Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Donkey Madness ❯ Sincerity's Second Try ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Started: December 9, 2000
Finished: December 11, 2000

Part 9:
Sincerity's Second Try

"I am an undead digimon as well as a demon digimon." Uragirumon's eyes flared as he grinned toothily at the children. "Do you realize what that means?"

The Digidestined gathered close, Yolei Inoue speaking for all of them. "I could make a good guess. . ." She shuddered as the bones of the graveyard rattled and began to reshape themselves into horrible freaks of nature, reacting to the mere movement of Uragirumon's hands. "Waaahh!!"

"What kinda digimon are those?!" Davis gasped, taking a step back in horror.

"They're not digimon," replied Bullmon, tense as he sized up the nightmarish creatures. "Digimon don't look like that." Broken-jawed, limping masses of bone came at the small group in ragged lines, noisily stepping over other bones.

"So what are they?!" demanded T.K., staggering backwards with Kari as they both held onto Ken. "How do we fight them??"

Cody already knew, looking at Ken's digimon firmly. "Bullmon, can you take them?" he queried.

The digimon glanced at the youngest of the Digidestined, then nodded. "Matador Dash!" Bullmon tore at the enemy line, stabbing the fleshless monsters with his golden horns and tossing them into the air. He continued his process for awhile, adding his Tail Whip attack for good measure.

"It's no good!" Kari shouted, burgundy-colored eyes wide as more creatures arose at Uragirumon's command. "There's just too many of them!"

"Bullmon can't beat them; we need a different Digimental opened," Davis hissed. He looked crossly at the unconscious Ken. "Man, you just had to choose now to take a nap, didn't you, Ken?"

T.K. shook the Digimon Emperor roughly, sighing when he received no reaction. Cody neared slowly, looking up at his friends. "There's an ancient technique that I learned from Grandfather that would work in this situation," he stated.

"Well, let's at it then, Cody!" Davis prodded the boy to work his magic, T.K. and Kari bending over slightly to allow the nine-year old to reach Ken. Cody's small hands worked deftly, one used to balanced himself on Ken's shoulder and the other used to pinch the older boy's nose closed. It didn't take long for Ken to start twitching, his eyes flickering open as he fell into a coughing fit from the semi-suffocation.

"What the heck . . . are you . . . trying to do?!" Ken's sunglasses slipped from where they were perched, dangling down and revealing his eyes for the first time since morning. They shimmered a dark blue, specks of white still visible where there shouldn't have been any. "Are you trying to kill me!?"

"No, although Uragirumon might say different," Cody responded, backing away and calmly looking at the blue-haired emperor. "Bullmon can't handle this fight, Ken. You need to open another Digimental!" The brown-haired child pulled out his D-terminal, holding it out to his former enemy.

"Yeah! Ken, you can kick all their butts!" Davis also held his D-terminal out to the boy.

Kari and T.K. released Ken to stand alone as Yolei held out her own D-terminal. "I'm not sure just how much help Nohemon can be, Ken, but I'm pitching in my own resources, too." Her face was firm with determination.

Ken stared in wonder at the three Digidestined, slowly taking all three computers. ". . . We're going to get through this." He gave the children a determined look, turning to Bullmon. "Bullmon, pull back and de-digivolve!"

Bullmon moved back, light engulfing him as he reverted back to his Rookie form. Wormmon warily eyeing the approaching zombies. "Ken-chan, now what?"

Split-second decisions, Ichijouji, thought Ken, shuffling through the computers quickly. You weren't called a genius for nothing. . . He made his decision and thrust his Black Digivice out. "Digi-Armor, energize!" A familiar Digimental appeared in the air and Wormmon nodded.

"Wormmon Armor Digivolve to . . . Searchmon, the earth's insight!"

The Digidestined backed away as the huge insect barreled over a few of the creatures, Ken holding his ground as he called out to his digimon. "Searchmon, you know what to do!"

"Status Busy!"

As a visible wave of energy was emitted from Searchmon's sonar, the children watched as the misshapen creatures fell apart and once again became part of the graveyard. Ken smirked, unveiled eyes boring into Uragirumon. "You're next!" he growled. "Searchmon, now!"

"Jamming Hertz!"

Bright yellow electricity streaked across the ground at Searchmon's cry, heading straight for the Game Lord. Uragirumon looked completely unconcerned, leaping out of harm's way and perching on a darkened ledge that protruded from the wall. "I will admit that Searchmon is powerful, emperor," he said nonchalantly, examining his fingers as he spoke, "but I can't be beaten by a bug." To prove his point, the digimon stood to his full height and pulled half a dozen blades from his skin with remarkable ease. "Wailing Arc!"

Terrible screaming filled the air as Uragirumon threw the blades, the Digidestined covering their ears in pain at the sound. They screamed along with Searchmon, who was unable to move as the knives pierced his armor. Another arc soon followed, battering the poor digimon until he was ready to keel over.
All of the kids were on their knees from the horrible shrieking of the attack, Ken shuddering as he watched Searchmon begin to glow. A moment later, a bruised and bloodied Wormmon lay where the huge silver-armored digimon had previously been.

"Wormmon!" Startled by the condition of the small digimon, Ken reached and wrapped his arms protectively around Wormmon. He glared at Uragirumon hatefully, feeling something for his digimon other than hate or disgust.

"I'm sorry, Ken-chan. . ." Wormmon winced and breathed heavily, his antennae sagging slightly. "He's so strong. . ."

For the first time in two years, Ken hugged the caterpillar digimon. He was careful to not aggravate Wormmon's fresh wounds. "Don't be sorry; it's my fault that I can't open the other Digimentals."

Wormmon stared up at his master with wide blue eyes. "Y-- you're not mad, Ken-chan?" he sputtered.

"You're trying your hardest; how can I be mad about that?" Ken sighed. ". . . But we're all going to die if we can't defeat him. Can you digivolve again?"

Tears began to well up in Wormmon's eyes unbidden. He nodded as firmly as he could, blinking the tears back. "For you, Ken-chan, I would do anything."

Ken nodded and smiled slightly, setting the digimon down and pulling out one of the D-terminals. He didn't even have to look at which one it was; part of him already knew. "Digi-Armor, energize!" Once again, the D-terminal flipped open and shot energy to his digivice, a Digimental appearing in the air.

"Wormmon Armor Digivolve to . . . Nohemon, the archer of honesty!"

Uragirumon arched a thin brow at the sight of the gangly, scarecrow-like digimon, pushing back his cloak as his eyes narrowed. "What is this?" he queried. "Have you forgotten our previous battle, little emperor?"

"What's there to remember?" Ken replied smoothly, smirking. "You dodged a single attack. Big accomplishment."

"Your sincerity is so weak in comparison to your other traits. . ." Uragirumon looked suspiciously at the Digimon Emperor, unable to stop staring at his smirk. What is he up to. . .? What does he know that I don't. . .?

Davis and the others were also unable to believe Ken's sudden confidence. "What's going on, Ken?" asked T.K., stepping to the dark-haired boy.

". . . Just watch; you'll see," Ken replied enigmatically, his eyes bright with suppressed certainty. He jerked a hand up. "Now!"

The crow on the scarecrow-digimon's head cawed as an arrow was strung. "William Arrow!" A sharp twang rang through the air as the shining arrow left the bow, several others following shortly thereafter.

"What kind of attack is this?!" taunted Uragirumon, dodging each arrow with ease. He barely moved from his spot. "Your digimon can't aim, emperor!"

"Oh really?" Ken chuckled, that clever gleam not leaving his eyes. "You might want to look again, Uragirumon!"

Uragirumon frowned, amber eyes slitting as he tried to move forward. His slitted eyes immediately widened, and he twisted his head to see the arrows embedded in the wall behind him . . . and pinning his cloak down. "What the--?!"

Ken laughed in triumph, his raised hand forming a fist. "Nohemon, go!!"

Again the black crow called, leaping from the puppet's head and taking to the air in response to Ken's shout. The Digidestined watched in soundless astonishment as the crow sped at Uragirumon, shrieking at the top of its lungs.

"Derision Crow!!"

Uragirumon let out a strangled gasp as Nohemon lighted on his head, trying to claw off the small digimon with his bladed hands. Nohemon cawed loudly, a bright fire being emitted from him as the children watched on. The Game Lord screamed in agony as he was burned through, still clawing desperately at his enemy. The black bird took the attacks with little complaint, a huge explosion engulfing the ledge Uragirumon had been standing on . . . as well as its two occupants.

"Oh, my--" All of the kids hid their eyes from the bright explosion, small fragments of rock raining down on them. When they opened their eyes, they could see a black digimon flapping through the clouded room, perching on the scarecrow's head.

Ken smiled and approached the digimon and its puppet. "Great job, Nohemon," he commented.

The crow appeared to smile, bright blue eyes shining as it bobbed its head up and down. "Thank you, Ken-chan."

Davis scratched his head with his good arm in confusion as he approached Ken and his digimon. "Uh . . . what just happened here? I thought he--" the boy pointed at the scarecrow "-- was Nohemon!"

The Digimon Emperor chuckled as he fixed his sunglasses on his face once again. "That's what you're supposed to think," he replied. He pointed up at the bird on the scarecrow's head. "Nohemon is actually a bird digimon that can manipulate bigger objects. This scarecrow is just a puppet; the real power lies in the smaller of the duo." He smirked proudly. "That's why the Sincerity Digimental seemed so weak; I was using only half of the power at my disposal."

". . . Talk about weird. . .," muttered Yolei, smiling wryly.

"My congratulations, Digimon Emperor," came the now-familiar voice of Makusumon. "You are the first to beat one of us."

"Aren't you in the least bit angry that he just wiped out Uragirumon?" queried Kari, unable to keep the frown from her face.

"His demise was inevitable; why should I be angry about that?" Makusumon's voice never once changed from its monotone. "You have proven to be stronger than we originally expected, Ken Ichijouji."

Ken had traded his smirk for a frown long before Makusumon's last remark. "Should I be flattered?" he asked sarcastically.

"Hardly." There was dead silence for a full minute. "Your prize for this level is the Golden Scepter."

". . . What. . .?" The children blinked at each other, then allowed Davis to voice their shared question. "We're not done with the level yet!"

"Beta Level has no puzzle room; Uragirumon's trial in the maze replaced it. You Digidestined should be happy, since you are one more step closer to freedom." A long, gleaming scepter appeared in midair, glowing softly as Ken grabbed it. "The Golden Scepter is for the Digidestined of Knowledge." The Digidestined looked at Cody, who blinked in surprise as Ken handed the object to him.

"What are these things for exactly?" queried T.K., his eyes not leaving the new treasure bestowed on them. "Why are we getting them?"

"Your question will be answered when the time is right, and not by me," replied Makusumon. "You will understand everything in the future. I give you my word."

When the Game Lord did not speak again, the Digidestined decided that they were, once again, alone. Nohemon de-digivolved back into Wormmon, who was immediately picked up by Ken. No one complained; it was surprising enough that the emperor was actually caring about the wounded.

Kari pointed off to a dark passage that had appeared in the wall closest to them. "That must be the exit. We should get going."

"No kidding," agreed Yolei. She shivered as she looked at the bones and fragments of stone from the ledge on the wall. "I'm never gonna look at a graveyard the same way again. . ."

The Digidestined walked out of the danger zone wearily, Ken trailing behind. Wormmon blinked tiredly at his friend, pressing against his chest to get his attention. "Ken-chan, what's wrong?"

Ken didn't answer, instead kneeling down and picking up a ragged piece of cloth that stood out against the grimy bones of the danger zone. He rubbed at the blackened material, barely making out the original green color behind all the burnt areas and ash. Before his eyes, the remnants of Uragirumon's cloak dissolved into bits of data and disappeared.

"Ken-chan?"

". . . It's nothing, Wormmon. Let's go." Ken gave the digimon a comforting smile as he walked after the Digidestined. Wormmon met Ken's gaze for a moment, then allowed it to wander back to the cloak that no longer existed.

In a strange way, I feel obligated to thank you in some way, Uragirumon.
Because of you, Ken-chan's been worried about and proud of me. . . This is the first time in two years. . . It took the likes of a digimon such as yourself to break through that shell of his. He's on his way to becoming the old Ken-chan. The Ken-chan that hugged me and played with me. The Ken-chan that never once tried to hurt me.
. . . I think I've got my best friend back because of you.
So . . . thank you.



Uh . . . that was odd.
Wormmon -- I don't know . . . that ending was actually kinda nice.
It was about you, Wormmon; of course you'd say that.
Wormmon -- The rest of the chapter also had some merit.
Neeee. . . *sweatdrops* I'm receiving criticism from my co-muse! What's wrong with this picture?!
Wormmon -- You're receiving criticism from your co-muse. That's what's wrong. Ken-chan should be here, not me!
*huggles the digimon* Can't I have both of you!? You're so sweet and cute and huggable; Ken's all those things, too, but a little less so with that last one.
Wormmon -- You mean huggable?
. . . You're so much easier to hug to death! *grins*
Wormmon -- . . . . . Eh, lucky me. . . *sweatdrops*

Well, what's in store for the Digidestined now? Beta Level has been completed and the third is yet to come. . .