A little one-shot which turned out to be far longer than what I was expecting.
Just a little something about my favourite character in the Digimon game-verse, Mirei, whose presence in Cyber sleuth could have led to so much more I think, given the lay out of her conversations and one part in particular when speaking to the main character just would not leave me and well—ta-da!
Though she is my favourite in the game, writing her was much harder than I anticipated. I know she has that whole, mysticism thing going on and well… she's gorgeous to look at which just adds to her appeal (Not ashamed to admit that, really not) plus she has my all-time top Digimon as her partner. I mean who doesn't love Mastemon, she's like a mix of two cats (Best animal ever) as well as a bunch of other things, but lets just focus on the cat part… CATS!
But pros aside there were a few things that confused me about her parts in the games, and it stems back to re-digitize; if anyone has played which I think a lot has, then you'll know she was at one point a part of the GIGO company, as well as Dr. Petrov, therein lies my confusion.
If they worked at the same company, and if what decode has right, worked together on a project, then why didn't he recognize her in the digital world? I mean they're in the same room yet no acknowledgment that he even knows who she is, just that she can rework the vitium programme and a simple thank you after that… bothered the fudge out of me.
Then in Cyber sleuth, she claims to have no knowledge of the protagonist's ability to connect jump, yet at the very start is the one to tell them to jump into the tv in the first place. Now unless that was just another vagueness on her part and she knew, why would she lie about it? It had absolutely no effect on the game. Anyway, enough grumbling, the games over.
But all that led to this, now I like to think I started off well, but then about halfway through just went skewed and somewhere along the way just strayed and then rambled for ages. But I do think—in my head—it covers some of the questions that I had about the CS game and note that at the bottom it is a little AU—though I guess if anyone hasn't played the DLC side quests then the ending could be taken as cannon given her own digital body and what happened.
Anyway, here it is, if any do read it I hope you enjoy, I don't own Digimon all that belongs to… crap… hang on… Toei animations and so that's it. Happy reading.
PS: any mistakes I apologise for now. I did go over this like like, three times, but there is always words that allude me.
Mirei Mikagura was an unusual woman.
Scratch that, Mirei Mikagura was an unnerving woman.
That was something Alphamon was quick to learn when she first arrived in Nakano; still getting used to her assimilation with the body she had taken over, she had learned all there was to know about the woman whose mental data had been stolen through memories and had learned the woman was a detective with her own agency right in the heart of Tokyo's shopping centre. In all honesty, it had been rather fortuitous she had come across the body when she had; the crisis in her world was getting worse with each passing day, and with no clue on how to handle the issue and tired of watching her comrades fight, barely escaping being absorbed only to witness those weaker being overcome, she had no other choice but to step across to the human world, and using the body of the unlucky woman afforded her the ability to move about freely, whilst using the connections Kyoko had built due to her profession to try and figure out how best to solve the on-going destruction before it became too late.
It wasn't until her third day undercover did anything change. Whilst at 'her' desk, a ripple suddenly filled the room, a familiar sensation washing over her body and given how things had been appropriately monotonous it had her awareness on the rise and so leaving the office, went off in search of the source. It turned out she didn't have to go very far, it surprised her at how it literally was right on her own doorstep, as the blonde stood in what had previously been an empty space, now occupied by what appeared to be a tarot shop, a meow had her looking down to see a small white cat at her feet; the little mammal slinking around her legs in an almost welcoming gesture that had the blonde slightly bemused, as it stood every animal she had come across (a notion still confusing to the hidden Digimon) had either hissed or snarled at her, yet this tiny fuzzball had done no such thing, just as a voice cut into her thoughts.
"I do hope she isn't bothering you."
Looking up, Kyoko glanced around trying to find the speaker, but much to her puzzlement found the corridor empty as the voice rang out again, this time sounding amused.
"I'm afraid I am rather busy getting things sorted, otherwise I would have greeted you personally, but if a meeting is what you want then why not step on through."
The invitation was there and still curious about the slight shift, made double by the person on the other end, Kyoko shrugged and made her way inside. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, as she slowly shut the door behind her and looked around, her eyes scanned the quaint looking room trying to spy the person who had called her in, but could find no sight of them; meanwhile the feeling that had come over her in the office, was much stronger now and it had her itching to know.
"I apologise for the slight wait,"
There wasn't a lot that could make the royal knight jump, but the voice was far louder now and appeared to be coming from behind her and so spinning on her heel, stared straight into intense, purple eyes as the owner of the voice finally made herself known.
"Unpacking is such tedious work, but I guess that's the same everywhere… wouldn't you agree?"
Still slightly put out by the fact that she had managed to creep up on her, it didn't register what the woman had said as Kyoko kept her eyes trained on the newcomer, face blank until it dawned on her that she had spoken.
"I'm sorry, what,"
The other woman didn't miss a beat, "I said unpacking is such dreary work."
Kyoko's brow creased at the odd statement but nodded and followed the woman as she stepped around her and across the room.
"But I guess that doesn't apply to you,"
Still keeping her eyes on her, the blonde didn't miss that and immediately tensed. "Meaning?"
If the other woman heard the guarded way she spoke then she didn't pick up on it, instead offering a small shrug as she glanced down at the laptop in her arms, something she only just realized she had been holding as the woman fiddled with a few buttons before replying.
"Well I should imagine you must have files all over the place; no time for organization when there are crimes to solve... but I suppose that comes with being a detective, right."
Unsure of what to say, Kyoko merely nodded again, as the room fell into silence for a few seconds as she simply watched the mysterious woman move from one place to another. It was another minute or so before she spoke again.
"So, what do I owe the honour of having Nakano's very own private eye visit my little shop?"
Not sure when her feet had moved, but soon the blonde had found herself sitting across from the other woman, tea in hand as she struggled to keep up with what point the conversation they seemed to be at; still looking amused the woman simply waits for the hidden Digimon to recall the reason for her visit as overhead the lights above them start to flicker; the dimming has her looking up as the woman returns to her laptop, an expression of mild annoyance as she types much faster than what the blonde had seen on any human before, but the thrumming sound brings back to mind, the purpose for why she was here.
The source of the shift. The more she focused on it the more she knew for certain it originated from the small shop they sat in, question was why and how.
"I thought it would be nice if I came to see how you where doing. Its not everyday that the Broadway gets a new resident after all, and… well you could say I'm also a little intrigued."
"Oh?"
What was it about the smile that grated on the knight, but still wanting to learn as much as she could the blonde merely nodded, hand firm around her cup.
"Hmm—tarot reading, I'll admit its not a practise I'm overly familiar with and so forgive my ignorance, but was wondering if you could tell me a bit about it; after all, to be able to afford these rents you must be very good at what you do."
It was a dig for info and it and they both knew it, judging by the hinting of a smirk on the woman's lips Kyoko wondered if she not been a subtle as she thought; deciding to look as flippant as possible she lifted the cup to her lips, silently detesting the bland flavour as the silence grew between them. Finally, and just when it seemed she wasn't getting an answer, the blonde had to lower the cup as the sudden sound of her voice nearly had her spilling the tea, just managing to steady the mug before looking back up to see the woman sitting, almost lazily in her chair, eyes alight with mirth.
"Oh, there is no doubt that what I do is very good,"
Still silent Kyoko waits for the rest, the inner Digimon resisting the urge to scoff that the overconfidence shown before she carried on.
"As for how, it was a sign I guess… one might have even called it fate."
At the end of what Kyoko had to describe as the most surreal conversation she had ever been apart of, and she had at one time listened to a Babamon, it was time to leave; having thanked the woman—newly christened as Mirei, for the drink she was about to return to her office but stopped when Mirei spoke once more when she reached the door.
"A word of advice, for when your assistant arrives."
Thrown at that, the detective waited, hand on the door watching as Mirei pushed her glasses from where they had slipped before continuing.
"Do be gentle, they will after all, have had a rough time. A half body will seem like a challenge, but with your guidance and care will have a great destiny ahead of them… perhaps maybe even be the thing you've been searching for all along."
With nothing left to say the detective nodded once more and left, aware of the eyes watching her back as she returned to her office, unsure about to turn of the conversation but three things stuck out in her mind.
One. The shop, well detailed in its lay out, was a cover up; a carefully crafted one, but a cover up nonetheless. But for what purpose Kyoko didn't know, though she had to suspect it had something to do with the familiar connection she had now determined came from the digital world. Another revelation that threw the royal knight as apart from herself, she didn't think she would find anything pertaining to the other world, much less a trail running straight through the centre itself; brought by the one-person she now had to keep an eye on.
Two. Mirei wasn't who she seemed. Unless she was wrong, and the woman was indeed an actual clairvoyant, then it was impossible for her to know as much as she did. No human should have. Which led her back to the digital scent and the subterfuge of the consultation room. Another reason she had to be suspicious of the insanely obscure woman who did a marvellous job of evading her questions; did she have something to do with the trouble happening in the knights' home world? Or was she simply getting help from another Digimon?
More questions than answers with that and so quickly moved on to her closing thought, finally returning to her desk and sitting down.
And finally, if Mirei had nothing to do with the catastrophe hitting the digital world, then the parting advice she gave on the way out could have been a signal that help was on its way.
Relaxing in her chair, she couldn't help but brood on that. Help, did that mean others were on the way, like her, had they to taken over bodies that had been struck by the syndrome, it would have covered the half body part of the riddle, or did she mean something else entirely?
Rubbing her face, the hidden Digimon sighed. She was here to try and fix a problem, she didn't need more added to it, and she got the very substantial impression that Mirei was nothing but and so decided to leave it for now. It was a good thing she didn't suffer from headaches or the previous hour would have given her a lasting migraine, as she switched off the light and returned to Kyoko's apartment, needing all the sleep she could get.
It wasn't until she was back in her office two days later, sitting in her chair and staring at a being made partly of digital data did the weight of the other woman's words finally hit her. She might not have been able to get headaches, but the newest predicament in front of her was sorely testing those limits. It also might have been her imagination, but she could have sworn, along with the steady thrum of the air conditioner and gently humming but omnipresent shift, chiming laughter could be heard filling the void.
Time passed and Ami, the person under the digital data, or was she over, seeing as her avatar parts had been collected and put back together, created the illusion of her at least being fully human, either way the young girl had been a massive help since coming to the agency all those weeks ago. And just like the hidden knight, the cyber sleuth had also been called towards the mysterious woman; lured by ways still not yet clear to either of them, as she entered the office and sat on the couch. Kyoko looked away from her computer to find the young sleuth looking pensive.
"Problem?" though they had nothing but as she nodded slowly.
"Hmm, just come back from Mirei's,"
Though it had been a while since she had spoken to the woman herself, occasionally venturing in to talk about upgrades for Ami's use or to discuss new coffee recipes, (though given how little the other woman seem to drink, those were for her benefit) to share with her assistant, it seemed the young, would be detective had no problem with communication and had built up a greater connection involving her Digimon over the course of her time in Nakano; visiting when she needed help or advice that Kyoko couldn't offer. At first it was perplexing, given her own experience had left her a little more than apprehensive and somewhat confused, when Ami had told her who she had spoken to that very first day the initial thoughts the knight first had was to pity the poor girl; if a Digimon of her calibre was easily befuddled when dealing with the fortune teller, she didn't want to imagine the brain ache the younger girl came back with as easily observed once she had recovered her data parts. But to her surprise it seemed that Ami was no longer as flummoxed as she had assumed, taking the ambiguous 'soothsayer' in stride and had even returned smiling sometimes… but not today.
"And?"
"She told me to watch out for Arata."
One of Ami's friends and sometimes ally on cases, Kyoko had come to tolerate the boy and those associated with her assistant, for the most part he seemed ok; a little brusque and sharp in places, jaded and cynical also, but he didn't strike her as one who would easily walk into danger, not like Nokia and so the other woman's words gave pause to her research.
"How so?"
Looking over and seeing the older woman more interested, knew she had to clarify further and so heaved a sigh before shaking her head and speaking.
"I don't know… I'll admit that he's only been with me once to the shop, and so I didn't actually think she'd remember him so well,"
The blonde snorted inwardly, the chances of Mirei forgetting anything or anyone was like her snapping her fingers and all her difficulties would be over as Ami carried on.
"But he came with me because it was the closest place I could heal my Digimon and well—he accidently stood on the cats' tail."
Kyoko's brows arched at that, but it seemed Ami wasn't done as she scrunched her face a second later and resumed speaking.
"I mean, who even leaves a cat outside like that… the thing just sits there all day, doesn't even bother with the other one and it was blocking the door!"
She shook her head, another sigh leaving her. "Anyway, it wasn't until we actually moved in further did we see her; by then the cat had already run back inside."
Another puzzle that just made up the woman, was her disinclination to ever leave the shop. Not that it really could be counted as such, but whatever it was, it seemed enough to have the part time consultant firmly encamped as she had never seen her among the other local business dwellers; though she herself only went around to keep up the charade as it was something the detective did before her fatality, it seemed that Mirei didn't even give that curtesy as overheard by a few critical gossipers who had been put out when they had tried to speak to her but found the place seemingly deserted, yet each time Ami always came back with small offerings of her own conversations with the other woman, who apparently, never left the room. If stranger things weren't currently happening around them then the detective would have likened it to her being a ghost, but knew better by now and so just kept on listening.
"She was giving him such a disparaging look, and not for him stepping on its tail, I mean—I like to think I know at least a little about her now to know that she wouldn't say things without there being merit towards its meaning,"
Kyoko could only nod.
"It seemed she freaked him out and, he went to wait outside… that was when she told me to be careful,"
"About?"
It was another beat of silence as Ami tried to work out the message given before replying.
"She told me that he's playing with power not meant for him."
That was confusing, but it seemed not the end. "That he's searching for a way to get stronger and by that, being led on a path of outside influence towards a place he might not be able to come back from. Walking with one whose designs are far beyond what he can cope with."
The message, once repeated, sounded both disturbing and foreboding if not to hear then to try and work out, especially for the boy involved who was currently oblivious to this almost prophetic conclusion of future choices.
"Mirei's always been rather playful when it comes to her words… sarcastic sometimes even, and not forgetting entirely cryptic,"
The blonde chuckled lightly but kept watch as the young girl sat back, face still reflective.
"But up until that moment, never had I seen her looking so…hateful; it was like his very presence was doing her harm.
Kyoko didn't know what to say, she could tell herself that he seemed to be struggling against something, an inner part of himself that he couldn't let go of, but at the same time seemed to loathe for keeping him back, making him weak; hence his increasing need to become stronger, made more ardent by the presence of the eaters. But if Mirei of all people had outright scorned his future intentions then perhaps it was time for Ami to try an intervene before it became too late.
The fortune teller might have firmly believed in predestined fate, but if she didn't like what she saw, then maybe it was up to them to change it and prove her wrong.
Sitting alone in the dimly lit office, Kyoko sighed heavily. Ever since her departure and hunt for the other knights who had come through the gate, (how had she not known that Kishibe was also like her?) things had seemed to fall apart; Arata had become a wanted fugitive, due to unfortunate circumstances he had been backed into a corner and much to her disappointment and to the lingering message that had rang true, he had followed the urgings of Suedou and…
She couldn't even say it, the very thought disgusted her, and she now understood why Mirei had acted so unwelcoming, though that would give rise to the question of how had she known, but it was long past the point Kyoko had stopped thinking of her as anything less than a well educated human, but given how things had gone, she couldn't find it in her to go ask.
Did he know just how abhorrent his actions were? Did he not fully comprehend just how much his greed had cost them, in his bid for power he had drained one of the few allies they desperately needed, a powerful aid, gone, all down to that man's meddling with his asinine ramblings about the human evolution.
That wasn't to say that humans couldn't evolve. Far be it for her to state that they should just remain as they are, comparably weak and emotionally immature to anything but their own vices, but so were baby and rookie level Digimon who, overtime, grew and became better; both physically and mentally. But wishing to force an acceleration in which a fundamental emotion was eradicated altogether, just because he didn't like it, all in the name of species development not only spoke of his own immaturity to understand his fellow humans, but also made him a threat to their plans.
The goal was clear in front of them; they had removed the other knights who opposed them and now all that stood in their way was the journey to finish this once and for all, a shadow flickering as the door opened had her lifting her head to see Ami smiling sadly. After having revealed herself when Crusadermon had baited the trap and had caught both Ami and the two sent to rescue her, the leader of the knights had no other choice but to go help; who would be able to otherwise and so the secret was out as Ami came closer, sitting on the arm of the couch not once asking why it was so dark.
"Got my stuff ready,"
Knowing how treacherous the digital world had become recently, even for ultimate's and Mega Digimon, Alphamon, as she was from there on out, didn't want to travel before knowing for absolute certain that the children involved were capable and ready for such a trip. Nokia she knew would be protected by Omnimon and so didn't have to worry as such about her, Yuuko had her own Mega to back her up and seemed determined to solve the problem Crusadermon had accused her of causing and so worried about her slightly a bit more but felt she was ready all the same, she was still in two minds about Arata; once it became clear that Suedou had practically helped him with nothing, he seemed to repent and throw away any and all ideology the older man was spewing, but inside the leader couldn't help the anger at him for failing in his own weakness and had caused suffering to not only his friends, but to a loyal comrade of hers, in a way she didn't want him on this journey. Misguided honour it might have been, trying to help his friends might have been his own agenda, it still didn't excuse the fact that he threw away all attempts of support to help him and chose to side with a misanthropic mad-man, using abominable means to ensure his strength, but at the same time, he was an experienced hacker and had managed to raise his Digimon to quite an impressive level in a short time and so knew his aid would be valuable to them; she would just have to put aside her own reservations and look towards restoring her home to its rightful glory as she smiled and nodded, getting to her feet.
Ami, she had no doubt would be more than capable of looking out for herself and those of her friends whilst in the other world. Having seen but a handful of the Digimon she had raised and knowing their strength, knew they would give their very all in ensuring they would succeed in their endeavours that day, as the detective/royal knight gave a final nod, before using the program borrowed off Mirei to open a gateway back to the Metropolitan building with a small part of her wondering if the other woman already knew what the outcome of this fight would be.
Having met up with the others who had been waiting, it was time to leave and so by using the gate already in motion by Suedou who had gone ahead, they returned to the home they had all had to flee, fearing what lay on the other side. Once the light died down and their transition from one world to the other was complete, Alphamon opened her eyes and nearly wept, everything before her had been destroyed. From left to right nothing had been left untouched and she gazed around in grief and horror at the half corroded data forms of trees, plants and as she scoured the ground a small lump had her gazing closer, before looking away in sadness at the half eaten form of what appeared to be, a Punimon; for whatever reason it seemed the eater had simply left its body and moved on to probably something bigger as she faced the front and the way of the castle, to King Drasil's home and her own, as a small sniffle had her glancing down to see Ami at her side, wiping her face as she too felt overcome by the sadness the eaters had caused with their destruction.
"Are you alright,"
Quickly looking up to see the knight gazing at her in concern, the cyber sleuth smiled and nodded, doing her best to wipe the tears away before a sobbed chuckle left her lips and looked around again.
"I just—what have we done?"
Very gently she reached down and placed the lightest of touches to her shoulder, Ami jolted and snapped her head back up to find the tall Digimon once more staring at her.
"You, have done nothing, none of you caused this, but to know that you would risk all to try and fix it, despite just how much they have grown and outnumber us… proves to me just how much you care. Not only for your Digimon, but to all those that live here."
Ami nodded earnestly. She did, she really did, and she would give everything she had to see this world fixed once more as the Digimon gave a nod and with that they set off, towards the fight and closer to their destiny.
Standing on the hill overlooking the restoration of the local primary village, Alphamon felt free. The fight had been long, it had been arduous and at once point after having six of her Digimon either knocked out of status blocked, it looked like Ami was done for, but her friends, bound by the oath they had taken to help each other came through and she was able to carry on fighting until the very end when at long last they had prevailed over the eaters and Suedou who had taken a fancy at being their next host. Of course, Ami had tried to save him, 'no man left behind, as it were, but the man was stubborn and refused to leave; believing himself on a par with the eaters and had wanted to go with them to the higher levels, far above the realms of both worlds alike and so with King Drasil once more untainted and ready to set things right, it was time to let him go and for farewells.
Of course, it was bittersweet, she had grown used to being in the body of the detective and having bonded with the young cyber sleuth and her friends, it was going to be hard to say goodbye, they had all left a lasting impression on her and she was sad to have to leave that behind; but it was the kings will and so who was she too say otherwise, as they all bade them goodbye personally, watching as King Drasil decreed and executed 'cosmic recall' to al those in the other world, it was time to finally come home.
And so here she was, after watching the children enter the gateway and feeling Ami's body completely fall apart, she had to go and help and had called the young girls partners to her side in assistance in getting her back home. Once she had restored the body to a state in which could survive the trip across and the final goodbye had been given she had returned. Not to her self-imposed hiding like before, but to the castle where the King had given the order to start helping the rebuild what had been eaten and so splitting up, they each took a section that had been hit the most to lend aid; the lead knight had taken the villages closest to the core just in case the King needed something, as she slowly made her way down into the village.
Taking her time in walking, stopping each time a Digimon came up to her, either to thank her for saving their world or to simply gaze in awe (babies) at the legend standing before them, she had time to think and wondered what was happening on earth at that very moment; had the children managed to find Ami and was she alright, had she woken or had the delay in getting back to her body caused unforeseen consequences. Shaking her head, she smiled at the excited babies before carrying on her way; it would do her no good to think of negative thoughts, not when she knew the assistant she had taught was stronger than that. Turning the corner, she made her way down to the centre building, to where the restaurant and the hospital stood knowing they were the priority builds and so was about to get ready to help when the sight of a particular Digimon had her stopping.
It was a Mastemon.
A contradictory Digimon that was rather unusual to find, if found at all, and was counted as pretty illusive; having only known two in her entire lifetime (a very long life) the lead knight was confident to say that the angel Digimon was almost as infamous as herself for being but a myth, and so wondered why one was even here when she watched as the duel type angel take a step back from the pile she had put together and along with the rookies who had gathered to watch, saw the data vanish completely seconds later in a flash of light.
It wasn't a few blinks later that another flash saw a new pile emerge, as the knight watched Mastemon resume her build of the small hut using the newly brought forth beams. Still watching the knight frowned; as far as she could recall that wasn't an ability that Mastemon had and so went over to speak to the mysterious Digimon when a newcomer emerging from the half-dilapidated hut had her halting once more in her tracks.
Mirei glanced down at the screen in front of her, face scrunched slightly as she tried to determine just how much more wood was needed for the rebuild, the Jijimon inside told her that he wouldn't need that much more and was thankful for the help, but as she went to leave he then decided that since everywhere was being done up, perhaps an extension was needed.
Shaking her head at the advantage taken by the elder, she mumbled something before looking back up to see Mastemon and smiled as the duel type arch angel had lifted a Tokemon up onto her shoulder, and was letting it hammer a nail into the wood, his many teeth making an excellent grip, before calling to her partner.
"After here, Jijimon asked if we'd be able to help with the meat fields just on the edge of the village."
it wasn't really an ask nor was it a demand as the Digimon knew that her partner would never command things of her if she wasn't happy with it, and so merely smiled as her show of acquiescence, before it dropped slightly and tilted her head in deference to the approaching Digimon, just as a large shadow blocked out Mirei's sun and Mastemon returned to her work, leaving the woman to turn to face the newcomer.
Nothing was said as they stared at each other. Alphamon trying to put together just how Mirei could have been there after the gateway had closed and when she even arrived, but was beaten to it as the self-professed fortune teller lifted her head, a knowing smirk on her lips.
"Do you still go by Kyoko? Or should I now call you by what your title demands, royal knight?"
Her tone was light and teasing, making the Digimon frown. "You knew?"
If possible, the smirk grew wider, "Well I course I knew, you didn't expect me to not be able to tell when a Digimon was sitting in front of me did you?"
Closing the laptop, she held it to her side and waited for the knight's response. "How"
Bending to pick up a hovering Koromon, Mirei sniffed slightly before replying. "Only those with a tie to digital waves would have been drawn to the shift that was running through the shop. Ami was attracted by her half digital body and admittedly my guidance in getting her there, you because of your connection the digital world. I shall admit that I didn't fully know what type of Digimon you were, but considering the massive readings, I knew that you had to be a Digimon of considerable power; that and I had the pleasure of having Ulforceveedramon standing next to me, whose data signature was a close match to your own. From there it wasn't hard to put the rest together."
It did explain why she felt a little more at ease inside the small shop, but there were still many things that had been left unanswered, and now that she no longer had to hide she was going to get them right there.
Evidently it seemed Mirei's fortune telling didn't just cover the human world, for she tipped her head and with a glance back to her distracted partner, she moved to the side and started walking. Alphamon watching her and getting the feeling, she was to go with her; it didn't matter how high her ranking within the digital world, if she was to follow than that was exactly what she was to do, and so moved off after the woman.
They ended up on the hill the other side of the village, leading off into the rest of the server as they settled down upon a bench, well Mirei did, the large knight settled for leaning against a tree as each of them took in the restoration in quiet contemplation.
"Did you know what was happening all the time you were there?"
Alphamon watched the woman sigh, sliding back a little before crossing her legs and replying. "I had a feeling that this world was dealing with something far beyond what it ever faced before. But without proper investigation I couldn't be to sure what it might have been."
"And you didn't think to help," Mirei turned fully at that, looking to see the disgruntled look adorning the leaders face.
"If you had an idea then why did you say anything? Instead of letting us struggle on and—"
She was cut off by a small noise leaving the woman. Staring in shock, no one had ever interrupted her before and was left speechless which allowed Mirei to speak.
"Because it was not my place. Also, I highly doubted there was much struggle, not with the digital side of things. The only issues you faced were from Crusadermon and that was on an entirely different level."
That was true, her old comrade, by using a person with de facto control of an enterprise such as Kamishiro, was able to cut her off politically which set them back a few times. If not for Ami's ability, then they might have still been back there at a stage far too slow for her liking.
"But I did help if you recall; was it not my knowledge you sought when it came to parallel worlds, was it not the power of my partner you needed to gain more allies? It might not have been total, but it was help nonetheless and far more than what I normally give…. Besides,"
Alphamon lifted her eyes to see the side of her lips curl upwards into that familiar teasing smirk. "A girl has to have some entertainment occasionally, and watching Ami offered just that…"
She slid her glasses up her nose again and uncrossed her legs, "Watching as she grew from this tiny little oddity, into a tamer worthy of respect from all was a marvellous sight to behold. My only regret was that I had to come back so soon, I would have liked to have tested her further."
Her words had the knight puzzled and so looked back to the wistful looking woman, another question on her lips.
"About that."
Mirei turned once more to face her, "How are you here? King Drasil sent all the humans back and closed the gate; how was it you managed to sneak your way in without his knowledge?"
The look given was so earnest, so confused that it almost made her want to laugh. But she knew just how much she seemed to hate the slight quirks that she only really knew, Mirei inhaled before speaking.
"Has being stuck inside the detectives' body really dulled your senses so much, Alphamon." Not liking the slight, she went to speak—they might have been on friendly terms, but no one spoke to her that way, but was stopped by the hand held up as the woman carried on.
"Can you really not tell the difference between flesh and blood and that of a digital being?"
Unsure of what the woman was getting at, the knight stayed silent; the quietness only serving to amuse the purple haired woman further.
"It might have been hard to separate, what with being around a half cyber body for so long. But Ami's not here now, so tell me... what do you sense?"
Waiting she kept her focus upon the still quiet knight, watching for her reaction as golden eyes perered down in slight dubiousness, but eventually compliance before the leader focused on the small being in front of her, frowning slightly, as her eyes snapped open and she stared down at the woman, surprise clear on the Digimon's face.
"You're digital?"
A smile that didn't quite reach her eyes told the knight that she was right, but there was more to it as Mirei cocked her head slightly and nodded.
"That is correct."
"But how?"
In all her time Alphamon didn't think she had heard of anything like it, as Mirei re-crossed her legs, a thoughtful look etched on her features for a moment before replying.
"You do realize that this particular world is not my home, yes?"
Frowning the knight nodded, waiting for more as the woman turned back to look over the village, purple eyes lit up with the brightness of the fading sun that bled out over the sky as she took another minute to answer.
"In another word, in another lifetime far beyond this one; I guess you could say I was something of a knowledge seeker, though that really hasn't changed, I was however, unlike now, confined to the more physical laws of the mortal world."
"What happened?" the knight suspected, from the sound of her voice, whatever had occurred was not a happy tale. As Mirei's brow creased slightly, eyes slanted down as she tried to recall that part of her life which no longer existed.
"An accident, I think,"
"You think,"
Turning to eye the large Digimon, a brow arched as she nodded. "Well it has been a while, whatever happened—either by lack of memory or fate's design… I can no longer recall. All I do know is that wherever humans come and go in whatever world they are needed, I cannot follow them back. My existence now is what you see before you."
She took a moment to inhale before finally finishing her sentence. "My appearance is about as close to a human as I can get, but thanks to whatever happened, that is where the similarities end."
Nothing was said after that. Alphamon still with her eyes upon the occupied woman still lost within thoughts about the memories that were long lost to her, the knight suddenly found new empathy for the woman who she suspected at one point, was messing them around for the fun of it.
Also, her words brought new revelations to the Digimon, as she recollected a moment were Ami had returned to the office looking confused, as she always did when first meeting with the enigmatic seer.
"Ami once told me about a confusing conversation you two shared."
"Oh?" now looking less pensive and more like her teasing self, Mirei faced the knight once more.
"Which one, I'm sure there were plenty."
Scoffing good naturedly but nodding, Alphamon continued. "It was when you helped install the programs into her uniform; she came back saying that you had called for the end of the world,"
She couldn't help but chuckle at that, the young girl might have been bewildering at times, leaving the hidden knight more baffled than she would have liked, but in the end, it was those times she would look back on fondly.
"She mentioned something about how you talked about both worlds coming together more each day, and how that was the only way you were able to meet her on the outside,"
She paused again, another piece of the puzzle coming together in her head before she looked back down.
"That was why the line ran through your shop wasn't it? The reason you didn't leave it,"
She watched as Mirei nodded slightly. "You didn't think it was uniquely for Ami's benefit, did you? The line was a necessity, not just for the cats, but it was a way for me to stay within the confines of the building without having to return to the digital world. If I brought a part of it with me, it stabilized the irregularities that come with my trips to the human world. Unlike the Digimon whose bodies can be sustained with the Digivices, mine doesn't have that luxury."
Made sense, her own body hasn't broken down but only because she had taken on Kyoko's and so the lead knight nodded slowly, understanding shining in her eyes. There was just one more question still bothering her.
"You said something about wanting to test her, what was that about?"
A rueful smile fell upon the woman's lips as she thought about the test she has been planning once the crisis had been solved. Now to be nothing but a wishful fantasy as she shook her head regretfully and spoke.
"Before King Drasil started the 'cosmic recall' and my doubts about being able to return to that world rose, I foresaw an old acquaintance from another world in dire need of help. She had lost her partner as penance for slaying the demon lords of that universe."
If she had brows they would have arched at the mention of the despicable group, another thing she'd most likely miss about having a human body; though always hearing about that lots demise was a good thing, unfortunately they did provide a unifying order in how the integral structure kept from falling, and it seemed Mirei knew that to, as she carried on talking.
"Though that news came far too late for her, and no sooner as the last has been killed, her beloved partner had been taken as price and the only way to get her back was to restore the balance by defeating Ami's world of lords who had taken on the powers of the old; but without her Digimon to help there would have been no way for her to beat them successfully."
"That was where Ami's test came into it,"
Mirei nodded, a pleased smirk gracing her lips. "She had helped defeat the eaters and help Drasil back to his normal state, a truly wonderful way to start ones' destiny but in order to see that properly to fruition and become the tamer respected by all, she had to proceed and grow… and what better way than taking on those that have been both revered and despised for eons."
Alphamon pondered on that for a moment. Whilst she had no doubts in her old assistants' abilities as a tamer, taking on a group that had been regarded as the knight's equal rivals for countless years, it seemed a bit of a steep challenge.
"We both know that she would have taken the challenge." The Digimon looked down to Mirei who had guessed the expression on her face and hummed lowly before nodding.
"You're right. She would have stopped at nothing to help those in need… what do you suppose the outcome would have been?"
At that Mirei let out a purposefully melancholic sigh before offering a small shrug, "That is one fate I cannot see anymore. Should I have known for certain that there would be a way back to both worlds, I would have stayed to determine the outcome myself. But seeing as I wasn't sure about what this recall entailed, I had to cast aside any hopes of knowing… such a shame to, as I'm sure that would have been quite the battle."
"Indeed. But what about the girls whose partner is gone, what will she do,"
Mirei didn't reply for a moment, her eyes trained on the hill as slowly but surely, another Digimon was running towards them. Seeing this the woman then turned back to Alphamon, another shrug given before her response.
"Seeing as I am no longer there to help, that is another path that has been cut off; but there are many other worlds that I have yet to visit, and so, if it is fate then perhaps she will come to me there."
She stopped as the Digimon—a Guilmon—the little reptile Digimon was carrying something in both its paws and as the royal knight looked down, she could see it was two cups as Mirei retrieved them with a muted smile and gratitude, the small creature nodding at them both, a lasting look of awe at the knight before turning and running back down the hill, as Mirei then held one high above for the knight to take.
A little weary, especially with that ever-present smirk, Alphamon gently reached out and plucked the cup from her hands, bringing it closer to her chest before catching scent of something slightly familiar and looked down.
Staring at its contents for a moment, she couldn't help the laugh that followed, as Mirei, with her own normal drink of tea, re-crossed her legs and leant back against the hard edge of the bench, the barest of the smirks still in place.
"I figured you could do with something that reminds you of your home away from home."
A bobbing nod was her response as Alphamon brought the cup to her face and inhaled, trying to work out the scent before lowering it slightly.
"Cream cheese and Soya sauce,"
The look Mirei gave as she struggled not to grimace at the vile concoction was worth another chuckle. She might have been digital, but she still held some human standards and seemingly tea's of mass destruction were not one of them, as she slowly tipped her head and started on her own normal cup.
A loud shuffle had her looking to see Alphamon sitting on the ground next to her, the grass her seat as she gave the woman a smile and nod. With nothing left to say the pair simply gazed over the setting sun and the almost rebuilt village, made better thanks to Jijimon's insistence on upgrades.
When making the choice to travel to the human world those many years ago, Alphamon truly did not know what she would find, but a half-digital cyber sleuth and a universe hopping fortune teller who knew far too much, with crafty fondness for teasing was not part of any scenario she could have come up with.
Yes, Mirei Mikagura was an unusual woman.
But she wouldn't have it any other way.