Digimon: Visions

Chapter 20: I...Care...

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"But Shinji... You can't look away... from the truth"- Ryouji Kaji, Evangelion Graphic Novel

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"You idiot!" Purgatomon was furious as he smashed his fist into a desk. "They've gotten two of the crest, and they killed Sagittarimon! The hell is wrong with you?" He lashed out on PantheraLeomon and AeroVeedramon as the two Ultimate Digimon looked to their master. He simply continued to pace as he thought about the repercussion of his actions.

"Sir, Sagittarimon acted idiotically, and as you know, these humans are more powerful than we previously considered, please, forgive us our folly, we have acquired the crest of Faith" AeroVeedramon stood from a kneeling position and walked to his master, holding out the small item to him.

This only served to enrage the Bishop further, much to the surprise of his underlings. "I cannot use this!" He shouted as he punched into a wall. "No one in the order can, this is one of the Light crests, were she still around Angewomon would be the only member of the order who would be able to use this damned thing!" Purgatomon grabbed the meaty neck AeroVeedramon and began to cut into his steely skin as his face wrinkled and he shouted obscenities as the Digimon.

It was then that PantheraLeomon began to speak. "Father, please, allow me use the crest to entrap the human who it belongs to. We can entrap the human and hold her hostage so we can capture the other humans and steal their crests. Mayhaps you can take the one the human known as 'Sin' acquired" PantheraLeomon was bold in reminding Purgatomon of his failures, but unlike usually, the gamble payed off, with the anthropomorphic leader of the layers of the Digital world smiling and looking to PantheraLeomon, dropping AeroVeedramon. The Digimon complied to his underling and they began to scheme to wait for the time when all eight other crests were found, for now there were three that had been revealed as being found to Purgatomon.

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The scent of sage and thyme was her intoxication as Sakura followed the rest of the group into an old abandoned temple. The cobwebs that lined the walls covered more area than Dokugumon's, and the walls were made of a beautiful marble. She just took in this hint of civilization, since they had been avoiding all civilized life for over three weeks now. All that they had gotten to do that harkened back to civilization was bathe, and the boys had been able to shave, thank god.

She ran a hand through her long dark hair which had only gotten longer, and she wanted a hair cut to purge this from her. Her bright blue eyes had dulled in how tired she was getting and how old she was feeling, but she had to keep her morale high, for the sake of the others, they depended on her like a mother. There were times when she wished that she did not have this responsibility, and other times when she delighted in it; right now, though, she did mourn it.

As Agumon lit the last candle in the temple, she picked up a pile of various foods and wood, she had promised she would cook tonight and would not be breaking that vow to her friends. In their travels in search of the Crests and Sin, they had come across a small black pot, which she was now filling with water while Nekamon stood behind her and cut up some carrots and other vegetables and Fernirmon prepared the meat to be placed in with the rest of the food.

Sakura began to make her stew as the others sat in pew or examined the frescos of the building. Sakura looked to Savaria before anyone else. So much was happening in this world and it all seemed to stem from that one girl. From the episodes that had marked their journey, to the leaving of Sin, Savaria's time in this world had been the furthest from happy, and Sakura worried about her.

Sakura had talked with Kilroy and Fernirmon the night prior to this day, and there was something that Kilroy noted that stayed with her. Before the last battery finally died on his computer, he told Sakura that what ever there was in this world, he thought that somehow, Savaria, Sin and Dantes were involved. Now, from Kilroy, this was nothing new, from the first time the lot of them talked it was always evident Kilroy distrusted those three, but there was something about the way he said it, combined with seeing Savaria destroy the metal gates and some Digimon in the Sagittarimon's castle, and even manage to Digivolve Dismon to Virgilmon without Sin around, it just made her look closer to the girl she had come to call friend.

On a pew near Savaria, Sakura saw Satorii petting her partner Digimon. Satorii was always like a brother to her, but for some reason, it seemed as she got close to Fernirmon, he distanced himself from her. Ever since the incident with Fernirmon saving her from Gesomon, he had just shunned himself from her. She found the notion that Satorii disliked their relationship absurd, he was her brother, he should be happy for her regardless, she thought at least. She just hoped that he would not do something stupid for her personal self righteousness.

She shifted her gaze down the pews to Kilroy, he sat with Mitsuko with Ridomon beneath them. They were quite a picturesque couple. Over the weeks they had been journeying, the two had made there relationship as official as you could in a world where if you leave everyone you may end up being killed. They had kissed, they slept in each others arms and all of that, the only thing they had not done was have a physical relationship, and Sakura had made sure that they knew she was against the notion of them having that sort of intimacy, but the two were content with what they had.

Kilroy took thing as a belief of touching was the only was from it to be real, and that bothered Sakura. It was not like her to believe in anything or place much faith into anything, but she did liked the cold logic that Kilroy used to dictate how everything was. He only took things for the value that could be placed upon them by science, and that was one thing about him that got under her skin, like how he could not except the possibility that Savaria, Sin and Dantes may be good. He only listen and never thought things through; otherwise she like Kilroy as a friend, he could just be so cold.

Mitsuko could be in contrast to Kilroy at times. She was headstrong and would jump into things, though she was not like Matt and never really thought things through, she was just not one to adhere to what Kilroy would consider Darwin at work. She was opposed to allowing that sort of thing to happen, kind of like Sakura herself, only brash and reckless in her execution. Mitsuko was Sakura's best friend in this world, probably followed by Aya over Savaria, Savaria never really talked to anyone about herself, unlike the other two.

Sakura continued to scan the others as they got one of their rare moments of rest to see Matt holding Aya's head as she leaned upon his shoulder while petting the pelt of Hexamon. After the incident in Sagittarimon's castle, the two had become even closer, Aya did not smack Matt as much and he kept his hands to himself completely. They were simply kind to one another, which was a peculiar sight to see considering how before then they were constantly at one another's throats with slings and arrows perfectly aimed to the prey they considered one another. Sakura would joke with Aya about how she liked Matt, but anymore it was truly panning out.

Despite her arrogance and devil may care attitude, Aya was really a good person, not that she would allow most people to know that, but she was. Sakura and her would talk when Mitsuko was with Kilroy or when Savaria was being, well, herself for lack of a better term. The Asian girl had come to see the Franco-Russian girl as a valued friend for her honesty and her ability to dissect ones feelings, Aya was actually the first person who had told that she probably had romantic feelings toward Fernirmon, despite the fact he was a Digimon. Aya's only personality flaw was really the fact that she tended to his her emotions for whatever reason, but Sakura was happy to know she was helping Aya to begin to open up, and so was Matt.

Matt, on the other hand, was just plain headstrong and occasionally stupid. Sakura loved him as a friend, he was able to give them some form of comic relief when things were bad, and he was a generally kind person (except to Satorii, anyway), so Sakura did care about him. Matt was just sometime too quick to jump into things, like when he challenged Sagittarimon a couple days prior. He had no real reason to the rhyme, but he put all his chips on the table, risking everything on a bluff and a pair of twos, and he won. The fact he was able to come out with only a few scars and bruises astounded her. It was no mistake, in her eyes, that Matt was the first of them to attain a crest, and less that it was the crest of Fire.

Her eyes continued to see Dantes walking over to Savaria. She still did not fully trust Dantes, but she knew that they had to trust him. More added to her distrust of Dantes was his forced concept of monogamy in how he tried to eradicate Sin from Savaria's thoughts. Sakura did believe in having a monogamous relationship, but Dantes barely let them mention Sin. Maybe he was right in that Sin was evil, through out this time he had told them that Sin was trying to consolidate the forces of Sheolmon, but Sakura never bought into that school of thought.

Why would a betrayer go through the trouble of being such a loner? Would one not try to infiltrate the group and then weaken the morale of them; Sin had only tried to keep away from then to the extent that they were wondering if he died. The boy had shunned his own partner, Dismon, so were Dantes allegations at all founded on rational thinking or just his personal paranoia. Sakura believed that all humans had a core good, so she thought that despite Dantes' beliefs, Sin was not that truly evil.

He was an odd case, though. Sin was notably self loathing, he smoked and consumer alcohol. He was cold in his execution and Sakura still remembered the day he saved Faeriemon and killed Kabukimon, it was just in such a methodical, yet quickly executed fashion. He was either a sinner or a saint, and despite how he constantly acted, she believed he was farther from the former. Savaria had showed her the switch blade that used to be Sin's, and that deeply troubled Sakura, but it did mean one thing that her optimism refused to claim ignorance to, that he had not killed himself. She wondered two things on this knowledge, the obvious thing being why he yet to, and the other being what was keeping him? Sakura did not think about Sin often, and when she did it was mostly all the same.

Her attention turned then to Fernirmon. Through it all, he had been a pylon of sympathy when she felt horrid, and a savior when she needed him to be. He meant a lot to her; she still did question the notion of an interspecies relationship, and whether or not it was right to do something like that with a Digimon, or if it were bestiality. There were times when these thoughts were extremely daunting, and other times when she payed them no heed and only thought of Fernirmon as another person. Maybe love knew boundaries in some minds, but when it came to the Digimon, Fernirmon, she did not see a limit in it.

Sakura looked up from the water and meet and vegetables. "Dinner's ready" She said as she took from a makeshift bag an amount of carved wooden plates and attempted utensils. Though what they had and what they ate on was kind of pathetic, they did need to eat, so no one would refuse to eat it. They all just began to sit on a pew or near one, though Savaria sat on the alter as she began to ingest the food. No one spoke. The silence was slightly unnerving, but no one made any attempt to break it, they just sat in silence and ate. Dinner was almost depressing in this world with the silence and monochrome dreams that are forgotten by the wayside.

Finally the silence was broken as Savaria said "I'm finished, I'm going to go outside for a minute, okay?" They were used to this ritual, she had been doing so for the past few weeks. She would go out side and she would look up to the stars and wonder where Sin was. Sakura finished early and so did Mitsuko and Aya, so they told the boy and the Digimon that they would be going out side for a moment as well.

When they got out, Savaria was just standing by a nearby cliff as waves cascaded into the face of the cliff and she looked up to an eclipse and a meteor shower. "He might not be coming back, you know that don't you, Savaria?" Aya said as they walked up to the other girl. Sakura made the sound of a "tsk" as she looked to Aya, a bit upset with her bluntness.

"I gave up hope that Sin was still alive awhile ago, I just come out here to look to this world" The three girls were confused by what Savaria said. Savaria had allowed her legs to dangle off of the side of the cliff as she sat down and looked into the pristine waters beneath them. This world was free from the industrialization that plagued their's. It was clean and it was pure, a few towns, a few factories, but nothing to the rivalry of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.

Mitsuko squatted down by her friend and looked to her curiously. "Then why do you continue to come out here?" She beckoned, knowing that she probably would not understand the answer. Mitsuko had grown up in a very industrial area, and had come to see the beauty in the city more so then in the rural area, and you could not get further from home then in this world.

Sakura just continued to look up to the eclipse and the meteor shower as Savaria spoke. "Its just too beautiful. It goes so far beyond the world we have and see. I love the splendor and the majesty" She sighed as she pulled her legs up, cradling them to her chest as she rested her chin upon her knee. "I just think that its such a refreshing change, we haven't had to fight much with the exception of Sagittarimon, I just like to come out here to see this world. If I see any sign of Sin, that's a plus, I just don't think I will"

"Don't give into Dantes saying that he was probably killed already. Sin may not have Dismon with him, but he is pretty damn strong" Aya played Devil's Advocate, despite her personal belief Sin was dead in a ditch or eaten by something by now. She found Savaria to be naive most of the time, and this time was no different. "Just stop crying over him"

"No man is worth crying over" Sakura finished Aya's sentence. She knew damn well if something happened to Fernirmon, she would probably end up crying, but she still preferred to keep a stolid outward demeanor. She would keep by that philosophy though, unless it were family, when, of course, no amount of personal discipline can stop the tears from being shed.

"I know, I know, and I don't think that I feel that way for him anymore, but still, I can't help but worry about him, Aya, did you worry when Matt fought Sagittarimon? Mitsuko, do you worry when Kilroy runs after Veedramon? And Sakura, when Fernirmon fights, do you not worry? It's not like my feelings are unfounded, its just, unlike the lot of you, I, unfortunately, must try hard to be near him at all, Sin, unlike the others, is so much more reserved" She raised her protesting shield. The other girls were unsure of how to react until something happened in the night's sky, a bombardment of comets entered the world's atmosphere and began to rain down upon the nearby land.

They were both beautiful and deadly, and as they fell to the earth, the four girls looked to them in wonderment and fear. This had never happened in there world, and they headed for the chapel, bursting through the doors and shouting to the others that something was happening outside.

"What is it, what is happening?" Dantes said, placing his hands upon Savaria's shoulders as he looked to her with crestfallen eyes. She just stared in to them for what seemed like an eternity, just consumed by his eyes as the others finally exclaimed the events outside.

Agumon stood in a fright and looked to the others "It's a sign, it's a sign of the apocalypse!" He shouted, though he knew it would not be tonight. Blue fire did, though, rain from the heavens this night, and that was a symbol of the apocalypse in this world, much to the like of the human world, it was apparent that this would be a destruction in accordance with the element of fire.

Ridomon was the first Digimon to the door as she looked back to the humans. "All of you, stay in here, we'll take care of this, just be on guard, these are an army of Starmon, probably in allegiance with the order of Sheolmon, be careful and stay inside, we will check it out" Along with the other Digimon, the serpentine dragon glided out of the temple, much to the dismay of their human counterparts. The only Digimon which did not leave was Dismon, who was unable to Digivolve now without the aid of Sin or of Savaria.

One by one, the seven Digimon followed suit outside and shifted into champion form, though Nekamon, who was always in champion form, just waited to sharpen her claws for once. Now, the champions stood out, the final eight pylons of defense for the building, they waited silently for any sign of enemy movement.

"Maybe this is just a freak event and your dogma is jumping the gun" Though fruitless in his efforts, Satorii tried to pass it off as if this occurrence meant nothing, but he damn well knew he was wrong. It was then that slowly, the silhouettes of the star shaped men came over the first ridge, each of the Digimon still standing and waiting for the first pawn to be moved.

"Meteor Mash" A barrage of strikes came at the temple from all angles, only to meet the oppression of the partner Digimon's own attacks. They managed to cancel out each strike with one of there own until the Starmon were upon them, and began to attack in waves and overwhelming numbers. Each of the Digimon had at least ten of the creatures to his or herself.

Faeriemon took out its bow and began to fire shot after shot at the waves of the enemies, though there seemed to be no end to the black hand of Starmon which stretched across the land scape. She still tried to defeat as many as she could until the Starmon abandoned the nearest other fighter, Draconismon and jumped to her, attacking her and bringing her to the ground. She tried to shake them, combating them with what physical ability she had, but there were just so many of them.

No other Digimon had anymore luck. Shedimon, despite his power, was unable to get in enough clear shots. He was, like Faeriemon covered by the sheer number of the creatures and covered in the swarms of them. His blasts, though mildly successful, were all but completely neutralized, as was te attacks of Nekamon, who had been the first to fall, due to her small size and her being of less strength. Blood spilled from each of the Digimon as they tried to take out the swarms of the small, nonspeaking, unfeeling creatures. They were just the perfect agents for a vile kamikaze attack such as this one.

Despite there best effort, Celestiamon and Sorceressmon were also backed into the temple. With each beam and each blast of energy, they only lost, where as the unending army of Starmon continued. They were simply relentless. The two anthropomorphic Digimon tried there hardest to tare through the ranks of the Digimon, but nothing seemed to deter them.

Finally, after nearly exhausting themselves, Greymon and Shinjumon found the end of the blight, and the source of the Starmon. With a Nova Blast and Digitosse, they destroyed the comets which spawned the Starmon, causing the one that were fighting to turn to star dust and the humans peered from within their would be crypt and stepped out onto the dusty, and now barren battle field.

They walked among the pyres of star and blood as the Digimon all fell to weakened rookie forms and they looked about to the wasteland they had helped to create. It was nothing more then a shadow of its former self. This land was once home to vegetation and to life. No one of the humans seemed to be hit harder by the shock of all that was gone more then Sakura. To her, this was horrible, like deforestation in their own world. It was sickening.

As they reached the genesis point of the comets, Sakura's tag began to glow, and the dust and soot of the comets formed into a single crest, the crest of Love, and it was given to Sakura. The others were happy for her, and the gift this world had given her, but she was only upset.

Sakura looked to this world and saw what had happened. It was decimated, destroyed, she wondered if what they were doing was the right thing. "Sakura, the Digimon need rest after that, we're going back the to the temple, come on" Kittenmon told her partner as it flew away from her. Sakura was an unmoving obelisk, though, she just stood there, stunned by what just happened. With out them knowing it, they had just won a major battle, but it felt so empty, and so hollow.

She heard the clanging of chains and boots upon the ground as it seemed as though everyone else had returned to the temple. Sakura looked to her side, and there was Dantes. "This is a war, this was a deliberate strike against us from Sheolmon's forces, it was an orchestrated attack to kill us" He said plainly and simply, looking to Sakura through his green eye as he spoke. "But despite a victory for us, there was a heavy price paid, not in lives of humans or Digimon, but in this world. If we fight like that, we will lose this world, and eventually, this fighting shall spread. Though it may not seem like it right now, this is the first major battle. Now, the followers of Tabernamon will be hunted like stock, and Leomon and Veedramon know what we look like"

"How can you treat it like it's just some simple game?" She sobbed as she looked around her, not much caring for Dantes rationale. She knew his words rung true, but he was still treating it more like chess then a real life, she despised the analogies made to simple board games.

"I'm not pleased with what happened either, but Sakura, you must realize, there are much worse things that will come if we continue to fight in this world" It was a perfect day for banana fish.

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"Heavy Price Paid" from the Halo 2 OST

(Instrumental)

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"Ocean Breathes Salty" Modest Mouse

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Your body may be gone

I'm gonna carry you in

In my head and my heart and my soul

Maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again

Well, I don't know, I don't know but think so

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Well that was that, and this is this

I'll tell you want and I'll tell you what you get

You get away from me, you get away from me

Collecting my belongings and I lay in the chair

Well, thanks for the time I need to think a spell

I had to think awhile, I had to think awhile

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The Ocean Breathes Salty

Won't you carry it in

In your head and your mouth and your soul

Well maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old

Well I don't know, I don't know I hope so.

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Well that was that, and this is this

I'll tell you want and I'll tell you what you get

You get away from me, you get away from me

Collecting my belongings and I lay in the chair

Well, thanks for the time I need to think a spell

I had to think awhile, I had to think awhile

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Well that is that and this is this

Well you tell me what you saw,

and I'll tell you what you missed

When the ocean met the sky

You missed when time and life,

shook hands and said good bye

When the earth folded in on its self

And said good bye

For your sake I hope heaven and hell

Are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath

You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death

You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death

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Well the ocean breathes salty

Won't you carry it in,

In your head and your mouth and your soul

The moment we got our head and were stuck in rewind

Well I don't mind, I don't mind, I don't mind

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Well that is that, and this is this

I tell you what get and I'll tell you what you give

You get away from me, you get away from me

Well that is that, and this is this

You tell me what you saw, and I'll tell you what you missed

You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the after life.