Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the associated franchises. I am just using them to entertain the masses with a good story. I only own the characters, plot, and other story elements that I had to create.
Chapter 7
Replacement
Renamon returned to Rika's house just after Rika and Seiko had gone to bed. Renamon shifted into Rika's room, and sighed as she saw Rika was tossing in her sleep again. What she wouldn't give to ease Rika's troubled mind, but all she could do is sit down beside her and sang the lullaby she had made up. Renamon smiled and continued to sing as Rika calmed down and fell into a deep sleep. Renamon stood up and disappeared for a few seconds. She reappeared a minute later with a futon and blanket swung over her shoulder. She silently moved over to the corner of the room and laid the futon out. She then got in, and laid down on the comfortable mat. She had to admit, this beat sleeping on the roof by a land slide.
The next morning a thin covering of snow covered the city, and more snow was falling at a gentle pace. Rika woke up and decided that everyone deserved to sleep in once in a while and let Renamon stay in bed. Rika was amazed, thinking Renamon would have already been up. She was showered and dressed in 20 minutes and she walked over to the futon Renamon was sleeping on, what Seiko officially considered Renamon's bed. Rika gave Renamon a gently nudge with her socked foot. Renamon stirred and looked up at Rika. She sat up and stretched as she said, "What are you doing up so early?"
Rika smiled as she said, "I am not up early. You slept in."
Renamon looked over at the clock in Rika's room and saw Rika was right. It was 7:30 in the morning, and Renamon was usually up and patrolling the city by 5:30. Renamon sighed and stood up as she said, "Sorry Rika, I should not have skimped on my duties."
Rika waved it off as she walked toward her door. As she walked she said, "Renamon, you are performing duties most military men wouldn't bother doing. Take it easy. Everybody deserves to take a break every once in the while." With that Rika left her room and walked down the patio to the kitchen. Her grandmother had the radio on, and as she sat down the radio news report said, "Well folks, this snow that is currently covering the area with a light layer of the white stuff and is believed to keep going through tonight, tomorrow, and part of Christmas day. It is currently falling at a gentle place, but there is a 50 percent chance that the city will be enduring some blizzard conditions with heavy snow and high winds before noon. It looks we will be having a white Christmas this year. In other news,"
At that point Rika stopped listening and walked over to her grandma who was humming a tune while she cooked some oatmeal. She turned to Rika and said, "Good morning dear, how did you sleep?"
Rika stretched as she said, "Pretty well actually. So, when will mom be back?"
Seiko checked the calendar and said, "She should be back by lunch time."
Rika sighed as she said, "I guess my winter break is over early this year."
Seiko shook her head as she said, "Rika, your mother is just trying to do what she thinks is best. You can't be made at her for trying."
Rika grunted a bit as she said, "Yeah right, I bet Renamon could do a better job then that woman. At least she gives me my space. The second mom gets home she is going to smother me with ten different dresses she bought while she was at her photo shoot and insist I put them on. I'll will naturally refuse, and then leave the house to just get away from her constant pressure."
Seiko took the oatmeal off the stove as she said, "Unfortunately, I think your right, but at least she hasn't gotten so far as to try and get you a modeling contract."
Rika shook her head as she said, "Now, don't be giving my mother any ideas."
Seiko chuckled as she said, "Alright, I won't, but I want to ask you about something. I was Christmas shopping yesterday, and came across what I think would be a perfect gift for Renamon. Here, all show you." Rika followed her grandmother into her room and after digging in the closet for a few minutes Seiko pulled down a small box from the top of her closet. She shut her bedroom door, hoping Renamon would respect her privacy as she and Rika took a seat on the futon. Seiko gently opened the box and handed it to Rika.
Rika looked into the box and almost gasped. It was necklace, but not an ordinary necklace. It had a golden chain. In the center was a small golden fox that was curled up and asleep. On either side of the gold fox were two diamonds and three other small gems that were a dark yellow in color. The five stones alternated in sequence of yellow, white, yellow, white, and yellow. Rika was still taking in the beauty of the necklace when Seiko reached down and with gently precision opened the sleeping fox up. It was a locket, and inside there was space for two picture, one on the left side of the fox and one on the right. On the lid something had been engraved. Rika looked at it and read aloud, "To a special friend, from a thankful grandmother."
Rika turned her head toward her grandmother and said, "I can't believe you bought this. It must have been really expensive."
Seiko nodded her head and said, "It was, but Renamon makes you so happy dear. It is my pleasure to repay her for being your guardian angle, and friend in a difficult part of your life."
Rika took one more look at the necklace before she said, "Why did you show me this now?"
Seiko smiled as she held up a camera and said, "With the purchase the store said they would cut two pictures to the perfect size. All I need is a picture of you and I will run to the shop where I got this and get the pictures put inside. They guaranteed to have it ready in a few minutes, and then we can wrap it up and put it under the tree."
Rika smiled as she closed the box and handed it back to her grandmother. She thought about the gift as she realized she hadn't thought about getting Renamon anything. Rika turned to her grandmother, and Seiko knew that look in an instant. She quickly stood up and said, "You still need to buy her something? Well if that's the case we better get to the mall now. We should be able to find something in time. Go talk to Renamon and make sure she doesn't bother us while I write your mother a note."
Rika nodded her head and quickly walked threw the house. She found Renamon sitting at the table, enjoying a small bowl of the warm oatmeal Seiko had made. Renamon looked up when Rika came in and asked, "Where were you and where is Seiko?"
On cue Seiko walked through the room, bundled up in winter jacket with her purse. Rika thought up a lie real quick and said, "Grandma wants to do some last minute Christmas shopping. I think she wants to get you something. Why don't you enjoy the day, I'll call you if I need you." With that Rika grabbed her own coat out of the closet and followed her grandma out the door. Though slightly confused, Renamon decided that Rika had been telling the truth and decided to finish enjoying the oatmeal.
At the Hypnos building Yamachi was walking through the halls. He came up to the door that opened into Roy's room and opened it. He smiled a bit as he saw Roy was dressed in his slayer uniform and sitting cross-legged on his futon. Yamachi cleared his throat and said, "Get up; I have a job for you."
Roy stood up, the control program having complete dominance. It followed Yamachi through the halls as Yamachi said, "After your last performance we have decided to try something new. With the data we have collected from many different digimon we will actually create one. We will then give it your swordsmanship and battle techniques. It will become your partner and help you destroy any digimon you come up against." Roy followed Yamachi silently as he entered the part of Hypnos that held the Juggernaut core.
Roy followed Yamachi over to a tube filled with fluid. It was a red liquid and gave off an evil glow. Yamachi led Roy over to a control panel and said, "Now, use your knowledge of swordsmanship and build me a weapon."
Roy felt the control program begin to invade his brain, invade his memories, and invade his very soul looking for the information it sought. The control program then began to use the parts given it. Using the legs, arms, weapons, and other digimon parts it began to create a new ultimate assassin.
A couple hours later, the digimon had been assembled. The control program had taken pieces from several different things. It was a tiger like creature. It had a black base fur with white strips, the polar opposite of the White Bengal Tiger it had been based on. The creature stood 6' 5" tall and had a well defined muscle wall. His muscles could easily be seen, but they did not bulge grotesquely away from the creature's body. The creature was wearing a black ninja outfit. The loose pants hid the powerful leg muscle while the sleeveless top allowed for a full view of the arm muscles. The creature's face looked exactly like a Bengal Tigers, except the eyes. The eyes were like a human's with round irises instead of the cat's with the diamond irises.
Yamaha nodded as he saw the creature and had one of his technicians open the containment tube. He smiled as he walked up to the creature. It stepped out of the tube and stood in front of Yamachi, a cold as stone face. Yamachi looked it over up and down a second before he said, "What is your name?"
The tiger bowed slightly as he said, "I am Nightswordmon, and I am at your service Yamachi."
Yamachi smiled as he said, "Good, but I am just going to call you Night Sword. Now, your mission is to destroy any other digimon you come across. When you are not slaying digimon you may go anywhere within Hypnos, this is your home, workshop, and training facility."
Night Sword bowed slightly and then Yamachi turned his head to look at Roy and then he turned back to Night Sword and said, "Now, your first task. You are my second great slayer, and for the second to be put to full use the first must be taken out of the picture. Destroy Agent Slayer, destroy that man right there and make sure no one will ever find the body." Yamachi smiled as he turned back to Roy and said, "To tell the truth, you weren't making yourself a partner, you were making a replacement."
Night Sword bowed before he held his paw away from his body and waited a second. In a moment a small cylinder flew from his belt to his open paw. Roy's eyes widened as he tried to fight the control program, but it was holding him in place. He knew what was coming, and he wished the he had never watched those Star Wars movies. The control program had found the memory about the movie, and had given Night Sword his very own light saber. Night Sword grinned a bit as he pressed the button on the cylinder and a long dark red beam of light slowly rose out of the cylinder. It rose until reached the length of an average sword, and before Roy knew it Night Sword was charging at him. Night Sword brought the blade high above his head and lowered it quickly, cutting the chair where Roy was sitting in half.
Roy, however, was suddenly able to move at the last moment. Yamachi was looking him with irritated rage as he said, "What, how were you able to move. Answer me."
Roy felt the control program take control of his mouth. After a few moments a sort of computer like voice came out of his mouth as he said, "
When in danger, self preservations protocols initialize.
Current stage in protocols being processed
Case 1 of 3, if threat is a normal digimon, destroy that threat. Error, the threat is not a normal digimon. It is a digimon I created and works for Yamachi.
Case 1 can not be processed.
Case 2 of 3, if it is a human assailant run away and report back to Yamachi. Error, the attacker is not a Human.
Case 2 can not be processed.
Case 3, if my opponent can't be killed I am to run away and report to Yamachi, Error, information gathered states that opponent can be killed.
Case 3 can not be processed.
Major System Error
None of the three cases can be followed. Falling back to the last case protocol
If no selectable case applies to the situation, control program is to uninstall from the central controller.
Beginning deletion of control program
Control program deleted, system processes ended
Roy raised his hand up to his head, and then he realized he had full control of his body. He looked up at Yamachi who was staring at him with a look of disbelief. The three stood in silence a second before Yamachi said, "This isn't possible. I never wrote that into the programs code. How did you reprogram it?"
Roy smiled as he thought about the little ball of data he ate less then a day before he then looked up at Yamachi and said, "Let's just say that you thought wrong when I didn't have any friends who would come looking for me."
Yamachi growled as he said, "You won't leave here alive. Night Sword!"
Night Sword nodded his head and charged at Roy again. This time Roy unsheathed his own metal sword and tried to block the attack. Unfortunately, the light saber cut right through the metal sword, and Roy was left with only half a sword in his hand. Roy threw the broken sword down as he dodged the next slash. He had to think, and then he looked over and saw that the creation chamber was still online. He dodged a few more slashes as he made his way towards the creation chamber controls. As he dodged some of Night Swords slashes he typed a few things onto the control panel and smiled as the tube flashed to life.
Roy smiled as a small metal cylinder appeared in the creation tube, but he didn't smile long as Night Sword was able to leave a deep cut through his shoulder. Roy quickly rolled out of the way of Night Sword's next slash which destroyed the creation chamber controls. Roy stood up as he held his wounded shoulder. It wasn't bleeding because the light saber had cauterized, or burned the wound shut. He lowered his arm from his left shoulder and backed up to the creation chamber. Night Sword got closer and smiled a dark smile as he raised his light saber over his head and began to swing it down in a wide arc.
Roy used lightning speed to grab the newly created light saber from behind him, bring it in front of him, turn the blue blade on, and block Night Swords strike. Roy took the moment of surprise to push Night Sword back. Roy then turned and with the light saber still blazing and made a run for the door. He burst through the door and began to run down the halls. A few seconds later Night Sword came running behind him at a full sprint. Night Sword raised his light saber up and said, "Throwing Stars." He swung the blade in a wide horizontal arc, the light blade releasing five throwing stars made of the same red light energy. Four of the stars missed Roy as he ran down the hall, but the fifth struck him right in the back.
Roy cringed in pain, but kept running. Night Sword released another set of five throwing stars, but this time Roy turned a corner just before they could hit their mark. Roy ran down this new hallway for only a few seconds before he opened the door to the fire stairs. He looked down the long chain of stairs. He could never out run Night Sword. He was already beginning to tire out. He could hear Night Sword coming, so he did the only thing he could. He placed his hand on the rail and with full effort swung over it and began to fall down the stairwell. He was near the top floor of Hypnos when he jumped, but the bottom floor was coming up quick. He turned the blue light saber on and stuck it into a pipe he was falling beside. The friction of the blade against the metal was slowing him down, but not nearly enough to make the landing soft.
Roy felt something crack in his leg when he hit the cement floor at the bottom of the stair well. He stopped for only a moment, to try and endure the sudden rush of pain from his leg, before he continued his run for the front door of Hypnos. Night Sword wasn't as desperate as Roy, so he was willing to take the stairs as a very quick pace. This gave Roy the kind of lead he needed on this new weapon of Yamachi's.
Roy burst out of the buildings front door into a snow storm. The lights snow that had started the day out had turned into a blinding blizzard. Roy's could barley see 3 feet in front of his nose, but he had to keep going. He turned the light saber off and put it on his belt in place of his sword sheath and ran into the blizzard. He knew Night Sword was going to catch up with him any second, but he had to think of what to do. Suddenly, he felt something inside himself. A feeling, like he knew where someone was even though they were far away. He didn't know what the feeling meant, but it was all he had to go on. He turned in the blinding blizzard began to run.
About thirty blocks away, a shopping mall was bustling with last minute shoppers, two of which were having trouble finding a gift for a certain fox digimon. Rika and her grandmother, Seiko, had been to several different shops now, but didn't see anything that they thought Renamon would like. Rika was beginning to wonder if she would ever find something to give to Renamon, but Seiko convinced her to go into one last store. It was an antique store with many different kinds of items in it, but none of them caught Rika's eye. The inside smelled like an attic, and the store clerk was an old man about Seiko's age. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans with a button down shirt and brown vest. He had a small pair of round glasses that rested on the edge of his nose. He had a very kind feeling to him, and he kept a warm smile on his face. Seiko was talking with the store clerk while Rika walked along the wall filled with the many different trinkets.
She was sighing and about to give up when something caught her eye. It was buried under an antique silk rug. Rika lifted the rug up and found a small box. It was the size of a jewelry box. The sides had images of dark, mysterious forest that seemed to be lost in another world. The lid had a top view of the forest, with a few small birds flying across the canopy. There was a lock on the box that looked like solid gold. Rika tried to open the box, but found it was locked tight. She looked around for her grandmother and the store clerk and found them looking at some old jeweled hair pins.
Rika walked up to them with the box tucked under her arm. Seiko noticed Rika had something and she smiled as she said, "Rika, did you find something you think your friends would like?"
Rika handed the box to the store clerk and he looked at the box as he smiled and said, "I thought this was stolen months ago. I am so glad it is safe. You know this box tells a very special story."
Seiko turned her head and asked, "Really, what story is that."
The store clerk smiled as he said, "Ahhh, it is the story an ancient love. Back when Kitsunes were real and the greatest warriors in Japan were the samurai, one of them the one who made this box. The story goes that a young samurai in training was traveling through a forest when he was ambushed by a band of bandits. He would have been killed, but when it looked like he was going to be killed, a Kitsune who had been watching the fight came out of the trees and helped the young samurai fight of the bandits. When they thought they had won, the Kitsune tried to tend to the young mans wounds, when one last bandit attacked her from behind. The young samurai quickly drew his sword and killed the last bandit. He then ripped a piece of his clothes and used it to bandage the wound the bandit had inflicted on the brave kitsune. The kitsune was soon recovered and the samurai left the forest to return to his home."
The store clerk paused a second as he set the box on the counter beside the cash register as he dug in the shelves. As he dug he continued the story by saying, "The samurai returned to his training shrine, and shortly after his training was finished and was recruited to be the greatest warrior of a local lord. The lord had recently been given the land on which the forest grew. He wanted to turn into new farm land for the peasants, but something was stopping him. It was the kitsunes who lived in the forest. When ever loggers came to cut the forest down, the kitsunes destroyed there tools. Finally, He sent the young Samurai into the forest to kill the kitsunes, but when the samurai was in the forest he found he could not follow the lord's orders. That left him with a great decision to make. The two options in front of him were to kill all the kitsunes like he had been asked, or disobey the lord's orders and become an outlaw and be hunted like the kitsune. Then, the kitsune he had saved appeared before him, and offered him one other option. It was a rare gift, but the young samurai decided to take the kitsunes offer. The kitsune used a mystical ball of light to turn the young samurai into a kitsune himself. That is the end of the legend. No one knows weather the samurai made the right decision, or if the lord was finally able to destroy the population of kitsune. All that is left of the legend is this box, which was supposedly carved by the young samurai for the kitsune he had befriended, and even fallen in love with."
The old man eye lit up as he found what he was looking for. He pulled a small golden key out from under the counter and inserted it into the boxes lock. He smiled as he turned the key and heard the lock release the latch for the first time in a very long while. He then turned to Seiko and Rika and said, "According to the person who sold me the box, this is a part of the story frozen in time. Just before the forces of the lord attacked the forest, the young samurai and the kitsune shared one dance as the forest itself played this song." The old man then gently opened the box and as the he lid opened a beautiful song began to play from inside the box and something rose up out of the box. It was a small wooden statue of two figures dancing. One was a kitsune with yellow fur and some armor and sword strapped to her belt. The other was of another kitsune, this one with odd blue fur that was dressed in clothes befitting a samurai, a sword at his belt as well. The figure turned around and around as the music played.
After letting the music play for a while the music box began to wind down and the music slowed. The store clerk closed the lid and smiled. He then took the boxes key and locked it up. He took a necklace chain which was hanging on a display beside the cash register and put the key on the chain. He then smiled as he handed the key and the box to Rika and said, "Here, I have a feeling that you should have this, free of charge. Besides, I have already claimed to my insurance that it was stolen, and it would be bad if they came in and found that box sitting in my shop."
Rika looked up at the old shop keeper and smiled. She then looked down at the box, and knew it was the perfect gift for Renamon. Seiko thanked the old man again before they turned and left the shop. The mall was beginning to empty, most of the shoppers wanting to get out before they were snowed in. Rika and Seiko were about to do the same when they saw someone coming running at the malls front doors. Rika got a sacred look when she saw it was Roy, but something was different.
Roy ran through the mall doors, following the feeling that had been in his mind since he escaped Hypnos. That is when he saw Rika standing there, and he had a strange feeling that the sensation in his gut had lead him to her, for what reason was still unknown. He walked up to her and said, "Rika, thank goodness I found you."
Rika took a step back as she said, "How can I be sure you aren't trying to trick me? Use me to get to Renamon."
Roy was about to answer when a explosion came from behind him and the three turned to see Night Sword walking through the new hole in the mall's front wall. Roy turned back to Rika and said, "That's why. He's my replacement. Yamachi had him created using my knowledge. I was lucky to get out of that place alive. Now, go hide. I can hold him off for a few minutes, but I need Renamon's help."
Rika nodded as she took her grandmothers hand and called Renamon under her breath. Roy turned and took the light saber of his belt and turned it on. He waited patently as Night Sword walked across the crushing the pieces of glass that now covered the floor. He looked up at Roy with heartless eyes as he said, "No more running, stand and face me."
Roy took a defensive position as he said, "I couldn't agree more." Night Sword turned his light saber on and the two blades hummed as Roy and Night Sword stared each other down. Finally, Night Sword charged Roy and swung his sword in a chest high. Roy blocked the slash and they soon began to clash blades like the famous fights from the Star Wars movies. The blades were humming and the sounds of the clashing blades came at a high rate. Night Sword was keeping up a constant barrage of attacks, not giving Roy a single chance to counter attack. Roy began to walk backwards as he tried to give him self enough space to move. This went on for a few minutes before Night Sword was able to force the blue light saber out of Roy's hand. It flew across the room, turned off, and landed beside Rika and Seiko. Roy watched his weapon fly away, and when he turned back Night Sword had the tip of his light saber right up beside Roy's face.
Night Sword was about to drive the sword into Roy's head when someone shouted, "Diamond Storm" and a flurry of tiny white shards of light came raining down on Night Sword. The created digimon looked up and saw Renamon standing on the second level of the mall, glaring at this new enemy. Night Sword looked Renamon over before he smiled and said, "Good, I can kill two of my objectives in one fell swoop." He turned and spat on Roy's shoe as he said, "You're so beaten up you aren't going anywhere. So, I think I will give your furry yellow friend my full undivided attention."
Night Sword leapt up to the second floor of the mall in one jump, and began to assault Renamon with his red light saber. Rika watch Renamon dodge each slash with elegant grace, but if even on of those sword slices struck her, she may be dead on the spot. Rika was cursing herself for leaving her card reader and deck back at the house. She then looked down at the light saber that was resting beside her foot and then looked over to Roy. She didn't know if he was telling the truth, but it was Renamon's only hope. She picked up and yelled, "Roy!"
Roy turned his head from the fight and saw his light saber flying toward him. He raised his good arm up and caught the sword. He nodded at Rika, and then he turned on the blue weapon. He struggled to his feat, the fracture in his foot starting to catch up with him. The slice in his shoulder was now throbbing with pain, and the rest of him just ached in general, but he would not let Renamon get hurt. Suddenly, some of Roy's energy seemed to flow into the blue light saber, and made it become a darker, richer blue. Roy, not realizing what he was doing, swung the sword in a wide arc like Night Sword did when he launched his throwing stars attack. Thousands of dark blue energy shards flew from the blade and struck Night Sword.
Renamon took this opportunity to land a round house kick and send Night Sword flying. He laid on the ground for a second before he stood up. He growled as he said, "This isn't over." With that he turned his light saber off, put it on his belt and ran out the mall's front door. Renamon smiled as he saw that powerful digimon turn tale and run, but her attention didn't stay there as she saw Rika and Seiko running up to Roy. He had stopped breathing.
Renamon jumped down from the second floor and jogged over to where Seiko and Rika were. Rika was standing and looking down over Roy's battered body while Seiko was attempting to get Roy to breath, but she didn't have the strength to force down on Roy's stomach. Seiko turned when Renamon came up behind her and said, "Renamon, get down here. He isn't breathing, and I am too weak to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."
Renamon did as Seiko told her and got down on her knees on Roy's right side while Seiko was on his left. Seiko pointed to a spot on Roy's body and said, "Renamon, put both your hands right her, one over top of the other, and press down firmly three times."
Renamon did as she was told while when she finished Seiko pointed to Roy's mouth and said, "Now, put one hand on his nose and another on his chin. Tilt his head back and then breathe some air into his lungs. Do that twice."
Renamon paused a second, but then did what Seiko asked, After Renamon had breath in the second breath she felt Roy force some back into her mouth and she let go of his head. He coughed a bit, a few drops of blood coming out of his mouth. He eyes slowly opened and he looked up at the three ladies and asked, "Is Night Sword gone?"
Rika looked up a bit and said, "You mean that Darth Vader wana-be. Yeah, he's gone."
Roy sighed as he looked up at Renamon and said, "I am glad you are alright." Roy then closed his eyes and fell asleep, tired from his great escape. Seiko looked around the mall. The police would be there any minute. They had to get Roy somewhere safe, but if they took him to the hospital that creature would have an easier time finding him. Seiko looked at Renamon a second and then said, "Renamon, take Roy back to the house. The hospital isn't safe for him right now. Rika and I will take the bus. Stay close incase that guy, Night Sword, comes looking for you or Roy again. I am betting Rika's mother is back at the house already, and we will need to distract her if you want any hope of getting Roy inside safely."
Renamon nodded and with a gentle force she moved her arms underneath Roy's body. She stood up and leapt out of sight. Seiko and Rika stood up began to walk out the door, but Seiko decided to stop and grab Roy's weapon, the blue light saber. After all, it was because of this weapon Roy had been able to stand up against that psycho. She quickly led Rika out into the parking lot, and they caught the nearest taxi.