Reality Redux
By ArchangelUK & Digicowboy

AAUK: Next chapter huh?
DC: Yep, on your marks, get setdisclaimer. I did own Digimon once, but the small blue mice made me give it to the Japanese. Really.

Chapter 2: More Than You Thought...

Suddenly, a burst of static flared across his computer screen, and the lights in his room went out. AAUK cursed. The bulb had blown. He glanced at his PC. It was still on, so there hadn't been a powercut. That was a small mercy, at least. Then his computer did something it had never done before: It flared briefly, then the screen opened like a rose-bud and sucked him in

A tunnel of light burst into being ahead of him, and he found himself dragged into it. He could hear screamingFeeling embarrassed, ArchangelUK realised that it was him, and stopped. Suddenly, the tunnel faded, and he was merely falling towards the ground. This could not really be called an improvement. He hit the unfamiliar ground with a thump and a muffled Ow!' Groaning theatrically, he rolled onto his back to look up at the sky. He frowned.

He ventured. Too dark.

Roughly three metres above him, and two metres to his left, the air crackled and bent and released a bright point of light. On the cusp of hearing, but getting rapidly louder, AAUK could swear he could hear something. He could definitely hear it nowThen, with an accompanying , the point of light deposited Digicowboy face down in the dirt.

Is that...you... DC?

I hope notI feel terrible. You're ArchangelUK?

I'm fairly sure, yes.

Are we dead?

I don't think so suddenly, the pair became aware of people watching them in wide eyed amazement.

hazarded AAUK.

Agreed DC, who then frowned. Is it me, or do they lookfamiliar somehow?. One of them, a guy in a white robe who looked suspiciously like Ewan McGregor in The Phantom Menace', closed down his laptop with a decisive sounding click'.

Download completed. He announced.

But they don't look all that different to us. Protested a kid with spiky brown hair, a pair of goggles and a jacket. DC was right. They did look familiar. And they sounded it as well.

Leave it, Davis. They're clearly disorientated. Admonished Joe, moving to help the pair up.

All the time. Replied DC absentmindedly, shakily getting up. AAUK held out an unsteady hand.

Three things. He stated. One: Where are we? Two: Who are you? And three: I think I'm about to throw up.

[Later on]

the short version is that our twothree worlds are merging together, because of this Unification' thing, and we have to do something about it. Summarised DC. Gennai nodded.

Yeah, that just about sums it up.

And we do this how, exactly? asked ArchangelUK. Izzy shrugged in response to the question.

We can't help you there. It's never happened before, after all.

Well, not exactly helpful, but it's a start. Muttered AAUK, half to himself. Digicowboy narrowed his eyes as a thought struck home.
Matt, can I ask you a question?

The teenager shrugged.

You know when Kari got taken to the Dark Ocean for the first time, what were you doing? Matt looked faintly puzzled.

Let me seeI didn't find out about the Dark Ocean thing until the day after it happened, so that must mean his lips moved as he cast his memory back. I remember now. I had a music lesson in the afternoon- I remember that bit because we got marks back for a test, and I'd, like, aced it. Then I was rehearsing with my Band for the rest of the evening. DC went slightly pale.

Archangel? Could we have a word? In private? he asked urgently. ArchangelUK raised an eyebrow.

Fair enough. They walked off about thirty or forty yards before DC turned to face his friend.

We've got a problem. He said flatly. ArchangelUK wondered if he should raise his eyebrow again. On balance, probably, he decided, raising it.

We are standing on a continent on another world that no-one from our planet-our reality- has ever set foot on before, and we've just been told that the two of us have to save this world, and ours, with no idea what on Earth to do, and no experience in world saving. And you say we may have a problem.

A bigger one.

It gets bigger?

You remember that episode His Masters voice'?

Was Matt in it at all? ArchangelUK thought for a couple of seconds.

Digicowboy nodded to himself, and turned to stare out at the Digital world.

This is only a theory, you understand. He warned. But this is what I think. If this was just a cartoon, right, Matt probably wouldn't even remember that part, because he wasn't there and had nothing to do with it. But not only did he remember that it happened, he could remember exactly what he'd been doing at the time. Which means they're doing thingsoff-screen, as it were. Things that none of the animators or script writers or anyone make them do, because it doesn't advance the plot. If it was just a cartoon, wouldn't they just.not exist if they weren't on? AAUK frowned, and thoughtfully bit his lip.

I think I can see where this is going. He remarked. Digicowboy turned around to look at him.

So what do you think?

It's not just a cartoon anymore. It's changed since the beginning.. It's more or less..a Subreality DC nodded, confirming with what AAUK had just said.

That's what I thought. Which means he looked up at ArchangelUK. The cartoon is controlling their lives. It's enslaving them. Aside from us, I don't think anyone knows, though. Not even Gennai. ArchangelUK sighed.

I see what you mean. So not only do we have to see to this Unification thing-

-But we have to alter the TV show and set them free. Finished DC. He smiled wryly. And all by our lonesome.

Maybe not said AAUK thoughtfully. He pointed back to where a small Agumon-lit campfire now burned against the unnaturally dark sky. They'd probably be willing to help us. Besides, they've had more world-saving experience than us. he added as an afterthought.

It couldn't hurt to ask them. Agreed DC.

So what are we waiting for?

Meanwhile, in the really Real World, Mr Yamashita was glaring at the hapless subordinate who's bad luck it had been to tell him about The Problem. As far as Mr Yamashita was concerned, it justified the capital letters.

And that's not the worst of it, sir! Look at this!

The trembling somebody thrust a script towards him. Even as he watched, a line shimmered and changed. He transferred his furious gaze to the television where the final draft of the latest season two episode was being checked before it was sent to the television companies. It was wrong. Two new figures could be seen, figures which no one had put there, figures that weren't in the script-at least, before it started changing. Whatever they were, they were wrecking what was meant to be an episode near to the end of the Malomyotismon saga', and before they introduced the next Digi-villain. The glare he was directing towards the offending television would have blown it into so many Panasonic based shards of shrapnel. An idea struck his seething mind.

Get me the animators. He ordered. Leaning back, he smiled. Let's see how ourghosts like what we can do.

Just for the record, there is a difference in time between the Digital World and the real world. They just mistook which real world. Which is why, a mere second later, the ground shattered beneath the feet of AAUK and DC, plunging them down towards distant, rock hard oblivion a thousand feet below.

To Be Continued....

DC: Over to you, AAUK! Catch! *Throws a pen towards AAUK*
AAUK: AAHHH! Watch where your throwing that thing! Lousy, no good saving the Earth partner...*mumbles incoherantly*...

ArchangelUK 0:o)
Digicowboy c):o)
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REDUX TIMEOUT:

Welcome to Reality Redux Timeout, a subsection at the end of some chapters which will reveal origins for ideas, characters, plot twists, Redux facts, hidden meanings, references, parodies and tributes etc.

This is the first chapter written by DigiCowboy. DC's slave theory was the original driving focus of the plot.. 90% of all the 'Announcer' and post fic commentary bits to date have been done by AAUK. Though this chapter is lacking that aspect, I dunno, guess he was ill or something.