Chapter 3 - Takuya's Place

Bonnie Mizuhara, I like that reviewer...that's a nice reviewer -kinda acting like Donkey off of Shrek 1 with the rock- Hi Takky-chan! Hi Kouji-kun!

KellyQ - Thank You! Emailed you!

Josie, I am Out, I am J.

And, since more than one person asked, I have to say this...Takuya didn't seem Kouji or Kouichi and such because the bad guys wanted him to think he had no real friends. Showing him that 2 of his friends were still looking would not get the desired effect, see? -smile-

- - - — — —

The guy in front of Kouji and Kouichi had hair that matched the fire, golden eyes, and a piercing, evil laugh. J.P., Zoe, and Tommy showed up as he was laughing and looked to Kouji and Kouichi as if they had the answers. Kouichi shrugged, Kouji stared at this new arrival. Zoe blinked.

"Doesn't he look kinda like a..."

"A digimon?" came a whisper-like voice from behind them. They all flung around to face the new comer.

"Who're you?" J.P. asked, slightly scared at how calm the guy seemed.

"I? I am Baronmon. I am a creature of the dark and dwell in the sshadowss." he said.

"Baronmon? Doesn't that make you a-" J.P.asked, once again interrupted.

"Digimon..." Baronmon stood from his kneeling position on the ground. Telamon was temporarily forgotten.

Baronmon stood at 5'10", taller than any of the kids. He had leathery black wings, which had been wrapped around him before. His clothing was black and reminded most of them of a butler's suit...only, completely black. He wore black gloves and boots.

His hair was also black and went to his shoulders. In fact, only two things about him were not black. His eyes, which were a deep blue, and the white mask that covered his entire face. He looked very intimidating...almost like a vampire...cool.

"I rule the sshadowss...I creep in the darknessss...You have sslim chance of esscaping me, sshould you ever face me...I will be your worsst night-"

"Baronmon!" came a command from behind them.

They all looked around to see Telamon sitting on a piece of the building he'd just blown up. The stone was surrounded by fire and it amazed the kids that he wasn't getting burnt. He smirked at their surprised faces.

"Let's go baron!" he called over their backs.

"But I-" Baronmon started in a low hiss. Telamon scowled.

"I said, let's go." he ordered in a dangerous voice. "The sooner we get back the sooner I can blow something else up..." he looked around at the buildings, then scanned the group of teens between him and his comrade. "Even though there are so many desirable targets..." his gaze fell on Kouji and Kouichi. "Right here..." he finished, slightly softer than before.

Baronmon did not protest this time, and instead just folded his wings and disappeared again. The former digi-destined turned to look at the only enemy left.

"How are you here?" Kouji demanded. "You're a digimon, how are you in the human world?"

Telamon shrugged. "You'll have to ask my master." he said nonchalantly.

"Why?" It was one word, uttered by Tommy.

"Why else?" Telamon asked, standing up. "To destroy!" fireballs ignited in his hands and he threw his hands in a circle as he released them, creating a circle around the teens. "To conquer!" he jumped into the circle and smirked. "To k..." he stopped suddenly, and they all stared at his wide eyes. "No..."

He gasped slightly, glowing slight blue for a moment. Then he seemed confident and jumped backwards out of the circle again, disappearing from view as the emergency help came. Zoe, Tommy, and J.P. started yelling that they were inside the circle. Kouichi looked at Kouji, a questioning look on his face, Kouji gave an almost identical one back.

- - - — — —

"Matamon!" Heraldomon called. Said digi came into view. "You nearly lost him tonight! I thought you said you had him under control!"

"I am sorry, my lord." he bowed. "I did not pay enough attention, he tried to stop himself..."

"Don't let it happen again! He is your responsibility!" Heraldomon barked, angered by the events. Matamon bowed lower.

"I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again, I swear." he then disappeared to the room which held the glowing triangle.

Heraldomon now sat in a room that actually had lights. His dark blue hair fell down his back, off his chair, and pooled on the ground. His golden eyes were laughing maniacally at any who would oppose him. He wore a black cloak, clipped in the front to hide any other clothing underneath, most likely black...

He held up his hand, gloved white with black palms, and rubbed his temples. His pale skin almost shone in the candle light that lit the room. The walls were dark red with black bordering, the ceiling was black with red designs, and the floor was made of hard stone.

"Why can't anything go as planned? Come, take over a teen, control the world, live as ruler forever?" he thought absently.

"It'ss becausse of thosse kidss..." came a voice just outside the candle light.

If Heraldomon was surprised, he didn't show it as Baronmon came into view.

"What do you mean, Baronmon?" he asked cooly.

"He sstared at them...Ssusspect he callss them to him...We sshould desstroy them before they causse anymore trouble..." he suggested in an evil voice. Heraldomon narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, that would seem the best course...But not unless he disobey's me again...If they cause him to fail a job, I'll have them killed..." he began to think about it, and then waved Baronmon off. "Make sure nothing goes awry."

"Yess, ssir..." he whispered foully, stalking off.

- - - — — —

"Who do you suppose that was?" Zoe asked, blanketed with a bottled water.

They were all sitting on the bench like objects that the authorities had set out for them. Each had a blanket and bottle of water. J.P. and Zoe were on one, Kouji and Kouichi on another, and Tommy on the final one, staring at the empty space next to him.

"Who? It was a digmon, of course. I think his name was Bear-on-something-mon." J.P. said, half joking. Zoe whacked him over the head.

"I meant the other guy!" she snapped.

"I don't know. He's probably the one who blew up the building, seemed to like fire a lot." Kouichi explained, glancing at Kouji's contemplating face. "But I don't know what the point of the tall guy was..."

"I don't know." Zoe muttered, looking at her water before drinking some. "He just seemed to be there for no reason..."

"He was watching the fire guy..." Kouji said suddenly. His voice was low, so they had to listen carefully to hear him. "He wasn't there for much of a purpose...except to watch..."

"He was a chaperone?" J.P. asked. "But he's so much bigger...and that little fire dude was ordering him around!" Kouji shook his head as Kouichi answered.

"I don't think size has anything to do with this. We of all people should know that size doesn't matter. Little people can do big things..." he shook his head slightly. "And I think our real threat is actually that fire guy..."

"But he said he had a master..." Zoe muttered, slightly confused.

"Then fear the master." J.P. stated bluntly, taking a long drink from his water bottle. "That fire g-" Tommy suddenly burst into tears. "Tommy?"

"Tommy..." Zoe went over and made to sit down next to him, but Tommy pushed her off before she was really sitting. "Tommy?" she asked in surprise.

"Th-that's...Takuya's...seat..." he managed. Everyone seemed to understand now and their expressions softened. "Y-you guys keep talking...about 'that fire guy'...Takuya's 'the fire guy!'" he cried, clinging to Zoe. "He should be here...with us..."

"Tommy..." Zoe said in a comforting way, holding him close and rubbing his back.

"I...I know I shouldn't...be crying...I'm 13...but...T-takuya's..." he couldn't finish his sentence. Zoe offered him his water and he began to drink it...somewhat...as he cried.

Kouji and Kouichi looked at the ground, J.P. stood next to Zoe incase she needed help comforting Tommy.

- - - — — —

Matamon sat next to the floating triangle and looked up at it. Inside the three-dimensional shape floated a boy. He had flaming hair and tail, claws, and leather clothes. He sat down near the metal-like poles in the ground below it. Crossing his legs to sit in a meditation-like pose, he closed his eyes.

- - - — — —

What did I do?

Did I hurt someone?

No...You did fine...

What is this feeling?

Inside...

It is the feeling of accomplishment...

Accomplishment?...It doesn't feel like it...

What have I done?

Only what you were told...

And what you wanted to...

Then...it's ok?

Everything's...ok?

Yes...

- - - — — —

Matamon opened his eyes, feeling Takuya calm down into a phase better suited for being controlled. He stood up and turned to face the boy, who seemed to be sleeping.

"I'm sorry..." he muttered, walking away.

- - - — — —

I'm...alone...

So...alone...

Nobody cares...

Zoe! J.P! Tommy!

Somebody...

Anybody...

Kouji! Kouichi! Shinya!

There's nobody...

And I can't breathe...

Please...someone...

I need your help...

I need...

Friends...

- - - — — —

End Chapter 3!