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The Keeper of Worlds) I'M HAPPY THAT YOU THINK SO!
Guest 01) Knight Templar, he certainly is. However, he's also a Jerkass/mild Strawman With A Point in that while Raya is strongly Affably Evil, she's also evil, by our standards. For comfirmation of the fact, look to how it all started. Or to Windward, if you would prefer that.
RideItLikeYouStoleIt) Might I recommend starting with Tamers? Ask, and ye shan't receive... Really? Out of... Tamers/partners... carry the Koji... Add the Digidestined/partners, and subtract my punctured lung ... Multiply by Saial/Raya... 15 characters, your favorite is the Affably-Evil Cloudcuckoolander? It's understandable.
Maybe I shouldn't be writing the chapters concurrently...
The Mansion, Bedroom of the Digidestined.
In a bed by the far wall of the room lay TK, who eyed the other five, sleeping in beds a distance away with something akin to exasperation and annoyance. Four beds away, in the row by the other wall by the door was Davis and Veemon, snoring loudly, entirely unconcerned with the hazardous situation, TK noted with mild consternation.
Five and six beds away on the same row as himself respectively rested Kari and Gatomon. Flitting around the bedroom was Patamon. "What kind of mess have they gotten me into this time?" TK wondered. Didn't they realize how dangerous that LadyDevimon was? If he and Patamon hadn't watched over them all night, they could've been killed!
Slowly, Veemon started to stir, followed by Davis two minutes later, then Gatomon ten minutes later and lastly, Kari after five minutes. "So, what's the plan?" Kari tentatively asked, unsure of what else to say or ask.
"The logical, and morally right, thing to do would be to kill her, and leave," TK drawled.
"TK, you know that's not why we came here," Davis shot back.
"It's what we should do," TK exclaimed, startling Gatomon with his sudden change of tone. "How many? How many innocent Digimon do you really think that LadyDevimon has killed? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Why won't you just let her die already?!"
"TK, you know as well as we do that our assignment here was to survey the situation, not start a fight," Davis responded, apologetically. "And secondly, if we attack her unprovoked, wouldn't that make us worse than her?"
"I can't believe you!" TK shouted in frustration. "Whose side are you on, mine or hers?!"
"Yours, TK," Kari softly answered, greatly surprised that he would even ask after all this time. "Always yours..."
"Thank you, Kari... I really appreciate that..." TK said quietly. "So what is the plan? Just go around and ask everyone what they plan to do?"
"Sounds like a plan, since we have no better ones," Davis answered. TK stared disbelievingly at him, wondering whether he was serious.
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Shortly afterwards, Kari entered the fourth floor of the left library, where Takato was reading a purple-bound book. Takato was a bit alarmed at the brunette's suddenly tense expression, but he decided that it might be best to leave it to Davis or TK.
Kari cringed inwardly. Back in their world, Takato had been a close friend, and seeing him, any version of him, was never easy for her to cope with, as it only reminded her of times past and lost friends... "Can we talk?" The brunette asked quietly, sniffing slightly, holding back tears.
Takato wasn't sure why this Kari seemed so emotional, but surmised that was either due to her having known the Takato of her world, or it simply being her personality. "Of course. What about?"
"Why do you feel so comfortable about living with that LadyDevimon?" Kari asked slowly. "Don't you realize that she's evil?"
"I do..." Takato conceded after a pause. "I suppose that I've been overlooking that, mainly because I'm not really interested in fighting anymore. And besides, she's been nothing but friendly and polite."
Kari couldn't argue with the latter argument, as it was true. Indeed, compared to literally every other Myotismon, DemiDevimon, Devimon, LadyDevimon, NeoDevimon, Mummymon and Arukenimon she had met over the years, her demeanor was more reminiscent of GranDracmon's than a demon's. She even reminded the girl of that Mummymon that Oikawa had created with his own DNA over twenty years prior. "But, do you really think that she hasn't killed any innocent Digimon? Or will you just tell me that it doesn't matter because you haven't seen her do it?"
Takato gave a simple sigh in exasperation, or something similar to it. It wasn't that he disagreed with Kari, but he didn't much like the idea of attacking someone unprovoked. Though, he wondered what exactly had happened to make Kari so bitter and angry; even Rika at her worst hadn't been quite that bad off... "You're right, Kari, and I can't really argue otherwise."
"Then..." Kari whispered. "Stay out of our way, while we kill her."
Takato gave an apologetic look. "No, I won't. I'm not going to let you kill a Digimon in cold blood, no matter the circumstances."
"Takato, it's necessary!" Kari angrily shot back. "Or would you rather prefer that she kills more Digimon first? Or Henry, or Guilmon, or Rika, or Terriermon or Renamon?"
Takato glared at her for the latter question. "We've been here for over two weeks, and none of us are dead. She's had ample opportunity to kill us if she wanted."
"Look, let's just drop it, we're not going to reach an agreement on this," Kari grumbled. "Actually, there's something else I wanted to talk you about..." She continued, her tone softening, and gaining a hint of discomfort, even outright pain.
"What is it?" Takato quietly asked. Kari tensed visibly, wondering if she even should tell him this. True, it wasn't Takato as she remembered him best, but it was still Takato. She leaned back against the wall, and let herself fall to the floor.
"I'm immortal," Kari whispered almost imperceptibly. Takato responded with a surprised look, figuring that it made some strange sense for immortal versions of the Digidestined to arrive here; birds of a feather flocked together, or so he remembered the expression. Kari supposed that she couldn't fault him for not quite understanding the concept. "I've looked this way, the same damn way, for about twenty years..."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Takato said, sitting down beside her. "Really, I know what that's like..."
"You do?" Kari responded, more than a bit surprised. If he was immortal, that likely meant that the Henry and Rika of his group were as well. Had something like... That... happened to them too? "So, how long've you been alive, then?"
"About a hundred years," Takato replied indifferently, honestly not caring about a trivial detail like how long he'd been alive. Kari stared incredulously at him. A hundred years?! It was... It was mindboggling! She couldn't imagine being herself being alive that long, couldn't imagine wanting to be alive that long.
"H-ho-how?!" Kari stammered, while Takato sighed inwardly at earning the same reaction from Koji as Kari was now giving him. "How could you possibly keep going after so long?!"
Takato gave no other response than a soft, weary smile. "I've had my friends with me." Kari gaped in incredulity. Simply that couldn't be how he'd weathered all those years, could it?
A hundred years... Twelve-hundred months... Over five-thousand weeks... Over thirtysix-thousand days... Over forty million minutes... More than three billion seconds...
Takato could seriously keep going after so long, just because he'd had them with him along the way?! It was unreal to think about. "It's not fair..." Kari whispered, so quietly that Takato almost didn't hear her. "Immortality holds nothing but weariness for me, Gatomon, TK, Patamon, Davis and Veemon. And you're seriously telling me... That you want to keep on living?"
"I'm sorry, but yes..." Takato replied glumly. The two spent a few minutes in awkward silence, Kari trying to think of other questions for him.
"Takato, is... Is it really normal to feel so bored and tired of living, after only twenty years?" Kari apprehensively asked. Takato winced inwardly, as he couldn't pretend that those feelings were unknown to him. Indeed, he even felt that way every once in a while.
"... It happens in several cases, I'll say that much," Takato answered, after a short pause.
"I have another question for you," Kari slowly asked, musing that she really shouldn't be so open with him, as this wasn't the same Takato who had been a friend and confidante so long ago; that Takato was long dead... "Look, I feel silly for asking this, but have you ever been in love with Henry and... Rika? At the same time, I mean?"
Takato sighed inwardly. While immortality had its benefits, it also had its downsides, and this, having the same basic conversation near-endlessly, was one of them. "More often than you realize..."
His response surprised Kari a bit. Though she knew it to be an awful notion to think of, she just couldn't think of anything about the red-head that would make her good girlfriend-material for someone like Takato, but she supposed that he knew a sweeter side of Rika than she did.
"And how did you guys resolve that love-triangle?" Kari inquired, her voice laced with a hint of urgency. "Who did you get together with?"
Much to Kari's confusion, Takato gave her an unreadable look. "More than once, I got together with both of them, but that's likely not the answer you wanted..."
"B-Both of them?!" Kari stammered, her eyes wide with shock. "I'm sorry, but that's... That's just sick, Takato..."
"Maybe it is," Takato conceded, shrugging his shoulders, his tone making it apparent that her objections wouldn't have much influence on the matter.
"How could something like that even work?!" Kari asked, visibly disturbed at the notion.
"It never does..." Takato wistfully answered. It wasn't until then that Kari understood the reality of the situation.
"It... It never lasts between you guys?" Kari whispered, concerned for the boy.
"Never," Takato affirmed, his tone stern. "Not between any of us..."
"And you still want to stay alive?!" Kari exclaimed, her voice thick with disbelief.
"Yeah, I do," Takato answered simply.
"Why?" Kari demanded.
"Because to me, Guilmon, Henry, Rika, Terriermon and Renamon... They're worth living for..." Takato softly told her. Kari couldn't help but smile, as it was the sweetest thing she'd heard in a long while...
Since their endless vigil began, in fact...
"Wow..." Kari murmured. "If only I had someone like that..."
"You do," Takato responded, wondering why she needed him to point it out to her. Kari promptly gave him a befuddled look. "Gatomon, TK, Patamon, Davis and Veemon? Aren't they important to you?"
Kari sighed. "They are, but... We're barely friends anymore, since TK went off the deep end... It's not fair..." At the point, Kari lost what little composure she retained, and began crying, much to Takato's surprise and discomfort, as he had absolutely no clue what to say to girls in these situations. "What else do I have to do, how much more do I have to sacrifice, to get the same sort of bond with them, as you have with your group?!" She tearfully demanded.
"No, Kari, it isn't fair, and I can't say it is..." Takato whispered softly. "But, look, it will get better, soon..."
"When is 'soon'?" Kari sniffled, her voice coarse. Wasn't twenty years enough time for Takato's vague, 'soon'?
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Two floors up, Davis, Veemon and Angewomon was deeply engrossed in their own discussion. "We'll keep that to ourselves, if you don't mind..." Davis glumly told the angel, who nodded. It wasn't as though it was something that particularly concerned her, she mused.
"I suppose that to be reasonable," Saial conceded, though she would have liked to know what had caused this TK Takaishi to stray and sour like he had...
"One final question, though," Veemon added to the intrigued angel. "What exactly is the connection between you and... Raya?"
"That particular story spans almost sixty years of history, and takes place along a long and winding road," Saial responded, her voice gaining a strong sense of nostalgia with each word. "Yes, a long and winding road indeed..."
"I lied," Veemon grinned sheepishly. "I have another question."
"Ask away to your heart's content," Saial smiled brightly. "I shall do my best to answer."
"Do you really love that LadyDevimon?" Veemon apprehensively asked. Saial's smile dropped; she couldn't exactly fault the small blue creature for asking, but it still wasn't a question she much appreciated.
"I... I cannot say that I do not," Saial reluctantly admitted.
"How did that happen?!" Veemon exclaimed.
"The heart wants what it wants," Saial simply answered. "You may as well ask why we are alive. Were you to give me a thousand years to ponder the matter, perhaps I might have an answer, perhaps not..."
"Yeah," Veemon softly murmured. He could only agree with the angel's sentiment. Assuming the discussion to be over as Veemon and Davis went upstairs, Saial returned to her book, 'Izumi Orimoto: Earth-two-hundred and forty-seven, timelines five-hundred-through-five hundred and fifty'.
Like that 'Earth-Zero' book she hadn't been able to find since the second day, Izumi was listed as having a Unified Spirit Evolution in about twelve of the thirty of the book's alleged timelines she'd read so far, though here it was interchangeably TycoonSilphymon, the destructive force of a hurricane incarnate, and HurricaneKazemon, who had all wind on her side.
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Currently, Olegmon was watching the fighting from his ship with more than slightly displeasure. What was supposed to have been a routine raid of a desolate village in the Gold Land had been complicated greatly by some powerful upstarts.
One was a tall man in red, black and golden armor, who had announced himself as Aldamon, and was currently flying around and flinging fireballs at the ocean, engaged in combat with seven of his MarineDevimon, who deftly avoided his attacks.
Another was a small bear made of ice, clad in green boots and body-armor, who had declared him to be Kumamon, standing somewhat unsteadily and fighting three of his Depthmon to a standstill, launching snowballs from his grenade launcher.
On a nearby rock-formation, a purple-and-bronze-plated eyeless beetle of some variety, was facing off with about ten Scorpiomon, shooting lightning-blasts at them.
Behind him, he heard a slight creaking of the floorboard, indicating a visitor. He turned around to face the intruder, and was met with an unusual sight.
The intruder was visibly female, and stood at an impressive height, considering her slender build, as well as being clad entirely in white fabric, leaving not a spot of skin revealed. Unlike the remaining body, her mouth, nose and chin was coated in purple fabric, and her eyes bright blue.
She didn't look like much, Olegmon decided, but he knew well that looks could be deceiving, and decided to test the stranger.
"DUAL TOMAHAWK!" Olegmon roared, and flung his golden axes at the armor-clad person one after the other. Zoe eyed them disinterestedly, deflecting them with no particular difficulty, sending them into the ocean, where they made an audible splash. "Well, now this should prove amusing!" He declared boisterously, charging at her.
Zoe briefly wondered why everyone decided to fight rather than leave peacefully, as he swung his clenched fists at her.
Olegmon stared in shock when the armored female blocked his fists with her hands, with seemingly no damage sustained and no visible discomfort, which he knew to be impossible. He immediately realized why that was, when he felt a gust of wind emanating from her hands, less like it was being projected directly at him, and more like it was being projected outwards in all directions.
"I don't suppose you would be open to reasoned discourse?" Olegmon muttered half-heartedly.
"Talk all you want. I'll turn to more solid arguments," TycoonSilphymon succintly informed him, tightening her grip on his fists, flinging the golden-clad Digimon up, then down into the floorboard, cracking it slightly, followed by another turn up, down and further damaged floorboard, Olegmon groaning in pain all the while. Lastly, she swung around with him in her grasp, throwing him into the mast.
Olegmon groaned loudly, as he got up to face his opponent. "That's quite some strength you have," He chuckled. "However, you have no finesse to go with that formidable strength, do you?"
"No, but I don't need any either to beat you," TycoonSilphymon boasted. Before Olegmon couldn't react in the slightest, she was in front of him, delivering a flurry of punches to his exposed flesh. The gold-plated Digimon promptly collapsed, his feet dissolving into data.
"Well," Olegmon said calmly with a faint smile on his face, though his breathing was heavy, surprising Zoe. "If this is the fate that was intended for me, then... Dammit, you... That was very good indeed..." Zoe watched with shock and disbelief as his body dispersed into data, reforming into an egg, shooting off towards the horizon.
He had died without any sign of fear or discomfort, Zoe mused. Most of the Digimon they fought cursed their fates, either dying screaming, or struggling to live, but he hadn't... Could she do that as well? She wanted to believe but some nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her otherwise.
To quote Shakespeare, 'That's All, Folks'.