Digimon: Digital Monsters

The Clockwork Alchemist

Chapter Two: Prophecies

Pissed off was not usually a term used to describe Tentomon. He rather preferred perturbed or even vexed, but in truth those particular expressions were sadly lacking in describing his present fury. After all, the wish to hurl a few bolts of electricity into his human partner was not an act committed merely out of annoyance. On the other hand, Izzy had just woken him up at four in the morning.

"Tento, c'mere and look at this!" Izzy Izumi called excitedly from his computer. He was already typing noisily away, oblivious to the black look his Digimon threw at him from under the bedcovers.

"Do you know what time it is?" Tentomon demanded, not bothering to mask the irritation in his voice. Izzy ignored the question, and waved him over frantically.

"It's a message from Gennai," the boy said. "The Gate's open again, and he wants us to come to the Digital World right away."

"What, now?" Tentomon cried. "At four in the morning?"

"Whoa…It's that late already?"

"Izzy! You said you'd only be on another hour! Haven't you slept at all?"

"Well, I meant to…but it's a good thing I didn't, otherwise we wouldn't have heard the news until later today."

"Oh, what a tragedy," the insect huffed, and rolled over. "Please put your computer up and go to sleep. Whatever Gennai has to say can wait until a more decent hour, right?"

"…I guess so," Izzy replied reluctantly, slowly shut his laptop, and climbed into bed. "G'night, Tento," he yawned, and was answered with a decidedly buggy snore.

.xXx.

"Okay, Izzy, what's this all about?" Tai Kamiya asked around a mouthful of omelet as he seated himself on Izzy's floor near his partner Agumon, who was currently nose-deep in a bag of potato chips.

"Yeah, what's up?" Davis Motomiya put in. Little DemiVeemon was perched on his shoulder, and eyeing the Ruffles with interest.

"I've called you all here because I received a message from Gennai last night," Izzy replied. "It seems the Digital port has reopened."

"What?" cried Sora Takenouchi as Tai took that moment to choke on his breakfast. Agumon patted his back sympathetically.

"But that's crazy!" T.K. Takaishi objected. "We've only just returned from defeating MaloMyotismon a few months ago! Don't tell me the Digital World's in peril again. Not this soon at any rate."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Cody Hida deadpanned.

"I really can't say what's going on, to tell you the truth," Izzy said apologetically. "Gennai's message isn't clear on the details, he just said for us to come as soon as possible."

"Well, I'm game," Davis shrugged. "It's been a little boring around here after all that excitement in the Digital World."

"You said it," DemiVeemon agreed.

"We might as well see what the old man wants," Matt Ishida said from his seat on Izzy's bed. Ken Ichijouji nodded silently next to him, Wormmon lazing languidly in his lap. Apparently, it was a little too early for the both of them.

"Matt, I don't think it's very polite to call him that," Gabumon chided gently.

"Well, of course I wouldn't say it to his face," he replied with a careless shrug, and his partner sighed in exasperation, shooting him a glance that clearly stated: "That's not the point, and you know it. He may be old, but I believe it's rude to refer to him as thus, to his face or otherwise. Really, I doubt you'd know the meaning of the word 'tact' it if walked up and slapped you in the face with a mackerel."

It was a very expressive glance.

Unfortunately, the effort was wasted as Matt had already turned away. Gatomon, having seen everything, chuckled at the miffed look that scampered over Gabumon's muzzle while Gomamon wondered what was so funny. He didn't like missing out on a joke.

Joe Kido fidgeted, shifting from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "What if this is a trap? Some evil Digimon out for our blood—yet again—could have sent that to lure us into his clutches…or something like that."

"You've been watching too many scary movies, Joe," Gomamon said. "You're getting paranoid, buddy."

"I am not paranoid. I'm prepared," Joe defended. "We have to review all the options, after all, and be ready if it is some sort of trap."

"Well, I don't think you'll have to worry about that," said Izzy. "This email's definitely the genuine article: it's password protected, see? Besides, I doubt someone like MaloMyotismon would have the fortitude to put the word 'num-nums' in a letter."

"There's num-nums?" DemiVeemon asked, immediately at attention. "That means snacks, right? What are we standing around here for? Let's go, let's go!"

"Yeah, I think we should check it out," said Kari Kamiya. "If it's from Gennai, then you can bet it' something important. Besides, it's Sunday."

"Which means we've got nothing better to do," added Yolei Inoue. "Let's go see what the fuss is about this time."

"Yes, just as long as I can get out in the open again," chirped Poromon from her lap.

Izzy cast an eye over his rather crowded companions, and had to nod in agreement. His small bedroom really wasn't up to holding eleven kids and their Digimon. Even with the younger ones in their baby forms they were pushing it.

"Alright then, DigiPort open."

And the world disappeared.

.xXx.

Ken landed with a bounce on something soft, after which something equally hard landed on his head. This effectively bowled him over and he somehow ended up sprawled across Yolei's lap.

"Sorry…!" he gasped upon realizing his position and jumped up as if he'd been burned, jolting Wormmon from his back who in turn rolled headfirst into Agumon's stomach.

"S'okay…" Yolei replied dazedly, blushing almost as badly as he was, and climbed unsteadily to her feet. "Where are we?"

"It looks like Gennai's place," Matt observed, looking around curiously.

"But wasn't that at the bottom of a lake?" asked Gomamon.

"Look up!" said Patamon, pointing. The others turning their eyes skyward and low and behold a wall of water greeted their gazes, towering over them and scintillating in the sun.

"Whoa…" Hawkmon breathed.

"That about says it," Yolei muttered.

"I guess Gennai parted the waters before we got here," T.K. said.

"Who does he think he is, Moses?" Davis muttered in typical Davis fashion.

"Are you going to come in or just stand there talking all day?" called a voice and they turned to find a very wizened Gennai peering down at them from his porch. "Come on you'd better hurry. I can't keep these waters at bay for much longer."

"That's Gennai?" cried Yolei. "But he's so old!"

"Hmph! You don't have to be so rude about it," Gennai huffed crossly.

"I'm sorry…but-but you were so young the last time I saw you…" she stammered, trying to back track at the black look he was giving her.

"Well, yes, my appearance does change depending on the world I'm in, but let's discuss that later. I have something you need to see. Come inside."

With that he turned on his heel and walked into the foyer, the children not far behind.

"Where's the food?" Veemon asked, and Gennai opened a door, revealing a kotatsu laden with a variety of snacks and drinks. However, that wasn't all. Seated neatly on the floor, chatting with a very familiar plant-like Digimon was none other than Mimi Tachikawa.

"Hey there!" greeted Palmon, waving them over. "We've been waiting for you."

"I take it you got my email, then?" asked Izzy.

"Of course," Mimi smiled, and gestured towards the foodstuff.

"Well, help yourselves, there's plenty to go around," she said. The Digimon were quick to take her upon her word, their partners not far in following suit, and once everyone had settled down Gennai cleared his throat.

"I've found something disturbing," he said, pulling a sheath of parchment from within his robes. "A prophecy has surfaced, and I'm afraid I can't make heads or tails of it. One thing it makes clear, though, is that both our worlds are in danger."

"Well, that's not something out of the ordinary, right?" said Tai. "Seems to me either one or the other is always in some kind of trouble."

"Yeah, so who's the bad guy and how do we kill it?" asked Matt, cutting straight to the point.

"Unfortunately, children, I don't think the threat is from any one Digimon," Gennai replied gravely. "This prophecy, it speaks of awful things. Of death and blood…kids this is something bigger than the Dark Lords or the Spires or anything you've ever faced. I fear…there is a war coming, and it will pit both these worlds against each other."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Matt cried into a mounting silence. "What are you saying? That Digimon and humans are…are going to fight each other? K-kill each other?"

"In vast numbers, if this isn't stopped."

No one could think of a thing to say to this. They stared numbly, the unreality of the word "war" ringing in their heads. It was something that happened somewhere else, someplace far away. It didn't affect the here and now. It had nothing to do with them. Yet, here it was, rearing its ugly head in the awful distance. Awful, for it seemed like no distance at all.

"I would never fight against Kari," said Gatomon with firm conviction, her paw slipping into her girl's hand. Kari smiled and squeezed gently.

"Me neither," said Agumon, with a glance at Tai. "Tai and the others, they're our friends. We would never turn against them."

The other Digimon nodded in strong agreement, subconsciously moving closer to their companions.

"Let's hear this prophecy," said Cody, his customarily somber voice ringing a touch heavier.

"Yeah, what's it say?" asked Armadillomon. "I think we'd all like to know."

Gennai nodded and shook the paper out, upsetting a stream of dust in the sun and sending the golden motes swirling in every direction. Then he began to read in a steady, grim voice and it seemed as if all the world hushed to listen.

"Before the night can turn

Before the clock strikes the hour

The paradigm shall churn

And to war embarks the flower

Magic is abreast

As realities collide

Dissension upon the crest

And blood upon the tide

May the Masters fall

Upon the teeth of friends

As all the monsters call

For bigotry to end

Oh Father of the Sword

Oh Mother of the Soul

Strike the hateful chord

And the bell of death will toll

The right side holds the key

To win this gory game

And to one of Alchemy

All begins with a name."

Gennai stopped and looked around at his wide-eyed audience. "Well, that's it," he said. "I think it's obvious the general meaning but the rest…it's as jumbled as a Raremon. A hopeless mess, if you ask me."

"It's certainly cryptic, that's for sure," Tentomon said.

"Well, hold on, let's take this one step at a time," Ken interjected. "It sounds like a riddle to me—"

"Or a poem," muttered Davis.

"And every riddle has a solution, if you know where to look," Ken went on, ignoring him. "Take the first line, 'Before the night can turn'. Any ideas on what that means?"

"How can the night turn?" Gabumon wanted to know.

"Maybe it means knight, with a K," said Sora.

"Hey, yeah!" said T.K. "But which knight?"

"Maybe it's a Digital knight, like Knightmon or something," Patamon said.

"But what would he turn into?" Mimi asked.

"Well, Crusadermon, naturally," answered Hawkmon. "Oh! Oh, wait a minute, I don't think it's talking about a knight at all. What does night time turn into?"

"Uh, day time?" Davis ventured.

"Right, but more specifically…"

"Morning!" cried Kari. "So the next line, 'Before the clock strikes the hour', could that mean one minute to midnight? When it switches from PM to AM?"

"Hey, you might be on to something there," Joe grinned. "But the next part, 'The Paradigm shall churn'…What's a paradigm, anyway? Anyone know?"

"Izzy, why don't you look it up on your computer?" Tentomon suggested at the others' looks of mystification.

"Already on it, Tento," Izzy replied, fingers flying across the keyboard. "Alright, paradigm: a set of forms all of which contain a particular element, especially the set of all inflected forms based on a single stem or theme."

"Meaning…?" Davis prompted.

"Basically, it means a group of things all connected through a particular object or idea. It's a pattern of some sort that ties individuals together through a common bond. Think of it like the branches of a tree. Each one is its own entity, but it's connected to all the others through the trunk," Izzy explained. "It could also mean an archetype, or a standard model. There's a lot of information here."

"Well, let's come back to that one," Tai said. "What about the next line?"

"I don't see how a flower from our world could do any harm," said Cody. "Could it mean a Digimon? Like Lillymon?"

"Are you saying I'd start a war?" Palmon demanded, her petals bristling.

"No, no!" Cody said, holding out his hands and shaking his head. "It was just a thought!"

"Even so, that's not out of the question," Izzy cut in. "Certainly Lillymon wouldn't commit something like that, but another flora-type Digimon might. Let's keep that in mind. I think the second stanza is pretty clear as to meaning."

"'As realities collide' is talking about the Digital World and the Real World," Gatomon said. "You could say it happens all the time when a Gate opens."

"But 'collide' refers to something more violent, I think," said Hawkmon.

"What about the third line? Could the crest mentioned be referring to our Crests?" asked Ken. "Like my Crest of Kindness, or the Crest of Sincerity?"

"So…the Crest of Dissension?" Wormmon said, and the children fell quiet.

"That means…another DigiDestined," whispered Sora. "Then someone from our world could just as easily set this whole thing off."

"But…he'd have to be a kid, right?" Davis pointed out. "I can't believe a kid like us would do something terrible like that. How could just one kid start a war anyway?"

"He does have a point," T.K agreed. "Even if he wanted to, it'd be pretty tough to turn two worlds against each other when they barely come in contact at all. On that note, only the DigiDestined are able to go through the Gates, and I know none of the others would ever do anything like that."

"Maybe a new DigiDestined, then?" opined Agumon. "Someone bad, I think, by the sound of that Crest. I don't know what it means exactly, but it's not good that's for sure."

"It means discord, conflict," offered Ken. "It certainly doesn't sound like the usual, does it? I mean, a bad Crest—who ever gets that would have to be pretty nasty."

"I say enough talk," said Tai suddenly. "We've got a good clue to go on now. Let's find this Crest of Dissension and stop this before it gets out of hand."

"Yeah, I'm with Tai," said Davis. "Let's go."

"But what if we have to fight this new DigiDestined?" asked Cody.

"We'll think about that when we come to it," Tai replied. "Right now, I think we should concentrate on finding him and the Crest first."

"But if we have to fight him, you can bet we'll be the ones who come out on top," Yolei grinned. "After all—"

"It's not like you haven't fought one before," finished Ken with a crooked little smile.

To be continued…

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or the characters therein. Unfortunately.

Vocabulary:

A kotatsu is a low, open wooden frame covered by a blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is a heat source, often built into the table itself.

Hello again, and thanks for reading the second chapter of Clockwork! I think this one was a little slow, but hey, it was plot development. I happen to love reviews, so any words of encouragement and/or adoration would be much appreciated. Also, in reference to any unfamiliar Digimon, such as Raremon for example, I would suggest Wikipedia. I've found it to be extremely useful in regards to Digimon research. It even provides pictures, which is a huge bonus. I didn't take the time to describe them in this chapter, but then again, I didn't think it necessary. If you don't recognize someone then what are you doing reading Digimon fanfics? But in later chapters you can expect a few descriptions or two.

EDIT: Someone's brought to my attention that T.K.'s got his villains mixed up. He mentions defeating the Dark Masters, but he really meant MaloMyotismon. That's totally understandable, a mistake anyone could make. Besides, they're all evil anyway, so who cares? I mean, there's at least a 100 episodes, and fifty different bad guys all wanting to rule the world, or plunge it into total darkness, or destroy it or some such other nonsense. Seriously, how is he supposed to keep up with them all? It's impossible, so let's all fogive him.

Until I want to write again,

Calfuray