A note from me: Hey, I know this is a little short, but it covers more of the story's progression than you'd think. I'm probably gonna make the movie-fic, as I like to call it, after Episode 10. It'll take place AFTER the entire fic, which I haven't completed at that point, obviously. But I promise there won't be any spoilers. ^^; Review this for me? Thanks. Flames are, though not appriciated, allowed too.

Episode 9: Breaking the Chains of Fate

It was now the next day, around ten. Ryan was already up, had been for about an hour, and Kumamon was asleep next to him on the couch downstairs. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Ryan got up out of his seat and opened it, to see Ruki and Shiuchon standing there.

"HII!!" Shiuchon exclaimed with a smile. Ryan smirked a little.

"Hey."

"Hey, we just saw some lady on the way here... She asked if we knew you. When we said yes, she said... 'Tell him it's over.' So... Whatever that means, it's over, I guess.." she said, a little confused. Ryan froze for a moment.

"This lady... Was she kinda tall..? Heavy..? Blonde hair...?"

"... Yeah, you know her."

"Oh, crap...! That's my MOTHER! Kumamon, GET UP!!" Kumamon jumped.

"Wha-what?! What's goin' on?!"

"We've gotta move! NOW!" Ryan pushed past Ruki and Shiuchon, Kumamon following him out, and the two began to run. Ruki and Shiuchon followed.

"Hey! Can I get a little information, here?!" Ruki shouted at him.

"No time! Just follow me!"

"Maybe this'd be easier if I.. EVOLVED?"

"... Good idea. Command: Evolution!" While running, Kumamon quickly evolved and Ryan climbed up onto him.

"Whoa! Er... Command: Evoltuion!" Ruki called as well, trying to keep up. Renamon did the same as Kumamon, and Ruki jumped on. "C'mon, Shiu. Keep up!" she said, pulling Shiuchon up. The two Digimon ran down the street as fast as they possibly could, not knowing why. Ryan just ordered Grizzmon's directions, and Kyuubimon followed him. Out of seemigly nowhere came Ace once again, standing in their way. Grizzmon didn't even slow down.

"Outta the way, punk!" Ryan snapped. Ace simply stood there, glaring. Then, at the last moment, he stepped aside to avoid Grizzmon. He stared at them as they continued on.

"... Perfect... Now I know Grizzmon's weak points... I can't get to Ruki without getting through him first, it seems..."

The two Digimon ran across town, into the next town, and continued on until they reached Ryan's apartment. He ordered Grizzmon to stop, and he did so. Ryan hopped down off the back and ran up to the door, seeing the lock had been shot out. "Oh, crap... Crap....!!" He quickly turned around. "Grizzmon, Kyuubimon, circle around back! Ruki and Shiuchon, follow me! Now!" Ryan kicked the door open and everyone did as directed. Just as he got up to the door, he was frozen stiff, his hand an inch from the doorknob. "What the...?!" Ruki and Shiuchon stopped and stared in surprise.

"It's your fault... It had to occur..." Nyxmon's voice echoed in his mind, and he heard a gunshot on the other side of the door. He glared at the knob, focused.

"... I don't believe you... I'm not bound by fate...!" Suddenly, his D-Plug let out that silver light once again and eveything seemed to move slow but himself. He rammed through the door and dove forward, the bullet just away from its target. He never quit pushing, until finally, he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. "Aah...!" He slammed down on the ground and speed returned to normal. His mother gasped in surprise.

"What the..?!"

"Get outta here! Now!" Ryan ordered to his dad, holding his shoulder tightly. He hesitated, then finally ran out the door. Ruki slid down on her knees next to Ryan.

"Ryan! Ryan, dammit..! What'd you DO?! You got shot, you idiot..!!" she yelled, holding back tears.

"Take it easy, Ruki..! Man..!" Shiuchon ran in after, and Ryan's mom paniced. Not knowing what to do, she shot at Shiuichon. She didin't even know what was coming to her it was so fast.

"Tiny Twister!!" Lopmon spun around in front of Shiuchon, knocking the bullet away, and landed. Shiuchon sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Lopmon..." Ryan's mother, still panicing, ran off out the door. Ruki stood up and glared at her.

"Oh no you don't... Kyuubimon, get around front!" she called out the window behind her, then ran after her. She was already out the front door, running as fast as a drug addict could, but was cut off by a fiercely growling Kyuubimon. She jumped at little back backed up a few steps. As she went to turn around, she saw Ruki standing there, with a look that could kill.

"Move, kid!"

"No! You piece of shit, you shot a good friend of mine! I'll make you pay for it if it's the last thing I DO!"

"And it WILL be!" she assured, firing a bullet at her.

"Ruki!!" Kyuubimon called and jumped at Ryan's mom from behind. Ruki shut her eyes tightly. Just before the bullet could make contact, a crystal blue light surrounded Ruki and repelled the bullet. The glow went everywhere and Ruki's eyes shot open.

"Upgrade Evolution!!" she echoed, as the area around them was covered in blue ice crystals. Kyuubimon glowed with the same light and became covered in the ice.

"Kyuubimon, shinka!" The ice broke, along with Kyuubimon, and reformed again. It held Taomon within it and shattered again. This time, though, it awoke Taomon. "... Taomon!!" Ryan's mother turned around, then looked back at Ruki, then took off along the side of the building.

"Bonhitsusen," Taomon said calmly, and held her hand up. The fleeing woman froze in her tracks. Out of Taomon's hand came a sharp blue beam of ice, which stuck through Ryan's mother completely. It shattered in her and she fell, blood flowing from her body seemed to form a deep red pool. Taomon brought her hand down with the highest level of calm a being could reach, it seemed. He looked at her shocked partner.

"T... Taomon..?" Ruki muttered between breaths.

"Don't worry, Ruki. Everything's fine now." Taomon nodded in assurance, and devolved to her Child form.

"R-Ryan! We've gotta get him outta here!" she spoke up suddenly, and ran back inside. Renamon, who was aware somehow of what had happened, walked up the stairs after her without the slightest sense of panic. Ruki ran through the open door and slid down at her dear friend's side and held him up in her arms.

"Ruki..." he mumbled, halfway knocked out. "My shoulder... Blue light... It was awesome...." he trailed off, then fell unconscious. She looked at his shoulder to notice the wound was completely healed, though the hole in his shirt still remained.

"My D-Plug..?" Ruki asked herself. "Did it do that...?" Kumamon, who hadn't seen any action as an Adult, ran in.

"Yeah! It must be your D-Plug's special ability!"

"Ruki..." a soft, kind voice echoed in her mind. She looked up at the ceiling.

"Huh...? W-what is it...?"

"I don't care how tough you act, child, you have a pure heart... Do your best to stay that way."

Ruki's expression changed from calmly confused to a warm smile as she nodded. "Alirght... Thanks..."