Chapter 3: The meeting
"This is terrible." Hikari spoke as she and the others looked at what was once a big village known as Cuppie. The place had once been famous for its bakery and kind-hearted inhabitants, but now all that was visible was heaps of charred wood and rubble. There wasn't a single Digimon in sight. Agumon and Tentomon had waited for the chosen children outside of Cuppie and told them what had happened.
"The rumors were spreading fast and everybody was in panic. The army led by the angel could appear at any minute, so Virus Digimon are running away from their homes everywhere. We've heard stories that the villagers who helped them escape in any way were being punished as traitors… and the punishment was especially cruel if they were Vaccine or Data." Agumon narrated. The children and their partners had signs of disturbance and distress on their faces.
"So… the Digimon in Cuppie tried to protect their friends and were murdered?" Iori questioned, upset.
"On the way here we met a Gazimon. He was hysterically crying and couldn't stop trembling. He was the one who told us what happened." Tentomon explained. "He said that he had been attacked by his friends… the Vaccine and Data from the village had begun the purge before the arrival of the army, in fear of retaliation. That Gazimon had managed to escape… but his wounds were too severe. He didn't survive."
Agumon and Tentomon noticed how their listeners had frowned and paled. Ken instinctively hugged Wormon against his body. Taichi clenched his fists and shook in fury.
"They… they killed their own friends?" The old leader couldn't accept that.
"It's unbelievable what fear can make to someone." Hikari sighed, anguished.
Tailmon suddenly heard a sound and looked up; she was paralyzed by what she saw.
"What's wrong?" V-mon asked, also glancing at the sky. A big and black bird Digimon, with a golden beak and three legs, was flying above them.
"That's a Yagataramon! A perfect level Vaccine!" Tailmon shouted. The black bird landed a few feet away from the children and greeted them politely:
"The Society thanks you for your efforts in protecting this world." He then glanced at the remains of the Cuppie Village. "It looks like my job has been done already."
"You!" Iori couldn't contain himself. "What do you think you are doing? What is that Society and why are you murdering innocent Digimon? It's unforgivable!"
"The Society is doing a noble service to this world. We are freeing it of its evil definitely!" The perfect level replied, prideful.
"You mean Viruses!" Myako accused.
"All Viruses are rotten and evil abominations and must be destroyed, especially now. But it doesn't seem that you'll ever understand that. No matter how many times we tell you the truth, you will keep fooling yourselves." Yagataramon sighed slightly annoyed. No one else understood what he meant.
"This is the first time we talk to someone from the Society." Hikari stated. "What are you trying to tell us?
"Soon enough, it won't matter." Yagataramon opened his wings as his voice became louder. "You will once more listen to the Word."
"Guys, you have to evolve!" Daisuke shouted, but the digivices didn't react.
"W-what?" Myako asked in confusion.
"A holy device can never be used against the Sacred Society." Yagataramon pronounced those words with delight. "If only you could remember, you wouldn't embarrass yourselves every time!"
Why does he keep implying that this is not the first time we've met? Koushiro was trying to deduce the answer for that mystery. Could it be that we have been brainwashed? Have we fought the Society before but they erased or modified our memories? But why would they do that? Wouldn't it be easier to just kill us? Do they need us alive for some reason?
Suddenly, Yagataramon was hit by lightning coming from the sky. When the chosen children and Digimon looked up, they were speechless, Tailmon above them all. As that Digimon landed in their front, facing the black bird, and shook his staff threateningly, the cat could feel her eyes getting wet and her insides warming up.
"Wizarmon?" She asked softly, hopeful and afraid.
The mage didn't turn to face her, it's was too difficult for him. If he hadn't learned about his past, Wizarmon wouldn't hesitate in properly greeting his best friend and hugging her tightly. But at that moment, he didn't feel like he deserved any affection from her. He didn't deserve anything good after the atrocities he had committed.
"Is it you? Wizarmon? My Wizarmon?"
Tailmon's questions were hurting the mage. How could he let her in that situation of not knowing whether the Digimon in her front was or not her friend? He could still hear her thoughts, he never stopped doing so, even knowing that it made her upset. But Tailmon had always been his ray of light since the time he didn't understand why he needed light more than anything in the world. Wizarmon couldn't deny her the truth.
"It's me, Tailmon. I'm here to protect you."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Yagataramon sounded like he was finding something amusing. "You can't be… on the name of the Bloody Lord, you are-"
"If you know, then you should leave this place immediately!" Wizarmon interrupted him. His eyes were severe and pierced the enemy with ferocity. The bird, however, didn't look concerned.
"I thought the Destroyer had erased your memories and arranged for you to die in the Human World. However, here you are, impossibly back from the dead! That stupid ball of gum should never have trusted that deceiver!"
"The ball of gum tried to kill me back then and the only thing he managed to do was to trig my evolution." Wizarmon was determined to make the opponent quit the fight. After all, he was an adult level Digimon facing a perfect level one. "Are you going to take the risk to make me evolve further? You won't stand a chance if that happens!"
"Oh, please, evolve." Yagataramon taunted. "I have heard so many stories about you that I grew curious. I want to see him."
Wizarmon cursed mentally. That was the worst case scenario. Of course there was the possibility that he would really be able to evolve, however, the risk of becoming Beelzemon was intolerable. If he could, he wouldn't show that side of him to Tailmon. The mage knew, in spite of that, that Yagataramon was probably betting that he wouldn't be able to evolve. In that case, Wizarmon would be killed and there wouldn't be anyone to protect Tailmon, Hikari and the others.
"Wizarmon, I'll fight alongside you!" Tailmon suddenly stated, jumping to her friend's side.
"Of course not! Stay back!" Wizarmon was snapped out of his thoughts.
"Besides you, I'm the only adult level Digimon here. If we work together, we might win!" The cat was speaking with determination.
"I can handle this, Tailmon! I'll protect you!"
"You're not going to sacrifice yourself for me again!" Tailmon shouted.
The mage could see the tears falling from her eyes. He didn't need to read her mind to understand what was going through her heart.
"Tailmon… I'm not going to die this time. I swear to you." Wizarmon tried to comfort her. "Please believe in me."
"I believe in you. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you fight alone!" Tailmon stated.
The others were watching them powerlessly. It wouldn't be wise to let their partners fight a perfect level Digimon, but they couldn't abandon Tailmon and Wizarmon. What should they do? Koushiro, although worried about the situation, couldn't help but ask aloud how Wizarmon could be back.
"It doesn't matter how he returned…" Hikari replied; her voice was breaking, "… all that matters is that he's back. A miracle brought him back to life!"
"That's too much of a praise to me." A male voice was heard from behind. The children and their partners turned around to see who was standing there. Koushiro and Takeru believed they were the only ones who knew him.
"Merchant?" The boy with red hair felt like he had been petrified. Why is he here? Why now?
"What are you doing here?!" Takeru questioned, clenching his fists in fury. "Do you have something to do with the killing and the Society?"
"DON'T YOU BLASPHEME, HUMAN!" Yagataramon roared. "As if we would associate with the likes of him!"
"Oh my!" The Merchant placed his right hand over his chest dramatically. His voice dripped sarcasm. "The Society doesn't like me! I feel so ashamed! I should throw myself from a cliff and repent from my sins!"
The stranger walked in direction of Yagataramon slowly, apparently ignoring his surroundings.
"Tell me, Yagataramon, what have you been told about me?" He asked in a monotonous yet cold voice.
"Enough." The bird Digimon replied, tense.
"Then you know what you should do, right?" The Merchant asked, maliciously.
Yagataramon didn't want to do that, but it was one of the most important rules in the Society. However, he refused to flee without making a remark.
"Just you wait and see, Destroyer! You can't stop us!"
Yagataramon flew and disappeared in the distance. Takeru didn't lose time and, right after his digivice began to work again, he asked Patamon to evolve, but was stopped by Wizarmon's shout:
"Don't do that!"
"Wizarmon, you don't know what the Merchant has done!" Takeru almost screamed. Koushiro was startled by seeing the young boy so angry. That happened to me, not to him.
"Takeru, who is this guy?" Daisuke asked.
"Someone we can't trust, ever!" Takeru replied, furiously.
"It's true that you can't trust him, Takeru." Wizarmon said. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm indebted to him for bringing me back to life."
That statement took everybody by surprise. Koushiro quickly managed to ask:
"What did you have to do in exchange for that?"
As if giving the information physically hurt him, Wizarmon answered with disgust:
"I have to work for him. But he promised me that I wouldn't have to fight you guys."
"I won't force you to do anything, kids, but I have useful information for you." The Merchant commented. "You can either come with me to my carriage and understand what is happening or wait until another agent of the Society appears and alter your memories."
It was evident that there was no other choice. Takeru hated that. The Merchant's carriage materialized suddenly and the strange opened its door and invited them to enter. It looked like a Victorian carriage with no horses. The black cabin had only one door and no windows. Reluctant, the chosen children and their partners entered the vehicle. Taichi was the last one to do so, before the Merchant. As he put his foot on the step, the man covered in black whispered in his ear:
"Your sister looks healthy. That's good."
Taichi didn't say anything. When the door was closed, the carriage disappeared in thin air.
