The Flame Keepers Circle
I don't own Digimon or Ben 10
"Step right up and see the hideous creature from the deep, that is if you dare," a man said standing behind a podium in front of a tent at the local carnival as people walked past him.
"Come on let's go see," a man said to a blond-haired girl beside him.
"It's late and I don't want to see another weirdo in a rubber suit," the girl said walking off before both heard growling coming from the tent.
"One peek isn't going to hurt," the man said with a grin as both walked to the tent and were about to walk inside when the man who by the podium tapped the girl on the shoulder making her shriek as both turned to face him.
"Ticket please," he said holding his hand. "It's five dollars extra."
"That's ok, we were just leaving," the blonde said walking off only to bump into someone who was carrying flyers. "Oh sorry," she apologised but the man smiled calmly.
"No harm, here take one," he said handing her a flyer and she looked at it. "It could change your life." He bent down and began gathering the flyers as the couple walked off, he looked into the tent before he walked inside and saw a large tank and he gasped. "It's not possible…it is…it's you."
"Five bucks pal," the man said pushing him out of the tent and closing it. Soon the carnival was closed and it was raining with thunder booming and lightning streaking across the night sky. "Huh, who is there?" the man asked as he stopped working on the tank when he noticed the tent slightly open. "The carnival's closed, you hear me?" he asked looking outside, seeing nobody he turned around and saw two figures illuminated by the lighting.
"We are the Esoterica, and tonight we stand here as liberators," one of the figures said.
"No, you stand here trespassing," the man said swinging his wrench but the two Esoterica vanished, he hears something and turned to see them on his left and he was punched and knocked out cold. The two Esoterica opened the tent allowing a third man wearing a red and gold cloak with a hook to walk into the tent.
"it is as I said, he has returned to us." one Esoterica said removing his helmet to reveal the man from before and the one in the hood smiled and walked towards the tank.
"Then this is indeed a most historic day. The day that marks the return of Diagon, the knowledge bringer," he said looking up at the creature inside which growled.
The next day Daisuke, TK and Kari were in an office building. "The Flame Keepers Circle?" Daisuke asked scratching her head.
"Yep, I can't believe it took so long to convince you guys to come check this out," Kari said with a smile.
"Yeah…I am completely disinterested in touring an office building, it is a puzzler." TK said looking at Daisuke who shrugged.
"Anyway, you're here and I'm glad. This place really makes me feel like I'm making a difference you know?" Kari asked walking off with her friends following.
"Weren't we making a difference as Digidestined long before this place showed up?" TK asked but Kari ignored his question as she called for the elevator. "And this is a swanky setup, what is it they do for money again?"
"They take donations," Kari answered walking into the elevator.
"I know Argit would love this place," Daisuke said following her into the elevator with TK beside her. "So, you're saying these guys just approached you one day as you were practicing tennis with Sora?" she asked and Kari nodded.
"They were really excited to get me on board, since I'm from another country I can help raise awareness for their organisation." She answered.
"That or it's because you are friends with the Daisuke Motomiya," TK said making her glare at him slightly.
"Not everything is about Daisuke, did you ever think about that?" she asked as the elevator stopped.
"Well it's true," he answered and Daisuke rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"Daisuke Motomiya, what an honour it is to finally meet you, and to have a celebrity of your stature visiting our meagre offices." A man in a suit said walking towards them with a smile holding his hand out and TK winked at Kari who frowned.
"Daisuke this is Conduit Edwards," Kari introduced the man as Daisuke shook his hand.
"Conduit?" Daisuke asked.
"A title that I have the honour of holding," Edwards answered.
"It means he knows all about the aliens," Kari explained.
"Right," Daisuke said. "Does he know about the you know?" she asked.
"The Digimon? Oh sure I told him about them when I first met him," Kari answered and Daisuke and TK blinked.
"Oh…that's great," Daisuke said with a nervous smile as TK walked past them and looked at the symbol on the wall.
"The Flame Keepers Circle huh?" he asked Edwards who chuckled.
"That's just a symbol of what flame represents, knowledge," he answered walking towards the symbol. "Fire, the wheel, the calendar, metallurgy. Milestones in human ingenuity and invention, or were they?" he asked.
"The Flame Keepers Circle believes that thousands of years ago mankind was visited by benevolent aliens who gave us the beginnings of technology," Kari explained.
"Benevolent? I guess anything is possible," Daisuke said as Edwards placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Daisuke, you of all people appreciate that we are not alone in this universe," he said.
"Which aliens are we talking about though? I've met a lot of them and not all of them are nice," Daisuke replied.
"We are only speaking of one alien. The knowledge bringer, his name is Diagon." Edwards said walking off and the three Digidestined followed him. "Diagon promised that he would return to Earth someday, with the technology needed to save mankind from war, famine, disease to make the world a utopia." He explained.
"And the Flame Keepers Circle are the welcoming committee," Daisuke said with a smile.
"In the meantime, the Flame Keepers Circle dedicate their resources into using modern technology to help the less fortunate, things like modernising schools and medical facilities in underprivileged countries," Kari said with a smile.
"It's a shame that after all this time he hasn't made it back, hasn't it occurred to you that he might be…dead?" TK asked Edwards.
"I can personally assure you that he's alive," Edwards answered.
"How can you be so sure?" Daisuke asked as TK began pulling back a curtain on the side of the room.
"As a conduit, I am privy to secret knowledge," Edwards answered as what was behind the curtain was revealed as a large stone door with a strange creature on it.
"Like whatever's behind this door?" TK asked.
"For example, now if you don't mind, this way please," Edwards said walking off and Kari followed with Daisuke and TK sharing a look before following as well.
"That's conduit's chamber, it's private," Kari told them as they left the room.
"The room where he keeps the donations he bilks out of suckers," TK whispered to Daisuke who looked back at the door with narrowed eyes.
"I understand that it is in man's nature to be sceptical, but trust me when I say Diagon is coming. A new age of mankind is about to begin. I'd love to bring the Daisuke Motomiya on board with our cause," Edwards said.
"I'll gladly join up," Daisuke said with a smile making TK look at her with wide eyes.
"Excellent, there will be a meeting tonight," Edwards said.
"What about you, TK?" Kari asked her boyfriend who smiled nervously.
Meanwhile outside the building Yolei, Ben, Kevin and the digimon were waiting for Daisuke, TK and Kari to leave the building "Kind of suspicious that there was a break in at a carnival the night before Kari gave Dai and TK invitations to her new club." Yolei said with her arms crossed.
"Why is that suspicious?" Hawkmon asked.
"Because we've never heard about this new organization until today." Yolei answered her partner.
"It's probably just a coincidence," Ben said before he saw Daisuke, TK and Kari who looked angry walking out of the building towards them. "How'd it go?" he asked.
"Can you believe that my own boyfriend was the only one disrespectful?!" Kari shouted glaring at TK.
"Kari, it was an accident, sometimes I laugh in awkward situations," TK said as Kari glared at him.
"You're a terrible boyfriend," she told him and TK began laughing nervously and this only angered her further until he shut up. "I'm not talking to you." She said looking away from TK.
"Look, TK. It might sound unbelievable at first but this all sounds very interesting. I'm interested in alien technology bringing peace to the world." Daisuke said making everyone look at her as Kari smiled before she leaned in close to TK. "Don't worry. I'm only pretending to find out more about this organization." She whispered to him.
"Got it." He whispered back.
"See?! Dai agrees with me." Kari said.
"In TK's defense, you're way too smart to be buying into whatever junk they told you." Kevin said and Kari glared at him.
"Which junk is that, Kevin? The using technology to help people junk? Or maybe the modernizing of hospitals and schools junk? So, what is it, the existence of aliens? Need I remind you that you've seen Dai transform into countless aliens?!" Kevin wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Even if Diagon is real, it still wouldn't be right to use his technology to change the world." TK said
"TK's right. The Plumbers have rules that goes against what that organization is about. Not to mention that you're part of the Plumbers as well. You're pretty much going against what the Plumbers stand for if you believe this whole Diagon nonsense." Ben told Kari.
"And if you've been in this organization for a while now, how come we've only known about it today?" Yolei asked her friend.
"Because I thought today would be a good time to tell you!" Kari answered.
"So, you said that there would be meeting today, right?" TK asked her
"Just forget it, TK. I just need some space from you right now. I'll see you at the meeting, Dai." Kari answered looking at Daisuke as she picked up Gatomon in her arms.
"Are you going to bring Gatomon?" she asked and Kari nodded.
"Of course. You should bring Veemon with you as well." She said before walking off. Later that night the group were outside Burger Shack eating some food as TK was grumbling to himself in between bites.
"Want to talk about it?" Daisuke asked her friend.
"Talk about what?" he asked.
"The Kari thing," she answered.
"She's working for some crooked organization and she can't even see it," TK said with a frown.
"Come on TK give Kari a chance, she's not an idiot," Gwen told him gently.
"True but that doesn't mean she can't get in over her head," TK said.
"With a charity group? What's the problem?" Gwen asked.
"That guy we talked to, he reminds me of a used car salesmen. Kari's heart might be in the right place but I'm worried," TK answered.
"Even if these guys are legit. Their mission goes against Plumber rules and interstellar law." Kevin said.
"You really think these guys have access to alien tech?" Yolei asked.
"Doubt it. Smells like a multi-level marketing scam, get your suckers to get more suckers," Kevin answered.
"You're right. That conduit guy wouldn't know alien tech even if he was staring right at it," Daisuke said as everyone's Plumber Badges began beeping and flashing.
"Speaking of alien tech, we've got a lead on that stolen Plumber ship," Gwen said.
"Stolen plumber ship?" TK asked.
"Uncle Max called while you were getting your fries with a side of sulk," Daisuke answered and TK pouted.
"It was hijacked while doing a routine patrol of this quadrant, what do you say we skip desert and kick some hijacker butt," Kevin said tossing his burger wrapped into the bin.
"I need to be going. I've got to get ready for that meeting," Daisuke said winking at Yolei and TK who understood the gesture.
"And I'm going with TK so he can apologize to Kari," Yolei said.
"Gotcha," Ben said as he, Gwen and Kevin left to hunt down the stolen Plumber ship.
"Here's the plan. I'll go Ditto and create a clone to attend the meeting. Once it's over, I'll go Chamalien and the three of us can go invisible with our Digimon and infiltrate the building," Daisuke said.
"How are me and Yolei going to be invisible with the Digimon?" TK asked as Yolei held up some of her invisibility wristwatches.
"We can use some invisibility wristwatches. I used one to save Jimmy and the others from that Plant Monster. But why aren't we informing the rest of the team about this?" she asked.
"Because they already got enough on their hands with that stolen Plumber ship." Daisuke answered and her friends nodded and they headed to the building. Soon Daisuke, TK, Yolei and the digimon were outside the building hiding as Daisuke's clone was speaking with Kari and Edwards. Daisuke turned into Chamalien in a flash of gold light and turned invisible and walked off with the others following activating their invisibility wristwatches.
"Thank you for attending Daisuke, we gained many new followers now that the great Daisuke Motomiya is part of our organization," Edwards said shaking the clone's hand.
"Happy to help, I can't wait for the wonderful day when the world is changed for the better," the clone said as the real Daisuke with TK, Yolei and the digimon snuck past and entered the building and headed into the elevator.
"I can't believe so many people are believing this crap," TK grumbled as the lift began moving up.
"Quiet. The watches make us invisibly not silent," Yolei hissed. The elevator soon stopped on the floor and they ran out into the circular room and Chamalien turned back into Daisuke in a flash of gold light and the others turned visible again, Daisuke ran to the stone door and pushed it open slowly and she walked inside along with the others.
"I was wondering when you would find me…Daisuke Motomiya," the creature inside the tank said and Daisuke gasped to see the creature was Vilgax in his true form.
"Vilgax," she said in shock.
"These days I am called the Diagon," Vilgax said making Daisuke frown.
"I don't care who these people call you, I know the truth." She said.
"But how can that be? I can see your tiny human brain, struggling to comprehend the impossible," Vilgax said.
"Vilgax, the conqueror of ten worlds. The most dangerous enemy I've ever faced, living in a fish tank in the VIP room with a bunch of people who believe Santa drives a UFO, it's a mystery alright," Daisuke said with a smirk.
"I should've been dead, our last battle, the terrible explosion. But just as you survived so too did I, lost to the sea. I was too weak to revert to my normal form and eventually washed up on shore. And was sold to a travelling carnival, despite the indignity of my situation it did provide me with food, shelter, and time to regain my strength. Recently I was liberated by these buffoons, the Esoterica." Vilgax explained.
"The Flame Keepers Circle. And this Diagon they worship just so happens to be a space squid too," Daisuke said.
"A most fortuitous coincidence. Wouldn't you agree?" Vilgax asked her.
"So now you're a prophecy made to order. Their old alien pal finally making his long-awaited return," Daisuke said.
"All hail Diagon. They'd do anything for me, why they just acquired for me a class seven interstellar ship." Vilgax said.
"What're you going to do with it?" Daisuke asked him.
"My followers think I will use it to collect some glorious alien tech stashed on a nearby moon. Instead I will find Psyphon, regain my lost powers and return home to rule my empire," Vilgax said rising up in the tank sending some water down to the Digidestined and their partners as they backed up.
"You have no empire Vilgax, it was destroyed when everyone found out you were dead," Daisuke said as Vilgax roared in outrage. "You know what they say when the cat's away the mice will play."
"No matter. I'll simply rebuild it right after I break free of this prison!" Vilgax told her.
"You won't get that chance. I want you to understand something, Vilgax. Although my distaste for you is large, what I'm about to do isn't personal." TK said.
"What are you talking about?" Vilgax asked as TK took off his hat and dropped it.
"If I learned anything from being a Plumber these last few weeks, it's that everything in the universe have specific characteristics that make them what they are. For example, "A" is "A". And no matter what universe he calls home, Vilgax will always be Vilgax." He said taking out a cylinder from his pocket and it expanded into a Plumber rifle. "If I'm going to prevent time and space from being destroyed, then you're going to have to die before you can rise to power again."
"You're really going to kill me and disobey Plumber standards?!" Vilgax asked him as Daisuke and Yolei watched in shock.
"Considering how much trouble you've caused, I'm actually going to do them a favor." TK said.
"Good point. But sadly, killing me isn't really an option for you right now." Vilgax said and TK pulled the trigger before Daisuke and Yolei tackled him causing the laser blast to miss the tank.
"TK stop, this isn't the right way," Daisuke told him.
"I'm trying to stop him from killing everyone you love Daisuke," TK said and Daisuke blinked. "We all know about that other you, the one from the worst possible future for you."
"Millennia…you're trying to stop me from turning into her?" Daisuke whispered and TK nodded and she hugged him gently. "Thank you, but I will never become her," she reassured him.
"True, because you won't be alive to become anything. Guards these intruders are enemies of Diagon," Vilgax said causing two Esoterica to run towards the room but Yolei shut the door in front of them. "You cannot stop the servants of Diagon with mere doors." Daisuke, TK, Yolei and the digimon saw the Esoterica phase into the room.
"I know this looks bad but that's not Diagon, his name is Vilgax and…" Daisuke tried to explain before she was punched in the face sending her to the ground and she frowned. "Ok, that's it," she said turning into her Cryonite form. She fired a beam of ice at one Esoterica freezing it just as it began to phase out of the dimension, however she was punched by another and rolled across the ground.
"Bewildering, isn't it?" Vilgax mocked as Daisuke jumped to her feet, Yolei tossed exploding boomerangs at the Esoterica but they phased out of the dimension and kicked her from behind.
"Vee-Headbutt!" Veemon shouted jumping towards one Esoterica but he missed and the Esoterica appeared behind him but was punched by TK before he was kicked back by another Esoterica.
"If these guys aren't playing by the rules then neither will I," Daisuke said turning back to her human form and she turned into Big Chill in a flash of gold light before she turned into Ultimate Big Chill by tapping the Ultimatrix dial and she breathed a large stream of fire around the room freezing the Esoterica as they tried to escape through dimensions.
"That's enough Motomiya," she and the others looked to see Edwards walk towards them dragging Kari along with him. "Stop this now or I might lose your friend between dimensions," he said as another Esoterica emerged and began pulling Kari into the other dimension.
"Kari!" TK and Yolei shouted.
"Alright you win," Ultimate Big Chill said turning back into Daisuke and she landed on the floor gently. "I did what you asked, now let her go." She said only to her and the others shock, Kari removed Edwards' hand and walked towards them.
"Guys it's ok, he wasn't really going to hurt me," she said.
"That's right, she wasn't my hostage. She was my accomplice," Edwards told them.
"Kari what are you saying?" TK asked as Kari hugged him.
"It was the only way I could get Big Chill to chill out," she answered.
"You're fighting on the wrong side here, these people are dangerous," TK told her looking into her eyes. "You don't understand."
"You're the one missing it, we don't need to fight. The stories were real, Diagon is back and he's going to use the technology he brings to heal the world," Kari said walking to the tank holding Vilgax before Daisuke grabbed her and pulled her away.
"Get away from him Kari," she said to her friend.
"He's not going to hurt me. He's about to bring about a new golden age for humanity. No sickness, no war, don't you see?" Kari asked.
"She sees all too well child, she sees a world where she will no longer be special. A healthy, safe world where she is no longer needed," Vilgax said.
"That is the real reason she stands in our way," Edwards told Kari who looked at him.
"Daisuke isn't like that, if you just let me explain it to her and the others," she said before Daisuke grabbed her shoulder gently.
"This isn't about me or the others at all. Even if Diagon was real, using alien technology to accelerate a planet's natural development won't bring utopia, it'll bring disaster. It's happened before, why do you think the Plumbers have those laws?" she asked her friend. "And that's not even the point. Because that's not Diagon," she said pointing to Vilgax. "His name is Vilgax and he's not a hero. He's a selfish evil warlord whose using you, and if you let him get in a ship he's going to fly off and start an interstellar civil war."
"That's Vilgax? You're telling the truth?" Kari asked looking at Daisuke and her friends.
"Mostly, apart from the ship flying off part," everyone looked to see Kevin, Gwen and Ben walking into the room. "That ship isn't going anywhere without its pulse core," Kevin said holding up the pulse core in his hand before he smashed it in his hand.
"How can this be?" Vilgax demanded.
"We had just tracked down a stolen Plumber ship when Daisuke opened a communications link so we could hear what was going on," Gwen said.
"Which resulted in Kevin's modification to the pulse core," Ben said.
"These infidels must not be allowed to interfere with Earth's glorious rebirth!" Vilgax shouted as more Esoterica appeared and began attacking them.
"Watch it, these guys can move through dimensions," Daisuke warned as she kicked an Esoterica in the head before flipping back.
"Got it," Ben said as he threw mana discs at the Esoterica before he was tripped by one coming out of the floor.
"You could have been one of us, you could have saved the world," Edwards said appearing in front of Kari and TK.
"The world needs saving alright, from creeps like you," Kari said as TK tackled her to the ground as Vilgax tried to hit them with one of his tentacles.
"Enough, destroy the girl. Destroy Daisuke Motomiya!" he commanded as the Esoterica began surrounding the team.
"Just so you know, I'm taking this personal," Daisuke said as she turned into Echo Echo in a flash of gold light and she made several copies of herself and she began creating sonic screams making everyone hold their heads as Vilgax groaned in pain.
"I hate when she does this!" Kari shouted.
"What?" Yolei asked unable to hear her. The glass tank holding Vilgax began cracking and the pipes began bursting until the tank shattered creating a wave of water which washed the team out of the room as the door shut behind them, Echo Echo turned back into Daisuke and she ran to the door but it wouldn't open.
"Vilgax, I'll be keeping an eye on you. There is no way I'm letting you get off the Earth," Daisuke said.
"So, you'd better keep your nose clean," Kevin said.
"Or we'll be back," Gwen said.
"Does he even have a nose?" Ben asked as the team left the building.
"I was wrong about Vilgax, but you're wrong about keeping alien technology out of the hands of the people it could help," Kari said as TK had his arm around her waist.
"We can always talk about it more over dinner," TK said and Kari nodded.
"Okay, but no seafood," she said and the others smiled. The next morning the Esoterica were still rebuilding the tank holding Vilgax who was now inside it.
"Do you think Motomiya was right? About this not being Diagon?" one Esoterica asked Edwards.
"We are the Flame Keepers Circle, we do not doubt," he answered with a frown. "We'll find you another ship and soon the non-believers will see just how Diagon the knowledge bringer changes our world for the better," Edwards said to Vilgax.
"Yes. Once I am done with this planet, you won't even recognize it," he promised.
The end of the chapter