A/N: Well, wasn't that a fast update? I just couldn't stop writing. Anyway, I'd like to thank Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 for reviewing chapter 21.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. :(
The Warrior of Hope
Chapter 22
Reunited at Last
As I looked up at Cherubimon and the two unidentified digimon, I saw that Cherubimon was done talking. "Storm of Judgment!" The two digimon dodged, but I saw some lightning heading for my friends, minus Koji and Takuya. Koichi was also added to the group, surprising me.
"Slide Evolution!" I chose flight over jumping from rock to rock. Zoe and Koichi went flying when the rock they had been on was struck. I flew as fast as I could, managing to catch one in each arm. I grunted at the extra weight.
"DeviAngewomon!" Zoe exclaimed. "We were wondering where you were. Ophanimon just told us that you were doing what you had to. Care to explain?"
I grinned, "Some other time. Right now we need to land, or I'm going to drop you." I landed on a floating rock and was glad to see that the red digimon, who I assumed was Takuya, was bringing the others to the top of the tower. "Alright, do you think you guys could hang on long enough for me to get to the top of the tower?"
Zoe nodded, "I trust that you'll get us there."
Koichi looked uncomfortable, "I don't want to be a burden."
I shook my head, "Koichi, you're a part of this group. I'm going to save you no matter what you say. What I want to know is whether or not you can hold on to me for that long."
The both blinked at me. Koichi looked confused, "How do you know my name?"
I rolled my eyes, but it must have creeped him out to see a red eye rolling because he took a step back. I sighed. "I can explain later. Right now, I need you to hold on tight. Can you do that?"
He nodded, but right at that moment Takuya came over to us. "I'll carry Zoe."
I nodded, "Got it." I took Koichi in my arms, ignoring his protesting and we started up towards the top of the tower. We finally reached the top and I set Koichi down, right next to everyone else.
"Okay, we're fine. Now go kick Cherubimon's butt!" Zoe said as Takuya put her down.
"I'll do my best, which, as we all know, is awesome!" Yep, that's definitely Takuya.
I turned to follow, but everything that I had done was catching up to me and I fell to the ground, changing back into my human self.
"Jade!" Zoe and Tommy knelt beside me while J.P. offered me his hand.
Takuya turned back towards us, "Are you okay?"
I waved him away, "Go and fight! And tell Koji that if he doesn't come back, I'll kick his butt!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" Takuya saluted me and was off, going to the aid of Koji.
I took J.P.'s hand and Zoe and Tommy stood beside me, making sure that I didn't fall. "You must have been through a lot." Tommy said.
I shook my head, "I shouldn't be so weak right now, but I think that the buildup of fighting is getting to me. I can't imagine how Koji and Takuya feel."
"Don't blame yourself. By the way, what have you been doing?" J.P. asked.
"I was getting rid of Cherubimon's army of beast digimon." I replied.
"You fought them?" Bokomon asked.
I shook my head, "I reasoned with them. I convinced them to leave the battle up to us. They agreed and I successfully evacuated them from the castle. I told them to get as far away as possible, so they will hopefully be safe from the fighting."
"Wow, that must have been hard." Zoe said.
"I'm sure that you would have done a better job than me, Z. After all, you're a really likeable person, while I'm just a loner." I said.
She shook her head, "If people would get to know you, then they would like you. Of course, you would also need to stop pushing people away."
I raised my hands in defeat, "Fine, I'll admit that it's my own fault."
"Is this really the time to be talking about things like this?" Koichi questioned.
I looked down at my feet, not sure how to address him now that I was back to my human self. "I'm sorry."
Things were getting close. They were a couple platforms below us, so I couldn't see very well. I saw an explosion and felt the building begin to shake. We all grabbed hold of the rocks around us. "It's coming down!" J.P. exclaimed.
"We have to get out!" Tommy said.
I took out my D-Tector, "I hope this works! Execute, Spirit Evolution!" I felt myself morph into DeviAngewomon. Takuya and Koji reached us at that moment. "Tommy, you're the smallest so I'll carry you." He nodded and I picked him up.
Takuya was picking up everyone else. Koji couldn't fly without his outer armor, which he had shed during the battle. Only J.P. and Koichi were left. Koichi waved J.P. forward. J.P. got on, but before Koichi could move, the floor caved in.
"Koichi!" We yelled. Koji reached down and grabbed him, making me sigh in relief. I took flight and Takuya followed me. We watched as the castle sunk down into the ground. I thought of all the digimon that had been underground and was glad that I was able to rescue them.
"So, do you think Cherubimon's gone?" J.P. asked.
"No way, it's never that easy." Koji replied.
Koichi looked up at Koji, an expression of wonder on his face. I frowned, what was up with that?
"Guys, look out!" Tommy called. I avoided the smoke and debris, but Takuya wasn't so lucky. They fell to the ground.
I followed after them, landing on the ground safely, with Tommy still in my arms. "Guys, are you okay?" I asked.
Takuya popped up from under a pile of rocks, "My head, that's the only part of me that doesn't hurt."
Everyone else was patting the dirt off their clothes. I sighed in relief and put Tommy down. I changed back into my human form.
"Looks like nobody's hurt." I said.
"Nobody got hurt? Well, looks like there's a first time for everything." Takuya said.
I looked around at my group of friends and couldn't help it, I started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Zoe asked.
"I'm just so relieved. I mean, nobody's hurt, and we're all together." I said.
Koji smiled at me, "Yeah, it's nice to be all together again."
I ran to him and hugged him, "Are you really okay?"
"Yeah." He said, hugging me tight.
"So, what happened to Cherubimon?" Zoe asked as we broke away.
"I suppose that you guys really did defeat him." Bokomon said.
"No, there's no way that he could be defeated that easily." Koichi said.
"Well we did destroy his hideout and I bet we did a lot of damage to him. I bet he's licking his wounds right now." J.P. said proudly.
"Thanks to Takuya and Koji." Zoe said.
"Not just us. It was you guys too." Koji said.
"Yeah, you helped us a lot. Not only did you give us your spirits, you were there cheering us on. Only now we have a problem." Takuya said.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Relax, I just meant that we had to get you your spirits back." His Digivice lit as he was talking, along with Koji's. The spirits were transferred back to their original owners.
"Hey, I got my spirits back!" Tommy exclaimed.
"Well, I guess the spirits heard me talking." Takuya said.
"Welcome back, Kazemon." Zoe said.
"Gee whiz, I never thought I'd be so happy to see something that I can't even eat." J.P. said.
I shook my head, but laughed along with everyone else. Suddenly, I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I looked around, but I didn't see anything threatening. It must be because I feel like I didn't do anything. I thought to myself.
"So, what do we do now?" Koji asked.
"Make a new plan, I guess." Takuya said.
"Stop guessing, and start thinking!" Bokomon ordered.
I rolled my eyes, "Why is it that you're always the one to order us around, yet we do all the work." I teased.
Everyone laughed, except for Zoe and Koichi, who were talking. "Looks to me like you have something on your mind, Koichi. You want to share?" Zoe asked.
Koichi looked away, obviously uncomfortable.
"Aw, come on! Don't be shy. I mean, after all, we're all friends here. Right?" She winked at him.
I rolled my eyes; it almost looked like she was flirting with him. He got a determined look on his face and then walked toward Koji and me. It was nice standing by his side again, knowing that we would be able to stay that way for now.
"Um, Koji?" Koichi asked.
Koji turned to face him, "Hm?"
"So, uh, listen…" Koichi started.
"Yeah?" Koji asked.
"Come on, Koichi, you can trust us." Zoe prompted, as if he was talking to her.
"Well, you see-" Koichi started, but was cut off by Patamon's screaming.
The pit in my stomach got deeper, "Something's coming!"
Koji and Koichi looked at me in surprise. They were the only ones who heard me.
"What are you yelling for?" J.P. asked Patamon, who was on his head.
"Cause he's coming!" Patamon yelled.
"Cherubimon's coming?" Koji asked.
The ground was icing over. "Beneath us." Koichi said.
Spikes of ice shot out of the ground. Everyone got thrown around in different directions. I landed on my butt next to Koichi, but Koji landed next to Takuya. What looked like a white version of Devimon appeared out of nowhere.
"IceDevimon, one of the nastiest digimon around..." Bokomon continued, but I didn't bother to listen. This was what I had felt coming.
I stood up, my D-Tector in my hand.
"Cherubimon sent you to finish us off, huh?" J.P. asked.
"Cherubimon? Hah, I wouldn't compare me to that weakling if I were you." IceDevimon replied.
"If you're not with him, what do you want with us?" Zoe asked.
"Whatever it is, it isn't good." I said.
"Oh, just death and destruction. You don't want to know what it says in here." Bokomon said.
"How will I know that until I know?" Neemon asked.
I tuned them out, instead moving my body around in order to decide whether or not I had enough strength to spirit evolve. I decided that I couldn't fusion evolve, but beast spirit and human spirit evolving would be fine.
"So tell me, you are humans, are you not?" IceDevimon asked.
"Yeah, what's it to you?" Takuya asked.
"Hold your tongue, little creature. I simply wish to express my gratitude to those who freed me from that tiresome prison." IceDevimon said.
"Oh, well, you're welcome." Neemon said.
"You know it's funny, I didn't know humans could evolve into digimon. Do you have tasty data, like the rest of them? Yummy!" IceDevimon said.
"Watch it, bud!" J.P. said.
"I guess you'll never know." I said, letting venom seep into my words. Everyone saw just how on edge I was and immediately set themselves to match, knowing that I was sensitive to the amount of danger we were in.
"The data of the digimon Cherubimon captured was so sweet." IceDevimon said.
"Are you telling us that you destroyed all those digimon?" Takuya demanded.
"You betcha. But I wondered if your data will be sweeter." IceDevimon licked his lips.
"You'll never find out so long as we have a say in it." Takuya said. Copy my words much? I rolled my eyes.
"And we do." Koji said.
"First I must give you all a little gift for freeing me." IceDevimon said as little beams shot from his fingers. They hit Koji and Takuya's D-Tectors.
Their D-Tectors turned to solid ice. "My D-Tector!" Takuya exclaimed. "This is a thank you?"
"You're powerful, so I'll save you for later. That way we can have a good fight after these distractions are eliminated. And let me tell you, it will be so joyous, all the pain and the suffering, don't you agree?" IceDevimon said.
"Okay, we crossed over into weirdville." Zoe said.
"And to have the chance to taste human data for the first time, this will be the most wonderfully excruciating day ever! Thank you so very much for this gift!" He was practically drooling.
Zoe flicked her hair behind her shoulder. "Listen chump, the pain's going to be all yours." She said.
"I'll second that!" Tommy said.
"Count me in!" J.P. said.
"I suppose that we could teach this guy a lesson." I said.
"Me too, I'm not going to let you hurt my friends!" Koichi yelled. I blinked in surprise, I hadn't expected that from him, but I suppose that he had made friends with the others while I was gone.
"Execute, Spirit Evolution!" We yelled in unison.
"Beetlemon!"
"Kazemon!"
"DeviAngewomon!"
"Kumamon!"
"Loweemon!" I blinked in surprise. It appeared that Koichi had unlocked the true form of darkness. I was happy to see the dark lion digimon from Hope's memories.
J.P. attacked first, "Thunder Fist!" IceDevimon dodged.
"Hurricane Wave!" He once again dodged.
"Frozen Tundra!" Kumamon was headed straight for IceDevimon, but he just grabbed Kumamon and licked him like a popsicle.
"Tommy!" Kazemon yelled, but IceDevimon grabbed her and held her up in the air.
"Z, hang on! Heaven's Wave!" I sent out my angel-like creatures and they attacked IceDevimon.
He dropped Kazemon and Kumamon in order to fend off my creatures.
"Now, get lost, creep!" J.P. said.
"But I can't leave without having fun with you first. You're such unusual prey. Now what can I do to prolong my joy? Ah, of course! Trust me, you're going to love this." He flapped his wings, sending ice cold air towards us.
The ice started climbing up our bodies. "I can't move my legs!" Kazemon yelled.
I used my claw to pick at the ice, freeing my legs and taking off into the air. Unfortunately, Beetlemon and Kazemon weren't so lucky.
"Isn't it wonderful? I can get you one at a time and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Best idea I've had in years." IceDevimon stalked toward my frozen friends.
"Crystal Breeze!" Kumamon started to freeze IceDevimon's feet to the ground.
Loweemon came up behind IceDevimon, "Shadow Lance!" IceDevimon dodged and flew into the air.
"Very well, if that's the way you want it, let us begin your beautiful destruction!" IceDevimon said.
"Come down and fight!" Loweemon said.
IceDevimon didn't notice that I had snuck up behind him, "Wish granted, Evil Charm!" The black cross wrapped around him, binding his wings to his body and sending him flying towards the ground.
"Slide Evolution!" Kumamon and Loweemon shouted.
"Korikakumon!"
"JagerLoweemon!"
They closed in on IceDevimon. "Avalanche Axes!" Korikakumon sliced at him, but he broke through my Evil Charm and avoided the attack.
"Ebony Blast!" A burst of dark energy came from JagerLoweemon's mouth, but IceDevimon used his wing to block it.
"This is no fun at all. Your attacks, they bore me." He got an evil grin on his face and came up behind Koji and Takuya, who were still trying to get their D-Tectors to work. "Howdy!" He picked them up.
"Put them down, you evil scallywag!" Bokomon yelled. Since when has Bokomon been a pirate? Some part of me asked.
"First some fun." He poked at Takuya's head and we were forced to back up a little. "How delicious, I just knew you were the kind who wouldn't attack if you knew your friends were in danger. But there are things I don't yet know about you humans, such interesting and fragile creatures. So I propose a little game." He poked at Takuya again. "Let's see how much freezing these two can stand and how much you're willing to let them freeze." He placed Takuya and Koji on the ground, where a blue sphere covered them, obviously going to freeze them.
"Fight, you coward!" Kazemon yelled at IceDevimon.
"Coward? A coward runs from pain, but I embrace it." IceDevimon said. He disappeared before our eyes only to hit us. We all flew in different directions. "So, you still want me to fight your friends?" He mocked Zoe.
"You let us out of here and we'll give you a real fight!" Takuya said.
"Yeah, come on!" Koji yelled.
IceDevimon chuckled, "You already have a fight on your hands."
The ice inside the sphere shot towards them. Koji pushed Takuya out of the way, causing the ice to wrap around him. "Koji, no!" Takuya yelled.
JagerLoweemon struggled to get up, "Koji!"
I let myself fall out of my evolution. I was panting, but I didn't care. If Koji was in trouble, then I was going to save him. "Execute, Fusion Evolution!" I morphed into my favorite digimon, "LadyBlackGatowomon!"
It appeared that JagerLoweemon was also ready to fight for Koji. "Ebony Blast!"
The attack hit IceDevimon right in the back. He turned to look at JagerLoweemon, who was radiating dark energy. While he was distracted, I struck, "Wicked Claws!" The attack hit him in the chest.
He stumbled back a little. Then he looked at between JagerLoweemon and me with interest. "How delightful."
JagerLoweemon charged at IceDevimon, who avoided him. JagerLoweemon hit the sphere that trapped Takuya and Koji and the ice that held Koji broke.
I knew that IceDevimon might go for them again, so I attacked, "Wicked Claws!" My attack hit his arm. This gave time for the guys to get away. I knew that I didn't have that much strength remaining. I should use it wisely. IceDevimon was taunting JagerLoweemon. This was my chance, "Demonic Shock!" My attack hit his chest, sending him flying back. With the last of my energy used, I fell to my knees and came out of my evolved state. My body shook from the cold ice beneath my jeans.
"Jade!" Koji called.
IceDevimon was coming up towards me. JagerLoweemon leapt at him and IceDevimon welcomed his attack. A whirlwind surrounded them, making it impossible to see who was winning.
Suddenly, the whirlwind broke and JagerLoweemon flew out, falling to his side. "JagerLoweemon!" Korikakumon called.
"I'm fine, just help the others." JagerLoweemon said.
"But-"
"Now!" JagerLoweemon cut him off.
"Okay." Korikakumon first came to me, picking me up and placing me next to Koji and Takuya. Then, he went to Kazemon and Beetlemon. He hacked at the ice and they were freed from their icy prisons.
"Now for some fun of our own!" Beetlemon exclaimed.
"Slide Evolution!"
"MetalKabuterimon!"
"Zephyrmon!"
"You know, it is always better to destroy many, than just a few." IceDevimon said.
"How about just one? You! It's time to show you the strength that comes from true friendship!" JagerLoweemon said.
Korikakumon blew ice, and Zephyrmon used her winds to point them at IceDevimon. "Did you really think cold could stop me?" MetalKabuterimon stood right in front of him and pointed his cannon. "No, wait!"
"Think this might stop you? Electron Cannon!" MetalKabuterimon was sent back from the force of his cannon.
IceDevimon started to crack, "It's not possible! I'm cracking!"
"You don't like it?" Zephyrmon taunted.
"Dark Master!" A dark shadow surrounded JagerLoweemon and he charged, hitting IceDevimon right in the back and going straight through his body.
IceDevimon's fractal code appeared. "Slide Evolution!" JagerLoweemon turned into Loweemon. "IceDevimon, your evil data has long been in need of this purification! Fractal code, Digitize!" IceDevimon turned into an egg and flew away. JagerLoweemon fell to his hands and knees and turned back into Koichi.
Koji walked up to him and held out his hand. The twins smiled at each other as Koji helped Koichi up.
"Well Koichi, I gotta say, after that fight, you are definitely one of us." Takuya said.
"Yeah, welcome to the party!" Korikakumon said.
At that moment, Koji and Takuya's D-Tectors thawed out. "Alright, it thawed out!" Takuya exclaimed.
"Because IceDevimon was defeated, everything's going back to normal." Bokomon said.
"My pants are soggy!" Neemon said.
"So is your head." Patamon said.
Wind blew across us, threatening to blow our small digimon friends away. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. We looked up and saw that the top of Cherubimon's castle was still hanging in the air, letting in a steady stream of data.
I swallowed, "That doesn't look good."
"What is that?" Korikakumon asked as that outer shell dissolved and left an even smaller layer.
"I'll give you three guesses." MetalKabuterimon replied.
"I only need one. It's not over yet guys!" Takuya exclaimed as we continued to look up at the spectacle before us.
A/N: Alright, now that I've completely extinguished Jade's energy once again, and you are completely angry that the main character is useless, I can say that there is still quite a bit to go in this story and that Jade might get her shot in the spotlight. Might I'm not making anything absolute at this moment. Anyways, tell me what you think. Even if you think that it's completely horrible, I still want to know. Then I can go into my emo corner (like Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club) and resolve to make it better. Thanks for reading. :)