Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
Chapter 4: Sword of Yggdrasill
Late in the afternoon, an exhausted Janyu Wong had returned home to his apartment building. It had been a very long day at the office, one that had filled Janyu with a sense of dread. Ten years ago during the original adventures of Takato and his fellow Tamers, Janyu was recruited into Hypnos. More accurately he was drafted. Drafted because he was part of the original group that had created Digimon during the 1980s, the Monster Makers. But Janyu did play an instrumental in the battle with the D-Reaper by creating the Red Card that was the means of defeating the digital horror.
Since that time as Digimon became more publicly known and as more Tamers began to show up, Hypnos had retained the services of Janyu and his fellow Monster Makers. The purpose of the Monster Makers had been to study the Digital World and its inhabitants. A relaxing and quite fascinating job to say the least, but for the past month observation of the Digital World had become unsettling. Janyu was the one to spot them first, odd disturbances of some sort that could not be explained. At first the anomalies were minor, but over time they had started to increase.
No one on the team could figure out just what it was they were seeing, but Janyu had an idea of what it might. He didn't share his theory with the rest of his team though, or with Yamaki. He didn't want to say anything until he was absolutely sure. He hoped that he was wrong, prayed in fact. But the simple fact was that the D-Reaper was never destroyed, only regressed into a primitive and harmless form. Which meant there was a chance that it could evolve back into what it once was and begin the whole nightmare over again. So Janyu had to deal with the prospect of a returning apocalyptic horror, not to mention a rebellious teenage daughter at home.
That afternoon Janyu returned to find the door of the apartment slightly ajar, open to only darkness. A surge of worry shot up Janyu's spine as he immediately thought of all the worst-case scenarios. The most favorable one was that the apartment had simply been robbed while the absolute worst was that someone had come and murdered Suzie or worse. After a few moments Janyu bit the bullet and pushed open the door. Slowly he entered the apartment and heard noise coming from the den. Moving into the den he found that the T.V. was on. He noticed Suzie sitting on the couch wearing noting but an oversized white t-shirt.
"Suzie?" Janyu called, prompting the pink-haired girl to turn her head. Janyu noticed her pale skin and red eyes. Suzie's only reply was a rather predatory smile. "What on earth did you do to your hair?" He exclaimed, at last noticing Suzie's latest hairstyle.
Suddenly a fanged Lopmon leapt at Janyu from a dark corner of the room and went for his neck.
After their little battle, Parker and Wizardmon led Takato and his two Digimon friends to a warehouse along the bay. Upon entering the structure, Takato saw that a small folding table and two chairs had been set up in the middle of the large room. Not far away from the table on a crate was a small green portable T.V., and next to the crate was an iron-grey sleeping bag.
"Wizardmon and I have been crashing here since we came to your fair city." Parker explained as he went over and took a seat in one of the two chairs. Wizardmon sat down on a small crate only a few feet away from where Parker was sitting. "Go ahead, make yourself at home."
Had Takato not been so worn out from the previous battle he would have declined Parker's invitation to sit. But worn out he was, so Takato sat down and glared at Parker from across the same table. Guilmon took a seat next to Takato while Calumon flew up onto the table.
"Okay, I know you're still mad. But I can explain." Parker began. "First of all, I'm sorry I threatened your folks and their place of business over the phone like that. I wasn't really going to do anything. I'm not that kinda guy. That threat was just a bluff to get you to come here alone."
"Just tell me what the hell this is all about." Takato ordered. "What's this sword you and Wizardmon were talking about?"
"I think I'll let Wizardmon field that question." Parker replied.
"Long ago in the Digital World, thousands of years by your perspective," Wizardmon began, "there existed a powerful protector god known as Yggdrasill. In those ancient times, Yggdrasill came to the plain of the Digital World where I once resided and left behind a shard of itself. It told the elders of my homeland that the power of the shard could be used to destroy great even, but that only a certain individual could wield its power. So the elders had the shard forged into a sword, and for generations my clan has been entrusted with the task of finding the one who could use its awesome power."
"What happened to this Yggdrasill?" Calumon asked.
"According only to legend, Yggdrasill perished fighting a group of wicked Digimon whose names I shall not repeat here." Wizardmon answered.
"What does Nash have to do with all this?" Takato asked, sounding a little less angry.
"The deeds of you and your fellow Tamers became very well known even in my homeland." Wizardmon continued. "And after much thought I had decided to try finding the one to wield the sword here in your world. When I first arrived here I encountered Parker and thought that perhaps he was the one I had been searching for. As it turned out I was wrong, but he became my partner and together we learned how to unleash our full power."
"In the end I decided to help Wizardmon out with his quest." Parker interjected. "We talked about it for a long time and decided that the sword wasn't meant to be used by either one human or one Digimon, but by a human and Digimon team."
"Over time Parker and I learned more about your exploits Takato Matsuki." Wizardmon went on. "In the end we decided that the ones to wield the sword were either you and Sir Guilmon, or Ryo Akiyama and his partner Cyberdramon."
"Why Ryo and Cyberdramon?" Takato inquired.
"You would understand if you knew who they really were and where they really come from." Wizardmon replied.
"But that part doesn't really matter." Parker cut in. "You and Guilmon are our guys."
"Okay, say for a moment that I believe this story of yours." Takato said as he stood from his chair. "Why us?"
"I've lived a hard life Takato." Parker said with a slight chuckle. "Your friend the fed told you a little about that last night. Course that's only part of the story. But one thing I've learned is that anyone with a burning heart and unstoppable will can do anything, beat any opponent, crash through any obstacle. And you Takato old buddy, you and Guilmon have those two things in spades."
"But why did you challenge Takato and Guilmon to fight?" Calumon asked.
"Well Wizardmon and I needed to be sure we had the right guys," Parker explained, "so we had to test them. That's why I pretty much pretended to be a super villain on the phone last night. We needed them ticked off at us. And the fact that they beat us proves that they're the ones."
"Alright, so what are Guilmon and I supposed to do with this sword?" a still skeptical Takato asked.
"You must use it to fight a great evil that is on the rise as we speak." Wizardmon said ominously.
Jeri, or rather the thing that was using her body, walked through the city wearing black heels and a black low-cut mini-dress. As she turned left down the sidewalk three young men in their early twenties noticed her walk by and began to follow. Jeri knew that she was being followed though and smirked. The thing inside her had quickly learned that men become so much dumber when the blood flowing into their brains get redirected to their crotches. Seeing that her prey had taken the bait, Jeri turned into an ally that she knew had a dead end. The three young men followed in after her.
"Well, well, well." Said the leader of the trio, who was wearing baggy black pants, an orange hooded sweatshirt, and a green ski cap. "What's a pretty little thing like you doin' in this neighborhood? Are ya lost?"
"Are you gentlemen offering to show me around?" Jeri asked with a predatory smile.
"Oh, I can show you a whole lot more than that, sweet thing." The young man in the ski cap said as he advanced. His two friends snickering as he did so.
"Go ahead then." Jeri said as she backed up against the wall and took a seductive pose.
The ski capped young man went up to her, but when he went in to kiss her she bit him on the neck with her fangs. His two friends watched in horror as the color completely drained from his skin.
"Yoshi, you okay bro?" as his friend who had spiked blond hair and wore a blue t-shirt with a black skull on the front and tattered blue jeans. Jeri removed her fangs from Yoshi's neck and he turned around to face him. His eyes had become blood red.
"I assure you gentlemen that I am more than okay." Yoshi and Jeri both said together in sync.
"What the hell is goin' on here?" asked the final young man, who had slicked back dark hair and a terrified expression.
"No clue, but I'm gettin' the shit outta here!" the blond replied. They both turned around and started to run, but before they could even get out of the ally they heard a loud thumping noise coming down the street.
In moments a large Digimon that resembled a t-rex with a horned helmet blocked the exit. It was a Greymon, but its normally orange skin was as white as chalk and its eyes were shining a crimson red.
"There's no use escaping. I'm everywhere." Jeri said as she approached them with Yoshi.
"I suggest you make it easy on yourselves and join with me now." Yoshi recommended in a speech pattern that was practically identical to Jeri's.
Chaos had erupted at Hypnos HQ. Wild Digimon had started to appear all over the city. Yamaki was in his office having a loud phone conversation with the Chief Cabinet Secretary and a military general when one his system operators, Tally Onodera, entered the room.
"I'll call you back sir." Yamaki said into the speakerphone before hanging up. "What is it Tally?"
"Ten more Digimon just bio-emerged in Ikebukuro." Tally reported. "That brings the total up to forty-two."
"Did you call Janyu and the others?" Yamaki asked.
"They're on their way." Tally replied.
"One of them is here now." Said a voice from right outside the doorway. Janyu entered the office wearing a pair of sunglasses. "I came as soon as I could."
"I need you to start figuring out what's causing all these Digimon to appear." Yamaki ordered as he walked out from behind his desk. He failed to notice Janyu's pale complexion. "I'll be in the control room."
"Of course." Janyu said with a smile as he stepped aside to allow Yamaki to exit. Tally quickly followed after. "Oh Tally, could you come here for a moment?" Tally stopped and turned around. "I need to show you something."
"I'm afraid I'm needed in the control center right now sir." Tally told him. "Perhaps later…"
"Please, it's important." Janyu insisted. Tally sighed and walked up to him.
"So what is it that you need to show me?" Tally asked. Janyu opened his mouth and bared his fangs.
Back at the warehouse, Takato and Guilmon were still quite skeptical about all that Parker and Wizardmon had told them. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Guilmon gave Wizardmon a growl.
"I understand you mistrust of me Sir Guilmon." Wizardmon responded. "But we are on the same side. In fact both you and I are connected."
"How?" Guilmon asked.
"We can both become knights." Wizarmon explained. "It is no coincidence that our fully evolved forms are similar. Long ago, Yggdrasill created a powerful warrior to protect the Digital World and fight the wicked Digimon that opposed him. That warrior was the first knight, Alphamon. And there are certain Digimon who have the genetic potential to evolve into begins similar him. You and I are two such Digimon."
"Never mind that!" Takato interrupted as he stood from his chair again. "What's this evil that's supposed to be coming?"
"To be honest, we don't know." Parker admitted. "But we do have one theory. It's the D-Reaper."
"Oh come on! Now I know you're full of crap!" Takato exclaimed, flailing his arms. "My friends and I took down the D-Reaper years ago!"
"Yeah you beat it, but you didn't destroy it." Parker pointed out. "According to what Wizardmon and I found out, all you and your fed buddies could do was devolve it."
"Yeah, so?" Takato replied.
"So it could probably evolve back into what it used to be." Parker explained. "Maybe sooner than we all think."
"…Could it really?" Takato wondered, finally realizing what the rogue Tamer and his Digimon were implying.
"Why not?" Wizardmon replied. "As long as the D-Reaper exists in any form it is still a threat. The elders of my homeland believe that Yggdrasill foresaw the rise of the D-Reaper and left the shard so that we could create a weapon that could destroy it completely."
"Well then where were you and that sword ten years ago?" Takato asked.
"My people and I did not learn of your battle with the D-Reaper until after it had occurred." Wizardmon explained. "But that is not important now. For the past month I have been sensing the rise of a great power in the Digital World."
"And you really think it's the D-Reaper?" Takato asked.
"…Or something worse." Wizardmon said gravely.
"What could be worse than the D-Reaper?" a shuddering Calumon asked. Suddenly Takato's cell phone rang at his belt, causing the little Digimon to jump.
Takato took up his phone and looked at the caller ID. It was his friend Kazu.
"What's up Kazu?" Takato asked into the phone.
"Dude! Where the hell are you?" Kazu frantically asked on the other end of the line.
"Well, I'm at Tokyo Bay." Takato answered. "Why?"
"We've got major problems right now!" Kazu told him.
"Is it a wild Digimon?" Takato inquired.
"No! Well, yeah actually. A bunch." Kazu replied. "But it's worse than that! We've got vampires!"
"Vampires?" Takato repeated into the phone with a raised eyebrow. "Kazu, have you and Kenta been smoking pot again?"
"WHAT? Dude, we only did that one time in high school!" an offended Kazu yelled. "Look, I'm not kidding around! Go find a T.V. and see for yourself!"
Takato shrugged and decided to humor his friend. "Hey Nash, that T.V. of yours work?"
"Allow me." Wizardmon said as he aimed his staff at the small television set and fired a gold beam of light at it. The set turned on to a channel with a woman newscaster in a red blazer.
"We have reports that the number of Digimon sightings is continuing to increase." The newscaster said frantically on screen. "There are also sightings of people who seem to be exhibiting vampire-like qualities. These individuals are considered to be extremely dangerous. Be on the lookout for anyone showing signs of extremely pale skin, red eyes fangs, and in extreme cases visible veins. Authorities are unable to explain the cause of this strange illness, but it seems that some of the Digimon that have been appearing in the city are exhibiting the same symptoms. The military has already moved in and…"
"This is the threat that is worse than the D-Reaper." Wizardmon said over the newscast. "And it seems it has already risen."
Author's Note: Incase anyone was wondering, that was a wild Greymon that showed up in that one scene. Anyway, vampire infestations can spread like wildfire. All it takes is one. Jeri, or rather you know who, has already gotten to most of Takato's friends. He's got backup coming in the next chapter though. By the way, there's a reason why I mentioned the D-Reaper so many times in this chapter. You never will believe what part that thing plays in all this.
Please review and let me know what you think.
