Hello, and welcome to the chapter that really makes you feel bad at the end. Apologizes, I was editing this when my mother came in and told me The Mummy (The fun 1999 film) was on TV so I had to postpone the editing.

Got a lot of reviews from the last one, nice to get the great feedback. Thanks Whiteling, DigimonAT0318, MadDogLucario96, God of the Challenge, and WolfDragon.

Now, let's get to the memories... and the warning.

Chapter 22: Ghost in the Machine! Message from Beyond!

Fuji TV Building, Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. July 30th, 2002. 1956 Hours.
P.O.V. – Third Person

It was another quiet night at the Fuji TV building. Most of the employees were going about their own business, just cranking out the next program or producing the next episode of their shows or a new series. One of the people working late was Hiroaki Ishida's old co-worker Chioka who had moved up in the station. He was now the series producer and director of an upcoming series called Strange World: Believe it or Not. He looked at the computer screen with his editor, a man by the name of Shigeru.

"Ah, there! Place that one after the wide shot." Chioka leaned back in his chair.
"Uh… Chioka-chan, did you purify yourself after you shot this?" Shigeru asked.
"Uh, nope. What for?"
"Well, weird things often happen with these mystery shows…"
"Weird things?" Chioka pulled out a cigarette and began lighting it.
"Like ghosts appearing on the tape or stuff like that."
"Don't get all superstitious on me, it's just entertainment. If there are any ghosts, it's because we put them there. Most of the stuff we shot was pretty boring anyways."
"Do you feel any guilt about misleading others with that kind of action?"
"Please, most people know it's just a show." Chioka dismissed the concerns.
"If you say so…"
"Gah!" Chioka exclaimed which caused his cigarette to fall out.
"What is it?" Both men looked closely at the screen and soon saw a dark shadow on the screen which chilled them to the bone.

Chosen HQ, Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. July 31st, 2002. 1653 Hours.
P.O.V. – Miyako Inoue

Another day, another successful attack on a Dark Tower. However, we still had no sign of where the Kaiser's headquarters is, but some of the older children believe that we're getting close. Right now, we had a bigger problem.
"I'm starving!" Chibimon shouted. Our problem was dealing with very hungry Digimon.
"We just got home, and you're already hungry?" Hikari chuckled.
"I can't help it! I'm just really hungry!"
"Well, we got another area back today, so let's celebrate!" insisted Takeru.
"Bingo! I just got a new game." I exclaimed. "Why don't you come to my place?"
"What, what? What did you get?" Daisuke demanded.
"Iori-kun, what's wrong?" asked Ken.
"I was thinking that we don't really know what the Digimon Kaiser is up to…" Iori expressed the concern that we all had.
"Now that you mention it, yeah…" Takeru agreed. "He's taking over new areas, but he hasn't done anything else…"
"Don't worry about that! We have the advantage." Daisuke believed. I nodded in agreement.

"I had heard a rumor coming out of your school, but starting tomorrow, the computer lab is going to be used, correct?" Ken recalled something he heard.
"Ah, that's right! It's going to be used for a summer computer class for the lower grades." Takeru informed.
"Eh? I never heard that!" Daisuke argued.
"Well, good thing we moved a while back. Somehow I get the feeling that Koushiro-san and Ross-san may have predicted this." I said. "I'd be pretty concerned if we couldn't go to the Digital World tomorrow."
"Ah, well… We already have plans for tomorrow anyway, so we can't come here." explained Takeru.
"We? Who's 'we'?" asked Daisuke.
"Me and Takeru-kun." Hikari walked over which caused Daisuke to have a surprised and shattered look on his face.
"Wh-wh-what? I-is it a d-d-d-date…?"
"Nothing like that…" She laughed. She then pulled out a day planner that had an important note next to August 1st.

"One eighth plan? What's that?" Daisuke wondered.
"It's the August First Plan. If you're going to read it like that, wouldn't it be the 'eight oneths plan'?" Takeru somewhat teased him.
"Yes, indeed." Iori nodded before we all chuckled.
"What, I'm bad at fractions!" Daisuke turned his back on us.
"Do you need a tutor?" Ken asked.
"I'm fine!"
"Why don't you all come along?" Takeru invited.
"On your date?" Daisuke quickly turned back around.
"It's not that!" Hikari nervously laughed.
"Then, what?"

Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. August 1st, 2002. 1101 Hours.
P.O.V. – Daisuke Motomiya

"August first is three years to the day when all of this truly started." Takeru explained to us when we met up at Daiba Park.
"Ah, I get it… that's when Taichi-san and the others went to the Digital World for this first time, right?" Iori figured it out.
"I stayed at home, though… I wasn't feeling well so I missed camp where the others first met each other and ended up being transported to the Digital World." Hikari informed.
"Today was the first time Takeru and I met." Patamon said.
"I see…" Miyako nodded.
"Hey!" A voice cried out.
"It's Taichi-san and the others!" I pointed. We turned and saw the others and their Digimon up the hill waving at us.
"So you all came too." Taichi said as he took a seat next to us.
"Yeah."
"How is everyone doing right now?" Jou asked.
"We're doing fine, Jou-san." Ken informed.
"I'm kinda surprised that everyone is here." Iori looked around.
"It's our anniversary of our Digimon adventures; do you think we'd miss this?" Ross smirked.

For the next hour, they began telling their stories to the rest of us newer kids. We already knew a good chunk of what had happened but final pieces had been placed so now we pretty much knew what had happened. We were definitely quite surprised by what they told us. All the struggles they went through, I could hardly imagine. Now I kinda feel bad because it feels like we've kinda got it off easy, what with not having to deal with really powerful and deadly Digimon as well as the fact that we get to come home every night.
"So that's what happened? I can't believe it!" "Mimi-oneesama, I knew you're something else!" "I see… so that's why Takeru-san and Hikari-san are here now." "Hard to believe I was this close to you guys and didn't realize it." We said.

P.O.V. – Third Person

"There it is again!" Shigeru pointed to the screen. He reminded the recording and the shadow changed places from where it was before.
"It changed again!" Chioka shouted.
"However you think about it, it's weird! If it was recorded on tape… there's no way it can change every time we play it!"
"And this is my first job as director…" It wasn't just his show that was being affected. The shadow was soon appearing on multiple screens throughout the entire building, much to the confusion and worry of many of the employees.
"Same here…" Shigeru observed.
"It's not just our show."
"The whole station is…"
"The station is… what?"
"It's haunted."
"Don't be stupid! This place just got rebuilt! All the equipment is new… So… so…"

P.O.V. – Iori Hida

"What's wrong with you four?" Mimi asked us as we looked out across the bay under the Rainbow Bridge.
"I… I just feel overwhelmed after hearing so many stories." I told them.
"It's like my stomach is full…" Miyako added.
"I don't think I can take in any more." Daisuke believed.
"I guess we're just feeling somewhat burdened by the idea of trying to live up to you guys after what you had done." Ken said what we were all thinking.
"You're not that weak, are you?" Sora playfully teased.
"You guys have been doing well so far." Taichi assured us.
"I guess…" sighed Daisuke.
"Will you be alright?" Yamato wondered.
"Maybe not…" Miyako feared.
"Just hang in there!" Jou gave Daisuke a pat on the back and he nearly fell over the rope wire and into the bay causing all of us to laugh.

P.O.V. – Takeru Takaishi

"I see… it's still as messy as I left it." I looked around Dad and Yamato's apartment and saw it was still the same mess as when I saw it a few months ago.
"Can't be helped, two guys are living here." Yamato gave a quick excuse.
"And one Digimon." Gabumon chimed in. I kneeled down, placed down Patamon so he and Gabumon could hang out with each other, and picked up a few shirts.
"I can help with the laundry…"
"Don't worry about that!" Yamato took the shirts away. "You say the same thing every time you stay here for the night."
"Eh? Really?" How is it I don't recall?
"I remember thinking that Mom always did everything for you. Your house is always clean; your clothes are always washed… Every day, when you get home, a meal is ready…"
"Sorry… I never thought about that."

"It's fine… you don't have to worry about that stuff. Maybe we should get someone to do some tidying up around here."
"Mom?"
"She'd kill me!" My mind drifted to the thought of what would've happened to all of us had Mom and Dad stayed together. Would we even be the same people? "What do you want to eat?" Yamato brought me back to reality. "Though I'm not much of a cook, so don't expect much."
"Whatever is fine, as long as it's a meal cooked by my brother." Yamato soon had a smirk on his face.
"Oh, yeah? Get ready." That doesn't sound good.

Oh, gods! That's hot! Downed the whole meal and now I have to drink like several glasses of water just to cool my mouth.
"Th-thanks for the meal!" I exasperated all the while Yamato was giggling. "Is this what Dad eats all the time?"
"No, today it was a special dinner for our guest Takeru-sama!" Figures, I should've known considering anytime I'm over for the night, we tend to eat take-out.
"Special…? Normal was fine…"
"I can't do that. This only happens once a year. It's like Tanabata, where Orihime and Hikoboshi meet once a year."
"If Orihime and Hikoboshi heard you, they'd be angry…"

We soon heard the front door open up which meant that Dad was finally home.
"Welcome home!" I announced as Dad walked into the kitchen.
"Oh, you're here… so it was today?"
"What, you forgot?" Yamato questioned.
"No, no, no, that's right; it's today… today…" Boy, Dad seems really out of it.
"What? Did something happen?" I asked.
"No, nothing…" He sighed.
"What's with that eerie sigh?" Yamato wondered.
"Eerie? Exactly, that's just how it is… I don't want to think about it, but I keep imagining these bizarre things…"
"What are you talking about?" Dad got up out of the chair.
"When you see someone walking across the hallway like this… what do you think?"
"Well… where is he going, or something." I said.
"Yeah, you'd think that. So then, you watch him, wondering where he's going. And then…"
"And then?" questioned Yamato.
"The person that was in the hallway just now… isn't there anymore."

"So you thought you saw a person, but you were just seeing things?"
"Yeah, seeing things… I wish. Then, how about this? During editing, there's an image that shouldn't be there."
"Maybe no one noticed it when filming?" Yamato suggested.
"Really? You think so?"
"Yeah, what else…" I said.
"Yeah… That should be it…"
"Wait a second, are you suggesting that you've been seeing a ghost at the station?"
"That's exactly it. Now if one or two people had seen it, we could dismiss that as someone was just seeing things. But with ten or twenty people… hell, almost half the building now…" I looked over to the table and saw a Sony MD player.
"Dad, what's in that MD?"
"Ah, Sakurada made me a copy of a sutra."
"A sutra?" Yamato and I questioned.
"Well, since it's a ghost, we thought it'd help. But it's not good…"
"How stupid…" Yamato dismissed everything and walked away.
"Eh, don't mind him, Dad. Uh, I'm gonna go take a bath." I got up to go to the bathroom.
"SPICY! TOO SPICY!" I heard Dad scream. Guess he tried Yamato's dish.

Fuji TV Building, Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. August 2nd, 2002. 0931 Hours.
P.O.V. – Third Person

"Okay, moment of truth this time…" Shigeru muttered as he hit the play button on the computer. Both he and Chioka watched the screen very closely as they kept their eyes peeled for the mysterious shadow. After a few moments, the shadow appeared and flew across the screen.
"Not again!" cursed Chioka.
"At this rate, we'll get nothing done! This airs the day after tomorrow…"
"What are you on about? We can't air it like this!"
"Gah! What are we going to do!?"
"And this is my first job as director…" Chioka began to cry. "All this hard work for nothing!"
"Hey, guys, you're never gonna believe this!" A random employee ran in.
"What? What happened?" Shigeru asked.
"Well, we decided to run a bit of an experiment with this whole shadow thing… and well, we broadcasted a show out to the public and it turns out that the shadow didn't appear on any of the screens outside the building. To the rest of the country, these shows are normal."
"Really? So then it really does mean that this place is haunted…"
"Oh, don't you start!" Chioka shouted.

"Should I play this?" Sakurada walked in with a MD player.
"Huh?"
"The sutra."
"You bring an MD to listen to that…" growled Chioka. Shigeru sighed and got up out of his chair.
"At this point, we should try anything." They place the boom box down and hit the play button. After a few moments, nothing was happening. "Huh? There's no sound. Is it broken?"
"That's impossible… I just bought this MD player." Suddenly, the sound of a groan began to fill their ears.
"Uh… that's a really weird sutra…"
"N-no… that voice isn't coming from this…" Chioka and Shigeru's eyes widened.
"Th-then, what…?" Chioka stuttered.

P.O.V. – Miyako Inoue

"Yay, Tokyo Tower!" Mimi cheered. "Long time no see." What does she mean by that? Is she referring to not being here in the past few months or something?
"It's back to normal as well." Sora noticed.
"It melted once, right?" I recalled the story.
"All of Tokyo was in chaos back then!" Mimi informed.
"I didn't know it was because of the Digimon from the Digital World…"
"Vamdemon was very determined to locate Hikari and conquer the human world." Piyomon spoke up from her disguise.
"And DeathMeramon was quite the hot head here at Tokyo Tower." Palmon added.
"But you still defeated them all the same?" Poromon said. Both Digimon nodded.

P.O.V. – Takeru Takaishi

"Shibuya's as crowed as always, huh?" Yamato observed as we walked through the busy crowds of the area. It's always been said that Shibuya is the East's answer to Times Square or Piccadilly, and I couldn't agree more with that.
"Ah, here…" I looked over to a storefront. In the store window, I saw Pumpmon and Gotsumon playing around with clothes in the window like they did three years ago. It seems Yamato and Gabumon were seeing the same thing.
"They were good guys…" Yamato muttered. I sadly nodded. They didn't deserve their fate… but at least their sprits should be at peace ever since we killed Vamdemon.

P.O.V. – Ken Ichijouji

"Um… since we're all here, I'd like to try something." Koushiro told us as we sat in Taichi and Ross's bedroom.
"Eh? What is it?" Daisuke asked.
"It's about the Digital Gate."
"Gate? The one we use to go to the Digital World?" Hikari wondered.
"Yes. We've always used the PC that was in the computer room before we moved it to our headquarters as our transport to the Digital World… But I've been thinking that we may be able to open the gate from somewhere else."
"How do you do that? Can you even do something like that?" Iori questioned.
"And more importantly, you mean to tell me that I nearly broke my back for nothing?" Takeo cried.
"You just had to lift a computer on a rolling cart and I helped you that day!" Ross shouted at him.
"And still wasn't paid!"
"You volunteered!" I'm pretty sure they were just kidding considering the smirks on their faces.

"Can we please get back to my theory?" Koushiro interrupted. The two of them quieted down. "Now… I'm not entirely sure that we can do that, I was just thinking we might."
"What's your point, Koushiro?" Taichi slid closer to him on his rolling chair.
"In other words, I don't think that computer has some sort of power to open the gate. What opens the gate is the D-3 that everyone has."
"You sure? How did you get this idea?" I asked.
"Well, first of all, I've noticed before, but I wasn't sure so I didn't say anything. But with all the fighting, it perhaps could be more efficient if we didn't even need to meet up at the headquarters but rather go directly to the Digital World. The second part is… well, it's related to Osamu… he clearly didn't use our computer to go the Digital World so that's what makes me think that it's not the computer but rather the D-3 that creates and opens the gate." I can see why he was hesitant to say that second part, but he does sound right about that.

"I see… but then, where can we go to the Digital World from?" Taichi wondered.
"Well, it's quite simple. Anywhere. Here."
"Here?"
"As long as we have a computer…" Koushiro pointed to Taichi and Ross's computer. "No, even without a computer, we may be able to go to the Digital World with the D-3 alone." We all were surprised by this revelation. "Daisuke-kun, please try it out."
"M-me?"
"You're the first to receive a D-3; most of the rest of us had Digivices that evolved into D-3s which is why I'm asking you."
"Yeah, Daisuke-kun, please try!" Hikari requested.
"O-okay."

We turned on the computer and held up the D-3 which showed on the screen the Digital Gate like we usually saw it.
"Digital Gate, open!" After a few seconds, the gate indicated that it was opened. We all gasped in surprised.
"The Digital Gate opened!" Iori cheered.
"Let's go!" Daisuke announced. "We might as well! Let's go!"
"I'm home!" We heard a female voice call out. "Huh? We sure have a lot of guests…"
"Hold up, let's postpone that trip." Taichi said.
"Why? I thought you said your folks already knew what was going on?"
"They do, but we've already proven Koushiro right."
"Indeed. We've discovered that we can go to the Digital World as long as we have a computer." Koushiro said.

"If only we had known earlier… we could have gone yesterday on August 1st." Taichi sounded somewhat disappointed.
"Yeah, but that power outage over there put a damper on that plan." Ross reminded. The others wanted to go to the Digital World on their Digimon anniversary but there were problems with the power at the block where the warehouse was so we were unable to go.
"I guess… I'm sorry I didn't realize." Koushiro apologized.
"It's fine! It's not your fault, Koushiro." Taichi held up his hands. "There's always next year."
"However, while being able to go to the Digital World from home is good, it can also be a problem." Iori pointed out.
"How?" Hikari questioned, before the door opened up to reveal Taichi and Hikari's mother.
"You kids doing alright?" We all nodded. "Alright then." She then closed the door.
"Iori-kun is right. If we go to the Digital World from our homes, some of us will be unable to do that as their families are still in the dark." Koushiro informed.
"Right, myself, Daisuke-kun, Iori-kun and Miyako-san. My parents are already a wreck right now with Osamu going missing… if I suddenly disappeared from my room… I don't want to think about that." I said. The others nodded in agreement.

Fuji TV Building, Odaiba District, Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan. August 3rd, 2002. 0937 Hours.
P.O.V. – Third Person

The Chosen Children were all on their way to the Fuji TV Building in order to pay their respects to the ultimate sacrifice that Wizarmon made for Hikari and Tailmon during the fight with Vamdemon. Hikari had in her hands a bunch of roses as they all approached the building. However, a large group of ominous storm clouds began moving over the building, and the sound of thunder was echoing from it.
"The weather changed so suddenly…" Hikari noticed. Soon, lightning began crashing around and one bolt struck the station.
"It got struck by lightning!" Daisuke shouted. Inside the building was a scene of complete chaos, people were running and screaming as the power had gone out and were trying desperately to get out. Hiroaki was running too until he noticed the shadow moving along the floor and the walls. The large crowd of people ran out much to the Chosen Children's confusion. However, Tailmon suddenly gasped in realization about something and ran inside.
"Tailmon!" Hikari shouted and ran after with the others following close behind.

P.O.V. – Hikari Yagami

We ran after Tailmon until we finally reached the observation deck of the building. For a moment, I saw a quick flash of myself staring down Vamdemon three years ago. I almost wanted to smile, I was proud that I was able to be brave at that moment. However, I was brought back to reality when we all saw a dark shadow ground around in circles on the roof.
"What…" Jou muttered.
"What is that?" I questioned. Things in the room so began to rock before a whole stack of flyers blew away and pelted us. The shadow just kept on moving around the room.
"I… I'm here!" Tailmon ran forward. "That's enough! I'm here!"
"A Digimon's doing this!" Chibimon shouted.
"What!?" Daisuke shouted as the three Baby-Level Digimon jumped out of their partners arms.
"Yeah, no doubt!" cried Upamon.
"How can you be so sure?" Miyako wondered.
"We're Digimon too! We know!" Poromon explained. I looked over to see all the rest of the Digimon nodding in agreement.

"Chibimon, evolve! V-MON!" "Upamon, evolve! ARMADIMON!" "Poromon, evolve! HAWKMON!"
"They evolved!" Miyako was surprised. I almost forgot, they haven't seen a Digimon evolve in our world.
"If a Digimon is in the Real World, it has to be an enemy." Hawkmon determined.
"Then, it really is a Digimon?" Daisuke questioned.
"A Digimon…" I muttered. Wait a second… Tailmon… the building… could it be?
"Alright, let's go!" V-mon ordered all the Digimon. All but Wormmon and Patamon, who were still in their human partners arms, ran forward; only to be blocked by Tailmon.
"Wait!" She turned back around. "I'm here!"
"Tailmon…" A haunting voice echoed.
"I'm here."
"Tailmon…"
"It's calling Tailmon!" Iori shouted. The shadow soon slowed down before stopping in front of Tailmon.
"Wizarmon!" All of us older Chosen Children collectively gasped and dropped our jaws. It all made sense now. And as soon as she said that, the shadow lifted off of the floor to reveal the transparent specter of Wizarmon.

"Tailmon…" Wizarmon spoke, now in his normal voice and not that haunting one a few moments ago.
"Wizarmon!" I cried out.
"Th-that's…" "I-it's…" "I d-don't…" "Wizarmon?" The new kids were speechless.
"Wizarmon… you were calling me, weren't you?" Tailmon asked.
"Yes… There's something I have to tell you."
"Something to tell me? What is it?"
"You don't have enough power to defeat your enemy right now."
"Enemy? You mean the Digimon Kaiser?" Daisuke questioned.
"The enemy is not who you are fighting now. There is a far greater darkness. That darkness cannot be fought off with only your powers. To return the one who has fallen to the darkness back to his true self…"
"Return…?" Tailmon asked while we heard Ken gasp once again.

"Compassion will release the golden light." Wizarmon mysteriously explained.
"Compassion will release the golden light…?" Miyako repeated.
"Compassion alone is not enough. You need the golden light."
"Understood." Tailmon nodded.
"The time is near. Hurry, all of you."
"Us?" V-mon was confused.
"Take care of Tailmon."
"Wizarmon!" Tailmon stepped forward. Wizarmon raised his hand and they reached out to each other. However, Wizarmon's hand just passed through her. He pulled back and looked at his hands before a sorrowful look came across his face.
"I'm sorry… Tailmon. I wish I could've done more…"

He soon began floating backwards which caused Tailmon to run after him.
"Wizarmon! Wizarmon!" She then placed herself up against the viewing glass as Wizarmon fazed through the wall. "Wizarmon!" Tailmon cried with a stream of tears.
"Hurry!" He called out before he vanished.
"Tailmon…" I whispered as I walked up to her before holding her. I couldn't help but cry with her.
"Should've figured all this out sooner." Yamato said.
"He came here to warn us…" muttered Sora.
"On this day, in this place, Wizarmon…" Takeru began to speak before he just stopped. The memories of Wizarmon jumping in the way and taking the full deadly force of Vamdemon's attack in order to save Tailmon and I began flashing in my mind. It made more tears come out.
"Will we… see him again?" I sniffled.
"I'm sure we will." Taichi helped me up.
"Yeah." Ross nodded.
"Wizarmon… thank you. I will not waste the life you gave me that day." Tailmon thanked. Wizarmon's warning still stood in our minds. What exactly did he mean by 'compassion will release the golden light'? And what was that darker foe that he mentioned? Is the Digimon Kaiser merely a pawn in some worse villain's game?

One thing is for sure, we have to find him quickly; for Wizarmon's sake…

I'm not going to deny it. I'm almost twenty-five years old and that ending still makes me cry.

Fun note, in the amazing fic Secret of the 327th, the Trandoshan slavers, the ones who captured Ashoka in the original timeline of the Clone Wars, leave Suzie to be killed in the Kashyyyk Shadowlands. She ends up soon finding refuged in Jolee Bindo's old shack where she meets the spirt of Qui-Gon, which made me cry because it completely reminded me of this episode.

So anyways, apparently there's a darker force working from the shadows... let's not deny it, we all know who it is. Take care.

"Push the button, Frank."