Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Digital Trilogy - Episode 6 - Meandering Pathways ❯ Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Twenty-eight life forms sat around the park in the northern area of Tokyo, seven humans from the Alphas, seven from the Omegas, and all their respective digimon. After three hours of subterfuge around the city, the whole group managed to make it to Kovin and Kelryn's apartment. The Omega children spent the night there, with the rest of the Alphas at their own homes. Each had exchanged stories about their experiences apart, and they concluded that they had seen a small piece of a larger whole.

Now they decided to meet in this park to discuss their options and decide on a course of action. The park had an unusual shape and the tree lines created a hollow in the foliage for just such a meeting. Romantic teenagers used it at night, but since the park lacked any playground equipment, it was devoid of children in the day. The Omega children sat separate with their digimon and were told they'd be included when the matter concerned them. David and Jody looked hurt about the statement, but Sara explained it to them.

"They're so young." Kari said.

"They'll grow up." Kelryn said to her in a voice that everyone knew came from experience.

"They all can go to champion now, and I don't think they need much training in digimon battles, but it couldn't hurt." Kovin said. "What they need is street-smarts. They need to know how to survive outside the fights. In a sense it's all fighting, it just changes styles time to time."

"Agreed." Said Ken. "Then who among us is best to do that? I can only count three kinds of background among us. I think we should differ it do Martin and the rest of the Zetas. They have a, shall we say, collage of experiences to draw upon." They all thought about it for a bit, and mutually agreed.

"It's also better for us, because Kovin and Kelryn are the only ones here who can speak English. All of the Zetas can," Yolei said.

"Ok, we'll send them back to America, and have them stationed in New York until they're ready, then they can go back to Ontario." Kovin said. "Now item two on the agenda. What's going on with the rogue digidestined population?" No one answered the question, as no one had a theory or any new information to offer. "If everyone is a stumped as me, can we hear suggestions on something to do?" Kari's idea came first.

"I think we should leave Tokyo and start tracking down these groups, watching them, and find out just what is going on."

"I agree," said TK. "We don't have to rely an any second-hand information because we'll get it right at the source."

"I don't think that will work." Said Ken. "Not putting anyone down, but..."

"It's alright Ken, we need to point out holes in plans." Yolei said.

"Right. A moving army is always hard to defend, staying in one place is better to keep us alive. But we still need information, and I think we need to try and get one or two spies into the Watchers."

"Yeah," said Yolei. "They already have a pile of information on anything we'll ever need to know, we just have to get access to it."

"The drawback with that plan is," said TK. "They'll quite mad and no one is sure how far they'll go to protect that information."

"Why to we have to do anything?" Said Allura. "Can't we just stop fighting? We're always fighting or getting ready to fight, or recovering from a fight, and now planning a fight." Everyone was quiet.

"We need to fight to protect lives. We're trying to stop fights. Like a police officer with a gun, or fire-fighters making a fire-line, or even vaccinations. All of those things require the use of destruction or violence, but the good you get from it is worth it." Kovin said.

"Is it?" Allura asked. "Are you so sure? How many people have died under your blades alone, Kovin? How much blood? Or your stars Kelryn? Or your guns TK? I doubt any of you can tell me how many times you've killed." Everyone stopped arguing and looked in the distance. She was right, none of them could honestly say how many times they've killed. And all of them seemed to be humbled by having that pointed out. "I've killed eight times," she said. "And I haven't had a good night's sleep in one hundred thirty two days because of it. I can remember the faces of all eight, their names, and how they died. When I ask myself if the world is a better place without those people, the answer is 'no'. I can't see a good reason for it." Kovin and everyone were dumbfounded at her statement.

"You're right Allura, completely." Kovin sighed. "All three things I've heard make sense. Allura's makes the most sense, but is the least feasible. Ken's is most feasible, but we have no idea of how successful or even if they have the information we want. And although I don't like it, we'll try Kari's plan. Kari, locate the nearest group and we'll go now."

"I'll get Sara's group ready," Yolei said.

"No." Said Kovin sharply. "They don't need to see us forcibly interrogating people unprovoked. Allura, stay here with them. Tyler knows enough Japanese to get by, so you'll be fine."

* * *

Kovin sat on the ground with his back against a tree. One of his katanas was in the ground in front of him, the other was being held in his right hand. He was looking the blade up and down admiring its craftsmanship. The nearest group was forty kilometres away camped in a forest. They were perfect, approaching from downwind quietly, and took the four of them easily. They had them tied up in a circle and we're systematically trying every interrogation technique they knew, which wasn't many. Kovin had stayed out of it, as did Ken and TK. Kari, Yolei and Kelryn seemed to enjoy it immensely. It was the 'good cop, bad cop' thing, and Ken and TK were running the 'good cop' role.

After a few hours it had become tiresome. It was becoming clear that they did know something, but were more afraid of something else than the quiet guy on the side with two katanas. The girls did threaten them with Kovin several times, but it meant nothing. Every time their brains reanalysed the situation, they felt they'd rather die than tell the Alphas anything. Kovin couldn't take the waiting anymore and snapped. Ozlimon jumped and feathers flew as he hit the ground falling off Kovin's head. Kovin pulled the blade from the ground and ran at them in one fluid motion. The blades came together in a pincer and stopped just either side of the lead boy's neck. He was white and trembling, but he didn't scream.

"Going to talk?" Kovin said in a quiet whisper. The boy didn't answer verbally, but a wet spot on the ground near where he was sitting gave the reply. He was scared to death, but still was more afraid of something else. Kovin withdrew his blades. "Let them go."

"All we need is more time, let's keep going!" Kari said. "We can't give up now!" Kovin twisted and threw one of his blades at her. It embedded itself in a tree three centimetres from her.

"I said let them go!" Kari was the one who was white now. Everyone else was tense too; Kovin had never struck out at them. "The iron fist won't work in such a fragile situation." He walked up to her and pulled his blade from the tree. "Let them go." He said quietly.

When they had all gone, Kari turned to Kovin. "So what do we do now?"

"We don't use spies, we don't use interrogation. We are a strong group and we can handle anything that comes our way. We'll keep the Guardian presence in Tokyo and try and keep our morals."

A general rule in life is: 'don't argue with the man with two katanas, the ability to use them, and a short fuse.' Everyone obeyed it.