Chapter Thirty Three: Release? New Form?
(Kari's P.O.V)
"Release." They spoke at the same time and I watched them both the best I could.
Lightning sparked from the card that Storm held while fire flickered from Evan's card. As I stood there I watched as their power was revealed. In a bright flash of what I assumed was lightning Storm's outfit was surprisingly different. Storm now wore a red shirt and black pants but she wore a white sleeveless jacket that had the 'Digimon Hazard' symbol on the back, well it wasn't much of a jacket because it nearly went to her ankles. She wore what I assumed were black bracers on her arms.
My attention snapped from Storm to Evan when I heard him groan slightly. One of the Sangloupmon had tried to attack me since I hadn't been paying attention but Evan decided to intercept him. Evan wore an outfit akin to Storm's outfit but he had a black jacket thing instead of white. He seemed to have trouble standing his ground; he had a completely black sword in his hand holding the claws of the Sangloupmon back.
"Lightning Volley." It caught me by total surprise hearing that and seconds later the Sangloupmon was sent flying, balls of electricity have struck it.
I looked at Storm; she had electricity sparking from her hand. Was that how she made the elevator move? How the power was suddenly knocked out at the train station? Could she control electricity somehow? If electricity was her element, it had flickered about her card; does that mean that Evan could use fire? Did the cards give them excess to controlling elements?
"Pay attention Kari, I don't know if I'll be able to save you the next time." I looked at Evan, he looked exhausted already.
"They're probably controlled by the Demon Lords; they're stronger than the usual Sangloupmon." I really hate having to be protected.
"Did the cards give you this power?" Neither looked at me, they were watching the every move of the three remaining Sangloupmons.
"It would be easier to explain that later." I was going to ask more but I guess they didn't want to answer any more because they made the first move.
Evan charged forward with unsteady movements as if he was forcing himself to move. Which made me remember his earlier comment about having used too much power yet it seemed like Storm wasn't weak in the sense of power but I noticed how she had a hand on her wound. I was really starting to hate how I kept getting protected. I was getting tired of having to be protected.
"I want to help." I pulled out the card and I looked at it.
I saw what they did to get it to activate but the thing was could I use it with no training? Thing was, is it something I should even attempt without any training? After all it could be one of those things that could turn out horribly wrong if done incorrectly. I wanted to help but was it worth taking that chance?
"Lightning Rain!" I was jarred from my thoughts and I looked towards Storm in time to see electricity rain down upon one of the ones she was facing, she was taking on two while Evan was taking on one.
I looked to the downed Sangloupmon and my eyes widened. It had gotten back to its feet and it had its eyes on Evan. I was in its blind spot so I was somewhat happy since there was nothing I could do to it but I felt my blood run cold because I knew what was going to happen, something just told me. He lurched forward going right at Evan.
"Evan!" He turned but it was too late to do anything because it was already there.
It sunk its teeth into his arm. Storm had looked when I had called his name; she seemed to stun to move. I watched at the Sangloupmon behind him did something and then it seemed like blades came from within Evan. His eyes had gone wide, the pain wasn't concealed. I saw them both trying to dissolve into shadows but something happened. I felt a familiar sensation wash over me but it seemed to stop them from dissolving into shadows. Storm barely managed to dodge the attack that was aimed at her but managed to get scratched, her arm began to bleed.
"Something, there has to be something I can do." I remembered the card that I held in my hand.
I looked at it. I have to try to do something. I remember how I healed Takuya so maybe if I could figure out how I did that I could heal Evan. I don't want someone to die. It was bad enough when Wizardmon died protecting me, I don't want to see someone else die in front of me. If we couldn't even handle them how could we handle the Demon Lords? We really need to find another step up in power.
"Don't try to use the card Kari." Storm's voice jarred me from my thoughts.
"You release that with anything less than a firm grasp of who you are you'll lose yourself." I have to do something.
"You can't fight them anymore Storm. I'm not going to sit back and do nothing but be protected." Something seemed to guide me.
"Release!" The card let off a glow; I had to close my eyes from how bright the sudden light was.
The light encased me and something felt odd. I felt like there was something that was trying to pull me away. As if something was trying to tempt me into something. It almost felt like different forces were playing tag-a-war with me. Storm's words made sense now, about how I could lose myself. Wait, who's Storm? I squeezed my eyes closed, wait weren't they already closed? I'm confused. What's going on here? Where is here?
'Hikari, open your eyes. You may be the shadows but open your eyes; the light is your domain. Do not fear or be confused. Remember in what you fight for.' I opened my eyes slowly.
I stared at the person in front of me. I was surprised to see the person who seemed to float there. I glanced around the space I was in. It was just pure light yet when I looked at my hands I found that shadows flickered. When I looked to the only other person that was within this space, she seemed to shine. She had a soft smile on her face.
'You can do anything. As long as you give your all then you win, unless you give up you'll never lose. As long as you do your best then you'll win even if it seems like you've lost.' Those words, they sound familiar.
(Koji's P.O.V)
I watched as the ball of shadows cracked even more and I felt another sensation come. Just as I felt the shadowy sensation I felt another but it didn't come from Koichi but from towards where I could guess Kari was. It kind of felt shadowy like Koichi's but it also had a light sense to it, like it was in perfect harmony. What did Kari do? What's going on?!
'Do not fear for anyone, everyone will survive.' I barely heard the words but I shook my head, why am I hearing things now?
"Dark Blaze!" I watched as the black Aldamon sent black fire crashing against the ball of shadows.
The fire didn't seem to bother the shadows at all. I watched as the outer layers fell away but the shadows didn't disappear but they flickered about the ground. The layer beneath was black light but that quickly took form. I watched as the light faded and I stared at the new form of Koichi's.
"That's more human than I thought it would look." Black Aldamon laughed but something told me it wasn't something to laugh at.
Koichi's new form looked a lot like Loweemon but it was different. What had been gold was now a pure white but on his back seemed to be small cracks in the armor, as if it was allowing room for something to take form. Shadows also seemed to literally cling to him; something was a lot different about this form. I also noticed something, that symbol that Storm and Evan spoke about; it was on the back of this form's hands.
"If anything it looks like you just had a flashy revert sequence." It did seem that way but this was Loweemon, at least not the normal Loweemon.
"A humanoid form is easier to use since we're naturally human." That seemed to take Black Aldamon by surprise; it was as if Koichi was saying the form had adapted to fit him.
"You still won't be strong enough to defeat me." Underestimating whatever this form was is probably something that you shouldn't do.
"White Shadow!" The flickering shadows moved and before Black Aldamon could react he had been grabbed by the shadows and it seemed like he became paralyzed almost.
I highly doubt that such a named attack would only have that effect so I was watching for something else. The effect that I saw surprised me. I saw Black Aldamon's shadow morphed into that of Takuya, I might've guessed at it but I was surprised but what happen. Black Aldamon let out a sudden shout as the shadows turned white, it made the name make sense now. Yet it was just a flicker but when the shadows pulled downwards Black Aldamon seemed be left in the grasp of the shadows, the shadows also turned back to the normal black, yet the shadows that remained white pulled Takuya away.
"Takuya, you alright!?" Takuya seemed a bit confused but he looked towards me before his head snapped back to Black Aldamon, who was still trying to struggle.
"What's going on?" Takuya seemed just confused now.
"Later, we'll explain later just get over here." Maybe it was because that Aldamon was in front of him and corrupted that he listened to me, he stumbled away from Aldamon.
"You really owe me an explanation later on Koji." I just nodded, I watched as Koichi's armor began to crack, he was losing whatever Digivolution he was in.
"Shadow Code!" I didn't know what to expect, so I watched a little confused and interested when black Digi Code began to appear.
I watched as the dark text got darker as Black Aldamon lost the black color and was returning to the normal Aldamon colors. I really don't know what's going on or what 'level' he was at. It wasn't Beast or Fusion but what else was it? It also couldn't be a Unified Spirit Evolution, could it? Once Aldamon was back to normal it turned to fractal code before it seemed to retreat to Takuya's D Tector. Well that's a first; we usually had to scan the fractal code.
"Is that Koichi?" Takuya finally seemed to take note of Koichi's new level.
"You don't remember anything?" He shook his head.
"Nope." I looked back to Koichi when I heard something hit the ground, he had reverted and he was out.
"Koichi, you good?" Takuya managed to get up and went towards Koichi and with a bit of trouble I managed to get up and walk over.
Koichi was breathing but I think it was out for a while. Yet something caught my attention. I saw the flicker of black light and when I looked I saw the black crest that Kari had given to him. It flickered with the black light and Koichi's shadow that fell on it seemed to flicker but once the light was gone the shadow was back to normal. Was whatever that form was thanks to that crest?
"So what happened?" I bent down and grabbed the crest as Takuya spoke but when I grabbed it I remembered.
"Shit! Kari got into a fight, we have to go!" I stood up but I did it way too fast.
Getting up to fast combined with getting thrown like a rag doll made my vision swim and I nearly fell had Takuya not grabbed my arm. Kari's in trouble and I can't do anything. Wait, how do I know that Kari's trouble let alone in a fight? Too many questions to really worry about right now and something tells me not enough time.
"What about Kari?" I looked at Takuya and I couldn't muster the energy to be annoyed right now, I just wanted this battle to be done already.
"When the Black Aldamon attacked us Storm and Evan took off with Kari while Koichi, Gatomon, and I stayed to hold you off. Storm and Evan both are in no shape to fight currently but don't ask me how I know but they're in a fight and she's cornered. Something bad is going to happen." I don't know how I know but right not it seemed like the only person to be perfectly ok is Takuya besides a few visible bruises but it's like they didn't bother him at all.
"You clearly can't fight anymore." I shot him a glare but I did feel tired, I kind of knew I was done for today.
"If you can go and check on Kari. We're in the Digital World; just like me you know the Demon Lords are targeting her." He seemed to shift slightly, something was off with him.
"I got it, I'll go and check it out." Something was wrong or he was seriously acting mature right and since it concerned Kari I'll go with the second, he is often serious when it came to her.
So, I feel like this could've been better. I also feel like a few characters slipped out of character. So, anyone have any ideas for the name of Koichi's new form? I also feel like this has been dragged out really long. I kind of hope the chapter was good.