[copy/paste disclaimer here. Power Rangers is a trademark of Toei, Saban, and Bandai, and Spiderman is a trademark of Marvel Comics.]
VERSION UP and starting animation plays....
Backstep 06
Journey to the Center of the (Digital) Earth
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Location - NNL
Time - four days before Digital Conundrum
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Owsley returned to his quarters with a can of root beer in his hands after a short briefing with Talmadge. The meeting wasn't as urgent as most of the others - just a little fill-in on goings between Buck and Parker (who were for some reason in Tokyo) and Nicolae Carpathia (AKA the crazed mummy-monster who had trashed Buck's apartment). So far none of the news was good - but then, neither was it bad.
"So Buck and Parker have made it out of the Digital World, but Nicolae's the Secretary General of the United Nations," Owsley droned, setting his root beer by his extensive computer console. He took out a bag of popcorn from a drawer and placed it in a nearby microwave. After pressing a button, Owsley settled himself in his fluffy swivel chair and moved his mouse about, ridding his screen saver. His online mailbox filled the monitor now - no new messages, not even from Buck or Parker.
"Great," he said in defeat. "Not a single e-mail from Frank or Buck." In disgust Owsley closed his online mailbox and found his way to the Digivice Prime/D3 program. Almost immediately he hacked into Parker's digivice. Nothing much could be seen in the small two-way visual/audio communications window - just what looked like a seascape in black-and-white. A strange squid-like creature was rising from the ocean like a reject from an old Godzilla movie.
"Where the heck is Frank - a black-and-white movie?" Owsley asked himself as he looked down at the small user location map in the monitor's lower right-hand corner. Sure enough, there were Parker and Buck's names, along with two strange names, one by each of the men's. Tentomon and Elecmon - those were probably the two translators Talmadge was talking about in the briefing. Immediately below Parker and Buck's names, though, was their location. It wasn't Tokyo, that was for sure.
The screen displayed: FRANCIS PARKER + TENTOMON; CAMERON WILLIAMS + ELECMON - LOCATION = DARK OCEAN, WORLD OF DARKNESS.
"World of Darkness?" Owsley gasped, though his voice was still in monotone. "Where the heck is that? I've got to tell Talmadge."
His popcorn forgotten, Owsley bolted out of his chair and burst out of his quarters, running hurriedly to Talmadge's private office.
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Location - abandoned fishing village, Dark Ocean
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Parker, Buck, Tentomon and Kyuubimon stood by the rotting wharf, staring off at the grayscale ocean before them. The strange squid-like man was rising out of the sea, his head engulfing the horizon. Soon his body ascended from the water, and his arms came above his monstrous head. Though the monster was seemingly many miles away, Parker and Buck could tell that the beast's body was just a bundle of tentacles banded together by leather belts.
Strangely, though, the creature was not headed for the village.
"Where do you think it's going?" Buck asked, keeping his voice low.
"I think it's headed for the lighthouse," Parker whispered in response. "So I guess we're safe."
"That's good," Buck sighed. "I guess there's nothing for us to worry about."
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Location - someplace near the lighthouse, Dark Ocean
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Takeru, Hikari, and the mysterious Guardian landed by the ruins of the lighthouse nearly moments after shattering through the Dark Ocean gate in the Center. The landscape, though still in shades of muted gray, seemed a little ... different. Hangyomon had said that time had no meaning in the Center - so how long had they been gone from the Dark Ocean?
Tailmon was standing on top of a heap of bricks near where the Chosen Children and the Guardian had landed. Excitedly she ran towards Hikari and jumped into the girl's arms.
"Where have you been?" Tailmon cried gleefully, pressing herself into Hikari's chest. "You've been gone for over two days!"
"Two days?" Hikari gasped.
"Sure didn't seem like that long," Takeru remarked. "Hey, have you seen my hat?"
"It's over there by the rubble," Tailmon purred.
"Thanks." Slowly Takeru started for the remains of the lighthouse, but a flash of white light past by him, stopping the boy in his tracks. After recovering from the shock, Takeru looked ahead - the Guardian had already made it to the mounds of toppled brick, the boy's hat in his hands. Shocked, yet somewhat disappointed, Takeru picked his way to the Guardian and reluctantly took the hat from his hands.
"Well, thanks for getting it," Takeru stammered, shoving the hat on his head. The Guardian, though, gave no sign of acknowledgement. Instead he stared out at the ocean, his robes and lengthy hair blowing about his face in a nonexistent wind.
"The Dark Master of the Ocean is near," the Guardian lowed. "And so is the second Guardian."
"The Dark Master of the Ocean?" Takeru mused, cradling his head in a hand. "I hope you don't mean Dagomon. Didn't you - I mean, Angemon - defeat him earlier?"
The Guardian shook his head slightly. "Angemon only held him at bay."
"Great - he talks about himself in the third person," Takeru said blankly.
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Location - abandoned fishing village, Dark Ocean
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Parker and Buck continued to stare out at the ocean, watching the progress of the squid-like monster warily. Slowly the creature was trudging his way to the bluff, edging closer to the lighthouse. The monster was coming at the bluff from the far side, his dark body a backdrop to three persons in grayscale and another character entombed in an ivory aura.
"Hey, who are those people?" Buck asked, pointing at the figures.
"Beats me," Parker shrugged. "They're too far away to tell."
"Let's check the digivice." Buck took the digivice clipped to his pants pocket and pressed a button. Three red dots were positioned in a high corner on the screen, exactly opposite from the four red dots that marked where he, Parker, and the digimon were. Next to the three red dots, though, was a green light tinged with white and a gray diamond.
"Never seen those symbols before," Buck mused. "The digivice says that there's three people on the bluff, along with some green thing and a ... bogey."
"I think I know what our bogey is," Parker said. "It must be that dark shape coming up behind the bluff. And the green thing might be whoever's in that aura."
Buck clipped his digivice to his pants pocket and looked back at Parker. "Good reasoning. Should we warn those people?"
"I guess." Parker looked up at Tentomon and took out his digivice. "Tentomon, you're going to have to Digimental Up so we could fly to the bluff."
Tentomon's eyes seemed to droop. "Why can't you just ride on Kyuubimon?"
"Because I don't think Kyuubimon can handle my weight and Buck's." Parker brought his digivice before his body, nearly shoving it in Tentomon's face. "Tentomon - Digimental Up!"
Tentomon's body started to shine with a dull golden glow. "Tentomon, armor evolve! Scarabmon, flying Time!"
Scarabmon settled himself low to the ground, allowing Parker to climb onto his back. "Let's go tell those people that they're going to get ambushed," Parker grunted. "Come on, Buck!"
Buck climbed onto Kyuubimon's back and nodded. "All right!"
In mere moments Scarabmon rose to the sky and sped off to the rocky bluff, Parker hanging to his back. Kyuubimon jumped from the wharf to the beach a few yards away and ran at breakneck speed towards the same location.
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Location - NNL
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Owsley burst into Talmadge's office, and too late he realized that he had come at the wrong time. Nathan Ramsey was having a heated conversation with Talmadge, supposedly about Parker and Buck's condition. On occasion the chrononaut and journalist's names were spoken, and not with the kindest infliction.
"That damn Parker better not have gone AWOL on us again!" Ramsey roared, slamming his fists into Talmadge's desk. "I could see him right now, buying diamond-studded cuff links with my credit card! That -"
Talmadge raised a hand for silence. "Calm down, Nate. Now, I'll just call the American Embassy at Tokyo and ask if Buck or Frank have left recently. They might still be adjusting to time over there."
"No need to," Owsley piped. "I know where they are."
Ramsey, annoyed, turned to face the glass doors to the office. It wasn't a surprise for the stubborn head of security - the nerd in casual dress always had something smart to say. Not necessarily good, but always something smart.
"Oh, and who decided to invite you here?" Ramsey growled.
"Hey, Nate, settle down," Owsley cooed. "Look, Talmadge, I found out from the Digivice Prime that both Buck, Frank, and their translators are some new dimension called the World of Darkness. From what I could tell, there's no other way for them to communicate with us other than with those digivices."
Talmadge thoughtfully grabbed a cigar from a box and lighted it. "Thank you, Andrew. See Nate? They're not spending money with your credit card."
"That's good," Ramsey sighed reluctantly. "But what about that call you got early this morning from Tokyo?"
"The communications center traced it to the American Embassy in Tokyo," Talmadge replied, chewing on his cigar. "And it came from the room that Frank and Buck were in."
"Well, then, how could the two have gotten themselves into this ... World of Darkness?" A twisted look was upon the security chief's face.
"Now that ... I don't know. Andrew, try to get surveillance tapes from the Embassy from yesterday. We have to find out what happened to Frank and Buck - or else we'll never be able to stop this Conundrum!"
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Location - someplace near the lighthouse, Dark Ocean
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Scarabmon and Kyuubimon caught up with each other on the other side of the lighthouse, away from the people the digivice had detected. Parker and Buck jumped off their partners' backs and dusted themselves off.
"That was some ride," Parker gasped in excitement. "Better than riding that Sphere."
Scarabmon, Kyuubimon, and Buck stared at Parker with rather blank expressions. Parker almost expected that - the Sphere was a top-secret time machine. But it was true: hanging onto Scarabmon's back as the digimon buzzed across the sky was not as uncomfortable as banging along in the Sphere, hoping against everything - even God - that the Sphere would not land anywhere far away from a telephone. Or if it came to worse, a residential area. That would get Ramsey and the Panel in a fit.
Then it hit Parker for maybe the thousandth time - the Sphere did land in a residential area on the last backstep. And Ramsey did get in a fit - and perhaps the Panel did, too. The Backstep Panel was always so secretive.
"You know, Frank," Buck started, "maybe we should go check out who those guys on the other side of this lighthouse are. That is why we're here ... right?"
Parker nodded. "Yeah. Come on - I'll cover you, and the digimon can come in behind us." He took out his gun and silently crept up towards the mounds of whitish bricks, hiding behind a pile. Sensing that the coast was clear, Parker waved his hand for Buck to come.
Buck crunched his way to Parker's side and looked over the mound. There were two children just yards away from them. One was a girl with dark hair wearing long gloves, a tank top, shorts, and boots. A camera was about her neck, and a cat-like creature was in her arms. Closer to the men was a boy with a fisherman's hat, wearing a striped tee shirt, boots, and shorts. Beside him, partly blocked by more mounds of bricks, was an angelic being with robes of white, a miter-like helmet, golden hair, and a large pair of wings that were spread wide....
Buck gasped, shocked. "I don't believe it. It's the angel from the Digital Conundrum disk!"
"Let me see," Parker said skeptically, poking his head over the mound. Buck was right - the angel was the same one from the Digital Conundrum disk, minus the hunting horn in his hands. What was his name again? It had escaped Parker at the moment. Warily he looked at the two children nearby. They were both Japanese, like Daisuke and his ragtag group of kids. Strangely enough, they were familiar to Parker, too. He had seen them in the previous timeline, in the strange online movie. The girl's name was Hikari, the boy was Takeru, and that cat-like stuffed animal was Tailmon - well, as far as he remembered. Yet why did the angel's name escape him again?
"You've got that right," Parker sighed, ducking back behind the mound of bricks. "Now how are we supposed to tell them that some big slimy squid is about to ambush them? They're Japanese!"
"Not this problem again," Buck moaned, slamming his fist upon his forehead. "Why does every group of digivice-wielding kids have to come from Japan?"
"Beats me. Wait!" Parker turned back and saw Scarabmon and Kyuubimon hiding behind whatever was still standing of the original lighthouse. With a movement of a finger Parker called the digimon to him. It was a challenge to hide them all behind one brick mound, so they moved behind another nearby.
"What do you want us here for?" Kyuubimon whispered.
"I want you to tell those kids that that big squid-monster is about to attack them!" Parker exclaimed. "You managed to get it across to Daisuke and his friends - why not these kids?"
Kyuubimon shrugged, the bells on his ribbon jingling slightly. "Why not?" After chancing a look at the kids, hoping that they weren't looking, Kyuubimon started to pad out from his hiding place. The crunch of rocks beneath a heavy foot, though, caused the digimon to back away behind the bricks.
"What was it?" Buck asked.
"Someone's coming this way," Kyuubimon replied urgently. "Scarabmon, check it out."
Scarabmon poked his head over the bricks and immediately hid again. He turned to face the men. "The angel is coming your way. And from the looks of it, I think he knows that you're there."
"This is just great," Parker groaned. He pocketed his gun and emerged from the pile of bricks, hands over his head. Just as Scarabmon had said, the angel was coming towards Parker's hiding place. The two Japanese children stared blankly at him, but the angel purposefully continued to make his way to the mound. In moments the angel stood before Parker, but instead of the stern look Parker had expected, there was an expression of remembrance upon his lips.
"Frank?" the angel asked at last, eyeing Parker strangely.
"Uh, yeah," Parker replied, finding it difficult to look upon a creature that kept his eyes hidden. "I'm Frank Parker. And you're...."
"The Guardian," the strange angel lowed in English. He looked away from Parker momentarily, seeming to scan the ruins of the lighthouse. "Frank, tell Cam and your digimon that it's safe for them to come out. And put your hands down."
Slowly Parker lowered his arms, wondering: Didn't that angel have a name other than the Guardian? He looked down at Buck - who looked quite cross - and then shot a glance at the two digimon behind the other mound. Eventually Buck rose from behind the mound, and Kyuubimon and Scarabmon walked out from their hiding place.
"The name's 'Buck' now," Buck said sternly, trying without success to look upon the Guardian comfortably.
"Buck," the Guardian said, seemingly trying to say the journalist's press nickname with the correct infliction. He then looked towards Kyuubimon and Scarabmon, who were starting to head back to their partners. "You two look different," he said at last. "Did you armor-evolve?"
The two digimon nodded their heads. "We did," Scarabmon replied. "Kyuubimon and I are the armored evolved forms of Elecmon and Tentomon." A pause. "It's been a while since we've seen you, Holy Angemon."
So that's what his name was! Parker thought, reminding himself to remember the name. It wasn't like him to forget.
The two children behind the Guardian gasped, their eyes small dots on their faces. "Holy Angemon?" the boy breathed. "He sure doesn't look like him." His words, though spoken in English, matched the movements of his mouth like an old dubbed Godzilla movie.
"Well, he did evolve from Angemon, Takeru," the girl answered, also in English.
"Did he really, Hikari?" Takeru asked skeptically. He sighed. "He still doesn't look all that much like him."
Buck looked at Hikari and Takeru with wide eyes. "Frank," he stammered, "the kids ... they're speaking in English!"
"English?" Takeru asked blankly. "I hear you guys in Japanese."
Parker stared at the Japanese kids, then at the strange Guardian. "It must be that gift of tongues," he sighed at last. "You know, some weirdo phenomenon where people can speak in one language, but their message is heard in the native tongue of those who listen."
"That may be," Buck gasped. He had that strange look to his eyes, the look of one searching his mind for a lost memory. "But that gives me an idea. Hey, uh, Holy Angemon," he started, turning towards the Guardian, "Frank and I came to tell you something."
The Guardian turned to face Buck, his square face for the first time showing a trace of compassion. "What is it, Buck?"
"Well, uh ... you're in big danger. Something called a Digital Conundrum is going to occur, which will result in you blowing a horn. But that's not the real big danger - after you blow the horn many people on Earth will turn up missing, and many accidents will be caused due to that. Now, Frank and I can't let that happen because-"
"I know that Frank traveled back in time to undo the event," the Guardian stated calmly. Parker sweatdropped - apparently the Guardian was omniscient. "But you must know that there is no way to undo a Digital Conundrum."
"So, what, I backstepped for nothing?" Parker scoffed in disbelief.
"No, Frank, you did not. You and ... Buck ... were supposed to return to delay it - just as the two of you did sixteen years ago ... and you, Frank, did so alone just a year back."
"Oh," Buck and Parker sighed blankly, exchanging a quick glance. Their puzzled eyes said it all: What exactly did happen sixteen years ago? And Parker asked himself, what did I do last year to delay this?
"You know, Guardian," Buck eventually said, "Frank and I have been wondering ... what did we do sixteen years ago? I don't recall being in some Digital-"
A large, gray tentacle slapped onto the rocks of the bluff, creating a slimy wall between the younger Chosen Children and Buck and Frank. The Guardian had leaped into the air in the confusion; Frank looked up to see the robed angel floating before the bloated face of the squid-human hybrid that they had seen from a distance almost thirty minutes past.
Takeru and Hikari had also turned to face the gigantic monster that had attacked them. Their eyes started to tremble, and their mouths gaped open in shock.
Buck eventually turned and stared at the great beast in his maw-like eyes. Without daring to even look at Parker, he hissed, "Who the hell is that?"
"I have no freaking idea, and I don't think I want to know," Parker breathed.
"It's Dagomon," Takeru and Hikari gasped.
Parker cleared his throat rather annoyingly. "I said I didn't want to know."
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Location - NNL
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Owsley returned to his quarters and spent the next half hour searching for surveillance tapes from the American Embassy in Tokyo. It wasn't all that hard to find - just a little hacking into national databases got him in. Moments later a strange scene in night-vision green played out on the computer monitor.
Frank Parker and Buck Williams were in the room, all right, each of them sleeping on their own beds. A stuffed animal-like creature was at the foot of each of their beds, seemingly staring at the television before Frank. The camera angle gave a slight view of the television - it looked like some show called "Angelic Layer" was ending.
Something strange started to flash across the screen. Static interference was overtaking Buck and the stuffed animal by his feet. Seconds later Parker and his stuffed animal were engulfed by static.
And within the space of a minute, Parker, Buck, and their stuffed animals had been ... erased.
Puzzling thoughts were running through Owsley's head, but only one thing bugged him the most. Why were two grown men sleeping with children's toys?
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Location - Dark Ocean
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"I see that you have returned, Guardian of the Trumpet of Hope," Dagomon lowed, raising his tentacle from the rocky bluff. "You've changed, too." A sinister laugh echoed across the ocean. "You want to challenge me again?"
Scarabmon and Kyuubimon ran back to their partners' side. "Weren't we supposed to warn the Guardian that this was coming?" Scarabmon buzzed.
"Well, we were getting to that!" Buck and Parker hissed in unison. "Now you two get prepared to help him," Parker added harshly.
"Frank, this Guardian guy is probably invincible," Buck sighed. "Look at him!"
"Nobody's invincible, Buck," Parker grunted.
The Guardian now had a sword in his hands; where it came from was unclear. Seemingly noticing that the angel now had a weapon, Dagomon lashed out his tentacles at him. With a flash of blinding light the Guardian sliced through one of them with his shining blade. The severed appendage burst apart with a splintering sound before even reaching the rocks.
Another sound shook the air - Dagomon's other tentacle slammed into the Guardian's chest, sending him backwards into the ruins of the lighthouse. A heavy crack followed afterwards as the angel's body made impact with the ancient brick. The crumbling material crashed to the rocks as the Guardian plummeted to the ground.
"Scarabmon, catch the Guardian before he hurts himself!" Parker yelled in distress over the din.
"Right!" In a flash of grayscale-dulled golden light Scarabmon flew to the base of the lighthouse. The Guardian dropped into Scarabmon's arms, followed by more of the crumbling bricks.
"Thanks," the Guardian gasped weakly, looking up into Scarabmon's frightening face.
"Hey, Frank was the one who told me to-" Scarabmon started, yet he was unable to finish. Dagomon had whipped his remaining tentacle into Scarabmon's side, wheeling him into the lighthouse. The Guardian, unconscious, slumped over Scarabmon's body. A moan escaped from Scarabmon's mouth as he shone with a golden light and reverted to Tentomon.
"This isn't good," Buck whispered dolefully. "Scratch two digimon."
"It's not over yet," Parker snickered gamely. "I'm going to get the Guardian and Tentomon out of there." He took out his gun and ran towards the fallen digimon.
"Well, can't blame him," Buck sighed. "He is a government agent, after all." He looked down at Kyuubimon. "You go cover Frank while I help him get the Guardian and Tentomon to safety."
Kyuubimon nodded his head. "Okay." Swiftly the fox ran out towards Dagomon, even breezing by Parker on his pursuit.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Parker yelled at Kyuubimon as he ran past.
"Buck told me to cover you!" the fox yelled. "Now go! Get the Guardian!"
Parker nodded - besides, he was already at the Guardian's feet. Warily he tried to lift up one of the strange digimon's arms, finding that it took more effort than expected to even raise it over his own shoulders. Yet even with the angel being supported on Parker's shoulders, there was no way that he could pick him up.
"Hurry it up here, Frank," Tentomon groaned. "I don't see how a guy as heavy as he could fly."
Parker nodded. "I'm trying here, Tentomon. Hey, Buck!" he called, turning to find the reporter on the other side of the Guardian. "Help me out here, will you?"
"Sure thing," Buck sighed. He pulled the digimon's other arm about his shoulders. "You ready to pick him up, Frank?"
"Yeah. On count of three?"
"Okay. One...."
"Two ... three!" Simultaneously the two men lifted to their feet, the immense Guardian resting on their shoulders. Tentomon wearily flew to Parker's side, a sound similar to a sigh escaping from his closed mouth.
"Thanks, you two," he buzzed. "Any moment later and I think my shell would've broke."
"Much obliged," Parker grunted. "Now come on - we're dragging him over to the kids there. That Dagomon creep doesn't seem to be attacking them."
Buck silently nodded and haltingly turned in Hikari and Takeru's direction. The two Japanese kids were frozen in shock - now that the men noticed it, Hikari was holding the cat-like Tailmon closer to her body. Yet the children looked too mortified to even help Buck and Parker as they carried - or more accurately, dragged - the Guardian towards them.
"It looks like Kyuubimon is holding off Dagomon quite well," Buck sighed after a few rather silent minutes. In the background the sounds of the fox-like digimon firing his Demon Fireballs could barely be heard over the violent crashing of the waves.
"Well, don't be too sure," Parker groaned.
Almost on cue, a deafening slap was heard. Without warning Kyuubimon crashed into Buck's back. Buck fell face-first into the rocks, his hold on the Guardian lost. Kyuubimon, exhausted, reverted to Elecmon and crawled over to Buck's side.
"Hey, sorry about that," Elecmon said in his hoarse voice. "You all right?"
Buck gradually stood up looked down at Elecmon. A gash had opened on his forehead now, blood dripping down from it. It looked minor, yet Buck was wincing from the pain. "I'm okay," he forced in a single labored breath.
"That's good," Parker said. "We just have a few more feet to go, and then we'll be safe. I can't carry this guy by myself, you know."
"I'll help you."
Parker looked up from Buck - the Japanese boy Takeru was standing before him. His hat was tilted at a strange angle, and a sleeve of his shirt seemed to be singed, but the oddities didn't concern Parker. "Okay - come on, take his other arm. Buck -" he turned towards the reporter " - run ahead with Tentomon and Elecmon."
"Got it!" Buck slowly jogged towards Hikari, the two digimon at his heels. Takeru, in the meanwhile, slung the Guardian's free arm over his shoulders.
"You think you're ready to follow?" Parker asked momentarily.
Takeru only nodded his head.
He's a strange boy, Parker thought as the two made their way to where Buck was headed. Parker could remember Takeru's final moments in the past timeline, seeing him cry over the body of the Guardian before the Trumpet was blown. The words echoed through his head: "You don't know how you wounded me when you used all your power to defeat Devimon (whoever that is, Parker added). Don't tell me you used all your power to defeat Black War Greymon (don't know who the heck he is, either, Parker told himself), too!" Supposedly the Guardian had given his life once, Parker sighed mentally - and now Takeru is worried that it's going to happen again. He looked back at Takeru now - there was a crestfallen air about him.
"Anything wrong, Takeru?" Parker ventured.
"No, nothing wrong, Frank," Takeru muttered, not looking up at the older man.
"Okay." A pause. "How exactly are you connected to the Guardian?"
It was a long while before Takeru answered. "Well, Frank, Holy A- I mean, the Guardian - he's ... my partner." He looked ahead at Buck, Tentomon, and Elecmon - the three were already at Hikari's side. "Like Elecmon's yours. He is your partner, right?"
Parker shook his head. "No - Tentomon's my partner." I think, he added mentally. "Elecmon is Buck's."
"Oh. Hey, Frank - your friend Buck doesn't happen to be the reporter Buck Williams?"
How'd he guess? Parker asked himself. "Uh, yeah. Why?"
"My mother's a journalist, and she's always wanted to meet him. Could you have him sign something?"
Parker's face drew a blank. "You'd have to ask him."
The three had already reached Buck and the others. Laboriously Parker and Takeru laid the Guardian on the rocks, his helm-covered face staring at the cloud-darkened sky. Dagomon had seemed to ignore the group for the past few minutes, but now he was staring down at the Guardian.
"You're weaker than I thought," Dagomon crooned, raising his good tentacle above his head. "Don't tell me you used all your power to ward me away while you were in that pitiful digimon form. Defeating you is going to be the easiest thing in my life." He brought the tentacle downward in an arc towards the Guardian's unprotected body.
"There's no way I'm having that creep harm him," Parker breathed, looking into his jacket for his gun. It was seconds later that he remembered that the weapon was in his hands - but it was too late for action. The slimy appendage slammed onto the Guardian's chest, pushing him further into the jagged rocks he was lying on. No cry escaped the angel's mouth, and not even a finger rose to show that he was alive.
"This isn't good," Buck gasped. "You were right, Frank - not even he is invincible."
"We can't let Dagomon continue attacking him!" Parker grunted. "If he kills him, this Conundrum thing will be out of our hands! Oh, if only we had more time...."
A shining light glowed through Parker's jacket pocket. He pocketed his gun and slowly stuck his hand inside - he remembered putting his digivice in there. Now there was something different about it - and it wasn't just the light. Parker pulled the object out: It was a D3 version digivice, the handgrip a steel gray against a white palm-fitted body. An antenna was still sticking out of a part of it, but the screen this time was larger, and there were only two buttons shaped like arrows below it.
Bewildered, Parker looked back at Buck. The digivice at the reporter's waist was also a D3, but the handgrip was silver. And, like Parker's, the screen was shining with a blue-green light.
"You know what's up with these things?" Parker asked, showing Buck the D3.
"Don't ask me," Buck snapped. "That Guardian's what we should be worried about."
Parker glanced back at the Guardian - Dagomon had not continued to attack him. The monster was almost above the angel's body, though, attempting to shield his eyes from something with his remaining tentacle.
"How can this be possible?" Dagomon gasped.
Parker had no idea what Dagomon was talking about. Looking back at Tentomon, though, made everything clear.
The digimon was ... glowing.
And not just him ... Elecmon was also engulfed in a golden aura.
The aura that surrounds an evolving digimon
"They're not evolving with the digimentals," Parker gasped.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Buck replied rather rapidly.
A few moments later two new voices echoed their names across the grayscale world.
"Tentomon, evolve! Kabuterimon!"
"Elecmon, evolve! Kentarumon!"
Two strange digimon arose from the golden light. Tentomon had transformed into a gigantic black insect, its gleaming shell reflecting what little light there was in the grayscale realm. It had two pairs of arms with clawed hands, and a large pair of legs that supported the creature. Two pairs of semi-transparent wings were on its back, and a helmet-like structure with a horn sticking out where the nose would be decorated its head.
The other digimon looked like a centaur, with a helmet revealing a single red eye in the center of its face. It pawed the ground and seemed to stare down at Dagomon.
Parker blinked rather blankly. "All right - what just happened?" he asked, straining to look up at Kabuterimon's face.
"They ... evolved," Hikari stammered.
"You'd better go see this, Buck," Parker said, turning in Buck's direction. The reporter, though, was already staring at Kentarumon with fascination in his eyes. It was probably the first time he had looked upon a digimon kindly.
"I think I remember you from somewhere," Buck breathed.
"Of course," the centaur replied. "I'm the evolved from of Elecmon. I remember you used to ride on me often."
"Yeah, sure," Buck scoffed.
"You two, stop the reunion and let's drive that dumb Dagomon out of here," Parker said, an urgent tone in his voice. "Kabuterimon?"
The insect seemed to nod his head. "Yes, Frank?"
"Let me get on you, and then we'll attack Dagomon."
"Okay." Kabuterimon dropped one of his hands to the rocks, allowing Parker to climb on it. The insect raised his hand to his head, and Parker jumped off, finding support on the large antler. "Is that fine?"
"Perfect. Now let's go!"
The wings on Kabuterimon's back started to vibrate. The hum of buzzing wings filled the rocky bluff, blowing hair and clothes in various directions. Momentarily the lumbering insect rose from the rocks, surprisingly speeding its way towards the squid-like enemy.
"Kabuterimon, go circle around behind Dagomon!" Parker ordered. "Buck, take the front!"
"Got it!" Buck climbed onto Kentarumon's back and dug his heels into his side. "Come on!"
"Next time, Buck, don't treat me like a horse," Kentarumon sighed as he galloped away from the children. "Now, you have any ideas for attack?"
"I don't know," Buck shrugged, holding on to Kentarumon's shoulders. "Fire a special attack, I don't care."
"Fine." Kentarumon raised his right arm before his body. A modified gun barrel emerged from his palm, flanked by small metal spires. The smell of cackling electricity filled Buck's nose as a ball of bluish energy formed at Kentarumon's hand.
"Hunting ... Cannon!"
Buck was nearly thrown off his mount as the blue thunder ball was launched. It crashed squarely on Dagomon's chest, spreading across his moist body.
"Oh my god," Buck breathed. "I've got an idea! Hey, Frank!"
Frank waved a hand from somewhere behind Dagomon in acknowledgement. "What is it?" he yelled back, faintly heard over the still-cackling electricity in the air.
"We should attack together with electric attacks! Dagomon's an aquatic creature, so we could amplify the electric shock!"
"Good idea - but I don't know if Kabuterimon has an electricity-based attack!" Parker hollered.
"Then let's attack together anyway!"
"Fine! Kabuterimon, get ready!"
"You too, Kentarumon!"
Kentarumon brought his arm before him again, gathering electricity with the strange metal spires on his hand. Within moments a ball of electric energy, cackling wildly, was formed, ready for launch.
Kabuterimon brought his arms close to his armored chest. A slight blue glow could be seen formed inside, electric for sure - the burning smell made Parker turn away in disgust.
"Fire!" Parker called out, impatient.
"Hunting Cannon!"
"Mega ... Blaster!"
Simultaneously the two digimon set forth their attacks. Kabuterimon opened his arms out from his chest, sending out a river of blue electricity towards Dagomon's unprotected back. It ran across the entire digimon's body, meeting with the energy fired from Kentarumon's hand. The land seemed to turn white in the aftermath of the assault.
Moments later, the light died out. Parker found himself back on the rocky bluff, standing beside Buck, Hikari, and Takeru. Kentarumon and Kabuterimon had reverted to Elecmon and Tentomon, and were standing by their partners' feet. Strangely, though, the Guardian was standing before them, restored to the majesty he had been surrounded in before he had battled.
"Frank, Buck," the Guardian spoke in his low voice, "I thank you for driving away Dagomon. The strategy was very clever of you two - you still battle as well as you did sixteen years past."
Parker and Buck nodded solemnly, yet strangely kept silent.
Takeru adjusted the hat on his head and looked up into the Guardian's face. "Are you going to take us home, then?" he asked timidly.
The angel bent his head. "Yes. But first we must go to the Center."
"Oh no - not this again," the Japanese children groaned.
"What's up with them?" Buck asked, turning to Parker, but his friend could only shrug.
-------------------------------------------------
Location - NNL
-------------------------------------------------
Talmadge and Owsley viewed the surveillance videos from the American Embassy in Tokyo, the two of them sipping at flat soda. The project director of Backstep thumbed a remote control on the table, occasionally rewinding the tape. Minutes later he shook his head, a shaken look on his firm face.
"I don't believe it," Talmadge breathed, reaching for a cigar from a box. "Frank, Buck, and those stuffed animals are at one moment watching television, and then they just vanish! Do you have anything to explain this, Andrew?"
Owsley shook his head. "Nope. Even called the Embassy - they report no disturbance in their room, except finding only their belongings in it the next day. And there was nobody outside making them disappear."
Talmadge sighed. "Great - a mystery nested in an enigma." He lit his cigar and chewed upon it. "Just one thing, though, Andrew."
"What?"
"Can you explain why Frank and Buck have stuffed animals?"
-------------------------------------------------
Location - the Center
-------------------------------------------------
Parker and Buck probably couldn't explain the science behind it. One moment they, their digimon, the two Japanese children, and the Guardian were standing on the rocky bluff in the Dark Ocean realm. Seconds later the landscape faded into white light, soon fading away to a gigantic circular room lined with narrow, wall-length windows edged ornately with gold. Unlike the Dark Ocean, this place was in full color.
"So this is the Center," Parker gasped in awe, turning to see the entire room. He attempted to count the windows, yet once he counted fifty he had lost count.
"It's so ... beautiful," Buck breathed. "And it's in color!"
"Gives us a reason to protect this place," Parker added. "I wouldn't want this piece of art to go down the drain." He turned to face the stern yet gentle Guardian. "So, how are we going to get home?"
"Through that window over there," the Guardian lowed, pointing his gloved hand towards a window to his right - Parker's left. Parker and Buck turned in that direction - they could see Owsley's quarters in NNL on the other side. Owsley was sitting in front of his computer, probably tweaking with some program or overlooking the Digital Conundrum information.
"Well, won't we look a little strange if we just suddenly appear in Andrew's room?" Buck asked skeptically.
"The Digital Gateway will not be open for a long time," the Guardian scolded. "Now you and Frank leave - the children have to return to Tokyo."
"Okay," Buck muttered. Slowly the two men and their partner digimon walked to the window. A shattering sound echoed through the room as they walked through, the glassy surface rippling like water in their wake. Momentarily Takeru and Hikari could see the two men being confronted by a post-college man dressed rather casually for the office before the scene turned to the Fuji Television headquarters in Tokyo.
"It's time for us to go home, Takeru and Hikari," the Guardian said at last. "Are you ready?"
The children nodded - it was the first time they had heard the digimon say their names. "That sounds like a good idea," Takeru sighed. "Come on. Let's go home."
Silently the two Chosen Children, the sleeping Tailmon, and the majestic Guardian walked towards the window to their home, their hands clasped in one another's. All that was left of their presence in the Center was the shattering sound of breaking through the Gateway and two yellow empty SCUBA air tanks.
-------------------------------------------------
Location - Odaiba Elementary School Computer Room, Tokyo, Japan
Time - eight hours before Digital Conundrum
-------------------------------------------------
The computers in the Computer Room at Odaiba Elementary were always placed in Hibernate Mode during the summer recess. Japan goes by a different school schedule than America - the year starts in the spring, with their summer break the equivalent to the American winter recess. For that reason, no data was deleted from the newly purchased computers, at least until the next spring.
A bright light shone from one of the computers near the windows. That obviously couldn't be - nobody would be on school grounds near midnight. Yet if one was close enough to the school, you could see two young children take form in the glow. Minutes later the light dimmed, making it impossible to tell who was there.
Takeru, Hikari, and Tailmon landed with the same roughness on the ground as with every trip through the Digital Gateway. They rubbed their heads, and in Tailmon's case, rubbed her eyes, too.
"Since when did we get back?" Tailmon groaned, jumping into Hikari's arms. "I was asleep."
"Oh, we just met some adult Chosen Children," Hikari laughed. "Frank and Buck were pretty nice."
"Yeah, they were," Takeru laughed. "Hey, that reminds me - I forgot to get Buck to sign something!"
"What do you mean?"
"Buck's the famous American reporter!"
Sparkles danced in Hikari's eyes, despite the darkness of the room. "You mean the guy that was in Israel when the Russians and all the others started attacking while we were fighting Apocalymon? Wow!"
"Oh well, we'll probably run into them again," Takeru sighed. "Say, you know where the Guardian is? We'd easily notice him in here."
"Takeru...."
A faint moan was heard near Takeru's side. Slowly the boy turned, finding a bruised and battered Patamon there. Carefully Takeru lifted the digimon and held him close to his chest.
"You'll be all right, Patamon," Takeru said, tears rising to his eyes. It wasn't the first time he had cried with his digimon in his arms. Even if Patamon was shocked by the affection Takeru gave him, he seemed too weak to even respond.
"I remember falling into the ocean," Patamon moaned weakly, his face buried in Takeru's shirt. "And then I blanked out. What happened?"
So he doesn't know that he's the Guardian, Takeru told himself mentally. "You just had a bad dream, Patamon. But now we're home."
-------------------------------------------------
Location - NNL
-------------------------------------------------
Parker, Buck, Tentomon, and Elecmon emerged out of Owsley's computer in a flash of bright golden light. A quick glance towards a digital clock by the computer told the men that it was a little past eight in the morning - the date, though, was lost to them.
"Well, we're back in Owsley's pad," Parker groaned, climbing to his feet. He held out a hand to help up Buck. "Where do you think the kid went?"
"Jeez, don't make such a racket," Owsley's droning voice came from a corner. "I'm trying to get some sleep."
Parker and Buck turned to where they heard the resident nerd. He was lying on the couch, an undersized Power Rangers blanket draped over his body. His glasses were hanging haphazardly over his eyes.
"Owls, it's me and Buck," Frank scoffed. "Now get up. It's past eight."
Reluctantly Owsley climbed out of the blanket, righted his glasses, and stood up. He was wearing pajamas decorated with various images of Spiderman. "Well, at least you two finally made it back. It's been almost three days."
"Three days?" Parker and Buck gasped. "This can't be good," Parker added.
"Why's that?" Owsley asked rather blankly.
"Well, the disappearances are supposed to take place at midnight Greenwich time."
"You still have plenty of time," Owsley droned, walking back to his makeshift bed. "Just eight more hours to set the world right. Oh yeah, some Japanese kid named Daisuke or something like that left you a message on the Digivice program. I recorded it on the computer."
"Thanks," Parker sighed. He walked over to the computer, relieved that the Digivice program Owsley used was still open. There was a little envelope icon by Parker's name. Buck moved the mouse to the icon and clicked the left button twice.
Daisuke's face lit up a window somewhere on the monitor. He was speaking in Japanese, but there were subtitles to what he was saying.
"Hey, Frank and Buck! Listen, we have some really big trouble out here in the Digital World, and you're the only guys I thought could back us up. You see, these two creeps, Archnemon and Mummymon, they combined a hundred Dark Towers into a single digimon. This digimon is Black War Greymon, and he has a hankering to destroy these Holy Stones scattered across the world. Problem is, he's going after them much faster now that he sees a strange vision in the ruins. From what I've seen, it looks like an angel with a white miter and white clothing. Frank, Buck, I know you probably won't understand this message, but please come - if you don't, Earth and Digital World will be in dire trouble. Meet us at the Holy Point - the coordinates are being sent to your digivices now. Oh yeah - tell us if you've run into Hikari and Takeru recently. Bye!"
The image then flashed off the screen, and the envelope icon vanished.
"Looks like we have a little date with some old friends of ours," Parker said with a glint in his eyes.
"Old friends my rotten Digitama," Tentomon and Elecmon grumbled in unison.
Itsudemo Aeru Kara and ending animation plays....
{author's note: the next episode of DIGITAL CONUNDRUM is the FAQ issue! Most questions about the first seven parts of the story will be answered, along with minor spoilers for subsequent chapters. Also, Frank and Buck will reveal their image songs. And don't forget the grand finale: a preview of BACKSTEP 09 and the starting and ending themes to commemorate that issue! This is one episode of DIGITAL CONUNDRUM you don't want to miss!}
VERSION UP and starting animation plays....
Backstep 06
Journey to the Center of the (Digital) Earth
-------------------------------------------------
Location - NNL
Time - four days before Digital Conundrum
-------------------------------------------------
Owsley returned to his quarters with a can of root beer in his hands after a short briefing with Talmadge. The meeting wasn't as urgent as most of the others - just a little fill-in on goings between Buck and Parker (who were for some reason in Tokyo) and Nicolae Carpathia (AKA the crazed mummy-monster who had trashed Buck's apartment). So far none of the news was good - but then, neither was it bad.
"So Buck and Parker have made it out of the Digital World, but Nicolae's the Secretary General of the United Nations," Owsley droned, setting his root beer by his extensive computer console. He took out a bag of popcorn from a drawer and placed it in a nearby microwave. After pressing a button, Owsley settled himself in his fluffy swivel chair and moved his mouse about, ridding his screen saver. His online mailbox filled the monitor now - no new messages, not even from Buck or Parker.
"Great," he said in defeat. "Not a single e-mail from Frank or Buck." In disgust Owsley closed his online mailbox and found his way to the Digivice Prime/D3 program. Almost immediately he hacked into Parker's digivice. Nothing much could be seen in the small two-way visual/audio communications window - just what looked like a seascape in black-and-white. A strange squid-like creature was rising from the ocean like a reject from an old Godzilla movie.
"Where the heck is Frank - a black-and-white movie?" Owsley asked himself as he looked down at the small user location map in the monitor's lower right-hand corner. Sure enough, there were Parker and Buck's names, along with two strange names, one by each of the men's. Tentomon and Elecmon - those were probably the two translators Talmadge was talking about in the briefing. Immediately below Parker and Buck's names, though, was their location. It wasn't Tokyo, that was for sure.
The screen displayed: FRANCIS PARKER + TENTOMON; CAMERON WILLIAMS + ELECMON - LOCATION = DARK OCEAN, WORLD OF DARKNESS.
"World of Darkness?" Owsley gasped, though his voice was still in monotone. "Where the heck is that? I've got to tell Talmadge."
His popcorn forgotten, Owsley bolted out of his chair and burst out of his quarters, running hurriedly to Talmadge's private office.
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Location - abandoned fishing village, Dark Ocean
-------------------------------------------------
Parker, Buck, Tentomon and Kyuubimon stood by the rotting wharf, staring off at the grayscale ocean before them. The strange squid-like man was rising out of the sea, his head engulfing the horizon. Soon his body ascended from the water, and his arms came above his monstrous head. Though the monster was seemingly many miles away, Parker and Buck could tell that the beast's body was just a bundle of tentacles banded together by leather belts.
Strangely, though, the creature was not headed for the village.
"Where do you think it's going?" Buck asked, keeping his voice low.
"I think it's headed for the lighthouse," Parker whispered in response. "So I guess we're safe."
"That's good," Buck sighed. "I guess there's nothing for us to worry about."
-------------------------------------------------
Location - someplace near the lighthouse, Dark Ocean
-------------------------------------------------
Takeru, Hikari, and the mysterious Guardian landed by the ruins of the lighthouse nearly moments after shattering through the Dark Ocean gate in the Center. The landscape, though still in shades of muted gray, seemed a little ... different. Hangyomon had said that time had no meaning in the Center - so how long had they been gone from the Dark Ocean?
Tailmon was standing on top of a heap of bricks near where the Chosen Children and the Guardian had landed. Excitedly she ran towards Hikari and jumped into the girl's arms.
"Where have you been?" Tailmon cried gleefully, pressing herself into Hikari's chest. "You've been gone for over two days!"
"Two days?" Hikari gasped.
"Sure didn't seem like that long," Takeru remarked. "Hey, have you seen my hat?"
"It's over there by the rubble," Tailmon purred.
"Thanks." Slowly Takeru started for the remains of the lighthouse, but a flash of white light past by him, stopping the boy in his tracks. After recovering from the shock, Takeru looked ahead - the Guardian had already made it to the mounds of toppled brick, the boy's hat in his hands. Shocked, yet somewhat disappointed, Takeru picked his way to the Guardian and reluctantly took the hat from his hands.
"Well, thanks for getting it," Takeru stammered, shoving the hat on his head. The Guardian, though, gave no sign of acknowledgement. Instead he stared out at the ocean, his robes and lengthy hair blowing about his face in a nonexistent wind.
"The Dark Master of the Ocean is near," the Guardian lowed. "And so is the second Guardian."
"The Dark Master of the Ocean?" Takeru mused, cradling his head in a hand. "I hope you don't mean Dagomon. Didn't you - I mean, Angemon - defeat him earlier?"
The Guardian shook his head slightly. "Angemon only held him at bay."
"Great - he talks about himself in the third person," Takeru said blankly.
-------------------------------------------------
Location - abandoned fishing village, Dark Ocean
-------------------------------------------------
Parker and Buck continued to stare out at the ocean, watching the progress of the squid-like monster warily. Slowly the creature was trudging his way to the bluff, edging closer to the lighthouse. The monster was coming at the bluff from the far side, his dark body a backdrop to three persons in grayscale and another character entombed in an ivory aura.
"Hey, who are those people?" Buck asked, pointing at the figures.
"Beats me," Parker shrugged. "They're too far away to tell."
"Let's check the digivice." Buck took the digivice clipped to his pants pocket and pressed a button. Three red dots were positioned in a high corner on the screen, exactly opposite from the four red dots that marked where he, Parker, and the digimon were. Next to the three red dots, though, was a green light tinged with white and a gray diamond.
"Never seen those symbols before," Buck mused. "The digivice says that there's three people on the bluff, along with some green thing and a ... bogey."
"I think I know what our bogey is," Parker said. "It must be that dark shape coming up behind the bluff. And the green thing might be whoever's in that aura."
Buck clipped his digivice to his pants pocket and looked back at Parker. "Good reasoning. Should we warn those people?"
"I guess." Parker looked up at Tentomon and took out his digivice. "Tentomon, you're going to have to Digimental Up so we could fly to the bluff."
Tentomon's eyes seemed to droop. "Why can't you just ride on Kyuubimon?"
"Because I don't think Kyuubimon can handle my weight and Buck's." Parker brought his digivice before his body, nearly shoving it in Tentomon's face. "Tentomon - Digimental Up!"
Tentomon's body started to shine with a dull golden glow. "Tentomon, armor evolve! Scarabmon, flying Time!"
Scarabmon settled himself low to the ground, allowing Parker to climb onto his back. "Let's go tell those people that they're going to get ambushed," Parker grunted. "Come on, Buck!"
Buck climbed onto Kyuubimon's back and nodded. "All right!"
In mere moments Scarabmon rose to the sky and sped off to the rocky bluff, Parker hanging to his back. Kyuubimon jumped from the wharf to the beach a few yards away and ran at breakneck speed towards the same location.
-------------------------------------------------
Location - NNL
-------------------------------------------------
Owsley burst into Talmadge's office, and too late he realized that he had come at the wrong time. Nathan Ramsey was having a heated conversation with Talmadge, supposedly about Parker and Buck's condition. On occasion the chrononaut and journalist's names were spoken, and not with the kindest infliction.
"That damn Parker better not have gone AWOL on us again!" Ramsey roared, slamming his fists into Talmadge's desk. "I could see him right now, buying diamond-studded cuff links with my credit card! That -"
Talmadge raised a hand for silence. "Calm down, Nate. Now, I'll just call the American Embassy at Tokyo and ask if Buck or Frank have left recently. They might still be adjusting to time over there."
"No need to," Owsley piped. "I know where they are."
Ramsey, annoyed, turned to face the glass doors to the office. It wasn't a surprise for the stubborn head of security - the nerd in casual dress always had something smart to say. Not necessarily good, but always something smart.
"Oh, and who decided to invite you here?" Ramsey growled.
"Hey, Nate, settle down," Owsley cooed. "Look, Talmadge, I found out from the Digivice Prime that both Buck, Frank, and their translators are some new dimension called the World of Darkness. From what I could tell, there's no other way for them to communicate with us other than with those digivices."
Talmadge thoughtfully grabbed a cigar from a box and lighted it. "Thank you, Andrew. See Nate? They're not spending money with your credit card."
"That's good," Ramsey sighed reluctantly. "But what about that call you got early this morning from Tokyo?"
"The communications center traced it to the American Embassy in Tokyo," Talmadge replied, chewing on his cigar. "And it came from the room that Frank and Buck were in."
"Well, then, how could the two have gotten themselves into this ... World of Darkness?" A twisted look was upon the security chief's face.
"Now that ... I don't know. Andrew, try to get surveillance tapes from the Embassy from yesterday. We have to find out what happened to Frank and Buck - or else we'll never be able to stop this Conundrum!"
-------------------------------------------------
Location - someplace near the lighthouse, Dark Ocean
-------------------------------------------------
Scarabmon and Kyuubimon caught up with each other on the other side of the lighthouse, away from the people the digivice had detected. Parker and Buck jumped off their partners' backs and dusted themselves off.
"That was some ride," Parker gasped in excitement. "Better than riding that Sphere."
Scarabmon, Kyuubimon, and Buck stared at Parker with rather blank expressions. Parker almost expected that - the Sphere was a top-secret time machine. But it was true: hanging onto Scarabmon's back as the digimon buzzed across the sky was not as uncomfortable as banging along in the Sphere, hoping against everything - even God - that the Sphere would not land anywhere far away from a telephone. Or if it came to worse, a residential area. That would get Ramsey and the Panel in a fit.
Then it hit Parker for maybe the thousandth time - the Sphere did land in a residential area on the last backstep. And Ramsey did get in a fit - and perhaps the Panel did, too. The Backstep Panel was always so secretive.
"You know, Frank," Buck started, "maybe we should go check out who those guys on the other side of this lighthouse are. That is why we're here ... right?"
Parker nodded. "Yeah. Come on - I'll cover you, and the digimon can come in behind us." He took out his gun and silently crept up towards the mounds of whitish bricks, hiding behind a pile. Sensing that the coast was clear, Parker waved his hand for Buck to come.
Buck crunched his way to Parker's side and looked over the mound. There were two children just yards away from them. One was a girl with dark hair wearing long gloves, a tank top, shorts, and boots. A camera was about her neck, and a cat-like creature was in her arms. Closer to the men was a boy with a fisherman's hat, wearing a striped tee shirt, boots, and shorts. Beside him, partly blocked by more mounds of bricks, was an angelic being with robes of white, a miter-like helmet, golden hair, and a large pair of wings that were spread wide....
Buck gasped, shocked. "I don't believe it. It's the angel from the Digital Conundrum disk!"
"Let me see," Parker said skeptically, poking his head over the mound. Buck was right - the angel was the same one from the Digital Conundrum disk, minus the hunting horn in his hands. What was his name again? It had escaped Parker at the moment. Warily he looked at the two children nearby. They were both Japanese, like Daisuke and his ragtag group of kids. Strangely enough, they were familiar to Parker, too. He had seen them in the previous timeline, in the strange online movie. The girl's name was Hikari, the boy was Takeru, and that cat-like stuffed animal was Tailmon - well, as far as he remembered. Yet why did the angel's name escape him again?
"You've got that right," Parker sighed, ducking back behind the mound of bricks. "Now how are we supposed to tell them that some big slimy squid is about to ambush them? They're Japanese!"
"Not this problem again," Buck moaned, slamming his fist upon his forehead. "Why does every group of digivice-wielding kids have to come from Japan?"
"Beats me. Wait!" Parker turned back and saw Scarabmon and Kyuubimon hiding behind whatever was still standing of the original lighthouse. With a movement of a finger Parker called the digimon to him. It was a challenge to hide them all behind one brick mound, so they moved behind another nearby.
"What do you want us here for?" Kyuubimon whispered.
"I want you to tell those kids that that big squid-monster is about to attack them!" Parker exclaimed. "You managed to get it across to Daisuke and his friends - why not these kids?"
Kyuubimon shrugged, the bells on his ribbon jingling slightly. "Why not?" After chancing a look at the kids, hoping that they weren't looking, Kyuubimon started to pad out from his hiding place. The crunch of rocks beneath a heavy foot, though, caused the digimon to back away behind the bricks.
"What was it?" Buck asked.
"Someone's coming this way," Kyuubimon replied urgently. "Scarabmon, check it out."
Scarabmon poked his head over the bricks and immediately hid again. He turned to face the men. "The angel is coming your way. And from the looks of it, I think he knows that you're there."
"This is just great," Parker groaned. He pocketed his gun and emerged from the pile of bricks, hands over his head. Just as Scarabmon had said, the angel was coming towards Parker's hiding place. The two Japanese children stared blankly at him, but the angel purposefully continued to make his way to the mound. In moments the angel stood before Parker, but instead of the stern look Parker had expected, there was an expression of remembrance upon his lips.
"Frank?" the angel asked at last, eyeing Parker strangely.
"Uh, yeah," Parker replied, finding it difficult to look upon a creature that kept his eyes hidden. "I'm Frank Parker. And you're...."
"The Guardian," the strange angel lowed in English. He looked away from Parker momentarily, seeming to scan the ruins of the lighthouse. "Frank, tell Cam and your digimon that it's safe for them to come out. And put your hands down."
Slowly Parker lowered his arms, wondering: Didn't that angel have a name other than the Guardian? He looked down at Buck - who looked quite cross - and then shot a glance at the two digimon behind the other mound. Eventually Buck rose from behind the mound, and Kyuubimon and Scarabmon walked out from their hiding place.
"The name's 'Buck' now," Buck said sternly, trying without success to look upon the Guardian comfortably.
"Buck," the Guardian said, seemingly trying to say the journalist's press nickname with the correct infliction. He then looked towards Kyuubimon and Scarabmon, who were starting to head back to their partners. "You two look different," he said at last. "Did you armor-evolve?"
The two digimon nodded their heads. "We did," Scarabmon replied. "Kyuubimon and I are the armored evolved forms of Elecmon and Tentomon." A pause. "It's been a while since we've seen you, Holy Angemon."
So that's what his name was! Parker thought, reminding himself to remember the name. It wasn't like him to forget.
The two children behind the Guardian gasped, their eyes small dots on their faces. "Holy Angemon?" the boy breathed. "He sure doesn't look like him." His words, though spoken in English, matched the movements of his mouth like an old dubbed Godzilla movie.
"Well, he did evolve from Angemon, Takeru," the girl answered, also in English.
"Did he really, Hikari?" Takeru asked skeptically. He sighed. "He still doesn't look all that much like him."
Buck looked at Hikari and Takeru with wide eyes. "Frank," he stammered, "the kids ... they're speaking in English!"
"English?" Takeru asked blankly. "I hear you guys in Japanese."
Parker stared at the Japanese kids, then at the strange Guardian. "It must be that gift of tongues," he sighed at last. "You know, some weirdo phenomenon where people can speak in one language, but their message is heard in the native tongue of those who listen."
"That may be," Buck gasped. He had that strange look to his eyes, the look of one searching his mind for a lost memory. "But that gives me an idea. Hey, uh, Holy Angemon," he started, turning towards the Guardian, "Frank and I came to tell you something."
The Guardian turned to face Buck, his square face for the first time showing a trace of compassion. "What is it, Buck?"
"Well, uh ... you're in big danger. Something called a Digital Conundrum is going to occur, which will result in you blowing a horn. But that's not the real big danger - after you blow the horn many people on Earth will turn up missing, and many accidents will be caused due to that. Now, Frank and I can't let that happen because-"
"I know that Frank traveled back in time to undo the event," the Guardian stated calmly. Parker sweatdropped - apparently the Guardian was omniscient. "But you must know that there is no way to undo a Digital Conundrum."
"So, what, I backstepped for nothing?" Parker scoffed in disbelief.
"No, Frank, you did not. You and ... Buck ... were supposed to return to delay it - just as the two of you did sixteen years ago ... and you, Frank, did so alone just a year back."
"Oh," Buck and Parker sighed blankly, exchanging a quick glance. Their puzzled eyes said it all: What exactly did happen sixteen years ago? And Parker asked himself, what did I do last year to delay this?
"You know, Guardian," Buck eventually said, "Frank and I have been wondering ... what did we do sixteen years ago? I don't recall being in some Digital-"
A large, gray tentacle slapped onto the rocks of the bluff, creating a slimy wall between the younger Chosen Children and Buck and Frank. The Guardian had leaped into the air in the confusion; Frank looked up to see the robed angel floating before the bloated face of the squid-human hybrid that they had seen from a distance almost thirty minutes past.
Takeru and Hikari had also turned to face the gigantic monster that had attacked them. Their eyes started to tremble, and their mouths gaped open in shock.
Buck eventually turned and stared at the great beast in his maw-like eyes. Without daring to even look at Parker, he hissed, "Who the hell is that?"
"I have no freaking idea, and I don't think I want to know," Parker breathed.
"It's Dagomon," Takeru and Hikari gasped.
Parker cleared his throat rather annoyingly. "I said I didn't want to know."
-------------------------------------------------
Location - NNL
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Owsley returned to his quarters and spent the next half hour searching for surveillance tapes from the American Embassy in Tokyo. It wasn't all that hard to find - just a little hacking into national databases got him in. Moments later a strange scene in night-vision green played out on the computer monitor.
Frank Parker and Buck Williams were in the room, all right, each of them sleeping on their own beds. A stuffed animal-like creature was at the foot of each of their beds, seemingly staring at the television before Frank. The camera angle gave a slight view of the television - it looked like some show called "Angelic Layer" was ending.
Something strange started to flash across the screen. Static interference was overtaking Buck and the stuffed animal by his feet. Seconds later Parker and his stuffed animal were engulfed by static.
And within the space of a minute, Parker, Buck, and their stuffed animals had been ... erased.
Puzzling thoughts were running through Owsley's head, but only one thing bugged him the most. Why were two grown men sleeping with children's toys?
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Location - Dark Ocean
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"I see that you have returned, Guardian of the Trumpet of Hope," Dagomon lowed, raising his tentacle from the rocky bluff. "You've changed, too." A sinister laugh echoed across the ocean. "You want to challenge me again?"
Scarabmon and Kyuubimon ran back to their partners' side. "Weren't we supposed to warn the Guardian that this was coming?" Scarabmon buzzed.
"Well, we were getting to that!" Buck and Parker hissed in unison. "Now you two get prepared to help him," Parker added harshly.
"Frank, this Guardian guy is probably invincible," Buck sighed. "Look at him!"
"Nobody's invincible, Buck," Parker grunted.
The Guardian now had a sword in his hands; where it came from was unclear. Seemingly noticing that the angel now had a weapon, Dagomon lashed out his tentacles at him. With a flash of blinding light the Guardian sliced through one of them with his shining blade. The severed appendage burst apart with a splintering sound before even reaching the rocks.
Another sound shook the air - Dagomon's other tentacle slammed into the Guardian's chest, sending him backwards into the ruins of the lighthouse. A heavy crack followed afterwards as the angel's body made impact with the ancient brick. The crumbling material crashed to the rocks as the Guardian plummeted to the ground.
"Scarabmon, catch the Guardian before he hurts himself!" Parker yelled in distress over the din.
"Right!" In a flash of grayscale-dulled golden light Scarabmon flew to the base of the lighthouse. The Guardian dropped into Scarabmon's arms, followed by more of the crumbling bricks.
"Thanks," the Guardian gasped weakly, looking up into Scarabmon's frightening face.
"Hey, Frank was the one who told me to-" Scarabmon started, yet he was unable to finish. Dagomon had whipped his remaining tentacle into Scarabmon's side, wheeling him into the lighthouse. The Guardian, unconscious, slumped over Scarabmon's body. A moan escaped from Scarabmon's mouth as he shone with a golden light and reverted to Tentomon.
"This isn't good," Buck whispered dolefully. "Scratch two digimon."
"It's not over yet," Parker snickered gamely. "I'm going to get the Guardian and Tentomon out of there." He took out his gun and ran towards the fallen digimon.
"Well, can't blame him," Buck sighed. "He is a government agent, after all." He looked down at Kyuubimon. "You go cover Frank while I help him get the Guardian and Tentomon to safety."
Kyuubimon nodded his head. "Okay." Swiftly the fox ran out towards Dagomon, even breezing by Parker on his pursuit.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Parker yelled at Kyuubimon as he ran past.
"Buck told me to cover you!" the fox yelled. "Now go! Get the Guardian!"
Parker nodded - besides, he was already at the Guardian's feet. Warily he tried to lift up one of the strange digimon's arms, finding that it took more effort than expected to even raise it over his own shoulders. Yet even with the angel being supported on Parker's shoulders, there was no way that he could pick him up.
"Hurry it up here, Frank," Tentomon groaned. "I don't see how a guy as heavy as he could fly."
Parker nodded. "I'm trying here, Tentomon. Hey, Buck!" he called, turning to find the reporter on the other side of the Guardian. "Help me out here, will you?"
"Sure thing," Buck sighed. He pulled the digimon's other arm about his shoulders. "You ready to pick him up, Frank?"
"Yeah. On count of three?"
"Okay. One...."
"Two ... three!" Simultaneously the two men lifted to their feet, the immense Guardian resting on their shoulders. Tentomon wearily flew to Parker's side, a sound similar to a sigh escaping from his closed mouth.
"Thanks, you two," he buzzed. "Any moment later and I think my shell would've broke."
"Much obliged," Parker grunted. "Now come on - we're dragging him over to the kids there. That Dagomon creep doesn't seem to be attacking them."
Buck silently nodded and haltingly turned in Hikari and Takeru's direction. The two Japanese kids were frozen in shock - now that the men noticed it, Hikari was holding the cat-like Tailmon closer to her body. Yet the children looked too mortified to even help Buck and Parker as they carried - or more accurately, dragged - the Guardian towards them.
"It looks like Kyuubimon is holding off Dagomon quite well," Buck sighed after a few rather silent minutes. In the background the sounds of the fox-like digimon firing his Demon Fireballs could barely be heard over the violent crashing of the waves.
"Well, don't be too sure," Parker groaned.
Almost on cue, a deafening slap was heard. Without warning Kyuubimon crashed into Buck's back. Buck fell face-first into the rocks, his hold on the Guardian lost. Kyuubimon, exhausted, reverted to Elecmon and crawled over to Buck's side.
"Hey, sorry about that," Elecmon said in his hoarse voice. "You all right?"
Buck gradually stood up looked down at Elecmon. A gash had opened on his forehead now, blood dripping down from it. It looked minor, yet Buck was wincing from the pain. "I'm okay," he forced in a single labored breath.
"That's good," Parker said. "We just have a few more feet to go, and then we'll be safe. I can't carry this guy by myself, you know."
"I'll help you."
Parker looked up from Buck - the Japanese boy Takeru was standing before him. His hat was tilted at a strange angle, and a sleeve of his shirt seemed to be singed, but the oddities didn't concern Parker. "Okay - come on, take his other arm. Buck -" he turned towards the reporter " - run ahead with Tentomon and Elecmon."
"Got it!" Buck slowly jogged towards Hikari, the two digimon at his heels. Takeru, in the meanwhile, slung the Guardian's free arm over his shoulders.
"You think you're ready to follow?" Parker asked momentarily.
Takeru only nodded his head.
He's a strange boy, Parker thought as the two made their way to where Buck was headed. Parker could remember Takeru's final moments in the past timeline, seeing him cry over the body of the Guardian before the Trumpet was blown. The words echoed through his head: "You don't know how you wounded me when you used all your power to defeat Devimon (whoever that is, Parker added). Don't tell me you used all your power to defeat Black War Greymon (don't know who the heck he is, either, Parker told himself), too!" Supposedly the Guardian had given his life once, Parker sighed mentally - and now Takeru is worried that it's going to happen again. He looked back at Takeru now - there was a crestfallen air about him.
"Anything wrong, Takeru?" Parker ventured.
"No, nothing wrong, Frank," Takeru muttered, not looking up at the older man.
"Okay." A pause. "How exactly are you connected to the Guardian?"
It was a long while before Takeru answered. "Well, Frank, Holy A- I mean, the Guardian - he's ... my partner." He looked ahead at Buck, Tentomon, and Elecmon - the three were already at Hikari's side. "Like Elecmon's yours. He is your partner, right?"
Parker shook his head. "No - Tentomon's my partner." I think, he added mentally. "Elecmon is Buck's."
"Oh. Hey, Frank - your friend Buck doesn't happen to be the reporter Buck Williams?"
How'd he guess? Parker asked himself. "Uh, yeah. Why?"
"My mother's a journalist, and she's always wanted to meet him. Could you have him sign something?"
Parker's face drew a blank. "You'd have to ask him."
The three had already reached Buck and the others. Laboriously Parker and Takeru laid the Guardian on the rocks, his helm-covered face staring at the cloud-darkened sky. Dagomon had seemed to ignore the group for the past few minutes, but now he was staring down at the Guardian.
"You're weaker than I thought," Dagomon crooned, raising his good tentacle above his head. "Don't tell me you used all your power to ward me away while you were in that pitiful digimon form. Defeating you is going to be the easiest thing in my life." He brought the tentacle downward in an arc towards the Guardian's unprotected body.
"There's no way I'm having that creep harm him," Parker breathed, looking into his jacket for his gun. It was seconds later that he remembered that the weapon was in his hands - but it was too late for action. The slimy appendage slammed onto the Guardian's chest, pushing him further into the jagged rocks he was lying on. No cry escaped the angel's mouth, and not even a finger rose to show that he was alive.
"This isn't good," Buck gasped. "You were right, Frank - not even he is invincible."
"We can't let Dagomon continue attacking him!" Parker grunted. "If he kills him, this Conundrum thing will be out of our hands! Oh, if only we had more time...."
A shining light glowed through Parker's jacket pocket. He pocketed his gun and slowly stuck his hand inside - he remembered putting his digivice in there. Now there was something different about it - and it wasn't just the light. Parker pulled the object out: It was a D3 version digivice, the handgrip a steel gray against a white palm-fitted body. An antenna was still sticking out of a part of it, but the screen this time was larger, and there were only two buttons shaped like arrows below it.
Bewildered, Parker looked back at Buck. The digivice at the reporter's waist was also a D3, but the handgrip was silver. And, like Parker's, the screen was shining with a blue-green light.
"You know what's up with these things?" Parker asked, showing Buck the D3.
"Don't ask me," Buck snapped. "That Guardian's what we should be worried about."
Parker glanced back at the Guardian - Dagomon had not continued to attack him. The monster was almost above the angel's body, though, attempting to shield his eyes from something with his remaining tentacle.
"How can this be possible?" Dagomon gasped.
Parker had no idea what Dagomon was talking about. Looking back at Tentomon, though, made everything clear.
The digimon was ... glowing.
And not just him ... Elecmon was also engulfed in a golden aura.
The aura that surrounds an evolving digimon
"They're not evolving with the digimentals," Parker gasped.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Buck replied rather rapidly.
A few moments later two new voices echoed their names across the grayscale world.
"Tentomon, evolve! Kabuterimon!"
"Elecmon, evolve! Kentarumon!"
Two strange digimon arose from the golden light. Tentomon had transformed into a gigantic black insect, its gleaming shell reflecting what little light there was in the grayscale realm. It had two pairs of arms with clawed hands, and a large pair of legs that supported the creature. Two pairs of semi-transparent wings were on its back, and a helmet-like structure with a horn sticking out where the nose would be decorated its head.
The other digimon looked like a centaur, with a helmet revealing a single red eye in the center of its face. It pawed the ground and seemed to stare down at Dagomon.
Parker blinked rather blankly. "All right - what just happened?" he asked, straining to look up at Kabuterimon's face.
"They ... evolved," Hikari stammered.
"You'd better go see this, Buck," Parker said, turning in Buck's direction. The reporter, though, was already staring at Kentarumon with fascination in his eyes. It was probably the first time he had looked upon a digimon kindly.
"I think I remember you from somewhere," Buck breathed.
"Of course," the centaur replied. "I'm the evolved from of Elecmon. I remember you used to ride on me often."
"Yeah, sure," Buck scoffed.
"You two, stop the reunion and let's drive that dumb Dagomon out of here," Parker said, an urgent tone in his voice. "Kabuterimon?"
The insect seemed to nod his head. "Yes, Frank?"
"Let me get on you, and then we'll attack Dagomon."
"Okay." Kabuterimon dropped one of his hands to the rocks, allowing Parker to climb on it. The insect raised his hand to his head, and Parker jumped off, finding support on the large antler. "Is that fine?"
"Perfect. Now let's go!"
The wings on Kabuterimon's back started to vibrate. The hum of buzzing wings filled the rocky bluff, blowing hair and clothes in various directions. Momentarily the lumbering insect rose from the rocks, surprisingly speeding its way towards the squid-like enemy.
"Kabuterimon, go circle around behind Dagomon!" Parker ordered. "Buck, take the front!"
"Got it!" Buck climbed onto Kentarumon's back and dug his heels into his side. "Come on!"
"Next time, Buck, don't treat me like a horse," Kentarumon sighed as he galloped away from the children. "Now, you have any ideas for attack?"
"I don't know," Buck shrugged, holding on to Kentarumon's shoulders. "Fire a special attack, I don't care."
"Fine." Kentarumon raised his right arm before his body. A modified gun barrel emerged from his palm, flanked by small metal spires. The smell of cackling electricity filled Buck's nose as a ball of bluish energy formed at Kentarumon's hand.
"Hunting ... Cannon!"
Buck was nearly thrown off his mount as the blue thunder ball was launched. It crashed squarely on Dagomon's chest, spreading across his moist body.
"Oh my god," Buck breathed. "I've got an idea! Hey, Frank!"
Frank waved a hand from somewhere behind Dagomon in acknowledgement. "What is it?" he yelled back, faintly heard over the still-cackling electricity in the air.
"We should attack together with electric attacks! Dagomon's an aquatic creature, so we could amplify the electric shock!"
"Good idea - but I don't know if Kabuterimon has an electricity-based attack!" Parker hollered.
"Then let's attack together anyway!"
"Fine! Kabuterimon, get ready!"
"You too, Kentarumon!"
Kentarumon brought his arm before him again, gathering electricity with the strange metal spires on his hand. Within moments a ball of electric energy, cackling wildly, was formed, ready for launch.
Kabuterimon brought his arms close to his armored chest. A slight blue glow could be seen formed inside, electric for sure - the burning smell made Parker turn away in disgust.
"Fire!" Parker called out, impatient.
"Hunting Cannon!"
"Mega ... Blaster!"
Simultaneously the two digimon set forth their attacks. Kabuterimon opened his arms out from his chest, sending out a river of blue electricity towards Dagomon's unprotected back. It ran across the entire digimon's body, meeting with the energy fired from Kentarumon's hand. The land seemed to turn white in the aftermath of the assault.
Moments later, the light died out. Parker found himself back on the rocky bluff, standing beside Buck, Hikari, and Takeru. Kentarumon and Kabuterimon had reverted to Elecmon and Tentomon, and were standing by their partners' feet. Strangely, though, the Guardian was standing before them, restored to the majesty he had been surrounded in before he had battled.
"Frank, Buck," the Guardian spoke in his low voice, "I thank you for driving away Dagomon. The strategy was very clever of you two - you still battle as well as you did sixteen years past."
Parker and Buck nodded solemnly, yet strangely kept silent.
Takeru adjusted the hat on his head and looked up into the Guardian's face. "Are you going to take us home, then?" he asked timidly.
The angel bent his head. "Yes. But first we must go to the Center."
"Oh no - not this again," the Japanese children groaned.
"What's up with them?" Buck asked, turning to Parker, but his friend could only shrug.
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Location - NNL
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Talmadge and Owsley viewed the surveillance videos from the American Embassy in Tokyo, the two of them sipping at flat soda. The project director of Backstep thumbed a remote control on the table, occasionally rewinding the tape. Minutes later he shook his head, a shaken look on his firm face.
"I don't believe it," Talmadge breathed, reaching for a cigar from a box. "Frank, Buck, and those stuffed animals are at one moment watching television, and then they just vanish! Do you have anything to explain this, Andrew?"
Owsley shook his head. "Nope. Even called the Embassy - they report no disturbance in their room, except finding only their belongings in it the next day. And there was nobody outside making them disappear."
Talmadge sighed. "Great - a mystery nested in an enigma." He lit his cigar and chewed upon it. "Just one thing, though, Andrew."
"What?"
"Can you explain why Frank and Buck have stuffed animals?"
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Location - the Center
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Parker and Buck probably couldn't explain the science behind it. One moment they, their digimon, the two Japanese children, and the Guardian were standing on the rocky bluff in the Dark Ocean realm. Seconds later the landscape faded into white light, soon fading away to a gigantic circular room lined with narrow, wall-length windows edged ornately with gold. Unlike the Dark Ocean, this place was in full color.
"So this is the Center," Parker gasped in awe, turning to see the entire room. He attempted to count the windows, yet once he counted fifty he had lost count.
"It's so ... beautiful," Buck breathed. "And it's in color!"
"Gives us a reason to protect this place," Parker added. "I wouldn't want this piece of art to go down the drain." He turned to face the stern yet gentle Guardian. "So, how are we going to get home?"
"Through that window over there," the Guardian lowed, pointing his gloved hand towards a window to his right - Parker's left. Parker and Buck turned in that direction - they could see Owsley's quarters in NNL on the other side. Owsley was sitting in front of his computer, probably tweaking with some program or overlooking the Digital Conundrum information.
"Well, won't we look a little strange if we just suddenly appear in Andrew's room?" Buck asked skeptically.
"The Digital Gateway will not be open for a long time," the Guardian scolded. "Now you and Frank leave - the children have to return to Tokyo."
"Okay," Buck muttered. Slowly the two men and their partner digimon walked to the window. A shattering sound echoed through the room as they walked through, the glassy surface rippling like water in their wake. Momentarily Takeru and Hikari could see the two men being confronted by a post-college man dressed rather casually for the office before the scene turned to the Fuji Television headquarters in Tokyo.
"It's time for us to go home, Takeru and Hikari," the Guardian said at last. "Are you ready?"
The children nodded - it was the first time they had heard the digimon say their names. "That sounds like a good idea," Takeru sighed. "Come on. Let's go home."
Silently the two Chosen Children, the sleeping Tailmon, and the majestic Guardian walked towards the window to their home, their hands clasped in one another's. All that was left of their presence in the Center was the shattering sound of breaking through the Gateway and two yellow empty SCUBA air tanks.
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Location - Odaiba Elementary School Computer Room, Tokyo, Japan
Time - eight hours before Digital Conundrum
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The computers in the Computer Room at Odaiba Elementary were always placed in Hibernate Mode during the summer recess. Japan goes by a different school schedule than America - the year starts in the spring, with their summer break the equivalent to the American winter recess. For that reason, no data was deleted from the newly purchased computers, at least until the next spring.
A bright light shone from one of the computers near the windows. That obviously couldn't be - nobody would be on school grounds near midnight. Yet if one was close enough to the school, you could see two young children take form in the glow. Minutes later the light dimmed, making it impossible to tell who was there.
Takeru, Hikari, and Tailmon landed with the same roughness on the ground as with every trip through the Digital Gateway. They rubbed their heads, and in Tailmon's case, rubbed her eyes, too.
"Since when did we get back?" Tailmon groaned, jumping into Hikari's arms. "I was asleep."
"Oh, we just met some adult Chosen Children," Hikari laughed. "Frank and Buck were pretty nice."
"Yeah, they were," Takeru laughed. "Hey, that reminds me - I forgot to get Buck to sign something!"
"What do you mean?"
"Buck's the famous American reporter!"
Sparkles danced in Hikari's eyes, despite the darkness of the room. "You mean the guy that was in Israel when the Russians and all the others started attacking while we were fighting Apocalymon? Wow!"
"Oh well, we'll probably run into them again," Takeru sighed. "Say, you know where the Guardian is? We'd easily notice him in here."
"Takeru...."
A faint moan was heard near Takeru's side. Slowly the boy turned, finding a bruised and battered Patamon there. Carefully Takeru lifted the digimon and held him close to his chest.
"You'll be all right, Patamon," Takeru said, tears rising to his eyes. It wasn't the first time he had cried with his digimon in his arms. Even if Patamon was shocked by the affection Takeru gave him, he seemed too weak to even respond.
"I remember falling into the ocean," Patamon moaned weakly, his face buried in Takeru's shirt. "And then I blanked out. What happened?"
So he doesn't know that he's the Guardian, Takeru told himself mentally. "You just had a bad dream, Patamon. But now we're home."
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Location - NNL
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Parker, Buck, Tentomon, and Elecmon emerged out of Owsley's computer in a flash of bright golden light. A quick glance towards a digital clock by the computer told the men that it was a little past eight in the morning - the date, though, was lost to them.
"Well, we're back in Owsley's pad," Parker groaned, climbing to his feet. He held out a hand to help up Buck. "Where do you think the kid went?"
"Jeez, don't make such a racket," Owsley's droning voice came from a corner. "I'm trying to get some sleep."
Parker and Buck turned to where they heard the resident nerd. He was lying on the couch, an undersized Power Rangers blanket draped over his body. His glasses were hanging haphazardly over his eyes.
"Owls, it's me and Buck," Frank scoffed. "Now get up. It's past eight."
Reluctantly Owsley climbed out of the blanket, righted his glasses, and stood up. He was wearing pajamas decorated with various images of Spiderman. "Well, at least you two finally made it back. It's been almost three days."
"Three days?" Parker and Buck gasped. "This can't be good," Parker added.
"Why's that?" Owsley asked rather blankly.
"Well, the disappearances are supposed to take place at midnight Greenwich time."
"You still have plenty of time," Owsley droned, walking back to his makeshift bed. "Just eight more hours to set the world right. Oh yeah, some Japanese kid named Daisuke or something like that left you a message on the Digivice program. I recorded it on the computer."
"Thanks," Parker sighed. He walked over to the computer, relieved that the Digivice program Owsley used was still open. There was a little envelope icon by Parker's name. Buck moved the mouse to the icon and clicked the left button twice.
Daisuke's face lit up a window somewhere on the monitor. He was speaking in Japanese, but there were subtitles to what he was saying.
"Hey, Frank and Buck! Listen, we have some really big trouble out here in the Digital World, and you're the only guys I thought could back us up. You see, these two creeps, Archnemon and Mummymon, they combined a hundred Dark Towers into a single digimon. This digimon is Black War Greymon, and he has a hankering to destroy these Holy Stones scattered across the world. Problem is, he's going after them much faster now that he sees a strange vision in the ruins. From what I've seen, it looks like an angel with a white miter and white clothing. Frank, Buck, I know you probably won't understand this message, but please come - if you don't, Earth and Digital World will be in dire trouble. Meet us at the Holy Point - the coordinates are being sent to your digivices now. Oh yeah - tell us if you've run into Hikari and Takeru recently. Bye!"
The image then flashed off the screen, and the envelope icon vanished.
"Looks like we have a little date with some old friends of ours," Parker said with a glint in his eyes.
"Old friends my rotten Digitama," Tentomon and Elecmon grumbled in unison.
Itsudemo Aeru Kara and ending animation plays....
{author's note: the next episode of DIGITAL CONUNDRUM is the FAQ issue! Most questions about the first seven parts of the story will be answered, along with minor spoilers for subsequent chapters. Also, Frank and Buck will reveal their image songs. And don't forget the grand finale: a preview of BACKSTEP 09 and the starting and ending themes to commemorate that issue! This is one episode of DIGITAL CONUNDRUM you don't want to miss!}