A/N: Sorry for the long chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and that it sheds some light onto the characters. It had been a wild ride from the start to this chapter with, I will admit, some confusing storyline, especially when it had come to Ryo's feelings towards Rika. There will be a few more chapters to come after this, but this story is pretty much done. Enjoy, and please review if you have the time! :-)

Chapter 15 – Keeper of Time

It didn't take long before I felt my body begin to slip away. All my emotions, feelings, and control were gone. Ryo's attack and hatred for me burned deep and whatever control I was clinging to had vanished. Flaremon had taken over, taken control. The damn Digimon had been trying for months to coerce me into full access to my body; he threatened the lives of my friends, family, Ryo...even showed me what my future would look like. I never wanted to give in. I wanted to be free of him. Free from all the pain, misery, and neglect that I had been receiving from the people whom I assumed were friends.

Now, it was too late. In that split second Ryo had attacked, I left my guard fall from incredulity. It was my physical appearance he had attacked which meant he still felt the same way. He wanted me dead because of Flaremon. And I wanted Flaremon dead because of Ryo. Not that I would be able to do that. My body was entirely taken over.

I looked through the eyes of the devious Digimon, Flaremon. Although, he was no longer Flaremon. The power and energy he had taken from me; my thoughts, feelings, any kind of emotion, had Digivolved him. It was the sensation that I had felt the first time Renamon and I became one. The overwhelming power, although this visible strength is far greater than Sakuyamon's, is how I knew I was trapped inside the mind and body of Apollomon.

Like being one with Sakuyamon, my body floated inside the Digital presence of Apollomon. I looked down to see my body was naked and hair was no longer tied back into a tight bun. The only difference, other than the shear measure in strength, was that I could not control any movements. I was stuck watching through the eyes of a monster, the vision in front of me as though I had been watching every action from a TV screen. Voices and sounds echoed through my ears as if everything was in high definition.

Apollomon's voice was hard, and heavy with excitement. "Go on, King. Keep hitting me. You'll kill your friend's soul that is trapped within me."

"I don't care," Justimon's voice cried out. My hurt lurched at his words. "As long as I kill you, too, Apollomon."

Apollomon was still trapped under the foot of Justimon, whom had been bringing down his foot in menacing kicks. Each kick not only hurt Apollomon, but myself as well and I couldn't cry out. As Justimon lifted a foot, Apollomon turned from his stomach and grabbed it. He squeezed Justimon's leg and the sound of the metal crunching was deafening. Justimon howled in pain. He brought his arm down in a Thunder Clap, electrocuting our body.

The shock jolted through my body. Apollomon laughed. "You're only hurting Rika, not me. Keep going." Another Thunder Clap convulsed through my body. Apollomon was enjoying it as if he was some kind of masochist. "Maybe another will kill her. Who cares though. I took all her energy, her mind, her soul...she's nothing but a shell now."

It wasn't true. I still had thoughts, and feelings. I felt like I was still a living being. But could he be right? What if we ever were to be separated? Would I been empty? I tried to shake the thought but couldn't. I couldn't bear the thought of losing my mind and not being able to grow old, begin a life. A relationship. Tears slid down my cheeks. I felt another Thunder Clap surge through my body, this one more powerful than the last.

Apollomon's voice rang through my ears again. "A-ha! She's crying from all the pain. Whatever damage is done to me is done unto the human as well. She will die far before I cease defeat." Flaremon had told me before Ryo showed up that he was trying to kill me. He was trying to rid me first which is why he wasn't fighting back.

Those words seemed to have touched Ryo. He withdrew his hand before attacking again. "Free her from you," he commanded.

"I refuse to do that, King." Apollomon jeered. "This is much more fun seeing you kill your friend. You'll never be strong enough to take me down. And once I eliminate the both of you, I'll kill your friends and go to the human world. I won't stop until every human pays for my misfortune with their life."

"Your misfortune?" Justimon said in disbelief. "You had it easy. You were the Keeper of Peace between both worlds. You just became inflicted by greed. You would never have been fit to rule the Digital World. And you never will be fit to."

Although battle was going on around us, the two mega level Digimon acted as though they were the only two on the field. A WarGreymon behind Justimon was tossing off Tera Novas at Digimon presumed to be Apollomon's followers. A Birdramon flew high in the sky, shooting off fire pellets that scorched the ground around us. I could hear Rapidmon's voice calling out in the distance and felt a tinge of relief knowing Henry and Terriermon were finally reunited.

"I would have made a better king than a human ever could." Apollomon said. He twisted Justimon's leg and tossed him. He flew for several feet and crashed into the ugly rock. "Iron Spikes!" Dozens of thick, metal spikes surrounded Justimon. Some crashed through the rock, crumbling it to pieces. When the spikes subsided, an illuminating light surrounded it. Justimon was blinded by the light, trapped in his cage. He was unable to move because of the damage to his leg. "Sun Punch Arrow!" Apollomon lifted his hands. The jewels began to glow and large, fiery arrows emerged, shooting towards Justimon. Each one made contact and the cyborg dropped to his knees.

A Terra Nova headed in our direction. Apollomon punched it as if it were nothing and the attack burst, leaving us unharmed. MetalGarurumon shot bullets in our direction, but they melted from the radiating heat of Apollomon's fiery defense. This caused him to laugh. "It's typical that you should use friends to fight your battles, King. Is that not the reason you brought other humans into our world?"

Justimon looked up, his body shook and faltered as if he was ready to burst into thousands of digital bits. "There is nothing wrong with some help."

"Some? You continue to bring more and more humans into this world to try and stop me. Each time you fail. You are no better than I when it comes to toying with others."

He shook his head, "we both have different values, Apollomon. I brought help in to defeat you. To stop you from destroying two worlds. You used help to destroy said worlds. We are far from the same."

"Then how could you so easily allow your friend to die?" Apollomon asked, almost sounding disgusted. My heart stopped in anticipation of the answer, but Apollomon continued. "Her feelings for you and your safety is what caused me to grow so powerful. She continuously begged me not to kill you. To spare your pathetic life. We have had so many missed opportunities to kill you but I wasn't in control of her body at that time. I would have ended you+. And yet, you still humbly stand here acting as if you care for the sake of humans after attempting to take ones life many times."

Justimon stood, grabbing onto one of the spikes for support. "Some times it is necessary to have sacrifices if it means saving others."

Tearing out my heart and crushing it was the same effect as those words. The electrocuting was far less painful. I began to sob uncontrollably. How could he say that? He really didn't care what happened to me. The kiss from before, our first kiss, meant nothing. He never shared the same feelings. I was devastated but I could also feel Apollomon's powers growing from it. And in the moment, for the very first time since becoming one with Flaremon, I didn't care. As if reading my thoughts, Apollomon said, "she wants to know about that kiss."

Justimon's eyes widened, the question was clearly unexpected. His answer took a long time to come. "I was trying to take your soul from Rika. That is all."

"It meant nothing. Like her life?" Apollomon asked. For a brief second, I thought I could feel sympathy from Apollomon, almost as if he was sorry he even bothered to ask.

Tears formed in Justimon's eyes and he looked away, not daring to make eye contact. "No."

I heard several gasps from behind. It was like the battle suddenly came to a halt from his words. All the Tamers and Digimon stopped moving. Even Apollomon was dumbfounded. Takato's voice rang through me, "how could you ever say that about your friends, Ryo?"

Another shout from behind. The voice I recognized as Tai's. "After all we have been through? You care so little about your friends?"

"It's not like that," Justimon roared. "You people have no idea what Flar—Apollomon is capable of. I needed your help to stop him from destroying the Digital World and the Real World. Your help was very much appreciated, as were the friendships formed." He turned to look at the group of Tamers. They all had formed around each other. Apollomon looked at them too. Takato had his arms wrapped around Jeri, whom was crying. Matt and Sora were holding hands, clearly disgusted from this conversation. Tai stood beside WarGreymon, eyes burning into Justimon's. Henry, Kazu, Kenta, and their respected partners, including Leomon, surrounded Takato and Jeri, unable to speak. And the Digimon on the battlefield were stopped. They, too, couldn't believe the words being spoken.

Justimon continued. "Don't listen to Apollomon. He's already killed Rika. He's asking these questions as a way for you to turn against me. She doesn't exist anymore."

"Her body is still intertwined with mine," Apollomon told him. "Although I have full control over us, she is still very much there."

I felt like my body was sinking. Like it was being sucked into a blackness that I would never escape from. Ryo thought I was already dead and didn't care to find the truth. He would much rather kill Apollomon, it's been his mission all along. Did he care for any of the Tamers? Or had his mission been all along to use us as minions in his battle against Flaremon. Were we pawns to him?

"Prove she is still alive," I heard Henry yell.

"What does it matter, human? She and the rest of you will be eliminated soon." Apollomon said.

"Yes," Justimon said. "Prove to us that she is still alive. If she is not, I will give you a real fight."

"Oh? You were some how taking it easy on me? Don't lie to us now. Rika, say something." Apollomon demanded. I couldn't find my voice. I choked on sobs. This seemed to fuel Apollomon's anger. "She's crying too much to talk."

"She's not even alive," Justimon roared. He darted at Apollomon, broken leg and all. "Thunder Clap!" His metallic arm reached our chest, the electricity burned through us. I was able to cry out from pain. Justimon retracted his arm. He was able to hear the scream. "She-she's alive?"

"What did I tell you?" Apollomon laughed. Justimon's defense dropped. "Sunfire Punch!" Apollomon's fist grew with flames and he sucker punched Justimon in the jaw. Justimon flew up in the air. Apollomon grabbed an iron spike, ready to impale Justimon with it. Stop it! I yelled as loud as I could at Apollomon, causing him to miss with the spike.

What? How did you stop me?

I didn't know. Don't hurt him!

Justimon's body fell to the ground with a loud thud. MetalGarurumon and WarGreymon came forward with an attack. Both let off their most powerful ones. Apollomon grabbed Justimon by the neck and tossed him towards the attacks.

No! I used my power to hurry our body and absorb the blast before Justimon. Both attacks collided and I screamed in agony. My cries pitched over the battlefield.

"How did you do that?" Apollomon roared in anger. "I have control!"

"Stop it, MetalGarurumon!" Matt cried out. "Your attacks will kill Rika!"

"Kill us," I cried out. I felt as if I was regaining control over Apollomon. Was it because he dropped his defenses during conversation? I didn't know how it was happening. This better not be like a cliche anime where the hero becomes more powerful to protect friends. I moved our body away from the others. Justimon rose and darted at us in such a haste, it was almost a blur. His body collided with us, sending Apollomon into a tree so hard that I thought my back was going to snap from it. The tree toppled over and Justimon sat atop of us. He began punching Apollomon in the face.

The fiery lion simply laughed from being hit. "I don't know how you controlled me there, human, but I can assure you it won't happen again." If digital jaws could break, I'm sure Apollomon's would have fallen off by now from all the blows we've been taking. My jaw was being affected by the blows as well, although no physical evidence would show from it. Each hit felt as though it was knocking me back into reality. That I was able to feel my senses and maybe some how I could use that to regain control. Sure Ryo stopped caring for me, or maybe he never cared at all, but clearly the others did. Is that what gave me the power to control Apollomon?

Takato ran for Justimon and grabbed him by the arm. The punch was strong and pulled his body with each attack. "Stop it, Ryo!"

Tai and Matt joined him. They all attempted pulling on his arm. Tai said, "Ryo, you're hurting your friend. There will be another way!"

"There is no other way!" Ryo cried. His voice was faltering as if he had been crying. "Don't listen to him. He killed Rika!"

"No he didn't!" Matt shouted. MetalGarurumon stepped in to the fight. He bit down on Justimon's arm, enabling him from punching again. "Did you not hear her? And she stopped you from being hit by the Nova Blast, Ryo! Put your damn hatred for Apollomon aside and think of your friend!"

Apollomon used a Sunfire Punch and knocked Justimon off of him before using a Sun Ball Blast. The orb from our back became ablaze and enlarged. The attack sent scorching fire towards Justimon, MetalGarurumon, Takato, Matt, and Tai. MetalGarurumon pulled Matt and Tai to the ground and used his body as a shield. Justimon stood in front of Takato, taking the heat of the blast. When the fire subsided, Ryo and Monodramon laid just feet away. I couldn't tell if they had been unconscious or not, due to the thick smoke.

Takato screamed something incoherent to my ears. My head had been rushing from all the strength we used for that attack. I watched as MetalGarurumon and the other retreated, pulling an unwilling Takato with him. Is he dead?

No...not yet.

We headed towards Ryo, he was face down in the smouldering ground, his partner not too far away. We stepped on Monodramon as we made our way to Ryo. He wasn't moving but was very much alive.

"This is your end, King." Apollomon spat. As he balled our fist, I could feel the rest of our strength gather. It was like a giant heat wave of energy balling around our arm and making its way to our fist. "Sunfire Punch!" I couldn't force Apollomon to stop it. I had been too weak from the punches we endured earlier. I tried with my last bit of will to stop the attack but Apollomon was too strong. I closed my eyes not wanting to see the death of Ryo. Sadness warmed through my body. A knot tied in my stomach, pulsing its way through my throat. I fought back tears and refused to look...but the attack never came.

Instead, an intense, searing pain purged through our body. And then another. Another...and several more. I opened my eyes to see what had attacked us, but Apollomon still stared down at Ryo. Another shot pierced through my body and a rippling pain surged. My physical body inside of Apollomon felt as though it was being torn; as if having my skin ripped apart from him. I still couldn't see what had attacked and the screen that had been my vision through Apollomon slowly began slipping away. Was I dying?

I wasn't sure what exactly was happening. Penetrating pings of pain that shot through my arms, legs, chest, head, everywhere. My body ripped through Apollomon and I tore out of his back as if I was zippered in. My head came out first, in-taking a gulp of fresh air, then my arms and legs came out next. Moments later, I stood behind Apollomon, dazed. Through bleary eyes, I saw an angel. Definitely dying... She floated above our separate bodies...Separate...at last. I could make out her arm moving into some kind of shape and another white flash of light came our way. Apollomon ducked and the light hit me with such force, the last thing I had seen was darkness.

Angewomon, the Keeper of Time. She was one of the most beautiful Digimon known in existence. Unlike other Angewomon, she was much larger, her wing spanning over twenty feet, her height being nearly ten feet from foot to head. Normal Angewomon wore a purple shawl wrapped around their bodies, but the Keeper of Time was different. Her colours were gold and white. White clothing just barely covering her feminine physique and gold for everything else. The gold illuminated her body, causing her to glow like how I would imagine a real angel to.

My body ached as I sat upright, looking into the face of my saviour. If it hadn't been for her, Apollomon would have finished me off. Other than a bit of internal bruising, my body had been left unscathed. It was hard to believe after such a substantial attack against Justimon. I couldn't help to think that perhaps our lives had also been saved because of Rika. Did she stop the attack from being more impenetrable? Rika...I fought back tears of disgust.

I couldn't control my feelings of anguish and malice towards Flaremon. I had let those feelings build into a consolidated state of innervation which blindsided my feelings for the only girl whom had mattered in my life.

Of course, I had not meant what I said about the kiss earlier. I had thought about that kiss almost every day while searching for her. I longed for more; to feel the sensual arousal of her lips pressed to mine. Her touch and smell. Even the thought of her sent harmonious electricity though my body that ravaged my hormones in a way that no other pleasure could. And that thought sent me wildly attacking Apollomon. Just the apprehension of not being able to see, or feel, Rika again riled my hatred more for the Digimon. I attacked him without consequence to my own actions, ignoring the beating pleas of the others to stop.

He had killed her, was the only thought that processed through my mind during the encounter. Nothing else mattered to me at that moment when he said she was dead. I believed so deeply that he was telling the truth, how else would Flaremon be able to evolve without absorbing every ounce of Rika's being. Stealing her energy, her mind, her soul is how he enabled himself into Digivolving further into his stages.

Apollomon was pressing me, trying to rattle me into fighting. I knew he would say anything to guile anyone into believing him. To take his side. It's what he was after, it's why he asked me all those questions, especially the one about the kiss. He tried to break my team apart and I wouldn't let him. Or at least, I tried stopping him from saying anything that would trigger any doubt into the minds of my friends. By telling him the kiss meant nothing, I had hoped those words would enrage him into attacking me by not being fooled by his measly attempts at lowering my defenses. Instead, it triggered pity. Pity! From the likes of such a Digimon. It had been enough to further my detest for him.

When I heard the cries from Rika, I felt uncontrollable at that point. Like I had to keep hitting to hear her voice for my own. To console myself that maybe there was a smidgen chance she really was still alive but I couldn't risk it being another trick by Apollomon as a way to get to me. And the more I hit him, the more I heard her screams, I hoped that her body would somehow be separated from the evil by the action of my hands. But it wasn't enough. I wasn't strong enough to protect her.

Rika...I managed to get to my feet, Monodramon behind me for support. Angewomon steadied her arm into a bow and fired off arrows, pulling Rika's body from Apollomon's. I figured Angewomon would be able to separate the two; that is why we were searching for her in the first place. The Keeper of Time's abilities were to restore the now into the once was. I figured since the two used to be their own bodies, she would be able to restore their merged selves into the state they used to be in. It had worked and I had never felt such a wave of relief wash over me like that had.

As the two bodies separated from one another, Rika stood behind Apollomon, her body so tiny against his. She appeared to be dazed by it, but Apollomon was not. He rose an arm to attack Angewomon. Another arrow fired his way, but he ducked. The arrow pierced through Rika's body and I saw her collapse onto the ground. I cried out in disbelief and consternation. She was finally free only to be attacked by the one Digimon that sought to help her. Betrayed by her. And by me.

I ran to her body that had been lying on the ground and seized it. The arrow had dispersed leaving a fresh wound in her shoulder. Blood soaked through her shirt and dripped onto the ground below. Tears swelled in my eyes over the thought of losing her after all this time. Her breathing was shallow but she had still been alive. Maybe there was time to save her. I looked up pleadingly into Angewomon, who bared no attention to myself or Rika.

Angewomon was focused on Apollomon. "We meet again." Her words were like an angelic hymn that caressed my eardrums. I remembered why I had always enjoyed talking to her in the past. By this point, any commotion that had been going on was suddenly placed on hold. Apollomon's so called minions had fled the battlefield like they, too, would be targeted by such a celestial Digimon.

Apollomon breathed hard, sounding defeated. The dissolution, followed by the encounter with Angewomon, clearly wore him down. If I had been Justimon, I would have been able to defeat him once and for all. "We do, Keeper."

"Still up to your old tactics. Things really don't change." Angewomon commented, sounding disappointed.

"Yeah, well, you should be used to change, wouldn't you agree?" Apollomon said through gritted teeth. "How are you not dead?"

Angewomon's lips curled into a smile. "You cannot kill something that exists for a purpose, Apollomon."

"That explains why I cannot be stopped, then."

"What purpose do you exist for?" She asked, bemused.

I ripped a part of my shirt off and tied it around Rika's shoulder, hoping to tourniquet the wound. With one ear, I listened on to the conversation. I picked Rika up in a princess style fashion and carried her away from Apollomon. He could strike us at any given moment and finish the both of us off. It was a chance I was unwilling to take. I attempted to haul Rika back to the others but a fiery path blocked us from them. Apollomon's Sun Ball Blast did a number on the surrounding area. It had diminished the already perishing trees and left a fiery wake in its path.

Apollomon said, "to be king of the Digital World. I was created for no other purpose."

"You were created to protect both worlds from fiends like yourself, Apollomon." Angewomon said. "You failed in your duties and will continue to fail as your life has no other purpose but to."

Her words hit a soft spot on Apollomon. He attacked Angewomon with a Sun Punch Arrow, but the attack disappeared. He tried again, and again, but the attacks never reached.

Angewomon grew tired of it. "You easily forget that I have the ability to change time. I can manipulate your attacks into never existing." She spread her arms and her body illuminated. In a blink of an eye, the darkness turned to daylight, the trees restored to health, the fire had been gone as if it was never there to begin with. Even the ugly rock was back, as if it had been left untouched. "I can restore the Digital World to its previous state. Back to before you harmed it."

"But you cannot bring a life back," Apollomon laughed. "I made you hit that girl with your arrow. Now, she will die."

"It is true," her voice hymned through the breezy air. Her hair blew through the wind. "Lives can never be restored, only material things."

I looked down at Rika. Her breathing was becoming worse. Perhaps from the blood loss. The warm blood had washed over my hands and stained the green grass red. I felt a sickening sensation rise. "You cannot help her?"

Angewomon's voice was plagued by sorrow, "I cannot."

"I see..."

"I have sought after you for many months, Ryo," she told him, although retained her distrusting attention on Apollomon. "I followed behind you and the other humans, restoring the land back to its peaceful state. I could sense you were in need of my assistance. I obliged to your call, but I am sorry that I can truly not help save your friend."

"She's just a human, anyway," Apollomon snarled. "I will eliminate all of them and I will start in the human world."

"I will never allow you to pass into the real world." Angewomon told him.

"Iron Spikes!" Spikes began digging into the ground around Apollomon, creating a shield between him and Angewomon. He shot off a fiery attack and used the spikes to create a firewall. "The stupid humans left me a nice transporter into their world."

Dammit. Yamaki dropped a transporter into this world? Why in the hell-

Apollomon dashed in the opposite direction of everyone. Angewomon broke through the fiery wall and shot arrows in his direction, missing him. I watched helplessly as she took off after him. Moments later, the two Digimon were gone. I headed back to the others and heard a loud reverberation behind me. I knew what that sound was. It was an all too familiar one and I had no way to escape in time from the suction of a data stream.