Chapter 11 – Baihumon

"So tell me something, Flaremon." I said. We had been travelling due north for several months. From tough terrains to extreme heat, we travelled. Flaremon and I had stopped at a handful of villages and asked for directions. The other times we had stopped were to defeat weak Digimon who challenged us or Digimon Flaremon deemed necessary to kill. I was sure it had to do with releasing repressed power, but whatever the reason, it felt great. Absorbing data made my body feel like metal and undefeated.

Now, Flaremon and I were on a mountain, carefully sidling along edges and climbing over great boulders of mountain rocks. I physically felt exhausted, but with Flaremon's will, I kept going.

What is it? He asked, sounding seemingly bored. After becoming one we haven't communicated much at all. Now that he has finally taken over my body, I no longer felt the need to mentally speak to him. So I exercised my mouth and spoke out loud.

"Why did you kill Renamon?" I had been wanting to ask him for quite some time. The question had been plaguing the back of my mind. I could never find the right time to ask and the times that came I felt...scared to.

Flaremon huffed out an exasperated sigh. I needed to.

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Why?"

When you and those other Tamers had first arrived into the Digital World, I could sense your presence. I could especially feel Ryo Akiyama. He explained.

"So you lured him to the ocean?" I asked.

Yes. I had full intentions of taking over his body...but you, you got in the way. He snarled the last few words. No matter, though. When I had first taken over your body I could feel the attachment you had with Ryo Akiyama.

"You're using me right now, aren't you?" My stomach turned with the thought of being used. For falling victim and trusting such a monster.

I am, but not. It was your choice to allow me access to your body. You chose to allow me to fulfil my needs and defeat the last Sovereign. And I even told you not to trust anyone, including myself. Do not blame me for you choices, Rika. He said, calmly.

I left out a loud and hysterical scream. I'm such an idiot! "It was your intentions from the start to kill Ryo, wasn't it? Wasn't it!" Tears flooded down my cheeks.

"Wasn't what?" A voice came.

Turning, I came face to face with a handsome guy. His eyes were deep with concern. He wore goggles around his spiked hair and instantly put me to mind of Takato...except a lot better looking. He reached his hand and wiped some tears off my face. I stepped back.

"Not a talker? I just heard you screaming like bloody murder and came running as fast as I could. What's wrong? Did you get hurt?" He frowned.

"I thought I had seen something." I lied.

He arched a brow in disbelief. "My name is Taichi. Taichi Kamiya. Friends call me Tai."

"Uh...Rika. Rika Nonaka."

Tai grinned, "the Rika Nonaka? The model? And so called, Digimon Queen?"

I nodded, "yes."

Digimon Queen? What is this he speaks of? Flaremon demanded to know.

"Come, sit down and let me know what is wrong." Tai pointed to a rock in the formation of a small bench shape. I hesitated and sat down. He sat beside me, smiling. I wasn't sure if it was his friendliness or the lack of comfort and loneliness I've felt for several months that made me talk to him and feel so open to him, but I did.

"It's hard to explain," I began, "but I've been so confused lately."

"Oh? Confused about what?" Tai reached into a little bag I haven't noticed until now. He pulled out two bottles of water and handed one over.

Rika? What does he mean by the Digimon Queen? Surely you were not married to such a pathetic King. Flaremon roared. I ignored him.

After several large and greedy gulps, I continued. "confused because I had thought I could trust someone who ended up...not exactly lying but hiding something from me. So I left and I made a few bad choices and regret it. However, at the same time as liking him, I still feel a bit angry with him."

Tai placed his arm around my shoulder. "Well, everything happens for a reason, Rika. Mistakes happen, too. Don't beat yourself up about it, and definitely do not climb to the top of a mountain just to scream about it." I chuckled and relaxed against him. I missed the company of another person. "So where are you headed?"

"To the village down the mountain," I answered.

"Me as well. I would more than happy to accompany you down the mountain."

"Why are you here?" I asked Tai.

He rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb. "I'm looking for my friends."

I sweat dropped, "I figured as much, but why are you on the mountain?"

Tai grinned again. "And that wasn't obvious to you? We're heading the same way, remember? And how do you know I'm looking for my friends? Have you seen them?"

"Um. Matt and Sora? They were with their partners." I told him.

Tai stood up quickly, practically knocking me over. "Where? Where were they?"

I too stood up and wiped the dirt off of my pants. "Well, it was back a couple months ago. Back in a desert. They were with Ryo."

"Ryo is here, too?" He exclaimed. "Why did you part with him?"

I resisted the temptation to tell him the entire truth. The truth about Flaremon. "I... I just need my own space and he was kind of clingy and worrisome over me...I guess." I knew that Tai could tell I wasn't being honest because of what I had told him moments ago about being confused. I suppose I just like to complicate things for others as a way of masking the truth of my own feelings. I sighed.

Are you going to talk to me, Rika? Flaremon asked, aggravation rising. I would like to know about this Ice Queen thing he speaks of.

Tai placed a hand on my shoulder, "I understand," he said, though I don't think he meant it. Why should I even bother being completely honest to some guy I had just met? "Well, we're not making any time just standing around. Let's head down to that village, shall we?"

After another hours' travel and hike down the fairly large mountain – and a lot of nagging from Flaremon – we had finally set foot in the village. The village was fairly large and was full of unique looking digital buildings. Each one had it's own different shape of some sort with equally unique windows to match. The terrain of the village was very grassy but the colour from all around brightened up the village. It felt so friendly and happy. I was awed by what I had seen.

Tai and I hurried down the path which we had hoped lead into some sort of village square. We passed a building that looked a lot like the upside-down triangle pyramid only about fifty times smaller. The colour was a bright lime green with circular windows that were a flashy pink. We had also passed a small, blue rectangular shop with a Wormon's head featuring on a sign stating that it was a restaurant. My stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Tai asked. I flushed and nodded. Tai had also seen the blue eatery. "Would you like to stop and have a rest?"

"We should. I haven't eaten since yesterday... or maybe even longer. Lost track of time," I told him. He chuckled. "Thought the Digital world never made people feel anything other than...normal, for lack of better word."

"Back when I first arrived a few years ago, we had to eat. It was like we were just living in an everyday normal world. Except for the fact in the human world, you could see the Digital World in the sky. Upside down, might I add."

I laughed. "How bizarre. I wonder if it's like that now."

Tai shrugged. "Who knows. Times have changed, that's for sure. When I came back into the Digital World after four years' absents, it felt like an entirely different place than the one I knew. Of course, the Digital World does grow more rapidly than the human world. If you haven't noticed, you could spend a month in here and it only be about a day in the human world."

"That's true. And also as the internet grows so does the world." I said.

"Yeah...anyway, let's get a bite to eat before I stomachs eat us inside out." He joked. I grinned.

"Tai?" I had said before we stepped foot into the restaurant.

He glanced my way, "yes?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Thanks for escorting me down the mountain. I think being alone for some time had made me go a little senile. I never apologize."

Tai let out a cool laugh, "I know. I know all about you, Rika. The Ice Queen."

Again, the Ice Queen? Rika, what is he talking about? Flaremon roared. His voice screeched through my ears. I winced and covered them.

Tai raised an eyebrow, "you ok?"

I nodded. "Yeah, being hungry has given me a headache," I lied.

He smiled and opened the door, allowing me to step in first. Much to my dismay, I happened to glance to the back of the room and there they were. The seven of them sitting around the table, laughing and joking. Unfortunately, Tai had noticed and made a beeline right for them. I brushed against the door in panic and fumbled with the knob.

"Rika!" His voice bellowed. I winced, finally managing to open the door. I stumbled out and tripped down the stairs. "How dare you, Rika!"

I looked up into the angry and accusing eyes of Ryo Akiyama. Rage and disappointment consumed his blue eyes. I wanted to return his anger but couldn't. I was guilty of leaving and felt more shocked and scared than angry. "Wh-what?" I had managed to stutter, trying to hide my fangs.

"You know what," he roared. His voice sounding more and more intoxicated with fury. "You ditched us that night. Do you have any idea what that put us through?" He bent down over me and gripped my shirt. "For all we knew you could have been dead." He hissed the last part.

By this point, the others had been standing in the door looking dumbfounded. I glared at Ryo finally regaining my lost courage. "So what? You wouldn't care anyway. I'd have been one last burden on your shoulders."

Ryo's face grew bright red. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

I looked into his eyes. "You never wanted me around because of Flaremon. Admit it, you were scared."

He released his grip and I flinched in fear of him striking me. Instead, he stood. "Flaremon is not someone I had ever wanted you to be associated with, but now...now it seems you two are getting along fairly well. I tried to protect you."

I hadn't noticed when Tai and I had stepped into the restaurant that Cyberdramon was finally with Ryo. The bug-like Digimon stood over me. Sweat pushed through my brow. "What do you want me to do, Ryo?" The Digimon asked, looking at his Tamer.

Ryo shook his head, "we discussed this, Cyberdramon. I... we have no other choice." Ryo never stopped looking at me, but at that moment all his anger was replaced with sympathy. His eyes sparkled and almost teared. "It can't be helped."

Rika? Flaremon said. Listen to me, now!

What? I asked.

I need you to release my energy and power. He said.

I was taken back. What? Why?

Flaremon grew impatient. He's going to have that thing of a Digimon destroy you. Can you not see it in his eyes?

"Why did you have to listen to Flaremon, Rika?" Ryo asked, shaking his head. "I wanted to help you.."

I gulped. "I thought you were going to bring me to Baihumon to help me."

Ryo nodded, "I was."

I scooted back a bit but Cyberdramon placed a foot on me before I could stand. I was so confused. It was so uncharacteristic-like of Ryo to do this. Was he really that threatened of Flaremon? "Be honest with me, Ryo...for once."

He raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean?"

I swallowed. "You confessed to me but then you act like this...why? Are you afraid of me? Of Flaremon?"

Ryo rubbed his hand over his face. I could see the tears escaping from his eyes, "you don't understand, Rika. You have no idea what that Digimon is capable of. I warned you and yet you let him take over you. To convince you and make you believe that I was the bad one. I was never your enemy, I was there for you."

"Then why did you come alone? Why didn't the others come with you that night I had run off?" I asked. I almost pleaded for answers.

Listen, Rika. He's not going to take mercy on you. He killed his last lover.

I need to know. Flaremon, I'm so confused.

This time, Terriermon had spoken up. "He was protecting you from everyone."

Tears escaped me, "I don't understand. I'm so confused."

Terriermon exchanged glances with Ryo and looked back at the others standing in the door. All of them but Tai knew what was going on. Ryo probably told them, I thought. "It's not worth explaining, Rika. There's not much time left, I'm sorry." His little ears flopped limply to his side and his face showed nothing but sympathy. "We tried to help. We told you what happened and how Flaremon was taken down. And you probably know from Flaremon of what happened in the past. The feud between him and Ryo..."

"...Rika, I'm so sorry," Ryo said, not looking at me. He tried to hide his tears. He nodded at Cyberdramon, who nodded back.

The great Digimon looked down at me, showing no emotion. Removing his foot off my chest, he muttered his powerful attack. His body illuminated with the cast of his glow and the fierce attack struck my body with his a heavy blow, the space around us created a crater in the ground. The blow had such an impact that I felt as though my insides were about to explode. The pain shot through every square inch of me and I left out a fit of tears. My body felt so numb and so cold, and I couldn't move.

Rika, release me. Now!

And I did. It was like instincts kicking in. His power enraged my body and a majority of the pain disappeared in seconds. He shot up an attack of Crimson Beast King Wave, sending Cyberdramon hurdling into the air. We stood up and released another powerful attack causing rejuvenation on us. Flaremon cast out a move that sent over fifty duplicates of us and each one attacked the surrounding area. We turned around and glared at Ryo. "Why?" I mouthed.

Ryo shook his head and pulled out his Digivice. He swiped a card through it and Cyberdramon came soaring towards us. We easily dodged him and fired more attacks, making contact with him from all angles. The bug-like Digimon fell to its knees.

"You won't get so lucky next time," Cyberdramon threatened. "You're fighting like a coward as usual, Flaremon."

"It's called tactics, you pathetic excuse for a creature," Flaremon retorted. We raised our fist and swung it down on the Digimon, shrouding him in fire.

"Garuru Kick!" An attack came from behind. It hit us in the back sending us stumbling a few steps.

"So like you, King. Have your friends fight in an uneven numbered match. You're pathetic," Flaremon spat.

The Weregrururmon came in for another kick but we grabbed his foot and swung him right into a building. He crashed through several before coming to a hault. Garudamon appeared from nowhere and shot out several of her attacks. We gracefully dodged them all and dashed at her. Several clones followed and each one jumped up onto the massive bird feet. She let out a Fire Hurricane, destroying several clones as well as causing massive damage to buildings in the way.

Flaremon grinned and fired another Refreshing Roar, taking down the giant bird. We hopped onto a building's roof as the Garudamon collapsed. We glanced down at the others, who were watching with disdain and worry. "If you're going to fight," Flaremon mocked, "at least be a challenge."

"If it's a challenge you are up for," an unfamiliar voice boomed, "then fight me."

"Hmph. Look who finally appears from the shadows," Flaremon laughed. He was getting too cocky. I groaned.

Baihumon appeared before us. The massive silver and purple-stripped tiger glimmered in the light. Its mane caressed its neck behind its armoured face. Its claws freakishly large and teeth bearing. The Sovereign looked furious, which only greatly amused Flaremon. "How is it possible that you are back, Flaremon?"

We walked closer to the Sovereign who never budged. "I am alive because you cannot stop me, Baihumon. Unless of course you are willing to kill a human child."

Baihumon narrowed his eyes, "the same trick as last time, I see. Why must you use such feeble tactics? It is degrading."

Flaremon left out another laugh, "why should you care? You have never cared about a human before, why start now?"

The Sovereign frowned. "If it was not for those children then our world would be not anymore."

"If it wasn't for them then half of our race wouldn't have been extinct! Many of our kind have died for them." Flaremon growled. "Why give such a fate into the hands of a human? So what if their world had been destroyed? Ours would have not and we would have roamed free. The D-Reaper was the best virus every created and you had to vaccinate it."

"The D-Reaper would have destroyed the Digimon, too!" Ryo shouted from below. "You're selfish and always have been, Flaremon."

"And so what? I could care not for these humans. What have they done to us? And to let one become King in our lands? That's intolerable."

"What is intolerable is you taking the life of a human for your selfish needs." Baihumon said. "Before we kill you, tell us, why are you doing this?"

We glanced around and all five Digimon stood on every side of us, as well as Ryo, Tai, Matt, and Sora. We closed our eyes, "it wasn't obvious to you? I was the most powerful Digimon until that King came along. It was seven years ago when he first stepped foot onto our land. He fought and battled many Digimon and became stronger. It wasn't too soon after that when he became the soul ruler of our world."

"So you were jealous of him? You wanted to become the King?" Sora asked.

We glared at her, "no, foolish human. That King was my master. I was his Digimon until he abandoned me and partnered with that ugly bug. I was always much stronger."

"When? As far as I knew, Ryo was always with Cyberdramon." Matt said, stepping forward. "And I've known him for a long time."

"Seven years ago, do you not listen? You had only met Ryo Akiyama when you came to the Digital World four years ago." Flaremon snarled. "None of you know nothing about him." We all glanced over at Ryo. He shrugged.

"It's true, you really don't." Ryo frowned. "I wouldn't expect any of you to understand why, either."

"Oh, please, do share." I was the one to say. Ryo looked at me and sighed.

"Fine. Yes, Flaremon was my Digimon seven years ago. The only reason I abandoned him was because of what he had done to my friend. He killed her!"

I shook my head, "you killed her! And she was your lover, not your friend."

Ryo twisted his face, "stop believing everything he has been saying, Rika. Listen to me for once. He had done the same thing to my friend has he had done to you. Yes, ok, she was my lover. Flaremon possessed her and used her to turn against me. I had no choice but to stop him. It wasn't until her data was released that then I knew he hadn't exactly taken over her body. He tricked her into believing lies about me which turned her against me."

"So you killed her thinking it was Flaremon?" I asked.

Ryo nodded. "After that, we parted and I had met Cyberdramon. At times I would return home but a majority of my life was spent here, in the Digital World. Four years ago I had encountered another evil Digimon working alongside Flaremon: Myotismon. Both had tried to destroy the human world. I couldn't handle it alone so I summoned others to help," he notioned Matt, Tai, and Sora. "They defeated Myotismon, but not Flaremon; who had decided to flea the scene.

"Two years later he again tried to conquor the Digital World by using another human; Ken Ichiouji."

I nodded, "I thought the Digital World was something made up in card games and all these Digimon were just TV shows. I can't believe you are real people."

Ryo shook his head, "after what happened three years ago, Flaremon went into hiding again. We assumed he had either died or given up, which is why were in the real world. The TV shows were made up but of real events. Except that no one knew the truth and Matt and the others were credited for coming up with the idea."

"What about Dolphin and the others?" I asked. I thought they were the ones that came up with it.

"They played a part, too. The real history behind all the world's events were hushed up. Those who had forgotten were forced to. The United Nations had convinced everyone it was a hoax and that it was in preparation of a real UFO landing." Ryo grinned, "pretty pathetic if you ask me."

Flaremon shot him a look, "and no one cares of your opinion. What he is saying is true, that I shall not deny. I did try to take over the human world and have tried a number of times to destroy the real world. I even created the D-Reaper."

It slowly began to make sense. "So to sum it up, you have wanted to kill all humans from the start. It had nothing to do with Ryo becoming King. He was just too powerful and got in your way of your plans, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Flaremon said. "Now I can use you, Rika, to finish off the humans. Do you think they want to harm you?"

"They've already tried, if you can't remember." I snapped. We looked down and our legs were covered in metal. I could suddenly feel the pain. It was like the metal was running through our blood and ceasing our leg muscles.

Baihumon seemed to know what we were thinking, "you cannot escape anymore, Flaremon. You're finally finished."

A/N: Alright. Sorry for the late post. Anyway, it isn't over yet so don't think so. I've still got lots more. Hopefully this clears up some confusion ^-^