Victory! No Trio, No Demons, No Problems.

Status log, Ichijouji Ken, Tamer First Class.

One month later, and we're still not making the slightest headway towards ending our conflict with Neo. Most of the fresh digimon have been evacuated per Operation: Fresh Exodus, and Noriko's informing our unwitting young volunteers about the remaining twenty.

Koushirou has discovered new information. It appears that rumors exist about an ancient digimon prophecy. Kishi informed me that the previous caretaker of Primary Central, Kazeyu, was giving an account of the prophecy shortly before his death. How this can help us against Neo is unknown, but I'm sure it factors into his plans.

Many members of Ryo's team have speculated on the legend. Zero thinks it's just a hyperbolic explanation of some of the monster blitzkriegs that have happened in recent years. Ryo and I have vouched for the two Kimeramons; Zero related an Imperialdramon Zero. Eastern considers Blackwargreymon as a part of that list, but Agumon and Gabumon doubt that.

Taichi mentioned a creature named Arcademon.

He says the name just popped into his head. I've been having doubts about Taichi as of late; however, it may be the strain of this crisis getting to him.

Hida-san and my grandfather are chatting by videophone. Between them, Jun, Ishida-san, Takaishi-san, and Takeru's grandfather in Paris; we should have a liable reason for our summer-long absence.

One summer. That's all it's going to take. I'll do whatever's necessary to end this, for too much time and effort has been wasted on this operation already.

Ichijouji Ken, end log.


==

The sun is setting. He crashes to the earth, never to rise again.

The angels will no longer bathe in his radiance, but shall submit to my will.

You cannot win, koibito, for as the mightiest of the eight falls, so does the sky itself.

==

"Easier than riding a bike, isn't it?" Ryo asks Taichi. The latter experiments with one of his cards and his digivice.

"Yeah, too easy. I guess they really do let anyone be a Tamer," Taichi shrugs.

"Actually, only three of us are Tamers. And if you're trying to insinuate that Ken was an incompetent Tamer, quit wasting your breath."

"Yeah-those Outers needed to be roughed up a little anyway," adds Takato smugly.

"My, aren't we taking enslavement a little lightly," hisses Taichi. "Especially considering we're fighting against that now."

Yamato watches his old friend carefully. "You're right, Taichi. Right now, we're fighting a kook consumed with darkness.

"But we've all got our demons to face. No exceptions."

==

Baka. With friends like Yamato, sometimes you wonder if you need enemies.

Yamato's practicing a new song now. A song in Spanish...bad Spanish. That'll teach Ken not to meddle with Yamato-kun's puny brain.

What demons do I have, anyway? I just hate Neo for everything that he's done. I don't want him, or anyone associated with him, to live.

Soldier boy Akiyama is right about one thing. I should have done it right the first time.

= = =

"...Agumon...?" Taichi's eyes open; and he sees a large, pale blue dragon. "You're not Agumon!"

"An Agumon for your partner?" asks the dragon. "What's his name?"

"It's Agumon. Always been Agumon," says Taichi in relief. "At least I can guess that you're not a dangerous digimon, seeing as I'm still alive."

"You're one weird Tamer, kid. Where's your unit?"

"You mean my friends? They're here somewhere on Server. Maybe we can find them and Agumon."

- - - -

Who in the nine bad sectors of the Dark Area sent me this kid? He's no Tamer. I'm surprised he has a deck of cards.

This must be Gennai's idea of a joke. I'm sure the Guardians wouldn't send this...this....

Taichi's a brave kid, definitely Chosen. Has a T1 and a Tag.

I know that we're supposed to keep radio silence, but I want an answer to this fiasco. A well-trained Victory Dramon like myself can't be paired with amateurs and overgrown freshies.

Finding the com tower, I patch a line to Gennai.

"...hold on, Koushirou, someone's on the other line...Zeromaru, you were ordered to maintain radio silence."

"While within enemy lines. So the kid and I are outside enemy lines, I made sure we weren't followed by Leo's unit." Gennai can be rather predictable normally, so sending this human freshie is random of him.

"I need an explanation, Gennai-sama, pronto," I continue.

"Gennai! Where are my friends? Where's Agumon?" adds Taichi, who at least knows Gennai.

"They're all fine so far, Taichi. I know you were right behind your partner when heading back from your world; however, your presence in Zero's location isn't from me.

"The order, Zeromaru, came straight from the top." Gennai shrugs.

The "top". That means the Harmonious Ones themselves have a big interest in the outcome of this operation.

"Any idea why they sent a digidestined-without his partner-to fight in a conflict meant for a Tamer First Class?" I ask.

"Taichi does have knowledge of data cards," muses Gennai, "and he has defeated the enemy in question."

"What are you talking about?" asks Taichi. Gennai must be just as cryptic with him.

"You'll have to learn by doing, I'm afraid. Don't worry, Taichi," adds Gennai, "Zeromaru has trained for most of his life to handle this type of situation.

"Unfortunately, as he well knows," continues Gennai, giving me a peeved look, "I'm not permitted to tell you any more than that. This mission is too sensitive to permit an information leak."

The old binary's right. Our enemy is crafty.

"I'm confident that Taichi can handle this situation with your help." Gennai signs off, and scrambles the signal so I won't try to contact him again.

Like I'd bother. There's no sense questioning the whims of the Harmonious.

"Wait!" Taichi has that "Chibimon stuck on a train track" look. "Gennai-send my friemds! Or at least Agumon!"

"Kid," I grunt. I don't sigh. "I'm not much of a chatterbox. You and I are all we've got right now. Gennai can't send your friends or your partner here to Central; and even if he had that power, he wouldn't be authorized to use it."

What evil is so great in the digital world that the Harmonious would take matters into their own hands? They've always left it to Gennai and the Holy Four before....

I may be the digimon of prosperity and good fortune*, but I don't like our chances one bit.

- - - -

Two weeks later, I have learned a lot.

I learned that the brainiac I defeated in that card game championship is a madman-or crazy boy, I don't know-trying to take over the digital world. Hope this doesn't start a trend.

That Saiba Neo. But I don't see him yet. So far, I've only seen three of his schoolmates. Also known as cohorts. Sigma Leo, a bishounen no kamen wannabe; Watanabe Mari, who I think is too silly to be a real threat. I mean, it's like being in a battle with Mimi. She even mixes up Pocket Monster attacks with Tama Battle attacks....

Zero's way too worried.

I forgot about the third kid...Hi-something.

"So...you're the one who defeated Saiba Neo at the Tama Battle finals?" asks the boy I was thinking about.

Now I remember. "Hideto!" Kobayashi Hideto, the friendly kid. Of course, I've got my deck ready, and Zero's ready to fight. Do Veedramons live for this or what?

"Don't call me that, Taichi," says Hideto calmly. Of course, I'll call him whatever the heck I want to call him. "My name here is Hayato," continues the schizoid kid.

"Whatever," I shrug, "Yeah, I beat Neo. This is kind of different, though."

"The stakes are higher. World domination usually raises the bar," "Hayato" smiles sadly. It's like he doesn't want to be here.

He and his digimon, a Drimogemon, stand ready to fight.

"We aren't going to stand here and talk all day." That'd be my guess.

"No; we fight."

- - - -

Kobayashi Hideto. Sigma Leo. Both of them helped Neo to destroy the digital world, yet both of them hated Neo's guts. It doesn't make sense.

Taichi won his first battle-against two of the Alias Trio, no less. Not bad for a rookie. Yeah; I promoted the kid. All things considered, he's doing great.

Too bad about those boys' deaths, though. Taichi's taking it hard. Curse that Neo; he's the only one that's supposed to die.

I slammed Drimo-chan's drill into the ground to immobilize him, but I didn't know that Hayato ran underneath...until it was too late. The drill crushed Hayato's leg; if I hadn't held on to the big mole, the kid would've been a rice cake.

Hayato begged Taichi to finish killing him.

Sigma's another issue altogether. He planned to kill us and take over Neo's operation himself. But we showed him, with a little Kinveedramon action. The pretty boy's face was a bit bruised, and his hair needed a good stylist after we got through with him, but he was alive. Taichi insisted.

I think we make a great team ourselves...eh, but he has an Agumon to go home to.

As for Sigma, however, he and his Devimon Duo-an Ice and a regular-all were destroyed by a huge white solar laser. It came from a Leafmon, believe it or not. The little freshie virus sat cradled in the arms of a kid wearing white robes.

We couldn't see the kid's face because of this shiny full-face mask, but he did say we'd meet again.

Taichi says he's praying for the boys' departed souls. Don't understand much about that, though I've heard that humans can't be reconfigured like we can. Must be a data compilation problem.

"Neo's...the only one that has to die, right?" asks Taichi.

"Yeah." I nod.

"Let's make sure that the last kid of the Trio makes it home to her parents."

"Uncle. Uncle Shinichiro. He's all I've got to go home to."

- - - -

Watanabe Mari. The last member of the Trio. She's silly, so I'll make this quick and painless. And hopefully, we can get her and her Palmon away before White Kamen Psycho comes with his Leafmon of Death.

She has a cute look of shoujo manga determination on her face. Gods, did I just say that in my head-she's not cute, she's a girl. An evil girl.

- - -

"Mari, you're actually good at this?" Zero and I've never had a hard time winning before. I'm using my best Veedramon combos, too.

Nothing sticks.

The twit laughs. "You were just battling a pair of sorry, disloyal Victory Tamers. I'm a Tamer First Class, and nobody messes with Tamers at my level."

"We shouldn't have underestimated her," grunts Zero, struggling in the deadly embrace of Mari's Rosemon.

The digimon looks like she stepped out of Mom's Sailor Moon tapes.

"No, you shouldn't have," smirks Mari. She's so...cool? What's with me? She's not cool!

She mixes those Pokemon moves in with some Monster Farm tactics. And she knows Tama Battle. Crap!

Worst of all, I can't concentrate enough to beat her. This girl drives me nuts!

"I know you have a fire attack in your arsenal, Zero. You share the same rookie level as an Exveemon."

"Heck no," counters Zero, breaking out of
Rosemon's grip. "I'd have to revert to rookie to do that, and it won't happen."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't be seen as a rookie. I won't be seen as a rookie.

"Try something else."

What else? I use the Sun card; "Rosie" gets stronger. I try the Ice card, but that weed uses the energy from the Sun card to melt the ice and grows stronger.

But...if she uses Pocket Monsters as part of her strategy, then it can't hurt for me to try it.

"Zero," I command, "break to Aeroveedramon and hit gold. As soon as you do, grab Rosie and fly into the stratosphere. I'll boost you."

"And when I get into the stratosphere?" asks Zero.

"Fly in circles five times, then a good nosedive before slamming Rose-chan to the ground."

"Hai."

- - -

"What?" Mari stares at Zero and Rosie. "Charizard's Seismic Toss? Damn you, Taichi."

"You're not the only kid that knows Pocket Monsters. Looks like you underestimated me," I smirk.

And this is one of the main reasons girls are considered aliens on our planet. Mari smiles back. I feel like melting into a puddle of joy. Why, I have no clue.

I slash the Fire card, Sun card, Moon card, and Death card, in that order. And Rosie, already burnt from reentry, lands about ten kilometers under. The impact makes a cool crater.

"We did it!" I cry happily.

Mari creeps to the hole. She looks inside and scowls.

"I can't face Saiba-sama with a failure," she sighs. "But I'm not going to do something stupid and die, either."

She stylishly flicks out her Blue card. "Life card. Heart card. Blue charge, joint fusion. Persephone's Kiss."

She kisses the card, and the whole area swarms with rose petals. Smells nice. But it feels like she kissed me...nah.

Rosie, now back in her Palmon stage, floats to the surface and crawls to Mari.

"You must be stronger for Saiba-sama. Go to Southern now, and train," Mari adds sharply, placing a ring around her neck.

"What's with the jewelry?" I quip.

"That's a device only Tamers in First Class can use. Rosie trains while going to Southern."

"Where are you going?"

"Home, before Neo kills me. He hates failure, but he'll cool off if I keep my distance."

"You're exaggerating," I grin.

"No, I'm not. You saw what happened to Sigma." With that, Mari points her T3 at a TV that popped up at random. And heads home.

- - - -

"Alias Trio eliminated. Zeroing in on prime target....hai, Piccolo-sama." We just have to take Neo out, and Taichi heads home.

Doesn't mean I won't miss him; but it gives me hope that I'll have a digidestined myself. Surely there's a kid out there truly worthy of a Victory Dramon as their guardian.

Bah. I shouldn't indulge in these fantasies. I'm a tactician, the perfect Tamer partner. We fight, share some fun times, and go home, on our separate ways. No attachments, no regrets: the one rule that we go by.

And our mission ends when we terminate Saiba Neo.

"Yagami Taichi. We meet again." Speak of the devil.

- - - -

"Neo...we don't have to fight." I don't want to hurt another kid.

Neo laughs. "I understand that; but you've been sent to kill me."

"What?" I look at Zero. I've already had to kill one kid.

"It's true," grunts Zero. "Remember, he has to die."

"I know that, but that makes me an assassin!" I can't stand that idea, just willfully killing another kid. "I thought we were going to bring him to justice, and then we see him executed."

"I've already been judged," smiles Neo, "and found guilty. In fact, I confessed my guilt.

"I am guilty...for I consort with darkness. But you don't understand darkness, Taichi. You are the sun, with your sister the star.

"You are light and I am darkness. That's why you were sent to kill me."

"Shut up!" I can't stand it when Neo talks. "I don't want to hear your life story. I want to know why you're taking over the digital world."

"Welcome to my world, Taichi. You will die."

"Answer my question, yaro!"

"I am a ruthless god, so I can do as I please. There isn't a damn thing you can do to stop me," Neo adds with a scornful laugh.

"Enough!" snarls Zero. "Taichi, I see your problem, but he'll harm millions more lives if we don't kill him."

"No other way around this?" I ask.

"Nope."

"Then let the games be-what?" Indeed. What could surprise the great and evil Saiba Neo?

Then I see it. A digimon I never saw before, but it looks like something that could kill me in my nightmares. It's...too grotesque to talk about.

"Arcademon," scowls Neo, "I did not command you to come out yet."

"I obey...my true master," growls Arcademon, who must have a difference of opinion with Neo.

"I am your true master, baka. But I'll leave Demon to his delusions.

"Though we must chat." Neo turns to Taichi. "I'll leave his disposal to you, Yagami Taichi.

"Our fateful clash of wills will have to continue at a later date. Adieu."

= = =

Worthless yaro left Zero and me to fight Arcademon. He was tough, but thankfully not at full strength. Zero, you and I beat him, too.

I had thought back then that we could relax. Without Arcademon, Neo would have been an easy kill. Or so we thought.

Then we found out that Arcademon was the least of our worries.

==

Status log, Ichijouji Ken, Tamer First Class.

Tonight was a long night from hell. Veemon and Zero had a huge fight over jogress. Daisuke was furious, and you'd have to do something pretty stupid to make him mad.

Naturally, I asked Ryo what caused Zero's brain to malfunction. He and I got into a heated fist discussion ourselves. Finally, Ryo directed me to talk to Zero.

Miyako tried to remind me that Ryo and Zero weren't a digidestined team. I know that. Their bond's greater than either a Tamer or a digidestined, and deeper than either of the taciturn baka will admit. And, Ryo has a functional T1-the basic digivice.

But that's beside the point. I cornered Zero. At first, Zero clammed up; then I decided to tell him about grandpapa. And that I'd send Zero to chat with dear Ojiisan. I have ways of making people talk; don't ask me why.

I also told him about my experience with jogress; that at eleven, I was a bit leery of it myself.

But before I could explain that it turned out well for Wormmon and Veemon, Zero told me that he had a bad experience with jogress. That, of course, is vague; I told him to relate the whole story.

He started by telling me the name of his jogress partner. I wish I hadn't asked.

= = = =

[AN: *refers to Tai's blurb about Veemon being "a digimon that brings good luck". Nifty, those dub lines. :)]