Zero Unit: I am feeling so much better. *Puts on red pirate jacket* Now, let's make this showy.
Shinya: Ah, are you cosplaying as Captain Marvelous? That is so cool!
Kouji: And the blue leather jacket with the multiple zippers that you put on me is because you want me to be Joe Gibken?
Relena: *With dyed black hair and in a pink dress* I seem to be the only one confused. Who is Ahim de Famille again?
Rika: *Hair parted on the side and cut a little shorter, wearing a yellow jacket* Zero is going with a theme for Halloween so he asked us to dress as the Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, otherwise known as the thirty-fifth Super Sentai. A group of space pirates arrived on Earth in search of the greatest treasure in the universe and I happen to be dressed as Luka Millfy, GokaiYellow. You are GokaiPink.
TK: *In a quirky green get-up* And, well, I'm Doc, and I'm supposed to ask today's question which concerns the featured group from the last chapter. Ahem, "If Rika is the mother, Kouji is the father, and JP is the older brother, then who are the others?"
Tagiru: Davis is the super cool uncle that everyone aspires to be!
Yolei: More like the deadbeat one who thinks he's hot stuff but isn't.
Kristy: Ouch.
Davis: Hey!
Takato: Hm… Kari and Nene would probably be the younger sisters to JP since they're the ones being look after.
Kenta: *Points at himself* Then what am I?
Marcus: The nerdy cousin from Austria!
Thomas: *Punches Marcus across the face*
Yoshino: Cut it out, you two!
Lalamon: *Sighs* We hope you guys enjoy today's chapter.
Gaomon: And have a Happy Halloween. Be sure to stay safe.
Agumon: And leave us a review, it's the equivalent to a treat!
Zero Unit: Oh… It looks like Applimon came out.
Everyone: Seriously?!
-X-
December 25: Worm Line – 12:35 PM
The entire train car was filled with the delectable aromas of cuisines from all over the world. Almost every Digimon and human inside had their noses up in the air, their eyes closed, and blissful smiles on their faces as they imagined what the mouthwatering scents could be. Though they didn't have to keep it in their heads for too long as the three chefs came through the door.
"A traditional Japanese lunch is best," Kouichi smiled, holding up a bento box. "I was able to find meat apples that tasted like pork sausage, using my cutting skills and some food coloring, I made them into an octopus sausage. I also decided to add some fried squid and shrimp tempura along with some white rice on the side. Best of all, I've got green tea flavored mocha ice cream for dessert!"
Izumi shook her head, her hair no longer doing the wavy thing it used to when it was long. "What you need is a hearty meal! Chicken fettuccine alfredo with my grandmother's special tomato sauce. And you can't have food like this without crisp, freshly baked garlic bread."
"French cuisine has always been the best to me," Relena stated. "I made some fresh salmon croque madame along with a quick French onion soup. And for the finisher…" From behind her back, she fanned out some crepes. "Strawberry with whipped cream or sautéed pears with aged gouda and fresh thyme?"
"I don't think any of those things were in the dining car," Sayo remarked.
"Did this Trailmon even have a kitchen?" Kiriha wondered aloud.
The three chefs were holding out their meals to the sulking Henry. The teenager had his elbow propped against his knee as he stared at the moving fields of grass out the window. When the food came too close to his face, he turned to look at them and…
"Eep!" the three squeaked.
"That is quite the glare," Yolei commented.
Dracomon poked Kiriha's cheek. "I think my partner's worse."
"Oi."
Henry stood up from his seat, causing the other three to stumble backwards. Grabbing his backpack, he moved to the back of the train. Terriermon took a couple of steps in pursuit before pausing. He grabbed the strawberry crepe and then ran after the Tamer.
"Henry!" he called out. "Wait for me!"
Kouichi distributed the lunch he made to everyone that wanted some. He gave Ken some of the octopus sausage before sitting down beside him. Though they were both quite concerned for their third classmate, they didn't know what else to do. The guy hasn't smiled for days, not since they found out about Suzie, and everything they say only seems to worsen his mood.
Wormmon climbed onto his partner's shoulder. "You know, I've been thinking about this for a while now but… Henry's acting a lot like…"
"Stop that," Ken hissed. "He's just upset because his sister's been abducted."
Kouichi took a bite of the 'sausage' though the texture very much was of a burnt apple, as weird as that might sound. "I know you don't want to hear it Ken, but we should consider all the possibilities. The Dark Spore that's been under his control… it might've…"
"Then I'll stop him with my own hands," Ken interjected. "That's what I said, right? If Henry lost control… I'll – no – we'll stop him."
Kouichi could see the determination in the boy's eyes. So he held up his toothpick and plucked up the octopus sausage right out from Ken's box. The child prodigy let out a distressed sound when he saw the Legendary Warrior stuff it into his mouth. "You're full of openings," Kouichi remarked. "How will you stop him like that?"
Ken couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face. "I'll be sure to fix that then."
Zoey couldn't help pouting as she scooped pasta into her unhappy mouth. At least one Tamer was enjoying her cooking. The way Mako smiled with each bite of her food made it nearly impossible to stay mad at the other discontent teenager.
"How is it?" the Legendary Warrior asked.
"It's delicious!" Mako replied. "Can I have seconds?"
Zoey was already on it as she grabbed his plate. "Of course." After returning with a new batch of noodles for the younger human, she took a deep breath. "You know, it's always been my dream to open up my own restaurant one day. An authentic Italian restaurant in Japan sounds cool, right?"
"If you do, I'm going to be your first customer!"
She giggled. "I look forward to your patronage then."
Bearmon, dressed in a little tuxedo, Sovereign knows where he got it, placed a silver platter of Relena's cooking on the dining table where the remaining girls sat. Yolei was somehow already onto seconds while Sayo was surprised by how good everything tasted. This was the first time such a smile appeared on her face since they first met her.
"You've never eaten anything like this before?" asked Relena.
"Well, you can imagine that Digital World chefs have never made… 'French' cuisine before," Sayo explained. "I know of the language having visited Translate Mountain on numerous occasions, but the most delicious thing I've ever eaten are the specials at Burger Town."
"Sounds greasy," Yolei said between bites.
"Yolei, you only ever eat sweets," Hawkmon cut in.
"That is so not true!" she retorted before taking another bite out of her strawberry crepe. "This means nothing." She turned to Relena. "Could you make a crème brûlée?"
At the very back of the train, Henry was leaning over the edge, watching the tracks race out from under him. In old western movies, there would be a southern belle tied to the tracks up ahead and the train would be running full speed ahead. The hero, often some mysterious cowboy passing through town, would come in, take out the bandits, and save the girl. So when does it happen?
Terriermon padded over to his partner's side, looking up. Every day, the boy seemed to grow taller and taller. "Henry… Momentai. Here, I brought this crepe for you." The little rabbit Digimon help up the dessert but then his partner looked down. The glare was back. "Urk!"
"I'm not hungry," Henry grumbled in response.
"Henry," Terriermon murmured, his ears drooping more than usual. "Momen…"
The Rookie Digimon's mouth clamped shut when Henry narrowed his cold gray eyes on his partner. When the boy let go of the railings, Terriermon saw that there were indents in the metal bars, somehow, the Tamer had crushed them with his bare fingers. Turning around, Henry walked back into the car, leaving Terriermon behind.
Henry froze mid step, noticing Kiriha in his way. "You shouldn't stand in the middle of the aisle."
The blond had his arms crossed and a frown set. "And you shouldn't be a bigger pain than Taiki. What's gotten into you?"
"Move," Henry demanded.
Clicking his tongue, Kiriha grabbed Henry's collar, surprising everyone in the car. All eyes were suddenly on the two teenage boys intensely glaring at each other. "I'm tired of your sulking," Kiriha growled. "If you want to act like we're your enemy, then go ahead. Just know that you'll have a much harder time saving your sister if you do."
The entire train car was silent, tense, as they braced themselves for the next unknown action. In a flash, Henry's hand was coming towards Kiriha's face, but right before impact, someone grabbed his wrist. Somehow, Sayo got from the other side of the train car all the way to their side without anyone even noticing.
"You really are being a pain," Sayo stated. "I haven't known you for very long, but you don't seem like the kind of idiot to hit your friends."
Henry reeled back and stared at his hand, eyes wide and shaking. "Sorry…"
Ken and Kouichi glanced at each other. Throughout their time in the same class as the Tamer, Henry's been pestered and annoyed by several people in the class. Whether it was love struck girls or envious boys, he always stayed calm. Never lost his cool, never lost his smile, he was always able to drive them away without having to get violent. So for him to resort to getting physical just like that, it didn't make much sense at all.
Terriermon was the most shocked of them all. Standing there, at the exit, worry in his beady eyes and mouth slightly open. The crepe dropped from his tiny paws. "Henry…"
Zoey placed a hand on the Rookie's ear. "He's just trying to redirect his anger on the Demon Lords and doesn't know how."
Everyone started returning to their seats though there was no doubt that an atmosphere of discomfort had settled on them. Kiriha stood there for an extra three seconds, absolutely stunned. Henry backed himself in a corner, staring at his hand as if it was a new body part that had emerged. Sayo returned to the girls with an exasperated exhalation.
"They're not always like this," Relena promised. Though she couldn't know that.
"That was an impressive catch though," Yolei remarked.
Sayo shook her head. "I caught him just twenty centimeters earlier but he kept going. Slowing down just a bit. That guy…" She looked up towards the lone Tamer. "...is stronger than he looks."
The train suddenly rumbled, causing everyone to shift cautiously. Worm's voice came on the PA system and he sounded panicked, like he didn't know what was going on. That caused everyone inside of him to start talking over one another, demanding to know what was happening and asking if everything was okay. But then they were lifted into the air, like gravity started working in reverse, before plummeting straight down.
Relena, once she shook off the disorientation, gasped in horror. Everyone was bruised from the sudden drop but that didn't bother them so much when the Trailmon was actually disintegrating around them. Suddenly, they were out in a grassy field, with a wildly cackling Gravimon in front of them.
"Bastard," Kiriha growled. "You followed us all the way here?"
"And killed Trailmon," Zoey glared. "You'll definitely pay for that."
"Oh?" Gravimon chuckled, tilting his head. "Is that what's going to happen?" With a flick of the wrist, everyone was sent flying sideways, even innocent civilians. Their screams filled the air as they crashed into rocks and trees or skidded across the ground.
Sayo pulled out a survival knife and stabbed the ground all the way to the hilt before swinging around and standing on it. Suddenly, it was as if everyone else was falling from a cliff while she found a branch to cling to. But looking up, she saw that Henry wasn't being moved by the gravitational pull though it wasn't like he wasn't being affected by it. He was just hanging on by digging his fingers into the dirt.
"Give her back," Henry snarled.
"Eh?" Gravimon frowned. "Why aren't my powers working on you?" He increased the gravity and anyone hanging onto the train tracks or anything else was ripped away. Physically weaker Digimon were deleted upon crashing into something solid and the data was immediately absorbed by a Gizumon hovering above their heads.
"Damn them," Yolei grunted. "I can't even reach my D-3."
"Give her back," Henry repeats. Suddenly standing up, he shoots forward and lands a punch on Gravimon's face. "Give back my sister!"
"No way!" Neemon shouted, eyes bugging out.
"I-Impossible!" Bokomon added.
Gravity began working normally again as the Chosen Children started leading the survivors out of there while keeping one eye on Gravimon. Mako and Relena were given the important task of helping them get out of there while the others remained to take care of the enemy. Zoey did tag along with them in case they ran into trouble that they couldn't handle alone. When Henry landed with a thud, he took a deep breath, turned around, and stared wide eyed when he saw an iron arrow pointed right in between his pupils.
"Sayo!" Ken shouted. "What are you doing?!"
The girl didn't take the aim of her crossbow off of Henry. "I've been thinking about this for a few days now. But that punch just confirmed it. Had I not intervened, you could've bashed in Kiriha's skull, killing him instantly." Everyone flinched when they heard that. "I've decided… you're much too dangerous to keep alive."
December 25: Wong Residence – 12:35 PM
At the sound of the doorbell, Jaarin awoke from her nap on the couch. She muted the television showing reruns of some superhero show and went to the door, pulling up her shorts while she was at it since they were slipping down. Making it to the entrance, she found Alice standing at the door.
"Oh, Alice!" Jaarin greeted with a big smile.
Alice bowed respectfully to the older girl. "Merry Christmas."
"Ha, Merry Christmas to you too," the teenager chuckled. "It feels weird. The house has never been this quiet during the holidays. Plus, last time the two of us were together on Christmas, you were a year older than me. Freaky, huh."
"I know what you mean," Alice nodded. "You've grown so tall."
The younger girl was only there to return a book that she had borrowed from Henry the week before. So Jaarin took the novel but just as it was handed off from one person to another, the sound of something glass hitting the floor resounded throughout the apartment. They both looked inside and noticed a picture frame had fallen.
"Ah! That's the photo of when we went to vacation in Hong Kong!" Jaarin cried out. But when she picked up the picture, she froze.
Alice crossed the threshold when she saw the older girl cease all movements. It was like she had even stopped breathing for a moment. "What's…," she trailed off when she looked over the girl's shoulder. There was a crack in the photo yet it only affected one specific area. Henry's face. So while everyone else still had glass in front of their smiling faces, Henry did not.
"There's no such thing as omens," Jaarin whispered.
"Jaarin?" Alice broached.
The older girl was trembling, holding the picture frame in between her hands. Every breath she took was barely controlled. It was awful enough knowing that Suzie had been captured by the enemy, but she had believed that Henry would be able to retrieve her. No, she still believed in that. She had to.
"There's no such thing…," Jaarin croaked out.
December 25: Worm Line – 1:17 PM
Gravimon sat up, a hand to his bruised face. Rage dissipated into amusement when he saw the two Chosen Children glaring each other down, one with a lethal weapon in her hands. "What's this? Infighting between comrades?" Gravimon chuckled. "How interesting."
"Sayo," Kouichi tried. "This isn't the time for…"
"If you want to fight Gravimon, go ahead!" Sayo snapped. "But I'll be the one… to cut down this guy."
"Are you crazy?!" Yolei blanched.
Sayo always trusted her gut feelings and they were rarely wrong. There was a reason why she was given the title of Legendary Tamer along with Koh. "Look," she stated, gesturing downwards. "Even your own partner is afraid of you."
Henry glanced over to his quivering partner and for just a brief moment, something passed over his eyes. It was such a miniscule thing that unless you were standing directly in front of him, you wouldn't really notice it. But Terriermon did. And he was suddenly standing in front of his Tamer, his tiny arms splayed out as if to protect him even though the arrow was pointed at Henry's head.
"I… I won't let you hurt my Tamer!" Terriermon snapped. "No matter what choice he makes. No which path he chooses. I'll… I'll be by his side!"
Henry looked between his partner and Sayo. "You heard him."
Lunamon crossed her arms. "I suppose that means he's made his choice."
The girl let the crossbow drop to her side before addressing the spectators. "You guys go on ahead and take on Gravimon." Holding out her Data Burst Digivice, Lunamon suddenly evolved straight into a giant woman holding a dual-sided, sharpened pickaxe-like weapon. She donned crescents on various parts of her body, from her shoulders down to her legs. "I want to deal with Henry."
Hawkmon tried to intervene. "You guys don't have to fight!"
"We should be working together!" Dracomon added.
But Henry didn't seem to be listening to them as he held up his D-Power and a green card. "Hmph, fine by me. Bio-Merge Activate."
Yolei shook her head. "This is getting way out of hand."
Ken's knuckles turned white as he walked over to Sayo's side. He had made the decision that if Henry went berserk, then he would be the one stop him. But he was well aware that even with Wormmon's help, they would stand no chance against MegaGargomon, especially not after what Sayo had told them about the massive soldier.
A few nights ago, Sayo had noticed the triangular markings etched into Henry's back. She later explained to them what the true meaning of the Zero Unit was. It was otherwise known as the Ultimate Triangle, with each side representing a different part of a sentient being, mind, body, and soul. Gallantmon, MegaGargomon, and Sakuyamon each represented a different side of that triangle.
The knight was soul, given the title of Honest Heart. A warrior who was earnest in every battle that he took part of and would fight with everything, no matter what. A strong soul would mean that no matter the difficulties he would face, he would overcome those challenges with enough effort and guts.
The priestess was mind, given the title of Fantastic Technique. The smartest of the trio and with her copious amount of attacks, there were an endless number of combinations and attack patterns she could perform. It is said that everything she does is well-calculated and brilliant, without having to sacrifice style.
The walking armory was body, given the title of Unbreakable Body. The one with the toughest skin earned this title as it is not easy to break through him. It's said that he has the most endurance of the three and can take several hits without getting knocked down.
Supposedly, other trios of Digimon could fit into this Ultimate Triangle as well. Though the only known ones are the ones aforementioned.
'Even JewelBeemon doesn't have enough power to break through that.' Ken took a deep breath. "I'll stay with Sayo and Henry, make sure they don't go overboard. You guys go on ahead." 'If I can't stop him with my own two hands, then the least I can do is watch this until the end.'
Kiriha, Kouichi, and Yolei were all hesitant to leave but they also knew that if they weren't careful, then Gravimon would take advantage of this perplexing situation and strike. The last thing they wanted was to be eliminated here. So the three of them took their partners and got ready to move towards the Dark General on his own battlefield.
"Kiriha," Sayo suddenly called out. He paused. "Hold up your X-Loader." He complied and from her own digivice, a flash of light traveled from hers to his. "I'm lending you one of my partners to help in your fight. She doesn't have the most agreeable personality but she's strong."
The General stared at the screen for a moment before nodding. "Understood. I'll make sure to use her powers to the fullest."
"I would hope so."
Spinning on his heel, Kiriha caught up with the other two humans, glaring down Gravimon. "You're not getting away this time!"
"Hm?" Gravimon chuckled. "But without that Tamer's cards, you won't be able to negate my gravity fields. And you still don't know where my core is."
"Three feet to your left," Kouichi suddenly blurted out, holding up a finger and pointing in that general direction. "A tiny Digimon. I sensed it earlier and it was a passenger on the Trailmon. However, it was the only one that was not blown away like the rest of us. Therefore, the core is not only on him, but you two are working together."
"That's Kouichi for you," Yolei smirked.
"Kouichi and I can handle Gravimon," said Kiriha. "Yolei, do you think you can get the core?"
"Leave it to me!" Yolei nodded. Hawkmon evolved right into Aquilamon and his partner mounted him. "I'll be back soon!"
Gravimon had started perspiring the moment Kouichi exposed the exact location of his partner in crime. So in an attempt to bring things back into his favor, he tried to increase the gravity on the airborne duo but his aim was off when his right foot suddenly sunk into the ground. Dracomon jumped out from underground and returned to Kiriha's side just as the two humans held up their digivices.
"Execute Fusion Evolution… Rhihimon!"
"MetalGreymon Super Evolve to… ZekeGreymon!"
Gravimon barely had any time to compose himself when bolts of dark energy were shot towards him. Using his eight tentacles, he was able to deflect them with ease but nothing could stop the golden armored dragon barreling right towards him at top speed. With his blazing claw, he slashed, cutting right through the Dark General.
Kiriha sighed in relief. "Now we just have to wait for Yolei to…"
"High Gravity Grip!"
Four tentacles surrounded the two Chosen Digimon each, suddenly compressing gravity on all sides, causing them to scream out in agony. Kiriha watched as the broken up data reconfigured immediately into a madly cackling Gravimon. As the General released Cyberdramon and Deckerdramon to assist, they were immediately knocked away by a wave of black energy.
"Regeneration is so much easier this way," Gravimon grinned.
NeoMyotismon suddenly joined his side with a wide and unsettling smile. "Together, we will destroy the Chosen Children."
"Two… Dark Generals…?" Rhihimon coughed.
"We can barely…," ZekeGreymon huffed. "Take on one."
Kiriha's overwhelmingly commanding voice sliced through the air like a finely sharpened knife. "Do not falter!" He took a step forward, each of his partners and the Legendary Warrior keeping their eyes trained on their enemies. "We're up against two of the strongest foes that I, Taiki, and Nene have ever faced. We hesitate in our assault for even a second, we're done for. So let's take care of them like we always have."
"Right," Rhihimon nodded, a small chuckle. "This is no different from our other tough fights."
"We can win this together," ZekeGreymon agreed.
NeoMyotismon cocked his head to the side. "Spoken like the cocky General he is."
"We'll be sure to pay you guys back for our other comrades," Gravimon smirked.
In the distance, Yolei and Aquilamon searched the ground for their target. With the avian's superior vision, he was able to locate a shiny creature trying to flee the area. A bulbous object seemed to pulse on top of it. Pulling out a shuriken from the small pouch attached to her side, Yolei threw the ninja star with expert precision, causing the running creature to stop in its tracks.
The duo landed and found that it was a MetalKoromon. The object on its back must've been the core. According to what Kiriha said, there was a particular range that the core had to be in so that Gravimon could continue to regenerate. If she destroyed it and if the others defeated Gravimon, then he should be gone for good.
"The MetalKoromon will be reborn if it's not a fake," Yolei stated. She took a deep breath to compose herself. "Let's destroy them both in one go."
Aquilamon glanced between his partner and the quivering Digimon. "If you're okay with that." Spreading his wings, he flew forward. "Grand Horn!"
Just a centimeter from striking the tiny creature, an axe suddenly got in the way, causing the horns to clash against the metal. Yolei's eyes widened when she saw that it was Antylamon that opposed them. Well, it could've been any Antylamon. What were the chances that it was the Deva? Suzie's partner?
A voice from the nearby woods floated out. "This is our test run. Antylamon, you have the very important job of taking care of these two. Destroying them is no necessary but it is preferable. Just be sure to stall them long enough for the Dark Generals to do their job."
"Who are you?" Yolei called into the forest. She glanced back at the Ultimate, noticing the Dark Spirals on each of her arms. "Those are…!"
"Bunny Blades!"
"Look out!" In a whirlwind of a feathery blur, Aquilamon grabbed his partner with his talons and shot out of the way of the deadly blade. The brainwashing devices were obviously clouding their foe's judgment considering how close that was. "We've got to destroy those Dark Spirals."
Yolei grimaced. "Feels like old times."
Even though Zoey was on the run along with two other Chosen Children and a massive group of passengers, she could hear the individual conversations going on back on the battlefield. Every step she took, she wished she was going in the opposite direction. To stop the senseless fight between two comrades. To assist the guys fighting against two Dark Generals. To help the older girl free their friend. But she had her own worries.
"Relena, get down!" she shouted.
Pushing the other girl to the damp grass, a whizzing slicer flew right over their heads. Looking up, they could see that it was a rapidly spinning Gizumon. It floated in midair, the camera lens eye zooming in and out on its designated targets.
"These things are supposed to be stronger than they look," Bearmon remarked, getting into a battle stance. "I suppose this means we shouldn't underestimate them."
Zoey was just about to agree when she heard a distant humming approaching them at great speeds. Splaying out her fingers and pushing against the air with her palm, she was able to produce a strong gust of wind. Mako was hit by it, along with a cluster of the Digimon as they were all blown back a few centimeters. Just enough to narrowly avoid getting hit by two lasers.
"There were two more hiding in the trees," Zoey explained.
"You saved us!" Neemon cheered.
Relena quickly stood and went to Mako's side. "Can you lead the Digimon out of here? We'll take care of things here."
"Neemon, I'm trusting you to keep himsafe," Zoey stated. The rabbit Digimon saluted her so she turned around to face the enemy before shaking her head and whipping back around. "Scratch that. Mako, you keep Neemon safe."
"Oh…," Neemon drooped.
"No problem Zoey," Mako nodded before leading the group away.
The Gizumon each robotically turned their heads, the gears inside of them whirring as if they were about to start up and shoot forward. The two blondes were the first to spring into action, however, as they took out their digivices and covered the area in blinding pink and yellow lights. Zephyrmon flew out of that light and blockaded two of the Gizumon from chasing after the fleeing cluster while Pandamon pinned the third to the ground.
The Legendary Warrior stared right into the eyes of the robots. To her, the footage of her glare was being sent right back to the lair of their biggest enemies. "This world has suffered enough at your hands. I will not let you take away anymore futures!"
That's what she said. But what about Henry's future? Or Sayo's? Will they end up taking each other's?
"Zoey!" Kazemon's voice called out. "This isn't the time. We'll deal with this dilemma and then go to their rescue."
The girl inside nodded. "Yeah, you're right."
Pandamon had to tumble backwards to avoid getting shot by the permanent deletion laser. "Madam, your orders?"
"Avoid the eye," was the best Relena could think of at the moment. Her brother never mentioned these things having any notable weak point which shouldn't have been surprising. These were artificial Digimon, designed with the specific purpose of being able to destroy anything. "And just be careful."
December 25: Akihabara – 1:20 PM
The patrol car was parked a few blocks away from the riot. A mass of people were shouting profanities and pointing accusing fingers at the computer stores. As if it was the store owners faults for the recent digital disturbances. Ivan was doing his best to keep them from doing any more damage than they already had.
Initially, Yoshino had attempted to step in but some random man recognized her as one of the Chosen Children. Almost immediately, a stone was chucked at her head. Despite having quick reflexes, she let the rock hit her on the side of her head, drawing blood. But she didn't stop trying to reason with the crowd.
Before long, Ivan had ushered her inside the store while he dealt with this. Holding her bleeding head, Yoshino slid down to the floor, back against the wall. Lalamon appeared once she was sure it was safe to come out. The Rookie Digimon attempted to tend to the wound but she had no medical supplies.
"Oneesan, are you okay?"
Looking up, Yoshino saw a little girl, about six years old, approaching with a bright red box in her hands. A first-aid kit. Following right behind her was an older man in a striped cardigan. There was a strict, almost cold look on his face. But placing a calloused hand on the girl's back, he lightly nudged her forward.
Yoshino smiled as the girl took out some disinfectant and gauze from the kit. "Thank you. You're a really good girl, aren't you?"
"Grandpa says I should never ignore someone who's hurt," she replied.
The smile on the older woman's face dropped as she looked up to the old man, the store owner most likely. Even though she was the one with the physical injury, these two were probably suffering far worse. She heard the stories before. Ignorant people harassing those that have jobs involving computers or technology for fear that they had a more intimate relationship with Digimon than the average citizen.
"This isn't right," said Lalamon. "These people should all be ashamed of themselves! Yoshi, let's teach them a lesson."
The policewoman placed a hand on her partner's face. "No, that'll only make things worse. They'll get angrier with Digimon and as a result… angrier with these kind people."
The shopkeeper took a step forward, his stoic face revealing nothing. It was difficult to discern how he felt about a stranger entering his humble store with an infamous creature by her side but there was no way that he was anything like the dissenters, they could tell that much.
"Fools," he huffed gruffly. "The lot of them. They think that yelling in front of those government buildings and this store is going to change anything. But let me tell you something…" He turned to face Yoshino. "My granddaughter and I, are truly grateful for everything you have done."
"Huh?" Yoshino blinked. "Oh, it's, well…"
The old man pulled over a stool and sat down. "Five years ago, I saw my granddaughter, Chisato, for the first time. Her parents had come visiting the store carrying her in their arms when suddenly, everything started going haywire. Outside, on that very street, two of those… Digimon... appeared. And I can remember very clearly, holding Chisato in my shaking arms and hiding behind that counter."
Five years ago. An attack on Akihabara. If Yoshino recalled, the Tamers were here during this time. It had been Vajramon and Pajiramon, two Deva, that had appeared.
"Three brats ended up saving the day," the man continued, chuckling to himself. "At first I thought they were playing some dangerous game. But then the blue-haired one was all distressed upon seeing the machine gun rabbit getting pummeled. I saw the care and love he felt. It is the same protective adoration I have for Chisato."
Yoshino felt the smile returning to her face, tugging on her cheeks. "That was Henry Wong. To be honest, I don't think any of us care about the people closest to him than he. He even refused to fight at some point, afraid of his partner getting hurt."
"And Terriermon would never admit it but I think that's why he's even more determined to stay by Henry's side," Lalamon added. "Terriermon acts as if he can do anything even without a partner but I don't think I've ever seen the two of them apart. They really care about each other."
"Yeah."
Outside, Ivan was suddenly shouting at the crowd. There was a cut on his bicep from when a rock flew through the store window and a glass shard cut him. The big guy often spoke the innermost thoughts from within the crevices of his mind without restraint. So it wasn't difficult for him to scold these civilians.
"It's Christmas day," Ivan huffed. "Most people are with their families and I understand many of you are upset specifically because you've lost people you loved to Digimon. But is this what you want? To ruin everyone else's chance at being with their loved ones?"
Now that Yoshino thought about it. On Christmas, this store shouldn't even be open. There was probably a living space upstairs but wouldn't that mean Chisato's parents should be here as well? So where could they be?
"The Vajramon and Pajiramon incident… were any lives lost at the time?" Yoshino asked.
The old man shook his head. "It was that red thing. The D-Reaper."
"…I see."
Taking away people's loved ones, causing the survivors to be alone even on days like Christmas. This was precisely the reason why Yoshino was fighting. Eyes drawn to Ivan's broad back, Yoshino couldn't help remembering the many siblings that he has. That he's unable to see because of work.
"No more," murmured Lalamon.
Yoshino nodded. "We won't have any more families breaking apart."
December 25: Worm Line – 1:21 PM
Digital Analyzer: Dianamon is a member of the Olympos XII, she is the digital goddess of the moon with the appearance of a fearsome warrior. She has complete rule over the elements of water and ice, with the ability to fight in even absolute-zero temperature. Just as the moon has two sides, Dianamon has two sides to her own personality. Her beauty conceals a terrifying power.
Ken took a step back, feeling the tremendous pressure that this Mega Digimon exuded. "Unbelievable, so this is the power of a god?"
"This kind of pressure is insane," Wormmon shivered. "Something tells me this fight will be on a whole other level."
Across from them stood MegaGargomon, about five times as tall and wide as his female opponent but it was clear that he barely had the same amount of power. However, Henry did have the power of Modify cards on his side so he could easily improve the battle performance of their merged form. Now the only issue was whether or not Terriermon would cooperate with him.
Inside the pool of green data, Terriermon could hear his partner's thoughts. Tied in with the unbridled rage of losing his sister, there was this fear and sadness inside of him as well. Some part of Henry didn't want to do this. That was the part that Terriermon wanted to listen to. But either way, Henry was still Henry, misguided or not.
With a deep breath, the Digimon part of the Bio-Merged behemoth turned to their opponent. For now, this is what his Tamer said he wanted. And as his loyal partner, Terriermon would obey. Because otherwise, Henry would be killed at the hands of their supposed ally.
"Mega Barrage!"
Ken's eyes widened as he instinctively ducked behind a large boulder. "He made the first move?"
The seemingly endless flurry of missiles didn't seem to faze Sayo whatsoever as she made no effort to get out of the way. Wormmon was just about to use his sticky web to try and pull her out of the blast zone when she suddenly drew her crossbow.
Taking aim, she fired at least ten consecutive shots, a new arrow appearing with the more DigiSoul she poured into it. Each projectile hit an energy shell and detonated them before they hit their targets. Of course, even Sayo couldn't destroy every single last one of them. That's where Dianamon came in. By erecting a thick ice wall, she was able to block several of the fiery bombs from reaching them and spinning her weapon around, she was able to deflect the rest.
"Amazing," Ken breathed.
"Dianamon doesn't surprise me," Wormmon remarked. "But to think that Sayo could so something like that without batting an eye is unbelievable!"
Dianamon shot forward, breaking her weapon apart into two so that she held two blades instead of a connected one. Twisting around like a hurricane, she attempted to break through her foe's tough skin. But MegaGargomon was able to move fast, evading every slice, using a Hyper Speed card.
The larger Digimon threw a punch so fast that simply blinking would've caused one to miss it. The fist connected with Dianamon's entire torso, knocking the wind out of her and sending her flying past like a meteorite. But as she tumbled across the ground, she was able to use her momentum to get back onto her feet.
The insect shuddered, crouching lower onto Ken's shoulder. "That would've deleted me on impact."
"Wait, where'd Sayo go?" Ken frowned.
In his periphery, he watched a human figure climb onto MegaGargomon's wrist and start running across the arm. The colossus noticed and attempted to shake her off, but not before she shot two arrows right for his eyes. It was a direct hit and MegaGargomon howled in pain, now unable to see.
Dianamon took this chance as she produced a glittering arrow in her hand and pulled it back using the quill-like strings on her back. "Arrow of Artemis!"
Like a rocket, the pointed projectile fired, aimed right for MegaGargomon's heart. If this hit then it would be all over for the Tamer and his partner. Ken knew this, so he was about to leap forward, wanting to somehow prevent this from happening. He wouldn't be able to stand giving the Wong family anymore devastating news.
But MegaGargomon was skilled. With a spin kick and an Iron Armor card, MageGargomon was able to harmlessly deflect the weapon before using the Rocket Booster card to propel himself forward at an unimaginable speed. If Dianamon hadn't rolled out of the way, she would've been mowed down, flattened into the earth.
"I'm not done yet," MegaGargomon snarled. Skidding to a halt and turning around seemed to take only a millisecond to do. Then from his shoulders, two massive missiles were fired out, the faces on them slowly shifting into sly smiles. "Gargo Missiles!"
Dianamon created another ice wall but these explosive rockets shattered it immediately, detonating right on the goddess. Ken watched in horror as she was blasted out of the smoke and high into the sky. But her actual partner seemed perfectly calm as she placed another arrow into the crossbow and fired it upwards.
Unlike her previous weapons, this arrow was a pale blue color and it exploded like a firework, letting glitter rain from the sky. Dianamon's wounds seem to heal as she stopped her rapid descent, floating in midair. Inhaling deeply, Dianamon raised her hand to the sky, suddenly darkening the area and bringing out the shining moon.
"Dianamon is stronger when the moon is out," Sayo explained. "And the fact that Dianamon has chosen to change the time of day means she's serious. It's been a long time since that's happened." She turned to Ken. "We should stand back."
MegaGargomon kicked off the ground and flew right for the figure in front of the moon. But Ken couldn't see what happened next as the entire area was suddenly enveloped in the bright white light of the moon. Sayo had spun around to cover their eyes from the spectacle.
"Crescent Harken!"
-X-
This group ran right into trouble. Not only did some of the passengers get permanently deleted but now they're facing a myriad of enemies, including each other! Will they come out of their fights unscathed? Will Henry return to being the caring Tamer he once was? And what was that last attack that Dianamon made? Find out on the next Digimon: Children of the Future!
Fight scenes are not as easy as they used to be. Not that they were ever easy but they used to feel easier to write once upon a time. Anyway, there was a guest review asking about the Dark Spores and I swear to answer it next time. I'll also have the cast talk about Applimon. Anyway, please review and for those who don't know what to say, some tips!
1. Just pointing out something you like is enough. A scene, a characterization, an action, anything like that. Doing that can tell a writer what they should do more of.
2. On the other hand, bring up something you don't like. This tells writers what they need to improve on or what they should cut out completely.
3. Questions, anything you're confused about or can't remember. It's very easy to make a query about anything concerning the story. I can promise that I will answer. And if you're a guest, don't worry, I swear to answer as soon as I can through the cast Q&A.
4. How you're feeling. Whether the chapter made you happy or sad or even mad. It can even be as simple as that. If it was the intention of the chapter to make you feel this way, then I'll know I'm doing it right. If I inadvertently made you feel something else, I'll have to figure out if it's appropriate or not based on the scene.
This isn't just for me, this is for all writers. Don't think that any writer receives enough reviews because to us, they never feel enough. Unless they literally get twenty or more per chapter. And don't think your opinions are pointless. Your words matter, no matter how trivial you may think they are. Anyway, I hope this helped. And have a happy and safe Halloween!