‹ Prequel: Angel's Child
Status: This story is already fully written, but I'll try to only put up a few chapters at a time. No worries!
Digital Monsters, Digital Adventure
Chapter 25: 'Princess Karaoke'
Angie and Z were pedaling the swan boat, which Izzy said was NOT hers and should not be mentioned unless they wanted their faces rearranged, across the lake.
They were tired and, in Z’s case, pretty cranky.
With Gomamon and Agumon unable to pedal, they’d been going around the whole lake on just their leg power.
Of course, with their partner’s added weight and their continuous whines to go faster, both turtles were ready to throw them overboard…
They would, but damn it, both Digimon could swim…
As the brown-banded turtle muttered and cursed under her breath, they finally reached the shore again.
Checking her Digivice, Angie didn’t notice the castle until Z elbowed her.
Looking up the long stone path and the massive fortress, the four of them suddenly felt VERY small…
“Ya thin’ someone’s in there?”
“Yup. The Digivice says so.”
The only problem was making their achy legs MOVE up to the castle…
Once at the front doors, they pushed one open to see the front room swarming with frantic Digimon.
Gomamon and Agumon said they were Gekomon and Otamamon.
They were rushing around as if too busy to stop and breathe, and both turtles were loathe to interrupt them…
Angie was about to ask about one of their cousins when a bell began to ring rather loudly.
All the Digimon stopped, and the ran to hide.
“Her royal highness, Princess Lily!”
Four pairs of eyes widened at the sight before them…
“LILY!?!”
It was her, only with a purple princess dress and her mask around her neck tied in a bow.
She blinked at them in surprise, and a strange fog lifted from the normally clear blue eyes.
“Angie? Z?”
“What are ya doin’ ‘ere?”
“Well, I’m a princess.”
“…And here comes MY question…Why?”
“That’s a story for another time. Why don’t you come join me in my quarters?”
As they walked up the beautifully-crafted steps, Angie’s heart ached…
‘I have a bad feeling about this…’
The room was in different shades of violet, and full of clothes and such.
Her old clothes that they remembered her wearing before were hanging on a hook on the far side of the room, seemingly untouched.
Both felt uncomfortable here, and Z stepped forward.
“Come on, Lil. Time ta go.”
“Go where?”
It was like she’d completely forgotten…
It made Angie worry about the others…
How much had they changed since she’d been gone?
How much had they changed because she couldn’t come back sooner?
“We’ve gotta leave. Ya know, meet up wit’ the others an’ save both our worlds?”
“I’m not going.”
It was said so decidedly Angie was stunned.
“I’m not fighting anymore. And I don’t want to leave this place.”
“Lily, this isn’t like you…” Angie reasoned.
“You used to be so much more selfless and considerate, but look at what you’re doing to those poor Digimon.”
A flicker of light, of the old Lily tickling at her conscious and trying to take back control…
“Well, they can survive.”
‘The old Lily would NEVER say that…’
“Besides, if we never make it home, I might as well stay here.”
“But we WILL. We just need you, Lily.”
“Don’t be such a girly-girl an’ come on!”
“I’m not going!”
“Then neither are we.” Z decided, Gomamon on her shoulder.
“We’re stickin’ wit’ ya no matter what ya say!”
The violet-bowed she-turtle rang a bell, summoning an army of Gekomon and Otamamon.
“Get them out of my palace!”
And so all four were hefted up and thrown out the front gates, where Z’s temper caused her to curse to the sky.
They passed by Palmon, who looked concerned and confused…
“I wonder how she became princess, anyway…”
“You really wanna know?”
They turned to some Gekomon and Otamamon…
“Yeah.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standing in a large room, complete with stage and lights and a giant hibernating Digimon, the pair listened to what had happened.
“Ya shouldn’t ‘a spoiled ‘er.”
“She’s not used to this sort of attention, and now she’s drunk on it…”
“Still, we gotta wake up Shogungekomon somehow. Any ideas, Angie?”
“If you need to sing…Well, I know I’m not that great of one, and neither are you…”
“Thanks, Angie…”
“And sinde the only other person I know that can sing is Ari, we’ll have to trick Lily.”
“Hey, guys!”
It was Palmon, wearing a mini of the dress her partner wore.
“I thought you guys left! It was like you weren’t happy to see us!”
Blank, almost annoyed expressions, crossed their faces…
“In case you hadn’t noticed, Lily’s gone nuts!” Agumon replied.
“Yeah?”
Palmon seemed to be thinking REALLY hard…
“Now that I think of it, she HAS gone off the deep end!”
“Nice to know ya joined the side ‘a smart people, Palmon…”
“Z, be nice!”
Angie smiled a bit.
“’Cause now I’ve got a plan!”
“Really? Let’s go!”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cell door slamming showed how well THAT plan went…
They should’ve known Lily would be too smart to fall for that trick…
And now even Palmon was with them in the damp room.
“Lily, don’t do this!” Angie pleaded.
“I know you’ll regret it!”
“We’ll see about that!”
“Yer a col’-‘earted BITCH now, ya know that?”
“Well, it’s good to know how you feel!”
But the real her, that light in her eyes, seemed to quake and cry.
Any insult, if ever thrown her way, always made her break down into tears before.
“Lily, you got the Crest of Sincerity for a reason…Please, be honest with yourself…Are you really happy?”
A flash of indecision, then a nod before she continued out.
“Wait, Lily!”
A halt, and blue eyes turned to her partner.
Palmon had always loved those eyes, mainly because they’d been filled with love and understanding and gentle comfort…
Now they seemed hollow…
“Nobody likes you more than I do…It hurts me deeply to have to say this, but…”
Lily’s eyes flashed with sympathy and worry as her partner’s green eyes brimmed with tears…
“YOU’RE A SPOILED BRAT!!!”
She clammed up immediately, hurt and angry all at once.
“Well, it’s nice to know what you all think of me!”
She almost ran, and Angie’s instinct was to reach out and comfort her…
‘We all messed up big time…’ She thought wearily, leaning her head on the bars…
‘I’m sorry, Agu…’
A shadow moved from the window.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lily whirled around, trying to find an escape from the encasing darkness…
“HELP! I CAN’T SEE! HELP!!”
Her cries echoed far away, and her heartbeat accelerated…
“HELP ME, PLEASE!!!”
Flashes of disappointed Gekomon, of her hurt friends, of a crying Palmon, were tearing at her…
“Somebody make it STOP!”
She was suffocating, hyperventilating so bad her lungs ached and her heart pulled.
Gabriel, Tentomon, Elie, Biyomon, Izzy, Gabumon, Rosie, Patamon…
Angie, Agumon, Z, Gomamon…
She’d felt so safe with them, so happy and free…
Why had she passed it up?
Why had she turned her family away?
Tears seemed to bubble up from her sobbing heart, and she nearly screamed her grief to the darkness.
“I WANT MY FAMILY!!! I WANT MY BROTHER AND COUSINS!!! I WANT MY MOMMY AND DADDY!!!”
She felt like she’d never wake up, that she’d be stuck here…
“I’M SORRY!!!!!!”
With a jolt, she was in the castle again, the moonlight making the room glow with an angel’s touch…
Her heart was still pounding before she realized her crest was glowing and…
“Elie?”
“What do you think that dream was trying to tell you?”
She looked like Elie, but her touch was softer, her words gentle and calm, like she’d grown up…
Could it really be Elie?
“Y-Yes…”
“That’s it.”
A gentle grin, a resemblance of the Elie she’d known before.
“I knew we hadn’t lost you. You just got a bit lost in yourself. Don’t forget who you are, Lily.”
Lily figured she’d had a dream, because she jolted awake again, but her room was empty and the window blowing in a cool breeze from the lake.
With her crest giving her light, she dressed in her original clothes before ordering everyone to gather in the room holding Shogungekomon.
Even her family.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hiding behind the curtains, Lily watched the crowd murmuring to each other.
Angie and Z were in back, looking just as confused, with the three Digimon beside them.
With a careful breath, the violet-masked turtle stepped out onto the stage, gently adjusting the microphone as guilty tears already filled her eyes.
“…There’s something I have to say…I’m sorry.”
It seemed to catch everyone by surprise…
“I had no right to take advantage, and I’m so sorry I did. I’m sorry for making you all miserable, and I’m sorry I was so mean to all of you…To make up for it, I’d like to sing for you…I don’t know why any of you would forgive me, and you don’t have to, but I’ll wake up Shogungekomon and go…”
…
“We forgive you!”
It was Palmon’s voice, and she smiled a bit in surprise at the smiling faces of the crowd.
“I forgive ya, Lil!”
“We’re just glad you found yourself again!”
The Gekomon cheered their acceptance, and she closed her eyes as the music started…
“I want to sing a song/A song to bring Shogungekomon around/When he hears my voice/I hope he likes the sound/He has to listen/Listen to my sincere heart/I’ve learned that friends are friends even when they’re apart/I’ve asked my friends to forgive me from the bottom of my heart/If it were my choice, his eyes would open wide/And the Gekomon will be cheering/Cheering with pride-.”
Lily was cut off as Shogungekomon awoke fully, clearly not pleased about being disturbed from his ‘nap’.
“Which one of you clowns woke me up? Or should I squish all of you?”
The crowd was scattering as the large Digimon threatened to stomp them flat, and Lily barely managed to get off the stage.
She got some bruises thanks to debris falling…
“Musical Fist!”
Angie, Z, their Digimon, and the Gekomon were blasted through a hole in the wall.
Unfortunately, this also weakened the support of the ceiling above Lily…
“PAL!”
“LILY!”
That bright light…
She almost forgot how much she’d missed it…
“Palmon, Digivolve to…TOGEMON!!”
She ran to her partner’s defense…
“Light Speed Jabbing!”
The dust fell, and the blue-eyed turtle looked up at the plant Digimon…
“Togemon…”
“Are you alright?”
“I am now…”
With a new set of determination in her jaw, she grabbed the wayward mike.
“Shogungekomon, why are you being so mean?! I woke you up for these Gekomon, and all you want to do is squash them?!”
“So it was YOU?!”
“Uh oh…”
Shogungekomon tried to charge…
“TOGEMON!”
“Harpoon Torpedo!”
With him distracted by this new threat, in the form of Ikkakumon and Greymon outside, Togemon lifted her partner up and jumped down to safety.
“Nova Blast!”
“Harpoon Torpedo!”
“Musical Fist!”
All three attacks collided in midair, causing an explosion of smoke and sound that shook the turtles to their toes.
Shogungekomon jumped down, prepared to crush them all…
“GREYMON!!!”
The Crest of Courage gave its light…
“Greymon, Digivolve to…METALGREYMON!!”
He rooted himself to the sand, conscious of the swan boat behind him…
Head-butting Shogungekomon back into the room he’d been sleeping in for three hundred years, he stepped back.
“Giga Blaster!”
The missiles went into the two massive horns, causing an explosion that made that whole part of the palace crumble on the once-king.
With that done, and Koromon on her head, Angie decided it was time to go home.
Her cousins agreed, and they all wondered if the others had found Gabe and Elie…
They were tired and, in Z’s case, pretty cranky.
With Gomamon and Agumon unable to pedal, they’d been going around the whole lake on just their leg power.
Of course, with their partner’s added weight and their continuous whines to go faster, both turtles were ready to throw them overboard…
They would, but damn it, both Digimon could swim…
As the brown-banded turtle muttered and cursed under her breath, they finally reached the shore again.
Checking her Digivice, Angie didn’t notice the castle until Z elbowed her.
Looking up the long stone path and the massive fortress, the four of them suddenly felt VERY small…
“Ya thin’ someone’s in there?”
“Yup. The Digivice says so.”
The only problem was making their achy legs MOVE up to the castle…
Once at the front doors, they pushed one open to see the front room swarming with frantic Digimon.
Gomamon and Agumon said they were Gekomon and Otamamon.
They were rushing around as if too busy to stop and breathe, and both turtles were loathe to interrupt them…
Angie was about to ask about one of their cousins when a bell began to ring rather loudly.
All the Digimon stopped, and the ran to hide.
“Her royal highness, Princess Lily!”
Four pairs of eyes widened at the sight before them…
“LILY!?!”
It was her, only with a purple princess dress and her mask around her neck tied in a bow.
She blinked at them in surprise, and a strange fog lifted from the normally clear blue eyes.
“Angie? Z?”
“What are ya doin’ ‘ere?”
“Well, I’m a princess.”
“…And here comes MY question…Why?”
“That’s a story for another time. Why don’t you come join me in my quarters?”
As they walked up the beautifully-crafted steps, Angie’s heart ached…
‘I have a bad feeling about this…’
The room was in different shades of violet, and full of clothes and such.
Her old clothes that they remembered her wearing before were hanging on a hook on the far side of the room, seemingly untouched.
Both felt uncomfortable here, and Z stepped forward.
“Come on, Lil. Time ta go.”
“Go where?”
It was like she’d completely forgotten…
It made Angie worry about the others…
How much had they changed since she’d been gone?
How much had they changed because she couldn’t come back sooner?
“We’ve gotta leave. Ya know, meet up wit’ the others an’ save both our worlds?”
“I’m not going.”
It was said so decidedly Angie was stunned.
“I’m not fighting anymore. And I don’t want to leave this place.”
“Lily, this isn’t like you…” Angie reasoned.
“You used to be so much more selfless and considerate, but look at what you’re doing to those poor Digimon.”
A flicker of light, of the old Lily tickling at her conscious and trying to take back control…
“Well, they can survive.”
‘The old Lily would NEVER say that…’
“Besides, if we never make it home, I might as well stay here.”
“But we WILL. We just need you, Lily.”
“Don’t be such a girly-girl an’ come on!”
“I’m not going!”
“Then neither are we.” Z decided, Gomamon on her shoulder.
“We’re stickin’ wit’ ya no matter what ya say!”
The violet-bowed she-turtle rang a bell, summoning an army of Gekomon and Otamamon.
“Get them out of my palace!”
And so all four were hefted up and thrown out the front gates, where Z’s temper caused her to curse to the sky.
They passed by Palmon, who looked concerned and confused…
“I wonder how she became princess, anyway…”
“You really wanna know?”
They turned to some Gekomon and Otamamon…
“Yeah.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standing in a large room, complete with stage and lights and a giant hibernating Digimon, the pair listened to what had happened.
“Ya shouldn’t ‘a spoiled ‘er.”
“She’s not used to this sort of attention, and now she’s drunk on it…”
“Still, we gotta wake up Shogungekomon somehow. Any ideas, Angie?”
“If you need to sing…Well, I know I’m not that great of one, and neither are you…”
“Thanks, Angie…”
“And sinde the only other person I know that can sing is Ari, we’ll have to trick Lily.”
“Hey, guys!”
It was Palmon, wearing a mini of the dress her partner wore.
“I thought you guys left! It was like you weren’t happy to see us!”
Blank, almost annoyed expressions, crossed their faces…
“In case you hadn’t noticed, Lily’s gone nuts!” Agumon replied.
“Yeah?”
Palmon seemed to be thinking REALLY hard…
“Now that I think of it, she HAS gone off the deep end!”
“Nice to know ya joined the side ‘a smart people, Palmon…”
“Z, be nice!”
Angie smiled a bit.
“’Cause now I’ve got a plan!”
“Really? Let’s go!”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cell door slamming showed how well THAT plan went…
They should’ve known Lily would be too smart to fall for that trick…
And now even Palmon was with them in the damp room.
“Lily, don’t do this!” Angie pleaded.
“I know you’ll regret it!”
“We’ll see about that!”
“Yer a col’-‘earted BITCH now, ya know that?”
“Well, it’s good to know how you feel!”
But the real her, that light in her eyes, seemed to quake and cry.
Any insult, if ever thrown her way, always made her break down into tears before.
“Lily, you got the Crest of Sincerity for a reason…Please, be honest with yourself…Are you really happy?”
A flash of indecision, then a nod before she continued out.
“Wait, Lily!”
A halt, and blue eyes turned to her partner.
Palmon had always loved those eyes, mainly because they’d been filled with love and understanding and gentle comfort…
Now they seemed hollow…
“Nobody likes you more than I do…It hurts me deeply to have to say this, but…”
Lily’s eyes flashed with sympathy and worry as her partner’s green eyes brimmed with tears…
“YOU’RE A SPOILED BRAT!!!”
She clammed up immediately, hurt and angry all at once.
“Well, it’s nice to know what you all think of me!”
She almost ran, and Angie’s instinct was to reach out and comfort her…
‘We all messed up big time…’ She thought wearily, leaning her head on the bars…
‘I’m sorry, Agu…’
A shadow moved from the window.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lily whirled around, trying to find an escape from the encasing darkness…
“HELP! I CAN’T SEE! HELP!!”
Her cries echoed far away, and her heartbeat accelerated…
“HELP ME, PLEASE!!!”
Flashes of disappointed Gekomon, of her hurt friends, of a crying Palmon, were tearing at her…
“Somebody make it STOP!”
She was suffocating, hyperventilating so bad her lungs ached and her heart pulled.
Gabriel, Tentomon, Elie, Biyomon, Izzy, Gabumon, Rosie, Patamon…
Angie, Agumon, Z, Gomamon…
She’d felt so safe with them, so happy and free…
Why had she passed it up?
Why had she turned her family away?
Tears seemed to bubble up from her sobbing heart, and she nearly screamed her grief to the darkness.
“I WANT MY FAMILY!!! I WANT MY BROTHER AND COUSINS!!! I WANT MY MOMMY AND DADDY!!!”
She felt like she’d never wake up, that she’d be stuck here…
“I’M SORRY!!!!!!”
With a jolt, she was in the castle again, the moonlight making the room glow with an angel’s touch…
Her heart was still pounding before she realized her crest was glowing and…
“Elie?”
“What do you think that dream was trying to tell you?”
She looked like Elie, but her touch was softer, her words gentle and calm, like she’d grown up…
Could it really be Elie?
“Y-Yes…”
“That’s it.”
A gentle grin, a resemblance of the Elie she’d known before.
“I knew we hadn’t lost you. You just got a bit lost in yourself. Don’t forget who you are, Lily.”
Lily figured she’d had a dream, because she jolted awake again, but her room was empty and the window blowing in a cool breeze from the lake.
With her crest giving her light, she dressed in her original clothes before ordering everyone to gather in the room holding Shogungekomon.
Even her family.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hiding behind the curtains, Lily watched the crowd murmuring to each other.
Angie and Z were in back, looking just as confused, with the three Digimon beside them.
With a careful breath, the violet-masked turtle stepped out onto the stage, gently adjusting the microphone as guilty tears already filled her eyes.
“…There’s something I have to say…I’m sorry.”
It seemed to catch everyone by surprise…
“I had no right to take advantage, and I’m so sorry I did. I’m sorry for making you all miserable, and I’m sorry I was so mean to all of you…To make up for it, I’d like to sing for you…I don’t know why any of you would forgive me, and you don’t have to, but I’ll wake up Shogungekomon and go…”
…
“We forgive you!”
It was Palmon’s voice, and she smiled a bit in surprise at the smiling faces of the crowd.
“I forgive ya, Lil!”
“We’re just glad you found yourself again!”
The Gekomon cheered their acceptance, and she closed her eyes as the music started…
“I want to sing a song/A song to bring Shogungekomon around/When he hears my voice/I hope he likes the sound/He has to listen/Listen to my sincere heart/I’ve learned that friends are friends even when they’re apart/I’ve asked my friends to forgive me from the bottom of my heart/If it were my choice, his eyes would open wide/And the Gekomon will be cheering/Cheering with pride-.”
Lily was cut off as Shogungekomon awoke fully, clearly not pleased about being disturbed from his ‘nap’.
“Which one of you clowns woke me up? Or should I squish all of you?”
The crowd was scattering as the large Digimon threatened to stomp them flat, and Lily barely managed to get off the stage.
She got some bruises thanks to debris falling…
“Musical Fist!”
Angie, Z, their Digimon, and the Gekomon were blasted through a hole in the wall.
Unfortunately, this also weakened the support of the ceiling above Lily…
“PAL!”
“LILY!”
That bright light…
She almost forgot how much she’d missed it…
“Palmon, Digivolve to…TOGEMON!!”
She ran to her partner’s defense…
“Light Speed Jabbing!”
The dust fell, and the blue-eyed turtle looked up at the plant Digimon…
“Togemon…”
“Are you alright?”
“I am now…”
With a new set of determination in her jaw, she grabbed the wayward mike.
“Shogungekomon, why are you being so mean?! I woke you up for these Gekomon, and all you want to do is squash them?!”
“So it was YOU?!”
“Uh oh…”
Shogungekomon tried to charge…
“TOGEMON!”
“Harpoon Torpedo!”
With him distracted by this new threat, in the form of Ikkakumon and Greymon outside, Togemon lifted her partner up and jumped down to safety.
“Nova Blast!”
“Harpoon Torpedo!”
“Musical Fist!”
All three attacks collided in midair, causing an explosion of smoke and sound that shook the turtles to their toes.
Shogungekomon jumped down, prepared to crush them all…
“GREYMON!!!”
The Crest of Courage gave its light…
“Greymon, Digivolve to…METALGREYMON!!”
He rooted himself to the sand, conscious of the swan boat behind him…
Head-butting Shogungekomon back into the room he’d been sleeping in for three hundred years, he stepped back.
“Giga Blaster!”
The missiles went into the two massive horns, causing an explosion that made that whole part of the palace crumble on the once-king.
With that done, and Koromon on her head, Angie decided it was time to go home.
Her cousins agreed, and they all wondered if the others had found Gabe and Elie…