Tomoki's eyes opened slowly. He thought he was back at home, just waking up from some terrible but forgotten nightmare. See, he thought, there's the mirror by my bed...

Wait...I don't have a mirror in my room..."Huh...Hi..."

"Tomoki!" Hiroki yelled, embracing his friend.

Digicross Frontier Episode 16

'Darkness and Light'

Takuya stepped back, leaving Hiroki and Tomoki to catch up. He still felt miserable about his last ill-conceived plan to stop Duskmon, and was still working up the courage to actually talk to the other children.

"Long time, stranger." Junpei said, clapping a hand on Takuya's shoulder. "I should have known you'd want to wait for a dramatic moment."

"Junpei." Takuya replied, smiling. "Umm...look, about-"

"Forget it. You screwed up, but we're OK now, so I'd say it's even." Junpei shrugged. "And if I killed you," he added conspiratorially, "Izumi-chan would never forgive me, right?"

"Give me a break." Takuya sighed. "Look, where's...Is Kouji alright?"

"Resting, with Sneasel keeping an eye on him. Give him half an hour. That Double Spirit thing took a lot out of him. But I guess you know about that."

"Yeah, you could say that. Let me fill you in...hey, where's Ryoko? I thought she'd be glued to Kouji's bedside or something."

"Where else?" Junpei shrugged. "Shopping."

Junpei's remark, while a bit crude (alright, sexist. -ed), was technically accurate. Izumi, wearing a spare set of Ryoko's clothes, was standing inside a tailor's shop, being measured by a Tailmon (who objected strongly to Ryoko's 'oh, look, it's a Gatomon' comment. -ed). "Are you sure..." Izumi hazarded. After her fight with Dark Mermaimon, her regular outfit was badly damaged, resulting in several unpleasant (and slightly embarrassing) rips. "It's completely ruined?"

"I'm afraid so." Tailmon sighed. "About the only thing undamaged was the hat, and you don't need that. No, I think we're looking at a complete fashion makeover!"

"I liked that hat..." Izumi protested, but Tailmon would have none of it. Glancing at Ryoko, she asked "Did Hiroki...umm..."

Ryoko laughed. "Come ON, Izumi. He was the perfect gentleman. He had an emergency blanket in his pack, and covered you with that until he was able to get Takuya and me down."

"I know. It sounds silly..."

"Forget it. Besides, this is Hiroki we're talking about. If it were Takeru, I might be worried."

"That's not funny!"

"Hold still!" Tailmon growled, fussing with a tape measure.

Tomoki was sitting upright in bed now, listening as Hiroki recounted all of the adventures that he and Ryoko had had since he had seen them last. "I remember...was I really Grottomon?" Tomoki asked quietly. Hiroki nodded. "It's all blurry. Did I hurt a lot of other people?"

"I don't know." Hiroki replied, throwing a quick glare at Armadillomon, who was about to say something.

"I remember fighting Duskmon, then " Tomoki doubled over as the memories came rushing back. Hiroki reached down and grabbed a bucket under the bed, using it for its intended purpose. After a few minutes, Tomoki had recovered enough. "Sorry. I guess I really let you down."

Hiroki shook his head. "You couldn't do that if you tried, Tomoki."

"Still...I don't know if I can evolve again...what if I lose control? What if I hurt you or Ryoko?"

"You won't." Hiroki replied, fiercely. "If Mercuremon tries again, Armormon and I will send him running." His look softened, and he added, "But if you want...I can carry your D-scanner for a while. Until you're ready to use it again."

Elsewhere

Cherubimon considered blasting Mercuremon out of existence. Ranamon was gone. So were Arbormon and Grottomon. Duskmon had been beaten, BADLY, and nearly destroyed. And those humans were now back to full strength, and two more of them had learned how to Double Spirit Evolve. HOW? Furious, he regarded Mercuremon, locked inside a crystalline cylinder, bolts of energy coursing through and around him. He had managed to recover Mercuremon's Beast Spirit from his lab, and toyed with it, considering.

"They are coming for you soon, Cherubimon." the voice said. "And they know Duskmon's secret. Or they will, soon enough."

"Let them come. Duskmon shall be restored. Even he," Cherubimon indicated Mercuremon, "shall have a role to play."

"Yes, he looks ever so terrifying like that. You have two soldiers, both brought low. They have seven, nine if you count the two out world humans, and are recovering. Perhaps I should-"

"Should what?" Cherubimon demanded. "Finish me and you will have no one to give you your precious data! No one else knows of our deal, and if I fall, you will linger for ages before another like me comes along. Master." he spat.

"Ah. There's the fire I remember. I shall give you this last assistance, Cherubimon. Fail me again, and I shall leave you to the humans. Give me the Beast Spirit of Steel." Cherubimon did so, tossing the Spirit into the field of light. "Now, look to the north, angel."

Looking out the window in the indicated direction, Cherubimon saw a large tower appear. It was green and red, metal glinting in the fading sunlight. "Behold Sephirotmon." the voice said. "Place Duskmon in the topmost chamber, then leave your strongest guards around him. Surely that will draw the humans there. The rest I leave to you." the field of light, sand the voice, vanished.

Kouji came to, everything a blur. He could make out someone or something moving beside him, and saw a reddish shape hovering over him. "R...Ryoko..."

"Sorry." Takuya answered, startling Kouji. "But Sneasel did go to get her." He sat down by the bed. "I saw the last of the fight against Duskmon. Awesome work."

"He tried to turn Ryoko into..." Kouji winced, realizing that he probably shouldn't have said that.

"I heard. Look, I just wanted...I'm sorry, alright? I blew it big time against Duskmon the last time we fought him. I thought it was a game, even when you told me it wasn't."

Kouji glowered at him for a second, then laid back. "Well, I can beat you up later. How did you survive?"

"I nearly didn't. Although I did learn how to Double Spirit Evolve from Netto Hikari and Rockman."

Kouji looked at Takuya oddly. "Right. Well, I guess I won't kill you until I get that story out of you, then. Are you apologizing to everyone, then?"

"Yeah." Takuya shrugged. "So far, it's all I can do."

"Well, how do I look?" Izumi asked, a bit uncertain.

Ryoko sized Izumi's new outfit up. Izumi was now wearing knee-length shorts, a white T-shirt, and a blue hooded long-sleeved jacket. She had kept her shoes and socks; they were undamaged, and Tailmon had been defeated by the concept of proper arch support. "Not bad." Ryoko said after a minute. "And Tailmon was right; you do look better without the hat. I'd kill for hair like that."

"Really?" Izumi said, unconsciously running her hand through her hair.

"Izumi?" Izumi turned around, and saw Tomoki and Hiroki. "Wow. You look great." Tomoki went on.

"Well, Hiroki?" Ryoko asked. "Don't worry, I won't tell Hitomi."

Hiroki was half way through stammering a reply when Junpei looked in. "Hey, looking sharp, Izumi-chan." he said.

"Down boy." Izumi replied.

"Ryoko." Sneasel called, also entering the shop. "Kouji's awake."

"Oh, I've GOT to see this." Junpei grinned. Ryoko smacked him as she left.

Kouji had managed to sit up in his bed, and felt like he could stand within the next few minutes, as long as no one breathed on him. Okay, feet over the edge of the bed, hands on the bed, ready to push uuuup...With a little effort, Kouji managed to stand. "You OK?" Takuya asked.

"I'll manage. Just don't startle me."

Ryoko entered the tent first. "Kouji-" she breathed. Kouji took that cue to fall down, landing in a heap by the bed. Ryoko ran over and helped him up. "You should still be resting." she admonished. "I-" she trailed off, their eyes meeting. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds.

"Oh, for a camera." Junpei sighed, having entered the tent just after Ryoko. This broke the mood, and had the amusing effect of making both Ryoko and Kouji blush and glare daggers at Junpei.

"You have no romance." Izumi huffed, elbowing Junpei. She was doing her best not to laugh as she said that.

Kouji blinked. "Izumi?" he asked, not recognizing her for a second.

"That's me! So, how do you like the new look?" Izumi answered, twirling in place. "But don't look too long. Ryoko is right there." she added mischievously.

"Izumi!" Ryoko gasped, blush deepening.

"I just realized." Hiroki spoke up. "Everyone's back together now!" That lightened the mood considerably.

"So, now what?" Takuya asked. Do we keep going, or go home?"

"Well, I think some of us have a score to settle with Cherubimon, right?" Junpei answered. "Besides, I'd hate to leave this whole fight unfinished, y'know?" Tomoki nodded a bit hesitantly. "Besides, I want to try that Double Spirit thing too. I bet my new form will be really cool!"

"More like a big dumb ox." Izumi sighed, feigning annoyance. "Now Beowulfmon, THAT was cool." Armadillomon said. "Not as neat as Armormon, mind."

"Well, Takuya's form was impressive." Sneasel countered. "Though I didn't quite recognize the styling."

"Yeah." Junpei said. "It looked like a Style Change from Rockman.EXE."

"In a way, it was." Takuya replied. "I'll tell you all about it."

Having left Mercuremon to his torment, Cherubimon entered Sephirotmon's top chamber, and looked at his last warrior. Duskmon seemed to writhe as power flowed through him, a curious combination of white and black streams of energy. A few times, Duskmon faded out, to be replaced with another, smaller form. Then Duskmon's body returned, slightly altered.

"You will no longer be a mere Hybrid of Darkness." Cherubimon muttered. "You will strike those fools down in my name."

No, in my name, another voice said, though Cherubimon did not hear it. You will not be a mere warrior. You will be my shadow on this world. My swords, my light, and my darkness.

Soon, Kouichi Kimura. Soon you will see your brother again...and you will defeat him this time.

Unseen by both tyrants, Duskmon's figure twitched, as more power was given to him.

"Wow." Tomoki gasped. "You actually MET them?"

Takuya nodded. "Yeah. It was weird, but...well, fun. And Ryoko?" Ryoko looked up. "Takeru was...everything you said he'd be."

"Diplomatic." Sneasel commented.

"Well, I am trying to be a little more sensitive, y'know? Look, I have to talk to Kouji for a second and...it's kind of personal." Confused, but sensing something in Takuya's voice, everyone else left. Ryoko stood up, but stopped as Kouji tightened his grip on her hand.

Ryoko glanced at Kouji, confused. "Kouji? Maybe I shouldn't..."

"I...I want you here." was his only reply.

"It's pretty heavy." Takuya warned. Ryoko glanced at Sneasel, who nodded and left, stopping to help shoo Armadillomon away from the door.

After a minute, Takuya nodded. "Kouji...do you have a brother?"

Confused, Kouji shook his head. "No...I don't see-"

"Actually...you do."

Next Episode

The Chosen Children set out again, more determined than ever to fight Cherubimon. But a sudden attack separates them, and Tomoki is forced to Spirit Evolve and battle again. Has his heart recovered from the torture he was forced to endure, or will he be defeated by Death Meramon? next time on Digicross Frontier, episode 17:

-"Rise, Angel of Winter! Yuki Angemon!"