. . .
Annika
Moments Earlier
. . .
Her eyes were wide with shock as she watched the battle that had been fought just outside her prison. These titans, these monstrous creatures, had she gone insane? Did Kuramon have something to do with this? Which one was her Kuramon? There seemed to be thousands now swarming around the cyber space. Up until that moment when the larger monster was slammed into her sphere, nearly caving in the wall on impact. And that other monster, the one who'd nearly destroyed it, he hesitated at the last second... Why?
And now, as the two smaller creatures were left drifting and ignored by the swarm, the devil-horned monster loomed in through the hole. Looking down at her with those dead eyes that... Somehow felt familiar.
"Annika..." It grumbled out.
She stepped back on instinct, before putting the clues together in her head. "K-Kuramon? Is that you?"
To which it nodded, smiling back at her and inadvertently showing it's sharp teeth. "Diaboromon... Now."
"What are you doing?" She questioned, motioning to the swarm. "What is happening out there? Who were those other creatures?"
Diaboromon looked back outside, blinking a few times before looking back at her. "Protect, Annika." It explained, "Annika... Wants to... Be free?"
To which she lowered her head, "I... I don't know if it matters anymore," She answered, "I don't have a body anymore, I'm dead, just a consciousness now." She explained, "I-" Breathing in sharply to fight back a sob, "I have nowhere to go now..."
Diaboromon tilted it's head, "Annika... Sad?" Frowning down at her, "Will... Set free... Make you... Somewhere... Home." It assured, drawing her eyes back up to him.
"I-I don't want... Whatever this is," She argued, shaking her head as she remembered the fighting. "I don't like this... You should stop this!"
"Stop? Want to... Stop?" He tilted his head at that, as if confused. "Stop... Everyone... Free Annika, promise." Before jumping back, away from the sphere causing it to rock slightly, Diaboromon rejoining the swarm in their frenzy of data devouring.
"Wait!" She tried to call out but he was already gone, "Something's wrong... It's like he couldn't understand what I was saying..." Annika watched him go, before sighing heavily as she made her way over to the bed. "I guess I just... Have to wait." Taking a seat on the edge, looking out to where she saw those two little creatures floating, the ones that appeared when the larger one was destroyed. Frowning slightly, "I don't know what's happening anymore." Turning her attention to the swarm, "Kuramon, what are you doing?"
Before a light pinging, almost like it was in the back of her head, started to get her attention. Feeling something, like the connection she'd had to the outside network. It was faint, but she could feel it. Raising her hands, she made screens start to appear around her. Giving her a view into those who were watching on the outside, some of the many thousands or maybe even millions who were connected through Diaboromon's showing.
"What is this... All of these people." She muttered, "Just... Just waiting to see what happens?" Before she felt something else, a large mass of data heading right for her! A light suddenly appeared in the center of her room, a swirling vortex in mid air causing her to jump right up from her bed!
. . .
Thomas
. . .
"Here we go, breaching!" Thomas came crashing through the light, hitting the ground immediately and tumbling to a stop. "Ow... But ground is a good sign," He grumbled, sitting up slowly and rubbing his head. Taking a moment to wiggle his toes, "Ah, feels good to have those back-"
"Um..." He turned his head, seeing he was in some kind of room and there was that girl here. She was backed up against the far wall now, looking frightened.
"Oh, hello there." Thomas waved while pushing himself up, "Sorry to barge in, we're kind of in a crisis here, you're Annika right?"
To which she nodded, sizing him up comparatively she was a few inches taller than him. "Who are you? How did you get in here? How do you know who I am!?" Seeming to become more panicked.
The boy held up his hands, "I'm Thomas, and don't worry I'm here to try and help." He assured, keeping his distance so he didn't spook her. "I used data from my last scan of Diaboromon during his fight with Raijinmon to pinpoint this sphere within the Server Space, so I could open a gateway directly here and avoid the swarm."
Her eye twitched, "I'm supposed to understand any of that?" She internally questioned, before reiterating, "And how do you know my name?"
"Because of Diaboromon, or Kuramon or... Whatever." He shrugged, cautiously walking over to the hole in the wall. "It was sending out messages all across the world, asking for help saving you." He explained, "But things are uh... Complicated." He spotted Shamanmon and Kokuwamon floating out there. "Hmm... Well if I'm able to walk, maybe..." Reaching for that power deep inside of him, Thomas activated his Crest. His hair starting to glow golden, he used part of the fallen rubble and converted it into something akin to a grappling hook, "Ha! Still got it." He grinned, aiming the device and launching it out into server space. It hooked Kokuwamon first, and Thomas started reeling him in.
All while Annika just watched in disbelief, "How are you doing that? And... And what is going on here? What did you mean by complicated?" She questioned, "Kuramon just wants to get me out of here, right?"
Thomas had finished reeling in his unconscious partner, setting him aside before he launched the line again to grab Shamanmon. "That's what I think, but... Well, things have gotten out of hand, speaking of which..." He looked up to the counter that had been left hovering beside Kokuwamon.
486,749
His immediate response being, "Yikes..."
"What is that? What does that number mean?" Annika questioned, keeping her distance from the new creatures he was dragging in.
"That is how many drones Diaboromon has created, copies or whatever you wanna call them." He explained, setting Shamanmon aside as well. "Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush, I can tell something terrible happened here and... Well, to you specifically," Being straightforward because he knew time was of the essence. "My friends here, Shamanmon and Kokuwamon, were sent in to destroy Kuramon."
"What!? Why!?" Annika demanded.
"Because it's devouring everything in this server," Thomas explained, "I know it just wants to help you, it's your friend right?" Earning a quick nod, "But imagine what would happen if it escaped into the world wide web, it's been less than two hours and there's already half a million of these things running around and they're all dangerous." Kneeling beside his partner, he tapped the side of Kokuwamon to try waking him. "And the only reason they haven't escaped yet, is because most of the Cyber Core network is down right now, but if they get out of here..."
Annika realized what he was saying, "They could devour everything..."
"Can you reason with Diaboromon?" Thomas questioned, "Get it to calm down?"
To which she hesitated. "I... I don't know, I told it to stop but..." Shaking her head, "It wouldn't listen, it almost seemed confused by what I was saying." Beginning to wonder why, "This all started when I learned the truth about what happened to me... I just wanted to rip the walls apart of this stupid server, to tear down everything... Maybe that effected Kuramon?"
"That's possible," Thomas nodded, putting a hand to his chin. "But also, Diaboromon seems to be the centerpiece linking all these other drones, the amount of processing power that must take is insane and it's probably why they aren't evolving past the rookie stage, it's only getting worse as their numbers grow." Before narrowing his eyes, "And because of our reckless attack, his already limited cognitive functions are split between collecting data and fighting... Dammit, we just threw gas on this fire without considering the consequences."
Annika frowned sadly, finally making her way over. "So... What are we supposed to do?" She questioned, fearing the answer. "Destroy Kura- Diaboromon?"
Thomas remained silent for a moment, before shrugging. "Not unless we have to," Surprising Annika with a casual smile. "It's just protecting you right? That's the main focus of it's actions, so maybe if we just thin out the swarm it will come back it's senses."
"Didn't you already try that?" She questioned, wondering how he could be smiling at a time like this.
"No, we focused on Diaboromon, thought the swarm was just a distraction," He shrugged, before looking to the counter. "But with numbers like this, we're gonna need some serious fire power..."
578,345
Thomas narrowed his eyes as he watched their numbers growing. "Converting the data directly into power... Hmm..."
"Ngh! Ugh... Ow..." Kokuwamon grumbled as he began to stir, "I think I broke my... Everything."
"Glad to see you're awake," Thomas grinned as he returned his attention to his partner. "Had me worried for a second."
"Thomas!?" He exclaimed, jumping right up despite his complaining just a second ago. "Why are you here!? How did you get here!? This is too dangerous!" Frantically flailing his arms.
Before he had the chance to response, a holo-screen appeared over his shoulder revealing the faces of his parents and Cody. "Finally got a connection," The teen sighed in relief, "Things got choppy for a minute there, you guys all good?"
Thomas nodded, "Yeah, Shamanmon is still out, but I think I've got a plan." Gripping his digivice as he stood up, "Also how are you not in jail?"
Cody released a snort of laughter at that, grinning like an idiot. "Because Grayson knows better, that's why!"
"Tell us your plan," Grayson chimed in, leaning in from behind the others. "Cyber Core is almost back up to full functionality, we're running out of time."
Thomas nodded, looking to his partner. "We're going to activate the Mugen Program."
Kokuwamon blinked in surprise, "What? Really? You think it'll work? B-But what about the power supply?"
"Hold on," Cody interrupted, "What the hell is the Mugen Program?"
Thomas looked back at the screens, "It's a program I wrote to help make Kokuwamon more powerful, so he can access all of his potential weapons at once with an infinite power source." He explained, "The problem is that getting the program to fire up requires a massive influx of energy to jump start it, until it can become self-sustaining."
Grayson quirked an eyebrow, "And how exactly do you plan on getting that power in there?"
"We use Diaboromon's broadcast against it," He stated, "Millions of people are watching this right now, we can ask them for help."
"But how can they help?" Cody questioned, "It ain't like everyone out there has a digimon."
"No, they don't..." Thomas turned away and raised his hands, using his crest to create a few holo-screens in front of him, tapping away at his own makeshift keyboard. "But the fact that Diaboromon is livestreaming this entire thing means data does have a way out, which means with the right tweaks I can make it flow in." Before he flashed a sly grin, "Invert the signal, if you will."
Grayson's eyes widened, "Just like you did with Dragomon's Gateway!"
"I've already got a proven formula that works," He continued, creating a rough model to show the proof of concept. "And with a few tweaks I can convert any incoming data into energy the same way Diaboromon does through his drones."
"Okay but just inverting the signal doesn't mean anything if people aren't sending you data." Grayson pointed out, "Where would it even go?"
"I'll make the delivery point Kokuwamon's own Core," Thomas replied, bringing up a string of numbers that looks suspiciously like an IP Address. "Once it's in, his body should convert it the same way Kuramon did."
"And how do you know anyone will respond?" Cody asked, "I don't want to be a pessimist, but most of the world doesn't even know what's going on right now."
"I can't guarantee anything," Thomas admitted, looking back at them finally. "But I can change the message they're seeing... And hope for the best." Before he looked past the two of them, towards his parents standing in the back. "Mom, Dad, this is gonna be pretty dangerous so... Sorry, but-"
"Don't say sorry," Mom interrupted, "Just come back, both of you." While his father nodded, his arm wrapped around her tightly for support.
He felt his heart swell, "Of course, it's my job to get everyone home safe." Before looked to Kokuwamon, "Ready to do this?"
Kokuwamon eagerly nodded, "I'm right behind you!"
"Hold on!" Grayson barked, leaning forward. "You can't be seriously thinking of engaging Diaboromon alone, you won't stand a chance!"
"You're right, it is statistically impossible for us to defeat this many of them if the Mugen Program doesn't activate properly and even then the entire thing is untested," Thomas replied simply, "But just for once, I'm gonna ignore the statistics and go with my gut." As they began making way for the opening in the wall. Before looking back at Annika, who was still watching in quiet disbelief and confusion. "Look after Shamanmon will you?" He requested.
"Uh?" Her eyes darting to the unconscious goblin digimon. "O-Okay..." But as Thomas started to turn away, she called out, "Wait!" Causing him to stop, "If... If there's any way you can do this... Without destroying Kuramon..." Her hands clenched together tightly, feeling a bit of heat behind her eyes. "Please, that little guy is all I've got left..."
Thomas smiled softly, before giving her a thumbs up. "I already said it's my job to get everyone home safe, didn't I?" Before stepping up onto the rubble, Kokuwamon following as they began climbing up to the top of the sphere.
While doing so, Thomas pressed the last few keys on his holo-keyboard before it faded away. Sending out the change in the broadcasting message.
He gripped his Digivice tight, taking a deep breath as he stood beside his partner. "No going back now..." As they both stared out into the swarm.
758,901
. . .
Kai and Madison
. . .
The teens sat in a large room, it was a cafeteria of some kind where most of the members of scrambling CS;GO Japan Division had gathered. All of them silently watching in the aftermath of Raijinmon's battle to see how things were going, helpless to watch as the swarm grew larger and larger.
Seeing their numbers swelling, Madison swallowed nervously as she idly grabbed Kai's hand. "D-Do you mind?" She asked.
Kai felt her fingers seeming to shake, and didn't let go of her hand. "Are you scared? Of Diaboromon?"
But she shook her head, "I'm scared of what might happen if we can't help them."
Kai nodded, giving her hand a light squeeze, "Yeah, me to." Looking down to Kapurimon who was sitting in his lap, the tiny digimon looking eager to fight but still needed time to recover.
"Huh?" Madison's voice, along with the confused mutters of the agents nearby, drew Kai's eyes back up to the screen. "A new message?"
Kai's eyes widened as he read the words, "This... This has to be Thomas, right?"
To which Madison nodded slowly, "Only he would come up with a plan like this."
"Help Us Save The Net!"
"Send any files you have to this IP address!"
It was followed by a string of numbers, and continued flashing across the bottom of the screen.
Kai pulled out his phone, "Whelp, you heard him."
Madison nodded, grinning as she did the same. "Sure why not?"
. . .
Thomas and Kokuwamon
. . .
Standing atop the sphere, holding his Digivice in hand, Thomas looked back at his partner. "People should be seeing the message now, let me know if you feel anything."
Kokuwamon nodded, "Right, I'll- Oh?" He blinked, looking at his pincers. "I feel... Something," He added, a few sparks lighting up his pincers. "Like when I eat too many batteries for dinner!"
Thomas grinned, "Probably a sign it's working! I'll start loading the Mugen Program now!" Before a shadow began to loom over them, causing both to look up. "Looks like it's noticed us." Diaboromon stood atop an empty file stream, staring down at them as what must have been hundreds of Keramon and Kuramon began to fill the air around them.
Mugen Program... Loading... 5%
"You... Again?" It grumbled out, glaring at Kokuwamon. "Protect... Annika!"
Kokuwamon narrowed his eyes with intensity, "It's going to be different this time, we're going to knock some sense into you!"
Thomas clenched his Digivice, while Cody spoke through a nearby holo-screen. "It's happening Thomas, Diaboromon has every angle focused on you guys!"
Thomas took a deep breath, as the swarm started to descend upon them. "Good thing I don't get stage fright..." His digivice roaring to life with light. "Lets do this Kokuwamon!"
((Kokuwamon's Stand Theme - Brave Heart Tri Version))
Digivolution
Light erupted from Kokuwamon and the Digivice, swallowing up both Digimon and partner!
"Kokuwamon Digivolve to!" Much like before, his body grew larger and was surrounded by hardened metal, but this time as he took shape, Thomas sat firmly in the drivers seat gripping the controls! "Mekanorimon!"
"Thrusters engaged!" Thomas cried, as they blasted off straight upward, pushing through a wall of Kuramon that bounced harmlessly off the canopy. "We can't let them surround us!" He tilted the controls, turning the thruster sideways as hundreds followed around them trying to prevent their escape.
"Way ahead of you!" Mekanorimon replied, opening the cannisters on his shoulders. "Pump the jets! Set Bombs to Maximum Yield!" He cried, and Thomas did as he commanded, causing them to start spinning in the air. "Improvised Special Move!" Before unleashing every single disc bomb in his cannisters. "GYRO TORNADO!"
They flew out in all directions, spreading out almost evenly through the hundreds surrounding them. Before erupting in a series of thunderous explosions! Shaking the air around them and wiping out hundreds in seconds! But even as the air around them was cleared, Mekanorimon was forced to take evasive actions.
"Catastrophe Cannon!" As Diaboromon opened fire.
But with Thomas at the controls, his flight was much more graceful and skilled, evading the attack with ease.
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"Now it's our turn!" Mekanorimon said eagerly.
"Full power to main weapon!" Thomas was flipping switches fast, the lenses on Mekanorimon's chest starting to glow bright. "Locking on to Diaboromon's signal!"
It must have remembered this attack, because Diaboromon immediately began to form up a swarm of Keramon between itself and them. They'd missed their shot before, but this time would be different. With Thomas in the drivers seat, they didn't need to worry about latency!
"FIRE!"
"TRI-BEAM LASERS!"
The beam ripped through the Keramon at full force, Diaboromon's eyes widening as the blast struck him dead center of the chest despite his attempts to evade, Thomas' firing solution was perfect.
"Direct hit!" Cody jumped up from his seat.
Grayson was on his feet, fighting the urge to cry out with them. "Come on kid!"
"Go Thomas!" His mother cried, both she and his father on the edge of their seats.
"You can do it!" His father added.
"Cable CRUSHER!" An elongated hand extended through the smoke in the aftermath, Mekanorimon only just barely dodged as the claw ripped clean through his left arm, taking it right off.
"Agh!" Mom cried, "T-Thomas! Are you okay!?"
Cody adding, "I think you just pissed it off!" As Diaboromon emerged from the smoke unscathed.
But Thomas only gripped the controls tighter, as his crest burned brightly on his chest. "Oh we're just getting started!"
Crest Digivolution
"Mekanorimon Digivolve to!" His body doubling over, the back splitting open as a great serpent made of light emerged. The remaining body melting down into light that merged with the serpent, forming armored wings and gauntlets as well as a large metal helm. The winged serpent lashing out with its tails as the transformation was completed, Thomas standing proudly on his head. "Gigadramon!"
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Grayson's eyes widened, "H-He evolved further?" Having never seen this form before.
"GENOCIDE GEAR!" The cannisters on both wrists opened, as Gigadramon swung both arms out and released a swarm of missiles. Some flew towards Diaboromon, who jumped to evade only for the attacks to chase after him, while others exploded across the server space wiping out hundreds more of the Keramon and Kuramon.
"Th-That's Kokuwamon?" Dad said in shock, pointing at the screen.
"Nah," Cody waved him off, "That's Gigadramon, his Ultimate Form."
To which Dad blinked, "Uh... Right, of course..."
"Catastrophe Cannon!" Diaboromon wasted no time taking fire at the new, much larger target.
Gigadramon wasn't exactly one for speed, so he raised both his metal bracers to protect himself. "Get ready Thomas!"
"I'm on it!" Thomas nodded, placing his hand on Gigadramon's head, putting his Crest to work and beginning to rewrite his data a bit.
The attacks made impact, causing Gigadramon to cringe in pain as they exploded against his body. But the massive cyborg dragon held firm, lowering his guard once Thomas was finished. As he did so, he revealed that his chest had been converted into twin silos, and right arm was now a massive cannon. "GIGA DESTROYER!" He roared, firing twin missiles from his chest, before raising that arm cannon. "PSYCHO BLASTER!" Launching a bolo of swirling energy racing towards Diaboromon as well.
The devilish digimon jumped overhead to evade the attacks, firing off more blasts from it's chest cannon. This time however, Gigadramon strafed to the side and evaded them, while his missiles and that Psycho Blast erupted against members of the swarm further off.
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"Dammit," Thomas cursed loudly, "We need more power, not enough people are sending us data!"
"Grr..." Cody grit his teeth, "HEY YOU MORONS!" His voice echoing across the cyber space through the screen. "Can't you read!? This kid is fighting to save the internet right now! The least you could do is help us out a little! Or you can say goodbye to your blogs and videos and stupid cat pictures!"
"Then we'll just have to keep destroying the swarm and hope Diaboromon comes to it's senses!" Gigadramon growled out, "GIGA GENOCIDE BARRAGE!" Before launching missiles from both his arms, and the newly formed chest silos, the attacks sweeping in all directions. They exploded all across the server space, avoiding the sphere in the middle but blowing away thousands of the Kuramon and Keramon that were starting to erode the server walls themselves and force a way out.
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Grayson put a hand to his ear piece suddenly, "What? You're kidding... DAMMIT!" He cursed loudly, drawing eyes to him. "Thomas you need to get out of there, this isn't working!"
"What are you talking about!?" Cody argued, "He's blowing up thousands of the little bastards!"
"And the survivors are just recollecting the data and creating more!" Grayson exclaimed, "They're not being destroyed fast enough, and without the data to fuel this Mugen Program, he's not doing enough damage!"
"So we need more people to listen?" Cody scoffed, "I just tried that! Can't the CS:GO just like dump thousands of video files to them?"
"We're trying," Grayson countered, "But the connection is being throttled, we can't send more than one large file at a time from any single device!"
"Cable Crusher!" Diaboromon was on the attack again, flying towards Gigadramon as it attacked with both armored claws. One ripped right through Gigadramon's wing, shattering the metal while the other slammed into his chest sending the cyborg dragon smashing into the far wall of the server causing the swarm around it to scatter.
Thomas was rocked by the attack as well, just barely hanging on to his partner. Wincing as he stood up again, before sliding down onto his partners shoulder. "You alright?"
Gigadramon was panting heavily, wincing as he shook himself free of the wall. "This is... Nothing!"
Even as Thomas looked back at his destroyed wing, "Why? Why aren't more people helping? Don't they understand what's going on here?"
"Probably not," Gigadramon grunted out, shaking his head. "And... We're asking them to take a lot on faith."
"Yeah, most of them probably think this is just some kind of Ad, or a movie." Thomas sighed heavily, looking back out at Diaboromon as the swarm gathered around him. "Guess I'm gonna need more than a big brain to get out of this one..."
Before a screen opened up beside them, this one appearing larger for some reason. "Please!" The voice of his mother cried into the server space, tears in her eyes. "Everyone! Help my son!" It looked like it was coming from her phone.
Another opened on Gigadramon's opposite side, showing his father. "They're both just kids, you can't let them do all this alone!" He added, "Just a little bit, that's all we're asking!"
Thomas felt his heart swelling in his chest, "Mom, Dad..."
"Whoa!" Gigadramon gasped suddenly, arching up a bit. "That definitely got peoples attention! I-I can feel more data streaming in!"
Both his parents continued crying out-
"A picture! A video, even just stupid memes! Please!"
"SAVE OUR SON!"
"Gnnngh!" Gigadramon gasped, the damage done to his mechanical parts rapidly healing. "Oooh I-I feel something!"
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Thomas' eyes widened, feeling his digivice shining bright and vibrating in his hand. "This- This is it!"
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"It's coming, GET READY!"
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Gigadramon's entire body was starting to steam, as he threw back his head and roared, "Mugen Program, FULLY LOADED!"
Digivolution
"Gigadramon Digivolve to!" The great Cyborg wyvern outstretched his arms within the swirling vortex of light, metal pieces formed out of nothing and began to coat his entire body. His long serpentine lower body replaced with powerful armored metal legs, while everywhere else on his body shined with the same metal armor. Any traces of an organic body disappeared, and instead now stood a metal beast that seemed to bare each and every one of the weapons Gigadramon had been able to swap to in his previous form.
The twin Psycho Blasters now much larger replaced the wings on his back, his right arm remained as Gigadramon's, while the left was now the long three prolonged launcher claw. While silos for other missiles and beam weapons remained hidden across his body.
Emerging from the light, body steaming like freshly cooled metal, was a massive digimon armed to the teeth and armored like a tank. Thomas stood proudly atop his head, arms crossed while his parents looked on in awe from behind. "Diaboromon!" Thomas cried out, "Allow me to introduce you to the most powerful machine digimon in existence!"
A deep, powerful metallic voice rumbled out from the new evolution. "Machinedramon."
Cody was grinning from ear to ear as he watched, "Ohohoho hell yeah!"
Diaboromon narrowed it's eyes, before the chest cannon opened up. "Catastrophe Cannon!" And it wasn't just Diaboromon who fired, but the hundreds of thousands of weaker digimon added to the barrage.
While Thomas slid down behind his head for cover, Machinedramon remained in place taking every single attack. The blasts exploding and burning against his Chrome Digizoid body, harmlessly struggling to even scuff the metal itself. When the attacks finally halted, they were left enshrouded in smoke, the world watching to see if anything was left after such a brutal barrage.
"Scanning... 988,691 Targets identified." Machinedramon rumbled out, empty eyes flashing to life as red light shined from within. "Weapon Systems... Online," As the silos across his body began to open, and those cannons on his back began lighting up. "Targeting Solutions... Calculated."
Thomas returned to his place atop his head, proudly grinning like an idiot. "Last chance to surrender!"
But rather than respond, Diaboromon began to flee! Jumping far across the server space!
To which Machinedramon replied, "Prejudice... Set to Maximum."
Thomas pointed one finger forward, "Take them down!"
"Running Genocide . EXE." Machinedramon answered, before without warning the missile silos began to fire off all across his body. Giga Blasters launching from his chest, while Genocide Gear fired from his wrists in mass quantity, at the same time shoulder silos launched Gatling Missiles!
They flew far and fast across the server space, exploding in fiery blasts far larger than anything Gigadramon had ever produced before. Nearly blinding all who watched from the sheer magnitude of the blasts.
842,019
Before both rear cannons leaned forward, and Machinedramon opened his maw revealing a lens hidden inside that began to glow along with the cannons! "Psycho Breaker!" The twin blasters on his back fired, releasing bolos similar Psycho Blaster but far more destructive. The twin blasts ripping through and destroying many more thousands of Kuramon and Keramon before they had a chance to recover, sweeping through and rotating around the server space before dispersing in their own destructive explosions. And then the mouth laser fired, having locked onto Diaboromon himself, Machinedramon fired a Nuclear Laser that burned through anything else between him and his target, hitting mark with ease and blasting Diaboromon right out of the air.
"Hopefully that knocks him down for awhile," Thomas said, narrowing his eyes. "Because we've still got work to do!"
679,529
Machinedramon finally leapt from the wall, hurling himself through the air while more missiles fired from all silos chasing down the swarming digimon drones trying to reassemble lost data. Their single track mind making it easy to blow them away in large groups, while the occasional Nuclear Laster or Psycho Breakers wiped away any stragglers.
Grayson was watching with his jaw wide open, "This is... Insane, so much power..." Slumping back into a seat, watching the counter tracking the number of enemies rapidly decreasing.
390,596
"I know right!?" Cody was beaming, bouncing with excitement like a kid watching an action movie. "Machinedramon is BADASS!"
Grayson shot him a look like he was crazy, "He's... Terrifying." Before his earpiece pinged, "Huh? What is it? WHAT?!" He leaned forward quickly, "Thomas! Watch out, they're up to something!"
Thomas narrowed his eyes as he looked up, "Yeah, I noticed."
In the air above, the remaining Kuramon were gathering. Swarming together and joining into some kind of-
"Is that a giant egg?" Cody asked, blinking in confusion.
Machinedramon growled, taking aim with both cannons. "No," Thomas held up a hand, "Not yet." Spotting Diaboromon hiding amongst the debris not too far away, not realizing he'd been detected. "Have you got a lock?"
"Affirmative."
"What are you waiting for!?" Grayson exclaimed, "Whatever there doing it can't be good, destroy that egg NOW!"
"Hang on," Thomas answered, waiting as he watched the remaining Kuramon and Keramon swarm into the egg. "Wait for it..." Reading him like a book, Thomas watched as Diaboromon jumped, launching itself towards the egg! "NOW!"
"Trident Claw!" Machinedramon raised it's arm, launching it straight at Diaboromon. The targeting solution was perfect, and he couldn't miss. The launcher claw striking Diaboromon in the center of the body, carrying him away from the egg before pinning him into the wall of the server between the large metal talons, unharmed but immobilized. While Machinedramon's cannons aimed upward, "Full Power - INFINITY CANNON!"
Blinding light erupted as the cannons fired, their beams a brilliant shining yellow like Thomas' Crest. They pierced clean through the egg, giving a brief flash of whatever had been forming inside. They destroyed the strange, incomplete spider-like monster within. And in an instant, wiped out all that remained of the swarm in their final desperate attempt to gather themselves together. Whatever they had planned to turn into, wasn't going to happen today.
1
Machinedramon stared up at the ruined data, watching it all slowly disperse with nothing to collect it. Moments later, they began drifting towards the sphere in the center, Thomas looking up as they came to a stop by the edge, the boy looking up to the girl waiting. "Alright, come on."
Annika blinked as she stared down at them, "What?"
"Your friend is waiting," Thomas said with a smug grin. "Time to talk some sense into him."
Annika hesitated for a moment, before nodding. She jumped down onto Machinedramon's head, the giant digimon turning and starting to drift towards the wall where Diaboromon was currently pinned. "Thomas that was... Insane, your friend here is terrifying." Before a low rumbling noise sounded beneath them, coming from Machinedramon, it almost sounded like... No, that's not possible, "Is he giggling!?"
"Heheheheh! You really think so?" Machinedramon asked, suddenly breaking the emotionless tone he'd been using. "Thanks, I was really trying to sound scary!"
Thomas chuckled lightly, "Yeah you did great, where did you come up with that bit anyways?"
"Eric mentioned Terminator, so I downloaded and watched all the movies with Dad the other day."
Thomas laughed out loud, "Oh my god really? That's amazing, I can't believe he didn't mention that!"
"I told him to keep it a secret so I could surprise you!" The absolutely ecstatic death machine continued giggling.
Annika's eye twitched, before sighing heavily. "I can't believe you two are the ones who just saved the internet..."
Before they reached their target, coming to a stop in front of Diaboromon who was still pinned by the claw. It grumbled as it raised it's head and looked at them, or specifically at it's friend. "A... Annika?" It rasped out, seeming to be weak. "Free... Annika?" While also looking around the empty server space, like it didn't understand what had happened.
The young girl looked at Thomas, as if asking him for something to say. "Just talk, make your friend hear you... You'd be surprised how far that goes."
Annika nodded slowly, looking back at Diaboromon. "Please, just stop this! I'm okay now, you don't have to hurt anyone or try to free me!"
Diaboromon tilted it's head, before replying. "Annika is... Still sad?"
She clenched her fists tightly, "Of... Of course I'm still sad," She admitted, "I just found out I'm dead, and my parents are gone... B-But-" Refusing to let herself sink into despair. "I've still got you, don't I?" She asked, "Please... I never wanted all of this." She shook her head, "I just want my friend Kuramon back, because he's all I have left."
Diaboromon lowered it's head slowly, before closing it's eyes and releasing a heavy sigh. It's body began to break down, most of the data dispersing into light until all that remained was the tiny form of a single Kuramon. Causing Thomas to release a breath of relief as it floated forward to meet them.
"Annika!" It squeaked out, jumping into her arms where she gladly accepted it, wrapping her arms around Kuramon. "Sorry... Kuramon sorry."
Annika had to fight back a tear as she held her friend again, just happy to have Kuramon back. "It's okay... Just don't do anything like that again."
"He won't be able to," Thomas said, holding out one hand as his crest glowed. "If you'll let me..."
Annika hesitated for a moment, before nodding and holding out Kuramon. Thomas placed a hand just over that big eye, before it started to glow. "What are you doing?"
"I'm just adjusting Kuramon's code a little," He explained, "He can store data for himself, but I'm disabling his copy function so he can't divide anymore." Once it was done, he pulled his hand back and grinned at Kuramon. "No hard feelings?"
Kuramon blinked with that one big eye, before looking back at Annika, "Friend?"
Annika gave a small nod, "Yeah, I think so."
Kuramon jumped right out of her arms and started bouncing around them, "New friend! Toma Friend Toma Friend!"
"Eh, it's actually Thomas..." The boy tried to correct, before shrugging it off. "Nevermind..." Before looking to Annika, who's gaze down at Kuramon still seemed so sad, even as she sat down on the surface of Machinedramon's head to watch her friend. Thomas had never been the best with people, but he could tell she was still hurting. "Man where is Maddie when you need her?" Taking a leap of faith, he sat down as well. "I... I know this doesn't fix everything, and I can't imagine how you must be really feeling." He began, keeping his eyes forward, "I can't give you a body back, but I know somewhere you can find a new home, and friends, where you don't have to worry about some scummy corporation experimenting on you."
She looked back at him, a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Really? Where? Another server like this?" She questioned, "I'd rather not be trapped..."
"No, not a server." Thomas assured, "It's a place called The Digital World, it's where these guys come from." He explained, "It might take a little bit since our primary gateway is currently stuck in Japan, but we've got friends there that would be happy to have you."
Annika seemed hesitant, watching as Kuramon happily tumbled around as if nothing had happened. "And... The other creatures will just accept us? It's that easy?"
Thomas thought about it for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, I think so..." Before smiling fondly at his memories of that place. "Digimon are funny creatures, the ones that aren't evil are really friendly, and get attached pretty quick." He chuckled, tapping Machinedramon's head, "I've only known this big dork for a couple months."
"I'm the dork?" Machinedramon scoffed, "Tell me again about how I'm the 'strongest machine digimon in existence', if I didn't know any better I'd say you rehearsed that." He teased right back.
Thomas rolled his eyes, "So, what do you say?" Returning his attention to Annika, "You might have to live in my laptop until we can send you guys over."
Annika thought about it for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, anything's better than this place."
"Great," Thomas smiled, patting Machinedramon's head, "Let's go pick up Shamanmon and get-"
Before the lights around them started to turn off, the walls of the server going from white to red as warning symbols flashed across them. "What is this?" Annika questioned worriedly, "What's going on!?" Picking up Kuramon and holding him close as the screens showing the live stream all cut out.
Thomas saw the flashing symbols along the walls and his eyes widened, "It's a server purge, somebody is trying to wipe away all evidence of what's happened here!"
Annika tensed up, fear filling her in an instant. "No, no I don't want to be deleted!"
"Our doorway's gone." Machinedramon stated, as they flew towards Shamanmon. "What's the plan here Thomas?"
He was weaving his hands through the air, shifting scraps of data around as he worked as fast as he could. "I'm going to tap into your infinity engine for a power supply," He stated, "And make us our own doorway, Annika I need you to upload yourself into this!" Holding out his phone, "It's gonna be a little cramped but it's all I can do on short notice!"
It was getting darker, the walls of the server were no longer visible, Annika was terrified but reached out for his device. "O-Okay! Hang on Kuramon!"
"Make us a door Machinedramon!" Thomas ordered, as Annika and Kuramon's bodies were enveloped in light, before being sucked into his phone.
"Infinity Cannon!"
. . .
Cody
. . .
"What... What just happened?" Thomas' mother questioned, as they all stared now at blank screens. They all simply showed a message reading, "Connection Lost"
"Maybe once Diaboromon was defeated it lost the control over the streams?" Grayson suggested, but appeared just as confused.
Cody wasn't buying it, "Then why hasn't Thomas contacted us? He would have-"
A flash of light through the windows interrupted him, coming from the back yard. Followed by a thunderous crash that shook the entire building and had everyone stumbling. Once the shaking stopped, Cody and Grayson looked to one another, before racing out towards the back. Exiting through the back door to see the titanic form of Machinedramon laying in the back yard! And... Well, most of the surrounding yards as well.
"Perfect... landing... Ugh." The mighty machine grumbled.
"Thomas!" Cody cried out as soon as he spotted him, racing over to where Machinedramon was holding his partner, keeping his now crippled body safe from the crash. He pulled Thomas up and checked him over, the boys parents following close behind. "You good?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm good." He assured, leaning on Cody for support, "Anybody got my chair?"
"Right here," Dad offered, sighing in relief as he helped Thomas sit into it. "What happened back there?"
"Somebody started a remote server purge," Thomas answered simply, as Machinedramon stood up fully behind them. He looked to Grayson, "The company that owns that server were doing illegal experiments on a dead girl, the consciousness of Annika was trapped inside the server." Before holding up his phone, "Luckily I managed to recover her, so they didn't get to wash away all the evidence."
Causing Cody to sigh in relief, as he checked over the still knocked out Shamanmon. "That's good, what about Diaboromon?"
"Reverted back to Kuramon and is safely stored with Annika." Thomas assured.
"What!?" Grayson exclaimed, "You mean you didn't destroy it?"
"Of course not," Thomas scoffed, "It was just protecting Annika."
"It threatened the entire internet!" He argued.
"Which started only because of some shady companies illegal experiments," Thomas countered, "What happened here was a symptom, not a cause, you wanna punish somebody then go after the bastards that owned the server." And when Grayson opened his mouth to continue arguing, Thomas held up a hand. "I've modified Kuramon's code, he can't multiply anymore, and with Annika out of danger he's harmless."
Grayson pinched the bridge of his nose, "That isn't for you to decide, we need to take them both in for questioning and examination."
"Not happening," Cody said simply as he stepped forward, "Digimon and their human partners are our business, so we'll take it from here."
Grayson narrowed his eyes, his men behind him placing hands on their holstered weapons. "I don't think you understand what you're saying-"
"And I don't think you do," Thomas answered sharply, evidently not interested in the 'scary government thug' routine again. "You're not thinking rationally, you're so focused on what almost happened you're ignoring the thing that actually caused it," He scoffed, "Go after the company that owns the server, Annika could even testify if she had to..."
To which Cody added, "Or is the US Government too scared to put the screws to rich and powerful corporations?" He asked sarcastically, crossing his arms.
Grayson clenched his fist, "This isn't about that, you kids-"
His words hitched as Machinedramon suddenly leaned forward, many of the nearby neighbors watching began to back away or hide back in their homes. "This conversation, is over." He said simply, going back to using that cold emotionless voice. "Thomas is tired, Shamanmon is hurt, we're done... Annika and Kuramon are going to the Digital World, that's final."
Grayson swallowed nervously, both he and his men looking thoroughly shaken. "A-And what about my orders?"
"You're welcome to try and take the phone," Machinedramon answered, "But I won't be responsible for what happens to you and your men if you do."
Grayson blinked, before clicking his tongue. "Right, ahem... Okay boys let's pack it in!" He waved his arms up, turning to his men. "This operation is a wrap... Thomas, I'll be in touch." Waving them off as they began to disperse, seeing no chance of arguing with the enormous digimon armed to the teeth with weapons of mass destruction.
As they departed, everyone remaining breathed a sigh of relief. Machinedramon eventually returned to the tiny form of Kokuwamon, prompting nearby neighbors to approach. Thomas' father laughed nervously, "I think we're gonna have some explaining to do..."
Mom nodded, "Yeah, but I think everything turned out okay..." Before looking to Cody, "Are you staying for dinner?"
Causing him to tense up, "Eh? W-Well I... Don't exactly have a ride back home so, sure?"
She smiled and nodded, "We'll set a couple extra plates."
Thomas was about to speak when his phone buzzed, looking at it he saw Annika's face on the screen. "Oh, hey there, finding your way around okay?"
"You have way too many math games on here," She said simply, "I'd almost call it obsessive..."
Thomas blushed lightly, "Y-Yeah well my brain is hyper active, if that wasn't obvious." He shrugged, "We'll have you guys in the Digital World before you know it, I promise."
"Thank you," She smiled in response, as Kuramon floated up and sat on her head. "For protecting us both..." Before her eyes drifted down to the chair, "I didn't realize you were-"
"Don't worry about it," Thomas assured, holding up a hand, "I- Huh?" His phone roared to life with more notifications, some from Eric and others from numbers he didn't recognize. But based on the context of the messages, he had to assume they were all from his school, "Uh oh..."
"What's wrong?" Cody asked, leaning over his shoulder.
"Well uh... It seems my identity has been leaked..."
"Leaked?" Cody scoffed, patting him on the back. "Bro your face was just plastered on like a million screens world wide, you leaked it yourself!"
Kuramon's eye popped up onto the screen, "Kuramon... Sorry?"
Thomas sighed heavily, "Just eat any messages without a name attached to them for now and we'll call it even."
. . .
Caster
. . .
"Things didn't exactly go as planned... The server purge was successful, but it seems Annika escaped."
"That's nothing to worry about, as a digital copy of a consciousness any testimony she makes in court will hardly hold up."
"And what about our other projects?"
"Cut ties and go silent for the time being, can't have any feds catching wind of them."
"Of course sir... There was one more thing."
"Oh?"
"We managed to get a snap data capture of the Digimon involved in the fighting, figured it might be useful."
"Hmm, indeed... I'll forward it to those working on the Arcadia Project, excellent work."
Whew, that was a doozy to get through, all we have left of the season now is an epilogue! After that I'll be taking a short break but I'll give details on that next time.
I had a lot of fun writing this, and its a fight I've had planned since some time in season 2 so I am so happy to finally get it out there :D Don't know if I've ever mentioned it before, but MachineDramon is maybe my favorite digimon so putting him in a hero role was a lot of fun :D
Anyways, final chapter of the season will be out some time next week, it's time to see what Sam has been up to all this time...