Digimon Tamers Zero Two

by MasterCaedus

Tasuke, or Taj, was raised by his 'Uncle' Henry Wong, ever since his parents left when he was very young. In that time, Taj has come to hate his parents and anything related to them. Especially Digimon, the fictional creatures his parents had loved when they were around. But when he gets a real Digimon, Taj must fight Digi-agents of other countries for a chance to find his parents.

39. Tough Love:Children Over Data

AN: Hey everyone. I've been pretty busy this past month with some personal family stuff, and I'll be busy this coming month with a lot of college work and family stuff. Still, I'll work on it as much as I can and try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's got something kind of heavy at the end, so it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it feels organic for how the characters would act. Enjoy!

Responses:

To jacquelinemueller53: Alphamon and Omnimon from Tri was what I was trying to evoke, a little. Given some of the timeline shenanigans mentioned, Omnimon directly references that moment, actually.

To guest: I'm glad it's getting good! I hope the upward trend continues into the final stretch!

Episode 39: Tough Love: Children Over Data

Davis couldn't really believe what he was seeing. While his rather large group had been making their way through the deep forest, heading for the meadow region of the Primary City so that they could regroup with May to find Tasuke and Impmon, they had been met with a group of four rather strong Digimon that they'd only noticed because of Guilmon's incredible nose. "Well, I guess I should have known you'd sniff us out. Your nose isn't any weaker as a Rookie than as a Mega, Gallantmon," one Digimon said, his voice a gruff chuckle as he slowly stepped out from behind the trees. "Still, I'd been hoping to try out that technique for a few years now, and it only added another five feet to all the other things I was doing? It's too much effort for too little reward with you, I guess."

Gankoomon shook his head and crossed his arms, standing almost ten feet tall with a white and black jacket fluttering off his shoulders like a cape. His flaming red hair shivered with the movement, and Davis could tell his eyes had never left them even from behind the solid metal mask that hid them from view. "And what about the other three?" Guilmon asked, staying low and ready for a fight if it broke out.

"And here I hoped that their lower levels might trip you up," Gankoomon grumbled. He looked over his shoulder. "Sistermon, come on. I can't sense ya, but the super sniffer can't be beat like this."

"Aw, I really hoped we had him this time," a light blue blur said, a pitch black and a pale pink one on either side of it. The three hit the ground, revealing a trio of Digimon about the size of human women, two of them adults and one a younger girl, and all three dressed in differently colored nun outfits with different animals faces and ears on the habit's hood. The light blue one, who was holding a sheathed katana in one hand clicked her tongue. "Back to the drawing board, Master Gankoomon?"

"We'll see." He returned his gaze squarely to Davis and Huckmon. "Kid."

"What does a Royal Knight want with us?" Rika interjected bluntly, drawing the Knight's attention. "Because it clearly isn't to try and trip up the goofball's nose and act cryptic for laughs."

Gankoomon clicked his tongue. "Right to the point then? You're as blunt as Omnimon." He gestured with a thumb at Davis and Huckmon. "I'm here for the Kid. They might not remember, but we've got some unfinished business."

Huckmon reared up, precariously balancing on his back claws, and shouted, "You know, you don't have to talk about us like we aren't here, Clogs!"

"Huckmon, he's a Royal Knight!" Davis hissed at his partner.

"And G-Man is Lucemon! I'm tired of letting status keep me from telling everyone off," Huckmon grumbled back, turning from Davis to glare at Gankoomon instead. "Everyone is doing stuff about us or to us we don't get, and I want answers. Don't you, Davis?"

Davis fell quiet. He couldn't deny he felt the same way; constantly being ignored and treated like a game piece was getting old. Still, his loudmouth partner needed to think about the fact this was one of the absolute strongest Digimon he was likely to meet, and he didn't have the encyclopedic knowledge of Digimon lore his Digimon-nerd team mate did. Knights in human legends didn't even have to be good to be knights, just loyal and strong. On the other hand, what kind of evil Knight would have a trio of nuns following him around as helpers and students?

"So, you're keeping your mouth shut, Kid?" Gankoomon asked. He let out a scoff.

"Oh, great, now our teacher's mad..." the black robed nun grumbled, rolling her eyes. "I'd ask if he remembered any of hi lessons, but we all know he can't remember anything. Just like him to go and forget all of his lessons like that."

"Oh, Master, he can't help it!" the smaller, pink one said, clutching her trident tight. "You know that -"

Gankoomon held up his hand and she went quiet. "Then we'll just have to beat it back into him." He looked over at the adults, who had already readied their Digivices the moment he said that. "I'd prefer you three stay out of my way. This is between the Kid and me."

After a tense moment where the trio refused to back down, Gankoomon sighed. "Fine. Girls, keep them busy," Gankoomon ordered.

The light blue nun grinned and held up her sheathed katana. "Finally! Dibs on Gallantmon!" she shouted, and a bright, blue light shot up around her.

"Aw, but I wanted him. Fine... the Renamon, then," the pink one replied, a similar, pink light erupting around her as she tapped her trident beside her.

"Guess that leaves you and me, Flopsy," the black one said, she gestured with a pair of guns at Terriermon. "Sounds fun, huh?" A black energy hiding her from view.

"Guys!" Terriermon shouted, "I think we should deal with this!"

"Way ahead of you," Rika said. She held up her Digivice. "Biomerge, activate!"

"Ready, Boy?" Takato asked. Guilmon looked up and nodded. "Then... Biomerge, activate!"

"Biomerge time, Henry?" Terriermon asked his partner cautiously.

Henry looked at his Digivice and pulled out Tasuke's card. He glanced at the forest around them and shook his head. "No. I have a feeling we wouldn't be able to keep up with her if we did that. Besides, I'm a little out of practice, Terriermon. Let's keep warming up."

"Well, if you insist..." Terriermon mumbled before Henry swiped the card and Digivolved him into a golden Rapidmon.

The three Sistermon reappeared as one, the pillars vanishing to reveal each had become slightly different. Their habits now covered their eyes, and they themselves had become taller and... Davis looked away, blushing slightly at how the outfits – once silly at worst – now made a complete mockery of real habits with how form fitting they had become.

"Davis!"

He looked up at his partner's exclamation, barely reacting in time to pull out a card and Digivolve his partner before Gankoomon's fist slammed into the ground where Huckmon would have been. Without even using an attack, the ground shattered into a plume of data that flowed upward around the Digiegg of Huckmon's Matrix-Warp Digivolution.

The Ultimate exploded out of the egg, reaching out and grabbing Gankoomon's shoulder before another punch could fly out. He propelled himself off of the Knight's arm and swung his blades at Gankoomon's neck. A fist whipped around and slapped the sword away, and Gankoomon finished sliding into a well balanced combat stance and lashed out even as SaviorHuckmon landed softly on his bladed feet.

SaviorHuckmon stumbled backwards, struggling to bring his blades up to deflect the various attacks. "Dammit! Digi-Modify!" Davis snarled, "BlackAgumon, activate!"

SaviorHuckmon glowed red, turning into a Virus type Digimon. "You have to think better than that, Kid!" Gankoomon snapped. "If you think a Knight can't handle a Virus type, you've forgotten more than I thought!" His fist came forward faster than SaviorHuckmon could react, forcing the Ultimate to block. The fist slammed through the guard and into his chest, sending him flying backwards into a tree, vaporizing it into data the moment he hit it.

"SaviorHuckmon!" Davis cried out. He watched his partner, groaning, push himself up from the ground. Davis let out a sigh of relief and readied another card. "We need to wait for an opening! Digi-Modify! At, Rene, Pol, activate!"

The three glowing creatures assembled quickly around saviorHuckmon, chattering and moving in time as they glared over at Gankoomon. The Knight chuckled and stood up straight, crossing his arms over his chest. "Those don't seem nearly as strong as they should, Kid. You forgot how to use 'em right, didn't you?"

"Shut it, Clogs!" SaviorHuckmon snapped, charging forward with his blades readied. "We've faced down worse than you!" He jumped forward, slashing with careful precision at Gankoomon. Each slash was carefully dodged by Gankoomon, who didn't even uncross his arms. He just moved his feet and slid past the blades, then turned sharply and let SaviorHuckmon overextend past him. SaviorHuckmon turned, snarling, and shouted, "Ledge Stride!" He leaped forward, blades on his feet glowing a bright red, and kicked at Gankoomon's chest.

"SaviorHuckmon!" Davis reprimanded, but it was too late.

Gankoomon's fist shot around in a hook, again without even an attack used, and crashed into one of the glowing defenders. At shattered from the force of the blow, but SaviorHuckmon was pushed to the side away from the fist. His attack went wide, and he stopped to flip and land on his feet, sliding to a stop a few feet in front of Davis.

Davis' eyes went wide. "He just used At to dodge your attack, SaviorHuckmon! I didn't even know -"

"I know more about At, Rene, and Pol than anyone else, Kid," Gankoomon said. He crossed his arms again and glared at the two of them. "You're disappointing me."

"Davis, if he can dodge with our defenses -"

Davis nodded. "I don't like all out bets, but I think it's our only chance," he agreed somberly.

Gankoomon cocked his head to the side. "Oh, so you weren't getting serious with me?" Gankoomon asked. He smirked and slid his feet apart. "Then show me what you think matters."

"I don't like this guy," SaviorHuckmon growled as he got low to the ground.

Davis set his jaw. "Me neither," he agreed as he grew annoyed. He pulled out his next two cards. "Digi-Modify! BlackWarGreymon, activate! Digi-Modify! Hyperspeed, activate!"

Rene and Pol began to vibrate, beoming static that settled in to the large wireframe gauntlets growing around Huckmon's arms. The shape of the gauntlets became more angular with longer blades at the wrists before they solidified, becoming huge blades with jets built into the back. "And for good measure, Digi-Modify! Power, activate!"

SaviorHuckmon grinned and shot forward, moving faster and with more force in his attack than he'd ever had before. He was on top of Gankoomon and raised both claws above his head. The claws began to glow bright and the jets burned to begin their rocket like descent towards Gankoomon's head. "AFTERBUR -"

A fist collided with his face before anything could happen. One moment, he was right there, ready to attack, the next he was buried face down in a crater, the Dramon Killer X sparking and breaking apart into data.

"Davis! We'll -" Gallantmon began, only to be forced to turn and catch a glowing katana on his shield.

"Hey now, didn't you know it's bad form to ignore your date?" Sistermon Ciel – the blue nun Digimon - asked mockingly.

"I'm going to kill her!" Sakuyamon shouted, taking a break from trying to catch Sistermon Blanc – the pink nun – to glower at Ciel. Blanc growled and slammed her trident into Sakuyamon's face, forcing her down to one knee. "Ach!"

"Henry, these three -"

"I know, the Digivice says they're Rookies, but..."

"Why am I having this much trouble!?" Terriermon finished as another volley of his rockets shot past the third nun in black.

Davis watched his only hope for backup get sidetracked by their own fights and let out a quiet curse before rushing over to his partner's side and praying he was okay. SaviorHuckmon groaned when Davis got close and looked up, holding his hand out. "Davis, r-"

Gankoomon landed on SaviorHuckmon's back, and the Ultimate let out a pained gasp. "SaviorHuckmon!" Davis exclaimed, ignoring his partner's begging to try and get closer, ignoring the danger of Gankoomon above him. Right up until the Knight's hand was wrapped around his arm and he was yanked into the air.

"Davi -" Another foot into SaviorHuckmon's back.

"What is it you think you're fighting for here?" Gankoomon asked, bringing the dangling human up to his face.

"I'm trying to-"

"To what? Save the world?" Gankoomon let out a loud, annoyed laugh and dropped Davis. He hit the ground hard and yelped when something twisted wrong. Clutching at his leg, Davis gasped and rolled to his back. "If that were the case, you would have let him die." Gankoomon pointed at Henry. "It would have been a hard choice, but it would have saved the human and digital worlds from everything that's coming now. No, you aren't trying to do anything for yourself. You're nothing but a follower."

"What do – ach – you know!?" Davis snapped as the words ignited a fire in him.

"I've been keeping an eye on you two even in the human world. You haven't made a single real decision the entire time! You followed Lucemon because it was easy. You followed Commandramon because it was easy. And you're following the Hazard because it's easy. And all it's gotten you is a destroyed human world. So make a decision for yourself!" Gankoomon shouted. He stepped off of SaviorHuckmon and loomed dangerously over Davis. "What decision would you make?"

"I..." Davis began, the fire frozen by the figure above him. Decide? Decide what?

Gankoomon sighed. "Well, I guess that's that." He raised his foot above Davis and brought it down hard.

Davis flinched back and shut his eyes, waiting for what was coming. There was a loud crack, and all of a sudden a cry of pain. But not from Davis. He opened his eyes, seeing SaviorHuckmon acting like a shield above him, on all fours with Gankoomon's foot and shards of his own armor digging into him. "D-Davi -"

"NO!" Davis screamed, fumbling with his cards until he could find an Alias. Gankoomon took a half step back when Huckmon tumbled from the empty data of his Ultimate form and into his partner's arms, glitching out as the damage to his data struggled to stabilize.

Gankoomon watched Davis fight down sobs as he tried to heal Huckmon, tried to get back into the fight. But it was pointless. Gankoomon sighed and turned away from them. "I was hoping you still had that fire in you, Kid, but I guess it's hopeless. I hate it when Omnimon is right..." He walked over to the edge of the crater and turned to lean against it. "The Hazard is too dangerous to let him run around free. Digimon or otherwise."

Davis looked up, confused for a moment. Then: "You mean Taj? No, you can't – I won't let you!"

Gankoomon just looked away, ignoring them and putting a hand on his chin to think about something.

Huckmon, still glitching out, growled and pushed himself up to his feet. "Me... neither!" he growled before falling to his chest and struggling back up. "D-Davis just made friends for the first time! I am ne-never letting that end, Clogs!"

Gankoomon finally turned back. "Big talk doesn't mean anything coming from such a small package, Kid. Stop me, here and now, or I'm doing what Omnimon wants."

Huckmon bared his teeth and tried to take a step forward, only to glitch again and fall on his face.

The Knight shrugged and turned away. "Then Omnimon's way it is. Damn, I hate saying that." He sighed, "I bet the girl will try and stop me, too. Dang, I hate collateral damage."

The fire exploded in Davis' chest again. "I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT THEM!" he screamed, surging to his feet and letting out an angry roar as his mind pushed past the pain surging through his leg. Huckmon felt that energy rising in himself, too, and the glitching stabilized. He stumbled to his feet beside Davis and let out his own roar.

Gankoomon turned around and smirked. "Finally," he chuckled.

"Merge rate: 100% reached. Biomerge, Activated."

"Huckmon, Biomerge to..!" There was a bright flash, and where once two had stood, now stood one.

"JESMON!" the twin voices of Davis and Huckmon roared, floating above the ground. His long, rapier like feet rested on barely visible, ripling energy fields. A long tail curled around to the left, revealing a brilliant crimson sword with golden Digicode filigree. Large containers above three fingered hands shot out another pair of blades, each sharp and strong enough to cut through Chrome Digizoid. A long, ragged cloak flowed out from his shoulders and fluttered in the wind. His body was like a skeleton, a ribcage of blades resting around a glistening, blue gem. Golden spines grew from his shoulders and another from a horn on his angular, bladed face. Slowly, golden energy began to assemble behind him, and At, Rene, and Pol reappeared at full strength and ready for payback.

"Finally. Hinakamuy, come!" Gankoomon shouted. He turned to Jesmon and slammed his feet down, summoning a golden creature of his own to his back. "Let's see if you're worth it, Kid!"

Davis narrowed his eyes from within the empty blackness, seeing Gankoomon standing across from him. "Gankoomon -" Words popped up to his right. "A Holy Knight Digimon, Data Type. Although it is rumored to have a residence at the southwestern edge of the Digital World, his wandering soul journeys across the Digital World to fend off unusual evils and chaotic threats. After training Hackmon to become Jesmon and the last Royal Knight, this stern figure abandoned his student who no longer needed him. He is stubborn and cruel, though only in a drive to save the Digital World and its most innocent. Any who stand in his way will find the ground torn from under them by his Table Flip attack, at which point they will be unable to dodge the attack of his familiar Hinukamuy: Quake!Blast!Fire!Father! that unleashes the punishment of the heavens."

"Wow, Davis, this feels great!" Huckmon said, voice echoing from the emptiness as the description of Gankoomon disappeared.

Davis looked down at one hand and clenched it tight. He felt and saw Jesmon do the same, the long blade extending out of his vision. "Yeah..." He threw his hand to the side. "Are you ready, Huckmon?"

"Finally! It's about time we remember what it's like to win a fight for once!" Huckmon agreed.

The two minds became one and Jesmon's brown eyes focused on Gankoomon. "I don't know how you know me, but I don't really care. You wanted to know what I decided? I've decided I'm going to destroy anything that tries to hurt my friends and family! Humans, Digimon, Lucemon... You. So let's see if you're worth it!"

Jesmon shot forward, blades cutting through the air. "OS GENERICS!" He shot forward, faster than he'd seen any Digimon react before, and brought both arm blades down at Gankoomon.

"Hinukamuy, Tekken Seisai!" Gankoomon snapped. He threw his fists up and the creature behind him did as well, slamming into the two blades that had come down at him. The two Digimon struggled against one another, blades creaking against the flaming fists, when Jesmon tensed his legs and flipped off of the discs holding him up, he tensed his legs when his flip took him all the way behind Gankoomon and leaped right at his back.

The flaming creature turned before Jesmon could carve through Gankoomon, and a fist crashed down. Jesmon snarled and threw his blades up at the attack. "WELTGEIST!"

At, Rene, and Pol flew into action, converging together to black and counter the assault coming their way. "Quake!Blast!Fire!Father!" Gankoomon shouted, merely glancing over his shoulder and grinning as the two energies collided. At, Rene, and Pol angled as the force hit them, sending their energy out to move Jesmon out of the way... right where Gankoomon was standing with his foot raised above the ground. "Table Flip!" He brought his foot down, and the ground beneath Jesmon shattered, rising with the sudden force and flipping midair.

"You really thought I wouldn't plan for that?" Jesmon asked as the ground reached its apex and he stood upside down above Gankoomon. "You said you know At, Rene, and Pol better than anybody – so I'll use that against you! And now I'm right where I need to be! Un Pour Tous!"

At, Rene, and Pol shot up and through the stone, shattering it around Jesmon as they shot in front of him and formed a triangular shield in front of him. His power began to bubble up within the shield, and it shot a beam of brilliant, burning light at Gankoomon. He growled and was forced to tear his foot from the ground, but it was too late. The energy was too close, and it hit him straight on. He was torn from the ground and he was sent flying into a tree, smoking from the burns of the attack.

Jesmon didn't give him any time to rest. He threw his bladed arms forward to try and impale Gankoomon. Gankoomon rolled to the side and up to his feet, leaving only his jacket to be skewered as it slid from his shoulders. But Jesmon wasn't done. He turned midair, whipping his tail down at Gankoomon's head. "Take this! OS Generics!" The blade on his tail glowed a bright gold and he brought it down hard, the data in the air bending around the edge as it carved its way through the air.

Gankoomon's hand shot up, wrapping around the base of the tail, and he slammed Jesmon face first into the ground, his attack broken. "Still not at full strength, Kid," Gankoomon said as he kicked Jesmon back into the dirt when he tried to stand up. Jesmon didn't let it stop him: he tried to stand again. "Just give up!"

"N-No!" Jesmon hissed. He was kicked into the ground again.

"Give up."

"...N-no..." The foot crushed his head to the ground as he tried to stand.

"Give up!"

"NO! I'll never give up!" Jesmon pushed up as hard as he could, barely stumbling up to get beat into the ground again. But still, his efforts to stand never wavered.

"Really, kid?" Gankoomon grinned when he heard that and let the tail fall to its owner's side. "Finally... that spark is back. Girls – let 'em go!"

"Aw, do we have to?" One of the Sistermon asked as she danced around the attacks coming her way.

"Hey – I said what I said."

"Yes, Master," the Sistermon all agreed. They jumped away from their fights, each undoing their transformation.

"Y-yeah!" Rapidmon shouted, sounding a little tired. "You better run!"

"Terriermon..." Henry groaned.

Jesmon slowly turned, struggling to his feet. He stumbled to one side before catching himself. "What – agh – what's going on here?"

Gankoomon ignored him. "Girls, we need to get going. We took more time here than I thought, so we better rush," he said, turning and ordering the Sistermon to begin rushing away.

"Hey!" Gallantmon shouted as he, Sakuyamon, and Rapidmon ran up beside Jesmon. "What is going on here?!"

Gankoomon stopped and turned. "Fine. If you both are asking, I guess I can tell ya," he admitted. He looked around for a moment, frowning, then grinned and walked over to his jacket. He lifted it in one hand and twirled it around his body until it rested on his houlders. "Good as new. Well, once I patch the holes..."

"Hey!"

Gankoomon turned. "Jeez, calm down, Ice Queen, I'm going," he said. He crossed his arms and looked over his shoulder right at Jesmon. "There isn't really any plan behind it. After everything that went down with Alphamon, I don't really like listening unless we're in the thick of it, so it isn't like I'd follow Omnimon to kill anybody. I just did what I wanted to do. Can't have my apprentice stumbling around without fire in his soul! – it reflects poorly on me."

"Th-that's it?! That's somehow worse logic than anything Takato and Guilmon can even put out!" Rapidmon exclaimed, horrified.

"Hey!" Gallantmon shouted indignantly.

Gankoomon chuckled. "Besides, hurting your friends would just mean less firepower against Lucemon. Omnimon has to know the mon's got backup plans for this backup plan, right?" He turned away. "Now, I gotta get going, Kid. Doubt we'll see each other anytime soon."

"You aren't going to help?" Henry asked. "You're a Knight. You – you can help me, us, protect Tasuke from Lucemon. Isn't that your job?"

Gankoomon looked at Henry for a moment, and there was a flash of... sympathy on his features. "No. I'll let the Kid cover the big crazy stuff, Tamer. It's what I trained him for back when. Or in the future. One of those. Either way, I've got things I need to do. Things are going bad all over, and someone has to keep an eye on the little Digimon now that the Sovereigns are gone."

He paused before turning to look at Henry, Gallantmon, and Sakuyamon, but his gaze was clearly locked on Henry when he asked, "This kid of yours... he worth everything that's happened? 'Cuz Omnimon is right about one thing: if he ain't around, Lucemon'll at least be put off for a few years."

Henry didn't even give it a second thought. "He's worth even more."

Gankoomon grunted in acknowledgment and turned away. "Well then, I'll be seeing you. And don't embarrass me, Kid."

X X X

"It's going to be okay, May!" I exclaimed as she paced up and down the room for the thirtieth time.

"Again, how do you know!?" she snapped without stopping her pacing.

"Ah, I see that she is still worried, then?" Guardromon asked after pushing the door open slightly.

I sighed. "Yeah. I've tried to explain that Gankoomon wouldn't hurt a Huckmon, but she just doesn't believe me."

"Yeah, because Omnimon isn't supposed to be a jerk!"

"Again – yes! Yes he is!" I replied. "Anytime he isn't a Digimon partner, he's a jerk!"

"Well, I believe 'jerk' is perhaps slightly too harsh," Guardromon muttered. He cleared his throat. "Nonetheless, Ms. Anderson, I have to agree with him. Gankoomon has been to Primary City a small few times, and has never done anything even slightly, ahem, 'Jerky.' He simply drops off the eggs, all very well cared for, and came for a trio of eggs that had yet to hatch. I'm unsure what happened to those eggs, but we have not seem them here again."

May stopped pacing. "Well... I guess that does make me feel a bit better," she agreed quietly.

"Right? Besides, you're not helping us get anywhere by worrying. Just get to scannin' that Node so we can get out of here!" I pointed out. I gestured at the Node on the table. "Just think of all the mysteries in that thing that only the great Mayumi Anderson can crack."

She chuckled. "Stop..." She looked at me, motioning for me to not, in fact, stop.

"Imagine how the world will view you – the human who cracked how to control what is basically an alien technology. A whole language of alien origin in which you will be one of only a few masters," I said dramatically. "And effecting teleportation at that. Truly, we are all unworthy to be in your -"

"Okay, get out so I can work on this!" she snapped, rushing up and shoving me through the open door without another word. "Guardromon, help me set this up!"

I stumbled and hit the ground face first as the door slammed shut behind me. "Taking one for the team, huh?" Dorumon asked dryly. I looked up at her annoying smirk.

"Laugh it up, Fuzzball," I grumbled. I reached up and shoved her face away before pushing myself up. "But yeah. You really think she'd start working if I didn't fill her fat head up like that? Only thing that can push our her worry for Davis is her borderline Technophilia."

"Techno-whata?" BG wondered, looking up from where he was napping by the door in an effort to ignore the baby Digimon that were crowding around him, daring one another to go smack his nose. Thankfully, none had gone through with the dare, yet.

"Er – nothing," I muttered, not really wanting to get into that with a Digimon.

"Tell me or I'm asking in front of Dan next time!" BG growled.

"I – Fine, I'll tell you later," I folded. I shook my head at his satisfied huff and flt a pang of something in my chest. I turned my gaze up to the sky, staring at the shimmering orb above. The blue streams traveling towards it continued as they always did, and for a moment I thought about our family we'd left behind. I hoped Suze, Dan, and everyone else was okay. But then I thought about Lucemon. We had to do this, we had to take him down and get even. They'd understand.

X X X

"I don't understand!" Jaarin screamed at her sister. "Why wouldn't you stop them?"

"We've gone over this, Jaarin. We -"

"No! Give me a real answer! Tell me the truth!"

"You wish they'd abandoned Henry -"

"Henry? Henry... They're kids. It isn't their job, Suzie. And if the Digital World thinks it is? Let it burn, I don't care anymore!"

"You don't mean -"

"I'd choose my kids over some 1s and 0s every day," Jaarin said coldly, her gaze puposefully never flickering towards Lopmon, who looked visibly hurt by the comment.

Suzie fought down the urge to scream at her sister. Instead, she forced her voice as even as possible: "You don't mean that, so I won't scream at you like you deserve for saying that. You're scared and angry, and I get that."

Jaarin glared at her sister. "You think you're the better person here, then? You, Henry, Dad – you've put our children in harms way and you still do! How can you put children in danger like that and think that you're the bigger person?" Jaarin scoffed and turned away. "Every problem the Digimon have ever solved? It was a problem caused by Digimon. The Devas, the Sovereigns, the D-Reaper. None would have made it to the Real World without the Digimon."

"And we're still here, keeping you all safe, aren't we?" Lopmon interjected.

Jaarin finally looked at Lopmon and a flash of sadness went through her eyes. "Lopmon -"

Lopmon's ears shot up. "Suzie, now!"

Suzie's eyes widened. "Right!" she exclaimed, and she pulled out her cards.

Jaarin looked around. "What's happening?"

She was ignored. "Digi-Modify! Wargreymon's Brave Shield, activate!" Suzie turned to her sister. "Get the kids out of here, Lopmon and me will deal with this."

"Deal with what!?" Jaarin snapped, but she was already turning to rush for the stairs to get her kids. Her husband would be... safer from whatever was happening, since he'd been forced to work late that day.

As if on cue, the world began to be drowned out by the crackling fog of a Digital Field. Jaarin stumbled and sprinted faster up the stairs. She had to get to the kids.

"Cyber Talons!"

The wall exploded inward beside Lopmon and Suzie, sending debris of the house raining down around them, already slowly disassembling into data that streamed away. The attack continued through, slamming right into the shield. The energy exploded off, vaporizing the kitchen and sending everything not hidden behind the shield either to join the debris as data or to be slammed into a wall. Jaarin was one of the latter, and her shoulder punched through the drywall accompanied by a loud crunch when her arm collided with a wooden beam that supported the wall. She cried out and hit her knees, struggling with the pain.

"Digi-Modify! Matrix-Warp Digivolution, Activate!"

"Lopmon, Matrix-Warp Digivolve to... Antylamon!"

There was a loud roar that came next, burning with excitement. The monster was... it was enjoying that there was a fight. "Ta...mer..." the deeper voice growled out hungrily.

"Antylamon, get him out of here! The kids -"

"Right, Suzie! Bunny Blades!"

Jaarin felt the words and explosions, knocking her out of her shock. "The kids..." A rogue Digimon this close to her kids? She couldn't risk that. She forced herself to stand and ignore the pain streaking down from her shoulder. She had to get to her kids before this got to be too much.

"Jaarin!" She was barely to her feet when Suzie was beside her, grabbing her by the good arm and dragging her up the stairs. "We need to hurry. That Cyberdramon variant is going to – Wait!" She yanked back, and the pair was barely able to stop in time to avoid the destruction. Antylamon and a large, horrifying cyborg dragon plowed through the upper level, shattering the hallway and pummeling one another. Antylamon grabbed the dragon by the wings and rolled backwards, kicking him away with her powerful rabbit legs to give the women time and space to get to the kids.

Jaarin stumbled forward, barely managing to catch herself and move along the thin pathway left after the Digimon had burst through. She made it to each door, tearing it open and screaming at her kids to follow her. One by one the shell shocked children did as they were told, until Dan was only left. She opened the door, and saw him staring out the window with wide, excited eyes. "Mommy, look!"

She hesitated and shut her eyes. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Jaarin growled, "Come on!" Suzie grabbed her shoulder and rushed past her, grabbing Dan and pulling him in so they could run together.

Jaarin watched it happen, a feeling she didn't like growing in her chest, but she shoved it away and followed. "Let's get you guys outside, then me and Antylamon will deal with all this!" Suzie exclaimed. She rushed up to the edge of the destroyed hall and helped Jaarin direct them across, occasionally glancing outside to make sure that Antylamon was doing okay. She wasn't – this Digimon was a brawler, type weakness or no, and Antylamon was busy trying to keep it away from the hundreds of suburban homes all around. She needed Suzie's help to win this.

Suzie hurried the kids and Jaarin along and rushed after them, sprinting down the stairs with Dan and dumping him beside his siblings as soon as they were outside. "Jaarin, can you drive with your arm?" Suzie asked, already rifling through her cards again. It was framed as a question, but they both knew there was no other choice. It was a command. "Antyalmon and I will get you a hole and you get the kids out of here. I'll call you when we get this done!" She pulled out a card. "Digi-Modify! Sirenmon Symphony!"

Antyalmon jumped away from her opponent and opened her mouth. "Symphony 2, Aria!" She opened her mouth wide and and sending a deep, echoing bass towards the Cyberdramon. Its wings went screwy the moment the sound hit, discombobulating the dragon and sending it careening to the ground. It snarled angrily and pushed itself up on its large spear, struggling to stay vertical.

"Now!" May snapped at her sister, rushing forward and preparing her next move.

"Kids, to the car! Now!" Jaarin ordered, reaching into her right pocket with her unbroken left arm to grab her keys. She pulled them out and hurried over, unlocking the car and ferrying her kids in one by one.

Antylamon shifted her hands into axes again and charged the Cyberdramon, who had begun flying and dodging her attacks with erratic, unpredictable movements. Jaarin watched for a moment then turned to make sure all her kids were in the car. She counted up and noted one was missing, so turned to see the last one. Dan, watching the fight with eyes as wide as dinner plates. He clutched at a toy Digivice in both hands and grinned wide. "Get 'im Antyleemon!"

"Antylamon, big risk or low risk!?" Suzie shouted after a moment of examining her cards.

"If we don't win fast, he's going to destroy another ho – AGH!" Antylamon shrieked as the dragon's jaws locked down around her arm, rending flesh to data as he dug in deeper.

"Big risk!" Suzie screamed. She raised a trio of cards. "Digi-Modify! Resistance Bands, activate!" Metallic bands formed around the trapped arm, and Antylamon quickly moved to wrap the other end around Cyberdramon's head.

"Fang Crusher!" Cyberdramon growled. Its chest opened up and the ribs shot out, impaling Antylamon in multiple places. She cried out in pain, nearly losing her grip on the band, then forcing herself to dig deep and wrap it tighter.

"Digi-Modify! Self-Annihilation, activate! Five... four... Digi-Modify! Alias, activate!" Lopmon glided away on her massive ears when she dropped out of the data still formed in the shape of Antylamon, which was now glowing a bright white. She tucked her ears and dove towards Suzie, who caught her and turned. She acted despite her surprise of still seeing Dan and Jaarin, grabbing hold of them both and shoving them in the car before crouching behind it and hugging Lopmon tight.

"Zero..." Suzie muttered quietly. And then Antylamon exploded, vaporizing the street, sending a shockwave out that rocked the car, and finally annihilating the Cyberdramon. The car shook and rattled, eliciting screams from the woman and children within. Stone flew into the air, turning to data until the Data Field disappeared and what remained rained down as rubble. Suzie panted heavily, clutching her partner tight. Too tight, probably, but she had been so scared she'd lose her.

"Suzie... I'm – ugh – I'm alright," Lopmon said slightly unconvincingly. But she'd survive, Suzie knew that much. She loosened her grip and stood up.

She opened the door to the car. "Why didn't you leave, Jaarin?" Suzie asked as she reached in to help her sister out of the car.

The older woman ignored her hand, glaring at her then turning to check on each of the kids. After seeing they were okay, she pushed out of the car – whimpering with each movement that jostled her broken and battered arm. "Jaarin, are you -"

"Suzie, go home. I don't want you here. Ever again."

Suzie froze. "W-Wha – Jaarin -!"

The feeling in Jaarin's heart exploded out, angry and full of righteous rage. She was right, and she knew it, when she screamed, "It probably showed up because you're here! That's how the Digital World works, and you know it!" She took a deep breath and glared at the stunned Suzie. "I... I love you, Suzie. I do. But I'm choosing my children over you. Go home... and don't come back." She winced and grabbed at her arm, then moved to the car. Once inside, she pulled out her phone and put it on speakerphone as she called her husband. Hopefully he could still take that job on the east coast – anything to get away from... this.

"But I don't want Auntie Suzie and Lopmon to -" Dan began to whine.

"I don't care! Just listen!" Jaarin snapped. Dan began to whimper and cry, and it nearly broke Jaarin's heart to know she had made him cry. But she could take it.

Lopmon jumped out of Suzie's arms and towards the car. She winced and failed to land properly on the hood, but stopped herself at the windshield. "This is a mistake, Jaarin. You know that. Suzie is your family, and now with May and Tasuke -"

"I'LL FIGURE IT OUT!" She screamed, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked at her screaming, crying youngest son. "Even... even if it means my children hate me forever. So go away. I... I can't listen to... to ones and zeroes anymore..."

"Lopmon." She turned. Suzie was standing there, arms out. "Come on. We... we'll go."

"But Suzie -!"

"Let's... let's just go..." Lopmon wanted to protest again, but froze. Suzie was on the verge of crying, falling apart and breaking down. And she didn't want to do that here, in front of people who were beginning to leave their homes to see what happened outside. To see what they'd avoided.

So Lopmon just nodded. "O-okay, Suzie. Okay..." She jumped down from the car and hobbled over to her partner. "Let's... let's go home."

X X X

… The casualties from this latest attack can only be compared to a natural disaster, and this has left everyone asking: what is the government going to do about...

… In the end, it seems like there are quite a few questions about these creatures. Are they intelligent? There are rumors that some of them have been seen defending humans from others, and a rare few doing so at the sides of children! Are these creatures here to help, or is it something far worse? More at …

…Actress Suzie Wong, most well known for her parts in the Digimon series and for her upcoming role as a Disney Princess, is reportedly connected to one of these creatures. It seems that this woman known for playing a monster's partner is in fact really a monster's partner. There are swirling rumors that her part in the Disney film is already being recast at this news, though it seems it will have little effect on her appearance in the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.