"HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHA!!! THOSE INVENTORS WON'T SEE **** COMING!!!"

".... Did Blues just go insane?" I stared as I joined the others in the lab.

"Is he plotting war against the inventors of Perfectio? Yes. Yes, he is," Dad drily said.

"Is he doing this just to be petty and find every flaw present? Undoubtedly," Ryubo-san muttered.

"Is he also doing this because Kinmokusei-san is out of reach and being treated by Shin Bernard-san? ... Is that even a question at this point?" Kiyoshiro shuddered.

"Ah, chaos. My oyster," Yuga laughed. "What a wonderful feeling~"

"Sir, you need some therapy-" Gami raised an eyebrow.

"I am perfectly sane, I can reassure you. Uncle Bernard went through all the checks," He answered.

"Damn it..." Alexander "Alec" Ankh, Wuliang's boyfriend and also Yuga's most common victim, cursed under his breath, which made me roll my eyes. "You all are drama queens- Hey, where's Mika?"

She hadn't been too active since the reveal about Sistermon Ciel... That was worrying.

Ruri shrugged. "Got a call from Monzaemon or something..."

"Monzaemon? Koutarou's former underling and the one who cares for the village where former underlings stay in?" I repeated. That... Didn't sound good.

"Yeah," Light nodded while his partner, Kumori, sat on his head. "Should we check on her?"

Shin Yunbae agreed, "I don't see why not."

"Let's go," I said.

"Yang, I'll go with them just to be safe. If it's a case, hold down the fort, will you?" Lumosmon turned to her lover, who nodded. "Always." He did care deeply for Blues, who was his former partner until Hokuto erased his memories of them ever being partners. Those memories came back during the Lust arc, so now he was pretty protective of Blues.

"I'll go as well," Aoi said while getting up. "Ruri, come on."

"Alright." She nodded, and Ryubo-san joined us as we started searching for Mika.

We found her looking pretty frantic while OnakaZetsuboumon was waddling all over the place like the end of the world was here. Usually, that was Kiyoshiro's thing!

"Hey, do you know why they're acting like this?" Shadowside Bloom Yumi, the older version of Keita's younger sister, asked while gesturing to the two.

"If we did, would you be asking?" Aoi asked back as Ruri walked over. "Mika, what's wrong?"

She looked back, and I did a double take upon seeing the tears in her eyes. "I... I... Monzaemon said that the village was attacked!"

"WHAT?!" Ryubo-san gasped.

"By who?!" Aoi demanded.

Her next words froze us over as Mika fell to her knees.

"... It's... It's... Ophanimon Falldown Mode.... And she... She...."

I gently kneeled down and said, "Deep breaths, Mika. Deep breaths."

I rubbed circles into her back while she tried to stabilise her breathing, and once she was calm enough, I asked, "Why would Ophanimon Falldown Mode attack the village? She lives there too."

"They said... They said that she had a partner..." She stammered.

A partner?

"And it's... It's..."

"Deep breaths," I reminded her.

She nodded and tried again after some more breathing.

"It was.... They said it was... Tsukumo Azami. And she had a Digivice..."

WHAT?! The lady who kidnapped Morphomon, reactivated the Sin Codes, once tried to make the sisters her weapons?! What the ****?!

"But that's impossible!" I protested. "I'm sure we locked her up in jail!"

"She could have paid her way out of it. Isn't that how she managed to turn Shiramon and Aliana into Carmen and Rara respectively?" Angoramon pointed out.

He had a fair point, but...

"That's not good... She took Ophanimon Falldown Mode..." I frowned. "Did they see what it looked like?"

"Definitely not the usual model we have. Said it looked star-shaped so..."

"The Digilemma Digivice," I realised. "So that means..."

"Perfectio..." Aoi whispered.

"They will pay... I swear they will PAY!!" Mika snarled. "First Thunderballmon, now Azami and Ophanimon Falldown Mode?! I will annihilate her!"

I flinched and said, "Don't... Say that so lightly. It's not easy to do that, you know."

Here, she went quiet, and looked down. "... Right. Sorry. I'm just..."

"Hey, who doesn't get worried?" I asked her. "It's okay to worry about people you care about. Just... Don't let it blind you."

At least, not like Jokermon, a dark part of my mind whispered.

I shuddered slightly, but Mika nodded. "I guess. Thanks... Erm..."

"Luno," Ruri supplied to her. "It's Luno today."

I rubbed the back of my neck, though. I... Didn't feel like a girl today...

Actually, that was an interesting part about me. I said I was gender fluid, and yeah the names changed but to me, it felt like... I was a mix of all the genders. I only chose to change names because it felt appropriate.

I didn't know what that meant for me, though... was there a label out there that fit how I felt? I didn't know, so for now it was gender fluid. People did usually infer how I felt from me (what I felt more like in a day) or from my outfit, which was a sad stereotype about gender fluids. People forget that it's an umbrella term.

"Ah right, Luno-san," She smiled.

I just chose to pat her on the head. "No problem. Let's go find Ophanimon Falldown Mode, okay?"

She nodded. "Alright. Should we go to the village?"

"Sounds like a plan," Shadowside Bloom agreed.

"Why not? It's better than dealing with Yuga. I swear I love the dude but sometimes I want to smack him for his insanity."

Shin Yunbae chuckled at that, and I smiled a bit as the portal was opened. Time to crack a case!

The portal dropped up off at a point near the village, so we walked to the village while small chatter began. 

"The people on the net are calling Kagami-san the Ace of Music!" Ruri smiled as she showed me the comments. Some said that their voice was heavenly. Others said that they became fans the moment they got that high note. It was really awesome how they had swayed the crowd in one fell swoop. 

I laughed a bit. "Oh, they haven't seen the best yet. Those two idiots finally confessed to each other through our graduation song. What sheer irony." 

"They even kissed backstage. Such passion," Ryubo snarked. "Seriously, young people these days..." 

"You sound so old!" Light burst out laughing. 

"Light, don't be rude to Ryubo-san!" Kumori scolded their partner despite the fond smile on their face. I had heard that they used to be shy and only interacted with Wuliang and Light, the former due to how his dad had been their partner at one point? I didn't try to get Tai Wuliang and his stuff. His world was way too confusing. Still, it was nice to see them open up more. 

Sometimes I wondered if I could do that. Open up to tell the others about...

I shook my head. No. No way. I knew how the others had reacted to Dad, to Asagao-san. No goddamn way was I exposing myself again! I had done that once and... 

I shuddered. Ego, no, Hubris was a dangerous feeling. I never wanted to... I never wanted to feel that way again. It hurt the people I love way too much. 

"I mean, Uncle Gao and Uncle Tasuku are only in their 30s and they sound way older," he joked. "And Ismaya-san is apparently approaching his 50s, so..." 

I rolled my eyes. "The part about Dad's irrelevant. Has no one told you of false equivalence?"

"I know, I know, it was a joke," he shrugged. "Plus, Uncle Gao and Uncle Tasuku really act that way." 

"I'm not going to deny it," Shin Yunbae laughed. "Anyway, how much farther before we arrive?"

"Just one more turn an-" Ruri froze at the intersection, which made Shadowside Bloom bump into her. "Hey! Wha..."

"Ruri?" I walked past her and froze as well. 

All around us, the houses the Digimon had worked so hard to build... were now reduced to rubble. The destruction reminded me of the Wrath Arc, when half of the city was devastated and taken over by the Wrath underlings... 

"What in the world...?" Shin Yunbae gasped. 

"The ****? Ophanimon Falldown Mode caused this much damage?" Light whispered. 

Just... how? What...? 

Something green in the grass nearby caught my eye, and I walked over to it, picked it up, and examined it.

It was a wreath bracelet with various ornaments; an angel tree topper, mistletoe, a gnome, stockings, a smaller wreath, a sugar plum candy with a candy cane dangling from it, a poinsettia, a reindeer, a nutcracker, and...

I got out the silver bells I had found on the first day of December from my backpack, and compared them to the one on the bracelet. While the bells were looped into a necklace, this one was smaller but... the star symbol on the bells was unmistakable. 

"What the...?" I looked them over. I should ask Blues what these were. They definitely didn't seem normal. What kind of narrative was being reconstructed...?

"Hey, Mom what's up?" Ruri called out. 

Without thinking, I stuffed the two items into my pocket. "N-Nothing!" 

"You sure?" She seemed skeptical. 

"Yeah! We should probably check on the village!" I walked past Ruri, way too fast as I fingered the two items. 

I had to figure out what this was. This mystery only grew deeper by the second. Why was Tsukumo Azami recruited by Perfectio...?

All these and more... There were too many holes in the story. I couldn't construct anything unless I had more information. Normally this would be when I relied on Mei, but she was still recovering from November in Paldea... 

Plus... was this truly her burden to bear? It was mine. I had started all of this so... I had to end it, right?

I couldn't afford to involve the others in this... but...

At the same time, I was so weak on my own, and I hated it. I thought I was okay, that I could handle it without any help... without support... Look where that got me- 

"Hey, are you okay?" A voice made me turn over to see Light, Kumori and Lumosmon coming over. 

My fists unclenched and I smiled as I said, "I'm fine! Let's go find Azami and free Ophanimon Falldown Mode!"

"You sure? You look-"

"It's fine! I'm fine! Stop asking!" I gritted out even though I was struggling to maintain a smile. 

Kumori immediately buried themselves into Light. "S-Scary..."

"That was really a bit too much, Luno-san," Light chose to carry Kumori instead as he frowned. 

"Ugh, I... I'm so sorry," I sighed. "I'm just tired."

"We could look for clues together then," Lumosmon offered. "Eight eyes are better than two."

She had a point so... "Fine. Let's get started."

They nodded as we dispersed, but my mind just kept on going back to the two things. They seemed vaguely similar to something I had seen before. I couldn't really remember what, but... the concept seemed to be there. I just had to figure out what the basis was. From there, I could narrow it down and eventually find the answer. 

Whether I got it right or not was an entirely different story. 

Hm... maybe I could ask Uju? He seemed pretty knowledgeable about things... 

Wait no, how would he know about these things? I didn't know and I had been involved with Digimon for years now.

"Hey, guys! We found a lead!" Ruri called out as she and the others jogged over. She was grinning all over the place, and so was Mika; a win in my book. "They said Azami was headed for the bird conservatory!"

"Where you guys fought Yatagaramon, right?" I asked, remembering the bird Digimon I had killed for Ryubo-san. He was pretty okay now after being fused to form Chaosmon Valdur Arms, but forgiveness was an entirely different story.

She nodded. "We should get there if we want to stop Azami!"

"Say no more! Kumori?" Light asked his partner. 

"A-Alright, get on everyone!" Kumori expanded as we got into them before they flew off to the bird sanctuary with guidance from Ruri. 

I could only hope we weren't too late... please if there's a deity out there, if there's anyone out there, let Ophanimon Falldown Mode be safe.. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened to innocents because of my actions. 

... Not that self-forgiveness was an option for me, anyway. 

I had tainted my hands too much. Their blood would forever be my burden to carry, so... I refused to let Azami have her way. I was going to keep them safe, for sure!

+ SPIRITUAL DIGILEMMA +

"AZAMI YOU ****ING PIECE OF ****!! Let the Digimon go! Just because I'm no longer a detective doesn't mean you can get away with it!" I growled at her as we all landed in front of Azami and what I would have to assume to be Ophanimon Falldown Mode (I usually avoided the village if I could...). 

"Oh? But you're no different! And with that insane ***** gone! I can do whatever I want!" She laughed while Ophanimon Falldown Mode remained silent. 

"Fall! Snap out of it!" Mika pleaded. "This isn't you!"

"Oh, but it is what she's supposed to be!" Azami cackled as she held out a Digilemma Digivice. "Finally! Everyone believes me again! I am going to get my revenge by making you suffer in jail as I had!"

"Hold on-" 

But too late. 

Ophanimon Falldown Mode Fragment Evolve to!

"Ragnarokmon!" Azami burst out laughing as the Digimon loomed over us, a sinister stare making me gulp. Just what?...

It was a dragon Digimon with black scales and deep orange eyes like mine, but its orbs were magma yellow... It also wore a golden helmet and wielded a bow and arrow.

"What the?! Another Fragmented Evolution!?" Shin Yunbae gasped. 

"We have no choice then!" Ruri took charge as everyone prepared. 

Angoramon Mega Evolve to...

OnakaZetsuboumon Mega Evolve to...

KiraHoshiimon Mega Evolve to...

Oujiaoaomon Mega Evolve to...

"Grifffomon!"

"Yokubarimon!"

"KokoroHikikomorimon!"

"Nyxmon!"

Shadow side Bloom went into Awakened form while Shin Yunbae and Light both got their Spell Cards, and I powered up the taser again as my eyes narrowed at Azami. Time to bring her back!

"Moebius Bite!" Ruri commanded as the Mega flew in to try and get a bite in. 

"Nidhogg Void!" Mika yelled, which caused the Digimon to snarl and conjure up a huge chrysalis before it began absorbing the energy off Ragnarokmon. 

"Inferno's Song!" KokoroHikikomorimon summoned up walls of flames which struck the Digimon right on. 

"Night's Garden Blast!" Ryubo-san ordered, making Nyxmon give a huge blast of wine and causing the fire to hit more. SS Bloom was also helping ignite the flames by blasting the heck out of it. 

"Solar Lightning!" Lumosmon roared.

"DhampirBat time! Fan the flames, Kumori! I Impact Call All for One, United We Stand, DhampirBat!" Light commanded. 

"Got it!" They nodded while changing form into the higher Impact Monster form, a huge gust of wind making the flames burn more. 

"I Impact Call, Holy Hero of the Stars, Biome Klaus!" Shin Yunbae yelled while Shin Klaus rushed in as well. "Then I cast! Axia's Evil Detour! You can't dodge this attack!"

Sure enough, Ragnarokmon roared, frozen in place while the attacks hit it. 

Meanwhile, I was blocking against Azami who was actually holding up well, using a kendo sword to parry as she mocked, "You're all alone, aren't you, you ****ing loser?! No one will want to do anything with you! You're nothing but a waste of space! Everyone will eventually leave, anyway! Didn't they all leave in the end? Not even your new friend will last long!"

My eyes narrowed. She did NOT just...! "Everyone on the team has forgiven me! I don't know why but they have and I'm grateful for that! Boko and Baku will take a while, but Uju's accepted me for me! I don't ****ing care what you say about everyone! Maybe they leave, but I'll just treasure the time I have left before they leave me!"

"Wait, you think we'll leave you!? Mom, that's ridiculous!" Ruri protested. "We would never!"

"Oh, you sure?" She smirked as she lunged but I kicked her back. "Ugh!"

"You are going down! We are going to beat you and save Ophanimon Falldown Mode! You're not going to be able to leave jail after this! Dad and Semo-sensei will make sure of that!"

"Oh really? Even if..." she smirked.

"Even if what?!" I growled. 

"Even if I tell you... that my grandmother was friends with Menoa Bellucci?"

I froze on the spot. 

"... what?" 

"Ohhhh? Why so shocked?" She smirked. "They were fellow DigiDestined, from what I heard."

What? No way! There was no way that a Tsukumo... someone related to this ****** could have been a DigiDestined! I refused to believe it!

"You liar! Stop lying!" I snarled. "I refuse to think anyone related to your sorry *** was a DigiDestined!"

"I'm not lying," she smirked. "The first ever Digimon you killed, RobinHoodmon, can testify to that. He and MusosIatreiamon were partners for that Digi-Destined group."

"R-RobinHoodmon can...?" My grip on the taser tightened. I refuse to let her manipulate me this way! "You... YOU ****ing psycho! Stop lying to me!"

"You can choose whether you want to believe me or not, but I'm being honest here. You can see the proof right here," she said as she got out an old picture and showed it to me. 

I froze up on the spot the moment I saw... 

That was.... A Morphomon. And the magenta-haired girl carrying her... that HAD to be... 

"Grand... ma..." I stammered, my eyes noticing the other girl in the picture looking vaguely similar to Azami, and...

Wait, that was...! 

"A... Hoshimon?" Athena Monde, another of the Awesome Brawlers, had been partnered to one when we had to fight against Bakugan who had the Sin Codes, so I was pretty sure that was one... 

But... how... why?

Why was a Hoshimon in the picture...?

"I told you, I don't lie. I just speak out what I believe," she spoke while keeping the picture. "That's how I knew that I too was destined for greatness! Surely this means that I am meant to save the world and make it bow before me!" 

"Yeah no way!" I snarled. "I refuse to let you do that!"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. Your grandmother destroyed the balance between bonds and made it harder for most DigiDestined to retain their partners. So if anything... your entire family tree is cursed."

"SHUT UP!!" I roared as I rushed in and swung the taser, but she parried and kicked me back. "You ****ing *****! I will end you! I will make you rue the day you chose to bring my birth family into this!"

"The birth family you don't even remember?" She pointed out, and I replied by kicking her on the face. "Shut up!"

"Am I wrong, though?" She smirked. "Let's face it, the entire Bellucci line should just die. No one will miss or mourn you. You know why? Because a murderer with 459 bodies on their conscience deserves death!"

"You're causing even more suffering than I ever could!" I hissed as I used my elbow to smack her. "Why the **** are you hurting innocent Digimon?!"

"Because they're not natural! They only leech off humans! Humans are the reason they can do anything while here, so by exterminating them I will end this curse for all the worlds! I will make it a human-only utopia!"

My blood boiled. My eyes saw red. This... this ****ing *******!!

All I wanted to do was to make her pay, to make her hurt, to make her see nothing but red. 

I kicked her to the ground and pinned her down, the taser now at full strength of 450V as I snarled. "YOU EVIL PIECE OF ****! THE WORLD WILL BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU! SAY HELLO TO THAT *****Y GRANDMOTHER OF YOURS WHEN YOU GO TO ****!"

And then it seemed to hit her right there, as I was about to plunge my taser into her, that she was  about to die. Her eyes widened in fear and-

"RAGNAROKMON, FAFNIR BLAST!"

What the-

"AHHHHHH!!!!!!!" 

"GUYS!" I turned back, my guard down—

Azami kicked me off, my taser flying off and deactivating as she dusted herself off. "That was a close one."

"No... no..." Mika reached out, her body looking way too weak from the blast. All of them had gotten hit by it... 

But why... 

Why did the ground around them look so clean?

"This was a waste of time," Azami said as she was picked up by Ragnarokmon and placed on its head. "Oh well, I guess I'll see you some other time~~"

"NO! LET FALL GO!" OnakaZetsuboumon pleaded.

"That's not the plan we have for her, though, so no. Soon she'll join the others anyway," she smirked before she waved. "Goodbye~~"

"STOP!"

But Ragnarokmon was gone, and... 

I... 

I...

I let this happen... I let my anger, my pride get the better of me...

I fell to my knees again, sobbing as my mind began whispering again and again the one question I didn't have the answer to. 

Just... what in the world... what in the world have I done...?

Going back to Cho-Taiyo was a daze. I barely responded to anyone as I moved to my room and lied on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Energy gone... unlike just a few hours ago... when adrenaline was coursing though my veins, when recklessness was all I had in mind. 

Hahaha, turned out my mental illness was still kicking me in the ***... 

I have to save... I have to save Ophanimon Falldown Mode... But Pumpmon was still recovering from the evolution into Jokermon... So... The only people I had left to ask were...

Bokomon and Bakumon... 

Would they forgive me, though...?

That... I didn't know, and it was downright terrifying to think about. 

venusaura owns Bloom Yumi and Klaus.