DISCLAIMER: I do not own Digimon, but I do own the plot, and DRAGOON.

Digimon Continuity

Quest for the Digimon

Chapter 17

A New Discovery

:. Digital Plane - Desert Plane, Cave

03:05 PM JST

Ryo slammed the cover of the D-Terminal shut with his only free hand when Rika finished. Ryo felt betrayed, more so than ever before. He no longer felt like limping out of his hiding place behind DRAGOON to give Rika the deck and D-Terminal. Not because he was afraid that Renamon or Rika will hurt him real bad, but rather he was afraid that he would hurt them real bad in his anger.

He wanted to take it out on something right now, and he did not want them to see him do it. He felt his fingers tighten on the D-Terminal's hard cover. If it were not there, he would not be surprised to see blood on his palm. He stomped off as silently as he could, going as deep into the little cave as he could.

Once he considered himself deep enough, he allowed all his anger that he had restrained mere seconds ago out... on the wall. Ryo let his D-Terminal clatter to the cave floor as his hands pushed Strikedramon away and his mind visualised the glowing orb of light on the pedestal. Then, he began to pound the wall with all the strength his weakened state possessed.

ENIAC. ENIAC. ENIAC! ENIAC!! His mind screamed in anger with each blow that did no damage whatsoever to the wall, and only brought him even more pain. Hot tears of betrayal streamed down his face. His knuckles were hurting like mad, but not even close to how he felt in his heart. He was hitting the wall so hard that he could have sworn he heard his bones breaking, but he did not care one bit. How-punch-could-punch-you-punch-do-punch-this-punch-to-punch-me-punch-ENIAC!!

Finally, he punched the wall one last time, earning him a satisfying loud thump as his knuckles made forceful contact with the wall once again. Ryo felt a little better, but not much so. What he really wanted was to hit the master computer itself. Too bad I can't travel back in time... but when I do, ENIAC, I'll make you pay!

Ryo inhaled, allowing the breath to calm his senses and himself as he noticed Strikedramon starring in shock at him. I am actually glad Strikedramon can't remember. At least even if I told him it was ENIAC, he wouldn't know what I'm talking about... not that I want to.

He noticed he was in one of the darker parts of the cave, concealed in shadow just like how Rika and Renamon were. Limping into the light, completely ignoring the new pain coming from his knuckles in addition to the wounds already present. While before the pain help to alleviate the pain of betrayal in his heart, it now worsened it. It was like getting drunk. While at first it seemed to help, in the end it only made things a lot worse.

As the last remains of his anger faded away, logic replaced it. He settled back into the wall he had just vented his anger on, well aware of Strikedramon's eyes on him. Actually, ENIAC was right not to tell me. To know that I was responsible for Rika being who she was at that time. I had enough on my mind to know that Millenniumon could only be defeated by me. Besides, I should have seen the similarities. Were there so many redheads in the whole of Japan that I couldn't even tell that it was Rika?

But if that fight with IceDevimon never occurred, Rika and her dad could be just absorbed data right now. He leaned his head on the wall, looking up into the ceiling of the cave, before sighing. Still, if I did not interrupt, Rika and her dad could have escaped. Had they escaped from IceDevimon back then, would Rika still be a Tamer? How would it have affected... everything? He pushed a hand through his hair. No. What's done is done, there is no use dwelling on the past. If there was one thing I learnt throughout my entire messed up life, it is that.

Ryo's life was... complicated. The other Tamer's lives were considered simple by his standards. To simply have a Digimon and friends you could trust were easy to handle. If any of the other Tamers - Takato, Henry, anyone at all - were to go though was he had, Ryo doubted that they could be as carefree as they were. Though they were not actually carefree, their troubles were nothing. At least when they saved the world from the D-Reaper, they had someone to lean on when things went wrong, someone who would understand their situation, parents who would sympathise with them. I didn't have that.

Ryo remembered in all his adventures the Digital World of the Chosen. He was the only one. He had no team, no friends that were there by his side. The very best he got was the companionship of his Digimon partner and Digital friends, and another friend who was a world away, literally. Even though back in ENIAC's world he had friends, both old and new, they were not able to fully fill the void in his heart, because in the end, he knew that they were from other realities not his own, that those in his reality would never remember the battle against ZeedMillenniumon... for they were never present for it.

The reason why he had chosen to come to the Tamer's world was to be with his new friends, instead of having to return to his old ones and face the pain of needing to heal from the betrayal of the D-1 Tournament. But to learn that everyone had betrayed him, even ENIAC, was far too painful. Everyone I know and treat as my friend betray me. Not yet Takato and the others... but they will. He sighed again. Is this how my life would go? Betrayals at every turn? I really wish I never heard it. I wish I never became a Chosen. I wish I had never touched that Digivice three years ago... He opened his eyes again, where Strikedramon was watching him with... curiosity? It was hard to tell in the dim light. ... three years... seems like forever since I had a normal life without needing to think about the Digimon.

The pain of his knuckles finally got to him, and he decided to put the matter aside, until they were back in the Real World again. The data storm was beginning to end. Maybe dressing up these wounds would be a good idea too. he thought, looking at his bleeding knuckles.

:. Real World - Japan, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Towers
Main Control Room

03:06 PM JST

"Hey, why are you here? Aren't you going with Takato and the others?"

"Um... no..."

"Why not? You are a Tamer, right? Don't you miss your Digimon as well?"

"I used to be..." The brown haired girl whispered.

"What are you..."

"Takehiro!" Mrs Matsuki reprimanded her husband. "This is the girl that Takato talked about, Jeri. The one who lost her Digimon."

Jeri fought back tears that threatened to fall at that slight mention of Leomon. The pain of the memory was easily pushed away when she saw all her friends in their own grief, and convinced herself that she should not dwell on her own Digimon's death and try to help her friends.

But now that she was here in a room of anxious parents and those friends were off in the Digital World, the pain of the memory of Leomon's death was resurfacing. Not that Takato's father mentioning it helped.

The other parents had been were muttering amongst themselves about the abrupt departure of the Nonakas, whether the blonde haired man was bring bad news, and who would be next. However, now they stopped, interested in the current conversation. The bad thing was... Jeri was the highlight of it.

A tall boy with blue hair stepped forth from the crowd of parents. He bent down low to her height, while she unconsciously backed away, like a child who had done wrong facing the wrath of her parents. "Your name is... Jeri, right?"

Jeri nodded slowly, as if doing so fast would bring undesirable consequences. The boy's eyebrows rose. "You said that you are-um... were a Tamer, right?" He continued, having the same amount of caution as one would have with a bomb about to explode.

"Y-Yes." She feebly replied.

"Then... can you tell me... of Henry will come out from the..." He looked around, wanting to confirm.

"The Digital World?" She asked. The boy gave a curt nod. He did not need to go on for her to know the last word in his sentence was 'alive'. He wanted to know if Henry would come out alive.

She was not the only one who deciphered it. "Rinchei! How could you think that! Of course Henry will be alright!" An older woman with similar blue hair said, though the tone in which she used portrayed slight doubt as well.

Mutterings ensued amongst the parents as to their own child's ability to survive, despite them having already done so once. "Please, they will be alright." Jeri said, trying to convince them.

"How are you sure?" One of the adults she did not recognise asked.

Jeri summoned her most confident and convincing tone. "They have their Digimon with them the last time we saw them through DRAGOON. And besides, they had already been through the Digital World once. With Takato and their Digimon already there, they are bound to be alright. Ryo too." she added as an afterthought. She could not forget Ryo's knowledge of the Digital World.

"Who is this Ryo person?" Another adult asked. They need not need to ask about Takato for it was common knowledge within all of them that Takato was Dukemon, the Holy Knight Digimon that fought against the D-Reaper.

"Ryo is my son... my adopted son, but my son nevertheless." A man with brown hair said. Jeri would never have suspected him to be Ryo's adopted father.

"How does his presence help my son?" Mrs Wong asked worried and accusingly.

Ryo's adopted father closed his eyes, his face in a grimace of pain. Heartfelt pain. Jeri thought. She knew from her own example that Ryo's father treated him like his own son, similar to how Jeri's stepmother did. She decided to save the man from having to recall surely painful memories of Ryo's departure to the Digital World for a year. "Ryo is the most experienced Tamer among all of us, and knows every twist and turn of the Digital World. With him, Takato and the others will be fine."

Mutterings amongst the parents ensued once again, except this time, it was to reassure one another. The previously tense atmosphere began to lighten. Jeri heaved a sigh of relieve as the attention of all in the room on her wavered.

:. Digital Plane - Desert Plane, Cave
DRAGOON

03:05 PM JST

Takato and Henry stood and sat respectively in shocked silence. No one would have expected to hear what they had just heard. The same thought was going through both their minds. Rika will kill me when she finds out.

Naturally, the following thought... followed. Well, then I am not going to tell Rika. Unfortunately, a new thought decided to pop in for a visit. But if Rika finds out that I kept it from her, she would kill me a million times over.

With that thought, both Takato and Henry turned to each other.

"Promise not to tell anyone." they said in unison. Shocked expressions appeared before they continued. "Or else Rika will kill us!"

Takato began to scratch the back of his head. Henry leaned back in his seat and palmed his head.

"Uh, is it just me or did we just say the exact same thing?"

Henry shook his head. "I wish. Am I glad Terriermon is not here right now." Terriermon, like most of the others, preferred to give Ryo some space to rest, meaning the entire interior of DRAGOON. After smelling the smell of burning skin in enclosed space, who wouldn't?

"So... uh..."

"No need to say it, Takato. We are not telling anyone about this. No one. This will be our secret."

Takato nodded. "But man, it is hard to imagine that Rika was attacked when she was just four."

Henry nodded as well. "It is hard to imagine that it was an IceDevimon too..." Henry considered for a moment. "Alright, maybe it is not that hard, but still... IceDevimon."

"Yeah. No wonder Rika was so scared when IceDevimon kidnapped her." Takato said, leaving the both of them in silence after his words. I guess this kinda explains why Rika was so mean to Digimon. All except Renamon. She didn't care about them because... her dad was killed by one. Takato sighed. He was glad that it was not him. He could not imagine life without a father, without the bakery and his dad helping him every now and then against the wrath of his mom. I miss them already. I wish I could go home right now, but Kazu is still missing Guardromon.

Takato was just about to bring up the situation to Henry when he saw the accusing look in the latter's eyes. Then, Takato remembered their conversation before Rika's voice emerged from the D-Terminal.

"Alright Takato, not even Rika can save you now." Takato cowered. "Where is Ryo?"

I guess this is what they mean by the calm before the storm. Takato thought, remembering the blue haired boy's cool head when he discovered Ryo's absence. He felt uncomfortably small in the face of any kind of wrath, even that of Henry's. "I... don't know?" He muttered in fear. He prepared himself for what was sure to be a rough scolding when someone saved him.

Certainly not Rika.

Ryo himself.

"Henry! Get everyone up. The data storm is passing." Ryo said as he and Strikedramon limped into DRAGOON. Takato took a look at the forward view of DRAGOON, the middle screen, and saw indeed that the storm was passing. There were fewer data streams now.

"Ryo?!" Henry scolded, whilst Takato let out a breath he had unconsciously held when Henry changed targets for his anger. "Where have you been? Have you given the D-Terminal to Rika yet?"

"Get everyone up. We have to hurry. Strikedramon says he sees something coming." Ryo considered a moment. "Make that a lot of somethings. We are under attack."

CLIFFHANGER!

Wait, haven't I done this before?... Never mind.

So, I added a very confusing POV of Ryo (confusing to those who never viewed Brave Tamer anyway... or not) for everyone (even those who view Brave Tamer... to a certain extent), some of Jeri and some of Takato.

Tell me what you think of this chapter in a review. I will be eternally grateful for it.

Thanks to Matt Lans for reviewing the last chapter... kinda disappointing I only had one reviewer.

Anyways, I have put up a poll on my profile page in regards to Aftermath of 02. Vote please.

Don't forget to review too!