Thursday, September 16, 2004
The Uninivited Dinner Guest
Yumeichi
PG
Background Info/Summary: Takes place in Vamdemon's castle in Dream World. All evil digimon are under control of Daemon and Wizardmon is their guest, who snuck in to spy on the Dark Lord.
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Soon you shall be overthrown, Daemon! I thought to myself as I swiftly crossed the courtyard, pausing now and then to hide behind gravestones, trees, and other obstacles to make myself inconspicuous to any devious eyes.
I had to be extra careful tonight, for it was a full moon -- very bad for two reasons. One was that I could bee seen easily even in the darkness, and the second was that it is believed the full moon is responsible for things to go quite wrong if one is not so tactful.
I hid behind a bush for a moment and listened closely for any clues coming from inside the castle. I heard nothing except the sounds of nature -- as natural as this pseudo world can be.
There was no use in attempting to read Daemon's thoughts. It was useless. He was way too powerful to be intercepted by the likes of me.
Staying close to the edge of the ancient edifice, I silently floated up beside a tree and perched into a branch thick with gently swaying leaves, and peered into the candlelit window slightly below me.
There was no one but Daemon sitting at the large, empty table.
Strange, I thought, It appears as though he's waiting for something. . .or someone.
With that, I lept up all the way onto the very top of the castle. I dipped my head through the stone and looked around inside. Seeing that the surroundings were clear, the rest of my spirit entered.
I sensed Daemon's presence in the dining room still, unchanged.
Floating through the rooms, I checked for any clues that might have given me any strategies, or for anything at all.
Alas, I found nothing. It was the same as it had been since Vamdemon had occupied it.
Sighing, I "sat" on a counter in the kitchen.
I jumped when I heard a muffled voice from the next room -- the dining room. A hideous voice that's owner was immediately recognized as none other than the Dark Lord himself.
"Everyone, it appears that we have a guest abiding in the kitchen. Piemon, why don't you be a gentlemon and show him to his seat at the table. You wouldn't want his supper to become cold, now would you?"
Piemon? "Our" guest? I thought. But he was alone!! I was certain of it!!
The next thing I knew, the door swung open and I caught a quick glimpse of quite a few ornery looking digimon who used to be my friends, as the harlequin waltzed toward me and seized me by the arm.
My heart sank. I wasn't expecting this at all.
As I was ignominiously dragged through the dining room, I caught sight of a few rude stares and occasional whispers between the Virals, as Piemon placed me between Daemon and Vamdemon.
"That's right, Wizardmon, have a seat. Relax. We've been expecting you," Daemon said in a such a disgustingly cordial way.
I slouched in my chair and tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. I stared at a chandelier placed on the far right of the table. I felt nauseated as my vision crossed platters of meat. I waited for someone to speak. I couldn't believe that my plan had failed so.
Angry and determined as I was, though, I couldn't help but tremble. There was just no way out from here.
"Are you hungry, dear William?" the demon asked.
"William"? How did he know my anthro name? I pondered, Oh well. Better play along. It's my best bet for now.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm quite famished," I said plainly.
"All right, then. Now that everyone's here let's eat. What would you like to drink, Wizardmon?"
"Water, please."
"Sorry, but all we have is sake and blood."
"I'll take the sake, then, please," I said.
Devimon passed me a pitcher of wine and I filled my goblet half-way. My hand shook as I tried to imagine what was to become of me later on.
Vamdemon stared at me, so I stared at my plate.
"How do you like your meat, William? Well done, medium rare, or raw?" the vampire asked before taking a bite out of a raw piece of steak that dripped blood, forcing my stomach to lurch.
"I don't want any meat, thank you," I muttered.
"Come again, Mage?"
Everyone looked at me.
"I...don't.....eat....," I said steadily, a little more loudly.
"Speak up, William. Don't be shy," Daemon said.
"I do not eat meat. I am a vegetarian," I said clearly to Vamdemon's face.
Somebody snorted. They all sneered at me, but I calmly reached for the bowl of vegetables, which was quite small compared to the giant trays of meat surrounding it.
I spooned a pile of leaves, super carrots, hawk radish, and digi-tomatoes onto my dish.
Then I took a slice of bread and buttered it.
What are they all staring at?
I bent my head down and put my hands together.
"Doing magic, William?" Daemon asked.
"Erm...no. I'm saying grace, actually."
Silence filled the room.
Oh, sludge, Wizardmon! Now look what you've done! Praying in the presence of a demon! You're gonna get it now! One voice said in my mind. As for the other: Prayer is the best thing you can do now.
"Are you feeling all right, William? Maybe you should try some meat. It'll make you feel better," Daemon said, "Give him a piece, Vamdemon."
"No, no, I'm fine. I just want to eat my salad here and --" a piece of steak appeared in front of me on a fork.
"Try some of this. You'll love it. It's divine," the vampire waved the fork around my face.
How dare he mock me? I steamed.
I tried to ignore him and pulled down my cowl to devour some lettuce, but he put that horrible meat near my mouth. I backed away.
"Come on, Wizardmon. It's good for you. Do have some," Piemon said.
"Yes, William. Eat it. Look at how skinny you are. It's no wonder why," added Daemon.
I didn't want to know what would happen if I didn't accept it, so I let him spread my lips apart and put the steak in my mouth, between my stitches.
Ugh!! It's awful!! I let it sit in on my tongue and feined a swallow.
"That's a good boy. Did you like it?" Daemon asked.
I nodded, with a stitchy smile that totally countered my feelings.
"Um...may I be excused for a moment? Nature calls," I said, pushing my chair out.
"Why certainly, William. Do what you must," responded the demon, "Devimon, if you could please show him to the lavatory."
As soon as I got inside the bathroom, I waited a moment, pretended to unzip my suit, spat the meat out into the toilet, flushed it away, and ran water to simulate me washing my hands.
When I returned to my seat, I ate my meal as quickly as I could. I couldn't wait any longer. I had to know.
"So what are you going to do to me?" I blurted between a hawk radish and a sip of sake.
I heard a few forks drop.
"Why, William, whatever do you mean?" Daemon said, "innocently".
"I mean why am I here at this table with you and -- my friends -- speaking of which, what have you done to them and why?"
Everyone began to laugh save Daemon and myself.
"They aren't your friends, dear William," he chuckled, "Why, they aren't even real!" He waved his arm, and they all disappeared.
I tried to get out of my chair, but he sat me down again.
"Where are you going? You haven't finished your dinner. Sit. Stay. Good boy."
"That's not funny! Why are you playing around like this? Let's get to the point!" I demanded. He put a firm grip on my shoulder.
"The point is that you dropped by my house, uninvited. I saw you outside, I saw you come inside. Hell, I even saw you spit that meat out into my toilet!!"
"My friends are safe, then?"
"Quite. For the time being, anyway."
"May I ask why you are doing all of this?"
"I am a virus. I have no reason to speak of. It is natural."
"I don't believe so, Daemon. There's always a reason. What do you want? To rule a world? Money? Land?"
Daemon laughed.
"I believe you have misinterpreted me, William. I am not a Virus digimon, but a virus itself."
My eyes widened.
"But you are in a digimon's form. You must be a digimon in some way or another."
"I am not concerned with such foolishness. I am evil. I have no personality."
I hate him for what he has done, but why can my heart not settle for him just being evil and nothing more?
"You never answered my question, Daemon. What are you going to do with me?"
"I am going to give you what you intentionally came for."
What? Why?
"Good. Where is it?"
"I lied....Listen....clue is...in the...no!!!!......"
Was Daemon crazy? He sounded like a schizophrenic, but I listened closely, anyway.
"L-look in..th- the.....GET OUT!!!" he roared. I ran to the other side of the table.
"Look in the what?" I asked.
"D-dungeon....a.....n-n-note. CHAOS FLARE!!!!" I dodged his attack, and floated away as quickly as I could to the dungeon.
He sounded like he was half trying to stop me, half trying to stop himself.
I quickly scanned the dungeon. It was so large. How would I find a minute object like a note?
Thinking quickly, I decided to use a tracking spell. I relied on my magic to lead me to the note.
I stopped at a wall. Checking for any loose bricks, I finally found one with a notch and pulled it out.
Inside was an old, yellowed paper. I unfolded it and read: "DAEMON" with a bolded "A".
If you take away the "A" it spells "DEMON". But what could the "A" mean?
I whirled around at the sound of Daemon approaching the dungeon.
Stuffing the note inside my vest, I floated right through the walls, but not before feeling the damaging effects of --
"FLAME INFERNO!!!"
The last thing I remembered was flying through the courtyard from an explosion, and hearing my own anguished scream, just before waking up by Yume's side.
The End
