The Keystone Chronicles

Book One


Chapter Nine

Mimir, the Aesir of Wisdom


Security inside the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building had been replaced by Civil Protection. Unlike their street counterparts, these guards wore heavier, plated armor that covered the joints in the knees and elbows and their skull helmets were ensconced by armored collars. They brandished more menacing weapons too—shotguns or rifles on straps, while the ones dealing with the public carried pistols on their hips. Kari and the other Destined breezed past such checkpoints. She puzzled at why. Government workers presented badges hanging from lapels or front pockets, yet the guards acted as if they were invisible.

The tourists visiting the building for its observation deck, however, found Civil Protection irresistible. They wandered from the line for the Observation Deck elevator, ducking under the ropes that hemmed them against the wall. Kari watched as a young man, and what she assumed was his date, snap pictures of a nearby guard on their smartphones. He rose up on his arches for a mugshot. The guard ignored him and the resulting flash, despite standing within arm's reach. But when the girl tried copying, she dipped forwards, banging hands-first into his armored chest plate to catch herself. The guard shoved her upright into her surprised boyfriend. Kari's breath caught in her chest.

"Don't do that again," the guard barked through his microphone. He pointed towards the line at elevators. "Go to the observation deck." Dumbstruck, the couple nodded, scurrying back in line.

Kari was mystified. Further down the lobby, she saw more tourists mob the guards standing outside the souvenir shop. It seemed as if people had never seen something so outlandish or alien, she thought, abandoning any sense of self preservation. She wondered if her experience in the Digital World had numbed her instinctual ability to detect strange.

"What's gotten into people?" Cody asked from the rear of the group, as if reading her mind.

Batuhan spun around and followed his stare. He sucked his teeth and shook his head. "I honestly don't know."

The group continued through the lobby. Their digimon garnered some curious looks and a few phones swiveled in their direction. The Destined ignored them. The Gazimon stepped in front, striking heroic poses at the passersby. More phones appeared. Batuhan bodied between them, flicking the Gazimon's ears and tugging their whip-like tails, shepherding the giggling, bi-pedal creatures onward. The group eventually piled into an empty elevator car.

"So we're not pretending to be stuffed animals?" Gatomon mused, pulling back her partner's hair curtain.

Menhit lazily waved the comment away. "Why would we?" she asked rhetorically. "Humans are gullible. To them, we're simply actors in costumes—"

"Or animatronic puppets," Maahes added, wiggling his claws. He folded his arms and puffed out his chest. "Besides, we're the leads in the anime after all. Exposure is important." he said.

Batuhan grunted as he slashed his card through a reader and pressed a button. The elevator jarred once, then began descending. "Was that before or after begging Bragi for weeks to write you in," he said, ruffling Maahes' head. The male Gazimon snickered and batted him away.

Veemon gasped. He struck his palm with his fist, vindication in his eyes. "I knew it!" the dragon trumpeted. "Gazimon would've never been the lead digimon. That spot rightfully belongs to me and Davish," he thumbed his chest. Both Gazimon blinked, owl-faced. They looked at each other and burst into laughter, which antagonized the blue dragon further. "I mean it!" Veemon blustered.

Menhit wiped away a non-existent tear from her eye. "No offense, being 'Destined' and all, but you guys aren't exactly lead material."

"What?!"

Maahes wrapped his arm around Menhit's shoulders, staring coolly at the rookie dragon across the elevator. "You lack cool. Humans sees us and think 'they look awesome'. But you?" he cocked an eyebrow at Veemon. His gaze fell down to the dragon's feet and up again. "They would probably think 'what a dork'."

Batuhan frowned down at his partners. "Will you stop? Be nice, make friends," he said. The Gazimon rolled their eyes, as if children being scolded by their parent.

Further the elevator descended. During the bickering between rookies, Kari noticed the number on the floor display surge past the fifth sub-level, and she held her gaze there. Six. Seven. The elevator kept going. When the number reached nine, Kari felt the car slow, and when the display ticked to ten, it jarred to a complete stop, ending the argument she had turned a deaf ear to. Were they really ten stories underground, she thought. The doors yawed open and everyone stepped into an open laboratory.

Kari recognized the back of Baldr's head as her eyes scanned the room. Even underneath sterile, recessed lightning, the Aesir's blonde curls almost glowed with ephemeral warmth. He was talking to two other gentlemen. An older gentleman, who leaned against a desk, looked aged and educated; bald headed, crowned by thinning, graying hair. His face was angular, chin pointed. He kept pushing his thick-framed glasses up his aquiline nose. The third person Kari knew, whose Tentomon perched upon the desk like a fat, ornery ladybug.

"Izzy!"

Izzy Izumi leaned around Baldr, his eyes growing wide at her and the Destined. "Kari, long time no see," he greeted from his seat. "You're all here, prodigious."

The group joined him at the table. Gatomon and Nord hopped onto the desk with Tentomon, sharing their greetings. "You seem right at home," Kari said, nodding at Izzy's lab coat.

Izzy straightened the collar, giving a sheepish smile. The garment clung on his small frame like a hangar. Its hem dipped past his knees, almost like a robe. "You have no idea. I've learned more about Digimon and the Digital World just in this lab alone. Mimir's library is impressive."

"The real challenge is getting him to leave," Tentomon interjected. He crossed his arms, staring at his partner. "Last week, Izzy's mother had to drag him out of the building by his ears for missing too many family dinners. Can't say that I blame her, the food is rather scrumptious."

The child of Knowledge grimaced. "Family problems aside, I couldn't be happier."

Baldr cleared his throat. The Aesir still wore his armored vest, though underneath his garments were entirely black. "Welcome on your first day with us, Destined," he began. "Spend some time to get acclimated to our installation here in the building. I'm sure the Gazimon will be more than happy to show you around." He walked around the group, heading towards the elevators. "We'll start exploring the Digital World sometime during the week." His attention flitted between the children's faces. "I'm sure you're all very eager to return." He boarded the elevator. "I leave them in your care Mimir."

"Splendid," the elderly man proclaimed. He regarded all the children and their digimon with a dignified smile. Kari could see the tiredness underneath his eyes, at the corners of his mouth. "Greetings Destined children. I am Mimir the Sage, Aesir of Wisdom," Mimir said, bowing curtly. "Izzy has told me all about your adventures so far." He stooped, scrutinizing Nord and Gatomon. "You've certainly brightened up," he said to the Mikemon.

Nord hugged Gatomon from behind. "Good food and a pleasant lady will do that," he agreed, grinning before burying his face into the nape of her neck.

Mimir gave him a half-lidded look. "Quite," he replied as a blushing Gatomon gently headbutted Nord in return. "Let's star with your digimon examinations." Mimir lead the group deeper into the laboratory towards a machine bolted on the back wall. It was little more than a camera affixed to a metallic arm. Izzy sat behind the nearby desk and turned on the terminal, waiting for instruction. Mimir patted the stainless steel examination table underneath the machine. "Any volunteers?" he asked.

"Aw, I'm not sure about a doctor's visit," Armadillomon mumbled from the floor. "Cold hands and needles? No thanks."

Izzy gave the digital creatures a reassuring smile. "We're just going to take a picture of you using this special machine. It's completely fine. Tentomon already had his taken."

"If you think being turned into an ice cube is 'fine'," Tentomon retorted, crossing his arms.

Mimir adjusted his glasses. "A side effect of the radiation passing through your bodies. It's nothing permanent and it's completely harmless."

"Then I'll go first," Veemon trumpeted. He stepped forward, glaring at the Gazimon before turning his horned nose up at them. Davis deposited him on the table. "Snap away doc."

Mimir swung the camera arm down to Veemon's eye level. "Veemon," he hummed, "you wouldn't happen to evolve into a Flamedramon?" The toddler-sized dragon nodded. Both Mimir and Izzy exchanged cryptic looks. Out from the corner of her eye, Kari noticed Batuhan's amused grin. When Veemon's confusion appeared on his face, Mimir elaborated. "Just curious. Let's just say that Summer is going to be very interested."

Veemon's confusion deepened. "Summer? But it's autumn." he said. Menhit and Maahes guffawed, which turned his confusion into annoyance. "What?" he groused. "Maybe after we're done, you guys can all get your eyes checked."

Izzy, who restrained from laughing, indicated the program was ready. Mimir took another moment to positioned the camera. "That should be good. Take the picture whenever you're ready, Izzy."

An audible hum rose throughout the room. The camera's mechanics made an audible click and the humming stopped. Veemon shivered. His hands went to his shoulders, rubbing furiously. His grit his teeth. Upon seeing this, Davis grabbed his partner from the table and gasped. "He's freezing!" the boy exclaimed, hugging the dragon against him.

"He'll be fine. Just hug him close and he'll warm right up," Mimir instructed. He went behind the desk, stooping beside Izzy. "Judging by his data, Veemon is medically sound, though he should cut out the soda once in a while."

"So what does the Aesir of Wisdom do?" Yolei asked.

Mimir paused. He looked up at Yolei, surprised. "Didn't Baldr tell you?" he said. She shook her head.

Mimir glanced at Batuhan, who shook his head. "Don't look at me," he replied, "I just nod my head and do as told."

The Aesir of wisdom sighed and returned beside the examination table, beckoning for the next digimon. Hawkmon, out of a sense of obligation or interest, landed onto the table. "Well," Mimir began, adjusting the camera. "Each Aesir within the pantheon has certain special attributes that dictate their role." He smoothed a few of Hawkmon's flight feathers. "My 'specialty', in this case, is research, development, and the application of those developments involving the Digital World. I am the one who re-designed the batteries in your devices, and developed Batuhan's D-Shutter."

The humming punctured the quiet once more. When the camera finished, Yolei stepped forward and plucked the shaking raptor into her arms. "Izzy has helped me tremendously on many projects so far," Mimir continued. Cody walked forward, placing Armadillomon on the table next. After Armadillomon came a tentative Wormmon, who resisted letting go at first, but through his partner's gentle coaxing, clambered onto the table. "Currently we're working on creating a much larger, more sustainable digital portal between worlds, among other things." Patamon was the next digimon on the table. More humming, more cold rookies plucked off the table into their partners' arms.

"Then the other Aesir must contribute in some other way?" Takeru questioned, stroking Patamon.

Mimir nodded. He took off his plastic-rimmed glasses and cleaned off the lenses with his coat sleeve. "Each of us interact with the human world in one way or the other. You'll eventually meet all of them in due time, though," he said, emphasizing the point with his index finger, "you might want to avoid Loki or Hodr as much as possible."

"Are they like the bad eggs of the group?" Davis asked.

The Aesir shook his head. "Absolutely not. It's just," he paused to gather his thoughts, "they're indifferent when it comes to humans."

When Gatomon hopped up for her turn, Mimir smiled and scratched her ears. "So you're the infamous Gatomon," he said, smiling. "Has Nord been behaving himself?" He looked at Nord, then back to Gatomon, winking. The white feline flushed. She muttered for Mimir to take the photo already. After the picture, Nord hopped onto the table, snuggling her. Their tails once again twined together like loving rope. "Alright, Nord. Your turn."

The Mikemon nodded as Kari swept up Gatomon in her arms. She could feel the tremors from the white feline's shivering. After a few seconds, Gatomon settled, climbing on her shoulder.

Mimir snapped the picture. The white and tortise-shell Mikemon huddled into himself, tail knifed through his legs and around his feet. Gatomon leaped onto the table, sweeping him into a hug. "Splendid!" Mimir said. He re-attached the camera to its wall mount. "How's it looking Izzy?"

"Green across the board," Izzy answered. His fingers marched across the keyboard, eyes darting left to right on the monitor. "Everyone is either healthy or on the well-fed side."

"Send the results to Miranda and Baldr," Mimir instructed. The elderly Aesir stood before the assembled group, taking a brief pause to straighten his lab coat. "As for an orientation, of sorts," he waved for the children to pull out their Digivices. "Your devices serve as your identification into the Metropolitan building. So long as they're on your person, you have access to the majority of the sub-levels. Above ground is strictly prohibited unless summoned to Baldr's office."

Davis scrutinized his device, probably looking for an imaginary mechanism through which such a thing would work. "Speaking of our Digivices, what did you exactly do to them?"

"Replaced the battery," Mimir said matter-of-factually. "The new one has enough potential energy storage for Veemon to evolve into his Mega form and maintain it indefinitely. He'll still regress if taken enough damage, but the threshold for that is a bit higher. " Davis awed at the explanation and slipped the device into his pants pocket. Mimir adjusted his glasses, regarding the information on Izzy's monitor. "Your devices will also give you access to the Digital World through one of these laboratory monitors. We've restricted access for obvious reasons."

"What does Gennai think about all of this?" Cody asked, looking at Izzy.

The Destined of Knowledge grimaced and shook his head. "Your digital friend?" Mimir countered, voice hardening. "A broken subroutine. When I think about all the damage he's done, I'm amazed your children are still in one piece." Izzy's expression deepened, telling Kari he knew more than most. "But that is an issue for another day," Mimir walked over to another desk and sat down, signaling the conversation was over.

"Well, since it's your first day," Izzy said over the awkward silence, "Let me show you around the building. Is that okay, Mimir?"

Mimir sighed. "That's fine. I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early."

Izzy guided the group back towards the elevators. Cody, and to an extent Yolei, leaned close to him. "What was that about?" he whispered among the group. "One mention of Gennai and these Aesir change their tune."

"It's complicated," Izzy whispered back. "The Digital World was in danger and Gennai did what was necessary, but it came with unforeseen consequences even I don't know much about. Mimir's probably the best attitude when it comes to Gennai, so I wouldn't bring his name up in conversation with any of the other Aesir, especially Loki and Hodr."

"It's that bad?"

The group boarded the elevator. As its doors closed, Izzy's head hung with a peculiar weight Kari did not recognize. "Bad enough they want to destroy Gennai because of it," he said.


OOC: Sorry for the long, long wait. Real life and the holiday season has a tendency to throw your pacing out of whack. Next chapter is the introduction of the Digital World, where the ball is finally picking up momentum and the adventure is truly about to begin. If you like what you've read, or hate it, please leave a review so I can get a better understanding and improve as a writer!