Another day came and went; silently and without anything interesting happening.
The night, however, saw the visit of a Digimon; one DarkLizardmon.
Much like the previous night and day; Takato and Guilmon got there first.
Also much like the previous night and day; Takato and Guilmon took her down with ease, though, unlike the previous night and day, she actually managed to not immediately die within the first thirty seconds of combat.
"Another one bites the dust."
"Dust isn't very tasty. Why would anyone want to eat it?"
"That's... Nevermind, Guilmon."
"Okie."
The parking lot promptly lit up, several helicopters shining massive search lights in on them.
Guilmon looked around, confused. "Do we fight them?"
"No! At least, I don't think so."
He looked at me, but I didn't say anything.
A pair of spheres hit the ground, shortly disgorging a deluge of smoke, thick and heavy. It sent Takato, Guilmon, and DarkLizardmon into coughing fits, the latter beginning to get up.
Guilmon remained in front of Takato, comfortably close to his partner, staying there even through the thick smoke.
DarkLizardmon began to lumber forward to Takato, but only made it a single step before several steel cables launched through the smoke, reeling in and pulling the Digimon to the side.
In her weakened state, it was enough to topple her. She was unconscious before she even hit the ground.
"Hello Yamaki." I greeted the man hidden in the smoke.
Just about, anyway. The smoke was dissipating quite fast, and he quickly became visible.
"Oh good, a nuisance, a data packet, and you."
"You should try a little harder. There are people on the other side of the planet who didn't feel the weight of your condescension."
"You again..."
"Who is he, Takatomon?"
"I didn't catch his name."
"Mitsuo Yamaki. Resident shady government organisation guy." I supplied.
"This is dangerous work, little boy. Just who do you think you are, hunting Digimon on your own-"
"The boy is hardly alone, Yamaki." I cut in. "Maybe if you actually took your shades off, you'd be able to see that he has his partner right next to him."
"- And playing around with your pet monster." Yamaki continued, ignoring me.
"Guilmon isn't a monster." Takato said, resolute. "He's my friend and my partner."
"He's a packet of data."
"Which doesn't change the fact that he's a living, breathing being."
DarkLizardmon took that opportunity to groan, neatly cutting into the conversation before it could get to out of hand.
She was still unconscious -I checked-, but that didn't stop her from moaning in pain.
"She's still alive?"
"And dangerous. Maybe I should take away your so-called friend there too, after all, he could become dangerous."
"Do we need to have this conversation again, Yamaki?" I asked him, rolling my eyes. "'Could Become' doesn't mean he will."
"You'd need to go through me to do it." Takato stated, his voice oddly venomous.
Are... are they not listening to me?
"Like that would be a problem." Yamaki gave a humourless bark of laughter.
What am I, chopped liver?
"Neither of you are actually listening to me, are you?"
"I am!" Guilmon said, helpfully.
"But either way, your so-called partner is more trouble than he's worth." Yamaki turned around, walking away.
Takato glared after him.
"That guy's a jerk."
"He is. He really is."
"I did well tonight, right Takatomon?" Guilmon asked, laying down in his... nest? Den?
Little dirt hole in the ground.
"You did." Takato agreed. He reached out, wrapping his partner in a hug.
"I kind of want to change into Growlmon again, Takatomon."
"Heh." Takato smiled. "Maybe next time. Our last couple of opponents haven't exactly been... you know. Needing it."
"If you feel like stretching your metaphorical Digivolution muscles, I must remind you that there's a perfectly good pocket dimension where you can, without worrying about things like being seen or causing unnecessary amounts of destruction."
Guilmon perked up, looking at his partner with begging eyes.
"I... never even thought of that." Takato admitted. "Right. In the morning, okay?"
Guilmon nodded.
"You're taking the fact that he wants to change pretty well." I innocently noted.
Takato shrugged. "Doesn't matter how much he changes when he's still Guilmon on the inside, right?"
I nodded.
Inwardly, I had to wonder.
When the fuck had Takato gotten that mature?
The day passed quickly.
I met Takato and Guilmon in the morning, took them both to my pocket dimension, and then proceeded to spend the next few hours watching Growlmon mess around, just enjoying being... Growlmon.
Takato got out of school, and made his way back to the shed.
I pulled him back in, and he hugged Growlmon.
Growlmon then, to the surprise of both of us, promptly degenerated, ending his own Digivolution on the spot, hugging his partner back.
It was a good day.
It was not a good afternoon.
I stared at the orange-red sky, watching as Digimon from... everywhere were drawn into an area above the Hypnos tower.
Juggernaut.
I could see the disturbance in space it brought, a massive portal, a connection between the Matter Dimension and the Data Dimension.
It was oddly beautiful. And if not for the Heart and powerful Soul that was approaching it, I might have simply sat back and admired it.
But I didn't.
I teleported across the town, making my way to Takato and Guilmon, who were meeting with Yamaki.
"Hey, are you listening!" Takato shouted at Yamaki.
"He isn't." I said.
Yamaki turned around, seeing me.
He grinned.
"Game over. I win."
"Oh, Yamaki." I shook my head. "You have no idea what you've done, do you?"
"What?" He stopped smiling. "What do you mean?"
I didn't answer him. I turned towards the sky, staring at the red hole that the Digimon were being sucked into.
"You can sense it, can't you Guilmon?" I asked.
The dinosaur's eyes were narrowed, staring directly at the sky.
"Sense what?!" Yamaki demanded.
"And... so can you, Takato. The bond that you two share is certainly strong enough." I ignored him. "Can you feel that, Takato?"
Takato released a shuddering breath, his hand coming up to his chest.
"What is that?" He asked, his eyes, much like his partner's, not leaving the sky.
"Digimon." Guilmon hissed.
"What? No, it can't be, that's impossible!" Yamaki shouted at us. "I designed that program myself, it was flawless!"
"Nothing is truly flawless, Yamaki." I glanced at him. "What you failed to take into account was one simple thing: A portal from this world to the Digital World is also a portal from the Digital World to this world. With all that implies."
Yamaki's eyes widened, though it was barely visible behind his shades. "No..."
"Your program is powerful, I'll admit. But it isn't powerful enough to stop the Ultimate that's coming."
"Ultimate." Takato breathed. "We better get prepared, Guilmon."
Guilmon nodded.
"Take care, you two. Against this opponent, you will need everything you have." And then some.
Takato looked down for a moment, and then turned to face me. "Can we win?"
"Do not ask me that question, Takato. Instead, ask yourself this; do you think you can win?"
Takato frowned, turning to face his partner.
Guilmon looked back at him.
As one, they nodded.
"Yes."
"Then, so long as you hold faith in yourselves, and in each other, you will win. So long as you do not lose heart, and do not give up, victory will be yours for the taking."
Takato nodded. Guilmon simply smiled.
As one, they turned back to face the sky.
I glanced back at Yamaki, noting that the man was on his knees, his arms at his sides, staring up with a look of horror.
"What have I done?" Yamaki asked himself.
For a single instant, there was a strange, unnatural, permeating silence.
Then: a flash of light, an explosion of sound, the ground shook, the air trembled.
The sky split open.