36) Recover Calumon Again
"I placed the digientelechia back where it belonged: inside that passage that leads to the depths of the Digital World", Zhuqiaomon admitted. "It was my desire to return it, but I was not able to convince it to return its light", Zhuqiaomon was telling them. "I sense that the Ancient Enemy is on the move, and it must be recovered".
"That is not something I can do", Qinglongmon explained, "I won't be able to fit down there. This is something only the Outworlders can do for us. Are you still going to insist we do not need their help?"
"It would seem that I am left with no choice in the matter. That doesn't mean I trust them".
"That is all we ask: a chance to demonstrate to you that we are not now, and have never been, your enemies", Koichi explained. He knew he had to choose his words wisely, as he was still not convinced this Zhuqiaomon was playing with a full deck. He might be crazy, but he definitely wasn't stupid. Saying the wrong thing could set off another rage, and he didn't need that.
"It is time", Qinglongmon announced, "prepare yourselves, and don't be afraid".
He did something, formed something all around them. It looked like some sort of foam, and, except for the surface upon which they stood, was no more substantial. They could poke holes in it to discover that they were flying over the whole territory of the Sovereign.
"This is unusual", Guilmon was saying. "Ummmm... Takato?", he asked, as he realized he wasn't receiving his attention.
"Hold on a sec, Guilmon", he said, as he stepped over to where Juri stood by herself as she was looking at the wall.
"Are you doin' OK?", he asked. She said nothing. "It's just that you used to be so cheerful, kind, and nice... It's just strange to see you like this".
"You're wrong", she finally said, "I'm not the least bit nice. My mother died when I was little", she explained. "Then Dad remarried, and he seemed so happy with his new wife, my step-mother. She tried, she really tried, but all I could see was an interloper. I never gave her a chance to be my mom... my friend. I know I disappointed Father, the way I rejected her... So you see, I'm not nice. I'm not nice at all..."
"That's not true! You're the nicest person I know"
"What's wrong with Juri?", Guilmon asked.
"She's suffering from the loss of Leomon", Koichi tried explaining, but how do you explain this to a digimon who'd never dealt with loss, not even in digimon terms, let alone human?
"Sad because Leomon's gone?", he asked.
"No", Renamon explained, "sad because she was powerless to prevent it".
"Is there anything we can do?"
"I'm afraid not, Guilmon", Koichi explained, "it just takes time. For now, all we can do is be there".
Juri sat down: "Leomon said everyone has their own destiny", she told herself. "Is it my destiny to keep losing friends? Am I destined to be alone?"
Some structure above the shaft was firing energy bursts down into its depths. Qinglongmon dived as deep as he was able: "We have arrived", he announced as the conveyance he was using disappeared as quickly, and as thoroughly, as it had appeared. They found themselves on a large, floating, flat topped rock. This shaft had other floating rocks of various sizes visible.
"No sign of Calumon", Jen announced, "is this the right place?"
"No sign of the bottom either", Terriermon added.
"There is something...", Impmon pointed out. What was floating up towards them was red, and looked like globules of some sort. "What is that?"
"It is Chaos", Qinglongmon answered.
As they watched, one globule hit one of the floating rocks, spreading out over its surface before it simply disappeared.
"Nasty stuff", he said.
"I didn't think it would come so far, so fast", Qinglongmon told them.
"I hope Calumon is OK", Kazu said.
"How much of that is down there?", Kenta asked.
"If he sticks to the sides, he should be OK", Impmon told him. "So far, it seems to be coming straight up that shaft".
"That puts us right in its path", Kazu said.
"I must put an end to this!", Zhuqiaomon declared as he dived deeper into the shaft.
"Hell's he think he's doin'?", Koichi asked.
"I don't know", Renamon replied, "but I fear the worst".
"Then he is too arrogant for his own good". Koichi was hoping this Chaos would get him. That would solve a big problem. He figured that Zhuqiaomon was being compliant only because he feared Qinglongmon more than he hated Outworlders, and because it was expedient to do so right now. He wasn't convinced this Zhuqiaomon wasn't going to be a big problem once this D-reaper situation was fixed. Would he still try to make good on his threats?
"Looks like someone's coming", Shuichon announced.
Indeed, it was a dark digimon dragon with a lone rider.
"You're human?", he asked as he climbed off his partner's back. Whoever this was seemed to be between the ages of the Tamers and Koichi.
"Ryo, the Legendary Tamer!", both Kenta and Kazu said, as they went to shake his hand.
"I'm kind'a impressed too... Ryo, Ryo Akiyama", he introduced himself. "I never thought I'd meet other humans here".
"Then this must be...", Takato started, and the digimon dragon growled at him with bared fangs.
"My partner, Cyberdramon", Ryo said. "Don't mind him, he's like that with everyone".
Koichi could only look on and wonder who this was.
"I can't believe we actually met the Legendary Tamer himself!", Kazu and Kenta were saying.
"Oh... you haven't met Koichi and Jen have you?", almost as an after thought.
"Can't say I had the pleasure", Koichi replied. "I heard rumours here and there about a Tamers Tournament winner who disappeared... never thought there was actually anything to it".
"That would be me", Ryo explained. "Say", Ryo asked, "what month is it?"
"October", Jen replied.
"October? That means I've been gone... almost two years".
"What brings you here?", Koichi asked.
"Cyberdramon has been looking for his ultimate opponent ever since I arrived. That was just after winning that big Tamers Tournament, and Cyberdramon called me. I figured it was for the best, given his attitude, he wouldn't be a good fit with the Material World. We followed the disturbances here, and it looks like we just might have found that opponent.
"We came here from Qinglongmon's palace where Baihumon was fighting something in a deep gorge. It took everything out of him, and he passed out".
"We can use all the help we can get", Koichi explained, as Kazu and Kenta kept fawning over this Legendary Tamer.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Calumon was having a hard time: two steps forward and one back. He was below the water table. Channels poured water into the depths, and the rocks were slick with slime. So far, that Chaos was not coming close, and for that, he was grateful.
Zhuqiaomon came soaring back from the depths. They wouldn't be rid of him that easily. Though he didn't escape unscathed: he lost a wing, and part of another one.
"Dammit!", he swore. "I couldn't even get close enough to stop it!"
"You were warned not to underestimate the Ancient Enemy", Qinglongmon reprimanded his colleague.
"The Chaos is increasing", Qinglongmon announced the obvious. "Hold on tight!", he warned the others as he began to shove the rock they were on away from the center of the shaft. It struck the wall with enough force to embed itself. At least they were away from it now.
"We have to do something, and quickly", Takato announced.
"But what?", Jen asked. "How do we stop something like that, that not even a Sovereign could stop? That canyon is way too deep, and that Chaos is everywhere... It's like everything's against us".
"It looks like we were destined to fail", Juri said.
"Don't say things like that. We can't give up", Takato reprimanded as gently as he could.
"Renamon", Koichi said.
"Right", she answered.
"Hell're you doin!", Kazu called out.
"Stay and debate all you like, but we're gonna at least try to do something about this", he called back as he and Renamon slid down a narrow incline, deeper into the pit.
"Come back!", he answered, "that's crazy!"
"We should be a little bit crazy too", Impmon told his partner. "Didn't I tell you I came along to keep you dumb asses out of trouble? They just might need our help!"
"Wait", Ryo called out. "Let us".
"Koichi!", Takato called out to them.
"Why are they doing this?", Kenta asked no one in particular.
"Come back! It's too dangerous!", Takato called out.
"How long do you suppose it would take to hit the bottom?", Koichi asked as he looked over the thin ledge.
"Best not to think about that", Renamon replied.
"I know, just a bit of gallows humour", he explained. "I'm concerned about Juri", he confessed. "All that 'destiny' bullshit Leomon filled her head with. Not so sure that was a good thing, if you know what I mean... You know we both lost a mother?"
"Yes", Renamon agreed. "It's something I never had to consider, so I really don't know what to say. As for destiny, I never believed it was preordained; we can choose our own destinies by the choices we make here and now. As for Juri, she'll have to decide for herself whether she chooses to remain sad or not".
"Yeah, I know... poor kid... I know how rough it can be".
"I hate sounding pedantic, but all we can do is be there for her".
They had dropped below the water table, and noticed the climb down was becoming more hazardous, as the trail they followed was getting slippery. Koichi would have fallen, had Renamon not caught him.
"Shhhhh!", Koichi shushed Renamon. "Hear that?"
"I didn't..."
"There!", he pointed.
"Renamon! Koichi! Culu!", Calumon called out.
He climbed down farther, and reached: "Gotcha!".
"Am I ever glad to see you guys, culu?!", Calumon called out as he clung to Koichi. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever make it out of there, culu?".
"Likewise, glad we found you..."
"Look out!", Renamon pulled him back just in time to avoid a rather large mass of Chaos. The globules were getting bigger, coming up faster, and the sides of the shaft were no longer safe.
Ryo leaped from Cyberdramon's back, pushing them into a niche in the wall.
"What are you two doing! Are you nuts?!", he asked.
"You might be right... if this keeps up, no way will we get out of here", Koichi agreed.
"I may have an idea...", he said, as he fished out a card.
"Avenging Knight: digimodify!" This provided Cyberdramon with two large lances.
He flew deeper into the shaft, dodging Chaos all the way until he found what he was looking for: a bottle neck. He threw one lance into the wall, leaving the handle resting on the opposite wall. He threw the other one so that they crossed.
"Erase Claw!", he brought down a rock slide that caught on the lances, forming a plug.
"Erase Claw!", he brought down an even bigger rock slide.
"Pretty clever", Koichi congratulated.
"That won't hold forever, best get a move on", Ryo urged them to climb.
They didn't get very far, unfortunately.
"Shit!", Koichi called out, "that didn't work!".
Chaos was bubbling up once again, and would soon be coming up as fast as ever. There was no way they'd make it out.
"Ryo, you take Calumon, and you and Cyberdramon get out now", Koichi told him.
"What about you and Renamon?!"
"We're not going", Koichi told him.
"You have to!"
"Look at how fast that red shit reappeared. Yeah, it was a good idea, but it didn't stop it long enough. Cyberdramon can't take all of us, and someone has to stop it before it threatens everyone. Now, get going!", Koichi ordered, as he slid down the incline until he was ten feet below Ryo's level.
"Can you do that?", he asked.
"Do we have a choice? Now take Calumon and yourself, and GET OUT OF HERE!"
They slid down an even steeper incline, dropping so far that Ryo had no choice but to return.
"Go back!", Renamon ordered.
"No..."
"Please! I'm begging you"
"No way am I abandoning you..."
"If you leave now, there's a chance you'll make it. If you don't, you're finished".
"You're staying..."
"I'm a digimon: fighting is my way of life, not yours. What kind of partner would I be if I allowed any harm to come to you?"
"No, Renamon, we made a deal: I would never betray or abandon you. We're in this together, for better or worse, all the way".
"It's certain death..."
"Is it, Renamon? Is it really?", he said as the Chaos was bubbling up too fast now for either of them to expect rescue from above. "It's up to us now", he said, as he slipped his hands around her waist.
"What did you have in mind?", she asked as his hands moved up through the soft fur. She wrapped her arms around him.
"A leap of faith, my love", as their lips met. Both went over the side together.
"Koichi! Renamon! NOOOOO!", Ryo had seen.
Renamon Matrix Evolve! ...
... SAKUYAMON!
Koichi looked around his sky blue Data Sphere: "That light... so warm, just like the first time we made love, that night", he thought to himself.
"Aren't they beautiful, culu?", Calumon said.
"Whatthefuck!", Ryo called out.
Sakuyamon, like Taomon, was flighted. She propelled herself upwards, just ahead of an explosion of Chaos Mass.
"Amethyst Mandala!", she swung her staff to trace out overlapping circles of pink light. This attack broke up the Chaos Mass, filled the whole shaft with light, and also what looked like pink rose pedals.
"Who the hell is that?!", Takato asked.
Jen ran a profile:
Sakuyamon
Anthroform shaman digimon
Mega, Data
"Renamon and Koichi must've biomerged to Mega", he told them.
"You OK?", the most anthroform digimon they'd seen yet asked.
"We are now, thanks to you", Jen said.
Qinglongmon took the rest of the group back to what was left of Suszakumon, while Sakuyamon flew alongside. Once back on the ground:
"Thank you, Qinglongmon", Sakuyamon said.
"It is I who should be thanking you", he told them. "Without your help, we never would recover the digientelechia".
They could finally get a good look at Sakuyamon: she stood a bit over two meters. The long platinum blond hair hung down her back in two pony tails. Canary yellow body armour that fit over her ample breasts, the helmet in the shape of a fox's head, as was the belt buckle. Charcoal gray bodysuit that was white down the front, and form fitting enough to clearly show the outline of her pussy. Purple gauntlets to the elbows with matching purple, knee high boots with stiletto heels and pointed toes, the same yellow as the body armour. Purple lipstick that matched the colour of the zig-zags under Renamon's eyes.
The brass staff she carried was sharpened to a point, the head a circle around the figure of a sitting fox. Two sets of three jingly rings at the bottom of the head, with an extra pair at the base of the point at the very top.
"Gives a whole new meaning to the expression 'fuck yourself'": Jen didn't say it out loud.
As soon as they'd devolved, Juri came running: "Koichi!", she called out.
He gave her a hug: "What is it?", he asked.
"I thought I'd lost you too", she told him.
"You won't be rid of me that easily", he told her. "Take more than some D-reaper crapping all over the carpet for that!"
"Hiya, Juri! Culu?!", Calumon greeted.
"Huh?", she looked at him.
"You look so sad, culu?", He commented as he folded his wing-like ears.
There was an enormous eruption of that Chaos Mass, this time, it sent a plume high enough to reach, and delete, the energy weapon that they'd been firing at it.
"Can nothing put an end to this madness?!", Zhuqiaomon asked.
This plume divided itself into a great many streamers that broke up into smaller globules of Chaos Mass that rained down on the whole area. One dropped right beside Juri's foot.
"If I just step on it", she thought, "I could end it all right here and now... maybe be with Leomon...". She watched as it deleted a hemispherical depression in the ground.
"It is time for you to leave us", Qinglongmon announced.
"No matter what happens, I will protect this world!", Zhuqiaomon declared. "It's on the move again, I can feel it".
Another plume of that chaos mass erupted, this time, Qinglongmon was able to stop it with his shield before it broke up into more of those globules. The eruption ended with the red mass falling back into that pit.
"How are they gonna stop it?", Kenta asked, "it's everywhere now".
"I don't know, but I have a real bad feeling about this", Koichi told him.
"If it destroys...", he began, "that could mean our partners will be the only digimon left?"
"I wonder if it'll be that simple", he told him.
Juri had her hand puppet out.
"What brought us here?", she asked.
"Destiny brought us here", her puppet answered. "Destiny's been a very bad girl".
The Material World
(We're flying over West Shinjuku, the area that's under an evacuation order due to the strange "earth quakes". Seismologists have not been able to locate the epicenters of these quakes. Could these quakes be related to the appearance of that strange creature that appeared before? Could another appear at any time?)
Yamaki was clicking his lighter: "We're having our share of problems right now. I wonder how they're doing on the other side?", he asked himself.
"What's your status?", he asked over the intercom, "how are you progressing on the transport?", he asked Janyu.
"Just a little more time... just a little more time", he replied.
"Daisy: run those tests again... Bable, Curly: calculate the return course, make sure you've gotten it right"
The Digital World
"What is it?", Koichi asked Renamon.
"It's... nothing", she said.
"Are you sure? For a minute there you looked..."
"Just the stress of the situation", she explained, but he found that uncharacteristically hard to believe. She had never held anything back before.
He had no more time to think about it, as there was yet another eruption. Once again, Qinglongmon was able to stop it.
"It looks like it's fucking with us", Kazu said.
"Sure does", Impmon agreed. "I just wonder if this thing is really just a simple program? I'm beginning to have my doubts".
"It just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?", Kazu asked.
"What was that sound?", Ebonwumon asked.
"Is it the Ancient Enemy?", Baihumon asked.
The two remaining Sovereign were arriving.
"Indeed it was", Zhuqiaomon confirmed. "The Ancient Enemy is at last ready to attack us in force. It isn't bothering to hide itself this time".
"Has the time for us to prepare at last arrived?", Baihumon asked.
"This is what your agreement to appease the Ancient Enemy has brought us", Zhuqiaomon reprimanded.
"Enough of that, Zhuqiaomon", Qinglongmon told him. "The time for recrimination has ended. Now is the time to correct past mistakes. This is why I have asked you to come", Qinglongmon addressed his three colleagues.
He next addressed Calumon: "Digientelechia...", he began. "No, Calumon...", he corrected himself. "It was my belief we should not pursue any evolution that might provoke the Ancient Enemy. That we should not desire your Light; the Ancient Ones made my desire a reality and gave you the form of a digimon. However, there is no more time left to us..."
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Ruki had wandered into a nest of kurisarimon. Did she do that on purpose? Was she too preoccupied to notice? She didn't know how to answer that question. One flew at her, attaching itself to her back. She was shocked and it felt as though every nerve was on fire. More flew at her until she was covered with these digimon. She dropped to her knees, then fell forward.
This was the end: they would absorb all her life force...
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Calumon flew above the Sovereign, not quite sure what to make of all of this.
"To protect our lands...", Baihumon began his supplication.
"To protect our species...", Ebonwumon added.
"To regain our Light...", Zhuqiaomon finished.
"Calumon, as a digimon, you have a free will", Qinglongmon addressed him. "At this time, what is it that you desire?"
"I will help in any way I can, culu?", he declared.
"Culu?", he asked himself. He found it with surprising ease, and felt a momentary resentment that this knowledge had been deliberately concealed from him. Koichi was right all along, he realized. The red triangle glowed red, then bright yellow. This brought in a big flock of those "owls".
"Ancient Ones: grant Calumon that which he desires", Qinglongmon supplicated.
"Digignomes!", Takato called out.
Calumon was enveloped in a multi-coloured light, as a red tetrahedron floated above him, apex down, slowly rotating. It settled into his hands.
"Shining Evolution!", he called out as multiple beams of golden light radiated all around him. The Ancient Ones were lost in the glare.
At first, the sky filled with pinpoints of light. These quickly resolved themselves into arriving digimon. A lot they recognized, and a lot they didn't. Too many to run profiles.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Ruki thought this was the end. Regardless of whether these kurisarimon were seeking revenge or were just preying on a convenient victim made no difference. Ruki was on the verge of deletion when, for some reason, the group stopped swarming her. Barely conscious, she saw them form three groups, then digivolve to diaboromon. They forgot all about her as they took off.
She knew she'd gotten lucky one more time. She also knew she couldn't stay there, as much as she'd like, as hard as it was to even move. The best she could do was drag herself across the sand, hopefully to put enough distance between herself and those diaboromon, should they decide to return.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"The Light of Evolution called them here", Renamon was explaining.
"They're all Megas, and they came to help fight off the D-reaper", Koichi and Takato announced almost together.
Calumon dropped like a rock, and Koichi ran forward to catch him.
"Good job there", he congratulated.
"Calumon is one special digimon", Guilmon added.
"Where did the digignomes go?", Takato asked.
"They used themselves to spread the Light of Evolution all over the Digital World", Jen answered.
"So they fulfilled Calumon's desire?", Terriermon asked.
"Uh-huh", Jen answered.
"Are you saying they... sacrificed themselves?", Takato asked, worried.
"I don't know", Jen told him.
There was a late arrival: something slammed into the ground, embedding itself in the crater of its own making. Kenta went to investigate. There was a pink tail sticking up, and he pulled something small and pink from the crater. It had two small wings, long swept back ears, and its one fashion accessory was a gold collar.
"Are you a Mega too?", Kenta asked.
Kazu ran a profile:
Marineangemon
Fairy digimon, Mega
Attack: Ocean Love
"Did you come to fight too?", Kenta asked as it hugged his leg. He was saying something in a completely foreign language where each word began with a 'P'.
"Shouldn't you be assembling with the others?", he asked.
He hugged Kenta's chest this time.
"What a strange little digimon", he said. "They're over there", as he pointed Marineangemon in the direction where the others were gathering.
Kenta wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.
"Sadness: what an incomprehensible idea", Juri's hand puppet told her.
"We must eliminate the superfluous", she agreed, as she followed the growling puppet towards the wreckage of the palace.
Koichi was receiving a message on the hand-held: "It's from Yamaki", he announced, "he says the Ark they've been working on is ready. We can come back", he announced.
"They did it?", Takato asked.
"Would seem".
"We're going home!", Shuichon announced, as she gave Lopmon another smothering hug.
"Yes, we are. I knew Dad wouldn't let us down!", Jen agreed with his sister.
"Where'd Juri get to?", Kenta asked.
"Whaddaya mean!", Takato reprimanded, "weren't you supposed to be watching her?!"
"Yamaki says he needs a word with Impmon", Koichi announced.
Impmon:
We tried to design the Ark to be compatible with jet fighter design. I'm hoping that there are enough similarities with Violet Zone fighters. We also designed an AI program into its systems, so you should not have the occasion to intervene if all goes according to plan. If there should be any problems, we're counting on you to solve them, and we'll keep an open frequency in case you require any assistance. Bring them home safe for us
Mitsou Yamaki and Janyu Wong
Janyu had heard about Impmon's Digital World career from Terriermon.
He took the stylus to tap out a reply:
Understood. Ready to kick the tires and light the fires.
Impmon
"JURI!", Takato called out as he approached the ruins. "JURI! WHERE ARE YOU?! WE'RE READY TO GO HOME! COME BACK!"
"There she is!", Lopmon called out as he pointed.
"Juri, why'd you run off like that? I was worried about you"
"No reason", she replied. Takato didn't notice the unusual look in her eyes.
The Material World: Hypnos HQ
"The families of the children have been notified", Megumi was reporting.
"Thanks", Janyu told her. She lingered.
"Can I ask you something?", she said.
"What's on your mind?"
"This Ark... what, exactly, is it?"
"It was a tool we used in our studies", Janyu explained, "an interface that connected humans to the Internet".
"I thought that was called a 'web browser'?"
"I didn't mean 'connected' in the usual sense of the term. The intent was to really connect humans to the 'Net, full consciousness, not just pulling up text on a screen. More like a virtual reality experience".
"Is such a thing possible?"
"Shibumi thought so. However, he grew impatient and tried to project his consciousness into the Digital World. It damn near killed him in the process. Landed him in intensive care, in a coma. This is why Yamaki was having such a hard time finding him. His security guys didn't think to check the hospitals. For some reason, he's out of the coma, and they're calling it a 'miracle'. So far, we haven't explained the reason behind his condition".
Yamaki was explaining further:
First, a beam of light will appear. Go where that beam is, and the Ark will appear there. I'm sending you the nav. program... It took three weeks to calculate how to bring you back. If you miss the Ark, I don't know when, or if, there will be another chance. It is imperative that you arrive on time
The Digital World
The screen of the hand-held displayed a countdown: "We have 90 minutes to get there", Koichi announced.
"Jen, shouldn't we fight too?", Terriermon asked.
"If we miss this chance, I don't know when we'll get another one", Jen objected.
"Digimon Tamers", Qinglongmon announced, "your work here is finished. We digimon will fight for the Digital World. You are needed in the Material World".
"Digimon who evolve with humans", Zhuqiaomon added, "I have yet to accept that lifestyle of yours. However, if it is your desire to leave for the Material World, I shall not oppose you. You may go with these humans if that's your desire".
"My Lord, let me express my sincerest gratitude", Lopmon addressed the Sovereign.
"That's just so fucking generous of you! Not so much as a 'sorry bout that' for having tried to kill us", Koichi kept that thought to himself. No sense pissing him off now.
"We still have a problem", Jen pointed out, "we have no idea as to where this beam of light is going to appear..."
"Calumon", Qinglongmon addressed him, "now that the purpose of your existence is complete, I leave it up to you: you may live as a digimon if that is your desire".
"I am a digimon, culu? I have always considered myself a digimon, culu?"
"Farewell Digimon Tamers", Qinglongmon announced as another of his foam cars appeared.
As it was flying off, they stuck their heads above its top: "Goodbye your Excellencies!", they called back. They also saw yet another eruption of that Chaos Mass. This time, it attacked the Material World Sphere. They had no idea what, if anything, that would do back home. If it did affect the Material World, they were certain it wouldn't be in a good way.
Ruki also saw it happen from a distance in that desert, but didn't know what it was, or why it happened.
The Material World: Hypnos HQ
They all felt another one of those "earthquakes". That was the least of their problems.
"What's this? A virus?", Rob McCoy was asking.
"There's something corrupting the mainframe's memory, filling it with garbage". Daisy explicated.
An alarm was sounding in the control room: "We can't send the Ark now, not without the memory... We can't rescue the children!", Janyu was explaining.
"Who would do such a despicable thing? Is this malicious script kiddies again... Or something worse that doesn't want them to come back?", Yamaki asked.
"No idea", Janyu told him.
"Are you saying we've lost them?", Yamaki asked. "Only Hypnos has the capability..."
"Moumentai!", Janyu called out.
"Huh?", Yamaki asked.
"Moumentai, there is a way", Janyu explained: "distributed computing. If we can connect together enough systems, we can still pull this off. You need to break into every Internet connected computer, and ask if they'll help us, If we start right away... we just might be able to meet the deadline"
"So you're going to use the memory of Internet connected computers?", Yamaki asked.
"That's the idea, yes"
"We need your urgent help to save a group of children", was the message that appeared on every system with a current Internet connection. Homes, offices, school computer labs, Internet cafes, wireless connections: everyone received the same message.
The Digital World
Qinglongmon's "cloud car" read off the information from Koichi's nav program and arrived back in that desert space where they'd first arrived, though not anywhere near their original entry point, but that didn't matter.
"Are you sure this is it?", Takato asked. "I don't see any beam of light".
"We still have 65 minutes", Koichi told him. The trip had taken ten minutes.
"Renamon? There's that look again...", Koichi told her.
"I have to go..."
"Go? Go where! Now! Of all the times...", he objected.
"I can't ask you to come and risk not returning..."
"I don't know what this is about, but I go where you go".
"Wait!", Takato objected, "you aren't seriously..."
"I promise we'll be back in time", Renamon told him.
"Promise all you want, you can't be sure!", Ryo objected.
"Then we'd best not waste any more time, Renamon?"
She carried Koichi, as she could move much faster than he could.
"I don't get it", Kazu was saying.
"Some people don't understand team work", Kenta was saying.
"If Renamon says it's important, then it damn well is. I've known her long enough to know that", Impmon told them.
They'd landed on the top of a tall mesa, and Koichi was scanning the desert through his field glasses.
"You're sure you heard Ruki's scream? No chance this is just your imagination?"
"I'm certain it wasn't. She's out there, somewhere..."
"And why are we doing this?"
"I've always thought only of attacking: how to defeat my opponents. However, when I became Sakuyamon, I understood the place of compassion, of mercy..."
"I thought we already discussed this?"
"I was only doing what you asked of me at the time; I understood, but just in the intellectual sense. I never really felt it. Regardless of what she did, she was still my partner once, and that means something. Don't you agree she deserves a second chance? A chance to try to make it right? I'll take Ruki back with us. What do you think?"
"I think we're not gonna win any popularity contests with the other Tamers, and I think we damn well best find her fast so's we don't get left behind".
Renamon leaped from one mesa to the next.
The Material World: Hypnos HQ
Janyu heaved a sigh of relief: "I think we've made it. We have more than enough memory now. Recalculate the Ark's re-entry", he ordered just to make certain.
"Only the Wild Bunch...", Yamaki said.
The Digital World
"I see something", Koichi said.
"Is it..."
"Can't tell, but I don't see anything else that's a possibility. If it isn't her..."
"We go back", Renamon explained. "If we can't find her, that's one thing, but I couldn't live with myself if I had never tried". ...
"Ten minutes", Takato was watching the comm.
"There!", Guilmon called out, pointing to the sky.
This time, a green data stream was forming.
"Is that it?", Jen asked, "the beam of light we were expecting?"
"Let's go!", Kazu called out. It couldn't be anything else. ...
"RUKI!"
"RUKI!"
They called out, as they ran for the thing Koichi had seen.
Ruki was lying in the sand, having gone as far as she could. She looked up: "Renamon?", she asked. One last cruel joke her imagination was playing on her? The anthrovixen knelt by her side.
"Can you stand?", she asked.
Ruki forced herself to her feet, but would have fallen right back down, had Koichi not caught her.
"We're taking you home"
"Idiots", she reprimanded, "You should'a left me..."
"Dammit! Night! We should have been back by now!"
Renamon Evolve! ...
... KYUUBIMON!
Koichi placed Ruki over Kyuubimon's back, and climbed on behind her, as the kitsune took off at the fastest gallop he'd seen. ...
"This is your only chance", the message came over the comm. The Ark appeared as promised, a yellow and white vehicle with a rather clumsy, unaerodynamic look to it. It rode down that green beam of light, the rear hatch opening.
"But Renamon and Koichi aren't back yet! What do I do?", Takato asked himself.