Stingmon rubbed his head as he stood up from the ground. "Man, what hit me...?" he grumbled.
"Back in the land of the waking?" Renamon asked. Rika snickered.
Stingmon looked at them. "Who are you?"
"What, don't you recognize your team mates?" Rika smirked. "After all we went through..."
Stingmon instantly recognized the sarcasm. "Kitsunemon..." he sighed. "I should have known. So you're a Hybrid? And you are Brawlmon, right?"
"My real name's Rika," Rika said. "And she's my sister Renamon. But don't worry, it's not like we had much time to introduce ourselves."
Stingmon then remembered something. "Wait... where's the boy? Where's Ryo? And the enemy..."
"Relax, Ryo's fine, and Millenniummon... well, let's just say he can't hurt anyone anymore."
"So you really beat him?" Stingmon was impressed.
"Well, they had help," Ryo said as he and his two Digimon partners came towards them. Ryo gestured over his shoulder. "We just thought we should set up a small memorial for all the Digitama that got destroyed today..."
"It was my idea..." Minidramon murmured uncomfortably.
Stingmon looked at the two dragon Digimon. "So, you are Ryo's partner? Strange, he only mentioned one..."
"Well... he is my twin brother..." Monodramon tried.
Minidramon sighed. "No, I want him to know. Since he is one of those I wanted to... to destroy..."
It took Stingmon a few seconds to realize what he meant. But then, he jumped to his feet with a gasp. "You... you're the one! The monster who killed them all... you're that... that Millenniummon! Evil creature, now you shall pay for your deeds!" He extended his wrist stinger and wanted to dash at the green dragon.
But Ryo stepped in his way. "No!" he said. "I won't allow that! He has suffered enough."
"SUFFERED?" Stingmon yelled. Accusingly, he pointed his finger at Minidramon. "That monster has killed countless members of both insect tribes, and you are saying he has suffered?"
"It wasn't his fault," Ryo said and looked down to his feet. His fists were trembling. "It was mine..."
That confused Stingmon. "What do you mean?"
"Long ago, Monodramon and Millenniummon merged into one being... my new partner, Cyberdramon. But his form wasn't stable and he digivolved back to Monodramon as soon as I returned from the Digital World. Millenniummon had done cruel things in the past, but... ever since he became one with Monodramon, he changed. They were the same... the partner I grew to like as a brother. But... I was still afraid of Millenniummon... of my past. And those feelings of fear and hatred were absorbed by Monodramon, which in turn awoke Millenniummon's soul, turning him back into the monster he once was. Only when I stopped my own fears and truly accepted him as what he is - my partner - did he return to his senses."
"You mean... your bad feelings infested him, like a virus?" Stingmon muttered. He lowered his stinger. He began to understand.
"I couldn't help myself," Minidramon winced. "I was controlled by the dark emotions in my heart. I know that nothing I ever do will make up for the sins I have done, but... please believe me when I say that I have changed... for the better."
"Have you really?" Stingmon looked back and forth between Minidramon and his purple-scaled brother. Except for the color, he couldn't really see a difference, neither in appearance nor in behavior. They really seemed like twins, two halves of the same soul.
"All right," he said and retracted his stinger. "But the decision is not mine to make. You shall have to answer for what you have done in front of the king and queen."
Takato woke from his slumber. He had a nice dream... a dream about Jeri and himself...
He blinked in confusion when he noticed that his thumb was inside his mouth. How did that happen? Where was he, anyways? This wasn't his room back at home... it still was very comfortable...
Jeri's unmistakable giggle pulled him back to reality. He looked up and saw the grinning face of his female friend.
"Good morning, Takato!" she chuckled.
Takato then realized that he was not only still having his thumb in his mouth, but he was also lying in Jeri's lap. He shouted in surprise, pulled his thumb out and fell to the floor.
"J-j-jeri!" he stuttered. "This... this isn't what it looks like... I..."
"Oh, you should have seen your face!" Jeri laughed. "Priceless!"
Next to them, Terriermon, Harmony and Guilmon were laughing as well. Then Takato remembered what had happened to them... and how Jeri and Harmony had taken care of him and his brother during the past few hours. He blushed. "Um, s-sorry I didn't want to eat the mashed banana you offered me, Jeri..."
"No need for excuses," Jeri giggled. "You were sooo cute as a Baby Digimon."
"I ate my part without any complaints," Guilmon grinned.
"Well, that wasn't really the worst part," Harmony chuckled. "Do you know how cranky they got when Terriermon wanted to change their diapers?"
Both Takato and Guilmon paled and they stared at the dog-rabbit in disbelief.
Terriermon waved his arms around frantically. "No no no! That's a lie! I never did that! I wouldn't dare... Harmony, that was evil!"
The girls couldn't stop themselves and broke out into laughter. The boys glared at them, but then, Guilmon had to chuckle as well. The idea was just too absurd and funny. Takato joined in, then Terriermon, and in the end, they all laughed.
"Man, I am glad this nightmare is over!" Takato sighed in the end. "But, don't forget that you were cute babies as well. Um, I mean... that is... dang..."
Jeri had to suppress a new fit of giggles. Oh, Takato was too sweet at times...
"If you are finished with laughing, we could go to the king and queen and afterwards, leave this place."
They all turned towards the entrance of the hut, where Rika and Renamon were standing.
"Rika!" Takato shouted with relief. "You guys made it!"
"Of course we did, goggle head!" Rika smirked. "And not just that, we saved the whole island by ourselves."
"Wow! Rika, that's amazing!" Harmony shouted. "And Millenniummon's really gone? But, say... where's Ryo?"
"Right here!" Ryo said as he entered the hut. "And there's something we must tell you guys. But first... let me introduce you to my newest partner. Hey, come on in!"
He stepped aside, and Monodramon entered, followed by a Digimon that looked like his green twin brother. "Um, hello..." he said in a meek voice. "I'm Minidramon..."
When they were on their way back to the Yellow Syndicate's hive, Takato was still eyeing Minidramon curiously. "And that little guy is really Millenniummon?" he whispered.
"I wouldn't have believed it either, had you told me the same story a few hours ago. But it is true... and he isn't responsible for the actions. It's the RPG Maker again... he used the dark feelings in his heart to turn him into an evil killing machine. We have to make sure that such a thing never happens again, which means we have to treat Minidramon as one of us."
"No problem!" Jeri smirked and walked up to the green dragon, who was busy talking to his purple-scaled brother.
She pulled an apple out of her pocket and offered it to Minidramon. "Say, you're looking awfully hungry. I took this from the hut we slept in... maybe you want to have it?"
Minidramon was surprised, but then he accepted the apple and smiled at the brown-haired girl with gratitude. "Th-thanks!"
Jeri smiled back at him. "No problem!"
"Jeri's method seems to work!" Rika whispered to Ryo.
While they were walking through the woods, they could see the effects of the awful battle that had taken place here just an hour ago. Digimon were removing dead bodies, and medics were taking care of the wounded. Soldiers of the Yellow Syndicate were guarding the remaining soldiers of the Green Syndicate and the few surviving pirate Ebidramon.
"Just don't look there," Ryo whispered to Minidramon. "And remember that something like this will never happen again, I'll make sure of that."
Minidramon nodded sadly, but he still couldn't forget the image of a female Honeybeemon who had cried over the body of a fallen male Honeybeemon, most likely her brother or mate...
As soon as the guards recognized Stingmon, they let them through. Stingmon brought them directly to the throne room.
Before they entered, he stopped and turned around to face the Hybrid Tamers. "Don't worry," he said. "I will explain everything to my parents, and I think they won't do anything too drastic when the learn about the true story."
Rika and her friends looked at each other in confusion. "Parents?" Renamon muttered.
Stingmon entered the throne room, and they followed him. Yoko and her husband were once again sitting on their thrones. The QueenBeemon welcomed them with a warm smile. "Welcome back!"
Stingmon gave her a respectful bow. "Mother, father, I have returned!"
He jumped in surprise when all of a sudden, Rika, who had been standing right behind him, reacted with a loud: "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?"
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(Posted Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:21)
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