Nasty little blighter.
"Deva..." Takato frowned.
Guilmon's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forwards.
"Indeed."
"Krimíśa." Kumbhiramon called, his body briefly wavering before several copies appeared, Double Team style.
Leomon, now surrounded, quickly looked around, trying to keep an eye on all of his opponents at once.
"Watch out!" Jeri screamed, causing Leomon to spin around just in time to block one of the clone's pestles.
"The clones are solid, but not as tough as Kumbhiramon himself. They still do a lot of damage, however."
Terriermon leapt of Henry's shoulder, and Henry quickly pulled out his Digivice. He quickly grabbed a card, and swiped it.
Terriermon glowed.
Guilmon growled.
"Wait!" Takato said, putting his hand on his partner's head. "Growlmon and WarGrowlmon are too big. You'd have a hard time fighting as well as normal." Takato looked at me. "Vaccine?"
"Vaccine. You know that you can scan him yourself, right?"
"I know. It's just faster to ask you." He said.
Rika and Renamon chose that moment to come flying out of the bushes behind us, arriving just in time to see Gargomon and Leomon battling with the clones.
"Why are we always late?" Rika wondered. She pulled out her D-Power, but before she could swipe her cards, I spoke up.
"Don't bother, Rika. This battle isn't going to be lasting too much longer."
"But he's an Ultimate?" Rika asked.
"Gargo Lasers" Gargomon called, opening fire at the Kumbhiramon clones.
"Third one on your left, Leomon." I said.
Leomon's eyes shot towards the original, and he promptly leaped forwards, his arm raised and his fist blazing.
"Fist of the Beast King!" He declared, launching a punch directly into Kumbhiramon's face, the flames immediately enveloping Kumbhiramon's body.
Letting out another guttural roar, Leomon drove Kumbhiramon into the ground, hard enough to cause Kumbhiramon to collapse into data.
Leomon sighed, rising to his full height.
Rika stared. "... A really pathetic Ultimate."
"Thank you for the help." Leomon said, turning to Gargomon.
The gun-bunny smiled. "You're welcome."
"That was amazing!" Jeri cheered, running up to Leomon.
She frowned as she looked at him, circling around him. Leomon looked on, somewhat cautious.
"You're not hurt..." She sighed in relief. She looked up, smiling at him. "This is going to be great."
"Jeri." I caught her attention. She looked over at me, smiling, happy, a grin on her face.
I really, really, really didn't want to say this, but... "Leomon is not your partner."
For a few seconds, she continued smiling, still happy.
Then she actually registered what I said.
I saw her Heart as she did, confusion bubbling up, then fear, then denial, all alongside anger. A storm of emotions quickly brewing.
Her face told a similar story; the smile falling, her eyes widening in shock, fear beginning to twist her expression.
"Wh-what? How could you say that?!" She demanded. "Of course Leomon is-"
"Jeri," I interrupted her. "You are not partners."
She stared at me, which was made all the worse by the fact that I could see, all too well, exactly what she was feeling.
"This talk of partners and tamers..." Leomon slowly, thankfully, interrupted. "I do not know what it means. All my life, I have been a lone warrior, and that is how I believe it shall stay."
Jeri turned to him, tears brimming in her eyes.
He shifted uncomfortably, looking away. "I... should go. Before your tears make me stay." He turned around, facing away from her, taking quick, somewhat shaky strides. "Goodbye, Jeri."
Jeri stared after him, shaking slightly.
I stepped forwards, coming to a stop behind her.
"For what it's worth... I'm sorry." I said.
She sniffed.
Her legs shook.
I caught her before she could fall to the ground, holding her up as she cried.
Fuck.
Just...
Fuck...
Jeri was... not in a good way.
Not at all.
I couldn't blame her for that.
Nobody could.
After spending most of the day thinking that she found a partner, and then finding out that she didn't...
Coupled with my admittedly tactless way of telling her such...
Well, she'd spent most of the afternoon crying. And had gained a slightly worrying edge of steel determination in her Heart when she stopped.
I... wasn't entirely sure whether that was a good thing or not.
Time would tell, I suppose.
It was much later on, during the night, when things started to begin.
It began with a slight shudder, just about imperceptible. It was light, seemingly random and completely ignorable- if, that is, one could not see the connections between dimensions. If one could, however, it became a much bigger cause for concern; though it would be overwritten only minutes later, when another shudder occurred.
Except, where the previous one was slight and imperceptible, this shudder was roaring and obvious; the ground itself shaking in resemblance of an earthquake- though it was no such thing.
It was a prelude, a little warning of a very powerful Digimon preparing to Bio-emerge, despite the fact that the event itself was still hours away.
I felt the rise in panic around Tokyo, many people in the city feeling the shake and getting worried, fearful. Nobody wanted to get caught in an earthquake, after all.
It was a worry that faded over the course of hours, when no more shakes and shudders came, to disappear almost completely as the morning came and passed.
The people didn't, and couldn't, know of the danger that was coming.
Even Takato, Guilmon, Rika, Renamon, Henry, and Terriermon would not have known- not until Vikaralamon was just about to emerge, anyway.
That was not something that I particularly fancied.
"The Devas can cause earthquakes?" Henry asked.
"I'm not entirely sure that they're doing it on purpose." I said. "I think it's just a side effect."
"What kind of Digimon causes earthquakes as a side effect?"
"A powerful one." I looked upwards. "A large one, too. It should be emerging soon, so you six should be prepared."
They nodded.
"You seem worried." Rika noted.
"I am, Rika. It's a large and powerful Digimon capable of causing earthquakes merely by bio-emerging appearing in one of the most heavily populated areas on this entire planet. The potential for collateral damage is... not something that enthuses me."
Hopefully, Vikaralamon will still appear in the park, so that people will get the opportunity to run away. If it appears elsewhere, such as inside the city...
There will be collateral.
shudder
I paused.
Guilmon looked up, sniffing.
Takato took a sharp breath.
Renamon's head snapped to the side.
Terriermon froze, eyes widening.
"It's coming." Takato breathed.
Guilmon growled.
As one, Takato and Guilmon promptly began running, heading off.
A moment later, and the other four chased after them.
I stared at the sky, watching the Hearts crossing into this world.
Hearts.
Plural.
My eyes widened.
No!