Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Outcast ❯ Speakers ( Chapter 7 )

The Outcast

Chapter 7: Speakers

by Silver

Author's Note: Once again, I must apologize for my tardiness. I'm so bad at getting these chapters done. Nothing new to mention in this chapter. I want to thank Daisukefire and Chappel for their proofreading abilities. I'd be at a loss without them. I also want to thank everyone for reading my stories, and (hopefully) writing a review.

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Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
- Leo Tolstoy

Gendo eclipsed Davis, who remained bound by the other two men. Davis didn't recognize his other aggressors.

"Davis, I don't want to harm you. You've been deceived by that thing's charm."
Davis growled, "Don't call Kari a thing."

Gendo rolled his eyes. "That thing, Glow Girl, isn't Kari anymore. She's not even human. She's a freak."

Davis thrashed for Gendo's throat. "She's not a thing! And you're more of a freak than she is!"

"She's a monster. Now, tell us where she is." He spoke as casually as a student reciting a textbook passage. There was no anger or malice in his voice, only a disturbing certainty.

"You guys are the monsters!"

Gendo raised his fist and brought it down on Davis' mouth. A loud thump echoed down the concrete canyon as Davis' lip split in two and blood began to stream out. "Wrong answer. Let's try again. Where is Kari?"

"Bite me." Davis tried to keep his voice even, despite the tears in his eyes from the pain. Fear squeezed his heart with the realization that he was powerless to fight back. The other two men were very strong and Davis couldn't break their firm grasp.

Gendo used both fists this time. He struck two blows to Davis' face, bruising his eye and forehead. Davis was more stunned by Gendo's behavior than by the punches. Gendo had never been a violent person. He never fought at school and was well liked by the other students. What had happened at the old high school? Was everyone as violent and dangerous as Muri and Gendo now?

"Davis," Gendo hunched down and spoke in a soothing voice. "I don't want to hurt you. I'm trying to save you. Kari is a danger to this city, and even to the rest of humanity. She's a tool of the Digimon, who don't even belong in this world. They're manipulating her to serve their ends, and she has manipulated you into protecting her. For the sake of everyone in the city- no- everyone in the world, tell us where Kari is."

His voice was calming, and his face was filled with sympathy and kindness. This Gendo wasn't the person who'd been beating the life out of Davis two seconds ago. It was so tempting to just give in and let the pain end. His forehead throbbed, and a mixture of bile and blood choked his throat. But the image of Kari smiling wouldn't leave his mind's eye. He wasn't sure what he felt for Kari now, but he knew that he couldn't betray his friend. He huffed, "Shove it" and spat a wad of bloody saliva at Gendo.

The anger returned to Gendo's face. He brought his knee into Davis' chest and struck him across the nose. Davis held back his outcries of pain, not wanting to give his attackers the satisfaction.

"I won't ask again." Gendo held up one bloody hand. "Tell me where Kari Kamiya is."

"No." Davis felt like a giant just by saying those words. He wouldn't break, but he knew he would die. Regrets began to pour in. There was so much left undone. He'd wanted to see things through with Kari until the very end, be it as a friend or something more. He had been looking forward to seeing all his friends, and reuniting with Veemon again. Somehow, he didn't mind that his noodle shop would never open. That seemed very superfluous at the moment. But the other things mattered so much. He knew Gendo and his buddies wouldn't take those hopes into consideration while they ripped his face apart bit by bit.

"Howling Blow!" A high-pitched voice called from behind Gendo. The tall boy stood and looked behind him, only to be struck by a rippling cloud of air. The vortex burst against his eyes, blinding him. Gendo shrieked and stumbled back. His friends were so surprised that they relaxed their grip on Davis. Taking the opportunity, Davis lunged forward, his jacket sleeves ripping off in the process. Blind with rage and revenge, Davis lunged for Gendo and brought one fist up into the other boy's nose. There was a loud crunch as fist shattered cartilage and ruptured vessels. Gendo didn't have time to shout again before he fell back into a pile of trashcans and went limp.

Exhausted from his short retaliation, Davis felt himself begin to slump. But then strong hands reached under his arm and held him upright. "Come on!"

"Jim?" Davis wasn't sure if he was hearing things or if Jim Kido was actually here. There was something resting on his shoulder, but Davis' vision was blurry from tears and exhaustion. He felt as though he'd pass out shortly.

He could hear footsteps behind them. Gendo's two friends had probably recovered and were pursuing them now. The shrill voice returned. "Howling Blow!" Two unfamiliar cries resounded from behind, but Davis wasn't sure what'd just happened.

He stumbled as fast as he could with Jim. They continued down the back of the ally until they came to a car parked by the sidewalk with the motor running. The door opened and another familiar voice called, "Get in!" Jun. Jun was here.

Davis fell into the back seat with Jim close behind. The door slammed and the car sped away just as the two other boys stepped into the light. Davis didn't bother to try and identify them. He didn't care. G.O.D. had a history of disassociating itself with radical groups who claimed to be acting on orders. Those boys would soon be on their own.

Davis wiped his eyes with the back of his arm. He looked down at his shirt and hands. They were bloody and damp, and his clothes were torn to rags. It hurt to breath and he felt dizzy. Less than half an hour ago he'd been so happy, his main concern figuring out his relationship to Kari. Now, his good mood lay shattered around him. Once again, real life had to intrude on an otherwise dream-like day.

"Davis, you still awake?" Jun Motomiya glanced back at her brother from the driver's seat. She'd grown into a very beautiful woman. She was taller and her hair was cut to a short wave ending in spiky tips. Her normally attractive face was covered with concern. Davis nodded slightly, but it hurt to bob his head. Jun visibly relaxed. "Good, try to take it easy. We'll be at the hospital in no time."

A small flash of blue jumped from Jim's shoulder onto Davis' lap. "Hi there." Davis blinked his good eye. A small Digimon rested on his lap. It had no arms or legs, or body for that matter. Only a small puppy-like head and a blue and white-stripped tail. A metal helmet with spike ears adorned its head, yet the warrior accessory did nothing to diminish the cute expression on its face.

Davis smiled, "You must be Kapurimon . Jun told me about you."

Kapurimon nodded. "Yup. That's me. Nice to meet you. Jun's told me a lot about 'cha."

Davis chuckled, then winced. "Don't believe half of what you heard."

"So you're really not a nice guy?" Kapurimon look confused.

* * * * * * * *

Hitoshi Ikari massaged his eyes with his fingers after staring at a computer screen for over an hour. The local funding reports for the Guardians Opposing Digimon were boring to read, but necessary. Support had poured in thanks to the news of Ms. Kamiya's strange condition. People were beginning to finally realize just how dangerous those bizarre creatures could be.

Hitoshi wished he had better news for Koishii regarding Muri. The doctors at the mental institute had called over two hours ago with no new reports. Muri was still cowering in his room, terrified of both the dark and the light. If he didn't begin to respond to people soon, they'd have to begin drug treatments. Hitoshi felt a stab of anguish at such a thought. How had his son become so demented?

Was it because of me? Hitoshi looked over at a picture hidden in the darkest corner of his office. It was a photo of a man about the same age as Hitoshi, but the man in the picture would have been far older if he were still alive; Hitoshi's father.

Hitoshi didn't like to look at his father's picture. It always brought back bad memories. Hitoshi's father had been a failure, pure and simple. An alcoholic rarely seen by his family, the man had died of a drug overdose, leaving Hitoshi's mother broken and miserable. He'd never understood why his parents had married one another. His mother had always said that his father had been a different person when they met. But the pressures of life, marriage, fatherhood, and work could sometimes overwhelm a man, and Hitoshi's father had sought escape through any means available.

He supposed he shouldn't be completely angry with his father. After all, the twelfth commandment did state, "honor thy mother and thy father." In fact, Hitoshi owed his current faith to his father. Sad and depressed over his collapsed family, Hitoshi had sought for a higher meaning to his life during his teenage years. He had been even younger than Muri at the time he'd explored the possibility of faith. Dissatisfied with the teachings of Buddhism and Shinto, Hitoshi had turned towards the less popular Christianity. Its concept of a father-like God was very appealing to a boy with no father figure to respect. Hitoshi had thrown himself to God with complete and total devotion. Through the church's teachings and rules, he'd found a new mode of behavior. He knew better than to question the church. Such things were toll-ways to hell. The church spoke for God and it was not his place to question it. He followed the teachings, observed all the rituals, and made sure to instill the same discipline in his son.

But he'd never been all that comfortable with Muri. Hitoshi had always been terrified that he'd break under the pressures of fatherhood and would end up like his own father, drunken and lonely. Koishii was a much more affectionate parent than he. Sometimes he thought that Koishii smothered Muri with her affections. She was a wonderful wife and a devoted mother, but Hitoshi couldn't help but worry that Koishii was too fixated on Muri.

Still, it wasn't as if Hitoshi was in any position to argue. Because he could not bring himself to interact with Muri directly, he'd chosen to build a future for Muri to live in. And that was why Digimon had to be exiled from this world. They were foreign invaders, a heretical element in God's design. They were made from data, not flesh and blood. Hitoshi had scanned the bible from front to back, and nowhere did it mention God creating another world, only Earth. Humans were made in God's image, not Digimon. Digimon were unnatural, blasphemous, and dangerous. They were life created by man; a power that was reserved to God alone. In the end, Digimon would be the downfall of mankind. The attack on Muri had been proof enough for Hitoshi that his convictions were right.

There was also the matter of Ms. Kamiya. She was a victim as well. Hitoshi was unsure what to do with her. The safe approach would be to advocate her isolation and study in order to find a cure for her illness, but that might look unpopular with the public. Sometimes, public opinion was the greatest opposition to doing the right thing. Ms. Kamiya had to be cured, but Hitoshi needed the public's support in order to save her. If he could prove that she was a victim of the Digimon, the people would surely support his petition to study and treat her. She might object at first, but in time she would see that it was all for her good.

The phone rang, snapping Hitoshi from his ponderings. "Yes?" He didn't like being disturbed so late in the evening.

"Mr. Ikari, sir, it's Gendo."

Gendo? Oh, yes, Gendo. One of Muri's classmates. G.O.D. had gained many new volunteers for its fundraisers and campaigns from Muri's high school. So many people there understood the danger that Digimon represented because they had seen the effects of Digimon first-hand. Hitoshi had been pleased to see such support from the younger generations. After all, they would be the ones to live in the future he was building. "Yes, Gendo, what can I do for you?"

"I need your help. I-I got caught. He got away." The boy's voice was thick and clouded. It sounded as if he had hurt his nose.

"Who got away? What were you caught doing?"

"Some of my friends and I found Davis Motomiya, the friend of that girl, Kari. We tried to make him tell us where she was, but he didn't talk. And then somebody attacked us from behind. We think they had a Digimon. They grabbed Davis and ran off." Gendo's voice became even more panicked. "He saw my face! He knows who I am. He's gonna call the cops and put me in jail. I can't go to jail! I just-"

"Gendo, calm down." Despite his advice, sweat was accumulating on Hitoshi's head. "Just how did you try to 'make' Mr. Motomiya tell you where Ms. Kamiya is?"

"Well…"

"Tell me."

"We… we kinda, well, hit him."

"Hard?"

"Yes."

Hitoshi was silent for a moment. How could these boys have been so foolish? God supported those who fought against evil, but to attack a boy for misguided feelings of loyalty? That was not right. It was immoral. A question arose in Hitoshi's mind. "Gendo, were you wearing anything that showed your association to the Guardians?"

"Yes, sir. We were wearing those armbands."

"Armbands? What armbands?"

"Those black armbands with the white text. A man gave them to us the day we signed up."

"What did he look like? How old was he?"

"About fifty. He was tall with brown hair, some gray hair along the sides. He assured me those armbands were given to anyone who signed up. He told me we should always wear them whenever we act for the good of the community. He said it was good publicity."

Those blasted armbands again! Hitoshi was very much aware of extremist members of the Guardians who often wore black armbands when they committed acts of violence. They beat up civilians with Digimon, threatened to blow up Digimon research centers and hospitals, and rioted at pro-Digimon gatherings. The founders of G.O.D. denounced all these actions, yet the violence continued. G.O.D. was not about violence. It was about teaching the community to follow the path towards righteousness. One did not achieve righteousness by blowing stuff up and hurting others. It had always been Hitoshi's goal to educate people about the threat of Digimon, not force them to obey his word.

"Gendo, did this man tell you to find Mr. Motomiya?"

"No, sir. He just said, 'do whatever you have to do to protect the community.' We figured that finding out where glow gi-umm, Kari Kamiya was hiding would be a big help for everyone."

Hitoshi sighed, "Gendo, there is no point in fleeing from your actions. You must take responsibility. Throw away those armbands and turn yourself in to the police. I will be down shortly to vouch for you."

"The police? But if I get arrested, I might not be accepted into college."

Unfortunate but true. Colleges did not look kindly on violent applicants. But Hitoshi could do some damage control. "Do not worry. I will clear this matter up. But, Gendo, after this incident, the Guardians cannot readmit you."

"What?"

"Your act of violence was unnecessary and brutal. We are not a band of thugs who attack innocents, even misguided ones. You were not acting in accordance with our values statement and so we must disassociate from you for the good of the organization. We cannot afford poor publicity at this time." Hitoshi glanced at the plaque on the wall that housed the mission statement for the Guardians. To educate and protect people from the hidden threat of Digimon through peaceful and loving methods. There was no room for radicals in this organization.

"Yes sir." Gendo's voice welled with defeat.

"Turn yourself in to the police and I will come to help you out. Don't worry, things will work out." Hitoshi hung up the phone and then dialed his secretary. He now had a new priority to add to the dozen other tasks. "Find out if we have or have ever had a member over fifty years of age with brown and silver hair. Start looking in the files for banned members or members who have been reprimanded in the past. Please get the results back to me as soon as possible."

"Yes sir." Hitoshi hung up the phone line. This man Gendo spoke of was most likely an anti-Digimon extremist who posed as a member of G.O.D. but was not truly recognized. Hitoshi would have to ask Gendo to help identify this man so that the police could arrest him and prevent further acts of violence.

Hitoshi leaned back in his chair and sighed. It was so hard to campaign for the future while managing the present at the same time. Still, wasn't that what every creature on Earth had to accomplish? Some people had failed to accomplish such a daunting task, like his father, but Hitoshi was determined not to fail. He would save society, both the good parts and the bad. It was the least he could do for his son.

* * * * * * * *

Dark and cool, that was the only place he could even partially tolerate now. No light, light was pain. Light was death. Light hurt, dark healed. But dark was scary; he was scared of being healed. He felt hands on his shoulders, gently guiding him into a soft chair. Too warm! It was too hot. It burned against his skin, chaffing and rough. He thrashed against the jacket that bound his arms to his sides. It was hot and stuffy in this jacket; he hated it. Where was he? He couldn't see the room. But seeing the room meant light, and light was bad. He rolled out of the chair and nestled on the nice cool floor tiling. He heard footsteps coming towards him.

"No, leave him there." A new voice. Not familiar, not welcome. There was only one voice he could stand, but he didn't know who that voice was. Father? Was it father's voice? No, father's voice was foreign. Father never talked much. Never talked to him, anyway. Father wanted Digimon to die and he had tried to kill the girl-Digimon. Why wasn't Father proud? Why wasn't father ever proud? Didn't father know why he'd done the things he done? Why wasn't father proud?

But who was the voice, the voice he could stand? He'd listen to many different voices for a while, but none of them were the one he wanted to hear. Now he yearned for the voice, the voice that made him feel welcome. The voice that was kind and gentle, cool and dark.

"Muri, can you hear me? I'm doctor Kure." Not the voice, not the voice he wanted. Go away.

"How are you feeling?" Not the voice, don't want to talk to someone who isn't the voice. Only the voice can give me what I want.

"Muri, please, talk to me. Do you know where you are?" Questions. Always with questions. Why did non-voice ask so many stupid questions? Couldn't non-voice see that he wasn't the one?

Non-voice sighed, "Totally unresponsive. I'm not even sure he hears me." Of course he heard non-voice; but non-voice didn't have anything worth talking about. Where was the voice? Where was Master? Who was Master? Why was there so strong an urge to find Master? Non-voice couldn't tell him who Master was, so non-voice didn't matter. Maybe Master was in the dark? Where else would Master be? Not in the light; light was bad.

Another new voice came. "He's been this way since he was brought in. I'm not sure which treatment to give him."

Non-voice replied, "Let's take him back to his room, we can decide on a treatment tomorrow morning." Yes, back to the room. Back to cool, dark room. No time for non-voices, had to find the Master. Had to kill the light. Had to kill glow girl. No time for non-voices.

* * * * * * * *

The sting of disinfectant and cleaners mixed with the air and seared against Davis' nostrils. He looked around the small treatment room with all its bottles of medicines, charts of human organs, and big long needles. He hated hospitals. Jim used to be a doctor, why couldn't he and Jun have just fixed him up at home? It's because Jun was worried. He grinned. Jun Motomiya showing open concern for her brother, what a concept. That wasn't a kind thought. He knew that Jun cared about him, and he cared about her. Sure, they had a long-standing sibling rivalry, but that wasn't any reason to hate one another.

If it weren't for Jun and Jim, I'd be dead right now. The reality of that statement numbed his heart. Davis had experienced plenty of deadly encounters. Monochromon's fireball had nearly burned him alive, Kimeramon would have incinerated him, Dokugumon would have eaten him alive, and MaloMyotismon would have acted out every terror Davis could have possibly conceived. Yet Davis hadn't felt so powerless in any of those situations. He'd found a way to fight back and to overcome his enemies. But Gendo and his buddies had reduced Davis to helplessness. He'd been completely pinned and had accepted the fact that he was going to die. It wasn't like he could have killed his attackers. It was hard enough to kill a Digimon, even if they were reconfigured when they died. Killing a human was out of the question.

So what would you have done, tough guy? Good question. He couldn't have killed Gendo and the others and he didn't have the strength to fight back. What would he have done if Jim, Jun, and Kapurimon hadn't bailed him out? The simple answer was that he'd probably have struggled in vain while being beaten into the ground. Davis hated the feeling of helplessness, hated the fact that he couldn't protect himself. Had become so reliant on Veemon that he could no longer stand up for himself? Even with Veemon gone, it'd taken a Digimon to get him out of danger.

So what are you gonna do? Another good question. Veemon wasn't there to head-butt every danger that came Davis' way, and it was clear that there would be danger in the very near future. He'd been lucky to avoid attacks up until the present, but he had been ignorant to think he was free from danger. He was at risk from anti-Digimon supporters, much like Kari was. He'd have to find a way to cope. He could always ask Yolei for a disguise. He could wear a wig or something and then sneak his way over to Kari's home.

No, Davis hated sneaking. It meant admitting that guys like Gendo were stronger than he was, and that wasn't acceptable. Gendo wasn't stronger than he was! Neither was Muri or Hitoshi Ikari or anyone else! Davis would show them. He'd become stronger than any of them.

A knock at the door ended the mental pep talk. Jun and Jim were standing in the doorway. "How are you feeling?"
Davis looked himself over in the mirror for a moment. The nurse had treated his wounds and put a patch over his forehead while he held an icepack up to his bruised eye. His eye, nose, and lip were swelling up. He felt like a balloon as it reached the point where it could expand no more lest it pop. "Okay, I guess."

Jun stepped into the room and sat down next to him on the table. Jim occupied a nearby seat. Jun said, "Well, you look pretty good." She gave him a slight nudge. Davis resisted a chuckle. It hurt to even breath. Gendo had apparently bruised a few ribs.

Jim said, "We just called your parents. They're going to contact the police."

"Sure…" Now he was relying on the police for protection. "How did you two know where to find me?"

Jun blushed, "We… we were following you, actually."

"What?"
"Mom and Dad asked me to keep an eye on you today. They were worried about you."

"Why? Why today?"

"Because today is the day your friend Yolei arrived. Remember that phone conversation you had? Well, the minute you took the conversation into your room and ordered Mom to get off the phone, they knew you were up to something. You never were very good at sneaking, little brother." Jun's final comment was teasing, but Davis felt it burn.

"I don't need a babysitter!"

"What you need is a chaperone. I saw how friendly you and Yolei were today. Isn't your buddy Ken going to be mad that you're trying to steal his girlfriend?"

So they didn't know. "That wasn't Yolei."

Jun blinked, "Um, excuse me?"

"That was… someone else. You know who."

"Her? That was-" Jun caught herself. "That was your other friend? How'd you pull that off?"

"Yolei's roommate is going to be a costume designer and makeup artist for movies. She made the wig and I had Yolei bring an extra set of clothes. I wanted to give my friend a chance to get away for a while."

"That was…"

"Stupid? Risky? Reckless? Don't bother saying it, I already heard it when her parents caught us."

Jun smiled, "I was going to say really nice, and surprisingly clever. I take it back, Davis, you are good at sneaking!"

Davis smiled reluctantly, but inside he felt a new stab of shame. He hadn't fully appreciated the danger he'd placed Kari in. Gendo had beaten Davis for knowing Kari, he didn't want to think about what Gendo or someone like him would have done to Kari if they'd been caught. What he'd done had been stupid and reckless, even if he had the best intentions. But Kari had benefited from the experience, hadn't she? She was better off. Did that mean it was worth the risk or had they just been lucky this time? Maybe a person had to be a little reckless in life if they wanted to really get anywhere, but that didn't diminish the risks involved.

Jim, who had been sitting quietly, said, "I think we should continue this conversation back at Davis' home. We're not exactly in a private meeting."

As if on cue, a nurse appeared in the doorway. "Excuse me, but Mr. Motomiya is free to check out. There are no signs of brain damage or internal wounds, but we do recommend he take it easy for a few days."

Jun nodded, "Great, let's go."

Davis agreed and slowly got to his feet. Dizziness swirled his vision slightly, but he didn't want to sway or lean on his sister. He needed to be stronger. He had to toughen up. Up until now he'd been focusing on changing Kari's situation, but now he was the one who needed to change or he'd be of no help to anyone. Since he couldn't see Kari for a while, he could spend the time building himself up.

* * * * * * * *

The non-voices were gone, off to do whatever non-voices do. He didn't care whether they were here or there. They didn't matter.

Sitting down beside the bed, he looked around to see what was near. No painful light seeped into the room, yet he could see things. He could see the bed, the sink, and the toilet. But none of that mattered. Only the voice mattered, only the Master. Where was He? And where did one go to find Him? Surly the Master was looking for him; he didn't want to be alone forever. Father made him alone, father never talked to him. Master would talk to him. Master loved him. He had to.

Memories came. Memories of Glow Girl held before him, her throat begging to be slashed. He could almost envision the bright crimson liquid trailing down her throat as the knife slipped through her skin and into her throat. But that hadn't happened. The dark had come for him, and the Master had changed him.

Changed him? How? When had he been changed? Memories were fuzzy, nothing became clear. He looked at his hand in wonder. His hand began to ripple and fade. In and out, in and out, in and out of existence. And then it became one with the dark. It became black and gray, rippling like water. For a moment, all thought became clear. He knew his purpose: to serve his lord and master. He remembered what had happened and understood that he was all the better for it.

But then his hand became pink again. Soft and weak flesh with too hot blood running through it. Memories went away and the sense of self was gone. Too bad, so sad. But one thought stayed with him. The Master was coming.

* * * * * * * *

Kari lay in bed, dressed in her casual clothing and still cross at her parents for being so unfair. Couldn't they understand that she had needed this day? That she had needed a chance to get outside before she collapsed in on herself? It seemed so unfair. She knew the danger, but she also understood the benefits. To be punished for doing what one needed to do seemed ludicrous.

Then a loud banging came from downstairs. Who could be visiting at this hour? She could hear the sound of footsteps running up the stairs toward her. Fear tugged at her consciousness. Something wasn't right.

The door cracked open and white-hot light spilled into the room, flooding everything in illumination. Two men stepped into the room wearing contamination suits. Their clothes sealed them off from the rest of the world and concealed their faces behind black visors. She could see her own fear and confusion reflected in their soulless faces. "Who are you?" Kari stood up and backed away from them. With no reply, they reached out as quickly as snakes striking at their prey. The first man grabbed hold of her arms while the other produced a pair of handcuffs. Together, the men bound her arms behind her back.

Kari opened her mouth to scream but one of the men placed a yellow piece of tape with a biohazard insignia over her mouth. In a dizzy and awkward dance of pushing and pulling, the men forced Kari downstairs and out the door into the cold night. Black water splashed against her ankles as she stepped outside. She looked up to see her parents held back by police, consoling each other. Kay Joshu and her friends watched Kari in fear as the men dragged her towards a black van. Hitoshi Ikari waiting next to the van, a broad grin on his face. "It's for your own good."

Her skin now damp with the dark water, Kari was lifted up into the padded contour of the truck's back. She turned to look for her parents, but the last thing she saw was Hitoshi Ikari waving goodbye.

With a jolt, the van began to pull away. Kari looked out the window, trying to see her family one more time. But now they were all gone. In their place lay hundreds of Digimon lying limp and bleeding on the street. None of them dissolved into data as the life poured out of them. They just lay there. Kari recognized the closest figure passing by the van. It was Gatomon, who lay with wide unfocused eyes, her normally white fur matted down in blood.

"Kari." Kari spun around and looked at the darkest corner of her portable cell. Muri Ikari stepped forward, dressed in a straightjacket. "It's time to leave this world behind. There's nothing left for you now." Behind him, a thousand pale eyes opened and blinked at her.

Suddenly, Kari was standing in the middle of a black sea. Her bonds were gone, but she felt more trapped then ever. Part of the sea rose up and began to form itself into a mountain of muscle and dark red eyes. With a beat of its bat-like wings, the huge creature reached for her with one tentacle-like arm.

"NO!" Kari sat bolt upright in bed and quickly looked around her. She was back in her room, the lights off and the door closed. She wore her pajamas, even though it was only 9:30 pm. Now she remembered. She'd be so tired and frustrated that she'd gone to bed early. A dream… It was just another dream. She'd been having nightmares a lot recently. Sometimes they were about the Dark Ocean, other times they were about Digimon being ruthlessly slaughtered by humans who had denied their partners. And now she'd dreamt of being taken from her home.

Kari pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in the gap. She then proceeded to cry. Was that a vision? A prophecy? She had dreamt of the Dark Ocean once and then it had taken her away for the first time. Now she was dreaming of humans taking her away from all she'd ever known and loved. Was that her fate? Even if humans and Digimon learned to live in peace, what did that mean for Kari? She still glowed, and as soon as people realized that Digimon weren't the cause, they'd look for another reason to explain Kari's condition. Mr. Takenouchi was focusing on proving the innocence of Digimon, but he didn't have any idea how to help Kari become normal again. She needed to find a way to control her powers or she'd be an outcast for the rest of her life.

"Kari?" Her mother peaked in the door. As soon as she saw the tears streaking down her daughter's face, the memories of Kari's actions that day faded away and her maternal side kicked in. Mrs. Kamiya sat down on the bed and looped an arm around her daughter, holding her close. "Tell me what happened."

Kari couldn't tell; she was too scared. Instead, she pressed her eyes against her mother's shoulder and spoke in tears.

* * * * * * * *

Davis stepped into his family's apartment at an unbelievably late hour. Normally, his parents would simply freak at his tardiness, but he knew they'd have more to worry about.

True to his foresight, Mr. and Mrs. Motomiya stood up upon seeing their son. They rushed towards him, the perfect image of concerned parents. But Davis wasn't in the mood for that right now. He was too mad. He held up a hand to slow his parents' advance, and when that didn't work he dodged under his mother's hug and stood before them, his eyes accusing.

Davis' father frowned, "Davis, what's wrong?"

"Why did you send Jun and Jim to spy on me?" Jim opened his mouth to speak, but Jun hushed him. Good, she understood.

Mrs. Motomiya said, "We didn't ask them to spy on you. We asked them to-"

"To baby-sit me. To watch over your scheming little boy."

Mr. Motomiya nodded, "You were pretty suspicious when Yolei called."

"And you didn't trust me enough to let me do whatever I was planning."

"What were you planning?"

Davis wasn't going to play that game. If he told, they'd get mad at him for taking such a risk. He understood, in a way he never would have believed possible, how powerful words could be. Say this, and the conversation goes in your favor; say that, and you're suddenly on the defensive. Being with Kari taught me a lot more than book smarts.

Davis smiled, "I asked her to ditch Ken and run away with me. Too bad it didn't work." Neither of his parents looked amused. "What? You were expecting I was going to go rob a bank?"

"How can you expect us to trust you when you won't tell us what's going on?"

"How can I trust you when I know you don't trust me?" This wasn't good. He could see his parents getting mad. Okay, time to take a new route. "Alright, the truth is I had Yolei make a disguise for Kari. I snuck Kari out and showed her around for a while before taking her back home. Her parents caught us, but Kari felt good for having gotten out. Then, I got jumped by a bunch of guys from G.O.D. Jim and Kapurimon bailed me out, but not before I got roughed up a little. I know that what I did was reckless, but I'm not sorry I did it and if I had to do it again I wouldn't change a thing."

He expected his parents to send him to his room or berate his foolish actions. Instead, his mother said, "So it was a good thing that we had Jun and Jim spy on you. Otherwise, you might not have survived long enough to be mad at us."

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you guys didn't trust me. You have to understand that I'm not your little boy anymore! If I get in trouble, I need to get myself out of that trouble. And if I screw up, I need to take care of the mess on my own. Every time I got in trouble before, I always knew I could fall back on you guys if I needed help, even if you were mad at me. But I can't keep doing that now.

"Why not?"

Mrs. Motomiya was visibly upset. She doesn't want to let go. It hurt Davis to challenge and upset his parents like this, but he had to do it. He had to become stronger. Because- because… "Because Kari needs me. I have to be strong if I'm gonna help her."

Mr. Motomiya nodded, "I see… What did Kari's parents say when you returned?"

"That they'd kick me out if I ever tried this stunt again."

"And you won't." It wasn't a question or a command, but an observation.

Davis shook his head. "No, I won't. I'll find another way to help her."

Mrs. Motomiya relaxed and nodded. "I see. But you can't do that right away?"

Some of Davis' sternness ebbed. He grinned and scratched his head. "Not yet. I'm kinda taking a break from the Kamiyas for a while."

Everyone else chuckled. Mrs. Motomiya said, "Alright then. Why don't we talk about what you want to do with your spare time? Perhaps we can offer some advice?"

Davis nodded, "Yeah. I'll take any advice you guys can give. I'm not trying to shut you all out; I love you guys. But I have to learn to do things on my own, without relying on other people to bail me out." That included Veemon as well. Davis would have to learn how to fight without the aid of his partner.

Mr. Motomiya nodded, "I think we understand. Everyone's got to break away sometime, or else they'll never achieve their full potential."

Mrs. Motomiya said, "Why don't I fix you something hot and we can talk for a while? Jun, Jim, can you stay for a while?" They both nodded. Kapurimon was especially delighted when Mrs. Motomiya offered him some treats.

Davis just smiled, feeling like he'd won a battle against a foe even more powerful than Diaboromon. He'd found the guts to do something he'd never done before, tell his parents to let go.

* * * * * * * *

Kari chatted with her family while eating breakfast. Despite the anger and punishment last night, things had returned to normal for the Kamiyas. At least as normal as things could be. Kari suspected that her parents really did understand why she had snuck out, but they had to enforce the rules in order to know that Kari was still keeping her wits clear. She wondered what her parents thought of Davis. He certainly wasn't the same boy Kari remembered from seven years ago. He'd changed into a much more sensitive person with a hugely reduced ego.

Why didn't I see these changes before? Was it because we spent so much time together? She remembered how much Tai had changed during his few visits from college. He'd become much more calm and composed, a real diplomat. With Tai, there had been breaks between visits, so Kari could compare Tai's new personality with his old one. But she'd been around Davis every day during high school, giving the illusion of same old goofy Davis every day. Perhaps that was why the changes hadn't been apparent.

Speaking of Tai, "Have we heard from Tai recently?"

Mr. Kamiya smiled, "Yes. He called this morning just before you woke up." Kari had developed a habit of sleeping in a bit late. Maybe Davis was having an influence on her.

Mrs. Kamiya said, "He told us he'd hitched a ride with some friends who were coming to Odaiba for a day. He'll be here in two days."

Kari felt giddy. Her brother was coming! "That's great!" Did he say anything about Agumon coming along?"

"He… didn't mention Agumon, but I don't think he'll be joining us. It's not like he'd be allowed in the house." Of course, Digimon weren't allowed anywhere near Kari right now. But that raised the question of where Tai had left Agumon. Her brother wouldn't be so careless as to abandon Agumon up at college. Tai was bold, but he wasn't stupid.

"I guess we'll find out when he comes home." Kari's elation split into joy and fear. Joy for seeing her brother again after so long. The world had changed since she'd last seen him. And fear for how mad he must have been for finding out about Kari's situation through the news instead of through his own family. He must have felt so betrayed. I'm sorry, Tai.

* * * * * * * *

It was strange how different a world could feel without any physical changes. By all appearances, the Digital World was still the lush but dangerous paradise Veemon remembered. The trees were the same, the sky was still there, there were all sorts of Digimon, and yet this was not the world he remembered.

The Digital World had never felt so alien to him, so hostile. Everywhere he and Gatomon had gone there had been protestors arguing against the notion of human partners. Veemon hadn't really considered that the madness could have spread from Earth to the Digimon. It seemed that Digimon could be just as foolish as humans.

In the weeks since their arrival, Veemon and Gatomon had toured from town to town, telling of their lives in the real world and encouraging Digimon to seek out their partners in the human world.

It had become very apparent that Gatomon was a much stronger speaker than Veemon. Veemon often talked about sports, games, and food. Gatomon stressed the love she felt for her partner, and how she had been accepted. Many Digimon had critiqued her for the fact she'd been sent back by her partner, but Gatomon had explained the situation so many times that each debate seemed to have been completely scripted in her mind. She knew what the arguments would be, and how to respond to them.

Veemon was standing at the back of a large crowd comprised of a mixed assortment of Digimon. Tree-like Woodmon, rocky Gotsumon, bird-like Kiwimon, as well as several other species all listened in judging silence as Gatomon, standing on a small stage, told them about her life on Earth.

"When I first came to the human world, I was an aggressor. I'd come to find and kill a specific human being so that an evil Digimon could actually conquer the world. To me, humans were just another life form to step on. They were noisy, crowded, and completely oblivious to the world around them. They didn't even notice a white cat wearing gloves and a tail ring. I thought a Mammothmon could walk down the street and most humans wouldn't even notice. In fact, that's just what happened!" A few chuckles wafted up from the crowd.

"But one human did notice that I wasn't a normal kitty. A young girl who was strangely kind and unafraid of me, despite the fact that I stalked her all the way back to her home. Without even considering what I had planned for her, she invited me into her home. This girl already knew about Digimon. She'd seen Digimon attacking the human world before, and she could even see them causing disruptions at that time. But she didn't fear or hate them. She just wondered why we were attacking them.

"It was then that I knew this was the target I'd been searching for. This was the girl I'd been sent to kill. But I couldn't do it. When I looked at her I couldn't even consider the idea of hurting her. Shortly thereafter, I found out that she was my partner. She was the most important person to me in two worlds. She and I have fought side-by-side against countless enemies. I've drawn the strength to keep fighting from the bond we share. The only reason I can digivolve is because of her. And she is not the only human I've come to appreciate.

"Through my human partner, Kari Kamiya, I came to know many other humans. I met her brother, her parents and grandparents, her friends-both young and old, and even her teachers. I used to be so alone, wandering the Digital World looking for someone like her. It's still strange to think that the person I needed to be with the most was in an entirely different dimension."

Gatomon looked around the crowd, her gaze as commanding as if she were hypnotizing everyone. "If I found someone who I could love as deeply as myself, or more, then so can all of you. I know that there are Digimon who are afraid to visit the human world, and that some have been sent back by ungrateful partners, but these are not the norm. There are good, kind humans on Earth who will welcome you with open arms and bring you into their families. My friend, Veemon, can tell you how nice it is to eat human food. It's much easier than having to forage for it." Veemon felt his face burn. She didn't need to make him sound like a glutton. Still, he had to admit that she had really become a great speaker.

"That's nonsense!" An angry looking Elecmon stepped forward from the crowd. "Humans are nothing like that! I should know; I've been there." He turned his side towards the crowd. A short pale red scar traced the line of his shoulder. Though it was small, Veemon imagined that it had hurt a great deal. "A human did this to me. I was supposed to be his partner, but one night he got drunk and attacked me. I had to shock him into submission just to save my life. The next day I got sent back here with this scar as the only reminder of the time I'd spent on Earth. There's no way I'll ever go back there! Humans hate us. They call us unnatural and want us to stay as far away from them as possible. After what my partner did to me, I have no problem staying away from their world!"

Loud murmurs rumbled through the crowd, creating a fissure between Gatomon and her audience. We're losing them. Veemon felt the panic seizing his thoughts. How in the world could they get the Digimon to listen? This was the first time they'd encountered a Digimon who'd been physically wounded by a human. Veemon tried to think of arguments, shouts, denouncements, anything to gain back the attention.

But it was Gatomon who thought up the best method for seizing attention. Rather than shout or try to calm everyone, she laughed. Her tone was mocking and dismissive, oblivious to the resentment rising up in the crowd. Veemon looked at her like she'd gone crazy. What did she think she was doing?

"You call that a scar?" Gatomon yanked off one of her gloves. "This is a scar!" She held up her naked paw to show a set of several wicked scars criss-crossing the back of her palm. She then pulled off her other glove and showed another set of scars. Unlike the Elecmon's scar, Gatomon's wounds were bright red and looked like they ran much deeper. The crowd stood in horrified silence. Even the Elecmon was at a loss for words.

Gatomon took a deep breath. "These scars weren't given to me by any human. I had them long before I ever went to Earth. The evil Digimon, Myotismon, gave me these years ago. He tortured me and beat me for disobedience. I couldn't even look at him without risking pain!" Veemon could hear a slight waver in her voice.

She looked down at the Elecmon. "You talk as if your human partner was the only one capable of hurting someone, yet you attacked him."

"In self-defense! He was drunk and throwing anything he could find at me!"

"But you still attacked him. A human, without any special attacks or defenses of his own! I doubt his aim could have been very good, considering he was drunk. Did you know that he had a drinking problem?"

"Well… yes."

"But you didn't try to help him, why?"

"It… it didn't occur to me that I could."

"That was your mistake. Partnerships don't go one-way. You can't just enter someone's home and expect them to care for you while you do nothing. The bond between you and your partner failed to connect because of his weaknesses and your own, yet you talk as if it's only his fault." Gatomon motioned towards her scars. "If a Digimon could do this to me, a fellow Digimon, then how can we blame humans for acts of violence? All of us have the potential to become as corrupt as Myotismon or even the Dark Masters. We are just as fallible as humans. We can be cruel and heartless, just like some humans.

"I won't deny that some humans are hateful and resist Digimon, but that's not a clear reflection of all humans. Unlike us, humans live closer together. We live in cities and towns that are separated by vast distances. Humans can traverse these distances easily, which means that the events in one part of their world influence all the others. That also means that the fears of some people influence the feelings of others. Some humans fear us, and they invoke fear in others. But there are other humans who are fighting against those fears and seek to live with us peacefully. There is turmoil that blocks such progress, but that turmoil can't last forever. One day, humans will decide on how to act, and we must be ready to make a similar decision. Are we going to be ruled by our fears and doubts and miss an opportunity to grow and to nurture our relationships with human partners? I certainly don't want to spend the rest of my life here when I know there is someone on Earth who cares about me and misses me. In fact, when the portal to Earth opens up again, I intend to be one of the first ones through!"

Veemon could see some heads nodding. It was working; she was really swaying their opinions!

Gatomon took one last look at the crowd, and the Elecmon in particular. "I don't expect that I've convinced all of you to sign up for partnerships right away, but I do hope I've given you something to consider. The human world is diverse and surprisingly beautiful in many ways. Before you reject any thoughts of finding a partner, I suggest you consider what you have to lose." With that Gatomon walked off the stage and vanished into the town without waiting for applause.

* * * * * * * *

Veemon waited a whole hour before going to search for her. He'd learned through painful trail and error that Gatomon required a lot of time to herself. She still wasn't used to be around so many Digimon. Most her life had been spend in solitude, and then she'd only really known the Digidestined. Speaking before a mass of unfamiliar Digimon was draining, but vanishing for an hour was too much.

So he'd searched for her in every corner of the town. Everywhere he looked Digimon were discussing her views from the speech and challenging one-another's ideas. Veemon noted with great pleasure that almost no one remembered the angry Elecmon. But no one had seen Gatomon.

Given her solitary attitude, Veemon guessed that she hadn't stayed in the town. Gatomon usually spent most of her time with Patamon, and since he wasn't here she wouldn't feel very comfortable with anyone. It irked Veemon that Gatomon couldn't trust him enough to spend time together. He knew she was glad he was around, but she could do something to show it, maybe a thank you or a handshake, anything!

He wandered away from the road and headed towards the densest part of a nearby forest. He'd have to find the most concealed and solitary location. That would be where he'd find Gatomon. It was another half hour before he'd explored in one direction before he considered going the opposite way. But then he heard a sniff coming from behind a row of trees. It sounded vaguely like Gatomon, except she rarely ever cried. Uncertain, Veemon crept over and peaked between the bushes.

A small shallow pond lay obscured by the trees. It was barely large enough for several humans to sit in, but it sparkled like a jewel in the thin shafts of light. Several large stones lined the border. Gatomon sat with her back to Veemon. Her yellow gloves lay beside her as she stroked the scars on her paws.

Taking a deep breath, Veemon stepped forward. "Um… Gatomon?"

Gatomon jumped and looked back. Her fur was wet and tears irritated her normally blue eyes. She's really upset. She didn't even hear me coming. Gatomon almost never missed a sound.

She instantly reached for her gloves. Veemon held up his hands, "It's okay, I'll leave! I was… just worried about you."

"Why?" Her voice stung with apathy as she looked back to the water.

Veemon approached slowly, waiting for her to dismiss him. But she didn't even glance at him until he sat down next to her. Her gloves had returned to her paws. "I was worried because I'm your friend."

"Why?"

"Wadda ya mean, 'why?' Isn't it obvious?"

"No."

Veemon felt like someone had just sent him through a portal to another weird dimension. He and Gatomon had been friends for over seven years. Why would she even question their friendship? "Well, you and I have spent a lot of time together, and we've fought side-by-side, and we've talked. So… that makes us friends!"

"Why?"

Veemon felt like sticking his head in the lake. "I don't know! We're friends, isn't that enough?"

Gatomon looked at him. "How can you call me your friend when you don't know the first thing about me?"

Veemon blinked, "I know lots of things about you! I know your favorite food is fish and I know that you're really good at speaking and that you really hate it when Kari takes a photo of you before you've had a chance to clean your-"

"That's nothing!" Gatomon snapped. "That's just trivial stuff. No one knows the real me. No one except Kari."

"Real you?" He reached for her covered paws. "You mean this? Come on, you're not a bunch of scars." He rested a hand on her paw.

"Don't!" Gatomon yanked her paw away and lashed out with her other claw. Veemon was so taken aback that he almost forgot to dodge. Gatomon's claws slashed across his cheek, cutting several small red streaks. Veemon looked at Gatomon, who appeared just as stunned as he was. "Veemon… I-I'm sorry. I just…" She looked at her claws as if they had just acted without her orders.

Veemon resisted the urge to press his hand to the wound. "What's wrong?" Gatomon looked stunned. She obviously hadn't expected him to ask such a question.

For a moment, she just stared at him with her eyes beaming disbelief, and then she looked down at her paws. "I'm… I'm not comfortable showing people my scars. Even Kari hasn't seen them."

"Why not? It's not like they say anything about you."

She looked at him with glacial eyes. "Don't they?"

"No, they don't."

"You have no idea how wrong you are." That did it.

"Then why don't you just tell me? If I'm so ignorant, why not teach me?"

"Alright, I will. When I look at these scars, I don't think about all the times Myotismon used to beat me with his Crimson Lightning attack. I don't think about how lonely I was or how many times I wished I was dead."

"Then why are you ashamed of them?"

She shouted, "I'm ashamed because they remind me of what I became! I'm ashamed of how I gave up on my hopes and dreams and began to serve Myotismon faithfully. I followed his every order without question. If he wanted soldiers, I recruited them. If he wanted me to find secrets, I found them. If he wanted a Digimon dead, I killed it. If he wanted to kill a human… I was willing to do it. If it weren't for the fact that Kari was my partner, I probably would have killed her without a second thought." Tears pooled in her eyes, but she seemed to hold them back by sheer dent of will. "I was a monster, and there hasn't been one day where I forget about the terrible things I've done. These scars are from a time when I was just as dangerous as Myotismon. They're a reminder of what I've done and how I can never be forgiven."

Veemon's annoyance died in an instant. "But look what you did with those scars today. You got everyone to listen to you by being willing to show those scars."

Gatomon nursed her gloves. "I wasn't thinking. I just knew that I had to regain their attention. But, it hurts to remember. Being with Kari helps to distract me, but I can never forget. I don't deserve to be Kari's partners. She's so kind and sweet; she wouldn't harm a Numemon. But I've hurt so many humans and Digimon. I just-"

"Stop it!" Veemon snatched Gatomon's arm and held it tight in his hands so that she couldn't pull it away. "Stop talking like that! You do deserve to be Kari's partner because you're just as kind as she is. You're not the same as Myotismon. Maybe you've done some things you're not proud of, but that doesn't mean you're as bad as he was. You're sorry for what happened; he never changed. Stop beating yourself up over the past. That was a whole other life. You've changed since you met Kari, you not the same 'mon you used to be. Am I right?"

Gatomon was silent for a moment. "Maybe."

"I am right, so stop beating yourself up for things that happened in the past. You're definitely one of the good guys now, and I don't think there's a human or Digimon out there that wouldn't forgive you for any past mistakes. Look at me! I've made lots of mistakes and nobody holds a grudge."

He gently stroked Gatomon's paw. "You don't have to be ashamed of these. You used these scars to do a lot of good today. Kari would be so proud of you for what you did. I know I am!"

"Veemon…" It was always strange to see Gatomon at a loss for words. Slowly, a thin smile broke across her face. She giggled, and then burst out laughing.

Well, at least she's not crying. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking of when I used to think of you as an inexperienced amateur. Now, here you are, lecturing me."

"I prefer to call it a pep talk."

"Pretty dangerous talk, given those cuts I gave you."

"What? These? Naw, they're no problem. They'll be all gone by the end of the week."

"Still," Gatomon stood up and offered him her paw, "let's put some herbs on them. We don't want them to get infected."

"Okay." Veemon took her paw and stood up. "Hey, Gatomon?"

"Yes?"

"Wadda say we take a break from these speeches for a little bit?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you wanna keep talking about how great Earth is, but let's take breather and reenergize. You're not gonna win any Digimon over if you fall asleep on stage. ShogunGekomon's Castle isn't too far away. Let's go over and say hi. I bet he'll have a really big meal for us!"

Gatomon arched an eyebrow, "Am I paranoid, or do I sense a hidden agenda here?"

Veemon grinned, "Come on, it'll be a good break for you and a nice vacation for my stomach."

Gatomon laughed, "Okay. We'll take a short-I repeat-short break. There are still a lot of Digimon I want to talk to." They nodded in agreement.

Gatomon gaze held a strange feeling all of a sudden. Veemon shifted, "Um… what?"

"Veemon, thank you." Gatomon leaned over and licked him gently on his undamaged cheek. Veemon's face instantly shifted from blue to crimson.

"I… um… duh…"

Gatomon gently pulled his hand. "Let's go." They walked on in comfortable silence.

* * * * * * * *

The old saying about "no pain, no gain" rang hallow when your arms felt like they were about to fall off. Davis lay on his family's couch, exhausted from his trip to the gym. His face was slowly healing. He could see out of both eyes now and his lip wasn't as tender. But patches of his face were still red or bruised. He wouldn't be getting many dates in the near future. It had been three days since his run-in with Gendo. During that time he'd spent nearly every waking moment studying or working out at the gym.

Davis' legs had always been strong from his soccer games, but he found that he'd allowed his upper body to slack off. So he spent most of his time lifting weights. He was already stronger than he had been, but right now his arms felt like they'd rip off at any moment. Oh well, it'd pay off in the long run.

Even more rewarding than the workout was the way Davis was now breezing through his assignments. Equations and problems that had tormented him in the past now seemed too simple and even trivial. He didn't understand how he could have picked up Kari's smarts from their time together, but he must have somehow.

No, that wasn't true. Kari had shown him how to do it; she hadn't given him her knowledge. What Kari had really taught Davis was to sit and actually think about the problem before him rather than simply quitting and saying he couldn't get it. I spent all my time worrying when I could have solved the problem on my own. Thanks, Kari.

His homework was done for the day and it'd be a little while before his parents came home. Davis decided to turn on the TV and see what was going on in the world. With everything that'd been going on, Davis had taken a new interest in public events. His future was slowly changing from the image he had expected. His dream of owning a ramen store seemed trivial now. There was more he could do, much more. Kari had shown him that he was smarter than even he had given himself credit for. I could do more for people if I ditched the ramen shop and focused on a better cause. Wouldn't it be something if he could teach people to like Digimon?

Davis placed the idea in the back of his mind for later consideration; the news was on. The reports were going on about another G.O.D. speech by Hitoshi Ikari. "Jerk." Davis muttered. Ikari had spoken about G.O.D. radicals and how they were not a part of the Guardians. The Guardians deplored the excessive and violent steps taken by the radicals and disassociated themselves from the rouge members. Yeah, and I'm the real Digimon Emperor.

The doorbell rang over Ikari's false pledges. Davis dragged himself up from the sofa and trudged his way to the door. If it's a salesman, I'm gonna…" He chose not to finish the thought. He opened the door and saw Jun and Jim waiting outside with Kapurimon. "Hey, guys." Davis' mood brightened.

"Hi, Davis. Are Mom and Dad home?"

"Nope, just me."

Jun arched an eyebrow. "They left you alone? How trusting."

"Shut up." Davis went back to the couch. Jim laughed.

The three of them sat down and watched the remainder of the G.O.D. report. It had been a slow news day.

"Ikari sure does make a lot of promises." Jim noticed.

"He likes to talk too." Kapurimon's comment drew some chuckles from everyone.

Jun said, "I hear he's Christian. Hard to believe he's so respected when he isn't Shinto or Buddhist."

Davis rolled his eyes. "Are all Christians as loony as he is?"

Jim's voice was serious, "That's not fair, Davis. You can't judge a whole group on one individual."

"An individual who's made life a whole lot harder for the rest of us. He seems to get a lot of support from everyone."

Jun sighed, "He knows how to pull strings. But that doesn't mean he represents Christians in general."

"You talk like you know a few."

"I do."

"Really? I didn't know you knew a bunch of Christians."

"I know one or two. Jim introduced me to him."

Davis looked at Jun's boyfriend. "Jim, I thought you were Shinto."

Jim nodded. "I am, but that doesn't mean I can't meet new people. Actually, I think you'd like the man Jun and I know." He checked his watch. "In fact, if we hurry, you can meet him this evening."

"Really?"

Jim nodded, "I think it'd be good for you to hear a perspective other than Hitoshi Ikari's. If you're up for a short drive, we can go see this guy."

Davis nodded and slowly stood up. "I'm in, but there better not be a lot of walking. Otherwise, you two are carrying me."

* * * * * * * *

One of the greatest trials on Earth, besides Digimon, had to be reporters. Hitoshi resisted the urge to slump against the wall after a long press conference full of questions and demands. Gendo and his cohorts were now officially expelled from the Guardian's organization. Hitoshi had pulled some strings to reduce the charges against Gendo and his friends. They'd have to perform some civil service, but the charges shouldn't damage their academic careers.

"Hitoshi, nice work." Heki Doutokou, one of the Guardian's founders, approached him with a broad smile on his face. A tall man with brown and gray hair, he was a key economic figure with a lot of influence. Most of the donations and funding came from Heki's companies and his circle of friends. He had been the man who asked Hitoshi to speak on the Guardian's behalf. "You've done a great job with this problem and saved us a lot of embarrassment. Thank you."

Hitoshi nodded, "I am happy to help. But we still need to find out who is giving those armbands to the extremists. We can't have these people performing acts of violence in the name of the Guardians Opposing Digimon."

Heki waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry. My people are checking into it. I'm sure it's just a passing fad, not a conspiracy."

"I'd feel better if we knew for sure."

"We will. Stop worrying or you're bound to lose your hair." He gave his friend a light jab to the shoulder. "I have to get to a meeting. Go home and get some rest."

Hitoshi nodded. "I will." Heki walked away.

"Mr. Ikari!" Gendo ran down the hall towards him. "Mr. Ikari!"

"Keep your voice down, Gendo. Show some respect."

The admonishment was lost on the excited young man. "I was coming down just to thank you for helping me out, and then I saw you talking to that guy. Who was he?"

"That was Heki Doutokou, one of G.O.D.'s founders. Why do you ask?"

"Because," Gendo's eyes widened with disbelief and excitement. "That's the guy! That's the guy who gave us those armbands!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------

The plot thickens (or sickens perhaps?). Hitoshi is in for some unpleasant surprises in the next chapter, but nothing compared to what awaits Davis and Kari. The Dark Ocean begins to make its play for power in the next chapter of "The Outcast."

Author's note: I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to the author Kale. Form what little I've heard, it seems that he's pulled out of FF.net to write for a company of some kind. Even though he and I have very opposing viewpoints and despite the fact we butted heads pretty often, I do wish him well in life. Good luck to you, kale!

Next chapter will be out… sometime. No promises on when, though. I really am bad at this.