39) The Once and Future Tamer
Takato, Jen, Kazu and their partners ran to get a better view. They stood before the margins of the woods, looking over the trees. By the light of tracer fire, they could see the small critter, still dodging and weaving.
Suddenly, to their surprise, a pair of golden eyes appeared from behind the trees.
"Hell's that!", Takato called out. Before he could get an answer, more and more of these eyes began appearing. They resolved themselves into a group of bird-like critters. Then they could see that these "eyes" were just decorations on their wings. It was also obvious why this was the first feature they saw: their bulbous bodies were a dark gray that blended in well with the surrounding darkness. At the base of their heads was a thin, green disc, with a larger disc of the same colour at the base of their tails from which trailed a cable.
The features were inexpressive, angular and artificial in appearance. The eyes blank, black discs. Three flew forward, one eying Jen as it cocked its head in the same manner as a curious bird.
"Digimon?"
"No, Jen", Terriermon informed him.
"Whatever they are, they definitely aren't digimon", Guilmon agreed.
"Really, Guilmon?", Takato asked.
"These are probably D-reaper", Impmon speculated.
The disc around their necks began spinning with a soft whirring sound.
"What's with them? They're weird", Kazu said.
"What are they doing?", Jen asked.
Guilmon reached out towards the closest one.
"Guilmon!", Takato reprimanded as he pulled the paw back. "If it is D-reaper, you could have all your data deleted!"
"What're you talking about? Here, I'm every bit flesh and blood as you are", Guilmon complained.
"You weren't with us", Takato explained, "but when we met Mr. Mizuno in his underwater library, he explained that DNA was another medium for storing data. How do you know that thing can't delete that kind of data just as easily as it deleted digital data in the Digital World? You really want to take that chance?"
"Oh", Guilmon said, "I wasn't thinking of it that way".
The whirring sound increased in volume as more and more were arriving.
"For now, I think we should go", Takato said.
"Get the hell out of here", Jen agreed, as they began running down the street.
"It doesn't look like they're coming after us", Impmon announced as he looked back.
"Best to find some place to hide", Jen suggested.
"I know just the place", Takato announced as he led the way to their school. They found a side door that had been left unlocked. The building was vacant, no night watch was on patrol, so they had free reign of the whole building.
Not the most comfortable accommodations. Jen shoved three desks together to make a bed. Kazu slept on top of a bookcase, Guilmon curled up on the floor, as Impmon claimed the window sill. Takato slept in one of the chairs, feet propped on a desktop. He was up as the morning sunlight reached the windows.
"C'mon, Guilmon", he prodded the crimson dino awake.
"Mornin' already?"
"Good morning", Kazu said, as he got up. They all exchanged "Good morning's".
Impmon got off the window sill as Takato pulled back the drapes.
"So far, it doesn't look like it's doing much of anything", he said as he looked at the red mass. It looked to have climbed up to the bases of the twin towers of the Hypnos building, about a third of the way up.
"Seems awfully... quiet", Jen agreed.
There was no sound of traffic, no sounds of explosions, so the SDF wasn't firing at it. Nor was there any sign of the small figure they'd seen the night before. Did the SDF get it? They wondered.
"How about we get a bite?", Guilmon asked.
"You just got...", Takato was interrupted by the growling of his stomach.
"Sounds like you're hungry too", Guilmon pointed out.
"Yeah...", Takato agreed.
"Where?", Jen asked.
"Raid the vending machines?", Kazu suggested.
"I have a better idea", Takato said, as he led the way.
"You think we can?", Kazu asked.
"Maybe we could make better use of our time?", Jen added.
"I don't think it's gonna make any difference", Impmon replied. "Besides, it sounds like fun. We could all do with a pleasant diversion".
"C'mon in", Takato invited as he unlocked the side door of the bakery.
"Think we can actually do it?", Terriermon asked.
"I've seen my dad make bread lots of times", Takato explained.
"Let's see: flour, yeast, sugar", he checked out a pantry. "Eggs, butter", as he checked the refrigerator. We have everything!", he announced.
"Water's OK", Takato said as he turned on a faucet. "Gas is OK too", as he lit a burner. "We're good to go: fresh baked bread for breakfast".
"So how do we start?", Jen asked.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Ruki's still not up?", Rumiko asked.
"Let her sleep", Seiko told her, "first good night's sleep she's had in awhile".
"I was going out shopping, but I guess I don't really need her for that. Be back soon. Let me know if there are any calls".
"I don't think they'll be calling for a photo shoot", Seiko told her daughter.
"I don't either, but just in case, yannow".
The morning sunlight seemed to be coming through the window at an unusually high angle by the time Ruki woke up.
"What a weird...", she began to say as she rubbed her eyes.
"'Bout damn time you woke up", an unfamiliar voice caused her to sit up like a shot.
"Huh?! You... it wasn't..."
"No, Ruki, it wasn't a dream. I'm very much real".
"Lu... Lutramon?"
"I will be your partner, if you'll have me", the female, anthro-otter digimon explained.
She was sitting at the desk chair, right knee crossed over the left, arms folded. She stood up on digitigrade feet. The slick fur brownish-gray on her back and along her sides, white down the front. Long tail trailing behind, thick at the base and narrowing gradually to a pointed tip. She was as tall as Renamon, but thinner and as delicate in appearance as the Material World animal her form was based on. She was as lacking in modesty as Renamon, but unlike Renamon, she wore no fashion accessories.
"If you are to right the wrongs you committed as a digimon, it will have to be as a digimon".
"Yes, of course...", Ruki started. "I... I... really don't deserve this", she apologized. "I promise I will do my best to be a worthy partner".
"I believe you", Lutramon said.
With that, a white ball of light appeared near the ceiling. When Ruki received it, the new digivice switched itself on, and into "Ident" mode:
Lutramon
Champion, Vaccine
Anthro animal digimon
Attacks are Ring of Bright Water and Grand Slam
"You see, you have learned a most valuable lesson: those who seek great power are the ones most likely to abuse it. Those who do not seek power are the most worthy to receive it. You have paid a high price to learn this. That is why you worthy of another chance".
"You - all of you - will have my everlasting gratitude for that".
"Ruki! I'm back!", Rumiko called out. "You up yet?"
"Coming!", she called back.
She went to her closet to change; as she was pulling out the jeans and T, she changed her mind. She pulled on that pink dress, the one from the ill-fated photo shoot.
"I'll be right back", she explained.
"I'll be waiting".
"Do I look nice?", she asked.
"Of course you do, and not just because you're my daughter", Rumiko told her. "Thank you for wearing the dress. I know it's not your style", she paused. "I bought you something", as she handed Ruki a package.
"What?", as she looked inside. She pulled out one of the T-shirts. The color scheme was identical to the ones she habitually wore: white, teal and yellow trim. All the same except that the dark blue heart emblazoned on the white background was complete.
"Do you like it?", Seiko asked.
"Oh, yes!", she agreed. "Thank you".
"Go on, try it on".
Ruki retired to her room to change.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Megumi was waiting outside the Hypnos van. She didn't have anything to do, now that Hypnos was installing itself into a new office tower. Inside, Janyu was carrying a large box, as the various technicians were running cables, and doing the equipment install. They'd been at it all night.
"It's so calm...", Yamaki announced as Janyu approached. "Why isn't it making any aggressive moves?", he asked.
"Do you think we're safe here?", Daisy asked, as it looked to her as they hadn't moved far enough out of range.
"I don't know", Janyu replied. "It looks like it's avoiding the park for some unknown reason".
"Anyway", Yamaki announced, "we lack information. I'm going to the City Defense HQ for a situation report. I'll leave the rest of the installation to you".
"OK"
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Won't this place be in danger soon?", Megumi's partner asked. She and Megumi waited by the van while Yamaki went to see the commander.
"I guess so", Megumi agreed. "Unless they can stop the spread of that red shit".
"We suffered many losses from last night's battle", the City Defense commander was explaining. "We're not retreating that easily".
"But...", Yamaki was interrupted.
"The missile is ready for launch!", one of the soldiers announced.
"Alright! Launch it!", the commander announced.
"Launch!", the soldier relayed the command.
"You intend to explode a missile right here in the city?!", Yamaki called out.
"This missile doesn't have an explosive warhead", the commander explained.
"Ehhhh?", Yamaki asked.
"It's carrying a video surveillance camera. We should be getting a view of what's happening inside that mass on the monitor".
The images began to arrive.
"That's the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building!". Yamaki gasped in horror. This mass had uprooted it from its foundation, as well as every building surrounding it. All these buildings were now supported on columns of that red mass.
"What's going on in there?", he asked. He would get no further answers that way, as the camera lens was covered in red mass, and the images faded to black.
"It would seem it doesn't want us to find out", the commander commented.
Yamaki had another expert to consult, if he could find him.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Mom, Gran", Ruki said as she exited the bedroom wearing her usual jeans and the new T-shirt, "I'd like for you to meet my new partner, Lutramon", she waved.
The anthro-otter stepped into view.
"You have another digimon?", Rumiko asked. This was the first time she'd actually seen one, up close and personal.
"Yes, it would seem I've been given a second chance", she explained.
"See? Didn't I say you'd find a way?", Seiko said.
"Yeah", Ruki agreed.
"I remember playing with digimon when I was your age", Rumiko explained.
"But you didn't believe in digimon when you got older?", Seiko added.
"I guess I didn't", she agreed. "Maybe..."
"If you had kept up the interest, you'd be the one with the partner? Or you both would?"
"Yeah", Ruki and Rumiko agreed.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"I'm full", Takato announced.
"Me too", Jen agreed. "I didn't know bread could taste so good straight out of the oven".
"I'm beginning to see where Guilmon got the taste for it", Impmon agreed. Guilmon was still devouring a bun. Suddenly, his ears went up.
"Impmon?", Kazu asked.
"A car", he announced as the sound became audible to the humans.
"Who?", Jen asked as he heard a car door open.
"I thought everyone would be gone by now", Takato said, as the door bell began to ring. He went to see who it was. They'd come to the side door residential entrance, not the front door. He peered out.
"Mr. Yamaki!", Takato was surprised to see him here. "Oh, uhhhh... thanks for doing business with us", he said to Megumi. "You come here quite often".
"Yes", she agreed, "hello there".
"I was hoping I would find you here", he explained. "You know each other?"
"Oh yeah, I come by almost every morning to pick up a croissant and coffee", she explained. "Would be nicer to meet under better circumstances".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Yes!", Janyu announced, "it's done!"
"Shall I put on some coffee?", Daisy asked. She gasped in shock.
"What's wrong?", Janyu asked.
Daisy said nothing, just pointing to the landing above the main floor.
"Shibumi", Janyu called out.
"You're alive!", Daisy greeted.
"I see you somehow managed to not scramble your eggs permanently", Janyu said. "That was a very foolish thing you did".
"I was having a nice long nap", Shibumi explained. "I figured it was a good time to wake up, come to tell you what you're dealing with", he said. "I wasn't expecting to get myself lost in the Digital World that long".
"You know what it is?", Janyu asked.
"It's... D-reaper", he replied.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"D-reaper?!", Yamaki exclaimed.
"Yes", Jen explained, "it's the same thing we saw while we were in the Digital World".
"So it isn't just in the Digital World after all?", he asked.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"D-reaper was a program that cleared an area of memory when the data exceeded a set size", Shibumi explained. "Remember? Kinda nostalgic, don't you think?"
"Nostalgic? Stop fooling around", Daisy reprimanded. "The D-reaper preceded our research on Digimon... How can that be?"
"The digimon grew in number and evolved too fast", Janyu speculated. "So the D-reaper acted on its programming and began to eliminate them".
"Yes", Shibumi agreed. "As for the Material World, I'm certain that, for the D-reaper, there are lots of things that need elimination".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"Please, whatever it is, tell me everything you know", Yamaki requested.
"We know it's determined to destroy everything it can", Kazu explained. "It would just touch something, and, poof: it was gone just like that".
"Qinglongmon told us it reacted negatively to the digimons' evolution, that it was destroying the Digital World, and that he tried to appease it by stopping all digivolution. The Sovereign seemed to believe that it wasn't acting on any sort of conscious level... I'm not so sure", Jen added. "It seemed to be acting with volition when it interfered with our transit out of the Digital World... could that mean it didn't want us returning to tell what we know?"
They were interrupted by the sound of distant gunfire. They ran from the bakery to stand in the middle of the street to see what was going on.
"They started fighting again", Takato declared the obvious.
"I told them that conventional arms were useless against it", Yamaki explained. "Nothing good will come of this, and all that this will accomplish is to get more good men killed uselessly".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
The commander ordered: "Fire at will! we will destroy it this time!", he said of the strange little critter they'd been firing at all night.
Three helicopter gunships and a self propelled artillery piece opened up. It looked like way too much firepower, as air to surface missiles blossomed from rocket launchers, and shells filled the air with flashes of light and concussions.
After the salvos, it was still there, untouched.
"Bullshit!", the commander called out, "every shot should've scored a hit!"
He watched, horrified, as the unknown critter suddenly attacked the helos, taking all three of them down within seconds.
"It... destroyed them all?", he asked, not believing what his own eyes showed him: three plumes of black smoke rising from the Chaos Mass where they'd crashed.
The black Hypnos van screeched to a halt at the curb. Everyone piled out.
"It's that thing we saw last night", Takato announced.
"And it looks like it's trailing a cable", Jen added. This was a feature he hadn't noticed in the darkness. "No doubt about it: that's the D-reaper".
"Digimon are fighting for their lives in the Digital World", Takato explained, "and it's up to us to do our part to help save our city".
He had out his digivice, and reflexively reached for a card. That was no longer necessary, he realized.
Guilmon Matrix Evolve! ...
... MEGALOGROWLMON!
Impmon Matrix Evolve! ...
... DEINONDRAMON!
Terriermon Matrix Evolve! ...
... RAPIDMON!
"We're counting on you guys!", Takato called out encouragement
"So this is the digimon's evolution?", Yamaki asked himself, as he had never actually seen it live, just monitored its occurrences at Hypnos.
They watched it fire four spherical projectiles at their digimon.
"Megalogrowlmon!", Takato called out.
He slashed at it with his blades, shattering the one meant for him as it burst into Chaos Mass.
"Shoot it down!", Jen called out.
"Rapid Fire!", his partner struck with his twin RPGs. Same result: the projectiles were destroyed.
"Raptor Slash!", Deinondramon got the last one.
"Yes! Deinondramon!", Kazu celebrated.
The commander was watching through binoculars: "Do we have no other choice but to rely on those children and their digimon?", he asked no one in particular.
"No", Yamaki told him. "That's not true, and we will find the means to back them up. We aren't leaving them alone and unsupported, of that I can assure you".
"Atomic Blaster!", Megalogrowlmon fired.
"Homing Missile!", Rapidmon joined him.
"Electromagnetic Disruptor!", Deinondramon followed suit.
This D-reaper entity dodn't look the least bit surprised or worried about these attacks.
"Noway!", Kazu was the first to say it: the D-reaper entity absorbed the attacks unharmed.
Takato was doubled over, grabbing his midsection. The D-reaper entity had just fired back at Megalogrowlmon with a replica of his own Atomic Blaster attack. Rapidmon and Deinondramon got the same treatment: Deinondramon was hit with his own Electromagnetic Disruptor, and Rapidmon was unable to dodge his own homing missiles. Neither Jen not Kazu felt the attacks the way Takato did, as they didn't have the same psychic connection that grew out of having created the designs of their partners.
"Takato!", Jen called out. "That damn thing learned our attacks!"
This was something they were not expecting. The attacks should have destroyed it.
"It's more formidable than we thought?", Kazu asked.
"We can still kick its ass!", Takato announced.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
(...in West Shinjuku a fierce battle between monsters called "digimon" and an unknown entity is taking place...)
Ruki joined Seiko and Rumiko, as they were watching the battle live on cable.
"My friends!", Ruki called out, "They're in trouble... I gotta help them!"
"What..."
She didn't wait, as she and Lutramon headed for the back door. They stood in the backyard.
"This is gonna be a bit... weird", Ruki explained as she took out her digivice.
"Matrix Evolution, Biomerge Activate!"
Seiko and Rumiko watched as a golden light enveloped Ruki and her partner. Next, they disappeared, hidden from view inside an egg-shaped spheroid that crackled with electricity...
Lutramon Evolve! …
Suddenly, it burst...
... HOUOUMON!
Her mother and grandmother could only watch speechless as the large bird digimon they'd become stood before them. Did she even know who she was?
"Don't worry, Gran, I'll be back in plenty of time to help you get ready"
That answered that question. Hououmon took off, whipping their dresses around them with the out wash of her four golden wings.
"Good luck, Ruki!", Seiko called out after Hououmon.
She could see the battle from a distance as she gained altitude. She banked sharply to the west.
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
"What is this thing?", Rapidmon asked.
"I've never dealt with anything like it", Deinondramon said. "It's like I'm fighting myself".
"Takato!", Megalogrowlmon called out.
"We have to evolve to beat it!", he called out as he thrust forward his digivice, "Megalogrowlmon!" Nothing happened.
"Why?", he asked.
"We could do it in the Digital World because we were also data there", Jen explained.
"Then we can't get to Mega?!", Takato asked. "What are we supposed to do now!", he called out in frustration.
Just then, a large shadow passed over. "Huh?", Takato asked.
"Who're you?", Deinondramon asked.
"A friend", Hououmon said. There was no more time for talk, as the D-reaper entity was starting its attack run. It swung sharp sickles at the ends of long cords, turning it into a buzz saw.
"Crimson Flare!", Hououmon attacked.
The D-reaper agent saw it coming, and stopped its attack. It dodged and avoided taking the full hit. However, the explosion severed that cable.
"It stopped moving!", Rapidmon called out.
"Before it can recover!", Deinondramon called out.
"Electromagnetic Disruptor!"
"Golden Triangle!"
"Atomic Blaster!"
They combined attacks that struck almost simultaneously. The small figure that had given them so much trouble burst into splatters of Chaos Mass.
"Yes! They did it!", Takato rejoiced.
They stood at the main entrance to the park.
"We couldn't've done it without you", Megalogrowlmon said. "Thank you for that".
"How do you know us?", Deinondramon asked.
"Terriermon knows who I am, don't you? Just look beneath the surface".
Rapidmon concentrated for a few seconds: "I see", he said. "She did it again: this is Ruki's new digimon form".
"You look cool, Ruki", Megalogrowlmon said.
"Hey now", she objected, "I'm not Ruki now. I'm Hououmon!"
"Whatever you say", Deinondramon said, "ROO KEY!" He laughed. The others joined in on the joke.
"I'm Hououmon"
"Roo key"
"Hououmon"
"Roo key"
"Hououmon, Hououmon, Hououmon..."
"Roo key, Roo key, Roo key..."
Takato thought he saw something.
"Juri?"