AN: So, I've been working on this chapter for what seems like forever.

It's not as long as I wanted it but it'll have to do. I don't know when I'll get to update any of my stories, as I won't have much time for a week or two, but I'll try, right now my muse (inspiration) is simply in another direction. I'll be back though; so enjoy the chapter.

I'll get the next chapter along with some chapters for my other stories up as soon as I can.

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Child of Balance.

Chapter 9: The Black Gears and Evil's Face Part III.

Even though they'd been in the Digital World for quite a while, and they'd faced many digimon. Most with attitude problems, they hadn't come across a truly evil feeling digimon, until that night.

Naru knew she should have trusted her instincts after they found the mansion in the woods...it was all too Hansel and Gretel for her liking. It was an omen just waiting for them to enter, and let their guard down.

Still, what would happen wasn't something she'd expected. Not in a million digi-years.

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"This place is amazing!" Mimi exclaimed, looking around at the large portraits on the walls.

The others were the same, enjoying the relative normalcy finding the mansion gave them. It was very modern, like something they would find on their world, but with a traditional feel to it.

"I don't know, this place gives me the wiggins," Naru muttered, her eyes scanning around as if waiting for the other boot to drop, proving her sinking feeling right.

Tai patted his younger sister on the head and chuckled.

"Don't be so paranoid, Narumi, it's just an old house. I mean look around, there's even pictures of angels around. What kind of evil could be lurking here?" he asked and Naru frowned, but nodded.

Maybe her brother was right. Maybe there wasn't anything to be worried about.

"Oh my...god, guys you'll never believe it!" Sora shouted from the double doors she'd opened.

Gathering around them they could see a long table with a buffet of a variety of foods. T.K's jaw dropped as he spoke.

"Oh wow, look at all this delicious food!"

"Yeah," Tai agreed as they all entered the dinning room and began to descend onto the food.

"Hold it," Naru called, placing her hands on her hips. Renamon stood by her side. "How do we know it's not poisoned?"

They all froze for a few seconds and then Joe, the ever sensible one, spoke up.

"It's a risk, but it doesn't seem likely. On one hand we only have so many choices, we do have to eat."

"And rest," Sora reasoned. "This is the first place that's normal we've found. We have to take this risk, I think."

"Yeah, look at all this food," T.K said, drooling at the table of food.

Narumi sighed and finally gave in. they were all right, and she honestly didn't know why anyone or thing would go to all this trouble.

It was, in the end, the smell of ramen that broke her.

After the food was gone they found the bathroom or more like indoor hot springs. The two sides were separated by a tall wall. The hot springs themselves were large enough to take up half of the room on either side of the wall.

Mimi, Palmon, Sora, Biyomon, Naru and Renamon all lazed in the relaxing water on the girls side, while the guys and their digimon were on the other side.

"This is the life," Sora muttered, sighing happily and she sank deeper in the tub.

Naru and Mimi nodded, agreeing completely with their friends.

"Paradise," Gomamon said floating by on his back, in the girls side.

On the other side of the wall Tai, T.K, Matt, Joe and their digimon all heard the sounds from the other side of the wall and winced at the screams given by the girls – other than Renamon who simply ignored it. They all shook their heads and chuckled at the splash Gomamon made after crash landing on their side.

After their baths they went searching for somewhere to sleep.

The only room with beds was a large room with eight beds, one for all of them and their digimon, though Renamon chose to sit at the end o the bed to enter sleep-meditation that she favored.

Renamon still had a hard to sleeping or meditating either one, she just felt as if she needed to be awake. She'd always learned that trusting your instincts was usually the wiser of actions. On most situations in any case.

In this case her instincts were right, since soon everything changed. They were woken by Tai and Agumon, by the time they were all aware as well as awake everything was different.

Things began to change, the mansion fading away as if it were never there, though the beds stayed and began to float around, and they could see not only Leomon, Ogremon but a humanoid digimon as well.

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You couldn't have gone to the bathroom before bed?"

Agumon shrugged.

"Oh, I didn't have to go to the bathroom, Tai, I just didn't want you to go alone."

Tai's eyes twitched, but before he could say anything they were jumped by Ogremon, who didn't look all too friendly. At the sudden attack, Tai and Agumon ran on instinct, yelling for everyone to wake up. Eventually they came to a stop close to the bedroom, but were startled by the appearance of an unknown digimon. One who looked straight out of the horror movies, and Leomon wasn't far either.

"Now I will destroy the children," Leomon and Tai took a step away.

"I don't get it, why do you hate me?" he asked.

"Because I command it, he obeys me."

Tai and Agumon turned their attention back to humanoid digimon.

"Who are you?" Tai asked, and Agumon narrows his eyes at the chuckling winged digimon.

"He's Devimon," Agumon said suddenly, a grave tone in his voice, though it was apparent he tried to hide it as best he could.

"Devimon? He sounds like trouble."

Agumon nodded, and replied, "He is, this is the guy who invented the nightmare."

Devimon smirked triumphantly, as if everything was going as he wanted it too and wave his hand as if dismissing someone or something, and the mansion began to dissolve.

"I no longer have use of this illusion." he said. "You're right. I am Lord Devimon, soon to be destroyer of the Chosen Children."

"Tai!" Naru called down, concerned for her brother's safety.

She could just tell this digimon was bad news, he'd have no problems killing them if he wanted too do the dirty work himself.

"Stay there Narumi," Tai called back, no wanting to cause his sister to get in the middle of anything. She was safer where she was, for now at least.

Naru couldn't help but want to help though, maybe it was simply the fact Devimon reeked of evil, or at least so it seemed. She wasn't sure if it was just this Devimon or if all of his species were like him. Somewhat, she didn't want to believe this to be the case. Dark maybe, but she doubted a whole species could be evil. As far as she was concerned no one was born evil.

"What do you want from us?" Tai demanded.

"You out of my way," Devimon said, and turned to Leomon. "Leomon, finish them off!"

Agumon got ready to fight, but instantly held his stomach, groaning.

"Tai, I'm too weak to fight," Agumon said, grimacing.

Leomon attacked, and Naru narrowed her eyes. Despite seeing the two evading the attack, she reacted without really thinking and jumped from the bed and barely landed on her feet. The force was enough to twist her ankle though, and send her to her knees.

"Narumi, are you alright!" Tai yelled, now only concerned for his sister, unfortunately this brought attention from Devimon to her instead of him and Agumon.

"Hold on," Renamon said, jumping after Naru, who'd taken even her by surprise.

To Renamon's surprise she was knocked away by Devimon who appeared behind the downed girl. She crashed into Leomon and the ground harshly.

"You, girl, intrigue me," he said, and Naru turned her head, confused and fearful. "A power lays dormant inside you, sinister power. I shall awaken it for you...Touch of Evil!"

Narumi's eyes widened but it was already too late to run, Devimon's hand was already in her back, and she screamed loudly. It sounded as if he were killing her, with his hand in her back it looked that way as well.

"Naru!" everyone yelled, shocked, horrified and worried about their friend and sister (as it may be for Tai).

Devimon laughed as he pulled his hand free, leaving a deeply breathing Naru to fall back to her knees. Everything was working to plan, he couldn't help but think smugly.

"What did you do to my sister!?" Tai yelled, voice clearly raw with anger. "If she'd hurt I'll..."

"You'll do what?" Devimon asked, laughing. "You come to this world just a piece of a vast ocean and play dumb, as if you don't know. But I know you are the chosen children, the ones who will save this world from my reign."

"You've got it wrong, we're just kids..."

"Enough! Leomon, Narumi...kill him!" Devimon ordered and Leomon moved forward once more. It was Narumi who surprised them, she had slowly stood up by this point and was now staring straight ahead. Her eyes glowing a crimson red, slitted like a fox. Her whisker marks were more feral and noticeable, and her nails were now similar to claws.

"Yes Master," Leomon said, apathetic. .

Narumi simply growled lowly, and came forward, heading towards them, ignoring the other digi-destines screams to snap out of it. Devimon laughed once more.

"It's no use, she only obeys me now."

Suddenly the crimson aura expanded more over Naru, taking even Devimon by surprise, but it didn't stop Narumi from attacking the weakened digimon and Tai.

"Naru, stop this madness!" Renamon said, taking Naru's attention onto herself, dodging a chakra claw (though they didn't know what it was, just a long clawed hand shaped appendage that tore the ground asunder every time she dodged).

Agumon had already made it back to Tai, who was close to being beheaded by Leomon when one of the beds crashed closely and his digivice fell out, shining a orange-golden light on Leomon.

"Leomon, are you alright?" Tai asked when the digimon let go of him and shielded his eyes.

"I am fine now that Devimon's power over me is gone."

Tai nodded, but his attention was drawn back to his sister when they heard Renamon cry out in pain, being hit by the chakra claw and thrown back.

"Naru, stop, you don't know what you're doing!" Matt yelled down and Tai took off to his sister's aid.

It wasn't the brightest idea since she turned on him.

"Naru don't, it's your brother, Tai," he said, holding his hands up in front of him as if in surrender or dealing with a viscous animal.

Naru sneered but didn't stop advancing. Within a few steps of him a hand went to her head, as if it hurt and the glow of crimson around got heavier, swirling around like a whirlpool, and Tai was forced to take a step back.

"What are you waiting for girl? Kill him!" Devimon raged.

Naru shook her head and several seconds later silver-golden chains exploded from her back and the crimson aura and fox-like appearance faded. Her blonde hair whipped around her slightly as she opened now clear blue eyes. The chains had shot towards Devimon and around them, making a dome and holding Devimon in place for the time being.

"Narumi?" Tai asked, in awe of what he was seeing.

"Big brother?" she muttered before she fell forward, unconscious, her chains fading away with her.

"No, curse you Digidestined! I won't allow you to beat me!" Devimon shouted once free.

Leomon attacked Devimon, stopping his attempt to crash the beds into the ground hard enough to kill or hurt the destined children.

"Leave..." Leomon began, but was blasted back by Devimon before he could finished.

Renamon had recovered and leaped forward, grabbing Narumi and jumping high back onto the bed they'd been on before, really having no where else to go. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea but it was the only place to go. She was about to go back for Tai and Agumon when the bed rocked, and suddenly they were flying away from the other beds, and the island.

"No," she muttered, looking back at where Tai and Agumon had been left with Devimon.

Straining her eyes she was able to see Leomon help the two off the island, stabbing his sword into the ground, causing it to break off and fall into the ocean. They'd float away from Devimon and hopefully to safety.

She grimaced as she heard Leomon's screams in the night air, and huddled with Narumi as they began to approach an island, and she felt the bed falling, heading into a crash landing.

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Kurama sighed with annoyance as he finally swatted the dark energy from the evil digimon away from his host.

The last thing he needed was for some mad digimon to try and control him with some bastardized Sharingan control technique – or at least that was how it felt and seemed to him.

He would admit, that Devimon was strong, but he was far stronger in his prime. If he were out, and had recovered enough from being sealed so long ago, he'd have crushed him in a matter of minutes, if not seconds.

Alas he was only at a bit over half power now, and the girl was barely old enough to handle a fourth of his potent chakra. It was made worse by the fact she didn't know how to use her own damn chakra.

Unfortunately his meddling in forcing the dark digimon's energy from his host had triggered the release of her mother's special chakra, which was also her own as she'd inherited it from Kushina, just hadn't awakened it before now. She might not have ever awakened it without this traumatic experience, not being Shinobi trained.

He knew it wasn't a bloodline, Kushina's chakra chains, but it sure was similar in area's. Though it was odd since the Uzumaki special chakra usually took abilities and forms unique to that certain Uzumaki. Apparently Naru was more like Kushina than once thought.

Squinting his eyes as he felt someone's presence in the seal he saw bright blonde hair first, then blue eyes...colors he really hated since the Yondaime sealed him. The Yondaime was just below Madara on his list of most hated mortals. Thankfully, the girl looked a little more like her mother physically, and at least he could tolerate Kushina.

"So, my jailer finally arrives," he said, making the young blonde jump. He laughed, amused by the girl's actions. "Over here human."

Naru looked at the large cage in front of her in awe and some fear, though mostly curiosity. Was this a dream? The last thing she remembered was Devimon appearing behind her...and then nothing.

"Who...who are you?" she asked, and out of the darkness came big crimson eyes, and fox features.

It was a giant red-orange fox, with what looked to be nine tails behind him.

"I'm Kyūbi no Yōko, brat, this is my prison."

Naru looked at the fox in shock, and asked hesitantly, "Prison...where exactly is that?"

The Kyūbi grinned widely, and cruelly, snickering to himself as he answered, "Inside the seal, inside you."

"What?" she demanded, eyes widening in shock and fear. "I don't understand...what seal!?"

Kyūbi snorted, and settled down, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. Usually he'd be meaner, he'd not even tolerate the human brat's tone of voice directed at him. Hell, he'd usually watch the meat-bag squirm while agonizing over the fact she had a 'monster' sealed inside her.

But he was too tired to be cruel, and he figured this would pay back on of the small favors he owed Mito and Kushina, who hadn't outright ignored him, despite their methods of entrapment being somewhat unbearable – especially Kushina's, did she have to trap him to a stone with her chains like some sacrificial mortal?

He really hated that, even Mito was kinder about his imprisonment, somewhat.

Or maybe he was just going soft, a small voice whispered, his sub-conscience, and he scoffed at this. When hell froze over, maybe.

"Sit down brat, and I'll tell you a story," he said, rolling his eyes. "But pay attention I ain't telling you twice, so if you miss something tough shit!"

Naru blinked but did not sit – considering she was in sewer with knee deep water – instead she just listened as he told her the story of her birth, adoption and birth parents (after much prodding on her part).