DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon, but I do own the OCs introduced in this story and later stories (except where stated).
Time will play an important part in this story, so as a reminder:
Tokyo – JST (Japan Standard Time) UTC plus 9 hours
Digital World – UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) UTC
New York – EST (Eastern Standard Time) UTC minus 5 hours
All clocks will be to one of these times, and keeping a grip on times (and events that happen simultaneously) will add an interesting challenge to writing this, despite prior experience of dealing with two sets of times (Tokyo and the Digital World in previous books).
CHAPTER 7
Nations, Dates and Fates Part One
REAL WORLD
53rd and 3rd, New York City
08:02 EST
Jeri gradually woke from her blissful sleep, the light and sounds of life pouring through her window, as the city awoke from its weekend slumber and went to work. Yellow taxis flooded the streets, people flooded the roadways, and Terriermon's snoring flooded her ears. She looked to the dog-bunny, mouth wide open sleeping at the foot of Henry's bed. Elecmon himself awoke from his sleep, and noticed her glare at Terriermon, who continued to sleep unaware as Jeri decided to pour coffee beans down his throat.
Elecmon chuckled, as Henry gradually awoke himself. "Morning Jeri…" he greeted between yawns.
"Morning…" she replied, before sitting on the end of her bed. Terriermon was yet to wake up, despite the coffee beans now flooding his throat.
"Terriermon, you're snoring again…" Henry said loud enough to wake Terriermon up. Terriermon was about to reply, but began to cough up coffee beans. He looked around angrily.
"Who did that?" he asked. Jeri chuckled.
"You were snoring…" Elecmon told the rabbit, who pouted.
"It's not my fault!" he complained, before spitting up the rest of the beans, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
08:05 EST
Rika glanced away from the sight out of the window to Takato. Renamon was fully awake, although it seemed that she never truly slept, and Guilmon snored as ever. Takato slept soundly, and Rika smiled, the sounds of life in the city filling her ears. She looked across to the other building, and her smile quickly faded when she saw a shadow quickly jump across her field of vision.
"Huh?" she questioned.
"What's wrong?" Renamon asked.
"…nothing…just thought I saw something…"
Renamon nodded. "Are you going to wake Takato up?" she asked. Rika shook her head.
"Nah, he looks so peaceful when sleeping..." she replied, looking at his sleeping form. "Then again, we will want to go down for breakfast before they stop serving it…" she added, before walking over to him. She leaned over, and spoke gently in his ear. "Takato…Takato…WAKE UP!" she yelled, bringing him to with a start.
"Where am I?" he asked, disorientated, before noticing he was in the hotel. "Oh thank god…"
"Huh, why?"
"I was in a street, and there was this bioemergence. Nine shadowed digimon flashed past me…just like that…and then were gone…"
"That's odd…"
"Yeah, my dreams are strange…"
"Do you still dream of me?"
Takato nodded. "I had this dream the other day…we both had our wings…and we floated to the side of a huge red and purple rippling line…like water held up by glass, but the glass wasn't very strong. Then, suddenly, nine white and nine dark shadows flew out of it…and then I woke up…"
"Odd…"
"Yeah…still, when are we going down for breakfast?"
"Food?" Guilmon asked, suddenly waking up. Renamon chuckled.
"Do you have an innate food detection system or something?" she asked.
"I don't know, I'm not sure what you just said…" Guilmon replied, scratching his head.
"Can you sense food?"
"I can smell food…"
Renamon chuckled. Guilmon suddenly growled, and ran to the window, feral.
"What's wrong boy?" Takato asked.
"I saw something…"
"A Digimon?" Rika asked.
"I'm not sure…It's gone now…" Guilmon stopped being feral, and turned round. "Now, food!"
08:33 EST
Sora frowned, Tai seemed to have an innate ability of staying asleep regardless of any noise. She'd turned the TV on, loud even, with no effect, the city was loud, the lights were on, how on earth was she meant to wake him up?
"Stupid Tai…" she muttered, before trying to find something else to do, and failing. She turned back to him, and had an idea. She pressed her lips against his in a kiss.
She frowned at the lack of reaction, and shook his sleeping form violently.
"Tai, wake the hell up!"
Tai finally woke with a start. "What?" he asked, confused.
"How do you sleep like that?"
"Not sure…morning anyway…"
08:37 EST
By comparison to Tai, Kristy was hyperactive. She bounded about the room, gathering her clothes and awing at the view. "This is so cool!" she noted, as Kudamon watched her, gradually becoming dizzy. He sighed as she tripped up.
"Are you okay?" he asked. Kristy stood up, unhurt.
"Yeah…" she replied. "I'll stop running around now…"
"Good…" Kudamon replied. "When do you wish to go for breakfast?"
"Soon, I'm starved!"
08:45 EST
Kari awoke when Gatomon unceremoniously fell on her while trying out for the Olympic bed-bounding competition against DemiVeemon, who promptly fell on his partner waking him up as well. Davis woke with a start, a stark comparison to Kari who woke peacefully, and chuckled at the sight.
"DemiVeemon!" Davis complained.
"Sorry Davish…"
09:02 EST
Mari knocked on the door, and yet continued to get no reaction. "Ryder, are you awake?" she called through the door. Checking through her bag, she pulled out a card-key she had insisted on getting, and opened the door.
"Get out!" Ryder yelled, in the middle of changing into his usual day clothes. Mari blushed and quickly closed the door.
'Whoops…' she thought. Eventually, when Ryder was ready, he opened the door.
"How did you even get in?"
"Card key…" she replied cheerfully. "Sorry about that, by the way…"
"No problem…just…wait in future, I couldn't answer the door."
MiniDonmon followed behind his partner. "So what are we going to do today?" he asked.
"We'll have breakfast, then we'll go to the UN, then some shopping and finally the date you owe me…" Mari instructed, looking towards Ryder.
"Do we have to go shopping? I'd much rather sightsee, at least on the first day…"
"Fine…" Mari replied, irritated slightly. "I live here, that'll be boring…"
"Yeah, but you only see it from a local's point of view…" MiniDonmon noted.
"He has a point…" Ryder added. Mari nodded.
"Fine, we'll see the sights…meh, might be fun…" she replied, as they headed to the lift lobby.
"So what exactly do we have to do at the UN anyway?"
"Well, as far as I can tell you guys will be centre stage, and have to give various talks and be asked questions."
"Great…why not just make me faint from stage fright now?"
Mari chuckled, as the elevator doors opened. "Just picture them all naked…"
"Why?" Ryder asked as they stepped into the lift.
"They say it helps confidence…" Mari replied, pressing the button and watching the doors closed.
"Meh…" Ryder dismissed it, as the elevator rapidly descended, soon reaching the buffet floor. Exiting the elevator, they walked into the buffet and found most of the others, excepting Tai and Sora, sitting around a table.
"You'd be late to your own funeral…" Terriermon joked.
"Terriermon!" Henry objected. Ryder grinned.
"Momentai?" he suggested. Terriermon nodded, as Ryder took his seat next to Mari, MiniDonmon deciding to sit on the table.
"So does he go everywhere as MiniDonmon or what?" Tai asked. Ryder shook his head.
"Only when he needs to stay hidden…"
"Hidden in the shadows, until, I pounce!" he joked, leaping forward into a cereal bowl laid out for Ryder.
"That looks like fun!" DemiVeemon commented, he himself about to jump until Gatomon grabbed him by the neck. "Ow…" he commented.
"Not the smartest thing to do…" she noted. Mari chuckled, and left to assemble her breakfast, soon followed by most of the others, and Tai and Sora when they finally arrived.
"Guilmon, what did you see earlier?" Renamon asked, finally getting a chance to talk to him.
"Nothing, don't worry…"
"What did it look like?" Renamon continued.
"Just a black blur, and that tingling feeling you get when there is a new Digimon in the area…"
Renamon nodded. "Something strange is going on…"
09:32 EST
DarkRenamon frowned, as she leapt from roof to roof, trying to get to grips with this city, and a potential escape route if necessary. She was unsure why she expected to have to resort to escaping, Yggdrasil would never send any of his minions on a suicide mission. She backflipped and landed once again opposite the hotel, looking down to the roadway below. The two incarnates, their fellow Tamers and their partners exited the building, along with a brown haired girl on her own. She was not here to destroy the Tamers, her task was simply to separate Chaos and Harmony, also known as Takato and Rika. She followed them along the street, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, waiting for her chance to make her move. She knew that she would need to be patient in order to succeed at her task, and Yggdrasil in his wisdom had specified this. Her namesake looked up in her direction, as if she had been detected, and DarkRenamon quickly leapt out of sight. The yellow fox was spoken to by the red haired girl who was the current incarnation of Harmony. The yellow fox shook her head and continued walking. DarkRenamon frowned; she would have to be more careful than she expected in order to avoid detection.
She could not fail Yggdrasil.
DIGITAL WORLD
Apex
04:36 UTC
The perpetual light of the Apex contrasted sharply with the perpetual darkness of the hollow inside the Tree of Yggdrasil. Magnamon had returned from a mission, quelling a disturbance in the Western area (the Eastern area was rarely disrupted, being based on the peaceful Eastern Quadrant of the old Digital Worlds, and now stood calmly outside the tree, despite all that he had seen throughout the past few days. Duftmon similarly stood calmly, the other Royal Knights quelling disturbances in the Southern and Northern quadrants, and dealing with other matters.
Images flashed across Magnamon's vision.
The data of a thousand dead warriors, dissipitated into the air.
The elimination of Garudamon X by Dynasmon coldly.
The X-Antibody absorbed by himself.
"The murderous Royal Knights have oppressed freedom in this world long enough…" The Flaremon's words echoed through Magnamon's mind, making his steely form wince slightly. Duftmon raised an eyebrow.
"Something the matter Magnamon?" Duftmon asked, a tinge of concern in his voice.
"Huh? Oh, nothing…" Magnamon replied, breaking from his thoughts. Duftmon looked on with curious eyes, before deciding that nothing would come of asking, Magnamon was far too closed to tell of anything. Whatever was concerning him would be his own problem.
"Magnamon, do not trust everything at face value. Yggdrasil is lying to you!" The words of the Garudamon X equally echoed through Magnamon's head, driving him quietly insane. He turned to face the vast desert spanning the north-west corner of the Apex, and flew into the air.
"I shall return soon, I have some things to attend to…" he told Duftmon, who nodded.
United Nations Headquarters, Central Hall, New York City
10:34 EST
Henry gawped at the vast hall as the representatives gradually took their seats. Hundreds of representatives would be watching, and by the looks of the TV cameras aimed at them, millions of people in homes around the world, billions even, inevitably including Digital Watch members who would have a field day if anything were to happen. Security had been interesting; there had been concern at Ryder's non-existence at first, but Mari's official status and role in observing him for a week let them through. The fact that the UN HQ was international territory had surprised Henry, and he knew that the almost daily custom checks would become very tedious. Security guards at every exit reminded them of how tight the security was in the building.
At the front of the hall, various chairs had been laid out in the centre, in a point easily seen by the many representatives and video cameras. Whilst Takato, Rika, Henry, Jeri, Davis, Kari, Tai, Sora, Ryder, Mari, Guilmon, Renamon, Veemon, Gatomon, Agumon and Biyomon each had seats, Terriermon, Elecmon and MiniDonmon had preferred to sit on their partners head, or lap, or shoulder respectively.
Rika eyed the vast audience, a tinge of fear crossing her form. This was far more than she expected, rather naively in fact. She looked to Takato for reassurance, but he seemed just as petrified as her. She put her hand on his and looked into his eyes.
"Good luck…" she wished. He nodded.
"Same…" he replied.
"The United Nations is now in session…" the speaker proclaimed, quieting down the assembled representatives. "For the first item on today's agenda, we have some special visitors, related to the Digital Monster events occurring recently in America, Japan, Europe and other countries and continents. Today's meeting will be a general introduction, there shall be a more thorough debate and question and answer session in a future visit. For now, I introduce the Digimon Tamers, who shall introduce themselves. Please excuse any…lack of charisma…you will agree that standing centre stage in front of the world is daunting enough for us at time, not least children."
Takato nodded, and stood up nervously. "Erm…my name is Takato Matsuki, I'm 16 and this is my partner Guilmon."
Guilmon nodded. "Hi…" he said childishly, himself surprised by the busy room. Rika joined Takato standing up.
"My name is Rika Nonaka, I'm also 16 and this is my partner Renamon."
"It is an honour to meet you…" Renamon greeted the audience, her normal confidence reduced.
"My name is Ryder Stevens…" greeted the brown haired boy. "And this is my partner MiniDonmon…"
"Hey!" said the red and orange bat-like digimon happily.
'Nothing get's him down does it…' Mari thought, standing up. "My name is Mari Flynn and I am a member of the SDCO, Special Digital Control Organisation. I…um…haven't got a partner."
"My name is Kari Kamiya, and I'm 16. This is my partner, Gatomon…"
"Greetings…" greeted the white and purple cat.
"I'm Davis Motomiya, and this is DemiVeemon…"
"Hi!" greeted the blue in-training level.
"My name is Tai Kamiya, and this is Agumon…"
"It's a pleasure to meet you…" Agumon greeted.
"My name is Terriermon, and this is my partner Henry Wong!" Terriermon cheered.
"Terriermon!" Henry complained.
"What? I'm who everyone is here to see!" he joked. The audience chuckled, and Henry blushed with embarrassment.
'Okay, I think we got away with that one…' he thought.
"My name is Sora Takenouchi, I am 18 years old and this is Biyomon…"
"It's good to meet you…" the pink bird greeted.
"Hello, my name is Jeri Katou and this is Elecmon…"
"Morning…" the red and yellow dog greeted.
"And most importantly of all, my name is Kristy and this is Kudamon…"
"It is a great honour to meet you all…" greeted Kudamon, ever polite.
"Obviously, this isn't the whole group, there are far more of us back home, but good ol' Yamaki didn't want this turning into a holiday." Terriermon joked.
"Terriermon, I'm going to have to teach you the meaning of the word 'tact'!" Henry whispered to his partner, at a level that the microphones easily picked up.
"Are there any initial questions?" the speaker asked the representatives. Some hands rose.
The British representative spoke first. "Yes, I would like to inquire why one of the Tamers' has a British accent despite I never having been informed that the UK ever had Tamers?"
Ryder frowned. "I'm afraid that is far too personal to tell…"
Various other questions followed, about general things such as what were Digimon, is there any potential threat to them being in the room with all the computing devices, and so on. Rika's attention wavered, enough for her to notice a familiar-yet unfamiliar face near the back of the hall, with a red blob on her shoulders touched by red hair.'Rey?' Rika thought.
"I would like to thank the Tamers for their attendance at this meeting, and would like to note that I am personally interested in discovering more about their fascinating world in the following sessions. Now, onto international business…" he continued, as the Tamers and Digimon were lead out. As soon as she was out of sight, Rika hurried up the steps.
"Rika?" Takato asked, promptly following after her. The corridors were complex, and he quickly lost her.
"Why'd she run off?" Guilmon asked, as he came to a stop.
"I'm not sure…" Takato replied.
"Why are you here?" Rika asked, having finally caught up to Rey. Rey frowned, turning around.
"Today is of personal significance to me…" she replied.
"Why?" Rika asked.
"You couldn't possibly conceive why Rika…" she continued, frowning.
"Why? And why haven't you aged at all?"
"It is a time machine Rika…weeks for you are but mere seconds for me. Now, I have more dates to pursue, ones that will hopefully lead to my intended result."
"Intended result? What are you talking…?"
The white blur signalled that she was too late, as Rey and Rejimon vanished into thin air once again. Rika frowned, as Takato arrived just too late.
"She escaped again!" Rika complained angrily. Takato tried to put a brave face on things, as he pulled her into a hug.
"We'll find out soon enough Rika…"
"She said that today was of personal significance to her…"
"Maybe because of that big meeting?" Guilmon mooted. Rika shook her head sadly, pulling out of the embrace.
"No, she said that we couldn't possibly conceive why…"
Takato frowned. "Wanna go sightseeing?" he then asked, turning an about face on his emotions. Rika nodded sadly.
"Sure…" she replied cheerfully, with the ever-present hint of sadness in her voice.
Freedom Tower Construction Site
11:55 EST
The Tamers stood around what was once the site of the World Trade Centre complex. Plaques had been put up around the edge of the Freedom Tower construction site, a structure that now towered into the air above them. Mari smiled at the display of undefeated pride to rebuild and outdo that was a characteristic of her country, as her eyes were drawn to the numerous names. She sighed at the names, ever a testament to remembering the lost.
'If my parents were even remotely remembered by anyone else I would feel happy…it feels like only I know of them ever existing…'
The Tamers had begun to gather in a group once again and Ryder took Mari's hand, noticing her sadness, and lead her over to the rest of the group.
"I think we should split up and sightsee…" Davis suggested. The others nodded.
"Okay then, we'll explore the city and meet up in Central Park about five, okay?" Sora suggested. The others nodded, and went their separate ways as couples.
"Who do I go with?" Kristy asked.
"You can come with us…" Jeri suggested standing next to Henry.
"Great!" Kristy replied, following Henry and Jeri away from the tower. DarkRenamon stood watching on a building nearby, and she decided who she would follow. She leapt away in the direction that Takato and Rika had gone.
DIGITAL WORLD
Solder Desert
07:01 UTC
Magnamon landed in the middle of the desert, whipping up sand in his wake. The occasional Digimon and rock formation had been all he had sighted on his long voyage, as the desert continued to stretch off for miles. The desert ebbed and flowed, rising and falling across the area like a solid ocean. Magnamon glanced at the unchanging area, and frowned. He looked down to the disrupted sand and then to hand, which glowed slightly for natural reasons, exemplified by the X-Antibody. He frowned, as a blast of air swept across the land, whipping up sand in its wake.
"Why do I doubt Yggdrasil?" he asked out loud. "What possible reason would I have?" he added.
The grains of sand continued their silence, and Magnamon frowned.
"Why did Imperialdramon found the Royal Knights?"
No reply.
"Why is Yggdrasil sending us to slaughter hundreds of Digimon?"
No reply.
"Yggdrasil is all-perfect, he must be correct in what he does."
The wind seemed to disagree with him, as it swept across the sand.
"And yet why does he seem to have no reason for this?"
The silence echoed his lack of knowledge. Magnamon screamed silently within his head, golden energy forming in his hand.
"ANSWER ME!" he roared insanely. "MAGMA BLAST!" he screamed out in frustration, the sand being solidified into glass. He breathed deeply as glass slowly collapsed into little piled, trickling on the ground below.
A breath. Another breath, both differently timed. Magnamon looked to the side.
"Thank you.." a voice said. Magnamon noticed a human girl with red hair, hazel eyes and a red blob-like partner with white ears on her shoulder.
"Huh?" Magnamon asked. Scrapes graced the girl's skin, but other than that she was oddly unharmed. Light glinted off her necklace, catching Magnamon's eyes. A black device on her right arm contrasted with the bright sand, and had red and blue lines surrounding the screen and the buttons. On her other wrist was a metallic device with a dial and buttons.
"Thank you…" the girl repeated. Magnamon frowned.
"Why are you thanking me? I have done nothing for you."
"You'll know one day…"
"Hmm…maybe you can answer my problem…"
"That being?"
"I am concerned that Yggdrasil is no longer acting in the best interests of the Digital World."
"Try talking to him…"
"He never replies with anything informative enough…"
"Order a reply…the Royal Knights must know the truth…"
"What truth?"
"In time…" she replied. "Goodbye…" she added, pressing the button on her left wrist mounted device and vanishing into thin air in a flash of light. Magnamon looked on in confusion.
"Did I imagine her?" he considered aloud. Once again receiving no reply from the sands, he set off into the air, whipping the yellow specks out in his wake.
END OF PART ONE...
I've split this (previously very long) chapter into two parts for ease of reading (and so that a new chapter is published for your reading pleasure). Please review.
