Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ London Diaries - Journey into Adventure ❯ The Christmas Decision ( Chapter 4 )

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

London Diaries - Journey into Adventure

Entry 4 - The Christmas Decision

By: Lord Archive

The concept of Digimon is copy write of Toei Animation Inc. and Akiyoshi Hongo. The characters in this story, however, are the property of Lord Archive.

---------------------

After spending a few days in the Digital World, seven children from a sleepy suburb of London have returned home. However, they are each faced with a decision of whether to stay safe at home or go to the Digital World and fight against Lady Devimon's evolved form.

---------------------

To seven families, Christmas morning was something truly special. After losing their sons and daughters for a few days only to find them as if they had never left was an answer to all their prayers. It was a truly joyous celebration for all of them.

---------------------

"It was really neat how Modoki Betamon and Kokuwamon combined their salt water and electricity attacks into an explosive blast that blew off Lynxmon's head!" Melissa elated, but then frowned. "Though I wish I didn't have to kill him. But he was a bad digimon that wanted to hurt me." She smiled again. "My plan was neat!"

Mr. Pilot frowned at his daughter. He wondered if he had been right to take her off her medication for her mood disorder. The drugs the doctors had given his lively daughter had left her a zombie incapable of experiencing emotions, which, in his opinion, had been worst than the 'disease.' Now he wondered if his beloved daughter's already fragile mind had gone insane at what she had gone through and created this fantasy to cover up her trauma.

---------------------

"You're all going back tonight?" Officer Mason questioned.

"Most of us, at least." Freddy shrugged. "I doubt that royal twit, Susan, will come back. It'd mess up her dress," he said the last part in a mocking, girlish tone.

Officer Mason appraised his son. While the boy preferred to dress like a punk, as he was currently wearing his favorite outfit of torn jeans and T-shirt, Freddy was not one to lie or cause trouble. He also displayed a lot of knowledge on Susan and Melissa, who he should not know. They could've been held together somewhere, but that didn't answer how all the kids returned home and why there were no real injuries or trauma on the children that had been checked. There was only one likely conclusion the officer could figure out, that his son was telling the truth even though it seemed unbelievable.

Officer Mason sighed. "I'm going to have a lot of trouble tomorrow dealing with the other parents when their kids disappear again."

"Can't be helped," Freddy replied.

"I will be going with you to see that portal," Officer Mason said firmly.

Freddy shrugged. "Figured you would."

---------------------

Teressa was surprised to see all of the children that went to the Digital World at Christmas mass. The only one she remembered seeing at Church regularly was Freddy. Though, she hadn't exactly looked for them here before, either.

Teressa guessed the lax Protestants came to mass because it was Christmas and their prayers had been answered with the return of their children. She expected that they would be returning to Church more often after their kids left again.

But did she want to leave? Jijimon asked her and the others to commit murder, to kill Lady Devimon. Could she possibly do that? While many of God's rules changed over the course of the past couple thousand years, killing someone had always been one of the greatest of sins.

When mass concluded, Teressa turned toward her mother. "Can I talk to Father Bass alone?"

"He might not be able to, Dear, but you can if he has the time," Mrs. Marshall replied.

Teressa nodded. "I'll walk home after I'm done talking to him."

Mrs. Marshall frowned. "No. We'll wait for you here."

"If you say so." Teressa sighed and went to where the pastor of the Church was thanking people for coming to mass today. She waited for a while until most of the people had left before approaching him.

"Ah, Teressa. It's so good to see you again," Father Bass greeted with a warm smile. "You gave us such a scare when you disappeared."

Teressa nodded shyly. "Father, can I talk to you in private?"

Father Bass frowned slightly. "Of course, Dear."

Teressa let herself be guided into the Church's antechamber where the priest would change prior to mass.

"What is it that you wish to talk about?" Father Bass prompted.

"Father... I don't know how to say this." Teressa sighed. "I'm faced with a question I don't know how to answer."

"What is the question?" Father Bass asked.

"While I... was gone, I was asked to do something. I can choose to stay home, but if I don't go back... terrible things could happen to innocents," Teressa replied.

Father Bass's eyes widened. "You're being threatened?!"

Teressa shook her head fiercely. "No! Nothing like that! It's just there's this really bad devil out there who will hurt others to get what she wants. I was called to help stop her, but I failed. I'll have to go back and face her again, but..."

"You were called to fight a devil?" Father Bass asked skeptically.

Teressa nodded. "All the kids that went missing were pulled into another dimension to fight this devil. We were told only we could stop her. We'll have to go back and face her... to kill her."

Father Bass was well aware of Biblical stories dealing with people being chosen to confront the forces of darkness. But to have little Teressa say she was one of them?! He didn't know if he should believe her, but this girl had an unusual amount of faith in the Church for one so young. He had never heard a lie pass this girl's lips and her words held the conviction of truth. If anyone would be called to such a destiny, it would be her.

Of the other children that had gone missing, he only really knew Freddy. Despite the boy's appearance, Father Bass knew the boy to have a good heart. That he would be asked to slay a devil actually wasn't hard for the priest to imagine.

Father Bass held her hands in his own. "If God has chosen you for this task, I'm afraid you must accept it."

"But isn't it wrong to kill?" Teressa questioned.

"There are times where killing someone is the right thing to do," Father Bass told her sadly. "Sometimes in order to save lives you have to take a life. God will forgive you as long as you believe in Him and do what you feel is right."

"Thank you, Father." Teressa hugged the priest tightly, her mind awhirl with his words.

Father Bass smiled gently at the girl as he wrapped his arms around her in a light, comforting embrace.

---------------------

"Hey, Henry!" called out a middle-aged man as he entered the Smiths' home. "You're really home!"

"Sure am, Mr. Miller," Henry replied.

"What happened to you?" Mr. Miller questioned. "Why did you leave?"

Henry frowned. "It wasn't my choice to leave. I can't really explain what happened. Just I ended up somewhere else and it took me a few days to find my way home."

"Were you with the other missing children?" Mr. Miller asked. "Do you know if they made it home too?"

"Yeah. I was with them and they should be home," Henry answered.

"That's enough talk about that," Mrs. Smith admonished when she entered the room from the kitchen. "Henry is home and that's all that matters. I'll have Christmas brunch ready in a moment." She then returned to her cooking.

"If you say so, Beth," Mr. Miller replied.

"Mr. Miller," Henry whispered. "Mom's going to need you for the next few weeks."

Mr. Miller blinked. "Why do you say that?"

"I have to leave again, but I will be back." Henry sighed. "And you know how lonely Mom has been since my Dad died."

"Why do you have to leave?" Mr. Miller asked in a harsh whisper. "Do you know how badly your mother freaked when you disappeared?"

Henry frowned. "I'm sorry, but I have a responsibility. I can't explain it as you wouldn't believe it."

"Are the ones who kidnapped you threatening you?" Mr. Miller demanded.

"I wasn't exactly kidnapped and no one is threatening me or anyone else. I'm needed to do something only I can do. I can't turn my back on it. Not after the way Dad...." Henry trailed off.

Mr. Miller didn't know what to say of the request. "Don't be away too long."

"I will," Henry replied with a ghost of a smile.

---------------------

Susan looked over the DVD she had received for Christmas and had just watched with her parents. It was a Cinderella-type story called 'Ever After,' but it was a bit different than the other Cinderella stories she had seen or read.

Susan went into her room and pulled out a VHS tape of Disney's 'Cinderella' from her closet. She plopped on her bed looking at both movies.

Cinderella was a beautiful woman, who could sing. She was a true princess and everyone loved her. Anything she needed was done for her by her loyal friends, the mice.

Danielle was the 'Cinderella' in Ever After. She was certainly attractive, but not in a super-model way. Part of her beauty had come from her spirit. Danielle stood up for herself and gave one of her step-sisters a black eye. She even saved the prince's life from gypsies!

Susan pouted at the two movies. Did she want to be Cinderella and live an easy life or be Danielle who fought to get what she wanted? Should she stay home and be the princess her parents wanted her to be or return to the Digital World and fight to protect others?

---------------------

George sighed as he placed a letter on the dining room table. "Goodbye," he whispered before leaving the house. He didn't want to leave his family, but he couldn't stay.

This was an adventure that was waiting for him. Something he had longed for. Though he wasn't sure he should be thankful that his wish had been granted. Sure, this would help him experience life, but what would be the cost of this?

Staying home was out of the question. Guilt would plague him. Every time he'd look in a paper seeing some tragedy listed there, he'd wonder if Lady Devimon had done something evil to cause it to occur. And if the others left and never returned home, he doubted he could live with himself.

On the way to the school, Chuck ran up to meet him. "You decided to come too?"

George nodded. "Wasn't going to pass up an adventure. Why are you going back?"

Chuck shrugged. "I just feel I have to. I can't explain it."

"What did you say to your parents?" George asked. "I left a note for my family telling them I'm gone, but didn't really explain where or why."

Chuck smirked. "So did I."

Both boys suddenly stopped seeing a police officer standing in front of the Chestnut Elementary. It took them a moment to notice Freddy waving at them as he was dressed in black. They nervously approached them.

"Don't mind him. He's just my Dad," Freddy pointed at the officer. "I told him everything. He's not here to stop us."

"Nice to meet you," Chuck greeted.

"No one else here yet?" George questioned.

"Nope," Freddy replied. "Henry and Teressa should be here soon. Don't know about Melissa."

"What about Susan?" Chuck asked.

"The prissy princess would never go back," Freddy mocked.

"I wouldn't?"

They turned to see Susan standing behind Freddy holding a decorative backpack and wearing a plain blue silken dress. She appraised them as they stared at her.

"Aren't you guys bringing any supplies with you?" Susan questioned.

Chuck and George looked at each other stupidly, not thinking of bringing anything with them.

Freddy kicked a black duffel bag sitting next to his feet. "First aid kit, fire starting kit, toilet paper and some snack bars."

Susan nodded with a frown. Why did he have to be the one to think things through as well?

"We're here!" Melissa chirped with Henry and Teressa following behind her.

"Not a moment too soon," Freddy commented. "It's almost midnight."

The school's digital clock clicked over to the midnight hour. Suddenly electricity arced over it before it exploded into a brilliant light.

Officer Mason blinked his eyes repeatedly to clear his vision, but once he did the first thing he noticed was that the children were gone.

---------------------

Author's Notes:

Damn, it's been a long time since the last chapter of this. You have NO idea how busy I've been.

Coming soon, I hope:
Entry 5 - Compassion
The first sword is held in a graveyard where the kids will not find compassion for those that guard it.