Vigatus: Thanks for the read and review.

OmnicromXR: Glad you're enjoying it.

Volcasiron30: Thanks for the read and review.

Taiki paced the concrete floor as he listened to the voice on his cell phone. "Yeah, I know she won't be happy but she'll be even more not happy if that girl gets away, right?"

"Yeah, maybe," the voice answered, "but that's your problem. I've already stuck my neck out for you twice now."

Taiki felt the phone bend as he squeezed his hand. "Yeah, well, just remember. If that girl spills her guts to the Chosen, that'll be the end of us."

The voice chuckled. "It'll be the end of us if we don't get her back, period."

"Yeah, yeah," Taiki sneered, "Hilarious, but do you really think the other Chosen'll just let us walk around without sticking their noses in our business?"

"Fine," came the reply, "I'll send you more Tyrannomon, but that's it, got it?"

"Yeah, sure," Taiki said. He hung up and dropped his phone into his pocket. As he did, he felt the pain run up his arm, like a thousand needles dancing across his skin. He hissed and squeezed his jaw shut until the feeling passed.

Shoutmon yawned from where he'd been sleeping on a thick blanket in the corner of the room. "What's up?"

Taiki tried to reply but was too out of breath.

His digimon raced over. "Shit. It's getting worse, isn't it?"

Taiki filled his lungs and he breathed out slowly. "Forget about that. We're getting more Tyrannomon but this is our last chance." He narrowed his eyes, "That girl is ours."

Child of Courage

Chapter VI

Kimiko heard the slight knocks on the dressing room door, followed by Aunt Hikari asking, "Honey, are you okay in there?"

The tween girl's reply was short and to the point. "No."

"What's wrong?" Miss Tachikawa asked, "Do you need any help getting it on?"

"No!" Kimiko snapped as she unconsciously rolled her eyes, "I've been dressing myself since I was five!"

She shivered. Was that her memory returning? No, probably not. A lot of kids can dress themselves by then, right?

"Then what's wrong?" Aunt Hikari pressed.

"I-" Kimiko breathed in and then exhaled. Her aunt had been so kind to her; she didn't deserve Kimiko's temper. "-don't think it's really me."

She studied her reflection in the mirror again and tried not to scowl.

The dress was pink, not like a girl-power kind of pink, but a bright, sparkly kind of pink. Plus it had lace around the neckline and a stupid bow in the back. It would probably be okay for a special occasion, like a wedding or something, but for just walking around? It made her feel like a five-year-old.

"Really?" said Miss Tachikawa, "Let us see."

Kimiko opened the door and stepped out. Miss Tachikawa's face lit up. "Oh! You look so cute! Let's get it and then go to that fancy restaurant across the street."

Kimiko saw Tailmon give her a questioning expression while Yuki Agumon gagged slightly. Palmon had the same star-filled look in her eyes as her partner. Aunt Hikari smiled slightly. "Yes, she does look cute but it's a bit much for lunch, don't you think?" She handed her another dress from the rack. "I think this would look much better."

Kimiko grinned and ran back into the dressing room. She emerged a minute later in a simple short-sleeved blue dress. "Better?" her aunt asked.

She nodded.

"Okay, I get it," Miss Tachikawa said, "This is more your style." She grinned. "I like a girl who knows who she is."

Kimiko felt her smile drop along with her heart. "Mimi," Aunt Hikari said.

Miss Tachikawa gasped. "Oh, right. Well, um, you know you're Taichi's daughter, right?" She smiled again, "So there. You know who you are."

"I still don't know about my Mom or how I was even born."

Miss Tachikawa put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, I can't help you there but I know the perfect cure for a frown. A delicious meal followed by ice cream."

She was talking to her like a baby but Kimiko still found herself grinning. "Yeah!"

Her clothes were paid for (Miss Tachikawa's treat), and they headed up the sidewalk. The older woman began listing the menu from memory. Kimiko's stomach growled with each description.

"Sounds great to me!" Yuki Agumon declared, "I'm gonna stuff my face and-"

She stopped. Kimiko gave her a puzzled look and then turned to where she was pointing. A few feet in front of them stood a familiar preteen boy with a red digimon at his side. "It's you!"

Taiki smirked. "That's right."

Kimiko felt Aunt Hikari tense beside her. "That's that boy, isn't it?"

Taiki bowed. "My name is Taiki and I'm here for Kimiko."

Cold fear washed over Kimiko but the thought of her father gave her strength to pull out her digivce. "I'm not going anywhere with you! Me and Yuki Agumon beat you before."

"With the help of Taichi Yagami," he added.

Miss Tachikawa and Palmon stepped beside her. "She's got help this time too."

Aunt Hikari and Tailmon jumped forward as well.

Shoutmon frowned. "More original Chosen."

"That's what the Tyrannomon are for," Taiki said. He snapped his fingers and the air behind them started to shimmer. It then flickered like a bad computer monitor before four Tyrannomon appeared. The boy pointed at three of them. "The small human comes with us. I don't care about the others."

Kimiko grumbled. Aunt Hikari wasn't that much taller than her.

Miss Tachikawa held up her digivice. "Ready?"

Palmon nodded. "Yeah, we've got this! Palmon evolve to Togemon!"

While the cactus pounded a Tyrannomon with her fists, Tailmon climbed up another before slashing its nose with her claws.

Aunt Hikari turned to her. "We can handle this. You need to go."

Kimiko shook her head. "No way! Right?"

Yuki Agumon grinned. "Right! Yuki Agumon evolve to Allomon!"

Taiki nodded at Shoutmon. "We'll have to handle this ourselves."

"Right," his partner said, "Gotcha."

Taiki whipped a dark red digivice from his pocket. Shoutmon began to run forward while his body glowed brightly. "Shoutmon evolve to Dark Tyrannomon!"

"Kick his ass!" Kimiko ordered.

Allomon unleashed a roar and charged. Dark Tyrannomon gave a quick upward swipe of his claw, slashing the underside of Allomon's chin. She hopped backward but recovered quickly to charge like a bull. "Dynamite Head!"

Dark Tyrannomon spewed a ball of dark flames "Fire Blast!"

Allomon suddenly pirouetted around the fire attack and use the momentum to bash Dark Tyrannomon in the side. He grunted and slashed with his claws. "Dark Nail!"

Allomon hissed as the dark dinosaur's claws ripped across her back but responded by slamming her jaw around his midsection. He bashed her head with both of his fists until she was forced to retreat.

Dark Tyrannomon ran a hand over his side. "You're gonna pay for that!"

Allomon gestured with her claw. "I'm right here. Make me."

Kimiko grinned. "Yeah! You tell him!"

The two dinosaur digimon raced forward again and met in a snarling melee of slashes and fire blasts. Kimiko watched the battle so intensely that she didn't notice the ground rumbling until the regular Tyranomon was almost right behind her partner. She shouted Allomon's name but it was too late to save her from a Fire Breath to her back. Allomon arched her back and roared. This left her open to a Dark Nail attack from Dark Tyrannomon.

"That's not fair!" Kimiko shouted.

Taiki only smirked. "Whatever works."

Kimiko wanted to shout for help but the two Tyrannomon Aunt Hikari and Miss Tachikawa were fighting had pushed them further away. She and Allomon had to do this themselves. What would her father do? He and Agumon were strong enough that they could destroy Tyrannomon and Dark Tyrannomon without breaking a sweat. She needed some kind of strategy.

"Allomon, take out the Tyrannomon first."

"Right, gotcha." Her partner tried to use a Dino Burst at the red dinosaur but the dark one used his Iron Tail to whip his appendage into her side. She stumbled to the side and the red Tyrannomon used his Slash Nail swipe at her injured side before Dark Tyranomon unleashed his Dark Claw on her other side, shoving his claws deep beneath her leathery skin. The red Tyranomon blasted his Fire Breath at close range with Dark Tyranomon used another Iron Tail to send the devolving Allomon skidding across the pavement. She slid to a stop a few feet in front of Kimiko, already shrunk to her Child form.

Kimiko dropped beside her partner and hoisted her into her arms. "Yuki Agumon!"

"I'm fine," the Digimon said, trying to get to her feet, "Just let me-"

She winced and fell back into Kimiko's arms. As the tween girl cradled her partner, she felt a shadow pass over her. Looking up, she was Taiki staring down. "So," he smirked, "Ready to go yet?"

Hikari watched Tailmon execute a Neko Punch to the Tyrannomon's nose and exhaled when the red digimon's data vanished into the sky. She turned and saw Mimi and Togemon in the distance. The cactus similarly disposed of her opponent. She turned in the other direction and felt her heart stop. Kimiko and Yuki Agumon had vanished. That boy, Taiki, was gone too. "Oh no."

Mimi and Palmon ran up to them. "Hikari? Where's Kimiko?"

Hikari shook her head. "I don't know." She twirled, trying to take in everything she could. They were somewhere, just of sight, they had to be! "They're gone. That boy took her!"

"Can you track her?" Palmon asked.

Tailmon frowned. "Maybe. I'll try." She started sniffing the ground.

Mimi gave Hikari a weak smile. "We'll find her."

"Yeah." She paused and fished her phone from her purse, "I'd better call Taichi."

Tailmon had wandered closer to the alley where they'd met Taiki. "I think I've got her. This way."

They followed Tailmon as she raced down the sidewalk.

Taichi watched the rain of thunderbolts strike the sword-wielding sprite. He slouched as the words 'game over' flashed in red on the screen. "Damn it!"

He looked over the back of the couch. "Were you angry or something when you made this? I can't even get past the first level!"

Koshiro chuckled from his desk. "It's a standard difficulty level. Maybe you're just out of practice."

Agumon nodded beside Taichi. "You haven't been playing that much lately, right?"

Taichi grunted and selected play again. "I'm as good as I've ever been."

He lasted even less time before another 'game over' blinked on the screen. He groaned and tossed the controller onto the floor. "The game's rigged."

The phone on Koshiro's desk began to chime. He answered it and then replaced the handset. "What's up?" Taichi asked.

"It's Jyou. I'm putting him on speaker phone." He pressed a button on the console. "Jyou?"

"Hey," he answered with the familiar crackle over the large speaker, "Taichi?"

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Once I got back to the office here, I did some research on amnesia. There are a few different types but I think we're dealing with dissociative amnesia, which can be caused by stress or trauma." Taichi heard the sound of rustling papers before Jyou continued, "Um, let's see. A person suffering from this condition can forget specific periods of his or her life and in severe cases, their entire identity can be lost."

"But she knows who she is," Taichi said.

"But there are specific things she can't remember," Koshiro pointed out.

"How long does it last?" asked Taichi.

"Hard to say," Jyou replied, "But it can come back in the way Kimiko's is."

Taichi nodded, more to himself, "Sort of like flashes."

"Exactly. Look, I've got to get back to work but just wanted to report on what I found."

Koshiro thanked him and disconnected the call. "So, I think we can't really do anything else except to wait."

Taichi frowned. "Yeah, I know." He sighed, "I don't have to like it though."

His phone vibrated against his leg and he yanked it from his pocket. He checked the screen before answering. "What's up, Hikari?" He gasped, "What?"

Taichi found Hikari, Mimi, and their partners in front of the small pharmacy store. His sister was pacing the sidewalk and it looked like she was muttering to herself. "Hikari!"

She spun around and then ran up to him. "Taichi, I'm so sorry. I should have paid better attention to Kimiko." She frowned, "Some babysitter I am."

"It wasn't your fault, right?" Agumon answered.

"Yeah, it wasn't," Taichi said quickly, "Where'd you last see her?"

"In the shopping district," Tailmon answered, "I tracked her scent here but I can't find it again."

Taichi turned to Agumon but the dinosaur was already sniffing the air. "Yeah it's here but it's too faint. I can't tell which way."

Taichi took in his surroundings. Aside from the few small stores on the sidewalk, there were only apartments and small houses. "We're in a quiet section of the city. There can't be that many places to hide."

"Tentomon and I can search from the air," Koshiro suggested.

"Okay. The rest of us will split up. Try to be as low-key as possible."

They all nodded. Koshiro and Kabuterimon took to the sky while the rest ran in opposite directions down the streets. Taichi charged down the sidewalk, peering into every corner, every space between buildings, every nook, and cranny. He wasn't even thinking of Kimiko in the clutches of some evil tween Chosen, he was thinking of all the missing children on the news. Is this what their parents felt? He'd never blame his sister for anything but if he'd been there, would Kimiko be safe right now? How did parents ever let their children out of their sight?

"Hang on, Kimiko," Taichi said, "I'm coming."

Hikari ignored Tailmon as she pulled herself up to look over the wooden fence. A child, maybe five or six, gave her a strange look from his sandbox. She dropped back down and started up the sidewalk again. It was her fault Kimiko was taken. She had to find her!

"Hikari!" Tailmon screamed, "Stop!"

"I can't!" she shouted over her shoulder, "I have to find her."

"I know where she is!"

Hikari slid to a stop and spun around. "What?"

Tailmon was panting as she raced up to her. "I've got her scent."

"Why didn't you say anything? Which way?"

Hikari ignored Tailmon's eye rolling and followed her partner back down the sidewalk around the first corner. The small houses on the right side quickly gave way to a large car park; still under construction, judging by the caution tape and flashing barriers. "In there?"

Tailmon nodded. "I'm guessing that boy's in there too because-"

Hikari pulled out her phone and texted Taichi the address. She frowned at his response. "He thinks he's still thirty minutes away."

"Are we going to wait?"

Hikari shook her head. "Kimiko could be hurt or worse. No, we're going in now." She climbed over the concrete barriers and ran into the large opening. She heard Tailmon groan and then trot after her.

"Just hang on Kimiko."

Kimiko watched Taiki as he paced the floor. Shoutmon was curled up on a concrete divider between two sections of the car park. Even though his eyes were closed, she couldn't be sure if he was cat-asleep like Tailmon or knocked out like Agumon. Either way, she was more worried about the human. When they got there, he just told her and Yuki to stand in a corner and then he started talking on his cell phone. That had been an hour ago.

"Who do you think he's talking to?" Yuki Agumon whispered.

She shook her head. "I have no idea." She paused. "Do you think it's, like, his boss or something?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Do you think he's working with someone else?"

"He's got to be," Kimiko said with a snort, "I don't think he's smart enough to be the big bad guy."

Taiki suddenly dropped his phone into his pocket and turned to face them. "He heard you!" Yuki Agumon hissed.

Kimiko stood as straight as she could and tried to make her face as stone as possible. He wasn't going to scare her. She'd kick his ass if he tried anything.

Taiki smiled as he walked closer. "The others'll be here soon."

"Others?" Kimiko asked, "Who?"

Taiki rolled his eyes. "You know who I'm talking about."

She opened her mouth to tell him that she didn't have a clue when she closed it again. He didn't know that. Could she trick him into giving away his master plan or something?

She swallowed and tried not to let her voice quake. "O-oh, yeah, them."

Yuki Agumon raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. Taiki chuckled. "Yeah, them." He crossed his arms. "Believe me, I'd rather not deal with them either but-"

He stared at her. "You're dropping the act all of a sudden?"

"Y-yeah. I mean, you've got me, right?"

Taiki studied her with narrowed eyes. "So who's in charge?"

Crap! Kimiko felt sweat run down her back. "Um…"

He continued to stare until Shoutmon's voice filled the air. "Trouble!"

The two humans and Yuki Agumon twisted their heads and Kimiko gasped. Aunt Hikari and Tailmon were running through the entrance of the car park! "Kimiko!" the older woman cried, "Are you two okay?"

The tween nodded and rested a hand on Yuki Agumon's back. "Yeah, we're okay."

Taiki grunted as Shoutmon trotted up to his side. "The others are coming and we're gonna be in deep shit if there's trouble."

"Gotcha," the digimon nodded.

Taiki whipped out his digivice and Shoutmon evolved to Dark Tyranomon. Tailmon raced forward and then leaped into the air, high enough where she was level with Dark Tyranomon's head. "Neko Punch!"

Her fist connected with the dark digimon's snout. He took a step back but then whipped his neck forward, head-butting Tailmon with enough force that she smashed into the pavement.

"Tailmon!" Aunt Hikari cried.

Kimiko held her breath until the feline digimon crawled out of the crater in the ground. "I'm okay," she heaved as she trotted back to Hikari's side, "That battle before took too much out of me. I should have seen that coming."

Dark Tyranomon chuckled in a deep laugh. "I'm a little faster than I look."

Kimiko heard Yuki Agumon whimper. "If only I could evolve to Perfect."

"I know," the human said, "But we-"

She and Yuki Agumon gasped at the same time and they turned to each other. They didn't have time to react to the sudden return of a shared memory as the ground began to shake. This was followed moments later by a large section of the wall crumbling to dust. Through the dust and debris, Kimiko could make out the familiar outline of a large orange dinosaur walking through the hole. "Dad!"

Taichi slid down Greymon's tail and jumped onto the floor. He ran towards the others but Kimiko met him halfway and jumped into his arms, almost throwing him backward. "Dad!"

He grinned and threw her into the air. Well, as far as he could. She was either heavier than she looked or he was getting older. He placed her on the ground and nodded slightly at Hikari.

"We're fine," his sister said.

"Just a little embarrassed we couldn't handle him," Tailmon muttered.

"No sweat," Greymon grunted, eying the Dark Tyrannomon, "They're tougher than they look."

Taichi stared down Taiki. "All right. Let's have some answers, now!"

The tween boy stared back, his eyes matching Taichi's intensity. "I don't want to fight you, but I guess I don't have a choice." He nodded at Dark Tyrannomon, "We'll have to use our secret move and take them out quick."

"Gotcha," the black tyrannosaurus growled. Taichi and Greymon braced themselves but Dark Tyrannomon suddenly jumped onto the red Tyrannomon's back.

"Dark Tyrannomon jogress evolve to Metal Tyrannomon!" Before anyone could react, the viral cyborg thrust his right palm forward and fired forth a large missile. "Giga Destroyer II!"

Taichi pulled Kimiko into a protective embrace while his digivice burst with light. In a flash, Greymon evolved to Metal Greymon and threw open his cyborg arm. The missiles bounced off the metal limb and exploded in contact with the far wall.

"Are you okay?" Taichi asked.

His daughter nodded a few times. "Yeah. I think so." She stared at Metalgreymon. "Your partner is so cool!"

Taichi's grin dropped when Yuki Agumon shouted, "Look out!"

Taichi looked over to where the white digimon stood with Hikari and Tailmon and then over to where Metal Tyrannomon was thrusting his left palm. "Nuclear Laser!"

"Oh no you don't!" cried MetalGreymon, "Trident Arm!"

His grappling claw fired from his arm and grabbed Metaltyrannomon's arm. He jerked back on the cable and the viral cyborg twisted, his laser blasting into the ceiling. MetalGreymon continued his assault by twirling around and smacking the viral cyborg with his tail. Metal Tyrannomon stumbled back but grabbed hold of the appendage with a smirk. He threw MetalGreymon to the side like a whip but the vaccine threw his foot into the ground and he skidded to a stop. He whipped back around and smacked Metaltyrannomon face with the back of his claw before headbutting him into the wall.

Taichi turned to Taiki. "Ready to talk yet?"

The tween boy glared at Taichi but then turned to Kimiko. "You weren't bull-shitting me before, were you? You really don't know who I am?"

"No!" Kimiko shouted, "I have no idea."

Taiki studied her for another moment before chuckling. "You've got amnesia or something, don't you?"

She whimpered. "K-kinda."

Taiki broke into a roaring laugh. "Well, that's good news for us, but I'm not taking any chances that your memory'll come running back. Finish her!"

Metal Tyrannomon thrust both of his palms at Kimiko. "Giga Destroyer II! Nuclear Laser!"

Taichi pulled Kimiko tight again while Metal Greymon backhanded the missiles with his metal arm. The Nuclear Laser struck the dinosaur's shoulder but the Giga Destroyer exploded on contact with Metal Tyrannomon's chest. The force threw the metal digimon and his human partner against the wall. Metal Greymon roared through the pain in his shoulder and unleashed his Trident Arm, firing it through Metal Tyrannomon's shoulder. The metal digimon screamed as he regressed to Shoutmon.

"You still okay?" Taichi asked his daughter.

Kimiko nodded slowly. "Yeah." She paused, "Dad, you're so cool."

His heart skipped as Yuki Agumon and the others ran to join them. After assurances they were fine, Taichi walked towards Taiki, who was holding an unconscious Shoutmon. "So, do you want to start talking now?"

Taiki snickered. He opened his mouth but any explanation was lost as a shimmering circle appeared behind him. That was replaced by a gaping hole in the air, similar to a distortion on a computer monitor. A large metal claw emerged, snatched Taiki and Shoutmon, and vanished back through the hole.

"What the hell?" Kimiko gasped.

"That looked like my Trident Arm," MetalGreymon said.

The distortion started shimmering and three figures emerged, all preteen boys, all with unkempt brown hair, and all wearing goggles. Taichi felt his skipping heart turn cold while Kimiko squeezed his hand. "Dad, they all look like…"

She trailed off and Taichi wondered what she was going to say. That all the boys looked like Taiki, or that they all looked like him. He swallowed. "All right, so who are you guys?"

The boy who wore his goggles around his neck smirked. "You wanna know our names, is that it? You think this is a friendly gathering? Well, fine." He gestured to the other two. "That's Takato and Takuya." He jerked a thumb at his chest, "And my name's Masaru. We're just here for a little cleanup. Taiki just ran out of chances, but don't worry. We just got orders to leave you alone for now. Looks like your memory problems make you not a threat." He smirked again, "For now."

"Orders?" Taichi asked, "Who's giving your orders? And who are you?"

"You're gonna find out soon enough. Later, losers." He and the other two boys walked back through the distortion before it shrunk to nothing and vanished.

To be continued…