Author's Note: These last few chapters have been a quick write. I may have this story done pretty soon.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
Chapter 8: Arrow of Love
In the throne room of the floating crystal fortress, Ken and the others had just beheld a horrible site. Through some dark spell of Barbamon's, Justimon had transformed into ZeedMillenniummon, an evolved form of Ryo's old nemesis. The group was obviously confused as to how this was possible. Within Sakuyamon, Rika was not only confused, but also terrified. Not only did the very sight of the evil god Digimon terrify her, but also it seemed that when ZeedMillenniummon had emerged, Ryo's personality had completely vanished. And Rika was afraid this it meant Ryo was lost for good.
"How is this possible?" Izzy asked ZeedMillenniummon. "How can it be that Ryo's Digimon form has transformed into you?"
ZeedMillenniummon let out a cold inhuman laugh. "You simple-minded insect! Didn't you ever find it odd that Ryo never had a Digimon partner of his own when you knew him? There was a reason for that, I was always his partner."
"Impossible!" Ken declared. "How could an evil Digimon like you have a human partner?"
"That is indeed an interesting question," ZeedMillenniummon answered. "I did not think it possible either, but after contemplating it for quite some time it seemed to be the only logical conclusion. After all, how could it be possible that a mere boy like Ryo could defeat me, especially with a band of borrowed Digimon? The only explanation was that Ryo had a power that rivaled my own. He was the light that complimented my darkness, the order to compliment my chaos. Perhaps the reason I was created was because a part of Ryo desired the power I could provide, a being created by his dreams or nightmares. But whatever the reason it was clear that he and I complimented each other."
"If you're really Ryo's partner than what about Cyberdramon?" Sakuyamon asked.
ZeedMillennummon chuckled. "Ah, that my dear is a good question. To answer I will have to tell you about what happened after the amusing little farce of the Harmonious Ones that was the D-1 Tournament. When Ryo defeated me at my palace, I decided to take our battle to the next level. I had attempted to hurl Ryo to the distant future where we would continue our endless battle. Unfortunately I miscalculated and instead somehow hurled Ryo back to the Digital World's distant past.
"It was there where Ryo met one of the creator gods of the Digital World, a being so powerful it created all the Digital Worlds throughout space and time. This being decided to give Ryo a Digimon partner in order to fight me, so it selected a Monodramon for that role. And so our war throughout the dimensions began. During our final battle I revealed to Ryo the truth that I had always been his real partner. But that meddling Monodramon disagreed with me and in my weakened state forced a DNA evolution between us that regressed us into a single egg. The egg hatched and my consciousness was completely suppressed by Monodramon's. When he finally evolved to Cyberdramon a part of me tried to seep out, but in the end Ryo was able to help suppress me and I became completely dormant the first time the two of them biomerged into Justimon."
"So how is it that you're back?" Ken demanded to know.
"That my boy was my doing," Barbamon answered. "After I captured Ryo and Cyberdramon I was able to force a dark biomerge between them. I was hoping the result would be ZeedMillenniummon. But because of the strength of their minds I only ended up with a darker Justimon. Still, it seemed clear that ZeedMillenniummon had partially awakened, so I decided to push Justimon's anger until both Ryo and Cyberdramon would lose control and allow ZeedMillenniummon's power to escape, which it now finally has."
"I do not know why you have helped me to awaken Barbamon, but I thank you," ZeedMillenniummon told the evil wizard. "I will repay you once I become ruler of all things."
"We'll see about that!" Imperialdramon declared as he took aim at the evil god with his cannon. "Positron Laser!"
The beam from the positron laser hit ZeedMillenniummon dead on, but the evil god Digimon was unfazed.
"Do not trifle with me insect!" ZeedMillenniummon warned. "Chrono Paradox!"
ZeedMillenniummon fired streams of blue fire from his mouths that spiraled around each other to form a double helix. Imperialdramon was hit in the chest and fell to the ground, but the dragon warrior was only stunned and slowly got back up after a few moments.
"Consider that a warning," ZeedMillenniummon threatened. "Go against me again and I shall banish all of you to the void beyond space and time! There you would drift through all eternity with no hope of return!"
Meanwhile within Sakuyamon, Rika was at a complete lose about what to do. It did not seem possible for Rto to ever be brought back. Consumed by feelings of helplessness, Rika began to cry.
"Are you giving up Rika?" Sakuyamon's voice suddenly asked.
"I just don't know what to do," Rika answered tearfully. "Before I thought there was a chance we could save Ryo when he was Justimon. But now that he's become that monster I…"
Rika trailed off and started sobbing.
"Do not lose hope Rika. There is still a small chance that Ryo can still be saved."
"…How?" Rika asked after she regained some of her composure.
"There is a technique that we have never used, and it would require all of the power that we have. It could even prove dangerous to us. Are you willing to take the chance?"
"You know I am. I'll do anything to bring back Ryo, even if it kills me."
Back on the outside, a column of blue light enveloped Sakuyamon. When the light faded Sakuyamon's attire had changed. She still wore her golden fox mask, but instead of her bodysuit and armor she was wearing the attire of a Miko, which consisted of red long divided trousers called hakama, and a white kimono jacket with baggy sleeves. Her two foxtail-like ponytails also had white ribbons tied around them.
"What is this?" ZeedMillenniummon asked sounding amused. "Are you going to try and fight me you pathetic little vixen?"
"I'm going to free Ryo from within you!" Sakuyamon declared in both her own voice and Rika's.
ZeedMillenniummon let out another cold laugh. "You're wasting your time! Ryo's mind has been locked away within me. No power that you posses can free him."
"Do not under estimate me!" Sakuyamon told him as a bow appeared in her right hand and an arrow appeared in her left. "I will release Ryo by purifying you of your evil!"
With that, Sakuyamon strung the arrow and took aim at ZeedMillenniummon. Then she quietly began to chant some sort of spell that caused her to glow with an aura of blue light. The energy of that aura then began to gather into the head of the arrow. Within Sakuyamon Rika was channeling all of her energy, her very life force into the arrow. All she focused on was her desire to save Ryo.
"You are beginning to annoy me," ZeedMillenniummon declared with a hint of irritation. "I will banish you to the void beyond space and time and put an end to your pointless display!"
Before ZeedMillenniummon could do anything, Imperialdramon fired on him again, distracting the evil god.
"I warned you about trifling with me!" an angered ZeedMillenniummon shouted. "You shall be the first to be banished!"
At last the aura around Sakuyamon faded and all of the energy went into the arrow. With the last of her strength Sakuyamon fired the arrow. The arrow took of like a glowing rocket and hit ZeedMillenniummon in the spot where his two necks met. The evil god Digimon suddenly roared in pain before exploding in a blinding flash of white light that forced everyone in the room to cover their eyes. When the light finally faded, Ken looked up to see a pair of figures that momentarily floated in the air where ZeedMillennimmon originally was before suddenly falling. Imperialdramon caught the two and gently set them down on the ground. Ken and Davis rushed over to check on them.
Meanwhile, Rika was lying on the ground unconscious. Next to her was a small round yellow creature with large eyes, four stubby legs, pointed ears, and a bushy tail with a white tip. This was Renamon's In-Training form, Viximon. Yolei, Izzy, and Cody rushed over to check on Rika. Meanwhile, Ken and Davis were checking on the two unconscious figures. One of them was a young man with brown hair wearing a grey shirt, dark-blue jacket, and black jeans. Ken recognized the young man as Ryo. The other figure was a Digimon. It was a humanoid dragon that was as large as an average human and covered head to toe in black rubbery armor. Two pairs of red wings were on its back. Both Ken and Davis assumed that the Digimon was Ryo's partner Cyberdramon. It wasn't long before Ryo regained consciousness.
"…Ken?" Ryo asked weakly as he looked up at his old friend.
"Are you alright?" Ken asked.
"Well, I have one hell of a headache but other than that I think I'm okay." Ryo replied as he slowly sat up. "I also remember a lot of the stuff I did to you and your friends. I feel terrible about it, and about what I did to Rika."
"Hey, don't worry about it," Ken responded with a reassuring smile. "You clearly weren't yourself."
Suddenly Cyberdramon got to his feet, rubbing the side of his head with his right hand.
"Hey buddy, you okay?" Davis asked the dragon Digimon, who merely growled in response. "Jeez, sorry I asked."
"Don't worry. He's always like that," Ryo assured Davis. "Of course you haven't really caught him in a good mood."
"Oh god! She's not breathing!" Yolei cried out, getting the attention of Ryo, Ken, and Davis.
The three young men rushed over as Yolei gave Rika CPR. Ryo knelt down next to Rika and grabbed onto her hand.
"Please don't die on me Rika!" Ryo cried as tears began to well up in his eyes. "I've never told you this before but…I love you! I have for years but I've never had the guts to tell you! But I'm telling you now, so please don't die! Please…I can't lose you again."
Suddenly Rika coughed, slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Ryo with a weak smile on her face. "You dummy."
"Damn you priestess!" Barbamon shouted, interrupting the tender moment. "I was so close to having it all! My plan was to take ZeedMillenniummon's powers for myself, overthrow my so-called master, and become the absolute ruler of space and time! Now it's all come to nothing!"
Cyberdramon stepped forward and roared at Barbamon, frightening Davis and a few of the others.
"Hey Ryo, can't you calm him down?" Davis asked.
"Cyberdramon's mad at Barbamon for using him," Ryo told him as he got up and walked up next to Cyberdramon, all the while glaring at Barbamon. "And so am I! You made me hurt one of my oldest friends and the girl I love!"
"If it makes you feel better it was nothing personal my boy," Barbamon responded with an evil grin. "You were merely a means to an end. What happened to your friends is simply collateral damage."
"That makes it even worse!" Ryo shouted. "Cyberdramon and I are going to make you pay for what you've done!"
Cyberdramon roared again and Ryo's digivice let out the mechanized cry of a familiar word.
"BIOMERGE!"
With that, Ryo turned into a ball of blue light and entered Cyberdramon and triggering the transformation.
"Cyberdramon biomerge digivolve to…Justimon!" Cyberdramon cried as he transformed.
Once again Ryo and Cyberdramon had become Justimon, but there was a difference in the Digimon hero's appearance. His costume was blue and white instead of black and grey, and his long red scarf was no longer tattered.
"Ryo, are you sure you have to do this?" Ken asked with a tone of concern.
"You can't talk me out of this Ken," Justimon told him. "Barbamon has to pay for what he's done!"
"Well, you heard him Ken. We should probably help him out," Davis suggested. "Back him up Imperialdramon!"
"You got it!" Imperialdramon responded as he took aim at the demon wizard.
"So you're going to fight me, eh?" Barbamon observed in a wry tone. "I knew there was a chance that I may have to face the legendary Imperialdramon, so I took a little precaution."
Barbamon began chanting a spell in a foul language that was almost painful for the group to listen to. Suddenly a large portal opened up behind Barbamon and a massive creature stepped though. It was a dragon that looked almost exactly like Imperialdramon's original dragon form, except it was mostly black. Barbamon stopped chanting when the dragon fully emerged behind him, causing the portal to close.
"Meet my pet, BlackImperialdramon!" Barbamon announced, causing the evil dragon to roar. "This creature has been a useful and faithful servant to me for years! And by the time he's through with you, you shall all parish!"
Author's Note: One of the big problems I had when planing this story was figuring out how to change ZeedMillenniummon back into Ryo and Cyberdramon. I didn't think that Imperialdramon beating him up would be a good solution, especially since ZeedMillenniummon could easily beat Imperialdramon. Plus I thought it would have to be something that Rika would have to do, otherwise why bring her into the story? So I thought about it for a while, and then when I was browsing through the Digimon Wiki I saw that Sakuyamon had a Miko form that was never used in the anime. And so I thought that I could use this form in the story somehow. So as a result of seeing almost every episode of InuYasha (I have yet to see The Final Act), I decided to just have Sakuyamon pull a Kagome/Kikyo and purify ZeedMillenniummon with a sacred arrow. It also provided a way for Rika to sacrifice her life to save Ryo, and I'm sorry if that scene between Ryo and Rika was a little melodramatic.
The next chapter is the climactic final battle with Barbamon, so stay tuned. In the meantime please review and let me know what you think.