Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon I just wish I did. This is done for fun not profit.

Rating: PG

Setting: Digimon Frontier story set a few months after the season finale.

Comments: I'm sorry this took so long. I really have no excuse I just got the world's worst writer's block + a new job. Currently unbeta'd so if you spot any errors please tell me in your review. All constructive criticism gladly received. All flames ignored

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Of Necessities and Consequences

Chapter Five

Tailmon's Theory

"What do you think that they are talking about?" Izumi wondered out loud as the Chosen Children watched Tailmon discussing something with Turuiemon and Angemon. From her expression and the way she waving her arms they could tell that she was stressed about something and she had dragged her two fellows into the next carriage almost as soon as they had boarded Angler for the overnight trip to the Forest Terminal.

"Probably this idea of hers that she won't tell us about." Junpei replied. "Whatever it is that she is thinking might be going on has got her really riled up … which is worrying me."

"I think that it's worrying all of us." Takuya agreed with a frown. "She obviously thinks that our being ill is related to all this."

"That looks like more than just stress d worry." Kouji noted thoughtfully. "She almost looks... well… guilty to me." She's hiding something. A little voice at the back of his head whispered but he didn't say that out loud and quickly pushed it aside as unworthy.

"Why would she feel guilty?" Takuya snorted sceptically. "But they are definitely talking about us." He added as Turuiemon turned to look through the door directly at Kouichi. "Hmmm… He looks worried as well now."

"Why is he looking at me?" Kouichi wondered even as the purple rabbit turned back to Tailmon and said something to her with visible urgency. Whatever he had said must have made an impression because the other two digimon also turned and looked at him. After a moment the saw Tailmon nod in agreement to whatever Turuiemon had said.

"I think that they are probably wondering about the same thing that's been on all your minds." Bokomon suggested quietly. He was still very subdued about the loss of the book but had obviously been thinking hard nonetheless. "Why didn't Kouichi-han get sick? If it's because he was only here in spirit last time then…" He trailed off.

"What happens now that I am here physically?" Kouichi finished for him. "That's a very good question. Definitely worth considering."

"Perhaps you should go home." Löwemon said softly. "We don't want you to get sick… I don't want to make you sick."

"He's right." Takuya said. "You should go home. There's no need for you to get sick as well."

"Well aside from the fact that I don't actually know how to get home…" Kouichi said dryly. "There is the fact you might need me… and I really think I'm capable of making my own decisions."

"I'm sure you are but why should you suffer?" Izumi agreed with the others. "Maybe you can wish yourself home the way we came?"

Kouji watched worriedly as his brother bent his head and considered this. He was going to be stubborn. Kouji could tell.

"Perhaps." He said finally. "But I'll stay…" He raised a hand to forestall any arguments. "I know that you're worried about me but it's my choice and I can feel it here." He touched his chest. "You are going to need me."

"Kouichi." Kouji sighed as he realised he was right about him being stubborn. "Please tell me that you aren't doing this out of misplaced guilt." He looked at his brother worriedly. Kouichi just smiled and shook his head.

"Not at all…" He broke off as the former great angels returned to the carriage and everyone began to settle down for the night.

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"Kouichi-san!" Tailmon's voice hissing in his ear woke him sometime after they had settled down. "Are you awake? I need to talk to you!"

"Huh?" He opened his eyes slowly. "I am now." He sat up and looked round. The other chosen children were all still asleep. He offered Tailmon a quizzical look. "Just me?"

"For now." She nodded. "I don't want to worry them yet but if I'm right then this effects you right now."

"For now." She nodded. "I don't want to worry the others until I'm sure … but if I'm right it already effects you here and now."

"Partly." The anxiety in her tone deepened as she replied and she was wringing her paws. "The thing is I'm not even sure that they can go home."

"What!" He whispered sharply. He felt like shouting but he didn't want to disturb the other. Neither did she because she ushered him into the next carriage before replying.

"My theory…." She told him dully. "If I'm right … if I'm right … it means they won't be able to go home." She hung her head. "And neither will you if you evolve." Kouji was right he realised. She was feeling guilty about something. Probably about getting them into this in the first place. "If only I'd know…"

"Known what?" Kouichi was barely keeping his cool but sensed that losing his temper would only make matters worse.

"Well, you know how I explained why digimon can't go to the human world earlier?" She asked and he nodded. A knot formed in his stomach as he had a sudden hunch as to where this was leading. "I think," she continued, "that it's possible that spirit evolving left permanent traces of the Spirit's data in the others' bodies and that like a digimon this data stayed Digital when they returned to the Human World. If I'm right…" she trailed off unhappily but Kouichi had already followed the thought to its conclusion.

"If you are right," He finished for her. "Then that data has gradually been infecting and digitising them – which caused their sickness - and has started to spread beyond them now… causing the weird world warping effects?"

She nodded miserably. "And if you evolve the same thing will happen to you."

"Damn!" Kouichi whispered. Becoming sick, no matter how horrible, was one thing but to never be able to go home again? That was a terrible thought. What would happen to his mother? He didn't want to abandon the others but if it was them causing the problems everything should settle down now shouldn't it? Except that there was this new enemy and somehow he didn't think that they were going to let it settle down. The timing was just a little too coincidental and he had a hunch that they were after both worlds like Lucemon had been. It was just a feeling that he couldn't place but he sensed that whoever they were they were planning the destruction and recreation of the Worlds for some reason. If he stayed his mother would most likely end up alone but if he went home he had visions of her and billions of others ending up dead. It might just be his imagination but he didn't dare risk it. He had been willing to sacrifice himself once and he was willing to do it again if necessary.

"I don't think you should evolve." Tailmon interrupted his thoughts. "At least not until I'm certain one way or another. Perhaps you should go home… I think you get back safely if we all put our minds to it."

"No, I'll stay." He shook his head firmly. "And if I have to I'll evolve. I don't relish the thought of never going home but the Digital World isn't exactly a terrible place to have to stay."

"Are you really sure that you've thought this through?" Though quietly voiced Turuiemon's question made him jump slightly because he hadn't noticed the Rabbit Digimon sitting in the corner of the darkened carriage. "I hope that you aren't doing this out of some unnecessary desire to punish yourself. No one blames you. After all," He added in an even quieter tone. "It was my fault."

"Oh, and there I was blaming Lucemon for everything." Kouichi replied with false flippancy to cover his surprise at hearing Kouji's question about his motives echoed here. "I got over blaming either myself or you quite some time ago." That wasn't exactly true he realised even as he said but it wasn't not true either so he didn't clarify and instead added. "It's just that I know that I'm going to be needed." And that was the absolute truth. "I'd call it a hunch but the feeling is so strong that I can almost taste it."

"That's odd." Tailmon murmured. "Are you totally sure about this?

"As sure as I can be." He nodded firmly.

"Okay." She sighed. "I'm still not happy about this though. I should never have dragged humanity back into Digimon affairs. It wasn't your battle… why did get you involved?"

"You didn't get me involved remember." He said mildly.

"I meant you all – as a group." She said. "After all, if I hadn't called out to Kouji you would never have come to Cherubimon's attention." She sighed yet again. "If had even suspected that this might happen I would never have called out to the human world."

"And if you hadn't who would have saved both Worlds from Lucemon?" He asked before yawning. "Is that all? Because I'm still tired from earlier."

"Yes." She nodded. "Sleep well." She reached out and grabbed his hand in her paws. "But promise me you won't evolve unless there s absolutely no alternative."

He met her eyes seriously. "I promise."

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When they pulled into the Forest Terminal just before dawn the kids saw just how efficient the new communication system was. The local digimon were waiting for them and had prepared a delicious breakfast for them. They stayed to eat the meal partly because it would be impolite not to, partly because they were hungry and partly because they didn't want to start walking before it was fully light.

The pause was a good thing in Izumi's opinion because something had been playing on her mind and it gave her time to pin it down and mull it over. Only once they had eaten and were watching the sunrise did she raise it.

"Something is bothering me." She began. The others turned to look at her. "To take the data of this place we're going to they'll have to destroy the key to the Forest areas data right?" She looked at Tailmon who nodded. "So what's to stop then absorbing all the Forest's data and not just the bit they want?"

"Well nothing really." Tailmon said thoughtfully. "Except for the fact that after yesterday it doesn't… well… seem their style. In spite of their previous apparently random attacks what they did yesterday proves they aren't really interested in data for data's sake. They could have taken all the Light Area but they didn't … they only took the castle." She frowned pensively. "I don't understand why they aren't interested in digicode but yesterday's attacks were minutely planned and finely targeted. They knew exactly what they were after and took. The rest was just to confuse us."

"Hmm…" Kouji frowned. "This isn't good. We've never really faced an enemy who didn't subscribe to the 'throw around enough power to squash any opposition school of tactics'. Even those who tried were basically just looking for a way to get more power so they could squash an opponent." He paused as he realised something. "And we've been prone to do the same thing … even our tactics have consisted of ploughing through things with the occasional holding action while we tried to figure out to become powerful enough to defeat them."

"Yes, well, when you evolve you become digimon and that's a very digimon way to behave." Tailmon conceded. "We don't tend to look for ways round opponents. It's our nature to try and plough through our opponents or find someone who can if we can't."

"So given its behaviour is this enemy even a digimon?" Izumi mused out loud.

"Well, whatever it is it does seem to think oddly for a digimon… but it's unlikely to be anything else." Turuiemon said. "And in the end it doesn't matter that much. An enemy is still an enemy."

"Well, except that this one is… sly." Angemon mused. "We need to out think it if we're going to defeat it. And I'm not sure we can twist our minds that much … Cunning jut doesn't come naturally to digimon."

"You can't, perhaps." Junpei said, "but we can … we just have to try and think like humans not digimon. Slyness and cunning are very human characteristics. This isn't something we're always very proud of but it should be useful here."

"Can we get back to my original point?" Izumi noticed that it was almost light and decided to raise her question before they set out. "Shouldn't some of us go to Seraphimon's castle to try and defend the statue? They can't take their target if the can't unlock the data."

"That is a very good idea, Izumi." Angemon agreed. "Even if we can't stop them we might delay them long enough for the second group to get what they came for."

"Exactly." Izumi nodded.

"Okay." Takuya said. "Angemon, Junpei and I will go defend the castle. The rest of you go to get the information and defend the place."

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