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Part Two: The Gizumon Conspiracy
Corruption
"So He scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city."
Kyoto Underground
Kyoto, Japan
1:10 A.M.
Monday, April 30th, 2018
Koji struggled to pull Majester out of the debris as the footsteps came closer. The Digimon had degenerated shortly after the Grimmon had given chase to Alice and Wendigomon. Koji had wanted to go after them and help, but the voices came not long after. Hoisting the rookie over his shoulders, he scurried to the far corner of the room, hiding in between a pair of shelves that were casing various computer equipment. Majester stirred after he sat, but Koji shushed the monster, just before the red demon returned, a bright orb shining in his palm.
"The fool came straight for me, I tell you. He screamed about the loss of his men." The monster spoke over his shoulder as he walked towards one of the computers. "He had no idea he was playing exactly into my… hand." He looked down at the glow in his palm, and placed it against the computer monitor.
"The Piddomon did the same." Another creature, twice the size as the red demon and covered with violet fur, crouched into the room. "Tried to save his commander, but fell right into my trap. The monstrous beast rested his hand against another monitor, a faint glow visible from where Koji sat. A flash appeared from both workstations, and then the glow was gone.
"I do believe we are almost done with our side project." The devil man grinned. "One more core should do the trick nicely. Good timing too, considering all the intruders that have appeared so suddenly."
"With the disturbance above, we might need it quickly." The purple demon concurred. "The last of the digital army's captains was within the courtyard when it collapsed. I do believe he has blasted the roof to the prisoner's quarters."
"Well, best be off then. The Gizumon are strong, but who knows how the situation down there is going?" The red one walked towards the exit.
"What of the boy and girl you found in here?" The purple one inquired. The devil man examined the door as they departed.
"I do believe ChaosGrimmon is enjoying the thrill of the hunt right now." He commented, before they turned to the right and disappeared. Koji and Majester sat in silence for a long minute. Then, when they felt they were secure, let out loud sighs.
"What the hell's going on in this place?" Majester inquired.
"I don't know." Koji shook his head. "But we need to get out of here and find Alice and Wendigomon immediately." The boy and the dragon stood, walking out of the shelving and into the middle of the room, but a sudden gust of wind knocked them both down. As they scrambled to their feet, a new face greeted them in the doorway. A tremendously sized Digimon hunched over in the hallway, long ears dangling on the ground. Koji and Majester readied themselves for combat, but Alice dropped down from the creature's back a moment later.
"Alice!" Koji cheered with relief. "What happened?"
"Well, you were right." Alice grasped the crest around her neck. "It does make our Digimon stronger."
"Just when all seemed lost," The Digimon spoke, "Alice tapped into the power of the crest and allowed me to digivolve to the ultimate level, Antylamon."
"How did you do that?" Koji inquired.
"I'm not sure, but at the time, all I knew is that I wanted to save everyone: you, the people from the camp, even Wendigomon. Then my digivice and crest sparked to life and all of a sudden Antylamon was there. She made quick work of the Grimmon."
"It's called ChaosGrimmon, actually, but that's great news." Majester added.
"How do you know that?" Antylamon asked. Koji then gave a quick rundown of the information they had just overheard.
"I see, so in that case, these prisoner's quarters are where we'll find everyone: Tommy and everyone taken from the camp, these two mysterious leaders of the Gizumon, and maybe even some allies." She held out her large palm, beckoning for the Koji, Alice, and Majester. The three stepped out into the hallway, where they were scooped up into her arms and clutched snuggly against her chest. "You said they turned this way, yes?"
"Yeah…" Koji grunted.
"Antylamon, don't you think it'd be more convenient if you de-digivolved? Then we could move through this hallway less cramped." Alice suggested as she struggled in her partner's arms.
"Alice, I really thought you'd have learned by now," The rabbit smiled, "No weak." Her foot then pushed off the ground, and she rocketed through the air down the hallway.
1:05 A.M.
Dinoster hovered in the air, the rhythmic beat of his wings slowing with every pulse. Clutched in his right arm was Takuya, whose legs dangled over the darkness, while he held Impmon by the scarf in his other arm. Palmon and Monmon had snagged a ledge near the top of the pit when they had fallen, and safely stood at the edge, looking down.
"Are you all alright?" Palmon called to them from the ledge.
"Could be worse…" Dinoster sighed. "Takuya, would you mind telling me what such a large hole was doing just underneath the ground we were fighting on?" He inquired as he flew over to the ledge where Palmon and Monmon awaited.
"That is a terrific question." Takuya stumbled as they landed, kneeling on the ground once Dinoster let go of him. "And I'd love to give you an answer, but I have no freakin' idea."
"I think I have an idea…" Monmon said as he gazed down into the darkness. "The Gizumon built it." Dinoster and Takuya turned to look over the edge, where about fifteen meters below, GeoGreymon and the Gizumon had landed. Around them, smaller Gizumon flocked to the center, appearing from similar ledges down below.
"They're in trouble." Takuya spotted Renamon struggle to move away from the pile of grass, dirt, and concrete now piled within the center of the hole. "Dinoster, you have to go and help them."
"Yeah, I know." He nodded. "You three, let's go." He held out his hand, to which Palmon and Monmon immediately grabbed, but Impmon refused.
"No way, hell no. Youse guys are insane if you think I'm going down there." Impmon ferociously shook his head.
"Fine then, stay with me." Takuya growled. "Look at all these openings in the walls." Takuya pointed downwards, where in the dark he could make out the vague silhouettes of people appearing from within. "This is where they took everyone. We need to get them out."
"We'll meet you at the bottom." Dinoster lunged down into the darkness, the light of torches along the walls illuminating his descent.
"Let's go, Impmon." Takuya barked. The rookie glared but followed begrudgingly.
Dinoster approached the bottom quickly. Five small Gizumon had surrounded the newcomers, and the large Gizumon had regained itself from the fall. GeoGreymon had slithered back onto his feet, but that wasn't going to help the fact that he was outnumbered.
"Let's do this." Palmon whispered, and Dinoster let go of the two rookies, who both landed on a Gizumon and went to work, striking at its optic center before it knew they were there. This gained the attention of the other Gizumon, allowing Dinoster to slam down upon one and break open its shell, tearing at the wires within. GeoGreymon saw his chance and charged at the larger Gizumon, who in its distraction couldn't hold its ground and was slammed into the wall.
"Mega Flame!" The dinosaur spewed flames from its mouth, which washed over the Digimon, singeing its tubules. The creature wrestled itself free, flinging its body into the air, which allowed GeoGreymon to come up from below and impale it with its horn. The machine's tubules writhed before the Gizumon exploded in a shower of data. His opponent gone, GeoGreymon surveyed his surroundings. Two of the Gizumon were eliminated by the Coredramon, Monmon, and Palmon who had aided him before, while the other three had retreated to the far side of the room and had combined into one form.
"Thanks for the assist… again…" GeoGreymon turned his attention to the fusion as Dinoster, Monmon, and Palmon joined him. "We'll have words once this thing has been defeated."
"I'd imagine so." Dinoster nodded. But as they spoke Greymon's chest exploded, and a deep purple fist came plunging from within. Shocked, Dinoster, Monmon, and Palmon jumped away, the source of Greymon's impalement coming into view as his data dispersed into the air.
"It's him again." Palmon's eyes narrowed as the violet-furred demon's arm returned to his side. Then, from behind, a smaller, red devil-man appeared, jumping into the air and snagging Greymon's digi-core before it could disappear.
"And that makes seven." It gave a wicked smile before consuming the core, swallowing it with an audible gulp. "Now, who do we have here?" He looked upon the three combatants facing him.
"I remember these from the tower to the east. They didn't put up much of a fight." The pan-creature smiled. "They must have come for the prisoners we took."
"You took our friends!" Dinoster barked.
"Well unfortunately, we still have need of their services. Although we're not too far off, you can have them back soon enough." He laughed as he spoke.
"Bunny Blades!" Antylamon burst into the room, dropping her cargo on the ground in front of her as her arms transformed into axes. She slashed at the purple-furred demon, throwing him to the other side of the room, where he flipped in the air and landed against the wall.
"Mephistomon!" The devil-man cried.
"I'm fine Phelesmon. Add the last core, now!" The pan dropped to the ground next to the Gizumon as more of the creatures began to appear from pathways above. Phelesmon didn't hesitate, instead blowing past the tamers who were still recovering from their landing and returning to the pathway he had come from.
"Dinoster!" Majester cheered at the sight of his comrades.
"Brother!" Dinoster gasped.
"Koji, you have to stop him!" Alice cried as the three came to their feet.
"We don't even know what he's doing with them!" Koji groaned. "It could be anything!"
"Exactly!" She replied. Koji's eyes narrowed. He wanted to stay and help with the fight, but he knew she was right. "Majester, we have to follow." Koji nodded. Majester moved quickly, digivolving into Coredramon once again.
"Antylamon, those are the other digidestined, but I feel I'll need their help more than you…" Majester began.
"Take anyone you'd like, just move quickly!" She barked. Majester beckoned for his brother to follow. The Digimon looked to his allies, but Palmon and Monmon waved him on.
"Go, we'll be fine here, especially once I find Mimi." She commanded. Dinoster nodded, and then took off after Koji and Majester, who had already gone down the path.
"Gizumon, deal with those rookies." Mephistomon pointed to Palmon and Monmon, who were helping Renamon back to his feet. "AT, Kill the rabbit." The combined creature rushed towards Antylamon, its tubules racing in front of its body, but with one slash, Antylamon had severed the creature in half, letting the data wash over her face.
"Such precision, so quick as well. ChaosGrimmon never stood a chance, did it?" Mephistomon inquired as the two circled each other.
"No." Antylamon lunged into the air and spun, swinging her axes at the creature's face. Mephistomon ducked away, dodging the blows and rolling away.
"Look out!" Monmon warned as a Gizumon struck. Palmon acted quickly, however, snatching Renamon in her vines and throwing him to safety, then dragging herself away so that Gizumon's tubules snatched harmlessly at the air.
"Thanks for the warning!" Palmon said as the three Digimon came side to side, a trio of Gizumon surrounding them.
"We're outmatched…" Renamon whispered.
"Don't count us out yet." Palmon urged.
"Palmon, is that you!" Three stories above, Palmon spotted a girl leaning over the edge of a walkway, long blonde hair reflecting in the torchlight.
"Mimi!" Palmon cheered, but then the Gizumon struck, their tubules tangling around them.
"Oh no!" Mimi whimpered, but then snatched her digivice and activated it. A beam of light surged from where she was kneeling, enveloping the area around Palmon. The light burst, and the three Gizumon were knocked into a wall as Togemon appeared.
Mephistomon ducked to avoid the Gizumon as they were thrown into a wall. "Hmpf, it's getting a little crowded in here, wouldn't you agree? Maybe we should take our battle above."
"I'm perfectly content where we are right now, honestly." Antylamon replied as they circled each other.
"Really now, because it'd be a shame if some innocent bystanders were to be hurt." He eyed Alice, causing Antylamon to glare.
"Fine then." She snarled, and followed him as he lunged into the sky, landing on the edge of the great pit fifteen meters above.
"You can do it Togemon." Mimi smiled down on her partner, who had begun pummelling the Gizumon encircling her.
"Mimi!" A call brought her attention to her left, where Willis was running up to her with three people and a Digimon behind him: two she recognized as Tommy and Takuya, and the third being a tall woman with dark hair and wearing a lab coat.
"Takuya! Tommy?" She cautiously stood up from the ledge as the three people joined her.
"I'm glad you're all okay." Takuya smiled.
"Saw them from across the pit." Willis pointed out over the edge. "I guess Tommy was captured as well."
"This is great; this is our chance to escape." Masao proposed.
"We can't leave yet: I haven't found Veemon!" Tommy protested.
"Are you kidding?" A familiar squeaky voice sounded from the right, where up the ladder came a short, blue Digimon accompanied by another man, who all but Masao recognized as the noodle cart salesman. "A group like you guys stands out like a sore thumb!"
"Veemon!" Tommy pushed past Mimi and grasped the Digimon in a hug.
"Nice to see you too, buddy." Veemon gasped.
"Where were you?" He inquired.
"Locked up in a cage deeper in their facility. This guy was nice enough to bust me out." Veemon threw a thumb back at the noodle cart salesman.
"Mr. Motomiya?" Takuya was taken aback.
"Name's Davis, and I'm always happy to lend a helping hand." He smiled, waving his hand.
"What now?" Mimi inquired. "Togemon is down there." She looked nervous as another group of Gizumon appeared from one of the tunnels.
"I'll go help her. You guys find a hole and stay away from the edge. We'll come get you when it's clear." Veemon proposed. Tommy nodded, and reached into his pocket where his digivice lay. "Veemon, armor digivolve to… Flamedramon!" Masao was taken aback as the armored warrior appeared in a flash of light. "I'll help her take on those Gizumon and then we'll start getting people out of here." With that he jumped down into the pit, tearing through one of the newly arrived Gizumon in the process.
Above, Antylamon and Mephistomon's battle had taken to the streets, away from the temple. Mephistomon had battered her with a series of kicks, forcing them away. Now Antylamon was countering with a series of slashes from her axes. Mephistomon was now on the defensive, narrowly dodging each blow as it tried to regain its stance. Finally, Antylamon relented, the constant blows wearing her down. Mephistomon took the opportunity to regain his footing, then seeing Antylamon slow down, immediately lunged forward, a fist pulled back. Antylamon didn't suffer his attack, however. She immediately crossed her arms, blocking his punch with ease. Antylamon then threw his arm away, slashing at his throat. Mephistomon jumped to safety, landing on the roof of a nearby house.
"Your strength is irregular, even considering activation energy." Mephistomon observed. "How are you so strong?"
"What sort of Digimon is 'Mephistomon' anyway?" Antylamon inquired. She didn't wait for a response, instead jumping forward and swinging her blades through the air. Mephistomon dodged expertly, rolling onto the ground as Antylamon took his place atop the building.
"It's no Digimon that I've ever heard of, and my knowledge is extensive." Mephistomon jumped at her, kicking his foot forward, but Antylamon flipped over him and jabbed her foot into his back. Mephistomon landed on his palms, flipping over, and landing on the other side of the roof.
"I'd wager there's never been a Digimon called Mephistomon before, or Phelesmon," Antylamon didn't relent. She dashed from her spot on the roof ans slashed at the air in front of Mephistomon, who flipped onto the ground, "And I'm certain I had never seen a Gizumon or Grimmon before I arrived in Kyoto, much less a Digimon who could fuse so readily with others of its kind."
"Perhaps you aren't as knowledgeable as you believed." Mephistomon taunted as they traded blows, his punches being knocked away by the back of her blades, which narrowly missed as Mephistomon continued to dodge.
"That, or you come from a different place than the digital world, at least the one I come from." Antylamon ducked low, jabbing at his feet, but Mephistomon had master footwork and dodged with ease, flipping off to the side. "Because in the digital world that I know, functions of digivolution are commonly known."
"I'm aware of digivolution activation energy, I said this before." Mephistomon grumbled as the two circled each other.
"Yes, but I'm talking about something else. You see…" Antylamon flashed to his side, delivering a roundhouse kick which he narrowly avoided. "When a Digimon dies, it is reconfigured, processed by the digital core and released into the digital world as a fresh Digimon, its memories and power erased." Mephistomon skipped back as Antylamon flipped over, driving her heel into the ground in front of him. "Why this happens, no one could say, but the intricacies of the digital core are not what's important."
She released a few jabs, which Mephistomon easily dodged. Perhaps she's getting tired. He thought for a moment. No, she's conserving energy for something bigger. "And what, pray tell, is important?"
"That when a Digimon evolves to the highest form it had taken in its past life, it regains all the strength and memories that it once possessed." She smiled, then disappeared. Mephistomon was stunned, but before he could respond, she appeared behind him, her blade pressed against his back. "And a Deva is quite stronger than most other ultimate-level Digimon." Her axe tore through his back.
1:15 A.M.
Dinoster moved as fast as possible through the hallway, alternating between leaps and gliding to catch up to his brother. The lead he and Koji had taken on him was short, but the dragon had obviously not wanted to waste time, and was moving swiftly through the hallway. It would take him a moment to catch up.
Eventually he did, finding the green dragon gliding down the hall, with Koji in his arms. Dinoster used a spurt of energy to slide in under him. "Could have given me a minute to catch up." He groaned through a deep breath.
"Sorry, but there's no time to waste. We don't know what that demon is planning." Majester apologized.
"Phelesmon, I think I heard his name was." Dinoster replied. "That's no Digimon I've ever heard of before."
"Just like the Gizumon and Grimmon," Majester agreed, "He and the big purple guy are their leaders. They've been collecting the digi-cores of Digimon all over the city."
"Why?" Dinoster inquired.
"I heard them call it a side project." Koji interjected.
"That bodes well." Dinoster shuttered.
"We're coming up on the room, get ready." Majester told his brother. The two Coredramon slowed down, giving Koji the ability to drop to the ground, and then swung to the left to enter the room. Phelesmon stood in the center, his palm facing a computer screen. The two dragons wasted no time, each attacking from either side. They swung their tails simultaneously, but Phelesmon spotted them out of the corner of his eye. Ducking down, he avoided the swipes, causing the two champions to roll over each other, narrowly avoid a collision.
"A valiant attempt, but it will serve you no good." Phelesmon shook his head as he jumped to the other end of the room, out of harm's way. "You two have not the strength to battle the likes of me. You can only go so far at the champion-level."
"We'll show you how strong we are." Dinoster barked, and then let out a wave of blue flames. Majester added his own firepower, which consumed the devil-man. The monster lunged out of the fires unharmed, however, hovering in mid-air for a moment before unleashing a dual spin-kick at the two Coredramon's heads. The monsters, pulling their attacks back at the time, didn't have the opportunity to dodge, and took the full blast of the strike, being thrown into opposite walls. Koji watched helplessly as Phelesmon returned to the workstation, raising his palm up to the face of the computer screen once more. They vibrated with energy, before a bright light appeared, and the transfer was completed.
"There now, all done." Phelesmon sighed with relief. "This project has been a long time in the making, but finally we can get it underway. Gizumon XT, engage!" He boomed into the room. The ground shook, and the floorboards tore away to reveal another Gizumon unit, larger than the combined units they had seen before.
"What is that?" Koji couldn't help but speak, drawing Phelesmon's attention.
"You know, when I had to combine ten individual Gizumon's in order to reach a sufficient processing power, I knew the power of my creation would be impressive. But when even that wasn't enough, and I had to locate these human machines and add them to the already extensive computing ability of Gizumon XT, there was no doubt I had reached my goal." Phelesmon turned away from the boy and to the machine in front of them. "Gizumon XT, get to the surface and execute your primary orders."
"Gizumon will obey." It spoke in a monotone voice. The Digimon's tubules pointed toward the roof, then with a roar shot simultaneous beams of energy at the roof as the Digimon began spinning in a circle. The lasers acted as a drill, and it quickly disappeared into the hole it had burrowed. "He'll be up there in less than a minute." Phelesmon smiled as he casually strolled past the tamer. "Feel free to go up there, you and your partners. I won't stop you." He departed the room, leaving Koji alone with the two defeated champions.
1:30 P.M.
Mephistomon lay face down in the dirt, struggling to stand. Antylamon was circling him, confident in her position. The battle is over, she thought to herself. He's no match for me.
"Admit defeat." She ordered him. "You cannot fight anymore."
"Oh, you are correct, I am no match for you in my current state." Mephistomon rested on his knees. "But this battle is by no means done." Before Antylamon could question him, a beam of light erupted less than a kilometer away, snatching Antylamon's attention. Keeping watch on Mephistomon out of the corner of her eye, she watched as a large Gizumon unit appeared in the air.
"What is it doing?" Antylamon inquired.
"Having impeccable timing, that's what." Mephistomon laughed. Antylamon would have investigated further, but suddenly the creature exploded in a bright light. She moved to cover her eyes, but stopped when the light enveloped itself, forming a cocoon around the Gizumon. "Isn't that just the largest digi-egg you've ever seen?" Mephistomon smiled. The sphere consumed the sky, suspended over the streets surrounding the temple.
"What have you done?" Her eyes darted back to Mephistomon, but a sickening crack drew her immediately back to the egg, which was splintering across the surface. In another second it shattered, and a fifteen-meter behemoth slammed onto the ground, shaking the earth beneath it. Antylamon struggled to stay standing as she watched the freshly born creature stand as it stretched its four massive wings and arms.
"We designed it according to each of the captains of the digital army, with modifications here and there." Mesphistomon smiled, "The legs are distinctively Gururumon's, the chest belongs to GeoGreymon, the head is his as well, although as you can see we were able to develop some of Kuwagamon's data into the skull of a Kabuterimon. The arms belong to him as well, along with IceDevimon's, and the wings are of Piddomon and Airdramon."
"It… it's a monstrosity…" Antylamon quivered where she stood.
"A lovely phrase," The demon replied, "But we prefer to call it Kimeramon."
