Disclaimer = I don't own Digimon (!) I only own Ryan, Kaiya and Daichi – Keenan, Kristy, Relena and Ruka are not mine
A/N: Again, it has been so so long since I last wrote a chapter for this story, due to excruciatingly painful wrier's block! But I hope you enjoy and if you want more chapters, review this chapter – I really get inspired to write stories when I get a lot of support from
Chapter 09
"I can't believe it, Relena's actually finally home," Kristy said, standing firmly in between Keenan and Ryan outside the DATS headquarters. "I never thought she would come back… When we had no idea where it was that she even went – what I mean is that she could have gone to the Digital World, or another world out there."
"Don't be so melodramatic, Kristy." Keenan smiled. "You of all people should be more positive. Remember your dad came back after many years, right?"
"Well yeah…"Kristy sighed. "Do you know what Emma has planned for us all? I overheard Dad saying something to Mum about an assessment."
Ryan nodded his head." "My d- Commander Sampson had another phone call about an assessment – it might have been from Emma, but I couldn't tell who it was."
The main doors of the DATS headquarters opened and Emma marched out with her hands behind her back, looking like a soldier in a now black DATS uniform.
"I thought I'd find you out here," she said boldly. "Gomamon X – escort Keenan Crier and Kristy Damon off the DATS premises."
The three teens' eyes grew wide in confusion as they couldn't understand why Kristy and Keenan were being escorted away, because it didn't make any sense.
"Why?" Ryan asked, standing up straight and moving away from the fence he'd been leaning against.
"That does not concern you, Ryan Sampson – you don't have the clearance for that unfortunately," Emma replied bitterly, knowing all too well that there was a good reason that she originally didn't work with children or teens. "Gomamon X – I gave you an order. Escort the two off the grounds now!"
Kristy protested at first, but Keenan squeezed her arm, making her realise that it wasn't worth the hassle. Ryan watched as Emma's Gomamon X marched his two new friends away from the DATS headquarters building.
"Why?" Ryan couldn't help but ask again.
"Because they are of no use without Digimon partners, so it makes sense to drop them from my new team."
"But I am of use?"
"Well of course you do – you have Dracomon whilst Falcomon and Biyomon are stuck in the Digital World. So it seems utterly pointless that they participate in trails and training which test their ability to work with their Digimon and others. So you, Ruka, Relena and Kaiy- you will be the ones to go through a rigorous training process. That's it really. You do not need to know anything else, other than that. Do you want to ask me anything else, Ryan, or are you quite satisfied?"
Ryan's hands shook in front of him. "Wait a minute – are you saying Relena is genuinely back home?" He couldn't tell whether Emma was being serious, or whether she was just saying Relena's name in the hope that the younger girl would be coming back soon. "You said her name – does that mean that she's back or what?"
"She is back, but we're keeping her under quarantine until we're sure she's okay, but don't worry, you'll be reunited soon. After your training has been completed to an adequate standard. Now come inside. Now Ryan Sampson. That is an order."
Ryan gave in and started to follow Emma, hoping to see or find wherever they were holding Relena – because he wanted to know how she was and whether or not she had been in the Digital World, or just MIA.
"Relena!" Emma exclaimed when she saw the blonde haired teen walking around bare foot, but still in the same clothes that Ryan had last seen her in, before she disappeared on that day nearly a week ago. "What are you doing here?"
The voice that left Relena's mouth was not like Ryan imagined or remembered – it sounded nothing remotely like her either. He told himself that she was ill and had a sore throat or something.
"Walking – I was walking, and I was curious. Life is curious and it intrigues me, because I don't understand it. Aren't you intrigued by what you don't understand?" She looked down at her hands. "Touch and feelings. Sight and memories – there are so many pairs. Pairs. Everything is in pairs. Pairs. Everything has a pair. Night and day. Love and hate. Birth and death. Vice and virtue-"
"Be quiet!" snapped Emma aggressively, grabbing Relena's arm and almost digging her nails in.
"No, I want to know what Relena has to say…" Ryan said, his eyes darting between Emma, Relena and the gripping hand.
Emma let go and interrupted Relena before she could say anything. "Nothing – you do not need to know anything about the Digimon and their vice and virtue world…" Emma growled.
The first thought that came to Ryan's mind was the literal vices being sloth, envy, lust, greed, pride, wrath and gluttony – also known as the seven deadly sins. Then, each one partners up with a relevant virtue.
"Are you telling me that the vices and virtues actually exist in a digital slash Digimon forms?"
"Be quiet! I will not ask you again!" Emma snarled at him.
Now, he had had enough of it and he wasn't going to take anymore of it. Ryan grabbed Relena and pulled her away towards the exist – knowing that Emma would most definitely be putting the building on lock down or in close pursuit of the pair.
"Relena – hurry up!" he prompted her to hurry up as he tore back through the way he came not five minutes ago.
The glass doors were locked and Ryan jostled the door handle up and down before giving in and turning to see Emma, Commander Sampson and another unnamed DATS agent.
Commander Sampson was the first to say anything. "Ryan and Relena – come along. It's time to gather the team. You wait here with Emma whilst I call for Keenan and Kristy." He was giving Ryan the hard stare, and his adopted son had seen this look too many times. Despite the fact that the glasses the Commander wore were opaque, Ryan could tell exactly where he was looking.
"Sampson – those two are no longer on the DATS team," Emma interjected, barely flinching as the Commander's head snapped towards her. "Mr Hashima's orders – those two are a liability and are of no use to the DATS team without their relevant Digimon."
"Are you trying to say that I am a liability, Emma?" Sampson frowned, lowering his eyebrows instantly. "Because I do not have a relevant Digimon."
"Well no Commander, Mr Hashima made it clear that I was to keep you on as Commander."
"So you're telling me that you are above me in this organisation?"
"No – I did not say that. I did not mean…"
In amongst the argument that was burning between Emma and Sampson, a circular portal appeared behind Ryan and Relena. A hand grabbed the girl and yanked her backwards, out of Ryan's reach as he tried to save her. Only for her and another girl to step out of the portal.
"Daichi – come on!" the girl squealed, but the portal closed making her scream out.
"Kaiya!" Emma turned to face the girl who had now dropped to the floor, whimpering. "What – How did you-? We thought you were dead. You weren't supposed to- where's that boy?" Firing questions at a crying teenager was useless – Emma's questions were left unanswered." Kaiya!" she snapped, gripping this "Kaiya" girl by the arm.
"Let her go!" Relena squealed, practically echoed by Sampson.
"This is unacceptable behaviour Emma. You must follow protocols."
"Where's Terriermon, Kaiya?" A small beige and pink coloured creature nuzzled Kaiya's arm.
"I don't know Lopmon," Kaiya mumbled, pulling herself free from Emma's hold and squeezing her small Digimon tightly. "All I know is that Terriermon is with Daichi and the reflection Emma brought into this place." She glared at Emma, making Ryan feel that the pair knew each other from somewhere, but the thing he wanted to know was from where. "I just hope that Daichi can find a way to get back to the real world with the rest of us."
A series of DATS agents surrounded Kaiya and Relena – practically holding them at gunpoint, or whatever name came be given to their weapons. To say it was intimidating would be an underestimation.
There was a flash of dark light – like the shade of a midnight sky without any clouds in sight. Amongst the panic of the soldiers, someone grabbed Kaiya, Ryan and Relena and pulled them away down the winding paths of DATS headquarters.
"Daichi!" Kaiya squealed, wrapping her arms around him as he spun her around in a circle.
"It's good to see you too," Daichi murmured.
She looked at him right in the eyes. "How did you get out? The last portal was already closed to get the real Relena back. How?" She watched him glance about the floor – clearly hiding something because she had seen that look all too many times before. "Daichi?"
"I pulled a few strings and got through a portal with Terriermon – there's no way to that future anymore."
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = The real Relena's back – so are Kaiya and Daichi! But I'm worried about what deal or strings Daichi pulled in order to get back to the present time. If Digital dives can be opened to any time – or any place, where will they end up next?