I know, I know. Last chapter was boring and bad because it didn't had any Killua in it. But it was necessary! And I added elements to be used later on if you look carefully!
But now, we are back to normal. With our favorite group of Digidestined and Anomaly.
Also, turns out my fellow spanish reviewer is a girl. (Saludos, NickTsundere)
Leave a Review. In the next chapter I would like to address them. Answer any questions you might have, but without spoilers.
Let's go!
On the night of Tokyo, no one suspected anything. No one could notice it. That in the middle of the night, on top of a certain building in Tamachi, a woman with a stunning figure, white hair, and purple sunglasses was overlooking the peaceful city.
Like a predator, it was observing her prey. Making sure, he wouldn't try anything against her or the plans she had.
After what seemed to be years, the dinning room of the Ichijouji family has finally regained a sense of comfort and calm that seemed to be lost forever.
Ken has come to adore this time, eating with his family and enjoying whatever plate his mom prepared for him. It was a nice time he regrets not appreciating over the last few years of his life, and it was welcoming after he's been working on... Something alongside his partner. It's been weeks since he woke up and found his partner, having started school again once his parents decided it was okay for him
He set his plate aside after finishing his rice. Feeling satisfied with the meal. But his mother had other ideas as she turned her eyes on him. "Do you want some more, Ken?" She offered, with a smile.
"U-umm, well..." He staggered in his words, not wanting to decline, but feeling too full to actually want to eat more.
"You're a growing boy, you have to eat more," His father remarked, while taking a bite from his own meal. "And this is really good, amazing job honey," He complimented to his wife.
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to say no to something his parents would say at this point. He nodded and handed the plate to his mom. "Okay. More, please."
As she served him another plate of rice with the usual. Ken had to hide a grimace, his stomach protesting at the prospect of having to eat more than needed, but for now he'll just had to hide his full stomach.
Once dinner was done, he walked back to the room. Rubbing his stomach a bit as he actually felt it expanding after having so much from the dinner. The same thing had happened in breakfast and lunch, luckily he had someone else to share those with.
"Hey, Ken," A small voice called from his bed. He looked up to see Wormmon's In-Training form, Minomon. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just think I eat too much," He answered, sitting back on his chair.
"Don't overdo it if it's making you feel bad," His little partner adviced. Always the voice of reason between the two.
He shrugged sheepishly. "I can't help it. They look really happy when I'm eating a lot, like a healthy boy growing up they say."
Minomon nodded in understanding. "Oh, okay then," He hid behind the bed again. "Then after such a big meal how about," He bounced on the bed, waving his little arms excitedly, "we exercise! Exercise! Exercise!" He repeated with each bounce.
Ken blinked at seeing his partner's silliness, but couldn't help the small chuckle escaping his lips at seeing him being so carefree. "Okay, tone it down before my parents notice a new voice."
Minomon just giggled and bounced one last time before just laying down. "Speaking of exercise, how's your new idea coming along."
Ken sat on his chair and looked down at his hands. The symbols of his ability had faded away, yet he still could see some remainings in the palms. "It's coming along..." His aura started to seep out his body. "Maybe ready for a test field."
After recovering his partner in the form of Leafmon, Ken had decided to check if he still had his Nen. To his surprise, he did. But something was different, his Nen felt different. And when he tried to use his ability on a glass of water, nothing happened. It was almost as if he was incapable of using the ability he had as the Emperor.
That line of thought made him realize that that ability Construction and Deconstruction was The Emperor's... Not his. He needed a new one, and this past weeks he's been preparing one while also helping Minomon recover his strength.
He shook his head and sighed, it was too late to actually test his new ability. Time to get some sleep and tomorrow, maybe, he will go for that test.
"Hi-yah!" Yolei threw a punch to Kari, who easily sidestepped and crouched to swep the girl's leg with a kick. Yolei yelp and lost her balance, causing her to fall down and hit her sides. "Ouch..." She moaned.
Kari couldn't help the proud smirk on her face. She's been training around four months now and while she isn't on Killua's level yet, she has advanced in combat. 'It's good to be on the other end for once,' She thought. She walked to Yolei and offered her a hand. "Here."
The bespectacled girl took her hand and sat up with a sheepish smile. "Hehehe. I'm not in my A-game right now."
"Don't worry," The young veteran reassured. "You'll get there soon enough."
Yolei only nodded and walked a few steps behind before crouching on the position Killua has drilled into all of them to fight and charged again. She might not be getting any progress, but Killua did say some things about muscular memory or something. Boy's stuff.
Said Hunter was overlooking the training pairs he set all around the clearing. T.K and Davis on one, with the blonde being on the defensive while Davis just rushed at him like a possessed man. While Kari and Yolei were on the other side, with Yolei just trying to imitate Kung Fu techniques.
He set this pairings for a specific reasons. Davis and T.K had a similar build, the two of them being athletes and slim, it would be even for the two to practice with each other. On the other hand, Yolei didn't had any kind of practice on her, she was more brain than brawn, so letting Kari give her pointers on how to start, being that she started almost the same way, seem like the most logical choice.
Then there was Cody.
"Killua?" Said boy came to him with a conflicted expression.
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure it's okay that I just practice against... That?" He pointed towards a make-shift dummy made by the Hunter himself. It was just a trunk with a pillow attacked to it, and two sturdy branches attached to each side like arms, both of them also tied with pillows.
Killua sighed, understanding where the boy was coming from. "Cody, remember that your built isn't the same as theirs," he pointed to the other boys training against each other. "You are younger, and no offense, smaller."
The boy looked resigned to that. It was all true, yet it was frustrating.
"But also remember," Killua said, making him perk up. "You already have training in a martial art. Your body is already more fit for combat that theirs," He gestured to the groups. "True, in Kendo you need a weapon, but you already have a certain conditioning in you that would serve you in real combat. For example..." He threw a light punch to the boy, that he was able to bat away ouf of instinct. "You already have nice reflexes thanks to that, now you only have to work on the more hand to hand techniques. That's what the dummy is for."
The boy rubbed the back of his head in thought before nodding and extending his arms to both sides. "Osu!" With that he walked back to his practice dummy.
Killua did a double take as the boy did that gesture. For a moment, the image of another boy with short brown hair overlapping his own. Zushi, the kid that actually introduce him to the idea of Nen.
As he thought about him, his thoughts went back to his world. His sisters. 'Alluka... Nanika...' He looked up to the Digital World's starry night. 'I've been here for almost six months... Those are around six days back there... I can only pray they're safe.' He wanted to start the scouting for a way back home. He even asked Izzy for help... But according to the genius, there wasn't any sign of Myotismon's old castle anywhere. 'How could it just vanish like that?!' He thought in frustration.
That only leave him with one option. And it was one he wasn't so fond of... Gennai. The old Digiman must know of some way for him to go back. On the day he parted ways with the others, two gates where opened: One leading to their world and another one leading to his. If the gate to the human world is now open, only needing a D-3 to use as a key to access it, then there must be a way to open the door to his home.
'Damn that old man only appearing when he wants,' They beat the Emperor, and while he had the suspicion that there was yet another threat looming around, he expected the Digital Human to make his appearance to the new kids.
Before he could continue his musing, the egg timer he set went off, signaling the end of this training session. "Okay, that's enough, wrap it up everyone!" He called.
They all stopped doing their exercises and gathered around him. Yolei's face was as red as a tomato due to all the effort she put on the training, Davis was dirty all over and looking more than a little winded, T.K was in a similar situation but less sweaty, Kari and Cody were the ones that looked the best —One being used to this, and the other only having to practice with an object. "Same hour tomorrow as always, and remember that we have to continue helping towns on their reconstruction."
"Can't we just have a day off? Just oneeee!" Davis moaned, panting a bit.
"I agree with the numb-skull," Yolei said, hunched down to her knees. "Mercy please."
"That word isn't in my dictionary," Killua said, crossing his arms petulantly. Then he smirked down at them. "I thought you guys were up to this, maaaaan I guess I was wrong."
"WHAT DID YA SAY?!" They both snapped, regaining their energies. The others sweatdropped and Killua's grin stretched.
"We can take on that and more!" Davis said, crossing his arms.
"Yeah!" Yolei pumped her fists.
"Good," Killua said nodding. "Then you won't need your partners help carrying materials tomorrow, right?"
"Eh?" They did a pause, Yolei's glasses slipping down her face.
"Rejoice, young ones!" He said, grabbing walking away from them before they could protest. "You gained a new task!"
"Yorokonbe my ass!" Davis tried to protest. "Get back here, sparky!"
"Can't hear you, entering the foreeeeeest," Killua smirked as he entered the foliage.
"I ah... Better go too," Kari said, moving away from the group to follow Killua. "Before my parents figure I'm not around."
"She has the right idea," T.K chuckled nervously as he scouted away from the condemned ones. "See ya tomorrow morning."
"Goodbye," Cody added, joining T.K in his escape.
This only left the two, poor souls, who had just fallen into Killua's trap. Blinking as their minds tried to wrap themselves around what just happened. And once it did, they could only yell at the skies at the unfairness of everything.
"OH COME ON!"
It was around three in the morning when Ken was disturbed from his sleep. Something was shining and it was filtering through his closed eyes. Slowly, he opened them and noticed that it was only his computer that has been booted up... But what was next to it, it's what surprised him.
A woman, with a red dress, hat, white gloves, and purple glasses, was staring at his computer without a reason. Standing completely silent as she looked through different files on the screen of the machine.
Instincts took over and Ken sat up. "Who are you?!" He demaned, his Nen already flaring up. This woman didn't looked like a cat burglar, and there was just something... Different about her.
Minomon noticed his partner's action and opened his eyes. "Ken? What's wrong?" He asked, looking up.
As if noticing them for the first time, the woman in red started talking. "You've been fired," She said. "Because you... Have become useless." She turned to them, glaring behind her shades. "You poor mortal."
Ken's eyes widened as he heard those words. In his mind, his room was suddenly filled with that word written all over. He heard those words before, words that marked a then and a now for him.
"You poor mortal, I can only feel sorry for you."
Those words were the same as the one from that Email. The Email that sent him to that dark place, where his Digivice was corrupted, where he stopped being Ken Ichijouji and became the Digimon Emperor for the first time.
This moment of shock was all the woman needed to vanish in the computer, merely by placing her hand on the screen, she was dragged into the machine. Without the need of a Digivice at all.
Ken and Minomon just watched everything happen, their eyes wide. Minomon looked at Ken with scared eyes. "W-what was that? Who was that?"
Ken leaped off from his bed and walked to his computer. His eyes widening when he saw the Digiport open. That woman has gone to the Digital World, and if she was related to the message that started his descent to darkness then... "The Digital World is still in danger..."
On the next day, the group continued on their reparations with the damage caused by the Digimon Emperor. This time focusing on a town near the mountains mostly composed by small houses. It was a complete mess, the roads and structures were completely wrecked. It was going to be a long day.
Luckily for the group, they had a new set of big hands with Exveemon now aboard. The big dragon watched as Davis struggled to lift around five tables of wood on his shoulders around the town to help with the repairs. "Youuu sure you don't want any help, Davis?" He asked.
"Umm..." He felt a pair of eyes on him. And he was pretty sure they were a deep blue. "No thanks..." Yolei was having the same trouble, carrying sandbags over her shoulders, not daring to go against their leader's — unfair — orders.
Everyone did their fair share too. Killua and T.K were patching up what they could with nails and a hammer, Kari was painting back the houses, Pegasusmon, Nefertimon and FlyBeemon moved the materials from one place to another, and Pteramon was using his metallic beak to carv new paths on the town.
By the time they finished, dusk was falling on the town and the group gathered on a hill overlooking it. All of them feeling a sense of pride on themselves at the good they're doing.
"Is it enough for today?" Davis asked, rubbing his sore arms.
Cody nodded. "Yes. We can continue tomorrow."
Kari was looking at the town with a smile, before her eyes were drawn to the rest of it. Many houses were still broken, and this was only one town. "We still have a lot to do."
Gatomon looked down at the town with a solemn look, her ears dropping. "I know..."
"And this is just one town," T.K mumbled looking around. "There are many others that need our help."
"You're right," Patamon nodded, laying on his head as usual.
Davis turned around. Behind them was one of the many Control Towers. They were all inactive, without the Black Digivice to power them. "Should we take them out?"
"Not now. Not today," Killua said, looking at the tower as well. "We're all tired and fixing the towns take a priority."
"I know, I know..." Davis said, running a hand through his hair. Still feeling weird at his lack of goggles.
A soft wind blew around them and Kari looked up at the sky. The theme of the towers bringing up another issue to her mind. "What do you think he's doing..." She said, calling their attention. "... Ken Ichijouji, I mean."
That was a weird thought to have for the veterans to have. Their enemies were usually eliminated and they moved on to the next, much to their chagrin, but Ken was a special case... He was still alive, in the human world, doing only-God-knows-what.
"I don't know... Plotting maybe?" Even as he said it, Davis couldn't find himself to believe it. His mind flashed to Ken's reaction to Wormmon's death. The emotion in them couldn't be faked.
"I don't think we will be coming back any time soon..." Killua said. "There hasn't been any news about him either, no new accomplishments or interviews about his disappearance. It's like he's laying low again."
"The Digimon will be more alert than never if he comes back," T.K said. "They will see him coming unlike last time."
Davis kicked dirts absentmindedly. "You guys don't have to listen to me but... Don't you think he might have... I dunno... Change?" He said, already waiting the bad responses from the team.
"Unlikely," Cody immediately said. "What he did is unforgivable."
Armadillomon turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Cody?"
The boy looked up while clenching his fists. "I can't forgive someone who did so much damage."
At his words, Killua hid his flinch thanks to years of mastering a poker face. 'He just had to word it that way, huh?' He asked, humorlessly. What a way to give him confidence about talking about his past. He knew it was probably for the best to tell them, best to avoid a situation like the one with Tapirmon on his last adventure. But how to approach it was the problem...
"Cody~!" Davis said with a grin as they walked out of the school building. "How about we crash at your place for sushi? Pretty pleaaaaase?" He begged.
Cody shook his head and scratched his head. "Sorry, not today. I have to go to my Kendo lessons with my grandfather."
Both Yolei and Davis deflated at this. They liked how the boy's mom prepared the sushi.
"Work hard, but don't over do it," Killua told him. "We still have things to work on today, remember."
Yolei and Davis deflated even further. Their arms were sore after carrying all of those materials earlier on the town, and they still had to train on the morning. When was this hell going to stop for them.
"Do your best," T.K and Kari wished the boy.
He nodded and smiled. "I will!" A wind passed by them and a newspaper slammed itself on the bars of the school gate. Cody picked it up and noticed an article depicting a certain genius...
His eyes hardened as a new motivation for his training came.
Killua noticed the boy's eyes and looked to the side with a conflicted look.
"Rah!" Cody roared as he charged at his grandfather with strong strikes from his shinai.
Chikara, despite being far away from his prime, blocked each strike his grandson threw at him with his own weapon. The boy tried to make his grandfather yield by slamming his armored frame against his, but Chikara merely smirked and pushed the child back, taking Cody by surprise.
The man raised his shinai and went for a strike to the head. Cody closed his eyes, waiting for the hit, even if the helmet was protecting him. However, the man only gave him a small tap before retreating his sword.
"I think that's all for today," Chikara said, putting down his shinai.
Cody panted heavily, his small frame drenched with sweat, but he nodded and put his weapon down too. "Osu! Thank you for the lesson!"
The man chuckled. "Osu? Mixing the terms a bit, eh Iori?"
The boy blushed and chuckled sheepishly. He got so invested on his lessons that he called forth the word used on Killua's regimen.
Teacher and student sat down. Iori removing his helmet and wiping away his forehead. A tap on his shoulder called his attention and he turned to see a box of yogurt in front of him. "Here, some refreshments with a new jelly flavor!" His grandfather said
Cody accepted the box and started to chug it down. The flavor being different than the usual his grandfather always has ready when they stop training.
"I must admit, I was skeptical at the fact that this flavor would like me. I mean, jelly as a juice flavor?" He chuckled. "But I decided to have an open mind, and I got a good result. Maybe that's a lesson we can both have! Always have an open mind for change, you might get a nice surprise."
Cody blinked at his grandfather's words. Not knowing what exactly make of theirs. He continued to chug down his pack of juice before the two of them had to go back home.
The evening for the rest of the Digidestined was uneventful. Davis and Demiveemon had gone to sleep, with the former dreading the time to go train with Killua, Yolei was making Poromon give her some massages by bouncing on her back, T.K was finishing his homework and Kari was reading a book with Gatomon.
But, a certain Hunter had some complicated thoughts on his head. He was laying on Tai's bed, while staring at the ceiling with half-open eyes. 'When can it be a good moment to tell them?' He wondered. 'I can't just repeat what I did with Gon and say out of nowhere: I come from a family of assassins, or I used to be an assassin.'
When he told Gon about it, he didn't considered him a friend yet. It was more like telling an stranger he would probably won't see again after the Hunter Exams — Oh how wrong he was. And even after becoming friends, Gon was just... Different, he wasn't below killing either — Neferpitou, may you rot in hell. But the new kids didn't considered killing a good thing, they had never actually eliminated a Digimon before, Kimeramon is an exception since he was more of a mindless, soulless monster.
The Emperor's acts disguted them, and to Killua too obviously, so how would they react when they know he's done almost the same amount of killing as him without the need of a giant monster? Just with his bare hands.
"Hey," Tai's head suddenly popped up in front of him. "Don't take up my bed."
Killua snorted and sat up. "Sorry, couldn't resist; it's more comfortable than my futon."
Tai rolled his eyes with a smile. "I can imagine, how come you don't have back pain?"
Killua shrugged. "Used to it, maybe," He said, sliding down.
"You're used to everything," The teen said with a chuckle.
'Thank you, training from hell,' He thought humorlessly. His eyes widen and an idea popped to mind. "Tai?"
"Yes, man?" He asked, sitting down on his bed.
"How or... When do you think I should tell Kari and the others about.. Y'know... My past?" He asked, sitting down crosslegged on his futon.
Tai winced at the question. "Haven't tell them, huh?"
"Hard to suddenly say: Hey, I'm an assassin," He deadpanned. And no, the irony was not lost to him. "And I don't want a prick to show them my memories," Both shared a wince at that particular instance.
"I don't know what you want me to say..." Tai scratched the back of his head. "Although... Remember when I told you about Kari... When she was younger?" He said, hiding a grimace.
Tai's biggest shame, Killua realized. When he, as a child, force a sick Kari to play with him. Aggravating her sickness and leaving her struggling for her life.
"Yeah..." He said with a sigh. Now that he was an older brother responsible of two sisters' safety, that story makes Killua sympathize with Tai more than ever.
"When I told you it wasn't out of nowhere... There was a cause, a reason for me to spill the beams," He said. "I was acting crazy and desperate and you guys needed to know why."
Machinedramon's territory, Kari fell ill and Tai, Izzy and himself all ran around the territory for some medicine. Yet, Izzy made slip that caused the enemy to almost get them, and Tai was ready to rip his head off. That behavior demanded an explanation and he gave it to them.
"So... You're saying that something must come up, where I'll need to explain my past?" Killua said, tilting his head.
"I know it's not perfect, but it would be the best case scenario. It's not exactly easy," He explained with a sigh. "Sorry if it doesn't help you."
Killua shook his head. "Hey man, it's cool. It's a good advice, if something like that doesn't happen the I'll just wait until we finish fixing the buildings. Then I'll tell them."
"Don't pressure yourself," Tai said. "Me and the others understand it, and T.K already knows. At least you'll have someone in the group on your side."
Killua hummed. "Yeah I guess... You know I don't say this to my friends but... Thanks, Tai."
The boy grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "No prob."
"Shoot!" Davis' voice resonated across the courtyard, followed by the sound of a ball being kicked... The glass shattering.
"MOTOMIYA!"
Later that day, Davis walked out of the classroom with a downcast expression on his face. The professor behind him shaking his head and muttering something about 'Troublemakers never changing.'
He made his way to the computer room where everyone was already waiting for him. Demiveemon jumped on the table and frowned at the boy. "You're later than usual, Davith!"
"Not fair! That guy just loved himself talked," He huffed, looking to the side with a red hint on his cheek.
"What did you do..." Yolei accused with a small glare and crossed arms.
"Maaaaybe I broke a window while playing football," He admitted. "I apologized but he didn't wanted to let me go."
"Again?" Cody asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Has this happened before?" Killua blinked. Then looking at the boy with a deadpan.
"Maybe you were kind of distracted while learning Japanese," T.K explained with a smile. "But yeah, it isn't the first time."
"And you do have a track record," Kari reminded. "On third grade, fourth, and even on the last year..." She trailed off, counting with her fingers.
"Okay, okay! I get it, please stop!" The boy begged. Kari of all people having to be the one to remind him of his less than stellar aim.
"As amusing as Davis' path of destruction is-"
"Hey!"
"-Let's get going now," Killua finished.
"Digiport Open! Let's go, Digidestined!"
When they arrived at the same town they fixed the day before, they found themselves surrounded by a swarm of red Digimon with three small horns on their heads.
"And this Digimon are...?" Davis asked, looking at the small creatures with a raised eyebrow.
"If I'm not wrong, they're Punimon," Patamon said, flapping over the small crittens.
"That's weird. What are baby Digimon doing here?" Killua asked with a raised eyebrow. "Shouldn't they be in Primary Village?"
"Sometimes Digimon are reborn in the same place where they die," Gatomon said.
Killua and T.K thought back to Angemon's sacrifice. His egg did formed in front of T.K instead of going to Primary Village.
"That explains the kinder for yesterday," Cody said, letting his fist fall into his open palm in realization.
"There was a kinder?!" Davis yelped in surprise.
Killua face-palmed. Not for Davis not noticing... But because he didn't noticed either...
"Then the next order of business if fixing the kinder for the little ones," Hawkmon said, causing the red Digimon to start bouncing up and down.
"They sure have a lot of energy!" T.K chuckled, looking down at them.
Davis however felt a migraine at hearing the high pitched voices of the Babies. "Too much if you ask me..." He muttered under his breath.
Kari couldn't help herself and picked up one of the Babies to cuddle it. "Awww, they're adorable!" She cooed.
"I know right?!" Davis did a one-eighty and smiled goofily looking down at the crittens. "They're so cute!"
"Idiot," Killua muttered with an eye roll.
"What was that?!" Davis snapped, looking at the white haired boy.
"Nothing," Killua whistled innocently. "Let's get to work everyone!"
Davis huffed and crossed his arms. "Fine!" He picked up his Digivice. "V-Mon! Bring out the big guns!" He said, raising his Digivice.
"Okay!" V-Mon said, pumping his fists.
"V-Mon Digivolves to... Exveemon...?"
Everyone blinked, instead of the big dragon they still had the tiny dinosaur. "Uh..."
"V-Mon, come on, no time for games!" Davis frowned and raised his Digivice again. "Go!"
"V-Mon Digivolves to... Ex... Vee... Mon?"
Again. Nothing. V-Mon was still tiny and everyone could see the questioning marks on their heads.
V-Mon turned. "I... I can't Davith, sorry."
"C'mon, I believe in you!" Davis tried to motivate. "Go again!"
"V-MON DIGIVOLVES TO EXVEEMON!" V-Mon screamed in attempt to force the evolution out of him... But nothing. Still tiny. "Nothing..."
Now Davis was getting worried. "This is weird, you could evolve yesterday."
"Are you feeling ill?" Hawkmon asked. "Maybe with an aching stomach?"
"No, that's not it," V-Mon answered, looking crestfallen at his inability to evolve.
"Or maybe it's the opposite and he is still hungry!" Armadillomon exclaimed, standing on two legs and signaling to his belly.
"He better not, the little rascal eat almost all of my lunch!" Davis said, putting his hands on his hip and mock-glaring at his partner.
"Then it could be an upset stomach!" Yolei repeated Hawkmon's theory.
"Nah, I know what it is!" Davis said. "Since he hasn't had a good fight all he does is eat, he needs to go on a diet!"
As he said those ideas, the rest of the group huddled together. "This smells fishy..." Killua said.
"What do we do then?" Cody asked, looking at the downcast V-Mon.
T.K looked at the edges of the town, the forest surrounding him. "We'll go do some tests, you guys stay and continue fixing what you can."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Davis for his part knelt and wrapped an arm around V-Mon for support. "Relax, everything is going to be fine buddy. We'll try later on!" He turned and noticed the trio of veterans leaving. "Hey, where are you going?"
"Going to check something," Killua said, raising a hand to wave at him. "You guys stay here and start the repairs, we'll be back soon enough."
"B-but," Davis tried to say. Kari was going on her way with the two boys. "Wait you can't just-"
"Davis, relax!" Yolei said, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Together we can think of something the two of you can do!"
Davis gulped. He didn't liked the sound of that.
"Nothing?" Killua asked, looking at the girls.
Gatomon shook her head. "No... I don't feel any different..."
"I try..." Kari mumbled. "I try to replicate what I felt one that place, when Gatomon evolved... But without the Crest is hard..."
"Hey, it's okay, don't push yourselves," Killua reassured with a smile. He turned to the blonde. "Let's try with Angemon."
T.K nodded and raised his Digivice. "Patamon, let's go!"
"Patamon Digivolves to... Angemon..."
Sadly, nothing changed. The small Digimon's ears dropped. "I can't, T.K. I'm sorry."
"So it's not just with the Ultimate. We can't evolve again," Gatomon said, her ears dropping as well.
"Yeah but... Why?" T.K asked out loud.
Immediately, their gazes turned to the Control Tower overlooking the town. A sinking felling settling on their stomachs. "You don't think... It's active again right?" T.K asked.
"But that would mean Ken is back..." Kari mumbled.
Killua glared at the tower. "It doesn't make sense..." He muttered. If Ken was truly back, the why wasn't he making a show out of it? Showing his great power or sending rings to capture Digimon? 'There's something here that doesn't feel right...'
By the tower overlooking the town, the woman in red smiled while playing with her hair. "Time to start the show..."
She pulled out some strands and turned to the tower. Her smile stretching and becoming bloodthirsty.
Yolei had produced a beach ball from her backpack and was now using every ounce of the air on her lungs to fill it. Once the object was round enough, she passed it to Davis. "Here."
"Good, now we can continue our jobs from yesterday," Cody said, mounting Pteramon's back and flying off.
"H-hey, why do I have to babysit?" Davis asked, while changing between the ball and the Punimon.
Yolei shrugged. "Neither of V-Mon's current forms are fit for working, someone needs to take care of them, and they seem to like you."
At this, the Punimon started jumping up and down in emotion, as if to confirm what the girl said.
"Good luck, don't fail us now and don't break anything!" She waved at the boy as she got on FlyBeemon's back and flew off to continue the repairs.
"B- wha- Wait!" Davis stammered, completely lost on how did he got roped in this. Then, as the cherry of the top, he heard a distinct sound.
*PFFFFFT*
He looked down at the Punimon, all of them staring innocently at him. "Okay... Who was the funny one?" He asked, his eyebrow twitching.
None of them responded and just continued to look at him.
Ignoring that... Incident, Davis decided to introduce the little ones to his favorite game with a ball. He started to do typical football tricks, like bouncing the ball on his head or dominating it with his knees.
"See now you do it like this," He told the little ones. "Don't let it fall to the ground." He explained. "Now, go after it!" He kicked the ball towards V-Mon.
The blue Digimon received it with the chest and he started to run around the playground. The little Punimon all started chasing V-Mon around to get a chance at the ball.
V-Mon smiled and turned around to kick the ball towards the small, red Digimon that were chasing him. One of the Punimon caught it and started to bounce it around its companions to play around.
"That's right little fellas, keep it up!" Davis cheered as he also headbutted the ball along with V-Mon to join in the game.
Just outside the entrance to the playground, Yolei and FlyBeemon returned to check on them. Taking on a pleasant surprise on seeing Davis actually getting along with the babies after his reluctance to work.
"Hey," She turned around to see Killua, T.K and Kari arriving. "What's Davis doing?" Killua asked.
"He was left in charge of looking after them while Cody and I continued to work," She responded. "He's doing great."
Kari smiled at the scene in front of her. "He certainly has a way around the children," She giggled.
"And you? Did you guys find anything?" She asked. "About why V-Mon couldn't evolve?"
"Nothing, really..." T.K said. "And Patamon couldn't evolve either."
"We might think the towers are working again," Killua said. "But until we see any trace of Ken, it's better if we just wait out and see if something changes. By the way, where's Cody?"
"Oh, he went down the tunnels with Pteramon," Yolei said, pointing down for emphasis.
Both partners looked around the destroyed tunnels with frowns on their face. "Even the underground wasn't safe from his destruction," Pteramon growled. "Curse that Emperor!"
Cody was also looking around with a frown. His mind drifting to what Davis said yesterday, to the possible of him changing. For him, that was impossible, someone that causes damage to others for no reason couldn't suddenly change.
"Hey Cody!" Pteramon's voice broke him from his stupor. "Are you okay? You zoned out for a bit."
He shook his head. "It's nothing, sorry..." He said, smiling a bit. "Let's see what we can do to fix this..."
"Sure!" Pteramon nodded, raising his metallic wings.
They walked down the tunnels to find somewhere to start, when suddenly a sharp pain erupted on Cody's cheek. He recoiled and covered the side of his face, feeling something humid on it. He retreated his palm and looked down at it. His fingers had small traces of blood. "What?"
"Cody, look!" Pteramon said turning around.
Floating behind them was a round Digimon with arms and legs, on its forehead was a golden lightning bolt. It was glaring silently at them and reared its tiny fists to attack.
"That's a Thundermon, a Champion I think..." Pteramon identified. Before he could react, the spheric Digimon slammed its fist on his gut. "Ugh!"
It started to buzz around at a speed that could only be matched by Killua. Cody was trying to keep up, with a confused look. "I don't get it! It's not possessed, why is it attacking us!?"
"Cody, what should I do!?" Pteramon asked.
Before he could answer, Thundermon appeared in front of them and released a discharge of electricity aimed to the duo. Pteramon crossed his wings over his body and the attack was redirected upwards.
The attack broke through the surface, calling the attention of the remaining group. "What was that!?" Davis yelped.
Everyone stopped working to go check.
On the tunnels, the attack causes Pteramon to revert back. Debris started to rain on them and Cody took a great effort on covering both his and Armadillomon's head. 'Why is it attacking us without a reason!?' He thought in confusions. An idea suddenly came to mind. "The Digimon Emperor... Could it be his doing!?" He asked, and sat up.
"Cody, look out!" Armadillomon yelped, looking at the big rock coming towards them, while Thundermon charged at them again.
Cody watched the rock coming down to them and covered tackled Armadillomon into a hole where they wouldn't be completely crushe, while cursing his luck. 'How could we fight it when it doesn't have a ring in it?!' He wondered.
The rock fell, trapping the two of them... Yet a light came from below the boulder.
"Armadillomon Digivolves to... Ankylomon!"
The new form of the yellow Digimon emerged from the rocks. It was giant quadrupedal Digimon resembling a dinosaur, with a shell covered in rocks, and a tail that ended on a round, spiked hammer. He raised his arm and blocked the tackle from Thundermon, while keeping Cody safe on his free hand. He pushed Thunderstorm against the ground, causing the small Digimon to glare at him.
"Armadillomon you... Evolved..." Cody said, staring at his partner in awe.
Ankylomon looked at Cody in confusion. "Wait... How was I able to Digivolve and V-Mon couldn't?"
"I... I don't know..." Cody mumbled. "This doesn't make sense..."
"Anyways," Ankylomon shrugged. "Better to get out of here!" He stood on two legs and crouches, pumping strength on his rear legs to make a big jump that sent them back to the surface. "Cody, go back to the others," he said, setting down the boy.
"Are you going to fight!?" Cody asked. "But that Digimon doesn't seem to be possessed!"
"I'll just take him away!" Ankylomon reassured. He looked down to where the enemy crashed, but noticed it was gone. "Uh? Where did it-" An explosion occurred behind him, just where he set Cody down. "CODY!"
"AAAAAAAH!" The boy was sent flying with various rocks due to the attack. "HELP ME!" He screamed in fear.
His momentum was suddenly stopped as something catched him. Something tall and with strong arms. He looked up and his eyes widened. "Y-you are..."
Ankylomon's jaw dropped. "Stigmon!"
The insectoid champion looked down at Cody. "Are you okay?" He asked in a worried tone.
"I am... Look out!" He pointed behind them to see Thundermon charging at them again.
Stigmon flew away from it and passed by Ankylomon, depositing Cody on his arms, and Thundermon followed him to attack him.
"Is he... The same?" Cody asked. He knows there are many Digimon of the same species, this Stigmon could be a different one from the one they met.
"I think so..." Ankylomon answered. "I never saw other Digimon like Stigmon."
Cody's eyes narrowed. 'If he's here then that means...'
"Cody!" The other Digidestined joined them, looking worried for the kid. "Are you okay!?" Killua asked.
"Yes," He answered. "We're okay!"
FlyBeemon flew towards the giant, yellow Digimon. "Cody!" Yolei exclaimed in relief at seeing him.
FlyBeemon blinked. "It's that... Armadillomon, it's that you?"
"'Sup!" Ankylomon greeted, pretending to tip a hat.
Davis' eyes trailed off and locked into the fight. "Stigmon!?" The rest of the group gasped in shock at seeing their deceased ally back from the tomb.
"He must have been reborn in Primary Village," Killua mused and started to look around. 'Is Ken around then?'
"Who is he fighting?" Patamon asked.
"Thundermon. It attacked us out of nowhere! And it's not possessed!" Ankylomon explained.
Thundermon nailed a headbutt on Stigmon and prepared to launch a thunderbolt at him. However, before he could do it.
*BOOM!*
A gunshot was heard and a bullet passed by the aggressive Digimon's face. Leaving a wound similar to the one gave the boy.
Everyone turned and they saw him. Standing there, on top of a building, was the boy genius himself, Ken Ichijouji. And he... Had a gun on his hand. "Stigmon now!"
"Stinger Attack!" With the distraction granted by his partner, Stigmon's stinger glowed a pink color and drove it to Thundermon's head.
The Digimon didn't made a sound as he was turned into dust. Not data, just... Dust.
Everyone gasped at the apparent murder that occurred in front of them, not believing Stigmon to be able to do something like this, even under Ken's orders. However, Killua noticed what happened to Thundermon's remains. 'Dust? That wasn't data just... Dust... Where have I seen that before?' He pondered.
"That was just cruel!" Davis said gritting his teeth, he swirled around to glare at Ken. "Has he not changed at all!?"
Stigmon flew towards Ken and offered him a hand to transport him. To everyone's astonishment, Ken's gun dissipated in thin air and he smiled at his partner. "Thank you, Stigmon."
"No problem, Ken," The giant responded.
"Wait!" Yolei said. "You can't just go away after killing a Digimon like that!"
Ken turned to them and he extended his hand. Everyone gasped when a book formed on his palm. He flipped it open and stopped on a page where he rippes the paper off. The page he ripped started to glow and it turned into a certain type of grenade.
Killua's eyes widened. 'A stun grenade... And he made everything with Nen!?'
Ken took out the pin and threw it in the air.
"Cover your eyes!" Killua yelled and everyone obeyed.
A blinding light filled the town, and everyone had to cover their faces to avoid getting any of the disorienting effects of the weapon.
By the time it cleared and it was safe for them to look, Ken and Stigmon were gone.
Davis was the first to break the silence. "So Ken is back... And Stigmon saved Cody and he didn't called him scumbag or something like that for doing so," Davis recapped. "Then they kill a Digimon, he pulls a book out of thin air, and from that book he takes out a fucking grenade!? What. The. Fuck!?"
"That book..." Killua said. "Was made of Nen."
"Nen can create things out of nowhere?" Kari asks her teacher.
"Yeah... Conjuring techniques..." Killua mumbled. 'But... I was sure that Ken was a Specialist, or a Manipulator at best. Is he just trying a Conjuring technique, or has his Nen type actually changed? If so... How!?' He sighed and turned to the others. "We don't have all of the answers. But we have to be ready for everything. We don't know what Ken plans to do now. Let's just finish the repairs... Now we have holes to patch.
Everyone nodded in understanding at their leader's words and for now decides to focus back on fixing the town.
Cody looked at the place where Ken has been standing moments ago. His mind complete confused, how is it possible that their enemy suddenly saved his life? His eyes hardened. This could be a ploy or...
"Always have an open mind for change, you might get a nice surprise."
His grandfather's words suddenly came back to him. 'What is the truth now...?' He wondered.
Dusk was settling and the majority of the group sat on the sidelines while Davis continue to play with the babies. "Go! It went that way!" He told the crittens as he kicked the ball. The swarm of Punimon following after it.
Killua chuckled as he saw the boy playing. "Someone has a touch with kids."
"Right?!" Kari chuckled.
"Don't let them win Davis!" T.K called jokingly.
Davis turned to look at him and he scoffed. "As if!" He said, turning to continue playing.
The group laughed at the light-hearted scene, before Cody's eyes drifted to the hill overlooking the town. "Guys?" Everyone turned to look at him. "There was a Control Tower on that hill right?" He asked, receiving nods. "Then... Now it's gone."
They all turned to see the hill. And where once stood a black obelisk, now there was an empty space.
"I... Didn't noticed," T.K said.
"None of us took it down," Killua said. "We decided to do it after finishing with the town."
"That explains why Armadillomon was able to evolve," Yolei realized. "But still... Where did it go?"
Killua narrowed his eyes. "First Thundermon, then Ken, now this... What is happening?" He mused quietly.
Ken walked across a desert with Wormmon on his arms. "Are you okay, Wormmon?"
"Yeah," He answered, while snuggling on his arms. "We weren't able to catch her though..."
Ken nodded and frowned at that, before giving his partner a smile. "It's okay. We'll have another chance."
"Your new ability works perfectly, just like you wanted it to!" Wormmon said, looking at the bright side.
Ken smiled and nodded again. "I suppose. I needed a few conditions here and there but... It works. Let's hope it's enough to catch her..."
They reached a port and Ken took out his Digivice. And with a flash of light he went home.
"Ragh!" Cody roared as he attacked his teacher with the shinai. Giving strong, but unfocused strikes. 'Why did he save me? Why did a guy like him save me?! Why?! Why?!' He thought with frustration.
Chikara pushed him back and then, with a quick strike he hit him on the head. Cody staggered as the hit caused a small ringing on his head.
Chikara sheathed his weapon while Cody panted. "Cody you still have a long way to go in Kendo."
Cody panted and sweated. He really got worked up with his thoughts. That wasn't good, he could get distracted on the training with his friends.
"You should be more flexible to improve," Chikara said.
Cody looked up at the man with a raised eyebrow. "Flexible like... Jelly, grandfather?"
Chikara chuckled sheepishly. "Ahahaha! You got me!"
Cody looked down, conflicted. 'Flexible... Open minded...'
On the streets of Tokyo, the woman in red walked while twirling her silver hair. "He's meddling in our issues... Should I deal with him?" She said, to apparently nobody. She was quiet for a woman before she sighed. "If you say so, master..." She sighed.
The post of light above her flickered off for a moment, leaving the street on the dark for a moment, and when it flickered on again... She was gone.
Remember. Leave a Review and next chapter I'll give you a (spoiler free) response. And from what I could gather an object Conjured by Nen can be seen by Non-Nen users, correct me if I'm wrong.