Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Revived Hope ❯ Chapter 2

By Time Lady

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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.

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Author's note: This is an alternate reality fic. This is a "what if" where Angemon did not digivolve to Holy Angemon and did not save Takeru and Hikari.

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As Takeru directed them through the castle, they heard the sounds of battle around them. "All of the digimon we gathered are attacking in waves," explained Mimi. "If Piemon appears, they've been instructed to get out of there fast, while another group attacks another part of the castle. Unimon and Ogremon will meet us by Angemon."

"Ogremon's still with you?" asked Takeru in amazement.

"Don't tell him I said this, but virus or not, he's just a big softie," admitted Mimi.

With Takeru's directions, they found a way out of the castle in a tenth of the time it took them to find him in the first place. As they flew away from the castle they could see flashes and hear explosions from the attacks of the digimon. Lillymon led the group away from the castle towards where Unimon and the others were waiting.

"Ow!" exclaimed Takeru in pain as XV-mon adjusted his hold.

"Sorry, did I squeeze too hard?" asked XV-mon.

"No. Just jostled a bruised area," said Takeru. "Don't worry. I'm used to it."

"Do you think you'd be more comfortable riding Aquillamon?" asked Daisuke.

Takeru glanced at the others straddled the giant bird. "Right now, I don't think I could manage to sit like that."

"Uhh. . . sorry. . .," said Daisuke, slightly embarrassed at his stupid suggestion. After what Takeru had been through, sitting on anything would probably be out of the question. "Um. . . how long has this been going on?"

"Piemon has been raping me for three years," said Takeru matter of factly. Daisuke's face went pale. "You get used to the humiliation and embarrassment rather quickly. The only thing you don't get used to is the extreme pain, one of Piemon's favorite things. Squeezing a bruise is mild compared to what I've experienced."

Mimi looked at Iori sitting before her. He had been listening to the conversation in amazement. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm sorry. . . it's just that. . . to go what Takeru has gone through. . ."

"Yes. He'll never be the same because of it. When we first met at camp that fateful summer, Takeru was a little younger than you," explained Mimi in a sad voice.

"I can see Unimon," announced Lillymon, interrupting everyone's thoughts. "We're almost there."

The flying digimon touched down, then devolved, except for Lillymon. Unimon stepped forward. "You were successful. The plan worked. Greetings Takeru. It has been a long time."

Ogremon joined them and looked at Takeru standing there, battered and bruised, wearing nothing but the blanket tied around his waist for modesty. "Man," he muttered. "Kid looks worse than a Roachmon."

"That's enough," said Mimi.

"Where's Angemon?" asked Takeru urgently. They had to be right, that his digimon was still alive. If he wasn't, then everything was useless, and Hikari would be at Piemon's mercy. . . his mind was reeling with conflicting thoughts. Absently he fingered the tag and crest he still wore. Piemon thought it was a grand jest to have the digidestined of hope reminded of his hopelessness.

"This way," said Unimon. "We did not want you to land too close to the spot in case you were followed." He led them down into a crevasse. A small, red digimon with blue tipped ears was waiting for them.

"Elecmon. . .," said Takeru. More memories were surfacing - memories he had repressed to dull the pain. He remembered how Patamon and Elecmon fought, then became friends in the primary village.

"What have they done to you Takeru?" asked Elecmon sadly.

"You don't want to know," said Daisuke.

"Angemon's over there," said Ken, pointing to what looked like a glass boulder.

Takeru ran, his heart pounding. A fine layer of dust covered the boulder, but he could make out a figure inside. He brushed away some of the dust. "Angemon. . .," he said. The figure inside was truly his digimon, whom he had long believed dead. Laying his head against the glass, he could barely sense Angemon's essence. "I'm sorry. . . I failed you. When I saw Piemon blast you, I thought you were destroyed. I lost all hope. Please. . . forgive me," he said as his tears began to fall. For the first time in three years, they were not tears of pain and humiliation - they were tears of joy, and of hope.

Iori watched the youth and the trapped digimon. Inside the shell, he thought he saw a tear on Angemon's face as well. "Look," said Ken in a low voice. "Angemon's fist is. . . glowing. . ."

Suddenly, the glass around Angemon shattered, and Takeru fell into Angemon's arms. "Angemon," exclaimed Takeru. He embraced the angel digimon, then winced as Angemon wrapped his own arms around him.

"Takeru, I'm sorry. . . I tried to escape from the trap, but for some reason I couldn't, as if I were cut off from you. I'm supposed to be the angel of hope, but I lost all hope myself not knowing if you were dead or alive. Eventually, I guess I lost all consciousness. I don't remember anything from what must have been a few days after the attack till I felt your presence just now." The angel stepped back for a moment and examined his partner. A surge of anger swept through him at the state Takeru was in

"I should be the one who is sorry. As the bearer of hope, I let Piemon subjugate me until the only thing I felt was hopeless," returned Takeru.

Miyako heard a loud sniff and saw Ogremon wiping his nose with his arm. "Ogremon, are you crying?" she asked

"Me? Crying?" sniffed Ogremon. "Nah, it's just dust in my eyes."

"Hey, enough of the mushy stuff! Now let's go kick Piemon's butt!" exclaimed Daisuke.

"Don't you get it Daisuke?" asked Iori. "This is like the prophecy Gennai gave us. The first part was restoring hope, and we've most certainly done that by reuniting Takeru and Angemon."

"Now we have to free the light," added Ken.

Takeru looked at them. "HIKARI!" he exclaimed. "We have to go back to her! If Piemon even _tries_ to lay a finger on her. . ." As if echoing Takeru's sentiments, his tag and crest began to glow brightly. Then. . .

"Angemon digivolve to. . . Holy Angemon!"

"Oh wow. . . " said Miyako.

The other digimon looked at Holy Angemon. "I wouldn't want to be in Piemon's shoes right now," said Wormmon.

---

The group returned to the castle a different way from which they entered. They went to the throne room first. Takeru breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Hikari's statue still in place. Excitement and hope flashed in her eyes when she saw Holy Angemon. "They were right Hikari," exclaimed Takeru. "Angemon was trapped, but he's with us now and. . ."

"Stand back," interrupted Holy Angemon. "Holy Disinfection!"

A golden aura suffused the statue. Cold, white marble became warm, pink flesh. Hikari collapsed into Takeru's arms.

Coughing in his embarrassment, Iori turned around rather than look at the naked girl. Ken did likewise. "Turn around you pervert!" shouted Miyako as she forcibly turned Daisuke around. Mimi brought a blanket over and put it around Hikari.

"Sorry," said Hikari, her face turning red. "I've been a statue so long that I blocked out the fact that I wasn't wearing anything."

"I don't care," said Takeru. "You don't know how good it is to hear your voice."

"I don't mean to put a damper on the reunion," said Stingmon, his antennae twitching,"but someone's coming this way. They're still far away enough that we can get out of here."

"Let's free the others," said Ken.

"Yes," agreed Mimi. "We're going to need the team at full force to be able to defeat Piemon."

"This way," said Takeru as he led them through a side door of the throne room. "When Piemon wasn't tormenting me with threats against Hikari, he would threaten Yamato." The digimon took up watch positions at the doors leading into the room.

A chill ran down Iori's spine. "What did he do to them?" he asked.

"Piemon turned them into keychains, along with Angewomon and the other digimon. I don't know if he gave them the same type of awareness he allowed Hikari though," returned Takeru. "But they did seem to physically age like Hikari did." They found themselves in a room that appeared to be full of toys. A toy sized Monzeamon sat on a table with some of what looked like digimon action figures.

"Boy, Piemon sure likes toys," said Daisuke as he picked up a Floramon doll.

"Those aren't toys," said Takeru. "Those are digimon who tried to stand alone against Piemon."

"GAH!" returned Daisuke as he hastily put down the doll.

"Where are the others?" asked Miyako.

"In that chest," returned Takeru. "Piemon wanted to keep them safe. . . and out of my hands."

"It's locked," stated Ken as he tried to open the chest.

"Allow me. . . Armadimon, are you ready?" asked Iori.

"Ready and eager!" returned the only digimon still a rookie.

"Digi-armor energize!" shouted Iori.

"Armadimon digivolve to. . . . Digmon, the drill of knowledge!"

"Be careful," warned Takeru.

"No problem," returned Digmon, one of his drill-hands revolving. Cautiously he drilled through the lock on the chest."

"Sounds like trouble's comin'," said Ogremon.

"Trouble is here," announced Piemon as the door imploded. Ogremon, who was right behind the door, was thrown across the room. "It looks like my pet has been rather naughty," said the dark master. Takeru glared in anger. "And he's stolen my favorite statue." The youth stepped in front of Hikari protectively. "I guess I'll get to have some new toys," ended Piemon.

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" shouted Mimi.

"Flower Cannon!" shouted Lillymon as she raised her weapon.

Piemon was knocked back slightly, but the blast wasn't enough to injure him. "Really, I'm certain you can do better than that." He glances over Lillymon apprasingly. "You would make a pretty enough statue. CLOWN TRICK!"

"EXCALIBUR!" shouted Holy Angemon as his glowing sword sliced through the giant handkerchief, as well as a large chunk of the wall.

"Get 'em guys!" yelled Daisuke. Piemon found himself swarmed by a mass of champion digimon.

"It's getting a little crowded in here," said Piemon as he jumped through the hole in the castle wall. "Come and catch me, if you dare."

XV-mon, Digmon, Lillymon, Ogremon, Aquillamon, and Stingmon pursued Piemon through the hole. Holy Angemon was about to join them when Iori called "Wait!"

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"It's been a while since I had a really good battle," said Piemon. "TRUMP SWORD!"

"GOLD RUSH!"

"X-LASER!"

"BLAST HORN!"

"SPIKING FINISH!"

All four blasts hit the swords flying at them, but barely even touched Piemon. "You four aren't even worth the energy." The skies were suddenly filled with Bakamon and Vilemon, who instantly began attacking the champions. Then Piemon turned to Lillymon. "And now for you my dear. . . . CLOWN TRICK!"

"CELESTIAL ARROW!"

"WHAT!" Piemon whirled around in surprise to see at least a dozen digimon departing from the hole in his castle wall. Seven of which belonged to the digidestined. "THIS CAN'T BE!"

"You better believe it," shouted Takeru as he and the other digidestined climbed out of the hole. "You're going down Piemon!"

"GET THEM!!!!!!" Piemon shouted to his troops.

Before the Bakamon and Vilemon could even attack, Holy Angemon flew forward. Using his glowing sword, he drew a circle in the air. "HEAVEN'S GATE!" The circle solidified into a disk. A door slid open. The Vilemon and Bakamon found themselves pulled into the doorway.

"NO!" exclaimed Piemon. He felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hi," said War Greymon.

"Remember us?" asked Metal Garurumon.

"Oh no. . ." said Piemon.

"GAIA FORCE!"

"GARURU TOMAHAWK!"

"NOOO!!!!!" shouted Piemon as the blasts struck. He began falling towards the gate.

Suddenly, Holy Angemon appeared before him. Piemon reached for the angel digimon, but found himself instead confronted with Holy Angemon's sword. "You have held this world and an innocent young boy in your clutches for too long," said the angel in a dangerously low voice. "This is for the digital world. . . and for Takeru." The sword slashed across Piemon's chest, forcing the dark master through the gate once and for all. The digidestined, both old and new, watched as the gate closed, sealing Piemon's fate.

"It's over?" asked Jyou as he pulled at his too tight clothes. Mimi's digimon forces and the newly freed digimon began surrounding the children.

"He's gone. . ." said Takeru. All the adrenaline that had been keeping him going for the last few hours left without warning. Yamato caught him before he could fall to the ground

"Oh my God. . ," said Yamato as he saw his brother's bruised and battered body.

"Taichi, it was awful," said Hikari as she hugged her brother. She began talking very fast. "Piemon turned me into a statue and set me by his throne and made me watch as he did all sorts of horrible things to Takeru and. . ."

Everyone stared in amazement as Hikari told what she had been through, and what she had seen of Takeru's daily existence. "We didn't feel anything," said Sora. She looked at how tight her clothes were on her body. "But we must have still aged."

Mimi then told her story while Miyako and Ken passed the digidestined and digimon some of the food they brought in their packs. Then Iori told their part of the story.

"Three years. . . ," said Taichi as he tried to do something with his hair, which was going all over the place. "Our parents must think we're dead."

"No," said Ken. "They still believe you're going to come back."

"We might not be getting back as soon as we hoped," said Koushirou, who had been making sure his computer still worked. "I have an email from Gennai. . ."

---

Earth

For three years, eight families held a daily vigil at the same place where their children had left. In the last few months, four more families joined them. Telescopes and binoculars scanned the skies hopeful that one day, the sky would return to normal and their loved ones would return.

Weekends were the only times when everyone in all of the families would be present. Sometimes reporters would interview them. This day was one of those days.

"And how long has it been since your son and the other three children left for the 'other universe?'" asked the reporter.

"About three or four months," said Mrs. Ichijouji.

"I don't understand how the others have been able to hold onto their hope this long," added Mrs. Inoue. "To be waiting three years for your child to come home."

"They'll come back," said Professor Takenouchi. "Digimon sightings seem to be fewer and fewer over the last couple of weeks. That gives us some hope."

"Professor, your daughter was one of the first to enter, is that right?" asked the reporter.

"Yes. I wasn't as lucky as my wife to be able to say goodbye to her though."

"Someone is always here at this location, aren't they?"

"Yes. During the day, Mrs. Yagami, Mrs. Hida, Mrs. Tachikawa, Mrs. Motomiya, Mrs. Kido, and Mrs. Ichijouji are usually here daytime. Afternoons, Shin Kido, Jun Motomiya, and some of the Inoue children join them. The rest of us join them in the evenings, sometimes camping out here all night," explained the professor.

"And what do. . ." began the reporter when Shin interrupted.

"Something's happening!" shouted Shin. Binoculars, telescopes, and cameras turned skyward. The other world that seemed to hang in the sky began to disappear.

"NO!" shouted Mrs. Yagami. "Taichi! Hikari!"

"Oh no!" exclaimed Ms. Takaishi. "The sky is clearing but the children aren't back yet!"

For the first time in three years, people looked up at a blue sky. "No, they can't be gone!" added Mr. Ishida.

Everyone stood in silence, still staring up at the sky. A rainbow crossed the heavens. "Look!" called Jun. "The rainbow is coming this way!"

"Impossible," stated Shin.

"She's right," said Iori's grandfather. "LOOK!" Everyone turned to where he was pointing. The rainbow touched down a short distance from the assembled group. At the end of the rainbow appeared a trolley car.

"You better be getting this on tape," the reporter said to his cameraman. "We're going to have an exclusive!"

"We should be careful," said Mr. Yagami. That didn't stop all the mothers from rushing forward. They saw faces in the windows of the trolley car. The faces were three years older, the hair long and unkempt, but there was no doubt in their minds. Their children had returned home.

---

Epilogue

After the digidestined fought Apocolymon, the digital world was restored to normal. They bid goodbye to their digimon friends. Then, on Gennai's word, they entered the trolley car that returned them to their own world.

They were greeted by their relieved families, then rushed by Dr. Kido to the nearest hospital. All left with a clean bill of health, save Takeru, who remained in the hospital for a week to recover from the injuries inflicted by Piemon.

Ken Ichijouji, Miyako Inoue, Daisuke Motomiya, and Iori Hida picked up their lives where they left off. Since they had only been gone a few short months, they only needed to catch up on some schoolwork they missed.

Taichi Yagami, Yamato Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Koushiro Izumi, and Jyou Kido spent a lot of time trying to catch up on the three years they lost. They felt strange, as they were physically three years older than they were mentally. After several months, they caught up and resumed somewhat normal lives.

Mimi Tachikawa spent several weeks in psychotherapy. After spending three years of her life organizing the resistance against Piemon, she was having trouble adjusting back to a normal life. As was Hikari Yagami, who had spent three years as a statue watching one of her best friends raped, abused, and humiliated.

Takeru had the most difficult time adjusting to life back in the human world. The scars on his body healed, but the scars on his mind and heart were slow to heal. Hikari was very instrumental in helping him adjust to a life of freedom. His experiences, though, helped to make him stronger. He resolved that, no matter how bad the situation, he would never lose hope.

- The End -

Thanks to Chris McFeely for helping clarify a few plot points. And thanks to David Pochron, Fenix, Mike, Joseph Lyons, Beth, and Andrew Chisholm for reading over and giving me their comments (and catching a few things).