Before the Flame Burns Out

The Truth

Takuya stared up at the darkTyrannomon that easily toward over everyone. He could faintly recognize Takato's voice, urging for his friend to digivolve. He didn't even register that the red dinosaur did in fact digivolved into a larger red dinosaur called Growlmon. No his focus was on darkTyrannomon and the burning feeling he could feel from his pocket, where his phone was. Slowly, with eyes on the digimon he pulled out what should have been his phone, but was now his Detector. He could feel it, Agunimon's spirit.

"It is time." He could here Ophanimon's voice from the device in his hands. He knew what he had to do.

"Execute! Spirit evolution!" Takuya called out when the familiar band of a fractal code appeared around his hand as he moved his detector to scan the code. In a flash of light and familiar sensations, Agunimon stood in Takuya's place.

"Moto beni! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes Agunimon!" Zoey cheered with a smile. She was jealous like everyone else that Takuya was the one who got this opportunity However, that jealousy was overshadowed by relief. At least it wasn't just a champion versus ultimate anymore.

"Leave this to Growlmon and me, everyone else find cover." Agunimon instructed. Not having to be told twice, they all took cover behind the trees.

"Man Takuya, you look so cool!" Takato stated. "Or I guess it's Agunimon right now."

Agunimon nodded before helping Growlmon out. Together the two fought against the Digimon. Suddenly it decided to change tactics. DarkTyrannomon aimed to attack one of the others that couldn't even fight. It's aim was for Hitoshi. Without hesitation, Agunimon moved in and protected Hitoshi from the attack then quickly moved in for another attack.

Hitoshi, the bully, was in awe. Takuya could do something this cool? He even protected him when he should have just let the strange creature hurt him. After everything, Takuya still protected Hitoshi, who only ever hurt Takuya and threatened the boy with his secret.

Eventually darktyrannomon was defeated. Agunimon and Growlmon dedigivolved. Takuya took a moment and looked at his Detector. Agunimon's face looked at Takuya's with a smile. Telling the boy everything. Their bond was just that deep. "Thank you Agunimon." And just like that, his Detector became a phone once more.

Hitoshi himself slipped away when the others immediately rushed towards Takuya.

"So lucky Takky!  Wish the rest of us could've helped out." JP stated.

"Don't listen to him, he's just jealous." Zoey rolled her eyes.

"That was so cool, don't you think so Guilmon? It was almost like a biomerge." Takato spoke up.

"Do you have any bread Takatomon?" Guilmon said instead of answering Takato's question. Takato laughed with a smile.

"You haven't changed at all!"

"Hey where'd that guy go?" Koji asked with a scowl.

Kouichi looked around, and indeed, his classmate was gone. "It won't matter, he's in our class."

"Takuya, do you think the other warriors will come too?" Tommy asked.

"If we need them." Takuya replied. "This doesn't mean you're going out to look for danger." Takuya looked at Tommy seriously.

"Oh I know that. It's just, we all miss them. We didn't get to give a proper good-bye." Tommy respoded. Yeah Takuya understood that. They missed Bokomon and Neemon even more. Poor Bokomon was crying as they were thrown into the portal back home. They couldn't give them proper goodbyes, not even to the other digimon they befriended. It all just happened too quick.

Hey Takuya, that guy before..." Zoey started. "What did he mean by secret anyways?"

The reason Takuya called them into the park in the first place. Takuya sighed and looked towards Takato with an unsure look. The others noticed this and frowned. This guy Takato knew but not them? Kouichi was the only one that understood. These two have been friends for a very long time after all.

"Well... you know how you guys were born the way you are?" Takuya started unsure. Kouichi immediately knew where this conversation was going, but decided to keep quiet. "Well see... I wasn't born the way I was supposed to. Like I know I'm a guy, I've always known this, but that's not what I was born as. If my mom hadn't caught on early, I probably wouldn't have know until much later and then I probably would have been very sick of myself."

"Only me, Kazu, Kenta, and our families knew about Takuya's little secret." Takato further explained. "Everyone agreed that we wouldn't tell anybody so Takuya could grow up feeling proud of himself. Of course we didn't understand that growing up until now."

"Wow Takuya, you're so awesome!" Tommy stated, realizing exactly how Takuya must've felt on a daily basis.

"Why didn't you say so earlier? If you were having any problems, I would've helped you." Zoey chimed in.

"Nothing's changed in my book. You're still Takuya, I'm still your friend!" JP immediately said.

"He's right, nothings changed." Koji agreed with JP.

"Takuya, we're all your friends. Besides, if everyone accepted me, after Duskmon. You seriously don't think we wouldn't have accepted you for how you are?" Kouichi spoke. "We're the Legendary Warriors, we stick together."

"What did I tell you Taku?" Takato smiled.

"Yeah alright, you were right. Happy now Taka?"

"Yes I am." Takato grinned. "But you still have to tell Kazu and Kenta what happened." At that Takuya groaned and everyone laughed.

After that day, Hitoshi never bothered or even talked to Takuya ever again. Takuya was finally able to talk to Kazu and Kenta, although he had to stop them from trying to, and probably fail at, beating up Hitoshi and getting expelled. There have been more digital zones appearing in the human world, which helped reunite the tamers with their Digimon partners. The tamers and the warriors all met at some point and got along surprisingly. Actually, Koji and Henry go to the same dojo. However, more importantly the flame of Takuya's spirit still burned, if even more brightly then before.