Aftermath

[Teo Sage]

Devimon heard the feline digimon coming for him he attempted to raise his claws in an attempt to block but the attack found its way through to the chest Devimon stumbled back and fell to a knee.

As she passed him by he mumbled some words to her "Will you fall as an angel? Like me?" It seemed he knew something about her. Something he had sensed during that time of sync. He tried to stand while doing so the room around him started becoming brighter.

He raised his head and noticed the incoming projectiles he hadn't the strength to dodge his body stopped listening to commands.

'shoot, I only have one chance at this.' Devimon thought.

His eyes made its way to meet Teo's, he stared, those short few seconds before impact felt almost like a day. He could not give a reason but he was filled with such a rage for the boy.

Perhaps because he was supposed to be dead. Questions would be left unanswered such as why could he even sense those shards to begin with?
What was he? These thoughts plagued his mind in these final moments of the battle.

The very next moment Devimon felt a searing pain in his back Renals attack impacting him from behind sending him hurdling into the holy energy right before impact a small shard fell from Devimon much like the one his minions had.

It rolled off the edge and fell to the darkness below.

After an explosion Devimon laid on the ground fragments of data coming off of him as his body deteriorated into its base data. His body bleeding he opened his mouth to speak.

"I concede."

And with that the demon disappeared completely into data and shortly after the mansion did the same leaving everyone in the middle of puppetry fields grass beneath their feet and a cool breeze on their cheeks.

Oddly enough, Usa and Teo felt hungry and dirty as if their adventure before Devimon never happened. The food and the bath felt like only a dream.

Teo sat on his butt and let out a big sigh "Its over......"

Yami jumped into the arms of Teo as Chibimon "Teoooooo, I told you I would protect you!" Teo laughed "Yes you did arigato Yami."

Teo looked up "Hewlett....isn't here" Teo said "Who cares? I'm sure that pervy leader is alive some where." Yami replied.

Then at that moment Yami and Teo stomach both rumbled.

[Dante]

Gatomon sensed a change in her target as he brought his arms up to block. Was he slowing down? He'd previously had less trouble defending against her, let's be honest, small body and somewhat pithy attack. She recognized that she wasn't as much of an insane powerhouse as the moron with the wooden swords, but she liked this form all the same. Her claws bit flesh, and it felt oh so satisfying.

Die, demon. The kill stroke may not be mine, but you'll fall knowing my hate for the darkness you embraced, and for trying to force me to be your angel.

As Devimon looked towards her, mortally wounded, Gatomon made a point to remove one of her gloves, lick her paw, and clean her face a little.

"Will you fall as an angel? Like me?"

She put her glove back on and stared directly at him, even though his attention had wandered.

No, Devimon. We two are nothing alike. I will never embrace the darkness, and I am not your angel.

Unbidden, unwanted, a vision rose in her mind of a time in her past, when she first laid eyes on the angel, when she first knew that her destiny was to take flight on shining wings. She'd looked on with tears in her eyes. She wasn't like that. She couldn't be an angel. It wasn't fair. A single rebellious tear rolled down her face as memory assaulted her in a rush. It wasn't fair. She stood there, head down, holding back her tears even as data rushed past her and the mansion disappeared, leaving her on the grass of the fields.

I'm not your angel, Devimon, she thought, as though his specter could hear her words, You can't make me do it. I'll never accept it, not as long as I live.

A second tear appeared and began its trek down her face. She knew even as she thought the words that someday she would have to break her oath. There would come a day in which Dante needed her to become what she had it in her to be. Her second tear was for that inevitability, and there were more on the way, although she was trying valiantly to hold them back.

Dante watched with only mild interest as the dark digimon breathed his last, and the mansion disappeared. He walked over to his partner, ignoring the rest of the children and their partners, and picked her up wordlessly, hugging her. He didn't know why, and wasn't asking questions, but he knew that she needed him as a friend at that moment, so he said nothing. All that was required was that he be there for her.

Gatomon hardly noticed his approach. When he reached down and picked her up, she hugged him and began to weep. The only control she had over the storm of emotion was to try and keep it quiet to preserve some modicum of dignity. As she wept, she was grateful for her friend. She knew it was hard for him to trust, and she knew he never let people close. For him to make such a gesture, particularly without a single word one way or the other, was a big step for him, and one he might never make again. She held onto him with all the strength in her small arms and cried. She cried out of sadness for the terrible destiny the sovereigns had decreed for her. She cried out of joy that she would be blessed with such a friend that despite his own troubles and misgivings would be strong for her when she needed to be weak, and had chosen to save his questions for another time. She cried for many reasons, but mostly she just cried. The things she'd seen in the dark digimon's mind would follow her for the rest of her life, and they didn't trouble her so much as they reminded her of what was yet to come.

Dante just stood there, holding his partner while she cried. He didn't make eye contact with the others. He didn't want to deal with them. He wanted both worlds to just leave him be. This world that he now stood in was separate in his mind. There were only two people there, and no words needed to be spoken. Gatomon needed him to be her friend, and to give her a shoulder to cry into, and he was, and he did. He didn't know why he was doing this for her, and he didn't care. The point wasn't why he trusted her or why he cared for her. The point was that he did, and that she needed him. Nothing further merited questioning right then. So there he stood, surrounded by the other children and the seeming emptiness of Puppetry Fields, his partner weeping in his arms.

[Inori]

Alchemon grinned, quick to find someplace shadowy to lurk once the location had changed. It was taking all his self control to keep quiet. Every part of him wanted to just start laughing. Devimon was just as useless as he had thought! Such a shame...such a shame indeed. He'd hoped that the other virus type would have at least taken out someone's partner! It was too much to hope it could have been Wizardmon...but such things he would prefer to do on his own anyway.


Wizardmon shook his hand a bit in a gesture which was meant to dissipate the energy he had been gathering. He frowned to himself, feeling he had not done much in the way of attacking Devimon...but he had played his part, and he knew his limits. The jaded bitter part of his mind cruelly reminded him that despite his higher maintained form, he probably was the weakest one here and would remain as such until Inori would trust him enough to--

"Wizardmon!" A voice broke his thoughts, and said digimon started to turn. He didn't make it too far as something...or more accurately someone crashed into him. Or grabbed him and was hugging him. It could be that too, he supposed.

"This is...unexpected." Was about all he could come up with as he realized that the someone who was hugging him was in fact one Inori. He held very still, afraid that if he moved, she might come to her senses and move away.

"I was really worried you were going to get hurt again!" Inori replied, not realizing the ramifications of her words until he offered a reply.

"Do you think I am so weak as well?" He murmured quietly, slumping forward into her somewhat...a gesture that screamed defeat.

"No, I just..." She tightened her grip on Wizardmon. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just...there were so many of you and I couldn't tell which one was the real one and I...I just didn't want to see you get hurt again. The Fangmon were bad enough."

Wizardmon sighed heavily. "I'll be fine. I always am."

"You better be." Inori replied. While Wizardmon could not see her face, he suspected she was scowling halfheartedly. "Who else is going to put up with me as patiently as you have?"

"There is always Alchemon..." Wizardmon mused. "I'm sure he would be thrilled."

"Don't even joke about that!" Inori gasped in a mockingly horrified sort of way, to which Wizardmon laughed. He dropped his staff and shifted to return the girl's hug.

"I would never inflict that upon you." He offered in an amused sort of tone. "I'd leave you to Yang."

"You wouldn't!" Now Inori actually sound genuinely horrified. Wizardmon now increased his grip on Inori as she tried to pull away, laughing harder.

"No, no I fear you are stuck with me." He said softly as she stopped pushing at him and relaxed.

"You're not weak." Inori assured her partner, wondering if she looked as tired as she sounded.

The wizard digimon's mind was unable to grasp the proper words to reply to Inori. He opting for silence instead, closing his eyes. Something changed...something he couldn't place a finger on. It was like something had been holding him back, and now it was gone. For the moment...everything didn't seem so bad.

[shivdeeviant]

Yang felt as much as saw the virus' demise, he felt his own life's energy snuff out the other's. The feeling was strange, a mix of achievement and despair for ending an evil life. But Yang had just taken that life, he had attacked and the virus had been no more. His mind would have continued this way endlessly had the weakness not enveloped him and brought him to his knees. The grassland coalesced around him, and so did the darkness as Yang passed out. He fell backwards, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. As he did he had the strangest feeling that the virus was still there...

Shiv was on his knees when the virus died, and on his hands when the plains reappeared. The sync had shielded him from the pain, it had not fixed him. All of the moving he had done had only made the stained muscles worse. He looked and saw his partner fall, and his mind knew only that Yang was down. He started forward, pulling and shambling across the ground to his partner's side.

He came across Yin. Shiv had forgotten that he was there. Yin was damaged, his breath ragged and wheezing. Devimon's Death Hand had done quite the number on him. The armor on his back was broken off, revealing raw flesh and dark burns that were slowing bleeding data. He didn't look good, Shiv was impressed that he had lasted this long. Yin's eye opened and hazily looked at Shiv.

"Go.. to him." Yin struggled to say, "I do not require.. your help."

Shiv was taken aback, and his anger began to rise.

"Look you little.. piece." Shiv struggled similarly to say. "I have had it up to here.. with your animosity towards me."

He held out the digivice that was still in his hand.

"You.. did well this fight," Shiv continued, "And I am not going.. to sit by and let.. one who fought so valiantly.. die. Yin.. come back!"

The digivice glowed with a pure light that settled over Yin's broken body. The energy seemed to make all of Yin smaller. And when the light faded. Yin was a Fufumon. An undamaged Fufumon. Shiv gave half a chuckle, his triumph cut short as he lost consciousness.

Yin's eyes opened and he floated into the air. He looked at his body, then at the shadow of Yang's form in the plains, and then at Shiv's unconscious form in the grass. He glared at the child.

"Human," he said with venom in his voice, a humorous act as his voice was so small, "I swear if your act of mercy on me causes me to lose my brother, I will have your head on one of my metal straws!"

Yin flew with as much haste as he could manage to the shadowed form of Yang. The noble star was not there. In his place was a small green blob with what appeared to be a binky, sleeping soundly. Yin breathed a sigh of relief, and looked to the others in the group, watching them for any sign of treachery.

[Usachan]

Usa fell to her knees, glad the fighting was done. She looked around at the others, all seeming to be in the same state she and Vee were. She smiled softly as she saw the male and cat-like digimon hug then moved her gaze to the unconcious boy and the two small digimon, then to the girl and wizard looking digimon and then lastly to Teo. "Yokata, no one seems badly injured."

Vee had shifted back to Chibimon form and was laying on her lap, panting. "I dont like long fights, they make me hungry." As if to confirm this statement, a loud rumble was heard from the tiny digimon's stomach.

Usa giggled and looked behind her as her backpacked squirmed, a sleepy Kulumon poking its head out. "Is it lunchtime yet?"

[Atlas Jiruga]

Renal was pleased when he saw Devimon fall. As the scenery changed Renal's hair became less wild and the blue flames began to calm down. He looked around for any more enemies. Then his attention came to Alchemon . "Virus!" Renal yelled.

Renal started to run but then stopped when he saw Atlas in front of him. "That is enough Renal!" Atlas screamed. Renal looked at him not knowing what to do. He wasn't sure if he should listen or go after Alchemon. "You listen to me! He isn't the enemy. Our enemy is dead. Calm down." Atlas said.

Renal still wasn't sure so he began to growl. Atlas showed no fear. "Go back to monodramon." Atlas said. Stikedramon was still a little hesitant. "But the virus! They don't belong!" Renal said. "I said go back! That isn't the enemy. Also you shouldn't act of your own free will. Always obey me!" Atlas yelled.

Renal obeyed and went back to monodramon. "Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. I saw Devimon and all i thought about was exterminating him. Also to protect you." Renal explained. "Don't do it again. Always listen to me, you could have got yourself killed! But anyway, Devimon is dead. We can rest" Atlas said plopping down on the grass.

" Yea. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted!" Renal said plopping down beside Atlas. Atlas looked around. "So many people... I hate crowds."

[Teo Sage]

Teo rubbed his stomach thinking about what might have happened to all that food before he then remembered everyone that was here and stood up.

"Konnichiwa! My name is Teo pleasure to meet you!" Teo stated and bowed as a show of respect clearly being the youngest their made him feel awkward but they were allies so it was ok.

"Teo what are you doing?" Yami asked. "I'm introducing myself to the newcomers like you should do Yami after all we were not introduced when Devimon attacked."

Yami gave a small grin then jumped on to Teo's head "Fine I can do that! My name is Yami-sama! Remember it! Thanks for the assistance before but your help was clearly unneeded." Yami said with a bit of a prideful aura about him.

"Yami....please forgive him his ego can be bigger then the rest of him at times." Teo smiled to seal the apology.

"No. I had it perfectly under control and whats an 'ego'?" Yami asked.

"Never mind that Yami."

Yami had a look of confusion on his face and then it turned to an expression of annoyance. "Well don't say things you won't explain to me."

Teo just shook his head in response.

[Dante]

Dante was otherwise occupied as the others were talking. He didn't care about them, and didn't care to know them. That was before.

Into the stillness of his world echoed two things. First was the sound of a boy berating his partner for acting independently. Second was the sound of a little digimon calling their help clearly unnecessary. A little digimon for whom Gatomon had gone through so much. The first sound bothered him, and to some degree, but not even approaching the disturbance that rippled across Dante's reality upon the utterance of the second sound. It echoed across his entire being and awoke a fire deep inside him, a fire even he didn't know was there. He put Gatomon down and turned towards Teo, striding with purpose towards the young boy. When he reached Teo, he reached back and delivered a slap to the little digimon perched on his head, aiming to send it flying. Should he succeed, he would run over to Yami and put his foot down on top of him, not hard enough to squash him, but hard enough that he wouldn't get far.

"Now you listen to me, you arrogant little whatsit," he said, over whatever cries of protest could be heard, "Before you even think of making a claim like that ever again, you'd better look long and hard at who all's bled for your precious victory."

Having spoken his piece, he kept his foot there, aware that one little talking to wouldn't be enough to make his point.

[Inori]

Alchemon made a low sound, which grew into a malicious sort of cackle. The alchemist digimon stepped out of the shadows, stalking towards Atlas and his partner. Alchemon's piercing gaze was on the Monodramon as he spoke.

"Virus? Why yes, I am. But at least I have a backbone to stand up for myself. Your partner is trying to deny you free will? What are you than; his mindless slave? Does that make him any better then say...Devimon and his controlling his minions who have given up their free will? I'd say you deserve better but perhaps you don't if you are so willing to bend to his demands without thought of preserving yourself."

The alchemist digimon shifted his direction to walk around the two, always keeping just far enough to where couldn't be quickly grabbed. He favored a sinister grin as he moved on. Just before he reached his destination...another shadowed place to vanish into, he turned and bowed in a dramatic way. "All hail the future replacement for Devimon and his lackey."

A low chuckle followed, and the virus digimon stepped back, vanishing into the shadows.



Inori started to carefully remove herself from Wizardmon's hug so as to do something herself, but:
a) Alchemon beat her to it (though his method was far more malicious then hers ever would have been), and
b) Dante's actions demanded a bit more attention.

If Alchemon wanted to get himself in trouble, that was his prerogative.

Distracted now by Dante, Inori stood up suddenly, picking Wizardmon up with her. This was not going to end well. The girl turned her attention briefly to Teo, then back to Dante. She suspected Teo was not likely to take this sitting down...or standing up as the case so happened to be. Part of her wanted to stop Dante, but another part of her agreed with him. A part she was not going to voice at the moment.

"Perhaps you should let me go, Inori." Wizardmon commented awkwardly. "Someone should check on Shiv, and I suspect it will be us, despite your feelings about him."

Inori winced slightly, then sighed. "Ever the voice of reason. Alright...but you should go grab Yang."

Carefully the girl put her partner down, and made her way over to Shiv. He didn't seem to be in worse condition then before, but she suspected his prior painkiller had rather warn off. It was a bit of a waiting game at the moment.

Wizardmon retrieved his staff before going to grab Shiv's errant partner and bring him over to Inori. "I think he just ran out of energy. Just let him rest for a bit, and he will be bouncing off the walls in no time."

"Lovely." The girl shook her head and chuckled. "So we wait either way."

"Indeed." The champion level digimon responded idly as he turned his attention towards the others around him. He made a quick mental note of which chosen were standing next to what digimon...his calculating gaze focusing a moment longer on the Kulumon than any of the others.

"Interesting..." He muttered under his breath, earning a quick questioning glance from Inori. Said glance was just as quickly dismissed with a shake of his head and a smile he was certain she could recognize by now, even without a full view of his face.

[shivdeeviant]

Yin filled with rage and indignation at Yami's remarks. While Teo berated his partner, Yin's emotions peaked. He felt the emotional energy course through him, his brother's strength becoming his own, and something else as well. It was as though the three of them were joined by something, and out of the corner of Yin's eye, he saw Shiv's digivice glowing weakly. This feeling was more than he had known before... Almost as though he could...

"Fufumon shinka! Kyokyomon!" He howled, his meager form bulging and bursting with the energy of their shared pride.

As Dante made his attack on the puny, ungrateful maggot of a vaccine, Yin dashed along the path the in-training would fly along. If the vaccine landed, he would use Metal Straw to surround him. As Dante would step on him, Yin would growl and wish the enraged unpredictable boy would press harder. This one had no idea what Yang and Shiv had given to ensure their victory against the damnable virus.

"...you'd better look long and hard at who all's bled for your precious victory."

The child finished and did not step away, so Yin put his face in the in-training's.

"And..." said Yin, his voice full of malice and threat, "If you ever think to disregard my brother again, understand that you do so at your own peril. Unlike you, we fought the virus with everything we had. If you didn't hold back and perhaps if you weren't so weak minded, we all would have gotten out of that fight unhurt, like you."

With that Yin backed off, and floated to Inori and Wizardmon. He ignored everything else.

"Thank you for helping us." He spoke to the duo, an odd kinship forming in his mind, "We are in your debt once again."

[Usachan]

Vee's eyes widen and growled at the human male. "Dont you ever DARE touch my little brother again!" He then turned to Yin. "And YOU, you dont talk to Yami like that!"

Kulumon's ears shrank, and his eyes went big and filled with tears. "Everyone is mad, kululu...."

Usa bit her lip and cried out. "We were just fighting together and now we're fighting each other! Arent we all on the same side, fighting towards the same goal?" Tears pricked her eyes, she had always hated when people fought, it brought back sad memories....

[Atlas Jiruga]

Atlas looked at Alchemon and glared. "You know Alchemon, I am his tamer and that means when he gets out of control I need to tame him. If i didn't stop him who knows what could of happened." Atlas said. "Also you should always listen to your partner. I trust Atlas." Renal said.

Atlas and Renal got up and looked at each other. "I'm getting a bad vibe from him." Renal whispered to Atlas. "Don't worry we might not be staying long. We were forced to come here and fight Devimon. Plus like i said before i hate crowds." Atlas said. "But i like some of these people and by some i mean the tamers with the Veemons." Renal said. "Well for now we will tag along." Atlas said.

[Teo Sage]

Teo eyed as the gloomy tamer made his way towards him Yami was bust eying the sky when the boy stopped in front of him Teo looked at the boy and grinned.

"What?" He said when he was unexpectedly struck by the boy Teo was shocked as he saw Yami's head underneath the sole of the man known as Dante. To top it off he was surrounded by an attack from another digimon.

He wanted to yell but couldn't force them out fearing a reaction by his two attackers.

Yami laid taken aback by the sudden attack not knowing to feel angry or surprised so he settled for the mix of each.

He listened to the words of his attackers and glared at the sole since it blocked his view of the mans face after they were finished speaking Yami's anger came over him.

"Remove your foot from my head or else." Yami threatened unfortunately his little body told another story and with his hungry body he couldn't possibly evolve to defend himself it was a hollow threat.

He wasn't the type to not retaliate no matter how grim a circumstance. He knew his brother wouldn't be to happy at this position either.

Teo cried when he saw Yami's position once again Teo felt powerless.

[Dante]

Dante held the little digimon under his foot, his wrath only just beginning to subside. He heard clearly the child who had been the source of the second noise, even though the child hadn't been talking to him.

"...I like some of these people and by some i mean the tamers with the Veemons," he finished.

He looked directly at the little girl as she spoke.

"We were just fighting together and now we're fighting each other! Arent we all on the same side, fighting towards the same goal?"

"No. We're not."

He stepped off the little digimon beneath him and walked over towards Gatomon.

She had been watching this whole turn of events, flabbergasted at her tamer's violence. All she said as he picked her up, though, was one word, and into it she poured the full weight of her meaning.

"Dante..."

Dante understood what she was feeling, but didn't care to have a real conversation just yet.

"Later," he said softly.

Once he had Gatomon in his arms, Dante continued walking, picking a direction at random and continuing on, not waiting to see if anyone followed him. All he wanted was to walk away from the group of kids behind him. He owed them nothing. There was no reason why he needed to be around them. He only came to Devimon because the guy had jacked his digivice. He had it and his partner, who glowed and reverted to her previous form as fatigue finally took its toll, so he needed nothing else from them, particularly if their group contained people like that. So off he went, completely ready to go it alone, because he saw no purpose in continuing to associate with the little children he, Inori, and Shiv had rescued from a demon.

[Inori]

Inori offered Kyokyomon a brief smile. "You saved me, I help you...we're getting close to even by now I'm sure."

Inori paused in her actions when she noticed Dante walking away.

"Wizardmon could you--"

"Placate the others while you try and stop Dante? Certainly." Wizardmon nodded, urging Inori to go. The girl looked momentarily grateful before she stood up, and ran after Dante, trying to catch up to him.

"Hey," She called out as she caught up to him, lowering her voice as she continued, the conversation meant only for Dante, Gatomon and herself. "I am about as thrilled with these turns of events as...well...someone who is not thrilled at all, but..."

She fidgeted a little, rubbing the back of her head as she considered her words to Dante.

"If there are more things out there like that nasty piece of work we just dealt with, going alone is probably not going to end well. If you want to go alone, I won't stop you. Well, this moment aside. If you want me to go with you, I will. I don't trust anyone here...but you're the only one that hasn't abandoned me or said something that makes me want to think really hard about hitting them. Ideally in the face. I just...Safety in numbers, as Wizardmon tells me. Yea?"

She smiled slightly as she fell silent.


Wizardmon watched his partner run after Dante before switching his attention to the others. Calming the masses was not his ideal way of spending time. A heavy sigh escaped the champion level digimon as he glanced towards the chosen he did not know.

"You will have to forgive the...less then warm greetings." He paused glancing to the Kyokyomon. "Just as we will have to forgive the hopefully now deflated ego of one small blue digimon, along with what ideally is a misunderstanding of words."

The latter comment was clearly directed at Atlas, as Wizardmon fixed him with a calculating look. "But the situation has left both of our groups in less then ideal condition, and even worse moods. I suspect both of which can be remedied with a little time. For now perhaps we could set the forming differences aside. There are enough things to fight out here...and I for one would prefer less enemies than more."

Wizardmon shifted to rub his forehead, muttering to Yin. "The two chibimon will likely protect each other in the same way you would protect Yang. It would become a never-ending cycle if you continued. I know you want to defend him, but..." He trailed off with a shrug. It was Yin's choice in the end, but ideally the point would be made.

The wizard digimon folded his hands behind his back, scanning the others briefly before glancing in the general direction of Inori. Honestly, he was indifferent as to if the others continued to argue or not as regardless of their choices, he would still have his partner.