Chapter 5

Love and Loathing

That evening, all the tamers met up back at the hospital. Impmon came walking in, a broad smile on is face as he gently twirled the keys to Behemoth around his finger. Jeri and Calumon had spent the day helping Leamon at the hospital, and both seemed to be beaming about the fact they helped so many digimon get better. Kazu, Kenta, Marineangemon, and Guardromon had gotten into trouble around noon, accidentally knocking over a cart filled with grain. They had spent the afternoon cleaning up the mess, picking up every single piece of grain.

Takato, Henry, and Rika told the others about their day, exploring the shops and Renamon's fight with Vexmon. At that point, Kazu asked what happened when Vexmon took Renamon to lunch, but Renamon just said they ate, talked, and she left. Renamon knew better then to mention what Vexmon had said to anyone until she had spoken to Jason about it.

As if on cue, a knock came at the hospital doors. Calumon, having finished his dinner and floating about the air like a mad ladybug, flew to the door and pulled it open. He poked his head out, and then cheered as he flew back into the dinning room. He flew over to Renamon, landing on her head. Renamon glared up at the little white puff ball and asked, "Can I help you with something Calumon?"

Calumon smiled, bending down so he was looking at Renamon in an upside-down position, "No, but there is someone at the door for you."

Renamon smiled, an idea of just who was waiting at the door forming in her mind. She stood up, making Calumon fall forward into a bowl of food before she walked over to the door, gently pulling it open. She had expected to see Jason, but instead saw Vexmon standing at the foot of the steps, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

Renamon quickly began to shut the door, an annoyed look on her face when Vexmon quickly shouted, "Wait, won't you at least hear me out?"

Renamon shook her head, "No."

Renamon moved to shut the door again, but Vexmon moved forward and caught the door with a hand. He forced it open, smiling as he said, "Are you sure I can't interest you in another date. Please, I know this lovely spot near the walls of the city where we can have a picnic."

Renamon was about to punch Vexmon in the face when she saw something come up behind the pushy fox digimon. Renamon smiled, crossing her arms as she said, "I thought I told you my heart was taken."

Vexmon stood up, trying to act as cool as possible as he said, "Who ever he is, he can't compare to me."

Renamon chuckled, "Really, well why don't you turn around and tell that to him?"

Vexmon gave Renamon a confused look, and then looked over his shoulder. Renamon stifled a laugh as Vexmon leapt three feet in the air, a yelp escaping his lip as he saw Jason, or he knew as the lord, floating behind him. Both the left and the right hand were floating close to Vexmon, and soon the left hand began to slowly crack the right's knuckles.

Before Jason even finished cracking the knuckles on his right hand, Vexmon was gone, dropping the bouquet of flowers. Jason gently floated down, grabbing the flowers up between his thumb and fore finger. He then threw them back, his voice echoing in Renamon's mind, thanks to her medallion, "Wasn't that the Vexmon you beat earlier today."

Renamon nodded her head, stepping out of the hospital, "Yeah. He took me to lunch, and when he finished be basically asked me to be his girlfriend or his wife, if couldn't tell. The guy was comparing us to Angemon and Angewomon, a pair made to be together."

Jason turned, looking down the street Vexmon had run down, "Really, I'll have to remember to tell Tijgmon about that. He'll get a good laugh out of it. Still, I came here to take a certain digimon, a rare jewel in my eyes, to a very special spot."

Renamon blushed a bit, smiling, "And what digimon are you referring to?"

Jason shook his right hand as he gently laid his left hand down on the ground, "Oh, like you don't know." Renamon laughed under her breath as she stepped up onto Jason's left hand. The pair of hands flew up into the air, and then began to gently float towards the mountains that surrounded the city.

Jason took Renamon to the highest peak of the mountains, where a flat stone slab had been laid out. On top of the stone slab sat a table, a pure white tablecloth gently covering it, draping down to the ground. There was also a single candelabra with three, long white unlit candles stretching up towards the sky.

Renamon stepped down from Jason's hand, looking at the scene. Jason floated past the digital vixen, pulling out one of the two chairs at the table. Renamon smiled, walking over before taking a seat. Jason gently slid the chair back in, and then snapped the fingers on his right hand. A gentle flame, burning a bright blue color, sprouted from his fingertip. Jason quickly lit the candles, and then turned to Renamon as he asked, "What do you think?'

Renamon smiled, "Very nice Jason, but why is there a second chair? I doubt you can use it."

Jason floated away from table, moving behind Renamon, "I think its time I gave you that surprise I promised." Jason then snapped his fingers, the sound echoing through the air. Around Renamon, the night seemed to deepen. The light from the real world began to disappear, and Peradium soon vanished into the darkness. The gloom continued to deepen, and soon all Renamon could see was the table in front of her and the three candles burning with three bright blue flames.

Renamon looked around, her keen eyes trying to pierce the darkness. Still, all she could blackness. Renamon began to get a little nervous, wondering what was going on when she felt a weight on her shoulders. She turned her head, and saw a normal sized pair of hands gently resting on her shoulder. Renamon's eyes widened a bit when she saw the hands were attached to an arm.

Renamon heard Jason's voice in the air, but for some strange reason the medallion on her neck remained cold. Still, Renamon could feel the temptation to turn around growing stronger as Jason said, "I always like the embrace of the night. The air is cool, the world is calm, and the sky in the real world is dotted with an endless masterpiece of stars. Now, I have one more reason to like the dark. In the shadows, when I am hidden from all forms of natural light, I stand here in this world like I once stood beside you in the real world. It is only in the light of these mystical blue flames that I remain human, that and the pure embrace of night."

Renamon's curiosity finally reached a breaking point. With her heart thumping in her chest, Renamon turned and a broad smile crossed her face. Standing behind her, back in his human form, was Jason. He was dressed in a white button down T-shirt and black dress pants, his long black hair flowing down his back like the tail of a comet.

Renamon stood up from the chair, standing in front of Jason with amazement on her face, "Jason, is that really you?"

Jason smiled, shrugging his shoulders, "What, were you expecting someone else?"

Renamon shook her head, "I just…how come you didn't tell me earlier?"

Jason's face got solemn, and he lowered his head a bit, "I am sorry Renamon, but just think what the sovereign digimon would do if they knew. There are digimon that can produce voids of light, places of absolute shadow where I would become human. Then, I would be at the mercy of the sovereign, and last time I checked they weren't in a mood to turn a kind eye."

Renamon smiled a bit, stepping forward before gently raising Jason head up. Jason and Renamon's eyes met, and both began to smile as Renamon said, "Well, it is still nice to see that you haven't change, well except for the fact your hair has gotten longer."

Jason blinked a few times, looking behind his head. Last time he had seen Renamon his hair had reached to his waist. He had used the long, black locks to hide the wires that had once connected his mind to a computer. Now, even after the wires were gone, Jason had not even thought about cutting it. The black hair now reached all the way down to Jason's feet, a few hairs managing to touch the ground.

Jason looked back at Renamon, a smile on his face, "Well, it has gotten longer hasn't it. If you want, I can cut it."

Renamon shook her head, "No, don't do that, I like it this long. Still, is this the whole reason you brought me up here?"

Jason shook his head, turning Renamon around as he pointed at the table. Renamon smiled, setting her hand on top of Jason's as she looked at the lavish dinner that seemed to appear out of no where. Renamon retook her seat at the table as Jason walked around to the other chair.

The pair soon began to enjoy the meal, talking and laughing as they caught up. Memories of old times came up, and the events of their month apart soon came to the light. Jason, however, would remember the night for one thing. The entire time he could easily say, he had never seen Renamon so happy. The usual cool, controlled, vixen digimon was showing her lighter side.

When the meal was finished Jason helped Renamon up from the table. The table seemed to sink into the floor, the last thing to disappear the three small blue flames. With the flames gone, the world was pitch black. Renamon lost sight of Jason, but could hear him moving through the darkness. After a few moments a gentle, soothing music began to fill the air. It bounced gentle, but at the time seemed to flow and turn as if it was the wind on an autumn day.

A single blue flame appeared above Renamon's head, and seemed to grow bigger as it was surrounded by a very intricate collection of crystal and metal, a chandelier. As the flame became stronger, Renamon found Jason standing in front of her. He smiled, outstretching his hand as he said, "To think, a month ago I would have never even dreamed of saying these words, but you helped change that. So, Renamon, would you please honor me with a dance."

Renamon stared at Jason's hand and then up at him as she said, a slight blush hidden beneath her fur, "I don't know how."

"Neither do I, but who says we can't wing it. After all, life itself can be compared to a dance. As we move through we change our steps, our lives to match the world, to match the music, around us. One minute we can be enjoying the height of our lives, and the world will change it forever. Change itself is the only thing we can ever count on, and I know my life changed for the better the second I met you."

Renamon's blush deepened, "You have practiced this, haven't you."

Jason shrugged, "Maybe, but that doesn't change the meaning in the words."

Renamon nodded her head, stretching her arm out as she set her hand in Jason's "No, I guess it really doesn't." Renamon then took a step forward as Jason pulled her closer, and the pair began to dance. It wasn't a waltz, or anything very complicated. It was just a two people, a human and a digimon, enjoying their time together in tune to the gentle music that seemed to ride the wind, and fill their souls.

Down in the streets of Peradium, Vexmon walked around, searching for a reason to punch someone in their face. He had been nice to Renamon, he had done everything else anybody else would do. Still, she had shunned him for…for…a pair of hands. It did not take Vexmon long to figure out that Renamon was in love with the lord of Peradium, and the thought of it made him sick.

As Vexmon passed a darkened alley he heard someone say, their feminine voice calling out to him, "Come, fortunes told and futures revealed." Vexmon turned, and saw an old witch digimon bent over a crystal ball. The crystal sphere was resting on a make shift table made of some blocks of stone and a few wooden boards.

Vexmon grumbled a bit, looking at the digimon that had called out. It was a digimon that resembled a shriveled old woman, dressed in long flowing clothes that made her look to be a gypsy. For some reason, Vexmon decided to humor the witch digimon and walked into the alley. He set his hands down on the rickety boards and said, "So, what do you see in my future you old hag."

The digimon fortune teller shot a glare up at Vexmon, but quickly smiled, "I have been watching you. You sought the heart of that Renamon, and found yours broken like a stained glass window. Now, any love for her has perished and all you want is revenge, to shatter her heart like she has shattered yours."

Vexmon's eyes opened wide in surprise, and he quickly accused, "You old hag, you've been stalking me."

The digimon shook her head, "No, it is the all seeing crystal ball, given to me by my masters, the sovereign."

"You are in league with the sovereign, but how did you get into the city?"

The witch digimon just smiled, "That is my little secret, and not why I have called you here to my table. The sovereign seek a way to destroy the pair of hands, the false god, that rule over Peradium. They, however, do not know the weakness of such a powerful enemy. This is why they are interested in a certain Renamon, a vixen digimon you know quite well I believe."

Vexmon lowered himself down, looking into the smoke that seemed to form inside the crystal ball, "I'm listening."

"Listen closely child, and I shall give you the key to ultimate power. You are to find Renamon, and attack her. Then, you are to flea. Make sure she chases you, do what ever it takes. You must lead her to the gates of the city, and then out of the city. There, I will be waiting with a very special friend. At that time, my friend will take over."

Vexmon smiled, "I like where this is going?"

The witch nodded her head, "Yes, and if everything goes as planned you shall be granted the power of a mega, and be given a place as a General in the ranks of the grand army. Then, once we squeeze the information we need from Renamon, you will help lead the attack on Peradium. The city will fall, the lord will be killed, and the Sovereign digimon will rule unchallenged once again."

Vexmon nodded his head, seeing the images of the future playing inside the crystal ball. His smiled widened to an evil grin when he saw the final scene, Renamon weeping over the corpse of Peradium's lord. That was what he wanted, to break Renamon's heart.

The witch saw the look in Vexmon's eyes, and smiled, "I can see an ancient thirst for destruction in your eyes. Tell me, have you always been a Vexmon?"

Vexmon shook his head, "My true form, my true power, was taken from me when I entered the city. I was made a normal data type, but I crave the power I once had, the power of a virus."

"Then let the power be yours once again."