Digimon: Silver Star Story

Episode Twenty Four: The Memory of a Good Day

Ghaleon took one observant look around. "Well," he began, "what a… quaint little… hovel this is."

Alex nodded, grinning at the familiar surroundings. "It's not much, but it's all we want… or need for people like us." He moved his arm a bit.

Ghaleon turned his attention to the small group. "You all look tired…but you know what they say, 'No rest for the wicked.'"

"Let's hope that's not prophetic," T.K. muttered. Angemon agreed with him vehemently. They had had enough wicked things for the week.

"Then let us make haste!" Ghaleon declared. "Take me to the cave of the White Dragon. I'm anxious to… catch up with him."

Alex nodded, keeping his sigh internal. Despite wanting to take a few hours to sleep, he knew how important this was. He had also heard of how relentless Ghaleon was when he set his mind on something. "Alright, people, move out."

D:SSS

After three days of walking, Ghaleon finally relented, stopping for the night as Kari almost fell to the ground, nearly asleep on her feet. They set up the tent afterward, and the sleeping bags rolled out. Dinner went quickly, as no one was interested in talking. They went to bed following that. None of them had slept for four days, and they wanted to be prepared for the long walk through the Weird Woods.

Morning found them all rejuvenated and ready for another brutal pace. They changed their clothes, though this seemed to grate on Ghaleon's nerves slightly.

They had all noticed a blue flash in the tent and decided that Amy was doing a computer scan of their immediate vicinity to ensure they weren't being followed. It also seemed to fray Ghaleon's last nerve. "Mr. Urawa," he finally said in his usual monotone voice, "could you please ask Miss Mercury to hurry up a little with her scan? We need to make it to Burg within the next two days to keep our tight schedule."

Greg mentally winced at this. Amy had just entered the tent a minute ago. She would probably still be going over some calculations, as the Premier of the Magic Guild was thinking. Also, Mercury was transformed. Her uniform would have cleaned itself off over the night, and thus, she wouldn't need to change clothes. And the tent was a good dozen feet from them.

Coming up to the tent, he pulled back the flap quietly, hoping to catch his girlfriend off guard. Even he had a moment of mischief now and then, a moment where he was just as immature as any other boy. And some part of him was hoping that there would be a treat in store for his trick. A yelp of surprise would be nice. After all, Amy wasn't the easiest girl to startle.

And he achieved his goal, though not in the way he was hoping. In hindsight, he would later reflect, it was a good thing that the tent's entrance was out of the visual sight of the group, a reasonable distance from the others and that the sides were opaque to the sun. Otherwise, it would prove a very embarrassing moment for the two of them.

He poked his upper body in, prepared to do his trick… and promptly froze, shock emanating from every pore of his body.

She was picking up a shift, observing it for a second. Apparently, Amy had decided to change her clothes after all. She was in the process of doing just that.

And Greg had an excellent view of her naked backside. It was a cute backside, too.

'Change in plans,' he decided, suddenly remembering that a flash of light also signified that a Scout was transforming into or out of their battle uniform. He also decided that it would be best to leave before Amy turned around and saw him. With that in mind, he prepared to rise quietly.

At that precise moment, though, the fates had decided to intervene. Something small and fast decided to bounce off the small of his back. He would never see what had hit him, but it served its purpose. He overbalanced, hitting the ground inside the tent, letting out a muffled grunt of surprise as he did so.

Amy turned around quickly, the shift she had been ready to put on clutched to her chest. "Greg!" she exclaimed in surprise, almost blushing.

Greg lifted his head slightly, focusing on her two dainty, flawless feet. "Hi, Ames. Sorry about this unexpected intrusion. It isn't what you think."

Amy frowned. He had obviously been outside the tent for a few moments, and it wasn't what she was thinking? "You have absolutely no idea what I think," she informed him archly, her free hand clenched into a fist.

Greg staggered to his feet, keeping his eyes to the ground. "Well, my original intention was to spook you. We all thought that you were running a scan of the surround, so they sent me to rouse you from your search."

She pointed downward at the computer in question, which was beeping silently. "It does that function automatically every three hours. I programmed it to do so."

"Yes, so I see now." Greg scratched his neck sheepishly. "And then I saw you… well, let's say I was going to leave you be because of it." He looked behind him suspiciously. "Then something hit me in the back before I could straighten up. I think you can gather the rest."

"Oh, I have a fairly good idea," Amy replied, her gaze softening. A sudden idea came to her, something wholly irrational and really unlike her, and her slight smile became more mischievous. She even smiled somewhat, realizing that it was a little funny in hindsight. The way Greg was acting had made it clear that he hadn't done this intentionally. "So I guess that this wasn't part of the plan."

Greg, who was still looking behind him, didn't see this change in her expression. "No, it wasn't…well, I'm going to step outside and let you get dressed…"

"Greg," Amy's voice interrupted him, "could you stare at me when you talk? It's really irritating when you're looking in another direction and not watching the person as you speak to."

Greg turned his head around, sheepish. "Sorry, Ames. It's a habit that I-"

Greg's voice died off as Amy suddenly released the shift, letting it fall to the ground. His entire body became frozen yet again as she stood there, leaving nothing for his imagination.

Amy stood there, looking at him. "I assume that this was also not part of your plan," she guessed impishly, feeling a sense of accomplishment. She had achieved what women have been doing for millennium; she now had his undivided attention.

Involuntarily, Greg's eyes roamed over the Senshi's naked form. She was beautiful, no doubt about it. Her body wasn't overly proportional like Jupiter's but perfectly balanced. Her nipples were hardening under his scrutiny, becoming pointed tips. Sweat popped out on his forehead.

Amy's smile grew. "Why, Greg," she murmured, walking up to him slowly, "you look uncomfortable. Whatever could be the problem?" She stopped when she was directly in front of him, reaching out with a hand to cup his cheek gently. "Could it be that you're speechless?"

Greg couldn't answer. How could you answer any question, especially with a nude goddess in front of you? The only thing he knew was that he wouldn't get a wink of sleep for a week because of this.

Amy brought her nude body against her boyfriend's clothed form, taking some pleasure in how his breath hitched slightly, how the fabric of his tunic rubbed against her breasts, arousing her, and feeling his response making its presence known through his trousers. She bit back a moan, enjoying the sudden feeling of power she possessed over him. "Is this what that little part of you controlled by your hormones wanted to see?" She brought her face up to his while her hand went down to his pants, rubbing him slightly. "Is this something that you fantasize about in your sleep?"

Greg nodded. "Probably," he squeaked. "But right now, I'm having a hard time thinking."

The blunette smirked. "Interesting," she murmured. "Greg Urawa, not able to think?" She leaned in. "Here…I'll give you something to think about." She leaned in again, this time kissing him gently on the lips for a moment before stepping back. "How's that for a thought?" she asked mischievously.

Greg didn't move for a while after she had moved away, coming to a halt a few feet away. She hadn't even picked up the shift to cover herself, instead staring at him, hands behind her back.

His ability to move was restored instantly, and he started backing up quickly. "I…I, uh…I think… I-I'll go and wait outside, talk to the others," he stammered, practically running out of the tent.

Amy stood there for a second, looking at the tent entrance, before breaking down, giggling. 'Well, that went well.' She turned around, still giggling, and picked up the shift. She had enjoyed that considerably. She was even thinking about doing that again to the poor boy… just to see his next reaction, of course. In fact, next time, she was simply going to take a leaflet out of Ami's book... and drive him so mad that he would take her in front of an entire village.

... On second thought, she may not go that extreme.

Angemon and Alex watched as Greg hurried over to them, bewildered. He also seemed to be moving rather carefully, like his pants were too tight for him. "Greg…?" Alex started to inquire.

"Don't ask," Greg replied quickly, looking around furtively. "Not with T.K. and Kari listening. She'll be a few moments."

They understood and dropped the subject.

D:SSS

"Now I know how Laike feels every time he goes through there," Alex muttered as they exited the Weird Woods. They had made good time, walking through the day and the night. They now had some spare time in their schedule. And considering how much stronger they all were from Vane, it was a good thing.

"I'll go with that." Angewomon looked forward. "An, lo and behold, we are now half an hour from Burg."

Ghaleon nodded. "When we get to your village, Alex, we shall rest. I look forward to Angelina's cooking."

Just the mere thought of food made T.K.'s stomach growl. He wanted food as well.

Thirty minutes later, and for the first time in almost two months, Alex and his little group set foot in Burg… and stared at the absolute lack of movement in the village.

"Burg at rest," Luna explained, shrugging as Ghaleon blinked for a moment in disbelief.

"Indeed," Ghaleon replied, a little put off. Then again, he was used to the hustle and bustle of cities, having a stampede of people coming forward, wanting to meet one of the Four Heroes. To not have that kind of attention happen was disconcerting.

"Not used to people not flocking to see you?" Alex asked.

"Very much so." Ghaleon actually smiled. "The Goddess once said that if she was ever to retire, this was where she would go to live."

"Althena, retiring?" Angemon snorted. "Like she'd be allowed to."

"There is that. Alex, lead me to your domicile. I admit to some fatigue."

Alex nodded, heading in the direction of his home, everyone else right behind him. They were all tired, so a bed would be most appreciative.

D:SSS

Noah's head shot up from the book he was reading when he heard his son call out, "Mom? Dad?" from the main entrance. He jumped out of his seat, walking quickly into the living room. It couldn't be them... could it?

He grinned fully upon laying his eyes on his son and adopted daughter for the first time in two months. It was them! "Alex, Luna! It's good to have you home!" He grabbed them up in a massive hug before catching sight of the people behind them. "And I see T.K., Kari… and four people I have never seen before, two of them with wings." And why were they shaped like that?

Angemon laughed a little at that observation. "The two of us were Patamon and Gatomon, Noah. We just evolved. We're Angemon and Angewomon, now."

"And you two…?"

"I'm Greg," Greg supplied. "This is Sailor Mercury, also known as Amy."

Mercury bowed. "We're from the Digi-Destined's realm, and no, they didn't find a way home yet. Not for lack of trying, though."

Angelina came walking in, her relief so palpable that she didn't even have to hug her children for them to feel it. "Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!" she almost sobbed before sobering up. "Luna, have you been keeping Alex out of trouble?"

Luna started giggling. "I'm afraid that that's too much of a massive undertaking for me. He usually pulls me into that trouble."

"Hey!" Alex exclaimed, affronted. "Stop laughing, you guys!"

Angelina started laughing as well at her son's indignant behavior. She had missed the teasing between the two. "Well, now that that's settled…" Her gaze slid to the side and instantly froze. "Master Ghaleon," she said in surprise. He was, quite literally, the last person she had ever expected to see again, and for obvious reasons.

Ghaleon bowed. "Angelina, Noah. It's good to see both of you in good health."

Noah nodded. "It's good to see you, as well." He instantly put two and two together, and his attention sharpened. "Something's happened," he said. A member of the Four Heroes didn't simply drop into an out-of-the-way village just to say hello.

Alex sighed. "Dad, Lunar has a giant problem, and we can't stay too long."

Noah nodded, gesturing. "Dinner's almost ready. I assume you can stay the night?" Alex nodded. "It would be best if you spend it here, then. And you can tell us what's going on that requires one of the Four Heroes to be in our neck of the woods."

Ghaleon nodded as well. "Thank you."

D:SSS

After Alex had finished telling them everything, Noah leaned back, scowling. "The Vile Tribe," he spat. He had always known they would return. He just didn't think they would strike so deep into their homeland or so viciously.

"Unfortunate," Ghaleon took a cup of juice, thanking Angelina, "but not unexpected. Their attack on Vane, however, was. Their choice of allies was most impressive, as well."

Angelina sat down, stunned. "Will… they attack Burg?"

"No. Burg has no real importance to them, save for its proximity to the White Dragon Cave. I believe that their plans are much more subtle and farther reaching than that. They have been influenced by the Negaverse and have learned the art of deception." He held up a hand to stave off Noah's next question. "I have a few ideas as to what they are trying to do, but no proof. Therefore, Alex has graciously agreed to escort me to the White Dragon Cave so that I might speak to Quark."

Noah nodded. "Alright, that answers several of my questions. Do you know where the other Dragons are, then?"

Ghaleon shook his head. "Only Dyne and Lemia knew due to their close friendship. They didn't divulge that information because of security reasons and since we didn't need to know."

"And Lemia isn't in the best condition to help right now," Kari reminded them. "In fact, the last I heard, she's pretty much powerless physically to do much of anything. So we're kinda making this up as we go."

Noah stood up. His own sojourn from Burg, aiding the Four Heroes in the early days before being sidelined with injuries, had helped open his eyes to the horrors of war. "Well, I hope you're right, Ghaleon, and that Quark can give you the information you need. And you're all going to need an early start tomorrow… so all of you, to bed!" He looked at Ghaleon. "Unless you want to stay up…"

"A tempting offer, but I find that I am tired as well. And, as you correctly assumed, we need to get going early." Ghaleon rose from his seat. "I shall retire for the night. Thank you for the superb dinner."

Angelina stood up as well. "Alright, boys, Alex's room. Girls, Luna's bedroom. Move!"

Alex chuckled as he led the male contingent to his bedroom. Some things never change, no matter how long you've been away.

D:SSS

Of course, he should have realized that he wouldn't stay asleep easily, not after everything.

Two hours later, Alex shot up, eyes wide open in terror. He looked around, heard Nall's snoring from the bedpost, and calmed down somewhat, remembering that he was in his room, though he was still tense. The dream was that vivid, that terrifying.

The man in a mask... the Magic Emperor... Quark in agony...

'Where's Luna?' he thought desperately, though he knew she should be fast asleep in her room. To soothe his soul, he would go and check on her.

Getting out of bed quietly so as not to disturb the others, he moved in the direction of his bedroom door, walking out and closing the door behind him. It would do him no good if his parents caught him or he woke them up. That would lead to some rather awkward questions.

Walking over to Luna's door, he found it slightly ajar, which confused him a little. He knew Luna never left her door ajar unless she was preoccupied. Peering in, he made out the silhouettes of Angewomon, Amy, and Kari, all of them sleeping on their sleeping rolls. He noted that Angewomon seemed to be shifting slightly, steadily aroused by a dream she was having. He even had a pretty good idea who was in the dream and smirked for a second.

However, Luna wasn't in her bed.

His breath caught in his throat, but he forced himself to relax. It still wouldn't do him any good to panic just yet. He recalled that Luna, whenever she had too much on her mind, sometimes went out for walks, regardless of the time of day. And she always went to the same place in the end.

Heading for the door, he only hoped that he was right and that she remained true to type.

D:SSS

Luna sat on that glorified piece of rock, staring into the pond's water. The Dream had awoken her again, and she decided to go out for a walk to calm herself. Thankfully, it hadn't woken up the other girls, as Angewomon was smiling softly. She had a good idea as to why, too. So, not wanting to disturb them, she had slipped quietly out of bed, leaving her purple and blue top skirt and top where she had left them, though she had put her yellow dress on before leaving. The last thing she needed was one of the other villagers wondering why she was walking around in her shift.

Upon reaching the pond, she had slipped off her boots, wanting to feel the grass beneath her feet. It was just one of those things that helped her relax, soothing her nerves. It made her feel like she was just a little bit closer to nature.

The man-made pond was Luna's and Alex's favorite spot by default. It's where they practiced every year for the Goddess Festival, where Alex went to contemplate his place in the universe, where Nall went to nap without her nagging him, and where she went to think about whatever it was that was bothering her at the time. And right now, she was thinking about a great many things. Things that she hoped to address one day.

As she pondered everything, a set of footsteps, so familiar to her after so many years, approached. The owner of those feet sat down next to her. She leaned into him, putting her hand into his.

For a moment, the two of them simply sat there, basking in the other's presence, drawing strength from one another, and not wanting it to end. It was a comfortable silence that both were used to.

Finally, though, Luna lifted her head, looking at her love. "Bad dream?" she asked quietly.

Alex nodded. "The Dream?" Luna nodded. "I wish it would just stop already. You don't deserve to be tormented by it almost every night."

"I know… it's just that, I think it's trying to tell me something, something significant." Luna sighed, shaking her head. "I know, it sounds silly," she said. "But that's what I think. I just wish I knew what it was."

Alex shook his head, smiling lightly. To say he was proud of her would be quite an understatement. "I think that sounds downright sensible. And, whatever you find out, good or bad, I'll be right there beside you. No matter what. You know that."

The blue-haired beauty smiled softly at his soft-spoken declaration. "Oh, you are such a good friend, Alex." She sat up fully so she could look at him more properly. "How can I ever repay you for being so selfless…if there is any way to repay you for being selfless, that is."

Alex pretended to think about it for a minute. "How about a kiss?" he suggested.

Luna giggled. "I think I can give you that." She leaned in, her lips meeting his gently.

Alex kept it lips to lips, allowing Luna the chance to decide where to go. In all actuality, he was curious about what Luna was going to do.

Luna satiated his curiosity after a few minutes as she began deepening the kiss, feeling Alex rub her back soothingly as one of her hands reached up to capture his head. She instantly realized that Alex was giving her the chance to back out before something irreversible happened. And she also realized that she wanted something of that nature to happen. Intent on telling him, she pulled away, standing up. She saw Alex open his eyes, green as the forest, gazing at her. "Luna?" he asked hoarsely.

Luna smiled, removing the scarf from her hair and freeing the blue strands. She started removing her yellow dress, unhooking the clasps on her back, then pulling her arms out of the sleeves. Once they were free, she pushed the dress down, letting it fall to the ground, leaving her clad in a white shift. And through all of that, she never stopped looking at Alex. "Make love to me, Alex," she whispered, still smiling.

In that moment, time stopped for Alex, and he took a deep breath. This was new territory for him and Luna, and as such, he was hesitant to do anything that could hurt her. However, this was also something that he wanted a great deal.

Standing up, he looked at her for a second before leaning in again, capturing her lips in his, enfolding her in his arms. She brought one of her hands up to his head, holding him there as she started kissing him more passionately, running her tongue across his upper lip in a teasing gesture, feeling a great swell of pleasure as he responded.

Alex was rapidly becoming comfortable with the situation. As his internal turmoil vanished, he could discern that her shift was made of cotton, soft to the touch. He wondered what her skin would feel like under his hands. For now, he was content with running his hands up and down in random patterns across her back.

Luna's hands left their positions and traveled downward, tugging impatiently on his shirt. Chuckling slightly, Alex pulled back, allowing her to pull his shirt off. Letting it drop, she eyed his torso, then hesitantly put a hand on it, feeling the muscles clench under her fingertips. She slid upwards, marveling at the smooth skin as she did so. "I believe you've been keeping up with your sword exercises," she murmured appreciatively. "I must admit, I am impressed with the results."

Alex grinned, feeling desire course through him. "One of the advantages of having the greatest warrior of Vane's past pushing you past your physical limitations time and time again." He pouted. "But I think it's unfair that you can see me, but I can't see you."

Luna smiled. "Then by all means."

Alex tentatively put his hands on her hips while she leaned in and kissed him again. When she slipped her tongue into his mouth, he pulled her shift up, exposing her long legs. When he had the material bunched up at her waist, he broke the kiss, looking at her intently. She nodded, smiling, wanting him to continue. He smiled and continued, pulling the shift up further. She raised her arms, letting him pull it off. He let it fall to the ground. It was forgotten as Alex stepped back, looking at what was revealed.

There, bathed in the pale glow of the Blue Star, was Luna, bared to him for the first time. Long, silky hair flowed down her back and covered her breasts, the nipples peeking out through the blue strands. Her legs, long and shapely, ended with two dainty feet. And there, between her thighs, was the mass of blue curls, hiding her most delectable parts from view.

Luna did a slow pirouette, allowing Alex to see her back for a second before facing him again. "Do I meet your expectations, Alex?" she asked softly.

Alex stepped forward again. "That, and so much more." He reached out and brought her against him hard, his lips crashing back on hers, pouring his heart and soul into the kiss.

Luna's leg's buckled, and she clung to Alex's shoulders for support. She could feel her sheath moisten in response to all of the passion she was feeling, and could feel his arousal through his pants. Her eyes closed as she returned the kiss with equal fervor.

Finally, the two separated due to a lack of oxygen. Alex stared at her for a moment, his hands tangled in her hair before he started planting little kisses on her neck, nibbling the tender skin of her collarbone as he did so, enjoying every sound of pleasure. Traveling down her body, he latched onto one of her nipples, laving it with attention for a second before switching to the other one and giving it the same treatment. He felt them harden under his attention, before continuing on his way, stopping to plant a kiss on her belly button, hearing her gasp in surprise. He reached that special area between her legs and stopped for a moment. Looking up for a second at her, then back at her bush, he started running his tongue over it, massaging the tender muscles within. He continued doing that for a few moments, slowing down or speeding up occasionally.

Luna started thrashing slightly, the pleasure building too fast. Suddenly, she pushed Alex's head from her, panting heavily. "Too much… too much…" She pulled up, insisting that Alex stand again. When he had done so, she started scrabbling at his trousers. "I need you inside me…now!"

Alex grinned. For a virgin, she was pretty demanding. But he was feeling rather desperate himself. He kicked off his boots, then untied the knot holding his pants up, feeling a sigh of relief when the pressure disappeared. He let them drop, stepping out of them.

Luna's breath caught, and her legs began trembling all over again. Alex's legs were just as impressive, looking like they had been sculpted from rock. And he definitely looked as aroused as she was feeling.

Alex stepped forward, eyes darkening. "Well, Luna," he inquired. "Do I meet your expectations?"

Luna smiled tremulously. "That, and so much more." She took a shaky step forward, her hand closing on him, squeezing him softly. Her smile became very soft as he sucked in a breath, eyes going almost black. Giggling just as softly, she squeezed again before removing her hand, and laying down, her arms outstretched, beckoning him to join her. Alex did so, hovering over her, his eyes questioning. "Yes, Alex," she said. "I want this. Please…"

Alex nodded, taking a deep breath as he situated himself between her legs. Pausing for a second to adjust, he slowly entered her, stopping when he hit a barrier of some kind. He looked up, staring into her eyes. "This is going to hurt," he whispered before steeling himself and thrusting forward hard.

Luna gasped as a sharp pain shot through her. She shut her eyes reflexively, a few stray tears leaking out. She waited for a moment, feeling the pain slowly fade away, being replaced with a great swell of pleasure.

Alex smiled as Luna's features relaxed. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, still a little concerned.

Luna's body finished adjusting to him. They were connected in a way that she thought would never happen. She liked it. "I feel fine now, Alex. But thank you for your concern." She wrapped her legs around him, drawing him into her. "Please…"

Alex started moving again, pulling out and thrusting in slowly, clamping an iron will over his control. He saw Luna's eyes close with pleasure and joy and smiled, kissing her passionately.

Luna was in heaven. Never in her life had she felt the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. She returned the kiss ferociously as she began to move as well, adding to both of their pleasure.

Alex groaned, his pace increasing, his thrusts becoming stronger. He felt himself approaching the brink and was fairly certain that Luna was as well.

Luna suddenly cried out, her back arching off the ground as she climaxed, every muscle clamping in a mad rush. Alex joined her a second later as he froze above her. For a moment, the outside world didn't exist. All that mattered to them was each other.

Then Alex slumped, suddenly deprived of strength. He rolled off of Luna after a moment and stared up into the sky, looking at the Blue Star.

A hand soon reached out, brushing brown strands away from his forehead. Luna laid her head down on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. He put his arm around her, drawing her close, and she smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.

Alex returned her smile. "You're welcome." He looked at her. "I have been wanting that to happen for a long time."

"So have I." Luna lifted her head. "I was just too shy to bring it up." She toyed with a chest hair. "But our experiences in the Magic Guild have taught me something."

"That we should live our lives to the fullest because the chances will never come again." Alex's arm moved slowly as he brought her on top of him. "Luna, I love you. I have loved you ever since I knew what love meant. Nothing will ever change that."

Luna's eyes sparkled with tears again. Only they were tears of joy. "And I love you, Alex. I've always loved you. And nothing will ever change that." She kissed him softly. "But right now, I want you to go to sleep," she told him. "It won't do us any good if we can't keep up with Master Ghaleon tomorrow."

Alex grinned. "Strangely enough, I'm not tired."

"Oh? Well, we'll just have to do something about that." She started kissing him more passionately. "This time," she informed him mischievously, "I'm going to make love to you."

Alex grinned as well. "Just to show that I'm a sensitive kind of guy, I'm going to let you. I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Good."

Forty minutes later, Alex watched Luna as she slept, hair tousled and with a small, content smile on her face. He smiled as she rubbed her nose a moment. He had never had the heart to tell her that little detail about herself. It was his little secret. Of course, there were a whole lot of little things she did when asleep that she didn't know.

At the same time, he couldn't help but think of what happened over the past hour and a half. In that space of time, he and Luna went from best friends to lovers. It was going to take a while to get used to the new boundaries of their relationship. Not only that but, there was also the minor detail of telling his parents about this. He had no idea how he was going to broach that subject.

A wave of fatigue washed over him, making him decide to think about those boundaries tomorrow. Right now, he wanted to sleep.

The two lovers slept under the Blue Star, dreamless but happy… and unaware of the set of red eyes watching them from afar, narrowed in contempt.

Unaware of how much things would change within the next few days.

D:SSS

The sound of something chirping awoke Alex early in the morning. He looked blearily around for a moment, wondering why the birds sounded so muffled.

"My communicator," Luna's voice came sleepily from next to him. "My dress."

Fumbling blindly for a moment, he managed to find it and handed it to Luna. "Better you answer it," he muttered as he rose, walking over the pond.

Luna looked at Alex's naked backside for a second before remembering that someone wanted to talk to her, and activated the device. "Yes?"

"Where the hell are you?" Angewomon yelled irately. "We're…hold on. Are you… naked?"

Luna blushed a little, only now being reminded of the fact when the slight morning breeze slid over her skin. "Well, I was going to take a little swim this morning, and I can't do that with my clothes on-"

"-or lying down on the ground," Mercury interrupted her as she appeared on the screen. "Honestly, Luna. You're going to have to do better than that to fool us. Try standing up next time."

"Well, I can't tell you the real reason."

"Luna talk for, 'I'll tell you when Kari isn't listening.'" Angewomon grinned. "Well then, enjoy your 'swim.'" The communicator shut off as the angel started laughing.

Luna stood up, glaring at the little device. 'Verrrrrry funny,' she thought. 'I'll get you for this, girls!'

Alex came up behind her, put his arms around her, nibbling on her earlobe. "You mentioned something about a swim, love?" he murmured.

Luna gasped, feeling herself dampen to his presence once again, and could feel his arousal pressing against her. Suddenly, thoughts of vengeance were swept away as if they hadn't existed. "Ghaleon… will want to… talk to Noah... before we go. We… have some time… before we leave." She turned around and kissed him fully.

Alex chuckled. "You are insatiable… and irresistible." He picked Luna up by her hips, holding her firmly while she wrapped her legs around his waist, slowly lowering her onto him. He groaned.

Luna grinned wickedly at the expression on his face. "What?" she replied. "You're young, you're healthy. I think you can handle this. Besides, I think you gave me the control right now." To prove her point, she rocked her hips, squeezing her kegel muscles around him.

Alex groaned again, only more pronounced as he managed to walk in the direction of the water without stumbling. "Please… wait until I'm in… deep enough."

"Too late… on both accounts," Luna informed him impishly. Indeed, they were now at the deepest part of the pond, which was about waist level to Alex. And he was fully inside, fitting snuggly in her tight, wet passage.

Slowly, Luna started rocking again. Alex started moving as well as he could, matching her movements rather well. In a moment, their pace quickened until they both climaxed. They floated back down to Lunar, panting slightly.

Alex set Luna down. "If I have to die today, I die a happy man," he stated.

Luna giggled. "Well… I guess we should get cleaned up." She was very reluctant like she never wanted it to end.

Alex didn't either, but they had to leave early if they wanted to get to the White Dragon Cave quickly. He smiled. "When this adventure is over, I'm going to want to get… better acquainted with you."

"I would like that as well." Luna smiled. "Just remember to douse your head. Otherwise, Nall will get suspicious, and then we'll never have any peace again."

Laughing, Alex did so… not knowing that everything he knew, or thought he knew, would change for the worse within a few days.

D:SSS

Everyone was sitting down for breakfast when Alex and Luna entered the kitchen, both smiling a little widely. "Where were you two?" Greg asked, looking at them shrewdly.

Alex's grin merely widened, unconcerned. "We took a swim." He sat down, buttering up some toast and handing it to Luna, who took it gratefully.

Angemon and Greg traded glances, then looked at the two girls, who suddenly found a point on the table to be very interesting, obviously holding back their giggles. "As we're probably figuring it out, the ladies tell us with their actions," Angemon replied before holding up several herbs. "Replacements. Nall had a small case of indigestion last night after you left the bedroom."

"Interesting." Luna handed a plate of pancakes over to Alex, smiling mischievously. "Which means Alex is going to have to change his sheets before we leave."

"Already taken care of." T.K. looked up, shrugging. "Kari and I changed those sheets before we came out here. And Nall's feeling better. He just threw up in the middle of the night."

"Which reminds me," Kari said, "where were you two last night?"

Luna went scarlet, hiding behind the syrup. Alex's grin slipped somewhat, but he managed to recover quickly enough. "I fell asleep at Dyne's Monument. And I think Luna fell asleep at the pond." A half-truth, if there ever was one.

Amy chortled. "That's their story, and they're sticking to it!"

The two kids looked at each other, then back at Alex. "Oooookaaaay…" Something was off with their explanation. They just didn't know what.

Mercury looked at Angelina, who smiled in understanding, then at Noah, who gave his son a shrewd, mischievous look. It looked like the two of them had their parent's approval. They didn't say anything, though. She smiled, finishing her orange juice.

Angemon looked around. "Where's Master Ghaleon?" he inquired.

"Here." Ghaleon emerged from the guest bedroom, his travel bag in his hand. "I wish we could linger, but we need to get to the White Dragon Cave. I hope you two understand."

Noah waved the apology off. "Completely understandable. After everything you've told us, I'm surprised that you stopped here at all." His expression softened. "We're glad you did, though. We did miss our children."

Ghaleon smiled. "I never knew Luna was your daughter."

Alex looked up. "She's adopted," he explained. "A stranger came to our door when I was only a few months old, giving them a baby… and Nall, too. No explanation. He said to look after her for him, then left. We never found out who he was, and we never saw him again." He shrugged. "At least, that's what Dad told us."

Ghaleon nodded, though his gaze sharpened considerably. "I am an orphan as well," he confessed. "I lost my entire family in the Heresy War, when the enemy attacked my Elvin clan. When I entered the Magic Guild, I swore to myself that I would become the most powerful mage Lunar had ever seen and always serve the Goddess Althena." His expression hardened. "I swore that I would never be weak again."

Angewomon nodded. "I know how you feel," she muttered, memories of her years under Myotismon threatening to rise up once again. "I swore a similar oath after we defeated Myotismon that I would never be weak again." She got up. "Now, unless we have something else to do, I'd say that it's time for us to go. We may not have much time left."

Alex nodded, getting out. "Sorry to cut breakfast short, Mom," he said sadly, "but we don't have time for a proper goodbye." He turned around, grabbing his bag. "Let's go."

D:SSS

They had been walking for several hours before the female angelic finally asked, "So, what was it like?"

Luna looked at Angewomon in minor amusement, her gaze serene. "What was what like?" she asked, a faint blush on her cheeks.

The angel Digimon chuckled. "You know what I mean. What did making love feel like? Mercury and I both know that's what happened last night." She shook her head derisively. "'Taking a swim.' Honestly, you and Alex couldn't lie if your lives depended on it."

"Hey, I did take a swim. Honest."

"Yeah, suuuuuurrrrrre you did. That's just not all you did. So, are you going to tell us?" Mercury asked, laughing outright. "Or are we going to have to call Pluto up and show the other Scouts what happened?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Luna gasped. "I thought you were my friends!"

"Us, or them." Angewomon grinned. "Take it, or leave it."

The blue-haired girl sighed. "Alright."

If they had been sitting, Amy and Angewomon would have propped their elbows onto their knees and leaned in eagerly. "So?" Amy even inquired, wanting every single juicy detail... which for the record, was not how she used to act.

Luna smiled. "It was… wow… it was… simply beyond words in any language. I couldn't even begin to describe it to you."

Amy stooped down for a second to pick up a rock, observing it for a moment before chucking it behind her. "You are so lucky living here on Lunar," she told her. "If I ever did that on Earth, my mother would have given me a blistering lecture and ground me forever. So, how did it happen?"

Luna began talking about how it came to pass, as well as some of the finer points. "…And he was so gentle." She grinned mischievously. "I kind of jumped him the third time."

"You go, girl," Angewomon replied, grinning.

"Definitely," Amy agreed. "It's good to see you happy again. You deserve it after everything that you went through in Vane."

Luna sighed. "That was the greatest night of my life."

"Of that, you'll get no argument from us."

And then Luna saw, as she turned her attention back to the road…

"You finally did it? After all of these years, you were finally desperate enough?" Hikari was amazed, staring at Althena like she had just grown another head. Grant you, when dealing with a being who was power incarnate, that was a very real possibility "You just went out, looking like an ordinary woman, picked a single man of twenty-six, and…"

Althena sighed. "Yes, Hikari. And will you keep your voice down?!" she hissed as a priestess came by, holding a sacred book. "You want the congregation to hear that their almighty Goddess of Lunar had sex with someone who didn't even know it was her? Not to mention the fact that the grapevine in the Q Continuum will go into overdrive. You know Q has been on my case for weeks now about this very subject!"

"Pah, a curse on Q…and Q." Hikari looked thoughtful. "I don't know, though…it might actually energize your personal life. Add a bit of flavor to it, if you will."

"You mean I'm allowed to spice it up? I'm even allowed one?" Althena mused, chuckling. "God, I haven't done something like that for a long time."

"You've never allowed yourself to after you became a Goddess. I'm amazed that you held off this long after you finished training me. Which was…"

"Six thousand, two hundred years, and twenty-four days ago. A new Goddess… and Guardian… record," Angelus replied, coming up to them. "And for the record, the person with whom you shared such pleasure is a man called Talbot, the head of the cult who wants to bring you to your knees, Althena. He's actually thinking about joining forces with the Vile Tribe."

"Your point, old friend?" the Goddess inquired. "I feel like I should be taken down a few pegs half of the time."

"No point." Angelus paused for a moment. "Just thought I'd give you the heads up about your old 'habits'… and who you hit it off within the sack." He flew off, smirking.

Althena watched him go, eyes narrowed as she thought of how she would get revenge on him. Then she shrugged. "Well, I was already on my knees, just not in the way that he meant."

Hikari grinned. "I should be thankful there aren't any kids around to hear you say that. What did Talbot do for you?" she suddenly asked.

"He has very soft hands…and a very good tongue," Althena replied wickedly, grinning at the memory.

Hikari laughed…

Luna sighed, looking over at Kari, who was blinking, confused and not a little bit freaked out. "I think Kari has been made purview to one of Althena's and Hikari's more… intimate conversations," she said.

Angewomon sighed, wishing that there was some sort of filter for that. "We really need to have a word with the Goddess… as soon as we can find her."

"Oh, yes," Mercury agreed wholeheartedly.

D:SSS

"So, Alex," Greg began, after he had ushered T.K. over to where Kari was walking by herself, alone. T.K. didn't seem to mind too much.

Alex grinned, knowing what the Seer was talking about, and decided to beat around the bush. "It was incredible," he replied. "Everything my fantasies were, and more."

Angemon grinned, though his helmet hid half of his face from view. He could be a great poker player if he wanted to. "That's good to hear. So, where does this go?" he asked.

Alex paused for a moment, turning his attention to the male angelic. His newfound relationship with Luna opened up a new series of vistas and opportunities, some of them frightening to him. "I don't know," he replied, "but what I do know is that I want to be with her and make her happy."

"Spoken like someone who's in love," Greg smirked. "A bit of advice; Hold on to her, like she was the last woman on Earth. Otherwise, someone else will snatch her from your grasp when you least expect it."

"Also, remember anniversaries," Angemon added cheerfully. "Otherwise, you'll be known as couch boy by all of your friends for the next month."

Alex started laughing. Apparently, these two were experts when it came to that. "Don't worry, and I won't. I'm just worried that Nall will spill any secrets that I share with him concerning gifts and the like."

"Hey, I can keep a secret!" Nall exclaimed.

"No, you can't!" All three shouted at once, drawing confused glances from the girls, T.K., and Ghaleon. "Not from Luna!"

The girls realized what they were talking about and quickly bowed their heads, giggling amongst themselves.

"No respect, I tell you…" Nall looked at the girls. "Even from them."

"Hey, you said it yourself," Angemon reminded him. "You can't keep your mouth shut around Luna."

"Oh."

Greg and Alex exchanged amused looks. "No wonder you hold the threat of death over his head." Greg turned to Nall. "Do you ever shut up?"

"Nope!"

"I was afraid of that."

D:SSS

Ghaleon nodded, looking at the massive doorway. "So, this is the White Dragon cave."

T.K. grinned. "Yeah."

Angemon looked around, a little confused. "You know," he said speculatively, "it looked a great deal bigger the last time I was here."

"You're bigger," Kari reminded him cheerfully. "Becoming a champion level Digimon can do that." She paused. "Actually, you're what, Six foot Two? Angewomon's six-foot even?"

"Five feet, eleven inches," Angewomon corrected her vaguely.

"Ah. Anyways, I think Quark'll still recognize you."

"So let's go in and see him!" Nall shot forward, entering the cave.

Ghaleon looked at the little furballs retreating back. "Must he be so cheerful all the time?" he asked wearily.

Alex grinned. "I'm under the impression that it's a terminal case."

Angemon sighed, walking forward. "Let's follow him before he gets himself into some kind of trouble."

"He is trouble," Kari grumbled. "He scared the living bejeesus out of me last night."

T.K. grinned. "So that's why you were clinging to my arm this morning."

"That was only after she had clung to me for half the night," Angewomon informed him. "She almost ripped my arm off. I had to use three herbs to heal it."

"Sorry."

"Forgiven, Kari."

"Ahem." Alex was amused. "Shall we go on? Hopefully, Nall will have scared the native monster population away with his movements."

"We should only be so lucky," T.K. grumbled.

D:SSS

Quark swallowed the last fish he had caught that morning, then laid back down, preparing for a nap. He preferred this type of life, where all he had to do was eat, sleep, fly for a few hours leisurely, then repeat. And as he aged, he also found the routine more enjoyable.

As he began to close his eyes, he felt several powerful forces approach his lair with all due haste. Confused, he focused on determining who they belonged to.

When he had made the connection, he smiled. He hadn't been expecting them back so soon. He sat up, waiting patiently for them to enter.

Three minutes later, Alex and Luna walked in, followed closely by the T.K., Kari, the two Angelics, and two newcomers. The White Dragon knew who they were, of course. Their energy was only too unique, after all.

"Hello, Quark!" Alex called out in greeting, grinning. "We were in the neighborhood, and we thought we'd stop in for a visit."

Quark smiled in greeting, pleased to see the newfound confidence and knowledge that seemed to flow through him. Definitely a good sign for the future Dragonmaster. "You have returned, Alex. And even stronger than when last I beheld you. Very good. And how is the scepter, Kari?" he asked.

"I'm starting to get the hang of it," Kari replied, grinning. "T.K. got the Sword of Hope."

"Yes, so I have noticed." Quark looked around, noticing someone missing from the group. "Where is the one who beseeched me?"

Luna smirked. "He's presently in Meribia, with the Dragon Diamond still in his possession. He managed to get himself a nice little business." She turned to the last of the Six. "This is Greg Urawa and Sailor Mercury."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintances." Quark bowed once to them before laying eyes on the man behind them all. "Ghaleon…" he uttered in surprise. "It has been many years since I last saw you."

Ghaleon bowed in respect to the venerable Dragon. "Fifteen, to be precise. Not since the day that dear Dragonmaster Dyne…" He trailed off.

Quark nodded again, somber. "Ah, yes, I remember all too well your disappointment… but what happened that prompts you to come? I thought Lemia would come in case of an emergency."

"Yes, well, Lemia is in no condition to do much of anything," Angemon informed him," because of the straightforward and non-laughable reason that she was almost tortured to death."

The White Dragon turned to stare at him. The way the angelic creature had said that told him that Alex's journey had taken on new importance. "Explain," he snapped, all genital behavior gone.

They proceeded to do just that. Over the next half hour, the group told him about everything that had happened since they last encountered him, from their journey through the Weird Woods, to the titanic battle in Vane that had revealed the deception. They ended with the revelation of their enemies and their plans for Lunar.

Quark roared upon learning of Xenobia and her return to Lunarian soil. It was common knowledge of what she had done to Sheyra and her desire to control the Silver Star. "The demon has caused enough pain and suffering to Althena's children! When I see her, I shall crush her like a bug!"

"Get in line," Angewomon grumbled. "Mimi wants first dibs. She's Sheyra's daughter."

Upon hearing this, Quark became quiet. He wondered why the young Digi-Destined of Sincerity felt so similar to the warrior of that crest. Now he knew. The children of the great Lunarian families were returning to the place of their birth. He wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing.

Ghaleon stepped forward, bringing the White Dragon back to the present. "Quark… I have a question to ask of you... and it has nothing to do with Miss Tachikawa." He turned around to look at Luna for a moment. "This girl… the one they call 'Luna'… is she the one born that day?"

Alex and Luna looked at each other in confusion. What did that have anything to do with the current situation?

Quark was also surprised, though for entirely different reasons. He had been hoping against hope that this day would never come. "Truth is a very dangerous thing to some, Ghaleon," he told him gently. "If you knew the truth, perhaps it would…"

"Our world is on the verge of chaos, dear Quark," Ghaleon interrupted him. "And I must know if the cause is what I suspect it to be." He stared at the White Dragon with a disconcerting intensity. "Tell me, Quark. Tell me the truth… I deserve to know."

For a moment, silence reigned. No one moved or said anything.

And, for some reason, Luna had a sudden feeling of foreboding at what the answer would be, though she had no idea why. She moved closer to Alex, who responded by wrapping an arm around her. "It's going to be okay, Luna," he whispered comfortably. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Luna looked at him. "Then why don't you believe it?" she asked quietly.

Greg's eyes went blank for a moment as he accessed his Seer abilities, his gut tightening considerably. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling something terrible was going to happen. He needed to know what, though.

Quark sighed at long last, coming to a decision. He had gone over all of the reasons he should keep his silence and found that this was a genuine emergency. Dynas and Lemia both knew that circumstances could change when a promise was made. Besides, if he could not trust Ghaleon, who could he trust? "You were the Dragonmaster's best friend, Ghaleon. The only other person that he had cared for as much as you was the one he fell in love with. If he could trust you with his life, I can trust you with the truth." He paused. "Yes," he replied reluctantly, "Luna is the one."

Ghaleon was silent for a moment as he processed what he had learned. His eyes were wide open with disbelief… and with another emotion that T.K. found very disturbing.

Triumph.

Quark was sympathetic. "Surely, you understand why Dyne kept this from you…Urawa, what are you-!" he suddenly shouted in surprise.

Greg's visions didn't have any audio, but visual was enough. And what he saw was something that could not be allowed to happen.

In an instant, he was in front of the White Dragon, weapon out and pointed at Ghaleon. "Alright, Ghaleon," he said, ignoring the gasps of shock from the others. "I don't know how long you've been working with the Negaverse and the Vile Tribe, but you won't succeed in your plans. Now back away, and put your hands up!" He looked at Luna. "You stay there. Don't move for any reason!"

Quark's neck rose to its full height as he stared down at Greg. "What do you think you are doing?!" he bellowed. "You are pointing a weapon at… Ghaleon?"

The last part was in the form of a question, because Ghaleon had started chuckling. That chuckle began growing louder, until he was laughing heartily… and sinisterly. "You should know," he said, still chortling, "that Greg Urawa possesses the ability of foresight, much like the Guardian he looks identical to. Not that it matters, as the time has finally come. My coming out party can begin at last." He looked up, an eerie glint in his eyes that hadn't been there a few seconds ago. "Send in the clowns!"

Greg didn't move one inch. "There aren't going to be any clowns for you," he growled, his grip tightening. "Now put your hands up, on your head, now!"

"I think not. But I will put my hands up, just to appease you… for a second." Ghaleon brought his hands up… then brought them down in front of him.

A burst of power erupted from his fingertips, whirling around him to bathe him in a dark luminance. It expanded across his very form, hiding him from view. Immediately, Alex got in front of Luna, sword out.

Quark was in absolute shock. What was going on? What was Ghaleon doing? "By Althena! What have you done, Ghaleon?!"

The dark glow disappeared, revealing Ghaleon… but it was a completely different Ghaleon.

Where the Premier of the Magic Guild of Vane once stood, a being decked in black, magically enhanced armor now occupied the spot. A flowing cape draped over his shoulders, and a chrome face mask covered his elfish features. In fact, the only thing about him that remained the same were his eyes.

And he presently stared at Quark with a measure of triumph in his stance. "Not Ghaleon, dear Quark," he said. "I am now Magic Emperor Ghaleon!"

"Magic Emperor?!" Alex repeated in shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This was one of the Four Heroes! He was a bonafide legend who stood against the forces of evil for over twenty years! What was he doing?

Then, like a series of puzzle pieces, the big picture became very clear to the young man. "Of course." He almost smacked himself. It all made sense, and he kicked himself for not seeing it before.

No being could get past Jacob that Jacob didn't trust.

Next to the leader of Vane, only the Premier of the Magic Guild had the power to remove someone from their position.

Next to Lemia, only Ghaleon knew the ancient incantations that could allow demons to slip past the defenses of Vane without being detected.

And only Ghaleon could have authorized the use of the memory suppression mask on Lemia Ausa.

Damn him, he knew. And it successfully ended any hero worship he had for the man standing before him. The traitor to his own ideals and to Lunar.

Greg, to his credit, didn't back down from him, even though he stood no chance against him. "You won't get the White Dragon, Ghaleon. Not while I'm still standing."

Ghaleon smirked behind the mask. He found the boy's blustering to be very amusing. "Very well. By all means, sit." He brought one of his hands, waving it casually in one direction…

…and Greg was thrown like he had been shot from a catapult. He hit the ground right in front of Amy, surprise etched on his face. He had no idea Ghaleon was that fast.

With him out of the way, the Magic Emperor turned his attention back to Quark, and brought the hand down.

Luna, who immediately realized what he was planning to do, shouted, "Ghaleon, no!"

"Oh, no," Ghaleon chortled, energy collecting in that hand. "Ghaleon, yes!" He took a step forward as Greg got up slowly. "Some people may mourn this day, Quark," he said, "but my glorious reign can only begin with your enslavement!" He brought his hand up and fired.

"Quark! Dragon Protect!" Alex shouted immediately.

The White Dragon reacted instinctively, creating a shield of pure power rapidly. It was a shield that could withstand anything, even the power of the Gods. And it only took three seconds to form.

It was too slow.

The energy blast skimmed the edge of the forming shield before slamming into the White Dragon head-on. The field hit the ground, effectively trapping both the power and Quark in its confines. Its hitting the ground at full power also had the added negative event of creating a powerful shockwave.

Nall dug his claws into Alex's shoulder to anchor himself as they were all buffeted by the shield's energy, drawing blood in the process, but Alex didn't feel it. He had braced himself against the force, his gaze riveted on the scene before him. 'This… this is impossible!' he shouted internally. But it did nothing to change the fact that it was indeed happening.

There, Ghaleon stood, laughing, as the shield of the White Dragon worked against him, keeping the power of his attack contained. He had done all the calculations, including the speed which the Dragon Protect shield spell formed, and had simply trained himself to be faster. His training had paid off.

The mighty White Dragon, buffeted by dark power the likes of which he had never felt before, roared in agony. His own body was being enslaved piece by piece, his mind losing conscious thought. 'Alex!' he thought with his last moment of lucidity before he succumbed. 'My shield magic is my last gift to you! Use it well!' With that last thought, he hurtled his Dragon Protect into Alex's Dragon Ring. This would be his final gift to the young man, who now seemed to have more than the world's weight on his shoulders.

And then he was overcome.

Mercury and Angemon charged forward, weapons out and ready, only to bounce off another shield, one far darker in origin. "Damn it!" Mercury slashed at the force field with no effect. "It takes a great deal of power to create a force field of this magnitude!"

Angemon's brow furrowed. "But it's extremely familiar," he muttered, looking at it. "I've felt something similar to this before in the Digital World."

"Because it is a digital field, and that's making it! Look!" Kari pointed upward, staring at something that was new to her. The rest of them looked up as well.

Above them, rotating in a continuous fashion, was a single circular object, black in color. Energy crackled downward, creating the field between them and the Magic Emperor.

T.K. instantly recognized it, and it filled him with dread. It was impossible. They had all been destroyed when they defeated Devimon. "A Black Gear…" he whispered. "But how…?"

The White Dragon Protect suddenly collapsed on itself, condensing into a small point of light. Silence once again descended upon the cavern.

The speck of light gently floated downward like a snowflake, landing in Ghaleon's gloved hand. He closed that hand, blotting it out, then turned around to face those who had witnessed this travesty. "Quark shall be the cornerstone of a new order. My world order, but…" His gaze focused upon Luna. "Who shall be my queen?" he finished.

And in that instant, all of the reverence Alex had felt for Ghaleon vanished. One thought remained; Protect Luna."

"You want her, traitor?" he snarled, bringing his sword up. "You're going to have to go through me!"

"And us!" Angewomon added, an arrow already prepared.

Greg stood up fully, his eyes filled with anger. "You honestly don't think that you can beat us, Ghaleon."

The Magic Emperor started laughing. "Oh, I am terrified of such... insignificant beings." He looked up at the gear. "Children these days are so violent," he observed.

"Yes, but they are so humorous," the gear replied. "You really must learn to appreciate their entertainment value, Ghaleon. Otherwise, your life will be so dull."

Angemon looked up in shock. He had been reformatted when Apocolyamon had been defeated! "It can't be!"

"Oh, but it can." Ghaleon stepped back. "Allow me to introduce the last member of the Deadly Alliance! Come forth… Devimon!"

The black gear began rotating faster and faster until it spun ten times faster than before. Upon achieving that rate of spin, a sudden blast of dark power erupted from it, hitting the ground in front of the Magic Emperor, lifting into a cloud, black as pitch.

And then that cloud began to take shape as a creature.

Two arms emerged, with long, sharp fingers at their ends. Two legs, complete with steel-toed boots, formed at the base, which matched the arms in length. A muscular torso was next, a massive red bat printed dead center on it. Two tattered wings unfurled on its back. And, finally, a head, one that was the stuff of nightmares, formed, complete with a set of red eyes. The completed monster looked like the devil, even if only in appearance.

Angemon's grip on his staff tightened. "Devimon," he growled.

Devimon looked down upon them. Taking a moment, he flexed his hands, testing them out for a moment. Satisfied, he grinned. "Quite the welcoming committee," he said. "Thank you, Ghaleon."

Ghaleon nodded, then raised one of his hands.

Luna disappeared… only to appear next in the Magic Emperor's grip. She emitted a shriek the second she rematerialized.

"Luna!" Alex stepped forward. "Give her back, Ghaleon! Now!" he roared.

Ghaleon didn't hear him, looking at Luna with the air of someone who had realized everything that he had ever hoped for. "Now I know the truth," he whispered. "This world shall be mine on a delicious half shell!"

"Not while we can help it!" T.K. shouted, as he and Alex charged forward, the other's following close behind them.

Devimon laughed as they approached. "I told you that there were those as powerful as I was, and even more so! A pity you decided not to listen." He raised his hand. "Now, feel the TOUCH OF EVIL!"

Ghaleon's own hand raised at the same time. Both fired a pulse of dark energy the likes of which had never been seen before on Lunar, or a dozen other realms.

Alex roared with pain as he was buffeted by power, which he had never felt before. It was even beyond his mentor's worse training exercises. He and the other's hit the ground hard, cracking the ice as they landed.

"Alex!" Luna cried out, trying to get to him, only to be restrained by Ghaleon. She watched as Alex raised his head feebly, and felt like weeping. Quickly, she ripped off her pendant, throwing it down towards them. She had no idea why she had, only that it would help them. If she could nothing else, she could at least do that.

And then she vanished.

Alex struggled to rise, raising his head up enough to see Luna struggle against Ghaleon's grip. He was ready to try and get up, to get to her, when the trio disappeared in a flash of dark light, Ghaleon and Devimon laughing all the way.

Grief cloaked him, and his strength fled him in an instant. 'I failed her,' he thought, as darkness ascended into his vision.

And then he saw, and felt, no more.

Realm 3, Hogwarts

Sibyill Trelawney sat back in her seat, having peered into the crystal ball for a moment. The moment she and her family had feared since the three years before Harry and Hermione's Sorting had finally happened.

Contrary to popular belief, she was indeed a practitioner of divination. She didn't have control of the gift, but she didn't let on about that, preferring to make the students cringe. She also found her yearly death predictions very amusing.

However, at this particular moment, she wasn't feeling very amused. The images she had seen were just that despicable.

And the worst thing was that she couldn't tell anyone in the school about this. Not Albus Dumbledore. Not Amelia Bones. She couldn't even tell the two who her visions involved, as they were already in another reality. Her orders from the council were clear.

Speaking of which…

Trelawney walked over to her owl, named Seer ironically, and pulled a dusty envelope from the shelves. "You know what needs to be done," she whispered, petting the owl for a moment. "Make sure my grandmother gets this. She will know what to do."

Seer hooted reassuringly, then took off into the midmorning air, envelope now strapped to his leg. The Divination teacher knew it would be several nights before he reached his destination. In the meantime, she needed to get ready for the next class. If she didn't acting like her usual, misty self, people would start to wonder.

But she stopped, realizing something. There was someone she could speak to concerning this. The one person in the Ministry of Magic that even the Unspeakables honored and respected. She deserved to know.

She just hoped that she received the letter before Kingsley got in that day...

Realm 4572, Coruscant Jedi Temple

In the Jedi meditation room on Coruscant, a diminutive figure slowly regained awareness of his surroundings.

Master Yoda, the oldest member of the Order of the Jedi Knights, felt a single tear fall down his ancient cheek. Almost two years ago, he had felt great grief as he watched everything the Jedi had worked so hard to preserve fall apart over one titanic battle. Now, though, the events he had just seen made the Clone Wars rather small and insignificant.

Soon, he would order all Jedi to return to the capital, where he would address them, before going to the senate. This was the first vision any of them had had for almost ten years.

It was a pity that it had to be one of terror… and a prelude to a war beyond the one that had just started.

Zion

In the realm at the center of the Big Ten, a woman awoke from a deep slumber, shooting upward in shock.

Alania stared ahead for a few seconds, letting her heart rate and breathing slow down to an acceptable level, then grabbed her robe from the chair next to her. Covering her nude form, she walked over to the window.

Already, she could hear and feel her fellow Guardians starting to react in much the same way. A series of wails and voices of disbelief were already making their presence known and steadily gaining strength as more awoke. Soon, every Guardian in the protectorate would awaken, and she would have to mobilize them all for battle.

Usually, she wouldn't have to worry. The mortal warriors of a particular realm would be able to fight back against this enemy. And Luna being kidnapped had always been destined to happen when it had happened. She wouldn't have to become involved at all.

However, this was no ordinary enemy. This was an enemy who had an intimate understanding of his adversaries and of the Guardians themselves. All in all, a situation that would spell disaster for all. And the return of Devimon had never been in the cards... period.

As she pondered the possible implications of this situation and came to grips with what she had just learned, a knock on the door brought her back to the present. "Come in, Commander," she said.

Commander Locc entered the room. A tall, powerfully built man, he was in command of the entire mortal armed forces of the Guardian civilization. And his eyes were concerned. "I take it you already know what happened," he said.

Alania nodded. "I'm afraid I do, my friend. Contact the Guardian Council. Tell them that we need to meet. Then would you please inform the Supreme Chancellor?" She sighed. "The moment I have feared for almost thirty of our years has finally come to pass."

Locc bowed. "Yes, milady." He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving her alone.

Alania turned to look out the window again. She would have a few hours before she had to address her fellow Guardians. She would take those few hours to reflect… and wonder why she hadn't seen the warning signs. "You fool," she whispered, "what have you done?"

She didn't move from that spot for a long, long time... because she already knew the answer to that question. She didn't like it, but it was irrefutable.

After all, how did one really anticipate the workings of a god?

Realm 13000, Lunar

Darkness gave way to shadows. Then images began to form as the unconscious became conscious once more.

Seconds later, they would wish they had stayed unconscious.

Nall managed to raise his head with a groan as he struggled against the darkness. After a moment, he managed to plant himself onto his feet, looking around. "Wh-what happened?" he mumbled, still dazed. "Where am I?" He focused on a bed, recognizing it instantly. After all, he had slept in the room for years. "This is… Alex's room! But… I thought we were in the Cave…" He shook his head to try and clear the cobwebs. He knew there was something wrong with the picture. They had been in the White Dragon Cave with…

The bed covers rustled for a moment as a mass shifted, breaking Nall's concentration. A groan issued from underneath them, also very familiar.

Several seconds later, Alex revealed himself as he sat up, letting the sheet fall to his waist. "Are you there? Nall?" he rasped, his throat dry and scratchy.

Nall flapped his wings, focusing his faltering concentration on the task. "I'm here, Alex." He began hovering, reviving somewhat at the motion. He still felt confused. "What happened to us? The last thing I remember is going into the White Dragon Cave with… Ghaleon… Ghaleon…"

Alex's eyes, which had been unfocused for a moment, suddenly widened in remembrance. For both of them, it was like completing a puzzle.

"Wait!" Nall shouted. "I remember now… I remember what happened!"

Alex shot out of his bed, fear pumping adrenaline through his system. "Luna!" he shouted.

Noah, Angelina, and the Six, who had woken up almost an hour ago, all jumped in surprise as the door to Alex's bedroom suddenly opened forcefully. Alex shot out of it like the devil was after him, heading in the direction of Luna's room.

Noah turned his head in Angelina's direction, shaking it slightly when she started rising from her seat. He got up himself, walking down the hallway.

Alex grabbed the doorknob and pulled hard, wrenching the door open with enough force to rip it off of its hinges. He stared inside, hoping, praying, that she was in there, fast asleep.

Her bed was empty. The sheets had been undisturbed. The only sign that anyone had occupied the room was the rumpled sheets on the ground, obviously tossed there by one of the girls. Alex almost dropped to his knees.

Nall landed on his shoulder, tears already brimming in his eyes. "Alex… she was kidnapped," he whispered.

Despair and grief crashed over Alex like a wave, leaving him frozen in place. He had already known that intellectually, but the fact that she wasn't in her room, drove it home. She was gone.

A hand gently settled on his shoulder. "Alex, Nall," a voice said quietly.

Alex turned around, seeing Noah. "Dad…"

The man felt a great deal of worry upon gazing into his son's face. In all of his years, he had never seen his son as stricken as he did now. He understood how much of Alex's strength was derived from Luna's presence and vice versa.

Nall turned around. "Ghaleon took Luna… and…" he began.

Noah held up a hand, cutting him off. "I know, Nall. All of you were brought here by an old friend… a man named Laike. He found you in the White Dragon Cave and brought you here." He stared into Alex's eyes. "He told us what happened," he added.

"Laike?" Alex mumbled, barely paying attention to the conversation. His mind was still in the White Dragon Cave, and what had happened there.

Nall looked around. "Where is he?" he asked.

"I don't know. He wanted to give you some time to gain your bearings." Noah looked at Alex again. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Alex didn't reply. He was numb. Later would come the pain, the loss, the anger. He could feel them already bubbling to the surface, and he needed an outlet. He turned around, heading back into the living room.

T.K. jumped out of his chair. "Alex…"

"I need some time alone," Alex replied curtly to the unspoken question as he walked out of the house, heading for the colonel's training grounds.

T.K. turned to the others, shaking his head slightly. "He's either blaming us, or himself."

"Or both. And I can't say I blame him." Greg's fist slammed into the table, taking care not to exert his full force. "I should have reacted sooner!" he exploded. "We could have stopped this from happening! Hell, we shouldn't have gone to the Dragon Cave in the first place!"

"No, we couldn't have." Angemon finished his tea, setting the cup back down. "Ghaleon would have simply gone in himself. He's simply more powerful and more intelligent than Lemia. And he had more experience thna us." He sighed, setting his hands down. "And now, he is more powerful than a Dragon of Althena."

"And let's not forget about Devimon," T.K. added bitterly. "He's been restored, allied to the Negaverse and Ghaleon, and stronger than before."

Mercury nodded, putting her head in her own hands. "Poor Luna," she whispered sadly.

"Poor Alex," Nall piped in, landing on the table. "He's numb right now, but that'll pass. Then he'll be angry." He knew Alex well enough to know what he would do. "He'll find Ghaleon… and he'll try and kill him."

Angewomon stood. "I know how he feels, only too well." She headed for the door. "I'm going to talk to him. If I'm lucky, he'll be willing to listen. If not…well, one of us will be put out of our misery."

"Shall I have a grave ready or a cradle?" Angemon asked seriously.

It wasn't a joke. No one laughed.

D:SSS

Alex's gloved fists slammed into the punching bag with a ferocity that he had never exhibited before in training. Sweat poured down his face, blurring his vision. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, his hands already bloody underneath the gloves due to the ferocity of the blows. And still, he pushed on, none of it processing to him.

His mind replayed the sequence of events repeatedly, never stopping. Ghaleon enslaving the White Dragon, then that Devimon entity revealing himself to them. And finally, Luna ripped from him, taking his heart with her as Ghaleon disappeared, leaving the rest of them to die.

'I failed her.' Each punch grew stronger.

'I failed her.' Hatred began bubbling in his soul for those responsible.

'I failed her.' Tears began running down his cheeks.

'I failed her.'

With a roar of pure, impotent rage, Alex's injured hand slammed into the punching bag with all the power of his body behind it. It literally tore in half, spilling its innards all across the floor. The force of his blow not only did that, it also broke the ropes. Half of it fell to the ground straight away, while the other half swung like a mutilated corpse. And he stood there, taking in deep lungfuls of air.

Angewomon, who had just entered the training grounds, stopped in absolute surprise. She had heard that one could achieve near impossible things when they were stressed. But she had never seen it. Now she had, and it worried her. "Alex…?" she began hesitantly as she eyed him, her plan not looking solid now.

Alex turned around, his eyes narrowed. "You!" he growled, lashing out. Angewomon grabbed his wrist, not saying anything as she stared at him sympathetically. He struggled for a moment, trying to free his hand, but the exhaustion and abuse he had put his hands through was starting to catch up with him. He could feel his hands throbbing, but he didn't care. The Goddess Statue would be able to heal them, not even leaving a scar.

However, not even the Goddess herself would be able to heal the injuries that pervaded his soul.

What good were his hands, if he couldn't hold Luna in them?

What good was his strength, if he was powerless to protect the woman he loved, or help his friends?

What good was becoming a Dragonmaster if Luna wasn't next to him?

He was, for the first time in his life, not complete. He was without a clue, adrift in grief. Without her, he was… nothing.

Angewomon let the silence stretch, then said firmly, "Listen, you can't beat yourself up about this. Even Greg couldn't have predicted this in time."

"I didn't protect her," he mumbled.

"He caught all of us flat-footed. We didn't stand a chance."

"I failed her."

"We all failed her. Ghaleon didn't give any of us a chance to fight back."

"Doesn't matter. I didn't keep my promise."

Angewomon sighed. "Look, Alex. I will make it perfectly simple for you; You couldn't have done anything to help her. It happened too fast, and Ghaleon had everything planned to a tee. He made sure of that."

"It doesn't matter!" Alex exploded again. "I promised her that I would always be there for her! I promised that I would protect her! And I didn't keep that promise." He almost fell to the ground, but Angewomon's grip on his arm didn't falter in the least, helping him remain upright

"Oh." The Angelic finally saw how deeply in love Alex was. He was willing to risk his own life for her, and judging what she knew about the young boy… man, he would go after Luna and Ghaleon single-handedly if he could. Such devotion was to be applauded, but it could also cause him to act foolishly if he didn't tame it. "Alex, Luna wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," she said quietly, tears trailing out from under her helmet. "And neither would your friends. You did an incredible job protecting her, but… sometimes, things happen that are beyond our control." Her expression softened. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret of mine." She took a breath before slowly removing her glove and showing her arm to him.

Alex sucked in a breath as he beheld his first abuse victim ever. There, raising ugly welts on her skin, were a series of scars crisscrossing and intersecting into an X that traveled across her arm, stopping at her elbow.

Angewomon smiled sadly. "Tragic, isn't it? I have more on my back and a small one hidden in my hair. I even have one on my neck. My larynx never fully recovered because of it, which is why I sound the way I do. Sometimes, when it rains, the scars on my back hurt like they're freshly applied. Don't ask me why, but they do." She put her glove back on. "The point I'm trying to make is that something terrible has happened, but you can't let it rule you. We can never let the past rule us, regardless of its circumstances."

Alex thought about it, then nodded, his gaze firming up. He was beginning to understand what she was trying to say. "You're right," he said, surprising himself. "I have to believe that I'll see her again. Otherwise, what's the point? It's just so hard…"

"I know, but we still have to believe that." Angewomon grinned. "Come on, the others are waiting, and so is Laike. Let's get your hands healed so you can grip something again."

Nodding, Alex followed her to the Statue.

D:SSS

Mercury looked up. "How're you feeling, T.K.?"

T.K. rotated his arm once, grinning. "I feel fine now. Thanks."

The Sailor Scout nodded, putting her computer back into her pack. She had just finished checking each of them and had been pleased with the results. There would be no lasting effects from that dual blast from Ghaleon and Devimon. And yet... she knew they all still felt... damaged.

'We've healed physically, but we're not okay,' she thought sadly. 'Not a hundred percent. We've been wounded in a way that no science or magic can heal.'

Luna's kidnapping had struck a painful blow in each of their hearts. To see her be taken in such a manner was almost too much to bear. The Six had gotten to know her pretty well over their journeys, finding a kindred spirit in her. They drew emotional strength from her, just as she drew it from them.

Kari looked up from her spot in the living room, seeing Alex and Angewomon enter the household. She got up. "Alex, are you alright?"

Alex shook his head. "Not really, but I'm not going to let the despair get to me," he replied. "Not now, not ever."

Indeed, they all noted how different he appeared after forty-eight minutes. He was standing taller, and his shoulders squared. His eyes held an alarming intensity in them, and he seemed to have partially mastered his grief. He wasn't back to the carefree young man he had been before, but he was at least ready for whatever came next.

"That's good to hear," Noah said, walking over to him. "Alex, I'm glad to see you awake. And… Laike's ready to see you. He's presently at Dyne's Monument. You should go thank him for saving your lives."

Alex nodded, the same thought going through his mind. "I was planning to, Dad." He turned to head out of the door again.

Noah's hand came to rest on his son's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. There were a whole lot of things that he wanted to say. He wanted to say that everything would be all right and that evil would be defeated, but he was too pragmatist to say such shallow things. "Alex," he said, knowing what he could say with absolute certainty, "You and Luna have grown up together. Your mother and I have watched as a bond formed between you two…" he sighed, "…and we have seen that bond change from friendship to love."

Alex's eyes widened. 'He knew. He knew about Luna and me. He knew before we did.'

Noah's smile confirmed it. "Now, I'm sure that you've told her already… and I know that she's waiting for you to save her." He squeezed his son's shoulder for a moment before releasing him. "Ghaleon may have taken Luna's body," he said softly, "but her heart will always be with you. Remember that, son, and you will be able to move mountains. Now all of you, save her from Ghaleon."

Alex nodded, exchanging looks with each of the Six. His father had just given him his blessing on so many different levels. "Will do, Dad." He walked out of the door, the others following him.

It was time to speak to Laike… and get a few answers.

D:SSS

Laike stared at Dyne's Monument, his thoughts in the past. The recent past, especially on what he had learned from the Magic Guild messenger about Ghaleon's mission to go to the White Dragon. Concerned that the Vile Tribe was going to make another move, he had set out immediately in the direction of the Cave. He saw Ghaleon transform himself into the Magic Emperor and capture both Quark and Luna when he arrived. He watched as a Digimon called Devimon rise and aided in taking out Alex and the Six before teleporting out of the Cave, leaving them to freeze to death.

Hoping to help them, Laike had immediately revived Angemon and Angewomon. With their help, the other four were soon out of danger.

"La…Laike…"

And speak of the devil. Laike turned around, relieved to see all of them awake. "Good, you're all awake. I was afraid your sleep might be of the eternal kind…"

"It almost was," Mercury replied. "Kudos to your impeccable timing."

Nall nodded. "Thanks for saving our lives, Laike. We owe you." He paused for a second as something processed through his head. "But what the heck were you doing in the White Dragon Cave?"

Laike gave out a hearty laugh. "I thought you'd ask that, Nall!" he exclaimed. "But mum's the word on my original intentions!"

"I hate secrets…"

"But what I can tell you," the bearded one continued, serious once more, "is that I received a message from Lemia Ausa informing me of Ghaleon's intentions to meet with Quark. As I was going to go there anyway, I decided to give you guys some emotional and experienced support."

Angemon smiled weakly. "We would have appreciated it."

"Unfortunately, I saw everything that happened." Laike put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Alex, everyone… I'm sorry about what happened to Luna. If there was any way, I could have helped you protect her..."

"Not as sorry as we are," Alex told him quietly.

"But I have to ask…what are you going to do?"

"What am I going to do!" Nall practically screeched. "I'm gonna bite Ghaleon right in the-!"

"He wasn't talking to you, Nall!" Greg shouted.

"I meant you, Alex!" Laike stared at him. "What do you plan to do?"

Alex was silent.

"Think, and then act decisively!" Laike bellowed.

Alex looked up, green eyes sparkling. He already knew what he was going to do. "I'm going to save Luna… then I'm going to find Ghaleon, and I'm going to kill him! Before he does to anyone else what he did to Luna!"

Laike nodded. "Good. However, Ghaleon fancies himself the 'Magic Emperor,' ruling over the Vile Tribe of the Frontier. He will have access to all of their resources."

Angemon looked up. "No, he doesn't," he revealed. "I'm afraid Xenobia still rules."

"Xenobia! …So it's true…"

"I'm afraid so. And we all learned something about one of our friends, Mimi. She's…"

"Sheyra's daughter," a new voice stated behind them, one shockingly familiar to all of them. "And thus, the rightful heir to the throne of the Tribe."

Nall turned around. "Sere?" he squeaked.

Greg and Mercury gasped as one. "Mother!" Mercury gasped. "But how?!"

Sere nodded, eyes downcast. "Yes, Amy, it's me."

"Mother?" Kari echoed, confused.

Sere gave a slight bow. "I was once Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Mother of Serena and Guardian of Amy," she explained quietly. "But that name died the day Beryl destroyed the Moon. After I had sent the Sailor Scouts to Earth, I was near death. My use of the Silver Crystal had robbed me of the majority of my remaining strength. I was prepared to die peacefully, knowing that you were all safe…"

"But you didn't die," Angewomon replied. "Because of someone."

"Althena." The silver haired woman sat down on a rock, sighing slightly. "I had met the Goddess at an empowered scientific counsel, where she had been explaining some thesis she developed. We met again at the last Goddess Festival she attended. She put a spell on me, telling me that it was a good luck charm. Later, I learned that it was an emergency teleportation spell, which worked much like the Negaverse's portal system.

"I awoke in Althena's Shrine, barely able to move. The priests there helped me recover my strength so I could travel. I spent five years wandering Lunar, learning everything I could of the Silver Star while I slowly regained my power. When I arrived in Meribia, Master Mel helped me set up shop… and that's where my story ends." She looked up. "At least, until you all showed up, anyways."

T.K. realized what she was saying. "You were helping us in little ways."

"And keeping tabs on us," Mercury added, grinning in amusement.

Sere smiled. "You always were smarter than me, dear. Pluto said your mind was your greatest weapon."

Greg grinned as Mercury blushed. "So, Serenity…" he began.

"Call me Sere."

"Okay… Sere… why now? Why are you letting us know who you are?"

"Because I know of the Negaverse and Devimon," she replied. "The Negaverse, for obvious reasons, Devimon, because he was the one who roused the Uruk-Hai into battle, informing them of the Digi-Destined's arrival."

Kari's eyes narrowed. "No wonder Racc knew who my brother was. Devimon's been feeding them information about us."

"They're allied with the Magic Emperor," Nall threw in. "Which means he probably knows everything about Vane's defenses!"

Laike looked at Alex again. "Even knowing all of this, Alex… will you risk your life to fight him?"

Alex nodded decisively. "Without question!"

"And the rest of you?"

Angewomon gaped, amazed by the stupidity of that question. "If you have to ask us that question," she replied, "then you don't know us very well!"

"Luna's our friend," Kari said. "And we don't leave our friends in the hands of the enemy."

Laike was silent for a second, nodding. His heart swelled with pride at this display of resolve. "Dragonmaster Dyne would be proud of your bravery," he said. "He would marvel at the strength you have nurtured in your hearts."

"I know. I also think that he'd have me answer the question that Ghaleon posed." Alex stared at the Monument for a moment.

Sere nodded, getting up. "Excellent point, Alex. Now, I will have to ask you six to come with me. You'll need to be prepared to face off against the Deadly Alliance."

T.K. nodded and followed Sere back into the village, the other five taking their cues from him.

Laike tuned to stare at Dyne's Monument once more, introspective. The past was coming for them all once more, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. It was a bitter pill to swallow. "Do you know what killed Dyne, Alex?" he suddenly asked.

Alex was a little dumbfounded by the question. What did it have to do with Ghaleon? "No," he replied.

Laike was silent for a moment, looking at the Monument. "As with many, Dyne fell victim to love. He swore to the woman he fancied that he would do anything for her." He looked at him, his eyes bearing a profound mystery. "When the time came to protect her heart, he used all of his power." He turned back to the Monument. "And the Dyne everyone knew as the greatest Dragonmaster ever…perished."

Alex turned his attention to the Monument, seeing his image of Dyne shift. Now he saw someone who wanted to do what was best for Lunar and wanted to have his own life. "As Dragonmaster, he thought the Goddess was worth protecting," he said. "But as a person, he decided that the woman he loved was worth dying for. So how does a Dragonmaster separate love and duty from each other?"

Laike laughed. "I don't know. Love is never an easy thing to come to grips with, Alex! And when the time comes, you may have to choose between love and duty. But you say you want to save Luna… so you must become the Dragonmaster." Those eyes, so full of wisdom and experience, pierced the depths of the young man's soul. "Because you will face an opponent far stronger than any Dragonmaster has had to face…"

"I know…, and I'll do it, Laike!"

"Good answer, Alex!" Laike bellowed with joy as he pulled something out of his pack. "Here, I have something that might just cheer you up!"

Nall flapped for a second. "After that depressing story about Dyne, I hope so."

"Don't worry, Nall. I promise… you'll like this." He handed the package over to Alex. "I found it in the White Dragon Cave… and I want you to have it. You're going to find it as useful as Dyne did." He patted Alex on the shoulder. "I'll see you soon," he said in farewell, walking away.

Nall and Alex stared at Laike's retreating back, somewhat perplexed. "What a strange man, Alex…" Nall mumbled. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's helping us… but why is he doing it?"

"Good question… but that's a question that can wait."

Nall grinned. "Well, I'm glad that you're going to fight Ghaleon… because I'd hate to save Luna all by myself!"

Alex started chuckling, amazed that he could still find humor in the situation they had found themselves in. "I'd hate to have to rescue the both of you!" he replied. "Come on, let's go get the others and decide on a course of action."

"Let's!"

D:SSS

Sere pulled a small case out of her duffle bag, holding it in her hands. "Besides the Sword of Hope, the Guardians of Althena gave me their crests for safekeeping," she explained as she opened it. "A Guardian's crest is a combination of a dog tag/homing beacon/ power refiner, allowing other Guardians to locate and identify them instantly, should they have to find them in a pinch."

Angemon picked up two crests, observing them for a second. "These two crests are the same," he said.

"Well, for each power in Existence, two who defend it. These two will hold similar crests, though their power may vary slightly. Only a select few, like Hope and Light, are different. In Hope and Light's case, it's because they defend the powers of purity themselves."

"Cool." T.K. put the Crest of Hope around his neck. "Do Tai and the others have crests?" he asked.

"They don't need them." Sere put the now-empty case back into her bag. "Their powers are on the level of an empowered, significantly weaker than yours. They'll still be able to hold their own against anyone they come across, though."

Angewomon chuckled. "Well, what about Harry Potter and Hermione Granger?" she asked.

Sere frowned. "Now, I don't know anything about them. While I knew the Guardians of Althena, I didn't know any others or their culture. You see, the Guardians of Althena were assigned to Althena because of her past association with Alania, the First Guardian. As such, she was responsible for training the Guardian of Light."

"Hikari," Kari murmured.

Sere nodded, eyes twinkling. "Correct. And thank you for the name." She looked at each of them. "Now, Guardians are skilled in hand-to-hand combat. However, they usually carried various weapons, depending on the situation. Now, as this is a war setting, you'll probably want some throwing knives, projectile weapons, and axes, among other things. They would also have their sacred weapon and a series of healing items. In addition, they had communicators that worked on a certain frequency so that they could talk without eavesdroppers."

Greg slipped his crest on, tucking it under his shirt. "So, what do we do?" he asked.

"We fight," Alex replied, walking up to them. "Laike gave me something that might help with that."

"Now, all we have to do is find out where Ghaleon went," Nall added.

Sere looked at the item in Alex's hands. "I see Laike found the White Dragon Wings," she said. "It can instantly teleport you to a place you have visited on Lunar. Very handy when you're running late for a meeting."

Angemon whistled. "Talk about easy transportation. Can you tell us how to use them?"

"Uh, uh, you have to figure that out for yourself." She turned to Mercury. "Now, under no circumstances are you to challenge Ghaleon alone. Collect the other Scouts and Digi-Destined and those who will be willing to fight against a 'former' hero. That'll be the only way to defeat him." She hugged the young girl, then hugged Greg. "I'll see you in Vane. We'll talk then," she added before teleporting away.

Nall grinned. "Let's try the Dragon Wings out and see what happens!" He looked at Alex. "Where do we go?" he asked.

Alex didn't even need to think about it. "Serenity will probably warn Lemia and the Magic Guild. They, in turn, will probably warn Harry and Hermione. So let's head for Meribia. Last I recall, Hell Mel is still in fighting shape, and we all know how Jessica's like."

Mercury nodded. "So let's get going," she said.

Everyone clustered around Alex, who raised the Wings above his head. "Take us to the City of Meribia!" he intoned.

The White Dragon Wings began glowing brightly, seemingly collecting energy from the air. It started humming, which grew in intensity, until a series of multi-colored rings emerged from the item, engulfing them.

In a moment, the rings vanished, leaving a vacant spot where the eight of them stood.

And here is the end of Season 1 of Digimon: Silver Star Story. Now, for the most part, besides some changes, it's largely the same as it was before. Season 2, on the other hand, I'm completely redoing, simplifying it and primarily keeping it on Lunar. Before, I was doing far too many different shows, and trying to keep up with it all was becoming troublesome, among other things. Hopefully, I'll do a better job this time around.