Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Ressurection War ❯ DIGIMON EMPEROR: Awakening ( Chapter 5 )

Hey, it's Yolei! I guess it's my turn to fill you guys in. Last time, Kari and the Digimon Emperor were captured by this mysterious scientist, who started testing them because he said they were the strongest. Meanwhile, I noticed that Control Spires were starting to be destroyed and when we went to investigate, we found that Davis was the one doing it! Turns out, he's a digidestined too, and his partner's Veemon! Go figure, huh? Anyway, he helped us rescue Kari and Tk, but get this, the doctor's part of this group called Dark SEED, and they're not done with us yet!

I've been wondering about the world………

You know, like, what's my place in it………?

I want to be a hero, save the world, get the girl………

You know, like in the movies………

I know real life isn't always like that………

But, I can't be a hero if I'm not strong enough………

I need to get stronger, but how………?

I want to become the hero I always wanted to be………

But what makes a hero………?

DIGIMON EMPEROR: Awakening

The small Gotsumon dove into the air to avoid a blast of light that destroyed the ground where he was standing only moments ago. The force of the explosion twisted him around in mid-air, so he fell hard onto his back. He could clearly see the destruction of his village: his home burning in the background, his fellow Gotsumon running in terror. He felt his heart began to beat even faster as he saw a dark figure loom over the city. The creature was coming!

He jumped back onto his feet and continued to run. He had to make it out of the city and warn other villages and towns. They would have to put together an entire army if they needed to, this creature could certainly destroy a few Champion digimon, maybe even Ultimates!

He ran into a section of the village that had not yet been attacked. He was so focused on escaping, that he tripped on a small rock and landed on the ground once again. He looked over his shoulder and saw the beast was almost overhead! The massive monster opened his mouth.

"Heat Viper!"

The Gotsumon covered the back of his head with his hands. The beast's attack missed him, but now the entire city was on fire. The creature was right over top of him, but it might attack again. If he moved, he was sure to be spotted, but he was not safe there. He took a deep breath and sprinted back to his feet.

He looked over his shoulder and saw that the creature was flying in the other direction, it had missed him! He breathed a sigh of relief and disappeared into the forest surrounding the village. "I have to tell Gennai," he said, "He's got to know about Kimeramon!"

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Kari adjusted her gym uniform as she ran around the soccer field. She did not understand why some gym teachers thought that by running laps, their students would be ready for a class crammed full of sports activities. It always mad her so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

She mingled with the other students until she found Yolei, who was having a difficult time running this session. "What's wrong?" the brown-haired girl asked.

Yolei huffed. "I was up pretty late last night. That unscheduled trip to the Digital World cut into my homework time. I didn't want my grades to drop like yours, so I was up until after midnight."

Kari frowned. "Thanks a lot," she sighed.

"Hey, I'm just telling it like it is."

"Yeah, well, you don't.." she was abruptly cut off when Davis ran past her. '

The teenage boy turned to look at her. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, that's okay," she said.

He smiled as he looked around the soccer field. "Isn't it great having gym last period? I mean, you get all worked up playing sports, and then you can do what you want with the rest of the afternoon! Ready to head into the Digital World? There's still a lot of Control Spires to knock down!"

Kari shivered. "After being used as an experiment, I'm not going to be comfortable in that world again."

He chuckled slightly. "Don't worry, I'll always protect you."

She sighed. "Davis."

The gym teacher blew his whistle. "Okay guys, that's enough! Hit the showers!"

Davis nodded to the two girls. "I'll meet you in the hall."

Kari panted as she waved to him. She followed Yolei into the girls' locker room and began to undress. Kari pulled off her gym shorts and t-shirt and folded them into her bag. She pulled on her undershirt and went to grab her green skirt, when she noticed Yolei. The purple-haired girl had already removed her gym clothes and was wearing nothing but her undergarments. Kari could not help herself as she watched her friend pull on her white shirt. Yolei's hands seemed to move in a poetic fashion as she pulled up her skirt and attached it around her waist. Kari was not sure why she kept staring at Yolei, but she could not turn away. She felt a strange feeling inside of her; it started at her stomach then slowly moved to her chest. She was completely lost in Yolei's movement until the purple-haired girl turned to her. "Kari?"

The brown-haired girl snapped back to reality. "What?"

"Aren't you even dressed yet?" she asked, "The bell's going to ring."

"R..Right." She quickly pulled up her skirt and then pulled over her green top. As she followed her friend out of the building, her mind thought back to the strange event that had just occurred. "That was really weird! Why was I looking at her like that? It was almost like I was…No, that can't be! I'm just stressed out, that's all."

The two girls met Davis in the hall. "Are you two ready?"

Kari nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

The trio of digidestined walked through the halls until they reached the computer lab. Their digimon were already there, hiding in the small cabinet underneath the shelves.

"Davis!" Veemon shouted. He looked at the two other digimon, "I knew it was you!"

"So what?" Salamon asked, "You can use your nose, big deal!"

"I agree," Hawkmon nodded, "We can all use our sense of smell."

Yolei chuckled. "You're all like a bunch of kids."

The digimon stopped at stared at them. "But, we are," Hawkmon said, "We're just like you."

"What?" Davis asked.

"He's right," Veemon said, "We're only about as old as you are."

"Really?" Yolei asked, "That's..weird."

Kari looked at Salamon. "So, you're as old as me?"

"Kinda," the digimon said, "It's complicated."

She chuckled slightly. "Okay, I'll take your word for it."

"Are we ready to go yet?" Davis asked, "I'm ready to kick some Emperor butt!"

"Hold on," Yolei said, sitting down at one of the computers, "Let me e-mail Ken and Cody and let them no what's going on."

"Hurry up!" Davis whined, "I'm getting bored!"

"I'm done," the teenage girl said, holding her digivice up to the monitor. The Digital Gate appeared a second later. "Are we ready?"

"Yes!" Davis and Veemon shouted.

"One more word and you're gonna get an elbow in the ribs," she growled.

"Just open the gate," Kari said.

"Fine," she sighed, "Digi-port open."

The group was deposited into an area of complete destruction. Trees were toothpicks, littering the grass-less ground. Buildings had been completely annihilated, and whatever was left was nothing more then dust. "Where are we?" Kari gasped.

Yolei had her mouth open in shock as she looked around. "I don't understand! This should be a digimon village."

"Are you sure?" Davis asked, investigating a pile of debris, "This place looks like it's been like this for a long time."

"Help! Help me!"

The group instantly quieted as they heard the voice.

"Help!"

"Where did that come from?" Kari asked.

Veemon pointed to the distance. "I think it came from him."

"Who?" Davis asked.

"That Gotsumon."

"What's a Gotsumon?"

The teenage boy received the answer to his question when the stone digimon came charging into view. When he saw the group, he stopped in shock. "Humans?" he gasped, "You're digidestined?"

"Yes," Kari answered, "What were you running from?"

The Gotsumon spun around and pointed to the sky. "Him!"

The watched in horror as a massive creature appeared in the sky. "What the heck is that thing?" Yolei shouted.

"It looks like Frankenstein's Monster!" Davis shouted in response.

"In-correct, as usual!"

Kari frowned in anger as she recognized the origin of the voice. She scanned the skies until she found the teenager she was searching for. The Digimon Emperor and his partner were riding on an Airdramon, who was hovering next to the creature. "What do you mean, Tk?" Kari asked.

Tk laughed. "This creature is far from being the mistake that Frankenstein's Monster was! For example, I have made sure that this creature does not have any pesky emotions to deal with! He's completely loyal to us, and my mission, destroy any rebellion to my rule!"

"But what is it?" Yolei asked.

Tk laughed again. "Allow me to introduce my greatest creation, the unstoppable, Kimeramon!"

"Kimeramon?" Salamon asked, "I never heard of that digimon before."

"Because I just created it, fool! This fully digivolved digimon is comprised of parts from the strongest digimon in the Digital World! May I present, Greymon's body Garurumon's legs, Kabuterimon's head, Airdramon and Angemon's wings, Monochromon's tail, Kuwagamon, SkullGreymon and Devimon's arms, and Metal Greymon's hair. With this incredible array of power, Kimeramon is totally indestructible!"

"I doubt that!" Davis shouted, "No matter what, we'll beat you!"

"He's right!" Kari shouted. She turned to her partner. "Are you ready?"

Salamon nodded. "Yes!"

"Digi-armor energize!"

"Salamon armor digivolve to Lynxmon! The Fires of Courage!"

"Hawkmon armor digivolve to Holsemon! The Wings of Love!"

"Veemon armor digivolve to Raidramon! The Storm of Friendship!"

Kari and Yolei looked at Davis. "Friendship?" Kari asked.

"Where did you get that?" Yolei asked.

"I don't think now's the time," he said.

"He's right," Tsukaimon shouted, from Tk's shoulder, "When you face Kimeramon, you need your full attention!"

"He doesn't scare us!" Davis shouted, "Raidramon, attack!"

"Thunder Blast!"

A stream of blue lightning exploded from the blades on Raidramon's back and crashed into Kimeramon.

"You're next, Lynxmon!" Kari shouted.

"Thermal Mane!"

Her ball of flame slammed into Kimeramon's face, exploding into slivers of dying embers.

"You're turn, Halsemon!" Yolei cried.

"Eagle Eye!"

The bird digimon fired two arrows from his eyes which deflected into the ground once they impacted with Kimeramon's body.

"What's going on?" Raidramon gasped.

"None of our attacks had any affect!" Halsemon shouted.

"What do we do now?" Lynxmon asked, "We should have at least hurt him, but nothing happened!"

"Of course not!" Tk laughed, "I told you, he's unstoppable! Now, Kimeramon, show them how its done!"

The evil Ultimate digimon quickly used one of his set of hands to pound Halsemon into the ground. Lynxmon and Raidramon jumped to their friend's aid, but were rewarded when Kimeramon grabbed the feline with the left Devimon hand and the bird with the right Devimon hand. He slammed both digimon together, then pounded both of them into Halsemon. The digidestined called out to their human partners to no avail. All three digimon lay on the ground, unmoving.

The Digimon Emperor crossed his arms, his face becoming serious. "Now, Kimeramon, destroy them!"

The three teenagers and their digimon partners stared in horror as the mighty beast opened his equally impressive mouth. A ball of red energy began to form inside of his giant jaw. "Goodbye Digidestined," Tk said, "I wish I could say it's been fun. Now, Kimeramon!"

The fused digimon screamed. "Heat Viper!"

The destroyed city was instantly enveloped within an explosion of intense light. The last thing that Kari, Davis and Yolei were able to hear was Tk's laughter, an insane, evil laugh, before their eyes were covered by darkness.

%% %% %% %% %% %% %% %% %%

Venom Myotismon's bone-white teeth were pulled over his pale, colorless lips in a contorted image of a grin. The giant mega towered over the digidestined and their digimon. Each one of the human's digimon partner's had been defeated by the evil behemoth, and all hope seemed lost.

"So," Venom Myotismon laughed, his voice booming over the city, "Any more hopeless attempts to destroy me?" He roared with laughter. "You can't stop me! You are nothing! Nothing! You were never a match for me, never! Your pathetic attempts to annihilate me have only helped me digivolve to this form! I am unstoppable!"

Far below him on the destroyed rubble of a city street, the digidestined and their digimon stared up at the towering Venom Myotismon. Each one attempted to draw to the surface enough power, enough courage, enough strength to stand against him, but each one let their fears and hopelessness overtake them. They stared at the ground in defeat, except for one solitary figure.

Taichi Kamiya stood proudly and determined as stared up at the yellow-haired demon. With courage that seemed to flow from deep within him, he bravely stepped away from the others.

"Tai!" Sora Takenouchi shouted, "Where are you going?"

"Tai!" Yamato Ishida screamed, "Don't be stupid! He'll tear you apart!"

He ignored every comment and continued to stare at Venom Myotismon. The evil mega laughed. "And you do you think you're going to do, you weak, pathetic, human!"

Tai growled with anger and the crest that hung around his neck exploded with orange light. "What's this?" Venom Myotismon shouted.

"We are not pathetic!" he screamed, "What we are, is invincible!"

His faithful Agumon stood loyally by his side. His body was suddenly overflowing with orange energy. He had never felt such power before, his body could not handle, he needed to get stronger!

"Agumon warp digivolve to Wargreymon!"

The digidestined digimon stared on in awe as Agumon's new form floated above them. "Another mega?" Izzy asked, "This is incredible!"

Venom Myotismon stumbled back in horror, "A digidestined has a mega? No, how can this be?!"

"Because you don't understand humans at all!" Tai shouted, "You think you're above us, which is why you'll never understand how truly powerful we are! Wargreymon, obliterate him!"

Wargreymon held his palms close together, forming a massive ball of orange light above his hear, "Terra Force!"

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Kari shot awake, sweat pouring from her face. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "It was just a dream, just another one of those…those weird…weird dreams…" She suddenly realized that she did not know where she was.

She looked around her surroundings. She was not in the same area that she had been in before, Kimeramon's attack would have certainly created a crater of some kind, but there was nothing. In fact, she was lying in the center of a garden filled with flowers and long blades of grass; a small fountain off to her side was creating a mixture of pleasant sounds. Unless Kimeramon's attack had managed to create a beautiful garden out of a destroyed city, she had been moved by someone.

She rose to her feet and began to walk around. "Salamon?" she shouted, "Yolei? Davis?"

"Kari! Over here!"

She turned around and saw that her friends were seated in a large gazebo. Her faithful partner charged over to her. "You're okay, Kari!"

"Yeah," she smiled, lifting Salamon in her arms, "I'm fine." She looked back at the gazebo and saw that the other members of her group had run over to her. Ken and Cody were there as well.

"I'm glad you're okay," Cody said.

"What happened?" Kari asked.

Ken answered. "I guess it was a good thing that we all didn't come here at the same time. Cody and I came to the Digital World as soon as we got your message. We found you in a giant crater, unconscious, but alive, thankfully."

Kari frowned. "It was that digimon."

"Kimeramon," Davis answered. He slammed his left fist into his right palm, "Damn it! That Digimon Emperor's got to be stopped!"

"How?" Veemon asked. "Kimeramon took our best attacks, and he didn't even flinch!"

"We can't give up," Kari said, "We're going to have to try something! Wait, where did that Gotsumon go?"

"I'm right here," he said, emerging from the gazebo.

Kari smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. Come here."

He nodded and walked over to her. "Yes?"

"Why did the Digimon Emperor attack your village?"

"He was looking for the Destiny Stones."

"Destiny Stone?" Cody asked, "What's a Destiny Stone?"

"Legends say that there powerful stones that help balance the Digital World. I don't know how many there are, but something bad will happen if they are all destroyed."

"That's good enough for me," Yolei said, "Do you know where any of them are?"

"My village had the location of one of the stones. The Emperor stole that map, but I know where that Destiny Stone is."

Kari nodded. "Then take us there. "

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Tk and Tsukaimon laughed from atop the Airdramon they were riding. Kimeramon continued to blaze a path of destruction across the Digital World. "With this Ultimate beast, no one can stop me!" he roared with laughter, "No one! I will become the greatest being in the Digital World! Hahahahaha!"

Kimeramon's eyes slowly shifted to stare at Tk. Unbeknownst to the Digimon Emperor, Kimeramon was not the loyal subject he thought he was. It was only a matter of time before the synthetic digimon broke free of Takashi's control.

Tsukaimon propelled himself from Tk's shoulder and hovered in front of his partner's face. "Don't you think it's time to find that Destiny Stone?"

Tk grinned wickedly. "Of course, you're right. Once again, I have you to thank for keeping my focus! Kimeramon, we have bigger fish to fry! Follow us!"

Kimeramon growled and fell in line behind the floating Airdramon. He followed him across rivers and valleys until they reached a large, lush forest. "This must be the place," Tk grinned, "But I don't see anything that looks like a Destiny Stone."

"Me either," Tsukaimon said, "If only those trees weren't in the way."

Tk laughed. "I get it. Kimeramon, incinerate this area!"

The synthetic digimon opened his jaw. "Heat Viper!"

The mighty blast of fire smashed into a large tree in the center of the forest. It instantly exploded into flames, slivers of flames crashed into the other trees. Soon, the entire forest was on fire.

"That's it!" Tk laughed, "Burn, destroy, annihilate! Yes!"

"Tk," Tsukaimon called, "I think I see something."

The Digimon Emperor squinted his eyes in order to see an object in the flames. His mouth slowly twisted into a smile as she spied a large stone. "Yes! That must be the Destiny Stone! Kimeramon…"

"Tk! Stop this!"

The Digimon Emperor stopped laughing and stared at Kari and the others, all squished atop Halsemon and Searchmon. "Well, if it isn't the Digidestined. I must give you my compliments on surviving Kimeramon's attack, but I assure you, my beast won't miss twice!"

"Tk!" Yolei pleaded, "Don't do this! You're a Digidestined, just like us! You have a responsibility to help protect this world!"

"I rule this world!" he shouted, "Who would dare think of opposing me? Well, except for you fools, that is. You're soon going to understand exactly what happens to those that dare to oppose me!"

Davis clenched his fists. "It doesn't matter! Whatever you throw at us, we'll stop you!

"You're nothing but a bunch of pathetic fools!"

Kari's mind twitched at her memory of her brother fighting Myotismon. "Pathetic.." she mumbled.

Yolei turned to her. "What Kari?"

Kari growled as she clenched her fists. "We are not pathetic! We are invincible!"

Tk was taken aback slightly. He had never seen this gentle, kind, brown-haired girl act so…demonic before. Yes, that was it, Hikari Kamiya seemed suddenly possessed by a demon of anger, of war!

Salamon felt the power flowing from her partner as well. "I'm..digivolving!"

"Salamon digivolve to Gatomon!"

Tk started to grin. "Kimeramon…..no, no. I think we should take care of this ourselves." He grabbed his digivice. "Now!"

"Tsukaimon digivolve to Devimon!"

Gatomon jumped onto Devimon's back and started to dig her claws into the devil's black skin.

Tk whipped open his hand.. "Kimeramon, destroy that stone!"

"Get us to the ground!" Kari ordered. She looked over her shoulder. "Gatomon, don't let him beat you!"

Her Champion level digimon was grabbing Devimon's horns and pulling back as hard as she could. "Don't worry," she hissed, "I'm not going to!"

Kari jumped off of Halsemon's back before the bird digimon had even touched the ground. "I want you to protect that stone," she ordered.

"What about you?" Davis asked.

She glanced over her shoulder again and saw that the Airdramon the Digimon Emperor was so fond of riding had landed on the ground. Tk jumped off and stared at Kari. "I've got to talk to him." She ran towards the self-proclaimed ruler of the Digital World.

"Kari!" Yolei called after her.

"Just protect that stone!" the brown haired girl shouted back.

Yolei sighed as she turned back around. The large Destiny Stone was hovering a few feet off the ground, with a ring made of strange material strapped around it. The purple-haired girl judged by the writing that the ring was a protective charm. "Okay, we have to protect it, then that's what we'll do."

At her side, Halsemon shivered slightly as a large shadow suddenly appeared over the stone. "I don't think it's going to be that easy."

She looked for the source of that shadow and felt a slight chill herself. "Kimeramon."

The evil hybrid growled as he used his two sets of arms to grab the Destiny Stone and pull it closer to his face. His sinister mouth opened wide, his throat already forming the massive amount of heart and energy needed to unleash his primary attack. "Heat…"

"Quick!" Davis shouted, "Attack him now! His face, aim for his face!"

Each of the armor digimon present fired their attacks at Kimeramon's head, protected by Kabuterimon's helmet.

"Blue Thunder!"

"Eagle Eye!"

"Oxygen Torpedoes!"

"Jamming Hertz!"

The energy of the attacks merged together to create a whirling cyclone of power. This blast of energy was on target with Kimeramon's head, and was powerful enough to cause the evil synthetic digimon to move away from the Destiny Stone. He stared down at the armored digimon with hate in his eyes.

"Uh oh," Cody said, "I think we made him mad."

"Hybrid Arms!" Kimeramon shouted. His two set of arms stretched forward like elastic and snatched the armored digimon: Raidramon in the Kuwagamon arm, Halsemon in the SkullGreymon hand, and Searchmon and Submarimon in the Devimon set. He smashed all four digimon together, and they crashed into the ground.

"Not again!" Davis groaned.

"Don't worry," Raidramon said, climbing to his feet, "I'm okay. I'll be fine." He stared at Kimeramon, "And I'm not giving up. Blue Thunder!"

Kimeramon swatted the lighting attack away with his SkullGreymon arm, and then used his Kuwagamon arm to pound the armored digimon into the ground.

While the battle to save the Destiny Stone continued, Kari and Tk stared with extreme interest in the small war between Gatomon and Devimon. The white feline was still on Devimon's back, and jabbed her claws deep into his back. The evil digimon roared out loud and slammed into the ground. Gatomon grinned in triumph from the devil's back. "Yeah!"

Tk frowned, then laughed. "Ha! My Crest of Abandonment will power-up Devimon even further. No one can stop us!"

The medallion hanging around his neck began to glow a dark blue. Gatomon felt a strange feeling in her stomach, and she glanced down at Devimon's head. Even though the devil was head first in the ground, she could see him grinning wickedly. With lightning fast speed, he spun around to jump on his feet. Gatomon was flung off of him and landed at Kari's feet. "Gatomon!" she called in worry.

The white feline jumped back onto her feet. "Don't worry, I'm fine." She did not even give her partner a chance to respond before she jumped back into battle.

"Lightning Paw!" she shouted, charging at the grinning devil with an outstretched claw. Devimon easy grabbed her paw and swung her into the ground. He jumped into the air and slammed his elbow into the feline's stomach.

"Gatomon!" Kari shouted.

Her partner struggled to reach her feet, but Devimon trapped her small body underneath of his large claw. "So much for your great power, huh?"

Gatomon tried to break free from Devimon's evil grasp, but the power of Abandonment was too strong. Tk laughed as his crest glowed on his chest. "No one can defeat me! I am the Digimon Emperor! Come on, Kamiya, give into your fear, your worry, your despair. Don't fight it, I know you're scared, just let it out and give up."

Kari looked down as her partner, trapped underneath Devimon's hands. She was ready to submit to him, but a power seemed to well up from inside of her. She did not know what it was, a strange feeling that started in her chest and moved all across her body. "No."

Tk stopped laughing and stared at her. "What did you say?"

Kari stared at him with a determined expression on her face. "I am not giving up! I have never bowed down before, and I'm not about to start! I am not afraid, and I'll never give up!" The Crest of Courage that hung around her neck exploded in a bright orange light. The glow grew brighter and brighter until the area was almost completely covered.

Devimon stared at her in amazement until he heard Gatomon call out to him. "Devimon.."

He looked at the feline. "What?"

Gatomon grinned. "You might want to more your hand! I'm about to digivolve!"

"No!" he shouted.

"Gatomon digivolve to Angewomon!"

The glowing angle hovered in front of the evil devil. "Devimon, you and your partner have brought continuous horror and fear to this world. You must now suffer the wrath of every digimon and human who has suffered under your cruelty!"

Devimon glared at her. "To borrow a phrase from your partner, I'm not afraid!"

Angewomon's face was completely unemotional as she answered her opponent. "You should be. Prepare to face your punishment!" She pointed both of her hands out at Devimon, then quickly opened her hands, creating a wave of light. "Heaven's Charm!"

The wave of light was flung forward, enveloping the screaming Champion. He tried to hold himself together, but the Fully Evolved digimon's attack was too powerful. Devimon screamed as his body was torn asunder.

Tk watched in horror as his body exploded apart. "Devimon!" he screamed. He was slightly relieved when he saw a small figure crash into the ground. He charged over and stared at the small crater and the familiar digimon resting inside. "T..Tokomon?"

The small white digimon weakly looked up at him. "T…Tk…?"

The Digimon Emperor grabbed his In-Training partner and hugged him tight. "T..Tokomon, you'll be okay. Please, don't leave me…"

Angewomon descended to land in front of her partner and regressed to Salamon. She looked at Tk and Tokomon with horror on her face. "I..I didn't mean to hurt him that much. Oh, Kari, what have I…Kari?"

She looked over her shoulder and gasped. The brown-haired girl was screaming out, the Crest of Courage glowing brighter and brighter. Over on the other side of the small battlefield, Tk's Crest of Abandonment was doing the same.

"What's happening?" Tk asked, staring down at his pendant, " My Crest of Abandonment is glowing to match the light coming from Kamiya's Crest of Courage! Why is this happening?" His Crest started to twitch and shake before expanding like a balloon. Light blue beams began to stream from his crest before it finally exploded, revealing a new crest underneath.

"What..just happened?" Tk asked in complete shock, holding the crest in his hands, "What is this? Why do I feel so..strange…?"

Just a few feet away, the other digimon were still battling Kimeramon. The synthetic digimon swatted the armored digimon like flies. After uselessly fighting against him, Raidramon and the others positioned themselves for one final attack.

"We need to attack, or else we're going to lose," Raidramon growled.

Searchmon nodded. "Okay," he panted, "I think I have enough energy for only one more offensive."

"Me too," Submarimon agreed.

"All right," Raidramon said, "On three. One..two..three! Thunder Blast!"

"Jamming Hertz!"

"Oxygen Torpedo!"

"Eagle Eye!"

The four attacks combined together and crashed into Kimeramon's chest, but to no avail. The evil digimon remained unharmed. He punched the group of digimon with simple ease, returning them to their Rookie forms.

"Veemon!" Davis shouted, "Oh no!"

"Hawkmon!" Yolei shouted, "Please, talk to me!"

Kimeramon growled in delight, then turned his attention back to the Destiny Stone. He grabbed the large stone with his four hands and brought it close to his mouth. "Heat Viper!" His stream of fire dug to the center of the large stone, causing it to explode. Down below, the digidestined shielded themselves from the hailstorm. "Oh no!" Yolei gasped, "He destroyed it!"

Kimeramon hovered over the decimated forest, grinning in delight. The digidestined stared up at him, unsure of what to do when they noticed a fierce light from behind them. They turned around and gasped at the sight of Kari and Tk, both on their knees and clutching their heads. Their crests were both glowing with the same intensity, Kari's orange Crest of Courage against Tk's new bright blue crest. "Kari!" Yolei called out, "Kari, are you okay?"

"What's wrong with Takashi?" Davis asked.

"They both look like they're in pain," Cody said, "But why?"

Kari had been screaming since the Crest first started glowing, and now Tk had joined with her. Both teenagers started to scream in a higher intensity as two transparent figures appeared around them, in the exact same position. "What's going on now? Davis gasped.

Ken stared at the figure that had appeared around Tk, that of a blond teenage boy. "Matt?" he asked.

Wormmon looked at his partner. "Matt?"

Ken nodded, his mouth open in shock. "That figure was Yamato Ishida! Tk Takashi is Matt? Yolei!" He turned to the purple haired girl and saw the shock in her face. "Yolei?"

The purple-haired girl was staring at the transparent figure that had appeared around Kari, an image of a brown haired teenage boy. One that Yolei recognized from when she was Sora Takenouchi, one that had been imprinted into her heart. "Tai! Kari is Tai?!"

Both teenagers gave one final scream before falling onto the ground, their digimon had been sent to unconsciousness as well. "Kari!" Ken shouted, running over to her.

"Is she okay?" Davis asked.

He nodded. "She still alive, what about the Digimon Emperor?"

Cody lightly pressed his fingers against Tk's neck. "He still has a pulse."

Up above them, they heard Kimeramon laugh with glee; a dark, deep laughter that sent a chill down the spines of the digidestined and their digimon. "Free! I'm free!" He flew into the sky and vanished.

Davis rose to his feet. "Ken, take care of Kari."

"Where are you going?" Cody asked.

"After him," Davis said, "I'll meet up with you later. Come on, Veemon."

The two partners ran across the wasteland, chasing a creature of pure darkness. If they could not reach the synthetic digimon in time, then the entire Digital World would die.

To be continued…