Chapter 13: SWORD

Takato moaned as he finally entered through the door of his house and sluggishly made his way to his room. Since his recovery Yamaki had wanted a meeting with him in order to personally debrief Takato on the school attack. This meant that Takato had to board a plan and undertake the five and a half hour flight starting at eight a.m. to the League headquarters at Midway Atoll. He then had to go through an extensive medical checkup at the atolls medical wing before he was finally ushered into the room with Yamaki. After an hour long explanation on the events of the attack Yamaki had thanked him and told him to return home and to expect him to contact Takato when he got back. Takato then had to fly all the way back to Tokyo and now he was finally back in his house and wanting to pass out on his bed. Unfortunately fate decided that this would be too easy for him and through him one last curveball in the form of Seth sitting down at his dinner table happily chatting away with his mom while the two ate a light dinner his mom no doubt made.

Seth glanced up and saw Takato and his three partners walk through the door and nodded to him "Takato good to see you back safe and sound. Yamaki wanted me to come over for a holo-meeting in your room upon your return." Seth said as he stood before addressing her with a polite bow and a soft smile "Thank you for the meal Mrs. Matsuki it was very good."

Takato's mother held her hand to her mouth to hold back a slight giggle before replying "Oh, it's my pleasure Seth, and please call me Yoshie. You're always welcome in this house." She stated with a smile.

Seth nodded "Very well Yoshie and thankyou again for the meal. Now I apologize but I have to borrow your son for a bit."

Yoshie waved it off "I understand! Big League business and all that. Takato I have some dinner waiting down here for you when you are done. Guilmon, BlackAgumon, and Gatomon you three can stay here and eat while your partner finishes his meeting." She told them causing Takato's partners to scramble to the table and begin wolfing down his mother's cooking. Takato sighed in envy before following Seth upstairs and into his room.

Along the way Takato remembered that Seth was supposed to have trained the Tamers today "So how did the training go?" he asked.

Seth shrugged before replying "Showed them the training center under the park and let them spar amongst each other and against a few of the FANG trainees that showed up to finish their training."

Takato nodded his head in understanding, the training facility Seth was talking about was one he had used before and was a massive complex hidden underneath the park and only accessible via a fright elevator hidden in a stone and earth storage shed. Takato had always thought the shed would have made a good place to hide Guilmon in the weeks after he emerged and apparently the League had agreed and built the facility's entrance there. "How long did that take? Did you come right over afterward?"

Seth nodded "Yep came over as soon as we finished up around three hours ago."

Takato hesitated in his walk "Three hours ago? You've been at my house for three hours waiting for me?" he asked.

"Well chatting with your mom and eating dinner but yes also waiting for you." Seth replied nonchalantly.

Takato eyed Seth in suspicion of his friend being at his house so long with his mother alone but for the sake of his own sanity and general trust of the man next to him he didn't question it and continued toward his room.

When the two arrived Seth immediately closed the blinds before setting a silver ball on the floor and activating it when Takato locked the door and turned off the lights. The ball emitted a blue glow before a screen at the top displayed four life size images of four men.

Takato easily identified Yamaki standing in the center with his blond hair and immaculate clean business suit. The three other men he didn't know but he got the distinct impression they were FANG Tamers based on their baring and hardened looks.

Yamaki kicked off the meeting by nodding to Takato "Takato, sorry we couldn't do this at HQ but the secrecy involved with this aspect of the League means that it can't be divulged around the HQ with how many monitoring devices we have throughout the island."

Takato nodded in understanding hesitantly not knowing what this was about he decided to ask "It's alright sir but what exactly is so secret that you had to tell me in my room?"

Yamaki looked at Takato as if in thought before replying "Tell me what you know about the group known as SWORD?" Yamaki asked.

Takato raised his brow in surprise not expecting that question before replying honestly "Umm not much, I know it's a supposed black-ops unit of the League and rumor has it that it's made up of the best of the FANG operators. Other than that I don't know anything concrete."

Yamaki nodded in understanding before addressing Takato "About what I would expect then. Firstly Takato SWORD is a very real unit composed of four individuals however they are not the best FANG operatives they are the best operative's period, not just from FANG but all of the Leagues branches. SWORD stands for Specialized Warfare Operations and Reconnaissance Division. They are a small but highly versatile group that can confront anything and achieve any objective the League needs doing. You are here Takato to join their ranks." Yamaki explained surprising Takato.

"Y-you want me to join? Why me?" Takato asked in uncertainty.

Seth surprisingly spoke up "Because you're the only one that can handle the job." He began and seeing the confused expression on Takato's face he sighed before explaining. "All four members of SWORD are unique in three distinct ways from any other League unit. Firstly we have command level authority with almost any League or regular military unit when it involves digimon and zero oversight of their activities. Secondly there is no official record of our activities in any archive either physical or digital. Thirdly all SWORD operators are both biological and digital with myself and the three others here being composed of both physical and artificial matter much like yourself. This is why you are the only one that can join us as you already have a foot in the door as they say."

Takato regarded his supposed best friend for a second "You've been a part of this group without telling me for how long exactly Seth?" he asked with an accusatory tone.

Seth glanced over to him before sneering "Listen Takato, we are indeed friends but classified information is still classified information. I don't pry into what you do on your off time so don't get angry at me for keeping secrets about mine. As for how long I've been with the unit… I was here when it was founded."

Takato's anger dissipated although not completely as he blinked his eyes in response before he finished processing the information. "So then wait doesn't that mean that you four are the four survivors of that experiment to make artificial and biological humans? I thought they said that it failed." He asked.

Yamaki nodded "And it did at the time while the operation had succeeded in making all four here have a mix of both artificial and biological DNA they did not gain any digimon like abilities or powers. It was only later when we were approached by the sovereigns that they gained their abilities."

Takato's eyes widened at the mention of the rulers of the digital world "The sovereigns contact you? What the hell for?"

Seth decided to answer "The sovereigns had decided that they wanted to support the League's efforts in creating a peaceful coexistence between our worlds. Having learned of our failure to produce artificial human/digimon operators they came to us with the agreement to never to attempt that very goal again and in return they will give the four existing crossbreeds their blessings and thusly the abilities of digimon. By personally changing and manipulating the code making up the digital portion of our DNA they allowed us to in a sense become their champions in our world."

Takato contemplated all of this in silence for a full minute before finally voicing his opinion "But why did they want to make you their champions? Why not digimon?"

"They intended it to be an example of what one day could be possible if both human and digimon worked together in harmony. In a sense while Seth and the others here still grew up as humans they are also digimon and thus can better understand the perspectives of both worlds." Yamaki explained.

Takato nodded in understanding before looking to Seth "So what sovereign do you represent?"

Seth smirked before pointing to himself with his thumb "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Seth Harrington and champion of the lovely Baihumon. I'm usually in charge of all our black ops shit and anything else that needs a quite investigation. Officially I'm a member of the League's FANG unit." Seth introduced before gesturing to one of the other three men there.

One figure sighed before introducing himself "Names Matthew Hamilton but just call me Silver. I'm the representative of Azulongmon and run all of the investigation and regular reconnaissance ops. I am officially a member of the League's DART branch." The man introduced himself. The man himself was actually only a teenager around eighteen or nineteen with his short spiky hair dyed a shiny silver. He had an athletic build and wore a blue long sleeved pullover and a pair of black cargo pants with combat boots. He also had a D-arc strapped to his left hip showing he was indeed a tamer.

The next figure that steeped forward was a male human standing at about 5'6 with blond hair and grey eyes behind a pair of glasses. He appeared to be in his late teens with a lanky build but hansom look despite his rather simple attire of a white T-shirt and grey pants. "I'm Thomas Vassilis, champion of Ebonwumon and one of the head researchers in the Leagues DTRADE branch. I'm in charge of all the tech and data analysis jobs Yamaki needs SWORD for and I also help with requests from any of the others requests." Thomas introduced himself with a polite nod to Takato before the final individual approached.

The last individual was a tall brown haired teenager with short brown hair and brown eyes that regarded Takato as if the owner where sizing him up. The male wore a bright ted long sleeve jacket and black jeans that when combined with his aggressive bearing gave him a rather intimidating aura. "Adrian Motts, agent of Zhuqiaomon. I'm officially a member of DIALED and in charge of Digimon related criminal activity. Get in the way of my investigations and you'll be the one to regret it." Adrian growled out menacingly.

Takato gave a small nod before looking at Yamaki in a questioning gaze "But wait if all of the SWORD operators here are supposed to be the representative of a sovereign how can I join when I am not?"

"You are actually." Seth spoke up gaining Takato's attention as he stepped forward and presented Takato with a Digimon card. The card was a midnight black with the exception of a series of three pairs of golden wings arrayed in the middle as if taking flight surrounding ten orbs arrayed in a circle. "Congratulations Takato, as of this moment you have been given the honored position of Fanglongmon's champion. This card is to make it official. With the power granted by your new tittle comes great hardship and responsibility." Seth announced in his best official sounding voice.

Takato took the card from Seth slowly and just gazed at it for a second watching the light from the orb catch the golden wings and orbs making it glint.

Before he could scan the card however Yamaki interrupted speaking up "Do note however that upon scanning the card and officially taking up your position amongst SWORD that by doing so you are pledging your future to the betterment of a Human and Digimon shared world. All of your actions as a SWORD member will be highly classified and you will be sworn to secrecy from ever telling anyone about anything related to actions taken by yourself, your SWORD comrades, or the existence of the unit itself. You may very well, no you will be asked to do thing that you object to morally and be expected to carry them out regardless." Yamaki warned Takato making sure he understood the repercussions of the choice laid before him.

Takato glanced once more at the card in his hands before eyeing Seth once more "Fanglongmon chose me to do all of this in his name?" he asked.

Seth nodded "Yes he did. He even said something along the lines that he had seen your actions and believed that you where the embodiment of what he viewed as his perfect champion." Seth answered "He also said that should you accept that he wants to speak with you when the tournament comes around." Seth relayed.

Takato nodded again before taking a deep breath and looking up at the gathered individuals around him "I have always believed in a world that could be shared by both digimon and humans. I could see the potential of such a world all around me. In interacting with my partners, in the concept of biomerging with digimon, with the strength I've witnessed in the bond between Tamer and Digimon. If this SWORD unit can help bring about that world than I will do whatever it takes to make that world a reality." Takato announced before swiping the card through his Omni-vice and feeling a rush of, something stream into his body.

Yamaki nodded and gave a respectful nod "Then let me be the first to say this. Welcome Takato Matsuki, champion of Fanglongmon, to SWORD."

Aaannnddd Chapter! Well now you all have finally been introduced to the group this story is named after. I will warn you now that Yamaki's statement about morally questionable acts is true and Takato will be confronted with the darkest elements of both the digital and human worlds. Now that he is a member of SWORD though expect more fights and some dark themes as we get to see just what the League has to do to maintain order in this time period. I took many of the upcoming ideas from what I thought would happen if powerful creatures like digimon appeared in our world with some bonded and controlled by children. Takato will also begin to question just how well he knows Seth and Seth's background which will be explored as well.

This chapter may be shot but is the introduction to a the main plot of the story as now Takato will have to deal with his new responsibilities as a member of SWORD while also dealing with school, the girls who are seeking him out, and helping the digidestend and Tamers. All while keeping everyone not connected to it from finding out about his status as a member of SWORD.

Well anyways thanks for reading and remember until next time stay frosty and don't forget to review.