Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Morphs: A Digimorphs Tale ❯ To Be, or not to Be? ( Chapter 5 )

Digimon / Digital Monsters and all related trademarks belong are copyright to Toei animation / Saban entertainment. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission.

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

"Hey, what was all the noise just now?" Steve asked the moment he heard his door opening.

"Oh, did we wake you? Sorry about that." Gold V-Dramon replied. "Some evil Digimon showed up and your friends went off with the rest of the knights to take care of it. I'm sure they'll be fine, so don't worry."

"Bah, looks like I'm missing all the action." Steve sighed. "But you still sound rather uneasy yourself."

"It's hard not to, I guess. Especially since when someone comes back inured, I have to work overtime."

"Then you're the medic right? They called you Gold or something?"

"Yes, Gold V-Dramon is my name."

"Anyway, I want to thank you for fixing me up. It's also kind of hard trying to get to recognize all of you by your voices alone." Steve gestured to the bandage over his eyes. "By the way, what's this for anyway?"

"Oh, you ... you had some deep cuts rather close to your eyes." Gold V-Dramon explained. "I cleaned them up, but I decided to put the bandage over your face, just in case."

"I see. Well, not literally, but you get the point." Steve laughed. He had however, sensed some hesitation in the medic's voice. Was there something she didn't want to tell him?

Steve decided not to ask her about it now.

"If there's anything else I can do for you, please let me know." Gold V-Dramon added in.

"Actually, there is something I want to know." Steve lowered his voice to a whisper. "Is Raindramon here?"

"He's up at the watchtowers." The golden armored dinosaur replied. "But why do you ask?"

"He kept on calling me brother and I sincerely felt like he meant it. Is there something behind this?"

"I suppose they'd have to tell you eventually." Gold V-Dramon said softly. She closed the door and sat down beside Steve's bed. "Raindramon had an older brother, a Flamedramon, like you. He was our previous commander and also the one who helped form our brotherhood."

"Sounds like he was pretty good." Steve whistled.

"Yes. He was one of the most skilled warriors I'd ever seen, easily surpassing even Digimon older than himself. Many others joined our cause. Those were the better days."

"Then, what happened?"

"One day, we arrived at a seaside town just in time to ward off an attack from a swarm of aquatic Digimon. As the enemy forces retreated, our sources all pointed to them re-grouping at the eastern shore. Our plan was to attack and take them out before they could escape. But then Flamedramon had a hunch that they would instead gather at a cove by the west. Magnamon and him got into a fight about it. In the end, he let her take all the troops to the east, while he went off to the western area by himself. Flamedramon promised us he'd immediately call for back up if it turned out he were right. But ... "

"He never did, did he?"

"Yes." Gold V-Dramon gritted her teeth. "His hunch was right after all. When we found nothing, we went after him. There were signs of an ambush and a fight on the location, but no sign of Flamedramon. We searched for weeks around the surrounding area and the seas, but found nothing."

"Then, Raindramon ... "

"Poor boy was heartbroken. Magnamon was forced into the leadership role, although she still blames herself for Flamedramon's death. But she wasn't able to hold the group together and soon, everyone begun leaving, until it was just us left."

"Geez, that sucks."

"Magnamon isn't bad at all, but I feel her weakness is that she's still trying to be Flamedramon and not herself." Gold commented. "So, anything else you'd like to know?"

"How about whatever you talked to my friends about just now?"

"All right then. It's like this ... "

Gold V-Dramon slowly detailed out everything from the meeting earlier on.

However, Steve found himself only half listening. Instead, his mind kept on drifting back to the image he never saw of Raindramon looking sadly over him. Now that he had heard the whole story, it wasn't too hard to image the young Digimon's feelings at that moment.

Raindramon ...

Another image came to Steve's mind. However, this one was of himself, standing over by his older brother's coffin, at the funeral.

I've been through what you're going through now. If only ... if only I could help to ease your pain, my friend.

An idea snapped into Steve's mind. Perhaps, there was a way ...

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

The mist shrouded valley ahead of them seemed peaceful and quiet, but Sekata knew better than to think that way.

"That's it?" Zoe asked.

"Yes." Magnamon nodded. "And there lies our adversary."

It had been about an hour's walk/flight from the castle. The group waited up on a ridge for their scout to return.

"And here he is now." Sagittarimon pointed.

Gargoylemon swooped down into view and landed in front of the group.

"I've completed my recon of the area." The scout reported. "Of the three entrances, the northern and southern gates are heavily guarded by patrols of Bakemon. However, the western one seems, rather untouched, I would say."

"Smells like a trap." Magnamon muttered. "Anything else?"

"I couldn't get any closer or risk detection."

"All right then." Magnamon acknowledged. "Depthmon should already be in position up river. Sagittarimon, Gargoylemon, I want you two to meet up with him and provide us with a distraction. Go give a knock on his front door. I'll take the rest of the group and walk into his 'trap'."

"You like to live dangerously, don't you?" Sekata asked.

"So I've been told." She replied. "You kids can still back out now if you want."

"NO WAY!" Sekata, Zoe and Jan burst out.

"And just who are you calling 'kids'?" Sekata added in. "I bet I can go in there and whip that guy's ass before you can say 'Digimetal Up'!"

Yasyamon grunted and shook his head, letting off a soft laugh.

"OK people," Magnamon nodded. "If we're all done with the questions, let's move!"

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

Gold V-Dramon sighed, walking up to the quarters of her colleague, Raindramon.

I just know I'm going to regret this. She thought, think back to Steve's proposal.

"You want me to WHAT!?" She'd yelled.

"Please Gold." Steve pleaded.

"I ... I can't do it! It's ... it's just wrong! What's going to happen if he finds out then?"

"He won't." Steve insisted. "Not until the time he's ready and gotten over his loss. Then, I'll be able to break the truth to him."

"But, that could be a long time."

"I'll wait, as long as it takes. Gold, I'll take responsibility for this whole thing, I promise you."

I just hate being so nice.

"Raindramon?" She asked, knocking on the door.

"Go away." Came the reply.

"Fine, I'll go then. But I just have to tell something about the Flamedramon. I was checking him through and it seems like he was suffering from amnesia prior to the incident."

"Hmmm?"

"What's interesting was that he seemed quite transfixed when I told him your brother's story. He pointed out several things that I hadn't told him yet. And he apparently had a memory of being dragged out to sea, washed down with the current and swimming to safety."

"Wait, so this means ... " The young Digimon's voice had changed to an excited tone.

"I'm not claiming to confirm anything." Gold V-Dramon continued. "And I'm not saying Magnamon was wrong either. But there just might be a possibility that ... "

Before she could finish her sentence, the door flew open, smacking her in the face.

"It was bro after all!" Raindramon cried happily. "He's just got amnesia! That's all! Bro! I'm coming!"

The black armored Digimon sprinted down the corridor and disappeared, leaving Gold V-Dramon with a very sore nose.

"Oh boy." She said softly. "Steve, what have you made me do? Magnamon's gonna kill me for this..."

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

The bright white light of an explosion was seen from the other side of the area.

"Sagittarimon's Judgment Arrow." Magnamon said. "Go! Go! Go!"

The group sprang from their hiding places in the bushes and raced for the western gate.

"Magna Blast!"

"Exhaust Flame!"

"X-laser!"

The two Bakemon guards were deleted before they had a chance to sound the alarm. Most of the guards had already charged to the main, northern gate, where the attack was supposedly coming from. Leaving this entrance only lightly guarded.

Sekata noted that the area did indeed look like a graveyard. Long grass, old stone walls and stone markers. The markers however, were not individual gravestones, but rather memorials of an ancient battle.

The party of 5 encountered little resistance in making their way to a building in the center. It led down into a mausoleum, where Magnamon suspected their quarry was hiding.

"Looks like that's the last of the spooks." Sekata called, tearing his claws through the last of the Bakemon.

"Yeah," Zoe nodded. "I think we're ... ugh-oh!"

She'd just spotted another group of Digimon approaching. Amongst those she recognized were Deltamon, Tyranomon, Snimon and Tuskmon. However, instead of being their normal colors, all of them were completely black with glowing red eyes.

"This was what Gargoylemon said about the data of the fallen being resurrected." Magnamon growled. She fired off several missiles, blowing the arms off the nearest Deltamon. However, it kept on walking until Yasyamon attacked with his swords and took its head off. Only then did the body fall and dissipate into data bits.

"They're like the zombies in those old movies." Jan commented. "You've got to kill them by decapitation."

"Hargh!" Zoe leapt aside to avoid a Twin Sickles attack, then grabbed the Snimon's bladed arm and threw it into its companions. "We won't be able to fight them off forever!"

"We need to take Myotismon out." Magnamon said.

"Right." Sekata nodded. "Zoe, Jan, think you can hold these guys off here?"

"No prob!" Zoe gave a thumbs-up. "We'll be all right. You and Magnamon go on ahead."

"But don't take too long." Jan growled, blocking a Blaze Blast with her arms and slicing the Tyranomon zombie in half.

Yasyamon was already in the middle of the zombie pack, leaping and swirling with his swords flying in all directions.

"All right." Magnamon nodded in approval. "Sekata, this way."

The Strikedramon somersaulted over several zombies and raced after the golden knight as she led him to the mausoleum in the center. The entrance was sealed shut by a huge, stone door.

"There's a combination that's used to open this door." Magnamon said, touching some symbols at the side. "Damn! He's scrambled the code!"

"Well, I'll unscrambled it then." Sekata growled, getting out a card. "Card Slash! Attack Chip!"

With his newfound strength, he drove both fists into the door, shattering it into rock fragments.

"Sekata, do you know that this is an ancient memorial?!" Magnamon scolded.

"Send me the bill." Sekata laughed. "Come on, or else I'll get to have all the fun!"

He took off, running down the spiral stairs. Magnamon sighed before following his descent into the darkness.

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

"OK, OK, bro. Don't shove too many things at me at once. My head's still rather fuzzy, you know."

"Yeah, but you were gone for 6 months, and I ... I just have so much to say."

Gold V-Dramon stood outside the door and eavesdropped on their conversation. Raindramon, naive as ever, had of course jumped to the most obvious conclusion. Although, she had to admit this was the first time she'd actually heard the young Digimon happy since Flamedramon's death. Steve had the best intentions in mind, but she was still worried about how'd she'd explain it to the others.

Gold suspected too, that Steve had definitely had some motive for pushing himself into that position. What and why, were beyond her.

"You should get up and take a look around." Raindramon was saying. "This medical room should be pretty familiar to you."

"Gold told me not to move around too much." Steve protested.

"Oh, don't worry about her. You should remember that she's real fussy when it comes to these things, but she's the medic, so I don't blame her."

EXCUSE ME?! Gold managed to prevent herself from storming in there and screaming it out loud.

"Anyway, only your left arm's in a sling, and you shouldn't move that. But don't worry about the rest of the bandages." Raindramon explained.

"OK then. Here goes. Whoa!" Steve had finally given in to his 'brother's' request.

"Here, hold onto me."

"Thanks."

Just then, the com-link on the wall beeped. It was part of the communications system installed throughout the base, which was mainly used in relaying information to troops in the field and back. Gold tapped a buttons and activated the speaker.

"Gold," It was Depthmon. "I think the others need a little help. The waterways are limited, so I can't get really close."

"All right. But do you think we can leave the kids in the castle alone?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine."

"I'm on my way Depthmon."

"Roger. Over and out."

Gold shut off the com-link and prepared to depart. However, she paused at the door, trying to decide whether or not to interrupt their 'reunion' or just go on ahead.

"That's odd." Raindramon's voice said. "I don't remember you having any wounds on your face at all."

"Than what's the bandage for?" Steve asked.

"I dunno. Maybe you should take it off and look. There's a mirror right over here."

"Yeah, a while couldn't hurt, I guess." Steve agreed.

Oh shit! Gold realized. He'd better not!

"NO! Wait, don't do that!" The medic yelled, barging into the room.

Too late, Steve already had the bandage removed from his eyes. Raindramon was standing aside with a confused look on his face. Steve was blinking his brown eyes and seemingly staring at the mirror.

Unfortunately, Gold V-Dramon knew what he was really seeing.

"I'm ... I'm ... blind." The Flamedramon staggered. "I'M BLIND!"

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

Zoe had just realized how out of place she was. The whole thing had been so exciting that she'd gone along, and now, she was getting knocked back to reality.

"Argh!" The Exveemon ducked beneath the claws of two Tyranomon, rolling away as they crashed into each other. "Card Slash! Queen Device!"

Sekata had told her that this card would give her a temporary power boost. Seeing herself glowing with a pink aura, she fired off her X-laser, blowing the group of zombies in front of her to bits.

"Wow, he was sure right about that." She panted, shielding her face from the flying pieces.

Suddenly, Yasyamon pulled her out of the way just seconds before a Blaze Blast annihilated the spot she'd been standing on.

The samurai-like Digimon threw his remaining sword into the attacker, dissipating him.

"Thanks." Zoe breathed.

Yasyamon nodded, but then looked up at the approaching zombies. There still seemed to be as many of them as ever.

"Judgment Arrow!" A glowing white arrow was fired into the group, blowing them apart.

Gargoylemon swooped down from the sky and tore a couple of zombies to pieces.

"Sorry we took so long but we had a few problems." Sagittarimon yelled. "Depthmon's taking care of some ghosts up river."

"You guys see Jan around?" Zoe asked. "The Growlmon?"

"She was over there!" Gargoylemon pointed.

"I'm going after her." Zoe flew off without waiting for a response. She had to deal with several Snimon in an aerial battle, but she eventually spotted her friend.

The Growlmon was backing off, torching zombies with her Pryo Blaster and slicing up any that got too close. Unfortunately, she also happened to be unknowingly backing up towards a large trench.

"Jan! Watch it!" Zoe yelled, gesturing behind her.

Jan didn't hear her as she was still too far away, and only waved back, indicating she was fine.

"No! Look behind you!"

Too late, Janet took another step and fell backwards into the pit. The Digimon zombies immediately swarmed her, taking advantage of her fall and leaping down after her.

"NO!" Zoe cried desperately.

Her moment of distraction was turned against her as a Snimon shot her out of the air. Zoe hit the ground hard. She was still trying to get the ringing out of her ears when she heard Jan cry out a familiar phrase.

"EVOLUTION! MEGALOGROWLMON!"

A bright flash of light, then a thunderous roar, followed that.

"Atomic Blaster!"

The powerful blast sent data bits flying everywhere. Zoe could only sit up and stare, mouth-opened as the newly evolved form of her friend.

"Jan?"

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

Steve sat by the pond, head on his lap. He could head the splashing of the water from the fountain and the sounds of the birds chirping nearby.

He just couldn't see them.

Grapping a pebble, he tossed it into the pond. He heard the 'plop', but couldn't see that either.

"Gold's left." Raindramon's footsteps approached. "She'd like to give you a formal explanation, but ... "

"But duty calls." Steve finished, nodding.

"Don't be mad at her bro." Raindramon said, lying down beside him. "She had the best intentions in mind."

"I never said I was mad at her."

"Yeah, that's right. You should be mad at me instead. I was the one who knocked you off that cliff in the..."

"No!" Steve blurted out. "I mean, no. I don't blame you either. You know, I feel thing's happen for a reason. It's just up to us to decide what that reason is, and then find out how we work with it."

"That's just like something I knew you'd always say bro." Raindramon smiled, nuzzling him.

"Let me ask you this: if someone just like me had told you this same thing about my death, would you still have acted as you have until now?"

"Gee, that a tough one. I really don't know. Could be better, could be worse. But, you're here now, so it doesn't really matter, right?"

"Yeah." Steve forced a smile, putting an arm around Raindramon's head.

Lying with the best of intentions. Steve thought. They always said that 'what goes around comes around'. I've taken the shock, but now how to I break the truth to Raindramon and spare him of this pain?

Steve mentally cursed himself.

Oh god, what have I done?

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

The corridor led along a straight pathway until it came to a huge, iron door. Guarding it was rather gigantic, humanoid Digimon clad in white and silver armor.

"You'll not get any further than this!" Knightmon declared, drawing his sword.

Sekata gestured with his snout for Magnamon to go ahead. The armored knight nodded in approval and the pair charged together.

" Strike Claw!" Sekata leapt up and attacked their opponent's face, giving Magnamon time to slide between his legs and slip through the door. "Take that!"

Sekata launched a barrage of kicks and punches, followed up by clamping his fangs into Knightmon's arm. The only reward he got for that was a few broken teeth.

"Mahahahaha!" Knightmon laughed evilly.

"Eep ... " Sekata muttered.

The Strikedramon was grabbed and smashed through the wall. Sekata found himself in a secret passage, amidst a pile of bricks. He didn't have much time to comprehend this however, barely managing to roll away from Knightmon's sword attack.

"Come on!" Sekata taunted, rolling to his feet.

"RRrragghh!" Knightmon let of a battle cry.

Sekata dodged the huge sword twice, and then caught it with both his claws on the third swing, attempting to wrestle it out of his opponent's hand. Knightmon grunted as he struggled to keep his hold.

Yes! Sekata thought triumphantly. As long as he doesn't have another sword, I'll be all right.

His jubilance was short lived, however. Right on cue, the dark knight reached behind his back and pulled out another sword with his free hand.

"Shimatta!" The Digi-morph cursed.

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

Magnamon followed the corridor into what could be described as a tribal shaman's personal storage room. However, this was instead a vampire lord's lair. And in front of her, stood the vampire himself.

"You're here at last." Myotismon laughed, standing up. "Just as was expected of you."

"Shut up!" Magnamon growled, opening up her hidden missile racks. "This time, I'm here to take you out for good!"

"Oh you wouldn't want to do that." The vampire continued calmly. "Certain chemicals in this room may prove to be, rather explosive."

"You're bluffing."

"Possibly. But can you afford to take that risk?"

"Dammit!"

During the conversation, three hidden laser cannons had revealed themselves on the wall behind Magnamon. Unbeknown to her, they had already locked on to their target.

Myotismon grinned as they fired.

In a split second, Magnamon spun round, whipped out a golden-bladed lightsaber and deflected all three shots back into the laser cannons. Myotismon was visibly annoyed as his hidden cannons blew up.

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks, as they say." Magnamon grinned, pointing her lightsaber at him.

"Humph. So, we decide this with our sword skills instead." Myotismon reached under his cloak and activated a Darth Maul-style double bladed red lightsaber. "On guard!"

"Hargh!"

"Yargh!"

Sparks flew as the two lightsabers clashed.

--------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

Sekata was having a hell of a time both grasping the huge sword and trying to avoid the second, smaller sword being swung at him.

"Argh!" He was swinging his body weight from left to right and finally pulled the larger sword down so Knightmon accidentally shattered it with his smaller sword. The force of the motion sent the knight stumbling, losing both his weapons in the process.

Sekata grabbed the unbroken sword and pointed it at his opponent.

"GGGaarrgghh! All right, that's' it!" Knightmon raged.

He pulled out and activated what looked very similar to a green lightsaber.

"Oh, give me a break... " Sekata muttered. He attempted to parry his opponent's attack, but the lightsaber easily sliced his weapon into pieces.

Sekata ducked a swing, jumped to the left and jumped backwards. The last swing grazed his chest, leaving another lengthwise scar. Attempting a counter-attack, he dodged another strike and leapt onto his opponent's face, repeatedly striking his face. The larger Digimon simply pulled him off and literally drove his head through the wall.

The dragon realized that his head was firmly wedged into the wall. Desperately, he braced his feet against the wall and pulled in a futile attempt to free himself as Knightmon delightedly walked over.

"Ah, a dragon's head would make a fine trophy." Knightmon laughed, raising his weapon. "I'll just have to get it out of the wall first ... "

"No! NO!" Sekata screamed in horror.

Suddenly, he felt the Digivice strapped to his right hand vibrating. Sekata grasped it more tightly as it begun glowing, causing Knightmon to jump back in surprise.

"EVOLUTION!" The Strikedramon cried as the bright light emitted from the Digivice engulfed his body. Black lightning struck his body, adding on pieces of black armor, changing it to a more familiar form. "CYBERDRAMON!"

"What the!? AARRGGGHH!" Knightmon cried as a blue burst of energy struck him in the chest, sending him flying backwards.

"Now, try taking on someone your on own level." Sekata taunted, glad to be back in his 'original' body.

"I'll get you yet! Take this!" Knightmon yelled, charging.

"Card Slash! Alias!" Sekata rolled around his opponent as a duplicate of himself appeared.

Knightmon attacked the one in front of him, the clone, which vanished as he brought the sword down. Leaving his back open to the real Cyberdramon behind him.

"Erase Claw!"

"AARGGHH!" Knightmon blew up, exploding into a stream of data bits.

Sekata triumphantly caught his lightsaber before it fell.

"Huh? My Digivice?" Sekata held it up as it begun to glow. In particular, the card slot had a light within it. It seemed to be indicating something with the data cloud, which had not yet dispersed.

"This spirit in damnation…my dragon soul redeems! DIGI-CODE SCAN!"

In a bluish light, the data formed into a steady stream which was drawn towards his Digivice. Sekata looked down at the image of Knightmon on the screen.

"Perhaps in your afterlife, you'll be different." Sekata spoke aloud as the light in the room died down.

He then heard another scream from the next room.

"Magnamon!" He gasped, running.

He barged into the room to see Magnamon on the floor, grasping her right leg in pain, and Myotismon about to skewer her with a dual-bladed lightsaber.

"Yargh!" Sekata flew forward, just in time to deflect the blow and kick Myotismon away.

"Humph." The vampire grunted. "Another fool dares to oppose me."

"Sekata, catch!" Magnamon tossed him her golden lightsaber.

"This is getting to be a scene straight out of Star Wars." Sekata muttered, catching it in his other hand.

The Cyberdramon showed off his sword control by twirling the lightsabers in front of him, then alternately at his sides.

"Impressive. But let's see how you do in a battle instead."

Sekata growled, facing his opponent. Both tensed to strike.