Defender's Keep X

Matt took a few tentative steps under Jenna's watchful eye.

"Easy Matt. This isn't a race."

"But what if I already missed Raven and the others? What if they've fallen into a trap? What if-"

Jenna came up to Matt and put a finger to his lips. "What if you stop asking what if?" She asked with a smile. "Gennai told me that Raven should be up and mobile today. He'll tell them what happened and they'll wait for you."

"Any major news?" Matt asked.

"Actually yes." Jena said. "My underground sources say that Tai, Sora, and Mimi were moved to the outdoor quarries, but we're not sure about their digimon. My brother tells me that all of the digidestined are in the digiworld now."

"How many?"

"Twelve. You eight, Raven, Stephan, Destiny, and Foxe. Destiny's little sister Faith is here, but she's not a 'destined. Don't count on them for help though, because they're on the other side of the digiworld looking for their tags and crests."

"So it's up to us." Matt mused. "Five destined, with four digimon, five digivices and four crests."

"And the element of surprise." Jenna reminded him. "Here. I made some things for you and your friends."

"What's this?" Matt asked taking the drab green cloak

"Dampening cloak. While you're wearing it your digivice will be offline and your crest will be untraceable." Jenna said. "You're friends clothes will be little better than tatters by now, so I've replaced them. How'd I do?"

"Great. I could never tell them from the originals. But I don't think Mimi's going to like this." He said holding up a one piece pink jumpsuit.

Jenna seemed lost in thought when she responded. "They've changed Matt. You can't go through something like this and emerged unscathed. Some of it's physical, some mental, some something else entirely. They've all changed, but Mimi the most. Remember that."

Matt thought about that. How drastically could someone change? He decided he didn't want to think about that.

"And I made you this staff." Jenna said.

"Thanks." Matt said turning it over in his hands. At one end was the Japanese character for his name, and the various crests were carved in the wood, with the crest of friendship in raised relief. "It's great."

"You can support yourself on that now and Raven can teach you staff combat with it later." Jenna said. "Put your cloak on. I'll take you part of the way."

Matt wrapped the cloak around his shoulders as Jenna unlocked the cabinet and returned his crest and digivice to him. "Thanks Jenna. I'll never forget you."

Jenna smiled but there was no joy in it. "Or I you." She said leading the way out of the small cottage. "This way."

~*~

"Are you all right?" Steve asked.

"Yeah." Faith said rolling on her side and coughing up water. "If you call being drowned, scared and desperately in need of a cigarette all right."

"Sorry. I'm Steve."

"I'm Faith." She said. "Didn't you have- never mind."

"It's these right?" Steve said unfurling his wings.

"Okay. Now I really need a smoke." She said.

"Pass one this way." Destiny said staring.

"Fuck the smoke. Pass me some scotch." Foxe murmured staring.

"I'm sorry." He said. "Where I'm from everyone has wings, so I'm used them."

"Are you a digimon?" Faith asked.

"No. I used to be an angel." He said ruefully.

"So how'd you get stuck in wackoland?" Foxe asked.

"That's a long story that I'd rather not tell."

Destiny nodded. Faith stared out over the landscape. Only Foxe spoke. "When it doesn't hurt so much, tell us, 'kay love?"

"Okay."

"By the way, I'm Foxe, you've met Faith, and this is her older sister Destiny."

"So how did you gals end up on your unexpected swim?"

"Kwagumon." The three said distastefully as they shuddered in unison.

"I don't think I've run across him." Steve said.

"And it's just as well. Kwagumon is constantly crabby and would just as soon kill you as look at you." Nijamon said.

"Ladies, this is Nijamon, the digimon with the rotten sense of humor." Steve said.

"This is Pebblemon." Destiny said. "And Inquemon was around here somewhere."

"I am here." A weary voice said from Foxe's shadow.

"What was that?" Faith asked jumping slightly. 

"Wraithmon, her training stage. She's a living shadow, so needless to say, sunlight doesn't agree with her." Nijamon supplied.

"Then we'll keep her shaded." Steve said draping his cape over Foxe's shadow. "It's only a few more hours until sunset."

"Great. All my smokes are soaked." Faith muttered angrily.

"You shouldn't smoke." Steve said.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it all, filthy habit, bad for my health, the whole nine yards. And you know what? I don't care."

"I'm going to gather some firewood." Steve said with a shrug.

"I'll come with you." Foxe said. "That is, if you'll be all right, Wraithmon."

"I am quite all right." Wraithmon said. 

"You go on." Faith said taking off her sneakers and wringing out her socks. "It'll give us a chance to dry out."

"Too bad there aren't any fallen branches." Foxe said looking at the ground.

"Then we'll make some." Steve said pulling down branches.

"I though angels were supposed to be nice." Foxe giggled.

"A common misconception. Angels are supposed to get the job done." Steve said as a rotten branch snapped off and hit him in the head. "God damn hell bound son of a bitch!" He yelled rubbing his head and glaring at the tree. "What the hell is that?"

"That is a branch." Foxe said exploding with laughter.

"I know that." Steve said waving her over. "But I don't know what that is." He said pointing at the strange necklace tangled in the branches.

"Hmm. Good question, love."

"Well, it's too narrow for me. Can you climb up?"

"If you give me- huh?"

"What is it?"

"My digivice is reacting, and it looks like we're right on top of the signal."

"It could be your digivice, Steve." Nijamon said excitedly. 

"If we're on top of it..." He mused rolling the rotted branch in his hands before snapping  it in half. 

Inside was a silver digivice.

"That's it!" Nijamon exclaimed dancing with glee. Well as much as a disembodied kabuki mask can dance.

"Great." Foxe said. "Now let's see about that pendant."

"Alley oop!" Steve said boosting her into the tree.

"I see it, and there are two more just like it." She said dropping the first one into Steve's outstretched hand.

"What is this thing?" Steve asked Nijamon.

"Two for one special!" Nijamon cried. "That's your tag. It holds your crest once you find it."

"Cool." Foxe said from above them. "I'll just put mine on now."

"Then the last one must belong to Faith or Destiny." Steve said tucking the tag into his shirt.

"Whoa!" Foxe said plunging through the branches.

"I got you." Steve said moving with angelic speed to catch Foxe neatly in his arms. 

"A girl could get used to that." She said coyly.

They leaned in close enough to kiss. Lips parted, breaths caught...

"Get a room!" Faith yelled. 

The moment shattered, Steve smoothly swung Foxe back to her feet. "You okay?"

"Just a little shaken up. Thanks love."

Damn! That was so close! They though in unison.

~*~

"Congratulations on your speedy recovery, Raven." Gennai said. "Two days under the wire."

"What about Stephan?"

"Finally got his digivice to him. I had to hit him over the head with it." Gennai chuckled a moment, then sobered. "Now for the bad news."

"Something's happened to Tai and the others, hasn't it?" Kari asked.

"I'm afraid so. Ten days ago Tai, Sora, and Mimi were captured by Cherrymon and forced to work in his mines as slaves.

"Oh no!" Kari exclaimed.

"We gotta go get them." TK said heading for the mouth of the cave.

"Whoa TK!" Raven said grabbing the youngster in a firm but unbreakable bear hug.

"Let me go!" TK yelled squirming.

"TK," Kari said in a calm soothing voice. "I know you're worried about Matt, but charging in without a plan, what will that accomplish?" She also knew he was trying to impress her by being brave. Such a cute kid. She thought.

"Matt wasn't captured with the others." Gennai said. "He sustained minor injuries, and was entrusted to the care of one of my associates."

"Okay." Raven said letting TK go and pacing thoughtfully. "How is Matt?"

"He's mobile. In fact he's on his way back here."

"That's not like him." Izzy said. "I thought for sure he and Gabumon would have attempted some suicide rescue mission."

"He doesn't have much choice. Gabumon was captured with the other digimon."

"This just gets better and better." Raven muttered. "I take it they've been relieved of all their toys?"

"Yes. But the strange thing Mimi was found with two digivices, her own and Joe's. Any idea how that happened?"

"I put it in there." Joe said from the mouth of the cave.

"Of all the stupid, reckless, irresponsible-"

"Save the riot act, Gennai." Joe said coolly. "What are we going to do about Mimi and the others?"

"Meet up with Matt, then all of you together get the others. Good luck." He said fading out.

"We'll need it." Raven muttered darkly as he pulled his cloak around his shoulders. "Let's go."

~*~

"This is where we part company." Jenna said. "Follow this path and it will take you to a point two miles past where you entered the forest."

"Thanks for everything, Jenna." Matt said adjusting his bag.

"Farewell Matt." She said gently kissing him on the lips. "And good luck. Remember, stay on the path and don't take that cloak off until you clear the forest."

"Right." Matt said walking briskly up the path.

"Farewell my beloved." Jenna whispered, a single tear running down her face.

Matt turned to ask Jenna a question but she was gone with only a small cyclone of dead leaves to mark were she had been. "Just as well." He mused. "I forgot what I was going to say."

By the time he got out of the forest, Matt was really confused. The last thing he remembered was breaking his ankle and cracking his head on a rock. Now his injuries were treated, and he wore a drab green cloak and carried a stout wooden staff. Someone had tended to him, but the memory of his good Samaritan was shrouded in fog. The harder he concentrated, the more slipped away. 

Matt was so involved with his mystery, he totally missed the stray bat.

~*~

"Is it just me," Kari asked glancing warily around. "or is there something off about this?"

"It's got my hackles up." Gatomon said.

"Good." Shadowmon said. "I thought I was just being paranoid."

"It's not you, Shad." Raven said passing his cane nervously from hand to hand. "It's the calm before the storm."

"I thought gloom and doom was my department." Joe said. 

"I find your fears to be totally unfounded."

"Ah what luck." A cold voice said. "Two traitors and their digidestined."

"It's not feasible." Izzy said as the blood drained from his face.

"We destroyed you." Kari whispered trying to keep her own fear in check.

"Twice." Patamon said with a slight quiver to his voice.

"I destroyed you." Gatomon said shivering.

"Terrible to come back and find all your work undone, isn't it?" Raven swallowed nervously, switching his cane rapidly now.

Only Joe managed to swallow his fear and raise his voice. "What do you want Myotismon?"

"Formerly Myotismon." The virus said. "Now I am Neomyotismon, an extreme level digimon. As for what I want, I put a great deal of effort into the creation of the black digivice. I want it back."

"I think not." Raven snapped, his cane suddenly stopping as he turned to face the evil digimon.

"Give me what I want and I will kill you quickly."

"No." Raven said coldly. "Let's show this recycle bin reject what we're made of."

"RAZOR WHIRLWIND!" Shadowmon shouted launching a hurricane of razor sharp feathers at Neomyotismon.

"SUPER SHOCKER!"

"BOOM BUBBLE!"

"LIGHTNING CLAW!"

Neomyotismon laughed as he dodged the attacks. "Are you ready to give it up?"

"No!" Kari said. "We're ready to amp it up. DIGIVOLVE!"

The word shook the others out of their fear.

"TENTOMON DIGIVOLVE TO .... KABUTERIMON! KABUTERIMON DIGIVOLVE TO... MEGAKABUTERIMON!"

"PATAMON DIGIVOLVE TO... ANGEMON!"

"GATOMON DIGIVOLVE TO... ANGEWOMON!"

Raven shifted Shadowmon from his shoulder to his wrist, before flinging her at Neomyotismon.

"SHADOWMON DIGIVOLVE TO... TERRORMON!"

Suddenly instead of facing a frightened little bird, the extreme was slammed into a tree by a large angry dragon.

"I will never return to you, Neomyotismon." She snarled defiantly. "RAZOR LASH!" With a speed that belied her size, Terrormon whipped her razor sharp tail around, narrowly missing the fleeing virus.

"HORN BUSTER!" Megakabuterimon yelled.

"CELESTIAL ARROW!" Angewomon shouted.

"HAND OF FATE!" Angemon cried blasting Neomyotismon squarely in the chest.

"CRIMSON LIGHTNING!" Neomyotismon roared lashing out at the kids.

"Scramble!" Raven shouted.

"Look out Kari!" TK shouted, before slamming into her knocking her aside as the red energy struck him sending him spinning into the dirt.

"TK!" Two voices cried in anguish. The first was Kari, who knelt beside him and cradled him in her arms. The second was Matt, who came scrambling down the path as fast as his injuries permited.

"Oh TK, what'd you go and do that for?" Kari asked, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

"It...was...worth it..." He managed before closing his eyes.

"Is he..." Matt asked unable to finish.

Raven laid a hand on his chest. "No." He replied. "He's still alive."

"That can be remedied. CRIMSON LIGHTNING!"

Matt and Kari knelt with TK. Raven stood his ground and flung his cane at Neomyotismon, mysteriously deflecting the attack.

"You think you're pretty tough picking on little kids who can't fight back." He said with deadly calm as his cane arced back to impale itself in the ground at his feet. "Let's see how you like being bullied."

"Oh, I'm scared." The virus sneered.

"You should be." Raven said grabbing his cape at the shoulder and pulling it off in one fluid motion.

"What pretty wings. I'll enjoy ripping them off."

"No." Raven said launching himself into the air as the battle began.

~*~

"Water break, slaves." The guard called.

Tai sank gratefully to his knees and took the tin cup of water. Moments later Mimi joined him on his left as Sora settled in on his right, doing their best to get comfortable in wrist and ankle shackles.

"So what do you think of the quarries?" Sora asked.

"They certainly treat you better." Tai said slowly sipping his water to avoid cramps. "Less whippings and better clothes for one thing." He flushed at the memory of coming to not in the blood room where he blacked out, but in a small infirmary, completely nude with Sora and Mimi in much the same condition. Since the orders were that they be shackled together at all times, Tai was trapped with two budding young women when they brought them the white shorts and gray sleeveless shirts all quarry slaves wore. The blood matted rages they had worn in the mines had to be peeled away strip by strip while they were unconscious.

"They certainly are more thoughtful." Mimi said. "Hardly any guards."

"Yeah, and the one's you do see coat their bodies in dust to minimize the glare." Sora said thoughtfully as they finished their water.

A guard took their cups, refilled them and brought them back.

"What's this for sir?" Mimi asked respectfully.

"Double water ration slave." The guard said pointing to the red band each wore three quarters of the way up their arm.

The three cringed involuntarily at the last word then managed a weak chuckle as the guard moved on. "They sure remind you who's who." Tai said.

"I reflexively braced for a blow." Mimi confided.

"I'm gonna have nightmares about this for who knows how long." Sora said. "Is something wrong Tai?"

"Huh?"

"You were staring. Is it this?"  She asked touching the scar.

"No." Tai assured her. "Your hair is starting to grow out and I was trying to imagine what you'd look like with longer hair."

"Oh." She said tugging on it. "Okay."

Tai frowned briefly before sipping more water. Sora had become very self conscious of that scar and that disturbed him. How could he tell her...

"Back to work slaves." The guard called.

"Yes sir." Tai said finishing the water and returning the cup.

"What do you think Raven and the others are doing now?" Sora asked as they stood up.

Mimi grinned. "Probably having a blast."

~*~

"CRIMSON LIGHTNING!" Neomyotismon roared.

Raven dodged the blast only to find himself in Angewomon's line of fire. "Whoa!" He cried rolling out of the way as the arrow of light just missed him. "OMEGA BLASTER!" He shouted releasing a blast of white fire.

"GRISLY WING!" The vampire digimon released a flock of bats, shielding himself from the fiery blast.

"Get some new material. DARKFIRE NOVA!" Terrormon shouted unleashing a burst of black flame at Neomyotismon.

Who promptly disappeared. 

"Huh?" Raven said. "WING SHIELD!" He shouted wrapping his wings around himself.

"Sorry Raven." Terrormon said as Raven emerged unscathed.. "I had him."

"Don't worry about me. Where's Neo?"

"Behind you!" Izzy shouted. 

"CRIMSON LIGHTNING!" The dark digimon shouted blasting him back to the ground with sufficient force to leave a crater. "Enough. EBONY BLADE!"

Raven had just gotten his breath back when Kari slammed into him winding him again. He looked down to see her clutching her side with small bloody hands. "Kari why?"

"I see... myself in... you." She gasped. Then her eyes sank closed.

"Joe! Izzy! Here! Now!" He barked.

"I'm sorry, Raven." Izzy began. "But-"

"Sorry won't help Kari. Joe, get my cape and my bag. Stop the bleeding as best you can. Izzy, it's time for the better part of valor. Get my computer and find us a way out of here."

"Right." Joe said scrambling away as Raven prepared to take to the sky. Izzy grabbed his arm.

"Neo has your tag. I saw it around his neck." 

Raven nodded and rose into the air again.

"It's not too late." Neomyotismon said. "Give me what I want and your death's will be swift.

"Never!" Raven snarled. "Give it everything you've got." He called to the digimon.

"HORN BUSTER!"

"HAND OF FATE!"

"CELESTIAL ARROW!"

"DARKFIRE NOVA!"

"ALPHA STRIKE!" Raven shouted unleashing a rainbow colored blast of energy. The five attacks hit simultaneously blasting Neomyotismon and reducing the surrounding trees to woodchips and sawdust as the digimon reverted to rookie and champion states.

"Rather impressive," Neomyotismon made a show of brushing away the woodchips and sawdust. "but ultimately futile."

Raven snarled and threw himself at Neo with all the strength and speed his battered body could muster, which was still considerable. Before he could do much more than draw a breath, Neo found himself slammed into  an ancient oak tree while Raven vented his anger and frustrations on his newly acquired punching bag.

"Grisly Wing!" He shouted desperately. As he had hoped the swarm of bats dragged Raven away completely enveloping him. 

"WILDFIRE!" He shouted incinerating the bats in a massive fireball. "Give me the tag." He demanded coldly.

"So that traitor can become more powerful? I think not. CRIMSON LIGHTNING!" Neomyotismon roared lashing out not at Raven...

But at Izzy, who was so engrossed in his search that he failed to notice. 

"No!" Joe shouted, knocking the smaller boy aside as the blast tore a gaping hole in his chest.

"Joe!" Izzy cried cradling Joes inert form.

"Izzy, he's dead." Matt said.

"No! He can't be! It's not possible!" He cried rocking Joe's body like an infant.

"Snap out of it Izzy!" Matt said slapping him hard. "Joe died so the rest of us can live. He died  to give you chance. So find us a way out, and don't let Joe down."

"No one's going anywhere! EBONY BLADE!" Neo shouted.

This time Raven saw the deadly black curve of energy. "SOUL SWORD!"  He shouted diving for the ground as his cane flew to his hand.

Except it wasn't a cane anymore. It was beautiful long sword dark as night with the silver raven's head. With a backhand swing he launched a blade of gray energy which collided with the dark energy blast, nullifying it.

"Incoming E-mail." The computer announced.

"DAGGER OF LIGHT!" Raven shouted launching the small blast of light from his hand.

"Open." Izzy choked out automatically.

"Pitiful." Neomyotismon sneered twisting to dodge the blade.

"'Thought you guys could use this, signed G'" Izzy read. "Run attached program Portal.exe."

"It served it's purpose." Raven said catching the tag and sliding it into his pocket.

"Select target lock point." The computer intoned.

"Now you die!" The extreme level digimon snarled creating a blood red sword of his own.

"Active digivices." Izzy said as Matt stripped off his cape and stuffed it in his bag.

"No more death." Raven hissed lunging into the air.

"Transport related crests, digimon, and other paraphernalia within range?"

"You can't help them. You're alone and you'll always be alone!" Neo snarled swinging for Raven's head.

"Affirmative." Izzy told the computer. "Five foot radius."

Raven spun quickly to block. "I won't listen to your lies."

"Select destination." The computer chirped.

"THUNDERBOLT STRIKE!" raven shouted blasting the virus with white lightning.

"Random location." He hurt too much to choose.

"BLOODSABRE STRIKE!" The extreme cried as the sword leapt from his hand to slice deeply into Raven's side.

"Program ready. Hit enter to start ten second countdown."

"Enough. CRIMSON BLOODRAIN!" Neomyotismon shouted raining down red lightning on the battle weary group.

Despite the pain Izzy managed to hit the enter button.

"Now you die and I reclaim the black digivice." The virus said drifting to the ground.

"This isn't over Neo. We will meet again and when we do," He paused to gather Kari into his arms. "we  end this. STARFIRE!" With his free had he flung a sphere at Neomyotismon which exploded into a blinding light.