38) The Unwelcome Visitor

Yamaki and the Wild Bunch had set up temporary shop in one of Hypnos' remote monitoring vans. The same unmarked, black vans whose roofs bristled with antennae that had become rather common sights ever since the appearance of the first Wild Ones.

"What's this cable connected to?", Daisy was asking. They were busy modifying the equipment to duplicate as much of Hypnos' capabilities as they could.

"Let's see", Megumi went to check it out. "It's small, but has most of Hypnos' basic functionality", she was explaining to Babel, who was having a difficulty getting an Internet connection. "Can you use it?", she was asking.

"We'll use anything and everything we can", he replied... "Dammit!", he swore, as the satellite receiver failed to acquire a signal once again. "Is there another way?"

"Ummmm...", she thought about it. "Chief Yamaki!", she called out.

"In a sec", he answered. He handed a stack of DVDs to Rob McCoy: "I want you to have these", he explained, "Hypnos' files from last night".

"Thanks", he replied. "Curly", he called out, "run an analysis on this".

"You got it", she replied.

Janyu was just outside, trying to place a cell phone call while he still could.

"Ahhhhh... Cho-sensei?", he asked. "My apologies for my family's over running your house. I appreciate your letting them stay there until I can make more permanent arrangements... Is Jen there?"

"Jen", he said, "leave that strange phenomenon to us, OK?"

"Ummmm... OK"

"Promise me"

"I... promise", Jen said, though with forced conviction. He didn't want to give his father anything more to worry about at a critical time like this, but he already knew it was a promise he couldn't keep.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Takato and Guilmon were headed back from Matsumoto. They pretty much had the whole compartment to themselves, as most of the traffic was headed away from Tokyo.

"Aren't you sleepy?", Guilmon asked, as he knew it had been a rough trip. Juri's father hadn't been gracious enough to invite them to stay the rest of the night, so they had to sleep in the terminal while awaiting the morning train.

"I'm OK", he reassured. "I don't have time to be sleepy right now".

A passenger across the aisle was holding a newspaper, but it was obvious he wasn't looking at it. He finally folded the paper: "I'm going to inform the conductor about this", he said to himself.

"Did I do something wrong?", Guilmon asked.

"No, you didn't. It's just with all these problems, people are getting leery of digimon. Nothing we can do about it... It's unfortunate".

"Next stop is Hachioji, Hachioji, Hachioji...", came an automatic announcement. "Those passengers transferring to the Yokohama line, this is the transfer station".

Takato consulted his map. He remembered his promise to go to his aunt and uncle's home in Zushi. He had a crisis of conscience here, and a promise he couldn't keep.

("The Chou line's schedule has been interrupted. We ask that passengers board the train now for a short wait")

"Takato! Is that you?", his mother asked over the pay phone. "Where are you? Hurry up and get to Zushi, and don't take any side trips. Your aunt and uncle are waiting for you".

He was going to say something, but couldn't.

"OK? Takato, are you listening?! Takato!"

"Sorry!", he finally said, "I can't go just yet", as he hung up.

"Takato?", Guilmon asked.

"C'mon!", he said as he ran off.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

"Ryo, how is it to be back home after so long?", one reporter was asking as he and his father were leaving the airport.

They had to fly since they lived in Kyushu, and it was not easy, getting a flight what with everything that was going on. People were definitely "getting out of Dodge", not wanting to stick around to see what this latest entity was going to do. Especially not after the rampage of Vikaralamon.

"Where have you been this past year?"

"What can you tell us about the digimon you brought back with you?"

"Does this have anything to do with that red mass that appeared in Shinjuku?"

"If you would please allow us our privacy", Ryo's father reprimanded the reporters. He had no idea how they found out, and he didn't like it one bit. It was bad enough, having the Legendary Tamer for a son who relished the lime light a bit too much.

"Ahhhh... what a mess", Ryo commented once they were on their way. "I haven't introduced you yet, have I? This is my partner..."

"I'm Monodramon", the rookie digimon took over.

"You did a monstrous thing...", his father ignored Monodramon completely.

"Monstrous", Ryo said, "digital monsters", he began to chuckle to himself, but his father's wordless glare cut him off.

"I'll just be quiet"

"What does this do?", Monodramon asked as he turned on the radio.

(I repeat: the mandatory evacuation covers Shinjuku's 1st Chrome through 4th Chrome and 6th Chrome, plus parts of 5th Chrome...)

"What does this do?", Monodramon asked as he turned on the wipers.

"Will you stop touching everything?!", Ryo's father reprimanded. "Just stop fucking with everything!"

"Sorry", Monodramon apologized.

Monodramon's personality was the polar opposite of that of Cyberdramon. At least if he stayed in this form, he'd be a better fit with the Material World.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Juri's little brother was chasing Calumon down a hallway. He tripped and fell. He began crying.

"What's wrong, culu?", Calumon asked the boy.

"That's what you get for running in the hallway", his mother reminded him. She knelt to check on him.

"Looks like you're just fine after all", she told him. "It doesn't hurt... It doesn't hurt", she said as she stroked his head. "There, there..." He stopped crying.

"Great, culu?!", Calumon encouraged.

"Culu?", Juri appeared, wearing yellow PJs and a maroon sweater. She stood there with a distinctly vacant look. "Culululu?"

"The restroom?", her step mother asked. "It's that way..."

She stepped forward, shoving the boy to the ground, pinning him by the shoulders: "It doesn't hurt... It doesn't hurt...", she said in a distinctly unfeeling, almost robotic, manner. This scared her little brother, who was on the verge of tears again.

"Juri?", her step mom asked, as she looked back with that same blank expression. "What do you think you're doing?" She walked off with no further comment, just that disturbing grin Calumon had seen before.

"Is there something wrong with Juri, culu?", he asked, suspecting the worst, but not knowing what.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

"Hell do they think they're doing?", Koichi asked Renamon.

"I highly doubt that conventional munitions are going to stop it", she answered.

The SDF was gathering next to the park. Trucks, APCs, and tents had been set up. It was obvious that some sort of operation was in progress and that this was the command post. There was a company of soldiers wearing chemical warfare gear assembling.

"I know that, and you know that, but they don't know that", Koichi replied.

Their neighborhood was already starting to fill with refugees fleeing from the north.

"I suggest we catch a flight out", Doyle was saying, "while we still can".

"Sis and Gran should go", Koichi agreed, "but we're gonna be needed", he objected.

"Like hell..."

"Mr Lonnegan", Renamon interrupted, "it's partially our fault. If our Sovereign hadn't tried appeasing it, this wouldn't be happening. I have a responsibility..."

"May be you do, but we don't..."

"It's still my responsibility", Koichi objected. "I know what that is, and they don't. Yeah, maybe we'd be safe in America, but for how long? What if that shit starts showing up there? It'll be that much bigger, stronger, and harder to fight. Best to fight it here and now, rather than there and later... I'm not going anywhere".

"I agree", Renamon said. "The longer we wait, the worse it's going to get".

"What will you do?"

"Right now, I have no idea... Try to contact someone in charge? Let them know? After that..."

"Takato? Jen?", Renamon asked.

"Takato's probably still on his way back... This is sure to play hell with train schedules".

He tried the number he had for Jen's apartment, but got no answer: "Looks like they bugged out already. Since his father works for Hypnos, I guess that means they think it's serious".

Hypnos: Temporary HQ

"What have you found?", Yamaki asked.

"This is a record from last night of something taking over the Hypnos main frame", Janyu explained, as his monitor played back a screen filling with zeros. "An obvious set up for stack whacking. Whatever it is, it's determined to spread further to more systems in cyberspace as well as meatspace".

"So digimon aren't the only ones who can materialize", Yamaki said.

"Maybe at first... but it's obvious something else has learned their tricks", Janyu agreed.

"Could we have done this? Did it have anything to do with bringing back the Ark?", Yamaki asked.

"Now that, I don't know. It's possible, but then why was it - or something - trying to interfere? We know that its first materialization occurred hours after the Ark materialized. That's just it: we're speculating at this point".

Cho-sensei's Home

"I'm leaving...", Lopmon said.

"Yes, well done", Suzy congratulated.

"Next one: 'I'm home'", she requested.

"I'm...", he paused to recall the syntax, "...home"

"Yes, well done again"

"Moumentai". Terriermon sighed.

"Yeah, I am bored", Lopmon agreed, "I wish..."

"No! It's not 'ware'!", Suzy reprimanded. "'Boku', she corrected. Not 'nari' either. Haven't you learned anything?"

Lopmon wondered what was the point? So he'd learned an older version of Japanese, and so what if these features were deprecated? He still got his meaning across, didn't he?

"Uhhhhh...", Lopmon sighed.

Jen and Cho were looking on.

"Sensei, you once said the Deva had their own kind of justice?", Jen asked.

"It's like the weather", he explained, as he looked out the window.

"Ehhhh?"

"Right now, it's cloudy; later it will be clear. Clear or cloudy, we define everything as good or bad. What is good and what is bad changes all the time".

"Like what's happening now...", Jen said, "...two worlds have gone beyond their bounds".

"Humans and those who live in that other world both believe their way is the right one. What is 'the right way'? If you find your way isn't right for you, you keep searching for a better way. That's the meaning of life for humans and for those born in the other world".

"I'm not so sure I agree", Jen replied. "Zhuqiaomon, the Sovereign who sent the Deva, was totally batshit crazy. If that wasn't bad enough, we have this new entity, and I can't see how this is a good thing. Misunderstandings are one thing, but you can't reason with insanity, and I don't think this thing is looking for a better way".

"What is insanity for you could be sanity for Zhuqiaomon. He has his path and you have yours, so who is to say who is right? As for this new entity, its acts are good from its perspective. You will have to follow your own paths".

West Shinjuku

Takato and Guilmon wandered streets strangely devoid of a human presence. He had never seen these streets so vacant, and that was a very strange sensation.

"Why is it so hot?", Guilmon asked.

It was unseasonably warm, especially for this time of year.

"I don't know", Takato replied, "the D-reaper?"

"The D-reaper's hot?"

"I don't know... that's the whole problem, this lack of information, and we know more about it than anyone who's actually trying to do something about it. That's why I couldn't go to Zushi... even if it was a promise".

Given the evacuation, the eerie silence, it wasn't hard to hear where the activity was occurring. Takato and Guilmon were hiding in a narrow alley a half block from a military cordon. They were going no farther, at least not that way.

"Takato?", Guilmon asked.

"Maybe you could evolve to Growlmon, break through...", he rethought that, "No. If you did that, they might figure for an enemy..."

"I'll evolve, if there's no other way..."

"I said no... Give me time to think" ...

"So Kazu went to West Shinjuku?", Jen's mother asked.

"That's what his father said: he and Impmon... Takato, too, I believe".

"I see... And?"

"I have to go too", Jen insisted.

"You have to go too?", she asked. "What will you do once you arrive?"

"W... Well...", Jen was at a loss for words.

"Tell me exactly what you intend to do?", she asked.

"First, I'll ask the others for ideas".

"That sounds pretty careless. Maybe that worked in the Digital World, but it won't work here. This is real life..."

"Mother, what makes you think life in the Digital World isn't just as real? It's different, but no less real just because you can't see it or touch it? We're the only ones who know what it is that appeared in Shinjuku... Only us: me, Takato, and Koichi and the rest of our friends. So... we can't just sit here, pretending we don't know anything, Mom!"

"Leave it to the proper authorities!"

"When it comes to this we are the 'proper authorities' (finger quotes) We're the only authorities".

"I don't think I ever told you", she began. "As I got to know your father, the difference that surprised me the most..."

"What?"

"A friend's house back in Hong Kong burned to the ground. They lost everything. He said he needed time off work to go there to help. He was in a new position, and the economy was horrible at the time. Everyone told him not to do it, not to resign so soon as he just got started. He might not find another job so easily. But your father didn't listen. 'What good are friends if they don't help each other in times of need?', he asked. So he left for Hong Kong... You're a lot like him..."

"So!"

"I can't let you", she said, blinking back the tears. "What kind of mother would I be to let you put yourself in such danger? No mother wants that! There are none! If there were, it would be unnatural. Anyway, I won't allow it! I won't... I won't... I won't..."

"Sorry, mother", Jen said as he stepped towards the door to collect Terriermon.

"I won't... I'll never..."

East Shinjuku: Ruki's House

Seiko had a hand over her mouth, not believing what she was hearing, not wanting to believe her granddaughter could possibly have done the things she was confessing.

"Oh, Ruki", Rumiko said. "How could you get yourself into such a jam?"

"I... don't know what to say", Ruki tried to explain. "Icedevimon promised that if I followed him, no one could ever break my heart again. He had it all, no one would ever betray his trust, no one would ever break a promise to love him forever, he would never cry. It was everything I thought I wanted for the longest time.

"Then that Deva, Catsuramon, told me everything I wanted to hear. He promised I'd have power and respect... that I could really be the Digimon Queen... then I wouldn't be a burden for anyone. I would be a leader".

"You should have come to us... said something", Seiko told her. "Didn't I once say you can't solve every problem on your own? You cut yourself off, and we have no idea what you're going through, and we can't help. Ruki: no one can live like that!

"You really want to live like Icedevimon? You reach out to others, and you will run the risk of heartbreak. I'm sorry you had to find that out so soon in your life, but can you tell me Icedevimon was ever happy living the way he did?"

"I know. I didn't want to burden you with my problems... That's all I've ever been: a burden for everyone".

"That's not true", Seiko protested.

"Isn't it? Because of me, you lost out on the chance to become a vice president. Because of me, my father can't support his new family. I've held back mother's career. You'd be better off without me"

"I don't know where you got such ideas", Seiko explained. "I didn't make VP, so what? Family is more important than any career. I know it's an old story that sounds trite with all the retelling, but Ruki, no one ever regretted on their death bed that they didn't spend more time at the office. You, your mother – my daughter – you, all of you, are more important than unloading stocks and bonds on unsuspecting investors and churning accounts to run up bigger commissions. Yes, I admit, it would have been nice, but not so much that I could just abandon the both of you when you needed me. I would have regretted that much more than I regret not making VP.

"Ruki, I don't understand how you can sell yourself so short as to believe I'd regret not doing for you what I had to do".

"Ruki, I didn't listen when I was told I was too young to marry", Rumiko explained. "I refused to listen, but they were right. Marrying your father was the biggest mistake of my life. I was seventeen at the time, and I thought I knew it all. But, Ruki, you were never a mistake. I have always been glad to have you in my life, and nothing can ever change that".

"What about my father? Didn't he promise to love me forever, and then he broke that promise..."

"I can't speak for your father. Maybe it was too painful for him to be reminded of the loss every time he saw you? I don't know, but it was rough, leading up to the divorce. Ruki, you keep everything to yourself, and this is the first I ever heard about it. If you would have come to us, explained how you were feeling, maybe we could have come up with some sort of alternative so you could see your father, spent time with him. I'm sure we could set aside our differences long enough for that.

"I know I made a lot of mistakes. I know it looks like I sometimes put my career ahead of everything else. It happens, and if we all knew what we were getting ourselves into, believe me, no one would ever have kids. I'm sincerely sorry for the pain I've caused you. I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I'm too unapproachable. I really didn't mean it".

"But what am I going to do?", Ruki asked.

"I don't know", Seiko said, "but from what you've told us, this transformation into data to enter the Digital World, that Catsuramon could have programmed you into doing anything. Didn't you tell us you knew where to find his palace as soon as you arrived in that desert? It's not your fault, not completely. You're being too hard on yourself, and that's been a problem with you even before these digimon started arriving. You want forgiveness? You can start by forgiving yourself".

"What about before... in the subway..."

"Ruki, you weren't responsible for that child's death. Didn't you tell us Icedevimon attacked before Jen told you there was a child left behind? How could you know? You couldn't..."

"What I said to Jen..."

"I don't know. You thought it was all an elaborate game, that it wasn't quite real. You were thoughtless and mean, but that was then. I don't like that you could be that way, and I wonder how I failed you as a mother that you could ever think like that. What matters most is you know better now, don't you?", Rumiko told her.

"For what it's worth... too little, too late"

"It's never too late, Ruki. You'll just have to put it behind you".

"You mean, just forget..."

"I didn't say that", she explained. "I don't know Juri, and I can't say whether she will ever forgive you or not. What matters most is that you want to make it right, as right as possible. It's not gonna be easy, but I believe you can".

"You... think so?"

"Let us believe in you until you can believe in yourself again. You have a choice: you can get through this and come out the other side the better for it. Or you can let it destroy you. Your choice, Ruki", Seiko added.

West Shinjuku: Hypnos Temporary HQ

"Here, thanks", Janyu said to Curly as he handed back a DVD.

"Why has Hypnos quit working?", Yamaki asked no one in particular. "Why did that thing appear and head straight for Hypnos? Is it Hypnos' fault?"

Janyu went to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't know what to say.

Matsumoto:

"Juri!", her step mom called. "Juri!"

"Hey, Masahiko", she asked her younger brother, who was in the back hallway, playing with a model car, "you haven't seen Juri, have you?"

"She left", he replied, still concentrating on his car.

"She went out?"

"No, that way", he pointed.

"There's nothing back there but the utility closet and laundry room", she said to herself.

She looked down the darkened hallway, feeling uneasy for some reason.

"Juri?", she called out, but there was no answer.

"Juri!", she called out, as she pulled a chain to light the overhead florescent light. The hallway was empty.

West Shinjuku: Outside Chou Park

Eight soldiers were moving out, the one bringing up the rear was recording everything on video. Suddenly, he was jerked off his feet as something grabbed the cable. The video camera disappeared around the corner of a building.

They moved forward, cautiously, ready for anything. As they rounded the corner, they were confronted by dozens of bird-looking things. More were appearing, each one trailing a cable. They had no idea as to what these could possibly be. They weren't aware these were just observation drones that had no offensive capability. However, they decided a retreat would be a good idea. The sky was filling with them as they left.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

"Here it is", Takato announced.

"Here's what?", Guilmon asked.

"It's the flood diversion tunnel you've been through lots of times. I remembered it comes out at the Ome Highway, just above us. It'll lead us straight to Shinjuku Chou Park", he explained.

"Let's go!"

"Yeah..."

"You weren't thinking of skipping out on us were you?", they heard someone calling. Kazu was riding Deinondramon, who landed on the pedestrian overpass. He devolved to Impmon. Kazu lived farther out, in a part of Shinjuku that had avoided evacuation. They figured Takato was here, and spotting him from the air was not difficult as there was so little activity.

"Y...you came too?", he asked.

"Of course", Kazu called back. "You weren't thinking of not inviting us to your party, were you?"

"No", Takato denied. "You weren't thinking of not inviting us to yours?", he challenged.

"Well... maybe", Kazu replied.

"That's awful".

"Hey!", and a ringing of a bicycle bell.

"Glad you could make it too", they called to Jen and Terriermon.

After they'd climbed down into the flood diversion channel, they gathered by the entrance.

"How about Koichi?", Takato asked.

"I think we can get by without them", Kazu said.

"But, why?", asked Impmon.

"Yeah?", Jen asked.

"Those two... they had no business bringing her back! I can understand why, after all, if Juri asked you not to, but you did your part. They should have left her to rot in that desert".

"Isn't that a little harsh?", Takato asked. "It's not like you. Impmon?"

"I... have mixed feelings about this too. Even if Ruki was once Renamon's partner, I can understand the bond between partners doesn't break completely, but after everything she did... I... just don't know".

"You almost didn't make it back", Guilmon added. "If they had stayed with the Ark, then you wouldn't've nearly gotten yourself stranded. If Impmon hadn't figured out how to stop it, you wouldn't be here. They almost cost me my partner. Don't forget that".

"So you're just gonna cut them out completely?", Terriermon asked. "We may need the help if we're to overcome this enemy. You saw what it did in the Digital World? I think we're gonna need all the help we can get".

"Maybe, Terriermon", Kazu explained, "but it's gonna take us time to reconcile what they did with how we feel about it. I liked Leomon and Juri as much as any of you".

"Terriermon's right", Jen explained, "but no sense arguing about it now".

"Then Ryo?", Takato asked.

"I wouldn't count on him either", Kazu said. "The way his father was after we got back, he'll probably be grounded until he's forty".

"He also doesn't live around here", Jen added.

It was getting late as they entered the side tunnel. Even though no work being done, they were happy to see the lights hadn't been turned off in the main tunnel. That's what they'd expected. Maybe no one thought to do so before the evacuations?

"What are you going to do? That's what she asked me. I didn't know what to tell her", Jen said.

"This is a tough opponent, even for the Holy Beasts", Impmon replied.

"It'll all work out some how, won't it?", Terriermon answered with his usual optimism.

"We'll just have to see it does", Guilmon agreed.

"Eh", Impmon whispered, barely audible.

They walked on in silence, as there wasn't anything more to be said until they better knew with what they were dealing. They made their way to the main entrance by the park. The roll away door was closed and locked, but there was a side entrance for the construction crew. It could be opened from the inside.

"What's going on?", Guilmon asked.

It was sundown, and they could easily see the tracers from the shells being fired at something in the sky. It looked to be by the Hypnos building, thought they really couldn't tell.

"What's happening?", Takato asked.

"They're firing at something", Jen said, "but what?"

"D-reaper?", Kazu speculated.

By the flashes of explosions, they could make out a small figure weaving and dodging between the flairs of light.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

That night, Ruki slept peacefully for the first time since the return to the Material World.