Ch8
Everything is blurry before he realizes that he just lost, he's on the ground with a big white lance aimed right at his face. All the things he went through, all of it, just for nothing. Worse, he lost to someone he sees as a dumb Digimon who can't even think for himself. This isn't right, he won't accept this. This white knight asked for his last words, he said nothing. It's just too hard to believe that it makes some part of him still think that this isn't real, this is just that disgraceful for him. Then he got the most disgraceful thing to bear, his opponent decided to spare his life, and the one who asked that was a girl whose partner was killed by him.
The moment that lance lowered down, he struck the knight. "Eh?" How did he do that? Didn't he just lose and too weak to fight a moment ago? It doesn't matter, he thought. Right now, he pushes that thought aside and moves as his instinct tells him to. Just in a split second, his claw pierces the knight. The stab from his sharp clawed hand did a number, the knight reeled back, and he takes his chance. "Darkness Claw!" He raised his hand and did a vertical slash, it's enough to shred his body. The knight splits into two entities, a boy and his Digimon partner.
Panic sets in on the group, they didn't expect him to still have this power. Even he doesn't know that he can still move like this, but it feels great, that annoying knight is now reduced to his pathetic rookie form. He turns to the rest of them, they don't have a shred of chance of fighting him.
"S..top.." What was that? He just heard someone talking to him, he looks around and found nothing. His movement makes them confused, so they take this chance to save their injured friend. He notices that and moves his legs, running towards them. "Stop! This.. not.." That voice again, this time it just makes him angry.
"SHUT UP!" Everyone is stunned when he screams so loudly, it sends fear to them as he's the strongest Digimon present.
Filled with rage, he moves for the kill. These humans are nothing but a pebble, not even a stepping stone in his eyes. The same goes for their Digimons, their data aren't even worth being absorbed by him. One by one, he knocks down these pests called humans and throws them away. A naive boy and his coward friend who're afraid to fight, their attitude is just annoying him. Then a loudmouth who has nothing to prove of and his pal who doesn't even have a partner, they're simply nothing.
Suddenly, that voice interrupted his rampage. "Don't fall to your old self! This-"
It won't stop him, he keeps going after he's done with the youngest girl. Their Digimons are trying to stop him, but it's futile, even the ace of their member is unable to stop him. Apparently, he stayed in this world longer than others, but all of that experience is nothing when facing his power. It doesn't take long before he strikes the arrogant girl who thinks she's the best and that pesky girl who dared to spare him.
He laughs a satisfied laugh as he stands in the middle of the knocked-out kids and their partner. Then he heard a step from behind, he doesn't even bother to use his hands. His tail is more than enough to block that punch. "Pathetic, just pathetic. Hahh.. just stay down, will ya? I've got nothing to say for you anymore." She doesn't stop and forces him to turn around, and he grabs her by the neck.
With the immense pressure from his hand enough to crush her, her data slowly fades away. It's a lovely day, a beautiful day, this annoying Digimon is no more. But.. what is that sound? He looks down and sees his own tears dropping. Why is he crying? He should be happy, right? "I forgive you.." It's not that voice, it's that girl's voice. Is she sparring him again? No, this is something else, it's his memory.
Once more, he looks around him. It's not a lovely sight, it's horrifying. They're all in bad shape, some of them have fizzled away to nothing. "What.. I.. I.." His body trembles, then he sees a yellow tail about to evaporate in front of him, it's gone a few seconds later. "No, no.. hey!" A sharp pain felt on his head as he looked at a small white-green Digimon. "Arrrghh!" Strangely, he remembers that he has quite a good memory of him. "Why I am.. Why.." He finally runs out of energy, and his body starts to revert back to its weaker form. Every inch of his body is in pain, and he can barely move.
That voice comes again, talking to him. "Calm down, get yourself together."
"I I can't.. I ju.. just.. I am.."
"This isn't you, you're.. be... th.. thi..."
That voice suddenly disappeared as he heard something from behind. "Hah! Ahahahaha!" A laugh came from behind, he turned around to see a Deva laughing at him. "I can't believe you're this easy, stupidity is a crime, you know. But thank you, you saved me a lot of time." It's that deva, he's the one who tricked him. That explained something more, those so-called gods are using him as their puppet. He gets up but stumbles on his feet. He could hear his laugh again. Everything is in pain, but he gets up from his rage alone. "Don't bother, with that kind of body, your data will disintegrate if you keep going. Well, that's your choice~"
The deva walks away, he howled and is still trying to fight. But even standing is just impossible now. He gritted his teeth, he swears that will have his revenge on him and on those Digimons that he called gods. Then, everything goes black, not even his willpower alone could keep him awake this time.
The sky was already dark when they finally arrived at the sovereign's place, or rather a place that still on the same plain as the sovereign's plain. There is a house big enough for them to live in, it was prepared the moment Vajramon and Cherubimon left to get them. Trees are surrounding this house, this could be called a forest if it's not too little. Most of the rookie Digimons that went along with them are making their own camp or just resting there, it also makes them feel better since it's not just a plain house surrounded by an empty area.
Those who have been waiting for them are the three sovereigns. There were four of them, but Zhuqiaomon left to check other plains. Azulongmon is the one who greets them first, he notices these tamers are bigger than he could recall. The devas are talking with the sovereigns first before they discuss it with the tamers, all including Lopmon. Most of it is just talking about what happened, in the middle of it, Vajramon is sent to another place as there is something urgent that needs his strength right now.
None of them are complaining about waiting, it's been a long day for them. They circle around a campfire while waiting for them and the meat to be cooked. There are skewered meats that are still halfway done, which makes some of them confused. Meanwhile, Mako is already drooling while waiting for it. "Why you guys stare at it like that? It looks good." Said the boy, eagerly waiting to take the first bite.
"Jiaaann, Is that even edible?" Shaocung asked her brother, who only replied with a headshake. "But that smeels good though, I.. want it.." Now she is also drooling like Mako, Jian sighs, and is just waiting for it to be cooked first. He can taste it first before his sister or ask the sovereigns first later.
"It's safe." Renamon joins the conversation, she's been quiet after the fight. Only talking to Ruki a few words and just resting near her partner, even Ruki herself not asking a lot because Renamon needs some rest right now. "Like your food, it's a bunch of data for healing fatigue. I've seen some of them grow from the ground."
"What?" Takato, Kazu, and Kenta said it in unity. A perfect reaction came from all of them. Unfortunately, Renamon doesn't have more info about it. Takato and Kazu take the lead and grab one of them, they blow it a bit before taking a bite. Right beside him, Jian and Ruki are rightfully concerned despite Renamon's saying it's fine.
After gulping down a piece of it, Kazu jaw dropped and it scared them. "It's good!" He said it loudly, prompting the younger tamers to take one for themselves. "Just like that yakiniku place near your home, no?" Takato nods to him, his mouth is just too full to answer properly. Kazu notices that Ruki gave him a weird look. "Come on~ It's not that bad, or this isn't meeting your standard, queen Ruki~?"
Ruki shakes her head before taking two for Renamon and herself. "No no, I was just waiting if you would drop sick after that bite. Turns out it's fine." She said it sternly. Kazu just laugh it out before eating more of it.
"Don't be mad, all of us are tired after what happened." Juri takes some for herself and Ai. "Also, you should thank him for leading us to this place." She points at Renamon and giggles.
"That-" Ruki just can't deny that, plus she's the lucky one to meet her partner first. She leans toward Renamon, the vixen's arm wrapped around her back and she sees her partner giggle at her as well. "Fine, I'll do it later.." She said it begrudgingly.
Even though it's not real meat, they could help themselves and devour all of it in less than half an hour. What makes it hard to stop is that they don't feel full. It replenishes their stamina although only physically, and even so, they still don't feel on top of their game. The only Digimon who's with them is watching in silence. Renamon expected them to ask her a lot of questions, yet that's not the case. Jian, Ruki, and Juri only asked about her injury, all three aren't in a rush knowing they will rest here tonight. Takato asked about Guilmon once, but she lied to him for now.
Not long after, Sinduramon brings some more meat for them, but those meats are cut like a steak rather than skewered. Lopmon comes to them after Sinduramon, he runs to his partner Shaocung and hugs her. Then the bunny is introduced to Ai and Mako. A few minutes later, two sovereigns come to meet them, it's Baihumon and Azulongmon.
After looking at them one by one, Azulongmon finally started to speak. "It's been a while, all of you have grown bigger than I could remember." He also noticed new faces among them. "I wish we could meet in different circumstances, especially for you two. I suppose Impmon is your partner?" Asked the sovereign to the twin, they both nodded in unison. "Also, it's a surprise that you're in this place. But if you weren't with them, then I don't know what's going to happen..."
When the sovereign has a hard time trying to recall his name, Yamaki speaks to him first. "It's Yamaki, you don't need to give me that much credit. It was your deva who kept us safe. Right now, I'm just an anchor as far as I could see." He said that followed by a sigh. He's ashamed of himself to even say that.
"Don't say that, you're just trying to help us out." Juri said to the blond man, trying to cheer him up.
"She's right, we need as many hands as we can get right now. All of you must've seen it, right? This world is in chaos." Azulongmon shifts his focus to Takato, he sees him as some sort of leader. "I will admit that we Digimons have tendencies to fight and desire to be stronger in our nature, but something else happened and unfortunately.. even four of us couldn't notice it."
Takato placed his hand on his chin, thinking. "Sinduramon said it could be D-Reaper again, but I don't see it like that. It was just.. a bunch of Digimons." Nothing much that they can add to Takato's words, he already summarized it pretty well. "But why?"
"That's what we're still trying to figure out, and unfortunately, four of us can't leave this place too often." Azulongmon takes a moment before he continues, even he isn't sure how to put this out. "Your friend Ryo has been helping us for a long time, he seemed to go further beyond that snowy plain where you arrived in this world. He tried to gather the rest of your partner, we sent him with one of our strongest devas, but you can already guess that he's missing as we speak."
That was just too much for her to stay quiet. "And why didn't you just.. ask us for help!? Why are you asking for his help alone? You think he can just take that burden for himself?" Ruki pointed her finger at Azulongmon, she just couldn't believe what she heard from him. "Is your title as sovereign growing your head that much? Answer me!" Renamon and Juri had to grab her and calm her down.
To their surprise, Azulongmon nodded. "I apologize on behalf of my peers, that wasn't the case when this problem surfaced a while ago. We thought it was the remains of D-Reaper because it was just some small groups of Digimons fighting. That was also the time when we were still trying to make sure that thing was erased completely. His arrival was an accident, and he chose to stay on his own with his partner."
"Then why don't you just call us? Like, open a portal so we can reunite with our partners?" Jian asked him, that's the most logical choice in his eyes. Solving the problem by any means before it gets too big.
"We can't, opening a way to both worlds could be a double-edge sword. I've heard from Sinduramon that one of them let loose in your world." They nodded. "Your partners are scattered and we never thought it's going to be this big. Asking all of you to come to this world already very dangerous, hence we asked Ryo to find them first. We're also unable to leave this plain freely, our place or some plains near ours are the easiest places to create a gateway. The deeper a plain in this world, the harder it is to create it." Explained Azulongmon.
It's quite hard to understand, but Jian was able to digest that information quite well. "So.. you need to keep some Digimons away to prevent them from invading our world but.." Jian thinking for a moment and something clicked inside his head. "Our task is finding out who's behind this, right?"
The sovereign nodded. "After you reunite with your partners. I'm ashamed that we can't keep this world in peace or finding them for you ourself, we owe all of you a lot after that happened. But right now, it's a big risk for us to investigate that root and put your home at risk. Our hands are full, so I ask for your help once again."
Some of them are a bit scared yet some chuckled when Azulongmon said that. "Of course we will help." Takato said it with a firm tone, showing his confidence.
"Good. For now, get some rest. We'll talk again in the morning. Also.." Azulongmon turns in a certain direction toward the trees, which makes all of them do the same. "You may come out, Gaomon. You earned a spot in here, no need to eavesdrop on us like that."
Gaomon startled and stumbled back on his own feet, he thought hiding behind the tree was enough for them to not notice him. "E-Eh, I was just.. uhh.." Juri walks towards him. He sees both Sovereigns bid farewell for tonight, which gives him a ton of relief because he thought he was going to get punished for eavesdropping their discussion. Before he could realize it, Juri already holding his hands. "Ju-Juri.. I'll.. I'll leave right away.."
"No." It's a short answer yet Gaomon doesn't dare to answer back. He looked down but then shocked when Juri patted his head. "Come on, at least for tonight, you can rest with us."
"But, I'm not-" Juri hugs the blue dog, he feels warm and calmer thanks to that. He finally walks with her, still holding her hand.
The night continued for a while near that campfire, they having a good time despite the discussion they had earlier. Some of them are a bit more concerned than the others, but each of them believes that they will go through this crisis together, for the second time.
Few hours after meeting two sovereigns, Yamaki hasn't fallen asleep just yet. He rustles through his pockets, grabbing a pack of cigarettes. Yamaki could only sigh when he found out that there are only two left in there, he takes one and lights it up immediately. He isn't a heavy smoker, but rather uses smoke to befriend his colleagues. Sometimes it's easy to start a talk by offering others his own, this time he just uses it to get some peace of mind. He takes off his glasses and lies on the log near that dead campfire, he's too relaxed and not even realizing that someone is walking to him.
"Don't tell me you already losing it when we haven't even started." Yamaki is surprised yet still able to retain his calm manner, he's not answering right away and just puts out his smoke. He glances to his side and sees Ruki with Renamon sitting across him. "Oh. That's it? I thought you're going to scold me to sleep."
After Ruki said that, the blond man gets up to sit. He's not forgetting to wear his signature black glasses before talking to her. "Waiting for someone?" Yamaki didn't bother to comment on what she said earlier, he asked right away since it's Ruki.
Ruki nodded. "Lopmon asked us to stay up, he has something to say."
"So there is something that they can't hear, huh?" Ruki shrugs Yamaki's question, she doesn't know herself though that guess from Yamaki sounds on point.
It's not long before Takato, Jian, and Juri join them. Gaomon is also there, sitting on Juri's side, he's been guarding the girl by staying right outside her room as thanks for letting him rest with them. Ruki asks Lopmon about Kazu or Kenta, the bunny just shakes his head and she knows they must be snoring loudly right now. Then Lopmon starts telling them why he asked them to stay late.
"Sorry to wake you guys up like this, it's just.. I can't tell them about this. It was also me who requested this to Azulongmon, he agreed after I explained the reason." Said Lopmon. Despite this being what he wanted, Lopmon is still unsure on how to tell them and then just does it bluntly. "Truth is.. Impmon and Terriermon were with me when Zhuqiaomon saved us."
The strongest reaction comes from Jian, who immediately grabs Lopmon. "What do you mean 'was'!?" His hands were trembling, everyone could see his worried expression. "Lopmon! Answer me." He asked again, shaking Lopmon. Takato needs to step in and calm his friend down.
"I-It's not like that, I swear." This is what Lopmon was afraid of before, he can't imagine if Ai or Mako heard that. "We're just separated, I guess.."
Lopmon proceeded to explain everything he knew about what happened, from when they met for the first time until Impmon and Terriermon fell into that portal. He also explained to them about Zhuqiaomon, especially the sovereign's anger over that incident. All of them have the same reaction, relieved. As horrifying as it sounds, they believe that both of them were just caught and not deleted.
"Is he okay?" Renamon unable to wait for anyone and asked first, she just wanted to know right away. "I mean.. before that."
"He? Oh." Lopmon shook his head. "Each battle is a hard one, we always barely make it out. They always, you know.." His head tilted, he doesn't need to explain what's going to happen if Impmon and Terriermon put together in one place. "Like me, Terriermon trying his best to keep up, especially with Impmon, or Guardromon before he was swept by that light. But Impmon.. he just can't get a break when he's the only one who can evolve." Lopmon explained it to them.
"As reckless as he can be, he's not dumb enough to do that just to show off." Ruki said, everyone kind of agreed on that.
It's quiet after that, they just don't know what to say. Meanwhile, Lopmon left out some minor things, except one. He pondered for one or two minutes before finally speaking it out. It's not like Ai or Mako are here right now. "Umm, one more thing about Impmon, he got scars.. It just won't heal right away, even after we've taken a long rest."
"Is it on his back?" Asked Juri.
That question makes Lopmon confused. "Yes.. uhh, how did you know that, Juri?" He asked back. "Did I say it before? I kind of lost myself right now.."
"No no, it's just... a guess." Juri's sounded weird, but no one questioned that, they just had too much to think about right now.
It got quiet once again, they just had a hard time speaking their mind after this information. Then Gaomon shared his story about Ryo before Renamon did the same, and their reactions are very much on point, like what she expected before. It's a hard thing to believe for Takato. "Not even your voice? Is that some kind of virus that he got?" Takato asked, only to be replied to with headshakes by Renamon.
Sitting beside Takato, Jian pats his friends back, trying to cheer him up. "If there is a voice that he would know, it's your voice. Let's focus on finding him first, or we could bake some bread, it's not that hard." It makes Takato chuckle, his smile is back even if it's not that wide. "Hahaha, there you are.."
"Yeah.. he still remembers me, I'm sure of it."
"Ahhh!" Impmon sits immediately as soon as he wakes up. His head hurts like never before, and both of his hands cover his face, trembling. He then curled up, hugging his own legs. What was that? He can see everyone defeated by his own hands, then he remembers his last victim. With rage, Impmon started beating his own right hand. "Haahh! Ahhh! You idiot! You.." His rage quickly turns into sobbing as he stops hitting his own hand.
Nothing, he couldn't think of anything. The pain on his back isn't there, nor any wounds on his body or even his hand that he just hit a moment ago, he felt... nothing. That image of him, that different side of him still there, he can feel it. His breath becomes erratic and he's thrown into panic, yet all he can do is curl in the same spot with closed eyes and cry. He can't think of anything and confused at the same time.
After a few minutes passed, Impmon felt something touching his back. It's warm and soothing, he slowly calmed down although still confused. Finally, he opens his eyes to see Terriermon on his side, stroking his back with his ear. Impmon's initial reaction is confusion, then he moves to hug Terriermon, tears still flowing like rain but he doesn't care. "Y-You're alive.. ha.. haha.." Said Impmon in between sobs. "You still alive.."
Terriermon just hugs Impmon without any question, still stroking his back. "Moumantai Impmon, I'm still with you here.. shh shh.." He wonders what happened with Impmon, all he can recall is that he passed out when they were surrounded by enemies. The last thing he saw was Impmon about to fight Ajatarmon. He wants to ask Impmon right away, but he knows this isn't the time. About a half hour later, when Impmon finally looked calm, Terriermon let go of their hug and asked him. "I've called your name a few times, you know? You wake up, hitting your own hand and.. crying.. you good?"
"No.. I thought.. you were dead." Impmon's answer is very simple and grim. Yet Terriermon isn't angry at all.
Terriermon sighs, then looks around once more. They're in a quite cramped place with vines surrounding them, there are some lights coming from the gaps in the 'ceiling'. "It's pure luck, I guess? I don't understand why they locked us, you thought they deleted me, right?" He asked Impmon.
"No, I thought I deleted you." That answer makes Terriermon frown, and he's also scared at the same time. Impmon likes to joke around and this isn't one of them, doing this after he cried like that would be strange as well. "R-Renamon still alive right? Right? I.. didn't hurt her, right?"
Now it gets even stranger, but Terriermon forces himself to sit closer and slap Impmon's back lightly. "M-Moumantai Impmon, I'm sure she's fine." Said Terriermon with a stuttering voice. "You, hurting her? Come on, stop lying to me~" He was trying to cheer him up a bit, hoping that poking out or annoying him would bring him back to his usual self. Still, no immediate response from Impmon. "Okay okay, I'm sure she's fine. Like, she's Renamon, what do you expect?"
Impmon raises his hand forward, gesturing with his hand like he's choking someone. "I.. held her like.. this, then.."
Slap! Slap! Terriermon slaps his hand and then his face. He takes a breath for a moment before trying his best to smile. "Moumantai, Impmon.." His voice still sounds angry as he tries his best to keep his anger at bay, all because he knows Impmon is clearly not right in the head. "It's just a nightmare. Let's be real here, you.. choking her? I could imagine the opposite, but this.. is nothing but your little fantasy. Alright?"
"I.. guess so.." At last, Impmon is able to make a smile. "She holds my.." He touches his red neckerchief and his smile grows wider, which makes Terriermon calmer. "Once, it was.. under a bridge? No, I couldn't remember it. Did she even do that? Dunno, she saved me too many times, I guess." Impmon lie on the vines.
Terriermon does the same, it's not like they can do much right now. "Bet you like that, eh~? Pretty sure you just made trouble to lure her out, not to prove you're strong or anything else. Hmm~?"
"Wha-No! No! I-It's embarrassing! She kept helping me, it shouldn't be-It wasn't something that I like!" Impmon is trying to deny it, but his stuttering voice says otherwise. Then he glances at Terriermon. "I swear it's embarrassing! D-Don't look at me like that! Stop smirking you dumb bunny!"
They start to get loud and Terriermon loves every second of it. Not only is Impmon back, but he also gets the chance to tease him, and he teases Impmon relentlessly. What makes it more funny is that Impmon just gets a hard time talking about her, it's just different than other topics. Their 'good' time doesn't last for too long, though. The vine wall opens slightly and light comes in. It turns out they're still in the jungle, on top of a tree or something like that. A Floramon comes in with quite a lot of fruits. It says that Ajatarmon will come soon, and they could eat these fruits.
Watching these fruits is tempting them a bit, but they don't even touch it. Like Floramon said, Ajatarmon comes to meet them. The ultimate level Digimon's body is made out of vines, most of them. It raises the question whether their prison was created by him. He sits on the edge of the 'room'.
"Don't think we're dumb enough to eat that." Impmon said to him.
Ajatarmon isn't angry, instead taking one of those fruits. "We don't mean any harm to you. Fine, I'll proof that, Impmon." He crushed that fruit with his thorny vine hand, and the data from that fruit quickly absorbed by Ajatarmon. Nothing happened after that, now it seems safe in their eyes. "You see, there is something that I wanted to discuss with you two."
They look at each other, then back at him. "Sure, talk.. what are you even trying to pull off here? Cause it won't work, I tell ya first." Said Terriermon.
"Simple, I want you to join us."
I deliberately chose to not giving note on the top for this one, so if you read this, how's the chapter?
Honestly, I toned down that first part a lot from the initial draft. I don't have much to say on this chapter. Is it cruel? Too much? Too soft? That's for you to judge.
Starting next week, the schedule might change cause.. stuff. But right now I kept posting ahead of it (1 chapter per week instead of 1 each two weeks).
Thanks for reading!