After several minutes of Mitsuo arguing with Homeostasis, Mitsuo finally agreed since he had no other choice in the matter, and the artificial intelligence had made it clear to him that it was in his best interest to have these children around to help him.
"What are hackers" Takajin finally asked, wanting to ask that question since the term was brought up by Mitsuo, but couldn't since the man kept talking and talking before being quieted by the monitor.
"Are you that seriously stupid, or that completely back water from the look of your attire" Suzie Yamaki said, turning her attention to Takajin "Hackers like myself use computers to alter or get information, we exploit weaknesses in security to get the information or destroy it to cause chaos"
"OK, I know what a computer is" Takajin said, nodding in understanding "I never used one myself, but I have seen them in ruins as I travel, the guardians also used them, they are a group that protects my world, and do you protect this world?"
"Yes in fact, I do from the greed of companies like Hypnos, and their quest for blood money made from the suffering of others" Suzie said with a glint of pride in her eyes "we are like a modern day robin hood, which is a story of a thief that stole from the rich and gave to the poor"
Rika watched, he conversation between the Takajin boy, and Suzie Tamaki, this version of Suzie weren't anything like the one she knew in her world, for one she was still 7 in her world, but this one seems very egocentric and definitely hated digimon like Mitsuo Yamaki from her world started off doing, but then realized that digimon had been needed to save the world. He had taken her partner Renamon away from her to do so, but not because he hated them still, because it had been what was needed, she eventually got Renamon back, she needed to find out why this Suzie was like this before it cost them their lives.
"Digimon are a like-a-life organism with independent intelligence. They grow in a way similar to real organisms. They go through an evolutionary process that makes them stronger and more resilient. We at Hypnos created those creatures with military purposes in mind, but also made them as pets for children" Homeostasis said going into a speech out of nowhere like was suddenly a school teacher giving a lesson "then we found out that we could travel alternate dimensions, and discovered that some of them had parallel worlds of their own called Digital Worlds. We decided to seed these worlds with digimon at the time thought that the real worlds and these digital worlds didn't connect, we later realized here was a connection between them, if you destroy one the other goes with it, and destroying the connection did the same thing. D-Nemesis is destroying these connections and doing so makes it able to decompress and absorb those worlds, we don't know why it's doing this but it has to be stopped. So tomorrow morning I'll be splitting you into teams, attack, recon, and a second attack team if something happens and they are needed, now sleep you have a long day ahead of you all"
Now they all got ready for bed, but Rika couldn't sleep because her friend Takato hadn't yet returned from the infirmary where he was supposed to receive treatment for cuts and bruises. He got while they had been running from D-Nemesis, but what if he had been infected like Takajin's sister or Kari's friend and had been put into stasis, which had to be typical that she would have to rescue him again even though he had rescued her too especially on that train. Where she had been taken over by a parasite digimon.
Once everyone was ready to sleep and in bed, the light in the room turned, the only lights in the room were the ones leading to the bathroom. Hardly anyone got any sleep, as far as Takajin because he didn't, he sat up in bed, and he looked at some random wall, hoping he was looking where they had his sister, she had gotten injured, and it had been all his fault.
"It's not your fault, you didn't make D-Nemesis attack your world, and you didn't make it attack your sister, you did this exact same thing when I first met you. You blamed yourself for your friends being missing, and everything is not your fault" Kari said, taking a seat in front of Takajin at the end of his bed.
"It sometimes felt like nothing I do ever doesn't result in me failing, I can't protect anyone" Takajin said looking downcast.
"You protected me, I still owe you for that" Kari said, tapping Takajin chin so he wasn't looking downcast anymore "I'll help you save your sister no matter what it takes"
"Now get over it so the rest of us can sleep" Rika said, yawning in annoyance, right before falling asleep again. Even though it was a restless sleep.
After several hours of sleep the room was filled with the sound of a loud siren, causing everyone to jump out of bed and filed into the hallway in a hurry. Once in the hallway they followed the lights on the floor that were lighting up in front of them. With more people coming out of other rooms. Every one of them was in a panic, the whole situation felt the end of the world. But if they didn't succeed it would be. At the end of the lights was a huge auditorium filled with chairs, and at the very end was a huge screen and had that line that meant it was Homeostasis, when were they going to get a real person to explain other than the ones that are real jerks like Mitsuo, Suzie, and Ryo. Takajin thought to himself, as he took a seat beside Kari, and Ryo took a seat beside him.
"I am sorry we really didn't make a good first impression" Ryo said, looking rather apologetic "We don't really have a fondness for Hypnos they got someone we cared for a lot killed, and we took that out on you guys" with an expression he was giving them it was hard to hate him. "So you guys are from another planet"
"Dimension" said Rika correcting Ryo as she took a seat beside him, as she looked somewhat uncomfortable taking a seat there making you wonder why she did so.
Ryo put his left behind and scratched the back of his head like it was a nervous tick "if you get to know Suzie she's half as arrogant as she lets on"
"What were you saying about me?" Suzie Yamaki lightly jabbing Ryo in the shoulder, causing him to wince and almost jump out of his seat, she took a seat beside Rika "We came in here with a serious chip on our shoulders, and like Ryo elegantly said we took it out on you, in which I am sorry too"
"Apology not accepted, and not needed" Mikuni said, taking the final seat in the row "Now let's get to the point because sitting here isn't going to save anyone, we should have gotten this done yesterday, why are we procrastinate"
A boy in his late teens with black hair with a red T-shirt, and blue pants entered the room from a side door, and took a seat beside the monitor. He looked rather upset like he wanted to get to the bottom of something, but something else was preventing him.
That's when the monitor beside him lit up with a line in the center and the line waved when Homeostasis spoke. "I have gone through all the profiles of everyone here, and put together teams, with two main teams and the rest of you to support" it paused like it was waiting for it to sink in "Before I get to that I have to introduce this person sitting beside my screen, his name is Sasuke, we wouldn't have noticed D-Nemesis as soon as we did without his warning, he managed to travel to this dimension hoping we could save his world. But sadly we couldn't his was world was the first to go, and we did try to save the rest of your worlds, his Earth was designated as the Generations dimension" it said no actual apathy but it was a computer and had no emotions at all. "Now let's get to teams, team 1 which is the Tactical incursion team will consist of Mitsuo Yamaki, Ryo Akiyama, Mikuni Suzubuya, Takuya Kanbara, and Sasuke." It paused again before continuing, "Team 2 which will be Recon will consist of Rika Nonaka, Suzie Yamaki, Takajin Subaru, and Kari Kamiya,"
"What about Takato and Guilmon, why are they not here, and why haven't they been put on a team?" Rika said loudly as she stood up with annoyance spreading across the feature on her face.
"Takato is in support, he is still mending from D-Nemesis's attack on your world, and he can't fight yet. He will join you once he feels better, or if something happens to anyone on any of the teams, a recon team becomes attack and support become recon. I don't have to explain anything to you, if you don't do what you are asked kiss all your worlds' goodbye" Homeostasis said actually sounding slightly annoyed, which was odd for a computer artificial intelligence program. "From the last world it decompressed we have gained enough data so we can detect its temporal signature. And know when and where it will show up, but what it is a complete mystery, other than it Temporal signature it's a void of anything resembling life organic or digital it's an alien organism of unknown origin, and we have found its next target" a picture of a planet that looked like earth appeared on the monitor "This is Nova Dimension Earth, this planet has a connection to the digital world but hasn't discovered yet. It's Similar to that of the Tamers Dimension digimon exists in TV series, video games, comic books, and a card game. Location of the connection between the digital world and the real one is sketchy at best.
"So when are we going, even though I rather go myself before dragging possible casualties as team mates" Mitsuo said, gesturing towards everyone that was on his team "I'll figure it out before I risk anyone else, " he ignored the expression that Mikuni was given, before realizing that she could probably kick his ass.
"Sensei, you don't know any of these children you are talking about, if you knew us. You wouldn't be saying this stuff. I barely know them, and I know better than you" Ryo said, standing up looking Mitsuo right in the eyes, "I can tell just by talking to them, " he gestured at each of the people to either side of him.
"I am sorry I shouldn't have been quick to judge, but we have no time to get to know each other better and time is running, though I trust your judgment" Mitsuo said taken aback by Ryo's not taking his side on the matter. He sat down without any more arguing.
"Now let's get ready to go" Homeostasis said, as the right side wall opened. In it sat a weird looking air crafts that looked like digivices of some kind "in the Tamers Dimension these called arcs, we co-opted and upgraded the technology to our dimension standards, Recon in the red one and attack in the blue one, your digivices will be waiting in there"
They all filed into the room, each heading towards the arc for the team they were in, Ryo walked up to once and turned to face his team "May fortune favor the bold" he trying to be positive to uplift the rest of his team. Suzie was heading into the same arc as Ryo's team, but he stopped "look they need you on recon, they put you there for a reason"
"I don't care you are my partner, my best friend I should be going with you and be attacking the D-Nemesis too. Why can't there be one team and we all attack?" Suzie said, looking very upset about being separated from her friend. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
Ryo wiped the tears from Suzie's face "look I'll always be there for you" then he hugged her tightly, and when they pulled away from each other they bumped fists like teammates after a pregame pep talk. Suzie turned around and headed towards her team's arc and entered it. In the arc already waited Rika, Kari, and Takajin were already waiting for her inside with their own digimon partners. The door shut and sealed behind her, with a loud hissing noise that the arc was hermetically sealed, and now they were breath air provided by the arc itself. Before Suzie could be seated the arc began to vibrate, she tripped and fell forward, and she would have landed face first to the ground if Takajin didn't catch as she fell, and was pulled into her seat by Rika Nonaka. Suzie buckled herself in without even thanking them.
A portal opened in front of both arcs, and Ryo's team was the first to enter it, followed by their arc afterwards, inside it where chains of light and glowing ones and zeros, coupled every now and then by random images of people, animals, building, landscapes, it was like they were travelling through a tunnel of various information. Then it opened into what seemed like a void, it was black and seemed to be filled with absolutely nothing, something suddenly hit the arc and splintered apart and rejoined the void, but an object in the distance, which they were getting closer to and was getting bigger and bigger till it was now visible, it was silver, and was made of what appeared to be sleeping faces. The thing was enormous, and daunting to behold, it was almost as big as a planet.
Kari gritted her teeth at the sight of it, and she dug his nails into his seat "That is D-Nemesis I would never forget something like that" she said with a slight edge of panic in her voice.
Before they could get close enough for it to possible notice them, another portal opened and both arcs were pulled into it, this was a relief to Kari, she didn't want to ever be that close to the D-Nemesis, the thing that destroyed her world and killed all her friends, she tried not to cry at the thought of them all being gone, and she would never see them again. She would do her best so others wouldn't share their fate.
They were now traveling a tunnel of weird disjointed objects, suddenly the ark came to a complete halt like something had taken hold of them, and they were being pulled backwards, till they landed on what seemed like solid ground, the doors opened, standing not too far from the arc's entrance was an old man with no hair except a ponytail and a thick mustache which were as white as snow. "I am sorry for interrupting your heroic journey, but I needed to speak with you. I am Gennai, and you are the final hope to save the Digiverse" he said with a grim expression "my digital world is gone so I am not that positive right now"
Kari walked out of the arc. She was downcast as she made her way towards Gennai "I am sorry I failed as a digidestined I will not fail you again if it's the last thing I do I will make this D-Nemesis pay" she said hugging him.
"I don't know what you could have done, but I appreciate the sentiment" Gennai said with expression looking more hopeful.
"Why did you interrupt our travels, any delay means another dimension is destroyed, and a true champion of justice does not delay now let us go civilian" Mikuni said walking swiftly towards Gennai, who backed away from her intense gaze.
Kari positioned herself between Mikuni and Gennai "if he thinks we need to talk with him before we continue then it was important" she said while grabbing Mikuni by the left shoulder and got a harsh look for doing so, for a second it seemed like Mikuni was going to attack Kari but instead backed off.
"You know this thing decompresses its victims and absorbs their data I have come up with a code to protect you from it happening by getting near one of its drones" Gennai said holding up his hand, and an orb appeared in it "This is what is called the Digi Codex I'll use it to shield you but don't get pulled into one if decompression waves, that would still kill you" he looked rather sullen at that moment.
Takajin looked down, it was weird it was like he was flicking and so were everyone except the one called Gennai "I feel better about doing this now, and thank you for helping me save my sister, hopefully we can save her along with everyone else" he said still looking at his hands, his skin now had a slight glow to it.
"You're welcome young digidestined, I am sorry I can't do more it's took a lot out of me escaping the destruction of my digital world" Gennai said with the smile renewing itself on his withered face "I do have high hopes with you guys"
"We will try not to disappoint you, we will not fail you. And I won't fail you again" Kari said before turning around with the others to head back to arcs, except Rika just stood there, and Renamon appeared beside her.
"I don't understand all this talk about Digidestined, I might not have been chosen, but I still choose to fight" Rika said, as Renamon nodded in agreement.
"I'll fight by my partners side no matter what is happening, she is family to me, hopefully this thing you put around her will protect her, if something happens to Rika I'll be back for you" Renamon said giving Gennai a stern look before, she and Rika turned to rejoin the others as well as they reentered the arcs. Its engines hummed back to life as the hatch closed.
Ryo join recon teams pod, he was going to rejoin his team, when they reached their destination, he didn't like the way him and Suzie had parted way, when they left on a mission, Suzie hugged him when he entered recon team's arc and thanked him for being there, and they entered the arc together.
Suzie picked up her digivice, and looked at it with distain like it was a piece of garbage "We are supposed to enhance our digimon partners with this, trying that was what got my friend Rei killed, I am not sure I want to use this. What was it called again a Chrono Arc?"
"I'll do whatever it takes, and you should too my friend" Ryo said placing his hand on Suzie Shoulder, and looked her right in the eyes "I am sure they must have perfected this by now"
"But how many people had to die before they did, how coated with blood are these digivice" Suzie asked feeling uncomfortable even holding the thing like it was a severed heart of someone that was dead now because of it.
"You keep mentioning this friend of yours, so how did she die?" Kari asked looking at them with sympathy in her eyes.
"Me and my friend were family members of scientists that created digimon, they tried to advance these creatures and that one got loose killed my birth parents, and brother with my father being killed right in front of me, Ryo tried to save our friend, she died regardless, she was vaporized" Suzie Yamaki said pulling out a necklace she had been wearing "this is part of one necklace, it got broken in the accident that crippled Rei, she gave us both a piece while keeping one for herself" She pulled another necklace out of her pocket. "All three pieces form into double helix the building blocks for all sentient life on earth" She pause for a minute "sorry bringing up her death just reminded me of this"
"I once lost a friend, but that is horrible, I can imagine what it would be like if I ever lost family or friends in that way I hope that never happens to me or anyone else I am sorry for your loss" Kari said also placing her hand on Suzie's shoulder "but if we don't stop this thing everyone there will be no one left, I know this fact has been beaten to death already so let's stop talking about and do something about it"
Suzie took a deep breath, and reinforced her resolve "if we can't defeat this thing, no one else can!" she said right before her and Ryo high fived each other.
"I lost someone myself they aren't exactly dead but they aren't the person I knew anymore, I try to think of them as dead because I rather not believe they're the person that's doing the horrible stuff that they are doing now" Takajin spoke up, a frown forming on his face.
"And you can't rescue said person, and make them redeem themselves and see the error of their ways?" Kari said turning to face Takajin. "Was this one of the friends that had been missing that you mentioned to me?"
"Yes they were one of the friends I mentioned, but I don't think so I have tried I can't reach her, and she was like family" Takajin answered before letting out a huge sigh of regret.
"Never give up on friends, even when times are rough" Kari said giving Takajin an intense look "Especially when times are rough I would never give up on any of mine"
"That thing was creepy beyond belief I have never seen anything like it in my life" Takajin stated trying to change the subject, he didn't want to talk about it, but he didn't want to be rude, Kari had helped him come to terms with things the last time she had ended up in his world.
Kari understood as she looked into Takajin eyes, the pain that was in them, but it wasn't all because of a friend that he had mentioned, it was the sister he was now trying to save "Yeah I have faced a few things in my past but that thing was horrifying I wish I didn't have to see it when it wakes but I know I'll have to" she shivered thinking about all those faces. All those grotesque faces will probably haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life"
"We'll have to search through all of its faces, to find its butt, so we can kick it!" Takajin said raising his right hand into the air and then clutching it into a fist, and then gave a slight kicking motion with his left foot. He was trying to motivate himself not to be so depressed about his sister but made himself say something completely out of his character.
"That sounded like what one of my more annoying friends would say" Rika said rolling her eyes and trying not to laugh. Because thinking about them was also kind of painful that she might never see them again.
The arc traveled through another portal before it stopped, coming to a complete halt once again, and started lowering until it landed, the hatch door opened. To a sunlit sky with a few cumulus clouds floating above them it was a beautiful day in this dimension which ever world they were in. Mikuni was the first to leave the pod followed by her digimon partner Vasantmon, they stopped and did a few stretches as the rest of the team followed her out a couple minutes later.
Ryo pulled out the device that would track the distortion that the D-Nemesis was going to come out of, that he got from side recon teams arc, he handed it to Suzie. "Sorry I have to go back to my team, you'll be ok now?" he said hoping she wouldn't throw a fit this time.
"Go, I'll be fine, you'll kick its butt enough for the both of us" Suzie said, trying to put a brave face forward, she watched as Ryo left to rejoin the attack them. At the same time the voice of a dead friend Rei echoed in her mind, she didn't want to lose her friend Ryo like she lost her. Who was now across from her, Rei's spectral form, it was a memory of the past.
"I don't blame any of you for what happened to me, I'll endure being crippled, but I'll still dream of being able to walk, I'll stand on my own two feet once again" Rei said smiling bravely.
Suzie shook this memory from her mind, and went back to her team, as they got ready for the mission ahead of them.