Frontier 02: Rebirthing – Chapter 38: Rage
madjack89: Hello, all. How is everyone on this fine day?
Everyone: …
Takuya: Uh…Madjack? You okay?
madjack89: Yes, Takuya, I'm fine. Are you referring to the fact that I'm not acting as hyper as I usually do?
Takuya: Well…yeah.
JP: It's kinda creepy.
madjack89: Well, despite its creepiness, I've decided to try something different with this particular chapter of F2R. You're all familiar with my style of writing by now, correct?
Everyone: *nods slowly*
madjack89: Then you already know that one key element in nearly every story I write lies in breaking the fourth wall.
Zoe: You do like to comment on things that are happening during the story.
Shino: Not to mention we're completely aware that we're fictional, in and out of the commentaries.
madjack89: Indeed. Now, if you'll recall…
Kouji: *whispers to Kouichi* Why is she talking like that?
Kouichi: *shrugs*
madjack89: …in the last chapter of F2R, I got very wild with references and, for the most part, ignored the fact that the fourth wall existed. This was done for comedic purposes, since I wanted to write an entirely silly chapter before getting to this point in the story, where things take a fairly dark turn.
Kouji: What a surprise.
madjack89: *ignores* So, in order to get all of you, the audience, into the proper mood for this chapter, I've decided not to hop in with any comments or break the fourth wall in any way whatsoever during this chapter, something I'm not used to doing, especially with this story.
Everyone: O.O
Kouji: …Seriously?
madjack89: Seriously.
Kira: You're not gonna make any comments during this chapter at all?
madjack89: That's correct.
Dai: And we'll be too immersed in the plot to make any fourth wall jokes?
madjack89: You can put it that way, yes.
JP: What about references?
madjack89: If any of you choose to make a reference to something in your dialogue, that's fine. But other than that, no references from me. Totally serious narration.
Takuya: …Wow. That's…interesting.
madjack89: Yes, it should be. Now, don't be alarmed, everyone; I'm just trying this out for this particular chapter. I'll be back to my old, crazy self in chapter 39. I just wanted to do something different.
Kouji: Okay, one more question. Why are you acting so weird?
madjack89: You mean why am I acting so calm?
Kouji: For you, calm is weird.
madjack89: Well, to write this chapter without resorting to making references or fourth wall jokes, I need to be in a fairly calm, collected mood, not my usual hyper mood. Like I said, it's only temporary.
Kouji: Um…okay then.
madjack89: Now that I've explained all that, I'll answer your reviews in a dignified fashion.
Everyone: O_O
Takuya: …Dai, I dub you replacement Madjack for this chapter.
Dai: Ai ai, captain! Yay, Madjack's gonna answer some reviews! Woohoo!
*break*
silver fire wolf: I am quite sorry. Sometimes I forget how young some readers out there are. Very sorry, Kokoro. Thank you both for the review.
Musical Darkness: Yes, that was quite an interesting conversation. (Kouichi: I'm still confused…) Thank you for the review.
garnettfox: (Dragramon: Just watch your back, Witchy…) (Kouichi: Heh…thank you?) (Hotaru: *sigh* Sometimes Dai is more of a hindrance than a help…) Must…resist…hyperness…caused by…Tigger theme…thank you for reviewing.
GoldenDragon326: Indeed. In an unrelated note, I actually missed the part when the others revived Kouichi when I originally saw episode 50. My mother needed me to do something for her quickly, and when I came back, the episode was over. I was upset. Oh well. Thank you for reviewing.
Aldamonburst: Pandas are quite adorable, much like Kaito. You'll never understand his cuteness, Donald. Thank you for the review, Burst.
fg1fg: I'll never understand twincest either. (Kouji and Kouichi: Ew…) (Zoe: I wasn't gonna let that stupid bear get away with trying to hurt Kouichi…) (Kouichi: …I still couldn't kill her…) (Shino: Yeah…freakin' genius…) Let me just warn you right now that this story is FAR from over. Anyway, thank you for the review.
Shadowfox94: I personally think emo guys are likeable because we pity them the most. (Nina: I can sneeze if I wanna sneeze!) (Duskmon: *sigh*) (Impmon: Nope, I'm not! ^_^) Shino didn't lose his actual HUMAN arms, and his arms will come back when he Spirit Evolves to Arbormon again, so he'll be fine. Thank you for the review.
Zanzibar1: Yes, it was a weird chapter. But I can be a bit of a weird person, so I suppose that makes sense. Thank you for reviewing.
TobiGB: (Everyone: *sweatdrops*) (JP: Well, you heard the man, Taki. Time to die.) (Takuya: *grows pale*) Thank you very much, GB. Sephiroth, you could learn some manners.
13wolfsbane: I'm glad you liked it, 13. (Kouichi: *sigh*) (Dai: ^_^ Thank you!) Don't worry, Yin, I won't give it to him. (Kouji: Give what to whom?) Go away. (Kouji: *shrugs* Whatever.) Thank you for the review, girls. (Takuya: O.o One million dollars…?)
Felicity Taylor: Gigasmon was referencing a popular line from the movie The Sixth Sense. I'm glad that you enjoyed the humor. I like humor as well. Thank you for reviewing.
Immortal Fallen Radiance: Yes, I believe that picking on characters in quite entertaining, too. Thank you for reviewing.
*break*
madjack89: Alright, since Takuya has given Dai the task of being my replacement hyperness, I'll let him start the chapter off with a loud exclamation.
Dai: Okay! Let's get this chapter underway, everybody! I hope you like it! ^.^
madjack89: Good job, Dai.
Dai: Thanks!
—
Pain. That was the first thing Takuya felt upon regaining consciousness. Then, slowly becoming aware of the strength and red-hot power coursing through his limbs, a power that could never be possessed by a mere human, he realized that he hadn't reverted back to his human form when he'd smacked straight into the ground, miraculously. Propping himself up on his elbows, he surveyed the area around him, hoping against hope that his friends had had the same good luck.
He thought he could see a couple of Digital hands and legs sticking out of the rumble, but all of the dust and rocks and debris made it hard to tell. Still too dazed to get to his feet, Aldamon crawled slowly toward the nearest piece of rumble, on top of which lay a pair of blue-green feet, looking like they belonged to an oh-so-familiar female Digimon.
"Kira?" he muttered quietly, peering over the boulder to see that Ranamon was indeed the owner of the feet he'd seen. Her eyes were closed and her body lay still, so she hadn't regained consciousness yet…but wasn't her neck bent at a slightly odd angle…?
Feeling a surge of panic, Aldamon shouted, "Kira!"
Ranamon's eyes snapped open, startled awake by Aldamon's shout. Turning her head, she relaxed when she saw who was staring down at her. "Hey Taki. That was one random-ass gust of wind, huh?"
Aldamon sighed in relief. She was okay. "No kidding," he replied, pulling himself over the boulder so that he could help Ranamon to her feet. Her movements were shaky, but she seemed to be about as okay as she could be.
"Damn, luck must've been on our side today," she muttered once she was on her feet, staring up at the topmost point of the RMS from which she and the others had fallen. "Not a lot of people survive falling from that height, I'd wager."
"Well, we were Spirit Evolved at the time, and Digimon are a little more resilient than humans," Aldamon said listlessly, realizing that he was able to see the other Digimon scattered through the wreckage now that he was on his feet. Noticing that his friends were beginning to stir as well, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. We're okay… "Okay, whoever's not dead, raise your hand!" he announced, feeling good enough to joke around.
In response, there was a chorus of groans and a "Screw you, Takuya," from the others. Both Aldamon and Ranamon grinned in response. "I think they're alright, Taki," Ranamon stated.
"You know you're having a bad day when just before you hit the ground after falling fifty feet, you remember you can fly," Beetlemon muttered sarcastically, glancing at the other Legendary Warriors capable of flight.
Aldamon's grin turned into a frown. "I didn't realize that till now! Damn it!"
"The wind kinda caught me off guard," Zephyrmon explained, shaking her head to try to clear it. "I'm not used to gusts of wind being used AGAINST me."
"Yeah…weird…" Zephyrmon jumped in surprise when Raihimon spoke, mostly because his voice was coming from below her. Looking down, she realized that she hadn't been lying on a big, strangely-formed rock this whole time; she'd been lying on Raihimon.
"Sorry!" Zephyrmon apologized, quickly getting up and off of the other Digimon. Then, crouching by his side as he sat up, she muttered, "Kouichi…were you trying to shield me from hitting the ground?"
Raihimon took a moment, and then sheepishly responded, "Well, I WISH I could say that I was shielding you, but I hadn't really been thinking about that when we were falling. I guess you just landed on me out of sheer coincidence. Sorry."
Zephyrmon sighed. "You know, any other guy would've just said yes."
"I didn't want to lie," Raihimon mumbled, embarrassed.
Chuckling slightly, Zephyrmon wrapped Raihimon's neck in a quick hug. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, I warned you not to stupidly protect me."
"Hold off on the romance, guys!" Petaldramon suddenly shouted, glancing around fearfully. "Oh no…"
"What is it?" Mercurymon asked, raising his shields in preparation for an attack.
"Oh god…" Petaldramon muttered, ignoring Mercurymon. "Guys…I only count nine of us. Where's Tommy?"
Tommy…
Aldamon didn't move, didn't breath, didn't think for a whole ten seconds. Then he sprang into action. "Guys, start moving rocks out of the way! He's gotta be here somewhere!"
Thawing slightly from the shock thanks to their leader's command, the others started searching, shoving rocks and debris left and right and calling their younger friend's name. They'd only been at it for a few moments when their efforts were suddenly interrupted.
"I told her that shoving you off the RMS was a bad idea."
Everyone turned toward the structure looming above them to see the Digimon leaning against its wall, watching them calmly; Duskmon.
Raihimon reacted almost instantly, brandishing his lance and charging straight at Duskmon. Of course, Duskmon managed to block Raihimon's attack with his swords, but that didn't matter. Raihimon hadn't been aiming to kill, anyway.
The two dark Digimon stared each other down for one tense moment. Then Raihimon asked flatly, "So, how's Nina?"
"Heh," Duskmon chuckled, not seeming surprised by the question. "Of course you knew she'd come back to me after you got rid of her. Oh, and she's scolding you for attacking me right now. 'Bad, bad kitty.'"
Raihimon leaped back, keeping his lance between himself and Duskmon. "Is she seriously thinking of trying to corrupt me again? Sorry, but I'm not letting that happen."
"WE'RE not letting that happen," Zephyrmon corrected, pushing herself up with her wings and landing gracefully next to Raihimon. "You're never taking Kouichi from me again."
"And even if you do somehow manage to corrupt him, Ellie and I will be there to bring him back," Beowulfmon added, brandishing his own weapon. "You can't win against the four of us."
"Don't forget the rest of the gang, pretty boy!" Ranamon said enthusiastically, gesturing to the rest of their group and herself. "In case you've forgotten, I still have a score to settle with Dusky here. He ripped off my bedroom window frame and proceeded to kick my ass, admittedly, back in the human world, and now it's payback time!"
"Plus he tried to kill me back in the TV Forest!" Gigasmon added.
"That was just me following orders, like always. Now…" Duskmon trailed off, smirking to himself. "I don't give a damn what that bitch Ilsemon says."
"Guy—" The others turned as Beetlemon's shout was cut short by a gloved paw clamping over his mouth, or at least the mask covering of his mouth. Either way, Renamon had caught him.
She apparently hadn't been looking for a hostage, though, because her paws were glowing with that unmistakably strange power of hers, draining Beetlemon like a battery. It was quick, only taking a couple seconds, and then Renamon let the Warrior of Thunder fall to the ground, reverting back to his human form as he lost consciousness.
"Good job, Renamon," Duskmon commented, breaking the silence. Renamon simply nodded, staring at the yellow, glowing energy she still held in her paws.
Reacting to this exchange, Raihimon turned and swung at Duskmon, who blocked this surprise attack a bit less easily than the last. "What's going on?" Raihimon asked, glaring threateningly at his enemy. "You're making it easier for Ilsemon to finish us off? Or has Nina decided I'm too much of a hassle and wants us all dead?"
Duskmon shook his head slightly, seeming exasperated by Raihimon's assumption. "Not even close. We're trying to save you FROM Ilsemon. Nina's plan for your friends would never come to fruition if Ilsemon 'accidentally' killed them and/or drove them insane."
"Nina's plan for…?" Raihimon lowered his weapon slowly, glancing briefly over his shoulder at his group of friends. Then, recovering his anger, he lifted his lance, holding it at Duskmon's throat. "What does Nina want with the others? Talk. Now."
"Duskmon!" The gang was surprised when Renamon shouted Duskmon's name, sounding almost…concerned for him.
What was more surprising was Duskmon's reaction. "I'm fine, Renamon," Duskmon replied, keeping his gaze fixed on Raihimon. However, his extra eyeballs all seemed to have swiveled toward Renamon. Duskmon and Renamon…had they ever seemed close? Not before this moment…
The others had little time to ponder this before Duskmon replied to Raihimon's question. "Nina has formed a new plan to bring you back to her, Kouichi. That plan involves your friends, not just Kouji this time, though one of her goals is still to kill him. That's all I can tell you."
"You're lying," Raihimon growled, pressing the tip of his lance against Duskmon's armor, knowing it would be simple to push it straight through to the vulnerable data underneath, unraveling it, watching Duskmon disintegrate… "You know more."
"Nina doesn't tell me everything," Duskmon responded coolly, unfazed by Raihimon's sudden ferocity. "That's all I know."
Raihimon would have pressed for more information, but Zephyrmon had noticed his growing anger and had placed a hand soothingly on his shoulder. "Calm down," she muttered quietly, staring pensively at Duskmon. "I know you want to, but don't kill Duskmon now. Not yet."
"Are you still needlessly pitying me, girl?" Duskmon asked, glancing over Raihimon's shoulder at Zephyrmon.
Zephyrmon's expression darkened. "Of course not. You killed any pity I may have felt for you when I saw what you ultimately helped Nina do to Kouichi. I was just thinking that we shouldn't kill Nina's vessel. She'd have to find someone else to inhabit, and then we'd have to go and find her instead of knowing she's conveniently hiding inside you."
Raihimon glared at Duskmon a moment longer, then sighed and lowered his lance, knowing that Zephyrmon was right. "Fine. I won't kill him."
"But that doesn't mean I won't hurt him." Of course, Duskmon knew that Beowulfmon had been sneaking around behind him while the others were providing a distraction. Of course, Beowulfmon knew this, too. That was why his sword was already raised, prepared to fall on this sorry excuse for a Digimon's head.
Before he got that far, he felt a sharp kick in his left side, knocking him several feet to the right, completely out of range of Duskmon. Raihimon was at his side in an instant, and both brothers turned to stare at the Digimon who had defended Duskmon. Renamon.
The gang watched, perplexed, as Renamon turned toward Duskmon and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yes," Duskmon replied curtly. Then, almost as an afterthought, he mumbled, "Thank you."
"Whoa, you can be polite without spontaneously combusting?" Ranamon said, shocked by Duskmon's reply. "What happened to the Dusky we know and loathe?"
The slightly timid glance Duskmon had given Renamon changed to a look of irritation when he turned to glare at Ranamon. "Oh, he's still here. Would you like to say hello for old times' sake?"
"Duskmon isn't your opponent now," Renamon stated, quickly stepping in front of Duskmon to prevent the oncoming brawl. "I am."
Ranamon smirked, raising her fists in anticipation. "Bring it, Foxy."
"Sorry I'm late, children. Running a war can be so time-consuming."
She'd come out of nowhere. No one had seen her approach, not a single person or Digimon had sensed her presence until she'd spoken. Even Duskmon and Renamon seemed surprised to see her there, standing behind Ranamon, one hand resting gently on the shorter Digimon's shoulder. But it was obvious from the triumphant gleam in her eye that Duskmon and Renamon's plan to "save" the Legendary Warrior children from her had backfired, because Ilsemon now stood in their midst.
Glancing at everyone's shocked expressions, Ilsemon smiled darkly, her cold blue eyes sparkling with pleasure. It suddenly didn't matter that they greatly outnumbered her. It didn't matter that she wasn't a fighter. It didn't matter that they could easily surround her and kill her. From the look on her face, it was obvious that Ilsemon thought she'd already won.
It's no wonder that SHE'S Lucemon's sister, Aldamon thought. The gang, besides Kouji, had never actually encountered Ilsemon in person; they'd just heard stories. However, Takuya could easily match those stories with the Digimon standing in their midst. He felt just as chilled by her presence as he had by Lucemon's. They had the same evil, nearly insane edge to their expressions, the same icy blue eyes. The only thing he couldn't fathom was how Masumon could possibly be their sister.
Ilsemon's sweeping gaze suddenly stopped on Renamon and Duskmon. "So you have betrayed me as well, Renamon?" she asked, sounding hurt. The glint in her eyes told everyone that she didn't actually care. Renamon and Duskmon's attempted interference in whatever plans she had hadn't hurt a thing.
Renamon, who had seemed so calm and sure before, fell to one knee before her mistress, bowing her head in shame. "I am sorry, milady. It was just that…if you were to fight these children, you would more than likely end up killing them."
Ilsemon laughed at this, and Ranamon tried to hide her pained grimace as the hand on her shoulder clamped down like a talon, nails embedding in flesh. Aldamon noticed Ranamon's pain and clenched his fists. He didn't attack, though. Only Kouji had experienced the effect of Ilsemon's powers first-hand, but they all knew what she could do. Ranamon had become Ilsemon's hostage in less than a second, and everyone knew it.
"Oh, Renamon, have faith in me!" Ilsemon said once her fit of laughter had ceased. A smile still stuck on her face, she took one step back from Ranamon, letting her hand fall from the Legendary Warrior's shoulder.
Less than a second later, Ranamon was on the ground, reverting back to her human form. Ilsemon was suddenly facing the opposite way from which she had been a moment before, a triumphant gleam in her icy gaze.
Everyone was shocked silent but Aldamon. "Kira!" he cried, rushing forward. He barely noticed Ilsemon's gaze snap toward him. His focus was on Kira, lying unconscious and vulnerable on the ground. He had to protect her. He had to keep her safe. I have to…
Suddenly, Aldamon felt something hard smack right against the back of his skull. His vision became blurry and unfocused as he quickly lost consciousness. He was already gone by the time he hit the ground.
"Takuya!"
—
"Hey Dragra!" Witchmon called to her friend, clocking a Boarmon in the snout as she did so.
"Yeah Witchy?" Dragramon replied, tackling three Ogremon in order to get closer to Witchmon so they wouldn't have to yell across the hundreds of Digital heads surrounding them.
Witchmon gestured for Dragramon to come even closer, and soon the two were facing the enemy back to back. Before plowing through the masses of Digimon around them, Witchmon muttered, "You heard that big noise, didn't you, Dragra?"
"If you mean the big explosion-y sound coming from behind the RMS, then yeah, I heard it," Dragramon said, glancing up at her friend. "That can only mean one thing."
"Yup," Witchmon agreed, raising her hand just as her broomstick flew into her waiting grasp. "Looks like the kids found the big boss."
—
"Please try not to worry so much, Masumon!" Swanmon pleaded, desperately trying to calm Masumon's frayed nerves.
"I can't stop worrying," Masumon replied, continuing to pace up and down the nursery cavern. "I just can't stop thinking about those children. If Kou—any of them got hurt, I wouldn't be able to take it!"
"No need to fret, Masumon," Bokomon stated, standing beside Swanmon with a confident look on his face. "No matter what, those children always find a way to defeat their foes. They are Legendary Warriors, after all!"
"But didn't Kouichi almost get killed the last time they—" Bokomon quickly clamped his paws over Neemon's mouth before his companion could say more. The last thing they needed was to scare Masumon with stories of the past.
But Masumon had already figured out what Neemon had been trying to say. "Oh no, that's right! What if something like that happens again, only the person DOESN'T survive? They're all bound so tightly to each other that I doubt they'd be able to stand losing a member of their group! But what if one of them doesn't make it? What if Kou—"
"Masumon!" Swanmon shouted, interrupting the other Digimon's babbling. Then, in a gentler tone, she said, "I understand that you're scared for them and you wish that you could help them fight. But our place isn't on the field of battle. It's down here, watching over the younger Digimon in the tunnels until they return. You said it yourself; your sister is no fighter. Once the children have incapacitated her guards, it will be a simple thing to finish her off and end this senseless fighting, once and for all."
Masumon, moved by Swanmon's speech, smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you, Swanmon. I'll try not to worry so much."
But still… she added to herself, staring morosely at her hands. I wish that I could do something to help them…to help Kouji…
—
Takuya woke a minute or so later to find that the others had all been beaten while he was out of it. That is, except for Dai. He gained full awareness just in time to see Gigasmon make a valiant effort to clock Ilsemon in the side of the head. But when he was about to make contact with his adversary, his fist cut harmlessly through thin air.
Then Takuya saw Ilsemon appear behind Gigasmon, leg sweeping toward the other Digimon's head. "Dai…" Takuya tried to warn his friend of the attack, but his voice was laced with too much pain and the warning came out as a mere whisper. A moment later, Dai lay at Ilsemon's feet, beaten and in human form.
Ilsemon's wings twitched with amusement as she turned back to her underlings. "You see, Renamon? I can use self-restraint."
"Yes, giving them all severe head injuries proves that you're the epitome of restraint," Duskmon mumbled just loud enough for Takuya to catch.
Ilsemon replied haughtily to Duskmon's comment, but Takuya's attention suddenly drifted to the two bodies laying about a foot in front of him. Wait…bodies? No, they were breathing…right? Ilsemon couldn't have killed Kouji and Kouichi…could she?
Moving slowly and carefully so as not to attract attention from Ilsemon or her two lackeys (though this may not have been an apt term to describe Duskmon anymore), Takuya crawled forward until he could reach out his hand and check Kouji's wrist for his friend's pulse. He could definitely see the rise and fall of the twins' chests now that he was closer, but he had to be sure…
"Takuya." Apparently, Kouji hadn't been as out of it as Takuya had thought. Perhaps Ilsemon really HAD gone easy on them.
Still, Kouji and, for that matter, all of them were feeling the effects of being blown off a building, surviving a fall that would've killed them in their human forms, and receiving roadhouse kicks to the head from their supposedly "helpless" enemy. All of this combined pain showed just as plainly on Kouji's face as it did Takuya's, but Kouji still went on to ask, "Are you alright, Takuya?"
This statement made Takuya realize something. Kouji and Kouichi hadn't been anywhere near him when he'd lost consciousness. Did that mean they'd…tried to defend him from Ilsemon?
"Kouji…" Takuya's initial reaction to this revelation was shock, but this quickly turned to confused anger. "Why are you doing this? Why do you keep protecting me from everything? I don't need your protection! I should be protecting you guys, right? I'm the leader, aren't I? I—"
"If you were trying to fake unconsciousness, you probably shouldn't have yelled all of that." Ilsemon was suddenly standing above the two boys, an amused smile on her face. Kouji and Takuya managed to push themselves to their feet, both glaring at their adversary. Their anger barely made Ilsemon flinch. "Touchy, aren't you? But as to what you were arguing about before, I happen to know exactly why Kouji is feeling so overprotective today. Something about a prophecy…"
"Shut the hell up!" Kouji exclaimed, swinging a fist blindly at Ilsemon. With her apparently superior Digimon reflexes, she easily caught Kouji's arm before his fist could get anywhere near her. Smiling, Ilsemon twisted Kouji's arm around until he couldn't help but flinch at the pain.
"Kouji!" Kouichi cried, watching helplessly as Ilsemon nearly twisted his brother's arm off. Takuya felt just as helpless, if not more so. He was the leader. I should be able to do something to stop this…
Just as it seemed that Ilsemon really WOULD rip off Kouji's arm, she stopped. "This probably isn't a good idea. If I tore this off, you'd suffer massive blood loss and die, wouldn't you?" she muttered to herself, slowly twisting Kouji's arm back into its original position. "Humans and their weaknesses…"
In a flash of speed that Takuya would have missed had he blinked, Ilsemon released Kouji's arm and, curling her other hand into a fist, punched Kouji straight in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. Kouji let out a shocked gasp and fell to his knees, hugging himself tightly as he doubled over in pain.
"Kouji!" Takuya tried to go to Kouji's side, but Ilsemon's arm was suddenly held under his neck, locking him in a chokehold. Gasping for air, Takuya grabbed at Ilsemon's arm, desperately trying to free himself.
"Get off of him!" After quickly checking on his brother, Kouichi's attention turned toward his friend. Grabbing his D-Tector, he growled, "Let go of him now, Ilsemon, or I'll make you let go!"
"If you attack me, I'll just snap his neck," Ilsemon replied, squeezing Takuya's neck even harder for emphasis. "Your choice."
Kouichi glared at Ilsemon for another second, then lowered his head in defeat. "Just stop choking him. Now."
"I don't believe that you're in a position to give orders, but very well," Ilsemon said, loosening her grip on Takuya's neck. Waiting for her captive to suck in a few lungfuls of air, Ilsemon slowly lowered her head until she was in entirely uncomfortable proximity to Takuya's ear and muttered, "'You shall find a lost soul that yearns for you, but knows not your name. Darkness licks at the heels of the one that has already found the light, but is shunned by the light all the same. But the joining of the light and the dark cannot save you now, for it will only bring greater pain to all. The only way to prevent his rising is to protect the flame from blowing out. And always remember: a light shines in the darkness.'"
Takuya glanced at Kouichi, wondering if his friend could make any sense out of what Ilsemon had said. But Kouichi just lowered his head, looking almost…ashamed. Kouji, who had recovered slightly from Ilsemon's blow, was glaring at Ilsemon furiously. "Don't tell him."
"Don't tell him what?" Ilsemon asked, mocking innocence. "Don't tell him that HE is the flame that will be blown out? Don't tell him that HE is the one who must supposedly prevent Lucemon's rebirth? Don't tell him that he is destined…to die before he gets the chance?"
For some reason, Ilsemon's statement didn't surprise Takuya. It didn't even bother him. It just…explained the twins' behavior. Even he could work out what most of that prophecy had been about. All of it had come true, save the part about "the joining of the light and the dark." But still, if most of it WAS true, then the part about his death…
Takuya closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and asked, "How did you two find out about this?"
"I told Kouichi about it last night," Kouji explained flatly, letting Kouichi help him to his feet. Then in the same deadpan, emotionless voice, he added, "I found out from Shamanmon's apprentice, Palmon. She's about as good as her teacher, and she agreed to tell my fortune…along with some of yours, I guess."
"Ah, Palmon…she is quite the fortune-teller," Ilsemon muttered, chuckling darkly. "You know, she prophesied that you'd all lose if you faced me. Oh well, who listens to those silly fortunes, anyway?"
Takuya ignored Ilsemon, directing his next question at Kouji. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Kouji didn't reply for several moments. Kouichi was about to respond for him when he finally said, "I told myself that it was because it wouldn't make a difference to you whether you knew about the prophecy or not, but I don't think that's exactly right anymore. The real reason I didn't tell anyone is because I thought, if less people knew about it, then…maybe it wouldn't need to come true."
Takuya didn't respond, leading to another tense moment of silence. Growing bored, Ilsemon broke the tedious quiet. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave! But as fascinating as this drama is, I feel it is time to move on to another matter."
In the next instant, Ilsemon was in front of Kouichi, smiling darkly. "I have quite a secret to reveal to you," she said, grabbing Kouichi by the shirt collar and lifting him slowly off the ground.
"Kouichi!" Kouji, Takuya, a now fully conscious Zoe, and…Duskmon shouted?
Ignoring the other three, Ilsemon cocked her head at the dark Digimon. "Oh dear, Duskmon. Have you begun to care for this child's well-being? Or perhaps you've just grown tired of all this death and despair…?"
Duskmon glared murderously back at Ilsemon. "Don't try to analyze me, you psychopath. I'm just pointing out the fact that Nina has a pretty strong desire for you to keep Kouichi alive."
In response to Duskmon's statement, Ilsemon turned and slammed Kouichi hard against the nearest boulder, causing him to cry out in pain. She smirked when she noticed Kouji wince. "Your connection with your brother has grown stronger. How…interesting. As for your concerns, Duskmon, there is no need to be alarmed. I will not injure Kouichi."
"Then what do you call slamming him against a rock?" Duskmon growled angrily.
"I will show restraint despite his delightfully depressing mind," Ilsemon continued, ignoring Duskmon. "However, I believe it's time that I unlock the memory I've been concealing from him."
"What are you…?" Kouichi's question trailed off as Ilsemon's power began to take effect. A fog that he'd never been aware existed was suddenly lifted from his mind, and he remembered… "You…you were the one…"
Ilsemon smiled darkly. "Yes, Kouichi. I was the one. Cherubimon was merely a scapegoat. But quite a realistic memory I replaced this one with, no?"
Kouichi's brows slowly furrowed as he glared up at Ilsemon. "You sadistic…"
Before he could say more, Ilsemon pulled him back into the air and slammed him against the boulder again, only this time she put much more force behind it. Takuya flinched at the strangled half-pained cry, half-choke Kouichi uttered before Ilsemon released her grip on him, letting him drop to the ground at her feet.
"You call THAT not injuring him?" Duskmon shouted, growing more furious and irritated by the second.
"What can I say? I'm evil," Ilsemon retorted, shrugging nonchalantly. "Now…"
"You bitch!" Zoe was suddenly rushing at Ilsemon, D-Tector raised threateningly. Despite the obvious pain he was in thanks to his bond with Kouichi, Kouji managed to grab his own D-Tector and do the same. For a moment Ilsemon just stood and watched the two run at her from opposite sides. Then, when they were both about an arm's length away from her (and about to Spirit Evolve), she grabbed one of Zoe's and one of Kouji's arms, halting their attack.
Then, with that insane speed of hers, she wrenched Kouji's arm downward, causing him to fly off his feet and fall flat on his face. Turning to Zoe, she grabbed the girl's arm with both her hands, took a moment to savor Zoe's horrified look, and snapped her arm like a twig.
Shocked, Takuya could only stare as Zoe fell to her knees, cradling her broken, mangled arm while still glaring at her adversary. Of course Zoe would do that. She didn't like to show weakness, even when she was hurt. She's too strong…
Ilsemon, smiling cockily, stooped down to Zoe's eye level, icy gaze fixed on Zoe's arm. "My, how fragile humans are," she muttered, reaching out a hand to not-so-gently poke Zoe's broken arm. "Does this hurt?"
"Argh!" Zoe couldn't help but let out a small cry of pain, which told Takuya that Ilsemon had officially gone too far.
"Get away from her!" Takuya demanded angrily, glowering at Ilsemon as he raised his D-Tector and…
Suddenly, his D-Tector was snatched out of his hands. Takuya instantly knew where it had gone. Ilsemon's speed was unreal. It was like she was teleporting from spot to spot. That made it all the more shocking when, in only three seconds' time, Ilsemon dropped Takuya's D-Tector to the ground, raised her foot, and stomped on the device, crushing it under her weight.
The deafening crunch produced by his D-Tector, his power, his entire purpose in this Digital World, reverberated in Takuya's ears. He remained motionless as Ilsemon slowly lifted her foot, revealing what was left of his device. It was so cracked and broken that Takuya knew it couldn't be put back together. He couldn't Spirit Evolve anymore. Agunimon couldn't help him anymore. He was on his own.
"Oops," Ilsemon said, smirking wickedly. "It looks like I've broken your toy. What a pity."
"Why…?" Takuya barely reacted to Kouji's strained question, but he still heard his friend ask Ilsemon, "Why are you so damn powerful? Masumon said…"
"She told you that I'm a peaceful, nonviolent Digimon such as herself," Ilsemon finished, turning to face Kouji. "And she was correct. I am not a violent Digimon by nature. In fact, my powers were never meant to be used for torture…until I realized how much fun it was.
"But that's a story for another time," Ilsemon said, walking toward Kouji until she stood towering above him. Crouching down, she lowered her hand and gently lifted Kouji's chin until he could stare straight into her eyes. "To answer your question, child, I may be nonviolent by nature, but that in no way means that I couldn't learn to be on my own. My mental powers aren't the only skills I've honed, after all."
Kouji didn't reply. He just continued to glare at Ilsemon, eyes blazing with his hatred for her. This hatred only made Ilsemon's smile widen. "Those eyes…so beautifully mesmerizing, even filled with such rage. It's no wonder that my sister loves you."
"Loved," Kouji said flatly, correcting Ilsemon's statement.
Ilsemon chuckled, finding Kouji's statement amusing. "You and I both know that is not completely true. Somewhere deep inside my sister lies your Seiko, filled with all her love for you. It doesn't matter that she can't remember who she was or what she had with you; her love still shines through…"
"I know," Kouji growled quietly, face expressionless. "But then again, I guess her love never really left me…"
Ilsemon chuckled again. "What a romantic you're turning out to be." Then, using her speed, she hopped back to her feet, letting Kouji's head smack against the ground. To add more injury to insult, Ilsemon gave him a good kick to the side, almost as if he were some dog she wanted to abuse. Actually, this analogy was probably quite accurate.
Infuriated, Takuya stepped forward, prepared to defend Kouji against…that's when he remembered what lay on the ground at his feet. His broken D-Tector.
I'm useless without it, he realized, sinking deeper into his despair. I can't protect anyone. I've let everyone down. I've failed!
And now I'll die…
"Ah!" Ilsemon's surprised shout suddenly grabbed Takuya's attention, mostly because the sound was so foreign. His gaze snapped up just in time to see Hotaru clocking Ilsemon right in the face, knocking her off balance. She didn't fall, though. That would have been too much to hope for. Nevertheless, Hotaru had actually landed a punch on Ilsemon, something that no one had been able to do this entire fight. Maybe he'd managed to take her down a peg or two.
However, Ilsemon's confident smile never left her face. "Ow," she muttered, rubbing her cheek. "That hurt."
Hotaru didn't reply, containing his rage in his furious expression and clenched fists. Ilsemon chuckled at his obvious restraint. "Such power…yet it all goes to waste. It's a pity, really, that you've become a slave to those you hold dear. You're better than that."
"Go to hell, psychopath," Hotaru growled, actually letting some of his anger show in his voice.
"You call me a psychopath?" Ilsemon muttered, chuckling softly. "My dear boy, it is true that you are one of the most level-headed people in your group…but you are also arguably one of the most screwed up."
With that, Ilsemon snapped her fingers. Hotaru tensed, expecting an enemy of some sort to jump out and attack him. What he didn't expect was a Phantomon to appear behind him, cloak raised, and snatch him up inside its eyeball-shaped crystal pendant. A quick nod to Ilsemon and the Phantomon was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, taking Hotaru with it.
"Oh, I simply can't wait to dig deeper into the complexities of that boy's mind!" Ilsemon's gleeful excitement at the prospect of torturing his friend sent shivers down Takuya's spine. There had to be a way to save Hotaru. That Phantomon had to be somewhere in the RMS, locking his prisoner away…maybe that was what Takuya could do. He could sneak away while Ilsemon was distracted, find out where Hotaru was being kept, release him…but how could he defeat Phantomon without his D-Tector?
Useless…
"What did you do to Hotaru?" Dai's sudden demanding shout brought Takuya back to the present. He watched as Dai rose shakily to his feet, standing boldly before Ilsemon despite the fact that he kept wincing from some unknown pain. Then his hand rose absently toward his chest, and Takuya realized…
"Defective," Ilsemon said, noticing Dai's gesture as well. Stepping toward the much shorter boy, she continued, "I honestly cannot fathom why a human such as you would be deemed worthy of wielding a Legendary Warrior's Spirit. Your companions all have talents, skills, obvious reasons why they were chosen for this task. But you…you'll more than likely end up dead before this whole mess is over. So why keep fighting?"
Instead of throwing back a witty retort or even harshly refuting Ilsemon's claim, Dai did what he always did. The unpredictable. Flashing a quick smile at Ilsemon, he proceeded to stick his tongue out at the psychotic Digimon.
His victory was momentary, for Ilsemon, actually seeming agitated by Dai's antics, cocked back her fist and punched Dai square in the face, hard enough to at least bust his lip.
As he landed back on the cold, hard ground, Ilsemon turned to survey the damage she'd done. Spotting Kira and Shino struggling to their feet, she smirked. "It seems there are only two of you left. That is, of course, unless the Warrior of Ice did survive the fall after all."
Tommy…
That's right…they'd never found Tommy…he still hadn't resurfaced…did that really mean that he'd…no, he wasn't the one that was prophesied to die…
You're not going to die, Takuya!
"Agunimon?" Takuya was so surprised by his Spirit's shout that he spoke the Legendary Warrior's name aloud. Ilsemon, however, was too preoccupied with her new prey to notice.
"Hm," the Digimon muttered ponderingly, glancing between Kira and Shino. "Let's see; a violent, emotionally closed-off Yankee…"
"Not a Yankee," Kira muttered.
"Or a pathetically under-confident loser," Ilsemon continued, ignoring Kira and turning to Shino. "Such interesting options…"
Kira stepped forward, fists clenched furiously. Before she could get anywhere near Ilsemon, though, Shino grabbed her arm and stopped her. Unlike Kira, he knew not to let Ilsemon's comments get to him. He knew he had to keep his cool, both for his sake and his friends. Especially Takuya, who had lost his…
"Ah, I know!" Ilsemon's excited shout snapped Shino out of his thoughts. Warily, he watched Ilsemon's smile widen, gaze fixed not on him, but on Kira.
No you don't! Takuya stepped forward, eyes trained on Ilsemon, blinded by his fury.
Takuya, calm down!
"Nick-of-time Thunder Fist!"
Ilsemon dove gracefully out of Beetlemon's way, easily dodging his attack, even the stray sparks of electricity that flew out from his fist once he'd hit the ground. The others had to shield their eyes from the bright intensity of the sparks, momentarily worried that Beetlemon would lose control and hit someone other than Ilsemon by mistake. He didn't, and soon the sparks fizzled and died, leaving Beetlemon standing with his fist pressed against the ground, breathing heavily.
He put all his energy into that attack, Takuya thought despairingly, watching Beetlemon struggle to stand upright, stumbling slightly as he did so. For a moment, he'd been hopeful. He'd thought that maybe Beetlemon still had the strength to fight, even after Renamon had sapped most of his energy. But he didn't. JP could probably barely muster the strength to Spirit Evolve, let alone attack…I should be able to help him, damn it!
You can help him by keeping your cool and staying alive, Takuya!
"Oh my," Ilsemon muttered, chuckling to herself as she stared at Beetlemon. "I must admit that I momentarily forgot about you."
"Gee, don't I feel special?" Beetlemon retorted, still feeling witty despite his exhaustion. "Though I did think it was a little insulting when no one noticed me crawl behind a rock, Spirit Evolve, and fly into the air."
"I noticed," Duskmon said, raising an arm nonchalantly. "I just hate Ilsemon."
Ignoring Duskmon's blatantly treasonous comment, Ilsemon merely smiled and said, "Well, Warrior, you seem to be at the end of your strength, but just in case…"
Quick as a flash, Ilsemon stood a mere foot in front of Beetlemon, a perfect target. The only problem was that she now held Shino in a tight embrace, using him as a shield. "Put him down, Ilsemon!" Beetlemon instantly exclaimed, anger making him appear more powerful than he actually felt.
Knowing that Beetlemon was spent, Ilsemon only squeezed Shino tighter, making their embrace all the more uncomfortable, and painful, for Shino. "Let him go, damn it!" Kira exclaimed, rushing toward Ilsemon from behind. Ilsemon stepped lazily out of the way, causing Kira to crash into Beetlemon and start beating on his chest for a few moments until she realized that she wasn't beating Ilsemon. Smiling sheepishly, Kira muttered, "Sorry 'bout that, JP."
"No worries, Kira," Beetlemon muttered, rolling his eyes.
Ilsemon yawned, apparently growing bored. "It's not that your witty dialogue isn't amusing, children, but I'm beginning to tire of these games. It is about time that I ended this. But still…" Here Ilsemon paused, glancing down at Shino with a devilish look on her face. "I actually know nothing of your past, and it would be a pity not to find out what, as humans say, 'makes you tick.'"
"Milady, you must stop!" Surprisingly, Renamon shouted her protest this time, sounding concerned. However, a look from Ilsemon quickly quieted her.
It didn't quiet Duskmon, though. "Renamon is right, Ilsemon. Stop it. You already have what you want, both for Nina and for yourself. Why drag this out any longer?"
Ilsemon shook her head as if exasperated by a young child's comment. "That's just your nature, Duskmon, isn't it? Get the job done. Never stopping to smell the roses…what a sad life you lead."
Duskmon didn't reply, just continued to glare at Ilsemon. His fury was nearly tangible in the air around him, causing Renamon to take a cautious step backwards.
Ilsemon took no heed of this, returning her attention to the person in her grasp. "Wizardmon has left his mark on you," she muttered, making Shino flinch slightly. "It's time I find out what he saw in you that day…"
"Ah!" Shino cried out in surprise, experiencing for the first time the effects of Ilsemon's powers. Flashes of his memories were suddenly brought to the forefront of his thoughts, completely free of his will. It was like he'd literally lost his mind, or at least the ability to control it. All the random snippets playing through his head were giving him a headache until it all finally stopped, right on his memory of Mai… "No…"
"Hm, interesting," Ilsemon murmured thoughtfully, ignoring Shino's wide-eyed look of horror. "This 'Mai' girl…oh, what a tease she is! Leading you on for so long…it must have hurt to find out that it had all been a lie. And then you clung to the very next girl who came your way…"
Shino squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the images Ilsemon was carelessly sifting through. But as much as he tried, the painful memories wouldn't leave. Shino realized that this must be what made Ilsemon so powerful; not the fact that she could force you to remember the worse memories from your past, but that she wouldn't let you stop thinking about them.
"Stop it!" Kira shouted, trying to squirm out of Beetlemon's grasp. Beetlemon was furious as well and would have let Kira charge at Ilsemon if it weren't for the look Takuya had given him. That pleading, desperate look that obviously said "Take care of Kira…now that I can't…"
However, Takuya didn't intend to do nothing. After ensuring that Kira was safe, he rushed forward, careful to step over his broken D-Tector as he did so, and charged at Ilsemon himself, intending to distract her enough to let Shino go, both physically and mentally. I don't care if I can't Spirit Evolve. I won't stand around and watch Ilsemon torture my friends!
Takuya!
Paying no heed to Agunimon's voice, Takuya cocked back his fist, intending to punch Ilsemon square in the jaw. But Ilsemon, of course, was faster and evaded his attack easily, even with Shino in tow. "Oh, so close," Ilsemon said mockingly, while Shino began to wince in her arms.
Takuya skidded to a halt, despair bubbling up inside of him. But with this despair came anger. "Damn it," Takuya cursed, body beginning to shake with fury. "Why can't we win? What have we been doing wrong? What the hell makes YOU so special, Ilsemon?"
"Perhaps I'm just better than you," Ilsemon retorted smugly.
"Shut up!" Takuya shouted, rage building. Turning to glare at his adversary, he noticed a familiar red hue begin to cloud his vision, but he didn't try to suppress it. In fact, he welcomed the uncontrolled anger, embracing it. "I'll kill you, Ilsemon…I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Takuya!" Takuya's rage dissipated slightly when he heard Kira's frightened shout. He turned, wondering if Duskmon or Renamon had finally decided to take some sort of action. But Kira and Beetlemon were fine, standing just where they'd been before, only now they looked scared for some reason.
Looking strangely confused and vulnerable, Kira said, "Taki…?" That was when Takuya realized why Kira was looking at him with such wide eyes; she was afraid of him.
Takuya's anger instantly melted away. "Kira…"
Ilsemon wasn't fazed by Takuya's fury in the least. "Very well. You may have your friend back now." With that, Ilsemon grabbed Shino by the collar of his jacket and tossed him forward as if he were a piece of garbage. Takuya realized too late that she'd actually thrown Shino at him, and moments later the two were sprawled out on the ground.
As soon as Shino was out of the way, Beetlemon released Kira and charged, meaning to ram into Ilsemon. Instead of hopping out of the way, Ilsemon extended her wings and, with several powerful flaps, rose into the air and evaded Beetlemon's assault. Then, quick as a flash, she let herself fall straight to the ground, extending her leg and ramming her foot into Beetlemon's exposed back. Beetlemon slammed into the ground and, already completely exhausted, turned back to his human form rather quickly.
"Isn't that something like what you had planned to do to me earlier?" Ilsemon asked mockingly, standing before JP as he struggled to stay conscious. "Oh, what beautiful irony!"
Smiling triumphantly, Ilsemon turned toward the last Legendary Warrior left standing. "And now for you, my dear Kira."
"Shino, you have to get off of me now!" Takuya hissed, watching as Ilsemon drew closer and closer to Kira, a wicked grin on her face. Panicked, Takuya said, "C'mon Shino, you have to let me up! Please!"
"Oh…I'm sorry," Shino mumbled quietly, pushing himself up and off of his friend. Takuya shot to his feet and was about to rush towards Kira, but stopped when he noticed Shino's haunted expression. That's right. He'd just undergone Ilsemon's infamous mind-rape. It was the same thing that had driven Kouji nearly insane, forced to relive his worst memories…
Shino noticed Takuya's gaze and smiled faintly. "I'm fine, Takuya," he said, trying and failing to sound reassuring. "It wasn't that bad."
Takuya knew this was a lie. He could see his friend's barely concealed emotions, the pain he was desperately trying to hold back, just for his sake. Glancing around the rubble, Takuya truly realized how thoroughly they'd been beaten.
Hotaru, probably the best fighter in their group, had already been captured.
Dai, always so happy and optimistic, was breathing in short, quick gasps, ignoring his bleeding lip as he desperately tried to keep his heart beating.
Zoe, with all her compassion, was cradling her broken arm, jaw clenching as she fought wave after wave of pain.
Kouichi, calm and caring, was now struggling to prop himself up onto his elbows, blood dripping slowly from the corner of his mouth.
Kouji, cool and collected, glanced back as Takuya's gaze fell on him, with a strange combination of hopelessness and determination in his expression.
JP, the one who always knew how to lighten the mood, didn't even have the energy to make a single sarcastic, witty comment.
Tommy, his little buddy, was nowhere to be found and could very well be dead, crushed under the weight of the debris surrounding the area.
And Kira, his Kira, the one he loved more than he'd ever loved anyone before…
Ilsemon grabbed Kira by the collar before she could even attempt to fight back, lifting her into the air. "Let go of me, you…" Kira growled, grabbing Ilsemon's arm in an attempt to loosen her grip. But the Digimon held strong, grinning from ear to ear.
Kira… Takuya wanted to rush over and help, but if he did, Ilsemon would…
Just stay calm, Takuya. Kira will be okay. Ilsemon's trying to provoke you. Don't let her.
Takuya closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on his Digimon spirit's voice. Agunimon was right. Ilsemon was trying to provoke him. He wouldn't let her do that. He'd just stay calm and…
"Your mother was quite pretty."
Takuya's eyes snapped open. Ilsemon was still grinning, holding Kira tightly. But Kira wasn't struggling anymore. In fact, her whole body had gone limp in Ilsemon's grip. Takuya slowly comprehended what was happening when he noticed Kira's wide, tear-filled eyes. Your mother was quite pretty…
Ilsemon was torturing Kira with her memory of her mother's death.
Suddenly, something snapped inside Takuya. Rage began to build up inside him, in every corner of every limb. With this rage came a strange power Takuya had never felt before. It was red hot, like fire running through his veins. But he was so furious that he barely acknowledged the pain.
Takuya, stop! You can't handle this power!
Even if Takuya had wanted to, he couldn't hear Agunimon anymore. All he could think was that he had to destroy Ilsemon. That was all that mattered. He had the power now to do it. It would be so simple.
Takuya…I'm begging you! Please stop! Please…
"Ilsemon." Takuya said the Digimon's name in a strangely flat voice, head lowered so that no one could see his expression. Ilsemon actually dropped Kira in surprise as a glowing red aura began to surround Takuya, giving off such an intense heat that even Duskmon and Renamon could feel it from where they were standing.
Kira suddenly flinched, feeling something vibrating inside her pocket. She quickly pulled out her D-Tector, which was glowing with a bright white light and shaking uncontrollably, as if it could barely contain whatever power was building inside of it. Kira looked around and saw that the others' D-Tectors were behaving in the same way. And the broken pieces of Takuya's D-Tector…
Takuya's D-Tector was glowing brighter than any of the others, but what startled Kira was that it wasn't broken anymore. Somehow, it had repaired itself, and now it was slowly rising off the ground, looking almost like a star.
Takuya extended his right arm and opened his hand, then said in that same odd, flat voice, "Come." Beckoned by its master's call, the D-Tector flew through the air and landed in Takuya's waiting palm.
D-Tector in hand, Takuya lifted his head, revealing his now glowing red eyes. "Ilsemon…now you die."
—
madjack89: Chapter's done, hyper now!
Everyone: …
madjack89: So, what did you think?
Kouji: …You lied to us.
madjack89: In what way?
Shino: Well, you said that Ilsemon wasn't a fighter…yet she kicked all of our asses.
madjack89: Yeah, she sure did!
Shino: -_-
Takuya: So, uh…am I gonna turn into SkullGreymon or something now?
madjack89: Well, not SkullGreymon…
Kouji: Wait a second, is this how he's supposed to die?
madjack89: I don't know…
Kouji: -_- Well, we tried. Sorry Takuya.
Takuya: *grows pale*
Sasori: Yes! I'm so winning this bet!
Takuya: *glares at Sasori*
JP: So…about Tommy…
madjack89: Okay, just to rest everyone's fears, Tommy's not dead. Did you really think I'd give him an off-screen death? *coughlikemadeyemoodycough*
Dai: So what's gonna happen next chapter?
madjack89: Actually, next chapter is mostly gonna focus on Wizardmon and kinda Impmon. And a little bit on Gatomon.
Takuya: So we have to wait even longer to find out what happens?
madjack89: Yup!
Kira: For shame, Madjack, for shame!
madjack89: Yeah, yeah…alright, see ya next chapter!