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*A.S.D.A(All Standard Disclaimers Apply).

Perfect Flaws

by Nefertanya Dragongurl Ahhotep

Part 3

Chapter 9- 'Mons In The Meadow

"PALMON? Paaalllmmmoonn?!"

Matt groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. They'd only gotten halfway across their side of the meadow, and they'd been at it for an hour. He was getting a headache listening to Agumon's nasally, sing-song calls. He seriously considered digi-cide, but no, they might need his strength later on in a battle. Matt growled softly. Agumon may be annoying, but he was one wicked fighter.

"P-A-A-L-L-M-M-O-N!!"

On the other hand....

Matt turned to face the way they'd come. He wondered how TK was doing. It'd scared him half to death when he had thought his dearest family member might've been lost to him forever. Caring for TK was still his reason for going on when things were bleakest. And although he'd never ask Tai about it directly, he knew his polar opposite cared about little Kari the same way. To protect their siblings at all cost-that was the unspoken agreement that was the basis of their friendship..

'Joe had better be taking good care of them, that's all I gotta say.' he thought. A slight movement caught the corner of his eye, and he shifted his head quickly. Matt released the breath he hadn't known he was holding as he saw who it was. Gabumon. Concern flickered across his bishoren features as he watched his digimon partner. The wolf-lizard had been awfully quiet since Mimi's announcement of Palmon's disappearance. Gabumon was never much of a talker, but still...

"Hey."

Gabumon twirled around, obviously not expecting company.
"Oh, Matt! Hey yourself." he smiled sadly, then cast his eyes back on the ground.

"You okay? You've barely said ten words ever since we left."

"I'm fine, my friend. It's just, well....uh, I mean...." he shifted uncomfortably. Something in Matt's mind went on alert. Gabumon wasn't one to trip on his tongue like this. Something was obviously wrong.

"What?" he prompted.

A guilty look crossed the wolf-lizard's muzzle. "I just...feel bad..."

The blonde teen looked confused, then suddenly brightened.

"Oh! I see!"

Gabumon looked up meekly. "You do?"

"Mm-hmm. You feel bad because we had to leave TK behind and you're worried about his health. Well, don't worry too much, okay? TK's a tough kid, he can take care of himself! In fact, he's probably setting up camp as we speak!"

Gabumon smiled sadly. "Yeah, sure Matt." he tried to sound reassured. "Thanks."

Matt scratched him behind the ears and smiled. "Don't worry. I understand how you feel." he said before turning and walking away towards Tai.

He didn't understand at all.

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Chapter 10- What Matt Doesn't Understand
ok, this chapter is in Gabumon's p.o.v

*Palmon's gone. They took her. She's gone.* The words play over and over in my mind like a broken record.

*They took her*

When I told Matt I felt bad, he thought I meant TK. That's true- I do feel bad for him. He really got in a bad way thanks to that jerkmon, but what Matt said really applies to his mindset, not mine. Poor Matt. He still can't see TK as the young adult he is.

*She's gone.*

But really it's Mimi I feel bad for. She and Palmon were like sisters. I can't begin to imagine the things going through her head now. Maybe I could've done more. I could've blasted that scarecrow of a digimon with my Metal Wolf Claw. Then he wouldn't have been able to release his KO Spray.

*They took her.*

Or maybe if I'd been closer by, I could've stopped whoever took her. Or at least gotten a look at them and see which way they went.

*She's gone.*

And maybe...maybe if I had just talked to her sooner... She was sad earlier. If maybe I had talked to her, maybe, maybe tell her how I feel about her, she wouldn't have gotten into that awful argument with Mimi, and we would've seen our attackers sooner.

*They took her.*

And it's all my fault.


"Gabumon? Hey, Gabumon!"

The sound of my name breaks through my dark reverie. Agumon is running up to me at a slow jog.

"What's up?"

"We're heading back." he pants lightly. His voice is slightly hoarse, I notice. But then, he's done more than his share of yelling today.

"Back? Already? We haven't finished searching this side yet!"

Agumon gives me a weird look, but I'm too angry to care. I just want to know why we aren't looking anymore.

"It's getting dark, Gabumon. We won't have much more time left to look." Tai says as he and Matt step up.

"But.."

"Look Gabumon." Matt kneels to be more at my eye level. "We're just going to have to come back this way tomorrow, provided that Sora and Izzy haven't found any clues otherwise, so we might as well head back and check back with the others."
*The others?* Ah, I see. He means TK. A flush of anger surges through my chest. So TK's the problem again. I still remember him ruining my chance with Palmon.

No, wait...that was a good thing he did, wasn't it? Because it would've ruined our friendship...our did I ruin our friendship...I'm so confused!

"You okay buddy?"

And apparently it shows!

"Um, yeah, yeah. I'm okay." I can feel myself blushing, but fortunately my fur coat does not reveal my secret. "Let's get going."

I push past them and head back toward the camp.

"Ooo-kaay....?"

Matt jogs quickly to catch up to me, and soon I sense Tai and Agumon on my right. We walk in silence, save for Tai's occasional whistling. I'm aware of the occasional odd glance thrown my way, but I pretend I don't notice.

In fact, I stare straight ahead. My mind is silent now, but the guilt and shame prowl the edges like a pack of hyenas around a stranded animal, waiting to strike. My heart feels heavy, my legs like lead. And, most surprising?

I feel cold.

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Chapter 11- Wakey-Wakey!
Now this chapter is in Palmon's(remember her?) p.o.v

"Brrr...!"

I feel sick. My head is pounding and my throat is raw. It's damp and chilly here. I can feel the presence of someone nearby.

"Mimi?" I ask quietly, trying to remember what happened.

"No."

Alarm bells ring through my throbbing head. My eyes fly wide open. I hiss in pain as a light temporarily blinds them. As my vision clears, I remember being attacked, then carried away. Where was I? And more importantly...

"Where's Mimi?" I demand angrily. I try to move, but I'm bolted down somehow. they'd better not have hurt her....

"Oh, quit struggling!"

I'm surprised by the voice enough to comply. An elegant humanoid digimon female is standing a few feet away. She's rather tall and the dress she's wearing kinda reminds me of the one Mimi wore at the Geckomon's palace. Mimi would love it, except that it's kind of an antique gold, not pink. Her face is so cold, colder than the room itself.

"So we're awake, are we?" She smirks cruelly. "Please, enjoy our...hospitality?"

Her twisted sense of amusement snaps me out of it. Now I'm angry-angry at her and angry at myself for letting her get to me.

"Where's Mimi?" I repeat.

She pretends to look confused. "Mimi? I don't believe I've heard...Ah! Of course! The little human girl in pink! She's-"

"She will be fine."

The sudden voice catches us both of guard, and we both shriek a little.

"She will be fin, I assure you. I have given strict orders to my officers that she remains unharmed." The voice moves forward, attaching itself to a humanoid digi-male as he steps into the light.

And what a mon! I don't like to judge someone by their appearance, but Ooo baby! He was taller than the female, with long hair so blonde it was almost white. A silver helmet covered the upper portion of his face. He was impeccable dressed in a red coat and white breeches, and a shiny pair of black boots(a/n: In case u need a better description, I based him on Zechs Marquis from Gundam Wing. I personally think Milliardo is better looking, but....).

His gait was sure and steady, graceful even. He bent down to my level, and I could see his features looked like they were chiseled from the finest marble. The gentle fragrance of roses mingled with a masculine musk perfumed the air between us. My face grew hot as a gloved finger stroked my cheek reassuringly.

'Please don't worry about her anymore. She is no longer important."

Common sense came back to me. What did he mean by that?!

"What d'ya mean, she's not important?! She's my best friend! I'm supposed to take care of her-"

"Best friend? After what she did to you?"

I know that voice...I heard it not too long ago...

"<gasp>! You!!"

"This is one of my officers, Wasabimon." replied the handsome stranger. The mon called Wasabi stood up proudly and saluted.

'You're the one who attacked us! You kidnapped me!"

He looked stricken, and put one paw on his chest. "kidnapped you? Kidnapped you?! Why, I do believe I liberated you, dear girl!"

"Libera....I don't understand."

I was confused, hurt, scared, and angry, and I no longer cared who knew. My captor, still kneeling, gently lifted my face towards his covered one.

"Allow me to explain, little one. My name is MarquisDemon. You are in my home, in my lab."

"Marquis...Demon...?" What was it about this guy that made my brain feel mushy?

"Wasabimon overheard the terrible things Mimi had said to you. When he told me, I insisted that you be freed from such tyranny."

The lady humphed, but she looked guiltily away when MarquisDemon glared at her.

Terrible things she said...? That's right, we'd had a fight. But she didn't say anything that bad...did she? I don't remember.

"She-she's my best friend....." I manage to squeak out weakly.

"I do not doubt your sincerity, nor your loyalty. Yet I cannot see why you would want to stay with someone who would call you-"

"-A walking weed!" finished Wasabimon triumphantly.

That's right. She did call me that. But she hadn't meant it...had she?

"She picked on your appearance consistently, didn't she?" he says sympathetically. I begin to shake me head, but, well, she may not have meant it and she may not have done it constantly, but she sure did it a lot.

"Well...no, not really..."

"Don't defend her, my pretty one. None of them appreciate your true beauty. Not Mimi, not the Gabumon, none. You...."

Gabumon? GABUMON!!

"He loves me!" I blurt out suddenly. MarquisDemon pauses in his speech. His officers are thrown too.

"I beg your pardon?"

The words pour forth as if they were my last defense against this mon's charms, which they probably are.

"Gabumon! Gabumon appreciates my beauty! I know he does! And he cares very much for me!"

"Oh? He has told you all of this?" That cold feminine voice mocks. MarquisDemon stands up and gestures.

"Forgive me for not introducing you sooner. This is my finest officer, Ladymon."

"We've met!" I snap bitterly.

"And I cannot say it's been a pleasure." she scowls back. Then she offers a saccharine smile. "But you still have not answered my question, 'pretty one'."

My heart sinks. "Well...no, no he hasn't yet...."

"I see."

"He's shy! Very shy! That's all!"

Wasabimon made a noise that might've been a stifled laugh and stepped forward. "I've heard tales about you digidestined for quite some time now. Seems to me that if this Gabumon fella really cared for you, he would've at least had the decency to tell you! Instead, you're here with us and they're not even looking!"

"They are looking!" I cry indignantly. They *have* to be!

"Oh really?" Ladymon smirks and glides gracefully over to a small table. She pushes a hidden button on the side, and immediately the air above the table ripples and glows, kind of like the way water reflects on a ceiling, only sideways. An image is forming, and as it comes into focus, I can see....

....NO!

Mimi...and she's laughing! All the digidestined are gathered around a cozy fire, eating and talking and laughing! I can't hear what they're saying, but from the expression on their faces, they're clearly not upset over my absence! I'm too stunned to speak. All I can do is stare wide-eyed and slack-jawed like some cartoon character.

"How touching!" The female digimon says with mock sincerity laced with ire. "A friendly get-together. And all they forgot was you!"

Then the scene changes and my world completely collapses. Biyomon and Gabumon are in focus. They're standing a little close, I think. They're talking about something, when suddenly my so-called friend PUTS HER WINGS AROUND MY 'MON!! And he's *blushing*!! His fur may hide most of it, but I've seen his true face(a/n: see the Flora + Fauna series for details) and I know where to look.

"Why that little...!" A voice hisses from nearby. After a second, I realize the voice belongs to me!

"Are you so sure of his feeling towards you now, pretty one?" The stranger's voice is low and husky in my ear. Tears begin to fill my eyes, and I hang my head in shame as one makes its way out, down my cheek and onto the floor. I hurt. Worse than any headache, my heart is clenched in agony. Although I'm trying to fight them, more and more tears slid free as my body begins to tremble with held back sobs.

"*Love Phantom*!" The Marquis whispers eagerly.

Suddenly, I feel no sadness....

No pain...

No...

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Chapter 12: Mountains out Of Molehills
** indicates Gab's pov

"Okay gang! Let's move!" Everyone groaned at the cheery, impatient voice.

"<Groan>. Give us a break T...Tai?!" Matt blinked as he saw his opposite still asleep a few yards away.

"C'mon, let's go!" Mimi sang impatiently as she violently shook Gabumon awake. Satisfied the wolf-lizard was, she proceeded to the next pair of sleepers. Gabumon and Matt just blinked, first at each other, then at the brown-eyed alarm clock with defective snooze button.

Sora ambled up to them, stretching and yawning sleepily. "Morning guys!"

"Hey Sora." answered Matt. The trio turned and snickered as Tai and Agumon's vocal protests filled the air.

"What's with her?"

"She's just upset, Matt. She wants to find Palmon as quickly as she can. She blames herself, you know."

Gabumon's ears perked up at that. "She does? Why?"

Sora stared sadly after her best friend, who was busy arguing with Tai, who was trying to regain his dignity as leader. "Because of that fight she and Palmon had just before the attack. She thinks that if she hadn't been so mean, the attack would never have happened."

"Poor Mimi." cooed Matt sympathetically.

"Mmm-hmm. So she's on the rampage, making breakfast, and making Izzy find some use for those clues we found!"

"Ha! Poor Izzy! He's probably frantic...Wait a minute! She cooked breakfast?!"

"Fruit, actually. But the fact that she was up before any of us getting it should account for something!"

The two boys agreed, and followed Tai as he stormed past to where Mimi had set up a small pile of fruit. The others were mostly there, groggily chewing and yawning. All but Izzy, that is. He was frantically typing on his laptop, Mimi hovering just over his shoulder, impatiently tapping her foot. Finally, the computer whiz had had enough:

"AUGH!! Mimi will you cut it out?! I can't concentrate with you breathing down my neck like that!"

The brown-haired girl huffed indignantly. "Well, if you're such a genius, why haven't you figured out where she is yet?"

Izzy twirled around angrily and opened his mouth to retort. Before he could utter a word, however, Joe jumped defensively in between them.

"Hey, c'mon you guys! Just relax, grab a bite to eat, and we'll figure something out together."

"Okay." they both grumbled in unison. Breakfast was rather silent for a while then, each lost in his or her own thoughts. When Izzy finally spoke up, the rest jumped a mile.

"Okay, gang, let's analyze what we've got to go on. Palmon was obviously taken by those attacking Gorillamon. Sora and Biyomon found tracks a few miles due east of here, most likely left by our bulky friends."

"But what about that little spiky-haired creature that was leading them? Who was that?" asked Sora.

"Yeah, none of us have ever seen a digimon like him before." agreed Gomamon.

"Well, at least we know it wasn't Agumon! This guy could actually aim!" Tai burst out laughing.

"Hey!" Agumon protested, then joined the other's laughter. He knew Tai hadn't meant it, and the joke was just what everyone needed. Gabumon laughed so hard he nearly fell over. Suddenly he stopped. He had the weirdest sense he was being watched. He glanced around quickly, but if anything was out there, no one else seemed to notice, so he shrugged it off.

"Seriously though, my digital analyzer says we were attacked by a digimon called Wasabimon, which are animal digimon that can shoot nerve gas attacks from the porcupine-like quills on their backs."

"So we need to figure a way to defend ourselves against it." concluded Matt.

"Precisely." remarked Izzy as he re-opened his laptop. "I've already started working on that problem, if somebody would quite hovering over me!" He glared at Mimi, who hmph-ed, crossed her arms and turned her nose up in annoyance.

**As Izzy rambled on and on, I noticed Biyomon slipping away from the rest of the group.

"That's odd." I thought. "She wouldn't just leave Sora like that." and so I proceeded to follow her.

She stopped a few yards away, and I carefully walked up besides her. I saw that from this vantage point, the scars from the previous day's battle could still be seen.

"Hey Gabumon." She said sadly.

"What's wrong Biyomon? It's not like you to just walk off like this."

"Oh, it's nothing." She sighed. "I just can't help but wonder, well, why they took Palmon."

"-Instead of you?" I finished.

"yeah. Crazy, isn't it? Here I am, safe and sound, and I'm jealous because a bunch of stinky apes took her over me!"

"It's not that crazy. I always felt a little jealous when Agumon was able to digivolve before me."

"You did?"

"Mm-hmm. But I realized that instead of focusing on my faults, I should dwell on my positive features. Agumon may be a better fighter than me, but I'm a better listener!"

I shifted guiltily after that last statement. "Just...don't tell him I said that, okay?"

Biyomon blinked, then threw her head back and laughed. "You are a really good friend, Gabumon. You know that?"

She stepped forward as she spoke, wrapping her wings around me in a big, friendly hug. I blushed awkwardly, and silently thanked the stars Palmon didn't witness the act. Not that she'd be jealous or anything. We are just friends. Just good friends.

But I was in love with her...

"Helloo? Gabumon?"

"Huh?" I blinked. Biyomon was waving her wing in front of my face, a puzzled expression upon hers.

"Where were you, huh? You looked a million miles away!"

"Oh. Sorry." I smiled apologetically. "I just got lost in thought."

She shrugged but fortunately didn't push the issue. "Well, Anyways, c'mon. The guys are calling us."

I turned to see Matt and Sora waving and calling at us, the rest of the gang slightly farther ahead. As we ran up to them, Matt called out, "C'mon! We're gonna go find Palmon!"

Go On!

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