Chapter 49 - Spirit Needle (Pt. 1)

Miyu woke up bright and early and made sure Emi did the same. Emi was already unexcited about this new relationship. On the other hand, Miyu had adored the outfit Emi's mom had insisted on buying her, only she'd never worn it. Emi happily gave it to her and Miyu went to school wearing a new sleevless brown turtle neck and an ankle length skirt.
After dropping Gigimon off with the rest of the digimon, Miyu signed in as a new student and started her new class with Yolei and Ashlee.

Davis, Tara, and Kari had kitchen duty that day. As the rest of the students milled about, they carried trays off food up to the lunch room. All of them were wearing white smocks and white hats on top of their normal outfits.
"Lunch duty is yuck." Kari said as they walked up the stairs.
"I know," Davis agreed, "These outfits are totally lame."
"I dunno, Davis." Tara said lightly, "I think it might be an improvement for you."
"Speak for yourself, Tara. We look like salt and pepper shakers."
"Or mad scientists." Kari said.

As the three of them ladeled white rice and peas into the students' "Wbowls, they talked.
"I don't know, maybe Ken isn't such a bad guy." Davis said.
"I'm not sure." Kari said.
"Well I am." Tara said, handing someone their bowl back a little too forcefully, "A square is a square is a square. Poisonous toad stools don't change their spots."
"He helped us last time." Davis pointed out.
"I don't know." Kari said.
"And I don't care." Tara added.

During break, Davis sat on the stairs with a soccor ball in his lap, watching Ashi and Cody practice their kendo.
"Technically, Ken is one the Digi-Destined," said Davis, "I was thinking about asking him to join us."
"I think that's a gr-" Ashi began.
Cody growled and swung his stick with a scowl. Ashi ducked her head and fell silent.
"I don't know, it was just an idea." Davis said, "I thought he could help." Davis got up and left, muttering, "I guess someone hasn't had his coffee this morning."

Davis decided to go talk to Ashlyn, Miyu, Yolei, and Ashlee. The three of them were watching their digimon eat their lunch. Poromon, Deviveemon, Oompamon, Rirmon, Puppymon, and Gigimon were all gathered around a tray, eating what food their partners had managed to snitch from the cafeteria.
"I think Ken has changed." Davis said, "I don't think he's the Digimon Emperor anymore." Ashlee shook her head.
"The guy is going to have to pull of a miracle to make me believe him." She said, "He hurt way too many digimon to go back that quickly."
"I agree." Ashlyn said, "Remember when he hurt Emi and Agumon?"
"What do you think, Miyu?" Davis asked. The girl shrugged.
"I don't know enough about it. I wasn't around when he was evil."
"I don't know..." Yolei sighed.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Davis demanded.
"I thought Ken was good, too, espically after Wormmon got hurt. It felt like he finally realized digimon were living creatures with feelings. But after that last battle in the Digital World, I'm not so sure. He looked more like the old Ken to me. The way he mercilessly ordered Wormmon to go in for the kill like that. That poor digimon! I'm sorry, Davis, but I don't think I can trust him after what he did."
"I agree." Ashlee said. Yolei glared at her.
"I didn't ask for your opinion." Ashlee rolled her eyes. Davis frowned and ran out the door.
"Hey, Davis, wait up!" Demiveemon called, racing out the door after him.
"Hey, Davis, what's up?" TK called as he and Emi walked by the room. Davis didn't answer, "What's up with him?"
"I don't know. I think he's mad at me for disagreeing with him about Ken." Yolei said. Ashlee smiled at TK and TK smiled back.
"Ken?" Emi asked, "What about him?"
"Guy has gone nuts." Ashlee shrugged, "He wants Ken to be on our team."
"Hey Davis!" Emi shouted suddenly, "Wait up!" She ran after the spikey-haired boy. TK walked into the room.
"I just don't think people change that easily." Ashlyn said as explination for her disagreeing with Davis.
"But whatever," Yolei cut her off, "We have more important things to worry about than Ken. Like why the Control Spires starting working again."

"You're usually one of the first to turn in your test, Ken." The exam procter remarked.
"I'm sorry," Ken said with a bow, "I'll try to be faster next time."
Ken walked down the stairs and saw that a large crowd of students were already there waiting for their test results.
"Look!" one exclaimed, "I beat Ken on the math test."
"Everyone beat him." said a girl, "He's at the bottom."
"He got the lower score!"
"Yeah, what happened?"

Ken walked home in a daze. The students at his school were right- what had happened? He hadn't been able to focus in so long. His mood wasn't helped by the fact that Emi had called him and left a voice message asking him how he had done on the test. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone? He had so much on his mind and it seemed like no one understood.
"Ken!"
Ken stopped as he heard his name called behind him. Davis and Emi were standing in front of him. It was starting to feel like Emi was stalking him.
"Hey!" Davis and Emi chorused, waving.

Ken tossed a rock onto the lake and watched it skip a few paces before dunking under the water. He, Davis, and Emi were undeneath an overpass, the later two sitting on the grass.
"So what brings you all the way out here? Did you come to remind me I've been a bad boy?" Ken asked.
"Come on, Ken," Davis said, "You've done some pretty rotten things, but you're not an evil person."
"I'm not?"
"No. The person who designed the school lunch menu? Now THAT'S an evil person." Davis laughed and Emi smiled. Ken did nothing, "That was a joke, Ken."
"Sorry, I haven't been in the laughing mood lately."
"Did you fail your math test?" Emi asked. Ken frowned, "What? You didn't answer my call back."
"That's because you're annoying."
"Wait- you CALLED him?" Davis asked. Emi bit her lip.
"Er...yeah."
"How did you get his phone number?"
"Um..."
"Oh! I get it! That's what you've been doing- you've been hanging out with Ken!"
"Finally!" Sunmon cried expaseratedly, "At least someone finally got it!"
"Wait until Azukia finds out! She's gonna plotz!"
"No!" Emi said, "You can't tell anyone! They'd kill me!"
"You got that right!" Davis said with a grin, "There wouldn't be any of you left!"
"Come on, Davis. Please?"
"Okay, okay. Since you're helping me with this."
"Helping her with what?" Ken asked.
"Oh, yeah. I've got this great idea. Why don't you come with us? You can meet our friends and tell them that you're sorry."
"Why? They hate me. You just said that if they knew Emi was talking to me, they'd probably be upset with her."
"That's just because it's Emi! They don't hate you, Ken, they just don't understand you."
"Yeah," said Emi, "We know you're sorry, but they don't. That's all."
"What makes you two so special?" Ken muttered.
"Hey, we never said we were special." said Davis, "We just think you're better than you're giving yourself credit for."
"Right!" Emi nodded.
"Okay, it's weird that we're agreeing with each other." said Davis.
"I agree." They looked at each other shuddered.
"Look, Ken, the Digital World has been freaky lately," Davis continued, "We need your help."
"Afterall, you're one the Digi-Destined." said Emi. Ken looked at them.
"Huh? Me? A Digi-Destined?"
"That's right!" Davis laughed, "Just one big happy family!"
"I don't know..." He turned back, "Thanks for being honset with me, but it just won't work. I can't join you. And you should just leave me alone, Emi."
"What? What do you mean?" Davis asked as Ken walked away.
"I just can't. Sorry."
"Ken! Where are you going?"
"Come on Ken! We can be your friends!"
"Please come back!"
Ken disappeared. Demiveemon's head poked out of the top of Davis' soccor bag.
"I really thought you were getting through to him," the blue digimon remarked, "Why do you think he doesn't want to join us?"
"I think he just needs time." Davis said, still staring after Ken.
"And that's not something we have a lot of." said Emi.
Above, TK and Miyu were watching them. Patamon was clinging to the railing next to Gigimon.
"TK, do you think Emi and Davis are right about Ken?" asked Patamon, "Do you think we should forgive him for what he's done?"
"I think everyone deserves a second chance, Patamon, even Ken." TK said. Miyu stared thoughtfully down at the pair below. She didn't really know what was going on and felt that she shouldn't interefere, but still...
"I think he's really sorry for what he's done." Miyu said, "I think we should forgive him and let bygones be bygones."
TK nodded, "I agree one hundred percent. I hope Ken can forgive himself."

"I've thought a lot about what you said, but the answer is still no." Yolei told Davis firmly over the telephone, "I'm sorry, Davis, but I don't think it's a good idea." She hung up the phone and sighed.
"Hey, Yolei, is something wrong?" Asked a girl with shoulder length brown hair and glasses similar to Yolei's. She was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hand.
Yolei walked over and sat on the floor next to the table. There was no room on the couch since her brother and another person with short dirty blonde hair were sitting on the couch as well.
"Let me guess," continued the first speaker, "I bet it has something to do with a boy."
"Well...kinda." Yolei said.
"Okay, let me guess. This boy has been a real jerk in the past and you're not sure if you should forgive him."
"Yes, that's it exactly!"
"Well I think you should give him another chance. Afterall, he is your boyfriend."
"Hm?"
"Oh Yolei!" Yolei's mother suddenly called from somewhere outside the living room, "According to the latest Girly-Girl magazine astrology chart, you're going to be lucky in love this month!"
"Wait a second, you guys have it all wrong." Yolei said, "I don't have a boyfriend. Got it?"
"Yup, that's what they all say." Her brother sighed, "Ah, young love. Sweet!"
The rest of the family went back to what they had been doing while Yolei remained on the floor, hugging the pillow to her chest.
"Now I'm even more confused."

"Hey, Onee-Chan, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ashlyn asked as she shuffled into the brightly lit kitchen. The pale-blonde girl was already in her pajamas; her sister was still in her school uniform, but with an pink apron over it (a birthday present from Matt the year before).
Azukia put down her large wooden spoon and turned around. She had been baking cookies for Tai and Kari since she knew how much they disliked their mother's food. She tried to keep a fully loaded seceret stash of normal food at all times.
"Wait until after you're married!" Azukia blurted the minute she saw Ashlyn's face, "Birth control pills can seriously mess with you!"
Ashlyn gave her sister a confused look and then felt the blush spread across her face.
"Davis and I are NOT having sex!" She cried, looking incredibly uncomfortable, "I wanted to ask you about something else!"
"Oh." Azukia said, allowing a look of relief to spread across her face, "Sure, what is it?"
"Well, Davis thinks we should invite Ken to join the group. I don't really trust Ken, but...I don't want Davis to hate me because I don't agree with him."
"Okay, for one thing, we are NOT letting that little scuzzball onto the team." Azukia said, "And for the next, if Davis is giving you a hard time, I swear I'll-"
"Davis isn't upset with me!" Ashlyn cut across the red-head, "Yet."
"Oh. Well, if he isn't mad at you now and you're polite about it, you two will be fine."
"You sure?"
"Totally."

Later that night, Yolei was laying on top of her bed, still wondering about what she should do.
"I don't know, maybe Davis and Emi are right about Ken." she told Poromon.
"If it bothers you so much, why don't you talk to Ken yourself?" Poromon asked, "It might make you feel better."
"I know that's the right thing to do, but I have this little voice in my head that keeps telling me Ken is still untrustworthy."
"It's up to you, Yolei, but hearing voices in your head sounds pretty weird to me."
"Ugh!" Yolei cried in frustration as she sat up. A few seconds later, she placed her head back on the pillow, "Rats. I don't know anymore. I just hope I can make the right descision, Poromon."

The large, green, scythe-weilding bug roared and brandished it's deadly claws.
"Stingmon! Go get him!" Ken commanded.
"Scythe Echo!" The enemy bug shouted, shouting a sharp pink light towards the quick dark green wasp. Stingmon easily dodged.
"Maybe if you practiced more," He said dismissively, "Spinning Spiking Strike!" A flurry of kicks rained down upon the sharp-handed bug. Then it was gone, "He's gone to pieces."
"You showed him, Stingmon." Ken said.
"Can we not do that anymore today?" Stingmon asked. The sky above was turning a very dark shade of blue. If they didn't head home soon, Ken's parents were bound to notice.
"Unfortunately, I don't think that's the last of the monsters we'll face. Look at all the Control Spires." A forest of them embedded in the mounds of rocks in front of them stretched as far as the eye could see, "I'm sorry I ever made them. Something is going on and it doesn't look good." Maybe he should join the Digi-Destined. He didn't think he could do it alone.

"I wanna a marshmallow, Mimi!"
"Me!"
"Me!"
"No, me first!"
"Pleeease?"
A group of small baby digimon (these appearing to be miniture polar bear heads) were gathered around the American Digi-Destined and a campfire, although the sun was still high in the sky.
"Hold on, hold on. Palmon is going to find more marshmallows as we speak!" Mimi said. Mimi had managed to changed her style again. Her bushy orange hair was now a few inches below her shoulders and was stuffed underneath a large yellow cap.
"These are delicious. Thank you!" One of the digimon said.
"Next time we'll make s'mores. How about that? I wonder where Palmon went with those marshmallows. If she doesn't come back soon, we'll have to start roasting tree bark!"

Needless to say, Palmon had no marshmallows. She had entirely forgotten her mission in her excitement to find a few bundles of wild flowers on the forest floor. She knelt next to some and plucked a few.
"How pretty. I bet Mimi would love this flower. I should find more and make her a bouquet." The green plant digimon hummed as she walked down the steep hill, weaving in and out of the trees.
Suddenly, something caught her eye. Palmon gave a little gasp and hid behind the tree closest to her.
At the base of the hill a few yards away, a woman with a large red hat, long silver hair, and a pair of large sunglasses was standing near the bottom of a Control Spire.
"I human?" Palmon asked herself, "What's she doing in the Digital World? Only children can come to the Digital World. She doesn't look like a child to me." The woman below slowly plucked a piece of her hair off of her long red dress, "And what is she doing with that Control Spire?"
The woman smiled as the hair she had inbetween her fingers became perfectly straight. She smiled and then inserted it into the Control Spire.
"Hair today, gone tomorrow." She chuckled. Red ripples began to fan out from the entry point, "Spirit Needle!"
Palmon gasped as the Control Spire was emersed in light, "This doesn't look good!" Something growled.
"Go!" the woman barked, "Flood the city. Leave it ruins. Do as I command!"
"Oh no!" Palmon cried and took off toward Mimi.

"Mimi! Mimi!"
"Did you hear that?" Mimi asked as she stood up and turned around with an impaled marshmallow on a stick still clutched in one hand.
"Mimi! Help! You have to make me digivolve! He's going to destroy the whole town!"
"Palmon, what are you talking about?" said Mimi, now standing on a thick tree branch above the path Palmon was running along, "Who is going to destroy the town?"
Without warning, a large round shadow appeared around Palmon. Mimi, Palmon, and the baby digimon all looked up to see a large rock digimon about to crash down on top of the plant digimon's head.
Palmon gasped and shot out her vines. They wrapped around a tree and she pulled herself to safety- just in time. The rock digimon struck the ground with such force that large chunks of the rock bed flew into the air.
"It's Golemon!" the little polar bear heads shrieked in unison.
"That was too close." Palmon said as she released her roots and clung to the tree trunk. She had spoken too soon. A volley of the rocks Golemon's impact had sent flying soared toward her. The largest one struck Palmon's chest and she slid down the rest of the trunk with a groan.
"Palmon!" Mimi cried as she ran to her fallen comrade. She knelt besider Palmon and cupped her hands under her chin, "Are you alright?"
"I'm alright." said Palmon in a tired voice, "I just need to rest. Go Mimi. Golemon is going to destroy the dam!"
Mimi looked down at the path once again. Golemon had all but forgotten them and was making his way steadily toward the town.
"Wait!" Mimi shouted while her small friends screamed at him, "Don't do it! Don't go! The town is defenseless, you big bully!"
"There's no time." said Palmon, "You've got to warn them. And I need to sleep." With that, Palmon titled her head to the side and closed her eyes.
"Palmon! Hold on! I can't do this alone. I NEED HELP!"

A fairly amusing series of gasps went on as Mimi's cry of, "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" was sent through the computer speakers. One "Digi-Port Open" later, and the group was on their way.

They landed a bit of course (Azukia had allowed Yolei to callabrate the destination for once). After a few minutes of searching, they still hadn't found Mimi. Azukia checked her D-Terminal and found that they were no where near Mimi.
"Gah! And because of that Control Spire, we can't go champion!" Davis shouted.
"Chill out, Davis." Casey sighed, ruffling the younger boy's hair since she knew it irritated him.
"We can just Armor Digivolve anyway," said Tara with a shrug.
"Armor...Digivolve?" Miyu asked. She looked at Guilmon (now rookie level and enormous again). He shook his head and looked just as confused as she did.
"Yeah. Remember that egg you found in the same place we found Guilmon?" TK said. Miyu nodded.
"But...I don't know where it is."
"Don't worry." said Azukia, "It's just in your D-Terminal. All you have to do is say 'Digi-Armor Energize'."
"Come on, Miyu! Guilmon wants to do it!" Guilmon said, thrusting his large head under his partner's arm and sniffing happily at her face. Miyu grinned.
"Sure thing. Digi-Armor Energize!"
"Guilmon Armor Digivolve to...Atomicgrowlmon, the Spirit of Caring!"
Miyu's eyes widened as she saw the creature her Guilmon had turned into. He was now a rather humanoid silver and crimson knight. He had silver shoulder gaurds as well, each carved with the same symbol as the egg: a daisy surrounded by three hearts. Eight thin angel wings spread from slots in the back of his armor.
"Well, neat. Board the Atomicgrowl express, because we need to book it!" Emi called. The rest of them had already armor digivolved and were waiting to get a move on.
"Be right there!" Miyu sang. She looked up at the towering knight in front of her.
"My lady." Atomicgrowlmon said. Miyu smiled. This digimon was really quite different from her Guilmon. He had bent down to allow her to climb on his back. She did so, albeit a bit awkwardly.
And away they went.

"Mimi! We're right here!" Casey shouted as they all ran and/or rode up. Mimi turned around.
"We came as fast as we could." said Azukia, "What's going on?"
"It's Golemon." Mimi answered as she looked towards the dam. Even from that far away, she could see the figure climbing towards the top of it, "He's going to break the dam and flood the city."
"Why would he do that?" asked Davis, "Did he just freak out or something?"
"Oh? Who's this?" Mimi asked, catching sight of Miyu. The blonde girl was no longer on Atomicgrowlmon's shoulders and was instead staring at the dam, eyes filled with concern.
"This," Emi said, poking her foster-sister in the ribs when Miyu didn't respond, "Is Miyu."
"Oh." Miyu said, "Hi!"
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mimi." said Mimi, "How long have you been a Digi-Destined now?"
"A couple of days an-"
"We're running out of time!" Snapped the baby digimon.
"Where's the town?" asked Tara.
"At the end of the ravine." one of the baby digimon answered, "and all the digimon there will be up to their ears in water!"
"Hey, don't worry. We're all over it." said Ashlee. Beside her, Metalcosmon nodded.
"Let's go take care of that rock head!" Davis cried.
All the digimon took off and went flying out over the cliffside.
"First we need to get Goldemon away from the dam." Raidramon growled as they neared the dam.
"Golden Noose!" Pegasusmon, Nefertimon, and Leodramon created their usual golden rope and wrapped it around Golemon's neck. As they pulled backward, the other's prepared.
"I've got it." said Atomicgrowlmon. He raised one hand and a crimson-and-silver lance appeared in it. He lifted it and pointed it at the stone digimon and shouted, "Atom Charger!" It shot off like a lasar gun.
"Gold Rush!"
"Double Star!"
"Black Eclipse!"
"Blue Ligtening!"
"Harmony Lash!"
"Mecha Cannon!"
"Golden Thunder Slash!"
"Galaxy Blast!"
"Great shot, guys." said Goldenwolfmon. But when the smoke had cleared, Golemon didn't even have a scratch.
"That didn't even phase him." Grunted Pegasusmon.
"Thanks a lot guys." said Leodramon.
"Well, sorrryy." Metalcosmon snapped, folding her silver arms to her chest.
"Look for his dark ring and destroy it!" Nefertimon suggested as she and the other two struggled to keep Golemon in check.
"I'm on it." said Shurimon.
"I'll help." said Atomicgrowlmon. Shurimon literaly spran into action and Atomicgrowlmon used his wings to float upward.
"I don't see a dark ring." said Shurimon. Atomicgrowlmon shook his head.
"I don't either."
"No dark ring?" Nigeriamon repeated, "That means he isn't being controlled."
"Just like the Thundermon we fought last time." said Digmon.
"Why are these digimon going rogue?" Kiswanimon wondered aloud.
Suddenly, Golemon lurched his neck forward. The strength of the pull sent the three digimon connected to the noose crashing into the dam.
"Pegasusmon!" TK gasped at the same time Emi cried, "Leodramon!" The three digimon groaned as the slid down the dam. Golemon ignored them and reassumed his climbing up the wall.
"That did it!" Raidramon cried. He ran forward. A split second later, Goldenwolfmon did the same and Atomicgrowlmon followed. They leapt into the air as they closed the gap.
"Crimson Curse!" Goldemon said without even turning around. A thick red-purple cloud shot out of the craters on his backs, obscuring Raidramon and Goldenwolfmon from vision.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Ashlyn and Davis cried together. Goldenwolfmon, Atomicgrowlmon and Raidramon hit the ground. Miyu bit her lip. She'd never had to see her digimon fight and the site was making her very sad.
"Our turn." said Nigeriamon. She, Shurimon, and Metalcosmon flew into the air. Once again, Golemon didn't even have to look before he smashed each with a large fist.
"Shurimon!" Yolei shouted. Ashlee clapped a hand to her mouth and Azukia winced.
"Look!" cried Cody, "He's going to do it!"
"Do what?"
"Break the dam!" Ashi shouted. Golemon lifted his fist again and plunged it into the cement wall.

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