Nature of the Game
Disk 3: Of All The Things Gone Wrong
-by Ajora Fravashi

*Disclaimer - I don't own Digimon. Toei/Bandai does.
*Note: Takes place a year and a half after Brave Tamer, around six or so months before Digimon Tamers.
*Warning: Implied Millenniumon - Ryo. Oh stop whining, it's there in the games anyway. Also, slightly different definition of blood lust is used.

He couldn't remember the last time he slept so well. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember if he ever slept well at all. The voices that pestered him were gone now, they had disappeared once the union was complete. The unfocused rage that he had fought hard to keep in check when he confronted Ryo was gone as well for the most part, but he wouldn't be surprised if it flared up again in the future. Then there were the memories. Ryo had not only taken everything he could throw at the boy, but fought back with impressive strength that could only have come from experience. He was very proud of his child, with good reason. Ryo had risen from a little boy who cringed when attacked and bent to the flow to someone who fought back and defended what he believed was right. Both of them had made severe mistakes, but in the end everything made them equal. In the end the hate he felt for the boy meant to be his partner had grown into love. It was stupid, but he excused Ryo's behavior because Ryo was only being a good little boy and taking orders as they were issued.

Ryo would have benefited a lot from his tutelage had Monodramon not intervened and triggered the Jogress sequence that united them. If things were different, he would have had Ryo besides him as he governed the Digital World. But such things were not meant to be, and now he was trapped in a physical body again.

He stretched out a claw before his face, then grunted his disapproval. While the body was aesthetically better by far than the one he had before his "death", it was still weak compared to what he was used to and not exactly suitable for his purposes. The body was an evolution of Monodramon. Cyberdramon, wasn't it? That meant-

"Finally awake, Millenniumon?"

Much to my displeasure, he thought, his mood immediately souring. Well, one voice in his head was better than several.

"Good. Then I'd appreciate it if you keep your disgusting fantasies to yourself from now on."

Crimson eyes behind a seemingly opaque mask narrowed at that. He certainly wasn't aware that the little dragon was capable of reading his mind, let alone listening in on the little scenarios he liked to play in the solitude of his mind when he was bored.

"How can I help it? Your thoughts broadcast as loudly as if you were describing it all vocally. You're fortunate your thoughts go too fast for our mouth to keep up." There was silence as Monodramon thought on something, then, "No, I don't think Ryo's into bondage."

He let out a single growl in frustration. Having that stammering pest sharing his mind certainly wasn't what he was looking forward to for the rest of his life.

"I don't particularly look forward to being with you either, but we should make do with what we have. And if you even think of following through on your plots, I can tell the ENIAC and we'll have to deal with starting over again. While I don't particularly mind being Ketomon for an extended period of time-"

There was a growl of consent as he took a moment to survey his surroundings. He could see sand all around. It was fitting, in a way, that he had awoken in a desert-

"I'm sure you're delighted by the prospect that you share a lot with a fallen angel that probably never existed. And you're right, Azaziel is a suitable pseudonym for you. He seems like just as much a drama queen as you are, too."

With a growl of disgust, he picked a direction and began walking. This new existence was probably going to be a lot less pleasant than he had hoped it would be. At the very least, he would do well to learn to better mask his thoughts.

"I agree. The last thing I want is a mental image of Ryo in black leather, which you seem to like fixating on. You are such a pervert."

Somewhere, in the dry desert region of one of the many Digital Worlds spawned by the awakening of the ENIAC and the Atanasoff-Berry computer, a roar of sheer rage could be heard.

.~*~.

Ryo stood with a hand firmly grasping one of the many hard plastic rings that helped commuters keep their balance while the train sped along its tracks, faintly wishing he had gotten to the station fast enough to catch an earlier train. However, there was the issue of his guardian that refused to be resolved unless he skipped that train.

He wasn't technically supposed to exist in this universe, but the ENIAC had sent him here. The Ryo of this universe had run away, only to be killed in a blizzard while trekking through the Niigata prefecture on the way to a port that would take him to Hokkaido. Hokkaido was where his mother, divorced in this universe, lived. Ironically enough, it had been near the Akiyama region of Niigata that the Ryo of this universe was last seen. The body that was found was never identified, allowing him to go back the father and accept being grounded for several months. Then Akiyama Toshio had taken him and moved to Fukuoka. That didn't stop things from happening as they did.

The ENIAC, perhaps in a gesture of thanks for all the things he had done for the Digital World, had subtly manipulated things in this world in his favor. He was anonymously sent a pack of Digimon game cards and instructions on how to play, then had come to master the game with the ease of experience. Then he had found that his adventures in the Digital World and those of the Chosen Children had been released as a television show and series of games, all of which were very popular amongst the children of this universe. One of the writers for the company had pointed to him as the inspiration for the videogames, and life hadn't been quite the same since. He had never felt such mass adoration before, especially for something he had no hand in, but it felt really good. Even when he couldn't really go back to his own universe for a while yet, it made his situation easier to accept.

Now he was on his way to a hotel he was staying at during his time in Tokyo for the final round of the Japan-wide D-1 Card Tournament. The name of the tournament had made him laugh bitterly at first, but he accepted the invitation to participate. It wasn't as if he had anything better to do, and there were certain expectations he had to live up to. His fans wanted him to win, so he had to go to Tokyo and play in the championship. Faintly he wondered if there would be a life-altering event near the end of the tournament as there had been in a similarly named tournament in another universe.

The train stopped before he was aware of it, and he disembarked in the almost mechanical manner of someone long used to travelling by subway trains. His thoughts were elsewhere, and he didn't pay much attention to where he was going.

His father, at least the one in this universe, hadn't approved of his almost obsessive fixation on the Digimon franchise and had constantly insisted that he spend more time with a more worthwhile hobby. But digimon had become all he knew and all he needed to know. He had spent so much energy and suffered so much for the Digital World that in the end it was all he knew. What was there for him in the real world but fans who were more interested in his fame than in himself and school lessons that meant nothing in the wilderness where his heart belonged? What did algebra mean to him when he had to fend for himself with nothing but a pocketknife? What did the Tale of Genji mean to him when he had to catch, gut and cook his own food? What did an overbearing parent mean to him when he had learned to survive on his own and learned that the only one he could truly count on was himself?

That had probably been the biggest cause of the strife between himself and his father in this world: he was so used to surviving on his own that his father's strict rules chafed. Wild creatures weren't meant to be caged or leashed, and the Digital World had turned him into one of its own. This thought of course led to others. He didn't belong here, really, and had yet to form a lasting friendship with anyone. In a way it was because he remembered the betrayal at the D-1 Tournament of the other universe and didn't want to trust people that much anymore. In a way it was because he had held on to the hope that he was going to go back home someday and was always on the look-out for some sign from the ENIAC. It wasn't safe to get too close to anyone. Just keeping them at arm's length was suitable enough.

Some movement caught his eye on the walk to the hotel, but it had been nothing more than a rustle in the foliage in a nearby park and he paid it little heed. Then, much to his surprise, a claw snaked out and dragged him into the bushes. He could do nothing more than give a startled yelp.

It took only a moment to right himself after he had lost his footing and fell. It took longer for him to identify the large digimon who had captured him. Dull, almost black, armor covered the cybernetic dragon from head to foot. He remembered it was an evolution of Monodramon, but did that mean-

"Monodramon? Millenniumon?"

The dragon tilted his head ever so slightly, as if thinking of what to respond with. Finally, he gave a simple answer that encompassed his new existence. "Cyberdramon."

Ryo blinked at that answer, unsure of just how to respond. Did that mean the result of the Jogress didn't remember? Or did it mean that Cyberdramon did remember, but chose to ignore that past? Nevertheless, it was probably best to ignore the past for the time being. "So, what brings you here?"

There was the tiniest quirk at the corner of Cyberdramon's mouth before the great cybernetic dragon responded. "You."

Unsure of just how to respond to that, Ryo stared up curiously at Cyberdramon. Was it time to go home already? No, it was too soon. Then what was it, really? Since words were failing him, his response was far from being concise. "OKOK, and...?"

"You're my partner," Cyberdramon uttered rather gruffly. Ryo had just now noticed that the dragon spoke with one voice, not two as he had feared. That was promising. He still hadn't quite come to terms with his partnership to a self-styled evil god, but the lack of a second voice would make the transition easier. So long as Cyberdramon didn't exhibit Millenniumon's more unsavory traits, things would be okay. He hoped so, anyway.

There was no more information forthcoming, so Ryo took a moment to ponder his current situation. Here he was with his digimon partner and nowhere to keep a dragon that was too big to fit into his scrawny hotel room, let alone the house in Fukuoka. His guardian in this universe would have a fit and sooner summon the Japanese Defense Force than let him bring Cyberdramon near the residence. It was too early to go back to his real home. Was he needed in the Digital World again? That didn't make sense though, he had only ever been called to the Digital World if Millenniumon was causing trouble. Millenniumon was no longer a serious threat. But then it would be a nice change of pace to go to the Digital World and not have to do any of the tasks he had been asked to do so long ago.

"So, how did you get here? Did the ENIAC-"

"No. Caught a data stream. The Digital World is... different in this universe." Cyberdramon then turned slightly and pointed to a fairly nondescript clearing further in the park. "That was where I arrived this morning."

Ryo left the dragon's side to take a closer look. There was no telltale glow of white in the area that would signify the presence of one of the ENIAC's gates, nor was there the faint skin-crawling sensation that marked a weakness in the barrier between the worlds. It was very unusual.

However, that still didn't solve the question of what he was going to do with Cyberdramon. With a silent sigh, Ryo scratched the back of his neck as he considered the one plausible option he had. "So, are you okay with staying here for a while? I can't really take you to the house, you know."

Cyberdramon regarded the area for a moment before grunting his consent. It was not a situation he was likely to appreciate, but it was all Ryo could offer. In all likelihood, they wouldn't be here long anyway.

.~*~.

"It's too noisy," Millenniumon hissed to himself as he tried to block out the sounds of nearby traffic. It could be noisy in certain places in the Digital World too, but back there he could at least retreat to his tower and bask in the calming and comfortable stillness. There was no retreat here and no outlet for the irritation that was starting to boil into irrational anger within him.

Monodramon remained oddly silent, mostly due to Millenniumon's growing control over their shared body, and in retrospect it was probably just as well. Monodramon's quips would have only added fuel to the fire. With Ryo at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center to participate in the final round of the card tournament, there was nothing to bring the former evil god to his senses.

A deeply reverberating roar sounded in Shiokaze Park, sending everyone in the immediate vicinity running towards the safety of the city. The few foolishly brave souls that ventured into the park to investigate were soon stricken with fear once their eyes fell upon the hulking black form of Cyberdramon and joined their peers. He attacked the source of his current frustration: the cars that sped along the street outside the once peaceful seaside park. Metal gave in easily to sharp claws and raw bestial strength, blood ran from the wounds of those who were too slow to get away. Throughout it all, the black cybernetic dragon tasted a fleeting sense of peace and freedom with every satisfying crunch of metal and glass.

Cyberdramon was so caught up in his berserker state that he did not notice the approach of police vehicles, nor did he pay attention to the magnified voice demanding him to cease his enough, the police cars were as easily disposed of as the rest.

.~*~.

Ryo let out a sigh of relief as he turned over the last card. The card battle had been close, but his opponent was now out of cards and the last one he had was just set down. She was very good at the card game, better than everyone else who had competed, but in the end it was luck and experience alone that allowed him to win. He didn't say it aloud, but the red-haired girl currently glowering at him was kind of cute. Given a few years, she would probably grow up into quite the beauty. Now, however, she looked like she was ready to throttle him.

"Best game I've played yet," he offered with an honest smile in hopes that it would alleviate her foul mood. Unfortunately, it only made her frown deepen. Maybe something else would work. "You're really good at the game. I'm sure you'll beat me next time."

The girl looked like she was going to respond, but she was cut short when someone at the judging table was asked to raise the volume of his radio set. The words crackled with static, but the message was understandable enough. Something about terrorist attacks in a park in Odaiba. Ryo couldn't shake off the sense of deja vu. Back in the universe where he originated, there had been a similar terrorist attack in the same area years ago, and it happened again later. But it wasn't a terrorist group that attacked...

In the midst of the sudden panic in Tokyo Big Sight, no one had noticed when Ryo wasn't there anymore.

Thankful that the ensuing confusion allowed Ryo the cover he needed to get away, he ran out of the convention center and stopped a moment to scan the area for transportation. It was just over two and a half kilometers from Tokyo Big Sight to Shiokaze Park, a distance he couldn't hope to walk in time. The train probably wouldn't be going there while the area was still dangerous and he didn't know how to drive a car yet. As his eyes fell on a queue of bicycles locked up to a metal rail just outside the convention center entrance, his decision was made.

The first few were chained tightly to the rail and no amount of picking at the locks with his pocket knife helped the situation. One, however, had a gap within one of the links in the chains and a bit of prying with the knife opened the gap in the link wide enough for him to slip another link through it and part the chain. He unwound the constricting chain from the bicycle and eased it away from the others. Hopefully he'd be able to bring the bicycle back, but for now he had no other choice.

Once he wheeled the bicycle to the road, he started pedaling as fast as he could. It took five minutes to get to and cross Akemi Bridge, a feat that would have surprised him had be been paying attention to the time. It took another eight minutes to get to Shiokaze Park. What he witnessed once he got there, though, was something he wished he would never see.

Cyberdramon had lifted a small car and was posed to throw it with another that had been lodged into a nearby hotel. Ryo could hear the cries of people inside it, people begging to be spared, but Cyberdramon was deaf to their pleas. Ryo dismounted once he was close enough and tossed the bicycle to the side. He would need to do something to distract Cyberdramon and quickly, but what-

His eyes fell on a nearby stone in the grass. It was hefty and would do some damage, but right now the lives of people outweighed the headache that would come of the took him but a moment to measure the trajectory and throw the stone, and it impacted hard with the back of Cyberdramon's head.

With a growl, the great black dragon dropped the car and turned to attack his assailant. Unfocused rage clouded his mind and made him blind to what he was attacking. The two-legged creature pranced out of the way of the first swipe of his claw, then the other. His claws gouged into the earth each time, but did not meet with any other resistance. The creature then gave chase, running to the heart of the park with him close behind. The cars were forgotten.

Ryo mentally swore at himself as he wove between the trees in an effort to get away from his partner. He could hear the snapping of nearby branches and tried to run faster. Better him than the innocent people in the car, but what the hell was he going to do with Cyberdramon? It was too dangerous to keep Cyberdramon here. But where-

An ill-placed foot, a protruding root and the laws of physics sent the boy crashing into the ground. With a groan, Ryo forced himself to sit up and assess the damages. His ankle was sore but not too badly twisted, so he could run on it if he had to. He was in the act of rising to his feet when the snapping noise stopped and was replaced with a very near deep-throated growl. He looked up to judge the distances between them, then cursed himself again as he only saw the claw swiping at him too late. He had mere milliseconds to roll away, and was in the act of doing so when a sharp claw caught and tore into his left upper arm. The pain seared along his nerves as he stopped his roll to clutch the wound close.

If nothing else registered in the fog of blind rage, the cry of pain from a familiar voice was the one thing that pierced the haze. He recognized in the span of a moment, then the fog dissipated and left Cyberdramon staring down at his injured partner. Blood oozed from the wound and between the boy's fingers, then dripped slowly into the grass. Cyberdramon knelt before his partner to take a closer look. It wasn't a deep wound and Ryo wasn't going to lose use of the arm, but he was bleeding and his face was a mask of pain.

Fascinated by the blood, Cyberdramon leaned closer to get a good look. It was a beautiful deep red with a sharp copper scent that tantalized him. Curious, he nuzzled at the hand that covered the wound and licked away the blood. Ryo's hand jerked at the contact, and he let out a small warning growl before continuing. He enjoyed the taste of warm blood too much to let Ryo shove him away.

A shudder rippled through Ryo's body at the change Cyberdramon displayed. One moment the dragon was trying to attack him, and now Cyberdramon was licking away his blood. His stomach lurched at the prospect. It was revolting, but at least Cyberdramon was calm now. And, oddly enough, looked like he was almost at peace. With a sigh of resignation, Ryo moved his hand just enough to allow Cyberdramon to lap up the rest of the blood. He'd have to do something about his partner, but staying here was no longer an option.

Cyberdramon had once been Millenniumon, and the traits were all too obvious now. Millenniumon was known for unfocused, uncontrollable destructive rages, probably due to the deep rifts in the dark god's psyche. But then there was something else: Millenniumon's rather questionable views of Ryo. Millenniumon wasn't above hurting him, but seemed to anger easily if anyone else hurt or used him. It was very creepy, but what could Ryo do? Spurn the former dark god and the ensuing destruction would be his fault. Stay with his partner and he would never be able to live a normal life. He was cursed.

After a while, Cyberdramon backed away to allow him to treat the wound. Ryo tore the sleeve where it had been ripped and attempted to wrap it tight enough to slow the blood flow and bind the wound. He was still in pain and his attempts were clumsy, but it wasn't until a third try that Cyberdramon grabbed hold of one end of the makeshift bandage with his teeth. Ryo accepted the help and tied the bandage in place.

"Sorry," the cybernetic dragon offered tersely as he let go of the bandage and backed away to allow the boy to rise.

Ryo brushed off the apology and looked around in the vain hopes that he could find some way to deal with the partner fate had cursed him with. Something caught the corner of his eye then, a faint glow that wasn't quite like one of the ENIAC's gate but certainly otherworldly. Strange square-shaped images flickered in the glow that originated between two of the trees that marked the border between the sea shore and the park greenery. It looked almost digital...

His hotel room was in ruins and he didn't trust Cyberdramon alone anymore. All he had was a pocket knife wrapped in a red kerchief in one pocket, five device cards in the other, a wallet, and a pair of gloves. Nothing more, nothing less. As he squared his shoulders, he called out for his partner to join him.

As far as he was concerned, there was no turning back.