"Subaru was assimilated by an Eater. And fell to EDEN Syndrome." Kiryu said. "Agunimon... Lobomon... you two were also devoured doing what I was not there to do. Fighting for Subaru's safety."

Everyone stared at him. "Kiryu..." Himari whispered.

"I failed my brother who I swore to protect. I failed my mother who I made that promise to... My life's one purpose... extinguished. I immediately set off to find out what happened. Zaxon's hideout was nearly empty. And the team had all but disbanded. But there were a few members remaining..."

"Positron Blaster!" MetalGreymon Alterous Mode's cannon crackled with orange electricity before he fired a powerful beam that blew down a Raremon, a Triceramon, a Pandamon, and a Raptordramon in one hit.

"Kaus-slugger!" WereGarurumon Sagittarius Mode took off two pieces of his jetpack that extended blue beam swords and dashed through a Unimon, a Waspmon, a Digitamamon, and a Megadramon. He put the weapons away and the Digimon behind him collapsed.

A bunch of Zaxon hackers panicked as Kiryu approached them with a look of rage in his eyes. "W-what is this guy?! Those Digimon with him…!"

One of the hackers behind Kiryu raced towards the warp pad. But when she stood on it nothing happened. "What?!"

"I locked that down." Kiryu said in front of a floating screen before he closed it. "I have questions. And until I get my answers, no one is going anywhere. I don't see Yuugo or Fei, so I guess you grunts will have to do. I trust you understand that lying to me will have consequences."

One of the hackers on his rear trembled at the look in Kiryu's eyes. "I-I'll tell you anything! Just don't hurt me!"

"Then speak. What happened in Under Zero?"

The hackers gasped. "Under Zero…?" One of them murmured.

"N-no!" another clenched her head. "I don't want to think about it!" Kiryu snapped his fingers and MetalGreymon Alterous Mode aimed his cannon at her. "I'll talk! I'll talk! We advanced into the Valhalla Server like we planned… some of us were stayed behind to hold back the Rebels…"

"The Rebels were there too?" Kiryu asked. "Why?"

"I think their leader wanted to beat Yuugo to our goal… but we managed to get there first… but before we could access the core Arata Sanada, the former leader of Jude showed up with two really tough guys. He tried to warm Yuugo against accessing Under Zero saying it was dangerous… he wouldn't listen, so Arata's former Jude members showed up to try to force us out… then the Rebels caught up to us… it was a three-way war between hacker teams."

"And that's what brought Zaxon to this pathetic state?"

"No." Kiryu turned around as another hacker shook with her knees tucked into her chest. "Before a winner was declared some creepy lady's voice started mocking us… then the place became flooded with those white and black monsters…"

"The ones rumored to inflict EDEN Syndrome?" Kiryu asked.

"Yeah. They showed up everywhere… and they… they started eating everyone alive!" Kiryu's eyes widened as he heard this. "It was awful! I barley… some of my friends were…!" The girl started to sob.

Kiryu pulled an image from his Digivice. "Did any of you see this boy down there?"

One of them gasped. "Hey, that's the kid Yuugo and Fei brought in to help us get past security! Do you know him or something?"

Kiryu turned to the one who spoke up and walked towards him. "What happened to him?"

The hacker yelped as he backed into a wall. "I…It all happened so fast but… I saw him surrounded by the monsters… his Digimon were devoured and…"

Kiryu's fists tightened as he approached. "One last question." He gripped the hacker's shirt and lifted him up against the wall. "Where. Is. Yuugo?! Was he devoured too?!"

"I-I think he survived…"

"You THINK or you KNOW?!"

"I-I'm not sure… Just as the monsters were starting to clear up, I saw him vanish in a bright blue light… I think he logged out…"

Kiryu's eyes widened before they sharpened into a glare. "You're certain about this?!"

"I-It's the truth, I swear!" the hacker gulped fearing what Kiryu would do to him. But he slowly lowered the hacker to his feet, let him go and as he and his Digimon walked towards the warp pad he unlocked it. The moment he stepped on it he and his Digimon vanished.

Kiryu's eyes remained cold. "Kiryu…" Hudiemon murmured. "You misunderstand-

"I understand perfectly. I spoke to members of the Rebels and Jude to confirm this. All of them said Yuuko simply disappeared amidst the chaos. She fled. I won't forgive that. With no idea how to find Yuugo, all I could do was wait and watch events unfold from there. Soon after that Digimon appeared in the real world forcing most people to stay in their homes. But with MetalGreymon and WereGarurumon at my side I could travel safely. So, I was able to visit Subaru at the hospital frequently. Watching. Hoping. Praying that he would awaken. But he remained there. Trapped in that state. Then one day… during a visit…"

Kiryu finished playing a melody on a flute as he sat in a chair staring at Subaru. The boy's unconscious face filled him with dread. "Kiryu." MetalGreymon Alterous Mode spoke from his Digivice. "You should get something to eat." Kiryu didn't reply.

"Kiryu, you can come back after you've taken care of yourself." WereGarurumon Sagittarius Mode said. "We'll take you back here as many times as you want. So please…"

Kiryu sighed. "Fine." He walked up and put a hand on Subaru's head. "…I'll be back brother. I won't let you be alone for long. I promise." Kiryu walked out of the room and down the halls of the Special Ward.

"So, how's the first victim of this bizarre sickness?" Kiryu turned his head as two doctors passed by.

"You mean Yuugo Kamishiro? Still unconscious like the rest."

Kiryu gasped. 'Yuugo?! Was he also…?'

"It's been eight years now. That poor boy… the first of many EDEN Syndrome victims."

Kiryu watched them walk away. "Yuugo… was the first EDEN Syndrome victim…? Eight years ago…?"

"That's impossible!" MetalGreymon Alterous Mode gasped. "But then who is the Yuugo we've known all this time?"

"Yuugo…Kamishiro…" Kiryu said. "Yuugo was part of the Kamishiro family…?"

"After that I went straight home and started digging." Kiryu said. "And then I discovered the only other remaining member of the family, Yuuko Kamishiro, was known to frequently visit a family member in the hospital. When I went back to the hospital the receptionist told me Yuuko had recently paid a visit to Fei who was said to have been injured in an accident. It was easy to put it together from there. A member of Kamishiro would know more about EDEN than anyone. Making it easy to form a powerful hacker team. And she knew Fei, and had a brother named Yuugo…"

"So that's how you found out Yuuko was Zaxon's Yuugo." TyrantKabuterimon said.

"That's right. And with that, I knew it was my chance to get my answers. And so…"

"Takumi… do you remember our mission to weaken Examon in Kawloon Level 5?" Yuuko asked.

"You mean when we fought Craniamon? Kyoko sent me to go with you while Ami kept an eye on things in Tokyo."

"Yes. Do you recall when I contacted you, telling you I was in Level 5 waiting for you?"

"Yeah. I thought you were going to meet us at the entrance, but then you gave me a call. Come to think of it, your mood was kind of different from… uh…"

Yuuko stared at him. "My crude and immature behavior during the mission?"

"Hey, that's not what I-

"It's fine Takumi. I know how I acted towards you was unacceptable. But there's a reason why I was in such a bad mood…"

"I know. You were thinking about what Crusadermon did to your father."

Yuuko looked down. "That's part of it… but there's more. Right after I called you…"

Yuuko was staring at the entrance to Kawloon Level 5 waiting patiently for Takumi and Ami. Then her Digivice rang. "Hmm? Is that Takumi?" She pressed a button and a blue screen appeared. "Hello?"

The screen projected an image of Kiryu. "Remember me?"

Yuuko was surprised to see him but did her best to hold back her reaction. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Don't waste my time with denials." Kiryu glared. "I know that's you "Yuugo"."

Yuuko gasped. "What… how… when did you…?!"

"Irrelevant." Kiryu said. "I don't know if you heard but I paid your rathole one last visit. Had a few words with you precious hacker team… What was left of it anyway."

"Kiryu…"

"Ever since you went to Under Zero despite common sense, Subaru has been in a coma. According to your "friends" he was devoured by one of the monsters you encountered."

"The Eaters…" Yuuko frowned. "So, Subaru was also…"

"You're just learning this now?!" Kiryu glared. "Did you not even bother to check up on the people who were eaten for your cause?! Or did you just shrug their sacrifices off and walk away?!"

"No, I-

"I know what happened Yuuko! While everyone was panicking, and being eaten alive, you ran away! You saved yourself and abandoned them all to their fate!"

"That's not what happened!" Yuuko retorted.

"Don't you DARE lie to me!" Kiryu shouted. "I trusted you! Subaru trusted you! And you just left him to die! I warned you Yuuko that Under Zero was too dangerous! Even Arata Sanada himself tried to stop you! But even though you knew he actually faced what you were going up against you ignored those warnings…"

"I…" Yuuko sighed. "I know. I should have listened-

"But you didn't!" Kiryu was practically screaming at this point. "You charged all of your followers including my brother into hell itself… all so maybe you could crown yourself the ruler of EDEN! And then you abandoned them to save yourself…"

"Kiryu, I-

"How could you…Why?!" Kiryu shouted. "Why did you abandon them!? Why did you betray them?! What made you think you could rule EDEN when you're just a coward who runs on those who trust her while hiding behind her unconscious brother's face?! ANSWER ME!"

"Hearing Yuugo's name got to me…" Yuuko said. "And then… I said something awful to Kiryu…"

Kiryu stopped the group and turned around to look at them with a glare. "And do you know what that bitch had the nerve to say to me?"

Keisuke looked at Kiryu's hateful eyes. "…What?"

"What did you say?" Takumi asked. Yuuko looked away from Takumi. Her own eyes filled with guilt. She took a breath before reciting what she said that day.

"Subaru and the others fulfilled their duty and died for the honor of Zaxon while you abandoned us! Maybe YOU'RE the coward!" The words left Yuuko's mouth before her brain could process them. Only when she saw Kiryu's shocked expression did she feel her heart drop as she gave a shocked expression to match his. "W-wait, that's not what I-

"Yuuko…" Kiryu spoke with all the venom he could muster with his sharpest, most intimidating glare ever. "Pray that one of those Digimon rampaging in Tokyo get to you first. Because it will be a far kinder end then what will await you should we ever meet again."

"Kiryu, wait I- Before Yuuko could say anything else Kiryu hung up. She could only stand there in silence.

"Yuuko…" Takumi gasped.

"Shortly after that you showed up. After the mission I told you I acted so harshly because my mind was on Crusadermon but… that wasn't the entire truth. I was also angry at myself. For failing Subaru and Kiryu. For implying that all those sacrifices were simply meant to be…And you would think I would learn not to let my emotions get the better of me after that, but what did I do next? I took anger toward myself and selfishly unloaded it onto you who had nothing to do with it." Yuuko clenched her fists on her lap. "I…I am a fool and a coward… just as Kiryu said…"

"Yuuko, don't say that!" Takumi said. "You were carrying a heavier burden then any of us…You suffered an unbearable amount of pressure that could easily break most people."

"That's still no excuse for how I treated you." Yuuko said. "And I'm sorry. That's why I told you and Samudramon to let it go when Ami lashed out at me the next time I saw you two at Akihabara."

Takumi glanced to the side. "I still don't think she had to take it that far…"

"Hello, Takumi. Ami." Yuuko greeted in front of the Digital Shift.

"Heeeey! Yuuko!" Ami waved with a cheery smile as she ran ahead of her brother towards the girl. Then as soon as she was in front of Yuuko she slapped her in the face. Hard.

Everyone was at a loss. "Ami what the hell?!" Takumi shouted.

Yuuko looked at Ami with a shocked expression and her hand at the red mark forming on her face. Ami in turn sharply glared at her. "THAT was for being so mean to my brother when he was just looking out for you last time you blackhearted brat!"

"How dare you!" Samudramon drew his blades.

"Stand down!" Yuuko ordered. "…I deserved that…" Her Digimon was hesitant but backed off.

"Hey, sis, calm down, it's okay!" Takumi said, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder.

"You might be so forgiving about it, Takumi, but I am not! She insulted you and spat on your friendship when you were worried about her! When she brought it up back at the agency you tried to pretend to not know what she was talking about just to keep it from me!"

Yuuko looked at Takumi in surprise. "That's why you…?"

Ami glared at her again. "Yeah! And what's the thanks my brother gets? You childishly threatening him!"

"Ami, that was my own fault." Takumi said.

"Like hell it was. Besides if it was me, she acted that way towards you'd be just as upset! Tell me I'm wrong!" Ami's brother cringed as he had no response.

"Takumi, it's okay." Yuuko said. "I was wrong to treat you so cruelly and Ami's right to be angry for it. And I'm sorry." She bowed her head to the twins.

"It's okay Yuuko. Ami, please." Takumi said. "We have more important things to worry about right now."

Ami put her hands on her hips. "Hmph. Fine then. Just this once, just because Takumi insisted, I'll let it go this time. You better be grateful to him. But don't think I'll be so quick to forgive you if you do it again!" She looked at the nearby Digital Shift. "Now then, I take it Crusadermon is in here?"

Yuuko nodded. "The time has finally come."

Yuuko shook her head. "No. If it was my brother who was mocked like that, I'd do the same thing. I deserved it for what I said to you and to Kiryu. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that what I did, leading everyone to Under Zero cost Kiryu everything. And to make matters worse I mocked his loss. That is why he cannot forgive me. …Why he shouldn't forgive me."

"What are you talking about? It was Crusadermon who-

Yuuko held up her hand interrupting Takumi. "Yes, what happened was a result of Crusadermon's trap. But she didn't use any lure for it. I brought all of you to Under Zero through my own free will. My own choices. And now those choices have come back to haunt me."

"Yuuko, you didn't know what was going to happen! You didn't want things to end up like that!"

"Of course not. But does it really matter at this point?"

"Sure, it does!" Takumi replied. "Not knowing isn't a crime! Why are you beating yourself up for things beyond your control?!"

Yuuko sat silently looking down. "Takumi…"

"Yeah?" When Yuuko looked at Takumi she was smiling at him. Then unexpectedly she jabbed her middle and index fingers into his forehead. "Ow!" Takumi put a hand on the spot she poked. "What was-

"You really are a hypocrite."

"Huh?!"

"Is it not you and Ami who to this day beat yourselves up for what happened in this world on that day?" Yuuko looked away again. "You were both kids. You didn't know what would happen. You didn't want the Eaters to appear. It was beyond your control. Yet you both insist on punishing yourselves, saying that it doesn't matter if you wanted it or not. It's no different then what happened with me… no. Back then you two were really young and had no idea what you were doing. I on the other hand was grown up and well aware of my actions. One can argue mine was the greater crime. Yet I'd say you blame yourself far more than me. You told us you had to take responsibility for your actions that day." She sadly smiled to him. "So, I have to take responsibility for my actions."

"Yuuko…"

"That is why I need to do something. Kiryu is just the way I was before. Someone left dwelling in the past and obsessed with revenge. All because of what I've done. That's why… I want to help him! I want to help him overcome his pain and show him to look towards the future! Just as you and the others did for me! I owe him at least that much. So, I'll do whatever it takes to save him. I just wish I didn't have to drag all of you down with me for my mistakes… Kiryu is my responsibility. I trained him and set him on this path. Now he's using what he learned to attack me. It's a hell of my own making."

Takumi smiled. "Now who's being a hypocrite?"

"Excuse you?"

"Remember back in Zaxon's base when I was desperate to rescue Ami and Darcmon? You told me that I don't have to deal with my problems alone. Didn't you say it was fine to rely on your friends? You didn't let me rescue Ami alone. So, I'm not letting you carry this on your own. Besides, I stand by what I say about being responsible for creating the Eaters. I'm just as responsible for what happened to Kiryu and Subaru. If you're going to take responsibility for them, then so will I."

"Takumi… thank you." Yuuko smiled. "I'm glad to have you as a friend, even though I sometimes don't feel like I deserve your friendship. You can overlook other people's mistakes and help them overcome their failures. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"That's what friends are for Yuuko. Don't worry about it. If you need anything to cheer you up or help you with you with your problems, I will do anything to help."

"Really? Anything to cheer me up?" Yuuko asked.

"Of course."

Yuuko looked deep in thought. "Hmmm… there is one thing that would make me feel better…"

"What is it?" Takumi asked. Yuuko turned to him and lightly squeezed his sides with her fingers. "ACK!" Takumi fell onto his side on the bed they were sitting on. "DON'T DO THAT!"

Yuuko laughed. "You said "anything" didn't you? Besides… something about your smile and laugh… it lightens my mood." She leaned forward and started skittering her fingers on Takumi's side and he started laughing. "You are definitely ticklish."

Takumi was helpless to stop her as her fingers danced on his sensitive spots. "Why you…!" He rolled over and reached over to Yuuko and rubbed his fingers against her ribs.

"YEEEK!" Yuuko backed away covering her ribs with her face reddening.

Takumi sat up and looked at Yuuko in surprise. He wasn't expecting her to shriek so loud from brief contact. "Wow. And I'm the ticklish one?" Takumi chuckled. "Judging by that reaction I'd say you're more sensitive than me." Yuuko didn't say anything back. She just stared at him in shock. "Uh…Yuuko?" Takumi looked at her uneasily. "You alri- The rest all happened so fast. Takumi yelped as he was knocked onto his back. His hands were held down above his head and he was looking at Yuuko who had a stare that pierced his soul. "Y-Yuuko?" Takumi gulped. Somehow Yuuko's one hand kept both his wrists together like a steel shackle. "W-what are you-

"Takumi…" Yuuko loomed over the Cyber Sleuth. "You just started a war that not even you can escape unscathed." Takumi gulped as he realized that he had just awoken Yuuko the Blackhearted and that there would be hell to pay for it. No being, man, Digimon or god could save him now.

Kiryu stood there facing the others with his fists clenched. The others only stared at him in shock. "…That is why I can never forgive Yuuko. She destroyed my brother for nothing more than her selfish pride and tried to sweep it under the rug."

"Oh Kiryu…" Sayo murmured.

"…After reality changed, I forgot about everything… bust Subaru… he would suffer nightmares and trauma from the incident to this day. The scars still remain… And I had no idea what had caused him such suffering. I tried my best to help him but… his heart wouldn't heal or open up. And I knew nothing about what did this to him…until I met Crusadermon who restored my memories of the previous reality."

"And here you are now working in the Next Order." Takuto said. Kiryu nodded.

"Subaru…" Agunimon murmured.

"So that's what happened between you and Yuuko…" Himari frowned. "I'm starting to see what it is you're fighting so hard for… I mean if what happened to Subaru happened to my sisters I… That would destroy me forever…"

Rikka looked at her partner. "Himari…"

"The only way I can assure Subaru that the monsters of his nightmares will never hurt him again, is by telling him the source of them has been erased forever." Kiryu clenched his fist as he kept going down the stairs. "I must destroy those who are responsible for his suffering. That is the only way I can atone for my failure."

"Does that include Takumi and Ami?" Keisuke asked as he and the others followed Kiryu.

"Naturally. And I do not plan on letting Nokia get away with what she did to many other hackers either."

"Don't you think you're being a little too hard on her? I mean she didn't fully know what she was getting into."

"Exactly! She charged in blindly to dangers she didn't understand! Dangers she KNEW she didn't understand! She ignored the warning of those with more experience thinking she was better! She didn't even think about the danger she was putting her team in! She never even reflected on that mistake until I pointed it out!"

"Well, what about Subaru then? Didn't he also ignore the warnings of others?" Koh asked.

"Subaru is still a child. As brilliant a mind he may be, children are naïve and don't fully understand what they do. Nokia is old enough to make her own decisions and accept the consequences of her actions. Besides, he wouldn't have done it if Yuuko didn't implant those foolish ideas into his head! And Subaru now suffers for his choices, while Nokia and Yuuko walk away from them?! I refuse to let that stand. If the world will not bring judgment upon the guilty, then I will."

"Including Takumi and Ami?" Hudiemon asked.

"Did they not create the Eaters?"

"They were also young at the time! Even younger than Subaru!"

Kiryu stopped his descent and stood there. "Well?" Himari asked. "Got something to say?"

Kiryu looked around. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean?" Nova asked.

Kiryu knelled down and picked something up. "Is that a Digimedal?" Keisuke asked.

"We've been descending for a while now…" Kiryu said. "And I've been feeling this odd sensation as we've been going down."

"You too?" Hudiemon asked.

"Can someone translate that in English for the rest of us?" Himari asked.

"I dropped this medal earlier." Kiryu said. "We're going in a loop."

"Huh?" Koh asked. "What do you mean? That we've been going in circles?"

"How is that possible?!" Storm asked. "It's not like this staircase branched at any point and we've been going downward this whole time!"

"Have we?" Hudiemon asked. She opened up a screen. "It says here we're still halfway down the tower."

"But we've been going down for even longer than it took us to get to the top!" MetalSeadramon exclaimed. "Shouldn't we be underground by now?"

Kiryu rested his chin on a finger and thumb as he opened his own monitor. "Hmm… it would appear that the space off this staircase has been distorted."

"Then how do we get out of here?" Agunimon asked.

"I sense a dark energy at work." CresGarurumon said. "That could be the source of the distortion."

"Then we need the opposite to counter it." Kiryu said. "Lobomon. As the Legendary Warrior of Light, perhaps your power can counter it."

"Understood." Lobomon nodded.

"Apollomon, you help too." Huduiemon said. "You're a holy Digimon, so maybe filling the room with your energy will counter it as well."

"Very well." The two crossed his arms then separated them roaring as his body glowed white. In a bright flash the staircase went from purple to blue.

"The sensation is gone." Kiryu said. "We should be able to continue."

"Good work guys." Keisuke smiled. "Now let's go save our friends!"

"The fact that we didn't see them in that trap suggests that they also got through here." BlitzGreymon said.

"Makes sense." Agunimon said. "Knowing Mercurymon, he'd notice the trick at work here. And the two Sistermon wield light energy as well."

"Then I guess our search continues." Hudiemon said as they continued down the stairs.

GrandDracmon watched the ten Digimon he had in captivity grunt in pain and struggle. Sistermon Blanc Awake and Ceil Awake reverted to their childlike, previous forms as they lost all their energy. GrandDracmon snapped his fingers and the crosses they were all bound to stopped sapping their energy. "That will be sufficient for our needs. I should probably dispose of you lot… then again, while enough is fine, more is better. Once you regain your strength, I'll sap that away from you as well."

There was a red flash summoning a Digimon with long blond hair, and black armor covered in eyes. "Lord GranDracmon. Someone has proceeded through the illusionary staircase."

"Oh? More fools from the Resistance? Oh goodie! More cows to milk!" GranDracmon's grin instantly disappeared. "Oh god, did I just quote Lilithmon?"

"…Sir?"

GranDracmon shook his head. "*ahem*! Anyway, if possible, capture them alive like we did these kids. Of course, I perfectly understand that… accidents happen."

"As you wish." The black Digimon vanished in a red light.

Ami was humming to herself as she walked down the halls. Her Digimon by her side. "So, now that we finished helping Doctor Datamon and the others, how about we get something to eat before training?"

"Hungry already?" Rosemon Burst Mode teased. "You and your brother's appetites are almost as big as Yuuko's sometimes."

"Are not!" Ami heard a yelp and stopped in her tracks. She looked to her left. Where the door to Yuuko's room was. "What was that…?" She slowly walked up and put her ear against it.

"Yuuko…please let go of me."

Ami recognized the voice. "Takumi?"

"Prisoners of war do not make demands Takumi." Ami heard Yuuko's voice next. "They head to them. And right now, I demand that you squirm and squeal for me."

"What are you doi-Hey! Hey give that back!"

"If you insist."

Ami could hear rustling and her brother yelping. "S-stop! Yuuko, why'd you tie me u-Hey! Get off me!"

"I told you, you don't get to make demands. Do I need to gag you too?"

"Y-Yuuko, you're kinda starting to freak me out… and this is seriously inappropriate! What if somebody sees us?!"

"The others are busy with their own things. Now then… I'm going to enjoy this…"

"W-wait! Let's talk about- Takumi interrupted himself with a gasp. "D-don't touch me there!" He made a bunch of grunting sounds and Ami could hear thrashing.

"Are you trying to resist? Don't bother Takumi." Ami noticed Yuuko's voice was shifting from deadly serious to slightly playful. "We both know how sensitive you really are. I'm going to get what I want from you at some point… and you're not getting off this bed until you give it to me. You might as well just let it out. After all, you are my prisoner now and I am going to have my way with you…"

Ami's face had never been redder. She slowly backed away from the door. "Okaaaaaaay. Things between those two…escalated quickly."

Rosemon tilted her head at her flustered partner. "What's wrong Ami?"

"Change of plans, we'll eat after we train, because my "big" appetite just disappeared. Man, those two are lucky I'm not Yuugo or Fei." Ami rolled her eyes looking at the door before she quickly and quietly went down the hall. "Just friends" my ass."

What was happening the other side of the door wasn't quite what Ami believed was happening. Takumi was currently lying on his back on Yuuko's bed. His shirt was removed and currently being used to tie his hands to the top of the bedframe so he wouldn't get up. Yuuko was sitting on him with her legs resting on either side of him to further insure this. And Takumi was clamping his jaw shut making uncomfortable grunts and twitches doing his best not to even snicker as Yuuko's fingers started teasing his sides. "Stop it…" He grunted with an awkward grin. He started giggling and his legs flailing behind Yuuko who smiled as his chuckling evolved into full blown laughter. "This isn't funnehehehehey!"

"Then why are you laughing?" Yuuko asked.

"Stop! Haha! No! Uncle! I'm sorry!"

"Not as sorry as you're gonna be." Yuuko teased. "Besides, you look like you're enjoying yourself judging by that smile. And I think you have a cute feminine laugh."

"STOP CALLING IT FEMININE!" Takumi barely got that out between laughs.

"And I thought Ami was the ticklish one between you too. Even if it's just on your sides, I'd wager you're even more ticklish than her. Maybe I should start calling you "Ticklemi Aiba" from now on."

Takumi was doomed. Yuuko was mercilessly toying with his bare sides and all he could do was take it. His hands were literally tied, his kicking legs were out of reach of his tormentor. He was helpless. His lungs couldn't take much more. He was starting to feel lightheaded. He lost strength in his legs and they stopped kicking and his arms stopped tugging against his shirt. "Y-Yuuko… please… can't breathe…!"

Yuuko smiled staring at Takumi's sides gracefully flicking them with her fingers. Right now, Takumi's tickles spots were her musical instrument, and his laughter was the choir. After a few minutes of the musical, she looked up to Takumi's face and started to see tears pour out of his eyes. "Oh dear… maybe that was too much." She backed off. "Sorry Takumi, I guess I got a bit carried away." She smiled at Takumi who had his eyes closed and was panting heavily. "But… I do feel better now thanks to you. I'm glad you're my friend and that you stuck by me even at my worst." She started untying Takumi's shirt and pulled it out. "And I'm sure with you and the others by my side we will find a way to save Kiryu's soul just as you did mine." She stared at Takumi's face. He had a calmer expression and his breathing slowed down. "Are you… asleep? Oh my… I guess I really did take it too far… I'll apologize later. For now, I guess I should let him rest. He should be alright here." Yuuko put Takumi's shirt down next to him, shifted her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. But the moment she was about to take her first step, arms wrapped around her, and she shrieked as she was pulled back down onto the bed. "What?!" The arms that grabbed her and a pair of legs wrapped around her restricting her arms to her sides.

"Gotchya."

Yuuko looked over her shoulder best she could to see a certain someone's smile who didn't even bother putting his shirt back on. "Takumi! You… you were faking?!"

"Oh, you got me good alright. Let's just call this my second wind. So, what was that name you called me just now?"

Yuuko shuddered and squirmed in Takumi's grip. "I-I didn't mean anything by it! I was just-

"I didn't ask why you did it, I specifically asked you what you called me."

Despite Yuuko easily overpowering Takumi a moment ago and having him tickled to exhaustion, she couldn't pull out of his grip on her now. Her arms were trapped so she couldn't fight back either. She knew she wasn't getting out of this unless she humored him. "…Ticklemi…Aiba?" she nervously muttered.

Takumi's smile widened. "Did you just say, "tickle me"? Okay, if you insist!"

Yuuko gasped as Takumi used his legs to secure her into her sitting position in front of him and restrict her arms while his hands started skittering onto her sides. "EEEK! Takumi! Don't you dare!" Yuuko fidgeted in his grip smiling against her will. "Stop that! Heh, heh! Release me! Ah, ha, ha!"

"What was that you were saying earlier? Prisoners of war don't get to make demands?" Takumi teased as his fingers shifted from teasing Yuuko's sides to going for other places such as her stomach, ribcage and neck. She was reacting far worse to it than Takumi despite being fully clothed. "Man, listen to that laughing. And you called me ticklish?"

Tears slid down Yuuko's cheeks as she continued to laugh, flailing her legs and trying to tug her arms free. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! TAKUMIIIII! LET ME GOHOHOHOHOHO!"

Keisuke and his group finally reached the bottom of the stairs and came across a large purple door with a giant hole through it. "Looks like we found GranDracmon's hideout." Keisuke said. "…And judging by the convenient entryway, I'd say the Sistermon and the others made their way through ahead of us."

"Let's hurry after them!" Takuto said.

"Right!" Himari nodded before they ran in. Their Digimon hurried after them.

"Guys, wait up!" Keisuke shouted running after them.

"Keisuke!" Hudiemon yelled.

"Ugh, those fools." Kiryu growled. "They'll charge straight into an enemy trap at this rate."

"We gotta catch them, come on!"

Himari and Takuto ran further down the dark hall. They turned a corner fast and didn't notice the strange purple circle with a symbol on it. The moment they stepped on it, purple light glowed around them. "Gah!" Takuto shouted as they stopped.

"W-what is this?!" Himari shrieked.

Their Digimon stopped in front of them. "Himari!" Rikka yelled.

"Takuto!" Nova and Storm shouted.

Keisuke was running too fast after them and ran into the light with them. "…Uh, oh…" The light grew brighter.

"Keisuke!" Hudiemon flew into the light, grabbed Keisuke's shoulder and tossed him out of it while Himari turned around and shoved Takuto out. As Nova and Storm along with Keisuke's team rushed to their partners as they saw them fall onto the floor, Rikka flew in after Himari as the light grew brighter. Himari, Hudiemon and Rikka were hit by a sudden sense of drowsiness as the light grew brighter and they vanished along with the light.

"Erika!" Keisuke shouted.

"Himari!" Takuto shot up.

Sayo caught up with the others. "What happened?"

"Himari and I stepped on something… she shoved me out of the way and then vanished!"

"Hudiemon too…" Keisuke shuddered. "No, no, someone tell me this isn't happening!"

"Calm down." Kiryu kneeled in front of the symbol on the floor and scanned it with his Digivice. "…I don't believe it destroyed them. It appears to be a teleporter of some kind."

"It… teleported them?" Koh asked.

"Then let's go after them!" Takuto stepped towards the mark again.

"Hold it." Kiryu put his arm out in front of him. "This is clearly a trap. So, they'll be waiting on the other side to capture whoever comes in there. Rather than all charging into the spider's parlor, let's look for another way to them and catch the enemy by surprise."

"But how do we even know if they're still here?!" Keisuke asked. "This thing could have sent them to the other side of the Digital World for all we know!"

"No. They're still underground. And close by." Kiryu showed everyone the screen he had in front of him. It showed a red, blue, purple, and orange dots around a white one. Further away was a pink dot.

"What's this?" Koh asked.

"These dots represent our location. That pink one is Himari."

Keisuke looked at Kiryu with wide eyes. "How did you-

"I planted tracking software on all of your Digivices while we were ascending the tower." Keisuke, Koh and Takuto squinted at him while Sayo glared. "What? We may have called a truce, but we are still enemies. You think I'll let my guard down around you?"

"Kiryu…" Keisuke sighed.

"Kiryu… sometimes you can't just see everyone as an ally or an enemy." Koh said. "I once had to make the choice of putting faith in Sayo back when I thought she was an enemy. If I didn't have the courage to trust her then, things in our world would have ended up horribly." Kiryu stared at him in surprise. "…Did I say something wrong?"

"…It's nothing. Come on. We need to hurry if we're going to save them. But be careful. I doubt this is the only trap in our way."

Everyone walked around the symbol and continued down the hall. "He seemed surprised to hear that from Koh…" Takuto whispered to Keisuke.

"Yeah. I wonder why?"

Blitzgreymon and CresGarurumon looked at each other. "The courage to trust…" BlitzGreymon murmured.

"I have to save Erika…" Keisuke said. "I won't lose her again…"

Kiryu stared at him before looking ahead. "…We'll find her. I promise."

Keisuke looked at him in surprise. "Kiryu…!"

"What?"

"…Nothing. Thank you."

Shiki was humming to herself as she and her Digimon walked through the halls. "Is it just me or did Ami seem like something was on her mind during training?" Gaia asked.

"Yeah, she had this awkward look…" Skyla replied. "But she wouldn't tell us what's on her mind."

"She's probably just thinking about what to do next." Shiki said. "Thinking about it, now that we've rescued Darcmon and all the Sovereign Digicores are discovered we have no immediate objective in mind for the first time in a while."

"True." Gaia nodded.

Shiki noticed she was passing by a certain door. "Oh hey. Yuuko's room."

"Yuuko… come to think of it she wasn't at training." Skyla said. "In fact, I haven't seen her all day. Was she here the whole time?"

"She's probably still going through Brother Sorrow being one of her former allies." Shiki said. "Maybe I should talk to her." She walked up to the door and was about to knock when she heard a noise from the other end. "Huh?" She put her ear against the door. She could hear heavy panting from inside. And judging from the voices it wasn't just Yuuko in there.

"Ah…ha… Takumi… you're too rough…"

"Look…look who's talking…"

"Aren't you… going to put your shirt back on…?"

"Asked the girl who forced it off me… ugh… I used up all of what strength you didn't sap out of me in round one to pay you back… I don't have the energy to lift a hand… let alone put anything back on… oh… so tired…"

"Me too… I don't think I have the strength…to get up off this bed…"

Shiki's face was redder than a beat as she backed away from the door. "Oh, that is… wow."

"Shiki? What's wrong?" Gaia asked. "Aren't you going to talk to Yuuko?"

"M-maybe later, she's clearly busy right now." Shiki nervously walked away. 'Kudos to Kamishiro, apparently EDEN Avatars really can do anything a normal body can. I gotta forget what I just heard…if I can.'

On the other side of the door Takumi and Yuuko were lying on her bed both panting. Takumi got his revenge on her by using all his remaining strength to tickle her until he was too tired to tickle anymore and then they both collapsed onto the bed gasping for air. "Ha… ha… so… truce?" Takumi asked, turning his head to look at Yuuko. "I mean… before we take this childish private war any further, we have a much more serious one to conclude…"

"Yes… that's fine with me." Yuuko replied.

"Good."

"However…" Yuuko smiled. "I suggest you watch your back when we get back to our world. I know your weakness now, and I still think your laugh is feminine and cute."

"Yeah, right back at you." Takumi grinned, blushing. "I really hope nobody heard any of this… They'd never let me live it down…"

NOW we're done with Kiryu's backstory…for now at least. As much as I love Cyber Sleuth, I'll admit there are some things with the story that bug me. Particularly the whole "Yuuko the Blackhearted" phase that just comes up out of nowhere and is immediately dropped with no proper resolution, because not only was it completely out of the blue for Yuuko, but after the Craniamon fight she acts like it never happened. So, I timed Kiryu's last chat with her that burned the bridge for good to in a way justify it happening at the start of Kawloon Level 5 all the sudden. Honestly, I was kind of hoping that Ryuji would encounter Yuuko during the Arcadiamon phase of Hacker's Memory, because that would have been a good chance to develop her. Maybe seeing him hellbent on revenge to the point where he hurt Erika and Fei would make Yuuko question her desire for vengeance towards Crusadermon and how it was making her treat Aiba. THAT would be a good reason for her behavior to suddenly change when meeting her at Akihabara. But since they never interacted before Ryuji made peace with Under Zero, I feel that was wasted potential which is part of why I made Kiryu. He's basically a dark reflection of Yuuko and her past.

But next week we finally see the confrontation with GranDracmon. Stay tuned!