Part 4: Fight for Freedom
"Hello, Mrs. Ichijouji? Actually, I'm calling about Ken...yeah, he's staying at my house tonight...yeah, fine, whatever..." T.K. hung up the phone and turned to the other digidestined. "That's over with, thank goodness. She believes us."
Sora shook her head. "Wonder what Ken's doing right now..." Suddenly her digivice beeped and an unfamiliar female voice came out of it.
"Ken, how does this thing work? Ken? Chieko, make Ken talk to me."
"GAH! Okay, okay, don't threaten me anymore, Casia..."
Casia sighed. "Fine, Ken-chan. Now show me how this thing works. Why's the little red button flashing? Did I hurt it?"
"Nooooooo, you turned it on. Gimme that!"
She laughed. "Why? Your arms are tied down."
"GUYS! Guys, I'm all right...I think she was lying about that snake being poisono--YAH! Get away from me! HELP!"
The last thing they heard before the connection stopped was Casia saying, "Ke-en, does this button turn it off? Never mind...I don't care if it does or not..."
Kari looked up at Tai. "We have a big problem here, don't we?"
Tai exhaled. "Whoo boy, this is way more than we thought it was. Ken's trapped with some insane Chingomon named Casia, and there's a poisonous snake..."
Patamon sighed. "We have to go back to the Digiworld tonight. We have to fight those evil copies to save Ken!"
"If he isn't dead already," Joe muttered.
"Don't say that!" Mimi cried. She gazed down at her hands. "Although, come to think of it, it's probably true..."
Sora stood up, yawning. "Well, I know Tai, Matt, and I can't go. Our history exam is tomorrow."
"I'm going," Matt said. "I don't care about American presidents. I care about our friends, not some dead guys in another country. Tai, you coming?"
Tai shook his head. "I didn't bother studying in study hall, and I really need it. You can just count the two of us out."
Mimi nodded as well. "Even if I'm in Japan and go to school in America, I still need to study. I go home in a week, and I arrive at seven A.M. the day of a big math test."
"I'm with you, Matt," Izzy said. "I care more about my friends. No tests for me! Besides, I started studying a week ago for the test tomorrow."
"Count me in," Joe said.
Kari shook her head. "I know Daisuke and I can't come. We're partners on a BIG project that's due tomorrow. T.K.'s free, he turned his in already." T.K. nodded.
"Mom would kill me if I was out that late," Iori said.
"I'm in," Miyako said.
Izzy nodded. "So that settles it. Matt, Joe, T.K., Miyako, and I will go to the Digiworld tonight to fight for Ken!"
~*~
Late that night, Joe slipped into the computer room and shut the door. "Are we all here?"
"We're waiting on Miyako," T.K. said. Just then, the girl flew into the room.
"Sorry--my sister was up, studying--had to sneak out--" She glanced around. "Hey, I'm the only girl here!"
Izzy nodded. "All right. Miyako, T.K., open the gate!"
"Digi-Port, open!"
The five landed in Digiworld a little later, right in front of the castle. It wasn't guarded. "Guess they think we won't come at night..." Matt whispered. "Let's head in."
"Wait, where are our digimon?" Izzy asked. Only Patamon and Hawkmon were there.
"No time, Izzy, come on!" Joe said. He tiptoed quietly to the door and inspected the lock. "Easy to pick, all I need is a piece of wire or something--"
"Done," Matt said. "I figured we would have to break in--or out." He held out a crooked piece of wire. Joe took it and picked the lock.
No one was in the front room, which had been magically rebuilt. Suddenly they heard loud voices.
"Casia, what did I tell you? You can't use Chieko on captives! Now that Ken kid is poisoned and no good to us!"
"Oh, Alizamon, you're no fun!"
"And YOU are a puny human! Go now, be gone!"
A girl clothed in black stormed through a door and stopped short when she saw the five children. "You kids looking for Ken?"
Matt bravely stepped forward and nodded. Casia continued, "Good. You heard HER, he's no use to us anyway. Chieko here poisoned him." Casia stroked the snake. "She thinks she's SO good. Alizamon, that is. Come on, I'll lead you to him."
Hardly daring to believe their luck, the digidestined followed her. T.K. hung back and whispered to his brother, "She's so creepy, wearing black and carrying that snake everywhere!"
Casia grabbed a candle off a table and lit it so that the kids could see in the dark underground room. Ken was bound to a larger table and looked ashen. His eyes were closed.
"I'll get the key," Casia said softly as Matt, Miyako, and T.K. ran forward, followed by Joe and Izzy.
"Ken! Speak to me!" Miyako begged. "Please!"
"Kudasai, Ken!" Matt said. "Get up!"
"He won't, you know."
The digidestined whirled to see a man standing in the shadows. The man held Chieko in his arms. "This little snake poisoned him. He's basically dead already; there's no antidote. I should know, I breed snakes here in the Digital World. I am a Chingomon, Rob. No 'mon' at the end. This snake and many others were bred from three human snakes that slid through. Seadramon was one. MetalCobramon is one. Even Wormmon was bred by me. You never see the non-digimon ones because they're locked up. She--" Meaning Casia-- "received Chieko as her digimon when she appeared in this world. She wouldn't give up this little one for the world."
"Wow," Izzy said. "So Chieko is kinda like Casia's digimon?"
"Yes."
"And if she's got a digimon, she's a digidestined!" T.K. said.
"Not exactly. Casia is a DarkDestined. There are five DarkDestined, but she is the only one here since she was summoned by Alizamon. Your journey will never be over until you defeat the DarkDestined."
"But Casia is so nice!"
Rob nodded. "Yes, Casia is a kind girl at heart. If only she wasn't a DarkDestined..."
"Dark what?"
Casia was coming down the stairs. Rob mouthed, "She doesn't know what she is!" and disappeared into the shadows.
The small girl unlocked the chains and pointed at the stairs. "Take Ken-chan and go!" she whispered. "Hurry!"
The digidestined ran up the stairs, Joe carrying the unconscious Ken. Suddenly EvilAngemon appeared at the top. The malicious seraph raised his staff, ready to bring it crashing down on their heads...
"Chieko! Go attack, now!" The poison green snake slithered past them and bit EvilAngemon's ankle. Unfortunately, the noise brought Alizamon running. Her first impression was this--the door to the dungeons was flung wide open. EvilAngemon was lying in the doorway, moaning, with Chieko clinging to his ankle for all she was worth. Five of those annoying pests, the digidestined, were gazing, open-mouthed, at her, one holding her captive. Behind them stood Casia, her former servant.
"WHAT?!"
"Give it all you've got!" Casia shouted. "Alizamon, I'm fighting with the digidestined now!"
"You can't," Rob's throaty voice said from behind her. "You, Casia, are a DarkDestined. You are destined to fight against them, not with them."
"W--What?" the girl asked. "That can't be!"
T.K. and Miyako looked at each other, then at their digimon. "Digi-Armor Energize!"
"Patamon, armor-digivolve to...Pegasusmon! Flying Hope! Star Shower!"
"Hawkmon, armor-digivolve to...Halsemon! The Wings of Love! Tempest Wing!"
Alizamon flew out of the way just in time and called for the other evil digidestined digimon. For the next few minutes no one could tell what was happening. Eventually, only IceIkkakumon, BlackGarurumon, VirusGreymon, NightHalsemon, and DeathAngewomon were left standing. DarkStingmon hadn't ever shown up, and Alizamon had left to go find him and set him on the digidestined.
Chieko dove forward suddenly and bit DeathAngewomon, who instantly slid to the floor. Halsemon simultaneously shot a Tempest Wing at her evil self, who also was knocked out. Pegasusmon's following Star Shower took out IceIkkakumon and VirusGreymon. BlackGarurumon snarled and braced himself.
Ken stirred slightly and opened his eyes. "What...what happened?"
"Ken! You're awake! How do you feel?" Joe asked anxiously.
"I ache all over...and..." Suddenly his eyes went wide. "Oh no, not again..."
DarkStingmon had arrived.
He and BlackGarurumon attacked at the same time, combining their attack into a shining black and purple ball that flew straight at them...
Casia knocked them out of the way just in time and took the full explosion, knowing it wouldn't hurt her nearly as much. She was thrown backwards, into a wall, where she slid limply to the floor.
Chieko had had enough. She darted forward and bit BlackGarurumon at the same time the armor digimon attacked DarkStingmon. Both cried out and ran away. The digidestined, who had been sent sprawling, automatically looked at Casia...
...and saw that she was already gone.
"Someone, probably Rob, took her away," Izzy said. "And I doubt she's in very good shape."
Joe picked up Ken again. "Let's get Ken home for now and worry about Casia later. She IS a DarkDestined, remember."
~*~
Ken tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. Instead he concentrated his efforts on everything else.
Someone was stroking his head. ~Matt?~ he thought. No, the hands were too small...someone else...maybe T.K.?
Finally Ken managed to open his eyes. Kari jumped, startled, but then sighed in relief. "Ken's awake," she called to the other digidestined, who were gathered around his computer.
"Hey, Ken," Tai said, immediately coming over. "How do you feel?"
"My first impression is that I feel like a stone statue," Ken said slowly. "Where did Casia go? And DarkStingmon?"
"DarkStingmon ran away," T.K. said from near the computer. "And Casia...well, you can see for yourself. Izzy hacked into your database and figured out how to keep an eye on her."
The screen of Ken's computer showed a black-and-white image of the small girl, unconscious, in the dungeons. Rob or someone had covered her with a blanket, but she was shivering.
"Where am I?" Ken asked after a moment.
"At your house," Miyako said. "Your dad had to go on a business trip, and your mom's with him. They saw me just as they were leaving for the airport and told me to remind you to be good while they were gone. I ran back to T.K.'s house, where you were at the time, and told them. So we moved you in here. Joe said if you woke up you would probably be fine, so I guess we can assume you'll live."
"Good," Ken said. "Have you been back to the Digiworld since you saved me?"
Mimi shook her head. "We didn't dare leave. As soon as you feel up to it, we're heading out there to defeat Alizamon."
Ken also shook his head. "It's hopeless, don't you see? They have the evil version of Stingmon; we don't. They have Dark Spirals; mine are destroyed. It's useless to fight unless we have a plan."
"A plan..." Matt said slowly. "Wait a minute! We could get Wormmon back!"
"How?" nearly everyone asked.
T.K. answered. "Primary Village! We go there, get Elecmon to help us find Wormmon's DigiEgg, and rub it till it hatches!"
"Good idea!" Daisuke said. "Simple, and fool-proof!"
Sora nodded. "But we don't know where Primary Village is. And besides that, we would only have him in his baby form, which can't battle!"
"This is where we stop Alizamon once and for all!" Matt said suddenly. "She's already captured us, hurt Ken, and nearly killed Casia. I say we digivolve into ultimates--except you and me, Tai. We're going mega!"
"How?" Tai asked. "What about our crests?"
"Don't you remember Apocalymon? We don't need our crests to digivolve anymore!"
Tai nodded slowly. "I remember...then let's go to the Digiworld!"
"I'm coming too," Ken said. "You guys need me. I can stay in the main control room and destroy the Spirals from there while you attack!"
Joe smiled. "Then it's settled, I guess. We're the DigiTeam!"
"And we're going to win!" Iori said happily. "Let's go!"
~*~
"Agumon, warp-digivolve to...WarGreymon!"
"Gabumon, warp-digivolve to...MetalGarurumon!"
"Palmon, digivolve to...Togemon! Togemon, digivolve to...Lillymon!"
"Gomamon, digivolve to...Ikkakumon! Ikkakumon, digivolve to...Zudomon!"
"Tentomon, digivolve to...Kabuterimon! Kabuterimon, digivolve to...MegaKabuterimon!"
"Biyomon, digivolve to...Birdramon! Birdramon, digivolve to...Garudamon!"
"It worked!" Tai shouted.
"Digi-Armor Energize!"
"Veemon, armor-digivolve to...Flamedramon! The Fire of Courage!"
"Hawkmon, armor-digivolve to...Halsemon! The Wings of Love!"
"Armadillomon, armor-digivolve to...Digmon! The Drill of Power!"
"Gatomon, armor-digivolve to...Nefertimon! The Angel of Light!"
"Patamon, armor-digivolve to...Pegasusmon! Flying Hope!"
Ken climbed onto MetalGarurumon's back. Somehow he had wheedled his way into coming along for the battle, although not even Izzy knew exactly how...
Alizamon watched the digidestined come toward her castle. She whirled around to Antonymon and held up a Dark Spiral.
"Go attach this to Casia!"
"ARE WE THERE YET?!" Mimi shouted.
"SEE FOR YOURSELF!" Joe called back.
Finally they landed outside the castle, where they were immediately attacked by VirusGreymon, BlackGarurumon, RavenBirdramon, ThornTogemon, IceIkkakumon, and SpikeKabuterimon. Their further-digivolved selves quickly sent them running or flying away.
"Guess they can't take the heat!" WarGreymon roared. Tai laughed, but suddenly stopped.
"Here come DeathAngewomon and BladeDigmon!" he yelled. "And behind them SteelFlamedramon and NightHalsemon!"
"Why are EvilAngemon and DarkStingmon always the last ones to show?" Sora asked.
"Rosetta Stone!"
"Gold Rush!"
"Flaming Fist!"
"Tempest Wing!"
DeathAngewomon was instantly defeated, and Halsemon hit her other personality hard. SteelFlamedramon and BladeDigmon sent their own attacks out, however.
"Blade Gold Rush!"
"Steel Fire Rocket!"
Pegasusmon and Nerfertimon looped a Golden Noose around SteelFlamedramon and then used their own attacks on him. Meanwhile, the ultimates and megas took on BladeDigmon.
"Flower Cannon!"
"Horn Buster!"
"Vulcan's Hammer!"
"Wing Blade!"
"Terra Force!"
"Ice Wolf Claw!"
The attacks completely deleted BladeDigmon, but SteelFlamedramon freed himself and sprinted away. "One down, eleven to go," Kari said grimly.
The digidestined jumped down from their digimon and watched as eleven attacks destroyed part of the castle. Several Chingomon rushed out, including Antonymon, and began to assault the intruding digimon. None of them noticed the twelve children slipping into the castle.
"The dungeons are this way," Ken whispered, leading them toward the stairs.
Joe sighed. "I STILL don't think we should be saving Casia. She IS a DarkDestined, remember."
"After how she's helped us?" Mimi asked. "It would be rude to leave her in there when we blow up the castle later!"
The rest of the digidestined nodded and started down the stairs, Ken in the lead. Suddenly the boy knelt and touched something. "My God," he whispered, "look at this!"
It was Chieko, and she looked awful. Her poison green scales were dull, and her beady black eyes were closed.
"She's losing energy," Tai said. "I think it's because her partner is losing energy as well." The digidestined stared at each other, then down at Chieko. Ken picked the snake up and continued down the stairwell.
"So you're back, are you?" a voice said. The digidestined looked down to see Rob standing at the bottom of the staircase. "Good kids you are, helping an enemy."
"Casia isn't our enemy," T.K. said firmly. "She's our friend!"
"It may seem that way, but you can't forget what she is," Rob said. Then he beckoned to them. "Well, you're here, so you may as well save her. This way." The kids followed him down a dark passageway. Finally they reached a candle-lit cell and Rob waved them in.
"My God," Ken said again.
Casia definitely looked worse here. The blanket covering her was soaked through with blood, and she was covered with the red liquid. Several of her bones were obviously broken, and she was shivering violently.
"She needs to see a doctor right away," Joe said. "A real one. We have to get her to the ER if possible."
The other children nodded. Mimi looked like she was going to be sick.
Suddenly a fierce voice came from Matt's digivice; MetalGarurumon. "Matt, we can't hold them off! EvilAngemon--Alizamon--MetalCobramon--and DarkStingmon! Hurry!"
"DarkStingmon," Ken said quietly.
The digidestined ran up the spiral staircase. Rob was carrying Casia, despite Joe's warning that she shouldn't be moved, and Chieko hung limply around Ken's neck. They emerged into the main room to find...more chaos.
Almost all the walls had been blasted away. There was a giant crevice in the floor from Digmon's Rock Cracking attack. Already Lillymon, Garudamon, and MegaKabuterimon had been beaten and were lying on the floor. EvilAngemon was easily taking on Zudomon, and the two megas were trying to defeat Alizamon. Flamedramon and Digmon had teamed up and were attempting to destroy DarkStingmon, but were having no luck. MetalCobramon was struggling to break a Golden Noose as Nefertimon and Pegasusmon pulled it tighter. Halsemon was diving at the Chingomon, many of whom had either run away or been killed. Antonymon was gone.
"Vulcan's Hammer!"
"Evil Angel Rod!"
"Terra Force!"
"Metal Wolf Claw!"
"Alizamon Beam!"
"Fire Rocket!"
"Gold Rush!"
"Dark Spiking Finish!"
"Star Shower!"
"Rosetta Stone!"
"Cobra Strike!"
"Tempest Wing!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" More Chingomon ran away or disintegrated. None bothered to attack.
MetalCobramon vanished, leaving Nefertimon and Pegasusmon to attack Alizamon. She spread her crimson wings and took to the sky, with all the flying digimon after her immediately, even the weak ones. Then things took a turn for the worse...
...as the other evil digidestined digimon appeared.
Even without BladeDigmon, the real digidestined digimon were far outnumbered. The digimon who were only champions disappeared soon enough, but that still left DeathAngewomon, SteelFlamedramon, NightHalsemon, EvilAngemon, and DarkStingmon.
Zudomon, Flamedramon, and Digmon, the only good digimon who weren't after Alizamon, immediately went for the strongest armor. SteelFlamedramon disappeared, soon followed by the lower level DeathAngewomon. NightHalsemon vanished with one well-placed Vulcan's Hammer, but that still left the two strongest champion digimon.
Alizamon was back. Like Ken on the soccer field, she ran circles around the already exhausted flying digimon. One by one, they began to dedigivolve until only Pegasusmon and MegaKabuterimon were left.
"Alizamon Beam!"
"Evil Hand of Fate!"
"Dark Spiking Finish!"
"Horn Buster!"
"Star Shower!"
EvilAngemon was hit. He fell backwards, right on top of Alizamon. She cried out, but couldn't move. The digimon destroyed both her and EvilAngemon.
All of the digidestined and their digimon turned to look at DarkStingmon, the only enemy left. MegaKabuterimon and Pegasusmon both dedigivolved, too worn out to stay strong.
~We'll never beat him now. Never. It's all my fault that Wormmon isn't here to help. All my fault...all my fault...all--my--fault!~
"Dark Hell Squeeze!"
"NO!" Ken shouted. His digivice began to shriek and emit dark purple beams of light, hitting DarkStingmon again and again. Finally he dissipated.
As the digidestined headed away from the castle ruins, all Ken could think was, It's like I killed him again. I'm such an awful person...
