The Return of Digidestiny - The Myotismon Freak I It was a bright day in the city of Odaiba. Almost everyone was out and about, and those at home only were because they were either sick or had to work. All in all, it was a pleasant day. Many people were going on the infamous "Battle Site Tour," in which they were showed and taken to places where the Digidestined had once battled evil. "And this is where Sora and Mimi of the Digidestined were once attacked by a Digimon now known as SkullMeramon . . ." droned the guide, pointing to a red tower, which stood tall. Little did the tourists know, Sora and Mimi were hidden among the crowd. They had come for the memories of their battle against evil . . . Meanwhile, Joe Kido was putting the finishing touches on his book, Battle for the Two Worlds, which told the story of his trip to the Digiworld, and back. It was omitting the part at the very end of their journey, in which Emily Ono and Myotismon had been transported somewhere by the last rays of moonlight at exactly midnight under the eclipse. As a matter of fact, he had left out the whole ninth Digidestined story-the people needed not to know. It had been eight years since that night, when Myotismon and the ninth Digidestined had been transported to elsewhere. The Digidestined had once been recognized as heroes, but were now sunken into the past. The only thing that remained was the flood of tourists wishing to see where they had battled the evil Digimon. Joe was now an author, helping people draw upon their own inner strength, as he had done so long ago when they were battling evil. Sora and Mimi were a matched pair, doing everything with each other, but they were still looking for work. T.K. and Kari were dating each other, and Izzy was a world-renowned computer programmer, known for his excellent accomplishments. Tai was known for soccer-he still played, after all these years. And finally, Matt was himself-the self-proclaimed "cool one" that some girls went mad over. They all still kept their Digimon, even though they had once been offered a large sum of money by some zoo. The Digidestined had declined, keeping their partners alongside them. No one had changed much; everyone looked the same, pretty much, except for the fact that they had grown. They all thought life in itself were an adventure, which it is, but their real quest was about to begin. A tall, blond headed, green eyed girl walked silently down the sidewalk, followed by a dark figure that she was almost as tall as. They were heading for the ticket booth for the "Battle Sites Tour." When they arrived there, the person working the booth was curious as to who the girl's strange companion was. "A friend of mine interested in taking the tour," was all she said, very politely. At her belt was an odd device . . . After buying tickets, they waited just inside the gate for the next tour to begin. As they did so, they ran into the last group, which was the one that contained Sora and Mimi. Both of them noticed the girl and her dark companion, who reminded them of someone . . . It was then that Mimi and Sora noticed the Digivice attached to the belt loop of the girl. And that could only mean one thing . . . . . . That the girl was Emily Ono, the ninth Digidestined, and her shadowy companion was her Digimon, Myotismon. "Oh my goodness," said Mimi. "Oh, my, goodness." It had seemed like forever since they last saw her and Myotismon, but it had actually been eight years. And they had never known where she had gone. Walking over, Sora said, "Hi. My name's Sora. Are you Ymparshthu?" Emily nodded her head. Whispered Mimi, "How is Myotismon with you? I thought he could only come out at night." Ymparshthu smiled. "I will explain later. Why do not you come with us? I can explain on the way." Of course she meant on the tour. But they had just come from that. Both of them, though, thought that the return of the ninth Digidestined was more important than paying five dollars to go on the same tour again. Five minutes later, they were on a bus, heading to the first spot. They all sat in the back, side by side, so no one could listen in on their conversation. It was then that Ymparshthu started to explain. . "First of all, it is my crest that allows Myotismon to be able to come out during the day. As you well know, it is of Faithfulness. That power enables him to withstand the sun's light. And," she said, "I know what had happened here. You are sunken into the past, as was I when I returned to the Digiworld." "Returned?" asked Sora and Mimi simultaneously. "Yes. I will tell you the rest of it when we have gathered all the others." Then, looking at Myotismon, Emily smiled. Myotismon gave a returning fanged smile. They were partners. Nothing would separate them . . . Meanwhile, Izzy was working away at his computer. Suddenly, an image of Gennai popped up on the screen. "The ninth Digidestined is returned!" he exclaimed. "And I have some information from prophecies for you. "It is said that the ninth Digidestined has the ability to use Digimon attributes, if they have the energy. And that energy can only be provided by either their Digimon or their crest. "There's more. Prophecies foretell of the last Great Battle, which will take place between the ninth Digidestined and Evil. If the Light wins, then they will be united once more. But if not . . . then Evil shall reign supreme." "But Gennai," said Izzy, surprised, "where is the ninth Digidestined?" "Do not worry," was the reply. "She will come to you!" With that, the message ended, leaving Izzy sitting there, only able to contemplate this twist of fate. "This," he slowly whispered, "this is the return of Digidestiny." Tai was resting in his apartment, splayed out on the couch. His sister, Kari, shared it with him, and was presently in her room. Gatomon was with her. Agumon was watching TV, when an emergency newscast came one. "People have reported seeing another one of the monsters sighted approximately eight years ago. This one, though, appears almost human, and has so far done no harm. All the same, some people on the 'Battle Sites Tour' have cancelled, refusing to 'go anywhere with that thing.'" "Hmm?" Agumon said, perking up. "Hey Tai, hey Kari! There's another Digimon somewhere here, and I get the feeling that it isn't Tentomon! Let's go check it out!" Kari came running from her room, and Tai jumped up from the couch. Together with Agumon and Gatomon, they ran out the door-and the Digivices attached to their belt loops started to beep. "What they hey is THAT?!" exclaimed a twenty-year-old woman, pointing a finger at Myotismon. It seemed that someone had gotten it out that the vampire Digimon was travelling with three children: Sora, Mimi, and Emily. Myotismon ignored them. He knew that if he let them get to him, he might attack. And he did not want that to happen. Stepping forward, palms turned upwards in plea, Emily pleaded, "Can you not live with him merely in this world? Excluding him is discrimination, since you do not accept him because he is a Digimon." This made everyone think. There were still some who would simply not have him, though. One woman with short brown seemed lost in thought. To herself, she whispered, "Could it be? . . ." She had a faint memory of a dark night, eight or nine years ago, in which she had an encounter she would never forget . . . Stepping slowly up to Myotismon, who had his back turned to the crowd while Emily pleaded with them, she whispered, "Is it you?" Myotismon turned slowly around. His deep blue eyes took in the human before him who stirred a memory in his mind, one of when he was still with the evil. At first, he did not answer, not wishing to recall it. But, he finally-but slowly and quietly-answered, "Yes." Hearing the conversation made Sora reach up to a scar on her own neck, one that reminded her of eight years ago, when she was hospitalized . . . for anemia. The woman smiled, and slowly walked back. Yes, she remembered that night. A night of no forgetting . . . Jarring all their thoughts, someone suddenly shouted, "I remember eight years ago, when a lot of people were getting anemia. Then, all the monsters went away, and nobody knew what happened. But I have a few ideas myself." "Do not listen to them, Myotismon," said Emily. "They know not what you have been through." He shook his head. "There is no use denying what, in truth, I did." Just then, Tai and Kari burst in on the scene, Agumon and Gatomon trailing. "Oh, goodness, two more of them," said one person, and fainted. "What's going on here?" demanded Tai, surveying the scene around him. Then, as he spotted Emily and Myotismon, said, "What the hey . . . ?" Myotismon stepped forward. "The ninth Digidestined is returned." "The what? The ninth Digidestined? But there is no ninth Digidestined, just Tai, Matt, Sora, Izzy, Mimi, Joe, T.K., and Kari!" exclaimed one patron. All Tai and Kari did was stand there, both of them dumbfounded. "But how . . . ? What . . . ?" started Tai, but could not finish. Still, one person remembered the before conversation. "I remember when you were looking for the eighth Digidestined!" they shouted at Myotismon. "You wrecked, I mean wrecked, my car with your stupid Mammothmon! And wasn't it you who was giving all those people anemia?!" Apparently, they had noticed Myotismon's gleaming white fangs, accented by his dark purple lips. Looking them straight in the eye, he replied, "Yes. Yes, it was I. But I cannot help what I am." He flashed a fanged smile, letting all who had not seen take it in. The person who had fainted earlier had just woken up, and fainted again. "See?! He was the one!" shouted the angry person. "Hey, everybody calm down!" ordered Tai. "Why should I? My daughter was sent to the hospital because of that thing!" Tai turned to face Myotismon. "Is that true?" he asked. Myotismon was silent for a moment, and Emily moved closer until she was up against him. She would defend him with all her strength. "Yes." Just then, someone with the news walked up, and began to question Ymparshthu. "How does it feel to find this out now? And what they hey are you doing with that thing?" Emily merely raised a hand. "He cannot help what he is, as neither you nor I can help that we are humans. Leave him be; can you not even have him existing?" she said. With that, they walked off. The other Digidestined followed. No one even tried to stop them. Izzy was working, once again, at his computer, when he heard a loud knocking on the door of is apartment. "Just a minute," he said, and saved his progress. He then walked over to the door, and opened it. He never expected to see Tai, Kari, Mimi, Sora, Emily, Myotismon, Biyomon, Agumon, Gatomon, and Palmon waiting just outside his door for him. "Thanks," said Tai, walking in. The others followed. "What the? What are you? How? . . ." started Izzy, seeing Emily and Myotismon. He couldn't even talk at the sight of them, it had been so long. "She'll explain it all in a minute," Sora informed Izzy, "But first, we have to get all the others. Do you have a phone?" Izzy weakly nodded his head as he stared up at Myotismon. Then, he and Emily walked past the extraordinary computer programmer, into his apartment. Two hours later, all the Digidestined were meeting for the first time in eight years. There was a lot of reminiscing, mostly among Matt and Sora. All the Digimon were talking to each other, except for Myotismon, who stood-off by himself-in a dark corner. "Well, I guess you're all wondering why I brought you here," said Tai, stepping forward. (I've always wanted to say thought, he thought.) Silence. "It's because of the return of the ninth Digidestined from the Digiworld." Butting in, Izzy said, "Gennai told me about all this. He did, about five minutes ago. He also said that the ninth Digidestined could use Digimon attributes, if they ever get the energy." Everyone nodded their heads. Everyone, that is, except Emily and Myotismon. The ninth Digidestined was trying to persuade him to join the others. "Why will you not come?" she asked, to which he answered: "Can you not sense it? I believe they do not quite trust me. After all, I was, at one time, their enemy." She thought about this. It could be true. But then again, it also had the possibility of being false. "Come," she said, starting towards the others. Of course, Myotismon followed. "How could that be possible?" argued Matt. "None of us can do that!" Izzy shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that's all Gennai told me. He didn't explain how." "Let's get back to the point!" exclaimed Tai. "Now, Emily, do you know exactly why you came back?" "I bring news from the Digiworld," said she. She then began to explain. "Evil has become its own separate body again. This time, though, it has more than one leader-and they have combined powers. To you, they may be familiar." Huh? thought Tai. Familiar? How could that be? "They are Devimon and Etemon." "What the!" started Tai, who was immediately shushed by fifteen other voices. Emily continued. "They are back from their previous defeats, and are more powerful-and wise-than before. They will never again underestimate you." Silence. "This time, they have had the insight to combine powers. And, thus far, it works," Emily said. "They have already regained Server and File Island. They are on their way to conquering other continents. Some have dared to battle them, but . . . were easily defeated." She stopped for a moment, contemplating the situation. "I had to return to warn you-and to say that Digidestiny is returned. We must all go to the Digiworld to stop them." "But what about this world?" asked Matt. "I do not know," said Emily, and went on with her story. "They have convinced many Digimon unhappy about the uniting of the Light and Dark to join them, under the illusion that, in the end, they will receive part of the treasures. But there are no treasures, just the pain and suffering of those held in their grasp. They have fooled many into believing them. And, if we do not act quickly, the Digiworld will be lost. And as you know, it is connected to our world . . . so, if we do not win, both the human world and the Digiworld will be destroyed by the grasp of evil." Everyone was silent, as though lost in thought. Finally, T.K. spoke up. "This isn't good," he said. "They can't be allowed to win. No. None of us will let them. Right?" Everyone turned and looked at each other. They were the Digidestined, the chosen to save the Digiworld. Only they could defeat Evil, and reunite the Light and the Dark-therefore saving two worlds, theirs and the Digiworld. Looking up from where she had been staring at the floor, Mimi quietly but determinedly said, "I'm in." "Me, too," said Joe. "And don't forget me," Kari and T.K. said, simultaneously. "Don't leave me out," said Sora. "Or me, either," put in Matt. "Do not forget I," added Izzy. Stepping forward, Tai said, "And me, too. We're all going back-together. So come what may, the Digidestined are returning!" Emily smiled. "Then so be it. The Digidestined are returning." "But, how are we going to get there?" asked Tai, dampening the mood. "Leave that to us," answered Emily. "Leave that to us." Tai sprawled out on his couch, exhausted. It was now night, but he was still worn out from the last meeting. One thought, though, prevented him >from sleep: how were they going to get back to the Digiworld? Meanwhile, Emily and Myotismon were wide awake. They knew one way to get back to the Digiworld, but it was a hard one. It was different than the dimensional rift, or when the original seven Digidestined had first gone to the Digiworld. It was a very complex route, involving many different things that only the ninth Digidestined and her Digimon knew about, learning as they traveled across the Digiworld to unite the Light and the Dark once again. Emily sighed, and recalled the exact words once again: Kunshaerta purnahi, tluransiing ras kuraesh, puun raer tan slaer tluraen ska Turm ras Shrae. In English, they roughly meant: Two worlds have crossed, human and Digital, take us there by power of Dark and Light. She looked up at Myotismon, and smiled. They would never be separated. And they would prove that to the world on their next quest. The Return of Digidestiny II The next day, Tai called Matt. "Hey, Matt," he said, "so you have any idea of what we're going to do?" On the other end of the line, Matt shook his head. "No, Tai, that's all up to Emily and Myotismon," he answered. "Oh. Well, that was all I wanted to know, for now. Bye." "Bye." So saying, he hung up the phone, not knowing anything more than when he began. He threw himself onto his bed in his room, and thought about what was to come. That afternoon, there was a knock at his door. It was Emily and Myotismon. "We need a place to stay," the ninth Digidestined said. "Do you have room for us?" Tai eyed Myotismon. "Sure," he replied. "You can have my room. I'll sleep on the couch. I do half the time, anyway. Not much of a change to me. But I'll do anything to help a friend!" "Thank you," said Emily, very politely, and stepped inside. Myotismon followed. Much as he tried, Tai still did not trust Myotismon very much. After all, he used to be their enemy. But he had proven before that he was someone you could rely on. So why did Tai not trust him now? He thought, It's just that he used to be my enemy, that's all. How could he now be my friend? With that, he closed the door and once again sprawled himself across the couch. That night, as everyone slept, Myotismon was wandering about Tai and Kari's apartment. The darkness, the night was still his place, even though he could now go out during the day, or in light. Stepping quietly into Kari's room, he saw Gatomon sleeping beside her bed like a dog loyal to its master. "Sweet Kari," he whispered, to himself. "I remember when I was once searching for you-only to destroy you in the end. But Ymparshthu changed all that." Yes, she did. She had brought out the good in him, and also brought back his memories of when he was of the Good-and her Digimon as she was Keeper of the Bond between the Light and the Dark. He stalked out of Kari's room, and made way to where Ymparshthu was spending the night. She was deeply asleep, consumed by dream-filled slumber. Her Digivice was on the floor beside the bed, there being no bedside table in Tai's room. Ymparshthu, Myotismon thought. Ymparshthu, you were the one who delivered me from Evil. You were also the one to be a true friend to I, an evil creature, when I most needed one. I am eternally grateful . . . Sighing, he recalled life then. It was not pleasant . . . He had caused the innocent to suffer, and they had done nothing. Nothing! It had been the Digidestined he was after then, when he was trying to destroy them . . . But it had all been set into motion when Evil first became its separate body, and Ymparshthu was transported to the human world. It was then that Evil took him under its dark wing. He found himself wandering into the living room, where Tai was snoring away, curled up on the couch. Agumon was-for unknown reasons, and how he did it, not even Tai knows-sleeping on the coffee table. He, too, was snoring, and sounded like a door with rusted hinges being opened. There was a mirror in the living room, for decoration. Myotismon happened to walk past it, and . . . it only rubbed in the fact of his existence. There was no reflection. It was too much for him. Myotismon's very existence depended upon the fact that he preyed on the blood of others. It was too painful for him. Just to survive he made others suffer. In the end, it all bore a terrible weight on his conscience. He took the glove off of his right hand, revealing a slender and pale hand. Myotismon reached it up to his face, and . . . pricked himself on one of his fangs. A drop of dark red blood oozed from the wound. He put the glove back on again, and thought of his present position. He would never leave Ymparshthu's side, not now, not ever . . . And he was slowly starving himself in the process of his loyalty. It had been days since he had fed. His very existence caused pain to others. He was made a creature of the Night, of the Darkness, causing others suffering in order for himself to live. His fangs were evilly pointed, tipped by wicked sharpness that was enough to kill in battle. And he was silent, only heard when he meant to be heard. In the end, it all made him one thing-a creature designed for battle, for the pain and suffering of others. But it was he who suffered the most. The next day, Ymparshthu awoke to find Myotismon standing in the far corner of Tai's room, keeping watch over her. She herself was refreshed by a peaceful night's sleep, and was soon ready to go almost anywhere. Tai was in the kitchen, making breakfast. He still remembered how to cook, even though it had been eight or nine years since Matt had taught him. Agumon was watching TV with Kari and Gatomon. Even though the news was on, there wasn't anything else to do, so the eighth Digidestined, her Digimon, and Agumon watched it anyway. Right then, there was something on about the Digimon in this world. "Several people have begun to remember things from eight years ago, brought on by the Digimon seen yesterday. One person claimed to have almost been killed by and evil Digimon on a rampage through the city. Yet another person said that their then twenty-one-year-old cousin was sent to the hospital for severe anemia eight years ago. They said that this happened because 'of that creepy human-like Digimon.'" Hearing that only struck a blow at Myotismon's heart. The newscast continued. "Now, we will show you our interview with Sora and Biyomon of the Digidestined." Up popped an image of Sora, with Biyomon standing by her side. A reporter armed with a microphone was questioning them. "Sora, how did it feel to fight evil Digimon eight years ago?" Sora seemed lost in thought, then finally answered. "The best I can say is that it felt perilous. But, with my friends beside me, it was a task not impossible." The reporter nodded their head. "How does it feel to meet another Digimon other than your own after all these years?" they asked. She looked down at Biyomon, who answered for her. Said she, "It was kind of exciting, but also kind of scary. And yet again it was kind of amazing, having not seen them in eight years." It went on, but Agumon soon lost interest. He wandered into the kitchen to see if he could help Tai. When breakfast was ready, everyone rushed into what Tai and Kari had for a dining room. Everyone, that is, except for Myotismon. He needed to be alone, to rest. Tai had made scrambled eggs, and they were absolutely delicious. And, even though she had been in the Digiworld for eight years, Ymparshthu still had wonderful table manners-they were very unlike those of Tai when he had first come back through the dimensional rift created by MetalGreymon. When everyone was done eating, Tai and Kari washed the dishes, and then the cook flung himself across the couch. Kari and Gatomon went to her room. Tai turned off the TV, and started to stare off into space. It turned out that Myotismon could be trusted not to attack when everyone was asleep. Somehow, though, Tai was unsettled by him. Maybe it was the fact of what he was-a vampire. Maybe it was because he had once been their enemy. There were a lot of maybes, but Tai didn't know if any of them were true. All he knew was that he somehow didn't trust Myotismon as he trusted the other Digidestined Digimon. Meanwhile, Emily had found her way back into Tai's room, where she sat on the bed. Myotismon had hidden himself in some dark corner, where, she did not know. She was alone, for now. She picked up her Digivice, which was once again attached to her belt loop. The device she held in her palm was a symbol of the Digidestined, and also the only way-other than the crests-to make their Digimon digivolve. Ymparshthu looked up to find Myotismon before her. He looked weak, like he was barely standing . . . He was terribly weak. He did not even have the strength to stand, so he just . . . almost . . . fell over onto Tai's bed. "Tai! Kari! Agumon! Gatomon!" shouted she. "Myotismon needs help!" As Tai, Kari, and their Digimon came running in, Ymparshthu said to Myotismon, "I will do whatever I can for you." Knowing her partner better than anyone else, Ymparshthu soon found the reason for Myotismon's weakened state. She, too, knew that her partner was starving himself in his loyalty to her, staying always by her side. Tai, Kari, and Agumon, though, had not figured it out yet. Gatomon had because, for a long time, she had been a servant of Myotismon-when he had been evil, that is. "Triinsahmur, I know why this has befallen you," Ymparshthu said. "But, for your sake, I will not say it aloud. All I ask is one thing: why have you starved yourself?" "I will not leave your side," was his barely audible reply. With that, he said no more. "Hoo boy," said Tai. "I'm in over my head." "Uh, hello?" asked Tai into the receiver. "Are you there, Joe?" The phone kept ringing, until someone finally picked it up. "Hello, this is Joe Kido. May I ask who is speaking?" "Uh, it's me, Tai. Listen, I kind of need your help. Do you think you can come over to my apartment? If you can, please hurry. You might know what to do . . ." Tai's voice trailed off, waiting for an answer. "Okay," Joe slowly replied. "I'll be over as fast as I can." So saying, he hung up. Now all Tai could do was wait. On the way to Tai's apartment, Joe ran into Matt and T.K. They were just walking around town, with nothing good to do. "Um, hello," Joe said, stopping abruptly. "I'm sorry, but I can't talk for long. Tai needs me!" "Can we come?" asked T.K. Joe thought a moment. "I don't see why not," he finally answered. With that, he took off again, this time with Matt and T.K. trailing. When Joe, Matt, and T.K. finally burst into Tai's apartment, they knocked its owner over. He had been standing right behind the door, waiting for someone to knock. If it had been a newsperson that did, he would have either knocked them out or chased them away. "Okay, just what is it that you need me for?" Joe asked. Tai sighed, and shook his head. "Maybe you'll know what to do, but Ymparshthu seems to know the most about the situation. Follow me." So saying, he turned and walked off. Joe, Matt, and T.K. followed, with T.K. closing the door as soon as he stepped inside. When they arrived in Tai's room, each one of them nearly fainted. They had not expected to see Myotismon. "What's he doing here?" whispered Joe. "Ymparshthu and he needed somewhere to stay for the night. I told her that they could stay in my room." "It's a good thing Mimi wasn't here," said Matt, "or else we would be picking her up off the floor right about now." They all walked in, and now noticed Ymparshthu on the floor beside her Digimon, who was now lain on Tai's bed. She held his gloved hand in her own smaller one. Looking up, she said, "He's weak. I don't know what to do for him . . . I thought that maybe you would know, although this is quite possibly beyond your knowledge of medicine." Joe sighed. "You're right, I really don't know what to do. But I can try my best." Two hours later, they had made no progress. "I never knew much about how to treat injured Digimon anyway. But this . . . this is different than injury. This is starvation," Joe said. He stood up, as though ready to go. But he had no intention of leaving, not when one of his friends needed his help . . . It was then that his crest started to glow, after eight long years of laying dark. "Myotismon," whispered Ymparshthu. "I will never let you die, no, I won't. I would give myself for you to live . . ." Her crest, too, started to glow, with a dark-yet piercingly bright-light. Tai noticed this, and thought, Yes, Digidestiny truly has returned. "What can we do?" piped up T.K. Tai shook his head. "I don't know," he said slowly. "I don't know. I never was an expert at taking care of injured people, let alone Digimon. This is totally new to me." "I think . . . I think that maybe the others will know what to do," put in Matt. "They just might." With that, he walked off towards the phone in an attempt to gather the Digidestined once more. When everyone was finally gathered, Tai presented the situation to those who had not heard it. Of course, Mimi fainted at the mention of the word "blood," and it took a while to wake her up again. "Now that that's over . . ." started Tai. But he was cut off by Izzy. "Yes, I know the situation now is bad," said he, "but how are we going to the Digiworld?" "Leave that to Ymparshthu," said everyone else, except for Myotismon and Ymparshthu herself, simultaneously. Meanwhile, the ninth Digidestined was talking with her Digimon. "Why have you brought this upon yourself?" she asked. Myotismon gave a weak answer, "I will not leave you," and looked away. He could not stand to look into the sorrowful depths of Emily's eyes, because all that sorrow was for him . . . "Why do you feel sorry for me?" he questioned. "I am some . . . creature . . . that causes others to suffer in order for myself to live. I know that Tai, as well as some of the other Digidestined, does not trust me. I have an idea what he thinks of me, that I enjoy my life like this. He could not be more wrong. In the end, it is I who suffers the most. Please, feel no sorrow for a creature such as I. I do not believe there is anything you can do." If the other Digidestined were there, they would have agreed that the next thing Ymparshthu was the most selfless and courageous thing heard in life thus far. "I could give myself." Tai led the others into his room, where Ymparshthu knelt on the floor beside the bed. Once again, Mimi fainted as she saw Myotismon. When she was later asked why, she answered, "I'm just never going to get used to it, after hearing the word 'blood' mentioned by him." "This is getting worse and worse, isn't it?" muttered Matt. Looking up, Emily said, "There isn't much we can do. There is one thing, and you all know it, but do not wish to say it aloud . . . And please, if you figure it out, do not say it aloud, Myotismon's sake." Meanwhile, back in the Digiworld . . . "Oh, no," a Veggiemon said, looking up the path towards the advancing figures of Devimon and Etemon. "Not again." The Veggiemon was a member of the ranks, one of those who had been convinced to battle the Light under Devimon and Etemon. He was somewhat high-ranking, but soon found out he did not like his job. The only reason he stayed in was the promise of land and prisoners of war that would work in his diner, if they won. If they won. "Uh, hello, nice day, isn't it?" he stammered, bouncing up the dirt path towards his superiors. Devimon acknowledged this, but continued listening to what his partner had to say. Hoo boy, thought Veggiemon. It's going to be a long day. Suddenly, an ugly little Bakemon came floating up to Devimon and Etemon. Since Myotismon had never returned from the real world as their master, the ghostly Digimon had taken up with the new evil Digimon. "Devimon! Etemon! I have important news from down south," he proclaimed. "Many of my people are willing to fight for you, now that our former master is . . . fighting with the Light. But, he hasn't been back in years, so you don't need to worry about him." (Don't forget, a few days in the human world are a few years in the Digiworld.) Devimon smiled evilly, and raised a large hand to momentarily silence Etemon. His blood red eyes narrowed for a second, then returned to their usual size. "Good. You have done well," he said, and dismissed the Bakemon with the wave of a clawed hand. The Digimon floated off. "Now, as I was saying . . ." started Etemon again, who was once more silenced by Devimon. "Not now, Etemon, my partner," he said. "There are other matters to take care of." She felt a deep and angry pain as she stood there, hair flowing in the wind beneath the starry night sky. Her two dark opponents had not expected this change, having never heard the prophecies . . . That was to be their downfall. She, now the guardian, looked down at her friend, who lay sprawled across the ground. He had taken a huge energy blast that was meant for her, for her, and it had weakened him beyond help. And then, he gave her the last of his energy-and in doing so assured the fact that he would not live. Her green eyes narrowed into slits, and began to change colors . . . into deep blue. She closed her eyes in concentration, channeling her energy . . . It was now concentrated in one spot, in her right hand . . . Suddenly opening her eyes, she shot her right hand forward, and blasted a large, pulsating black-blue ball of energy at her opponents. They hurt her friend . . . he had only been trying to protect her . . . now they would pay. She had loved him, had a bond indescribable with him . . . Was much closer to him than she was to her own parents . . . Her opponents, taken off guard by this sudden onslaught, had no time to dodge the oncoming attack. So, it hit them full force, knocking the weaker to the ground. The other still stood, though dazed they were. The one still standing spread their ragged wings, and an evil smiled formed itself on their lips. "I never expected that from you," he cruelly said. "You, the weak one, the one misunderstood, as was your Digimon . . . Ymparshthu." She shot them a burning, hateful glare, and icily whispered, "You . . . beast. You creature. You injured my friend. And you, you were the one to make him evil. Now just thinking of that torments him. And you were the one who caused him to do all that . . . to harm the innocent, to feel no remorse for evil deeds that were not his nature . . . you monster!" By the last sentence, her voice had risen to a normal-but angry-speaking tone; her last two words were a sorrowful yet hateful cry. She concentrated again, and in her eyes shone the power that had been passed onto her from Myotismon. Once again, she channeled her energy-but this time, not to a specific place. She could feel the raw power coursing through her veins . . . "Nightmare Claw!" The attack came suddenly and swiftly to her enemies, knocking over Devimon-the one still standing-and temporarily knocking out his partner, Etemon. Devimon, though, remained able to fight-the onslaught had only weakened him some. "Hah! Mere child's play," he laughed. "Now it is time for the real battle to begin." He once again spread his ragged wings, and moonlight shined through the holes in them. "Shadowy Onslaught!" The shadows standing at her feet rose and curled, reaching their dark grasp upward to capture her. They swirled, and twisted, and formed a cage around her. But she was stronger than the shadows. Raising her hand , so it was held in front of her, she whispered something in one of her languages. The shadows obeyed, peeling away and returning to their former position. She let her hand drop, and shut her eyes. She was concentrating harder, harder . . . She looked up, head down, and whispered, "You shall never win." Throwing back her head, she blasted another shot of energy at her opponents. This one, though, looked like a huge scarlet beam-and it Devimon right in his stomach. The dark Digimon was knocked over by the force of the attack. Pulling himself up, Etemon looked over his now fallen partner. It was his turn to battle. "Who needs the Dark Network now, when I can just destroy you my myself? Uh-huh-huh, uh-huh-huh," he said, drawing back his right hand as if to punch Ymparshthu. As it was, he instead shot a black-green ball of energy at her. It sped closer, and closer . . . Ymparshthu shot Etemon a look of pure hatred. He and his foul partner had injured her Triinsahmur . . . When the energy ball was less than three feet from her face, she stuck out a hand as if signaling it to stop. It did, and with a movement of her fingers, it vanished. She looked down at Triinsahmur, laying sprawled across the ground beneath the glittering night sky, and gave him a smile that said, "Everything will be all right once more." Her Digimon returned the smile with a touch of his own-gleaming fangs. His fair Ymparshthu was battling . . . for him. But there was a somewhat different expression behind his smile. It was a sad expression . . . Ymparshthu awoke suddenly from the strange dream that she had had. It seemed so real, as though she was fighting in it . . . could it possibly be a prophetic dream? Quite possibly yes . . . Looking up, she noticed that Myotismon was no where to be found. Where could he have gone? He said it himself, he would never leave her. She heard the slightest sound behind her, and turned around. It was Myotismon. "Triinsahmur?" she asked quietly. "Where were you? I was worried . . ." He sent her a look explaining it all. He had been on the hunt. He no longer had a weak appearance, but seemed back to his normal, powerful and caring self. "I am ready," he said, catching her off guard, "to return to the Digiworld." The Digidestined all met the next day. It seemed that everyone was ready to return to the Digiworld-so, they all decided to go that night. At about ten o'clock, everyone met in the same place as when the first seven Digidestined had encountered Myotismon outside of battle. It was almost as black as it had been that night. Ymparshthu was the one who led everything right then. She knew what she was doing, unlike the other Digidestined. They hadn't a clue as to how to return to the Digiworld. At 10:05, Ymparshthu gently commanded, "Everyone, hold out your Digivice." They all obeyed. Instinctively, they and their Digimon formed a ring around the ninth Digidestined and Myotismon. "Raise the hand holding your Digivice," Ymparshthu said. Everyone did. She was the last to raise hers, holding it high above her head. It was the same color as her Crest, dark black-blue, with blood red buttons. Every single Digivice-as did Tag and Crest-started to glow. Suddenly, the ninth Digidestined called out, "Kunshaerta purnahi, tluransiing ras kuraesh, puun raer tan slaer tluraen ska Turm ras Shrae!" The Digivices started beeping loudly, and the Crests were glowing like miniature bonfires. Then, the circle started to glow-and the world became so bright, it blinded everyone. The last thing they felt was as if they were rushing along at a great speed . . . Tai awoke with a throbbing headache. Every limb of his body was numb. He was so sore, it felt like even his hair hurt. "Tai? Tai? Are you okay?" The voice coming down to him was gentle. He sensed a being hovering over him.. He weakly opened his eyes to see Sora standing over him. Emily stood beside her. "He's awake!" she called over he shoulder, then went back to talking to him. "When we all came here," she said, sensing his oncoming question, "you took a nasty fall. If it weren't for Myotismon, I think you wouldn't have survived . . . He caught you before you hit the ground. You see, we all arrived near the edge of a cliff, and . . . and you fell off. Lucky for us, Myotismon sensed it and caught you in time. Everything's going to be alright." "But . . . where . . . am I . . ." started Tai. Sora quieted him. "You need to get your rest," she said. "But . . ." "But what?" "We're back in the Digiworld."