Frontier 02: Rebirthing – Chapter 41: Picking Up The Pieces
madjack89: Hey everyone, let's have some fun! It's time for chapter 41! :D
Kouji: *sigh*
madjack89: Yes indeed, we've made it all the way to chapter 41, which means we've gotten to the point in the story where I start to flip the tale of the Legendary Warriors upside-down! Yay!
Kouji: *double sigh* …What the hell is a double sigh?
madjack89: You tell me. You just did it.
Kouji: *triple sigh* …Yeah, I give up.
madjack89: Well, it seems that you've all recovered from your shock!
Shino: Pretty much.
JP: We gave it some thought and figured the odds of Taki actually dying are about 63 to 37 in our favor.
Kouichi: Plus he's standing right here.
Takuya: Hey everybody! I'm not dead…yet.
madjack89: I'm glad to hear that you're all in good spirits, because now we're going to discuss those videos I made you guys watch on youtube.
Kouji: Oh god…
madjack89: Fans of Digimon Frontier and fellow abridged whores!
Shino: Abridged whores?
madjack89: I use that term to describe myself. It means I watch a lot of abridged series.
Shino: *nods* Continue.
madjack89: I have joyous news to proclaim, and I can no longer hold it in! I think that I have finally found a decent, well-made, well-planned Digimon Frontier ABRIDGED! Yay!
Kouji: Which only means trouble for the rest of us.
Kira: Guess again, pretty boy! Me, Dai, Shino, and Taru are OCs, so our heads are off the abridged chopping block! Ha ha!
Dai: Aw, I think it would be fun to get abridged!
JP: Tell that to Neji.
Neji: *sigh* All I can say is at least they haven't used "You Spin Me 'Round (Like a Record)" yet.
madjack89: Good idea, Neji! *pulls up iTunes library and plays aforementioned song*
Neji: *eye twitches*
madjack89: Anyway, specifics! The series is on the channel DFAbridge on youtube, and if you're into Frontier and abridging, I'd recommend checking it out! I see some definite potential from it in episodes to come, and the editing is superb!
JP: And for some reason I'm bi-polar and demonic…?
Tommy: And I sound like I'm on a constant sugar high.
Takuya: And Ophanimon keeps yelling at me and calling me stupid. -_-
Kouji: And my screen time is ripped away from me.
Zoe: No offense Kouji, but you rip screen time away from yourself by being the stereotypical lone wolf.
Kouji: …Point taken.
Kouichi: *shrugs* I should be safe for about 20 episodes or so.
Kouji: Lucky.
madjack89: Anyway, that's my random advertisement for today. Let's answer some reviews and get to the chapter!
*break*
KingdomHeartsandIchigoLover: But if I had kept going, the ending wouldn't be as epic and it wouldn't keep the readers screaming for more! ;) Thanks for reviewing!
TobiGB: (Takuya: Shut up, shark boy! You could do worse than burn her! Ever think of that?) Settle, Taki, he's just an oversized shark. (Takuya: Grr…) (Kouji: -_- I'll keep that in mind, Deadpool.) (Duskmon: What's he talking about?) Madara, shut up! Dusky doesn't even know about that! (Duskmon: Don't know about what?) Sorry Tai, but…well…during the SkullGreymon episode, you were…oh, who cares? You're still awesome! *hugs Tai* (Tai: *sigh*) I'll work on it, Deadpool. Anyway, thanks for reviewing, GB! (Dai: And thanks for the cookies! ^.^)
Taeniaea: Thanks! (I'm beginning to see a pattern with these reviews. lol)
GoldenDragon326: Well, Kouji came to the same conclusion as the others, that Takuya would end up dying if they didn't stop him. The thing with Tommy is explained in more detail below. Thanks for the review!
Dawn of Glory: How about a SUPER MEGA ULTRA JAW DROP OF DOOM! (lol) Aw, don't cry! It'll all work out in the end! (Kouji: Will it?) Oh, don't you start! Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
emzy: Aw, thank you! *blushes slightly from compliments* Wow, that sounds awesome! I wish I could have a dream like that. (Takuya: Use the force, Kouji!) (Kouji: -_- If you don't end up dying, I'll gladly kill you for that.) (Takuya: *sweatdrop*) Thanks again for reviewing!
Immortal Fallen Radiance: Yeah, that whole thing with Duskmon will be explained a little more later down the road. For now we can just assume Dusky was being helpful for the baddies! (Duskmon: *sigh*) Thanks for reviewing!
LoneWolfVampire13: Well, Taki's not dead yet. (Takuya: Yet…) (Kouji and Kouichi: Hey!) No, killing the twins is too obvious. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! (I love Maximum Ride! Yay Iggy! ^_^)
Aldamonburst: Well, it's certainly not of my own design, but a spirit WAS awakening. More details on that later. (Takuya: Nope, not dead…yet.) As I stated above, killing the twins is too obvious. (Kouji and Kouichi: -_-) Donald, you jerk! Don't worry, Kaito, you're not a baby! Anyway, thanks for the review, Burst!
cherrrysakura: Yeah, there's a possibility Kouichi could die from that, but he'll be fine. Promise! And seriously guys, Taki's not dead. (Takuya: Yet.) *sigh* Thanks for reviewing!
fg1fg: I know, isn't it crazy? I've been writing this since my junior year of high school, and now I'm already in college! Time sure does fly…anyway, back to the review. My theory about JP's chocolate horde involves his large pockets. And a dimensional warp. But we don't need to get into that now. (lol) I think Gotsu-Witch is one of the weirdest Digimon pairings ever, which is why I did it! Yes, it was Zachary. Seriously, if they want to pay me to help write the Xros Wars script, I'll do it! (Yay money! :D) Well, Digimon is technically a kid's show and they probably don't feel they should bother with all the nitty-gritty injuries, but I'll deal with them all I like since I rated this story T! (For violence, slight innuendo at times, and Kira's dirty mouth. :P) Wow, this got really long. Sorry I ramble too much. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
13wolfsbane: (Duskmon: *sigh*) Of course TK is bi-polar, Yin. Like you said, he shows all the signs. It's okay, though, cuz he's still cute! :) Kouji was conveniently the only one near enough to the boulder to see Tommy pop out. Everyone else was conveniently on the other side of the fire. Ah, how I love convenience! (lol) Hotaru got kidnapped back in chapter…a couple chapters ago! He's in the RMS at the moment. Alright, thanks for reviewing, ladies!
silver fire wolf: Aw, don't worry about Takuya, Kokoro! If there's one thing Digidestined are good at, it's recovering from grievous injuries! (JP: I thought we were good at being dysfunctionally-functional.) That too. Thanks for the review, guys! (Duskmon: No, really? God, I swear…)
LadyWarGreymon: Wow, it is kinda like Avatar! Ha! (Takuya: Except I have hair.) True that. Don't worry, Taru will be fine…heh heh… (Hotaru: Oh boy…) Thanks for reviewing!
toonwriter: Oh, it's all good! I can be pretty slow too. (JP: Both in reading and writing stories.) Quiet, you! I'd say more than half the things I do in this story break the fourth wall. XD Well, it was never stated that TK is bi-polar, but just look at his random flashes of rage. Totally bi-polar. (TK: *sigh* The sad thing is, I can't tell if you're making fun of me or not.) Thanks for reviewing!
reirukuro-x: (Takuya: How is Duskmon awesome for trying to kill me?) (Duskmon: Isn't that also why I was awesome in the original series?) (Takuya: Grr…) Oh, Dai will get an arc partially dedicated to him…sometime in the distant future. Thanks for reviewing!
Musical Darkness: Plus I stated he wasn't dead in the commentaries! (lol) Dusky didn't kill Taki. (Takuya: Yet.) Will you stop that? (Takuya: Well, it's true!) *sigh* Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
LilAngelx55: (Takuya: Heh, cute emoness!) (Kouji: *sigh*) Of course I'll continue this, silly! I haven't given up on a story yet! Thanks for reviewing! (Glad you liked the Susanoomon debate!)
hazeleyedharmony: The monologues are indeed Takuya's. I thought it was obvious that they were his, so I didn't state it outright. :P Glad you liked them, though! I thought the chapter needed something, so I added them to spice it up. Anyway, thanks for reviewing, hazel! Now go do your homework! (lol)
NobodyLovesAMisfit: I'll get updates out as fast as I can, with school and all. Thanks for reviewing!
Phantomgirl96: I'm pretty sure Taiki has more strategical brain power than all the other goggle-heads/leaders put together. (Takuya: Hey!) Thanks for reviewing! (Oh, this story is far from over…)
Shadowfox94: Yay references! And yay for Tommy not being dead! But boo for Taru's fate being up in the air right now! (Even though I'm the one making it that way. ^.^') You're right, emo doesn't suit Taki well, but…eh, he'll work things out eventually. (Takuya: …What you just said worries me.) Yeah yeah…pobre Dusky. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
(Dang, 22 reviews for a single chapter? That must be a record or something. Thank you all again for your awesome reviews! I really appreciate them!)
*break*
madjack89: Okay, let's get back to the story!
—
Tommy pressed his head firmly against his knees, not daring to make a single sound. His fingers dug into his skull painfully, but he couldn't calm his terror enough to slacken their hold. He'd ripped his hat off his head for fear that someone would notice it. It wasn't exactly inconspicuous, and it served a better purpose acting as a cushion for him to sit on. His mouth was clamped shut, keeping his frightened whimpers to himself. If he made any noise, he'd be discovered for sure. Then Kouji's plan would be ruined, and Takuya would still run the risk of dying.
Takuya…dead. That wasn't exactly a pleasant thought, but it was the one Tommy held in his mind as he curled into the tightest fetal position he could manage, trying to remain hidden behind the same piece of debris that had shielded him from the flames before. The shouts and protests of his friends had died off several minutes ago, but he had to be sure that Ilsemon and her lackeys really were gone before he came out of hiding.
In reality, he wanted to rush out into the open and scream at the top of his lungs in sheer frustration. But what would that accomplish? If Ilsemon was still there, she'd be on him instantly, like a bird swooping down on its prey. Then he'd be imprisoned with the others, leaving Takuya wounded and alone. Tommy couldn't let that happen, wouldn't let that happen. So he'd closed his eyes, covered his ears, and tried to drown out Kira's desperate pleas as Ilsemon and her accomplices dragged her away.
Yes, he could have come out of hiding. Yes, he could have caught Ilsemon by surprise. Yes, he could have tried to save the rest of his friends. Instead, he'd chosen to listen to Kouji. But he trusted the older boy. Kouji was smart. He didn't take risks if he could avoid them, especially where the others were concerned. He'd thought this through, and he'd come up with the most rational solution in sight.
The cogs in his friend's brain had gone to work the minute he'd set his eyes on Kumamon. Before the bear-like Digimon could ask what in the world he'd meant when he'd said "You're alive," Kouji had rushed forward and tackled him to the ground. After he'd ensured that Kumamon was too stunned to protest what had just happened, he was peering around the piece of debris, eyes fixed on some point across the battlefield (as Kumamon assumed this space had become). He seemed satisfied with what he saw and turned back to his companion.
He didn't speak, so Kumamon took this as an opportunity to voice his confusion. "What's going on, Kouji? Why'd you tackle me? And why is there fire everywhere?" He didn't ask why Kouji had thought he was dead. That was too terrifying a thought after almost being crushed by a boulder.
In response, Kouji put a finger to his lips, indicating that Kumamon should lower his voice. This strengthened the Warrior's confusion. Why was Kouji being so secretive? And why did he keep glancing over his shoulder like that? Was there some enemy out there within that column of fire? If so, why had Kouji tackled him behind this stone? To keep him hidden?
Then it came to him. If the others thought he was dead, and if there was an enemy within or near those flames, then he could provide… "You mean…you want me to try a sneak attack?"
"No!" Kouji almost shouted this but, remembering his own advice, lowered his voice to a reasonable level. "No, Tommy, I don't want you to take that risk. I doubt you could sneak up on Ilsemon, anyway."
"Sure I can!" Kumamon replied, rising to his feet. Kouji shushed him, so he continued at a lower volume. "If Ilsemon doesn't know I'm here, I'm sure I could surprise her. You could distract whoever's guarding her, and I could…"
"It wouldn't work." Kouji instantly rejected Kumamon's plan. Smiling bitterly, he said a moment later, "Tommy, we've been had. Ilsemon's no pushover; she's more powerful than we thought."
Kumamon tilted his head, not following Kouji's explanation. "Well, I guess Ilsemon's kinda powerful, but she just gets other people to do her dirty work. I thought that if we attacked her…"
"She beat us," Kouji said flatly, cutting his friend off. "On her own, she beat every single one of us…well, except for you. But that's only because she assumed you were dead and not worth the trouble to try to find."
Unable to hold it in, the inevitable question broke out. "You guys thought I was dead…?"
Kouji took a long pause before replying. "We didn't know what to think. When we couldn't find you after that fall…but it doesn't matter now, because you're fine. Better yet, you're in perfect condition to escape."
"Escape…" Suddenly, it all made sense. Kouji shoving him behind this rock, forcing him to be quiet, ensuring that no one knew he was here. All so he could get away. But what about…? "I'm not leaving the rest of you here!"
"Shhh!" Kumamon would have ignored this order, but Kouji was dead serious, so he bit his tongue, letting his friend explain himself. "I know, okay? It's not an easy thing to do. But we'll be fine. The worst Ilsemon can do is torture us. We'll deal with it. You have to be the one to tell Gotsumon and the others what happened to us. We can't be rescued if no one knows where we are. You're more help to us free than you are captive."
He wanted to argue, but Kumamon knew that Kouji's logic was sound. It was despicable, practically unthinkable, but it made sense. If he could get away from here (abandoning his friends in the process), he could get reinforcements and liberate them from Ilsemon's clutches later. But what if there were no reinforcements left, or what if the Resistance was hit with such heavy losses that they couldn't afford an invasion of the RMS for weeks, even months? What would happen to his friends in the time it took to rescue them?
Kumamon looked at his friend. Kouji wore the same calm expression typical of his disposition. But beneath this nonchalance, he could see the truth. Kouji was scared. He didn't want to be subjected to whatever Ilsemon had in store for him and the others. He wanted to run along with Kumamon. But he believed so firmly in Ilsemon's ability to stop them that he was willing to sacrifice his, his brother's, everyone else's well-being in order to ultimately save them. And the success of his plan sat right on Kumamon's shoulders. "Kouji…"
"You won't be alone," Kouji said, cutting Kumamon off. "I want you to take Takuya with you. It's a risk, but Takuya can't afford to be captured now. If I manage to calm him down, I want you to…"
"Calm him down?" The fire raging out there…and Takuya…they were connected. Suddenly, Kumamon understood. Ilsemon had beaten them a little too thoroughly. They'd all thought he was dead. And Takuya hadn't been able to stand it anymore. "Takuya!"
"Tommy, no!" Before Kumamon could rush out from hiding, Kouji rammed his shoulder into the bear Digimon's chest, sending them both toppling to the ground. Air momentarily escaped Kumamon's lungs, and by the time he'd regained his bearings, Kouji had both his arms pinned to the ground. He smiled, knowing that Kouji was no match for him in this form, no matter what he did. He was about to shake the older boy off when he noticed Kouji wince. The arm Kumamon had grabbed, after easily twisting out of Kouji's grip, was developing a noticeably large bruise. Kouji was hurt, and he was making it worse.
Instantly, Kumamon's hand fell from his friend's arm and he let his entire body go limp. "I'm sorry," he muttered, unable to look Kouji in the eye. He felt the pressure on his arms slacken and took this as Kouji's acceptance of his apology.
"Tommy," his older friend said a moment later. Kumamon didn't look up, but Kouji continued nonetheless. "Tommy, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I've done that enough already. Takuya runs the risk of dying. There's this prophecy, and since it's been right about everything else it's predicted, we should start taking it seriously. I'm gonna stop Takuya, and then I want you to grab him and run. I'll keep Ilsemon preoccupied. Heh, can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes we one-uped her, at least for a second."
All the new information being thrown at Kumamon had numbed him at this point, so the news of Takuya's fated death barely fazed him. Besides, Kouji seemed convinced that they could change Takuya's fate. But only if he consented to abandon the others. "I don't want to leave you…"
Kouji chuckled slightly. "You're a good kid, Tommy. I'm glad we ended up smoothing things out between us. Thanks…for everything."
"Kouji!" In the time it took Kumamon to jump to his feet, KendoGarurumon was already gone. The Warrior of Ice took a step forward in pursuit, then paused. Kouji wanted him to stay hidden, but those parting words…it was like Kouji didn't think he'd see Tommy again.
Finally, he decided to peek around the debris and see what was going on. It couldn't hurt if he just took a brief look. No one would see him…
Tommy bit the inside of his cheek, trying to block out the image of Takuya's limp body…he wasn't dead. Duskmon couldn't have…killed him.
But Tommy had seen it. His attention had been entirely focused on Takuya, on the raw power emanating from the Warrior of Fire. It occurred to him that the surge of energy he'd felt earlier when removing that boulder had come from some source. Takuya. Takuya was tapping into a power spanning all ten Legendary Warriors. Susanoomon? No, it was something even greater than that. This was…
Tommy!
Kumamon's sudden shout broke Tommy from his reverie. His head shot up, for his gaze had lowered to the ground, and the first thing that caught his attention was Duskmon, raising his arm, taking aim. Firing.
"Takuya!" Unable to stay still any longer, Tommy burst out of hiding. As he'd expected, the battlefield was empty save for all the rumble and debris. His friends were gone. Captured. Taken prisoner. Tommy was the only one left. He was alone.
No, he wasn't alone. There, lying in the middle of this wasteland, was Takuya, an all-too-familiar ring of data circling his chest.
Don't bother with the child of fire. He is more use to me dead than alive. Leave him. That was what Ilsemon had said. To Tommy's relief, her order had been followed.
"Takuya!" Rushing forward, Tommy was at his surrogate brother's side in an instant. The first thing he noticed, aside from the visible Fractal Code, was that Takuya was very, very pale, like all the blood had been drained from his veins, leaving nothing but a dry husk. Well, not exactly dry. A sheen of sweat coated the goggle-headed boy's face, as if he were suffering from an intense fever. Thanks to the fire that had flared up around it, Tommy assumed, one of Takuya's arms was covered with red welts, made more noticeable by the pallor of his skin. But all of this combined didn't scare Tommy as much as the wound on his friend's stomach. Takuya's arms were wrapped around this area, but the younger boy could just make out the charred, tattered edge of Takuya's shirt underneath them…
Quickly, Tommy crouched by the older boy's side, further assessing the damage. To his relief, Takuya was breathing, but his breath was shallow, and the action was barely detectable. Tommy pressed his fingers against his friend's neck, just as Takuya had taught him a couple years ago, and tried to detect a pulse. He found it but, like Takuya's breath, it was faint. Biting his lip to calm himself down, the young Warrior of Ice gently removed first Takuya's goggles, then his hat. Next, he raised his hand to Takuya's forehead, confirming what he'd feared. Takuya had a fever, a raging fever. The warmth radiating from the older boy was so intense, in fact, that Tommy had to pull back his hand almost instantly, lest he be burned by the scalding heat.
"Takuya…" This was not good. Takuya may not have been dead, but he was close enough to it. Finally, almost reluctantly, Tommy turned his attention to the wound on his surrogate brother's stomach, preparing for the worst. But he could never have prepared for what he saw.
Tommy easily removed Takuya's arms from their protective positions. The Warrior of Fire was much too weak to put up a fight at this point, and his arms remained limp as Tommy moved them to reveal…
"Oh my gosh…" There was indeed a large hole burned into Takuya's shirt, probably thanks to Duskmon's attack. What Tommy had expected to see was a rather severe burn marring his friend's skin. What he did see were veins. Thousands of thin, black veins bursting forth from a central point on Takuya's stomach, branching out across his flesh. It was like some evil parasite had hooked itself onto Takuya, sucking away his already dwindling energy.
"Could Duskmon's attack…have done this?" That couldn't be right. Being hit by Duskmon's red beams of energy had never been a pleasant experience, but this wasn't one of their side effects. Was this Nina's power working through the dark swordsman? Then again, Duskmon had never hit an actual "human" with this attack before. They had always been in Spirit Evolved states with Duskmon around, but Takuya hadn't yet gotten to that point when the dark Digimon's attack had struck…
"Takuya…" Tommy didn't know what to do. He could treat cuts, bruises, a scrape or two, but not this. This was completely out of his league. This was a job for the older kids, the "adults." They would know what to do right now. They would be able to fix this.
But thanks to Ilsemon, they weren't here now. No, thanks to Tommy, he was on his own. Thanks to Tommy, his friends were probably being tortured at that very moment. Thanks to Tommy, Takuya was going to die, because Tommy was nothing but a useless, helpless, hopeless child.
"Takuya…nii-chan…" Tommy choked out his old nickname for his surrogate brother as the familiar tears began to well up in his eyes, then spill down his cheeks in salty waterfalls. For the first time in a long time, he made no attempt to hide them. What was the point? There was no hiding his nature any longer. He had been using the others as a crutch all this time, drawing strength and confidence from his older companions. No matter what, they always knew what to do. They were the truly courageous ones. Tommy was nothing but a pale imitation of them. Without them, what was he? Just a stupid crybaby who couldn't do this, nor could he pretend to do it anymore. Better if Kouji had stayed instead…
That's not true, Tommy. Kumamon's voice echoed through Tommy's head, breaking the boy from his sobs.
"W-What do y-you m-mean, K-Kumamon?" he asked, stuttering heavily. "I-I'm n-nothing but a useless k-kid…"
Useless? Kumamon scoffed at that notion. Would a useless kid be able to wield my spirit? Would a useless kid have beaten Lucemon?
"That wasn't just me," Tommy argued. "We all beat Lucemon together."
Exactly, Kumamon replied, warmth saturating his voice. Your friends couldn't have done that without you. To beat Lucemon, you needed the power of all the spirits. If anyone here is useless, it's me. Alone, I can't do anything. But you could still fight without me, if you had to. And together, we can combine our power to stop any bully. So don't think that you're useless, Tommy. Your friends need you, and so do I.
"Kumamon…" A smile began to spread across Tommy's face as his Digimon's spirit's words reverberated in his mind. Yes, he was needed. Kouji, Zoe, Shino, Kouichi, Dai, Hotaru, JP, Kira, Takuya…they were all counting on him right now. They needed him to get back to the Resistance, to tell Gotsumon what had happened, and then to come save them from Ilsemon. This job wasn't meant for some whiney kid. It was meant for a Legendary Warrior.
Gripping his D-Tector tightly, Tommy let his data, his very essence in this world, appear around his palm. "C'mon, Kumamon. Let's save Takuya."
Right! Kumamon agreed as the two consciousnesses, human and Digimon, merged into one being.
The newly evolved Kumamon didn't waste time. Keeping his senses alert to any possible danger, he raced over to the piece of debris he'd hidden behind and found his large orange hat sitting there, right where he'd left it. Taking a deep breath, the Warrior exhaled an icy wind, creating a frozen patch of ground before him. Then he reached down, breaking small chunks off the ice and placing them inside the hat. When he'd filled it sufficiently with the frozen hunks, he rushed back to Takuya, who actually seemed to be growing paler.
"Hang on, Takuya," Kumamon said gently, placing the improvised ice pack against his friend's burning forehead. The ice began to melt on impact with his skin, but as the bear Digimon held the pack in place, he noticed the muscles in Takuya's face relax into a more peaceful state. But his Fractal Code remained visible…still, Kumamon took this as a good sign, breathing a sigh of relief. "Okay Takuya. Let's get back to camp."
With that, Kumamon Slide Evolved to Korikakumon, a much more ideal choice for carrying his older friend. After grabbing the extra articles of clothing lying about (Takuya's goggles, his hat, Kira's gloves), the beast Digimon lifted Takuya gingerly, being careful to support his friend's limp body with the utmost sensitivity. Once he was satisfied with the boy's placement in his arms, he turned in order to head back to the base. But a Digimon was blocking his path.
Before him stood Wizardmon, looking a bit worse for wear. He must have participated in the battle that had taken place earlier. Did his presence here mean that Ilsemon's forces had overpowered the Resistance?
However, the wizard Digimon didn't look ready to fight. In fact, he held a Digi-Egg out at arm's length, seemingly using it as a sort of peace gesture. "Tommy," he muttered, surprising Korikakumon both with the husky quality of his voice and the fact that Wizardmon knew his name. (Most bad guys just called him "kid.") "Please," he said, holding out his Digi-Egg as if it were some priceless jewel he wished to present to the Warrior. "Please, take this egg. Do what you want with me, but please take this with you. That's all I want…"
With that, Wizardmon fell forward, landing face down on the ground. The small blue Digi-Egg rolled out of his grip as he dropped into unconsciousness, stopping right in front of Korikakumon's clawed foot.
—
"Hey, easy with the poking!" JP complained, glaring at the Hyougamon behind him. Another sharp prod from its ice club quickly shut him up, though he gave his guard another harsh look before glancing at the barely distinguishable forms of his friends standing in similar positions beside him.
After Takuya had been…the rest of the gang was rounded up by Ilsemon's flunkies (Tee hee!) and shuffled inside the RMS. In their dazed states, they hadn't put up much of a fight. Except for Kira. As soon as Ilsemon had given the order to round the gang up, Kira had rushed to Takuya's side, shaking her boyfriend's shoulders in a desperate attempt to wake him. Of course, she hadn't been successful, and Ilsemon had deemed him beyond saving.
Hearing this, Kira had really gone nuts. Even a group of five Gorillamon hadn't been able to restrain her. Finally, though, Duskmon had entered the melee, whacking her across the head from behind and knocking her unconscious. Thanks to her outburst, the guards had bound and gagged her, and she now sat propped against the cool stone wall of the RMS's basement, glaring at the floor.
The rest of the gang was completely unrestrained, but they were in no position to lash out against their captors. Though they still had their D-Tectors, it would be impossible to reach for them and Spirit Evolve before the guards' icicle clubs pierced their bodies, killing them on the spot. This possibility wouldn't have so readily entered the children's thoughts before, but after what had happened to Takuya…
So the gang stood facing the wall, arms raised above their heads in complete surrender. What else was there to do? They'd lost, and they all knew it. All they could do now was comply with Ilsemon's demands and hope for the best. After all, they were in a better situation than Takuya…
The tunnel was poorly lit, and JP could barely distinguish between the different forms of his friends until one of the Hyougamon pulled out a piece of glowing moss, the same substance they'd found the first time they were in the Dark Continent. The greenish phosphorescent light allowed JP to recognize Kouji on his right, head hung in such a way that his face was completely obscured from view. The fact that his friend wasn't at least shooting the guards one of his dagger-like glares was troubling. Even captive, Kouji's pride would never allow him to be this submissive. Then again, he seemed badly shaken by Takuya's…
Figuring he'd save Kouji for later, JP glanced down the row at the rest of the group. Predictably, they harbored mixed looks of horror, shock, or just plain hopelessness. JP took a deep breath, gathering his courage. If there was nothing else he could do, he had to step up and look after his younger friends, making sure they all got through this in one piece. Not only was this his responsibility as their elder; he needed to protect them, especially for Takuya's sake.
Finally, he spoke. "Hey Dai, your shadow kinda looks like a stretched out version of Sonic the Hedgehog." Of course, JP got another poke in the ribs for this comment. "Take it easy, will you? No one said we couldn't talk to each other." The Hyougamon glared at JP a moment longer, but eventually lowered their weapons. Slightly.
Dai, meanwhile, was staring up at the shadow he cast on the wall, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. "Heh, I guess it does look like Sonic. Weird."
"Um, who's Sonic?" Shino asked, giving his friends a curious glance.
JP frowned. "Seriously, Shino? You don't know Sonic the Hedgehog?" Shino shook his head in response.
"Wow," Zoe said, smirking at the Warrior of Wood. "I didn't know you were that sheltered, Shino. We'll need to google Sonic for you, once we get back…"
Realizing what she'd been about to say, Zoe cut herself off, but not before a deep melancholy settled over the group once again.
They stayed engulfed in their own thoughts for what felt like hours, until Dai finally spoke. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier, everyone. I was really rude to you guys, especially you, Zoe, and I didn't mean to be. Sorry."
Zoe stared down at her small friend, smiling gently. "Don't worry about it, Dai. You were obviously set off by…something. I'm honestly just glad that you're okay now."
Dai returned Zoe's smile, reviving some of his normally happy energy. "Thank you." With that, the brief conversation ended in another moment of silence. Not even JP felt the need to break the quiet, mostly because not even he could think what to say anymore. Everything had gone so wrong so quickly, and they all needed time to wrap their minds around the events that had taken place.
"Are we going to be split up?" Like that, Kouichi broke the silence with his muttered question, voicing the fear that all the children were feeling. Alone in the RMS, with a torture-crazy Digimon calling all the shots, deciding their fates; this wasn't a pleasant thought.
Shino's bitter chuckle was Kouichi's only response. "In case you hadn't noticed, we've already been split up," he said, eyes glittering with a strangely hollow light. "First Tommy went missing, then Hotaru was captured, then Takuya was…left behind. We're all that's left, and you can bet your ass Ilsemon's got more surprises in store for us."
"I think you're stealing Kouji's cynical thunder there, Shino," JP stated, directing a smirk at both his friends. Shino gave him an indignant glare and, to JP's relief, so did Kouji.
"So I'm cynical, huh?" the Warrior of Light muttered, smirking to himself. "Well I'll have you know, JP, that I don't think our prospects are so hopeless."
JP cocked his head in slight confusion. "So Mr. Pessimism is being optimistic for once? This, truly, is a sign of the apocalypse."
This comment made the rest of the gang chuckle, while Kouji's frown deepened. "Yeah, ha ha," he said, rolling his eyes. Then, in a more serious tone, he continued, "We're not all that's left, guys. If we can just endure this…someone will come for us."
While the others puzzled over the slight pause in Kouji's statement, the Hyougamon chuckled throatily. "Yeah right!" one guffawed, fangs glowing eerily in the greenish light. "As if you'll ever be able to get out of here! No one escapes from Lady Ilsemon's clutches!"
"Masumon…" JP muttered under his breath, smiling to himself.
"Shut up!" the Hyougamon shouted in response, raising his icicle club above his head…
"Hey, you guys aren't supposed to hurt those kids!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from a dark end of the hall, halting the Hyougamon mid-attack. It sheepishly lowered its club as a new Digimon stepped into the light. The newcomer resembled an armor-clad centaur, though its feet were clawed, not clad with horse hooves. Clenched in one of its gauntleted hands was a long bow, and strapped to its waist, a sheaf of arrows. A lightning-shaped blade protruded from its black helmet like a horn, completing the whole ensemble.
The centaur Digimon puffed out his chest proudly when his order was followed. "That's better. Now," here he turned his attention toward the gang, knitting his brows in an attempt to look more threatening. "Ilsemon told me to empty out your pockets, so give me all of your obsessions!"
Stunned silence followed Sagittarimon's statement. "Obsessions…?" Shino repeated slowly, giving the centaur Digimon a confused look that was mirrored by Dai and Kira. The rest of the gang just groaned.
"And the filler villains just keep on coming..." Zoe muttered to herself, sighing.
"That bitch did this on purpose," Kouji growled, cursing Ilsemon repeatedly under his breath.
"Hey, quit talking and hand over your obsessions!" Sagittarimon exclaimed, angered by the prisoners' apparent indifference toward him.
"Is 'obsessions' supposed to be a metaphor for something?" Dai wondered, staring up at his new guard. "Oh gosh, are you gonna steal our souls?"
"Day one: our hell has officially begun," JP stated flatly. "Hm, that kinda rhymes. Weird."
—
Wizardmon stared up at the hard-packed earth that lined the entire circumference of his prison. Though he knew this place was his only safe haven against Ilsemon, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been buried alive, trapped under this crushing dirt, never to break free of its confines. Not that he wanted to break free, of course. He'd surrendered himself to the Warrior of Ice, and he was prepared to suffer the consequences of that decision. In fact, he'd almost expected to be killed on the spot. But he shouldn't have underestimated the mercy of a child, least of all one of the Legendary Warrior children.
About an hour ago, he'd woken up in this underground cavern, a small bowl of water sitting next to him. Strangely, he was completely unbound, but not unguarded. A constant string of murmurs floated to Wizardmon's ears from outside his cell, most having to do with his eventual fate. One of the guards seemed to be under the impression that he should be executed as soon as possible. The others disagreed, saying he could be a useful source of information to them. After awhile, he just tuned their whispers out. He didn't particularly care what happened now. Gatomon's egg was in safe hands. He'd done what he had to do; he was no longer needed.
Smiling, Wizardmon glanced at his untouched water bowl. He was practically delirious with thirst, but he wouldn't drink. Not unless he found a reason to do so.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out in the tunnels, reaching a level of volume that may have broken the sound barrier had it risen higher. "What do you mean, I need an escort? I'm his freakin' sister! I know all his stupid tricks!" Yes, Wizardmon knew this voice very well. Witchmon.
He hadn't been sure whether his sister would come to see him or not, estranged as they were. Maybe she just wanted to yell at him or slap him or something. That certainly fit with her brash nature, not to mention they'd always squabbled as kids. But things were different now. Perhaps she wanted to have a genuine conversation with him. Undeserving as he was, she might even offer him forgiveness for his actions. All Wizardmon knew was that he didn't want to see her.
His wish was not granted, for Witchmon stepped into the cavern moments later, a triumphant expression on her face (triumphant, he assumed, because she'd won the argument with the guards). Wizardmon sat up when she entered, but abruptly turned to face the opposite wall, folding his arms as a show of defiance. "Go away."
He hoped that, for once, his sister would listen to him and leave him be. But of course, Witchmon had never been one for following orders she deemed "stupid." In fact, she scoffed at the notion of going away. "Sorry, Wizzy, you're not getting rid of me that easy."
What did I tell her about calling me that? Wizardmon bit his tongue, keeping himself from speaking his thoughts aloud. He'd just be taking Witchmon's obvious bait, and he had no intention of being sucked into a conversation with her, if that was truly her intent.
"Look, Wizardmon," she said a moment later. "I'm here for a reason, okay? Strictly business. I can get Gotsumon down here if you don't believe he gave the order for me to come." No response. "Fine, don't talk. Just listen to what I have to say for a minute or two.
"Wizardmon…you screwed up. Colossally, humongously, ginormously screwed up. No one here is going to forget the things you did under Ilsemon's command, least of all how you murdered Gaomon. But Gotsumon realizes the significance of you turning yourself over to us. You're a pretty valuable asset right now, bro. If you haven't already heard, most of the Legendary Warrior kids have been captured, all except Takuya and Tommy. Of course, you might have guessed that already without being told."
As a matter of fact, Wizardmon had figured that out. It was Shino's tumult of pain, anger, distress, confusion, every negative feeling imaginable that had finally sapped his strength, after all. The Warrior of Ice and that goggle-headed nuisance (Takuya: Seriously, what do I do to make villains hate me so much?) (Maybe it's the goggles.) (Takuya: -_-) had also been the only ones left on the battlefield, giving the wizard Digimon a pretty good idea of what had occurred.
"Anyway," Witchmon continued, "it goes without saying that we could use your inside info right about now to get the kids back. But there's also the chance that, if we start to trust you, you'll just lead us into a trap. So Gotsumon sent me here to figure out what we should do next." Wizardmon realized what this must mean before she stated it aloud. "He put your fate in my hands, being your sister and all. I came here to decide whether you're worth saving, or if there's anything left to save.
"So start pleading your case by telling me what the hell possessed you to serve Ilsemon in the first place." Saying this, Witchmon plopped down beside her brother, obviously prepared to wait for a reply. Wizardmon didn't intend to give her one.
As always, his sister was being a pest. He had always been the calm one, the laid-back one, the one that believed caution outweighed danger. Witchmon didn't agree. She'd repeatedly tried to drag him from one crazy stunt to the next in their youth, agitating him to no end. And that was why they'd had Gatomon. She had been the peacemaker, and only she had been able to calm Witchmon's boundless energy. Her smile was the glue that had kept them together. Thanks to him, they didn't have that anymore. There was no cohesive element binding him to Witchmon. He'd readily cast her off, if given the chance.
But he settled for ignoring her inquiries, fixing his gaze on the floor rather than glance at his adopted sibling. What were "siblings" to Digimon, anyway? No Digimon could ever have an actual "sibling." Not like those human children, whose bonds of blood with their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, all connected them in a way that was inconceivable from a Digimon's perspective. It was a useless web of connections, really, but they were powerful nonetheless. And he could never have that with his remaining "sister." So why bother trying?
Witchmon let silence fall over the cavern while Wizardmon pondered these things, but her patience finally wore out. "Wizardmon, I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm not just doing this for the Resistance; I'm doing this for me. You gotta tell me what's going through your head right now, because I'm not a mind reader. Just tell me…why? What was all this for, how did Gatomon and Impmon get involved…and why was Gatomon killed?"
This statement managed to startle Wizardmon, and before he could stop himself, his eyes were locked with Witchmon's. How could she know about Gatomon? No one else had been around…but if she had seen him, then this was nothing but a formality. He was a cold-blooded murderer. His fate was sealed.
"That Digi-Egg…" Witchmon muttered contemplatively, in a subdued tone she didn't often use. "The little blue Digi-Egg Tommy brought along with you…it's Gatomon's, isn't it? Want to know how I know?" He didn't particularly care to know, but she went on anyway. "Well, when I heard Tommy had gotten here, I rushed over to find out what had happened with the fiery blaze of doom. No one would let me through, since they didn't think I should know about you yet, then someone handed me a Digi-Egg and told me to take it down to Swanmon immediately. So I was running along with the egg when suddenly, it gave me a kick. Little tiny Gatomon gave me a kick. I've never heard of a baby in a Digi-Egg doing that before, and when Gotsumon told me you were here, I put two and two together. So now I really just want to know how she died, and why. Can you at least tell me that, Wizardmon?"
As an answer, Wizardmon chuckled. This soon turned into full-blown laughter as relief flooded through him. He hadn't felt this good in awhile, but Witchmon's explanation filled him with an unexplainable happiness. She didn't know what he'd done, she'd just guessed about Gatomon through her own warped intuition. That was just so Witchmon; no logic whatsoever, just feeling.
With a slight jolt, Wizardmon realized something. Contrary to his earlier conclusion, he did care about Witchmon. Of course he did. How could he have thought otherwise? Gatomon wasn't the only thing that had kept them all together. Even without her, he'd stick by Witchmon's side, and she by his. They were siblings, despite their bickering (perhaps even because of their bickering). And besides, Witchmon always knew how to make him laugh.
Witchmon didn't find her explanation quite as funny as her brother. "Hey, it's not something to laugh at! I was being serious and everything!"
"Witchmon," Wizardmon said, finally giving in to his sister. "I almost hate to tell you this, but baby Digimon kick inside their eggs all the time. It's not an uncommon thing."
"Well…how would you know that?" Witchmon retorted, blushing slightly with embarrassment. "Last time I checked, you weren't a Digi-Egg expert!"
"Check with someone else, then. I'm sure they'll give you the same answer," Wizardmon said, smiling superiorly. Before Witchmon could snap back at him, his mirth faded. "But you're right. It's Gatomon's Digi-Egg."
There was a brief pause as Witchmon digested this news. Her eyes began to sparkle in the dim light of the cavern, but she held back any outpouring of emotion by biting her lip. "You know, I was kinda hoping you'd tell me something different. But I guess my instincts were right; Gatomon's…dead."
"I'm sorry." Wizardmon couldn't say more than this. Seeing the pain in his sister's eyes, his mouth became dry as a bone. He knew that she deserved to know why this had happened, or at least what had happened, but once he told her everything, there would be no turning back. She'd have him killed almost immediately, and he wouldn't contest her decision. Of course he deserved it, but still…
Witchmon's lips lifted in a faint smile. "Wow, it only took you about fifteen minutes to actually apologize to me. Nice, Wizzy, nice."
"Witchmon…" He had to do it. Witchmon deserved this explanation. So long she'd waited, alone, for him to return, and he never had. Then she'd learned of his betrayal…he'd made her cry…only Gatomon had been able to save them, and now she was…
"Hey, take it easy, bro," Witchmon cautioned, noticing Wizardmon's trembling limbs. "Listen, if it's too hard to talk about, we can save the explanations for later. About time I checked back on Taki, anyway…"
"Don't leave!" Wizardmon reached out and grabbed his sister's arm, determined to keep her here. He succeeded, and she stood silently above him, awaiting his explanation. Taking a deep breath, he finally said it. "Witchmon…I killed Gatomon."
With that, Wizardmon let his hand fall to his side, rising to his feet in the same motion. This was it. Witchmon wouldn't forgive him, not for this. Now she hated him, just like she should. Maybe his death would be quick, even painless. He'd tried to make Gatomon's death painless; he'd tried to make her hate him; he'd tried to make her abandon him…
"Why the hell'd you do that?"
Wizardmon's head shot up. This hadn't been the reaction he'd expected. Witchmon wasn't angry, nor did she look down on him with contempt. Her expression was reserved as she calmly waited for an answer to her question. It seemed too good to be true, but she was actually willing to hear his explanation, even after what he'd done.
Witchmon may have been able to restrain her tears, but Wizardmon had no such luck. "Hey, it's alright," Witchmon muttered, sinking to one knee before her shorter brother. "Okay, maybe that question was a little harsh. Let me try again…uh, can you please inform me of the intentions behind said act?"
Wizardmon smirked. "Sis," he said through his tears, wrapping his arms tightly around his remaining sister. "I really missed you."
Stunned by Wizardmon's sudden outpouring of emotion, it took Witchmon a moment to respond. "Me too, bro," she finally replied, returning her brother's hug. "Me too."
Meanwhile, outside the cavern, Dragramon and the three Gekomon guards were peaking around the cloth-covered opening, spying on the pair of siblings. "Aw," the amphibian Digimon cooed softly, moved by the scene before them.
Dragramon just smiled. "Good for you, Witchy," she muttered, a slightly bitter note in her voice. "Good for you."
—
"Duskmon, where are we going?" Renamon tried yet again to get an answer out of her companion, but her attempts at striking a conversation remained futile. All she could do was follow after Duskmon as he rushed through the stone basement of the RMS, headed who-knew-where. Just twenty minutes ago they had aided Ilsemon in the capture of the remaining Digidestined, leaving the one Duskmon had attacked to die.
Then again, if Ilsemon really had wanted the boy dead, she would have finished him off then and there. Leaving loose ends dangling wasn't her mistress's style, yet this proved two things to Renamon. One, that Ilsemon truly did consider these children too fun to kill, at least for now. Two, that she was willing to let the child live, but didn't want him interfering with her plans. She'd crushed his D-Tector, after all, in the hopes that he wouldn't find a way to repair it. It hadn't stayed broken for long; however, that boy wasn't in any shape to fight now, thanks in no small part to Duskmon.
Why? Renamon silently asked this question again, not daring to speak it out loud. For one, she didn't want to upset her friend. He'd been so shell-shocked after the Warrior of Fire had fallen; his eyes had remained locked on the boy's body, as if everything around him had ceased to exist, or ceased to matter. Strangely, Ilsemon's command to "take the girl alive," referring to the struggle there had been to restrain the Warrior of Water, had snapped Duskmon from his trance, at least partially. Renamon hadn't been able to assist in the girl's capture, since she'd already grabbed hold of one of the children, but Duskmon didn't need help. Putting the Gorillamon to complete shame, he simply walked toward the skirmish, positioned himself behind the girl, and struck her with the back of his arm, sending her into a brief state of unconsciousness, long enough for her to be bound and restrained.
After this, the swordsman's gaze had returned to the boy, and his short venture back into reality came to an end. That is, until Ilsemon gave another command. "Bring the children into the RMS and line them up against the wall. I shall find them a…proper cell in which to be kept. And the one I captured earlier is probably dying to know what's happened here. I should go and inform him…"
Again, Duskmon sprang to life at Ilsemon's words, lifting Kira into his arms and following the Gorillamon into the RMS. Renamon noticed his movements were a bit jerky, and his eyes were a murky, dull color, not their usual blood red tint. Something was wrong with him, that much was obvious.
After depositing their captives in the appropriate area, Renamon had grabbed Duskmon's arm and dragged him down the hall. He'd gone without a fight, without any reaction at all. After several long minutes of prodding, life had finally begun to return to her friend's eyes, but what she saw in them wasn't comforting. Duskmon's expression…she couldn't have put a name to it, even if she tried. But it was heart-wrenching nonetheless.
He'd noticed Renamon moments later, and had wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her tightly, without checking to make sure they weren't seen, not caring who knew about their friendship. He needed her, and he wouldn't be denied his right to have her.
Just as Renamon had tuned into the wonderful sound of Duskmon's steadily beating heart, he released her, taking a step back. Then he motioned forward with his arm, as if beckoning her to follow him. This seemed to be the case, as he took off down the hall a second later. Renamon was quite confused by this point, but she decided to follow the swordsman. Perhaps he'd give her some answers for her questions.
Why did you attack that boy? It didn't make sense to Renamon, no matter which way she looked at it. Ilsemon didn't order you to; she was content to let be what would be. He didn't try to attack us; he didn't even complete his transformation. Why would you attempt to kill him so needlessly?
"Duskmon is not a creature to be pitied."
Ilsemon's warning flashed through Renamon's mind. For once, she had ignored her mistress's command. She had pitied Duskmon. But had she been right to pity him, or were her feelings misplaced? He hadn't always been the Duskmon she knew now. Not so long ago, he'd been a ruthless killer, slicing through whatever he was ordered to slice. He'd said he didn't want to be that anymore, but was this a sincere wish, or was he just toying with Renamon's deeply-buried feelings? Had he really changed? Could he change?
Only one thing was certain to Renamon. She trusted Duskmon. She didn't believe that the past few days had been an act. In her friend's eyes there was nothing but earnestness, of that she was sure. So she followed him out of the RMS, remaining faithful to her instincts. Duskmon is not a creature to be hated.
She realized where they were headed as soon as Duskmon made a sharp right, headed for the side of their base. He wanted to check on that child, perhaps even help him, all against Ilsemon's orders. Despite this, Renamon felt exhilarated.
Duskmon stopped short when he reached the spot, causing his fox-like companion to bump into him from behind. It was a clumsy mistake on her part, something she wasn't prone to, but Duskmon got her distracted. He turned to her briefly, and Renamon swore she could detect a hint of amusement in his eyes. But that vanished when he finally spoke. "He's gone."
Renamon didn't know what to make of that statement at first, but when he pointed toward the battle-scarred rumble, she instantly understood. The boy had disappeared. A quick look around the area told her this. Even if he'd regained consciousness, he couldn't have gotten far in his weakened state. "He may be behind one of these rocks," Renamon said, indicating the surrounding debris. "We could look for him…"
Suddenly, the fox Digimon found herself at sword point. Duskmon had turned and, in one swift motion, pressed the tip of his jagged blade against her throat. One small prod, and her life's data would be rent from her body faster than she could blink.
Yet Duskmon didn't look murderous. Instead, she saw desperation in his gaze. He lowered the weapon from her throat, but only slightly. It was enough not to have it at such close proximity to her vitals. Still, it was apparent that she had become Duskmon's hostage, and he soon explained why.
"You're going to stay here until I'm finished talking. I'm going to tell you all the gruesome details of my existence. I'm going to explain to you how I took a demented pleasure from murdering countless innocent creatures for no real reason. I'm going to show you my Beast Spirit, since you haven't seen it before. Then I'll dare you to find one redeeming quality in me. And if you're smart, which I'm sure you are, you won't."
—
"And that's how I ended up working for Ilsemon." With that, Sagittarimon finished his long, convoluted answer to the question, "Why the hell are you here?" JP quickly regretted he'd asked. The gang had mostly tuned their guard out after listening to ten minutes of his rambling. Except, of course, for Dai, who had paid careful attention to the entire spiel.
"That was a very…interesting story, Mr. Sagittarimon," Dai said, smiling up at the centaur Digimon.
"Aw, just call me Sagittarimon. All my friends do," Sagittarimon replied, returning Dai's smile.
"You have friends?" Kouji said in mock astonishment.
"Of course I do!" Sagittarimon shouted, glaring through the bars of the gang's cell. "I have lots and lots of friends!"
"Sure you do," Kouji muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Kouji, stop antagonizing him," Zoe admonished, sighing heavily. "It's not worth it."
Though he would actually have gained great pleasure from poking fun at their mentally challenged guard, Kouji held his tongue for Zoe's sake. She was in quite a bit of pain at the moment, and the last thing he wanted to do was make it worse. After being stripped of their "obsessions," the gang had been thrown into this cramped stone cell. It couldn't have been built to hold more than two or three Digimon at a time, yet all seven of them had been stuffed into this space. They were all bunched stifling close to one another, but at least they hadn't been separated. That was well worth the discomfort.
The only problem was that Shino and Kira needed more room to work on Zoe's arm. Kouji, Dai, and JP had all pressed themselves against the opposite wall, trying not to get in the way of the proceedings. Shino could fashion a split from his jacket and some sticks that Sagittarimon, oddly enough, had brought at their request, and Kira had set her fair amount of broken appendages, so they'd gone to work immediately.
Setting the bone had been the hardest part, both for Zoe and Kira. Realizing that she'd left her gloves on the ground outside, Kira had to work bare-handed, her palms still swollen and red from earlier. She'd refused to complain, though it must have been painful. Still, Zoe had probably been in even greater pain. However, like Kira, she'd borne it without complaint, contenting herself with holding Kouichi's hand in a death-grip as her bone was put back into place. They'd worried when Zoe's Fractal Code had flared up a few times during the procedure, but it had always disappeared seconds later, so they decided it wasn't something to trouble themselves over.
"And that should do it," Shino stated, firmly tugging on the ends of his knot to make sure his jacket was securely tied in place. Zoe's arm was now wrapped in a decent-looking splint, much to everyone's relief. Grinning sheepishly, Shino added, "Sorry I don't have a lollipop for you or anything."
Before Zoe could give a witty retort, Kouichi had his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a kind of awkward half-hug. He would have pressed her tightly against him if this simple action wouldn't cause him severe discomfort that Shino had no idea how to cure. But he'd content himself knowing that Zoe was feeling at least a bit better.
Zoe, for her part, was surprised by the sudden affection and ended up blushing because of it. "Or maybe you don't need a lollipop," Shino mumbled, feeling more than a little uncomfortable.
"I don't think that's the kind of sugar she's looking for, Shino, if you know what I mean," JP said, winking conspiratorially. Then he turned, expecting Kouji to roll his eyes and call him a fool or something to that effect.
Instead, Kouji's gaze was locked on his brother, and he didn't seem to be paying particular attention to anyone but him. Several seconds passed before he said, "You've got something on your mind, Kouichi."
Silence fell over the group as they realized that a twin thing was taking place. Kouichi didn't respond for at least a minute, and Kouji was on the verge of repeating his statement when his brother finally said, "You're right. I do."
Without releasing his grip on Zoe, he asked her a question. "Zoe, do you remember what happened back in our world, when Ilsemon took control of Kouji?" He added a quick "sorry" for his brother's benefit, then awaited an answer.
Zoe wasn't quite sure what he was getting at, but replied affirmatively. "Of course I remember that. Why do you ask?"
"Because of what happened to me that night," Kouichi explained. "I'm still a little fuzzy on the details myself, but you said I was mumbling about remembering something, and then I passed out. Now, who do we know that manipulates memories?"
"Oh, I know!" Sagittarimon said excitedly, butting into their conversation. "Ilsemon can do that!"
"Uh…yes," Kouichi muttered, deciding to humor Sagittarimon, who was obviously pleased that he'd known the answer. "I'm surprised I didn't think of this before, but it makes perfect sense now. She started losing her grip on me while she was working so hard to unhinge Kouji…but anyway, she finally let me know the truth."
"What truth?" Zoe asked, beginning to get a little apprehensive. "Kouichi, what are you getting at? What did Ilsemon do to you?"
"What did she make you remember?" Kouji inquired calmly, remaining much more level-headed than the others, who seemed thoroughly perplexed by all this.
Kouichi took a long, deep breath before replying. "Guys…I think Ilsemon's been using us from the beginning."
"Do you honestly mean to say that you hadn't realized this until now?"
The gang's heads shot up simultaneously, recognizing that bitingly cold voice. Outside their cell stood Ilsemon, come to check on her prisoners, or perhaps to "play" with them…
Instantly, they stiffened, which didn't evade Ilsemon's notice. "Ah, children, that is the appropriate response to have in my presence," she said, smiling wickedly. "However, I didn't come for 'those' purposes. Your tall friend makes an excellent toy, so I don't think I'll be needing your services for quite a while."
Horror descended over the group when they realized who Ilsemon was talking about. "Leave him alone!" Dai shouted, suddenly slamming himself against the bars, reaching through them toward his adversary.
Kouji and JP soon jumped into action, grabbing their friend and hauling him back into the cell, as far from Ilsemon as they could possibly get him. Unlike before, Dai was quick to calm his anger, at least to a degree, and didn't put up a fight as his friends restrained him.
Ilsemon watched this spectacle with a calm expression on her face. "Foolish boy," she scoffed, eyes mercilessly trained on Dai. "You'll kill your cousin yet, the way he dotes on you. But don't be upset, child; the Warrior of Steel was always meant to be what he is, just a shield for the rest of you."
"How do you know?" JP retorted, glaring defiantly at his captor. "How can you be so confident about our destinies and what was 'meant to be' and all that crap? You don't own us."
JP's statement actually caused Ilsemon to chuckle slightly, eyes sparkling with delight. "Dear boy, I don't believe you've fully comprehended what your friend has told you. Let me elaborate for him; I've been subtly influencing your lives since the day each of you were born."
—
madjack89: Wow, that was longer than I intended it to be. Then again, a lot of re-writing went into getting this chapter update-worthy, so I guess it's all good.
Takuya: Wow, I'm actually not dead. Sweet!
madjack89: Yeah, I'm not killing you off. You're too awesome for that.
Kira: Damn right he is! Taki! *hugs Takuya*
Takuya: *hugs Kira back*
Zoe: Aw, that's sweet!
madjack89: Yup! You know what else is sweet? I finally gave Tommy some attention in this chapter!
Tommy: Does this mean I get to be more important now?
madjack89: Yes it does!
Tommy: Yay!
Kouji: That's not necessarily a good thing.
JP: -_- Quit being a buzz-kill, man.
Kouji: Hmph.
madjack89: Hey Kouji, know what else is sweet?
Kouji: …No.
madjack89: Oh, I'm sure you do!
Kouji: …I don't.
madjack89: Here, let me help you; the wind in the Digital World…
Kouji: Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
madjack89: Oh, how I love this abridged series! ^_^
Shino: So, is Wizardmon a good guy now?
madjack89: Yup, pretty much.
Wizardmon: Looks like we're comrades now, comrade. Woohoo.
Takuya: Not yet. First we have to give you the initiation.
JP: Heh heh heh…
Wizardmon: Um, what initiation?
Zoe: *sigh* The initiation for people who switch sides.
Kouichi: Guys, don't do THAT to him.
Takuya: Hey, if you went through it, he has to go through it too!
JP: I got the monkey wrench and the light bulb!
Takuya: Sweet…like the Digital World wind! ;)
Kouji: -_- I hate you all.
madjack89: Okay, while they do that, I'll end the chapter. See ya next time, everybody!
Wizardmon: I'm in trouble, aren't I?
Kouichi: After awhile, it stops haunting your nightmares.
Wizardmon: T_T