"It hurts so much to continue on, I wonder why I do. I guess I just can't force myself to give up. Humans tell tales of creatures like that; ones who are either branded courageous or stupid....."

"Still, this physical pain is what I deserved. After all the pain I've caused others.....I probably got off easy. But one question remains. Why does it not hurt inside anymore? I still don't feel 'enlightened' but......I feel more at peace than I have ever felt."

"Could it be? .....That has to be the answer. I fought against the darkness, and thus won over the darkness that is inside of me. That is the only possible answer, because I am not being consumed by the darkness inside of me."

"It is far from happiness, but I hope it lasts. It is much better than the agony in which I lived before."

"Maybe....maybe there is more to my existence than I know. If I could fight the darkness within myself, then what else can I do? Can I continue like this, fighting against darkness that threatens to destroy? Fight against the very thing that created me?"

"Ironic.....that thought actually makes me smile."

**************************************************************************** ****

"What do you mean its been activated?!" yelled Davis.

"I thought we destroyed them all," added TK.

"Are you sure you weren't seeing things?" asked Patamon.

"No, but I wish we were," said Cody.

"It was awful," added Armadillomon.

"I tried to have Armadillomon evolve into Ankylomon, but he couldn't," said Cody.

"Did you see any Dark Rings?" asked Ken, nervously.

"No," said Cody.

"What's a Dark Ring?" asked Neomon.

"And a control spire?" added Yulkamon.

"Um...." stammered Joe.

"I don't think you should be here, now," said Yolei to Hoku and Tsuchi.

"Why not?" asked Hoku. Tsuchi cringed back slightly. Her twin was definitely the more dominate one of the two.

"Older digi-destined business," said TK, shortly.

"Oh...." moaned Neomon.

"Sorry," muttered Kari as she led the twins and their digimon away.

"So, what are we going to do?" asked Joe while they were waiting for Kari to return.

"I think we should destroy it," said Davis.

"I disagree," said Izzy. "I think we need to track down the reason for it being rebuilt and operational."

"Maybe we should contact Tai and the others," suggested Kari.

"I'm hungry," said Veemon, but he was ignored.

"Should we try to see if there's any more control spires?" asked Gatomon.

"Yeah," agreed Hawkmon. "They could be really trouble for the younger digi- destined."

"Oh, don't talk like that!" exclaimed Yolei. "I don't want to think of there being more of them!"

"Maybe we should split up," suggested Gomamon.

"No, never split up," said Lopmon.

"Those are the first to disappear," added Terriermon.

"Cut it out you two!" hushed Willis.

"I think we have bigger concerns," said Ken.

"What do you mean?" asked Davis.

"What is the control spire as something to do with the influx of power from the Dark Ocean?" he asked.

"Ken....." muttered Wormmon.

"What does a control spire have to do with the Dark Ocean?" asked Joe.

"I could always run an analysis on my computer to check," volunteered Izzy.

"Let's split up," suggested Davis. "Some of us can take down the control spire Cody found, while the rest try to find out more about it."

"Fine by me," agreed TK.

"I can't believe Davis actually came up with a good idea," said Yolei, quietly. Hawkmon snickered.

"We need digimon who can armor digivolve," said TK.

"I'll go!" volunteered Veemon.

"Me too!" agreed Patamon.

"Me three!" chimed Armadillomon.

"We'll come too," said Kari, with a pause to think.

"Yeah, you need some girls to keep you boys in line," added Yolei.

"I want to see Izzy's program for scanning the digital world," said Willis. "So we'll go with the second group."

"Wormmon and I had better join you," said Ken.

"Fine," agreed Tentomon. "I could use the company."

"And when they get started talking about computers....watch out!" added Terriermon.

"Let's call each other in an hour and a half," suggested Kari.

"Okay, let's go!"

**************************************************************************** ****

"I can't believe they think we are still rookies!" pouted Hoku.

"Yeah!" agreed Neomon. "I can kick major digi-baddie butt!"

"I'm sorta glad...." muttered Tsuchi. But she was careful enough so her twin wouldn't hear her. She focused on rubbing the end of her shirt over her digi-egg.

"Treating us like little kids....." Hoku continued to fume.

"Well, this gives us time to go explore the digital world without them," said Yulkamon.

"Great idea!" exclaimed Hoku. She leapt to her feet, startling her digimon. "Coming Tsuchi?"

"......Yeah...." she replied, finishing wiping her fingerprints off of her digi-egg.

Then, the egg in her hand started to glow brightly.

"EEK!" exclaimed Tsuchi.

"What the?!" gasped Neomon and Yulkamon

They all shielded their eyes from the light. Slowly, it faded.

"What happened?" asked Hoku.

"I .... I don't know...." stammered Tsuchi.

"Let me see! Let me see!" exclaimed Yulkamon.

Tsuchi held out her hands. In it was not one digi-egg, but two. The first was blue with violet stripes, the second was blue with pink stripes.

"Twins!" exclaimed Hoku, ecstatic. "You're going to have twin digimon!"

"I am?" asked Tsuchi, looking curiously at her two digi-eggs.

"Cool!" exclaimed Neomon.

"No, it's awesome!" added Yulkamon.

"That's what happened before my digimon hatched," said Hoku. "This is great!"

"I can hardly wait," said Tsuchi with a smile.

AN/ Okay then..... No reviews on the last chapter. Anyone reading this at all? Anyone?

And, I just have to say it, to those of you who are listening..... Please read, review, and enjoy! (