Digimon: After the Adventures End
Chapter 4: The Leaders
At yet another point in character limbo floated Matsuda Takato and Guilmon. Takato had appeared there right after discovering that the way to the Digital World was still open. It hadn't taken long for him to find Guilmon, but nothing had happened to them since then.
"I want bread," said Guilmon.
"I wouldn't say no to it myself," said Takato.
Your wish will be granted, said a mysterious voice. I summon you.
"Huh?" said Takato. "Who said that?"
In answer, an invisible force took hold of Takato and Guilmon and began to pull them forward. They moved faster and faster until they flew through a door and were set down on their feet.
The room they were in looked like an office, except with a really big, high-tech computer on one wall. Takato saw another kid like himself, four adults, and four other Digimon in the room.
"Matsuda Takato," said the man whose voice they had heard. "Welcome to my mind. My name is Hongo Akiyoshi. I brought you and your Digimon here for the third annual Ceremony of Succession."
"Who are you?" said Takato.
"I'm just a man who had a creative vision. Years ago, I began developing an idea I had. The idea was for a story about a child's adventures with creatures made from data - what are now called Digimon."
"But - Jenrya's dad -"
"I know. In the world you came from, he and his friends programmed Digimon. But, it was me and my friends who built that fiction-world and designed you and everyone you know. We're just people, really, from a separate world. You don't have to be afraid of us."
"That's right," said one of the other men, who had an Agumon for a partner. "Hongo-san is very powerful, but he's still a nice guy."
"I even have that bread for you," Hongo-san said. "It's over there on the table."
"Thank you!" said Takato. He and Guilmon went over to the table and - "Itadakimasu!" - began eating.
"So," said Takato when he had finished, "where exactly are we?"
"You're in my mind," said Hongo-san. "I can call you here because I'm one of your artistic creators. Your seiyuu can do it, too. Do you remember her? Ms. Tsumura?"
"Tsumura-san . . . she's real? I thought I was going crazy."
"No, she's real. The other people you see here have seiyuu, too. I'd like you to meet Kido Jyou, Motomiya Daisuke, Yagami Taichi, and Chibi-Taichi." Chibi-Taichi was the boy about Takato's age.
"Hi," said Takato.
"Hey, cool Digimon," said Chibi-Taichi.
"Thanks," said Takato. "This is Guilmon. I designed him myself."
"Really? Cool! I designed V-dramon myself, too."
"But just call me 'Zero,'" said Zero.
"May I give my speech now?" said the older Taichi.
"Go ahead," answered Hongo-san.
"Takato," said Taichi, "ever since you became a Tamer, you have been part of the line of goggle-wearers who have always led the way to victory in the Digital World. You are the fourth to wear them. Chibi-Taichi was the first. In his adventure, which continues even to this day, he has no regular human companions. I was first designed as a copy of him, for another story. We were identical except for our partners and the fact that I was the leader of a team of eight Chosen Children. I won't go into the details of what we did, but afterwards, Chibi-Taichi and I were called here to pass the torch on to Daisuke."
"In our timeline," said Daisuke, "three years passed between my adventure and his. In our creator's, it was only a week. Anyway, the first time I went to the Digital World, Taichi gave me his goggles. I was in charge of a team of six, and we saved the Real and Digital worlds."
"And then," Taichi finished, "the three of us came here and passed the job on to you. We're curious to know how it went. Did you also save the worlds?"
"Yes," said Takato. "It started with just three of us - me, Makino Ruki and Lee Jenrya. As time went on, more and more of my friends became Tamers. In the end there were eight of us - ten counting Ai and Makoto, but we didn't meet them until it was all over. After I met Guilmon, Digimon started appearing in the real world, and the three of us had to stop them from causing trouble. When our other Digimon friend, Culumon, was kidnapped by Makuramon, we went into the Digital World to save him. Six of us went - me, Ruki, Jenrya, Juri, Hirokazu, and Kenta. Juri was already a Tamer to a Leomon, and Hirokazu and Kenta found Guardromon and MarineAngemon while we were there. We found Culumon in the end, and along the way, we met Akiyama Ryo and Cyberdramon, who helped us out a lot in our last battle. Oh, and Leomon was killed while we were fighting Beelzebumon, right befor Guilmon Matrix Evolved with me for the first time and we became Dukemon."
"What's Matrix Evolution like?" asked Daisuke.
"Like Jogress Evolution," said Takato, "only with a human instead of another Digimon. It was really cool."
"Did you get back home?" prompted Taichi.
"Yes," said Takato, "and we took Culumon with us. Oh, and we took Jenrya's sister, Shaochung, who had found her own way into the Digital World and met her partner, Lopmon. When we got home, we discovered that our true enemy, D-Reaper, had followed us. D-Reaper was a program designed to delete things that had gotten too big, but it had become so advanced that it almost destroyed both worlds. Ryo, Ruki, Jenrya and I destroyed it and saved Juri and Culumon from it."
"Good work," said Taichi. "You truly are one of us."
"That's right," said Hongo-san, "and because of that, we would like you to help us pass on the responsibility. Taichi, Daisuke, Chibi-Taichi, you know what to do."
The three of them and their Digimon stood in a line that extended out from the main computer, holding hands or, in Agumon and V-mon's case, holding their partners' legs. "Hey, Jyou," Taichi said suddenly, "what are you doing here, anyway?"
"We're on staff this year," said Jyou. "Or rather, our seiyuu are. Kikuchi-san is narrating and playing the role of Neemon."
"And Takeuchi-san is playing the part of the new goggleboy, Kanbara Takuya," Gomamon said proudly.
"Oh, I almost forgot that," said Hongo-san. "Gomamon, please join Takato and Guilmon at the end of the line."
"When the line was completed, V-mon was holding on to Gomamon, who was holding on to Guilmon, who was holding on to Takato, who was holding on to a handle built into the wall next to the keyboard. "Now," said Hongo-san, "please just relax. This won't take long. Computer! Start!"
An animation clip of four kids on a train appeared on the screen. The long chain of past goggle-wearers and Digimon began to glow orange. Takato felt their combined strength flowing through himself and the handle and into the new leader on the screen, but at the same time, he felt some indefinable thing go out of him, some sense of importance.
On the screen, the mobile phones held by the four children changed into what had to be the newest model of Digivice. A mysterious female voice said, "This is your Digivice. Welcome to the Digital World." Then the screen went blank and the orange glow disappeared.
"It is done," said Hongo-san. "Kanbara Takuya is the leader now."
"Good luck to him," sighed Takato. "Oh, man, I feel tired now."
"You need to rest. I'll send you and the others back to where you were."
"One question."
"Yes?"
"What happened to all those places I knew when I was the leader?"
"Like you, they have been discarded by their creators, so they too are out there in limbo somewhere. The challenge is to find them."
"Does that go for our world, too?" asked Daisuke.
"Yes," said Hongo-san. "Goodbye, minna-san."
"Goodbye," said Takato.
He was whisked back into the void in the same way he had left it. "I am part of something very special . . ." he remarked. "Oyasumi . . ."
He and Guilmon were asleep almost instantly.
Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)
Chapter 4: The Leaders
At yet another point in character limbo floated Matsuda Takato and Guilmon. Takato had appeared there right after discovering that the way to the Digital World was still open. It hadn't taken long for him to find Guilmon, but nothing had happened to them since then.
"I want bread," said Guilmon.
"I wouldn't say no to it myself," said Takato.
Your wish will be granted, said a mysterious voice. I summon you.
"Huh?" said Takato. "Who said that?"
In answer, an invisible force took hold of Takato and Guilmon and began to pull them forward. They moved faster and faster until they flew through a door and were set down on their feet.
The room they were in looked like an office, except with a really big, high-tech computer on one wall. Takato saw another kid like himself, four adults, and four other Digimon in the room.
"Matsuda Takato," said the man whose voice they had heard. "Welcome to my mind. My name is Hongo Akiyoshi. I brought you and your Digimon here for the third annual Ceremony of Succession."
"Who are you?" said Takato.
"I'm just a man who had a creative vision. Years ago, I began developing an idea I had. The idea was for a story about a child's adventures with creatures made from data - what are now called Digimon."
"But - Jenrya's dad -"
"I know. In the world you came from, he and his friends programmed Digimon. But, it was me and my friends who built that fiction-world and designed you and everyone you know. We're just people, really, from a separate world. You don't have to be afraid of us."
"That's right," said one of the other men, who had an Agumon for a partner. "Hongo-san is very powerful, but he's still a nice guy."
"I even have that bread for you," Hongo-san said. "It's over there on the table."
"Thank you!" said Takato. He and Guilmon went over to the table and - "Itadakimasu!" - began eating.
"So," said Takato when he had finished, "where exactly are we?"
"You're in my mind," said Hongo-san. "I can call you here because I'm one of your artistic creators. Your seiyuu can do it, too. Do you remember her? Ms. Tsumura?"
"Tsumura-san . . . she's real? I thought I was going crazy."
"No, she's real. The other people you see here have seiyuu, too. I'd like you to meet Kido Jyou, Motomiya Daisuke, Yagami Taichi, and Chibi-Taichi." Chibi-Taichi was the boy about Takato's age.
"Hi," said Takato.
"Hey, cool Digimon," said Chibi-Taichi.
"Thanks," said Takato. "This is Guilmon. I designed him myself."
"Really? Cool! I designed V-dramon myself, too."
"But just call me 'Zero,'" said Zero.
"May I give my speech now?" said the older Taichi.
"Go ahead," answered Hongo-san.
"Takato," said Taichi, "ever since you became a Tamer, you have been part of the line of goggle-wearers who have always led the way to victory in the Digital World. You are the fourth to wear them. Chibi-Taichi was the first. In his adventure, which continues even to this day, he has no regular human companions. I was first designed as a copy of him, for another story. We were identical except for our partners and the fact that I was the leader of a team of eight Chosen Children. I won't go into the details of what we did, but afterwards, Chibi-Taichi and I were called here to pass the torch on to Daisuke."
"In our timeline," said Daisuke, "three years passed between my adventure and his. In our creator's, it was only a week. Anyway, the first time I went to the Digital World, Taichi gave me his goggles. I was in charge of a team of six, and we saved the Real and Digital worlds."
"And then," Taichi finished, "the three of us came here and passed the job on to you. We're curious to know how it went. Did you also save the worlds?"
"Yes," said Takato. "It started with just three of us - me, Makino Ruki and Lee Jenrya. As time went on, more and more of my friends became Tamers. In the end there were eight of us - ten counting Ai and Makoto, but we didn't meet them until it was all over. After I met Guilmon, Digimon started appearing in the real world, and the three of us had to stop them from causing trouble. When our other Digimon friend, Culumon, was kidnapped by Makuramon, we went into the Digital World to save him. Six of us went - me, Ruki, Jenrya, Juri, Hirokazu, and Kenta. Juri was already a Tamer to a Leomon, and Hirokazu and Kenta found Guardromon and MarineAngemon while we were there. We found Culumon in the end, and along the way, we met Akiyama Ryo and Cyberdramon, who helped us out a lot in our last battle. Oh, and Leomon was killed while we were fighting Beelzebumon, right befor Guilmon Matrix Evolved with me for the first time and we became Dukemon."
"What's Matrix Evolution like?" asked Daisuke.
"Like Jogress Evolution," said Takato, "only with a human instead of another Digimon. It was really cool."
"Did you get back home?" prompted Taichi.
"Yes," said Takato, "and we took Culumon with us. Oh, and we took Jenrya's sister, Shaochung, who had found her own way into the Digital World and met her partner, Lopmon. When we got home, we discovered that our true enemy, D-Reaper, had followed us. D-Reaper was a program designed to delete things that had gotten too big, but it had become so advanced that it almost destroyed both worlds. Ryo, Ruki, Jenrya and I destroyed it and saved Juri and Culumon from it."
"Good work," said Taichi. "You truly are one of us."
"That's right," said Hongo-san, "and because of that, we would like you to help us pass on the responsibility. Taichi, Daisuke, Chibi-Taichi, you know what to do."
The three of them and their Digimon stood in a line that extended out from the main computer, holding hands or, in Agumon and V-mon's case, holding their partners' legs. "Hey, Jyou," Taichi said suddenly, "what are you doing here, anyway?"
"We're on staff this year," said Jyou. "Or rather, our seiyuu are. Kikuchi-san is narrating and playing the role of Neemon."
"And Takeuchi-san is playing the part of the new goggleboy, Kanbara Takuya," Gomamon said proudly.
"Oh, I almost forgot that," said Hongo-san. "Gomamon, please join Takato and Guilmon at the end of the line."
"When the line was completed, V-mon was holding on to Gomamon, who was holding on to Guilmon, who was holding on to Takato, who was holding on to a handle built into the wall next to the keyboard. "Now," said Hongo-san, "please just relax. This won't take long. Computer! Start!"
An animation clip of four kids on a train appeared on the screen. The long chain of past goggle-wearers and Digimon began to glow orange. Takato felt their combined strength flowing through himself and the handle and into the new leader on the screen, but at the same time, he felt some indefinable thing go out of him, some sense of importance.
On the screen, the mobile phones held by the four children changed into what had to be the newest model of Digivice. A mysterious female voice said, "This is your Digivice. Welcome to the Digital World." Then the screen went blank and the orange glow disappeared.
"It is done," said Hongo-san. "Kanbara Takuya is the leader now."
"Good luck to him," sighed Takato. "Oh, man, I feel tired now."
"You need to rest. I'll send you and the others back to where you were."
"One question."
"Yes?"
"What happened to all those places I knew when I was the leader?"
"Like you, they have been discarded by their creators, so they too are out there in limbo somewhere. The challenge is to find them."
"Does that go for our world, too?" asked Daisuke.
"Yes," said Hongo-san. "Goodbye, minna-san."
"Goodbye," said Takato.
He was whisked back into the void in the same way he had left it. "I am part of something very special . . ." he remarked. "Oyasumi . . ."
He and Guilmon were asleep almost instantly.
Disclaimer: All Digimon characters belong to Hongo Akiyoshi, Toei Animation, Bandai, and Sensation Animation. No money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)
