A/N: Sorry for the delay in this chapter. Had a bout with Covid that knocked me down. Doing better now, but it's taking a bit to get back on the horse. Thanks to Ruki44 and smartalec121 for helping me with that.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own When the World's Not Ending, by Smartalec121 or any of their associated works.
Off the Beaten Path
Chapter: 48/ The Paths of Glory and Graves
Gallantmon hurtled through the air in a desperate bid to take the fighting somewhere away from the others.
We're causing too much damage! Takato thought frantically. Too many people are in danger!
He wondered if anyone in the neighborhood had been hurt. Or worse, killed. He didn't want to think about it. Couldn't afford to. Every time he did, he felt something tremble inside him that felt like a scream demanding to rip free from him. Instead, he focused on where he could take the fight that would involve less people around them. Their options appeared to be limited. He doubted Cherubimon – thanks to IceBeelzemon's influence – would be so polite to allow him a deserted place for him to go all out at.
He cast a look over his shoulder and found Cherubimon following after him. Lightning cracked behind her. His options were swiftly shrinking down to zero.
If we can just get to one of the parks…
"Thousand Spears!"
Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea… Takato thought despairingly. "Hang on, Guilmon!"
The bolts of lightning smashed into him and Gallantmon plummeted out of the air over the city. He smashed through the skeleton of a building in the middle of being constructed, his heavy body striking metal girders and support beams. He heard steel shriek as they were torn loose. The building around him wobbled with every impact and then, as he struck the bottom with a thunderous explosion that shook its very foundations, it began to collapse inward. Girders came crashing down on top of him, burying him beneath their enormous weight. For what felt like an eternity, the pair heard nothing but the clamor of crashing metal and felt only their impact against his armor.
"Owww…" Takato groaned. "G-Guilmon… Y-You okay, boy?"
"Could you stop the city, Takatomon? I don't like this ride."
Gallantmon blinked his golden eyes. The world spun, and he felt their collective stomachs churn from the vertigo.
"We've got to get free…" Straining, Gallantmon attempted to rise. Something sharp lanced through his right arm and he felt something grind within it. Feeling a cold chill scrape along his lungs, he turned to find the limb bent at an uncomfortable-looking angle. The metal surrounding it looked crumpled and twisted like tissue paper. A dark liquid seeped out from the tears in its surface.
"A-Are you feeling alright, Takato?" Guilmon asked urgently, and Takato knew that the question had more to do with his side of their partnership than what they were feeling in their biomerged form. The injuries from their battles appeared more and more frequently on his end over the years while Guilmon remained largely unscathed, the opposite of how things went initially when they first biomerged. From within his data sphere, Takato looked at his arm. He saw a bright, swollen glow about his right arm that pulsated angrily. Sweat broke out along his brow as shock began to settle in.
"Momentai," Takato attempted to quip. "Could-Could be worse. I…"
"Takato! This isn't a time for jokes! Are you alright?!"
The boy shuddered, trying to collect his thoughts. "I-I don't think so, boy. Arms broken. I mean, it looks to be broken…"
"It feels broken too," Guilmon said, shifting their arm. Takato cringed, feeling his partner's pain. Reflexively, he tried to push his partner's presence away from the arm, but the dinosaur persisted, pushing into it, sharing it. Somehow, that made it easier to bear, but Takato, knowing Guilmon now felt it as well, hated it.
"I'm sorry, boy."
"Don't-Don't be. Let's just focus on getting free."
"That's not going to be easy." Takato said as a shadow fell over them. Looking up, he found Cherubimon landing directly across from him. The demonic angel, spying him, lifted her arms skyward. Black clouds circled over them, piling high. Thunder rumbled, and light flashed within their depths.
"Thousand Spears!" she shouted. Lightning bolts tore out of the sky and struck the pile of steel beams that pinned Gallantmon down. The Royal Knight screamed as it snaked along his body and found his broken arm.
"That's how Henry felt when he died," Cherubimon growled, pausing in her attacks. Lifting a hand, a spear of lightning fell into it. "Now I'm going to show you how I feel!"
"Suzie… Lopmon…" Gallantmon wheezed, straining for breath. "IceBeelzemon is controlling you."
"Can't forgive you," Cherubimon continued. She stalked over to him. "Not under my sky, I can't! Not ever!"
"It's no use, Takato. We can't get through to her. We need to cut off the Parasimon tentacle!"
With Cherubimon's shadow falling over him, Takato closed his eyes. Guilmon was right, but how did they go about doing that in their current predicament?
Crimson Mode… It's our only chance.
Try as he might though, Crimson Mode wouldn't come. He felt it, but it danced just outside of his reach.
Cherubimon stabbed his chest plate with her lightning spear. Tendrils of white and blue arced along his body and deep within, causing the Royal Knight to thrash and scream in surprise and agony. Cherubimon bore her weight down on him, twisting the spear. Then, as if satisfied, she yanked it loose. Crimson fountained from the wound like a volcano and splashed along his white armor. Gallantmon gagged, breathing suddenly becoming difficult.
"That's what I feel every day," she said, and her spear sparked angrily. "Every time I pass by his room or see his picture or find Mom crying when she thinks no one's watching."
Her eyes met Gallantmon's, and within her Parasimon-fueled rage, she saw a spark of understanding and acceptance in his yellow irises. She felt a sudden hesitation, and the tentacle attached to her back coiled in as if in anxiety.
"I've dreamt about that," Takato whispered, his voice thick and tight with strain. "I still do. I think about that…whenever you look at me."
He coughed, and red vomited through his mouth-guard. He strained to move his non-broken arm – this one holding his shield. The steel beams caught the edges of Aegis, making movements difficult.
If I can just… he thought, trying to yank it loose.
"Suzie."
At the voice, Cherubimon looked up to find a dragon-like figure flying in, data streaming behind him. She blinked, and her eyes cleared a little at the sight of him.
"Jian…"
Jian dropped down, and his body began to change, shifting from its normal, dragon-form to its adopted human figure. The transformation pained him, and upon its completion, he collapsed to his knees. There was a hole in the lower, left-end of his abdomen. Golden data flaked away from it slowly.
"J-Jian?" Cherubimon said shakily. Behind her, the tentacle twisted and wriggled even more rapidly. "Y-You're hurt!"
Memories flooded the young girl's mind, and she felt the cold fog of anger blanketing her mind begin to lift a little. Distantly, she felt a presence in the back of her mind. It flailed with rage and panic.
"Momentai," Jian said. "It's not that bad."
"You're lying!" Cherubimon snapped, and her anger abruptly came back into focus. Her eyes darted over to the still pinned Gallantmon. "You did this to him! You always do this!"
"He didn't do anything, remember?" Jian held out his arms. "IceBeelzemon did."
"IceBeelzemon…" Cherubimon lowered her arms while memory flickered. The presence rose in response and at once the image of Henry reformed in the dark cold in her mind.
"He's not your brother," Henry said to her. "He's trying to trick you. See how he's protecting Takato? He wants to keep you from avenging me."
Lightning crackled about her spear as she adjusted her grip.
"You're right. He's not my brother." Her eyes flashing, Cherubimon lifted her spear. "You're trying to trick me!"
"I'm not trying to trick you. Suzie…" He swayed and then clutched at his wound. "You know this isn't what you really want."
Suzie clutched at her spear. Anger rose in her like a thundercloud. "You're not my brother. You don't know anything!"
She gave an anguished roar and thrust her spear downward. Jian stood his ground, waiting for the inevitable. The spear came down.
Then, Suzie found herself somewhere else.
She and Lopmon stood together, her digimon seated on her shoulder, gripping her head with her ears. She heard the Deva growling angrily. She felt her trembling. She felt much the same, but for some reason, it was as though a space had become hollowed out around her, keeping the storm back. She looked around, finding herself amidst a sea of uncomfortably familiar red cables, and at the center of it all, hoisted and bound upon a cross of red wires was Jeri Katou.
"Jeri?!" Suzie's mouth dropped open, and as if the name were a talisman, Lopmon's anger faded. The Rookie blinked, then shook herself.
"S-Suzie? What-What's going on? Where are we? Jeri? What…?"
"No time," the brown-haired girl whispered. "Don't let him do this to you. Don't…let…him…"
A shadowy arm suddenly emerged from the darkness behind Suzie and Lopmon, bearing a shotgun. It pulled the trigger, and the visage of Jeri shattered. Suzie and Lopmon's consciousness' abruptly returned to the waking world, their spear still careening toward Jian, who stood defiantly. Panicking, she jerked it to the side, and the bitter tip narrowly missed the digital boy, skewering the ground beside him.
"J-Jian?" Cherubimon stammered out, her voice in a panic. The image she saw burned into her mind. Jeri hadn't talked much about her time as the D-Reaper's prisoner, but Suzie knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had been made witness to a piece of that.
"Don't let him do this to you."
The D-Reaper used her. Forced her to make it stronger by reliving all the worst times in her life.
Her eyes moved from Jian to Gallantmon, and she felt the sick horror of realization. Memory came back to her. Something piercing her back, flooding her mind with images of Henry.
"W-Where…?" Her arms flailed, seeking for the Parasimon tentacle. Even as she did so, the presence of IceBeelzemon in her mind rose again in strength like an approaching storm. Her hands slowed in their movements, and already she could feel her consciousness sinking back once more beneath a hate-filled ocean.
"Jian… Takato… Someone!" She whirled about desperately. "Please stop me!"
Jian was already bursting forth. His body changed again, elongating as the human shape evaporated. The gaping wound grew suddenly in response to the transformation, and shards of data flowed more rapidly. His talons fell on her back and slashed downward, ripping the Parasimon tendril free. Suzie and Lopmon felt a jolt at the sudden and painfully abrupt disconnect and their biomerged form collapsed to the ground. Light shone across them and Cherubimon's figure shrank, eventually parting into two, smaller figures, prostrate and unmoving. Jian, wasting no time, swung around and using his tail, slammed it into the steel beams that still pinned Gallantmon, flinging them off. His strength ebbing at last, he collapsed next to Suzie. The thud of his impact caused her eyes to flicker open and groggily she looked at him. Jian smiled warmly, but regretfully.
"Momentai," he murmured.
His data broke apart at that. Suzie gave a cry of realization and tried to scramble to her feet. She fell, scraping her knees.
"Jian!" she screamed in anguish. His data floated around her and she desperately began to snatch at them even as tears began to blind her vision.
No! Nonononono! I can't! Not again! Nurse Suzie will save you! Nurse Suzie will… She… I…
"Suzie," came Lopmon's voice from behind her. Turning, she saw her partner approaching her, a sorrowful expression on her face. "I'm so, so sorry."
"J-Jian… He…" She choked and buried her face in her hands. She heard Gallantmon climb out of the wreckage of steel, but she didn't care. She lost her brother again!
Why? Why did it happen again?! It's like Henry was supposed to die! Why? Stupid universe! Give me back my brother!"
The shining data, as if responding to her thoughts, suddenly began swirling around her and Lopmon. They swarmed faster and faster, whipping violently. They drew closer until, finally, they slammed into the pair. Suzie's digivice flashed and for half a moment, Cherubimon reappeared, pristine with pink fur and a white collar. A pair of golden rings glinted on her ears and a warm smile. Then came another flash and Suzie and Lopmon hung in the air for the briefest of moments before falling toward the ground. Gallantmon haphazardly dashed over to them and caught them with his good arm. Gently, he set them down.
"M-Ms. Ootori?" he began shakily. "Are you-Are you still there?"
"I am, Takato. Emergency units are on their way now. They should be at your location shortly."
"Thank goodness. What-What about Rika and the others?"
"They're managing. Takato. Don't get involved. You're badly hurt."
"It's not like it's the first time." Gallantmon shook his head, trying to clear it. He had to get to the others and pitch in. If he didn't…
Henry'll die, Takato thought with the fog growing thicker in his mind. Distantly, he heard Guilmon saying something to him. With an effort, he focused on his partner.
"Takato. You should listen to her. She's right. You're hurt really bad."
To get his point across, Guilmon swept their eyes across their battered body. The hole in his chest plate continued to bleed freely, sending red rivulets down the white metal. His right arm hung uselessly at his side. Their breath came out rough and labored. As much as Takato hated to admit it, Riley was right. They were hurt badly.
What-What'll happen if we reverse digivolve while like this? Will Guilmon die?
"Will you die, Takato?" Guilmon asked, and his voice sounded very particular about this question, having heard Takato's thoughts and sensed the lack of concern for himself that had lingered since Yamaki's funeral. Gallantmon wavered and then fell to one knee. The question was important. So many of their injuries transferred over to him after separating and they weren't really sure why.
Oddly enough, Takato didn't feel worried that he might die. He only felt concern for Guilmon's safety.
"I don't want you to die!" Guilmon exclaimed suddenly, and Takato winced, feeling the fear and sadness in his partner's voice. "I don't like that you're not scared of dying! It feels like you want to die!"
That hit Takato hard, and in his mind, he saw all the good, fun times he and his partner had with one another – memories from Guilmon and himself mixing with one another. He felt the joy and sense of completion that the two had when together, and knew he felt it as strongly now as he did in his more naïve, early days. It didn't take much for him to see one of them not in those images. Or both of them.
"Takato… Does it hurt so much that you don't want to be around anymore?"
Now it came right down to it. Takato knew he had to make a choice. What did he feel, and what did he want? He thought back to his memories with Guilmon and added their friends, new and old; departed and living.
"I want everyone to be happy, but I don't know how to do that. I feel like if I stop, everyone dies!" A distant thump grabbed his thoughts. "Rika! Kenta! Guilmon… Please! We have to help them!"
"Takato," piped in Riley once more. "Listen very carefully. As you are now, you won't do anyone any good. But Rika has biomerged with her partner and Kenta is supporting her."
A screen lit up in front of Takato's data sphere, showcasing the newly evolved Tsuruhimon battling it out with IceBeelzemon. The Demon Lord had Titamon's sword back in his hand and he swung it viciously in heavy, powerful slashes. Tsuruhimon, however, deftly turned the attacks aside, not bothering to make it a clash of edges. Instead, she would catch the side and push it out of the way before counterattacking with a slash of her own. She moved with an almost eerie grace, as if she knew what IceBeelzemon was about to do before he did it, slipping through his guard and nicking him. He bled data from a dozen wounds now. Victory, even to Takato and Guilmon, looked almost certain. And yet…
"Something's wrong," Takato said. "Something…just doesn't feel right about this."
There! Movement from the corner of the screen. Guilmon saw it as well. The achingly familiar, massive seashell that once upon a time belonged to the dead Deva, Indramon. It angled its mouth at Tsuruhimon, readying to strike.
Gallantmon shot into the air like a bullet, all injuries momentarily forgotten.
###
Masahiko sat on the rooftop outside his bedroom. His legs were drawn up to his face. Behind him, stood the window to his bedroom. An arm extended out of it, bearing a yellow dog, sock-puppet with black button eyes. It barked at him, revealing a wide, floppy, pink mouth.
"Rrruff! Why don't you tell Jeri how you really feel about her?"
The voice came out bright and happy, but Masahiko heard a tremor in its tone that even he, at his young age, could tell it didn't feel any of those emotions. If anything, the puppet, and its owner, sounded scared.
Good! he thought fiercely, squeezing his fists. She should be!
"I hate her," he replied, his fists squeezing tighter with every second. "I hate her! I hate her! I hate you!"
He whirled about on the last word, his eyes blazing angrily at Jeri, who stood behind the sock puppet, wearing a dark-purple, long-sleeved shirt over her olive-green dress. She didn't look the least bit surprised by proclamation. Yet, she reached out with her puppet covered hand and dabbed at Masahiko's eyes. He brushed it aside, blinking bewilderedly.
"W-Wha…?"
"You had something in your eye," she smiled wanly. Climbing out of the window, she joined him on the roof. Masahiko wiped at his face. He glared at her. Neither of them spoke for a while, and eventually, Masahiko turned away.
Eventually, Jeri made a shuddering noise and hugged herself.
"It's cold, isn't it?" she said. Masahiko grunted, but said nothing. Taking off her long-sleeved shirt, she swept it about her brother. "Here. Wouldn't want you getting sick."
"Go away!" he squirmed, but she firmly held the jacket down around him. Her hands smoothed his arms, and he felt some warmth creep into him. Now that he thought about it, it had been cold.
"It's funny how it just creeps into you," Jeri said. "The cold, I mean. That's how it was for me ever since I was rescued. It wasn't much at first, but then it just kept getting worse. Getting deeper until it started hurting and no matter what I did to warm up, I couldn't. Eventually, it was like a voice talking to me."
Jeri's breath came out in visible puffs. Masahiko cocked his head at the sight, but he felt the chill in the air too. A memory stirred in his mind. One where he stood surrounded on all sides by a wasteland of ice, and a monster held him in its claws; its voice sounding the coldest, bitterest of days of winter. A kind of invisible monster that ate toes and fingers if you so much as stepped outside.
The comforting view of his home street blurred, and for an instant, that sharpness of cold fell about him, taking his breath away. He felt it gnawing at his skin and he clutched Jeri's shirt even more tightly to him, trying desperately to ward off the chill. He felt the warmth going out of him. Being pulled away.
"G-Go away," Masahiko shivered. "Stop."
Jeri lifted her sock puppet and woofed at him.
"Jeri can't! If she did, you'd end up just like her! She doesn't want that for you! You'd be so sad!"
But I'm already sad! he wanted to say, but he found that he couldn't. The cold was getting to be too much! It wasn't just the physical sensations. He could feel something eating away at his heart. He saw images of Jeri again, in her coffin. Everyone else had left the funeral, but he was being made to stay and watch as she was taken to be cremated. Her hand, holding the sock puppet, rose up from the coffin and barked loudly.
"Bye-bye!" it called in a sing-song voice.
"No… No! Don't go away! Don't leave me!" Bursting into tears, Masahiko clutched at the sides of his head. He felt Jeri's arms fold gently around him, and the image vanished. For a wonder, she felt warm to the touch. It seeped slowly into him, pushing back against the cold.
"I'm sorry for leaving you," she said.
Masahiko found his mouth moving against his will.
"No, she's not," he said in the voice of the ice monster. He laughed and Masahiko felt his stomach churn angrily at the sound. "If she was, she would never have left you in the first place."
A twisted grin split along his face.
"But I never will. Embrace me and what I have to offer. I… I…"
Masahiko's mouth changed into a frown. The boy felt something razor sharp cut into him. He screamed. He thrashed in Jeri's arms. He felt the monster's presence slacken while Jeri's grip about him tightened. Her warmth grew, flooding into him while the cold retreated, as if quickly taking advantage of the monster's sudden absence. Like he did whenever he played war games with his toys. Charging to take territory from a retreating foe.
"It's almost over now," Jeri whispered to him as his body suddenly went limp. "Just hang on a little longer. The Tamers are coming to rescue you."
"The…Tamers?" Masahiko slurred. The memory of the monster abducting him grew stronger, and with it, his fear of it. Jeri nodded.
"Just a little longer. Then you can see Mom again."
Masahiko twitched. "But what about you?"
Jeri only squeezed him in answer.
###
IceBeelzemon's mind raced furiously. In spite of his boasts, Tsuruhimon proved to be far more difficult an opponent to ensnare than he expected.
It's almost as if she knows what I'm about to do, he thought, firing at her feet with his Berenjena. She deftly dodged it and hurled one of her grenades at him. It exploded with a flash, blinding him, and he flung himself to the side to avoid the next attack. He sought for his connection with Masahiko, but something felt off about it. The power he once drew so greedily from had been dammed up and now not even a trickle could be claimed from him. He cursed, feeling Tsuruhimon's blade nick his side, parting the leather of his jacket and biting digital flesh underneath.
I need another way to fight her, he thought, his tattered vision clearing. Surely, among the many, many digimon he absorbed over the years, he could find a means to match Tsuruhimon's strength. Just long enough for me to spring my trap on her.
Lifting his hand, Titamon's massive sword materialized in his palm. Not a good idea perhaps, as he didn't have Tsuruhimon's expertise with such weapons, but it remained a devastating weapon nonetheless. If he got in one good hit, he could hurt her badly and turn the tide in his favor.
He charged at Tsuruhimon and swung.
###
Amidst the screams of fleeing civilians, Tsuruhimon grunted as she parried IceBeelzemon's strike. Wasting no time, she lunged forth, ducking low to dodge the sideswipe she knew was coming. She felt Titamon's sword sail harmlessly over her. She smirked as her sword clipped IceBeelzemon's thigh and her heart swelled as he gave a cry of surprise. Data sprayed from the wound and IceBeelzemon staggered, his mobility becoming compromised.
"And that one's for whoever else you've hurt," Rika said from within her data sphere. Whipping about, she launched herself up and kicked the Demon Lord in the face. IceBeelzemon fell back, digital blood flying from his mouth. Flipping backward, she landed gracefully in a crouched position. IceBeelzemon glared venomously at her.
Almost there, he thought, his eyes burning hatred for this Tamer. Just a little longer, and then the trap will be set.
His gaze flickered over Tsuruhimon's shoulder, watching as Indramon's Horn of Desolation floated unnoticed into position.
And not a moment too soon, he thought, grimacing with pain. It had been difficult, splitting his attention so he could manifest the Deva's weapon while simultaneously struggling to maintain control over Cherubimon. Tsuruhimon and MarineAngemon's tag teaming made things worse for him as the battle went on, ultimately costing him his domination over the angelic Mega. The how of that eluded him, though he swore he heard another voice through the connection right before it had been torn asunder. He had little time to ponder on it however as more attention was needed to keep up with his opponent. Tsuruhimon seemed to be able to predict his moves, exhausting him while MarineAngemon ensured that she recovered quickly – if not fully – from whatever damage he did manage to dish out on her.
"If only I had known someone like you existed," he said breathily, hoping to buy time. "I would have made you my Tamer."
He saw Tsuruhimon angrily set her teeth on edge. Clearly, she didn't like what he said.
"There's no way I would ever let myself be partnered to a monster like you, you frozen freak," Rika said from the warrior's mouth. Fire leapt up along her blade and she adopted a defensive posture. "Time to end this."
"Yes, it is," IceBeelzemon smirked. "Deva Clone!"
Accessing the data of the Rat Deva, Kumbhiramon, IceBeelzemon's body flickered, and immediately five more versions of himself materialized, surrounding the warrior. Although bereft of Titamon's sword, they charged in nonetheless without fear. Tsuruhimon swung her sword, cleaving through the first one, shattering it into sparkling lights with ease. She bit back a curse as the next two piled onto her. Her precognition abilities had warned her about this, but the amount of advanced warning was fairly slim. Seconds at best. Enough to give her a heads up about the cloning technique, but barely enough time to counter it.
"Fox Tail Blade!" she shouted, unleashing a fearsome torrent of fire that obliterated the two IceBeelzemon on top of her. If nothing else, the silver lining in this was at least these doppelgangers weren't as durable as their real counterpart.
It's still kind of confusing seeing the precognition in action while I'm fighting, Rika thought from within her data sphere as she rolled up. One of the IceBeelzemon rushed her, and for an instant, a ghostly double of it charged ahead of it. Recognizing it for what it was, she lifted her sword and braced herself. The IceBeelzemon ran right into its tip, skewering itself. With a grunt, she shoved the clone to the side and with a swift, twirling cut, decapitated another one.
"All down," Tsuruhimon said, whirling about to face her real target. "Just you and me again."
"Boar Bog!"
IceBeelzemon's thunderous roar came with a vomit of a black, tar-like substance aimed right at her. He sprayed wide, giving Tsuruhimon little room to escape its touch. The warrior leapt up, but her feet found themselves caught in the dark goo, preventing her from escaping. Grinning, IceBeelzemon lifted his battered arms.
"Horn of Desolation!" he shouted. Turning, Tsuruhimon found the horn in question powering up. Looking back at IceBeelzemon, she laughed. IceBeelzemon cocked an eyebrow in surprise and sudden dread.
"Check mate," Tsuruhimon said. She slashed at the tar with her sword, easily freeing her feet. She leapt out of the way just as the Horn of Desolation fired its gathered power in her – and IceBeelzemon's – direction.
Then, just as she made her getaway, leaving IceBeelzemon to his fate, a call of "Shield of the Just!" bellowed and a beam rocketed forth from the ground and slammed into the Horn, disrupting its aim. Its energy beam cleaved up and away, harmlessly shooting past buildings and into the hills in the distance.
"What the…?!" Tsuruhimon gaped in utter shock. In her data sphere, Rika's eyes were wide with surprise. What happened looked fairly obvious. Gallantmon had managed to break free from his fight with Cherubimon to protect her, but it took her some seconds to process it. She had seen the Horn of Desolation materialize. Tracked its maneuvering and saw it powering up. The intention appeared as plain as day, so she spent much of the fight setting up IceBeelzemon's demise by using it against him. And just like that, in one second it had all gone wrong.
"He didn't know, Rika," Renamon reminded her. Refocusing, Rika nodded.
"Right." She frowned. Making a mental note of her precognition ability's limits she returned her attention to IceBeelzemon. The Demon Lord, taking advantage of her momentary distraction, swiftly took to the air and was in full retreat. She began to give chase, but quickly found the tar that clung to her still gripped the street tightly. With an effort, she tore a foot free, and a chunk of asphalt came away with it. She tsked in annoyance.
"Tsuruhimon!"
Turning at the sound of Kenta's call, she found the boy and his partner hurrying on over to her. MarineAngemon looked exhausted. Ripping her remaining foot free, she quickly, and clumsily, stomped her way over to them.
"We're just about ready," Kenta said apologetically. "MarineAngemon needs another stamina card, but we can fix your boots for you."
"Don't bother," Tsuruhimon said. "I can still fly." She hesitated, then gave Kenta a small, comforting smile. "You two have done great. Don't push yourselves. The others might need you more than my feet do."
Kenta pressed his lips together, but didn't argue. Turning, Tsuruhimon took off after IceBeelzemon. The Demon Lord had quite the lead on her, but it wouldn't last. She pushed hard, rapidly closing the gap. Upon reaching him, she let out a ferocious battle cry and slashed with Gaiomon's sword. IceBeelzemon spun out of the way, narrowly avoiding having one of his wings clipped off. As she watched, she saw a second image of him, slightly further away, firing off his shotgun.
Precognition! Rika thought excitedly. For all its confusion and limitations, she loved this ability and the advantages it gave her during this fight.
When the two versions of IceBeelzemon merged together and the expected shotgun blast came, she was ready and her blade bisected the bullet with ease. More bullets followed. Spinning her sword, she caught them all, but found she couldn't advance like this.
From out of the corner of her eye, salvation came in the form of Gallantmon, hurtling through the air with his shield in front of him, power swimming across its surface.
"Shield of the Just!" he shouted, firing a beam from off Aegis. The beam slammed into IceBeelzemon, knocking him out of the air and sending him plummeting to the streets below, whereupon he crashed headlong into the streets. Vehicles slammed on brakes and tires screeched as the pavement heaved, vomiting up chunks of debris and dust.
For Tsuruhimon however, all thoughts about IceBeelzemon vanished and she gasped in horror at her friend's condition.
"Gallantmon!"
"H-Hi…" the battered knight wheezed shakily upon landing. He slammed his shield into the asphalt, using it as a makeshift cane to keep from falling. Tsuruhimon swiftly landed next to him. Grabbing hold of him by the waist, she pressed a hand against the bloody hole in his chest plate.
"Gallantmon…" she whispered, her voice shaking. "Are you…?"
She bit her lip, finding herself unable to continue. He looked so bad right now.
"I'm okay. Uh, I think?" Gallantmon's legs unhinged themselves and he collapsed to one knee. Tsuruhimon grunted, trying to ease his fall.
"You are not okay, Gogglehead!" She tried to sound as though she were scolding him, but her voice cracked. She looked him over. His whole front was a caked mess of digital blood. She wanted to believe it looked worse than it actually was, but Gallantmon's unsteadiness belied such fantasies.
Please, don't die on me, you two. Please don't die!
With a thunderous roar, a car flew into the air, followed swiftly by another one. People screamed and ran. Orbs of light began to pour forth from the city, congregating where IceBeelzemon stood. Gallantmon narrowed his eyes.
"Aw nuts," Guilmon said. "That's from Sinduramon. He's absorbing all the electricity around him! I hope IceBeelzemon doesn't become a ripe, big chicken like he did."
"What…? Gogglehead. Is Dinoboy going into shock?"
"No. No, he's just…" He shook his head regretfully, watching as IceBeelzemon continued to draw more power into him. "It'd take too long to explain! We've got to…" Suddenly, Gallantmon's body pixilated, and he gasped in surprise.
"Sorry," Takato apologized. "Guilmon and Riley were right. Looks like I am only in the way right now. We won't be able to hold onto our Mega form for much longer."
"W-What'll happen to you while you're like this?" Rika's mind raced, remembering the injuries she had seen on him before just as Takato. She didn't know if they would transfer over to him, but he certainly got them during his battles.
Gallantmon wobbled and Tsuruhimon pressed her hands against him to keep from falling. Gallantmon's eyes fell closed for a long moment and his body blurred again, the pixilation worse than before.
"Gallantmon!" Tsuruhimon shouted with growing panic. "Gallantmon! Stay with me!" Gripping his helm, she forced his face in her direction. The knight's eyes opened with an effort. IceBeelzemon's figure rose up from the wreckage around him and a cold wind blew over them.
Reaching up, he took hold of her hand. In her data sphere, Rika felt suddenly scared.
"Takato…" she said in a hushed whisper. "Please. Answer me. What'll happen to you?"
Kenta… I told him to stay behind! I can't believe how stupid I am!
Rika's mind raced. Things were moving too quickly. She heard IceBeelzemon give a thunderous laugh. Looking up, she found the Demon Lord stalking toward them. He looked more hale now, and his wounds, still plainly visible, no longer bled data like they did before. He smirked confidently, and his Death Slinger cannon reformed along his arm. The light from the city continued to pour into him, and as she watched, he began to grow in size.
"Um… That's not good. Renamon?"
"Gallantmon is right. Sinduramon had the ability to increase his strength by drawing electricity from his surroundings."
"Why didn't he do that before?!"
"I do not know. He might not have been aware of the ability until circumstances forced him to look for options."
"Look at you cradling that worthless knight," IceBeelzemon crooned. Taking his cannon, he swiftly traced a star design in the air, and a gleaming pentagram formed before him. He then pointed the mouth of Death Slinger at the center of the magic circle. "A digimon is only useful if they can fight. Why would you care for such a pathetic creature?" The jaws of his arm cannon snapped open and frigid light crackled between them. "Well, it doesn't matter. You can either die with him, or abandon him and live a little longer. Either way, I'll have his data."
"No!" Tsuruhimon shouted as IceBeelzemon fired his cannon.
"Cryo Destroyer!"
Just then, Gallantmon surged to his feet, startling Tsuruhimon. Ripping his shield up from the ground, he swung it around and slammed it down in front of them. He grunted as Aegis took the brunt of the blast, one after the other. Ice crept around its edges and with each impact cracks splintered across its surface. Chunks began to break off, evaporating into data.
"This fight has to end," Gallantmon said in a strained voice. "He's too strong the way he is now, but we can give you what power we have left. Finish this."
Not waiting for her answer, his body began to glow softly. Rika's breath caught in her throat. Angry tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes, thinking of his injuries. They looked ugly and once again she feared how they would translate to the pair that made him up once they separated.
"I can't stop him! He's going to do this! He'll-He'll live, right? Renamon! How's reverse-biomerging work with injuries?"
"I-I don't know, Rika," replied Renamon, and Rika could hear her helplessness in her voice.
She grated her teeth angrily. Reaching up, she clutched hold of his face and turned his attention toward her.
"Promise me…" she began. "Promise me that this won't hurt you. That it won't kill you! I want you to watch a motorcross match with me! I want to go out with you. Play cards, and watch movies with you. I want you to hang out at my house." Her fingers clung so hard to Gallantmon's head that she began to feel the Chrome Digizoid bending a little. "I don't care if it's just as friends or whatever. I want to live my life with you in it!" She let out a harsh gasp and a tear spilled down from beneath her mask. "We're making up for lost time, Gogglehead. Promise me things won't end here."
Gallantmon's golden eyes pixilated as they gazed at her silver fox mask. He remembered a time that felt so long ago when he feared Guilmon was being erased. Henry had told him then that nothing could last forever and he angrily responded that his friendship with Guilmon absolutely would no matter what.
"Okay," he said quietly. "This Saturday sound good?"
Tsuruhimon looked at him incredulously.
"W-What?"
"Saturday? You want to hang out then?"
"I…" Rika's mind raced. He was serious about this?
Just run with it…
"Yes!" she exclaimed, a smile breaking across her face.
"Fine. See you then." The last of his shield fell apart with the final blast of IceBeelzemon's Cryo Destroyer. Light washed over him and flowed into Tsuruhimon. Gasping, she shot to her feet and staggered back in surprise at the sheer amount of power flooding her. Gallantmon's body split apart and shrank. Takato felt something tear at him and he clutched at his chest while his and Guilmon's data reformed. Guilmon's presence in his mind faded, but he felt the dinosaur clinging tightly to every last thread of their bond that he could get his claws on. The tearing sensation felt like it was being pulled away from him, flowing into Guilmon. Takato instinctively tugged back. The pair repeated this until, finally, the light faded, leaving the pair of them kneeling on the ground before Tsuruhimon. Takato and Guilmon fell to the ground and Tsuruhimon saw they were a mass of angry bruises, particularly on their right arms. A burnt hole stood prominently in Takato's shirt. The flesh beneath was a crawl of jagged scars like his arm, but the injury, by appearances, went no deeper.
Red light blazed about her, and looking down at herself, Tsuruhimon saw that her armor pulsed with a furious crimson glow, barely containing the power throbbing within.
"We need to end this quickly," said Renamon. Rika nodded.
"Let's do this." Tsuruhimon turned back toward IceBeelzemon, who aimed at them with his arm cannon. Red light blazed around Gaiomon's sword. The handle elongated, and the blade transformed itself into a new naginata. She clasped hold of her weapon and fell into a stance. The red light flowed along her body like fire and into the naginata. Tsuruhimon's lips moved and she pronounced her attack.
"Funeral Song!"
Gripping the haft of her weapon, Tsuruhimon began to chant a song of death and sorrow. IceBeelzemon felt its power grip his heart and panicking he fired a Cryo Blaster at the same time she swung her naginata up. Massive fires flung out and meshed with the beam of electric ice. Here, it did something unusual. The flame began by first immersing itself with IceBeelzemon's attack, and then broke it apart into orbs of light. Within seconds, each one changed, taking on various shapes and sizes, all resembling digimon. Rookies. Ultimates. Devas. Rika saw a Dobermon amongst their number – a fact not lost on Renamon, who remembered one had been employed by the Sovereign long ago in the war against the D-Reaper. They flowed out of the Cryo Blast and into Tsuruhimon's blade. The fire continued to sweep forth, swirling about IceBeelzemon. The Demon Lord screamed. Here, more shapes – more digimon – began to be pulled free from him and were drawn to Tsuruhimon. The fire pulsed and coiled, squeezing the Demon Lord like a serpent and holding him firmly in place. Here, one more shape found itself ripping free from IceBeelzemon. A human. A young girl with short, brown hair and amber eyes.
IceBeelzemon gaped in surprise at the girl's presence. He recognized her!
"You… How are you here?! You're dead!"
The girl didn't respond to him. She floated in front of him for a moment, her eyes looking as if she were seeing something else. Her lips moved in silent conversation.
###
"Masahiko? I have to go now."
He felt Jeri's arms leave him. The girl stood up. Looking at her, he saw a strength and grace in her eyes. And a spark of an ember reignited.
"G-Go? W-Why? Where?!
"A friend needs me," Jeri said, taking a step toward the ledge. "She's going to beat our monster. I have to do my part in helping her so we can rescue you." She smiled at him. "I love you, Masahiko. Don't ever forget that."
A soft, blue light formed around the girl, and she stepped off the roof and into the air. Masahiko screamed.
"Don't! Don't go! Jeri!"
"Take good care of Mom and Coronamon," Jeri said, fading out of view.
###
With a small smile on her face, the brown-haired girl allowed herself to be pulled away from IceBeelzemon and into Tsuruhimon's naginata. There, her image reflected itself briefly on the steel's surface. She smiled in gratitude and the fire surrounding Tsuruhimon flared, sweeping outward suddenly, like a pair of dragon wings being opened. A great, lion-like beast of flames fell about the Mega, poised, ready to strike. Her chanting swelled and then, abruptly ceased. All became still. IceBeelzemon, in his growing terror, imprisoned by the fires Tsuruhimon summoned around him, felt the pressure building. He saw his death now in the eyes of that vengeful beast. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he would not escape it.
Tsuruhimon slashed her naginata down like an executioner's axe and the dragon-lion of fire charged IceBeelzemon, carrying the spirits of innumerable digimon and one human. With an anguished roar, they slammed into him and erupted in a massive inferno that stabbed skyward. IceBeelzemon's scream went with it as his data was shorn off his body, each byte climbing into the heavens where they vanished.
The inferno finished, it faded with a dying gasp, and a hushed silence fell over the city streets. Tsuruhimon, panting heavily, braced herself with her naginata. She wanted desperately to release her now exhausted Mega form, but something stopped her. There, gathered where IceBeelzemon once stood, was now a crowd of digimon. And Jeri Katou. She stood at the head of them, hands folded in front of her. She smiled at Tsuruhimon and then bowed.
"Thank you," Tsuruhimon heard her say in her mind before the girl and the digimon faded from view. At their vanishing, light surrounded Tsuruhimon and she separated back into Rika and Renamon, their task completed.
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