DSI: RELOADED Chapter 12: Nothing Left to Lose, a digimon fanfic

Digimon Savers International: RELOADED

Chapter 12: Nothing Left to Lose

Greg

Thanksgiving 2009 went off without a hitch. Gary and I got time off of work. Tom and Gaomon flew out with us on his jet back to Atlanta and had Thanksgiving dinner with us. He seemed to be overwhelmed by all of my extended family. Of course, he had had experience with the Damon family, so this should've been nothing. We had to get a lot of tables and chairs out, but it was a great time. "So, Thomas, how were you able to fly out here? Do they pay you a lot at this organization?" Dad asked. "Um, no. I'm already financially well off. My family is part of the Austrian aristocracy. The Norsteins do have a side business in real estate," Tom explained. "Oh really? Real estate, huh. Do you have any buildings here in the States?" "No, not yet. We are thinking of working on rebuilding the Twin Towers though."

"Too soon! Too soon!" my aunts called. Aunt Beth went first. "Have you no reverence for the dead?" "Uh... of course I do." "Then why are you building on sacred ground? Some of our family worked in that building when it crashed," Aunt Maggie continued.

"Who?" I asked. "Your cousin Roger, of course," Aunt Beth said. "Oh... I never did like him that much anyway, but I'm sorry to hear that he died." Tom quickly tried to save face by going back to his turkey.

Meanwhile, my grandmother gave Gaomon a hard time. "No boxing gloves at the dinner table!" she chided. She even tried taking them off. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Gaomon warned, showing his teeth. She backed off. We spent the weekend over there, then came back on Monday. That break was just what I needed.

November quickly changed to December, and Tom received some bad news. One morning at breakfast, we found out what it was. "I've just read on the internet that Eric Woolfson passed away," he reported. We'd heard enough of his CD collection to know who he was. "Awww, I'm sorry to hear that, Tom," I said. "I've been asked to attend the funeral. You see, Eric and I began an e-mail correspondence many years ago. He was a true mastermind, just as I am."

"Oh brother," Tentomon said, rolling his eyes. "Hmmph, then I guess you're not interested in going," he presumed.

"But how are you going to convince Sampson to let you go? We just took Thanksgiving off," I argued. "I've got a cover. I'll tell the commander I'm taking some time off to research my theory on human emotion, which I am planning on doing. Besides, you might actually get a case while I'm gone."

"So this means I'm not invited?" I asked. "Nope, just made up my mind. It'll be Gary, myself, and our Digimon. You get the whole mansion to yourself." My eyes lit up as I shook his hand. "Well, have a nice trip. I'll even help you pack!" I enthusiastically said, looking for the luggage.

Thomas

After work that night, I stayed late and had a chat with Commander Sampson. "So Thomas, you're requesting time off to further investigate this theory of yours?" Sampson asked. "Yes, sir. In addition, I'm planning on attending the funeral of a dear friend in England, then going to M.I.T. for my research." "Oh yes, I read about it online. My condolences. What do you hope to find?" "Proof, sir. I don't have any yet." "All right... Investigate."

Greg

That night, Tom and Gary left with their Digimon, leaving Veemon and me alone in the mansion. I was given explicit instructions not to throw any wild parties and not to use Tom's beloved Porsche. Of course, he didn't say anything about me not using his stereo. Unfortunately, the Norstein family collection of music didn't include any Bob Seger albums and I didn't have any pink dress shirts I felt comfortable parading around in without trousers. So, that idea was quickly nixed. It was nice not having to share the bathroom with Gary.

The next day, Sampson informed everyone about Tom's departure. "Time off in America?" Marcus asked in disbelief. "Hey Boss, what is America?" Agumon asked.

I laughed. "Well, Agumon, America is the country I'm from. It means many things to many people. For some, it's the land of opportunity," I explained. "For others, like me, it means absolutely nothing," Anya answered. I shook my head. "Anya, the Cold War's been over for years."

"So what? Why does he get a vacation?" Marcus interrupted. "Comrade, he's on an investigation," Anya answered.

"So there's no need for your frustration," I added, chuckling. Marcus didn't like that.

"I wanted to go too. I heard the West Coast of America is all warm and sunny," Lalamon said cheerfully. "We've got some of that on the East Coast too, mostly in Florida," I added.

"What's Florida? Can you eat it?" Agumon asked. "Is that all you think about!?" Marcus angrily inquired.

I decided to change the subject. "So, it looks like I'm getting the whole mansion to myself." That got Marcus excited. "Really? Hot damn! That's awesome, man. We're gonna throw the biggest bash this town has ever seen!" He got real up close and put his arm around my shoulder, trying to envision it all. "I can see it now..."

["I Hate Myself for Loving You"

Written by Desmond Child and Joan Jett

Performed by Marcus Damon and the Dinos [Marcus Damon (Quinton Flynn), Agumon (Brian Beacock), Quinton Flynn ( Quinton Flynn), Jonny Quest Lookalike (Quinton Flynn), Yumichika Ayagesawa Lookalike (Brian Beacock)]

Backing Vocals by Frank Carillo, Louie Merlino, Quinton Flynn, Brian Beacock]

This song is a request from yamatomattkamiya. At the Norstein mansion, Agumon uses his Pepper Breath attack to create a hole in the front door. After it's cooled down, Marcus puts his arm through the hole and uses it to unlock the door. He opens the door, then pulls his hand out and kicks open the other one. His assembled group, including a Jonny Quest lookalike, Yumichika Ayagesawa from Bleach, and Quinton Flynn himself walk in and set up their instruments right in the living room. Q, as Mr. Flynn prefers to be known, also starts spamming the social media with announcements for a big party at the Norstein place. People start crowding in.

Marcus:

Midnight, gettin' uptight, where are you?
You said you'd meet me, now it's quarter to two
I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you
Hey Jaq, it's a fact they're talkin' in town
I turn my back and you're messin' around
I'm not really jealous, don't like lookin' like a clown
I think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart then you took my pride away

As the group enters the chorus, a large crowd is already gathered, and they just make themselves at home. We see the band perform. Q is on drums, the Quest lookalike is on keyboards, Agumon is on tambourine, Yumichika is on guitar, and Marcus is lead singer. Veemon has to fill in at the last minute on bass.

Marcus/Band:

I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you

Marcus:
That's why I hate myself for loving you
Ow! Uh

Greg and Chef Simon struggle to keep up with the endless demands for food.

Marcus:

Daylight, spent the night without you
But I've been dreamin' 'bout the lovin' you do
I'm over being angry 'bout the hell you put me through
Hey, girl, bet you can treat me right
You just don't know what you was missin' last night
I wanna see you begging, I'll say "forget it" just for spite
I think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart and you took my pride away

Meanwhile, some of Marcus' more unsavory friends show up and trash the mansion.

Marcus/Band:

I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you

Marcus:
That's why I hate myself for loving you

Ow! Uh

Now, Marcus is known as a brawler. So, some of his foes have decided to gather for revenge. They walk in and trash the place even more, scaring away people. However, the show must go on. Everyone is prepared to fight, and they do. The guests eat all of the food and trash the house.

Marcus:

I think of you ev'ry night and day
You took my heart and you took my pride away

Marcus/Band:
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you

Marcus:
That's why I hate myself for loving you

Marcus/Band:
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you

Marcus:
That's why I hate myself for loving you

Marcus/Band:
I hate myself (Marcus: Ow! Huh!) for loving you
I hate myself (Marcus: Ow! Huh!) for loving you
I hate myself (Marcus: Ow! Ow! Ow!) for loving you
I hate myself

Marcus:
I hate myself for loving you

Marcus finishes the song by smashing Veemon's bass guitar into a lead brawler's head.

Greg

I laid down the law. "Uh... no. Absolutely not." "Aww, come on, you don't have any idea of what this could lead to." "I know exactly what it could lead to, Marcus. That's why you can forget it." Marcus walked away, dejected, kicking the dust.

Thankfully, Miki and Megumi came in with a box. "Speaking of food, here's something to snack on. It's a famous sweet treat we brought back from Kyoto, when we were there on our last mission," Megumi said. "I didn't even know you two went on missions. I thought you just operated the computers," I answered surprisingly.

Miki rolled her eyes and continued. "They're called manju and they're great!" "Ah, yummy! Steamed sweet buns!" Anya cheered. "They're really hard to get," Miki went on as she opened the box. Unfortunately, she noticed something. "Oh no, it's empty!"

"Oh, yeah, I already ate those things," Agumon said, as if nothing was wrong. Megumi slowly and deviously turned around. "You what!?" "They were tasty, but a little too small if you ask me." Despair fell on Miki's face. "I don't believe this."

"Hey, just think of it this way. If Agumon hadn't gotten to them, Veemon and I would've," I said.

Suddenly, Megumi's face became sunshine and rainbows. "Agumon, sweetie, come with me for a sec, would ya?" she sweetly asked. Agumon followed. "Sure. Are you gonna give me something else to eat?"

Then, they let him have it. "You pig!" Miki started. Megumi followed with, "I'll never forgive you for eating them all!" "Now say you're sorry!" "And make us believe it!"

Agumon had only one answer. "The sins of the employee are the sins of the boss. Ya hear that, Boss? You're gonna have to take responsibility!" A look came over Marcus' face. "Huh? Why me?"

That was good enough for them. "So, time to settle your debt. You owe us one box of manju," Miki decided. "Sorry, Boss," Agumon quickly apologized.

Anya chuckled. "Well, you wanted to be boss," she laughed. "Fine, if that's what you want. Have you heard of Shiratori's Bakery?" Marcus asked.

Miki's eyes lit up. "The one with the huge line?" Megumi gushed, "There's usually a 4-hour wait. Their manju's famous!" "My friend's father owns the place," Marcus bragged, "I'll bring back the best manju in the world!" "You better, or else they'll kill you," I added enthusiastically.

After Marcus left, Miki and Megumi came to me with a proposition for the talent show coming up just before Christmas. Those in the competition would be trying for the top prize of ¥25,000 (or about $263.05). The Miniskirt Police won the last two years straight, but this time, they needed an edge. "OK, so I've just seen this amazing video on YouTube from a Eurovision contest," Megumi explained. They showed me a 1983 performance from Sweet Dreams, the team representing the U.K. that year. "All right. But why do you need me?" I asked. "Because we can't get Thomas, and you're the next best thing," Miki said. "I am?"

"Yeah. With you on our team, we're sure to win!" Megumi added. "But what's to stop me from declining your offer and entering myself, possibly winning the whole thing?" "Are you that good?" "I'm better than I would be with both of you."

Miki firmly placed the lyric sheet in my hand. "Read these over. I think you'll like it," she said. Then, the two walked away. I read some of the lyrics over. "Hmm... 'I'm never givin' up, not givin' in/If there's the slightest chance that I could win/The battle may be lost, but I can win the war.' Interesting."

I played out the scene in my head.

["I'm Never Giving Up"

Written by Ron Roker, Stephan Genovese, Jan Pulsford, and Phil Wigger

Performed by Captain Freedom and the Miniskirt Police (Greg Logan [Doug Erholtz], Miki Kurosaki [Kate Higgins], Megumi Shirakawa [Stephanie Sheh])]

We head to the Taichi Yagami Auditorium inside the DATS base, set up like a typical concert forum. The band starts up as Megumi lets out three gentle "aaaaahs". The lights come on, and we find Greg, Miki, and Megumi, sitting on stools. Greg is dressed as Marvel Cinematic Universe Captain America, minus shield, while Miki and Megumi are in more formal versions of their usual DATS uniforms.

Greg:

I don't believe in idle gossip

Miki:

The jealous mind can be unfair

Megumi:

I hear them make their accusations

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

But baby, come what may

No matter what the people say

The three of them stand up on the footrests of the stools and start moving around slightly. By the time they reach the line, "but I can win the war", they raise their free fists up in the air.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

I'm never givin' up, not givin' in

If there's the slightest chance that I could win

The battle may be lost, but I can win the war

And get your lovin' back the way it was before

They get off their stools and stand behind them, initially with their backs turned and one hand behind said back, but then turning back.

Greg/Megumi:

At times it's hard to see the changes

Miki:

Or read the writing on the wall

Megumi stoops down and shows a bit of thigh.

Megumi:

We may become the best of strangers

She gets back up and all three of them stand to the side of their stools, lean forward and swing their hips.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

But I'll keep holding on

Until I know my chance has gone

The three of them move in front of the stools and do some of the whitest dancing known to man. I mean, Eurovision-level white. Again, by the time they reach the line, "but I can win the war", they raise their free fists up in the air.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

I'm never givin' up, not givin' in

If there's the slightest chance that I could win

The battle may be lost, but I can win the war

And get your lovin' back the way it was before

They move back to the stools and walk around them.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

Never givin' up, I'm never givin' up

Ahh, ahhh... WHOO!

They go back to sitting on the stools, with Greg sitting between the two girls. Greg clearly favors Miki instead of Megumi in this chorus. They start to slowly stand...

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

I'm never givin' up, not givin' in

If there's the slightest chance that I could win

The battle may be lost, but I can win the war

And get your lovin' back the way it was

and slide off them at one point to signify a key change in the melody. Greg kicks his stool away. The three are back to Eurovision-level-white dancing.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

I'm never givin' up, not givin' in

If there's the slightest chance that I could win

The battle may be lost, but I can win the war

And get your lovin' back the way it was before

The group moves back to the stools and dances around them.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

Never givin' up,

(Greg/Miki: (prerecorded) I'm allowed to...)

Never givin' up,

(Greg/Miki: (prerecorded) all I want to...)

Never givin' up,

(Greg/Miki: (prerecorded) need your lovin')

I'm never never givin'... never never givin'... never givin'

They end with a little side shimmy and a raised fist to the sky.

Greg/Miki/Megumi:

Up!

And the crowd bursts into cheering.

Greg

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh... maybe the dance steps could be changed. A lot.

Marcus

Great. Just great. They sent me to buy manju just because Agumon ate it all. Sometimes I wonder why I keep him around. I'm just glad I got Connor Shiratori in my back pocket. He tutored me in math and we became friends. The guy's a genius, plus his folks make the best manju in the country. "This should be a piece of cake, er, manju," I thought to myself. "Do we really have to wait 4 hours?" Agumon asked from his Digivice. "Waiting is for suckers, I know the guy! He'll make me as many as I want whenever I want!"

I got closer. "Hey, there's old man Shiratori now," I said.

I could overhear what was going on, and it didn't sound good. From a distance, I could see a bruiser grab Old Man Shiratori by the shirt. "Wait... please stop," the old man pleaded. "You got Danny's money then?" the bruiser asked. I got closer and sneaked up on them, preparing to strike. "No, I told you I don't."

Beside the bruiser was this older man with glasses and a cheap suit. I assumed he was Danny. "Too bad. Look, Shiratori, if you don't pay up, either you're gonna get hurt or I'm gonna take your bakery!" Old Man Shiratori was groveling. "...Eh, gimme one week, or even 3 days, I promise I'll pay." "And if ya still don't have the cash?" "Then I guess I'll find out how tough a guy you are." "You'll find out now!" He swung his fist up, but I grabbed his wrist from behind him.

"Hold it!" I called. He turned his head. "Huh?" "You know where I can find a good manju bakery around here?" I asked. "Get outta here, you little..." Then, I pulled off one of my best judo moves, using his weight against him and throwing him to the ground on his back. If you're gonna be the Ultimate Fighter, you gotta know all the fighting styles there are. I may not be a freakin' genius like Nerdstein, but at least I'm a human weapon. "Now get lost! You're making the manju lose their taste!" I barked. I turned toward the pipsqueak collector and growled. He got the message. "I won't forget this! Let's get outta here!" And the two ran off.

Just then, somebody else came running in, somebody my age. It was Connor. "Dad, are you OK?" he asked. "Yeah. Thanks to this brave young man here."

I put my hand behind my head. "Ah, they were just a buncha troublemakers," I said.

"Marcus?" Connor asked. "What do you mean? You know him?" his dad asked. "Yeah. He's my friend. Hey, man. Long time, no see." I made my request. "Yo. Connor, I have a big favor to ask. I came here to buy some of Japan's best manju."

Unfortunately for me, Shiratori's Bakery was closed down. Connor explained the whole thing to me. His mom got sick and so he closed it down for 2 weeks, which became 2 months. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you close down a store long enough, people stop showing up. So, Old Man Shiratori stopped making manju and borrowed some money from some thugs to pay for his wife's medical bills. "But the bakery was making money," I argued to Connor. "Dad didn't want to be away from Mom that long. So we borrowed some money from some thugs and if he can't pay it back, we're gonna lose the bakery." "Or worse. Too bad, because I knew how much he enjoyed making manju."

"Look, Boss. We can't go back to DATS without that manju!" Agumon interrupted. That made Connor freak out a bit. "Huh?!" "That's my... ringtone," I lied, hiding my Digivice out of his sight.

I changed the subject. "I've gotta do something to inspire your old man to start making his famous manju again and fast!" "But how?" Connor asked. "Don't worry. Just leave everything to me, the great Marcus Damon."

Greg

"How long do we have to wait for the Shiratori manju?" Megumi asked impatiently. "I'm gonna really let Marcus have it when he gets back," Miki fumed at her computer. Just then, Megumi noticed something. "Hey... there's a faint signal at Sector C9. What could it be?" "And now it's gone. Do you think it was a Digimon?" "I don't know. Could be static. Wait, isn't Sector C where the Shiratori bakery is located?"

"You know, you could be picking up Agumon," I reminded them. "No, that's not possible. We've already identified and recognized his signal. This is a new one," Miki said.

Anya and Lalamon walked along the catwalk and leaned over. "Has Marcus brought back the manju yet?" the girl asked. "No, and I've been craving it ever since he left," Miki replied. "It's best to lay off the sweets anyway." "You think I'm fat!?"

That put her in a compromising position. This was the time to get out. "On second thought, I think I'll investigate Sector C9," Anya said, trying to save face. "I don't think so, Miki. You look fine to me, unless all that weight is going somewhere I don't know about," I said. "Come on, Greg!" Anya grabbed me by the arm and dragged me along. "If you see Marcus, drag him back here!" Miki called on our way out.

We arrived at the coordinates Megumi had downloaded to our iCs. Anya got out first. "Have you gotten the manju yet? Miki looks ready to tear you up limb from limb," she said. I got out as well.

"Perfect timing," Marcus said with a smile. "Perfect timing for what? Tell me what you're up to," I ordered. "Who, me?" "Yeah, you." "Never mind, get in the car." Marcus' voice was calmer and much smoother than usual. He had also slipped into the front seat. "Hey!" I exclaimed.

So, I crawled over him to get into the back. "You better be taking us to a drive-thru bakery," Anya warned. "Go on, and leave everything to me," Marcus answered as we drove off. "That's what we're afraid of," I said.

We tracked down a certain car, and that led us to a racetrack. We went up to a higher observations deck overlooking the horses. "I know you want to find your friend's father, but why would he come to the track?" Anya asked Marcus. "Because this is where we found old man Shiratori's car parked," he answered. "That doesn't make sense to me, but that's pretty much par for the course with you, Marcus," I mused.

So, I watched the races. Just then, my iC beeped. "Greg! I'm picking up some Digimon signals," Veemon reported. I unclipped it and stared at it. "Really? Where?" I asked. "It's hard to say, there are so many people."

Anya's iC beeped as well. "The signals are getting stronger. 3 different ones," Lalamon said. "Keep your eyes open," Anya suggested.

All of a sudden, one of the horses started sprinting faster than the others. The results came up on the board, 5-6-8. Everyone started throwing down their tickets on the ground. "Everybody lost?" Marcus asked in shock. "Heh, that's what happens at the races," I answered.

"Oh no, the signal is gone!" Lalamon gasped. Anya thought it out. "Hmm... curiouser and curiouser. Marcus, Greg, we must return to HQ and figure this out," Anya said.

But Marcus had different ideas. "I can't leave now. I promised Connor. I told him I would help his father, and besides I can't come back without any manju," he argued. "Who cares about the manju? There's a Digimon on the loose!" Anya shot back. "My word is my bond," Marcus insisted. "And you sound like Thomas, boss," Agumon cheered. We decided to leave him and his word to bond.

Thomas

The funeral was lovely. All the original members of The Alan Parsons Project were there, and we even had a memorial concert during the reception. We sat there at our table, talking. After the last song, Alan himself came up to the front mic. "All right, all right. Now this has been a lovely funeral, but there is one song that has yet to be played. I'm looking for a true fan, now. Who knows 'No Answers Only Questions'?"

Gary nudged me. "You know that one," he whispered. "But that doesn't mean I'm going up there, I couldn't," I argued. "Go on, sir. Kill it," Gaomon encouraged me. So, I reluctantly stood up and walked up on stage.

"And what's your name, sir?" Alan asked me. "Thomas H. Norstein. I started an e-mail correspondence with Eric years ago." "Ah yes, splendid. Do you know 'No Answers Only Questions'?" "Of course I do." "Do you know how to play the guitar?" "Well why would I? You have Ian over there," I said. Everyone laughed. "Oh yes, yes we do. All right. Well, this is your opportunity. Would you like a chance to perform it?" "I guess." "All right. Cue him up, Ian." He did, and soon the only sounds that could be heard were my voice and Ian Bairnson on acoustic guitar.

["No Answers Only Questions"

Music & Lyrics by Eric Woolfson

Performed by The Alan Parsons Project

Lead Vocals: Thomas H. Norstein (Crispin Freeman)]

(guitar introduction)

We look at the performance as Thomas stands there, singing, channeling his best Eric Woolfson, while maintaining his originality. On the screen behind him, we find pictures of Eric Woolfson at his best. As we look around, there's not a dry eye in the house.

Thomas:

Some of us laugh,
Some of us cry,
Some of us lay back, watch the world go by.
Some of us fear,
Some of us hate,
Some of us won't wake up 'till it's too late.

The distance between us is a mystery to us all,
The difference between us is so small!

There are no answers, only questions
And we're all strangers to the truth
But in my mind's eye
I have found the reason why
And I carry the burden of the proof.

Why do we fight?
Why do we fall?
Why do we stand there, backs against the wall?
Why don't we change?
Why don't we try?
Why don't we turn 'round, help the other guy?

The distance between us is a mystery to us all,
The difference between us is so small

There are no answers, only questions
And we're all strangers to the truth
But in my mind's eye
I have found the reason why
And I carry the burden of the proof
And I carry the burden of the proof.

Thomas

There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Nobody cheered, they were too busy remembering Eric's legacy. After the reception, Alan came up to me. "You know, I really like how that came out. You did very well. I'd actually like to have you record on one of my upcoming albums," he said. I was surprised to hear that. "Well, thank you sir, but I've got a project of my own at M.I.T. I'm glad you like it though, and I'm flattered to hear that you like my singing voice." "Any time, Thomas. By the way, what's your project on?" "Human emotion." Alan's eyes lit up. "Say, I think I've done an album on everything except human emotion. You've given me a brilliant idea for another album." "But who's going to write your material now that Eric's dead?" I asked. "Hmm... good thinking. I'll ask the group." He pulled out a business card from his suit pocket and gave it to me. Then he walked back toward the group. "Oi! We've got another album!" His voice trailed off as he walked away, but I'm sure I heard audible groans.

A few hours later, we arrived at M.I.T. in order to set up the experiment. Everything had to be set up just right.

Greg

Back at HQ, we reported our findings to Commander Sampson. "No signs of Digimon found anywhere," Miki reported. "Yet, Lalamon detected signs of 3 Digimon at the racetrack before they suddenly disappeared," Megumi went on. The Miniskirt Police was even more balanced than Fox News. "They must be hiding," Anya concluded. "What if they're not hiding in the human world? What if they can come and go between here and the Digital World whenever they want?" Lalamon asked. "Good theory," I said. "If that's true, then there's a DigiGate we don't know about," Kudamon said. "Anya, go back to the original location where you picked up that faint signal," Sampson commanded. "Yes sir!"

A few days went by. I invited Miki and Megumi over to the mansion so we could discuss our act for the talent show. I cooked dinner with help from Simon the chef, and then we went to work after dessert. Miki came up with the choreography. I thought this whole thing was smacking of Glee. Veemon and I watched a few episodes of it. We liked the music, but hated the sex. So, we waited until the songs were available on YouTube. As for "I'm Never Giving Up", I really agreed with the lyrics and the message, especially in the chorus. But I also wrote down the steps so I could teach Tom.

I was just about to finish copying the last step when my earpiece rang. "One minute, ladies. Yeah, keep going. Five, six, seven, eight," I said, excusing myself.

I put it on and answered it in the kitchen. "Gregory Thomas H. Logan speaking." "Ha ha, very funny. This is Marcus, and I'm here with Connor at his place." "You've been spending a lot of time there." "I know. Listen, we've got a problem here. You know that manju Miki's been craving?" "Yeah?" "Well, she's not gonna get it. Old man Shiratori's given up the manju business, he's all into the horses now. Even pulled up in a sports car and tried giving Connor some cash." "Did he offer you any?" "Yeah, but I didn't take it. Didn't want Connor to get the wrong idea. Anyways, the thugs and the medical bills are paid off, but he's worried. You think you can show up at the bakery? I think there's something funny going on." Ah, so now he was asking me for help. "I don't know, Marcus. I got the Miniskirt Police dancing in the living room. It's almost like a double date, except there's two of them and one of me!" "Sweet! But you gotta put your priorities in order. Besides, they'll understand." "All right. I'll be there as soon as I can. There's no way I'm letting you have all the fun. See you in a few."

I hung up my earpiece and went back into the living room. "That was Marcus. He thinks there's something weird going down at the bakery. Veemon and I are gonna investigate. Want to come?" "Hmm... we better be heading back to the base," Megumi said. "Yeah, thanks for dinner. We've had a great time," Miki added. I checked my belt to see if my iC was still clipped on. It was.

I made it to the garage and into the cruiser. Then I sped off towards the bakery and got back on the earpiece with Marcus. I asked him, "Hey, so when I go in there, do you want me to announce who I am?" "Huh?" he asked. "You know, 'Digimon Data Squad, you're under arrest'?" "Not yet. I wanna make sure." "OK."

I didn't arrive a moment too soon, because I saw a giant demon-like Digimon surrounded by three tiny devilish Digimon. I parked the car, got out, and looked them up on my Digimon Analyzer. "'Vilemon, a Champion-level Evil Digimon. A coward that torments the weak with pricks, without getting into direct combat.' All right, that should be easy. Now the small ones, I think I know. Those are... aha! DemiDevimon. All right. You ready for this, Veemon?" "I was born ready!" Veemon cheered. I smiled. "That's good enough for me. Let's go!"

I met up with Marcus who was busy protecting who I assumed were Connor and his father. "Told ya I wasn't gonna let you have all the fun," I said. We got in position, turning the lenses away from us. "Agumon/Veemon! Realize now!"

Within seconds, both Digimon were out and ready for battle. "It's fightin' time, boss!" "Time to rock and roll!"

"Two talking lizards?" Mr. Shiratori asked in confusion.

Henry

Hello. I'm still here. I've been on a few missions since I joined DATS. In fact, I was one of their top field agents until Thomas joined. I had a lot of responsibility, and I still do. Any time Miki or Megumi can't make it to the computers, you'll find me there. I'm just doing whatever I can to help, since I've been forced to join this organization. Like Greg, I found it hard to go all the way back to the beginning in terms of power levels. Before I got my new Digivice, Terriermon and I could go to Mega together like it was nothing. But now... well, I'm getting ahead of myself.

That night, it was Suzie and me working the sub shift for the Miniskirt Police. "Strong Digimon signals detected in Sector C," I reported. Suzie was on it. "I'm processing the data right now. It's Vilemon and DemiDevimon!" she added. "Commander, Marcus and Greg are there now," I went on. "Vilemon is too strong for either one of them. He could overpower them and take control of their minds. Send Anya the coordinates stat!" Sampson directed. "Roger that, sir!" Suzie replied quickly. She sent the coordinates. "I don't know about Marcus, sir, but I personally fought with Greg-" I started. "We know," Kudamon interrupted.

Anya

I was working the night watch, and I received a call from Suzie. So, I quickly made my way to the location. "I've just arrived at the location, Suzie," I reported. Then, Lalamon and I stepped out of the car and looked to see what was going on. The monster, Vilemon, was destroying property and causing fires. "Oh no, this is the worst!" I moaned.

Greg

Some people are so far deep into a spell that they're oblivious to a situation. Mr. Shiratori was one of those people. As he saw his money being burned and smashed, he desperately tried to pick it up.

"My money! You're destroying my money!" he angrily yelled. Connor tried getting him away from the loose cash, but it was no good. Agumon fired a Pepper Breath at Vilemon, who deflected it with his hand.

"A breath mint could stop you!" Vilemon taunted. "Oh yeah? Let's see you try to stop this! Vee Punch!" Veemon started running, swinging both of his arms in circles. He jumped up and struck Vilemon, but it didn't do much damage. Well, not as much as I wanted it to. While Agumon continued his Pepper Breaths, Marcus got the father and son out of the way. At least he was responsible about that. Meanwhile, I tried looking for somewhere to attack. Then, Agumon got forced to the ground. Marcus started running toward him, but he was grabbed by Vilemon and picked up. He got him in a pretty good position too. He couldn't use his fists. "Let go of me!" Marcus loudly growled. "I'll feed off your anger!" Vilemon proclaimed.

It didn't look good for him, but thankfully, Lalamon flew in. "Seed Blast!" She fired a round of seeds from her mouth at Vilemon, eventually forcing him to let Marcus go. He landed on his feet.

If Lalamon was there, Anya couldn't be too far behind, and she wasn't either. "Marcus! Are you OK?" she asked. "Yeah, thanks for the hand." I looked over there quickly, and was glad to see everything was OK on that end.

Then, I turned back to Veemon, who unbeknownst to me, was also on the ground. I helped him up. "Are you OK?" "Yeah, but we gotta Digivolve now!" "Right." I pulled out my iC and got in position, thrusting my free hand to the side and igniting my DigiSoul. "DigiSoul... charge!" I called as I slammed my hand on the sensor. "Veemon Digivolve to... Veedramon!"

The two went toe to toe. "Cleave him to the brisket, Veedramon!" I coached. "Huh?" "Get him!" "Oh!" So, he went back to work.

In the meantime, DemiDevimon fired some more Demi Darts. We dodged them like crazy, but Marcus used the momentum to climb up to the roof and punch Vilemon in the face, igniting his DigiSoul. He landed back on his feet and looked to me. "I can't let you have all the fun, now can I?" he asked. "Is that a challenge?" I inquired.

Marcus nodded his head and looked to Agumon. "Ready, Agumon?" "Ready, Boss!" He took out his iC and got in position. "DigiSoul... charge!" "Agumon Digivolve to... GeoGreymon!"

Soon, the large dinosaur Digimon was at the same level with the demon Digimon. "How did you get so huge?" Vilemon asked. "It ain't vitamins, pal!" "You're getting smart with me, huh? How about a daily dose of this?" And he charged up an attack, but Veedramon tackled into him from the side and started punching away.

"Atta boy!" I cheered. GeoGreymon charged up his faceplate. "Mega Burst!" Then he fired a stream of fire as soon as Veedramon got out of the way. The fire hit him and destroyed him. The DemiDevimon looked on in shock, but my partner dealt with them himself. "Cutting Shoot!" Veedramon's multiple flying blades of wind converted those little devils back into DigiEggs.

Anya caught one, Lalamon caught one, and I caught one. "They're so cute when they're young," Lalamon said facetiously. "That guy had it coming. He should know better not to mess with my friends," Marcus added.

Meanwhile, I went to check up on the father and son. "Who cares if we don't get rich? We can reopen the bakery and be a family again," Connor said, trying to comfort his dad. "The bakery..." "We can be side by side working together to make your famous manju. Dad, I've watched you make it. I know how. I wanna be as great as you!" Mr. Shiratori got up and finally began to see the light. "Connor..." "Forget money. Dad... we have everything we need right here." "I'm so proud of you, son." The two of them embraced. I smiled as I looked on. It was a nice heartwarming moment.

A few days later, Tom and Gary came back. It was just in time because Marcus finally brought back that manju. They were kinda small, but delicious. "Commander, I think I may have figured out something pretty important," Marcus said. "What?" "The Digimon are somehow mentally connected to the people they hook onto, and they feed off their greed and anger." Then, the door opened.

"That's just part of it," Tom said as he and Gaomon walked in and approached Sampson's desk. "Did ya bring a gift back?" Agumon asked. "Marcus is on the right track, sir, but I've made a breakthrough that will change the way we look at the Digital World forever," Tom went on. Sampson's mouth dropped a little.

Tom continued, "I recommend you declare a security alert of the highest level." We all gasped. "Whatever for?" I asked.

Author's Notes:

The reference to the Bob Seger album and the pink dress shirt comes from the 1983 movie Risky Business, where Tom Cruise's character gets drunk and dances around in a pink dress shirt and his briefs to "Old Time Rock and Roll". Believe me, it's famous, but disturbing. I've seen it.

In addition, the members of The Alan Parsons Project in this fanfiction are fictionalized versions of themselves. Eric Woolfson did die on December 2, 2009; but we have no idea what happened at his funeral.