. . .

? ? ?

. . .

Her name, was Annika Petrov

She was once a seventeen year old girl with dreams of traveling the world and meeting all kinds of people.

And now, following a terrible accident on vacation with her family...

She is dead.

Nothing remained but a digital consciousness preserved for the purpose of scientific experimentation.

After all... What rights did a clinically dead person have?

It wasn't as if her parents were around anymore to question it, as they'd died as well...

And so she laid upon the floor of her prison, deaf to the world around her, as she struggled to produce anymore tears at this point.

The sorrow had swallowed her up almost entirely, and Annika had cried for so long it all began to go numb.

She finally removed her hands from her eyes, staring up at the ceiling with an empty look. The thoughts in her head were cold and grim, wondering just what she was supposed to do now. She couldn't keep living here, acting as a lab rat so long as it was convenient to her captors. Maybe she could find a way to delete herself?

"Yeah... That's a good idea." She told herself, "I can just disappear... There's nothing left for me in the world..."

Before she felt something change in the atmosphere around her, like a sudden increase in pressure as her senses returned. Slowly, Annika sat up, and looked towards one of the walls. "Something is... Out there?" She stood up, and wandered her way over to the wall. Pressing her hand against it, and watching as the panel changed to a one-way glass window, allowing her see everything.

Swarms of creatures she didn't recognize, some of them looking like Kuramon while others appeared far more monstrous. All of them swarming and devouring data, before a brilliant light erupted amidst the swarms.

"Wh-What is this?" She muttered, "What's happening out there? K-Kuramon? What are you doing?"

. . .

Kokuwamon and Shamanmon

. . .

Jogress Digivolution

"Apemon!"

"Mekanorimon!"

"Jogress Digivolve to!"

The world watched as their bodies became swirling streams of light. Apemon's making up the main form, as he grew larger in size and stood up straight. While Mekanorimon made up the armor, covering the body and hardening in place, weapons appearing in the form of those thundering gauntlets and the twin cannons on each shoulder. This newly formed Digimon appearing like some kind of gilded warrior who's light had the swarm watching on in awe.

"Raijinmon!"

"Yeah that's what I'm talking about!" Cody fist pumped, grinning from ear to ear. "You're in for it now you dumb bug!"

Kurasarimon watched Raijinmon silently, before narrowing it's eyes. "Kuso..." Before it began to scramble, the swarm breaking out into a frenzy all around Raijinmon while Kurasarimon moved with the chaos, hiding among their numbers.

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"Don't let it get away!" Thomas cried.

Raijinmon nodded, "Of course!" Attempting to take aim through the swarm of moving Keramon and Kuramon. "Hmph, gonna need to get closer." Clenching his fists tightly, "Fine by me." Before blasting forward at high speed, throwing a single punch forward, gauntlet whirring to life with lightning. "Drums of Raijin!" Thunder boomed throughout the server space, and the swarm was parted in an instant, many of them being sent flying in all directions as Raijinmon cleared the way. "There you are!" Locking eyes onto Kurasarimon, but it's body was starting to glow! "Dammit not again!"

"Kurasarimon, WARP SHINKA!"

Curling it's long tendrils around itself, becoming enveloped in it's own light while various other members of the swarm formed up around it, like they were trying to create some kind of barrier. All of them began to open fire at Raijinmon, their bolts of light filling the air between them in an instant!

Raijinmon narrowed his eyes as he made little effort to dodge, instead letting the pathetic attacks bounce off his shining armor as the cannons on his shoulders all began to glow. "Thomas can you give me a lock on the target? I can hardly see through these pests!"

"I'm on it!" He replied, narrowing in on the signal. "Sending now, you'd better hurry, it's data mass is increasing rapidly!"

"Target locked." Raijinmon replied, the light shining through the swarm getting brighter. "Full Power!" All four shoulder lenses flaring brighter, "STORM CANNON!"

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In an instant, the swarm had their numbers reduced by thousands as the beams of light were released from Raijinmon's shoulder cannons, forming together into a single massive beam of light that ripped through their numbers on it's way to the main target. A thunderous explosion following, shaking the entire server space. But at the last second, he could see something dart from within the blast.

"Excellent work," Grayson chimed in, daring to breathe a sigh of relief. "Not even Arcadiamon survived that, finish off the rest so we can-"

"It's not over yet." Raijinmon interrupted sharply, eyes locking onto something new he saw sticking to the ceiling above. "I was too late..."

Staring back at him, was a new digimon, this one looking far more menacing than those that came before. With a large armored body, long gangly limbs and a fully formed face with sharp teeth and horns. The eyes were unsettling, staring down at him as he hung from the ceiling.

"Diaboromon."

Without waiting for his foe to make another move, the newly evolved digimon attacked. Leaping from the wall and flying through the air above the fusion, the center of it's chest opening up as it began charging energy! "Catastrophe Cannon!"

Releasing a hail of pure energy bolts towards it's foe. "Nice try!" Raijinmon weaved between them using his speed, before backhanding one away sending it to crash against the server wall. Before he began charging up his cannons again, "I won't miss this time!"

Diaboromon stuck to the wall at the end of it's flight path, before springing off again this time aiming right for Raijinmon! It's chest opening again mid flight, "Catastrophe Cannon!" Heralding it's approach with several more energy bolts.

"It's trying to keep them on the defensive," Grayson surmised, "And prevent Raijinmon from attacking!"

Sure enough, the fusion was forced to delay firing just to bat away the incoming attacks. "Forget full power!" He barked, as Diaboromon closed the gap, "Take THIS! STORM CA-"

"Cable Crusher!" One of its arms extended, stretching further than it seemed possible, the clawed hand at the end nearly took Raijinmon's head off. But the fusion managed to lean to the side to evade, instead losing both cannons over his right shoulder as the claw ripped through them!

"Raijinmon!" Thomas cried out, seeing it's most powerful weapon reduced to scrap.

"I'm not done yet!" The fusion declared, grabbing Diaboromon by it's outstretched arm before spinning around and throwing it. Sending the monster crashing right into the central sphere! Hard enough to split open the walls, causing them to crack apart. Raijinmon wasn't far behind, blasting forward to finish the strange digimon off at close range as both gauntlets charged with electricity! Closing the distance on the dazed Diaboromon!

"Yeah finish him!" Cody cried, all watching in Thomas' home were on the edge of their seats.

But as Raijinmon reached his target, Thomas saw something through one of the now collapsed walls of that strange sphere. Without thinking he cried out, "Wait! Raijinmon stop!"

The fusion hesitated, pausing in his advance. "What? Why!?"

"There's someone in that thing!" Thomas replied, pointing at his screen. "Look!" Drawing the eyes of the others.

Raijinmon's keen eyes searched the half-collapsed wall, before widening as he spotted the girl. "A-A girl!? What is she doing here?"

Diaboromon leaned forward, recovering from the shock of Raijinmon's counter-attack as it growled out in a much deeper voice. "No... Hurting... Annika-chan!" Speaking in rough english, as if it were learning the language slowly.

A great shadow suddenly loomed over Raijinmon from behind, causing the fusion to turn and see that the swarm hadn't just recovered from his attack but grown vast in the minutes he battled against Diaboromon. "Alright, what's the play here guys?"

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"The play hasn't changed," Grayson scoffed, "Destroy that monster now!"

"Now hold on," Cody argued, "If that girl is Annika, then Diaboromon is just protecting her right?"

The older man narrowed his eyes, "I don't think you understand, if these data devouring monsters spill out into the web we could be looking at the collapse of the entire Cyber Core network, our entire energy infrastructure consumed by a bunch of hungry bugs!"

"That only happens if we keep pissing them off!" Cody barked back, clenching his fists. "We should back off!"

Grayson turned to face Cody fully, the two measuring each other up. "Annika Petrov is dead, all we're seeing is a digital copy of her consciousness." He said coldly, "And I'm not risking global stability over a bunch of data."

Cody looked like he was about to pounce, and the other agents of CS:GO appeared about ready to jump in at any second. But before it could escalate further, one voice rang out while they argued, the last voice they wanted to hear.

"Catastrophe Cannon!"

All eyes returned to their screens, Raijinmon having been distracted as well, his guard completely down. He couldn't move in time before the bolts of light struck his already damaged body, exploding against his form over and over again, blowing off more mechanical bits. The flashes blocking out their screens along with the smoke, the humans forced to watch.

Thomas felt his heart sink, watching as the smoke cleared and only the forms of Kokuwamon and Shamanmon remained drifting unconscious through the debris field. His mind racing to think of a solution.

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But the Kuramon and Keramon swarm was expanding exponentially, no longer sending data to Diaboromon who had reached his final form. All that data they were collecting was just being used to create more copies!

While Grayson released a frustrated scoff, "And this is what happens when you hesitate, now how are we supposed to stop it!?" He demanded, looking between Cody and Thomas.

"Hey!" The young genius' dad stepped forward, "Don't yell at my son!"

But Grayson ignored him, "You realize what you just did?" He questioned, "You just threw away our best chance to end this! All over someone who's already DEAD!" He shouted, before taking a second to breathe and lower his voice. "This is why you can't leave the hard decision making to children..."

As the arguing continued, Thomas' eyes were on his digivice as he searched for a solution, something... Anything! "Come on... You can figure this out, we just need a different angle... Maybe... Just maybe..."

"Alright that's it!" Cody went on the attack, grabbing Grayson by the front of his shirt and slamming him into a nearby bookcase, knocking plenty of them to the floor while agents had their tasers pointed at him in an instant. "You sure talk a lot of shit for a guy who does nothing but WATCHES as everything goes to hell!"

Grayson grit his teeth, but didn't fight back. "Show some respect, you're threatening a government officer, you need to back off-"

"Screw you and your entire CS:GO," Cody continued, "Last I checked we're the ones solving all your problems, and in case you've forgotten-" He turned and pointed at the screen where Kokuwamon and Shamanmon drifted, "It's OUR friends who are putting their lives on the line for you, I think you're the one that needs to learn some god damn respect!"

And in that moment, he caught Thomas giving him a look. The older teen recognizing the glint in his eyes, as Thomas looked between Cody and the Television, one hand hovering over a blink key on his keyboard.

While Grayson grabbed Cody's wrist. "Last chance, back off."

And surprisingly, Cody relented, releasing Grayson and stepping back. "Tch," Before glaring at the agents still aiming their weapons at him. "Keep it up suits and I'll shove those tasers right up your asses!" Keeping all eyes on him, while Thomas inched closer to the TV.

"Go outside and cool off," Grayson ordered, "While I try to find a way to clean up this mess..."

Surprisingly, Cody seemed to be going along with it. "Alright alright, fine... Don't wanna get tasered after all..." Turning slowly, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked back at Thomas. Looking into the young boys eyes, that stared back at him with clear desperation. "You're really gonna make me do this huh?" He thought, as he walked towards a wooden chair, as if he were going to take a seat. "Dammit..." He released a long sigh, before muttering under his breath to his friend, "You'd better win this."

"What was that?" One of the men said, hearing him speak. He stepped closer to Cody, "Come on, Chief said outside, now."

But as he reached for Cody, the Teen made his move. Arm whipping up and catching the older man's wrist, "Nah, I got a better idea!" Grinning wickedly as he twisted the arm behind the mans back using him as a shield as another agent fired his taser. "Ha! Nice try dumbass!" Cody laughed as the man between them was tased.

"Cody stop it!" Grayson shouted, "Let him go now! You're in big trouble-"

"Fine you can have him!" Cody lifted one foot and kicked the men sending him stumbling forward while his body shook from the taser. The moment the man was free, the agents charged. "Bad idea!" Reaching back, he gripped the top of the wooden chair, "Thomas GO!" He shouted, before swinging it around with all his might.

Grayson's eyes darted towards the wheelchair bound child, whom he'd almost completely forgotten about, as Cody smashed the wooden chair against one of the charging agents. By now, Thomas had already reached the television, the screen swirling again like an open gateway! "STOP! Don't do it!" He tried to stop him, rushing towards the TV.

"We tried your way!" He replied, as he pulled himself through the screen. "Now it's my turn!" Disappearing into the data stream, the young man being sent on course towards the server.

"Gah! G-Get off me!" Cody barked, having finally been taken to the ground by the other men in suits. They had him pinned, arms behind his back. "You guys think you're so tough! Just had one pulled over on you by a kid!" He mocked.

Grayson glared daggers down at Cody, marching over and kneeling beside him. "You have any idea what you just did?"

"Yeah," Cody replied, "I kicked your asses."

"This isn't a joke!"

But it was another voice that answered him. "Then why is Thomas the only one that seems to be taking this seriously?!" All eyes turned to Thomas' parents, his mother having stepped forward beside the screen that had now turned back to normal. "All you care about is saving your damn infrastructure, but what about that girl? What about saving her?"

Grayson sighed and shook his head, "She's dead, I already told you what you're seeing is nothing but data."

"Can't you say the same about Digimon?" She questioned, "I might not fully understand them, or where they come from... But Kokuwamon has thoughts and feelings, he loves eating Duracell Batteries, and watching Family Feud." She explained, "E-Even this... Diaboromon, is fighting to protect that girl!" Raising her voice with a hand on her chest. "Can you really write them off as just data too?"

Grayson was, for a moment, silenced by her speech. Before he posed a simple question, "And what if they can't be reasoned with?"

"Then Thomas will find a way to finish the job." Cody replied from the ground behind him, "So have some faith in him."

The older man scoffed, "So now we just sit and watch?"

At which point, Thomas' father added in as he stepped up beside his wife. "No, now you leave, you people aren't welcome in our home anymore."

As much as Grayson wanted to tell them he worked for the Government and could have them all thrown in prison for this, he relented. "Fine, everyone out!" He ordered, "But I'm staying."

Cody grunted as he stood up, rubbing his neck. "Then sit down somewhere and shut up, this is our operation now."

Grayson bit his tongue to keep from speaking back. "Fine by me..." Before focusing his eyes on the screen before him.

"Are you alright?" Mom asked, making her way over to Cody.

"Uh- Y-Yeah I'm good," He assured, pushing himself up. "Look I'm... Sorry about all that, I didn't mean for it to-"

"Don't apologize," Dad chimed in with a smile, "The way you talk about our boy, it sounds like you know him pretty well."

Cody shifted nervously, not used to praise from adults other than his Granny, "Yeah well, he's pulled our asses out of the fire before," He assured, watching the laptop screen as it followed behind Thomas on his flight through cyber space. "I'm not very good at solving problems, but I am good at taking a punch." He added with a smirk, "So I know he'll sort this one out, one way or another..."

Kind of a short chapter I know, but it seemed like the best stopping point.

I was hardly paying attention to my upload schedule and didn't realize until now that we only have 2 Chapters left this season! Next one wrapping up this Arc, and the next being sort of an... Epilogue lol

Anyways, it should be obvious who's getting their mega form next time, so I hope you're all excited as I am :D