"How'd it go?" Takato asked, quickly climbing out of the dinosaur-like playground equipment and hurrying over to Henry. Henry had an odd expression on his face, not yet meeting Takato's eyes as he instead continued staring at Terriermon, who was also unusually quiet.
"I'm… not really sure." Henry admitted, sitting down on a nearby bench as if the world was weighing down heavily on his shoulders. His arms were wrapped around Terriermon, but his hands were locked together, fingers moving around like unsettled worms. "My dad knows about Digimon." He said plainly.
"I mean, if he didn't know about Digimon after getting hit in the chest by one I'd be pretty concerned about your dad." TK replied, idly tapping buttons on his digivice. Takato had noticed him doing it moe ever since their trip to the electronics department but decided that if TK had something on his mind it was up to him to come forward about it on his own volition.
"No, I mean he knew about Digimon being real before Vajramon. Before Terriermon I even think." Now that caught TK and Takato's attention, even as Terriermon buried his face in his hands, practically vibrating with emotion.
"Woah, really?!" Takato exclaimed. Henry gave a numb nod. "And he told me something else, about the blue card. Do you guys remember how I talked about having my dad scan it's data the other day?" The other two nodded their heads. "It turns out he did know the signature on the card. I was two names that both started with K… ughI can't remember them right now. But I'm pretty sure it was two people."
"At least that helps to narrow down out search - it's two guys, right? So we have a better starting place now-"
"I'M SORRY HENRY!" Terriermon suddenly exploded, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he turned around and clutched at Henry's shirt. Henry's grey eyes widened in surprise before his hands wrapped again around Terriermon and drew him close.
"What for?" He asked, confusion written over his features.
"I wasn't able to protect your dad. He got hurt because of me."
"No Terriermon, never be mad at yourself because of that." Henry replied.
"Yeah Terriermon." TK agreed. "Look we, we sometimes hurt as we progress through things. And the challenges ahead of us keep getting harder. But we're constantly rising to meet them."
"TK's right!" Takato added. "And we're always here for you. Next time Guilmon will definitely be there to back you guys up." He said it enthusiastically, raising a fist with determination flashing in his grin. Terriermon nodded slowly, wiping his tears before his ears twitched. His entire form stiffened even as his eyes narrowed.
"Henry, he's back." Henry gave a terse nod.
"Right, are you okay to do this Terriermon?" Terriermon signaled yes and already began taking, yelling behind him. "Takato, go get Guilmon! And TK go tell Rika - if Vajramon's back then Renamon's probably back too."
"Right." TK and Takato replied in unison, heading off in opposite directions."
oOo
Mr. Wong sat back against his pillows, absentmindedly scribbling code in a notebook. He already knew that this particular string of code wouldn't achieve what they had hoped it would, but it was one of the closest times they had come to re-establishing a functional way to the digital world.
The sound of heels clicking from somewhere outside of his hospital room grew progressively louder - he assumed it was somebody visiting a sick friend or lover or something - and turned his attention back to his notebook until he heard them stop right outside his door. He looked up cautiously, gripping his pencil tightly in his hand as if it was a weapon, as if he was in any state to fight with broken ribs.
"Yoo-hoo!" She burst in like a ray of light over the mountains, face vibrant as ever as her arm waved enthusiastically. Mr. Wong startled and grimaced as he distrubred his injuries, slowly reclining back against his pillow. The woman across from his clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
"Getting yourself hurt like this? How unreliable of you." She pouted as Mr. Wing watched her move with wide eyes. Suddenly the past few days had been too much. Too much of his past rising up. "I'll let you know I'm not in town for you, don't worry." The woman waved her hand flippantly. "I'm visiting my daughter and saw that some poor fool of a man got hurt in the news and I've never been good with everyone's new names but there was also a picture." She winked.
"You have a daughter?" Mr. wong exclaimed.
"Oh yes." She replied. "She's growing up nicely although I am away more often than I wish I was."
"Mrs, uh, Mrs-"
"Nonaka. It's Rumiko Nonaka now. And not Mrs. There's no man in my life."
"We really shouldn't be in the same room right now." Mr. Wong said as he looked around nervously. "I'm pretty sure we all made an agreement to leave each other alone and…"
"Oh don't feed me that nonsense. I want to hear all about what you've been up to - the newspaper article said something about marriage and kids? I want to hear allllllll about the lovely woman in your life and each of your charming and I'm sure too smart for their own good kids."
"We-well my oldest is Henry and he's…"
oOo
"Renamon!" Rika cried as she burst into the arena, hopping off the bike she had taken to get there. Sure enough Renamon stood there along with Growlmon and Gargomon, the three of them looking worse for wear against Vajramon. TK wondered, not for the first time, how it was these Deva's were so hardy of digimon, able to withstand even pile ups of champions. Rika was already moving, pulling out her digivice and a card.
"Digi-modify!" She cried as she swiped the card through the digivice. "Digivolution activate!" Renamon glowed as her layers peeled back allowing her code to alter and grow. Her bipedal form was abandoned to make her look even more fox-like than before, crouched and ready to pounce on all four legs with nine tails swishing in the air behind her.
"Wow." TK said. It was the first time he had seen Renamon digivolve, and the power she gave off was incredible, if only from her narrowed eyes that seemed more than willing to eat Vajramon for the pain they had put them through.
"Kyubimon, you are even more worthy to serve our Sovereign now." Vajramon said, spreading his arms out like an invitation.
"Fox Tail Inferno." Kyubimon shouted instead of a reply, the whirls of blue fire leaping to Vajramon. Despite that it just bounced uselessly off of his data, and TK grit his teeth. Even with Growlmon and Gargomon having fought him ahead of time it was like nothing was able to put a dent in this guy.
"You made it!" Calumon said enthusiastically, hopping into TK's arms even as the fighting went on. Kyubimon launching attacks and Vajramon easily parrying them. But Kyubimon was managing to hold her ground at least moderately - with her speed and balance.
"So beautiful," Vajramon said as Kyubimon came in close for an attack. "...yet so deluded." He spat the word out as he tossed her off of him. "You could be so much stronger, why do you follow such weak humans?" Kyubimon let out a small growl before headbutting him in the side, managing to at least get him a little off balance.
"Rika is stronger than you." Her voice was full of conviction.
"You will join us or you will perish." Vajramon seemed to be growing tired of attempting to convince Kyubimon, slashing his sword through the air. "You could have unlimited data in this world." He said as he took a swipe at her, Kyubimon delicately hopping out of the way. "Hey you insist on being the lap dog to such a worthless little girl!" He struck her again, and his attack hit her dead on, bring up a dust cloud that, when it settled, revealed Kyubimon on the ground, bits of data floating int he air.
"Kyubimon!" Rika cried, making a move to rush towards her partner before seeming to remember that's she was merely a human, with very little she could do to help her partner. Anger flashed in her eyes and she grabbed a card from her deck. TK felt his chest grow warm as the card changed colors. "The blue card." Rika said in awe before glaring defiantly at Vajramon. "It's our turn!" She declared as she gave it a swipe.
"Digimodify!" The light poured from her digivice's screen. "Matrix Digivolution, activate!" Kyubimon once again let her facade be torn away as the pain in TK's chest increased and the red light from Calumon launched into the stadium. TK could practically see how the power of the digivice and determination from Rika gave off all the data Kyubimon would ever need - who would ever need more than their partner - as her code warped as he stood up once again in a form closer to that resembling a human with billowy sleeves but her same slitted, prepared eyes.
"Hmph, why do you choose such a form? The sovereign would not be pleased." Vajramon retorted, his nostrils flaring.
"I don't really care what your master thinks." Her form blurred at the speed we was going, appearing in the air above Vajramon. "A Thousand Spells!" She called, razor sharp pieces of paper coming out from her sleeves, slicing Vajramon.
"You deceiving creature, I will destroy you!" He cried as he swung his swords in Taomon's direction, but he simply knocked them away, undeterred. "Why do you play games with me?! Why are you here?!" He cried as she leaped lithely away.
"I only wanted information. I am done with you now." Taomon answered.
"You deceptive wretch! Once I take care of you, I'll do away with that puny human of yours!" His blades shot towards Taomon, but she leaped into the air, summoning a giant paintbrush.
"No one," And anger filled Taomon's voice. "...threatens Rika. Talisman of Light!"
"What, no, NO!" Vajramon cried as the symbol overtook him, his body dissolving into data.
"Wow." Takato said as he looked at Taomon, floating in the air, triumphant against her foe.