I emerged from cyberspace, Agumon, Gabumon, Ballistamon, MailBirdramon, and Cutemon materializing with that familiar whoosh of digital data. The quiet of my apartment felt heavier than usual. It wasn't the digital residue hanging in the air, but the frustration of hitting another dead end.
I kicked off my shoes. The soft thump echoed a little too loudly in the silence. This Gyuukimon case was turning into a real pain.
My Digivice was still in my hand, showing nothing but blank search results for Gyuukimon. It was like the monster had just vanished from the internet itself, which, you know, is where it lives. How does a digital monster just… disappear from digital space? I tried to rationalize it. Maybe it was just really good at hiding, or maybe Jokermon had some kind of cloaking tech. But it still felt like I was punching smoke.
The apartment door suddenly rattled, a loud, insistent knock that made me jump. I sighed. Seriously? I'd barely had time to decompress from chasing digital phantoms.
As I dragged myself toward the door, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out. Peter. And the screen flashed URGENT. Great. Just great. A prickle of unease started at the base of my neck. Peter usually only uses "urgent" when it's… actually urgent. Or when he thinks a squirrel is plotting world domination. But given the way things have been going lately, it's probably the former. This better not be about more mind-controlled civilians.
I opened the door to find Peter and Gwen standing there, looking like they'd just seen a ghost. Or maybe a really, really bad math test score. Peter was shifting his weight, not quite meeting my eyes. Gwen was doing that thing where she nervously smoothed her hair, even though it was already perfect. A cold knot tightened in my stomach. This wasn't Peter being dramatic about a squirrel. This was actually bad news.
"Ethan… we need to talk."
Peter said it, quiet and guilty, like he was confessing to breaking a vase.
"It's about… Jewel."
Gwen finished the thought, her voice a little shaky. Jewel? The new flying hero? I hadn't thought she'd be tied to Gyuukimon, not directly. My mind immediately went to those mind-controlled civilians we saw earlier. Did she try to help and get caught up in it?
"What about her?" I asked, my voice tighter than I meant it to be. "Did she run into Gyuukimon? Is she okay?"
Peter just looked down at his shoes. He seemed to shrink a little.
"She… she was controlled. Like the others we saw."
A cold shock went through me. Controlled? Even a meta with super-strength, someone who could stop a truck with her bare hands? That means whatever is doing this, this mind-control thing, it's way stronger than I thought. It's not just a Digimon rampaging; it's something targeted, something that can take down actual powered people. And if Jewel was affected, Gyuukimon's influence is even more far-reaching and dangerous.
"There's more, Ethan."
Peter took a deep breath, his gaze shifting to Gwen for a moment before he spoke again.
"Jewel… is Jessica."
The words hit me. Hard. It was like someone had just punched me in the gut and then told me my favorite anime was canceled forever. Jessica… my Jessica? The quiet, sweet girl who just went through so much? She's Jewel? The superhero flying around in that bright, sparkly costume? And she was mind-controlled?
No. No way. This can't be real. My mind was trying to reconcile the two images: the shy girl I just had a date with, and the flying hero I saw on the news. It was like two different puzzle pieces that just wouldn't fit, no matter how hard I tried to force them. Jewel. Jessica. It was impossible.
I clutched my head. A searing headache bloomed behind my eyes, making my vision swim. Angry. Worried. Shocked. It was all a chaotic storm inside me. Jessica is Jewel. She has powers. She was just in a coma, for crying out loud. How did this even happen? When did she get these powers? Why didn't she say anything? And now she's… gone. Kidnapped by whatever mind-controlled her. This is all too much. I needed a moment to breathe. I needed to process this.
"How long have you two known?" I asked, my voice raw, a cold anger coiling in my chest. They knew. Peter, Gwen… they knew, and they didn't tell me.
Peter exchanged another nervous glance with Gwen.
"A while, Ethan."
Gwen stepped forward, her hands clasped.
"We didn't want to tell you. We know how important secret identities are. And we wanted to honor Jessica's promise."
Honor her promise? What about protecting her? What about being honest with me? My best friends. My allies. And they kept something this big from me. It felt like a betrayal, a real punch to the gut. This isn't just about some secret identity; this is about Jessica being in danger, and they had information that could have helped.
My head swam, a thousand thoughts all screaming at once. Jessica. Jewel. Mind-controlled. Gone. The anger, hot and sharp, flared for a second, then quickly got doused by a cold, crushing worry. Who cares about the secret identity right now?
Jessica is in trouble. That's all that matters.
I pushed down the burning betrayal, shoved it into a corner of my mind. It could wait. Peter and Gwen were standing there, looking like deer caught in headlights. I had to focus.
"We'll deal with this later, Peter. Both of you."
I pointed at them, my finger shaking just a little.
"Right now, we find Jessica. Sweep the entire city. Every alley, every rooftop, every abandoned warehouse. I want every single digital footprint. Don't stop until you find her."
Peter and Gwen nodded, their faces pale. No arguments. No excuses. They just turned and left, their hurried footsteps echoing down the hall. I watched them go, the silence in the apartment feeling heavier than before. Good. They got the message.
Gatomon and BlackGatomon materialized beside me, their usual playful bickering gone. They both looked serious, their eyes fixed on me. Gatomon leaned her head against my leg, a soft, comforting weight. BlackGatomon nudged my hand, a silent sign of support.
"We'll bring her back, Ethan. We promise."
"Yeah. No one messes with our friends and gets away with it."
I just nodded, a tight lump in my throat. I trusted them. I had to. They were all I had in this crazy world, and right now, their loyalty was a lifeline.
***
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