Digimon World Tour

Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Data Squad, etc. Copyright 1999-2014 Toei Animation, Akiyoshi Hongo, Studiopolis, Saban Brands, etc.

Recap

[Greg] So, my father is not exactly the easiest person in the world to live with. So when he showed up at the airport in Paris after winning the lottery, I was shocked. The band got a real taste of what he was like. Marcus did a little extra "training" in the shower to improve his performance with Rika. Uh huh. We went to this swimming pool in Tyrol, Austria where we all rode the L2 and Rika had a chance to show off her dancing skills in hot temperatures. But then, Blastmon and Asuramon showed up and held my dad hostage. Asuramon even gave him two third-degree burns. That set me off so much, I was able to Digivolve Veemon into AeroVeedramon. But the biggest shocker was that Gary had a Digimon partner of his own. Dad fainted when he found out. I wonder who'll be next?


Chapter 25: Living Inside Myself! Yamato Has No Mojo!


In the Bagra Army base, Blastmon gives his report. "So the blonde told you to run away and never return, and you just did?" Lord Bagra asks. "Yes, your Lordship. I did tell them I'd be back, though. Place didn't have any goodies anyway. Not even any zirconium." "Zirconium?" "It would've been better than nothing." Lord Bagra facepalms. "Oh dear... it seems if you want to do something right, you have to do it yourself." "What do you plan to do, Lord Bagra?" "I've found you, Laylamon, and Tactimon to be ineffective. So I'll bring in my own troops."


["Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)"

Written by Neil Tennant and Christopher Lowe

Performed by The Old Clock Shop Man [singing voice by Neil Tennant]

Backup: The Hunters (Ryouma Mogami [Johnny Yong Bosch], Ren Tobari [Todd Haberkorn], Airu Suzaki [Nika Futterman], Hideaki Mashimo [Vic Mignogna])]

Lord Bagra uses the Internet and social media, offering kids the opportunity to make money and travel the world by hunting Digimon. He essentially puts prices on the heads of our heroes' Digimon. This posting attracts the attention of four particular kids in Tokyo.

Old Clock Shop Man:

I've got the brains, you've got the looks
Let's make lots of money
You've got the brawn, I've got the brains
Let's make lots of

The first is Hideaki Mashimo. His goal is to save up money to fulfill his dream of opening a takoyaki shop when he is twenty, which is only in six years from now. Lord Bagra (or a copy of him) disguises himself as the Old Clock Shop Man, whose car conveniently breaks down in front of Hideaki's house. He converses with Hideaki, but for the sake of using the song, the lyrics below are what's used.

Old Clock Shop Man:

I've had enough of scheming and messing around with jerks
My car is parked outside, I'm afraid it doesn't work
I'm looking for a partner, someone who gets things fixed
Ask yourself this question, do you want to be rich?

He offers Hideaki a black and purple Digivice ic. In the meantime, we meet up with Airu Suzaki, a girl obsessed with anything cute. She will often stop at nothing to obtain the things she wants. The Old Clock Shop Man entices her with Opossummon, who seems to make friends with her right away. He also gives her a black and pink Digivice ic.

Old Clock Shop Man:

I've got the brains, you've got the looks
Let's make lots of money
You've got the brawn, I've got the brains
Let's make lots of money

Now he visits Ryouma Mogami, the son of a very successful corporate headhunter who believes in power at all costs. Ryouma is impressed at the OCSM's "credentials".

Old Clock Shop Man:

You can tell I'm educated, I studied at the Sorbonne
Doctored in mathematics, I could have been a don
I can program a computer, choose the perfect time
If you've got the inclination, I have got the crime

He shows his newest potential "client" all of the rare Digimon he could collect, all the places he could go, and all the money he can get. Ryouma accepts and gets a black and green Digivice ic. He also appoints him the leader.

Old Clock Shop Man:

Oh, there's a lot of opportunities
If you know when to take them, you know?
There's a lot of opportunities
If there aren't, you can make them
Make or break them

I've got the brains, you've got the looks
Let's make lots of money
Let's make lots of
Money

The last one is Ren Tobari, an extreme MMORPG player who will do anything to capture his targets. Ren's not too hard to convince as he is handed a black and gray Digivice ic.

Old Clock Shop Man:

You can see I'm single-minded, I know what I could be
How'd you feel about it? Come and take a walk with me
I'm looking for a partner, regardless of expense
Think about it seriously, you know it makes sense

The four Hunters get a cash advance, a new wardrobe, anything their little heart desires (at the moment and within reason), the works. (You know Hideaki's not getting that takoyaki shop before he's done his job.)

Old Clock Shop Man:

Let's
(
Hunters: Got the brains)
Make
(
Hunters: Got the looks)
Let's make lots of money
(
Hunters: Ooh money)

(Hunters: Let's)
You've got the brawn
(
Hunters: Make)
I've got the brains
Let's make lots of money
(
Hunters: Ooh money)

I've got the brains
(
Hunters: Got the brains)
You've got the looks
(
Hunters: Got the looks)
Let's make lots of money
(
Hunters: Ooh money)
Money

Each of them seal the deal with the Old Clock Shop Man, and each of them are swallowed up in a ball of shadow.


Matt

I got a call from Kazuki. Apparently, the beatnik and Sampson had figured out how to space the singles out so we'd stay in the charts and in the money. "Foolish Games" was doing well for T.K., it stayed in the top ten for six solid weeks in nine different countries, peaking at number five in America and number three in Germany. The live recording of "Damn! I Wish I Was Your Lover" we did at a Sydney concert was in the top ten as well in five different countries. "If You Could Only See" was doing well in the Alternative charts as well as the Hot 100, and a number of other charts. "To the Moon and Back" was still doing well, but "Let's Kick it Up" had fallen off the Hot 100.

I reviewed the footage from my battle with T.K. in Germany, over and over. The question I had to keep asking myself was, "Why did he get it first?" I mean, I'm glad he was able to save me from myself, but still, it does something to your ego when your little brother becomes the first in your group to reach a new Digivolution stage. True, he was the last all those years ago, but why the sudden change? And after that, it was Kari. Then it was the new kid, Greg. If I was going to live up to Tai- no, I shouldn't compare myself to Tai. Sure, he made the same mistake of forcing his Digimon to Digivolve, but Kari wasn't there. He got over it and soon was the first to reach Ultimate the right way.

We went back to work on the album, but in between editing, I made a phone call to Izzy and explained the situation to him. "I know how you feel, Matt. I was the third, but you can't let things like this get to you. It appears to me that advancing in a Digivolution path is a journey of self-discovery." "How long should it take? I don't know how much time we have." "...Well, as much as I hate to admit it, not even I could tell you the answer to that. It's completely up to you." I sighed. "Thanks, Izzy." I hung up.

I remembered Izzy saying something about a Zen Buddhist monastery, so I found one in Paris and made it the next morning in time for a session. They were doing Shikantaza, which according to Izzy, was meditation with no objects, anchors, or content. You were supposed to just sit there, not thinking about anything at all. I couldn't do it. I started writing the tune in my head. "Hey! It doesn't really matter where you go/It makes no difference, baby, who you know/This thing has gotten way out of control; Hey! It doesn't really matter who you are/You might as well be a super star/'cause everything has gone way too far, oh-oh-oh; It's the strangest thing; It's getting stranger and then/It's getting harder to win/It's getting digital then/It starts happening all over again." I even got up from my zabuton (a larger pillow) and started singing my newest song. The other people meditating there gave me dirty looks. I got thrown out of the monastery with no refund, but I did swipe some of their stationary to write down the song.

Next, I tried looking for a martial arts class, but when I found a good dojo, I'd just get chased for autographs by screaming fangirls. It was the same at the gym, the yoga studio, and even at a pilates class. I finally gave up and went back to the studio. After running from all those women, I slumped into a chair. Thomas looked up from his newspaper. "We'd been wondering where you'd been." "I've been trying to find myself. Managed to write a new song, though." "That's nice. We've got more pressing matters though. It seems someone's been presented a paternity lawsuit." Gaomon presented me with a glass of orange juice. "Who?" I started taking a sip when Thomas gave me the news. "Your brother, young T.K." I gulped hard. "What!? T.K.!? That's outrageous!"

T.K. was tuning and cleaning his guitar. "You're telling me. I'd never even slept with a woman, and this girl from Melbourne claims I'm the father of her unborn kid. What do we do?" Thomas turned the page. "Simple, Takeru. We give both you and the apparent mother a paternity test. There is a small amount of fetal DNA present in the mother's blood during pregnancy. This allows for accurate fetal DNA paternity testing during pregnancy from a blood draw which has no risk of miscarriage. Once the doctors determine who the fetal DNA belongs to, they can rule out it was you." "Hard, conclusive evidence. I like that. You're pretty smart, Thomas."

Marcus looked a little concerned. "What makes you think she'll agree to that, Nerdstein?" He slammed his fist in his other palm. "We gotta make a statement! Nip this in the bud! As the only guy here who's ever had sex in the group, it should've been me who got slapped with that suit!" "That's not true, Boss," Agumon chimed in, "you weren't the only one. In that bar in Zurich, Matt did something with that girl in the Gothic costume." "I thought we were going to forget all that, Agumon," I said. "Oh yeah. Sorry."

"T.K., why don't you call Kazuki and ask him to prepare a statement? Then, we can arrange for the label to pay for the paternity testing." "Got it, Matt." He left.

We did some more work on the album, but something was off with me.


T.K.

Something was up with Matt. It took us six takes to get through "Never Tear Us Apart". His voice became slightly melancholy and more Philly soul. Not something you want to hear when you're in an alternative rock/pop band. He didn't give a smooth, make the girls swoon delivery like I usually did. It just didn't sound like himself. Finally, he called an audible and made an executive decision. He wanted to cover "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls.


["Iris"

Written by John Rzeznik

Performed by The Teenage Wolves

Lead Singer: Yamato 'Matt" Ishida (Michael Reisz)]

Unlike the original song, where most of the guitar strings are tuned to D, only Matt's and T.K.'s are. Greg's guitar stays the same. Matt plays the introduction on his bass, and soon the band joins in. You can sense the melancholy and frustration in Matt's voice. He holds the tune, stays on key, and maintains pitch. That's all a given. However, his heart and his mind truly aren't in the performance.

Matt:

And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
And sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

He descends into a Gino Vannelli-esque funk vocally, delivering a rather unique-sounding interpretation of Mr. Rzeznik's lyrics.

Matt:

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

The band continues on, with Anya making a few soft sax licks here and there before the third verse.

Matt:

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies

Matt/T.K.:

Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

Matt:

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And rather than use the strings and orchestra, Anya gets a chance to use her saxophone as she's accompanied by the other instruments (including Kari methodically using a tambourine). The spot usually reserved for the guitar solo is saved for the saxophone instead.

Matt:

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

As the song concludes, everyone brings things down to a satisfying conclusion. From his booth, Paul is speechless. "...All right, mate. I thought it was... unique. Want me to play it back?"


Matt

"Sure. Why not? It's not like I have anything better to do," I grumbled. So, he played the song back. It sounded... interesting. Gaomon, our engineer, came up with a better idea. "Mr. Oakenfold, sir, perhaps we should record each part individually and then mix." Paul's eyebrows went way up. "All right then. Good suggestion, Gaomon." "Thank you, sir."

So, we recorded each part individually. After that was done, it was dinnertime. I tried this new vegan diet all these Hollywood celebrities were trying. I hated it. I tried going to a late-night pilates class. No luck. I had to do something, so I decided to train the next day.


["Training Montage" (Instrumental, from Rocky IV)

Written by Vince DiCola

Remixed by Paul Oakenfold]

And so the next day, Matt continues his road to self-improvement. He does some roadwork along the streets of Paris, nearly running into traffic. He continues running through the Jardin du Luxembourg. He runs into the metro station, then rides to the 11th arrondissement. The streets just northwest of the place de Bastille are full of little bars, which attract a mix of young suburban Parisians, expats, and foreigners. They seem to cheer him on, or at least start running after him for an autograph. He moves through the Promenade Plantée, a 4 mile long park, about half of which is elevated above street level on the old rail viaduct.

Inside a French butcher's shop, Matt punches sides of beef. He throws heavy logs, chops down trees, and nearly gets arrested for it. Thomas has to bail him out, and then acts as a puzzled trainer. The training montage is more difficult than Matt anticipated. To conclude, 800 autograph-hungry female college students chase Matt as he once again runs through the streets of Paris, and up the steps of the Palais du Trocadéro. Once they start to close in on him, Matt keeps running until he reaches a riverbank. He finally succumbs to exhaustion and falls into the Seine River. Thomas has to dive in and save him.


Thomas

I hailed a taxi and took the both of us back to the studio. "Now why couldn't you have stayed with soccer? Matt, you're not cut out to be Rocky Balboa. You do realize that, don't you?" He was exhausted. "I do now." "Do you realize you could've drowned?" "Yes." "And why are you doing this?" "Because I don't see Digitamamon anywhere." "Huh?" "Thomas, I want to get stronger. The last time Gabumon Digivolved to WereGarurumon, I was working in a diner with Digitamamon and Joe. Joe had this huge bill and I stayed to help him. Things kept going from bad to worse, and I thought it was his fault, but I stayed for what seemed like... forever. T.K. got captured, Joe tried to save him and got captured, and I realized I was a jerk to Joe. Then, my Crest of Friendship kicked in, and we were able to save T.K. and defeat Digitamamon. But that was years ago." I listened carefully. "Hmm... then why all this sudden interest in training?" "Because I screwed up, all right!? I forced Gabumon to Dark Digivolve and I just want to get past it. If I could just be as strong as T.K., or Izzy..." "What are you talking about? You're the leader of our band, you're one of the first leading the troops into battle. You're just as strong as your brother. You merely made a mistake." "I nearly killed T.K.!" "So what? You recovered, you got better." He just stared at me, coming to a horrible realization. "... You don't get it, do you, Thomas?" I just stared at him. We were silent for the rest of the ride to the studio.


Matt

I called my girlfriend Sora and told her what happened. She was all the way in London, claiming to investigate an incident at High Street Kensington. "So you actually fell in the Seine and Thomas had to fish you out?" "No, he dived in there and pulled me out. There's a difference." "Still, you nearly drowned." "Yeah, but I know that if you were in there, you'd have done the same thing." "Uh, yeah. You know I would. Still... what possessed you to go all Rocky Balboa on us?" "I didn't want to be left behind. T.K., Kari, and now Greg are ahead of me, so I thought if I got stronger..." "Matt! It's not you who's supposed to be stronger, it's the Digimon. It's not like you're going to Digivolve!" "I know that, babe. It's just... I just want to catch up to the others." "Like your brother?" "Yeah..." "Oh my gosh, is this one of your fits of jealousy again?" "Well, kinda..." "Matt Ishida, I thought you'd already dealt with this!" "I thought I had too, but I was wrong! I've got my demons, and you've got yours! Besides, how could you know how I feel when you're clear up in London?" "You never invited me to join you!" She let out a heavy sigh. "...Look, I've got three more stores to, ahem, 'investigate'. If only I didn't have all this water weight. Call me back when you've conquered your 'demons'. Bye." She hung up.

I took the metro to the 9th arrondissement and set up my proverbial shop at the Opéra Garnier. They were taking the day off, so I rented it out for about an hour. I set my Digivice to its normal mode and pressed the button on the side. "Gabumon, realize." My partner came out of the Digivice. "What's up, Matt?" "I just wanted to test a new bonus track out here for the album." "Really? So you're not still upset about the fact I'm not able to Digivolve to Ultimate the right way?" "...I never said that. Sora blew up at me over the phone. Just sit down and listen. It'll be like getting a front row seat." "Oh, all right."


["Living Inside Myself"

Written by Gino Vannelli

Performed by Yamato "Matt" Ishida (Michael Reisz)]

At the Opéra Garnier, the magnificent setting for "The Phantom of the Opera", Matt takes out his laptop and sets it to the right music accompaniment. As the music starts, he then stands in the center of the stage while Gabumon sits down in the audience. The arrangement is more alternative rock based, but doesn't lose any of the understated dynamics, nor the "phrasing" and "compelling drama yet not overdone" that Jason Elias spoke of when he reviewed the 1981 Gino Vannelli album this song originally came from.

Matt:

In my life
I've felt so self assured
But suddenly it's all changed
She's a cloud
That hangs above my world
And I find myself wandering in the rain
And now I can't go on

'cause I am lost
Living inside myself
Living inside this shell
Living outside your love
I am lost
Somewhere inside my own dreams
Afraid of what life really means
Living without your love

I need a guiding light
To shine on my darkest days
I was young, and time was on my side
But like a fool I let it slip away
And now those days are gone

Even in his state of depression and self-pity, Matt operates the stage very well.

Matt:
And I am lost
Living inside myself
Living inside this shell
Living outside your love
I am lost
Somewhere inside my own dreams
Afraid of what life really means
Living without your love

Gabumon, as loyal as he is to Matt, doesn't seem to enjoy this display of self-indulgent self-pity. He rolls his eyes and taps his claws/fingers against his armrest. In the meantime, we cut away at this point to The Old Clock Shop Man/Lord Bagra, who directs Ryouma to Matt's location. We come back to Matt.

Matt:
In my life
I've felt so self-assured
But oh how all the seasons change
And now I'm not that strong

'cause I am lost
Living inside myself
Living inside this hell
Living outside your love
I am lost
Somewhere inside my own dreams
Afraid of what life really means
Living without your love

I am lost
Living inside myself
Living inside this shell
Living outside your love
I am lost...

(continue to fade)

At that point, someone walks in and delivers a sarcastic three-clap applause. It's a young man with silver hair and a purple shirt under a black suitcoat. Matt is not amused.


Matt

All of a sudden, this new kid walked in with a smarmy look on his face. "So, you must be the legendary Yamato Ishida, from The Teenage Wolves. It's a pleasure to meet you." "Sorry, kid. No autographs." "Oh no, I don't want one of those. That's a very nice Digimon you have over there," he said, looking directly at Gabumon. "Um, thanks. So, who are you?" "My name is Ryouma Mogami, from Shibuya." "So you're from Shibuya, huh? I'm from Odaiba, Minato." He let out an insincere laugh. "Ha ha ha, I know. I know. It's all over your website. Nearly everything I'd ever want to know about you is on your website, in fact. Except, of course, for the fact that you have a Digimon."

There was something about him that freaked Gabumon out. "Uh, Matt... that boy is looking at me strangely." I quickly went back to the audience area and protected my partner the best way I could. "All right, so what do you want?" "What do I want? Oh, nothing much. Just a battle with you. There's one thing in my life I've always cherished, Mr. Ishida. Power. And the only way to gain more power is to take it from someone else! So, once I finish your Digimon off, I will get a nice cash reward of... oh, a billion yen, and then I'll take your Gabumon's data and add it to my collection." This kid was bad news, no two ways about it. I showed my teeth. "No way am I ever letting you take Gabumon, kid!" "Please, my name is Ryouma. Rye-you-mah." He showed me his Digivice. "I think this would be a lovely place for a battle to the death. Wouldn't you agree?" Then, he posed and revealed his Digimon. "Psychemon, realize!" After a flash of light, I stared at this boy's partner. It looked just like Gabumon... except it was differently colored!


Author's Notes:

If the names of Lord Bagra's recruits look familiar, they should be. They're the starting antagonists for the third arc of Digimon Xros Wars- er, Digimon Fusion.

If the name Neil Tennant looks familiar to you, he should be. He's one of the original Pet Shop Boys. For the "Opportunities" number, just dub in the four voice actors mentioned for the last chorus. Other than that, it's essentially the same as the 1986 re-release.

After using "Hearts on Fire" and "Burning Heart" for the last fanfic, you really didn't think I was going to use "Gonna Fly Now" or "Eye of the Tiger" for a training montage. Did you?

The next chapter should be exciting. Ryouma vs. Matt. Stay tuned for it!