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Chapter 13

Breaking Barriers

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           â€So it seems our reckless hero has awoken from his long rest. It seems the virus cannot claim all of its victims.†Said Narwith as Rukan was sitting himself up in bed. He was still groggy and disconnected from the world around him as he rubbed his eyes and yawned.

           â€Good morning to you to Narwith… Did you take care of her while I was away?†Asked Rukan as he nodded to the still sleeping Renamon with another yawn.

           Narwith nodded and spoke softly, â€She never left your side. There were times where we had to make her eat. She was afraid that she would miss you waking up if she looked away for only a second. I’d have to say you have a very devoted mate there.â€

           Rukan smiled and nodded though his eyelids were still heavy and his body incredibly cramped from being asleep for so long, â€Ya… She is. How did you know though? That we were mates?â€

           The weregarurumon smiled a bit and stood himself up all the way so he wasn’t leaning against the wall anymore, â€We all see it. When you were awake you two were goo goo eyeing each other. The passion you both showed in the heat of battle and concern for each other’s safety was also a dead giveaway. I think the two of you were made for each other. Let me be the first to congratulate you on your mateship.â€

           Rukan smiled a bit more and nodded, â€Thank you. Unfortunately we are going to be out of your hair after today. Skullrenamon came to me in my sleep and revealed her plan. She has made a copy of me and it planning on using it to general her army. We have little time before she is done. Tenshi is no longer a threat… She is our enemy and we will have to destroy her in order to ever return order to this world.â€

           Narwith nodded slowly and put a paw on his chin, â€Father feared as much. He thought the absence of Tenshi had been far too long for him to still be around. He may actually be dead. It has been nearly seventy years since he showed up with her. While we live until our data is destroyed… you humans have a limited life span.†Replied the wolf with a frown.

           Rukan swung his feet to the side of the bed and quickly realized that he was in naught but his skin. He blushed a bit and looked up to Narwith, â€Umm… that’s all nice to know but where are my clothes?â€

           The wolf chuckled softly and pointed to a chest across the room, â€We had to take them off of you because you were burning up. They should be in order in there. Furless… I would have expected some sort of fur there but nothing but a few patches of hair here and there. Strange…â€

           Rukan hopped up and quickly ran to the chest opened it up and pulled his clothing out. They were filthy and smelled heavily of body odor and his musk. It was the best he could do for now until they found some form of free flowing water. He put them on quickly while calling back, â€Hey furball. You think I’m strange. Just imagine how strange all of you are to me. Michi didn’t see me that way did she?â€

           Narwith nodded, â€She did. She was the one that told us we had to remove the clothing. Something about your body overheating and causing brain damage. We followed her orders. She only saw for a few moments before the sheet was placed over you.â€

           Rukan took a deep breath and shook his head, â€Well that’s awkward.â€

           â€Why is that?†Replied Narwith curiously.

           The young Hisashi thought for a moment as to why the digimon would not know why it would be awkward, â€Well you know… her seeing me without my clothes on.â€

           Narwith shook his head, â€Why do you people wear those things? They are just silly.â€

           Rukan nodded as he got it now, â€Ahh… well that’s like our fur. We have to put it on to keep warm and to cover ourselves up. It’s a taboo to walk around naked and the such. It’s seen as obscene were Michi and I are from.â€

           The weregarurumon shook his head slowly still quite baffled but figured Rukan knew better about his world. He figured this was as good a time as any to tell the tamer, â€I’m going with you today. I already talked to Ridley about it and he said it was a good idea. Heaven’s knows you humans never watch your backs.â€

           Rukan finished putting his clothes on and quirked a brow curiously, â€Oh? Well I would really rather you stayed here and protected the village. There is no telling when She might be back.â€

           â€They can take care of it Rukan. You gave us a real scare… We don’t want you or Michi getting hurt. We need you…†Said the wolf softly.

           Rukan stood there looking at Narwith for a few moments in silence. He was needed. The digimon’s words had struck a chord with the young man. Rukan hadn’t felt needed since his sister was gone. Now others were depending on him and he would burn in hellfire before he let them down as well. He smiled a bit at the edges of his mouth and replied in a soft, friendly, tone, â€Then we would be honored to have you by our side.â€

           Narwith chuckled and waved his paw in dismissal, â€It’s nothing. I wanna have a chance to give that bitch what’s coming to her anyway.†The wolf pounded his fist into his other paw as he finished with a smile on his face.

           Rukan nodded slowly and looked back to his sleeping companion choosing to let her rest for now, â€Where are our things? We need to pack them up.â€

           The canine nodded out the door and spoke, â€Michi has them all ready. It seems she was just waiting for you to wake up so she could leave.â€

           The tamer chuckled softly and nodded, â€She’s one to be like that…†He stopped a moment and sighed a bit, â€What happens when we beat Skull? Will the virus be gone or will it just keep spreading?â€

           Narwith looked a bit taken aback by the question and shook his head, â€I… I don’t know. I suppose all we can do is hope and put faith in you and your companions.â€

           Rukan nodded slowly as he pat Narwith on the shoulder and walked out the door with a smirk, â€better be putting faith in yourself then… You’re now one of them.â€

           The village square was alive with digimon waiting for him to emerge it seemed. There was no cheering, just hurried whispers and happy faces. Rukan smiled and stretched only to get hit on the side of the head by a small rock. He stumbled a bit and turned to see Michi looking at him angrily, â€What did I do this time?â€

           Michi shrugged, â€Just felt like you needed something to get through that thick head of yours. We have to leave today. We’re getting way behind.â€

           Rukan nodded as he rubbed his head and only saw a yellow streak as he found himself in a tight hold and his face buried in the chest fluff of his new mate. He chuckled a bit and wrapped his arms around her gently as he smiled, â€It’s good to see you to Rena.â€

           The fox digimon let the boy go and looked down at him with a happy murr, â€I got everything together and we should be ready to go. Are you sure you are ok to take this journey?â€

           Narwith chuckled softly and shook his head slowly, â€Oh come on… it’s only like 5 clicks. He’s fine. You’ll spoil him like that.â€

           Renamon put her paws on her hips and let out a, â€hmph,†at the wolf type digimon as Rukan began to laugh softly.

           â€Lets just get going you two. We have to hurry before she brings in another more powerful army to take the village.†Said the young Hisashi with a smile on his face. It seemed that even in the darkest of times he found happiness in the company of his friends. Even when he was in this dying world with so little hope he found the light. Perhaps it was Ruki watching over him and guiding the way.

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           The group set out a little after noon into the jungle. The land itself was showing signs of decay as plants couldn’t grow and the smaller ones were dying out. Only the larger more rugged trees were looking a bit healthy but still showing signs of wilt. Rukan frowned a bit as he saw this knowing that he had no choice anymore. If he sat back and did nothing all of these people, the digimon, they would all be a part of this rot.

           The group didn’t stop until they reached a stream where Narwith told them the water was the cleanest in the area. They filled their canteens and sat by the banks enjoying the cool air around the water for a while. Rukan sat between Renamon’s legs leaning back against her chest as she put her paws on his own, â€When this is all over… I know I don’t want to go back anymore. All my life I was looking for a place where I fit in and I think I found it.â€

           Renamon smiled and tilted her head, â€The digital world is that appealing to you?â€

           The long haired boy chuckled a little and shook his head, â€I was talking about in your arms but yes it is. I want to help fix it, to cure it of the sickness and nurse it back to health. It hurts seeing it this way.â€

           The fox woman nodded slowly and let out a soft sigh, â€It used to be much nicer. Now it is desolate and much of it uninhabitable.â€

           Narwith frowned a bit and flicked a pebble into the water, â€It was before I was born… I never got to see it the way the elders speak of it. I heard that there was once a great tree next to this river that covered the whole forest in its canopy. It was the first to fall to the disease.â€

           Michi sighed a bit and tucked her legs in tight to her chest, â€It’s like our world Rukan…â€

           Rukan looked over to his friend curiously, â€What do you mean?â€

           â€You don’t think we have hurt our world? Look at what we do. Burn and destroy forests to build things. Poison and kill animals with our waste as well as trying to feed all the people. Hell we even kill each other over silly things like money, land, even the things we believe in. Rukan our world is dying and I’m sorry but this one is beginning to look like it’s in better shape than our own.†Said Michi with a deep frown.

           Rukan nodded slowly and leaned back against Rena again, â€She’s right… But there is nothing we can do there… here we have a chance to save this place.â€

           Michi shook her head and stood up taking a leap across the stream using a stone halfway across to get to the other bank, â€We should go.â€

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           They continued their trek until late into the afternoon. The sun had been lost long ago in the shadow of the mountains when the entered the clearing and the huge gaping hole of the cave stood before them. Rukan stepped forward slowly looking deep into the darkness as he spoke, â€No turning back… Live for the future and you cannot regret the past.â€

           With that said he fell backwards as a dart flew through the space his neck had just occupied. He rolled along the ground as many more shot at him and stuck into the ground as he gripped his blades and hid behind a tree much like his companions, â€Who are they!?â€

           Narwith frowned and growled out the name, â€Pigmymon. They serve Her.†He leapt out from his cover and fired a blue beam of frost from his muzzle before hiding behind another tree, â€There is about twenty of them.â€

           Rukan nodded slowly and reached to his card case as he felt along the top having the numbers memorized now as he pulled the card and slashed it through his D-infinity, â€Pain of the thousand needles!â€

           Renamon leapt free from the tree she had perched herself in and shouted, â€Fox leaf Needler!†Thousands of sharp needle like leaves appeared around her glowing with energy as she somersaulted through the air and they began to fire on the corrupted monsters making them explode into a cloud of their rot.

           Rukan peeked out from his spot for a second checking to see if there were more before he snapped back behind the tree, â€We got them.â€

           A small rustle in the foliage behind him made him turn as he was looking face to face with a small twisted looking undead thing. It had aspects of humanity about it but it was far too small. It’s hair was matted and dirty with feathers tired to the ends of it as it wore nothing but a loincloth and carried a small spear.

           Rukan yelped in surprise as he leapt backwards and threw a blade at the creature making it blow apart only to dodge more incoming darts, this time from the direction they had come from, â€Into the cave!â€

           Rukan leapt forward and gripped the tonto his grandfather had given him pulling it free from the tree it stuck into and began a mad dash for the darkness of the cave. It wasn’t until the reached the darkness that they saw how many pursuers they had. It looked like a sea of the little monsters coming after them

           Renamon shouted as her attack flew once again hitting the rocks around the entrance of the cave and blowing a keystone out of place and the world was soon the sound of thunder and darkness. It was a few minutes before anything moved and a cough was heard as the dust was settling.

           Rukan stood himself up dusting off and peering into the black as he coughed a bit of the dust out of his lungs and spoke, â€Is everyone ok?â€

           Renamon spoke softly, â€foxfire.†As a ball of blue flame appeared in her hand and the cavern was lit up showing all their companions were alive and fairly uninjured. There was small cuts as well as bumps and bruises but all in all nothing serious that would require attention.

           Michi shook her head making dust fall from her shorter cut hair as shademon brushed his cloak free of the dirt and spoke, â€I feel the energies of this place in turbulence. A great anger resides deep within the core of this place. An anger of betrayal.â€

           Rukan nodded slowly, â€The treachery of Skullrenamon… Lets go. I don’t want to be around when those things figure out a way through.â€

           Narwith nodded slowly as he spoke, â€Stay close together and around Renamon. She has the light we will need to see in this place of darkness. Do not trust your eyes, as they will lead you astray. Follow what your heart tells you is right.â€