Chapter Seventeen

The Ultimate Price Is Given

Sora's fingers wrapped around Momiji's hands. His eyes, and mouth and forehead glowed. The 'n' that decorated Kuramon face was etched on Momiji's forehead.

"That must be Momiji's Crest." Koushirou grabbed Yuuta's wrist and ran towards the other Chosen Children. "We have to get out of the way!"

"Sora! What about Sora?" Biyomon cried.

"We cannot leave her behind, Izzy." Yuuta covered her face as wind whipped around them.

"Sora...knows what she's doing, Koku."

"What's going on?" Eri cried, keeping a tight grip on Ken.

"His power...he's using a Crest from inside his own body to help Kurisarimon evolve." Koushirou shouted over the wind.

"Why is it so windy? It makes no sense!" Taichi yelled.

"I think...if I'm right this is really bad."

"We all know it's bad, Izumi! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Miyako screamed covering Hikari's head protectively.

"I think he's going to omit a stage!"

"You mean...straight to Mega?"

Koushirou nodded mutely. Yuuta bit her lip.

"You all need to go Mega, too." She cried.

"We can't go past Child!" Iori reminded her. Wizardmon was holding both him and Chichi tightly, Armadillomon was grasping Iori's ankle.

"You can! I have... I have to Die!" she yelled.

"Iie." Koushirou murmured.

Sora stared at the face of her beloved.

"Momiji! Stop! Onegai!" But the young man didn't hear her cries. His body was tight with pain. His fingers dug into her skin as he screamed. Suddenly, as if a string had snapped, his body relaxed and fell forward, the glow gone. Sora held him close.

Kurisarimon warp evolve to... Diaboromon.

"This is really bad." Daisuke gulped.

"We need Omnimon." Yamato gritted past clenched teeth.

We can't evolve, Matt." Gabumon said, accidentally saying the now-taboo nickname.

Laughter of the engorged sized Digimon echoed through the barren Digital World.

"Thank you, Knowledge, for falling in love." Diaboromon sneered.

Koushirou narrowed his eyes at the Digimon. Diaboromon flung his large claw out and sliced power through the air. Everyone put their arms over their faces and was thrown backwards.

"You're nothing more than ants! With a flick of my finger, I could slice your bodies in two." He laughingly demonstrated. A long deep gash appeared across Daisuke's chest. He fell back, blood slipping down his chin from his mouth.

"Dai-chan!" Taichi quickly caught him.

"The wound is dangerously long, and losing blood fast, but it didn't go very deep." Jyou glared up at Diaboromon. "He definitely didn't slice him in two."

"I didn't feel like it. I decided instead to crush you in my bare hands." He reached for Jyou. Yamato ran in front of his boyfriend and was caught instead.

"What's with picking on the gay guys, you monster?" Yamato gasped out.

"You shouldn't be insulting the being holding your life in his hand."

"YaaraghAAAAAHHHHHH!" Yamato half-groaned, half-screamed as Diaboromon tightened his grip.

"Yamato!" Jyou cried helplessly.

"Blue Blaster!"

"Marching Fishes!"

Diaboromon ignored the puny attacks without even a glance towards Gomamon or Gabumon. Yamato's scream grew shrill with pain.

"Let him go!" Yuuta yelled trying to run forward. Koushirou grabbed her arms quickly. "He is not going to kill me! He does not want me to die!" She shoulders shook and tears fell from her cheeks to the ground. "Why? Doushite? Why will you not let me die, Izzy?"

"Koku..."

"EVOLVE!" Yuuta screamed. Lavendar erupted around her body, her hair flying up around her face, and kimono flapping wildly.

Nekomon evolve to... Cabbimon!

"Cabbit Back Kick!"

Diaboromon grunted and rubbed his chest. "What? How did you evolve to Adult?"

"Lavendar Whirlwind!" Cabbimon yelled.

As she spun towards him, Diaboromon had to step back. Leaves and dirt struck him, as did slashes from claws too quick to be seen. He dropped Yamato to strike at Cabbimon. Cabbimon jumped down and caught Yamato with her teeth landing in front of Jyou.

"Thank you. Yamato, tell me where it hurts."

"Everywhere." Yamato croaked. Jyou smiled thinly and pressed down gently in various places.

"You're gonna get it, buster." Cabbimon smirked. Yuuta pulled away from Koushirou and ran forward. She grabbed the back of Cabbimon's neck and pushed off the ground when Cabbimon did. They seemed to fly towards Diaboromon.

"What they doing?" Takeru demanded.

"STOP IT, YUUTA!" Eri cried.

"Get down here!" Tsumi shrieked.

Yuuta pulled out her Crest and held it before her.

"The power of Life, PURIFY!" Yuuta shouted. Blinding white light burned into Diaboromon's eyes and his flesh began to smoke. Pieces of him fuzzed and disappeared.

"Lavendar Whirlwind!"

Diaboromon roared swiping halfway, and then stopping.

"You coward, FIGHT ME!" Yuuta yelled. Her whole body was glowing as the power of her Crest flowed through her. She kicked his face with her own foot. In place of his nose, a large gaping hole appeared.

A huge, hand-like claw swiped at her. She hurtled to the ground. She fell with a sickening thud. She bounced slightly and her back arched. She rose up and braced herself with her arm and coughed harshly. Koushirou and Eri got to her first and tried to keep her sitting.

"Let me go. This is my duty." She met Koushirou's eyes. "It is my turn to save my heroes." She rose to her feet unsteadily. Cabbimon landed beside her.

"Yuuta...don't go down alone." Eri whispered fiercely.

"I promise. To…gomen nasai." Suddenly Diaboromon sent his power cutting towards the other Chosen Children. Her eyes widened and she jumped on Cabbimon's back. She thrust her Digivice forward. A shield surrounded the large group of teens.

"Thanks, Kokubunij-sempai." Iori sighed. Chichi was huddled in Iori's arms eyes clenched shut.

"Biyomon, help me. I need to get Momiji out of the way." Sora called up to her partner.

"Alright. Let's hurry."

"Diaboromon, fight us." Yuuta's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not stupid, human. I'm not going to kill you. You're the Key to awakening the Chosen Children powers. If you're still alive you won't fulfill your mission. I'll win."

"We will make you fight us then." Yuuta shouted. "Let us go, Cabbimon."

Koushirou and Eri ran behind the shield, gasping.

"Can't you stop her? There has to be another way." Taichi asked Koushirou.

"She won't." Koushirou stared at the ground.

"She loves all of you, and will do anything to save her heroes." Eri leaned against Ken. "She was born dreaming of this."

"Biyomon, dozo, stop her." Sora panted.

"I won't, Sora. She has to fulfill her part of the prophecy." Biyomon denied sadly.

"Take Momiji." Sora pushed him at Biyomon and ran towards Cabbimon and Yuuta.

"No! Sora!"

"Yuuta! Yuut-pin!"

"Sora!" Yamato slammed through the shield and ran forward.

Yuuta looked down and saw the two Chosen Children. Diaboromon drew back his hand and sent it rushing at them. She jumped off and let herself fall from sky, wind rushing past her face. She thrust up her arms and pointed the screen of her Digivice at Diaboromon. Her Digivice and Crest shined hotter and brighter than the sun. Yamato pulled Sora down and covered her with his body. Sora stared past his shoulder into the white light.

"Yuut-pin."

A loud cracking was heard and shards of plastic showered down and disintegrated before touching the ground. Diaboromon's fist plunged through the light and hit Yuuta's chest with a crunching noise. Both Cabbimon and Yuuta burst into digital matter, but the light remained.

"Yuuta!" Koushirou screamed.

The light started to condense and sparkle into a medley of colors. Streaks of lights sped towards each Digivice. All the Digimon evolved to Champion and surged forward as the shield fell.

"Needle Shower!"

"River of Power!"

"Vee Laser!"

"Nova Blast!"

An unearthly shriek split the air before all the attacks could be sent. Diaboromon stumbled backwards, his eyes covered by his 'hands', and his body smoking and fuzzing out. Momiji remained unconscious in Birdramon's talons. The shriek ended abruptly as Diaboromon disappeared.

"Wha-What happened?" Hikari murmured.

"What is that?" Chichi pointed to the sky.

A small light was hovering in the air. It seemed about the size of a human body.

"Y-Yuuta?" Koushirou tripped. He began to feel his limbs again as he ran forward. The falling light started to dim.

"Th-That's not Yuuta." Yamato stammered as he looked at the body directly above him.

Koushirou's eyes were wide and dry as the figure drew level with his chest. He held out his arms and caught the distorted being with Yuuta's face.

Her hair was light lavender, short and spiky. Where hands were supposed to be fluffy pink-purple paws had grown. Her body was longer and only a tight and short purple tank top covered her chest. She wore tight pink pants that just barely touched the top of her knees. Her feet were longer and rabbit-like and also paws, her fur all the same color. A wide collar was on her throat, the empty tag hanging from a small hoop. Long bunny ears hung towards the ground.

What was left of her human skin was covered in goosebumps, and she was shivering slightly.

"What...what happened?" Sora asked hoarsely.

The Chosen Children turned to her. Her eyes stared frantically around, white instead of their normal red-brown.

"Wh-What happened?" Her voice broke with panic.

Koushirou held the hybrid closer to him to try and get her warmer.

"She...she merged with her Digimon." Miyako managed to force out.

"That's what Nekomon meant." Iori whispered.

"Yuuta has to die, but not Yuuta." Chidori whispered.

"Let's find somewhere to pitch a camp." Taichi suggested.

That night, everyone pretended to sleep, and no one really did. Sometimes eyes would close, but images of carnage or of the battle would make them re-open. A dark green sweatshirt jacket covered the shivering Yuuta-Cabbimon. Koushirou sat with his back against the cave wall, his arms wrapped around his knees, dark eyes staring at the crackling fire.

Far from the merged being with Yuuta's face.

"Mmmm."

Everyone spun around. Yuuta-Cabbimon's eyes clenched and slowly opened. Expecting lavendar, or brown, or even pink, they were surprised to see emerald green with thin purple pupils looking up at the ceiling of the small Koromon hut. The feline-pupiled eyes darted around the hut and focused on Hikari's Crest.

"Light." Yuuta's voice, hoarse and laced with Nekomon's met everyone's ears.

"Koku..." Koushirou helped her sit up. "Daijoubou desu ka? What happened in the light?"

"Nani? What are you talking? Who are you? Do you also have a Crest?"

Silence met her question. One long ear stood up and turned side to side.

"I'm Ultimate Cabbimon, Guardian of the Crest Bearers. Do all of you have Crests? I thought there were only ten..."

"You...don't remember anything? Not even me?" Eri asked.

Ultimate Cabbimon shook her head. Her nose twitched and she looked around once again.

"Where are we?"

Koushirou stood, grabbed his backpack and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" U. Cabbimon jumped up and held the sweatshirt to her chest. "This is yours, Master."

"What...did you call me?"

"I smell like you...aren't you my Master?" Green eyes in Yuuta's face held him rooted to the spot.

"No...I only loved you." he whispered. Her head tilted to the side.

"But...Digimon don't love...do they?" Her ears twitched. Koushirou's black eyes were hooded.

"No...they don't." He left quickly. U. Cabbimon's ears perked and she turned quickly. She hurried to Sora's side. The others then realized she was crying.

"Why do you cry, Crest Bearer?" Her nose twitched. "Is it because you're blind?"

Sora shook her head.

"What's your Crest?"

"L-love."

"Stop crying, Love."

Momiji groaned in his sleep.

My sky is falling. Sora wept harder as she remembered his last words. Yes, Momiji, the sky is falling, and I can't stop it.

Koushirou stared up at the sky. The Ultimate Price Gennai spoke about a long time ago…her own life to give our Crests Life.