Sora & Mimi: Merry Christmas!
Tagiru: M-M-M-Miniskirt Santa?!
Rika: You said no fan service!
Zero Unit: Mimi asked for this. So for today, these two are going to be hosting in red and green Santa suits. Deal with it.
Yuu: Tagiru! *Grabs friend's head* Show some restraint!
Zoey: *Slaps Takuya's and JP's heads* The same goes to you two!
Sora: For today, we have a very special Christmas present to give all of you. Well, besides a brand new chapter fresh off the press.
Mimi: But, before we get to the… *Twirls around and winks* unwrapping. We do have a question sent in from one of our fans. And we think it'll help all of you folks be a sexy Santa as well. So here we go! Sora, the present?
Sora: *Pushes in a giant, snowflake-patterned, gift-wrapped box* It seems someone was interested in the question from last time, so…
ExVeemon: *Bursts out of the present wearing a Santa hat, tight red shorts, and flexing* Merry Christmas!
Sora & Mimi: Ta-da!
Quarter of the Guys: My eyes!
ExVeemon: With my training program, you can look just a sculpted as I do! One hundred pushups, one hundred sit ups, one hundred squats, and ten kilometers of running… every single day! And in no time, you'll get muscles like these! *Flexes again*
Davis: Hold on… Isn't that… One Pu-?
Sora: And now it's time to move on to today's chapter. But a quick PSA, remember to stay warm during the holidays. And don't get greedy. Remember, the true spirit of Christmas is about spreading love and joy. Not getting the most expensive ring or game.
Mimi: And we do sincerely hope you guys have fun with your loved ones. Be sure to tell the people who matter most that you care about them.
Biyomon: Happy holidays!
Palmon: And have a Happy New Year!
Everyone: We hope you enjoy the newest chapter and see you next year!
-X-
December 25: Worm Line – 1:30 PM
Kiriha had a personal score to settle with Gravimon and it seemed the feeling was mutual as the Dark General used his gravity-manipulation powers to get the boy on his own. ZekeGreymon was able to chase after his partner and the cruel tactician, leaving the others behind. Rhihimon was worried about the blond but there wasn't any time to dwell on it as NeoMyotismon swiped at him with his razor-sharp claws.
Rhihimon was able to block the blow using his staff just in the nick of time. "Too scared to take us both at the same time?"
"You should consider yourselves lucky that you don't have to face us both," NeoMyotismon smirked.
From the demon's chest, black orbs flew out like bullets, they screamed through the air as they looped around the Legendary Warrior, coming for his back. Rhihimon pushed his opponent back before spreading out his golden wings and shooting skywards. Unfortunately for him, the ammunition followed close behind.
"Don't think you can forget about us!" Deckerdramon bellowed. Whirling around, he struck at the villain with his metal tail. "Cyclone Crusher!"
Cyberdramon took to the skies and with a snarl, he placed his feet on his spinning tail and held out his spear, coming right for NeoMyotismon's head. "Spinning Stingers!"
The Dark General saw that their timing was off so he held out his claws and latched onto the faster one, Deckerdramon. Once he got a firm hold on the tail, stopping it mere moments from impacting his chest, he flung the behemoth upwards. The metal monolith crashed into Cyberdramon, causing him to veer off course as they both crashed into the dirt.
"Is that all?" NeoMyotismon chuckled darkly.
"Volcanic Fount!"
The shout came from behind but it was obvious where the attack was coming from. NeoMyotismon could stand to be destroyed a few times but that meant less time to show off. So spreading his devilish wings, he flew out of the range of the meteorites raining down on the area he just stood upon. But he didn't just fly out of the way; he slid backwards at breakneck speed before slamming the soles of his feet into Volcdramon's face.
"Tsk, tsk," NeoMyotismon grinned, shaking his head. "You'll have to try better than that." Spinning on his horizontal axis, he slashed upward, raking his claws over the giant's eyes and causing him to roar in pain. "I'm not done, yet! Doom Cannon!"
The volcanic dragon was fired at from point blank so it was no surprise that he was blasted away and skidded across the ground, practically gliding. The only surprise was the fact that Kiriha had even reloaded this beast in the first place seeing as he had only brought out Cyberdramon and Deckerdramon earlier. But that just meant fewer enemies for Gravimon to fight.
Speaking of enemies, he could hear one whistling down towards him from above. Rhihimon circled back around with the black bullets following closely behind. Right before colliding into the Dark General, he swerved, arcing upwards.
"It's no use," NeoMyotismon laughed. "Those pellets will follow–." One by one, each black ball of condensed energy hit him square on the face, exploding.
"Actually," Rhihimon huffed, "those are mine. But I'm not done yet!" The eyes on the lion-head mask glowed. "Red Cross!"
NeoMyotismon stumbled backwards before getting hit on the back of the neck by a pair of crimson laser beams. Landing right behind the taller Digimon, the Warrior of Darkness did a flying spin kick on the enemy's back, causing him to hit the ground. Once he was immobilized, Deckerdramon got back into position with Cyberdramon's help.
"Crocodile Cannons!"
"Eraser Claw!"
Rhihimon moved out of the way just as a huge explosion rang out behind him, producing a massive dust cloud that enveloped the area. As soon as it cleared, the Warrior knew that the remaining data would reconfigure quickly, so splaying out his palm in that direction, he began manipulating some tendrils of shadow to mess with the regeneration process. However, as soon as NeoMyotismon took shape, the shadows melded in with his form.
"What?" Rhihimon gasped. "How did…?"
Licking his lips and wiping away at his mouth like he just had a delicious snack, NeoMyotismon gave a smug look towards the humanoid Digimon. "You're mistaken if you think that being the Legendary Warrior of Darkness gives you complete control of the element."
Flicking his wrist, more tendrils appeared except they were coming to cut into Rhihimon. The Warrior of Darkness quickly deflected the flurry of thrusts using his staff but while that kept him occupied, NeoMyotismon turned his attention on Kiriha's other two partners. More anti-aircraft missiles and energy blasts had been shot in his direction.
"Too slow," NeoMyotismon chuckled.
His wings splayed out and he flew into the fray, maneuvering past the ammunition with grace. But instead of striking down the pair, he back flipped into the sky. The moon on his chest had taken on a rather ethereal blue glow.
"It's full," Deckerdramon gasped. "Cyberdramon! Get out of here!"
"Doom Cannon!"
Cyberdramon dashed out of range just as Deckerdramon got caught up in the cannon fire. The cybernetic Digimon had no time to prepare a counterattack as he found his feet and arms locked in place by a bunch of black tentacles. Snapping at his restraints, he could see NeoMyotismon rush towards him in his periphery.
"Glutton Fang!"
To NeoMyotismon's surprise, his foe's ribcage pierced out of his chest, puncturing at least seven distinct holes into the vampire's torso. The Dark General looked down at his data, slowly breaking apart, before he looked back up at Cyberdramon who was breaking free from the shadows using his tail. As soon as he could move his legs, the first thing he did was drop kick NeoMyotismon.
"Not bad," NeoMyotismon huffed as his wounds stitched themselves closed. "I underestimated your cognitive abilities."
"You've underestimated me as well!" Rhihimon called out. The surrounding area seemed to shift in and out of existence as the ground vanished for a few seconds and the trees uprooted themselves. Pointing his staff at the enemy, he let loose a powerful beam of dark energy. "Black Theorem!"
While that was happening from behind, Cyberdramon was concentrating energy into his spear, causing immense pressure to shake the very earth he stood upon. Reeling back, the area seemed to darken around him as he flung it straight for the place where NeoDevimon's heart would be. "Eraser Claw!"
The attacks closed in on NeoMyotismon before he was even fully healed. So when they collided, a dome of destruction blossomed where he stood just moments ago. But there was no time to waste. Volcdramon just finished gathering thick vines from the forest, dropping them at Rhihimon's feet who immediately grabbed one end and started flying around the already gathering mass of data particles that was NeoMyotismon.
Cyberdramon exhaled before releasing a guttural growl as if to express his exhaustion. Taking off, he grabbed onto the other end of the vine before circling around NeoMyotismon as well. The Dark General was fully regenerated by the time he found himself trapped in a tight coil. It kept him bound and since it was done before he was fully reconfigured, some of it got embedded into his skin.
"Tch," NeoDevimon grunted, falling onto his side. "I never thought that I could get done in like this."
Rhihimon was trying to catch his breath as he looked around. The ground shook as Volcdramon fell back to his knees, fatigue setting in. Deckerdramon was in far worse shape as various parts of his body crackled like a television set with a bad signal.
"Cyberdramon, tend to Deckerdramon's injuries," Rhihimon ordered. "I'll watch over NeoMyotismon."
NeoMyotismon chuckled as the dragon nodded and drifted off. "Are you sure you want to do that?"
The fused spirits looked down at the captive. "I've analyzed your movements and fighting style. Even if you do break out of those vines which I'm sure you're capable of, I have at least three different predictions planned out in my head of what you'll do next. As well as countermeasures, of course."
"Ah, yes," NeoMyotismon laughed. "Kurosaki warned us about his students. He said you were the most intelligent but not the most dangerous."
"What does that mean?"
Like Rhihimon predicted, the vampire's restraints snapped but without waiting for the cuts to heal, NeoMyotismon lunged forward. Every prediction involved the enemy getting his footing back. Or at least taking to the skies. Just putting some distance between himself as the Legendary Warrior. Instead, he moved like a snake and sank his fangs deep into Rhihimon's ankle.
With a shout, the Warrior fell backwards and mid-fall, NeoMyotismon latched onto his other ankle with tightly clenched claw. Using the momentum from that twist, he got back onto his feet and tossed Rhihimon up just a bit before slamming the Warrior back into the ground with the claws of his other hand. Underneath his palm was the heavily breathing, dirt-covered Kouichi.
"Damn it," Kouichi coughed.
"The most dangerous are crafty and unpredictable," NeoMyotismon explained. Grabbing the long strands of dark blue hair in his fingers, he pulled up the teenager, placing a sharp claw against his Adam's apple. "All smarts gets you is the most logical paths. Isn't that right?"
Kouichi could feel his breath in his chest, scared to let it out lest the claw puncture his neck no matter how unlikely the situation. Ironic. While this guy tells the human that he has a rational mind, only senseless thoughts ran through his head. It's not like he's never felt fear before. But then again, it's not every day that one would get this close to death.
"I let down my guard… that's all," Kouichi groaned.
"And that's all it takes," NeoMyotismon chuckled.
Over the enemy's shoulder, Kouichi could see Deckerdramon and Cyberdramon hesitantly stepping closer but there was no sneaking up the opponent here. NeoMyotison's full attention may seem like it's on Kouichi but he had his ears focused on the rest of the field. The one thing he couldn't observe was the goddess taking center stage in the heavens.
The Warrior of Darkness could feel his hair tearing from his scalp. "If you're so knowledgeable about battling well… then you should know… that fights themselves are unpredictable…"
"Hm?"
Even the boy couldn't predict what would happen next as day turned to night and a full moon shone brightly against the midnight canvas. When the area was alight in the lunar glow, the fields became filled with tortured shouts. Kouichi had this feeling that he was dropped to the damp grass yet the only thing that were filling his senses were the spiders crawling on the other side of his skin.
It was over soon enough. Kouichi had no time to reorganize his thoughts as the tall figure looming over him struck down. But if there was one thing the human body had evolved to do, it was avoid danger. And Kouichi's heightened sixth sense could feel the malice and bloodlust coming from this Digimon easily as he instinctively rolled out of the way of the claw.
Deckerdramon, being one of Kiriha's main supports, immediately assumed the role of the leader as soon as he regained his senses. Stepping forward, he made commands to his allies. Cyberdramon responded with a nod before zipping forward, snatching Kouichi and pulling him out of harm's way. Volcdramon made the next move by releasing a toxic ash cloud that made it difficult for NeoMyotismon to see or breathe.
"Thanks," Kouichi coughed.
"Cyberdramon, Volcdramon, hit him while he's down!" Deckerdramon bellowed. The gun ports on his back clicked open. "Crocodile Cannons!"
"Eraser Claw!"
"Volcanic Fount!"
This wasn't going to work. Even if every single one of their attacks hit dead on, NeoMyotismon would still regenerate soon afterwards. The best course of action was to make a tactical retreat, maybe go help Kiriha since he was left with only ZekeGreymon for a heavy hitter against a Dark General that was supposedly even stronger than this demon.
"We should get out of here," Kouichi muttered. "Before he comes back."
"We might end up leading him right back to Kiriha," Deckerdramon pointed out.
The boy nodded, noting the possibility. "But maybe Kiriha knows a better way of taking this guy down. My shadows have no effect, after all."
Their bickering ended up wasting their chance as the cloud cleared away and NeoMyotismon stood there, completely undamaged. Either the regeneration process was getting faster or he was simply able to avoid getting any direct hits while hidden inside the cloud. Both were extremely worrying possibilities.
"How reckless," NeoMyotismon scoffed. "My healing is directly connected to your own ally's life force. Do you really want to continue shortening it this way?"
Kouichi had sensed it earlier. The presence of a certain friend of theirs. Her consciousness seemed to be locked away though so it was likely that she was under enemy control. Hopefully, Yolei and Silphymon were enough to incapacitate her. The best-case scenario was that they freed her from the brainwashing.
"Stalling," Kouichi resolved. "We have to keep him occupied until Yolei defeats Antylamon."
NeoMyotismon slowly raised his hand as if he was viewing a crystal ball cupped in his fingers. But judging from the direction his eyes gleamed, it was clear that he was staring right through Kouichi. "I've decided… I want to see that pretty human face contorted into something hideous." Twisting his wrist so that his palm faced away from him, his grin widened to a sickening length. "Nightmare Leeches!"
"Look out!" Deckerdramon called out.
The mechanical croc got in the way of the leeches but they stuck onto his side, sucking out his life force. Falling down to one knee, he let out a creak that sounded like an eerie moan. Cyberdramon began tearing away at the demonic bloodsuckers as quickly as possible while Kouichi prepared to evolve once more.
"Execute Spirit Evolution… JagerLowemon!"
"Oh?" NeoMyotismon grinned. "Have I weakened you that much?"
Taking a running start, the quadruped shot forward at top speed before leaping into the air and covering himself in a data cocoon. Usually, this wouldn't bother NeoMyotismon, but the fact that it was happening so close to his face was an issue. The slide evolution was actually incredibly bright, blinding his eyes and even more so being a creature of the dark.
As Lowemon, he landed on the ground behind the vampire and swept his legs out from under him with a low kick. Once the enemy was down, spinning the staff around, Lowemon stabbed his weapon right through NeoMyotismon's stomach with as much force as possible, driving it into the earth. With the staff wedged there, it was impossible for NeoMyotismon to just heal the wound over.
"Is this what you meant by unpredictable?" said Lowemon.
Holding up some metal in one gloved hand, he bent it until it was in a U shape before using them as cuffs to hold down NeoMyotismon's hands. He made sure that they would hold in place so that the undead would be unable to remove the staff pinning him down. And just in case, the legs were also pinned down as well.
NeoMyotismon had to admit, even he was impressed. "Where did you even get the metal?"
"Residue from the previous attack," Lowemon explained. "The metal came from Deckerdramon and I was able to heat it up enough to make them much more malleable by using some magma rocks left behind by Volcdramon."
"How resourceful."
"I believe one of the keys to winning a fight is taking advantage of anything and everything," said Lowemon.
"Heh," NeoMyotismon stated. "I've lost. And in more ways than one."
As it would turn out, Yolei had defeated Antylamon just two seconds after. Because of the sudden departure of the Deva, the Dark General no longer had a source for regeneration. He would've just left on his own. But it would appear that he had become a war prisoner.
Once Lowemon finished, he returned to just being Kouichi. Fatigue had settled in and he collapsed, but he still had the energy to talk at the very least. "Deckerdramon… You okay?"
"Not going to lie," Deckerdramon groaned. "I've had better days."
The exhaustion was apparent in their heavy breathing and bare minimal movement. The best they could do was stare blankly into the distance, trying to calm their erratic heartbeats. No one spoke, no one moved, the only sounds were their trembling inhalations and ragged exhalations.
"How disappointing," a voice said, sending chills down everyone's spines. "I didn't think you would lose, NeoMyotismon."
With a burst of laughter, NeoDevimon stared directly into the sun. "Yeah, well, I would've been forced to retreat anyway. You should've done a better job at protecting Antylamon."
"The female Chosen Child is exactly the type of person you loathe," the voice responded. Everyone else was whipping their heads around, trying to pinpoint the owner. "Crafty and unpredictable. I was surprised. I hadn't expected her to be so tough."
"Just like that wretched Red General," NeoMyotismon coughed.
It wasn't difficult to fill in the missing pieces of this puzzle. They were referring to Yolei and Taiki. In a way, their battling styles were certainly similar. They would calculate various methods to victory but not all of them would be rational or logical. Sometimes, they teetered on the brink of absurdity.
"Kouichi!"
Turning his head, he saw Yolei running towards him with Silphymon flying overhead. "Hey, glad to see you're alright."
"NeoMyotismon?" the bespectacled teenager blinked when she saw the restrained Dark General. "I thought you guys were… Where's Kiriha?"
"Exactly where you might think," Kouichi replied. "Fighting Gravimon on his own. You should go help him before he gets into trouble."
Yolei was about to nod when she noticed their captive sinking into a black hole that appeared in the ground while she was conversing with the younger DigiDestined. Before she could utter another syllable, he was gone. With Antylamon already out of the picture, they could've finally destroyed the vampire to end his reign of terror. But it seemed they would have to wait another day for that chance.
December 25: Shibuya – 1:31 PM
Several construction firms were rebuilding the district now that they had cleared away some of the rubble. So while workers milled about, trying to make new houses for the currently homeless, volunteers were doing cleanup. If they could salvage anything, they would take it to the lost items station where they would hopefully go back to their rightful owners. If not, they would be donated.
Katsuharu and Teppei both volunteered to help out since they were on the stronger side. They knew that their parents were terrified out of their minds since the explosion had happened in their own neighborhood. So it took a good hour to convince them that they would be okay. Unfortunately, they still don't know about their kids' involvement with the Digital World from three years ago.
"Protestors," Teppei remarked.
Katsuharu was holding a large chunk of cement in his arms when he heard the loud chanting. People paraded right outside the ruins holding picket signs. They were trying to use this incident as a reason for why Digimon should be completely eradicated. As the taller boy listened, it took all the willpower he had to resist hurling the rock at them.
"Ignore them," said Katsuharu. "We should focus on our job."
Teppei nodded, adjusting his glasses and accidentally smudging the lens. "I want to protect them."
"Who?"
"The Digimon," he clarified. "Angemon protected us despite the fact that we always ignored his warnings. He didn't even have any obligation to. And because of us…" Teppei furiously shook his head before turning his back on his best friend. "Yet we always bullied Tommy. Just like humans, only some Digimon are bad. Why can't they understand that?"
The answer was obvious. People reject what they cannot understand, sometimes fearing it or looking at it with disgust as a whole.
The best way Katsuharu could explain it was using a flimsy analogy with anime. Some people saw it as misogynistic or they simply don't like the art style. They try to take something with so many genres and sub-plots and creative elements and try to sum it up in a few words. Just like with humans and Digimon, that's impossible. There are so many different types and if you're only exposed to what the mainstream shows you, you'll only get a portion of the complete story.
"Let's get hot pot after this," Katsuharu decided. "With Teruo and Chiaki. I know a great place in Ikebukuro."
Teppei didn't answer, he just knelt down in front something he had unearthed. It was a tattered Koromon plush, based on the Digimon television show. There was certainly something ironic about the fact that it was here.
"It can still be fixed," muttered the brunet.
"Will the other workers even let us turn it in?" Katsuharu wondered aloud. "They might put it in the burnable pile."
The other boy lifted the doll up. "Teruo knows how to sew, right? I can ask him to repair it. And then we can gift wrap it and put it in the toy drive! They're volunteering there, right?"
Teppei was treating this thing like a stray animal that needed a loving home to go to. Katsuharu could understand the sentiment but there was no telling where it would go. In all likelihood, it would go to someone who recently lost their home or even a loved one in a Digimon attack. A hysterical mother, an enraged father, anyone in the family could just grab the doll by the ears and tear it in two. And even if Teppei wouldn't know, there was something inherently morose about such a scene.
"Why don't you keep it for yourself?" Katsuharu suggested.
"But…," Teppei interjected, "this probably belonged to someone else."
Katsuharu leaned in close to his friend, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And if they really missed or loved it, they'll probably just get another."
Some dissenters were actually taking Digimon merchandise, games, and toys right off the shelves and burning them in the streets. They both knew that. But some stores continued to sell things related to Digimon because they, like them, knew about the kind Digimon.
"My dad wouldn't like it," Teppei pointed out.
"Your dad doesn't like me," Katsuharu laughed. He paused before taking a deep breath. "If it's important to you… Keep it."
Teppei didn't say anything for a while but then he stood and walked over to the rest stations where volunteers could take a break. Sitting down on the wooden bench, he grabbed his bag, gave one last look to the stuffed Koromon, and then tenderly placed it inside. Katsuharu smiled to himself and before long, they were both getting back to work.
"Oh, and one more thing," said Katsuharu. "We'll definitely protect the Digimon. Even if we're not like Takuya and the others, we're doing our part here."
The other boy smiled. "Yeah. You're right."
December 25: Worm Line – 1:32 PM
How many times had Kiriha come face to face with Gravimon? Four? Five times? And each fight, the Dark General somehow became more and more of a nuisance. Like trying to get rid of a cockroach. Even after crushing it, it still leaves a nasty stain on the floor as if to taunt you until you wipe it off. That's exactly what Gravimon was. Three years ago, a cockroach, and today, an ever present stain.
The Dark General cocked his head to the side. "I can just tell from the look on your face that I'm annoying you."
ZekeGreymon stood on guard as Kiriha dusted himself off from the sideways gravity trip. "Yeah… You are."
"Good!" Gravimon giggled. "Mission success!"
How annoying. Kiriha wasn't sure what kind of help Sayo provided him with before focusing on Henry but he wasn't sure if he was going to use it just yet. Not until they were really in a pinch. But the problem was that he didn't have many other dependable Digimon to aid his partner.
"No choice but to try at least," he muttered. "ZekeGreymon, don't go all out just yet. Focus on evasion and when you see him hesitate, it'll likely mean that Yolei was able to destroy his core. Once that's done, I'll use Sayo's other partner to help us out and we can finally put an end to Gravimon."
The enemy still looked at them with a rather, childish curiosity. "Are you done with your little – and I do mean little – team huddle?"
Kiriha grinded his teeth. "This guy really knows how to get on my nerves."
ZekeGreymon charged forward, slashing with his golden claw but as expected, Gravimon pushed him back without even having to touch him. As soon as the dragon was out of the gravitational field however, he released a high-power energy shell at the enemy. Of course, Gravimon easily pushed that back as well but ZekeGreymon had already jumped backwards, letting the missile explode and shroud him in smoke.
"Using your own attack to conceal yourself?" Gravimon chuckled. "How innovative."
Since the Dark General didn't know where his opponent would reappear specifically, he decided to be on the safe side. Spreading his arms out wide, he increased the gravity around him by at least tenfold. But there was no sound of a struggle or crash so it didn't seem like it affected ZekeGreymon.
Kiriha smirked, raising a finger to the sky. "That first charge… was to test your range."
ZekeGreymon revealed himself in the sky and he entered the field with his claw glowing brightly. "Trident Claw!"
Using the increased gravity to his advantage, ZekeGreymon accelerated at an enormous rate towards Gravimon. It happened so fast that the Dark General was unable to change the gravity in time before he was torn clean through into four even shreds. Of course, the drop managed to damage the attacker as well but it was still a success.
"Bound him!" Kiriha commanded.
ZekeGreymon split into his two base components, Greymon and MailBirdramon, so that when Gravimon reformed, they each grabbed four tentacles, an arm, and a leg to restrict his movement. That was the best they could do at the moment. But of course, Gravimon wasn't going to lose because of this and it was proven true when the pair were suddenly blown away.
"He can still control gravity even with all limbs tied down?" MailBirdramon grunted.
"Should've expected it from him," Greymon snarled. "Let's attack again so we can combine again!"
"Plasma Cannons!"
"Mega Flame!"
Gravimon grinned as the attacks came flying towards him. As soon as they were as close to his body as possible without exploding, he splayed out his tentacles. To him, in slow-motion, both blasts moved around him before continuing on their course of trajectory so that they struck each other by accident.
Kiriha clicked his tongue in frustration. "That gravity manipulation is one problem and regeneration is another. How do we deal with both?"
From behind Gravimon, the ground cracked open as Dracomon broke through the crust. But the miniscule dragon quickly scurried over to the side to let a heavy hitter burst through, both fists raised over his head. It was Golemon, one of Kiriha's lesser used partners.
"Rock Punch!"
While that was happening, from the front, Korikakumon appeared though not exactly the Warrior of Ice. Again, this was another one of Kiriha's partners. A true powerhouse but one who simply couldn't match up with the main four forces. Still, in a time such as this one, it's necessary to pull out all the stops.
"Avalanche Axes!"
Gravimon suddenly shot upwards by reversing gravity on his own body. Golemon ended up landing with a thud before getting two blades embedded into his arms and tipping backwards, crashing in a dusty heap. As Korikakumon apologized to his comrade, he was left defenseless as Gravimon elastically extended his arms to surround the ape.
"High Gravity Grip!"
Kiriha flinched when he heard his partners scream out. Quickly, he pulled out his X-Loader and returned the pair before releasing someone else. "Ranamon Reload!"
"I'll take care of this, honey!" the not-Warrior of Water snapped. "Draining Rain!"
"Is that all?" Gravimon chuckled before positioning himself as if he was holding an umbrella. The acidic water droplets didn't even touch him as they changed course and dropped down around him. "Now Kiriha, I had hoped that you would have better partners than these."
Ranamon grit her teeth before running forward. "Why, you!"
"No, don't!" Kiriha shouted.
But it was too late as the humanoid Digimon tried to perform a twist kick on the enemy but was driven into the ground instead by a massive increase in gravity. MailBirdramon and Greymon tried to help out but they were compressed as well after taking one step forward. Even Kiriha was starting to feel the pressure yet he knew he was standing outside of the Dark General's range. But he had the strength to take them all back.
"Hm? Out of partners already?" Gravimon smirked.
Dracomon popped out of the ground beside Kiriha. "What are we going to do now?" If only he could super evolve like MetalGreymon. "I… If only I could fight…"
Kiriha racked his brain for any other options. It's not like he was out of Digimon to use but seeing as five of his stronger forces were all taken down so easily, it didn't seem likely that any of his remaining soldiers would be able to do much. The most he could do was swear extensively in his head as Gravimon moved towards him, taking his time as if he knew victory was assured. The small dragon Digimon stood in front of the human, as if he made a decent barricade between them yet knowing that he would deleted on the spot if Gravimon so much as blinked.
Deleted?
The image of being chased by a stampede of dinosaurs and dragons flashed through Dracomon's head. But they didn't belong to Dorbickmon's army. So where were these memories from?
"From today onwards, we're brothers!"
"Brothers?" Dracomon whispered.
Kiriha didn't hear the little guy. Instead, another voice reached his ears. It was silky smooth, gentle, and definitely belonged to a woman. His eyes darted left and right before landing on his blue digivice, clenched tightly in his fist.
"Who are you?" he asked.
She giggled. "Sayo's other partner, remember? I don't like fighting much but I also don't like seeing so many Digimon come in here hurt. Let me help."
"I don't even know who you are. And what if something terrible happens to you?" He couldn't live with himself if he let someone else's partner die.
"You underestimate me. Don't you know you can't underestimate a god?"
"What?"
Everyone in the area was suddenly bathed in a warm white light and when it faded away, a massive woman stood in front of the boy. She was human in appearance, smooth porcelain skin and long blonde hair, tied and twisted yet still reached her feet. A white cloth was wrapped around her golden locks, her eyes, and her body. A dove was perched in one hand and a scallop in the other.
"Aren't you a cutie," she giggled, kneeling down a rubbing the top of Dracomon's head.
The dragon suddenly felt at peace, perfectly content to just take a nap right there. "Thank you… You're… very pretty…"
Kiriha didn't know who this person was. But she stood about twice as tall as he did, about Mervamon's height actually. Now that he thought about it, Mervamon was supposedly one half of a member of the Olympos XII, right? Did that mean that Sayo had two goddesses on her team? Wasn't that Koh guy the same?
"V-Venusmon?!" Gravimon gasped. "No one said that you were partnered with a Chosen!"
The woman held her hand to her mouth, letting out a laugh that seemed to melt Kiriha's brain. There was something enchanting about her voice but she hadn't even done anything yet. Just how powerful were these Olympians?
Digital Analyzer: Venusmon is a member of the Olympos XII and the digital goddess of love. Since she is a being filled with compassion, her fighting style involves pacifying the enemy rather than doing actual physical damage to them. Her pure soul allows beautiful flowers to bloom wherever she walks and is supposedly followed by parades of swooning Digimon. To let them live normal lives, she blindfolds herself to prevent from gathering more entranced followers. Olive the dove and Hotan the scallop are her loyal companions who keep her company.
"Miss Venusmon does not like violence," Olive chirped, sounding rather posh and condescending. "So Sayo has never let her out before."
The scallop joined in with a surprisingly deep voice. "All fighting is reserved for Miss Dianamon. This is the first time Miss Venusmon has directly left a digivice in years. So of course you curs wouldn't know where she was!"
"I am surprised though," Venusmon sighed, placing a hand on her cheek and shaking her head. Her hair seemed to move like gentle, mesmerizing waves as she did this. "To think that there would come a day when the gods would be targeted this way. My, oh my, how horrid."
Unlike Dianamon, this goddess wasn't expelling immense pressure, rather, it was quite the opposite. It felt pleasant standing so close to her. Kari had reported that Zamielmon gave up on fighting them when Minervamon appeared and threatened him with an infamous tantrum. Did that mean the Olympians were far stronger than the Dark Generals? Though that didn't mean they weren't unstoppable seeing as Apollomon technically fell under both categories.
"Heh, who cares if you are a god?" Gravimon smirked. "I can still beat you! And I have regeneration on my side! I'm unkillable!"
Venusmon reeled back in shock. "Kill? I could never do such a thing. There is only one thing I want to do."
"Don't look down on me! High Gravity–! "
"Love You!"
Venusmon blew a kiss that took the physical shape of a bright pink heart that expanded in size. As soon as Gravimon's extended hands touched it, it burst like a bubble, spraying some incandescent liquid substance all over him. Whatever it was, it caused him to recoil as if electrocuted and in the time it took for him to recover, Olive had landed on his head.
"This is a gift from Miss Venusmon," said the avian. "Be grateful."
Venusmon twirled once before spreading out her arms as if intending to embrace the enemy. "Peace Fantasia!"
Olive pricked the top of Gravimon's head and the world seemed to tilt, or more accurately, straighten itself out. Kiriha no longer felt the bloodlust coming from the Dark General. Strangely enough, Gravimon just collapsed with a goofy smile on his face as he stared up at the clouds.
"Hm?" Venusmon uttered. "It seems my attack interfered with Diana-chan's." She shrugged, a playful grin on her glossy lips. "Well, I guess that's a good thing. Her lunar light might seem pretty but it's very dangerous. I keep telling her not to use it."
Kiriha was stunned, standing stock still as he stared at the uncharacteristic way Gravimon was behaving. "Hold on, if you could take him down so easily, why didn't you come out earlier?"
Hotan flipped out of Venusmon's hand and floated right in front Kiriha's face, opening and closing like a puppet's mouth making a speech. His deep, booming voice invading the human's eardrums. "How dare you speak to a lady in such a manner! I should have you taken to the gallows!"
"Hotan, that is enough," said Venusmon, gently taking Hotan back. "And it is a reasonable question. You see, I do not like violence so I tend to stay out of fights unless absolutely necessary. And besides, had you not drained him of some energy, Olive's attack wouldn't have been as effective. I estimate that it'll wear off in about twenty minutes."
It was obvious that it wasn't a permanent fix to their problems because if it was, they would have no problem taking down the Demon Lords. And considering how strong they were, it was likely that Venusmon's attacks would have a much shorter effect. So that meant they should take advantage of this moment.
"Let's destroy him before he wakes up," said Kiriha.
"Wait!" Gravimon suddenly shouted, alarmed. In a defensive position, the teenager was prepared to fight back when he realized that their foe was covering his head with his hands, scrunched up in a ball, and trembling. "Please don't hurt me…"
"I implore you to spare his life," said Venusmon. "He is no threat like this."
Of course Kiriha knew that, but in less than twenty minutes, he would be. "We can't just leave him alone. If we do, he'll just hurt more innocent Digimon."
"Well, then," Venusmon hummed. A broad smile appeared on her face as she raised a dainty finger as if she got the most brilliant idea. "Why not make him your partner?"
"Eh?"
The blue X-Loader actually shook violently as five different voices yelled, "That's preposterous!" or some variation of the exclamation.
"How dare you speak to our lady in such a manner!" Hotan replied, just as angrily.
Kiriha had to admit, it was a rather ludicrous idea. Had it been just three years ago, he would've gone ahead with taking Gravimon's life. But at the moment, the Dark General just looked so pitiful. Even so, would Taiki be as naive as to let this guy live? Then again…
"It's better than letting him regenerate. We have no idea if the core has been destroyed or how long it will take if it hasn't," Kiriha sighed, much to the stunned shock of his partners and the delight of the goddess. "Gravimon, I'll let you off the hook on the condition that you become a part of my army. Will that be acceptable for you?"
"Oh, yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank…"
It was disturbing to see this guy act this way. So without even looking at him, Kiriha let Gravimon into his X-Loader. It seemed the effect of Olive's peck wore off as soon as he was inside because a holographic image appeared of him soon after.
"I will never be able live down the humiliation!" Gravimon cried out. "Kiriha Aonuma, I will be sure to crush you next time."
Just because a Digimon became a part of your army, did not necessarily mean that they would listen to you. But unless they were reloaded into a physical form, they couldn't really do much. It was possible for Gravimon to leave of his own accord but the Monster Makers had made a discovery when researching the captured Digimon in the human world.
Dorbickmon, Splashmon, Tactimon, Blastmon, and Laylamon were much more peaceful compared to when they were under the command of the Demon Lords. It would appear that most of their actions were performed out of fear for their lives since they were embedded with a line of code that could torture them for years. Entering the digivice not only got rid of that code, but it also sedated the more rowdy Digimon.
"You won't be doing anything of the sort!" Greymon growled.
MailBirdramon chimed in as well. "Not while we're here."
Gravimon scoffed. "Do you really think either of you stand a chance against me?"
The goddess was crouching down and smiling pleasantly as she watched the three tiny, transparent Digimon argue with each other. "They get along so well already!"
"We do not!"
Even Kiriha had to admit, there was something entertaining in the way they fought like sixth graders in the park. He knew for a fact that Gravimon would be uncooperative and petty but at the same time, he liked to make his own rules. So who knows, maybe he'll actually spring into action when face to face with an enemy that Kiriha can't defeat just to prove he's a better strategist or something.
With a sigh, the boy turned in the direction of the train tracks. "Let's regroup with everyone else." A pause. "Dracomon?"
"Huh? Oh, right," the Rookie nodded. "Right behind you!"
The blond didn't even ponder on the fact that the tiny dragon had been blankly staring into space. He just figured that this whole situation was processing through his head. It made sense seeing as a Dark General once made his life a living hell.
Everyone reconvened at the train tracks and while they were exchanging information and asking if they were okay, they were following down the line. They didn't know if another Trailmon would come and pick them up or if there were any still running in the first place. All they knew was that they had wasted enough time already and they had to make it to the Castle Town. It was only after ten minutes that Henry, who was being carried by Ken, stirred from his sleep.
"I'm sorry… everyone," he murmured. "I am so, so sorry."
Sayo didn't mince words. "You do it again and I won't hesitate to kill you."
"...I'd prefer it that way," said Henry.
It wasn't like Gravimon was around to do anything but it felt as if weight had increased on everyone's shoulders. Ken could feel his classmate quaking and something lukewarm dripping onto his shirt, soaking through the cloth and onto his shoulder blades. The day had been hard on all of them. Was it possible for it to get worse?
-X-
The Dark Generals were taken down but it was no easy feat. It took everything that Kouichi had and more while Kiriha only won thanks to some godly assistance. Regeneration is certainly a problem that they had to figure out a way around. Luckily, there's only one Dark General with that capability now. And what about things in the human world? Will the parades against Digimon ever be pacified? Find out on the next Digimon: Children of the Future!
Oh my god, this chapter is so much better than the last one! The fight scenes are more fleshed out, there's actual character development, and another god has been introduced! I had a lot of fun with this chapter and I do hope you all enjoyed reading it. Thank you for all your continued support and don't forget to leave a review and enjoy the holidays! Have fun, be safe, and I'll (probably) see you guys next year!