Before The Beginning
Chapter 1 (…of 1?): Engagement
Summary: Years before, one of the Legendary Triad made a choice: one that saved, but one that also condemned….
Warnings: BAD foreshadowing (someone want to write the Summary for me next time?), possibly some cursing, and YAY crack theories (see ATE for details)!
Pre Notes (should read!): This takes place before ATE… before Savers, actually. You'll see why. You don't need to read ATE to get this… okay, maybe you should. Or at least the crack theory as outlined at the bottom. I'm sure you can infer the rest from what's written here.
-
Dodge. Duck. Weave. He could defend all day—his companion's attacks were not anything special, not after what he had seen.
The other Knights were always curious about that. What had he done in his past that made him such a proficient fighter now? Of course, he was vague: hints here, off-hand comments there. It was so easy to lead them on, even more so to confuse them.
Especially when the youngest of them started making connections.
"The Triad was dissolved hundreds of years ago," he told the golden warrior, frowning. "Do I really look that old?"
"Er…"
He was smiling on the inside. Magnamon reminded him so much of the friends he once had… the ones he had been forced to leave behind.
He had left the Armoured Knight to his own devices, and Magnamon had never broached the subject again. Sleipmon was the only other one to ask, and was slightly more demanding about wanting an answer.
"Well? What do you say about that?"
He had shrugged and walked on, trying not to show how nervous he was. "That you've been reading far too many stories."
The subject was permanently dropped, and no one would ask again. The Legendary digimon, the Triad, had always been a rumor. Just because someone happened to be of the same type and of the same name didn't automatically make them the same person.
…right?
He was glad when the Knights were finally ordered to go scouting. Yggdrasil might have been the Digital World equivalent to a god, but there was still something about the super program that had him on edge when in its presence. He gladly headed towards the coast: there must have been something interesting to find there. Perhaps he was likening the Digital World to the Human World too much…. Then again, sea was sea wherever one went, and with the sea and the ocean automatically came heaps of flotsam.
What he wound up finding there surprised him—it certainly wasn't driftwood.
"Who… who are you?"
The creature before him seemed just as surprised at his presence as he was of it. 'No... they can't have found a way here!'
"Um… Oh, hey! Er, my name is Doctor Daimon Suguru. I don't suppose you could tell me where Yggdrasil is, can you?"
He frowned obviously, shifting his stance slightly. A human? Especially one looking for Yggdrasil? That didn't sit well with them.
…and what was the man wearing? Was it supposed to be some kind of skin-tight camouflage suit? Since when did those suits have navy blue stripes and backpacks attached? It looked out of place on the man, with his brown hair and light brown eyes.
"…I see." Could he really say anything more without being impartial? Just because this 'Doctor Daimon Suguru' was a human didn't mean he was as bad as most humans were.
"Erm… well, thanks for your help (or lack thereof), mister…?"
He considered not giving this man his name. He considered ignoring him and continuing on his way. He even considered blasting the man where he stood or even just throwing him over the edge of the cliff not too far away and then watch him try to swim for his life.
Yet this 'Suguru' (and when had he started thinking of the man by his given name?) seemed like a nice enough person, a smart man with the curiosity of a toddler. Besides, as long as he never was able to contact the Human World again, there would be no reason to worry.
"…I am Gallantmon, one of the Royal Knights."
"Ah…! So, you're like the police force or something!"
He had to fight from rolling his eyes. Police Force? The Royal Knights were much more important than the police force. "Or something."
"Well… do you have any idea where I can get food? Or shade? Or… anything? All Mercurimon told me was that Yggdrasil was everywhere… and I've run out of food by now."
Should he consider helping the other? …why was he even considering it? Ah, but this man had somehow been able to weaken his defenses against him in less time than it took Alphamon to weaken his defenses in battle, and even Mercurimon had offered aid to Suguru.
"…come with me."
"Er… where to?"
Well, at least he wasn't stupid enough to blindly follow strangers around. "To get some food for you. I'd rather not have the death of another living being, even if you are human, on my consciousness."
Suguru looked surprised that he knew what a human was, but fell into step beside him. "So… Gallantmon, right?"
"Yes?"
"…what do you do for fun around here?"
"I patrol."
"…that's it?"
"The Royal Knights are responsible for enacting Yggdrasil's Will on the entirety of the Digital World. I have no time for leisure activities."
"Not even a quick rumble?"
He looked down at the human, raising an eyebrow. "Just because you are strong, human, does not mean you can take a Mega Level Digimon, especially a Royal Knight."
"…mega?"
He sighed, not wanting to explain about the different levels and form evolution. He was saved from doing so by their coming to a small grove of trees, all of them bearing fruit. "Here. Eat. I must go."
"Ah! Wait!"
He turned slowly, watching Suguru with a cautious eye. "Yes, human?"
"…you said that you served Yggdrasil?"
"We carry out Yggdrasil's work, and only because it currently happens to coincide with our own. That is all."
"So… you don't serve Yggdrasil?"
"Not how you are implying, no."
"Hm… well, thanks, Gallantmon!"
"Hn."
He stalked off, ignoring how Suguru was probably glaring at his back. The man was a human, if a kind one. He couldn't trust them… but…
"If you seek Yggdrasil, head to the North. You will find more allies there."
He knew that now Suguru was staring at him, probably shocked. Just because humans couldn't be trusted didn't mean that they couldn't be reformed. All it took was time.
-
He wondered how Suguru had somehow become such an interesting conversation partner. The man had, somehow, grown on him, as he had on all the Knights. Even Yggdrasil itself spoke often with the man. Though his feelings about humans had worn off on the others, Suguru was slowly laying those fears to the wayside. Perhaps humans had changed over the years? Then again, he didn't know how much time had passed. But for someone, anyone, to get through Hypnos' firewall, it must have been long enough for people to have forgotten what was on the other side of it.
"Sirs! Milord Yggdrasil!"
He had to stifle a snort at Craniummon's level of respect towards Yggdrasil. A god-like program he might be, but an actual god Yggdrasil was not. Neither were the Sovereign when they had reigned, nor were the humans when they had exercised such astounding influence over the Digital World. He refused to bow before Yggdrasil, but that was okay. Suguru, Alphamon, and Omegamon shared his level of deference.
"Yes, Craniummon?"
Yggdrasil's "voice" was strange: an echoy sound that existed not in the air around you, but directly inside your head. It had scared him the first time he had heard it, believing that his partner had somehow returned to him.
"There is… I know naught what it is, but there are strange creatures moving through the forests and towards the coast! They have strange machines that delete Digimon and absorb all the data, leaving not even an egg behind!"
"Machines…?"
He, Suguru and the presence that they called Yggdrasil 'looked' at each other, or as much as said presence could look. The only creatures who had machines of that sort were….
"Humans," he hissed, standing from his relaxed position. "Humans have returned! They dare bring this down upon us?!"
The Knights had grown used to his anger-bordering-hatred for the other race, as had Yggdrasil (though he was always reprimanded for it). Suguru, on the other hand….
"Hey, not all humans are bad, you know!" Suguru yelled up at him. He turned, bending down to face the human.
"You are the exception to the rule, Daimon Suguru. Not all humans are bad, but there are many who will do horrible things for the slightest provocation, and those who we call 'good' sit back and let these horrible things happen. You cannot deny it, Suguru. My hatred does not extend to you, but those who are doing this will feel my wrath."
He stood, nodding to Omegamon. Their current leader in place of Alphamon nodded, gesturing towards the exit. "If this is your wish, Gallantmon, go."
Yggdrasil's presence appeared before him to stop him. "Wait," Yggdrasil told him, the slightest hint of a chill in his voice. "Gallantmon, I wish to speak to you in private for a moment. Suguru, please stay. The rest of you, monitor the situation. If it gets out of hand, stop it—but be careful."
Omegamon nodded, leading the others out of the great tree. Suguru looked up at the top of the cavern, wooden walls and roots stretching into a black abyss. "Yggdrasil? What is it?"
"Gallantmon," Yggdrasil said, ignoring the human, "you must have a reason to be so angry. I want to offer you a catharsis."
He snorted, looking away from the presence in disdain. "No, Yggdrasil, that I will not do. Humans destroyed the life I once led, as they did that of my friends and family. I will not let them ruin anything more."
"How?" Suguru asked, frowning at the tall and mainly white Knight. "We only recently discovered this world… we were the first team through!"
Gallantmon stared at him, shaking his head. "No. Two groups of humans have been here before you: the Tamers and those who were once called the Frontier. Children, yes, but they were here… and they saved this world. They I have respect for, as I will respect Hypnos and whatever has become of it." He felt more than heard Yggdrasil's shock, and realized that the super program had probably been putting together the pieces. "I respect you as well, and your goals, though I will not actively support them until I see proof that humans have changed from how they once were."
"You are of the Triad," Yggdrasil whispered, and for the first time since joining the Knights, it wasn't phrased as a question.
He remained silent: there no sense in acknowledging it. Yggdrasil knew it, and now so too did Suguru, though the human did not know what it meant.
Silence reigned in the great tree for another few moments. Yggdrasil finally made another proclamation: "I wish to see what is going on. Gallantmon, will you carry me there?"
"If you know who and what I am, then you should know that I cannot abide with desecrating Guilmon's memory."
"…I am sorry for asking."
"Wait, 'carry'? What do you mean?" Suguru asked, looking between Gallantmon and the presence.
"I cannot leave this tree without aid," Yggdrasil explained. "Though I will in time learn the matter of this situation, I would prefer to see it firsthand, if through another's eyes. When another carries me, I exist within them, sharing their bodies. When the duty is completed, I leave and return to this state."
Suguru frowned, looking at the ground. Then he looked up, smiling. "Well… I could carry you, if you want. I want to see who is responsible for this, after all… and then pay them back for whatever damage they have done!"
Yggdrasil seemed to consider this, while Gallantmon stood, stretching. "…alright. Thank you for your kind offer, Suguru."
"Alright! Now… how are we supposed to do this?"
Gallantmon left them to their arrangements. He would wait outside, and they would get him when they were done. He needed to plan his next move.
-
He glared spitefully at the human before him. The man—what did Suguru call him by? Kurata?—Kurata laughed maniacally, watching as the forest burned and digimon were killed—no, slaughtered—by the thousands.
"Hahaha! And soon, we shall have all the power we need!"
Power? Power for what?
It was a question he wanted answered, and he would get it answered… if he could just get near the man without becoming a target for those strange devices and those things Kurata called "Gizmon". Stupid, false creatures, allowing themselves to be enslaved by the human….
As one passed his hiding place with Suguru and Yggdrasil, he stiffened. These Gizmon felt different from other digimon… not… 'real' was the only way he could describe it. They obviously existed, but they weren't actual digimon, not in the full sense of the word. They were just Kurata's mindless drones….
"I cannot abide this," he hissed, feeling his rage slowly building. He had kept it locked away for so long, had been so careful to not be angry—but this was not something he could let slide.
Suguru and Yggdrasil turned glazed light brown eyes on him, the orbs widening as they took in the sight. "Gallantmon, your breastplate…!"
That should have been enough to restore him to his senses. Obviously it wasn't, as the flashing red symbol began steadily growing brighter, until he could feel the warmth from the light right through his armour. Suguru had retreated a few feet away, staring at him with a mix of awe and fear.
In the clearing, Kurata stood over a group of digimon, his Gizmon and some of the strangely-dressed soldiers surrounding the group. One of the digimon, a blue-furred dog, stepped forward to glare at the seemingly insane doctor.
"I won't let you harm my friends, human!"
Kurata laughed, his grin steadily growing wider. "Oh, you won't be able to do much, little pet! When your data is a part of our store, there will be nothing you can do to stop us! All digimon will be destroyed, you filthy plagues! Ha!"
Even in his anger, the knight couldn't help rolling his eyes: did all 'evil genius' villain types have to be this clichéd?
As one of the Gizmon aimed at the digimon, preparing to delete it, he was about to lunge forward—only to be held back by Yggdrasil, acting through Suguru's body. "Gallantmon…! If you go out there, it will be suicide!"
"I cannot just let these digimon be murdered by this… this… human!"
Suguru actually looked disappointed at those words, and he was forced to let go of the other as the knight leapt forward. Everyone in the clearing turned to watch him approach, even as he easily leaped over the Gizmon and landed in the middle of the other digimon.
"Humans," he snarled, the Hazard only increasing its brightness and the rate of flashing as he spoke, "you dare to believe that you can come here and rule us however you wish, use us for whatever you dream? Your arrogance will be your undoing!"
Kurata stared at him and began laughing again, even as the other digimon looked up at him: he was a protector, and well recognized as a Royal Knight… but what did the flashing Hazard mean?
"You! You will make a fine addition! Especially with whatever power that is… ha! A Hazard sign? Thank you for the wonderful meal!"
He was seriously beginning to consider Kurata too far gone to even realize what he was saying (meal? Since when did humans eat data? Suguru certainly didn't…). Holding out his hands, Gram and the Aegis formed in seconds, and immediately after attacks were fired—but not from him.
He wasn't sure when it happened, or how, but he was barely able to see a red-pink beam shoot out from one of the Gizmon, bouncing off the Hazard-powered Aegis. Another attack seconds later, on the other hand, caught him in the back of his left knee, immediately deleting the lower half of the limb. To his surprise, the Hazard prevented further deletion, for which he was grateful, but he was suddenly much less mobile.
"Aaaahhhh! SHIELD OF THE JUST!"
The attack ripped through Gizmon and soldiers alike, he now far beyond any thoughts of mercy. Kurata backed away, but signaled at one of the soldiers. He barely noticed the data that had once formed his leg being sucked into the strange vacuum-like machine, as well as the data of those Gizmon and even the soldiers that had just been destroyed.
Instead, his attention was focused on the group before him.
"Go… run. I will finish these heathens off."
Most of the digimon took the opportunity to escape (he was relieved to hear Suguru and Yggdrasil accepting the unspoken order and hurrying them away), but the one blue dog-like creature stayed by his side.
"Royal Knight, sir, I will not abandon you!"
"Go!"
"You are injured!"
"My attacks are projectiles—I can fight them off!"
The dog turned calculating eyes on him. "And after you fight them off, how will you fight the others who will come? I will stand by your side, sir!"
He grumbled at the military-sounding digimon, but had to give in and nod. The other might have been a rookie, but even a bit of help would go a long way to getting them out of this situation alive.
"Alright… Gaomon, take those over there. I'll deal with the ugly fleshy things on this side."
"Yes, sir!"
Kneeling in a very uncomfortable way, he aimed Gram at another group, ones who had been slowly sneaking up on them. "Lighting Joust!"
"Double Backhand!"
He ignored the fight behind him, concentrating on the group he was facing. A part of him still cried out at his actions: they might be untrustworthy, but they were still human, they still had families and friends who were expecting them to return…!
But, he was quick to remind himself as another group was destroyed, so too do the digimon. One life is not worth more than another, and these humans can never repay the debt they have accumulated here.
He saw a lot of data floating around, saw how those few humans and Gizmon who were left, unfortunately including Kurata and the soldier who had his leg data, were already preparing to vacuum it up for their own ends.
He stood carefully, leaning on Gram. Everyone looked on as the Hazard began to shine solidly, and his body began to glow. Slowly, he reactivated a program he had not used in a very long time, one that he couldn't be sure if he ever actually had: the glow brightening in intensity, he closed his eyes, and began to absorb the loose data. He felt his leg beginning to reform, and mused that it was a very strange sensation, like his limb was being stretched out, but the nerve endings (or the digital equivalent) were always being recreated, not just replaced.
When he was sure his leg was fully reformed, he was back to full power, and there was no more free data floating around, he deactivated the program. His veins (again, the equivalent of) were thrumming with the power, and he felt the Hazard strengthen further.
And, with a sickening wrenching of his gut, he realized what was happening: the Hazard had gained power from that last maneuver. He couldn't control it, even if he were to suddenly give up his rage against the humans and become a flower-loving hippy kind of digimon. Unable to stand while trying to exercise his mental hold on it, he gasped out, falling to his now-complete set of knees.
"Gallantmon sir!"
He looked up to note Gaomon kneeling before him, with the few remaining Gizmon aiming their beams towards the two of them, the human soldiers preparing their data vacuums. No… it won't end like this… it can't...
"Gaomon, run. Leave!"
"A good fighter never turns back on his word!"
"Gaomon, this isn't about what makes you a good fighter! This is what makes you live!"
Gaomon stubbornly refused to move, reaching out to touch a gloved paw against his reverted hands, Gram and the Aegis having long since disappeared. "I would not be able to live in shame if I left you here!"
Both of them gasped as a faint stream of energy transferred itself from him to the rookie, Gaomon quickly severing the connection. His eyes widened as he realized what had happened.
"Gaomon… you must be able to absorb some of the Hazard without being corrupted... but how can that help us?"
"The Hazard? Is that what is causing you pain?"
He nodded mutely: the other certainly was a good observer.
"Then I will absorb more of it!"
His eyes widened as Gaomon reached out to touch him. "No, wait—!"
Too late came the warning: Gaomon had reached out both hands to touch his chest plate. He nearly screamed as a surprisingly small portion of the energy that the Hazard was activating flowed into the smaller digimon, but it was enough to set him to rights. Gaomon and the surrounding forest on the other hand….
The forest itself, having already been aflame, was quickly turning into a raging inferno. Kurata just smiled as he watched, even more determined to get this data for his own purposes. A soldier beside him had his vacuum on, prepared to collect any data the moment it appeared.
Gaomon had begun to glow a bright red, slowly changing into a more subtle purple tone, then swinging wildly to become a sky blue.
He raised his head, watching the smaller digimon. There was something familiar about that light, one that did, but didn't remind him of one of the greatest mistakes of his life. It suddenly struck him what it was: it had been a long while since he had seen a Catalystic evolution.
Gaomon digivolve too…!
The light gained in intensity, growing brighter beyond what even the Hazard had been while absorbing data. The overspill of power and Hazard data was limited, but enough to hurt his senses. He could only imagine what the humans and surrounding digimon would feel like: he was accustomed to this power. Of course, he couldn't see through it, but was extremely impressed by the resulting form.
MirageGaogamon!
MirageGaogamon stood well over twenty meters tall, with striking blue armour covering his body. With a huge set of three large claws on each hand, a red cape that could rival his own, and a navy blue helmet of a wolf, the new digimon was both beautiful, and obviously powerful. Just in case he hadn't been sure of the other's capabilities, there, on the yellow nose of the wolf face that acted as his chest plate, was a proud, black Hazard.
"A mega…" he whispered, as an instinct that he likened to his old red and later golden device imparted to him all the required information about the new digimon.
MirageGaogamon didn't waste any time, picking him up and leaping backwards, all the while preparing an attack—which he let loose, as soon as possible, ignoring the burning trees around him.
"FULL MOON BLASTER!"
When the smoke cleared, there was nothing left. No humans, no Gizmon, nothing. He shook his head, looking up at the taller digimon.
"Good work."
"There is more to be fought… AH!"
Thankfully landing on his feet after being dropped from such a height, he was immediately at his companion's side, the great blue lupine knight kneeling in the same position he was in not long before. "MirageGaogamon!"
"What… it hurts… like every part of me is rebelling…."
His eyes softened as he realized what was happening, then anger began building as he also realized why.
"MirageGaogamon… I'm sorry. The Hazard is not something that can be easily controlled…."
"And I will be deleted for it," the other finished, grunting in pain. "At least I got rid of that human."
He raised his hand and placed it against the Hazard on the wolf's nose—the symbol itself was slightly smaller than his own, and he could tell that there was very little of that power there. Yet… even the smallest portion of the Hazard was dangerous. It corrupted anything it came into contact with, unless there was a preprogrammed failsafe.
"You will be returned to a digitama, and if you wish, I will take care of you. It is my fault you are in this state."
To his surprise, the lupine knight shook his head. "No. I… I want fate to bring my digitama where it will. I know I won't remember this, but you won't forget, will you?"
He smiled, if only very, very faintly. "I am known to have a long memory, yes."
"Then don't feel guilty. I made that decision… all of them. At least we've stopped some of them."
"Yes, we have," he returned, attempting to say more and choking on his words as MirageGaogamon's body slowly deleted from his legs upward. He could already see the digitama that was being formed. "…sleep well, MirageGaogamon. I pray the Hazard will not cause you undue trouble."
"If it does, I'll know who to blame," the other said with a strange jollity for his evolutionary line, let alone situation. "Thank you, Gallantmon."
He watched the digitama form, staring at it when it was finished. "It's time for me to head back as well. May fate be kind." Turning his head to the sky, watching the fire grow around him, he screamed, the Hazard flashing once more before subsiding to the normal black color. "And may fate have the cruelest intentions for all of you, humans! For it will be infinitely kinder than my own!"
He left, heading out to look for Suguru and the other Knights. He was just in time to miss the strange portal that appeared beneath the egg, taking it away from the flames and that world.
Hours later, a brown-haired man with glasses and a white lab coat entered the clearing, accompanied by the remaining few regiments of the many he had brought with him. Yet that did not matter: he had the large digitama from which he would resurrect Sloth, he had plenty of data to do so, and he had that very strange, very unique data from the two digimon with the Hazard.
This operation might have been somewhat of a failure. It would not happen again. Even if he had to dig up the most obscure, unknown and supposedly 'destroyed' bits and pieces of research he could find, the next time, he would succeed.
And with barely a backwards glance and harboring only ill-feelings towards the Hazard Knight and others like him, Kurata led his merry company of mercenaries back to their world.
-
Notes
Well… yay. This turned out a bit different from what I had originally planned, but I'm still rather pleased with it. The thing was, I had some things planned out (the general plot, or what there is of it, and some specifics), but a lot of things, like how a bit of the Hazard was transferred from Gallantmon to Gaomon/MirageGaogamon. Another thing that developed by itself was how Kurata ended up with a bit of the Hazard as well… oh, and what originally encouraged him to try creating BioDigimon (did anyone note those two parts?).
I… think I might have overdone Gallantmon's zealousness when it comes to the "anti-human" thing, but I know that I would act like that. If a group of people, even if it wasn't the entire human race, but if someone decided it'd be fun to experiment on me, screw my life over, and then come back after I thought I was safe and try to destroy the one home I have, I'd be rather pissed. And don't start ragging on me that "Takato wouldn't do that! That's soooo OOC!" I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of something: Takato IS a nice guy, but he's too nice. We only see him even somewhat annoyed only a few times: when Rika was being her DIQ self, once or twice during D-Reaper, and, of course, how can we forget MEGIDRAMON. So, you'll pardon me if I think that underneath all that nice, warm fluff is someone with a couple issues.
Hm… new plot bunny just attacked. Muwahaha….
Random Note
I actually have a REAL continuation to ATE, just two chapters and possible an epilogue-ish other chapter (it's called Stellas), and I'm toying with posting them. I want to send them out to someone first to see what your opinion is on it, and then MAYBE post them here. So… anyone up for it? Oh, yes. It involves Adventure/Destined (01 and 02)… I just realized how strange it is to write "05". Wow….