The Golden Goddess
Chapter 3
Cheating Death
"Come..." the digimon paused, looking for the right word, "Tamer." He said the word with a slight disgust. The digimon was an Egyptian-looking digimon named Reapermon. All digimon knew of him, how could they not? He was a digimon that scared everyone into hiding, to get the young ones to be good. He always got a good smirk when he thought of that. The young ones had a very good reason to fear him; he was the digimon of death. It was he who brought their poor worthless cores to Anubismon to be judged.
He had been privileged to be one of the original five packets of data to become the first things in that vast emptiness of the digital world, making him one of the oldest digimon. The first packet of data to open and become part of the Digital World was a mystery. Unlike all other data packets that opened later in the history of the digital world, the first one to open left no visible creature or land mark. No one knew what the data was that it held, what happened to it, or what it did. That did not mean, however, that didn't mean digimon didn't theorize about it through the ages.
The first packet has often been acquitted with other mysterious things in the digital world; digignomes being the first and foremost oddity of the digital world. These wish-bearers appeared some time between the opening of the seventh packet and the eighth packet. They were, however, not something that came from the seventh packet. Still, to the average digimon, there seemed no other option; the Digignomes were the first packet.
Not all of the scholarly agreed. Some said that the first packet was the Light of Evolution saying that no other source of power could have created it. This was debated however, as digivolving never came about until packet twelve. Before then digimon were just the level at which they came into existence. (Packet twelve brought forth the ability to reincarnate into a digitama once a digimon's data had been judged and their sentence served).
Still others claimed that it was the ability to bond with a human Tamer that came from the first packet. Personally, Reapermon thought that the first packet created the dark zone. Then again, being so closely tied with the housing place of the dead, he would say that. He chuckled at his own thoughts, the Tamer who followed behind him slightly forgotten.
The Second packet of data held what is known as the First Digital World. This first digital world was all forest and relatively small. (The Ninth Packet created the Digital World currently in use while the tenth packet turned the First Digital World into the digimon known as Ebowumon, making the two headed turtle the oldest digimon in existence, having actually been the very first thing in Digital Existence.)
The third packet of data was the first creation of three digimon, all three digimon were now legends among legends. The first to emerge was the Great Dragon, Fanglongmon. The second digimon's data to form was GranDracmon's and the third was the Legendary Knight, Alphamon. They disappeared with the Ninth Packet, their data having been too much for the Digital World to sustain for large amounts of time. What happened to them, Reapermon neither knew nor cared.
The Fourth Packet held a similar type of data to the third, but in a much more interesting way. The Fourth packet happened to be the beta type for a human game named The Legend of Zelda. So the digimon that came out of the Fourth Packet were Power, Wisdom and Courage; Megidramon, Magnadramon and Goldramon. All three disappeared soon after their creation, but not before the fifth packet opened. Most digimon thought they had been killed off by the Third Packet digimon, but that was not the case, for Reapermon had never come for their cores.
The Fifth packet was Anubismon and himself, Rulers of the Dark Zone and the bane of all digimon existence.
"If I'm dead..." the voice startled Reapermon out of his thoughts. The mega looked back at the Tamer that walked behind him, turning his smile into a scowl. "Why the Digital afterlife instead of the human one?"
"Trust me, I'm not happy with it either," Reapermon growled. "There wasn't any fun in reaping your soul; disgusting thing compared to the Digital Core, but you're data and their ain't noth'n I can do to change dat; even if you are an abomination to the dead. Filthy Human." Reapermon muttered, returning his gaze forward to continue his walk.
Rika said nothing; she had no reason to. She was dead and that was the end of it, except… "Renamon... is she... I mean?"
Reapermon snarled spinning around furious. "Your digimon? You two are just causing a whole bunch of trouble today now aren't you? Stupid fox was about to be weighed on Anubismon's scales when dat bastard Dragon came and claimed her as his own; tying his life force to hers. Robbed me of the satisfaction of seeing another one of your damned Tamer Digimon sent to the Dark Zone for your bloody crimes. It's not like reaping her core was any fun either. Stupid human interference all the time and…"
"Enough!" Anibusmon barked as he appeared in the darkness next to Reapermon. "You will have much to complain about later, however the problem of this human has been solved. Obviously the tamer can not be a part of the Dark Zone."
"Something tells me I'm not going to like this solution," the Digital Grim Reaper muttered.
"The Dragon has claimed ownership on her core," Anubismon told him.
"What? Hasn't that bastard defiled the dead enough as it is already!" Reapermon yelled.
"This one is mine," a pure and benevolent voice came from behind Rika. "Do not be so hasty as to blame my brother for everything. He has his reasons for doing what he does, and I have mine."
Reapermon stared at the White Dragon behind the red head tamer. "Magnadramon? You three disappeared and now two of you come to interfere in my work in the same day!"
"The dead are not yours and yours alone, Reapermon," The great Dragon reminded him. "All who exist before the seventh packet have a claim to them. Besides, didn't you get to reap plenty of cores during the attack of the D-reaper to be satisfied for some time now?"
Reapermon scoffed. "Yes, I did get to reap many cores, but I hated it. The back list was so long that I could never take any pleasure or delicacy in their cores. It was just one after the next. No fun what so ever and even worse, some digimon were hardly out of their digitamas. Reaping rookie cores is bad enough, but in-training and babies. Nasty, nasty stuff."
"That does not matter now," Anubismon spoke. "We have work to do. Magnadramon, I leave the girl in your hands. Come Reapermon."
The Egyptian like god scowled at the dragon before following his partner.
The great white dragon watched the two as they left, then turned her attention to Rika, who seemed to be shaking.
"Why?!" Rika snarled as she turned around towards the digimon, "What right do you have to keep me from my punishment?!"
"I created the Dark Zone," Magnadramon said calmly.
"You have no right to deny me of my punishment!" Rika's eyes held very obvious tears. "Don't the countless digimon I have so gleefully slaughtered mean anything! Doesn't the pain and destruction that I've caused mean enough for a punishment!"
Magnadramon was silent. She and Goldramon had created the Dark Zone to seal away their brother, but she could not leave him to himself; sealed off in a void with nothing but your own guilt to comfort you. Now this girl, this tamer was feeling its affects. "Perhaps," Magnadramon said slowly, "but your punishment is nowhere near what mine has to be. That is why it is put off; because I messed up."
Rika was startled by the Holy Dragon's fierce tone. "Using my sisterly instincts against me, my brother convinced me that he had changed, and it really seemed as if he had. I let him escape and the Digi-gnomes gave him a new form and body. But what is the first thing that he does when he awakes? He unleashes the Hazard onto the world." The Great Dragon heaved a sigh. "Enough of my ranting. You are alive, girl, because my brother needs someone to keep him in line, and you and your Digimon are the only ones who are strong enough."
"Why don't you say his name?" Rika asked.
Magnadramon turned around in the void to face her. "Why?" she snarled. "Because I hate him. I hate him beyond anything I have ever known. I hate him down to the last zero of my core. He has lost the right to be known as anything other then my brother. Yet, he is still my brother and my responsibility. You need to leave now; you have a long fight ahead of you," Magnadramon told her.
Rika opened her eyes inside of a small house, but had no time to take in anything before leaning over the side of the bed and puking out blood. Pain spread across her ches like wildfire, causing such pain she wished she could die. She screamed in pain, which resulted in puking up more blood and blacking out.
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Yamaki watched as Taichi listened to the person on the other side of the phone, his lighter clicking relentlessly. "Any other information on exactly what happened last night?" Taichi asked. There was a reply from the other end that Yamaki could not make out.
"Alright, I'm sending Neo over once he gets back. Oh, and get some rest yourself, Jyou." Taichi hung up the phone before looking up at Yamaki. He glanced over at his digimon as Agumon let out some very choice words.
"What's going on?"
Taichi stared at his partner for a sec before sighing and putting his hands behind his large mat of hair. "That's just the problem. We don't know," Taichi informed him, aggravated.
"Perhaps it would help if we went over what we do know," Yamaki suggested, flipping his lighter.
"We know that it was Yagean that dropped Suzie off," Hideto spoke from the shadows, the light reflecting off only half of his face. "We know that Sakuyamon chased after him. We know they disappeared near India."
Melga continued for him, his voice was deep, but it was high for him and you could hear the strain. "We know that Yagean was the only one to reappear again."
"The question becomes why?" Warg finished for his Gabumon partner.
"Three reasons," Agumon spoke up. "First, Sakuyamon is dead, but I find that one hard to believe. Second, she was forced to de-digivolve, also unlikely. Third, she learned how to cloak herself. Unlikely, but possible."
Yamaki looked with curiosity as the three digimon spoke right in a row, never looking up at the humans, but looking at each other, seemingly to be a part of the conversation without ever participating. "What else do we know?" he asked calmly.
"Suzie is fine, whoever was doing tests on her were very careful not to injure her," Hideto spoke yet again, "but didn't bother hiding the fact that tests had been done to her."
"Inferring that whoever was testing her, didn't expect anything to happen," Taichi finished. "Yagean got her out of wherever she was on his own accord."
"That's not frightening at all," Agumon muttered sarcastically.
"Why does it matter so much?" Yamaki asked curiously.
Taichi glanced over to Hideto, "You wanna cover this one?"
Hideto glanced over at Taichi before speaking. "Why? It means that Yagean has been getting information that the rest of us haven't. After doing our own research, we had come up with nothing other then the fact that Suzie and Lopmon were still alive, having taken a different car than the one that Megidramon had destroyed. Other than that, we had nothing. Not only was Yagean able to find out where she was being held, but he was able to get her out."
All three digimon, (both Agumons and Gabumon) glanced towards the doorway before it opened up. "It means that I'm not afraid to do what needs to be done," MetalGarurumon X growled, his huge frame blocking the whole doorway.
"It also means that you take unnecessary risks that could bring more attention to digimon then their already is!" Taichi told him hotly.
"This coming from the guy who said not to bind the Tamers to our rules." Yageans voice came from the Mega wolf without Gabumon's echo. "This from the guy who's taken risks that weren't even fathomable."
"Any risk I've taken has only put myself in danger and you know that." Taichi shot back at him. "And you know why we had to let the Tamers do their own thing."
"We have your reasons, Taichi!" Yagean snarled.
"Enough!" Hideto snapped. "Both of you. We all know the situation is a little stressful right now, and we don't need anybody's confidence lacking. You know Taichi is a field commander, Yagean, so lay off. Taichi, don't forget that we follow you because we choose too, but not everybody does."
Taichi sighed, then smirked as he put his hands behind his head. "Wow, we are tense." His smile seemed to calm the room down.
MetalGarurumon glanced around at everyone in the room before rolling his eyes and hiding a little smile himself. "Stupid Taichi," he muttered. He hated how Taichi, with just a little smirk could make anyone relax and calm down. "Stupid charisma."
Yamaki studied the wolf. He had already made plenty of assumptions about Taichi. He was similar to the character portrayed in the show, but he was a field commander, knowing how to fight, but not how to prepare to fight. He didn't lack any of the charisma or calm headedness Yamaki had seen the Taichi in the T.V show have, but he was more hesitant then the show portrayed him to be. This Yagean was something different though, he seemed, familiar; friendly, but cold at the same time. Easy to hang around with until you threatened him in some way. It would probably be a good idea to get on good terms with him. "Yagean, huh? I must thank you for saving Suzie." The leader of Hypnos stuck out his hand towards the metal wolf.
"Don't thank me, I may have saved the girl, but I managed to get Sakuyamon killed," the metal wolf growled seriously.
Taichi's eyes shot towards the metal wolf, boring daggers into MetalGarurumon X. Yamaki held shock on his face, Hideto's was complacent. Melga shook his head silently while Warg barred his teeth at the news and Yagean's biomerged form.
"How?" Agumon asked, breaking the silence. It was the question hanging in everyone's mind. The older tamers had always had a certain respect for the new Generation. Four of them had reached Mega stage in the time it too them to just barely start to reach the Perfect stage. The new Generation was stronger on average, even if the older had some that were stronger then anything the younger had. The fact that a younger had been beaten would have been surprising, but not unexpected. To have a younger to be killed was something no one could believe to happen.
"Blame this murderer," Yagean snarled, throwing Seiga to the ground with his digimon.
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Takato knocked on the front door of the Katou's house. Mrs. Katou answered the door. "Oh, hey Takato. Jeri will be down in just a second," she told him. Takato had called Jeri earlier that day to inform her about Suzie being safe, and asked if she wanted to go see her with him. She had said that would be a good idea and that they should bring her something. So now Dorumon was currently carrying a backpack full of fresh baked éclairs.
Jeri walked out in her normal attire, her face looking slightly more cheerful then it had been lately. It was still downcast, and her movement didn't hold her usual skip, but it was better than Takato had seen her that week. "Oh, hey Takato," Jeri said, before turning her attention to Dorumon. "Hey Dorumon," she said, a little bit more cheer in her voice as she patted him on his gem. Dorumon laid his head down and purred lightly.
The purple digimon's happiness brought brightness to Jeri's face. Perhaps Jeri had more to do with Dorumon's creation then I did, Takato thought as his digimon helped Jeri start to regain herself. With her father dead, Jeri had still been able to not think of herself enough to give her blue card to him; the blue card she could have brought Leomon back with. She gave it to him and the result was Dorumon. Takato smiled, There is a peace that comes with you, Dorumon. One that no other digimon can bring. It's a peace of happiness and safety; it's a peace of knowing that all things will work out in the end. Takato smiled as they started to walk, Dorumon creating a gap between him and Jeri.
"Is Suzie alright?" Jeri asked Takato.
"Well, er…I guess. Henry said she wasn't injured, but that she was extremely shy now," Takato told her.
"It's no wonder," Jeri said. "The poor girl has been through a lot."
"You've been through a lot too, Jeri," Dorumon spoke up, comfortingly. "Maybe you can help her," he said innocently.
Jeri looked down at the X digimon in surprise. He was so young and naïve, and yet he placed so much confidence in her in that little sentence. She had always doubted herself. She had never been any good at anything, so she didn't have much confidence. For Dorumon to place so much of his confidence on her gave her an uplifting feeling. "Yeah, maybe," Jeri said sweetly, patting Dorumon's head again as the walked down the sidewalk. She looked over at Takato who seemed lost in his imagination. "Lopmon... how is she, I mean." Takato shook his head. "I see."
Jeri was quiet; she felt sorrowful for the poor girl. Suzie was so much younger then her and needed digimon in a completely different way. Suzie never had many friends; her lisp and oddities turning many people away from her. Few got to know her and even less were interested in the same things she was. For Suzie, Lopmon and Terriermon had been her only real friends. Even in her sorrow, she felt a small joy, even though she knew it was wrong. She was not the only Tamer to have lost a partner now. It gave her comfort knowing she wasn't the only one without a partner anymore.
Jeri's eyes were downcast as she became sickened with herself. How could she, the one who had actually lost a partner, knowing what it felt like, ever wish that upon anybody else. She had no right and it was even worse that she took pleasure in it. She felt disgusted with herself like she was covered in the D-Reapers slime.
"Jeri..." Takato started to speak, "I... I don't know how to say this... well, it's that... I'm... I'm going to go and find Rika and Guilmon." His voice lowered off as they walked through the park. "I don't want to leave you Jeri... I'm just worried about them, and Henry needs to take care of Suzie."
"Rika, Rika, Rika," Jeri muttered.
"Jeri?"
Takato was startled and fell on his rear as Jeri snapped towards him with her sock puppet in her hand. "Rika, Rika, Rika. You think more about her than digimon Takato. It's always Rika this, Rika that, how about we invite Rika!" Jeri's puppet in her hand berated him. "No one date, not one where you don't either try to invite Rika or mention her in some way. Rika, Rika, Rika."
"Uhhh... Jeri?" Dorumon spoke up. "Why are you speaking through your sock puppet on your hand? It seems to be someone else when you speak through it. Is this common among humans or digimon? I mean I've heard of two headed digimon, but this is a little bit strange comparatively."
Jeri's eyes took on a strange greenish hue as she turned towards Dorumon. "Hi, my name is Dorumon. I'm a sweet innocent digimon so everyone goes gah gah when they see me and think I'm so much better then Guilmon. I'm always trying to be better then Guilmon, be his replacement. I try my hardest to be cute and humble and ignorant and still be able to speak all the right words so that everyone will like me better then Guilmon. Did I mention I'm cute and lovable?" The puppet seemed to grin manically at the small little digimon as the real Jeri laughed in his face.
Dorumon cast his eyes down, "I'm... I'm sorry. I... I... I just heard so much about Guilmon that I wanted to be like him. I felt like I was created to fill his shoes until we found him again, and so that's what I did. I tried to be like him, to be what everyone wanted me to be. I... I just didn't know how... I guess I overdid it, huh?" Dorumons voice wasn't mad or sad, it was disappointed, but it held a firmness. He was going to be the best he could be. "I guess your right, I should stop worrying about myself and how I should be like Guilmon. I should be worried about helping Takato and you. That's what I was created for; to help you guys while Guilmon was gone, not to be a replacement. If I just stop worrying about how I should act and worry more about what I should do... is that what's right, Jeri?" He asked the question so innocently and sweetly as if nothing had been wrong with Jeri.
"This is not logical, do not all lifeforms care only for themselves? Do you not worry about who you are or why you were created? Does not the fact that you may exist for no reason then to fill the spot of Guilmon disturb you? What will happen when we find Guilmon? What then?" Jeri asked, her voice cold with a touch of curiosity.
"Huh?" Dorumon said confused. "I don't understand. I was created to help find Guilmon and when that happens I'll figure things out then. Why should I be so concerned with things of the future?"
"Not logical. After last analysis of all life forms, they are concerned with who they are," the sock puppet barked at him. "None are oblivious, all data integrated into system concludes that life forms are concerned with being. You are an anomaly, and therefore must be destroyed."
"Huh?" Dorumon asked confused, cocking his head, "But why destroy me. Didn't you just create me to help find Guilmon?"
"Target Anaylzed." Jeri's voice spoke from her mouth, but the smile was not hers. "Dorumon. Type: Unknown. Species: Unknown. Anomaly, is not concerned with existence of being. Does not compute correctly. Conclusion. Absorb Data and to study anomaly. Dangers. Anomaly may pose threat once absorbed. Risk. Low. Anomaly of being caused no harm when absorbed."
The sock puppet grinned and for his first time, Dorumon was terrified.