Dear God, I finally updated….please don't kill me…I have, ah, issues and they get worse when I'm dead. Err, did you guys just see me type something very very stupid indeed or was that just me? I would give out 150 reasons for being the worse updater in the world but quite frankly, that'll be immensely boring and fill up the chapter, leaving no room for the story….and as a result you would all hank me to ribbons which your sharp, pointy keyboards. And, um, I like being alive. It's in my best interests.
Hence begins chapter filler…or at least the chapter preparing you for the next chapter filled with carnage and chaos! (which I am still writing and no I am not saying that out of complete irrational fear for my existence, whatever gave you that idea?)
Ohh lookie, fanfiction net actually invented a page divider thing after months of refusing to allow people to invent their own with various symbols! Me likey!
A side note to the one known as Dragon and Sword Master: You've probably given up hope of me still being alive yet I would be interested in what sort of challenge fic you had in mind. Yep, you've engaged my interest…
Dudes! Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews! I'm sure all of you are well aware of how much they mean to each and every fanfic writer out and so I wish you a happy reading! If you despise this chapter, feel free to flame me at all costs!
Phew, I do believe we have reached the end of the totally boring author's notes…(Mute opens mouth)…YES WE HAVE! Admit it, that part in brackets scared you.
Sunlight filtered through the clouds to create a dappled pattern of light on the ground below. The areas of light warmed the areas of earth - or concrete - they were scattered over in their usual amiable way.
Two sets of trainers drummed over these patterns thoughtlessly. A faint breeze awoke and caused the earthbound shapes to distort; as thought they were expressing their indignation at being run over so carelessly.
Kazu spared a glance over his shoulder to check on his friend's progress and heaved out an irritable sigh. Kenta trailed a fair distance behind him, cheeks puffed up to impossible sizes to retain the little oxygen he could get. Kenta it would seem, was not build to be an athlete.
"Come on slowpoke! The action will have been over by the time we get there!" whined Kazu, relectually jogging on the spot in order to let the shorter boy catch up. And he did although his companion was far from satisfied at the time it took for him to do so.
"S-sorry!" managed Kenta before collapsing into a living ball of clothing and glasses at Kazu's feet.
Said boy observed his former running partner in disbelief.
"You're pathetic!" he huffed.
A groan was the only reply he received from the 'ball' who was now attempting to hug his ankles.
"Wait! Kenta you'll make me - ah!"
The next second Kazu found himself joining a sniggering Kenta on the pavement. Luckily he hadn't hit the actual pavement, a cushion that went by the name of Kenta had prevented that.
Kazu raised his head tiredly and lifted a cocky eyebrow.
"Oookay…no offence Kenta but this looks really wrong..."
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"Are you sure Renamon's in there!" whispered Takato urgently, crouched at the beast king's side.
The great lion inclined his head impassively.
"I'm certain!" he replied, the softness in his voice mirroring Takato's.
"Plus the fact it's the only lab on this floor we haven't checked yet!" remarked Rika dryly, rapping her foot against the floor in an irritated manner. Boredom was sailing onto her face as she spoke and she made no effort to conceal her voice in a whisper.
"Shhh!" everyone hissed at her in unison…with the exception of Icedevimon who tapped on the door sharply with his knuckles, ignoring the peculiar spasm racing across Takato's face as he did so.
"The room's soundproof," he announced grandly, "obviously to ensure the people inside are not disturbed in their research."
A light shone in his partner's eyes as she felt the warrior within her leap up and her hand twitched as though longing to clasp some battle cards.
"Then let's crash this science lesson…" she growled softly.
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"Well I don't see your organisation having much luck at destroying these wild ones…of course you would argue that you have that machine that destroyed Skullgreymon with you, but how long will it be before a Digimon emerges that's strong enough to crush your new toy? And where have you been beforehand? You've never come rushing to our aid before! You've let children fight your battles until you were ready to strike!"
The long awaited answer to Yamaki's statement was flung back at him, heavy with contempt.
The adult clenched his jaw together tightly and hardened his knuckles into taut fists.
"It wasn't like that! My superiors were stingy with the funding until we showed them what Devimon almost did to that boy you proclaim to be so fond of! Not to mention how he almost succeeded in the brutal slaughter of that girl!"
Renamon felt sickness flood the pit of her stomach in an overwhelming wave, burring itself maliciously into the pale lining.
"You…spied on us?" she gasped in a chocked whisper, sounding utterly horrified.
Yamaki shrugged.
"It had to be done. We had to know what we were dealing with."
"How long has this been going on for?"
"That was the only time we filmed one of your 'battles'. For all your sharp senses you were unable to detect one of our men trailing you with a camera."
Renamon felt tempted to say she had been a bit preoccupied at the time with the startling events that had taken place there but wisely held her tongue.
"And to think it was all by mere chance! If an old acquaintance of mine hadn't phoned me up after you leapt over his car we would never have gathered the footage we required to convince my superiors that we were following a worthwhile cause!"
"You knew…" the kitsune intoned in wonderment, "you knew and you didn't do anything…" Now her words hardened dramatically. "You knew that my tamer was in the grasp of a power hungry manic and you sat by and did nothing! He could have died! And did you make a move to save Rika? No! You made no endeavour to prevent loss of life! That is unforgivable!"
Yamaki's mouth worked for a couple of seconds before a cynical smile hovered over his lips as he saw fear momentarily sweep over her eyes.
"Ah, so you are frightened…" he intoned, an unfamiliar cocky accent slipping into his voice.
"Yes, but not for the reasons you might think!" Renamon muttered darkly, her ears twitching as she sensed Takato's presence from outside the room. She closed her eyes and breathed in heavily, counting under her breath.
"4...3...2...1..."
Sharp tears of metal ripped through the air, destruction vibrating within the lab and the door exploded inwardly.
"Sometimes I hate being telepathic", sighed the fox, narrowing her ice-blue eyes as they traced the violent movement of the former 'door' as it hurtled towards her and her prison.
The container shattered on impact but Renamon was more than ready. She rolled forwards, hind limbs tucked neatly underneath her tail so she resembled a rubber ball. The tip of her left ear barely brushed against the moving object and then she tasted freedom. Straightening up she observed the strange group before her with no trace of surprise, her eyes widening only when passing over Leomon or taking in the D-Power held by Jeri.
"Renamon?" Takato started, finally finding his vocal cords but struggling for the right words to stress how sorry he was for…well, everything.
"I've only one thing to say to you Takato," stated Renamon, her clear voice cutting across the room to his ear drums, "you had better not say sorry or be feeling bad about any of this or you will discover the imprints of teeth marks in those goggles of yours."
The boy grinned awkwardly before swallowing the guilt that was beating through his soul.
"Did they torture you?" he questioned timidly as he began to reach for her.
"Right!" the yellow fox snapped as she rushed towards him with no warning
Takato's eyes flashed red fire.
"What?"
"No, I mean right!"
"Huh?"
Icedevimon made an impatient noise before curving an icy claw around Takato's mid-section and yanking him to his right. The human had scarcely time to blink before the bullet smashed through the space he had been occupying barely a second before. His eyes instantly widened.
"Holy cow!"
Then snow-dipped paws were gripping his shirt and twisting him round to face a pair of worried blue eyes.
"Are you alright Takato?"
The boy nodded, not trusting himself to speak
"I'm touching you…I thought…you…they might…"
And without another word he embraced his friend and buried his face into her fur, soft as always. The taller froze before smiling warmly and pulling him further into her arms.
"Down!" snarled Icedevimon seizing Rika.
Digimon dragged humans behind desks, chairs, anywhere that provided shelter from the clatter of bullets that rained overhead. Beyond the gunfire Yamaki could be heard screaming.
Eventually the vicious pounding of sound ceased and Jeri raised her head. Her fingers clasped themselves over her mouth as she squeaked.
"Oh my goodness!"
Everyone followed her lead and turned the eyes in the direction she was facing. There stood Yamaki gun in hand with fear etched firmly in every facial muscle. Sweat dripped off his brow and he was wheezing painfully as though fighting off a professional wrestler. To complete the scene a tendril of inky blackness was intertwined around the circumfererence of his arm.
"Getoutofhere!" he choked out.
He broke off before letting out another scream as the darkness squeezed his finger against the trigger forcibly, almost gleefully.
"Oh hell…" muttered Rika.
"…This can't be good…" finished off Icedevimon for her.
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"Ow! Kenta! That's my foot you're killing!"
"Well, tell your arm to quit poking my eye then! You're ruining my face!"
"What face?"
"Huh! Just because you're jealous of my sex appeal doesn't mean-"
"Excuse me, you do realise you've both been blocking the pavement for the past ten minutes!"
The two boys peered up into the harsh sunlight, blinking rapidly, as a new voice entered the fray.
"Oh, it's just a girl…"
"See! I've done you a favour by hurting your face!"
"Huh?"
"Well she hasn't run away screaming yet, has she? 'Cause that's what most girls do anyway…"
"Hey!"
Keiko had to work hard to suppress the snigger rising in her throat. The boys looked like they were playing an elaborated game of twister on the concrete ground. Not to mention the fact their petty arguments did nothing much to help quell her new-found humour.
"Oh great, more human pups! Bada-boom!"
A miniature flaming comet flew with cunning procession towards Kazu's head. It was truly spectacular to see how quickly he reacted. With Kenta's legs still hooked around his back he sprung into the bushes like a frightened zebra dragging his surprised friend with him.
Keiko turned to face the small purple digimon.
"Not that I want a fireball in the face or anything but can you just not be annoying for the next five minutes?"
"Sorry toots, I don't take orders from no stinkin' human!" scowled Impmon, balancing another fireball on his stubbed fingertip.
Keiko almost laughed at the irony of it all.
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"Sooooo…anyone got any bright ideas?" asked Henry in his usual quiet manner.
An unhelpful silence greeted his statement as everyone continued to stare at a ranting Yamaki whose lighter had long since been lost on the floor. The whole of the man's right arm was now encased in the black substance where it bubbled mercilessly, taking no notice of it's host's futile attempts to rip it off. His tearing fingernails dove into the darkness violently but simply bounced off it as though it was jelly.
"Get…off!" the blond managed grunting between each twist and pull.
"What is that thing anyway?" questioned Rika, wrinkling up her pale nose with disgust.
"I have not got the faintest idea Rika," murmured Renamon, tightening her grip on Takato who promptly squirmed in retaliation.
"Ow! Renamon! I kinda need my collarbone you know!"
"Fine! If you guys won't tell me I'll find out for myself!" muttered Rika, storming over to the quaking adult, determination highlighting her features.
Bloodshot eyes on a chalk-white face widened as the ex-angel let out a screech.
"Rika! What are you doing!"
The girl didn't bother answering as she strode towards Yamaki, fingers outstretched and ready to rip off the squirming goo. The man in question yelped and ducked away from her aiding limbs.
"Stay still!" she growled commandingly, attempting to reach out for him again.
Yamaki shook his head violently, blond strands of hair dancing into his vision.
"Nooo! You don't understand! You're just a child! It'll get you too!"
"I'd like to see it try!" commented Rika seriously and with a certain amount of vindivousive.
Her lilac eyes crackled with electricity as she darted forwards nimbly, catching Yamaki off-guard. He let out yet another startled yelp and a well-polished shoe flashed out. It caught Rika sharply in the stomach and promptly sent her reeling onto the floor backwards.
Icedevimon released a deep bellow and rushed forward, scooping her up with a cradle of icy fingers. He looked up, his burning stare striking Yamaki venomously.
"Get off! Jeez, It's not like I've broken anything!" cried the ensnared girl.
"He kicked you."
"No kidding Sherlock. But your body temperature is making my spine go numb!"
"…..Ah. Yet I believe that the cold was like a painkiller for the body? It stops the pain sensors from functioning properly?"
"Other things won't be functioning properly either if this continues, like my legs! Then you'll have to carry me everywhere, Snowman. That should help you keep up your evil reputation, huh, acting like a walking wheelchair! So getoffmenow!" the ex-angel's little tamer pronounced angrily, practically thrashing his chest with her fists now.
"Ahh!"
Everyone reset their stares onto Yamaki as he cried out in alarm. The black 'goop' was still wrapped around his arm but now it was straining towards Rika - or at least in the general direction of the group.
"I-I can't hold it back forever!" puffed Yamaki. Despite the situation he managed a wry grin, "I think it dislikes you even more than I do!"
Nobody noticed it but the eyes of Icedevimon hollowed out as realisation struck. His head whipped round suddenly, horns and all.
"Did anyone of us remember to absorb Devimon's data after I deleted him?" he questioned harshly.
His statement was greeted by a multitude of blank stares. He sighed deeply, rustling his solid wings restlessly. Rika glanced up sharply as soon as she heard the awkward noise, knowing it to be a signal of his unease.
"What of it?" she demanded, "once a digimon's deleted, it's gone!"
Icedevimon's lips tightened and became vice-like in apperance.
"That is usually the case with most digimon…"he ruminated grandly, "…however with some they have strange powers that manages to cheat death if they are not absorbed into the data frame of another digimon."
Rika gaze was hard and steady, but even her cold mask, honed by years of practise couldn't prevent worry breaking out against her forehead.
"What does that mean Snowman?"
Her partner stared at Yamaki apprehensively as the blond let out another screech.
"It means, angel, that things just got a lot more complicated…"
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"It's soooooo pretty…"
"It's beautiful…"
Kenta and Kazu stared at the moving object with undisguised awe while Impmon repeatly thumped his head into raised scarlet fists again and again. He finally looked up and sighed at the dumb-struck look on their faces and peered over at Keiko who was holding the object of interest in her hand and waving it in front of them, hypnotically, from right to left.
"Can I…touch it?" whispered Kazu as his arm began to tentivly uncurl and reach up for it.
Keiko whisked the blue card away before fixing a business -like look on her face.
"No."
The expression on the two boy's transfixed faces shattered and their eyebrows crashed into each other as though a hundred Titanics were colliding with serval icebergs at once.
"Aww…I think you just broke their paper-mashie hearts," commented Impmon with a stony-faced expression.
Keiko shrugged.
"They'll get over it if they want to carry out a mission of vital importance."
The rivers that had been spewing out of the boys eyes instantly dried up as eager expressions clambered over their faces.
"A mission? As in a secret mission? Like spy stuff?" questioned Kenta in an excitable manner.
"Err…sure…you have to take this card to the tamers…" Keiko stated nervously.
"Alright, baby, I'm you're man!" cheered Kazu waving his fist in the air for no apparent reason.
Impmon smirked at Keiko's obvious discomfort, feeling mirth bubbling in his stomach.
"So…I guess they are going to touch the card after all huh?"
The girl started at the contemptuous tone and turned to stare wildly at the amused imp.
"I may have been a little hasty in thinking this through," she confided to him in a hushed whisper.
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"But what kind of digimon would have the kind of power to cling on existence even after deletion?" Henry asked the floor, grinding his chin into the cup of his hand in a thoughtful gesture.
"Devi…equals…devil", Icedevimon tasted the words on his tongue with bitterness, "don't these words ring a bell in any of your primitive, premature monkey brains?"
"That's rich, coming from someone whose grandma was comprised of ones and zeros!" muttered Henry, a tired look sailing into his eyes.
"Hey! Leave my grandma out of this!" shot back Icedevimon, unfurling one icy fist with a decisive crack.
Rika rolled her eyes in a melodramic fashion. "Ooooookay, this is so not issue right now!"
While the volume of the biological dispute rose and fell, Takato and Renamon were cautiously making their way across the gleaming tiles towards Yamaki. By making their way it meant Renamon taking the lead by force and becoming the equilalant of a walking barricade, one arm yawning across Takato's face and seriously impairing his vision. Though Takato appreciated that it was part of her protective nature to act like this, he was getting a little fed up. Needless to say he protested…and discovered that Renamon had conveniently become deaf within the last few minutes. And so he reverted back to the time-honoured tradition of sulking.
"Takato, do we have to do this?" hissed the kitsune, fixing a particularly poisonous glare on the inky blackness.
"If we don't who will?" the goggle-clad one stated grimly before continuing in a lighter tone, "unless you want to insult my hairy ancestors?"
"As if I would engage in such an immature bicker by stooping to Icedevimon's level" huffed Renamon, a smile flickering on her face before dying out like a candle in the wind.
Takato froze suddenly, tugging on her purple glove urgently as he noticed something.
"Look!" he hissed, "that thing's moving!"
The 'thing' crept over Yamaki's lips, ensnaring them with it's slimy hold and causing the man's eyes to flare up with wild panic. He struggled hopelessly against it for a few moments before he suddenly realised that he could still breathe through the horrid substance and wasn't suffocating. His brain worked furiously trying to come up with a logical scientific explanation before his lips began opening of their own accord. He froze as he felt the darkness pressing against his mouth, sticky and bitter, before pushing it's way inside of it and gripping his tongue and forcing it to move. It brushed against his teeth, stimulating his vocal chords to produce sound waves which then emerged as speech. Yamaki concentrated on what the blackness was forcing him to say with ultimate precision.
"I am going to take great delight in throwing your body parts to the infernos of Digi-hell!" it screamed in the manner of a raving lunatic who just discovered that the garden gnome has taken his pet turtle away for questioning.
"Yep", sighed Takato, "that's defiantly Devimon. Trust me, you never forget the voice of someone who threatens to decapitate you."
Yamaki's head twisted round at a unnatural angle.
"Oh, it's you", the head remarked emotionlessly.
Takato bristled slightly before Henry's melodic tone drifted across the room.
"How are we meant to get rid of Devimon without hurting Yamaki?"
"Oh, I really don't think you have time for that", Yamaki's mouth retorted with no small amount of maniacal glee.
Rika's face harded.
"And why not Mr Jello?"
Yamaki inwardly flinched as the 'jelly' hardened round his mouth, forcing his lips upwards into a pitiless sneer.
"Digital field at new fashion studios. Mummy go bye-bye."
Rika stared at mouth, uncomprehending what it had just uttered. Then realisation kicked into her brain heavily and her vision swarm alarmingly.
"You p-pig!" she managed to gasp before unceremoniously spiriting out of the room.
Erm…did I miss something," asked Jeri in a clueless manner.
Yamaki was sure if his parasite had eyes they would be rolling in their sockets.
"Her mother is Rumiko Nonaka, the famous fashion model-"
Yamaki's lips were suddenly interrupted by an excited squeal from the girl.
"You're kidding! She's like my idol! Ihave to get an autograph!" she exclaimed with stars dancing in her eyes.
Yamaki's vocal cords let out a rippling groan.
"Stupid humans! I've arranged a little surprise for everybody at the new fashion show…what an unfortunate cocidence that the little ice queen's mother happens to be there…but you know what the best part is? There's going to be a whole camera crew, reporters, TV coverage, the wholes, everything. I'm going to shake up this whole city and then watch the chaos flow."
It was all Icedevimon could do to prevent himself raking his claws diagonally through Yamaki's chest. Shaking with barely-contained rage he disappeared, fading out alongside the unearthly tit of the labouraty walls.
Everybody else stared at one another in the passing of precious seconds.
"What are we gonna do?" whispered Jeri her eyes fazing over as the full implications hit her and her face paled into a stinging shade of white, "we can't live Yamaki alone like this!"
She gestured helplessly at the man in question while Leomon fixed a gentle look upon her.
"Jeri…" he started gravely, "many more human lives are at stake down at the agency. Would you have them die in order to save a man who wishes some of your friends dead? Sometimes sacrifices must be made in order to benefit the majority."
Jeri said nothing, merely staring down at the ground. Her fists balled up at her sides as an unpleasant image of her mother swam into her blurred mental vision. A mother who shall be warm, tender, loving, smiling just the way she was when Jeri was very small. But in Jeri's head all she could see was a woman on her death bed so kindly provided by the hospital, buckling under the stabbing discomfort of pain that no one could free her from…
Jeri had never even stroked her hand. How could she? She was too small, too young to fully understand what was happening. But now she did. And that was her main reason for firmly believing in the value of human life. Those people would be saved…but not by her.
"You guys go ahead without me. You'll be fine. Rika needs all the help she can get and I need to help Yamaki. Someone has to."
She hardly registered her own voice. But everybody else did. And the effect was magnetic. Somehow they just knew. Knew that she could or would do this. Even if she didn't succeed. But she would try, just like they would.
Takato was the only one who hesitated at the doorframe as they passed it before Leoman gave him a reassuring nod. Takato gave a wavering smile. Just a little one. Then he was gone.
And with Leomon by her side, Jeri raised her brave eyes, wrapped and veiled up in a swarm of emotion. Up, up to gaze upon the blonde man's face that was contoured by the same sort of agony that had been inflicted on her parent years before…
Update: You know, it's funny, in a completely soul-crushing way of course. I once told my friend that I would complete this story no matter what. I was young and naive and about thirteen/fourteen years old at the time. Not that things like this can be excused with age...but as time drifted by I found myself unwilling to write more. I liked the universe I had created just fine. But the characters seemed stale and sometimes, and when I read over my work, it seemed pretentious. And reading the author's notes gives me brain-freeze. I have however, kept one promise to myself. I vowed that unlike a few other people on this site, I would never delete any of my work, no matter how embarrassing I felt it was. I think it's important to see just how bad you are when you begin something and how you've grown since then. Even if you don't finish something...it that case I think it's important to keep something like this up in order to remind myself of my failure. Both to myself and the people who read this. Like a hall of shame.
It's taught me one thing though. The sheer effort needed to complete a story longer than your traditional one-shot. And it's served me well. I've started work on my own fiction over the years and seemed to have been better prepared for it as a result. One of these I have actually managed to complete and re-edit and it's considerably longer than this piece. And I've also started about six other works, all in various stages of production, but as a result my confidence in being able to finish them is heightened.
So yes, although this story turned out to be a disappointment, I don't think I was wrong to attempt it. I was wrong to show it to the world maybe. But it's gonna stay here, no matter how much I dislike it now, perhaps in the hope that some other people might derive enjoyment from it. I myself have managed to enjoy other never-to-completed works on this site and have sometimes returned to re-read them, despite their unfinished status because of how they were written. But then I'm one of those weirdoes who enjoys the 'journey' in writing, sometimes even more so than the 'end'.
Thank you, to anyone who read this story and allowed it to make them feel something. And I'm sorry that I ended up hating it enough to discontinue. Maybe you'll never reread it and maybe you will. But that won't detract from your first reading experience. As long as it made you feel something or enjoy something...well, I like to think that there is some innate value in that.
And if I ever write some fanfic that is more than one chapter long...next time I'll write out every single chapter before I start posting. That way no one will be disappointed. It's only recently that I've gathered up the courage to write this out. Heavens knows why. I guess I have a horrible habit of running from my problems instead of facing up to them.
So I guess the final and most important thing to say is 'thank you'. 'Sorry'. And possibly 'goodbye.'