Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Mystic Digital War ❯ Chapter 20: Prophechies of Darkness ( Chapter 20 )

A young woman with curly blond hair held a microphone close to her mouth as she spoke,"Zis is Catherine DeGual reporting live. For zose of you juzt joing us, Sam Ichijoji visited Shibumi's old lab and was turned into the Digimon Emperor to hunt down the girl that escaped from the lab. Andromon sent the digidestined on a mission to find Geni's replacement. Meanwhile, Sora's body was mysteriously turning into metal, and she drained the energy from her mother before fleeing with Biyomon in hot pursuit, while Takato was still depressed from what he thought was his mistakes in his leadership skills and joined Agnimon in pursuing the girl. Eventually, they caught up with the Digital Warriors battling the Hypnos hunters. Orion and the Digimon Emperess shot a sneak attack and captured Agnimon and Sam Ichijoji.

Prologue:

"You have all felt it, haven't you?" Darius frowned as he stared at the people assembled around the table,"Amadeaus has betrayed us."

"Perfect," the red-headed man threw his hands onto the table,"and you trusted him!"

"That is enough," a brown haired young woman at the head of the table said, raising her palms,"We all trusted him, who could have thought that a mortal could contain such...hate. We must decide on a course of action."

"Queen Miriya," the red headed man said,"I am only trying to place blame.."

"Lord Makura," Miriya said,"I did not call this emergency session of the High Council of the Wiants so we can point fingers at one another."

"What exactly has Amadeaus done?" an older man asked.

Darius sighed, "He stole my plans for a device of great power and crafted for himself a Matrix of Evil. With the power of this device, he has created a beast-the Monster of the Apocalypse, or Apocalymon."

"That does not sound good," a blond woman with glasses said.

"No," Darius shook his head,"It is not. Apocalymon can destroy both worlds if we do not stop him."

"How?" Makura asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I...I do not know."

"That's just perfect!" Makura shouted.

"Lord Makura," Miriya barked. The warrior turned his head from Darius.

"We must discuss this with our allies to determine a course of action," Miriya said,"This meeting is adjured."

As the other members of the council began to talk slightly, Daruis marched out of the room and down the hall, he head full of thoughts.

"There is a way to stop Amadeaus," he thought, as he entered his workshop,"A way to end everything that will come after." He walked over to a large black crystal floating over a circular pedestal," A way to see what will happen before it does. A way to prepare countless others to continue the fight, that I fear we will lose."

Chapter 20: Prophecies of Darkness.

Alice stared up at the drab ceiling of her room her mind wandering to the day dreams she experienced earlier today. "No," she thought,"That was a memory, by why was I remember things from the point of view of a young boy? This doesn't make any sense. I don't remember anything about my past, but, I couldn't have really been that boy, could I?"

She hopped off of her bed, and stared at the full length mirror. She removed her shirt and jeans, then examined herself. "I am a girl, there's no doubt about it, so why am I dreaming about being a guy?"

She sighed slightly, then struck a pose. "Well, at least I look normal on the surface." She concentrated for a second, then a pair of white wings shot from her back. "The Digidestined said I was a Wiant, but I have no memory of that. Maybe I do, locked somewhere deep inside of me."

She folded her wings back inside, then pulled her clothes back on. "What else is in my subconscious? Do I even want to find out?"

"Hi," Kari nodded as Zoe walked into the kitchen of the Kamiya apartment. "Feeling a little better?"

"I guess," Zoe shrugged as she sat at the table,"The nap did help."

"I'm sorry," Kari smiled slightly "The couch isn't all that comfortable. We are kind of out of rooms.."

"That's okay," Zoe said,"It wasn't the couch that kept me awake."

Kari sighed,"Yeah, Tai and Anna are getting on my nerves. I can't get any sleep anymore."

Zoe nodded as Kari handed her a glass of juice,"Thank you. You told me that Tai should be with another girl..?"

"Sora Takenouchi," Kari explained,"She's the perfect one for him, but he's too stubborn to admit it."

"Hey guys," Michael yawned as he entered the kitchen. He walked over to the coffee pot. "These late nights are starting to get to me?"

He smiled slightly the two girls started laughing. "Did anyone see the paper? I wasn't able to read it earlier."

"Over on the counter," Kari mentioned as she sat down at the table. She heard Michael open the paper, then spit his coffee out. "I don't believe it!"

Anna hummed slightly to herself as she walked out of the bathroom."Anna.."

She turned and saw Tai standing over her small futon lying on the floor of Tai's room. She grinned broadly. "Tai!," she jumped up and kissed him lightly,"Have fun earlier?"

"Oh yeah," he grinned, grabbing her in a hug,"Do you want to have a right now?"

Anna kissed him again on the cheek and started to sway in his arms. "Tai," she laughed slightly,"I don't think I've ever been this happy."

While she was waiting for Tai to reply, Michael flung open the door and charged inside the front page of the paper out in front of him. "Look at this!" he shouted,"Ishida has been named official savior for defeating Myotismon!"

Tai snatched the paper from Michael's hands. "What?" he shouted,"'Yamato Ishida, leader of the Digidestined, has been awarded a distinguished medal for saving the Earth from Myotismon seven years ago...I don't believe this!" He threw the paper down in anger.

Anna looked at Tai, the at Micheal,"I know who Myostimon is, but, what does he have to do with you and Ishida?""

Tai sighed slightly,"Myotismon invaded Earth searching for the 8th Child, who turned out to be Kari. Gatomon digivolved to Angewomon and defeated him, but he returned a few hours later as Malomyotismon. That's when Agumon and Gabumon warped-digivolved for the first time and beat him. It was both of us, not just him. He can't get away with this!"

"What are you going to do?" Michael asked.

"Matt needs to be taught a lesson about that arrogant attitude of his," Tai frowned

"That sounds risky," Michael pointed out,"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Don't worry about it," Tai smiled,"You guys just concentrate on finding the new High Priest."

"Alright," Michael nodded, then left.

Matt grinned to himself as he admired the trophy that was resting on top of the fire place. "What are you so happy about?"

Lord Ishida turned and saw Rumiko exiting the bathroom, pulling a robe on." Just that I finally am getting the recognition that I deserve."

Rumiko wrapped her arms around him,"I always knew you were a hero."

"Thank you, Miss Makino."

"Soon to be Mrs. Ishida," Rumiko added, admiring the ring on her finger for the hundredth tim,"My friends are going to be so jealous!"

Matt smiled, then glanced at the closed door of the guest bedroom,"I just don't want our daughter to grow up without parents, like Rika says she's suppose to."

Sam Ichijoji twisted and turned on his bed, sweat pouring form his forehead. "Must destroy Experiment #411925-D., No..no..I am Sam Ichijoji, not the Digimon Emperor, I ..I..I must destroy Experiment #411925-D, No...NO!"

"Sam...Sam, this is Dr. Kafka, Sam I need you to return to us, Sam.."

Dr. Kafka smiled slightly as Sam's heart monitor returned to normal,"Good, the drugs are working, your 'Digimon Emperor' persona is being suppressed, for now."

Sma looked up from his bed,"Well, can I be cured?"

Dr. Kafka frowned slightly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Sam, these things take time, but, I promise, we'll find aw ay to bring you back to as close to normal as we can. Although, it would be helpful if we knew where this..'laboratory is."

Sam flinched,"I...I told you, I don't remember for some reason."

"Okay," the psychatrist said, walking to the metal and electronic bars separating Sam's 'room' from the hallway,"Well, our time is up. I will see you tomorrow."

"Okay, doctor," Sam smiled,'till tomorrow."

The occupant of the room next to Sam's stuck his head on the bars and looked to Sam as best he could,"Oh, doctor, please, I'm sick and need help."

"Hey," the boy in the cell across the hall from both of them shouted,"Why don't you shut up?!"

The overweight boy in the other cell shouted back,"Why don't you?"

"Ichijoji needs help, and so do you!"

"Both of you, settle down or I'll turn the tranquilizers systems on," Dr. Kafka warned as she approached the cell with the slimmer boy." Agnimon, isn't it?"

The overweight boy gasped,"You'r Agnimon?"

"And you're that terrorist, JP. I am not impressed."

"Why you little..."

"That is enough!" Dr. Kafka shouted, entering Agnimon's cell. She walked over and sat in one of the chairs facing the bed the occupant was sitting on.

"Now, why don't we began?"

"What do I start with?"

"Well," Dr. Kakfa smiled slightly,"Why don't you start with your real name?"

"Takuya."

"Okay, Takuya, what about your family? Where are your parents?"

"My parents are dead," he simply said,"My father died when I was a baby, then my stepfather beat me, my mother was driven to alcoholism, then I watched her die in front of my eyes."

"Wow," Dr. Kafka nodded, writing notes in her notebook,"What about this..."Agnimon?"

"What about him?"

Dr. Kafka raised her eyebrow,"Is he a different person than you?"

Takuya looked confused for a second, then realized what she had asked,"No, I mean, we're the same person, I just change forms."

"How do you do that?"

"I really don't know. I just found that I could do it one day."

"How?"

Takuya shrugged,"I can't really remember. I think it happened in a laboratory by the waterfront..."

Across the hall, Sam's ears shot open. He ran over to the bars of his cells and listen to Takuya's session with heated interested.

"Oh, hey Michael," Takato said as he entered the kitch,"I've never know you to be a late riser."

The blond just shrugged,"Yeah, well.." He grabbed his coffee and started drinking when he caught a glimpse of something hanging from the future boy's neck. "Oh, your Essence of Halo," he said.

"Yeah," Takato shrugged, sitting down across from him at the table,"Where is everyone?"

"Tai and Anna are doing something about Ishida that they didn't tell anyone about. Kari and Davis are somewhere talking, I don't know where the others are."

Takato just nodded, then cleared his throat. "Um, can I ask you a question?"

Michael shrugged,"I guess so."

"Um...do you have any memories from your 'previous life;?"

"You mean Peter Nerez?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow,"At first I didn't want to, but, as I started to remember more and more, I remembered the time I was a Dark Master and how I secretly was helping the Digidestined defeat us."

The boy from the future smiled slightly,"I always knew the man that was my teammate in the Tri-Warriors could never be an evil lord, but, how did you think of the name Micheal?"

"A friend gave it to me," he said, smiling slightly.

The boy slowly opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. "Ohh..what happened to me?" A wave of horror washed over him,"Wait, who...who am I? I...I don't remember!"

He spun his head around, then saw a green, frog like creature lying at his side,"Hey, Wake up!"

The creature shot its eyes open,"W-Who are you?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," the man said, struggling to keep calm.

"I don't even know who I am!" the creature shouted.

The young man stared at him, the a word flashed across his mind. "B...B..Betamon, you're Betamon!"

"Yes! Betamon, I'm Betamon, but,I..I recognize your face, but, I don't remember your name."

The boy glanced around, trying to think of something to help him situation, when a group of rabbit-like creatures leapt out of a grove of brushes, surrounding the area. "Wha-ahh!" the two shouted. The boy stuttered for a few seconds,"W-Who are you?"

"We are the Gazimon," one of the creatures said,"And you are trespassing on our land."

"I'm..I'm sure this must be a mistake," the boy said.

"No mistake!" they shouted, jumping forward.

Betamon jumped in front of the boy, trying to protect him, but it wasn't needed, as the mad rabbits suddenly vanished in a blast of light. "What now?" the boy asked, glancing up at an older boy riding on a giant scorpion.

"Please, I mean you no harm," the older boy said,"I am Sergi, are you alright? I saw you fall from the sky!"

"I..I did?" he asked, glancing skyward,"I..I don't remember anything about who I am."

"I...see," Sergi said,"Well, we are not far from Santa Carea, a nearby town, there is a physician there who may be able to help. But...what should I call you...Hmm...a fortune teller told us that a hero would fall from the sky today. A hero from the heavens how about if I can you..Micheal?"

"Michael," the boy said, testing it out on his tongu,"I like that."

Biyomon squinted her eyes in an attempt to scan the area below her. She had seen following Sora ever since she attacked her mother and drained all of her energy. The pink bird was slightly relieved that Mrs. Takenouchi was going to be find, but, she promised the florist that she would find her daughter.

Biyomon heard a scream from down below. She shot down into an abandoned street where she could only gasp as she saw her human partner sucking more energy from a man lying on the ground. "Sora!" Biyomon shouted,"Sora!"

The redhead glanced up at her digimon, her right arm a metal raptor claw and the left side of her face was covered in metal and her eye was a glowing red jewel."More energy...I need more..." she said, almost in a trance She turned around and ran off.

"No!" Biyomon shouted, flying after her,"I can't lose her! Everyone's in danger, but, what she keeps saying, it sounds so familiar..."

"Is this legal?" Anna asked, leaning forward on Unimon as Tai balanced himself on the building ledge as he ran a device outside the window of a giant apartment.

"Well," Tai said, creating a circle in the window with the device," the award is part mind, so, the way I see it, I'm just taking what is mine."

"Okay," Anna said," but, what about the breaking and entering part?"

"You've got to break a few eggs to make an omelette," he said, breaking a circle in the window,"There, I've got it."

Tai removed the glass, the leapt inside. He glance around,"Jeeze!" he shouted," Look at the size of this place. This must be the biggest apartment in the city."

He turned to his girlfriend,"Aren't you coming in?"

"I don't want my fingerprints anywhere," she said.

"Whatever," Tai shrugged, looking around.

"Tai," Agumon pointed to a statue on the mantle," is that it?"

Tai's face lit up,"That's it!" he ran over and lifted it up,"Let's leave 'Lord Ishida' a little note!"

Geni bowed as the image appeared on the screen. "Emperor Apocalymon," Geni bowed, behind him, Charon did the same.

"What is it, Geni?" Apocalymon boomed.

"The psychic energy I have bee tracking has apparently stopped. I can give you the coordinates."

"Excellent," Apocalymon grinned,"A psychic under our control! I can't wait!"

As Tai was regressing to younger behavior, his sister and her boyfriend were finally at least attempting, to discuss their current situation.

Davis smiled slightly as he looked at Kari across the table,"Well, despite everything that's happening at least the weather's been nice."

"Davis," Kari said, staring him in the eyes,"This is serious. At first, I didn't want to believe it, but, the more I watch Takato, the more I realize that he is your son."

"I know," Davis sighed,"The way he keeps beating himself up and doubting his leadership abilities, its well, like you."

"I don't do that!" Kari said,"Do I?"

"Occasionally," Davis shrugged, the started laughing. Kari tried to hold it in, but, she started laugh too.

"Davis," she said, finally getting herself under control,"We need discuss this. I am p-pregnant, what are we going to do?"

"I...I don't know," he said,"I don't know."

"We need to decide," she closed her eyes slightly,"Before I give birth."

Davis was about to say something when there was a knock on the door.

"Excuse me," Kazu opened the door," I don't mean to interrupt, but Mr. Izumi just called. The psychic energy has been registered again. If we hurry, we can get there before anyone else."

Kari sighed,"Okay, we will be right there." Kazu bowed, then left. "We never get a break, do we?"

"No," sighed Davis,"Such is the life we were thrust into, but, I would rather fight an eternity, then have our son grow up in a world filled with evil."

Deep inside of Neo-Digiworld Capital, its evil Emperor Apocalymon, sat on his mighty throne, recuperating from his first battle with the forces of Earth, he had just returned to his true Mega form, and he had been overconfident, using his final move so soon. Now, he needs to recover all of his strength, for when he steps onto the battlefield, the digidestined will fall before him. "Lord Lucifer!"

"Yes, my lord," the Neo-Digiworld Prime Minister bowed before his throne.

"I have been informed that the psychic energy has registered again. Send the Dark Digidestined there to acquire him.

Lucifer bowed,"Yes, lord, the new High Priest will be ours soon enough."

Rika walked out of the guest room that was acting as her bedroom to find TK sitting in front of the tv. "Hey, Rika," he waved.

The girl grimaced slightly, then responded. "Hi."

"You don't like me, do you?" he asked.

Rika flinched slightly. "Um., ah...Its'...listen, this....this is really hard for me, okay?!" she snapped,"I...I've known you a long time it was very difficult to...to watch you die..."

"Please, don't talk like that,"TK said, with a slight grin,"Its...too weird to think about that, about your future knowledge."

Rika crossed her arms and turned her head,"I can't help what I know."

TK was going to apologize when his D-terminal rang. "Well?" Rika asked.

"They've located the high Priest," TK said, pocketing the device,"Let's go."

Tai was standing on the roof of a building, arms crossed staring at the sky. Anna and Unimon were sitting beside him,"Are you sure this was necessary?" Anna asked.

"Ishida and I need to have a little chat," Tai said, keeping his eyes to the sky,"Besides, he's here."

Anna looked to the night sky and saw Lord Ishida and Metalgarurumon stormed in view. "Kamiya!" he shouted,"It's time we settled this!"

"I was thinking the something!" Tai said,"Anna, get out of here."

"I don't like it," she sighed,"But I'm going. Good luck."

"Thanks," he thought as his girlfriend disappeared in the night,"I'm going to need it."

TK glanced slightly at the building that was looming in front of him. "Hotel?" he asked.

"Yeah," Patamon said, peeking into the window,"And a black tie affair too."

"The High Priest is inside," June said,"How are we suppose to get there?"

"Why don't we just break in?" Derek asked, opening his hands.

"We can't do that," Cody said,"It's against the law."

Joe glanced around, then spied a glow coming from the roof. "Hey, I think we might need to bed the rules a bit. The Dark Digidestined just crashed the party."

"I hate suits," Ken muttered, adjusting the tie around his neck.

"Well, it was the only way we could get in here," Kazu reminded him, looking across the ballroom of the hotel,"I don't know why the High Priest is in this formal party, but, let's just keep looking."

"Hey guys," Noriko said, sneaking up behind them,"How's your search going?"

"Not well," Ken sighed, looking at his watch,"My miniature psychic tracking device doesn't seem to be working."

Noriko nodded, holding up her watch,"Mine either. Maybe because we're too close?"

"I guess," Ken shrugged,"What I want to know is, why are we the only ones that are stuck here?"

"I'm more concerned about Takato," Kazu said.

Noriko and Ken looked across the room to where the Takato was resting on one of the chairs, staring a black look forward at the dance floor. "What's his problem?"

"He's watching Davis and Kari dance," Noriko said, shrugging slightly,"From what you guys told us, he hasn't seen either of them in a very long time, so I'm sure he's happy that they're together." She smiled slightly,"Love at first sigh, how romantic." Ken and Kazu rolled their eyes.

Over on the dance floor, Kari and Davis twisted and swayed with the music. While most of the other middle-aged couples gave the two strange looks, they ignored them. The only thoughts that occupied their minds were of each other and the feelings inside.

"I didn't know you could dance so well," Kari smiled as she held onto him.

Davis shrugged,"I took a few lessons when I was younger, almost became a dancer"

Kari laughed slightly,"How many lives have you lived?"

"Too many," Daivs sighed, glancing to the sky,"Too many."

"You'll have to tell me sometime," Kari said,"I want to hear everything about you, every smile, every frown, every time you wanted to give up, but held on, every time you thought you'd never succeed, every time you felt like the king of the world when you did. I want to knew everything."

Davis pulled Kari in tighter,"Kari, I want to know everything about you as well, Kari, I love you."

Kari rested her head against Davis's chest,"I love you too." She closed her arms, wanting to stay in his arms forever, but part of her knew that the moment would not last.

The glass skylight of the ballroom shattered apart as the Dark Digidestined slammed into the floor. The people began to scream and ran as quick as they could towards the nearest exit, when the doors mysteriously slammed shut and locked together.

"Quiet!" Eiri shouted,"Quiet now, or you're all dead!"

Everyone instantly shut up, and froze in place, except for the Digital Warriors, who were slowly grouping together to summon their digimon from their hiding places in the basement.

"That's better," Eiri said,"Now, we are the Dark Digidestined, and we are here searching for a boy with psychic powers, have any of you seem him? No answers, huh? We know he's here, we've tracked him, so don't try to hide him. Still nothing, well, we're going to have to try some intimidation techniques."

"You're not doing anything!" TK shouted as he and the rest of the Digidestined jumped through the destroyed skylight and landed on the floor in front of the Dark Digidestined, "Surrender now, and we'll go easy on you."

"Kari," Noriko whispered,"What're we going to do?"

"Let's wait and see if the Digidestined can handle this," she whispered back,"I'd prefer to keep a low profile, especially with both the Digidestined and Dark Digidestined here. If TK needs help, then we'll jump in."

"I think you'll want to jump in now!"

The Digital Warriors spun around. Kari gasped. "M-Mimi? It can't be!" But it was. The brunette Wiant was floating in the air above them, her arms crossed and and evil grin across her face.

"Mimi," Kari stepped forward,"W...what's going on? W-why are you with the Dark Digidestined?"

"What are you talking about, Kamiya?" Mimi asked,"I've always been with the Dark Digidestined. Enough talk, hand over the High Priest."

"We don't have him," Davis said.

"Liar!" Mimi shouted, her wings opening up,"You know where he is, and I'm going to make you tell me!"

As the Digidestined and the Dark Digidestined battled across the ballroom, Takato charged over to join the other Digital Warriors, when a familiar figure slammed him in the stomach. As he clutched his injured abdomen, he glanced at the attacker. "D-Digimon Empress?"

"That's right!" the masked girl said, crossing her arms,"Now, explain to me why so many of you digidesstined types are searching the city like this?"

"None of your buisness,"Takato huffed, managing to stand up.

"I'm making it my buisness,"she said, grabbing him and throwing him outside.

"Hey!" Kazu shouted, watching as the Digimon Empress jumped out the window after Takato,"Come back here!"

"Don't worry about your leader and The Digimon Empress," a familiar figure said, slowly walking towards the Digital Warriors,"You've got Orion to contend with!"

"The Digimon Hunter," Mimi said, "Why are you here?"

"Because you are," Orion said, crossing his arms,"You digidestined have been all over the city lately, we want to know why."

"We're not telling you anything!" Davis shouted, running in front of the others to stand in front of the Digital Hunter,"Get out of here! We don't want you here!"

"I'm not leaving until I bring you all in for interrogations," he said, calmly uncrossing his arms.

"You really think you can beat us?" Davis laughed,"You're just a weak human!"

Orion growled,"Oh yeah? Take this!" He shot forward and slammed his foot across Davis's stomach, sending him flying backwards into the Digidestined and Dark Digidestined's battlefield.

"Davis, look out!" Kari shouted. The Digidestined glanced up and quickly jumped out of the way to avoid the flying Davis. Unfortunately, June could not get out of the way in time, and found herself propelled by Davis's momentum into the far wall. Davis slammed into it a few seconds later and both fell to the floor.

"You jerk!" Stigmon shot forward, "Spinning Strike!"

Orion smiled as he easily blocked each of Stingmon's kicks before sending him crashing into the ground. "You're no match for me! None of you are! Ha!"

"Wanna bet?" Gatomon shouted, jumping into the sky,"Gatomon warp-digivolve to Orphanimon!"

"So," Orion calmly said, floating into the sky,"The younger sister of Kamiya has a mega digimon too." He grinned,"I bet you're nowhere near Taichi Kamiya's digimon."

Orphanimon stared at him, grabbing her javelin,"I may not be as strong as Wargreymon, but I'm strong enough to beat you!" She launched forward and pelted Orion in the stomach, sending him crashing through the roof. She and the rest of the Digital Warriors followed after him.

As the battle raged on through the ballroom, people were in utter chaos as they desperately tried to escape the fighting and destruction occurring right at their heels. One such person was a boy about ten or eleven wearing a baseball cap and suit caught up in the crowd. As he ran with the other people in the group, Ken caught sight of him and realized that he had seen him before, last night at the dance studio. "That must be the..." he started before Orion's latest blast caught him and Stingmon off guard, throwing them aside.

The boy managed to break free of the crowd and made his way to the far left corner. "The one called Yolei should be here in five...four...three...two...one..."

Yolei suddenly crashed into the boy, from Azuna's punch, knocking both the boy and her to the ground,"We may be out, but now there is hope," he thought before passing out."

Davis slowly sat up from where he had slammed into the wall. "Man," he said, rubbing the back of his head,"Orion really knows how to throw a punch, Owe..." He was about to jumped up and join the other Digital Warriors, when he heard a moan from next to him. He turned and saw the Digidestined he knew as Mask lying on the ground, her body lying over her head.

"Hey!" he called,"Hey, are you okay?"

The girl moaned again, then flipped her body over and stood up with her back to the Master of Courage. Davis was going to ask again, when he saw an item on the ground. "Her mask," he thought,"Um...you're..."

Her hands shot to her face,"No, I...d..don't look...My burn mask..."

"Burn mask?" Davis asked,"Does that mean....?"

"Give me my mask!" she shouted, spinning around, her hands still over her face.

Davis handed her the mask, which she snatched away. While she did, Davis caught a glimpse of her real face. Despite the scarring, he glimpsed something familiar about it. "June?" he asked.

"How do you know my real name?" she asked,

"June," Davis said, pulling off his goggles,"Its me, Daisuke!"

June's heart started beating as she stared at his face, it was not the face of her younger brother, but something in those eyes, now free of the goggles, sparked a flame of remembrance. She then studied his face again and....no.it couldn't be...but..but it was....it was.....

"D-Daisuke!" she shouted, wrapping her hands around him,"Daiskue...I...I knew it. I knew you were alive, everyone told me you were dead, but I didn't believe them, I knew you were alive!"

"June," her brother cried,"I'm so happy your here..." Suddenly, the two of them broke apart and stared at each other.

"Da..Daisuke," June gasped,"Y...you're with the Digital Warriors?"

"And...and you hunted us down and tried to throw us in prison?" Davis panted,"H..how could you?"

"I...I didn't know it was you," June started.

"Did it really matter?" Davis asked,"What happened to you, you're not the sister that I remember." He turned around and started to walk away.'

"Daisuke!" June cried.

"My name is Davis," he said, running back after the Digital Warriors.

As the battle raged inside, outside of the hotel, Takato was getting ready to engage in his own personal battle.

"What is your problem with me?" Takato shouted, clutching his fists,"Our fight is pointless!"

The Digimon Empress just crouched down, then launched herself forward slamming her foot into Takato's chin. He stumbled backwards for a few seconds, then fell onto his back.

"Takato!" Guillmon shouted, running towards him, but was blocked when Airdramon dropped in front of him.

"Why are you doing this?" Takato asked, getting to his feet.

"Revenge!" the Digimon Empress shouted, jumping back towards him with her other foot and slamming it into the side of his head.

"Revenge for what?" Takato asked, slowing getting back up,"I haven't done anything to you!"

"Liar!" she shouted,"Your digimon almost killed me! And if that wasn't bad enough, then you left me to die!"

"What are you talking about?" Takato asked,"Who are you?"

"You have no idea do you?" the Digimon Empress asked, ripping her mask off, giving Takato a view of her true face,"Recognize me now?!"

Takato gasped several times before he was able to speak,"J-Jeri?"

Tai stared unemotionally as Metalgarurumon landed on the other side of the roof. "Matt," he nodded.

Matt did not even bother with a greeting. He clenched his fist so tight that it almost drew blood,"Where is my award?!" he shouted.

"Your award?!" Tai shouted back,"Your award?! Let me remixed you of something, we both beat Myostimon! That award is both of ours!"

"They don't give awards out to criminals," Matt said, crossing his arms.

"I'm only a criminal by your standards," Tai pointed out,"Besides, I didn't have to usurp anyone to become leader of my team."

"With everything you've done, you've no right to criticize me!"

"Oh really," Tai laughed,"What exactly have I done?"

"Every one of us has our demons," Matt said,"You know what I'm talking about."

"Suppose I do," Tai said,"That doesn't exclude you from taking all the credit for beating Myotismon."

"That award is mine by right!" Matt shouted,"I was the one that suggested getting hit by those arrows! I risked my life by getting hit with that Arrow of Hope!"

"I took a risk too!" Tai shouted,"I got hit with the Arrow of Light! I was the recipient of Angewomon's attack!"

"Well," Matt said with a grin,"We all can't be celebrities."

Tai swore at him.

"I wouldn't talk that way if I were you," Matt said,"You'll regret it later. Are we going to fight or not?"

Tai stared at Matt long and hard,"No," he said, turning around,"We're not. I don't need to fight you to prove that I'm the better man."

"Oh yeah!" Matt shouted,"Keep the award then! How's about that, huh?" He laughed then jumped back onto Metalgarurumon and disappeared.

Once they were gone, Tai and Wargreymon looked at each other then laughed. "That went better then I thought," Tai grinned,"And I got to keep the award after all."

The young man known as Takato Matsuki Motomiya has warn many labels during his lifetime, savior, hero, leader, mercenary, rebel, but none of those way as heavily on his heart as, friend. "Jeri," he said,"It can't be you."

Jeri Kanto, aka the Digimon Emperess glared at him, her eyes hidden by a gray visor. "But it is! After your digimon tried to kill me, I was blown into an underground cavern beneath the ground. I don't know how long I was there, but Neo-digiworld found me. They brought me back to their capital, specifically Lady Krake's laboratory. There she rebuilt my broken body using the latest cybernetic technology. Their plan was to use me against you, they gave me Airdramon, and programmed me to destroy you. I rebelled against them, little did they know I was going to do it for free. After I discovered you traveled to this time, I simply followed you. Nothing was going to stop my revenge."

Takato stared at the young woman in front of him, and saw the smiling cheerful girl he once knew. "Jeri," he said, tears starting to form in his eyes,"T...this can't be you...it can't be..."

"It is!" she shouted, jumping forward and knocking Takato to the ground. She slammed her hands onto Takato's, and her knees on his legs, restricting his movements. "Why aren't you struggling?" she shouted, "Fight back!"

"I'm not going to fight you," he said,"you were-are my best friend, even more than that...."

"Stop it!" she shouted, jumping back up with her hands over her ears,"Shut up! Shut up!"

"Jeri..." Takato said again, stepping forward,"W..what's wrong?"

"Airdramon!" the Digimon Emperess shouted, jumping onto her digimon,"Get us out of here!"

"Jeri!" Takato shouted,"Wait!"

"I've giving you a little while longer to live!" she shouted as she and her digimon flew out of sight,"Take it!"

"Takato," Guilmon asked, placing a hand on his shoulder,"Was that Jeri?"

Takato sighed, staring at the ground,"No, Jeri Kanto is dead."

Back inside of the ballroom, the Digidestined and Dark Digidestined continued their battle. Fortunately all of the normal citizens had escaped, giving the two teams full reign of the entire room, which they most certainly used.

Daemon grabbed Golddramon's tail and flung him into the other side of the ballroom, nearly destroying the wall. TK's digimon was back up in a second connecting his fist with Daemon's face.

"What are you doing?" Eiri shouted from the sideline,"He shouldn't have been able to touch you!"

"Sorry," Daemon said, getting back up,"I'm not going to lose."

Eiri clenched his fist together, then grabbed a ball shaped object hanging from around his neck. "The Essence of Earth must not fail. The Digidestined must be defeated!"

Daemon slammed his fists together," Evil Inferno!"

Golddramon shot his palm out, creating a shield of light to block the attack, but while the flame was extinguished, the force behind the blast was still enough to send him flying backwards.

"We still aren't strong enough to beat him" TK thought, looking at the Crest of Friendship hanging around his neck,"If only I had an Essence. The Crest of Friendship is powerful, but just not enough to compete with an Essence. "

Even though Goldramon was on the ground, Daemon was not going to give him the chance to get back on his feet. He leapt into the air and was seconds away from pounding Golddramon, when TK's digimon flipped to the side, then slammed his tail into the demon digimon.

Eiri clenched his fist even tighter. "Commander Eiri, come in!"

He growled as he grabbed his communicator. "This had better be important Krake."

The Neo-Digiworld's mystic's voice was filled with anger. "I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't! The psychic power that you were sent there to retrieve has moved! It is no longer at that sight! Return to base for further orders. Krake out!"

Eiri shoved his communicator back into his pocket. "Barker, Azuna, Lambert, Mellissa, we're leaving!"

"What?" Barker shouted as Skull Satanmon doged a blast from Zudomon's hammer,"What about the High Priest?"

"Kriake just communicate to me, the Priest is gone," Eiri said,"Let's get out of here!"

"We're not letting you go anywhere," TK shouted, when Yolei suddenly appeared behind him.

"Let them go," she whispered,"Trust me."

TK hesitated, then sighed. "Fine."

Eiri started laughing as the Dark Digidestined were leaving,"You should not have stopped. Next time we meet, only one of us will walk away." He then left.

"Alright, Yolei," TK said,"What's going on?"

Yolei grinned,"I found the High Priest."

"What?!" TK shouted as the other Digidestined joined them,"You found the High Priest?"

Yolei mentioned to the doorway as the ten-year-old boy with the baseball cap walked over."Meet the new High Priest."

Anna ran to the living room when she heard the balcony window slide open. "Tai!" she shouted, swinging her arms around him,"I was so worried!"

Tai was trying to form words but only gags came out." I'm so sorry!" she said.

"I guess what they say about Russian women are true," he coughed.

"Hey!" she laughed, lightly punching him in the arm.

"Ow!"he cried, grabbing his shoulder,"You broke my arm!"

"I'm about to show you how true that stereotype is," she laughed, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"I'm all yours," he grinned. The two of them were about to fall onto the couch, when the door to Michael's room flew open. "Tai!" he shouted,"What happened out there? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, grabbing the small statue form the bag on Agumon's back,"Matt graciously gave me his award."

Michael and Anna's mouths were wide open. The apartment door opened and Kari and the others walked in. When Kazu saw the look on the two blond's faces, he blinked a few times. "Okay, who just admitted they're really a cross dresser?"

"Kazu!" Henry snapped.

"What happened to you guys?" Tai asked.

"Hypnos," Kari sighed,"Orion almost got us."

"Then I warp-digivolved and taught him a lesson!" Gatomon laughed.

"Well," Tai said, glancing around to room,"I was going to wait until morning, but since we're all here. I recently discovered something I think we should all hear. Can we meet in the living room in 15 minutes?"

The Digital Warriors all nodded, then broke apart. Before Kari walked away she turned to her older brother,"Tai, does this have anything to do with Dad's journal?"

"Yes, and its going to change everything."

Matt and Andromon walked into the conference room of File Island Base where the other core Digidestined were watching the High Priest sleep. He was still wearing the baseball cap and suit he wore at the party.

"Is that the High Priest?" Matt asked.

TK nodded."He hasn't told up his name yet, but he was at that party earlier to try and steal some valuables to sell later"

"What for?" Andromon asked.

"Well," Yolei said," Apparently, he's homeless."

"Great!" Matt mumbled,"Does that mean I've got to pay for his room and board too?"

The High Priest began to stir. He opened up his eyes, and scanned everyone in the room.

Matt nodded slightly. "Hello, I am Lord Yamato Ishida, leader of the Digidestined. What is your name?"

He hesitated. "I..would prefer not to say, just yet."

"Um, as you wish," Andromon said,"Do you know why you are here?"

The High Priest nodded. "Because you need a new High Priest of the Digital World."

"How did you know that?" Matt asked.

"I am a psychic," he said,"And also a precog. I can glimpse a short way into the future. That is how I knew to be at that ballroom tonight, and exactly where to stand to run into Yolei so you guys would find us."

"That is a power none of the previous priests had," Andromon nodded,"We should start you initiation tomorrow."

The High Priest nodded.

"Do you want anything to eat?" Yolei asked,"Or maybe a shower?"

"Sure," he nodded.

"Follow me," Yolie said, as she escorted him upstairs.

Upstairs in the living quarters of the base, Yolei grabbed some clothes from the closet. "Boy's underwear, boy's pajamas, with socks and shoes," she said to herself as she closed the door. Walking to the bathroom door, she was surprised to see the High Priest was already in the bathroom. Figuring he couldn't have had enough time to completely undress, she knocked on the door. "It's Yolei, I brought some clothes, is it okay if I come in?"

Since she became a Digidestined, Yolei was a little more cautious, so when the High Priest didn't answer, she opened the door. "Oh!" she said as she dropped the clothes.

Running back outside the bathroom, she shut the door. "Matt, you guys had better come up here!" she screamed.

They came running up the stairs. "What is it?" Matt asked.

Yolei knocked on the bathroom door. "Okay, you'd better come out, and explain yourself!"

The door opened and the High Priest walked out, with a towel wrapped around himself. One that reached from the bottom of his arms, to his knees. He also didn't have his baseball cap on.

They gasped. "He is a she!" Yolei said.

After the shower, they were downstairs again, waiting for an explanation as they watched her eat. She had brown hair that reached her shoulders, and brown eyes that seemed a bit prettier now that they knew she was a girl. Sierra coughed. "Okay, I am a girl!" she said."My name is Nami Asagie and I disguised myself as a boy, because I knew Neo-Digiworld would be at the party!"

"Okay, Ms Asagie," Matt said,".Do you have any other secrets?"

"I know you do," she said, lightly tapping her head.

Andromon spoke in before a fight could errupt,"Well, Nami Asagie, I do not see any reason why there can not be a High Priestess. We need you, are you still interested?"

"Of course," she said, bowing,"I just hope I can help."

Biyomon instantly shot her head to the city below when she heard another scream from the alley. "Sora, she thought sadly,"I'll help you, I promise."

She started to descend to the ground, when something shot up and hit her from underneath, spinning her over in the air.When she righted herself, she gasped. "S-Sora?"

It was indeed the redhead, floating in the sky. Her face was now completely covered in the metal substance. "Energy," she moaned,"I need more."

She then turned around and flew off. Her digimon hard a hard time getting her breathing under control before taking off after her. "Sora can fly?!" she gasped.

The Digital Warriors all stopped talking when Tai and Anna walked into the living room. "You're all early," he said, glancing at them,"Great, that means we can start."

As he walked over to a large armchair, he passed by Mina. "Thank you for coming all this way on such short notice."

Mina bowed,"I have pledged my loyalty to you, I will always be here for you."

Tai smiled and nodded.

"I'm really eager to hear what's in Dad's journal," Kari said,"I've waited seven years to hear what was so important in that journal that it had to wait until I was eighteen."

Tai sat down in the large armchair, and opened the journal,"Well, Kari, you're about to find out."

April 23, 1993

Something extraordinary happened to me today. I was walking home from work earlier today when I saw a glowing circle in an alley. It was an extremely odd sight as it was just floating in the air. When I walked over to examine it, I felt an intense pull. I soon found myself being flung towards the glowing circle, and I blacked out.

When I awoke I found myself lying on a bed in what appeared to be a wooden hut, with a group of strange ball shaped creatures with long rabbit ears standing around me. After my shock wore off, they told me they were called Koromon, and that I was now in a place called the Digital World. They told me that they found my lying unconscious in the middle of the desert. They brought me back to their village and healed me as best they could. When I asked how to get home, they told me to rest, and the village elder would tell me how.

I don't know how long I was asleep, I felt as if I slept the entire night, but the sun was still up. The Koromon told me that the sun would not set for another couple of hours, so I have no idea how long I've been asleep.

I felt well rested though, and the Koromon thought so too, because their village Eldar came to me early in the day. He told me that he did not know how to spend me home, but that their Deity would know. When I asked where, he pointed to the desert, more specifically, the only mountain as far as the eye could see. They called it Isagedu, or Deity Mountain and that it was the center of the Digital World, I would need to reach the top, Destiny's Peak. They told me that there was another village near the base of Deity Mountain and that I could find a guide there. The Koromon gave me provisions, and then I set out towards Deity Mountain.

"Wait," Kari said,"Destiny's Peak? Wasn't that the top of Spiral Mountain?"

"Interesting," Izzy said, rubbing his chin.

"I have a possible solution," Tentomon said,"If Isagedu was in the center of the Digital World, then that could have been the starting point, as it were, for the Dark Masters to draw the world into the spiritual."

"Well," Tai said,"In any event, the next entry is when my father reached the village."

White Moon, 3rd crescent

Since I have no way of knowing what amount of time here equals a day back on Earth, I've been keeping track of time by the phases of the digital moon. The moon stayed steady at a crescent for the past three Digital days before I reached the village at the base of Deity Mountain. I found something even stranger here, another human. He told me his name was Haruhiko Takenouchi. Together, we decided to reach Destiny's Peak

"Takenouchi?" Michael asked,"You mean, Sora's father?"

Tai nodded,"Her father's name was Haruhiko."

"Did he die?"Davis asked.

Kari shook her head,"No, he just....disappeared."

Blue Moon, 3rd crescent

Takenouchi and I have finally reached Destiny's Peak. The trek up Deity Mountain was dangerous and full of deathtifing cliffs, but our hardship has paid off. We can finally go home!

The top of the mountain was a giant mesa covered with red rocks and blue grass. The actual Destiny's Peak was a smaller hill in the center of the mesa. As it was getting late, we decided to set up camp and reach the very top tomorrow.

During the night, Takenouchi told me that he fell into the Digital World when he was exhuming an ancient temple in a Middle Eastern desert. He looked depressed, and told me that his daughter's birthday was coming up and he didn't want to miss it. I thought of Taichi and Hikari, and wondered if I would ever see them again.

Blue Moon, 4th crescent

The next morning our supplies were running low, so we decided on a light breakfast, afterwards we began our climb up Destiny's Peak. Despite the fact that the rest of the climb was difficult, we reached the very peak within half a day. We had finally reached the very top. We were very disappointed to discover that the peak was empty. The so called, 'God of the Mountain," was nowhere in sight. Takenouchi and I were annoyed, angry and tired from the climb, so we rested for bit when a new digimon appeared. I assume it was a female, as she had female features. She said her name was Ranamon and she greeted us on behalf of the Mountain God. She told us that the Mountain God was watching us and that he was opening the proper channels to send us home. Ranamon also said that the Mountain God wasn't sure how Takenouchi and I ended up in the Digital World, but he thought it was fate. That is why he sent Ranamon, because she was also a fortune teller, and the Mountain God wanted to try and see what fate had in store for us. What Ranamon saw, I'll never know, but it was enough to cause her to drop to the ground, screaming.

"Fire!" she shouted,"destruction...Armageddon..the travelers will try to turn back the apocalypse, but they will assure it..the twelfth phase of the moon! The hero's crescent! The beast...across the desert sand! The Digital World will fall under the domain of the dark king, Earth will be next, unless the hero appears! The beast appears, the human demon falls to earth in flames...the weapon of Earth is destroyed,... Two become one... Armageddon approaches!"

Takenouchi and I raced to help her, when a fierce lightning storm appeared in the sky, crashing into the ground around us. I swear one bolt struck Takenouchi and I, knocking us out, but, when I awoke, I was back on Earth a few blocks from my apartment. I had been gone for three months. I never did find a way back into the Digital World."

Tai looked up from the journal, "The rest is kind of personal. That's all I wanted to tell you."

The room was silent for a long time before Michael leaned backwards and crossed his arms. "Armageddon, wh-what if it really is true after all?"

"The end of the world," Izzy said in a daze,"I...I just can't believe it."

Anna shivered slightly,"Mom, Dad..." she whispered.

Noriko turned around spied Mina standing behind her. The two girls stared at each other for a second, then caught each other in a hug. "Armageddon," Mina thought,"Maybe I should reconsider Dr. Wong's proposal."

"We should decide what our plans are," Tai said,"I assume that the dark king Ranamon refers to is Apocalymon. If we want to try and avert Armageddon that Ranamon spoke up, we've got to plan." He glanced at his watch,"It's late, so, let's all get some rest, then we'll start planning tomorrow."

The other Digital Warriors started to move to their separate corners, Henry watched Kari and Davis walk to the balcony, then he realized that Takato was no where in sight. "Kazu," he called,"Where's Takato?"

"I think he went up to the roof, why?"

"I..I don't know," Henry said, walking towards the door,"For some reason, I think he needs someone to talk to. I'll be up there if you need me."

Henry ran upstairs and found Takato standing on the roof of the apartment, staring at the night sky. "Takato?"

"It's my fault," he muttered,"All of it."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, walking over to him.

"You heard what was written in my grandfather's journal, what that prophetess told him, The travelers will try to avert Armageddon, but they will assure it. I tried to change the future, but, I only made things so much worse."

"Those travelers could be anyone," Henry said,"It doesn't mean those travelers are us! It could apply to the Digital Warriors as a whole, they're sort of like travelers, trying to find their own path away from the Digidestineds."

Takato shrugged,"Yeah, I guess."

"Takato," Henry said,"Something else is bothering you isn't it? What happened to you tonight? Something happened between you and the Digimon Empress."

Takato sighed, then closed his eyes,"The Digimon Empress is Jeri."

"What?" Henry gasped,"That can't be!"

"It is," Takato opened his eyes,"She followed us back to this time after I almost killed her, and now..." He buried his face in his hands. Henry hesitated for a second, then walked over and placed his hand on his friend's back.

"You've always been there for me," Henry thought,"I'll do this thing for you."

A few floors below Takato and Henry, Kari and Davis were on the balcony staring at the same night sky. "I'm scared, Davis," she said,"Really scared. What if this really is the time before the End of the World? What are we going to do? I...don't want to lose my...my baby, or you.."

"I don't care what is in that journal," Davis said,"There's nothing that can't be changed. What do you think your brother's trying to do? He's not going to let this happen, I know, I have his memories up 'til the time he fought Piedmon. He's not going to let it happen, and neither will Michael, Ken, anyone. Especially me, I'll fight for you and...and my child, no one is going to put my...my future family in jeopardy. I swear, nothing will happen to you, I swear."

Next: Biyomon is hot on Sora's trail, will she be able to get to her before she hurts more innocent people? And even if she does reach her, how will she be able to cure her of this mysterious disease? Plus, Davis and June have finally found each other, only on rival teams. Will they be able to reunite with each other? Next Mystic Digital War: Chapter 21 Cyberdyne Virus.