Chapter 15: Cross Fusion
18:28 PM (Japan Time), Saturday March the 10th…
"… So, Mr. President… I assume there is a reason why you have summoned us here in secret, sir?"
"Indeed, Agoras – kun. I am about to show you a technology which few have witnessed before. It is one of our pillars too."
"Intriguing."
"Isn't it? That's why he picked this building, which is an annex to a former medical laboratory! It's discreet and since the power supply was already designed for high-voltage-consuming machines then it doesn't call the attention."
"And it's behind those doors."
"Before that… Do you know about "Full Synchro"?"
"I do, sir. It was exhilarating to find one's self in the Cyber World."
"Good. What we have sought to do is to allow Navis to come out of the Cyber World and into the real world. Which they did during the incident organized by the "Four Dark Heavenly Kings" in which the "Dark Power" permitted such a phenomenon… We want to recreate it! However, this time, limit the space where this can actually happen… It is a step forward in allowing Navis to materialize in the real world!"
"A containment field…?"
"It can be called like that, yes, as its other purpose. The main one is to provide an area where data can materialize. Here we are."
Hades, Agoras and Victor's life-sized hologram were walking down a metallic corridor illuminated by fluorescent lights, and talking before coming to a halt in front of a set of two armored doors controlled by a panel to their right; Hades took off his right hand's glove and pressed his palm against a scanner: it scanned and emitted a soft PING sound as the doors unlocked.
"Welcome to our humble lab."
"Intriguing, by Steve."
"Fascinating, by Gruner."
The "lab" contained a machine, which basically was a square box made of glass panels and steel frames; it was two meters width per each side and two meters tall as well; four devices which were blue cylinders with circuitry boards placed inside of them surrounded by bluish glass coupled with two white caps at the end had been set vertically and in a cluster atop the box; four wires travelled down across the height of the box until they reached a smaller box from where eight wires emerged; four of them headed into a power supply system built into the far north wall, while the other four led to a complex control panel placed three meters in front of the southern end of the box.
The room had side door as well plus fluorescent tubes in the ceiling; the secretary was working with a computer and apparently calibrating it.
"They are named "Dimensional Converters", and are something which Hikari Tadashi – hakase, the architect of the Network, envisioned and elaborated upon back on his times. However, the technology was still too bulky and primitive to allow for development. He and Dr. Wily quit the project, which was the last one they tackled together before Wily was tempted by evil and began to create the WWW."
"These devices generate the "area" we were speaking of, sir?"
"Correct. We name it "Dimensional Area"! It's a dome built of countless hexagons and occupying as much as a whole block of streets. Once inside, it's hard for the outside forces to come in! Even harder for the forces on the inside to come out! The energy repels anything and simple contact with it can knock out someone! It's already made of energy, so it's immune to Navi attacks, which just bounce back at the ground and the source. It's a hybrid space which is half Cyber World and half real world. It can trap a materialized Navi but it also can allow for something else."
"What would that be?"
"We spoke of "Full Synchro", didn't we? The Operator's mindset "fuses" with the Navi and they essentially become one. This is a similar concept in which the Navi uses the Operator's body to materialize. In short: the Operator gains a Navi's form and abilities. They must also be synchronized although 90% is a good standard value."
"Whoa! So Joel – kun would get my bodysuit over his clothes and be able to fight like he was me?" Victor whistled in admiration.
"Correct. There'd be some slight aesthetical changes and all of your senses would be fed by your sensors array! You wouldn't have a "face" to begin with, but you would see through him. Because this process involves the digitalization of the PET. The device to trigger it is this Chip made of a rare metal… Have a look, gentlemen."
Hades picked a unique Chip from the right edge of the console; it differentiated from a Battle Chip because it had no label and, instead, had an emerald dome made of some slightly transparent material similar to glass in the center of it surrounded by a black edge; the Golden Star logo had been set at a small scale SE of the dome.
"Synchro Chip." Hades announced.
"Synchro… Synchronism… So this can trigger the process?" Agoras deduced as he turned to speak to Hades.
"True. However! You must be inside of a "Dimensional Area", and you must also be Synchronized to work in a simultaneous manner. The "transformation" can be broken by hitting the chest emblem, the Operator suffering damage, or the bickering between both parties. The removal of a "Dimensional Area" will mean that you're forced to return to your previous status as well." He explained.
"I see. It requires efficient team-work."
"Correct. The process takes a toll on the Operator's physical strength as well. Fitness and endurance are must too. It isn't easy but over time you can get used to the process. Here they come."
"Oh my. It's Kage – kun."
"And Andy – kun…"
Kage came into the room wearing an olive green bodysuit, filled with white square sensors spread over its surface, and which covered all of his skin; he also had a helmet on and boot.
He'd taken off his sunglasses today, and he was calm and composed.
He carried the Link PET on his right hand and Andy's hologram walked next to him.
"Hello. Agoras. Been a while." He grinned.
"Been a while, Victor – kun."
"Sure. What's with his outfit?"
"It's a sensor suit designed to transmit back bodily data and information about how his body reacts to the "transformation"… This is something that the nanomachines can't do. That's why we have to use it."
Noir walked in, followed by Legato's life-sized hologram.
"Good afternoon, Vice President Noir, sir."
"Good afternoon, Command Legato, sir."
"Welcome to the show."
"Do you mind giving me that? I'm gonna give you a demonstration!"
"Here you have."
"Alright. Pick your first row seat and watch."
"We're gonna shine brighter than a lighthouse." Andy joked.
"I don't doubt it."
"Go ahead." Victor rallied.
"Let us begin, gentlemen."
Kage walked inside of the box and stood ready in the middle of it; the secretary lifted four independent levers upwards.
The four "Dimensional Converters" hummed and energy began to travel across their circuitry boards; they began to glow as a grid of rainbow-colored hexagons formed inside of the box and encompassed its whole volume.
"So that's a "Dimensional Area"…"
"This system produces an output fitting the box so that's why it doesn't look like a dome. The actual one does produce that effect. Alright, Kage – kun. Honor our guests."
"Roger! Synchro Chip, Slot In! CROSS FUSION!"
Kage inserted the "Synchro Chip" and Andy's hologram vanished just as the PET turned into a small white sphere, and energy beams emerged and expanded from it; Kage opened his legs and arms while closing his eyes as if letting instinct guide them.
"Cross Fusion, huh…" Agoras grinned.
"Catchy."
The light dimmed to reveal how Kage had achieved a "fusion" with Andy; both spectators gasped in surprise.
The helmet edges were now golden and the main body was black.
His hair now flowed out in a more natural manner from behind it.
Bronze lines drew a whirlwind on the shoulder-plating surface.
Black armor with bronze edges protected his chest.
The rest of his body was now black with golden edges.
His arms were also black with silver lines travelling across their surface and intercrossing.
His forearms had golden jewels set in the center of them.
His boots' design was based upon that of his forearms; the soil was painted black and separated from the rest of the foot by a thin bronze-colored line.
"Magnificent!" Agoras exclaimed.
"Cool." Victor whistled.
"So? Whaddya think?" Kage grinned under the facemask.
"Aren't we cool?" Andy's voice echoed.
"So. What can you do, gentlemen?" Agoras asked.
"This. Battle Chip, Long Sword!"
The "fused" Kage drew a Long Sword and began to swing it at Mettools, which had formed inside of the space; he quickly drew his default buster gun and shot some other Mettools without too much effort; he drew a Spread Gun next, and shot a Fire Dragon that tried to sneak on him, too.
"Jet Vernier!"
Two small jets formed from the base of the backpack and he began to hover some centimeters over the ground to face a Garuu by shooting at it with a Vulcan Battle Chip.
"Test completed." The secretary announced.
"Cross Out!"
Kage spread his arms as the "Cross Fusion" broke down into raw data, which jumped into the air and reformed into the Link PET; he caught as it fell down, while the "Dimensional Area" vanished.
"Well? Impressed?"
"More than enough." Agoras clapped.
"This is… amazing!" Victor admitted.
"I know, right?" Andy laughed.
"If you'll excuse us, gentlemen… We must go back." Noir announced.
"Good evening." Legato greeted.
"Thank you. Good evening, gentlemen."
"Crush some weaklings." Victor encouraged.
"You'll be able to apply for tests, too. However, it's not mandatory. If you don't feel the need to, no need to. It's largely designed for fighting. It's also another component of our overwhelming technology, which will make all dangers to society stability have fear of us. It's also a form of deterrence to stop anyone from physically attacking us, too!" Hades exposed.
"Truly fascinating, sir. I am honored to be trusted with such a secret, sir!
"I knew you would, my young man. Mademoiselle! Please take care of the system. Vice President Noir will lock everything up upon leaving."
"Good-bye, ma'am." Agoras saluted.
"Let us meet again."
"Indeed."
Hades, Agoras and Victor walked down the corridor they'd used to come in and stepped outside of the building into the foggy evening.
"This fog reminds me of the Hound of Baskervilles, even." Agoras nervously admitted, looking around.
"Truly. Today is a really foggy evening indeed." Hades agreed.
They walked over to a black Subaru parked nearby; Hades climbed into the driver's seat while Agoras sat in the passenger seat; the car ignited and drove away from the facility.
"I'll drop you by our place, Agoras – kun. I need to go to run some errands in the city as well. Mainly buying groceries and such."
"Understood, sir. Thank you, sir."
"It's nothing. I need to come out from time to time or I'll become a recluse at this pace. Work isn't an excuse to stay indoors the whole time."
"Truly, sir. I should take it into account as well."
"Cross Fusion, huh… Man. Talk about amazing, indeed!"
18:49 PM (Japan Time)…
"… Alright. I'm ready. Kept ya waiting, Boss?"
"You could say so!"
"You didn't wanna have a sneak peek?"
"Come on, Miquel – kun. I'm supposed to be morally mature! I obviously can't do such a thing."
"Teasing ya~…"
"So, Legato… Did you hunt mice today?"
"I rather kicked a useless whelp around."
"Bubble Man?"
"Correct."
"HMPF! They got it coming."
"Sure thing."
Kage came out of a small changing room into a corridor; he'd changed back to his usual clothing and sported the sunglasses over his eyes; Noir had been waiting while leaning backwards against the wall at the door's right and Kage began to joke with him, but he didn't fall for it: Andy began to chat with Legato, and guessed who he meant.
"That fucking guy… Selling our friend out… The worst possible kind of traitor ever, really…" Andy muttered.
"That's why I made sure they got their lesson."
"Anyone would be delighted to hit them after he tried to charge what, 100 million Z for information on the "Darkloids"…" Andy fumed.
"Yeah. Greedy and selfish! No wonder they live in a scrap heap with only that Aqua Man Navi remaining there with him… Anyway. Have you thought of how to handle Ijuuin? I don't mean as in a Net Battle, but as to how to keep him hooked. We don't want the guy to call quits, right?"
"Maybe we could tease with something scary?"
"Such as?"
"Say there's something terrific which we're working on but leave it as vague as possible! That'll be enough to keep him hooked and he won't think of anything else!" Andy suggested.
"Excellent. Enzan will run up the walls, demanding to know more!"
"I've thought of something too to chill him out." Noir sneered.
"Let's let out some hints about the "strategy"! Suzuki – san will report those to them, and they keep hooked. They'll see there's more to us than it meets the eye. Laika will also bite the bait, too!" Kage whispered.
"Excellent, my lads. Let's go back to the base! We need to get everything ready and running. By the way, Miquel – kun… What should we do about the register of your old flat…?" Noir asked of him.
"Leave as it is. There's nothing worthy there anymore! They won't find my current address because I picked another name to register…"
"O. K. Let's make them run into dead ends."
"Excuse me. I am leaving. Make sure to lock everything before departing."
"Roger, ma'am. Please leave it up to us."
"Good. Let us meet again."
"So? What's your plan?" Andy asked Noir.
"I'll need you to drive me to a spot where we can get a suitable atmosphere! I'll go fetch a little something I've been storing here for a while. It'll do fine."
"Teasing us?"
"My way of returning the earlier teasing…"
"Fair enough." Kage shrugged.
"We'll be reading the car." Andy announced.
"Go on ahead."
Kage and Andy headed out of the building through a back door to find the spot the black Toyota had been parked at; Kage opened the passenger door so that Andy's hologram could climb in; he then climbed in himself; Noir soon exited the building and headed towards them, carrying a wheeled suitcase; he and Legato's hologram climbed into the rear seats with the suitcase placed in the ground in front of the middle rear seat.
"Head for Dock 11. Ijuuin will be there. I've sent him an anonymous email calling him there!"
"Roger, Boss. Let's put some music."
"Mitternacht, by E Nomine, will do fine." Andy grinned.
"Sure thing."
A creepy song began to ring out inside of the car as Kage drove the car down an avenue filled with fog; he turned on the front, back fog lights to see through it, and began to count the dock numbers stopping once they reached the entrance to Dock 11.
"This is the place. We're early. Ijuuin ain't due until 10 minutes from now which gives me time to get ready."
"Man. This teasing is killing me, really. I'm impatient to see what ya have thought of this time around, Boss."
"Same thing over here… I can't wait to see what this business will be about but I'm eager to see Blues' reaction."
"You won't be disappointed. My word."
"Wonderful. By the way… Those two were really stupid, no?"
"Those two? The WWW morons? Sure were! Good riddance!"
"It was an experiment, anyway. We learnt the lesson."
"Fair enough. Now show us what you're up to, Boss!"
"Don't be so impatient… The show is about to start, my fellows!"