DSI: RELOADED Chapter 33: If I Could Change Your Mind, a digimon fanfic

Digimon Savers International: RELOADED

Recap

(Greg) Tom developed a great defense strategy by moving ElDradimon into a lake. Of course, Marcus got all the credit. I don't care if his dad did save the Sacred City, Marcus needs to shut up about it. Gary and I did what we could to discredit him and support Tom, but even I came to see Marcus' point. Anya and I had our first fight as a couple, which literally put me in deep water. What was intended to be an apology turned into a shouting match. Oh well. As a consolation prize, Tom put me in charge of the frontal attack while he went to the waterfall with Gaomon. Gary nearly burst into tears because of all the infighting, but when I tried to make an example of him in front of the troops, I ended up flat on my back. Tom and Gaomon ran into Nanami, the Gothic chick. Turns out she's a genius who tried to bring Tom to the dark side. I'm not sure whether she wanted to get into his brain or his bed. Either way, Tom fought through it and even borrowed a page from Marcus' playbook. He seemed really ticked about it, too. The worst part of it all is that the waterfall got blown up anyway. Boy, Kurata's evil is spreading further than ever!

Chapter 33: If I Could Change Your Mind

Marcus

ShineGreymon grabbed a Gizumon XT and threw him into a tree, then slashed away at both it and the tree. Then, he powered down to Agumon. We'd been fighting them for about two hours. In the meantime, Keenan and I had taken down a troop of Gizumon. I found the DigiSoul Aura to be a huge help to my already incredible fighting skills, but Keenan didn't need it at all. All of us were getting just a bit tired, though. I knew we'd sleep well tonight. I powered down from the aura.

"Man, those Gizumon XTs just keep coming and coming," I said, looking around for more. Agumon walked up to me. "What do we do?" he asked in concern. I couldn't come up with any other answer except, "We keep fighting."

"Marcus!" Keenan called. I turned around and saw him and Falcomon running towards me. "Marcus, come quick! Hurry!" He sounded worried.

So, Agumon and I ran to follow him. We saw a lot of water gushing out. "Why is all that water gushing everywhere?" I asked. "Me don't know," Keenan said. "But without the moat, ElDradimon is left wide open for an attack," Falcomon added. "We've got to go back and help," Agumon urged. I thought about it, then came to a decision. "No. I left Thomas in charge of protecting the Sacred City, and I know he will. We've got to stick to the plan and get Kurata!" The others nodded, so back we went.

Greg

After fighting back for four hours straight, UlforceVeedramon got tired. So he floated back, powered down to Veemon, and the two of us got some sleep, or whatever sleep we could get. Yeah, I'm probably the only DigiDestined I know who actually cares about getting sleep during a crisis. I gotta be at my best, you know. I'm an American, so I try harder.

Looking through my binoculars, the next morning greeted me with a slew of Gizumon XTs and an empty lake bed. "Eh, there's nothing that starts the day better than being surrounded by your enemy," I sarcastically mused. I went outside and joined the others after breakfast. The flock of Piximon were worried, although you couldn't tell that from their facial expressions. "Here they come!" they moaned.

"There are too many of them to count," Pumpkinmon added. Even Baronmon seemed to be losing hope. "Huh, I never thought they would destroy the lake. I'm afraid this is the end."

"No, it's not!" Yushima called. The Digimon turned around as our former Commander-General bravely walked forward with Kamemon, with Veemon and me following him. He tried to boost morale and inspire hope. "We must send all the smaller Digimon into the palace for their protection, while the rest of us stay out here and finish this battle. We have to fight harder than ever before so we can finish Kurata once and for all!"

"You mean... we can win?" Pumpkinmon asked. "He's right! After all, we have the legend's son on our side. Marcus Damon will lead us to victory!" Baronmon shouted.

I facepalmed, and continued Yushima's message. "Mayor Baronmon, you're right. However, he's not here at the moment. Knowing him, he'd probably take Kurata on himself. He's entrusted us to protect the city, and Gary and me to lead you," I said. "So let's not let him down! It's fightin' time!" Veemon called, his fists clenched. The other Digimon cheered.

I turned to Yushima. "So which level should I send Veemon into? Ultimate? Mega?" I asked. I soon discovered the answer as Yushima charged up his fist and only his fist. "DigiSoul... CHARGE!" He slammed down his fist on his sensor. "Kamemon Digivolve to... Gwappamon!" I felt a giant sweatdrop make its way down the side of my face. "Oh come on!" I shouted in disbelief. Yushima turned to me. "Young man, this isn't a race. This is a marathon," he wisely said. I nodded, then turned to Veemon. "Well, at least we can go to Ultimate," I suggested. "Great idea." He got in position as I fully charged my DigiSoul and took my beginning stance. "DigiSoul... Full, CHARGE!" "Veemon Warp Digivolve to... AeroVeedramon!" I boarded AeroVeedramon, took off my glasses, and lowered my goggles. "This battle has just begun," I noted.

Anya

A Gizumon XT came right to our window, so Lalamon covered for me. "Seed Blast!" She kept spitting out seeds while I found an empty barrel. She was starting to get tired and frightened when I arrived.

"Out of the way, Lalamon!" I called. Then I jumped up and threw the barrel in that ugly eye of his. Unfortunately, that sent two figures toppling. The first was the Gizumon XT, the other was me, screaming at the top of my lungs. Lalamon dived down to save me from certain death, and she grabbed me by the jacket. I fell through that, so she had to grab me by the straps of my top.

Ivan

Kurata put me in charge of leading the troops of Gizumon XT. I think it's because I'm the biggest of all of them, which is pretty nice. It's mostly muscle because I work out a lot. Really, I spend a lot of time in the gym. At one time, I could bench press 500 easy. Of course, I wouldn't ever brag about that out loud.

Anyway, as we continued to pillage and break into the Sacred City, whose voice should I hear but my ex-girlfriend Anya's? "Uh, I found her! My honey bun!" I exclaimed in joy.

I kept following her voice and her footsteps. "Huh?" "Honey bun?" her Digimon partner asked. Anya turned around. "Ugh. Oh no, it's my ex-boyfriend Ivan," she grumbled.

"Too bad the only time we're together is when I'm trying to massacre her and all of her friends. If only I could tell her how much I love her. Of course, I would never say that out loud," I said. "I think you just did," Anya's partner said to me. Anya had this annoyed expression on her face. I can't imagine why. She sighed.

"Hi, Ivan." "Huh? How did she know I was here? I was being quiet," I reasoned to myself. I thought about it, and put my hand on my chin, like I usually do when I'm thinking. "I know. She must be looking for me day and night like I am looking for her and she sensed my presence near her," I thought to myself.

Then, she spoke. "Yeah right! I told you, Ivan, we're through! Do you actually think I would fall for a guy who says everything he thinks out loud?" "I do!?" I asked her, and that set my brain to thinking. "So that means she knows about all the hidden passion I have for her, and how I've missed her for so long. And what's worse, she doesn't share my feelings."

I turned around and covered my face in shame. "Oh, this is so embarrassing! I could just crawl into a hole and hide!" I groaned. I started feeling depressed, but then I remembered something. I punched in a code on my Digivice, and a group of Gizumon came running. That freaked her out.

I tried to comfort her. "Don't worry, don't worry. These particular units aren't programmed to attack. Anya, I have a song for you from the bottom of my heart. I want you to know just how much I care for you and how I want you to dump that guy with the glasses that you kissed while we were in the Digital Gate. Now I will attempt to woo you back into my good graces. Kurata said this would help me win you back, and I hope it does. Hit it!" I punched in another code, and synthesized musical instruments formed from their eyes. Kurata says I have a beautiful voice, not that I would ever brag about it out loud.

["If I Could Change Your Mind"

Written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson

Performed by The Akihiro Kurata Project

Lead Vocals: Ivan Zhivago (Christopher Darga)]

The Gizumon begin playing their music, while Ivan gets in position. Anya looks slightly confused and bewildered at the whole thing. As Ivan gets into it, Anya grows to become more disgusted at the whole thing.

Ivan:

I prefer to spend my time in solitary ways
Keeping myself to myself
Can't pretend that it's been easy since you went away
Living with somebody else

If you should change your mind
If you would turn around and look behind
If you could see me the way I used to be

At the risk of bringing back the sorrow and despair
I would do it all again
Holding on to memories and pretending not to care
Knowing that the show was soon to end

If only I could change your mind
If only you would change
If I had the chance, I'd do it all again
I would do it all again

One Gizumon plays the electric guitar. We now go into Ivan's mind, where he thinks about the happy times they had, like the one time they spent a day in Shamora along Lazurnaya Bay. Ivan had packed a picnic and the two hit the beach. Unfortunately, the picnic had not gone on as planned, especially when Ivan forgot to pack the utensils for the chicken kiev or the bottle opener for the bottle of mors (a traditional wild berry drink). He laughed it off, but Anya was not impressed. Later on, they rented a rowboat, but it was Anya who did the rowing while Ivan attempted to impress her with his wit (or lack of it thereof). There's really nothing wrong with that. Why, the author himself has had a girl row for him in the fifth grade. As we progress into Ivan's memories, we see that at one point, Anya did have feelings for Ivan. And yet, she couldn't help but think of something more. Ivan's certainly helping his case, but then again that's par for the course for Russian men. Women are traditionally treated with chivalry. Female travelers should not act surprised or indignant when their Russian male friends pay their bills at restaurants, open every door in front of them, offer their hand to help them climb down that little step or help them carry anything heavier than a handbag — this is not intended as condescending. (Wikitravel) So, one night at a restaurant in Moscow, Anya quietly breaks up with Ivan. This breaks his heart, but he doesn't dare give up on her. Instead, he becomes devoted to the idea of winning her back.

Ivan: (VO)
I remember windy shores on melancholy days
Drifting along with the tide
And the joy of simple things and ordinary ways
Taking it all in my stride

If you should change your mind
If I could let you see what lies behind
If you could need me the way it used to be

Even for a moment of the happy times we shared
Living in my dreams since then
At the risk of losing only castles in the air
Come with me and we can try again
Oh

Oh, if I could change your mind

We return to the present, where Ivan continues to make his plea. The Gizumon accompany him.

Ivan:
Can't pretend it's not been lonely since you went away
Oh, if only I could change your mind

If I could change your mind

As the song continues to fade, we see Anya isn't buying any of it.

Anya

He was trying so hard. I had given him three months, but he just didn't complete me. It's true, I did have feelings for him once. I guess the one thing that killed me was that he was like an open book. He said everything he thought out loud. "That was a very nice song, Ivan. However, nothing can change my mind. I can't continue a happy relationship when I know that you're going to reveal all your deepest thoughts to anyone. You're too open, Ivan."

He stared with confusion at me. I could tell this was going to go nowhere. "You are as meaningless as a melon," I said coolly, "Undefined, unaccountable, insignificant, indeterminate, and inadvertent, out of order, out of place, and out of luck!"

He didn't look too happy at that. "In order to prove my worthiness, we must fight!" he announced. "Huh?"

Lalamon seemed delighted at the idea. "We accept your challenge!" she shouted back. "Lalamon..." "But if we win, you're never allowed to come near Anya ever again!"

"Ha ha ha! But if I win, I get a date with her," Ivan happily said. That didn't faze Lalamon. "You better run while you still have the chance! I'm warning you, once I Digivolve, you won't be calling anyone 'Honey Bun' for a long time!"

I had to pull my partner away so I could confront her. "Lalamon, you have no business deciding my love life," I chided in a panic. "Oh yes I do!" "Anyway, what is your problem? Egging him on like that. He's pretty strong, you know! What if we lose?!" "Calm down, Anya. I have a plan."

I calmed down while she explained it to me. "He's the one commanding all of Kurata's troops." That gave me an idea. "Hmm... So you think if we keep him busy, the Gizumon XT attacks might slow him up?" I asked. "Well, I was hoping for more than just keeping him busy," Lalamon said, clenching her little hand into a fist, "I wanna kick his butt!" "Sounds like a plan then," I agreed.

We got in position as I unclipped my Digivice Burst and charged up my DigiSoul. "DigiSoul, Charge! OVERDRIVE!" I called out."Lalamon Double Warp Digivolve to... Rosemon!" After Digivolving, Rosemon landed on the ground. "Ah! Now that I've Digivolved to the Mega level, there's no way you'll come close to touching me!" she confidently stated.

Ivan didn't look too worried. "Huh! We'll see!" He charged up and then slid out his Digivice. "Bio-Hybrid Digisoul... Full, CHARGE!" His arms became scalier as his whole body began to mutate."Bio-Hybrid Warp Digivolve to... BioSpinomon! If you thought our Bio-Hybrid forms were strong before, wait until you see my Blue Prominence attack! This fusion of Digimon DNA and human data can defeat any Mega Digimon!"

"OK, Anya. What now?" Rosemon urgently asked me. "Why are you asking me? You had the plan!" I shot back.

"Ha ha, I have to hand it to Kurata. That guy really knows his monsters. I guess it takes one to know one," BioSpinomon said.

"Then why do you work for him in the first place?" I asked him. "Oh Anya, we've got so much to catch up on. Just surrender and go with me on another date." "No way, creep! I don't care how big you are, you're going down!" I courageously said. BioSpinomon laughed. "Ha ha! That's what you think!"

Rosemon jumped up, ready to strike. "I'll teach you that size doesn't matter, unless you're talking about the size of one's heart!" she added. I stood there with my mouth agape. How could she say something like that at a time like this?

Greg

Later, Tom came in over the earpiece and told me about his battle with Nanami. "And that's the whole story. I've been kicking myself for the last three hours," he said over the piece. "Well, Tom, you can't win 'em all with strategy. Sometimes you have to ram yourself in there and let your gut take over," I tried to console him. "You sound like Marcus," he quipped. "That's actually a strategy used by a lot of leaders. Anyway, this is a great step for you. You quit being anal retentive for once, and you won." "I am not anal!" he sternly retorted. "Riiiiiiiiiight..."

Anya

Rosemon and BioSpinomon attacked at the same time. It caused a cluster of explosions in the air, but no damage. Rosemon landed on the ground.

BioSpinomon laughed again. "Ha ha ha, Kurata has made me 100% more powerful than I was before. The only thing that's stronger than me... is my love for my sweet honey bun Anya." This was becoming too ridiculous.

I shook my head and began expressing my feelings. "Enough, Ivan! I'll admit, once I was in love with you. I thought you and I were perfect for each other. You were so sweet and kind, and strong too. I thought that was all I'd ever need. But then, I began to see some of your faults. The one that stuck out the most to me was how you always spoke your mind, even at the most inopportune times. If you were seeing another woman on the side, I'd know about it because I can read you like a book." "You can?" "Yes! And I have discovered someone much better than you! I mean, look at you. You're attacking Rosemon and me because I won't go out with you again. Is that any way to treat a lady like me? No! You should be attacking Greg and Veemon... not that I want you to, of course. But don't take it out on me!" "I'm sorry, honey bun, but orders are orders. I wish I didn't have to kill you, but Kurata wants you dead, and I just do what the boss tells me to."

I gasped at that. "You... you do this for money?" I asked.

Thomas

I carried Nanami through the forest. She's remarkably light, so I didn't have much trouble. Gaomon had gone up ahead to review the status of the Sacred City, and he was just coming back. "Sir! Sir, the Sacred City is under heavy attack. Should we go back there and help, sir? Or are we headed to team up with Marcus so we can take on Kurata?"

Hmm... both sounded like very reasonable things I could be doing. I thought about what Nanami had said, about how I had lost to Marcus Damon's power. I hadn't truly defeated her myself. My victory was hollow because the waterfall burst in spite of it. In a way, I had betrayed myself. Greg called me anal retentive. I let the words swirl in my head.

"Thomas, you're an elitist know-it-all who doesn't let anyone else get a word in edgewise." "You have no right to speak, Norstein. You didn't contribute." "I'm sick of you holding me back anyway!""Wake up! Put aside your stubbornness for once and let us help you." "Marcus doesn't mind taking risks, because he knows that if he screws up, Thomas and Greg have his back." "You can't help but feel lonely, can you? You're surrounded by inferiors. There isn't a single person who understands you, not a single person you can relate to, you're a prisoner of your own intellect. Being a genius means being lonely." "I accept defeat because I did not lose to you, Thomas H. Norstein. I lost... I lost to something else... I lost to Marcus Damon's power."

Thomas

"Thomas!" Gaomon barked, bringing me back to reality. "Huh? Uh... sorry, Marcus said he'd be fine on his own. I think we should get back to helping Yushima and the others," I decided.

Anya

During the battle, a Yasyamon attacked BioSpinomon, and he cold-heartedly killed Yasyamon by impaling him with his sword. "How... could you do that!?" Rosemon asked in complete shock.

"You're terrible! How could you do such a thing if you're part human?" I added. BioSpinomon turned his head. "Why are you calling me terrible? This is just business," he said nonchalantly, as if he was talking shop.

My eyes widened further at that. "Just business?" "Of course. I'm Kurata's hired muscle. Kurata pays me money so he can experiment on my body, and I'm lucky, too. Because of all his hired help, he's given me the strongest body out of everyone. That's why I'm the best fighter there is. Where else do you think I'm getting the money to take you on our date? You could say I'm in the Digimon hunting business. I hope I didn't make you mad."

I began to see Ivan's true colors. "No, Ivan. You don't make me mad. You make me sick! You're the worst person I've ever met!"

Kurata

It was a slow, slow day. Ivan should've been back by now. Well, he should've, except I gave him carte blanche timewise to pursue his ex-girlfriend, Anya. At least it would shut him up. I yawned. I'd finished every sudoku book I had brought with me. Suddenly, a report came in. "Professor Kurata. Reporting with an update, sir. We approximate the Sacred City will fall within the next five minutes," my field commander reported. "Good. Soon, the greatest chapter of mankind will begin," I said.

Anya

I continued my rant. "How can you do this? Digimon are living things, too. How can you hunt them for money? They're just like us, we connect with them, and they're our friends! You said yourself you get your power from Digimon data, and yet you destroy them and call it your business! Doesn't that bother you?"

Tears were coming to my eyes. "Don't you feel anything from seeing all this pain and suffering? Don't you have a heart?" I demanded to know. "Please don't be angry with me," he pleaded, "it's only business, Honey Bun."

That was it! "Grrrr... hmmmm... don't you dare call me your honey bun!" "I wish you'd understand. I made a deal with Kurata because I need that money, and I'm gonna do whatever he asks, even if that means killing you. When I signed that contract, I promised to do a good job." I was growing more and more disgusted with him by the second.

Rosemon spoke up. "I fear for you. Ivan, when you signed that contract, you signed away your heart." "And your soul," I grimly added. "Oh Anya... if only I could make you understand... if only I could make you think differently about me and what I do."

"Well, you can't! And this is what I think of your little band of troubadours!" I took out my Digivice Burst and set it up for Aura Mode. "DigiSoul Aura Mode, ON!" I shouted as I scanned my hand. I became covered in DigiSoul, then charged towards Ivan's band of music-playing Gizumon. I punched and kicked through them all, destroying them. I panted and pointed to BioSpinomon in righteous fury. "Him! I want him gone! For good!"

"Hm." She jumped up and began her strike. "Now prepare to die!" she called.

["Rolling in the Deep"

Written by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth

Performed by Anya Rădulescu (Kate Higgins)

Additional Vocals by Rosemon (Dorothy Elias-Fahn)]

Suddenly, the group is surrounded by more Gizumon and Gizumon-AT. Anya uses the battle to tell off Ivan, in song, naturally.

Anya:

There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare

See how I leave with every piece of you
Don't underestimate the things that I will do
There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch
And it's bringing me out the dark

The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling

Now, Rosemon goes in as she attempts to attack both BioSpinomon and the Gizumon. Anya continues her beautiful rampage.

Anya:
We could have had it all
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it, to the beat
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby, I have no story to be told
But I've heard one on you
And I'm gonna make your head burn
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Making a home down there
As mine sure won't be shared

BioSpinomon attacks with his charged up claws, Rosemon misses and charges up her Rose Spear, stabbing the enemy Digimon with it once fully charged. She then entangles BioSpinomon in vines, binding him.

Anya:
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
The scars of your love remind me of us
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
I can't help feeling
We could have had it all
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it, to the beat
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside of your hand
But you played it, with a beating

Anya jumps up and starts laying a few punches and kicks on BioSpinomon, wherever she can find a weak spot.

Anya:

Throw your soul through every open door (woah)
Count your blessings to find what you look for (woah)
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold (woah)
You'll pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow

She jumps off him and allows Rosemon to charge up her Forbidden Temptation. All Anya can do is sadly shake her head and think of what a loser Ivan is.

Anya:

(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
It all, it all, it all
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Finally, Rosemon charges up and lets her attack go, attempting to beautifully destroy the opponent's data in a shower of innumerable rose petals. Anya continues her beautiful rampage against Kurata's forces.

Anya:
We could have had it all
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)

Rolling in the deep
(Rosemon: Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

You had my heart inside of your hand
(Rosemon: You're gonna wish you never had met me)

But you played it
You played it
You played it
You played it to the beat.

When the last one is down, she lands on the ground, turns off Aura Mode, and dusts her hands.

Anya

When the dust cleared, though, he was still there. He was much angrier, too.

"I now see that Anya wants nothing to do with me. Fine! If she doesn't want my heart, then why shouldn't Kurata have it? He can have my heart and my loyalty! Anya! You will pay for turning me down!" He charged his mouth up with a blue flame and called, "Blue Prominence!"

The attack was aimed directly at me, but Rosemon attempted to get me out of the way. There was an explosion, and I found myself on the floor, covered by my partner. "Rosemon! Rosemon, hang in there!" "I'm OK. It wasn't a direct attack," she said somewhat weakly.

"Oh no? Then the next one won't miss!" BioSpinomon threatened.

"Anya... run!" Rosemon urged. "No! I'm not leaving you!" I said. We got up together. "Stand up, Rosemon. We can't afford to lose this one," I boldly stated.

Rosemon nodded, her confidence reforming. "You're right. I can still do this." I stood behind Rosemon as she charged up her Forbidden Temptation. "Blue Prominence!" "Forbidden... Temptation!" The two attacks clashed, and it came down to a battle of wills. "We have to get rid of his kind! I don't want any more Digimon to suffer because of this guy!" I called. That extra bit of sincerity must have done the trick because our attack became stronger, overpowering and destroying BioSpinomon and causing an explosion. After the dust cleared, Rosemon had one thing to say. "Someone who sells his heart has no right to speak about love."

Kurata

"BioSpinomon's signal is gone!" one of my agents declared. I sighed. "I never should've let Ivan go by himself."

"KURATA!" I recognized that voice as I turned my head. There was the son of Spencer Damon, along with Keenan, and their Digimon. He was being followed by Gary Logan and Tentomon. Three against one, typical odds. Falcomon flew forward with an attack, but Kouki came in and punched the bird away into a tree. "You again!" Marcus shouted.

Kouki just flashed his killer grin. "I never thought you'd show, Marcus. What took so long?" "You're the one who ran away!"

"Hold it! Hold it!" Gary cut in. "What!?" Marcus and Kouki asked angrily. "I'm not going to let you guys go at each other right now. I've got to speak with Kenta first," Gary said.

As if right on cue, Kenta walked in wearing his battle outfit. "Ah, so Greg couldn't make it himself. Had to send in his brother to do the job," he sneered. "If you must know, I came of my own accord. We're going to settle this once and for all," Gary shot back. Kenta stared him down, showing his teeth. "Look, kid, I have no interest in you. I've got a bone to pick with your big brother, so stay out of it before I make you regret it." Gary started running head on towards him. "The only one with any regrets will be you!" And so, the four charged at each other. Naturally, those do-gooders were outmatched by my team and were soon floored.

Anya

I approached Ivan, who was now on the floor, powerless. His DigiEgg was beside him. "Ugh... it's so... sad," I said. I noticed a picture popping out of Ivan's pocket, so I knelt down and picked it up to examine it. I recognized most of those faces. They were Ivan's nine brothers and sisters. I had forgotten that he had such a huge family.

"Give... that... back," Ivan breathed out. I turned to him. "Those are my little brothers and sisters. You had forgotten about them... hadn't you?" he asked. "Yes... I suppose I did," I softly answered. "Yes... I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't give me a chance... to explain."

I gave him back the picture. "This is why I signed that contract with Kurata. Now do you understand?" he asked me. I felt sorry for him. "Ivan, you fool. Do you really think your family wanted that for you? Sacrificing your body for experiments and hunting down innocent creatures for money?"

He just had a happy expression on his face as he cried tears of joy. It was pathetic. "He doesn't even know he did anything wrong," I sadly concluded. Anger sparked in my heart. "I hate Kurata. Only a sick man would take advantage of the weak-minded." Lalamon agreed.

Thomas

MirageGaogamon and I met up with Greg and AeroVeedramon in the air. "Boy, are we glad to see you. For some reason, the Gizumon XT are retreating," Greg said. My eyes widened at that remark. "There was a reason why! Come on!" I said.

So, the two of us descended to the ground. Sure enough, someone had left a box with a timer attached to it. "Oh no! A Space Oscillation Device!" I gasped. "A bomb!" Greg added. We went to work trying to smash it, or at least stop the timer. We only had 26 seconds before it went off. Kurata had done a good job making the box impenetrable because we couldn't get in. When the timer counted down, it went off. The four of us ran out of the way, and it soon became apparent what was happening. Kurata was opening a Digital Gate, intending on sending ElDradimon to our world. So, we rescued Anya, Rosemon, Gwappamon, and Yushima. In the meantime, Crowmon and HerculesKabuterimon had gotten themselves involved in an aerial dogfight. They had Marcus, Gary, Agumon, and Keenan in tow. However, even after all we could do, ElDradimon was too heavy. When all was said and done, the giant Digimon landed in the bay, back in the human world.

Author's Notes:

Anya's "meaningless as a melon" insult came from The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics. It's a classic 1965 MGM cartoon directed and produced by Chuck Jones and is based on a story by Norton Juster, who also wrote The Phantom Tollbooth (which was later adapted into a 1969 animated/live-action film for MGM by Chuck Jones).

Bonus MusicBreak

["You Know My Name [Music Video Edition]"

Written by Chris Cornell and David Arnold

Produced by Alan Parsons and Kouji Wada

Performed by Doug Erholtz]

The scene begins at what looks like a dark, empty warehouse. The lights are turned on, and we find a band and orchestra set up. On one side, we find Greg entering with Veemon. Both are carrying cases on their backs. On the other side, we find a certain blonde-haired hat-clad young man with his Digimon entering. The young man has a case on his back. The two meet up and are surprised to see each other. "Huh? What are you doing here?" they ask each other at the same time. The blonde, as you're probably aware, is Takeru "T.K." Takaishi. "Oh. Hey," Greg says. T.K. returns the greeting. "Got the same e-mail?" Greg asks. T.K. responds,"Looking for a guitar player? Yeah." "Gee, I wonder how we're gonna settle this one," Patamon wonders. "We could always fight it out again," Veemon offers. The four look to each other and come to the same conclusion. "Nah." Just then, an older man with a goatee and a thin beard enters. He's wearing a tuxedo with a forehead protector. "Guys, guys... there's room enough for both of you in this video. After all, without me, none of you would sound as good," he says. Soon, Greg and T.K. are introduced to the band. On drums is Gin Ichimaru, a formal and polite Soul Reaper who speaks with a rather mocking and facetious undertone. Playing trumpet is Hamrio Musica, the leader of a band of thieves named Silver-Rhythm. Various other people appear in an orchestra. Veemon takes his spot as bass guitar, while Greg and T.K. take their places as electric guitar. Taking lead vocal is the older man with the goatee. As the orchestra and band tune up, a screen lowers from the ceiling. The conductor? Lucien Debray, a secretary within the French government.The lights dim as a slate appears on the screen, followed by the SMPTE Universal Leader. As the film clip begins, the orchestra starts up. We see exciting, action-packed scenes from Digimon Savers International intercut with scenes of the band.

Doug:

If you take a life do you know what you'll give?
Odds are you won't like what it is
When the storm arrives, would you be seen with me
By the merciless eyes I've deceived?

I've seen angels fall from blinding heights
But you, yourself, are nothing so divine
Just next in line

Arm yourself because no one else here will save you
The odds will betray you and I will replace you
You can't deny the prize it may never fulfill you
It longs to kill you, are you willing to die?
The coldest blood runs through my veins
You know my name

In the meantime, Marcus, Thomas, Anya, Keenan, Gary, and their Digimon stumble into the same auditorium. Gin mockingly offers Marcus his spot at the drums, which Marcus accepts while Gin moves elsewhere. The team finds their way into the orchestra.

Doug:
If you come inside things will not be the same
When you return to the light
And if you think you've won you never saw me change
The game that we have been playing

I've seen diamonds cut through harder men
Than you yourself, but if you must pretend,
You may meet your end

Unfortunately for all of them, Kurata and his various forms of Gizumon invade the warehouse and generally disrupt the recording session. T.K. and Greg stop their playing, and look to each other, then to their Digivices. The other DATS Agents nod and take out their Digivices. Meanwhile, the other members of the band prepare for battle.

Doug:
Try to hide your hand, forget how to feel
(T.K.: Forget how to feel)
Life is gone with just a spin of the wheel
(T.K.: Spin of the wheel)

In a stunning finale battle, all members of the orchestra summon their weapons and attack. T.K. and Patamon Biomerge to Seraphimon, while Greg charges his DigiSoul into Overdrive, allowing Veemon to Double Warp Digivolve into UlforceVeedramon. The two work together perfectly. Agumon, Gaomon, Tentomon, Lalamon, and Falcomon also go to their Mega levels and attack the various forms of Gizumon, along with their human partners (who, except for Keenan, are implementing the DigiSoul Aura Mode). In the meantime, drummer Gin wields his bankai, Kamishini no Yari, and uses the technique Buto Renjin (literally "No Step: Serial Blade") and uses his zanpakutō's speed and length properties to an amazing extent many times over, appearing as a wave of blades attacking the opponent. Hamrio uses the weapon "Silver Ray". The cellist Asuma Sarutobi flicks away his cigarette and spews a stream of chakra infused gun-powder from his mouth, which surrounds a region of Gizumon. As the gunpowder is composed entirely of ash, it stays in the air around the victim like a cloud, which can be used like a smokescreen. After surrounding them with the ash, the user then ignites it with a flint placed on his teeth beforehand to create a spark, resulting in a violent explosion, burning the Gizumon up. Doug moves his mic and continues the song, safely away from the battle at hand. When one Gizumon gets too close, he kicks it away. As the song ends and Kurata senses his defeat, the dirty coward runs away.

Doug:
Arm yourself because no one else here will save you
The odds will betray you and I will replace you
You can't deny the prize it may never fulfill you
It longs to kill you, are you willin' to die?
The coldest blood runs through my veins
You know my name

(Greg: You know my name)
You know my name
(Greg: You know my name)
You know my name
You know my name
You know my name!

As the song ends, we see what has happened to the warehouse. It's heavily damaged, with the sky being exposed. "Wow, I guess that really was some battle," Marcus notes. The Digimon revert back to Rookie form as T.K. secures his hat. Marcus approaches him. "Who the heck are you?" he asks. "Oh, just a random DigiDestined making a cameo," the blonde-haired boy answers. He walks away, with the others following. "Thanks!" Anya calls. T.K. raises his hand and waves, not even turning around. "No problem," he says nonchalantly. The orchestra/band and the Data Squad part ways as the video fades to black.

Dedicated to:

CHRIS CORNELL

(July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017 )