Chapter 19.2: Living Shadows
Kiri had taken the slow route to give Sean some space. She could feel his pure misery and hate pulsing through her left palm. Her right itched but she knew that was from something else entirely. I've sworn way too many oaths. But to save and contain, as my existence was meant for, it must be necessary.
It became necessary, came a quiet feminine voice. Just as with the ones who fell, these circumstances became mecessary. You know that better than anyone.
Norn-chan, is it wrong that I hear your voice and Nii-chan's voice in my head yet I feel no fear or worry of insanity?
It should be. But if it weren't you, who else would it be?
I guess. I feel ill.
You're tied to the balance. It's falling and so are you.
Just like then… I'm never going to live it down am I?
Do you regret it?
No, I almost wish I did. But that would mean wallowing and I don't have time for that.
You don't have time for much Kiriko. The barriers are nothing but flimsy paper, with the Demon Lords corroding them. Your brother and his team are the only ones who can fix the worlds' state now. And to do that, they need you.
…I know. And the others; will they…
Perhaps. Perhaps not. It doesn't change what you have to do.
No, it doesn't.
She had finally found him, sitting by a fire away from the ocean. The irony wasn't lost on her. Kiri wondered how long it had taken for him to stop running and simply sit. She assumed a while because he was covered in dirt.
"Do you feel better yet?"
Kiri sat down next to him as he stared into the flames. Sean shook his head. His fists were clenched tight. She could see it behind his hair. He was crying. Dorumon was nuzzled up against him, but he didn't seem to notice.
"I can't stand these people Kiri," he whispered. "I can't. Stand them. We're dousing one of them, we showed them how they keep losing to their own crazy and their imbalance, yet all they do is just throw it back in our faces and say we haven't suffered at all, that we're evil, that we're nothing but monsters! How can these people still be alive?"
Kiri sighed sadly. "Joker..." They haven't been Digi-Destined that long.
"I'm so jealous of them..." Sean muttered, bitterly poking a stick at the fire. "I mean; all of them got to have parents, real ones! I don't, I can't even talk to those two, and they're afraid of me, I know they are! And you guys, they don't even seem to see it. You and Luca never talk about parents, you never say you need to get home and see them, you're never worried about them, you never want to protect them." Why should you? Why should you want to protect scum like that?
"Sean..."
"Kiri, your mom's probably dead!" he snapped. The idea did not fill her with dread, as it should have. "Your dad is just waiting for the papers to go through so he can kick you out like he's been threatening for six years! Easier than actually having to hit you right? God, Luca doesn't even know what a mother is! You heard what he said about Blair's dad! He has no idea about any of it."
"Blair's parents are dead Joker." You're both so similar yet you feel no sympathy.
"She got to have them didn't she?" Sean was still in tears, furious and broken. Kiri realized that no one else could, or would, ever see him like this. He wouldn't let anyone else see him like this "She got, she got to know what it was like and she acts like such a whiny little ***** because they're gone. Yeah it sucks, but god can't she be happy her parents were actually alive long enough to love her?" Can't she be happy she knows what that felt like?
Kiri closed her eyes and let his emotions pour out of him into her. Sean bottled up damn near everything about himself. He never spoke of his time as a foster child to anyone outside of the group. Not even the Ferros knew much about it. He looked nothing like either of his siblings, adoptive or blood-related and he hated it. At least, he didn't anymore. Things had changed so much in these past few years.
When she was sure he wouldn't interrupt, she began. "Sean our lives suck. There's no denying it. Everyone's lives suck in some way. But Sean, dear brother, little Joker, you've gotta hear me on this..." Her voice softened, almost sweetened. Norn flickered behind her eyes and Sean realized they were both watching him, not with pity but with knowing.
"Are you going to tell me I'm not alone?" If so, he would hate her because he already knew that and it wouldn't change anything.
"No, I'm going to tell you that crying doesn't make a difference. Wallowing and hiding in the dark and being angry doesn't change a thing. You know that better than anyone. We can't just sit here and let our negative emotions rule us. We can't let regrets and guilt hold us anymore. We did that remember? Those two could have been killed. You and I know that if what I had in my hands was steel or if I had been conscious the whole time, they would have died. There's no two ways about it."
She held out her left hand, which held a circular mark on the palm. "Sean, listen, you and I made that vow for times like this. If no one else hears you come find me. If no one else will hear me, I'll find you. And yeah, we're gonna be hit with more crap and yeah, those three are some of the most stiff, tactless children I know, but we're stuck with them and more importantly," She clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Luca's going to break them in hard, you hear? We have a mission to complete. My brother and all the others, they're waiting for you, me, and Luca to come and save them."
Sean sniffed. "Why the hell are those others even here?"
"The same reason we are: we will not let history repeat itself. It wouldn't survive."
"We will not let that day come again," Norn added through her mouth.
"...I, how am I supposed to-"
"Do what you do best Joker: act. And if that doesn't work, well... I suppose you have no choice do you?"
He shivered. "I don't wanna go back."
"I'm not sure you'll have a choice."She came forward and hugged him. "Joker, it'll get better. It will never be okay, but it'll get better. I can't promise you that because I don't know when it'll happen. But for now, all I can ask you to do is keep walking forward with me. Okay?" She stepped away and held out a hand to him. "Come on now, everyone's waiting."
Sean felt deja vu at his fingertips. "Kiriko, Norn-chan... thank you." He took her hand, wiping his face with his free arm. She wrinkled her nose.
"Gross."
He gave a shaky laugh. "Well, everyone has vices right?" She laughed and Sean thought it sounded like church bells. They started walking, their partners not far away.
"You know Kiri..." He was blushing slightly.
"Hm?"
"Sometimes... I wish I could love you in that one way."
"Yeah?" As always, he couldn't ruffle her outwardly, but she was waiting for him to continue.
"But... during times like now, I'm glad I don't. You are the best person to be at my side. To be one in all but one," He looked up at the sky. "I'm glad we vowed that."
Kiri wasn't looking at him so he couldn't see the faint dust of pink on her cheeks. "Yeah. I'm really glad too."
"But," he said sternly as they came upon the Gate. "Any guy or girl who wants you has to go through me, you understand?"
"Oh Joker that would leave no one left."
"Exactly." The pair of them glanced at each other and laughed. The gate opened and they vanished through.
…
"Wait, what? You... none of you told me I was gonna come here," Jonathan blurted out. He fell silent and steeled his resolve, looking around at the dark, colorless world.
Luca giggled softly. "We figured it was pretty obvious, you know? We've all been here. Besides this isn't it, not completely. The World of Darkness has lots of forms and the Ocean's just one. The Ocean's the crazy one." Luca smiled and flickered away, reappearing only feet away. "I control this world, thanks to the Catal Unit. It's real easy. Now then, how do you think you're going to be tested? Answer quick now, because within seconds, it is truly about to begin."
"How do you expect me to answer that when I don't know what's gonna come at me?" Jonathan growled.
"I told ya, I told ya!" Luca sang, twirling away. "You have to face your demons, your demons! The imbalance in your heart's really bright and strong you know? Your uncertainty's making it strong, so strong! You have to face it; you have to move past it! All of you do, otherwise you'll never get stronger! Your guilt, your mixups, they can't let you do anything!" He paused, still laughing. "So answer my question! You've only got a few seconds!"
"I already said I don't know! How many times do I have to repeat that to get it through your head?"
"Then you're stupid and angry and you're going to die here." Luca's smile and voice turned infinitely cold. "Now suffer for your sins." The air became heavy and pressure began to shove Jonathan downward to the ground. His ears were full of screams.
"Why can I hear screaming in my ears?" Jonathan questioned, struggling to move.
"It's the dead, the dead!" Luca laughed softly, bitterly now. "All those you killed, all those who died before. All of your emotions, all of those who are suffering because of you." He raised a hand. "Now it's your turn." Invisible needles appeared to stab repeatedly into his body. Luca came forward and kicked him, knocking him to the side. "Come on, get up!" Luca commanded dully, both hands in his pockets. His black eyes watched listlessly. "It hurts right? You're angry at me right? You want to hurt me right? Get up and make me stop!" He kicked again. "You look like a dog down there. Maybe that's where you belong, down with the rest of the maggots."
Jonathan was a calm ocean as he surged to his feet and lashed out at Luca's head. "No matter what you do, I will not succumb to anger."
Luca dodged, giggling. "Stupid idea, you know. You have to actually, you know, hit?" The pressure increased and Luca moved away again. "You have to really hurt me, you have to want to mister! Otherwise you can't protect anything. Weakling!" He leaped forward and punched at his throat, continuing with two more to his stomach. "We're going to war you know! There's gonna be anger and hate, lots of it! No matter how calm you are, your emotions have to be fierce. You have to wake them up and defy fate! But you can't do that! You killed them with honor! There's no honor in this, you arrogant fool!" He tripped him and then jumped back. "Hurry up! Ogudomon can kill you with a claw you know!" He'll twist your calm against you. His kind have that ability.
"Fine, we'll do it your way," came the response. Faking a right move, Jonathan came in from the left and swiftly grabbed Luca's arm. He twisted it enough that the eleven-year-old cried out in pain. He followed up with a uppercut to the chin, which floored the child, and he crashed to the ground.
For a moment Luca looked surprised. Then he laughed wildly. "That's it!" he hissed, looking pleased. He jumped back to his feet. "There it is, there! Come on! I'm your enemy! Learn from me and destroy me! That's what soldiers do!" he tackled him, knocking Jonathan to the ground and proceeding to punch wildly at his face. Jumping off, he balanced on the tips of his fingers to flip back, kicking with both feet to his ribs. "But I still don't get it! Why are you fighting? What do you want to do for the Digital World? Tell me, why should I trust you? Why are you our leader? Can you even answer that? If not," He walked away, and the darkness began to increase, the water growing louder and fiercer. The screams faded into unearthly moans. "Just let the underlings of the ocean take you. It's much less painful."
"I was made leader by Akira. You respect him, do you not? Then respect me." Jonathan lunged forward and punched Luca in the chest, before performing a chopping motion to the child's neck. The sixteen-year-old then brought down both his hands (cupped as fists) on Luca's head and, again, Luca fell to the ground.
"Oh that's a great reason," Luca laughed. He didn't notice the pain, didn't seem to care. "Akira chose you as leader yep but why are you fighting? You won't tell me. Does that mean you don't know? If that's so than you are worthless. And I can't respect you. You won't help us." He kicked Jonathan in the knees and uppercut him to the chin. "You won't... you won't listen to us. You won't trust us. And until you try, we will never..." He flipped back and twisted Jonathan's wrist, almost enough to break it. "Respect." He threw him over his shoulder, landing him flat on his back. "You."
"I'm fighting to protect the place where my friends, my comrades have grown, into a place I can call my own. The Digital World is like another home to me. And the Digimon are my friends."
Luca looked at him, black eyes cold. "So that's your answer." He sighed. "You, you will never understand. You will never understand what it means to protect your friends. I... I wish I could show you what you're missing, show you what you're lacking. But your unsteady heart, it is being swayed by such emotions like a crush, like guilt, and like honor. In a war to protect, honor is just the commander's way of throwing you aside. I know. I saw. I fought. And it hurt." Luca held back a fist. "And you don't know what that hurt is." He broke Jonathan's nose.
…
As the light disappeared, they arrived outside the room where Luca and Jonathan were.
"They're still going?" Sean asked, forcibly lightly. He still couldn't be a clown. "Luca must be holding back then."
"Of course he is." Kiri pointed to the weapons lying on the floor. "He didn't ask for these I bet. He's not really initiating Jonathan you know."
"Yeah, he wants answers. He wants some kind of stability in these worlds, since you kind of stole it."
"Luca did inherit Akira-nii-chan's legacy after all. It's only natural."
"But... Kiri..." Sean slumped against the wall, looking upset. "Do you think Jonathan will be able to face it? His own imbalance? He can't keep denying it. He can't keep being bound to it."
"Honestly Joker, I don't think Luca will let him get that far today."
"Today?" He saw Tomoe and gestured for the little girl. She went over to them, looking a mixture of relieved and puzzled.
"No, your darkness... it creeps remember? He won't know, he won't be able to truly tell, but it will come and it'll be in his deepest, darkest fears."
"Mimi?"
Kiri nodded, taking her blade from her back. "It will take her and it will destroy her. At least, that's how it will appear. Your own shadow plays more games than we do."
"And that's why we follow it right?"
"Yes. Because light is not always good and darkness is not always evil."
"Because if those like the others, who are called full of honor, are in the light..." Sean began.
"We will be in the shadows," Tomoe finished softly. "We will do things they will not do." She clutched her Digivice, a startling black and red against her clothing. Around her neck was Kudamon, who looked almost too content. Kiri smiled sadly and mussed her hair.
"Unfortunately Tomoe-chan, that's exactly how it's going to work." She looked at the room again. "Come on Tomoe-chan. Something's going down in there. The Master of the Sea is moving. Sean?"
"No need to worry on that," he replied firmly. "I won't allow any o' 'em to interfere." Kudamon reluctantly left his partner's side, moving to rest next to Dorumon in Sean's lap.
She smiled sadly. "Thanks partner." She stepped forward with Tomoe and disappeared.
Sean snickered. "I love how not flashy her power is."
…
"That does it!" Jonathan ignored his screaming body, ignored the pain and actually broke the arm he had grabbed earlier, before following up with a quick multitude of punches to Luca's ribcage. He grinned slightly as he heard three successive cracks. Luca screamed.
Luca's screams turned to laughter. "You gave in," he whispered, sounding relieved. "Finally, you proved you're human." He laughed weakly. "About damn time but..." His canine lengthened and darkness began to pulse around him. "Too late, little human. Too late!" He let the darkness wrap around Jonathan. Luca spat onto the ground. "Hahah!" Blood dripped from his mouth and he smiled. "How does it feel?" he asked softly. "Does the darkness scare you? Are you going to try and kill me now?" The darkness began to howl, the air filling with the sensation of drowning.
Jonathan made a dismissive noise. "You're only a kid, why would I kill you? As you said all those days ago, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." You broke my nose and I went one step further. And as for the darkness, your answer's no."
Luca giggled madly. "You're still so weak you know that mister? You can't trust anyone can you? You're gonna be very lonely soon. And I'm not a kid." He held out two hands, which appeared to be claws. "I'm a soldier and I can and will die for the Digital World if that is how I am commanded. Can you? Can you be a true soldier who trusts his comrades, who can accept that they have something to contribute? Can ya?" He lifted his hand. "Tell me Jonathan Lucas! Tell me! Quick! They're coming you know?" Can you trust me?
Sensing the hidden question behind the hurried queries, Jonathan breathed deeply before exhaling quickly. "I know the real question you were asking, Luca. I trust you. In fact, all three of you can rejoin the team once we get out of here."
Luca sighed. "It took you long enough," the child whispered. "Now, get down!" He roared, a wild sound, and turned, slashing into a shadow, which had suddenly appeared. "Come and kill me you bastards!" he screamed in a chaotic, guttural voice. He leaped, snarling and striking as they came into view. "That human is not yours!" he roared. "That human will never be yours! Come closer and die!"
"Kari told me those were Dragomon's servants."
"They are!" Luca said happily, flipping up and booting one in the face. "They're so damn annoying! That's why I kill them!" He spun and sliced another open, not waiting for it to fall before killing another. "You stay where you are okay Jonathan? I won't let them get you, you understand?" Unfortunately for us, you're necessary.
"Okay."
"Look at you Luca. You're actually pretending to be human." Kiri appeared out of nowhere, landing delicately to the ground. Tomoe clutched her hand loosely. Luca turned and bolted to her side.
"Kiri! You're so late! I should give you a punishment game!"
She chuckled. "Later little lion. We have two humans who need to leave this place right away." He nodded merrily and took Tomoe by the hand. The girl flinched softly.
"Luca... you're hurt..." He waved it off.
"Not really. The Chaos'll fix me right up. It always does." He moved to grab Jonathan's wrist. "Kiri come on!" he called.
"I'll follow you. Go on ahead."
He hesitated. "But..."
"Go on," she reassured. "By blood and bond I will come back. Don't worry. And next time you do this... don't hold back again. Understood?"
He pouted. He had been caught. "I won't have to again. I have what I need." With that, he let the power fade and they vanished. Kiri turned back, clutching her katana.
"Let's play."
…
"Let me guess, you're all testing me?" Jonathan asked, tensing his body despite the pain.
"It's too late for that," Sean's voice, creepily soft, came from the doorway. He smiled humorlessly at him. "Jonathan failed, didn't he Luca?"
Luca nodded guiltily. "He denied it before it could start."
Sean nodded sadly. "We thought that would happen. Kiri figured it wouldn't get that far."
"Wait, what? Failed what?" Jonathan half snapped.
"The darkness," Sean replied, still in that dull, sad voice. "You won't see the darkness. You won't listen to it. You won't accept it. Shadows aren't always evil. Light isn't always good."
"You keep running away from it," Luca added, looking guilty. "If I hadn't been so sentimental, you would have passed. Kiri was right. I shouldn't have held back."
"So... what? What do you want me to do?"
"It's not what they want," Kiri landed lightly on the floor. Her grey eyes were glazed over as they locked with Jonathan's. "It's never been about what they want."
Sean sighed. "Things must be terrible if you're coming out again Norn-chan."
"No worse than expected."
Sean nodded again. He looked lackluster, green eyes dim. He laughed bitterly. "I just can't bring myself to fake it," he muttered. Shaking his head, he looked back at the leader. "It's not what we want you to do. It's your darkness. You figure it out."
"Stop calling it darkness."
"Sorry Norn-chan. Force of habit. Anyway, they're your vices, your problems. We can't tell you how to solve them." He smiled now, the expression emptier than his eyes. "Your hands won't be held any longer. Everything... Everything is going to be truly real now."
"Okay, who's Norn? Someone kindly tell me what the hell is going on here?!" Jonathan's voice rose.
Kiri smiled sadly. It wasn't her smile but it adorned her face all the same. "Silly child. The answers are not going to be handed to you."
"Norn-chan's God," Sean added, a sad little flicker of sadness reaching his eyes. "Or she was God, before that happened."
"You say it like it's so mysterious."
"It hurt hearts and it was destruction."
"That is so."
"It's why you have to use Kiri," Luca piped up, looking troubled.
She sighed. "So it is, little lion. So it is."
Jonathan's eye twitched angrily. "Just what are you three talking about?"
"The Schism," Sean and Luca said together, both wincing. Norn shivered through Kiri. She heard the girl's soft whimper of fear and pain in her head. Tomoe looked away from them all, tense and scared.
"It was fifty years ago now..." Sean mumbled.
"Fifty here," the girl corrected. "That world was years ahead of this one."
"It doesn't matter," Luca stated quietly. "The world is dead, destroyed. And this one is next."
Jonathan stared. "You're kidding, right?"
"They aren't." Triesta's voice was not its usual hostile self, but dull, shattered. As she walked into the room, her violet eyes seemed to glow. She looked at Jonathan darkly for a moment. "Your friend Jack's a real jackass, you know that?" Sean winced, remembering the argument earlier. She turned to Tomoe. "Don't forget this." Kudamon leapt from the girl's shoulder into Tomoe's arms.
"Reckless," the little Rookie whispered to his partner. Tomoe flushed and hugged the spirit close. Her Digivice fell from her robe and clattered to the floor, the needles poking out.
"You're right, I know. Jack's reckless to the core. He is older and thinks he knows everything... even Blair and I are getting annoyed..."
"He had no right to say that to me. He doesn't know, not about..." Sean whispered. "If you're the leader then tell him to take it back. If he doesn't listen, then he's craven and disrespectful and should be sent home. He's only cannon fodder like that."
"I don't know what he said to you, Sean. But I will talk to him. Before I do, though, could you tell me what happened? So I'm aware of the circumstances..."
Sean trembled softly. The remark still hurt. Triesta began quietly. "Relena and I went for a walk after your test began and ran into Kari. She..." Triesta broke off, shivering slightly. She's dead, Siara's dead and it's my fault but they felt the same and it hurt... I don't want to think of... "We... started talking and Jack, he saw us and attacked us."
Sean continued, managing to bring himself together. "I saw them and retaliated. He was attacking Relena for something he started and it was annoying. I didn't want to do anything. He said to me that if I protected her, I was just a monster and my parents should have raised me better. I... He had no right. Just because he has real parents..." The last words were so quiet; it was a miracle Jonathan heard them at all.
"Right then," Jonathan's eyes narrowed as his expression hardened. "I won't allow this to continue. I have a feeling this will cause a fight, but so be it. If Jack thinks he can get away with talking to my teammates like this, he's so wrong. I'm sure Luca told you what I told him before, Sean?" The last part was spoken softly.
Sean nodded sadly. He then shook his head suddenly. "Don't worry about it. There can't be any more rifts right now. You need to know things and quickly. We can tell you a little bit about the Schism and just how it's going to come again if you'd like but..."
"You can't tell your friends." Tomoe's voice was light but sad. "They aren't grey yet. You're going to have to leave them away from it." She took her Digivice back and held it out to Jonathan. "Here, look at it. Be careful, it bites."
"Please do," Jonathan answered Sean. To Tomoe, he kindly declined, politely saying he didn't like bitey things.
Tomoe, surprisingly, didn't look ruffled. "It only bites me and that's for Kudamon. My blood gives him power." The Digimon curled up around her neck, looking content.
Kiri's gaze darkened visibly and Triesta looked purely furious. It was Luca, luckily, who began, "It was an awful day. Everything was broken. Back then, the many worlds, human and Digital, existed. Along with the places between, the dreamscape, and the World of Darkness, it made up the universe. One world moved quite a bit fast alongside its Digital counterpart. That was where it happened."
"There were Digi-Destined there and there was a treaty being sought between the worlds. Only... a lot of things went wrong." Kiri/Norn looked at Relena, looked past her to Triesta, whose long brown hair hid her eyes. "Triesta was one of those Digi-Destined."
"There was a traitor," Triesta muttered, clenching her fists. "He betrayed us to the Demon Lords, he turned on them, and destroyed our world, shattering it, and all of us in the process. He killed his contractor and called it revenge for another." Treista trembled. "He killed them. He killed her, Siara..." My contractor, my partner, the only person who refused to abandon me when the truth came out before we met the others... "I hate him, I hate him so much."
"Gennai, right?" Jonathan kept his voice quiet. Triesta nodded, her fists clenched and eyes hidden.
"Do you know of Mr. Ishida's team? Mina told us that after Mirageburimon returned to the Rookie level, she saw Matt's father hanging around and she wondered what was going on."
Sean and Luca glanced at each other and shook their heads. The girls nodded. "Is there something you wished to know about them?" Norn asked.
"I mainly want to know which Digimon they have as their partners," Jonathan stated.
Norn frowned softly. "I'm surprised they didn't mention it themselves. Ishida-san had Gabumon, Kido-san had DemiDevimon, Yamaki-san had Gazimon, and Akiyama-san had a Hawkmon. Does that help in any way?"
"Yeah, I'm a little disappointed they didn't mention it, either." Jonathan muttered.
Norn smiled sadly again. "No one is meant to have all the answers," she stated with an unusual calm. "They would grow lax and everything would come to an end." Suddenly she paused. "You're right Kiriko. I forgot about that." She gave Jonathan a piercing stare. "There's one more thing we must tell you and then someone has a request for you. It's about a certain enemy of yours."
"Alright, I'm listening."
"You're referring to Cyberdramon aren't you?" Luca asked as he placed a hand on his ribs. He muttered something and his body began to glow. He moved it to his broken wrist and didn't wince as his body forced a recovery.
Sean nodded. "He's Akira's, isn't he?"
"Correct. Cyberdramon is the corrupted partner of Akira."
"I figured he had something to do with your family, Kiri. I just wasn't sure what. How did he end up like this?" Jonathan asked.
Norn stepped back and Kiri coughed weakly. She tried to speak, but convulsed. Relena, recognizing the problem, quickly placed her hand over her. "Stabilize," she murmured pleadingly. Kiri kept coughing; eyes squeezed shut in pain. Her body trembled and blurred.
Sean turned away, forcing himself to ignore it. "Cyberdramon was somehow separated from the others when the Demon Lords did what they did. We're guessing Ogudomon found him and corrupted him directly. That would explain why the spell is so strong."
Luca looked miserably at his cousin. "Why can't I do anything?" he mumbled, clenching his fists.
"Okay, so what's the request?"
Tomoe gave him a quiet, shy smile as she bowed low. "I want you to let me fight with you," she said softly. "Kudamon and I, we need to see this through to the end."
"You are aware my partner can't reach the Ultimate level, right?" Jonathan questioned. He looked down at Wormmon; his face said it all. Get ready.
Tomoe blinked confusedly. "What-What are you talking about?"
Kudamon sighed. "Idiot brat. She means we need to join your team."
"Oh," was all that Jonathan could say at first. He then regained his composure and nodded, saying: "Welcome to the team."
Tomoe smiled sadly. "We'll do our best then." As she spoke, Kiri abruptly vanished, Viximon left behind. Sean scowled, tightly clenching his fists. He shook, eyes shining darkly.
Relena glanced at Jonathan, Triesta having retreated to rest. "You should go," she said quietly. "Kiri will return soon and you're still injured. You escaped mostly okay but be careful."
Jonathan nodded his compliance and left the Ferro household, with Wormmon on his shoulder. Jack and Blair were waiting outside; their eyes widened and then quickly narrowed when they saw the state he was in. Jack muttered something about a hospital trip under his breath.
Sanako watched them go, Tomoe right behind her. "Tomoe-chan," she asked softly as they left. "Should I be worried?"
"Now yes," replied the little girl. "Later no. I will make sure it works out. For my father's sake, for his friends' sake, I'll make it all right."
…
You're lying!
Am I? The digimon chuckled cruelly. Leviamon spun himself around the boy. Davis closed his eyes, pointedly ignoring him. Then why do you deny it? If I lie why do I feel doubt in your heart?
I…
Poor Davis. You've been fighting all along in such a delusion. You are no hero, just a boy with a bit of luck. Your friends have been just humoring you.
You're wrong…
You know I am not, poor boy.
I… I…
Come with me. We'll take revenge on them. They treated you like nothing. You have the right to do the same.
No… I... I can't. I…
Don't you want to have power? Don't you want to take what rightfully belongs to you? I can help you. You will get what you deserve. It is certain.
They… they lied to me. They don't… need my help. They don't need my power. And I don't need theirs, do I? I am better than them. I can… destroy them, can't I?
Exactly.
Kiri had taken the slow route to give Sean some space. She could feel his pure misery and hate pulsing through her left palm. Her right itched but she knew that was from something else entirely. I've sworn way too many oaths. But to save and contain, as my existence was meant for, it must be necessary.
It became necessary, came a quiet feminine voice. Just as with the ones who fell, these circumstances became mecessary. You know that better than anyone.
Norn-chan, is it wrong that I hear your voice and Nii-chan's voice in my head yet I feel no fear or worry of insanity?
It should be. But if it weren't you, who else would it be?
I guess. I feel ill.
You're tied to the balance. It's falling and so are you.
Just like then… I'm never going to live it down am I?
Do you regret it?
No, I almost wish I did. But that would mean wallowing and I don't have time for that.
You don't have time for much Kiriko. The barriers are nothing but flimsy paper, with the Demon Lords corroding them. Your brother and his team are the only ones who can fix the worlds' state now. And to do that, they need you.
…I know. And the others; will they…
Perhaps. Perhaps not. It doesn't change what you have to do.
No, it doesn't.
She had finally found him, sitting by a fire away from the ocean. The irony wasn't lost on her. Kiri wondered how long it had taken for him to stop running and simply sit. She assumed a while because he was covered in dirt.
"Do you feel better yet?"
Kiri sat down next to him as he stared into the flames. Sean shook his head. His fists were clenched tight. She could see it behind his hair. He was crying. Dorumon was nuzzled up against him, but he didn't seem to notice.
"I can't stand these people Kiri," he whispered. "I can't. Stand them. We're dousing one of them, we showed them how they keep losing to their own crazy and their imbalance, yet all they do is just throw it back in our faces and say we haven't suffered at all, that we're evil, that we're nothing but monsters! How can these people still be alive?"
Kiri sighed sadly. "Joker..." They haven't been Digi-Destined that long.
"I'm so jealous of them..." Sean muttered, bitterly poking a stick at the fire. "I mean; all of them got to have parents, real ones! I don't, I can't even talk to those two, and they're afraid of me, I know they are! And you guys, they don't even seem to see it. You and Luca never talk about parents, you never say you need to get home and see them, you're never worried about them, you never want to protect them." Why should you? Why should you want to protect scum like that?
"Sean..."
"Kiri, your mom's probably dead!" he snapped. The idea did not fill her with dread, as it should have. "Your dad is just waiting for the papers to go through so he can kick you out like he's been threatening for six years! Easier than actually having to hit you right? God, Luca doesn't even know what a mother is! You heard what he said about Blair's dad! He has no idea about any of it."
"Blair's parents are dead Joker." You're both so similar yet you feel no sympathy.
"She got to have them didn't she?" Sean was still in tears, furious and broken. Kiri realized that no one else could, or would, ever see him like this. He wouldn't let anyone else see him like this "She got, she got to know what it was like and she acts like such a whiny little ***** because they're gone. Yeah it sucks, but god can't she be happy her parents were actually alive long enough to love her?" Can't she be happy she knows what that felt like?
Kiri closed her eyes and let his emotions pour out of him into her. Sean bottled up damn near everything about himself. He never spoke of his time as a foster child to anyone outside of the group. Not even the Ferros knew much about it. He looked nothing like either of his siblings, adoptive or blood-related and he hated it. At least, he didn't anymore. Things had changed so much in these past few years.
When she was sure he wouldn't interrupt, she began. "Sean our lives suck. There's no denying it. Everyone's lives suck in some way. But Sean, dear brother, little Joker, you've gotta hear me on this..." Her voice softened, almost sweetened. Norn flickered behind her eyes and Sean realized they were both watching him, not with pity but with knowing.
"Are you going to tell me I'm not alone?" If so, he would hate her because he already knew that and it wouldn't change anything.
"No, I'm going to tell you that crying doesn't make a difference. Wallowing and hiding in the dark and being angry doesn't change a thing. You know that better than anyone. We can't just sit here and let our negative emotions rule us. We can't let regrets and guilt hold us anymore. We did that remember? Those two could have been killed. You and I know that if what I had in my hands was steel or if I had been conscious the whole time, they would have died. There's no two ways about it."
She held out her left hand, which held a circular mark on the palm. "Sean, listen, you and I made that vow for times like this. If no one else hears you come find me. If no one else will hear me, I'll find you. And yeah, we're gonna be hit with more crap and yeah, those three are some of the most stiff, tactless children I know, but we're stuck with them and more importantly," She clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Luca's going to break them in hard, you hear? We have a mission to complete. My brother and all the others, they're waiting for you, me, and Luca to come and save them."
Sean sniffed. "Why the hell are those others even here?"
"The same reason we are: we will not let history repeat itself. It wouldn't survive."
"We will not let that day come again," Norn added through her mouth.
"...I, how am I supposed to-"
"Do what you do best Joker: act. And if that doesn't work, well... I suppose you have no choice do you?"
He shivered. "I don't wanna go back."
"I'm not sure you'll have a choice."She came forward and hugged him. "Joker, it'll get better. It will never be okay, but it'll get better. I can't promise you that because I don't know when it'll happen. But for now, all I can ask you to do is keep walking forward with me. Okay?" She stepped away and held out a hand to him. "Come on now, everyone's waiting."
Sean felt deja vu at his fingertips. "Kiriko, Norn-chan... thank you." He took her hand, wiping his face with his free arm. She wrinkled her nose.
"Gross."
He gave a shaky laugh. "Well, everyone has vices right?" She laughed and Sean thought it sounded like church bells. They started walking, their partners not far away.
"You know Kiri..." He was blushing slightly.
"Hm?"
"Sometimes... I wish I could love you in that one way."
"Yeah?" As always, he couldn't ruffle her outwardly, but she was waiting for him to continue.
"But... during times like now, I'm glad I don't. You are the best person to be at my side. To be one in all but one," He looked up at the sky. "I'm glad we vowed that."
Kiri wasn't looking at him so he couldn't see the faint dust of pink on her cheeks. "Yeah. I'm really glad too."
"But," he said sternly as they came upon the Gate. "Any guy or girl who wants you has to go through me, you understand?"
"Oh Joker that would leave no one left."
"Exactly." The pair of them glanced at each other and laughed. The gate opened and they vanished through.
…
"Wait, what? You... none of you told me I was gonna come here," Jonathan blurted out. He fell silent and steeled his resolve, looking around at the dark, colorless world.
Luca giggled softly. "We figured it was pretty obvious, you know? We've all been here. Besides this isn't it, not completely. The World of Darkness has lots of forms and the Ocean's just one. The Ocean's the crazy one." Luca smiled and flickered away, reappearing only feet away. "I control this world, thanks to the Catal Unit. It's real easy. Now then, how do you think you're going to be tested? Answer quick now, because within seconds, it is truly about to begin."
"How do you expect me to answer that when I don't know what's gonna come at me?" Jonathan growled.
"I told ya, I told ya!" Luca sang, twirling away. "You have to face your demons, your demons! The imbalance in your heart's really bright and strong you know? Your uncertainty's making it strong, so strong! You have to face it; you have to move past it! All of you do, otherwise you'll never get stronger! Your guilt, your mixups, they can't let you do anything!" He paused, still laughing. "So answer my question! You've only got a few seconds!"
"I already said I don't know! How many times do I have to repeat that to get it through your head?"
"Then you're stupid and angry and you're going to die here." Luca's smile and voice turned infinitely cold. "Now suffer for your sins." The air became heavy and pressure began to shove Jonathan downward to the ground. His ears were full of screams.
"Why can I hear screaming in my ears?" Jonathan questioned, struggling to move.
"It's the dead, the dead!" Luca laughed softly, bitterly now. "All those you killed, all those who died before. All of your emotions, all of those who are suffering because of you." He raised a hand. "Now it's your turn." Invisible needles appeared to stab repeatedly into his body. Luca came forward and kicked him, knocking him to the side. "Come on, get up!" Luca commanded dully, both hands in his pockets. His black eyes watched listlessly. "It hurts right? You're angry at me right? You want to hurt me right? Get up and make me stop!" He kicked again. "You look like a dog down there. Maybe that's where you belong, down with the rest of the maggots."
Jonathan was a calm ocean as he surged to his feet and lashed out at Luca's head. "No matter what you do, I will not succumb to anger."
Luca dodged, giggling. "Stupid idea, you know. You have to actually, you know, hit?" The pressure increased and Luca moved away again. "You have to really hurt me, you have to want to mister! Otherwise you can't protect anything. Weakling!" He leaped forward and punched at his throat, continuing with two more to his stomach. "We're going to war you know! There's gonna be anger and hate, lots of it! No matter how calm you are, your emotions have to be fierce. You have to wake them up and defy fate! But you can't do that! You killed them with honor! There's no honor in this, you arrogant fool!" He tripped him and then jumped back. "Hurry up! Ogudomon can kill you with a claw you know!" He'll twist your calm against you. His kind have that ability.
"Fine, we'll do it your way," came the response. Faking a right move, Jonathan came in from the left and swiftly grabbed Luca's arm. He twisted it enough that the eleven-year-old cried out in pain. He followed up with a uppercut to the chin, which floored the child, and he crashed to the ground.
For a moment Luca looked surprised. Then he laughed wildly. "That's it!" he hissed, looking pleased. He jumped back to his feet. "There it is, there! Come on! I'm your enemy! Learn from me and destroy me! That's what soldiers do!" he tackled him, knocking Jonathan to the ground and proceeding to punch wildly at his face. Jumping off, he balanced on the tips of his fingers to flip back, kicking with both feet to his ribs. "But I still don't get it! Why are you fighting? What do you want to do for the Digital World? Tell me, why should I trust you? Why are you our leader? Can you even answer that? If not," He walked away, and the darkness began to increase, the water growing louder and fiercer. The screams faded into unearthly moans. "Just let the underlings of the ocean take you. It's much less painful."
"I was made leader by Akira. You respect him, do you not? Then respect me." Jonathan lunged forward and punched Luca in the chest, before performing a chopping motion to the child's neck. The sixteen-year-old then brought down both his hands (cupped as fists) on Luca's head and, again, Luca fell to the ground.
"Oh that's a great reason," Luca laughed. He didn't notice the pain, didn't seem to care. "Akira chose you as leader yep but why are you fighting? You won't tell me. Does that mean you don't know? If that's so than you are worthless. And I can't respect you. You won't help us." He kicked Jonathan in the knees and uppercut him to the chin. "You won't... you won't listen to us. You won't trust us. And until you try, we will never..." He flipped back and twisted Jonathan's wrist, almost enough to break it. "Respect." He threw him over his shoulder, landing him flat on his back. "You."
"I'm fighting to protect the place where my friends, my comrades have grown, into a place I can call my own. The Digital World is like another home to me. And the Digimon are my friends."
Luca looked at him, black eyes cold. "So that's your answer." He sighed. "You, you will never understand. You will never understand what it means to protect your friends. I... I wish I could show you what you're missing, show you what you're lacking. But your unsteady heart, it is being swayed by such emotions like a crush, like guilt, and like honor. In a war to protect, honor is just the commander's way of throwing you aside. I know. I saw. I fought. And it hurt." Luca held back a fist. "And you don't know what that hurt is." He broke Jonathan's nose.
…
As the light disappeared, they arrived outside the room where Luca and Jonathan were.
"They're still going?" Sean asked, forcibly lightly. He still couldn't be a clown. "Luca must be holding back then."
"Of course he is." Kiri pointed to the weapons lying on the floor. "He didn't ask for these I bet. He's not really initiating Jonathan you know."
"Yeah, he wants answers. He wants some kind of stability in these worlds, since you kind of stole it."
"Luca did inherit Akira-nii-chan's legacy after all. It's only natural."
"But... Kiri..." Sean slumped against the wall, looking upset. "Do you think Jonathan will be able to face it? His own imbalance? He can't keep denying it. He can't keep being bound to it."
"Honestly Joker, I don't think Luca will let him get that far today."
"Today?" He saw Tomoe and gestured for the little girl. She went over to them, looking a mixture of relieved and puzzled.
"No, your darkness... it creeps remember? He won't know, he won't be able to truly tell, but it will come and it'll be in his deepest, darkest fears."
"Mimi?"
Kiri nodded, taking her blade from her back. "It will take her and it will destroy her. At least, that's how it will appear. Your own shadow plays more games than we do."
"And that's why we follow it right?"
"Yes. Because light is not always good and darkness is not always evil."
"Because if those like the others, who are called full of honor, are in the light..." Sean began.
"We will be in the shadows," Tomoe finished softly. "We will do things they will not do." She clutched her Digivice, a startling black and red against her clothing. Around her neck was Kudamon, who looked almost too content. Kiri smiled sadly and mussed her hair.
"Unfortunately Tomoe-chan, that's exactly how it's going to work." She looked at the room again. "Come on Tomoe-chan. Something's going down in there. The Master of the Sea is moving. Sean?"
"No need to worry on that," he replied firmly. "I won't allow any o' 'em to interfere." Kudamon reluctantly left his partner's side, moving to rest next to Dorumon in Sean's lap.
She smiled sadly. "Thanks partner." She stepped forward with Tomoe and disappeared.
Sean snickered. "I love how not flashy her power is."
…
"That does it!" Jonathan ignored his screaming body, ignored the pain and actually broke the arm he had grabbed earlier, before following up with a quick multitude of punches to Luca's ribcage. He grinned slightly as he heard three successive cracks. Luca screamed.
Luca's screams turned to laughter. "You gave in," he whispered, sounding relieved. "Finally, you proved you're human." He laughed weakly. "About damn time but..." His canine lengthened and darkness began to pulse around him. "Too late, little human. Too late!" He let the darkness wrap around Jonathan. Luca spat onto the ground. "Hahah!" Blood dripped from his mouth and he smiled. "How does it feel?" he asked softly. "Does the darkness scare you? Are you going to try and kill me now?" The darkness began to howl, the air filling with the sensation of drowning.
Jonathan made a dismissive noise. "You're only a kid, why would I kill you? As you said all those days ago, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." You broke my nose and I went one step further. And as for the darkness, your answer's no."
Luca giggled madly. "You're still so weak you know that mister? You can't trust anyone can you? You're gonna be very lonely soon. And I'm not a kid." He held out two hands, which appeared to be claws. "I'm a soldier and I can and will die for the Digital World if that is how I am commanded. Can you? Can you be a true soldier who trusts his comrades, who can accept that they have something to contribute? Can ya?" He lifted his hand. "Tell me Jonathan Lucas! Tell me! Quick! They're coming you know?" Can you trust me?
Sensing the hidden question behind the hurried queries, Jonathan breathed deeply before exhaling quickly. "I know the real question you were asking, Luca. I trust you. In fact, all three of you can rejoin the team once we get out of here."
Luca sighed. "It took you long enough," the child whispered. "Now, get down!" He roared, a wild sound, and turned, slashing into a shadow, which had suddenly appeared. "Come and kill me you bastards!" he screamed in a chaotic, guttural voice. He leaped, snarling and striking as they came into view. "That human is not yours!" he roared. "That human will never be yours! Come closer and die!"
"Kari told me those were Dragomon's servants."
"They are!" Luca said happily, flipping up and booting one in the face. "They're so damn annoying! That's why I kill them!" He spun and sliced another open, not waiting for it to fall before killing another. "You stay where you are okay Jonathan? I won't let them get you, you understand?" Unfortunately for us, you're necessary.
"Okay."
"Look at you Luca. You're actually pretending to be human." Kiri appeared out of nowhere, landing delicately to the ground. Tomoe clutched her hand loosely. Luca turned and bolted to her side.
"Kiri! You're so late! I should give you a punishment game!"
She chuckled. "Later little lion. We have two humans who need to leave this place right away." He nodded merrily and took Tomoe by the hand. The girl flinched softly.
"Luca... you're hurt..." He waved it off.
"Not really. The Chaos'll fix me right up. It always does." He moved to grab Jonathan's wrist. "Kiri come on!" he called.
"I'll follow you. Go on ahead."
He hesitated. "But..."
"Go on," she reassured. "By blood and bond I will come back. Don't worry. And next time you do this... don't hold back again. Understood?"
He pouted. He had been caught. "I won't have to again. I have what I need." With that, he let the power fade and they vanished. Kiri turned back, clutching her katana.
"Let's play."
…
"Let me guess, you're all testing me?" Jonathan asked, tensing his body despite the pain.
"It's too late for that," Sean's voice, creepily soft, came from the doorway. He smiled humorlessly at him. "Jonathan failed, didn't he Luca?"
Luca nodded guiltily. "He denied it before it could start."
Sean nodded sadly. "We thought that would happen. Kiri figured it wouldn't get that far."
"Wait, what? Failed what?" Jonathan half snapped.
"The darkness," Sean replied, still in that dull, sad voice. "You won't see the darkness. You won't listen to it. You won't accept it. Shadows aren't always evil. Light isn't always good."
"You keep running away from it," Luca added, looking guilty. "If I hadn't been so sentimental, you would have passed. Kiri was right. I shouldn't have held back."
"So... what? What do you want me to do?"
"It's not what they want," Kiri landed lightly on the floor. Her grey eyes were glazed over as they locked with Jonathan's. "It's never been about what they want."
Sean sighed. "Things must be terrible if you're coming out again Norn-chan."
"No worse than expected."
Sean nodded again. He looked lackluster, green eyes dim. He laughed bitterly. "I just can't bring myself to fake it," he muttered. Shaking his head, he looked back at the leader. "It's not what we want you to do. It's your darkness. You figure it out."
"Stop calling it darkness."
"Sorry Norn-chan. Force of habit. Anyway, they're your vices, your problems. We can't tell you how to solve them." He smiled now, the expression emptier than his eyes. "Your hands won't be held any longer. Everything... Everything is going to be truly real now."
"Okay, who's Norn? Someone kindly tell me what the hell is going on here?!" Jonathan's voice rose.
Kiri smiled sadly. It wasn't her smile but it adorned her face all the same. "Silly child. The answers are not going to be handed to you."
"Norn-chan's God," Sean added, a sad little flicker of sadness reaching his eyes. "Or she was God, before that happened."
"You say it like it's so mysterious."
"It hurt hearts and it was destruction."
"That is so."
"It's why you have to use Kiri," Luca piped up, looking troubled.
She sighed. "So it is, little lion. So it is."
Jonathan's eye twitched angrily. "Just what are you three talking about?"
"The Schism," Sean and Luca said together, both wincing. Norn shivered through Kiri. She heard the girl's soft whimper of fear and pain in her head. Tomoe looked away from them all, tense and scared.
"It was fifty years ago now..." Sean mumbled.
"Fifty here," the girl corrected. "That world was years ahead of this one."
"It doesn't matter," Luca stated quietly. "The world is dead, destroyed. And this one is next."
Jonathan stared. "You're kidding, right?"
"They aren't." Triesta's voice was not its usual hostile self, but dull, shattered. As she walked into the room, her violet eyes seemed to glow. She looked at Jonathan darkly for a moment. "Your friend Jack's a real jackass, you know that?" Sean winced, remembering the argument earlier. She turned to Tomoe. "Don't forget this." Kudamon leapt from the girl's shoulder into Tomoe's arms.
"Reckless," the little Rookie whispered to his partner. Tomoe flushed and hugged the spirit close. Her Digivice fell from her robe and clattered to the floor, the needles poking out.
"You're right, I know. Jack's reckless to the core. He is older and thinks he knows everything... even Blair and I are getting annoyed..."
"He had no right to say that to me. He doesn't know, not about..." Sean whispered. "If you're the leader then tell him to take it back. If he doesn't listen, then he's craven and disrespectful and should be sent home. He's only cannon fodder like that."
"I don't know what he said to you, Sean. But I will talk to him. Before I do, though, could you tell me what happened? So I'm aware of the circumstances..."
Sean trembled softly. The remark still hurt. Triesta began quietly. "Relena and I went for a walk after your test began and ran into Kari. She..." Triesta broke off, shivering slightly. She's dead, Siara's dead and it's my fault but they felt the same and it hurt... I don't want to think of... "We... started talking and Jack, he saw us and attacked us."
Sean continued, managing to bring himself together. "I saw them and retaliated. He was attacking Relena for something he started and it was annoying. I didn't want to do anything. He said to me that if I protected her, I was just a monster and my parents should have raised me better. I... He had no right. Just because he has real parents..." The last words were so quiet; it was a miracle Jonathan heard them at all.
"Right then," Jonathan's eyes narrowed as his expression hardened. "I won't allow this to continue. I have a feeling this will cause a fight, but so be it. If Jack thinks he can get away with talking to my teammates like this, he's so wrong. I'm sure Luca told you what I told him before, Sean?" The last part was spoken softly.
Sean nodded sadly. He then shook his head suddenly. "Don't worry about it. There can't be any more rifts right now. You need to know things and quickly. We can tell you a little bit about the Schism and just how it's going to come again if you'd like but..."
"You can't tell your friends." Tomoe's voice was light but sad. "They aren't grey yet. You're going to have to leave them away from it." She took her Digivice back and held it out to Jonathan. "Here, look at it. Be careful, it bites."
"Please do," Jonathan answered Sean. To Tomoe, he kindly declined, politely saying he didn't like bitey things.
Tomoe, surprisingly, didn't look ruffled. "It only bites me and that's for Kudamon. My blood gives him power." The Digimon curled up around her neck, looking content.
Kiri's gaze darkened visibly and Triesta looked purely furious. It was Luca, luckily, who began, "It was an awful day. Everything was broken. Back then, the many worlds, human and Digital, existed. Along with the places between, the dreamscape, and the World of Darkness, it made up the universe. One world moved quite a bit fast alongside its Digital counterpart. That was where it happened."
"There were Digi-Destined there and there was a treaty being sought between the worlds. Only... a lot of things went wrong." Kiri/Norn looked at Relena, looked past her to Triesta, whose long brown hair hid her eyes. "Triesta was one of those Digi-Destined."
"There was a traitor," Triesta muttered, clenching her fists. "He betrayed us to the Demon Lords, he turned on them, and destroyed our world, shattering it, and all of us in the process. He killed his contractor and called it revenge for another." Treista trembled. "He killed them. He killed her, Siara..." My contractor, my partner, the only person who refused to abandon me when the truth came out before we met the others... "I hate him, I hate him so much."
"Gennai, right?" Jonathan kept his voice quiet. Triesta nodded, her fists clenched and eyes hidden.
"Do you know of Mr. Ishida's team? Mina told us that after Mirageburimon returned to the Rookie level, she saw Matt's father hanging around and she wondered what was going on."
Sean and Luca glanced at each other and shook their heads. The girls nodded. "Is there something you wished to know about them?" Norn asked.
"I mainly want to know which Digimon they have as their partners," Jonathan stated.
Norn frowned softly. "I'm surprised they didn't mention it themselves. Ishida-san had Gabumon, Kido-san had DemiDevimon, Yamaki-san had Gazimon, and Akiyama-san had a Hawkmon. Does that help in any way?"
"Yeah, I'm a little disappointed they didn't mention it, either." Jonathan muttered.
Norn smiled sadly again. "No one is meant to have all the answers," she stated with an unusual calm. "They would grow lax and everything would come to an end." Suddenly she paused. "You're right Kiriko. I forgot about that." She gave Jonathan a piercing stare. "There's one more thing we must tell you and then someone has a request for you. It's about a certain enemy of yours."
"Alright, I'm listening."
"You're referring to Cyberdramon aren't you?" Luca asked as he placed a hand on his ribs. He muttered something and his body began to glow. He moved it to his broken wrist and didn't wince as his body forced a recovery.
Sean nodded. "He's Akira's, isn't he?"
"Correct. Cyberdramon is the corrupted partner of Akira."
"I figured he had something to do with your family, Kiri. I just wasn't sure what. How did he end up like this?" Jonathan asked.
Norn stepped back and Kiri coughed weakly. She tried to speak, but convulsed. Relena, recognizing the problem, quickly placed her hand over her. "Stabilize," she murmured pleadingly. Kiri kept coughing; eyes squeezed shut in pain. Her body trembled and blurred.
Sean turned away, forcing himself to ignore it. "Cyberdramon was somehow separated from the others when the Demon Lords did what they did. We're guessing Ogudomon found him and corrupted him directly. That would explain why the spell is so strong."
Luca looked miserably at his cousin. "Why can't I do anything?" he mumbled, clenching his fists.
"Okay, so what's the request?"
Tomoe gave him a quiet, shy smile as she bowed low. "I want you to let me fight with you," she said softly. "Kudamon and I, we need to see this through to the end."
"You are aware my partner can't reach the Ultimate level, right?" Jonathan questioned. He looked down at Wormmon; his face said it all. Get ready.
Tomoe blinked confusedly. "What-What are you talking about?"
Kudamon sighed. "Idiot brat. She means we need to join your team."
"Oh," was all that Jonathan could say at first. He then regained his composure and nodded, saying: "Welcome to the team."
Tomoe smiled sadly. "We'll do our best then." As she spoke, Kiri abruptly vanished, Viximon left behind. Sean scowled, tightly clenching his fists. He shook, eyes shining darkly.
Relena glanced at Jonathan, Triesta having retreated to rest. "You should go," she said quietly. "Kiri will return soon and you're still injured. You escaped mostly okay but be careful."
Jonathan nodded his compliance and left the Ferro household, with Wormmon on his shoulder. Jack and Blair were waiting outside; their eyes widened and then quickly narrowed when they saw the state he was in. Jack muttered something about a hospital trip under his breath.
Sanako watched them go, Tomoe right behind her. "Tomoe-chan," she asked softly as they left. "Should I be worried?"
"Now yes," replied the little girl. "Later no. I will make sure it works out. For my father's sake, for his friends' sake, I'll make it all right."
…
You're lying!
Am I? The digimon chuckled cruelly. Leviamon spun himself around the boy. Davis closed his eyes, pointedly ignoring him. Then why do you deny it? If I lie why do I feel doubt in your heart?
I…
Poor Davis. You've been fighting all along in such a delusion. You are no hero, just a boy with a bit of luck. Your friends have been just humoring you.
You're wrong…
You know I am not, poor boy.
I… I…
Come with me. We'll take revenge on them. They treated you like nothing. You have the right to do the same.
No… I... I can't. I…
Don't you want to have power? Don't you want to take what rightfully belongs to you? I can help you. You will get what you deserve. It is certain.
They… they lied to me. They don't… need my help. They don't need my power. And I don't need theirs, do I? I am better than them. I can… destroy them, can't I?
Exactly.