Time had seemed to freeze around Ryo Akiyama as he stared incredulously at the dark guardian. Takato Matsuda stood there waiting patiently for an answer, hand palm-opened in a gesture for him to take it as BlackGillmon returned to his partner's side. Everything Ryo had been told in the last five or ten minutes solidified in his mind, and he once again felt a strong tugging on the end of his soul.

"Kagemon does not merely give his symbol to anyone, Akiyama," Takato purred softly, silver-ruby eyes glinting almost maniacally in the streetlights of Kabukicho. "You and I have been chosen for a reason…to cast this world aside into darkness and recreate it in his image." He leaned in closer to Ryo, his hand still palm-forward as he was almost close enough to touch his lips. "We would be worshipped like Gods, Akiyama," he hissed, searching those cerulean eyes for any sign. "To free this world of the stupidity of the human race and make way for a new digital plane…"

He smirked when he saw uncertainty dancing in Ryo's lowered gaze and he leaned forward a little more so he could whisper into his ear, bringing his hands up to rest them on the taller boy's shoulders. "You could even have her at your feet, Akiyama," the brunet purred darkly, smirking when he felt Ryo stiffen underneath his grasp. "You could have Ruki Makino in any way you desired."

Ryo felt his mouth go dry at the thought, his pupils dilating as Monodramon snarled beside him. Almost instantly, an image of Ruki flashed through his mind and he very nearly shuddered at the implications his imagination gave him. "Ruki…" he murmured, licking his lips delicately and looking to the cold street they stood on.

Takato grinned wickedly at the response. "I'll let you think about it," he hissed, brushing his lips against the other brunet's ear slightly teasingly. "Kagemon and I will be waiting for your answer in twenty-four hours. Do not speak a word of this to anyone."

And then he and his partner were gone in a flash of digital data, leaving Ryo to collapse to his shaking knees and lean forward onto his hands, sweat dripping down his face as the mark on the back of his neck burned, as though the skin was being singed by fire, his entire body shivering, and not from the cold…

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The Dark Guardians
Chapter VII
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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Jenrya's eyes snapped open, his breathing hitched in a small gasp. Throwing back the covers of the bed, he tried to sit up but nearly screamed in pain, wrapping an arm around his stomach. His dark green eyes were dilated, until they were only small green specks in a sea of white, one hand to his head as sweat dripped to the white under sheets from his skin.

"Takato," he whispered quietly, running his fingers through his damp long hair. Shakily, he touched the burn scar on the left of his face before both of his arms fell to the blankets and he buried his face in his knees. "Why are you doing this again? Why must you make everyone suffer before you can forgive yourself? Haven't I told you time and time again that it wasn't your fault? Haven't I always been the one by your side?!"

Raising his right hand, he slammed it against the wall closest to the bed, making the apartment building shake and leaving an indent. "DAMNIT, WHY?!" Jenrya howled into the blankets, blood-red tears rolling down his cheeks silently.

"Jenrya…" Mayumi stood at the doorway, a wet cloth in her hands that she had been using to calm down her son's sweating as he slept. Acting on motherly instinct, she hurried over and sat down, wrapping the teenager into a hug. Jenrya clutched at her like a lifeline, nearly tearing her shirt apart as she rubbed soothing circles into his back.

"I won't forgive Kagemon for this," he hissed through his tears as he tore away from her and nearly stumbled out of the bed, fingernails creating half-moon circles in his palms as he clenched his fists. "I won't forgive the Sovereigns for making us go through this! It's inexcusable!" Gritting his teeth, Jenrya screamed. "MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THEY HAD LEFT US FOR DEAD!!"

"Jen." BlackTerriermon had entered the room at one point during his Tamer's rant, looking at his human partner calmly. The bluenet turned to look at him, tears still falling as his fingers clenched and unclenched at his sides, blood dripping down his hands. A firm look crossed the bunny-like digital monster's face, small black eyes commanding him to listen.

"You were given a choice to live or die when the Sovereigns brought us back. I clearly remember hearing you say that you would not let Kagemon slaughter any more of our individual people; that you would not lay down quietly and accept your fate. I may have just been a digital code at the time, but I felt your honesty in those words."

BlackTerriermon hopped onto the desk so he wasn't looking up at Jenrya so much, his eyes still hard – he didn't like seeing his partner suffering. "You have," the Child-level monster whispered, hoping his voice would reach Jenrya. "You've stopped countless massacres, slayed everyone Kagemon has sent at us, and each time we were ground into the dirt, you picked us back up and told us to fight on." Tears – something previously believed to be impossible for Digimon by the so-called 'experts' of the Real World – began falling from his eyes, startling both others in the room.

"You don't have to fight this alone, Jen! Try sacrificing my life along with yours! WE'RE PARTNERS, AREN'T WE?!"

"Black…BlackTerriermon…" Jenrya raised his hands to his face, looking at the blood dripping down his wrists to his elbows as he did so. He was shaking, swallowing deeply before he looked back at his Digimon. "…I felt it…through our link…Takato's heart, it..."

BlackTerriermon shook his head vigorously, ears flopping back and forth as he did so. "It's not the real Takato, Jen." Earning an incredulous look from his Tamer, he continued. "I didn't want to leave everyone unprotected while you were sleeping off your nightmare, so I went out on patrol and felt a Daeva Realize in the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku. I went in the direction I sensed, until I found BlackGillmon's scent. Takato was there talking with Ryo while he battled, so I settled down overhead and listened to what he was saying, since it wasn't my fight."

Small beady eyes narrowed, a snarl curling across his mouth as he stamped his foot down on the desk, hoping his Tamer would listen. "He's been playing us for fools, Jen! The real Takato is deep in an underground chamber below Kagemon's headquarters! It's his Nobody; the creature that is created after people die in the Dejitarusekai! They have the ability to portray human emotions when they don't even actually have a heart!"

Jenrya dropped to his knees, feeling sick. Of course the Sovereigns had taught him about the Nobodies created when the few humans who had visited the Dejitarusekai got trapped and died – had even fought a couple once in the last six years when innocent Digimon wandered into their territory. His eyes suddenly widened in realization and he turned his head, looking at the Japanese woman in the room. "Mayumi! Where's Shuichon right now?!"

Mayumi paled as her own comprehension came to mind, standing as she placed a hand to her mouth. "She's in the Okubo district with Ai and Makoto on a school field trip. But, Jenrya…should you be moving around right now?"

He grabbed his trenchcoat from where it had been placed on the back of the computer chair, face grim as he shrugged it on over his clothes and BlackTerriermon hopped onto his shoulders. "I've got no choice. Knowing what I do now, I have to get there before…before Takato does. After that…" His right hand clenched as he raised it, glancing out the window. "…After that, I'm heading back to the Dejitarusekai to look for him. I'll be taking Shuichon with me, so I won't be betraying my orders."

"She's too young to travel in the Dejitarusekai…"

"She was too young last time!" he snapped at her, making Mayumi shrink back. "She was barely five years old the first time we went; this time she's at least a year older than we were back then. It's her natural birthright…not this fake world you've set up for her!"

Turning to head out the window, he was stopped by a hand on his arm and looked back at her. Mayumi was crying, her breath hitched in sobs as she buried her head in the leather of his trenchcoat. "I've already lost you once, Jen," she whispered, placing her other hand on his upper arm as she clutched at it feverishly. "I…I realize you don't accept me as your mother anymore. I've come to acknowledge that whatever was there to identify you as my son is probably gone now."

She looked up at him pleadingly, licking her suddenly dry lips. "But you're still my son! Nothing will change that for me! And…I may have found Shuichon on the street when she was a child…I may not have brought her to the world…but she's still my little baby!" Almost hesitantly, she let go of him, her shoulders slumping as he stared at her. "I trust you as her older brother, and as her guardian, to watch over her." Mayumi raised her head, looking at him through her tears as her lips quivered to smile. "Please…when you decide to leave…bring her back home so I can hold her…one last time…"

Jenrya gave a small, sad smile and a nod, indicating he would honor her wish, before he turned to leave. Pushing the glass door open, he looked out over the Nishi-Shinjuku district, feeling the cold autumn wind blow past him as he came to stand on the railing of the balcony connected to the room. He looked over his shoulder at BlackTerriermon, his small smile curling a little more.

"Thanks for bringing me back to my senses."

The Child-level Digimon grinned, nuzzling his Tamer's neck affectionately. "Anytime."

The bluenet stood there for a few minutes, closing his eyes as he listened to the bustling city. When they opened again, they were narrowed, cat-like slits. "Let's go."

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Shuichon screamed as Beelzebumon and Antylamon de-evolved back to their Child-level forms, Makoto rugby-tackling her away from some falling debris. Ai stood a few meters away from her twin and their girlfriend, her hands shaking as she tried to perform a Card Slash in time for Impmon to gain enough strength and speed to catch Lopmon and run back to them, her eyes wide and mouth open at the Digimon towering over them.

It was a large, snake-like monster that was the size of the skyscrapers of the Korean district of Shinjuku, maybe even taller. The look in its eyes indicated that it was insane and feral, its long, thin tail crushing buildings left and right, the endless debris falling and killing innocent humans. Their class had fled long ago, but the trio had stayed to try and limit the damage it did.

"I've seen this monster somewhere before," Shuichon whispered from where she lay in Makoto's arms, the boy unconscious above her from a piece of rock hitting his head that should have been meant for her, her jacket scrunched up and pressed tightly on the wound to keep him from loosing too much blood. "I can't remember, though…why…? Why can I remember…?"

Salivating…large, sharp fangs…golden eyes that bore witness to the very depths of Hell…she screamed for someone, anyone to save her from being swallowed up by the bubbling lava below…

Shuichon placed a hand to her head, gritting her teeth as she tried to remember. But it was no use, the memory just wouldn't resurface no matter how hard she strained her brain. Footsteps sounded next to her and she looked, raising her head to meet the silver-crimson eyes of one of her guardians.

"Glorious, isn't it?" he breathed, one of his hands on his hip and the other hanging at his side. His voice sounded far away, like he wasn't even talking to her. "This is true rage, true anger and hatred…the darkest of sins brought to life. Megidramon symbolizes everything destructive in man's dreams and desires and soul…" His lips curled upward into a wicked grin as he spread his arms, lifting his head to watch the destruction. "He and I will annihilate this world and its inhabitants…and then…and then I will take my rightful place as God!"

A sharp kick to the back of his head sent him tumbling forward. Pulling himself up, he looked up to see Jenrya standing over him, cracking his knuckles with a dark look on his face. "BlackTerriermon's told me everything," he hissed, narrowing his eyes. "You're not Takato…you never were… I don't forgive those who play me like a fool and live."

He smiled darkly as he stood, bearing his teeth in his smile. "I don't have to play innocent then, do I?" he purred, brushing himself down. "But you're too late to stop me. Megidramon has already begun his rampage…and once he has, not even I can stop him. I believe you witnessed something like it a couple of years ago, ne?"

Jenrya looked at Ai out the corner of his eyes, watching Impmon struggle over towards her with Lopmon's arm over his shoulder, as the pink and brown rabbit-like monster had trouble keeping her eyes open. "Ai." His dead, calm voice startled her and she turned to look at him, her face white as a ghost. "I want you to take Shuichon and Makoto and get out of here. Protect them with your life."

Numbingly she nodded, waiting for their Digimon partners to come over to her before she picked them both up and tucked them under her arms, hurrying towards her brother and their girlfriend where Shuichon waited for her with Makoto's body slumped over her back in a piggyback-like motion, her jacket wrapped tightly around his head and covered in blood.

"Jen!" she shouted, taking a step before she felt something on her shin and she looked down, meeting BlackTerriermon's eyes.

"Go," the Child-level said, his tone of voice speaking volumes of wisdom he had never previously displayed. "Take shelter. Get Makoto looked at if you can." He turned his eyes away from her, looking up at Megidramon with hard eyes. "This is our fight…princess. BlackTerriermon, evolve!"

Shuichon watched him, heard him scream as a dark green cocoon of data enveloped him, expanding until it was almost the size of the Odaiba observatory wheel. Then it exploded, and she had to shield her eyes from the brightness of the light that shone from him.

"DARKSAGEGARGOMON!"

– Fin chapter seven –