Chapter 19: Honor's End
The digidestined were flying as fast as they could when they saw the ships in the distance.
"Look! There they are!" Cody called out from the back of Aquilamon. Still only specs on the horizon, the ships stood out against the blue of the sky and the sea. A few moments later, the flying digimon stopped and the ones riding on them turned around.
"Cover your eyes and ears!" Gabumon threw himself down on Kabuterimon's back and covered his ears with his paws. Everybody turned quickly as a flash appeared in the middle of the ships. Explosions rocked the skies and seas, sending tumultuous waves rocking outwards from ground zero. The flying digimon struggled to keep in the air as the shockwave from the explosions reached them. They were out of range, but were still hit hard. After a few minutes the bright light faded and only a muffled roar remained. Everybody opened their eyes and looked in shock.
"What happened!? Is everybody okay?" Chris called out from one of Birdramon's talons. "Where are the ships!?"
"They're gone... he destroyed them." Angewomon spoke coldly in disbelief. "We have to hurry!"
"Who destroyed them? What happened?" Kari looked up at Angewomon, who was holding onto her. Angemon answered for her.
"James accessed the ships through their data in the digital world. He set off all the explosives." This statement knocked the wind out of Jennifer as she stared at the settling smoke.
"He can do... this?"
"Yes, and if we don't hurry he may do it to other forces headed to Japan." Angemon began to fly towards their destination again; the others followed. Kristen was still confused though.
"What do you mean he accessed them through the Digital World?" Kabuterimon answered her as he flew.
"Every bit of data created by the computers in this world is stored in the digital world. It either becomes the land, digimon, or just floats about as unused data. If somebody had enough power and skill, they could hack into any and every system in the world, regardless of whatever defenses it had." As they all came close, they thought they saw something floating in the air. Cody held his hand over his eyes and squinted.
"What is that?" Stingmon was the first to see it clearly.
"Get ready everybody! This is it!"
"Gomamon, can you digivolve?" Birdramon spoke to the digimon sitting on her head."
"I'm way ahead of you! Joe, a little help!?"
"Ready when you are!" Joe pulled out his digivice and held it out. It glowed brightly and Gomamon digivolved as he jumped into the waters below, still rocking from the explosions.
"Gomamon digivolve to... Ikkakumon!" He rose from the waves and looked up. "Everybody get down here! Now!"
"What's going on?" Joey looked around, a tint of fear in his voice. Kazemon flew down to Ikkakumon and put him down on the large digimon.
"Get to the coast as soon as you can!" Everybody dismounted the flying digmon, expecting me to rush them, but I continued to wait over the beach. Once the ill-equipped digidestined were safely on Ikkakumon's back, the flying digimon came at me, all at once. They attacked as soon as they came into range.
"Meteor Wing!"
"Hand of Fate!"
"Celestial Arrow!"
"Electro Shocker!"
"Hurricane Wind!"
"Grand Horn!"
"Spiking Strike!"
"Is that all?" I focused and charged energy into the Devidramon, taking control of him. I flew about, holding on tightly as I was thrown about, dodging the attacks. Myotismon was right; the angels were annoying. The Celestial Arrow hit the top of the armor over my shoulder, knocked it off, and singed me. The wound left behind glowed with light and burned intensely. I withheld a shout and focused harder. I thought I felt my hands slip as I gripped ever harder onto the Devidramon. "You'll pay for that." The Devidramon and I shouted simultaneously. "Crimson Claw!" We launched at Angewomon, but missed. Devidramon whirled around, trying again to hit her before she could react, but she was just too fast.
"Angemon help!" She flew all around Devidramon and me, steadily dodging our attack. I felt like I was slipping again. It was weird; I still had a perfectly strong grip on Devidramon. Angemon fired on us as we floated in the same spot in the air, only turning about trying to get revenge on Angewomon. The other digimon flew between us and the other digidestined, who were now landing on the beach.
"Hand of Fate!" The shot hit dead on. It blew clear through the Devidramon, piercing through just beneath where I sat. As we fell out of the sky, I could feel Devidramon's data break slightly. Not completely, but just enough for me to lose my grip. I was falling through the data when it merged back together. I attempted to gasp for air, but to no avail. I felt a crushing sensation for a moment before things began to lose texture. I couldn't see, but everything felt like it was melting around me. The angels backed off, watching the spectacle as the data of Devidramon and I merged. I was finally able to let out a scream as I hit the water. I sank down.
"They beat him?" Tai looked out at the water where I had splashed. The angels floated above the sight. "We won!" Tai shouted and threw his hands in the air in celebration at my 'death' while the others looked on skeptically.
"Wait! What's that!?" Cody yelled out over Tai and pointed out to where I had fallen into the ocean. The waters rocked violently as I flew out of the water and attacked.
"Zero Fist!" I crushed into a surprised Angewomon and quickly turned about in the air to deal with Angemon, however, he was already set to fight again. Jennifer stared with the utmost horror from the beach at sight of my new form, surrounded by a volley of gasps and 'Oh my god's.
"Hand of Fate!" The beam shot at me, but I refused to dodge it.
"Zero Fist!" I hit the shot and blazed clear through it, hitting Angemon in the chest. Angemon was sent reeling, crashing into the sands of the beach a few hundred feet away. I finally looked myself over while the digidestined and digimon on the beach looked in horror.
Devidramon's data had fused into me, changing my appearance and physiology completely. I was about a foot taller now and my dark brown hair was longer; still in the same Caesar style cut, but long enough so that it reached down my neck behind me and to my eyes in the front. A pair of wings projected from my back that looked just like Devidramon's, as well as a smaller pair sticking out of each of my legs, just above the ankles, piercing through my jeans. My armor had become larger as well, with loose pieces extending down from my waist, where they were attached to my upper armor, protecting my legs Roman style. I still had black jeans, a black long sleeve shirt, and my gloves. My shoes were completely black now and my shades were gone—my slate grey eyes made me look evil enough. I looked at the digidestined on the beach and laughed; I had just digivolved.
"Thank you Angemon. This will be very helpful." The angels had gotten back to their feet and now stood between me and the digidestined. The other digimon had digivolved as well for the fight. Kazemon and Greymon had both digivolved to ultimates: Arashimon and Metalgreymon. Gabumon stood helplessly with the digidestined, unable to digivolve without Matt. "Do you really think you can beat me?"
"We don't think, we know." Angemon spoke to me as I hovered in the air. "We've beaten stronger than you James."
"Actually Angemon, I don't think you have. Don't any of you understand yet? I am more powerful than anything you ever have faced or will face. Why do you still fight me? Do you think you can stop me?" I looked at the resenting faces of the digimon and came across Arashimon's face. "Or do you think you can save me?" She looked up.
"What?" She looked me in the eyes, the sound of hope in her voice. I laughed.
"My, somebody is dense. I like what I am, and there isn't anything you can do to make me relinquish this power. My entire life I've been through hell with nothing to show for it until now. I finally have the power to do whatever I want, and if that is to rule the world, then so be it. You won't stand in my way." I flew down at them and they unleashed their attacks. I didn't take the time to dodge them or block them, but just let them hit me. Not even a scratch was left on my armor. I landed on the beach, making all the digimon take a few steps back, unaware of what to do. They talked with themselves while I stood back, unworried about their presence.
"He didn't even flinch!" Metalgreymon looked at me, shaking slightly.
"What do we do?" Kumamon still had his bazooka aimed at me, ready to fire, but was breathing heavily—quickly.
"What can we do?" Cody murmured from behind them.
"What?" Chris turned to Cody. "Are you giving up?"
"No!" Cody shouted at Chris. "But what can we do if we can't even hurt him! It's not giving up, but knowing when to retreat so that we don't die!" I cut in.
"Go ahead and retreat. I won't hold it against your honor." I was instigating Cody.
"What!!?" Cody dashed through the line of digimon. "What did you say?"
"I just know that retreating is for the cowards with no honor in fighting until the end."
"Get back here Cody!" Yolei called out to him from behind the digimon. "Don't let him get to you!" It was too late. Cody was furious.
"I'll show you what honor is!" Cody whipped out his kendo stick and charged at me. I threw up my hand and he fell backwards without me physically hitting him.
"Okay. I accept your challenge." I smirked, held out my hands and focused. A few seconds passed and a steel staff materialized. "Show me what honor is, punk. I'll even go easy on you. If you can hit me once, I'll go away." Cody charged at this idea and tried to hit me. I quickly blocked his every attack, as he moved about, trying different styles and tricks.
"Cody no!" Everybody yelled out to him and tried to reach him, but their partners held them back.
"There isn't anything we can do! If we try to interfere he's a gonner!" Ankylomon watched helplessly as I began to attack back lightly, letting Cody block my attacks as best he could. Cody fought valiantly, but in reality he had no chance. If I focused at all, his stick would shatter and he would too after a few moments.
"You fight well Cody, but there is one major flaw in your technique." I spoke mockingly.
"Is he fighting Cody or training him?" TK spoke without breaking gaze on Cody and I.
"Oh yeah? What's... that?" Cody huffed as he moved about, swinging madly, but purposefully. I jumped into the air and with a flap of my wings blew him over.
"You expect your opponent to fight with the same honor as you!" I focused energy into my staff and dropped towards him. The digidestined ran out to try and save him, but it was too late. My staff pierced him through the chest before he could get up. He was pinned to the ground as it exited his back and hit the ground. He gurgled a bit and grabbed hold of the bar sticking through him. He broke into data and was absorbed into my waiting hand. The digidestined watched in terror as another of their group was destroyed. I finished taking Cody's data and turned to Ankylomon, who now charged at me.
"Don't worry." I flew into the air. "I won't submit you to the same torture as Gabumon."
"I'll never forgive you for this! Tail Hammer!" His tail flailed at me, missing completely.
"Dark Lucent!" I aimed my rod at Ankylomon and dark energy ran down it. A field of energy quickly formed all about it and fired off as a beam. It blew clear through Ankylomon's shell and into the sands of the beach.
"I'm... sorry... Cody..." Ankylomon's legs buckled and he hit the ground. Blood stained the glittering white sands as Ankylomon began to break apart. "I'm... sorry..." He finally broke apart and I absorbed his data through my staff.
"Who's next?" I chuckled and Kristen stared at me.
"How could you?" She and Kabuterimon stepped forward. "How can you kill us off like this? We've only been trying to help you!"
"I told you not to and you attacked me. Is it too complicated for you?" That did it.
"No you don't understand! We tried to figure out what had happened to you at first, but you attacked us! When we came back to try and reason with you, you attacked us again! And when we finally come to try and reconcile with you one last time, you attack us. Don't YOU understand!? We're not your enemies! The only reason you are here is because of the sacrifice you made to save us! You don't have to keep killing yourself like this!" The Crest of Knowledge glowed brightly in her digivice. Kabuterimon flew into the air and began to glow. Izzy pulled out his digivice as well.
"Kabuterimon digivolve to... Megakabuterimon!" The massive bug flew into the sky and aimed down at me, Kristen on his back.
"Horn Buster!" The bolt shot down at me and I flew backwards, out of its way.
"You fool! Dark Luc..."
"Fujita Cannon!"
"Giga Blaster!" The other two ultimates fired on me, forcing me to postpone my attack.
"Everybody get out of here while you can! We'll catch up!" Kristen shouted out from the back of Megakabuterimon.
"Right!" Izzy rallied everybody away from the beach towards Odaiba. However, he couldn't get Gabumon to leave.
"I'm not going."
"But you'll just get in the way."
"You go! I have to do something." He ran towards me as I knocked away the attacks of the three Ultimates. He stood behind me and fired. "Blue Blaster!" The shot hit one of my wings and did nothing. I turned my back to the attacks of the ultimates and let them hit me in the back, also doing nothing.
"Time to meet your maker." I swung at Gabumon and he shattered into data easily. I absorbed it quickly and knocked Metalgreymon away with my staff, who had charged on me. He fell backwards into the sand and devolved. As Koromon lied, knocked out, on the beach, Arashimon flew in and picked him up. The three digimon and Kristen flew off towards the digidestined, giving up the battle. I didn't pursue them. Instead I waited and watched for a few minutes until they disappeared from sight. I landed on the beach and breathed deep. I could feel power resonating through me. I aimed my rod and fired into the ocean to test my power.
"Dark Lucent!" The completely black bolt of energy fired into the water, throwing it up beside it and splitting the ocean for a few miles as if it were the Red Sea. When I stopped, the water crashed down on itself. I pulled out my digivice and looked at it. The screen was static and distorted as dark energy ran through it. I scanned myself and read what it said. "Fuzenmon... Mega." Even my digivice said I was inhuman. I put it in my pocket and laughed until I remembered that Myotismon would be fighting by now. I beat my wings and rocketed into the air. Once up, I flew towards Odaiba, passing over the digidestined as I did.
"Look!" Joey pointed up as I flew over. "Where is he going?"
"Where we're going: Odaiba." Izzy watched me streak across the sky. "Guys, we need a plan. Usually when we go up against Mega-level digimon we already have reached Mega, or are about to. You guys still haven't all reached ultimate." Izzy motioned to Joey. "And we can't keep losing like this. It isn't like before. Every time we lose, somebody is turned into data. If things keep going this way, we'll all be data before the end of the month."
"Well what do you suggest we do?" Chris turned to Izzy as they walked on slowly.
"We can't attack him." Tai spoke without emotion as he stared at the ground.
"What do you mean?" Kari looked up at her older brother.
"We can't beat him the way we are right now, but I know we can beat Myotismon if we can isolate him. Maybe if we take out Myotismon, James will turn back to normal. But, that's just an idea."
"Well it's the best one we have. Let's do it." Sora was the same was as Tai: emotionless and staring at the ground as she walked.
"Come on guys, we've been in losing situations before! We can't let Cody and Matt down!" Davis tried to cheer everybody up. "It's like you said Izzy, they have been turned into data, not killed! All we have to do is get powerful enough again and get James to release their data! Then they'll be reconfigured and a-okay!"
"Reconfigured... maybe, but what will they be like? No human has ever been 'reconfigured'. How would it work? We can't come from digieggs like other digimon... can we?" Kristen argued with herself until she realized something. "Wait... why are we breaking into data?"
"What do you mean?" Joe looked at Kristen, his hands in his pockets.
"Normally when somebody dies they just... die. But now whenever people are being killed, they are breaking into data." Kristen picked up a rock and threw it at the ground. It broke apart into data. "Everything is turning into data!"
"It must be because the worlds are closer." Izzy balled his fists as an example. "As they get closer, the physics of each world begin to overlap and well... now we are both real and data." He opened his fists and closed his hands together.
"So does that mean nobody is really dead, just turned into data?" Chris looked at Izzy.
"Exactly. If we could just find a way, we might be able to bring back everybody who's been destroyed."
"Where are we going?" Mimi stopped walking.
"Um... I don't know." Chris stopped and looked around. They were in a small patch of woods.
"Odaiba, we're going to Odaiba." Izzy tugged on Chris' arm as he passed him.
"But what good will that do us? If James and Myotismon are together, we don't stand a chance!" Chris yanked his arm away.
"Yeah, but they will be busy with that coalition force. We could attack while they're distracted." Tai kept walking, beginning to get ahead of everybody else.
"Then let's move faster. If we don't get there soon, there won't be a force to distract them." Chris broke into a full run with Joey, Jennifer, and Kristen in tow. The other digidestined watched them run by and ran as well to keep up.