Darkness Reborn
Chapter Three: Yolei & Cody
by Silver
*Standard Disclaimer: I do not own nor pretend to own any rights to Digimon's creatures, characters, or storyline.*
Author's Note: It's taken me over a year, but I'm finally back to Darkness Reborn. There's not much to say about these early chapters, so I'll just wish you a fond reading and I hope you enjoy my story.
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One of the most prominent signs of a dictatorship is the absence of sound in a public area. When people or creatures feel forbidden to speak and silence ensues, it is like a declaration that those individuals have forfeited their freedom. The Digital World was declaring its loss as the sun reached its afternoon setting. No birds sang from the treetops, no Digimon or fish splashed in the rivers. Every living creature was trying its best to go unnoticed by staying silent. Every creature except one human.
"This totally stinks!" Yolei declared without a hint of oppression. "Here we are, stranded in the Digital World, without any clue where the others are, and I can't even be with Ken!"
Cody tried not to take offense at that statement. He knew from painful experience how fixated Yolei could be. Still, he wasn't about to let her call down trouble. "Yolei, you have to stay quiet. The way you're shouting, everyone in the Digital World can hear you. We don't need any more trouble."
Yolei growled, "Hey, if I wanna complain, I'm gonna do it. Can't you see how much trouble we're in?"
Cody had learned much since he'd first became a Digidestined. One of the most important lessons had been that he was just as smart and level-headed as the older Digidestined, if not more so. As such, he wasn't about to back down when he knew he was right.
"Like you said, we're stranded, and our Digimon can't digivolve. That means we have to be quiet to avoid ChaosWarGreymon. Our two rookies can't possibly hope to defeat a Mega. If you keep shouting at the top of your lungs, you'll give us away and we'll be caught, or worse. Then you won't get to see Ken again, ever."
Hawkmon nodded, "He has a point, Yolei. Your ruckus could be our downfall."
Yolei gritted her teeth and forced several deep breaths. "Okay… okay… I'm fine. But this does stink."
Armadillomon said, "Gotta agree with you there."
Cody added, "This does stink, and we're in a lot of trouble, but we have to keep a clear head or we won't be able to change things. We have to find the others and come up with a strategy to defeat the new Digimon Emperor."
The new Emperor. Cody felt a shiver at the very thought. It had taken him a long time to reconcile with Ken for his past misdeeds, and now someone was copying Ken's tactics. Cody had hated the Digimon Emperor for his cruelty and selfishness, but that was when he hadn't understood Ken's pain or the fact that he was under the influence of a dark spore. Cody wondered if this new Emperor was also a puppet for darkness. That made it all the more confusing. It was hard to fight an enemy that one didn't know how to feel about. Hatred, anger, sympathy, it would have been far easier to choose one emotion and go with it rather than alternate.
A rumble in the ground shook Cody from his thoughts. "Something's coming!" The two humans and their Digimon scrambled for the nearest bush.
A large turtle-like Digimon lumbered into view. Its yellow made the creature's dark ring stand out, and its back rock-like spikes jutted out from its shell. The creature sniffed as it wandered, checking every bush and tree along the path.
"A Tortomon." Hawkmon whispered. "He's a reptile Digimon who uses his Strong Carapace attack to grind his enemies into the ground. I assume he's been sent to look for us."
Armadillomon said, "Don't worry. He's got a lousy sense of smell. No way he'll find us if we keep quiet."
Cody looked up at Yolei, unsure if she could stay still long enough for the Digimon to pass them. It was then he noticed that Yolei's nose was twitching. "What's wrong?"
"There must be something nearby that I'm allergic too. I think I'm gonna... Ah, ah… Ah…" Her mouth opened wide and Cody and the Digimon lunged forward to cover her mouth. Unfortunately, that movement shook the leaves of the bush, causing a rustle to waft down the path to Tortomon. The giant turtle growled with its red eyes flashing as it turned back to investigate.
"ACHOO!" The force of Yolei's sneeze actually pushed the others' hands away. Torotomon roared and charged at his newly found prey.
"Run!" Cody cried, and everyone sprinted down the path with Tortomon close behind. Yolei sniffed apologetically.
They fled through the trees with the loud crashing behind them serving as a reminder of how close Torotomon pursued. All the way Cody scanned for a cave or a building or some other hiding place; but all he saw were trees. There was nowhere to hide, so they kept running.
The group sprinted through a cluster of trees placed so close together that they succeeded in slowing Tortomon for a moment. Cody and Yolei emerged into a small clearing with a control spire in the middle. Cody took one stride towards the other end of the field, and suddenly cleared it. Dazed, Cody glanced back at the opposite side of the clearing, where Tortomon was just appearing. The gigantic reptile jumped up towards the group, and landed a good ten yards away, facing the wrong direction. The Tortomon growled in surprise and looked around, disoriented.
"What's going on?" Cody wondered aloud.
"Never mind!" Yolei grabbed his arm. "Let's just keep running." She yanked Cody towards the nearest mass of trees, and then suddenly slammed into the side of the control spire. As Yolei slumped down the side of the black metal, Cody looked around at the scenery. Something was very wrong here. The Tortomon was still trying to reach them, but every time he charged he disappeared from one area and reappeared in another. Armadillomon and Hawkmon materialized next to Cody, having followed the same direction Yolei had pulled them.
"This is impossible." Cody had learned from Izzy that the laws of physics weren't easily broken, even in the Digital World. Something had to be affecting this strange state. Was someone using a teleportation power?
And that's when Cody noticed the scattered patches of grass all along the clearing. The grass, with a rich diversity of green shades, did not flow together as it did on Earth. The different tones intruded upon one another, creating an almost checkerboard appearance.
Cody leaned forward and held out his arm. Nothing happened. He leaned further and still nothing. He took a step forward, and suddenly his arm disappeared at the elbow. Cody yelped and jumped back. His arm reappeared.
"Cody!" Armadillomon had seen the whole thing. "What happened?"
Cody shook his head. "I don't know…" He held out his arm again and stepped forward. He was no less surprised when his arm disappeared again. He managed to keep his arm up this time and looked around. His missing hand could be seen hovering in the air on the other side of the clearing. He wiggled his fingers and they waved at him.
"EEEEKKK!" Yolei had finally recovered. "Cody! What's going on?"
Cody retracting his arm and his hand returned to his side. "I think that something's affecting the space within this clearing. I didn't notice at first because there's only grass here, but somehow the ground isn't where it should be."
"What do you mean?" Yolei exasperated. "The ground's at our feet, right where it should be!"
Cody shook his head. "That's not what I mean. When we take a step, we're hitting the next patch of ground, but that patch has somehow been transported somewhere else. So, even though we're walking in a straight line, it looks as if we're being transported all over the clearing. It's almost as if we're trapped in a prism. A straight path is split into multiple locations."
Hawkmon scratched his head. "How curious."
Yolei glanced over at Tortomon, who was still transporting haphazardly all over the area, trying to find his prey. "We better find a way out of here before he gets lucky."
Cody looked up at the control spire. "Oikawa once said that the control spires were supposed to change the borders of the Digital World. Maybe these spires do the same thing. But this never happened with Ken. Is it malfunctioning?"
Yolei huffed. "This just shows that the new Emperor isn't half as smart as Ken!"
Cody sighed. "Yolei, please stay focused! Complaining and dreaming about Ken isn't going to get us out of this!"
Yolei looked as if she'd been slapped, but then she slowly smiled. "You've changed, Cody."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, back when we first fought Ken, you didn't take charge or tell people to stay focused unless."
Cody almost hunkered back. "I don't mean to be rude, but we have to keep our minds on the problem at hand. We're in a serious situation."
"I know, I know." Yolei patted his shoulder. "I'm just impressed at how you've changed. And don't worry. I'm still focused. I just need to vent. Getting rid of my frustrations helps me keep my head clear."
Hawkmon sighed, "Alright. Now that we have established that Yolei is focusing on our current problem, perhaps we should try to figure a way out of it. Yolei, if you're head is now clear, do you have an idea?"
Yolei thought for a moment. "… Nope. Not one." Everyone sighed. Tortomon's roar made them all jump. The reptilian Digimon continued to cry out into the sky, but did not sound pained or fearful.
Armadillomon figured it out first. "He's callin' for help."
Cody felt his heart skip a beat. "We have to leave before reinforcements come. We're trapped in here."
Yolei pointed out, "But every time we take a step, we end up somewhere else!"
Cody replied, "Even though it looks like we're teleporting randomly, we're really traveling in a straight line. We could actually reach the edge of the distortion if we kept heading in one path, but I don't know which way we should go." It was then that the light came.
It started as a small glow over the tree line, as if there was a second sun coming up over the horizon. But then the light reached out into the clearing and enveloped everyone in its grasp. Cody, Yolei, and their Digimon cried out as the blinding white light passed over them, blotting out the rest of the world.
Cody held his arms up in a meaningless defense, but then he felt a warmth on his chest. He looked down and saw the crests of Knowledge and Reliability shinning over his heart. He glanced at Yolei, who was looking at her own crests with a bewildered expression. The crests slowly lifted off their chests and hovered in the air. In one final flash, the crests became overwhelmed in light. Cody shut his eyes from the blast of light, but it still stung his gaze.
He blinked a few times to clear away the light specters from his vision, then looked at where his crests had been. The restored Digieggs of Knowledge and Reliability hovered before him, and Yolei's Digieggs of Love and Sincerity floated in front of her.
"Our Digieggs!" Cody held his hands up and they floated into his grasp.
Yolei caught hers as well. "I thought they disappeared."
Cody's mind flashed as bright as the light that had restored these crucial tools. "Yolei, I have an idea! Have Hawkmon digivolve into Shurimon!"
"Um, okay." Yolei shrugged and held up the Digiegg of Sincerity. "Digiarmor energize!"
"Hawkmon armor digivolve to… Shurimon: The Samurai of Sincerity!" In a swirl of leafs, Hawkmon body became wrapped in white cloth, with a mask and cowl covering his head. Two large green leafs served as a cape, covering his front and back. His legs and feathery wings were replaced by long coiling vines, each one gripping a three-pointed star. A four-pointed throwing star, bigger than any other in existence, hung off his back.
Cody instructed him. "Shurimon, throw one of your stars and don't stop until you've hit something."
"Shouldn't I just smash the control spire?"
"No. We don't know what would happen if we removed the distortion. And if we end the warp effect, we'll have to fight Tortomon. We can't afford a fight right now. Tortomon's reinforcements could come at any minute. Now throw your star that way!" He pointed in a random direction
"Double Stars!" Shurimon flung out his left coiled arm, which stretched to an impossibly long length.
"Keep track of them." Cody ordered. The group watched as Shurimon's arm appeared and disappeared on an erratic course through the clearing. It finally hit a target, though not what Cody had been hoping for. Tortomon howled in fury as the star bounced off against his shell.
"Excuse me." called Shurimon. Tortomon huffed.
"Okay…" Cody chose another direction. "Fire that way now." Shurimon threw his star again. This time, the star and attached arm spun through the air until it embedded itself in a tree beyond the clearing. Shurimon's star embedded itself in the trunk and the ninja Digimon reeled in his arm until it became a taut line, leading out of distortion field.
"That's the way!" Cody held up his Digiegg of Knowledge. "Digiarmor energize!"
"Armadillomon armor digivolve to… Digmon: the Drill of Knowledge!" Armadillomon's body became sheathed in yellow armor with the Crest of Knowledge prominently displayed on his back, just above the bug wings. His nose was a long, pointed drill. Several more drills were attached to his two upper arms.
"Digmon, I haven't seen you in a while." Cody smiled and mounted his Digimon.
"Cody," Yolei asked, "What are you doing?"
"I was right. Even though we'll become disoriented, we can still reach the edge of the distortion zone by running in a straight line. Digmon, hold on to Shurimon and pick up Yolei." Using his lower arms, Digmon picked up and held Yolei with one hand while clutching Shurimon's remaining arm with the other. "Just close your eyes and run straight. Don't stop for anything! Everyone else close your eyes as well."
Digmon, Yolei, and Shurimon glanced at each other with uncertainty, but followed Cody's instructions. "Hold on! Here we go!" Both Digimon began running at a full sprint.
Cody clung to Digmon's armored shell with all his strength. He could feel the rhythmic pace of Digmon's run all through both their bodies. The wind brushed past his face, and Tortomon's cries faded into the background. Their trek stopped when Digmon slammed into something hard. The insect Digimon staggered back and opened his eyes. They'd hit a tree. Shurimon stood beside them, freeing his arm from the tree trunk.
Digmon released all his passengers and the group hurried through the tree line. They emerged onto a path with a river running parallel to it.
Yolei sighed and sunk to her knees. "We made it out. I thought we'd be stuck there forever."
Shurimon said, "Good work, thinking of that strategy, Cody. We not only freed ourselves but lost Tortomon in the process."
Cody nodded, "Thank you. But we can't rest now. We still have to find the others."
"You're right. Let's get going." Yolei stood up.
"Watch out!" Shurimon leaped forward and lifted Yolei into the air as a four-pointed blade zinged through the air and embedded itself in the ground. Everyone gasped and looked up into the trees, where a figure stood with burning red eyes.
The figure was short and fat, with a teardrop-shaped body. It took everyone a moment to realize that his body was his head. The lower half was one large mouth, while the eyes peered out through a red hood. The strange being's arms and legs were covered his lightweight armor, and a long sword hung from his back.
"Ninjamon." Shurimon said. "My old foe from Little Edo. I've bested him before, but it was not an easy match."
Ninjamon smirked. "Nice to see you remember me. I'm here for a rematch." His voice was annoyingly high pitch and grated on the ears of his foes.
Shurimon, arguably the strongest ninja in the Digital World, leaped up onto an adjacent tree. "I'd love to draw this out with some witty banter, so what do you say we cut to the chase?" He lunged forward with one of his hand blades.
Ninjamon jumped up over the blow and slashed with his sword. Shurimon deflected with his foot blade while rolling in midair. Both combatants landed on the ground and sprinted away from the others.
"Yolei," Cody protested, "we don't have time to fight Ninjamon!"
Yolei replied, "This is what Shurimon wants. I saw him fight against Ninjamon before, and it didn't matter that Ninjamon wasn't being controlled by a dark ring. They kept fighting because it was a matter of honor. I can't ask Shurimon to give up his honor just because we're in a rush. We can go as soon as he whoops Ninjamon."
Cody didn't want to point that was only if Shurimon could beat Ninjamon.
* * * * * * * *
ChaosWarGreymon had felt his heart surge as he received a report from the Tortomon unit that had first detected the two Digidestined. The thrill intensified when he learned that the creatures had apparently escaped the Tortomon, who was now sending out a distress call. My prey is smart enough to evade a fool. Good. Clever prey made an even better kill.
Two other Digidestined had managed to destroy a control spire. No simple task using only Rookie Digimon. Before he killed his current hunt, ChaosWarGreymon would discover how these humans had managed to accomplish such a feat.
One thing did trouble him. A mental signal from a captured Ninjamon indicated that he was engaged in combat, yet he seemed to be masking his location. A unit dares defies his master? That was must less pleasing than the thrill of the hunt. This foolish Digimon would pay for his audacity.
* * * * * * * *
Yolei could hardly track Shurimon and Ninjamon as they sprinted along the trees; jumping over and dueling for brief seconds before resuming their race. Their movements were so fluid and swift that Yolei almost missed the brief moments of combat. The two Digimon were only testing each other at this point. The real fight had yet to begin.
Cody and Digmon followed behind her, visibly exhausted and panting heavily. Too bad they weren't getting the same rush out of this that Yolei was experiencing. Seeing Shurimon fight was one of the most enticing sights in her life. When Shurimon fought, he gave off a calm, confident aura that reassured Yolei that everything would be all right. Seeing him fight now reminded her that they had a chance against a foe even stronger than Ninjamon. We'll win. I know we can win when I see Shurimon fight like this…
Shurimon and Ninjamon landed and began the fight in earnest. "Double Star!" Shurimon threw his largest shuriken, which Ninjamon evaded with a simple jump. What he could not dodge was the tree limb that Shurimon had been aiming for. The ninja star cut through the wood and sent the branch toppling down, landing on Ninjamon's oversized head.
Ninjamon fell down, stunned. Shurimon leaped up for a final blow when Ninjamon quickly rolled to the side and avoided Shurimon's blades. Ninjamon threw his own shuriken, which tore through Shurimon's leaf cloak and almost pierced his skin. Had Shurimon been moving even a fraction slower, he'd have been struck.
"You've improved." Shurimon leaped back to recollect himself.
Ninjamon smirked. "After I lost to you in Little Edo, I've spent every moment training myself, becoming stronger. I reached a whole new level of skill so that I could defeat you!"
"And yet you still weren't good enough to avoid being recaptured by the Digimon Emperor."
"I let myself be captured. I knew with a new Emperor on the loose you'd be showing up again. I figured that I'd stand a better chance of finding you if I let the Emperor do the work and just point me in the right direction."
Shurimon's voice dropped to almost a whisper. "You'd give up your freedom to fight me?"
"Defeating you is the only thing I care about!"
Shurimon charged. "A nice story, but I think it's just an excuse for clumsiness!" He lashed out with his right blade, which spun like a buzzsaw and sheared through the space where Ninjamon had just been standing.
Ninjamon himself was now behind Shurimon, charging with his sword. Shurimon evaded a lunge and countered Ninjamon's blade with his own. "There are more important things than fighting me. This new Emperor stands ready to conquer the whole Digital World. We do not have time for petty vendettas!"
"You're out of time." Ninjamon broke the lock and kicked Shurimon in the stomach. "The Digimon Emperor already controls the Digital World. He conquered it in a day!"
"That's impossible." Shurimon wobbled as he stood up.
"Do you really think there's only one Chaos General serving the new Emperor? Even if you defeat this one, there'll still be two more Mega Digimon you'll have to defeat. Not that you'll get the chance!" He raised his sword and charged with a fierce battle cry.
"I think not!" Shurimon charged with is weapon held low. The two rivals swung at each other with all their strength and blade clashed against blade. Then blade passed through blade as Shurimon's weapon broke through Ninjamon's, shattering it into piece. Shurimon used his momentum to bring his knee into Ninjamon's nose, knocking his opponent to the ground.
Shurimon extended his arm until the tip of the blade poked Ninjamon between the eyes. Ninjamon stared up at him defiantly. "Go ahead. Finish me off."
"Why should I? I have nothing to gain from your deletion."
"If you don't kill me, I'll come back after you again."
Yolei watched the whole encounter, unsure what Shurimon would do next. For a moment, she feared that Shurimon would indeed take Ninjamon's life. The meaningless death of a Digimon was still one of Yolei's greatest fears.
She heaved a sigh of relief when Shurimon retracted his blade. Beneath his mask, Yolei knew that Shurimon was smiling. "Life wouldn't be much fun without a good rival. I'm looking forward to our next battle." He stepped back and Ninjamon stood up hesitantly.
Suddenly, a black streak shot down from the sky and collided with Shurimon. The plant-like samurai careened above the ground, bouncing several times and rolling to a stop.
ChoasWarGreymon decended to the ground with a psychotic gleam of delight in his eyes. "So, I face an Armor Digimon. How interesting." He regarded his subordinate. "Ninjamon, how dare you try to hide your presence from me? I am a Chaos General in service of the Emperor. Never forget that I am your master!" Ninjamon only glared back.
"Shurimon!" Yolei cried, "Get out of there! He's too strong for you!"
Shurimon nodded, "Well have to continue this some other time, Ninjamon." He jumped up, hoping to land behind ChaosWarGreymon and sprint with Yolei into the trees. As he reached the height of his leap, Shurimon found ChaosWarGreymon waiting for him in the air. The dark Mega swatted him back to the ground with the back of his claw. Shurimon found himself sprawled in the dirt once again.
Cody gave the order, "Digmon, go help Shurimon!"
"You got it!" Digmon charged forward. "Gold Rush!" Digmon's four drills shot out like rockets aimed at ChaosWarGreymon. Seeing the attack coming, he dodged to the side at the last moment. The drill missiles detonated harmlessly in the air.
"Fools! Do you honestly think two Armor Digimon can stand against me?"
"Double Stars!" Shurimon tossed his largest shuriken. ChaosWarGreymon did not even flinch when it bounced off his claw armor. He settled down on the ground once again.
"Rock Cracking!" Digmon thrust his new set of drills into the ground, creating a large fissure. The soil under ChaosWarGreymon gave way, opening up to a black pit. The Chaos General merely hovered in the air. His silence rang with arrogance.
"Let's attack together. Double Stars!"
"Gold Rush!" The two attacked collided with ChaosWarGreymon both in front and behind. But when the smoke cleared, there was no sign of damage, not even a mark.
"Is it my turn now?" ChaosWarGreymon raised his hands. Golden light gathered between his claws, cumulating in a gigantic sphere of raw power. Cody and Yolei both gasped. They'd seen this attack used by BlackWarGreymon. However, it was odd that ChaosWarGreymon's attack was a shinning gold color, whereas BlackWarGreymon's Terra Destroyer had been a sinister red.
"Chaotic Force!" ChasWarGreymon tossed the sphere with all his might. The blast of energy landed in front of Digmon, swallowing him up in its eruption. A smoking Armadillomon fell from the destruction and rolled limp on the ground.
"Armadillomon!" Cody ran over to his friend. "Speak to me!"
"Ugghhh…" Armadillomon shook his head. "Sorry, Cody, I blew it."
"And now for you." ChaosWarGreymon advanced towards Shurimon.
Suddenly, a small shuriken slicked into ChaosWarGreymon's arm, embedding itself just above the elbow. ChaosWarGreymon winced at the unexpected attack. Yolei blinked at the wound. The liquid pouring from ChaosWarGreymon's body was far too thin to be blood, and it was pitch black.
ChaosWarGreymon looked over at his new assailant. "Ninjamon, how dare you strike at me?"
Ninjamon stood with another throwing star at the ready. "Shurimon is my opponent. I don't care about what you want or what the Emperor wants. I'm going to defeat my rival. Me, no one else!"
The General turned to regard his rebellious servant. "So, you wish to defeat him? Perhaps there is a disagreement in your history, yes? Well, allow me to settle the matter for you!" Ninjamon blinked, and suddenly ChaosWarGreymon was gone.
Shurimon cried, "Ninjamon, behind you!"
Ninjamon didn't have time to turn around before the pain started.
* * * * * * * *
There was a reason ChaosWarGreymon did not sharpen his claws. True, the serrated edges split through the skin relatively easily, but not as quickly as if the blades were trimmed to a razor's edge. More than anything, ChaosWarGreymon treasured the effort it took to drive the blades deeper; to see the blood squirt from the wound and the life pour out of his prey. He savored the burning in his muscles and he drove his claws deeper, and deeper into Ninjamon's back. His arm burned as he pushed deeper. It was a glorious feeling.
For a moment he wished he could see Ninjamon's face himself, but that was not necessary. He could see Ninjamon's pain reflected in Shurimon's eyes.
The incompetent little Champion's eyes were bulging almost three times their usual size, and his mouth was open as if he were screaming, but no sound escaped. The terror and pain was enough to make ChaosWarGreymon's heart skip a beat, and Shurimon's own pain and grief only added to the experience. ChaosWarGreymon twisted his blades, burrowing holes in Ninjamon's skin.
Ninjamon had chosen to side with ChaosWarGreymon's prey, and in doing so he'd become prey himself. All prey eventually had to die.
* * * * * * * *
Yolei screamed as Ninjamon slumped to the ground and exploded into fragmented data. She hadn't seen such torture and cruelty since MaloMyotismon had killed Arukenimon. "You sick monster!" She screamed. "How could you do that?"
ChaosWarGreymon looked at her over his shoulder. The glint in his eyes rang with sadistic laughter. We have to get out of here. She realized. He'll kill Shurimon and Armadillomon just like he did Ninjamon; and then he'll come after me and Cody! But how could they escape something that was faster and stronger than all of them combine?
If we can't outrun him, then we've got to keep him busy with something else. That was when an idea struck. "Cody! Go take Armadillomon back to the lake, where we got out of that weird space-warp thingy!"
"What? Why do you want me to go there?"
Yolei quickly leaned in and whispered her plan in his ear. Cody looked at her with a startled expression, but quickly nodded and ran with his partner back the way they'd came.
Shurimon, meanwhile, was doing all he could to distract ChaosWarGreymon. "Double Stars!" His blades and shuriken were still of no use. ChaosWarGreymon landed a jump kick and knocked Shurimon back and bounced him against a tree. Unable to hold his strength, Shurimon reverted back into Hawkmon.
"Hawkmon, move!" Hawkmon jumped up and flew over ChaosWarGreymon's shoulder just before the dark giant sliced through the trees bordering the battleground.
Realizing that Hawkmon stood an even less chance of winning the battle as a Rookie, Yolei held up her remaining Digiegg. "Digiarmor energize!" The silver egg flashed red.
"Hawkmon armor digivolve to… Halsemon: The Wings of Love!" Halsemon's sleek feathered body matched the curve of his helmet, and the twin blades that jutted out from the sides of his head. The talons on his four legs were all poised to strike at his opponent. "I will make you pay for Ninjamon's death. I swear it."
"Do not make promises that you cannot keep. Chaotic Force!" ChaosWarGreymon threw another golden fireball. Halsemon took to the air and flew over the blast before it could strike him.
"Eagle Eye!" Red lasers shot forth from Halsemon's eyes and pinged off ChaosWarGreymon's armor. The attack had no effect.
Yolei punched a message into her d-terminal and sent it to Cody.
Are you ready yet?
Yes. Submarimon and I are standing by. Just give the command.
Yolei sent an affirmative reply and called to her partner. "Halsemon, come here!" The avian Digimon looped around and streaked towards her. They'd both had practice and fast mounting while on the run and had refined it to an art. Yolei mounted Halsemon's back in midair and they sped off towards the lake. ChaosWarGreymon pursued.
"Weave through the trees!" Yolei ordered. Halsemon dipped and dodged through the thick clusters of trunks, not bothering with the beaten path. Behind, ChaosWarGreymon chose the more direct approach of smashing through the trees rather than trying to move around them. This blunt maneuver succeeded only in slowing him down. Is he giving us the chance to escape on purpose? Wondered Yolei. He probably wants to have a little fun hunting us for sport. Well, he'd soon learn he'd made a big mistake.
Yolei ordered Halsemon back onto the main path and sent an e-mail to Cody.
NOW!
* * * * * * * *
Oh the thrill of the chase! ChaosWarGreymon felt his very soul stir as he pursued his quarry. These weak creatures weren't much sport in combat, so a chase was the only way he could satiate his desire for the hunt. For a moment, ChaosWarGreymon considered using his full speed to catch up with the Armor Digimon and its Digidestined partner, but then decided against it. What pleasure would there be in such a kill? He wanted to give them a feeling of hope for escape, only so that he could see it drain from their eyes when his blades ripped through their flesh. The female human had a very attractive jugular vein. He was looking forward to seeing it bleed red.
The bird Digimon, Halsemon, weaved back onto the main road. Such foolishness. It was much wiser to stay where there were obstacles to impede me. When prey became stupid, the hunt ended. ChaosWarGreymon could not give them any more handicaps than he already had. He felt his heart sink at the prospect of a short chase, but there were at least ten more Digidestined and Digimon for him to stalk. He'd make up for this one short pleasure.
ChaosWarGreymon emerged onto the clear path and charged straight for his target. Suddenly, a loud splash broke the surface of the lake. A silver Digimon with a teardrop-shaped body and a drill for a nose was lining ChaosWarGreymon in his sights.
"Oxygen Torpedo!" Several bursts of condensed air shot out of ports on the Digimon's belly and collided with ChaosWarGreymon's side. Taken by surprise, the Chaos General had no time to shield himself. The blast did not cause any real damage, but it did knock him off course and sent him careening through the air and over the tree line. He landed in the dirt, near a control spire.
"So my prey has claws after all. Tiny claws." Such a weak attack could not hope to damage him. He sprinted back towards the lake, and found himself on the other side of the clearing. "What?"
It was then that ChaosWarGreymon saw the Tortomon nearby. It was resting on the ground, giving him a helpless look as if to say, "We're stuck."
What is this trickery? ChaosWarGreymon could feel the area around him distorting; twisting and turning in on itself. He glanced at the control spire. So, it is malfunctioning. My prey is smarter than I realized.
His prey! Already ChaosWarGreymon could smell them as they fled. They were escaping! He lifted up into the air, trying to rise above the distortion, but he suddenly found himself upside down, flying towards the ground. He turned to head up again, and slammed face-first into the soil anyway. What madness this is. I am being mocked by my own victims! I will not be made a fool.
The rage boiled inside him, and he cultivated it, savored his hatred and anger. And then he forced it out into one ever-growing explosion that reached out with greedy claws of light to every corner of the clearing and beyond. The Tortomon's scream was swallowed by the blast, as was the Digimon itself. ChaosWarGreymon unleashed his full fury upon the disobedient area, and all that remained was a smoking crater.
But his prey was gone. Escaped into the woods and already mixing with a hundred other smells. I will track you. I will kill you.
"You're off to a great start." A scathing voice spoke in the back of ChaosWarGreymon's mind.
"What do you want?"
"Just helping you stay in touch with reality. While I do admire that new blotch on the landscape you just created, I should remind you that you just destroyed several control spires in the area. In case you forgot, we're supposed to advance the project, not tear it down. You'd best replace those spires before the Emperor finds out what you've done"
"I need no advice from you. You should best worry about your own assignments."
"Already done. I've finished my work here and am en route to Earth. I can take care of your sectors while I'm there if you wish. Best of luck in your hunt, when you get around to it." The voice disappeared from ChaosWarGreymon's mind, leaving a trail of echoing laughter.
That laughter would soon cease once ChaosWarGreymon killed all the Digidestined and received the Emperor's praise and blessing. He would quickly prove himself the greatest of the three Chaos Generals by defeating the guardians of the Digital World. It was only a matter of time.
For the moment, ChaosWarGreymon would have to suffer the frustration of rebuilding the control spires he'd sacrificed to break his prison while ensuring that another special warp did not happen before the appointed hour. Then he would track the remaining two Digidestiend. Four of them had escaped his grasp, and he wanted them to feel as if they were safe for a moment. But soon he would find them again, and the hope would vanish. He would savor seeing their faces when tossed them the heads of their last two friends. It would be sweet revenge for such humiliation.
* * * * * * * *
Yolei had almost forgotten what a thrill it was to ride on Halsemon's back. She reveled in the wind streaming through her hair and the exhilaration of seeing the landscape flash by. Halsemon was much more nimble that Hawkmon's Champion form of Aquillamon, and there wasn't the loud beating of wings as they flew.
The avian Digimon skimmed across the ground, never touching it yet staying low enough to hide under the trees. ChaosWarGreymon wouldn't be able to attack them from above without having to clear away the tree line. Not that that would stop him. She shivered as she remembered seeing the ever-expanding sphere of death that came from the area they'd trapped the dark Mega. Poor Tortomon was probably dead, just like Ninjamon. The knowledge that they'd be reborn was still no comfort. Getting a second run at life didn't cheapen the value of the first experience. When a Digimon died, he or she had to start from the basic again. Who was to say that their lives would play out the same way?
"Yolei." Cody broke into Yolei's mood, a dangerous tactic. He and Armadillomon were ridding behind Yolei. "That was a brilliant plan. Trapping ChasWarGreymon was probably the only way we would get out alive. You were right; keeping your head clear really did save us."
Yolei grinned, "Just returning the favor. You got us out of that distortion field, remember?" She sighed, "Too bad Tortomon wasn't as lucky as we were."
Cody nodded. "There was nothing we could do for him or Ninjamon."
"Ninjamon." Halsemon bowed his head reverently. "It hurts to think he's gone. He really was an impressive rival. In the end, he gave his life to save us, though not for the same reasons that we have for fighting. I honestly don't know if he was being brave or extremely selfish."
Yolei said, "I still can't believe how ChaosWarGreymon slaughtered two Digimon without a second thought. I haven't seen anything so heartless since MaloMyotismon."
Armadillomon noted, "I don't think we'll be able to reason with ChaosWarGreymon, or any of the other Generals. We're gonna have to defeat them if we wanna free the Digital World. You guys sure you're up to that."
Yolei was silent for a long time. "I think so. But don't ask me again until the time comes." Even the wind couldn't reassure her.
* * * * * * * *
Izzy had been staring at a computer screen for far too long. His eyes hurt and neck ached. But he couldn't stop worrying. He'd been monitoring the situation in the Digital World for hours, and he felt sick every time he looked at the pitch-black panels of the digital map. Every sector conquered. Izzy was even more troubled by the fact that he hadn't heard from Tentomon since the takeover began. It was very possible that his friend was a prisoner whoever was controlling the new invasion.
None of the other older Digidestined had been able to contact their partners either. Izzy had called Tai, Matt, Sora, Mimi, and Joe, only to find that they were just as oblivious as he. There'd been no word from Davis or any of the younger Digidestined. They were probably already in the Digital World with their partners. Izzy felt the urge to go and join the fight, but he couldn't open a portal without a D3, and he didn't even know if he still had a partner to fight with. Stuck on the sidelines again…
He switched on the TV, which lay far away on the other side of his dorm room. At least he wouldn't be straining his eyes as much. But his eyes didn't get any rest, because they bulged at the sight of a black spire jutting out above a city skyline, with a baffled reporter commenting on the object's strange appearance. Izzy quickly returned to the computer and checked through MSN.com, CNN.com, Yahoo!, and a dozen other news websites to check for other sightings.
Control Spires were appearing all over the world, just as before when Digimon had begun to invade major cities. Not again. The spires appeared from nowhere, and already one-fifth of the world was covered with the black towers. Whoever had conquered the Digital World was now setting his, her, or its sights on Earth. And it looked like the conqueror was off to a good start.
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Author's Note: The next chapter will be out very soon. I've finally gotten on a solid writing schedule (although that'll probably fly out the door once I go back to school). Please leave a review and tell me what you liked/disliked about the chapter. I always appreciate feedback.