First update on this story of the new year. Sweet! I will unveil some cool things I've been planning for the future. It should only increase the awesomeness to come. Unfortunately, I'll be forced to develop a large number of new characters in order to make it work, but they are already planned out now. So, that shouldn't slow me down much. Hope you like what I've come up with and hope that I don't confuse you with what is coming.
"You wish to speak to me, Mr. Konishi?"
"Yes, come in," the grey-haired man nodded, gesturing at the woman to have a seat. "Miss Tamiko Mizutani, isn't it? Designer of our Guardian program and, from what I've been lead to believe, quite the expert on digimon."
"Yes, sir," she acknowledged. "I have extensive knowledge of the digital anomalies in question. Because of the varied capabilities and behavior patterns that they've been shown to exhibit, extensive research is required to handle such things. I've also been doing in-depth studies in order to perfect the scanning and screening applications of the program."
Mr. Konishi sighed, "That knowledge is what I need. I have here a list of all the digimon living in the Odiaba that we know of. Doubtless, some are trying to remain undetected, but this should be a fair sampling. We've arranged interviews with some of the children when their parents brought them to our attention through the PAD group in the past, but that isn't enough. I need your cooperation and, more importantly, your silence."
The PAD group, or Parents Against Digimon, was a collection of concerned citizens that fought against the acceptance of the digital monsters in society, citing that such entities were a danger to the youthful children that were drawn to them. They signed petitions, organized rallies, and ran bake sales in order to spread their message. Many parents would attempt to drag their kids there in order to demonstrate the corruption digimon were having on their little darlings. The group kept a list of known children that were partnered with the digital creatures and would, in many cases, attempt to separate them. A few members of DADP joined the group in order to keep tabs on the growing situation. While that part of the group's work rarely seemed to work, they kept trying. One of the rumors that circled the seventeenth floor was that the entire PAD group was founded by DADP simply to gain eventual public support if they ever went public with their work. All Mizutani hoped was that the children tangled up with these digital monsters understood that their parents' actions were for the best and they needed to be removed from the dangerous threat quickly.
She nodded, "Of course you have my secrecy, sir."
"I need you to select a few pairs from these files," he explained as he handed her the papers. "We'll take them subtly to have this… connection studied. In order to ensure that their bond isn't hazardous to the children's health. The digimon partner might be more parasitic in nature and could be harming them unnoticed. We need to examine not only if that connection is dangerous, but if severing it, if needed, can be done safely."
"Would this be considered legal?" she asked.
"When dealing with the children, no. Thus the secrecy of this operation. I leave you to select the most effective specimens. Then, we'll send in small teams to neutralize and transport the digimon and child," described Mr. Konishi. "Afterwards, a small dose of a drug to cloud the memories of the event will be administered to the child and parent, if they are present at the extraction process and raise a fuss. The parents will later assume it was a typical case of kidnapping and will simply be grateful for their child's safe return home. A simple operation with little collateral damage."
She stared at him carefully for a few moments before asking, "Sir, why did you really ask me to take this assignment? I'd assume you would want Guardian on-line and at full strength as quickly as possible, so you'd ensure that nothing would distract me from that goal. Instead, you are entrusting me with knowledge of an illegal operation and request my assistance specifically. All I need to know is why? There are others with a reasonable knowledge of digimon, so why did you request me?"
"I studied your file carefully," he sighed slowly. "Of all the members of DADP, you are one of the few who possess the greatest… lack of sympathy for digimon. Unlike some, you never fool yourself into believing they are something more than a clever arrangement of 1's and 0's. You've expressed on multiple occasions that you feel that any and all digimon are a potential threat, whether it is intentionally harmful or not. Besides, your records demonstrate that, except for your little 'problem,' you appear to be the definition of a perfect employee for difficult or delicate operations."
She grimaced, "My 'problem' is nothing. A delusion, a hallucination, and nothing more than that. I'm afraid I let it have a too great an influence on my life as a young teen. But therapy and medication for a few years dispelled that problem long ago. I'm perfectly normal now."
"According to this, you take medication still to ensure no relapses," he read. "I assume that you take it regularly, correct?"
"Of course," she lied. "Wouldn't want a crazy person around after all." She laughed slightly, gathering the list of digidestined. "I'll get back to you as quickly as possible, sir."
"And Miss Mizutani," called Mr. Konishi as she began to leave. "Just out of curiosity, what was your… hallucination about?"
"I can't recall," she answered honestly. "I only had it once ten years ago. My problem, as I stated, was I wouldn't let it go and grew obsessed. But it's over and gone now." She nodded, "I'll get started on these then."
"Yikes," grimaced Davis after the entire Beelzemon-Leomon-Jeri-D-reaper situation was more or less explained, starting with Chatsuramon's deal to finally getting Jeri out of the Kernal Sphere. It had not been a pleasant talk. Most of the Digidestined flinched at the more horrifying aspects, such as Beelzemon's attack on the children, Jeri's reaction, and her eventual kidnapping by the dangerous pink goo. "Let's put the D-reaper down as 'not good' and hope never to deal with it."
"It's locked up," explained Mako, slowly forgiving the older boy for earlier. "After Impmon showed up all see-through, we turned into Fatemon and beat up evil, scary, mean, see-through Beelzemon. Then, lots of bright lights trapped the bad gooey thing."
"I think I actually followed that," Davis slowly stated. After a few seconds, he shook his head, "No, I didn't. What did he say?"
"Another time," dismissed Rika. She turned to the left as Renamon materialized and startled half the group. "I believe we're almost ready to get going on this scavenger hunt now."
"Of course, toots," Impmon called as he and Ken stepped back into the clearing. "Let's hit the road."
"Impmon," squealed Ai. "We missed you."
"Five minutes and you're about to send out the search party? You guys really are lost without me," he smirked, rubbing her brown hair messily and glancing at where her brother held Wormmon still.
"Yep, he's back," groaned Terriermon.
Davis, looking sheepish, began, "Listen, about earlier… I shouldn't…"
"Save it, Hedgehog," interrupted the digimon. "Not your fault your brain isn't working right. I think the goggles cut off blood flow to your head."
"But…" the boy tried again, but the older Goggle-head put his hand on his shoulder.
"Sometimes it's better to drop it," he confided. "He doesn't seem mad anymore, anyone can tell you're sorry, and a real apology will only be awkward. Matt can be like that sometimes. Just try not to repeat the same mistakes. Make whole new ones next time."
Davis chuckled slightly at Tai's advice before noticing Destiny's distracted expression. She was staring off into the distance, concentrating on something unseen and unheard. Slowly, a confused expression spread across her face.
"What are the chances?" she muttered softly.
"Um… what's going on, Dee?" asked Impmon.
She glanced over at Kari, "Whistle."
"What?" the girl questioned.
"Whistle," repeated the prophetess. "Blow the whistle. Loudly."
"Why would she…?" began Gatomon before the Digidestined of Light interrupted with the requested high-pitched sound.
As the sound from the metal whistle faded, a roar erupted from the forest. The group glanced in the direction of the noise.
"How was that a good idea?" asked Terriermon.
"I know that sound," the Kamiya siblings stated slowly, speaking in a creepy unison.
Patamon cringed, "Yeah, it's the sound of 'big.' Should we be worried that it's probably coming this way now?"
"Most likely," shrugged Veemon.
Crashing footsteps and cracking underbrush announced the approach of whatever Kari's whistle summoned. Of the group, only Destiny, Tai, and his sister seemed unconcerned by the sounds. Finally, a giant shape broke into view. Its appearance seemed surprising.
"It's… a Greymon," gasped Rika. "Only redder and bigger than usual, I think."
The dinosaur tilted his head curiously, studying the group. It made no aggressive actions, only watching them. The other digimon remained on guard in case its calm attitude suddenly changed.
The creature slowly asked, "Kari-Kari? Tai-Tai? It's been over fifty-eight hundred years…"
"No… way…," whispered Tai. "Not possible."
"Why not?" Destiny grinned. "Old friends should not be forgotten. RedGreymon once entered the human world and fought in the city before eight special children's eyes. But that was not his first encounter with humans."
"Okay, could someone fill me in," complained Impmon. "I'm guessing Jumbo isn't going to eat us, but I'm still in the dark a little here."
Takato stepped forward, "In the movie… I mean eight or nine years ago, a digi-egg showed up at Tai and Kari's home. It hatched and eventually digivolved into him." He pointed at RedGreymon. "He fought against Parrotmon and every kid who saw the fight became the Digidestined."
"Then explain the fifty-eight hundred year thing," Terriermon requested. "Cause these kids don't look that old."
"Until August 1999, the time between the human and digital world wasn't the same," the boy sighed, trying to recite information about his favorite show without sounding like a total geek. "A day in the digital world equaled a minute in the human one. So I think the four years of the time-warp thing explains it."
"…Okay," frowned Henry. "But when did he meet humans before?"
Takato shook his head, "No clue."
"Honestly, I don't remember it," RedGreymon admitted. "In fact, before I heard that whistle, I couldn't remember Kari-Kari or Tai-Tai. It was so strange."
"Well, I'd say you've been reborn a few times in several thousand years," pointed out T.K. "I'd say that would erase lots of memories."
"But digimon with human partners can regain memories a lot easier than normal ones," remarked Destiny. "Especially with familiar stimuli, like the whistle or a face."
The entire group, human and digimon, blinked at her in surprise. She'd essentially dropped a completely random hint that the strange digimon might be someone's partner. Odd clues like that generally catch people's attention quickly.
"…I think that statement requires more explanation," Kari finally requested.
"Gennai told you that the eight of you were not the first digidestined," reminded the prophetess. "There were five before you 'who faced the evil that came from beyond the Wall of Fire. Though they were but children, strangers to one another, they united against the danger by giving strength to digimon who came to them, called by the bond they shared.' Those were the original DigiDestined. And one of their partners was him." She pointed at RedGreymon.
"And how long have you known this?" Ken asked.
"About five minutes," answered the blue-eyed girl. "And he's coming with us."
Agumon glanced up at the super-sized version of his champion level, "Isn't he a little conspicuous?"
"Like giant freaky monsters aren't common around here," muttered Impmon sarcastically. "It is the digital world after all. Not like they don't run around here all the time, Pumpkin-head."
"I guess I can help with that," sighed Destiny. "After all, his rookie level is his more usual form."
"And how do you know that?" Terriermon asked, not really expecting an answer.
She pulled out her crystalline D-arc and aimed it at the huge champion. A bright light shot out and enveloped him. The shape shrunk and changed, leaving a smaller dinosaur-like creature.
"He's still almost the size of a car," Davis gasped, looking at the large orange digimon that nearly matched Leomon in height.
"He crushed a car once," muttered Tai.
Jeri shrugged, "Leomon is pretty tall too. There's nothing wrong with big digimon."
"Isn't it better to not focus on the fact that he's still fairly large," suggested T.K., "and ask how many more tricks the girl can pull off? She can open portals in midair and dedigivolve RedGreymon without really trying. Add in her prophecy thing to that, and I have to wonder what else she can do."
"Well, my only other main tool for the job is the invisible bubble," the prophetess sighed. "Useful for observing important, but dangerous situations without being seen. It keeps me protected and hidden from everyone."
"That would be so cool to try," grinned Davis.
"You'd just use it to spy on Kari," Gatomon mumbled.
Most of the Digidestined laughed at the feline's comment, leaving Veemon's partner bright red. Rika groaned at the entire thing.
"Okay, we've picked up another hitchhiker," she grumbled. "Now, can we head over to find the smart old guy and get on with whatever we're supposed to be doing?"
Ken, nodding in agreement, stepped over to where Mako and Ai held his partner. Unlike what he expected to find, the twins were taking care to be gentle with Wormmon. The insect seemed to enjoy the small hands stroking his head lightly. For some reason, the young children behaved better overall than most kids their age he'd observed.
"Here's Wormmon back," Mako smiled as he transferred the green rookie to Ken. "He's nice."
"Didn't pull your antennas off, I see," the older boy remarked to his partner, Wormmon having worried about that.
Ai shook her head hard, "No. That would be bad. Digimon aren't toys, they're our friends, and you have to be careful and nice to them."
"No tug-a-war or fighting over them," muttered her brother softly, both of the looking upset.
Impmon rubbed the pair's heads, "It's alright, munchkins. You did fine with Bug-boy. Let's make sure the new bunch of digi-dorks don't get distracted by something shiny."
A partner? A human partner? BigAgumon contemplated this concept as the large collection of humans and digimon began moving. It seemed so strange to imagine.
Just a few moments before, he was another digimon living in the forest. Things seemed to be going well; he'd recently digivolved to RedGreymon even. Now, he was back to the rookie level and gained several long-lost memories: a small room with a bunk-bed, a scratching fur-ball, an attacking Parrotmon, and two small children. He nearly didn't recognize them now, but Tai-Tai still wore his hair tall and Kari-Kari's piercing whistle rang through his mind to summon the ancient memories.
Now, a dark-haired human girl, the one that changed him back to his rookie form, claimed that even before those days he knew a member of humanity. She said that he'd been partnered to one. There was no memory of that individual. Even now, the only humans he could remember meeting were his friends Tai-Tai and Kari-Kari.
Could… the dark-haired girl be…? No, somehow he knew she wasn't his partner. She didn't feel right. Shouldn't he sense a connection to his partner? That was the rumor. Tai-Tai almost felt that way, but not quite. Did that mean his partner, his human, would be like the spiky-haired boy?
A faint and fleeting image flashed through his mind. A pair of goggles with a green strap struck a rock. The goggles carried a feeling of belonging, completeness, and friendship. A name tried to appear, but fled before he could grasp it for sure.
Ri… Rik… Ri…
For the first time since he hatched from his digi-egg, he wondered about who he was. His past, lost by multiple rebirths and new lives, seemed to be catching up with him. When and if he remembered more, would he still be the same digimon he'd been this morning? Did he want to know more?
He couldn't remember his partner (Ri… Rik… Rik…), but he knew that they were supposed to be together. That was how it worked. And if he could remember the human, maybe find the child, would it make him happy?
A deep feeling answered that question. Without a doubt, finding his partner (Rik… Ri… Rik…) would make him happier than anything else in the Digiworld. And these humans, digimon, Kari-Kari, and Tai-Tai seemed to be the key. Along with the dark-haired girl with all-too-knowing blue eyes.
Yes! Finally got to this part. Okay, explanation time everyone!
In the second to last episode of Digimon season one, the silhouettes of the "original" DigiDestined were shown in a flashback as Gennai explained. Rather than create five new children and five digimon, they used the kids they already had to represent them. Specifically, the silhouettes of the original DigiDestined and their partners looked like Tai, Matt, Sora, T.K., Izzy, Agumon, Gabumon, Biyomon, Patamon, and Tentomon. Thus, I saw no reason why I could not use them in the story. But they aren't the same digimon obviously, but their outlines are similar. I'm taking liberties with the proportions, but I figured that BigAgumon could have been the shape seen in the flashback. That could explain why Botamon, freshly hatched, immediately latched onto Tai's face. Subconsciously, the boy reminded him of his partner.
I plan to bring the original DigiDestined into the story as I go, but that doesn't mean that suddenly it'll end up with two Gabumons, two Biyomons, two Patamons, ect. I'll be using digimon with the same body structure. Some already exist (Do you know how long it can take to examine a large number of digimon in the hopes it looks somewhat like a certain big-eared, orange flying digimon?) and others I'll invent. But this means I need to invent five "kids" to have gone into the digital world in the "ancient times" (but the time warp that used to be in place means that even one year in the human world is about 1460 years in the digital one. Ancient times aren't that hard to end up with) and where they are now. But as I said, most of that is already planned out and developed in my notes. It should be under control.
Final note on my story so far. I've spelt it as "digidestined", "Digidestined", and "DigiDestined". Each variation means something a little different. When it says "digidestined", it is the common form. Like "king" or "boy." When it says Digidestined, it is a title that applies to Tai, his group, Davis, and that boy's group of individuals. Like "King Arthur." And the newest form, DigiDestined, will apply to original five kids that I haven't introduced yet. Understand?
Any questions, comments, or suggestions are welcomed. I'll try to keep things clear, understandable, and enjoyable as the story progresses. I hope you like it.