AN: So this took a little longer than I hoped. Squeegeman was suffering from writer's block, and I was busy working on the latest chapter of "Hero Academia DxD", and then "Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed" was announced and released. Man, it's great to play as Shulk and Rex again, plus the game gave me a couple of ideas.
Anyway, it's time to enjoy the next chapter, shall we? Oh, by the way, for future reference, Koh's home is a large traditional Japanese home (think of the Todoroki adobe in My Hero Academia, only smaller).
Chapter 02: The Mummy's Ghost
It was late at night, the sky pitch black with only the light of the moon. At around this time, there were still people running around town in the streets, but there weren't that many people in some more barren locations. In one of those barren locations, a man appeared to be tired as he walked through a park.
"What a long day," the tired man muttered. Being the CEO of a company wasn't as easy as some would assume. Luckily, he knew of a way to relieve the stress.
"I'm so tired," he let out a sigh. "I can't wait to get home and call for Akeno-chan's special treatment…" he smiled perversely. Suddenly, he felt something grab him. "Wha-!" He felt his body being wrapped up in something. "What's going on?!"
He managed to get a look at his assailant. To his shock and horror, it appeared to be a monster. He screamed as his head was wrapped in bandages, and continued to scream as he fell back to the ground, immobilized.
"Stop! I beg you! What are you planning to do to me?! If it's money you want, I can pay whatever you ask for!" The CEO screamed as his assailant picked him up.
Nearby, a drunkard witnessed this, dropping his beer can in shock as the figure carried away the screaming man. "G-g-gh-ghost m-m-mummy!"
April 30, 2012
Hinode Residence, Japan
"Ugh… mornin', Boss," Coronamon yawned as he got up, exiting his makeshift room.
"Arf!"
Instead of his partner, Coronamon was greeted by an orange and white Akita dog, who began happily licking his face.
"Hey, no! Bad, Mako! I thought we agreed, no slobber in the morning!" Coronamon grumbled as he pushed the dog away. The dog, Mako, gave a short whine as Coronamon wiped off the slobber on his face. When he finished, Coronamon noticed that Koh wasn't in his bed. "Where's Boss?"
"Arf," Mako turned and headed out of Koh's room. Coronamon followed the dog to the back, where he found Koh, who was practicing swinging Regulus Nemea.
Despite it being a large, golden axe, Koh was swinging it like it was natural. 'Regulus said that whoever the axe goes, I go. And the way it flew back to my hand… Maybe I can borrow a page from Thor's book…' Koh then threw the axe, it spinning in the air for a bit before he reached out his arm. The axe stopped midair before it flew back to his hand. Koh stared at the golden axe, easily able to wield it one-handed. "That actually worked?" Koh asked, surprised.
"Of course, it worked," Regulus replied. "But was that truly a technique of the Norse's Thunderer?"
"I saw it in a movie," Koh clarified, examining the axe.
"You're pretty good with that, Boss," Coronamon spoke up, with Mako barking in agreement.
Koh blinked in surprise, having not noticed them until now. "Yeah, I am. Still, this thing is terribly well-balanced. Feels more like I'm wielding a sword than an axe."
"Yes, it certainly seems so."
Koh's eyes widened as he turned around. Behind him, his uncle stood there with an unreadable gaze. "Uncle Iroh! How long have you been there?"
"About…the entire time."
Koh then began to scratch his head. "So…any critique?"
Iroh then began stroking his beard. "Well, for one, your stance is wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Koh, let me show you," Iroh then went back into the house and came back out with a huge ōdachi. "Your weapon is light in your hands, but that's because it's a Sacred Gear. I feel that to properly train your muscles in wielding heavy weaponry, you need to learn to wield one." He then handed Koh the ōdachi, and Koh nearly fell over from its weight.
"Uncle, where did you even get this hunk of metal anyway?!"
"Trade secret," Iroh said as he winked. "Now continue swinging that thing until you feel your muscles properly start to develop."
Koh could only grumble as he dismissed the axe, turning it back into a bracelet, and did as he was told, but it was harder than it looked. Despite his training in the Kendo Club, holding an ōdachi rather than a shinai was a whole different experience altogether. Soon, he found himself panting and out of breath as he held the sword in his hand. Iroh smiled as he simply raised his hand.
"I believe that you practiced enough. After all, school starts in an hour."
"Ah, right," Koh gave back the ōdachi to Iroh and hurried inside, changed into his school uniform, and grabbed his bag and lunch. "See you later!"
"Bye, Boss!" Coronamon waved as Koh got on his bike and rode off.
It didn't take long to arrive at the school grounds. As he placed his bike into one of the racks near the front entrance, Koh took a moment to look at the main school building. He was still surprised to see that, despite being damaged by Kuwagamon a few days ago, it still looked to be in pristine condition.
'I wonder how often devils have to do stuff like that?'
"Excuse me, Hinode," Koh looked up to see Sona Sitri approaching him.
"Is there something you need, Shitori-senpai?" Koh asked.
"I wish to know if the two Digimon you mentioned the other day are still on school grounds."
"You mean SnowAgumon and Psychemon? Yeah, they usually hang out in the woods behind the cafeteria. Why do you ask?"
"I wish to speak with them after school regarding their pranks, such as the one that befell Hyoudou last year."
"Good luck with that," Koh muttered. "Those two are surprisingly stubborn when it comes to their 'fun'. But I'll tell them you asked for them."
"Thank you, Hinode," Sona nodded before she left.
"Koh-kun!" Koh heard before he was suddenly tackled from behind by Anne.
"Oh, Anne!" He blinked before he turned around to look at the girl. "Good morning."
"Good morning to you too, Koh," she smiled. "Why were you with Shitori Kaichou?"
"She just wanted to meet with the terrible duo later," Koh answered.
"Oh," the dhampir nodded. "Uh, Koh-kun," Anne nervously began. "Since you… know now, I was wondering if…"
"Wondering what?"
"…Is it okay if I have a sip of your blood?" She finally asked.
Koh blinked in surprise.
"I know it's a sudden question and that you might be put off by it but I've always wonderedwhatyourbloodtasteslikeandthatIoftenhavedreamsofustogetherandI'mgonnastoptalkingnow…" Anne lowered her head in embarrassment.
"…I'm not going to turn into a vampire if you do so, right?" Koh asked.
"No, no! That only happens during a full moon, plus only pure-blooded vampires can do so… I think."
"You think?" Koh sighed, "Fine. Drink up."
"Oh, thank you!" She then bit his neck. "CHU!"
"Ow!"
Anne pulled away after she took some of his blood, licking her lips. "Oh, it's even more delicious than I hoped!"
"Glad you liked it," Koh deadpanned as he rubbed the spot she'd bitten. "This isn't going to be a recurring thing, will it?"
"I mean…" Anne suddenly perked up. "Woah~!"
"What?"
"I feel charged up!" Anne perked. "I heard that vampires can temporarily gain the abilities of those they drink blood from, and the effect is stronger from a virgin's blood. I must've absorbed some of the golden lion aura from your Sacred Gear because it feels like I just drank a super energy drink! I feel like I can take on the whole Underworld right now! C'mon, Koh-kun!" She grabbed Koh's hand.
"Anne, wait a sec- WHOA!" Koh's protests fell on deaf ears as he was literally dragged by Anne to class.
'Ugh, note to self. Never let Anne drink my blood again unless it's an emergency,' Koh thought to himself as he entered his classroom, his uniform dirty from being dragged here by Anne. Taking his seat, Koh began to draw something in his notebook to relax, as he normally does before classes start.
After several minutes of drawing, Koh paused to glance behind him, to where Saji, Kusaka, Hanakai, Meguri, and Yura were all sitting, chatting with each other and some of their classmates. 'It's weird, knowing I'm classmates with devils. Not to mention one of my friends is half vampire.'
Koh then looked over to Kido's still-empty desk before looking at the time. 'Class will start in a few minutes, yet Kido still isn't here. Weird, she's always here early.'
"H-Hello, Hinode-kun."
Koh heard Kido's voice and saw her standing behind her desk, but there was something unusual about her today. She was wearing sunglasses and she seemed to be more anxious than usual.
'Okay, that's a red flag,' Koh frowned. "Kido, why are you wearing those sunglasses indoors?"
"Oh! Uh-uh, I-I must have f-forgotten to take-take them off!" Kido stammered.
Sensing something was off, Koh motioned his eyes toward the window and saw that it was a cloudy day, with no sign of the sun in sight. When he looked back at Kido, he noticed there was a bit of purple underneath her left eye.
"…Kido, take off the sunglasses."
"Wha… N-no, it's fine. I can still see with them on."
Koh sighed. "Kido, if you're worried I'll get mad or something, I promise I won't. I'm just worried. So, please, what are you hiding?"
Kido was extremely hesitant to do so, but she eventually slowly removed her sunglasses, and what Koh saw left him in complete shock. Her left eye was completely bruised and swollen.
"Kido, who did this to you?" Koh asked, trying to keep his anger in check as he promised.
"Uh-eh-uh…" Kido was incredibly reluctant to answer.
"You need an ice bag for that. I'm taking you to the nurse's office right now."
"B-but we'll be late for class!"
"I can tell the teacher what happened," Momo spoke up, she and their other classmates having noticed.
"Thanks, Hanakai," Koh said to the Bishop as he guided Kido to the nurse's office.
In the school infirmary, Kido was holding a bag of ice over her left eye while sitting in one of the beds as Koh watched her while the nurse left to inform the principal. "Kido, who did that?"
Once again, Kido remained silent and looked away from Koh.
Koh frowned. "Kido, I want to help you. But I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."
Kido continued to hesitate before answering. "My mother…"
"Why the hell would your mom hit you?" Koh asked.
"She's… she was worried I was slacking in my studies. That I should be studying b-because she's working very hard for my classes."
"Worried!?" Koh frowned. "There's no way that is her being 'worried'! It sounds like she only cares about your studies. Didn't you have any friends growing up?"
"Uh… do you count?"
"Yes," Koh slowly nodded. "But I kinda meant any friends besides me before high school."
"…Then no."
"What do you do when classes are over?"
"I go home, head to my room, and study."
"…Do you do anything that doesn't involve your studies? Do you play games, watch anime, or read any manga?"
"Games? Anime? Manga?" Himari tilted her head in confusion.
"…How do you not know any of those?" Koh questioned in exasperation. "Do you have ANY hobbies?"
"I can't have hobbies, my mother says they get in the way of my studies," Kido answered. "I have to study to get into a good college and become a doctor."
"Kido-san, while I get studying is important to you, there's more to life than that," Koh gently told her.
"Maybe… but my mother works so hard for me to get a good education."
"And if you don't do what she wants, she hits you," Koh pointed out. "That sounds like child abuse to me."
"M-my mother isn't abusive, Hinode," Himari insisted. "I-It's my fault for not studying enough. Don't parents punish their children for getting bad grades all the time?"
"Never by hitting them so hard that they get a black eye!" Koh countered. "Wait, you've only mentioned your mother. What about your father?" Koh asked.
Kido seemed hesitant to answer. "…My father was an office worker, always working long hours with tons of mandatory overtime."
"I see…" Koh nodded.
"And he was also drinking with his bosses often," Kido told him. "He hoped that it would help him earn a promotion. But he never did receive one… Eventually, he started developing an addiction to alcohol. That, combined with a lack of sleep from overworking, negatively affected his performance at work, and he was fired. After that, he and my mother began to argue. Then, a few months after he lost his job… They found his body in the woods."
Koh stared at Kido in wide-eyed shock. "Did he…?"
"He hung himself," Kido finished. "My mother told me that he couldn't handle the shame and pressure anymore."
"Kido… I…" Koh whispered, not sure how to respond. "I'm sorry."
"Thank you, Hinode," Himari felt a small smile gracing her lips. "My dream is to become a doctor to help people, especially my parents. They have always looked so exhausted and miserable, my mother especially after father died."
Koh nodded. Even if her mother wasn't the best person, Himari still wants to help her in some way. Still, the fact that she's focusing solely on her studies is not healthy. So, Koh decided to do something to help.
Later, as school ended, Himari, keeping a cloth filled with ice over her black eye per the nurse's instructions, headed for the front entrance. She already had some ice packs at home, so she just needed to get some medication to help it heal right away. Her mother would be mad if the black eye got in the way of her studies.
"Kido, hold on!" A familiar voice called from ahead of her. Himari looked up and saw Koh standing there waving at her.
"Hinode-kun?"
"I was wondering if we could hang out after school," he said.
Himari blinked in surprise, which caused a small jolt of pain from her black eye. "I'm sorry, Hinode-kun, but…"
"But nothing. I don't care what your mother says. You can't keep studying nonstop without a break," Koh said. "Look, at least let me treat you to something to eat. You look as if you could use a good meal."
The pale blue-haired girl flushed. She hadn't actually eaten since breakfast, and it hadn't been much of a breakfast at that. "U-um…if…it isn't a bother to you, Hinode-san…"
"It's fine," Koh grinned. "How does a hamburger sound?"
Himari rather enjoyed the McDonald's burger and fries she had with Koh. They were a nice change of pace from what she normally ate, even if they were unhealthy.
Once finished, Koh next took her to a crepe stand. "I've never had a crepe before," Himari muttered as the two waited in line.
"Well, that's about the change," Koh said. "So what kind of crepe do you want?"
"I… I don't know," Himari muttered, yet she was also excited, evident by the small smile she had.
Seeing it caused Koh to smile also. 'She has a cute smile.'
"I must admit, she would be an ideal mate for you," Regulus said.
Koh reflexively blushed. "Mate?!"
"Huh? Did you say something, Hinode-kun?" Himari asked, having overheard him.
"Uh, nothing," Koh waved his hands while blushing. Eventually, Himari decided to get a cinnamon apple crepe while Koh got a chocolate and banana crepe.
They settled on a nearby bench, enjoying the crepes. Himari, in particular, had stars in her eyes as she ate. "I take it you're enjoying it?" Koh chuckled.
Himari happily nodded as she continued to eat her crepe. Koh chuckled some more as he ate his.
"Hinode?"
Looking up, Koh and Himari saw that Issei and Asia, the two on a bike with the former lining to Issei's back, were in front of them.
"Hyoudou? Argento? What are you guys doing here?" Koh asked the two devils.
"We're handing out fliers for our club," Asia answered.
"I didn't know school clubs could hand out fliers," Himari said.
Koh took one of the fliers, it having a pentagram as the focus. Above it, the words 'Your wishes granted!' were printed at the top. "Is this for… the other activities your club does?"
"Yep," Issei nodded. "Hang on to that, it might come in handy sometime."
At that, the two devils rode off. 'That was random,' Koh thought, stuffing the flier into his pants pocket.
By the time night had fallen, Koh and Himari were walking through a park that borders between a train station and a museum. "I had fun, Hinode," Himari said, smiling, her black eye long forgotten.
"I'm glad you did," Koh said.
"But my mother won't be happy that I'm late getting home. How am I going to explain to her?" She said worriedly.
Koh scowled. "Kido, if you're worried, say something like you were studying at the library and lost track of time," he suggested. "But your mother… I haven't even met her, yet I don't like her because of how she treats you. Parents aren't supposed to be like that."
"…What's your mother like, Hinode-kun?" Himari asked.
Koh stopped walking, which Himari noticed right away.
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to-"
"No, it's fine," Koh cut her off. "Truth is… I don't remember my mother very well, just that she used to tell me stories of her homeland. I don't remember my father well, either. They both died when I was 5."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Himari said sadly.
"Thanks," Koh nodded. "After they died, my uncle took me in. But even with his support, I didn't have the best time as a kid."
"What do you mean?" Himari asked as they continued their walk.
"My mother was from Greece. So, while being half-Greek might make me… 'appealing' to the girls at our school, when I was a kid it just caused everyone to bully me."
"You were bullied? Just because you weren't fully Japanese?" Himari asked, having a hard time trying to understand that reasoning.
"Yeah. But, I did have one friend," Koh smiled fondly. "She didn't make fun of me, and she even stopped the bullies. Saying that what they were doing was 'against God's teachings'. We were practically inseparable, and then we happened to meet Anne when her family moved here."
"She sounds like a nice person." Himari then tilted her head. "But what happened to her?"
At this, Koh's smile turned into a frown as memories started to flood in. "I'd rather not talk about it."
"Did she move?"
"It's not that it's…"
"Then what?"
Koh could only sigh as he looked at Himari. "She's dead."
At this, Himari could only gasp as she put her hand in front of her mouth. "I…I didn't know. I'm so sorry for bringing it up then."
Koh could only shake his head. "It's fine, it happened years ago. I've moved on…mostly."
Himari could only look at Koh with sadness in her eyes. "I probably should go now. I'm sorry for bringing her up."
"It's fine. See you later, Himari."
Himari blinked in surprise. "You…"
"Oh, uh, sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"No, no, it's fine. You c-can call me by my name."
Koh nodded. "Okay. Then you can call me Koh if you want."
"O-Okay, Koh-kun. See you tomorrow at school."
"Bye," Koh waved as Himari left. As she did, Koh only looked at his crepe as a single name entered his mind:
'Sayo.'
Himari had a spring in her step for the first time as she walked home. Despite the tone it ended on, she enjoyed spending time with Koh. And a warm feeling filled her chest as she thought of him. Almost nothing could ruin her mood.
*Vrrr!* *Vrrr!*
Himari gasped, pulling out her flip phone. It was her mother. Gulping, Himari answered.
"Himari, where the hell are you!?" The voice of her mother demanded. "And why the hell did I receive a notice from the principal about you being in the nurse's office!? You better not be slacking!"
Himari flinched, scared to say anything while her mother yelled, waiting until her mother was finished before she would say anything.
"I-I'm n-not, Okaa-san. One of my classmates had insisted on treating my black eye, and I was studying at the library. I must have lost track of time," Himari prayed that her mother believed her.
"I see," her mother replied. "But that still doesn't excuse you for being out so late! Come home, NOW!"
"Y-Yes, Okaa-san. I'll be home soon, I promise."
"You better be!" Her mother growled before the line went dead.
Putting her phone away, Himari swiftly walked home through a park, but the words Koh had said to her earlier kept repeating in her head. About how she needed to stand up to herself. That she can't just do nothing but study.
She stopped for a moment and let out a long sigh. "What am I supposed to do?" Suddenly, a large shadow crept over her, to her surprise. "Huh?"
Looking up, Himari gasped in shock, finding herself staring face to chest with what looked like the ghost of a mummy. It was completely wrapped in bandages except for part of its face, exposing the mouth and left eye. There were metal braces on its legs, claws on its hands and feet, and spikes on its body. A large object wrapped in baggers was suspended from its back. And lastly, its body seemed almost like it was glitching
"I shall grant you… eternal life!" It declared in a masculine voice before grabbing her.
"Let me go!" Himari begged.
"Come…" the mummy continued, ignoring Himari's protests. "Darkness is the path to eternity!"
Tears filled Himari's eyes as her body became wrapped in bandages. "N-No! NO! NOOOO!" She cried before her head was wrapped in bandages. Himari struggled to get loose from her bindings as she felt the ghost mummy carrying her. "Someone, help me!" She cried. "Help me, Koh-kun! KOH-KUN!"
May 1, 2012
Kuoh Academy, Japan
"Kido has been absent all day. This isn't like her," one of the students of Class 2-C said in a worried tone. Most of the class murmured to themselves in worry, Koh especially as he glanced at Kido's empty seat. He was worried when she didn't arrive for class on time, and now that it was lunch period, he knew that something was wrong.
'Is it possible… her mother did something to her?' Koh thought in dread. 'I need to find out.'
Now that classes were over, Koh had no reason to not pull out his phone and called home. It took a few seconds but he got an answer.
"Yo, Boss! Is something going on?"
"Yeah. Come meet me at the front entrance, fast as you can."
"Gotcha! Be there in a minute."
Koh nodded before he hung up.
"Planning to look for Kido?"
Koh nearly jumped out of his skin. Reya had somehow snuck up on him. "Where'd you come from?"
"Blame my parents, Hinode," Reya smiled. "Jokes aside, I'm worried for Kido, too. And I want to help."
"How?" Koh asked.
"I'm a member of the student council. I can easily get Kido-san's address."
Koh, though surprised at first, nodded. "Okay, but if a Digimon is somehow involved, you do what I say, got it?" Reya nodded. "Alright. As soon as Coronamon gets here and you find out where Himari lives, we'll head out."
"This… is where she lives?" Koh questioned. He, Reya, and Coronamon were standing before a large, rundown, one-floor apartment building. It looked like it hadn't been maintained for decades as the paint was wearing off and there was some vegetation growing over some of the pipes.
"According to Kido's student file, yes. This is where she lives," Reya answered.
"This place is a dump," the invisible Coronamon muttered. "Why would she live here?"
"I knew Himari's home life wasn't great, but she didn't mention anything about living in a crappy apartment," Koh muttered. "Coronamon, you sneak in and look around."
"Aye, Boss."
They approached the front door and rang the doorbell. Inside, they heard someone walking toward the door and when it opened, they saw a middle-aged woman with aqua-colored hair answer.
"Who are you two?" The woman asked in a tone that indicated that she was greatly agitated.
Koh glanced downward for a moment, seeing Coronamon sneak in without the woman noticing.
"Hello. I'm Reya Kusaka, of Kuoh's Student Council, and this is Hinode. We're your daughter's classmates," Reya replied. "She didn't come to class today, and we were worried. Would you happen to be her mother?"
"Well, if you ever see her, tell her to come straight home before I have to find her myself and drag her back!" The woman yelled.
"You don't know where she is?" Koh asked.
"I haven't seen her since yesterday morning when she went to school, and I haven't spoken to her since that night," Mrs. Kido replied.
Koh's eyes narrowed, discreetly fiddling with something in his pocket. "…If I may ask, how do you view Himari?"
"That's a weird question, but all right," Himari's mother shrugged. "When he was alive, my husband and I have worked ourselves ragged for as long as we can remember. We never had a moment to really enjoy ourselves. Then one day I had an idea… What if we had children that could become successful? We wouldn't need to work ever again. So we had Himari, to give us a chance at an easy life. That's why she's forbidden from having friends or hobbies. They would only distract her from her studies, and she won't get scholarships or recommendations, making things harder for us 'cause we have to foot that bill."
"So, Kido is just an investment to you?" Reya asked, doing her best to hide her disgust.
"Yes."
Koh looked into Mrs. Kido's eyes and could tell that her words were sincere. And he hated them with every fiber of his being for it. He glanced down as Coronamon snuck back out. "…We're sorry for bothering you, ma'am," Koh bowed politely. "I hope that Himari returns home soon."
"As do I," Reya bowed also. Both of them were trying their best to contain their disgust at having to say such a thing.
"Well, I need to get ready for my night job. Bye," after Mrs. Kido closed the door, Reya and Koh turned and walked away.
Once they were of suitable distance, Koh roared in rage. "That lousy piece of…! That sorry excuse of a…!" He yelled as he picked up a broken-down tree branch. "Heartless, idiotic moron!" He yelled as he smashed the branch against a trash can. "Why… I just wanna… UGH!" Koh yelled.
Reya watched with a wide-eyed expression at Koh's outburst.
"Boss, calm down!" Coronamon became visible and grabbed the branch, yanking it out of Koh's hands.
"Sorry…" Koh breathed out. "I just… needed to vent."
"I understand," Reya's hands curled into fists. "The way she talked about her own daughter is unforgivable."
"Yeah," Koh nodded. "Did you find anything, Coronamon?"
"Not much," Coronamon shook his head. "That place wasn't very big. Himari wasn't there, and it smelled like she wasn't there since yesterday."
"I don't think she was lying to us, either," Reya added. "It's possible she had nothing to do with Kido's disappearance."
"Then… where is she?" Koh questioned. Shaking his head, he turned back to his partner. "Coronamon, stay here and keep an eye on Himari's mother, just in case."
"Aye, Boss!" Coronamon saluted before turning invisible and running back to the apartment.
Koh scowled as he walked home, Reya trailing behind. "Are you going to tell your master about this?" He asked her.
"As a member of Kuoh's student council, yes," Reya answered. "Do you have any other ideas on where Kido-san could be?"
"No clue," Koh shook his head. "I guess we'll have to head back to the park where I last saw her. There might be some clues there."
"Koh-kun!"
Looking up, the two saw Anne racing toward them. "Anne, what is it?" Koh asked as the half-vampire girl stopped in front of them, taking a couple of moments to catch her breath before she reached into her bag, "This!" And presented a magazine.
"…'Paranormal Monthly'?" Reya questioned.
"You last saw Himari at the park near the museum, right?" Anne asked.
"Yeah," Koh nodded.
"Well, I think I might know what happened," Anne opened the magazine to a specific article. "Listen to this article. 'The Ghost Mummy of Kuoh Town'."
"Ghost Mummy?" Reya and Koh repeated.
Anne cleared her throat before she began reading. "Ahem. 'Since the beginning of March, the Kuoh History Museum's new Egyptian exhibit has drawn in crowds from across the country with its large display of mummies. However, since the exhibit's opening, reports of missing persons have sprung up, the common trend being that they were last seen in the area around the museum. One eyewitness, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed a ghost mummy was responsible, kidnapping a man right in front of them.'"
"A… Ghost mummy? Kidnapping people?" Reya questioned again.
"Do you think this is related to Himari's disappearance?" Koh asked.
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Anne replied.
"Yes, and that kind of worries me," Koh muttered.
Coronamon stayed silent as he watched Mrs. Kido pace around her apartment. It had only been a few hours since she returned from her night job, and when she stepped into the apartment and locked the door, she exploded in rage.
"Damn, that girl!" She growled, having repeated that several times already. The way she was moving suggested she was looking for something to hit. "Damn it! How dare she cause me so much trouble after everything I do to keep her fed and give her an education! Agh!"
Coronamon flinched as she slammed her fist into an adjacent wall. "Keeping her around is becoming a real pain. Even if she becomes a doctor, whatever money she could make me can't be worth all this trouble. Maybe I should just kill her, too."
Coronamon's eyes widened at that. "…Too?"
"I could frame it like an accident. The life insurance will be nice. Though it's possible she's already saved me the trouble," Mrs. Kido sat down on a worn-out couch. "It'll be her fault, no matter what. Just like how it was his fault. If he had just given me the money as I asked… RAGH! Why does nobody take me seriously!?" She exclaimed.
Coronamon, having heard enough, quietly left the apartment. "That witch…" the lion-like Digimon growled. "I need to tell Boss right away."
"Himari's mother did what?!" Koh growled. Once Coronamon returned home and told Koh what he heard, saying that the Regulus Nemea user was livid was a bit of an understatement.
"That's what I heard," Coronamon said, just as angry. Mako, worried over how angry they were, had scooted himself against Koh's leg.
"While it's understandable why you are so angry, Koh, you shouldn't let that anger cloud your actions," Koh's uncle spoke.
"I know uncle, but… if what Coronamon overheard was true…" Koh growled.
"Koh, you should listen to your uncle," Regulus said. "You must focus on finding your mate, first."
'Not my mate,' Koh mentally said. He then took a few deep breaths. Koh then looked towards the flier he received from Issei and Asia yesterday. "I may need help finding her."
May 2, 2012
Hinode Residence, Japan
The next day, as soon as classes were over, Koh headed home. Reya was once again accompanying him, and Anne decided to come as well. Currently, Koh, Anne, Reya, and Coronamon were in his home's dining room, going over a plan. "The museum seems like as good a place as any to start looking for clues," using his phone, Koh was looking at a map of the area around the museum and seeing what time the museum will close.
"What time does this museum close?" Coronamon asked.
"Around 5:30 pm, thanks to Golden Week," Reya answered. "Though, we might be able to get in after hours."
"How?" Anne asked.
"One of Rias-senpai's regular clients is a professor at the museum," Reya explained. "If we get someone from her peerage, then he might let us in with no issue."
"From her peerage?" Koh then remembered the flier he received from Issei the other day. After he headed to his room to retrieve it, Koh asked, "How does this thing work?"
"The sigil on the paper responds to your desires and a devil from the group who made it will respond," Reya answered.
"Okay…" Koh slowly nodded. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated on the flier. The sigil on it did glow, but only for a moment. "Now what?"
"Now we wait. For a first-time client, it normally takes a couple of minutes." About 15 minutes later, and still, no devil showed up. "Maybe… they're busy?" Reya sheepishly said, earning annoyed glares from Koh, Anne, and Coronamon.
Koh sighed. "We wait 5 more minutes, and if no one shows up, we head out."
*Ding-dong!*
"Hello?" A familiar voice called from the front door. "I'm the devil you summoned!"
Koh, Reya, Anne, and Coronamon all blinked. "You've gotta be kidding me," Koh muttered. Getting up, he headed for the entrance and answered. Sure enough, one Issei Hyoudou was waiting outside.
"Hinode!?" Issei gasped. "I didn't know you lived here."
"I wasn't expecting you to come," Koh responded as Anne, Coronamon, and a bewildered Reya joined them.
"Why didn't you teleport here?" Reya asked.
"I can't…" Issei grumbled while sulking. "My demonic power is so low that I can't use magic circles to teleport straight to the clients."
"That… has got to suck," Koh commented.
"It really does suck," Issei sulked further before straightening out. "So, Hinode, what's your desire?"
"Get back on the bike and follow us. I'll explain on the way," Koh said as he and the others stepped outside.
"What? But I just got here!" Issei's complaints fell on deaf ears as he followed them.
It was a little past 5:00 pm by the time the four teens and Digimon arrived at the Kuoh History Museum. "So, you think whatever kidnapped Kido and the other people, might be here?" Issei questioned as they walked through the museum's entrance.
"I hope so," Koh nodded, carrying Coronamon on his back, the Digimon currently invisible to avoid attention.
Reya looked around, spying on dozens of people still at the museum. "I'm surprised it's still so crowded this close to closing time."
"It's probably because of the special Egyptian exhibit," Anne guessed. "So, who's the professor we're supposed to find?"
"I believe Kaichou mentioned his name is Nishiura," Reya looked around. "I wonder where he is?"
"Who?" Issei questioned.
"One of Rias-senpai's clients, from what Kaichou told me," Reya spotted a museum employee. "Uh, excuse me, sir?"
"Hm? Yes?"
"I was wondering where Professor Nishiura is. My friends and I are working on a school project and would like to speak with him," Reya said.
"Oh, really? Sorry to disappoint, but Nishiura-sama is away on an archeological dig and won't be back until next week," the museum employee answered.
'A week!?' The Kuoh Academy students and Coronamon internally exclaimed.
"If you want I can schedule a meeting with him when he gets back," the employee offered.
"That… That's okay. We'll come next week," Reya bowed politely before she and the others walked away.
"Great…" Koh groaned.
"Now what?" Anne asked.
"I… do have one more idea. But I don't think you'll like it," Reya said.
"Well… this is awkward," Koh muttered, sitting on a toilet seat with Issei sitting on the floor in front of him, the two in one of the men's bathroom stalls.
"Tell me about it," Issei groaned.
The boys' only solace was that the girls were likely just as uncomfortable as them.
"I hate those stupid Twilight books," Anne and Reya were quite comfortable in their stall, Reya having started a conversation about their favorite books. At least it was at first. "They're just poorly written trash romance novels that turn vampires into glittering teens."
"True," Reya nodded. "But at least the author didn't nearly get a hit put on them like J. K. Rowling."
"Wait, that happened?"
"A lot of magicians didn't like how Rowling portrayed magic in Harry Potter."
"Ah, lighten up, you two," Coronamon said from outside the stall.
"Easy for you to say. You can turn invisible while we can't," Koh retorted.
"How long are we gonna be in here again?" Issei asked.
"Since the dispenses happened at night, we'll have to wait here until around 6:30."
"And what time is it now?"
Koh looked at his Digivice. It showed that it was 5:44. "…We still have to wait 46 minutes."
Issei let out a groan. "Ugh… I should've brought some porn."
"I'm glad you didn't," Koh pulled out his sketchbook from his backpack and began drawing something. Issei decided to try and get some sleep as best he could. Several minutes of awkward silence later, Issei's butt was beginning to hurt from sitting on the floor, while Koh was starting to lose feeling in his legs from sitting on the toilet for so long.
Sighing, Koh put away his sketchbook and stood up, if only to get feeling back into his legs. "Hey, Hyoudou, how exactly did you become a devil, anyway?" Koh suddenly asked. "Gremory-senpai mentioned that you died, but how?"
"Oh, well," Issei shifted uncomfortably. "See, I went on a date with this cute girl, Yuuma Amano."
"Cute girl?" Koh blinked.
"Yeah," Issei nodded. "See, after our date ended, she revealed herself to be a fallen angel named Raynare. Then she… killed me."
"I'm sorry, but what? She- She killed you?!"
"Yeah…" Issei sighed. "If I hadn't had that summoning pamphlet, then Buchou wouldn't have revived me as a devil."
Koh nodded. "Sorry, you… had to go through that."
"It's fine, man," Issei waved off. Though, the look in Issei's eyes when he said that didn't sit right with Koh. "So, what about you? How did you end up with all this Digimon stuff?"
Koh sat back down and hummed in thought. "It must've been… about halfway through my second year at middle school. I was with a friend, Sayo, exploring the forests outside of town like we always did when we heard screaming. Before long, Coronamon and another Digimon named Lunamon, came barreling into us. They were running from a bear-like Digimon, a Grizzlymon, and we ended up running with them."
"Yikes…" Issei winced, not liking the idea of being chased by a normal bear, let alone a Digimon bear.
"Yeah… Anyway, we were running, when these… I'm not sure what they were, but they looked like little glowing angels, flew above us. That's when I first got this," Koh gestured to his Digivice. "After that, Coronamon and Lunamon gained a boost in power and were able to fight back Grizzlymon. Turns out, they stole some of Grizzlymon's food and he got angry. Once he calmed down, Coronamon and Lunamon returned the stolen food. After that, Sayo and I offered them to stay with us, and we started looking around town for more Digimon."
"Gotcha," Issei nodded. "But what happened to Sayo? And to Lunamon?"
Koh didn't answer. Instead, he just looked down at his Digivice, sadness in his eyes.
"Oh, uh, sorry," Issei apologized. "I didn't mean to…"
"It's fine," Koh muttered. "I'd… rather avoid the details, but…" Koh took a deep breath, steadying their nerves. "We… came across this one Digimon. He was… different… from all the others. Evil. And he…" Koh couldn't bring himself to say anything, a single tear running down his cheek. "Me and Coronamon weren't strong enough and…" the Regulus Nemea user appeared to be on the verge of a breakdown.
Issei, realizing what Koh was trying to say, looked on in sympathy for his classmate. "I think I get it man. Sorry for… bringing up such bad memories." Wanting to change the subject, the pervert of the ORC decided to ask Koh a very important, to him, question. "Do you like big breasts?" Issei asked.
Koh blinked a couple of times, trying to process the question. When he did, his face erupted. "WHAT!?"
"I could go on for hours about the glory of big boobs," Issei said. "And, the few times I've seen Kido at the school, her boobs look amazing. Motohama has said that her sizes are B98-W57-H89 cm, which makes her around Buchou's size."
Koh wasn't sure why, but he felt a snap of anger at Issei talking about Himari like that.
"So…? No need to be shy," Issei raised an eyebrow in expectation.
Sighing and with a blush, Koh reluctantly answered. "I mean… I wouldn't be opposed to big boobs, but… I also like girls that are slimmer. I don't know. But why the hell did you ask that?!"
"It made you feel better, didn't it?" Issei asked.
Koh wanted to retort but realized that Issei was right. He did feel a little better. "Yeah… I kinda do. Thanks."
"No problem," Issei raised out his fist. Nodding, Koh returned Issei's fist bump.
"Hey, Boss, the sun's about to set," Coronamon called from outside.
Looking at the time on his Digivice, Koh saw that it was now 6:29. "Time to head out."
"Man, this place is super creepy at night," Issei shuddered as they walked through the empty halls of the museum.
"At least there isn't a magic Egyptian artifact that brings everything here to life at night," Koh said.
"So, what are we supposed to be looking for?" Reya asked.
"Anything out of the ordinary," Koh answered.
"That would be kinda hard to do, given all the weird stuff museums like this have," Anne pointed out.
"Hang on," Coronamon sniffed the air. "I'm picking up an odd scent."
"Is it Himari?" Koh asked.
Coronamon shook his head. "No. I think it's a Digimon."
"So there is a Digimon here," Koh narrowed his eyes. "They might know something. Lead the way, Coronamon."
"Aye, Boss!" Taking a few more sniffs, Coronamon led them through the museum, eventually making their way to the mummy display. "It's coming from around here."
"Ugh…" Issei shivered, walking past the glass cases of the dried-out mummies.
Ahead of them, in one case, something emerged from a mummy, walking through the case with ease and stepping out, in full view of them.
"Whoa!" Issei gasped, he and the others stopping in shock at the sight of the large creature as it, too, spared them a curious glance. It was see-through and appeared to be wrapped in bandages like a mummy, and was carrying a wrapped object on its back. Its body also seemed to be glitching, like a computer screen.
Coronamon growled. "I'm Coronamon. Who're you?"
"I am… Mummymon," the Digimon answered.
"Mummymon?" Koh activated his Digivice's analyzer, which showed him Mummymon's statistics.
Name: Mummymon
Level: Ultimate
Attribute: Virus
Attacks: Snake Bandage, Necrophobia
'Ultimate-level?! Not good.'
"A ghost mummy…" Anne's eyes narrowed. "I bet he's the one who took Himari and the others!"
"Okay, we found the guy. Now what?" Issei nervously asked.
Koh and Reya both sighed. "Calm down you two," Koh said.
Mummymon's single eye narrowed upon seeing Koh and Reya sighing. "Allow me to help you end your suffering!" Mummymon's bandages then started to loosen from his body and head straight for Koh and Reya. The two attempted to dodge, but Reya and Koh weren't fast enough, the bandages completely wrapping them up within a second.
"Hey!"
"What the-!"
"Hinode! Kusaka!/Koh-kun! Kusaka-chan!/Boss!" Issei, Anne, and Coronamon all screamed as the two fell to the ground, fully wrapped in bandages.
"There is nothing wrong with the three of you," Mummymon said to them.
"What's he talking about?" Anne wondered.
"Corona-knuckle!" Coronamon ran straight for Mummymon, fist on fire, but the Undead Digimon caught Coronamon's attack in one of his large hands. Mummymon then swatted Coronamon away, the lion-cub Digimon slamming into a nearby wall, knocking the Rookie Digimon out.
"Hey, leave the little guy alone!" Issei summoned his Boosted Gear and charged with Anne.
But the Ultimate-level Digimon sidestepped the two and, using his bandages, flung them to the wall Coronamon was at, pinning them to it. Mummymon then grabbed several of the knives on its belt and threw them, each knife piercing a binding, effectively trapping Coronamon, Issei, and Anne to the wall.
"I can't move!" Issei grunted. 'Shit! And I can't use promotion here either since it's not enemy territory!'
"Me neither!" Anne said.
With them out of the way, Mummymon picked up Koh and Reya. "I shall grant you both eternal rest and eternal peace," Mummymon declared as he carried them away.
"The hell's that supposed to mean!?" Koh screamed from the bindings.
"Let us go!" Reya yelled.
"Hinode! Kusaka!" Issei called out as Mummymon disappeared from sight.
"Corona-chan, wake up!" Anne begged.
"Ugh, wha…?" Coronamon stirred. "Boss!"
"He got taken by Mummymon, along with Reya-chan," Anne said. "He's probably heading for where Himari is. We need to get out of these bindings and follow him!"
"That's easy, I'll just burn right through them!" Flames erupted from Coronamon's body, burning the wrappings trapping him, Issei, and Anne to the wall.
"Nice one, kitty cat!" Issei smiled.
"Don't call me that, pervo!" Coronamon retorted. "Let's get going."
"Right," Anne nodded, she and Issei following Coronamon, who followed Koh and Reya's scents. "Oh, and Hyoudou?"
"Huh?" Issei turned to Anne.
"I'm going to need to drink some of your blood."
Issei blankly stared at Anne for a few seconds. "…I'm sorry, what?"
"Let us go, already!" Koh screamed as he and Reya continued to struggle to break out of Mummymon's wrappings.
"Where are you taking us!?" Reya demanded. "Hinode, can't you use your Sacred Gear to-"
"Kusaka, quiet!" Koh hissed. "Listen."
While confused, Reya stopped struggling for a moment to listen. From the way Mummymon's footsteps were echoing, it sounded like they may be in a cave or underground room. But that wasn't what caught her attention. Faintly, and growing louder, she could hear the sounds of people, begging for help.
"What have I ever done to you?!"
"What on earth is going on?"
"Please, let me out!"
"Help me! I don't want to die!"
"Shroud yourself in darkness further," Mummymon said to the various wrapped-up humans. "Then you shall gain eternal rest."
"Please, let us out!"
"Fear not. This is the eternal peace chosen by darkness." Mummymon continued.
"Eternal peace?" Reya questioned. "How does wrapping us up like this bring eternal peace?!" She demanded, but Mummymon ignored her.
Not far behind them, Coronamon led Issei and Anne to a restricted area right by the museum. "What is this place?" Issei asked as they descended down some stairs.
"Looks like the entrance to an old parking lot," Anne answered. "Hasn't been used in years."
"Oh yeah," Issei realized. "I think I remember hearing about this place. Apparently, when the museum was still being built, an accident happened that closed this area off."
"What the…!?" Coronamon gapped upon reaching the bottom of the stairwell. In front of them were at least a dozen people, all wrapped in bandages and crying out for help.
"Holy shit!" Issei gasped.
Anne looked around, the dark not affecting her eyesight before spotting Mummymon, still carrying Reya and Koh, up ahead. "There they are!"
"I… don't want… to die yet…" one weak voice said and Mummymon walked by.
"What… what's going on out there?" Reya questioned.
As Mummymon continued to carry them, a sobbing caught Koh's attention. "Help me, please… Help me, Koh-kun…"
Koh recognized that voice. "Himari… HIMARI!" He called out.
"Koh-kun!?" Himari exclaimed, still wrapped in bandages and held against a pillar. "Is that you!? Please, help me!"
"Do not fret," Mummymon said, stopping in front of Himari. "For soon, just as the blossoms bloom in heaven, your body and soul shall meet its time of resurrection!"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Koh demanded.
"Trust in my powers of purification and attain eternal peace!"
Koh repeated everything the Ultimate level Digimon had said in his head. "Resurrection… don't tell me…"
"He's gonna mummify us?!" Reya screamed.
As Mummymon put down the two, he heard footsteps coming to his lair. Turning around, he noticed Anne, Issei, and Coronamon. "Let my friends go!" Eyes glowing red, Anne sped forward and slammed her fist into Mummymon's stomach, causing the Undead Digimon to falter back as the half-vampire grabbed one of Mummymon's arms and threw him several feet.
Issei marveled at Anne's increased speed and strength, something she gained from drinking a couple of drops of his blood. 'I better stay on her good side,' he thought before making his way to the wrapped-up Koh and Reya.
"Hang on, boss!" Coronamon swiftly started ripping away some of the bandages around Koh while Issei and Anne tore off the bandages around Reya.
"Thanks, guys," Koh said.
"Thank you," Reya said in gratitude.
Once Coronamon finished ripping the bindings off of his partner, Koh summoned Regulus Nemea and hurried to Himari. "Hang on, Himari. I'll get you out in a sec." Carefully, Koh used the blade of the axe to cut Himari's bindings, freeing her.
"Koh-kun…" Himari, tears in her eyes, jumped up and hugged Koh. "I was so scared!"
"It's okay," Koh hugged her back. "Everything's fine now."
"Uh, Hinode," Issei spoke up. "I hate to interrupt your touching reunion with your girlfriend, but I think that guy is seriously pissed!"
"She isn't my-!" Koh stopped mid-sentence upon seeing the angry Ultimate-level Digimon getting up and glaring at them.
"Why you…" Mummymon growled. "How dare you take my patients!" Swiftly he unwrapped the object on his back, revealing it to be a large rifle gun.
"He has a big fucking gun!?" Issei freaked.
"Duck and cover!" Koh yelled, dragging Himari behind a nearby column while Issei, Reya, and Coronamon did the same as Mummymon began to open fire in rage, bolts of red energy flying past them.
"Koh-kun, what is going on?! What is that thing?! Why did he call us his patients?! Why do you have a gold axe?!" Himari asked, clinging to him like a lifeline.
"I'm not entirely sure, Himari. That thing is a Digimon. I'm not sure why he called us 'patients', either. And this is a magic talking axe I apparently always had. None of this makes sense, I know, but just roll with it!" Koh answered each question.
Mummymon continued to scream and fire his gun before he noticed the screams of all of the mummified humans, causing him to stop.
"What's happening?!"
"I'm finished!"
"Do not worry!" Mummymon readied his gun. "I promise to heal you all!" Mummymon declared to the still wrapped-up humans before firing again in a controlled manner.
"Heal…?" Koh blinked before ducking to avoid Mummymon's blaster fire. "Hey! What are you talking about?!"
"I have come to the human world and seen with my own eyes. This is the way to attain eternal life. The art of medicine in the human world!" Mummymon replied as he drew closer to them.
"He thinks he's helping them?" Reya wondered.
"You got the wrong idea!" Koh yelled. "Doing this won't- AHH!" The pillar he and Himari were hiding behind suddenly collapsed due to the barrage of blaster shots, some of which managed to shoot Koh in the back.
"Koh-kun!" Himari cried as Mummymon stopped shooting, a horrified look on his face.
"Hinode!" Issei and Reya cried out.
"Boss!" Coronamon yelled as he ran to him. "Are you okay!?"
"I… I'm okay," Koh muttered in disbelief. Despite his clothes being shredded by Mummymon's gun, Koh was fine. "How am I…?"
"It's one of Regulus Nemea's abilities!" Reya called out. "It's said that it has the ability to protect its possessor from projectile-based weapons!"
'That true?'
"Yes." Regulus mentally replied.
'Huh, neat.' Koh looked back to Mummymon, the Undead Digimon having overcome his horror and prepared to fire his gun again. "Anne, Kusaka, you keep an eye on Himari."
"Right!" Anne nodded with Reya before the half-vampire swiftly went and grabbed Himari, bringing her back to where she was taking cover with Reya.
"Huh?" Himari blinked, confused about how she moved so quickly before she screamed as Mummymon began firing again.
"Hyoudou, Coronamon, you're with me!" Koh then looked toward where Mummymon was firing from. "Let's show him a thing or three!"
"I won't be of much help right now, but you got it!" Issei nodded, his Sacred Gear already charging up.
[Boost!]
'I'm still stupidly weak,' Issei thought. 'So I have to avoid fighting that guy until my Boost reaches Explosion, then I might be able to blow him away. Until then, I gotta keep my distance!'
"Petit Prominence!" Coronamon, wrapped in flames, sped toward and rammed into Mummymon, pushing the Undead Digimon back.
Growling, Mummymon grabbed Coronamon by the head the moment the flames died down and threw the Rookie Digimon. "Coronamon!" Reya called out, catching Mummymon's attention.
Spotting the girls, Mummymon fired his gun again, this time as one long continuous blast, but Koh quickly got in front of it, blocking the attack. "Koh-kun!" Anne cried out. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," Koh grunted. Even though having Regulus Nemea made Koh immune to damage from Mummymon's gun, he still grunted from the force of the blast. "Mummymon! You have to listen!" Koh yelled out to the Ultimate Digimon. "Doing this won't heal humans!"
"I have not gotten anything wrong," Mummymon retorted. "These humans give off deep sighs and they all wear a look of exhaustion. It is my mission to cure illnesses!"
Koh growled. "Will you just listen, you-"
"I have no ear to lend you! Snake Bandage!" Mummymon stopped firing his gun and manipulated the bandages from his arms, making them fly toward and wrapped around Koh.
"Not agai-WHOAAA!" Koh screamed as Mummymon, through the bandages, began tossing Koh around, hitting some of the concrete columns with enough force that Koh heard some of his bones break.
"Hinode!/Boss!" Cried out Issei and Coronamon. But they had to quickly duck behind a pillar when Mummymon began firing at them.
"Koh-kun!" Himari cried out, running out without thinking.
"Kido, wait!" Reya cried out, she and Anne running after her.
Mummymon then pulled Koh back toward him, seemingly to finish him off.
"NO!" Himari screamed. As she did, she felt a surge of power within her.
(Play "Counterattack" - Xenoblade Chronicles 2)
A necklace appeared on her neck, glowing a bluish-green color as water surged out. The force of the water pushed back Mummymon while carrying Koh away. "What in…?" Mummymon gapped.
Koh managed to get up, but the water still clung to him in certain places of his body. "Huh? My wounds…" Looking himself over, Koh saw that the water was glowing white and healing him. His eyes then went to the source of the water. "Himari?!"
Water was flowing protectively around her, with some of the water covering Himari's black eye, glowing white as the black eye healed. "What…" Himari moved her hands, causing some of the water to move also. "I… I'm doing this?"
Issei's eyes widened at the sight, especially upon seeing Himari's necklace. "No way… She has a Sacred Gear!"
"Himari has one of those things, too?!" Coronamon gapped.
[Explosion!] Issei's Boosted Gear suddenly exclaimed.
"This is it," Issei then looked at Koh and Coronamon. "Guys! This may be our best chance! Hit him with everything you got! Dragon Shot!" Issei fired a blast of demonic energy.
"Holy Shoot!" Coronamon fired a ball of light.
'Here goes nothing,' gritting his teeth, Koh swung the axe and yelled. "Solar Strike!" A golden slashing beam fired at Mummymon. When the three attacks hit their target, a small explosion rocked the old underground parking lot. The shockwave of the blast caused the others to brace themselves for a moment. Once that passed, all they could see of Mummymon was thick smoke.
"Did they get him?" Anne asked.
Her answer came when, with a wave of his arm, Mummymon dispelled the smoke, completely unharmed.
"What the hell?! He isn't hurt!" Issei exclaimed as Mummymon prepared to fire his gun again.
"Your treatment is wrong!" Everyone paused as they turned to Himari, surprised at the normally soft-spoken girl.
"Lies," Mummymon growled. "My treatment is-"
"A doctor shouldn't be killing his patients!" Himari declared.
Mummymon paused, his eye widening as he turned to Himari. "What are you-?"
"Humans don't resurrect," Himari continued. "After we die, we become like the dried-up mummy displays in the museum."
"What?!" Mummymon exclaimed.
"That is an ancient Egyptian method from thousands of years ago, meant to preserve the dead, NOT help the sick! It is a far cry from the medicine and treatments used today!"
Mummymon stood in place, staring at Himari in a mix of shock and horror before he fell to his knees.
(End Song)
"…Is it over?" Issei asked cautiously.
"Yeah," Koh nodded. "I say it is."
Once Mummymon freed everyone he had mummified, Koh and the others led the undead Digimon to somewhere far away from them as they helped each other reach the surface. Mummymon stood by while Koh explained everything to Himari, which took about an hour.
"That's… a lot," Himari muttered, sitting on a park bench. "So, you've been dealing with these… Digimon for the last couple of years, and recently you learned that you have something called a Sacred Gear, which I also have. Not to mention some of our classmates are devils… I honestly don't know what to say."
"Yeah, it's a lot to take in, isn't it?" Koh replied as he sat down next to her.
"No kidding…" Issei nodded in agreement.
"I once again apologize for the misunderstanding," Mummymon said to Himari.
"It…It's fine," Himari nervously said. "I'm just glad we cleared it up."
'I'm glad Kido stood up to the guy when she did. He's seriously tough,' Issei thought to himself. 'I'm not sure how things could've ended for us if she didn't.'
"Himari, you said you want to be a doctor, right? Do you have any suggestions for Mummymon?" Koh asked.
"Huh?" Himari blinked. "Uh, well, Kuoh National Hospital is nearby. He can learn how to properly treat humans there. And if he has any questions, the Kuoh Public Library has a large collection of medical and biology books. I often go there myself to check out those books for my studies."
"Thank you," Mummymon said to Himari before he began to leave. "Then I shall go back to the basics as a doctor and make a fresh start."
"Be careful not to get caught!" Coronamon added as Mummymon walked away.
"Is this how it normally ends for you, Hinode?" Reya asked.
"Sometimes."
"By the way, Hinode," Issei had a teasing smirk. "That attack you did earlier? Isn't Solar Strike Solaleo's signature attack, but with a sword?"
Koh blushed a little. "Oh, shut up! That Dragon Shot you did is totally from Dragon Ball, isn't it?!"
Issei, Coronamon, Anne, and Reya all laughed at Koh's embarrassment while Himari just blinked in confusion, not knowing what it was they were talking about.
"I need to head home," Himari said as she stood up. "My mother must be-"
"NOT HAPPENING!" Koh suddenly exclaimed, to Himari's shock.
"Eh?!"
Koh pulled out his phone. "You need to hear this, Himari."
"If I may ask, how do you view Himari?"
Reya's eyes widened. 'He recorded our conversation with Mrs. Kido?'
"That's a weird question, but all right. When he was alive, my husband and I have worked ourselves ragged for as long as we can remember. We never had a moment to really enjoy ourselves. Then one day I had an idea… What if we had children that could become successful? We wouldn't need to work ever again." Himari gasped when she heard that. "So we had Himari, to give us a chance at an easy life. That's why she's forbidden from having friends or hobbies. They would only distract her from her studies, and she won't get scholarships or recommendations, making things harder for us 'cause we have to foot that bill."
"So, Kido is just an investment to you?"
"Yes."
Once the recording was finished, Koh put away his phone. Tears began running down Himari's face. "That's… that can't be… I…"
"It's true," Koh said. "Not only that, but Coronamon overheard your mother pondering if she should kill you too," he spat.
"K-Kill me? But why… Wait, 'too'?"
"The way that witch was acting, I think it's safe to say she killed your dad over some money," Coronamon said.
"Kido's mom killed her dad over money?" Issei asked, flabbergasted. "That's just sick!"
"No… No no…" Himari shook her head in denial, the tears now flowing down. Her knees felt weak. "That can't be true… It can't…"
"Himari…" Koh tried to say.
"Parents are supposed to love their children, right?" Himari asked. "So… why doesn't my mother love me? Did my father ever love me? Did I do something wrong? WHY WON'T THEY LOVE ME?!"
While her eyes were slammed shut as she shouted, Himari suddenly felt something wrap around her and pull her in. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Koh had embraced her and was gently petting the back of her head as tears trickled from his eyes.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Himari," Koh reassured her. "Your parents were just awful people. There are still plenty of people who genuinely care for you. Me, Anne, Coronamon, Hyoudou, Kusaka, and plenty of others."
"Koh-kun…" Himari sniffed before she returned the hug and continued to cry. She cried for several minutes before she went quiet.
"She fell asleep," Issei blinked.
"She's had a rough couple of days, not to mention the adrenaline rush from the past hour," Anne said. "I'm more surprised she didn't pass out the moment we got above ground."
"I got her," Koh gently picked up Himari and placed her on his back, piggyback style. The moment he did, he felt a certain softness press into his back, causing him to blush. 'Uh, oh. I didn't think this through.'
"Enjoying yourself, Boss?" Coronamon smirked.
"He sure seems to be," Anne smiled.
"What a boy," Reya laughed.
"Hinode, you lucky bastard!" Issei grumbled.
"…Just shut up," fighting down his blush, Koh looked to Issei. "So, now that your job's done, you're gonna need payment, right?"
"Oh, that's right," Issei nodded.
"I… don't have anything on me right now. Can I pay you tomorrow?"
"That'll work, yeah," Issei nodded.
Himari continued to sleep on Koh's back as he carried her through town. 'She's really cute when asleep,' Koh thought to himself, trying to ignore the softness of Himari's breasts pressed against his ba- 'Gh! No! You're not Hyoudou! Get those thoughts under control, damnit!'
"No need to be ashamed, Koh-kun," Anne smiled. "I'm sure Himari-chan won't mind if-"
"Don't finish that sentence," Koh retorted.
Coronamon laughed before he suddenly gasped. "Boss, look!" He pointed across the street. Koh looked to where his partner was pointing and saw Saji, along with two kids, a girl who looks middle school-aged, and a little boy… being followed by a floating pink flower-like Digimon.
"…You've gotta be kidding," Koh muttered.
"What? What is it?" Anne asked, being the only one unable to see it.
"A Digimon is following Saji."
Now then, the preview… Mirrors. So simple, yet so important to many of us. We often forget they're there. Yet the reflections within them are said to have great power. Eh, what's that in your reflection? A ghost? No, something far worse! Next time on High School Digimon: Dawn x Dusk, "Mirror Madness"!
AN: And that's a wrap. Terrible pun aside, chapter 2 is done. I admit, this is mostly the plot of the second episode of "Digimon Ghost Game". But I really liked how Mummymon was portrayed in Ghost Game, even if the series itself ended on a… let's say an anti-climatic note and leave it at that.
But now Koh's classmate, Himari, knows about both devils and Digimon, and she has a Sacred Gear. It's called Healing Waves, and it's a water-manipulating Sacred Gear that can also heal people. Think of it as a water version of Twilight Healing, only with some actual combat potential. Hey, she and Koh are kinda foils to Asia and Issei, so yeah.
But her mother is a real piece of work, huh? Himari's backstory is inspired by the Kazuya sisters' backstory of spiralgamer's "Awakening of the Sapphire Dragon", and Akira Konoe's past in "Persona 5: Strikers". And her family name, Kido, is the same as Jo Kido's from Digimon Adventure, who also wishes to be a doctor.
And now it looks like Saji and his siblings might get more involved with the craziness that is Digimon, but that's next time.
And again, thanks to Squeegeman on FanFiction for helping write this.
And with all that out of the way, stay safe, stay healthy, and don't be racist!