Sorry about the delay. School work and other fanfictions pushed this back for a while, but here it is. Another chapter from the tamer universe. There was one part I felt extremely guilty for writing. It was just plain mean. Still, I wrote it and you get to read it. Just try not to hate me too much (and no, it doesn't involve killing a main character again…) Enjoy.
Inside of Justimon's form, there was deep confliction of what they should do and the indecision froze him in place after the last impact. On the one hand, there was all of DemiDevimon's warnings, Cyberdramon's natural desire to fight, and the fact they'd just been slammed across the wrecked remains of a village by Puppetmon on a bike when the boy distracted them which all seemed to support attacking them further. On the other hand, none of their memories presented Kazu and Guardromon as enemies and he'd risked being killed to try convincing them of the fact they meant no harm. Even if Kazu's actions were supposed to be part of an elaborate trick, it still seemed like too great a risk. Could the hat-wearing tamer be telling the truth? Was he actually their friend?
…He was better off alone. He was never really part of a team. He knew of a real group of kids with partners, and he'd even met some personally, but he ended up alone again and again. That was just who he was. Even most of the digimon he befriended or teamed up with eventually went on their way again. Some had other, real partners after all. And he had Monodramon now. Or, rather, Cyberdramon. He didn't need any other temporary teammates.
And these tamers were practically strangers. Other than Rika, he'd never seen them before in his life. He only knew her because they both played the card game. Beyond that encounter, they barely knew each other. If he wanted, he didn't have to spend any more time with them. He could stay away and protect himself from further problems that being in a group could cause.
On the other hand, the tamers weren't the Digidestined. They didn't share any history with him. They were never used to trick him. They provided a new opportunity. This was a completely different world. He didn't have to be the outcast of the group. He could try to be something more than the only person who he can be stopped by. As long as he stayed out of his life, he could be just another tamer.
It would be nice to have friends again. To be able to believe someone actually saw him as a person instead of a game piece in a battle against a looming threat. The last person he trusted that didn't possess a hidden agenda was Ken. He missed his friend, but he could figure the boy's fate easily if he chose to. Even if he would never actually see him personally again. But should he deny any other possibility of friendship in this world or reach out and become part of a group?
Ryo smiled slightly. A lifetime of solitude would be a long and lonely one. He had the chance to create a new life here and he shouldn't be afraid of history repeating itself. The tamers offered a chance for friendship and he would accept. He might end up betrayed, abandoned, or forced to leave again because of him, but would try ending his previous solitude.
He was the Legendary Tamer. Why shouldn't he be with other tamers? Why shouldn't he have friends? It was his choice and he could try…
…Pain. Every inch of his body hurt and tingled. He was currently Justimon, but not for long. He knew that blocking that attack was the last thing he would ever do. But he'd protected Suzie and Lopmon. The girl's youth and sweet nature were so similar to Ken as a child. The dark-haired boy once pushed him out of danger (and suffered greatly for the action) and Ryo never gained the opportunity to return the favor. He would never see his old friend again either, but he could protect his new ones.
He looked down. Everyone was hurt, weak, and vulnerable. They were hurt following him into battle. It was his fault and he had to make things right. Even if it was the last thing he would ever do for them. After all, he was supposed to act like their leader now. And there was no greater action a leader can do than give everything for those who follow him.
He met the gaze of one specific boy. Kazu's best friend, Kenta. The bespectacled youth recognized just how bad it was. His face clearly showed the shock and despair for what was happening. There wasn't much that could be said at this point, but he needed to say something.
"Sorry, guys," Justimon muttered. "I think I'm done as your leader. Good luck and stay safe."
He was breaking apart. Fast. Like all those digimon Cyberdramon had destroyed in battle, they too were dying. But the others would live a little longer. Kazu, Guardromon, Kenta, the small shape that used to be MarineAngemon, Suzie, and Lopmon would be safe for a moment longer. That might be just enough time, however. It's amazing how often a battle can turn. All he could hope is that his sacrifice would be worth it and Devimon would be destroyed as well…
"Devimon," the boy whispered. The memory wasn't blaming the tamers, their partners, or any humans. Instead, his death seemed to be associated with a black figure with cruel, red eyes. Did that mean DemiDevimon was wrong… or lying? Turning his attention back towards the present, Ryo asked, "Cyberdramon, do you think we're fighting on the wrong side?"
"We're not even fighting right now," growled his partner. "But the virus has been hiding too much."
Within his mental sphere, the tamer nodded, "Destiny mentioned that he's connected to this 'Devimon' somehow. She also said something else…" He considered the rest of her words for a moment before continuing, "And Kazu could have been killed just to prove a point. We need to reconsider a few things before we attack the boy."
"And Puppetmon?" asked Cyberdramon.
"We can still take him out," Ryo responded. "He's still a threat."
With that decision, Justimon leapt to his feet and prepared to jump right back into battle.
Ever since they first met, Kazu's partner obviously dreamed of being a knight. His speaking style and beliefs always seemed like something right out of a fairy tale. While the medieval viewpoint may seem odd for a cybernetic digimon, the boy accepted this contradiction easily. Now, it seemed that, in a way, the dream of knighthood was closer than before. If not how expected.
His oversized hands seemed clunkier, ending in stubby fingers tips instead of points. His wrists, however, were smaller and more streamlined. Most of his body was more streamlined, the bulky turbines on his shoulders gone and his helmet smoother. The robotic being was now coppery, like Guardromon, but shinier and richer in shade. Across his chest was a series of raised lines that formed the Crest of Loyalty. Like before, his pale blue lower face was visible beneath his helmet, but the visor that hid his eyes was now a dark, reflective black that sharply contrasted with the coppery metal around it. Even as the light of digivolution faded away, his right hand shifted and twisted in a mechanical fashion. After a second, the fingers were connected together by the transformation so that they appeared to be holding something. Then, with barely a thought, the vaccine mega activated his altered hand and a white light sprung out of his grasp until it reached a reasonable length. The light beam remained in place like a solid object and hummed softly with energy. Kazu, inside his brownish glowing thought bubble, identified the iconic weapon that was now part of him easily.
"A light saber? No way!" he laughed. "Chumley's going to be so jealous. Jedi knight beats medieval knight."
"Perhaps your excitement could be contained momentarily," suggested Guardromon from within the crest-enhanced HiAndromon. "At least until Puppetmon is defeated?"
The boy smiled within his mental orb, "Sure thing. Time to demonstrate our awesomeness."
Originally startled slightly by the bright light of digivolution, Puppetmon had recovered sufficiently to take another attempt at his enemy. After fighting with two megas, being controlled by Behemoth, and generally having a bad day, the sentient toy was no longer an option. Essentially, he just wanted to smash someone with a hammer and didn't really care about the consequences.
"Puppet Pummel!" shouted the wooden mega.
HiAndromon rolled nimbly out of the way of the explosive hammer, twisted slightly, and came to his feet in a battle stance. Trying to adapt to his target's changing position, Puppetmon shifted his grip to bring his weapon towards the android again. With Kazu grinning the entire time, the robotic mega performed a back flip to increase the distance between him and the attacker. While he couldn't perform the incredible leaps of Justimon, his new mode still seemed to be fairly agile.
"Will you stop moving for one minute? It's harder to kill you if you keep bouncing around," Puppetmon yelled. "Flying Cross Cutter!"
Rather than dodging the spinning, wooden projectile the living marionette threw, HiAndromon raised his transformed hand. The glowing blade of pure light hummed slightly as it moved through the air. Once more, Kazu felt reminded of the iconic sci-fi weapon. He waited for the ideal moment, his hidden eyes tracking the object's movement through the air and the calculations concerning velocity solved in the digimon's mechanical mind.
When the puppet's attack came close enough, HiAndromon swung his weapon, announcing, "Laser Sword!"
The light-based blade sliced through the flying shape, carving it in half and both pieces continued to travel for a few moments after passing him on either side. The object's wooden structure offered no more resistance than wet tissue paper. Puppetmon stared in shock at his divided weapon, his jaw dropping slightly as the pieces finally came to rest on the ground.
"No… fair…," mumbled the viral mega. "That was mine."
"You tried to steal my D-arc," Kazu's voice pointed out from the mechanical being.
Puppetmon glared, "But I didn't break it. Puppet Pummel!"
With more speed and agility than the tamer would ever display in his gym glass, HiAndromon twisted out of the way of his hammer, grabbed the handle, and flipped the living toy over his shoulder. Once more, Puppetmon found himself crashing to the ground unceremoniously.
Not waiting for the sentient marionette to get up again, the mechanical mega's left hand began to transform. His fingers folded way under the shifting metal and a hole opened up on his palm. Within seconds, HiAndromon's hand had been replaced with a large energy gun barrel. The dark interior of his new weapon began to glow with a eerie green light.
"Ion Cannon!" he announced, firing a large orb of green energy from his weapon at the wooden puppet.
The blast connected with him and knocked Puppetmon flying once again. Kazu couldn't help but to grin as the energy cannon transformed back into his hand. He'd become the ultimate form of awesomeness. He was like a Jedi knight combined with a transforming robot.
"I'm… not… finished…yet," gasped the toy.
"Sorry, but this is 'game over,' Puppetmon," HiAndromon replied.
Snarling at the android, the wooden being tried to bring his hamer up again, "Puppet Pum…"
"Justice Kick!" announced Justimon, leaping abruptly back into the action and striking Puppetmon's head with his foot.
With a tired groan, Kazu's voice remarked, "Don't tell me I have to go back to dealing with both of them again. Honestly, I don't want to fight you, Justimon."
"I know, Kazu," answered Ryo from within his Biomerged form. "Your suicidal strategies points to a lack of sinister mastermind tendencies."
"So, you believe me now?"
The cyborg mega nodded, "A couple more memories are supporting you. And something this Destiny girl said."
"You met her too? That could explain why she keeps appearing and disappearing."
"She said that I would have trouble telling who to trust, but 'Loyalty' will make me see my true allies," he explained.
Kazu finished, "And since my crest is the Crest of Loyalty, you realized you can trust me." Grinning within his brown mental orb, the tamer confided, "Ryo, I can't tell you how great it is to have you back. Everyone is going to freak out when they see you're back from the dead."
Struggling to his feet, Puppetmon glanced between the two vaccine megas uneasily. The wooden being didn't seem happy about them no longer attacking each other. In fact, he looked almost afraid to see the pair united together. If HiAndromon and Justimon weren't fighting anymore, they were left with only one target.
"Too much talking while our opponent lives," growled Cyberdramon's voice impatiently.
Refusing to go down without a fight, the living toy cried out, "Puppet…"
"Justice Burst!" announced Justimon, firing at him.
With a final shout of pain, the sentient marionette broke apart. Kazu managed to enjoy a sigh of relief that the annoying Dark Master was gone before a small shape dashed into the cloud of data. It only took the avid digimon fan a second to recognize the viral rookie as DemiDevimon. He remembered a member of that particular digimon species being present when Meramon attacked and later digivolved into Devmon. The tamer also knew that particular bat had been killed, but he could almost sense that it ws the same one.
"DemiDevimon, we want a word with you," Justimon growled. "You lied to us, didn't you?"
"Of course," laughed the winged rookie. "I couldn't tell you that I killed you, could I? If I did, you wouldn't be my useful, little tools. But I really don't need you anymore. I have what I need and I'm going to be one of the most powerful beings in the entire Digital World."
A familiar, bright glow engulfed the small bat as his shape morphed and grew. But the light was streaked with darker, duller streaks that shifted across the digivolving being's figure.
"What in the world did you do?" gasped Kazu, staring in horror.
He'd heard of Death Evolution. It was one of those legends whispered in dark corners in tones of horror. The idea of using your own death to fuel digivolution and to be essentially a mindless zombie (no offense to undead and ghost digimon like Bakemon, who are supposed to like that) seemed almost sickening and wrong. But DemiDevimon had seen a possibility of how to use it without sacrificing his own life.
After collecting the data of several key dead digimon, refusing to use the data for digivolving to his champion level, the bat initiated a DNA digivolution with the deceased Vilemon, LadyDevimon. Myotismon, SkullSatamon, and Puppetmon. DemiDevimon would be the only living component in the mix and he would have complete control of his new body. Thus, he combined the process of DNA digivolution with the power of Death Evolution to reach his mega form.
The change felt dark and twisted compared to his previous experience with digivolution, but it didn't greatly concern him. He figured the sensation was just the result of combining with the dead. It wasn't just changing their data into more basic useful forms that he could use to repair damage or summoning attacks available to his fallen opponents. He was forcing the data to form back into empty shells of their former owners in order to pretend they were willing participates of a normal DNA digivolution. He should be combining his mind with five other digimon, but he felt only their empty silence. Which suited him perfectly since that meant he didn't have to share his new power.
With extreme pleasure, he announced, "DemiDevimon, Vilemon, LadyDevimon, Myotismon, SkullSatamon, and Puppetmon DNA digivolve to…"
Mr. Yamaki, Kenta, and Lopmon were extremely serious as they traveled along the forest path Floramon indicated. Suzie, on the other hand, was excited and couldn't see why they weren't just as happy. Destiny said they were really close to getting Ryo back. And finding him was the whole reason they came anyway. The young girl wondered why they seemed so uneasy.
Calumon, enjoying the presence of another playmate, was teaching MarineAngemon about ribbon dancers with the colorful ribbons that Suzie had carefully placed on her rabbit partner for the birthday party yesterday. The long strips of fabric fluttered through the air as the in-training digimon dashed between the different members of the group. While she missed getting to enjoy her party and Calumon's antics reminded her of it, she still found the game fun and occasionally joined in with the small white creature and MarineAngemon before going back to watching the more serious trio and wondering why they couldn't be happier.
Finally, bored by their sullen silence, she asked, "Why awe you so gwumpy? Wyo is weally, weally close now. Isn't that good?"
"Yeah, but we also have another problem now. Some kind of evil thing is on the horizon and we don't know what to expect," explained Kenta. "Plus, until we find Kazu or Ryo, you and Lopmon are our most useful offensive pair. MarineAngemon is better at defense or support generally and Calumon…" He glanced at the cheerful digimon who was trying to tug a ribbon off his ear before the boy shook his head and continued, "Add to that the fact we have these crests now and no idea of how or when they'll activate, and it's a lot to think about, Suzie."
"Momentai, Kenta," she smiled, quoting her brother's partner. "Didn't you tuwn into that big sea monstew thing? It was weally tough. Can't you do it again?"
He shrugged, "I don't know. It took a while to get him back to MarineAngemon after that." She had to agree, remembering that it took Calumon repeating his "Shining Digivolution" on a smaller scale to get him back to the tiny, pink mega. But MarineAngemon had told Kenta he preferred being his mega form rather than his in-training one, so they figured a way out. "I'm not even certain where to start to even try again."
"You can do it," Suzie assured. "And we'll find evewyone, stop the big meanie, and evewything will be okay."
The older boy gave her an odd look, "How can you stay that optimist? Don't you realize how bad things are? I mean, it isn't 'D-reaper on a rampage' bad, but this isn't good." He waved his hands around for emphasis. "We could be about to face some Supreme Evil Being of Doom for all we know."
"And Riley thinks I worry too much," muttered Yamaki, watching the children speak.
Suzie smiled at Kenta, "We awe the good guys. Good always beats evil. And even when bad stuff happens, good stuff happens later. When Lopmon and evewyone disappeared after the D-weaper went away, they came back. When the mean Devimon was winning, you figuwed out how to beat him. Wemember? Even when Wyo died, he wasn't gone fowever. If something scawy happens, Henwy, Tewwiermon, and Lopmon will make it better. As long as we twy our best and stay togethew, evewything will be fine." Drawing herself as tall as she could manage in order to look grown up and confident, she continued, "We'll be fine. Life may be scawy sometimes, but we have to be bwave. We awe good. We can do anything because we awe heroes. And evewything will be wight in the end."
The bespectacled boy started to say something, but a bright glow erupted from the crest around the girl's neck. The white rectangle's blank surface became disturbed as pink lines formed. Within seconds, a stylized shape of a gemstone appeared. Lopmon leapt to the girl's head as a high-pitched ringing started to sound in her ears and swiftly changed into voices.
Innocence. Purity from the corruption of the world and experiences; untouchable by evil. A state all begin life in, but quickly lose as they gain knowledge of darkness and corruption. Very few can grow and learn while maintaining that delicate untainted state. Protected, that innocence eventually becomes a force that evil cannot touch.
It begins in a fragile state, easily marred by experiences of deception or cruelty. Darkness may try to swallow the tiny light, but that pureness can grow in strength until it can defend against even the harshest lessons of life. Like a gemstone, the pressures that try to corrupt and shatter can harden and strengthn the pure innocence that shines through.
The world will always try to pollute. Many see the loss of innocence as part of growing up. This is not true since you can mature without losing that simple purity of youth. Never lose that trait. Guard and cherish it as the gift it truly is.
Innocence.
"Did you hear that, Suzie?" Lopmon asked after a moment.
Though everyone else shook their heads and gave the brown and pink rabbit a blank look, the young tamer nodded (and almost unbalanced the rookie in the process). She studied the change to her crest more carefully. The picture on it was actually fairly pretty.
"Oh man," mumbled Kenta numbly. "She's already activated her crest? I'm always last, aren't I?" Shaking his head ruefully, he asked, "Does anyone have any idea of what her crest is?"
"Weren't you listening to them? They said it was 'Innocence.' Does that mean I'll never get in trouble again since I won't be guilty?" she replied, wondering how the older boy could have missed it since the whole thing was so obvious and flamboyant.
"I don't think it meant that," answered the rabbit-like digimon, raising her ears curiously. "There are different types of innocence."
"Like being naïve," nodded Kenta, glancing at Calumon. "Or, I guess, being super happy and refusing to automatically assume the worse, even after experiencing a bunch of scary stuff."
"I think I can hear a fight ahead," Lopmon announced abruptly. "I wasn't certain at first, but it definitely sounds like a battle."
"Ryo," asked MarineAngemon. "Pu-pii?"
She shook her head, "I can't tell who is fighting. But we need to be cautious just the same."
"Okay, we still need to go this way, but we can't just charge in blindly," Kenta stated, trying to sound confident about his words. "The best idea would be to…"
His plan was interrupted as Calumon suddenly stopped playing with the length of ribbon, grabbed his head, and produced a terrified scream.
Bad. Bad, bad, bad, bad. The warm and bright glow that once hid inside him, the upside-down red pyramid that helped digimon to digivolve, was screeching. It wasn't inside Calumon anymore, but it was always really close. Like it was waiting just behind him, barely out of sight. When any digimon used it to digivolve, he could vaguely feel it. But he normally ignored it since it was kind of boring after a while. But now something wrong was happening.
It wasn't just that some big meanie was digivolving. He could barely tell who was digivolving even if he did pay attention and a nice digimon changing wasn't really different feeling than a mean one. Especially if it happened without going through him first. The digivolving itself was bad. The spinning red pyramid was shrieking because of how it was being used. He had never really heard it make a sound before and didn't even know it could. But it was and he could clearly hear it.
It was just wrong. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. He wanted it to stop. He wanted it all to go away and leave him alone.
It wasn't like anything he'd ever felt. It was something that should never happen. It was scarier than when the mean monkey kidnapped him, when Beelzemon was mean and yelled at him after he first digivolved, and when the D-reaper had Jeri. Even if he put them all together and added never eating creampuffs again, this was still worse. The sound and wrongness was too clear and impossible to ignore. He wanted to cover his ears, but the noise wasn't coming through his ears. The screeching was in his head and hurt.
If the spinning red pyramid was still inside him instead of outside, Calumon knew it would be even worse. But even with the glowing upside-down pyramid being close to him instead of actually inside, it was still really bad. Something was digivolving that shouldn't. At least, not like this. Not in such a… wrong, bad, bad way.
The screeching and glowing warmth stopped finally. Whoever was digivolving was done now. But he was still afraid. Whatever just happened was just… bad. And it felt so close too.
And I am ashamed of myself. Do you realize how hard it is to be mean to Calumon? It's nearly impossible. But I had to demonstrate how completely unnatural and twisted Death Evolution is. The Light of Digivolution itself tries to reject it from happening and the former Catalyst is absolutely petrified by it.
(And it's hard to write Calumon's viewpoint for this since he can't even properly describe how much it is bothering him. He's just too cheerful and naïve that he can't find the words. Plus, it is nearly impossible to be able to hurt him in any fashion without tremendous guilt following. I'm going to go away and feel bad about my actions now...).
On a brighter note, Suzie's crest is the Crest of Innocence. No one can deny that it suits her well. After all, she managed to wander into the Digital World, convince a Deva to help her find her brother and play with her, and even managed to gain the same Deva as her partner. All by being her normal, sweet, innocent self.
Finally, I've revealed almost everything about what DemiDevimon was doing except for one thing: what he is about to turn into. Sorry, but you'll have to wait just a little longer. But I think it will be worth the wait.
Feel free to review. I always appreciate a little feedback. Thanks.