The little mammal digimon woke up on a pillow. Startled, he found himself on a bed in the center of an oval room. The walls seemed to be sculpted out of rock. Close by, there was a woman wearing armor who was sitting on an armchair. Her eyes were hidden by a helmet, but the tiny digimon was sure that she could see. He had never met her before but the sight of her filled his heart with warmth.
"You shouldn't have left the Village of the Beginnings, Patamon. Elecmon was very concerned about you." She said. Her voice was serious and deep but somehow sounded like music to his ears.
"All the other digimon leave when they evolve for the first time. I had already evolved twice but Elecmon insisted on keeping me there." Patamon complained. "I had to run away!"
"Because of your reckless behavior, that Ogremon almost killed you." The woman pointed out.
"Why did he do that?" Patamon asked. "It was like he was scared of me."
The other bit her lower lip, as if pondering whether she should tell the truth. The woman stood up and went to the bed, where she sat by Patamon's side.
"Nowadays I'm called 'Queen,' 'Goddess,' and for a small group of digimon, 'Mother.' But I was once called something else by someone who had been my equal. Our eggs had hatched at the same time and we were always together. He used to say that I was his twin sister." She spoke with nostalgia. "I remember him as kind and brave… he had been that for a long time. Until when he became obsessed with 'saving the world,' which almost led to the destruction of everything." Her voice became lower and melancholic. "Although it hurt me immensely, I knew I was the only one who could stop his reign of terror. And once I took his life, so many oppressed digimon began to worship me. They thought I was the heroine who had freed them from the tyrant Seraphimon."
Patamon paled. He had heard stories about the murderous angel and the Goddess that had saved the world but could not believe he was in front of her. In person, she did not seem as majestic as the tales portrayed her. There was an air of humbleness and sadness emanating from that woman.
"The thing is, Patamon…" She continued. "Seraphimon was once a Patamon too. And to this day there are many digimon scared of his return, so you can imagine why it's difficult to find Patamons nowadays. That Ogremon attacked you because he feared that you were Seraphimon reborn and one day would bring tragedy to this world again."
"I'm not that Seraphimon!" Patamon protested.
"Digimon rarely remember their previous lives. You could very well be him." She sounded fatalist. "Maybe you'll eventually remember who you are and take my life in revenge."
"I'll never become Seraphimon! And I swear I will never harm you!" Patamon stated. He could not imagine himself doing anything against the Queen. Although he did not understand the reason, the mere thought of her suffering caused him pain.
"I really want to believe in that." She murmured.
"How about this?" Patamon had an idea. "You can watch me closely for the rest of my life and, if you ever suspect that I am that Seraphimon, you can kill me."
"Why do you want to stay with me?" The woman inquired in a serious tone.
"I don't want to go back to that village nor do I want to be attacked by another random digimon, besides…" He hesitated, "there's something special about you… I really want to be with you."
The woman stayed silent for a couple of minutes, until she gave in.
"Okay then, Patamon. You're under my care now."
Chapter 8: The youngest child
Devimon landed on an open field and dropped Takeru and Patamon on the grass. To their right, Infinity Mountain could be seen in the distance. The sun had already disappeared on the horizon. The little boy quickly picked his friend up and hugged him against his body. He stared at the evil digimon with ferocity but deep down the human was scared. Takeru stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off the enemy.
"Are you afraid?" Devimon asked emotionlessly.
"W-why did you bring me here?" Takeru's voice cracked.
Devimon pointed to their left. The human looked in that direction and was able to make out what resembled towers and square buildings a couple hundreds of meters in the distance.
"That's the Village of the Beginnings." The adult digimon announced. "It's the place where all the digimon are born and where they all return after death, so they can be reborn. But when the digimon are reborn, they don't remember their previous lives… they could've done terrible things and still believe they're innocent."
"You didn't answer my question." Takeru said. "Why did you bring me here? And what about the others?"
Takeru felt that he could begin to cry at any moment. He did not know if Sora and the other children had survived the fall.
"It would be very disappointing if the so called 'chosen children,' the 'saviors of this world,' died so easily. I'm sure they are coming to the Village, after you." Devimon sounded bitter. "But I wonder if there will still be a Village there when they arrive."
"What do you mean?" Takeru asked, tense.
"I have cast a spell on the Village. Anyone can cross the red line around it and enter the place but it's impossible to leave as long as my heart is beating. Tomorrow, when the sun sets, I'll destroy that village and kill every living being in there." Devimon's voice was menacing and cruel.
"Y-you're joking." Patamon reacted, in shock. "Not even you would murder babies!"
"Why wouldn't I do it?" Devimon smirked. "All of the digimon reborn there are traitors. They deserve to suffer as much as every other digimon who dares to live happily at the cost of her sacrifice. They're just filth that needs to be cleaned."
"You wouldn't dare!" Takeru roared, forgetting the fear and the danger he was in.
"It wouldn't be the first time I took a child's life." Devimon said, coldly.
Back when he was an angel and the first chosen children had been brought to the Digital World, he had made the decision to protect his Mother at any cost.
"It was a human a little older than you." Devimon began his story. "I cut his throat in a single strike. I would have eliminated all of the enemies if she had not stopped me."
He still remembered how loud were the cries of the dead boy's older sister and how the almighty Goddess had lowered her head and attempted to apologize in his place. However, it was impossible to pursue reconciliation after what happened. "Those children had come to this world to fight Mother, I had every right to kill them… if she had not stopped me, they would have not become so strong. Her compassion caused her downfall."
Takeru could not fully understand what the other was telling him. Every word of Devimon was carried with anger and sadness. The adult digimon remembered what happened once he had been taken back to the Sanctuary.
"What were you thinking?" The Mother inquired in deep anger. The light from the golden tree highlighted the tension in her body. "How could you kill that child?"
"I did what was necessary. They are your enemies!" He defended himself. How could she not see that he was in the right?
"How can you keep on justifying your crimes that way?" She questioned in disgust. "That's the same excuse you used when you ordered Andromon to attack those scientists! I should've done something about you sooner."
"You know very well what those scientists were doing!" He retorted, angrily. "That Homeostasis thing was nothing more than an attempt at replicating the Spirit of the World! They wanted to defy your power!"
"Assumptions are everything you always had!" The Mother now sounded heartbroken. "That paranoia of yours made the Academy declare war at us! They brought innocent children to fight for them and now, because of what you did, you turned one of those kids into a martyr! You shattered all possibilities of a peaceful resolution to this conflict!"
"You lowered your head and apologized and all they did was make their digimon evolve and attack you!" He would not give up on trying to make the Mother see the Truth. "You were stronger than them! You could have killed them all but instead you fled like a coward!"
"Compassion is not cowardice, Angemon!" She roared. "You have no respect for the lives of others. You do not comprehend the importance of peace!"
"It's you who does not understand anything, Mother!" He accused. "It's you who does not appreciate all I've done!"
"Then stop doing it!" The woman ordered. "Leave, immediately."
Angemon stared at her in shock. "What are you talking about?"
"Consider yourself banished. I don't want to see you anymore." She told him coldly.
Angemon could feel the rage flooding his heart and taking control of his body.
"The Academy and those humans do not deserve your compassion!" He shouted. "I'll make you understand that! I'll make you see the evil in all of them!"
"The only evil I see is in you, Angemon." She pointed out, sad.
"You'll regret this!"
Once banished, Angemon did not speak to the Mother until after the grim events that came to happen. But he could never forget that he was right. If only she had done as he wanted, everything would have been different. She would be there with him. But now the time finally had come. He would show her how wrong she was about human children.
"Look at you now." Devimon taunted Takeru. "The children they've brought now are even younger and yet they expect you to murder us? And while you fight for their sake, those low lives get to live happily? I can't stand it! I'll destroy you all! I'll destroy everything!"
"Then why haven't you killed me yet? Why haven't you killed Sora-san and the others yet?" Takeru asked him.
"Ordinary death is not enough for you." Devimon responded. "I want you to see those infants dying in my hands. I want you to know how pointless your lives are."
"You won't kill anyone! We won't let you!" Takeru swore.
"If you are so confident, cross the line and wait for me in the Village." The adult digimon had a menacing expression. "I'll make sure to kill you last."
Devimon flew away, leaving Takeru and Patamon on the grass field. His bat wings flipped fast as he headed to the top of Infinity Mountain, half of a mile in his front, under the light of the first stars to appear. Devimon glanced down, to the clouds forming below and starting a storm. Exactly like all the other storms that happened every night since she had left the world.
"My mood influences the surroundings of the mountain." The Mother had told him once. "Whenever I'm happy, the sky is clear and the weather is warm. When I'm worried, it's clouded. When I'm sad, it rains."
For the time he was with her, Devimon had never seen snow. He could not stop pondering about the meaning behind it. That made his heart ache.
At the top of the mountain, the adult digimon found someone he knew very well. She was sitting close to the edge, glancing at the abyss with sorrow.
"Does she have a message for me?" He asked with no interest, landing behind her. The other turned around and looked at him anxiously.
"What is this madness about attacking the Village of the Beginnings?" Ladydevimon inquired.
"You know that place would have to be destroyed as well, sooner or later." Devimon replied.
"Don't do that!" She ordered. "Don't pretend you're following the plan! You were supposed to spread your gears and cause devastation on this island; instead you're picking a pointless fight with a chosen child!"
"Pointless?!" Devimon was offended. "Do you think it's unnecessary to fight them, after everything that happened?!"
"What has fighting them ever brought us?" Ladydevimon asked angrily. "Mother was the strongest digimon and she lost to the chosen children back then! What do you think you can do by yourself?"
"It's not like you care for me." He said, spiteful. Devimon had always believed his so called older sister hated him since he was picked up by the Mother.
"I don't care about you." Ladydevimon replied in a chilly tone. "I was always certain that you would cause her downfall, Bloody Lord. And I was right!"
"I am not that Seraphimon!" Devimon roared. "She disgraced herself because she did not see who the real enemy was! But I'll show her!"
"Do you think she's still the same merciful and kind digimon from before?" Ladydevimon had deep sadness in her voice. "She does not need to be exposed to the horrors of the world, she's already living them!"
"When she summoned me last time, she told me to 'scare the children.' What do you think that says about her intention of killing them this time?" He asked with a shaking voice. "She still has that weakness in her heart and that's why I must prove to her that I was right all along!"
"She has changed. But you wouldn't know that, would you? You've barely visited her in all these years. None of you have! It's been only me guarding that door!" Ladydevimon spat.
"Don't group me together with those bastards or even yourself!" Devimon growled. "Nobody was more loyal to her or loved her more than I did!"
"What you feel for Mother is not Love."
"Stop calling her that!" Devimon ordered, gripping the other by her wrist. Ladydevimon broke free easily.
"You were the last to arrive, you arrogant brat." She spoke with disgust. "You were the youngest! The weakest! And yet you always acted as if Mother belonged to you and to nobody else!"
"What have you done to prove you're worthy of her? What makes you think you're better than me?" Devimon demanded.
"None of us has hurt her like you have." Ladydevimon replied in cold rage. "But you'll never accept that you were responsible for her pain!"
She flew away after saying that.
Devimon trembled in anger as he watched her disappear into the sky. Soon it would all be over. The moment he had longed for was finally coming.
"You'll pay attention in what will happen tomorrow, Mother." He shouted at the sky. "You'll watch what the youngest child will do."
Takeru was walking in the direction of the Village, holding Patamon. The little digimon still had bruises from the fight against Andromon.
"Why did I say that?" Takeru wondered, upset. "We can't fight Devimon alone."
"We couldn't let him do as he wanted. What you did was right!" Patamon did not understand his partner's confusion.
"I was scared." Takeru muttered. "But the thought of the horrendous thing he was going to do made me so furious... I honestly thought at that moment that we would be able to stop him."
"You don't think we can?" Patamon asked, concerned.
"Sora-san and the others are not with us now. Besides, you and the other digimon are too hurt to fight." Takeru pointed out.
"But they're all coming here, Takeru. It will all work out in the end, you'll see." The digimon said in the most cheerful tone he could muster.
"Are they really coming?" The boy felt insecure. Even if everybody had survived, would they walk into a trap just to reunite with him? The other children did not know him well enough and Takeru figured that they probably considered him a nuisance. It would be so easy for them to leave him behind and not look back.
His father had not looked back when he left their house, grabbing Yamato by the hand. Takeru still remembered the look on his brother's face. There was sadness, but even more than that, there was guilt. Whenever their parents fought, Yamato told his brother that everything would be okay and there was nothing to worry about.
As Takeru grew up, he realized that Yamato had lied to him. Of course he knew things would not work out in the end. However, he believed that his brother could not handle the truth. Takeru was so sick of being treated like that by everybody. He wanted to prove that they were wrong.
"They are coming, Takeru!" Patamon's fierce voice surprised his partner. "Don't you remember how they all rushed to try to save you from Devimon? How they all fought without thinking about their own safety? They worry a lot about you!"
"They pity me." Takeru murmured. "They think I'm going to die if I'm on my own."
"You're not on your own! And you're not going to die!" Patamon was losing his patience. "I'm never going to leave your side!"
Those words resonated deep in Takeru's mind. He had heard something similar before. It's going to be okay, Takeru. Mom and Dad are going to make amends. We are a family, we'll always be together.
"Liar." Takeru felt his eyes getting humid.
"What did you just call me?" Patamon was startled.
"Don't make promises like that!" Takeru lashed out. "You can't guarantee that you're going to be with me forever! Nor can you know for sure that the others are coming!"
"Of course I can't guarantee that! Nobody can! All we can do is to be positive and do our best-"
"Be positive? Seriously?" Takeru was now sounding sarcastic. "Attitude alone is not going to change anything! If we end up having to face Devimon by ourselves, being positive is not going to save our lives! It's not going to protect anyone!"
"Being negative is just going to make things worse!" Patamon cried. "If you assume that things are inevitably going to take a bad turn you'll just give up!"
"You're too childish, Patamon!"
"You're more childish than me, Takeru!"
Suddenly, they heard someone crying. It was when the two of them noticed that they were a few steps away from a glowing red line drawn on the grass. Not too far from the line, the square buildings and towers were big and colorful. Two meters at their right, a small creature that seemed to only have a head and a horn on it was trying to break through an invisible wall but kept being pushed back.
"It's a Tsunomon." Patamon murmured.
The Tsunomon noticed them and jumped in their direction, hitting the invisible wall again. Takeru instinctively ran towards him. But the boy stopped a step from the line.
If I cross this line, I can't return. He thought, scared. Patamon and I will be trapped inside. What if the others don't come?
"You!" The small creature had a pleading voice. "We're all trapped here! Devimon said he was going to kill us tomorrow! Help us! Please, help us!"
"We will! Right, Takeru?" Patamon expected his partner to support him.
"Yes, of course." The human replied almost mechanically. It was not that his determination to save the Village had wavered; his attention had only shifted focus. He looks so scared, Takeru thought, looking at the Tsunomon. It was as if he could experience something from a perspective he had never had before. The boy was being asked for help. For the first time in his life, someone was looking up to him with expectations. And Takeru did not wish to let him down.
It was not pity what he felt. That was not a nuisance. He desired from the bottom of his heart to comfort Tsunomon and to fulfill the hope bestowed on him. The realization struck Takeru gently but with enough power to unsettle him. Was that how older children felt when younger kids were under their care? That sense of duty, the anxiety, the eagerness to be enough and, yet, a bit of pride and lots of fear? Was that what Sora, Mimi, Jyou and Koushiro felt when Takeru was around?
Yamato was eight years old when their parents had divorced. And since before that, the older one had lived in that position. Despite his best efforts, he could not avoid the separation of his family. But Yamato had never let on how he felt. Until the end, he wanted to provide that sense of security to Takeru and suffered alone, hidden. In a lesser scale, were Sora and the others suffering because of him? Did they feel powerless against a force far beyond their control and ashamed for not living to what they believed to be Takeru's expectations?
"Patamon, I'm sorry about before." Takeru spoke softly. "Will you still stay with me?"
"Whatever the path you choose, I'll be always there with you." Patamon said with confidence and joy.
Carrying his partner, Takeru crossed the line. He kneeled next to Tsunomon, parallel to the red line, and sat Patamon on the grass beside him. Gently, the boy picked Tsunomon up and smiled.
"I know how it is to be scared." His voice sounded comforting. "But Patamon and I are here now. We'll give our all to protect you and the rest of the Village."
"I'm the oldest one." Tsunomon spoke with shame. "Everybody but me and the Carer is a baby. I should be stronger than this. I should be there for them…"
Takeru held Tsunomon in a hug.
"You are a child yourself." The boy said. "Don't be ashamed for feeling what any kid would feel. You don't have to burden yourself or act tough. We're here to help you."
"Tsunomon!" A red mammal digimon with nine tails and blue marks on his body ran towards them. He was coming from behind of one of the square building, 20 meters in their left, which Takeru thought resembled a toy. Now that the human was closer, he noticed that what he had believed to be buildings were actually several cubes, from 5 to 10 meters of height, some stacked on top of others and forming towers. Among them, there were many cribs on the grass.
"What are you doing, Tsunomon?" The digimon took the small creature from Takeru's arms and scolded him. "Don't disappear like that! I was worried!"
It was just then that the bigger mammal digimon took his time to examine Takeru. His curious expression was replaced by one of pure shock when he looked at Patamon.
"You really did become a Patamon in the end."
Patamon smirked.
"I left with the others before I was a Tokomon but I still remember you. It's been so long, Elecmon."
Elecmon looked down, frowning.
"Carer!" Tsunomon called him. "They said they're going to fight Devimon! We're saved!"
"I see." Elecmon replied. "Our chances are better with a chosen child on our side."
"Chosen child?" Takeru questioned, remembering that Devimon had called him that as well. "What does that mean?"
"Come along, I'll make a bonfire." Elecmon said, turning his back on the two and taking Tsunomon to where the cribs were. Patamon could not shake the feeling that the other was not happy in seeing him.
"Wait!" Patamon shouted. "Why are you so upset? Do you have a problem with me?"
"I'll explain everything soon, just follow me." Elecmon retorted.
"You don't actually believe we can help, do you?" Takeru asked in a hurt tone.
The Carer turned around to face them.
"It's a Patamon paired with a chosen child. I'm certain that if he evolves, he'll fight Devimon as an equal." Elecmon spoke with certainty. "That's precisely the problem."
"What are you talking about?" Takeru inquired impatiently.
Elecmon took a deep breath before replying. His words sounded heavy and terrible.
"I recognize every digimon I have seen being born here. In spite of my level, I am very old. So, of course, I recognized Devimon as well. But I never expected that Patamon to evolve to that form."
"Devimon… used to be a Patamon?" Takeru felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach and all air had left his lungs. His partner almost fell on his back in horror. Elecmon concluded, looking at Patamon:
"I know that you'll evolve to a digimon who is able to defeat Devimon. But what will you become?"