Thank you once again to everyone's support so this will just be a short little note saying that the chapters will soon become very sparse in uploading due to GCSE examinations but rest assured that the second my pen has written the answer to the last question then Dreams will be up and running once more…even better is that there are three days off after my exam so hopefully that means more writing time so for now on with the fic!
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Lazarus puffed on his sickly cigarette as he turned the pages of a large leather file, DemiDevimon hung upside down on one of the ceiling beams, his sharp wings folded around his round body.
Lazarus's office was draped with exquisite designs, the walls were mahogany, on the opposite end of the door rather then a wall there was a large stain glass window depicting seven strange creatures raising from a dark pit, in front of it was a large oak desk with Lazarus sitting behind it, in front of the desk was a large black settee and two armchairs of the same material.
Hanging around the office and in glass cabinets were strange objects and artefacts cluttering the office.
Lazarus smirked as he turned the pages of the file, it was a file on the Digidestined and Tamers as well as there Digimon, it had all information held on them from there names to there dental records, somehow the file could update itself without human interference.
"What is taking so long Lazarus" a voice hissed through the wind "We are getting impatient"
Lazarus shook with fear and alarm, he stood from his desk and turned to the stain glass window, one of the figures, a blonde haired angel with a draconic wing on his left with an angelic one on his white, his hair long and his face pale yet pretty his body draped with elegant clothes and his hands covered with silk white gloves.
"Lord Lucemon!" Lazarus shuddered bowing low "To what do I owe the honour?"
"I have come with a message from Daemon, requesting you tell us what is the reasoning for your delay" the image snarled
"Ah" Lazarus stammered "W-well you see I was betrayed by a team of my own agents, they have absorbed the gate here in Britain so we must now change the gates"
"Who are these traitors?" Lucemon inquired
"Alpha Team" Lazarus sighed "The disappointment is that they are m-"
"The disappointment is that you let yourself be defeated by a bunch of kids" Lucemon snarled "What more these kids do not even have partners, at least not at the time of their plan"
"Lord Lucemon" Lazarus stammered "You have my promise that the plan will be back on track by the end of the week"
"For your sake I hope so Lazarus" Lucemon smirked "But Daemon also wants to see these traitors…alive"
With that the image became inanimate once again and Lazarus wiped his brow. There was a knock at the door
"What is it?" Lazarus snapped
The door opened and a soldier walked in fear in his eyes
"S-Sir" the soldier stuttered in fear "DATS are here"
"Great" Lazarus growled "What the hell are they doing here?"
"I don't know sir but they have arrest warrants" the soldier shook
"What!" Lazarus screamed slamming his fist down onto the oak desk, waking DemiDevimon and making him fall off his perch, the soldier squeaked with terror, Lazarus looked up his eyes filled with malice "Lead the way"
The soldier bowed and left the room, Lazarus followed with DemiDevimon closely behind him, they were guided into the large main foyer of the base. Standing there was a man with black shades and a long navy coat, on his shoulder was a ferret - creature with golden markings, standing next to him was a girl in DATS uniform her face stern while her flower- Digimon partner floated beside her.
"Ah General Sampson" Lazarus cheerily called entering the room, a false smile on his face "To what do I owe the honour"
"Don't play games with us Lazarus" the man spat back "We know something is up here"
"How do you mean?" Lazarus played dumb
"Well we've had reports that two of your agents are missing, one is at sea, one in a coma and another one is arrested" Sampson growled "We would like to know what has happened?"
"Well I can assure you we have had nothing to do with this, the two missing well we are just as worried about them as everyone, the agent at sea is on a mission and the girl in the coma cannot be set for our responsibility it happened by pure accident when she was on recreational time" Lazarus lied
"And what of the boy you have arrested?" Sampson snarled
"Well you see he performed an act of treason towards the crown" Lazarus lied once more "So as you yourself should know I had to act and arrest the boy"
"What was the treason?" Sampson asked
"By law I am not allowed to discuss into that with you sir" Lazarus said in a soft voice
"God dammit Lazarus" Sampson bellowed "We have it on good authority that you are up to something to do with the Digital World making that DATS business to see you arrested now come quietly or do we have to take you by force?"
Lazarus lips curled into a grimace as he stared into the black shades of the other general
"Would you like to see the boy?" Lazarus asked "I can assure you he is quite alright"
Sampson thought of his reply before answering, he nodded lightly and Lazarus smiled wickedly
"This way then, sir!" Lazarus smirked.
***
Zac stepped through the portal into a sight he had never hoped to see. He had only visited the Digital World once before and then it had been beautiful and colourful with luscious forests and spellbinding ocean. Now the world was broken and miserable, the forests were dead and the oceans savage, the sky was erupting with thunder and cackling with lightning. What was once colourful was now dull. What was once full of joy was now full of sorrow. What was once alive was now dead.
Zac's eyes were wide with shock and upset, Racoonmon stood by his side his eyes full with the same disbelief
"What happened here George?" Zac asked afraid of the answer
"Echo happened" George sneered
"How did Echo do this?" Zac asked "We closed the gates they had no access to the Digital World"
"There not working alone" George sighed "They have inside help
"How do you mean?" Zac asked confused
"You know the stories of the Royal Knights right?" George asked, Zac nodded "And how they serve the Sovereigns of the Digital World?"
Zac nodded once again
"But I've met the Sovereigns and not even Zhuqiaomon would want this" Zac objected
"That's because the Sovereigns are no longer who they are meant to be" George replied
Zac looked on in confusion
"Ebonwumon is dead, Zhuqiaomon captured, Baihumon is unconscious and Azulongmon has gone missing" George replied somberly
"But who has the power to overwhelm the Sovereigns?" Zac asked in disbelief
"I don't know" George replied "The Dark Masters were able to capture them once before but never to kill one"
"Plus there dead so they can't return right?" Zac interrupted
"Stranger things have happened" George sighed looking down at Gigamon
"Why did you bring me here George?" Zac asked
"Because our meddling with the Digital World is what's to blame for this mess" George said turning away from Zac and looking up into the dark sky "Its our job to fix it"
Zac looked at the back of his best friend then beyond him into the broken Digital World, finally he looked to his side at his partner. He had only just got Racoonmon he couldn't risk him so soon could he? But he couldn't sit back and see Racoonmon's destroyed more. George turned round.
"It's a dangerous task Zac and I won't think any less of you if you back out now" George said resting a hand on his friends shoulder "But once your in your in till the end you can't leave"
Zac looked deep into George's eyes for the first time since he knew him he could see fear in his eyes
"Do you believe we can do it?" Zac asked
"Yes" George replied
"Then that's all I need" Zac smiled "I'm in, let's bring Echo to her knees and regain our dignity"
There was a beeping from George's D-Touch
Incoming message
Execute Operation Breakout
Azza
***
Matt sat by the at the edge of the cliff below him the water crashed up against the rock, they had arrived in the Digital World to destruction and darkness, their partners could not remember what happened as if there memories had been wiped. Matt looked out to the horizon, Gabumon asleep beside him.
"You got a light?" a voice came behind him, Matt turned standing behind him was Azza his hair blowing back in the wind in his hand a white cigarette
"I thought you quit" Matt said
"I did" Azza sighed "But you know how it is"
Matt rummaged in his pocket and pulled out his Zippo lighter and threw it to Azza, catching it and lighting the cigarette. There was silence.
"I never forgot you guys you know" Azza said after a moment
"You never kept in touch though" Matt said coldly
"It was easier this way" Azza sighed
"Easier on who?" Matt asked
"On all of us we were friends for so long we became family" Azza sighed "To keep in touch and not know if we will ever see each other again would have been to much on all of us"
Matt stayed silent
"Besides its not as if you guys never influenced my life" Azza said
"How do you mean?"
"Well Tai taught me not to be afraid and to stand up for what's right as well as how not to use a brush, Izzy showed me how to use a computer to its ultimate potential, Joe taught me how to keep myself safe while Mimi gave me a wicked eye for style and fashion" he chuckled slightly, Matt smiled "Sora taught me how to love and forgive and Kari gave me the passion to seek my dreams while T.K. gave me my love for basketball and hat"
"What about me?" Matt sighed the smile vanishing from his face "All I gave you was a hunger for nicotine and lung cancer"
Azza sat beside him and looked into his deep blue eyes
"Don't be an idiot" he smiled "You gave me my biggest passion of all"
"What's that" Matt asked
"Music" Azza smiled "You were always my role model Matt you were the one who was the ultimate of cool and when we were younger I loved spending time with you and then when you formed the Lonely Wolves last time I was in Odaiba I started learning music"
Matt's eyes widened in shock and embarrassment at Azza's words
"Wow Azza, thanks…it means a lot" Matt smiled, possibly the first genuine smile he'd had in a while "What do you play?"
"Cornet, guitar, drums, piano, bass and sing" Azza chuckled
"Wow" Matt laughed "I know who to call next time I have a gig"
"You mean it?" Azza smiled looking like a kid at Christmas
"Yeah" Matt laughed "If your good that is"
"Well so people say" Azza smiled
"Lets see you sing then" Matt said
"I don't do to well as a soloist" Azza said blushing crimson
"Don't worry ill sing with you" Matt looked at him "How about I turn around I know how much you used to love that song and always begged me to finish it which I never did"
Azza smiled and began
You got a boy, got a girl
Sitting underneath the tree
They sit there every day
And even though you may think
That this is the way to be
It may not always be that way
You can't take nothing for granted
You got to live like today
Matt joined in at the chorus
I turn around I can see what behind me
I turn back around I can see what's ahead
And if you don't believe ill be here all along
Just turn around
Just turn around
"Wow Azza" Matt said as they finished "I never expected that to come out your mouth"
Azza went more scarlet "Thanks"
Azza put the burning cigarette in his mouth and inhaled deeply, Matt looked at him
"I'm sorry for earlier" he sighed
"It's ok I just wish someone had told me what was happening with you" Azza sighed "You know I would have come back sooner if I'd known"
"Thanks dude" Matt sighed he looked at the cigarette in Azza's mouth "Does Julia know about you smoking"
"She thinks I quit" Azza sighed "I hate lying to her"
"Pass me your cigarettes" Matt said, Azza confusedly passed him the cigarettes as Matt stood up, Matt clenched his fist around the packet and retracted his arm extending it quickly and releasing the packet from his grasp, the cardboard box flying through the smog and down the cliff side into the ocean
"What did you do that for?" Azza asked his eyes wide in shock and slight anger "I need those!"
"Need? Since when has Azza Evans needed anything?" Matt laughed, his face suddenly going serious "I started you on this habit now your going cold turkey to get off it"
Azza gulped
"I've tried that before" he said his eyes full of guilt "It doesn't work alone"
"You won't be alone" Matt smiled down to him "Your with us now and its back to how it used to be, there was nothing we could not get through and now that your back it can be the same again…we're a team"
"Team!" Azza thought his mind's eye flew over a mental ocean to an island and into a city, through the streets to a secret and inside an organisation, it flew through hallways to an office, six teenagers standing and sitting, laughing and drinking. There was a seventh person an elderly man with a grey beard and straggly hair his wrinkles creased in a pleased look, this was Alpha Team and Dr. Naigen, they had always dreamed of visiting the Digital World together for the first time, getting there partners together and now look at them how many of them were alive? Azza felt a weight in his chest and a lump in his throat he looked at Matt and simply smiled.
***
"I love you" Karri giggled as she kissed T.K. on the lips
"Not as much as I love you" he replied returning the kiss
Kari was red with embarrassment and flattery as they walked hanging off each other stopping every few moments to cuddle and kiss, Kari heard a sniff.
"What was that?" Kari asked her boyfriend, T.K. was blank
There was another sniff accompanied by sobbing, this time T.K. heard it, it came from behind a nearby bush T.K. slowly approached it in case it was dangerous, he cautiously pulled back the branches.
Sitting in a small clearing was Julia, she was hunched over with her head in her hands sobbing into her dress
"Julia?" T.K. asked kneeling behind her placing his hand on her shoulder, she jumped slightly "Are you alright?"
Julia looked the blonde in the eyes her own filled with tears as her mascara ran her eyes red from the crying
"I'm scared" she sobbed "I feel alone I mean I'm in a foreign place without anyone I know and I'm a wanted fugitive now"
"Hey" T.K. smiled "What about Azza?"
"He's got enough to worry about what with his nephew and all" she cried "Besides this has always been his dream, to be in the Digital World with his partner on an adventure just like the stories you lot had once told him…this isn't my world"
"Of course its not silly your not a Digimon" T.K. laughed trying to cheer up the girl
"No I mean this isn't what I do, I'm not the hero" Julia sobbed "I know nothing of this world, and Azza is in bits he blames himself for all that's happened I can see that just by looking at his eyes, there growing colder and I can see all the years of lack of sleep and stress finally catching up with him, he believes he's failed"
"Failed?" Kari asked wrapping her arm around the teen "Failed who?"
"Everybody" Julia sobbed "he believes he's failed to keep Alpha Team safe, he failed in his relationship between you guys, he failed to keep his nephew out of harm and he failed Dr. Naigen, all this is slowly driving him insane"
"Who is this Dr. Naigen?" T.K. asked
***
"Azza" Tai called "Can I speak with you"
Azza sat on the edge of the cliff flicking through pictures stored on his D-Touch, Matt had left to collect fire wood to bring back for the others leaving Azza alone with his thoughts. This was Azza's biggest fear.
"Umm yeah sure Tai" Azza said turning as he heard his name
Tai sat down on the rocks beside him
"How's your face" he asked
"Better" Azza smiled "I feel sorry for the soccer ball in your matches with a foot like yours"
Tai smiled weakly
"We're gonna get him back you know" Tai said "We're gonna free your nephew"
"How do we know that there's anything left to free?" Azza asked somberly
"What does your heart tell you?" Tai said simply
"I don't want to drag you guys through this" Azza sighed
Tai grabbed his wrist and held out his D-Touch, Azza crest symbol shone brightly in the screen
"Your one of us now…more then ever"
There was a loud crash as a cloud of dust and gas flew out from the middle of the lake illuminating the dark sky in fire. The two Digidestined looked on in horror.
"So it begins" Azza thought somberly to himself as the cloud grew.