Disclaimer: I do not own digimon or any of it's characters.
On a side note Archangemon more than likely should have been the result of the digidestined partners Takeru and Hikari. For one a couple moments of friendship chemistry between her and the complaining loudmouth who does not know when to shut up pales in comparison to the lifelong friendship and companionship Takeru and Hikari have been through together. Being a kids show, a young man and a woman though feeling each others hearts has a romantic angle to it, but you can't tell me that Miyako's and Iori's friendship would not make them candidates to as they kind of click together themselves. Iori has a gentle personality, but does not know when to stand up for himself or make decisions and Miyako makes decisions too hastily not really listening to anyone but by face value. There was more than enough content to make them partners.
Two more notes here. Chikouamon (however you spell it, it is a nightmare) is what happens when you force a digivolution. He looks like a leftover digimon idea as a kind of 'ok guys, here are the last two digidestined. We need to make them partners. They have to dna digivolve so I don't care what you have to do.' And that's why we get a giant clay idol teapot winged cherubim. Secondly what went through their heads for Silphymon? Instead of two champions becoming an ultimate, Tailmon easily could have digivolved and dispatched her enemies herself. Sigh, just so much wasted talent.
Chapter Thirteen: Unsatisfied Victory
The ground shook severely and the winds twisted around Takeru. They blew over cold and raspy like Freitmon. He held his own, putting his back towards it shielding Hikari from the savagery of them. He planted his foot firmly in the ground and wrapped his arms around Hikari who seemed to be about ready to be swept away by it. The monstrous wind emanated from Freitmon even more causing him to lose his balance. He gritted his teeth trying to stand against his enemy as if that's all he could do.
"I shall tear apart that book and all of you as paper!" Freitmon taunted. "And should the digital world be lost in the process so be it!"
Takeru heard a cracking sound as chunks of his coffin flung into the air.
"This is your death knell Digidestined," Freitmon declared. "It is your funeral song. Weep! Mourn! Despair for your lives lost! For in this hour death will have a visitation." His wings brimmed with strength thrashing wildly as if he could barely contain his own power.
Takeru stared up above him in shock as darkness swarmed all around them, the only light visible upon them being the light of their crests, the marks on their hands and of Archangemon. He hugged Hikari tight. "It won't end this way," he said. "Not like this. It can't end like this! ArchAngemon!" he shouted.
"Don't worry," ArchAngemon said calmly, "Though the darkness is powerful, it only lasts till the dawn." The being continued reading from the book as Freitmon's skin started to crack, darkness seeping out.
"Lo! Toll the bell! Ring it! Shatter this endless cycle! It plays for you now!" Freitmon commanded summoning forth a powerful spell. "Midnight Requiem!"
The ground seemed to shake all around them like a major earthquake as it pounded the air, demonic dark hands surrounding them and savagely came at them ready to tear them apart.
Takeru closed his eyes and shielded Hikari.
Is this the end? he wondered. No it can't be! I can't let it end this way!
"Takeru..." Hikari whispered. "...It will be all right. Trust Patamon like you always have. I trust Tailmon. Our digimon have never let us down before," she said, her eyes brimming softly sweet, but safely in her belief. "So don't start to doubt him now."
He thought about it staring down at her, about ready to be torn apart by ferocious winds. "Yeah," he said. "I won't give up hope. No matter how dark it gets I know the morning is on it's way," he said grabbing her hand as they both stood withstanding the wind by holding onto each other's hands.
ArchAngemon kept reading and then stopped, power brimming in it's right hand. Like a rifle shot the darkness picked up speed and seemed to dive right at all of them. With a mighty cry ArchAngemon pulled back it's fist and punched the giant book in front of him. "Penance!" It echoed as a holy white light brought up a powerful barrier from the recoil of the darkness attacking them all.
"Curse you holy digimon!" Freitmon growled. "But your defense will not last! It will consume you all!"
With that ArchAngemon stuck it's hand into the book, the book transforming into a burning white hot blade.
Takeru watched awestruck as ArchAngemon wielded it with reverence, the blade brimming completely with light, blinding anything that looked upon it, even causing the darkness to tremble.
"Sword of the Spirit!" it called out almost as if in a prayer in blinding fury it transformed into the blade, and like a fish swimming against the tide of darkness it pushed through the torrent and embedded itself into the digital heart of Freitmon.
"Gaarargh!" Freitmon cried, throbbing uncontrollably in pain.
Hikari buried her face into Takeru's shirt as if unable to bear seeing the final blow. Takeru put one arm over her willing to see the battle through to the end.
"Yes," Freitmon sputtered out, grinning, tears of joy coming down from his face. "It had to be this way," he said, as if concentrating all of his remaining energy. "Now go!" he cried raising up his hand to the heavens, a dark ball of chaos being thrown into the sky, a single flash of light entering into it disappearing into the digital heavens.
He stared at ArchAngemon and the other Digidestined and smiled contently. "With this the nightmare is over. My destiny is accomplished," he said starting to dissolve. "Thank you."
With that the digimon fully disappeared into nothingness, Freitmon's data dissolved fully by the light, The darkness fully dispelled. The battle had finally ended.
Takeru stared around him at all of the digimon battered and bruised smiling, Archangemon separated reduced to the in training Tokomon and Nyarumon. They both looked exhausted. Slowly, the light seemed to peak through the clouds as if the digital world had let all of the digital beings and the digidestined know they had been victorious and the world would be restored as before.
He caught even Salamon, Tokomon with his toothy crazy grin and the other digimon in their adolescent forms smiling at him and Hikari. He almost felt embarrassed they were staring at him for so long.
"W-what?" he said scratching the back of his head.
Hikari only smiled at him as if she had nothing else to say than what he had already said.
"Don't you what' me," Yamato said running over to him and grabbing him by the back and putting him in a choke hold playfully. "You finally laid it all out in the open. Finally! You were honest with yourself!"
"Brother," he said, trying his best to maintain his demeanor ignoring the pain in his throat. "This probably would hurt someone."
"Hey, you leave him alone!" he heard Hikari call out as if noticing his struggle and coming to his rescue.
"What, you're going to let your girlfriend save you now?" he said, Hikari's face flushing brilliantly red.
"Oh my," Mimi said. "That's quite a statement Hikari!"
She stared at Takeru who could not help but adore her quiet protest. He looked at her as if to say I forgive you while doing his best to avoid disclosing any discomfort he felt.
"Come on leave them alone," Sora said walking over to Hikari and positively beaming.
Takeru noticed Hikari look very uncomfortable and it made him all the more joyful.
He felt Patamon land on his head who must have just digivolved again with a little burst of energy and he bent down smiling at him.
"Did I do good Takeru?"
"Patamon you're the best," he said patting his head, Patamon's wings tingling in delight.
He glanced at Tailmon climbing onto Hikari's shoulder who also must have just digivolved, Hikari scratching her chin making her feel embarrassed. "Good Kitty."
From a distance Taichi walked over to Yamato as if, even in his beat up state,he was completely normal going out for a stroll.
"Hey," he said. "Let's go."
With that Takeru felt air enter into his lungs again, watching as Yamato went off with Taichi without hesitation.
"You to Sora," Taichi added grabbing her hand, giving Hikari breathing room.
"What was that about?" Hikari asked as the three of them went off together in the woods.
"Beats me," Takeru replied noticing Hikari was standing incredibly close to him. For once he felt embarrassed, but only because he had completely revealed himself to her and all the other digidestined were there to see it. It was all out in the open now.
They checked over to see Koushiro typing into his phone still as if he was very curious.
"Oh Hikari," Mimi exclaimed going over to her as if she was acting, "In the trauma of the darkness where was my man to tell me everything would be all right? He was nowhere to be found as he spent more time on a stupid digital device than protecting me!" she exclaimed.
Takeru looked at Hikari and smiled nervously, realizing that together they had the same reaction. She must have certainly learned that from him or did he learn that from her?
"Mimi," that's not entirely true," Koushiro said, showing her a picture of the two of them as the background of his phone.
"Oh, that's suppose to be precious," she said looking flustered," but because it could have been the end of the world I expected a passionate kiss!"
They could not help but smile as Koushiro tried to protest and make a defense of himself as if he was calculating a whole bunch of different impossible equations equaling to 'but there was a chance I could have saved the digital world.'
"The digital world is always in danger, but you're not the only one that can save it," she responded rolling her eyes as if she had heard that excuse a million times. "Come on you have the cutest girl in the world at your side and you make googly eyes at a bunch of ones and zeros! At least Takeru knows how to treat a girl," she said coming over to him and linking his arm with hers. "How about it?" she said coyly. "Want me to show you how a woman should really treat a man?"
Takeru only smiled nervously, a dark incinerating stare burning right beside him at Mimi.
"Oh scary!" she said letting go of Takeru and spinning around until she bent down until her face was next to Koushiro's. "But seriously. You need to kiss me right now."
Koushiro looked into her eyes, Takeru enjoying his beat red face.
Tentomon put an arm on his shoulder. "There comes a time when a man must stop talking of zero's and ones and take action," he said. "Don't let me down my friend."
Takeru could not help but hold back laughter as Koushiro tried to make a kissing face towards her, but failing miserably.
"You see what I have to put up with?" she said gnarling her eyes and forehead. Then she grabbed his lips. "For once, just let your lips do the talking and turn your brain off," she said burying her face into his. It seemed really sweet at first, but then it got kind of intense with slobbers.
Hikari covered her eyes and Takeru watched on interested.
"Takeru," she said pushing him on. "Don't stare."
Takeru felt Hikari pushing his back for awhile as they left Koushiro and Mimi alone. He had to admit he had never seen a makeout session before, not since he was a little boy and caught one of his mom's steamy romantic specials. It was pretty intense.
Eventually they came across Joe picking up bits of sticks around as if he was making a fire. "It should be night soon," he said, Gomamon putting on the last couple of sticks. "I figured if we are not back tomorrow we should at least get a fire going."
"You're reliable as always," Takeru said always in admiration of his ability to think ahead.
"Well someone has to be," he said. "Koushiro and Mimi are playing with more than zeros and ones and the others ran off into the woods. While I have you here how are your wounds?"
"A little battered," Hikari said, "But I'm fine."
"We'll see about that," Joe said breaking out a can of apple cider vinegar, his eyes brimming in mischievous confidence.
"Joe? Just what is that?" she asked.
"A little lesson in taking care of yourself better," he said taking a pair of chopsticks and dunking a cottonball in it, the cottonball dripping the acidic health hazard. "Now stay still and relax. I'm a doctor!"
"Only in training!" Takeru blurted out as he was attacked by Joe, Hikari screaming out in pain after him.
Takeru smiled at Hikari (He could not stop smiling that day) as after they were all bandaged up Taichi, Yamato, and Sora all came back as if they had had a lot of fun.
"What's up with you?" he asked Yamato who passed by him as if ignoring him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He saw Taichi do the same to Hikari passing by in very good spirits.
"Brother, are you ok?" Hikari asked.
"Never better. I just never realized how much of a jerk I have been," he said entertained, a goofy grin on his face. "I've messed up quite a lot this time around."
"You always mess up," Yamato grimaced. "You're like a klutz in a room full of dirty dishes. Nothing gets clean. Everything gets worse."
"That's only cause you're in the same room with me!" Taichi countered, all of it so very pleasant to behold for Takeru.
"Now, now boys," Sora said calming them down.
Yamato turned away his face a little red as if embarrassed Sora had to intervene like they were a couple of kids fighting.
"Hikari," she said, "You know your brother here, he actually apologized for not recognizing my emotions and that he was too immature to appreciate them. But you know what? He's actually happy now for Yamato and me. It just took him some time to get used to it."
"I think you mean it took him nearly killing my little brother," Yamato smirked.
"You've almost killed him millions of times. He's still got that bruise on his throat from earlier!"
Takeru looked down at his neck and grinned. "Score one for Taichi."
"At least I didn't slam a stereo on his face!"
That point went to Yamato.
"You all talk about it so casually," Hikari said a little frustrated with the two of them.
Takeru noticed her brother looking over her from a distance and walk closer. Taichi went over to her and grabbed her hand, looking at the scars.
"Yeah it's there all right," he said looking over it. "Oh man, you've really done it now sis."
"W-what are you talking about?" she said slightly apprehensive, Taichi approaching Takeru and looking at his hand to. It felt oddly uncomfortable.
"Yep, it's right there. You've both digivolved."
"Huh?" Takeru said surprised Hikari reacted at the same time.
"To Couplemon!"
They stared at Taichi acting like an idiot on purpose none of it being so serious, but incredibly silly.
Just then Mimi and Koushiro walked over to them, Koushiro looked like he just accomplished something really important, Mimi walking with a little bounce in her step. Their make out session must have been successful.
"Looks like we're all back," Yamato said, Sora hanging off of his shoulder.
"Seems that way," Taichi said looking at them as if he was a little envious of all the couples.
"Why hasn't the digital world started to change back?" Sora asked looking at it. "When we defeated the dark masters and Apocalymon it all changed didn't it?"
"I've been wondering about that to," Koushiro said frustrated with his phone. "I need to go look into this some more since Freitmon broke my computer, but I think it had something having to do with that hole of darkness and the light inside he shot into the air. I wonder what that could be?"
"Yeah," Mimi said resting her arm against a tree. "Something about all of this seems so unfinished. Like we misunderstood something."
"You got that vibe to?" Joe asked. "Freitmon was terrifying, but the way he talked and did things seemed so unlike any evil digimon we have faced before."
"I wonder if something was in that light and it came from the digital world to the real world," Hikari said holding her arm as if something felt uneasy regarding the digimon.
Takeru nodded his head. "At least with Freitmon gone all of the digimon should eventually be reborn. We'll start seeing digi eggs sometime."
He noticed that all of his fellow digidestined seemed tired and wiped out, and, for the most part worse for wear.
"We should call it a day," Taichi said. He walked over to Takeru and put his hand on his shoulder. He said nothing and just walked on by eyes closed.
"Hikari, make sure Takeru gets you home within the hour," he said. "Thanks for protecting her Takeru," he said as he walked away.
With that all the digidestined retired for the day exiting the digital world thanks to a back up digital portal program of Koushiro's. He always seemed to have an escape route ready.
The sun had started to set as Takeru walked with Hikari, their partner digimon being quiet resting on their shoulders watching them. The others had gone on ahead, the two youngest digidestined enjoying each other's company as they always had. He can't believe they had defeated Freitmon and were actually in a relationship with each other. It felt wonderful, but oddly unfinished. He looked at Hikari who looked in thought to as if she had been thinking the same thing.
"My brother is being awful quiet about us," she said latching onto his arm. He looked down kind of surprised.
"I-is this ok?"Hikari asked her face a little red as if nervous about their relationship and doing something wrong.
Takeru smiled and rubbed her head. "I'm not complaining."
They said nothing as they started heading home. Takeru turned his head and noticed Taichi catch up with his brother Yamato and Sora in the distance.
"I'm glad for him," Hikari smiled. "The whole thing with Sora had been eating at him for awhile. It's good he finally found some closure."
Takeru stared at her appreciating her caring for him. "Taichi is very fortunate to have a caring sister like you."
Hikari turned away from him as if embarrassed by his compliment and just kept walking with him. She rested her head against his shoulder.
"You must be tired," he said as they walked. "It has been a long day."
"Hikari," Tailmon called out jumping off her shoulder and walking alongside her, "I need to talk to you about something. Do you mind if we walk the rest of the way home?" she asked. "It's not far anyway."
"That's fine," Takeru said, Hikari letting go of his arm and Patamon landing on his shoulder like a parrot again.
"Have a good night," she said about ready to leave.
"Wait," Blurted out Patamon. "What about a good night kiss?"
Takeru felt his face turn red as Patamon said those words.
He could not help himself but smirk as Hikari nearly did a double take.
He walked over to her and put his face down close to hers.
"This is ok to, right?" she asked as if barely able to hold her lips back.
"Of course," Takeru said passionately kissing her. He raised his head almost regrettably breathing in her sweet scent.
"Have a good night," he said separating from her, Hikari's face swooning with adoration of him. With that he headed the other way with Patamon secure with her affection.
"Takeru, I've never seen you so serious before," Patamon said almost admiring him. "You've become quite a cool person haven't you?"
Takeru appreciated the comment and walked with his buddy. "I just think I'm starting to become serious about my life," he said confident about the future. Though the battle had been fierce, he had emerged victorious and with the heart of his beloved. He chatted with his buddy all the way home anxious about the future, his batty eared silhouette of his pal accompanying him and his shadow past the street lights.