(sniffle) Spank you all!! This is starting to become my second most popular fic, beaten only by The Real Cid Highwind. This may not have as many reviews as some of my other fics, but I'm sure this is receiving more reviews more quickly than the other stories. I feel so special...
So, to reward you all, we have.... violence! Thass right, kiddos! Blood n' bones n' guts n' jus' 'bout any other nasty, icky thing I can think of will be in this chapter! And you thought I was demented before! Nya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! (Uh-oh, Naga cackle! Ph33R m33!) And let's not forget the other content that will either make you squeal in devilish delight or cringe in terror! Nup, this chapter ain't for the faint of heart!
Also, you'll get to make a new friend! The girl will finally be introduced! Doncha just luv me? Can't ya tell I'm under the influence of stress and chocolate?!
Oh, and something I'll start posting at the beginning of each chapter will be the songs that best fit in (since the chapter names aren't songs in this fic). The only song I can think of that best fits this chapter, especially at the end, is Disturbed's Down With the Sickness.
Disclaimer: Oh the things I would've done to those twins if Digimon were mine.... I can always dream...
Numb, Without A Soul
Chapter 3: The Red Lotus Blooms
It all happened so fast.
He had only left them for a minute, retrieving the ball that had been kicked out of bounds, when a tremor went up his spine. He froze. In a matter of seconds, ice had crawled up his legs, then encased his torso, and soon he was trapped in a cold cage.
He remembered suddenly bursting into thousands of pieces. At least, that's how he imagined it must have looked. But he felt no pain, in fact he hadn't even felt cold. He actually felt like he dissolved into thousands of tiny particles before he blacked out....
Black was all that he met now, and it was only because his eyes were shut. He could feel everything around him, and he knew he was in a different place. It wasn't Shinjuku, or even Japan, but he knew this place. This world... was a second home to him... but how....?
"Ah, you are awake."
Himi Tomoki opened his dark green eyes slowly as he sat up, the blurry world around him coming into focus. He rubbed his eyes just as he was able to determine the figure near him.
"....Who are you?" He wondered what had happened to him, but he was more suspicious of who was with him.
The figure confirmed his thoughts that he was in the Digital World again, for he was a Digimon himself. Due to his experiences, Tomoki knew it was wiser to be wary of the more sinister Digimon, which this one kneeling near him looked to be. At first, he had thought he was an Angemon, but his voice had been more hollow than the warm words of the angel Digimon; it was low, almost seductive, but also as impersonal and unforgiving as an ocean.
There were two dark, ragged wings where there would have been six snowy white. The black leather body suit had a silver helmet and decorative Roman crosses that accented it. The scarlet shawl hanging from his studded belt and the ribbon around his left arm looked like they had been stained by the blood of thousands.
Deep crimson hair framed a fair but pale face, and two white fangs revealed themselves when he grinned. "I am Neloangemon. You need not be alarmed, young one. 'Twas I who found you in your... vulnerable state."
"You saved me?" Tomoki added when the ominous Digimon nodded, "What happened?"
"I am not sure. You were unconscious when I found you. You are a human, but you do not seem very distressed by your surroundings. Why is that?"
"I've... been here before," Tomoki said hesitantly. He knew better than to tell this stranger too much, especially that he was a legendary warrior. "I know this place."
"Odd. There have been no humans in the Digital World for over a hundred years. And now this..."
Tomoki took some time to think as Neloangemon trailed off, sounding more like he was talking to himself. He was sure that he wasn't the only human here; there was no reason that only he would be summoned.
/After all, if Ophanimon needed just one warrior, I know she would have called Kouji or Takuya-oniisan./ He smiled briefly at the thought that he still thought of Takuya as a big brother. Even so, if he was to be reunited with him, he wouldn't be as helpless and reliant on him like before. Though he was only ten years old, he had matured much over the last two years since their adventure in the Digital World; even his older brother had noticed.
He couldn't wait to show them how much he had grown, if Takuya and the others were here. He had to know.
"Neloangemon," Tomoki said, bringing the Digimon out of a seemingly thoughtful trance, "have you seen any other humans here?"
"Nay." Neloangemon looked slightly surprised when Tomoki suddenly stood, brushing off his yellow shorts. "You depart so soon? Are you well enough to be off?"
"Yeah," Tomoki replied, readjusting his treasured hat on his head, "I'll worry about whatever happened to me later. I feel fine right now, so I should go look for my friends. Ano..." He looked for a moment at Neloangemon, wondering if he should invite him along. Tomoki believed he could take of himself, but if he could avoid it he didn't want to be alone. However, he couldn't bring himself to trust this Digimon, so he decided against it.
"Thanks," he said at length, bowing politely, "for helping me. Well, I've gotta go. Ja." Tomoki raised his hand in a simple wave as he turned and began to depart the small clearing in some woods he noticed he was in.
Most would be able to see the brief flash of infuriating red that surely had blazed in Neloangemon's eyes if it were not for his obscuring helmet. The sudden change in his mood could still be seen in the way his thin lips formed a tight line.
It was against his usual nature, but he had to delay this child as much as he could, no matter what....
Tomoki jumped, startled, when Neloangemon was suddenly standing before him, after he had barely taken three steps.
"Is something wrong?" Tomoki inquired, his voice sounding innocent but his dark eyes sparkling in a fierce determination. He was right to be cautious of Neloangemon, and his hand unconsciously went to his pocket.
/That's right./ Tomoki frowned. /I don't have my D-tector anymore!/ He began to step backwards as Neloangemon advanced towards him. He let out a small gasp when he was backed against a tree, and the dark Digimon pressed closer.
"I have long wondered, what is it that makes humans far more magnificent than any Digimon?" The Fallen Angel suddenly brought his clawed hand around Tomoki's neck, bringing him up to eye level while holding him against the tree. He smirked, pleased with the frightened yelp that came from the child, and began to bring his face closer to the boy. "Ah, but now I see. Humans, such fragile, beautiful creatures. And the children, so young, so tempting... I wonder, how do they feel? How do they... taste?"
Tomoki watched in growing horror as Neloangemon's lips parted, two gleaming white fangs revealing themselves as that terribly enticing mouth came ever closer to him.
Was it all over now? He had never thought he would ever be in this situation, especially not with a Digimon, but here he was, about to be defiled and possibly killed. In a home far from his home, alone, with no family or friends to help him...
He squeezed his eyes shut just as he felt that searing breath on his face, fearing the worst...
Neloangemon abruptly stopped his lustful pursuit when something caught his attention.
When nothing happened, Tomoki dared to open one eye to find the Digimon with his head slightly turned away. He opened his eyes fully when Neloangemon grinned yet again, and suddenly oblivious to the boy he had just been harassing, released him without a second thought. Tomoki dropped to the ground with a painful grunt, but his discomfort was soon forgotten as his dark eyes fell upon what may have just saved his life.
A figure was just emerging from the surrounding brush, and as it approached Tomoki was surprised to see that it was a human, but not one of his friends and fellow Legendary Warriors. Whoever it was, their bangs covered their face from the head being turned towards the ground. But what caught Tomoki's young eye was the sword, which looked like a small broadsword, carried in their right hand over the shoulder, ominously covered in rivulets of deep, ruby blood.
The stranger stalked towards Neloangemon with surprising calm, and seemed to pay no heed to the Digimon, stopping only when he spoke.
"Ah, what have we here?" Neloangemon looked down at Tomoki, and began to reach down towards him. "This shall only take a moment, then-"
There was a sudden swish, and Tomoki cried in alarm when his face was suddenly covered in a light spray of crimson. Neloangemon withdrew his claw and stood up straight, holding his palm near his face as he inspected the small blade that now impaled his flesh and the blood streaming down the black leather of his gloves.
This was interesting indeed. He had not even noticed that his challenger had possessed a knife, nor had he sensed the approaching weapon. It had been thrown with a speed and dexterity that far surpassed any mere human's natural abilities.
The Fallen Angel allowed himself a smirk as he faced his attacker, who had one hand calmly placed on a hip and the other tapping the sword on their shoulder. He took the blade out of his hand and tossed it aside, and flesh, blood vessels and leather quickly reformed and filled the hole left behind.
"Amusing. You attack without looking at your target. Do you fear what you will see?"
The Warrior of Ice watched, frozen to his spot and forgetting the droplets of blood on his fair face. The aggressor's head lifted, revealing two gray eyes that looked like a stormy sea, though they quickly changed to a bright, dangerous silver.
A voice, low and laced with intense edge, that sounded like a human and some demon speaking in unison, growled, "Never."
In an instant, the stranger was on Neloangemon, lunging with the sword suddenly, twirling the blade in one hand and lunging again. The Digimon dodged the first two attacks by merely floating backwards a little ways, but the next attack was unexpected. The assailant twirled the sword around with their body, and now holding the sword with both hands advanced towards the Digimon with looping, under-handed swipes.
Tomoki was in awe as he watched the fight unfold. It was like something out of a Chinese martial arts movie, only a hundred times more deadlier, and far more real. He was amazed at how this person was able to wield the weapon, so he didn't even consider that a person that size shouldn't be able to handle such a weapon with that much grace, speed and power, and with only one hand at times.
Finishing another looping attack, the attacker twirled again, this time spinning the sword above their head. This was the only attack that connected, and Neloangemon grimaced when the blade grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow, crimson line on the pale skin. He jumped away, putting some distance between himself and the assailant as they came to a stop, holding the sword in front of them, feet shoulder-width apart in a tense stance.
/Such power./ Neloangemon wiped at the blood dripping down his cheek, licking the thick liquid from a clawed finger thoughtfully. /But.../ He noticed upon closer observation that even though the silver eyes were glowing with deadly intent, his attacker was also breathing very heavily, and he could see those eyes flicker in and out of focus as if distracted from some inner conflict. /Such instability... Could it truly be....?/ Focusing, he tried to determine what kind of power this human was emanating, and he almost staggered from the forces coming from this being. Rage, despair, and....
His unexpected smirk caused his aggressor's attention to come to him again, and the sword was brought to their side, held with two hands wrapped so tightly around the handle that the lightly tanned knuckles were white.
"You win," Neloangemon said thickly, and with an elegant bow, he melted into the shadows on the ground.
The assailant stayed tense for a moment longer, then seemed to relax somewhat with Neloangemon's departure, but Tomoki finally snapped out his daze when the silver glow faded from those eyes, and the head suddenly dropped. The sword went slack in their hand, and the stranger abruptly fell to one knee, the weapon-free hand resting on their forehead.
Concerned, Tomoki scrambled to his feet. "Hey, mister! Are you alri-" He stopped and paused in his tracks when those eyes reappeared, glaring at him. However, now they were a different color, like chips of blue-green ice, and Tomoki also discovered that this remarkable swordsman was a girl.
It was easy to see how he could have mistaken her to be a guy. She dressed no where near feminine, like Izumi did. Most girls in Japan wore skirts these days, but this girl was obviously a rebel. Her top consisted of a grey, sleeve-less Chinese shirt, complete with a high black collar, lining, and buttons that came all the way down the front. The black pants hung very loosely, they were probably about two sizes too big, and though the large, white hems of the legs were folded up, they still mostly covered what looked to be black boots.
The only accessories to this drab ensemble were the strange white sleeves that were secured by blacks belts at either end, wrapped just below the elbows and extending just over her palms. Then there was the hair, a deep shade of maroon, that was cut to hang just below the top of her ears, save for two longer locks that framed her face, falling to her chin. Her eyes weren't round and caring like Izumi's, but sharp and fierce, and he could only see hostility in them.
Her eyes were turquoise, but hadn't they been grey and then silver only moments ago? Why had they changed? Just who was this girl?
(((())))
/Damn it, damn it, damn it.../
Why do you continue to resist? You should be honored that you were chosen to harness this power.
/Shut the hell up! Did I say I wanted this?/
All of your kind desire power. Is that not why you live?
/Well, I'm hardly human as it is, so no, I don't give a damn about power!/
...Ah. You are upset that you feel pain. You thought you would never feel anything again, didn't you...?
/Shut up! Just leave me alo-/
"Hey, mister! Are you alri-"
Her head had immediately snapped at the mention of that word. She was really getting tired of being mistaken for a guy. She was glad that the kid stopped when she glared at him. She really did not want to be touched or helped by anyone. Lowering her head, she closed her eyes as she clutched at her chest through her shirt. Again, it felt like her heart was having the life squeezed out of it, but this time it wasn't only from resisting. Her whole body felt tired from some sort of exertion.
She swallowed, desperately trying to catch her breath, when the weight in her hand grabbed her attention. She rose to her feet a bit shakily, still clutching her shirt, and looked down at what was in her right hand.
/A sword.../
There was a fight. I am not surprised you do not recall the encounter with that Digimon.
/... I don't know what the hell a Digimon is, but whatever fight there was, I didn't need a sword. I don't like fighting with them./
She looked at the blood-stained sword with disgust before tossing it aside, the weight of it finally tugging on her and making her arm ache. Her head began to spin, and she held her face in her hands as she tried to make the spell of dizziness and the nausea that came with it go away by taking long, deep breaths.
"Hey, are you okay, miss?" Tomoki couldn't understand why this girl was feeling so horrible. Neloangemon had not attacked her. Maybe it had something to do with the bloodstains on the sword?
/Ugh, he doesn't have to sound so timid./ She peered at the boy through her fingers. He was small for someone she guessed was about ten years old. Where did he come from anyway? And why was he so calm when he was in a different world?
"Miss..."
"Don't call me that," she snapped, taking her hands from her face and planting one on her hip, looking to her right though the boy was standing at her left. "I'm hardly lady-like, and I have a name."
"Well, what is it?" Tomoki asked, politely adding, "I'm Himi Tomoki, and you are...?"
"Not that I care who you are," the girl growled, but said anyway, "but the name's Komoku. Wang Komoku."
/Wang...?/ The name sounded Chinese, and familiar at that, but Tomoki abandoned that thought as another question came to mind. "Komoku-san, how were you able to defeat Neloangemon?'
"What?" Komoku looked down at Tomoki, interested in what he was saying now that she was feeling a little better, though her heart was still pounding loudly in her ears. "What the hell's a Neloangemon, and why was I fighting it?"
"You don't remember? I was being... I was in danger, and you saved me! You saved my life." Tomoki's voice grew softer. "I don't know how I could ever thank you-"
"Don't bother," Komoku snapped again, looking off to the side as she then murmured, "I'm hardly worth anyone's thanks."
"Why do you say that?" Komoku was starting to remind Tomoki of how Kouji acted when they first met. Usually, if someone did some heroic deed and acted indifferent about, it made them even more of a hero in his eyes, but it was different with those two. Not only did they act like they didn't care, but they also seemed to regret it some way, like it wasn't right for them to be doing something good.
"Che," Komoku spat, her attitude getting worse with each second. She knew she should have been thankful that she had found another human, but right now she just felt like getting away from everything. With the way she was acting, she would rather be alone.
Without another word, she began to walk away from Tomoki. He felt his eyes widen and begin to burn with coming tears, but he shook his head to regain his bearing. He did not want to look weak in front of such a strong person. "Wait up, Komoku-san!"
"Later," Komoku said in a gruff farewell, jamming her hands into her pockets.
"But you don't know where you're going!"
"So?" /Why am I even bothering with this brat?/
"I'm coming with you!" Tomoki said, his voice growing louder as he jogged up behind Komoku.
"What for?" Komoku paused then, realizing the kid's intentions. "I get it. You want to protect me. Huh, you've done a fine job of protecting yourself."
Tomoki halted at that last jeer. He dropped his head and balled his fists at his sides, trying his hardest to fight back the tears that were threatening to pour. He wasn't a crybaby anymore. He was young, but he knew he could take care of himself. Still, he didn't like being alone if he could help it, and it hurt him to know that other people still looked at him as a mere child.
"Anyway, you're not crying or scared or anything, so you must know about this world. You can take care of yourself, so long as you don't run into anymore Noodlemon or whatever the hell it was that attacked you."
Komoku's words caused Tomoki to raise his head and look at her back in surprise. She spoke harshly, but her words held a different meaning for him.
/There goes my good deed of the day./ With a small growl, Komoku took off again.
"I..." Tomoki hesitated, then went ahead and said exactly what was on his mind, not afraid to mention his fears to this enigma of a girl, "I know I can take care of myself, but still, I don't like being alone! I don't want to be alone! Please, don't leave me here! Don't leave me all alone, Komoku-san!"
The maroon-haired girl paused again, Tomoki's words stirring up a memory from not too long ago. Those same words, spoken by a young, pleading voice. A desperate cry...
"I'm sure you could handle yourself, but you have no idea of the danger that lies so close! Komoku-san, please-"
"Alright, fine! Just shut up, would you?" Komoku sighed heavily, knowing she would regret what she was about to say. "You can follow me if you want, but no whining!"
There was moment of silence, then a wide smile formed on Tomoki's face, and his cheer rang bright and clear in the otherwise foreboding forest. "Alright!"
Komoku growled again. /Man, I hate kids./ An image that was humorous in a demented way came to mind of her going back for that sword and lopping off Tomoki's head. But there would be no point in that, and since the kid knew more about this world than she did, he could prove to be useful.
"So, what now?" Tomoki asked happily, walking beside Komoku who had resumed her pace.
"You tell me. I dunno where I'm headed," said Komoku, who then added, "Actually, I at least know there's a stream up ahead. You've still got blood on your face."
"...Oh, yeah." Tomoki wiped at his cheek, trying to remove the tiny remnants of Neloangemon, but only succeeded in smearing the blood on his face and hand.
"Here we are," Komoku announced quietly, as the duo approached the mentioned site.
The stream was a welcome beacon of hope in the gloom of the forest, with the patches of sunlight dancing on the ever-moving surface. Tomoki sighed in relief, then looked over at Komoku who had settled down on the ground, her head resting in her hands and her shoulders heaving heavily.
A small frown creased his brow. "Daijoubu, Komoku-san?" he asked, concerned.
Komoku didn't say anything, but she waved one hand at him, as if to tell him to stop worrying about her and concentrate on himself. Tomoki saw this sign and walked towards the grassy banks of the stream. As he kneeled down in front of the water, he noticed a few patches of dried blood to his side that led up to the stream.
/Did Neloangemon attack some other Digimon before he found me?/ Tomoki shook his head, not wanting to think about the Fallen Angel and anyone else he may have harmed, and took off his hat. He placed his small hands into the stream, letting the cool water run around and through his fingers before he cupped his hands and lifted it to his face, vigorously washing the blood off.
Komoku paid no attention to him, the strange condition of her body more on her mind. Just walking a short distance had put some strain on her, and her heart was pounding painfully in her chest and she was out of breath. This had to be from whatever power the demon -at least, she thought it was a demon- said she had been chosen to harness. In any case, she just had to grit her teeth and bear it; surely, she had been put through worse physical pain than this, and it looked like she would have to endure it for some time. At least until she found a way to get of them, the demon and this power.
She took a deep breath, held it in her chest for a while, then released it, regaining some control over breathing. Satisfied, she looked up at Tomoki, who was lying on his back with his face turned towards the sun, probably letting the warm rays dry his face.
Komoku had a few questions, and she figured now would be the best time to ask them. "Yo, kid."
Tomoki sat up and looked over at Komoku. "Yeah?"
Not one to beat around the bush, Komoku cut straight to the point. "Where are we, exactly?"
Tomoki smiled, glad that she was depending on him for information. "We're in the Digital World. You've probably already guessed that I've been here before. This is like a world that's like a mirror to our own. Some things here are a lot like what you would see on Earth, but instead of humans this place is inhabited by creatures called Digimon. They are all kinds of Digimon, and all of them are basically good, but..." Tomoki glanced away, returning his gaze to Komoku when she spoke.
"You were attacked by one that you claim I saved you from," she stated calmly, crossing her arms, "so how can you say that they're good?"
"Because they are!" Tomoki stated firmly. "It's just that sometimes they get corrupted by dark forces and turn evil. Fortunately, there are special Digimon that rise up against the bad Digimon in order to protect this world."
"... So why are you here? If this world has Digimon to fight their own when they are out of order, then what would this world need with a kid like you?"
"I'm not just some kid. Two years ago, the Digital World was facing certain destruction, and six kids from Earth, including me, were called here. I'm more important than you think, and really I should be asking you why you're here."
Komoku was impressed with the spunk this kid had; not many people would dare talk to her that way because of who she was, or used to be, at least. It didn't show, though, and she shot back at Tomoki's remark. "I don't get it myself. The damn thing talks in riddles. There's nothing special about myself, but there is something inside-"
"What is it?" Komoku's eyes had begun to darken as she spoke, but Tomoki was alarmed when she suddenly snapped to attention, her eyes sharp and focusing. "Komo-"
Something approaches. You would be wise to move from your current location.
Listening to the demon in her head for the first time, Komoku sprang to her feet and dashed to Tomoki, who yelped in surprise when she picked him up and held him close to her as she ran off to their left. She sprinted into some bushes and halted, crouching down while keeping Tomoki close to her.
"What's-mmf!" When he began to speak, Komoku silenced Tomoki by firmly placing one hand over his mouth. He looked up at her, seeing that her gaze was intently set outside of their cover to the edge of the forest facing the stream. Cueing in on her serious frown, he stayed quiet, holding on to Komoku tightly as he followed her gaze.
There was a loud rustling in the forest that grew louder in moments, and soon four Digimon emerged from the undergrowth. The surroundings were illuminated in a blue glow from the supernatural flames of a Skullmeramon. At his right was a Musyamon, a Wizard-type Digimon that looked more like a demented samurai with his oversized mutesashi and oni faces all over his armor. Hovering at Skullmeramon's left was a giant praying mantis with razor sharp teeth called a Snimon. What caused small tremors as it walked behind the trio of Digimon was a large, black dinosaur, a DarkTyrannomon.
The Digimon were headed towards the two humans with too much calm. Everything was silent save for their heavy footsteps and the buzzing of the Snimon's wings, for Komoku and Tomoki were holding their breaths, one out of caution and the other out of fear. Then Skullmeramon raised his hand, and blue flames began to gather in it.
The tension-filled stillness was at once broken, and Komoku jumped into action. With Tomoki still in her arms, she sprang up and back from where she had been kneeling, the Fire Digimon's Metal Fireball attack hitting the bushes only seconds later. Not wasting a moment after avoiding the azure blaze that erupted, Komoku bolted in the opposite direction.
With a nod of Skullmeramon's head, Snimon took off after the fleeing girl, being the swiftest of the four Digimon, with the Fire Digimon and Musyamon in close pursuit and DarkTyrannomon lumbering behind them.
Tomoki was frightened by two things. One, obviously, being the Digimon that were chasing Komoku and him. However, it was Komoku herself that was scaring him also. He knew she was strong, but she was running surprisingly fast with him in her arms. Maybe under normal circumstances and a good adrenaline rush she would be able to run quite a distance with him, but since the fight with Neloangemon he had noticed that something was wrong with her. He had watched her get out of breath just from walking to the stream, and now her breathing was highly erratic and heavy and he could hear her heart thumping loudly in her chest. Why was she fine while fighting that Fallen Angel, but tiring from just running? Did she have some sort of illness?
Would they make it through this alive?
"Komoku-san..."
Komoku had been concentrating so hard on running and keeping from passing out that she had almost forgotten about the boy in her arms. When he called her name, she broke out of her train of thought and analyzed their situation. They were deeper in the forest now. The Digimon -that's what they must have been- were still behind them, but enough of a distance away that she could think of something to do with the kid. Tomoki wasn't big at all, but the extra weight was putting a strain on her lungs and heart, causing immense pain she was just able to endure. It was a miracle that she was even able to outrun their pursuers thus far, but then again she didn't believe in miracles, and it was most likely because of whatever power was within her.
She spotted a large, ancient tree with giant roots that formed shallow caves in the ground. Komoku dashed over to this tree and leapt down into one of the caves, bending her knees sharply as she landed. She began to waver, and Tomoki scrambled out of her arms just as she fell over.
"Komoku-san!" Tomoki cried, worry etched all over his face as he kneeled and shook Komoku's shoulders, who had rolled away from him, curling up in a ball and wrapping her arms around her chest as she trembled violently.
He felt so helpless. He couldn't evolve into Chakmon or Blizzarmon without his D-tector, and none of the other warriors were with him. He was powerless to defend himself or the girl he had come to trust, who had tried to protect him despite her dislike for people. He couldn't help himself, and though he squeezed his eyes shut, the tears still came coursing down his cheeks.
"Don't...cry," Komoku gasped.
Tomoki opened his watery eyes, to find that Komoku was sitting up, and her breaths were still shuddering but she seemed a little under control. Shakily, she got to her feet and turned towards where she had entered the small cave. She had her face turned up to the entrance as she laid her hand on Tomoki's dusty hair.
"Stay here," she said in a quiet but wavering voice, then she proceeded to jump and grab the edge of the opening with her hands, hauling herself up and out of the hole, leaving Tomoki alone, but safe.
/Okay, so what if there are spots of colors dancing in front if my eyes and my chest feels like it's about to explode? There's something special about that kid, and I guess he's worth more to this... well, both worlds than I ever will be. In any case.../
Komoku stood firm as the Snimon came into view, and got into a fighting stance.
/I don't care if I'm destroyed. Maybe I was destined to die in this world so there would be no mess to clean up on Earth. I hope I still go to the same hell, so I can finally be with-/
No. You have not outlived your usefulness.
Komoku's eyes suddenly grew dull and her arms hung limp as did her head. The Snimon charged just as a strange, gray fog began to fill the forest. The mist crawled down in between the roots of the ancient tree, surrounding Tomoki and blinding all of his senses for a moment.
Skullmeramon and the other two Digimon arrived just in time to see Snimon charge and raise one of his scythe-like claws before the fog swallowed him up. After a few seconds, there was a shrill cry. Skullmeramon's lip-less mouth formed a cold smile, and he turned to leave, thinking the deed was done. However, Musyamon's gasp and DarkTyrannomon's growl caused him to turn back, and he was stunned at what he saw.
Slowly, the fog began to dissipate, and the first form that was seen and startled all was Snimon. He was stumbling backwards awkwardly on his four legs, for his wings had been forcefully removed and were tattered and useless. Snimon was shrieking in pain, though, because his twin sickles had also been ripped from his upper limbs, and in their place there poured a green, bodily fluid that served as his blood.
Surely that human girl had not done this! Skullmeramon did not care much for the Snimon, but he was concerned as to what had done this to it. He looked past Snimon at the only dense fog that remained, and he could discern a figure in the dark mist that was shapely and feminine, but not the girl.
Whoever it was, he could see the outlines of two scythes held in both of their hands, the sickles that used to serve as claws for Snimon. A flash of silver could be seen, emanating from the figure's eyes, before they leaped out of the fog with incredible speed and landed on Snimon. The insectoid Digimon screeched as it landed heavily on its back, the figure crouching on top of his thorax, and then was mangled with his own claws.
Skullmeramon, Musyamon, and DarkTyrannomon merely watched, stunned. The scythes were only blurs as they sliced into Snimon multiple times per second, green goo and pieces of the doomed Digimon flying into the air and splattering onto the assailant.
She was only satisfied when Snimon's death song was reduced to gurgles, and then silence. She stood with fluid grace, holding the scythes, still dripping with their former owner's fluids, down at her sides.
Though she was covered in various places with Snimon's green fluids, Skullmeramon was able to determine that this was a Digimon, but not one he recognized. The only color on this new Digimon, besides the splashes of green, was the deep, bronze skin that showed in many places. Everything else was black or some shade of silver. Black consisted of the little belts that held the shoulder- and breast-plates of armor in place, and the leather pieces of attire; one covering her neck, chin and cheeks, another half of her left arm- the rest of it from the elbow down was an almost mechanical looking claw- the short, finger-less glove on her right, clawed hand, clothing her back, sides and lower region, and the straps that connected that to the hosiery that covered everything but her upper thighs, and the knee-high, lace-less combat boots.
The silver armor on her shoulders and sides of both legs had large, scale-like plates that were pointed, almost as deadly looking as the large claw that was her left arm. Then there were the sterling bangles, two around each boot to hold the armor in place, two around her right arm, and one around her waist, and the steel tips of the boots.
Her hair, wildly spiking up then falling down around her face and neck, was platinum and fell a few inches above her shoulder. Most intriguing -and frightening- were the eyes that were visible in the lustrous helmet that covered barely half of her head, which were a pure white with tiny, ebony dots serving as pupils and the iris only discernible as a thin circular outline.
The feral Digimon grinned, white fangs flashing as she licked some of the green fluid from her lips, then spoke in a low, intense voice.
"You who would dare disturb this world... Fools. For your insolence, you shall be punished."
The Digimon snapped out of their trances, and Musyamon bristled, his warped sense of pride insulted. With a war cry, he raised his sword and charged at the Digimon.
Tomoki, having regained his senses, had been trying to climb out of the cave Komoku had left him in by grabbing onto small roots and rocks embedded in the hard soil. Hearing the death scream of something and nothing of Komoku, his concern for her gave him the strength to pull his small frame out of the crevice. He wisely stayed close to the entrance should he need to duck for cover, and the first thing his eyes fell on was the mangled remains of the Snimon. His stomach lurched at the site; he had never seen the dead body of a Digimon before.
Terrified, he immediately looked around for Komoku, but his attention was grabbed by a low, demonic voice, then the war cry of another. He peeked out from behind a root, and was transfixed and horrified by the fight that ensued.
Musyamon charged at the female Digimon. Her grin didn't waver, and she brought the Snimon's sickles up, holding them out in front of her chest. She flung one, and Musyamon easily deflected that with his sword. The other sickle came unexpectedly, and he couldn't parry for his sword was still at the end of its first swing, and the curve blade embedded itself deeply in his chest.
He howled in pain, crimson spewing from his wound and his mouth, and fell towards the ground. He didn't come into impact with it for the female Digimon had dashed from where she had been standing with a speed that wasn't visible to Tomoki's eyes and solidly kicked him in his neck. The force of the attack both snapped it and brought his body up again, and the mysterious Digimon back-flipped, kicking Musyamon and grabbing his sword in the same movement. Then she landed and, holding the sword with both hands, thrust forward into Musyamon's mouth, which was open wide in terror, more blood gushing out as it tore through his throat and eventually out through the back of his head.
She smiled again as Musyamon finally fell to the ground, his death occurring in only a few seconds. The Digimon had no time to gloat over her kill as DarkTyrannomon's roar broke through the air and the ground shook with his approach. Her head snapped up, and her mouth set into a firm, serious line as she twisted the blade in Musyamon's mouth with so much force that it tore the skin of his neck and when she yanked the sword up it took his head with it. The decapitated head left a thick streak of red as it made its way up and eventually off the sword, flying through the air and landing in a bloody heap beside Tomoki, who had to stifle a scream and shrunk back from it.
The DarkTyrannomon barged towards the female Digimon clumsily. As it neared, it lowered its head and attempted to clamp its massive jaws onto her much smaller body. The Demon nimbly jumped up and onto its head, and when she landed when raised Musyamon's sword high above her head and brought it down with enough power to pierce the thick skull of the Virus type Dinosaur. It bellowed in anger and pain, but the blow wasn't enough to kill it and it thrashed its head about, causing large drops of blood to dot the area. The Demon jumped backwards, executing a few quick mid-air somersaults before again raising the sword above her head and bringing it down forcefully to slice open the DarkTyrannomon's belly which sprayed blood like a fountain.
The Dinosaur's last roar was insanely loud, but ended in a high-pitched whine. It then fell forward, rivers of blood pouring from its mouth and stomach, which also deposited most of its internal organs. Its massive body shook the ground as it landed, and the Demon leapt on top of it to stand on its back as she avoided the fall.
She turned, and her silver glare met Skullmeramon's, who had stayed back and watched the slaughter. "How can you dare sit back and watch your brothers die?" she spat. The Fire Digimon did not reply, and she continued, "You still have a chance. Change your ways, and perhaps I will allow you to live."
"As you surely know," Skullmeramon replied in a voice that was mechanical and like the roaring flames of hell, "there will never be a place for me or my brothers."
"So it must come to this." The Demon tossed aside the sword and took on a fighting stance, feet shoulder-width apart and claws held in front of her and at the side of her face.
In this silence, where the air was thick with the stench of three dead Digimon, Tomoki took a moment to try to determine what was going on. Komoku was no where to be seen. Had she been killed by the Digimon? He shook his head, refusing to believe that, and tried to get a closer look at the female Digimon that had successfully but brutally defeated three of the Digimon. No, she had killed them, and that fact made a knot in his stomach. How could she do that, kill her own kind? How was she even able to accomplish that? Digimon, though they lived and breathed, were data, so how was it that there were three who lay dead before him?
He stared intently at the Demon as he pondered about this, but gasped when he noticed what was emblazoned on her helmet, shoulder-plates, and the small piece of armor above her breast-plate. Kanji. It wasn't a symbol he recognized, but it immediately told him that this Digimon was a warrior of some sort. But she couldn't be a Legendary Warrior, for there were only ten, each representing an element, and the fusion of those warriors that Takuya and Kouji created.
Also, the Legendary Warriors that resembled humans could only be manifested if they were to fuse with a human. Could this warrior be Komoku? Tomoki immediately rejected that thought; if Komoku were a warrior, she would have taken out her D-tector and evolved when she was fighting Neloangemon or when the other four Digimon appeared. So, who was this warrior? And where was Komoku?
Skullmeramon finally initiated an attack, launching several Metal Fireballs towards the Demon. She dashed, and using her amazing speed was in front of Skullmeramon in moments. She jumped up, bringing back her large left claw, and was about to strike, but the blue flames that constantly emanated from Skullmeramon flared up, causing her to halt her attack and instead twisted her body so that she ended up landing a short distance away at his side.
The Demon just had enough time to react when Skullmeramon launched his next attack.
"Flame Chain!"
The fiery chain around his right hand extended out towards the Demon, who rolled to the side and began to run in a circle around her opponent. Coming up with a plan, she began to gather energy within herself and came to a halt.
Skullmeramon sent another Flame Chain her way, this time from his left hand, and just before it hit her the Demon twisted to the right and caught the chain in her right hand, ignoring the scorching flames as it wrapped around her palm and lower arm. She brought her hand up, clenching the chains tightly as the energy she had gathered showed itself as a ring of white light that crackled with dark lightning around her left claw.
Sensing her intention, Skullmeramon gathered a ball of blue flame in his right hand. Then the two Digimon rushed at each other, each with their right hands pulled back and shouting their attacks.
"Metal Fireball!"
"Kenkonken!"
Both Digimon roared as they neared each other and Tomoki shielded his eyes from the bright flash that came from their impact. When the light faded, and he was able to see again, Skullmeramon and the Demon were on the opposite sides of where they charged, both standing still with their claw or fist still held in front of them.
The wind blew through the quiet, bloody arena, and Skullmeramon's question broke the calm. "Warrior, what is your name?"
The Demon smiled. "I am... Natakumon."
"Natakumon..." Skullmeramon groaned gruffly as a red line appeared halfway through his body, and his upper body slid along the lower until it fell off, his legs buckling and following. Natakumon's attack had sliced clear through him, and it took a second for gravity to work on his body and cause blood to pour from both parts of him.
Natakumon sighed and stood up straight, the flames on the chain around her hand dying as it fell from her grip. She closed her eyes and raised her head, sniffing the thick air around her and confirming the blood she had spilled to be organic. Another scent filled her nostrils, and she turned sharply towards Tomoki.
The young Legendary Warrior barely had time to gasp before Natakumon was in front of him, death clearly visible in her pale eyes. He tried to get away, but his knees failed him as he tried to stand, and he only ended up scrambling backwards.
"You do not belong, therefore..." Natakumon raised her left claw. "....You must be eradicated from this world."
That claw came rushing down as Tomoki closed his eyes and screamed.
(((())))
MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!! 3V33L CLIFFIE!!
Whoo, that had to be longest (and most fun!) chapter I have ever written. I got excited when Let the Bodies Hit the Floor began to play on the radio while I was typing the fight with Skullmeramon. The gore will only get worse, boys and girls. And while I'm sure most of you loved it (who wouldn't?), I just know someone's gonna flame me saying that Digimon are digital and can't bleed and bla bla bla. All I'm saying is that if you didn't catch it in the chapter, there is a reason why these Digimon bled. You'll just have keep reading to see why! (Also, if you noticed that I didn't indent the paragraphs towards the end, that's 'cuz my computer wouldn't let me.)
And, uh, sorry that there was no Kouji or anything, but don't worry (much) about him and the others. You'll see what I mean in the next update, which won't be for a bit of a while depending on reviews 'cuz I need to work on my Kingdom Hearts and Beyblade fics.
But if you can't wait to see more of Komoku and/or Natakumon, be sure to keep checking the website I run with Alene at Sometime this week I'll be putting up artwork from this and my other D-mon fic. (I always feel so awkward describing outfits, but if anyone's confused about what Komoku wears on her arms, they're like the funky things Sasuke from Naruto wears.)
So until the next chapter, valete!