Ryoko looked at the solid wall of darkness in front of her. "Well, it's dark."
"Hence the name." Bokomon said, trying to sound confident (and failing miserably). "Ophanimon's castle is in there, somewhere. If we follow the Trailmon tracks, we should be okay."
Tomoki looked a little scared. "Think we'll run into Duskmon again?"
"We are stronger now, but I hope not." Takuya frowned. Please, don't let me blow this again, he silently prayed. "At least we know what's inside. And there's only one evil hybrid left, right?"
"Two. Don't forget, Mercuremon's still alive, too." Kouji was staring intently at the wall of darkness. "And my brother," he added quietly. "Well, let's go." He walked into the wall of darkness and vanished, Ryoko only a second behind him. Sneasel hesitated for a second, then followed as well. After him, the rest of the digidestined followed.
Junpei was the last to enter. "Well, looks like I'm the last again."
Digicross Frontier Episode 18
'-Beast of Love's burden! Rhino Kabuterimon!'
KnightCheetahmon created by Cave Cat
Junpei was looking around at...well, not much, really. The darkness seemed even more overwhelming then the last time he was in it. And there was Duskmon...
His mind flashed back to the fight with the dark hybrid. Wait, 'fight' was too generous a word. 'one-sided slaughter' was closer to the mark. You're stronger now, Junpei told himself. Even if you still can't double spirit evolve.
"Hey!" Junpei started as someone grabbed him. "The track goes that way," Izumi said, slightly annoyed. "What, were you staring off into space or something?"
"Huh? Uhh...yeah. Just staring," Junpei stammered.
"Well...just don't wander off, alright?" Izumi started to say something else, stopped herself, then headed back to the rest of the group. Junpei stared after her for a few seconds, then ran back over.
They were right, Junpei realized. Her hair does look nicer without the hat. Now if only I could say that without making myself look like an idiot.
"Did you say something," Tomoki asked, glancing at Junpei.
"Me? No. Not a thing, really."
"Oh. 'Cause it sounded like you wanted to tell someone something." Tomoki wasn't looking, but Junpei could almost hear the grin. Ahead of the two, Izumi stopped, shuddered, then moved on.
The sound of battle reached the group about five awkwardly-silent minutes later. Angemon picked it up first, anticipating a botched ambush. He, Takuya, Kouji, and, surprisingly for everyone, Junpei, went ahead before anyone else could say anything.
It was they that first saw it. Junpei had seen a Wargreymon once, back during that whole Trailmon race debacle. This looked a bit like Wargreymon, but the being wearing the armor was closer to a cheetah than a giant dinosaur. He was engaged in combat with a large silvery dinosaur and two smaller green...metal rabbits?
Ryoko caught up. "Machinedramon." She shuddered, remembering the stories of the Dark Masters her mom had told her.
Bokomon stuck his head out. "No, that's MugenDramon. One of Cherubimon's lieutenants in the original war!"
"Does it matter," Junpei asked, slightly annoyed. "But who's the big cat?"
Bokomon paged through his book. "KnightCheetahmon. A noble warrior of great power and skill, one of the few Beast digimon to resist Cherubimon's call to arms. But what's he doing here?"
"Probably the same thing we're doing." Takuya's eyes narrowed. "Going after Cherubimon. Let's help him!" There were several cries of 'Double Spirit Evolution', and the Chosen Children charged into battle. Junpei watched, a bit enviously, as Yuki Angemon and Jet Sylphimon flew overhead, followed by Armormon and Kyuukimon.
He shook it off. Had to at least try, he decided. "Spirit Evolution...Bolgmon!" Cannons blazing, the Thunder hybrid charged in.
Aldamon, Beowolfmon, and Jet Sylphimon had already started in on Machinedramon, allowing KnightCheetahmon to fall back and recover. Bolgmon pivoted slightly, chose one of the Rapidmon as his targets, and stormed in, hand cannons blasting away. One of the Rapidmon fell under the assault, and devolved back to a small dog-type digimon, and bolted off, terrified. "Yeah! Who's the man!" His victory chant was cut off as the second Rapidmon spun and launched a hail of missiles at Bolgmon.
"Not this time, pal!" Knight Cheetahmon snarled, intercepting the attack with his shield. "Thunder Blade!" The second Rapidmon was cut in two, and disintegrated, digiegg flying away.
"Thanks!" Bolgmon called, taking aim at MugenDramon.
"Enough of this. We'll meet again, fools!" MugenDramon fired several covering blasts from his cannons, then retreated.
"You're not...urgh..." The feline knight collapsed.
5 minutes later
"We founded our city in secret, here on the edge of the Dark Continent. At first, there was our lord, Pidmon, and a few of his followers. Now, we are waiting for the best time to strike at Cherubimon and free Lady Ophanimon." Knight Cheetahmon flinched as his bad leg touched the ground. "My thanks. Though I confess, I had expected the Hybrids to have all come under Cherubimon's power by now." He glanced at Hiroki and Ryoko. "And I do not recognize you."
Angemon nodded "They are humans. In fact, the five Hybrids here have been fighting Cherubimon for some time. For they too are humans."
Takuya was the first to switch back to his human form. "I'm glad not everyone's an enemy here." Kouji, Tomoki, Izumi and Junpei also switched back.
"Humans." KnightCheetahmon gasped. "So, the legendary warriors are not of this world. Lord Pidmon will be pleased. With your help, we may be able to end this and go home." Sneasel stared at KnightCheetahmon. "Something troubles you?"
"Yes." the pokemon replied. "This might sound odd, but I feel as if we have met."
Knight Cheetahmon shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I do not think so. I have spent most of my life in Seraphimon's service."
Bokomon let out a half-strangled squawk. "You...you're SkullCheetahmon, aren't you?"
The massive cat digimon looked at Bokomon. "Bokomon...it IS you! I had feared you were lost when Cherubimon attacked Seraphimon!" He glanced at Neemon. "And I see you are still with him, too, Neemon."
"It beats sleeping. But not by much." Neemon shrugged. KnightCheetahmon seemed to want to say more, but stopped.
Junpei was intrigued. "So, you knew Seraphimon?"
"Yes. I served him and the Royal Knights when I was SkullCheetahmon. After the battle, I fought long and hard, and managed to evolve myself to my current level." He stopped, staring at Angemon and Sneasel. "Wait...you carry Lord Seraphimon's Digicode! But...is he truly gone?"
"I am afraid so. The Hybrids under Cherubimon's control slew him." Bokomon bowed his head. "Before he passed on, he gave his digicode to Angemon, who himself shared it with Sneasel, the better to protect it."
"I see he chose well. As have the spirits you used today, humans. Come, the city is hidden this way."
"Wait!" Junpei said. "Look, tracks!"
"Tankmon tracks." Bokomon frowned. "I assume that MugenDramon employs Tankmon as part of his troops?" KnightChetahmon nodded slowly. "Then we should hurry." Turning to the humans, Bokomon explained "Tankmon are especially vicious and destructive, and that goes double for Tankmon raised here on the Dark Continent. They must have found the city."
The Hidden City
They made it to the outskirts of the city in minutes. The could make out the main door, around which a small army of Tankmon were assembled. "The battle I fought must have been a diversion," KnightCheetahmon mused.
"We'll take 'em," Junpei boasted.
"Be careful, human-"
"Hey, there's only 20 of them. Spirit Evolution...Blitzmon!" With a cry, Blitzmon shot out, laying into the attacking digimon.
"That idiot...Double Spirit Evolution...Aldamon!" "Beowolfmon!" The red and silver hybrids followed the Thunder hybrid into battle.
"What is with him," Izumi groaned, taking her D-scanner out."
KnightCheetahmon looked puzzled. "Why was his evolution different from the others?"
"Oh, he just hasn't learned how to double spirit evolve yet." Tomoki thought about it for a second. "Wasn't he the same way just before he found the first Thunder spirit?"
Izumi managed to look worried and annoyed at the same time. "He's jealous?"
"Understandable." KnightCheetahmon nodded, satisfied. "When I started my service to Seraphimon, I felt insecure when I met the Royal Knights for the first time."
"How did you deal with it," Tomoki asked.
"I got over it and did my job." With that, Knight Cheetahmon drew his blade. "Come, let us defend my home!"
If anything, the battle with the Tankmon went even faster than the one against the two Rapidmon went. Part of it was the fact that, even with the numbers in their favour, the Tankmon attacking the city did not have the sheer power or ferocity (in Junpei's case) to match their attackers.
Blitzmon landed, giving a thumbs up to Jet Sylphimon (who sighed and tried to ignore it), started to say something, then passed out. His last thoughts were of the odd smell that reminded him of that sleeping herb the Candmon had used on them when they were just starting this whole adventure. When Tomoki found his first Ice spirit.
Wait...sleeping herb?
"Ah NUTS..." Thud.
Jail cell inside The Hidden City
Junpei came to first, trying to shake the cobwebs out of his head. "A jail cell. Terrific." Checking his pockets, he wasn't surprised to find his D-scanner missing. He heard groans. Looking around, he saw that they were all in separate jail cells. "Don't anyone even THINK of blaming me for this."
"Too late," Takuya replied groggily. "Captured?"
Junpei nodded. "Yep."
"D-scanners gone?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Well, that's a relief. I thought we might be in trouble." Somehow, Junpei felt a bit of Takuya's optimism. Sure, their D-scanners were gone, but Sneasel and Armadillomon alone could take this place apart in record time. And those digivices on Ryoko and Hiroki's arm couldn't be removed short of cutting their arms off.
"Sneasel? Where are you?" The worry in Ryoko's voice killed the glimmer of hope Junpei was trying to generate. "Okay. Now we're in trouble," Junpei sighed, wondering what to do next.
"It's not just them," Kouji called to the others. "Bokomon, Neemon, Sorcerimon and Angemon are missing too."
"We have liberated them from your foul grasp, agents of Cherubimon." an imperious voice said. The door swung open (in depressingly stereotypical fashion, Junpei sourly thought) and several figures strode in.
Junpei mistook the speaker for Angemon for a second. Then he noticed that it had two birdlike wings, instead of the smaller, more numerous wings of Angemon. It was also carrying a thinner staff, more like a wand, with a crescent on top of it. "Pidmon," Junpei croaked, remembering him from the Trailmon race some time ago.
"So, you know of us? No matter, evil ones. We will learn everything you know. Co-operate, and we will be lenient."
Takuya's eyes almost bugged out. "Evil? We saved this place from those Tankmon!"
"Clearly a ruse to gain our trust. Our enemies have no qualms about sacrificing their own to win."
Junpei frowned. "What about KnightCheetahmon? We saved his life too! And Bokomon and Neemon! And Angemon and Sorcerimon?"
"Clearly, you have bewitched them!" Pidmon's staff rapped the door to Junpei's cell. "Now keep a civil tongue, lackey!"
Junpei was about to tell Pidmon where he could stick that staff when Hiroki spoke up. "Where are Armadillomon and Sneasel?"
"Are you deaf as well as evil? We will break whatever demonic hold you have over those digimon."
There was some grumbling, then a few shouts. KnightCheetahmon grabbed one of Pidmon's followers, slammed him into the ceiling, and confronted the angel. "What is the meaning of this, Lord Pidmon? They are not Cherubimon's servants, surely you can see that!"
"Are you questioning me?" Pidmon's wings flickered red.
KnightCheetahmon's hand strayed near his sword. "Yes I am."
"Fool. Between you, Cherubimon, and MugenDramon, this town will fall!"
"Then let us prove it!" Kouji challenged. "Let us go and take care of MugenDramon!"
An unpleasant sneer crossed Pidmon's mouth. "You think me a fool? Very well then. You-" he aimed his wand at Junpei, and the door opened. "Go with this idealistic fool, KnightCheetahmon, and come back with Mugendramon's head."
Junpei waited at the door of his cell. "Well, can I at least have my D-Scanner back?" Pidmon opened his mouth to reply, but wasn't given a chance. "Look, you think all hybrids are evil? You still have my friends, I'm no match for all of you. Surely, a just and wise digimon like yourself wouldn't send me on such a challenge without at least some chance of winning it, right?"
Junpei's flattery had some effect on Pidmon. "Say on."
Junpei took a deep breath, hoped that he really did take after his mother, and started speaking. "MugenDramon is a threat. I would have a better chance of ending this threat if I had my D-scanner with me. Clearly, you still have some trust in KnightCheetahmon, as you are letting him go with me."
"He is a fool but he is...loyal to this city. Agreed. But do not cross me, or your accomplices will curse your name before they die." Another wave of his wand, and Junpei's D-scanner appeared. He took it, glanced back at the others.
"Good luck." Takuya said, feeling helpless.
"I'll be back." Junpei promised, before being escorted out of the room.
Izumi watched Junpei leave, somewhat confused. She never knew him to be such a convincing actor. Then, as the other guards left the room, she caught Ryoko's attention. "Can you get through to Sneasel?"
Ryoko held her arm up. The digivice on her arm was covered in some kind of shiny crystal. "This glop was on it when I woke up. I can't call him."
"Don't worry," Kouji said, slight grin on his face. "If I know Sneasel at all, I'd be more worried about his captors."
And, at that moment…
This, Knightmon thought, was going singularly badly. The digimon Pidmon had freed from Cherubimon's control (or so Pidmon had boasted) had come to, all none the worse for wear. He had started on the 'welcome to our city, you've been freed of the taint of evil' speech, when the strange black creature interrupted with one question.
"Where. Is. Ryoko?"
That had thrown off Knightmon, but he had missed the tone of the question, thinking the creature (was he a digimon? He didn't feel like one) was a bit dazed by his obvious ordeal. He reiterated that the prisoners were held across the city, waiting to be tried for their crimes.
"Bring her here. Now."
Okay, clearly one of them had done something horrible to this one, Knightmon decided. But why were the other digimon with him backing away? Of course, he had explained, if he wished to kill this creature personally, he had only to ask Lord Pidmon's permission.
As the small black cat's claws sliced -through- Knightmon's shield, the armoured digimon wondered if he hadn't maybe misread the small black digimon's reactions.
10 minutes later
"Oh, real subtle," Armadillomon griped as the group ran down a hall. "You could have at least waited until we got a location from them!"
"If you wish to ask questions," Sneasel replied, "merely wait here for more guards to show up."
"This is insane!" Bokomon protested. "We can't go charging about! We need a plan."
"Plan," Sneasel asked. "We find Ryoko."
"And everyone else," Armadillomon corrected.
"Yes."
"Wait." Angemon landed ahead of Sneasel, blocking him. "What's with you?" Angemon glared at the pokemon through his facemask. "You're not like this!"
"Ryoko is in danger." Sneasel replied. "I...rrgh.." he knelt. Bokomon and Neemon approached, concerned. "What...what's happening to me?" As he spoke, Bokomon saw one of Sneasel's claws fluoresce black for a second.
Old Pathway to Mugendramon's area
"What was THAT all about," Junpei demanded as he and KnightCheetahmon left the city. "I thought he was on our side!"
"I do not know! When I left on patrol two weeks ago, he was fine. Pidmon has always been...dedicated to his cause, but this is totally out of character for him."
"Should we go back and fight him?"
"No. Despite everything, Pidmon is an angel digimon. He will not go back on his word." KnightCheetahmon looked ahead. "We'd better go. I managed to locate where Mugendramon's base was, and a possible means of attack. There is an unguarded path he uses sometimes. If we attack him there, we may be able to defeat him before his guards catch up."
"That sounds dumb," Junpei replied.
"I think he's in league with someone else. I have heard him talking to something, but it's not another digimon."
"Cherubimon? Mercuremon and Duskmon are still out there."
KnightCheetahmon shook his head. "It didn't feel like a digimon, if that makes any sense. The same way Sneasel doesn't feel like one, but different." He shrugged, not sure how to expand on that.
"Sneasel and Armadillomon are from another world; they came with Hiroki and Ryoko," Junpei explained. "Could that be it?"
"Yes and no." KnightCheetahmon thought again. "It is a...different kind of difference."
"Ah," Junpei said, unenlightened. "So, this MugenDramon guy's tough?"
"The cannons on his back can take out an entire army, if given the chance. His metal hide is almost unbreakable, and he is deceptively fast in close combat. He prefers massive, area-destruction attacks."
Junpei smirked. "Maybe we should trade Bokomon in for you. He'd have stretched that into a small novel."
KnightCheetahmon returned the expression. "Before all this, Bokomon was an instructor to younger digimon. I think he misses that more than anything, and enjoys every chance to become 'Professor Beak-Book.' But don't tell him I said that."
Inside the City
Sorcerimon stepped back from Sneasel. "It is not an injury I can detect. It's deeper."
Bokomon narrowed his eyes. "I've no idea why this is happening. Sneasel, how do you feel?"
"A bit better. But...I must find Ryoko!" He stood up, faint flicker of black again. "No...what is happening to me?"
"Maybe it's this place?" Neemon suggested. "It's dark, and he's a Dark pokemon."
Bokomon turned, opened his mouth, thought about it, then settled for a jaw drop. "That... that is the single most intelligent thing you've ever said."
"But that's got nothing to do with it!" Armadillomon said. "Dark pokemon aren't evil. It's just...well, it's just a pokemon type."
"Hmph. My mother's influence, no doubt." Sneasel managed a grin, leaning on a wall for support. "Yes, this is the sort of thing she'd do."
"Your mother?" Sorcerimon asked in an I-don't-like-where-this-is-going voice.
"A Sneasel, like me. Who could digivolve to Lady Devimon."
Pidmon's residence
A robed digimon approached Pidmon's chambers, knocking urgently on the ornate door. "Come in." Pidmon snapped.
The digimon entered, hood flying off and revealing the face of an Allomon; the robes he wore signified his office as one of the city's messengers. "Sir, the digimon freed from the agents have escaped!"
"WHAT?"
Allomon flinched. "We were conducting the standard debriefing when one of them seemed to go insane and attack Knightmon."
"And Knightmon?" Pidmon's grip on his wand tightened. "Who did it?"
"The small black one, the one we weren't sure of, but thought was a variant Black Tailmon."
"Ah, he evolved and attacked?"
"That's just it! According to the survivors, he didn't evolve at all! And his claws..."
"What?"
"One glowed black, the other white."
Pidmon stared. He had looked at the digimon brought in; the Black Tailmon (which he assumed Sneasel was) was nowhere near an adult's power level, surely. And his companions; an Angemon, Sorcerimon, two other digimon he felt he knew but couldn't remember...
Wait.
"The digimon, did they have anything with them? Aside from those odd devices the agents carried?"
"Yes. One of them had this. We were just bringing it to you, as we could not decipher it." He handed Pidmon a large book.
Behind the mask, Pidmon's eyes went wide. "This...is from the Library of Ophanimon! How could they have gotten it?"
"Master?"
"A book from the library of Ophanimon. A remarkable device, it can call up information from any text stored within the library itself. But the only ones that ever left that place were given to the Three Angels, and..." Memory returned. "Bokomon." He glanced at the book. "Leave me. I have much to do here."
"At once." Allomon bowed and left the room.
Pidmon sat back down and, with an act of will, opened the book. "Show me...this." He held up Takuya's D-Scanner, and started reading.
Mugendramon's lair
The two watched as MugenDramon lumbered down the path. "He's alone," Junpei whispered. "We can take him."
"Not yet." KnightCheetahmon frowned. "I want to know who he's working for. We wait for him to meet his superior, then we strike."
"You realize that his boss is probably even stronger than we are?" Junpei shook a little.
"I have found that pure strength is less important than focus, human. Many of the foes I have bested were stronger than me, or further evolved, when I was SkullCheetahmon. Like in anything, willpower is the only important factor."
"I smell a lesson." Junpei sighed.
"Astute," the knight replied. "I do not know what is required to be able to double spirit evolve, but I think you already have it. You just need to focus. Relax. When the time comes, you will be able to do it. I have faith in all of you. When I was young, there were stories about the ancient digimon who created the Spirits you carry, and the prophecies that the Spirits would save us when evil threatened this world. I am pleased to see that they were more than just stories."
"I know, but..." Junpei slumped down a bit. "You see, there's..."
"Do not tell me." KnightCheetahmon winked. "Tell her."
"Am I that easy to read?"
"A competent warrior knows how to read people." The knight tensed, and saw MugenDramon slow down. "Almost time. There's a small crevasse where we can hide and listen to what he is saying. He won't be able to detect us."
The Jail
Pidmon stormed into the prison, almost shattering the door. "So, you seek to supplant me, do you?"
"Huh?" Takuya asked.
"I know about the spirits. Cherubimon captured them and corrupted them."
"Not all of them." Kouji protested. "The first five H-spirits we found were scattered by Ophanimon!"
"Lies! Lord Seraphimon would have told me. Or did that traitor Bokomon lure you in that way?"
Izumi was almost knocked over by the accusation. "Traitor? He helped us find the spirits, and showed us how to FIGHT Cherubimon!"
"Be silent! The only mystery-" Pidmon glanced at Hiroki and Ryoko, "-is you two. No D-Scanners, no spirits, just those odd devices on your wrists. You, the book didn't know about. Bring that." Pidmon indicated Ryoko. Allomon lumbered forward. opened the door, and dragged Ryoko out.
"Ryoko," Kouji snarled, taking even Pidmon aback with the venom in his voice. "Let her go."
"She will be returned." Pidmon seemed to stagger for a second, then left.
Kouji slumped to the floor. Hiroki glanced at Tomoki. "What's wrong?"
"Pidmon. When he staggered, I thought his wings went black for a second. What?"
Hiroki glanced at Tomoki, catching Takuya and Izumi's attention as well. "I think he's falling."
"Huh?"
"Angel digimon aren't like other digimon," Hiroki explained. "If they ever start acting evil, they..." he struggled for a way to explain it. "They transform into demonic digimon. Powerful ones."
Takuya glanced at Izumi, and then started pulling at the cell doors. "How evil?"
"Ryoko's in danger." Hiroki replied. "We have to get out of these cells, now." Neither he nor Takuya noticed that the stones on the back of the cell walls were starting to shift.
Abruptly, a stone fell out from Izumi's wall.
Mugendramon's lair
Junpei squinted, watching as MugenDramon talked to...nothing, from what he could see. He wondered, not for the first time, if every third digimon they met here was nuts. "There's no one there."
"No one you can see." KnightCheetahmon frowned. "Nor I. But I can feel...something powerful. Nor can I tell what either one is saying. Alright, then. We wait and ambush him when he comes out. Should be easy for us."
"He's a giant metal dinosaur. Any weak points?"
"The tubes on his back leading to his cannons. They're armoured, but sever them, and he should lose a lot of his attack power. Plus, outside of those cannons, his power is all melee. I think."
"Think?" Junpei managed to stop himself from shouting, barely. "We can't afford 'think' here!" He sighed, calming down a bit. "You're as bad as Takuya."
KnightCheetahmon smiled back. "And yet you're still here. He's coming!" Indeed, the massive digimon was on his way out of the cavern, and blinked once as he re-emerged into the light. "Attack!" The Knight roared and leaped, sword already out and swinging, skittering off of Mugendramon's metallic hide.
"Spirit Evolution...Blitzmon!" Junpei transformed and launched his own attack, calling down a bolt of lightning and sending it at MugenDramon. Like KnightCheetahmon's attack, it had little effect. "Well, we got his attention!"
"We're going to get more than that," KnightCheetahmon promised, symbol on his chest glowing azure. "Medieval Sparks!" A hail of sparks shot out and struck MugenDramon. "Now, Blitzmon!"
"Thor Hammer!"
"THUNDER BLADE!" Catching Blitzmon's attack on his sword, KnightCheetahmon, slashed at the metal monster, the power of his sword enhanced by Blitzmon's power.
When the glare cleared, they saw that MugenDramon was missing an arm and a good chunk of armor on his leg. "Can you do that again," Blitzmon asked.
KnightCheetahmon started to reply, then noticed that about half of his sword was missing. "Yes, if you have about an hour and a blacksmith handy. Still, wounded as he is-" He gasped as MugenDramon got up, chuckling.
"You think such puny attacks can defeat me? My master has granted me more power than you can realize!" With that, MugenDramon shuddered, and abruptly changed shape!
"He's evolving," KnightCheetahmon asked, incredulously. "But he's already at his highest level."
"Maybe he's slide evolving, like we can do." Junpei suggested, doing so himself. "Blitzmon, slide evolution...Bolgmon!" As soon as he changed, he set himself up, aimed, and let loose with a volley of Field Levellers, trying to finish MugenDramon off before the transformation finished.
The smoke cleared. A massive humanoid digimon, all metal, stood there, unscathed. "Behold my Catastrophe mode. INFINITY FLARE!"
Pidmon's residence
"Talk," Pidmon ordered.
Ryoko glared back at the angel, more furious than scared. "We've already told you the truth! We're not with Cherubimon, and if you'd just open your eyes, you'd see that!"
"I know you're not with Cherubimon." Ryoko stopped, confused. "You see, I too know how to use that book Bokomon carried around. Did he loot it from Seraphimon's corpse?" He pointedly ignored the look Ryoko shot at him. "You're not here to destroy Cherubimon. You're here to replace him. Now, how many of you are there? There are 20 spirits, after all."
"Just. Us."
"Fine. Perhaps if we bring one of the others in, you'll be more co-operative."
"You call yourself an angel digimon? I've seen Pico Devimon with more honour and grace in them than you," Ryoko snarled back.
That hit a nerve. "You JUDGE me, worm?" Ryoko gasped as Pidmon's wings went black for a second, and the angel staggered. "I will not be toyed with."
"No, you're to busy falling." Ryoko shot back, too angry to realize that taunting her captor at that moment might not be the brightest idea in the world.
"Master!" Allomon shouted, bursting into the room. "The prisoners have escaped!"
"LEAVE!" Pidmon roared, incinerating Allomon. Fortunately, he was able to flee as Hawkmon, singed feathers falling as he tore down the hallway.
Obligatory hidden passageway…
"This way." Gazimon said as he crawled down the small passageway. "It's an old tunnel that Pidmon never knew about."
"What's his deal?" Izumi asked.
"We don't know, but it started a few weeks ago. Pidmon started to act more irrationally. He always wanted to be the one to destroy Cherubimon, but he never had enough power. I guess he finally snapped, but too many of the other digimon here were blind to all that."
"And you?"
"Well, I don't trust a digimon just 'cause he's an angel type, y'know. KnightCheetahmon said that-"
"KnightCheetahmon?"
"Yeah. This was his idea. But he couldn't do much out in the open, or Pidmon might have had us all vaped."
"Do you know where Ryoko is? Or our D-Scanners," Takuya asked.
"And the other digimon?" Hiroki added. "I'm worried about Armadillomon."
"They escaped shortly after they were revived. I think they're making their way to Pidmon's residence. We'll go there next. That's where the other human, and your D-Scanners, were brought."
"Told you." Takuya said to Kouji. "She'll be fine."
"What do we do once we get there," Izumi asked. "Without our D-Scanners, we won't be much help."
"There's a sizeable resistance movement. We'll move in when we get you to Pidmon's residence. "
Nearing Pidmon's residence
Angemon carried Sneasel, who had been sedated with a spell from Sorcerimon. Bokomon looked troubled. "I never knew..."
"Well, we don't talk about it much," Armadillomon replied. "Ryoko's parents didn't trust him much either at first, but he's always been there for Ryoko. I think he's just making more out of this than there really is."
"But...since when do digimon have mothers?" Bokomon asked. "We just hatch at the Primary Tree."
"Yeah, but Sneasel's mom was a pokemon at first. Apparently, she created his egg during the last battle against Demon when Ryoko's parents were her age. And we can trust him."
"We didn't before," Neemon asked.
"This is serious!" Bokomon hissed.
"Th...that way." Sneasel murmured, still fighting the effects of Sorcerimon's spell. "Ryoko's in that direction."
"The spells wearing off," Sorcerimon observed. "And I doubt he would be affected by a recasting of it."
Armadillomon shrugged. "Then we'd better hurry. Maybe we can throw him at Pidmon. He took down Knightmon, and Pidmon's only a Champion level digimon."
"I think...I think I remember a Pidmon," Bokomon said. "But Lord Seraphimon banished him. Couldn't be the same one. Unusually violent for an angel, a lot of us wondered how he became an angel in the first place."
"The way our luck runs," Angemon said, "it probably is him, and he's just waiting for a chance to get back at you."
Bokomon wasn't amused. "Not funny."
Mugendramons' lair, smoking ruin of
KnightChetahmon got to his feet, battered. Some distance away, Bolgmon managed to right himself. "That was only a fragment of my power." MugenDramon taunted. "And even at my full power, that is only a fraction of the might my master possesses. You will not defeat me."
"Junpei," the knight hissed. "There, near his shoulder."
Bolgmon glanced at the area, eyes zooming in. "There's damage there, from our last attack. But what's that glow?"
"His digicore. I'll distract him. Can you hit it with your cannon?"
"Is that a dare?" Bolgmon shifted back to Blitzmon. "What about your sword?"
KnightCheetahmon swung the remains of his blade. "I'll manage. thunder Blade!"
"Thor Hammer!"
MugenDramon stumbled back from the combined attacks, the electricity coursing through his system (Apparently, no one informed him that metal tends to conduct anime lightning. -ed)
"Why you...Infinity Flare!" The massive cannons spoke again, and another part of the landscape vanished. "Hah. That took care of them."
"Boo." Blitzmon said, having managed to get behind the massive digimon. "LIGHTNING BLITZ!"
MugenDramon roared as the electric attack struck him in the small of the back. It caused no real damage, but it did distract him while KnightCheetahmon followed up, widening the hole in his armor. "Junpei, strike now!"
"On it!" Blitzmon flew back from the monster, landed, and slide-evolved. Bolgmon slammed both his hands into the ground, aimed and fired.
"Not this time," MugenDramon snarled, twisting to catch the attack on his remaining armor.
"Too fast."
"Just focus, Junpei, like I said." Junpei tried to, but MugenDramon, having divined their strategy, pulled back, keeping the hole hidden. "Of course, having a co-operative opponent helps too." Junpei could hear the fatigue in KnightCheetahmon's voice. "But if we could just get that one shot to his digicore, this would be over."
Junpei thought furiously. Then he had an idea. Crazy. Suicidal. Takuya-ish in its insanity, in fact. "Cover me. Slide Evolution...Blitzmon!" As he shot up, KnightCheetahmon started firing bolts of electricity. He spent a few seconds flying around MugenDramon, launching his own electrical attacks. "Focus...focus...this is insane, I'm GONNA DIE!" As he said that, he flew straight at the opening in Mugendramon's armor. "Slide Evolution(imgonnadieimgonnadieimgonnadie)BOLGMON!"
Junpei timed it perfectly. His evolution finished, just as he landed, treads squealing to hold on, arm cannons wedged firmly into the side of the hole.
And his main cannon wedged into the break, aimed right at Mugendramon's digicore.
"FIELD LEVELLER!" The bolt tore into the small object, shattering it. Screaming in agony, MugenDramon started to explode, parts of him breaking off. Bolgmon shifted back to Blitzmon, and tried to fly clear of the blast. Voice lost in the explosions, MugenDramon tried to call for help.
"This...this cannot be...Please, give me ano...ther...chance...Lord Lu...ce..."
Too late. The main body exploded, catching and sending him into an uncontrolled fall, evolution ending as the shockwave struck him. KnightCheetahmon leaped, caught Junpei, and landed on his back, both warriors getting the wind knocked out of them.
"It...it's done..." the knight gasped.
"N...not yet." Junpei answered struggling back to his feet. Mugendramon's body had turned black, digicode ring spinning around him. "Gotta...gotta get that first. Digicode...Scan!" Junpei's D-scanner hummed, and absorbed the freed code, just as Mugendramon's body vanished. One of the buttons on the digivice flashed. Pressing it, some of the code escaped, circling around KnightCheetahmon's sword, restoring it. "Now we can go."
Fortunately for Ryoko, Pidmon had spent the last ten minutes ranting. Her anger had faded, and the fear was starting to set in. She'd never seen an angelic digimon fall before, but the stories she had heard were pretty unpleasant. The flashes of black energy were becoming more frequent and lasting longer. In a way, she pitied the angel. It must be like having your soul torn apart, she thought.
With a final snarl, Pidmon hurled his staff away, it snapping in two as it struck a wall. Wings spreading, he glared at Ryoko. "If you will not help me, then I shall purify you with the flame of righteousness! FIRE-"
"RYOKO!" Kouji yelled as he, Izumi, Takuya, Hiroki, and Tomoki burst in through the door, small army of rookie and champion level digimon just behind them. Coincidentally, Sneasel yelled the same thing, at the same time, just as he, Angemon, Armadillomon, Sorcerimon, Neemon, and Bokomon blasted through a wall.
Sneasel saw Pidmon, wings stretched, clearly ready to attack Ryoko. Without even a word, the pokemon leaped out of Angemon's arms, the last of his lethargy dispelled by the threat to his partner. Kouji, a touch slower, saw that Sneasel had Pidmon in hand, and ran over to free Ryoko.
"Kouji," Ryoko gasped as he freed her. She put her arms around him, almost collapsing. He pulled Ryoko out of the room.
"Find our D-Scanners!" Takuya said. "And get that stuff off of Ryoko's digivice!"
Armadillomon ran to Hiroki (His digivice had already been freed from the hardened glop -ed). "Don't bother. He took down a Knightmon and two Tyrannomon on the way here."
Takuya glanced up and saw that, yes, Sneasel was actually winning. The fight was so fierce that even the other digimon were loath to get close. Pidmon's facemask was already gashed open, revealing one sky-blue eye and a free lock of red hair. Then he saw the eye narrow, then widen. "Get back!"
Outside the city
"Well, we beat MugenDramon, and we have proof," Junpei said, D-scanner in hand. "Think Pidmon will let us go now?"
"Even he cannot dispute it. He will honour his word, I shall see to it." KnightCheetahmon stopped. "What...there is something wrong!" Junpei's D-scanner started beeping madly. The city was just in sight. They saw several columns of smoke rising up, clear indications of a running battle. "Could Mugendramon's forces have arrived already?"
Then one of the houses seemed to explode, and a large humanoid, red and hideous, appeared, red eyebeams stabbing into the town. "A Venom Vamdemon? That's not possible!"
"Come on," Junpei said. "The others'll be in trouble without their D-scanners!"
The two charged down the hill, and came across a group of digimon fleeing the city. "Lord Pidmon has been struck down by a demon!" one cried. "It's Cherubimon's vengeance!"
Somehow, Junpei wasn't so sure. He evolved to Blitzmon, and headed into town, KnightCheetahmon close behind.
Pidmons' residence, wreckage of…
Izumi groaned as the rubble shifted slightly. All she remembered was Pidmon howling in agony, then exploding, then the roof falling in. Beside her, Ryoko groaned, her arms wrapped tightly around Sneasel. Despite the situation, Izumi did smile a little as she saw Kouji had thrown himself on top of her, trying to shield Ryoko and Sneasel. He groaned too. Izumi wished she had a camera, and then focused on trying to get out. She heard shouts. Automatic weapons fire. Clearly, Hiroki and Armormon were alright.
The rubble shifted again, and then light poured in. Looking up, Izumi saw Blitzmon, worry clear in his eyes. "Junpei," she managed.
"I'm here. What happened?"
"Where is Lord Pidmon?" KnightCheetahmon asked. Blitzmon helped Izumi up, then Kouji, Ryoko, and Sneasel, all of who were still semiconscious.
Izumi saw the large demon digimon blocking the fire from Armormon and Angemon. "That's Lord Pidmon (yes, he skipped a level. it's my story, he can do that if he wants -ed). He evolved into that thing and brought the place down on us."
"Great. Lovely." Blitzmon fought the urge to scream. "MugenDramon nearly kills us, and this place was being ruled by Anakin freakin' Skywalker. What's next, a satellite drop?"
"Junpei," Izumi hissed.
"Sorry. It's just...this never ends, you know?"
"It will," KnightCheetahmon assured them. "But we will have to fight to make sure it stays ended. I'll go. Maybe I can get through to him. You two wait here and help the others."
"No," Izumi said. "Junpei, you'd better go too. I'm sorry, KnightCheetahmon, but I think Pidmon might not be reachable like this." She went over to Kouji and Ryoko. "We'll find the others."
"I have to try. For good or for ill, he is my leader."
"Heaven Knuckle!" Angemon roared, launching another blast at the giant red and black demon digimon. "Fall, blast it!"
"Already have, fool." A stream of greenish-red flame shot down at Angemon, who dodged it. He continued to ignore Armormon's attacks.
"Lord Pidmon, stop this!" KnightCheetahmon called. "You're ill!"
"I've never felt more alive! All this time, I had the power to take on Cherubimon!"
"But you are destroying the city! That is not the action of an angel!"
"Then I shall become a demon to destroy a demon! I shall avenge Lord Seraphimon's murder! Children! He expects children from another world to save us! I saw the prophecy, KnightCheetahmon. Join with me!"
KnightCheetahmon didn't hesitate; his sword came out, and he assumed an attack stance. "I cannot. I shall not sacrifice everything I hold dear in order to replace one monster with another. Thunder Blade!"
"Chaos Flame!" Venom Vamdemon's attack cut through the energy beam, and managed to melt KnightCheetahmon's shield. The knight hurled the wrecked shield away, and switched to a two handed grip on his sword. Junpei evolved to Bolgmon and started firing at the red monster.
"Gnats. I shall kill you all and then take Cherubimon down. This shall be the first test of my full, true powers. Venom Infuse!" Around him, a sickly purplish and green mist crept up, making all the combatants gag and retreat. "Pathetic. You cannot even approach me, much less injure me." He turned to walk away. Armormon carried Hiroki clear of the poison, and de-evolved back to Armadillomon, spent.
"I'll injure you...FIELD LEVELLER!" Bolgmon dumped every drop of energy he had into his main cannon. The blast knocked Venom Vamdemon over, smashing into one of the walls of the city. "How's that for injury?"
"Unimpressive. CHAOS FLAME!" The fire streamed at Bolgmon, too quickly for him to avoid it. Dimly, Bolgmon heard Izumi shouting. Time slowed as the flame approached-
And stopped as KnightCheetahmon intercepted the flames, taking the full brunt of the attack. Even so, enough of the attack got through to knock Bolgmon over and force him back to human form.
"Fool," Venom Vamdemon spat, getting up and walking away.
"KnightCheetahmon!" Junpei staggered up and made his way over to KnightCheetahmon.
"Jun...pei.." the knight whispered. Junpei forced himself not to look at the horrific wounds, or the digicode ring that was starting to emerge.
"Why?"
"I said...I said I had faith that you would save this world. I know that the Spirits will prevail against this darkness that consumes everything. I was...honoured to meet you."
"No!" Junpei's fists slammed into the ground. "I'll get Sorcerimon, he can fix you up. Please, don't..."
"I won't." KnightCheetahmon answered. "I'll return to a digiegg, and be reborn in the future. And when I am, I know that I will see you again. My only regret is that I will not be able to see you beat Cherubimon. But...I can send a part of me with you."
"What?" Junpei had a feeling where this was leading.
"We both...call on thunder for our strength. Take my digicode, and add it to yours. Let us end Pidmon's suffering together." KnightCheetahmon shuddered feebly. "Please, there's not much time."
Junpei sniffed, nodded, and stood up again. D-scanner in hand, he silently scanned KnightCheetahmon's digicode. The small screen lit up, the symbol for the Thunder Spirits glowing azure. His eyes went to Venom Vamdemon's back. "PIDMOOOOOOOOOON!"
Venom Vamdemon slowly turned around, thinking this some last desperate ploy.
A bolt of thunder shot down, striking Junpei. The glare cleared, revealing the two thunder spirits floating around Junpei. From where she watched, Izumi felt her heart leap. She knew what was coming next.
"DOUBLE SPIRIT EVOLUTION...RHINO KABUTERIMON!" The two spirits slammed into Junpei, who vanished in an electric blue haze. A second later, a giant beast, a fusion of a rhinoceros and a stag beetle, emerged from the field, crackling with barely contained energy. "Let's end this," the Thunder Hybrid growled. "Condenser STORM!" Wrapping himself in electricity, Rhino Kabuterimon shot forward, almost levitating, aimed right at Venom Vamdemon's torso. At the last second, his angle changed, and the beast punched a hole right through the demon, and landed on the other side, leaving a huge trench as the massive beast slowed to a stop.
Venom Vamdemon turned again to face the attacker. "If you think that one attack will stop me, you are wrong."
"Fine," Rhino Kabuterimon replied. "I'm in a mood." KnightCheetahmon, this is for you, he silently added. "Mode change...KNIGHT MODE!" There was a sudden shifting of parts, and Rhino Kabuterimon transformed into a menacing looking humanoid (Think Rhinox from Beast Wars, crossed with the Buster Gundam from SeeD added for effect. -ed) "Little trick I picked up from MugenDramon."
"Futile. CHAOS FLARE!"
Rhino Kabuterimon dodged the attack, cannons swinging into position on his hips. Ignoring the battle and general din around him, he calmly picked his target.
"Stormbreaker."
Venom Vamdemon was driven back by the sudden hail of particle cannon blasts. Face, hands, knees, all were hit. Not a shot missed him. Venom Vamdemon fell to one knee, battered.
"KnightCheetahmon was a friend and a noble ally. I won't let you get away with what you did to him." The cannons snapped back into standby position, leaving his hands free. He clasped them together, focussing his power.
"He was a fool! He never had the will to defeat Cherubimon!"
"Neither do you. You just want to replace him," Junpei answered. "THUNDER BLADE!" An instant later, a huge column of electricity sprang from his hands. Screaming, the electric hybrid brought the massive blade down on Venom Vamdemon.
In his last conscious moments, Venom Vamdemon saw KnightCheetahmon standing over the hybrid. "I...I understand..."
"DIGICODE SCAN!"
It took a few hours, but everyone managed to find everything that was taken. Takuya glanced at his D-scanner, then at Junpei, who stood looking at the spot where KnightCheetahmon had fallen.
"The city's trashed." Kouji observed. "Where will they live now?"
Angemon flew over. "I've talked it over with the remaining citizens. I'll lead them out of the Dark Continent. They're a little leery of trusting another angel digimon, though."
"You'll be fine. You're not like Pidmon was." Kouji replied. "I guess you'll be going with him?"
Sorcerimon looked up from Sneasel, who was resting now. "No. You still need my help to free your brother. This place is...calling to the darkness in Sneasel's spirit. His devotion to Ryoko is the way it's doing it." He glanced over at Junpei. "I'm more worried about him, though."
"He and KnightCheetahmon grew close," Izumi replied. "I'll go over to him." She raised a hand, signaling Tomoki and Hiroki to not follow her.
"Hey." Junpei said as Izumi walked over. "I guess-" he stopped abruptly. Had he imagined that? Did Izumi just…kiss him?
Izumi stepped back, smiling. "You did great, Junpei. He'd have been proud."
Junpei finally smiled. "He was. Is, I guess. I felt him in me when I digivolved. I think...I think he helped me mode change, too."
Izumi hooked her arm around his. "Let's go. We have to stop Cherubimon so this never happens again, right?"
"Yeah."
"By the way...back in the jail cell...I never knew you had such a silver tongue." Izumi looked at Junpei curiously. "You never tried that before."
"Well, I get it from my mom, mostly."
"Your mom? What, is Mrs Shibayama an actor..." she trailed off, partly as a name came to her, and partly at the flinch Junpei did, confirming her suspicion. "No way..."
"Don't tell anyone," he hissed. "It's embarrassing."
"Well, it does explain a few things. And I'll keep your secret." Izumi smiled again. "In exchange for a date when we get home."
"Duhh?"
"And Junpei? Not a speck of chocolate, got it?"
"Sure," Junpei answered, the beginnings of a goofy grin. "Yes!"
Next Episode:
Ophanimon's Castle. They almost made it there last time they were in the Dark Continent. Now they have two more obstacles. Sephirotmon appears, trapping them. And inside, Kouji's brother, still enthralled by the darkness. Next time on Digicross Frontier:-
'Darkwolf.'
Look for the further adventures of KnightCheetahmon's rookie form, Socramon (Also created by Cave Cat), in the Digicross TV series episode 'Force 3 – Socramon'
