A/N:All right, it's up! Have to get ahead again, but I will tomorrow once this week is over.

Thanks to Xros-Hero and ReadingBlueWolf for their reviews! I'm really grateful to all of you.

Now... let's go!

XXIV. Discord

"No one is really right."

He was looked down upon as freely as a cockroach. "I was trying to keep you ignorant."

"You almost succeeded," Taiki mused. "Except... you didn't just kill me."

"Mild mishap. It will be corrected now, since I no longer am required to humor you."

"Wonder why you chose to in the first place." Taiki thought further and imagined deeper. The Dark Stone, the Code Crown rather, purred. It loved this; it loved life and it loved power. It was such a dangerous thing to wield. Yet... he could not stop. It was much too late to stop now, more than it had ever been. He stepped forward with caution. There wouldn't be any traps, not from Bagramon, who was of more honor than his own subordinate. He would simply give a chance... and then exploit it.

Shoutmon let out a quiet, rough snarl. "Puttin' too much faith in that thing."

"As much as I have with you? Are you jealous?"

"Pfft. No... okay just a bit." They both laughed a little. "Eh, let's get this fight over with. I have a kingdom to build."

Bagramon looked down at him, at the glittering smirk in those eyes. "Are you believing you have a chance? You, who lost your resolve so quickly?"

He earned a shrug. "I won't know until I try."

Bagramon smiled. "I suppose you don't... however... I wonder if they deserve your devotion, your friends."

"More than DarkKnightmon deserved yours," Taiki countered softly.

A chuckle escaped the fallen angel. "And as you deserve Shoutmon's?"

Taiki winced, even as his partner howled. "Come here and say that to my face, you bastard! You don't know a thing about faith! Come on! I'll kick your ass!"

The General shushed him, even as contentment lit up his face. "I don't deserve it," he said, and ignored the sound of complete and utter disbelief in his friend's voice. "I can't convince him to be anything but loyal. So we're stuck together... and..." He grinned. Let me fight. "You're stuck fighting us until the very end."

In his heart, the Code Crown sang and glowed red, reacting to his wish, to his reality.

Once more, he would create.