Disclaimer: For all the love I have for Digimon, it is not mine.
A/N: I'm being a good authoress and updating again! Part 2 of the Digital World Arc, what's going to happen next?
While Natsuhi was off adventuring in the Virus Primary Village, the rest of the Digidestined were wrapping up their quality time with their partner digimons and were about to regroup.
One Agumon and Yagami Taichi were strolling along the river bank when Agumon noticed the wistful look on his partner's face. Following the brunette's gaze, Agumon saw Sora, chatting amiable in the arms of Yamato while Biyomon and Gabumon trailed behind them.
"Taichi…" Agumon started, concerned
"It's alright Agumon, she made her choice," Taichi stated with a forced smile. He just wished he felt as certain as he sounded. Yamato was his best friend, he should be happy for him, for them. But this knowledge never seemed to make the pain of seeing them together any lesser.
Agumon knew his partner too well to be fooled by the front Taichi put up, but he also knew that stubborn as Taichi was, there was nothing he could say about the situation. So instead, the digimon just let out a long-suffering sigh.
However, the heavy silence between them was short lived as they walked into a loud argument between two digimons along the bank.
"You don't understand! They said they could fix us!" Black Gatomon yelled, her tail lashing around angrily.
The Purple Renamon on the other hand, looked equal parts angry and hurt, "…I want to be purified too, but not like that. They're my friends, my family!
"Everything has a price Renamon, and the price of becoming pure again is for us to cast away our darkness, in your case the village!" Black Gatomon insisted, trying to keep her anger in check.
"Well maybe I don't want to pay this price! I didn't tell you about the village so you could blab on them to the Royal Knights and get them all killed!" Now Renamon was bristling.
Black Gatomon closed her eyes, pained expression evident. "Crusadermon was right…" And with a sigh, the cat digimon curled her paws into a fist, "I'm sorry it had to come down to this…Lightning Paw!"
Not expecting the betrayal, Purple Renamon could do nothing but stare at the imminent attack. Except a few meters behind her, a certain digidestined of courage had a very different idea.
"TAICHI!" Agumon yelled out frantically, but it was no use, the original leader of the Digidestined had pushed Renamon out of the way and took the attack for himself. The impact of the attack, an attack strong enough to topple Greymon, knocked him out immediately, and Taichi fell, limp and motionless into the river.
Taichi and Agumon weren't the only digidestineds drawn to the commotion, Sora and Yamato who were enjoying their casual stroll arrived just in time to watch their best friend get knocked into the river. A stunned Yamato didn't know Sora could react so fast. Before he even recollect himself, Sora had already tore herself from his side and dove in after Taichi. Sora's instantaneous reaction caused Yamato's heart to clench uncomfortably, but there was no time to dwell on that right now. Who knows what hostile digimons rest in that river?
"Gabumon!"
One word, and the furry beast digimon evolved into its elegant wolf-life form. Having been partners for more than a decade, Garurumon didn't need Yamato to tell him what to do. Diving into the river headfirst, the champion digimon fished out a worried Sora and unconscious Taichi in record time.
The rest of the incident was a blur for everyone as Leomon and Ogremon who were walking by ushered the trio to a hut in the village, where Taichi was fussed over by a number of digimon and digidestined.
"He'll be alright," Gennai, who had been called to scene after one frantic breakdown too many, declared. "The holy aura from the digivice protected him from the worst of the attack. He should be regaining consciousness soon." Collective sighs of relief went around the room, but no one was more relieved than Sora, who kneeled by Taichi's makeshift bed, hands tightly clasped over his.
"What's with all the sombre faces guys?" Taichi joked as he opened his eyes to look around the room.
"TAICHI!" "Onii-chan!" Occupants of the room chorused.
And then the waterworks flowed. Hikari, who had been holding back her tears finally gave in and began sobbing uncontrollably in Takeru's arms. Agumon could be seen furiously wiping away his tears. But Sora, Sora looked furious.
Glaring at Taichi, she tightened her grip on the brunette's hand. "I thought I lost you, you idiot!" Then holding Taichi's hand to her forehead, her voice cracked, "Don't, don't ever do that to me again."
Taichi smiled tenderly, and used his other hand to wipe away the tears that were now streaming down Sora's face. "I'm sorry."
The other occupants of the room shuffled around uncomfortably as they watched Sora and Taichi interact; it felt too much like they were intruding on a private moment.
Now that his best friend's no longer in danger, Yamato felt all the emotions he had been surprising rage back into his system. Yamato wasn't blind, he tried to be, but even an idiot could see the love that his best friend and girlfriend shared. Watching the two share the moment, Yamato knew he had lost, or rather, he had been fighting a losing battle all along. Letting out a pained sigh, Yamato made up his mind.
But alas, before he could act on his decision, Wallace just had to ask the million dollar question.
"Um…guys, sorry to interrupt but have any of you seen Natsuhi?"
While everyone was rejoicing over Taichi's miraculous survival, the subject in question was busy enjoying Impmon's companionable silence, until a loud explosion punctured said silence.
"Ho ho ho, so this is where they've been hiding," a shrill voice stated in the distance.
Impmon's eyes snapped open, dread and fear flooding his green orbs. "Fuck!" Jumping to his feet, he made a mad dash for the huts. "We need to evacuate everyone, NOW!"
The urgency in his voice alarmed Natsuhi. As she ran after the digimon, Natsuhi caught a good look at the source of the explosion. The barrier that she had stumbled through was now a smoking hole. "How did they find us!" Impmon muttered as he ran. The fear that tinged his voice had Natsuhi going into fight or flight mode. These weren't normal intruders. Although Impmon had been concerned and wary of her presence, he wasn't afraid when she showed up. Putting two and two together, Natsuhi had only one conclusion.
The Royal Knights.
Thank heavens for small mercies, perhaps because Crusadermon and Dynasmon were aware that the village was composed of nothing more than fresh digimons and an Impmon, they were taking their own sweet time destroying everything in sight. As it was, the two knights casually lobbed energy balls towards the huts, setting this aflame and laughing manically as they did.
"Into the playing blocks, quickly!" Impmon directed the frantic baby digimons. Those that were in their in-training stage had already evacuated into the shelter within the playing blocks with the digi-eggs. Once the last digimon was inside, Natsuhi grabbed a struggling Impmon by the scruff of his collar and ran inside the barrier.
"They're closing in on us," She stated a lot more calmly than she felt.
"There's a protective barrier around the blocks," Impmon gritted out. The rest was left unsaid as they both knew, it was unlikely that the Royal Knights would retreat because of a simple shield. And indeed, the Royal Knights did not.
"A shield. How cute," Crusadermon's voice dripped with false sweetness.
"Dragon's roar!" Dynasmon's much deeper voice cried out.
Natsuhi covered her ears as the attack exploded against barrier, sending large magnitude shockwaves through the shelter. The baby digimons huddled even closer, shuddering in fear. Natsuhi quickly set about pacifying the fearful infants with shushing noises, even though deep down she felt the same.
"A bi-focal shield, I stand corrected. How annoying." Crusadermon amended, his voice losing its cheerful edge.
Impmon's eyes went wide open with fear at that declaration. Without thinking, the rookie digimon ran out of the shelter.
"IMPMON!" Natushi called out. Despite her fear, despite the protests of every muscle in her body, she ran out after him.
Outside, it was a sea of inferno. And standing defiantly against the two Royal Knights was Impmon. "INFERNAL FUNNEL!"
The flames bounced off the two mega digimons harmlessly.
"Oh, look who came out to play? An Impmon!" Crusadermon cooed.
Fury overwhelming fear, Impmon shot out several more streams of the futile attack.
"Impmon!" Natsuhi cried out as she grabbed the small digimon and rolled out of the way of Crusadermon's energy web.
"Oh and a human…you don't seem to be a digidesitined," the pink digimon commented.
Despite all her fear, Natsuhi could feel annoyance creeping up on her. She really has had it with people (or in this case Digimons) pointing out the obvious.
"Human, we have no business with you, leave now and you will walk away with your life," Dynasmon said as he pointed his glowing palm at herself and Impmon.
"Listen to the big guy Gin-iro, this is not your fight," Impmon said as he shoved her out of the way and shot out more useless fireballs. Dynasmon's replied by unlesahing his attack mercilessly. Natsuhi knew Impmon was right, it wasn't her fight. But she wasn't about to turn her back on these babies, on Impmon, on what she thought was right. If she died today, fighting against these mass murderers, she would have no regrets. Well maybe one regret, but Yamato was one regret she was ready to take to her grave anyways.
The moment the smoke from the attack cleared, Natsuhi could feel herself being constricted by Crusadermon's sashes. The ever indifferent part of her mind spared a moment to muse about how uncomfortable it is to be suspended in mid-air. Most of her however, were busy struggling to get free. "Human, I believe my partner has told you to stay out of our way," Crusadermon said, pulling Natsuhi to eye level. "Now you'll have to die along with the little purple nuisance over there," he said with a sick grin, his head rotating at an angle only owls should be able to do.
A million smart comebacks flashed through Natsuhi's mind, but the sashes were crushing her windpipe. Below, Impmon shot out a dozen attacks at Crusadermon in an attempt to free her. "Gin-iro! Let go of her you oversized barbie!"
Dynasmon, unamused as the insult thrown towards his partner teleported himself before Impmon and backhanded him brutally, sending the digimon flying. Crusadermon floated towards the battered body of Impmon and dangled Natsuhi before him. "You care about her, how curious." At that he loosened the sashes on Natsuhi's body. Natsuhi quickly gasped for breath. "You know what," Crusadermon asked no one in particular, a sick grin slowly forming. He threw Natsuhi onto the ground and picked up Impmon with his sashes instead. "I think, you should be punished for making us go to so much trouble just to wipe out a few baby virus digimons," he said with a mock pout.
Then without warning, one of Crusadermon's sashes lashed out, slicing through Natsuhi's jeans and thighs. Blood immediately pooled, dying her blue jeans a dark shade of purple. Natsuhi bit back a scream, it wasn't a deep cut, she knew that much, but fuck did it hurt. Impmon struggled against the bindings but to no avail.
"Yes, struggle, I want to watch you suffer as I torture this girl." Crusadermoon said gleefully. "Spiral Masquerade!"
Awkwardly, Natsuhi tried to doge the attack, but despite her best efforts, she was still sliced up. The attack was obviously purposefully underpowered as the wounds were largely superficial, but if this kept up some more, Natsuhi was very sure she'd either faint or die from blood loss.
Ever the sadist, Crusadermon loosened the sash on Impmon's mouth so that he could hear the pained cries of his subject.
"Gin-iro! Dammit you sick bastard, let her go, your fight is with me!" Impmon yelled.
Dynasmon looked away from the scene but otherwise made no move to stop his partner.
"Hmm…" Crusadermon tapped his chin with a finger, "You know, I think I kind of want to watch you beg. Tell you what, if you beg well enough, I may just let her go."
Impmon looked at Crusadermon with defiant eyes, but another shot at Natsuhi had him quickly changing tunes.
"Please….please let her go." Impmon gritted out.
Natsuhi looked up, alarmed. No, he can't do this. She won't let him.
As if sensing her defiance, the pink knight sent several more lashes her way. Impmon quickly resumed his begging with renewed vigor.
"Please, let her go, I beg you!"
"That's more like it, go on, tell me what a weak, useless virus digimon you are. Nothing more than trash for me to burn, go on now, tell me." Crusadermon urged with a splitting grin.
Apparently self-loathing came easily to Impmon. "I'm a weak useless piece of shit who can't protect anything. I'm just an evil, virus digimon destined to ruin everyone and everyone around me-"
His ran was cut short by a rock smacking his face. Both Impmon and Crusadermon turned to look at the source of the projectile, Natsuhi.
Clothes tattered and bleeding from every limb, Natsuhi stood, wobbling; but her silver eyes were glowing with anger and determination. "You are NOT a useless piece of shit. Who was it who has been looking after all these baby digimons all these time? Who was it who managed to protect them, keep infected newborns from dying? Who was it who created this goddamn village where innocent virus digimon could seek sanctuary? YOU. Evil virus digimon? Ruin everything around you? Get your fucking shit together. You were the ones who have given those digimons a chance at life. You're responsible for them now. There is no time for you to wallow in your fucking self-pity! You have people depending on you! If I want to throw away my life protecting what's right, that's my prerogative. What kind of demon lord are you if you don't have the death of a human or two under your belt!"
Crusadermon, evidently tired of her speech smacked her across the face with his sash at full power, sending her tumbling. Impmon stared at the spot where she was, eyes wide.
Self-pity, was that what he was doing all this time? Wallowing in his own self-pity? Craning his neck, Impmon looked at the playing block that housed the hundreds of baby digimon he has been caring for. If he truly thought all virus digimon deserved to die, why did he fight so hard to make sure the eggs hatched and lived? They were alive because of him…they were his responsibility, and if he wanted to play the world's smallest violin for himself, he'd just have to wait. Finally seeing the foolishness of his ways, Impmon felt the inhibitions that have been chaining him to this useless form fall away. A dark red light shot out from Impmon, blowing Crusadermon and his bindings away.
When the light finally cleared, Dynasmon and Crusadermon were confounded.
"Demon lord Beelzemon!" They two knights quickly got into a defensive stance. Things were now serious.
Not giving time for his enemies to react, Beelzemon fired several shots from his guns, picked up Natsuhi and ran back inside the barrier. The baby digimons shied away from Beelzemon's unfamiliar form, but crowded around him and Natsuhi again when they recognized his voice. "Gin-iro!" Natsuhi looked at him with a crooked smile.
"Not so loud, I just got smacked around. Jesus. Heh, so you are a demon lord," she winced. Beelzemon shook his head wryly and undid the red sash around his arm to bandage her wounds. The peace didn't last long however, within minutes, the Royal Knights were once again pelting the shelter with attacks.
"So what's the plan now?" Natsuhi asked once her pain has subsided to a tolerable level.
Beelzemon looked around the room warily, "If it's one of them, I'm certain I can win. I can probably fight the two of them to a standstill, but they're coming at us from both sides because of how the shield is constructed, and even I can't split myself into two."
Natsuhi nodded and went into her thinking mode. As long as one of the knights were held off long enough for Beelzemon to take one of them down… Natsuhi's eyes trailed to one of Beelzemon's guns and she stared at them pensively. "Do you have attacks that don't use your guns?" She asked suddenly.
Beelzemon stared at her bewilderedly. "Yes," he nodded uncertainly.
"And can anyone fire your guns?" She asked again.
Beelzemon just nodded, trying to figure out what she was getting at. But by the time he figured out what he crazy human before him had in mind, Natsuhi had already grabbed one of his guns and ran off to the opposite end of the shelter, stuck her body out and fired at shot at the Royal Knight on that end.
Natsuhi quickly ducked back in and caught Beelzemon's wide-eyed stare.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing. You're a weird human." Beelzemon finally stated, secretly grateful for her help.
Smirking, Natsuhi snuck out to fire another shot before replying. "I'll take that as a compliment."
A/N: I'm on a roll, so expect the next chapter soon-ish. Anyways, if any of you watched Digimon Frontier, then you'll know that that Royal Knights mentioned in the story are real Digimons. There are supposed to be 13 of them, and their job is to sserve the Gods of the Digital World. In Digimon Frontier, Crusadermon and Dynasmon are bad guys who served the antagonist of the show, so I thought it fitting to have them repeat that role. And yes, this Beelzemon is based on the Beelzemon/Impmon from Digimon Tamers. I'll explain more about everything in the next author's note once this arc is finished. For now it's back to writing! As always, reviews are loved and welcome.
Thanks for reading!3