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Wisemon pressed his hand against the stone wall, his claws caressing the glowing symbols. "The runes are here."

"But you lost the boy and the crest." A woman's voice sounded from around the corner in the vast darkness.

Wisemon shifted his hand to another marking on the wall. "These runes are the key. Without them the boy and the crest are useless."

"Are these not also useless without the boy and the crest?" the voice sneered.

"He became the catalyst of his own will—half our work is done." Wisemon glanced to the floor where T.K. had collapsed, now only a few drops of blood left in his place.

"Is that why you didn't attempt to assist Phelesmon? Why you allowed a valuable ally to succumb to deletion before it was necessary?"

Wisemon didn't respond to her question. "The boy will return eventually."

"I will take care him this time." The woman's voice hissed from the darkness.

Wisemon ignored the voice and continued to study and memorize each and every rune scattered down the passageway.

#

Kari glanced at her cellphone worriedly. "What do you think is causing the interference? We haven't had any difficulties using our phones in the digital world before." The sun was beginning to set, casting shadows around them in the forest.

Ken nodded. "It's weird, right?"

Yolie sighed pushing through the underbrush of the forest into the clearing around the village. "No kidding. Even our D-Terminals aren't responding." She looked at Hawkmon with concern.

Kari looked around the peaceful village. "At least we found Patamon."

Gatomon nodded. "I can't believe he didn't tell us he was going to the primary village. He always has before."

Hawkmon shrugged. "Honestly, we all overreacted, did we not?"

Yolie nodded. "I guess. But it seemed really weird to me, plus after we lost service I was sure something was up."

Suddenly Ken's phone started beeping—indicating he'd just received a text. "Hmm?"

Kari glanced at her phone seeing the service bars had suddenly come back. "Finally…" she stopped at the look on Ken's face. "What's wrong?"

Ken clicked on Davis' name and put the phone to his ear, hearing Davis' voice pick up almost immediately. "What happened?"

Kari moved closer, trying to hear Davis' response. She couldn't quite make out what he said, he was talking too quickly and his tone of voice was unusual.

"We need to go." Ken turned to Wormmon. "Digivolve. Now."

"What's wrong Ken?" Wormmon asked worriedly. "Did something happen?"

"Davis." Ken spoke firmly, interrupting Davis. "Where are you? We're on our way. Don't…" he paused. "Listen to me. Is he—Davis stop." Ken said Davis' name sharply. "Are you okay?"

Kari's heart beat quickened. "Ken what's going on?" she found her voice almost too quiet to hear, Yolie, Hawkmon, Gatomon and Wormmon all staring at Ken anxiously.

Ken lifted his hand and shook his head at them as he listened to Davis. "Just stay where you are. Don't go looking for him on your own, got it?" Ken hung up the phone and turned back to Wormmon. "I'll explain on the way, we need to go."

Wormmon didn't wait for Ken to repeat himself and digivolved. Hawkmon gave Yolie a questioning look and then followed Wormmon's example, digivolving in a flash of light to Aquilamon.

"Ken." Yolie grabbed his arm worriedly. "What's going on?"

Ken glanced at Kari who was staring at him with anticipation. "Davis and Cody were attacked by Phelesmon. He didn't go into any real details, but they aren't in any immediate danger now."

"Wait, what about—" Kari's voice cracked. "T.K.?"

Ken averted his gaze and leapt up onto Stingmon's arm, climbing up onto his shoulder. "They don't know where T.K. is."

Kari's eyes widened. "What?"

"Let's hurry." Ken motioned for Stingmon to fly.

Gatomon pulled on Kari's skirt. "I'm sure he's fine."

Kari swallowed hard and nodded. "Where are Davis and Cody?"

Ken lifted his digivice. "They're working again too. Their signals are pretty far out north." Yolie, Kari and Gatomon all climbed up onto Aquilamon and they took off. "Stingmon's faster than Aquilamon, we're going to go ahead." Ken informed.

Yolie nodded. "Be careful. We'll be right behind you."

Ken and Stingmon sped off in an instant leaving them behind. Aquilamon following as quickly as his wings would allow.

"They're okay, right?" Kari's voice shook. "T.K.'s shoulder…" she bit her lip.

Yolie grabbed Kari's arm. "Stop that."

Kari looked at Yolie in surprise, tears forming in his glossy eyes. "But…"

"Don't assume the worst. We have to believe everything is alright." Yolie tried to give her an encouraging smile, Kari only nodded and closed her eyes, lowering her face. "Kari…"

#

Opening his eyes T.K. found the white ceiling painfully bright. Moaning he pushed himself up and looked around the small room. He was sitting on a bed, a high tech computer to the left indicating his vital signs, despite having nothing attached to his body to support the steady beeping noises that monitored his heart rate. A small desk in the other corner with a large monitor and a clipboard.

T.K. felt weak. Glancing down he saw drops of blood on his chest, staining his white shirt. Reaching down he lifted his shirt finding the large bruise on his side had turned dark purple.

"Where am I?" He looked around with concern. "What happened?" He tried to make sense of what had happened before he'd lost consciousness but everything was hazy.

The single door across from where he sat, opened up and a man walked in—a man T.K. recognized immediately. "Gennai?"

The much younger version of Gennai stood in front of T.K., a relieved look on his face. "I'm glad you're awake. I was beginning to worry."

"What's happening?" T.K. asked worriedly. "Where am I?"

"I brought you here." Gennai took a seat at the desk and picked up the clipboard. "Your friends are worried about you, however, so I can't keep you much longer."

"Are they alright?" T.K. inquired lightly.

"Thanks to you, they are." His eyes shifted to the monitor before he rested the clipboard in his lap. "You were lucky that you were able to utilize the crest without a tag as the medium. However…" he frowned at T.K. "The raw power from the crests running directly through your body is very dangerous."

T.K.'s muscles tightened as he began remember more clearly the pain he'd been in. "But we've used the power of our crests without the tags before."

"Your battle with Apocalymon?" T.K. nodded. "I can't account for that—the dimensional rift and everything that happened in that space are unexplainable."

T.K. frowned. "Why is my crest back?"

"The crests were always an immaterial presence in the digital world. However the system solidified the powers when the digidestined were needed. That is why your partner's were born with the tags attached to their eggs. The crests were the condensed powers of the digital world and the tags were the catalyst that you would need in order to safely utilize the power."

T.K. inhaled slowly, trying to take in everything Gennai was explaining. "But we returned the crests."

"The crests, over time, could reform if the digital world saw fit." Gennai looked at T.K. worriedly. "But the tags, I'm afraid, are not as easily recreated."

"So then what?" T.K. frowned.

Gennai touched the monitor and clicked on a program—the crest's power, in particularly your crest's, is immense. Without a proper catalyst of some sort, the power could kill you."

"So I can't use it?" T.K. frowned. "So I just stay away from those ruins or…?"

Gennai gave T.K. a concerned gaze before setting the clipboard down on the desk and facing the boy. "When you used the power of the crest to digivolve Patamon to MangaAngemon, you absorbed the power directly into you. Basically…"

"…I'm the catalyst?" T.K. frowned.

"An unstable catalyst that cannot contain the power." Gennai sighed. "Your human body cannot withstand the expulsion of power needed to continue digivolving Patamon to ultimate—and if ever you were to achieve warp digivolution..."

T.K. tried to stand, wincing he gripped the edge of the bed tightly to steady himself. "Is there nothing we can do?"

Gennai shook his head. "No."

"What's happening?" T.K. narrowed his eyes at Gennai. "Wisemon—"

"Wisemon approached you." Gennai interrupted him. "Did he say anything to you?"

"He said I was the gate. What does that even mean? Gate to what?" T.K. could feel his frustration building inside.

"I don't know the answer to that. Whatever Wisemon is planning however, has me very concerned."

"Who is he?" T.K. gave Gennai a desperate look.

"Wisemon was the keeper of prophecy and knowledge of the digital world. He was neither good nor evil. A keeper of the records, if you will." Gennai brought up the digital data base on the monitor. Everything was encoded and looked corrupted. "He was a very intellectual digimon and understood this world on another level than any before him—however, the rumors have it that he knew too much and it drove him insane."

"Insane?" T.K. frowned.

"He dove deep into the fabric of the digital world with the aim to delete everything about himself—including himself."

T.K.'s eyes widened. "Delete himself?"

Gennai nodded. "However the method in which he chose did not accomplish things as cleanly as he'd anticipated. Instead of total deletion he became corrupted data and disappeared." Gennai looked T.K. in the eyes. "At least that's what I thought until Izzy emailed me asking about a digimon that has no existence in this time."

T.K. swallowed hard. "What does he want?"

"I honestly cannot fathom what is lurking in the shadows of that digimon's hallow mind. Corruption to that level… If he's even the same digimon as before I would be completely surprised."

T.K. closed his eyes. "Does all this mean we have a new enemy to face?"

Gennai pursed his lips. "The digital world still seems at peace. The reforging of the crest of hope is concerning and Wisemon's return certainly casts a shadow over the digital world. But whether you have a new enemy to face or not remains undetermined."

"How did I…?" T.K. pressed his palm to his forehead and leaned forward. "Wisemon was there, in the ruins, when I collapsed."

Gennai didn't seem surprised. "I brought you here through digital transference. It's rather risky, but if I hadn't, I feel you would have fallen into Wisemon's hands."

T.K. inhaled deeply. "How long ago?"

"It's been nearly an hour. Once Phelesmon was destroyed the data corruption blocking the signals to your digivices and cellphones also disappeared—another reason I was able to extract you."

T.K. stood up and took a step toward the door. "I need to go back." He felt lightheaded and cringed, almost losing his balance.

Gennai was suddenly at T.K.'s side, steadying him. "Give yourself a few minutes. You are hurt."

T.K. inhaled slowly. "I'm fine." He spoke firmly.

Gennai released T.K. as he straightened. "You understand how the crests power worked before. If you or someone you cared about was in danger they would activate on their own accord."

T.K. frowned at Gennai. "I know."

"You shouldn't come back to the digital world anymore. If the crest activates…"

"You're telling me to abandon my friends? What? So they can be the ones in danger instead? So that whatever this digimon wants from me, he can just use them as bait to get me back here? No." T.K. shook his head.

Gennai stared at T.K. solemnly before he continued. "It is in your best interest to stay somewhere safe. That's all."

T.K. lowered his gaze to the floor. "Take me back."

#

Kari leapt down from Aquilamon, Gatomon hot on her heels as they rushed toward Davis and the others. She grasped his arm tightly. "Are you alright?" she looked him over, covered in bruises and dirt.

Davis shifted uncomfortably. "Just a few bruises. Nothing major." He glanced down at DemiVeemon in his arms. "They both took attacks from Phelesmon in rookie form though."

Cody, holding Upamon likewise, grimaced. "T.K.'s missing too."

Kari looked to the younger boy who was clearly distressed over everything that had happened. "Where is he?" she saw Patamon flying nearby Ken and Wormmon—T.K. was alone.

"Okay. Start from the beginning." Yolie demanded as she and Hawkmon walked up.

Cody opened his mouth to speak but stopped, looking to the ground guiltily. Davis saw this and did his best to explain everything he'd heard from Cody and everything that had happened after.

Gatomon stared at Patamon in awe. "You reached ultimate without T.K.'s help?"

Patamon hesitated and everyone looked to the little digimon. "Not exactly. I felt T.K.'s presence. I could hear him. I know I sound crazy, but it's true."

"Let's stop talking about what happened and look for T.K., it's almost dark out." Ken injected suddenly. Everyone nodded silently.

Davis made to move and winced. Kari noticed and turned back around. "Davis?"

He tried to smile but it turned into a grimace. "No. I'm fine. I just twisted my ankle when Veemon shoved me out of the way earlier."

Kari felt anxiety pulsing through her chest—T.K. was somewhere alone and hurt and perhaps in real danger, but she couldn't zone everyone else out. "You need to go sit down."

"No. We all need to look for—"

Ken interrupted him. "She's right. Go sit down. You don't want to make it any worse—you're depending on that ankle to get you through college."

"But I—"

"T.K.?" Patamon shouted in disbelief.

Everyone looked the direction Patamon was staring, seeing T.K. walking toward them slowly from the forest. Cody and Patamon both dashed toward him first, everyone following quickly behind them—except Kari. She stared at him with tears flowing from her eyes, relief immobilizing her.

"T.K.!" Cody reached him and grabbed his arm. "How? Where were you? What happened?"

T.K. was a little overwhelmed by everyone crowding around him. "Ehh… I woke up and you were gone, so I decided to look for a way out…" he pointed back toward the forest. "There was another entrance to the ruins back through there, but it was dark down there and I got lost a few times." He smiled weakly.

"Are you hurt?" Ken stared at him worriedly.

"I think I have a pretty nasty bruise from the fall, but surprisingly that's it." He had buttoned his green blazer all the way up to hide the blood stains on his white shirt.

When T.K. turned back he saw Kari staring at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "I was scared." she pressed her palm against his chest, curling her fingers she grasped his blazer weakly. "I…"

T.K. smiled brightly. "I'm fine." He shifted so her hand fell from his clothing and looked at Patamon, raising an eyebrow at the digimon irritated. "And where were you?"

Patamon frowned defensively. "Since when do I need report my every move?"

"Since you know how paranoid I am." T.K. snapped.

Patamon's frown faded. "I'm sorry."

T.K. sighed and ran his hands through his mussed hair tiredly. "I'm sorry too." He glanced at Davis and Cody. "Are you two alright?"

They glanced at each other and then back at T.K., Davis nodded. "Yeah, thanks to Patamon digivolving."

T.K. glanced at Patamon curiously. Everything was still so hazy he couldn't remember exactly what had happened—other than seeing MangaAngemon take Phelesmon out. "I don't know how, but I'm glad it happened."

Patamon tilted his head at T.K. "Do you remember saying anything to me?"

"Uhm…" T.K. shrugged. "The ruins filled with light and then I heard some pretty loud commotion from above ground. That's about all that happened down there."

The two boys glanced at each other again and Cody frowned, his eyebrows twitching with anger. "MangaAngemon destroyed Phelesmon."

T.K. nodded. "I'm glad he was able to protect—"

"Why would you be okay with that?" Cody hissed. Everyone looked at Cody with confusion.

T.K. frowned but before he answered he stopped himself—if he told them anything they'd know he somehow had seen the battle, the thought of trying to explain everything made his head throb. Patamon saved him and injected quickly. "He was aiming to kill you two! What did you expect me to do?"

Cody shook his head. "But killing isn't the answer. How can we justify killing the evil digimon when that makes us no better than them!"

T.K. was tired and his side was throbbing terribly with each breath he took. "Enough. Patamon did what he had to."

"You can't condone his behavior like that, T.K." Cody argued.

"That's enough." Ken stepped between the two. "It's late and we're in no condition to be standing out here arguing."

#

Everyone materialized in the computer lab in a heap. T.K. held his breath, biting back a moan as he tried to fight the pain in his side—grateful it was so dim in the classroom that no one saw his face contorted with pain before he pushed himself up and composed himself.

"You think DemiVeemon and Upamon will be alright?" Davis asked as he used a nearby chair to stand up.

Kari nodded. "Gatomon and the others will look after them. They weren't hurt as badly as we thought after all."

Davis let out a worried sigh. "I know."

Kari pull Davis' arm over her shoulder. "I'll walk you home."

Yolie looked worriedly at them. "I can give him a ride in my car."

Davis shrugged. "I'm honestly fine. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore."

Kari rolled her eyes. "Then why are you leaning against me so dependently?"

Davis smiled slyly. "Oh, am I?"

Kari sighed. "He's obviously fine. We'll manage." She glanced over at T.K. briefly, seeing him staring at her. He quickly turned to face Ken when their eyes met.

"I have a doctor's appointment for my shoulder tomorrow, so I won't see you guys after school."

Yolie grasped Ken's arm tightly, drawing his attention. "I'm going to take Cody home, are you going to head straight home?"

Ken hesitated. "Yeah. I'm going to give T.K. a ride and then I'll probably just go home and get some rest."

She nodded and gave him a light smile. "Okay."

Cody and T.K.'s eyes met briefly but Cody quickly turned and without saying goodbye walked past the group into the hall.

Yolie sighed. "Bye everyone."

Kari pursed her lips. "We're going too."

With a quick wave Kari and Davis followed after Yolie.

Ken watched the doorway for a few minutes before he turned to T.K. "Show me."

"Show you?" T.K. raised an eyebrow at him.

"Your side." He nodded to T.K.

T.K. shook his head. "I'll walk home." T.K. turned and started walking toward the door when Ken reached over and grabbed T.K.'s right arm, yanking him back.

T.K. almost keeled over in pain, choking on the yelp of pain he tried to fight back. "Seriously?" T.K. felt sick to his stomach and slowly knelt down onto his knees, holding his side.

"Sorry." Ken didn't have much of an apologetic tone in his voice. "I am getting kind of tired of you lying to me, though."

"Really?" T.K. moaned, holding his breath.

Ken knelt beside him. "I never used to worry about you lying to me."

"Maybe I'm not." T.K.'s tone darkened. "Maybe I'm lying to myself." He looked Ken in the eyes and let out a frustrated laugh. "Don't look at me like that."

Ken closed his eyes in frustration. "Let's go."

Thank you for reading!

(Side Note: I didn't recall until recently that Patamon had actually reached mega during one of the digimon movies. But for this we're just going to pretend that neither Patamon or Gatomon has reached mega. I do consider the movies canon material, compared to how most anime movies are basically filler material, and I am trying my best to make things coincide with the anime. Although alterations may be necessary, I won't change things lightly.)

As per the usual, blah blah blah, check out my original work, because I think its pretty good, blah blah. Google The Silent Ballad Series (because I can't post links here!) you can also find my full novels available on and kindle!

You're all awesome and again thank you for the feedback. I look forward to getting a new chapter out soon!