Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Children Of Fate ❯ 17 ( Chapter 18 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: moose_of_doom 
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.01.2005 | Pages: 10 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 285 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.01.2005 | Pages: 10 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 285 | Status: Completed
Chapter 17:
*********
The Shadowmon blinked in the daylight that flooded through the busted door.
“What?” Davis said. “Haven’t you ever seen the walking dead before?”
He pulled his Berettas from their holsters, and in that single moment, all hell broke loose.
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“Get more people down there, immediately!” Darren yelled.
“Don’t do that.” Derron said.
“Sir, I can’t allow this incursion to go unchecked.”
“If you want to lose your men, go ahead, but I think that the Paladin is going to be fairly unstoppable this time.”
The guard commander gaped at him.
“Sir…”
“Just trust me on this one, Darren. The Paladin has a job to do. I’d rather it was the Shadowmon getting shredded than your men.”
Darren sighed.
“Yes, sir”
“One of those Days, huh?” Liam said.
Derron didn’t turn around.
“Mr Dillon, I don’t care for your wit. You may join your friends in the auditorium. Wentela, please escort them.”
“It would be my pleasure, sir.” The big woman said, almost fawningly.
Liam rolled his eyes.
“She’s obviously used to receiving commands.”
“Yeah. Bet they have to be short and to the point though.” Nick replied.
“What, are you thinking along the lines of ‘Sit!’ ‘Stay!’”
“Yeah, that was the area.”
Derron watched them as they were escorted up the amphitheatre. Fascinating Men. Almost completely without fear. He’d never met anyone who wasn’t in the least intimidated by him. No sane man would even have dared to offer the impudence that Liam Dillon had. Well, no-one had ever accused the big Irishman of being sane.
He just wondered what Wentela would make of them.
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“God bless all here.” Liam said cheerily as they approached the group.
“Silence, filth!” Wentela snapped.
“Or what?” Liam asked. “You’ll shoot us? You botched the job of the last one, me dear. Michael, you wanna take a bow?”
The blonde man laughed.
“I’ll pass.”
Wentela took a close look at him. Her eyes widened.
“You!”
“Yeah. He keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, don’t he?” Kari said.
The big woman’s eyes snapped round to the current leader of the Digidestined (although, Kari thought, I might be relinquishing THAT fun position soon, or so she hoped) and pulled the riding crop from her belt. She swung the leather thong at the brown-haired girl. Tai lunged to get in the way.
Nick got there first. He moved in front of Wentela with the speed of a martial artist, and took the massive blow of the crop neatly on his forearm. An ugly red welt rose where the leather hit him. He didn’t flinch.
“Is that the best you got?” he challenged.
Liam groaned. Bloody Englishman always got like this when he saw ladies being picked on. Wentela stared at the Londoner in disbelief, and raised the crop again. The blow whistled through the air.
It never connected. Reaching up at phenomenal speed, Nick grabbed the big woman’s arm, forcing it backwards. Impotent fury rose in Wentela’s eyes.
“You’re mine. I’ll kill you, you shit!”
“I’m quaking. Why don’t you piss off back down to your master, dog?”
“You’re all mine! I’ll kill you if I goddamn want to!”
Nick’s voice lowered dangerously.
“You’ll never get the chance. Now fuck off, there’s a good girl.”
Liam groaned again. Wentela looked into Nick’s eyes.
She saw something there that she really didn’t like. Without another word, she turned and stormed back down the stairs.
Nick turned to the Digidestined. And bowed.
“I will now be signing autographs. Anyone who wishes to see round two, hang around, ‘cos I doubt its far away.”
“Thanks, Nick.” Kari said.
“You’re welcome, little lady. Where would this world be, if it weren’t for some good old fashioned English chivalry, eh?”
“Nick?” Liam said.
“Yes boss?”
“Shut up, and sit down.”
“Yes boss.”
The batch of troopers took their seats. Liam and Nick sat on the backmost row.
“that was dangerous, Mate.” Liam said.
“I know. But did you see the look on her face?” Nick gloated.
The big Irishman looked at his friend. He had hardly ever seen the look on Nick’s face before. The look was a very simple one. A slight smile was tugging at the corner of the Londoners mouth, but there was no humour in his eyes, only a bleak determination. Liam was suddenly very glad that he wasn’t Wentela.
“Liam…” came a familiar voice. He flinched slightly. No sense in delaying the inevitable.
“Hello, Mimi. Sorry we took so long.”
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the Berettas coughed acrid smoke, the sulphury smell permeating the air in the entrance hall of the Citadel. Combined with the roaring heat of the fireballs that Flamedramon sent roaring down the gallery, there was very little chance of stopping the paladin’s mad onslaught.
“How you doin’ buddy?” Davis yelled to his Digimon.
Flamedramon proceeded to roast another of their misshapen enemies.
“I’m good. You seen any sign of a way out yet?”
“Nothing! It must be at the other end of the hall!”
Flamedramon grinned from under the helmet that covered the front of his head.
“Well, I didn’t come here for the company. What are we waiting for?”
The pair charged, filling the air around them with noise, fire, lead and confusion. Davis leapt into the air, and brought his foot round, kicking a Shadowmon square in the face. Even as he landed, he fell to the floor, allowing his Digimon partner to send a titanic wave of flame against their enemies. Charbroiled Shadowmon was definitely on the menu tonight.
But they were slowing down. Even as they tried to move forward, more of the creatures were blocking their path.
“Where the hell are they coming from?” Flamedramon yelled.
“If I knew, I’d blow it up!”
“Great, just great, Davis.”
The Paladin slammed his right pistol across the jaw of his assailant, and neatly drilled a hole in its head as it fell.
“Don’t worry about it, pal. I’ve got a little surprise.”
Backing off a couple of paces, he pulled a palmtop from his trench coats pocket, and attached it to a slot on his arm.
“D-MOD ONE, ACTIVATE!”
Flamedramon’s armour shone. Blinding white light fused around it, as it began to shift and change in respond to Davis’s yelled command. The Shadowmon all backed off warily at the sudden show of pyrotechnics.
The light faded. Now, instead of the half facemask that he had worn before, Flamedramon’s head was fronted by a full visor. His eyes shone brightly out of the eyeholes, and the new gun-barrels that sprouted from his claws gleamed ominously in the dim light of the hallway.
“Meet, Flamedramon BMF, boys. I’m sure he wants to make your acquaintance. But first, allow me to introduce you to some other friends.”
He raised his hands again.
“This is Mr MP5K one, and this is Mr MP5K two. How’s about they say hello.”
The submachineguns that had taken the place of Davis’s Berettas, which now hung in their holsters at his sides, sprayed a hail of bullets into he crowd of Shadowmon, scything through them like a knife through butter. But Davis wasn’t aiming to wipe out the Shadowmon.
He was just giving Flamedramon some space.
Swiftly moving in front of his partner, the upgraded armour Digimon stood defiantly. He grinned inside his helmet.
“I’m sure you’re all wondering what the BMF stands for…”
Slots appeared in the sides of his armour, and folded outwards. The sparkling new rocket launchers sighted themselves alongside his hand-cannons.
“FLARE VOLLEY!!!”
And inferno of rockets, fireballs and liquid fire swarmed into the Shadowmon, decimating their ranks. The two new barrels in Flamedramon’s hands had turned out to be flamethrowers.
“… its stands for bad mutherfugger, assholes.”
He lowered his arms, allowing the weaponry to fold back into place.
“I really like these new toys.”
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“‘Sorry we took so long?’ is that ALL you have to say, Liam Dillon.”
“Well, I said hello as well, if we’re being finicky.”
Mimi glared at him. He gave her a gentle smile in return; trying to soften the blow he was about to give.
“Mimi… I don’t know what to say to you.”
She stood still, her facial features froze as he spoke.
“I don’t know how you feel.” He said quietly, “But I do know how I feel. I’m not gonna say the words, Mimi. I Cant.” He twisted away from her. “It was a moment Mimi. I shouldn’t have done what I did, but I cant change the past.” He turned back, and looked into her eyes. “But I can do something to give you a future. He,” he pointed at Michael. “Could give you things that I never could. He can make you happier than I ever could.” He sighed. “And I’m not going to take that chance away from you on accounts of myself. No matter how I feel, I cant be what I’d like to be. I’m a soldier. I know when to cut my losses and run.”
She still stood there, staring at him, her eyes empty.
“So, that’s the way its gonna be, is it Liam?”
“Yeah. I guess so, girl dear.”
“Did you ever asking my opinion on the matter.”
“Mimi, this is my decision…”
“’fraid not, bub. When the time is right, I’ll make my own choice.”
“Whatever ya say, girl dear, “ he retorted, “But I’ve already made mine.”
Kari sat watching the two. She hated this goddamn situation, and for a moment, she thought that she should intervene.
Matt’s face stopped her. He looked straight into her eyes with that piercing gaze of his, and slowly shook his head. This was their problem. Kari nodded, and focused her mind inwards. Something inside her clicked, and she knew that the time had come.
“Gatomon. Come into the auditorium now. Get all the Digimon to link up with their partners.”
“Got it. Any particular reason?”
“Nope, just another one of those feelings.”
Gatomon didn’t even bother to dignify that with a reply. Bright creatures, their various appendages, tails and antenna bouncing, bounded into the auditorium, and up the steps to their partners.
Derron Motomiya took it surprisingly well.
“Ah. I see everyone’s here.”
=============================================================
Taythe had found herself relegated ton the sidelines of the conflict for the moment. She couldn’t go downstairs and face Davis at this stage, and there wasn’t really anything for her to do to help her father.
Her father…
She had always called him by that term, and all the love she had possessed had been sent to him, but lately she had begun to feel that he had never really returned the pure emotions she had given him.
Derron wasn’t her real father. She had known that all her life. She had never known her parents, never met her mother. She couldn’t even remember her face. But she did remember a sensation of…
Peace. She had belonged with her mother. She had loved Taythe. Taythe was sure of it. But how could she tell? She’d never had chance to ask her, and she never would. So far as she knew, she had never been loved.
She looked at the man who had raised her, and deep in her soul she felt the hollowness that had been with her all her life.
She knew now that she was nothing more than a tool to Derron. But there was nothing she could do about it. Destiny compelled her, and her fate was even now charging through the lower halls of the citadel, carving a path of destruction to this room.
“Taythe” Derron called her.
Strange, she thought. In those past two seconds, I’ve even begun to stop thinking of him as my Father.
“Taythe! I need you!” he snapped.
She felt a sudden surge of hatred run through her, but she stepped forward anyway. She was helpless.
As she moved forward, Derron removed his cloak, and allowed it to fall the ground, showing his armour.
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“Son of a bitch!” TK half yelled.
“What is it?” Patomon asked his partner.
“That bastards wearing my sword!”
Kari and Gatomon glanced down into the arena. She could indeed see the hilt of the silver Katana at Derron’s side. She grinned.
“Don’t worry, TK. You’ll get it back soon enough.”
=============================================================
“Davis, duck!”
The young Paladin threw himself forward, diving to the ground in front of Flamedramon, and dropped the spent MP5Ks. They had served their purpose. He pulled the Berettas from their holsters.
Flamedramon levelled his flamethrower barrel at the batch of Shadowmon who had been sneaking up behind his partner, and fired. Liquid flame leapt out, engulfing the creatures. Their screams filled his mind. he glanced down as he heard the sharp reports of Davis’s Berettas.
“You doin’ okay?”
“Good enough, buddy!”
The armour-Digimon stepped forward, allowing his partner to get to his feet. The two of them stood back to back, blasting away at the dark creatures that surrounded them.
Davis felt the pins in his Berettas click on empty. No time to reload. He reached under his trenchcoat, his hand finding the hilt of his sword. In one smooth motion, he pulled it free of the scabbard, immediately into an upward-flowing cut that gutted the first Shadowmon in range like a freshly landed salmon.
“You’re gonna have to watch my back, Flamedramon.”
“Aw, and I was just starting to have fun.”
Davis grinned. There was joy in the fight. Not a joy that involved thought, but mad, screaming adrenaline fuelled passion that raged from the depths of the soul. He allowed himself to sink into it, his skill and instincts replacing the need for thought.
He saw it.
“Falmedramon! The doors over there! It has to be the right one!”
Unlike Gatomon, Veemon did not have a particularly enquiring nature. He didn’t feel the need to argue with Davis over his decision, but decided instead to trust his partner implicitly. He levelled his cannons in the direction of the door, and fired.
“FLARE VOLLEY!”
The missiles and flames leapt from the Digimon’s hands again. There were more of them this time, as Flamedramon expended his stock of ammunition in a bid to wipe every single Shadowmon out of the room.
He managed the task, and succeeded in taking a fair amount of the wall, ceiling and door with them. Davis glanced at his partner.
“Overkill, much?”
“I don’t think Taythe will get her cleaning deposit back.”
The pair rushed forward, but before they could reach the door, a Shadowmon stepped out, swinging its sword in a cruel stroke. The blade caught Flamedramon on the side of the head, and the Shadowmon’s huge strength sent the smaller Digimon flying across the room. The backhand followed swiftly, aimed at the position where Davis’s neck would have been.
With typical cat-like reflexes, fuelled by the adrenalin coursing through his system, the paladin leapt back, allowing the cut to slash by him by mere inches. He landed in a ready position, his grey katana held in both hands. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Flamedramon shift, groaning, into a sitting position. He couldn’t allow the Shadowmon the advantage in this fight.
Fast as lightening, he moved. The Shadowmon Commander slashed in vain at his faster opponent, giving Davis the opening he had been waiting for. The katana lashed up, cutting deep into the creature’s neck. Davis was already past the commander by the time the decapitated corpse dropped to the floor.
Flamedramon got to his feet, and strolled up next to his partner.
“What is it with you and head-lopping?”
“It’s the quickest way to get the job done.” He pushed new magazines into his Berettas. “Shall we?”
“Lets.”
The pair raised their feet, and kicked hard into the door, blasting it open, as a blinding light spilled out.
=============================================================
Kari stood up as she heard the explosions out in the corridor. She glanced at her friends.
“Davis!” they cried in Unison, all getting to their feet. Wentela spotted them immediately.
“Sit down!”
Kari glared at her, and her hands reached behind her back to the knives in her belt. Liam grabbed her wrist.
“Easy, lass.”
“No! She’s Mine!”
“Not yet, she isn’t. Besides, I think Nick’s gonna deal with her.”
“Not if I get there first.” She snarled. Gatomon hissed from beside her.
“You wont.”
He let go of her arms.
“Now, keep your hands off those knives. Its not time for that yet.”
She glared at him, but moved her hands back around to her front. None of the group sat down.
“Taythe, I need you!”
She heard Derron’s yell, and turned to look at them. The cloaked girl walked across the arena floor to stand beside her father.
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“Its time, Taythe. This is your moment.”
“I understand… father.”
Derron looked at her when he heard the note in her face, and took in the empty look in her eyes.
“So, that’s the way it will be. Do your job, Taythe.”
She nodded, and pulled her Digivice from her belt. The D3 sparkled as she raised it into the air. She felt the power surge through her, and a titanic beam of energy leapt up into the air.
Twelve points branched off of the beam, stopping in mid air around the central column. The main blast leapt up to the domed roof, and the stone became completely see-through, showing the cloudy day outside.
The blast died away, and the twelve dragons that were the ancient guardians of the digital world, before they became slaves to the dragon-lords, hung in the air, their huge wings flapping lightly.
The giant beasts looked own, and opened their mouths. Huge blasts of energy flew out, and slammed into the pile of Oridian ore that lay in the middle of the arena.
A second beam of energy, flew up into the ceiling, even as an explosion rocked the room. the door vanished, and two familiar figures appeared in its centre.
“Davis!” Kari cried, and began running. Wentela moved to stop her, but the smaller girl leapt into the air, and slammed her foot across the face of the big woman. She didn’t know where the energy ans skill came from, but she was glad it was there. Wentela fell back like a ton of bricks. She could here the sounds of the other running behind her.
In Davis’s left hand was a Beretta, and his right held the grey steel Katana that he had forged in the underground village and his trenchcoat flared out behind him like a cloak. Flamedramon stood beside his partner, the upgraded flamethrower barrels in his hands shining. Davis grinned when he saw her running towards him, and he spread his left arm out.
She flew into him, throwing her arms around his neck. His arm enfolded her, and his hand stroked her hair gently. He kissed the top of her head. And she could feel his tears.
“Kari… thank god…”
“Davis…”
She choked up as Her happiness welled over her, and she looked up into his face. He wasn’t looking at her, though. He was staring past her, up at the dome.
“What… What is it, Davis?”
he held her against him.
“Don’t look, Kari. Just don’t look.”
But she gently pried free of his grasp, and turned, to look up at the ceiling. When she did, all her happiness seemed to melt away, as she saw the black, swirling expanse up there.
The dark ocean had come to the citadel.
======================================================================== =====
*********
The Shadowmon blinked in the daylight that flooded through the busted door.
“What?” Davis said. “Haven’t you ever seen the walking dead before?”
He pulled his Berettas from their holsters, and in that single moment, all hell broke loose.
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“Get more people down there, immediately!” Darren yelled.
“Don’t do that.” Derron said.
“Sir, I can’t allow this incursion to go unchecked.”
“If you want to lose your men, go ahead, but I think that the Paladin is going to be fairly unstoppable this time.”
The guard commander gaped at him.
“Sir…”
“Just trust me on this one, Darren. The Paladin has a job to do. I’d rather it was the Shadowmon getting shredded than your men.”
Darren sighed.
“Yes, sir”
“One of those Days, huh?” Liam said.
Derron didn’t turn around.
“Mr Dillon, I don’t care for your wit. You may join your friends in the auditorium. Wentela, please escort them.”
“It would be my pleasure, sir.” The big woman said, almost fawningly.
Liam rolled his eyes.
“She’s obviously used to receiving commands.”
“Yeah. Bet they have to be short and to the point though.” Nick replied.
“What, are you thinking along the lines of ‘Sit!’ ‘Stay!’”
“Yeah, that was the area.”
Derron watched them as they were escorted up the amphitheatre. Fascinating Men. Almost completely without fear. He’d never met anyone who wasn’t in the least intimidated by him. No sane man would even have dared to offer the impudence that Liam Dillon had. Well, no-one had ever accused the big Irishman of being sane.
He just wondered what Wentela would make of them.
=============================================================
“God bless all here.” Liam said cheerily as they approached the group.
“Silence, filth!” Wentela snapped.
“Or what?” Liam asked. “You’ll shoot us? You botched the job of the last one, me dear. Michael, you wanna take a bow?”
The blonde man laughed.
“I’ll pass.”
Wentela took a close look at him. Her eyes widened.
“You!”
“Yeah. He keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, don’t he?” Kari said.
The big woman’s eyes snapped round to the current leader of the Digidestined (although, Kari thought, I might be relinquishing THAT fun position soon, or so she hoped) and pulled the riding crop from her belt. She swung the leather thong at the brown-haired girl. Tai lunged to get in the way.
Nick got there first. He moved in front of Wentela with the speed of a martial artist, and took the massive blow of the crop neatly on his forearm. An ugly red welt rose where the leather hit him. He didn’t flinch.
“Is that the best you got?” he challenged.
Liam groaned. Bloody Englishman always got like this when he saw ladies being picked on. Wentela stared at the Londoner in disbelief, and raised the crop again. The blow whistled through the air.
It never connected. Reaching up at phenomenal speed, Nick grabbed the big woman’s arm, forcing it backwards. Impotent fury rose in Wentela’s eyes.
“You’re mine. I’ll kill you, you shit!”
“I’m quaking. Why don’t you piss off back down to your master, dog?”
“You’re all mine! I’ll kill you if I goddamn want to!”
Nick’s voice lowered dangerously.
“You’ll never get the chance. Now fuck off, there’s a good girl.”
Liam groaned again. Wentela looked into Nick’s eyes.
She saw something there that she really didn’t like. Without another word, she turned and stormed back down the stairs.
Nick turned to the Digidestined. And bowed.
“I will now be signing autographs. Anyone who wishes to see round two, hang around, ‘cos I doubt its far away.”
“Thanks, Nick.” Kari said.
“You’re welcome, little lady. Where would this world be, if it weren’t for some good old fashioned English chivalry, eh?”
“Nick?” Liam said.
“Yes boss?”
“Shut up, and sit down.”
“Yes boss.”
The batch of troopers took their seats. Liam and Nick sat on the backmost row.
“that was dangerous, Mate.” Liam said.
“I know. But did you see the look on her face?” Nick gloated.
The big Irishman looked at his friend. He had hardly ever seen the look on Nick’s face before. The look was a very simple one. A slight smile was tugging at the corner of the Londoners mouth, but there was no humour in his eyes, only a bleak determination. Liam was suddenly very glad that he wasn’t Wentela.
“Liam…” came a familiar voice. He flinched slightly. No sense in delaying the inevitable.
“Hello, Mimi. Sorry we took so long.”
=============================================================
the Berettas coughed acrid smoke, the sulphury smell permeating the air in the entrance hall of the Citadel. Combined with the roaring heat of the fireballs that Flamedramon sent roaring down the gallery, there was very little chance of stopping the paladin’s mad onslaught.
“How you doin’ buddy?” Davis yelled to his Digimon.
Flamedramon proceeded to roast another of their misshapen enemies.
“I’m good. You seen any sign of a way out yet?”
“Nothing! It must be at the other end of the hall!”
Flamedramon grinned from under the helmet that covered the front of his head.
“Well, I didn’t come here for the company. What are we waiting for?”
The pair charged, filling the air around them with noise, fire, lead and confusion. Davis leapt into the air, and brought his foot round, kicking a Shadowmon square in the face. Even as he landed, he fell to the floor, allowing his Digimon partner to send a titanic wave of flame against their enemies. Charbroiled Shadowmon was definitely on the menu tonight.
But they were slowing down. Even as they tried to move forward, more of the creatures were blocking their path.
“Where the hell are they coming from?” Flamedramon yelled.
“If I knew, I’d blow it up!”
“Great, just great, Davis.”
The Paladin slammed his right pistol across the jaw of his assailant, and neatly drilled a hole in its head as it fell.
“Don’t worry about it, pal. I’ve got a little surprise.”
Backing off a couple of paces, he pulled a palmtop from his trench coats pocket, and attached it to a slot on his arm.
“D-MOD ONE, ACTIVATE!”
Flamedramon’s armour shone. Blinding white light fused around it, as it began to shift and change in respond to Davis’s yelled command. The Shadowmon all backed off warily at the sudden show of pyrotechnics.
The light faded. Now, instead of the half facemask that he had worn before, Flamedramon’s head was fronted by a full visor. His eyes shone brightly out of the eyeholes, and the new gun-barrels that sprouted from his claws gleamed ominously in the dim light of the hallway.
“Meet, Flamedramon BMF, boys. I’m sure he wants to make your acquaintance. But first, allow me to introduce you to some other friends.”
He raised his hands again.
“This is Mr MP5K one, and this is Mr MP5K two. How’s about they say hello.”
The submachineguns that had taken the place of Davis’s Berettas, which now hung in their holsters at his sides, sprayed a hail of bullets into he crowd of Shadowmon, scything through them like a knife through butter. But Davis wasn’t aiming to wipe out the Shadowmon.
He was just giving Flamedramon some space.
Swiftly moving in front of his partner, the upgraded armour Digimon stood defiantly. He grinned inside his helmet.
“I’m sure you’re all wondering what the BMF stands for…”
Slots appeared in the sides of his armour, and folded outwards. The sparkling new rocket launchers sighted themselves alongside his hand-cannons.
“FLARE VOLLEY!!!”
And inferno of rockets, fireballs and liquid fire swarmed into the Shadowmon, decimating their ranks. The two new barrels in Flamedramon’s hands had turned out to be flamethrowers.
“… its stands for bad mutherfugger, assholes.”
He lowered his arms, allowing the weaponry to fold back into place.
“I really like these new toys.”
=============================================================
“‘Sorry we took so long?’ is that ALL you have to say, Liam Dillon.”
“Well, I said hello as well, if we’re being finicky.”
Mimi glared at him. He gave her a gentle smile in return; trying to soften the blow he was about to give.
“Mimi… I don’t know what to say to you.”
She stood still, her facial features froze as he spoke.
“I don’t know how you feel.” He said quietly, “But I do know how I feel. I’m not gonna say the words, Mimi. I Cant.” He twisted away from her. “It was a moment Mimi. I shouldn’t have done what I did, but I cant change the past.” He turned back, and looked into her eyes. “But I can do something to give you a future. He,” he pointed at Michael. “Could give you things that I never could. He can make you happier than I ever could.” He sighed. “And I’m not going to take that chance away from you on accounts of myself. No matter how I feel, I cant be what I’d like to be. I’m a soldier. I know when to cut my losses and run.”
She still stood there, staring at him, her eyes empty.
“So, that’s the way its gonna be, is it Liam?”
“Yeah. I guess so, girl dear.”
“Did you ever asking my opinion on the matter.”
“Mimi, this is my decision…”
“’fraid not, bub. When the time is right, I’ll make my own choice.”
“Whatever ya say, girl dear, “ he retorted, “But I’ve already made mine.”
Kari sat watching the two. She hated this goddamn situation, and for a moment, she thought that she should intervene.
Matt’s face stopped her. He looked straight into her eyes with that piercing gaze of his, and slowly shook his head. This was their problem. Kari nodded, and focused her mind inwards. Something inside her clicked, and she knew that the time had come.
“Gatomon. Come into the auditorium now. Get all the Digimon to link up with their partners.”
“Got it. Any particular reason?”
“Nope, just another one of those feelings.”
Gatomon didn’t even bother to dignify that with a reply. Bright creatures, their various appendages, tails and antenna bouncing, bounded into the auditorium, and up the steps to their partners.
Derron Motomiya took it surprisingly well.
“Ah. I see everyone’s here.”
=============================================================
Taythe had found herself relegated ton the sidelines of the conflict for the moment. She couldn’t go downstairs and face Davis at this stage, and there wasn’t really anything for her to do to help her father.
Her father…
She had always called him by that term, and all the love she had possessed had been sent to him, but lately she had begun to feel that he had never really returned the pure emotions she had given him.
Derron wasn’t her real father. She had known that all her life. She had never known her parents, never met her mother. She couldn’t even remember her face. But she did remember a sensation of…
Peace. She had belonged with her mother. She had loved Taythe. Taythe was sure of it. But how could she tell? She’d never had chance to ask her, and she never would. So far as she knew, she had never been loved.
She looked at the man who had raised her, and deep in her soul she felt the hollowness that had been with her all her life.
She knew now that she was nothing more than a tool to Derron. But there was nothing she could do about it. Destiny compelled her, and her fate was even now charging through the lower halls of the citadel, carving a path of destruction to this room.
“Taythe” Derron called her.
Strange, she thought. In those past two seconds, I’ve even begun to stop thinking of him as my Father.
“Taythe! I need you!” he snapped.
She felt a sudden surge of hatred run through her, but she stepped forward anyway. She was helpless.
As she moved forward, Derron removed his cloak, and allowed it to fall the ground, showing his armour.
=============================================================
“Son of a bitch!” TK half yelled.
“What is it?” Patomon asked his partner.
“That bastards wearing my sword!”
Kari and Gatomon glanced down into the arena. She could indeed see the hilt of the silver Katana at Derron’s side. She grinned.
“Don’t worry, TK. You’ll get it back soon enough.”
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“Davis, duck!”
The young Paladin threw himself forward, diving to the ground in front of Flamedramon, and dropped the spent MP5Ks. They had served their purpose. He pulled the Berettas from their holsters.
Flamedramon levelled his flamethrower barrel at the batch of Shadowmon who had been sneaking up behind his partner, and fired. Liquid flame leapt out, engulfing the creatures. Their screams filled his mind. he glanced down as he heard the sharp reports of Davis’s Berettas.
“You doin’ okay?”
“Good enough, buddy!”
The armour-Digimon stepped forward, allowing his partner to get to his feet. The two of them stood back to back, blasting away at the dark creatures that surrounded them.
Davis felt the pins in his Berettas click on empty. No time to reload. He reached under his trenchcoat, his hand finding the hilt of his sword. In one smooth motion, he pulled it free of the scabbard, immediately into an upward-flowing cut that gutted the first Shadowmon in range like a freshly landed salmon.
“You’re gonna have to watch my back, Flamedramon.”
“Aw, and I was just starting to have fun.”
Davis grinned. There was joy in the fight. Not a joy that involved thought, but mad, screaming adrenaline fuelled passion that raged from the depths of the soul. He allowed himself to sink into it, his skill and instincts replacing the need for thought.
He saw it.
“Falmedramon! The doors over there! It has to be the right one!”
Unlike Gatomon, Veemon did not have a particularly enquiring nature. He didn’t feel the need to argue with Davis over his decision, but decided instead to trust his partner implicitly. He levelled his cannons in the direction of the door, and fired.
“FLARE VOLLEY!”
The missiles and flames leapt from the Digimon’s hands again. There were more of them this time, as Flamedramon expended his stock of ammunition in a bid to wipe every single Shadowmon out of the room.
He managed the task, and succeeded in taking a fair amount of the wall, ceiling and door with them. Davis glanced at his partner.
“Overkill, much?”
“I don’t think Taythe will get her cleaning deposit back.”
The pair rushed forward, but before they could reach the door, a Shadowmon stepped out, swinging its sword in a cruel stroke. The blade caught Flamedramon on the side of the head, and the Shadowmon’s huge strength sent the smaller Digimon flying across the room. The backhand followed swiftly, aimed at the position where Davis’s neck would have been.
With typical cat-like reflexes, fuelled by the adrenalin coursing through his system, the paladin leapt back, allowing the cut to slash by him by mere inches. He landed in a ready position, his grey katana held in both hands. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Flamedramon shift, groaning, into a sitting position. He couldn’t allow the Shadowmon the advantage in this fight.
Fast as lightening, he moved. The Shadowmon Commander slashed in vain at his faster opponent, giving Davis the opening he had been waiting for. The katana lashed up, cutting deep into the creature’s neck. Davis was already past the commander by the time the decapitated corpse dropped to the floor.
Flamedramon got to his feet, and strolled up next to his partner.
“What is it with you and head-lopping?”
“It’s the quickest way to get the job done.” He pushed new magazines into his Berettas. “Shall we?”
“Lets.”
The pair raised their feet, and kicked hard into the door, blasting it open, as a blinding light spilled out.
=============================================================
Kari stood up as she heard the explosions out in the corridor. She glanced at her friends.
“Davis!” they cried in Unison, all getting to their feet. Wentela spotted them immediately.
“Sit down!”
Kari glared at her, and her hands reached behind her back to the knives in her belt. Liam grabbed her wrist.
“Easy, lass.”
“No! She’s Mine!”
“Not yet, she isn’t. Besides, I think Nick’s gonna deal with her.”
“Not if I get there first.” She snarled. Gatomon hissed from beside her.
“You wont.”
He let go of her arms.
“Now, keep your hands off those knives. Its not time for that yet.”
She glared at him, but moved her hands back around to her front. None of the group sat down.
“Taythe, I need you!”
She heard Derron’s yell, and turned to look at them. The cloaked girl walked across the arena floor to stand beside her father.
=============================================================
“Its time, Taythe. This is your moment.”
“I understand… father.”
Derron looked at her when he heard the note in her face, and took in the empty look in her eyes.
“So, that’s the way it will be. Do your job, Taythe.”
She nodded, and pulled her Digivice from her belt. The D3 sparkled as she raised it into the air. She felt the power surge through her, and a titanic beam of energy leapt up into the air.
Twelve points branched off of the beam, stopping in mid air around the central column. The main blast leapt up to the domed roof, and the stone became completely see-through, showing the cloudy day outside.
The blast died away, and the twelve dragons that were the ancient guardians of the digital world, before they became slaves to the dragon-lords, hung in the air, their huge wings flapping lightly.
The giant beasts looked own, and opened their mouths. Huge blasts of energy flew out, and slammed into the pile of Oridian ore that lay in the middle of the arena.
A second beam of energy, flew up into the ceiling, even as an explosion rocked the room. the door vanished, and two familiar figures appeared in its centre.
“Davis!” Kari cried, and began running. Wentela moved to stop her, but the smaller girl leapt into the air, and slammed her foot across the face of the big woman. She didn’t know where the energy ans skill came from, but she was glad it was there. Wentela fell back like a ton of bricks. She could here the sounds of the other running behind her.
In Davis’s left hand was a Beretta, and his right held the grey steel Katana that he had forged in the underground village and his trenchcoat flared out behind him like a cloak. Flamedramon stood beside his partner, the upgraded flamethrower barrels in his hands shining. Davis grinned when he saw her running towards him, and he spread his left arm out.
She flew into him, throwing her arms around his neck. His arm enfolded her, and his hand stroked her hair gently. He kissed the top of her head. And she could feel his tears.
“Kari… thank god…”
“Davis…”
She choked up as Her happiness welled over her, and she looked up into his face. He wasn’t looking at her, though. He was staring past her, up at the dome.
“What… What is it, Davis?”
he held her against him.
“Don’t look, Kari. Just don’t look.”
But she gently pried free of his grasp, and turned, to look up at the ceiling. When she did, all her happiness seemed to melt away, as she saw the black, swirling expanse up there.
The dark ocean had come to the citadel.
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