Ryo Akiyama scowled from where he stood in West Shinjuku Park, his arms crossed as he leaned against a tree with Cyberdramon next to him, growling and glaring at the few people who made their way past them. Nighttime had fallen over the city long ago – coming close to almost midnight – but the cerulean-eyed Tamer had his reasons for being here.
He didn't like the way Ruki was acting towards him, or the wistful look in her violet eyes whenever they came across the dark guardians. Indeed, he had acted out of turn two days ago, and she hadn't spoken to him since nor would she return his phone calls or e-mails. Ryo found himself sorely missing Ruki's sweet voice, almost to the point where he believed he would go insane if he was without her presence one more day.
He knew his infatuation with Ruki Makino had long since grown out of a puppy crush and into obsession, yet he wasn't going to stop himself. Even to have one night with the girl would be enough to satiate his wanton lust, but he knew she would never agree to it. She was Juri Katou's girlfriend after all, going to four years this November, and he knew she wouldn't hurt the little brunette more than she had been already.
They were to blame for everything.
They were to blame for the break up of his team.
They were to blame for the way Ruki was acting.
He knew she wanted to be with them again, be part of their team again. She just didn't know how to voice it, even after six years of finally opening up her heart.
I can help you, you know.
Ryo looked around for the source of the voice, hearing his partner growl beside him. Raising an eyebrow, he decided to pass it off as nothing until…
We share the same feelings towards Takato Matsuda and Jenrya Lee. I can help you win her heart, and her loyalty.
Slit-like golden-cherry eyes appeared in the darkness beyond him in the shadows by a nearby park light and Ryo had to keep himself from staring as jet-black trimmed with white shoulder-length hair followed to appear around the eyes, shadowing moonlight-pale skin that made it look as though the creature had never seen sunlight. Six leathery bat-like wings appeared next to protrude from his back, a fair reason as to why he wore no shirt, displaying a lithe but finely chiseled chest covered in several markings Ryo knew were religious symbols. Pants that reminded him of a Devimon's covered the lower portion of his body, held up by a loose belt and several straps around the legs, feet adorned in some kind of boots the teenager had never seen before.
"Who…who are you?" Ryo licked his suddenly dry lips, his heart racing as the Digimon seemed to glide towards him, Cyberdramon's growling lowering to almost a whimper as the large saurian-type could practically feel the power radiating from the unknown monster.
A thin smile curled on the creature's lips, purely wicked in tone with a promise of darker things to come, bearing small fang-like canines. "My name is…Kagemon," the demon purred, voice husky and breathing frosted air in the cool autumn atmosphere. "Future lord of both the real and digital dimensions." He seemed to pause, lips curling a little more as he titled his head like a curious child. "I enlist your help, Ryo Akiyama…and I repay good services."
Kagemon…that had been the name of the monster Matsuda and Lee were trying to defend the worlds against…
"I've been watching you for some time, Ryo Akiyama," he continued huskily, beginning to pace around the Tamer quite calmly with his hands clasped behind his back. "And I see potential in you. Limitless potential just waiting to be unlocked." His smile became crooked as he stepped around to the back, reaching down to nestle his head in the crook of the human's neck, his hands keeping Ryo from pulling away as one grasped down on his left forearm and the other cupped his chin, forcing him to look back at the Digimon. "And I'll be the key," he purred, slipping out his tongue so it brushed against the underside of the Tamer's jaw. He tasted anxiety coupled with hatred and…hm, was that lust he saw? Oh, but was he going to have fun with this one…
"I'm no one's puppet," Akiyama hissed, turning panicking cerulean eyes on the monster as bat-like wings enclosed around them both. He tried struggling, tried wrenching himself free of that grasp but to no avail. He felt his heart beginning to race and heard Kagemon moan ever so slightly. "No one's!"
Then there was nothing but pain.
Ryo shuddered as those sharp fangs settled themselves into the back of his neck, feeling sweat begin to perspire on his face. A dark, deep terror filled him with dread as his body convulsed, eyes dilating with fear. He almost choked on his own spit as his blood was gently slithering from his body, shivering as he suddenly began to feel cold…
Kagemon lifted his mouth away, lips dripping with wet blood and he smiled as the Akiyama boy collapsed to the ground, clutching his neck. He watched as a small, hazard-symboled cross appeared where he had bitten, replacing the teeth marks, and he licked his lips as he smiled darkly. He squatted down, running his hand through the boy's hair almost soothingly as Ryo vomited, craning his neck downward to whisper into his ear.
"You will seek me," he purred darkly, eyes narrowing as bloodlust delight danced in their depths. "No one I have given my seal to has yet not sought me out for power. Not even he did. You'll know where to find me."
Then he was gone, leaving Ryo to collapse forward and howl in pain…
Ten blocks away in West Shinjuku's industrial area, Takato Matsuda's eyes snapped open as the mark on the back of his neck burned.
A mark of a digital hazard symboled crucifix…
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The Dark Guardians
Chapter V
Written by Takato Metallium
Disclaimer: I disclaim all rights to Digimon Tamers. It belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo and other such people. I only own the fic, the idea, some Digimon you haven't seen before and not much else.
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Their captor was like a digital version of the Bible's "devil" character, Jenrya Lee realized from where he was hung by tight shackles, bloodied and beaten in a crucifix position on the cold stone wall. Terriermon was shackled to the floor, his ears held down and a heavy black collar around his neck chaining him to the ground. They very rarely met each other's eyes these days, simply for the fact that Terriermon could barely lift his head because of the chains on his ears and neck.
Jenrya didn't wince was his captor took hold of his face, sharp fingernails – claws? – digging into his skin. He met those golden-cherry eyes challengingly and a sickly sweet smile curled on the demon's lips before he was smacked upside the head, the back of his head hitting the stone wall he was chained to and making stars dance behind his eyes.
"You're so stubborn," the demon purred, thoroughly enjoying his torture session more than the boy himself was. "Are all humans like you?" Jenrya didn't answer. "Still, I am getting rather bored with you. You don't scream, you don't beg for mercy, you don't shed tears." His captor looked thoughtful before his smile curled a little more. "Are you worried about that other human? The one who ran that bakery in Requiem Village?"
Jenrya's head shot up. Takato…? He knew what had happened to Takato? The blue-haired teen could barely hear himself speak his long-time companion's name.
"Ah, I see I have your attention." Sharp teeth showed in the smile now, his golden-ruby eyes narrowing even more. "He was the only one who ever stood up to me, you know? A pity he didn't live to tell the tale."
Jenrya could feel his breath hitch in the back of his throat.
Takato…Takato was dead…?
The only one he cared about more than Terriermon was dead?
He hung his head in shame, feeling tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
Tears he would never show his captor.
He'd been unable to protect Takato like he had promised.
Takato was no longer alive because he'd failed…
"Don't believe him, Jen!" Terriermon was kicked in the head by one of the demon's bodyguards, the throbbing pain reaching through their link as the bunny-like digital monster snarled.
Jenrya could no longer hold anything back.
He screamed.
Long and hoarse, he screamed.
And Kagemon laughed.
Jenrya only knew silence a minute later…
…Before he woke up screaming.
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Shuichon Lee was woken by a scream loud enough to wake the dead. The young girl buried her head into her pillows, Lopmon turning over beside her as the two of them tried to get back to sleep. Footsteps rushed past her room, indicating that her father or mother or both were heading towards the source.
Jenrya's room.
Shuichon's eyes were bleary as she tried to blink them open a few minutes later, glancing at the digital clock on her bedside table and muttering a curse her mother would have washed her mouth out for saying out loud. "Ten to one in the goddamned morning is hardly an appropriate time," the middle-school student grumbled, pulling a pillow out from under her head as Lopmon slid out from the covers, landing with a soft 'thump' on the floor, making the former Daeva wake up. She heard Lopmon yawn widely before a gasp left her responsible partner and Lopmon hurried out of the room.
The half-Chinese Tamer pulled her self up slowly, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes. Oh well, since she was up she might as well go and see what all the fuss was about. Shuichon stretched languidly before she got up and walked out into the hallway, Lopmon standing out in the hallway beyond Jenrya's room from which a light still shone. The sounds of her mother screaming at him to stop something reached her ears and the two bounded into the room, only to be stopped in the doorway at the sight.
Her father was holding Jenrya against the wall, pinning him down by his arms as he thrashed hysterically while BlackTerriermon tried to get him to calm down from where the child-level monster sat on her father's shoulders. Her mother was crying, pleading for it to stop.
"He can't stop," BlackTerriermon whispered, just loud enough for Shuichon to hear, watching him dodge a hit by his Tamer's fist that ended up clipping Janyuu upside the head. "He's had these dreams before."
"Dreams?" Lopmon asked, hopping off her human's shoulders as the virus-type did the same, eyes downcast and solemn. "What sort of dreams are they? They sound more like…nightmares."
A brief chuckle escaped the other bunny-like monster. "I wish they were." He turned his head to the side, closing his eyes. "We were held captive for five months by Kagemon before we accepted to become one of the dark guardians," BlackTerriermon spoke softly, head bowed. "Jen is, to put it bluntly, reliving his death." Mayumi gasped from where she sat on the bed. "Kagemon tortured him for those five months. Jen never screamed, always held it in. He wasn't going to let that bastard win…until he was told Takato was dead." BlackTerriermon shook his head, looking up. "At least Takato was offered a quick death. Jen suffered nothing short of a painful one. I felt it."
"Jenrya…Jenrya's dead?" Mayumi looked as though she was going to faint as the small child-level looked at her with a mysterious expression Shuichon had never seen on him before.
"One of the requirements of a dark guardian is to be already dead. According to Quinglonmon, because they spent so much time in the Dejitarusekai, Jen and Takato were able to be brought back by the Gnomes because they were already partially data but still bled human blood. Takato was dead for a year, Jen almost ten months. It was painful, seeing them lay there like that, unmoving." BlackTerriermon shuddered, shaking his head again. "The dark guardians are immortal, and the only way one can achieve immortality is…"
"…To be already dead," Lopmon finished for him, nodding in understanding. "And those who are immortal can only be hurt and not killed. I see why they were picked to be the dark guardians."
"Right." He nodded in agreement with her, approving her knowledge. "Because any other Tamer or Digimon would have been impossible to bring back. They were already mostly data from the year or so we'd spent there, so it wasn't too hard for the Gnomes to bring them back to life. A Digimon's cycle is endless; we are born, advance, die and are reborn again much like a phoenix. Humans are born only to die. Both species aren't immortal."
"It…" The voice made the four of them look to where Janyuu was holding Jenrya against the wall, watching the bluenet open his eyes ever so slightly as he breathed harshly. "…It hurts," he whispered, voice hoarse from the screaming. "BlackTerriermon, it hurts…"
"Let go of him," the rabbit-like Digimon commanded softly and Janyuu did so, stepping back and watching his son fall to his knees and clasp the back of his neck, watching him shudder and convulse as his partner waddled over to him. BlackTerriermon managed to pry his fingers away from the back of his neck, brushing aside long blue hair as Jenrya threw up, emptying his stomach out onto the bedroom floor.
Shuichon moved forward a little and craned her neck to see what BlackTerriermon was doing to her brother, watching Jenrya collapse forward into his own vomit as the shuddering stopped, reaching out to grasp at the carpet floor with one hand as the other arm wrapped around his stomach.
"He's been here," Jenrya whispered, coughing as Mayumi lifted his head, having gone to the bathroom to get a fresh washcloth to wipe his face with. His eyes never left BlackTerriermon's as his partner hopped down from his shoulders, the two of them conveying silent messages. "Kagemon…" The guardian managed to lift himself from the ground at Mayumi's protest, swaying a little as he steadied himself against the wall with one hand, the other still where it was around his waist. "…He came to the Real World…" He pushed himself away from the wall, nearly stumbling again. "Takato…I need to…Takato…"
With that, he collapsed forward into Janyuu's waiting arms, blacking out completely.
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Takato pulled back the bloodied collar of Ryo's turtleneck shirt from where he had crouched down next to the brash teen, snarling a little when he saw the marking and his eyes narrowed. He released the collar and stood, turning away from the body as BlackGillmon whined, lifting a hand to pat the saurian Digimon on his head as a way of calming him down. Monodramon lay passed out next to his Tamer, sprawled out in a similar fashion.
"He was here, alright," the guardian murmured to himself, black jacket tossed around by the cold autumn night wind. His ears twitched slightly at a sound, but he didn't turn as someone approached him from behind. "You know, I have better hearing than what you give me credit for, Kagemon." He didn't need to turn to see the demon appearing behind him, feeling BlackGillmon tense under his touch and begin to growl lowly. Takato turned, silver-crimson eyes burning as he addressed him. "What do you want with Akiyama? He hardly seems to be the type of person you'd give your seal to…"
"There are many things I like about him," the humanoid Digimon purred darkly, lifting a hand to cup Takato's face and caressing his cheek with his thumb. The Tamer didn't even flinch away, instead staring him down with a cool gaze. "I know he'll be a loyal follower in the end. My own dark general."
The brunet guardian's lips quirked into a sardonic smirk even as his head was tilted a little more, looking apathetic about the entire situation. "If you're trying to make me jealous, it's not working."
Kagemon seemed to sigh, golden-cherry eyes looking slightly disappointed as he looked down at his creator. "Takato-chan, what will it take to make you see that I thrive on the darkness of your soul? You manifested me into being when you created Megidramon with your hatred…I want to feel that hatred again, Takato-chan. That wanton, almost magical lust for complete oblivion I felt from you that day… I want to see you on the edge of insanity. I want to see you kill as you had intended, to bathe the world in blood."
Takato's eyes looked as though he was staring straight through the demon, his smirk becoming a wicked smile. "Is that why you're doing all this? Just to see me pissed off?" He laughed a little, pushing away the hand on his cheek with the back of his own, licking his lips. "You're doing a wonderful job."
The white-haired demon paused for a moment before closing his eyes. "I see…" With that, he disappeared, leaving Takato alone with only BlackGillmon for company to watch over an unconscious Ryo, ignoring the way the mark on the back of his neck screamed for its creator…
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"Matsuda has come into contact with Kagemon again." Zhuqiamon ruffled his feathers, looking up at Quinglonmon from his perch. The Southern and Eastern quadrant Sovereigns had been conversing when the phoenix-like Digimon had visibly stiffened. Now he was the very image of serenity, regarding the holy dragon with disturbed eyes.
Quinglonmon looked heavenward to where the Real World rested in their skies, hanging above them like an eternal moon of green and blue. "I wonder," he murmured to himself, ignoring the other Sovereign, who merely went back to preening his feathers. "Just how long will it take for him to succumb to the pull again. It must be very painful…to have Kagemon's marking."
Zhuqiamon let out a low chortle, startling the other for a moment as Quinglonmon regarded him again with a raised eyebrow at what he found so funny. "Matsuda is a glutton for punishment," the holy bird spoke softly, hawk eyes sharp and deadly, clearly showing his dislike of the boy.
"I'd rather have him on my side knowing what he'll do rather than as my adversary," Quinglonmon replied, lowering himself so he was at Zhuqiamon's eyelevel.
"You cannot control the boy forever, Quinglonmon." Zhuqiamon met his gaze, his face – had it been human – frowning and eyebrows furrowing together. "The chains you have erected around his power are going to snap, and the repercussions will be felt by both digital and human dimensions."
"I know." The holy dragon's whisper was barely heard by anyone but himself as he once again directed his gaze up towards the Real World, the hope beginning to fade in his eyes as he imagined Zhuqiamon's words to life. He closed his eyes, soaking in the tranquility of the digital plane as though it would be the last time.
"I know…"
End of chapter five