Chapter Twelve: Bioshock
AN: Sorry for the wait, folks. Apparently Santa Clara University thought it would be a gas to forget to add 5000 of my financial aid so I spent Thursday and Friday kicking some Bursar ass…sigh...but I gots mine! So here we go, Cue crazy dream sequence!
…
…
Is this a dream?
…
…
That's so weird…last thing I remember is going to punch Lucemon and now…
…
…
Am I…dead?
No, not yet
Who's that? Who's there?
…
…
You're that voice from before! That voice from the light!
Sigh…Yes, Tai, we are the "voice from the light"
Why did you tell me to attack him?! I could have been killed, that is if I'm not dead already! And why did you say, "We are the voice?!" Who are you?
We are the one who will help you. We say that I am two because we are two spirits in one body…
Wow…that was profound…PROFOUNDLY UNHELPFUL!!
Sorry…I'm kinda new to this whole "Mysterious Talking Voice" thing. I thought I would just come off as wise but…well you know…
Just answer me this, Socrates: Am I…dead?
Not quite. Right now you're in a state between life and death, between real and digital…think of it as a kind of "Digi-Limbo"
Okay...and how do I get out of this little "Digi-Limbo" I'm kinda in the middle of saving my friends, slaying demons…you know.
Getting out is up to you. I can open the door but you have to step through.
Yeah…wise really isn't you
He he…yeah
…Agumon…that's your voice but who's that with you?
A friend.
A friend, huh?
Yes…
Why would he help me? What's in it for him?
He is in love with Sora, just the same as you.
WHAT?! Tell him to get in line…er…not that we're going out or anything but…still!
But he has been in love for Sora for quite a while now…
Join the club; we got jackets
Since you were five?
Five and a half.
When she stepped out of her mother's car, soccer ball tucked under one arm
Wait…I know that voice…but it can't be…
In the moment that he was caught staring at her a soccer ball struck him in the side of the head
No…that's impossible!
And he was in love with her before he hit the ground
WHO ARE YOU?! HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL OF THIS?!
Tai…listen very closely…we can beat Lucemon but we can't do it alone…we need your help; your power.
What can I do? I'm just human…I can't fight
We can make your body as strong as your heart. We can give you strength of arms to match your strength of will.
I can fight Lucemon?
You can defeat Lucemon.
And…I can save Sora?
He he…I think she's doing alright for herself right now but if it makes you feel better…yes
All right…all right…What…what do I have to do?
Tai, are you ready to face a hoard of Demon Lords, risk death, torture and mutilation-
Yes! Yes!
For Sora, even if she doesn't return your feelings? Even if she and Matt leave you in the dust once Lucemon hits the road back to hell?
…yes. It doesn't matter to me. Whether or not she loves me back…I'd do anything for her.
Good answer. Now…one last thing.
What's that?
Open your Eyes.
Uhhhh…where am I?
…
…
Talk about a lousy first kiss…
…
…
One minute I'm kissing a fourteen year old Tai in a warped memory and now I'm floating in a sphere of white light…boy, there's a sentence I'd never thought I'd say…
…
…
AHH!! Where are my clothes?! What happened to my clothes?!
We really don't think you'll need them. It's not like anyone can see you.
What?! Who's there?! Biyomon?! That sounds like you but-
You've been asleep long enough…it's time to wake up.
Who are you? WHERE are you?! Are you peeping on me?!
Hehehe…Peeping on you, as if…it's not like we haven't seen it all already…
Okay, Ms. Creepy Disembodied Voice, just who the hell are you? You sound so much like Biyomon…are you Biyomon?
Yes…no…perhaps…
Okay, you've just beat out Goggle Boy as the weirdest person I've met today
He's doing rather well…
What?
Takato and Guilmon have unlocked the most sacred of Digital powers a Digimon and their Human Partner can posses
What's that? Biyomon mentioned that they were fighting side by side but…what can Takato do?
More than you would think. But first, let me ask you something, Sora: How do you feel about Tai?
What?!
Tai. Taichi Kamiya. You know; big hair, athletic, kinda thick. How. Do. You. Feel. About. Tai?
……………..
Well?
I…I don't know, alright! This is just so confusing and I'm all shaken up and…I'm just really confused right now. I'm in the middle of Demon Lord HQ right now! What do my feelings for Tai have to do with anything?
So you do have feelings for him!
Well, yeah! He's my best friend!
Sigh…Sora, Sora, Sora…you'll have to do better than that…
You're not making any sense!
Sora…
What do you want me to say?!
The truth…and don't tell me I can't handle the truth because that's just a lame cliché
The truth is…I don't know
Argh! Sora, you're killing us here! Tai and the others are out there fighting the armies of Digi Hell for you! This is ALL for you. We need you! We need the power you have inside you but to do that, we need you to activate it! I can help you! I can help you fight! We can help our friends but first we need your Crest!
How do I-
Your Crest is Love. Lilithmon's done all she could to beat it down inside but it's still there! You can't kill true love…So say it. Tell me what you love.
I love…chocolate?
Weak…what else you got?
Cats…
And…
…Dogs?
Sora! What's wrong with you? You never had a problem following your heart before, so what's the-
Soccer!
What?
I…love soccer. I do. It's been almost seven years since I've played in a league but…I still love soccer. Truth is, I can't stand playing tennis…I miss being a part of a team
Now we're cooking. More.
I love my mom. I do. Even if she's controlling and fussy…I still care about her. She did the best she could with my dad away and although she may not have always done what she should have…she did the best she could.
More.
I love my friends! I love the way Mimi can always tell what's wrong with me before I even say anything! I love the way Kari can always provide the best advice! I…I love how Yolei is totally honest with me.
You're on a roll! Give me more!
I love how Joe is always there for us when we need him…I love how Izzy is always willing to answer anything you ask him…I love how TK always has a positive attitude about everything…I love how Davis can make everyone laugh, without even meaning to…I love how serious Cody gets when we need him to…I love how kind and gentle Ken is…I love Matt…because he's a great friend…we'll always be friends…and…and…
Say it.
I…I…why is this so hard?
Because once you say it, you know there's no going back. Things between the two of you will never be the same.
Yeah…but, I think I'm okay with that…I don't think I care…Tai…I love the way he's always there for me when I need it, or just want to hang out…I love how he can make me smile without even trying…I love how supportive he was when I was dating Matt…I didn't even know about how much it was eating him up until today…he kept his mouth shut because we were happy…I love the way…he…
What?
I could go on all day. He's so amazing…and wonderful and smart…sometimes. He can be boneheaded and naive and brash and cocky but he's so brave…we could be standing in the gates of Hell and Tai would just flash that stupid, cocky grin and lead us right back out again…I feel safe around him…like he's always got my back, and not in a controlling way; I know if I ever need him, he'll be there…He's my best friend…I…I…love…him. I guess I do…I Love Tai
…
Hello?
Open your eyes, Sora.
Sparks flew as hot steel ground against Blutgang. Gallantmon tried to hold on but Lilithmon was stronger than he had anticipated. It seemed that the dark matter she had absorbed from Sora and Biyomon was giving her power beyond her already supernatural abilities.
Blutgang trembled in his hands as Lilithmon launched another blow against his blade. He shifted his grip, trying to get a better hold on it but Lilithmon was too quick. With a flurry of wing slashes, she knocked Blutgang away, spinning out of sight and skewering an Arkadimon.
Lilithmon raised her wing blade, aiming right at Gallantmon's chest. "Queen takes the Knight. Check and Mate"
Gallantmon snarled, lunging with Gungir only to have Lilithmon flick it lazily aside. "It's not over yet…not by a long shot…"
"Check your calculations, Sir." Lilithmon laughed. "As long as that poor, heartbroken little girl is wallowing in her own self pity, she will continue to feed my power. I will grow stronger, faster and smarter as long as she's at her little Pity Party. She's already mine and soon, you" Thrust. "Will." Slash. "Be." Slash, Thrust, Claw. "Too."
Lilithmon struck like a whirling dervish, lashing out with both her razor sharp wing and her strengthened Nazar Nail. Gallantmon blocked, ducked and parried her attacks and Takato found sweat running down his body inside Gallantmon. She was strong, but he could have dealt with that. The worst part was that she didn't tire: she was a sleepless, malicious entity, a force of nature more than a living thing. As soon as she tired, she would draw from Sora and then Takato would be back at square one again. Though he didn't want to admit it, he could no more win a fight with a hurricane than a fight with Lilithmon.
Gungir grew heavy in Gallantmon's hands. Takato's shoulders ached and strained with exertion. His chest and stomach were heaving in and out spastically, trying to steal breaths from the biting early morning air. His legs quaked, turning to quivering masses of gelatin beneath him. His heart could fight to the ends of time, but his body was solid, human and defeat able.
Lilithmon smiled, seeing her opening and taking it. With deftness that baffled Takato's weary mind, Lilithmon trapped Gungir in between her blades and tossed it into the night. Gallantmon fell to his knees, looking up at his killer.
"Finally…you admit defeat." Lilithmon said, satisfyingly. "I wonder if I can keep your helmet, to save it so it can be known to one and all that it was I, Lilithmon, Lady of Lust who triumphed over the Royal Knight Gallantmon." Lilithmon raised her blades. "You were a worthy foe. Unlike Lucemon I will admit that; you were a noble enemy. Undoubtedly the finest Digimon I have ever defeated. But now…you will die. There is no one to save you, no one is coming for you. Once I'm done with you, I'll move on to your friends. They'll scream…and they'll cry…and they'll bleed all over my nice, clean floor but I promise you; they will be alive long enough to know the taste of their measly…black…guts."
Gallantmon threw a punch at Lilithmon, swinging hard and bellowing with rage as she calmly pinned his armor to the wall. Swinging hard with his other one, Lilithmon drove a blade into his shoulder, causing him to scream in agony. Raising his head, he looked into Lilithmon's cold, red eyes.
"And now…the curtain comes down…"
Takato closed his eyes as she drew back. He was going to die. The only one who knew he was up here was Sora and she was in no shape to help.
They say when you die, your whole life flashes before your eyes. This simply isn't true. As Takato Matsuki watched the blade come down, he only saw the important things…His birthdays and Christmases with his family and friends…Guilmon…Biomerging for the first time…defeating the D-Reaper…Jeri…Henry…Kazu…Kenta…Rika…
In spite of himself, Takato couldn't help but smile. If someone were to tell his twelve year old self that his last thoughts would be of Rika Nonaka, he would have thought they were kidding. Now, as he faced the end, all he could see was her staring down on him as she flipped him on the ground, all he could hear was her whining about how he was the biggest fan boy in the world and all he could taste was her strawberry lip gloss mixed with her chocolate milkshake. In his final moments, something became painfully clear to him. In the enormity of his realization, he couldn't help but voice it aloud.
"I…I love you, Rika." Gallantmon whispered.
"UGH! Again with the Love!" Lilithmon put her hand on her hip and glared at him, exasperatedly. "Why?! Why even say that?! Do I look like Rika to you?! No! She's not going to hear you! It's totally pointless to even bother! So WHY?! WHY DO YOU PERSIST?! You humans put so much faith in Love and where does it get you?! NOWHERE! Love…is…useless. Tennis players got it right when they said LoveNothing. Love doesn't win wars! Love doesn't save lives! Love doesn't change anything!! Love turns the mightiest of warriors into sniveling little romantics! Love MAKES YOU WEAK! LOVE WON'T SAVE YOUR FRIENDS AND LOVE WILL NOT SAVE YOU!"
She drove her blade forward and a cry of anguished split the night sky…
Takato was surprised that the cry didn't come from his lips. He opened his eyes to see Lilithmon clutching her hand in agony, blade on the floor. Her hair was wild, and she was looking around, wildly.
"WHAT MISCHEIF IS THIS?!" She cried, glaring at him. "WHAT WITCHCRAFT DO YOU BRING AGAINST ME?!" Bellowing with rage, she picked up her blade and ran screaming at him…
Takato blinked and Lilithmon was on the ground again, howling in pain as a slash appeared in her arm from seemingly nowhere. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! DIE LIKE A MAN, ALREADY!!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Gallantmon and Lilithmon looked up to see where the strange laughter had come from but there was no one there. Lilithmon stood up, shakily, looking around to find the source of the laughter.
"Who are you…" she asked, looking up. "One of his little friends, come to bail him out? Show yourself if you're Mon enough to face me."
"Lilithmon…Lilithmon…Lilithmon…" the voice echoed. Gallantmon looked up; it sounded familiar…almost like…
"Where are you…"
"Behind you!" Lilithmon turned around to see a gold blur and then nothing.
"Too slow…much too slow…"
"Who are you?!"
"I am a messenger, nothing more." The voice reverberated. "I'm here on behalf of Venus…and Aphrodite…"
"You're not making any sense! Talk straight!"
"I am a lingering kiss on a departing train…a rose petal in the spring rain…Cupid's Arrow, personified…An awkward Valentine on a school desk…a whisper to family with a dying breath…I sow joy and sorrow in equal amounts…although those who do not feel my touch aren't truly alive…like you."
"ME?!" Lilithmon screeched. "What nonsense do you speak?!"
"You are a wretched, lonely creature, Lilithmon…"
"Because…" Lilithmon raised an eyebrow
"Because you are the only creature in the entire world to have never felt love." the voice called out
Lilithmon laughed her cold, girlish laugh. "HAHAHAHAHA! Love…Hee hee…Love AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…Love? Why in the name of the Gods Below would put my trust in Love? Do you realize where the world would be without Love? A lot better off, that's where! This Love you so proudly champion has cause more pain and suffering than Greed, Envy, Pride, Sloth, Wrath, Gluttony and Lust combined! For every tale of lovestruck lovers, there are a hundred tales of unrequited, abused or doomed love that torture hearts worse than any pain I could ever cause!" Lilithmon spat on the ground. "That is what I think of your-"
"Starlight Burst!" A bolt of white hot flaming energy scorched through the air, striking Lilithmon in the chest and spinning her around. Lilithmon looked up again wildly, firing shots of dark energy into the night only to be met with the laughter of the voice.
"Naughty, naughty…" the voice called. "You'll have to be faster than that to defeat me!"
"You want faster…I'll give you faster!" Lilithmon leapt into the air, tearing like a bat out of hell for the room Sora was left in. If she could power up off of Sora's despair, she could become faster, stronger and more powerful than this new adversary. Flying faster than she had ever flown in her life, she reached for the hole in the wall…
"Uh, uh, uh…" The voice softly mocked. "Suzaku Sword!"
A flash of light blinded Lilithmon as her attacker flew by, striking with a weapon that glowed and burned brighter than the sun. She howled in pain and rage as the wings on her left side were singed to a crisp. Tumbling out of the sky, she slammed into the wall, sliding down until the walkway beneath her caught her fall.
Lilithmon stood, drawing the remaining wings on her right side. "Alright you little bitch, show yourself. You have such high and mighty morals and yet you're afraid to face the Demon Lady herself! You…are…a…coward! A miserable, stinking coward protecting a miserable stinking coward!"
"Do you ever say anything that isn't vindictive?!" the voice sighed. "Such bitterness…I wonder what happened to the Ophanimon who was once so close to the Sovereigns?"
"I grew up, that's what happened!" Lilithmon spat. "All our love all our devotion was cast aside when your precious humans first slithered out of their world and into ours! If Azulongmon had his way, we'd all be slaves to your stinking ape friends! I did what I had to do to protect the interests of Digimon everywhere!"
"Oh, don't play the whining martyr, you're bad at it." The voice echoed. "You've never cared about anyone but yourself. Your whole life has been a nonstop search for shallow pleasure, spurning that which makes life worth living. You sicken me, Lilithmon. You are nothing but a stain on the Digiworld and I'm putting an end to you, once and for all!" Before Lilithmon could come back with another snappy remark, a flaming blade pierced Lilithmon's chest, ripping her stomach open in a flaming burst of multicolored fire.
She fell to the ground, looking up as her conqueror dissipated her flaming blades. Her eyes traveled up from the Digimon's golden, winged boots, up her legs that were clothed in red linens, her gilded greaves to her red and gold skirt, to her armored chest, adorned in red, gold and orange. Her humanoid face was covered in a golden helm in the shape of a bird's head, a long plume of multicolored feathers trailed from the back. Her assailant rolled her muscular shoulders and flared wings that beamed their own light in deep reds, yellows, pinks and oranges as she crossed her bare arms.
"Just…who…are…you?" Lilithmon croaked.
The Digimon looked at her with contempt. "If you plan on drawing from the girl, you might try to do so now…"
Lilithmon extended her reach, feeling around for Sora's energy signal. Suddenly her constant smirk faded and a look of unadulterated horror crossed her gaze. She looked back up at the room, and then back at the Digimon and then back at the room again and then back at the Digimon.
"No…" Lilithmon whimpered. "No, that's not fair…How did you…that's impossible…that's…not fair…"
The Digimon grinned, clapping her hands together and producing a large, flaming sword. Twirling it between her hands, she advanced on Lilithmon.
"Since you asked, my name is Phoenixmon Warbird Mode." Phoenixmon said, softly. "I am the Mega Biomerged form of Biyomon and Sora."
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Lilithmon cried. "How did you manage to do that?! You don't have a D-Arc!"
"No." Phoenixmon conceded. "I had Love. You tried to suppress my crest but you really never stood a chance. Not against love. The love I have for my family, for my friends …for Tai…did the impossible and joined me with Biyomon." Phoenixmon laughed. "I guess John, Paul, Ringo and George were right; all you really need is love. Too bad you don't know the meaning of the word. You could really use the help of someone who loved you. But…no one is coming for you, my dear."
In Phoenixmon's radiant presence, Lilithmon was diminished and suddenly seemed insignificant. The light showed her for what she really was. Deep lines ran through her face, making her seem older than she really was. Her hair stuck up at odd angles and her make up ran on her face as the fire that swirled around her made her sweat.
"Shut up!" Lilithmon screeched like a wounded banshee
"Not a soul in the world would save you now because not a soul in the world cares about you."
"I told you to shut up!"
"No friends…no family…Your life can be summed up as cold, empty passion and a string of one night stands…"
"GO TO HELL!" Lilithmon cried. "JUST GO TO HELL!!"
Phoenixmon plunged the blade into Lilithmon's chest. "You first."
In a flash of flame, the sword burst, consuming the Demon Lady in a rainbow of fire. When the flames died down, all that remained was a blackened, charred Crest.
Gallantmon stared, unblinkingly at the Digimon before him, not even bothering to get off his knees as she walked towards him, Gungir and Blutgang in each hand.
"You dropped these." She said, handing them to Gallantmon, smiling at the dumbstruck glint in his eyes.
"Uhh…thanks…" Gallantmon said, taking them from her, sheathing Blutgang and stashing Gungir between his wings. "Ummm…thanks for that but…who are you exactly?"
Phoenixmon laughed, placing her hand on her hip. "Well, you never struck me as bright, Takato but come on!"
Gallantmon took a step back, cocking his helmeted head and staring at Phoenixmon for the longest time. Then his eyes grew wide. "Sora?! Biyomon?!"
Phoenixmon laughed. "Yes and no."
"But how is that possible? I thought you needed a D-Arc to Biomerge and last I checked, your digivice wasn't working."
Phoenixmon played with one of her wings thoughtfully, plucking a multicolored feather and twirling it back and forth. "I'm not sure…one minute, I was trapped in my nightmare world and then next, I woke up feeling stronger and faster than I've ever felt in my life."
"Yeah, Biomerging does that to you." Takato said. "It's an incredible feeling and OH MY GOD!" Phoenixmon flinched as Gallantmon suddenly tensed up, looking up. "Tai and Rika! Oh, shoot, I can't believe I forgot about them! We have to hurry before-"
Gallantmon was cut off as something purple and gold came screeching from the sky. Phoenixmon jumped back, flaming sword drawn and ready to attack but Gallantmon (to Sora's surprise) stepped forward and caught the flailing Digimon in his arms.
"Let go of me!" the strange Digimon screeched, kicking and punching at Gallantmon's armor. "Let me at him! Let me at him! Let me go you evil son of a-" the Digimon stopped as she looked up at Gallantmon. "G-Gallantmon!"
"Hey, Sakuyamon." Takato said, lamely setting Sakuyamon on the ground. She stepped back, taking a long hard look at him before hesitantly stepping forward and running a hand over his helmet.
"Are you alright?" she asked. When he nodded, Sakuyamon lunged at him, tackling him to the ground. Phoenixmon balked as Sakuyamon began pummeling Gallantmon, berating him in angry tones.
"You! Stupid! Gogglehead!" she yelled at him, punctuating each word with a blow to either his face or his helmet. "What! In! The! World! Made! You! Jump! After! Lilithmon! Like! That?!"
"Sakuyamon…" Gallantmon pleaded. "Wait…"
"DO YOU EVEN HAVE A BRAIN IN THAT THICK SKULL OF YOURS OR ARE YOU JUST THAT-" Sakuyamon was cut off as Gallantmon threw his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. Skauyamon struggled for a moment, trying to push him away before reluctantly leaning against him.
"You're alright…" Gallantmon said, gently disengaging her.
"Yeah, well…" Sakuyamon said, lamely looking at Phoenixmon who was staring at them from behind her helmet's eyes. "Who's the bird?"
"Oh, um, Phoenixmon, this is Sakuyamon. Sakuyamon is Rika Biomerged with Renamon, her partner." Gallantmon said, making the awkward introductions.
"Hey." Sakuyamon nodded
"Ahhh…so this is Rika…" Phoenixmon said, slyly. "I've heard a lot about you, Rika…although," she looked the fiery shaman Digimon up and down. "Looking at you, you don't really strike me as Takato's type…"
"Takato's WHAT?!" Sakuyamon glared at Phoenixmon as Gallantmon shook his head, fervently motioning for Sora to back off, lest she incur the wrath of an angry Rika. "Listen, Birdy, I don't know who you are or where the hell you get off telling Takato what his type is but-"
Phoenixmon held her hands up in defense "Sorry…I'm Sora. Well, kinda. Biyomon's in here too."
Sakuyamon stopped her tirade and stared, head cocked to one side. "Sora? Tai's Sora?" Phoenixmon blushed and said nothing. "Wow, you must really be something if you can Biomerge without a D-Arc…Tai's going to be happy about…" Sakuyamon gasped, looking back up at the rooftop. "Oh, no! Come on, we need to get back up there!"
"Why?! What's going on? And where're Tai and WarGreymon?!" Phoenixmon asked taking flight alongside Sakuyamon and Gallantmon.
"Last I saw, before Lucemon threw me like a rag doll off the roof, WarGreymon was getting decimated by Lucemon and Tai was going in to punch Lucemon himself!"
"What?! Arrrgh! Stupid Tai!" Phoenixmon growled.
The three Megas soared high above the building, blanching in shock as they saw the entire roof was engulfed in a maelstrom of flames. The fire rose high into the night, burning endlessly and singing the morning air with smoke. Two dark shadows circled each other and other than a blast of flame or a stray energy blast, Phoenixmon couldn't tell who was who.
"What's going on?" she asked, flitting back and forth nervously. "What's happening down there?"
"I don't know…" Sakuyamon whispered. "It's hard to say…no human could have survived that blast."
"I'm going down there!" Phoenixmon said, moving to fly only to have her arm caught by Gallantmon.
"Stop! That fire's burning hotter than anything I've ever seen! You'll burn!"
"But…" Phoenixmon looked helplessly into the fire. Suddenly there was a huge explosion and a human sized figure flew out of the flames, spinning in the air and slamming into a neighboring building.
"TAI!!" Sora called through Phoenixmon, jumping after the body and ignoring the others' cries. She crashed through the falling rubble, reaching out to touch the young man's body…
SLAP!
Sora gasped in shock as a dark young man with long blonde hair and angel's wings slapped her hand away. His hair was singed and his exquisitely tailored suit was burned half off his body. Two of his wings were blackened and twitched spastically. Lucemon stared back at Phoenixmon with a look of disgust, brushing her aside and leaping out of the building.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!" he called, manically looking into the fire. "FACE ME, YOU COWARD?!" Phoenixmon followed Lucemon's gaze into the fire. Was it possible? Could Tai have survived the-
"GeoGrey Sword!" Two voices roared from within the inferno and Sora's heart leapt into her throat. She knew that voice. The fire drew in, forming a ring of flames on the ground, at the center of which knelt a large, powerful shadow. The flames parted, and Sora forgot to breathe as Lucemon's adversary leapt through the inferno.
It was one of those moments Sora would remember for the rest of her life, a story she would tell her children and grandchildren as they begged over and over again to hear about the Demon Lord and the Dragon. Time seemed to slow down as the fires divided like the Red Sea before Moses. At the same moment the flames parted, the sun peaked over the horizon and caught the Digimon's red, gold and white armor in full light. A mighty dragon kicked off from the roof with his thick, powerful legs and lunged from the mist and into the light. A colossal blade appeared in his claws and caught fire as he thrust it forward, pointing the infinitely sharp tip at Lucemon. Two wings beat powerfully behind him as a thick, deadly looking tail cut through the air and guided his charge through the Tokyo skies. Lucemon hurled energy ball after energy ball at the dragon but they shattered over his armor like waves breaking over the rock. A living symbol of courage, not even the full wrath of a Demon Lord stood a chance of bringing him down.
"Who is that?" Sakuyamon asked in awe.
"I think…it's Tai." Phoenixmon sighed, breathlessly.
"No…" Gallantmon said, smile plastered all over his human face. "It's ShineGreymon."
AN: Cue "Simple and Clean: Rising Sun Rock Remix" I kinda went OC with Phoenixmon WB mode but I wanted to illustrate that different Digivolution methods unlock different tracks of Digivolution. Plus, ShineGreymon kicks WarGreymon's ass.
NEXT TIME, ON DIGIMON UNLIMITED! (Set to Requiem for a Dream)
Beelzemon wheeled around and shot another round of ammo into the writhing Perfect's chest. "Do you, Takeru Takaishi take Kari DIE YOU DEMON SCUM…Kamiya to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health…sickness being the more likely of the two as long as you both shall live…which shouldn't be that much longer but…you know."
Lucemon smiled through his mangled face. "You…haven't…won…yet…" he laughed darkly as he vanished into the morning air.
"Why isn't the gate vanishing?!" Gallantmon cried. "All the Demon Lords are dead how could they…"
ShineGreymon soared as fast as he could towards the emerging figure. He had to stop him before he crossed over. He was almost there; the data hadn't fully converged yet. With one almighty swing of his fist, he drove the GeoGrey Sword forward…
"Tai…" The evil Digimon looked into ShineGreymon's horrified eyes with a smile. "How nice to see you."
Da da DUNH!