Well.... it's been a while since I've updated ANYTHING. Been busy... entering a fanfiction contest... my writing quality is failing... I think. I've had a recent lack of motivation.
Well... on a lighter note, today I wish a happy birthday! to me! lolz. And I also wish a happy birthday to anyone else who's birthday is today (May 8th)!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
PLEASE R&R!
Disclaimer: Digimon (c) not me
Claimer: everything else (c) me
Chapter Fifteen: No Safe Haven
The tamers walked through a digitally green land, floating question marks, exclamation marks, number marks and a whole bunch of other marks flying around them. The light in front of them was bright, and Takato, Ryo, Henry, Rika and Kori took out their sunglasses (and for Takato, goggles) and put them on, taking the others by the hand and leading them through.
"So… now… which way is down?" Kori sighed rhetorically.
Jeri cocked her head to the side and pointed down. "It's that way, isn't it?"
"Oh dear…" Renamon commented as they all began to fall.
"Sorry! I forgot!" Leomon's tamer exclaimed in apology.
"Hold on!" Kori shouted, clapping her hands together before a huge bubble expanded from her hands and captured all of them, their momentum slowing down to a halt inside the bubble.
"Wow…" Takato breathed, recovering from the initial shock of the fall. He and the others stood up and surveyed the digital plain so far below them.
Very slowly, the bubble (with them inside) began to descend at a more calming pace.
"Well… this is certainly different than how we first came here," Rika noted.
Kori smiled. "I took it you all fell like meteors till you hit the ground?" she guessed.
"Uh… yeah…" Takato said.
She winced, as the use of her power was weakening her greatly. Henry grabbed her by the shoulders to support her.
"Hold on, Kori," he said, leaning her against him. "It'll be alright. Just hang on a little longer."
"I-I know…" she replied, offering him a small smile as they continued to proceed down towards the ground.
When they finally reached the ground inside a bamboo forest, the bubble vanished, and Kori sighed, collapsing into Henry's arms. The 15-year-old picked her up, a grin plastered on his face, trying to hide the true worry underneath.
"Guess I finally reached my magic limit for one consciousness," she chuckled quietly.
"So is your sensei nearby?" Takato inquired.
Kori gently was let down from Henry's grip, and she stretched for a moment. "Yeah, he should be nearby," she replied.
"Are you sure you're well enough to stand?" Patamon asked worriedly, flapping to sit upon her head.
She chuckled, "Yeah. I'll just need some sleep later once we find him."
Without warning, there was a brief rustling of leaves before a dark shadow flashed towards them. Immediately, Kori pulled out the glowing white sword Hikari from out of thin air and blocked the sword coming at her, meeting her blade with a loud clang. A Musyamon stood in front of her, his blade locked with hers.
"Musyamon!" Henry, Rika and Takato exclaimed.
Kori smiled, bowed in front of the samurai Digimon, along with Patamon and Gatomon. The Digimon bowed in return.
"Musyamon," she greeted.
"Whoa! You know him?!" Terriermon gasped.
Musyamon sheathed his sword, and urged her up. "It's been a long time, Miss Hinagaya. Your agility has improved."
"Thank you," she responded as she stood up, Hikari vanishing from her hand. "How's Sensei doing?"
"He's doing well," the Digimon answered. "He's been awaiting the day you would return." He looked at the others. "Are these your friends?"
She nodded. "They want to help us restore the Digital World," she answered.
"Ahhh… that's good news," he replied.
"So how have you been doing, Musyamon?" Patamon inquired, "It's been a while since we've seen you."
"Well enough," he replied. "Things have been getting hard since that damn Digimon Empress has been trying to destroy and or enslave us."
"Unfortunately, I don't bear any good news other than having these guys help us." Kori told her old friend. "As you probably know, the Digimon Empress, Serena, is getting stronger."
He grabbed her arm, pulling her gently in the direction he had come from. "Come, Kori, I'm sure Sensei and the other students will want to hear about this."
"I'm sure he'll have his own story to tell us," Gatomon agreed.
Taking a clumsy step forward, Kori collapsed, and Musyamon caught her.
"Oh Kori," Henry sighed, taking her from Musyamon's arms, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. "You need a lot of rest."
Unconsciously, she moaned, and her head tilted against his chest, and Henry held her close, looking up at Musyamon. "She's had a long, hard morning," he explained. "Can the rest of us explain instead while she rests?"
The Digimon nodded. "Of course," he replied.
"Momentai!" Terriermon chimed happily.
After they arrived at the dojo, they were greeted by another samurai Digimon: Zanbamon, Kori's mentor and trainer.
"Musyamon, is Kori alright?" the wise old samurai Digimon inquired worriedly as he saw his ex-student in Henry's arms.
"She just needs time to rest, sensei," he responded. "But she brought her friends and partners with her back. They will explain to us the situation in their world while Kori is resting."
Zanbamon dipped his head. "Very well," he determined. "Bring her inside and we'll all sit down and talk. Before I forget, I am Zanbamon, Kori Hinagaya's teacher. Everything she has learned about martial arts, swordsmanship training and such was taught mostly by me, though I must say that she improved well much on her own."
"It's good to see you again, sensei," Patamon and Gatomon chimed in unison. "These are our friends; Henry, Terriermon, Rika, Renamon, Takato, Guilmon, Ryo, Cyberdramon, Jeri, and Leomon."
"My, my," the Digimon replied, "have you all been busy lately. Were you spending a lot of time trying to find these tamers?"
"Nope," Patamon replied happily. "Kori knew where they were from the start."
"She had already made sure which portal to go through to get to the right place. We met the tamers not too long after we moved in. Then Kori got to meet the rest of them the next day," Gatomon continued. "There are a few other tamers back in their world, but they're a little younger and Kori thought that it was a better idea that at least a few tamers should remain in case they have to fight off Serena from there."
Zanbamon dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Kori has grown wise for her age," he complimented, though the girl was fast asleep. "She will turn out to be a wonderful young lady when she grows up."
"Yeah," Henry agreed quietly. I love her very much.
"It's been a while since I've last seen you, Ryo," the Digimon continued. "You've grown older yourself; taller, mainly."
"How have things been going?" Ryo inquired. "Has the Digimon Empress been messing things up here?"
"No," Zanbamon answered. "After she tried to attack the first time, she never came back since. But if she senses that Kori has returned to us, it won't be long before she sends someone to come kill her."
"We won't let that happen," Guilmon argued.
"We'll protect her," Leomon agreed. "She's helped us in a lot of ways already."
"We're all grateful to her," Renamon continued. "It's time we returned the favour."
Henry gently rested Kori on a futon Musyamon laid out for her, and pulled a blanket over her, brushing her bangs away from her face before softly pressing his lips against her forehead, caressing her cheek with one hand before rejoining the others in the next room.
"So you live alone here, sensei?" Gatomon inquired. "Where are the other students?"
"I sent them home to defend their own families from Serena's insanity if she decides to attack them," Zanbamon explained. "I told them that it was a smart idea not to stay here and continue their training in such perilous times."
A faint glow radiated from the other room, and immediately they hurried to the other room to find Kori's body encased in light.
"What's happening?" Renamon inquired.
"Is she healing?" Rika guessed.
As the light faded, Kori opened her eyes, sitting up. "Well… I didn't get much sleep at all, did I?" she asked. "My magic has been fully recovered."
"What was that?" Takato asked.
"Reflexes, technically," she answered. "It's kind of like a built-in portion with my powers. Whenever danger is nearby, my magic automatically quickly regenerates by itself, and I wake up within the next few seconds or so after its finished."
"So does that mean we're in trouble?" Jeri questioned.
Terriermon raised a paw. "Momentai!" he replied.
Zanbamon looked at Musyamon. "Go examine the surrounding perimeter, report anything suspicious," he ordered.
"Yes, sensei," he responded, bowing swiftly before leaving.
"I have a feeling we're going to be in a little bit of trouble," Kori sighed, standing up, Patamon flying to sit on her shoulder while Gatomon went to stand by her side. "The one thing I'm most sure of is that Serena knows that we're in the Digital World."
Henry nodded. "That would mean she would have already sent some of her henchmen after you," he said.
"It's all a matter of time, now," Leomon said.
"Oh, we've been through harder," Gatomon commented optimistically.
Kori's hands tensed and she ran out of the dojo, her friends and ex-mentor following closely behind. She skidded in her tracks as she stared into the bamboo forest, as if in waiting.
"You guys sense it too, Gatomon? Patamon?" Kori inquired, not taking her eyes off the forest.
Her Digimon were doing the same, and Gatomon's ears twitched.
"Kori," the cat began.
"I know," her tamer cut off gently, her hands twitching.
Her friends stared at them.
"What is it?" Takato inquired.
"Shhh…" Kori hushed softly, her eyes darting sideways before she heard the swift sound.
There was a clang of metal as Kori drew Hikari from thin air to defend herself from a sharp claw. Kori, Gatomon, Patamon and Zanbamon seemed unsurprised, but their surprise attacker had caught the rest of them off guard.
"So… Devimon," Kori began, apparently unfazed by the dark Digimon's attempt to kill her, "I suppose Serena has sent you; as well as LadyDevimon and IceDevimon? Don't think I haven't sensed them yet."
Devimon retracted his claw, cackling, "Oh, such a bright young lady you are, Kori Hinagaya."
Hurriedly, Musyamon burst through the bamboo towards them. "Sensei, Kori, LadyDevimon and IceDevimon are coming!"
A bright light flashed from Hikari, and Devimon shielded his eyes before Kori's blade flashed towards him, and he avoided it narrowly.
"Gatomon, Patamon!" Kori shouted.
"Boom Bubble!" A blast of air smashed against Devimon as was avoiding Kori's blade.
Kori retracted her arm and blade before looking at the others briefly as Patamon and Gatomon distracted Devimon. "Guys, split up. IceDevimon and LadyDevimon need to be handled as well. Patamon, Gatomon and I will take care of Devimon."
"We'll help," Henry said immediately, Terriermon on his shoulder.
"Do what you all will," she replied, not taking her eyes off Devimon, "I want you all to draw them away from the dojo. Sensei, I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble, but I'll take care of it. It was good to see you again Sensei, Musyamon. Thank you both… for everything. I'm glad to have met you both."
"Be careful, Kori," Zanbamon advised softly. "You've been a great student, and you will bring light back into the Digital World."
I know, she thought, making Hikari disappear as she summoned two balls of fire in her hands before blasting Devimon with them. I'm going to be sacrificing everything… but, it will be for the better of both worlds.
Fluently moving her hands in intricate patterns in the air, blades of air began to wrap around Devimon, containing him in a ball of air. Bamboo leaves fell off from their stems and proceeded to wrap with the ball of air.
"Guys, go," she ordered. "Go, now!"
They were too slow to react, and suddenly IceDevimon and LadyDevimon sprung from the bamboo, and immediately the Digimon sprang to defend their tamers before Kori's eyes glowed before they all vanished in a flash of white light.
"Kori!" Henry shouted as LadyDevimon's claws reached for her, but she dodged them, the sharp claws just grazing her shoulder, drawing blood. Then the claw twisted around with great speed and slashed her across her side. The air cocoon around Devimon shattered with her loss of concentration.
Kori fell to the ground from the pain catching her off guard, and IceDevimon leaped for her, claws outstretched. Almost instantly, Leomon leaped in front of her to her defence, Cyberdramon attacking the ice Digimon as Patamon and Gatomon reached their tamer's side.
"Are you okay, Kori?!" Patamon demanded.
"Y-Yeah, I think so," she responded warily, slowly making an attempt to get up before feeling strangely weak, collapsing back down onto her side.
LadyDevimon cackled. "With the use of my Poison attack, your powers are useless! Plus… with a little assistance from Lady Serena's powers, it is also like real poison, not to mention it is to be especially effective against the Guardian of the Digital World."
"A-Ah," Kori winced as her wound stung and burned, blood trailing down the wound.
What? But… we're… data, aren't we? Ryo thought as he saw the blood. Aren't we supposed to be when we enter the Digital World?
Suddenly, Kori noticed the circle on the ground beginning to form as LadyDevimon, Devimon and IceDevimon began to circle rapidly above them. "Go, all of you, move!" She forced what little of her ability to control the elements she had left to push them all out of the forming circle as it completed around her. She laid down her head and her eyes began to close.
"Kori! Kori!" Patamon and Gatomon yelled, but an invisible shield already began to form from the glowing circle up, trapping the young girl inside.
"We have to save her!" Rika shouted as they all banged against the invisible force field. "Renamon!"
"Diamond Storm!" Renamon tried, but it seemed like nothing could penetrate the barrier.
"Kori!" Henry screamed as they watched wisps of white tendrils float from her body, collecting into a ball hovering over her body.
"What is that?" Takato inquired.
"I don't know," Ryo answered, "but we need to get Kori out of there."
Jeri looked worried and desperate. "But nothing's working!" she exclaimed. "Our Digimon can't break this barrier thing either!"
"Please, we need to hurry!" Gatomon cried as tears gathered in her and Patamon's eyes. "Her energy is being sucked from her! She's dying!"
"No!" Henry shouted, banging his fists repeatedly against the invisible barrier.
"Kori…" Guilmon murmured sadly. "We've got to do something!"
S-Stop the circle… a voice weakly rasped in all of their minds, it's-it's the… only way…
"Stop what circle?" Ryo growled in frustration.
Immediately, it all hit them in an instant, and all of their heads snapped upward. The Digimon!
"Hold on, Kori, we're going to save you," Patamon said as he and Gatomon began to glow, the Digivice on Kori's belt beginning to glow dimly.
As Patamon and Gatomon digivolved to Angemon and Angewomon respectively, they flew up with Cyberdramon and Leomon towards the evil Digimon while the others were about to Digivolve.
"Come on guys!" Takato urged, "They're going to need our help. You ready, Guilmon?"
"Ready!" the dinosaur replied.
Immediately Takato, Henry and Rika pulled out the digivolution modify card.
"Digimodify!" they shouted, "Digivolution activate!"
"Guilmon," "Renamon," "Terriermon,"
"Digivolve to…"
"Growlmon." "Kyuubimon." "Gargomon."
Instantaneously they all went to attack the trio of evil Digimon, and an invisible barrier shot them back, not allowing them to get close to their enemy.
"What should we do? We can't get close!" Kyuubimon said. "We need to Digivolve again!"
"Wait!" Angemon ordered. "We'll use the golden Digi-eggs."
Angewomon looked at her partner. "But that might hurt Kori further!" she argued.
"We have no choice," he retorted as he de-digivolved back into Patamon, Angewomon doing the same.
The two Digimon glowed with a bright golden and pink light.
"Patamon," "Gatomon,"
"Warp Digivolve to…"
"Seraphimon!" "Magnadramon!"
Immediately, a glow was emitted from a pendant on their necks, and five bright lights shot out from them and landed in front of the tamers in the forms of various glowing golden Digi-eggs, and a groan escaped Kori's body. She was becoming frighteningly pale, and the tamers knew there wasn't much time left as their partners returned to their usual forms.
Ryo… you know how Cyberdramon may get out of hand if he should ever digivolve into his true Mega form, Kori's voice echoed in Ryo's head as he hesitated, the memory replaying in his mind as if it were just yesterday. His true Mega form is not one to be reckoned with, and is uncontrollable. Millenniummon must never end up becoming ZeedMillenniummon, or else the Digital World is as good as destroyed.
"I won't let that happen," Ryo swore quietly. "This is the only way."
"Golden Armour Energize!" they all shouted.
"Guilmon," "Renamon," "Terriermon," "Leomon," "Cyberdramon,"
"Golden Armour Digivolve to…"
"WarGrowlmon!" "Taomon!" "Rapidmon!" "IceLeomon!" "Millenniummon!"
Millenniummon growled, and it was obviously the largest of the golden Digimon. Ryo activated the whip on his Digivice just in case his partner should get out of hand.
"We'll destroy the barrier! You dispel the power field and save Kori!" Magnadramon ordered.
"Strike of the Seven Stars!" "Fire Tornado!"
Immediately the attacks impacted against the shield around the three evil Digimon and was instantly destroyed, and Wargrowlmon, Taomon, Rapidmon and IceLeomon were ready to attack the two champions and ultimate Digimon.
"Atomic Blaster!" "Talisman of Light!" "Rapid Fire!" "Fist of Ice!"
The powerful attacks immediately broke the circle, and the white ball of energy floated back into Kori's body before the barrier around her vanished.
"Kori!" Henry exclaimed, running over to her body, holding her in his arms. "Wake up!"
Weakly, her eyes opened, and she looked up into his eyes. "Henry," she breathed, closing her eyes and the bracelet on her wrist glowed as her healing magic sealed up her wounds, the blood still staining her clothes. She sat up. "Mmm… okay, still poisoned… but, at least I feel a little better now," she murmured.
"Are you okay?!" Jeri asked as she and the others ran over.
"Not completely, but I'm fine for the moment," she answered as Ryo and Henry helped her up, "Right now, we need to make sure that those guys don't keep coming after us, more specifically, me. I don't wanna cause you guys any troubles."
Millenniummon began to charge up an attack, and Takato looked at his data with his Digivice. "Millenniummon, a virus mega Digimon. Special attack is Time Unlimited, and Dimension Destroyer."
"He's about to use Time Unlimited!" Rika shouted.
Kori tensed as the attack was closer to being fully charged up, her breathing quickening as both her hands flew to her chest over her heart as she felt pain pulse through her with the growing darkness.
"S-Something's… something's wrong…" she breathed. "M-Millenniummon…"
"Kori?!" Henry exclaimed, holding her against him.
"We have to stop him before he gets out of control," Ryo said.
"But we also have to deal with Devimon, LadyDevimon, and IceDevimon," Rika added. "We have to make sure they're taken care of before they get what they want."
"Uh oh, things are getting a little out of hand," Devimon stated as he retreated back.
LadyDevimon nodded in agreement. "We'll alert Serena of what we've discovered and such, so let's retreat for now," she said. "Let's go."
Almost instantly, the three dark Digimon vanished, and while the other Digimon released their tense attack positions, Millenniummon did not stop his charge of his cannons.
"Guys! Stop Millenniummon, but don't hurt him!" Takato shouted.
Immediately, the Digimon flurried to try and restrain the huge mega, and Kori collapsed against Henry and he lowered her down, her head resting against his shoulder as she panted from all the dark energy that Millenniummon was emitting.
"Kori!" Jeri exclaimed.
Trembling slightly, Kori pulled her deck from her pocket, and with shaking hands, she fumbled through her deck, apparently searching for a certain card. Finding it and another, she pulled them out and held them towards Ryo as her hand holding her deck shakily slipped into her deck holder.
"Y-You know what to do…" she rasped, and Ryo took the cards, staring hard at them momentarily before nodding. "T-Tell all of your partners to hold Millenniummon back. Make sure… he's restrained. You can do it, Ryo. I know you can."
Hmmmm.... I wonder what those two cards may be? Well... find out next time!
PLEASE REVIEW!