Boyzilla Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay! THIS HAS CHANGED INTO A 5-PART STORY! The reasoning behind this is that there's so much going on for this movie and for what we have planned that trying to fuse to into only 3 parts would rush it too much! The final battle alone would be its own chapter!
Enjoy the collab everyone! Know not all stories are spoken in a single path, as a tree that branches mighty and far can at one point touch the branch of another equally great tree.
Digital/VRAINS
Part 3 of 5
The sensation of being submerged, sinking deeper into a void, feeling every body part fade away into numbness. These were feelings she experienced only once before, in the vast, indescribable core of the Moon Cell. How long had it been since Hakuno Kishinami felt this before arriving in the Digital World? To what end does this dread serve to remind her of her cruel origins?
Even the dream of flames, ash, and soot was preferable to that of the Moon Cell's Core.
"This is interesting, you are quite a different Hakuno Kishinami from the one I know, yet you are still her at the same time."
A familiar masculine voice that served to cause distress in her mind, she knew this individual, the very same person that wished for war on a grand scale throughout the Earth for the sake of humanity, and would have brainwashed her if not for her victory against him. A man, coated in white, glasses adorning the face.
"Your distress is not unexpected, but you are not in your own variant of the Moon Cell. Surprisingly, however, this Moon Cell recognizes your sovereignty, if to a limited degree. Ah, I see, you created a pathway out of your own before it could grant you the Regalia… Fascinating, your counterpart couldn't do the same, so why could you?"
She didn't understand, wasn't this Twice H. Pieceman? Why did this man, the very same individual who wanted such destruction, treat her with such an odd response?
"Mhm, Hakuno, you are not fully here, perhaps it's because of that unique Code Cast that your Mind is passing through for a moment?" There was a pause as if the deceased man was gathering more information. "The Moon Cell is looking through your timeline… Now that is interesting… You are of another Timelock. Normally it would be impossible, even for the Moon Cell, to interact with a different Timelock."
A different Timelock? She didn't understand.
"Not surprising, there are few who can understand the phenomenon without years of study… Quite a fascinating Timelock… Digimon… Gods… Kaiju… Space… And much more all branching forth from the newly created trunk, the similarities between ours and yours is very much substantial."
He was eerily interested in what was supposedly different worlds of her all beginning at a singular point, the very moment she made her additional wish in the Moon Cell Core.
"Now that is worrisome, if you do not solve the meshing of the two Digital Worlds then the physical ones will follow suite, creating a dangerous bridge between our Timelocks. If that occurs, the laws of the worlds will meld, and there will be naught stopping her from capturing either you or our own Hakuno Kishinami, either will do as you are both registered owners of a Regalia… Even if you yourself lack the object."
The words he spoke were confusing, a jumbled pile of mess that was had to decipher. But she could understand that there was a devastating event that would transpire if nothing was done with the situation. This contrasted the Twice she knew, and she understood that this must be her counterpart's own Twice H. Pieceman.
So, what should she need to do to stop this melding of worlds?
"The answer lies in what you already hold and with Hakuno Zaizen. Go back to the beginning, destroy to heal, but be wary, the virus mutates as the worlds converge… There will be more than Digimon that resolve this matter-"
"-I look forward to watching, Digital Human."
Her vision was encased in light.
Hakuno Kishinami awoke startled and quickly pat herself top to bottom to make sure her body hadn't vanished into a virtual sea. Once reassured that indeed, she hadn't dispersed into particles of data, the magus girl released a sigh of relief. Her mind traveled back to the blurred imagery that had been Twice and the Moon Cell's Core…
What had that been?
It was hard to recall the details, especially the words that her former enemy had spoken, but it had something to do with-
"Master!" Caster nearly tackled Hakuno in her sitting position. "You're alright! Thank goodness! I was scared that you may not awaken and feared that perhaps you were destabilizing in an unseen way!" The fox girl Servant cried in relief, her voice quivered a bit, recovering from an earlier episode, one that Hakuno knew with the droplets of tears that went down Tamamo's cheeks.
Hakuno patted Caster's head in comfort, she also noticed Yolei and her partner, Hawkmon
"That was quite the scare, Hakuno," Yolei said, pressing a closed hand against her chest. "Made my heart jump in worry."
"It appears she is fine," Hawkmon stated. "We appeared here just half an hour ago, but you wouldn't awaken no matter how much Caster shook you."
So, half an hour had passed since she used Connection Jump?
Hakuno Kishinami glanced around, "Everyone…?'
Nobody else, it was only her, Caster, Yolei, and Hawkmon. Did the Connection Jump only partially work? Was the rest of the Digidestined, Aoi, and her counterpart still at the Private Room back in the Digital World?
Yolei waved her D-Terminal, "Not to worry, I've gotten a few messages, we're all in the Real World, just scattered," She paused, lowering the device. "But, there's no word on where Aoi, Saber, or the other Hakuno is at."
Tamamo jumped up, "Don't worry, Master! As a fox, I have an acute sense of smell!" Caster stated, her fluffy tail swishing side to side, Yolei's eyes looking at it with a curious expression. "I can track down your older sister in no time!"
"C-Caster…" Yolei stuttered, "Um…"
"What is it, my favorite Digidestined?" The Shrine Priestess questioned.
Hakuno arched an eyebrow at the girl's hesitate form, before Yolei asked, "Can I touch your tail?"
The Digital Human blinked at the change of subject.
"Nope!" Caster immediately responded much to Yolei's disappointment. "Cute as you are, only my dear husband can touch my fluffy tail and ears!
"You're very possessive of her, aren't you?" Yolei said.
"Of course, I'm already engaged with her when I lent her that locket!" The Heroic Spirit exclaimed.
Wait… What?
Did Tamamo mean when she placed the Crest of Miracles in the locket and gifted it to her a few days back?
"Caster…" Hakuno trailed off, narrowing her eyes at the Servant for good measure.
"You accepted it so readily," Caster blushed purposely, hands on her cheek as she shook left and right. "Such subconscious passion, I knew you were the right one!"
"Caster!" The magus girl found herself screaming out in some strange emotion that coursed through her. It wasn't really anger or joy, but some mix of the two?
"Aah… Well… Um…" Yolei glanced away for a moment. "We should try to find the others?"
Aoi Zaizen believed that when she would enter the Real World, Lunamon would return to her Duel Disk, but apparently, that wasn't the case, at least, not in the context of which Real World they had thought. But, even though it had been a minor surprise that the AI-turned-Digimon remained at her side, Aoi couldn't be more grateful at this moment that she'd been wrong.
"I have no idea where we're at… Or even what's reality or virtual anymore at the moment…" Aoi trailed off.
"As your AI guide in everything related to LINK VRAINS, Cyberspace, and Duel Monsters," Lunamon stated. "I can confidently say that I have no idea either."
"We're both on the same boat then, Luna-chan," Aoi replied.
When Aoi and Lunamon had awoken earlier from the transference cause by Haku-chan's Code Cast, they found themselves in some mix match landscape that was part reality, part cyberspace, and all levels of freaky that LINK VRAINS couldn't hold a candle to in comparison. The Blue Angel Idol had seen some weird and disturbing things in her time within LINK VRAINS' cyberspace, and it had been very strange inside the Digital World, but this… This…
Well, if the Digital World could be considered 'natural' then this was its version of 'unnatural'.
They were in a subway, Aoi had some familiarity with subway stations, even as technologically back as this one she could recognize the structural designs indicating the travel method… Well, it wasn't hard to distinguish it with the subway railroad heading from one end of the tunnel to the next. Of course, when each exit of the tunnel was a gaping glowing white hole with ones and zeroes coursing through it, Aoi had doubts, even segments of the floor tiles were blocks of data, and nearly every electronic device had a pitch black outline with crimson cracks.
Hence, why Aoi appreciated having Lunamon by her side, her partner, as the Digidestined insisted on firmly saying that the Digimon was such, and with Haku-chan's agreement, Aoi accepted that Lunamon was no longer some AI. Lunamon was a Digital Monster and had the fighting capabilities and liveliness of one.
Would… Would Lunamon turn back into an AI when they returned to their world?
She didn't know what to think about that, as even though Lunamon had been around only for a short period of time, her partner was far better as a Digimon than an AI.
Lunamon spoke up, "Aoi, we should find a way out of here."
"Of course!" Aoi agreed, standing tall and forcing back her fear with courage, "We need to find Haku-nee and Haku-chan too, I'm sure they need my- our help," She corrected herself to include Luna-chan.
"I don't mind," The bunny data monster replied. "I'm your AI companion, I'm here to serve you!"
Aoi bit her lip, "I- I know," She stuttered for a moment. "But, you're a Digimon now, so... " Her body shifted from anxiousness. "Think you can forget about the whole AI thing right now?"
It wasn't fair.
Not in this world.
Haku-chan was a Digital Human, an AI, Hakuno Kishinami didn't let that restrict her.
Why should Lunamon be restrained as an AI then too?
Not in this world.
Not in her world either.
"No problem!" Luna-chan replied, booming with optimism, "Which way?"
Aoi Zaizen stopped walking, there were two pathways to choose, each looking similar to the other. She searched for any indication for each path's destination, but the signs that normally hung from the ceiling had digitally shifted into pitch back blocks.
"Don't suppose you gave a coin to flip?" Aoi lightly joked, if only to ease herself.
"Nope," Lunamon responded. "Though your Duel Disk may have the functionality, since we've arrived in this parallel world it has performed strangely," The digimon explained.
Her partner had made a valid point, her Duel Disk has not been working correctly. She had checked it out when she first arrived in the Digital World, and it seemed most of it had been functioning, but she hadn't the chance to investigate the device fully. Koushiro had taken interest in fiddling with it, but she rejected his offer.
At first glance, the device looked fine, but later when messing with any of the applications made the software never respond, she could thankfully still see her deck and make changes to it, but outside of that, it lost all the other functions.
Perhaps because it couldn't access the servers? Or maybe this world wasn't advanced enough?
Aoi didn't know.
She decided to head down the left path, hoping that the pick would lead them out of here. It remained just as creepily deformed as the previous walkway but held a few additions, such as a segment of the entire wall looking like a see-through window into a digital plane filled with blocks and numbers.
The girl decided wisely not to even touch anything remotely resembling this Digital Shift's alterations.
"Aoi, look ahead," Luna-chan stated.
"Huh?" Aoi questioned in confusion before narrowing her eyes. She spotted what appeared to be sunlight, "A way out!" She exclaimed happily.
She could get to looking for her sisters after leaving this crazed place.
Huh, sisters, never thought one day it would be plural.
Impatiently, Aoi Zaizen and Lunamon walked in a brisk pace towards the light, with every step it seemed like they would finally leave the confinement of this strange realm. However, the ground suddenly lit up in a bright display and Aoi stopped herself in fear of having triggered some trap.
"Return… Return…" The words were new but the voice was the same.
Because the massive ape-like shape of Wendigomon appeared up from the ground with mist steaming outward, causing Aoi and Lunamon to take a few steps back from the burst of air. The cryptid digimon's bulk was barely the size of the hallway, not that it's creepy smile dissuaded any notion of it caring.
Aoi knew she was in a bad situation.
The exit was right there but Wendigomon blocked their path and nothing Aoi could do to eliminate the problem. Her deck was useless, dueling skills moot in the danger of reality, and she knew Luna-chan wasn't powerful enough to protect her.
This wasn't Aoi's world, there were no rules to protect her from harm. The laws had changed the moment she arrived, life points didn't exist, only her own lifeblood determined her condition, and losing too much of that meant death.
Death.
Her fist clenched.
Aoi Zaizen won't accept her demise.
To do so would be to abandon her brother and sisters.
She refused to ever do that.
"Return!" Wendigomon roared with pained rage and charged forward towards Aoi and Lunamon, its long arms and bulky form smashing, crushing, and decimating parts of the underground subway that did little to even slow the monster.
"Luna-chan!" Aoi shouted for her partner.
An orb of pressurized water formed in front of Lunamon's antenna, "Tear Shot!" Luna-chan exclaimed the ability and the orb shot outbound towards their opponent.
It splashed against Wendigomon with little effect outside of perhaps slowing it ever so slightly. Aoi sprinted, grabbed Lunamon into her arms, then began running in the opposite direction. With no room to maneuver around the monster's stature, this was all they could do.
"Aoi, let me go! I can't protect you like this!" Luna-chan argued.
"You can't do anything right now against it! We're retreating to come up with a plan!" Aoi replied between breaths.
"That won't work! Wendigomon is catching up- Watch out!"
A large hand enveloped around Aoi, causing Lunamon to fall from her grasp while her hands reached in vain to pull herself free from Wendigomon's grip. She was being held like a child would hold a doll, any exertion of force by the digimon would crush her. It was by some miracle that it was restraining back its strength, as it bought her time, but also a reminder that Wendigomon had been kidnapping Digidestined.
Where would it take her? Would she be one of many to vanish under the guise of being kidnapped?
"Luna… Luna-chan, help me," Aoi's mind began to panic she had been in tight situations, but never with the risk of her life.
I don't want to… No, I will not go without a fight!
"Aoi!"
"Luna!"
Then bright light eclipsed out of her Duel Disk, blinding Aoi and Wendigomon as a feminine voice echoed from its unseen speakers.
"DIGIVOLUTION."
"Lunamon digivolve to…!"
The tiny bunny-like digimon was encased in egg-shaped prism, Lunamon's skin was shredded off and grid displays replaced the exterior, as soon as all of the digimon's skin had been removed more formed as Lunamon's size increased dramatically, data forming into new appendages and designs, bodily alterations creating a more bipedal reminiscent than the previous form, then with an explosive display, the egg burst open and out came the digimon's evolved state.
"Lekismon!"
The newly evolved Lekismon sprinted out of the light towards Wendigomon jumped into the air and soared at the monster holding Aoi Zaizen with breakneck speeds with its leg outstretched in a showcase of movie-like martial arts.
"Moon Night Kick!" Lekismon shouted as its foot collided with Wendigomon's head with tremendous force of impact that it sounded like a shockwave. The attacks forced Aoi to be dropped from the creature's grip and Lekismon caught Aoi in freefall.
"Are you alright Aoi-chan?" Lekismon's voice sounded deeper, like having grown up to a stage where the voice cracked.
"Luna-chan…?" Aoi's expression betrayed her utter surprise at the digimon's radical change in appearance and mannerism.
"I'm Lekismon now,"
"Rwaaaa! Cable Crusher!" Wendigomon bent backward and revealed a number of embedded guns under its fur, which began lighting with energy before launching a volley of cannon fire.
Lekismon avoided the incoming attacks with unprecedented skill, smoke and fire blasted apart the subway but the digimon and human remained untouched by the insane digimon's barrage. Aoi felt the air rush past her face and her heartbeats at a quicked paced from each near miss that narrowly hit them, however, Lekismon was quick on its feet.
"Lekis-chan, use your speed to get past that ugly reject!" Aoi shouted over the loud noises of the Cable Crusher ability.
"Piece of cake!"
A bright crystalline shape took forward on Lekismon's back as he charged at Wendigomon with Aoi in tow. The girl held her breath in anxious anticipation as the climax approached closer and closer. The cryptid digimon swung its long-elated arms at them, Lekismon stopped abruptly and flipped, making Aoi almost lose her lunch, but allowing the formed icicle arrow to launch into the air which Lekismon then violently kicked at Wendigomon.
"Tear Arrow!" Aoi's partner shouted and the arrow of ice collided and shattered with the force of a shrapnel grenade. This ability distracted Wendigomon enough for "Lekismon to carry Aoi over the creature's shoulder and land on the other side, the exit now clearly in view, the digimon did not hesitate to sprint out of there.
"Soon… Back, soon..." Were the last words Aoi heard before the blinding light of the sun forced her eyes to close…
And suddenly they were out in the open in the city, an actual Real World city without the digital shifting machinimas.
Lekismon placed Aoi Zaizen back on her feet, the girl patting down her clothes and checking to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be. Once content in the fact she hadn't lost anything, Aoi faced her Digimon partner.
"That was great!" She exclaimed with a beaming grin. "Oh my goodness, Lekis-chan, you match my Avatar's clothing to the mark!" Aoi circled around Lekismon, checking out her digivolved companion's stunning new form. "Now, are you stuck like this though?"
"I don't know, this is the first time I digivolved…" Lekis-chan answered. "It's a strange sensation too, but not uncomfortable, rather empowering in fact."
"Then we should find Haku-chan and her friends," Aoi answered, stopping her movements in front of Lekismon. "In the meantime, hide from… Uh…"
Taking a moment to glance around, the surrounding city urban were empty. There were no other people in sight, and given the advertisements she could spot, they were in a English-speaking country.
The United States, perhaps?
"Aoi!" A voice in Japanese called out, Aoi turned to face it.
"Yolei!" She remembered the glasses-wearing girl's name, her appearance had been more notable among the Digidestined because of that feature. A pink-puff ball of feathers was held in her arms, is that her partner, did the digital monster de-digivolve?
"You're safe," Yolei said in relief. "Is- Did your partner digivolve?"
Aoi smiled, "We came across Wendigomon inside the subway, Luna-chan digivolved to save me."
"I'm Lekismon," Her partner greeted.
"It didn't hurt you, did it?" Yolei asked in concern.
"I'm fine, if a bit wore out," Aoi replied. "Do you know how to change Lekis-chan back to Luna-chan?"
"Uhh," Yolei looked to her tiny partner for aid.
The voice that came from the adorable pink feather ball was absolutely cute and pitched, "Just think about sending the energy away, Lekismon!"
At that moment a yellow light glow enveloped Lekismon and the partner's form changed back to Lunamon.
"That was easy!" Luna-chan exclaimed. "But, wow, I'm tired!"
"That happens with first-time digivolutions," Yolei explained. "It becomes easier each time after."
"Yolei," Aoi said. "Where Haku-nee and Haku-chan?"
She then noticed Haku-chan along with Caster appear just around the corner that Yolei had come from as well. The familiar sight of her sister, if a younger counterpart, calmed Aoi Zaizen.
"Aoi," Haku-chan spoke.
"You're alright…" Aoi trailed off in relief. She recollected herself and said, "Haku-chan, what happened earlier? Wasn't your special skill supposed to bring all of us?"
"Sorry," Haku-chan apologized. "Connect Jump is unpredictable, the others should be around somewhere."
Caster clapped her hands, "I'm positive they're alright! My Master wouldn't let her friends come to harm!"
Aoi would believe Caster's words, "We should get to looking for the others then."
Yolei said, "I have messages from them, Davis is with Hakuno- Um, the other Hakuno," Her expression contorted in confusion. "You know what I mean; with them is also Saber and Izzy."
"And the others?" Haku-chan questioned.
She looked towards Hakuno Kishinami, "Cody, T.K, and Archer are in another group…"
"Wait," Aoi interrupted. "We're missing one I think?"
Caster nodded, her ears twitching, "Yep! That Kari girl is on her lonesome!"
The bipedal shape of a lizard with red-coated armor around his appendages jumped and shouted, "Fire Rocket!"
In a brilliant display, three firebolts shot forth from the digimon's, Flamedramon, gauntlets. They soared through the air and impacted with minor explosive force against the large hulking form of Wendigomon, who merely swayed his arms about and dispersed the flames. The massive mutant digimon bent back and revealed multiple metallic cannons in his abdomen.
"Cable Crusher!"
"Veil of Petals!"
A beautiful woman in red charged forth and swung with all her might, slashing at their opponent's body and disrupting his attack enough for the following shot to aim wildly, missing Flamedramon entirely.
Hakuno Zaizen knew her as Saber, the Servant of her counterpart in this world, but now the Heroic Spirit protecting her from their enemy.
"Good work you two!" Daisuke Motomiya encouraged.
His enthusiasm was quite infectious, she could help but feel a bit excited despite the precarious situation. She noted the large bipedal shape of an insectoid digital monster charge at Wendigomon, but the partner of Koushiro, Kabuterimon, was grabbed by his horn and swung with tremendous strength.
"Watch out!" Koushiro shouted.
It was too late as Kabuterimon slammed into Flamedramon, sending the two digimon crashing into a nearby building.
"Oh, dude, you're really heavy…" Flamedramon groaned.
"Sorry…" Kabuterimon apologized.
"Go back!" Wendigomon roared and with a burst of speed-charged at the three humans in his vicinity.
Hakuno Zaizen knew she hadn't the physical capability to avoid the massive creature, he would reach them in seconds' time.
"You shall not place a finger upon my Preator!" Saber suddenly appeared in front of them and with a great heave, swung her blade with intense power that splintered apart the ground and crushed Wendigomon's arm with a sickening crunch noise, a display of data splurged out like blood, but it showed a sickly purple miasma.
"Poison!?" Saber did not retreat but rather raised her weapon and instantaneously the blade lit aflame, beautifully radiating with bright orange. "Then I shall purge it with the flames of Rome!"
"Saber, right side!" Hakuno shouted in alarm.
The Servant didn't hesitate in heading her warning, even if Saber logically knew Hakuno Zaizen to not be her actual Master, it was still the person she knew, the same individual that fought by her side in the Moon Holy Grail War. Her blade swooshed through the air, blazing forth brilliant fire in its wake and struck down a malformed effigy of purple miasma that melted away into ash at the blow.
Davis turned to Koushiro, "Izzy, what are those?"
"I don't know… But the shape they take in not too dissimilar to the rookie stage of the digimon we faced years ago, Diaboromon."
"Diaboromon?" She inquired.
"It was a digimon infected by a virus that began devouring the entirety of the world's networks, even accessing military ones, we stopped it short of it using nuclear armaments."
That was… That was insanely dangerous and powerful.
Hakuno Zaizen knew they were at a disadvantage, it would have been fine if she knew Saber's combat style and abilities, but the Roman Heroic Spirit wasn't her Servant. She was Hakuno Kishinami's Servant, her younger counterpart in this world. Not only that, but it had been a long time since she'd been in combat situations like this, unbound by any laws, a free-for-all deathmatch.
While she had enjoyed the peace and relaxing days, it had dulled her combat sense.
Sure, it was coming back to her, but it wasn't something rectified in just two short battles.
"Flamedramon, come back!" Daisuke shouted towards his digimon partner.
Having recovered from the earlier counter, Flamedramon retreated back to Daisuke's side. His gaze remained focused on Wendigomon but spoke, "You got a plan?"
"Yeah, not really my style most times, but we're not in advantage here," He replied, bringing out a blue device that Hakuno Zaizen identified as those D-3 Digivices, something that was explained to her back in the Digital World.
The reptilian digital monster's body was encased completely in yellow light before shrinking and morphing back into its prior stage, Veemon.
Hakuno wondered why Daisuke would have his partner take on a weaker stage, but then his digivice screen glowed a green hue, similar to Koushiro's earlier device. Did that mean…?
Evolution
"Veemon shinka…!"
That same light now enveloped Veemon and his body shifted and grew in size larger than Flamedramon before. Some three to four meters in height, with fine-toned muscles and a pair of bat-like wings. It was an adult stage of Veemon, that was how one would describe it.
"Exveemon!"
She should have expected this, that her counterpart's friends were not limited to singular evolutionary changes. If they were fighting so many enemies in the past to have combat experience in real-time battle, then they would need different methods to counter opponents.
Also, do all digimon grow in size like this? How big could they get?
"Alright!" Exveemon roared, even his voice had changed!
"Now then-" Daisuke started.
"What's the master plan?!" His partner questioned excitedly.
"Better be a good one!" Koushiro shouted.
"We retreat to fight another day!" Daisuke answered.
Hakuno blinked, "... Eh?" She hadn't expected that.
"Huh…?" Koushiro was also dumbfounded, though likely more in line to how it contrasted Daisuke's approach.
"Did I hear right?" Exveemon inquired.
"Look! We don't know much and we're separated!" Daisuke reasoned. "So taking a page out of Hakuno's book and let's fly!"
"She flies?" Hakuno Zaizen said.
"Umu, in a certain way she does~" Saber commented, having now disengaged.
"Not literally like that!" Daisuke replied.
"But you are correct, let's make haste in our retreat!" Saber said. "Praetor," She didn't even correct herself. "Get on the dragon's back."
Easier said than done! That's a bipedal dragon! What is she supposed to do? Sit on Exveemon's shoulder like some action protagonist from one of Aoi-nee's collection?
Oh, Daisuke is actually doing that and doesn't seem off balanced…
Just throw logic out the window, Hakuno, different world has different rules.
"Go," Koushiro said. "Kabuterimon and I will hold them off, you regroup with the others and tell them about Wendigomon's additional abilities."
Daisuke gritted his teeth at that, "Are you kidding me? We can't just leave you behind!"
"Raaaaaagh!" Wendigomon's howl echoed loudly, its intensity forced the humans in the group to cover their ears for the moment it occurred.
"Look! He's not eliminating us older kids! He's tracking down those with digivices and kidnapping! Hakuno, catch!" He threw a USB device at her.
Hakuno Zaizen caught it and immediately pocketed the storage device safely so it wouldn't be loose. She wanted to voice her objection, this wasn't right, it was sacrificial.
She hated sacrifice.
But Koushiro had a point, he had more knowledge about what was going on. If Wendigomon wasn't killing but instead kidnapping, it lifted a lot of worries. There wasn't time to really think about it, Hakuno Zaizen didn't even have a choice to make. Saber didn't give her one, although she viewed her in a similar degree as Hakuno Kishinami, at the moment, Saber wasn't Hakuno Zaizen's contracted Servant.
This loophole let her act in counteraction to what Hakuno Zaizen would otherwise want. Such as grabbed hold of her and jumping on Exveenom, who lifted into the air just in time to avoid Wendigomon's spawned creature from attacking.
"Don't let it hold you," Daisuke suddenly spoke.
"Huh?" Hakuno replied confused.
"I've seen that look before, on that same face, weeks ago. She let it hold her down too. Don't worry about it!" He said with a grin on his face. "Everything is going to be alright! Izzy always has a plan. So cheer up and let's find the others. I'm sure Cody and Kishinami will think something up!"
"She's changed, hasn't she?" She commented about her younger counterpart.
"Well, she sure smiles a lot more than she used too!" Daisuke laughed. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was to read her at first!"
While Hakuno Zaizen was still a bit upset, Daisuke's optimistic behavior lightened her up. Hakuno Kishinami really did have some supportive friends.
Hakuno Kishinami at times wished for better friends because this had quickly turned into ridiculousness. In some miraculous coincidence, they had found Mimi while trying to head to Kari's location according to a message about her whereabout signaled by then D-3'a capabilities to detect other digivices within range. Instead, Hakuno, Aoi, and Yolei now found themselves within a clothing store dragged here by the upbeat, overly optimistic pink-hair dyed DigiDestined.
If Saber were here, it would have been worse.
Not that Caster was making this any quicker.
They were trying to get her to try on different outfits! Caster even managed to dress in a red, white, and blue swimsuit, lacking anything other than a bra-top and underwear.
The magus girl had to look away to avoid feeling incredibly fuzzy.
Weren't they supposed to be meeting up all again with the other Digidestined? How come Mimi decided to launder?
To make matters worse, Aoi now seemed… Adamant… In seeing her 'younger sister' in different attires.
Hakuno Kishinami wasn't a dress-up doll!
"She sometimes looks like a very cute doll when she has that monotone face going on!" Mimi clapped her hands as she said.
"I-I'm not!" Hakuno retorted.
"I have to agree!" Yolei exclaimed. "She can pull off that face very well."
"My Master is not a doll!" Caster argued, much to Hakuno Kishinami's relief at her Servant supported her- "She's a little princess!"
Why…?
She looked to Aoi Zaizen for aid, but it seemed her surrogate older sibling was hard pressed between teasing the younger Hakuno or helping her escape the madness of the other three.
"Just a little bit," Aoi relented to the dark side of the friends.
"W-wait," Hakuno Kishinami took a step back as the four girls stepped towards her, all holding different clothing in their hands while looking at the Digital Human with those unsettling gazes. "Um… Can't we… Do this later…?"
She's getting flashbacks to that outfit store in the Real World. But unlike then, she was not bound to some wheelchair.
"Come on, Haku-chan," Aoi said. "It's my duty to tease my little sister!"
"But what about Kari?!" Hakuno replied.
"She can handle herself fine," Mimi said.
Caster grabbed her Master's arm, "Now off to the changing room! I'll have you strip multiple times!" She exclaimed and proceeded to forcefully pull Hakuno Kishinami towards the small closet-like area, followed by Mimi, Yolei, and Aoi carrying bundles of uniforms, shirts, skirts, and dresses.
Hakuno Kishinami wished she was with the boys instead, a girl's day out was terrifying.
Meanwhile, Hikari Kamiya met with a young boy named Willis. Hakuno Zaizen retreated with Daisuke and Saber to meet up with Cody, Takeru, and Archer. And the ticking clock continued its countdown...