Lost Digidestined: Snake Curse CH1-??? (WIP)

[Chaotic Phoenix]

Here's the next two chapters in the seried. Don't worry, I haven't given up on this yet lol.

Warning: This chapter has a little gore towards the end of it. Thought you should know is all ^^

Chapter 8: The Final Battle... Bane of the Darkness

"F... FireLillymon!?!?" DarkNightmon said, shocked more than Lei is.

"Of course it's me, but you're not who I wanted to see, though..." FireLillymon cocked her head slightly, looking at each of the Digidestined. " ... Ah. Maybe it was a good thing I came along. Lei is here." FireLillymon chuckled. "Now we can have some fun! What do you think guys?" She said, asking the two that were with her.

Nefirtimon was glaring at Davis. "Hey there, didn't forget about me now, did you Davis? I still have to return the favor for what you did to me a few days ago..." She said with a similar grin, licking her lips.

Holding his blaster, he called out to the sphinx digimon. "Don't bother." He stood in front of Yolei, who was also preparing her soda blaster.

Halsemon caught a glance at her. He began to snicker. "Now I can finish what I started back then." His bird eyes narrowed at her.

"I'd like to see you try!" Yolei snapped back at their partner Digimon.

"Gladly." FireLillymon said, forming fire within her pedaled hands. Before she could move forward, a black beam hit the trio.

"Darkness Barrage!!" DarkNightmon powered up his sword while they were distracted and he released the power at them. They went flying into the croud of people outside of the forest barrier.

"Let's go rescue our friends!" Davis called out as he led the group outside, to the opposing group. Davis, Yolei, Izzy, Joe, Cody, Armadillomon and Veemon ran out of the opening. When they got outside the house, no one was there. DarkNightmon and Lei came out last.

"My attack moved them out of the woods. Let's hurry." DarkNightmon said as he jumped in front of Davis and went back down the path, his gauntleted feet creating a metallic stomping sound as he ran. The others followed quickly. They came across some scorched earth where the entrance used to be. Beyond that, a circle of people and Digimon were around DarkNightmon.

"Ok, get into a line in the shadows and wait for my call to move forward. Let's try and take them out with one attempt." Lei said to the others as they hid along the edge of the scorched bush. Lei silently went to Izzy. "Let's hope this work."

"Don't worry, I'll improvise as needed." Izzy replied. Then Lei ran out into the croud, jumped over T.K. and Mimi, and landed behind DarkNightmon.

"Holding out well?" Lei asked his partner.

"Not really sure, like they're waiting for someone. No one's attacked yet." DarkNightmon said to him. Looking around, he sees Matt, WereGarurumon, Nefirtimon, FireLillymon, Tentomon, Kari, Halsemon, Patamon, and T.K. were here, poised and ready to attack. The menacing look in their eyes showed that they were out for blood tonight. The only ones to Lei that seemed to be missing was Jun, Tai, Agumon, Byiomon and Sora. He was trying not to stare at Mimi or Kari too much, seeing that their shirts were ripped so badly that it made their bare chests almost completely visible from the tears on them.

"About time you got here." FireLillymon said playfully to Lei. "The fun was about to start." Lei shook his head, turned to her and smiled.

"Indeed. Fire NOW!!" Nothing happened for a few moments.

"What the hell are you talking abo- ." FireLillymon taunted when something strange fell from the sky... Everyone but Lei, who was smiling, and DarkNightmon looked up to see that there was no clouds. Some of the dark substance got into the onlookers and they started to gag and cough as it had also gotten into their mouths, as if it were poison..

"What... :cough: ... Is this??" Matt tried to call out. With a twitch of Lei's blue jacket, two hoses came out about an inch.

"DarkNightmon, Down!" DarkNightmon kneeled as Lei puts both his hands in front of him, over DarkNightmon, aiming first at Kari hesitant at first and shouted "Water Cannon!" A device clicked in his pack which activated a machine, unleashing a torrent of soda pop. The soda hit her directly in the face before she knew what had happened, and she fell to the ground, twitching terribly.

From the burnt opening...

"Now, let's go! Keep at it Izzy and Joe." Davis shouted out. Five of the seven ran out to assist Lei, Davis leading. DarkNightmon rose up and saw Halsemon taking to the air to avoid the stream from above, choking the whole time. Lei moved over to Matt, Kari was still convulsing from the first twin shot.

"Water Cannon!" Another blast of pop hit him in the face before he realized what happened. As Matt was also convulsing and rejecting the slime, Lei was suddenly tackled down by WereGarurumon, pinning his arms down with his big hands.

"I think it's time to take care of you." He said, his eyes flashing a little as he lowered his head. Lei, disgusted at the idea that the wolf digimon was going to do to him, grabbed the two hoses with his hands and turned them inwards.

"Water Cannon!" It was hesitant at first, but a quick knee to the crotch released WereGarurumon's hold on him a little, allowing the soda to come out. He fired a stream on both sides of the wolf man's face, forcing him back and off of Lei. Leaning up quickly, he continued the assault as WereGarurumon screamed aloud. He quickly de-digivolved back to Gabumon, his top half drenched in the carbonated substance, slime almost poring out of his mouth.

"My thoughts exactly..." Lei said, rubbing his arms as he watched the parasite dissolve completely.

DarkNightmon was fighting FireLillymon and Nefirtimon, both females panting and weakened due to the Soda Rain.

"Don't think... you have an advantage.. boy." FireLillymon gasped, trying not to take in the soda. DarkNightmon smiled.

"Looks like I do from here. Heh." He brought his sword forward to FireLillymon, it's dark aura swirling faster and faster.

"Rosetta Stones!" DarkNightmon turned to see Nefitirimon unleash a big rectangle-shaped stone and firing it at him. With a swipe of the sword, he unleashed one of his time attacks.

"Reversal Slash!" The wave went straight through the sphinx digimon's attack, shattering the stone, but something else was also heading towards the sphinx Digimon. Nefirtimon was suddenly hit with a blast of compressed air and was knocked out of the dark digimon's attack path, which left a small line on the ground from the impact. "What the hell?!" DarkNightmon shouts as he look over to his right to see T.K. and Patamon, who seem to have been ready for this. It seemed that T.K.'s hat prevented the soda form reaching his mouth with his head tilted down. Patamon on the other hand had on Mimi's wide brimmed pink hat that T.K. had tied onto him for him to protect him when the soda rain started.

"I won't let you harm her." Patamon declared, the slight glow in his eyes showing that the snake was still in control.

"If you think that we're going to let you do to her, like you did to number 10, you're insane." T.K. said, almost tauntingly as his digivice in his hand glowed.

"Patamon Armor-Digivolve to... Pegasusmon!" Patamon called as he changed to his Armor Evolution form. He still had the hat on his head, which the brim was just wide enough to keep the falling liquid rom reaching his mouth. Nefirtimon slowly stood up, shaking her head. Looking at Pegasusmon, she knew what he had in mind. Pegasusmon took to the skies, along with Nefirtimon, then came to ground level, flying in rapid circles around Lei and DarkNightmon, one going one way the other the other direction.

"Golden Noose!" They shouted out as a golden rope appeared and quickly went inwards. Lei nor his partner had much time to respond and they were bound tightly to the spot. THey both struggled, but it seemed to be unbreakable. Due to DarkKnightmon's dark element, it only served to make the noose stronger as it sapped their energy. Nefirtimon went to DarkNightmon while Pegasusmon went to Lei.

"You want both of them? Or can I have one?" Pegasusmon asked Nefirtimon calmly, licking his lips as he looked over his struggling prey.

"No... you can have the boy. I want this fox all to myself." Nefirtimon said as she rubbed her tail against the dark fox's leg. DarkNightmon growled as he was unable to do anything at this point.

"I will never let that happen! I'll burn in hell before I ever let a boy kiss me!!" Lei said furiously as he struggled with the noose. Pegasusmon got closer and closer to him, almost at kissing range.

"Whirlwind Dance!" A shout came from somewhere and a powerful mini-tornado hits Pegasusmon, knocking him to the side and swings around swiftly to attack Nefirtimon while slicing at the noose. With the attack on the two digimon and on the Golden Noose, it dissipates as Pegasusmon de-digivolved back to Patamon.. Lei fell to the ground, slightly tired from the struggling. DarkNightmon watched with curiosity as Marin appeared from the small tornado.

"I knew that you'd be needing my help..." Marin said, like a child with a toy. "So I came back to help."

"Best timing ever Marin." Lei said as he dusted himself off the best he could with the soda that was on him.

DarkNightmon was already charging his attack. "Reversal SLASH!!!" This time his attack hit home, hitting Nefirtimon, causing her to glow and return to her Gatomon form. She fell to the ground unconscious. DarkNightmon quickly turned to FireLillymon, his red eyes glowing, and charged her yelling as he did so, the thrill of the battle already consuming him.



Davis was the next to join the battle and saw Gatomon lying on the ground. Immediately, he ran up to her and blasted her fully in the face. When he stopped, Gatomon turned her head convulsing and puked out the slime like Veemon did. Once it was away, she stopped moving. The slime itself turned blue. The snake inside leapt out of it, trying to escape quickly. Not wasting any time, he sent another blast of the carbonated soda at the slime and the snake, which dissipated at contact.

"YA-HOO!!" Davis yelled, raising his gun. "Got one!" Lei, Yolei, Armadillomon, and Veemon just finished off, Mimi, T.K. and Tentomon with Marin holding them with a Wind Cage technique, when Lei noticed two others behind Davis.

"Davis! Look out!" Lei tried to warn him, but it was too late. Davis turned and a powerful punch sent him reeling toward Lei. Jun began a run at Lei, her and Patamon wearing a mask this time to protect themselves from the rain. Halsemon saw who it was that was spraying them from above. Flying toward them in a rage, he didn't expect that they had any time to aim at him. Izzy noticed something as he motioned to Joe.

"Must be getting desperate. Change from Spray to Blaster." Izzy said to him. If it wasn't for the time needed to examine these weapons earlier, he would have never known about the mode changes that were equipped to it. Joe understood and switched the button on his Soda Blaster. A strait line of soda hit Halsemon directly and he went down in a flurry of feathers and soda and fell near where Yolei was. Joe noticed a flashing light on his blaster.

"I'm getting low on soda." He said as he released the trigger, ceasing the soda, although Izzy didn't stop. He chucked to himself at what he said.

"I'll keep going, go back and reload." Joe nodded and headed back. Izzy looked on to the battlefield. "Prodigious, this is going to be a long night..." Izzy said to himself as he kept up the aerial attack.

Lei was preoccupied at the moment to pay any attention as he was dodging Jun's punching and Patamon's lunges. Lei had an idea. -Let's try this interesting attack I saw Jacob use before.- "Double Impact Water...!" Aiming his hands at Patamon and Jun, he hit's both of them with a small energy attack, Patamon in the face, breaking his mask, while Jun on the face, destroying her mask. A few cuts were evident from the attack on their faces, but they quickly healed. "CANNON!!!" Lei finished his attack with a blast of pop to the face to the two, but it hits Jun in the chest as she tried to avoid it. Their masks destroyed, they start to weaken from Izzy's continuous assault from the sky, later joined by Joe, who takes his place as he goes back in to reload his own weapon. Patamon was having a seizure on the ground, the slime leaving his soda-sprayed body. Things seem to be going well for them so far...

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In the Digital World, the man in the castle was getting irritated...

"No No No No No!! This cannot be happening!" He was watching through a pulsating crystal Orb, slamming his hand on the nearby wall. The battle not going the way he had wanted it to.

"Grrr... SARI!!!!!" He called out. A marooned haired girl with a white, tattered school uniform on and Kunai Knifes along her waist entered the room. Her gloves had Silver Claws attached to them, which glistened in the torchlight.

"Yes Master Coren?" Sari said to him, bowing down to him.

"I want you to go to the battlefield, and destroy all those who are there. Can you do that?" Coren said to Sari, pointing out the door.

"I understand." She said, smiling as she was hoping for a chance to join that particular fight. As she turned to leave, Coren spoke to her again.

"Meet up with DarkTailmon and VampVeemon. That Digivice of Darkness and Crest of Darkness you have should be useful with them. They should already be there now. " Sari bowed again and turned to leave, her Crest of Darkness pendant, which resembled a Dark Crystal, dangling out below her neck a little. Sari's Diamond-shaped Black Digivice has four buttons and a screen. It glows for a second and she disappeared.

"This is becoming more troublesome by the minuet..." Coren said aloud. Up above, a bat-demon digimon was stirring.

"You know, time often repeats itself." The bat digimon said to his partner. "Always be on your guard, especially with that Lei kid. I sense something familiar with that partner of his..."

"You do have a point there, Sylirmon." Coren said to him as he continued to watch events unfold through the Time orb.

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"Down to two now." Lei said to himself as all that were fighting and reverted surrounded FireLillymon and Jun. Lei stood in front of them and raised his hands, DarkNightmon holding FireLillymon's hands behind her as Davis does the same to Jun.

"Mmm Darkey... I didn't know you were so kinky." FireLillymon said to him, leaning her head back. She had a seductive tone to her voice, one that DarkNightmon, as DemiRenamon, liked about her. He still knew that he was under a creature's control and did his best to ignore her tone of voice. "How about you and I have some fun and forget this little fight of ours?" She added with a lick to his face, but then she spat out what was on it. Everyone was still covered in soda pop..

"Alright bug. Stop trying to get through to me, it won't work." DarkNightmon said to her as a warning, tightening his grip on her. He still couldn't help it, but he blushed a little at FIreLillymon's tactics.

Kari, who had on T.K.'s jacket, stood with Gatomon. They both wanted to get back at those creatures that took over their bodies, so they decided to stay and assist in any way that they could. T.K. and Patamon, also weary, stood by Kari and Gatomon's side. Davis and Veemon were on the other side of Kari. Veemon looked occasionally at his feline friend, still concerned for her safety. Matt and Mimi went to Izzy's with Tentomon after Izzy filled them in on the situation, Gabumon following. Mimi was worried about Palmon more than finding a shirt at the moment. Matt gave her his so she would calm down a little as they took her over there.

The ones still helping were Veemon, Davis, Hawkmon, Yolei, Armadillomon, Cody, Izzy, Kari, Gatomon, Joe, T.K. and Patamon, around in a circle with Lei, DarkNightmon holding FireLillymon and Davis holding Jun.

"Ready... Aim... Water Cannon." Lei said casually as if this was too easy. At point-blank range, they both get soda in the face. After a few seconds of this, they spazzed wildly. Lei stopped and DarkNightmon let go of FireLillymon and stepped back as she let out the slime. Next to her, Jun was experiencing the same thing. After the slime was out of FireLillymon and went blue, Lei took aim and tried to drench it, but no more would come out.

"Perfect... Does anyone else have any left?" Lei looked around, seeing if anyone had any soda remaining. If anyone was looking toward the fire plant, they probably would've noticed a small, blue/green snake slither toward FireLillymon's flowered head. Veemon tossed Lei his blaster. Immediately after receiving it he squirted the slime near FireLillymon, which dissipated. She shrunk down to her Flamepalmon form after it disappeared. Taking aim on the last one, he gets rid of it and the chamber on the blaster empties. Everyone cheered after he had finished. DarkNightmon changed back to StarRenamon and gave Lei a high three.

"It's over!" Lei called out to the others, raising his blaster high in the air.

"Yeah!" They cheered together. They all raised their right hand in victory. StarRenamon went to FlamePalmon and picked her up, checking her condition.

"You're right about that..." A female voice called over the croud. Lei froze still as everyone got quiet, as if a great shadow was casted over everyone .

"That voice." His face grew some fearful features as he turned to see three people approach. One of them disappeared, but the soda on the ground splashed as the trail lead right for Kari and Gatomon. They did see her, but barely had time to move. Suddenly, they were shoved to the side hard. T.K.and Patamon pushed them out of the line of fire. Their eyes met for a brief moment. T.K. seemed relieved that Kari was out of harms way, despite the act that he was in the path now. Kari crashed into Davis and Yolei. Gatomon landed on Veemon.

"Claw of Infinite Darkness!!" The same voice echoed. A shadow came around T.K. and Patamon, who were screaming in pain as many slashes and cuts were visible outside of the shadow and going inwards, attacking the two mercilessly.

"T.K.!!!! NOOO!!!" Kari shouted,trying to get up, but Davis held her back.

"Kari don't! You-" Davis tried to stop Kari but ended up getting smacked in the face. Kari scrambles to her feet before Yolei could catch her, but Cody was there in time to hold Kari back and away from the attack, Yolei and a staggering Davis helping him. Meanwhile, Veemon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon had to use all their strength to keep Gatomon from getting hurt by that attack.

"Let me go!! Patamon's in there!!! I got to save him!!!!" Gatomon shouted, almost clawing at the three to release her.

"Gatomon, don't do it! You'll be killed yourself!" Veemon shouted at her, trying to reason with her.

"I don't care!!! Lightning Paw!!!" Gatomon called out, striking at Veemon's side. Breaking away from the three, she caught sight of the attacker and leaped in. "Lightning Paw!!!!"

"Black Lightning Strike!" A black cat Digimon shouts as she counters Gatomon's attack. "I don't think so kitty." She said with a sneer. The two cat digimon stand off, ready to attack the other.

"What's happening to them??" Joe shouted out, hoping for an answer.

"All of you, back to the house! NOW!!" Lei shouted out to the others.The group hesitated for a moment, then quickly went back down the burnt pathway, leading the others to it. Kari was still hesitant to go as she and Gatomon stayed with Lei and StarRenamon. Veemon had stayed behind to try and talk some sense into Gatomon as she was staring into her counterpart.

"Gatomon! There's nothing else we can do!" Veemon told Gatomon. He was keeping an eye on the black Gatomon in case she tried anything.

"Kari! We got to go NOW!" Yolei shouted to her, pulling her along. Gatomon looked back. She needed to help Patamon, but she also needed to protect Kari too. The shadow disappeared. What remained would shock them for the rest of their lives. Kari stopped struggling and fell back with Yolei in shock, her eyes slowly watering up.

"No... No no no no no no no NO!!!!!" Kari shouted out, putting her arms in front of her face, hands on her head, trying to block out the awful truth from her mind, but it had no effect. Gatomon was also stunned and shocked beyond belief. The only thing in T.K. and Patamon's place were chunks of human flesh and body parts surrounded by a ring of blood, a heart in the mess was still beating, blood still being pumped out of it, but it was starting to slow down. The attackers rejoined with the other one with something squirming and groaning. Tossing it in the light, it was Patamon, twitching from multiple gashes on his body and a Kunai Knife buried deep in his chest. Yolei couldn't believe that her good friend and companion... is now gone, just like that. Lei grimaced as he looked at T.K.'s remains and Patamon's twitching body. Star Renamon growled at the three, baring his teeth. He materialized his Star Sword, ready to fight them on command. Gatomon quickly went to Patamon's side, breathing hard, wishing that this was all just one big nightmare. Veemon looked on, as shocked as the others, that one of his friends was seriously attacked like that.

"Patamon... why did you do that for?" Gatomon asked him, running a paw over his head. Some of his blood got onto her fur, but she didn't care.

"I... I care for you.. alot... Even... even when I was under control... !!!" Patamon moaned out, then started coughing badly. "I still cared for you... re-regardless if you were... seeing... Veemon... or Demi...!!!" Patamon coughed up a little blood that time. Gatomon didn't know what to say. She did have some feelings for Patamon, but she didn't know that he cared for her this much.

"Patamon... please... stay here..." Gatomon said, hugging Patamon close to her. Patamon groaned in pain, panting hard. "I don't want you to go!!"

"I'm sorry... Gatomon... T.K... I couldn't protect you... after all..." Patamon rasped, his eyes slowly closing. "Gatomon... I... ah..."

"Yes Patamon... ?" Gatomon asked. A lone tear fell from her eye and landed on Patamon's cheek. He flinched a little from it as it landed.

"I... I love... you." Patamon said as his body slowly began to disintegrate. "I... will always... lo-" He didn't get the chance to finish as his body completely disappeared into the air, the bloodied Kunai Knife landing with a clatter as his data went up into the sky and disappeared. Gatomon just sat there and cried, her paws on her eyes, tears seeping through her paws and down her face as she weeped for the loss of her friend, her companion... her one true love that survived all odds.

End of Chapter 8

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Chapter 9: Arrival of Darkness, Prelude to Destruction

Meanwhile, on the other end of the street, where it is the darkest a child-like voice could be heard if you listened hard enough. Her voice was as clear and as beautiful as a professional singer, but it also contained a poisonous, addictive effect as well to those that heard it.

"Darkness against Light... Light against Dark...Powers win...Powers fade...along through Time..."

A little girl was singing to herself as she walked down the quiet, night time neighborhood, playing with her long, blond hair as she walked, looking down onto the ground.

"Such fates, always constants...Heh, very true." She murmured, singing to no one but herself, stepping in a straight line as she goes on, following the lines on the road. She smelled something further ahead, which she thought was strange to be smelling soda out here, when there wasn't anyone around. Since she was looking down, her head tilted down too, she didn't see the battle that was further up the road.

"Disappear... Reappear... Heroes shall die.... Evil shall to..."

Looking up, in the distance, she could see a group of people and Digimon, one of them closer to her. Shortly, two others rejoined the one and there was a young girl screaming.

"As Destruction takes hold, and destroys all... through the path of Time!"

She twirled around at the last three words, her deep red coat opened like an umbrella, showing her gray jeans, black with white laced sport shoes and white shirt with a black skull on it. A gray and green Triangle Pendant with four buttons and a screen that is tied to her neck by a strong string also came out with the spin. She giggled as if what she said was the most amusing thing that she ever said. Facing the other direction, she starts to walk away and sings once again to herself.

"As Time flows... and days grow old... Destruction goes... and is alone once more..."

The girl stopped and frowned at the last line, feeling as it says, but smiles once more and starts back again. She hums her song again as she walks back down the road, heading the opposite direction.

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Lei watched as Patamon's form finally dissipated, leaving the knife onto the ground.

"How can you do something like this!?" Lei shouted at the leader of the three. He could tell the leader because she was the tallest. Stepping into the light, Lei and StarRenamon got a perfect look of her. She wore what looked like a white and blue school uniform with the sleeves ripped off. Along her waist were the same knives that were used on Patamon and T.K. He knew because of the bloodstains that were on them. Looking at her face, she wore a black bandana, covering her mouth as her black hair hung in a braid behind her, though some hung over her eyes, hiding her face even more. One of her two gloved hands pointed to the blood ring on the ground with the remains of T.K., flesh, gore, parts, everything.

"Vampveemon, have at it." She looked directly at Lei. "I'm sure you're probably hungry." A digimon started toward it. It crossed the light and Starrenamon thought at first it was Veemon, but this one was black and had a red V on it's forehead. Along his back were a pair of wings. He walked over to the pile and started slurping and eating the entrails.

"Ew..." Lei said to himself. Regaining his posture, he turned back to the leader.

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Kari could no longer take any more of this and fainted on the ground. Yolei was also sickened from the sight, but she couldn't leave Kari there. "Cody! Give me a hand here!" She shouts at him as they both lift up Kari and carry her back to the house, Davis following behind carrying Jun with him.

"Gatomon, it's far to dangerou-" Veemon started to say before he was shoved away forceably.

"Leave me alone Veemon!!!" Gatomon shouted as she ran off down the street quickly. As she was using her cat abilities this time, the three didn't stand a chance to catch up with her.

"Gatomon!!" Veemon shouted, but a feathery hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"We shall catch up to her later. She needs time to accept this." Hawkmon said to him, still panting a little as he isn't back to full strength himself yet.

"I suppose you're right but-" Veemon started to say before he was interrupted by Armadillomon.

"No buts we need to get to safely Veemon. We can search for Gatomon once it's safe to." He said as he rammed Veemon so that he would be on top of his shell and the two ran to Lei's house.

"Such violence tonight..." Hawkmon said, shaking his head as he hastily followed.

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"Why are you even here? Answer me!!" She lowered her concealed face chuckling.

"Why Lei... I never knew you to be so, demanding before." Lei was surprised by the fact that she knew his name.

"Who are you, Ninja?" Lei asked. Slowly, she removed her bandana, her young face having a scar over her left eye.

Lei took a step back. "Sa.. Sari!?"

"You wouldn't fight me now would you?" She asked in a sweet voice, but to Starrenamon there was a hint of something he couldn't place in it. Like a cat awaiting it's prize. It wasn't the only thing he had noticed, and he hoped his partner knew too.

"S... How...?!" She slowly walked to the startled Digidestined of Time.

"You thought of me dead, didn't you?" She continued to walk toward him.

"Starport." Starrenamon whispered and he disappeared with Flamepalmon. Sari saw this and chuckled.

"Heh. Even your partner is afraid." She brought up her Claw Glove, the three claws extended from the knuckles, glimmering from the lamplight. Lei took out his Twinscythe sword in defense, stepping back from her and going in his attack stance, one hand behind him with his sword in front.

"Mmm. Hadn't had a good meal in a long time." Vampveemon said to himself, taking a bite of T.K.'s still beating heart, not becoming still until afterward. The third one of their little party is still just beyond the light of the lamplight, appearing to just be a side stander unlike before.

"I... I don't want to attack you... Sari..." Lei said. He remembered what had happened the last time they had fought and he didn't even know it was her at the time. The smile on the other's face was pure evil.

"So give up!" She lunged at him, claws reared back, ready to slash. Lei draws his sword in front of him in time before she brought her claws completely down. They clashed, sparks flying everywhere, both pushing against each other. Lei strained with the effort, surprised at her strength.

"Why are you doing this!?" He said to her in confusion. They both jumped back and circled each other.

"You betrayed me... Leaving me to suffer on that day." Sari jumping out again with her claws, Lei counter attacked with a downward slash.

"I didn't have a choice!" He shouted at her following his counter with an upward slash. "Fang Blade!!" He shouts as a shockwave shot out of the sword. She leaped away at the last second, grabbing her kodachi, and started to spin around.

"Like I don't now? Spinner Strike!!" Her kodachi hit Lei in the arm and chest, shredding his jacket. He grimaced in pain at the attack, bringing him down to his knees. Lei looked up at her spinning form and thought to himself.

-Her technique! That was my Spinner Strike I was working on...- Sari stopped her spinning and looked directly at him.

"I...didn't want to leave your side... not even for a moment." Lei said to her as he held his hand over his wound. "Cure Aura." He whispered, feeling the sting from the attack cooling down a little as a light purple aura appeared on his hand to heal his wound. He stopped when he saw some movement behind her. Lei took a glance at the new arrival, who was walking toward Sari. She looked like a Gatomon type, her tailring and fur designs on her giving that away, except that Gatomon is white and this one is black, a little taller, and her face full of malice. Sari grips the pommel of her kodachi.

"Quit your lies." A black aura begins to grow around the blade. She brings it up to her face and crouches down, her other hand behind her. Lei staggered to get up, still weakened from the last attack, but is now worried as he didn't recover enough to endure another strike. Sari charges at him as he is getting up.

"Shadow Strike!" She rears her arm back for the killing blow. Sari charged Lei again brought it down hard, releasing the stored energy when she was four feet away. Lei braced himself for the impact, but it never came, only a sound of metal being hit and a strained scream. Lei looked in front of him and saw StarRenamon in front of him, taking full force of the attack. He fell and changed to his rookie stage, Demirenamon, crashing into Lei. Sari leaped back to where she was.

"Shall I put an end to his misery Master?" The black furred feline asks Sari, a grin on her blackish face.

She looked down at Lei and Demirenamon's fallen form as the words Darktailmon said repeated in her head...

*********************Flashback - Date and Time Unknown*******************

A young boy was valiantly fighting off four fiends all wearing cloaks, all with their own Bastard Swords, against his own Long Sword. They were quick to the draw with their sword styles, faster than the boy trying to protect his friend. "Spinner-- gah!!" One of the robed figures slashed him before he could execute his best move, forcing him back and away. He fell to his knees, his silver hair falling over his bloodstained face.

"Sari...!!" He tries to call out to her, but only forces out a groan and falls to the dust ridden earth of the forest path. She tries to call out to him, hoping that he could still help her, but it was muffled, as she was instantly captured when the boy fell by the other three one of them holding a gauntleted hand over her mouth. A fifth came out from the trees and landed near the first one, who was over the fallen protector.

"Shall I end his misery, Master?" He asks the new arrival.

********************************End*********************************

-That one day... Was he really was trying to protect me? He shall live this day. I must think on this more.- Sari thought to herself.

"Master Sari?" DarkTailmon asked her, seeing her partner in a daze.

"No..."

Vampveemon looked up with a rib in his mouth, surprised. "What?"

Sari looked to her two allies. "I said no." Sari puts her Kodachi back in it's sheath across her back hip. She looks to Lei, then turns to leave.

"Why... Why leave me here?" Lei called out to Sari. He tried to push himself up but DemiRenamon's weight nearly pinned him down from how weak he was. "Coward... finish your.." Lei fell to the ground DemiRenamon still on top of him, both unconscious and out of energy.

"Coward am I?" With a quick gesture, she is directly over the two's sleeping body. She bent down over them, nearer to Lei.

"I'm no coward betrayer, just thought I'd give myself a better challenge is all. I'll give you three days to recover, before I kill you." She gets up and takes out her Black Diamond Digivice. She looks down at Lei one last time.

"Next time, this assassin won't be so kind. Digital Gate Open!" A black portal appeared behind the three in the shape of a circle and they walked through it, leaving Lei and Demirenamon alone in the soda barren street.

********************************************************************

From nearby, another young boy, spiked red hair of perhaps 15 years of age, who caught the tail end of the fight, saw the three leave. He was wearing a dark red leather jacket with a red shirt, blue jeans that looked slightly burned and has a decent sized hip pouch on his side, red and white shoes with matching socks on his feet. Looking around cautiously, he slowly walks toward something lying on the ground. Seeing what it is he runs to it, noticing this time a three-foot in height blue digimon near him.

"Wonderful, just wonderful." He says to himself as he took out his Digivice which resembled a fireball. A screen lit up in the center signaling that it is in talk mode, two buttons on the top and sides of the screen with the speaker end on the bottom.

"Torcher to Metal Smith, Torcher to Metal Smith." A little static was his only response for a moment before a voice came through.

"Torcher? Metal Smith here. What did you find?" The boy looks down at the two tattered and sleeping forms.

"Didn't find Omega... but I found Alpha, but Flame isn't with him, only his partner, Fox, is. They're pretty damaged." He took a scanner out of his green jacket he was wearing and held it over them. "Seems.... That there is some dark energy residue on them." He said into the transmitter. "Darkness must have got here first. Let me know when you get the transport machine up and running. In the meantime, we'll be at Alpha's house."

"O. K. Torcher, Metal Smith out." The boy puts the Digivice back in his pouch. Running a hand through his short stood-up red hair, he sighs.

"I better get going." Picking up the two, both on either side of him, he carries them past the burnt opening where the rest of the Digidestined team was waiting. Getting past the stairs he tries to open the door, but it was locked.

"Damn... Unlock." The young man said. A white aura appeared on the door knob at first before the door clicked. Once he was inside, the Digidestined that were in the living room area, Cody, Yolei and Izzy saw the red haired kid bring in DemiRenamon and Lei with him.

"A little help here?" He asked the three. Yolei and Izzy scooped up DemiRenamon as Izzy got on the other side of Lei. "Let's take him to his room-"

"Who are you...?" Cody asked suspiciously. Yolei was about to ask, but had also thought it to be best to get these two to a bed as soon as possible.

"I'm also a friend of Lei and DemiRenamon, although I bet he never mentioned me in the past." He said to the three. "Ryo's my name. Now that's over with let's get him to bed. I need to find my partner Flames soon." Leading the way they went up the stairs, they passed one room on the right where the sounds of crying could be heard from in there. Going to the next room, which was Lei's bedroom, they go to set them both on the bed, lei on the left, DemiRenamon on the right. A sound catches Ryo's ears on his side. On a makeshift pallet of covers on the floor layed a red plant-like digimon, resting. Ryo smiled glad his partner was safe. Looking towards the three that helped him, he motioned towards the door.

"I appreciate the assistance. I'll stand watch over them. There is something I need to talk to them about once they awaken." Ryo said to them with a forced smile. Yolei looked at Ryo, skeptical to why he would request such a thing.

"How do we know you're not with those three that attacked them?" Yolei asked him, calmly at first. Ryo was surprised by the remark.

"Three people did this to Lei?! ... Maybe I need to hear what exactly happened first." Ryo said, chuckling a little.

"You sure are happy although you seem to not be affected by your friend's condition..." Cody pointed out, crossing his arms.

"You know, most sad events can go by faster with being happy, now what did happen to him?" Ryo asked again, becoming serious this time.

"Ok, ok... well first my partner Hawkmon..." Yolei began telling him of everything of what has happened this week.

********************************************************************

"I thought I told you to destroy everyone!" Coren said raged at the three, their mission incomplete. He turned sharply, his long trenchcoat rustling as he did.

"I apologies Master, I don't know what happened to make me sidestep from my goal." Sari told him, her, Darktailmon, and Vampveemon kneeling in front of Coren, heads down.

"After seeing this one boy, I felt something for him." Standing a few feet away from them, he listens to her report. Sari shook her head of a memory as she continues to explain what happened on the battlefield.

"Although, I believe they wont be interfering any longer, since I used my best technique on the one called T.K. " She didn't see this, but a grin came across Coren's face.

"T.K. you say?" Coren asked.

"Yes. It was him, and his partner." Sari told him. Coren chuckled at the findings.

"Well, one less prophecy to worry about." Coren said to himself. He turned to Sari. "Anything else?"

"Yes Master, I have also learned that the ones called Tai, Sora, Agumon and Byiomon weren't at the main fight." Coren sharply turned his head toward her.

"They weren't?" Coren asked, confused as to why they weren't there.

"That is all I have to report." Sari finishes. Facing forward again, Coren starts to walk to his chamber.

"Wait here..." Upon entering, he noticed that his Orb was glowing with a faint aura. He walks to it. Looking inside, he sees a digimon's ultimate form, completely restored.

"Finally! My trump card is finished! Ha Ha!!" He outstretches his arms and hands, "Awaken, awaken and be free!" The Orb glowed a bright red, filling the room with it's eerie light. A wind began to stir, and the Orb began to take in the air around, like a small black hole. Coren started to feel a searing pain go through him.

"GRRRRAAA!!! What's... happening..." Being pulled forward from the wind, Coren was sucked inside and all calmed down to silence. A hairline crack suddenly appeared on it as more cracks started to appear. It shortly exploded, sending shards of glass everywhere. A person was there, kneeling on the ground. A black cape concealed him. It rose up, panting and turned around. This person was wearing a blue shirt with a golden bat on the collar of it and matching blue pants with black boots. A couple of blonde hair strands fell over his blue eyes, which were covered by a red mask. His smile revealed a pair of fangs as he looked apon the broken shards of the late Time Orb. He chuckled to himself as he stood up.

"I have finally retained my body." He said in a calm voice, like telling someone that they were about to die. He raised his hand, and grasped the air, testing his arm.

"In three days, those damned Digidestined will be a mere memory, by my hand..." He said to himself as he left the room. Sari and her two partners jumped back at who came out. VampVeemon recognized him almost immediately.

"My... Myotismon...!" VampVeemon shouted, backing up.

"What?!" Sari shouted in alarm. She had also heard of how a vampiric type digimon had acted and had tried to take over the Digital World not once but twice. DarkTailmon started to run for it, as did VampVeemon then Sari following, but only VampVeemon seemed to make it to the door. Running down the stairs he soon realizes that he's alone.

"No... Sari, DarkTailmon!!" He turned around to go help them, but a bat type digimon stood in front of him.

"I would not recommend going back." The digimon said through narrowed eyes, his wings about him like a cloak, the digimon's metal left foot glinting in the torchlight of the torches lining the walls of the stairway.

"Sylirmon? Why not!?" VampVeemon asked him, almost ready to fight him to get him to move out of the way. Sylirmon just stood there, barring the way of the determined Digimon of Shadows.

End of Chapter 9