The genetic make-up of a Digimon is a topic that has driven the passion of biologists from the day they set foot in our world. How is it that a cluster of data can take on real human emotions and responses, whilst being able to perform abilities that are beyond the capabilities of a human?
Something has to drive this phenomenon, in the same way the brain drives a human. Do Digimon even have brains? And if so, what is it that makes it run. Digimon, as was seen on countless occasions during the battles of a decade ago, do not maintain a physical form when they are, for want of a better word, killed. The chunks of data that make up their existence seem to simply split and dissolve into nothingness, but of course this cannot be the case. If we are to believe that the data that makes up Digimon behaves in the same way as data we humans are familiar with, it has to go somewhere. A Digimon's body, if that is the term that we can use to describe it, has never been studied in detail, because of this dissolution. I speak for any number of experts when I say that the opportunity to study a Digimon's anatomy intimately is something of a life goal we are striving for. . .
Extract from 'Digimon: Body and Soul' by H. Okeido
It was the dead of night. A man walked with purpose down the back alleys of the city, keen to avoid detection. In his right hand he held a briefcase. In his left, a sack tied securely at the top.
Only a couple of hours ago, he had heard the commotion at a concert where the music, if that was what that could be described as, had been interrupted before it had really begun to get going. True, the boy and his band of non-entities had sloshed their way through the rest of their set, but by then the crowd had largely dispersed. He had watched it all, from the seclusion of an old apartment block.
He eventually stopped at an old warehouse by the harbour. The doors were locked tight. Before it he waited. It was silent, save the bells of a few vessels that passed through the harbour. He gave a short, shrill whistle.
He only had to wait a few moments before his friend arrived. He leapt down from atop the warehouse and landed with absolute precision on four paws.
The man looked at his friend and smiled. Before him stood what could be described as a magnificent wolf, save the fact that it was very different from a wolf. Its fur was of a royal violet colour and had streaks of black intertwined within. Its eyes were a piercing yellow and from the tips of its ears came wisps of long, silky fur. Its three tails moved gracefully with one another. The top of its head was covered with a surface as hard as diamonds that glistened in the moonlight
"I do not appreciate being told to hide all day."
The voice came from the wolf. The man simply shrugged.
"It was necessary to keep a low profile today," he replied.
The wolf growled slightly.
"You may hunt when this business is attended to."
The wolf grunted in approval, his tails giving a satisfied swish. Then he looked to the great steel door that was before them.
"Idiot humans," said the wolf. "Nothing here is secure in the slightest."
The man nodded as both he and the wolf walked to the door. They didn't stop. Instead they simply passed through with a slight flash, appearing on the other side in an instant.
At that exact moment, another man woke with a jolt. He immediately felt a great jab of pain sear through his skull and he went to rub, only to find that he couldn't. His hands had been tied. As has his feet. He soon realised that his vision was gone as well. Panicking, he began to struggle. His whole body had been tied to a chair.
"Save your energy," said a gruff voice. "It won't be much longer now."
The tied man did not recognise the voice. Though there was a heinous tone in the voice, so he stopped struggling.
"What is this?" wheezed the tied man, "where am I?"
"A very important meeting," the gruff man replied.
"What kind of meeting is this?" said the tied man, trying to rub his wrists. They were very sore. The gruff man didn't reply.
The tied man closed his eyes, in spite of his lack of sight, deducting that something had been tied over his head rather than a genuine lack of sight. The last thing he remembered, he had been on his way home. He had spent the day in meetings of his own, dealing with angry threats and lucrative bribes from people from all over the world. At the start of the day, he had a list of ten names. Now the list was only five. In just two weeks, he had to make one of those five a very powerful individual. His ears sharpened as he heard a peculiar sound. A sort of slushy sound, very unfamiliar, followed by a flash that gave his eyes some precious light.
"Very good," came a new voice.
The tied man heard footsteps coming towards him. Within moments, a hand had slipped over his head and pulled of the sack that was obscuring his vision. Once his eyes had adjusted, he looked up at the face of a man he recognised, and gasped.
"Ishizaki," said the tied man.
"Hello Haruko," said Ishizaki.
"What's going on?" said Haruko.
Ishizaki strode away, giving Haruko the chance to see his surroundings. He was in a bare room, with only a table upon which rested a briefcase and a tied sack. The walls were made of steel and for company there was just Haruko, the gruff-voiced man and a. . .
"Is that a wolf?" said Haruko, his eyes wide.
"The humans refer to these beasts as wolves," said Ishizaki.
"What do you mean humans?" said Haruko frowning. "What else would they be called?"
Ishizaki ignored him. The wolf's eyes pierced Haruko's stare, unblinking, menacing.
"How were your meetings today?" asked Ishizaki.
Haruko looked at Ishizaki and shook his head.
"You know I can't divulge any of that information," said Haruko. "It wouldn't be fair on the other candidates. Ishizaki, why am I tied up?"
Again Ishizaki ignored him. He had gone over to the table and reached for the sack.
"What is the meaning of this?" said Haruko, beginning to get irate. Ishizaki turned to consider the tied man.
"Think of it as a . . . presentation," he said brightly, "a case for why I should take your role."
"This is against every regulation," said Haruko, "you can't possibly think that this will help you in any way."
Ishizaki reached into the sack and upon seeing what he pulled out, Haruko's heart gave an uncomfortable lurch. Ishizaki tossed the small, pink mouse so that it landed at Haruko's feet.
"But that's . . . that's a. . ."
"Digimon," said Ishizaki. "Chumon, I believe its name is."
Haruko looked down. It was indeed a Chumon, unmoving, cold and lifeless.
"Is it. . ."
"Dead?" finished Ishizaki. "For some time now."
"Then how is it here?" Haruko exclaimed. "How has he not been deleted?"
"Anything can be maintained if embalmed properly," said Ishizaki, leaning against the table. The wolf had not moved an inch. The gruff-voiced man was rolling up a sleeve.
"Ishizaki," said Haruko, "I don't know how you have done this but, the method must be shared. Finally we might learn the secrets to Digimon anatomy."
"I have no interest in investigating the nuances of how a Chumon breathes," said Ishizaki. "I merely wanted you to see what could be done, before you move on."
"If you had done this in a legitimate manner then your chances would have increased tenfold," said Haruko sadly.
"Oh my chances could not be better," said Ishizaki. "I need only know one more thing and then we'll be done."
"What's that?" said Haruko nervously.
"Have you published your list to anyone?" Ishizaki asked. "Does anyone but you know the identity of the five shortlisted candidates?"
"I will publish the list in the morning. Then the voting will begin. But you must understand that I cannot say whether or not you are on the list, despite what you have shown me tonight."
"I understand," said Ishizaki, "you are a good man Haruko."
Ishizaki turned and flipped open the briefcase. From it he withdrew a syringe and an empty test tube.
"I knew long ago that you didn't take a liking to my ideas," said Ishizaki, "ergo I know full well that I will not be on that list tomorrow."
Haruko's eyes widened. He despised needles.
"Which is a real shame," said Ishizaki, moving towards Haruko. "I have visions for the Digital World far greater than any of my opponents. But you are no different from any of them."
Haruko could feel his heart racing as Ishizaki bent down beside him. He looked from the needle towards the other man, who also had a needle between his fingers. He however seemed to be injecting something into his body.
"What are you going to do with me?" said Haruko, sweating. "If you want to be on the list that's fine. I can make it happen."
"I know you can," said Ishizaki, "but though you are a good man, you are a coward. A clever coward who will keep the list as it is and simply go into the highest protection money can afford."
Ishizaki found a vein in Haruko's arm and stabbed with the needle. Haruko gave a yelp, breathing heavily as a murky red seeped into the tube. It was over in a matter of seconds.
"Why do you need my blood?" said Haruko. "Please Ishizaki, let me go."
Ishizaki ignored him again. He went over to the other man who had finished injecting the colourless liquid into his body. Ishizaki moved to the same arm and plunged Haruko's needle in, squeezing until the contents began coursing around the man's body.
What happened next, no human had ever seen before. The man began to turn transparent. Haruko nearly wretched as he watched the man become a colourless form, whilst still maintaining his shape. But the shape then began to shift. His arms shrunk, his height lessened, his waist grew. In next to no time Haruko saw the man begin to materialise again. Then he really did wretch. The gruff voiced man stood and examined his new appearance.
"I feel so plain and hideous, came the voice, though it was no longer gruff and grating. It was calm and professional. It was Haruko's voice.
The tied Haruko had gone very pale and dizzy.
"Relax my friend," said Ishizaki. "It will soon be over."
Haruko could only muster a few words through his bile and phlegm.
"What are you?"
"I am a human, just like you," said Ishizaki, holding his palms open as if to embrace. "At least, that is what all others will think."
The Haruko standing beside him sneered.
"It's time for us to go," said Ishizaki. "Thank you Haruko for everything you have done."
Ishizaki turned to the wolf.
"Don't leave a mess," Ishizaki hissed. The wolf bared his teeth. Then Ishizaki and the other Haruko turned to the wall. The last thing the real Haruko saw before his face was ripped from his body were the two of them seeping through the wall, followed by a bright, eternal flash.