Digimon World Tour

Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Data Squad, etc. Copyright 1999-2015 Toei Animation, Akiyoshi Hongo, Studiopolis, Saban Brands, etc.

Recap

[Rika] What's up? We tried some new material, but Marcus didn't like it. In the meantime, Kari hired this personal trainer named Jillian Michaels to train her so she'd become stronger. It didn't work, and now she's out nine thousand bucks. T.K. tried to set her straight. The next day, Joan Collins dropped by hours before this big fancy dinner and tried to convince me that wearing a dress was OK. She even paid for a shopping spree, and you want to know something? Now, I don't actually mind ditching the jeans every once in a while. Max's wife Juliet got kidnapped by HiAndromon, so Max went on his own. After nearly killing himself while fighting a group of Starmon, he got a partner, Candlemon, who Digivolved to Wizardmon without a Digivice. You heard me, without a Digivice! Just pure DigiSoul, baby. Ophanimon helped Kari realize that she actually was strong in her own way, and that was enough to unlock her Burst Mode. Score one for girl power!


Chapter 45: Greg Gets Bugged

Gatomon

That night, I couldn't help but think about Wizardmon. He claimed that he knew me. Could he possibly be the same one who had sacrificed his life for Kari and me? Oh, I hoped it was so. Thinking about him made me recall the heartache I had when his ghost reappeared in the real world two years ago. That was all I could think about as I slept.


["Love Will (Turn Back the Hands of Time)" (from Grease 2)

Written by Louis St. Louis and Howard Greenfield

Performed by Gatomon (Mary E. McGlynn) and Wizardmon (Robert Axelrod)]

Tonight, for some reason, Gatomon's dream is strange. Sad memories are flooding in of Wizardmon's sacrifice. She finds herself alone, in Odaiba during Season 1/Adventure. She looks at the exact spot where Wizardmon took the hit for her and Kari.

Gatomon:

No more midnight rides with you,
no more secret rendezvous.
I'm gonna miss all the things we'll never do.
Oh, I just can't believe you left me here alone.
How in this world can I make it on my own?

A shooting star zips by in the sky above her, as all of a sudden, everything becomes foggier. There, in the distance, is Wizardmon wearing silver biker gear on a motorcycle. Gatomon runs to him and attempts to climb on his cycle, but is having a bit of difficulty. The bike spins around. This is switched out with shots of Gatomon and Wizardmon separate from each other.

Wizardmon:

Remember, I love you, I won't be far away.
Baby, close your eyes and think of yesterday,
and we'll be there together.

Love will turn back the hands of time.

Gatomon/Wizardmon:

Whoa oh, turn back
Whoa oh, turn back the hands of time.

Oh

Gatomon:
Baby, don't you know it's hard to let you go?

Wizardmon:
Save all your dreams and keep me in your heart.

Gatomon:
It hurts to say goodbye, no matter how I try.

Wizardmon:
Love will survive even though we have to part.

During the instrumental bridge, the two friends are back together, with Gatomon crying. "Gatomon, please don't cry," Wizardmon says tenderly. She wipes away a tear. "Oh, it all seems so unfair. I'm glad you're back, but things just won't be the same. I'll have to leave you again." "That doesn't matter now. The only thing you have to know is that I love you. And you're the only one who can keep our love alive! So Gatomon, don't forget me!" Gatomon crosses her heart. "I promise." The song resumes as the two board their motorcycle, Gatomon spins around, and Wizardmon... well, he does what he does.

Wizardmon:

Remember, I love you, you won't be far away.

Gatomon:

I just close my eyes and bring back yesterday,

Gatomon/Wizardmon:

And we'll be there together.
Love will turn back the hands of time.
Whoa oh, turn back
Whoa oh, turn back the hands of time.

The scene returns to Odaiba where Gatomon is left on her own.

Gatomon:

We'll turn back,
Whoa oh, turn back
Whoa oh, turn back the hands of time.

We'll turn back...

As the song ends, she finds Wizardmon's wand by her side, drops to her knees, and holds the wand close to her heart. The scene fades quickly to black, then Gatomon wakes up.


Kari

I felt movement in my bed, and it wasn't me. Gatomon nudged me awake. "Huh? Huh? Oh, what, what is it, Gatomon?" "Kari, I just had a dream with Wizardmon in it." "That's nice," I yawned. I tried drifting off to sleep again. "Kari!" "Huh, what?" "Do you think, possibly, that the Wizardmon Mr. Caulfield is partnered with is the same one that saved our lives years ago?" "I'm too tired to think about it. Maybe." "I hope so." "Me too. Good night."

The next day, which was Greg's birthday, we were scheduled to headline for a fictional fashion show on the set of "The Bold and the Beautiful". It was an American soap opera about a fashion house in Los Angeles. We met with director Cynthia J. Popp to discuss ideas for our performance. "Well, let's see. Forrester Creations will be 'releasing' a stunning array of evening wear. Do you have anything sensual from your next album?" she asked. "Sensual?" I wondered. "She means sexy, but not too sexy," Rika whispered in my ear. "Ohhhh, yeah, we do. 'Par Avion'." I sang a few bars and that was enough for her. After rehearsals, we set up shop at Studio 31 of CBS Television City. The only problem was that Greg went missing.


Greg

I wandered around the studios, and it was a busy place. "Wow... so this is where all the magic happens, huh Greg?" Veemon asked me through his Digivice. "Uh huh... and this is Studio 33." I noticed a plaque on the wall. "'Bob Barker Studio; March 11, 1998; 5000th episode.' Oh, and here's some fine print. See if you can read that." I looked around, then held the camera on the Digivice up to the plaque. Veemon read it. "All right. Let's see what we got here. 'CBS dedicates Studio 33 to Bob Barker, Mark Goodson Productions, staff, cast and crew of "The Price is Right" in acknowledgment of their continuing excellence in daytime programming'. Maybe we'll get to meet him!" "Nah, Drew Carey's the host now. Come on, we better be going. Now which studio was it? 31, or 41?" "41 sounds better than 31." "All right." I put the Digivice away.

As we walked to Studio 41, we saw four gorgeous women strut by. A huge smile came across my lips. "Ha ha ha, this must be the place!" I cackled. I pulled out a bottle of breath spray and sprayed it a few times in my mouth, then approached the women. "Excuse me, ladies. Which of you are bold, because I think you're all beautiful," I said. They chuckled and ad libbed their thanks. One of them came forward and said in a smooth voice, "We're 'The Young and the Restless', 'The Bold and the Beautiful' are in 31." "OK, thanks." "Any time, tiger." She blew me a kiss, and I blew one right back at her, then walked on.

Finally, I arrived at Studio 31. Anya was the first one to greet me. "Gregorivich! Where have you been?" she hissed. "Just taking a self-guided tour of Television City," I nonchalantly said. "Well, you were almost late!" The stage manager walked by with a call of "30 seconds!" So, I quickly ran to my spot, strapped on my guitar, and tuned it up as best as I could. "Sorry I'm late, guys," I whispered. "Had us worried for a sec, Birthday Boy. Don't let it happen again," Marcus growled quietly. The stage manager went on. "10 seconds!"


["Here Comes the Night (Par Avion)"

Written by Mike Rutherford and Christopher Neil

Performed by The Teenage Wolves

Lead Singer: Kari Kamiya (Lara Jill Miller)

Backup Vocals: Rika Nonaka (Melissa Fahn)]

As we fade in, the Forrester Creations stage is set. To the right, the special guests, The Teenage Wolves, perform on another stage. Marcus counts them in as they start playing. As Kari takes to the front mic (with Rika on backup), the Forrester models strut down the center catwalk wearing new styles in evening wear.

Kari:

Another day has passed me by
And there's an island in the sun
To see me through
Another day in paradise
But there's no reason, there's no rhyme
Without you

The lights dim slightly as the "night" comes. A "moon" spotlight turns on. We get shots of various characters from "The Bold and the Beautiful", most notably the new Ridge Forrester, as portrayed by Thorsten Kaye. Also in the audience is the old Ridge, as portrayed by Ronn Moss of the band Player, as well as a sunglasses-clad Max.

Kari:
Here comes the night (night)
Here comes the dreaming of you
Breathing your love in me
Here comes the night (night)
Here comes the feeling I've been
Waiting here for so long
I've been waiting here for so long

We get more shots of the band playing. Kari leans in closer to the mic.

Kari:
There's a time and there's a place
When we can share the silver night
Silent room
In my bed an empty space
'Cause there's no other in my life
Only you

Kari proves herself quite expressive with her hands, symbolically breathing T.K.'s love into her.

Kari/Rika:
Here comes the night (night)
Here comes the dreaming of you

Kari:
Breathing your love in me

Kari/Rika:
Here comes the night (night)
Here comes the feeling I've been

Kari:

Waiting here for so long
I've been waiting here for so long

More shots of the models walking down the catwalk.

Kari/Rika:
Here comes the night (night)
Here comes the dreaming of you

Kari:
Breathing your love in me

Kari/Rika:
Here comes the night (night)
Here comes the feeling I've been

Kari:

Waiting here for so long
I've been waiting here for sooooo long

As the song ends and the last model walks away, the audience applauds. The band bows in gratitude.


Greg

After recording, I had lunch at the commissary while the others went home. Not too many other people were there, so there were plenty of seats. I got a chicken salad sandwich, with chips, devil's food cake, and a soda. I'd heard people talking in the halls about how bad the food was there, but it tasted just fine to me. The chicken salad was superb, with plenty of chopped grapes and a hint of lemon juice mixed in. After lunch, I took a tour of Studio 33. They weren't taping "Price" that day, so I got to walk through the Big Doors. It was amazing. I played up my childhood illnesses just so I could stay home and watch "The Price is Right", and now, I was walking through the same doors Bob Barker walked through at the start of nearly every show. It was like being in a candy factory.

I even got to spin the Big Wheel, and when other people weren't looking, Veemon got to spin it as well. Even though he was much shorter than the wheel, he made a running jump and spun it. It went all the way around and even landed on the 5-cent space.

I drove home in the Ferrari we'd rented, but a few hours later at dinner, I didn't feel very well. I had an awful case of diarrhea, and I felt like I wanted to die. I couldn't even enjoy the birthday cake they made for me, as I had to rush to the toilet to vomit right in the middle of "Happy Birthday to You". Veemon had to blow out my candles for me, the lucky stiff.

"Shouldn't we seek some medical attention for Gregory?" Candlemon asked outside the bathroom door. "Candlemon, you've forgotten I'm a doctor," Thomas replied.

So, Thomas gave me a physical right there in the bathroom. After a 30-minute interview and exam, he came up with a diagnosis. "Greg, you have food poisoning." "Food poisoning!?" "I suspect either Clostridium perfringens or the Norovirus, not named for me, naturally. All the symptoms are there. It should pass within a few days. What did you have for lunch?" "Well, I had chicken salad, potato chips, devil's food cake, and a soda." Thomas thought carefully. "Hmm... chicken salad, eh?" "It tasted fine to me," I said. "Hmm... well, perhaps it was cooked improperly. All I can say at this point is that you have food poisoning, and you'll have to be quarantined." "Quarantined?!" "Please cease with the dramatics, Greg. It will only be for a day or two. Then, we'll have to have everything washed and disinfected. Ah... it's a shame, too. You might not make it in time for our 'American Top 40' recording." "Oh man! Some way to spend my birthday." "Yes, happy birthday," he said, rolling his eyes.


Thomas

After thoroughly disinfecting myself (since you can never take too many precautions as a doctor), I made a phone call to Izzy. However, he wasn't there. "I'm sorry, Izzy isn't here at the moment. How may I help you, Thomas?" Ken politely asked me. "Ken, I was wondering if you could join my impromptu think tank for a moment. It seems Greg has come down with food poisoning. I have a hypothesis about that. Do you think it might relate to DigiSoul and the optimization?"

Ken thought about it for a moment. "Now that you mention it, I do believe there may be some connection. Recently, I contracted measles. It felt awful. I did some research, and discovered that symptoms usually develop 7–14 days after exposure. I was sick after just two days. It could very well be that some side effects of the Overdrive optimization involve the speeding up of viral development. My guess is that the parts of the brain that limit viral development are shut down in order to make room for DigiSoul support purposes. Of course, I could be completely wrong."

I begged to differ. "No, you may have something. It would make sense, given that we humans need some sort of disadvantage. Anyway, we're banishing Greg and Veemon to the pool house for a few days. We've set up some systems so he can participate in rehearsals. Maxwell even bought him a new guitar exclusively for use during the quarantine." "Oh, I'm so glad you remembered Mr. Caulfield. We've got a Digivice waiting for him. Izzy and I worked hard on it about a few hours after discovering he could generate DigiSoul. I'll send Yolei over in Imperialdramon to work with the group for a few days in case something happens." "I don't know, Ken. Do you recall the last time we had a substitute?" "Thomas, we're talking about Yolei. I'm a reformed villian, would I lead you astray?" "Well..." "You know what, don't answer that. I'm sorry I even asked. She'll be there by tomorrow." "OK. Thank you."


Maxwell

The next morning started as any other. The doorbell rang. "I'll get it, dear. It's probably the paperboy looking for a tip," I said as I walked to the door. I answered it, and there was this cheery teenage girl with long, purple hair and glasses wearing a Radio T-shirt and jeans and carrying a messenger bag and suitcase with her. "Well, hi there. You must be Mr. Caulfield!" she said excitedly. "Um, yes. Can I help you?" I asked. "Actually, I came here to help you. My name's Yolei Inoue, and I'm from DATS. Ken sent me over here to help you get set up with a Digivice." "Um... Ken? Ken Howard?" "Ken Howard? Who's he?" I thought about it. "No, that's silly. The Screen Actors Guild president wouldn't know about this. Anyway, if it's about Candlemon, come in."

She did, and she looked around the mansion. "Wow... check all this out. Nice place you have here," she said. "It's rented, and how do I know you're actually with DATS?" She pulled out a device of her own and tossed it around, catching it in her palm. "Would I be able to do this if I wasn't? Hawkmon, realize!" Out of the device came a small, eagle-like Digimon with a belt supporting a feather around his forehead.

Candlemon peeked out from the staircase. "Oh, it looks like another Digimon," he noted. "That's right, Candlemon. This is Yolei and... um, what did you say your name was again?" I asked of the bird. "Hawkmon, sir, and it's quite a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He heartily shook my hand with his wing. "Likewise, I'm sure."

We gathered in the backyard, where Yolei presented me with a device similar to hers and explained it to me. "This is the Digivice ic5 Link, a new handheld version of the Digivice ic5. It's not as advanced as the kind the band has, but it's good enough for a beginner like you. Anyway, what this does is regulate the flow of DigiSoul that goes from you to your Digimon." "Regulate the... oh, yes, the first time Koushiro led me through a Digivolution, I nearly fainted," I recalled. Yolei laughed. "Nearly? You did! Ha ha ha ha ha!" I glared at her, as if to say "Really?"

She went on. "All right. Now, it's time for you to practice a little. Do you know how to ignite your DigiSoul?" I thought about it carefully, then moved my hand in front of my face and concentrated hard on it. After a few seconds, a flicker of that byzantine flame appeared in my hand, then disappeared.

Yolei looked it over carefully, then shook her head disapprovingly. "Nah... that's not very good at all." "It's not?" "Nah, you need something that gives you a flair. You know, something that says 'I'm Maxwell Caulfield, and your butt is about to be kicked!'" I had an idea. "Is that so? Then how about something like this?" I really put my mind into it, then clenched my hand into a fist. I brought it up to my mouth, kissed the wedding ring on my hand, and then thrust the fist up to the sky. Yolei shook her head again. "Nope. Keep trying." This was going to be difficult. I tried everything I could think of, drawing on all my experience as an actor and former go-go dancer. Nothing seemed to work.

Finally, Candlemon had an idea. "Maxwell?" "Yes, Candlemon?" "How did you light the candles on Gregory's birthday cake last night?" "Light a candle? Hmm... oh yes, with a lighter!" I ran into the kitchen, pulled out a lighter from a drawer, and then walked back.

"I don't think that'll be very practical," the little flame on Candlemon's head noted. I was running out of ideas. "Then what is?" I finally asked. "An imaginary one! An imaginary one!" "Oh." I put the lighter away, then shaped my left hand as if I was holding an imaginary lighter. I inhaled, exhaled, concentrated... and then flicked it. Suddenly, and much to my surprise, a burst of that byzantine flame appeared in my hand. Everyone cheered. "This is outstanding. Now what do I do with the device, Yolei?" I asked. "Put your hand on top of the Digivice until it absorbs it all. Then, aim it towards Candlemon." "Oh, and please do not forget to chant the phrase 'DigiSoul Charge' as you do so. Once will suffice," Hawkmon added.

I was full of excitement. "All right then. May I gather the others? I want them to witness this," I said. Yolei gathered the others.


Greg

Veemon was teaching himself how to play piano. He counted himself in, then started playing something that sounded like a Bagel Bites commercial. "Pizza in the morning/pizza in the evening/pizza at supper time..." I sang along. The rest of it didn't sound like the commercial, though. He finished the chorus, then started again. I could hear him quietly counting along. Then, he played the same part again. "Say, if you get near a song, play it!" I said. He came to the same part of the song again.

This was starting to make me nauseous, so I ran to the toilet and vomited in it, then washed my hands with soap and water. When I came back, he was still playing the same part. "I can't think of the finish," Veemon sighed. "That's strange, and I can't think of anything else," I answered. He kept playing. "You know what I think? I think I went past it." "Well if you come around again, jump off!" I heavily suggested.

At that point, I heard a knock at the clear, glass door. Veemon stopped playing, and we both looked. It was Yolei, and she looked excited as usual. "Huh? Yolei, what are you doing here?" I asked. She motioned for me to come out to the backyard. So, we went outside, making sure to keep our distance from the others. On the other side of the pool, the rest of the band and their Digimon were there with Max.

"I'm glad you all can make it. I've got something to show you all!" our host called out. I rushed inside and grabbed a pair of binoculars so I could see everything up close. When I came out, Max was ready. In one hand, he held a Digivice that kind of looked like ours. In the other, he held an imaginary lighter, or an imaginary detonator trigger. He "lit" it, and his DigiSoul ignited in his hand. He swung his hand up and pressed it down on his Digivice. "DigiSoul... charge!" Then, he took his hand off and thrust the Digivice forward toward Candlemon. He took in the energy and Digivolved.

"Candlemon Digivolve to... Wizardmon!"

After that, Gatomon whisked Wizardmon away and took him inside. Both Kari and Max looked confused.


Gatomon

I took Wizardmon inside and tried to press him for information. "So do you remember Odaiba?" I eagerly asked him. "Yes, I do. After I died, I remembered why I was traveling all of those years ago. In some ways, my story is like yours. I started as a DemiMeramon in the human year 1974. Much like you were waiting for the Child of Light, I was waiting for a certain troubled yet talented young man. He was supposed to have come to the Digital World, but he never came. So, I traveled all over, looking for him. As time went on, I Digivolved naturally into Candlemon, and began to forget. By the time I Digivolved again into Wizardmon, I had forgotten why I was traveling. Then, you saved my life and I swore my loyalty to you. I reunited you and Kari, and then sacrificed myself. When I was finally reborn in Primary Village, I suddenly remembered who I was and who I was meant to be partnered with." "When- when were you finally reborn?" "A few weeks after I made contact with you and the DigiDestined at TV Tokyo."

I angrily tried to scratch Wizardmon's face, but I knocked his hat off instead. "Wizardmon! Why didn't you tell me?!" I angrily demanded to know. Wizardmon picked up his hat and put it back on, then gently answered, "Because I didn't know, and if I had, I didn't want to worry you. You had other things on your mind." I calmed down. "Gatomon, I've been given a second chance. But there is someone else who loves you very much." "Who?" "Patamon." "Hmmm? Patamon?" "Think about it, Gatomon. Why would you Digivolve into an angel of light with a team that already has an angel in it? You two were meant to be together." I shook my head in despair and disbelief. "No. No, it's not possible. Wizardmon, I've waited so long for you to come back. I thought I'd never see you again."

Wizardmon was too smart to fall for my emotional plea. "You must understand, Gatomon. I've served my purpose. If it wasn't for my death, Kari would have never activated the Crest of Light for the first time. I came back as a ghost to warn you about Ken and the DigiEgg of Miracles. You saved my life, and I have helped you twice. I'll continue to do what I can, but now I have someone new to look after." "Wizardmon..." "Gatomon, you must stay strong. If not for your own sake, then for mine." He gave me a big hug and just held me there as long as he could.


Greg

After Candlemon Digivolved to Wizardmon, Veemon and I went back inside the pool house. My partner went back to the piano and played the same piece again. "I was afraid of that," I groaned as I rested my head in my palm. He stopped. "Hey, I thought I had the finish," he said. "I wish you did. Yours."

About an hour later, I got a phone call. I answered it. "Hello?" "Greg, this is Matt. I just wanted to give you a heads up on what's going on. Yolei's going to be staying with us for a few days." "OK... so?" "Well, she's gonna be a temporary addition to the band. In case something happens, you know?" "I just have intense diarrhea and vomiting." "Yeah, we know. Do you want to know why Max bought you that new Stratocaster? It's so Yolei could use your guitar." "Whoa whoa whoa, wait just a minute, Mr. Ishida. Yolei is not using my guitar." "Oh yes she is! By the way, she just came up with a brilliant idea for our next concert. Do you know 'Everything You Want' by Vertical Horizon?" "Oh, yeah. I had to perform that and 'Stairway to Heaven' for my performance exam in my senior year of high school." "You're kidding, right? You know 'Stairway to Heaven'?" "And you don't? Er, one moment..." I quickly threw the phone on the sofa, ran to the toilet, and vomited. "Blaagh!" I wiped what was left off my face, then washed my hands.

"Now look here, buddy! I'm Greg's partner, and I say you can't take advantage of him like that!" Veemon shouted into the phone. He paused for a minute. "I don't care if you are the leader, she's not using his guitar!" Another pause. "Well screw you! Goodbye!" He passed the phone to me. "Hmmph! Greg, how do you hang up this thing?"

I hung up. "I heard what you said, Veemon, and you had no right," I firmly stated. "I was trying to help you!" "Well, you didn't! You told Matt off." I slumped into the couch. "Maybe this is how Rika felt while she was in the hospital," I supposed.


["Everything You Want" (Competitive Duet Version)

Written by Matthew Scannell

Performed by The Teenage Wolves

Lead Singer: Yolei Inoue (Tifanie Christun) with Greg Logan (Doug Erholtz)]

Inside the main mansion, Yolei acts as lead guitar on this number, with Matt still on bass. T.K. comes in on acoustic guitar.

Yolei:

Somewhere there's speaking
It's already coming in
Oh and it's rising at the back of your mind
You never could get it
Unless you were fed it
And now you're here and you don't know why

Marcus and the rest of the band come in. Yolei is proving herself quite adept at the guitar and meshes with the band. (In fact, the author wanted to include her as well in the band.)

Yolei:
But under skinned knees and the skid marks
Past the places where you used to learn,
You howl and listen,
Listen and wait for the
Echoes of angels that won't return

Yolei's taking liberties with the lyrics by changing the pronoun.

Yolei:
She's everything you want
She's everything you need
She's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
She says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But she means nothing to you
And you don't know why

Meanwhile, in the pool house, the quarantined Greg is practicing with his own "sick guitar". Veemon supports him by using random household products for percussion.

Greg:
You're waiting for someone
To put you together
You're waiting for someone to push you away
There's always another wound to discover
There's always something more you wish he'd say

He's everything you want
He's everything you need
He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
He says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But he means nothing to you
And you don't know why

We cut back and forth from the mansion to the pool house.

Yolei:
But you'll just sit tight
And watch it unwind
It's only what you're asking for

Greg:
And you'll be just fine
With all of your time

The screen splits while both performers hit that extended note.

Greg/Yolei:
It's only what you're waiting for

Yolei:
Out of the island
Into the highway
Past the places where you might have turned

Greg:
You never did notice
But you still hide away
The anger of angels who won't return

Were this a real series, both Greg's and Yolei's solo versions would also be available on the soundtrack (a la Lea Michele and Chris Colfer's performances of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" on Glee).

Yolei:
She's everything you want
She's everything you need
She's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
She says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But she means nothing to you
And you don't know why

Greg:

I am everything you want
I am everything you need
I am everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
I say all the right things

Yolei:
At exactly the right time

Greg/Yolei:
But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why

Yolei:
And I don't know, why

Greg:
Why?
And I don't know

As the song ends, Yolei and Greg's faces appear in a Mirrored Confrontation Shot that zooms out. We then fade to the next scene.


T.K.

Greg called me on his cell phone. "No, Greg, I can't apologize to Matt for you. You'll have to do it yourself. That's not the way it works. Besides, shouldn't Veemon be apologizing?" I asked. "Well, he would, but he's with me right now, and I don't know if I'd be passing anything to him if he left. I don't want him to get the rest of you sick." "I could pass my phone, and you could pass yours. Easy as that." "OK, we'll see how it goes."

I heard some background noise, and then Greg came back. "He refuses unless Yolei agrees to get her own guitar. Which she should, anyway." "I can't act as a mediator in this case, as much as I'd love to. This is something you, Veemon, Matt, and Yolei will have to settle on your own." "Well gee, since when did you become such a jerk, Takeru?" "Excuse me?" I hung up and sighed.

"What was that about?" Patamon asked me from on top of my head. "Oh, Patamon, it's the same thing. It's practically the same thing that happened when Rika was in the hospital. It seems any time somebody gets sick around here and DATS tries to send in a pinch-hitter, the sick person gets upset." "Well, why don't they just talk it out? Why don't you help?" "Because it's not up to me to act as a diplomat. Besides, I don't want to risk losing Yolei's friendship over this." "Yeah, but you don't have to worry about her. What about Greg?" "I don't want to lose his, either. That's why I'm staying out of it. It's for the best."

Patamon flew down and into my arms. "You stayed out of it when Davis was trying to defend Ken. You agreed with him, but you didn't say anything. You stayed out of it when he and Yolei were fighting over that control spire Golemon attacking that dam. You were willing to jeopardize a village of innocent Digimon just to deny Davis the satisfaction of being right!" "What does Davis have to do with Greg?!" "What difference does it make? You should've said something!" This was becoming too much. "Look, Patamon. This has been rough for all of us. I had reasons for keeping my mouth shut. It keeps me out of trouble so everyone likes me. I don't need to hear it from Greg, and I certainly don't need to hear it from you!" "Fine!" "Fine!" The two of us didn't say anything for a long time.


Lord Bagra looks on from his various screens. "Well, the bad news is that those DigiDestined brats have added one more to their ranks. The good news is that one of them is out of commission for the moment, so that makes it even," he says. Blastmon walks in. "That gives me an idea, my Lord," he says. Lord Bagra turns. "Who gave you the right to develop any ideas, Blastmon? Shouldn't you be devouring a diamond mine somewhere?" "OK, OK. It just seems to me that if you captured all but one of the DigiDestined and then overwhelmed the remaining one, he or she could be easy to capture. But if you don't want to hear it, then fine..." Blastmon starts to walk away, when Lord Bagra commands, "Wait just a moment!" He stops and turns toward his master. Lord Bagra continues, "I had a brilliant idea. We'll capture all but one of the DigiDestined, then overwhelm the remaining one. And I know just the one." "That's a great idea, my lord. I wish I had thought of that one."


Greg

The mansion's staff got paid time and a half for preparing and serving my meals. That's in case they got sick, too. The rest of the night went about as smoothly as I'd expect. At about 11:30, I was brushing my teeth when I heard a knock at the glass door. I turned on the lights, and there were Yolei and T.K. In their pajamas, no less. "You guys shouldn't be here," I said through the glass. They motioned for me to open the door. So, I did, and I walked out and joined them by the pool.

"Now what is the deal with you two? Why are we having this conversation late at night?" I asked. T.K. spoke first. "Well, Patamon reminded me of something that happened to a friend. It was about two years ago, when Yolei and I were in the Digital World. A Golemon was attacking a dam that threatened to flood a nearby village. We thought it was the real thing, and Yolei didn't want to kill anything. Davis thought we should, so he and she got into an argument, and I didn't say anything." "And?" I asked. Yolei continued, "So, it turns out that this Golemon wasn't actually a Digimon at all, but a transformed control spire, from back when Ken was evil. Ken showed up and tried to fight him off with Stingmon. I opened my heart, and that let Hawkmon Digivolve to Aquilamon." "And your point is?" I asked.

T.K. went on. "We're getting to it. I really should've said something, and now I want to try to help you two get over your differences. After all, Greg, you're a lot like Davis. You're both partnered with a Veemon, and you're both big eaters." That sent my eyebrows way up. "Oh, so you had to bring that up, didn't you? I'm big-boned, you moron! I'm built like a freakin' Neanderthal! You know, robust! In fact, you could stand to eat a little more yourself." I could see the veins starting to pop out of T.K.'s neck, but he just kept smiling. "I eat my fair share, believe me," he said.

Yolei tried to ease the situation. "Greg, I had no idea you were so sensitive about someone using your guitar. I'm sorry I accidentally offended you. If you don't mind me asking, though, why are you so defensive about it?" I got myself together. "Because, Yolei, my dad bought it for me. I don't know if you know this, but my dad is typically a jerk who wonders why people can't just be like he is. He can't think outside of the box. I'm not good at sports, but I still had to find an elective in junior high school when we moved to Japan. It was down to either band, ballet or home economics. I remember his words to this day." I even did a very good impression of my father. "'Greg, you know that only girls take home economics and ballet, and I don't think it would be appropriate for you to be in a classroom with 15 or 16 other girls.' And I really wanted to learn how to cook like my mom. So, I chose band." I sighed again. "And you know something? Dad was so happy that he bought my first electric guitar for me. It's the one time he actually supported me. He doesn't like the fact I'm in a band, that I'm partnered with Veemon, or even that I'm with you guys. But that guitar, that one guitar... it means a lot to me."

All Yolei and T.K. could say was "Wow..." "Now let me ask you, Yolei. How did you get your guitar?" "Well... I saved up my money from my job at my parents' convenience store. I paid for it all in cash." "OK, and why do you want to use mine?" "Because I couldn't bring mine on such short notice," she replied. I turned to T.K. "All right. And you won yours off of Matt using a double-sided coin. Right, T.K.?" "Well, yeah." "See? You guys wouldn't understand. Now, I'm a very sick man right now. Hopefully, you haven't caught anything from me. Yolei, I expect you to take very good care of my property while you are borrowing it. Thank you both, and good night." With that, I walked back into my room.


T.K.

He walked back into the pool house. "That went well, didn't it?" I asked flatly. Yolei just nodded.


Greg

The next day, the band was supposed to record an episode of "American Top 40", the leading radio countdown in the entire world. I slept in. After breakfast, I noticed a voice mail on my cell phone. I listened to it. "Good morning, Gregory Logan. This is your old friend Tactimon, calling to inform you that your fellow DigiDestined have been... well, captured by us. We are currently holding them at an undisclosed location, and you may never find out where that location is. That's because you're not going anywhere. Just look outside." I pulled open the curtains, and the pool house was surrounded by Troopmon, ogres, and goblins. Tactimon's voice continued, "I've installed a unit of Troopmon, as well as some Ogremon and Goblimon. The last two are very nasty. The head Ogremon has the location, but I doubt you'll be able to get anything out of him without a fight. This plan was originally developed by Blastmon for the Bagra Army. Au revoir." The message ended.

Veemon got a good look at the situation from the window. "OK, Greg, so we're surrounded. Are you gonna ask me, or should I just tell you?" "Ask you what?" "'What are we gonna do?'" "I... think you can just tell me." "All right. If you Digivolve me normally, at any level, we'll be homeless by the time this battle's over. That means your guitar will be toast. So, it leaves us only one choice." "What's that, Veemon?" "Flamedramon!" "All right! It's Morphin Time!" I took out my Digivice, selected the "Suit Up" feature and posed with it. My DATS uniform appeared on my body faster than before.

Minutes later, I opened the door. The Digimon took notice as I stood there, wearing my sunglasses and coolly picking my teeth with a toothpick, then flicking it away in an outdoor trash can. "Well... before we start rocking your world, would anybody like to say anything?" I asked. There was silence for about half a minute. I kept a grin on my face. "I like you. You're a great audience. But now, you must all die. Veemon?" I turned on a nearby CD player and opened the door. Veemon strutted out to an instrumental version of "Stayin' Alive" I'd converted off of YouTube. I gave him his introduction. "Well, you can tell by the way he uses his walk, he's a woman's man, no time to talk. The music loud and women warm, he's been kicked around since he was born. And now it's all right, that's OK. And you may look the other way. And we can try to understand The New York Times' effect on man." Veemon walked over and turned off the CD player, then strutted back. "I think they get the idea," he said.

I pulled out my Digivice and set it up for the DigiEgg of Courage. "Right. Time to rock this town, rock it inside out." I thrust my Digivice up to the sky. "DigiArmor Energize!" The energy went straight to Veemon.

"Veemon Armor Digivolve to... Flamedramon, the Fire of Courage!"

I kept my device out as I entered in the code. "DigiSoul Aura Mode, on!" I moved my hand into the light, the DigiSoul coated me, and I was ready to rock and roll. After securing my Digivice, I went into action.

[BGM: "Run Around" by The Teenage Wolves]

We charged into battle, yelling at the top of our lungs. Flamedramon didn't waste any time shooting fireballs from his fist. However, a Goblimon had the same idea, except his fireballs exploded on contact.

In the meantime, I stared down a Troopmon. "Gee, I wonder what happens when I pull these out," I said as I pulled out the tubes connected to his air mask. He started gasping for air, and that gave me enough time to kick him away into the swimming pool. "Hope you can swim!" I turned towards three others who were attempting to gang up on me. "Oh, I guess I should get to you next, huh? G Punch!" I swung both of my arms in circles, striking the opponents. After seven seconds of my fists, they went down.

Flamedramon jumped high into the air, and then lit himself up. "Fire Rocket!" Then, he zoomed down towards a group of Ogremon and lit them on fire. They dived into the pool.

Now that I knew Troopmon's weakness, I started pulling out tubes everywhere I could. After I had them gasping for air, I kicked them away. I tried doing some of the moves I'd seen on Power Rangers, but I ended up flat on my back. I rebounded by kicking the ground, and got back up on my feet. I was about to pull and kick another Troopmon, when I felt the nausea coming up again. Flamedramon saw this. "Greg! Are you OK?" he called. "Uh, yeah. I will be after this. Blaagh!" I tossed my cookies into the tube, making sure it went all the way in by holding the tube up. I gave my partner the thumbs up, then kicked Troopmon away. Just then, I heard Flamedramon shout, "Greg! Behind you!" I turned around, and there was a Goblimon about to hit me with his club. I tackled him into the ground then beat the snot out of him with my fists.

It took about an hour, but finally, we were down to the last Ogremon. He was the leader of the bunch, so we ganged up on him. "Well well, it looks like it's down to you... and us," Flamedramon confidently stated.

I ran into Ogremon and slammed him against the wall, asking him the $64,000 Question. "Where are my friends?" "Uh, uh, um... they're at Cat-ca-Catalina Island, i-in the Casino," Ogremon stammered. I dropped him. "Thank you very much. Would you like to die now, or do you want to find your own way home?" I asked with a smile. "Uh, I think I'll find my own way home." "Good choice," my partner said. With that, Ogremon ran for the hills. I powered down from Aura Mode and carefully fist-bumped Flamedramon.

I invited him inside the pool house, where I did some research on Catalina Island. "Well, we can't drive there. There's a 14-year-long wait list to bring a car to the island," I lamented. "Bummer. So what do we use instead?" I spun my chair around towards Flamedramon. "I've got it. Flamedramon, are you pondering what I'm pondering?" "...That we should fly over there on AeroVeedramon?" "Exactly! You're a genius!" I stood up and patted him on the back while I checked to see whether my DATS earpiece was finished recharging. It had, so I put it in my ear and tried contacting the others. "Matt, this is Greg. Come in. Come in, Matt." Nothing. I tried contacting headquarters. "Greg to DATS H-Q. Greg to DATS H-Q. Come in. Over."

A smooth, female voice came over the earpiece. "Hello, Greg Logan. This is Rina Shinomiya. How can I help you?" I melted like butter. "Helloooo, Rina! I've been trying to get you hooked up with Thomas." "Thomas H. Norstein?" "Mr. Blonde Ambition himself." "Oh, well, I'm afraid you're a little too late. I've already got problems with two boys. Yuuya Kuga and 'Niko' Yakovich Petorofu. They joined the same time I did, and I just can't decide between them." "Bummer. As long as I have you on the line, here's the real reason I called. I've just gotten a possible tip from an Ogremon about the rest of the team being captured at Catalina Casino on Santa Catalina Island. Can you please confirm their location?" "Hold, please..." DATS has some amazing hold music ("Hirari" by Kōji Wada). I played air guitar along with it while I was waiting.

Rina came back. "Greg?" "Yes?" "It required us to enter Stealth Mode, but we can confirm that a number of Digivices are pinging back to us from Catalina Casino. Will that be all?" "Nope, that's just what I needed to hear," I said. "Thank you. May the odds be ever in your favor, and have a nice day." She hung up. By the time I finished, Flamedramon had taken off his bladed gauntlets and was working on that piano piece. "Rrrrgh, this piece is kicking my butt," he complained.

After reverting him back to Veemon and fully charging my DigiSoul, I boarded AeroVeedramon, and we flew off towards Catalina Island. "OK, so I want to get in, rescue them, and get out. We'll probably have the battle somewhere outside where you can do some damage. While you fight whoever is out there, I'll go in and save them. Sound good?" "It sounds like a plan to me. But, why are we doing this?" AeroVeedramon wondered. "Because it's the right thing to do." "Of course, but why is it the right thing to do?" I had to think about that. They'd made me upset. Then again, I was the one that was sick. Yolei just wanted to help. Why should Veemon and I be angry for her wanting to help? There were a lot of questions that needed to be answered.

We passed by our opponent. It was a red dragon-like Digimon with a long, red tail, too many teeth to count, torn-up orange wings, and a strange, triangular shape on his chest. I looked him up on my Digimon Analyzer. "'Megidramon, a Mega-level Evil Dragon Digimon. He is a pillar of the Four Great Dragons alongside Azulongmon, Goldramon, and Magnadramon-' Hey, they mentioned Gatomon! - 'but his personality is so fiendish that he doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to the other three.' I agree. He looks even uglier." Megidramon roared at that. "Oh, you couldn't hear that? OK! You look even uglier!" I repeated a bit louder. Megidramon roared even louder and threw fireballs at us. We dodged them, but it sure made a mess out of a nearby forest. "I don't think it's a good idea to taunt him," AeroVeedramon suggested. "Uh huh. We better get you ready for this one. We'll land close to the casino, but then we'll have to stay towards the non-inhabited areas." "Roger!"

We landed by the casino. I jumped off, and AeroVeedramon went back to being Veemon. "All right. I'll go in and save the others, you just concentrate on Big Ugly Dragon over there. OK?" "But Greg, shouldn't you be cheering me on until I slay him?" "I should, but they might be dead already." I took out my Digivice and ignited my DigiSoul as far as I could. "Ready?" "Yeah! I guess!" "Works for me! DigiSoul, Charge! OVERDRIVE!"

"Veemon Double Warp Digivolve to... UlforceVeedramon!"

UlforceVeedramon flew off while I went inside. Despite being called a casino, there was no place to gamble money. They had a movie theater, ballroom, and island art and history museum, but no slots or blackjack tables. I used my Digivice's tracking feature, and found the Digivices in the box office. They were being guarded by a Digimon that looked like a white and gold turd. I burst out laughing. A turd, of all things. I looked him up on my Digimon Analyzer. "'Damemon, level unknown. Damemon was accidentally born when the drifting waste data of scum in the Digital World's dust randomly combined and mutated.'"

I walked up to the box office, charged up my DigiSoul in my fist, and smashed the plastic covering. "Hello, my name is Gregory Logan. You kidnapped my friends, and now you have five seconds to tell me where they are." I looked at my watch and counted down.

"Five, four, three, two, one..." "Have you defeated Megidramon?" he asked. "My partner's doing that right now. Why, what difference does it make?" "No good, no good! If you actually have a Digimon partner, then you should go out there and support him! Besides, Lord Bagra gave me strict orders not to release any of these humans until after Megidramon is dead."

"Just watch!" I shouted defiantly as I tried to open the theater door. It was locked tight. "I'm watching, but I'm not seeing anything," Damemon replied with a smirk planted all over his face. "Rrrgh... and what's to stop me from pounding your face in and just taking whatever key there is?" I demanded to know. "Oh, a bomb." He couldn't be serious, or could he? "A bomb?!" "..Yeah, Lord Bagra sent his demolition experts in here. We're talking grade-A materials, my foe. One false move, and Kerplowie! Besides, why do you actually want to save your friends?" Oh no, not him too! I growled, then made the long walk outside.

When I found UlforceVeedramon, he was being slammed into the ocean. "UlforceVeedramon! This is no time to be taking a swim!" I scolded him. He flew out of the water and back towards Megidramon. The two got into a tussle. "Where are the others?" my partner asked. I let out a deep sigh. "Damemon is holding them prisoner in the theater. He got on my case for not being out here to support you, and he won't release them until Tall, Red, and Ugly over there is dead. So, kill him!" The two struggled over a blade. "Do you think you can do any better? Be my guest!" he shot back. My jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me? You know I'm only good with Champion-levels at best in Aura Mode. You're the Mega-level here!"

Megidramon turned part of the forest to ash. "And now hundreds of trees are reduced to ashes! Way to go!" I exclaimed sarcastically. UlforceVeedramon threw Megidramon into the ocean, then put out the fires as best he could. After that, he somehow managed to stop time, and we were taken into a void of nothingness.

"Greg, we need to talk, and we need to talk now," UlforceVeedramon said. "Why now?" "Because I'm your partner, that's why. Greg, what is your problem?" "What is my problem? You're asking me what my problem is. I'm sick, liquids are coming out of me from two different ends, and my friends could get blown up at any minute by a bomb controlled by a turd. What do you think my problem is?" "Perhaps you haven't noticed how obnoxious you've become lately." "Obnoxious?" "Yes, obnoxious. Yolei came to help us, and you become paranoid that she's going to replace you. You called T.K. a jerk, and last night didn't go very well, did it?" I was starting to realize he had a point. "...No, it didn't, UlforceVeedramon. No, it didn't." "And you still haven't answered my question. Why are we making all of this effort?" That was a tough question. "Because it's the right thing to do?" I guessed. "That's not good enough. I need a better answer than that." I struggled. "I- I just don't have it for you right now."

"Then think about this. You and I are the best of friends. I mean, that's why we've been able to get as far as we have, Digivolution-wise. I've stood by you while you've made enemies out of some important people in the band. Our loyalty can only go so far, Greg. Do you want to know what you'd be without them, and without me? Nothing!" "I know that," I grumbled. "I don't ask for much from you. I just want you to place your complete confidence in your friends, and in me. You just have to trust us, that's all. We all want what's best for you. We're your friends, that's what we do."

"Yeah, but….." "Listen. Do you know why I call myself UlforceVeedramon?" "Um, no." "I have a special Overwrite. Overwrite Sequences, which allow a Digimon to act, deplete over the Digimon's lifespan, eventually leading to their deletion. The Ulforce is a holy Overwrite, born from joy, pleasure, and a strong heart which desires to protect its loved ones, which instead heals the body and encourages evolution. I have that power inside of me, and so do you." This was the first time I'd ever heard of such a thing. "So you're saying the reason we're so powerful is because we want to protect our friends?" "Exactly."

I started to realize where I went wrong. "I see now. The reason I'm trying so hard to save them, and the reason why I'm stressing out right now, is because I need my friends. I love my friends. T.K. Kari. Matt. Anya. Rika. Thomas. Yolei. Marcus. And even Max. I don't know what I'd do without them. I realize now that by placing my complete confidence and hope in my friends and in you, I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. I'm sorry, buddy." "It's all right. I'm just glad you're getting something out of all this." I chuckled. "So am I. Now, what do you say we take down this red freak? Together." UlforceVeedramon smiled and nodded. Suddenly, my Digivice glowed and the void became filled with a blinding light.

Next thing I knew, I was back in the real world. I felt this new power flowing through my veins, just waiting to explode. It felt like a thousand turbojets were powering themselves up inside my soul. All I had to do was release the power. So, I did. "YEEEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWWWWWW!" I let out the best rebel yell I could think of while my body became covered in green DigiSoul.

I felt like I owned it. This was my- no, our time to shine. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing building up inside me. I fought it off while something in my mind clicked. "UlforceVeedramon...I will unlock your power in... Three! Two! One!" I pressed the third, then the second, then the first button on my Digivice, and the Signal Port lit up.

I grabbed the Digivice and shifted it to the side, slowly bringing my free hand into the light. "Charge! DigiSoul... BURST MODE!" I called. After the Digivice beeped, I thrust both hands fully out to my sides and fired the beam. UlforceVeedramon took it on full blast as more armor formed on his body, his chest in particular. His entire body became slightly recolored. He drew out his saber and then posed with it. "UlforceVeedramon! BURST MODE!" I looked him up on the Digimon Analyzer, while UlforceVeedramon congratulated me. "You've done it, Greg. You've unlocked my Burst Mode, my most powerful form. Now I have more strength, more protection, and my stats are going through the roof! My attacks are the same, just more powerful!" I couldn't fight it any more. Unfortunately, it didn't come out that end, but the other one. "…Great," I said.


["Invincible" (From Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie)

Written by Jeremy Sweet

Performed by Jim Cushinery and Super Power]

Megidramon roars again (that's all the dialogue he gets in this chapter, folks) as he and UlforceVeedramon go at it again. Megidramon releases a powerful shock wave called the "howl of hell" that damages some more of the Catalina Island landscape, but our hero counters with his shield. His moves are faster, more powerful, and better than ever. The Megidramon seen in this chapter is not the one that Takato unleashed in Digimon Tamers.

Jim: (VO)

The time has come to stand our ground,
We have the power inside us.
They think they won, but look around,
We won't let evil inside us.

And we won't see another day,
And you won't see another day,
If we don't take them on today...

We are strong, we are tough, we're invincible.
We are here, we are now, we're invincible.
We are strong, we are tough, we're invincible.
We are here, and as one, we're invincible!

The two start wrestling each other after UlforceVeedramon retracts his blade. He hooks Megidramon's tail with his arms. Our hero tucks his head in next to the opponent's before standing and lifting the opponent up, so that they are upside down with their head resting on UlforceVeedramon's shoulder. From this position, he jumps up and drops down to the highway, driving Megidramon's shoulder first down to the mat with his neck impacting both UlforceVeedramon's shoulder and the highway. Megidramonjumps up and down on his opponent driving his forearm into UlforceVeedramon's waist.

Jim: (VO)
They send their best, we will not run,
They set their aims to destroy us.
We cannot rest until they're done,
I'm sure they love to annoy us.

And I don't see another day,
And you don't see another day,
If we don't take them down today...

We are strong, we are tough, we're invincible.
We are here, we are now, we're invincible.
We are strong, we are tough, we're invincible.
We are here, and as one, we're invincible!

Greg eagerly and intensely watches the fight, even punching the sky a few times. The camera stays above his waist for reasons that should be quite obvious to the reader. We return to the fight as UlforceVeedramon nearly has his opponent on the ropes. He finishes him off by covering himself in the aura of a dragon and slashing through him. Megidramon unleashes one last roar of anguish and pain. He then becomes a DigiEgg again.

Jim: (VO)
And we won't see another day,
And you won't see another day,
If we don't take them on today...

Let's go!
We are strong, and we are tough, and we're invincible.
Let's go!
We are here, and we are now, and we're invincible.
Let's go!
We are strong, and we are tough, and we're invincible.
Let's go!
We are here, and as one, we're invincible!

As the song ends, UlforceVeedramon secures the area. Greg holds up his Digivice and brings his partner back inside.


Greg

I got a look inside the Digivice. "That was a great fight, Veemon. You owned it," I said. Veemon chugged down a bottle of chocolate milk in his mini-apartment. "Ahhh! That was a tough one. I couldn't have done it without your help. Now, go inside and save the others." "Got it." I put away the Digivice, then walked over to pick up the DigiEgg in some nearby bushes, and walked inside.

I triumphantly walked inside to the box office, presenting Damemon with the DigiEgg. "Here it is. Megidramon is defeated, and here is the evidence," I stated. Damemon looked it over. "It does look like it, doesn't it? All right. I'll release them." I collected all the electronics and followed Damemon as he carefully unlocked the doors to the theater. The others rushed out, and I passed the Digivices out to everyone. "Guys, before you start thanking me and all that, there's something I have to say." "Me too. What's that smell?" Yolei asked. The others smelled it and reacted. "Ignore that, ignore that!" I ordered. Damemon shook his head. "That's no good, no good! Don't you believe in proper hygiene?"

I sighed. "OK, just hear me out. Yolei, Matt, and T.K., I'm sorry I acted like a jerk over the past few days. I realize now that I need all of you, and I can't afford to lose any friendships. Will you forgive me?" All three smiled. "Sure, Greg," Matt answered. Later, Veemon apologized. We would've gone in for a big group hug, but nobody wanted to touch me.

We took the ferry off the island, but then had to take taxis back to the mansion. The next day, I finally did get better, so I moved back in. Everything I had touched was washed and sterilized, and I got to keep the guitar I'd been given. But at dinner, I made my plans known for that guitar. "You know what, Yolei? Since everything is washed and all, I'd like you to have the new guitar, and I'll keep the old one," I said. Yolei became excited. "Do you mean that?" "I sure do." "Oh, thank you, Greg! This is great!" Then, she hugged me, which was very nice.


T.K.

The same day, I got a call from Dad. He'd decided to surprise us by moving the wedding to Pasadena so we could be there. He'd gotten all of us reservations at The Langham Huntington, rented out the Japanese Garden, and had been working with a coordinator for over a month. They planned it to be held that weekend. "I still can't believe this is happening," I said. "Neither can I, son. Isn't it all exciting?" "Uh, yeah. We'll be there."

Rika and I had a secret meeting in her room. "There's got to be some way to stop this wedding," Rika insisted. "Do you have any ideas?" I asked. She walked back and forth on the floor. "No, but we'll have to think of something."

She kept walking, when suddenly…. "I got it! You know how the preacher always asks if anybody objects? We'll just object!" "With what?" I wondered. "Well, I think your dad's marrying my mom for her money. We've got a lot of it, ya know." "And I still want to see my biological mom and dad reunited." "Even though she cheated on him?" "Well, yeah." "All right! Operation: I Object is underway!" We high-fived and went to work preparing for the wedding.


Author's Notes:

The incident with Veemon learning to play the piano was lifted from the Marx Brothers movie Animal Crackers. The song Veemon (and later Flamedramon) was playing is actually titled "I'm Daffy Over You", and its refrain is often confused with that of "Sugartime", which was adapted for Bagel Bites commercials in the 1990s.

If you hadn't figured it out by the time you read it, Greg was paraphrasing or modifying the lyrics to "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees.

Next chapter, we'll start the wedding mini-arc. This will be no ordinary wedding, trust me.

The moral of this story: Never eat any food from a studio commissary. You could get sick.