Ken wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, but his body had certainly needed it. It still wanted more, if the heaviness in his body - and some in his brain - that resisted his awakening was anything to go by. Despite his body's best efforts, consciousness ended up winning out. Groggily, he opened his eyes, and was instantly greeted by the sight of Wormmon's egg floating leisurely in its tube.
Ken had a perfect view of his partner from his bed. He asked that the mattress be moved into the tube room so that he could be close to his partner, but Osamu wouldn't hear about such, in his brother's own words, "half-assed measures." Osamu had the room altered so that it could contain not only the equipment for Wormmon's treatment, but a comfortable bedroom with an attached bathroom.
It was overwhelming at first for Ken to see the lengths Osamu would go through for him, especially when some Digimon were summoned to help move the furniture and change things around, but his brother wouldn't hear of any protests that he "wasn't worth the effort."
That comment got shut down immediately with a sharp stare from Osamu.
"I've always thought you're worth more than my life, Ken," Osamu said, his voice so serious it bordered on grave. "That's never going to change."
Those words brought back the vivid memory of the car accident, and Ken felt the phantom pain of the impact along with his brother's body wrapped tightly around him as a living, bleeding shield. Guilt followed immediately afterwards as he still vaguely remembered how, in his dream world, Osamu's death came without that noble sacrifice. He couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't worth it - not his brother's life, his friends' lives, or his partner's.
Even still, Ken allowed Osamu to do things for him. It was hard for him not to just follow his brother's lead, as old habits reemerged.
It was a strange feeling to be both touched and made miserable by a kind gesture and sentiment, but Ken did his best not to feel the latter. Osamu was trying so hard to please him. His brother was alive and here with him. Ryo was alive, and Keiko was… sort of alive? She would be fine, just like Wormmon, Osamu insisted.
Everything was better, but the scars still lingered in the Chosen of Kindness' heart.
Ken tried his best to shake off those morose thoughts, knowing that he was just hurting himself needlessly and putting himself at risk of being pulled into the Dark Ocean. Instead, he focused on Wormmon floating serenely in the tube as he sat in his comfortable bed in his well lit and pleasantly designed room.
It might have been a selfish request, but Ken managed to quiet most of his doubts for now and just appreciate the results. He wasn't sure if his presence actually did anything for Wormmon or if it was wishful thinking on his part, but it did make him feel relieved to see his partner's egg.
Ken watched Wormmon's egg through the ribbons of dark and light swirling in the tube as he lay comfortably on his stomach with the side of his head propped up by the pillow. He simply sat there for a long while, appreciating the moment before he finally spoke softly. "Good morning, Wormmon."
The egg in the tube seemed to flicker a soft pink. Ken couldn't be certain it was a return greeting, but he preferred to think it was.
After giving his partner one last glance, the Chosen of Kindness stretched wide, letting out a yawn, before he slowly sat up into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands, wiping away the lingering sleepiness, before he spared the room a glance.
It was then that Ken noticed his DT2 sitting on the nightstand by his bed, blinking at him. His brother had returned the device to him. Naturally, Osamu had scrubbed it before doing so, including removing the messages from… that incident.
Ken didn't mind it. He wasn't eager to re-read those messages, or relive that moment. While part of him thought that was pure selfishness and cowardice, he reminded himself that Osamu had done it, not him. The decision, like many others, had been taken out of his hands, which made him feel both relieved and guilty at the same time.
While that was also pure cowardice, assigning blame elsewhere, it gave Ken room to breathe and deal with other things on his mind. For instance, the message he seemed to have received.
The boy genius flipped open his DT2 and immediately saw that the message was from Daisuke. He immediately felt a fresh wave of guilt and shame, as it reminded him of what had happened to V-mon because of his ridiculous choices. He was apprehensive to read what Daisuke had to tell him, lest he find condemnation for his involvement, before he shoved those thoughts aside and made himself access the message.
Ken, I hope you are doing better! Don't worry about V-mon. Lord Zeed helped him hatch, and he's recovering quickly! He'll be back to normal soon, so don't blame yourself for something that definitely wasn't your fault!
Ken stared at the message in silence before a soft, relieved smile appeared on his face even as tears formed in his eyes. "Oh, thank goodness, I-"
A bell rang out in the Chosen of Kindness' head, giving him pause. Something about the message was off, his senses were screaming at him. Ken frowned then re-read the message a second time, searching for what he had glossed over the first time.
When his eyes fell upon it, Ken stiffened. His heart nearly stopped in his chest at the sight of the words, his blood running cold, before he all but jumped to his feet straight out of the bed with a strangled scream.
"Lord Zeed!?"
Christmas was in full display at the shopping district, with wreaths and lights as well as other decorations covering the area with festive cheer. While the holiday itself was decidedly western, its global appeal quickly spread even as far as Japan. It was just having a little trouble spreading its way into Sora's heart. At least, not without some guilt to go with it.
Sora made a small noise in the back of her throat as she stood staring at a statue in front of the local American fried chicken restaurant, a smiling Southern gentleman which had been decorated to look like Santa Claus. Normally, she'd be looking forward to - while also anxiously awaiting - Christmas day, wondering if Taichi would actually have the courage to invite her out on a date. Given that they were now officially a couple, the holiday had that much more of an impact on her.
Instead, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at allowing herself to waste her time like this, going shopping with Hikari, when they were waiting for war to explode across the Digital World. The fact that Mimi wasn't able to go with them, instead standing guard over their greatest enemy, only served to grind that fact into her brain.
The commercials Sora kept seeing for Digimon World certainly didn't help. It seemed like it was everywhere, like a flash flood of promotions for Mr. Tengoku's new franchise. Every time she caught a flash of a familiar face in her peripheral vision, she couldn't help but jump and whip her head about to stare, only to be greeted by the sight of a television screen.
The other Chosen Children felt the same, she was sure. Unfortunately, they also couldn't think of what else they could be doing besides just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Attacking Zeed themselves seemed straight out, especially with the bubble currently protecting the temple along with their friends. While they couldn't imagine what Zhuqiaomon could do to change that fact, apparently he did have something up his sleeves if Cassandramon was correct about him launching an attack. The Holy Beast surely must have had a way to deal with the barrier, or he would have been knowingly ramming his face against it. So, as frustrating as it was, the best option seemed to be to wait for Zhuqiaomon to make his move, and then join the fight.
Of course, the fact that they'd be joining forces with Keiko's murderer, and Ryo's would be murderer, was hardly any more palpable.
Sora sighed. The point of the entire trip was to distract herself from brooding, but it seemed that was the only thing she was doing. The Chosen of Love glanced over to where Hikari was looking through the little figurines on display, and she could see by the slight edge in the younger girl's expression that she was having a similar internal struggle. Clearly, her heart wasn't fully in the shopping trip, and how could it? Everyone was busy celebrating - or preparing to celebrate - and here they were waiting for a war no one else could comprehend.
Still, Sora had a responsibility to at least try and ease Hikari's burden.
"You know, it just occurred to me," Sora said as he turned to face Hikari, prompting the Chosen of Light to stop and look at her. "There's a possibility… that we could be spending Christmas with Keiko this year."
Hikari paused before her eyes practically lit up. The orb was working to heal Keiko's body even at that very moment as they spoke. While they didn't know when it'd actually be completed, the truth was that it could be at any moment.
"That's right!" Hikari said as she turned to face Sora, brightening with excitement. "We could spend Christmas with her, and with Ryo and Ken too, and even Osamu! We can all enjoy Christmas together!"
"That's right," Sora said with a smile. "All of us, together."
"Careful, Sora might just ditch you too."
Sora blinked at the sudden interruption before she frowned, trying to place the voice. The answer came quickly, about the same time as she turned her head to visually confirm what her mind had already told her - Rie.
Rie stood off to the side with a large smirk on her face, as if what she had said was some sort of major burn or victory against her target. If her friends' faces as they stood smirking beside the girl were anything to go by, they obviously thought the same.
It was fairly laughable, all things considered.
"Hello, Rie," Sora said, smiling as she tilted her head to the side. "Do you need something?"
Rie paused at that non-reaction but managed to recover with a smirk. "Oh, no. It's just that I haven't seen you in so long after you ran off-"
"We're in the same class," Sora said.
"Huh?" Rie blinked, clearly startled at being interrupted. "What?"
"We're in the same class," Sora repeated, her smile still on her face. "You saw me in class today, and you'll be seeing me in class tomorrow too."
"That…," Rie sputtered for a moment, tripping over her words before she managed to recover. "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it!"
Hikari eyed Rie with a mixture of worry and suspicion before she turned her gaze to Sora. "You two know each other?" The question was obvious, she knew, but the way Rie interrupted them with such an attitude reminded her of certain classmates of hers as well as Jun. It made her worry about what Rie's relationship was with Sora.
"Something like that, yes," Sora said, still smiling, as she turned to Hikari. "Anyway, shall we continue to another shop?"
"Running away again?" Rie asked snidely before letting out a snort. "Typical Sora."
"I know, right?"
"Sooo typical~!"
"She's such a coward, huh?"
The other girls chimed in, as if they thought their contributions would help grind the point home. However, rather than shrink under their combined condemnation, the Chosen of Love smiled even brighter at them.
"See you at class tomorrow, Rie," Sora replied as she gave a small wave over her shoulder, her other hand guiding Hikari away from her classmate and assembled friends.
Sora couldn't help but feel a small twinge of satisfaction at the shocked looks on Rie and her friends' faces. It was a petty feeling, but the fact that her refusing to rise to their bait was throwing them off completely was fairly gratifying. She preferred that it hadn't happened around Hikari, as the younger Chosen Child was sure to have questions about what had just happened, but she could minimize the amount of drama the other girl was exposed to. Sora had a responsibility to ensure at least that much.
Hikari allowed Sora to guide her away without a word. If there were any doubts about what was going on between Rie and Sora, the way the other girls piled on to the conversation erased them. She was unfortunately all too familiar with such passive-aggressive tactics.
Sora led Hikari further down the street, presumably away from the girls attempting to bully her. Unfortunately, the Chosen of Love could see Rie and her friends following them in her peripheral vision. She let out a soft sigh at that, as it was undeniably a sign that Rie wasn't willing to back off just yet. She'd just have to ignore whatever her former friend had planned for her next.
At least, that was Sora's intention, until Rie opened her mouth.
"You know, Sora, I'm totally not surprised that you'd hang out with Taichi's whore sis-"
Sora suddenly whirled around and in two quick strides was in the other girl's face, cutting Rie off and leaving her former friend with only the view of her blazing eyes.
Rie yelped and attempted to step back to put some space between them, only to find Sora matching her step for step, their noses mere centimeters from each other. "B-back off!" she yelped.
"Rie," Sora said, her voice low like a growl as she continued her assault, asserting her presence right in the other girl's face. "I have a lot of grace and tolerance, but they're not infinite and they're rapidly running out."
"I said b-back off!" Rie barked as she stopped backing up, but only because she had nowhere else to go without stepping off the curb and into traffic. Even her friends had quickly placed a large amount of distance between them, retreating away from the two girls.
"I understand that you're a sad, jealous little girl, but you need to understand something," Sora continued, as if Rie hadn't spoken. "You'll never be able to bring yourself up by tearing better people down."
A flash of outrage crossed Rie's face, but her retort was cut off by Sora sticking a finger in her face, which nearly jabbed her with how close they were.
"And let's not pretend that you, or any of us, give a crap about that damn soccer game!" Sora snarled. "It's just a cheap excuse, because you literally have nothing else. And you don't even seem to realize how badly your stupid argument reflects on you, and the rest of the team! You do realize you're basically saying that I was carrying your asses the whole time!? If my absence was so detrimental that seven other people couldn't carry the slack, then what does that say about you?!"
Rie stiffened as she stared at Sora, a mixture of a glare and a gawk as she clearly couldn't tell which emotion she wanted to listen to.
"How does that feel?" Sora asked, her voice low like the rattling of a snake. "To know that you're completely irrelevant?"
Rie's nostrils flared as anger seemed to win over and she raised her hand as if to slap Sora, but quickly hesitated before throwing the strike when she saw Sora cock her right fist back in response.
"Try it," Sora growled. "See what happens."
Rie trembled slightly before she lowered her arm, impotent tears of anger forming in her eyes. "Y-you bitch!"
"You can't keep blaming me for your failures," Sora said as she finally stepped back, though her expression was cold. "Not for that stupid game, and definitely not now. If you're not happy, then do something about it. Fix yourself, because I'm not going to do the work for you," the Chosen of Love's eyes narrowed, glancing at Rie's friends as they kept their distance before returning her gaze to the furious former friend. "You're not my responsibility."
Everything happened so fast, Hikari was left unable to do anything but watch it all unfold. It stung that the toxic rumors about her had spread to other schools, but seeing Sora defend her with such strength and poise was awe inspiring.
Hikari looked back at Rie, who was so taken aback that the irate girl could only spit out curses while trying not to cry. The Chosen of Light couldn't help but pity Rie then, and the slight to her character felt lesser for it.
A hand in hers drew Hikari's attention back to Sora. Although her friend's expression was still stony, a slight softness came around the eyes as their gazes met.
"Well, shall we go?" Sora asked. "We've got a lot more important things to do today than waste time here."
Though Hikari knew she shouldn't take any pleasure in Rie's trouncing, she couldn't help but think of just how cool Sora was in that moment as a small smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah."
Sora turned on her heels, not sparing Rie or her friends a second glance, as she led Hikari away once more. The sound of her footsteps echoed in the normally noisy street, which had gone quiet as on-lookers stopped to gawk at the girls' fight - though, to their disappointment, it had stopped just short of an actual fight. However, it was enough to make Rie's embarrassment that much worse as she stood and watched the Chosen of Love and Light walk away, leaving her to stew in it, alone.
"Hmhmhmhm~!"
A slender hand gently tugged at the long forearm length black gloves, ensuring their proper fit. Once satisfied, the hands then moved to smooth out the black tailcoat jacket and matching slacks, which looked like a cross between a school uniform and a royal outfit - far too elaborate for any regular student to wear, but enough to still be recognizable as one. The outfit covered a foreign body, complete with golden trim and shoulder decorations, as well as matching gold buttons. The lapels of the jacket were dark purple but sported the gold trim that held everything together. With a dark purple neck tie dangling free around the neck and a black ribbon tying back long flowing purple hair in a ponytail, the entire ensemble was complete save for one final detail.
The black high-heeled boots with gold laces, an absolute necessity and the perfect compromise to a seemingly impossible problem. Would it be better to tower over your love, a dashing figure of confidence? Or would it be better to stand below them, so that their eyes are instinctively drawn to yours in a loving gaze? In this instance, both were accomplished without too much complication.
As always, brilliance would find a way to make things work.
Mimi clapped her hands excitedly, beaming brightly. "Amazing! Cool! Be-au-tiful~! It's perfect from head to toe~!"
"I know," came the response, with a slight quirk of a smile that hinted at sharp canine fangs. The gloved hands reached up to fluff his multi-colored bangs, where streaks of gold mingled with his purple hair. "There. I believe it's time, don't you think?"
"Yes, definitely!" Mimi agreed, giggling. "You can do it, Zeed-chama!"
Palmon waved her hands above her head. "Go, Zeed-chama, go!"
"But of course," Zeed replied with a smirk and a small wink. He then began to glow gold, a soft aura that covered his entire body before he disappeared, leaving no trace behind.
Ryo's room was perfectly quiet. The lights had been turned off so that only the natural afternoon sunlight came trickling in through the cracks in the closed curtains. Without school to worry about, at least not until things finally settled into some resemblance of 'normal', it meant that the Chosen of Miracles didn't have much to do except wait for the other shoe to drop.
And with how exhausted Ryo felt - emotionally, mentally, and physically - it only made sense to use that time to catch up on some rest. With his mother at work and his father off to the store for grocery shopping, it left a perfectly quiet house for Ryo to enjoy. Even Monodramon volunteered to assist in the shopping, with his trench coat disguise, granting Ryo peace and solitude - something he hadn't been able to enjoy for quite some time.
Unfortunately the peace and solitude was not to last, as a golden light appeared in his room, heralding the arrival of the one entity who never failed to shake up Ryo's world every time their paths crossed.
Zeed gave a small blink when Ryo's room came into view, turning his head to take in the sights once the golden light had died down. The room was rather plain, far too plain for his Beloved, but supposed it was just like Ryo to downplay and humble himself to accept such quaint surroundings.
The Digimon-turned human turned to look at the bed, where he saw Ryo slumbering, sprawled out haphazardly on the bed. Zeed frowned, unable to help a flash of disappointment, but he quickly replaced it with a gentle smile before he moved over to Ryo's bed to adjust the blanket so that it better covered the boy's slumbering body. He then quietly sat in the chair by the bed, crossing his legs as he propped his right elbow on the armrest so that he could rest his chin on the back of his hand.
Something in the back of Ryo's mind began to nag at him, slowly breaking its way through the fog in his brain. It screamed he wasn't alone, which was strange, as he should have been alone. That was enough to pierce the veil, so to speak, and the Chosen of Miracles blurrily opened his eyes.
Ryo was immediately greeted by the sight of Zeed's smiling face. The scourge of two worlds was sitting far too casually in the chair beside his bed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to be in the room at that very moment.
"Good morning, Beloved," Zeed said with a saucy smirk. "Or should I say 'good afternoon', my little sleepy-head~?"
Ryo jerked awake with a start, nearly falling out of his bed. "Who-!? You-!? What the hell-!?"
Zeed blinked before he gave a small frown, which quickly turned into a pout. He swiftly brushed it aside to put his smile back in place. "Oh my, you must be tired," He then leaned over to pat Ryo's head, soothingly. "There, there~! Give it a moment, Beloved, and I'm sure my dazzling aura of brilliance will break through that foggy groggy brain of yours~!"
Ryo gaped at the strange human for a moment as he struggled to comprehend what was happening. It didn't take long for things to click into place, as the voice and the phrasing, and more specifically the use of the word 'Beloved', quickly brought to mind only one individual. The realization struck him like thunder, and his eyes widened so much they threatened to pop right out of his head. "Wait… Zeed?!"
"Got it in one, Beloved," Zeed as he leaned forward to lightly boop Ryo's nose. "As I knew you would~!"
Ryo opened his mouth before he closed it with a snap. While he initially wanted to express shock and incredulity at what he was seeing, it ultimately died on his lips. Of course this was something Zeed could do. If anyone could do it, it would be Zeed. All these years, all the battles against Zeed's different forms, and they had never been him. There had been nothing but body doubles, substitutes, and stand-ins for as long as he had known the Digimon. In fact, if it hadn't been for his very visceral instinctive reaction to seeing the Dorumon when Zeed had shown up in person to kill Neemon, Ryo wouldn't have even believed it to be his true form, either.
So, was it really that impossible for Zeed to do something like this? The only real question was if it was just a puppet or an actual body.
"Oh, it's quite real," Zeed responded, which made Ryo jump as he realized he must have verbally asked the question without realizing it. Ryo looked rather embarrassed at unthinkingly voicing his thoughts aloud, then blinked when the Digimon-turned human lifted his fingers to wiggle them at the boy daintily. "My usual puppets wouldn't allow for this level of… intimacy. Even the best puppeteer in the world is still plagued by the distance between themselves and their tools of the trade. And with all the data of the world at my command, that naturally would include my own~!"
Adrenaline rushed through Ryo, banishing the fatigue from his mind and sending his thoughts into a tailspin. Countless thoughts raced through his mind, complex feelings collided and mingled together into a hopeless mess that left him unable to do little more than stare at Zeed with wide eyes as he tried to get his head on straight.
Zeed blinked slowly before a lopsided smile appeared on his face. "Don't forget to breathe, darling. I get that I'm breathtaking, but I would prefer that you don't pass out."
Ryo realized that his lungs were burning at that moment and gasped for air. He tried to remember the breathing exercises that he had been taught to calm himself. He needed to not panic or slip into a traumatic memory when facing the most dangerous Digimon in both worlds… who also just so happened to be the partner that he was missing for years.
Finally, only one coherent question managed to tumble its way past Ryo's lips. "Why are you here?"
"Why, is it not obvious?" Zeed said with a flourish of his hand as he leaned back into the chair, kicking up his right leg as it draped over his left knee. "To show you the results of my efforts~! This body was designed from hours upon hours of research in human sensibility and current trends popular among those in your age bracket~!" The human-looking Digimon flashed a dazzling smile. "It was mere child's play for one such as I~!"
Ryo caught the contradiction that it took Zeed hours to craft a human body, yet at the same time regarded it as child's play, but decided not to comment on it.
Zeed seemed to linger there, waiting for Ryo to say something. Unfortunately, the longer the boy said nothing and simply stared, the more twitchy the human-turned Digimon became. He began to fidget, twiddling his fingers for a moment, before he straightened up and steepled his finger tips together. "B-but I must be honest… I would take any excuse to see my Beloved. Guilty as charged, I suppose~?"
Ryo frowned. Zeed's behavior was completely baffling, not to mention contrary to his expectations and what he knew of the Digimon from their past encounters. Switching between emphasizing and downplaying his achievements, it was as if the Dorumon couldn't decide if he wanted recognition of his efforts or for his supposed skills and lack of effort. It also became clear to him that the more Zeed wasn't getting the reaction he wanted, the more flustered he became.
And… insecure? Could such an arrogant, self-important Digimon even be capable of feeling insecure? Especially to the point that he was fishing for compliments?
Even more, the fact that he wanted those compliments from Ryo specifically was all the more baffling.
"Is it… because he's my partner…?" Ryo murmured to himself.
"Hm?" Zeed blinked and tilted his head quizzically. "What was that, Beloved?"
The Chosen of Miracles furrowed his brow. It made sense, in that context - not just his current behavior but his past behavior as well. It would only make sense for Zeed to save Ryo after Neemon nearly killed him, as the boy's death meant Zeed's death as well. Surely Zeed would have known that? Was his rescue just a calculated effort of self-preservation? It certainly would fit far better than any other explanation.
"Is it because… you're my partner?" Ryo repeated, louder this time. The tone was almost accusing, and in a way it was. He was half-expecting an outright confirmation, or some other lengthy and self-aggrandizing response.
What he didn't expect was the look of absolute confusion on Zeed's face, the lack of recognition or comprehension at the question - at least first. Then, the Digimon's eyes widened in shock and realization seconds before a blush spread across his face. He lifted his hands to cup his cheeks, as if trying to hide the redness that had formed, as his mouth shifted to a giggly smile.
"G-goodness, Beloved, you are certainly forward when you want to be, aren't you?" Zeed said as he fidgeted slightly in place. "But that's just one of the many things I love about you, you're just so full of wonderful surprises~!"
Ryo blinked once, twice, and then a third time as he stared at Zeed, wordlessly.
"I-I mean, I suppose it's only natural that you'd offer me the position," Zeed said, lowering his right hand to wave it beckoningly. "It's been empty for so long, I've noticed… and you keep shifting between Digimon, each more temporary than the last. Clearly, none of them have really met your needs, and certainly haven't been able to earn a permanent position. And how could they?" He clasped his hands together at that. "A special Chosen needs a special partner! Not some random alley cat, a pig-kappa in a belly warmer, a walking fire hazard, a big-handed broom buffoon, or…" He paused as his face twisted in a scowl, glancing towards the agape door as if looking for something - or someone - in particular. "...Whatever that useless thing is that's currently stalking you."
Ryo glanced at the door instinctively at the mention of Monodramon before turning his attention back to Zeed. "What…?"
"I'm saying, Beloved, that you certainly could do worse than choosing me for your partner," Zeed said, with a tilt of his head and a small flutter of his eyelashes. "And you certainly couldn't do better."
Ryo stared at Zeed, his jaw slightly agape as his eyes widened.
Zeed didn't know.
A thousand and one thoughts rushed through the Chosen of Miracles' head at once. How could Zeed not know? What did this mean? What should he do? Should he tell him? Would it be bad to tell him? Did he even deserve to know? As it stood, Ryo wasn't ready for the information himself. What would Zeed do if he knew that the position he was apparently envying, vying for even, was his all along?
Ryo was absolutely not ready to find out - not yet.
"I…," Ryo fumbled, tripping over his words as he tried to put together something coherent besides the mishmesh of feelings colliding in his head. "You… I don't… This is…"
Zeed chuckled before he leaned over to pat Ryo's head. "There, there. I know the prospect must be quite overwhelming, I'm sure~! My brilliance tends to do that. Give yourself a moment, and I'm sure the obvious choice shall become clear, Beloved~!"
Ryo didn't have a response for that, and wasn't given an opportunity to think of one. All thoughts of conversation were cut off when Zeed suddenly hunched forward as he let out a strangled noise of pain. The Digimon trembled as he clenched his whole body, his arms wrapping around himself as he began to flicker erratically, like a signal that was being interrupted.
Zeed clamped his eyes shut as he clenched his jaw, suppressing any sound from escaping him. He dropped from the chair to his knees on the floor, right in front of Ryo's bed. He remained that way for several moments as his body continued to flicker before it finally stopped, just as quickly as it had begun. The Digimon sucked in a deep breath of air through his nostrils before letting it out in a puff, as he didn't dare ease the iron-clench of his jaw just yet. Only then did he open his eyes, which were unfocused and slightly glazed.
Ryo jerked upright as he stared in horror at Zeed, taken aback by what he had just witnessed. "A-are you okay?"
Zeed paused and glanced at Ryo, before grimacing. He was silent for a moment as he considered his response before offering a weak smile. "I-it's nothing, Beloved… nothing for you to be concerned about. Just… a little something I picked up from our time in that dreadful ocean."
Ryo tensed up at the mention of the Dark Ocean and a jolt of white hot panic shot through him. "What?! Did you get tainted by the Dark Ocean?"
Zeed let out an exhale of laughter, strained and weak. "Oh, heavens no. That place has no power over me. I simply… expended an enormous amount of energy, more than my body was ready for."
More energy. The words echoed through Ryo's mind as he stared at Zeed at a loss. Zeed was his partner, which meant that he was the one who was supposed to give his energy to the Digimon in front of him. Even after the revelations he had about their relationship and what Zeed had done for him, a part of him was resistant to the idea of giving his energy to the tyrant who murdered and damned so many of his friends… but the same tyrant saved him simply for the sake of love.
It was his death that caused this, Ryo realized. Zeed was the reason why he wasn't dead, the reason why his head was attached to his neck now. He didn't even realize his hand was on his throat before his fingers started digging into the soft skin. He didn't find the scar with touch alone, but he could feel the numbness he experienced below where it was, that same detached feeling that haunted his nightmares.
Without Zeed, Ryo would be dead. He didn't even do it to save himself - in fact it seemed that he suffered for it if that glitch was the result.
Zeed paused as he realized what he had done and shot Ryo a pointed stare. "It is not your fault, so don't even consider the possibility that it was. My choices are my own."
Silence settled in as Ryo tried to calm the hurricane of chaotic thoughts and emotions bouncing through his head as the stink of burnt flesh assaulted his nose. He knew what he was considering was insane, especially after everything Zeed had done. A part of him screamed and reminded him of how many who died, of the Chosen Children and their partners being brainwashed at that very moment… how the Digimon in front of him wanted to do it to him too, along with the rest of the Chosen.
Despite this… Ryo couldn't let go of one simple truth - he owed Zeed his life.
How could he refuse to return the favor?
Words refused to come, though there was so much Ryo wanted to say. If he really was going to do this, he needed to somehow get through to Zeed, stop his power hungry partner from hurting others. If it was in exchange for his energy, then maybe, just maybe, Zeed could be talked down from his insane plans.
Maybe then this nightmare could finally end.
It took Ryo a long moment of deep breathing before he finally managed to speak in a low, hoarse voice. "Do you really want to be my partner?"
Zeed blinked at that, startled by the sudden topic change. He gave yet another blink before offering Ryo a lopsided smirk. "Beloved, if I had my way, I would have been your partner a long time ago. You would never have suffered by yourself, wandering the worlds with borrowed bonds from whatever scraps those useless deities offered you."
The irony made Ryo twitch, but he focused hard on what he wanted… needed to say. "Then you have to stop. Stop all of this… taking over the worlds, controlling people, all of it."
Zeed outright gaped at Ryo, his confusion and shock very apparent on his face. ".…What?"
Ryo didn't waver, his blue eyes piercing into Zeed's golden ones. "Would you be able to do that? Would you give up your plans? Would you give up on taking control of everyone and everything?" His voice dropped to a near whisper, going harsh and tight. "Would being my partner be worth that to you?"
Zeed stared at Ryo, searching his eyes for any sign of deception or trickery. While he felt guilt at suspecting such a thing from his Beloved, the Chosen of Miracles traveled with others that were perfectly capable of planting such seeds of mischief within the naive boy. Yet, as always, there was nothing but sincerity in those clear blue eyes. Zeed's mouth went dry as he trembled slightly at the sheer intensity of Ryo's stare. "…There is nothing I would not do for you, Beloved."
For a moment, Ryo couldn't breathe, his breath caught in his throat. A part of him still didn't believe that Zeed would agree, let alone with such sincerity. He expected the Digimon to bargain, maybe justify all the past horrible actions as 'necessary', or at least hesitate before saying whatever Ryo wanted to hear, but there was this desperation in the way Zeed spoke that resonated deep in his soul.
Ryo remembered vague dreamy moments of warmth after the battle that nearly ended his life, of a small furry body holding him close, protected and safe. Tears welled in his eyes as his breath caught in his throat, and Ryo swallowed hard to clear it.
Insane. This was insane, reckless, and the most selfish thing he ever wanted to do in his life, but he couldn't help it.
Ryo had to save Zeed.
Zeed sat on the floor, staring at Ryo as he waited for the Chosen of Miracles to say something - anything - to him. The conversation couldn't possibly end like this, in silence and awkwardness.
Unfortunately, the glitching ensured that it did. Zeed felt his body spasm again, the glitching returning in full force. He quickly stumbled to his feet as he let out a hiss in pain, his eyes watering. He gripped the chair to steady himself, though it did little good as his legs wobbled.
"W-we… we will… dis-discuss… later!" Zeed managed to get out as he stepped away from the Chosen of Miracles. Given how badly Ryo had taken his last glitch attempt, and the realization of what had caused it, the Digimon knew he needed to leave quickly - and get to the Digimental of Light. "N-not… not… your f-f-fault…!"
"Wait!" Ryo began as he got to his feet, as if to pursue the Digimon. "Zeed-!"
Zeed didn't wait, and instead disappeared with the flash of gold - the tell-tale signs of a gate. Even the gate itself seemed to be glitching, but it managed to transport the Digimon away all the same, leaving Ryo alone in his room once more.
"I have had enough of your foolishness!"
Zhuqiaomon's thundering scream echoed through Baihumon's fortress, sending even the most stalwart Digimon scurrying for cover. Only Baihumon remained impassive before the sparrow Digimon's wrath, his expression as deadpan as ever. The tiger Digimon sat in the middle of his courtyard, nonchalant before the smoldering rage of his counterpart.
"Only now?" Baihumon asked, with a flick of his right ear. "I would have thought that you had grown tired of it a long time ago."
"You cannot tell me you have not seen what that abomination did to our master's temple!" Zhuqiaomon snapped.
"I did," Baihumon replied, impassively.
"And yet you would still refuse me, even now!?" the fire Sparrow demanded. "We must march upon the temple at once! We must take direct action against that monstrosity and end his blasphemy once and for all!"
"Because it worked so well before," Baihumon said as he narrowed his eyes and gave a snap of his tail.
"Spare me the sophistry!" Zhuqiaomon snapped as he puffed his feathers, fire sparking everywhere. "I-"
"You would be the expert on sophistry," Baihumon said. "Regardless, have you put any thought into what you are proposing? It seems all your strategy amounts to is lashing out indiscriminately, or perhaps in this case not so indiscriminately, without any consideration for the consequences. Do I need to remind you that none of this would have happened had you not initiated that vote?"
"And none of this would be happening had the plan succeeded!" Zhuqiaomon retorted. "But I am not here to wallow in the past; we are discussing the present!"
Baihumon let out a low snort at that. "I very much doubt that."
"The longer we argue, the more time that bastard has to defile our master's temple!" Zhuqiaomon flapped his wings vigorously.
"Are you more concerned about that bastard or the temple?" Baihumon asked, then shook his head. "Regardless, I am not interested in assisting you any further with your obsession. You have caused enough damage. Leave this to the Chosen Children, which I might add is precisely what we should have done during that battle."
"Leave it to the humans?" Zhuqiaomon roared. "How can you say that after all they have done to us, to our master?!"
"By my account," Baihumon said, his voice low like a growl. "Digimon have done just as much - if not worse - to our master by this point." His ears canted back. "Be that as it may, I am not interested in throwing more corpses onto the pile. Enough have died for your temper tantrums. Let Ryo deal with his monster."
"So you will at least admit to that much!" Zhuqiaomon snapped. "Then surely you must also admit that it is our responsibility to see justice done for the sake of our master! Our pride cannot demand anything less!"
"So it's just a matter of pride for you, then?" the tiger asked, before he snorted. "It would be pure suicide as we are now. Without Qinglongmon and Xuanwumon, we would just be sending ourselves and our followers to our deaths. And what then? Who would be left to carry out Huanglongmon's will for this world? Would you abandon your duties, our master's will, for the sake of your pride?"
"All this weak talk! I never expected such cowardice from you!" the fiery Sparrow said, with a sneer. "What of your pride, Baihumon!?"
"Against our master's legacy?" Baihumon narrowed his eyes, his lips curling up in a snarl. "My pride wouldn't dare be so foolish as to claim anything less."
"Because of our master's legacy, we must still try!" Zhuqiaomon insisted. "That… abomination cannot be allowed to continue! Better that he rot in the Dark Ocean for eternity than live with such… such desecration!"
Baihumon let out another snort through his nose. "I wonder if you would be so quick to say that if your soul was on the line. It is quite easy to speak platitudes about the misfortunes of others."
"Enough!" Zhuqiaomon screamed, before he began beating his wings furiously. "Enough, enough, enough, enough! I have had enough! If you are too cowardly to do what needs to be done, then I shall do it myself!"
"What a wonderful idea," Baihumon said, dryly. "Go to your death, by all means. I am sure that the little tyrant boy will be only too glad to trap your souls with Xuanwumon and Qinglongmon, leaving me to manage this world by myself."
"Keep that thought in your mind, burn it into the deepest recesses," the Sparrow snarled, his eyes blazing. "So that you will remember it when I emerge victorious, without your assistance! Let us see then where we stand, with I the savior of our master and this world, and you a miserable coward who has abandoned both!"
Zhuqiamomon gave a mighty flap of his wings and thrust himself skyward with a burst of fire, leaving the ground singed all around him. The tiger Digimon gave a small sneeze from the smoke and cinders, blinking his eyes, before he looked up after his seething compatriot.
"No, Zhuqiaomon," Baihumon muttered. "We will see that I alone am apparently the only one capable of learning."
It was hard to imagine that Zeed could find any comfort in the position he was sleeping in. Sprawled across the top of the Altar of Light, using the Digimental of Light as a pillow, one would think the Dorumon would at least find the sharp bits on the top to be too uncomfortable to rest his chin upon. Yet, rest he did, slumbering deeply save for the occasional twitch of his tail or ears. Perhaps he shared something in common with cats, who could sleep in any position no matter how awkward.
Or perhaps he was simply too exhausted to care.
Keiko didn't know what to think anymore as she watched her greatest enemy slumber. Even in sleep, he looked worn down, and sometimes there was a small flicker about his body, a glitch that hinted to her that something was wrong deep down in his code.
When Digimon went through that sort of error, it was always a precursor to death, as entropy had fragmented their data to the point of corruption. Eventually, they would stop functioning altogether and would go through the process of being reborn.
It should have been good news for Keiko - it should have been good news for everyone - but she could only wonder how Ryo would feel when that happened.
"Nothing can stay simple, can it?" Keiko muttered. "Everything just has to get so… messed up."
Nyamon gave a small nod of her head as she stood beside her partner. "From the very start… it's been an absolute mess," She flicked her ear as she looked at Zeed. "And I can't help but feel it's about to get even messier. You know what they say about 'best laid plans'… and if there's one thing we've learned, it's that nothing will go smoothly when Zeed is involved."
Keiko made an imitation of a sigh, though there was no breath to go with it. "Especially when Zeed is involved."
Zeed's ear flicked with each mention of his name. Eventually, it reached a point where his slumber could no longer drown out the conversation, or at least make him unaware that he was currently being talked about even if the words themselves hadn't filtered in yet. The Dorumon groggily opened his eyes, furrowing his brow, before they darted out the room. They immediately settled on Keiko and Nyamon, and even the exhaustion on his face could not hide his irritation.
"Do you truly not have anything better to do than watch me sleep like a pair of voyeurs?" Zeed asked, an edge in his voice. "I understand that my brilliance tends to draw all eyes upon me, but it is a privilege strictly for my Beloved and not the two of you."
"Someone's a little grouchy tonight," Nyamon said with a crooked smile. "Feeling a bit under the weather?"
Zeed's eyes narrowed before he let out a snort. "Children have bedtimes, you know. Staying up too late can lead to poor health." His lips curled up in a fanged sneer. "Well, I suppose it might be a bit too late for you…"
"Funny," Keiko said, her expression deadpan. "I was thinking the same thing about you."
Zeed blinked at that before he frowned. It was clear on his face that he had a suspicion of what Keiko was referring to, and he looked more than a little uncomfortable by that implication. However, he quickly schooled his features with a mask of impassive indifference before making a dismissive noise in the back of his throat. "I know not what you mean to imply."
"Right," Keiko said flatly.
Zeed's ears canted back as he side-eyed Keiko in silence for several moments before he fixed the Chosen of Darkness with a glare. "If you are entertaining any foolish thoughts about some perceived weakness that you might be able to exploit, I would strongly warn you against it. I am still more than capable of causing unimaginable damage that you and your little friends won't soon recover from."
Keiko opened her mouth, but stopped before spitting back the barb that hovered on her tongue. For a long moment she stood there, staring hard at Zeed with her eyes narrowed into slits and her mouth drawn into a thin line. The look she gave him pierced through him, judging him and his past actions, but in this new light of knowledge cast on him.
Zeed was arrogant and dangerous, but he was Ryo's partner, and everyone now knew it, especially Ryo.
"I'm sure you could," Keiko said, slowly. "But we both know Ryo wouldn't like it if you did. He wouldn't want his partner doing such things."
Zeed's eyebrows shot straight up at that before his eyes narrowed. "How… do you know about that?" He hadn't seen the girl follow him to show off his human body to Ryo. Did that mean that he had briefly lost his sight? Had the glitching progressed that far? The very idea of it made his skin crawl.
"What?" Keiko blinked at that.
"How do you know about Ryo offering me the position?" Zeed demanded sharply, his tail giving a mighty smack against the altar. "You weren't there, were you!?"
Keiko gaped at the Dorumon, stunned. It was true that she hadn't followed after Zeed, as she couldn't track where he had gone. She didn't have his ability to sense and track gates - certainly not intuitively like he could. Judging by what he had said, she now knew exactly where he had gone - which in hindsight she should have automatically guessed - but the words coming out of his mouth made no sense. "…What?"
"Listen, girl. Regardless of what you may think, it is not your decision to make. The decision belongs to Beloved and Beloved alone," Zeed growled, the hair bristling along his spine. "So stay out of it!"
Nyamon furrowed her brow before she turned her head slightly to glance at Keiko. "…Does he not…?"
Realization dawned in Keiko's eyes as her shock became evident on her face. Zeed didn't know he was Ryo's partner. It seemed so impossible to her. Shouldn't he have known, if not consciously then instinctively?
…Or perhaps was that why Zeed was always so obsessed with Ryo? A deep, unexplained love - a need - that he didn't understand? Only knowing that he wanted him - needed him - and chasing after him for years without any comprehension as to why.
Keiko clamped her mouth shut so that her lips formed a thin line. Her words from earlier rang loudly in her head, feeling all the more appropriate. Everything was a total mess, and nothing ever went smoothly when Zeed was involved.
Especially when Zeed was involved.
Zeed narrowed his eyes as he watched the emotions play out on Keiko's and Nyamon's faces, emotions that he couldn't quite get a read on. After a moment, he let out a low snort and flopped back down on the altar, his chin resting on the Digimental of Light once more. "Then again, I suppose there's no point in us having this conversation, is there? It is not as if he can hear any of your complaints, hm~?"
Keiko turned her head slightly to glance at Nyamon, who met her partner's stare with one of her own. The two lapsed in silence for several moments before the Chosen of Darkness turned to face Zeed once more. "I'm still waiting for your answer."
Zeed paused at that and blinked before he turned to stare at Keiko. "What?"
"Ryo wouldn't want his partner doing such things," Keiko repeated, slowly. "Would he?"
The Dorumon's mouth pulled into a tight-lipped frown, his ears canting back. His tail gave a mighty smack against the altar.
"If you really want to be Ryo's partner…," Keiko let her words hang in the air for a moment. "Maybe you should start asking yourself what he wants for a change."
Zeed's scowl darkened as his tail whacked against the Altar of Light with increased frequency and intensity. Then, after the tension had become almost unbearable, the Dorumon finally spoke. "I know what Beloved wants. I don't need you to tell me that."
"Do you?" Keiko challenged, her red eyes narrowing into sharp slits.
Zeed glared at Keiko as his tail gave a mighty snap against the altar. If it had been any other material, it surely would've cracked, but the altar emerged unscathed from the strike.
Keiko didn't look away, and her stare pierced deep, judging Zeed for every wrong he committed against Ryo and countless others. Zeed in turn met the stare with outright defiance, lifting his head slightly so that he could sneer down his snout at her. Wordlessly, he rejected her judgment out of hand, as his posture made it clear what he thought of it.
Unstoppable force, met an immovable object. Neither was willing to back down, staring at each other with intense hostility. The tension grew thick, lingering over the room like a suffocating cloud. It was enough that when Demon passed by on his nightly patrols to check on his master, he took one look at the glaring Dorumon and quickly made himself scarce.
Or perhaps it was simply the fact that his master was glaring at empty space again, and he knew better than to get involved with any of that.
Regardless, it seemed like it would surely go on indefinitely, when suddenly Keiko's eyes widened as her expression shifted to a look of confusion, and shock. She hesitated before she glanced down at her hands. She stared as she noticed that they looked different, fluctuating in and out. It was similar to Zeed's occasional glitch, except far more stable and - if his reactions were anything to go by - far more painless.
The Chosen of Darkness frowned, then turned to look at Nyamon to see if her partner saw the same thing.
…Except that Nyamon wasn't there anymore.
Zeed frowned as he watched Keiko, as his confusion grew just as hers did, but for different reasons. His eyes darted down at her hands, then where Nyamon had been, before going back to Keiko. As realization appeared to dawn on her face, bewilderment appeared on his. Obviously, there seemed to be some meaning to what was happening, but damned if he knew what it was.
When Keiko turned to flash him a smug grin - far too smug for his liking - it made Zeed shoot her a piercing stare in response. However, not even that was not enough to dampen the Chosen of Darkness' mood.
"If you really love Ryo like you say you do, then start actually looking at him instead of yourself."
With those final words, Keiko was gone.
Zeed practically jumped to his feet, though they weren't fully able to handle the sudden movement so he nearly stumbled off the altar instead. Thankfully, he was able to catch himself before he tumbled to the floor; and even more thankfully, he had no audience to witness said clumsiness. He gave a small shake of his head before he sat back down on the altar and gave a quick look around the room to confirm he was truly alone once more.
Zeed waited for several moments to see if either the dead girl or her dead partner would return. When neither didn't, it only served to increase his sense of unease rather than erase it. In the end, however, he gave a mighty snort.
"Well, no matter. Goodbye and good riddance," he muttered, before he flopped back down on the altar and made himself comfortable, turning his back to where Keiko had been moments before.
Zeed tried to dismiss the final words the Chosen of Darkness left him with, but they continued to linger like a ghost.
As the Dorumon settled he hesitated before he gave a snap of his tail, with a sharp note of finality as he did his best to banish the entire incident his mind. Whatever just happened, wherever Keiko had gone, and especially everything she said… it all had nothing to do with him.
It couldn't possibly be anything important.