Author's Notes: A later update today since I'm kind of tired from hanging out with my family yesterday. It's always a hectic adventure around my relatives, but anyway... Time for the plot to get serious again. I don't really understand the chapter's title, but it seems to work... I mean, the focus this time will be on Takumi and his relationships with those important to him. Or at least, when I play through this part, I get Persona vibes from the it. And the youths of Persona are always trying to figure out their answers to that question... I wonder what Takumi's answer is...
Takumi clutched his head with both hands as the dark loneliness crushed him. He spotted a familiar woman in the distance with long blonde hair and a trailing scarf and tried to call out to her only to hear silence. Realizing his screams wouldn't reach her no matter how loud he yelled, he began to chase after her. He reached his gloved hand out towards the person he trusted most in the world but she suddenly faded away into a ball of light. He let out a silent cry of desperation as he didn't want to return to the darkness alone. Still, no matter how much he tried to fight against it, everything around him drowned in inky black shadows.
"I've been so lonely!" a child's voice meekly complained.
Takumi tensed up as the voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. He looked around for its source and managed to spot a small boy in the distance with messy hair. The redhead knit his eyebrows together at the monochrome figure as he tried to reach out to the crying boy in order to help him.
"I don't want to be by myself anymore…!" the boy wailed.
The Cyber Sleuth's eyes widened though when he realized he couldn't get anywhere near the child. Even more, a strange pain began to fill his chest. It was both a physical and emotional pain, but Takumi couldn't identify whether it came from within him or the child. The boy's weeping grew louder and it only intensified the searing sensation he felt.
"Somebody find me!" he screamed. "Somebody help me!"
Takumi could feel tears dripping down his face as he forced himself to save the child. The child's loneliness negatively affected the older teen as he suddenly noticed purplish black hands grabbing at him from the darkness. They restrained him and the more the he struggled, the tighter their hold on him grew. The Cyber Sleuth began to hyperventilate as his chest threatened to burst from the pain. His blue eyes widened as he spotted the woman again. He tried screaming to her once more for help as a swirling arm of black smoke began to wrap around his neck.
"Help, help, help, help!" The small child's voice blended with Takumi's thoughts as he struggled to keep his head above the arm until he was completely engulfed by the smoke.
No! Please don't leave me behind too! Come back! Takumi screamed as he found his own voice. "KYOKO-SAN!" He gasped as he suddenly found himself in the detective agency. The red-haired teen brought his hand up to his forehead and took in deep breaths to calm himself down. As he sat up on the sofa, he tried to recall what he just experienced. "W-what was that…? It all felt so… familiar… But why?"
"Takumi?"
The boy snapped his head up at the desk before he relaxed. "P-pete…" he sighed in relief. "It's just you…"
The Wanyamon worriedly frowned at him. "Are you okay? You startled me again…"
"I'm sorry," the Cyber Sleuth gently apologized as he carefully approached the Digimon. "I didn't mean to…" He scratched Pete's head. "It was just another nightmare… That's all," he reassured the Digimon.
"Are you sure? What was it about this time?"
Takumi wryly smiled at him and opened his mouth to speak, but his Digivice suddenly rang. "Hello…?" he answered, hopeful that it was Kyoko.
"Hmm… Oh, hello? Takumi?"
"Nokia?" The blue-eyed boy tried to hide his disappointment.
"Yeah, it's me," she frowned at him as she noticed his pale, tired face. "I've got something I want to talk about," she worriedly told him. "Could you come to Shibuya? Please? I know it's a bit of a hike."
"I guess…" Takumi frowned. He made to unlock the agency's door for the day but felt a bit woozy as he passed the couch. "Ah… Dizzy…" he groaned as he quickly caught himself.
"What? You're not feeling well?" Nokia noticed how out of it Takumi seemed. "I… was hoping that wasn't the case."
"Huh? No, I'm fine," he shook his head. "Just give me a moment. I'll be there," he nodded before hanging up. Takumi stared at his gloved right hand for a while before slowly moving again.
"Are you going out already?" Pete asked.
"Yeah," the Cyber Sleuth nodded to him as he finally opened the office up for business. "I'm off," the teenager tried to smile.
"Have a safe trip," the Digimon told him as he left. Pete frowned to himself once Takumi was gone. "It's been over a month now and it looks like his health is getting worse… Kyoko-san… please come back soon… For Takumi's sake…"
"Alright, I'm here," Takumi nodded as he approached Nokia, Omegamon, and the crowd of Digmion gathered around them.
"Thanks for coming," she gratefully smiled at him.
"So what do you need?" he asked. "Is something on your mind?"
"Yeah," she worriedly frowned and lowered her gaze. "It's about, well, you not feeling well. It sorta seems like things are at a standstill. After the you-know-what plan was put into motion, problems between Digimon and humans kept cropping up more and more. And the damage is getting worse and worse. If it keeps up, it'll get way out of hand. Something has to be done, but…" she sighed and shook her head. "And I'm sorry, but Rebellions have their hands full just trying to protect this bunch. I wanted to send them home to the Digital World before things get any worse."
"Eaters are still ravishing the Digital World," Omegamon sighed. "We no longer have a home."
"I thought if I could protect the Digimon and return them to their world that it all would work out," Nokia clasped her hands together and held them over her heart. "But I can't return them to the Digital World as it is now and they'll get hurt if they stay here. I have no idea what to do anymore…"
"Neither do I…" Takumi muttered as his mind wandered towards his missing boss.
"But," Nokia slightly perked up, "Omegamon said to find the other Royal Knights!"
"Hm?" the depressed boy lifted his gaze at that. "The others?"
"The Royal Knights probably came to this world when the Dimensional Door was opened," Omegamon said. "They're probably all in hiding, each with their own intentions and motivations, somewhere in Tokyo or EDEN. We have to find them and convince them. It will be hard to do so for those bent on destruction, but there are Royal Knights who seek a different path, ones who yet have doubts. They will undoubtedly respond to Nokia's strength of will! And many Digimon follow the Royal Knights. The more we have on our side, the more Digimon we can have interacting with humans! That should help to stem the chaos."
"So that's that, Takumi!" Nokia smiled. "Let's search for the Royal Knights!"
The Cyber Sleuth took a moment to let it all sink in. "I see… Yeah, that sounds like a good plan," he seriously nodded.
"Which means you're up, Cyber Sleuth!" Nokia grinned at him.
"I thought you'd ask me… It's elementary!" he smirked with his usual enthusiasm towards work.
"I thought you'd say that!" his best friend chuckled, glad to see him cheering up. "Okay! Looks like we're feeling all better! To start with, I'd like you to check out that Digital Wave thingy to track down the Royal Knights."
Takumi's face fell. "Nokia…"
The girl winced when she realized she said something she shouldn't have to the blue-eyed boy. "You're right. Kyoko-san's still not back yet. It might be hard for you to do that alone." She shook her head and groaned. "And things were going so well."
"It can't be helped," Omegamon shook his head. "I will try to find signs of the other Royal Knights."
"Signs!?" Nokia turned towards her Digimon in surprise. "They'll tell us where they're located?"
"A Royal Knight possesses massive energy," he explained. "Unless one attempts to mask that signature, I will be able to find it."
"Hm?" Takumi blinked. "Wait, if that's the case, I should be able to sense them a bit too," he nodded as he stared down at his body.
"Excellent!" Nokia grinned. "Well, why didn't we do that to begin with?" she asked in complaint before quickly shaking her head. "I didn't say that. And I didn't think it!"
"I'm sorry, Nokia," Omegamon lowered his head.
"So long as we're doing it now," Takumi nodded.
"Oh, I'm reading some signs already," Omegamon looked up at the sky. "The nearest one is… in that direction," he pointed east.
"In that direction?" Nokia blinked. "Towards Akiba?"
"It seems so," her Digimon nodded. "It seems to be Dukemon. Let's head there now." Omegamon looked down at the Cyber Sleuth. "You should join us, Takumi. If he can't be convinced, we may have to fight. I would feel much better having you there."
"Alright," the boy nodded. "Let's go."
A bipedal Digimon with wings and lion-like mask elegantly swung his rapier before setting the blade down as he spotted Omegamon coming towards him while being led by two humans. The Digimon chuckled and shook his head at the great Royal Knight. "You look ridiculous, Omegamon."
"Huh?" Nokia blinked at the Digimon. "Wh-who's that?"
"I was certain I had sensed Dukemon…" Omegamon looked around in confusion. "I never expected that you'd be the first one I would run into, Duftmon."
"And not just a Digimon," Duftmon sneered at the girl at Omegamon's side, "but a human child as well. 'Omega'… the ultimate end… You bring shame upon your very title! Omegamon… Have you abandoned your pride as a Royal Knight?"
"He's a member of the Royal Knights, too?" Nokia asked. "You've got to explain things to him," she eagerly told her partner.
"An explanation, you say?" the Digimon let out an amused, rumbling chuckle. "How naïve! How utterly naïve! Omegamon, does your aiding these humans mean you intend to thwart our plan to destroy the human world?"
"Duftmon, you are only distorting Yggdrasil's will according to your own desires," Omegamon stated. "Is destroying this world really the only way!?"
"Then we are indeed of different opinions on the matter," Duftmon sighed. "I will carry out Yggdrasil's will as I see fit. All I do is for the sake of saving our world!"
"I came here to correct the distorted will of Yggdrasil," his former comrade shook his head. "And I will stop you as I see fit!"
Duftmon brought a hand up to his forehead and laughed. "You think you're even capable of that? Even though all is going according to plan?"
"According to plan?" Nokia knit her eyebrows together. "Then everything that's happened up to now has been part of your scheme!?"
"LordKnightmon was sent here to open the Dimensional Door so there would be a way for the Royal Knights to enter this world," Duftmon explained. "This has been my plan," he softly chuckled, "to destroy this world!"
"Duftmon…" Omegamon shook his head. "I won't allow that!" He quickly extended his left arm, revealing his Grey Sword. Just as he was about to slash his weapon at Duftmon, another Digimon with white draconic armor caught the blade with his arms. Omegamon's eyes widened in surprise. "And you… Dynasmon! Don't tell me you agree with Duftmon!?"
"Hm…" Dynasmon smirked at him.
Duftmon laughed. "We can have it out here and now, Omegamon! We abide none who interfere with the noble will of our king!"
"Stop it!" Nokia cried out. "You're all Royal Knights, right? The same as Omegamon, right? Then how come you have to fight each other!?"
"Cease your human prattle," Duftmon coldly dismissed her, "or consider your life forfeit."
"It doesn't matter if we're human or Digimon!" the girl refused to back down. "We should be able to understand each other better than this! All of us, humans and Digimon, are living together!"
"Do you seek an early death, girl?" Duftmon frowned at her as he raised his blade.
"That's far enough, Duftmon!" another voice called out.
Duftmon looked up as a knight Digimon carrying a large round shield took his place beside Omegamon. The lion warrior narrowed his eyes on the newcomer. "You…! Dukemon!?"
"There is some truth in what the girl says," Dukemon stated. "Withdraw from this place, Duftmon!"
"Dukemon," the other Royal Knight shook his head, "do you stand with the humans as well? You cannot have forgotten the destruction Eaters unleashed on our Digital World, nor where they spawned from," he growled before glaring at the two humans standing with Omegamon.
"I have not forgotten for a single moment," Dukemon shook his head, "But that is no reason to destroy this world."
"Very well," Duftmon turned away from them. "We shall withdraw. Fighting between Royal Knights would be too much of a waste. That said, the plan cannot be stopped. The end of this world is the will of Yggdrasil!" Without another word, Duftmon and Dynasmon quickly took off into the skies.
"Okay then," Nokia let out a relieved sigh as they wouldn't have to fight at all, but she still wore a worried frown before looking up towards Dukemon. "So then what about the Digital World?"
"Everything was consumed by Eaters," the knight told them. "We were left with naught but despair."
"H-how can that be?" Nokia knit her eyebrows together. "If everything is really how Omegamon said…"
"We Royal Knights kept fighting to rid the Digital World of Eaters," Dukemon continued. "The anger Duftmon and the others hold for the human race being the genesis of the Eaters is immeasurable. That is why, in their obstinacy, their hatred drives them to wipe out humanity. Eliminate the Eaters along with humanity… That was the plan hatched by Duftmon and those in the Royal Knights who agreed with him."
"J-just how many Royal Knights are bent on human destruction!?" Nokia asked.
"At least half of them, but there are many who yet waver," the knight nodded. "It won't be impossible to convince them. Of course, whether that comes to pass depends on you. Are you up to the task?"
Nokia looked towards the silent boy at her side in worry, but Takumi flashed her a reassuring smile. "Of course!" Takumi gave Dukemon a determined nod. "We'll do whatever it takes."
"It is our only option!" Omegamon agreed. "When the Dimensional Door closed, the flow of energy from the Digital World stopped. That means that Duftmon and the others won't be able to take actions right away. They need to lay low and store up energy first. We must seek out and locate the remaining Royal Knights before they make a move in earnest."
"But won't we have to fight any Digimon who ally with Duftmon?" Nokia worriedly pointed out.
"Yes…" Omegamon reluctantly nodded. "That seems unavoidable. But we should keep explaining our position as much as possible. There are Digimon who may join us. My sworn friends," he smiled at the knight Digimon at his side, "like Dukemon."
"Indeed," Dukemon smiled back at Omegamon. "When you are a prisoner to hatred, you choose the wrong path by mistake. I need to begin as you said, by knowing humans."
"Yeah!" Nokia nodded to both Digimon. "Thank, Omegamon, Dukemon!"
"Now then…" Omegamon looked up at the sky. "Let's continue by looking for Royal Knights. There are signals from other Royal Knights all over the place. Dukemon should stay here. It's better if we split up to look."
"Okay!" the girl cried. "You're on the case now, Cyber Sleuth!" she told Takumi. "We'll call if we find someone, too!"
"Alright," Takumi smiled at them as they all separated. "I'll help Nokia and the others search for the Royal Knights. But I'd better check in at the agency before that." He turned towards the station. "Kyoko-san might be there," he wishfully muttered.
"I'm home," Takumi called out.
"Welcome home, Takumi," Pete smiled at the boy. The Digimon noticed how the smile on the teen's face momentarily wavered. "I'm sorry… Kyoko-san still isn't back yet."
"That's fine," the Cyber Sleuth sighed as he approached the desk. "Have any new cases come in?"
"None so far," the Wanyamon shook his head. "How was Nokia?"
"She and Omegamon have decided to search for the other Royal Knights in the hopes we can get them to help, but it looks like half of them will be opposing us. As far as our allies, we can count Omegamon and Dukemon," Takumi nodded, "but we'll be going against LordKnightmon, Duftmon, and Dynasmon." He curiously looked over at Pete. "Hey, do you think you can use Kyoko-san's computer and scan for the other members?"
"I can try," Pete smiled, "but I don't know if anything will turn up."
"That's fine," the teenager nodded. "Any little bit helps and like Kyoko-san would say, 'We've got nothing to lose'!" He paused at that. "Nothing to lose…" He closed his eyes and brought a hand to his mouth.
"Huh? What's wrong, Takumi?" Pete worriedly stared at the boy.
"I have nothing to lose alongside my friends," Takumi reminded himself as he opened his eyes. "That was something Kyoko-san once told me. I wanted to further analyze that proverb as something in it bothered me, but she told me to not think about it too deeply, because it would be inelegant." The redhead wryly chuckled as he shook his head. "I can see why she wouldn't want me to given the glaring problem I discovered with it, but I suppose that's one reason for me to 'doggedly and with all my might, exhibit endurance like hard black iron' until she returns."
"You're not making any sense again," the Digimon whined.
"S-sorry…" the Cyber Sleuth crookedly smiled before scratching Pete's head. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really miss Kyoko-san, but I know she completely trusts me to handle this on my own. For her sake, I'll keep doing my best…" he nodded. "Thanks for taking care of me until then, Pete."
Pete affectionately rubbed his face against the boy's hand. "No problem! How about I brew some coffee for us?" The Wanyamon jumped off Kyoko's desk and started for the office kitchen. "What do you want to throw in this time?"
"I think we have canned tuna," Takumi smiled. "Try using the water from the tuna to brew the coffee."
"Alright," the Digimon nodded before disappearing into the back.
The Cyber Sleuth was about to attempt to use Kyoko's computer himself but he paused when the door to the agency opened. He turned to see who it was but he blinked when a familiar girl with brown hair came in. "Um, excuse me?" she frowned at the boy. "Do you have a second? Or are you working on a case right now?"
"Welcome to the Kuremi Detective Agency," Takumi smiled at her. "Can I help you with something?" he asked bringing a hand up to his chin as he tried to recalled who she was.
"Do you remember me? My name is Yamashina Chika," the girl nodded. "We spoke before about my dad…"
"Of course," the boy nodded when he finally recognized her. "Please take a seat on the sofa and tell me about your case, Chika-san."
Chika nodded and explained her situation to him. "He's been acting strangely lately…" she frowned. "He suddenly started mumbling things like 'I was betrayed by Kamishiro', and something about an accident eight years ago." Takumi's eyes widened at this but he remained silent as the girl continued. "I think he's in what's called a state of confusion. It got so awkward we ended up checking him in to the Central Hospital. He was fine until the other day. But why did he suddenly…?" She looked up towards Takumi. "You were investigating him the other day, right? Please, tell me! Is something happening to him?"
Takumi shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm not sure either. During that time I was asking you about your father, I was actually looking into the company he had been a part of. Your father's current state might be related, but I can't really say that with certainty."
"What? You were investigating something else?" Chika sighed. "I see… Then I guess you don't know either. Then can I ask you to take the case? Will you find out what's happening to my dad? I was too scared to learn about his past. I thought he'd go back to being the cold and distant father he was before. But my family needs to know if there's something in his past that's hurting him!"
"Of course," Takumi nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll do whatever I can."
"Thank you!" Chika gratefully smiled. "I'm counting on you… Detective."
Takumi watched as she leaved before chuckling to himself. "Chika-san's father, Yamashina Makoto, is in the Central Hospital. Time to have a look!" he got up and placed his hands on his hips. "Pete!" he called out to the kitchen. "A case just came in so I'm going out."
"Have a safe trip!" Pete called back. "I'll keep the coffee hot until you return."
"If it's not strong enough, feel free to add whatever you like," the redhead smirked before leaving. "I'll see you later!"
Takumi patiently waited for the elevator to come down before a voice behind him made him turn. "What a coincidence meeting you here, Takumi-san!"
"Yuuko-san!" the Cyber Sleuth blinked at her in surprise.
"Are you working?" she asked.
"That's right," he politely smiled. "Are you visiting someone?"
"I came to look in on my brother," she replied with a slight frown. "That reminds me…" She took a deep breath before looking straight into the taller boy's blue eyes. "Takumi-san? Do you have a moment?"
"What is it?" he tilted his head to the side.
"Would you… talk to my brother with me?" She lowered her gaze. "I'd like you to see him, Takumi-san."
Takumi stared at her for a while before nodding. "Alright," he answered as she led him to the Special Ward. He paused for a moment as he passed his own body.
Yuuko noticed him staring at himself and frowned. "Takumi-san?"
The boy continued towards her with an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry…"
She shook her head at him as she knew what it was he was thinking of. "It's alright. I understand." She gave him a few more minutes before showing him to the private room where her brother was kept. "This way…"
Takumi wryly smiled as he went inside. He stood off the side before studying the sleeping raven-haired boy on the bed. "Ah… So this is…"
"My brother, Yuugo…" Yuuko nodded as she knelt at the bed's side.
Takumi frowned. "It must have been difficult for you to have watched over him all this time…"
Yuuko shook her head as she leaned over the bed's railing to stare at her brother's peaceful face. "Up until now, I hadn't felt terribly sad taking care of my brother. No matter how I spoke to him or touched him, there was never any response. I accepted that as a matter of fact. But then I heard my brother speak through you the other day…" Yuuko frowned as she looked over towards Takumi standing at the other side of the bed. "And it made me sad, somehow. It drove home the fact that my brother is not normal, with his silence and his endless sleep."
Takumi sadly lowered his gaze in guilt. "I'm sorry…"
Yuuko shook her head at him as he had no reason to apologize. "I will find the cause of EDEN Syndrome," she told him with a determined expression on her face, "to protect EDEN and save my brother." Her gaze softened as she stared at the Cyber Sleuth. "And I'll find a way to restore your body to you. I'm sure of it, Takumi-san."
"Eh?" the red-haired boy looked up at her.
"It's my turn to save you," she told him with a nod, "because I can't yet find a way to thank you for saving me."
"You… don't have to go that far…" Takumi frowned, "but… I'm glad…" He nodded to the raven-haired girl. "Thank you, Yuuko-san."
She smiled at him before her cheeks turned red. "Ah… I was thinking… Maybe… we don't have to address each other so formally…"
"Hm? What do you mean?" the boy blinked at him.
"For you to have seen such a side of me when you saved me, it would be strange for us to still consider each other as just business associates, don't you think?" Yuuko noticed Takumi was still wearing a blank expression. "You don't use honorifics with Nokia-san, but you do with me," Yuuko stated with a slight frown.
"Well, I've known Nokia for a long time now and she's my best friend," he told her. "Of course I wouldn't use an honorific with her. The same sort of thing applies to Arata."
"Then what about Fei?"
"Since I met her through your Yuugo avatar, I consider her to be a casual acquaintance," Takumi answered with a slight shrug. "As a person I have a business relationship with," he averted his gaze and sheepishly scratched his reddening cheek, "it's only proper I use honorifics for you."
"I see…" Yuuko brought her hand up to her mouth as she studied the polite detective. "But we're friends now, correct? It's okay for us to drop honorifics with each other, Takumi," she nodded.
"Ah…" Takumi stared at her in mild surprise. "You called me just by my name." He grinned and nodded to her. "Alright, Yuuko-chi."
"Don't call me that," she coolly frowned at him.
"How about Yuuko-rin?" he smirked.
"Not that either," she sighed.
"Eh…? You don't like it, Kamishiro-san?"
"That's even more formal than before," Yuuko shook her head at him. "Just Yuuko is fine."
"Alright, I understand," Takumi smiled, "Yuuko-san." He laughed as the girl stared at him with a deadpan expression. "I'm just kidding, Kamishiro Yuuko-san."
"You really are strange, Aiba Takumi," Yuuko ended up cracking a smile at his unusual sense of humor before remembering he was working on a case. "I'm sorry for taking so much of your time. You came to the hospital as part of your job, right?"
"I did?" the blue-eyed boy knit his eyebrows together as he couldn't remember. "Oh, wait, that's right. I did," he nodded.
"Could you tell me about it?" she asked. "I might be able to help you in some way."
"Let's see…" Takumi frowned as he thought back to his current case. "Oh yeah! I came to the hospital to check on… Yamashina Makoto-san. He's here due to… mental confusion? Or was it memory lapse?" The Cyber Sleuth brought his hand to his head. "No, he's in a state of confusion."
"Is that so?" Yuuko nodded as she considered it herself. "Yamashina-san was admitted to the hospital in a state of mental confusion? I see…" She rose to her feet and prepared to leave. "I should be able to check Yamashina-san's room number at the reception desk in the lobby. Let's go."
"Ah, thanks for helping me, Yuuko," Takumi gratefully nodded to her.
Takumi stood off the side as Yuuko spoke with the nurse at the counter. He worriedly frowned to himself as he tried to keep his thoughts together. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I'm fine… It's just a momentary lapse in memory, attention, and judgment. Keep calm. Keep cool. I've got this. He opened his eyes when he felt Yuuko's Digivice coming towards him.
"They say he's definitely here but they seem to have lost track of his room number," Yuuko frowned. "The hospital staff is searching for it now."
"Eh!?" Takumi blinked. "They lost a patient? We'd better go find him then."
"I'll help," the girl nodded. "Let's look together." She looked around the lobby with an uncertain expression on her face. "But how do we look for him?"
Takumi smiled as he came up with a simple solution. "We ask around."
"Of course," Yuuko turned her head towards him. "We go back to the basics. We ask if anyone has seen a confused man in the hospital." She smiled at the Cyber Sleuth. "I feel better now. You truly are a great cyber sleuth, even on your own."
The red-haired teen blushed at her praise. "What can I say? Kyoko-san trained me well."
"Okay, let's split up and look for Yamashina-san," Yuuko suggested.
Takumi nodded to her and watched as she checked with another nurse while he decided to ask the patients waiting in the lobby. He passed by an energetic boy bouncing in his seat and the child quickly called out to him. "Hey! Do you know the 'forbidden hospital room'? I know allll about it!"
"Sorry, but I'm looking for a deranged man wandering the hospital," Takumi shook his head. "Have you seen a patient like that?"
"D ranged man?" the boy blinked at him. "What's that got to do with the hospital? Where's the 'd range', anyway? Is it the Transylvania mountains? What does the 'D' stand for? I don't get it!"
"Ah… no… That's not what I—"
"Anyway!" the boy shook his head. "The 'Forbidden Hospital Room'! You can hear a 'spooky voice' coming from it! Like an 'oooOOoooOoo' voice! Do you think it's an animal? Or a monster!?" He excitedly bounced up and down. "Or a Digimon!? You should go check it out! It sounds pretty cool, right? Right!?"
"Do you know where the room is?" Takumi asked.
"You're really gonna go hear the weird voice in the forbidden room?" the boy's eyes widened. "For real? No chickening out, okay?"
After Takumi got the information he needed, he approached Yuuko. "Did you find anything?" he asked her. She shook her head in reply, so Takumi pointed to the elevators. "Well, I think I found a lead. We should check out the room together."
"Right," Yuuko nodded before following Takumi to the General Ward. They continued down the hall before Takumi paused in front of a door. He double-checked the number etched into the plate before knocking.
"Wh-who are you?" a confused man asked, opening the door.
"Yamashina-san!" Takumi blinked at him in surprise.
"Oh… Oh, yes…" the man stared at the teenagers. "My subordinates at Kamishiro?"
"He's here!" Yuuko exclaimed. "I knew you could do it, Takumi!"
"Yeah, but… he really does seem to be in a state of confusion," Takumi worriedly frowned.
"Just who are you two?" Yamashina asked them. "What would you have with me? I was betrayed… or did I betray someone?" He brought a hand up to his head. "Something happened… eight years ago? And then…" He quickly shook his head. "Stop… I'm sorry… I don't know…" The man slowly grew agitated. "I don't remember, don't want to… can't recall." He let out a distressed scream.
Yuuko took a deep breath before cautiously approaching the confused man. "Are you all right?" she asked. "Yamashina-san! What happened? Please, tell us! I am connected to Kamishiro," she calmly told him. "I can help you. I'm sure of it."
"Kami…shiro?" Yamashina focused his gaze on the girl as he tried to remember. "Yes, I… worked… in the lab there… underground…" He suddenly grabbed Yuuko by her shoulders.
"Yuuko!" Takumi tensed up.
"I… I beg of you!" Yamashina pleaded. "I need to… to the lab… Take me to the Roppongi Underground Center!"
"Eh!?" Yuuko gasped at the thought of returning to that dreadful place. "Why there?"
"I have to go… There's something there… I…" Yamashina shook her. "I have to go… I have to go… I have to goooo…!"
"Let her go first!" Takumi managed to pull Yuuko free from him. He worriedly frowned at Yuuko. "Are you okay? And what do you think about his request?"
"It seems we had better go with him," she seriously frowned.
"Yeah, but… you don't have to come along, Yuuko," Takumi told her.
She shook her head. "Don't worry. I'll be fine," she reassured him. "Just don't you disappear again like last time."
"Alright," he smiled. "We're taking Yamashina-san to the Roppongi Lab."
"We're at the lab," Yuuko stated as she looked around the empty room. "Yamashina-san?" She and Takumi turned towards the man as he studied the terminal.
"Yes… This is it…" he nodded. "This is where I worked…" He paused for a moment and brought a hand up to his head. "Wh-what? Memories… So many memories…"
"He seems to be remembering something," Yuuko noticed.
"I wonder what it is," Takumi nodded.
"We were scanning… uploading… rewriting…" Yamashina groaned, "Mental data…" He suddenly looked up. "That's it… yes!" he cried. "My research was into the creation of mental data!"
"The creation of mental data!?" Yuuko gasped in surprise. "You created the technological basis for EDEN's basic systems?"
"It wasn't just me," Yamashina shook his head. "There was someone with me… A joint researcher."
"Suedou Akemi," Takumi guessed.
"S-suedou…" Yamashina knit his eyebrows together at the familiar name. "It was Suedou! He's the one who stole my memories from me!"
"Eh!?" Takumi blinked at that. "Is that possible?"
"Suedou-san… stole your memories?" Yuuko asked, equally as confused as her friend.
"I… I beg of you," the man turned towards the teens. "Get my memories back for me! You can do it if you use this device! I've suffered enough over things I can't even remember!"
"Alright," Takumi nodded.
"I'll operate the device," Yuuko stated. "Please instruct me, Yamashina-san."
The amnesiac man took a seat at the terminal and put on the strange helmet as Yuuko stood at the terminal's control panel. "First, load my mental data…" he told her, "then make a copy. The copy should then be run in the hardware's virtual memory. That will keep it protected. If we then overwrite the original data with the altered copy, the memories… should change… Run my current memories in virtual memory… If we then specify a memory field, the device will…" As he spoke, the man began to flicker as if he were undergoing a digital distortion.
"Yamashina-san!?" Yuuko blinked at him in surprise and tried to approach him, only to have Takumi suddenly pull her back.
"Yuuko, be careful!" Takumi cried out as an alarm began to blare. "Don't get too close to him." He winced as his body slightly flickered too. "The Digital Waves around him are becoming unstable."
"This copied data is causing a Digital Shift!?" Yuuko's eyes widened. She quickly looked at the monitor to search for what was responsible. "It looks like there's something built into his memory data and it's blocking removal of the protection!"
"A Digital Shift…" Takumi looked towards the man on the terminal. "In that case…!" Without another word, he ran straight towards Yamashina with his right arm out. He Connect Jumped directly into the terminal and watched as various words flew towards him. All of them had to do with EDEN in one way or another, but Takumi ignored them as he landed in a new network. Once he was settled, his Digivice began to ring.
"Good," Yuuko let out a sigh of relief that he answered. "It seems I was able to get a connection. Your sudden Connect Jump really surprised me. I think I understand Kyoko-san puts up with now."
"She's usually the one asking me to perform the jump though," the Cyber Sleuth sheepishly smirked. "It's not that bad… is it?" he asked as he scratched his cheek.
"It's just a bit off-putting seeing you suddenly disappear like that," Yuuko shook her head at him before seriously getting back to business. "Okay, I'll navigate from here now that the mapping of the mental data is finished. There should be some protection in place on the memories, somewhere amidst the data. Break through that if you can. Then we're sure to have access to Yamashina-san's memories."
"Understood," Takumi nodded. He ran down the linear path until it ended on a wide platform. He blinked as he noticed a strange mechanical octopus creature with multiple ray guns scanning the area. Takumi tensed up as its eyes lit up once it sensed his presence.
"Be careful!" Yuuko cried out. "That doesn't look like any ordinary Digimon!"
"It's a Digimon!?" the Cyber Sleuth blinked as the Digimon continued scanning him.
"That Digimon is comprised of converted memory data," Yuuko told him. "It's very likely that it's using the altered data as protection. If we can break through, we should be able to free the data and restore it to its original state! Please, you have to!"
"Just leave it to me!" Takumi nodded as he quickly called out his Digimon to defend himself against the Ebemon as it pointed one of his ray guns at him. "We won't lose!"
"Asobu!" Ebemon cried out in the garbled Digimon language as it fired.
"Golden Triangle!" Rapidmon countered the strange beam, but he blinked when his attack was being pushed back while at the same time becoming buggy. He flinched when Ebemon's beam finally overpowered him, but noticed he wasn't damaged. Shaking it off, the Cybord Digimon aimed an arm cannon at their opponent. "Rapid Fire!"
Takumi frowned as the attack didn't quite damage Ebemon as much as it should have. "Isn't Ebemon a Virus?"
"Brain Rupture!" Ebemon fired back at Rapidmon, knocking the cyborg out of the air.
"Rapidmon!" the Cyber Sleuth's eyes widened when he realized his Digimon had been bugged. "Andromon! Be careful not get hit his 'playful' beam or else you'll be bugged too! WereGarurumon (Black), don't hold back!"
The werewolf howled as he leapt into the air. "Full Moon Kick!"
"Gatling Missile!"
Takumi frowned as he dug through his bag for a patch to repair Rapidmon and another one to debug him. He winced as the Ebemon let out cry before jumping around. "Henshin!" The strange Digimon pointed its gun to itself and fired, bugging itself in the process.
"Andromon! Switch out!" Takumi recalled him and quickly began loading Lilimon.
WereGarurumon (Black) growled as he was the only one left able to fight, but he continued attacking Ebemon. "Kaiser Nail!"
Ebemon pointed its laser rifle at the werewolf. "Puranetto Desutoroiya!"
The dark Virus Digimon nimbly evaded the powerful beam and raised his leg into the air. "Garuru Kick!" His eyes widened as Ebemon's charged ray gun was pointed towards him.
"Temptation!" Lilimon circled the robotic octopus, binding it in leaves and vines, before pulling WereGarurumon (Black) towards safety.
Takumi lowered his unused debugger and pushed Rapidmon back up. "Alright! Go for it!"
"Rapid Fire!" the Keen Hound cried.
Ebemon winced at the explosions before frustratingly stamping its tentacles on the ground. "Modosu!" The Digimon glowed in a strange light.
"Flower Cannon!" Lilimon shot a blast of energy at it and Takumi frowned as it looked like Ebemon debugged itself.
"Lilimon! Get back!" The Cyber Sleuth quickly applied his debugger on Rapidmon. "Rapidmon! WereGarurumon (Black)!"
"Homing Missile!"
"Full Moon Kick!"
Ebemon was stunned by both attacks and Takumi quickly called out to his team to finish it off. "Xros Combo!"
"Flower Cannon!"
"Rapid Fire!"
"Foxfire!"
Ebemon crackled with static and electricity as it fell and Takumi winced as around him the network shifted. When he opened his eyes again, he was down on a knee on the floor of the underground lab. Takumi let out a relieved sigh before catching his breath. He closed his eyes and took a moment to recover.
"Takumi!" Yuuko knelt down at her friend's side to check he was okay. She suddenly looked up as Yamashina groaned. She helped Takumi up and frowned at the man at the terminal. "Are you all right, Yamashina-san?"
"Yes, I'm okay," the man nodded. "My memories came flooding back all at once, so I'm still a bit disoriented, but… I am myself." He frowned as he looked down at his own body. "My body may well have wanted to be reunited with its true memories for all these years."
"If I may ask, just what was written into your memories, Yamashina-san?" Yuuko inquired.
"The EDEN beta test from eight years ago," Yamashina replied.
"The beta test!?" the girl blinked.
"Yes," he nodded. "It took place with several hundred invited participants. It was a closed beta. We tested both operations and gameplay. At the time I was working for the Nile Corporation, which Kamishiro had already bought out and acquired. Suedou and I ran the beta test. But it was more than a test. It was a promo and a demo event in and of itself. And to have such an accident occur at the event!" his frown deepened. "None of the designers predicted it."
"What happened?" Takumi asked with a tilt of his head.
"During the beta test, five children participating fell unconscious due to unknown causes. Four regained consciousness quite soon, but the fifth became the first EDEN Syndrome patient."
"And that would be my brother," Yuuko frowned at the floor.
"I see…" the man nodded to her. "You're the daughter of Kamishiro's CEO."
"Five children total…?" Takumi knit his eyebrows together as a strange uneasiness welled up within him. He stared at the strange terminal with a serious frown on his face as everything around him seemed vaguely familiar. Takumi cautiously approached the machine to study it.
"So there were four other children involved besides my brother," Yuuko considered before she continued to probe the man for information. "Do you remember who they were?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't," Yamashina shook his head. "It's not that my memory's been altered. I simply don't know! I, and the EDEN I built, stole those children's lives. I couldn't bear it… I couldn't face the failure I had created. My awareness of my guilt sickened me emotionally. That's why Suedou erased my memories for me. He saved me, for a time. By the beta test phase, the EDEN Network already had ties with various government agencies. Massive amounts of money were in play. That was why no one could bring the project to a halt. In order to report that the test was a success, we had to pretend as if nothing had happened."
"But what about those children?" Yuuko asked.
"I think the only one to have talked to them was Suedou," Yamashina shook his head. "Once they regained consciousness, the four of them all began to speak of peculiar things. The world they described was like something straight out of a fairy tale," the man continued. "Most of the researchers concluded that excessive stress had induced a mass hysteria state. Suedou did not, however. He alone insisted on hearing every last word the four children had to say. His eyes shone as if he were a child. Yes…" Yamashina frowned at the memory. "As if he were a child who had found a treasure."
"If we ask Suedou, he'll know who the children are?" Yuuko frowned.
"Yes, but it's pointless to search for the children," Yamashina shook his head. "Suedou stole their memories."
"He stole… their memories!?"
"Not stole them, really, but, as he did for me, he encrypted them and sealed them away," the man said, gesturing to the terminal behind him. "Although memories can be altered, they can never be completely erased. 'Nothing' is a difficult thing to achieve."
"But why would he do that?" Yuuko asked as she knit her eyebrows together. "They were the only clue about the incident."
"You would have to ask Suedou that," Yamashina sighed. "Still, his sealing their memories may have saved them. They were all crying."
Yuuko frowned at that and looked towards Takumi to see what he was thinking, but noticed he had gone up to the terminal without her noticing. His back was turned towards them as she figured he was examining the machine to get a better idea of how it worked.
Takumi blankly stared at it and blinked before feeling something dripping down his cheek. He brought his gloved hand to his face before staring at his wet fingertips. "Crying…?" He knit his eyebrows together as he didn't understand what was going on. Is it my body…? Or Yuugo's memory fragment within me? He tried to make some sense of it but a strange sense of loneliness filled his heart with pain. He quickly wiped up his face before turning to face Yuuko. "Let's leave this line of reasoning alone for now. There's also nothing else left for us to do here, so let's just go."
"By the way," Yamashina spoke up, stopping the boy from leaving, "I realize this is a selfish request, but there's something I'd like to ask of you." Takumi and Yuuko looked towards the man in confusion. "Could you seal away my memories for me once more?" he asked.
"What!?" Yuuko stared at him in surprise.
"The old me was too caught up in my work," Yamashina frowned. "My family couldn't depend on me and I made my daughter—my darling Chika—cry more than a few times. But without my memories, I became a caring father. Without those memories, I was finally the ideal person my family needed me to be," he smiled.
"Are you certain this is what you want?" Yuuko seriously asked him. "This system can only alter your memories. Your subconscious feelings of guilt may bring back that pain again someday."
"You are correct," the man nodded. "I experienced those symptoms because of a physical memory shift."
"A memory… shift?"
"Human memories do not exist solely in the brain," he explained. "They shift to neurons throughout the body, accumulating in tiny amounts throughout. Which is why, for instance, no matter how hard you hide the memories in my head, my eyes, ears and hands won't forget them. That is how humans are made."
"How humans… are made…?" Takumi stared down at his half-cyber body before clenching his right hand.
"But now that I've told you everything, I feel somehow more at ease," Yamashina stated in relief. "Perhaps this is a form of repentance. I beg of you. Let me forget my past once more. I want my family to be happy for the rest of my life."
"Takumi…" Yuuko turned to her friend. "What on earth should we do?"
Takumi frowned as he couldn't really agree with the man's request. "I don't think we should."
"Eh!?" she stared at the blue-eyed boy in surprise.
"Even if you'll no longer be plagued by your memories," Takumi seriously looked up at the former scientist, "it would be like you're running away from your past."
Yamashina frowned at the teen. "Even so, I only want my family to be happy."
"You can change with your own strength," the redhead shook his head. "Chika-san was really worried about you when she asked me to look into your past. She was scared to face the truth, but she went through with it anyway for your sake. If you truly want to repent, you'll face the truth too, with her." He seriously looked into the man's eyes as he brought his right fist to his heart. "You both have nothing to lose together."
"I see…" Yamashina smiled at Takumi's strong will. "You're right…" He chuckle as he scanned the room once more. "I suppose it's time I returned home. I want to see Chika and tell her everything will be okay now." He gratefully nodded to Yuuko and Takumi. "Thank you for everything."
"Was this the right thing to do?" Yuuko asked as they watched Chika greet her father as he returned home.
Takumi never took his eyes off the man's back as Yamashina disappeared into his apartment. "There's no good answer for that," the boy simply replied. "Whatever happens now will be up to him. There's nothing more we can do."
The raven-haired nodded as she agreed with his sentiments. "I must be going then," she sighed. "I've got to go after Rie-san and Suedou-san to solve the mystery of EDEN Syndrome." She turned to leave. "I'll be in touch."
"Alright," Takumi nodded. He stared at the front door leading into the Yamashina residence for a while longer before his Digivice began to ring. "Aiba Takumi speaking," he answered.
"Sorry to catch you when you're busy," Matayoshi suddenly came up on the screen, "but I need your help. Can you come to Shinjuku right away?"
In the background, Takumi could hear Date's panicked cries. "Get back! You want me to shoot you with this!? You squishy, gross thing! You can shoot something for being gross! Ain't that right, Matayoshi-san?"
"Just shut up and wait for a second!" the detective turned towards her. "We can't handle this," he quickly told Takumi. "This is your area of expertise. Please, give us a hand!"
After Matayoshi cut the call, Takumi seriously frowned to himself. "Matayoshi-san and Date-san seem to be in big trouble." He swiftly turned around and jumped down the flight of stairs before taking off towards Shinjuku.
"You're late!" Date scowled at the Cyber Sleuth as he arrived.
Takumi stopped running and he tensed up when he noticed an Eater had her and Matayoshi cornered. "So they really are showing up in the real world," he frowned.
"Don't just stand there!" Date yelled. "Hurry up and help us! If you're not quick about it, I'll arrest you!"
"I'm sorry," Matayoshi frowned as he kept a careful eye on the Eater. "You see the situation though. I'm begging you!"
"Leave it to me!" Takumi nodded as he sent his team forward to attack the monster. "Xros Combo!"
"Temptation!"
"Homing Missile!"
"Full Moon Kick!"
It didn't take long for him to get rid of the Eater, but Takumi quickly scanned their surroundings just in case there were more lurking nearby. When he didn't notice anything else, he relaxed his guard and called for his Digimon to return into his Digivice. "We're clear."
Date scratched the back of her head and flashed the teenager a smile. "That's a relief…" she sighed.
"Boy, do we owe you one," Matayoshi smirked. "It looks like there's another similar monster underground though," he seriously stated, pointing to the station entrance. "Can you take care of that one, too?"
Takumi nodded. "Of course."
"Also, I…" the detective crossed his arms, "spotted Sanada here. Looks like he was headed underground too."
"Arata!?" the Cyber Sleuth tensed up.
"Given the situation, I wasn't in a position to stop him, but I think that monster was chasing him. But more than me right now," he shook his head, "what Sanada needs is you, kid. Go after him. Sorry for always coming to you with this stuff," Matayoshi sighed. "But when it comes down to it, this is just too much for us to handle. Seems like all we can do is depend on you guys. Maybe it's time I retired after all."
"What's all this whiny navel-gazing, Detective!?" Date exclaimed in shock. "You've got work to do! Being mousy like this isn't your style, Detective! 'Sides, you said you'd take care of me 'til I got hitched and I'm not letting you skip out early!"
"I said nothing of the sort," the old man frowned. "Don't try to forge testimony, Detective. And working 'til someone marries you… so I get to retire when I'm 100?"
"Whatever works," Date shrugged. "Hey, by then, I'll be the one taking care of you," she laughed.
Matayoshi began laughing too. "Seems every cloud does have a silver lining." He smiled at Takumi who was smirking at them. "Get going, son. We'll do our best to handle things out here."
"Right!" Takumi nodded before starting for the underground station.
Arata smirked as he saw a familiar face coming down the stairs. The raven-haired hacker coolly walked towards Takumi with his hands in his pockets. "Hey," he nodded to the redhead. "It's been a while. Imagine running into you here. Did someone put you up to this?"
Takumi frowned at him. "Arata…"
"I was just joking," the older boy shook his head. "By the way, how are you feeling? Your body's not getting worse, is it?" he worriedly asked.
"It's holding up," the Cyber Sleuth looked down at his body. He shook his head before glaring at his friend. "Forget about that though! What about you!? What have you been doing all this time!?"
"Very funny. Who worries about a wanted criminal?" Arata wryly smiled, knowing full well that Takumi would always prioritize others over himself. Still, that was what defined Takumi as well as made him a very good friend. Knowing that, Arata decided to tell the younger boy of his recent activities. "I've been looking into Eaters while avoiding the cops and potential witnesses. The life of a fugitive is harder than I thought it'd be," he frowned. "I'll save the whining for later though," he seriously stated, looking back up to Takumi. "Some of my buds were chased here by Eaters. I thought I could help 'em before they get attacked. But you don't want to be guilty by association. 'Leave this to me and get the hell out of here' is what I should be saying, but I know you won't listen to me anyway."
Takumi coolly frowned and narrowed his eyes on Arata. "If you know it, don't say it," he crossed his arms as he tried imitating Yuuko.
Arata chuckled at his friend's impersonation. "You sound just like her!" He relaxed a bit more. "But it's reassuring that you came. Shall we fight side-by-side, for old times' sake?"
"Just don't hold me back, Arata, you no-good geek!" Takumi exclaimed.
"Hey, hey," the older boy frowned. "That's enough with the jokes. It's actually kinda creepy how you're so accurate with your impressions."
"Tch," Takumi scowled as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "Let's just get going after that monster before we lose it then."
Arata shook his head. "Is that really how I sound like?" he asked as his chuckling friend took the lead.
Arata slowed down as a massive group of Eaters surrounded his friends. Before he could order Infermon to save them, the monsters swiped their tendrils at the humans. The raven-haired hacker weakly laughed at yet another failed attempt of his to help others. "Too late again, as always." He clenched his fists and glared at the Eaters. "Damn… If only I had more power…"
"Arata, let's go!" Takumi called out as they had to take out the monsters before they could wreak more havoc by leaving the labyrinth.
The humanoid Eater shot its arm towards Arata, but WereGarurumon (Black) quickly intercepted the attack. "Garuru Kick!"
"Fairy Vine!" A thorny vine extended from Lilimon's wrist and she used it to stab the Eater before pulling the monster back. This gave WereGarurumon (Black) the opening he needed to carry Arata to safety.
"Rapidmon! Rapid Fire!" Takumi called out to his Digimon before sending his werewolf back into the battle.
"Thanks," Arata frowned at his friend, wondering how he could remain so calm despite the situation. He shook his head though as he finally had Infermon join the fray. "Take it out with your Hell's Grenade!"
The spiderlike Digimon cackled as he shot blasts of energy from his mouth. Infermon brought in his limbs into his body before ramming into the Eater with as much force as possible. "Cocoon Attack!"
The Eater charged its power and Takumi shook his head. "It's preparing its Melt Processor attack! Guard it!"
"Cocoon Guard!" Arata ordered as the Eater launched both its arms towards the group of Digimon. Once the Eater's attack ended, Arata took advantage of its lowered defenses. "Infermon! Go!"
"Cocoon Attack!"
The Eater saw it coming though and quickly swung its arm towards the cocoon-like Digimon. Takumi knit his eyebrows together as it charged up again. "Xros Combo!"
All of his Digimon moved at once to surround the creature before its Melt Processor attack could land on Infermon. "Rapid Fire!" Rapidmon flew between the Eater and Infermon before shooting his missiles at the monster.
"Full Moon Kick!"
"Flower Cannon!"
The Eater fell to the ground in defeat and devolved into its mollusk-like form. Arata frowned at it before approaching the fallen creature. "Hey… What do you think, Takumi?"
"Arata…?" Takumi turned towards his friend in confusion.
"Do these things even have any sense of intellect?" Arata asked. "They just eat and eat like crazy. What could their purpose possibly be!?" he vehemently spat out.
"Allow me to answer that one for you," a familiar voice spoke from behind the teens.
Arata turned his head and gasped. "Suedou!?" He glared at the scientist. "Cut the crap, man! Always showing up whenever you feel like it! Are you sitting back watching this disaster unfold like it's a form of entertainment?"
"Observation and analysis are a researcher's duty," Suedou simply explained. "I go where I must. I am merely silent as I go. You also have a fascination with Eaters, I see…" he nodded. "And you're researching them."
"Do you know what the Eaters are after!?"
Suedou let out a satisfied chuckle. "Yes, you are definitely fascinated with them. I thought if anyone would be, it'd be you."
"Arata!" Takumi tensed up as he noticed the strange glint in the scientist's eyes. The expression on the man's face was eerily familiar and Takumi could feel his insides churn. "We shouldn't stay here," he tried to state as calmly as he could, trying his best to hide his discomfort.
Suedou smiled as Arata ignored the redhead. "This may take some time," the man began, "but out of respect for your intellectual curiosity, allow me to share my research with you to date."
"We don't have time for that right now!" Takumi cried. "Arata!"
"By the way, Arata," Suedou's smile grew, "why do you eat? What is your goal in this act?"
"My goal?" Arata stared at the man in surprise and confusion. "That's kind of random. There's no real goal in eating. If I don't eat, I'll die. I'm a living creature."
"That's right!" Suedou nodded. "We eat to live. Now, then, why do humans live?"
"That's easy enough," the raven-haired boy frowned. "We don't want to die, right?"
"That's just a biological instinct, riding on the sparks of emotion and logic," the scientist pointed out. "Think on a more rudimentary level! Creatures live to save their progeny. This is why we adapt to our environments while passing down our genes. In other words, it is an evolutionary imperative."
"Evolution?" Arata took it in.
"Exactly," Suedou nodded. "And in that regard, humans and Eaters are identical! Eaters parse and absorb what they've eaten as data. They have the power to overwrite that data as well. This is the phenomenon known to you as the 'bugging' of data. This is merely one reaction to that ability," he nodded to Takumi. "But the true power of Eaters lies not in bugging," the man shook his head. "Their true power lies in their ability to take the data they have absorbed and restructure it within themselves! By consuming their targets, they overwrite themselves and are reborn as new life!" he exclaimed. "And that, in other words, is evolution! Eaters are continuing to evolve as they devour their prey!"
"So they're eating in order to evolve?" Arata crossed his arms.
"That's right! Life, for Eaters, is evolution," Suedou cheerfully smiled. "Only by continuing to evolve do they live on! Don't you find that such a marvelous ability? This, this is what the study of life is all about! For Eaters, all existence is a chance to evolve. Take the wall separating reality from the digital away. They don't care. To them, it's all just food. And Eaters' ability to hunt down prey allows them to achieve in an instant what has taken man an eternity!"
"You allowed Eaters to eat the Dimensional Wall so they could evolve?" Arata asked in disbelief. "What are you and Kishibe up to?"
"Yes, I did work with Kishibe-san, it's true," Suedou nodded. "Our goals were aligned for a time. But that only extended as far as the collapse of the Dimensional Wall… As Kishibe-san herself put it, she wanted to open the Dimensional Door. I was more interested in the Wall. Semantically they're the same, but once you go past the abstract…" he shrugged.
"Wall, door, portal. It's all the same!" Arata shook his head. "Never mind all that. Are you saying you had another agenda!?"
Suedou chortled. "Once the Eaters erode the wall, the border between our world and the Digital World will be history! The real world will feel the effects of the Digital World as Digital Shifts continue! It will be a complete merging of the real and the digital! Think of what will be possible when that happens!" His eyes widened as he excitedly thought of the possibilities. "It's not a question of 'what' will be possible! Any and all things will become possible! It will be possible to modify the real world at will! Like overwriting a program in the Digital World! Until you achieve the perfection you desire! Over and over again!"
"No one can possibly want a world like that," Takumi frowned.
"Is that so?" the scientist wryly smiled at the redhead. "Well, I suppose you're one with the mindset that such perfection doesn't exist. You always were an odd one, silently enduring sorrow and pain without complaint."
"W-what...?" the Cyber Sleuth knit his eyebrows together as he felt something strange stir within him again. "I-I'm not..."
"I'm sure you can envision it too, Takumi..." Suedou nodded. "A world without suffering? A world where humanity is able to break the limits of this painful world?"
"That's your goal?" Arata asked. "It sounds like you're talking about the very evolution of the human race itself."
"Arata…?" The Cyber Sleuth tensed up as it sounded as though his friend was seriously contemplating Suedou's ideals.
"That's one way to put it," Suedou nodded at the fugitive. "To gain new power. We could call that evolution, I suppose."
"To gain new power?" Arata's eyes widened at that thought.
"If there's something you want to be capable of… If you want to achieve Nirvana…" Suedou smiled, "Chow down on something with the power and rewrite yourself! That is the fundamental means through which evolution occurs! One would be remiss to bemoan his situation while doing nothing to change it! Wouldn't you agree, Takumi?"
"Sorry, but I'll have to disagree," the Cyber Sleuth shook his head. "I believe that the strength to evolve lies in one's ability to overcome one's self," Takumi glared at the scientist. "Connecting to others, forming a network of bonds, enduring hardships with those you care about and trust…" He clenched his gloved hand as these were all things he believed in with every particle of his half-cyber being. "Evolution isn't about overwriting what once was. It's about growth! Becoming stronger to surpass, not destroy, previous limits. I can evolve without throwing myself away!"
"And what about you, Arata?" Suedou asked the raven-haired boy as his resolve was not as resolute as Takumi's. "What will you do? What do you want? What will you become?"
"Who, me!?" Arata blinked at that.
"By the way, Arata…" Suedou's eyes wandered to the side.
"Wh-what is it? Is there something that—?"
"You had best be careful," the man told him.
"Huh?" Arata stared at him in confusion.
"Be… hind… you," Suedou stated.
Takumi tensed up as he sensed the fallen Eater rising. "Arata!? Look out!"
"Those who cannot evolve will be weeded out," Suedou simply stated. "You mustn't dawdle."
"Arata!" Takumi screamed as he tried reaching for his friend.
Arata turned around in surprise but it was too late as the Eater already got him. He flinched as the world around him faded into nothing. His mind wandered a bit before he realized he wasn't dead. After all, Eaters only ate mental data, adding it to their collective pool of data.
The raven-haired hacker opened his eyes and frowned when he spotted a young boy with messy black hair standing before him. The child reached his hand out towards him and touched his chest. Arata's eyes widened as something inside his mind clicked. Images of four children rushed towards him before he spotted a familiar raven-haired boy resembling Yuuko. "Yuu…go!" Arata gasped as Yuugo's image turned ghost-like.
"Arata!" Takumi clenched his fists. He was about to rush towards the Eater but Suedou was already walking towards it. "Suedou! Get away from the Eater! It's dangerous!"
The man calmly chuckled at the Cyber Sleuth's concerns. "Well, then, Arata, I'm glad you're back. We finally stand at the crossroads of evolution and it would be for nothing if you were to simply vanish." He took out a keyboard and began typing.
Suddenly, Arata reappeared. The raven-haired hacker looked around, a bit disoriented. Takumi's eyes widened as he couldn't believe his friend was okay. "Arata!"
"How do you feel?" Suedou asked him.
"I… I…" Arata lowered his head. "What the!? Yuugo!"
"Arata…?" Takumi noticed the older boy was extremely agitated over something. "What's wrong?"
"Well, I'll be…" Suedou stared at Arata with great interest.
"Why…? But I… Nothing has changed!" Arata grabbed his head with both his hands. "I'm just some kid, unable to protect anyone!"
"Arata-kun…" Suedou sympathetically frowned at the poor teenager. "Are you feeling sad now?" Arata closed his eyes and let out a groan. "It's all right now," the man consoled him. "Soon, your sadness will be gone for good."
"My sadness… will be gone?" Arata asked, lifting his gaze towards the scientist.
"Come with me, Arata-kun," Suedou offered him with a smile. "Together we can push this incomplete world to a new stage. And in so doing, make your wishes come true."
Arata's eyes widened at that. He started walking towards the scientist, but a steady hand grabbed his arm. Arata turned to see Takumi staring at him with his blue eyes shining in worry.
"Arata…" Takumi frowned at him before shaking his head. "This isn't right! You can't go with him! I won't let you!"
"You're worried about me?" Arata flashed the younger boy a wry smile. "I understand. You and I have been buds for a long time." He lowered his gaze and frowned. "But there's something big I've still got to do. And in order to take care of things…" the older teen sharply pulled his arm free from Takumi's grip and turned his back on the Cyber Sleuth, "I need more power," he resolutely stated.
"Well spoken, Arata-kun!" Suedou's smile grew. "I respect the nobility of your spirit and your bravery in the face of change!" he chuckled. "You are perfectly suited to this new phase of human evolution! If you wish it, there is no power you could not attain!"
Arata let out a heavy breath as he considered the strength the man was offering him. The teen slowly walked away from Takumi, expecting the redhead to come after him at anytime now. He paused though as a woman's voice began to address him from behind Takumi. "Is that truly what you desire, Sanada Arata?"
"Eh!? Can it be…?" Takumi's blue eyes widened as he could recognize that voice from anywhere. He quickly turned around and smiled at the sight of the familiar blonde detective. "Kyoko-san!"
"Kyoko-san?" Arata blinked at her sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"
"Who are you?" Suedou frowned at her before noticing how much Takumi seemed to have brightened due to her presence. He knit his eyes together as he guessed she was the one to have gotten to Takumi. "Could you kindly leave us be? He has already decided the path he is to walk!" The scientist quickly began typing and soon a firewall appeared, separating the detective and her assistant from Arata. "What do you think, Arata-kun?" Suedou asked with a smug smirk. "This is power! You can rewrite programs that would modify the very rules of the world in real time! And that is but the faintest taste of it."
Kyoko frowned at the man's actions and her assistant quickly rushed forward to begin hacking it. She held out her arm, though, to stop the boy from needlessly wasting his energy. The detective coolly stared at her assistant's friend as she expected the former leader of Jude to make his decision.
Knowing she was waiting for his answer, Arata frowned as he considered his options. "Sorry," he apologized to Takumi. "My mind's made up. I'm going."
Takumi frowned back at him. "Arata…"
"You're sure you won't regret this?" Kyoko asked.
"I've already been regretting something this whole time," Arata seriously stated with a nod. With that, Arata turned his back on his friend and left with Suedou.
"Arata!" Takumi called out. "Come back!" He quickly passed Kyoko but the woman placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't!" she sternly told her assistant.
"But, Kyoko-san…!" Takumi turned to face her. "I have to go after him! I can't just let him leave!"
"His will is strong," she calmly told him. "It's pointless to say anything now."
"But…!"
"What do you need to be doing now?" Kyoko sharply asked him. She studied his face carefully and noticed he was having a difficult time sorting through his thoughts and emotions. Seeing that he needed a gentle push, the detective crossed her arms and sternly looked into his blue eyes. "Answer as my assistant," she calmly nodded.
"Your assistant…?" The redhead paused at that before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, he flashed the woman a smile and placed his hands on his hips. "Slowly but surely, I'll find a solution at lightning speed!"
"I have no idea what you just said…" Kyoko sighed but she still smirked at his answer as it seemed he managed to pull himself together. "But it was a very you response. Let's see what conclusion that response leads us to, shall we?"
"I understand…" Takumi nodded as he gently smiled at his boss.
"It'd do us no good to chase them too far now. Let's return to the agency," she said with a nod. "Some exquisite coffee is waiting for us."
"Eh…?" Takumi's face slightly fell. "I think Pete made a batch… Can we have that instead?" If anything, Pete's attempt to recreate Kyoko's coffee was nowhere near as bad as the genuine brew itself.
"That said, we won't have the time to savor it," she seriously mused.
Final Notes: Still no Ultimates for Takumi yet. I was really slow in training my team... because I stubbornly raise them to their max level before evolving and devolving them. Gotta max that ABI... Sigh... Oh well, I think I give him access to Ultimates next chapter. This game really pushes that strength is better than being right... and Takumi is really starting to fall behind on that spectrum. I mean... he wasn't really much help to Nokia and it's here where she finally surpasses him. He might still be a bit better than Yuuko and Arata, but now he's gone and lost Arata to Suedou and Yuuko is of course doing her own thing without relying on our favorite Cyber Sleuth. Kyoko's return makes things better at least... Also... maybe it's because I recently played Persona 3 but yeah... I didn't really like the game's scene where Yamashina wanted his memories erased again. I'm pretty sure it's vague in the game whether or not Yuuko and Takumi did follow through with his request, but... if there really had been a choice, of course I'd personally say no.