Chapter 54:
Spirit’s Wish
Down a quiet hospital hallway, what looked like a transparent, shimmering veil weaved in and out between walking visitors and nurses. The veil was faint against the hallway’s bright lights, and nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. As it approached a certain door, the veil hovered, as if it were hesitating.
The door suddenly opened, and a nurse came out, pushing a portable computer station in front of her.
The veil swept itself behind the door, then rushed inside as soon as the nurse cleared the doorway. It waited until the door closed, then moved slowly toward the figure lying in the hospital bed.
The shimmering veil dissolved to nothing, revealing Kodamon, wearing a holographic emitter around her neck.
“Akira…” Kodamon murmured.
There was no response.
“I couldn’t stay away,” Kodamon said, pulling up a chair and jumping into it. “Even though I know it won’t do any good, I couldn’t not be at your side while everyone else is fighting.”
She continued to sit in silence, not knowing what else to do, when from the corner of her eye, she spied a shadow or two dancing along the hospital room floor. For a moment, she discounted them.
Then, one shadow rose from the ground and jumped onto Akira’s hospital bed, followed by another, and they quickly made a beeline for Akira’s unconscious form.
Kodamon gasped. “Madilimon!” She powered up her fists and thrust them forward.
“Bear Fist!”
The attack bounced off of the nearest Madilimon, causing it to turn away from Akira and toward her.
Kodamon quickly put up a protective barrier around Akira’s body. “You won’t have Akira!” she shouted. “I won’t let you!”
One of the Madilimon slashed at her, while another jumped on her and started to choke her.
The door suddenly opened as Takashi and Nami walked in. They stopped dead in their tracks.
“Kodamon?”
“Help…” Kodamon said in a strangled voice, struggling to ward off the Madilimon choking her and keep the protective barrier up at the same time.
A brilliant bright light beamed across the room and blasted the Madilimon away, causing them to tumble down to the floor.
Takashi turned around to see Nami with her arm held out, gripping a Code Generator tightly in her hand.
“Thanks,” Kodamon said weakly.
“Are you okay?” Nami asked.
Kodamon nodded.
“Here!” Nami said, tossing another Code Generator to Takashi. He caught it and fired another light beam at the fallen Madilimon. The Madilimon shattered into data, but were soon replaced by more.
“There’s too many!” Takashi said, firing light beams left and right.
Right when they were about to be overwhelmed, another light beam tore across the room and blasted the Madilimon.
Everyone looked over at where the beam came from in surprise.
“Kyoko!”
With a determined look on her face and a Code Generator in hand, Kyoko walked closer to the pack of Madilimon, shattering them one by one.
“Don’t just stand there staring,” she said testily, “Help me out!”
Takashi and Nami turned their attention back to the Madilimon, shattering some and pushing back others. Soon, all that was left was a group of three.
With a high-pitched scream, they retreated through the window.
Nami looked around, and with the tap of a button, erected a larger, stronger protective barrier around the room itself.
“That ought to keep them away for a little longer,” she said.
“Kyoko,” Takashi said in disbelief, “How- Why-”
“I couldn’t stay away,” Kyoko said. “When they showed that castle in the woods on the news, I knew all of you would do something about it. By the time I got to the Infinity labs, you were gone. Ryou gave me one of these-” She indicated the Code Generator. “-and told me if I was serious about protecting someone, I should protect Akira.”
She sighed. “I know it’s not enough, and I’m not asking for forgiveness, but if by doing this I can begin to atone for what I didn’t do for her, I’ll do it.”
Takashi nodded slowly.
“Welcome back to the fold,” Nami said.
Takashi looked down at Akira laying unconscious in the hospital bed. “You were right, Mom,” he said, “Akira was targeted too, just like the others.”
“But why?” Kodamon asked, “Akira won’t wake up. I can’t evolve. We’re hardly a threat to Mataymon now!” She shook her head. “We’re worse than useless!”
Nami put a hand on Kodamon’s shoulder. “Because there’s a chance,” she said, “a very slim chance, that Akira will wake up and turn all of this around.”
“How do you know that?”
“Something Naoko told me just before we left. She said she had a pretty good idea how to break Akira out of her prison. ‘It’s all up to her,’ she said. Then she went to track her down through the Edge.”
Undisguised hope filled Kodamon’s face. “So all we need to do-”
“Is watch and wait,” Nami concluded.
At the foggy outskirts of an eternal summer festival, Akira sat in front of a rusty chain-link fence with a hole cut into it, hugging her legs. A dejected look was on her face.
Sudden footsteps echoed behind her, though Akira didn’t acknowledge them. The footsteps stopped, then a familiar voice spoke.
“Hey.”
Akira slowly looked up. “Naoko,” she said faintly.
“Still sitting here, I see.” Naoko said.
“I can’t get out of here,” Akira said hopelessly, “I’ve tried so many times…”
“Understandable,” Naoko replied. She looked at the hole in the fence with a thoughtful expression. “What if I told you,” she started, “that whether or not you get out of here is up to you?”
Akira blinked, and picked herself up from the ground. “What?”
“Do you still hold yourself accountable for everything?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t blame yourself for things you can’t change.”
Akira scowled. “I don’t-”
“To put it plainly,” Naoko stated, interrupting her, “Self-hatred trapped you here. Self-love will get you out.”
Akira just looked at her.
Naoko sighed. “If that doesn’t help you get out of here, nothing will.” She put out a hand and placed it on Akira’s chest. A bright blue light passed from Naoko’s hand to Akira’s body.
Akira blinked. “What…?”
“Just a small gift,” Naoko said. “You’ll need it when you get out.” She turned to leave. “Hurry up. Everyone’s waiting for you!” She disappeared into the shadows.
Akira looked in the direction Naoko disappeared in. “Self-hatred…” she murmured, “And self-love…”
She looked at the hole in the fence one more time, then held out a hand. She took a few steps toward the hole, her hand skimming across it. She took a deep breath, then pushed through.
Her palm slammed against the invisible wall.
She took a deep breath and pushed hard, but the wall refused to budge. She gritted her teeth, pushing harder as a multitude of thoughts filled her mind.
“Do you still hold yourself accountable for everything?”
“Don’t blame yourself for things you can’t change.”
“The serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can…”
“It’s not your fault…”
She continued to push, thinking of the times she blamed herself for the things that happened.
Her parents’ divorce.
Her abuse at Touma’s hands.
Touma’s death.
She pushed with all her might, ignoring the numbness in her hand.
“It’s not your fault…”
“It’s not your fault…”
She closed her eyes.
“It’s… not… my fault…” she whispered.
Her hand went right through.
She gasped as she tumbled through the hole and onto the ground on the other side. She sat up, shaking the needle pricks from her hand. After picking herself off of the ground, she looked behind her, and saw the hole and the rest of the festival area slowly disappear.
“Yes!” she shouted, pumping her aching fist into the air. “I did it!” Her expression then softened.
“Naoko…” she said softly, “Thank you.”
A bright light enveloped Akira, and she closed her eyes, waiting and wondering where it would take her...
In the quiet hospital room, a brilliant blue light suddenly shined, getting the attention of everyone inside. The light grew, then faded to reveal Akira, awake and standing, looking at her hands and glancing around her.
Kodamon immediately jumped up. “Akira!”
Akira looked at her and smiled. “Kodamon!” She looked around again. “Dad! Grandma!”
“Akira?” Takashi said, his eyes darting from Akira’s bedridden form to her standing in front of him. “But… how?”
Akira shook her head. “Never mind that. What’s most important is that I’m here, and Kodamon’s here, and Mataymon’s about to get the thrashing of his life!”
She looked over to Kyoko. “Mom…” she said warily.
Kyoko took both of Akira’s hands and held them tightly. “It took a long time,” she said, “But I want you to know I support you. And I’m sorry. For everything.” She let her hands drop, and stepped back.
Akira stared at her for a moment, then a faint smile crossed her face. She nodded.
Nami reached over and placed the two shining Crests around Akira’s neck, and pushed the beeping D-Coder into her hand. “Do the best you can,” she said, “Nothing more, nothing less.”
Akira nodded. “I will.” She looked over at Kodamon. “Ready?”
“Ready!”
As the D-Coder and Crests began to glow, so did Kodamon.
“Kodamon, warp evolve to… Auramon!”
As the light faded, Akira took Auramon’s hands and closed her eyes, focusing. She sensed the slowly fading energy signatures of their friends and locked onto them. As she opened her eyes, a burst of energy surrounded the two of them, lifting them into the air. Then, they disappeared.
An ominous quiet fell over the cursed arena as the seven Chosen Digimon lay broken and lifeless at the feet of their dark counterparts. Large, crystalline pillars rose from the ground nearby, where the Madilimon had trapped the seven Chosen Children.
Mataymon’s laughter rang across the arena. “Now that I’ve let you suffer a little, it’s time to finish you off, once and for all!” He spread his arm out, about to give his dark Digimon one final command, when a bright pillar of light interrupted him.
The light shined almost blindingly, then faded away, revealing Akira and Auramon. They looked around, assessing the situation, then quickly got to work.
Auramon approached the fallen Digimon and concentrated, arms held out.
“Healing Burst!”
Each of the seven Digimon were enveloped in a bright, pink light, as their wounds were healed and their energy was restored.
Sakuyamon slowly looked up. “Auramon!”
“You’ve evolved!” Seraphimon exclaimed.
“Just in time, too,” BanchoLeomon said, “Where were you?”
Akira ran up to the crystal structures and held out her D-Coder. A bright light shot from it, surrounding the crystals and shattering them, freeing the other kids from their prisons.
Seita got up, shaking his head, and his expression brightened. “Akira!”
“You’re awake!” Kei said excitedly.
“How?” Tian asked.
Akira smiled. “Long story. I can’t let you guys have all have the fun, now can I?”
“You two,” Mataymon said dully. “I should have known you’d come to turn things around. But no matter. I have a surprise waiting for you as well!” He raised a hand as if to beckon someone close.
“Auramon, watch out!” BanchoLeomon shouted.
Auramon turned around and immediately blocked an attack from another Ultimate Digimon – the spitting image of her, with silver hair and armor black as night.
“How dare you,” Auramon said, gritting her teeth and firing off an Aura Burst at her opponent. She sensed the lifeless emptiness of the black Auramon, as well as the darkness it radiated. “How dare you use our powers against us, and sully the light with your darkness!”
The air filled with noise and chaos again as the battles restarted. This time, the Chosen Digimon had the upper hand. Auramon’s healing had given them a second wind, and they were easily able to beat the dark Digimon back.
“Aura Burst!”
“Flash Bancho Punch!”
“Izuna!”
“Seven Heavens!”
“Eden’s Javelin!”
“Giant Missile!”
“Lightning Spear!”
“Final Elysion!”
Everyone’s final attacks beat each of the dark Digimon into the ground. None of them got up again, and their red eyes slowly dimmed to nothing.
“No! Impossible!” The anger Mataymon gave off was palpable. He let out a great roar that echoed across the arena. He fell silent for a moment, then another. Then he laughed, a bitter, cynical laugh.
“It’s true, then,” Mataymon muttered, “If you want something done right, do it yourself!”
With a flourish, he pulled off his robe.
Everyone gasped as Mataymon’s true form was revealed. It was a tall, humanoid figure with gnarled hands and feet, with DNA strands in place of arms and legs. His skin was tar black and bubbly, as if it were half melted off his body. Long gray hair grew from his head in clumps and strands.
Mataymon laughed as he saw the shock on the others’ faces. “Not much of a looker, am I?” he cackled. “The results of the ravages of time and space! But not for much longer…”
He raised his staff, and the 8 fallen copy Digimon rose into the air. With a sickening crunch, all 8 Digimon dissolved into data, with Mataymon quickly absorbing it all.
Immediately, Mataymon glowed as if he were undergoing evolution, and grew several times his original size. His black skin healed itself, and his limbs grew more robust and muscular. His patchy gray hair grew long and golden, while his eyes remained a deep blood red.
“Kagulumon,” Rion read from his D-Coder. “Chaos…” he whispered. He read further on his D-Coder and gasped. “Super Ultimate level?!”
“Impossible…” Tian said shakily.
With a crazed laugh, Kagulumon raised his hands over his head and a massive ball of darkness appeared.
“Now, I’ll do what I should have done in the first place!” Kagulumon shouted. Waves of darkness radiated from the ball in his hands. “Starting with you!” He threw his arms down, firing the dark mass toward the Chosen Children and Digimon.
“Thanatos Wave!”
Auramon moved quickly, blocking the attack with a protective barrier. “Not on my watch!” she countered. The attack started to chip away at the barrier.
Jun examined the readings of Kagulumon’s attack on his D-Coder, and his eyes widened. “It contains the same virus as the Dark Seed bases,” he said, “and enough kinetic energy to start another Great Shaking!”
“We can’t let that attack hit!” Sakuyamon shouted.
“Everyone!” Auramon gritted her teeth as she struggled to push the attack back. “Lend me your power. Everything you’ve got!”
“You heard her,” BanchoLeomon said, firing up his fist, “Let’s do it! Flash Bancho Punch!”
“Izuna!”
“Seven Heavens!”
“Eden’s Javelin!”
“Giant Missile!”
“Lightning Spear!”
“Final Elysion!”
A bright blue ball of energy appeared in front of Auramon, and grew with each attack fired at it. Slowly, the ball pushed Kagulumon’s attack back. But it wasn’t enough.
“Come on,” Akira said, holding out her D-Coder, “Let’s do this!” A bright light beam fired from her D-Coder, followed by seven more as the others followed suit.
The energy ball grew a little more.
Kagulumon screamed in rage and tried to push his Thanatos Wave forward, while Auramon tried to push it back. Soon both sides were at a standstill.
“Come on, come on…” Auramon pleaded, staggering a little but still pushing back. “We need more power!”
“We can do this!” Akira said, “Just a little more!”
Suddenly, the Crest of Spirit came to life, bathing everything in a cool blue light. The surroundings suddenly changed, from the crumbling, blasted arena to the darkness of space, to different places on Earth, then to different worlds.
In every place, groups of children and Digimon looked up at the skies.
Please, help us, a voice echoed across the void, a curious melding of Akira and Auramon. Those of you who wield the same power as we do, across space and time, help us.
A group of eight children with Digimon partners, familiar from the past and yet not.
A group of six, armed with D3s and the power to Armor evolve.
A team of three, with D-arks similar to D-Coders, and the power to fight with cards.
A team of five, with D-Scanners and the power to become Digimon themselves.
And countless others.
Without questioning it, the children and Digimon from different worlds combined their powers and lent their strengths to Auramon. Bursts of energy. Immense strength. A million points of light.
Auramon’s ball of light increased exponentially with its newfound energy. She focused, and with one last burst of strength, added her own power to the mix.
“Lifestream… Charge!”
The attack drove the Thanatos Wave back, then completely overcame it, neutralizing it into harmless data. It slammed right into Kagulumon, who screamed in pain and rage as the light swiftly fragmented him into data and finally deleted him.
The surrounding area returned to normal, as Kagulumon’s castle and arena faded away, leaving behind a peaceful forest. Each of the Digimon glowed, and reverted to their Child forms.
A few paces away, Taira and Souichi let out surprised shouts, and ran over to them.
“We did it!” Akira shouted, hugging Kodamon tightly.
“We won!” Kei said, throwing Terriermon into the air.
The air filled with sounds of celebration as the kids and their Digimon danced and cheered.
Akira looked over at Seita, a look of pure delight. With a laugh, Seita lifted Akira up and twirled her in the air. Akira laughed along with him, spreading out her arms, until he caught her. As their faces drew close, Akira pulled Seita in for a kiss.
A hush fell over the group. Tian had a relieved smile on her face, while Jun looked shocked, as if something had hit him over the head.
“About freaking time, you two,” Mana said, shaking her head in wonder.
“Eww…” Kei said, facepalming. “Do you mind?” Yuka simply giggled.
Rion grinned. “Where’s a camera when you need one?” he murmured.
Souichi looked a little embarrassed, while Taira shoved him and gave a knowing smile.
Akira and Seita pulled away from the kiss to see everyone staring at them, and they immediately turned red.
“What?” Seita asked sharply, “Never seen a kiss before?”
Everyone else laughed.
“Akira…” Yuka said in a strange voice, “Look.” She pointed at Akira’s hands.
Akira looked at her hands and saw that they were flickering in and out. The flickering slowly spread to the rest of her body until she grew completely transparent.
“I guess this means my job is done,” she said wistfully.
“What are you talking about?” Seita asked.
Akira smiled enigmatically. “See you soon,” she said, as she slowly faded away.
Akira slowly woke, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around at the overjoyed, relieved faces of her parents and grandmother.
“Hey…” she said, smiling faintly.
Nami smiled back, tears in her eyes. “Welcome back, Akira.”
There was a sudden commotion in the hallway, then the door burst open. Seita and Tian entered first, followed by the rest of the kids, and Digimon, and finally Souichi and Taira.
“We came as soon as Nami called,” Tian said.
“You know how much you scared us when you disappeared like that?” Seita demanded.
“All right, all right,” Nami said, putting up her hands, “Let her alone for a while. Give her time to recover.”
“Let the doctors come in and do their thing,” Takashi added, “and then you can talk all you want.”
Akira shot a cheerful smile at everyone as they were herded out the door, and could barely focus on the doctors’ questions, she was so excited. When the doctors left and everyone returned to the room, she spoke up immediately, determined to know all that had happened while she was out.
They talked long into the night.