Aftermath

"Would you want to play an instrument or sing? I wouldn't mind hearing either. Music is beautiful but sadly my weakness. Classical music helps me read but my brothers make fun of me for it so I haven't listened in a while." Don sat up, "Hey Ike...um...you're welcome to stay in my room for the night. I'd be alone otherwise and I think after tonight, none of us want to be alone. I'm to small to fill out this bed." Ike thought about it. He probably wasn't use to sleeping alone. He shared a room with two brothers after all, "If it will make things awkward for you...I can request a second bed be brought in. I'd like to talk to you more if that's okay. We should get lost in such talk....who knows what tomorrow may bring after all. If you'd rather go elsewhere...that's fine too. I am probably just being selfish again." Ike shook his head and walked over pulling himself on the bed.

"Instrument....I don't have the voice to sing....its much too soft," Ike responded laying towards the bottom. It probably would be really weird if he lay directly next to him. Especially since Don liked guys....he tossed aside the next thought before it began. At least he could make him and himself a little less lonely.




"I don't mind not sleeping if it involves being with you." He chuckled, "Wait...you're going back to your room? Just stay here with me. They won't care I'm sure....besides you're their prince remember?" Theos smiled at his response.

"Maybe so but Ban is in there sleeping. He'll probably be scared if he woke up alone and me gone," Theos responded. "Don't worry before you know it we'll be together again and hopefully this 'diaper' will be off." Theos smirked and shook his head. "Good night and sweet dreams."

Theos started down the hall after there fare wells his gaze going out the window to the ruined city. He didn't cause this.....he didn't. What was the whole reason for all this? Why was his kind targeted so?

"Instrument....I don't have the voice to sing....its much too soft," Don smiled watching Ike lay opposite him, he laid back down. Ike could notice the tip of Don's tail wagging a bit, he was trying to contain himself. "Hmm...a soft voice could be soothing. You may come to like it if you try. What kind of instrument would you like?" Don asked. A part of him felt a bit guilty, having such a happy conversation while others suffered this night. He didn't dwell on the thought, if they lost what made them happy, then despair would be their driving force and then they'd lose before they began. At least, that is what he told himself.

"Maybe so but Ban is in there sleeping. He'll probably be scared if he woke up alone and me gone," Theos responded. "Don't worry before you know it we'll be together again and hopefully this 'diaper' will be off."

Kemba leaned back into his bed a sighed, "Okay." He turned his head and smiled, "Give Ban a hug for me...I didn't get to do it in my fit of worry for you. Hope you two have a good night." He said watching until Theos left the room. He turned over on his back and looked at the ceiling. He touched his stitches on his side and looked at his visor sitting on a table next to him. His other armor had been taken from him to get repaired, he was happy that Raja ordered the armorer to remodel it. It was sturdier then it used to be back in the mines. It probably kept this wound from being fatal.

He looked over at the emptiness of his bed, not having Theos sleeping here was rough. It would be the first night in six months he'd sleep a part from him, he turned and saw a sleeping Kaa. He frowned thinking on what he had done moments earlier and Theos scolding him. Kemba smiled and got up from his bed and walked over to the light turning it off and climbed into the bed with Kaa getting close to him. Kaa was stirred awake, opening his eyes partially. "Mmngh...?" He moaned. "Sorry, did I wake you?" Kemba whispered.

"Mmhmm.." Kaa said still half asleep, "Wh...what are you doin' Kemba...?" He said raising his head from his curled body. He looked wearily at Kemba, "I thought maybe you could use a friend tonight....mind if we share the bed?" Kemba asked. Kaa shook his head moved himself closer laying against Kemba's body, his tail curling around him. He rested his head against Kemba's chest and it didn't take long for him to doze back into sleep. Kemba stroked Kaa's head and laid his head down on the pillow, he embraced the prince in a hug and closed his eyes to join him in sleep.

As Theos gazed through out the city and contemplated, he'd see a large digimon in the distance. It was standing on one of the walls, overlooking the destruction. It stood on four legs and had what looked like a crown atop its head. However, its features were blacked out. It turned its head looking directly into the hospital window, deep blue eyes peering at Theos. He couldn't tell if it could seem him or not but afterwards the blacked out digimon turned and leaped off the high wall and into the desert. As it turned, Theos could see its ear and it was missing half of it.

Could that have been? Was it possible?

"Hmm...a soft voice could be soothing. You may come to like it if you try. What kind of instrument would you like?" Ike thought about it as he lay across the beds width. Drums were primal and sounded nice there was also those small high pitched instruments called violins. He kind of liked violins they seemed to express more where as the drums provided a steadiness to the song.

"I dunno...I like music but I don't know much about it...I like violins the most they can express a lot," Ike said looking at the ceiling.


"Okay." He turned his head and smiled, "Give Ban a hug for me...I didn't get to do it in my fit of worry for you. Hope you two have a good night." 

As Theos gazed through out the city and contemplated, he'd see a large digimon in the distance. It was standing on one of the walls, overlooking the destruction. It stood on four legs and had what looked like a crown atop its head. However, its features were blacked out. It turned its head looking directly into the hospital window, deep blue eyes peering at Theos. He couldn't tell if it could seem him or not but afterwards the blacked out digimon turned and leaped off the high wall and into the desert. As it turned, Theos could see its ear and it was missing half of it.


Theos gaze widened at the shadow his ears pricked as though he might be able to hear it. Even though he couldn't through the walls and the other sounds. He started to dart after it but stopped. By the time he made it around to the gate he would be long gone. Theos turned heading into his room and jumping on the bed. His father was alive....and close enough he could have seen the smoke. Theos lay down burying his head in his pillow. It took him a long time to get to sleep. His body exhausted but his mind processing everything.


Darkness gave away to a moonlit sky. He was on the balcony resting when the flapping of wings made him look up. He was grabbed by sharp nails that dug into his flesh pulling him off the balcony. He tried crying out but no sound came forward. Instead he was dropped onto a building surrounded by fire. Faint screams echoing in his ears he looked out and saw a shadow racing across the roof tops. His legs began following of there own accord. He jumped roof to roof following it til it disappeared into darkness. The darkness swallowed him and yet fire burned on every side giving no light just color and movement. Why did this place feel familiar?

He looked around til he saw a red pool...yes he had had this nightmare before. The bloody pool moved and out came Dan....Jared....and this time so many more. The pool reached for him the blood taking shape as dozens of moving bodies claws reaching for him. Behind them a purple web glowed faintly the shadow of Ara sitting it. The claws grabbed a hold of him for he couldn't move and began dragging him forward. Before he could be swallowed by the pool he woke and looked out the window.

Just the faintest rays were showing. How long had he slept? It must have been a few hours but it felt like he had none at all. He laid his head back down but the nightmare still had his heart racing and it made him restless. Finally he sat up stretching and began grooming himself.

"I dunno...I like music but I don't know much about it...I like violins the most they can express a lot," Don nodded, "Ah yes....Violins, the voice of the orchestra. The royal musicians have a few of those. I'm sure you heard them at the coronation for Theos. I always wondered how they learned to play, I wouldn't mind learning myself." Don chuckled. "You certainly have the look of one." Don and Ike would go on to talk about small things for hours, preserving a small amount of peace of mind.

They had eventually fallen asleep.

As Theos woke up before the sun had peaked over the horizon, the room was still fairly dark. Ban was still asleep and outstretched across the bed, his happy expression and subtle twitches of his tail could tell anyone that he was dreaming something good. His spines were luckily dull and had not punctured the bed despite them pressing firmly into the mattress. Despite all that happened, his attitude and innocence were intact. When Theos sat up, the sudden change in temperature from the lack of his body heat stirred Ban from his sleep.

"Th...eos? He said wearily blinking his tired eyes, he turned back over onto his belly and raised his head. "Is it time to get up now?" He asked with a yawn. "I was having a good dream...." He added. The faint cries of orders could be heard outside the window, it seemed Cole and his men were still hard at work. In addition, Theos would see Magi flying back to his hospital room window. He was up bright and early, he was carrying food. Probably his and Kim's breakfast.

"Th...eos?" Theos looked up at Ban smiling just a bit. "Is it time to get up now?" He asked with a yawn. "I was having a good dream...." Theos remained smiling and looked out the window his ears pricking at the noises just outside.

"Go back to sleep and finish your dream if you want. I think I'm going to go see about breakfast and what we may have to do today," Theos said easing off the bed just in time to run into a sistermon coming in.

"Came to check those bandages of yours and see if you were up," the sistermon motioned him back on the bed. Theos complied letting her take off the bandages and have a look at his stitches. She seemed semi surprised at how much it had healed in such a short time. She left the bandage off and checked his tail determining it needed to remain splinted for a day more or so. 

"I must say it must be handy being what you are," the sistermon said smiling. "I'll have someone bring you two breakfast," she said and then went behind the curtain no doubt to check on the digimon that rested back there. After a moment she left.

"Go back to sleep and finish your dream if you want. I think I'm going to go see about breakfast and what we may have to do today," Ban nodded and laid his head back down closing his eyes. He never fell back to sleep, perking back up from his curled position when a Sistermon scooted Theos back into the room. He lifted his head as Theos climbed back up on the bed and watched with peaked curiosity as he was checked out, often sticking his head to close to the work space and the Sistermon gently pushing his snout away every time.

"I must say it must be handy being what you are," Ban looked back and forth between them, his tail steadily wagging back and forth. He was content just watching and listening, "I'll have someone bring you two breakfast," As the Sistermon finished, Ban immediately took her place next to Theos examining closely the work she had done. He looked up at Theos's face after he had examined what she had done thoroughly, "Are you all better now?" He asked unable to tell exactly what it was she had done. Suddenly, his stomach made a loud gurgle and he patted his stomach.

"My belly is empty..." He said looking back to Theos, "I hope breakfast is tasty." He said nuzzling himself into Theos.

Theos looked back at Ban questioningly. He couldn't see his own rear so he had no idea what it looked like. "Are you all better now?"

"Well it definitely feels better. So yep," Theos said wagging a stiff tail.


"My belly is empty..." He said looking back to Theos, "I hope breakfast is tasty."

"I'm sure it will be good," Theos said smiling. After a few more minutes a few trays were brought in. They were a bit meager from what they were use to but it smelled good. Theos ate the food gratefully now that he thought about it they hadn't eaten since the ice cream yesterday. He hadn't felt hungry either probably because he had been in pain.

Ban's tail wagged as the food came in. He was slightly drooling and when he got a good look at it, he seemed apprehensive. He had not have eaten anything other than the palace food.

He looked to Theos as if to get the okay to eat it, watching him curiously eat the breakfast without a second thought. He looked back at his food and sniffed it. It certainly smelled good. Ban began to eat it, taking large bites to fill his empty stomach.

He looked back at Theos, "This doesn't taste that good..." he said. "Don always told me hospital food was inedible..." he said looking back to it. "But I'm so hungry." Ban said finishing his tray and then sticking out his tongue a bit.

After a moment, the sounds outside caught his attention and he leaped off the bed, staring outside. The Kingdom looked much worse in the morning. Damaged buildings and large piles of rubble. Ban could see the large hole in the palace from there.

"Theos...?" Ban began turning his head to him, "How come they want to hurt you so bad? Did you do something naughty?" Ban asked. He seemed a bit distraught now that he could see the damage in the bright of the day.

"This doesn't taste that good..." he said. "Don always told me hospital food was inedible..." he said looking back to it. "But I'm so hungry." Theos chuckled a bit. It definitely wasn't palace food but at this point he hardly cared. He finished his plate and sat it on Bans so they didn't take up room on the bed. His gaze following Ban's outside. It was definitely horrible. Theos eyes became saddened by the sight.


"Theos...?" Ban began turning his head to him, "How come they want to hurt you so bad? Did you do something naughty?"

"Bad digimon do bad things. All I've ever done was live....I'm not bad for just living," Theos said. He also questioned it all however. It brought him back to what he had been thinking of last night. "Why don't you go see if Kaa is feeling better and I'll check on Kim and Magi." Theos suggested hopping off the bed and going towards the door. He tossed Ban a smile even as he thought about his question. Somehow....it hit home. Even though he knew he had never done bad it still made him question himself and his morals.

Theos headed out of the room and across the hall peeking in at Magi before walking in. He looked to Kim smiling a bit sadly wondering if she was still mute. 

"Morning," Theos said sitting across from Magi.

"Bad digimon do bad things. All I've ever done was live....I'm not bad for just living," Ban cocked his head a bit, "Why don't you go see if Kaa is feeling better and I'll check on Kim and Magi."

Ban nodded, "O-okay..." Ban felt like Theos was trying to convince himself of his own reply, it made him worry about Theos. Before they parted different ways in the hall, Ban looked to Theos "Um...I just want you to know...uh...that..even if it was bad....I would want you to continue to be bad...because Theos being alive...makes me happy...and I uh...would miss you too much if you were gone...because you um...mean a lot to me. I love Theos...and Theos loves Ban...so that makes you being alive okay. I don't like people hurting you...I wanted you to know that...cause... um you're special." Ban said hoping that made Theos feel better about himself. He waved with a worried smile and headed down to Kaa and Kemba's room.

When Theos entered Magi's room, he was sitting on the bed reading a tome. Kim was still silent, and she had yet to touch her breakfast. She had not even gazed over at Theos when he walked in.

"Morning," Magi looked up from his book and smiled, bookmarking where he had stopped and closing it. "Indeed it is. I see you've healed up nicely." Magi said.

Ban nodded, "O-okay..." Ban felt like Theos was trying to convince himself of his own reply, it made him worry about Theos. Before they parted different ways in the hall, Ban looked to Theos "Um...I just want you to know...uh...that..even if it was bad....I would want you to continue to be bad...because Theos being alive...makes me happy...and I uh...would miss you too much if you were gone...because you um...mean a lot to me. I love Theos...and Theos loves Ban...so that makes you being alive okay. I don't like people hurting you...I wanted you to know that...cause... um you're special." Theos turned and smiled slightly.



"Indeed it is. I see you've healed up nicely." Magi said.


"Indeed," Theos said wagging his tail just slightly in experimentation. It was still stiff do to the brace. He cast another look to Kim. "How is she doing," He asked walking over to her. Hoping she would react in some way. Instead he just frowned when she didn't. 

"Stall actions last night. He acted like it was all my fault....I know it wasn't. But I want to understand why. Why is my kind hunted so? To the point my very existence seems to be a sin," Theos asked Magi. "I know it isn't but I wouldn't blame Kim if she hated me. He said point blank he was using them to lure me there. I know the coronation saved this place from being utterly destroyed. Stall won't stop and neither will Ara however. So I have to ask myself is it wiser to stay or go...once the war is over."

"How is she doing," Magi shook his head, "She needs more time to heal...she barely slept despite my presence and she has neither spoken nor has she ate. Time heals all wounds and it will heal this one...despite it being so deep. I will be her guardian from now on...the death of her parents is on me. I was unable to prevent it...I will atone for that sin." Magi said.

"Stall actions last night. He acted like it was all my fault....I know it wasn't. But I want to understand why. Why is my kind hunted so? To the point my very existence seems to be a sin," Theos asked Magi. "I know it isn't but I wouldn't blame Kim if she hated me. He said point blank he was using them to lure me there. I know the coronation saved this place from being utterly destroyed. Stall won't stop and neither will Ara however. So I have to ask myself is it wiser to stay or go...once the war is over." Magi had a feeling this conversation would happen. He knew Theos would feel discontent after Stall's harsh words. Scomparsa and the war didn't matter. He made it apparent, win or lose he'd come for Theos and everyone around him.

"Hmm...well...Theos I cannot make that decision for you. To stay or to go is something that you must find within yourself, your father chose to go despite Cora's invitation for him and Belle to stay. She had just given birth and they were forced to hide you on that mountain. They were being hunted the same way you are now but instead of relying on his loved ones here in the palace, he decided to leave. I cannot say if that was the right decision, only he can but what I do know is if you keep running. They'll keep chasing you." Magi stood up and walked over to him.

"You mean a lot to many people, I include myself in that as well Theos. I doubt my feelings are as strong as the others but I see a lot of Midas in you. He loved so openly. His heart was bigger than the sun and his smile brighter then its rays. This entire kingdom only exists because your kind had the decency to give a dying digimon kindness. It is in your nature to love and it in turn receives love in return. As a digimon of great magic, I am familiar with a lot of ancient spells of both light and dark and there is one thing that is more powerful than any incantation and that is love." He waved his hand over Theos tail, and within moments his pain had vanished and complete movement restored.

"Love is so powerful that it can break even the strongest of curses. You yourself saw the results of that against Sheila. Then there are curses that actually require a powerful love to cast. There are other rituals that can take a powerful love and transform it into its opposite. Hatred. Theowmon are beings of love...I'd go so far as to say the very embodiment of it. You...Midas...Belle, no matter who the person...they're drawn to you. You provide a powerful bridge that gives those who cannot walk forward alone a foothold. The coronation speaks for itself. I do not know what dastardly scheme this Cursed Exodus has in store for you but I can probably guess that has something to do with it. If they can tear down what you have built, take your love from you and turn it into sorrow or hatred, then whole sorts of things can be done."

Magi placed his hand on Theos's head, "You have saved many souls from the darkness and brought them to the light. Evil beings will always seek to snuff out that light or turn it into darkness. Flee from the city if that is what you believe to be right, but are you prepared to hurt the hearts of everyone you've saved at the cost of their well being? Your love is so strong that many died to protect you and many more will in the days to come. You may say that they're doing this to protect their home, this palace. You're right they are because it is also your home. The nobles stand by you, the soldiers...the townspeople. This war at least on the side of Cursed Exodus could have been avoided if we just handed you to them. We knew what it would cost us if we denied them. Coraggio is willing to pay it. We will repay your love that you have given us by saving you. If he raises another city, we will crush them. Coraggio will always stand by you, we're not your friends anymore. We stopped being friends a long time ago. This is your family and family protects family." Magi turned to look at the window.

"Midas tried to protect us by leaving and placed the entire burden on his back. The boy has good intentions but always tried to play the hero." Magi turned and knelt at eye level to Theos, "It's okay to play the damsel in distress every now and again...just as Cursed Exodus treasures you and your kind we do as well. Even more then them. Okay Theos?" Magi gave him a smile.

"Hmm...well...Theos I cannot make that decision for you. To stay or to go is something that you must find within yourself, your father chose to go despite Cora's invitation for him and Belle to stay. She had just given birth and they were forced to hide you on that mountain. They were being hunted the same way you are now but instead of relying on his loved ones here in the palace, he decided to leave. I cannot say if that was the right decision, only he can but what I do know is if you keep running. They'll keep chasing you." Theos knew that. No matter how far he ran he would always be looking over his shoulder.


"You mean a lot to many people, I include myself in that as well Theos. I doubt my feelings are as strong as the others but I see a lot of Midas in you. He loved so openly. His heart was bigger than the sun and his smile brighter then its rays. This entire kingdom only exists because your kind had the decency to give a dying digimon kindness. It is in your nature to love and it in turn receives love in return. As a digimon of great magic, I am familiar with a lot of ancient spells of both light and dark and there is one thing that is more powerful than any incantation and that is love." More powerful than his magic?



"Love is so powerful that it can break even the strongest of curses. You yourself saw the results of that against Sheila. Then there are curses that actually require a powerful love to cast. There are other rituals that can take a powerful love and transform it into its opposite. Hatred. Theowmon are beings of love...I'd go so far as to say the very embodiment of it. You...Midas...Belle, no matter who the person...they're drawn to you. You provide a powerful bridge that gives those who cannot walk forward alone a foothold. The coronation speaks for itself. I do not know what dastardly scheme this Cursed Exodus has in store for you but I can probably guess that has something to do with it. If they can tear down what you have built, take your love from you and turn it into sorrow or hatred, then whole sorts of things can be done."
Love had broken the spell. His love for Kemba kept him fighting for him even at the cost of his own life. Somehow in the end the spell as broken. Looking back now it was a true miracle he even survived. 


"You have saved many souls from the darkness and brought them to the light. Evil beings will always seek to snuff out that light or turn it into darkness. Flee from the city if that is what you believe to be right, but are you prepared to hurt the hearts of everyone you've saved at the cost of their well being? Your love is so strong that many died to protect you and many more will in the days to come. You may say that they're doing this to protect their home, this palace. You're right they are because it is also your home. The nobles stand by you, the soldiers...the townspeople. This war at least on the side of Cursed Exodus could have been avoided if we just handed you to them. We knew what it would cost us if we denied them. Coraggio is willing to pay it. We will repay your love that you have given us by saving you. If he raises another city, we will crush them. Coraggio will always stand by you, we're not your friends anymore. We stopped being friends a long time ago. This is your family and family protects family." Theos followed his gaze out the window. Just a year ago he had none. Now he had an entire country calling him family. It was an odd thought. Half these digimon will probably never meet him and yet they would still call him family. He didn't deserve the harshness of Stall yet at the same time he felt he didn't deserve the love of an entire country either. It was an odd feeling.



"Midas tried to protect us by leaving and placed the entire burden on his back. The boy has good intentions but always tried to play the hero." Theos looked Magi in the eyes, "It's okay to play the damsel in distress every now and again...just as Cursed Exodus treasures you and your kind we do as well. Even more then them. Okay Theos?"

"Thank you," Theos said returning his smile. His tail wagged ten times faster now with it being healed. "You know the definition of hero is sketchy at best. If anyone fit it though. It would be you Magi. You save many lives and wise and strong in your own way."