SILENT SORROW
Chapter 10
Of Passions and Sins
"However, I'll tell you that seeing you makes my thoughts flow easier, and my body's gravitational force seems to assault my sense with less insistence, and there are other changes I'm unable to identify. I imagine that what I feel most likely matches what you may feel when you are……pleased."
R. Daneel Olivaw, from Issac Asimov's book, "The Robots of Dawn" All rights reserved to their respective owners. Year 1983
It was, as usual, a quiet day at the A.D.A.M. room. And, as usual, the only person in the room was Gennai. That is, if we don't count the girl in the glass tube. Her eyes were closed, but Gabrielle was anything but asleep. Her mind was anywhere but in that hidden laboratory, as her soul was free of the binds of the human body as it roamed through the worlds at will. Where she is at the moment is none of our concern, though. Besides, she's probably just teasing good old DC.
As for Gennai, he was not paying attention to the young girl. Which is a good thing, or he would have noticed her occasional smiling and almost inaudible giggling. However, he was too busy studying certain information on his computer's screen, while at the same time he reflected on the most recent events.
So……Takato managed to escape………that's good, of course. Daemon must not acquire such power, even if the sheer amount of it would probably kill him. Daemon has always been nothing but a fool. But even a fool with power can be a dangerous nuisance.
With a quick motion, he pressed the 'Enter' button of his keyboard, and the screen changed.
But Takato's in the verge of death………it's a real shame. Gennai thought……and then he smiled. However, it is not much of an inconvenience. It will probably delay the original plan for a while, though. It will take time to prepare a new Vessel.
Gennai chuckled as he considered the new course the plan would take. However, it still kind of pained him. After all, Takato had been his greatest triumph. The result of years of research and failure condensed in that little room. A miracle of genetic engineering. But, no matter how unique and special Takato was, he wasn't irreplaceable.
Gennai looked up and behind the computer screen, at a dark corner of the immense room. There, five glass tubes, identical to the one Gabrielle was in, stood timidly, hiding their contents in the shadows. Gennai did know what was contained in the tubes from '1' to '5', of course.
The failures. The mistakes. The abominations he created before his first success, Takato Matsuki. Sometimes he wondered why he didn't just destroy them, instead of just hiding their repulsive bodies from him. Then, he remembered they were a reminder of the simple fact that mistakes were no longer a possibility. Not after making it so far.
Then, he looked at number '7', Gabrielle. She was absolutely perfect in every detail, except for the single detail that she was a she. A perfect Vessel of God, almost identical to the original Takato Matsuki, except for an extra 'X' chromosome where a 'Y' should have been. And, unfortunately for her, the plan strictly required the Vessel to be a male. Of course, he'd never dare to kill Takato's sister. She was a nice touch of beauty in the cold, dead lab.
Returning his gaze to the computer in front of him, he studied the latest data on his last 'spare' Takato. The very special number '8'. What made him so special was that he was pure. He had been directly "infused" in the womb of the female hostess, and there it had grown by itself until becoming a fetus, unlike the original Takato, who had needed a previously fecundated ovum before applying the DNA patch. In other words, the baby resulting from Takato number '8' only had the 'Vessel' DNA and the mother's DNA. There had been no need for a father. There had been no need for sexual intercourse. The woman could have easily been a virgin, and she would have still gotten pregnant.
Of course, Gennai had made sure the selected woman was not a virgin. That would have been abnormal, and it might have raised some suspicion from the Triad. He had chosen a sexually active single woman, with the capability to raise a child by herself, and with a firm rejection to abortion. He also made sure the woman was related to Digimon, so that the baby could grow under the proper stimulus.
He had chosen Mimi Tachikawa.
From then, it had been quite easy to 'inseminate' her with the 'Takato' DNA patch, and an improved Takato clone was on the way. Without the nuisance of a father's DNA to possibly alter the original structure, Mimi's child promised to be a much more stable Vessel.
Maybe Takato's death was a gift from God… Gennai thought with a cackle, given the irony of those words.
However, there was a problem.
Given that Takato was bound to die in no more than four days, Gennai couldn't afford to wait until Mimi gave birth to get the spare Vessel. He needed to prepare the new Vessel, ASAP. Unfortunately, that meant he would have to……extract the child from Tachikawa's womb, which had never been in his plans. He never thought he would have to do such horrible things. He knew he'd eventually have to separate the mother from the child, but not in THAT way.
Gennai sighed and exited the room. He had an abduction to prepare. If he had looked behind him, he'd have noticed Gabrielle's eyes fixed on him as he left the laboratory.
And he might have wondered why they looked so sad.
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No matter where he 'looked', he'd only find darkness. That was, of course, because of his subconscious' absolute lack of furniture. He also knew that he could adorn the physically inexistent place in any way he desired, just like Infinity. Such is the power of imagination. However, Takeru wasn't one for decoration, and it wasn't really necessary, anyway.
Hence, considering that there was nothing better to look at, he fixed his gaze on Pauline. She was tightly cuddled against him, embracing him as her most valuable possession. Considering that she was only wearing lingerie, the only reason Takeru hadn't had a nosebleed was because he was only a mental image of his true self. He was blushing like mad, though.
"Is this right?" He asked to himself, just loud enough for him to hear. He wondered if it was right to feel the way he felt at that precise moment. After a deep introspection, he realized he wasn't interested in women or marriage or having a family or any other stuff other humans would consider 'normal'. He realized he had stopped being a 'normal' human a long time ago. He was an outcast. He tried picturing himself in ten or fifteen years, and he only saw two things……
………Patamon………and Pauline.
The 'woman' had her eyes closed, but Takeru knew she wasn't sleeping, because Omnivice Traits don't sleep. They just go into 'Idle Mode', a way to preserve energy when the Tamer was running out of it. Takeru guessed Ruki had been spending most of her time in Idle Mode lately.
He carefully slid his right hand on Pauline's left cheek, feeling her delicate skin, white as milk. Pauline purred in absolute bliss. Was it that everything he did make her happy?
Pauline had been very explicit when she said that her falling in love with him wasn't a by-product of her original algorithm. She was created to learn, and she had 'learned' that she found 'pleasure' in giving him pleasure, in a higher level to what he had programmed her to. At the same time, she told him that she experienced 'pleasure' when he was affectionate to her.
And then she had told him that she had already experienced two 'orgasms'.
Of course, he hadn't believed it when she told him that. Heck, HE hadn't had an orgasm yet, other than in his dreams, and he couldn't control that, of course. But she had told him that she had experienced a chain of reactions in her circuits that she could only describe as sexual ecstasy. Twice! Once when he caressed her cheek, and once again when he kissed her, the day they met Daemon in the Digital World. Then, he understood why she had been so insistent in his 'not finishing the job' that day. He had had no idea she had been THAT turned on. Takeru realized he had made Pauline extremely sensitive.
It made him wonder what would happen if they actually had sex.
"It would kill her." Takeru muttered with a naughty grin.
But then, he switched to more serious matters, like just how advanced the Artificial Intelligence he had designed was. He feared to admit that he had gone much farther than he had expected when he began his initial AI theory: physiology and psychology in terms of mathematics. He started with studying and reestablishing a whole theory for the comprehension of neuronal physiology and the electrochemistry of the human brain, to understand, to translate, each and every one of the many electrical patterns that represented a certain action, reaction, emotion or thought. To accomplish that, he had to go even further, to the level of creating a whole new theory based in nuclear and quark interactions, fusing anatomy, electromagnetic theory, biochemistry, physiology, biophysics and quantum physics in one whole new science. Takeru created the new psychology, in the strictest mathematic level. Once the individual was generalized in a series of theorems, equations and mathematic axioms, Takeru added the principles of statistics to create a mathematical theory of sociology.
It took him eight years of endless work. It was the only thing he had done since the day he, Patamon and Goddramon became the 'Triad'. He had been praised by the Dragon God several times already for starting such a magnanimous job at the age of fourteen, and finishing it at the age of twenty-two. And it helped him discover the intelligence he hadn't known he had. Koushiro had taken computer science to a whole new level, and Joe had made Digimon Medicine a science, but he, Takeru Takasishi, had removed the veil on the greatest mystery of all……to a certain level. Because, after all, he had not done everything that was to be done about the human mind. The Omnivice Traits didn't have 100% human personalities, and the Event Matrix didn't have 100% percent accuracy. He doubted it would ever reach that level. But he had done his part, so he'd leave the rest to the next generations.
Of course, his Pauline and Takato's Ruki were the greatest results of those eight years. Fully functional AI units capable of experiencing emotions to a level never imagined by engineers and computer programmers before. They were artificial life………not very different from Takato in that matter.
Once again, Takato. The young Tamer didn't leave Takeru's mind. The idea of 'the good of humanity is more important than an individual's good' was the only thing that helped Takeru endure the pain of being a part of Takato's death. He felt as if he had killed the OmniTamer with his own hands. And so, he began wondering, as he had done several times before, if humanity was really worth all the sacrifices.
"Humans are stupid………myself included."
That was pretty much Takeru's trail of thought. After all, humans are the only creatures who do not establish a balance with the environment around them. Humans simply……consume, throwing their planet to waste. Throwing their lives away, not understanding just how valuable each one is. Humans have no remorse and don't even doubt before killing another creature, or even one of their own. They consume themselves in selfish fantasies of power and domination, in hatred and anguish, using symbols to establish control, symbols like religion or money.
Was it really worth saving lives their owners not even appreciate? Were they really worth the life of a person who DID value his existence?
Why did Takato have to die to save universes consumed by the human pestilence?
Takeru looked down again. He looked at Pauline, an irony in the chain of thought he had just followed. While humans didn't appreciate the joys of life and the blessings of God, destroying life and infecting the dimensions with hatred and despair; Takeru was looking at an artificial life form who would do ANYTHING to be a human being. Why did life have to be so unfair?
However, if there was someone who wanted to be a human, it was because being human has its good things. Most of them are taken as granted, of course. That was the conclusion Takeru reached. There had to be people who understood the value of the life Pauline wanted so badly.
Then, as long as Pauline reminded him of the good things of humanity, Takeru would fight.
With a smile of satisfaction, Takeru cupped Pauline's face with his right hand.
"You are my reason." He said calmly. This time, the voice was loud enough to make the woman react.
"Huh?" Pauline muttered lazily. Then, she recognized the man facing her a mere inch away and smiled. "What is it, Takeru?" She asked.
Takeru's lovingly expression didn't change as he pressed his lips against Pauline's. The blonde woman would have asked why the sudden display of affection, but she was too entranced by the kiss to do anything else but kissing back.
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Ken tapped his foot impatiently. Takeru had asked him and Yolei to join him outside the house to talk. Takeru had placed three metallic chairs under a tall tree, and had politely asked the couple to sit. While Takeru sat on the remaining chair, Ken couldn't help but notice that the chairs were designed to be as less comfortable as possible. With a slight shudder, he realized these chairs reminded him of the ones he used to interrogate suspected criminals at the police station.
Was that what Takeru was going to do? Would he attack them with a barrage of questions?
So far, the Ichijoujis had done nothing but wait patiently until Takeru decided to speak. But Takeru didn't seem to be in a hurry. He just sat there, with his eyes closed, seemingly busy with an inner conversation. His right hand rested on his lap while his left hand was placed on the emerald-colored artifact on his right arm.
So……what are you gonna do now, Takeru?
Just……talk. I want to do some catching up, while discussing certain……private things with some of them. They'll have to confront their truths and their fears before we start the fighting.
……I guess you'll want to have some alone time with Hikari, huh?
Pauline…………I……I'll have to face her sooner or later. I just hope I can count with your support. I don't think I could do this alone.
Takeru could almost see Pauline's smile as she heard those words. ……I'll be in Idle Mode. Call me if you need me.
Alright………sleep well, my dear.
Ah……um……thanks………
Takeru's lips curved in a little smile. Isn't she cute?
Then, he cleared his throat and faced the couple in front of him.
"So……"
"About time." Ken muttered. Takeru smiled in response.
"I apologize. I just needed to organize my thoughts."
"Okay. So, what do you want?" Ken retorted, and Takeru fell silent for a second, his smile not leaving his face. He knew he'd be facing some hostility after the way he had treated them, but he still believed that he was doing the right thing.
"Well, Ken, Yolei, I don't really have much to discuss with the two of you. You've been married for, how long, five years?"
The couple nodded.
"A shame I couldn't attend the wedding. Unfortunately, it was precisely around that time when I finished my Emerald Omnivice, so you could guess I was a little busy with the activation and everything. Besides, without an invitation, I guess I wouldn't have made it to the wedding party."
No response, but Ken and Yolei eyed each other with smiles and blushes on their faces. Takeru smiled, too. He was slowly calming their moods.
"But I can tell you're very happy together. That's very good, and I couldn't feel happier for you. With a good five-year delay, congratulations."
The couple smiled at the blonde Tamer, who smiled back, mentally patting himself on the back for a job well done. That had been easy, mostly due to the fact that he specialized in the human brain. It is fairly obvious he knows how to get on the good side of people.
"And you have a lovely baby girl. How old is she?"
"Fifteen months." Yolei said. By the way she was beaming, Takeru deduced that he had reached Yolei's favorite topic of conversation.
"Already? It feels like yesterday when I received the news of your baby's birth. I would have sent her a gift, but I preferred to keep myself undercover during that time. I take it Miyuki-chan is fine and healthy."
Both parents nodded happily.
"Where's she, anyway?"
"Sora's taking care of her." Yolei replied. Takeru nodded and his face changed to a more serious expression.
"But, really, Yolei, regardless of your maternal desire to keep her close, this is not the place for her."
Yolei frowned and stared at the blonde for a few seconds………only to sigh in defeat. "Are we really going to do this?"
"Yes, Yolei, and you better go with your daughter and enjoy your last minutes with her because as soon as I'm done with Ken you two will return to Odaiba to make the necessary arrangements. Someone else will have to take care of her while the two of you stay here."
"I……I guess my parents can take care of her." Yolei concluded. With uneasy steps, she exited the room, leaving two men to talk freely.
"So………Daemon."
"Yes, Ken, Daemon. I know this is hard to you but……what is it?" Takeru asked when he noticed Ken was chuckling.
"Not really……I hadn't thought about Daemon in years. During the first years after MaloMyotismon I wondered if Daemon could return to the Real World, but I dismissed the idea, as I thought we could be able to take him, especially after Armagemon, you know. I guess this is what we get for ignoring him. After all, he promised he'd return. Just how stronger has he gotten, Takeru?"
"Much stronger, Ken. His power almost rivals Millenniumon's."
Ken didn't reply, but Takeru could feel the inner turmoil within the former Child of Kindness.
"Ryo says hello, and congratulations for your wedding."
"Ryo!? Did you…?"
"Yes, he's in his home at the southern quadrant. He's fighting Daemon."
"How is he?"
"Exactly as the last time we saw him. It's kind of funny, that it's been almost been twenty years since we met Ryo and he doesn't seem to have aged more than two or three years. He looks sixteen, and I might be exaggerating."
"Really? Was it…?"
"Yeah, I guess Millenniumon had something to do with it, but his Crest did most of the job."
"His CREST!?"
"Yeah……long story. I'll have to tell it eventually, but when we have more time."
"I hope so. There are many things you have to tell us."
Takeru sighed. "Yeah, I guess. You must want to know how I have spent these last fourteen years."
Ken nodded. "Just what's going on, Takeru? I can tell something of great importance is about to happen, and it feels weird to be out of it."
"You're not out of it, Ken. Neither of us is. In fact, we're all so in it that we'll be begging to get out once it swallows us. What began nineteen years ago……no, that's not when it began."
Takeru looked down, avoiding Ken's gaze. "We're reaching the climax of something which has been prepared since the very beginning of the universes. God is dying, Ken, and the events of these next years will decide if the new God will be one of harmony or one of dissonance."
Ken shook his head. "I wish I understood better."
"All in due time, Ken. I'm not very sure, but I think the two of us play a big role in whatever is going to happen. In due time, we'll understand. It's no longer good Digimon V.S. Evil Digimon, that's for sure. This is about the meaning of existence, and it affects every single living thing, organic or digital."
"This is all so complicated."
"Then we should call it a day. Go with your wife and make sure everything is okay with your baby girl. Remember you have only two hours, and I won't accept any delays."
"Yes sir." Ken replied with a content smile.
"Please tell Davis that he's next."
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Takeru sighed and emptied the glass of water he held with his right hand. After watching Ken and Yolei leave the Digital World (with the blind certainty that they would come back) and moving back inside the house, to an empty room Gennai had prepared for him, Takeru proceeded to continue with his interviews. He had already taken care of Davis and Joe, and they hadn't been much of a problem. Davis was a little hostile at the beginning, but in the end just accepted the facts in resignation. Veemon had been a great help. The little blue lizard was the only bond that still linked Davis with his past, when he was the fearless leader of the Digi-Destined. As for Joe, Takeru was surprised to see how calmly the oldest Chosen had taken the situation. Glad that Joe had finally grown a backbone (or realizing that such backbone had always been there to begin with), Takeru simply told Joe that he expected him to give everything he had for the upcoming battles.
Then, it had been Cody's turn. The youngest Digi-Destined hadn't even waited to sit down before stating that he was not going to fight Daemon. Without any other choice, Takeru was forced to admit that Cody wasn't allowed to return to Odaiba until the Daemon threat was over. It was necessary to keep Daemon's troops away from the Real World at any cost.
Somewhere between the tears and the curses, Cody Hida agreed to fight one last time. Just as he exited the bedroom, Takeru made a mental note to himself to look after the youngest Chosen. It was obvious that the one of Knowledge and Reliability wouldn't be at his best for the upcoming battle, and Takeru didn't want to take any risks.
After a long sigh and another glass of water, Takeru summoned Izzy to the room.
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What now?
DC shifted uncomfortably on his bed, as he reconsidered the latest events. Of course, his life had returned to normal after his return from the Dark Ocean. Of course, he had managed to get rid of his family's questioning with the lamest excuse (somehow he still didn't believe it). He had returned to his bedroom and his usual leisure. Almost as if the battle in the Dark Ocean had never happened.
But it had happened, and the Opal Omnivice on his right arm was the constant reminder, and the source of all the questions which now haunted the young man's troubled mind.
What now?
BlackTerriermon shifted positions, snoring loudly. DC always admired his Digimon's ability to just fall asleep whenever he had nothing better to do. Sometimes he was even a little envious. Not so much lately, because since the moment he received the Omnivice, sleeping became as tiring as being wide awake. It's the price to pay for such a wonderful gift: the permanent loss of energy, which must be supplied, in DC's case, by a considerable increase of his daily food supply. We wished it were that easy with Takato.
Anyway, the Omnivice wasn't the only little 'extra' he got from his Dark Ocean adventure.
…………Gabrielle?
It didn't take long for the girl to respond.
Hey there. What's the problem?
The Tamer closed his eyes, allowing the Omnivice to activate the connection with his subconscious. It took less time with practice, and he was getting used to the different interfaces the ultimate Digivice allowed. Next thing he saw was Gabrielle's smiling face, with her big almond eyes like two shiny stones in a sea of white skin. Her long white dress, which seemed like taken from a fairy tale, accentuated the color of her eyes and hair. Once again, DC failed to notice the similarity between Gabrielle and our favorite Gogglehead.
"What makes you think there's a problem?"
"It's the first time you actually call me, honey."
Gabrielle failed to notice the way DC's left eye twitched at that last word. She simply walked the few feet that separated them and wrapped the Tamer in a light hug.
"You can tell me everything, my dear." She whispered sweetly to the Tamer's left ear. For a few seconds, DC wondered if there was actually something to say.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."
"Why do you think you have to do something else? You did what Takeru asked you to do, right?"
DC closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Unconsciously, his left hand rested on Gabrielle's hair, and the girl sighed in content.
"I……I feel incomplete. I mean, I feel there's something I have to do. I believe……I have something to do with everything that's happening……or at least, I want to believe it. I don't want to feel worthless."
"……………"
"I hate being worthless."
"You're not worthless. You didn't get this Omnivice for nothing, right?"
"Precisely! What did I get this thing for if I'm not going to use it!? Who knows what's going on at the Southern Quadrant, and I'm here wasting my time!?"
Gabrielle playfully patted DC's left cheek. "Smart boy. I guess it's time I give you your first lesson."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"You must be told the truth about what's going on. You do want to know, right?"
"YES!"
As soon as DC said those words, the scenery changed around them. The Tamer's subconscious, when he had his conversations with Gabrielle, was usually empty, and they were always surrounded with darkness and certain crimson shades. However, DC was know imprisoned in absolute darkness. Gabrielle was nowhere to be seen.
"H-hey! What's going on?"
Suddenly, Gabrielle's voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It was as if the darkness were speaking with the girl's voice.
"At the beginning, there was nothing, and the essence of God, the Higher Entity, rested in the absolute darkness."
"What?"
"However, the Higher Entity was unity and duality at the same time. Different sides of the same coin, completing each other in an amalgam of perfection. Two pieces of one same existence, they came to be known as Balance and Chaos. Balance decided that it was unfair for them to be the only existences, just for their perfection. 'Let there be light', he said."
And then, there was light, the most magnificent display of white light ever witnessed. DC had to cover his eyes before his retinas disintegrated with the power of such luminescence. When he felt the light was gone, he opened his eyes.
Stars! Millions of them! Trapped in an illusion of the primitive universe, DC watched in awe a fast forward version of the creation of everything.
"Chaos found the idea quite enjoyable, as matter was nothing to him but more material for his mischief. In the end, Balance and Chaos fought for control of the Universes. Balance was the winner, and Chaos was forced to retreat to land beyond space and time. The absolute limbo. And at the beginning, everything was good. Galaxies, stars and planets were formed, and in a certain planet named Earth, the miracle of life took place."
"Along with the Universes, Balance created an army of loyal souls, granted with the responsibility of looking after the Universes and the life growing in them. And so, ten Angelic armies were created, each one under the command of an Archangel. And even then, everything was good."
The scenery changed to a hidden valley in the middle of a mountain range. It would have been a normal scene, except for the fact that the sky was blood red, and black clouds were gathering from afar.
"But Chaos grew envious of Balance's work, and mimicking his counterpart's actions, created ten Demonic armies under the command of ten Archdemons. And so, the armies of Balance and Chaos engaged war, in the sacred valley of Megiddo. This brought only sadness to Balance, who always wanted Chaos to return to the correct ways, so that everything could be perfect. It was then, as Balance shed tears for the fate of the Archangels, that a great discovery was made."
"As Balance looked at the Archangels and the Archdemons, it became quite noticeable that there was no difference between them. In the end, angels, demons and humans were only different aspects of the same being, just like Balance and Chaos are, in fact, the same."
"In the end, both armies retreated, leaving the Universes alone. Balance decided that not interfering was for the best. But Balance left two symbols of the divine power: the tree of knowledge, Yggdrasil, and the tree of life, Sephiroth. Humans were allowed to live free for eternity, under the condition that the two trees were left untouched. And, for a while, everything was good."
"But Chaos, still corrupted by envy and greed, tried to take mankind to the wrong path. First, he sent to Adam, the first man, a false gift: the mistress of demons, Lilith. And Adam and Lilith became husband and wife. Lilith tried to make Adam break his promise to Balance, but Balance found out and took Lilith away, nailing her to a cross in the depths of the ocean, where she would never be free again. Then, he gave Adam a new wife, Eve."
"And so, Chaos sent his most loyal Archdemon, Satan, to lure Adam into eating the fruit of the divine trees. Satan succeeded where Lilith failed, and Adam stained humanity with the stigma of sin. Punished by Balance, humans were forced to live short and miserable lives. The grace of Balance was lost, and so were Yggdrasil and Sephiroth. Only ten seeds were left, and each was given to one Archangel."
At last, the space scene disappeared, and DC felt the contact of the "ground" again. And, once again, Gabrielle was in front of him, her permanent smile never leaving her face. DC was, in lack of a better word, puzzled.
"Umm……nice story, but……how the heck does that answer my question!?"
Gabrielle chuckled. "History is repeating itself. This time, however, the events are being forced by an external source, who is manipulating the outcomes to its benefit."
"External Source? Who?"
"I wished I knew."
DC sighed. "What do you mean by 'history repeating'?"
"Chaos has the habit of taking a mortal form every once in a while to wreak some havoc in the universes. Most of the unfortunate events in humanity's history are in some way Chaos' fault. However, this time, the External Source has provoked the incarnation of Chaos, by creating a perfect body for it."
"A perfect body?"
"Do you know Gennai?"
"That guy who helps the Digi-Destined? Sure!"
"It seems that the External Source has somehow acquired the base algorithm for the Digital Guardians, and has created an exact copy of the original Gennai. Under the External Source's orders, this fake Gennai has completed Project Asmodeus, which was a concept first thought by the Triad and the real Gennai to control the hazardous power of Chaos. However, the real Gennai never completed the project, due to the severe ethical implications of creating a body and a soul."
"So you're saying that this fake Gennai doesn't give a damn about ethics, so he finished this Asmodeus thing, right?"
"Exactly. And what he intends to accomplish with it is still unknown. The problem is, one of the Vessels, the products of Project Asmodeus, is already in the Southern Quadrant, where he was supposed to be raised as a normal child, to wait until the moment his power became necessary. Unfortunately, due to his early experiences with Digimon and becoming a Digimon Tamer, he has become aware that he is, indeed, the living incarnation of Chaos, one of the two essences of the duality of God."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you saying that this Vessel is a Tamer!?"
"Indeed. The Vessel of God is none other that Takato Matsuki."
"WHAT!?"
"It only gets worse."
"No kidding."
"The design for the Vessel of God is imperfect. At the moment of Chaos' invasion of Takato's body, the divine essence of Chaos was forced to split into two. One of the halves mixed with the innate personality imbedded in the body by the design and the parents' DNA. That personality is the Takato we usually know. The other half has all the characteristics of the original Chaos, only with a considerable power loss. This personality takes control when Takato experiences extreme feelings of anger or despair. However, the two personalities are permanently struggling for control of the body, which is causing Takato to steadily weaken. Given the fact that it's impossible to fuse the two parts of Chaos in an imperfect body, it's a matter of time before Takato dies."
DC hadn't noticed that Gabrielle's voice had been slowly weakening as she spoke. On one side, the Tamer's shock as he received such insane amount of unhappy news. On the other side, a girl who silently cried for her brother.
I wished there was another way……but be certain that it's all for a greater good, Takato.
"Daemon's intention is draining Takato's divine power for himself." Gabrielle finished.
"Then what are we doing here!? We have to go help!"
"I don't think you'd make too much of a difference."
"Gee, thank you."
"You're welcome, honey. Anyway, I think you have something even more important to do."
"Oh, really? And what would that be?"
"To learn. You're a child in the middle of a complex world. Without a full grasping of the truth, you won't be able to help in the most decisive moments. So we're going on a trip. How does that sound?"
"Neat. But……you do remember I have a family, right?"
"It might be better if you leave them for a while. Believe me; you don't want them involved in what's going to take place in a few years."
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Like a hamster in a cage. That's how Henry felt in that moment.
Hidden within the forest areas a few miles away from Tokyo, Yamaki and the Hypnos crew had prepared a secret shelter for those involved in the battle against Daemon. He knew it was the only thing they could do until the wounds were healed and the morale raised again, but it still sucked.
Terriermon was sleeping. He needed a good rest, as he had drained all of his energy in the last battle. Impmon was eating as if there were no tomorrow, which made Yamaki worry about the supposedly limitless food supplies they had at the shelter. Henry chuckled at the thought. After all, Guilmon hadn't woken up yet. That was when Yamaki should worry.
Henry was worried about a completely different thing. It had to do with Guilmon, though.
He knew the first thing the red reptile Digimon would ask would be the whereabouts of his Tamer. What was he supposed to say? That Takato left to the Digital World to find a place where to die peacefully?
Takato………everything started with you……it seems everything will end with you, too.
Henry had no hope. After witnessing the incredible power Daemon wielded, and how they had been helpless against the Demon Lord's fury, he knew there was no way they could beat him, especially now that the two strongest Tamers were gone. How were they supposed to win against such a formidable opponent? What was he supposed to do?
Yes, he. With Takato and Rika gone, he was the leader. Not Ryo, but he. Henry Wong. Everyone from Hypnos now looked at him, as if they somehow waited for him to gather his comrades and depart to battle and defeat this new threat, just like they had done against D-Reaper and the Nightmare.
What do they want me to do!? I can't make miracles! I'm not Takato, dammit!
SLAM!
Henry's right fist threatened to crack from the impact against the nearest wall. He didn't feel it. Pain wasn't there anymore, as he was about to do something he hadn't done in quite a long time.
I'm not going to cry… I'm not going to cry… I'm not going to cry… I'm not going to cry………
"Henry?"
In a second, the tears disappeared and Henry's best fake smile flashed in front of an utterly surprised Jeri Katou.
"What is it?"
Oh, no, Henry Wong was so not going to cry in front of one of the Tamers. If he looked defeated in front of the others, what could be expected from them? Henry wondered if Takato went through feelings similar to his during his "fearless leader" times.
"Terriermon seems to have woken up. He asked me to get you."
"Take care of Jeri……for me. Please. She's……like a sister to me."
Takato's words reached his mind in that precise moment. Henry sighed in defeat. He had to fight Daemon, even if it was a losing battle. He had a promise to keep, and he wasn't into not listening to the last wishes of a dying person, especially with that person being the best friend he had ever had.
"I see. Thank you, Jeri."
Henry walked by Jeri's side and took the opposite direction.
"Henry?"
The brunette stopped, but didn't bother to look at the girl.
"Are you ok? I mean, you were there when the building exploded, and……"
Henry's fist clenched. "I'm okay. Pegasusmon and Rapidmon got in the way of the flames before they reached me. Beelzemon took me out of the building before it exploded. Thanks for the concern."
He was about to walk again when another question interrupted him. "Do you think Takeru got out in time?"
Henry replied with the best answer he could think of.
"I hope so."
He hurriedly walked away before Jeri could ask him anything else. And she was going to, that's for sure. Jeri simply stared at the boy's back, and then at the emptiness when he walked out of her eyes' reach.
"Henry…………are you really okay?"
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"And that's pretty much the whole thing."
Just like Gabrielle had been explaining the history of Project Asmodeus to her "Master", Takeru had just revealed as much of the truth he understood to a certain Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi.
"………whoa."
"What happened to 'prodigious'?"
"My mind's not working right now, Takeru. That's one hell of a story."
"Yeah. I wished it was just a story, though. So…any other comments?"
"I wished I could have met that Matsuki boy."
Takeru smiled. "Yeah………he changes your life just by being with you. He's……wonderful, in lack of a better word."
"And about that Prophecy……do you think I could look at it? I do have experience in that sort of stuff, you know."
"Maybe after we're done with this crisis……if we make it out of it alive, that is."
"So optimistic………"
"Sorry."
Koushiro looked away. "It's okay, I guess."
A minute of silence, in which Takeru waited patiently, watching as Izzy paced around the room.
"I can tell………you've been very busy all these years, Takeru."
A quiet chuckle, and Takeru replied. "Yeah, pretty much. I spent most of the time working on the Omnivice, though. It was worth it."
"Yeah." Koushiro said with a smile, and his eyes fixed on the artifact on Takeru's right arm. "It's truly an amazing creation. And you made a very original design, too."
"Thanks."
"Do you think……?"
"No, you can't get one."
"Aww, bummer."
"Sorry, but it's not like I can go giving Omnivices to anyone."
"I guess so. Well, it was worth a try."
"Okay, now, going back to the original topic, can I count with you?"
"You know you can."
"Thank you, Koushiro. I just wish it were so easy with the others."
Izzy shrugged in response. "You can't blame them."
"I guess not. Anyway, I'd like you to escort Mimi back to Odaiba once I'm done talking to her. I'm not forcing her to stay."
Izzy nodded. "I agree. Ken's and Yolei's baby is one thing, but Mimi is a completely different case. But what if she wants to stay?"
"I doubt it. I'll ask her when I talk to her, just in case. You might have a point."
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Henry stared right ahead of him, his tired eyes on the large body on the cold floor. There was no sign of life coming from it, except for the labored breathing that escaped its wide nostrils and the slow and steady up an down movement of its body as its lungs filled with air and then exhaled. Only Henry could see the truth behind the sight before him.
Guilmon wasn't going to wake up anytime soon.
Right behind the young boy, and oblivious to him, Jeri Katou silently watched his actions, or better said; his lack of them. She sadly looked at the boy she secretly loved, holding back the desire to just walk the few steps that separated them and wrap her arms around him. His pain had become her own, but what she felt was nothing near the confusion dwelling within the male Tamer's mind.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Henry whispered. His body let go of itself and Henry fell right next to the immense rookie Digimon.
"I know what they want me to do………they want me to just jump to the front line and take my friends to battle, as if we were soldiers willing to die for our country. Besides, they think it's so easy……that in the end, Daemon will be defeated, just like D-Reaper and the Nightmare."
The sound of Henry's fist crashing against the floor covered Jeri's gasp.
"Of course! If the kids do it, it's because it's easy, right?" Henry's angry shout caused yet another gasp to come out of the girl's mouth. Once again, it was drowned by Henry's words and quiet sobs.
"I can't do this………I'm not………him…………"
A few seconds of silence, and then, the explosion.
"I'm not Takato!!!" He shouted in a burst of frustration and bitter tears.
Henry simply cried quietly, standing on his knees, right next to Guilmon, who didn't seem to react to the Tamer's outburst. It made things even worse for the brunette, while the silence finished the job of destroying what was left of his strength.
And then, slowly, carefully, delicately, silently showing her desire and her fear, Jeri Katou placed her right hand on his right shoulder. Henry's body immediately stiffened and his sobs reached an abrupt end. They both waited for a while, the boy expecting the girl's reaction to his unwilling demonstration, the girl waiting for the boy to accept her presence.
At last, the girl spoke.
"We……are not asking you to be him. We're not asking you for something that is clearly impossible."
She fell down to her knees, right behind him. She could feel her heart's pace increasing. There was no way she could know that Henry was going through a similar reaction.
"We don't need another Takato………the one we need……the one I need………is you. Only you."
Guilmon shifted his body for a more comfortable sleep. Other than that, there wouldn't be any more movement or sound in that cold, gray room for several minutes. There were just one boy, one girl and one Digimon, existing……barely.
And in that moment, that was everything they wanted……everything they needed.
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Takeru watched silently as Mimi Tachikawa entered the room, made her way to a chair and shifted her body until she found a relatively comfortable position. It took her an abnormally large amount of time, but Takeru forgave her, given the fact of her pregnancy. Besides, it gave him more than enough time to check her out. Not in the "whoa, hot chick" way, I may explain. However, Takeru had to admit that, ignoring the fact that she looked really……big with that baby growing inside her, Mimi was still a very beautiful woman. And so, the blonde Tamer didn't move his eyes off her lovely face until she seemed ready for the interview.
However, Takeru wasn't really looking forward to that precise interview. He would have preferred to save it for last, but it was her or Kari, and the Chosen of Light won in the coin toss. The Kamiya girl was going last. But he was facing Mimi right now, not Kari, and that meant he was going to deal with pretty heavy stuff. So, Takeru cleared his throat and began what promised to become a difficult argument.
"So……Mimi………hi."
"Smooth start, sweetheart."
Takeru felt a shiver down his spine at that last word. He thanked God and his Vessel, Takato Matsuki, for Pauline's being in idle mode in that precise moment.
"I…well……oh, come on, why am I acting like this!?"
"Maybe because you find it difficult to speak to a famous and incredibly gorgeous woman like me." Mimi quickly replied as she flashed a sexy pose which would have looked excellent if it weren't for her current appearance.
"Oh, geez, you're just a cook and you look like a cow."
"Well, at least you're making full sentences now."
"I can't believe this is happening."
"Hey, you were the one who insulted me!"
Takeru's right eye twitched in response, and Mimi laughed in delight. Takeru joined her a few seconds later.
"There's no better way to start something than with a good laugh."
"Amen, sister." Takeru replied before narrowing his eyes and looking at Mimi's womb.
"How's the baby?"
"Oh, he's growing just fine! Still a few months to go, but I'm A-Ok! Just a little advice: don't mess with me during the early mornings. I'm just not in a good mood."
"Advice taken." Takeru said as he flashed Mimi a quick smile. "Have you thought of any names?"
"A little. I already know that it's a boy, but I haven't really given it much thought. I have some ideas, though."
"Oh, whatever. And now, Mimi, on a more serious topic, still no father?"
"No, I'm not planning to get married anytime soon. Unless you have something to tell me, that is……"
"Very funny, Mimi."
"Well, can't say I didn't try……"
Sorry, Mimi, already taken………I think.
"What I really meant was, well……you still ignore the father's identity?"
"I still don't know, and I still don't care. I can, and I plan to raise him on my own, you know." Mimi said in a stubborn tone of voice, crossing her arms to express false indignation. Takeru simply sighed.
"I am most certain that you are fully capable of raising a child on your own, Mimi. But, time will pass, and the boy will start making questions. How will you answer him when he asks for his father? Because 'I don't know' is not really a good answer……"
"Well, what do you want me to do!?" Mimi finally snapped. "I have no idea who could have been! Keep this a secret, but I haven't had sex in months! Do you know how hard it is to find a guy who's not after my money or just going for the looks!?"
"I don't know; but given the fact that I have a fully detail report of your incomes, and the fact that I still consider you as one of the most beautiful women I've ever had the pleasure to meet; I can tell."
"Well, thanks for the compliment, but how come you have a report of……?"
"Don't ask. But really, Mimi, have you really been 'clean' that long? Are you sure you haven't had a little 'escapade' during one of those lonely nights, or maybe…?"
"Takeru! I can't believe you!"
"Or maybe a one-night affair, or………"
"Knock it off!"
Takeru sighed. It was enough fooling around. It was time to get serious. And God knew he was going to hate it.
"Mimi."
"What!?"
"I'm gonna be completely direct with this, and I'll only accept a yes or a no. No going around things anymore. I apologize in advance for my rudeness."
"Wha…….Takeru, what's the problem……?"
Takeru took air……lots of it………and shot.
"Please, Mimi, I need to know if my brother is or is not the father of that baby."
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End of chapter 10……
Author's Notes: Whoa! At last! Chapter 10 is done. Not the best chapter, though. However, I'm definitely not rechecking this thing. I'm sick of this chapter. I only wrote it because I needed it, but I would have been much happier if I hadn't had to write it. In fact, every chapter before Concerto of Despair is gonna be a royal pain in the rear. The reason? I just have so much trouble writing a Tamers chapter without Takato. And now without Takato and Rika? Geez, I want to die. Oh well, I got myself into this, might as well finish it quickly.
As for this chapter's delay, well, let's just say that a lot and I mean A LOT of stuff is happening around me right now. That, added to the fact that I'm incredibly sick and my computer is refusing to work properly, makes one divine mess. I hope I can return to a steady writing flow from now on.
(The Biggest Dreamer starts playing)
Next Chapter: While Henry and the Tamers prepare the defense of Shinjuku and pretty much the rest of Tokyo, Takeru continues his dialogues with the former Digi-Destined. The most intense conversations come when he has to face Mimi, Matt, Sora and Kari in what becomes an amalgam of feelings and conflicting points of view. Will the group be ready when the invading force finally arrives? Things only get worse when a disaster takes place, a disaster concerning one of the group members. At the same time, in the real world, DC is getting ready to leave to a new adventure. Will things go steady for him? With BlackTerriermon and Gabrielle by his side, probably not! Lots of stuff in the new episode, from Angels to Taichi Kamiya. Just wait for the next chapter of "Silent Sorrow": Spiral of Judgement
Daneel Rush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)
