Arukenimon and Mummymon are back, thirteen years after the end of 02. Out adventuring, Mummymon is split into his Human and Digimon halves by a mysterious machine. Arukenimon brings Jyou, Koushirou and Iori to the machine to help but the strange digimon, Toeremon, traps them there. Meanwhile, Mummymon has gone to seek help from Xuanwumon - but while the Human half wants to be reunited, the Digimon wants to be more powerful. Xuanwumon immerses him in Phantom Mist.
Mummymon bared his teeth in a grimace of angst, and he tried to shy away from the confusing sounds - a slow rhythm of whipcracks and cold, youthful laughter. Another laugh joined in, closer, older, and familiar. Arukenimon.
His panic subsided enough to raise his head to see, grateful for any distraction from his thoughts of destruction. The thick mist still surrounded him, but as he searched for the source of the laughter, the stuff seemed to be lightening - already he could see his hands in front of him.
"Look at him practice," said Arukenimon's familiar voice. "Oikawa will get a kick out of this. Look! The boy's given himself a whip!"
"I don't know," came his own voice, making him recognize this was a memory. "It looks painful."
An image swam into clarity as he realized what he was hearing. Before him, like a dream, was a scene from more than a decade ago, during his and Arukenimon's involvement in the corruption of Ken Ichijouji. They were observing the boy from a distance.
Arukenimon humphed. "If those Digimon are weak enough to let themselves be pushed around by a little boy, they deserve whatever they get."
"I suppose you must be right, my dear," he sighed, leaning his chin on his hand and watching her, an absent smile on his face.
The images shifted and he could tell by the sheer volume of tantrum-broken objects and the chair Arukenimon was smashing to matchsticks that it was shortly after Ken's defeat at the hands of the Chosen Children.
"That stupid boy! Everything was going so beautifully," she growled, swinging the chair again. "How could he dare..."
"Don't give yourself a splinter over it," Mummymon scolded. "You know the Boss isn't upset - He seems excited about the new plans..."
"All that work, wasted!" she snarled.
"It's not wasted... And anyway.. Now that he's gone, we can step into the spotlight. Haven't you been saying all along that you could show those kids a thing or two? Well, now you can."
She paused in the destruction, scowling, which meant she was thinking.
He grinned. "I bet you could even destroy them, if you tried."
The scene shifted again. The Chosen Children lay defeated by Blackwargreymon, who pondered over them. Mummymon looked at the fallen children and their digimon, looked back at himself and Arukenimon.
What had they been doing? The children had been nothing short of heroic, fighting to save the world itself. And if Blackwargreymon hadn't been a glitch of a Digimon and disobeyed his creator, they would have celebrated the death of those children. And by the end of the year, Vamdemon would have reigned over both their worlds.
He watched himself berate Blackwargreymon for refusing to destroy the children and felt sick. It wasn't so much that he cared about them - he hadn't known them then and barely did now, and it wasn't in his nature to care that much about anyone he didn't know - but he knew death now, and he knew for humans it was even worse, and he could hardly bear the thought that anyone could throw it around so lightly. That he had been willing to kill in a plan he didn't really understand or care much about. The plan meant he would stay close to Arukenimon, and he had never looked far past her.
Blackwargreymon spurned them and left, and Arukenimon fainted into his memory's arms. He smiled wistfully - moments like that had been worth it all to him, back then. Well worth attacking the young defenders of the Digital World.
The images ran once more and this time he saw moments from their many fights after that. He found himself growing more and more uncomfortable watching himself battle. Because every moment he'd held the upper hand, every time he'd landed a blow, he'd been grinning. It reminded him too much of Vamdemon.
And as he thought it, Belialvamdemon loomed before him and laughed.
The utter darkness in the corridor was disorienting. Iori felt Armadimon lean against his leg for reassurance. A softly glowing square of light appeared - Koushirou's laptop screen. A keychain flashlight wielded by Jyou cast a little more illumination on the small group. Koushirou waved for him to bring the flashlight closer, and was halfway through assuring them that he'd have them out in no time, when Arukenimon yelled in anger and punched the door, making them all jump. "Stop that!" said Gomamon as she hit it again. "That's not going to help!"
She shifted into her Digimon form and spit Acid Mist all over the door. Koushirou yelped as Tentomon yanked him away from the cloud of overspray. Everyone coughed in the rising cloud of fumes and the humans and their Digimon were forced to retreat back up the corridor- but it worked. Arukenimon kicked the softened door apart, ignoring the damage the melting metal did to the hard shells of her legs. The lights were still on on the other side, spilling welcome illumination into the corridor. Gomamon was halfway through congratulating her when she ducked through. They heard a yelp as she dropped out of sight, followed by a nasty metallic squeal. Iori peered through the door and saw Arukenimon taking up most of the width of a long elevator shaft, her legs stretched out against the walls. Her feet threw sparks as she slipped further down.
"Spider Thread!" She called irritably, throwing both hands towards the ceiling. Thick, strong strands lanced out from them and attached themselves, and she rappelled down the shaft, spinning out more thread as she went. "Well, come on," she hissed, "Unless you're all going to ride Kabu-whatever."
Iori and Koushirou shrugged and leaned out to grab the line, and slid down after her. Tentomon buzzed out into the open space and transformed into his larger self.
"All aboard who's going aboard," Gomamon said cheerily, and jumped easily out onto the waiting Digimon.
Arukenimon reached the bottom, tore the roof off the elevator, and dropped through. She roared. "It's locked here too!"
Koushirou dropped in beside her. "Can I do it this time?"
"Be my guest," Arukenimon snapped, stepping aside, and he set to work on the keypad by the door.
The others jumped down into the elevator one by one, Iori catching Armadimon and setting him down with a reassuring pat. Tentomon buzzed in last, just as Kousihrou gave a shout of success and the door slid open.
Arukenimon shouldered past him and took off at a run down the hallway on the other side.
"Wait!" Iori called, running after her, Armadimon at his side. "Don't go alone! Wait for us!" He knew her fairly well from all the time they'd spent together, knew how desperate she was to prove she could do everything alone. And he knew how easily that attitude could lead to disaster. He growled to himself, frustrated.
Koushirou and Jyou glanced at each other ruefully, and followed them.
Out in front, Arukenimon skidded and slammed into the wall at the end of the corridor, roaring as she got her balance and found she was too big to fit through the only door. She shifted back to her human form and shot through it into another corridor, lined with open doors. She stopped to stare and growled again, snatched off her shades and threw them down the corridor because all there was to track was the desert grit Toeremon had left behind as he had run, and it was hard to see. The others caught up to her as she jogged down the corridor, eyes scanning the white floor.
"Arukenimon, listen to me," Iori said, following close behind her. "We're all with you - this is a team. We have to work together. And I'm your friend. I won't let you down."
She looked back at him, her rarely-seen eyes icy. "You spend an awful lot of time trying to convince me that we're friends."
"We are."
"Then shut up and let me track."
"But-"
"Can any of your mutts track at this pace?" she snapped. "No? Then SHUT UP.."
"Why are we chasing this guy?" Gomamon asked from the rear of the group, struggling hard to keep up. "Can't we just leave him down here and deal with him above ground if he comes out to bother anyone?"
"There's powerful technology down here," Koushirou explained, as they turned another corner. "I'd rather not let him get settled in."
And Armadimon bounced off an invisible wall.
Jyou stumbled, trying to slow down, and ran into it with a little more control, Gomamon sliding up behind him. On the other side, Iori had stopped and run back. "Armadimon!" he cried, and pounded on the field, but his fist just bounced back. "Koushirou! Help!"
Koushirou reappeared from the doorway he had followed Arukenimon through and ran back. "What happened?"
Armadimon was rubbing his nose. "I didn't do anything! Iori ran through here and I was right behind him but all of a sudden this was here!"
"I didn't see anything either," Jyou confirmed, then gave a little yell and pointed. "It's closing!"
They looked up and saw what looked like a fire door scrolling down out of the ceiling right next to the invisible wall. Koushirou desperately scanned the area for anything he could break into to hijack the controls. "I can't do anything from here," he admitted, scowling.
"You guys sit tight," Iori suggested, "or head back to the main entrance if you have to. Koushirou, you can look for a place where you can take control of these doors. And I'll try to keep up with Arukenimon."
"But you won't have a Digimon!" Armadimon protested, distraught, watching the fire door descend.
"I'll have Arukenimon," he replied, and turned to sprint away in the direction she had gone.
"I was afraid he'd say that," said Jyou.
"He likes her," Armadimon pouted, and the fire door clanked shut.
"Well, what are we going to do now?" Tentomon asked his partner.
Koushirou thought for a moment. "If Toeremon shut that door, there must be a control access somewhere on the route he's been running," he guessed. "So I suppose the most sensible thing to do would be to follow Iori."
"In that case," Tentomon said, and buzzed off after Iori. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Koushirou followed him.
Mummymon watched the mist fearfully, chewing absently on one of his fingers. Nothing had happened for so long! He glanced nervously at Xuanwumon. "Is it supposed to take so long?" He whined.
One of the massive turtle's heads blinked at him. "He must face his trial alone." The other still stared at him with the same strange expression.
"Alone? But... we were never meant to be alone, not like this," he protested.
"Nevertheless, alone."
"What if he needs me?"
"The very point is that he needs you," Xuanwumon scolded. "He must be shown this."
Mummymon stared dubiously for a long moment. "Are you torturing him?"
"We are showing him the error of his ways."
"And he has to face this alone?"
"Yes."
Mummymon snarled. "Well, I don't care," he snapped, and moved towards the roiling mist. "He needs me and I'm not going to leave him alone!"
Fear clutched at his chest as he stepped up to the fog. He couldn't slow down - if he did he was afraid he'd lose his nerve. So he shut his eyes and flinched away and walked straight into the dark cloud. It was like plunging into cold water - he gasped and wet air filled his lungs. Then, as if underwater, he heard himself sobbing. He followed the sound, worried and feeling off-balance in the featureless mist. A shape swam into view through the fog and he jogged towards it, stopping short as he saw what it was.
His Digimon self was sitting on the ground. Towering above him was a silent, misty image of Belialvamdemon. The Digimon looked up at the human and made a quiet sound of anguish before looking back down at Arukenimon, sprawled out before him, unmoving. "I couldn't help her," he whined quietly.
Mummymon swallowed hard, trying to keep a grip on himself. This was just a mind-affecting attack... Just a vision. "There was nothing we could have done," he said, trying to sound comforting. "And it all turned out all right... This is all in our past now. Arukenimon is ok."
The Digimon shook his head. "She's not ok. She's screwed up from everything we went through back then. And so are we."
He shrugged helplessly. "There was nothing we could have done to stop-"
"Yes there was!!" Mummymon hissed. "Don't you duck out of this! We could have stopped before it ever got that far. We could have questioned our orders. We could even have fought alongside the Chosen Children! ...We didn't." he gazed at Arukenimon and stroked her shoulder sadly.
The human stared, his words sinking in. He was right. Oikawa had never had any power over them that he knew of.. they could have disobeyed if they'd wanted to. But it had all seemed like so much fun, an adventure, a quest - and he'd wanted to please Oikawa - and it had kept him close to Arukenimon. He'd been happy by her side, and questioned nothing, and walked right into their destruction. "I.. You're right," he mumbled, and crouched down next to himself. "But... it's still in the past. It can't be helped. We just have to learn from our mistakes like anyone."
Mummymon shook his head again. "We haven't though, have we? What have we been doing? Wandering around, only concerned for ourselves. We don't have orders anymore, that's the only difference."
"Who else should we be concerned about?" Mummymon asked.
"Anyone!" he said, raising his voice. "Anyone.. We should be interested.. We should help.. We helped to do a lot of damage to this world and it gave us our lives back.. We should give something, too."
The human stared at his other self in shock. Was this the same jerk who had been questing for power a few hours ago? He guessed he should have had more confidence in himself. "Maybe you're right," he said quietly. "Maybe we should do something good." For no reason he knew, he felt like crying. He stared around into the mist, trying to shake it off, and noticed the image of Belialvamdemon was disappearing, as if blowing away.
Both halves of Mummymon started with surprise when Arukenimon sat up and muttered, "What are you two whining about now?"
"We.. well, we were thinking we ought to do something good."
"Good?" Arukenimon repeated blankly, dusting herself off and adjusting her hat and shades.
"Like.. volunteer to help with something. You know. Something good."
She scowled. "Why?"
The human hesitated. His counterpart filled in. "Because we can. Because we should. Because I want to. It's a beautiful world. I'd like to be able to say I did more than just live in it."
"What nonsense," she sniffed, not looking at him. "And if I don't want to come along for the ride?"
"It was just an idea," the human deferred, sounding defeated.
"It is not just an idea!" his Digimon half retorted, slightly scandalized. "You're me, aren't you? You're just as sure as I am about this!"
"But Arukenimon won't stay with us if we-"
"That's not Arukenimon, you know."
"Hey!" Arukenimon snapped.
"Of course I know that," the human continued, pleading, "but she's right. Arukenimon won't be interested in this."
"So what?" the Digimon said, crossing his arms.
"She'll leave us," the human wailed, close to panic.
Mummymon laughed. "She won't leave us. She loves us. Don't you know that?"
"I've never known that!" he cried. "I just wanted it to be true.. But it's not.. She doesn't... She already left us because of this," and he motioned to himself and his Digimon half in frustration.
But Mummymon just grinned. "Oh, I'll admit that worried me for a moment. But she's always been hotheaded. And we were-"
"Glad to see you have the courage to insult me when I'm not around," Arukenimon interrupted.
"You know I love you, poopsie," Mummymon grinned, poking the end of her nose with one claw.
"I hope your head falls off," she muttered, slapping his hand away.
The Digimon's grin faded as he watched himself thoughtfully. "You really don't believe she loves you, do you?"
Mummymon stared into the unreadable shades of the illusory Arukenimon. "N.. no," he admitted. "I hope she does... but..."
The Digimon sighed. "That's too bad. When we're together again you still won't feel the certainty I have. But at least my feelings will be a part of us again."
"Together?" Mummymon asked, looking up. "I thought you were happy to get rid of me."
"I changed my mind," Mummymon shrugged. "You were right when you said she'd love us if we were together again."
"Ugh.. Morons," Arukenimon commented, turning insubstantial. She melted into the mist, and it blew away like a passing cloud, leaving them alone together on the hard earth, snow still whistling by outside the mountain haven. They got to their feet, seeing Xuanwumon's piercing gaze was still leveled at them.
A tense silence stretched out between them. Finally, the Digimon Mummymon snarled, "You could have found a way to convince me without making me watch us DIE again."
One of Xuanwumon's heads tilted in a little shrug. "I am sorry you had to relive an unpleasant memory. But the mist sees what one fails to see in oneself, and it finds the most direct path to clarity."
"Mummymon," the quieter head said to the Digimon, "You now understand that your current state is unsatisfactory. And you," he said, turning to the human, "I was glad to see you refuse to stand by and leave him alone."
He blinked, confused. "You told me not to help."
Xuanwumon inclined his head slightly. "He did not need your help. But I was curious to see if you could overcome your nature."
"My nature?"
"It is in your nature," the tortoise narrowed its eyes in a reptilian grin, "to obey."
The Digimon snickered and poked the human in the ribs with an elbow.
"Hey," the human complained, shoving him away by the arm.
Xuanwumon cleared both his throats, getting their attention. "I have decided to help you."
Without waiting for a response, he turned one of his heads back towards the ring of softly glowing Digicores that circled him. When he looked back around, a Digicore followed, floating in front of his nose.
Mummymon's eye widened. "You're going to help me Digivolve?"
"No," the tortoise said patiently. "I am going to give your other half the properties he will need to enable your reunion."
Xuanwumon's other head looked straight at the human. "I am going to give you a Core."
They watched in silence as Xuanwumon turned both his heads toward the Digicore and concentrated on it. Slowly he pulled his heads back, and as he did, the sphere distorted, trying to follow both of them. With a liquid sound, a small part snapped off, and each piece sprang back into spherical shape. He guided the larger one, which appeared unchanged from the original, back into the ring of Digicores.
"Come here," said one head, as the other scrutinized the small new Digicore.
The human Mummymon stepped forward nervously.
"I know what this will do to you," Xuanwumon said, "but I do not know how it will feel. I apologize if it hurts you."
He nodded his understanding and closed his eyes, chin up, trying not to be afraid.
He felt something soft strike him in the chest, and a light shined so bright it hurt, but no matter how hard he screwed his eyes shut it made no difference. He felt strange, as if he was hollow and someone was pouring warm sand into his chest to fill him up. It turned searing hot and he clenched his teeth, trying not to cry out. Just as he thought he should drop to his knees to avoid falling over entirely, the pain changed back into warmth that spread all through him in a thousand jaggedly branching paths before fading away entirely, along with the light. After a moment he cautiously opened an eye.
Mummymon was looking at him, concern plain in his big yellow eye. "Are you ok?"
"Yes... I'm fine... It was just..." he didn't know what to say. He glanced down at himself reflexively. "I don't feel any different."
"You are different," Xuanwumon assured. "Your format has changed, so to speak. You are no longer nearly so close to being a true human. And when the time is right, you and he will recombine, and it will be permanent."
"When the time is right?" he said, shocked. "After all that all you can say is 'when the time is right?'"
"I do not make the rules," the tortoise replied. "Stay together, and it will happen when it is ready to happen. Your audience is over. You may go." With that, the quieter head lowered to the ground and went straight back to sleep, and the other followed suit.
"Wait!" Mummymon cried, "What do we need to do? What.. What do we do?"
Xuanwumon regarded him with one annoyed eye. "It will happen on its own. Stay together and you will be fine." He closed his eye, opened it again to find Mummymon still staring at him expectantly, and hissed breathily in irritation. "You may go."
"Let's go," the Digimon suggested, picking up his rifle. "We're not going to get anything else out of him. And I want to go back and look for Arukenimon."
"I guess you're right," Mummymon conceded, and pulled his hood back up over his head, watching the snow fall outside the Holy Beast's realm. It was going to be a long walk.
After a while, Tentomon realized his partner wasn't behind him, and backtracked to find him with his laptop open, studying a display panel set into the wall. "Anything good?" he asked, but Koushirou only made a noncommittal noise; he was concentrating. Tentomon sighed. "It had better be, because we're never catching up to the others now."
Koushirou turned to his partner, looking satisfied. "Is a complete multilevel working diagram of this place good? Follow me." He took off at a run and the insect Digimon flew close after him. "What bothers me," he said as he ran, "is that we still haven't passed any control points, and we're past where that Digimon was at that time, if we're taking the path he took."
"Maybe we're not, then," Tentomon suggested sensibly. "Maybe the spider woman lost his trail."
"Maybe I did!" Arukenimon snapped, appearing around a corner in front of them, Iori a few paces behind her, looking a little winded.
"Has anyone ever told you, you're beautiful when you're angry?" Tentomon said hopefully.
"Tentomon!" Iori hissed.
"Well, since Gomamon isn't here.." he reasoned.
"Anyway, we're lost," Iori confirmed. "How was your luck?"
"Better. I have a map. I can lead us to the engine room."
"Then what are we waiting for? Move!" Arukenimon commanded, and Koushirou set off down a new corridor.
"You see?" Iori grinned at Arukenimon. "Teamwork.."
"Shut up," she muttered.
"There's an infostack room on the way," Koushirou mentioned. "I'd like to stop off there and get some real information about this place. I'll catch up once I'm satisfied."
"So, sometime next year then," Tentomon buzzed.
"Toeremon's tracks are everywhere," Iori said. "He must have been exploring this place all day."
Koushirou hmmed. "A distinct advantage."
"But we have numbers," Arukenimon asserted.
"We used to have more," Iori cautioned. "We can't let him split us up any further."
"Er.. this is where I take a different route," Koushirou said apologetically. He outlined the way to the engine room for the others and headed down a side corridor. "Good luck," he called back, Tentomon following over his shoulder. "I'll see if I can't free Jyou and the others from where I'm headed."
"And then there were two," Iori said ruefully. Arukenimon rolled her eyes and took off running once again.
They skidded around a corner and through a door into a new hallway and Arukenimon slowed, looking around. "I think I've been here before," she muttered, matching up her memories with Koushirou's directions. "Yes - this way! We're close."
Shortly they reached the kicked-in door of the engine room, and Arukenimon transformed again before ducking through, Iori right behind her.
The room was full of cages. Most of them were empty. A Numemon regarded them balefully from a small cage by the door.
And two cages up on the dais held Armadimon and Gomamon.
"Iori!" Armadimon cried.
"So you found your way," Toeremon said, looking up from his work at one of the banks of controls. "Stay back," he cautioned, "or I will do permanent damage to your friend." He motioned to Jyou, who was lying in a corner, hands tied, unconscious.
Arukenimon glanced down at Iori, looking for a cue, but he was silent, his eyes burning with outrage. She remembered that look from another life, when he'd been a boy and she... well, she'd been trying to destroy him.
But she didn't want to destroy him any more. He was her friend, and she would not fail him.
"How could you do this to your fellow Digimon?!" Iori shouted.
"I have no fellow Digimon," Toeremon snarled. "My kind were destroyed by those who were jealous and afraid of our power!"
"What? ...But not by these Digimon!" he protested, motioning to the prisoners. "They're innocent!"
Toeremon shrugged. "Sacrificed for a greater cause."
"Iori!!" Armadimon wailed.
"Armadimon! I won't let him hurt you-"
Toeremon laughed sharply. "You really think you have a say in this? You can't stop me."
"Brave words from someone facing an Ultimate," Arukenimon growled, stepping forward.
"Not at all," Toeremon smiled, pecking a few controls, and one of the three beam emitters that had been focused on the dais turned to track her. "Do not come any closer. I mean it."
"I trusted you and you lied to me," Arukenimon hissed. "I hate that..."
"I hardly lied. We were both here for the first time when we met. I am just a fast learner- and this is my people's technology." He finally turned from the instruments and faced them. "I never knew another Toeremon. For years I did not know there had been any others. Finally I learned that before I was hatched, the Toeremon people were building a secret complex when they were attacked and wiped out by other Digimon. So I vowed to find it and use it to wreak our revenge." He nodded to Arukenimon. "I fell into that trap while I was searching for this place."
Arukenimon shook her head. "I'm not opposed to revenge. But this isn't revenge. It's a tantrum."
Toeremon's eyes widened in surprised rage. "What? No it is not!"
"How can it be revenge when you have no idea what happened? You weren't even hatched!"
"I'll find out!" he snarled, and turned back to operate the controls. "And when I do I'll be ready!"
The air warped as a field of energy sprang into life up on the dais. "No!" Iori cried, running to Armadimon, jumping up on the dais with him. "You have to stop!"
Toeremon ignored him. The two beams still focussed on the dais fired. Gomamon screamed. Armadimon cried out in horror at the sight of Iori, standing in the way of the other beam, taking it square on his back.
Iori blinked in surprise. He had braced himself, but the beam didn't seem to be doing anything to him at all. He would be able to protect his partner! But - his eyes locked on Gomamon and he shivered - he couldn't save them both...
Koushirou hurtled through the door, taking in the situation with a glance, and ran for the dais. "Tentomon," he shouted, "Help Jyou!" He bounded up next to the cage holding the writhing Gomamon and boldly stood in the way of the beam. The seal Digimon blinked, looked up, and shouted his friend's name joyfully.
Beside him, Iori waited expectantly. Koushirou had a burning, determined look on his face, which was usually a bad sign.
"Are you ok?" Armadimon asked his partner worriedly.
"He's fine," Koushirou assured, "these harvesters don't affect us."
Gomamon stared hopefully down at Tentomon, who was working on Jyou's bonds. "Any luck?"
"Help me with him," Tentomon buzzed frantically, "he just won't come around!"
"Jyou!" Gomamon called, pounding on the inside of his cage, "wake up!"
Toeremon looked around and roared, "What are you DOING?"
"Wait!" Koushirou called, "Listen to me! You can't use the Engine. It's dangerous. Your people gave everything to heal the damage their machine caused!"
Toeremon looked like he might start foaming at the mouth. "WHAT?! WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE??"
"I've been reading the information the Toeremon left for their survivors- for you! They used this as a power source until they found out it was causing a rift in the fabric of the Digital World. They created a program to heal that rift, and they all sacrificed themselves to the Engine to create enough power to run it. And YOU were reconfigured from what was left over- right there!" Koushirou pointed to the cubby where the Digimon Mummymon had appeared - the one with the padded floor. There were Digi-egg sized hollows in the padding.
Toeremon's fur was bristling. "A rift in reality? Do you expect me to believe this? A rift from what stress?"
Koushirou tilted his head down, his eyes a challenge. "The Engine was designed to provide free energy from Digital life itself. They would use themselves or other Digimon to power the Engine and then bring them back as mature Digi-eggs, bypassing the normal reconfiguration process and the time it takes. Eventually this unbalanced the flow of energy in the Digital World and created a rift."
The jackal Digimon blinked, his eyes wide with disbelief and shock. He snarled, his expression closing, fortified with hatred. "Then I will avenge only myself! The last of a great civilization!"
"Toeremon, no!" Iori pleaded. "You don't have to do this! Please, let them-"
Arukenimon charged towards Toeremon, and he snarled and fired the third beam on her. It struck her square in the chest and she screamed and stumbled, crashing heavily to the floor. She couldn't believe it hurt so much!
Suddenly the pain stopped. She shook her head to clear it and looked up. Jyou was standing before her, blocking the beam. For a moment she just stared. She knew the Chosen Children would accept and defend almost anyone, but it was still hard for her to believe- this Human actually stepping into the line of fire for her. That was the sort of thing she expected Mummymon to do.
Toeremon roared in frustration. "Percussive Kick!" he shouted, and Jyou was sent tumbling across the room.
The beam clipped Arukenimon again but she was already in the air. "Spider Thread!" she called out, before Toeremon had righted himself from the Kick. Thin, steel-strong strands of silk lanced out towards the Digimon and wrapped him tight. He recovered his composure and started to flex to try to break free, only to be yanked off his feet. Aru landed near him, stomping as she hit so that she left dents in the metal floor. It sent a spike of pain up through her legs but it felt good, as Toeremon twitched away. She grabbed him and hauled him off the ground, growling, showing most of her sharp teeth.
"Wait!" Iori cried.
Arukenimon stopped and glanced at him. "Wait for what?"
"Don't hurt him!" he pleaded.
"Well, don't hurt him too much," Gomamon interjected.
"Ha!" She glared at the Digimon. "I intend to do a lot more than that..."
"Please," Toeremon shuddered.
She narrowed her eyes. "I have a very small good side. You didn't manage to get on it."
Iori looked distraught. "Please, Arukenimon! He's a living thing- we should give him a second chance!"
"He can have the same second chance I had," she snapped, and threw the bundled up Digimon into the focus of the beam he had used on her. He shrieked as it hit him, and howled and howled as the light devoured him.
Everyone stared.
"Arukenimon," Iori whispered, his voice raspy.
"Jyou, are you injured?" Koushirou called out.
"I'm fine.. Can't say it's been the best day but-"
"Take over for me, then. I need to shut down this equipment, now."
Jyou nodded purposefully and hurried to take the prodigy's place protecting Gomamon. Koushirou sprinted around to deck after deck and back again until, with the magical sound of turbines spinning down, the beams and lights shut off and the tingling field dissipated from the air. The battery lights came on, brighter and fully charged, but still leaving the large room gloomy.
"Why did you do it?" Iori demanded, staring angrily up at Arukenimon.
She looked irritated and uncertain, her wide, sharp-toothed mouth grimacing. She shrugged, changing back to her human form. "To be sure he wouldn't bother us again."
"There are other ways to deal with bad Digimon," Jyou pointed out, working to open his partner's cage.
She snorted. "Oh yes - that always works beautifully doesn't it?"
Iori's eyes were steely. "We won, didn't we?"
"No thanks to you."
"I'm talking about then," he hissed.
Arukenimon bristled. "How dare-
"Oh," Koushirou said, in a tone that made everyone present stop dead in their tracks. "There was a considerable amount of energy saved up here. Now that I've shut everything down, it's going to reconfigure the excess."
"It's what?" Jyou said.
"Eggs," he clarified. "Here's where we discover whether or not the fabric of this world will be damaged."
The battery lights went out, plunging the room into blackness. But then there were shimmers of light coming from somewhere..
Jyou gasped, the others watched in amazed silence as every surface in the room seemed to light up with beads of pale green energy, all moving towards channels in the walls. It was like dew, drops of energy growing until the force caught them and they ran. The room seemed to flicker and flash, and stick on pitch darkness, then the battery lights swelled to life once more.
"I guess.. we made it?" Jyou ventured.
Koushirou nodded. "The area is badly stressed, but it should recover."
"Look what else has been recovered," Iori directed their attention to the walls.
Three more of the small padded cells were open now, and each one contained four Digi-Eggs.
Arukenimon sighed. "Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse."
The two halves of Mummymon walked together down the mountain. The human went a little too fast, enjoying the feeling of falling into each step. The Digimon chuckled as the human sank up to the thigh in powdery snow. "What are you so happy about?"
"You're kidding. About being me again! I didn't really think he would help us."
He shook his head, smiling, but looking a bit grim. "Aren't you going to mind it - giving up what you are now?"
"What? No.. We're not giving anything up, either of us.. We're becoming more! Even more than that - the sum is greater than the total of our parts or something, right?"
The Digimon sighed. "You're so certain."
"But not about the most important thing.. the only thing you are certain of..."
"Arukenimon."
The human nodded.
"I don't know why you're not certain. You felt her respond to you, when we stole that kiss. She kissed us back."
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything."
"She's hardly ever left our side, all these years."
"We were dead for a lot of those years."
"I'm not trying to count those!"
"Ok, ok.." the human deferred. "I guess I just can't help it. Something in me just won't believe it."
"Mm.. Like something in me just won't settle down and accept going back to being how we were?"
"Oh.." he hung his head. So Mummymon still thought he was weak, unworthy. "I thought you were ok with it."
"I am.. It's still hard to accept, though."
"I don't know if I can ever accept the idea that Arukenimon loves me."
"Balderdash," the Digimon scoffed. "I'll prove it to you."
"You.. what? What do you mean? You're not going to make us kiss her again, are you? You know she won't stand for that kind of thing for long..."
"What would that prove? The last one didn't convince you. Relax, I'm not going to do anything untowards."
"But.." he frowned. "What, then?"
Mummymon grinned. "Jogress and find out."
The mountainside exploded.
Everything was chaos for a few seconds, falling, tumbling, snow everywhere, and something was roaring, high-pitched. The Digimon got his bearings first, and looked up the mountainside to see an unfamiliar creature, a huge white insect-like serpent, poking out of a burrow in the snow and whipping around, apparently in search of something. It spied the human, struggling in the snow, and reached out to grab him in a pincer claw. Mummymon gave a strangled shout, raised his rifle, and fired. The serpent squealed but it didn't let go of the human. It turned to face Mummymon and charged him. He fired again, and the serpent dodged, the human in its claw yelling at the sharp movements.
Mummymon froze. He didn't know what to do. If he fired again he might hit his other half.
The serpent plowed into him and pinned him in the snow. Its mouth split open, heat blazing like a furnace inside, revealing hundreds of pin-shaped teeth, and drooled, melting the snow, scalding Mummymon. He tried to bring his gun around, couldn't move it, and fired anyway. It struck the beast somewhere on its length, and it jerked and dropped the human to bring both of its pincers up and plunge them into the snow, pinning the Digimon down completely. He yelled in terror, trying to wrench an arm free to fend the thing off with, but it was too strong.
Then, someone was drawing the fighting knives from his harness.
"GET OFF!" the human Mummymon shouted, brandishing a knife in each hand. Yelling, he slammed a knife into the side of the beast's head, where it stuck. It squealed and whipped back, freeing one Mummymon and striking the other with its body.
The Digimon hauled his rifle up and fired from the ground, hitting the serpent solidly this time. It thrashed, backed away, and finally retreated. He got hastily to his feet and stumbled over to the fallen human.
He felt a chill. The human was as white as the snow. He didn't look at all good.
Mummymon squinted up at his Digimon half, kneeling beside him. "I.. I lost your knife," he grinned painfully.
Mummymon swallowed hard around the lump that was suddenly in his throat. He'd never felt so alone and helpless in his whole life. Why hadn't they Jogressed? It was exactly the sort of thing that had always set it off for the Chosen Children.. Was it his fault? His reluctance that kept them apart? He reached out and covered one of the human's hands with his own. "You're not.. I mean... You'll be ok, won't you?"
"I'll.. I'll be fine," Mummymon said, his pale human face streaked with red. "Xuanwumon said.. We would be alright together.. And we're still together."
Mummymon wailed a little, frightened. "You were right," he cried, "I need you back- I don't want to be like this anymore.. I'm.. I look into myself, and so much is missing."
Mummymon coughed redly into the snow and started to shake quietly. Mummymon drew his clawed hand back, alarmed, then realized he was laughing. The human looked at him with mirthful eyes. "I thought you'd never come around... I guess both halves of us are too stubborn for our own good."
He blinked back sudden tears. "I'm sorry.."
Mummymon laughed a little painfully, pushing silver hair out of his face again, but he was still smiling. "Don't feel sorry for yourself. It's a terrible habit." He chuckled uncontrollably for a little while, and Mummymon laughed a little too, smiling, but worried. At last the human regained some control over himself and turned his bright yellow eyes to the Digimon. "You mean it? You want this weakness back?"
Mummymon shook his head, frowning. "You're not weak. I just never realized how much of me was human." He reached out and touched his counterpart's chest with the tips of his claws. "...how much of my strength was you."
Mummymon looked up at himself in amazement, feeling truly accepted for the first time.
A strange, eruptive sensation took them by surprise; bright light sparked out from them both and their eyes widened in elated surprise. "Is that all it took?" the human wondered aloud, feeling himself swept up in a torrent of power. There was a brief, incredibly comfortable feeling of sharing, which dissolved slowly into one of simple wholeness.
Mummymon blinked at the brightness of all that snow, and turned around, searching. He was alone.
He closed his eye and took a deep breath, tilting his head back. He grinned, and started to laugh.
Arukenimon fumed. This was ridiculous! What a waste of time. She balled up her fist and conked the top of one of the eggs in her lap.
"Arukenimon! Don't do that," Iori scolded, and gave her a steely look before turning his eyes back to the road.
She made a grumpy noise. "I hate Primary Village. I still don't see why we have to go there. These Digimon were all from that area in the first place. And these were probably all Numemon anyway."
"They need to be taken care of," he insisted.
"How did you talk me into this? You must have cheated somehow."
"Where have I heard that before," he muttered, and Arukenimon shot him a glare.
The others had stayed at the complex. Jyou was helping the caged Numemon and a Gazimon they'd found tied up in another room find their way home. Koushirou was deep in the guts of the Engine's programming, trying to devise a way to solve Mummymon's problem.
Iori was at the wheel of the jeep. Even with shortcuts there was some distance to travel, and even Arukenimon agreed that she was in too foul a mood to drive. Armadimon had chosen to avoid the stress of her being around by taking a nap curled up amongst the eggs.
"I haven't really talked to you in a while," Iori said, glancing at her again. "How are things with you now? How has Mummymon been?"
She sighed irritably. "He's been fine. He's an idiot. He's always fine."
"And you?"
"Maybe I don't want to talk about it."
"Maybe you do."
She growled and slouched down in her seat, and scowled at the windshield. "...I fought alongside Chosen Children."
He looked at her, slightly surprised. "Why does that bother you? You used to be our enemy, sure, but you never really had a reason for-"
"THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME," she snarled, but managed to reign herself back for Iori's sake. "You'll never understand... You always had a purpose - hell, a destiny! You're about as aimless as a compass needle."
Iori shrugged. "You don't need a mission to make life worth living. You just need to live, and learn."
"Thank you so much for the glib words," she muttered.
"It's not glib. I believe it. Purpose can be good or bad. For someone as long-lived as a Digimon, spending a long time finding the right direction isn't bad."
"You don't even know if I'll live as long as a natural Digimon."
Iori chuckled. "Look at you! You look the same as the first day I saw you, when I was a little boy. And look at me now!"
Arukenimon's gaze drifted over the handsome young man. She scowled and averted her eyes, and realized she was blushing. Ugh, why was she doing that? She didn't even like Iori. Not like that. She snarled again. "Everything's so unsettling. All the things I understood are useless. I'm only good for fighting, and there's nobody to fight. No reason. No enemy... No boss."
"Do you still miss Mr. Oikawa?"
She growled noncommittally. "Sort of. Not really. He's still around, after all."
"Do you wish... you'd fought for him that day?"
Arukenimon stared out the window.
"You know... If you had... You would have fought alongside us. The way you did today."
There was a long silence, and when Iori looked at Arukenimon, he was astonished to see tears shining on her face. He snapped his eyes back to the road, pretending not to notice.
The egg in Arukenimon's lap chose that moment to hatch and dump a little yellow Zurumon onto her.
Mummymon was amiably wandering in the direction of the complex, as best as he could remember, when he spied something in the distance across the plain. He watched it, intrigued, as it shimmered in the evening heat. It seemed to be getting closer. He shifted into his Digimon form and raised Obelisk, just in case.
He heard a buzz and moments later could make out flashing wings. Suddenly it stopped, apparently noticing him, and headed straight for him. And then it called out, "Mummymon? Is that you?"
Mummymon frowned nervously. He didn't recognize the voice, or the approaching beetle itself - which was getting much larger than he expected. "What's it to you?"
"Arukenimon's looking for you. I'm Kabuterimon, Koushirou's partner," he introduced himself, reaching the bandaged Digimon and looking around. "Where's the other one of you?"
He shrugged, leaning on his gun. He only half-recognized the name, but he'd never met a partner Digimon that wasn't alright. "There is no other one," he explained, and shifted back to his more human form. "We recombined a little while ago. I'm fine now."
"Oh! Good. Well, everyone's worried about you! Come on, I'll give you a ride back."
"Everyone?" Mummymon inquired, climbing on a little precariously.
"Gomamon, Armadimon, Iori and Jyou are here too."
He was impressed. "You... Arukenimon didn't bring you all here, did she?"
"She did. Hold on!"
After dropping off a jeepful of Digi-eggs and hatchlings to a slightly confused Elecmon, Arukenimon and Iori had returned to the complex. Arukenimon watched Koushirou scan through page after page of information and poke various pieces of equipment in the slightly gloomy Engine room. She was getting bored. Jyou appeared through the gate in the room, the battery lights flickering from the drain, and she shot to her feet. "Did you-"
"No," Jyou admitted, "I didn't see any sign of him yet."
She made a sour face. She was sick of waiting. "Fine. I'll find him myself," she proclaimed, and strode towards the gate.
She was about half a pace away when Mummymon appeared through it and collided with her. He yelled and she shrieked. "I'm sorry, my dear!" Mummymon apologized.
Then Tentomon buzzed through the gate and headed for Koushirou. "You can stop if you want," he informed his partner. "Mummymon got better on his own."
Arukenimon realized her hands were still curled up in the soft blue material of Mummymon's coat, from when she had grabbed him for balance. She dropped her hands and vainly pretended that he wasn't noticing her blush.
Mummymon stared down at her as she fidgeted nervously, blushing to match her and feeling pleasantly silly for it. "I didn't mean to bowl you over," he said, smiling slyly, and looked around at the three young men in the room. "Did you really call all these Chosen Children for me?"
She scowled, then realized that he probably thought her scowling and blushing was the cutest thing ever, and scowled harder. "Yes. I'm frankly astonished that you could solve your own problem."
"Aw, Arukenimon." He smiled wide. It was nice to be reminded she really did care. "I missed you."
"You saw me this morning, you twit."
"So?" he shrugged, noticing everyone was watching them at this point. "I still missed you, my dear. I walked all the way to the North and convinced Xuanwumon to fix me. How was your day?"
"Well I burned my legs and scratched my glasses and killed a guy, but other than that it was pretty terrible," she replied acidly, trying to cover up anything that would show she was impressed..
Mummymon's smile vanished. "You killed someone?"
She tossed her head, unconcerned. "Toeremon. He tried to kill some of these sprouts' Digimon," she said, motioning vaguely towards the humans.
"It's true, she demolished him," Gomamon piped up cheerfully.
Iori shot the seal Digimon an annoyed look and explained the day's adventure to Mummymon, who listened raptly. Iori introduced him to the less familiar Chosen Children, and Koushirou tried to explain the details of the Engine's function to him but he zoned out, gazing at Arukenimon. She didn't seem to notice; maybe she wasn't looking in his direction.
He blinked, realizing that nobody was talking anymore. "Uh.. So.. Toeremon was just.. testing the Engine on me? Ugh.." he shivered, then grinned. "Thank you for avenging me, Arukenimon."
A beat passed, and she turned her head away suddenly. Mummymon smirked behind his high collar. She had been looking at him. "I didn't do it for you," she said sourly.
"Whether you meant to or not, you did it."
She scowled harder.
Iori looked troubled. "You shouldn't ask her to glorify it like that. She destroyed a Digimon we didn't have to kill. That's never right."
Mummymon shrugged. "Of course it's not right. But she fought and protected you all, the best way she knew how. And I'm proud of her for it." He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she blushed, scowled at the floor and hunched her shoulders.
Iori was watching her too, and his expression softened. "I'm sorry, Arukenimon," he said earnestly. "You risked your life for us. Thank you."
She growled. "Your Digimon didn't need saving before I brought you here."
"If you hadn't brought us," Jyou interjected, "who knows what Toeremon would have done before we caught wind of him?"
"He would have done terrible damage to the Digital World," Koushirou agreed. "In fact I'd suggest that because of the two of you, we just prevented more damage to the structure of this world than your actions ever helped to cause in the past."
Mummymon looked even more impressed. "Arukenimon!" he beamed.
"Look, shut up, alright? It was just an accident."
"Just can't take a compliment, huh?" Gomamon smiled up at her. She looked daggers at him, and he happily proclaimed, "well, I think you're OK!"
Tentomon nodded approvingly, and Armadimon agreed, "wonderful!"
Arukenimon stared down at the yellow Digimon. Even this little speedbump liked her now? "You're all absolutely mad," she muttered.
Mummymon smiled, bemused. His poor Arukenimon. "Come talk with me for a moment?" he asked, nodding towards the empty hall. She gave him an annoyed look but when he walked past and caught her hand, she let him lead her out.
"That's far enough," she snapped, pulling free a few paces down the hall. "What in the hell is it?"
"They're your friends," he said quietly. "You don't have to be friends back, but... You should know they are friends to you."
"I know that, you twit. But they're Chosen Children. They'd be friends with pondscum if it looked lonely. They'd be friends with you."
"Wow," Mummymon said, impressed but not particularly offended. "Arukenimon... Wait. Are you saying you don't care because they're so easy to be friends with? ..or are you saying you don't think you're worthy of real friendship?"
Arukenimon fumed. Of course she knew she could have friends. Iori had been her friend almost since her reconfiguration. Did Mummymon never pay attention? "I'm saying you should shut up and mind your own business, how's that?"
"Fair enough," he shrugged, and turned bashful. It was time to say what he'd been holding himself back from for so long. "Arukenimon... I love you."
"I'm going to puke."
"No, I mean it," Mummymon continued undaunted. "I stopped saying it because... Well, because I thought I should. But I've never stopped being in love with you."
"I know that, you idiot. You tried to kill yourself for me. And the two of you whined about me nonstop when you were in pieces. You're not exactly subtle."
"Oh. So..." Mummymon contemplated. "So you know I love you. But all I know is that you care enough about me, to team up with old enemies. Is it more than that? Or less?"
"You know full well I HATE talking about things like that."
He sighed pathetically. "Yes.. I'm sorry. I just want so badly to know."
She growled. Why did she have to say anything? The mere fact that she was still here was bad enough. Didn't he notice the way she got upset to be without him? "You know already," she snapped.
"Oh," he said hollowly, his face falling. "I understand.. I'm sorry.. I.. I'll be back," he rambled despondently, backing away a few steps and starting to turn.
"STOP," Arukenimon commanded, and sighed in irritation.
Mummymon turned back slowly. "My dear?"
She scowled. This was ridiculous. "I hate talking about this."
He fidgeted, unsure. "So..."
"Ugh," she muttered in disgust, and leaned forward and up and touched her lips to his for a brief moment before stepping back. She couldn't look at him.
Mummymon's eye was as big as a saucer. He searched for words, then decided that maybe... it wasn't the time for words anymore.
"They've been out there an awfully long time," Jyou observed.
"They probably have some things to catch up on," Iori smiled, looking innocent as always.
"I have a lot to catch up on, myself," Jyou said wryly, "after spending the whole day on an adventure."
"It's nice to have an adventure again once in a while," Gomamon reminded him. "I like the quiet life as much as anyone, but it feels good to be a hero. Even when nobody knows."
"Hey!" Jyou smiled, shoving his Digimon a little, playfully. "I'm a hero every day. I'm a doctor."
"Good for you. I'm not." the seal Digimon pointed out.
"I know you're having fun seeing your friends, Iori," Armadimon spoke up, "and I am, too, but.. I'm hungry."
"I think we all are," Iori agreed. "Do you think we should all head back to town and get some good food?"
"Did someone mention food?" Koushirou asked, looking up from a console.
"The one thing he'll tune in for," Tentomon chuckled.
"Well, I'll want to come back here with a team tomorrow to study this place thoroughly and take apart the more dangerous equipment. But it's safe enough for now. And I am very hungry."
"It's settled then. Dinnertime," Gomamon smiled.
Iori knocked on the wall by the door and cleared his throat. "Are you guys ready to head back into town for supper?"
There was a long silence. "I am hungry," they heard Mummymon say delicately.
The drive back to town was quiet and lazy. A cool breeze was blowing, fanning their dust trail out for miles behind them as the night crept closer. Iori had volunteered to drive the jeep again and Mummymon, tired and distracted, had accepted gratefully. Arukenimon frowned, lost in thought and stuck between the two men. She watched Iori drive, annoyed at the way he looked at her and smiled when he noticed her. Then she looked down at Mummymon, slumped so far down his butt had slid off the seat, his hat pulled down over his face, snoozing, with Armadimon curled up and napping on his chest. She scowled. How could she feel so strongly about someone so.. goofy? Why did she find it so impossible to cast him off? She'd wanted to be rid of him so many times, yet without fail, whenever he was gone she felt awful. And when he returned, she felt...
She crossed and uncrossed her arms a few times, fidgeting, and Iori glanced at her. "Is something bothering you?" he asked.
She frowned. Well.. she did trust Iori more than any other creature in the world. If she was going to confide... She sighed. "He asked me if I... you know." He raised an eyebrow and she gave him an icy glare. "..what I thought of him."
Iori smiled and nodded. "And you said?"
"I didn't say anything. I.." She pressed her lips together and glared at the open country.
"You kissed him, so you wouldn't have to say it?"
She glared for another long few minutes. "I hate talking about it. I hate thinking about it. I hate.." she sighed with a growl. "I hate caring."
"Why?"
"Ugh.. It makes me feel... I don't know. I don't like it. It's weak and stupid."
Iori chuckled. "Arukenimon..." but as he thought about it, he sobered up. There was a reason she felt that way. "So... You feel like caring is a weakness? But you know the sort of things we're all capable of doing because we care about others. You've seen us fight, united by that. You know how strong we are because of it. Maybe..." he paused, choosing his words carefully. "Maybe you were taught different. Like you were taught to think that the Chosen Children were weak. But we weren't... We were strong. Because we cared."
"I'm sure you could understand I'd find it upsetting to believe most of my personality is based on a lie," she said icily.
"There's always time to change," Iori said quietly.
"And what if I don't want to change?"
"You like it then? Loving Mummymon and hating yourself for it?"
"I don't hate myself for it," she snapped. "It's just irritating."
"And what about him?"
"What about him?"
Iori shrugged. "Think about how he feels. It's got to hurt at least a little bit for him, being in a relationship with so little openness and affection."
Arukenimon stared. Iori glanced over nervously and wondered what he'd said wrong.
"We're not in a relationship," she said in a tone that could freeze roses.
"Huh?" he said ineloquently, boggling. He'd always been under the impression that they were, well.. together. "But I thought.. You'd.. Weren't you two just kissing in the hallway?"
She sighed exhaustedly, putting her face in her hands. "Yes.."
And she had just said she loved Mummymon, and he'd have to be stupid to miss that Mummymon loved her. He ran their conversation through his head with this new development in mind and realization dawned. "So you've only just.."
"Careful you don't burn down the courtroom with that towering intellect," she muttered.
He frowned. "At least now I understand why you're upset. You've been avoiding dealing with your emotions, and now you can't really do that anymore."
"I haven't been avoiding them. I just haven't been thinking about it."
Iori shrugged. "So you're unprepared. That's why it's so unsettling. Have you and Mummymon really not been together until today?"
"Who says we're 'together' now?"
Iori gave her a stern look. "Stop that. If you try to act like he doesn't mean anything to you now, he's going to be miserable, you're going to be miserable, and honestly, it would be a very warped thing for you to do."
She scowled.
"Arukenimon... You've been a team ever since I can remember. You love him. He's always loved you. You want to feel comfortable again? Try accepting it, and see how that feels."
"...I can't."
"It won't be that hard, with him," Iori grinned, "just don't beat him up when he shows you how he feels, and I'm pretty sure things will only get easier from there."
She snorted, but it was enough to keep her from shedding any more ridiculous tears.
"Mr. Oikawa would be happy for you," he said softly.
She scowled and bit the inside of her lip. What did the stupid boy know anyway? "Stop dropping names," she snapped, "it's cheap."
Iori stopped the jeep and gave her a such a wrenching stare with his soft brown eyes that she had to look away, unsettled. "I am not trying to manipulate you," he insisted.
Arukenimon turned her head further away.
"Stop that!" he commanded pleadingly. Arukenimon... Look at me."
She didn't really feel like playing along... but she raised her eyes to meet his anyway.
"I am asking you, as a friend, to try to accept your own feelings. That's all. They don't make you weak. They make you whole."
Well if he was so happy to bring her boss up, "they made Oikawa weak."
But he didn't look impressed. "Not knowing how to handle his emotions made him weak. And he didn't know how to handle them because he avoided everything that hurt. Just like you are doing."
"You don't know anything."
"Then how do you explain how terrible you feel right now?"
She bared her teeth, unnerved. He couldn't know how she felt. How she wished she could believe he was right, and how she knew that he was wrong.
"And how do you explain how you felt, out in the hall, when you showed him what you thought of him?"
She couldn't explain.
The clattering roar of the halftrack caught up to them and quietened, dropping out of gear. Koushirou leaned over to ask why they had stopped. Iori shouted back that it was nothing.
She wished he was telling the truth.
And Mummymon went on pretending that he was asleep.
It felt like a million years later when they pulled into town that night. Gomamon chose a place to eat and they all slid into a booth. Arukenimon's battle instincts kicked on a moment too late and she realized she'd been stuck on an inside seat... Trapped by good looking grown up Chosen Children. She looked across the table to Mummymon, who was smiling hopefully at her, and gave him a deadpan stare of non-amusement.
He grinned. She rolled her eyes.
Jyou was surprised at how normally the rest of the evening went. Mummymon told them the tale of his day's adventure, clearly enjoying the chance to do so. Koushirou quizzed Mummymon on what it was like to have the memories of two distinct individuals and speculated on the principles of Jogress Evolution. Iori contemplated the way that two people could see things so differently. Mummymon pointed out that his combined self, able to look back candidly at both points of view, now saw things in yet a third perspective. Arukenimon sulked in a disarmingly human way. Gomamon ate his weight in something that looked like sushi.
Iori was in a little shock from having learned the ex-lackeys still weren't involved. He paid particular attention to Mummymon, which left him wondering how Arukenimon could keep her distance for so long. The Undead Digimon really was charm on legs, winning smile after smile from the group of young heroes.
Afterwards, Koushirou and Tentomon said their goodbyes, and parted with one last request for Arukenimon to volunteer for study. Jyou, beginning to look exhausted, and Gomamon, too satisfied and full to be very witty, headed off to get some sleep.
Iori, Armadimon, and the two half-Digimon wandered out into the night and ended up sitting on a park bench looking up at the bottomless dark sky. A personable, digestive silence stretched into an uncomfortable one as Arukenimon watched Iori, who was clearly deep in thought. She didn't want to hear any more emotional blathering from him, but she didn't want him to leave, either. As long as he was here, she wouldn't have to face Mummymon alone.
She was not looking forward to that.
"I understand of course if you don't want to, but I'd like you to at least consider-"
She suddenly realized that Iori was talking. "What?"
Iori looked embarrassed. She hated that she found it cute. "Well, we wanted to give you a copy Digivice. Koushirou has been developing them. We.. well, I was thinking you two might be in the mood to help us out once in a while, when we really need it. With a Digivice you could contact us anytime."
She narrowed her eyes. "And you could bother us any time you liked."
"You know me by now," he chuckled, "do you really think I would let them annoy you? You'd have my hide."
Mummymon laughed softly, and Arukenimon hated how warm it sounded. "She'll have my hide for saying so, but I... well.. I really would like to help, when I can. I would be honored to."
"Wonderful, thank you!" Iori beamed. "I'll talk to Koushirou about getting one ready for you."
"You're insane," Arukenimon said to her companion.
Mummymon shrugged. "I want to help, my dear. And I think you do too, if you'll listen."
"If I'll.. What?"
"If you'll listen to yourself. Like.. Look at what you did today. You acted selflessly. I'm not talking about why right now, and it doesn't matter. You can explain how you fought Toeremon for selfish reasons, but.. try standing back and seeing what you did. You fought to help others, most of them not even really your friends. So.." he paused, and looked at her searchingly. "Did you hate it? Did you even notice?"
She frowned. Iori smiled. "I think I already exhausted her lecture tolerance for the day," he said, getting to his feet. "I should go anyway. You two have a lot to talk about."
As they turned to leave, Armadimon said quietly to the spider woman, "You should give him a chance." The yellow Digimon nodded towards Mummymon. "He's a very comfortable person."
There was a long silence. A Floramon wandered by, and didn't look at them.
"Would you mind if I professed my love for you some more, my dear?" Mummymon wondered.
"Would you mind if I put your-"
"Oh, please, Arukenimon," Mummymon interrupted, sounding hurt, which sent a little splash of coldness through her. "Please don't be trite. I want so badly to.. well.. to hear what you honestly think."
"And what happened back there in the corridor isn't enough?"
Mummymon grinned wide. "Not nearly."
"Ugh," Arukenimon sighed, letting her head loll backwards over the back of the bench. "Morons, everywhere."
Mummymon's eye swept over the graceful curves of her neck and he smiled, sighing. He really could watch her forever. He reached out cautiously and stroked her shoulder, wondering whether she would let him get away with such a thing.
She stared straight up, feeling his companionable touch, imagining which direction she would throw him whenever she got around to the throwing part. It felt... nice. It made her feel a little less lonely.
Maybe she could do this?
She straightened up and looked at him. He looked back in anticipation.
"I won't say it," she said plainly. "Maybe not ever."
To her surprise, he nodded, as if he'd always known that.
She sighed. It was just as well, she decided, if her biggest trouble was feeling insecure about her identity, that she should find herself in a relationship with someone who knew her so well. "Come here, then," she ordered.
He obediently slid up next to her on the bench. He put an arm around her shoulders, innocently, and kept on trying to pretend he was more interested in the night sky than in her face. She closed her eyes, getting used to the feeling of someone being so near her. Armadimon was right - he was comfortable.
And for the first time ever, she had a sneaking suspicion that everything was going to be just fine.