The rain had worsened; the thick clouds casting the normal early evening gloom in a heavy blackness which even the streetlamps did little to penetrate. But Owen barely took any notice as he ran through the streets, the holdall knocking against his back and digging into his side. He was already exhausted, stumbling and slipping against the sodden pavement, but he carried on regardless, a grim focus in his eyes.

He slowed as he turned the corner, the now familiar sight of the Caffé Kitty greeting him, locked up for the night with the corrugated barriers over the doors and windows. He kept going, turning again and taking a step into the alleyway, the shadows falling over his face. He was about to keep going when a hand clasped his shoulder, gripping him firmly.

“Owen, please don’t go any further.”

The young man stopped. Then he turned, deliberately and precisely, and looked down at Mark and Inez as they stood before him. Owen’s brow was lowered, and his eyes seemed to glow in the half light.

“How did you find me?”

“Inez came to find us at Alasdair’s. And he knew exactly where you’d head.”

Owen closed his eyes. “Of course. He knows everything, doesn’t he...”

Inez gripped her arm, her tense breathing making her stammer, “I’m sorry. I had to. You promised.”

“You did what you thought was best. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I’m sorry-“

“Don’t you dare blame yourself. I told you; anything that happens tonight falls on me.”

Mark held out an arm, shaking his head. “That’s not the way we do things. Calm down, Owen.”

“I’m not calmed up.” Owen’s eyes fixed Mark with a steely stare. “How much has she told you?”

“Not the details. But enough.”

“It’s nothing to do with you.”

“You keep saying that, but you’re wrong. It’s everything to do with me.” Mark kept his palm held out as he kept his voice low and monotone. “You’re my friend, Owen. It’s my duty to make sure you don’t do something very wrong tonight.”

Owen gripped the strap of his holdall. “I’m just here for answers. For the truth.”

“Then what? What are you gonna do after that?”

Owen’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know. Whatever I have to do.”

Mark let out a breath, and held both hands out. “Come back with us, Owen. Please. We can talk this through before anything starts.”

“It’s already started. And I don’t need your help or your pity. Just get out of my way.”

He turned, but Mark’s hand came out again, gripping him by the arm. Owen jerked, but the hand still held him.

“Let go, Mark. I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“Nor me you.” Mark widened his stance. “But I will stop you before this gets out of hand.”

“I said let go.”

Owen raised a hand, clamping it over Mark’s, but the other man pushed back, grabbing his other shoulder. For a moment the two stared at one another, neither one yielding. Mark swallowed as he pulled at Owen’s hands, holding him in place.

“I’m serious.”

“Let GO!”

Owen’s voice echoed through the alley as he reached forwards, going for Mark’s collar. Mark held his wrists, but Owen tilted sideways, pulling the other boy off his feet. Before he knew what was happening Mark found himself being shoved against the wall, Owen’s hands pressing against his collarbones as the taller boy held him completely clear of the ground, the anger coursing through his body and giving him a strength far more than he showed. Mark held his breath, looking down into Owen’s eyes; grey and piercing in the blue light, and vibrating with a dangerously silent fury.

“I didn’t...ask you...to come here...”

Mark gritted his teeth, before bringing his hands up and grasping at Owen’s wrists, ever so slowly pulling them downwards. Owen redoubled his efforts, pushing the other boy higher with venom in his gaze.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Owen faltered as Inez grabbed hold of his arm, clamping onto it tightly. Her eyes were wide, staring pleadingly into Owen’s as he looked down at her.

“Get out the way.”

“Owen, stop! Please! I didn’t mean for any of this!”

“I have to know!”

Distracted by Inez’s hold, Owen let go long enough for Mark to wriggle from his grip, ducking downwards and reaching out towards the taller boy. Owen stepped back, closing his hands, but Mark dodged to one side and struck first, planting his fist into Owen’s cheek.

“Mark!”

Inez jumped back as Owen was sent staggering, wiping his lip. Mark stood his ground, breathing methodically as he kept his stance open, his arms raised.

“I warned you.”

“Son of a-“

“Shield Reflect!”

A blast of energy shot out of nowhere, expanding into a disc of metal that embedded into the concrete between the two young men, causing them both to draw back. Chromon rushed forwards, standing next to Mark as he glared up at Owen.

“This is n-n-no time to fight. Don’t you t-touch my partner.”

Owen retreated, holding the strap of his holdall as he watched Mark stare him down, the dinosaur standing just in front of him with a nervous determination on his face. He could hear Inez to his right, and watched her reach out towards him, with her own partner at her feet, standing stoically, refusing to yield himself.

For a moment Owen reached back, half-expecting to see somebody standing behind him, egging him on or even jeering at him. He stared into the darkness not able to quite focus as he vaguely heard the other two tamers’ voices in front of him, talking incomprehensibly.

“Will’ya get the hell out my space already?”

That voice. Cutting through the rain like a knife. Owen’s eyes widened, and he turned, along with the other two as he stared into the alleyway. Inez held her hands to her mouth as she watched the great metal sculpture disassemble itself from the wall like it had done so many times, and the huge, watery serpent clamber her way in a dazed manner over the crates and bins which made up her home. Knuckmon yawned, droplets falling from her jaws as she rubbed her right eye.

“All of you are making one mighty heck of a noise, you know?” she muttered blearily, slumping over the nearest crate. “What izzit you’re even doing here? It’s late.”

Owen’s eyes glazed over. He was moving before he even realised what he was doing, taking several steps before Inez’s arms hooked around his own, holding him in place. He pulled, but Mark caught his opposite arm, holding him firmly. He didn’t even react to them, just staring deathly at the water dragon in front of him.

“You...”

Knuckmon stiffened, rubbing beneath her chin as she straightened up.

“Whoa, mate...I didn’t expect to see ye twice in one day, let alone for a dressin’ down. Gimme a chance t’wake up first.”

Owen didn’t answer. He just stared, held in place by the two tamers beside him. Inez pulled back, but to no avail; Owen was refusing to budge.

Knuckmon swallowed, a roll of water travelling down her length as she stepped out in front, bending down to look at Owen.

“Not f’me to get involved, but your friends look worried. Are y’feeling alright?”

She glanced sideways, but Mark was looking away, not meeting her gaze. Inez kept her head down, but remained holding onto Owen’s arm with all her might. Knuckmon’s teeth swirled in her jaw, her eyes shifting nervously.

“Is it me? Did I nick something I shouldn’t have done? It happens. I’m sure I didn’t mean it.”

“Something definitely happened...”

Owen’s voice cut through the night air, but he relaxed his muscles, standing up straight as he looked directly at the water dragon. She shifted her head, her eyes focusing on him in turn. Even with the amorphous, alien nature of her features, her nerves were clear, mixed in with utter confusion.

“How long have you been here, Knuckmon?”

“Me?” The water dragon laughed nervously, her coils shimmering with the noise. “I moved in by accident. I was eatin’ outta the bins. Little Rackley found me and gave me some proper snacks, and I just rent the place now and-“

“That’s not what I mean.”

Owen’s voice was harsh and grating, causing the tamers beside him to stand back, steering clear of his arms as his shoulders rose and fell. His face was focused entirely forwards, betraying a cold fury that emanated from his eyes, and caused Knuckmon to back away.

“I mean before that. How long have you been in this world? You came from the digital world, right? You found your way through, by accident, or deliberately, or however the hell you did it. But you ended up here, alone in this world. Something as big as you.”

“I...I-I...I don’t know what you’re getting at...”

“You’re not stupid. If you knew, of course you’d be hiding it.”

Knuckmon took a step back, her whole body quaking now. Her horns were lowered, and her teeth hung back near her throat.

“...Mister Owen...”

“No acts. No jokes. I just want answers.”

Owen’s shoulder shook as he raised a hand, grasping the skin of his arm.

“Knuckmon, have...have you ever...killed anyone?”

“Owen, stop!”

There came the flick of a light from the right as Raquel ran from the doorway, standing outside in a dressing gown and slippers, her hair tied back in a small ponytail. She stood in front of Knuckmon, placing her body in between her and the young man that towered over her, staring up at him defiantly.

“I don’t know what you’re on, or what you’re playing at, but this isn’t funny anymore. You’re scaring her. You’re scaring me.”

“Rackley...”

There was a shuffling behind her, and one of the crates fell sideways, clattering on the concrete. Raquel heard Knuckmon’s voice whispering in her ear, more subdued than she’d ever heard it.

“Please go back inside.”

“Knuckmon, no. This has gone far enough.” Raquel glared forwards, holding her arms out as she stared Owen down. “Hasn’t it?”

“I don’t know.” Owen’s eyes flicked downwards towards the young girl, giving no ground. “Do you really know about her? Where did you find her? What was she doing before?”

“You think she was going around killing people before she met me?” Raquel pressed her teeth together, before yelling in Owen’s face. “That’s sick! What...where in god’s name did this come from?”

Owen took in a breath. Then he slowly reached down into the holdall, fingers grasping at something in the base as he looked between the girl and the dragon in front of him.

“Please tell me I’m wrong. I get everything else wrong, so please. I’m begging you... tell me I’m wrong about this as well.”

He withdrew his hand, and held out a few photographs in front of him, beckoning Raquel to take them. She reached out, holding them lightly in her hands as she flipped through them, one after the other. It was old CCTV footage. Dated, timestamped, blurry and hard to make out. In total it would have taken up only about five seconds, if that, but as part of the file it had been expanded. A single frame per photo, capturing a single moment in time.

Two people, walking down the streets. A man and a woman. Arm in arm.

Then a blur, escaping from the alley. It reached outwards, and despite the fuzziness and distortion the shape was unmistakeable. Long, serpentine, and fluid.

It curved upwards, nearly moving faster than the camera could pick up. The two people split apart. One reached out. One stumbled. The serpent dived, engulfing the woman whole. Picture after picture showing her being dragged back, locked in an aquatic prison. The man began to run, diving into the alleyway after her.

Then the beginning of the scene again; a man and a woman, hand in hand, with the camera watching over them.

Still Raquel kept flicking through, almost hypnotised by the images before her. Eventually her hands fell, but her eyes remained staring forwards, her irises swimming.

“It...it can’t be...”

Owen rested a hand over his chin. “The night my mother died...they told me something had taken her. Like a snake or something, pulled into nothing; I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

Owen looked up, staring at the water dragon in the eye as she held her head high, her eyes glinting in the shadows.

“It was, wasn’t it. It was you that night. It has to be.”

The words hung heavy in the air, settling over the still atmosphere, yet repeating in the minds of the onlookers again and again. Raquel brought her hand to her mouth, the photos bending in her fingertips.

“It’s not true. Tell me it isn’t true.”

“Wait, wait a minute!”

Inez stepped forwards holding her hands out in a pleading manner. “There are many Digimon of the same kind, right? It could be another Knuckmon. It has to be, hasn’t it? You’d never do that.”

“That’s right!” Raquel jumped at the chance, turning to look her friend in the eye. “It’s all just some horrible misunderstanding, right?”

Owen’s eyes glanced back. His hand was gripping the strap of the holdall so tightly that they were bone white. Inez turned to Mark beside her, looking hopeful, but the boy’s eyes were dark. He held his forearm, not wanting to look into her eyes.

Owen just stared forwards as Raquel reached up, poking her friend in the cheek with a forced smile. “Come on, that’s...that’s what happened, right? Please say that’s what happened. You didn’t...you wouldn’t...kill anybody like that...you didn’t kill his mum...”

Knuckmon bunched her eyes up, the plates swimming a little further into her head as she coiled up smaller than ever.

“I...I can’t tell you.”

The voice was tiny, causing little trails of bubbles to float up within the dragon’s head. But Owen heard, and he strode forwards, his anger flaring again. “What do you mean, you can’t fucking tell me? What are you hiding?”

“No, I mean...I honestly...I can’t tell you. I...I couldn’t if I wanted to...” Knuckmon’s eyes glistened, her voice shivering with the ripples of her body.

“I can’t tell you ‘cause I don’t know. I...I didn’t know who any of them were.”

Owen’s shoulders fell, his eyes wider than ever. Raquel just stood stock still, biting at her knuckles as she tried to stop her own tears from falling. Knuckmon pressed her front legs together, drops of water falling from her chin.

“It was horrible. I was running, and got caught up and spun round and...I didn’t know where I was. Who anyone around me was. The world just changed. And I was stuck. I tried to hide; I can do that well. But it got worse. It felt worse, every day. I was wasting away. This world doesn’t give you nuthin’; it only wears and drains and I...I couldn’t stand it...”

Her eyes glazed over as she stared forwards, the pupils expanding and retracting as the memories played through her head.

“I didn’t want to hurt anyone; truly I didn’t. They all seemed nice. But they were all so...small. I...I was just so hungry...I thought just a few...just one or two...I had to survive, that’s all...”

The dragon smiled weakly, laughing and choking at the same time.

“I’m sorry...you...you all kinda looked the same to me...you still do.”

Her eyes fell upon Owen, with two thick, constant streams of water falling from her eyes as she did so. Her head fell, pressing against the ground.

“I’m so sorry. But I was just...so...so hungry...”

Owen looked down at the dragon, her head seeming to flatten against the ground as she continued to cry great tears. The young man raised a palm to his mouth, looking like he was gagging for a minute. Then it turned into a laugh; a rough, rolling choke of a laugh, at odds with the dark lines over his face and the tears in the corners of his eyes.

“I...I thought I’d never find out...”

Owen’s hand fell down, slipping inside the holdall as he staggered on the ground.

“I didn’t think...there was anything more I could do. Anything I could ever do. But it’s you. It has to be you. You’re right in front of me.”

He sniffed, choking on his words.

“Why does it have to be me?”

Mark jolted to attention as he saw Owen’s hand emerge from the bag, clutching a silvery rod with a plastic handle, wires trailing from the back. The young man yelled, and Inez screamed, both running forwards, but Owen flicked a switch and the baton began to hum at a dangerous level, the heat from the magnetic field present even from this distance.

“DON’T INTERFERE!”

Inez gritted her teeth, her eyes flicking from the baton, to Knuckmon, to Owen as he glared back at her, sweat running from his brow. She kept her voice down, trying to keep it as steady as she could.

“Please, Owen, think about this. Don’t-“

“Don’t what? Don’t hurt someone? Don’t kill someone? Is that what we do now? Even for somebody who’s a danger to our lives?”

“She isn’t a danger anymore!”

“ANYMORE!?”

Owen whirled round, glaring at Raquel as she stood just offset from the water dragon, whose whole body had bunched up, the plates collecting together in terror. Raquel held her arms out. “She’s changed; you know that!”

Owen’s eyes flicked to Knuckmon’s. “Would you bet your life on that? Or your family’s?”

“Stop it! I don’t want to hear it!”

“Face it, Raquel. I’m sorry, but you’re never going to see her the same way again.”

“I’m sorry she hurt you, but that doesn’t give you the right to hurt her back! It’s not right!”

“She ruined my goddamn life!”

Owen strode forwards, the baton waving beside him as Knuckmon watched him approach, pressing herself back even further.

“My mother never got to see me grow up and become whatever...fucking kind of hideous man I’ve ended up becoming. My father deserted me because of this. I don’t even deserve a Digimon because I’ve been...fucking ruined. Or I’ve fucking ruined myself. I don’t know anymore; I never did. But that this...she...Knuckmon can just sit there...having had none of that? No blame? Nothing to punish her for the things she’s done wrong? Is that right, Raquel? Is it?”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Knuckmon was bawling now, crawling against the ground as her features swam in her watery face. But Owen was inconsolable himself, holding a hand against his head as he continued.

“I...I could have been normal...I could have just had a normal life and a normal family and it just went like that. Just...why?”

He took another step, the baton swinging beside him as he glared at Raquel.

“Why are you still standing there?”

“I’m not going anywhere!”

“MOVE!”

“NO!”

“Owen!”

The young man jerked as somebody grabbed him from behind, throwing their arms around his waist. Owen trembled, and his arms fell, and he shook his head. “No, no, please, not you...anyone but you...don’t get involved...”

He looked down, knowing who exactly who was there. Inez stood, her phone in her hand, as Lonnie stood aside with her partner, out of breath from the running. Kevin was holding on tightly beside him, his head facing down.

“This is enough, don’t you think?”

Owen pulled, swinging the baton sideways as he pointed at the distraught dragon in front of him. “Did they tell you? Did they tell you what she did?”

“I know.”

“Why is this okay, Kevin? Why...why the hell is any of this okay? Why are you all trying to...to stop me?”

Kevin sighed, resting his head forwards. “Cause you’re not a killer, man. And I’m damned if I’m gonna let you become one.”

“Let go of me.”

“No.”

Owen’s eyes began to mist up, and his shoulders trembled as the laser-focus in his eyes began to dissipate. “Please...I’m begging you...I have to do something...”

“You know what you have to do?”

Kevin looked up, and Owen saw that the other boy’s eyes were also streaming with tears. Fear, bereavement, anger. Yet he smiled.

“You have to stop.”

Owen tried to reply, but he choked instead, his mouth filling up with liquid. Soon he was joining Knuckmon in incomprehensible sounds, as Raquel crouched next to her, tentatively running a trembling hand over the dragon’s snout.

Inez allowed herself a breath, leaning backwards as Lonnie and Dendromon ran up to the two of them, eyes wide. The salamander staggered forwards, raising a finger. “First off, you guys have the worst impulse control.”

“Thank you for getting him so quickly.” Inez held her hands to her chest, pulling at her scarf. “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, I never should have shown him-“

“Woah, woah!” Lonnie held out a couple of hands, holding Inez’s shoulders tightly as she tried her best grin. “It’s okay. We got here in time. You did the right thing.”

“You don’t get it!”

Inez brushed Lonnie’s hands away, struggling to keep her voice steady as Syngnamon brushed against her legs, offering support. “I shouldn’t have shown him! I found it by accident. In the facility. I...I think we’re all in there. All our...pasts.”

Dendromon looked up at Lonnie, holding her shoulder. “Wait, so...Ali knew this much?”

“That’s not what I’m worried about at the moment.”

The girls turned to Mark, who was holding out a hand, pointing towards Owen with a pale look on his face.

“That weapon...?”

The girls turned their eyes to look as the baton, still hanging limply in Owen’s fingers. Still humming as the wires trailed from a few feet behind, powered from something in the duffel bag. Kevin noticed them staring, and pulled back as Owen turned to face them, his face red raw. Mark swallowed.

“Owen...where did you get that?”

“He got it from me.”

The tamers jumped, and the streetlight flickered as another figure walked forwards, his boots dragging against the ground. Vex’s helmet came into view, the angel wings faded and scuffed along the side as he walked forwards.

The man wasn’t looking at them. His gaze was entirely focused upon the dragon on the ground, who was now coiled up tightly, staring at him in horror.

“I never thought I’d see you again.”

He took a step, but Lonnie stepped in front of him, holding her arms out. “Back off, Vex. Don’t make this any worse.”

“I have a right.” Vex looked at the girl, and pointed over her shoulder. “The same right as him.”

Lonnie looked behind her, shaking her head as she looked between Vex and Owen. “I...I don’t understand...”

Click .

Vex’s hand fell from beneath his chin as the tamers watched. He held his palms up, and removed the helmet. He dropped it beside him, staring forwards with tired eyes as he clenched and unclenched his fists. There was no mistake. The resemblance was uncanny.

Kevin squeezed Owen’s hand as the taller boy shook his head, his face on the edge of cracking as he felt the gaze of the people and the Digimon around fall upon him.

“Dad...no...”

Trevor took in a breath, before his eyes turned towards Lonnie, who was stood stock still, her mouth ever so slightly open.

“Move aside. I need to speak to my son.”

Lonnie tried to raise a hand, but it barely moved. Trevor reached out, and gently pushed past her, walking very slowly towards Owen. He slowed to a stop next to him, and looked sideways, down at the water dragon who lay cowering next to Raquel. Owen bit his lip.

“Why are you here?”

“I was worried. I followed you.”

Trevor scratched behind his head, his eyelids seeming to droop. “I didn’t want it to be like this. But...well...this is what you’ve been doing after all. With all these people.” He glanced around. “Who is yours then? The monkey, I suppose? Where is it?”

“She’s gone.”

“Good.”

“Dad, I...it just...”

Trevor swivelled his head back, looking up into his son’s eyes with an almost pleading expression. Owen felt his muscles lock up, the baton loose in his fingers.

“This is where we all went wrong.” He sighed. “I thought you were going to finish it.”

He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they had changed. Blank. Unfeeling.

“No more hesitating.”

Owen held out an arm in front of Kevin as he took a step back. “Dad, don’t-“

“When you hesitate, that’s when the people you love DIE!”

Trevor lunged forwards with a shoulder, knocking aside the two young men in front of him with a strength far beyond him. As they stumbled, he reached out, grabbing the rod from Owen’s hands and pulling it in, the holdall ripping from his grasp. The man was already running, dragging the wires behind him as he aimed straight for Knuckmon.

“You HELLSPAWN!”

“NO!”

Raquel clambered to her feet, holding her arms out in front of the dragon, but Trevor didn’t even slow down. He pulled an arm in and thrust it sideways, the fist backhanding her slight body and sending her tumbling with a crash and a scream into the pile of crates.

“Raquel!”

Knuckmon’s entire body arched, anger and terror flooding her form in equal measure. Her coils re-emerged in an instant, the horns pricking up and her teeth bared as she towered above Trevor, spray flying off her.

“Don’t you dare touch her! Rampaging Coils!”

The water spun in torrents behind her as she arched forwards, but Trevor was immoveable; he twisted and lunged upwards with the baton arcing in his hand. Knuckmon didn’t see it until it was too late, and the humming cold metal slid into her face and struck her right eye plate.

“EEEEEAAAARGH!”

Knuckermon’s entire body jerked as the shock coursed through her, and she rolled backwards, her coils rolling in all directions at once and slamming into the crates around her. She looked up, dripping water from the side of her head with the eye plate spinning uselessly inside it, the pupil glazed over inside the twisted metal.

“Stay away!”

She rolled backwards, thrusting a coil forwards towards Trevor’s head, but he ducked, lunging upwards as he did so. Another one rolled beside him and he swung sideways, the rod breaking the edge of her watery skin. Where it touched, the liquid shorted, turning to steam and evaporating away, and from the screams coming from Knuckmon’s mouth it was evident it was causing her pain.

Lonnie looked up from where she was crouched by Raquel, and powered to her feet, rushing forwards and grabbing the man firmly by the arm. “Stop it! You don’t have to do this!”

She pulled back, but Trevor’s eyes flashed towards her, blind rage coursing over his face.

“Don’t interfere!”

Without warning he rushed forwards, thrusting his arm up and slamming the girl into the brick wall behind her, his forearm digging into her collar. She choked, still retaining hold of his arm as her eyes went towards Knuckmon.

“....run...now...”

Knuckmon looked in a panicked fashion down at Raquel, who was holding her arm, an ugly bruise coming up on her elbow. But she gritted her teeth, nodding up at the dragon.

“Get out of here.”

“No you don’t-“

Trevor tried to run back, but Lonnie held on with all her strength, even as he rammed his weight into her again and again. The third impact made her head spin, white lights dancing in front of her eyes, and she could feel her grip slipping.

“I won’t...let you...”

“Acid Arc!”

“Aqua Dance!”

Trevor hissed as the projectiles struck him, burning into the back of his jacket. He looked over his shoulder to see Dendromon running forwards, her claws outstretched and burning viciously as she bore her teeth.

“Get away from my partner!”

“No, get back-“

Trevor swung with his free hand, the rod slashing against Dendromon’s chest. It was only a shallow wound, but the salamander choked as it burned like fire, causing her entire body to go into spasms.

“NO!”

Lonnie loosened her grip as she dove for her partner, but ended up running into Trevor’s knee as he brought it up into her stomach. She stumbled and fell down, pulling Dendromon down with her as she went. The man raised his baton again, but suddenly swivelled round as he saw Knuckmon’s body curving back, her wall plate disassembling itself inside her swirling body.

“No you don’t!”

The man turned and ran, ducking the attempts from the tamers as he went directly for Knuckmon’s plate, the electrified rod raised. But the plate disintegrated in front of him, the hole vanishing as the last of the segments swirled away, pulling an orb of blackness along with them right at the end of her tail. Trevor’s eyes followed it, focusing on the two bolus of water that spun around the dark void, keeping it sealed even in its fully emerged state.

“You can’t run from me.”

He grunted, and kicked outwards towards a pile of crates, feeling the jolt of pain travel up his leg as it hit awkwardly. But it did the job, toppling them over and causing them to crash in front of Knuckmon, her entire unwieldy body bunching up as she looked left and right, half-blinded by the earlier attack. Trevor ran sideways, but she saw and sent a coil out towards him, the water crashing into his body and sending him tumbling back. He righted himself, and stabbed up at the coil again, causing her to writhe in pain in front of him.

“You killed the only woman I ever loved! You won’t live to see anoth aaargh!”

Trevor staggered back as Raquel slammed a plank into the back of his leg, the effort causing her own injured arm to spasm. Trevor ignored the blow, running again despite the pain pounding through his whole body. But as he swung at Knuckmon, she ducked, her coils arcing round as she aimed for the back of the cafe, her long body slipping through the back door with ease. Trevor saw the orb shoot past him and he swung downwards, grazing the outer shell and buckling a few of the plates. There was the sound of crashing from inside the cafe as the pain lurched through Knuckmon’s body, but she kept going, the orb disappearing after her.

“Not this time!”

Trevor began to run, knocking Kevin aside as he aimed for the open door. Raquel screamed, and Mark held out his hand.

“Chromon! Stop him!”

“S-s-shield Reflect”

The disc of energy shot out a fraction too late, knocking Trevor aside as it embedded in the brickwork, sealing off the back door. Mark caught his breath, and turned to his partner, fury flashing across his face. Chromon paled.

“I’m sorry! I p-p-panicked!”

“It doesn’t matter!” yelled Owen as he ran forwards, hooking his arm behind the shield and pulling with all his might, the near impenetrable disc rubbing against the old brickwork. “We have to get in there! He’s gonna kill her!”

Mark looked down at the others, but Inez was crouched beside Lonnie, who was holding her head, blood trickling from a shallow wound. Kevin sat beside Raquel, who was holding her arm awkwardly, tears falling from her face. The young man looked up at Mark. “This isn’t good.”

Raquel shook her head with tears in her eyes, the motion just making her wince more. “You have to stop him! Please...she’s...she’s my best friend...I can’t lose her!”

Mark held his breath, and turned towards the blocked off doorway, joining Owen as he rammed it with all his might. Owen’s shoulder and arm were already grazed from the impact, but he kept going, shaking the disc back and forth. He looked down at Mark, who was shoving with all his might as well.

“Sorry about all this.”

“You think sorry’s gonna cut it this time?”

“No, but it’s all I have at the moment.”

“Then it’ll have to do.”

“Bolt Blaster!”

The two young men leaned back as Chromon ran forwards, projectiles slamming into the edges of the disc and dislodging it even more. Owen and Mark looked at each other, and hooked their arms round the shield without a moment’s hesitation, pulling as one. With a horrific scraping it pulled away from the brickwork, clattering on the ground and slicing into Mark’s leg as it did so.

“Shit...”

The boy went down, feeling the gash against his shin as Owen stood over him, but Mark waved the other tamer away. “Go! Now! Stop him!”

Owen glanced back, for a moment looking at the scene of devastation. He held his hand out for someone who wasn’t there. Then he turned, and rushed into the cafe without another word.

Water cascaded everywhere as Knuckmon powered through the back stores, and curved round into the kitchen, with Trevor chasing after her at every moment. She threw back her rolling body, aiming to knock him back, knock him away, do something to stop his relentless chase. But he couldn’t be stopped, and every time she got close she could feel the searing pain of the baton striking her water body, or even worse her collecting plates.

She lunged forwards, crashing through the doorway as it splintered from her mighty bulk. She rolled forwards, water cascading from her body and soaking the carpeted floor and the cheap furnishings. For a moment she caught her breath, trying to limit the damage as much as she possibly could, but all of a sudden she felt more pain. A different one this one; far more intense and much worse, coming from the end of her tail.

“AAAAGH!”

Knuckmon rolled in any direction she could, pulling the void away from Trevor as flecks of armour fell from the seal. She stayed in front of it, hiding it behind the barricade, but even a graze like Trevor had given it had caused her significant damage, as the liquid making up her body began to destabilise.

The hole was her home, and her life. If, god forbid, she lost her connection to it...

Trevor crashed through from the kitchen, his own body soaking from the pursuit; mostly with water, but several trickles of blood were leaking out into his jacket as well. Knuckmon tightened her body as she stared him down, but he barely even slowed, grabbing a hefty knife sharpener to hold in his other hand as he advanced.

“You’re out of places to run, demon.”

Knuckmon hissed, pulling her coils back as she rolled. “I didn’t mean to hurt you! I never did! I’m sorry!”

“Sorry won’t bring her back.”

Trevor swung, and Knuckmon threw out a desperate coil, catching him off guard on the side of the head. He spat, a new trail of blood trickling from his lips as the dragon pulled out of reach again. Her one remaining eye flicked all around for an exit, but the front doors and windows were locked, and the cafe constricted her. She glanced back, and saw people at the top of the stairs. Raquel’s father and brothers, staring down, staying as clear as they could as they watched in horror.

New fire coursed through her chest as she reared up as high as she dared. “It’s not just me you’re hurtin’ now! What about all of them?”

“They chose wrong.”

“They’ve done nothing to you!”

Trevor brought up his sleeve, wiping at his mouth as he focused directly on her. “I’ve been patient enough, but that’s not going to work anymore. For any of them. You’re a blight on our world...our home...all of you! You’re just a mistake. And if you won’t leave on your own, then we don’t have a choice but to defend ourselves.”

“I just wanted to SURVIVE!”

Knuckmon’s features flared up as she climbed on top of the barricade, her body pulsing even stronger and whipping back and forth. “ RAMPAGING COILS!”

She tried to keep it steady, but half-blind and worn out, the water still went wider than she wanted, smashing tables and cracking windows. But a lot still struck Trevor, and he crouched down, being buffeted back by the flow. Squinting through his arms, he could see her body pulsing with new vigour, as the hole had been reformed in the wall just behind her, in a desperate attempt to stabilise herself. The man gritted his teeth, and swiped with his baton, cutting through half a coil with just a single hand.

Knuckmon howled, and her claws dug against the floor, leaving gouges in the linoleum. Her mouth hung open, water spraying side to side as she glared icily down at the battered old man.

“My life is worth the same as yours!” she grimaced, backing up as the water began to swell around the void at her base. “I swore I’d never do this again, but you won’t hurt the tamers...you won’t hurt my Raquel ever again!”

Trevor looked up as she reared, her jaws opening to wider than they ever had before.

No...not quite.

Trevor had stared into these jaws before.

“Funereal Toll!”

Trevor braced himself, leaping as the watery jaws clutched hold of him. He was lifted clear of the ground, feeling the torrents tearing at his limbs. The knife sharpener was pulled from his grasp, and he watched it spiral downwards, disappearing into the inky blackness below him.

For a brief second he wondered whether to hold off just for a few seconds too late. The darkness seemed so comforting. So inviting.

Perhaps Janine was still down there, waiting.

With a yell, he thrust his body forwards, breaking the skin of the coil as he was dragged down towards the abyss. He swung the baton as it sparked in his hand, tearing through the coil, and with a cry he tumbled forwards into the carpet before he could vanish.

Knuckmon turned, struggling to get him out of her blind spot. When she saw him, he was stood just behind her, baton raised as he swung at the orb at the edge of the ring.

“NO!”

Vex didn’t even shout. He brought the rod sideways with all his might, directly in the centre of the clasp, sending hundreds of volts coursing around the ring. The metal shone. It warped. The void fizzled, and spat, and cracked.

And finally, the whole ring exploded, with the void dissipating into nothing in a millisecond.

Knuckmon choked, the metal of her body immediately losing its lustre. Trevor stood, arms aching and entire body drenched to the skin, as he watched her flail away, staggering back across the cafe with her coils rolling left and right. More water than ever was falling from her body, cascading from the end where the hole no longer was. Her back legs gave way, splaying outwards and seeping into the carpet.

Trevor’s gaze fell sideways, and he saw his son standing in the doorway; out of breath, dishevelled, on the verge of collapse himself. Trevor tried to take a step, but the pain was catching up with him now, and he fell to one knee.

Owen just watched in horror as Knuckmon staggered before him, more of her body losing form by the second as she wailed in pain.

Her armour plates fell haphazardly on the floor, buckled by the repeated assaults.

Then her right leg went, and she toppled sideways, crashing against the kitchen counter.

Owen could feel her panicked breathing upon him as her face began to lose focus, the plates that made it up swimming ever more erratically. Her remaining eye turned towards him. She moaned, water trickling down as she opened her mouth.

“I’m...sorry...I never...meant...”

Her teeth fell, clattering down onto the hob in front of him. Her jaw lost structure. Her horns dropped down one after the other. Owen watched her eye spasm in the centre of the plate, before the eye disappeared altogether, leaving just a blank, hollow socket in the middle of the bent metal.

The dragon dispersed for good, her form finally giving way to pure, inert liquid. Owen could feel her seeping into his shoes as he walked forwards, picking up the eye piece and holding it in his palms. It was stone cold. He ran his thumb over the metal, the sharp edge nicking his skin. He could feel his shoulders convulsing, completely of their own accord.

“It’s not over, you know...”

Owen’s eyes flicked up, his brow darkening as he saw his father standing before him, the baton limp and dead in his hands. For a moment the man just stared up at the ceiling, looking almost dazed. Then his head fell forwards, and he looked at his son.

“It’s not the end. Not for me. I knew it wouldn’t be.”

“You...bastard...”

“Where is it?”

Trevor raised the baton, staggering a little as he moved towards his son.

“Your one. The creature that took you away from me. She’ll...she’ll go next. They all will. Every single one of your parasites.”

“What have you done, you...you-“

“Tell me where it is, Owen!”

“YOU BASTARD!”

With a frightening roar, Owen rushed forwards towards his father, raising his arm back. He thrust it forwards nearly before Trevor could react, and he only just knocked it clear, Owen’s fist grazing his cheek. Owen didn’t stop; he went in with his other hand, the blow sending Trevor reeling. For a moment the old man’s eyes were wide with shock. Then he raised his hands, knocking them aside as Owen came in again, stepping back.

The young man was inconsolable, and he rushed forwards, barging against his dad’s chest as he yelled, “This is YOUR FAULT! You’ve ruined EVERYTHING!”

“I’m only doing the same as them!”

Trevor took in a breath, and brought his elbow forwards into Owen’s neck, giving him a bit of space. Owen choked, incapacitated for a few seconds as Trevor stumbled sideways, catching his breath.

“Why do you care about them? They’re monsters! They will fucking murder us!”

“Listen to yourself, dad! What the fuck happened to you?” Owen held a hand against his neck as he crouched down, eyes blazing. “Mum wouldn’t have wanted this.”

Trevor’s eyes flashed, and without thinking he brought his foot forwards into Owen’s shin, drawing blood from the thin skin.

“Your mother would have wanted to live! You’d put them before her?”

Owen ground his teeth, his eyes twitching. “Right now? Right here? I’d put any of them before you.” He pointed backwards. “Even the one you just killed.”

Trevor held his breath, but before he could respond Owen threw himself forwards again, his hands locking with his father’s. Trevor pushed back, but his legs buckled and he found himself being pressed back over the barricade, Owen’s blazing eyes staring into his.

“I watched you turn into this...this...thing. You couldn’t handle it. You couldn’t move on. I couldn’t move on. And you’ve...you’ve trapped me...you’re holding me prisoner... it’s all YOUR FAULT!”

Trevor raised an arm, but Owen blocked it and slammed his fist into his father’s cheek. With a crack the barricade collapsed and the two fell backwards, struggling and knocking at each other. They landed awkwardly, with Owen crouched down on his father’s coughing body, scrabbling around beside him.

“I HATE YOU! I HATE EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE! YOU DID THIS TO ME!”

Trevor thrust a knee up into Owen’s groin, but the boy didn’t fall even as the pain made him hoarse. His father tried to push himself back, his legs exhausted and twisted awkwardly.

“I...I was trying...to protect you...”

Owen didn’t hear; he felt his fingers brush over something nearby, and brought the item up over his head, the whites of his eyes showing as he held his father’s collar.

“I wish you were DEAD!”

Trevor raised his hands, holding them in front of his head as he waited for the blow. But it never came.

Owen froze, feeling the cold metal of the baton burning into his palm. He stared down at the man in front of him; dishevelled, bleeding, all but broken. His hands raised defensively, and his eyes staring up, blinking against the light.

Owen’s hand fell of its own accord, and he saw the baton in his hand, its surface studded with silvery powder. He pulled his hand away, looking at the rough particles on his skin.

He could hear the sound of crying behind him, and he turned to look over his shoulder. They were all there. Mark. Inez, holding Lonnie. Kevin, his expression pulled into one of shock. Raquel, pulled to one side by her family, bawling her eyes out at the sight.

Owen could feel iron on his tongue; blood from a wayward blow, no doubt. He pulled his arm back, the baton falling next to him as he got to his shaking feet, looking back down at his father.

“I...I hate you...I’ve hated looking at you for...for so long...”

His fists clenched, and he turned on the spot, running at full pelt towards the exit to the cafe. Kevin raised a hand, but Owen rushed past him, disappearing in an instant.

“Wait!”

Kevin turned, following after his boyfriend, with Mark and Chromon following just after. Their footsteps sounded, clattering away into nothing.

Only the others were left, listening to the drip-drip-drip of the water falling from shattered tables and broken lights. Dendromon held onto Lonnie’s leg, her eyes wide and her gills fluttering weakly.

“This...this is...”

“You.”

The salamander’s eyes snapped towards Trevor as he struggled to his feet, lurching towards her on shaking legs, still holding the knife sharpener. His eyes were dark, and blood fell from his face, but he kept walking regardless, still talking under his breath.

“I should have gotten rid of you from the start. All of you. All of you and your pathetic little games-“

“GET OUT!”

There was a rush of movement, and Trevor stopped, looking down the glinting blade of a carving knife pointing in his direction. Raquel held it steadily, even with one arm tucked into her dressing gown with an ugly purple swelling around the forearm. Her face was red, the skin around her eyes flaking from where she’d been clawing at them so much.

“Get out of my home, you monster.”

“Monster...”

Trevor looked back, but Raquel straightened her arm, gritting her teeth.

“You...killed her...” Raquel’s grip tightened on the handle, as she drew in a harrowed breath. “This isn’t a threat. It’s a w...warning. Get out.”

Trevor turned back, his gaze turning to the floor. He walked forwards, as Raquel tracked him with the blade. He was still limping, but he picked up speed, stopping briefly in the doorway as he looked forwards.

“I’m going to make things right again. Don’t get in my way.”

The tamers listened as his heavy footsteps grew quieter and quieter, followed by the back door creaking on its hinges. They stood, completely lost on what to do. Raquel lowered her arm, placing the knife back on the counter as she looked down. Lonnie reached out towards her, but the younger girl slapped her hand away, not even looking up.

“All of you, too. Get out.”

“Raquel-“

“I said get out! Everyone just leave me alone!”

The girl’s shoulders shook, her voice ringing through the ruined café. Lonnie watched helplessly, but Inez held her shoulder, gently pulling her back. They left, the Digimon walking softly away behind them, leaving Raquel alone with her family. Her shoulders were still shaking, the pain racking through her slight frame. Her legs gave way from beneath her, and she fell to her knees, reaching out for the tiny fragments of armour that still lay scattered around her.

“Knuckmon...please come back...”

The girl curled over, her family holding her as she howled in despair, surrounded by shattered dreams scattered across the soaking floor.

Kevin ran, stumbling through puddles and crashing against walls as he powered through the black alleyways. The distant sounds of sirens in his ears were melding with the racing thumping of his own heartbeat, and the horrific croaking sounds that were coming from his own throat.

His foot hit some debris on the ground, and he fell on his front, the impact jolting through him like a lightning bolt. He lay there for a few seconds, feeling the water seeping into his clothes from below. Then he pushed himself up, standing unsteadily. His knees were in pain now, but he ignored it.

“OWEN!”

His hand fumbled in his pocket as he wiped his eyes, the rain pouring down now in buckets, obscuring all visibility in the darkness. He shook it off, and dialled Owen’s number, but he only got a harsh tone in his ear. He hissed, trying again, but it only belled out all the louder, barely audible over the rain.

“Come on...come on...please...fucking...anything...”

“...I don’t think that’s going to work...”

Kevin turned, and saw Mark standing there, leaning against the wall and out of breath. He held out a hand, and Kevin saw shards of glass and plastic; the remnants of a phone.

He turned around, staring around the alleyways, but they all looked the same in every direction.

“I can’t leave him, Mark...he can’t have gotten far...he can’t –“

A flash. A spark in the darkness. Kevin paused, before hurrying forwards, crouching down beside the rubbish containers by the side of the wall. He reached out, grabbing something from the accumulating puddle.

Mark walked forwards, his gaze unfocused as if in a dream, still not quite comprehending the things he’d just seen. He opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say. He just leant over, staring too at the device in Kevin’s hand.

There came the sounds of rushing footsteps, and the young man turned as Lonnie and Inez came up; both of them deeply bruised by the night’s events. Inez held both her hands over her mouth, barely holding back tears as she muttered under her breath.

“I’m...I’m sorry...I fucked up...I fucked up...”

Syngnamon curled around her feet, while Lonnie reached out, squeezing her hand tightly. She looked up at Mark, her gaze haunted.

“Where is he? We need to find him before...before...”

“He’s gone.”

Mark stepped back, and slowly Kevin got to his feet, turning around. He held out his hand, and the D-SEND within it. Pulsing a gentle green, slowly and rhythmically. Calling out for somebody who was no longer there.

Kevin took a step, but he stumbled, the shock and the cold and the rain catching up with him. Mark reached out an arm, and he caught the other man, holding him close. Through his coat he could feel Kevin’s shoulders beginning to shake in his hold.

There was a distant rumbling in the sky up above, as the storm truly took hold, coming down in sheets.

Mark looked up at Lonnie, desperation in his eyes, and she stared back much the same. But neither of them could think of anything to say.

Holding one another, arm in arm, with their partners trudging by their heels, they walked away.

“Cyber Strike!”

Simeamon lunged forwards, but her blow flew wide, and she coughed as Jai’s boot flew into her, sending her rolling backwards into the puddles below her. She reached out for her laser, but it lay out of her reach, and her gloved hands were still stinging from the hunter’s blow across them.

Another swiped, striking her on the shoulder. She cursed, and slid back, staring up as the three advanced on her, their own devices humming.

Dula hissed, taking her own dagger up a notch and causing it to arc in her hands.

“Not such a smart mouth now, is it, you freak...”

Wounded and fatigued, Simeamon raised a fist, trying to pull more energy around it, but it didn’t come fast enough. There was nothing she could do as saw Dula’s blade coming towards her, the tip glowing white hot.

“Not like this...”

“Royal Flint!”

The blade flew wide, striking Simeamon’s arm. She yelled from the searing pain, and rolled back, but even so she tried to look up as Dula suddenly found herself dealing with a short chain of three hefty jewel-like stones slamming into her, knocking her weapon away. Jai cried out as the chain struck his leg, but Rick held his crowbar up, holding his ground as he stared into the dark alley.

“We’re not gonna take this! Come out! You’ll die like the rest of them!”

“Your decision...”

There was a flash of deep red and a swooping noise as the beads flew back, spinning in a glowing circle; reflecting off the pouring rain, but still light enough to illuminate a hefty figure standing in the gloom. Then his form grew clearer as his paws tapped against the ground, flames dancing around the tips and forming an aura of energy. His eyes narrowed, and his teeth were visible as he growled at the three hunters before him.

“Crimson Wrath!”

Simeamon covered her eyes as the red flames passed over her, and she heard the screams and yells of the three hunters, followed by clattering footsteps as they ran, retreating back down the alleyway. The monkey opened her eyes, squinting as she watched the flickering energy, forming a burning ring around her and the other Digimon.

Silently he walked past her, glaring past the barrier and releasing a small breath of steam from his mouth. His hefty scorpion tail curled and uncurled, and the six small beads spun lazily around the dark ring on his chest. His build was muscular, with short red fur and blue markings like a ragged shawl.

“I...I know you...”

Simeamon slowly got to her feet, her breath shuddering as it came out.

“But...but you’re supposed t-to be dead...”

“I did wonder.”

The red beast turned around, looking down at her with deep red eyes, a dark red beard and lion’s mane surrounding his head. Simeamon’s eyes were wide. The manticore turned towards her, padding gently in her direction. He looked down; steely, imposing and immovable, with the red flames as his backlight, still burning strong even against the rain.

“My name is Martyaxmon. Former royal commander to the Fire Kingdom. Destroyer of the digital world.”

His eyes met hers, seeing the panicked dilation of her pupils.

“But I’m guessing you’ve already heard of me.”

He crouched down, and she flinched, reaching for her pistol before she realised it was still several metres away.

But Martyaxmon merely lay down, and slowly held out a paw.

“Are you alright? Can you walk?”

Simeamon swallowed, but she nodded, trying not to stare at the imposing figure above her. Martyaxmon sniffed, and with a quick flick of his tail the flaming barrier disappeared, his beads glowing as they reabsorbed the energy. He walked past again, heading back the way he’d come from.

“It’s not safe out here at night. I suggest you follow me.”

He breathed out, raindrops falling down from his mane and beard.

“War is coming again...”

02:00:55:38