DISCLAIMER - I don't own Digimon, though there are some original characters in this story which I created.
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Author's Notes - You'll want to have read "Ascension - Prologue" before this part, to get you all geared up and ready.
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Ascension
Chapter One - "Necessary Sacrifices"
By Chris McFeely
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Searing red light glinted in the black recesses of the Bakemon's eyes as the fine laser beam sizzled through it's cloth coverings. An inhuman shriek of pain leapt from its throat, as is struggled where it lay, manacled down on to an operating table, with human surgeons standing around it. They were all wearing Haz-Mat suits, and the Bakemon could not see their faces through the tinted visors. All it could see was red... burning, agonising red... as it penetrated him from without, and scorched within, the haunting, shimmering reflections of the beam playing across the surgeon's visors.
As the beam fizzled out, leaving a moderately-sized gash running up the Bakemon's chest, one surgeon picked up an instrument, and immediately pulled back the Bakemon's burnt skin, to investigate the creature's gut.
This marks the first actual internal investigation of one of the creatures, one surgeon said into a recording device, then leant forward to observe the proceedings.
A startled gasp rippled among the surgeons, as the slivers of what was apparently flesh were parted. A... amazing! one surgeon gasped. I've never seen... anything like it! another said.
Within the Bakemon, where it's stomach, and other vital organs should have been, along with blood, veins, bones - everything human - there was... nothing. Not an empty shell... but pure, simple, black, unending nothingness. A void, filled with spiralling green blots, that resembled zeroes and ones.
The surgeon with the instrument reached inside, tentatively, and immediately emitted a cry, as he felt his arm yanked by some unseen force, and fell forward. His arm disappeared inside the creature, right up to the shoulder. His screams were horrific, as the other surgeons rushed to aid him, grabbing him around the shoulders and waist and pulling him free. The group of medical men crashed backwards as he was hauled free, falling to the ground. The unfortunate surgeon screamed again as he looked at his arm.
It was translucent black, three-dimensional in appearance, but with no apparent substance to it. Green number coding swirled around where flesh and bone should have existed. The surgeon's shrieks were most disturbing.
High above, overlooking the operation through the theatre's glass ceiling, General Alexander Reitman's fists clenched tightly around the steel safety rail that surrounded the huge transparent dome that topped the room. The surgeon began to flail around waving his arm through the air. As it collided with machinery, the digital infection spread, transmutating the metal and plastic of the surgical devices into glowing green and black digital information. His fellow surgeons held him down, but as one of them darted to his side, he knocked the operating table over. There was an audible metallic crack, as one of the manacles snapped off.
The evil glint returned to the Bakemon's eyes, as it regained the movement of one arm, using it to rip free the other restraints. It soared into the air, looming over the terrified surgeons.I'm a scary ghost, I like to boo, now it's time to chew on YOU! it proclaimed, snickering insanely. DARK CLAW!
A massive, grey-black talon raked out from underneath the Bakemon's tattered sheets, snatching up one of the surgeons and pulling him in. With a snarl, the Bakemon opened it's mouth wide, and bit down ferociously on the surgeon's neck, immediately severing his head from his body. The Bakemon chewed on the morsel, and swallowed it, casually tossing aside the carcass in a shower of blood. The gash in the creature's side slowly began to close up, as it's energy was restored by the meal.
Reitman took a drag from his cigar while he watched, as the screams of the other surgeons grew. Soon, only the surgeon with the transmutated arm was left. As the Bakemon bore down on him, the surgeon held up his arms over his head... and noticed that the digital infection was receding. In seconds, his arm was flesh and blood again.
Reitman grimaced.
The surgeon's relief was short lived, though, as his arm was ripped from its socket and crushed to pulp between the Bakemon's fangs. It belched decidedly loudly and deliberated on its next move. Reitman turned away, and took another drag off his cigar. He tapped a small red button, mounted on a single panel along the rail, and immediately, the sound of running was heard, as armed troops burst into the room, and opened fire on the digital monster. It was subdued in minutes.
Ah well, Reitman said, out loud, to himself. Necessary sacrifices.
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The shrill voice echoed in the back of Taichi Kamiya's mind, reverberating throughout his being.
Who... who's there? Tai called out, his words floating through darkness.
We need your help, Tai... the voice came again. It sounded familiar... where had Tai heard it before?
They're getting closer, Tai.
Who's getting closer? Tai asked. Who are you?
The barriers are weakening, the mysterious voice went on. The boundaries are frayed There's a great evil coming.
Tai queried. What barriers? What evil?
We need your help, Tai, the voice said. You and the others.
Tai's mind was clouded, he couldn't think straight. What do you want me to do? How can I help?
We need you.
In the blackness of his mind, a shape formed in front of Tai... just a blob at first, but as it drew closer, it began to take shape - a large snout... a stumpy tail... clawed feet and hands... and glinting, slit-like emerald eyes. A shape that Tai recognised.
You've got to help us, Tai... Agumon whispered, as his form began to drift away from Tai again. Tai reached out, to try and grab his friend before he grew too far away, but to no avail.
Tai cried out.
Tai jerked forward, sitting bolt upright in his bed, his body dripping with sweat. He groaned and clutched his forehead. he told himself, what a nightmare...
Tai allowed his head to droop... and in doing so, he saw a familiar orange glimmer of light on his chest. The symbol of the Crest of Courage, the artefact he had worn during his time in the DigiWorld, and the source of the power that had allowed him to profess his love for Sora, burned powerfully in the centre of his body. As he watched, it slowly began to fade out, as if it had never been there.
It's... happening again...! Tai gasped, out loud. A dull glow to his left caught his attention, and he turned, to see his DigiVice, lying on his bedside table. He hadn't had any use for it since leaving the DigiWorld - he just kept it as a bedside clock now. However, at the present moment, it was pulsing with pale blue light. Tai stared at it, and blinked his eyes a few times, trying to focus on the blurry image. The glow of the small device, like that of his Crest image, gradually faded away to nothing as he studied it.
What... was that? Tai asked himself. Was it a dream, or...?
We need your help.
Tai emitted a strangled yelp as Agumon's voice reached his ears, and he immediately jumped out of bed, looking around the room, searching for the source of the sound. He was alone.
Tai sighed. I gotta stop eating cheese before bed...
Tai climbed back into his bed, and pulled the covers around himself tightly. He did not sleep well for the remainder of the night.
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Reitman slapped the folder down on the president's desk, sliding it across the polished oak surface to him. The president carefully picked the folder up and leafed through the sheets inside. He sifted through photos lifted from the operating theatre's security cameras, and a look of horror passed across his face.
What am I looking at? he inquired.
Digital transmutation, sir, Reitman informed him. Near as we can figure, when the kids went into the dimension, their consciousnesses were transplanted into digital bodies. However, when the creatures were transported to our world, they were not converted to flesh and blood in any way. They are living, breathing digital information. Collision of such matter and organic tissue has proven... volatile.
Though temporary, the president added. Reitman said nothing. The president shut the folder, and massaged his brow. He tossed it back at Reitman, who caught it in one hand. Destroy it, he instructed.
But sir...! Reitman tried to protest.
Destroy it, general! the president barked. The experimentations can continue. We have to find some way to negate this effect, but the pictures and data in that folder must be destroyed. We can't risk the information being leaked. We worked too long and hard to cover up that incident in Odaiba to risk exposure now.
Yes, sir, Reitman growled, spinning on his heel and marching out of the Oval Office, shutting the doors behind him. He stopped in the corridor outside, scowling. he muttered. Quickly and silently, he stuffed the folder inside his suit, and continued on his way.
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Oooh! The plot thickens! I promise whole-heartedly that the next part will actually *be* about the DigiDestined, but, y'know, hey, ya gotta start somewhere. I'm sure you all wanna know what's going on, right? Well, you've got a bit of a wait ahead of you yet... just keep reading! ^_^ R&R!!