunged at us, Takato on Grani keeping pace just over his head. Then Ghoulmon turned and fled, opening a portal in front of us, BlackMegidramon and Takato on that damned dragon of his just behind us.
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I smiled as I watched the waves. Things had definitely gotten better in the last four years or so. Ever since that unknown knight took out Demon, life in the Dark Ocean had become relatively peaceful. Sure, you had to watch out for evil virus digimon looking to boss you around and beat you up, but hey, that's life. At least they weren't megas.
Then I heard the biggest shockwave in history as the sky opened. I watched as a Ghoulmon carrying three humans fell from the sky. It was followed by the ugliest, meanest looking dragon-digimon I had ever seen, and a human followed it on a second dragon-like thing.
"What's in the water around here?"
Then the weirdest thing happened. They both started to dedigivolve. The Ghoulmon did it on purpose, by the way he landed a ways down the coast on top of the cliff and put down the humans he was carrying, but the first of the two dragons started to collapse in mid air, and would have made a gooshy splat sound when it hit the ground if it's smaller form hadn't been caught by the second dragon. I ran back into my cave and peeked out.
I just hope those guys can keep to themselves over there.
They did not look like the friendliest of people and digimon, and if the shouting was any indication, they were about to go at it.
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I glared at the DemiDevimon in front of me. It was almost as tall as BlackGuilmon was, and didn't seem to loose any arrogance with its reduction in level. He was cackling like an idiot and spouting some nonsense about having me beaten.
*How're you doing boy?*
*I'll be better when he's deleted Takatomon!*
*So will I, but I meant to ask if you can still fight.*
*Right beside you Takatomon!*
*Grani?*
*As BlackGuilmon is fond of saying: We stick together. Even in this. You lead, we'll follow.*
*Thanks guys.*
Alicia, Delia, and Dirk all held up their D-Arks, and a seemingly endless void poured from the three into DemiDevimon.
Digivolution_
DemiDevimon Warp Digivolve to…
As the form shot up, his voice deepened. The wings enlarged and a tall human-like…
That does not look like Ghoulmon, reminds me more of… shit.
…DEMON!
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You cant win boy! When we last face here, you had both the advantage of surprise and attacking while I was weak! Now you have neither advantage! And I shall grow stronger still! Watch!"
He waved his arm down at Alicia and her group. They all screamed in shock and pain as black auras engulfed them and fed Demon.
"Dark Spores…"
"Yes, Matsuki. Dark Spores! I was weakened that day four years ago because I had just planted them!"
"But you need to extract them to use them!"
"Not anymore Matsuki. Your connection with the abomination you call a digimon proves it! The Dark Spores respond to negative emotions! This place in and of itself amplifies those emotions! Then the D-Arks those children received transmit their emotions and with them their power to me! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Those foolish children and digimon thought I offered them power! I offered it to myself and no other! They who sought to rule your world shall instead be my 'batteries' as it were, as I conquer all!"
"I, no, we will stop you here, Demon! This day the battle shall be ours!"
"Fool! The children behind me supply me with more power than you could ever dream! And the only way to cut it off is to kill them. And as you put it so long ago, you are dark, but you are not evil! I will crush you and your world soon after!"
"NEVER!"
Biomerge
Digivolution_
BlackGuilmon Biomerge to… ChaosGallantmon!
"You are still a fool. Did our battle in the human world teach you nothing? You will fall by my hand."
"You may be powered by them Demon, but I'm powered by something else too!"
"Oh, please don't tell me you're power by your friends, dead or otherwise…"
"Heh. You must be confusing me with somebody else. I'm powered by your dead allies! DEMON'S DISASTER!"
The attack hit him dead center in the chest. He fell back a little and grunted in pain.
"So I see, but it will avail you not! EVIL INFERNO!"
The attack came faster than Grani or I expected. Much faster. Grani crashed and I was knocked for a loop.
Yup, he's definitely stronger. Good, this would be kinda anti-climactic otherwise.
I got back to my feet and jumped on Grani as he began to lift off again.
"JUDDECA PRISON!"
"EVIL FLAPPING!"
Our attacks hit head on and exploded, knocking us both back.
"I have no more patience for your games, boy!"
"Too bad 'cause we're gonna keep playing!"
He growled in response and there were fresh screams from the fallen tamers on top of the buffs as Demon increased the amount of energy he drew from them.
"EVIL INFERNO!"
The attack flew at me, and it hit. Hard. I lay in the shallow water for a short time listening to Demon's laughter.
Damn.
*Tamer, I will once more add my power to yours… just don't take so long to bring me back this time, okay?*
Next to me, Grani glowed and exploded into data. Instead of waiting to be loaded, it shot into me with a purpose. I felt his data intergrate with mine, and then…
…nothing.
Huh?
Chaos Mode wouldn't come. I felt stronger, more refreshed, but nothing near the overwhelming strength that had come before; that had come when I had mode changed.
Better than nothing…
I launched myself at Demon once more and let loose a flurry of blows.
He blocked them all with ease.
In the end I was on one knee, panting, awaiting the final blow.
I'm sorry everyone. I really am.
Demon, being the classic villain he is, took this opportunity to gloat.
"Fool! You should have joined me from the first day you fell into this world all those years ago! Now you will die! You will die for nothing! You are a worthless piece of trash! You could not avenge your friend's death anymore than they will be able to avenge yours. Your only value is the strength your data will add to mine!
"But be assured you will suffer. You will suffer beyond the grave as I lovingly enjoy every minute of the torture that I'll put that girl, Nonaka, through. Or better! Since her digimon has been deleted, I will become hers! Imagine the power I could gain if I infected one such as her with a dark spore!"
Rika… no… you can't…
"…I won't let you. YOU HEAR ME?! I WON'T LET YOU!"
My voice steadily increased in volume to a scream. I felt something happen.
ChaosGallantmon Mode Change to…
The ground around me exploded in my power. I could feel my cape burning in a black fire behind me, before it expanded into ten black wings. I felt Grani's data come to the surface and increase the mass of my body armor. I felt the mark of the catalyst burn onto both sides of my left hand as the mark of the hazard did the same on my right. I felt my helmet change its shape around my head. I watched my lance glow with black energy and change to a double-bladed sword. My wings lifted me up off me knee so that I hovered a few feet off the ground. I could feel time almost slow in my presence as the dust fell.
…ChaosGallantmon: Chaos Mode!
I watched with cold anger as Demon became visible. He was staring in shock as I spoke.
"Playtime's over. EXECUTION BLADE!"
I swung hard, energy coalescing in the dark blades as I slashed. Demon was covered in wounds when I was finished. I had hardly broken a sweat.
"Goodbye Demon. You're about to part of my data. ETERNAL PENANCE!"
Small globes of darkness formed a sphere around him and began to condense. He roared in agony as The attack slowly began to crush him. Then, the screams of Alicia and the others that had become background noise increased in tempo once more as Demon burst out of the sphere, ending my attack. On the cliff, they continued to scream.
They can't take much more of that…
As if reading my mind, Demon taunted me, speaking my full title in contempt.
"They will die as the pressure on them increases ChaosGallantmon: Chaos Mode. Even if I am stopped, I have forced the spheres to 'come of age' as it were. They will die from the spore's natural growth! But at least you will be dead! And then your friends Digidestined and Tamer alike shall suffer! They will all suffer!"
I felt the anger well up inside of me. Instinctively, I flew backwards into the sky and out to sea, never once turning my back on Demon. Below me, the sea began to boil as my anger began to heat it in waves. Above me the sky began to cloud as my black wings burst into black flames, somehow keeping me up. Demon stared in shock once more when I spread my arms wide, palms out, and lifted my head back as if to welcome the drops of black flame that began to fall.
On my left hand the symbol of the catalyst glowed with an eerie red light. The light spread itself in front of my palm and formed a large catalyst symbol made of pure energy. On my right, my sword glowed black once more and disappeared. Then the hazard symbol there began to glow as it formed a larger version of itself as well.
With arms still wide, wings still flaming, and symbols still glowing, I tilted my head back down and looked Demon in the eye.
"You have killed hundreds of digimon and dozens of humans! You have corrupted innocent souls! You have caused sorrow, anger, and despair wherever you have walked! All in the name of your insane ambition! NO MORE! THIS IS IT DEMON! THIS IS YOUR…
…JUDGMENT DAY!!"
As I called my attack, I slammed my hands together, and the symbols merged. The new symbol was not quite one, not quite the other. It looked almost like the symbol of hazard. There were three triangles on the outside of a circle as perfect one hundred twenty degree angles from each other. Inside the circle, where the fourth triangle should have lay, sat the familiar four triangles of the catalyst.
Just in front of the symbol a large ball of red and black energy formed, and then suddenly exploded into a solid column of the same that pierced Demon directly in the crest, flying straight through him, and into the cliffside. His body began to delete from around the gaping hole where my attack was.
"NOOOO!!!"
I then shot down at him myself, and loaded his data.
This time, you stay dead.
On the cliff, The black auras encasing Alicia, Delia, and Dirk faltered and the three hit the ground. I flapped my again feathery wings and floated calmly up to them. I felt a small twitch in my chest and looked down. In the center, where the hazard symbol had shown previously, now shown the new symbol that I had used to defeat Demon.
As I stared at it I understood. I understood why my attacks functioned on other viruses while theirs bounced off. I understood why the hazard and catalyst could exist in the same body and not have it become unraveled. I understood why BlackGuilmon was an innocent despite his form. I understood why I was dark, but not evil.
The catalyst and hazard were like light and dark. Two sides of the same coin, but a single coin none the less. Like BlackGuilmon was dark of form but light of mind.
Chaos was the answer. Chaos is often described as destruction and mayhem. As I continued to float slowly up the cliffside, I realized that this was an error. Destruction was a product of chaos, not chaos itself. Chaos, quite literally, meant confusion. And ChaosGallantmon was the ultimate confusion. Calumon's data had changed us more than I knew. I came to the realization that I, ChaosGallantmon, was not a virus.
I was a hybrid.
A virus-vaccine hybrid.
The ultimate confusion. The ultimate chaos, as per my name.
As I reached the top of the cliff, and looked down at the former Dark Tamers something else came to mind.
Four years ago, standing on Demon's hand…
'And with that, I leapt off his palm, plummeting towards the ground. I held out my hand and the familiar sensation of my body bursting into data came over me. I noted with some surprise that the red beam was actually red, and was the only speck of color in the place.'
I chuckled.
Looks like you were wrong about one more thing Demon.
I pointed my left palm at them, and let the light of the catalyst envelop them. The dark spores lifted from their bodies and disintegrated. I shuddered. That was some data I was really sure I didn't want. Then I realized that I hadn't shuddered as the ground beneath me split open and the three tumbled down the damaged cliff and into the water of the Dark Ocean.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched the angel-knight digimon that I couldn't recognize for the life of me shoot down into the water after the three humans who had fallen in. I was still in shock that there was actually a human inside that thing, but I commended him as a brave soul. Maybe now things would settle down again. The winged knight flew up out of the water with the boy and the dark haired girl, bit not the blonde one. He searched for a frantic hour before giving up, and leaving this territory. Something inside wanted to call out to him, there were other places I could go, but no. My friend was gone forever, so I would be gone forever, and remain in this 'Dark Ocean between worlds'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sighed in defeat as I went back to where I had left Delia and Dirk. I still couldn't find Alicia.
Goodbye Alicia. You were evil, but it was not your fault. I commend you to whoever will listen.
I looked down at the two unconscious people at my feet. I released the light of the catalyst on them once more, and then opened a gate beneath them inside the light. Whoever cared would find them in Shinjuku Park. I then opened a gate to the eastern quadrant for myself. It would be good to be home again.
"VENGEANCE!"
How sweet. Megidramon's first word.
I smiled grimly as I watched Megidramon fling himself at the enemy. Ghoulmon laughed and motioned. Armageddemon stepped up to the plate.
"BLACK RAIN!"
Megidramon took the attack and kept going. I'm not even sure he felt it. He slammed into Armageddemon with a force that would shatter most large cities, knocking the smaller foe through a couple three buildings. I smirked.
This is going to be fun.
Delia: DIGI-MODIFY! Hyper Speed Activate!
Suddenly, Armageddemon was behind Megidramon.
"ULTIMATE FLARE!"
The attack hit Megidramon right in the back of the head. He slammed into and through the same building that Armageddemon had just gone through. A thick curtain of dust appeared. When it cleared, all that remained was a large, smoking crater. Ghoulmon laughed again. Alicia sneered and spoke.
"So much for your dragon, Matsuki!"
Armageddemon turned towards us and started walking over, with a confidence that made him move slowly, as if he was savoring the moment. I stood my ground while Jeri stumbled backwards only to be caught by Henry. My smirk never once left my face as he got closer and closer. The huge digimon's face came and leered down at me, then it opened it's mouth to strike, or swallow me. I never found out which. It was a moot point after all.
Because then the ground started to shake.
From directly beneath Armageddemon's enormous stomach, the ground cracked and collapsed as Megidramon's equally enormous head came out from directly beneath him, jaws open to attack.
Delia: DIGI-MODIFY! Hyper Wing Activate!
Armageddemon barely avoided Megidramon's snapping jaws. He roared in disappointment, and glared at where his foe hung in the sky.
"ULTIMATE FLARE!"
Again, Megidramon took the attack. Then I understood why.
It's not only a demonstration of superior power, but Megidramon gains power from his own pain!
Good.
Armageddemon roared back, and made a diving charge toward Megidramon.
Bad idea.
Megidramon reared back, and then flung himself up at Armageddemon as he charged.
Delia: DIGI-MODIFY! Taomon's Talisman Spell Activate!
Armageddemon was encased in the familiar ying-yang designed shield. But reminders of Renamon only increased Megidramon's pain, and with it, his power. He blew through the shield like it was nothing, and wrapped himself around the mega, just like he did with Beezlemon. As Megidramon squeezed, Armageddemon roared in pain.
*Megidramon, stop toying with him. We've got bigger fish to fry.*
*GRRRRRRRRRRR*
A growl was all I got, but still, Megidramon complied. Sort of. He was determined to enjoy this, even if it was rushed. He loosened his coils enough to expose a piece of Armageddemon's back. Upon feeling this shifting, Armageddemon's struggles increased franticly. Megidramon cut of his hopes for escape quickly though, by having the jagged end of his tail slam directly into his back. If Armageddemon had been a biological creature, it would have ripped trough his spine. Armageddemon roared in pain.
Seeing a perfect chance, Megidramon finally ended it. When Armageddemon roared, his head flung back, exposing his neck. Mimicking WarGrowlmon's Radiation Blade, Megidramon used the blades on his arms to slice through Armageddemon's neck, deleting him instantly. Megidramon calmly began to load the data, knowing he would need the strength.
I looked around. They were all in shock, humans and digimon alike, at the sight before them. Ghoulmon was the first to recover. Picking up Delia, Dirk, and Alicia, he took of into the night, Piedmon in close pursuit.
Megidramon finished his feast and roared, then phased, looking for all the world like he was going to delete. I knew better. My digimon's careful balance had been disturbed once more. When he phased back in, he was Megidramon no longer. He was now BlackMegidramon. He looked into the east, following his prey's flight path, then took off after them.
"Grani."
The blue and gold dragon swooped in beside me, and I got on. Jeri came up next to us. She smiled, a little hesitantly, I might add.
"I know you can stop BlackMegidramon, Takato, I know you can!"
I just looked at her like she was just as crazy as I knew I looked.
"Who said I'm going to stop him?"
Jeri suddenly looked very, very frightened of me, and had to be caught by Henry again when she fell. I redirected my gaze toward him.
"Take care of Rika."
Something in my words must have clued Henry in on something.
"You're not coming back, are you? Even if you kill him you're not coming back!"
"No, Henry, I'm not. At least, not for a while. I'll give things some time to cool down."
I nodded at the panic-stricken Jeri, who still stared at me in shock. He took my meaning, and smiled grimly. I turned to leave, and follow my partner.
"Takato."
I looked back. Henry was looking at me seriously.
"Try not to let any innocents get hurt."
I turned back and Grani began to lift into the air.
"That's up to Ghoulmon."
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What power!
I was more than a little frightened now. Megidramon had taken everything that Delia's Armageddemon had thrown at it and kept going. It had been toying with him! I was also pissed.
How dare he! I am the best! I will be the best! No upstart with some dumb dino is going to be better than Alicia Waterton!
Then I froze at a sudden roar behind us. I looked back.
"Megidramon?"
Surprisingly, Ghoulmon answered. He usually just left me in the dark. Something totally unacceptable to someone of my considerable skills, but I put up with it. He had made me the woman I was. The Best.
"No. BlackMegidramon. This breed is by far the stronger of the two. But, it sacrifices what's left of its intelligence. It won't be able to comprehend even the most basic of battle strategies. It also appears to have left Matsuki in the dust. Piedmon, attack."
Piedmon nodded and went to work.
"TRUMP SWORDS!"
The attack flew straight at BlackMegidramon, but the digitally generated swords bounced off of Megidramon's horned skull. Piedmon swiftly flew over it and attacked again.
"TRUMP SWORDS!"
This time the swords flew into the wing joints in BlackMegidramon's back. He roared in pain and stopped to confront Piedmon.
"MEGIDO BLAZE!"
A sheet of flame engulfed the area, but Piedmon swiftly flew above the assault.
"CLOWN TRICK!"
Dirk: DIGI-MODIFY! VenomMyotismon's Nightmare Claw Activate!
"NIGHTMARE CLAW!"
BlackMegidramon had dodged the first attack, but the second hit him directly in the chest.
Takato: DIGI-MODIFY! Viral Boost Chip Activate!
I looked sharply left. There closing on the back of that stupid dragon-thing was Takato, fully supporting his abomination. The dark aura of power created by the modify card enabled BlackMegidramon to grab Piedmon's clawed hand before it could pull away, and smash him with his other fist, which, given the difference in height, was approximately as tall as he was. The blow sent him flying back through a few buildings. Piedmon flew back at BlackMegidramon with a vengeance.
"TRUMP SWORDS!"
The attack headed straight for BlackMegidramon but he waited. Almost calmly, I noted.
"NOW!"
When Takato shouted, BlackMegidramon lunged forward into the attack. I watched in shocked amazement as BlackMegidramon swallowed both the swords and Piedmon whole. Dirk's D-Ark converted to a static screen almost immediately afterwards. BlackMegidramon shuddered as he loaded Piedmon's data. Then it turned towards us, a feral gleam in its eye. The resemblance between Tamer and Digimon was uncanny as they both gave us crazed leers.
And I thought Ghoulmon was creepy…
"So that's it."
"Huh?"
"Matsuki is doing BlackMegidramon's thinking for it. Clever boy. But it still won't be enough. With the sustaining rage pushed out of the way, he will dedigivolve shortly."
Takato apparently understood this as well.
"Finish it BlackMegidramon! Do it quickly!"
BlackMegidramon roared and lunged at us, Takato on Grani keeping pace just over his head. Then Ghoulmon turned and fled, opening a portal in front of us, BlackMegidramon and Takato on that damned dragon of his just behind us.
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I smiled as I watched the waves. Things had definitely gotten better in the last four years or so. Ever since that unknown knight took out Demon, life in the Dark Ocean had become relatively peaceful. Sure, you had to watch out for evil virus digimon looking to boss you around and beat you up, but hey, that's life. At least they weren't megas.
Then I heard the biggest shockwave in history as the sky opened. I watched as a Ghoulmon carrying three humans fell from the sky. It was followed by the ugliest, meanest looking dragon-digimon I had ever seen, and a human followed it on a second dragon-like thing.
"What's in the water around here?"
Then the weirdest thing happened. They both started to dedigivolve. The Ghoulmon did it on purpose, by the way he landed a ways down the coast on top of the cliff and put down the humans he was carrying, but the first of the two dragons started to collapse in mid air, and would have made a gooshy splat sound when it hit the ground if it's smaller form hadn't been caught by the second dragon. I ran back into my cave and peeked out.
I just hope those guys can keep to themselves over there.
They did not look like the friendliest of people and digimon, and if the shouting was any indication, they were about to go at it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I glared at the DemiDevimon in front of me. It was almost as tall as BlackGuilmon was, and didn't seem to loose any arrogance with its reduction in level. He was cackling like an idiot and spouting some nonsense about having me beaten.
*How're you doing boy?*
*I'll be better when he's deleted Takatomon!*
*So will I, but I meant to ask if you can still fight.*
*Right beside you Takatomon!*
*Grani?*
*As BlackGuilmon is fond of saying: We stick together. Even in this. You lead, we'll follow.*
*Thanks guys.*
Alicia, Delia, and Dirk all held up their D-Arks, and a seemingly endless void poured from the three into DemiDevimon.
Digivolution_
DemiDevimon Warp Digivolve to…
As the form shot up, his voice deepened. The wings enlarged and a tall human-like…
That does not look like Ghoulmon, reminds me more of… shit.
…DEMON!
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You cant win boy! When we last face here, you had both the advantage of surprise and attacking while I was weak! Now you have neither advantage! And I shall grow stronger still! Watch!"
He waved his arm down at Alicia and her group. They all screamed in shock and pain as black auras engulfed them and fed Demon.
"Dark Spores…"
"Yes, Matsuki. Dark Spores! I was weakened that day four years ago because I had just planted them!"
"But you need to extract them to use them!"
"Not anymore Matsuki. Your connection with the abomination you call a digimon proves it! The Dark Spores respond to negative emotions! This place in and of itself amplifies those emotions! Then the D-Arks those children received transmit their emotions and with them their power to me! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Those foolish children and digimon thought I offered them power! I offered it to myself and no other! They who sought to rule your world shall instead be my 'batteries' as it were, as I conquer all!"
"I, no, we will stop you here, Demon! This day the battle shall be ours!"
"Fool! The children behind me supply me with more power than you could ever dream! And the only way to cut it off is to kill them. And as you put it so long ago, you are dark, but you are not evil! I will crush you and your world soon after!"
"NEVER!"
Biomerge
Digivolution_
BlackGuilmon Biomerge to… ChaosGallantmon!
"You are still a fool. Did our battle in the human world teach you nothing? You will fall by my hand."
"You may be powered by them Demon, but I'm powered by something else too!"
"Oh, please don't tell me you're power by your friends, dead or otherwise…"
"Heh. You must be confusing me with somebody else. I'm powered by your dead allies! DEMON'S DISASTER!"
The attack hit him dead center in the chest. He fell back a little and grunted in pain.
"So I see, but it will avail you not! EVIL INFERNO!"
The attack came faster than Grani or I expected. Much faster. Grani crashed and I was knocked for a loop.
Yup, he's definitely stronger. Good, this would be kinda anti-climactic otherwise.
I got back to my feet and jumped on Grani as he began to lift off again.
"JUDDECA PRISON!"
"EVIL FLAPPING!"
Our attacks hit head on and exploded, knocking us both back.
"I have no more patience for your games, boy!"
"Too bad 'cause we're gonna keep playing!"
He growled in response and there were fresh screams from the fallen tamers on top of the buffs as Demon increased the amount of energy he drew from them.
"EVIL INFERNO!"
The attack flew at me, and it hit. Hard. I lay in the shallow water for a short time listening to Demon's laughter.
Damn.
*Tamer, I will once more add my power to yours… just don't take so long to bring me back this time, okay?*
Next to me, Grani glowed and exploded into data. Instead of waiting to be loaded, it shot into me with a purpose. I felt his data intergrate with mine, and then…
…nothing.
Huh?
Chaos Mode wouldn't come. I felt stronger, more refreshed, but nothing near the overwhelming strength that had come before; that had come when I had mode changed.
Better than nothing…
I launched myself at Demon once more and let loose a flurry of blows.
He blocked them all with ease.
In the end I was on one knee, panting, awaiting the final blow.
I'm sorry everyone. I really am.
Demon, being the classic villain he is, took this opportunity to gloat.
"Fool! You should have joined me from the first day you fell into this world all those years ago! Now you will die! You will die for nothing! You are a worthless piece of trash! You could not avenge your friend's death anymore than they will be able to avenge yours. Your only value is the strength your data will add to mine!
"But be assured you will suffer. You will suffer beyond the grave as I lovingly enjoy every minute of the torture that I'll put that girl, Nonaka, through. Or better! Since her digimon has been deleted, I will become hers! Imagine the power I could gain if I infected one such as her with a dark spore!"
Rika… no… you can't…
"…I won't let you. YOU HEAR ME?! I WON'T LET YOU!"
My voice steadily increased in volume to a scream. I felt something happen.
ChaosGallantmon Mode Change to…
The ground around me exploded in my power. I could feel my cape burning in a black fire behind me, before it expanded into ten black wings. I felt Grani's data come to the surface and increase the mass of my body armor. I felt the mark of the catalyst burn onto both sides of my left hand as the mark of the hazard did the same on my right. I felt my helmet change its shape around my head. I watched my lance glow with black energy and change to a double-bladed sword. My wings lifted me up off me knee so that I hovered a few feet off the ground. I could feel time almost slow in my presence as the dust fell.
…ChaosGallantmon: Chaos Mode!
I watched with cold anger as Demon became visible. He was staring in shock as I spoke.
"Playtime's over. EXECUTION BLADE!"
I swung hard, energy coalescing in the dark blades as I slashed. Demon was covered in wounds when I was finished. I had hardly broken a sweat.
"Goodbye Demon. You're about to part of my data. ETERNAL PENANCE!"
Small globes of darkness formed a sphere around him and began to condense. He roared in agony as The attack slowly began to crush him. Then, the screams of Alicia and the others that had become background noise increased in tempo once more as Demon burst out of the sphere, ending my attack. On the cliff, they continued to scream.
They can't take much more of that…
As if reading my mind, Demon taunted me, speaking my full title in contempt.
"They will die as the pressure on them increases ChaosGallantmon: Chaos Mode. Even if I am stopped, I have forced the spheres to 'come of age' as it were. They will die from the spore's natural growth! But at least you will be dead! And then your friends Digidestined and Tamer alike shall suffer! They will all suffer!"
I felt the anger well up inside of me. Instinctively, I flew backwards into the sky and out to sea, never once turning my back on Demon. Below me, the sea began to boil as my anger began to heat it in waves. Above me the sky began to cloud as my black wings burst into black flames, somehow keeping me up. Demon stared in shock once more when I spread my arms wide, palms out, and lifted my head back as if to welcome the drops of black flame that began to fall.
On my left hand the symbol of the catalyst glowed with an eerie red light. The light spread itself in front of my palm and formed a large catalyst symbol made of pure energy. On my right, my sword glowed black once more and disappeared. Then the hazard symbol there began to glow as it formed a larger version of itself as well.
With arms still wide, wings still flaming, and symbols still glowing, I tilted my head back down and looked Demon in the eye.
"You have killed hundreds of digimon and dozens of humans! You have corrupted innocent souls! You have caused sorrow, anger, and despair wherever you have walked! All in the name of your insane ambition! NO MORE! THIS IS IT DEMON! THIS IS YOUR…
…JUDGMENT DAY!!"
As I called my attack, I slammed my hands together, and the symbols merged. The new symbol was not quite one, not quite the other. It looked almost like the symbol of hazard. There were three triangles on the outside of a circle as perfect one hundred twenty degree angles from each other. Inside the circle, where the fourth triangle should have lay, sat the familiar four triangles of the catalyst.
Just in front of the symbol a large ball of red and black energy formed, and then suddenly exploded into a solid column of the same that pierced Demon directly in the crest, flying straight through him, and into the cliffside. His body began to delete from around the gaping hole where my attack was.
"NOOOO!!!"
I then shot down at him myself, and loaded his data.
This time, you stay dead.
On the cliff, The black auras encasing Alicia, Delia, and Dirk faltered and the three hit the ground. I flapped my again feathery wings and floated calmly up to them. I felt a small twitch in my chest and looked down. In the center, where the hazard symbol had shown previously, now shown the new symbol that I had used to defeat Demon.
As I stared at it I understood. I understood why my attacks functioned on other viruses while theirs bounced off. I understood why the hazard and catalyst could exist in the same body and not have it become unraveled. I understood why BlackGuilmon was an innocent despite his form. I understood why I was dark, but not evil.
The catalyst and hazard were like light and dark. Two sides of the same coin, but a single coin none the less. Like BlackGuilmon was dark of form but light of mind.
Chaos was the answer. Chaos is often described as destruction and mayhem. As I continued to float slowly up the cliffside, I realized that this was an error. Destruction was a product of chaos, not chaos itself. Chaos, quite literally, meant confusion. And ChaosGallantmon was the ultimate confusion. Calumon's data had changed us more than I knew. I came to the realization that I, ChaosGallantmon, was not a virus.
I was a hybrid.
A virus-vaccine hybrid.
The ultimate confusion. The ultimate chaos, as per my name.
As I reached the top of the cliff, and looked down at the former Dark Tamers something else came to mind.
Four years ago, standing on Demon's hand…
'And with that, I leapt off his palm, plummeting towards the ground. I held out my hand and the familiar sensation of my body bursting into data came over me. I noted with some surprise that the red beam was actually red, and was the only speck of color in the place.'
I chuckled.
Looks like you were wrong about one more thing Demon.
I pointed my left palm at them, and let the light of the catalyst envelop them. The dark spores lifted from their bodies and disintegrated. I shuddered. That was some data I was really sure I didn't want. Then I realized that I hadn't shuddered as the ground beneath me split open and the three tumbled down the damaged cliff and into the water of the Dark Ocean.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched the angel-knight digimon that I couldn't recognize for the life of me shoot down into the water after the three humans who had fallen in. I was still in shock that there was actually a human inside that thing, but I commended him as a brave soul. Maybe now things would settle down again. The winged knight flew up out of the water with the boy and the dark haired girl, bit not the blonde one. He searched for a frantic hour before giving up, and leaving this territory. Something inside wanted to call out to him, there were other places I could go, but no. My friend was gone forever, so I would be gone forever, and remain in this 'Dark Ocean between worlds'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sighed in defeat as I went back to where I had left Delia and Dirk. I still couldn't find Alicia.
Goodbye Alicia. You were evil, but it was not your fault. I commend you to whoever will listen.
I looked down at the two unconscious people at my feet. I released the light of the catalyst on them once more, and then opened a gate beneath them inside the light. Whoever cared would find them in Shinjuku Park. I then opened a gate to the eastern quadrant for myself. It would be good to be home again.