Here we go readers, next chapter!

Pummelled into Oblivion

For the longest time, all anyone wanted to do was breathe, especially Kari. Ever since that first day she had been brought to this world, she'd had nightmares of the Shades and their Undersea Master. Her imagination went out of hand all too often, drawing pictures of what that master would look like. They weren't nightly dreams, but they were reoccurring, and one of her most well-kept secrets. Not even the overprotective Tai knew what they were about, although more than once he had to get up in the early hours of the morning to comfort his sister. With each nightmare came a flashback of what happened on the beach in the Dark World, and even though she was rescued each time, she always caught a glimpse of her foe. Each image was more terrifying than the last, and she knew it wouldn't stop until they came and set things right.

And they were one step closer to that goal. The Undersea Master was defeated. Kari sighed happily. The very fabric of the Dark World seemed to grow lighter with Dragomon's deletion. It was a good feeling.

The two boys presently started up conversation, while the girls merely listened in.

"How did MarineDevimon go, TK?" Matt asked, his eyes absent as he stared off towards the ocean.

TK glanced sideways at the older boy. "He wasn't too hard for MagnaAngemon. The fight only lasted a couple minutes."

"That's not what I meant," Matt replied, reformulating his question. "Did he disperse into data like Dragomon?"

The younger boy paused. "No actually...he...he just dissolved into darkness. It looked like smoke."

Matt paused once more. "I know what you mean. I had to defeat VenomMyotismon before I found you. He turned into smoke too."

Sora cut in, "We ran into LadyDevimon. The same thing happened to her."

"Then why did Dragomon turn into data?" The boy asked to no one in particular. No one really had an answer. For Kari, all that mattered in the end was that Dragomon was gone, and wouldn't return. Well, she wasn't sure about that last part. If LadyDevimon could return, so could the Undersea Master.

The children's musings were interrupted by a great cracking sound coming from the tunnel Garudamon had dug. All eyes turned just in time to see the roof of the cave give way, and a cascade of boulders and rocks poured into the hole. After several moments of the deafening sound, the tunnel was blocked off. In its stead was a steep incline to the top of the cliffs.

"Well," Sora said cheerfully after the dust and sand had settled. "There's our way out."

Everyone knew they could have just flown out, but the important thing now was saving their partners' energy. That and finding Ken.

The group got to work, looking for the most suitable place to climb up. Kari was in front with Gatomon, and TK was right behind her with Patamon and Tsukaimon. It was a rather gruelling scale, and by the time she got up on top of the cliff, she was spent. It didn't help that the adrenaline from their encounter with Dragomon was wearing off, leaving her exhausted. Kari was kneeling on the ground, staring at the dirt as she caught her breath.

A cry of alarm came from behind her, and she felt something slam into her, driving her the rest of the way into the dirt. Before she could even struggle against the arm holding her down, she felt a gust of wind brush over her. A beastly roar followed.

"Howling Crusher!"

The force of the arm lifted from Kari, and she realized it was TK. He sat of to the side and gave a quick inspection. He grimaced.

"Ah, sorry, got you all messed up now."

Kari glanced down at her clothes and couldn't suppress the gasp that came. There was blood smeared on her shoulder and down her arm. Most of it was dark, as if it had been dried for some time, but there was a streak where the liquid was still crimson. Kari's eyes drifted to TK's chest, looking for the spot that was still slowly bleeding. The boy looked down as well.

"I shouldn't really be moving this much. It keeps on reopening the wound. But hey, that creature was headed straight for you…" TK turned to look down the rocky slope. Kari followed his stare and saw what the commotion was about. It was definitely a digimon, albeit a berserk one. It looked something along the lines of a grey, red-eyed, sabre-toothed lion, and it raced up to challenge the children's digimon. Matt had placed himself between the creature and the other two girls, shouting an order to Gabumon. Immediately, the digimon was enveloped in light, warp digivolving to MetalGarurumon. The next moment the two megas were locked in fierce and quick-paced combat.

"Who is that?" Kari heard TK ask.

"SaberLeomon," replied Gatomon. "At least, I think. Normally he's a noble digimon, not to mention a lot more colourful."

"SaberLeomon..." Kari said quietly. "Is he the digivolved form of Leomon?"

"Yes."

Kari shared a glance with TK. "Do you think he's the same one Joe and Mimi met all that time ago?"

The boy's look was sceptical. "I have no idea. But if he is, why is he attacking us?"

Tsukaimon spoke up. "Hey! See that on his arm? I've seen that type of thing before, when I was stuck with Daemon. It was one of his dark tools he uses to possess whomever he wishes."

"Like the Dark Spirals?" TK asked quietly, his voice calm but angry. "We've seen this type of thing before. We have to get it off of him somehow, and without hurting him."

"That'll be hard. It takes a lot of power to take over a mega, and probably even more to free him. I remember the Dark Spirals. Was quite the expert at evading them. These are far more powerful and dangerous, as we've been lucky enough to find out. Dark sleeves, I think Daemon called them."

"That's Dark Sheaths! You insolent!"

Kari tensed at the familiar voice, and she didn't want to believe she had heard it before. It was the voice that had brought heartbreak to an entire world, but was also the voice that was the very embodiment of kindness. She felt rage begin to emanate from TK as the two children and their digimon turned to face the newcomer.

"Patamon," TK said, keeping his cool surprisingly well considering his dark tone of voice. "Digivolve and help the others with SaberLeomon. We'll deal with this creep."

Kari decided to have her partner follow suit. "Gatomon, you go too."

TK stepped forward as the two digimon raced off. He slowly approached the Digimon Emperor. Kari and Tsukaimon shared an uneasy glance from where they stood off to the side. With the exception of the battle raging back in the cove, utter silence reigned as the two boys stared each other down. All of a sudden, TK's body seemed to relax somewhat, and he shifted his weight to one foot with his hand on his hip.

"So...Ichijouji... Where did we leave off?"

The Emperor merely smiled a wicked grin and planted a swift punch in TK's chest, hard enough for his hand to come away bloody. The blond took a step back, if only to keep his balance. If the blow hurt at all, he was doing a very good job of concealing it. TK seemed to know that any sign of vulnerability would only fuel the Emperor. Despite his resistance to show pain, the Digimon Emperor chuckled.

"I think I was about to give you a good thrashing." With that, the raven-haired boy dove low, head-butting TK in the gut. The force of the impact threw TK backwards, and Kari clamped her hands over her mouth to suppress a scream as both boys lost their balance and fell over the edge. They tumbled roughly down the rocky grade, arms locked as they struggled to gain the upper hand. Tsukaimon raced after them madly.

"What do you think you're doing, you ugly crow?"

The two boys finally came to a stop in their decent, with TK ending up underneath. The Emperor, having heard the rookie's Bad Message, was gazing up at Tsukaimon angrily. It gave TK the advantage he needed to throw the raven-haired boy off. The two were once again facing in a fighting stance, now with fresh cuts and bruises from their roll down the stony hill. More blows were exchanged; more tackles and wrestling matches ensued. After several minutes, TK at last came out on top, with the Emperor pinned underneath. The blond smiled victoriously.

"From what I remember about last time, I was pummelling you into oblivion." He was panting as he spat the words out, and said no more as he threw punch after punch at the Emperor's face. With the first few blows, it was obvious that the raven-haired boy would wake up with two shiners, not to mention a sore nose. Blood was soon flowing freely from the Emperor's nostrils. TK was eventually forced to pause as the repeated movements began cramping up his arms. In that time he inspected the Emperor's condition. There wasn't much fight left in the proud boy, much to TK's surprise. The two were left staring into each other's eyes.

"Why do you even bother?" The Emperor eventually came to say.

"I have my reasons," TK replied. Tsukaimon flitted over and landed on his shoulder.

"It might help to tell him," Tsukaimon whispered in his ear.

TK didn't need to be told. "For one, our last meeting was cut short by that blasted fake digimon you created. And for another, I know you aren't the real Ken. You've just tried to shove him under the surface, tried to hide him from the world and use him as your own. We've already been through that; it doesn't work."

Kari had come up behind TK, and knelt beside the two. There had to be a way to get through to Ken. They had to bring him out. The Emperor's face, after all, was filled with turmoil. It didn't have to be like this.

"Ken," she said. "Come back."

Slowly, the raven-coloured head turned to look at her. "Can I?"

"Of course! We want you back!"

"Why?"

Something had gone wrong in the boy's head. It saddened Kari to see him so oblivious. But now was her chance. He was vulnerable, and was on the verge of freedom. What was the key to his freedom?

None of the three noticed Wormmon's approach, and the rookie caught them by surprise as he quietly spoke. "Ken?"

The Emperor's head snapped over in Wormmon's direction. His face filled with pain as he saw the digimon's sad expression. "What do you want?"

"You've forgotten, haven't you?" Wormmon replied, his eyes brimming over. "Please Ken, you have to remember. You have to remember your place as a Digidestined."

"Your crest, Ken." Kari ventured. This was Ken's fight, and he had to remember his place on his own, or he will never really believe. It was his choice, not some mantra that they could use to break a spell. He had to remember.

The internal battle was obvious now as the Emperor clutched his head in pain at the mention of the crest. A sudden yelp came from the boy, causing TK to jump off of him. He was writhing on the ground now, struggling with himself. It hurt to even watch, but they had to be there. They couldn't leave him alone.

"Crest..." The raven-haired boy managed to say. That first word was the hardest. The next ones flowed out like gibberish. "I'm...my place...I...crest...lie. Lies...I'm...Kindness."

Ken's body stiffened. He looked slowly up at the others. His face had lost the fierce and arrogant look. His eyes were sad, but gentle. TK managed a reassuring smile.

"That's it, Ken. You do know."

"Kindness?"

A closer look told Kari that Ken was dazed and disoriented. But he had remembered. He was coming back. She spoke up. "That's why you're so important to our group. Your crest is just as important and powerful as ours. You're one of us. You're a friend."

Ken sat up, a shy grin tugging at his expression. "That's it...I...I know what to do now."

He looked towards Wormmon, determination sparking a new light in his eyes. "It's your turn."

"Wormmon digivolve to...Stingmon!"

The champion didn't hesitate to join the battle that was still heated nearby. The three humans stood to hurry down the rest of the way to the beach where the others were.

"Are you going to be okay, Ken?"

The other boy smiled at the familiar question. "I know I'll be hurting later, but I needed it."

TK didn't respond. They had reached the beach and saw something rather disturbing.

Matt and Yolei kneeling around a prostrate Sora.

The three sprinted over, taking care not to get themselves involved in the nearby skirmish. SaberLeomon was definitely receiving extra power from the Dark Sheath as he continued to bear down on the six Chosen digimon.

"Sora!" The newcomers cried as they came up to where Matt and Yolei were kneeling. Sora was laying on her side, hiding her face with one hand, her other clenched tight. Her entire body was shaking, and the younger kids immediately caught sight of her tattered pant leg and the bloody shin underneath.

"How'd this happen?" TK asked Matt. The older boy sighed with an anxiety-ridden voice.

"Just like it looks. SaberLeomon got a swipe off at her, but Stingmon came just in time to get her out of the way. I can tell that crazed lion was planning on taking off her whole leg."

Ken frowned in the direction of the fight. His voice was small. It was possible he wasn't even aware of his speaking out loud. "I was too weak to stop it... I never really truly believed that I was a part of everything. It just seemed I was here to help Wormmon digivolve. Well, I'm willing to do more than that now. I'm not going to let cruelty take over me again. I know who I am. Nothing's changing that."

TK and Kari smiled behind him, aware of where this was going. Their thoughts were confirmed by a soft, lavender light beginning to emanate from Ken. His digivice shot a beam towards Stingmon, immediately engulfing him. The digimon shouted out with newfound power.

"Stingmon digivolve to…DinoBeemon!"

The new addition gave them the edge they needed. Surrounded by ultimates, SaberLeomon lashed out like any trapped animal would. He was forced to take MetalGarurumon head on, and charged blindly. But one champion was overlooked, and that was the mega's fatal mistake.

"Blast Rings!"

SaberLeomon was caught off guard, and though the attack did no damage, it distrupted the mega's advance on MetalGarurumon. A similar tactic had been used by Pegasusmon against Airdramon over a year before.

"Metal Wolf Claw!" The mech shouted as he dove forward, claws first. The force of the impact knocked SaberLeomon out of mid-stride, and he landed on his back, MetalGarurumon on top. DinoBeemon shot into action, using the spikes protruding from its back to ram into the dark tool on the lion's arm. The Sheath was cracked, and soon shattered into data. The form of SaberLeomon faded to black and gradually melted away, flowing into the waters of the Dark Ocean and melding with the darkness from which it originated.

Matt's sigh of relief almost seemed to echo through the cove, being that everything had gone so quiet.

"He wasn't real after all," Ken said quietly.

"A Shade?" Matt asked as he and the raven-haired boy helped a pale Sora to her feet. She was apparently still in great pain, but she was doing her best to put a tough face on it. The blond continued, "Do you think the others were just Shades too?"

TK hummed in thought as he stood nearby, gazing into the ocean. "Maybe. MarineDevimon went out in a puff of smoke like that too."

Yolei assumed a meditative posture. "So all this time we haven't been fighting digimon at all. Just Shades."

"Except Dragomon," Kari couldn't help but point out, "he dissolved into data."

"It doesn't matter now," Matt said brightly. "We're all together now, and I was the last to get pulled through. Are we ready to go home?"

There was a chorus of yes' and nods, along with friendly gestures exchanged with the newest comer to the group. It all made the sole "No" stand out sharply. All eyes turned to TK, who had locked stares with Tsukaimon. The two simultaneously faced the group.

"Daemon's still in power over this world." The digimon said.

The human followed up. "We might as well finish the job while we're here."

I like Ken...I couldn't bring myself to keep him under the Emperor for too long...

Anyway, he may be back, but there's still plenty of action left.

I debated with myself a lot on how to use Ken's crest...whether Stingmon should digivolve to Paildramon on his own or not. I went with DinoBeemon since he resembled Stingmon the most of the two.

You still into this? Let me know what you think!