Chapter 4: No Mercy
In a few hours' time, Henry, Terriermon and Kenta discovered that the Blue Card had something to do with a man in a yellow jacket. Once Henry told Takato this news via his cell phone, the younger boy gathered everyone where the man was last seen.
"Do you really think this is a good idea, Gogglehead?" Rika asked coolly, looking at her friend.
"Well, if he were here yesterday, there's a chance he'll pass by here, right?" Takato reasoned hopefully. Rika rolled her eyes.
"And what makes you think he'll actually answer our questions?" she challenged.
"That's why we're all here. People usually pay more attention to big crowds, right, Henry?" Takato prompted, glancing at his best friend in hopes of receiving back-up.
At the mention of the other boy's name, Rika quickly averted her gaze. Henry sighed a little, giving Takato a small smile.
"Let's hope for the best," he affirmed softly while eyeing Rika, who hadn't looked at him once since they regrouped.
He waited until the others began talking amongst themselves, and then as unnoticeably as possible shuffled up next to her.
"Rika, what's wrong?" Henry asked her in a low voice. She hesitated a moment, then sighed.
"Jeri, Renamon and I found Impmon…" Rika began quietly. Henry frowned and looked up at Terriermon. The Digimon nodded, understanding, and jumped into his arms.
"What happened? Impmon didn't try to hurt you, did he?" Henry questioned worriedly. Rika cracked a small smile.
"I'm not the one you should be worried about right now," Rika responded, her eyes drifting to the Digimon in Henry's arms. The indigo-haired boy stiffened, an icy knot forming in his stomach. He glanced at his friends. Takato and Jeri were talking, while Kazu and Kenta were arguing about something.
"What...what did he say?" Henry whispered, his eyes expressing deep concern. Rika exhaled sharply through her nose and looked away.
"I'm only telling you this so you can keep your guard up. He—he threatened Terriermon again, said he'll get what's coming to him, and that...he likes to play with his data before he absorbs it," Rika answered, watching the boy out of the corner of her eye.
Henry's shoulders were tension-filled, his face drained of color. What was Impmon planning? Why was he doing this?
Unfortunately, before he could contemplate it more, a Digital Field appeared and surrounded them. Instantaneously, all the Tamers stopped what they were doing. Guilmon started growling, an on-edge Renamon appeared, and Terriermon jumped out of Henry's arms.
In front of them, a sheep-Digimon and a bull-Digimon came into view.
"W-who are they?" Jeri asked, her eyes wide.
Henry took out his Digivice, pointing it at the sheep-Digimon.
"Pajiramon, an Ultimate Level. This one's a Deva," he answered gravely, moving the device in the direction of the other one. "Vajramon. Same nasty personality and Level. He's a Deva, too."
The boy glanced at his two best friends, and all nodded firmly as one.
"Digi-modify! Zudomon's Vulcan Hammer, activate!" Henry called out, slashing his card through his Digivice.
"Digi-modify! Hyperspeed, activate!" Rika cried, doing the same.
"Digi-modify! Wings, activate!" Takato yelled, giving Guilmon an extra advantage.
The three Digimon immediately attacked the three Devas. Renamon and Guilmon attempted to double-team Vajramon, but the evil Digimon aimed a blast at the dinosaur, knocking him backwards.
"Guilmon!" Takato shouted, his eyes widening and his heart panging painfully at the sight.
Meanwhile, Terriermon went for Pajiramon, but he was easily knocked aside with his head trapped under the enemy's foot.
"Terriermon! Let him go!" Henry ordered, gripping his Digivice tightly.
Pajiramon sighed dramatically. "Vajramon, we're wasting time! Our orders were to destroy them!"
Picking up Terriermon, he threw the bunny-Digimon in the air and prepared to fire when a voice interrupted him.
"Why waste yer time destroyin' that puny thing?"
Everyone turned around. It was Impmon!
"Henry!" Terriermon cried, beginning his forgotten descent.
"Terriermon!" Running forward, Henry just managed to catch his partner before he could hit the ground.
"Don't you think that's a little ironic, small-fry?" Pajiramon mocked, smirking. Impmon grinned evilly. A second later he was engulfed in a red light, which from a distance looked like a ball of fire. Takato and Rika ran up to flank Henry.
"What is that?" Takato asked, confused and amazed, and his companions could only shrug. The 'fireball' suddenly turned into two and pitched forward, hitting both Vajramon and Pajiramon right in the chest. Their shining data was suspended in mid-air, and Impmon absorbed it.
"Did Impmon just…help us?" Henry breathed, allowing his grip on Terriermon to relax. There's no way this whole mess could be a misunderstanding…but then, what of this…?
However, letting his guard down turned out to be a big mistake.
In the next instant, a medium-sized destructive blast came his way. On fright-driven impulse he let go of Terriermon, and Impmon swooped in to grab the bunny-Digimon and throw him to the ground.
Smirking, he jumped back. "Ya really thought I would help ya? There're only two reasons I stopped those two: one, I wanted their data, and two, if anyone's gonna have some fun with ya, it's gonna be me!"
"I won't let you do that!" Henry roared protectively, dashing toward Terriermon, although just before he reached him he crashed into some kind of invisible force-field. Stumbling back sharply, he nearly collided with the ground head-first, but Takato just managed to catch him. Impmon laughed.
"Did ya really think I'd let yainterfere? Not this time, Tamer-boy! Just stand back and watch…" Impmon sneered, allowing his gaze to slide to Terriermon. The little Digimon was standing his ground, true, but it was obvious he was scared.
"Terriermon..." Henry muttered worriedly. He had to do something…!
"Impmon! If this does not stop here and now, I refuse to hold myself responsible for what happens to you!" Renamon warned, not waiting for a reply as she launched her attack at the force-shield and barely dodged when it was deflected back at her.
Impmon seemed to pay her futile attempt no need, however, as he tackled Terriermon to the ground. The two Digimon rolled around on the ground for several minutes, Terriermon being forced to stick to dodging and blocking due to Impmon's astonishing speed.
Finally, Impmon grew tired of the game of cat-and-bunny and snarled, his eyes blazing with the blood-red tint once more. Metal cords materialized out of thin air and wrapped Terriermon's ears and limbs in an incapacitating stranglehold.
"No!" Henry cried, punching and kicking the invisible barrier numerous times in his desperate attempt to break through it.
"Henry, you can't..." Takato whispered impossibly gently, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder to try to soothe him.
Impmon smirked devilishly, and for just a moment, a part of him was afraid. It was like he wasn't even in control of his actions anymore… Maybe Renamon was right...
But he pushed aside these thoughts in favor of the sheer power pumping through his veins, and without another thought he shoved his tongue into the other's mouth. The white bunny almost choked in surprise and struggled frantically to get free. He had never felt so helpless in his life. And as if having that vile Digimon's tongue explore his mouth weren't bad enough, Impmon was punching the little body black and blue.
It seemed that Impmon himself didn't even know how he wanted to torture his self-appointed rival, like he was just following his instincts. This reasoning seemed to satisfy his out-of-sorts mind, and the dark powers within him sensed it. Out of his hands grew nails half the length of his own body, which he dug into Terriermon's ears and dragged downward. The tiny Digimon let out an ear-piercing shriek, and Impmon pulled back at last.
"Had enough yet?" Impmon jeered with a satisfied smirk.
"Please stop...! Just leave me alone!" Terriermon uttered, very nearly pleading.
Throughout all of this, Henry had flung himself at the shield several times, screaming Terriermon's name and begging Impmon to stop. The whole time Rika kept a firm hold on his hand, and Takato whispered calming words, all in effort to reassure him. But everything they did was lost on him.
Finally, he collapsed, exhausted from pushing himself far past his limits.
"Terriermon...!" Henry murmured, horrified, his heart aching as his partner begged Impmon to stop. He prayed that by some miracle something would happen to make Impmon show mercy...!
Suddenly, a vicious growl introduced itself to the air, and a moment later a black dog-Digimon flew at Impmon, tackling him off Terriermon. A mysterious girl with blonde pigtails stepped forward.
"Dobermon and I demand that you spare this innocent Digimon!" the newcomer ordered in an even tone. Impmon merely glared and tried to get to Terriermon again, but his attacker made sure he stayed down.
"All right!" the purple one shouted, pushing Dobermon off of him when the dog-Digimon loosened up at the words. "I'm goin', I'm goin'!" A sickening grin came to his face, though, and he fixed his eyes on Terriermon. "Though I gotta say, bunny-boy, for a rodent you sure don't disappoint!"
An instant passed, and he was gone.
The dominant threat now out of the way, the blonde girl shifted her attention to the invisible shield. Raising her hand until pressed up against the barrier, she closed her eyes and exhaled. A fierce wind blew past, and when she opened her eyes her hand fell through.
Looking to the others, she said, "The shield has been removed. He will not bother you any time soon."
They blinked, and she was gone.
The second she disappeared it was as if she'd never existed at all. Takato helped Henry to his feet, and they all ran to Terriermon.
He lay still, unmoving.