Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
Chapter 3: A Call For Help
Back in Japan, Tai Kamiya and the other Digidestined were waiting at the airport for their friend and fellow Digidestined, Mimi Tachikawa, to arrive from America. Already with them was another member of the Digidestined who was staying in America, Joe Kido, and his Digimon partner, the small white seal-like creature that was Gomamon. Joe's plane had arrived earlier than Mimi's, so the group was waiting in the terminal. Much of the conversation revolved around the two newcomers of the group, Ryo Akiyama, the Digimon Tamer who fought Millenniummon, and his girlfriend from an alternate version of Earth, Rika Nonaka. Most of the group, especially Rika, was becoming impatient, but soon enough they saw heading towards them a young woman with long hair dyed pink wearing a white fur coat accompanied by a small green humanoid creature with a pink flower on top of its head. The woman of course was Mimi, and the creature was he Digimon, Palmon.
"Hey guys!" Mimi greeted in her usual enthusiastic manner as she headed towards the group at a quick pace. "Sorry I'm late. They wouldn't let us take off for hours!"
"It's great to see you again Mimi," Tai responded. "And we're glad you're back, because we could really use your help right now."
"It's no problem. I'd do anything to help you guys," Mimi responded before taking a quick look over the rest of the group and noticing Ryo. "Oh my god! Ryo Akiyama, is that really you?"
"Uh yeah. Hi Mimi." Ryo confirmed as he gave her a nervous smile and a wave.
"Oh wow! You really are alive!" Mimi spoke as she trotted right up to Ryo. "Hey, you remember that after you beat me in the D-1 tournament you could go out on a date with me? That offer is still good you know."
"Wait, what?" both Izzy and Joe exclaimed at almost the same time with shocked expressions.
Rika grabbed Ryo's arm and gave Mimi a glare that could melt steel. "He's taken pinky!"
"Oh…okay then." Mimi responded with a somewhat frightened expression as she backed away. "So Tai, why did you ask us here?"
"We'll talk about that when we get to Ken's place," Tai answered.
After a long drive from the airport the group finally arrived at Ken and Yolei's apartment. When everyone was settled in, Izzy fired up his laptop to begin his lecture on the Seven Lords.
"Here's what we know so far," Izzy began. "Each of the Seven Lords seems to represent one of the seven deadly sins. Lilithmon represents Lust, Daemon represents Wrath, Barbamon represented Greed, Beelzemon represented Gluttony, and Belphemon represented Sloth. The only members of the Seven Lords we have yet to encounter are the ones who represent the sins of Envy and Pride."
"I wonder why we haven't run into those two yet?" Davis asked.
"Who knows?" Tai responded. "But I think it's safe to say that Daemon is the leader."
"I don't think so," Sora disagreed. "When I met Zhuqiaomon, he mentioned that there was a member of the Seven Lords who was way more powerful than Daemon and Lilithmon. That must be the leader."
"Hmm…it could be that the leader of the Seven Lords is the one who represents the sin of Pride." Izzy theorized. "It is said that pride is the deadliest of the seven deadly sins."
Before anyone could hazard any guesses about the strongest member of the seven lords, the screen of Izzy's laptop lit up with a blinding white light.
"Hello, can anyone hear me?" a child-like voice asked from the laptop.
"Who are you?" Tai asked the voice.
"I am an Angel Digimon who is trapped in the Dark Ocean," the voice answered. "Am I speaking to the Digidestined?"
"That's right," Matt answered. "How were you trapped in the Dark Ocean?"
"I was imprisoned here ages ago by the Seven Lords. I helped to fight them during the ancient war, and when they were sealed away I was dragged in with them. Afterwards they imprisoned me to weaken my power, because they feared that I might be strong enough to destroy them. But just recently I was able to escape, and now I am calling for your help."
"How did you know to contact us?" Izzy asked.
"Well I had heard of you through prophecy and legend, but my main source of information was from a comrade of yours," the voice answered. "A girl named Kari."
The entire group was shocked when the voice told them that he knew Kari.
"Did…did you say Kari?" Tai asked after a moment.
"That's right. She was instrumental in my escape. The Seven Lords had captured her and put her in the same place the imprisoned me. But they underestimated how resourceful she was, and together we were able to escape. During our time together she told me all about you, and about how powerful you are. You may be my last hope of escape from this realm, just as I may be your last hope against the Seven Lords."
"You said you know Kari, is she with you right now?" Yolei demanded to know.
The voice was silent for several moments before finally speaking again. "I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid she died over a month ago. We were running from Leviamon, the lord of envy. I was able to destroy him, but not before he devoured poor Kari. She would probably still be alive if it were not for my weakness. Please forgive me."
Everyone in the group fell silent; they were saddened by what the voice had told them about Kari. Both Tai and Davis were trying their hardest not to break down in tears. They had to remain strong at the moment.
"But do not despair my friends. Kari did not die in vein," the voice continued. "It is because of her help I was able to escape the clutches of the Seven Lords, and with your help I might be able to escape from the Dark Ocean itself and help you destroy the remaining members of the group."
"How are we supposed to do that?" Sora asked after regaining the composure she lost after hearing of Kari's supposed death.
"Kari told me that two of you are able to call forth the powerful Digimon known as Imperialdramon," the voice explained. "In his most powerful form, Imperialdramon can call upon the legendary Omni Sword, and this weapon can be used to break the seal on the one door that can allow me to escape, the Devil's Gate. It's an ancient structure near a small island with an abandoned building. If you were to break that door open with the Omni Sword, I would be able to free myself."
"So you're asking us to travel back into the Dark Ocean to free you?" Ken asked.
"Yes, and there isn't much time! It won't be long before the strongest member of the Seven Lords, Ghoulmon, rises up to destroy your world. As powerful as you all are, I'm afraid that even you will not be able to defeat him without my help."
"Hold on! How do we know if you are who you say you are?" Rika suddenly asked. "For all we know everything you've told us is a lie."
"That's right," Ryo agreed. "You haven't provided any proof that your story is true. How can we be sure that you're really our ally?"
"I understand your skepticism, and I am afraid that I have no way to prove my identity," the voice told them. "But I am asking you to take leap of faith and trust me. After all I could be telling you the truth, and I could be the one hope you have of stopping what remains of the Seven Lords. Are you really willing to take the chance of not helping me?"
"…I'm willing to help you," Yolei suddenly spoke. "If Kari really did die helping you, then I'm not going to let her death be for nothing."
"The same goes for me!" Davis announced. "It breaks my heart that Kari is dead, but if she died helping the one hope we might have against the rest of the Seven Lords, than I'm going to give it everything I've got to help him too!"
"But guys, Ryo and Rika make a good point," Mimi argued. "Everything this guy told us could be a lie, even the part about Kari dying. This could all be a trap."
"Mimi makes a valid point. We don't even know if what our friend here said about Kari's death is true," Izzy agreed. "However, we cannot prove that our friend is lying either, and if the leader of the Seven Lords is as powerful as we think he is, we could use all the help we can get."
"There is one among you who is Kari's brother, correct?" the voice asked. "She told me once that she had total faith in your strength and abilities as a leader. As some of your friends have said, I cannot prove to you that I am who I say I am, and I could very well be an enemy. But I will respect whatever decision you make in this matter, and I have total faith that you will make the right decision."
Everyone in the room turned their attention to Tai. Tai remained silent for a long time as he thought about what to do.
"Davis, Ken, Yolei, Cody, and Izzy. I want all of you to go into The Dark Ocean to help our friend," Tai finally commanded. "The rest of us will stay here in case Daemon, Lilithmon, and this Ghoulmon attack."
"Are you sure about this Tai?" Matt asked.
"No, but…if Kari really did die helping the one being that can help us, then I want to do everything I can to help him," Tai answered with tears in his eyes. "It's the least I can do for her as her brother."
"I thank you taking the chance in helping me," the voice told the group.
"Hey, would you mind telling us your name?" Yolei suddenly asked.
"Oh! Of course! Forgive my rudeness. My name is Lucemon."
Author's Note: Yep, Tai and the other have just been tricked big time. Now they're going to accidently do something really bad.
In the next chapter we'll meet the rest of Team Excalibur. In the meantime please review and let me know what you think.