DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon, but I do own the OCs in this story and my other stories (except where stated otherwise). Zach Strafer is the property of Fireblast123.

Thanks to Crazyeight for beta reading this chapter.

DIMENSIONS

Stratagems

By Blazing Chaos

CHAPTER 7

Renardmon

Asuka paused in reflection, time seeming to stop for her as the glinted data blurred in her closing eyes. He was dead. He couldn't be dead. They had to survive. They had to get out of this together!

Feeling a sense of panic flow through her, her mind began to tumble through thoughts.

But he was dead! Everyone she loved was dead. Her entire life was being systematically ripped to pieces. It would be Bokomon next, then her, and she knew she'd suffer. She had to suffer. Fate would get as much pain out of her as possible, and be dammed if she pleaded for the force to stop.

This wasn't meant to happen. No-one was ever killed whilst digivolving. It just…didn't happen! It was wrong! It was taboo!

She doubted that the Artmon had a sense of taboo. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if they had been programmed to attack during a first biomerging. A new digivolution almost always meant a sure-win for the heroes, and the Artmon and their mysterious Lord and Master clearly were well aware of that.

And so, thanks to him, her entire life had gone. Her partner, dead. Her parents, probably dead. Even those who had come to save her: Alice, Candlemon…Zach…they were dead. Everyone she met, she seemed to sign a death warrant for. Her hands tightened into fists, wanting to be angry at herself, wanting to take their pain and have them return to life. But she knew it was hopeless. It wasn't her fault…she didn't even have any control over the situation. Without a partner, she was useless.

It felt like a waste too. Her partner had died to save Zach and Candlemon: now they themselves were floating in the air around her. All that heroism, all that effort to protect her, had gone to naught. Zach had risked his life to defend her, and now he had died for it.

A tear slid down her cheek, spluttering on the ground as time seemed to return to its normal pace.

“They're going to absorb the data!” Beowolfmon said in horror, helpless to prevent events unfolding. What was he meant to do, absorb it?

Asuka's eyes widened. Zach didn't even leave a body behind; they had to save that data, that data that was now flowing swiftly towards the Artmon. That was all that remained of Zach…

Maybe they could save him? Maybe they could get the data, split it off, and remake him? It didn't have to be hopeless.

But how could they? A few seconds and it would be all over: the data absorbed by an unnatural being. Hell, even if it were to be absorbed by Beowolfmon or Bokomon, what were they to do? Even if they weren't subsequently killed and the data lost forever, how were they meant to split it out? If that were ever possible in history, it certainly wasn't now, right in the middle of a war with the only remote hope for humanity supposedly incapacitated: a euphemism for dead no doubt.

“No!” Bokomon called, suddenly opening the book in front of him and holding the pages out as it gleamed a golden colour. “BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE!” he called, as the data suddenly froze, before rapidly pouring back towards the book. Asuka's eyes widened at the stream of data, her stare coming into contact with Bokomon's as a nod of agreement passed between them. This was their only chance, the only remote chance they had of reconstituting them. The data finally held securely within the book, he closed it.

Asuka sank to her knees. It was hopeless. Everyone was dying.

She looked out, seeing his emerald green D-Arc lying in the sand. She reached out, clutching it in her hand and looking at its blank screen. No static, no nothing, just…dead.

“It's not over yet,” Beowolfmon warned, looking up to the Artmon with a frown, the robotic Digimon currently tactically surprised by the events. He glanced around at the camp, empty with the screams having stopped. He finally looked back to Asuka, a determined stare on his face as he contemplated what he had to do. “You have to run!” he warned, Asuka's eyes widening as she stood up, clipping the D-Arc next to hers on her belt.

“No!” she insisted. “You have to follow!”

“Asuka, they will rip you to pieces…you have to survive, we saved you and we will protect you. This camp is all about fighting to protect the majority, and with Bokomon and Zach and Candlemon's data with you, you are the majority,” he insisted, drawing his sword.

“But…”

“You have lost so much, you have to survive!” Zach insisted, Alice nodding in agreement.

Asuka frowned; she wasn't going to let Zach's words go to waste. As much as she hated it, she knew what they had to do. She turned to Bokomon, a frown mirrored between them.

“We won't forget you,” Asuka swore. “I promise,” she added.

“Godspeed!” Bokomon added, nodding to the brave warrior with a poor imitation of a salute.

“Don't look back. Just run, okay?” Beowolfmon asked. Asuka and Bokomon nodded, as at the same time all three turned. Asuka and Bokomon: to escape. Beowolfmon: to meet his fate.

The pounding of feet, the crying of Asuka and the blasts of cannon fire were the only sounds that filled the crater.

Asuka raced over the lip of the canyon, thankful for the end of the steep gradient. Exhausted, distraught and weak, she collapsed to her knees. She didn't have time to groan about her exhaustion and her mental anguish though, as a roaring explosion and blast of wind from behind reminded her of what she was fleeing from.

She decided not to look behind. She'd seen too many deaths, and right now, she was ensuring she didn't die herself.

“Come on,” she said to Bokomon, forcing the Digimon to resist the temptation to look behind.

“Right,” he answered, as they exhaustedly began to run across the desert, ducking as they did so in the hope that it would keep them out of the Artmon's “sights”. She thanked the heavens it was night-time: about the only lucky thing she had encountered lately.

31st AUGUST 2026

“So…tired…” Asuka groaned, the night still hanging over her head as she collapsed to the grass of a forest plain. Her legs ached: she hadn't stopped moving for hours, and she doubted she was truly out of danger now. She reached to the D-Arc on her belt, before putting her other hand behind and pulling both out: both her navy one, full of static, and Zach's emerald-green one, with just a blank screen. She tapped the buttons on both, thankful to get at least a fuzzy number for the time on hers. Zach's, on the other hand, seemed dead to the world. “Hmm, it's nearly morning,” she pondered, realising how long she must have been running, walking or desperately trying to keep moving. Every chance she had had to stop, a sighting of an Artmon had forced her to move again. Alongside her, Bokomon looked truly exhausted, but both knew that they weren't able to rest yet.

“Asuka…we…have to find…somewhere…to stop…” Bokomon panted.

“I…know…” Asuka answered, gripping her chest in the hope it would help her get her breath back.

“How…long…till…morning?” Bokomon asked, but Asuka didn't have to answer, the sudden sweeping of the light across the land giving a pretty clear answer to the creamy-white Digimon.

“Finally, I can see clearly,” Asuka said, falling back onto her bottom to rest. Bokomon did likewise, both wanting to go to sleep on the soft, digital grass. Such a perfect scene, the beautiful, forest clearing, small flowers dotting it, the wind gently flowing through it and flicking up Asuka's hair equally gently, and the sweet scents of many unknown-to-the-real-world flowers.

And, like every perfect scene, it wasn't to last.

“Oh for god's sake,” Asuka groaned, hearing the cocking of an Artmon. It just wasn't funny anymore, she didn't want to lose another of her friends, or her life either. Reality felt so distant that she expected the latter not to hurt that much. Reality was going to school, wandering around town with mates, and weekends at grandparents. This couldn't be any more distant from that.

“LOOK OUT!” yelled a voice, the Artmon suddenly struck by a strong yellow paw. It flew to the ground, hitting the earth sharply and creating a dent in it. “SHARP FOOT!” the voice yelled, a yellow blur suddenly flipping through the air and slamming a foot straight into the Artmon, a blue blur swarming around it as it did so. The Artmon smashed into data, the yellow fox-like figure floating a short way off the ground as it absorbed it.

“Wow…” Asuka and Bokomon mumbled in amazement, as the pair of three-toed feet landed on the ground, a set of brown straps tightly around each of them, serving more as decoration than as shoes. The form was familiar; they had seen it many times before, on television. It was the form of a Renamon, but there were various differences that told them this wasn't a “Renamon”, at least not your typical one. The form was more masculine, with thicker hips and a slightly more muscular form. A shorter mane led up into a yellow face, sharp blue determined eyes not softened by the usual feminine touch seen in your normal Renamon. A slightly thinner tail, inverted swirls on the legs and a slightly ruffled appearance to the ears, “wings” and mane continued the look, as did the brown bands similar to those on the feet tightly wrapped around the hand at the end. Above the leather bands on the hand, a continuous piece of “string” was continually and seamlessly wrapped around, taking the place of the glove seen on the normal Renamon.

“You two okay?” it asked, the voice deeply masculine, with a youthful edge. This was clearly a male version of the Renamon species.

“Tired, but yeah, I'm fine,” Asuka answered, yawning.

“I could sleep for a week,” Bokomon echoed.

“Well, it isn't safe out here, trust me on that. With all these Artmon flying around, I'm surprised we've still managed to keep our secret,” he noted, his ears twitching as he glanced around at the sky, concerned that there would be more Artmon on their way. Thankfully, it seemed pretty peaceful, which was a relief; although the male Renamon knew that it was unlikely to stay that way for long. Whilst their secret itself had been protected, the outside world still seemed to be in constant danger from energy Digimon.

“Secret?” Bokomon asked curiously, glancing to Asuka, who shrugged.

“Please, follow me. We have a secret haven where we will be able to protect you from the Artmon,” the Digimon said, turning and gesturing, before glancing back. “And yes, you'll be able to sleep there too,” he added, a smile on his face, oddly more pronounced than that on other Renamon.

“Oh, thank god,” Asuka said, yawning once again. She felt fit to collapse right there on the spot.

“Lead the way,” Bokomon said enthusiastically, as the male Renamon began to walk, his footing much more pronounced than that of the more graceful Renamon opposite in gender to him. They walked into the forest, through various gaps in the trees, some natural, some seeming artificial, before they came to a thick line of trees that seemed impassable at the edge of a small clearing.

“Dead end?” Asuka asked. The Renamon shook his head, a smile coming to his face.

“No, just a way of shielding out the outside world,” he answered, turning to face them. “This small clearing is cloaked in a perception filter: it is the only way we are allowed to go in and out of the haven. What less did you expect from a society of Renamon?”

“A society of Renamon?” Asuka asked, her eyes widening.

“Really?” Bokomon asked.

“Yes. Our society has stayed hidden for thousands of years, and is only known to a select few, not least all the Renamon who have passed through it.

“So that's where they all vanished to…” Asuka contemplated. “So is it just all Renamon?” she asked curiously, looking the male Renamon over. “An entire society of just one species,” she contemplated. “Wonder what its like,” she added, imagining a strange city full of just Renamon. Well, it was pretty much a human city, but with Renamon instead of humans. She then cursed her imagination, that was very unlikely.

“Well, Renamon is only the name of our species, and we have several subspecies within it. Our species has become known as that primarily due to the famous nature of some of those who have passed through here,” he noted.

“Really? Are you a Renamon?” she asked curiously.

“I am a Renardmon, a male Renamon,” he answered. “There are differences between those in our culture, but it tends to be based around four evolutionary chains: Renamon, DarkRenamon, Renardmon and DarkRenardmon. The elder Sakuyamon is far better at explaining this than I am though,” he noted, frowning at his lack of clear definition.

“So, what shall we call you then?” Bokomon asked curiously, pondering how they could possibly distinguish between the various members of each subspecies.

“Renardmon. Wasn't that clear already?” Renardmon answered, widening one eye in bemusement.

“Yeah, but…you must have different names?” Asuka asked curiously.

“No. Why would we?” Renardmon asked.

“To tell each other apart, of course,” Bokomon answered.

“How do you tell each other apart then, if you all look the same?” Asuka asked.

“We say the same of humans,” Renardmon answered with a grin.

“Really? You've met humans?” Asuka asked. Renardmon frowned, hesitancy in his voice.

“I suppose you could say that,” he answered. “They have visited us from time to time as well,” he added, before quickly changing the subject. He turned to the wall of trees, gesturing. “Come on then,” he said, walking towards the tree wall and suddenly vanishing through it.

Asuka and Bokomon looked on in amazement, before glancing at each other. “Well, here goes nothing,” Bokomon said, a hint of eagerness in his voice weighed out by a truckload of fear.

“Words like that always seem to precede tragedy,” Asuka noted sadly, sighing as she walked forward through the trees, followed soon after by a frowning Bokomon.

“…wow…” Asuka mumbled in amazement, looking at what could only be described as a paradise. Lush forests and trees lined and hid the haven from view. Scattered about were a number of traditional Japanese buildings, with a high concentration of them around the largest building of them all, a steep set of steps leading up to what was clearly a temple of some kind. Water flowed through a winding stream through the village, starting at a waterfall and ending in a small lake, before the water ran out of the other side again, its path at both ends blocked by thick undergrowth that allowed only water to pass. Flowers were scattered about in the grass, a gentle breeze flowing through them on occasion, and also ruffling one or two solitary trees and plants scattered around.

But, the most impressive thing of all was clearly the Digimon. The sheer number of yellow and black figures was amazing, and they ranged from tiny blob-like Reremon with short tails to larger, elegant and purposeful Sakuyamon, wandering about on unknown tasks. They were twinned with the bluish black Kuzuhamon, who equally seemed to fit in alongside it all. The majority of figures in the area seemed to be Renamon (or derivatives), and there seemed to be a similar number of Sakuyamon and Taomon derivatives, but a fair lot less than the Kyubimon derivatives. A few other Digimon were dotted about, but they looked more like those seeking shelter than those who had lived in the village for all of their lives.

“This place certainly has an air of peace to it,” Bokomon noted.

“It is said that if the Kabuki Village ever falls, then the Digital World is truly doomed. But this Village has stood for practically all of time that this world has been here, and even before it when this world was a very different place, it still existed in some form or another,” Renardmon said, admiring his pleasant home and taking in with a smile the surprise of the newcomers.

“Nice name,” Asuka noted. Renardmon nodded, gesturing for them to follow him into the village. The ground was soft to the touch for Bokomon's feet as they made their way across to the main cluster of buildings. Their presence attracted attention, although Asuka was more interesting for them than Bokomon for obvious reasons.

“I have to ask again, how do you tell each other apart?” Bokomon asked, raising an eyebrow and looking curiously at the Renardmon they were following.

“You see this tuft of hair here,” Renardmon noted, pausing and turning to face his two new companions. He gestured to a ruffled bit of hair on his head.

“Yeah?” Asuka asked curiously.

“That has absolutely nothing to do with how we tell each other apart,” Renardmon answered dryly, smirking sardonically as Bokomon and Asuka looked at him with bewildered eyes. “Now quit asking, we just can,” he added.

“Yeah, but do you smell each other or something?” Asuka asked, still curious about this situation.

“I don't know, probably, maybe not, why does it matter?” Renardmon asked.

“Just weird, that's all,” Asuka answered, frowning. “Sorry if I'm bugging you,” she added.

“Don't worry,” Renardmon reassured with a smile. “You two aren't the first to ask, trust me. Since this war began, three days ago, can you believe it, we've taken in dozens of near victims like you two, and they all react in the same way when they see this place,” he noted. “But…we can't take in everyone, and I hope we're not the only ones doing so.”

Asuka frowned, shaking her head. “You're not, well…weren't at least until yesterday,” she answered.

“We came from the Camp of Survivors, a thriving community of refugees who were protected against the Artmon. But unfortunately, that made it a huge target too,” Bokomon said, his frown conveying the reality to the fox-like Digimon.

“That sounds awful,” Renardmon noted, a shocked expression crossing his face. “Did anyone other than you two survive?” he asked.

“I have no idea,” Asuka answered. “But…I had a friend…Zach, his name was…Zach Strafer. And his partner, Candlemon,” she reminisced. “Even though we only knew each other for two days, and even though we spent a lot of the time arguing…” she rambled, sighing and frowning deeply. “I'm just sick of everyone I love, like or even just meet, dying in a horrible way.”

“Should I be running for the hills then?” Renardmon asked, before his morbid smile quickly was replaced by an apologetic expression. “Sorry, inappropriate I know, but I'm not a fan of being killed,” he added with a frown. An uncomfortable silence prompted him to continue. “Well, come on then if you want to meet the chief of this village,” he said, turning and continuing their path towards the largest building. He paused in front of it, looking up at its vast stature with awe even in his eyes. “This is the Temple, the central building of this community. It is where our highest and wisest leaders live, a mix of Sakuyamon, Taomon and derivatives.”

“Wow, it's…huge,” Asuka gasped. Up close, it dwarfed those buildings on either side of it, and served as a prominent focus point for the whole community. A set of long steps lead up to its entrance, further placing it above the rest of the village.

“Hopefully she will not be too busy to greet you,” Renardmon noted, striding up the steps with Bokomon and Asuka in quick pursuit. As they slid open and stepped through the large door, the atmosphere changed, the gentle breeze replaced by an even gentler and calmer air.

“Greetings,” a Youkomon said with a nod, which the yellow fox returned in kind.

“Greets,” he answered, before glancing around the temple, as large inside as it was outside, and it appeared to have two or three floors as well, despite how vast the rooms seemed. “I have a human and a Digimon here who survived a harsh attack on a refugee camp. I have brought them to meet her,” he said, the champion level nodding.

“Please, follow,” she said, turning and heading along the ground floor, through a series of traditional style doorways into a room towards the back, the largest they had seen and evidently spanning all three floors with its height. In the centre of the room, bent over a small fountain in meditation was a Sakuyamon-like figure.

This Sakuyamon, however, wore no armour, and appeared to have human skin instead of the black and white skin-tight binding other Sakuyamon seemed to have. Replacing the armour, instead a white and red dress wrapped around her form, the white of the dress in some places indistinguishable from the white of her long hair, or the white mop on the end of the long stick she held out, grasped in a human hand. Her face was covered by the usual Sakuyamon mask, but as she calmly stood from her prayer, turning round to face them with her eyes full of knowledge, and yet oddly of youth at the same time, it was clear she was no usual Sakuyamon.

“I greet you travellers,” she said, bowing lightly to the pair who were surprised at the way they seemed to be treated in high regard. They were half expecting to have to bow to the chief, not vice versa.

“Um, hello,” Asuka said, nodding.

“Priestess, if you wish me to leave…” Renardmon began, unsure if his continued presence in the room, leaning against a pillar behind his companions, was welcome.

“It is fine for you to stay,” she answered, before looking at the human and Digimon intently. “So, what are your names?” she asked curiously.

“I'm Asuka Kumiko,” the girl introduced.

“And I'm Bokomon, keeper of the Mostly-Empty Book,” Bokomon answered, lifting the book from his haramaki into his hands, both Renardmon and the Sakuyamon studying it intently.

“Empty books tell just as much as full ones sometimes,” the Sakuyamon noted wisely. “And I am Sakuyamon Kabuki Mode, although I am usually called Priestess by those here. I am the head of this village, although I prefer to mediate to her for guidance, and so leave the day to day running up to the far wiser elder Taomon,” she noted, a frown coming to her face. “I have done this for a while, but…it still seems new to me, so I apologise if I act immature in any way,” she noted, her voice now sounding distinctly youthful to Asuka's ears.

“Don't worry, I'm sure you're a lot more mature than us,” she reassured.

“Speak for yourself,” Bokomon huffed.

“I am worried however, and even if I have taken this role for many years, I am still many years younger in doing so than my predecessors. The circumstances of my gaining this role were…less than normal, shall I say,” she noted, sighing. “My predecessors, they would know what to do, but I am stuck, unable to even ask the village elders for advice,” she added sadly.

“Surely at a desperate time like this, you will do anything to help?” Bokomon asked curiously, Asuka nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, even if it means breaking tradition,” Renardmon added, nodding to reassure his fellow Renamon, at least in species.

“I am afraid that this problem is not the same one you refer to,” the Priestess sighed. “I cannot feel her anymore. Since I became, I could always feel her presence, and it became stronger than ever when I had the fortune of meeting her. But…” she mumbled, frowning. “She is gone. Harmony has vanished from existence,” she sighed.

“Harmony?” Asuka pondered. “You mean that Rika girl?” she asked curiously, hoping she had remembered the name right from her many times on Digital Watch.

“That is correct,” the Priestess confirmed.

Asuka frowned, contemplating how many more people could be dead. “So, is she…dead then?” she asked, pondering whether a God could truly die.

“No, she is not,” the elder Sakuyamon answered. “If she were dead, I would still feel Harmony's presence. It is strongest in me; I have achieved the highest form of a normal Renamon, second only to Harmony herself in her highest form,” she noted. “But she is gone, and I am really scared,” she continued.

“What do you think happened?” Renardmon asked. This was news to him: as far as he knew, the war against the Artmon was their main problem right now.

“I wish I knew,” the Priestess sighed. “But, I am afraid I have scared you all,” she noted. “Regardless of what happens, you are all safe here, trust me,” she added. “Not even Harmony herself noticed this village's existence until it was pointed out to her,” she reassured.

“That's a relief,” Bokomon said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Renardmon, please, take these two to your home and put them up. I will visit you soon enough, or send someone to do so if things overwhelm me,” she ordered. Renardmon nodded in response, stepping forth from the pillar and standing closer to his two companions.

“Fine,” he answered, nodding. “Are you sure you don't need any help?” he asked, pondering whether there was anything he could do for the troubled Priestess.

She shook her head, frowning. “I'm afraid not,” she answered. “To be perfectly honest, I'm just afraid in general, and no-one can help either. We are striding into unknown territory here, and I am not experienced enough to know what to do. It is my fault, I suppose, even if my appointment in this role seemed rather arbitrary to me,” she sighed.

“Cheer up, it could be worse,” Renardmon noted, smiling in reassurance, as Asuka and Bokomon did likewise.

“How exactly?” the Priestess asked curiously, tilting her head in bewilderment. “Our entire culture could be doomed, along with the universe too,” she noted, irradiated by the concept that things could be worse. “So how exactly could it be worse?”

“Uh…” Renardmon pondered. “Think fast…” he pleaded. “Well…you could lose your good looks?” he mooted, laughing nervously. Being placed on the spot like that, with the head of their village no less, was not a fun experience.

“Thank you for the compliment,” the Priestess responded, a slim smile coming to her face. “Now go,” she ordered, gesturing away from the room with her staff. Renardmon nodded, the three turning and walking from the room. She sighed, turning and bending to her knees by the fountain again, the water softly and calmly pouring down into its lower tray.

If this was chaos, then why was everything still so peaceful?

“What do I do?” her mind cried.

“Help…” a youthful, female voice echoed. An eye widened curiously, before returning to normal as she dismissed it.

“Great, now I am going crazy and imagining…”

“Where am I?” the voice repeated and interrupted, the Priestess feeling her mind ache from it. It echoed in her head, pervading it and refusing to be blocked out. What on earth was it? Who was trying to contact her?

“Who are you?” the Priestess asked, her eyes tightly shut in an attempt to block it out.

“Who are you?” the voice echoed.

“Please, tell me who you are,” the Priestess yelled inside her head, desperate for answers.

“I am…um...I am…I…I…I…uh…please help,” the voice pleaded, fading as it spoke. It grew weaker and weaker, and made the Priestess fear she would lose her chance to find out what it was.

“Tell me who you are!” Sakuyamon bellowed out loud, her voice attracting the attention of some nearby Renamon (and derivatives) as she did so. They decided not to ask, the Sakuyamon too busy breathing deeply and trying to recover her mind to tell others what was happening to her.

What was that voice?

“And why did it sound so much like my voice,” Sakuyamon pondered, her eyes widening in alarm as a crushing blow hit her in the chest. “No…no, you can't be!” she pleaded.

“…”

“Hello?” she asked. Silence was all the response she received.

Sakuyamon breathed deeply again, gripping her chest with her hands and frowning, as one hand made its way out in front of her.

“This should be impossible,” she contemplated, looking at her human-like hand and turning it over, her frown deepening. “It is impossible,” she decided, striding away from the room. She had other things to attend to, and that would not stop her.

TO BE CONTINUED…

So, a few new characters introduced as we return to a scene that is or will be familiar to you (depending on when I publish it). The surprise ending to a chapter will actually be next time (whenever that chapter is finally published), since I actually earmarked this as two separate chapters.

Until next time…