Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Digimon Dark Journey v2 ❯ Reunion Blues ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2 Reunion Blues

//Notes: For this fic, I have made the decision that I will consider the Trailmon movie as some combination of non-canon and not yet occurred. This is because of the release of the Audio Drama by the original writer/director of digimon Tamers, which considers the Trailmon movie non-canon. I have chosen to take the continuity path presented by The original writer.

I should also note that if anyone can give me either a copy of the translation or a link to it, I would greatly appreciate it. Thankyou, and enjoy the Chapter.

As always, digimon the franchise and the majority of characters and digimon presented herein are copyrights of .

I do not own digimon.

Christina is an original character.

Reviews are appreciated, encouraged, and welcomed. I am happy to hear what you think of my story. If you have suggestions, criticisms, notice a plot hole, etc, please tell me. I'm all ears. I should also like to thank “ “ for informing me of Defense Plug-in F, a card I was unaware of when I wrote the first version of this story. I have given his information a nod in the story. Thank you!

//Start

Takato walked slowly to the park. He was meeting his friends at the fountains, and he was nearly there. He looked up as Henry shouted hello to him. Rika was already there. He smiled and waved back, and picked up his pace.

“Hey Rika, Hi Henry. So I guess we're the first one's here?” he said.

Rika took it as an invitation to be snarky. “Wow Gogglehead, you figured it out.” There was, snark not withstanding, great warmth in her voice.

“The other's will be here in a minute or two. Ya know what though? It's been ages since the last time it was just us three… even for just a few minutes. Kinda… nostalgic.”

“Yeah…” replied Rika, a faroff look in her eyes.

Takato nodded in his own agreement, was distracted by the cloud blocking out the sun, casting the 4 of them into shadow. Wait… 4? And wasn't it a cloudless day?

A red haze descended around them, obscuring a tall and strange figure from proper view. It was holding something long in its hand. There was a hiss. Only Takato was looking in the right direction to see it raise its… whatever that was and point it at Rika.

“Rika! Watch out!” he shouted as he dove at her, knocking her to the ground. He felt something hot and painful graze his back.

“Takato!” shouted Henry. “Hi-yah!” echoed somewhere in Takato's mind, and then there was a sudden burst of supremely intense light.

“Diamond Storm!” and “Pyro Sphere!” broke through his haze for a moment before it all went dark for him.

Meanwhile, 3 humans and 3 digimon were falling from the sky through a cloud of red mist, that became dark and black.

Rika shook herself and rubbed her head as she sat up and looked around. They were in the middle of some kind of valley, with mountains on all sides of them. There were a couple of trees nearby, but mostly, they were in the open. She was in the middle of a crater, much like when she first landed in the digital world. There were 3 more craters, and Guilmon's voice was coming from one of them.

“Takato, wake up! Takato!” he sounded frantic. Rika clambered out of her crater and dashed to Takato's crater. He was facedown, and his back was burned badly.

“Oh no, Takato!” She rushed down next to Guilmon and checked to see if Takato was still alive. He was, but he was burning up.

“Rika! We have to move! It's not safe here in the open.”

“Renamon, how did you three get here? Terriermon, are you alright?” asked Henry. He checked his partner, who had already claimed his accustomed place on Henry's shoulder.

Renamon said nothing for a moment. “I don't know. We appeared in the digital field next to you, and then attacked whatever was in there. Then we were falling. We were not even all in the same location in the digital world, yet we still ended up in the same place. Most curious. Rika, is Takato alright?” Renamon asked, turning her attention to Rika and Takato.

“No. Whatever hit him, it did more than just burn him I think. Henry, help me get his shirt off. We need to wrap this…”

Renamon stopped Henry and stepped down and picked up Takato carefully. “First we must get somewhere less exposed. I will not lose you when I have just found you.”

“That is a wise decision, Renamon.” A young girl had appeared from behind a pair of nearby trees. She smiled as the others did a 180 to face her.

“Who are you?” Asked Henry, as the two digimon not carrying Takato stepped to the front, ready for a fight.

“I won't say “friend,” but perhaps we could settle for the idea that I am not your enemy.” She was raven haired, and decidedly not Asian. Her eyes were difficult to see clearly in the dark mists that wrapped around them. She wore military fatigue pants, a camo pattern cap, and a dark green vest over a long sleeved turtleneck sweater, black. “My name is Christina Cortez.”

A digimon ghosted into view behind her. He was a dinosaur type dressed in body armor holding an assault rifle. “Ma'am! The area is not secured!”

“It's alright Commandramon, we haven't got time,” Christina said as she waved him down and kept approaching. Neither Terriermon nor Guilmon stood down.

“Come any closer and I'll blast you,” growled Guilmon.

“Yeah! We aren't afraid to get dangerous lady, so just stop where you are!” added Terriermon.

“Terriermon!” scolded Henry ineffectively. He sighed and looked at the girl. “What's going on? You look like you were waiting for us.” He wanted to be cautious, but Takato needed help, and she hadn't done anything hostile yet.

“I was. I'm Digidestined. We need your help. We never thought you'd be attacked before you even got here. I'm sorry for that.” The sorrow in her voice was actually audible. “Please, let me have a look. I think I know what hit him. I can help. Commandramon, give me the ointment and then alert Majiramon. We need to book it out of here quickly.”

The Commandramon saluted and faded from view as quickly as he had appeared. She turned back to the 3 tamers and their 3 digimon. “May I approach?” She blinked when she realized Renamon had disappeared. “Oh dear. If you can, warn her than Majiramon is the Dragon Deva and does not appreciate surprises. I would rather not have a fight start and draw even more attention from the Demon Lords… please?” she looked at Henry and Rika, pleadingly. The please did sound a bit forced though. “I just want to help you. This is all our fault, I'd just like to do a little bit to help fix it.”

“Renamon, don't attack anything… yet.” Rika was still looking at Christina suspiciously. “If you make it worse…”

“I know. This will help slow the spread of the virus. Then we need to wrap him up tight and get out of here. Majiramon is waiting to fly us to a safer location.” She knelt down and began spreading the ointment she had in a bottle onto Takato's back. The redness went down immediately.

“Why are you working with a Deva? And I thought they were all destroyed… except Antilamon.”

“They were. This is the digital equivalent of Hell. Evil and damaged digimon go here when they die, when their data isn't absorbed and reused. Majiramon's remaining data was sent here after he was destroyed by a Cyberdramon. That much he remembers. He absorbed enough data to repair himself when he arrived, but except for his calculated greed, his rage over the incident, indeed, his “evil” behavior is pretty much gone. Truthfully, from what we pieced together, he wasn't even evil to begin with. His data was damaged too greatly for repair in his fight with that Cyberdramon I guess, so he wound up here.” She paused to examine her work, and nodded. Then she grabbed Takato's shirt and Jacket and began using it to wrap his back. “That should do it. So who carries him?”

She looked at Rika and Henry, and then said, “Both of you. And that leaves your digimon free to keep their eyes on me and our surroundings. We need to go.”

“Alright. Terriermon, you watch her. Guilmon?” Henry asked as he moved to pick up Takato. Rika helped.

“I will watch all of you,” he said. Then he paused and sniffed the air. His eyes took on that familiar feral look. “Something is coming.”

“Oh joy,” muttered Christina sarcastically. “Let's go you two. We've got no time left.” She spoke into her watch, saying, “Commandramon, bring Majiramon around, we need to get over those mountains now and lose any pursuit. We're too under strength to risk a fight. And we're in Nightmare soldier territory. You know that means digimon, not Servants.”

Commandramon's voice came out of the watch. “Yes Ma'am. On our way.”

Soon, a whistling rose in the air. Then a very large green and mustached dragon came into view. He had 6 legs and wore a vest. He settled next to them and rumbled “Get on already. That'll be an extra 2000 yuan for the fast pickup… not that you ever pay me,” he grumbled. The Tamers were momentarily stunned, and paused.

Christina yelled at them, “Hurry UP!” in as low a yell as she could manage. They snapped out of it and, warily, got on with Renamon's help. Once everyone was one, Majiramon rose slightly off the ground, and then shot forward towards the edge of the valley and the mountains beyond.

Soon, it appeared they had not been pursued as they passed into the shadows of the mountains. Christina let out a sigh of relief. It was then Majiramon decided to speak up again. “I remember you, young one. You fought against me. Tell me, did you defeat my Sovereign?” He said it like he knew the answer.

Terriermon started to say something to the effect of, “Yes we kicked his sorry firebird butt!” but was smothered by Henry, who simply said, “No, but we didn't lose either.”

Majiramon let out a “Humph,” and fell silent. “So you are not a braggart. Well, I have no desire to be your enemy here, for there are greater and more worrisome enemies. I shall hold off requesting repayment for my death until we are free of this world and the greater enemy is defeated. Perhaps in that time I will decide I like you.”

Henry blinked. “Um… thankyou?”

“Why should we repay you for destroying you?” asked Rika irritably. “You Devas attack us and stole Calumon.”

Christine jumped into the conversation before Majiramon could respond. “Not now, please, while the nice Majiramon is providing us a ride to safety and we are on his back?”

Rika huffed and fell silent. Everyone fell silent at that point. It wasn't long before they left the mountains behind and entered a sort of river valley full of trees and water.

As they entered the valley, there was an explosion off to their left. “They found us! Commandramon, Digivolve!” In his place appeared an armored figure, but it was gone in a moment, off the side and into the trees. “Majiramon, get us some altitude!”

“Why are we climbing?” asked Henry, looking around. “They're all over the sky!”

“And if we stay on the ground, they'll just bombard us from on high! Besides, Majiramon has more fun in the air,” responded Tina.

“Henry, we should Digivolve!” Rika said.

“Not yet! Majiramon, add 540,000 yuan to my tab please!” she shouted to the dragon digimon.

“As you wish. Hold on tight, younglings. I haven't used this attack in years!” Majiramon began a very steep climb, moving much faster than the gathered Flymon, Kuwagamon, and Devidramon. He soared above them, and smiled. “Thousand Arrows!” there was a bright flash, and a thousand arrows flew downwards upon the assembled digimon. Very few survived. Majiramon hadn't even been scratched.

He dropped down as a blurred shadow began attacking the remaining enemy digimon, who soon fled the valley for fear of facing a foe beyond their power.

Tina looked around, and waited for her digimon to suddenly reappear on Majiramon's back. “They are coming back, Ma'am, but I have eliminated the remaining forces in the valley. We are momentarily beyond their sight.”

She nodded. “We're getting off. Majiramon, can you handle providing a distraction and meeting us at the cave later?” He humphed as they leapt off. Then he soared into the sky and roared.

“I'm sick of waiting around… Renamon, Digivolve and we'll take care of Takato and get out of here quickly. Renamon, Bio-merge!”

There was a flash and then, “Bio-Merge failed.” The two tamers went through all their available digivolutions, while Tina sat down and sighed to wait it out.

“What's going on? Why can't we Digivolve?”

“I was afraid of this. The Dark Area is designed to prevent all digivolution. It can be overcome, but it may be a while before you can do so.”

Rika looked annoyed, and then dug through all the cards she had on her. At which point she lost her cool. “I don't have it! Defense Plug-In F! I always carry that card, it would override the field effects instantly…”

Henry dug through his own cards and couldn't find anything. Neither felt it was the time to go digging through Takato's cards when he was still hurt. Rika especially… she was still hiding the feeling inside that it was her fault Takato was hurt. He HAD shoved her out of the way of that beam. If she'd been paying attention, she should have dodged that.

Henry was more occupied with the strangeness of the situation. Somewhere called the Dark Area, a girl who claims to be their ally and also says it is her fault they were here. She had a digimon. She was working with a Deva… even if he didn't seem as bad as some of the others. And there was the fact they'd fallen under attack before they even arrived.

“Henry?” asked Terriermon, reading his mood.

“Hmmm?” he said, looking up at the digimon on his head as they set off, now that all their attempts to Digivolve had failed. “I'm just thinking about how this whole thing,”

“Stinks?” finished Terriermon for him.

“Yeah, I suppose you could call it that,” responded Henry, chuckling.

“Well I don't like it either. It does stink. Why are we still following this girl?” he asked.

Christina twitched, proving she had overheard. Henry sighed. “Tact, Terriermon, Tact. I thought we discussed that? Anyways, we're following her because she hasn't attacked us, and she seems to be the only person who knows what's going on. Plus she's human and a Tamer. That ought to count for something.”

“We're almost there. See up there, among the cliffs?” she pointed toward a towering set of cliffs. “The entrance is up there.” A small trail could be seen at the base of the cliff.

“We have to climb up a cliff?” asked Terriermon.

“No! That would be stupid. It's hidden at the base of the cliff, which is slightly less stupid. The trail is intentionally misleading.”

A great “Oh,” of understanding went round the assembled. “We'll be there soon as then I can explain some of what's going on.” It didn't take them all that long to reach the entrance to the so called “cave.”

However, they failed to notice a small shadow detach itself from the shadows and dart away. A shadow with what some might have called eyes in its palms, dressed in cartoony fashion. Sadly, nobody of any importance saw it leave.

There was another event that the 3 tamers and their new allies missed, back at the location they arrived at. At the other end of the valley, a pair slowly floated to earth. Ryo looked at his partner. “They left without us. Damn. I think we should go after them.”

“I fought him before… why are they working with him now?” asked Cyberdramon.

“I'm not sure, come on, we've gotta see what this is all about.” The pair began slowly traipsing their way through the valley when a shadow flew out of the sky and attacked.

“Feather Flare!” shouted Karatenmon as he struck at the intruders. The others had escaped, for now, but he would not fail his master Astamon by letting these get away.

Cyberdramon dodged the furious rain of deadly feathers. “Desolation claw!” responded Cyberdramon, but Karatenmon dodged and scored a blow with his Swords, using his Harmony Swords ability.

Ryo decided to preempt further danger. “Digi-modify! Defense Plug-in F Activate! Bio-Merge, Activate!” Karatenmon paled when he found himself looking at Justimon. Of course, that was about all he had time for. Justimon's “Justice Burst” vaporized him almost immediately. Ryo then cancelled the bio-merge and switched on the tracker on his D-power.

It was going to be a long day, he thought.

Meanwhile, supposedly safe in the brightly lit cavern, with Takato treated, resting, and recovering, watched over by Rika and Guilmon, Christina sat across from the Tamers and their digimon. Commandramon stood behind her, watching warily.

“So, you are one of the very first digi-destined? You precede Tai, Matt, and the rest of the 8?” asked Henry. He had watched the original television show, but his primary interest had lane in the videogames and cards.

“That's correct. It probably seems strange that the show itself was as real as the digimon upon which the cards were based, but it, or the events that unconsciously inspired it, certainly were real. We, however, came before even that. I cannot say for certain which digital world, or even which human world, we are actually from. We may not be from ANY of them… but I don't have time to worry about that. As I explained, the Demon Lords are planning something. Rejoining the fragmented Dark Area is just the first step. Problem is, we don't know what the plan is after that. If the fragments finish coming together, worlds will end, but while that might destroy opposition, there won't be much left to rule.” She paused both to consider and to let things sink it a little.

“Alright, you all look tired. How about we get some sleep? It's almost nightfall.” This was agreed to, although both Commandramon and Renamon remained awake. Christina handed out blankets and went to sleep on the other side of the fire, which was slowly dying. Henry slept against the cavern wall with Terriermon atop his chest. Terriermon snored softly.

Rika at first slept badly, and so she got up to check on Takato. Guilmon was already asleep curled up against his Tamer. Takato was running a light fever again and mumbling in his sleep. She frowned and laid a hand on him. He settled a little. Rika stayed until she fell asleep herself to the sound of her own name, “Rika.” She would be embarrassed in the morning to find herself asleep next to Takato, doubtlessly.

For Takato's part his dreams were not pleasant, and often involved pain and suffering for both him and his friends. There were moments were it was better, and no moment of particular monstrosity. In the morning, he would remember only one piece of the dream, and that only vaguely. In it, he was fleeing from something down a long corridor. There was a door at the other end. It wouldn't open, and the thing was getting closer. Then, just as it was about to catch him, the door opened, and he stumbled into sunlight. He blinked. Standing several feet away from him, in a blue dress, was Rika. “Wow. You look beautiful, Rika.” She smiled as the cherry blossoms blew in the wind.

Meanwhile, in a small castle many miles to the west, a small being shuffled into the audience chamber of a small castle with a large grin upon his face. Seated upon a large chair was Astamon, a powerful lord of the Dark Area. Astamon smiled, and his smile was most terrifying.

“Ah, Dracmon, welcome back,” said the Demon. “I have just sent your brother and Shadowweregarurumon off to rectify Karatenmon's mistake. It seems there was a straggler to this tiny invasion force. I sent Karatenmon to investigate the area. He was there at the same time your forces were engaging Majiramon. There was a power spike and a mighty digimon destroyed him.” Astamon paused to sip from his chalice. “I suspect it was a Mega. Now then, what have you to say?” He gave Dracmon a piercing look.

“I have located their base of operations. They are using the old outposts. I left Boogeymon as lookout, to see that they do not slip away while I am gone. Majiramon, as expected, continues to evade our forces.” Dracmon bowed low and waited for Astamon to reply.

It was some moments before he did. He took a sip of something from his chalice, thinking. Then he said, “Hmph. The Dragon is of no consequence. We will destroy him at our leisure once the children are dealt with. Take the Ogremon Brothers, a squadron of Flymon, and MetalTyrannomon, and lay an ambush. Use your full power, and destroy all their digimon. Leave the humans alive, I will have use for them. Especially if it is she, as Lord Barbamon has anticipated. She will be a prize beyond all prizes at this early stage. Go.”

Dracmon bowed again, and scurried away, his devious mind already planning great mischief and mayhem and destruction for the foolish Digi-destined children. Oh what a glorious day it would be.