- Adaptation to Circumstances -
"Well, the good news is that I've found one of the Digi-Eggs," Izzy started as he handed Tai a report. It had only been a couple of days since they had starting working with Champion Felsic, but their operations had stepped up in pace after the discovery that the Digimon Emperor was almost ready to begin producing Champion stage artificial digimon. Those dark forces had so far been limited to monsters sitting between Rookie and Champion, about as strong offensively as the Digidestined's Armor forms, but notably weaker defensively.
Upload on the other hand had proven a harder target to tackle, only captured analysis from the Emperor's more in depth monitoring systems had revealed weak spots. After hitting their power facilities there had been a notable decrease in the threat from the pokemon world's activity, but that was not the biggest concern Upload gave them right now. "It's 'Digi-Eggs' now?" Tai asked with emphasis on how that was now plural.
"That's the bad news. Sincerity and Reliability have both been identified as the source for some of the Artificial Crests we're getting from them," the team's tech guy sighed. "I think it is only a matter of time before we see Artificial versions of those three too. They've had them long enough that they should be able to make them without seeing the new kids use the original Digi-Eggs first." Tai started to read the report at this news. "I believe they have deliberately modified their Hackware to support Armor Evolution, and as a result it causes them to take on forms similar to what the younger kids can. It doesn't seem consistent with what digimon it is based on, but what purpose the form serves does seem linked to the type of Hackware that evolves."
"The other two Rookie Hackware can use them too?" Tai asked quickly, as he realized that he might have missed the reason for some of the confusing parts of the latest reports from their field team.
"I have a chart for those findings," Izzy noted and pointed at the report. "Worms tend to be more mobile forms, while Stones become forms that are more support oriented." The Genius then looked nervously around. "Although there are some Worm and Stone forms we cannot match with anyone on the team. From detailed analysis of the scans I've been able to identify them as Hackware versions of Quetzalmon, Searchmon, Aurumon, and Shadramon."
"Alright, what do they have in common?" Tai asked noting that Izzy singled them out for a reason.
"The Digimon Emperor had a minion without a Dark Ring from the start, a Wormmon. I suspect that these are his possible forms," Izzy replied seriously. "The ones that he would be able to use instead of evolution while his Digivice cut off the standard version."
"So if they can use those forms then they have enough data to work with someone who hasn't Armor Digivolved yet," Tai sighed.
"Or the Emperor's partner digimon has been using captured Artificial Crests somewhere we haven't seen," the Digidestined of Knowledge confirmed. "Either way we should expect to capture ways of using Sincerity and Reliability Armor forms before we recover those Digi-Eggs themselves."
"Great, more forms," Tai complained. "Is this a target we need to hit immediately, or can it wait for us to track down the other two?" There were honestly too many things to get done, and without taking the Digidestined out of school again they weren't going to get any more time to do them.
"Sooner is better in this case," Izzy replied. "With these Artificial Crests available I have been able to get some time to work on the Digi-Eggs we have, and comparing them to each other has provided me a lot of insight. We cannot afford to let them have that advantage too."
"Damn," he responded unhappily, and tried to think of when they could fit a more serious raid. "Any idea if this TM stuff is actually a good plan?" Tai asked thoughtfully. The field team was currently off with the Pokemon Champion at DSS to see about what kinds of combat enhancements that other world could give their team.
"As long as Davis doesn't actually end up liquefied," Izzy complained half jokingly. "He's interested in that ability that Serperior apparently learned from those things, and I'm worried his mom is actually willing to give him permission."
"Please tell me that isn't the thing she meant," Tai roughly asked as he quickly searched through his papers to find his copies of the permissions that DSS had asked for before they tried any of these things on the Digidestined. As soon as he found it he groaned. "She did. Well, that's going to be a thing."
"In general though the TMs are powerful if they work the way it sounds," his teammate said to partially change subject from that upcoming nightmare. "The ability to just give monsters attacks that they don't normally know is a game changer for us. Ranged attacks for the digimon that don't have them in a given form, or close range ones that can still hit hard. Not to mention how a number of these are for abilities that protects the user, or improves their abilities."
"Alright, it lets us do that stuff," Tai sighed before the genius got lost in the details. "Is it safe, and can we afford the changes it causes?"
"So, good news everyone," Alpha 45 said tiredly after nearly an hour of going over the newest scans of the assembled Digidestined. "I've determined that you will not need to get types, and as a result be made into pokemon, in order to use TMs, HMs, or even AMs. Now, there is still a risk that you can develop a specific type in the long run, but my sister says that is a problem everyone we've given energy to has going forward, so it isn't unique to you."
"Well that's a wonderful clarification," Jane complained loudly. "Do they have to worry about their bodies changing too?" she asked the Porygon-2 completely seriously.
"I have no idea. When we first did it we mistakenly assumed that their humans were the same as our humans," the local Administrator noted and then shook her head. "Back on topic, the only issue with this is that I have confirmed that this lack of a type will mean you have more limited compatibility. The AMs should be fine, they have higher than normal compatibility as a side effect of... well of them having side effects."
"Could we use that to increase compatibility for normal TMs then?" Albert asked, once again human and quite glad that he was for Jane's return. "We do have a lot of reference data on how those were refined to not have those kinds of side effects." His comment proceeded to kick off a rather tense argument on if that was something Alpha 45 wanted to work towards.
Nearby the Digidestined took advantage of the translations available to discuss the topic with the Box's pokemon and Jane's team. "Ingrain might actually be useful for you, Tomb Sandslash," Jane's Marowak told Cody as they got to the topic of Adaptation Machines. The joking tone she used for 'Tomb Sandslash' seemed a bit odd to the Ground type. "Although I will admit I haven't seen your variant in combat for myself, I do know they are more defensive fighters than the standard Sandslash." She pointed at his spiked shield. "They are supposed to stand in the middle of the sandstorms they can more easily call up, and then just outlast most pokemon that can't resist the storm."
"Okay, that sounds a bit harsh," Yolei commented. "But I can see how this 'stand still to get back your energy' ability would work with that."
"I believe you mean 'move'," Pyroar noted precisely. "'Ability' is used to discuss unique features of a given pokemon species that passively impact how they interact with the world. For instance it is harder to hit Sandslash in a sandstorm than it is other pokemon."
"They also can possibly have an increase to their speed in sandstorms instead, but his specific variant only has the option you mentioned," Marowak corrected her. "From what I've heard it is actually an innate capability to make something like an illusion from the sand to disorient their enemies."
"Actually in this particular case he has Sand Scour," Alpha 45 cut in as part of an attempt to get out of her current conversation. "We have a local pokemon that gets that one. It means when he's out in a sandstorm any foes take extra damage from the sand, and the typical immunities to the storm don't work entirely." The Administrator then frowned. "I didn't know there was a Sandslash variant that could get that one."
"That, explains a lot of the stories I wasn't mentioning," the Alolan Bone Keeper admitted a bit nervously. "Actually most of the stories that I was fairly sure were just that. Well, next time I go to a Tomb I'm going to be a lot more respectful."
"Considering last time you were still a Ground type you probably needed to anyway," Jane noted, and her pokemon looked appropriately embarrassed to have forgotten the loss of that type with her atypical evolution. "So, are you guys actually considering using those Adaptation Machines?" the Champion asked nervously. "Because part of how I got turned into a Char involved using just a TM, and AMs are worse about that kind of thing."
"Davis apparently got his mom to okay the one that lets you melt somehow," Yolei complained, and the rest of her team with the sole exception of their leader sighed in agreement.
"She read the little pamphlets I brought home from the store," Davis informed them. "She said that she likes the idea of me learning things that protect me better." He sounded a bit embarrassed by that. "I was only sort of interested, but she wants us safer."
"Is there one of those that doesn't cause much of a change?" Yolei sighed at that response.
"You know we don't have to use them ourselves, right?" T.K. asked tiredly as he looked over a small card he had been given with Sneasel's known compatibility. "There are a lot of these things," he then mumbled to himself more quietly.
"I think it is a good idea to at least check what we can use," Kari countered with little enthusiasm to do so. "That way if things get worse we have some idea what we can try in an emergency."
"Right, do you want to tackle the smallest change, Albert?" Alpha 45 asked her subordinate. "Maybe explain your new gloves?"
"I had thought we were working on something for them, not that you mistook me for Breloom," Albert sighed, but took off one of the slightly oversized leather gloves he had on. This revealed that his fingertips had been replaced with sharp metal pointed claws. "Now we at least know what happens to humans that find a way to use one." He sighed heavily and took of the other glove. "It should go back to normal if I stop using the move for long enough." His other hand was mostly normal, but with metal fingernails. "It s mostly been sticking around on my right hand."
Yolei paused at that to look at her own hands. "So, does it happen right off, or does it start slowly?" she asked cautiously.
"Why are you asking like that?" Jane asked sharply, then sighed. "Please tell me you're using some sort of fancy nail polish," she added as she spotted the flecks of silver in the other girl's nails.
"Ah. That's what that data meant," Alpha 45 complained. "Congratulations, you've mostly figured out Metal Claw already. I take it you've been working on moving your energy better while in a form that already has ones made out of metal?"
"Yeah, I have. Well, I guess I don't need to worry about which one to get now," Yolei grumbled. "So is anyone else having this issue?"
"I'll need to check the data closer to tell that," the Porygon-2 sighed. "You've mostly figured it out, but it is still mostly made out of data. Like what Gazimon's attacks looked like when he first came here, only properly using typed energy. The Adaptation Machine would still help you be able to use that one all the time, but if you want to just stick to forms with metallic claws I'd say keep working on your own instead."
"So, is it safe for Davis to learn Acid Armor?" Cody asked nervously. "Because two of us have one that will work, but that one sounds like it could cause a lot more problems."
"Well, we have found a way to hold your form solid that he will probably want to keep on hand," Albert said cautiously. "It actually ended up being this whole thing for us, and the bands are now part of the new Acid Armor AM kits."
"From practical data that one is actually the best when it comes to removing the side effects. When trainers have a pokemon that doesn't enjoy the move it is nearly impossible for them to truly learn it," Alpha 45 told the group. "So those pokemon are back to normal really quickly. Although, on the other hand pokemon that greatly enjoy the move tend to end up almost constantly at least partially melted. Which is why those bands are now included and we needed to ship quite a few out to anyone who bought the kits before they were added."
"So, my brother won't have to worry about melting at school?" Davey asked, and after getting glared at by Hawkmon continued. "I'm not using it. I like my bodies the way they are, so I'll put up with mom being mad."
"If he actually tries that one," Alpha 45 said in a way that made it clear she did not want to let him try. "Which I'm guessing you are." Davis at least looked embarrassed as he nodded.
"So, how has convincing her we can't just take over Japan going?" Izzy asked uneasily. He hoped the news that Jane was seriously considering that option would stay quiet long enough to stop it before the rest of the team had to know.
"She gave me a few history books about Chosen Ones doing just that," Tai sighed. "Along with a news article from only a couple years ago about a place that had it happen." He passed over that last one. "It had a lot more police involvement than I expected, but it was still someone overthrowing an entire government in order to protect people." The leader of the Digidestined looked at their genius seriously. "She doesn't just think it is an option, she knows it is one. Which means I'm really hoping we don't end up fighting anyone from our world."
"Okay, either their definition of 'police' isn't the same as ours, or their definition of 'conquer' isn't," Izzy commented after skimming the article. "Do we have anything we can do to keep from being the giant monster attack this time?"
"I'm half expecting it to never get close to that point," the Digidestined of Courage replied. "The principal called me in quietly today to discuss the report I accidentally turned in," he admitted. "Specifically, to discuss what we'd need to cover up anything related to stopping monster attacks."
"What exactly did you turn in?" Izzy asked, and from the flinch that produced clearly hit an important detail.
"The report I was making on ways that digimon could enter the human world, based on your reports on the barriers," Tai said a touch harshly. "Which I want rewritten again, because I had to rewrite it myself to get the stuff that says what can be done if Upload didn't lock things down." He sighed heavily. "Which means that the principal had a list of my worst case situations for after all this is over. Oh, and he also got Cody's report on a mission, which did not help."
"And they are just going to cover things up for us?" the Digidestined of Knowledge asked unhappily.
"His suggestion was that they make up excuses with us to cover any odd things, maybe even make an official club with fairly strict requirements to cover what we're doing," Tai sighed. "He also let slip that he 'felt that work at the TV station could help our prospects'."
"We need to do something about adults hiding the fact that they're helping us," Izzy noted still unhappy with this information.
"I don't think Matt's dad knew about this, but I didn't mention the TV station at all. So, yeah, that's a thing." Tai moved some documents around. "So, where does this place get the paper from?" he then asked as he considered some of the many printouts he now had.
"We have entire rooms full of digital office supply production machinery," the tech expert sighed. "They are the least critical of the many digi-machines I have to try and figure out now that we are apparently capturing that stuff. So if we do get that club or something I might need to recruit some assistance."
The light blue puddle of goo that currently was Davis looked rather annoyed by the result. "What exactly am I made out of right now?" he said as he clearly struggled to get back into a normal shape.
"I know it doesn't sound like it, but not being able to get back easily actually means you're learning the move better than the alternative," Alpha 45 started. "As for material, well, you seem to be a fairly thick liquid version of the material your digimon form is made out of. Which is a longwinded way of saying that I don't even know what you are made out of when you are a digimon, let alone right now."
"You know, I might be able to just go around with these," Yolei unconvincingly said about the way her own AM had resulted in the immediate appearance of metal claws. "Biggest problem is if the teachers try and confiscate them."
"Honestly, it seems like it changing all of a sudden is a bit better than happening slowly," T.K. attempted to reassure her. "Or, maybe you can try gloves too?"
"Given how it happened here? It would not have been 'slowly'," Alpha 45 noted. "I have new data for Delta 2 now, and we need to bring everyone we've given typed energy in for another checkup. It looks like the only ones who aren't currently at risk of developing monster parts from fighting are the ones who have been pokemon already."
"Wait, just from fighting? You do know our families aren't doing that right?" Yolei asked a touch angrily. "Or at least Momoe and Mantarou better not be," she grumbled quietly, showing why that really annoyed her and getting a firm nod of agreement from Hawkmon.
"Using energy in general is the more accurate way of saying it, but the ways that you would do that outside of a battle are likely limited," the Administrator noted. "Still, now that we know it can be an issue we can deal with it preemptively."
"Hopefully without resorting to turning everyone into pokemon," Jane criticized. "Because you guys kind of have a reputation-"
"We plan on avoiding making them into actual monsters to fix this," Alpha 45 shot back quickly. "Or at least I'm going to make sure that is the plan. How about you, Cody? Are you up for trying Ingrain?"
"I think so, although I wonder how it works when I use a human form," the Tomb Sandslash wondered. "Hopefully whatever that causes is easy to hide."
"That one's common appearance is the growth of your particular set of embedding materials around your legs," Albert helpfully supplied. "A good pair of pants can hide that one." Alpha 45 glared at him. "I've fully recovered from that one already," he mumbled.
"He didn't try Acid Armor too?" Davis asked with some amusement.
"That was the move that kicked them all off," the Administrator said with a bit of pride. "Everyone in the Box that wanted that one had already got it from the development testing. So there was no reason to offer it to Breloom." She started up the display she had raised to demonstrate the materials seen in users of Metal Claw and Acid Armor so far. "The most common is still plant material, although the Grass type isn't added just by having this move. Second most common is crystal formations, followed by green colored energy constructs that just show up as glowing lines when not in use. Everything else is rarer, but we do have a Marowak of our own who ended up with bones as the result for her. Although like Albert here she didn't fully learn the move."
"Now that you say it like that, it actually sounds like a technique that I've heard about Tomb Sandslash using," Jane's Marowak said cautiously. "So, that might be the second of these that you guys would have learned on your own."
"Pokemon that can learn the move naturally typically do not see the side effects of an AM," Alpha 45 noted. "Yolei isn't a pokemon, so it doesn't apply to her because that is a side effect of the whole energy mess."
They proceeded to get out the newest model Adaptation Machine from the Administrator's personal stock, and for the first time that day they proceeded to actually use one on a pokemon. There was no immediate result beyond a green success light, but Cody nodded happily after the process finished. "That made a lot of sense," he commented unhelpfully.
"Yeah, that means it worked just like a normal TM," Alpha 45 sighed. "Well, that's one less complication to deal with. Now, do any of the monsters we have here want to get any moves? Preferably from a TM?"
Tai looked at Davis, attempting to restrain his exasperation. The younger boy was currently looking a little bit gooey, which was fine right now since he was a Flamedramon but probably rather worrying when he turned back. "So in the end we got 'Light Screen' and 'Reflect' for all of us, which should help with defending things. Apparently that's the thing that Upload's barriers are based on," the field team leader reported. "We also were able to use 'Hyper Beam' for our partners, which is this really tiring energy blast. I think they might be able to use that to hit enemies a bit harder than they normally could, but they definitely need someone else to watch out for them after they use it so we didn't try for everyone."
"There were a bunch of other ones that looked alright, but I figured we had already gone far enough and stopped everyone," T.K. cut in to complain.
"So they gave us a collection that is compatible to use on our own," Davis added with a bit of annoyance, and while Tai had to admit he agreed with T.K.'s decision he didn't approve of interrupting the report.
"I'm not too happy with this news about side effects to having energy," Izzy commented, and looked over at the newly arrived form of Joe.
"Well, I am sorry that I tested out the practical concern of one of our team turning into a pokemon before we could find out that it fixed a potential problem for the rest of you," the otter monster complained while shooting a look back to the pool room where the two older Digidestined had found him.
"I'm sorry he's being a grump," Gomamon complained. "Now, is it just the new kids getting those T thingies, or can we use 'em too?"
"You already have fighting fish," Joe sighed. "Also I'm making sure all of the other digimon are going to be getting that checkup too, including the refugees. It probably isn't an issue for them, but we have to be sure."
"Alright, fine," Tai sighed. "Okay. Make sure to give me full reports on everything you found out and did. Davis, we have a critical target for you to go after. I'm hoping to hit it either tomorrow or the next day, and I want Jane's help if we can get it." He handed the partially liquefied lizard man a file, cringing at how he could now feel heat radiating from the fire based monster.
"Okay, I'll check this over and see what she can manage," Davis agreed happily. "Although I'd like a day or so to work on this new stuff first, but if it's important then I guess it will be fine."
