Kitty: HOYO! I finished twenty-two a couple-a days ago, but I couldn't get a computer with a flash disk drive easy to reach or a laptop with Microsoft Word. Then, just twenty minutes ago I realized that I would have had to save chapter twenty-three onto the actual computer any way to upload it. So, now I'm just writing straight onto the hard drive. My flash disk is angry with me. /sniffle/

Izzy: Baka.

Kitty: … KAWAII/hugs Izzy-kun's head/

Izzy: Kuso… -.-

Kitty: BTW, I realized just after uploading the last chapter that I wasting a perfectly good title. I wanted the last chapter to go on longer, but if I had let it go on as long as I originally planned (where the title fit better) then this chapter would be MAYBE two pages long and the epilogue would be over three times as long. So, I'm sad I wasted such a lovely chapter-AI YA! I just realized something. I can save my lovely title. WATCH!

Chapter Twenty-Three

Falling Forwards Part II

Kitty: Do you like it?

Izzy: You are a complete imbecile.

Kitty: Demo does it work?

Izzy: You know what? Just finish the last chapter so you can write the epilogue.

Kitty: Chaa…hai.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Falling Forwards Part II

Miyako silently ate her breakfast by Hikari's side.

"Koibito-chan, daijoubou desu ka? Does your heart hurt again, ai?"

"H-hai. It hasn't really stopped." Miyako managed a comforting smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm used to it now."

"Miyako…?" Hikari frowned as Miyako evaded her eyes.

Koushirou was murmuring lowly with Cabbi, his food forgotten. With a quick smile, Miyako jerked her head towards them. "Whaddya know, Izumi-sempai is warming up to her."

"Of course, he is. No matter what, he loves Yuuta, and Cabbi has just a little bit of her to help his heart." Hikari replied sadly. Miyako returned to her breakfast with guilt and regret filling each bite.

Hikari's cinnamon eyes swept over the long table absently. A smile played over her mouth seeing the smattering bits of tranquility. Her brother was affectionately teasing his still asleep boyfriend into eating all of his veggies. Daisuke was protesting half-heartedly with half-open eyes, though he opened his mouth obediently every time Taichi raised chopsticks to his mouth.

Yamato and Jyou were joking and poking and teasing each other with Sora smashed in between. With all their clownishness, the white-eyed young woman had no way of worming out of laughter. She held Biyomon in her lap and giggling each time Jyou slipped in an embarrassing secret of Yamato's.

Eri was sitting with about half the digimon, explaining slowly between bites of food the rules of tennis. Poor Veemon was having trouble getting over the 'love' explanation. Ken was laughing as Veemon slowly pissed off Eri repeating the same, lisping question time and time again.

Her eyes traveled over Koushirou, Cabbi, and Tentomon once again. Those sad black eyes were starting to look a bit brighter as Cabbi's infectious personality sucked him in. Her own green eyes were glowing like stars as he lectured her sternly about some over-zealousness on her part. Tentomon agreed with Koushirou whenever he stopped for breath and stole food from both their forgotten plates.

Mimi and Alan were discussing New York with loud angry voices. Their partners were trying to get them to quiet down, but the two American were having too much fun to hear of it. Armadillomon was sitting next to them, vainly trying to get the two older Chosen Children to eat instead of argue. Hikari's eyes dimmed some when she couldn't find Iori.

Cornflower blues eyes met hers and her smile wavered even more until there was finally nothing left. His own soft mouth was unsmiling. Chidori sat silently next to him, sipping her hot tea. She had no plate in front her, just like Takeru. Mushroomon was muttering at her elbow. Hikari just barely heard "…just 'cause he's not hungry…please, eat something…Dori-chan…" coming from Mushroomon's barely opening mouth. She turned her eyes back to Takeru to see his eyes pulled a little tight at the corners and shadows rubbed into the thin skin underneath.

She felt eyes boring into her and turned to see Miyako intently gazing at her face.

"Miyako?"

"Nothing." Hikari felt her heartstrings pull as Miyako turned from her once again. Dozo, come back to me. I need you, Koibito.

& & &

Chichi watched with sharp black eyes as the doctors drew blood and changed the drip. Her eyes followed the young nurse that hurried to and fro. The nurse's eyes occasionally wandered back to the mute teenage girl and met those sharp eyes. She would quickly look away and earnestly bustle about once again. Doctors slowly filtered out after a time. All but the nurse.

"Maa? Are you going to tell me what they're all muttering about?" Chichi asked quietly.

The nurse jumped at the hoarse voice.

"I-I can't." The nurse replied rushing to the door.

"My mother died giving birth to me. My, kind of, boyfriend was possessed by an evil digimon and tore my father to pieces in front of me and then raped me. I have no other family and I think Iori-kun went to the Digital World to delete that digimon. Tell me what they're all muttering about."

"You're…you're pregnant. We have no idea what to do. The doctors…the doctors were discussing a possible abortion."

Black eyes bore in the nurse dark brown ones.

"Aren't I going to be in on this little discussion?"

"You're only fourteen. You're also very weak and you were in a coma for a while."

"So?"

"You could die giving birth-"

"Or I'm too mentally unstable from trauma to have an actual choice?" Chichi snapped. She struggled to rise. "Maa, I'll prove how mentally unstable I am."

She grabbed the tube leading into her elbow and yanked it out. She pulled the metal stand to her and rose to her knees on the mattress leaning on the metal pole. She raised the metal pole with shaking arms. The nurse stood in shock and watched with wide eyes. The metal stand swung towards the heart monitor. A crash echoed through the room and down the hall. Sirens filled the hospital as the pole fell with a resounding clang. Doctors came rushing into the room as Chichi took a deep breath and grabbed the railings of her bed.

"IT'S MY BABY AND I'M KEEPING IT, YOU DAMNABLE OLD FOOLS! IT'S MY BABY!" She screamed at them. She took another deep breath and screamed a long, formless scream.

"Stop her, make her stop! She'll hemorrhage!" cried out the doctors in confusion.

"NEVER TAKE WHAT IS MINE! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THIS. BABY. IS. MINE!" Chichi suddenly bent over, clutching at her heart. Her body jerked and she gurgled in the back of her throat.

"Hold her down, quick!"

"The baby, we'll lose the baby and the girl!"

"She's apoplectic!"

"She's having seizures! Quick, the oxygen mask!"

"Get the IV in her arm, now!"

"Stat, we need to move her into a room with a monitor!"

"Hurry!!!"

& & &

Momiji struggled to breathe. Keramon watched in disgust. His own digital body was getting weaker. Momiji coughed, his whole body jerking wildly.

I really will have to wait until that stupid Life's birthday before attacking. My partner won't be ready until then.

Red splashed over the dirt floor and Keramon sneered, edging away.

I'll be lucky if he survives until then. I guess I should find food and water again. Humans are so weak.

Momiji felt water slip from beneath his eyelids as Keramon left the dirty little cave. He bit his already bloody, chapped lip to keep from sobbing.

"So-ra. Sora, dozo…Sora…" He keened quietly. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Sora…" He smiled as her sweet smile filtered into his pain-filled mind. His peace was shattered as his fluid-filled lungs tried once again to slog all the junk out. His brachia began to tear as snot and tears and sweat covered his face. More blood splattered onto the drenched, black dirt.

& & &

Sora smiled as the silk slid over her skin. She remembered the deep red color that brought out the red in her hair and eyes. Her tag was heavy on her chest between her breasts. Her blind fingers reached for it and clasped it tightly. Love…yes, love…I will sacrifice everything for the boy that I love. His purple eyes came to mind's eye.

"Love…we have to go." Cabbi called.

"Hai…coming." She reached out and Biyomon grabbed her thin hand.

"I'm here, Sora." Sora smiled and squeezed her partner's talon slightly.

"I know. Domo arigatu."

The Chosen Children slowly filtered into Gennai's living room. All wore their special suits made of special silk that Gennai had sent them.

"It's time. Chosen Children, Ultimate Cabbimon, it is time for the Last Confrontation.

& & &

Chichi opened her eyes blearily. She watched doctors speak over her head. Vaguely, she wondered why she could not hear their voices. Then, it went black.

"There's nothing else we can do. She's stable right now, but she's losing more of her motor functions and she's getting weaker every day. By this time five months from now, she'll die."

& & &

Momiji rose silently. His too large, purple eyes swallowed his face. His white hair was lank and unkempt and his body stank of blood and waste. He stumbled out of the cave that had been his sick bed and prison. Sunlight blinded him and made his dry, red eyes water. He stripped the rags of filth off his body. His skin stuck to his bones like too little butter on bread. He sighed as his bare feet sank into purple grass and the green sunshine sank into his bones. He fell forward into the stream and closed his eyes as the current washed away what it could. Keramon watched with sharp eyes. As Momiji rose from the water, Keramon felt all his strength returning.

White eyes glared out from the hollow of his face under the untrimmed white bangs.

"Lowvell." Keramon smirked.

"Now, we can really fight."

& & &

Cabbi felt her fur stand on end. Blood strummed up from her toes into the tips of her ears. The Chosen Children stood in a silent line. Chidori, and Eri stood behind the main line, their hands clasped and their digimon at their sides. Alan stood just off to the side of the four, with Betamon held in his arms.

Kurisarimon floated gently down to the ground, Lowvell wrapped in his many tendrils.

"Hello, children." Lowvell sneered.

Sora felt her spine straighten.

"Where is Momiji?" Sora tried to break from Yamato's quick grasp. "You vile excuse of human flesh, where is he?" Her voice shrieked out desperately, her white eyes trying to see.

"You mean the boy I was in your Human World. He's here-oops, sorry, you're blind." Lowvell chuckled, lowering the finger he had been pointing with. "I meant, he's in the back of my head, sniveling like a baby. He keeps crying, Sora, Sora, Sora, I'm sorry. Pathetic." Lowvell spat onto the purple grass to rid the taste of those words from his mouth.

"KAIJUU!" Sora screamed.

"Maybe." Lowvell shrugged.

"You won't defeat us, Lowvell." Taichi quickly interrupted. "We're ready for you."

"Weren't you last time? Your most powerful attack, Gate of Destiny, couldn't even finish me." Lowvell's white eyes tightened. "You're just pathetic children. This time I have a digimon of my own to help me and together we're unbeatable."

"We've beaten that digimon three times now!" Yamato spat.

"Then, why am I still here?" Kurisarimon asked smugly.

Silence descended upon the heroes.

Lowvell doubled over laughing.

"That was great. The looks on their faces. Perfect. I found the perfect partner."

"More like we found each other." Kurisarimon agreed.

"Hai, hai." Lowvell wiped fake tears from his eyes.

"There are still more of us than there are of you!" Cabbi growled. She stepped forward and arched her back, lowering onto her paws.

"Did you really think I'd come empty handed?" Lowvell grinned. "By now, it'll have infected all of them."

"What infect who?" Koushirou demanded with a tight voice.

"Why, my mind control virus," Kurisarimon giggled.

"And all the digimon of the world!" Lowvell shouted. He flung up his arms and grinned at the green sky. "Open sesame!!!"

The sky was suddenly rent in two. Light streaked down on the Digital World, deleting giant streams of fractal code where it touched.

"IIE!" Mimi screamed.

Digimon began to flood into their long-lost, forgotten home.

"TAKERU!" Hikari screamed. She ran from Miyako's side and reached for him.

"NO! I can't let them combine! KURISARIMON!"

It was too late.

Hikari and Takeru clasped hands and pulled against each other. Their lips locked.

Light erupted around them and their Crests flared.

"NEKO SLASH!" Kurisarimon drew back his wounded arms with a howl and reached out again with more. Cabbi bit down hard, swatting at even more.

Yellow flared from Takeru's back and pink spilled from Hikari's heels. Wings of dazzling white shook off pink and yellow light and the two teenagers drew apart.

"Digimon evolve!" They cried out. Their crests lifted from their chests and wildly shook in the air issuing streams of their respective colours.

"IIE!"

Angewomon and MagnaAngemon were already floating in the air beside their partners.

"Your cries are for naught, Lowvell." Angewomon smirked, raising an arrow.

"With the combined powers of Light and Hope we will reach higher levels than you two could ever think of!" MagnaAngemon continued, pointed at them with Excalibur.

"But they're not really combined! The stupid girl is gay!" Lowvell screamed.

"It does not matter. I am still combined with Takeru and the longer we sustain our physical connection the more we become one." Hikari turned to Miyako. "I'm sorry."

"Hi-Hikari!" Miyako choked.

"Why didn't you tell me, Takashi?" Chidori asked calmly, her grey eyes hooded.

"Because…I just…Because I believe in destiny." Takeru held back tears. Chidori nodded.

"I accept your reason, Takeru. And I love you even more." She smiled sadly. Takeru's blue eyes widened. "Kick ass." He nodded and smiled.

"Hikari?"

"Hai, Takeru?"

"Ready?"

"Hai, Takeru." They clasped hands tighter and rested their foreheads together.

"Hurry! Destroy those two! If the arrow pierces Love's heart, we'll fail!" Lowvell ordered.

Thousands and thousands of digimon ran or flew forward. Cabbi let out a shrill cry as Kurisarimon multiplied and threw her through the air.

"CABBI! KUSO!!!" Koushirou glared at Lowvell through nakedly rage-filled eyes and ran towards her.

"We can help now!" Eri cried out. "EVOVLE!"

Gotsumon to Icemon! Icemon to Meteormon.

Betamon to Seadramon! Seadramon to MegaSeadramon!

Mushroomon to Woodmon! Woodmon to Cherrymon!

"There are so many, Eri." Chidori pointed out.

"Time to kick some ass, then." Eri cracked her knuckles.

"I guess you're right." Chidori sighed, wiping her glasses. Alan smiled and shook his head.

"Cabbi! Cabbi, are you all right?" Koushirou gently helped Cabbi sit up.

"Hai, hai! I just got the wind knocked out of me." Cabbi winced.

"What is it?" Koushirou managed to look before she could shield it. A large gash was bleeding profusely from her side. "Cabbi, that's really bad! Let me find, Jyou-san."

"IIE! I have to fight!"

"Iie! Just press down-"

"MOVE IT!" Cabbi pushed him away and kicked a Floramon into the air. It landed with a thump and didn't rise. Blood poured onto the ground. Koushirou watched with astonished eyes as the wound slowly closed. "I'm not human, remember?"

"Hai."

"Rejoin the group! I have to protect the Light and Hope!"

Ultimate Cabbimon felt her back arch. Fur spread onto her face to right under her eyes and dark purple stripes materialized down her arms, legs, back, and torso. A single stripe appeared over the bridge of her nose. Her paws lengthened into a more claw-like appearance and her fangs grew over her bottom lip. The green of her eyes shrank into little pinpoints and lavendar flooded into her eyes around her pupils. She ran towards the large battle, growling.

Koushirou ran after her, breathless and shocked.

"What's happening to them?" Miyako cried.

Koushirou shielded his eyes and looked up to the blazing star that was Hikari and Takeru. Inside, the two were holding each other tight, their faces buried against the other's neck. With a blast that sent everyone sprawling backwards, they were freed from the nova. They turned towards Kurisarimon and raised their hands tightly clenched together. Their index fingers pointed at him.

"CELESTIAL ARROW!" They cried out with Angewoman. The arrow streaked towards Kurisarimon, spinning rapidly and shooting off sparks of yellow and pink.

Kurisarimon exploded. Two of his duplicates combined and created another of his main self.

"EXCALIBURST!" They yelled with MagnaAngemon.

Once again, duplicates merged. Sora turned towards Lowvell frowning.

"Garudamon, what's that light?" She asked pointing. Garudamon turned and saw Lowvell grinning fiercely, clenching something in his hand.

"Lowvell has a Crest!" She cried.

"WHAT?" MetalGreymon rumbled.

"That can't be!" WereGarurumon growled.

"It can be, because Garudamon is correct!" MegaKabuterimon shrilled in his deep voice.

"Does that mean…Lowvell is a Chosen Child, too?" Iori asked in a horror-struck voice.

"IIE! That Crest is Momiji's!" Sora screamed, her crest flaring on her chest. "SAVE HIM PLEASE! SOMEONE, DESTROY THE IMPOSTER!"

"Thank you, for calling me, Crest Bearer of Love." Said a low voice.

"Wizardmon!" Angewomon, Takeru, and Hikari gasped.

"Hai." He raised his staff and pointed at Lowvell.

"Magic's arrow…" Koushirou murmured. His eyes widened as the bestial form of Ultimate Cabbimon turned, hackles raised high. "Iie. Iie…" He shook his head and tried to force his legs to move. "DAME! DAME CABBI!"

It came too late.

In her current, bestial state, Ultimate Cabbimon could not tell the difference between the crests. She felt Momiji's crest and felt the attack aimed towards it. She felt its danger and all she could think was protect, protect, protect, protect the crest!!! She was falling forwards…

"YUUTA, IIE!" Koushirou screamed. Finally, his legs began to move. He had to watch again, with his wide, unbelieving eyes as she was pierced through the heart.

Wizardmon's magical attack was so powerful it struck straight through her chest to the laughing man behind her. The tip smashed into his tag and into the real crest, the brand in his flesh on the left side of his chest.

With a scream, Kurisarimon tossed Ultimate Cabbimon's lifeless body into Koushirou.

"YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ME WITH NOTHING, LOWVELL, YOU SNIVELLING HUMAN!" The digimon bared his fangs and dung them into Lowvell's chest.

The crest shattered on his skin and the crest in the tag faded into darkness.

"YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Lowvell's wordless scream went on and on as Kurisarimon drew away his blood-filled mouth. The power of Momiji's crest began surging through Kurisarimon's body.

"Iie, iie, iie, iie, iie!" Mimi chanted, clasping her hands over her ears.

"He's going to warp!" Taichi screamed.

"TAI!" Daisuke shrieked. A maelstrom lifted the Chosen Children and the three friends and all the spare digimon off their feet. Daisuke screamed as Taichi was ripped form his grasping hand. Miyako clutched at the grass. She heard something that wasn't the piercing wind and was Lowvell, still screaming, his voice almost entirely stolen by the typhoon.

He had a crest. He's an enemy let him die betrayed and lonely! It's all his fault I can't be with Hikari…Momiji…he's Lowvell…He's a little boy! He's dying…he was loved by one of us…She painfully climbed over to him and pulled him to her chest.

"Shh, shh, Momiji, I'm here."

"S-Sora?"

"Cabbi…Cabbi, dozo. You can't leave me, too." Koushirou sobbed. He lowered her onto his lap and cupped her cheek. "Iie, onegai, come back, come back to me! I need you…onegai.."

Onegai…I need you, come back to me…Who…who is there? Usamon? Help! Where am I? Who needs me?

"I need you, Yuuta Kokubunji, come back to me."

"Iie. Demo Sora is near. She is very close. She wants to be with you." Miyako whispered.

"Sora…" His purple eyes closed in peace.

"No, iie, you can't die. You're one of us. Sora needs you, you can't die, Momij!"

"You're…you're so Kind."

Miyako suddenly screamed as Momiji died in her arms. The Darknesses she harbored, the Shadows, were pushed from her body as they flung themselves to their true master.

Koushirou's eyes widened as her body began to glow lavendar and white. Her face…her fur was receding and darkening. Her paws were turning into hands. A large cat-like form with rabbit ears was forming on top of her in between their two bodies. His black eyes widened, wetly shining as her eyes began to flutter close, and then open.

They were chocolate brown.

Ken was pinned to the ground beneath the wind as his crest was forcibly removed from his chest. He grasped the Shadows to his heart and they sank deep, uncorrupted by the soul too good to hold them. Miyako at the same time felt the warmth of Kindness fill her body, chasing away the pain of Transfer and Receiving.

Finally, the Crests were properly Placed. It was Time.

Tags shattered and the brands on the Chosen Children flared.

Armageddemon stood before them, eating digimon as he came nearer to keep his form in place.

"We have to destroy him now! While he's still trying to get enough energy from the other digimon to stay in his form!" Omnimon commanded.

"How? He'll just be reconfigured!" HerculesKabuterimon pointed out.

"All our power at once, besides for Seraphimon! Keep enough power in reserve for the Gate of Destiny!" Imperialdramon (Fighter Mode) explained.

"We have to make sure Lowvell's body is sent through the gate as well." Ophanimon reminded them.

"We don't have a lot of time, let's just attack!" Vikemon roared.

"Rosemon, get Lowvell!" Phoenixmon ordered.

"HAI!" Rosemon flew quickly down and tore him from Miyako's grasp.

"All together!" Omnimon cried.

"SORROW BLUE!"

"HYPER MEGA BLASTER!"

"CRIMSON FLAME!"

"FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION!"

"POSITRON LASER!"

"ARTIC BLIZZARD!"

"HALLOWED ASCENSION!"

"SEFIROT CRYSTALS!"

"LIGHTNING ARROW!"

"SUPREME CANNON!"

The unearthly shriek of Armagddemon filled the Digital World. All the digimon devolved to Baby II forms besides for Rosemon and Seraphimon. With the last bit of power he had, MagnaAngemon threw up his sword and gasped, "G-Gate of Destiny!"'

Rosemon used her Thorn Whip to send Momiji's lifeless body into the void.

All was silent.

Slowly, Yuuta rose. Koushirou rose with her, completely drained of energy.

"Iz-"

Koushirou tiredly began to smile.

"Izumi-Deity?" His black eyes widened.

"N-nani? What did you call me?" He whispered.

"Where am I? Wasn't I just at the temple? There was a white light and all of your faces… How do you know my name?"

"You don't remember anything?"

"Nani?"

"You don't remember your sixteenth birthday? Yuuta? Iie, iie!" He collapsed into her arms breathless.

"SIXTEEN! I'm only fifteen!" Her eyes widened. "Izumi-Deity? Izumi-Deity? Wake up! Wake up! Stop staring at me!"

Her brown eyes wandered and they fell on the amazed group of three.

"Eri-chan…Eri-chan, tell him to wake up! Tell them all to wake up!"

"Yuuta…they're dead." Chidori fell to her knees. "They're all dead."

"IIE!" Yuuta sobbed. "Demo…I didn't save them! I'm the Key! I'm supposed to save them! I wanted him to know I loved him! He's my hero!"

"Yuuta, stop!" Eri pleaded.

"COME BACK TO LIFE! COME BACK NOW! WAKE UP ALL OF YOU!"

Her crest glowed a blinding white.

Because her eyes were shut tight she didn't see Digieggs fall softly from the sky. She didn't see Crests glow softly on twelve other chests.

She didn't see black eyes open.

"I love you, Koushirou Izumi! I'll love you forever! Don't leave me before I can see you smile at me!"

She was falling forwards, into his arms.

"I won't. As long as you call me Koushirou, I won't leave you. I love you, too, Yuuta Kokubunji."

They cried in each others' arms on the purple grass surrounded by falling Digieggs and waking friends.

Kitty: YEEEEEESSSSSSS! Only epilogue left. In order from top to bottom the attacks belong to: Plesiomon, HerculesKabuterimon, Phoenixmon, Rosemon, Imperialmon (Fighter Mode), Vikemon, Serophimon, Ophanimon, Valkyrimon, and Omnimon. I will tell you who they evolve from if you ask in a reveiw. A glowing, beautiful review.