Part Sixteen: Unexpected Visitors
While in one of Toronto's many commercial dumpster bins...
Cautiously, Joey Martinez opened the lid and clambered out of the business trash receptacle he'd been hiding out in. Twenty-four hours ago, he'd been an ambitious apprentice to a local thief. Now, with the cops around asking for his name, he felt more like the scared 13-year old that he was. Thanks to his close association with Patterson while 'learning the ropes'; he already had a long list of juvenile offenses tied to his name. If caught, he'd be thrown in jail. But without Patterson to tell him what to do, he felt lost.
What was he going to do? Where was he going to hide? The cops had never seemed this numerous before!
Just then a high-pitched wailing sound caught his ear, coming closer and closer at a fast clip.
A police siren? But it was coming from...above?
He looked up in time to see a tumbling mass of dark gray and purple hurtle downwards at great speed until it disappeared into the open dumpster. There was a loud *bang* of something fleshy hitting metal, and then what sounded like a string of curses coming from some foreigner before silence fell..
Blinking, Joey grabbed the lip of the bin, intending to haul him self up enough to peer inside its depths when a loud, somewhat irritating voice such as he'd imagine belonged to a door-to-door salesperson or a talk-show host dispelled the quiet, its brash sound echoing eerily from within the metal trash bin.
"W-Woaa-h-h! W-Whaat-t a-a r-R-UUSH-SH!"
The top of a dark purple, spherical shape began to appear before Martinez startled eyes, two bat wings flapping furiously on either side of a skull as it rose. Joey fell backwards to land on his butt. His eyes widened as the dark ball continued to rise between the furious flapping---revealing not a neck and shoulders, but two, humungous, pigeon-toed feet and a pair of big, orange eyes.
Jesus, Joseph, and Mary!
It was a rat! An indigo rat with pigeon feet and bat wings and... and wearing an executioner's cap? Oh, man! How could he be hallucinating when he hadn't taken anything today?!
"Somebody get me the owner of that roller coaster ride! I want'a file a complaint!" the grating voice proclaimed as it wobbly perched itself on the edge of the bin's side, rubbing its forehead with a webbed wing.
"What the heck are you?" Joey managed to squeak out as he scrambled upright while took several steps back.
The bright, bestial eyes of the basketball-sized monster fixed on him, snorting sarcastically as it shot back. "Who the heck am I? Who the heck are YOU?" It flew straight at the teenager, gripping the front of Joey's filthy t-shirt as it knocked the boy back down.
"Phheeew! Human," it sneezed. Pompously, it 'straightened' up with a flourish of its wings and loudly announced: "I am Demidevimon! Right-hand to the Lord Myotismon! Remember the name, human twerp!"
Despite his position of 'flat on his back', Joey managed to summon the panache to bluntly point out that all the creature had were wings and feet. "Right hand?"
The cat's LSD nightmare on his chest leaned forward menacingly until the great eyeballs were close to Joey's much smaller, brown versions.
"Whatever," Demidevimon growled.
Martinez gulped. The creature hopped off of him to fly back up to the dumpster perch. It eyed him critically as he rose to his feet and dusted himself off.
The digimon sulked. The fact was, the only reason that he was important now was that all of Myotismon's other main cronies were just so much data dust after the fight with the Digi-Destined. And if that damned wizard hadn't interfered, Myotismon would have won handedly instead of consuming the digital remains of the Nightmare Army in order to evolve into the Mega, VenomMyotismon. Including consuming himself. Which was a puzzle, the Rookie decided, as how was he here now? Myotismon must have regurgitated his data. Yeah---that was it! His master was giving him a second chance to redeem himself for having dropped Kari's crest and thereby letting Gatomon digivolve into Angewoman in the first place.
"I may only be a Rookie right now, but when Myotismon realizes what a loyal associate I am, he'll help me digivolve into a Champion---maybe even warp to an Ultimate!" The Virus glanced around, eyes darting suspiciously. "Where am I?" he demanded. He had to find Myotismon.
"Toronto."
"Never heard of it," Demidevimon barked, irritated. He considered another, somewhat pressing problem. "Where's the food located here?"
"Hey, I don't have to answer any of your questions, Rat Ball."
Rat Ball! Demidevimon internally snarled, (though, in truth, he rather liked the moniker). "Maybe I should kill and eat you right now, human twerp!" Unfortunately he didn't have a clue as to where in the Two Worlds Toronto was in relation to his master, and the kid might prove useful. He glowered balefully at the middle-sized human. "How did I get into this... 'Toronto'?" The monster said the name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"I'm no travel guide---how the heck should I know?" Joey huffed. "In fact, as far as I'm concerned, you're just another hallucination created by that freak in the pointy hat!" He turned and started to make his way out towards the street. Better the cops than a flying rat.
He'd taken only one step before that flying rat was back in his face, hovering at eye level.
"Did you say 'pointy hat'?" Demidevimon excitedly demanded of the teen. "Would said pointy hat be attached to a two-legged upright such as yourself of about so high"--he flew to about 3' 8"--"have a nasty-shade of yellow hair and a covered face?"
"Yeah..."
"HoHoHOHO!" the Virus digimon executed a triumphant back flip, landed on the asphalt, and commenced to dance a victory jig while crowing his delight. "Wizardmon--you traitorous bag of data bytes---you're MINE! I can't wait to see the boss' face when I drag your sorry, raggedy puss back to Lord Myotismon! Maybe this time he'll even let me be in charge of the torture now that that prig Phantomon is just so much random dust!" Dancing done, he stared straight at Martinez. "And you are going to help me bag him."
"No way!" Joey said, brushing past the digimon. "I've had enough of that guy to last me a lifetime. I'm turning myself in."
The next second he found himself kissing the filth on the ground, right cheek stinging from a blow from a leathery wing.
"What was that, monkeymon boy?"
"Um... there's a vending machine at the school we can break in to for eats?"
"Lead the way, servant."
Martinez's eyes took on a crafty look. "You know... I bet Old Man Schanke would know where to find the one you're after..."
Demidevimon sniffed. "Schanke, huh? What's that? Sounds like a bad smell."
"He's one of the top detectives in the city. Got my pal after he stayed behind to take on this Wizardmon of yours."
Demidevimon snickered humorously. "Then your 'pal' is most likely deleted. Humans are no match for the superiority of a digimimon.".
"Yeah? Well, Sam is pretty tough!" Joey loyally retorted. "And I know he's alive because I overheard some of the cops talking about how he's being held at the 27th. I told you, Old Man Schanke took him and I bet he's got that freak too---or knows where to find him."
Scratching an itch on his chin with the tip of one wing, the Rookie Viral thought it over. He didn't trust this human, but if the other had run against Wizardmon it might be wise to pump the kid for all he knew. "Then we'll be making a stop to pick up your friend"---stomach rumble---"uh…after I've eaten."
Sheesh! No way to sneak into anywhere if his tummy was going to be declaring itself every darn minute!
"Do these 'vending machines' come in 'All You Can Eat' styles?"
______________________________
To say that Don Schanke had been grateful when Wizardmon had agreed to play entertainer for Jenny's party---for naught but food---would have been an understatement The vampire had thought his partner was going to shake the digimon's arm off such had been Don's ecstatic response.
After leaving the precinct Nick drove the caddy towards Natalie's apartment with Wizardmon riding shotgun. Both were blissfully unaware that the Data was no longer the sole digimon tourist in the city.
"Nat's a good friend of mine," Nicholas related as he drove, smiling as he stole glances at his passenger. (Wizardmon was levitating just enough to see out the windows, eyeballing the myriad sights of downtown as they drove by.) "She's the only human in Toronto who knows what I really am, so we can talk freely around her about anything. You'll find she's very accepting of new situations. Just..."---he paused as if rethinking his last statement---"… maybe let me explain things first before you show yourself."
Wizardmon nodded absently, lost in the spectacle that was neon lights and late-night club attendees ambling to their chosen destinations. Yes, Digital World had its own amazing places and beings, but some of these humans sure dressed oddly. Were studded leather and metal rings through various body parts a symbol of a virus human like the skull was that of the viral digimon's? And did their hair really grow out in large red spikes? It looked like a formidable weapon if so. Maybe they shot off like an ikkakumon's?
They made it to the Lambert residence without incident---if you didn't count the landlady following them nearly all the way up before Nick had felt compelled to whammy her into minding her own business.
"Okay, this is her place," Nicholas said as they came to a stop before one of the doors. He knocked. From inside could be heard a frantic female voice telling whomever it was that she was coming but to--
The last was masked by the sound of something shattering.
Nicholas had the door opened and flung wide before the last echo had died.
"Nat?!" he yelled out while in full vampire mode, glancing about for an attacker to either subdue or rend into tiny pieces depending on what they had done to his favorite human.
"Damn it Nick!" a pretty brunette woman yelled back from where she'd popped up from behind the sofa, "I said DON'T open the---SYDNEY! Come back here!!"
Expecting as he was either another vampire or a human assailant, Nick was not prepared for the gray and white bundle of fur that shot between his legs as it made a break for freedom. Unfortunately for the would-be escapee, there was another figure behind its mistress' odd-smelling friend. Wizardmon caught the terrified animal before he knew just what he had a hold of, earning him a face full of claws as 'Sydney' fought to get away. But the wizard was too stunned to notice the damage being inflicted as he stood there, frozen to the spot.
A cat?!
He was holding a cat!
A Real World feline counterpart of Gatomon's dabbed with gray, with a fluffier tail and minus the Champion Vaccine's Lighting Paw weapons. But it was enough of a reminder to send the Data digimon spiraling down into a sea of grief.
__________________________
(Digital World: The Past/Myotismon's castle)
It was just to have been a trial fight. A bit of sparring before meals were served.
Uncomfortably aware of the others watching them with keen eyes, Wizardmon stood before his commander, silently expressing his willingness to take whatever she wished to dish out in order not to blow his cover.
After recovering from 'showing his allegiance' to Lord Myotismon (aka: supplying the bastard with a meal), Wizardmon had recovered and been told by Phantomon to report to Gatomon who had also healed from her ordeal at the vampire's hands.
No problem there. Sticking by the feline's side was exactly where he wanted to be. Together, they could use any quiet moments they could get to plan out an escape from the Viral's clutches. After all, it wasn't like this would be the first time he'd ever escaped from an egotistical thug.
But his hopes of being able to fit in with this crowd were fast dwindling. Oh, he'd always been able to bluff his way out of most confrontations before---but this was a different situation then when he'd been a hermit. Not a *new* situation, mind you, but certainly not one he preferred to find himself in.
No… as a wanderer he'd always had the option of *not* fighting. Of turning the other cheek-or running if need be.
Not so here. Here he was expected to fight in all manners of dirty and merciless ways in order to keep their mutual master happy and off all their backs.
For instance, just a few hours ago a Gotsumon had been drafted---albeit unwillingly---into Myotismon's service. Just minutes ago the rock digimon had decided to escape by running down the plateau. Gatomon had instantly ordered that Wizardmon dispatch the 'coward'. He'd quickly complied and hurtled a blast at the fleeing Gotsumon, carefully aimed to 'look' like he'd meant business without actually hurting the fellow. And the poor Rookie had gotten away.
Mission accomplished.
Matrix speed the Gotsumon on his flight to another realm.
Naturally, Gatomon had sputtered and scowled like a disappointed commander.
He'd be reprimanded, of course. Maybe miss a meal or two. But it was worth it to spare a life while keeping up the masquerade of his being a mercenary.
Only... Was his friend putting maybe just a tad too much realism into her cursing? If he didn't know better, he'd think she wasn't bluffing at all… and that those thoughts she was thinking were truly her---
"IDIOT! Is that the best you can do?! A nearsighted numemon could aim better! Lightning Claw!"
Without the least hesitation chartreuse gloves sporting tiger strips crossed his vision in a blur before metal claws ripped into skin. He felt his neck nearly snap in two from the fury of the blow as his knees buckled from under him.
Dizzy and gasping, Wizardmon stared in mute shock as he fingered the long scratches on his face. Wet blood coated the tips of his glove, staining the soft leather a dull scarlet.
What...? Why had she struck him for sparing the gotsumon's life? The burning pain on his face was nothing compared to the conflagulation going on in his heart as he noted that Gatomon was sneering at him with disgust-filled eyes---eyes that did not know him and which were utterly devoid of the compassion she'd shown him just weeks before. And her thoughts…
What had that fiend Myotismon done to her?!
"What is your name, soldier?" Gatomon demanded.
"Wizardmon." he answered softly. She nodded as if she'd never heard the name before and couldn't have cared less if she had. The Data bit back a groan. If Myotismon had physically tied his soul to a stone and flung it into the sea, he didn't think it could sink any faster.
Never mind that it was now obvious that the vampire had, indeed, done something to his friend's memory; he had disappointed her and that knowledge was like the acrid taste of a bitter herb in his mouth. Frankly, it didn't matter to him who Myotismon chose to delete as nearly all here were scoundrels anyway. But Gatomon--the true Gatomon---would have cared, and so he had aimed to frighten and not destroy his opponent. Was the one whom he had come to save already irrevocably lost?
He bowed submissively; glad she could not see the tear falling down his face.
No! He couldn't let that be-fanged bastard win! He wouldn't!
Gatomon, however, wasn't through with him yet. "You'd better shape up, Wizardmon, if you want to amount to anything here," the animal digimon harshly informed him. "Lord Myotismon doesn't appreciate sloppiness in his Nightmare soldiers. When you attack, aim to delete unless I command otherwise." She shoved him away. "And keep that thing you call a mouth covered while you work for me. It's ugly and I don't want to have to look at it."
"I apologize, Gatomon," Wizardmon replied, hastily fixing the rent fabric around his face as well as his damaged skin with magic-tinted fingers. "I will try to do better under you." His eyes widened as he caught a thought from her. "Please don't tell Myotismon of my failure. I assure you it won't happen again."
She whirled on him. "How did you know I was thinking of that?"
"I... er..." he tongue stumbled, realizing that this changed Gatomon was NOT going to like his explanation. "I saw it in your thoughts."
The tip of a pink tongue poked out between two fangs as Gatomon considered him. "Then Demidevimon wasn't lying. He said he'd heard that one of the new recruits could read minds. I hadn't believed him---he's such tail licker. But a talent like that…might prove very useful… perhaps I won't have you used for target practice after all, Wizardmon. If you are unsuited to slaying the master's enemies, maybe you can be of service in other ways." Fast as a thunder bolt, the wizard found himself staring at a set of black talon points a mere inch from his eyes. Just make sure you do not read mine without my permission or these will be the last thing you ever see. I doubt a mind reader needs his sight in order to do his tricks."
Wizardmon shivered at her coldness.
"Yes, of course. I understand."
Just as quickly, the deadly implements were withdrawn. He took a quick breath, only realizing then that he had stopped breathing all together.
"Good. Now go with Skullmeramon and hunt down that coward you let get away. Delete him here---where you should have done it in the first place---and maybe this little incident will slip my mind when I report to our master."
"Anything for you, Gatomon," Wizardmon bowed, taking off to search for the AWOL Data that had fled Myotismon's service after the Data wizard had defeated him in a 'trial' fight.
'I will bear your claws when you are angry, bind your wounds when you are hurt til I live to see the true Gatomon break free of Myotismon's evil. I will do better for you, Gatomon. And I will see you deleted for what you have done to my only friend, Myotismon. I promise!'
____________________________
While in one of Toronto's many commercial dumpster bins...
Cautiously, Joey Martinez opened the lid and clambered out of the business trash receptacle he'd been hiding out in. Twenty-four hours ago, he'd been an ambitious apprentice to a local thief. Now, with the cops around asking for his name, he felt more like the scared 13-year old that he was. Thanks to his close association with Patterson while 'learning the ropes'; he already had a long list of juvenile offenses tied to his name. If caught, he'd be thrown in jail. But without Patterson to tell him what to do, he felt lost.
What was he going to do? Where was he going to hide? The cops had never seemed this numerous before!
Just then a high-pitched wailing sound caught his ear, coming closer and closer at a fast clip.
A police siren? But it was coming from...above?
He looked up in time to see a tumbling mass of dark gray and purple hurtle downwards at great speed until it disappeared into the open dumpster. There was a loud *bang* of something fleshy hitting metal, and then what sounded like a string of curses coming from some foreigner before silence fell..
Blinking, Joey grabbed the lip of the bin, intending to haul him self up enough to peer inside its depths when a loud, somewhat irritating voice such as he'd imagine belonged to a door-to-door salesperson or a talk-show host dispelled the quiet, its brash sound echoing eerily from within the metal trash bin.
"W-Woaa-h-h! W-Whaat-t a-a r-R-UUSH-SH!"
The top of a dark purple, spherical shape began to appear before Martinez startled eyes, two bat wings flapping furiously on either side of a skull as it rose. Joey fell backwards to land on his butt. His eyes widened as the dark ball continued to rise between the furious flapping---revealing not a neck and shoulders, but two, humungous, pigeon-toed feet and a pair of big, orange eyes.
Jesus, Joseph, and Mary!
It was a rat! An indigo rat with pigeon feet and bat wings and... and wearing an executioner's cap? Oh, man! How could he be hallucinating when he hadn't taken anything today?!
"Somebody get me the owner of that roller coaster ride! I want'a file a complaint!" the grating voice proclaimed as it wobbly perched itself on the edge of the bin's side, rubbing its forehead with a webbed wing.
"What the heck are you?" Joey managed to squeak out as he scrambled upright while took several steps back.
The bright, bestial eyes of the basketball-sized monster fixed on him, snorting sarcastically as it shot back. "Who the heck am I? Who the heck are YOU?" It flew straight at the teenager, gripping the front of Joey's filthy t-shirt as it knocked the boy back down.
"Phheeew! Human," it sneezed. Pompously, it 'straightened' up with a flourish of its wings and loudly announced: "I am Demidevimon! Right-hand to the Lord Myotismon! Remember the name, human twerp!"
Despite his position of 'flat on his back', Joey managed to summon the panache to bluntly point out that all the creature had were wings and feet. "Right hand?"
The cat's LSD nightmare on his chest leaned forward menacingly until the great eyeballs were close to Joey's much smaller, brown versions.
"Whatever," Demidevimon growled.
Martinez gulped. The creature hopped off of him to fly back up to the dumpster perch. It eyed him critically as he rose to his feet and dusted himself off.
The digimon sulked. The fact was, the only reason that he was important now was that all of Myotismon's other main cronies were just so much data dust after the fight with the Digi-Destined. And if that damned wizard hadn't interfered, Myotismon would have won handedly instead of consuming the digital remains of the Nightmare Army in order to evolve into the Mega, VenomMyotismon. Including consuming himself. Which was a puzzle, the Rookie decided, as how was he here now? Myotismon must have regurgitated his data. Yeah---that was it! His master was giving him a second chance to redeem himself for having dropped Kari's crest and thereby letting Gatomon digivolve into Angewoman in the first place.
"I may only be a Rookie right now, but when Myotismon realizes what a loyal associate I am, he'll help me digivolve into a Champion---maybe even warp to an Ultimate!" The Virus glanced around, eyes darting suspiciously. "Where am I?" he demanded. He had to find Myotismon.
"Toronto."
"Never heard of it," Demidevimon barked, irritated. He considered another, somewhat pressing problem. "Where's the food located here?"
"Hey, I don't have to answer any of your questions, Rat Ball."
Rat Ball! Demidevimon internally snarled, (though, in truth, he rather liked the moniker). "Maybe I should kill and eat you right now, human twerp!" Unfortunately he didn't have a clue as to where in the Two Worlds Toronto was in relation to his master, and the kid might prove useful. He glowered balefully at the middle-sized human. "How did I get into this... 'Toronto'?" The monster said the name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"I'm no travel guide---how the heck should I know?" Joey huffed. "In fact, as far as I'm concerned, you're just another hallucination created by that freak in the pointy hat!" He turned and started to make his way out towards the street. Better the cops than a flying rat.
He'd taken only one step before that flying rat was back in his face, hovering at eye level.
"Did you say 'pointy hat'?" Demidevimon excitedly demanded of the teen. "Would said pointy hat be attached to a two-legged upright such as yourself of about so high"--he flew to about 3' 8"--"have a nasty-shade of yellow hair and a covered face?"
"Yeah..."
"HoHoHOHO!" the Virus digimon executed a triumphant back flip, landed on the asphalt, and commenced to dance a victory jig while crowing his delight. "Wizardmon--you traitorous bag of data bytes---you're MINE! I can't wait to see the boss' face when I drag your sorry, raggedy puss back to Lord Myotismon! Maybe this time he'll even let me be in charge of the torture now that that prig Phantomon is just so much random dust!" Dancing done, he stared straight at Martinez. "And you are going to help me bag him."
"No way!" Joey said, brushing past the digimon. "I've had enough of that guy to last me a lifetime. I'm turning myself in."
The next second he found himself kissing the filth on the ground, right cheek stinging from a blow from a leathery wing.
"What was that, monkeymon boy?"
"Um... there's a vending machine at the school we can break in to for eats?"
"Lead the way, servant."
Martinez's eyes took on a crafty look. "You know... I bet Old Man Schanke would know where to find the one you're after..."
Demidevimon sniffed. "Schanke, huh? What's that? Sounds like a bad smell."
"He's one of the top detectives in the city. Got my pal after he stayed behind to take on this Wizardmon of yours."
Demidevimon snickered humorously. "Then your 'pal' is most likely deleted. Humans are no match for the superiority of a digimimon.".
"Yeah? Well, Sam is pretty tough!" Joey loyally retorted. "And I know he's alive because I overheard some of the cops talking about how he's being held at the 27th. I told you, Old Man Schanke took him and I bet he's got that freak too---or knows where to find him."
Scratching an itch on his chin with the tip of one wing, the Rookie Viral thought it over. He didn't trust this human, but if the other had run against Wizardmon it might be wise to pump the kid for all he knew. "Then we'll be making a stop to pick up your friend"---stomach rumble---"uh…after I've eaten."
Sheesh! No way to sneak into anywhere if his tummy was going to be declaring itself every darn minute!
"Do these 'vending machines' come in 'All You Can Eat' styles?"
______________________________
To say that Don Schanke had been grateful when Wizardmon had agreed to play entertainer for Jenny's party---for naught but food---would have been an understatement The vampire had thought his partner was going to shake the digimon's arm off such had been Don's ecstatic response.
After leaving the precinct Nick drove the caddy towards Natalie's apartment with Wizardmon riding shotgun. Both were blissfully unaware that the Data was no longer the sole digimon tourist in the city.
"Nat's a good friend of mine," Nicholas related as he drove, smiling as he stole glances at his passenger. (Wizardmon was levitating just enough to see out the windows, eyeballing the myriad sights of downtown as they drove by.) "She's the only human in Toronto who knows what I really am, so we can talk freely around her about anything. You'll find she's very accepting of new situations. Just..."---he paused as if rethinking his last statement---"… maybe let me explain things first before you show yourself."
Wizardmon nodded absently, lost in the spectacle that was neon lights and late-night club attendees ambling to their chosen destinations. Yes, Digital World had its own amazing places and beings, but some of these humans sure dressed oddly. Were studded leather and metal rings through various body parts a symbol of a virus human like the skull was that of the viral digimon's? And did their hair really grow out in large red spikes? It looked like a formidable weapon if so. Maybe they shot off like an ikkakumon's?
They made it to the Lambert residence without incident---if you didn't count the landlady following them nearly all the way up before Nick had felt compelled to whammy her into minding her own business.
"Okay, this is her place," Nicholas said as they came to a stop before one of the doors. He knocked. From inside could be heard a frantic female voice telling whomever it was that she was coming but to--
The last was masked by the sound of something shattering.
Nicholas had the door opened and flung wide before the last echo had died.
"Nat?!" he yelled out while in full vampire mode, glancing about for an attacker to either subdue or rend into tiny pieces depending on what they had done to his favorite human.
"Damn it Nick!" a pretty brunette woman yelled back from where she'd popped up from behind the sofa, "I said DON'T open the---SYDNEY! Come back here!!"
Expecting as he was either another vampire or a human assailant, Nick was not prepared for the gray and white bundle of fur that shot between his legs as it made a break for freedom. Unfortunately for the would-be escapee, there was another figure behind its mistress' odd-smelling friend. Wizardmon caught the terrified animal before he knew just what he had a hold of, earning him a face full of claws as 'Sydney' fought to get away. But the wizard was too stunned to notice the damage being inflicted as he stood there, frozen to the spot.
A cat?!
He was holding a cat!
A Real World feline counterpart of Gatomon's dabbed with gray, with a fluffier tail and minus the Champion Vaccine's Lighting Paw weapons. But it was enough of a reminder to send the Data digimon spiraling down into a sea of grief.
__________________________
(Digital World: The Past/Myotismon's castle)
It was just to have been a trial fight. A bit of sparring before meals were served.
Uncomfortably aware of the others watching them with keen eyes, Wizardmon stood before his commander, silently expressing his willingness to take whatever she wished to dish out in order not to blow his cover.
After recovering from 'showing his allegiance' to Lord Myotismon (aka: supplying the bastard with a meal), Wizardmon had recovered and been told by Phantomon to report to Gatomon who had also healed from her ordeal at the vampire's hands.
No problem there. Sticking by the feline's side was exactly where he wanted to be. Together, they could use any quiet moments they could get to plan out an escape from the Viral's clutches. After all, it wasn't like this would be the first time he'd ever escaped from an egotistical thug.
But his hopes of being able to fit in with this crowd were fast dwindling. Oh, he'd always been able to bluff his way out of most confrontations before---but this was a different situation then when he'd been a hermit. Not a *new* situation, mind you, but certainly not one he preferred to find himself in.
No… as a wanderer he'd always had the option of *not* fighting. Of turning the other cheek-or running if need be.
Not so here. Here he was expected to fight in all manners of dirty and merciless ways in order to keep their mutual master happy and off all their backs.
For instance, just a few hours ago a Gotsumon had been drafted---albeit unwillingly---into Myotismon's service. Just minutes ago the rock digimon had decided to escape by running down the plateau. Gatomon had instantly ordered that Wizardmon dispatch the 'coward'. He'd quickly complied and hurtled a blast at the fleeing Gotsumon, carefully aimed to 'look' like he'd meant business without actually hurting the fellow. And the poor Rookie had gotten away.
Mission accomplished.
Matrix speed the Gotsumon on his flight to another realm.
Naturally, Gatomon had sputtered and scowled like a disappointed commander.
He'd be reprimanded, of course. Maybe miss a meal or two. But it was worth it to spare a life while keeping up the masquerade of his being a mercenary.
Only... Was his friend putting maybe just a tad too much realism into her cursing? If he didn't know better, he'd think she wasn't bluffing at all… and that those thoughts she was thinking were truly her---
"IDIOT! Is that the best you can do?! A nearsighted numemon could aim better! Lightning Claw!"
Without the least hesitation chartreuse gloves sporting tiger strips crossed his vision in a blur before metal claws ripped into skin. He felt his neck nearly snap in two from the fury of the blow as his knees buckled from under him.
Dizzy and gasping, Wizardmon stared in mute shock as he fingered the long scratches on his face. Wet blood coated the tips of his glove, staining the soft leather a dull scarlet.
What...? Why had she struck him for sparing the gotsumon's life? The burning pain on his face was nothing compared to the conflagulation going on in his heart as he noted that Gatomon was sneering at him with disgust-filled eyes---eyes that did not know him and which were utterly devoid of the compassion she'd shown him just weeks before. And her thoughts…
What had that fiend Myotismon done to her?!
"What is your name, soldier?" Gatomon demanded.
"Wizardmon." he answered softly. She nodded as if she'd never heard the name before and couldn't have cared less if she had. The Data bit back a groan. If Myotismon had physically tied his soul to a stone and flung it into the sea, he didn't think it could sink any faster.
Never mind that it was now obvious that the vampire had, indeed, done something to his friend's memory; he had disappointed her and that knowledge was like the acrid taste of a bitter herb in his mouth. Frankly, it didn't matter to him who Myotismon chose to delete as nearly all here were scoundrels anyway. But Gatomon--the true Gatomon---would have cared, and so he had aimed to frighten and not destroy his opponent. Was the one whom he had come to save already irrevocably lost?
He bowed submissively; glad she could not see the tear falling down his face.
No! He couldn't let that be-fanged bastard win! He wouldn't!
Gatomon, however, wasn't through with him yet. "You'd better shape up, Wizardmon, if you want to amount to anything here," the animal digimon harshly informed him. "Lord Myotismon doesn't appreciate sloppiness in his Nightmare soldiers. When you attack, aim to delete unless I command otherwise." She shoved him away. "And keep that thing you call a mouth covered while you work for me. It's ugly and I don't want to have to look at it."
"I apologize, Gatomon," Wizardmon replied, hastily fixing the rent fabric around his face as well as his damaged skin with magic-tinted fingers. "I will try to do better under you." His eyes widened as he caught a thought from her. "Please don't tell Myotismon of my failure. I assure you it won't happen again."
She whirled on him. "How did you know I was thinking of that?"
"I... er..." he tongue stumbled, realizing that this changed Gatomon was NOT going to like his explanation. "I saw it in your thoughts."
The tip of a pink tongue poked out between two fangs as Gatomon considered him. "Then Demidevimon wasn't lying. He said he'd heard that one of the new recruits could read minds. I hadn't believed him---he's such tail licker. But a talent like that…might prove very useful… perhaps I won't have you used for target practice after all, Wizardmon. If you are unsuited to slaying the master's enemies, maybe you can be of service in other ways." Fast as a thunder bolt, the wizard found himself staring at a set of black talon points a mere inch from his eyes. Just make sure you do not read mine without my permission or these will be the last thing you ever see. I doubt a mind reader needs his sight in order to do his tricks."
Wizardmon shivered at her coldness.
"Yes, of course. I understand."
Just as quickly, the deadly implements were withdrawn. He took a quick breath, only realizing then that he had stopped breathing all together.
"Good. Now go with Skullmeramon and hunt down that coward you let get away. Delete him here---where you should have done it in the first place---and maybe this little incident will slip my mind when I report to our master."
"Anything for you, Gatomon," Wizardmon bowed, taking off to search for the AWOL Data that had fled Myotismon's service after the Data wizard had defeated him in a 'trial' fight.
'I will bear your claws when you are angry, bind your wounds when you are hurt til I live to see the true Gatomon break free of Myotismon's evil. I will do better for you, Gatomon. And I will see you deleted for what you have done to my only friend, Myotismon. I promise!'
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