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Description
"Praise be and Behold! The chicken that drinks from the light of man!"

Interrupting the owl, Takato's phone rang. Answering the communicator, he nodded and uh-huh'd a couple of times.

Suddenly, the giant chicken's eyes glowed and Jen yelled, "My Digivice is dead!"

Ruki unclipped hers from her belt and stared at the blank screen. "Mine too!"

Takato checked his own Digivice. "They're all dead. So's my phone. The chicken must be sucking all the power."

"What was the call?" asked Ruki.

"Mitsuo. The energy source hurting Renamon is coming from that blue sphere."

Ruki's emotions blazed. "Then what are you two idiots doing standing around? Destroy it!"

"Go for it!" yelled Takato and Jen in unison. Guilmon and Terriermon charged across to the rapidly growing chicken.

"Pyro-Sphere!" screamed Guilmon as he hurled a blazing fireball against the metal avian. The attack bounced off the metal rooster without leaving a mark.

"Terrier Tornado!" cried Terriermon, as he transformed into a tiny twister. His attack brushed the side of the metal monster, without so much as wobbling the huge circular body.

"Oh-oh!" muttered Guilmon, and the chicken hummed in reply to the attacks. Huge spiked claws across the back of the enemy crackled as lightening arced towards the comparatively tiny friends. Both Guilmon and Terriermon flew backwards as the shock overwhelmed their senses.

"No!" screamed Ruki, as both Takato and Jen fell to the ground. Singe marks appeared on their skin and both boys cried out in pain.

The sound of his Tamer's distress brought Guilmon back at full speed. "Takato! I've got to Digivolve," he pleaded as the chicken recharged for another strike.

"If we don't, we're done for," added Terriermon. "That turkey is just too strong!"

Jen wiped moisture from an eye. "We can't. With our Digivices dead, we've no way to initiate any kind of modification."

"Got a diplomacy card? I think we're going to have to talk our way out of this one!" joked Terriermon.

A shrill caw drew all five friends attention to the sky. Eaglemon alighted in front of the small crowd and addressed them in a voice harsh and grave. "We've come for the girl. Give her up, and we will allow you to live. Defy us, and our one true leader, and we will destroy you all."

Ruki replied, her anger steeling her words. "What are you doing to Renamon? You coward! If she were here, you wouldn't be so cocky!"

"The fox is of no consequence. She is already dead. Her fight against our one true leader has concluded, her data has turned to dust."

Ruki stumbled backwards and felt her chest and stomach tighten. "No, it can't be. It's not true."

"You liar!" screamed Takado. "That's a lie!" He put himself between Ruki and Eaglemon. "We'll defeat you without Renamon. We'll never give up!"

"You betcha!" added Terriermon.

"I'll die before you hurt Takato or Ruki!" yelled Guilmon.

"Oy! What about me?" exclaimed Jen.

Guilmon turned and replied, "You've got Terriermon to die for you. But I'll die for you too, if you wanna!"

"Better him than me," interjected Terriermon.

"Hey!" called out Jen, less than impressed.

"Well, if he's offering... Mo-men-tai!"

"Why do you want me?" asked Ruki quietly, pushing Takato aside. The young girl steeled her voice, hiding her concern for Renamon. "Why me?"

"After the battle with the D-Reaper, the digital world was thrown into chaos. The sovereign and most of the powerful Digimon, destroyed. Our one true leader found a way to enhance and protect himself from the ravages of our destruction. He exists in a shield of digital energy, so powerful that any attack is repulsed with a magnitude of ten!"

"Okay, so he's a coward who runs and hides rather than fights," spat Jen.

"What's that got to do with me?" repeated Ruki.

"Of all the humans I have monitored, you are the strongest and most loyal to pass to the digital plane. We will return you to the digital world and disperse your data amongst our followers. Your strength will become our strength and your loyalty to Renamon will become their loyalty to our one true leader. You will be the mother of a new regime!"

"Disperse her data? You intend to take her to the digital world and kill her!" exclaimed Jen.

"Not gunna happen!" yelled Terriermon.

"No way!" added Guilmon.

"Over my dead body!" screamed Takato.

"So be it!" replied the golden eagle Digimon. "Mystic Break!" screeched the armored foe. A beam of white-hot energy spewed forth from the glittering chest of the Digimon and seared the five friends. Guilmon threw himself across Takato and Ruki, with Terriermon covering Jen as best he could.

The blue sphere slowly descended from the sky and hovered malevolently just above the ground. Eaglemon halted his attack, turned and bowed to the crackling energy orb. As the five friends recovered from the strike, he spoke again. "We need the girl alive. She cannot die until she has transferred to the digital plane. Give up now, or suffer!"

Takato turned and whispered to Ruki, "Run! We'll keep them distracted. Run and hide. We can't beat them, but we can give you a chance to escape."

"No! I never run from a fight. I'm not leaving."

"You've got to!" begged Takato. The pain in his eyes shone clear.

"They'd just hunt me down; probably hurt anyone who tried to shelter me. No. I'm staying right here."

Jen dragged himself across to where his two friends were laying. "We've got to disable that blue sphere. If Terriermon distracts feather-brain, can you get Guilmon to attack the sphere?"

Takato nodded. "It's worth a try. You gottit Guilmon?"

"Gottit, Takato-mon!" replied the singed dinosaur.

"It's our only chance, make it count," added Ruki.

Terriermon ran away from the group, Eaglemon turned and bellowed at him. "Who's the coward now?"

"Betcha can't catch me!" was his reply.

As Eaglemon beat his wings, chasing the waddling Terriermon, Guilmon ran around behind the giant chicken and towards the blue sphere. Letting fourth a cry of "Pyro-sphere!" he threw a fireball at the blue entity with all his might.

At the same time, Eaglemon cried, "Golden Radiance Typhoon!" and a hurricane strength wind lifted Terriermon up and slammed him down to the ground. The golden eagle followed through with a cry of "Kaiser Phoenix!" kicking the injured Terriermon back towards the tamers.

Jen cried out in pain and collapsed, dark bruises appearing on his arms and face. A split appeared above his eye and blood trickled to the ground.

Terriermon rolled across to where his tamer lay and managed to squeak out, "I'm ... I'm sorry, Jen. He's ... just ... too ... powerful."

Guilmon's fireball hit the blue sphere at point blank range. The attack reflected back, growing in size by a magnitude of ten. The huge reflected fire-storm engulfed the red dinosaur; the only sign of his presence within the blazing inferno were his cries of pain. Takato's skin blistered and he collapsed in agony.

Ruki screamed as her friends suffered. "It's their bio-link to their partners! They're feeling every strike. Stop it! Stop this now!"

"Too late. The one true leader has decreed that these Digimon and their Tamers must die. This is the price of disobedience," replied Eaglemon.

The young girl surveyed the scene. Jen lay, only partially conscious, a few feet away. Terriermon's body glimmered as his physical makeup teetered on the edge of dissolving. Across the field, Guilmon lay unconscious. His body charred and damaged. Takato could barely move, he quivered near her feet.

Ruki stood her ground. "You think taking me will help you? You don't know anything! My data isn't going to give you loyal subjects. You think I'm loyal? Have you ever asked yourself why? Have you any concept of what drives loyalty? I love Renamon! That's why I'd do anything for her! It's not just some instinct or program. It's a human emotion. It's why these boys are fighting to protect me!"

Tears streamed down Ruki's face. "They love me, as I love them. That's why they fight you."

Ruki ran to Jen, halting his bleeding with a handkerchief from her pocket. She pulled him up to a sitting position and hugged him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay," she replied. "You and Terriermon did everything you could."

Ruki moved back to Takato, kneeling next to him and cradling the burnt boy against her chest. As she held him, she spat her words at Eaglemon. "The love of a dear friend is enough to drive them to risk their lives for me. You can't just learn that. You can't define it, or program it. You can't steal it!"

Takato's voice was barely intelligible as he mumbled, "Run, Ruki, run...."

She ignored his plea, and steeled her voice as she made a desperate offer. "If it's me you want, then I'll go willingly. But leave these boys and their Digimon alone."

Takato's voice was low and horse with pain. "Ruki! Don't give up. I won't let you go."

Ruki hugged Takato hard against her body. Despite his injuries and exhaustion, his warmth felt like a calming shield. "I won't let you suffer for me."

Ruki stole a glance at the inert Guilmon, his body blackened and torn. The red dinosaur twitched and lifted his head. Takato interrupted her distraction. "Let them take me. I know you're better, but I'll do. Run away, Ruki. Run, now."

"Oh, Takato. How can you say that?"

"I have to say it, Ruki. I'd rather die than lose you. I'm sorry if that makes you angry. Please run."

Ruki felt a warm power wash through her. His devotion and bravery was everything she needed. She cried. Her sobs were joy and sorrow, intertwined.

Her voice wavered with emotion, "Takato, you feel Guilmon's pain ... I feel yours. In here." She pressed Takato's palm to her chest, hoping he could feel the warmth and love in her heart.

"Run--" he started, before she cut him off.

Ruki leant down, touching her lips to his. What should have been awkward or embarrassing flowed like everything was meant to be. She felt him respond. Ruki opened her mouth as the most natural instinct in the world. Somewhere, through the pain and torture of the battle, she felt the boy find a new strength. She felt the soft touch of his lips. The electric feel of his tongue on hers. The battle evaporated from reality, and they were free. She opened her eyes and in that moment, the pain in his eyes dissolved and his gaze reflected unhindered beauty.

The beauty of her first kiss.

Memories flooded back to her, as she basked in the moment, of a time when she felt truly happy. Times before her father left. Before she learnt to repress and hide her care for others. Takato's kiss washed through her soul like a cleansing spa, and from somewhere her song returned. Like a glimmer in the darkness, the melody twinkled back to life. The haunting tune, reflecting everything she held dear.

As the kiss broke, she sang to him. The words came from nowhere. The unique tune reflected her happiness. Like a protective mother, singing a lullaby, she softly sang her song to Takato. The two young Tamers held each other as Ruki's song enveloped them like a protective mist. Takato whispered, "Ruki, you can't go, I love you."

She gently stoked the side of his face. "I know. I love you too. That's why I have to go."

"The one true leader's orders stand!" boomed Eaglemon. "The others will die!"

The giant chicken activated his lightning and blasted the barely conscious Guilmon, throwing his body across towards where Takato lay. Takato writhed out of her grip and screamed in pain. As Ruki recoiled in terror, the giant rooster turned to fire again.

Eaglemon lifted his leg, preparing to crush the immobile Terriermon with his gold encrusted foot. Ruki felt her sanity teetering, she called to her only hope. Absent hope....

"Renamon!"

Description
"Praise be and Behold! The chicken that drinks from the light of man!"

Interrupting the owl, Takato's phone rang. Answering the communicator, he nodded and uh-huh'd a couple of times.

Suddenly, the giant chicken's eyes glowed and Jen yelled, "My Digivice is dead!"

Ruki unclipped hers from her belt and stared at the blank screen. "Mine too!"

Takato checked his own Digivice. "They're all dead. So's my phone. The chicken must be sucking all the power."

"What was the call?" asked Ruki.

"Mitsuo. The energy source hurting Renamon is coming from that blue sphere."

Ruki's emotions blazed. "Then what are you two idiots doing standing around? Destroy it!"

"Go for it!" yelled Takato and Jen in unison. Guilmon and Terriermon charged across to the rapidly growing chicken.

"Pyro-Sphere!" screamed Guilmon as he hurled a blazing fireball against the metal avian. The attack bounced off the metal rooster without leaving a mark.

"Terrier Tornado!" cried Terriermon, as he transformed into a tiny twister. His attack brushed the side of the metal monster, without so much as wobbling the huge circular body.

"Oh-oh!" muttered Guilmon, and the chicken hummed in reply to the attacks. Huge spiked claws across the back of the enemy crackled as lightening arced towards the comparatively tiny friends. Both Guilmon and Terriermon flew backwards as the shock overwhelmed their senses.

"No!" screamed Ruki, as both Takato and Jen fell to the ground. Singe marks appeared on their skin and both boys cried out in pain.

The sound of his Tamer's distress brought Guilmon back at full speed. "Takato! I've got to Digivolve," he pleaded as the chicken recharged for another strike.

"If we don't, we're done for," added Terriermon. "That turkey is just too strong!"

Jen wiped moisture from an eye. "We can't. With our Digivices dead, we've no way to initiate any kind of modification."

"Got a diplomacy card? I think we're going to have to talk our way out of this one!" joked Terriermon.

A shrill caw drew all five friends attention to the sky. Eaglemon alighted in front of the small crowd and addressed them in a voice harsh and grave. "We've come for the girl. Give her up, and we will allow you to live. Defy us, and our one true leader, and we will destroy you all."

Ruki replied, her anger steeling her words. "What are you doing to Renamon? You coward! If she were here, you wouldn't be so cocky!"

"The fox is of no consequence. She is already dead. Her fight against our one true leader has concluded, her data has turned to dust."

Ruki stumbled backwards and felt her chest and stomach tighten. "No, it can't be. It's not true."

"You liar!" screamed Takado. "That's a lie!" He put himself between Ruki and Eaglemon. "We'll defeat you without Renamon. We'll never give up!"

"You betcha!" added Terriermon.

"I'll die before you hurt Takato or Ruki!" yelled Guilmon.

"Oy! What about me?" exclaimed Jen.

Guilmon turned and replied, "You've got Terriermon to die for you. But I'll die for you too, if you wanna!"

"Better him than me," interjected Terriermon.

"Hey!" called out Jen, less than impressed.

"Well, if he's offering... Mo-men-tai!"

"Why do you want me?" asked Ruki quietly, pushing Takato aside. The young girl steeled her voice, hiding her concern for Renamon. "Why me?"

"After the battle with the D-Reaper, the digital world was thrown into chaos. The sovereign and most of the powerful Digimon, destroyed. Our one true leader found a way to enhance and protect himself from the ravages of our destruction. He exists in a shield of digital energy, so powerful that any attack is repulsed with a magnitude of ten!"

"Okay, so he's a coward who runs and hides rather than fights," spat Jen.

"What's that got to do with me?" repeated Ruki.

"Of all the humans I have monitored, you are the strongest and most loyal to pass to the digital plane. We will return you to the digital world and disperse your data amongst our followers. Your strength will become our strength and your loyalty to Renamon will become their loyalty to our one true leader. You will be the mother of a new regime!"

"Disperse her data? You intend to take her to the digital world and kill her!" exclaimed Jen.

"Not gunna happen!" yelled Terriermon.

"No way!" added Guilmon.

"Over my dead body!" screamed Takato.

"So be it!" replied the golden eagle Digimon. "Mystic Break!" screeched the armored foe. A beam of white-hot energy spewed forth from the glittering chest of the Digimon and seared the five friends. Guilmon threw himself across Takato and Ruki, with Terriermon covering Jen as best he could.

The blue sphere slowly descended from the sky and hovered malevolently just above the ground. Eaglemon halted his attack, turned and bowed to the crackling energy orb. As the five friends recovered from the strike, he spoke again. "We need the girl alive. She cannot die until she has transferred to the digital plane. Give up now, or suffer!"

Takato turned and whispered to Ruki, "Run! We'll keep them distracted. Run and hide. We can't beat them, but we can give you a chance to escape."

"No! I never run from a fight. I'm not leaving."

"You've got to!" begged Takato. The pain in his eyes shone clear.

"They'd just hunt me down; probably hurt anyone who tried to shelter me. No. I'm staying right here."

Jen dragged himself across to where his two friends were laying. "We've got to disable that blue sphere. If Terriermon distracts feather-brain, can you get Guilmon to attack the sphere?"

Takato nodded. "It's worth a try. You gottit Guilmon?"

"Gottit, Takato-mon!" replied the singed dinosaur.

"It's our only chance, make it count," added Ruki.

Terriermon ran away from the group, Eaglemon turned and bellowed at him. "Who's the coward now?"

"Betcha can't catch me!" was his reply.

As Eaglemon beat his wings, chasing the waddling Terriermon, Guilmon ran around behind the giant chicken and towards the blue sphere. Letting fourth a cry of "Pyro-sphere!" he threw a fireball at the blue entity with all his might.

At the same time, Eaglemon cried, "Golden Radiance Typhoon!" and a hurricane strength wind lifted Terriermon up and slammed him down to the ground. The golden eagle followed through with a cry of "Kaiser Phoenix!" kicking the injured Terriermon back towards the tamers.

Jen cried out in pain and collapsed, dark bruises appearing on his arms and face. A split appeared above his eye and blood trickled to the ground.

Terriermon rolled across to where his tamer lay and managed to squeak out, "I'm ... I'm sorry, Jen. He's ... just ... too ... powerful."

Guilmon's fireball hit the blue sphere at point blank range. The attack reflected back, growing in size by a magnitude of ten. The huge reflected fire-storm engulfed the red dinosaur; the only sign of his presence within the blazing inferno were his cries of pain. Takato's skin blistered and he collapsed in agony.

Ruki screamed as her friends suffered. "It's their bio-link to their partners! They're feeling every strike. Stop it! Stop this now!"

"Too late. The one true leader has decreed that these Digimon and their Tamers must die. This is the price of disobedience," replied Eaglemon.

The young girl surveyed the scene. Jen lay, only partially conscious, a few feet away. Terriermon's body glimmered as his physical makeup teetered on the edge of dissolving. Across the field, Guilmon lay unconscious. His body charred and damaged. Takato could barely move, he quivered near her feet.

Ruki stood her ground. "You think taking me will help you? You don't know anything! My data isn't going to give you loyal subjects. You think I'm loyal? Have you ever asked yourself why? Have you any concept of what drives loyalty? I love Renamon! That's why I'd do anything for her! It's not just some instinct or program. It's a human emotion. It's why these boys are fighting to protect me!"

Tears streamed down Ruki's face. "They love me, as I love them. That's why they fight you."

Ruki ran to Jen, halting his bleeding with a handkerchief from her pocket. She pulled him up to a sitting position and hugged him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay," she replied. "You and Terriermon did everything you could."

Ruki moved back to Takato, kneeling next to him and cradling the burnt boy against her chest. As she held him, she spat her words at Eaglemon. "The love of a dear friend is enough to drive them to risk their lives for me. You can't just learn that. You can't define it, or program it. You can't steal it!"

Takato's voice was barely intelligible as he mumbled, "Run, Ruki, run...."

She ignored his plea, and steeled her voice as she made a desperate offer. "If it's me you want, then I'll go willingly. But leave these boys and their Digimon alone."

Takato's voice was low and horse with pain. "Ruki! Don't give up. I won't let you go."

Ruki hugged Takato hard against her body. Despite his injuries and exhaustion, his warmth felt like a calming shield. "I won't let you suffer for me."

Ruki stole a glance at the inert Guilmon, his body blackened and torn. The red dinosaur twitched and lifted his head. Takato interrupted her distraction. "Let them take me. I know you're better, but I'll do. Run away, Ruki. Run, now."

"Oh, Takato. How can you say that?"

"I have to say it, Ruki. I'd rather die than lose you. I'm sorry if that makes you angry. Please run."

Ruki felt a warm power wash through her. His devotion and bravery was everything she needed. She cried. Her sobs were joy and sorrow, intertwined.

Her voice wavered with emotion, "Takato, you feel Guilmon's pain ... I feel yours. In here." She pressed Takato's palm to her chest, hoping he could feel the warmth and love in her heart.

"Run--" he started, before she cut him off.

Ruki leant down, touching her lips to his. What should have been awkward or embarrassing flowed like everything was meant to be. She felt him respond. Ruki opened her mouth as the most natural instinct in the world. Somewhere, through the pain and torture of the battle, she felt the boy find a new strength. She felt the soft touch of his lips. The electric feel of his tongue on hers. The battle evaporated from reality, and they were free. She opened her eyes and in that moment, the pain in his eyes dissolved and his gaze reflected unhindered beauty.

The beauty of her first kiss.

Memories flooded back to her, as she basked in the moment, of a time when she felt truly happy. Times before her father left. Before she learnt to repress and hide her care for others. Takato's kiss washed through her soul like a cleansing spa, and from somewhere her song returned. Like a glimmer in the darkness, the melody twinkled back to life. The haunting tune, reflecting everything she held dear.

As the kiss broke, she sang to him. The words came from nowhere. The unique tune reflected her happiness. Like a protective mother, singing a lullaby, she softly sang her song to Takato. The two young Tamers held each other as Ruki's song enveloped them like a protective mist. Takato whispered, "Ruki, you can't go, I love you."

She gently stoked the side of his face. "I know. I love you too. That's why I have to go."

"The one true leader's orders stand!" boomed Eaglemon. "The others will die!"

The giant chicken activated his lightning and blasted the barely conscious Guilmon, throwing his body across towards where Takato lay. Takato writhed out of her grip and screamed in pain. As Ruki recoiled in terror, the giant rooster turned to fire again.

Eaglemon lifted his leg, preparing to crush the immobile Terriermon with his gold encrusted foot. Ruki felt her sanity teetering, she called to her only hope. Absent hope....

"Renamon!"