DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon, but I do own the original characters introduced in this story and my other stories (except where stated otherwise here or elsewhere by myself).

A/N: Cheers again go to Crazyeight for beta-reading.

DIMENSIONS

BOOK SEVEN

Escapes

By Blazing Chaos

CHAPTER NINE

Phase One

Terriermon

FRIDAY, 13th MAY 2011

Wong Residence, Shinjuku Ward

11:28 JST

"Dad?"

"Henry. You…"

"Dad, are you alright?"

"Yes, I am right now. Is everyone there okay?"

"Yeah, but we're a bit shaken. I can't believe this is happening."

"Henry, we haven't got the time. You have to get out of there, all of you."

"I know, but what about you, Dad?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll find you guys, but you have to get to safety."

"My friend, Izzy, contacted us all and said to go to the hideout."

"But will you be safe there?"

"I don't know but I hope…Dad? Dad? Are you there? Dad!"

It was at that moment that Terriermon was finally snapped from his dozing, his ultra-sensitive ears only then truly catching Henry's deep panic in the next room over the phone.

Yet, it still didn't seem enough to make him move from his unbelievably comfortable place on Henry's bed, the room still dimly lit and no-one having truly bothered to wake him up. Perhaps they didn't want him to annoy them, perhaps they were simply being nice, and in all honesty Terriermon truly didn't care or mind. He was used to people endlessly saying they were annoyed by him – he rather took pride in how many times he could get people to say it in a week. It was a mere game, and he knew that deep down they loved him and wouldn't want life without him.

"Well, most of them at least."

"Henry, where is he?!" came the panicked voice of their mother, worry laden deep in her voice about some unknown thing. Terriermon stayed where he was, a tingle of curiosity in his mind but one that he knew would be just as easily satisfied by lying there as it would be if he made his own investigations.

"I…I don't know," Henry's voice said, sounding loose and unsure of itself as Terriermon chewed his lip. This was getting closer and closer to the point where he would have to make a move – something really bad was definitely going on outside. It seemed far too early though, too early for…

Terriermon finally noticed the sight of a number of red figures in a dot matrix style, projected onto the ceiling right at the top of Henry's bed from a small alarm clock on the side.

"Half eleven?! Why didn't he wake me?" he complained out loud, his belief that it was still early in the morning quickly vanishing. Sure, he fancied a lie in, but he knew the main reason he hadn't yet checked out what was going on was simply because he thought he still needed to rest and recover his energy. After all, who knew when the time would come when he'd need it?

Judging by Henry's continued panicked comments, Terriermon was pretty sure that this was one of those times.

If it wasn't, of course, he would raise hell. Or at least pull a prank on it.

His muscles, or, at least, whatever he did have, groaned as they were moved properly for the first time that day, his ears, the same ones that had proved so useful for snooping, pushing down at the bed sharply and projecting him upwards. So much, in fact, that he almost fell over the other way, the bed shaking as he did so.

"Henry doesn't know how lucky he is to have long arms," he mentally grumbled, before bouncing across and off the end of the bed, gliding to the ground. He looked up, seeing daylight pouring through where Henry's bedroom door was ajar, lighting up the array of computers, disks and books assembled along every wall. So many, in fact, that Terriermon had taken to seeing how much power he could pull out of the plug socket by running all at once playing whatever game their various specifications could survive on, something which not only led to a severe scolding from Henry for fear he could have overloaded the power supply or started a fire, but which also meant the same boy had to spend the next hour or so reconfiguring the wire arrangements for the computers, most of which weren't even regularly used. "It's not my fault if he doesn't throw out old crap," was Terriermon's mentality, of course.

Thankfully, Terriermon also had some productive pursuits with his many computers, not least his rather impressive attempts at programming, his previously casual and secret work having been aided from some tutoring from his Tamer and Janyuu after they had learnt about it back when they had applied the Digimon V2.0 patch. Of course, it wasn't entirely crucial – Terriermon seemed like a pretty advanced programmer as he was, hacking into the supposedly impenetrable Hypnos, creating spam-bots able to beat any CAPATCHA and insert the word 'Momentai' endlessly on the internet, and, of course, cheating on online games, but both Henry and his father had recognised that his skills at data manipulation and programming could be rather more effective if he were to apply them to more benevolent pursuits.

"At least with the 'Momentai-er' I prevent other morons posting on there – I'm doing them a favour!"

And, of course, they had naturally also told him to check his facts before making any major changes to a program or code – lest there be a repeat of his Digimon V2.0 mistake. Of course, it had oddly turned out, at least from Renamon and Guilmon's experience, that the egg approach was far better, and in retrospect programming an individual appearance of pregnancy for each Digimon would probably have broken down the whole patch. As it was, it was relatively lightweight, even if its changes were fairly dramatic although not consciously noticed by the vast majority of its subjects.

But, they certainly didn't plan to do any similar program any time soon. They hoped they wouldn't have to either.

"Pah, spoil my fun."

In all honesty, however, Terriermon still wasn't sure where the whole idea for creating such a patch had come from. Part of it, of course, had been simply his ponderings on how screwed the Digital World would be without Yggdrasil, ones which turned out to be pretty accurate, but he doubted that was all of the case. It was fun to experiment though.

"Hey, maybe it was…ditch that thought," he pondered, it occurring to him what the real source of his interest could be in creating the program, or rather, who it could be. "But could I change someone's thoughts like that? Hey, if I could, why stop there?" The image of every Digimon he knew laughing at all his jokes, cheering whenever they saw him and basically regaling him as their emperor occurred to him, prompting a grin on his face.

Yet, in the dark room, the computers cold and silent, the worried words coming from outside and his ears dragging still tiredly as he walked, he knew that it was a far-from-realistic proposition. And, besides, right now, he had far more important matters to look into.

Reaching the door, he found it far enough ajar that he simply needed to squeeze through, before pausing to let his eyes adjust to the much brighter lights about him. He began to notice Henry, Suzie, their mother, Mayumi, and the eldest sister, Jaarin, all gathered about. A reassuring hand was put round the youngest by the university student, their other sibling, Rinchei, currently still at university.

A concerned look crossed Henry's face as he saw his partner. "We're in trouble."

"Looks it…" Terriermon said, surveying the scene with a mix of bemusement and worry. All the family gathered, both mother and youngest on the edge of tears and both Henry and Jaarin only avoiding tears themselves thanks to having to support someone else. Lopmon clung to Suzie's shoulder, gently stroking her to comfort the girl but looking highly on edge herself. "Want to let me in on why?"

"That government guy you all know went on TV and said that Rika killed the PM, and that you're all going to be 'dealt with'," Jaarin summarised, a deep frown on her face as she with her free hand make a gesture of quote marks.

"What?! What was Rika thinking?"

"What do you mean? She obviously didn't do it, Rayleigh was lying!" Henry said, raising an eyebrow at his partner, who chuckled nervously.

"Opps, yeah…sorta makes sense now…and makes Rayleigh a huge bastard too. What does he mean by 'dealt with' anyway?" the dog-bunny asked, a slight fault in Mayumi's facial expression as he swore.

"Police, military – you name it," Jaarin answered,

"He sounded on the news like he wanted more than you Tamers too," Lopmon noted.

"Yeah…and…that's the problem, I've lost contact with Dad," Henry added, grimacing and showing the phone he was previously using.

"So? Let's find him then!"

"Huh?" Henry asked, once again giving Terriermon a bewildered look as the Digimon gazed back, no awareness in his mind or eyes that it was an absurd suggestion.

"Yeah."

"But, he could be arrested, or running, or…anything," the blue haired boy elaborated, glancing across to his youngest sister and mother as he shook off some unknown idea that occurred to him.

"Or dying," Terriermon thought, shuddering at the concept, but still feeling determined that they could do something. "Then let's save him!"

Henry glanced to his mother, a questioning look crossing his eyes as he followed it up with questioning glances to the other members of his family. Terriermon didn't really know why – wasn't this a simple answer? He rushed forward, leaping and swinging himself round onto his Tamer's shoulder, before gesturing his points with his ear.

"If some bad evil guy kidnaps someone you love, you go and save them and then kick arse, don't ya?" he asked, tactlessly as always. "And Rayleigh definitely counts as a bad evil guy now in my book."

Despite the nature of the situation, Terriermon still saw a slim smile on Henry's face at his up-started nature and insistence on "kicking arse".

"I can't stop you going, can I?" Henry's mother interrupted, the smile vanishing as Henry looked at her with worry once again.

"No…we'll all get split up," Suzie cried, the blue-haired boy looking down sadly into the girl's eyes as he swallowed uncomfortably and crouched down to put a hand on the eleven year-old's shoulder.

"Suzie…Suzie, I'm sorry but…I have to go and save Dad, I have to keep us together as a family. But…I'll be back, I promise," he said, hesitating on the words. "And you and Lopmon have to promise me you'll keep mum and sis safe, okay?"

"We will be," Jaarin reassured, interrupting the pair. "Don't worry about us."

"Doubt even that will prevent Henry from fretting like always."

"Okay, I promise," Suzie said, closing her eyes, nodding and clenching her hands into fists before lifting one up in front of her. "You can trust me," she said, Henry nodding and kissing her on the forehead before kissing his older sister too. Terriermon noticed his further hesitation as he went to see his mother, the woman having apparently reacted very badly ages ago when both her children ended up in the Digital World thanks to her husband's 'experiments' and who had objected before to Henry becoming involved in fighting the D-Reaper on the risk they would lose him.

Life was never really that easy for Mayumi Wong, finding herself marginalised in her own family at home as connections to Digimon manifested all over whilst other members began going to university. Terriermon saw the look in her eyes as Henry finally faced her, that deep-seated worry he wouldn't return, that she'd lose her child again to this 'game' her other half had made as an experiment. Terriermon found it hard to comment on the matter, usually staying away from any family discussions on it, not least because he was part of that 'game' himself and hence his voice was unlikely to be really convincing, beyond assurances he would keep the boy safe from harm.

Now seemed like a time it was needed more than ever. "Don't worry, I'll stop him doing anything I wouldn't do," he quipped, hoping that his humour would lighten the mood and spirits of those about her. "You know what he's like."

"Terriermon…"

"Momentai."

"Ugh," Henry groaned, looking up to his mother who, remarkably, was smiling, even if only slightly. Terriermon was equally surprised, not expecting her to be cheerful.

"Just…be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, you too," he answered, looking across to his sister who was gradually building up her confidence for the task ahead of her, Lopmon looking similar to her partner, mentally prepping herself for the task ahead. "Head to the park as quickly as you can, okay? Hopefully, there'll be someone else at the hideout who can help you."

"But what if there isn't?" Terriermon thought, knowing he was echoing the ponderings of all but Suzie herself. He decided not to voice them, as Suzie nodded.

"Okay, I will."

Henry finally looked up to his shoulder, into his partner's eyes. "You ready?" he asked, the Digimon nodding quickly.

"As ready as I'll ever be for doing something I haven't a clue about."

"I'll explain on the way."

"Then what are we waiting for, use the card already!" Terriermon said with a grin, already knowing that Henry needed Rapidmon for his speed. The boy nodded, looking back to his family as he took a step towards the hallway leading to the door.

"I'll see you all soon," he said, all nodding and saying no more – luck had been wished, advice had been given, and all that remained now was for it to all happen. Henry's footsteps barely echoed in the warm, carpeted hallway, yet as the room burst into darkness behind him his passenger knew that time was now a problem.

"Or we're overdue on our bills," he thought, trying to reassure himself with humour like usually but doing rather badly. Voices of concern from the family behind echoed along, Henry taking a glance back but clearly knowing that he couldn't do anything.

The door opened, and the wind blew in, a click sounding as it closed again. Henry reached the edge, putting his hands on it and looking down at the cars a fair few stories below, parked haphazardly around its base.

"You'd think they'd be fined for that."

Henry didn't reply, instead looking back at the front door of his flat, Terriermon trying gently to prod him out of his melancholy trance.

"Come on Henry, your Dad's waiting and you know what he's like with delays."

The boy smiled a half smile, his spirits lifted only slightly by the joke, but, as Terriermon knew, that was all he needed. He wondered plenty of times how the boy would ever manage without him – would he simply fret endlessly about every little issue without any comic relief to free him from those burdens? Knowing Henry, he probably would – that was why their partnership worked so well.

"He needs me to stop him overthinking, and I need him to be my sidekick," the ever-modest Terriermon thought, as he watched a blue card sweep through Henry's wrist-mounted D-Vice, suddenly flashed up to its full glory.

"DIGI-MODIFY…Matrix Digivolution Activate!"

M-A-T-R-I-X

D-I-G-I-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N

"Terriermon Digivolve to…"

Terriermon's form was swept back to a wireframe, a red crystal sweeping into it as it reformed upwards into a far larger and more mechanic form, green and silver armour all over with a few bits of cream like on the ears shining through to boot. His wings were tipped with red, with cannons on both arms and a turret behind his back, the threatening array finished off by a spike on his forehead.

"…Rapidmon!"

"I'm back baby!" Rapidmon called, feeling reenergised by finally being back in his fastest mode after such a long period of mundane and fairly infrequent bioemergences. As harrowing as the old days were, at least they were interesting, and it seemed like the same would apply to today too.

His form, of course, was far too large for the exterior hallway, his height likely to crash into the ceiling above, so instead he floated just away from it, the sound of gunfire making it clear he had been noticed from below.

"Quick!" he called to Henry, putting out his hands to the boy still on the hallway who looked very perturbed by the sound, freezing up on the spot. "Come on! If anything, they'll get distracted by me and let your family escape!"

"Yeah, I guess but…"

"Henry, just trust me! And hurry up too, or we will be screwed!"

"Okay," Henry replied, taking a few steps across before clambering up onto the edge of the concrete barrier along the edge of the hallway, standing perilously on the edge. Rapidmon mentally prepped himself for what to do if the boy were to fall.

Oddly, he paused for longer than the Digimon expected, mumbling coming from his mouth and reaching the Digimon's still-large ears with ease as he looked down below.

"…as an Angel, you'd think…never mind…"

Rapidmon grimaced, before Henry looked back up to him. Carefully, he launched himself off the barrier, landing in the ultimate's awaiting arms and quickly being secured tightly. Henry looked out, seeing the front door to their apartment open, Suzie leading with card and D-Arc in hand and a nod of gratitude running between them as the other two members of their family followed.

"At least now he won't be panicking about them constantly," the Digimon thought, before looking upwards and deciding this unexpected coincidence in timings would have to wait. "Going up!" he called, his engines bursting into fire and sending him rocketing upwards in the air faster than any other. He half-expected his Tamer to be dizzy, but apparently his continuing concern was preventing such.

"Rapidmon, we have to stop those soldiers from getting to my family," he said, digital eyes inspecting the cars below, in various greens, whites and blacks. He raised a hand, a missile prepared in it.

"No, Rapidmon, don't!"

Rapidmon knew far better than what Henry thought he was doing, however, as the missile was launched with a thundering growl. "RAPID FIRE!"

It squealed away from them, the Digimon ignoring the shocked and appalled looks that his Tamer was dealing him as both watched the projectile draw closer and closer to a car on the ground. Rapidmon knew, after all, what would be going through Henry's mind…

Were there people inside?

Would someone be killed by the impact?

Would they get in trouble for this?

But, he also knew it didn't matter, and was amazed that Henry thought he would be so stupid.

The missile suddenly steered away from its 'target' at the last moment. It smashed into the pavement, a thunderous boom rocketing through the apartment complex as a ball of flames and smoke shot up into the air from the crater, guns fired randomly in shock but nothing hitting anything.

It worked – diverting their attention perfectly. Of course, Rapidmon saw it as more than a simple good strategy. "I'm that good!"

"Rapidmon, what were you thinking?! You could've killed someone!"

"Only if you distracted me," Rapidmon said, his voice oddly optimistic as he spied the dots below gathering around the smoking and burning crater rather than flooding into the building. "Anyway, it worked, didn't it?" he added, seeing the light of digivolution envelop Lopmon standing on the ledge.

"Yeah, but…" Henry sighed, audibly giving up on fighting back. "Let's just go…we have to find my dad!"

Chuckling at his Tamers difficulty in admitting the perfect nature of his plan, Rapidmon spun to face across the city with his jets, which subsequently burst with flames from their tips, as much energy as possible thrown into them to get them to their destination as quickly as possible.

With a burst of green and a cheer upon the wind, they were gone.

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: A shorter one this time but a nice one just to see Terriermon's thought processes and how he sees himself fitting into his Tamer's life. And, of course, to learn about his many computerised pranks. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thankfully it was along sooner than the last one. I'll try to keep up a reasonable pace but with exams approaching I'm not promising anything.

Until next time…

B.C.