Author Note: It's been a while since I have updated, but with school, work, and a so much else it has been hard to find time. Still, to those loyal readers I can finally present the 15th chapter of Hardwird, Loyalty.

Chapter 15

Loyalty

Jason hovered in front of the gates of Peradium, looking across the digital plains. It had been a day since Renamon was kidnapped, and hadn't been able to stop it. He had been so close, a few more inches and he could have caught Zhuqiaomon and saved her. Then, they got to far away from Peradium. Jason lost his power, falling to the earth like a stone while the bad tempered phoenix sovereign escaped.

Jason turned his attention to the tamers. The Trident had come back to Peradium during the night, and the tamers were now heading out after Zhqiaomon, ShadowMiromon, and Hageramon. Takato, Guilmon, Henry, Terriermon, and Rika were talking with Axel, the Trident robotic engineer. Kazu, Kenta, Guardromon, and MarineAngemon had already boarded the train while Impmon was going to ride Behemoth instead.

"How you doing Jason?" Tijgmon said as he walked up from behind, an encouraging smile on his face.

Jason sighed, looking back across the digital plains, "Tijgmon, I should have been able to save her."

Tijgmon shrugged, "Hey, nobodies perfect. You did everything you could, and that's all that matters. Now, let me do my job. I am your digimon partner, and you are my tamer. When you can't do something, that usually means it's up to me. We'll get Renamon back, I promise."

Jason turned, nodding his hands, "All right, but you aren't going like that."

Tijgmon raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Jason snapped his fingers, a ball of energy forming in his other hand. Jason tossed the energy on top of Tijgmon, causing him to digivolve into his mega level form, Eclipsemon. Eclipsemon looked over his new form before asking, "You want me to travel as a mega?"

"I want to make sure you prepared for anything you come across. That is why I am going to give you one more thing." Jason closed his hand into a fist, a bright light flashing inside before he spread his palm out flat. Resting in Jason's hand was a new medallion. Eclipsemon bent over, picking up the small trinket as Jason said, "That medallion has a very special power it to it. It can send one person back to Peradium in an instant. Use it to send someone back if they are injured. Still, don't take it lightly. This is the only one I can send with you, and it's only a one way trip."

Eclipsemon stared at the medallion a few more seconds before slipping it in the pocket of his robes. The mega then smiled at Jason before walking over to where the Trident waited, smoke billowing from its smokestack. A few minutes later the Trident was roaring across the digital world yet again, Jason watching it disappear beyond the horizon before he floated back into the city of Peradium.

With Axel conducting the train, powering the Trident across the digital plains, the digimon were resting in the lounge car. Impmon, who was gently tossing his motorcycle keys up into the air as he said, "I wonder what the sovereign will do to old fox face."

Eclipsemon sat crossed legged, his eyes closed in meditation, "I do not know Impmon. Still, I know what they want, information."

Guilmon turned his head to one side, slightly confused, "Information? What kind of information would Renamon have?"

Eclipsemon nodded his head, "A secret, that's what kind. Sometimes, the greatest weapon in battle is knowing your opponents weakness."

Guardromon nodded his head, "A classic example of brains conquering brawn."

"Classic", Terriermon shouted from Guardromon's shoulder, "what is so classic about this. A firry phoenix kidnapped Renamon with the help of a witch and a monk digimon. So far it has seemed to be an example of brawn over brains."

Eclipse sighed, opening one eye as he looked at Terriermon, "Allow me to elaborate. The sovereign digimon have been trying to destroy Jason and Peradium. Still, no matter how many times they have tried they haven't been able to. That was when they were just using their brute force. Now, they have kidnapped Renamon, the person who knows that Jason had once been human. I know personally that Jason has a fatal weakness, and I imagine that Renamon also knows that information."

Terriermon groaned, "Can you give us the short version all ready."

"The sovereign are going to do what ever it takes to make Renamon tell them Jason's weakness, and then they are going to use it to destroy him and Peradium. Is that short enough for you."

Terriermon fell silent, lowering his head. The rest of the digimon hung their heads, the seriousness of the situation setting in. The only one that seemed to remain relaxed was Impmon. He stood up, pocketing the keys to behemoth as he moved to the center of the room, "Now, listen all of yea. You guys are forgetten who we are talking about. We all know Renamon. She is serious, and wouldn't laugh if Terriermon slipped on a banana peal, fell into a banana cream pie, and then was attacked by monkeys."

Terriermon sat up abruptly, "HEY."

Impmon ignored the offended rabbit digimon, continuing on, "I may be wrong, but can we all agree that Renamon isn't the kind of digimon to sing like a stool pigeon. I don't think we have to worry about the cat getting out of the bag."

Calumon and MarineAngemon smiled, nodding their heads as they floated through the air. Guardromon struck his fist into his open palm, "Right ho, Renamon is as loyal as they come. She would never betray our trust."

Eclipsemon stood up, smiling as he nodded his head, "You guys are right. Now, I'm going up to the engine to talk to Axel. I'll be back in a bit." With that Eclipsemon walked towards the front of the car, slipping through the door quietly. Once outside, Eclipsemon sighed, "Renamon would never tell of her free will, but that doesn't mean she can't be forced to talk."

In the first bedroom car, most of the tamers were all in Henry's room, hutted around his computer. On the monitor, with a very serious look on his face, was Yamachi. The head of Hypnos had listened for the past hour as the tamers explained everything that happened. Now, while his hand flipped his silver lighter open and shut, Yamachi said, "This is a very strange turn of events. I wish you had told me earlier, but we can't worry about that now. I'll get the monster makers on the phone, and see what we can do for Jason. Until then, just try and stay out of trouble."

With that, Yamachi broke the connection and disappeared of the screen. Takato smiled weakly, rubbing the back of his head, "Well, I don't think were going to be staying too far out of trouble."

Kazu shook his head, "That is putting it mildly chummily."

Kenta nodded, "Yeah, considering were on the express train to Zhuqiaomon's crystal castle."

"That doesn't matter", Rika said as she stood up from her chair, "if that is where Renamon is, that is where were going. We are going to get her back."

The other tamers nodded their heads, agreeing with Rika. It was simple nature for the tamers and digimon partners. Just like the time Jeri was taken by the D-Reaper, Takato and the others never gave up. They kept trying, fighting and sacrificing until she was back. It was part of being a tamer. It was part of being a true friend.

Henry smiled, turning away from his computer, "Besides, think about what Jason would do to use if we came back without trying?"

Takato laughed, "Jason, I'd be more afraid of Rika then him." Rika quickly retorted, punching Takato in the shoulder. The rest of the tamers laughed as Takato rubbed his arm, moving away from Rika as he complained, "Hey, that hurt."

"Yeah, and I am glad it did", Rika replied as she crossed her arms.

In the back of the train, away from the other tamers and digimon, Jeri and Leamon sat in the silence of the normal passenger car. Leamon had been the first in the car, wanting to be alone. Jeri had finally woken up, after being knocked out by Vexmon, and gone looking for the lioness digimon.

Finally, Jeri got up the courage to stand up, and walk over to where Leamon was seated. Leamon looked at Jeri out of the corner of her eyes before gazing back out the window. Jeri smiled, leaning over as she asked, "Do you mind if I sit next to you?"

Leamon sat up a bit, making room for Jeri on the seat. Jeri smiled, dropping down in the chair beside the lioness digimon. The pair were silent for a few more minutes, Leamon's eyes locked on the passing landscape. She was so focused on the distant horizon, she didn't notice Jeri was holding something in her hand.

After several minutes, Jeri looked at Leamon and said, "You know, Takato told me what happened after Vexmon knocked me out. It's my fault Renamon was captured."

Leamon sat up quickly, her attention pulled away from the rolling grass outside the window, "No, never say that Jeri. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine."

"Why do you say that?"

Leamon turned in her seat, sitting up straight, "I am a lion digimon and, like all other Leomons and Leamons, we are meant to be protectors. The honorable lion is a great warrior, one who fights for the weak and defenseless. Since I digivolved a few years ago, I haven't been able defend anyone, not even myself. I probably have been destroyed months ago if I hadn't found a few higher level digimon to travel with. They are the ones who taught me medicine, the art of healing the injured and sick. Still, it was only when we became citizens of Peradium that I began to feel that I was actually making a difference. Now, I see, that I am still as useless on the battlefield. Medicine is a cure, something meant to heal an injury or wound, not prevent it."

Jeri sat up a bit, challenging Leamon, "I don't care what you say, it's my fault. If I hadn't allowed myself to be kidnapped then Vexmon would have never lured everyone outside the city gates."

Leamon bent down, her eyes locking with Jeri's, "Yeah, and if I had been able to bring Vexmon down with my arrow, then he would have never reached the city limits. So, I say it's my fault."

The pair glared at each other, but soon both began to smile as everything they had just said sunk in. Soon, both were laughing out loud. The laughter filled the train car for a few minutes before both began to calm down. Leamon was the first to suppress her laughter, limiting it to a light giggle as she said, "Listen to us. Fighting over such a trivial matter."

Jeri nodded her head, "Yeah, but still I wanted to thank you. Takato said that when they were chasing after Vexmon, you were running right along with them. I don't know why, but I wanted to give you this."

Jeri smiled as she held something up. Leamon looked at the object as Jeri set it in her open palm. It was a necklace, but for Leamon it would have been a bracelet, just with the difference in size. It was made of several half inch strands of hemp, a rough tan material made from a plant. Each strand was braided together into three main pieces that were then braided a second time. Small beads were interlaced ever few inches to add some color.

Leamon looked up from the necklace, a bit of confusion on her face, "What is this?"

Jeri smiled, "It's something my step-mom brought me after the thing with the D-Reaper. She went to visit a friend in the United States and got it for me as a street fair. Each color of bead is supposed to represent something. The purple is for the pain felt when we lose someone close to use. The blue, the time after when it feels like our heart will never heal."

Leamon nodded her head, looking down at the necklace. She noticed some red beads that seemed to be covered in lots of cracks, each one different then the others on the necklace, "What does the red represent?"

Jeri stood up, looking back at Leamon, "My mother said that the red can represents two things. The first is that after we lost someone important in our life, our hearts are never quiet the same. They do eventually heal, but there are some things that never go away."

"And what else can it mean?"

"The courage, the will power, to continue on even when we think it won't make a difference." With that, Jeri slowly walked back towards the front of the car. Leamon watched as Jeri left, a smile starting to grace her own face as she looked back down at the necklace. After a few moments Leamon held the necklace up, and slipped it onto her wrist. Do to the difference in size, what was a necklace for Jeri was only a bracelet to Leamon. Still, it was the thought that counted.

Far away, on the very edge of the digital plains, a dark castle stood where the day refused to tread and night held constant power. A dark mist covered the ground, killing the grass and leaving nothing but the barren ground for a mile in every direction. The castle itself was surrounded by a moat, but in place of water dark fire roared without pause. The castle stood without exterior walls, the single structure relying on the fire to hold off any intruders.

Inside the castle's black walls there was only one room. The main hall was wide, open, and empty. Tall columns lined a deep, blood red carpet that ran from the front door to the center of the back wall. On each column was a lantern that glowed, providing some light to the otherwise dark hall. Near the back wall was a single large fire that provided most of the light in the room.

The hall was meant to accommodate the largest of digimon, which included the master of the castle, Zhuqiaomon. Right now, the phoenix sovereign had gone to find Azulongmon, leaving only three digimon inside the castle walls. Vexmon, dressed in a long black robe, leaned against one of the tall, black columns. Around his neck hung his latest gift from Zhuqiaomon, a pendent placing him among the ranks of the devas.

The evil witch digimon, Hageramon, stood in front of the fire, the flames casting harsh shadows against her face as she looked up against the back wall of the castle. There, hung against the wall wither her legs hanging down and her arms spread out wide, was Renamon. Chains covered her body, biding her wrists, chest, and ankles to the wall. At that moment Renamon slept, her body exhausted from trying to pull herself free.

Vexmon stood up straight, walking up behind Hageramon as he complained, "Why can't you just cast a spell or something, pull the information from her?"

Hageramon glanced back at Vexmon, her eyes quickly returning to the fox digimon in front of her, "Do you think I am such a foul? I have tried every spell I thought could force the information from her, but Renamon has proved to have an unbreakable will. I, myself, don't have the power to draw the information we want to the surface, the weakness of the lord of Peradium."

Vexmon grumbled, reaching down as he picked up a small rock and tossed it at Renamon. The stone bounced against the wall, clicking across the hall until it came to a stop beneath Renamon. The sound of the stone had been enough to wake Renamon up, causing her to raise her head up.

Hageramon smiled, "Well, did you have a nice nap."

Renamon glared at Hageramon, once again trying to pull herself free of the chains. However, like before, the chains did nothing more then rattle, her effort not enough to free them from the wall. Vexmon smiled, gaining a great amount of pleasure seeing Renamon struggle so much.

Vexmon had always been a virus type, but had to change his ways when he entered the walls of Peradium. He had become soft, his heart starting to grow soft after years of hardening. Being free to do evil again, it had made Vexmon feel so good. Once again, his heart was black as night, and he would never allow anyone to soften it again. His heart would be a stone, something no one, not even Hageramon, could squeeze a cold tear or drop of blood from.