#a deadly repeat

He screamed. It was a howl of grief, continuing on as GrandisKuwagamon froze, body glitching for a moment before the red glow faded from his eye visor, as he shattered into pixels before Ken's eyes. He kept screaming as the data faded from view, as Machinedramon's claws tore out and the horrible grinding echoed through the area while his partner's data faded into nothing but a memory.

Dazed with grief, one hand covered Ken's face as he ran and stumbled from the scene, continuing on uninterrupted through the city, running and stumbling without interference despite the number of times he fell to the ground blinded with tears. And he kept on running until he reached Primary Village, only to find it as he'd seen on the monitor, razed to the ground. Another primal scream escaped him as he collapsed, legs buckling beneath him and arms not strong enough to catch his weight, sobs echoing through the grey and deadened place.

He hadn't even gotten to hold his partner in his arms once more this time. He hadn't gotten to say goodbye. He hadn't been able to return the 'I love you' that meant more than even Wormmon imagined it to. Not even his nightmares had prepared him for this.

There was nobody Ken wished to avoid more than Takato, but if there was, it would certainly be the Dark Masters. His other enemies were single entities, and given time could be easily outwitted and crushed. These four, however, posed a different challenge.

Their collaboration and precision made them dangerous. Metalseadramon was a force to be reckoned with. Puppetmon would pop up unexpectedly with equally unexpected strength. Piedmon led them with not only power, but a calculating mind. But Machinedramon, he was…more than that, a mystery. Ken just knew he was somehow related to his Spore, and his past.

So when the coordinates were finally obtained, it was he who Ken went to, hacking his metal city to enter and approach the Master safely. GrandisKuwagamon hovered at his side. He had planned for only a single Master, considering the possibility of winning against them all together slight. But the fighting could wait. He had questions he wanted answered.