18) Guilmon's Revelation
"What do you mean: he just walked off?", Jenyra asked.
"It's like I said, Guilmon went off with that Deva, who was saying it was something only digimon can understand. I never thought he would do anything like that. Abandon me".
Takato was describing what had happened the previous evening.
"I'm sure he had his reasons. You trust him, don't you? If he was going to attack, I think he would have done that last night, so I don't believe Guilmon's in any immediate danger".
"Yeah, but what could that mean: 'only digimon can understand'?"
"No idea, but if Guilmon promised he'd be back, then he will be back. Then he'll tell us".
"What if they don't let him go?"
"This is Guilmon we're talking about. He'd move heaven and earth to return. He's pretty resourceful, yannow".
"I suppose... Any way to track him?"
"It's a big Digital World, assuming he went to the Digital World at all. We may just have to wait for that Deva to return... I wonder what these Deva are?".
"All I know is he isn't showing up on the direction finder".
"He could also be out of range, here in the Material World".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Feeling a bit down?", Koichi asked Renamon.
"It's nothing".
"Worried about Guilmon?"
"Yeah"
"I think we all are. That was definitely strange. I wonder why that Deva was so interested in Guilmon?"
"No idea".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Koichi and Renamon arrived at the site of a developing digital field in time to meet the new arrival and his Tamer.
"Who're you?!"
"Never mind that, take yourself and your digimon and get the hell out of here!"
"I don't..."
"Ruki!", Koichi challenged, "you are not going to interfere this time! You deleted your last partnered digimon".
"Frost Claw!", Icedevimon attacked, but this time, Renamon was expecting that.
"Koyousetsu!", she struck back. It was enough to distract Icedevimon, but little more.
Ruki was reaching for a card: "Koyousetsu!", Renamon sent a well aimed crystal to knock both digivice and card from her hands.
"Damn you!", she screamed as she grabbed a cut to the hand. "Damn you to hell!"
"You get the hell out of here, or I'll finish the job Galgomon started the other day. Capice?!"
"C'mon, let's go. He isn't worth it", Ruki conceded defeat.
"What was that all about?", this new Tamer, and his partner, Dorumon, asked.
"She's nuts. She and her partner attack every partnered digimon who arrives here. She's deleted a half dozen You would be well advised to go now, before she changes her mind".
"I thought I recognized her, isn't she the Digimon Queen?"
"Yeah, and she intends to remain the 'Digimon Queen'. She still thinks it's just an elaborate game, and she doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but herself. She is someone to avoid".
"I'll do that, and thanks".
"Thanks", Dorumon agreed.
"You two take care".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Takato was up in his room, doodling a picture of Guilmon: "Are you ever coming back?", he asked to the otherwise empty room. He was supposedly doing homework, but lately found it difficult to concentrate on that.
"Takato!", it was his mother calling.
"Coming!", he called back. He didn't need this right now.
"Yes?", he asked as he stepped off the landing.
"We could use your help with the family business"
"Okay, be right there".
"Takato!", his father called this time.
"Yes?"
"I need some change, please".
"Coming right up", Takato went to fetch another roll of coins from the safe. "Here ya go", as he handed over the roll. He did not recognize the woman at the counter as a Hypnos employee, but she sure did recognize him.
"Takato, could you take care of these trays?", his mother requested. He took a stack of empty display trays to wash and dry for tomorrow's products. Tomorrow would be another day. Another Guilmon-less day.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Hypnos
The klaxons went off: "An unusual amount of data is gathering".
"Wild one?", Yamaki asked as he clicked his Zippo.
"A big one, the digital signature matches one of the ones that materialized in the Akihabara day before yesterday. It's materializing quickly"
"Do you have the location?"
"National Baseball Stadium".
"You Wild Ones come and go as you please, wreaking havoc in our world", Yamaki threatened to no one in particular, "but no longer!"
"Jen!", Terriermon called out, as he was looking out the window, "It's coming. I think it's the same one Guilmon was with".
"Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure".
"Let's go". Terriermon jumped onto Jen's shoulder, but he hesitated.
"Something wrong?"
"Better call Takato and Koichi, let them know".
"Takato! Phone call!", his mother called out.
"Hello... Jen? ..."
"You think so? ..."
"OK, your place, Koichi will drive? Good. See you shortly".
"Who was that?"
"Gotta run".
"This time of night?"
Takato was already out the back door.
Koichi and Renamon were already waiting for him by the time he'd arrived at Jen's apartment tower.
Renamon had also sensed it, and gave directions.
"Will we find Guilmon there?", Takato asked anxiously.
"I believe we will", Renamon confirmed.
Koichi turned into the parking lot, and saw that the digital field was large and growing. "This is as far as we go", he announced. The "fog" too thick to see to drive, as he stopped as close to the stadium as he could.
They made their way to the deserted turnstiles leading to the stands. They entered the stands across the field from where Guilmon stood, at the railing just above the field. Vajiramon was standing on the field itself.
"Let's go!", Terriermon called out.
"Wait", Renamon told him, "it looks like they're just talking".
"Can you hear them?", Koichi asked...
"Of course", she replied.
"Guilmon: you have been especially blessed. You, like me, are a unique digimon. You, like me, have been marked by our God for greatness. Our God has descended on this world", the ox 'taur was explaining. "You shall serve our God with me, and follow his Holy Law, then you shall prosper thanks to his power".
"Go on, tell me more".
"Only you are worthy of our God".
"Nice of you to say so", Vajiramon didn't get the sarcasm.
"Guilmon, our God is a God for us digimon. We were once data created by humans, but now we have our own will".
"Human created data?"
"Digimon live to serve our God, and to evolve. Humans abandoned us, that's true. Remember, before the coming of self-awareness, we were just simple programs running on the 'Net"
"The digimons' God?", Takato asked, "didn't those other digimon we fought mention something about a 'God'?"
"You know anything about that, Renamon?", Jen asked.
"Not really. The Digital World government is a federated monarchy, not a theocracy".
"You, Terriermon?"
"I don't know any more than Renamon does. We left about the same time, I believe".
"Culu? What's goin' on, culu?", Calumon asked as he landed on the railing beside Guilmon.
"Who are you?", Vajiramon asked. "Another one of those digimon who sold themselves into bondage to Outworlders?"
"Calumon!", Takato called out, pointing.
Calumon jumped to the ground, just in front of the ox 'taur many times his size.
"I don't know of such things, culu?", he replied.
"Don't interrupt me!", Vajiramon then kicked him.
"That wasn't very nice", Koichi said. "Pick on somebody your own size!", he called out.
"We have to do something!", Terriermon said.
Calumon, though small, was fast and stayed well ahead of the ox 'taur as he chased him across the field. The question was, how long could he keep up that pace?
"That's it! He's gone too far! Renamon?"
"Right"
"Super Evolution Plug-in S: digimodify!"
Renamon Evolve! ...
... KYUUBIMON!
"Demon Spirit Fireballs!" Once again, she transported them around the ox 'taur instead of using them as projectiles. They exploded all around him, and, at first, they all thought he was going to delete. Vajiramon whipped out his swords, slashed at the foxfire, and dispersed it, unharmed.
"Terriermon!", Jen called out.
"Ready when you are".
"Super Evolution Plug-in S: digimodify!"
Terriermon Evolve! ...
... GALGOMON!
He opened up with his 0.50s. Vajiramon defended himself by crossing his arms over his head and torso. The bullets glanced off his armour, doing no harm.
"I will destroy the both of you for that!", he threatened, as he advanced towards Galgomon and Kyuubimon.
"Pyro Sphere!", Guilmon fired. Vajiramon deflected the fire ball. At least the fight was temporarily suspended, and at least Vajiramon had forgotten all about Calumon.
"Guilmon! I have no desire to fight you!"
"I am one of those digimon who evolve with his partner!"
"Super Evolution Plug-in S: digimodify!"
Guilmon Evolve! ...
... GROWLMON!
"Growlmon, so you do evolve, too? We shall not fight, and you shall come with me".
"Not too damn likely", then he slashed at Vajiramon with the blade attached to his wrist. Vajiramon deflected it, throwing Growlmon back, but unharmed.
"Exhaust Flame!"
Vajiramon crossed his swords, sweeping them outwards, launching an energy burst that split and deflected this attack.
"Growlmon! Stop fighting me! It is your fate to live with us. To evolve with us!"
"Very scary, culu?", Calumon had joined Henry and Takato.
"Kyuubimon! Help Growlmon! ... High Speed Plug-in H: digimodify!"
"Foxfire Dragon!", she attacked, and Vajiramon parried with his swords.
He began chasing Kyuubimon.
"Power Boost Plug-in O: digimodify!", Jen scanned the card.
"Dum-dum Upper!", Galgomon attacked with all barrels firing. Again, it had no effect, and Vajiramon slammed him so hard he ran into Kyuubimon, knocking her off her feet.
"He's too strong!", Jen pointed out. "Galgomon! Can you evolve?", he asked.
"I don't think so. I'm almost out of energy".
"High Speed Plug-in D: digimodify!", Koichi tried that card. It has little effect, just barely getting the kitsune to her feet.
"I don't think I can do it, Koichi".
"Stop!", Vajiramon commanded, as he sheathed his swords in a show of good faith. "I have had enough of this fighting you. Growlmon! Hear my words!"
Growlmon took another swing at him with his blade, and Vajiramon dodged, and pushed him aside.
"You give me no choice!" he announced, as he drew his swords. "I will make you understand!" He took two swings at Growlmon which he knew would be dodged.
"Growlmon!", Takato called out.
"Growlmon, you are mistaken", Vajiramon continued making his case. "You are a digimon!" He took another slash with one sword. "You will share your life with other digimon only!", as he unleashed an energy attack. It could easily have been lethal, but fell short. Still powerful enough to knock him down.
"Growlmon!", Takato called out as he reached for a card. The one he thought he picked wasn't the one he now held. Takato had received his second Blue Card.
"Matrix Evolution: digimodify!"
Growlmon Evolve! ...
... MEGALOGROWLMON!
"You are mistaken, you evolve the wrong way! You should evolve on your own, not with human intervention!"
"Who decides that for me? Not you, and most definitely not your God!"
"Why do you refuse to understand?! Who do you think you are to go against the will of our God?!"
"You have given me all the answers I was after; I thank you for that".
"Then, in the name of our God, you die!"
Vajiramon swept his swords, this time, generating an energy burst that was both lethal and on target. Megalogrowlmon escaped as he fired his rocket packs, lifting himself above the path of the on coming burst.
He threw both swords at Megagrowlmon, this time striking the wall directly behind him, this time, forming a powerful blast. Again, Megalogrowlmon was fast enough to get away from the immediate danger. He charged his main weapon.
"Atomic Blaster!"
The twin red beams struck the ox 'taur, deleting him instantly.
"It's over, culu?!", Calumon celebrated.
He wasn't the only one to notice. "They are the only ones who can get rid of Wild Ones", Yamaki observed. Hypnos had monitored Growlmon's digivolution, and Yamaki figured it was Takato and friends.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Guilmon was telling the others what he'd learned after devolving. This was becoming easier for him to do.
"Eighty percent of what Vajiramon told me was nothing but pure, unadulterated bullshit. Ten percent incomprehensible nonsense, riddles mostly. As for the remaining ten percent, it would seem that one of the Digimon Sovereign has gone way off the deep end..."
"Do you know who?", Renamon asked.
"He never said, but it's definitely one of them. Some disagreement among the Sovereign, I guess, and he doesn't accept the rulings of the other three. Vajiramon didn't say what the disagreement was about, and it's unlikely he even knew anyway. He's declared himself 'God'..."
"What does it mean?", Koichi asked, before Jen and Takato could.
"It would seem we have another 'Cherubimon' (finger quotes) on our hands", Renamon explained.
"Shit!", Terriermon exclaimed.
"What does it mean?", Guilmon asked.
"At the dawn of self-awareness, the whole Digital World was in a state of chaos. Constant wars between anthroform and zooform digimon. This threatened our very existence.
"Then came an enlightened law giver who worked out a mutually agreeable modus vivendi between the anthroform and zooform digimon that put an end to the wars: Lucemon. Even though he resisted the idea, he was proclaimed the emperor of the Digital World. There was peace, development, and the prosperity it brings. That lasted until Lucemon grew drunk with the power he was given, but which he never sought.
"Lucemon's reign grew ever more tyrannical. It was at this time that Ten Legendary Warriors arose, overthrew Lucemon. It was decided that divided power would be better, and so from among their ranks, they chose three: Seraphimon, Ophanimon, and Cherubimon to rule as a triumvirate.
"This arrangement worked until one of their colleagues, Cherubimon, grew ever more paranoid. Eventually, he overthrew Seraphimon and Ophanimon and became the sole dictator over the Digital World. That was the first time the Digital World reached out to the Material World. Five young Outworlders answered Lady Ophanimon's call, and with the power of the five Legendary Warriors who had not been corrupted, they deposed Cherubimon.
"The resulting power vacuum led to the rise of King Yggdrasil, who was eventually overthrown by his own Praetorian Guard: the Royal Knights. That was the first time Digital World troubles spilled over and into the Material World. Part of that battle was fought in the streets of Tokyo itself.
"After that, it was decided that a federated monarchy just might prove the best way to prevent the rise of another tyrant. The Digital World was split into four spheres of influence, much like Material World nation-states. One ruled by a Sovereign: Qinglongmon, Ebonwumon, Zhuqiaomon, and Baihumon: the Digimon Sovereign or Holy Beasts. They have a pact of noninterference between themselves. It was believed that this arrangement would keep any one from becoming too powerful, and a threat to the other three.
"If what Vajiramon was saying is truthful, it would seem that hope was in vain. Now it would seem we are threatened, not just with a rising autocrat, but a theocrat as well..."
"Would that account for Yamaki's 'Wild Ones', are digimon deciding it's best to get out of Dodge while the gettin's good?", Koichi asked.
"It might, it very well might", Renamon speculated.
"Then why don't they kick his ass?!", Koichi asked.
"The noninterference pact..."
"Is beginning to sound a lot like a suicide pact".
"It would seem so, however, you're forgetting that digimon in the Digital World can't evolve. As you have surmised, the digientelechia has been removed to the Material World. That would be one good way to prevent this rogue Sovereign from building an army that can threaten the other three Holy Beasts. That is no violation of noninterference, yet slows down the attempt at a take-over.
"It would also give digimon an incentive to cross-over, if they knew evolution was still possible here in the Material World".
"So what you're saying is that the remaining three Holy Beasts who haven't lost their sanity are preparing for a fight here? Or are they going to recall all you guys all at once to fight there?"
"Now that, I do not know".