[North]
Arshan had this odd dream: he woke up, and he was a leader of a cult. No, not a leader, but a symbol—their savior. But what were the odds of that happening?
"The Great One has awoken! Praise be on to him!" "PRAISE BE ON TO THE BLACK SUN!"
Unfortunately for Arshan, and his ringing ears, he was not dreaming. The poor teen didn't know how to handle all this attention, less so that when he got up, everyone prostrated themselves to him.
"Wait, guys, don't do that please," Arshan said.
"The great one is not pleased with our lack of worship, we must worship him harder!" One of the Digimon proclaimed.
"NO! THAT'S NOT IT." Poor Arshan felt like crying when they bowed lower. At this point, he looked over and saw Coro just watching him as well.
"Now I have more buddies who will watch you sleep like I do!" The fire rookie smiled, making the other cultists yell...
"Hail Grand Exarch Coro!"
Arshan inwardly groaned. Why was his partner so weird?
"Alright!" The teen raised his voice, making everyone await with reverence for their lord's next words. "I call for... a day of rest! Yes! All of you go and uh," What was the religious way of saying, leave me alone? "Quietly seclude yourselves away from my physical presence in respect for sacred silence."
"It will be done, Great One!" Arshan did his best not to sigh in relief as many Digimon finally left him alone.
All... but one.
A Pusurimon, a baby-level Digimon, toddled over to Arshan holding a piece of paper above its head. "Here, Great Lord, for you!"
The teen wondered what this was until he opened the crumpled paper and saw... himself? Yes, it was him. Sort of. The squiggly rushed crayon lines captured his vague shape, but he could tell the intent was there.
"Oh, did you make this?" Arshan asked as he tried to be polite to the child.
"Yeah! My mommy said you'd save us! She knew you'd protect me, and she always taught me to thank those who helped us!" The little one did a small hop of excitement.
Yet, Arshan felt off hearing that, especially after hearing the use of past tense. "Where is she?"
"Mommy told me to go ahead. She said she'd arrive after leading away the Eaters after us," Arshan did his best not to make a facial expression after hearing the young child say that. "She said, The Black Sun will keep you safe while I'm gone, and you did!"
"... I-I did. Yeah..." Arshan's words were barely audible. These Digimon were a cult, almost bent on killing another human and Digimon for their beliefs. But Arshan had forgotten that these were all Digimon doing their best to live in a decaying Digital World.
"Thank you so much, Great One!"
The baby Digimon gave a smile that made Arshan's features soften as he leaned forward and rubbed the kid's head. "Thank you. ... Now you may go."
The baby Digimon gasped before waddling out as fast as his stubby legs could bring him. When he did leave, Arshan stared at the crumpled piece of paper.
"... They aren't wrong, you know," Coro broke the silence. "You are amazing."
Many times, Arshan wouldn't believe Coro's biased hype for him. But this time? Deep down, the brunette wondered if maybe, just maybe, Coro wasn't as oblivious as he thought.
But the little rookie blinked before looking at the entrance door. While Arshan was still looking at the picture, Coro sensed someone leaving the area without making themselves known.
Meanwhile, Cas rushed down the hallway. Originally wandering around and searching for Uver, she hid when she saw a large number of Digimon leave. Only when the coast was clear, did she try to move until she heard...
"Here, Great Lord, for you!"
She watched the expressions of the teen, and although the little one shouted praises, the doubt in the boy's eyes was obvious. Cas pressed herself further into the shadows of the hallway, her heart pounding.
Amazing?
The word made her lurch as she heard that word addressed to people who hurt her, who made her feel like nothing. Yet this boy—Arshan, right?— didn't look like someone proud of being praised. He looked lost, almost like her—
Cas cut the thought off and clenched her fist. She couldn't trust anyone, especially humans. But as she slipped further into the dark, a tiny voice wondered:
Maybe he's not like them?
[West]
Marc had to admit that he always wanted to travel. Despite the gravity of the situation, he quietly admired the mountainous region slowly coming into view. Sure, the trek around this safari area re-ignited his old childhood fears of quicksand, but mercifully his companions fished poor Bibi out. A shame she decided to forswear walking the earth, but Marc suspected that would change once her wings tired.
"See anything, Marcy?" Bibi flew over to her partner, concerned over the fact he only stared ahead for more time than she was accustomed to.
"Help! Help!" Those words did not come from the afroed teen, but rather distantly in the plains nearby. Without waiting, Marc darted towards the cry with Bibi flying after him.
"Bibi!" Marc swiped out his D-Arc and two cards. "Digi-Modify! Hyper Sonic! and Strength Boost!" As Marc swiped the cards, Bibi blurred towards the cry for help. A Digimon, a metal rookie known as Kokuwamon, struggled as quicksand made him sink into the earth. Yet, Bibi swooped in and with both speed and strength, yanked the Digimon out of the sand—
"CUT!" A loud, high-pitched scream made Bibi, and an arriving Marc freeze in their tracks. They turned to the voice and could only look on with shock that they did not see the film crew station nearby.
In the director's seat, holding a megaphone was a Digimon that looked like a humanoid sock monkey. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, man! Dang it, I thought this joint was clear! Where'd this Digidestined duo come from, huh? Let's move it, baby, we're burnin' daylight—uh-huh!" ...who spoke in a bad Elvis Presley impersonation?
Marc only looked in confusion as his Digivice showed him the Director Digimon. "Etemon?"
"Marcy!" Marc turned back to see Dorulumon, Kari, and Gatomon running up to him and Bibi. "We heard the scream and saw you two running ahead. What happen...?" The Digimon trailed off as they also saw the film team.
Seeing more people intrude into the "movie" Etemon stomped his foot. "Aw, man! Now there's more of 'em! This day just keeps gettin' better, don't it? Hold up a sec—wait a minute, uh-huh—I know one of 'em!"
"Oh no," Kari paled as she put a palm on her hand. "Please don't let that be who I think it is?"
Etemon jaunted closer to the west team and inspected the group from top to bottom while putting his hands on his hips. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? If it ain't Tai Kamiya's little sis! Outta all the humans blowin' in the wind, I land smack dab with the sister of the guy who took me down—thrice, baby!"
"Wait, Tai killed this guy 3 times?" Marc knew of Digimon previously being able to reincarnate, but hearing a Digimon be killed 3 times and still be in front of him was a different experience. It made him wonder what the Digital World was like before the Tyrant destroyed that cycle of rebirth?
Dorulumon stepped forward. "Oh? Are you THAT Etemon? Do not exaggerate your history. Tai only defeated you once directly, and you survived that attempt to reach Mega level. Your other deaths were at the hands of Generation 0 and 1."
"Tai and that big-mouth Zero were smack in the middle of both those generations, uh-huh! And as far as I'm concerned, they're the reason I bit the dust both those times, baby!" Etemon dramatically pointed to the General of Xros Heart.
"Can I get some context? I feel like I'm missing something." Bibi looked to Dorulumon.
Etemon spun, catching everyone's attention before somehow, the area darkened and a lone spotlight shone over the animated Ultimate. Etemon, somehow holding a mic, lifted his head and pointed upward dynamically.
"Alright, lemme spin ya a tragic little tune, uh-huh! Way back in the day, I worked for the big bad Daemon himself, back when he wore the crown as King of Evil Digimon. But lemme tell ya, man, I never liked his groove, ya dig? He sent me after Zero and Tai early in their adventure, but truth be told, I had a soft spot for those two! Fooled me into thinkin' humans weren't so bad after all, uh-huh!
Then came the day ol' Daemon brought in his own human to deal with Tai! I tried to warn that boy, but what did it get me? Nothin' but a one-way ticket to oblivion—killed me in cold blood, baby!
Second time 'round, I swore I'd get my revenge on humans, and wouldn't ya know it? My newest gig was the same ol' tune: take down Tai, Zero, and their new crew. The only silver lining? Zero was weaker than before, and they had to rebuild their bond from scratch, uh-huh! But somehow, they hit Ultimate level again and sent me packin' to a place worse than the Dark Area itself, man!
When I finally crawled my way outta that pit, stronger and meaner, I had one thing on my mind—revenge on the First Generation! But wouldn't ya know it? I got taken down by two nobodies, not even the heavy hitters, uh-huh!
Lady Luck must've had a soft spot for me, though, 'cause I managed to pull myself together just in time—right before the Tyrant torched the last of the Primary Villages. This time? Oh, I learned my lesson, baby. No more humans for me—they're nothin' but trouble, uh-huh!" Etemon dropped his mic, the darkness and spotlight fading as his film crew started a polite applause at their Director's dramatic biography.
Kari's eyes widened with recognition. "Huh, I never knew you wanted to help Tai the first time."
Etemon pointed back at the West Team. "And now look at ya, barging in and messin' with my picture show, uh-huh! I swear, you humans got a knack for ruinin' everything, baby!"
"I thought someone was in trouble," Marc shrugged as he looked at the Kokuwamon. "Which means you are pretty good at acting."
"T-Thanks," The rookie meekly hunched over. "I-I've been practicing since it's my only line..."
"Enough of that, ya hear?" Etemon clapped his hands with a flourish. "If ya ain't gonna scram, I'll have to call in security, uh-huh! And lemme tell ya, he's cost me an arm and a leg—almost literally, baby!"
They heard the distant sound... of metal? Each step was a heavy clunk that got louder as an imposing figure towered over the smaller rookies and Champion Digimon. Despite the goofy air of Etemon, Marc found himself gripping his Digivice instinctively, signaling this bodyguard might be the real deal. It was only when the crowd parted did Marc and Bibi see the Digimon in question.
For a second, fear gripped both their hearts. It was a dark knight Digimon that made them second guess if Ragna Lordmon was before them. However, the initial panic wore off, but not the caution. As this Digimon looked to be knightly but of an evil variety.
However, while Marc's Digivice was about to reveal the Digimon, Dorulumon, Gatomon, and even Kari tensed into battle positions.
"IT'S YOU!" "NO WAY!?" "HOW!? HOW ARE YOU ALIVE!?"
"Wait, do you guys know him too?!" Marc asked but didn't get an answer as Dorulumon started growling with all the ferocity the Restorers never even saw the champion use against a Mega Digimon.
"DARK KNIGHTMON!?" Dorulumon shouted the name of the black night before he rushed in, drills swirling to life as he rushed in with a Drill Buster.
The black knight showed no sign of alarm. With a flourish, something flew out from beneath his cloak, revealing a two-sided spear and the knight parried and warded away the Xros Heart General.
"Kari, Digivolve me into Mega!" Gatomon yelled as Kari took her Digivic—
After the attack, Dark Knightmon stretched his weapon outward and dropped it to the ground, surprising all watching. He then spoke in a voice Marc was not expecting even from someone as intimidating as the black Ultimate.
"I yield. I do not wish to fight." The dark knight spoke with a low voice.
"And why should we believe you!?" Dorulumon sneered with a deep snarl, his eyes turning into slits.
Marc couldn't believe someone usually so cool-headed could look so vicious, especially against someone who genuinely didn't want to fight! "Whoa! Whoa! He's not fighting anymore, why are you like this?"
Dorulumon turned to the newbies. "You don't understand! He's Bagramon's little brother!"
"Wait, Bagramon? As in THE Bagramon who rivaled The Tyrant!?" Bibi shouted as she and Marc's eyes widened with alarm. "The same one who did THAT to TK!?"
"The very same!" Dorulumon glared at the black knight. "I don't know how you survived, monster, but I am more than happy to send you into the void your brother threw you into!"
CRASH!
While the confrontation happened, clouds darkened around the area faster than expected. Lightning fell and struck a nearby tree catching it on fire. Etemon looked panicked as he turned back at his film crew.
"That's a wrap, folks! Show's over for today, uh-huh! Hit that Storm Shield and seal the deal, baby!" Even before he finished, the film crew was already setting up metal rods around their camp.
"What's going on!?" Marc couldn't hear his own voice as the thunder and lightning struck with more frequency and power.
Dark Knightmon glanced to the west team. "It's the Titan of Thunder; he patrols this mountain range."
"Thunder?!" Kari's eyes widened. "Oh no, JP!"
"Come on in!" Kokuwamon cried out as he motioned the west team to enter through the camp.
Gatomon knew the dangers of even being on the outskirts of the Thunder Titan's range. "Kari, Dorulumon, get in!"
"What!? But Dark Knightmon—" "I'll deal with him if it gets to that point, just get in!" Gatomon yelled at the wolf before everyone hurried into camp.
Lightning struck with a frequency of rain, but the special rods Etemon's film crew had acted like Lightning Rods, taking in the powerful bolts that scarred the rest of the area.
"We should be safe for now," Kokuwamon pointed to the steel pillars taking in many voltage bolts. "These lightning rods also give us power to our vehicles and equipment. So, as long as we skirt around the Titan of Thunder's maximum range, we'll be fine."
Marc spotted Dark Knightmon walking away from the group. Not fully understanding the situation, he turned to someone who was a part of Etemon's film crew. "Hey, Kokuwamon. If that guy is Bagramon's little brother, why is he some bodyguard of a film group? And why'd you let him?"
"Etemon hired him before recruiting us," The metal rookie tilted his head. "And Etemon said he had a vision for everyone. We didn't really question it."
"You should!" Dorulumon barked. "He's conniving, back-stabbing, and will sell you out the moment you are no longer useful to him!"
"A lot of us thought that was the case," Even with Dorulumon's obvious venom, Kokuwamon didn't seem bothered. "But he's had more than enough chances to do so. And honestly, what can we, a film team for Etemon's Amazing Movie, really offer him? I get the feeling he said yes to Mr. Etemon because he had nothing else to do."
"Him!?" Gatomon also couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Nothing else to do?"
"I'm sorry, gimme a sec," Marc interrupted Gatomon before he motioned the other 3 to a more private area. When out of earshot, he continued. "Look, I don't know your history, but taking it out on Kokuwamon is not okay. Hell, Etemon was also a former enemy and you guys aren't even half as hostile to him!"
"You don't understand," Kari looked in the direction that Knight Digimon left. "Etemon only went after Digidestined. But Dark Knightmon? He dragged hundreds of innocents to slaughter for his ambition of revenge."
"Revenge?" Bibi asked. "On who?"
"His brother," Dorulumon answered, still narrowing his eyes in Dark Knightmon's direction.
"Wait what? He wanted revenge on..." Marc shook his head. "Okay, I'm obviously missing a lot of context. So, since we're trapped here until the storm ends, please catch me and Bibi up to speed about this guy."
[North]
"Come to think of it," As Arshan and Coro walked out of the hall, a thought occurred to the teen. "Where are we going? Everything happened so fast that I didn't get to talk with Nene about where we're heading."
"Ooo! I bet I can also ask her Digimon to spar with us! All we gotta do is get your DNA Charge in a fight now!"
Arshan narrowed his eyes at his partner throwing punches excitedly.
"Coro!" A voice made the two see Sangomon running up to the fire rookie. "I'm ready for more fighting lessons!"
"Oh right!" The fire rookie got along with the coral rookie, so much that Sangomon called Coro a teacher like Sensei Karatenmon.
When Arshan spotted Sangomon running toward them, he realized her partner couldn't be far. Sure enough, he glanced up and noticed Kyoko peeking nervously around the corner. "Kyoko?"
"Uuhhh, H-Hi?" The raven-haired girl hid more of herself behind the corner when all eyes turned to her.
"Kyoko, come on!" Sangomon waved to her partner before running up and attempting to drag her to the open.
"I-I think I'll just stay here." "Nonsense! This is great! We get to know more about others like us! Come on!" "Sangomon!" "Kyoko!" The two struggled somewhat.
Arshan felt a sense of familiarity in seeing how Kyoko's Digimon partner was supportive, but overbearing in the same way Coro was to him. A smile tugged in the corner of his lips knowing he wasn't alone, but it did not stop him from feeling bad for the raven-haired young lady.
While trying to pull her, Sangomon and Kyoko suddenly lost balance, making Kyoko yell as she fell forward.
"Waah!?" However, instead of hitting cold steel, Kyoko felt safe. Wait, safe?
Arshan, being usually so quick on his feet, saw the raven-haired girl lose balance. Faster than he could think, he moved forward and caught the young woman before she fell, her weight pressed gingerly against him.
"Oh, thank you..." There was one little flaw in Arshan's attempt to be helpful. Kyoko steadied herself and looked up... and found her face close to Arshan's.
!?
A sudden but also long second passed before they both realized the intimacy of the situation and they both quickly but carefully separated into a respectable distance.
"I-I'm glad you're fine. Uhh sorry for um getting close." Coro raised his brow when he saw Arshan stare at a wall with his face red.
"N-No! It's fine! Thank you... really. I, uh, appreciate it." Sangomon tilted her head when she saw Kyoko refusing to make eye contact with anything other than her shoes.
Yet, despite being in the cold, dark waters of the Digital World in the corpse of a Puppet God, there was an odd warmth neither human could explain but feel. Arshan's eyes, wide and startled, found himself looking over Kyoko until she turned to him—before he quickly looked away—he shook his head rapidly to shake off such alien feelings and thoughts he didn't understand. Kyoko felt her heart beating faster and she didn't know why. Arshan was helping her, but why did she feel... different?
"Oh!" Arshan never thought he'd be SO glad Coro had a short attention span outside of fighting as he spoke up. "By the way, Sangomon, are you still kidnapping Arshan?"
"WHAT!?" Okay, maybe it wasn't always a good thing Coro had a short attention span. Arshan was understandably confused and shocked while Kyoko looked horrified for a different reason.
"N-No! We weren't kidnapping... I mean..." Kyoko started to panic. "We didn't want to kidnap you?" She recalled that Mummymon and Arukenimon definitely wanted to. "... Me and Sangomon anyway." Kyoko cupped her face, feeling distraught about openly trying to kidnap someone like Arshan.
"I don't wanna," Sangomon was also as openly honest. "You guys are way more fun to hang with! Besides, we didn't even try to ask you; will you guys return Behemoth and the gun?"
"Sure, after BZ challenges us to a fight!" Coro's eyes shined while Arshan groaned at Coro's handling of the problem.
Yet he had to admit Coro had a point. "We didn't want to steal; we had every intention of returning Behemoth—and the gun—when we were done. We just... didn't know when we'd get the chance to," Arshan rubbed the back of his head. Even after stealing from a Demon Lord, he got involved with a cult and... wait.
Arshan's eyes widened as he remembered. "Hey, actually, I never spoke to Cas during all this."
"Cas?" Kyoko and Sangomon repeated.
"Cassiopeia. She's human too, and her partner is... that large Sphinx and Black Gatomon," Arshan looked behind him as if trying to look for her. "I forgot to check on her. Even while everything was going on, she looked like she was in bad shape. I haven't even seen her since I first fainted."
"I haven't seen Cas," Everyone turned to Coro, "But I know where Uver hangs out."
[Ship Treasury]
"HAHAHAHAHA!" The four were shocked there was a room filled with gold and other treasures deep inside the Titan of Steel. More so that Uver was doing her best impression of a certain rich cartoon duck, and was swimming in the piles of gold.
"Hail, Great one!" Mimicmon waved over to the four. "How may I, your humble servant and friend, help you?"
"Actually, we're here for..." "MONEY! MONEY!" "...Her." Arshan pointed to the champion doing her impression of a dolphin jumping out of the water before diving back into the pile of gold.
"Why is there so much gold here?" Kyoko asked.
Mimicmon was more than happy to answer. "It's metal! Some of the Titan of Steel's rooms here can grow metal, even Digizoid!"
"Whoa!? There are rooms with Digizoid!?" Sangomon cried out in shock.
"What's Digizoid?" Arshan asked.
Coro raised his hand. "I know this! Digizoid is special Digimon Metal! No, more than special—it's the best metal in the Digital world, and it's considered to not even exist except as a legend!"
Arshan kept note of what Coro said. It sounded helpful in the future, but for now, he cupped his hands and called out. "Uh hey? Uver?"
Uver snapped out of her smile and leered at whoever interrupted her "me" time. But seeing it was Coro and Arshan, she paused before an idea came to her mind. "Well, if it isn't the Savior!"
"Hail the Savior and his tasty-looking limbs!" Mimicmon repeated.
"I-I'm not," Arshan sighed, not wanting that kind of power and responsibility—also, the attention he got from Mimicmon. Arshan did not appreciate the imagery of a floating cage salivating at him. But the brunette shook his head and looked back at Uver. "Uver, we'd like to know how Cas is doing?"
The champion frowned before her features reversed into a smile with the same speed. Arshan felt unease at the smile more than the somewhat hostile Digimon's regular scowl.
"Sure sure! And say, how about you also do me a favor? See, I..." She looked at Sangomon. "I also wanna get stronger. Then I saw you two pull off the Mega Level. How about in exchange for telling me how you did it, I'll bring you to her?"
"You guys can go Mega already!?" Sangomon looked shocked while even Kyoko was stunned to hear that.
"Well—" "Oh that? I already told Cas, but I can tell you again!" Arshan got interrupted by Coro, but both the brunette and Uver were surprised Coro had already told Cas? When?
"You... already told her?" Uver sounded stoic, but Arshan swore he felt something dangerous from her. However as he tried to focus on what he thought he was feeling, the empath could feel nothing. Was he still tired? Yet, Uver shrugged her shoulders and said, "Huh, well, I guess I need to talk to her too."
As Uver started to lead the group, Sangomon pointed over to Uver. "Wow! Those are some cool symbols on your person!"
"Oh?" Uver glanced at her clothes, specifically the symbol. Arshan also swore they looked familiar, but where did he see them before?
Sangomon accidentally answered his question. "It looks a lot like BZ's symbol!"
"BZ?" While Uver listened to Sangomon and Coro about the Lord of Gluttony, Arshan's mind made a few connections. A similar symbol... as Beelzemon? Why did Uver have something in common with a Demon Lord?
Arshan shook his head. He was beginning to have a headache and decided to think about this later.
[West]
"Wow," Bibi said again as she and Marc walked through the campsite. Even though the storm continued, the lightning rods made every Digimon continue as if it were a clear and sunny day. But Bibi, while impressed at the technology, was focused on another topic. "So, that's quite a history we learned from the others."
"Yeah," An understatement to say the least. Marc and Bibi learned during the Crown Wars, Dark Knightmon was a "partnered" ally of Ragna Lordmon. He committed atrocities such as forcing Digi-Xros against the will of other Digimon, imprisonment, and blackmail, and that was the tip of the iceberg. There was even a moment when he terrorized Kari and Gatomon specifically when both were weakened.
But all that was for his goal: revenge on his brother, Bagramon. He betrayed everyone, even Ragna Lordmon, to force a fusion with his brother to steal his power, unaware that even that forced fusion was a deeper ploy of Bagramon to become one of the most powerful Digimon in existence.
Marc would have been impressed. But the fact remained that Ragna Lordmon still rules to this day, meaning even that failed.
But while he could understand his seniors' distrust and hatred, something didn't add up.
"His body was stolen and will erased by Bagramon? So how'd he return? Especially by that time, since all Primary Villages were gone?"
"By utter luck."
Marc froze in his tracks, as did Bibi. When they turned to the voice, they saw Dark Knightmon, sitting near a campfire in a lone corner of the area.
Without turning to them, Dark Knightmon spoke again. "I understand the wary and hatred of my former enemies. But, if you'll allow me, I'd like to know more about the Digidestined Ragna Lordmon is interested in. In exchange, I can answer your questions as well."
Marc thought about it. Dorulumon, and even Kairi, warned him to never get close to the Ultimate Digimon. Yet...
"I yield."
The afroed teen may not have been an empath like Arshan. But willingly dropping your weapon while someone is adamantly attempting to kill you was hard to fake. It was almost like he wanted to die. Marc rested his hand on his Digivice before he and Bibi carefully sat on the stump across from the Digimon.
"I thought for sure you'd deny my offer," There was interest in the Ultimate's voice, mixed with surprise.
"You worked with Ragna Lordmon," Marc found himself saying while Bibi remained on guard. "I'm willing to bet you have information on some of the strengths and weaknesses of his army. Long term, that will help us against him."
"Pragmatic. Shame on me for assuming you dull," Marc let the insult slide as the black Digimon stared at the fire. "Now, what do you want to ask?"
"Let's start with what you overheard. From what we know, you were possibly beyond dead, maybe even erased from existence from assimilation. How did you come back? And why did you say by luck?"
"Because it was, in a twisted sense..." Dark Knightmon began his tale.
[Dark Knightmon's Flashback.]
I assume that the others told you of how my brother usurped the forced fusion against me. But after he lost to Taiki and Shoutmon, he was captured by Ragna Lordmon. With the Code Crown, to ensure my brother would not escape, Ragna Lordmon undid the fusion.
Instantly, Bagramon was restrained and restricted, but me? I could barely move, having my mind just restored from oblivion.
Yet, I was lucid enough to hear Ragna Lordmon speak to me.
"I see, so the Code Crown has decided to restore your mind. Hmm, these visions were rarer than your hollowed body lying there."
To my surprise, I felt bits of my strength returning quicker. I learned Ragna Lordmon gave me bits of energy to stand and speak. When I did, a flurry of emotions ran through me, as you can imagine. All my ambitions, all of my planning, stolen away from me at the moment of victory. Now, there I was: in front of the true victor, the one who defeated my brother when I could not.
I had no weapon, but seeing Bagramon restrained and weakened, I yelled in an attempt to strangle him to death. Only to grasp air as Ragna Lordmon teleported him away.
"I have need of him," The Tyrant declared. "Alive."
I wanted to scream, to fight... but ultimately, I knew I could do nothing against the Tyrant when both General Taiki and my brother failed. I fell to my knees, wondering what was next. Or if I was to be killed again.
To my surprise, the Tyrant asked a question I was not prepared for.
"Who are you?"
I lifted my head, confusion overriding my other emotions. "What?"
"Who. Are. You?" He repeated.
"I... you... I am... you know who I am." Looking back, I don't believe I was speaking, but whispering. I could not even muster the strength of conversation.
"Do I?" Ranga Lordmon towered over me. "I did not ask for your name, Dark Knightmon. I asked, who are you?"
I could only look on with confusion. Were they not the same thing? Why was someone, who was at the peak of Digimon Power, asking such paradoxical questions? Was this some ploy of torture?
"Compared to your deeds, you believe asking questions is torture?" At that moment I had forgotten he had Ancient Wisemon's power. Sometimes, he used it akin to mind reading. "Then, I will be clear: your entire life—no. Your existence was hatred for the brother who abused and used you at every opportunity, even without his presence. Now, here you are, even against my calculations, with your goal gone. So I ask again: who are you now?"
He was right: I wanted revenge on my brother, for all that he did to me. Ultimately, I failed. Yet, now, with my drive gone... who was I?... What was I?
While it felt like an eternity to me, Ragna Lordmon turned away. I had this sense that I wasted enough of his time.
"You have my curiosity, Dark Knightmon," He said, no longer facing me. "For, after the visions of your mind surviving, your timeline branches off to paths more numerous than I expected... almost like... a human," With that, The Tyrant began to move away from me. "You have been given a second chance; what you choose to do with it? ... You are not lacking in options."
[Present Time]
Marc and Bibi could only remain in silence after hearing Dark Knightmon's story. His resurrection was an accident, and even Ragna Lordmon didn't care much about it.
"When I regained some strength, I did try to rebuild myself in preparation to usurp the Tyrant this time. However, very quickly into the idea process, I realized I was doing the same as I did to Bagramon. More time passed, and I did not even have a fraction of the hatred I had for the Tyrant that I did for my brother. Upon those realizations, I gave up utterly."
Marc thought back to what Kokuwamon said; how the rookie got the impression Dark Knightmon was bored. He wasn't right, but not necessarily wrong. Dark Knightmon wasn't bored, but he was now aimless, without a direction.
Huh. Marc didn't know why, but that sounded like the exact opposite of his problem. Yet, even then he could somehow relate to that. "So, how'd that lead you here?"
"I chanced upon that fool, Etemon, while wandering aimlessly. At the time, he was attempting to sell me mercantile goods. Only recently did he have this notion with his raised funds to start a movie about himself. I do not know how I came to be a part of his 'groupies" when he never shut up nor left me alone."
The afroed teen caught something when Dark Knightmon spoke. "But I don't hear anything about you trying to leave."
"... I suppose I haven't tried. Perhaps a piece of me wished to learn from one who also was killed and revived by forces that controlled and cast him aside," The knight admitted before looking up at Marc. "You're different from the Digidestined of my Generation. The 6th Gen were all geniuses in their own right, but the era of active war put them on constant edge."
"We're on the run from Ragna Lordmon, you think we aren't?" Bibi scoffed.
"Leading a war and being on the run is different, I assume," Dark Knightmon noted. "There is less confidence in your eyes compared to the ones I knew: you have more fear, more doubt."
The afroed teen flinched. He didn't like the idea of being called lesser than another, but a part of him couldn't deny the accomplishments the last generation pulled off but still lost.
"But also more freedom," Dark Knightmon continued, "There are no legions of Digimon hanging on your every word. It's just you and whoever is left. Perhaps being allowed to have more flaws may help you survive longer than the 6th Generation."
The afroed teen briefly lingered on the word, "freedom", before he recalled their situation. "Survival means nothing as long as Ragna Lordmon's immortality remains a secret," Marc's eyes widened as he realized he was talking with someone who personally worked under Ragna Lordmon! "You have to know something about it!"
The Ultimate's response was a deep sigh. "Had I found the secret to his immortality, I would be the ruler of the Digital World, not him. And it was not for a lack of trying; all my attempts to find the secret to it led to dead ends on the best days."
"Come on!" Marc felt frustrated that even Ragna Lordmon's own men didn't know the secret of his immortality. "There has to be something!"
Dark Knightmon glanced back at the fire. "... Many believed that his ring may be the source of his immortality, but that was long proven not to be the case. Yet, I did have a suspicion that while it is not the source, there is a connection. I hypothesized if the ring could be stolen and studied away from Ragna Lordmon..." He shook his head. "But to even think of stealing from the tyrant already feels daunting. Planning is nigh impossible for multiple and obvious reasons."
Future Sight and being a Legendary Digimon by themselves would make that plan dead before it even began. If The Tyrant had more options they weren't aware of—and that was VERY likely—their odds of stealing the ring were less than zero percent!
Yet, considering the circumstances, that might be their only shot: stealing the ring. It was... something at least.
"May I ask a question now?" Dark Knightmon's voice brought the Restorer back to the present. Seeing as Dark Knightmon answered his, Marc knew he had to be fair and nod. Hopefully, the question wasn't something he'd regret—
"Why are you wearing those bandages?"
...
"What?" Marc asked almost emotionlessly.
"You are not injured. Why are you wearing that?" The Ultimate asked as he pointed to the bandages on Marc's arm. "Or rather, why do you keep it?"
The afroed teen's eye twitched. Instinctively, his other hand held the bandages.
"I..." "MARC!"
Bibi and Marc turned to see Dorulumon, glaring at his former enemy.
"What did I just say?! Do not go anywhere near Dark Knightmon!"
"Look, I—"
"And you!" Dorulumon snarled at Dark Knightmon. "Stay away from him! You won't get another Digidestined! Not while I still draw breath!"
"Is that a promise, Dorulumon? How exactly is your track record with those I wonder? You swore allegiance to Tactimon, Taiki, and even that little one," Dark Knightmon narrowed his eyes while Dorulumon flinched at the mention of a 'little one'. "How did they all end again?"
Dorulumon growled before he used his tail to ensnare around Marc's arm. He stormed off, dragging the older teen against his will.
"H-Hey, Dorulumon—" "I told you to stay away from him! Why did you disobey such a warning!? I expected that from Arshan, maybe Stefania, but not you!"
Marc got his arm back when Dorulumon let go. "He worked with Ragna Lordmon, he's a great source of information about the one chasing after us!"
"He knows as much as the rest of us! You've met with Ken, and he worked under Ragna Lordmon longer and still found nothing!" The Champion shouted. "For all we know, that monster could still be working under the tyrant! What would you have done if he had captured you and Bibi without us!?"
Marc felt his own emotions rise. He was cautious that whole time, why was Dorulumon so angry? "I had my Digivice!"
"You don't have the experience to fight someone of Dark Knightmon's Level!" Dourlumon shouted.
The afroed teen narrowed his eyes. "That's why I went to him, to get more experience! It was a calculated risk, and it's worth going for!"
"Not at the expense of your life, Marc! You're not ready yet! I'm trying to keep you safe!"
The young man's mind blurred between present and past as he heard more of Dorulumon's repeats of him, "not being ready". Instead of Dourlumon, all he saw were his parents. Just like them, even now, others suffocated his freedom for the sake of safety?
"Safe!? SAFE!?" Marc snapped as he stepped forward, much to the surprise of Bibi. "You call this safe: running around these safari lands where even the damn earth will kill us!? Ragna Lordmon is hunting us down, and now you're actively stopping me from getting important information that can save lives!"
"We don't know what Dark Knightmon is thinking! He could be lying to you for all we know!"
"It's too bad we don't have a mind-reader. OH WAIT! We did: Karatenmon! And HE was the one who was actually good at protecting us! He sheltered the others before us, he guided and trained us, and when the time came, he didn't hesitate to save us all!" Marc, marshaled by his explosive emotions pointed at Dorulumon. "And compared to you!? When he asked for help, you denied him! You had to be dragged into the fight kicking and screaming! Your entire history is nothing but failures to everyone you've sworn to protect! You want to keep us safe? You can't even protect ANYONE!" Marc gasped for air after shouting at the wolf Digimon. Yet, Tragedy, Humor, and Irony tended to come in trios; while Marc snapped at his protector, the storms had subsided. Many of the filming Digimon watched the afroed teen unleash his rage.
To Marc, he despised being the center of attention by revealing his ugly side. He knew he had to get out of here, one way or another.
"Marc-" "DON'T FOLLOW ME." Marc shouted at Bibi before he shook his head and walked away faster, not wanting to adress anyone after his outbreak.
Among the Digimon watching, another Ultimate followed the leaving Marcus Graves, his image reflecting off his sunglasses.
[Later]
He wished there were some dark clouds and remaining thunder, the bright sunny day and calm breeze felt more like an insult to Marc as he sat there brooding.
He heard someone approaching. The afroed teen panicked…for a second before his mind recognized there was no hostile manner in which the person was approaching. It was slow, but not in anyway that tried to hide its presence.
"Kari, if that's you, leave me alone."
"Now I ain't that little mama. I'm just gonna keep on comin' right on over to you, uh-huh!" That caught Marc's attention as he knew that to be Etemon. To his surprise, the Ultimate Digimon was walking over to him with a suitcase and a packet of paper.
"Here it is!" In Marc's confusion, Etemon handed him the packet. As such, the afroed teen took it, while wondering what it was.
"Etemon: The Great. The Movie? Written by Etemon. Directed by Etemon. Sponsored by Etemon." Marc only became more confused with each passing of the line.
"You're in, kid!" Etemon snapped his fingers into a point to the teen. "I saw that little outburst: the drama! The emotion! You'd be a great supporting cast in my epic movie!"
"What?" He was being recruited into a movie production? "Look, I…"
"Now let's get something 'ere straight, sonny boy!" Etemon closed the distance, pulling the teen in a one-armed embrace. "I'm looking for somethin to give my movie a little more pizazz-you hear what I'm saying? And what's more pizazz than a human?"
Marc moved out of the Digimon's hold. "I don't."
He was interrupted again. "Now, I hear ya. Humans be wanting something in return: be it power or the 'greater good" and all that jazz. I've dealt with enough of you kids long enough to know what side of your ear needs scratching," Etemon opened his suitcase. "So, I saw what type of Digivice you had and realized it was one of 'em card-types."
The Restorer looked into the suitcase. "A single card?"
He reached out to get a better look, but Etemon pulled it away. "Now hold on there, sonny boy. This ain't any old card. Even the older Generation couldn't find any one of it's kind. A super star like me of course was gonna have it one day–thanks to my amazing merchant skills: a Demon Lord card."
Marc perked up at the title. He recalled how the others said before the Lord Knights, the Demon Lord were considered the strongest Digimon pantheon alongside the Royal Knights. Etemon showed him the card again, and this time, Marc's eyes widened as he saw one of these "Demon Lords".
That Digimon looked like something straight out of the deepest nightmares pumped up with steroids.
"Belphemon: Rage Mode. Onyx Rending." Marc realized this card could allow him to use a Mega Digimon's move, one that–even if it drained Bibi–could harm even the toughest of Paladins.
"See, this fancy little square is all yours once you star in the king's new movie!"
Marc narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Elvis-impersonator. "That's it? I just do a few lines with you and you'll give me something this rare?"
"I'm gonna be real with you, sonny boy," Etemon waved his hand. "Humans are bad for the soul, and body too. The less I have to deal with you, the better. And after that whole debacle thing I overheard, you don't have to worry. I ain't messin' with that Tai no more, ya here? Especially since his lil' sis is right here."
That, and there was the fact that Etemon was still an Ultimate Digimon. The guy caught him alone with no one, but still wanted to enter this conversation favorably. Marc still had suspicions, but Etemon's words were true: the sooner this was over with, the sooner they could move on.
"Alright then, I'll join your movie," Marc sighed as he opened the script. "But there better not be a dance sequ–OH COME ON!?"
How unfortunate that when Marc randomly opened a page, the first words he saw was the title of one of the acts: Dance Battle 2: Electric Boogaloomon.
[North]
"Cas, get out of there!" Uver banged on the door room she knew her human tended to hide in. The only response she got was muffled groans.
Yet another sound seized their ears. At first, they assumed it was another groan, but this one was louder and no orifice could replicate this natural sound: the growl of an empty stomach.
Arshan blinked as he saw an opportunity to connect with someone more fearful than even him. "Do you want to come with us for food?"
The door opened but by only the width of a finger. "... Food?"
"Yeah!" Arshan coughed into his mouth. "The... cult... told me about the dining area. You should come with! We'll get something to eat."
A single eye poked out. It was then, Arshan felt something: fear. Or rather, fear so overwhelming it was like attacking his own body. It was almost nauseating.
"You okay, Arshan?" Coro's voice brought the teen back as he realized he was feeling sick for a second.
"Huh? Y-Yeah. An-Anyway, you wanna come and eat with us?"
"Us?" The lone eye turned to the figure beyond the boy, the lion cub, and Uver. Cas' eye widened when she saw Kyoko and suddenly the door clo—
"Oh no you don't!" Uver sped in and stopped the door from closing. She pried open the door. "You are coming with! I am sick and tired of you just staying in here!"
"No! Please!" Cas cried out. "I—
"SHUT UP!" Uver barked, her eyes almost glowing for a second before she grabbed the woman by the collar of her jacket. "You do nothing but whine and moan! And apparently, you can't even follow simple instructions!"
While Uver was about to shake the woman again, she felt a pull that yanked her off her pale Digidestined. "Hey, stop hurting your partner!"
It was Coro. He grabbed Uver's arm and yanked her away from hurting Cas. Uver, on the other hand, was livid. To her, she absolutely believed herself to be the strongest. And this… IDIOT… had the gall to remove her? More so, that he DID!? It was bad enough that Cas lied to her about that promise about learning Dark Digivolution, but now a MERE rookie was trying to order her around?!
"NO ONE ORDERS ME AROUND! Lightning Paw!" Uver's body cackled with electricity before blitzing with a bullet in the guise of a punch at the lion cub. The speed of her attacks, on record, have caught even Ultimates such as Arukenimon and Mummymon off guard.
Coro was neither of them.
Crac-KOOM!
Because, he too, was more than his level could ever contain. In the last second, Coro tilted his head as the wall behind them exploded. Uver did not relent, even as the others screamed. "Feline Pounce!" With raw power and speed, Uver unleashed a flying kick that hit Coro, who lifted his hands to block the incoming Champion. However, her raw power sent them both through the hole Uver made. Coro, despite taking a powerful blow, his paws twisted mid air into vicegripping Uver's leg.
In that instant, Uver spotted Coro's gem–blazing to life as his eyes and flames grew brighter. But the moment passed as he followed through, swinging and tossing Uver down the hallway they entered. Uver growled as she landed with a slide, ticked off that a rookie was actually putting up a fight with her. She looked up–HOW WAS HE IN FRONT OF HER ALREAD–
"Corona Knuckle!" Uver didn't finish her thoughts as Coro pulverized the champion's chin, knocking her through the ceiling and making her land on the floor above.
Uver's chin singed, but that fire was nothing to the blaze of her anger as her eyes turned to slits in the direction the fire rookie launched her into. "You're dead!" Instead of going down the hole, lightning empowered Uver to rip open metal and launch herself downward, tearing and bringing sheets of steel with her. The moment she saw orange and red, she javelin-threw the metal chunks.
Coro, surprised, but still on guard, created a fire staff from his Petite Prominence attack and swatted away the metal sheets before spinning the make-shift weapon and sliding into fighting stance. Across from him, Uver landed on all fours, mirroring the primal beasts on the adrenaline high of a hunt. Her eyes turned to slits as electricity cackled around her. Coro's gem shined as the fires around him started to flare.
Uver, fueled by rage, launched herself forward with Coro rushing to meet her, making flames and lightning clash inside the corpse of steel.
"What are they doing!?" Arshan yelled as the floor started to shake from the two's fighting. He could hear the roars of fires, the cracking of electricity, and the shattering of steel as the two small Digimon wreaked havoc.
The humans, and Sangomon followed after the two, but then saw Uver rip off one of the broken doors and launch it at Coro, who slid under it before using his staff to smack the side of Uver's head. However, the door thrown sailed the air towards the humans.
"Look out!" Kyoko cried out as she tackled Cas, Arshan and Sangomon dodging the other way as the door embedded itself into the wall.
However, while Kyoko meant well, Cas screamed. Her mind replayed the past and the present. Even though the tackle was meant to be for her safety, fear and instinct pushed the spectacled girl away.
"Kyoko! Cas!" Arshan yelled as Sangomon went to her partner.
"No! Nononononononono…." Cas huddled into a ball, gripping her head as she began to hyperventilate.
Time slowed down for Arshan. The look and panic in Cas' face…
"Hey! Why'd you push Kyoko away!? She was just trying to!" Before the rookie could continue, Arshan turned to her.
"Sangomon, let me handle this. Please, watch over Coro and Uver's fight. If something else is about to come over, warn us. Only you can do this."
The brunette made the rookie look back into the fight between Coro and Uver, both of who were now bounced and clashed with the frantic energy of a pinball machine, only 20 times more destructive.
"Alright then!" Arshan didn't wait to even see her move away as he looked over to Cas. She was having a panic attack. But this was a problem, he knew about it, but all the ways he learned how to deal with them involved talking and touching Cas, and he knew enough about her that talking to people was already stressful enough for her, her mind, at this dangerous state, might make her worse if he tried to calm her down with words, let alone if he tried to touch her like Kyoko did.
The only other option his therapist talked about was focusing on an object, to at least try and distract her misunderstanding thoughts. But what could…
Arshan's subconscious thought of one thing, one weird item that might distract her panicking thoughts long enough for him to get her to listen. Arshan didn't waste a second, trying to get down on her level, lying on the a fair distance away from her. He fished his pockets, and made her eyes focus on something:
The drawing of Pusurimon, the bright and wild crayon marks that tried to capture Arshan's image. The teen believed that it was just weird enough to distract Cas from her panic attack, and he could see her eyes focusing on it, confusion—not panic—rising to her face.
When she was the one who looked into Arshan's eyes, the teen enacted his next step. "Breathe with me, concentrate on each breath. Slow and steady."
What Arshan did not realize was that Cas knew the significance of that picture—that gift of gratitude. The memory of a small one showing thanks to another human made Cas distracted enough from her panic to see Arshan doing his best to calm her down. That memory… calmed her. Even though she didn't trust other people, the action of kindness shown made her, deep deep down, WANT to trust people again. Even as lightning and flames clashed, she found herself… following Arshan's actions as he breathed slower with her.
She saw his eyes shine, and there was a content feeling washing over her with that feeling reflected back in her.
"I'm going to help you out of here, will you let me?" Arshan extended his hand to her, gentle but urgent as he knew the two rookies fighting were getting out of hand.
Cas, dare she? A small part of her wanted to still break away… but… she took it.
Meanwhile, Coro and Uver's fighting escalated. Uver's symbols glowed as her dissatisfaction and anger grew at the sight of a rookie, even an impossible one such as Coro, took on hits that would have downed other champions in her state. More than that, the Coronamon reciprocated the attacks with lesser but still leveled force. Uver's strikes were wild, and akin to a predator; her screams mirrored roars as her power and attacks did the same. Coro was different. Although his power was lesser, his skill was not. His view was steady, even as Uver darted the hallway, ripping through walls and holes. All his attacks were disciplined and of excellent form. Whenever he was hit, his body moved with the strike, lessening its potency, and each strike he landed ensured to imbalance, rather than harm Uver. Yet, he was keeping pace when other opponents of Uver did not.
Sangomon was… amazed. These two Digimon were supposed to be similar to her, but the way they fought was masterful to the point of breath-taking. How were these guys so strong!?
Uver blitzed again, gathering more energy, but Coro had spotted a pattern in her attacks and moved forward, swinging his staff to knock her paw mid-air, and sending her crashing from the sudden shift in momentum.
Uver got back up, gasping for air, as she looked at Coro, heavily injured, but his breathing was more controlled than hers.
Rage, annoyance… ENVY seethed coursed through Uver's being. "That's it! I'm drowning you in these dark waters, you annoying light bulb!"
The two stepped forward, ready to unleash another clash of their powers–but they both noticed too late the tags that appeared below them.
"Seal!"
A new voice activated a magic circle, freezing both partners. The others all looked to see Doumon standing beside an angry looking Nene.
"That's the second time you went wild," Her face was unreadable to most. But Arshan could tell she was also angry… but was that also fear he sensed from her? Why? "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw you overboard right now?" Although she asked, the spell prevented Uver from even speaking, only moving her pupils towards the 6th generation Digidestined.
"N-No!" Cas said as she stood up to her full height after being helped by Arshan. Yet, when Nene turned to her, she cowered instantly.
Nene pinched the bridge of her nose. "I should just get rid of the cat now and save everyone so much trouble." Although she said that, she turned her attention to Coro. "... You… you fought her, even when some Ultimates had trouble with that. That only proves you must also be… but from that pantheon?"
Arshan perked up in confusion. Did he hear Nene right? Pantheon? What was she talking about with Coro?
The beautiful lady sighed. "But, it doesn't matter now. We've arrived at our destination."
Arshan blinked. "We have?"
Instead of getting it from Nene, everyone got the answer when they felt another strong rumble, but unlike the fighting between Uver and Coro, this one felt like it was coming from outside the ship.
[Outside]
As the ship that was made of the Titan of Steel's corpse sailed, something stirred in the waters before it. A titanic, massive figure rose from the waters, making the sea cascade down similar to waterfall as the figure rose.
At first, many–including the Restorers–believed it to be the Water Titan and panicked. However, they soon realized this was not the case.
Arshan and the others were heralded into the deck. There, all digivices revealed the new gigantic Digimon before them.
"King Whamon." Arshan breathed as he saw the majestic fusion of whale and island.
Though, he did raise his brow when the Digimon in question opened his maw wide and the boat continued to sail towards the insides.
"We're going to meet someone," Nene said. "An… acquaintance… of mine." She then turned to Doumon. "Because of the trouble she made, she's going to stay in stasis and in a time-out corner.~"
"Wait," The brunette blinked. "What about Coro?"
"I cannot undo the seal without releasing them both," Doumon explained. "Be at ease, he will be treated better later."
Arshan looked at Coro. He didn't want to be without his partner, but he shrunk at the gaze of the scary magic ultimate. The first of the Restorers looked forward, seeing them enter the maw of King Whamon, and had this overwhelming sense that something was horribly amiss.
[Inside King Whamon]
Being swallowed by a gigantic Digimon, Arshan expected the place to look more… fleshy? Is that the right word? He did not expect steel insides, buildings, and what looked to be a futuristic city inside the Mega. Hover cars, and other glowing, flying vehicles raced around the inside, and aquatic Digimon swam in the nearby waters, some even looking at those on the boat. Even though everything looked sleek and high-end, Arshan spotted more Digimon in construction in some areas.
"Welcome to Whamon City," Nene walked up to the teen. "Another safe haven from Ragna Lordmon." Seeing Arshan and the others too stunned, or perhaps unable to find words, Nene pointed deeper in. They could see an eye-catching tower that overlooked… and perhaps was even part of the island on King Whamon's surface. "I want you to meet my friend. And what do you know? Perfect timing."
As she said this, a number of flying and machine Digimon arrived near the boat deck. Arshan found himself looking back, Cas was stepping away, afraid of all the sudden increase of Digimon around. He thought he was making progress, but he supposed this was not going to be easy in getting Cas to open up. However, he also noticed Kyoko. While Sangomon was looking around in awe, the black-haired young woman looked dejected.
"Kyoko?" Arshan saw Nene talking to what his Digivice described as a Gigadramon, so he continued to the only other human who would talk to him. "What's wrong?"
"I-It's nothing," She said, refusing to meet his gaze and rubbing her arm. To Kyoko, her mind went back to when Cas pushed her away. She thought she was helping, but seeing how Cas was having a panic attack, and how Arshan had to handle both Cas and have Sangomon protect them while he was helping her, made Kyoko feel like she had only made the situation worse, not help it.
Arshan knew she wasn't alright but he didn't want to push her and make her feel uncomfortable. He disliked seeing her sad like this, but before he could try to cheer her up, the Gigadramon pointed to the three of them.
"Come with us: The Sagacious Duke will see you."
They soon found out that wasn't a suggestion, as Multiple Megadramon surrounded them.
While they were "escorted" to the tower, Sistermon Ciel, Arukenimon, and Mummymon finally reached the deck.
"I told you that you snore too loud, you fool!" The spider Ultimate yelled at the mummy. "Now we're too late to see what's going on!"
Sistermon Ciel spotted Kyoko and Sangomon being carried away by a Megadramon and her eyes widened. "Kyoko!?" Although she made a step forward, some of the Megadramon turned their cannons towards them and the rest of the cultists.
"Hold," The Gigadramon spoke. "Only the humans and their partners are allowed passage. Please wait until further notice until we have docked this ship proper."
Sistermon Ciel cursed under her breath. She only hoped Kyoko and Sangomon would be safe by the time she found them again. And if not…
"Come on, kid," She looked over to try and find the boy The Demon Lord of Gluttony bet his hopes on. "Show me what BZ saw in you."
[North: Whamon City Tower]
In a lavish throne, a figure smiled as he heard the news. "It seems we have guests, Dramon. Let's show them… a welcome they'll never forget."
"Yes, Lord Kazuma."
"For the last time, stop calling me KAZUMA!"
[Author Notes]
I know I promised Marc's story, but when I was writing what was happening on Arshan's side… it kinda… got out of hand in a way I love. So, uhhh oops? We'll get back to how he's doing as a new co-star of Etemon's movies.
Also, I wanted to put more stuff, but kinda realized there was a LOT more set up than I expected there to be.
So, a lot happened in this chapter! We meet the West Team's Titan: The Thunder Titan, JP! We also meet returning enemies(?) in Etemon and Dark Knightmon! Etemon drags Marcy into the life of Hollywood!
Coro and Uver have a fight, and both of their histories are hinted at.
The North Team meets up in King Whamon's inside city!
Arshan has a crush! (And Coro is watching him unblinkingly.)
And we finally get to meet the last OC proper. There's a few things about him that I'm gonna do that are slightly different when compared to most of the other OCs. I don't know if I can pull it off, but what the heck, this story isn't perfect anyway.
SO! With this, I've updated the story before the end of the year. Thanks so much for the support I've received. I admit I am a slight bit greedy and want more, but at the same time, I am forever grateful for the ones I do have and thank you deeply.
Happy New Year, guys! And thank you for reading the story!