Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ A Perfect Picture ❯ Deals and Talks ( Chapter 14 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the characters thus associated with it. I own only this storyline.

Author's Note: Thank you so much all my reviewers! I am so sorry that this took so long, but college started, and until hurricane Isabel decided to come through, I've had hours and hours of homework, plus my job, and I just didn't have time. Now I'm back, and hopefully I can update much, much more quickly now-like once a week. Anyhow, thanks to all those who have stuck with me so far. I love you guys! (and girls, of course)

Chapter Fourteen: Talks and Deals

Once the Digidestined landed in the Digital World, they realized they had a bit of problem. Sure they were in the same world as Daisuke and Ken, but they had no idea where exactly the two boys were. This left them with a few complications.

Takeru smirked and suggested that they simply wait to see what innocent digimon village was attacked next. Yamato shot a glare at his older brother that promised he wouldn't kill him, but still showed that a good bit of pain might be involved if he continued along that train of thought.

Suitably cowed, Takeru shut his mouth and waited for any other suggestions. When none were forth-coming, Taichi rolled his eyes. "It's not that tough to figure out, guys. We don't have to go to them, they'll come to us." When the others shot confused looks at him, he sighed exasperatedly and exclaimed, "He told you all to stay out of the Digital World! You didn't, and that's going to piss him off. He'll come to us, and then we'll do the talking. You guys stay out of it unless he speaks to you first, understood?"

The others nodded their grudging acceptance, and Taichi turned back around, just in time to be sent flying as an attack hit the ground about three feet in front of him. Sprawled on his backside, Taichi wasn't even aware of the next attack that sent a type of pollen settling over them, rendering them all unconscious.

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Yamato groaned as he opened his eyes, blinking as his eyes tried to adjust to the dim light coming into the cell. Glancing around, he noticed several other lumps strewn across the floor. Groaning and mumbling emerged from the twitching forms as they struggled to wakefulness.

"Ouch! What the heck happened?" whined a very familiar voice. Apparently Taichi was also awake, and not very happy about it. Sighing, Yamato stood up and walked over to the door of the cell, glancing out the barred window. To his surprise, a Veggiemon was staring right back at him.

Jumping back with a cry, the startled blonde regained his composure and moved back to the window. The Veggiemon was still there, staring at him, but now his mouth was twisted up in a grin as he chuckled at Yamato's reaction.

The blonde just scowled back at him, and asked waspishly, "Well? What's going on? Are we getting out of here any time soon?" The Veggiemon smiled back up at him and nodded. "Of course, I was simply waiting for you to wake up and ask, Master Yamato," he replied in a respectful tone.

The Bearer of Friendship blinked, then stated, "Oh." *Gee, aren't we articulate today* In an effort not to seem like a complete idiot, he latched on to the next topic that popped into his head. "Master Yamato?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow in silent inquiry.

"Daisuke-sama told us that we were to treat you all as we would him or Ken-kun. Since you have not yet given us permission to simply use your first name, we attach the title of `Master' to it."

"Oh," was all Yamato could think of to reply with. Boy, was he articulate or what. And he was a singer, for crying out loud! He was supposed to be good with words. Sighing, he just shook his head and turned back to the waiting digimon. "All right, whatever, you can use my first name"-here a chorus of "Mine too!" broke out behind him-"and I'd appreciate it if you'd let us out of here and bring us to Daisuke and Ken."

The Veggiemon nodded, pulling out a key ring and setting the lone key into the door, unlocking it and pulling it open for them. Once all the older Chosen had tumbled out, the Veggiemon turned away and began walking down the hallway, with them following.

As they were climbing the stairs, Taichi asked, "Where are the younger Chosen?" The Veggiemon just shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. Apparently, he didn't know and didn't particularly care. It looked like they'd have to get their answers from the new rulers.

Shortly thereafter, they found themselves in a large rectangular room, dominated by a table laden with food. Daisuke sat at the end of the table, with Ken on his right. Veemon was to Daisuke's left, and Wormmon was to Ken's right.

As they entered the hall, Daisuke and Ken both rose and greeted them. "Taichi, Yamato, Koushiro, Jyou, and digimon friends, welcome. I am truly sorry about your accommodations, but I did not think you'd appreciate waking up somewhere more comfortable………like a bed," Daisuke concluded.

Taichi started. "Why in the world do you think we wouldn't want to wake up on a bed instead of a dungeon. Whatever gave you that idea?"

Ken laughed and answered, "Because you're in the Kaiser's base, and you two know of our relationship. You would have been even more suspicious had you awoken in a random bedchamber than you were upon waking in a dungeon cell."

Taichi's eyes widened, then he flushed as the implications in that statement hit. Ken and Daisuke chuckled at the older boy's obvious discomfort, and the Kaiser beckoned towards the table. "Come, friends, and eat. Then we'll talk," he promised, stalling Yamato's next question."

The older generation of Digidestined gladly sat at the table, their digimon partners next to them, and proceeded to wolf down the food offered them. Ken and Daisuke ate at a more sedate pace, but their digimon partners joined in the chaos.

When they were finished, a troop of digimon came in and started clearing the tables, and Daisuke rose, leading the others out of the dining room and into his control room. He had requested enough chairs for the Chosen, and soft cushions for their small partners. Of course, they could always sit on the humans' laps, but if the Digidestined exploded, it would be best if they weren't knocked off their perches, and besides, the digimon simply looked ridiculous sitting in chairs meant for humans.

Once they were all seated, Daisuke sighed and started. "All right, guys, first of all, the others are fine. We woke up their digimon partners and had them bring them back to the Real World. We told them to stay away from here, and they didn't listen, so we forced them out. We also closed the gates and disabled their digivices again, so it'll be a while before they show back up-which they will, wondering if I've tortured you all or perhaps turned you into my evil minions," he murmured softly.

Straightening up, he continued, "Secondly, I told them that I didn't want to see them ever again until they understood completely what they've done, and I don't think they have. I'm sure than one of you, probably Yamato, figured out what was wrong and let them see it for themselves, but they still don't understand, not truly."

"Well, definitely not T.K.," he amended after a brief pause. "Hikari and Iori might have figured it out, but since they accompanied Takaishi, I sent them back too. Miyako doesn't understand either. But you," he stated, looking directly at Yamato, "you understand."

Yamato nodded in agreement. Indeed he did understand where the younger boy was coming from. After all, wasn't he the one who had tried to hurt Tai and delete his digimon partner because he felt that no one cared, and that Taichi was in truth his enemy? And Daisuke had even more reasons than him to despise the Digidestined. They truly did not consider him a friend, or a leader. They barely tolerated him, and then only because his digimon was the most powerful.

And yet, despite the fact that Daisuke had far more reason to rage against his `friends', he simply sent them back to the Real World, unharmed. Not only that, but he wasn't hurting these digimon. They served and helped him because they wanted to. There was no force involved.

"Why won't you let the others into the Digital World?" asked Jyou curiously. "After all, they are the Protectors of the world, just as you two are." Surprisingly, it was actually Taichi who answered.

"They just told us why. The other Chosen are still clueless. They don't all understand why Daisuke and Ken keep pushing them away-they blame it on Daemon by the way-and they will only keep trying to knock these two to the ground." The others looked at him and sighed. "Daisuke and Ken aren't truly doing anything wrong, and they're protecting the digimon here. Not to mention that they've practically united the entire Digital World, which is very nearly impossible. The others would try and stop them without looking at the whole picture."

Daisuke's eyes widened in surprise and appreciation as he nodded, agreeing with Taichi, and Ichijouji was hard-pressed to keep his own surprise from showing. Taichi had summed it all up rather nicely.

The other Chosen just stared at the Bearer of Courage, rolling Taichi's words over in their heads and trying to make sense of it, to see where he was coming from. Yamato, once again, was the first to catch on to the general idea, though he still wasn't sure. Hesitantly, he asked, "Does this mean that you would work with the Digidestined if it would protect the Digital World?"

Daisuke and Ken both nodded, and Ken spoke. "The Digidestined don't realize the advantages we have here. The digimon listen to us, to the point of attacking the other Chosen. If they'd stop to think, they'd realize that while we won't step down, we may be willing to form a truce-an alliance of sorts, if you will-with them."

Then Daisuke spoke up, staring at each of their predecessors in turn. "However, you must not tell them any of this conversation," he stated. "They need to figure it out on their own, and as long as they continue coming to the Digital World without understanding, we'll continue sending them back to the Real World."

The others nodded, and that pretty much concluded their meeting. Since it was only early evening of the same day they had arrived in the Digital World, they didn't worry about making up excuses for their absences for their parents, and just headed for home. They agreed to spend the night over at Yamato's place so that they could talk and sort through this. Since Yamato now had his own apartment, that worked out rather well-there would be no younger siblings or friends dropping by who might overhear them as they discussed the Kaiser and his consort.

All right, yes, I'm ending the chapter right there. So sorry. I'm hoping to update quicker now, though. Anyhow, please let me know what you think-am I getting worse? Better? The same? Constructive criticism is welcome, as always, but flames will be laughed at. After all, if you've read the previous 13 chapters, you should have no reason to flame me, right? Right. Anyhow, thanks everyone!