Amethyst: Wow, haven't been here in a while...I kinda hit a road block in this fic so it remained untouched on my hardrive for weeks until I actually plucked up the nerve to continue with it.

Floramon: Because of the lack of vocabulary in my small brain, I shall keep this to a limit: Amethyst is nuts for writing this, ladies and jellybeans, because from today on, no one is safe from insanity! It will consume you, just like it has consumed my dearest Amethyst, and as you can read, me!

A/N: I don't own Digimon so don't rub it in – it's a sore spot for me.

Enjoy!

Devil's Advocates

Chapter 18: Chase The Sun

Breathing heavily, Rika stared down at Stacie's figure. She shook her head slightly before picking her way across the rubble and out towards the fight brewing between several hundred Digimon. With one backwards glance at Stacie, Rika thinned her lips into a terse smirk.

"Shame on you."

Rika ran to where the almost unbelievable sight was taking place; six Digimon were defending themselves against an entire nation of wild monsters. Her heart pelt against her chest heavily, not with the exhaustion she was suddenly feeling, but with the fear of losing her partner in the battle. The thought had never occurred to her before that this could be it, her last battle. Only now did she truly doubt her confidence, and with each closing step she took, that confidence was slowly evaporating. What if the stampede was too great for them to handle? With Ryo out of commission, and the Tamers too weak to sustain the Mega level for maybe a few minutes at the least, they really didn't have enough power to defeat hundreds of strong Digimon.

Glancing quickly up towards the cliff, Rika caught a glimpse of the Phoenixmon, though it was far from its supremacy. In the brimming light of the fading sun, the gigantic bird faulted slightly, losing its balance and slipping one clawed talon over the edge of the cliff. And Rika knew why. Stacie had been knocked unconscious, and thus she was no longer under the Phoenixmon's incredible power, and Ryo was nowhere to be found. The Phoenixmon was losing its objective, though slowly, as it no longer had host bodies to sustain its wild spirit. And its will. Flicking her eyes down quickly across the near-horrific scene in front of her, Rika noticed that the stampeding Digimon stopped suddenly and turned their heads around, as if confused as to what exactly they were doing. Then they suddenly returned to the wild, red-eyed monsters controlled by the Phoenixmon. And suddenly Rika knew exactly how to beat them.

Unclipping her D-Power from the tip of her belt, Rika slowed to a walk, searching for her Digimon in the midst of the rising dust. She could see WarGrowlmon locking his arms onto a Triceramon's horn while protecting his Tamer, as well as Ai and Mako. But no Taomon. She could slightly make out the shadow of Rapidmon's skinny figure floating in the air and collecting energy for an attack, and Beelzemon aiming his gun at several Mammothmon, but still no Taomon. Guardromon shielded Kazu and Kenta, while MarineAngemon spurted his bubbles in several directions, trying to render a few Gazimon weak...and succeeding.

Henry ran quickly to Rika's side, handing her a reliable Modify card. "Taomon went down quickly. A herd of Snimon jumped her. She'll need this," he gestured to the Modify card. It was a Health card, used to replenish retired Digimon.

Rika smiled her gratitude and caught a quick glimpse of Alicia and Brad standing behind WarGrowlmon. Turing her gaze to the left slightly, Rika's eyes met with Renamon's crystal blue. She was staggering and holding her right arm, her fur slightly matted with excess dirt. The attack on her had been enough to render her back into her Rookie state. Rika nodded to her partner, flashing Henry's Modify card slightly. Renamon smiled in response and stopped walking.

With a quick swipe of the card, Rika frowned deeply in concentration. "Digi-Modify! Health activate!"

A crystal-like glaze shined over Renamon and restored her power, healing her damaged arm in the process. The crystal sheen broke suddenly when it had expired, and lashed itself back into Rika's D-Power, recoiling her hand as a result.

Pocketing the Modify card with a slip of her hand, Rika held her D-Power up to chest, the serene power encompassing her, as well as Renamon.

"Biomerge Activate!"

"Renamon biomerge to..."

The partners were engulfed in a sapphire sphere that swirled her pink cherry blossoms. The human entity was shredded completely, only allowing for the opaque spirit of the child to hover in the safe sphere inside the Digimon. Fur dissipated with a swirl of energy, and a human-like figure took the place of the kitsune Digimon. Armour was quick to latch itself onto the entity, and the four coloured spirits of the kitsune creatures swirled around the newly created Digimon. The golden staff fell into the hands of Sakuyamon, and the Mega stabbed it into the ground once before the large sphere evaporated.

"Sakuyamon!"

Alicia stared up at Sakuyamon, completely mesmerised. She had never seen Digivolution like this before, and in part, didn't quite understand it. How could two separate entities combine together to become one? Beside her, Brad was equally engaged, his eyes hypnotically following Sakuyamon's floating figure.

Holding her staff up in the air, Sakuyamon looked down at a group of Monzaemon, who returned her stare and glared up. "Amethyst Mandala!"

Cherry blossoms formed a circle around Sakuyamon's slim waist, beforeit broke apart and in one fluid motion evaporated the five Monzaemon with ease. There was no evidence to suggest the teddy bearDigimon had even existed; only their data remained, swirling methodically until Beelzemon scooped it up from a swift dive.

"Never too late to bulk up, fox-face!" Beelzemon laughed before pointing two fingers down at a cluster of Tyrannomon. His fingers morphed into a black gun which sizzled with electricity. "Corona Blaster!"

The swirl of pink energy spurted forward and glazed over the group of dinosaur Digimon, decimating each Champion with as equal ease as Sakuyamon's attack.

WarGrowlmon suddenly backed up, causing Takato, Ai, Mako, Alicia and Brad to stagger back fearfully. The Ultimate growled while collecting his power within his chest. Two great yellow spheres of energy came to rest on either side of his chest armour, and he released them with a yell.

"Atomic Blaster!"

The spheres churned collectively and spiralled through several Triceramon, deleting them with a ripple of energy and dust. Rapidmon quickly stood in front of WarGrowlmon as two Apemon stalked towards them.

"Tri-beam!"

A green triangle beamed forward from Rapidmon's connected arms, surging through the two Apemon and deleting them, though not before they released their attacks.

"Mega Bone Stick!"

Two large bones circled around the edges of Rapidmon's attack and hit both WarGrowlmon and Rapidmon on their chests, knocking them back onto the knees. WarGrowlmon dropped down with a grunt, pressing his heavy body down on just one knee, while the other leg stood firm.

"Takato," the Ultimate croaked. "I don't know how long I can keep this up. I'm already tired and there are still so many of them..."

Takato cringed and looked to Henry, who shrugged in defeat. Their Digimon were tired and did not have the energy needed. Not even Sakuyamon or Beelzemon had enough power to keep going until every one of these Digimon were deleted. They needed power from somewhere, but where?

"That's it!" Henry exclaimed with a raised arm.

Takato searched his friend's face while Ai and Mako looked on, fixated. "What?"

Henry glanced towards the Phoenixmon, who was now perched contently on the ledge, once again replenished. Its eyes were still focussed on the Digimon below, and they were now once again glowing bright red. "The Phoenixmon's eyes," Henry enthused. "If we can somehow distract the Phoenixmon, its hold on the Digimon will be broken!"

Takato nodded his agreement and was about to comment when Mephismon shimmered into the air, right next to Takato. The boy yelped and reached for Ai and Mako, holding them back protectively.

"That won't be necessary," the Digimon began, looking excited, a discomforting glimmer shining in his eyes. "It is done. These Digimon have no more use anymore."

Flicking a purple hand up to the Phoenixmon, Mephismon signalled something with a finger. Immediately, the Phoenixmon's eyes ceased to glow and the stampeding Digimon stopped attacking. There was a simmer underneath the ground, and beneath each possessed Digimon there was a tiny flame of fire. The flames suddenly burst up, evaporating each and every Digimon that had been under the Phoenixmon's control. Screams entailed, lingering in the atmosphere even when the data of those lost dissipated.

Takato gaped. He was lost for words, and as he held both Ai and Mako's shoulders protectively, he could feel his calmness evaporate. They were really in trouble. Deep trouble.

"Whoa! He just-" Kazu started.

"Yeah," Sakuyamon lowered her staff and turned to Kazu, "he did."

Henry stared before him, where one tiny Gazimon had just been ready to pounce on him. Now, there was nothing. Just a charred, irregular shape where the Digimon had once been. "All gone."

Mephismon took a step forward and uncrossed his arms. "Yes. Don't ponder too much on it because there will be plenty of further destruction when I take control of your world."

Shaking with fury, Takato steered the two youngest Tamers over to Kazu and Kenta and stepped toward Mephismon. "There will be no more destruction. No more!"

Smirking, Mephismon tilted his head skywards, up towards the Phoenixmon. "Oh, I think there will be."

Takato held up his shaking fist and took another step forward to enforce his point. "We'll...make a truce, or something. But no more killing."

"A truce?" An incline of the head told Takato that the Digimon was mocking him. "My dear boy, no one makes a truce with one so powerful. Now, excuse me. You're in the way."

"Good," came the abrupt answer.

Mephismon frowned. "You don't listen, do you. I will get what I want without interruption. Now, move!"

WarGrowlmon stalked up to Takato and stood forcibly next to him. "Don't you hurt Takato!"

Laughter filled the air and the Ultimate Digimon held a hand up in front of himself. "Don't hurt him? What are you going to do if I do?"

Rapidmon unsteadily took up his place next to Growlmon, though not convincingly enough to frighten Mephismon. "You hurt Takato or WarGrowlmon...or anyone else for that matter, you'll have to go through me!"

Mephismon smirked, then abruptly it faded as Sakuyamon held her staff to the back ofhis head. Without saying a thing, she managed to implicate the pain she would put him through if he moved.

Kazu, still holding Mako's small hands, stepped up to Takato and put his remaining hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll stop him."

Kenta nodded his agreement as he walked up to his friends with Ai's hand in his. "Agreed."

Sakuyamon smirked from behind Mephismon. "Enough talk, boys." Sheglanced quickly to where Alicia and Brad were staring at the scene, mesmerised, and with a quivering Calumon at their feet. They had to save those two, for they were in terrible danger without a Digimon partner to protect them.

Suddenly, there was a shuffling sound behind her and Sakuyamon and she turned around...only to see Ryo stumbling forwards before collapsing into the red-ochred ground. Monodramon was beside him, his eyes still glowing crimson, though rather dully. When Ryo looked up from the dirt, Rika could see his eyes were too still bright crimson, and something was causing him pain. And it most certainly wasn't the punch she had given to him before.

Heart pounding, Rika stole another glance up to the Phoenixmon when she heard a faint screech from above. Sakuyamon's grip weakened considerably when a thought hit her suddenly like a blow to the temple. The Phoenixmon seemed to be in pain, much like Ryo, and was now spreading its wings meekly, struggling to flit its feathers. Rika knew what was happening.

Gripping her staff tightly once again, Sakuyamon jabbed the end point sharply into the back of Mephismon's skull, making him yelp in pain. "Make it stop!"

Mephismon turned around and smirked at the Mega, whose eyelids were filling up with stray tears. She knew. "Not unless you make me."

His voice was barely a whisper, but it was a command to Rika. "Attack him, guys!" she screamed behind her, her voice cracking at the fear in it.

Immediately, WarGrowlmon and Rapidmon obeyed, though they didn't know why Rika was so upset. WarGrowlmon stalked slowly up to Mephismon and flicked his tail around to grab him around his waist. But WarGrowlmon's tail was deflected, a few sparks igniting from Mephismon's purple body. An aurora arose foggily around the Ultimate, surrounding him in a thick layer of protection against WarGrowlmon's vain attacks. Using his armoured fists, however, the reptilian Digimon continued to pound against the shield, though to absolutely no avail.

Rapidmon followed WarGrowlmon's suit in hopes of penetrating the energy shield and flew partly into the air and crossed his arms. "Tri beam!"

The green energy triangle shot out through Rapidmon's arms and shuddered down against the shield, though it didn't break it. Didn't even come close. Mephismon smiled and inclined his head up towards the cliff, where the Phoenixmon was shuddering in revulsion. Its wings were spread out entirely, though when it tried to lift itself off the ridge, it couldn't move. Something compelled it to the cliff, and the more it struggled against it, the more it failed. It became weaker with every vain attempt to lift itself into the air, and before it gave up entirely, it let out one final wild cry. The screech seemed to last for an eternity, and it sounded more like a wail of despair, for it now knew exactly what was about to happen.

Simultaneously, Ryo began to scream, and the sound of it combined with the Phoenixmon's cries pierced the Tamers' ears and they bent over in agony. Alicia bunched her fist around a clump of Brad's t-shirt, and Calumon's ears drooped back while he held his hands over them. Ai and Mako grabbed onto Kazu and Kenta'smiddles and buried their heads into the teenagers' shirts. Monodramon, from beside Ryo, began to scream too, though the noise of it sounded almost triumphant and free.

Sakuyamon tore her eyes off Ryo's to once again rest on Mephismon's smirking crimson ones. "You let him go right now, you hear me, or I will destroy you."

A dead, almost whispered promise was her demand, though it met no answer and Rika was forced to look towards Ryo once more. She knew what the only thing to do was, but how could she bring herself to do it? Turning around again with a glare, Sakuyamon raised her staff towards Mephismon, hopeful that her blows would be able to penetrate the shield, though silently she knew she didn't have a chance.

Striking her staff towards, Sakuyamon's eyes rested on Mephismon's just before the rod struck its intended target, though all that resulted from it was a series of ignited sparks that flew from the energy shield which protected the Ultimate Digimon. Again and again she struck, each time with more force than the last, more tears accumulating with every electric spark that flew. Sakuyamon stopped suddenly, realising she was not even coming close to penetrating the shield, and at most the only damage she was doing was to herself. Her eyes glazed over reluctantly, revealing a hidden sadness amongst the anger, and with one final blow to Mephismon, Sakuyamon ceased her striking.

All Rika could think about was her mistakes, the mistakes that would most likely cost her everything she loved. She knew what was going to happen, and the only way she could stop that was to destroy Ryo herself, before the Phoenixmon had a chance at entering the Real World throughMephismon's will.

"Yamaki, we have a breech."

The blonde-haired man stepped out of the shadows created by the large screen above him and turned to face Alice. "What?"

His terse voice told the girl that he was not in the mood for surprises. "Something's just about to enter the Real World," she added quickly. "But we don't know what, yet."

Sighing impatiently, Yamaki turned to a box and pluggedin a wire. "Well find out." The screen above him suddenly projected a series of small red boxes, all blinking the word warning. "How are those transmissions going, Jeri?"

The brunette tilted her head and looked at Yamaki tiredly. "Almost done, sir. We should be talking to Takato in a few seconds."

Sure enough, there was a bleep and in a flash there was a small shot of Takato Matsuki's features appearing on the large screen. The boy looked down when the digital device in his hand began beeping and found himself peering into the hopeful brown eyes of Jeri Katou. The two didn't speak for what seemed a while, though at once Yamaki grabbed a microphone and a wire and plugged it into his ear.

"Takato, can you here me?"

The boy nodded briefly before glancing nervously up at the scene before him. "Yeah, but judging from what's happening here, I don't think we have a lot of time."

Yamaki nodded in response and spoke clearly through the microphone. "Listen to me. Takato, is everyone there with you?"

Takato looked back down into his D-Power and nodded. "Yeah, everyone from Rika to Beelzemon. But we have a problem with Ryo."

Abruptly Yamaki stiffened. "Is he alright?"

Takato nodded. "Yes, but barely. I'm not sure, but I think he might be under the control of a Digimon. His eyes are all glassy and red and-"

"Takato, listen to me," Yamaki interrupted skilfully. "We're creating a portal now so you can get home. We're trying to correspond where it is you are exactly, so can you give me a landform, or something that looks anything like where a portal may be created."

Takato looked around and started when he found something. "Yeah, there's a castle, well a partial castle. We kind of destroyed half of it."

Yamaki brushed a strand of golden hair away from his face. "That's good enough. Listen, do you think you'll be able to get to that castle within the next minute or so?"

Takato looked around fretfully but managed to nod a response. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good," Yamaki looked towards Alice's computer and smiled fleetingly when he saw that the portal was almost complete. "Takato, hurry there and don't leave anyone behind!"

Jeri looked into the screen a moment and held Takato's gaze. In that look, everything was said. Takato's image fluttered and faded away. The transmission was completed. Gingerly brushing away a tear, Jeri nodded with determination. "Take care."

Standing abruptly from the swivel chair, Alice bolted for the stairs. "It's done," she called. "They have three minutes before it closes."

Jeri looked towards Yamaki for a moment and motioned for him to follow. "She made the vantage point an old warehouse. That was a weak spot between the worlds. Hurry up, we don't have much time."

Takato stared into his D-Power and wished Jeri's image had lingered for longer, but she had a job to do. And so did he. "Everybody, listen up!"

Heads everywhere turned to stare at him, and he held a hand up to tell them not to question him. "We have to get to the castle, now! Yamaki's set up a portal and we don't have much time."

Suddenly there was a rumbling sound, and the ground began to shake beneath the Tamers. The crimson mist surrounding them swirled into a thicker haze and floated up higher towards the cliff. The Phoenixmon shook violently, its golden wings spread fully abreast and its beak wide open. The screamthat resounded from it pierced through the air and vibrated the surrounding area, causing those around to once again shield their ears from the noise.

Desperately, Takato ushered each Tamer towards the castle, beginning with Ai and Mako, accompanied by Kazu and Kenta. They ran, almost blindly through the deepening haze and piercing screams as the Digimon hurried to pick up whoever they could find. Calumon jumped on top of Alicia's shoulders before she was picked up beneath her by Rapidmon, who almost lost his footing when he swooped down. WarGrowlmon picked up Henry and Brad, while Guardromon flew ahead to protect Kazu and Kenta, and the younger Tamers.

The ground shook even more violently now, and the pressure arising from the wild cry of the bird began to shift if, moving the plates and causing large cracks to snap up. Shards of rock rose up slightly with the energy and were soon swirled around by a vicious mini-tornado that had been created by the wind. From the cliff, the Phoenixmon seemed to grow larger in size and a golden glow formed around it, making it seem translucent in the mystic crimson glare of the sun.

Takato could barely hear himself shouting over the noise to Sakuyamon, and though he thought she couldn't hear him, she could. Walking briskly away from a still smirking Mephismon, she stalked over to Ryo and Monodramon, who were both screaming in agony. Monodramon seemed to sense her presence and his eyes began to throb a deep crimson, however Ryo wasn't distracted. He was yelling out, unaware of just what was happening. He was subconsciously unconscious, his body the only form of presence that existed as Ryo Akiyama. His soul was lying beneath that of the Phoenixmon's, and held no actual knowledge of the world around him. He was practically already dead, in a sense.

Monodramon suddenly stopped yelling and looked towards Rika, and though his eyes met hers, he seemed to be looking straight through her. The reptile-like Digimon suddenly began to glow a deep blue, as did Ryo, and they both floated up into the air and were engulfed in a dark blue sphere.

"Monodramon Biomerge to..."

The two entities combined, both human and Digimon alike, and morphed into a completely different form altogether. Heavy silver armour clamped down on a fragile, human-like body, while facial features formed enigmatically beneath the armour on the face. A red scarf fluttered in the air until the Digimon caught in with an armoured hand, and he tied it purposefully around his right arm, thus completing the evolution.

"Justimon!"

Sakuyamon sighed, and knew exactly what she had to do. "Not exactly justly today, are we Ryo?"

Justimon held out his arm and it glowed a bright orange before melting into an electric baton.

Sakuyamon held out her staff and twirled it, preparing her energy for what was needed.

Takato yelled one final time before Beelzemon swooped down over him and gathered him in his arms.

The Phoenixmon suddenly burst into flame and exploded into the air, silhouetting against the perfectly set sun.

Justimon lifted his blade into the air and let it swirl together with the crimson mist that was slowly evaporating.

The Tamers looked desperately out into the hazy mist and watched hopelessly as Takato and Beelzemon came back empty handed.

The portal erupted into a glowing light blue sphere, and one by one the Tamers stepped into it.

Mephismon watched gloriously as the flames from the Phoenixmon dived in several directions, and a spurt of fire flew towards the castle...and the portal to the Real World.

Sakuyamon began to recite a poem she was so dreading to chant...

"All of the power in my reach..."

Justimon vaulted up into the air and flew towards Sakuyamon in a fiery rage, his blade sizzling with power.

"...I call upon the spirit of the ancient..."

The red scarf on Justimon's arm rustled as he sailed through the air at a rapid speed, though everything seemed to be in slow-motion.

"...Time will not stop for those desperate..."

Takato glanced back one last time and screamed her name, but Rika seemed not to have listened. Taking one final step back, he surrendered himself to the portal and was at once engulfed by it.

"...Help me so that I may end it..."

The Phoenixmon's final embers touched the brink of the blue portal just before it completely closed over.

"...This evil that consumes purity..."

Pulling back his blade to strike Sakuyamon, Justimon pushed forward in the air and his blade whistled through, and at that second, Sakuyamon stepped aside to reveal a mystified Mephismon, who's torso was then struck suddenly by Justimon's Voltage Blade.

"...Will be no more!"

Then, everything was black. Not a sound, not even a whisper could be heard amongst the debris of darkness that consumed the Digital World. Only one single flickering ember lit up a tiny area, but was soon blown away by a strong wind that whistled through the hollow stems of a world almost completely lost.

A/N: Heh, I am so evil I should go into a corner and think about my actions...

Floramon: Yeah, Amethyst, you should. And apart from the fact that I had somewhat a lot to do with this plot, I do not wish to suffer your fate, so please take pity on me whoever's listening.

A/N: To those who are now permanently shocked, don't worry, this isn't the end. There are still two more chapters to go, but what will happen next is for me to know and for you to find out...if you're lucky.

Ciao,

Amethyst Blizzard