Chapter 45: Onwards to the Sunken City

Thomas Kasuto

Yew

 

“What’s going on?!” I asked. “Why am I able to breathe underwater?”

“It would be no fun fighting an opponent with too many disadvantages,” BioAquarimon said. “My water is special; even non-aquatic Digimon and Humans are capable of breathing in it. You’ll still have difficulty moving around, though, if you aren’t used to it.”

Crap… The fins that had grown on the back of her arms grew into curved scimitars.

“Goddess Blades!” BioAquarimon lunged toward me and struck me across the chest with the blades on her arms. The pain was intense, but strangely enough, I didn’t bleed. I swung my sword at her, but she had already swum far out of my reach. At an incredible speed, she lunged toward me over and over, each time striking me with her blades.

“Irene…BioAquarimon…you’ve changed…”

“Water Nebula!” Though it looked as though nothing happened, I could feel a great deal of force striking me, seemingly all over.

“Irene…you used to be…so shy…gentle…delicate…What’s happened to you?” I asked.

“I only do what is necessary to find my mother!” BioAquarimon shouted.

“You’d…really betray all of your friends…and comrades like this?” I asked. “SlashAngemon…would be ashamed of you if he could see you now!”

“How DARE you say that?! Goddess Blades: Seven Slice Dance!” BioAquarimon’s swords grew longer, developing serrated edges as she lunged toward me and struck me over and over, seven times. My blood came spilling out, turning the water around me a deep crimson red, and I gradually sank down to the floor of the room, almost unconscious. I looked to my side, over at BioAquarimon’s urn. A small cluster of air bubbles rose from deep inside of it.

Wait…could it be?

“You’re finished!”

“Don’t mock me, Irene; it’s quite unbecoming of you,” I rose to my feet as quickly as I could and slowly waded through the water over to her urn. I picked up my sword and brought the edge of its blade down, clear through the middle of the urn. Instantly, the urn shattered, and in a matter of seconds, the bloody water vanished back into what was left of the urn. Irene fell to the floor on her back, no longer in her Digimon form.

“…Thomas…what…did we…W—What happened?”

“Do you still feel like killing me?” I asked.

“No…why would I…feel that way?” Irene asked.

Hmm…it seems that her Digivolution gave birth to a completely different personality…but she doesn’t remember anything that just happened? Is that even possible?!

“What’s going on? Why am I so wet?” Irene sat up and weakly looked around the warehouse.

That’s strange…my clothes aren’t wet in the slightest, except from my own blood…Is it because I won?

“It’s so…cold…Tommy, where are we? What just happened?” Her voice was shaky and she was trembling. She looked absolutely terrified. “T—Tommy?”

“…You really don’t remember?” I asked. I took my coat off and placed it around Irene’s trembling shoulders. It was bloodied, but the coat itself was dark in color, so the blood was unnoticeable.

“…I remember…that Auntie Abigail brought you to see me…Michalis attacked her…I don’t remember anything after that…”

“…Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault,” I said.

“Thomas, I…I killed SlashAngemon!” Irene sobbed quietly. “Everything is my fault! It’s always been that way, my entire life! That’s probably why don’t know where my mother is…I don’t deserve to have anything good happen to me! I want to apologize for everything I’ve done, but how can I do that when I don’t deserve forgiveness?!”

“Irene...if you want to apologize…then take me to your master. Take me to the one you called Lilithmon.”

Abigail

 

“John…is it really you?” I asked.

“Yes…when I was a Human, that was my name,” Flamedramon said. “I…have forgotten what it’s like to be Human, but I know I was…your lover. Abigail…I’ve never been able to stop thinking about you. And now look at you; you’ve become even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined…”

“John…Flamedramon…I love you,” I said. My heart was thumping rapidly in my chest, but I resisted the urge to embrace Flamedramon. “…Unfortunately, now is not the time for this. My master…she must be stopped.”

“I understand,” Flamedramon said. “If we’re going to fight her, we should get those two from Lachesis to help us.”

“You mean Thomas and Zelda? Thomas is already on the bottom floor of the warehouse, talking to Irene.”

“So, we just need to go back to that knight’s villa to get Zelda?” Flamedramon asked.

“It probably wouldn’t hurt if we could get Statuedramon or Apollomon to come with us,” I said. “Wait a minute…where did Michalis go?!”

Thomas Kasuto

 

“My…master?” Irene asked. “Lilithmon…?”

“Yes…if you can lead me to whoever is in charge of the Bio Hybrids, then all will be forgiven,” I said. “I promise.”

“…Okay. There’s just one problem, though,” Irene said. “My master isn’t anywhere on Arcadia.”

“…What?”

“Have you ever heard of the legend of Mandala City?”

“I think so…that’s the ancient city that sank to the bottom of the ocean, isn’t it?”

“That is where my master lives. The entire city is surrounded by a magical barrier that keeps the water from flooding in, and it allows everyone in the city to breathe normally, without fear of drowning.”

“Will it be possible for you to take me there, Irene? Without me drowning, that is?”

“Yes, of course. When would you like me to take you? Do you want to go back…home and get Statuedramon?” After a moment’s thought, I shook my head.

“No…I don’t want to put my friends in danger like that,” I said.

“If that is what you wish; let us go to Mandala.”

“So, that’s what you plan on doing,” a voice from behind us said.

“Michalis!” Irene quickly ran behind me.

“Don’t worry; I won’t let him hurt you,” I whispered.

“Killing the two of you…will be so much fun!”

“Stand back, Irene!” I drew my sword as Michalis pulled out his Digivice.

“Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioReapmon! Your end has come!”

“ENOUGH!” another voice yelled.

“You…Clive? You’re alive?! Didn’t I kill you?” BioReapmon asked.

“When you stab a man…you’d better make sure he’s dead,” Clive replied. “Otherwise…he might just come back to stab you back.”

“Come on, let’s get out of here while they’re arguing,” I whispered. The two of us snuck out of the warehouse when neither of the men were looking.

Michalis

 

“So, what do you want, old man?” I asked.

“Come, now, is that any way to address your father?” Clive asked.

“What do you want?!”

“I’ve…come to stop you, son. Ever since I found out I was your father…it really made me think back to everything I’ve done, and I—”

“I don’t CARE!” I thrust my dagger into Clive’s neck. His blood immediately spurted out on me, onto the floor. Gasping for air, Clive slipped on his blood and fell down.

“Michalis…you…you’d kill your own father…?”

“Why not? I killed my mother, after all.” Clive stared at me, surprised, right before I slammed my foot in his face. Clive eventually stopped moving, and after a while, I heard him take his last, shaky breath.. “And now, to kill…Damn it, they’re gone! See what you’ve done, old man?! I’ve lost them, and…and you can’t hear me…” I looked around the empty warehouse. “Fuck, Lilithmon sure is going to give me an earful for this…”

Flamedramon

Outside Saias’s Villa

20 Minutes

 

“What should we say?” I asked. I looked uncertainly at the door of the villa, expecting Apollomon to burst through and attack us.

“What do you mean?” Abigail asked.

“Well, I’m a serial killer, and you’re a Bio Hybrid…It’s going to be pretty awkward if we just knock on the door and say, ‘Hello, person we tried once tried to murder! May we see Zelda and Statuedramon for a moment? We promise not to murder them!’”

“Well, let’s just knock and see what happens.” Abigail reached over and knocked on the door, and after a few moments, it opened.

“…Flamedramon. What is it you want?” Apollomon asked testily.

“We need to speak with Zelda and Statuedramon,” I said. Apollomon didn’t move. “Uh…” let’s see, what was that word called… “Please?”

“Zelda might trust you, but just know that I will never trust someone like you,” Apollomon said.

“I understand. Now, can we please speak with Zelda and Statuedramon?”

“…Wait here.” Apollomon slammed the door, and I could vaguely hear him walk away. A few moments later, I heard his footsteps once again. The door opened; Zelda and Statuedramon walked out onto the front porch to join us, and they were followed by Apollomon. “So, what was it you wanted to say?”

“Thomas left a while ago to speak with Irene,” Abigail said. “We couldn’t find them, so I can only assume that he’s left to fight the leader of the Bio Hybrids.

“What makes you say that?” Apollomon asked.

Abigail shrugged. “I knew him pretty well when we were both growing up in Cyclamen. That’s pretty much the only thing I can imagine him doing right now.” Statch looked completely taken aback.

“What?! Why the hell would he do something like that without asking for my help?!” Statuedramon asked.

“Who knows? He probably just wanted to get it over with so his friends wouldn’t get hurt,” I said.

“Unfortunately, our leader is too powerful for just him on his own,” Abigail said. “If he’s to have any chance of getting out of that fight alive, he’ll need your help.”

“Where is he going?” Zelda asked with a worried expression on her face.

“Have any of you heard of Mandala City?”

“The city on the bottom of the ocean…where a friend of mine was witness to his close friend’s death,” Apollomon said. “Abigail…who is the leader of the Bio Hybrids? You never did give a name.”

“Our leader…is none other than Lilithmon.”

“……Well…I can’t honestly say I was expecting to ever hear that name ever again. I’ll go with you.”

“No, I don’t think that’s a very good idea, big guy,” I said. “We found some of these laying around all over Yew on our way over.” I handed Apollomon some paper.

“…What?! What the hell is this?!” Apollomon looked up at me. “Is this some kind of sick joke, Flamedramon?!”

“They are exactly what they say. The Valencian Knights have put a warrant out for your arrest, as well as for everyone else in your group. It’s best that you stay here for now, out of sight.”

“…Damn it. You two…just make sure you come back with Thomas.”

“Don’t worry, sir,” Zelda said.

“We’ll be careful,” Statuedramon saluted.

“We’ll make sure they are,” I said. The four of us left, en route to Yew, without taking a look back at the villa.

“Hold on…I just thought of something,” Statuedramon said. “If Mandala is at the bottom of the ocean, how are we all going to get there?”

“You don’t need to worry; our group has several…special areas known as Warp Tiles hidden throughout various buildings on the continent,” Abigail said. “Mandala is on the other side of the continent, near Shendu and Cherifia Territories. However, once we find one of these Warp Tiles, we’ll be in the city in a matter of seconds.”

“And what’s to keep us from drowning once we do get to the city?” Statuedramon asked.

“A magic barrier surrounds the city,” Abigail replied. “It keeps the ocean’s water from leaking through and drowning everyone in the city.”

Apollomon

 

I leaned my head back on the couch I sat on. “Lilithmon…so, you really were pulling the strings all this time,” I sighed. “Only this time, there’s nothing I can do about it…not without risking the lives of all my comrades…”

“What should we do, Apollomon?” Dianamon asked. She was the only one who sat with me in the living room.

“Right now…something needs to be done about those arrest warrants,” I said. “There’s nothing that can be done about the Lilithmon issue…so right now, I need to make sure my family isn’t locked away…or killed.”

“What in the world can you possibly do about that?” I sighed once more, and looked at the papers handed to me by Flamedramon. The one I held had a picture of me, and a reward listed on the bottom.

“Hold on…it says these were issued by…Knight Commander Saias!”

“Saias?! Why would he do a thing like that?! And how?! Wasn’t he supposed to be dead?!” Dianamon asked.

“…I don’t know. I have no idea what’s going on…but clearly, something needs to be done about this! I don’t have any choice…I’m going to have to find him and speak with him face-to-face.” I gave Dianamon a determined look. “I’m going. Don’t try and stop me.”

Adrian

 

“Abigail…where are you?! You were supposed to be back an hour ago!” I griped. Sighing wearily, I viewed my surroundings…Mandala truly was a beautiful city, and the fact that it had been submerged in the ocean only intensified this. The sun shined above us, and the ocean refracted it, making its light shine and sparkle all around us.

“Calm yourself, Adrian,” Sephyrus said. “The Lady is due back any minute now; you wouldn’t wish to displease her, would you?”

“…No…I don’t.”

“Then see that you keep your mouth shut; your constant griping is getting on my nerves!” Michalis said.

“Right…I’ll try…” I need to keep Lady Lilithmon on my good side…I need those Ancient Spirits!

“Silence, you fools! Our lady approaches!” Sephyrus said, quickly bending down to one knee. Michalis and I did the same.

“My dear, dear Bio Hybrids…it has been far too long since I’ve seen you…” Lilithmon stepped out of the shadows and walked up to the three of us. “Do tell me; how have you been, hmm?”

“We have been most excellent, Milady,” Sephyrus said.

“Can’t complain,” Michalis said. “How are you this fine day…Mother?” Lilithmon smiled at Michalis.

“All is well, my wonderful son,” Lilithmon said.

 “Abigail has been missing for over an hour, and I don’t know where she is!” I blurted out.

“Do not worry, dear Adrian; I am certain she will turn up eventually,” Lilithmon said. “So, how has the search for quintessence been going? How much more have you gotten?”

“Well…with Braig’s lab permanently encased in ice, and with both Braig and Ienzo dead, our collection process has slowed down considerably,” Michalis said.

“Rest assured, Milady, we still gather quintessence for you yet, and though it has slowed down, we will not give up until you have all that you desire,” Sephyrus said.

“Good…see that you don’t,” Lilithmon said. “Our immortality awaits!”

Chapter 44: His Name was John

Thomas Kasuto

Yew

 

“Goddess Bow!” BioAquarimon fired countless arrows at me, all of which I dodged with remarkable ease in a feat that surprised even myself.

“Irene, please…I promise, nobody will be mad at you! We’ll all do our best to help you if you’d just—”

“The only way for me to reunite with my mother is to do what they say, and right now, they want you dead! Aquarius Knight!” Water pouring from her urn jutted upward and took the shape of an armor-wearing sword-wielding knight. The apparition swung its watery blade as I swung mine; the two weapons collided, and the sword belonging to the Aquarius Knight shattered, turning into hundreds of droplets of water that rained down on the floor. I jumped up and swung my sword once more and vanquished the knight.

“It seems…you are determined to betray us all,” I said.

“Aquarius Beast!” BioAquarimon once again conjured up a watery apparition, this one taking the form of a beast — similar to a Garurumon in appearance — that immediately leapt toward me; I, however, held up my sword. The beast came forth, and though it attempted to pounce on me, my sword cut through its face. The beast continued to fly through the air until my sword had cleaved all the way through down the middle of the beast’s body. This attack shared the same fate as BioAquarimon’s previous one, becoming countless droplets of water that rained onto the floor below.

“Have you got any other attacks you’d like to show me?” I asked as BioAquarimon climbed on top of her urn. The flowing water began swirling around her.

“Aquarius Wyvern!” As more and more water formed around her, the liquid began to take the shape of an enormous dragon.

Abigail

 

“You really shouldn’t have betrayed us, Abigail,” BioReapmon said.

“Please; as if it’s my fault quintessence is incapable of brining someone back to life,” I said. BioReapmon lifted his arm and open-fired at me; one of his bullets nicked my leg as I charged forth and thrusted my arm, turned into a spear, at the arrogant Bio Hybrid, who swiftly and deftly dodged each strike. “I will say this; it was a huge mistake, getting someone like you to help us out!”

“…And why is that, Abigail? Is it because of the special trick I’ve got up my sleeve?” BioReapmon asked. “Or…have you perhaps forgotten…that I can Digivolve?” My heart sank.

“…No…!”

“BioReapmon Digivolve to, BioBeelzemon!”

“…How…how could I have forgotten…” My arm returned to its original form as I looked steadily down.

“What, are you calling it quits already?” BioBeelzemon asked. “Well, too bad; Double Impact!” One of his bullets grazed my arm; the other one found its way into my shoulder. The pain seemed to surge through my entire body, and I was suddenly enveloped in a bright light. BioLadyDevimon vanished, and I stood alone, facing the Mega Digimon.

“No…there’s no hope for me…there’s no way I could fight a Digimon as powerful as this one and win,” I said sadly. “…I know I can’t win…but I don’t want to die…” Thomas…Irene…please forgive me…

“Darkness Claw!”

“No; no, I don’t want to die!” I attempted to duck out of the way, but I was too slow; BioBeelzemon’s claws tore the lower half of my shirt off, leaving my stomach and the Marked symbol completely exposed. Three extremely thin claw marks across my belly bled freely onto the floor.

“Double Impact!” BioBeelzemon drew his two shotguns and fired at me once again. I tried to run as fast as I could, but one of his bullets found its way into my right knee. I fell to the floor, screaming and clutching my bloody leg in pain. BioBeelzemon knelt down over me and grinned viciously. “I’m going to enjoy hearing you scream as I — now, what was it you said you’d rather do than work with us? Oh, yes — as I tear out each of your organs, one at a time. Sit tight; this won’t take too long…”

“Fire Rocket!” What seemed to be a huge flaming missile burst through a nearby window and collided into BioBeelzemon, knocking him off of me just as he had placed an overly sharp claw on my lower lip.

“Got here just in time, it seems,” Flamedramon said, looking down at the unconscious body of BioBeelzemon just as the Bio Hybrid turned back into Michalis.

“…Flamedramon…I…I…”

“What’s that look for? I’m not going to eat you,” Flamedramon said. “I would never hurt anyone who was like me.”

“Like…me? You mean…” I looked up at the tall Digimon, seeing that he was looking intently at my midriff. Under normal circumstances, I’d have been quite flattered, but as he was staring at the Mark, I felt an immense sadness at the memory of the Mark and everything it had done to me. “…You’re one of the Marked?”   

“Yes. I was born as a Human thirty years ago in the village of Iris,” Flamedramon said. The Digimon had found a few bandages nearby and began wrapping them around my bloody knee. “When I was just ten years old, I was forced to leave the village. I momentarily took shelter in Cyclamen City, but I had to leave that city, too. Eventually, the people of my village found me, and I was killed.”

“…Twenty years ago, I met a boy named John. He told me he was hiding from someone,” I said. “We both had the Mark…I had soon grown to love the boy, and he was completely enamored with me, I could tell. It…it broke my heart when he said he had to leave, but I knew he did it to protect me…It was…completely unbearable when I heard the news that he had died…I joined up with the other Bio Hybrids when I heard that there was a chance that quintessence could bring him back, but now that I know that it can’t…I don’t know what to do with myself anymore…”

“What is your name?” Flamedramon asked.

“Abigail.”

“Abigail…back when I was a Human…before I was murdered…my name was John.”

Thomas Kasuto

 

“Aquarius Wyvern!” The aquatic dragon surrounding BioAquarimon spread its massive wings and took flight, unleashing a thick stream of water from its mouth as it did. “Just try and stand up to this; one of my most powerful attacks!”

“Well, it looks like I don’t have much of a choice,” I said. The immense dragon slowly dove down at me. Just a little closer…Now! As the dragon was now close enough to ram into me, I jumped up and shoved Irene out of her attack. The two of us landed on the ground in a soaked heap as the dragon rained itself down on us. “Are you finished?”

“…No. I still have one more attack!” Though the dragon had completely rained itself out onto the floor, the water kept getting higher and higher until it was up to my shoulders. “Deluge of the Heavens!” BioAquarimon’s urn erupted water like a geyser, nearly filling the entire room with water. I looked over at BioAquarimon, seeing that, from her waist down, she had the long, coiling body of a serpent. “This…is my most powerful attack! This is the form I take while underwater! Prepare yourself, Thomas!”

Lector

“What do you need to tell me?” I asked.

“Lector…I…am a Bio Hybrid,” Saias said.

“A…A Bio Hybrid? You, sir?!”

“If you remember, a few weeks ago, I was carried off after fighting something in the woods,” Saias said. “I thought I would be killed, but I was taken to a lab, where I had Digimon blood injected into my blood, thus giving me the ability to Bio Hybrid Digivolve.”

“A…Bio Hybrid…That’s…I…I don’t know…I don’t know what to say,” I stammered.

“Will you…continue working with me? Even though I am like this, will you still help me?”

“Oh…of course, sir! I promised I’d still follow you after you told me you were one of the Marked, remember? Why should this be any different?”

“…I’m glad to hear you say that, my friend. Now, there is something that needs to be taken care of…”

“Just tell me what it is, sir, and I’ll do it!”

“…The members of Lachesis. Put an arrest warrant out for all of them.”

“…What?! But, Saias…they’re our friends!”

“Are you disobeying a direct order, Lector?!”

“……No, sir. I’ll…put out the warrants…as you said, sir.”

“Very good. See that you do.”

Chapter 43: Stalking Menace

Thomas Kasuto

Yew

15 Minutes

 

The note…it said the abandoned warehouse was around here somewhere…Irene…Where are you? I ran into an empty alleyway to catch my breath. It was still raining, and though it was getting dark out, I could still see quite easily. Just as long as I don’t get this wet, I’ll be fine… I walked out of the alley, deciding to walk more slowly than I had been to save my energy. It’s got to be around here somewhere! Wait…I think I see it! Let me just check the note, first…yes, that’s it!

“Well, it looks you’ve finally showed up. Took you long enough.”

“Who’s there?!” I yelled.

“Surely you can ask nicer than that. After all, I did murder that rapist for you, didn’t I?”

“…That rapist? Michalis? Is that you?!”

“Who do you think, idiot?!” Michalis dropped down from a building, landing in front of me.

“What do you want, Michalis?” I asked.

“What do you think? He’s been ordered to eliminate you.”

“I don’t need you to explain things for me, Abigail!” Michalis shouted.

“Just trying to help,” Abigail sighed. The woman was standing behind me.

“Wait, you’re with her?! Then does that mean…”

“Yes! I, Michalis, am a Bio Hybrid!” Michalis pulled a purple Bio Link Digivice from underneath his cloak and slammed his fist on it, causing it to emit a powerfully bright light. “Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioReapmon!”

“Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon!”

“Are you ready for your untimely demise?!” BioReapmon asked.

“I can handle you,” I said.

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that; unlike the other Bio Hybrids, I’ve got a special trick up my sleeve!” Clutching his dagger tightly, he began running toward me.

“Black Wing!” BioLadyDevimon’s left hand turned into a large spear. BioReapmon jumped up, prepared to stab me just as BioLadyDevimon’s spear was thrust into the shoulder of Michalis’s Digimon form.

“What the hell was that for?!” BioReapmon asked. “Are you trying to get yourself killed, Abigail?!”

“Quintessence cannot bring someone dead back to life,” BioLadyDevimon said.

“…So…you really don’t want to work with us anymore? Just as Sephyrus predicted,”  BioReapmon said.

“Please; I’d much rather tear out each of my organs one at a time than continue working with you lot. If what we’re searching for will not help me…then why should I bother helping you find it?”

“Traitor! You’ll rue the day you crossed Lady Lilithmon!”

“I think not; Evil Wing!” BioLadyDevimon unleashed a colony of bats, all of which swarmed around BioReapmon and began attacking him.

“Damn it! Keep away from me, vile beasts!” BioReapmon swung his knife, attempting to strike the bats BioLadyDevimon summoned. “You have not seen the last of me, traitor!” BioReapmon ran away, and BioLadyDevimon turned back into Abigail.

“Come with me; Irene is waiting,” Abigail said, walking toward the warehouse.

“Wait, she’s really here? I thought this was a trap,” I said. Abigail turned to face me.

“It originally was a trap, drawn up by Michalis and Sephyrus. However, Irene got wind of their plan, and she decided she wanted to meet with you. She really does want to speak with you, Thomas.” Abigail held open the door to the warehouse, and the two of us walked in. It was spacious, moderately lit, and empty, save for a few crates here and there. “She’s been rather…off since she killed SlashAngemon.”

“Okay…I understand why she might want to talk…but what about you? Why did you turn traitor?”

“Oh, for a number of reasons, I suppose…all of us Bio Hybrids had something we wanted in return for our services; mine was to bring a past lover back to life. However, with quintessence unable to bring anyone back, I no longer have any reason to help them.”

“So, why are you helping Irene? She’s still with the other Hybrids, isn’t she?”

“Actually, she isn’t quite sure anymore…She feels lost and confused, and I only wish to help the poor thing. Also…I heard about your friend…Zelda, is it?”

“…Yeah? What about her?”

“I heard that she’s one of the Marked.”

“What does that have to do with you?” Smiling, Abigail slowly lifted up her shirt slightly. There, in the middle of her stomach, was the symbol of the Marked just above her belly button. My eyes, however, were uncontrollably glued to the sight of her midriff. “So…you’re one, too.” Abigail nodded, letting her shirt fall back down.

“I see you still have that…little preference of yours,” Abigail smirked. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“I wasn’t even aware of it back when we were growing up in Cyclamen; I’m surprised you know about that,” I said.

“I designed my outfit with you in mind, dear Thomas,” Abigail said. “I can understand why you care so much about Zelda.”

“…You know about that, too?”

“It’s kinda obvious; I’ve seen the way you look at her,” Abigail said. “You really like her, don’t you?”

“…She’s the sweetest person I know. She’s always helping me out, even though she detests violence…”

“You make sure to take good care of her, you hear me?!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Abigail smiled and turned around. “Irene? You can come out, sweetie; I’ve brought him,” she called out, sounding worried and concerned about the young girl’s well-being. Slowly, Irene walked out from behind a stack of crates and slowly approached me.

“Irene…what the hell is going on?!” I asked. Abigail placed her hand over my shoulder.

“Please, don’t be too hard on her,” she whispered.

“No…it…it’s okay, Abby,” Irene said sadly. “I…I deserve to have everyone hate me…for what I did…”

“Irene, I…I don’t hate you,” I said. “I just want to know what’s been going on.”

“I’ve been a Bio Hybrid for about four years.”

“Four years? But…you’ve been at Lachesis for only three,” I said.

“I work with them…because…because they promised to help me find my mother. They…they’re the only ones…who can help me…” Irene began sobbing.

“Aw, ain’t this sweet? Excuse me while I go to a corner so I can puke my guts out!” A voice from somewhere in the warehouse said.

“Michalis!” Abigail pulled out her Digivice and began frantically looking around the warehouse for the boy.

“That’s BioReapmon to you, traitor!” The angry Bio Hybrid held up his dagger. “The two of you…who would have ever thought it would come to this?”

“Irene has done nothing to betray you or the other Bio Hybrid idiots!” Abigail said.

“And yet, here she is, without having been ordered to do so!”

“Damn it, there’s no reasoning with this fool; I guess I’ll just have to do this the hard way! Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon!”

“I fully intend to use every ounce of my strength against you, Abigail!” BioReapmon said.

“Black Wing!” BioLadyDevimon’s arm turned once again into a spear, which struck BioReapmon in the shoulder and crashed through the ceiling. “I can handle him up there; play nice, you two!” BioLadyDevimon flew after BioReapmon through the hole in the ceiling she made and up to the second floor of the warehouse.

“Thomas…I’ve been ordered to eliminate both you and Zelda,” Irene said.

“So, what are you going to do?” I looked intently at the younger girl.

“…They promised…to help me find my mother…they’re the only ones who can help…”

“We can help you…we will! Please, just give us a chance, Irene…”

“No…no, I can’t…It’s too late for me; I have to do this! Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioAquarimon!”

Lector

 

“Damn it, where are those kids?” I asked myself, pacing back and forth in my office. I glanced impatiently at my desk, which was covered with a slew of paperwork. “They told me they’d come to see me after they found their friend…have they just not found her yet?” I sighed. “…Why must things be this way? I should be treating them like friends and allies, not like this…”

“Orders are orders, Lector. You must obey them…or face the consequences.”

“…By the Goddess…that voice…Saias?! Saias, is that you?!” I panickily looked around the room. “Saias, where are you?! Oh, no; I’m going crazy, aren’t I?! He always told me nobody could read my mind, but I never believed him!” 

“I’m right here…Lector…” I turned around, seeing my best friend standing, leaning against a wall, with his arms and legs crossed.

“Saias! Oh, thank the Goddess, you’re still alive! What happened to you?! Are you okay?!”

“Lector…there’s something I must tell you…”

Chapter 42: Loved for Who She Is

Zelda

Cyclamen City

 

“Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!” Leomon stood, once as tall as Flamedramon; now, he had grown to be even larger than Vajramon. “I understand that she is a friend of yours,” he growled, looking at BioAquarimon.

“Yes…please…don’t hurt her,” I said.

“I understand; I will do what I can,” SaberLeomon said.

“While he’s fighting BioAquarimon, we should get going,” Flamedramon said. “You don’t want to get caught up in a fight like this.” 

“Yes; this could get pretty ugly,” SaberLeomon said. “Wouldn’t want you to get mixed up in the crossfire.”

“…Good luck, SaberLeomon,” I said. Flamedramon began leading me away from the two Mega Digimon.

“He’ll be fine,” Flamedramon said. “You saw how big he was; there’s no way she could hurt him. Besides, he’s a Spirit; he won’t be dying.”

“…It’s not him losing I’m afraid of,” I said. As we came to the edge of the desert city, Flamedramon stopped and turned me around so that I was directly facing him.

“Zelda. Listen to me very carefully,” he said gently. “With the way things are going…It will be required of you to act in order to protect those you care about. Those Bio Hybrids are not going to stop fighting until they’re completely destroyed. This means that you will have to stand against them and fight back in order to protect your friends. You will have to hurt them…and you might even have to kill them…in order to protect your friends. Do you understand?”

“…Yes…”

“I know you aren’t a fighter yourself, but just the same, it will be good for you to realize that you will have to see others in pain. You will have to tell your Spirits to hurt your enemies, or your enemies will hurt you and your friends.”

“…I know…” Flamedramon smiled kindly at me. It startled me at first, but then I remembered that he and I are the same. Carefully, he picked me up and placed me atop his shoulder, and after making sure I was secure and comfortable, he began running through the desert sand at an unimaginable speed. I quickly looked back at Cyclamen as it began vanishing from sight. Irene…why wouldn’t you let me help you? I don’t want to see you get hurt…

Thomas Kasuto

 

“It all started a little over twenty years ago, when I was about seventeen years old,” Clive said. “I was with…the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her name…was Angewomon.”

“Angewomon? Like, the Digimon Angewomon?!” Statuedramon asked.

“Yes…The two of us were madly in love with each other…One night, when we were together, she…Angewomon was murdered…”

“Murdered?! Who would want to murder a Digimon like her? She’s supposed to be one of the most gentle Digimon in existence,” Statch said.

“One night, while we were kissing, a few drunkards from behind…they…took her…they raped her right in front of me. They pinned me to the ground, and forced me to watch the entire thing…And after they finished with her…they…murdered her…I…I just about died with grief. I’ve tried to move on, but I could just never be with another woman since that. Nothing turned out the way I wanted, because all I could think about was Angewomon…I suppose that’s probably why I became a rapist...who knows.” Clive looked up at Michalis. “Victoria…your mother…their teacher and surrogate mother…she just happened to be one of my victims. It was nothing personal.”

“…You raped her. That’s pretty personal, idiot,” Statuedramon said. I could not take my eyes off of Clive; the entire time he was speaking, I glared at him, wishing I could strangle the bastard with my bare hands.

“Yes, I suppose…So, am I free to go?” Clive asked, looking up at Michalis. The boy’s face had been completely emotionless through Clive’s story. “Well? Will you let me—” Clive was interrupted when Michalis shoved the blade of his knife in Clive’s chest, near his shoulder, tearing it across Clive’s chest before forcefully yanking it out. Clive collapsed to the ground, tightly gripping his bloody wound.

“A person like you deserves no freedom,” Michalis said.

“Wait, Michalis!” I ran after the boy. “What happened to Victoria in the forest?”

“Victoria…was stabbed.”

“By who?! Who stabbed her?!” Statch asked. “WHO MURDERED OUR MOTHER, DAMN IT?!”

“…I…cannot say. I do not know who the person was…”

“Michalis, why don’t you come with us back to Saias’s villa? You’ll be safe there,” I suggested. I glanced down at Clive’s still body. I kept myself from smiling as I saw the blood pour out of his neck.

“No. I will not go back. You would not want someone like me there. I bid you both good day.” Michalis walked away from us, and was soon out of sight.

“…Well, what should we do now, Thomas?” Statuedramon asked. I looked down at Clive. He had gone completely still. I turned my head to the spot where Hannah had died. The shattered ice that held her body had melted away…

“…We’re going to have to go back to the villa,” I said. “We’re just going to have to trust that Flamedramon was able to get her back without any problems.”

“Are you sure it was okay to leave her alone with a Digimon like that?”

“They are both Marked, are they not? It didn’t seem like he held any contempt for her, or even Hannah.”

“Speaking of…should we tell Zelda? About what happened to Hannah?”

“…We have to. This isn’t something we can just keep as a secret.” I sighed. “I don’t…want to see her cry again…”

“Well, let’s tell Apollomon, and he can tell her, then!” Statch suggested.

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea, Statch. I’ll tell her...by myself…”

Yew

10 Hours

 

“Statuedramon…this is by far the last time I ever let you lead me anywhere!” I shouted.

“What?! This isn’t so bad; at least we’ve finally made our way to Yew after wandering aimlessly in the desert!” he retorted.

“We’ve been in Yew for almost five hours! We don’t even know which direction North is!”

“Just look up at the sun; if it’s to our right, then north is…wait, or is it—”

“That only applies when the sun is out, and it’s raining!”

“…Oh. So it is…Well, look on the bright side; all the sand is getting washed off of us, at least!” Statch grinned.

“I believe…north is that way.” A Digimon sitting slumped against a tree to our side pointed directly in front of himself. He was covered in blue and silver armor, with ten golden wings. I had no idea who the Digimon was, or if he was even a Digimon…

“Oh…Thank you, sir,” I said. “…Might I…ask your name, sir?” Rain was dripping down his silver armor and onto the grass he sat on.

“My name…it is Seraphimon. Meeting you two was an enjoyable experience; I do hope we meet again…” Seraphimon’s arm fell to his side. “You also need not worry about your friend…she has been safely taken to where you are going.”

“What? You mean Zelda, right? You’ve seen her?” Statch asked. Seraphimon did not reply. “Was…Flamedramon still with her? She didn’t look like she was injured, did she? Was she okay? Talk, damn you!” Seraphimon remained silent.

“…Are you okay, sir?” I asked.

“I am quite fine. You should hurry along…Apollomon must be getting worried about the two of you.”

Apollomon? How does he know about Apollomon?

“C’mon, Thomas; let’s go,” Statch pulled on my arm. “Hurry up before I forget which way he pointed!”

“…All right. Thank you for your help, Seraphimon.” The Digimon’s head nodded slightly as Statch and I walked off.

Saias’s Villa

20 Minutes

 

“So, how long has it been since we’ve been back?” Statch asked as the two of us walked up to the villa. The rain had not let up, and my clothes and Statch’s armor, both of which had been made dirty by the sands of Cyprus Desert, had been rinsed clean of every grain of sand.

“It’s probably been less than a week,” I said.

“Really? It feels like it’s been months…” As Statuedramon placed his hand around the doorknob of the villa’s front door, it opened, smacking the Rookie in the face.

“Oh…you two are back,” Apollomon said. Smiling nervously, he motioned for the two of us to hurry inside.

“Are you okay, Apollomon?” I asked.

“Yeah…yeah, I’m fine,” he said. “Zelda made it back a few hours ago…accompanied by…by Flamedramon, of all people…glad he left.” Apollomon sighed. “So, what took you guys so long?” Apollomon led us to the villa’s living room, where Dianamon, Pheragas, BlackGaomon, Chrysania, Luna, and Zelda all sat. Apollomon sat down on a couch next to Dianamon, Statch sat down on the floor, and I sat down next to Zelda, who was sitting comfortably on an arm of a couch. “What happened while the three of you were gone? Why were you gone for so long? Where are Victoria and Michalis?” Statuedramon and I looked at each other.

“Well, Victoria was murdered shortly after she broke Michalis out of prison,” Statch said. A dead silence fell over the room. “I still don’t know who did it…but whoever did will die as painfully as Thomas and I know how to make it.”

“…Sorry to hear that,” Apollomon said quietly. He was looking away from the two of us.

“…While we were breaking Michalis out, we had to fight one of those Bio Hybrids,” Statuedramon said. “He was just about to tell us what he and the other Hybrids were up to when Lector arrived and killed him…

“Was he able to tell you anything before Lector killed him?” Dianamon asked.

“As he was dying…he tried to whisper something to me,” I said. “He only said one word, though; ‘eternal.’”

“Anyway, the Bio Hybrid that Lector killed had broken a rapist out of prison and had him take Zelda to Cyclamen City. That’s why we were gone for so long,” Statch finished.

“Oh! Irene! I found Irene while I was in Cyclamen City!” Zelda exclaimed.

“Irene?! Is she okay?!” Luna asked.

“What about SlashAngemon?! Was he with her?!” BlackGaomon asked.

“…SlashAngemon is dead. He was…murdered…by Irene.” The news Zelda had just given us filled me, and undoubtedly the others, with a disquieting unease. The room lay silent for a few moments.

SlashAngemon…he’s dead?

“No way! Irene would never do anything like that!” Dianamon protested.

“She wouldn’t harm a Flymon!” BlackGaomon spat.

“That is beside the point; Irene wouldn’t be…physically capable of killing a Mega Digimon like SlashAngemon,” Apollomon said sadly, almost desperately. “Someone that small…that fragile…”

“She is capable,” Zelda continued. “She’s capable because she is a Mega level Bio Hybrid.” Once again, silence filled the room.

“Ooh…didn’t see that coming…” Statch said.

“So…you’re saying Irene can turn into a Digimon…like how Garret was able to?” Luna asked.

“Dat vould explain her extended absence,” Pheragas said.

“How did you find out? Did she tell you or something?” BlackGaomon asked.

“Yes; she also told me that she had been ordered to murder Thomas and me,” Zelda said. “I left one of my Digimon Spirits fighting and distracting her long enough for Flamedramon to escort me back here. It was thanks to another Digimon that we were able to find our way back, though.”

“Maybe…did you maybe…misunderstand her?” Apollomon asked. “I know you aren’t a liar, but…maybe you just misunderstood her.” Zelda shook her head.

“…She pointed her bow and arrow right at my chest, Apollomon. She really seemed as though she would’ve killed me. Knowing her, that is definitely saying something. She was…crying…the entire time I was speaking with her, and her eyes…she looked as though she had been crying for days…”

“Well…if you’re that sure about it, then I believe you,” Apollomon said.

“There’s also…something else I need to tell you,” Zelda said. Slowly, she reached over and pulled off the glove on her right hand. I held on to her left hand as she held up her right to show everyone the Mark.

“So…you do have it,” Apollomon said thoughtfully. He looked at the Mark without surprise or hatred.

“You knew?” Zelda asked with a worried look on her face. Apollomon nodded.

“A few of us have had a previous encounter with one of the Marked, about twenty years ago; he was killed because we weren’t able to protect him well enough,” BlackGaomon said.

“We were all quite…perturbed by his presence at first, but we all learned to look past it,” Dianamon said. “He was a good kid, that John…”

“What are you talking about?” Luna asked.

“Yes, vut ah dese ‘Mocked’ you speak of?” Pheragas asked.

“I have…All of the Marked have…Digimon blood runs through my veins,” Zelda said.

“Digimon blood?!” BlackGaomon exclaimed.

“So, that’s why we all felt uneasy,” Apollomon said. “We Digimon are able to instinctively sense if a being is Human or Digimon. You have the blood of both races flowing through you, so we were unable to tell what exactly you were…Interesting…” 

“…In the village I was born…Those who carry the mark like my sister and me are treated very poorly, like we’re some crime against the Goddess Arcadia. Every day, we received threats and abuse, both physical and verbal…”

“Why didn’t you tell us this sooner, sweetie?” Luna asked.

“…I was…too afraid to tell you what I was…I was scared that you would all hate me…”

“Chrissy doesn’t hate you!” Chrysania exclaimed. She jumped up from the couch where she sat beside Luna and ran up to Zelda and threw her arms around her. “Chrissy could never hate you! Zelda’s so kind and pretty! Chrissy loves you! You're like a big sister to her! It’s not right that you weren’t treated nicely!”

“Chrysania…I…I’m sorry…”

“The same goes for me,” Luna said. “I don’t know anything about the Marked, but if the Goddess considers someone like you to be a crime against her, then obviously, there’s something seriously wrong with that crazy broad.”

“It matters not oo’s blood you have; all dat matters is oo you ah as a person,” Pheragas said. BlackGaomon nodded in agreement.

“Now if only the rest of the world thought that way,” Dianamon sighed.

“You have nothing to fear,” Apollomon said. “The fact that you are one of the Marked changes nothing. You are still our friend and our comrade. Nothing will ever change that.”

“Everyone…thank you…thank you so much,” Zelda said. Tears had begun to well in her eyes, but at the same time, she was smiling brighter than I had ever seen.

2 Hours

 

 “You’ve been gone so long…Chrysania’s really missed the three of you,” Luna said. I stood with my back slumped against the front door of the villa, looking up the stairs that led to our bedrooms. “I have too, of course.”

“…Yeah…Sorry about that…” Luna smiled. She leaned back against the same door as I, and stood next to me.

“You don’t need to apologize. I, uh…I…I’m sorry about Victoria, Thomas,” Luna whispered. I gave no reply. “…She reminded me of myself. She took you in, just as I did for Chrysania…”

“…How did you come to work here at Lachesis, Luna?” I asked. The witch placed a finger over my lips.

“That, I’m afraid, is a story for another time, handsome.”

“…Fine…” I closed my eyes and sighed.

“Well, you certainly look exhausted,” Luna said.

“Nearly ten hours of walking nonstop through the desert followed by over an hour of cooking will do that to you,” I sighed.

“Oh, yes, I had almost forgotten that you could cook,” the witch said. “It’s been a long time since you’ve cooked for us. You’ll have to start cooking again for us sometime…But if you make me fat, I will have to hex you.”

“…Duly noted…”

“So, why did you make all that food, anyway? Was Statuedramon bothering you?”

“I heard that!” Statch yelled from the living room.

“No…I promised Zelda I would when we returned home…”

“All of that was for that tiny little girl?! Surely, some of it was for Statch!”

“It started out that way, but I decided to let her have my share after all that she’s been through,” Statch replied.

“Why, Statuedramon…that was uncharacteristically kind of you,” Luna giggled.

“Well, screw you too!” Statch replied. Luna laughed harder.

“But seriously; how do you expect her to eat all that you made?! You must’ve made over ten pounds of food!”

“Thirteen and a half, to be exact. And remember; Zelda’s one of the Marked, so she has Human and Digimon characteristics. According to her, that means she has a Digimon’s longevity and appetite. Apparently, there are a few others, but she didn’t tell me…”

“So, where is she now?” Luna asked.

“Up in her room.”

“Did you tell her yet?” Statuedramon asked.

“…No. I just…I couldn’t bring myself to do it when she looked so happy…”

“Go tell her,” Statch said. “Now.”

“…I know.” After a long sigh, I pulled myself away from the door, and slowly walked upstairs. I looked up at Zelda’s bedroom door. It was closed. I sighed again, both from exhaustion and anxiety. My legs were shaking. I’m going to have to tell her; this isn’t something I can keep a secret from her… At least we’ll be alone…Well, here goes nothing. I walked into Zelda’s bedroom, where I found her lying on her back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. “Zelda…how are you doing?” I asked. As soon as she heard my voice, she turned her head to look at me and smiled widely.

“Thomas…thank you so much…for that meal!” Zelda exclaimed. As I slowly and nervously walked up to her, she tugged on my arm and pulled me into a hug. . My cheek rested against hers, and though I blushed quite intensely, she didn’t seem to notice. “…I almost forgot about…it until I saw you making it…but it was so good!” Almost immediately, she let go, and I stood back up. Still smiling, she said, “You are such an amazing cook…I could eat your food all day long…”

“…I had originally made about half of it for Statuedramon, but he changed his mind about it, so I left it all out for you,” I said. “Did you eat enough? I figured since you told me you could eat as much as a Digimon, that I made you enough, but I can make you more if you’d like.”

“Ugh…n—no, please…don’t tempt me…like that…I’m s-so…s—stuffed…” The young Summoner gave her slightly rounded and bloated stomach a few gentle, satisfied pats before beginning to slowly massage it. “As I said back in Cyclamen…I had to spend so long pretending to be a Human that I was rarely able to truly satiate my hunger. When I saw all that food you made for me…I kind of lost control of myself. I just kept eating and eating until there was nothing left…It felt good to just pig out, and eat as much as I wanted, without worrying about anyone figuring out what I am…And now, I’m so full, my tummy hurts. It even hurts to even move…But compared to when I was starving, it feels…so…good to not be hungry anymore…you know what I mean?” she asked as I sat down on her bed next to her. “And you’re even still willing to hang out with a big, fat pig like me…”

“I wouldn’t say that; I think it’s kind of endearing that you’re able to eat so much,” I said quietly, helping her massage her stuffed belly. “You’re still a beautiful young woman, Zelda, both on the inside and on the outside, and even with this temporary bloat. It doesn’t matter to me if your belly remains round or not, or gets even bigger…You will still be beautiful.” Though I was lost in thought, I heard a quiet, shy, and happy word of thanks. I can’t…tell her what happened when she’s this happy…can I? It just seems so cruel…I cast a nervous glance down at her. Her eyes were glimmering, and she had a dreamy, almost half-asleep smile on her face.

“…Thomas…you’re so good at everything you do,” Zelda said. “You can cook…you can fight…you can strategize…you can even put up with a filthy half-breed like me…Is there anything you can’t do?” she giggled.

“…Half-breed? Zelda…I don’t ever want to hear you call yourself that again.” Doing my best to speak in a calm and gentle manner, I said, “You are not a…a half-breed; you are our friend. Whose blood you have in you doesn’t matter to anyone here. You’re…you’re you…and you’re free, Zelda; free to do things the way you want to. You’re allowed to smile, and be happy… You don’t ever have to go back to the way things were before you came here. Here, you have friends…and here…you are loved for who you are.”

“…Thomas…thank you…so much…” A single tear began to slowly slide down her smiling face.

…I can’t delay this any longer…I have to tell her what happened to Hannah. She…wouldn’t ever forgive me if she found out I kept this from her. Damn it…I shouldn’t have made her so happy…ARGH! What the fuck is wrong with me?! Shaking my head, I looked into her endlessly blue eyes. “Zelda…I need to tell you something,” I said. She’s going to cry again…Well, at least I’m here for her, this time… “I hate to tell you this after you’ve started to feel…so happy, but this isn’t something that should be kept secret.”

“Don’t worry about it; you can tell me,” Zelda said. She looked up at me, still smiling; her beautiful, blue doe eyes were shining with anticipation.

“…Hannah is…is…she’s dead.”

“…What?!” The Summoner sat straight up; all the color seemed to drain from her face.

 “She died…trying to protect Statuedramon and me from Clive…It’s…my fault that she—”

“…No. It’s not your fault…don’t…apologize…”

“If we…if we had been more aware, or stronger, then she…she’d still be alive...”

“No…it’s okay. I…I was prepared for this…Hannah has been a warrior all her life…I knew that, one day, she might leave me forever…”

“…Zelda…” I placed her small, trembling hand inside my own.

“I’m okay…really, I am…I’m not…that…weak…”

“Zelda…you don’t have to hold back in front of me.”

“Thomas…oh, Thomas, I…why…why did she…have to…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll always be here for you.” Unable to contain herself, she let herself fall into my arms and cried. I sat with her and held on to her until she fell asleep. As I was leaving, I found myself giving her a kiss her on the forehead. I turned off the light, and quietly closed the bedroom door behind my before slowly making my way down the long, winding staircase and into the villa’s living room, flopping down on a couch next to Statuedramon. Luna was the only other person in the room with us.

“So…did you tell her?” Statuedramon asked. I nodded. I’d have spoken, but my face had sunken into a soft, vinyl cushion. “How’d she take it?” I rolled over and sat up, giving the Rookie Digimon a saddened look.

“…I made her cry again…” I said quietly, sadly.

“I thought you said you didn’t want to see her cry anymore,” Statch said.

“I don’t; I want her to smile the rest of her life,” I said. “But…I couldn’t keep her sister’s death a secret…and I did promise I’d always be there for her when she does cry, and that’s a promise I intend to keep.”

“Why, Thomas, I always knew you were a gentleman, but if I knew you were this much of a gentleman, I’d have confessed all of my secrets to you long ago,” Luna said. “Especially the dark, naughty ones,” she added, whispering seductively directly into my ear.

“…Good to know…” Luna laughed a little, and then sighed.

“You love her, don’t you?” she asked. Immediately, I felt my face began to heat up.

“What?! I…I…” I looked up at the sorceress. “…How did—”

“How did I know? It’s kind of obvious by now,” Luna went on to say. “At least to me, it is.”

“You’ve got to give her some credit, Tom; she is the smartest person here,” Statch said.

“But…Zelda…She’s—”

“She’s someone you want to protect, right?” Luna sat down next to me.

“…Yes, of course. More than anything.”

“She’s somebody you want to keep safe from all the evils and dangers of the world…right?”

“…Yeah…” Luna giggled again.

“Aww, you’re so adorable when you’re embarrassed!” Luna said, pinching my cheek.

“Leave the poor lad alone, Luna,” Dianamon said, walking into the room. “Thomas, I found a note addressed to you taped to the front door.” I looked up and took the note from the Mega Digimon.

“What’s it say?” Statuedramon asked. As I read what was in the note, I had to bite my tongue to keep from gasping.

“…Nothing. It’s nothing important.”

“Dinner’s on!” Apollomon shouted from the kitchen.

“Fuck yeah!” Statuedramon leapt off the couch and into the kitchen. I looked toward the front door, and after making sure there was nobody watching, I walked over to it and left the villa with the note clutched in my hand.