DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon, but I do own the OCs introduced in this story and later stories (except where stated).


CHAPTER 9

Her Despair


REAL WORLD

Streets of Tokyo

12:29 JST

3rd July 2010

Mari kneeled on the tarmac roadway; paralysed by the loss of one she hoped would one day become her partner. In front of her in the damaged street, destroyed cars lining it and debris from the explosions and window smashes lying around on the roadway, stood the large dinosaur that had been the killer of the fox-like Digimon she had lost.

Her data was now incorporated into the Digimon, having been absorbed in the way that Mari had seen several times in the past. The Digimon showed absolutely no regret, no regard for what he had done, the suffering and misery he had caused, and he was prepared to kill again, his next kill planned to be this very girl who kneeled in the street.

"She didn't even have much data…" he taunted, adding further insult to Mari's emotional injuries. She screamed in anger, looking up to him, face reddened by the tears which now flowed down them.

"You bastard!" she cursed. "You killed her!"

"I completed one part of my task successfully, although she was but a mere distraction for the main part of my task. Your death is my next assignment, and it shall be quick and painless…"

"You don't even care…" she continued angrily. "You're not even sorry for what you have done…"

"I have no need to be…"

"I'm going to make you hurt…make you pay…mark my words…"

"Cursed words…" ReverseGinRyumon noted, chuckling slightly. "You are completely unaware of the events that have followed them in the past…"

"What do you mean?"

"Megidramon, Kitsunemon, those words left those wretched creatures in their wake…but it is not a fear for you, for you do not have a partner…"

"So why haven't you killed me yet?!" Mari asked, her pain lessening her sense of logic in what she was saying.

"Very well then…" the beast replied, his mouth opening and a blade prepared.

"Hold on…" Mari said quickly, something dawning on her as her crying ceased periodically.

"What is it?" ReverseGinRyumon asked, after withdrawing the blade, irritation in his voice.

"You said that I became the strongest opponent after DarkRenamon used up her energy…"

"Humph…" ReverseGinRyumon replied. "Compared to that pathetic weakling, even a human is more of a threat…"

"But we just simply aren't, are we? We're weak, we run from danger, any Digimon attack would be likely to leave us in hospital for weeks" Mari replied, amusing reasoning dawning on her. She chuckled as she stood up.

"What is so funny?" the beast asked.

"You've told me all I need to know…of course you fear me, any normal human is weak, but you fear a human that is more than normal. And, if my suspicions are confirmed, that would mean that I can only be one thing…" Mari replied, her right hand glowing as she placed it to her front, palm outstretched, it glowing as she did so.

"And what would that be?" ReverseGinRyumon continued to ask, a tinge of fear entering his voice.

"It means that I'm not human…and that means I can only be one thing…" Mari replied, a smile creeping across her features. "An Angel…"

"So you finally figured things out, did you?" ReverseGinRyumon asked, irritation in his voice. Mari heard nothing of his question, as she experienced something akin to an epiphany, her eyes closing.

Voices suddenly roared through Mari's head as she felt energy flow through her veins, the light expanding down from her hand and leading to her whole body becoming luminescent, as her hair was ruffled slightly.

"Awoken by the truth…"

"The control over everything…"

"Space and matter, noughts and ones, all controlled by the Angel…"

"The war, fighting at the forefront, controlling and leading the battlefront…"

"Fighting in the name of he who was lost in injustice…"

"Great sorrows, but great triumphs to match…"

"Awake!"

"The oncoming storm!"

"Awake!"

The last voice finally woke her from her trance, a voice oddly similar to Ryder's.

"Awake…the Second Angel awakes…"

Mari opened her eyes, now filled with determination as her tears ceased to be, as did the glowing. She looked to the beast in front of her, and smiled.

"I am the Second Angel of Control…control over matter, over data, over space…this explains the Babel Fish thing I guess…"

ReverseGinRyumon's expression had now truly changed to one of fear and agitation, looking at the human girl in front of him who had now somehow gone from sobbing on the floor to standing, facing him completely fearlessly.

"And now, for my first act, I shall reverse an injustice that should never have occurred…" Mari declared, raising and outstretching her palm once again, it glowing bluish white as she did so.

ReverseGinRyumon suddenly felt himself tingle, his data being altered as light phased over him.

"I AM NOT LETTING HER DIE!" Mari yelled, the voice echoing in the streets with her determination and raw emotions.

He screamed in pain suddenly as particular pieces of data flew out of him, amassing in the air above him.

"You see…" she began, smiling even more at his pain. "Data and matter are both the same, you can remove both of them from another set of atoms or zeros and ones, as long as you know exactly which atoms or zeros and ones to remove…which of course I do…" she explained.

She moved her hand slightly, the data flowing towards her, surrounding her form. The data felt warm, comforting, calming, soothing, and, in particular, familiar, as it seemed to tingle around her. She smiled happily, knowing that she had succeeded.

'I want to biomerge with her…I could draw her data into me and trigger it…but we can't yet…it would fail, she doesn't have a Digicore restored yet, and I would lose her…this is a great feeling though…' she thought, as she closed her eyes, feeling her chest warm in particular from the same power that would trigger a biomerge in the other Tamers, activated by pressing the digivice against it.

Mari put her hand out, the data moving in front of her, and glowing as it began to move together, particular pieces moving faster than others as they formed an orb first of all, the orb being DarkRenamon's Digicore.

"And once you have the atoms, with matter it is a simple enough job to put them together in the right order and make something…" she continued, ReverseGinRyumon now increasingly annoyed by her powers, but knew that acting to stop her in this process would simply result in his death, and hence the failure of his master's plan. "But with Digimon, it's even easier…" she added.

A wireframe resembling DarkRenamon suddenly flew out of the data core, surrounding it as the rest of the data began to be reattached to it, filling in slowly from her legs upwards. ReverseGinRyumon watched, annoyingly finding himself impressed by the process.

"…once you have the Digicore, the form is already there, the data simply needs to be added" she finished, stepping forward and pulling a surprised DarkRenamon, her eyes widened in shock at her unexpected return, into an embrace, burying her head into DarkRenamon's mane, as the last of the data finished being added, that on the white tips of her ears. DarkRenamon looked down, before putting her arms around Mari.

"Thank you…" she told the girl.

"Don't mention it…" she replied. "But an Angel, pretty important thing…"

"You're an Angel?!" DarkRenamon asked in surprise.

"Second Angel of Control…" came a new voice, with an impressed tone, and Mari let go of her partner, turning to see Ryder standing not far away, a weakened MiniDonmon sitting with a surprised expression on his head. Ryder pulled Mari into his arms, and she greeted him with a kiss. "I'm so glad that you're safe…"

"Same…" Mari replied, nodding.

"That was one of the strangest feelings ever, by the way…" Ryder noted, Mari cocking her head in confusion. "I felt it…I felt you awakening…"

"Really?" Mari asked. "That's…that's really amazing…"

"You really aren't lucky with your body, are you?" MiniDonmon asked DarkRenamon, who smiled and nodded.

"You could say that…" she replied, MiniDonmon chuckling. Mari's eyes returned to determination, as she moved from Ryder's grip and turned to face ReverseGinRyumon. Ryder and MiniDonmon looked to the beast, as did DarkRenamon, turning round, rejuvenated body prepared for battle.

Ryder raised his wrist across his arm and looked at the D-Vice, MiniDonmon looking at their foe. "ReverseGinRyumon, Virus Type, Champion Level, attacks Stabbing Spear and War Tail…" he noted.

"Ryder, this is my battle…" Mari told him, glancing over a shoulder whilst she clenched her palm into a fist. Ryder nodded, smiling.

"Go get 'em!" he cheered.

"Now it is time for some payback…" DarkRenamon added, glowing.

"Ready?" Mari asked, turning to her partner. DarkRenamon smirked and nodded. "Then we'll begin…" she added.

DIGIVOLUTION

DarkRenamon Digivolve to…

DarkRenamon slashed at the air before her data was once again stripped from its wireframe, starting from her snout, tail, arms and legs and working towards her very core, although this time it was for good reason as a ball of black and blue data enshrouded her. The data began to reform on her extremities, as zaps of lightning collided with the ball, altering her form as a new data set was created and triggered. Nine dark blue-purple tails replaced one, and a white mane ran up her neck, her head forming as the data set created it, her green eyes glowing with determination. She swung herself around, revealing her form, a quadruped fox that looked like an alternate colour version of Kyubimon, blue-purple replacing yellow and the charms around her head being black and white instead of red and white, the bells at the end staying gold as always. As she swung her tails around, orange flames ignited on them and her feet, and burned brightly as she declared her title.

Youkomon!

"Wow…" was all that Mari could say as she stared at the fox in front of her. Sure, she had seen Renamon digivolve to Kyubimon before, but this was completely different. She was involved this time, she was in the action.

And DarkRenamon was her partner, regardless of not having a digivice.

"Thank you Mari…" Youkomon said to her partner, who nodded.

"Good luck…" the girl replied.

"With you by my side, I don't even need that…" Youkomon replied, smiling, as she ran towards her foe.

"Youkomon, Data Type, Champion Level, attacks Flame Tail Blaze and Fox Wheel…" Ryder quoted, scanning the new digimon.

"You are the most persistent Digimon I have ever had to face…" ReverseGinRyumon complained, raising his glowing tail.

Youkomon nodded, smirking. "The last one too…" she replied, pausing in her run as ReverseGinRyumon launched his attack first.

"WAR TAIL!" he roared, the tail once again sweeping around, as Youkomon leapt back away from its reach, her tails raising to attack, orange flames glowing brightly as they became superimposed on her foe.

"FLAME TAIL BLAZE!" she summoned, as the flames shot out of her tails and collided with the dinosaur. The hellish flames reached his core and burned him as he roared in pain, his head going up in the air and exposing his neck. Youkomon smirked, now given a chance to attack and get her final conclusive revenge, until the dinosaur moved his head once again back to its normal place. She frowned; she would need to try a different tactic.

"Go Youkomon!" MiniDonmon cheered, raising his hands and wings. "We love you!"

"What are you, a cheerleader?" Ryder asked, panning his eyes upwards.

"No…I just want her to win…" the bat replied, blushing slightly, something that Ryder noticed in the tone of his voice and out of the corner of his eye. Ryder smiled; it would be an interesting thing to mention later to him. For now, sarcastic taunting would suffice.

"Sure…" Ryder replied, annoying MiniDonmon somewhat.

"That is all it is!" he insisted, still blushing, flying down in front of Ryder's face to look him eye to eye.

Mari chuckled, distracted now by the pair's arguments. "I didn't say it wasn't…" Ryder replied.

"But you said…you suggested that…" MiniDonmon asked, confusing himself in the process. "Oh whatever…" he finished, now completely confused as he landed on the ground in front of his partner. Mari returned her attention to the battle, looking to Youkomon who seemed to be standing still, facing her foe, who was similarly unmoving.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" ReverseGinRyumon taunted. "Attack already!" he added. Youkomon glared down the beast, each intimidating the other.

"Youkomon, what are you waiting for?" Mari asked, confused.

Youkomon did not reply, continuing to stare at her foe, who got tired of waiting.

"If you shall not attack, then I will…STABBING…" the dinosaur began.

"FOX WHEEL!" the fox roared, as the dinosaur's mouth and neck were exposed. She balled herself up into a flaming orange ball, which roared like a dragon as the face of a dragon appeared as part of it, before she collided with the exposed throat and face of the dinosaur before he could counter it. The dinosaur roared in pain, his data flickering as he shrunk back to his rookie form of BlackRyudamon, far smaller than his champion form.

The samurai looked up, hate in his eyes, at the fox standing over him, before sighing and closing his eyes. "I shall return…" he declared, before suddenly vanishing in a blur.

"He got away!" Ryder complained, annoyed at the fact Mari and DarkRenamon's first battle together had not ended in complete success.

Youkomon walked up to her partner, both smiling as Mari touched her nose. "I really can't believe that this is happening…it's so…" she began, fishing around for the words.

"Cool?" MiniDonmon suggested.

"Impressive?" Ryder mooted.

"…no, neither of them, more a sense of amazement and feeling like I've done something…"

"Fulfilment?" Ryder suggested.

"Ah who cares, all that matters Youkomon is that I'm your partner…" Mari said, the fox nodding as she began to glow blue and black.

"What's happening?" she asked fearfully, looking at herself and feeling her data tingle, an emotion that spread to those watching as well.

"Are you okay?" Mari asked, not wanting to lose her partner ever.

Suddenly, a wave of energy and data flowed out of Youkomon as her data reformed back into the familiar shape of DarkRenamon, who looked at Mari in surprise. The ball of energy and data began to glow, floating in front of them.

"The activation of the Second Angel…you using your powers on her…it must have bonded you two together…" Ryder said, looking on in awe.

"Then this makes this…" DarkRenamon began in amazement, pausing as the ball of energy and data flew onto Mari's wrist, forming a D-Vice in watch form. It was like Ryder's, but blue replaced orange.

"About time…" Mari replied, tapping the screen to expand it to its full mode, along her lower arm, similar to Ryder's but again, blue replacing orange, and the screen's information described DarkRenamon, a fact that finally confirmed it for the pair of them.

"Then this makes us partners…" DarkRenamon told her partner. Mari responded to the news in a slightly more overjoyed way, pulling her newfound partner into an embrace, surprising the vixen as she looked down.

"Oh, by the way, she's insane…" MiniDonmon noted, DarkRenamon chuckling as she put her arms around her partner.

"We really should've warned you in advance…" Ryder added.

"Hey!" Mari complained, pulling out of her embrace with her partner and playfully punching Ryder's shoulder, her over-enthusiasm leading to an actual punch.

"Hey, that hurt!" he complained, rubbing his shoulder.

"It'll heal in time…" she joked.

"Yeah, but you need a bit more self-control…" he replied, the pair chuckling. MiniDonmon looked up to his partner.

"Ryder, we have to stop Taiki and BlackRyudamon…" he told his partner, who nodded, and tapped his D-Vice.

DIGIVOLUTION

MiniDonmon Digivolve to…Donmon!

The Dragon once again replaced the Bat, as his claw-toed feet landed on the ground. Ryder turned to Mari.

"I know that this sounds really patronising after you managed to get a digivolution, but you will be far too weak to help, you'll end up being killed, and I think we've had enough of that for one day…" Ryder said, frowning. Mari nodded, putting her hand on his shoulder to reassure him that what he had said was right.

"Don't worry, I understand. However, one question remains, who is Taiki?" she asked.

"He is the First Demon of Destruction. The Demons are the Angels' bitter enemies, created as the polar opposite because each creation action of that sort by Harmony has an unintended equal and opposite creation reaction…" Ryder explained. Mari nodded, surprised by this.

"So how many of these guys are there going to be?"

"Nine…seems like they don't have the extra one like we have Rey…"

"Could give us the upper hand…"

"I hope…"

Mari nodded, pulling Ryder into a kiss and embrace. "Good luck…" she wished to him, him nodding in response.

They pulled away from their embrace, and Ryder looked to DarkRenamon. "Make sure she stays safe…" he told the black Kitsune, who nodded.

"Of course I will…" she replied, Mari noting the new lack of 'with my life' annexed onto the end, now a prerequisite (and no longer as fatal as she thought it was).

Ryder then had a thought, and fished around in his pocket, pulling out several cards and handing them to Mari, who took them in hand. "Modify and digivolution cards, you may need them…" he told her. She nodded, and Ryder walked over to his partner. "Are you ready? You got beaten up pretty bad back there…"

Donmon nodded. "Ready when you are…" he replied, Ryder nodding.

"Biomerge Digivolution Activate!" he yelled, putting his D-Vice to his chest, and feeling the warm feeling flow over him.

'One day…' Mari and DarkRenamon wished simultaneously.

BIOMERGE DIGIVOLUTION

Donmon Biomerge Digivolve to…BlazeDonnermon!

BlazeDonnermon smiled, looking across to Mari, only slightly shorter than him. Ryder still found it surprising that his biomerged height was basically the same as his normal height, but he shrugged it off, wings tapering back as he flew into the air.

"Good luck!" DarkRenamon and Mari called out, as the form flew above the buildings and away.

Silence descended once again on the streets, the sounds of distant sirens being the only thing to break it as wind ruffled along the street.

"We're finally partners…" Mari said to DarkRenamon.

"Wouldn't have it any other way…" the vixen replied. "Where do you wish to go now?"

"Where else?" she asked, amusement in her voice. "Shinjuku Park!" she decided, drawing out a digivolution card in front of her. "Where all Tamers go…"

DarkRenamon nodded, looking closely at the card. She knew that it would become a familiar sight, as Mari raised her right arm with the D-Vice on it.

"We'll be the best Tamer and partner ever, right?" Mari asked her partner, who nodded.

"Of course…" she replied proudly.

"DIGI-MODIFY!" Mari called, sweeping the card through her D-Vice. "Digivolution Activate!" she called, smiling as the light of Digivolution enveloped her partner.

She had finally got her wish.

TO BE CONTINUED…


A heart-warming ending to this chapter, but now we return en masse to the main plots of the story, none of which are by any means over.

Regarding Youkomon's attack names, I altered them from the original because I didn't feel the original names fitted the moves correctly, and they also seemed the wrong way round for some reason (Evil Flame Dragon describing her version of Fox Tail Inferno and Flame Ball describing her version of Dragon Wheel, not to mention the very odd dubbed versions of the attack names, Jaenryuu and Homuradama).

Next time…

What is on Terriermon's CD? Will Rika ever be confident enough to tell Takato? Will Ryder and the others be able to defeat Taiki, the First Demon?

Find out in 'His Slave', Chapter Ten of Dimensions Book Five: Demons.