Digimon Universe part 7
"True and False,"
In another world, at another time… a young man was hard at work writing on what appeared to be a laser board of some kind. He is in what appeared to be a study with numerous books all shelved neatly on one side of the room in a tall book case. The other wall consisted of the board, and in between the two is a large oak desk. The room was bland at best having no personality or any showing of what kind of person used it. Just tan walls, brown carpet and one window with the blinds drawn. With the young man, he is writing on a thin board with a marker in hand as he began writing down numerous thoughts and ideas. Placing names down, percentages, strengths, weaknesses, and all battle observations he's made up to this point. He was quite dedicated to master this information and understanding what it all meant. However, one thing he knew next to nothing about was surrounded by question marks, the name was Chronomon. The name was an enigma, the power the creature held unmeasured, and the potential danger the universe was in, extreme. That was just about all he knew, and he hated not knowing the full story.
A glowing vortex of light shined behind him and out stepped a golden angel. The young man didn't even turn to face him or greet him still absorbed in his work. But he managed to glance back with his eyes. "What took so long, I expected you back sooner?"
"Takeru's living situation is quite complicated; he managed to awaken before I could actually drop him off. I couldn't drop him off at his mother's house, or at the Hida's residence either. In his condition I had to deliver him to his world's Reliable," GoldSeraphimon explained as he shrunk down back to Patamon. The look of this Patamon was the same as any other, except for his golden eyes and larger size. "You seem troubled,"
"I am…the information I have isn't shallow at all. I need more if we want to win this fight. This plan Hakeru gave us is futile and will only delay the inevitable,"
"You work too hard,"
"Well someone has too,"
"You know you don't have to prove anything,"
"I'm supposed to give everyone hope, that's my responsibility. It's why I'm here,"
"That's true when it deals with fighting, not living. You should try harder at creating your own life. Before you know it you're gonna turn into Knowledge,"
"I think I'm better at drawing the line simply through my genes,"
"Whatever the case. You should try and get to know the others,"
"Others?"
"Ya know, your others,"
"They're not my others,"
"They are now, you don't have to out work them to prove something. You're great, no matter what you do, so why not take a break," Hope groaned at the comment. "You're at a dead end anyway, you may as well take a break and feed me,"
Hope stifled a chuckle. "Ah so that's what it was. Usually, you'd just go about your merry way unless you're hungry,"
"So?" his Patamon said landing on his shoulder. Hope smirked as he sat the marker down for the moment. He walked out toward the exit of the room to almost bump into another young man slightly older than him.
"Careful Knowledge," his partner warned keeping the young man from colliding with Hope and helping him keep papers straight.
"Oh sorry," Knowledge said offhandedly. Then he simply slipped inside the Study with Tentomon offering a quick apology and followed him.
"And I'm just like that?" Hope asked.
"Well…I guess you're not that bad…" Patamon admitted. Hope navigated the halls of the mansion like facility. Hope casually walked through the halls heading toward the kitchen since his Patamon so desperately wanted food. He supposed a snack would do them both some good. After a few twist and turns of the home he arrives in the kitchen where he sees Sincerity and Palmon in the midst of making something. "Mmm…that smells good…" Patamon moaned.
Sincerity smiled sweetly at the new arrivals, which made Hope flinch back a bit. He knew that look, she must've just tried a new recipe and she needed a geannie pig. Hope saw himself and Patamon in a possibly precarious situation. On one hand Sincerity was a pretty good cook and the meals she made were often quite tasty. However, the dark side of it is that the food can sometimes taste the polar opposite. No one understood it. One day her cooking would be held as the finest of foods. Other days it caused explosive cases of food poisoning, and other hazards. The Digimon made up most of the good reviews since they weren't hard to please as long as it's not dirt or totally disgusting.
"Hi guys, I'm trying this new roast recipe I found, wanna try some?" Hope had long learned the proper way of answering this question.
"I would, but I know Patamon is hungry and he's not fond of sharing," Hope said excusing himself. He learned that saying he wasn't hungry didn't work, and that one little taste could indeed hurt. So he allowed his Digimon to serve as the taste tester. It seemed to not matter to Patamon that he was being used as a scapegoat. Hope sighed in relief as he watched his Digimon rush over to sample the roast. This left Hope a moment to himself as he stepped out to think. He stood against the wall in the main family room for a moment. His mind once again wandered to Chronomon. Clearly the creature was powerful, and from what was previously stated it has already consumed numerous other Takerus. He wondered how the worlds would hold up with…the Death of hope. Hope had wanted to take a peek in these other worlds but his ear piece is only linked to the other worlds of TK, Tak, and Takeru. He wanted so badly to view what the worlds were like beyond this one.
"Hey there," came a voice to his right. He jumped in surprise at the intrusion of his thoughts and looked to see it is Light, this world's Kari, and her catlike Digimon Gatmon loyally by her side. Light is like Hope but is an older version of Kari. Her hair is kept in a ponytail, pink highlights, bright pink eyes, and she stood a few inches shorter then Hope. She wears a white tank top, a white skirt, and white slipper shoes. "I see you have your thinking face on,"
"And knowing that you interrupt my thinking," he said with a frown. She planted a small kiss on his check to make his frown lessen.
"Well you do it a lot already, I don't see why you keep troubling yourself. Chronomon is an issue we can deal with,"
"You don't fully understand Light,"
"Well, from what conversations I've had with the other holders of Light, the four of you are going to wind up getting yourselves killed," she said with a distasteful look at him as she folds her arms. Hope bit back his tongue surprised.
"How did you-?"
"I used Knowledge's computer to get in contact with the other Kari's. We all have a unanimous vote that you guys may wind up getting yourselves killed if you don't learn how to work with each other, and work with us!"
"What?"
"TK took on a whole horde of Digimon and didn't so much as call for help. He got roughed up pretty bad from what I heard. Takeru, as I'm sure you know, was beaten up so bad he was bleeding, yet he never called for any help,"
"Well he called me prior to his beat down," Hope justified.
"And Tak seems like he has the opposite problem. The others won't stop helping him to the point they try and cut him out the fighting all together," Gatomon added.
"He is the weakest link out of the four of us,"
"Well he won't get any stronger unless he Digivolves, or however it works in that world,"
"Yeah, Kar is really worried that if Chronomon finds out how disadvantage he is that he'll send something really bad that could really hurt him and the others will have no way of helping him," Light explained.
"So what we gotta babysit him?"
"The least you can do is watch out for him,"
"Fine, anything else?"
Light looked quite offended. "Do you feel I am nagging you?"
"Uh oh…" Gatomon muttered stalking off to the side.
"Uh, n-no of course not," Hope quickly said stepping into defense mode while holding his hands up in a surrendering motion.
"Then why do you sound so annoyed?"
"I just-well, uh I'm…" Hope stopped his stuttering realizing there was no right answer to this question so he just sighed admitting his defeat.
"We're all worried about this thing Hope, and we don't know what it'll do if it gets you,"
"Isn't that obvious, it'll kill me," Light's eyes tensed up a bit at his word choice.
"Yeah, but if that was the case then wouldn't it be easier to use the knowledge of Hakeru, the most powerful TK in the universe, to destroy everyone. It seems like this thing has another play it's trying to get at," Gatomon gave her input. Hope looked at the cat Digimon then to the floor in thought. That was a very good point. Hope is one of the strongest powers the Digidestined have. It has the power of two Seraphimons, Hakeru, and is slowly growing stronger as it opens portals in different worlds. If the Death of the wielders of hope is the goal surely it would be easier to do it in one foul swoop then sending an entire Digital Line after them.
"This calls for a bit more research," Hope said brightly glad that the road block from looking into the matter more was gone. He looked to Light with a smile as he hugged her thanking her for the talk.
"Buy me dinner and we'll call it even," she said, however in the back of her mind she felt that Hope was only grateful for the helpful words to his research and not the ones about everyone's concern for his safety.
Suddenly, there was a ringing sound coming from Hope's pocket. He quickly fished it out to put it in his ear. When he did a holographic screen appeared over his right eye that was flashing the word alert in red. The screen displayed a distortion in space and a Digimon was appearing in the real world somewhere close by. "Well now…let's see what Digimon I must deal with…huh a Baromon,"
"How many?" Light asked.
"Just one, sounds simple enough," Hope turned towards the kitchen. "Patamon we gotta go!" he called the winged Digimon.
"Hope, I understand that it's only one but these guys are getting stronger. The numbers of enemies are decreasing but the amount of power they have is increasing,"
"How do you know that?"
"Because I actually talk to the other me's to try and understand and get a full spectrum. Hint I'm learning more about this Chronomon then you are on your own brain power,"
"They aren't really you, ya know that right…" Hope stated.
"I don't care!" Light exclaimed. "I know what we are, to this world, but we're still part of it like it or not. We play our part here, but it shows that we can be more if you could understand the vastness of what you're fighting for,"
"Please, tell me what I'm fighting for, what all of us are fighting for,"
"Well at first it was to prove that we were better, and for acceptance. That's how all of us felt at first," Light then stared sternly at Hope. "But now it's just you,"
"Whatever, I have to go, Patamon come on!" Hope called again moving past Light to head toward another room.
"Iamam cuomang!" Patamon cried with a face full of food as he flapped his wings to fly through the room and after Hope.
"Ugh, another fight…this starting to scare me Gatomon. We've been fighting more and more lately…"
"I know, I miss the days when you had him tied around your little finger," Gatomon snickered. However, upon seeing her partner's worried face she got serious in order to comfort her partner. "He's under a lot of stress, a super powerful being wanting to hunt you down can do that to you. I'm sure he feels like he doesn't want anyone involved cause he doesn't want anyone hurt. That's who is, right down to his DNA, can't fight genetics,"
"So what about me and him…are we just living out a fantasy or a relationship that was already decided?"
"You guys have to realize that you still have choices despite where you came from. You and him broke up at least three times so it's hard to say when you two will finally decide to stop fooling around!"
"The first time was because we were nine and everyone said we were too young for that," Light said with a smile as she sat down. "Ugh!"
"Hey Light what's wrong?" Courage said popping his head into the room.
"Men,"
"…" Courage gave her a blank stare before slowly retreating back from whence he came.
"Next time I'll say something like being bicurious," Light sighed. It was known by everyone that Hope and Light's relationship was complicated, and under no circumstance should you give advice, get involved, or takes sides. When the two strongest members of your team have a falling out, everyone loses.
"Smart move Courage, smart move…" Gatomon muttered in a low voice.
(BREAK)
Currently Hope was riding on the shoulder of his GoldSeraphimon as they flew through the air at super speeds. They went past the rooftops of cities, covering miles of land in mere minutes. They were heading toward a popular location, a place called Mount Fuji, and a very popular tourist attraction. Hope was well aware of the dangers of the civilians getting in the way. Boramon was possibly causing mass chaos as do all the other strange Digimon Chronomon sends.
"To what end does sending these Digimon meet?" Hope wondered aloud.
"Testing us maybe," GoldSeraphimon responded.
"For what?"
"Who knows, but I certainly feel tested. He's sending creatures that are powerful, but not entirely impossible to defeat. Honestly, so far nothing has challenged us. Separately the four of us are nearly unstoppable and there isn't really anything he can do, so the question is what is he really up to?"
"I aim to find out right now," Hope said as they approached the scene from above. Hope had grabbed a light jacket before heading out and as GoldSeraphimon touched down he threw himself off the angel's shoulder. There were numerous people panicking and running away from the base of the mountain that was being pelted with large boulders. The duo looked up to see Baromon on the side of mountain causing mass chaos.
"Is he trying to kill someone!?" Hope gasped.
"…Seems like he's trying to clear the people out," his partner corrected.
"A super dimensional being cares about collateral damage?"
"Apparently,"
"Well let's go ask why," Hope said as GoldSeraphimon picked him back up to soar through the air. As they got closer they were able to make out what had to be Baromon. The Digimon had on strange tribal garbs possibly based on the religion of Buddhism. Crazed blue face showing his yellow teeth, wild red hair, beady eyes, wearing a traveler's cloak, with brown gloves and boots, and tribal gown. Baromon stared down the mega and his partner.
"Meteor-,"
"WAIT!" Hope called making the Digimon stop in the middle of his attack. GoldSeraphimon was a little surprised that worked. "Chronomon, what is it that you want?" Hope demanded. Baromon simply stared at Hope with a blank expression.
"Hope, you might be wasting your breath. Chronomon's consciousness is spread too thin for him to focus on just us,"
"You're wrong about that," came Chronomon's voice in the voice of a young 8 year old Takeru. "You four are the ones who have my absolute attention. I mean those other Takashi's in the universe are so pathetic, weeding them out has been so mundane,"
"What is the point of all this Chronomon?" Hope said stepping forward. "Why keep fighting this useless battle, you'll never beat us with the Digimon you're sending?"
"Have you ever felt that life wasn't fair?"
"What?"
"That everything is predetermined, that it is fate that we are who we are and we never truly have the right of choice,"
"What are you saying?" GoldSeraphimon asked growing tired of the misleading nature of Chronomon's responses.
"The Universe is composed of rules and regulations placed in each dimension. The Digidestined exist to fight alongside Digimon. Sometimes for good, sometimes for evil, but there is never a choice of not choosing to fight. There is never a choice of truly being free to be who you are. The universe is made of carbon copies all performing the same task over and over in different ways. The monotone has to end!"
"You're crazy,"
"No, it is this multiverse that is crazy, it's pure insanity. Going through the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result,"
"What are you talking about?"
"Ah, you have not seen what I have seen. The X Digidestined kept a lot from Hakeru…but then again he kept secrets of his own…"
"Secrets, what secrets?" Hope asked feeling a motive coming on. Could it be that Hakeru instilled Chronomon with the drive to destroy the universe?
"You'll have to keep playing…" Chronomon's childish voice teased as Baromon looked to come out his statue state.
"Wait!" Hope yelled stepping forward, but Baromon was back in attack mode before he knew it.
"Meteor Dance!"Baromon exclaimed performing a set of movements that unleashed a raining storm of meteors down on Hope and GoldSeraphimon.
"Fine, play it that way," Hope said annoyed as he and his partner fell back flying away from the hailing storm to avoid damage. However, the attack did serious damage to the side of the mountain. Hope knew that despite common belief that the mountain is an actual volcano that could possibly do serious damage if it did erupt. He realized the chances of it happening were slim to none, but if Baromon kept up with attacks like that it would be impossible to avoid. "Set me down and go at him,"
"You sure?" his partner asked.
"I'll be fine, go," Hope said. GoldSeraphmon chose a high perch overlooking the fight then went back down to confront Barmon directly. A golden blade shot out each are respectively. The angel rushed forward with the intent to cut down Baromon.
"Holy Excalibur!"
"Storming Knives!" Baromon reacted unleashing glowing knife like objects from the inside of his cloak as it went rushing at GoldSeraphimon. The angel deflected each attempt easily and avoiding any damage. He pushed through the attack to unleash a sword beam of holy energy that went rushing at Baromon. It made contact slamming the Digimon into the side of the mountain.
"This ends now," GoldSeraphimon said simply rushing forward. However, the unexpected happened as suddenly a powerful burst of flames slammed into the angel throwing him away and toward the base of the mountain. Hope looked in awe struck to see Baromon floating in the air covered in flames. The Digimon rose into the air toward the summit of the mountain.
"What is he up to?" Hope said curiously. He figured he got his answer as the mountain began to shake viciously signaling an eruption.
"Impossible, Mount Fuji shouldn't be erupting!" Hope exclaimed trying not to fall of his perch. "GoldSeraphimon!" he called as the angel rushed to him in mere moments.
"Stop him, he's going to awaken the volcano,"
"Alright, let me get you somewhere safe first,"
"No time just go!"
"But-,"
"I'll be fine, I'm not defenseless, go!" the angel clearly had some reserves but appealed to his partner's interest as he went toward the sumit. Hope pulled out his communication device then pressed a button on the side. "Listen, I may need some assistance, get here as soon as you can," he said. The mountain began to shake even more then before as the lava on the inside of the mountain was coming to a boil after so many years.
GoldSeraphimon was at the top by now looking on the sides of to see Baromon, on fire, seeming trying to call out the dormant lava from the inside. The golden angel dove toward the Digimon to halt the ritual before it could go any further. Baromon noticed him and turned to hold up his hands to unleash a stream of lava at the angel. GoldSeraphimon narrowly dodged it, but felt the heat of the attack all the same which made him fault a bit. Baromon unleashed another Storming Knives at the angel throwing him out the air and roughly to the ground. Baromon then performed a Meteor Dance to rain down more pain onto the angel while he was down. However, GoldSeraphimon was far from out. He rushed forward showing his golden blades and slashed at Baromon. The tribal Digimon barely avoided the attack, but was knocked away by another sword beam in the shape of an X. Baromon struggled to get back up, but GoldSeraphimon would give him no chance.
"Golden Blast!" GoldSeraphimon exclaimed shooting a golden beam from his chest. The attack went straight for Baromon but somehow the Digimon used the lava to shield himself from the blast. But the shockwave through him into the bubbling lava in the mountain. "Well that's that," he moved to return to his partner, but was rudely interrupted by a streaming of lava slamming into his turned back. The scolding hot liquid mixed in with the shock threw the golden angel out the air and rolling down the entirety of the mountain. Hope saw his rapidly falling partner and called out his name. The mountain again shook making Hope almost lose his footing, but he managed to stay on. However, he saw the lava seeping out the top at a steady pace as it came racing towards him. In the lava he could make out the visage of Baromon clearly still alive and all powerful thanks to the volcano. Baromon reached out for Hope making him cringe back having him choose from a deadly fall to burning to death.
"Hallowed Knuckle!" a sphere of energy slammed into Baromon throwing his lava fused body back and Hope was scooped up by another angel Digimon. Hope observed it to see it was Seraphimon, but not his Seraphimon. It lacked the golden armor, but it has gold wings and a golden cross with the crest of hope blazing on his chest. "Thank you for flying air Seraphimon," the angel said as it returns to the base of the mountain to where GoldSeraphimon was gathering himself. Hope leaped out Seraphimon's arms and over to GoldSeraphimon. "You're welcome…"
"Are you okay?" he asked his partner. GoldSeraphimon manages to get to his feet.
"Yeah, just took me by surprise,"
"And I'm sure that fall didn't help," Seraphimon added.
"You saw that and didn't help?" GoldSeraphimon asked annoyed.
"Well it was either help you or Hope. I'd knew you'd survive but Hope was in a rough spot. Alright, now that we're here this will be easy," Seraphimon said turning his attention to the mess of lava moving around at the top of Mount Fuji.
"I doubt it, Baromon seems to get his power from fire,"
"Yeah, and right now he's infused with fire given liquid form," Hope added.
"Well, I had this guy looked up before I got here. Way I see it, we can either separate him from the lava or destroy him while he's still bonded with it. I mean we could probably do either one between the two of us,"
"Separating him seems like more trouble than it's worth honestly. Lets just take him out,"
"Okay, lets do it," Seraphimon said unsheathing his single golden blade from his right arm.
"You only have one?" GoldSeraphimon asked unsheathing both of his swords.
"It'd be unfair if I had two, we'd be too awesome for our world to handle,"
"Whatever, just beat this guy already," Hope said.
"Right," GoldSeraphimon led the charge as Seraphimon followed. Both angel were rushing forward and suddenly a power was being shared between the two of them. Their blades began shining brighter then ever before.
"Golden Excalibur!" they both exclaimed. All three blades slashed in different directions at the lava covered Baromon. Not only was it's connection with it's main source of power gone, but it started to fall to pieces as well. Seraphimon and GoldSeraphimon looked at each other in awe for a moment.
"That power again…" Hope muttered as both Seraphimon joined him. There was a glowing and both of them shrunk down. His Seraphimon became Patamon who flapped over to land on his shoulder, and the other separated into a young teenage boy and his Patamon on his head.
"What do you mean again?" TK asked.
"That power was what helped NoirSeraphimon and I beat Rhinomon. It's weird, it's like a rush of power comes over us and with it we can overwhelm anyone," Hope's Patamon explained. TK looked up in thought then turned toward Hope.
"Wow you guys are old, even your Patamon looks older, and bigger," TK said stepping forward to get a better look at the alternate version of himself. He looked him up and down seeing as he stood only to his shoulder. Hope was clearly growing annoyed.
"Stop acting like a child, this is serious!" Hope exclaimed.
"I know, but it never hurts to have some fun every now and then. Don't be so uptight,"
"Wow…is this what he was like?" Hope questioned out loud.
"What who was like?" TK asked.
"Nothing, just glad I'm not like you,"
"Hope…" Hope's Patamon moaned.
"Well it doesn't much matter," TK said with a nonchalant shrug. "We are who we are. We're the same in a lot of ways, just expressive of it in different ways,"
"What makes you think you know me TK?"
"That crest around your neck does," TK said pointing at the object around Hope's neck. "I see you got to keep yours after the battle with Apoclyamon,"
"Yes…that battle…had many conditions," Hope said turning around making TK face his back. TK tilts his head in confusion.
"So, what's your story?" TK asked placing his hands on his hips.
"My story?"
"Yeah, see Takeru is, well more like was a evil version of me, Tak is the future kid, and I'm like the humorous one,"
"More like annoying," Hope said as he began to walk away.
"Awe come on Hope, it can't hurt for us to know something about each other," TK said following him.
"Uh, guys maybe we should continue this somewhere else," Hope's Patamon said as the local authorities were about to arrive.
"Right, DigiArmor Energize," Hope said as his Patamon changed into Pegasusmon. This Pegasusmon was built much stronger then TK's and is bigger. "You should probably head home now," Hope said sitting on his Digimon.
"No ride?" Hope kicked Pegasusmon's sides to instruct him to take off into that air. "Guess not…" TK opened a portal back to his world.
"He seems nice," Patamon said which prompted TK to give him a look as he entered the portal.
"Yeah, as nice as standing in a harsh blizzard wearing shorts,"
A/N: Okay, the TK's have been introduced now. Now if you haven't noticed yet this will be shifting between each world for each chapter. Exploring more of how similar the TKs are and their key differences. I hope you've enjoyed so far. Please review by clicking the button down there.
