Artistic Differences
By theladyknight
Disclaimer: Digimon—not mine!
Crimson Blossom: Thanks for all the reviews! I updated this as soon as I could. More original songs from Tai in this chapter. :D
Soramon: Marcus will get what he deserves. Read on…
Mrs. Ishida-to-you: :Cheers: Someone caught the Dumbledore line! Lol. There's more in here. See if you can catch them.
Windedlove: School does that to you. Actually, college crap does that to you more than anything. Well, hope you get Pirates done sooner or later (but sooner is better :D).
Jessica12: Your English was fine. Wow, it must have taken you a long time to read it all!
Scorpion05: You will see who won the bet and what happens from there in this chapter…
Wishinstahhz: I have no idea when can walkie talkies were invented, but it sounds like something Izzy could invent. Elaborate means to describe something in more detail.
And thanks to: Kikyoh8er1010, xxnewmikexx, DJ-SD, brat-always-day-and-night, sora's-evil-twin. the-Bad-Wolf, Starfish, KatyRose, mac359enderwitz/cuddly bunny, blueicepop, Kuroi Black Nightingale, sorato-takari, Princess Kikyo Sora, Kay, JyouraKoumi, nickygirl, Ballet Kitty, Du S'undaver Frehor n' Zar'roc, Rock-Angewomon, Saffire Starz, and Cloud-821.
DEDICATION: Calare: Actually, I'm not pure evil. I'm just not particularly nice. :blushes: Thanks for all the nice words. It did turn out rather humorous. I wasn't anticipating Tai's second line being funny, but apparently it came off that way. But that's all right. Glad you liked it. And thank you for the kick ass review!
Chapter 24: Lockton Kingdom is Falling Down
The arrow was first introduced to the Takenouchi Kingdom long before Haruhiko Takenouchi was born. He remembered training with it as a boy, learning the proper procedures it required for the sport of hunting and the game of war. He had been lucky not to have used an arrow in war, instead reserving that role for his father's top archers.
As king now, he had inherited quite a talented troop of skilled archers and bowmen. His knights and grounds men were the Takenouchi Kingdom's strongest warriors, but the archers proved to be a force to be reckoned with as well.
Unfortunately the same could be said for Lockton's men.
Their archery skills were a myth, legend spread all over the land. Archers in their army did not join the elite group unless they had near perfect precision and accuracy. They did not often miss their target, but if it came to that, heads would literally role. Thelonius prided himself in the best archers in the land, adding to his already dominant, sadistic army.
Sora's father could only watch, frozen to the spot as the arrow continued on it set target: his daughter. He couldn't reach her; she was too far away. King Haruhiko would willingly take the arrow if it meant sparing his daughter's life, but the arrow would hit its destination before he could make a move.
Tai kept a firm grip on the king's shoulder, just in case. Both knew they stood no chance of stopping the arrow. Six guards resided between them and Thelonius and, of course, his captive. Should either of them even attempt to take the arrow, they would be killed and then Sora would be.
The situation could not look any worse. Tai watched as his best friend stood helpless in the path of danger. She continued to struggle the best she could, but it was not getting her anywhere.
He did not want to think about it. Tai longed for the time they were young children, concerned only with the joys of life instead of the threat of war and death. It is not supposed to be like this! She is going to be or Queen! She is going to marry Matt and have a bunch of children, and we are all going to live happily ever after. Not this…where are you Matt?
Nancy Ishida thought the exact same thing as she put a supportive hand on the queen's shaking shoulder. From the looks on her husband and son's faces, they were having similar thoughts. Everyone else dedicated enough—or foolish enough—to step into the fire for the princess was clumped together in one spot.
Except for Matt…
Ken and Davis ran down to where Yolei was sitting, watching as Mimi tried to comfort the queen. Imagine how she is taking it. Her youngest daughter is mere seconds away from death. Queen Toshiko had paled as if she was a ghost. Her head was buried in her husband's broad shoulder, trying to keep her mind off her daughter's fate.
The two boys exchanged a look. Both knew they were too late. It was as if things were in slow motion. They felt a shard of guilt prick at their hearts, the guilt of knowing they should have been better prepared. But if that is the case, I wonder how everyone else is taking it. There are things all of us could have done to be better prepared.
Every face held a palette of emotions, painted into place and masking faces. Sora was going to die. There was no use denying the inevitable, no matter how pessimistic it was. But her death will not be in vain. It will only fuel our cause. Ken did not know the princess all that well, but he understood the effect she carried to all who came into her presence. I will do everything I can to avenge her death, and I know all the others, particularly Matt won't stop till all of Lockton's soldiers are dead.
T.K. had no idea where this left things with the kingdom. He gripped both of Kari's hands in his as the arrow plummeted toward the princess. It was going to hit its target, no question. The lingering question, though, was what kind of wound it would leave. Unlike any of the soldiers or knights, Sora wasn't equipped in any armor. She was left unprotected from an arrow that would leave considerable damage. But would it be enough to kill her? T.K. was no expert in the ways of war or weaponry, that's for sure. But he did know a thing or two about geometry.
Depending on the angle of things and where it leaves its mark, Sora could walk out of here perfectly. Lockton archers are told to kill, though. And from the looks of things, this arrow is straight on a path for her heart.
Kari sensed the blonde's frustration and hid her head on his shoulder. She could not watch. Sora was too close, too much like a sister to watch her die. There was no way Kari could face it. She desperately wanted the sands of time to stop, giving her or someone else a chance to dart in and capture Sora from the Lockton forces. But things like that just didn't happen. Sora's fate looked decided. Now it was just a matter of waiting…
Marcus could not have been happier. Unless, of course, Sora had given herself up and allowed me to take her. It looked like the plan, his master plan, had been successful. Ages had gone into preparing this. He had spent the last quarter of the year in preparation.
At one point it looked like things would fail; he would never admit to anyone that Tai succeeded in fooling him. Marcus would take it to the grave. But the tides had dramatically changed thanks to his careful positioning of his father and guards. This should prove to father that I am ready to take over as king. He knows it; I know it; everyone knows. Once we defeat the Takenouchis, I will demand he step down from the throne. And if not…he will meet the same fate as the poor little princess.
Hm…as my first task as king, I will reward this archer with a woman. He has remarkable aim…
Thelonius of Lockton had been anticipating this day since he was a child. Haruhiko of the Takenouchi Kingdom was his archrival. They competed in hundreds of competitions in their youth, and no matter how strong, powerful or intimidating he was, Haruhiko always bettered him.
At the tender age of fourteen, Thelonius inherited the throne at the death of his father. Quite frankly, though he never admitted it to anyone, he was glad to see his father go. The old man had been a wash-over, too kind and too generous. Depression had hit the land and things were in turmoil. What the people needed was someone with power, someone who could get the desired results by force.
It was no question to anyone that knew him—or anyone who did not—what kind of ruler he could be. In his first week as king, thousands of farmers lost their lives because they could not pay their taxes to the crown. Word arose of his cruel temper and treatment of his people. Everyone wondered why Thelonius had not been removed.
People feared him.
His stature alone, uncommon for the people of his area, frightened the citizens of Lockton. He reigned over everyone at a height of six foot five. His dark grey eyes cast plagues of grief and despair at anyone who dared meet his gaze. And his husky, powerful build was enough to frighten anyone.
Anyone but Haruhiko Takenouchi.
The two kingdoms avoided each other. The Takenouchi Kingdom was powerful in the south, attracting the alliance of nearly all kingdoms in their realm, all of which wanted a guarantee of safety. It was as if Haruhiko Takenouchi was the only man Thelonius ever feared.
And everyone knew it.
Well who is quivering now, Haruhiko? I have your daughter at my mercy, and it looks like the invincible Takenouchi line comes crumbling down. The arrow sped towards them. It is only a matter of seconds now…
Giving the man holding her captive one powerful kick on the leg, Sora tried once more to free herself before the deadly arrow hit its mark. She knew no one could save her; she was on her own. It would be foolish for someone to risk their neck, and the redhead sure did not want anyone to do so. Mom, Dad, do whatever you can to win this war. They cannot succeed. Matt, I love you…defeat Marcus if it is the last thing you do…
Her eyes flashed towards her parents once more in a pained expression. The woman then glanced at all her friends. The moment she found Matt and Joe's hiding spot, she let out a gasp.
The arrow found its target.
A collective silence overtook the entire courtyard. Women covered the eyes of their children. Little boys inched closer, only to be held back by their fathers. The knights drew their swords.
The arrow hit a perfect bull's-eye in the heart.
Thelonius of Lockton fell to his knees, releasing his grip on the princess as well. His hand moved to his neck, one of the few places on him where there was no type of armor as a protective gear. So this was it. Whoever had shot the arrow seemed to know the perfect place to aim.
He coughed, spitting up blood in the process. He was going to die. The arrow he ordered for the princess had hit him. But was it a misunderstanding? The red-haired girl, now seeking refuge in the arms of her father, was unprotected. The archer could have aimed anywhere and wounded her. But why did he go for the throat?
Thelonius hacked more blood. His son approached him cautiously, darting through the Takenouchi knights. Looking up into the eyes of his son and heir, Thelonius could see the anticipation mixed in with the masked look of distress and horror. He knew his son was plotting against him. It must run in the family line. Just as he had the satisfaction of watching his own father killed, now his son was experiencing the same phenomenon.
"Father! Are you…"
With what little strength he could muster, Thelonius pushed his son out of the way. It wasn't that powerful of a gesture, but Marcus stumbled, nonetheless. Before he met the fires of hell and the wrath of the afterlife awaiting him, Thelonius wanted to see the eyes of his murderer. Who was the man with the ability to place an arrow so well and kill him?
It did not take him long to figure it out. The bow still rested in his hands, positioned as if he was ready to shoot, should the first arrow not have hit its mark. Matt Ishida met Thelonius's eyes, hate and vengeance turning the blue orbs the color of ice.
I should have known.
"You should not have taught me so well. Otherwise I would have believed I would hit Sora."
His voice rang out to the valley below. At once all eyes squinted up into the sunlight, following the voice to its owner. Matt's golden hair sparkled in the sun as he and Joe stood on one of the hilltops overlooking the courtyard. They had both been paying careful attention to the trial and saw the signs Yolei had received and passed on.
The doctor knew his friend would stop at nothing to save Sora and stop Thelonius. But as their position did not exactly put him in prime "princess saving" location, Matt had to settle for the next best option. Joe realized how much confidence and trust the artist had to have in his own skill. If the arrow had been off, it would have struck Sora instead, killing her as it was doing to Thelonius now.
"Apparently I did," the man choked back. He tried to rise to his feet, to face his killer like a man. But the pain was too agonizing. Thelonius of Lockton had met his fate.
"Just you wait, Ishida." His breath was coming out in spurts, trying to hold out so he could get his final testament out before all the witnesses present. "You may have killed me, but you cannot kill my entire army. They will…wipe out the Tak…Takenouchi…forces and…" Silence. "Just…wait." He glanced straight ahead at his son. "I…I…In my…final moments…I will…name a new…heir…"
Silence.
One second. Two. The moments came and passed. Thelonius had collapsed, devoid of any type of motion. Marcus kicked his father onto his back, praising the gods that he had not finished his thought. So he knew my plan. He is not around any longer. I am King!
Everyone was hypnotized by the death before them or the sight of Matt. Marcus decided to use that to his advantage. "What are you standing there for you, imbeciles? ATTACK! Take all the royal women and ladies as prisoners! Leave NO ONE else alive! Attack you fools!"
At that demand, the trance vanished. People young and old caught what he had said. The Lockton army held up their swords. The archers prepared their bows and arrows. This was it. There was no turning back.
It was a war to the death…
Joe did not have to question Matt to see what the blond had planned. He could see in the artist's eyes, shining with hope, determination and vengeance. But the question was what he was to do.
The doctor would be the first to admit he had never touched a weapon in his life, save the time he handed his grandfather's bow to him so the man could clean it. I would end up hurting myself instead of the enemy. But I want to be involved.
"Find Izzy and Cody," Matt seemed to read his mind. "None of you have been trained for battle. Get the girls to help you out too. Bring all the women and children up here, away from the fighting. We cannot let the Lockton armies get them. Bring up anyone who is injured and cannot fight, as well. That is your specialty."
Joe forced a smile in the midst of the fighting. "I will get right to it." He and Sora are going to be one of hell of a team of rulers in the future. With a nod of his head, the blue-haired doctor charged down the hill, well aware the blond was right beside him but heading for a different area.
Matt separated from Joe immediately. He knew what he had to do. As much as fighting was not his usual method of approaching a problem he would make this an exception.
Find Sora. Marcus was his first priority, but he wanted to make sure the love of his life was all right. There is no telling what Thelonius could have done to her in the short period he held her captive.
King Takenouchi was struggling with two men. The blond barreled towards them, sword in his hand. Normally he would never carry a weapon or weapons, but today was special. There was no way he was not going to hold one with him. The sword, one Sora had swiped from the palace guard, felt surprisingly light in his hand as he hit a Lockton knight from behind.
Killing had scarred Matt for life under Thelonius's reign. The former king of Lockton was not his first kill; under that man's wrath, the artist had reluctantly killed before. But this time was different.
These bastards deserve their fate. They sealed it by siding with Thelonius. All had a chance to back down but chose not to stand up for themselves or agreed with his philosophy. And thus their fate is justified.
"AHHH!" King Takenouchi dropped his sword, clutching his bloody shoulder. The soldier standing above him gave a sadistic laugh, preparing to finish off his adversary.
Matt's sword slashed through him, and the man collapsed in pain. Seconds later, he lay unmoving. "King Haruhiko, are you okay?"
The man winced as he opened his eyes to a very welcome sight. "Matt…ah...thank you for saving both Sora and myself…"
"…this is not the time for formalities, Your Highness. You are hurt, and it appears like the wound is pretty deep." Matt stood up, looking around for someone to tend to him. He saw his brother, sword in his untrained hand, bearing down upon a man twice his size. He would get over there to help out the second the King was in safe hands. Tai was battling a group of four men. The bushy-haired boy was leading them on a goose chase, apparently having insulted them with something. At least he is providing a distraction.
"Mimi!"
"Ah! Get off me!" She kicked out at the man who grabbed for her foot, kicking his squarely in a rather sensitive area.
"Kari! Mimi! Come over here!"
At the sound of the blonde's voice, the two scurried to where he was, doing their best to avoid those fighting around them. "What do you need?"
"Do you two see where Joe is?" He pointed into the distance where the relief effort was well underway. Cody guided a group of young children to a hiding spot while Izzy held up a warn-torn man. "Take the King to that area. I'll get T.K. to provide a guard for you two. Then do whatever Joe advises you to do. We need you to help them out."
"Of course," Kari found her voice first. "Good luck out there."
"Matt, I do not need attention. My arm is perfectly…ahh!"
"King Haruhiko, I understand what you are getting at." The blond looked his future father-in-law in the eye. "But you are more of a liability than an asset on the battlefield in your current state. But you can lead your people from the high ground. They need someone to give them order and hope. We can handle things from down here. And besides, we need you to protect those in the safe zone."
Haruhiko Takenouchi had always liked to be in the action, doing whatever he could for his kingdom. He had been prepared to protest, ready to leap in with his duties and role as king but something Matt said stuck out in his mind. "All right. Let us get there as fast as we are able to. Good luck, Matt. Please find my wife and daughter and make sure they are safe."
"I swear on my life that no harm will come to them."
Matt was off and running in the direction of his younger brother before King Haruhiko could say another word. A smile mixed in with the anguish of pain crossed the king's face. "Good luck…"
How did I end up doing this? Tai forced one leg in front of the other, glancing over his shoulder. The Lockton knights, under their many coats of protective armor and weapons, were lagging behind, unfamiliar with the woods and struggling under their weight. Panting, the boy slowed his aggressive pace, stopping to rest in a hidden burrow known only to the locals.
He had anticipated joining in the fight. He was curious more than anything. Fights were something most boys and men always wondered about, and there was one right in front of him. But his fighting skills were as strong as his artistic talents.
Tai had wandered into the forest, seeing a group of Lockton's guards hiding out in a clump of underbrush. He was useless with a weapon; there was no use even trying to make a fool of himself. He could manage that without picking up a sword.
But the brunette wanted to be of use. He could not stand back when his kingdom and best friends were being attacked. So he recklessly charged forth into the woods, wishing now he had some kind of plan of action.
It did not take long for it to happen. Right. Left. Two more right turns. Straight for thirty paces. Another left turn. And in the direction of the sun for fifty paces. Then it happened.
He was lost.
Wandering around stupidly, the boy knew he found himself in a tangled mess. How could he be of any help? As he continued to roam, trying his best to retrace his steps, he heard them.
"Take out the queen and the princess first. Look, they are right over there, unarmed and helpless."
"Marcus will greatly reward us."
One of the men punched the guard who had just spoken. "Our reward will be living. He will kill every last one of us if we do not achieve our goal."
Tai was ready to attack. He had to get out and warn Sora and Queen Toshiko. Carefully, as to not disrupt the element of surprise and sneaking out, Tai crept towards a cluster of trees, seeing the battlefield in the distance. One more step. The element of surprise really does work!
Try telling that to his feet.
Stumbling on a wild root, Tai tripped, falling to the ground. His ruckus caught the attention he had so desperately tried to hide from. "That is one of the Takenouchi men! Kill him!"
So that is where he found himself now. He had darted through the battlefield in an attempt to gain some help. But nothing happened. The king was down, and Matt was hastily tending to him, no doubt off to find Marcus as fast as he could. The others were all fighting. Tai sincerely hoped his sister and family were safe.
And with that, he kept running.
Tai glanced out into the forest as the guards stopped in stupor. "Where did the bushy boy go?"
"I do not know."
"I think he went east."
"No, you imbecile. He went west."
"Funny, I could have sworn I saw him run…"
"SHUT UP!"
"East!"
"West!"
"East!"
"West!"
"East!"
"North!"
"SHUT UP!"
"I have been a knight for the longest. I say we head north. It would make the most sense for him to go that direction."
The three other knights grudgingly grumbled their replies, none of them happy about that prospect. Tai let out the breath he had been holding. He thanked whoever was up there for looking out for him this time.
"Tai!"
Oh shit…
"Did you hear that?"
"It was probably just a bird. You know how strange the creatures are in this area."
"We have wasted enough time. Let us go!"
One, two, three...come on, just a little faster… The fourth guard took one look around, and Tai could have screamed in joy. Instead he settled for kissing the girl next to him. "Tai, there are more pressing matters at hand than you kissing your future wife."
"Not that I minded it," Mimi piped up, left rather breathless from the enthusiasm of the kiss.
"Sorry, but you two almost got us killed. You nearly blew my cover!"
The females exchanged a glance, unsure of what he was alluding to. "All right, we will just ask later."
"How about we get out of here and get involve in the action?"
"Actually," Kari studied her brother. "That is why we were looking for you."
"You were?"
Mimi nodded. "Well, that and the fact we were trying to escape Sora's dad's wrath."
They began to jog back to the battlefield, this time with the girls in the lead, navigating the way. "Why is he so crabby?"
"He was injured almost instantly into the fight. He understands that he cannot fight, and Joe has patched him up well. But Lord Ichijouji called for a retreat of all our soldiers, wanting to hide them behind our castle's walls."
"But that would leave all those defenseless people out here!"
"Exactly, but Lord Ichijouji has not been known to make the best decisions under pressure."
Tai gave a low whistle. "I would not want to be around the king either in that case."
They approached the edge of the forest, courtyard now in sight. It was clear the Takenouchi Kingdom had the advantage. Tai could see the blood and bodies littering the ground, the majority of them belonging to Lockton knights. But the sight of sparsely scattered Takenouchi guards and innocent bystanders was enough to make him want to throw up his breakfast. "How can we help out?"
"I do not know."
The three studied their surroundings. Ken, T.K. and Davis were locked in a swordfight with three Lockton guards. None had the advantage, but it was clear Ken's strategy of duck and hit was driving the enemy to near torture. Davis carried a more reckless attitude but was giving his man all he could handle. The younger blond had learned some sword fighting skills from his brother, but was nowhere up to par with the older artist. But he was gaining ground on the man he was fighting.
That situation is under control.
Lord Ichijouji was cowering as King Haruhiko cursed him to shreds up on the hilltop. Izzy tried not to look too interested in their conversation as he pointed a young family into a resting place. Cody rolled his eyes before handing Joe some leaves they were using to temporarily stop the bleeding on some of the injured men.
Yolei and Jun joined the group, guiding a cluster of younger girls with them. There was one joyful reunion after another as children were reunited with their mothers. I think they have things pretty much stable there too.
That just left the three most important people.
"Tai! Kari! Mimi! Have you seen my husband?"
Queen Toshiko ducked and dodged her way through the growing stack of carcasses. "Are you okay, Your Highness?"
"I got separated from Sora back there. I do not know how she is. We were looking for Haruhiko. Sora saw him get hit."
"He is okay. Matt arranged for his safe delivery to Joe. He is recovering nicely."
The queen's face turned grave. "Have you seen Sora? She and I were separated a long time ago…"
"Well look who we have here? One poor, defenseless little princess. You are mine."
Sora muffled a shriek as a burly middle-aged man grabbed her around the arm. He yelped as her foot collided with his shin and gave another cry of terror as she sunk her teeth into his arm. "Bitch!"
"See if I care," she shouted back, darting away from him as fast as she could.
The man tried to keep up but was blocked as T.K. came over and began to fight him, fresh off his first opponent. Sora did not know where to go. She had lost touch with her mother. They both had fled together, out of the way of an arrow, as Marcus declared the fighting. But they were separated almost immediately, both fleeing from a set of husky guards.
She now found herself at the edge of the castle grounds, cliff drop-off and dangerous ravine the only scenery around her. The battle was dwindling. There were only a handful of Lockton forces left. All the rest had been killed and a select few were being rounded up by the king's orders as prisoners of war.
She wondered where Matt was, what he was doing, how he was faring. Was he hurt? Had he had to kill? Had he found Marcus?
She let her feet carry her. Something just seemed right about heading for the ravine, heading to a place she tried to avoid at any other time. This was the "forbidden" part of the castle. No one came out here. It was passed at all times. Nothing was here. Had her parents not showed it to her at a young age and told the fanciful myths of death and destruction present around it, she would have never knew it existed.
Sora snuck around a tree, hiding in its shade as a form of protection. What was out here? What was so magnetic that it was drawing her presence here of all places?
"So we meet again."
"You had to imagine it would come down to this, Marcus of Lockton."
"Matt Ishida, this is not even your land. You do not live here. Why do you not give up and flee. I would let you escape with your life if you chose to leave right now."
From her position behind the tree, Sora could see her love smirk. "Marcus, two things: this is my home now; this is where Sora and I will live and raise our family. And you would never let me escape with my life."
"Under normal circumstances, no. But you did me a favor. You took care of my father. That is one less thing I will have to do in the future."
"If I have my way, you will not be alive in the future."
"Nor will you. But I will give you a chance. Give me Sora, and I will let you escape with your life."
"Over my dead body. Sora is not a possession to be given. She would never go with you freely."
Marcus sneered at him. "You will be dead, and Sora will be mine."
The redhead watched, mouth dropped and eyes widened as they drew their swords and attacked. She was ready to step out, to make her presence known. But something drew her back. Something told her this was not the ideal time to be known.
I have to attract Matt's attention. I have to let him know I am here, safe and ready to aid in the death of Marcus.
The swords clanked together. Sparks arose, igniting a stream of fear and butterflies in Sora's stomach. She knew Matt was well trained; Marcus was the same, though. Both learned together. Both grew up under the same code of rules. Both were skilled at their trade.
And both would fight to the death.
Matt blocked Marcus's advance and sent an attack back at him. Back and forth, the stalemate continued. It was as if both could read the others' moves before they happened. Something big had to occur, something to turn the tide in ones' favor.
Marcus had the advantage.
He caught Matt off guard, ducking down below and hitting Matt in his back. Sora nearly let out a scream as the blond fell to his knees. It did not look deep nor serious. It just knocked the wind out of him, giving Marcus a clear-cut shot at him.
"Prepare to say your goodbyes, Ishida. Do you have any last words before I kill you?"
"The game is not over yet,"
Sora leapt out of the tree, ramming her body into the brunette's and causing him to tumble to the ground, rolling dangerously close to the cliff. Marcus shakily rose to his feet, only to realize he was cornered by the two. Matt's eyes were full of shock at the sight of Sora, but he was able to control his emotions, quickly rising to his feet and towering over the man. "She is right. You are the one ready to meet your end."
Marcus looked up into the two faces, both full of hate and determination. Sora wielded his sword, which he had hastily dropped to the ground in surprise of the force she applied. "Neither of you are killers. You will let me live."
"Should it be anyone else, we may consider it." Sora spat out in a dark tone, incredibly uncharacteristic of herself. She could taste the bile in her throat. By the end of the night, she would be throwing up after all she had witnessed today, but right now, that was the least of her concerns.
He knew this was it. They would both attack no matter what. Marcus knew he had one final chance. It was a suicide wish, but what other choice did her have? He barreled towards Sora, believing she held no experience with a sword.
Boy, was he in for a shock.
She threw all her weight into the attack, thrusting the sword with all her might into his abdomen. He froze in place, shaking as the blood began to seep through. "We may feel the need to kill you, but we are not cruel enough to make you suffer a long agonizing death." Matt reached forward, yanking the sword from the man's stomach and giving him one hard push, sending him barreling over the cliff and falling into the endless abyss.
Marcus was dead before he hit the ground…
Sora turned to Matt with a jumble of feelings present in her body. He embraced her, possessively pulling her into his grasp, never wanting to let go. The tears were flowing from both their eyes as they kissed, sharing the joy, passion, regret and nerves at what they had just done. Sora released him. His eyes were the last thing she saw before she passed out…
"Where is my daughter? Where is she! Send the guard out! We must find her immediately. Has anyone seen Sora? Does anyone know if she is all right?"
Queen Toshiko was running around like a chicken without its head. The fighting had stopped on the main front, many casualties dropped across the entire courtyard. Her husband sent Ken out to take a count of the dead for each side and Tai, Kari and Mimi to find any survivors, particularly keeping an eye out for Sora and Matt. Dusk was beginning to sweep over the land, and everyone was gathered together on top of the hill, anxiously waiting for the king to address them.
It had been nearly a quarter of an hour since that time, and his wife was growing incredibly irritating. "What if something happened to them? What if Matt could not find her? What if…"
"Toshiko, worrying will do no good," King Haruhiko put a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder, walking over to where she was frantically pacing. Joe had mended his arm up quite well, and he was feeling fine physically. But his mental attitude was another story.
If his wife's outbursts were not enough, Lord Ichijouji was at the point of no return on the king's list. He had blatantly defied orders, calling for all the troops to regroup and flee to the safety of the castle. The man was never in charge of them in the first place, but the fact that he decided he was and he knew what was best irked the king the most. I will take care of him later.
"Your Majesty, the official count is in. There are fifty-two Lockton knights dead, including King Thelonius. We have suffered eighteen casualties." Ken handed the man a crudely written list. Scanning over it, his heart sunk as he recognized many of the names, one of them being Henry the guard from the castle. May all these souls rest in peace.
"Did you find Matt and Sora?"
Tai was nearly knocked to the ground as a hysteric queen sprinted toward him. "I am sorry, Your Majesty. We could not find Sora, Matt or Marcus anywhere."
"I do not think you searched everywhere,"
Eyes widened as a blond male stepped out of the forbidden clearing, redhead beauty in his arms, lying peaceful. Too peacefully. As if she was not just sleeping.
"Sora! Oh, my goodness. Matt, what happened?"
He quickened his pace and approached the queen. "She is okay, Queen Toshiko. The fighting just took its toll on her. She saw some thing no one should ever have to."
"What happened with the two of you?" the king wondered while motioning for Matt to place the princess on the ground so Joe could examine her.
"Sora found Marcus and me just as we were ready to duel. Things were getting tricky, and Sora popped out of her hiding spot just in time to save my life."
"And what of Marcus?"
Tai's question lingered in the air, and Matt hoped he would not sound too giddy when responding. "Marcus has joined his father."
Nancy Ishida let out a gasp. "You mean?"
"Yes, it was a joint effort. Sora and I defeated him."
"Where is his body?" Ken asked. "We never found it."
"You will not find it unless you are willing to venture down the cliff. And we were hidden off from where the rest of the fighting was. I saw Marcus head that way and followed him. It was by luck that Sora found us."
The group heard moaning behind them and watched as red eyes reentered the world. "What is…Matt! What happened with Marcus? Was it all just a dream or did it really happen?"
"It really happened," he pulled her to her feet despite Joe's protests in the background. "He will bother us no more."
All eyes were watching the two, and King Takenouchi turned to address the growing crowd of villagers and citizens around him. "I planned to announce the betrothal of my daughter today and I cannot think of a more opportune time. I am extremely happy to announce that my daughter and heir to the throne of this land has consented to give her hand to Matt Ishida in marriage." He walked to the two and joined their right hands together. "They will be the future rulers of this land and lead us into a prosperous period of peace and harmony."
Tai started the clapping, followed shortly by Mimi and soon everyone else in attendance. Everyone was thrilled the princess had made her decision. He may not be of royalty, but as they had proved by the trial and from the fighting afterward, it does not matter what the class or circumstances are. Love will find a way.
"I object!"
"Lord Ichijouji," Izzy tried his best not to laugh, "The trial is over. You need not object to anything anymore."
The man chose to ignore him, shoving his way through the crowd and getting as close to Matt and Sora as he could. "Matt Ishida and his family are, by law, under house arrest. No criminal will be king…"
"Maybe I should clear up this matter as well. I hereby clear the Ishida family of all wrongdoings falsely blamed on them. Furthermore, they will be knighted and praised for their efforts and all the help they have been for our kingdom."
"But, you…you cannot do that, King Haruhiko. They are…"
"Do not tell me what I can or cannot do, Lord Ichijouji. As of today, you are removed from your position of security chief and are no longer in the service of the crown."
"But sire…you cannot do this. I must object…"
"I am sick of your objections! You have disobeyed specific orders and caused chaos and trouble in our kingdom. You are not looking out for the people as your job requires. At the same time, I choose to name Lord Ken Ichijouji as our new security chief for his valiant effort and responsibility shown today. He will be replacing his father immediately."
"But…"
"While I am bestowing honors, I would also like to award Doctor Joe Kido with the highest form of praise and thanks for everything he has done for our kingdom in every possible way. Doctor Kido, you will be knighted later tonight for your display of…"
CLUNK!
"I guess I will tell him when he comes to," the king mused cheerfully, eliciting some giggles from the surrounding people. Sora rushed forward, gently fanning the fallen doctor with her hand.
"To my daughters friends: Mimi Tachikawa, Davis Motomiya, Yolei Inoue, Izzy Izumi and Tai and Kari Kamiya: I offer my sincerest thank you for the planning and delivery of the trial today that proved the true culprit in the crime. You will be remembered forever in the history books for you service to the kingdom."
Tai nudged Izzy. "I am going to be famous. For ages, people remember that Taichi is he!"
"If you say so, Tai."
"Hey, before I forget," the bushy-haired brunette thought of something, whispering it to the genius next to him, "I won the bet fair and square. I got Marcus to admit that he was guilty."
"But…"
"No buts. Pay up. I know you have the "supplies" with you. After all, I am sure you brought a pair of scissors to trim off my hair."
Knowing he was correct, Izzy let out a sigh, opening up a bag he had carried with him during the trial and fights. "Here, but be careful with them."
Tai grinned like a jack-o-lantern. "You know I will," he replied impishly before darting off into the crowd.
"And to Cody Hida. You have been our informant, dodging enemy lines to get us all the information in this time of trouble. You will be moved up to the royal messenger to all the lands. On this day, it shall come to be."
Cody blushed but thanked the king, wandering over to stand next to an incredibly startled Joe. "I think that is everything I can say. Thank you to all of you for your patience in getting through this. We will be holding a memorial service tomorrow in remembrance of all those who died fighting the troops of Lockton. As this is supposed to be a joyful celebration, I recommend continuing on with it. What say you?"
"Aye, King Takenouchi!" sounded out around the hilltop.
"Very well then. Does anyone have anything else to add?"
"I do!" a voice in the back piped up. "I composed this song not to long ago and…"
Mimi rested her head on Kari's shoulder. "How did I know this was coming?"
"We need to put something over his mouth to keep him from talking."
"One, two, three…Lockton Kingdom is falling down, falling down, falling down. Lockton Kingdom is falling down; oh yeah baby! Our land is safe once more, safe once more, safe once more. Our land is safe once more; oh yeah baby!"
Sora stifled a laugh as Matt rolled his eyes as the song continued on. "Matt and Sora are back together, back together, back together, Matt and Sora are back together; oh yeah baby! But their son will lose to mine in croquet, mine in croquet, mine in croquet. Their son will lose to mine in croquet; oh yeah baby!" Tai gave a bow before reaching into his pocket for something. He grabbed a stick and stuck it into the fire, holding it there until a nice flame formed. Carefully, he placed the object in his hand on the ground, lighting it and running away. With a resounding BOOM! it exploded into the air and illuminated the sky with a rainbow of colors. "Happy Independence Day!"
Tai lit the next object and it let off the same effect. "Tai is always the life of the party,"
"It seems that way." Matt pulled Sora close to him as they watched the display before them, relieved all the turmoil and trouble had come to pass and that they finally—most likely fairly soon—would be able to be married. But for now, it was time to enjoy the celebration with their friends and family, glad that the problems that plagued them were a thing of the past.
"Firecrackers! We can call them firecrackers! I will be in the history books again…"
A/N: well, I updated BEFORE two months. I'll work on things; I know I can get some of the other stuff updated soon, knock on wood. Hope you guys all liked the chapter. It was jammed with a lot of stuff, but I think most things were cleared up. Wedding bells sound next chapter. Hope you'll all stay with this for the conclusion. Please review; comments are always appreciated. Apologies once more for the tardiness of this update; I'll do my best to get caught up, but no promises! Review!