Frontier 02: Rebirthing – Chapter 39: Wash It All Away
madjack89: ZOMG, we are nearly at the 40 chapter mark! That's awesome! Thank you, dear readers, for all your great support! You guys rock!
Impmon: Yer all awesome!
Wizardmon: Yeah…go readers…woohoo…
madjack89: Ignore Wizardmon's unenthusiastic behavior. He's just mad that the pity train has now landed in his station.
Wizardmon: Hmph.
madjack89: *sigh* Well, a new year has officially begun, and my winter break from school lasts almost all month, so I'm gonna be doing a lot of writing, reading, and all that good stuff! Oh, and I'll catch up on my Pokémon Soul Silver game.
Impmon and Wizardmon: -_-
madjack89: Pokémon games are addicting and you know it!
Impmon: *shrugs* I guess dat's true.
madjack89: Anyway, Wizardmon and Impmon are the only ones here today, as you could probably already guess, because the gang only makes, like, one appearance in this chapter, so I gave them a chapter off.
Impmon: Dat was nice o' ya.
madjack89: Before I screw everything up for them in the next chapter!
Impmon: …Oh.
Wizardmon: *sigh*
madjack89: Time for reviews!
*break*
Taeniaea: Thank you very much! :)
Immortal Fallen Radiance: Yes, how will Taki's anger impact the outcome of this battle? Who knows? Well, I know, but whatever. ^.^ Thanks for reviewing!
Shadowfox94: (Duskmon: *glares at review* Wise choice.) Yup, Ilsemon is my own lil' psycho! Aside from the others, who are all psychotic in their own special way! :) A couple of those questions shall be answered in this chapter, and some more will be answered in the next! Till then, I will continue to amuse you with hyperness! :D Thanks for reviewing!
garnettfox: Wah, Madjack is sorry! She was busy! If it helps, you can slap Taki when he gets back! And thanks for reviewing!
silver fire wolf: Something bad is indeed happening, Kokoro. Something bad indeed…thanks for reviewing! (Heh, holy sheebes…)
GoldenDragon326: Yup, gotta get the comedy in where I can. Heh heh, sorry 'bout that. But look, I've gotten one update out of the way, and it answered some questions! Right? ^.^' Thanks for reviewing!
Aldamonburst: Hi Burst! Hi Kaito! I missed you guys, too! To answer your questions, Renamon might eventually Digivolve, there will be more fusions, and I'll eat half the moon and share the other half with you! :) Thanks for reviewing!
13wolfsbane: Wow, really? Thank you! I always see everything I write playing through my head like a movie. I even hear their voices in my mind. O.o' Aw, he might not die…maybe. Hee! Thanks for reviewing! Bye nee! (I've been watching too much Lucky Star…)
fg1fg: Yup, they sure got their butts handed to 'em! It was like their fight with Lucemon all over again, only Kouichi didn't die this time. :) I adore references and breaking the fourth wall. Oh, don't even get me started on the Madeye Moody subject. It could take awhile. And according to the books, they learn to teleport like that in their sixth year at Hogwarts. Of course, they left that out of the movie. Meh. Thanks for reviewing!
NobodyLovesAMisfit: Yay, a new Kouizumi fan! My plan is working! Mua ha ha! (jk) Thanks for reviewing!
TobiGB: Thanks, GB! You're right, these guys do need to shape up. Oh wells.
reirukuro-x: Yay, the awesome finally hit eleven! Let's see if I can get it even higher with some Taki awesomeness next chapter! (I wuv Taki, too!) Of course I remember you! I like your new name, btw. Thanks for reviewing!
Dawn of Glory: *blushes* Wow, you really think I'm that good? Thank you so much! That really means a lot, since someday I really hope I can get a book published. Till then, writing fanfiction is a fun hobby! Sorry 'bout the cliffhanger, but once again, thank you so much! This review just about made my day!
hazeleyedharmony: Yay, it's hazel! How ya been, buddy? Man, you were right; college kills writing time. Unless, of course, you're writing yet another essay. Oh well, I'm an English major, so the essays aren't so bad for me! Glad you liked the chapter! Thanks!
Zanzibar1: Thank you very much, sir! (Or madam. lol)
*break*
madjack89: Okay, let's start this chapter! Ready guys?
Impmon: Sure.
Wizardmon: No.
madjack89: No one cares what you think, Wizardmon!
Wizardmon: Then why are you writing a chapter focused on me?
madjack89: Well…uh…so, chapter time, everyone! Hooray!
—
"Wizardmon, get up! I gotta show ya somethin'!"
Wizardmon opened an eye lazily, awakened from his nap by his friend Impmon's voice. Stretching, he slowly sat up, glancing down from the tree branch he'd been sleeping on a moment before. Sure enough, Impmon was standing underneath the tree, looking slightly impatient.
"Where's the fire, Impmon?" Wizardmon muttered, hopping down from the tree branch and landing with a soft thump next to the imp-like Digimon. "What do you have to show me?"
"There's no time ta explain!" Impmon said, grabbing Wizardmon's arm and dragging him quickly through the forest.
Wizardmon cocked his head in confusion. "Shouldn't we go get Witchmon and Gatomon and bring them along, too?" Wizardmon never went anywhere without his two sisters, though the three were only "siblings" in self-proclaimed title. Still, they'd all hatched in the Village of Beginnings at the same time, and they'd been together ever since. Sure, he and Witchmon bickered sometimes, but that was why they had Gatomon. She was the glue that kept them all together.
Impmon just shook his head, not breaking stride. "Dat'd take too long. We gotta get there before the sun goes down."
This confused Wizardmon even more, since the sunset was still several hours away. "Where exactly are you taking me, Impmon?"
Impmon didn't reply, and Wizardmon was beginning to get a little worried when they suddenly stopped in front of a huge, hollow tree trunk. "Here's da place," Impmon said, gesturing toward the tree trunk.
"You brought me to see a tree trunk?" Wizardmon asked skeptically.
"Nope," Impmon said, leading his friend around the immense side of the trunk toward one of its hollow openings. "It's what's inside da tree trunk dat I brought ya ta see."
Wizardmon didn't know what to expect, so he was quite surprised when he looked into the tree trunk's opening to see…a park. Not only was there a park, but there were small children, HUMAN children, running around and playing games with each other, laughing happily.
Slowly turning his head, Wizardmon stared at Impmon with wide eyes. "You found a portal to the human world."
Impmon nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Sure did! And now we gotta go help a human I met there."
—
"Gatomon!" Impmon shouted yet again, increasing Wizardmon's frustration.
"Impmon, shut up!" he snapped, glaring at his companion. "If what you said about Gatomon is true, she won't respond to her name anymore, and even if she does, she'll just attack us and then we'll have to fight her, and do you really want to fight Gatomon?"
Impmon lowered his head, mollified. "No…"
"Then stop talking and start looking!" Wizardmon shot back, creeping around the outer perimeter of the RMS. She had to be around here somewhere, waiting in ambush for the Legendary brats, eyes cold and bloodthirsty…
But he couldn't think about that now. All he had to do was save her. It didn't matter how, or even why. He just had to save Gatomon. If nothing else, he couldn't let her die, too.
—
Wizardmon stood in the middle of a park, looking absolutely stunned. He'd just stepped into the tree trunk, with some prodding from Impmon, and now found himself standing in the park he'd seen through the portal in his world. He was in the human world. He was actually in the human world.
"Whoa, who's that guy?" Suddenly, Wizardmon found himself surrounded by human children, all staring at him with wide, curious eyes.
"Hey, is this some sorta costume?" one of the children asked, reaching out a hand to grab Wizardmon's cloak. He shrunk back in fear, not knowing what these humans would do to him. Hadn't he heard stories of Digimon who'd stumbled into the human world and never been seen again…?
"Wizardmon, this way!" Wizardmon suddenly heard Impmon's voice cut through the chatter of the children. Then he caught a glimpse of his friend standing outside the throng, gesturing for him to head toward some trees. Feeling relieved, Wizardmon leaped high into the air, above all the children's heads, and landed next to Impmon, who had begun to dash into the cover of some bushes. They quickly scurried up a tree, hiding themselves in the branches.
The group of children looked through the bushes for a minute or so, but soon grew tired of their search and continued the game they'd been playing. Wizardmon breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close."
"Eh, they weren't gonna hurt ya," Impmon said nonchalantly. "They were jus' kids."
"Better safe than sorry," Wizardmon muttered, glancing warily at a group of girls walking past their tree. "So where's this human you said we had to help?"
"She's meetin' us near da pond," Impmon replied, pointing out a small pond a few feet away from the cover of trees. And standing on the bank of this pond was a human girl, staring out at the water with a small smile on her face.
Wizardmon couldn't say for sure, but to him, the sun seemed to be shining brightest on this girl. Either that, or she simply glowed on her own, which Wizardmon would have readily believed. She was like an angel gracing this world with her presence.
Without any conscious decision to do so, Wizardmon hopped down from the tree, ignoring Impmon's protests. He then took a cautious step toward the girl, transfixed. He wasn't afraid, not like he'd been afraid of the children. Somehow he knew that this girl wouldn't hurt him. She was too…pure.
Suddenly the girl turned, hearing a stick crack under Wizardmon's next step. She seemed slightly surprised to see him, but not confused like the children. In fact, she smiled brightly at him and crouched down to his eye level, then said in a sweet voice, "Hello! You must be Impmon's friend. My name is Seiko. It's nice to meet you!"
—
"Wizardmon, look!" Impmon said suddenly, pointing out a spot on the not-so-distant horizon. Wizardmon looked and saw exactly what had surprised his companion. Slowly rising from the ground was a dust-colored tornado. It continued to rise and grow for about a minute, worrying Wizardmon a bit. Would it grow so large that it would start to suck everything up inside of it…?
Seconds after he thought this, some sort of dark, fiery blast penetrated the tornado, causing an explosion which dissipated the swirling cone of wind. Wizardmon squinted hard at the resulting dust cloud. He thought he'd seen something falling inside the cloud. Or someone…
"Wizardmon, da kids are comin'! We gotta hide!"
Once again, Wizardmon looked where Impmon was pointing and saw that, while he'd been concentrating on the slowly shrinking dust cloud, the Legendary Warriors had been running toward them from that very direction. Heeding Impmon's command, Wizardmon ducked behind a nearby rock, followed quickly by his imp-like companion.
Luckily, the Legendary Warriors hadn't noticed them and ran right past their hiding place without a second glance. Wizardmon was worried that Shino would have sensed his presence or something, but it looked like he was too distracted for that. He was just letting out a soft sigh of relief when that loud, crazy girl (Kira) said, "Geez, that crazy-ass Lady-whatever-mon really got me pumped for some reason. Hey Taki, I think we need some montage music to set the mood…"
As the Legendary Warrior's voice faded into the distance, Wizardmon and Impmon turned to stare at each other, understanding in both of their eyes. "Gatomon."
—
Wizardmon fidgeted in his chair, trying and failing to make himself feel at ease. It wasn't that the chair was in any way uncomfortable; quite the contrary. It even had a cute little pink seat cushion on it…but that wasn't the problem. He was sitting at a stranger's table (however nice she seemed, she was still a stranger) in an entirely different world from his own. THAT was the problem.
On the other hand, Impmon was completely at ease, sitting patiently in his own seat across the table. He was even humming something to himself, an innocent smile on his face.
Wizardmon frowned. "What are we doing here, Impmon?"
Impmon tilted his head, confused by the question. "Whaddaya mean, what are we doin' here? We're helpin' Seiko."
"But why?" Wizardmon persisted, trying to keep his voice down. Seiko was still in the kitchen finding them some snacks, and he didn't want her to overhear their conversation. "Why did you bring me here? Why are we in this girl's house? She's just some random HUMAN girl. Why bother?"
Impmon shook his head slowly. "Oh, Wizardmon…do ya really not understand why I'm helpin' her?"
Wizardmon sighed heavily, recalling what had happened by the pond earlier. Luckily, no one had seen him, and Seiko had gotten both Digimon safely to her house. "I do understand, okay? I just don't know why you brought me here."
"Can ya honestly say ya've never wanted ta see da human world fer yerself?" Impmon said, chuckling. "Besides, yer da one dat's gotta help her."
Before Wizardmon could ask what that meant, Seiko stepped back into the room, arms full of snacks. "Sorry I took so long," she said, setting the food down on the table. "I wasn't really sure what kind of stuff Digimon eat, so I just grabbed some chips and bottles of water."
"You didn't need to get us anything," Wizardmon mumbled, eyes downcast. He still felt shy and unsure around Seiko.
Seiko smiled in response. "It's no trouble, Wizardmon. After all, you and Impmon are both guests in my house. I need to be a courteous host!"
Wizardmon had to admit it; Seiko's presence did reassure him. But even after she'd opened the bag of chips and unscrewed the water bottles, he was reluctant to eat or drink anything. Impmon, however, dug right in.
"Hey, there things are pretty good!" Impmon stated, stuffing another handful of chips into his mouth and washing them down with a quick gulp of water. "Man, whaddaya call dis stuff, Seiko?"
"Those would be Doritos," Seiko replied, smirking slightly. Then she turned to Wizardmon and her brow creased in concern. "Are you sure you don't want anything?"
"Well…" Wizardmon couldn't admit that he didn't trust the food Seiko had offered them. He wouldn't insult her like that. Besides, the chips didn't seem to be hurting Impmon. "I…I guess I could try one…"
Tentatively, Wizardmon reached out and grabbed a Dorito. Then, as far as the others could tell, he dropped it inside his cloak. Crunching, chewing sounds could be heard, and Wizardmon's eyes slowly widened. "These…these are good."
For the next few minutes, Wizardmon helped Impmon devour the bag of Doritos. Seiko sat at the head of the table and watched them, wondering how so much food could fit into such small bodies. It was an extra large bag of chips, after all. But it was eventually emptied, leaving only a plastic carcass. Seiko threw the bag out and returned to the table, and then the three got down to business.
"So what exactly are we doing, Impmon?" Wizardmon asked, taking a big gulp from his water bottle.
"Not we; you," Impmon stated, smirking. "I jus' found da portal and brought ya here. Da rest is up ta you."
"Okay, but what do I have to do?" Wizardmon pressed, beginning to get irritated by his friend's evasiveness. At the same time, though, he grew a bit concerned. What did he have to do to help this girl? What sort of trouble was she in?
"You don't have to do anything, Wizardmon," Seiko replied, startling Wizardmon slightly. He hadn't expected her to suddenly enter the conversation. "Sorry," she mumbled, noticing Wizardmon's apprehensiveness toward her. "But really, you didn't have to come here today. I won't force you into anything you don't want to do. I actually never asked for any help in the first place. It's silly, really! I just started talking with Impmon yesterday, and I mentioned something about Kouji and he…"
"Wait," Wizardmon interrupted, curious about something she'd said. "Who is Kouji?"
For some reason, Impmon started chuckling in response to this question. Blushing slightly, Seiko replied, "He's…important to me."
"Important, huh?" Wizardmon muttered thoughtfully, noticing Seiko's sudden embarrassment. Slowly, he managed to put two and two together. "Is Kouji your boyfriend?"
"Of course not!" Seiko stated quickly, causing Impmon to laugh even more. Puckering her lips, Seiko glared with irritation at the imp Digimon. "You know he's not!"
"He may not be, but ya wish he was, don't ya?" Impmon retorted, trying to stifle his chuckles. "It's kinda cute, really."
Seiko sighed, trying to suppress her embarrassment. "I did tell Impmon that I might…kind of…like Kouji a little."
"I see," Wizardmon said. Actually, he didn't see anything. Had Impmon brought him here to give this girl dating advice? How would he know anything about that? Impmon was more sociable than him. Why wasn't he helping her on his own?
"Yeah, she told me all about 'im," Impmon said, smiling slyly. "They met a year ago, and now she wants ta move their relationship ta da next level."
"Impmon," Seiko whined softly, hiding her face in her hands. "It's so embarrassing! I can't believe I told you!"
"Told him what?" Wizardmon asked, confused.
Impmon glanced at Seiko, wanting her to answer. So she took a deep breath, turned toward Wizardmon and said, "I told him that I really want my first kiss…to be with Kouji."
Wizardmon wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that, so all that came out of his mouth was an "Oh."
"Yeah," Seiko mumbled, smiling as she stared at her lap. "He's a really nice person, even if he doesn't think so himself. I just…I want to let him know how I feel about him. And I kinda want the moment to be…special."
Wizardmon actually smirked, finding Seiko's bashfulness amusing. But really, it was sweet how she talked about this boy, this Kouji. She truly cared about him; the devotion was obvious from her tone of voice. It almost made Wizardmon envious of the guy. To get a sweet girl like Seiko, one who treated a first kiss as such a big event…Impmon was right about it being cute.
"Dat's why Seiko needs yer help, Wizardmon," Impmon stated, bringing his friend's attention back to the present.
"And I'm supposed to…?" Wizardmon asked slowly, still not knowing what he was actually supposed to do for Seiko.
"Let's jus' say it has ta do wit' da weather," Impmon replied, grinning mischievously.
Instead of clarifying anything, this statement only confused Wizardmon even more. "Alright, enough beatin' round da bush," Impmon said, noticing the look his friend was giving him. "Yer a wizard Digimon, right?"
"Gee, I don't know. Is the word 'wizard' still in my name?" Wizardmon retorted.
"Yeah, ha ha," Impmon muttered, rolling his eyes. "Bein' a wizard Digimon, ya know a lotta spells, and you can conjure up a lotta things. Things like fire, water, ice…"
"Get on with it!" Wizardmon shouted, finally lose his patience. "What do you want me to do for her?"
"Snow," Seiko said suddenly, diverting Wizardmon's attention from his friend. Smiling slightly, she continued, "It's just that…I have a pretty vivid imagination sometimes! I always imagined my first kiss taking place on a hill, one overlooking the entire city. And it would be at night, so that all the city lights would look like tiny fireflies from where we stood…and it would be snowing. Well, I'm going shopping with Kouji tonight, and it would be the perfect time to bring him up to the hill and…but the weather isn't cooperating with me. There's no snow on the horizon. Not for tonight, at least."
It took a few moments of pondering, but Wizardmon slowly realized what it was that Seiko needed from him. "You think I can make it snow?"
"It's okay if you can't!" Seiko said quickly, waving her hands frantically. "Impmon said he had a friend, you, that could help me, but you really don't have to. It's enough that you actually bothered to come in the first place. Hey, it's enough that I met two monsters from a parallel world…not that you're monsters, of course!"
"We are monsters, technically," Wizardmon said, holding up a hand to halt Seiko's babbling. Until this moment, he'd been scared and unsure in this new world. He didn't have Impmon's charisma. He didn't have Witchmon's overconfidence. All the newness and strangeness of this world frightened him. But Seiko didn't frighten him in the least. He truly wanted to help her, and he knew he could. It would take a simple ice spell, just a muted version of it. Technically, the spell was meant to be an attack spell, but he could make it work. And he would. For his first human friend.
"So you just need the snow to fall over the two of you?" Wizardmon said slowly, smiling to himself. "I think I can handle that."
—
Wizardmon practically flew from his hiding spot, eyes trained on the slowly shrinking dust cloud. He didn't care whether Impmon followed or not, though he knew he would. But that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that his sister was somewhere in that cloud of dust, injured and alone. But she'd probably already been scanned by the Legendary brats…
"I can't think like that," he muttered to himself, refusing to give up. Not until he'd found some solid proof that she was gone.
In what felt like no time at all, Wizardmon was surrounded by air that was still so thick with dust that he began to cough violently. He'd taken off at a sprint and, in his haste to regulate his breathing, he'd sucked in too much polluted air when he'd reached his destination. Between his fits of coughing, though, he saw a figure through the musty particles dancing and twisting in the air. It was small…it was white…it had a tail…
"Are ya okay, Wizardmon?" Impmon was suddenly at Wizardmon's side, looking concerned. But this was no time to be concerned about him.
"Gato…mon," Wizardmon managed to say between coughs, pointing toward the figure he'd seen. Impmon looked, squinting hard through the dust. Finally, he saw her. "Gatomon!"
Impmon rushed toward the small white heap of fur, momentarily forgetting Wizardmon in his haste. That was fine by Wizardmon. He'd rather Gatomon be taken care of than him. The dust was settling, making it easier to find clean air to breathe. It also made it easier for Wizardmon to witness the scene before him.
"Gatomon." Impmon repeated her name over and over, kneeling beside her as he gently lifted her limp body onto his lap. She was unconscious and, from the looks of it, badly injured. But, to Wizardmon's relief, her Fractal Code wasn't showing. That meant that she would heal physically. Still, was it possible to heal from what Ilsemon had done to her…?
"Gatomon, I…I'm so sorry," Impmon said softly, tears beading in his eyes as he stared at Gatomon. "I couldn't protect ya from her…I'm sorry!"
What are you sorry for? Wizardmon thought, slowly walking toward his sister and former best friend. Impmon's face was buried in Gatomon's belly fur as silent sobs shook his body. He didn't notice Wizardmon's approach, nor did he realize that his friend was standing above him when he whispered, "Gatomon…I love ya."
So he's still entertaining that notion? Wizardmon thought bitterly, smiling to himself. Even after what I did to you, you still wouldn't give up on her? Impmon, you shouldn't be sorry for anything. "I'm the one who…"
Wizardmon's statement trailed off when Gatomon's eyes suddenly snapped open. Impmon hadn't yet realized that Gatomon was awake, leaving her and her brother to stare silently at each other for several moments. No words were spoken, but in that time a whole conversation took place. Wizardmon knew what he had to do, what Gatomon wanted him to do.
"Impmon, you're getting me all wet," Gatomon said, turning her gaze toward Impmon. Hearing her voice, his head jerked up instantly.
"Gatomon…?" he muttered, eyes wide and shining with fresh tears.
"Hi," Gatomon replied, smiling slightly. "Thanks for finding me."
Impmon managed a faint smile. "No problem. Hey, I brought Wizardmon wit' me…"
"Argh!" Gatomon's anguished cry suddenly cut off Impmon's statement. To Impmon and Wizardmon's horror, her hands shot to the sides of her head as if she were suffering a severe headache. And she was. Only Ilsemon would never allow her to recover.
—
"Impmon!" Wizardmon shouted, searching desperately for any sign of his friend. They'd gone through the same portal, so they should have arrived home at the same spot, right? But when they'd returned to the portal under the bush in that human park, it had been closing rapidly, barring them forever from their world. He'd told Impmon to hop through first, and then he'd gone through. But the portal may have been unstable when he'd entered it. It had to have been, or he wouldn't be alone in this strange, dark forest. Had Impmon at least made it safely through the portal, or was he lost as well?
Lost. Slowly, Wizardmon realized that he'd been separated from his friend through a portal spanning two different dimensions. He didn't know much about the specifics of these portals that sometimes appeared between his world and the human world, but what if he'd somehow been caught between the two dimensions? How would he find his way back to his home? Would he be lost in this forest forever?
Suddenly, he heard rustling coming from the bushes to his left. He turned and was surprised to see a pair of glowing red eyes staring back at him. "Stay back!" Wizardmon shouted, holding his wand out in front of him. He wasn't all that threatening, though, since his hands were shaking like crazy. Realizing he was much too freaked out to pose a threat to any creature he came across, he decided to run for it.
After dodging through trees for what felt like hours, Wizardmon stopped to catch his breath. This forest seemed endless and, even more unsettling, perpetually cloaked in darkness. Not only this, but there were other beings in this forest, like the owner of those glowing red eyes he'd seen. And there were probably other creatures like that one, watching him…
Wizardmon sank to the ground, curling up with his knees tight against his chest. He was going to be stuck in this forest forever. He'd never see his family or friends again. What had he done to deserve this? He was a decent Digimon, right? He'd never caused trouble for anyone. In fact, this had all happened because of Impmon. He was the one who had taken Wizardmon to the portal. He was the one who had dragged him into that other world. He was the one who had taken him to meet Seiko…
Wizardmon had to smile, remembering his kindly human friend. He didn't regret helping her, not one bit. Sitting in this dismal forest, he reminisced about what had happened just a few short hours ago. Seiko and Impmon had worked out a plan while he'd practiced his snow conjuring. He'd hidden in one of the trees atop Seiko's hill. He'd waited for her to lead Kouji to the very top. Then…it had worked out perfectly. Kouji had been surprised and, as Seiko had predicted, cynical about the origin of the snow, but once her lips had met his, it hadn't mattered.
"It was worth it," Wizardmon muttered to himself, feeling his confidence rising. It didn't matter that he was now stuck in this godforsaken forest. He had helped Seiko, and that was all that mattered. Rising to his feet, he glared into the depths of the trees surrounding him, hands balling into fists. "Bring it on, you stupid forest! It was all worth it!"
"Indeed it was."
Wizardmon flinched, hearing another voice coming from the trees. He turned left and right, searching frantically for the source of the voice. He saw no one, but that didn't mean much. It would be simple for any creature to conceal itself in the dark depths of this forest. He'd just have to stay on his guard.
Still…the voice hadn't sounded hostile exactly. More like it was…taunting him. "Who are you?" Wizardmon asked, grabbing his wand from underneath his cloak.
The mystery creature chuckled, leaving goose bumps up and down Wizardmon's arms. "Put your wand away, dear Wizardmon. We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, would we?"
"That depends," Wizardmon growled, trying very hard to sound threatening. "What do you want with me? And for the record, where the hell are we?"
"I want nothing but to talk, dear," the voice spoke in a sickly sweet tone, a tone that told Wizardmon she was definitely suspicious. Still, whatever this thing was, it wasn't attacking him. That gave him enough reason to trust it for now. "As to your question concerning our location, we are both standing deep within the Dark Continent of the Digital World."
"This is a part of the Digital World?" Wizardmon asked slowly, taking a closer look at his surroundings. He'd never heard of anything called a "Dark Continent" in his world, but he had to admit that he was a bit sheltered. He'd never traveled farther outside his own forest than was necessary to acquire food or other supplies. He'd also never formally attended a school, so he knew next to nothing about Digital World geography. But was it possible that he'd been in his own world this whole time without realizing it? "Does that mean that you're a Digimon, too?"
"It does," the voice replied. "By the way, for future reference, I am not an 'it,' I am a 'she.'"
This comment confused Wizardmon. He'd only been calling this disembodied voice an 'it' in his thoughts. He hadn't called her an 'it' out loud, so how had she known…?
"You'll find that I know many things about you, dear Wizardmon," the voice said, answering his unspoken question. "For instance, I know all about what you did for that human girl. Quite the love doctor you've turned out to be!"
"What are you, a mind-reader?" Wizardmon asked cautiously, for that was a strong possibility. He'd never met a psychic Digimon face-to-face, but he'd heard enough stories to know they existed. And that their powers made them dangerous foes.
A slight breeze stirred the leaves of the trees as his faceless companion chuckled, almost as if she'd summoned it with her voice. "'Mind-reader' would be an apt term to describe someone such as myself, I suppose," she mused. "Each mind holds a different story, and I have the ability to read it, skimming through the memories like pages in a book…but that is beside the point. Actually, I was just strolling through the forest today and happened to pick up on your thoughts. You're quite lost, are you not?"
"Do I look like a local to you?" Wizardmon said sarcastically, gripping his wand tightly.
"Oh my, it seems that you don't yet trust me," the voice commented, sounding hurt. "And all I wanted to do was give you my congratulations on a job well done. You made that girl's wish come true, and I respect that."
Despite his unease, this explanation did calm Wizardmon's fears. Witchmon always laughed at him for being so suspicious of everything, and he had to admit that maybe he WAS a bit paranoid at times. Sure, this Digimon hadn't yet shown her face, but it didn't seem like there were a lot of other "overly friendly" Digimon in this forest. Maybe she was just skittish. And she seemed pretty sincere…
"Yes…it's too bad, though, that Seiko is going to die."
Strangely, Wizardmon's paranoia didn't return when his mysterious companion said this, though it seemed like a suspicious thing for her to just blurt out. Instead, he was surprised and a bit confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked, adding to himself, Who in the world would dare hurt her?
"She is a charming young thing. Reminds me a bit of my sister," the Digimon's voice muttered just loud enough for Wizardmon to catch. It was obvious from her tone that she wasn't particularly pleased by Seiko's similarity to her sister. Wizardmon couldn't ask about this because a moment later, the voice continued, "But I don't mean to say that anyone would intentionally harm her. Rather, she keeps some very…dangerous company."
"You don't mean…" Wizardmon began to say it, but couldn't quite get the words out. Could it really be that…?
"Kouji is the one to blame," the Digimon's voice spoke from among the trees. "He will cause Seiko great, possibly fatal, harm in the future."
Wizardmon conjured up an image of Seiko's crush from earlier that night in his mind. He'd seemed to have a rather cynical, bitter nature about him, the polar opposite of Seiko's natural happiness and optimism. Opposites must really attract for fate to have put the two of them together as a pair, but they did care for each other. Of course, Seiko had already confessed her feelings for Kouji, but Wizardmon had been able to tell that the boy cared deeply for her as well. The affection had been clear in his eyes. He'd never let any harm come to Seiko if he could help it.
"No, not if he could help it. But it's too late for him to change things," the voice said with finality. "The affliction is in his blood, in his very nature. He'll have no choice in the matter once the war begins…"
"What war?" Now Wizardmon was extremely confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"
The silence that followed this question was so ominous that Wizardmon was practically trembling with tension by the time the voice replied, "You do know the tale of the ten Legendary Warriors, do you not?"
"Of course I do." This, at least, Wizardmon knew all about. It was a common story told to young In-Training Digimon. "What about it?"
"Then I'm sure you've been told of the special circumstances surrounding their deaths? About their noble sacrifice in imprisoning the evil Lucemon and their transformation into mere spirits?" Wizardmon nodded, growing impatient. "Now think for a moment. Why would the last bits of their data be reconfigured into that form? Why didn't they just disappear, as any other Digimon would?"
"They're legendary," Wizardmon replied without much thought. What was this Digimon getting at?
The mysterious Digimon chuckled at his response. "Of course, that would be anyone's first answer! But they weren't always legendary, were they? No, they only gained that title after defeating Lucemon. Still, they were apparently important enough to be granted immortality, however partial that immortality may be.
"But they can do nothing except sit in hiding, practically buried alive by their keepers, the three Celestial Digimon," the voice continued, her words pounding in Wizardmon's skull. "Why would these mighty warriors have been given a second chance at all if they lack the ability to do anything but stand by and watch events play out before them? Surely there must be a way for them to restore their strength and power, to fight the evil that always seems to rise without fail. And luckily for them, they have thought of a solution to this problem. It is a very close-kept secret, but as Seiko's friend, you should know that the boy she has fallen in love with is one of ten human catalysts for the Legendary Warriors."
"A catalyst?" Wizardmon asked slowly, struggling just to form the words. Only in the pause in his companion's monologue did he realize that he was feeling a bit dazed. The world around him was blurring as if he were about to pass out. It seemed the only thing tethering him to reality was her voice…
"Well, 'catalyst' isn't exactly the correct term to describe them," the other Digimon admitted. "I can't say that I know all of the specifics of this process, but as I understand it, these chosen children, including Seiko's beloved Kouji, will in essence become the Legendary Warriors."
"But…they're humans," Wizardmon said, feeling slightly confused. "How can they…?"
"It is a mystery to me as well, but I believe it to be very possible," the voice replied, sounding sure. "Now, what do you suppose would happen to anyone associated with these children once they have stepped into their positions as Warriors? Think; every dissenting Digimon out there would aim to harm the Warriors' loved ones in order to cripple them. They'd go after their family, their friends. Of course, Seiko would also be a target, all because of that Kouji boy."
She's lying! The rational part of Wizardmon's mind was screaming its protest, trying to be heard over the haze that had formed in his mind. What she was saying was completely impossible. Humans couldn't become Digimon. That was ridiculous! Digimon and humans were two completely separate beings.
Still, if all of this was true, then Seiko really would be put in danger. And who was he to argue the story this Digimon told? It wasn't as if he were any more knowledgeable about the workings of his world. He'd been completely sheltered all his life, hidden away in his forest home. If anything, this Digimon had helped him. She had opened his eyes to something he'd never even considered. Why would the Legendary Warriors have been preserved in a half-dead state all this time if they couldn't do anything to protect the world they'd sworn themselves to? Though his companion's answer to this question was a bit far-fetched, it had some truth to it.
All of this circled back to Seiko's safety and welfare. If Kouji was one of these so-called "catalysts," and if he were to be dragged into the Digital World's future conflicts by his inescapable destiny, then Seiko would inevitably be dragged in with him. She already knew about Digimon thanks to him and Impmon. Knowing her, she'd want to help in any way she could. But the more she tried to help, the more exposed she'd become until one day, when no one was watching, when not even Kouji was guarding her from danger, some deranged Digimon would sneak up behind her, claws raised, thirsting for blood and data…
Wizardmon shuddered at this thought. He'd never let that happen to Seiko. She was good and pure, undeserving of that cruel demise. But if she became more involved with the Digital World than she already was, Wizardmon was fully convinced that this would be her fate. There had to be a way to stop it. But how? "What should I do?" Wizardmon asked softly, peering through the trees, searching for his shadowy companion, seeking any counsel she could give. Finally he caught a glimpse of something within the forest, a tall and slender figure…
Her voice cut through the trees and bombarded Wizardmon's mind with the force of a wrecking ball, blocking his concentration. "Isn't it obvious? The only sure way to protect Seiko is to kill Kouji."
—
"Hang on, Gatomon!" Impmon said, laying her gently on the ground. She barely noticed the movement, her head throbbing with merciless pain. "Okay…alright…" Impmon kept muttered these things to himself, trying and failing to remain calm as he stared down at Gatomon. His eyes were wide and red-rimmed from crying, and he was shaking so hard that he had to press his palms firmly against the ground to steady his vision. After all this, Impmon hated that all he could do now was watch Gatomon suffer.
Wizardmon, however, was calm. Now, without a doubt, he knew what he had to do. What Gatomon wanted him to do. In fact, he was the only one left who would give her the help she desired. Impmon would only get in the way. He's too blinded by love…for my sister.
With this bittersweet thought in mind, Wizardmon raised his wand, eyes trained on the back of his former friend's head.
Sorry Impmon, he thought sadly. She's too far gone. Then he struck.
—
Almost two months later, Wizardmon was crouched upon the rooftop of a tall building, gazing down at the busy city street below. Though this was only his second trip to the human world, he was mostly disinterested in what he saw. Instead, his attention was focused on two humans milling through the crowd that clogged the sidewalk, probably seeking refuge in a more secluded area.
Perfect, Wizardmon thought, wand held at the ready. It had taken him several weeks to build up his resolve, but now he was completely focused on his task. He knew what he had to do. It was just like that Digimon had said. Kouji needed to die.
After his fateful conversation with her, his newfound friend (she'd never mentioned her name) had explained to him that he'd landed in the middle of a dark area of the Digital World, appropriately named the Dark Continent. She'd kindly led him to the edge of the territory, keeping to the shadows as she did so, and pointed out the tall gate that marked the entrance to her home. Mere hours before, Wizardmon would have been happy to see the sun shining onto the land just outside the abysmal forest and to know that, contrary to what he'd believed, he could finally return to his own home. But knowing what he now knew, he could never go back to his old life of naivety. Not with the murder he knew he'd someday have to commit.
He'd walked slowly forward until he'd stood with his toes barely touching the border between light and dark. Pausing, he'd turned and asked, "How will I get back to the human world without a portal?"
Her voice had drifted back to him in reply, "Don't concern yourself with the minor details. When you have decided what you are going to do, come back to this place. I will find you a portal. The rest will be up to you."
Wizardmon had done as she'd instructed, returning to the ominous gate leading into the Dark Continent some weeks later. He hadn't hesitated to step through the gate this time. He just continued to walk, ignoring the fact that he was walking straight into a dark abyss, never to return. In a way, this moment had been sad, especially since he hadn't said goodbye to his friends or his sisters. But no matter how he felt about leaving them, he was determined to end his life in the human world.
These thoughts drifted in and out of Wizardmon's mind, threatening to cloud his focus. He shook his head, concentrating on the task at hand. First he had to kill Kouji; he could worry about what would come afterward when it came, though it was hard to imagine a very bloody death at the hands of someone like Seiko. All he knew was that after he committed his crime, he would turn himself over to her and let her have her retribution. Then maybe she'd be able to move on.
I wonder where they're going, Wizardmon wondered absently, eyes trained on the couple. From his perch, he could see that Seiko had taken Kouji's hand in hers and was currently dragging him through the crowd, probably impatient with their slow pace. Kouji, for his part, was diligently trying to keep up with Seiko, a faint blush on his cheeks as he stared at their joined hands.
The innocence on both their faces was enough to make anyone give up this insane mission and just walk away, but Wizardmon didn't have that luxury. The things he'd learned about the Legendary Warriors and Kouji's involvement with them had preyed on his mind for almost two months. He didn't want to kill this human boy, not really. It was sad, even pitiful to think that he was going to die without even knowing why it was happening. But perhaps someday, in the afterlife, Kouji would be able to forgive Wizardmon when he realized what would surely have happened had he lived through this day. After all, he cared about Seiko too, right? He would understand, wouldn't he?
Wizardmon crept around the corner of the building's roof, following the two young humans as they continued down the sidewalk. Eventually, though, he ran out of roof, forcing him to leap atop the next building in the row. Luckily, these structures were built fairly close together, in typical human fashion, and Wizardmon could easily bridge the gap between the roofs in a single bound.
However, when he landed, he found someone waiting for him. Oh no…
"Wizardmon!" Impmon exclaimed happily, turning when he heard the thump Wizardmon's landing had made. It seemed he'd been searching behind one of the many metal things sticking up out of the building, looking for something. From his reaction, Wizardmon could easily guess what or, more accurately, who he'd been searching for.
Wizardmon stood still and silent as Impmon rushed up to him and wrapped him in a tight hug. "I finally found ya," he stated, sighing with relief. "I, no, we've been lookin' fer ya fer weeks. Listen, I'm so sorry about what happened. When ya didn't show up through da portal behind me, I thought maybe ya hadn't been able ta get through and dat you were stuck here, and I was right! I knew ya'd be okay, wit' Seiko around and all, but Gatomon and Witchmon were really worried about ya. So I've been searchin' fer another human world portal, and today I finally found one! C'mon, let's get back ta our world quick before da portal closes again and…"
"I'm not going with you," Wizardmon said, finally speaking up. To further emphasize his point, he shoved Impmon away and took several steps back, standing firm and resolute.
Impmon cocked his head in confusion. "Quit kiddin' around, Wizardmon. Whaddaya mean, yer not comin' back wit' me?"
"I meant what I said. I'm staying here," Wizardmon replied flatly, raising his wand. "Now leave, or I'll make you leave."
"Wizardmon," Impmon muttered, eyes fixed on the wand aimed threateningly at him. "What's goin' on? Is dis because yer mad at me? 'Cuz I got ya stuck in dis world? Wizardmon, I am so sorry about all dis…"
"That's not it," Wizardmon interrupted quickly, lowering his gaze.
"Then why?" Impmon asked, truly curious to know what was going through Wizardmon's head.
The problem was, Wizardmon wasn't sure how to explain it himself. Why was he so determined to end that human boy's life? For Seiko's sake? Heck, there was a big chance that nothing would happen to her, that Kouji would be able to keep her safe, even if she insisted on getting involved with the Digital World. There was no way to be sure, but was murder really the right way to solve this? He could just as easily reveal himself to Kouji, explain the situation, and make sure they were both prepared for…
-Kill him…
Wizardmon's doubt instantly dissolved. "I have to do this," he stated, eyes cold and merciless as he glared at his friend. Heh, friend? he thought, staring Impmon down. He's only getting in my way.
"Whaddaya have ta do, Wizardmon?" Impmon shouted, growing frustrated. "I don't understand what yer sayin'! What da heck is goin' on?"
"You wouldn't understand," Wizardmon growled softly, growing angrier and angrier as he continued. "You've always been so soft, Impmon. You would never have it in you to do what I'm about to do. You wouldn't even understand it! But I understand perfectly. That boy is nothing more than the Digital World's tool, following in the footsteps of the Warriors before him! It's sad that he should have to die so young for a cause he hasn't even been made aware of, but it has to be done! Kouji has to die! There's no other way to ensure Seiko's safety!"
"What are ya talkin' about?" Impmon exclaimed. "What da they have ta do wit' anythin'? Their jus' humans!"
"I'm trying to tell you that Kouji is not just a human!" Wizardmon shouted, trembling with rage. "Seiko is a human, but he is something else entirely. If we let things continue like this, he'll be the death of her!"
Impmon was silent for a moment, glancing over the edge of the roof at the sidewalk below. Wizardmon looked too and saw that Kouji and Seiko were still there, standing at a crosswalk. As they watched, they saw Kouji lean down and whisper something in Seiko's ear, something that made her blush.
Wizardmon turned away quickly, a gesture that Impmon took note of. Glancing between his friend and the two humans below, Impmon came to a conclusion. "Wizardmon…ya can't be everyone's big brother."
That statement took Wizardmon by surprise. It was completely off the mark, of course. He'd turned away because he felt guilty that he'd have to ruin Seiko's happiness…but was that all? Perhaps Impmon was on to something.
He had always been the overprotective big brother figure for his sisters, though Witchmon wouldn't stand for his overbearing nature most of the time. He just couldn't help himself. His sisters meant everything to him, and he couldn't stand the thought of them getting hurt…or of someone taking them away from him.
Wizardmon realized then that he'd subconsciously counted Seiko as one of his "sisters." A sweet young girl like her needed protection, and he'd been protecting people all his life. It had been so natural to assume the big brother position…and everything that came with it. Was that it? Was that why he wanted to kill Kouji? Not because he thought Seiko would get hurt, but because Kouji would defile her in other ways…
Just like Gatomon. Just like what Impmon had confessed to him a few short months ago. He could still conjure up the words in his mind. "Wizardmon, I think I'm in love wit' Gatomon."
Wizardmon's vision blurred. "Stay away from her, you bastard!" Almost against his will, Wizardmon shot a ball of fire from his wand, the wand that had been aimed at Impmon all this time. The sudden attack surprised the imp Digimon, and in his haste to dodge the fireball, he forgot how close he stood to the edge of the roof…
"Impmon!" Wizardmon cried his friend's name, rushing forward to try to catch Impmon before he…but his hand closed around nothing but air. He could only watch, wide-eyed, as Impmon flew through the open air in a small arc, propelled by the part of Wizardmon's attack that had made contact with his body. Finally, Impmon began his descent, dropping like a felled bird toward the busy city street. He never made it to the pavement, though. Instead, he dropped right onto the windshield of a passing truck, bouncing off the glass and landing on the opposite sidewalk.
But the truck driver had apparently been startled, for the truck suddenly sped forward, ignoring the crosswalk in front of it. Wizardmon ran to the other side of the roof, straining to see if Seiko and Kouji had already crossed…
—
Impmon fell with a thump to the ground, knocked unconscious from behind by a large wand. Wizardmon slowly lowered his weapon, staring at the poor, pathetic Digimon who'd once been his friend. "Go ahead and rest, Impmon," he muttered softly. "You've done enough."
His first task complete, he stepped around his fallen companion, focusing his attention on his sister. She still writhed in pain, but she had enough presence of mind left to sense that he was staring at her. "Wizard…mon," she managed to say through clenched teeth, opening one eye onto her brother's face.
"Gatomon," Wizardmon said in reply, holding his wand out in front of him, pointing it straight at her small, vulnerable little body. "I'm sorry."
Despite the agonizing pain she was in, a look of peace came over Gatomon's features. She even smiled as she said, "I love you, too."
Wizardmon squeezed his eyes shut as he spoke the deadly words. "Electro Squall."
—
Wizardmon sat on the top tier of the newly reconstructed Rose Morning Star, waiting for Ilsemon to meet him. As he gazed out the window-like opening at the constantly dark scenery, he wondered how everything in his life had gone so wrong so quickly.
He could try to blame Impmon. After all, he'd been the one who'd led Wizardmon through the portal to the human world in the first place. But Impmon's intentions had been good, and look what he'd gotten for it. Hit by a truck, probably dead or dying back in the human world.
He could certainly blame Ilsemon. She'd been the "mysterious Digimon" that had told Wizardmon who Kouji really was, twisting his mind with senseless hate for the boy. But that was just what Ilsemon did. She manipulated others in order to get what she wanted. He'd never had to listen to her, but he did.
When it all came down to it, everything that had happened to him in the past few months had been his fault. He had tried to murder Kouji. He had caused Impmon to hit that truck. He had killed Seiko.
Instantly, Wizardmon flinched. Even after two months, thinking Seiko's name still caused him pain. But it was a pain he freely accepted, because he knew that he deserved it. He was nothing but a murderer and a traitor, and once he'd found his way back to the Digital World, he'd gone straight to the Dark Continent, knowing that this dark place was where he belonged.
Ilsemon had found him lying under a tree in the forest, practically begging for death to come. But death would have been a blessing, and he knew he didn't deserve that much. That was the reason he'd agreed to become Ilsemon's servant. Because, right to his very core, he was a monster.
"Digital monsters," Wizardmon muttered the full name of his race to himself. "The only monster I can see here is me."
"Good day, Wizardmon." Ilsemon, in her normal sneaky fashion, suddenly appeared behind Wizardmon, towering above him even when he rose and stood before her.
"Milady," he greeted her stiffly, bowing his head.
Ilsemon smirked. "It seems you've learned to properly greet your master. I'm glad that all the punishment I've had to give you is finally sinking in."
Wizardmon remained still and silent, knowing that Ilsemon would gain too much pleasure from a flinch brought on by the memory of his torture. He'd learned by now to harden himself inside and out. That was the only way to survive in Ilsemon's servitude. By becoming hollow.
Ilsemon continued when Wizardmon didn't reply, "Now, on to business. Has Cherubimon been behaving properly?"
"Cherubimon has been sending out his team of Warriors to gather data, just as you requested," Wizardmon reported mechanically. After a pause, he added, "As to the matter of the fifth spirit in his possession, he still hasn't been able to find a worthy Digimon to bond with it. Every being that tries to bond with that thing is consumed by it."
"I see," Ilsemon muttered, not sounding all that troubled by the news. "I expected that would be the case, especially for this particular spirit. Still, it would probably be easier to find a suitable host had Cherubimon not 'altered' the spirit beyond what would have been necessary to corrupt it. It was simple enough to find hosts for the other four Legendary Warriors."
They are not the Legendary Warriors, Wizardmon thought, reminded of his many observations of Cherubimon's most loyal servants. They are nothing but Cherubimon's puppets. Glancing at Ilsemon, he added, Though I suppose Cherubimon is a puppet himself.
"It is no matter, I suppose," Ilsemon said, waving off her concern. "I have a feeling that the answer to this problem will present itself in time."
Meaning you plan to kidnap the human catalyst of darkness and use him to your own benefit, Wizardmon thought, finding it funny how predictable Ilsemon could be.
However, he never saw Ilsemon's next move coming. "Oh, by the way, I wanted to introduce you to my two newest servants," she announced, stepping to the side to reveal…
Wizardmon couldn't help but to gasp in shock. Standing before him, her head, ears, and tail drooped in apparent shame, was Gatomon. Next to his sister stood Impmon, though "stood" was a loose term for what he was doing. He was actually leaning heavily on Gatomon just to remain upright, his arm draped over her small shoulders. Unlike Gatomon, Impmon's gaze was fixed on Wizardmon, a determined look in his eyes.
Wizardmon didn't know how to react, so Ilsemon broke the silence by saying, "Wizardmon, I'd like you to meet Impmon and Gatomon."
—
"Argh!" Wizardmon dropped to his knees, shot through with a sudden searing pain. He didn't know how long he laid on the ground, curled into a little ball of agony, only that the pain ceased as suddenly as it had come. Well, not ceased entirely. There was still a dull throbbing at his temples, but it was bearable. The real problem was to find the source of the pain.
He examined himself for a moment and concluded that he hadn't been stabbed or shot through by some random Digimon's weapon. It hadn't really been a physical pain, anyway. It had felt more like a migraine than anything else.
That was when Wizardmon remembered. Gatomon. Slowly, he lowered his gaze, searching for his sister's remains. He found it sitting at his feet, small and fragile-looking with blue circles dotting the shell. Gatomon's Digi-egg.
Wizardmon reached down and gingerly picked the egg up, then cradled it in his arms like a baby. "It's okay, Gatomon. You're okay now," he muttered shakily, tears forming in his eyes. He hadn't cried in so long that the feeling of water running down his cheeks and soaking into his cloak was a bit disorienting at first, but he quickly got the hang of it again. A sob or two even broke from his chest.
He wasn't sure if he'd ever stop crying once he'd started, but another strange mental pang momentarily shook him from his grief. It wasn't exactly a pang of pain this time. It just felt…odd. Like something was growing inside him, threatening to burst out at any time. But he felt that he had to keep it contained, that if he didn't, he'd lose control and be drained like a battery…
Wizardmon realized where these strange feelings were coming from just as a giant column of fire rose up from the other side of the RMS, reaching its fiery tendrils toward the dark sky. "Comrade…"
—
madjack89: And there you have it! That's what happened to Wizardmon!
Impmon: Ga…Gatomon…?
Wizardmon: …
madjack89: Heh, sorry guys. And sorry to a large majority of readers out there who wanted Gatomon to live! In all honesty, I've been planning Gatomon's death from the beginning.
Wizardmon: *turns slowly toward me* You what?
madjack89: Yeah, I was going to kill her off earlier than this, but I thought it would fit the battle mood more if we had at least one important character death. So that's that!
Wizardmon: …Excuse me while I go bang my head against a wall. Repeatedly.
madjack89: Have fun! Any final thoughts, Impy?
Impmon: *shakes head*
madjack89: Okie-doke! See ya next chapter, everybody!