44) To Rescue Juri
"How much longer?", Impmon asked, impatiently.
"Almost there". The fueling was almost complete.
The Chaos Mass was just a block away from the temporary Hypnos headquarters. They were watching its progress anxiously.
"It looks like we'll have to relocate again", Janyu said in resignation.
Takato's father gasped at hearing that. Takato's mother looked worried. As for Takato, he looked determined.
"Juri's up there", he thought to himself. "I have to get her out, and soon". He looked over to the window. The Chaos Mass had climbed more than three fourths of the way up the old Hypnos building. If it reached the top... He didn't want to think about that.
"God damn it!", Takehiro suddenly called out. "Isn't there something you can do?! I can't stand it anymore... this sitting around and doing nothing!"
"So long as we have the means to fight back, we don't give up!", Yamaki told him. "No", he added, "we never give up even if we run out of options. In order to protect our world, we do what we can with what we have. That's one thing I learned from your son, and Koichi, and all their friends. We won't let them fight alone..."
He was distracted as something was happening with the Kernel Sphere: it had begun to pulsate with a red light.
"Hell's it doin'?", he asked.
He got his answer: it increased greatly in size, completely engulfing both towers, nearly meeting the level of the Chaos Mass. Three smaller yellow spheres appeared around it, these connected by this yellow bands. Next, radial yellow lines projected outward, the gaps filled with dark green panels of some sort. It became transparent, with a rainbow iridescence, much like a soap bubble.
"What happened?", Dolphin asked.
"Is it a new agent?", Janyu speculated.
"It looks like it's trying to protect the Kernel Sphere", Daisy speculated.
"We're going!", Takato announced.
He, Jen, Koichi, Kazu, Kenta, and their partners followed.
"Lopmon, look after Shuichon for me", Jen called back.
"I shall", he promised.
As they arrived outside, the Chaos Mass was uncomfortably close. They had another problem...
"Those attack drones, out of nowhere", Koichi announced. Dozens of them had arrived. The D-reaper was learning fast.
"Let's go Guilmon!", Takato announced, "to rescue Juri!"
Matrix Evolution Biomerge Activate ...
They all biomerged to their mega-forms.
"Dukemon, get to the airport", Sakuyamon ordered. "We'll hold them back here"
"D-reaper: you destroy cities, homes, and even souls... I, Dukemon, shall surely destroy you", he announced before leaving.
"Royal Sabre!", he gave them a parting gift.
Shuichon looked on: "You know you have a really important job, protecting Mom, Dad, and everyone, right?", she asked.
"I'm aware of that, I know, Shuichon", he said, but not without disappointment.
Those energy bursts were tearing down everything it their path, and it was getting difficult to dodge them.
"Spirit Foxes!", Sakuyamon attacked.
The drones she'd destroyed were replaced at once.
"Burst shot!", Saint Galgomon opened up with all gun ports blazing.
"Poo! Poo! Poo!", Marineangemon attacked. The Ocean Love bursts taking out several at once as they exploded.
"Crimson Flare!", Hououmon fired off her most devastating attack.
As fast as they could destroy those attack drones, they were replaced. They weren't even bothering to try to preserve themselves.
"We're barely holding our own!", Saint Galgomon announced.
"I know, how I know", Sakuyamon replied. "I hope Dukemon can get here soon".
She swung her staff, tracing out the overlapping pink circles of light: "Crystal Sphere!"
She sent the Crystal Sphere to mow down every one in its path. They made no attempt to dodge.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Are we good to go?", Dukemon asked.
"As ready as we'll ever be", Impmon said, as he climbed up the hand-holds to the forward cockpit. Dukemon shoe horned his bulk into the rear seat.
"It's a tight fit", Impmon apologized, "but these fighters were made for us", he said as he fastened the three point restraints. A tech gave a couple of yanks on the lanyard of the engine of the tow tractor. It caught, and he rolled Grani out of the hangar, as Impmon quickly went through his pre-flight.
Once clear, the tech detached the tow-bar from the nose wheel.
"Clear!", Impmon called out through a small side window. He pulled one starter knob out to the first stop, and the turbine began to spin up. Once the needle climbed into the green, he pulled the knob to its second, and final, stop to fire the ignitors. Ease the throttle level forward, and the turbine revved up. He pushed that knob all the way in, and repeated the procedure for the starboard engine.
Grani rolled down the taxiway to the main runway.
"OK, Grani, let's see what you got", Impmon said as he pushed the throttles forward. It was a short roll, and Grani lifted cleanly at 60 knots. Once clear of the runway, the landing gear retracted. Impmon banked to the south, shoving the throttles past their stops to light the after burners. He knew there was no time to spare, even if it wasn't that far away.
The Kernel Sphere was coming up fast.
"Can you slow us?", Dukemon asked.
"Not a prob", Impmon said as he pulled the throttles all the way back and raised the nose so high, they were looking almost straight up. The airspeed needle dropped nearly to its stop. Hououmon was also there, flying beside them.
"Can you open the canopy?", Dukemon asked.
By now, the airspeed was low enough for this. Dukemon released the restraint, and stood up.
"Juri!", he called out.
"Hououmon! Try to break through in one go!", he called.
"Right", she agreed.
"Crimson Flare!"
"Final Elision!"
Both attacks struck one of those yellow spheres at almost the same time.
As the smoke cleared: "It didn't work!", Dukemon called out the obvious. These were their most powerful atracks, and the combination should have done something. Suddenly, they were surrounded by the bird-like observation drones.
Hypnos Temporary HQ
"Sir!", Megumi called out.
"Who's transmitting?", Yamaki asked.
"It's coming from the D-reaper", she informed him.
"D-reaper's signal?", Janyu asked. "Are those Agents sending us images of what they see?"
"It would seem so", Megumi agreed.
They expected to see what was occurring outside from the D-reaper's perspective. These obsevation drones were a bit more capable than that. The screen filled with ones 'n' zeros, then what looked like a tunnel of some sort, then a green field filled with randon ASCII symbols.
"Takato!", Yoshi called out.
There, on the screen, was Takato inside Dukemon's orange Data Sphere. He appeared, naked as a jay bird, in shades of yellow and orange. Due to a glitch, the same image appeared on public access cable, over riding the normal programming.
At the Hashimoto Metropolitan Elementary school building, now doing double duty as the temporary Yodobashi school, Takato's class mates also saw as an educational program was interrupted. People on the street paused to watch what they didn't understand on a large video billboard.
"Takato?!", those who knew him gasped.
"Is this for real?", one asked.
Ms. Asagi, his homeroom teacher, ran to the yard: "Takato! Good luck!", she called out even though she knew he wouldn't hear. She was joined by some of Takato's class mates.
Jen, Koichi, and Ruki got the same treatment, all appearing naked in their respective Data Spheres.
"The children were forming one body with their digimon", Yamaki said as he leaned for support against a window. That answered his unasked question: why weren't the Tamers seen on security screen captures of the previous fights anymore?
"Shuichon?", Lopmon said.
"Right", she replied.
"Blazing Ice!", he blew out a window.
"Helldoyouthinkyou'redoin'?!", Yamaki asked.
He leaped to the sill: "Ready?", he asked.
"Shuichon!", her mother called out.
"Don't...", Janyu never got the chance to finish as he watched the both of them leap from the window.
Matrix Evolution Biomerge Activate! ...
... CHERUBIMON!
"Find me a satellite connection that hasn't been interrupted by the D-reaper", Yamaki asked. He found that there was too much local interference to contact Impmon.
"Storm of Judgment!", he attacked before they'd reached the street.
"We could really use your help", the others said as he landed. "It was getting a bit dicey"
Old Hypnos Building
Hououmon had a problem: the Kernel Sphere, itself, was firing energy bursts at her.
"Let Juri go!", she demanded.
Next, it was Impmon's turn. Two of those green panels detached, and flew beside Grani. They broke apart into a multitude of smaller pieces.
"Hold on!", Impmon called out. He slammed down the canopy as soon as Dukemon was seated and shoved the throttles forward. Grani was every bit as nimble as any Violet Zone fighter, and easily dodged this latest attack.
"Oh no, culu?! Oh no, culu?!", Calumon called out. "Everyone's in trouble, culu?!", he announced to an indifferent Juri.
The energy bursts ceased, and Hououmon flew in. The closest yellow sphere rotated, revealing a large, blue eye that looked straight at her.
"Recovering data from Juri's memory", it announced.
"You bastard! Using Juri's voice again!"
"Hououmon. The digimon who used to be Lilithmon, who loaded Leomon...
Hououmon. The digimon who used to be Lilithmon, who loaded Leomon...
Hououmon. The digimon who used to be Lilithmon, who loaded Leomon...
Hououmon. The digimon who used to be Lilithmon, who loaded Leomon..."
"Shut the FUCK up! How dare you! How DARE you use Juri's voice! You! What would you know?!"
Ruki recalled how she killed Leomon, the look on Juri's face as she realized he was dying, how she looked as she watched him disappear, and as she loaded his data.
"It's too late...", Ruki said from inside her Data Sphere. "I won't ask for forgiveness... Even so... Even so, I will rescue Juri..."
"Crimson Flare!", she fired repeatedly at the "eyeball".
The Kernel Sphere was rocked by each strike.
"Culu! Culu!", Calumon called to Juri. "Ruki's desperate... desperate to save you, culu?!"
He pushed and shook her, trying for some reaction.
"What!", she called out. Her attacks did nothing.
"You bastard!", she called out, as she rushed in...
"Impmon", the radio crackled to life...
"Yamaki?"
"Bingo!", one of the techs said.
"You got through", Janyu congratulated.
"We took your suggestion", Yamaki told him, "we equipped Grani with a weapon system called 'Yuggoth Blaster'. Use it to send the D-reaper our love".
"You got it", he replied. Impmon buzzed past Hououmon a couple of times. She got the message and flew off. He flicked the switch on the joystick that selected Yuggoth Blaster, immediately got a lock tone, and pulled the trigger.
The three blue-white spheres flew at the Kernel Sphere. There was a bright flash of light, and the yellow ring, the whole outer sphere was blown away, leaving just the smaller inner sphere that held Juri.
"Alright!", Hououmon celebrated, as she flew towards it. "Juri!"
"Juri!", Takato called out. "She's serious, Ruki's really trying to help you! It's the truth! I swear!"
"Ta-ka-to?", Juri said to herself, as Hououmon started clawing at the Sphere. Juri could feel a disturbance with every blow, but it wasn't taking any visible damage.
"Roo... key", Juri said to herself, "is..."
"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!", Hououmon swore. "Break already!"
"...Trying to... rescue me?", Juri asked herself. She stood up for the first time, watching Hououmon outside. She was wearing herself out.
"God dammit! Give me the strength I need!", she called out in frustration. That's when she knew...
"Help", Juri said, "Help me, Ruki!"
Juri gasped.
"Fist... of... the... Beast King!", Hououmon fired off the attack Ruki had acquired from Leomon.
Juri felt fresh air pouring into the Kernel Sphere.
"Cululululu!", Calumon cheered, "she did it, culu?!"
Unfortunately, Hououmon had struck a pose that greatly reminded Juri of Leomon.
"C'mon, Juri!", Hououmon called out. The break was already beginning to repair itself. Juri just stood there, eyes filling with tears.
"What's wrong?! Hurry up?!"
Calumon was trying to push her towards the opening, but was too small.
"Juri, culu?!", he urged. "Hurry up, culu?! Hurry up, culu?! Culu!"
"Hellsamatter with you?! Hurry! It'sclosingfast!"
Juri still didn't move, just stood there, trembling and whimpering.
"Hurry up! Juri! What the HELL are you waiting for?!"
"Leo... mon"
"JURRRRIIII!", Takato called out as Dukemon leaped from the cockpit of Grani.
"Takato?", she said as she watched him land on the Kernel Sphere. It was too late: the opening too small to get through. She realized she'd missed her chance as she watched it close.
Hououmon screamed incoherently as she slashed at the sphere.
"Behind you, Hououmon!", Dukemon called out.
She looked. Those green cards were flying straight for her. "I can't risk Lutramon's life", Ruki thought. She folded her wings and dropped straight down, free falling. The Chaos Mass was rising fast, and those cards gaining on her. At the last second, she unfolded her four wings and beat them hard. She outran the cards, dropped out of range, and they backed off.
This fight was over, and Impmon turned to head back to the airport.
Hypnos Temporary HQ
"I... failed", Ruki collapsed in her mother's arms, sobbing. "I'm... no good. I..."
"No!", she said, "you didn't. We saw the whole thing".
"You can offer a helping hand", Seiko said. "You can't force anyone to take it".
"Listen to your grandmother: she's right. You did what you set out to do. This debt is paid in full".
"You've always been too hard on yourself", Seiko reminded.
"We risked our lives to save her", Lutramon said. "If she's that stupid... then t'hellwidder! She's right where she belongs. She put herself there..."
"Lutramon!", Rumiko reprimanded.
Turning to Ruki: "Maybe I wouldn't put it so bluntly, but Lutramon is right. It's over, you two did as much as anyone could ask. Debt canceled".
"Let me take you to the ladies room", Seiko suggested, "get you cleaned up".
"Shuichon Lee!", her mother complained. "Didn't I tell you I don't want you fighting?"
"It's my fault", Lopmon apologized, "I had too..."
"They got us out of quite a jam", Koichi explained. "There were so many of those attack drones".
"How can I just do nothing if my brother needs help?", she asked.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Isn't his approach too high?", one of the Hypnos techs asked, as he watched Grani coming in.
"I... don't know", another answered.
They had expected Grani to land like any other fighter. Impmon knew he didn't need all that runway, and so began his approach over the far end. The engines at idle, gear down and locked, he dropped with the wing vortexes until just about 60 meters above the runway. Taking off was always easy, landing, not so much. He hoped he wasn't too far out of practice, but found he could still do it as the main gear touched at fifty knots, for a short roll-out.
"Damn!", he swore as he was thrown forward.
He pulled up to the hangar Hypnos was renting, shut down, powered off, and climbed out.
"So how did Grani perform?", Shibumi asked.
"Just fine, but the disk brakes are a bit grabby. Other than that, you got it right. Just like old times", he said.
"We'll look into it", a tech promised.
Inside the Kernel Sphere
"I did something... stupid... and horrible", Juri said to Calumon.
"No, culu?! That's not true, culu? You couldn't help it, culu?", he tried to reassure her. "I know you wanted Leomon to come back, culu? We all want that, culu? They'll be back for us, culu?"
