AN: So, here's the start for 02 of ACDA. While the intro serves to mess with cannon events, the focus will quickly switch to the new Digidestined and the Emperor, both of whom will be revealed in the second chapter/the summary up above.
This work will remain as a pilot chapter until the first season is finished. Enjoy!
(1 year before the Certain Unified Calendar, July 22th)
"Where are they?"
In a Certain Park of Academy City, on a cloudy day, were four students. Two were wearing the infamous Tokiwadai Middle School uniforms, the chestnut-haired one making the above statement while fiddling with her frog-themed cell-phone. The blond one simply sat with a smile, though a trained eye could discern the impatience that she shared with her peer as she twirled a remote in her right gloved hand. Next to the first was an elementary school girl, though she was already in 6th grade, with long black hair and a flower shaped accessory in it. Her bag had a red protective charm on it, an unusual sight in a city of science. The oldest student present was a 3rd year middle school boy with wind-swept spikes of black hair, wearing his school blazer open so the world could see the Rising Sun Shirt underneath it. The clock-pole read twenty minutes before nine o'clock.
"I mean, I can get Touma, that idiot was late the first time, and barely made it last year, no thanks to his rotten luck. But Juushiro isn't here yet either?"
"He contacted me, actually~. Apparently, Mr. #1 has been 'asked' to join another experiment were he has not been told a~ny details yet."
"Guess it's not easy being 'the' Accelerator. Even fellow level 5s like you don't get dragged off quite that often."
"Patience, girls. Touma can GUTS his way through any accident, and 'Shiro is 'Shiro. He sure as hell ain't gonna miss this."
"Hear, hear."
"Maybe, but I'm calling that idiot."
[cell-phone ring]"Oh my? Who might that be~?"
"Rotten Luck!"
Speak of the devil, there he is, running like his life depends on it. Some people might think this is overdoing it for an annual reunion, but if they consider the consequences of pissing off the strongest Electromaster and the Accelerator... Long short, Kamijou Touma learned his lesson the first time it happened.
Currently, he was running with an old newspaper in his right hand, the same one which flew into his face right before he got onto the train here, causing him to miss it's departure. Since the next train most likely wouldn't get him there on time, Touma just ran. He could afford it, being a healthy, young middle school student on the verge of high school after all. He had also started out with a half an hour left to spare.
Too early? Not if your name is Kamijou Touma, the number one guy you can turn to if you want someone to be late due to a bizarre string of accidents, including, but not limited to: slipping on random soda cans, banana peels and tennis balls, running into a girl only to end up in an indecent position for which you take the blame (and the beating), and getting caught up in world-fate deciding adventures.
Ok, so that last one hasn't happened in a while. But Touma's luck has been looking (comparatively) good lately, so he decided that, if this meeting goes well, there will be massive bad luck waiting right around the corner. He'd much rather play 'Catch the Railgun' than have to help save the world again.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like he wouldn't save it, he would. It just tends to be tiring. Makes you want to shout: 'Stay saved, damn it!'
Suddenly he felt his right pocket vibrating. On a hunch, he answered his phone and said: "I'm on my way, Biribiri! Fifteen minutes, tops!"
"You'd better be! And if you hurry, you might actually beat Juushiro here."
"Wha-!" Cue the banana peel. [Slam!]
"!? Are you okay?!"
"'m fine," he answered, using his free hand to support himself while he held his face in the newspaper, "What do you mean, he's not there yet?" Out of the entire group, Touma couldn't think of anyone who took these reunions more seriously.
"[sigh] Another experiment, according to Misaki."
"Now?" Several choice words to describe the researchers of the city passed through the youth's head which he dared not utter out loud, both for the fact that a young girl was listening, and for the fact that it was Mikoto, in specifically, who was on the other end of the line.
After all, while Accelerator took these meetings the most seriously, Touma came in a close second. These were their first true friends, after all. But of course, the scientists wouldn't care even if they explained it to them.
"[groan] I'll be there soon. Here's to hoping he makes it, though."
"Oi, oi. Who do you think he is?"
"...the f*ck..."
Said esper was currently in an underground facility, in a large, white-tiled room with the researchers watching from above, his back turned to them. Though his face remained impassive, his red eyes gave away the immense shock he felt. In front of him was a girl, visibly younger than him, with chestnut brown hair that tickled her shoulders, her eyes were a dull match to the hair, and she was wearing the Tokiwadai Middle School summer uniform. For all intent and purpose, she looked just like Misaka Mikoto, aside from the military goggles on her head, the blank expression and the assault rifle in her hand.
Among the researchers was a man called Kihara Gensei. Observing the Number One's lack of reaction, he spoke into the microphone: "You might have guessed by now, Accelerator-kun, that this is not Misaka-kun herself. It is but a copy, a tool for your improvement, a doll to be used and disposed of when done. You must sort through all 10,000 of these to reach level 6. Are you ready to begin?" He ignored the grimace from Yoshikawa Kikyo.
When Accelerator didn't answer immediately, the old man's colleagues began to whisper nervously. After all, they had nothing to stop the number one esper of the city, to their knowledge. The aforementioned woman looked on in interest. 'What will you do?' she thought.
When the albino did move, it was not what they expected. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a most peculiar device. It was the size of a cell-phone, with a screen, two buttons on the left side and a long one on the right, and a short antenna on the upper right. To the scientists, it was just a toy.
To him and his friends, it was a Digivice.
"Come out, Metalgarurumon," said Hitsugaya Juushiro, a.k.a. Accelerator, in a menacing voice, as the white Digivice began to glow a deep blue.
About a minute ago
"Hello~?" Shokuhou Misaki answered an incoming call, while Misaka Mikoto contacted Touma about his ETA. Saten Ruiko and Sogiita Gunha, who was early this time, just sat and watched, though Ruiko would cast a nervous glance at the boy every once in a while.
Finally noticing this, Gunha asked: "Oh? What's wrong, Ruiko-chan?"
In the background, you could hear Mikoto and Misaki conversing.
("You'd better be! And if you hurry, you might actually beat Juushiro here.")
("Oh my~, I didn't expect you to ca~ll.")
"Well," Ruiko tried to find the right words, "You're just, so quiet, Gunha-san. It's not like you."
("!? Are you okay?!")
("Hmm, my he~lp?")
"Haha, you're wondering why I haven't jumped up and done a speech about GUTS, right?"
("[sigh] Another experiment, according to Misaki.")
("I'll ignore the impracticality of memorizing so many books for now. What seems to be the matter?")
"Well, yeah. Isn't that what you usually do, besides beating up bad guys?"
("Oi, oi, who do you think he is?")
"Normally, yeah. But today's special," he said wistfully, "so I'll hold my GUTS in for now."
Ruiko didn't get the chance to point out how wrong that sounded when Misaki's clear laughter filled the park. A familiar voice could be heard from her phone, and while the words were indiscernible, it was obviously scolding her.
"Ohoho, ho, I'm sorry~. But, really, who told you such ridiculous numbers? Aside from the fact that knowledge is just one part of a person's memories, the human brain presides over more than just one's experience." The other side fell silent at that. Everyone else present just listened in.
She continued unabated: "85%? 15%? Whoever told you that is either an ignorant fool, or a knowing liar."
She let the recipient stew on that for a moment before making her suggestion: "Why don't we send Touma-san over for you. Considering what day it is, you're definitely nearby~." When protests began to sound from the phone, she continued: "We both know that the moment he hears about this, he will want to help. That is just how he is. Also, this is most certainly the case of 'that' being used on your friend's mind, so I won't be of much use." She pouted cutely.
As she listened to the other side's response, she noticed Mikoto gesturing to her own phone, silently asking if she should tell Touma. They all knew that he'd be getting involved in this one way or another, so this way, it will be from where they can watch and, if necessary, help him.
Misaki mouthed Let him get here first to Mikoto, who nodded and told the boy to hurry up.
"Expect us in a half of an hour or so, okay~?"
As Touma kept running, he could swear he heard laughter in the background of the phone call. "Is that Misaki? Why is she laughing?" Mikoto stayed silent for a few moments before she answered: "Hurry up. Someone needs your help."
That phrase had an obvious effect on the level 0, as his face turned serious and his pace increased. He and Gunha shared an inherent need to help anyone that they could, though the Gemstone had a tendency to just punch the problem. Not that Touma was any better, but his punch didn't usually involve leveling a building, and it was only used when negotiations failed, which happened more often than it had a right to, as per his luck.
Five minutes later, he arrived with a heaving chest, dirt on his shirt, the newspaper still in his hand and a growling Chihuahua hanging from his right calf. The girls gave that last one an odd look, but none of them bothered to comment on it. Gunha just ignored it and smiled at Touma. They were all too used to that sort of thing.
"So...what's the...problem...*ha*?" Touma asked, huffing. Misaki went straight to the point: "Kaori-san ca~lled. There's this friend of hers in need of your expertise, Touma." She sauntered up to him as she said that. Touma felt momentarily awkward, given how he was still not too sure how to act around her.
Just earlier that month, he and Mikoto had rescued Misaki from a group of level 0s who tried to kill her. Had Touma been alone against them, albeit with Misaki backing him up, it would not have been certain that he'd have survived that. After the fact, Misaki had proclaimed her undying love for Touma, calling him her 'one and only Prince Charming'. Hence his current awkwardness.
"S-so, are we heading out to meet her? She's in the area, right?" he said, trying to dispel his nervousness. Misaki was about to answer when her phone went off again, signaling that she got a message. When she read it, she became quite serious: "I'm afraid I'll have to pass."
Seeing everyone's confused faces, she added: "Juushiro-san wants me to help him 'clean up' his experiment."
"...Again, eh?" Touma mumbled. Accelerator had wound up in many different, less-than-morally-right experiments. Some of them he followed through on, the motives being to challenge himself and to remove the scum that those experiments targeted. The others usually had scum conducting those experiments, and since his modus operandi was not affected – all that really changed were his targets, like now, apparently.
Either way, Touma technically didn't approve, but kept that to himself, more for the girls, especially Mikoto, than for Accelerator, who long since knew but kept equally quiet for the same reasons.
Mikoto sighed, and said: "Say hi from us all, 'kay?" Misaki smiled, saying "Kk~!" as she gave Mikoto Kaori's coordinates.
Both of them reached into their pockets and pulled out their Digivices, calling out: "Come out, Birdramon/Kabuterimon!"
A minute ago
"That all of 'em?" asked the Number 1 Esper. He was angry that Kihara Gensei had sent a body double, obviously expecting some sort of betrayal from the boy. Oh well, at least he got his hands on the 'official' head of the project, Amai Ao.
The only ones alive in the building aside from himself and the clones were Metalgarurumon and Yoshikawa Kikyo, the former having retrieved all the Misaka-clones he could find.
"Yes, Juushiro. There aren't any more here," replied the metallic wolf.
"Not here at least," refuted the researcher. Accelerator eyed her carefully.
"Why'd you help me?" When he brought out his partner, she rushed to activate the lock-down, deliberately trapping everyone inside with the angry esper and his 'pet'.
Looking at the clones, she replied, "These girls deserve a chance at having their own lives."
Said individuals, nine of which were packed on Metalgarurumon's back, while the other twenty stood to the side, were quite confused. The original purpose of them was to replicate Level 5s. Failing that, they were to become Accelerator's stepping stones on his path to SYSTEM. Instead, he had bitten the hands that fed him and spared their lives. And he was not done with that.
"Oi! How many of you are there?" he demanded. By means of the network, they both determined to cooperate with him, interested in the outcome, and that Misaka no.1, who was standing next to the other clones, should represent them for him.
"Following the recalculation of the Accelerator's powers, only 10,000 standard Misakas were created, and are situated in five separate facilities, replies Misaka no.1 in response to your questions."
Narrowing his eyes, "Recalculation? Only 10,000? 'Standard'?" Accelerator asked that.
"That can wait," interjected Yoshikawa, "we have four more facilities to clean through at these coordinates." She showed him on a map.
"We have to clean 'em. You pick a spot to hide them all 'till we're done," was the reply as he fiddled with his cell-phone, texting Misaki to help him 'clean up', giving her two sets of coordinates to go through. Her mind-wipe abilities would be extremely useful.
"In that case, there's someone else we can ask for help from the researchers. She's called Nunotaba Shinobu."
Nodding, he debated the means by which he could give Misaki the safe-place coordinates without the wrong person picking it up, he off-handedly asked the clones for advice.
"Misaka can tell her themselves, replies Misaka no.1 to the question, wondering if Accelerator had not been informed of this feature."
"? What feature?"
"All Misakas can share each other's memories through the network, so if Accelerator gives these Misakas the location, then any Misaka near his comrade can pass on the information, continues Misaka no.32 wondering about the individual in question."
"(Network, eh?) Fine. They'll know her when they see her, look out for a blonde girl riding a Rhinoceros beetle (jap. kabutomushi) the size of a small house."
"..."
"..."
"...Misaka no.9090 is tempted to question the fact, despite the existence of a talking, cybernetic wolf, reports Misaka no.1 in her stead."
Watching their friends leave, Ruiko and Gunha were now left alone. "Ne, Ruiko-chan," said the Level 5, who was holding the old newspaper Touma had had with him, "Let's grab 'everyone' some early lunch for later." Nodding, she agreed, and was thankful for the combined budgets of the level 5s, which allowed them all to feed their Digimon partners without any trouble. If ever she met someone who could out-eat a Digimon, she'll swear she'd have seen it all.
"By the way," Gunha went on with a teasing grin, "How're things with Touma going?" It was a private joke between him and Accelerator that all the girls in their group had fallen for Touma.
Said girl did a spit-take at the question, "W-what are you talking about, Gunha-san?" she tried to play innocent, despite the red face.
"I'm talking about those pretty eyes you keep flashing his way in competition with the other girls."
"I-I don't d-do that!"
"Tsundere."
"O-objection, your honor! I'll have you know that I know of no bigger tsundere than Misaka Mikoto!"
"Touché. But my point stands."
"Ugh," to be honest, Ruiko never had been too confident about competing with the other girls over Touma, "what's that in your hand?"
"Trying to switch topics, eh? Good question though..." he said, looking at the old newspaper.
"He, well whadya know?" He showed her the front page, the date shown was from three years ago. "Look familiar?"
There was a bird's-eye picture of Odaiba after they defeated Myotismon the second time.
"Oh wow! That takes me back, where'd you get it?"
Now, he could've claimed credit for it himself, except the thought never crossed his mind. "Touma had this, remember?"
"Oh yeah, that's right," she giggled at the memory, "wonder what happened to him."
"Ya know, it's obviously –"
"Rotten Luck," they said in unison. After a few moments, Ruiko's thoughts turned back to their earlier topic.
"Ne, do I really stand a chance?"
Gunha nodded his head, seeming to understand, "That you do."
Then he stood still, raised his right fist into the air and hollered: "ALL YOU NEED IS GUTS AND YOU CAN OVERCOME ANY OBSTICALE!"
Ruiko sweat-dropped, but couldn't help herself: "Looks like you finally spilt your guts."
"That it does!"
*smacks forehead*
Now usually, Misaki would be the one to carry someone out of the city due to her being able to take control of the watchmen. Mikoto's ability to interfere with their equipment works too, though.
Thanks to that, Birdramon managed to smuggle the two of them out of the city while keeping to the clouds.
What none of them knew was that Aleister Crowly went through small amounts of pain to cover for them in those times, since either case involved one of the city's precious Level 5's going missing for an hour or two. The Board of Directors knew nothing of their excursions in relation to the Digimon, though they inevitably knew about the Digimon themselves.
"About how long before we get there?" asked Touma. Mikoto double-checked the map, "A few minutes."
"It's been so long since we've flown together like this, Mikoto. I'm so happy," Birdramon said.
Mikoto hugged the champion's leg affectionately. "Me too, Birdamon. I've missed it!"
Suddenly, Touma chuckled. "What!" asked Mikoto, pouting and sparking because it sounded like he was laughing at her.
*bzzt-bzzt*
"No, no, it's nothing. A little silly, actually." Guess she was wrong, but now the girl was curious as to was it was. "Come on, what?"
"It's just... for a moment I didn't see Tokyo beneath us," he said embarrassed.
Mikoto realized what he was talking about, and smiled. "It's...really been a long time, huh?"
"Yeah."
She then had a thought, "You think we'll ever go back?"
"I'll say no." He smiled.
"? Why do you sound happy saying that?"
"Because knowing my luck, we'll be brought back just to prove me wrong."
*cheerful laughter*
"I certainly hope so," Birdramon said this, surprising them, "The truth is...we all miss it."
"Birdramon," Mikoto replied softly. Touma reached his left hand into his pocket, and felt an agreeing warmth come from it.
"I see," he said, "of course you'd get homesick. It's completely natural."
"I can see Gomamon!" exclaimed the girl's partner. From here, the two of them could see the effects of a people-warding spell set up around their destination, a block of houses in the suburban area of Tokyo, with a figure standing near one of the more traditional looking ones. Touma held his hand against Birdramon's leg so she wouldn't be affected, while Mikoto began to explain the situation in greater detail.
"Kaori! There they are!" A creature looking like a white seal with an orange Mohawk waved excitedly from his partner's left shoulder.
"Yeah. I can see them," replied the girl, Kanzaki Kaori. She was tall and beautiful, with long, dark hair tied to a pony tail that still reached her waist and a figure that boys and girls alike would kill for, for different reasons. Had she gone to school, she would've been a senior in high school. There was a sheathed Japanese sword as long as herself in her hand.
More accurately, the energetic Gomamon could see Birdramon. His Saint partner had no trouble spying the giant bird's passengers on her feet.
"Kanzaki!" Hearing this, Kaori turned around to find her partner, Stiyl Magnus, a middle school aged magician in the middle of an abnormal growth spurt, running up to her, "I've finished placing the runes. Now would you mind telling me what this is about?"
"We're saving Index," she said in English. Turning to Gomamon, she spoke softly: "Go greet them."
Not needing a reminder, the Digimon ran off to their old friends, who had found a clearing to land in.
"What do you mean, save her?! Didn't we already try everything?" She could understand the red haired mage's thoughts, they had both endured less than a year of an Index who couldn't remember them. Only after that had she decided to ask the other Digidestined for help, because she couldn't take it anymore. It reminded her too much of when they had to leave their partners behind in the Digital World. And while that was now fixed, the pain of the time was unforgettable.
"Everything purely magical," she replied, first confusing the younger mage, who then answered angrily, "Are you saying you brought the science side in on this?!"
For the sake of keeping the two sides separate, she had avoided telling them about this. In hindsight, though, Misaki was right: Sooner or later, Touma would get involved in this. This way, she could be there to watch over both of her important friends. That Touma was more than that to her, was something she'd keep to herself (ignorant that the male level 5s already figured it out).
"The power that we're borrowing is beyond magic or science," she said cryptically.
"Besides," her eyes narrowed, "her Eminence has no room for complaint when she was the one who lied to us." "What!?"
"Yo! Kaori!" "Kaori-san!" The Saint allowed herself a smile and waved at the approaching three, Birdramon still in her champion form.
Seeing Stiyl, Touma, whose shoulder was occupied, got nervous, so, "He already knows Gomamon," she reassured them. Was it her, or did Mikoto glare at her for a second? And did Touma stare at her for a moment there before turning away blushing?
"Mikoto, Touma," she indicated the mage, "this is Stiyl Magnus, my current magician partner."
Said boy just glared lightly at the newcomers, ignoring Touma's outstretched hand. "Why are you involving outsiders in this?" he asked, sticking to English.
She simply said in Japanese: "Because I trust them with my life." This earned her a surprised look from him, then he facially begrudged respect for his peers. A Saint's trust was by no means a small thing, and Kaori's character made it difficult to admit that someone held it, even when it was obvious.
"Stiyl," she tried to continue, but, "Oh! Oh! Let me, Kaori, let me!" Sighing, with a hidden wry smile, she allowed him to.
"Ahem," went Gomamon, getting down from Touma's shoulder and pointing to the same, "this is Kamijou Touma, our fearlessly misfortunate leader."
"Oi!"
Stiyl furrowed his brows. 'Him? A leader?' He'd have sooner believed the older boy to be a baker.
"His partner Agumon ain't here, so I'll introduce him later," Gomamon then motioned towards Mikoto, "this here's Misaka Mikoto, one of Kaori's riv-gmph!" He suddenly found the end of his partner's sheath in his mouth for a tenth of a second, accompanied by a glare, "I mean, close friends, and her partner Birdramon. Don't worry, normally she's smaller and is called Biyomon." The boys (excl. Touma) weren't the only ones that figured out that the girls thought of Touma in excess, though only they fully understood the reason for that.
"So why is she still, uh, you know," asked Stiyl. Gomamon looked at him as though he asked a stupid question, and replied as such, "Digivolving takes a lot of energy. It's like someone asking you to perform a tiring ritual. Would you take a break when you don't know if you'll need to start it up again?"
Annoyed by the small creature's tone, the mage had to concede its point.
"So, uh, where's the patient?" asked Touma. Mikoto had explained the situation as best as she could. Neither she nor Misaki understood too much about magic, even after all the time spent with Kaori and Itsuwa.
Kaori's friend Index had perfect memory, and an immunity to the poison of the grimoires, indestructible original books of magic, making her a perfect host for 103,000 such books to store in her memories.
Now, according to Kaori's superiors, those books were taking up most of her brain-capacity, the number set at 85%, leaving 15% for any remaining memories, which was equivalent to a year, supposedly.
However, in hindsight, anyone with basic math-skills could tell that, if that were true, then people with photo- or phonographic memory would never see the age of seven, and looking at her, no one would had guessed her to be any younger than ten.
Besides that, even someone with only a basic understanding of neurology like the level 0 knew that memories weren't the only part of the human brain, not to mention that even those were divided into several categories.
Basically, Kaori, Stiyl, all of Index' previous protectors and even Index herself had been lied to.
At Touma's comment, Stiyl glared, Birdramon and Gomamon chuckled, Kaori sighed in amusement and Mikoto smacked her forehead.
"What?"
"Touma sounds like a doctor." "Uh-huh."
"Have you been seeing Heaven Canceller too much?" Stiyl's jaw dropped. Kanzaki Kaori cracked a joke!
"He has. It's getting worse," Stiyl gave Mikoto a strange look, before seeing the younger girl's hidden grin.
"Shut up! All of you!" The accused pointed his finger at his tormentors one by one.
"Kaori? Stiyl? Who are you talking to?" Everyone turned to the new voice. It came from a short nun with silver hair and a white habit.
"Index! These are friends of mine," answered the Saint. "Touma, Mikoto, Birdramon, this is Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or just Index."
"Nice to meet you," the nun said politely in fluent Japanese.
Touma reached out his right hand. "Kamijou Touma. Pleased to meet you." As she shook his hand, nothing strange happened. Knowing it couldn't have been that easy, he still wanted to cover all of their tracks properly.
While Index exchanged greetings with Mikoto, he pulled Kaori aside: "Have you checked her head?"
"Everywhere. I found no runes or symbols anywhere," was the reply.
"Has to be somewhere, though," he said annoyed.
"I know. I trust Misaki's judgment, but I'm running out of ideas. By the way," she glared at him, "On the pain of losing that hand, don't let it touch her clothes." She was more than certain the Walking Church would turn to shreds if it did.
"Y-yes, ma'm!"
"Heh? So you're like Gomamon?" they heard the young girl say, as she tried, and failed, to analyze Birdramon. "Hope you can eat more than him!"
"Hey! That was a fluke! I'll win the next one, definitely!"
Cringing, Kaori's fellow Digidestined turned her way.
"Do-does that mean," started Mikoto.
"Th-that girl can," continued Touma. Both were too scared of the thought to finish it.
"Yes," confirmed Kaori, her mind still reeling from the memory of their 'food duel'.
"She 'forked' Gomamon."
Jaws dropping, they turned back to the scene.
"Ya know, with all that food, I'm surprised your teeth haven't fallen out! Kaori warned me about that once, or twice."
"Hehe, try every single time."
"Shut up, Birdramon!"
"How rude! I brush my teeth every day! Here, look!"
"Who'd wanna do that?!"
Gomamon's words lit a light rod in Touma's head. How many people would think, or want to, look into a person's mouth? Plus, the roof inside was also close to the brain.
"I'll look," he offered, gaining surprised looks. Kaori then immediately understood and nodded to the others.
Index, unsure of what was going on, came up and flashed her teeth at him.
'Wow, not only are they healthy, they look dangerous!' he thought.
"I'll need to check inside, as well, just in case-uwah!" Was she growling at him? Please someone tell him he was imagining it!
"He said just in case, Index," Kaori said, placating the girl, who reluctantly complied.
"Ah~!"
Touma looked carefully into her mouth.
"Hn?" He noticed an unusually dark spot at the, uh... that thing hanging in the back (AN: He means the uvula).
Holding his breath, since he was undoubtedly in for pain if he was wrong, he shoved his right hand fingers in to the back of her mouth, earning a muffled shout of protest before –
*CRASH!*
A shockwave blew everyone sans Kaori, who caught Stiyl, and Birdramon, who caught Mikoto and Gomamon, off of their feet. Touma landed on his back, painfully, between them.
"ERROR! ERROR! Collar has been damaged. Seal levels 5-3 destroyed. Attempting to reconstruct...failure. Attempting to analyze magic used...failure. "
"What the hell did you do?!" yelled Stiyl at the older boy.
"Stiyl! Look!" he turned to where the Saint was pointing, and stared flabbergasted at Index as she – or whatever was in control – formed multiple defensive magic circles around herself as she floated.
"But how?! She shouldn't have any mana!"
"Are you dumb?!" ranted Mikoto, having righted herself from the brief flight, "Even I know that everything alive on this plant has mana, heck, even the Earth has mana! How the hell should she not have any!"
"We were too busy listening to orders to think about that," admitted Kaori through her teeth, angry that Misaki had been right, though it was more because she didn't want to need to doubt the Archbishop.
As Touma got on his feet, she yelled at him: "Touma-kun! Full power!"
"Gotcha!" he replied, pulling out his own Digivice with his left hand and hold it out towards Index.
"Come out, Wargreymon!"
(Insert Digimon OST 'Brave Heart')
The Digivice glowed orange, releasing a small, orange dinosaur, before: "Agumon, warp digivolve to..."
The small creature glowed orange and grew to the size of a seven-foot American football player. His arms, legs, torso and head glowed, with armor materializing. Outlines of an orange, helmed dinosaur and another one with a mechanical arm and wings shone and faded around him.
Stiyl looked on in interest. Kaori never actually demonstrated a 'Digivolution' before, so it was his first time seeing one. Then he noticed something.
"Telesma?!"
Indeed. Ever since Venommyotismon, the Digidestend discovered that, while all digimon possessed trace amounts of telesma, Mega-level Digimon could generate it. The more telesma, the stronger the Mega.
"Wargreymon!"
There stood an orange dino-man warrior, ready for action.
"Source of Telesma detected of lower angel-class. Analyzing Magic...incomplete. Various symbols for Valor discovered. Attempting to construct Anti-spell...failure. Unable to determine opposing mana."
"What's the plan, partner?" asked the Mega Digimon.
"I need to touch her head again! Cover for me!"
"Gotcha!"
A new circle appeared and an orange beam shot forth, prompting Touma to stop it with his right hand at some twenty meters away from her. (app. 60 feet)
"! It just keeps going!" he grunted.
"Touma! I've got this!"
Wargreymon got between them, his Brave Shield blocking the attack.
"Be carefull you two!" shouted Kaori, "That spell is called 'Dragon Breath'! Just being grazed by it is deadly!"
"So John's Pen pulled out all the stops, since it couldn't determine any spells in their offense," said Stiyl, as the dino-man pushed against the blast, giving Touma space to rush ahead, only for it to switch over to him, forcing him to stop and block with his hand.
Wargreymon ran towards the girl, prompting her to swing back towards him, with the attack landing on his shield again.
"Kaori-san! We need to get them some distance!" cried Mikoto, earning a nod from the young woman.
"Salvare000," Kaori declared, as she brought out her sword, which had seven steel wires attached to it. These wires were used to cut the earth underneath Index, tripped her backwards and sending the Dragon's Breath up into the sky over Tokyo.
As luck, or fate, would have it, the beam also went over Academy City's airspace, so high that it hit a certain satellite in orbit.
Wargreymon and Touma were halfway there when a second circle joined the previous one, doubling the strength of the blast against the Digimon's shield.
"Shoot...can't...go forward."
On the contrary, Wargreymon was getting pushed back by the sheer power behind the beam, a clear warning sign that Touma wouldn't fare any better.
"Gomamon, help him out!" cried Kaori, pulling out her Digivice, which began to glow grayish-silver.
"Gomamon, digivolve to...Ikkakumon, digivolve to...Zudomon!"
The small Digimon first transformed into a large, white-furred walrus with a horn on its head, then into an even larger humanoid creature with orange fur, a jagged horn, two walrus tusks, a clawed left arm, a right hand armed with a hammer, and a dark-green turtle-shell covering its back.
"Attempting to analyze new threat...incomplete. Various symbols for Reliance discovered. Attempting to construct Anti-spell...failure. Unable to determine opposing mana."
Again, Index tried and failed to completely identify the new threat, which made his way behind the small Mega and added his weight against the lethal beam attack.
Its advance stopped, but they weren't making any progress.
"Man," said the Ultimate, "and I thought I throw a lot of weight into my attacks!"
"Birdramon, you too!" shouted Mikoto, pulling out her Digivice, which started to shine red.
"Birdramon, digivolve to...Garudamon!"
The large, prehistoric bird became a larger, humanoid bird-creature, with red feathers, talons on its hands and feet, and huge wings to support its weight, flying in above Zudomon and pushing against him, in turn adding force behind Wargreymon, who was now finally able to push back and advance.
"Attempting to analyze new threat...incomplete. Various symbols for Compassion discovered. Attempting to construct Anti-spell...failure. Unable to determine opposing mana."
And again, Index, or rather, John's Pen, couldn't gauge the Digimon, though Stiyl found it interesting how it could identify symbolism in what he understood to be a purely scientific being.
Upon reaching five meters distance, a third magic circle was layered between the other two, strengthening the attack to the point where all three Digimon were stopped in their tracks.
"Touma!" cried Wargreymon, "Now!"
The boy ducked out from behind his partner, making a break for the girl, who registered him and attempted to redirect her attack.
"Touma!"
Hearing Mikoto's voice, he rolled forwards to the left, letting her Railgun attack collide with the Dragon's Breath spell, producing a multitude of glowing feathers.
"Oooooaaaaaahhh!"
Reaching out, he tapped Index' face, breaking the magic circles and causing John's Pen to shut down.
"ERROR, ERror, final chapter, last verse. Collar has bee—"
And it fell silent, moments before a volley of lightning was unleashed upon the feathers around Touma, courtesy of the electromaster, shattering them harmlessly.
AN: before anyone complains about the Sisters, I'm replacing all of the 'named' one with the units that have the same digits past the ten thousand mark, i.e. No.10032 becomes No.32, and so on.
Read and review, please!