Gato: Gah! I'm going to stop making promises that I can't keep. I always keep my promises, and it angers me that I can't keep them when it's related to this fic. I will try to update more frequently, but I have about six stories on the go at the moment. As such, no promises will be made. Now, I'm going to dive right into this. Irie?
Irie: That's Irie, Queen of Lint Land to you! Ahem…Gato only owns the plot, Despimon and the Crest of Hatred.
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"There's no time!" Tai cried. "Sora's been missing for about an hour, so she's been in the Digital World for at least a week. We have to go now…"
"I know all of that, Tai!" Izzy shouted. Tai shrank away sheepishly. Izzy collected himself and continued, "I know what Sora means to you, but we won't be able to help her if we aren't prepared. Trust me."
Tai nodded. Mimi picked up Sora's bag and turned to Izzy. "Well, lead the way, Izzy. It looksit's going to be hard to fight."
"There's no time!" Tai cried. "Sora's been missing for about an hour, so she's been in the Digital World for at least a week. We have to go now…"
"I know all of that, Tai!" Izzy shouted. Tai shrank away sheepishly. Izzy collected himself and continued, "I know what Sora means to you, but we won't be able to help her if we aren't prepared. Trust me."
Tai nodded. Mimi picked up Sora's bag and turned to Izzy. "Well, lead the way, Izzy. It looks like you're in charge this time."
"Yeah, I agree with that." Matt nodded and turned to their former leader. "No offense to you, Tai, but…"
"I get it," Tai interrupted. "I'll get emotionally involved and that could put us all at risk."
"As long as you realize it's for the good of everyone," Joe muttered. He glanced at Izzy. "Alright, Izzy, what's the plan?"
Izzy thought for a moment. "Everyone get some supplies from you homes. Food, water, the essentials. Tell your parents where we are going and meet at my house in twenty minutes."
…
Tai threw food haphazardly into his backpack. He pulled a water bottle off his dresser and knocked a picture frame to the ground. "Damn it!"
Kari ran into Tai's room. Her pink backpack hung by her side. "Tai, calm down," she reprimanded lightly.
His hand shook as he placed the frame back on the dresser. He glanced at the picture of Sora and himself. Her radiant smile sealed his resolve. "I'll get you back, Sora," he whispered. "I promise."
Kari methodically arranged her brother's backpack. When he finally turned around, she held the heavy item out to Tai. "Here you go, big brother."
Tai smiled weakly. "What would I do without you, Kari?"
Kari merely shook her head and embraced her brother firmly.
"What's this?" Mrs. Kamiya's voice sounded from the doorway. "The two of you are actually getting along?" Her eyes traveled to the backpacks and canned food strewn on the floor. She murmured softly, "Oh. You're going again."
"We have to, mom," Tai implored. "Sora's in trouble. I need to save her. I need to bring her back."
"And I have to make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble," Kari stated. Mrs. Kamiya enveloped her daughter in a warm hug.
When she turned to Tai, he saw tears in his mother's eyes. She enveloped him firmly and whispered, "You come back to me, alive."
"I love you, mom." Tai shouldered his pack and strode purposefully from the room. His confidence masked his tears.
"I love you, Mommy," Kari murmured and followed her brother.
…
"You're leaving, baby girl?" Mimi's mother asked. She unconsciously twisted a dish cloth in her hands. Her father looked up from the soup pot, his expression hurt and surprised.
Mimi sighed quietly. Why are my parents the only ones who make such a big deal about this? It must be because I'm their only child.
"Say something, Mimi!" Mrs. Takawatchi implored.
"I have to go." Mimi met her parents' gaze firmly. "Sora is my best friend, and I'm going to help her. She would do the same for me."
"But, Mimi," her father began. Mrs. Takawatchi silenced her husband gently.
"You go, honey. Just be careful and come back home soon."
Mimi smiled broadly. "I love you guys. I'll be back soon." She kissed each of her parents, picked up her duffle bag, and left.
"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Mr. Takawatchi turned to his wife.
"She's not a child anymore. We both knew she would grow up sometime. Now we just have to learn to let go."
…
"Jim, where are Mom and Dad?" Joe asked as he shoved a first aid kit into his large bag.
"Are you dense?" Jim asked. "They're at a medical conference in New York."
Joe threw several water bottles into his bag. He knew that information, of course. He merely asked out of habit. Joe extracted a note from his pocket and put it on the table. He wrote it on the bus ride back from the hospital. "Jim, I need you to give that note to Mom and Dad when they get home."
Jim glanced from the letter to his brother's frantic packing. "You're going back, aren't you?"
Joe paused. He knew his brother would deduce the answer eventually. Jim regarded his little brother closely. He tried to protect Joe from bullies in their youth. He tried to perform the tasks of an older brother perfectly. Unfortunately, Joe outgrew Jim's protection during the first trip to the Digital World. Joe noticed his brother's forlorn expression. "What's wrong, Jim?"
"I was just thinking about the fact that you haven't needed me as a big brother since you were ten." Jim laughed hollowly. "Now, you go save the world, little brother. Make sure you come back, though. I can only cover for so long if you're late for dinner."
Joe smiled. "What are brothers for?"
…
"TK and I are going back to the Digital World," Matt said quickly, his backpack already in place. His father's hand paused above a legal document. His mother, there to discuss legal matter with her ex-husband, dropped her fork.
"You're…you're going back?" She stammered. Her gaze traveled to her youngest son. Why had he grown up so quickly?
Mr. Ishida instinctively took his divorced wife's hand. He gazed at Matt sternly. "We support you, Matt. Just be careful. And look out for TK."
"And TK, you take care of you're big brother." Ms. Ishida forced a smile.
TK hugged his parents and slowly picked up his bag. Matt stared at his parents, surprised by their supportive comments. Finally, he threw his arms around his mother. She gaped for a moment then hugged her son. "Love you, Mom," he whispered.
"I love you too, Matt."
Matt embraced his father, took TK's hand and left.
…
"…and that's why I'm going back to the Digital World," Izzy concluded. He had explained the entire situation to his parents.
His mother frowned with worry. "That poor girl. I always like Sora."
"As did I," his father agreed. "You be careful, son."
"And make sure you invite Sora and all your other friends to dinner when you get back."
Izzy smiled at his mother. "I will, Mom. I love you both."
A loud knock interrupted his mother's reply. Izzy opened to door and found the Kamiya siblings.
"Hey Izzy. Ready?"
"We just have to wait for everyone else to get here, and then we'll be ready." Izzy led Tai and Kari into the kitchen. Tai fidgeted with his bag. Kari spoke quietly to Izzy's parents while Izzy made several last minute adjustments.
The doorbell sounded. "I'll get it!" Tai cried and dashed to the door.
"He seems very anxious," Izzy's mother commented.
"He's in love with Sora," Kari stated bluntly.
"Always has been and always will be." Izzy closed his back pack.
Tai returned with Joe and Mimi. Mimi smiled and greeted Izzy's parents very politely. The doorbell interrupted Joe's greeting. Tai vanished once again and returned with the Ishida boys. "Everyone's here now," Tai called.
"Yes." Izzy shouldered his bag and hugged his parents.
"You look out for each other," Izzy's mother warned.
"We'll all be waiting when you get back." His father gazed at the kids fondly.
Izzy led the Digidestineds to his computer. Within moments, the seven teens disappeared.
…
The newly risen sun cast its rays across fields and mountains. It sparkled over rivers and lakes as they moved to converge with the ocean. A light breeze rustled the leaves and the hair of a restless princess. A perfect day for the fall of the Digital World. Princess Sora grinned at the thought and entered her master's castle. She found Despimon in front of his computer.
"My Lord." She knelt. Despimon's eyes flickered to his slave. He maintained an air of indifference to her presence and moved to his throne.
"You may rise, Princess Sora." She obeyed. "Are you prepared for your task today, Princess?"
"Yes, my Lord."
Despimon drummed his indistinguishable fingers on the arm of his throne. "This region has caused me many problems in the past. They are the strongest of the four corners and have resisted me for years. As such, I want you to make an example of them. Show no mercy. Their demise will be a model for those who wish to appose my power."
Princess Sora smiled sadistically. "Yes, my Lord. It will be my pleasure."
Despimon smirked at the girl. He made an excellent choice. "Gather DarkBiyomon and your supplies. You leave in one hour."
…
The seven teens appeared somewhere in the north eastern region. Snow and cold winds buffeted them as they gathered their belongings.
"I wish you had picked a warmer spot, Izzy," TK muttered.
"I didn't set any co-ordinates." Izzy dusted white powder off his bag. "We don't know where Sora is, so what was the point of setting co-ordinates."
"Why didn't you set them for that Despimon's castle?" Tai called over the wind. Mimi sneezed.
"Despimon's location is as ambiguous as he is. Not even Jennai can get a lock on his co-ordinates."
"Why don't we have this conversation somewhere warm?" Matt suggested.
Izzy nodded and glanced at his Digivice. "Let's head south. We'll hit a jungle in less than an hour."
"What about our Digimon?" Mimi questioned.
"Hopefully, they'll find us," Izzy replied.
"Matt!" A familiar voice called. Matt turned in time to see a bundle of fur and claws before it talked him to the ground.
"Gabumon!" Matt laughed and embraced his hairy partner.
"It's so great to see all of you again," Gabumon grinned toothily at his friends.
"Where is everyone else, Gabumon?" Kari asked.
"Oh, here and there." Gabumon's expression became serious. "Hiding for the most part. Some of them are waiting in the jungle."
"Well, let's go." Joe led his friends in the direction of the humid shelter.
…
Princess Sora and DarkBiyomon arrived at their destination before noon. Princess Sora smiled cruelly at the quaint village. "Are you ready, DarkBiyomon?"
"Very." The Digimon concentrated and quickly digivolved. Princess Sora mounted DarkBirdramon and entered the village. Gomamon and other species of Digimon scattered in terror. Princess Sora jumped to the ground and unsheathed a long sword. In moments, she destroyed several Digimon and nearly a dozen houses. DarkBirdramon blocked their escape.
"You will serve Lord Despimon!" She cried as she slit a Gomamon's throat.
In less than and hour, all the Digimon were dead, with the exception of DarkBirdramon. The river beside the village became a deep red as blood flowed down the bank. Princess Sora returned her sword to it's sheath, mounted DarkBidramon, and vanished.
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Gato: Done and done.
TO Musashibf: Thanks for the review. Yeah, it takes forever to write a new chapter. Sigh.
TO karone-sakura: Yeah, so updating everyday didn't work out so well. Sorry about that. Thanks for the review and I hope you like the new chapter.
TO sara haruko takenouchi kamiya: Wow, you're screen name is a mouthful. Glad you like the story, and thanks for the review.
TO White Artemis: Thanks! That's so sweet!
TO ghiki-j: That's right. Sora gone bad. Interesting, no? Thanks for the review!
PS (IMPORTANT)– If you like Teen Titans, Harry Potter, Yu-Gi-Oh, or Inuyasha, pleases r/r some of my other stories. I've got tons of other Digimon stuff too.