Reilly looked down at the odd creature. The egg had opened only moments ago, revealing a fully-grown...something. He (it looked like a he, to Reilly) was covered in blue and black fur, resembling something between a fox and a wolf, and was standing on his hind legs, regarding Reilly curiously. "Umm...welcome to our world?" Reilly hazarded. The creature calmly sized up Reilly, nodded his head, and knelt before her. "Umm...shouldn't I be getting a D-Arc right about now?"
"A what?" Rukario asked, confused by the term.
-----
Digicross Tamers Episode 26
'The Final Hurdle'
-----
"Now," Yamaki demanded, glaring at Indramon.
"Just wander around the Digital World, trying to find The Wandering Tamer. Yes, I am sure that would be a simple matter." Indramon tried to return Yamaki's glare. "We are wanted by the remaining Deva and the forces loyal to the True Sovereign. I could not protect you. And, if I understand it, your former partner-"
"Don't call him that!" Yamaki shook as he thought of Impmon. "That...filth has nothing to do with me."
"Like it or not, Yamaki, it is the truth. You are safer here."
"My son is out there."
"Take him," a voice thundered. "His destiny is not here, old friend."
"My lord!" Indramon spun around, looking at something obscured by darkness. "If we leave, and someone spots this place, then-"
"It won't matter much longer. 'He' has been found. This will soon end."
"I see." Indramon bowed. "Come, human."
"I have a name."
"And you tried to destroy my brethren and this world. Be grateful that I am according you this level of courtesy."
--
Impmon glared out over the landscape, Chatsuramon behind him. "So, we goin', or what?"
"Soon," the dog Deva grumbled. "We first must know where to look. The True Sovereign's servants now search the land. See?" A long red tendril reached up, and then dove back underground. "These tendrils are an extension of the Sovereign himself."
"Looks like strawberry jello." Impmon hopped off the ledge. "And waiting's not my style. Try to keep up, Fido!" With that, he darted off, pursuing his Tamer. Chatsuramon shook his head, and started following.
--Real World
"Get him, Veedramon!" Kazu shouted. "Card Slash! Boost Chip Activate!"
"You got it! V-Breath Arrow!" Veedramon's attack slammed into the Triceramon, but had little effect. "He's mad. Now what?"
"Ah...ahhh...what did Taichi do in V-Tamers..." Kazu tried to recall that particular comic where his idol had faced a Triceramon. Briefly, he wished Kenta were here; unfortunately, after Metal Agumon had mistaken his dad's car for another digimon, Kenta was grounded.
"I said NOW WHAT?"
"I'm THINKING!"
Something small, blue, and black darted by, landing a pair of solid kicks in Triceramon's face. It then jumped, and fired some sort of bolt that hurt Triceramon. Kazu blinked. Oh good, it's Rika, he thought. Then it became aww NUTS, it's Rika, she won't let me hear the end of this.
Then, he thought: wait, that's not Renamon. Unless Renamon shrunk and turned blue. And Rika was never that good-looking...Oh. It's Ms. Reilly.
Reilly glared at Kazu as Rukario smacked around Triceramon. "You do know your father's on the way, right?"
"Ahh NUTS!"
--
Hitomi picked her way along the rough path, glancing at her D-Arc. Someone with a D-Arc was coming this way; by her best guess, they were only a day or so out. "Come on," she called to Ryo and Cyberdramon. "We should run into them soon!"
Ryo waved back, but didn't pick up his pace. He was a little disappointed, to be honest; he liked being alone with Hitomi; another set of eyes might interfere with his...
Well, he decided, yeah. I am flirting with her. So what? Beside him, Cyberdramon grunted. Ryo flushed for a second, wondering if he had vocalized that last thought, glared at him, and lengthened his stride.
Cyberdramon watched Ryo pull ahead, and then glanced at Hitomi. Ignoring the small, faint voice in the back of his brain, he upped his classification of the human girl from 'distraction' to 'threat' and trudged on. He heard Ryo call out to Hitomi, telling her to slow down.
Then he picked out a scream, and sped up. Ryo might be in trouble. Good or bad, Cyberdramon had to help Ryo.
And if something happened to the girl...well, it was one less distraction for Ryo.
--
Rika felt a familiar headache coming on. Specifically a small, flop-eared, white one called Calumon.
"And then I wandered all over the place and I met this Doggymon who looked weird and then threw stuff at me and it kinda hurt but he ran off before I could ask him why he did that-"
"Calumon." Renamon glanced at Calumon. "Take a breath." Calumon did so, inhaling, then exhaling. "Now keep doing that." The small digimon did so, comically over-inhaling. Idly, Rika wondered if Calumon could hyperventilate, and if doing so would bring on a nice, quiet fit of unconsciousness. She glanced over the rocky hills, then back at her D-Arc.
Renamon glanced over her shoulder. Both of them frowned. "A second D-Arc," Renamon observed. "I wonder whose it is."
Rika had a good idea, but said nothing.
--
Impmon looked around, annoyed. Chatsuramon had said that Yamaki had gone this way, but as far as he could tell, the trail was cold. "This bites."
"No, I bite," Chatsuramon replied wryly. "And it seems the trail has gone cold."
"Yeah, I-" Impmon stopped. He could...sense something approaching. Something loud and motorized was approaching.
Behemoth snarled, seeing the two digimon. More victims, it decided, making a dash for the smaller, and obviously easier, prey.
--
Jeri looked up, suddenly feeling a sudden spike of concern. "Is everything alright, Jeri?" Gabumon asked, trying to ignore Lillymon hovering near him.
"Yeah. I'm just worried about Hitomi."
"She'll be fine. Rika's probably found her by now. She's probably safer than we are." Terriermon shrugged. "What," he asked, "you saw how fast Rika took out that Snake Deva, right?"
Henry blinked. "Snake? Did I miss one?"
Takato sighed, while Jeri giggled. "Uhh, yeah..."
-Flashback
Takato stood, card still over his head, ready to be passed through his D-Arc. Growlmon stood a few feet in front of him, similarly stunned.
"Now that's how you do it." Rika said to Jeri and Hitomi, both of who were watching Rika with awe. She and Kyuubimon had, after all, taken out Sandiramon with one move and an Attack card.
"Rika, you're so cool," Jeri breathed. Hitomi nodded. Rika said nothing, while Kyuubimon smiled faintly. Whether it was at Rika's embarrassment or Takato's was anyone's guess.
-End Flashback
"Oh," Henry said. "That quick?"
"I was getting to it," Takato protested.
"Guilmon told me all about it," Terriermon continued. "It's not your fault, Takato. Rika was just faster. And better." Takato's right eye started to twitch. "And smarter." Murder entered Takato's eyes. "And cuter."
Jeri faked a gasp. "You really...think so?"
"Wha-?" Takato's mind nearly snapped by the subject change.
"That was rude. And evil." Henry didn't bother hiding his amusement, though.
"Oh, come on. They both needed it."
--
Noctowl flew around helplessly, unable to attack the red gel-like substance enveloping Hitomi. He had already tried to pull her clear of it, but the substance had adhered to her and hardened. Its makeup prevented physical attacks; anything he did that was strong enough to damage the gel would hurt Hitomi. It had no mind it could detect, so psychic attacks were out. He latched onto Hitomi's outstretched arm as Ryo made it, and the two tried to pull Hitomi clear.
No luck; Ryo watched with horror as the gel crept up and over Hitomi's head, mouth still opened in mid-scream. He whirled on Cyberdramon. "GET HER OUT OF THERE!" Cyberdramon stood there, apparently unmoving. "What are you-" he stopped as Noctowl flew down and cawed at him angrily.
Ryo remembered then. Anything Cyberdramon did might hurt Hitomi. And it'd been made clear that the human girl wasn't the fight-happy digimon's favourite person. Furiously, Ryo tried to think of an answer.
Inside the prison, Hitomi found her every sense cut off, somehow able to breathe but do nothing else. And there was a very disturbing tickling sensation in the back of her mind.
--
In another place, the Sovereign paused as the flood of information came in. Despite the startling data he was getting, most of it was irrelevant for now. But there were bits that could be used. Especially against the one human who had been fighting against him for the past few years. As well as the other humans and their curious digimon.
--
Impmon rolled off to one side as Chatsuramon rammed the giant motorcycle head-on. "What the heck IS that thing?"
"Behemoth. He was intended to be a servant of the Devas." Chatsuramon's eyes never left the motorcycle. "But like all things taken from the human world, it turned against us and became a mindless engine of destruction."
Impmon grinned. "Sounds like my kinda toy. BADA BOOM!"
The fireball splashed off the front of the bike, which immediately charged at the small demon digimon. Cackling, Impmon jumped up, flipped over, and landed on the seat of Behemoth.
"Impmon, YOU FOOL! It will control you and force you to ride it until the end of time!" It wasn't that Chatsuramon was concerned for Impmon. However, having a rider made Behemoth that much more powerful.
"Forget it. NOTHING CONTROLS ME!" The shout was more for Impmon's own benefit. Already, he could feel the bike's 'mind' reaching out to Impmon, trying to take him over.
--
Renamon stopped, glancing around. "Rika, we should move more quickly. I sense...something is wrong. We should leave this area and find Hitomi as quickly as possible."
Rika nodded, putting Calumon down. "Stay here. Digi-Modify! Digivolution ACTIVATE!"
Calumon watched as Renamon digivolved. "That is really cool, Renamon. Can you teach me how to do that?"
"Later," Renamon answered. "We have to get out of here, now."
"What is it," Rika asked, worried at the apprehension she sensed from her partner.
"I do not know. But it seems familiar somehow."
--
"Digi-Modify! Knight Device, ACTIVATE!" Ryo slashed the card through his D-Arc, and two lances appeared in Cyberdramon's hands. "Cyberdramon, go!"
Cyberdramon lumbered forward, obeying Ryo's commands. Raising one arm, he struck at the red substance trapping Hitomi. It had fully hardened around her. A few cracks appeared, but the lance disintegrated a second later. Startled, Cyberdramon stepped back. After another glare from Ryo, he attacked again, with similar results. "It destroys digital matter."
"I can SEE THAT. Get her OUT, NOW!"
Cyberdramon could see that Ryo was not in the mood to argue. The venom in Ryo's voice took even Noctowl aback. He cares more for her than me, Cyberdramon thought.
Fine. Then I'll have to win him back. He raised an arm up, hand glowing white, ignoring Ryo's sudden shout of terror. The hand stabbed down, then up, clenching a long...root was the best word for it. It twitched as Cyberdramon yanked it out, the digimon howling in pain as his hand started to de-rez as it gripped the creature. With a mighty yank, Cyberdramon tore the root out of the ground, snapping it off of the trap holding Hitomi, and flung it away. It writhed and disintegrated. Hitomi's crystalline prison shattered, Hitomi falling forward.
"Hitomi!" Ryo yelled, running over to her. Terrified by the experience, Hitomi didn't object as Ryo put his arms around her, she doing likewise to Ryo, shaking. "It's OK. You're all right now, Hitomi."
Cyberdramon stood there, glaring at Ryo.
--
Impmon whooped with joy as Behemoth whipped around, trying to throw the small demon off. Some distance off, and straining to keep up, Chatsuramon marveled at the resilience Impmon was showing. He was resisting the influence of the digital motorbike and actually managing, slowly, to gain some control over it. It was fitful and erratic, but Chatsuramon could sense that Behemoth was slowly yielding to the sheer stubbornness of the Rookie digimon.
Then he felt it. HIM! With a snarl, Impmon pulled at the handlebars, forcing Behemoth to change course, taking it on a new heading, rapidly outpacing Chatsuramon.
--
Rika sensed the Deva approaching before she saw it, taking out a card and watching, still somewhat awed, as it changed into a blue card.
"That's so neat! Can you make me blue, too?" Calumon hopped up and down, totally oblivious to the approaching threat.
Renamon stood in front of Rika, arms out, ready to attack. To her surprise, she saw, not only Indramon, the Horse Deva, approaching in a non-confrontational manner, but was also carrying Yamaki on his shoulder. Neither looked too pleased with the arrangement.
"You," Yamaki gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Rika replied, card nearing her D-Arc.
"Humans, please," Indramon called. "There is no time for this bickering. We are trying to find another human. Have you seen him?"
Him, Rika wondered. Did he know about...wait. "You mean Ryo? He's here somewhere?"
"He is in the area, yes," Indramon answered. "Tell us where he is, Human, and we shall be on our way. I..." Indramon glanced down, finally noticing the digimon with Rika. "Renamon and...YOU! You should not be here, Catalyst!"
"My name's Calumon!" The small white digimon stamped his feet, pouting. That put Indramon off.
"Indramon," Renamon replied. "So good of you to finally notice me." She stopped, glancing off to one side. "I hear...a vehicle?"
"No. It cannot be him!" Indramon reached up and grabbed Yamaki, setting him on the ground. His other hand unhooked the massive shell from his back. "Run. You cannot defeat this foe!"
Rika glanced at her D-Arc, made a quick mental calculation, and took out Hitomi's pokeball. Eevee appeared, startled. "That way, she's not far. GO!" Eevee nodded, and shot off.
"Will he be alright?" Renamon asked.
"Hmph. The little toy poodle'll probably punch through a mountain. But between another Deva, Yamaki, and whatever's coming, we're going to need all the help we can get." Rika kept an eye on Yamaki, who seemed to be distracted, haunted by something. The roaring got louder, until...
The motorbike leaped over a sand dune, and landed several yards from the group. "Well, well." Impmon grinned at Yamaki. "Looks like I found me a whole pile of butt to kick. Starting with yours. Hey, red," he called to Rika. "Still think I'm not much of a threat?"
Renamon's eyes narrowed. "Get off that bike and show me."
"Thanks, toots, but I like it up here. And I got a sudden hankering for fox a la road kill, get me?"
"I certainly intend to. DIAMOND STORM!"
Indramon brought up his weapon. "TREASURE SHELL!"
"Oh, YEAH! BRING IT, YOU TWO!" Impmon screamed in delight as he gunned Behemoth forward, dodging around the attacks and aiming right at Yamaki. "Infernal FIREBALL SUMMON!"
--Next Episode
-A joyous reunion
-Impmon's evolution
-The last Deva and the attack of the Southern Guardian
Digicross Tamers: Tears of a Phoenix.