The small bat fluttered from branch to branch, testing with crimson talons which ones were plastic and which were bark. The sun was low in the sky, a red gradient stretching to the first star of evening. He had to give his report soon, or else he would spend the rest of the night suspended over The Pit again. The shriek of a digital bat made him shudder and miss his mark, bouncing harshly into a metallic trunk with a dull clank. He blindly grabbed a branch with one foot, gritting his teeth as his nails squealed against plastic, and hung upside down. He rubbed the bridge above his nose slits with his wing, blinking away pained tears. If he ever wanted to be seen as more than a Child-type Digimon, he would have to learn to control his stupid eye waterings.

The lights of Digitamamon's Diner were warm and inviting against the bite of night that was falling too fast. DemiDevimon lingered in the tree a moment longer, watching the creatures through a window as they savored their meals. The last time he'd been to check up on those damnable children, a little over a week ago, none of the monsters inside looked even half as happy as they did now. It was concerning to him.

He shifted his weight from side to side, gripping the false branch tightly. "Crack, crack," he mumbled, pretending he was strong enough to shatter the plastic. "'Oh no, the tree is broken, what dangerous creature could have done such a thing?' 'It's me! The evilest of evil – DemiDevimon! Rawr!'" He pretended to trample a helpless village.

He was laughing to himself, imagining Gatomon crying out, "Oh, what a devilishly handsome beast – I wish I'd never been mean to him and had let him date me!" when an impatient growl brought him to reality. Digitamamon was standing under the hiding tree, stamping a foot angrily.

"What do you want? I have a restaurant to close soon."

"That's exactly what I want," DemiDevimon said, trying to sound tough. He ignored how awkward it came out instead, and pushed on before he could be made fun of again. "I've seen the change in your customers – what happened to that screw-up kid and his sad friend? If you've let them go, I'll make sure Lord Myotismon -"

"Calm down," Digitamamon snapped, a flare of energy reaching out to zap the branch. The plastic melted slightly with an acrid stench and DemiDevimon flapped his wings nervously. "I have everything under control here. Believe me, you won't have to worry about those kids ever again." He began laughing, a noise that made the small creature shrink back. Even listening to Myotsimon's plans for the accursed children had never sent such a feeling of dread to the pit of his stomach.

DemiDevimon remembered when he'd first run across the Diner and it's terrifying owner. He'd been scouring the whole continent, trying to find the best traps for children. He had already made plans with a castle of Otamamon and Gekomon, looking desperately for an innocent voice, and spoken to a extra-dimensional creature willing to buy intangible thoughts and feelings. Night had been falling, just like it was now, and the warm lights and delicious smells had drawn him to a tiny Diner, hidden against a brush of forest, as though it weren't meant to be found at all.

He had perched in the same tree he was currently in, peering through the window into a tiny kitchen. There was a run-down looking fox Digimon, fur matted and tangled, and she was crying into a pot of rice as a yellow potato-monster screamed, lashing out with thick vines and shattering a nearby stack of plates.

"I want to go home," the poor creature was sobbing. "I've already paid for my meal, and then some! I miss my friends!"

"Friends?" The vines began shaking with laughter. "There's no such thing as 'friends' here, girly. There's only one way out, and believe me, you don't want to know what it is."

DemiDevimon must have been very tired then, because there was suddenly a heavy feeling in his chest. Akin to when he flew for days without sleep, but deeper inside than his lungs. 'I'll have to have the Bakemon check and see if I'm ill,' He remembered thinking.

"What is happening back here?!" Came the sudden scream he was now familiar with. The monster he currently knew as Digitamamon stormed into the kitchen, darkness flickering over his shell like black flames. The fox monster fell to her knees then, prostrating herself before him.

"I need to go home," she cried, shoulders shuddering with sobs. "I haven't been beyond the lake in weeks!"

Digitamamon just walked around her, passing by the yellow creature with an unnoticeable nod passing between them. He looked into the pot, sniffing it. He acted like he was inspecting the contents carefully before dumping it to the floor with a cry of rage. The boiling grains splashed into her fur and she cried out, twisting away.

"You think I can serve this to my patrons?! For wasting supplies, that will be another four days!" The fox just bowed her head, no longer having the energy to cry. DemiDevimon saw Digitamamon's eyes crinkle with a dark grin, one like his master gave when he sent the bats after him to feed.

"Now, make it again!" Digitamamon laughed. He shoved his way out the back door, enjoying the way the hot and humid summer air flowed into the kitchen.

DemiDevimon squawked, flapping into the air, and tumbling to the ground in front of the egg creature.

"What's this?" Digitamamon had sneered. "A sheet-draped rat?"

DemiDevimon dug his claws into the ground, upturning the cool soil onto his feet. "I'm a servant of the great Master Myotismon and I have a question. What did that Digimon in there do to deserve such torment?"

Digitamamon made a loud noise and shook. DemiDevimon wasn't sure what had happened at first, until he realized he was laughing, tears streaming down his shell. He almost fell over, gasping out finally, "She tried to pay in Yen on an Earth's Day! Everyone knows I only takes Dollars that day!"

DemiDevimon nodded, as though what he had been told made perfect sense. Even now, he wasn't too sure what a "yen" was or what the difference in that and a "dollar" could possibly be.

"I like the way you act," DemiDevimon said, the lie flowing easily past his practiced lips. "And I know my Master does too. I have a favor to ask of you."

Immediately, Digitamamon stilled himself, narrowing his eyes. "I don't do favors. I take jobs. The only thing I want is money."

"That can be arranged," DemiDevimon told him. The falsities formed instantly in his mind, and just as easily they became his truth. "I have plenty of money to give you, if you will help me out. There will be a human child coming this way soon. He will have an item called a 'crest'. It's very important that you do everything you can to keep it from glowing."

"And how will I do that?" Digitamamon sounded intrigued.

DemiDevimon wasn't sure which heinous child he was going to send to the Diner. He already had Sincerity and Knowledge planned for, and from what he knew, Courage had died. That left Friendship, Hope, Love, and Reliability. He blinked, lies swirling in his head, and he reached out to pluck the first he came to.

"I'll send a boy with Reliability to you. If you can do to him exactly what you did to that monster in there, he'll never have the time to think about what he needs to do." DemiDevimon nodded to himself. That sounded right.

"'Exactly', eh?" Digitamamon thought it over. "I'm not sure... I can get a pretty penny for that Renamon in there."

"Whatever you can make with her, I can offer you double." DemiDevimon wasn't sure what a "penny" was, either. But it must have more to do with that "yen" stuff.

Digitamamon stepped forward eagerly. "How soon will this 'human' be here?"

"I'll bring him and your first payment in one month." DemiDevimon flapped, jumping into the air. "Be sure to have an empty kitchen by then."

"Believe me," Digitamamon laughed as DemiDevimon began flying away. "I'll have plenty of room, as long as you have a fair sum of money."

The moon was beginning to rise by then. The first star of night was on it's way to being visible and DemiDevimon knew he was going to be late for his rendezvous. His wings fluttered nosily as he took off, the sound of Digitamamon's laughter spurring him on faster than the fear of punishment.

He had only just stumbled into the clearing, falling on his face in the dead grass, as the group of bats collided. Their wings, beating as one, glimmered and the hologram sprang to life. The dark shadow of his master appeared, and he bowed his nose to the ground, coughing as he inhaled a clod of dirt. He swallowed harshly, waiting to be spoken to.

"What do you have to report?" The deep voice reverberated though his tiny chest.

"I-I," DemiDevimon squeaked. He cleared his throat. "I have already made plans for three of the Children. I can guarantee that their Crests, at least, will not glow."

"That's not enough." Myotismon didn't have to sound displeased. He always was. "None of them can be allowed to come into their powers."

"I will have that arranged." DemiDevimon, dug his claws into the ground. "Although... Master, I will need a small provision..." The shadow of his lord didn't move. "For the trap I have for the Child of Reliability, I will require a 'fair sum of money'." He really hoped Myotismon knew what that was.

"This will ensure the arrest of Reliability's strength?"

"Of course!" Things were looking up. Myotismon was actually considering his plans instead of just tossing him to the bats.

"I will make arrangements for you, then. Be ready to report your plans for the other Children when I see you again." And with that, the bats screamed, tearing themselves away from each other and flying into the sky in a dark cloud.

DemiDevimon could practically float on air. His plans had been approved whole-black-heartedly! He flew into the treetops, avoiding the same path as the bats, and began daydreaming.

"Young DemiDevimon," Myotismon would tell him. "I should have never doubted your schemes. You are the perfect heir to my powers! Gatomon will never be allowed to beat up on you again, and I'll even make her marry you, if you want."

"You won't have to force me," Gatomon would say, hearts in her eyes. "Anyone so evil would be a purr-fect match for me." And then they would make out and get married and have babies to carry on their plans to take over the Digital World.

It was weeks later, and DemiDevimon had almost forgotten about his plan with the Diner, when Gatomon showed up. The group of accursed children had split apart earlier than he had intended, and he was struggling to make sure that each one was poisoned enough. Love was doubting herself, but the Biyomon that followed her kept trying to undo his lies. Sincerity had sunken easily into self-delusion and the only thing he had to do was make sure that she didn't accidentally sing. Knowledge had yet to reach Vademon's dimension, and it was hard to keep making and twisting signs to make him go the right way. Hope and Friendship refused to part ways, so he would have to readjust his plans with them as soon as he got the chance.

He was just starting to stalk Reliability when the white cat appeared from the underbrush. Her silky coat easily deflected the stickerburs that were making their way under his cloth, scratching his thin flesh and irritating his bite scars. She had a satchel over her shoulder and she gave him a dirty look when he made it obvious he was ignoring her.

"You know, I didn't have to come out here," she told him, her melodic voice warming his cheeks. "I could have just told Lord Myotismon that I had given you the money and you had lost it."

He growled and fluttered down to her eye-level. "Will you be quiet?! I don't need that brat knowing I'm here yet!"

"What is this even for, anyway?" She asked, coyly ignoring his orders, At least, he hoped it was coy, otherwise she was just being irritating.

"I haven't told you my evil plan yet, have I?" DemiDevimon grinned, puffing out his chest. "Prepare to be amazed." Gatomon just blinked. She totally liked him. "I'm going to get that kid to work at Digitamamon's Diner for the rest of his life."

"Digitamamon...?" Gatomon furrowed her brow as she thought. "I know I've heard that name before..."

"Probably because he's a free-lance evil doer." DemiDevimon nodded to himself. "And I was the one to find him. He had some chick working for him when I found him."

"Wait, you don't mean -?!" Gatomon bit her glove to keep from yelping. "You can't possibly be that stupid!"

"'Stupid'?" DemiDevimon flapped angrily. "He's a slave driver – he'll keep that kid too busy to do anything!"

"Slave is right," Gatomon mumbled. She looked across the bushes. The blue-haired child was laughing easily with his partner, the two sharing some envy-inducing bond that made her want to stop caring so much. There was a twinge of regret in her soul, some part of her calling out for something she had never understood. She knew the punishment that would befell her if she did anything directly against Myotismon, but she still had to try. "If I were you, I would rethink this. You can't possibly know what you're getting into."

"Oh? Is that a hint of jealousy I hear for my awesome plan?" DemiDevimon leaned in, holding one wing to his ear tendril exaggeratedly. "Afraid you won't be number two anymore?"

Gatomon growled, flinging the satchel at DemiDevimon, knocking him to the ground and the wind from his lungs.

"Here, take your stupid money. And don't come crying to me when you find out what you did!" Gatomon took off, using all four paws to disappear into the woods.

DemiDevimon finally pulled himself back to the present, tapping his claws against the branch in imitated impatience.

"Well? What happened to those kids?"

"The blonde one left," Digitamamon shrugged.

"What?!" DemiDevimon flapped into Digitamamon's face angrily. "I paid extra to keep them both here! What happened?!"

"You said that other one was, what, Loyalty? Faithfulness? Some stupid crap like that?"

"Friendship, yeah. Why...?" DemiDevimon avoided a spark of energy that almost put a hole in his wing.

"Well, he ended up getting pissed enough at the useless one to leave." Digitamamon laughed again. "Whatever dumb trait he has will never activate after that."

DemiDevimon nodded happily. 'Stupid, sexy Gatomon. She was just trying to make me change my mind about my plan. She wanted to take the credit for herself.' "And the other one? The klutz?"

"He's being well taken care of. You know, I'm glad I got rid of that Renamon – she was getting burnt out. And more Digimon are willing to pay big bucks for a human."

DemiDevimon wasn't sure what he was talking about. Anything involving money just seemed to fly over his head. But he acted like he understood, just like always. "And his crest? Has it glowed?"

"Believe me, once he's used up, he won't know what it means to rely on anyone!" Digitamamon leaned in close. "When this is over with, think you could help me find a few new, ah, girls?"

DemiDevimon shrugged noncommittally. What could the egg monster want with dumb girls? "I'll have to check with Lord Myotismon. I'm sure if you agree to help him, he'll help you."

"Of course, of course." Digitamamon nodded sagely. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a crest to tarnish."

'See Gatomon?' DemiDevimon thought as he flew into the night, trying to reach the clearing where he would give his report, loud enough for the tiny Champion to hear how well it was going. 'I know what's going on in there. You don't have to be all cryptic and try to scare me.'

In the distance, he thought he heard a bitter scream and a hopeless sob. But he ignored it. It must have just been his imagination running wild again.

A/N: I'm taking a mild hiatus until the end of October. Grown up junk got in the way, so I haven't been as focused on this fic as I should be, but I refuse to give this one up! I love abusing my pretty boys too much~ I hope you enjoyed this one so far, and I can't wait to come back to it!

I'll see you all on Oct. 31st! Thanks for all your support~~