48) Unexpected Developments
"Hi, I'm Suguru Homma, and I'll be your therapist", the child psychologist introduced himself to his new patient: Ruki Makino, as he invited her to have a seat in an easy chair.
"Is this really necessary? I know Mr. Yamaki suggested it, and Hypnos is picking up the tab".
"I have a confession", he admitted. "I almost refused this case. This isn't something I ever expected to see. You've been through a lot that other ten year old girls just don't deal with every day. How many ever have responsibilities that would be overwhelming for adults just thrust upon them? What do you think?"
"I don't like talking about myself, and I never did. I wonder, what's the point?"
"I appreciate you can be honest about that, and it's understandable. No one does, at least not to strangers. There are things you need to talk about to work through them. I I have the preliminary discussions with you mother and grandmother, Mr. Yamaki, and your partner. I think you already know that".
"Yeah. How do you go from hero back to zero? We – all of us – are, what now? Just a bunch of kids. I miss the excitement more than anything. I mean, after I won that Tamers Tournament, I thought it was just fantastic. I was up there on the stage, everyone applauding, I was given this award. By the time I got back home, that medal didn't look so bright and shiny. I mean, I thought that was it. Pretty anticlimactic after putting so much into it for so long, you know what I mean?"
"I think I do".
"Now this. We saved, not one, but two worlds. What can I ever do that'll compare?"
"You go on and live the rest of your life. You're not alone. There are lots of people out there who've done many heroic things early on. So what if you're never the big hero? There's more to life than that. You did more than your duty, and no one has the right to ask any more of you".
"Yada, yada, yada: Mom and Gran, and Lutramon all say the same thing".
"And they are all right. From here, you go on. As have every other hero. Life is pretty mundane for the most part. Nothing we can do about that. That it should happen so early in your life makes it all the more difficult. However, having said that, there's more than that, that you don't want to talk about".
"Such as?"
"Lilithmon..."
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Everyone and their partners were waiting in a conference room at the new Hypnos headquarters. Given that the original building wouldn't be completely reconstructed for at least several years, the temporary facilities were now the new facilities.
"What do you suppose this is all about?", Ryo asked.
"I have no idea", Koichi told him. "It was all so mysterious".
"I mean, he sent a private jet", Ryo explained. "I'm sure this isn't done for just anyone".
"Except we aren't just anyone", Ruki explained.
"Moumentai! If Yamaki and Jen's father think it's important, it's important".
"Zhuqiaomon?", Takato asked.
"I'm sure it's not that", Renamon explained. "We would have detected more incursions. We haven't heard a thing from him since we left the Digital World".
"Speculation isn't getting us anywhere...", Impmon started.
"I'm sure you are wondering why you've been asked to come here", it was Yamaki now arriving with Janyu and Shibumi. "This is a matter that involves your partners. You will have to make a decision", he continued.
"If you have something to say, then just say it", Koichi objected.
"Very well then", Yamaki conceded. "If that's how you feel about it..."
"It is", Ruki confirmed.
"Yeah, that goes for me too", Takato announced.
"Shibumi?", Yamaki turned the discussion over to him.
"We've been doing some tests", he began. "Sequencing your partners' DNA. What we've found is that a lot of it is animal DNA..."
"How much?", Koichi asked.
"All of it".
"What does that mean?", Guilmon asked.
"Your partners are dying..."
"How... long do I have?", Renamon asked. This sounded uncharacteristic, Koichi thought.
"I mean, it's not gonna happen tomorrow, or even next year. However, every day they remain here in the Material World is another day they age. They will grow older, and eventually they will die.
"The question is how long? Foxes live for 25 years, although one made it to 40. Otters, the same: 25 – 30 years. Dogs, ten to fifteen years, and rabbits much less, maybe five years at the most", Shubumi explained.
"What about me?", Impmon asked.
"That's hard to say in your case as you're a hybrid of sorts. As for Guilmon and Monodramon, they seem to have the longest projected life spans".
"It would be irresponsible to keep this from you", Yamaki took over. "Don't get too attached to the Material World unless you're ready to accept the consequences... all the consequences. So long as you remain in the Material World, you play by Material World rules, and this is one of those rules".
"Then there's no urgency, really?", Impmon asked.
"Not right away", Yamaki confirmed. "We'll have to figure a way to get you back to the Digital World, somehow".
"I don't think that will pose a problem", Jen explained, "if these Digignomes of Shubumi's are still on the job".
Ruki and Lutramon hung back, waiting for the others to leave, as she didn't want them to know...
"Mr. Mizuno", she approached Shibumi.
"Yes?", he asked. "Looks like something's weighing on your mind. If it's because of what we told you..."
"Nothing to do with that", Ruki replied.
"Oh?"
"I was thinking, back then, when we were trying to get Juri out of the Kernel Sphere... I... we... were somehow able to use Leomon's attack. I loaded Leomon when I was still in the Digital World, and I was wondering..."
"What?"
"I want to do something for Juri... is there any way to recover Leomon's data? To re materialize him like you did with the Ark?"
"I... don't really know. I don't think anything like that's ever been done. Certainly not by us, and I don't think even in the Digital World..."
"It hasn't", Lutramon agreed.
"What harm can it do, just to see if maybe..."
"That's not the problem, Ruki. I can scan you digitally, just as we did with Terriermon, when we implanted Shaggai within his data structure. That works the same, human or digimon.
"Even if you are harboring some of Leomon's data, you were still biomerged with Icedevimon at the time, and Icedevimon is long gone. Then there's the problem of separating you from that data if it's still there. I'm not even certain Yamaki would even agree to allow the attempt to be made".
"Please, could you at least try?"
"I suppose so;, see if anything's there. Still, I'd need Yamaki's approval to attempt anything more".
"We'd really appreciate it".
"I understand you want to do everything you can to make it right, and that's admirable. However, I warn you in advance, you may be disappointed. Ruki, there are some things you can't fix regardless of how much you want to. You may just have to live with it".
"Now you sound like that shrink I've been seeing"
"He's giving you good advice. It would be best for you to take it, and not hang all your hopes on something that may never be possible".
Hypnos Headquarters
Shibumi was escorting Ruki: "You understand, this is just a scan?"
"Yes, you explained that. Even if you find something, you still need Yamaki's approval".
"Quite right. There's a couple of other things".
"Such as?"
"No MP3 player. Another thing, you will have to undress".
"I don't care about that", Ruki explained. "You guys who showed me naked in Hououmon's Data Sphere to everyone".
Ruki pulled off her "uniform" and dropped her clothes on the floor. She stood there, naked. She recalled that one morning: exiting the bedroom naked as a jay bird. "Why aren't you dressed?', her mother asked. "I... forgot?", was all she could say.
Lutramon explained about digimon and their lack of modesty, and that this new lack of modesty on Ruki's part could have been a side effect of the bio-merging.
"Up on the table", Shibumi said. "Lay as still as you can for as long as you can. It's just like an MRI, if you've ever had one..."
"Never did".
"It'll just take longer, that's the only difference".
South Shinjuku: The Lonnegan Residence
"Renamon?", Koichi asked. He was awakened that morning to find Renamon in the bathroom, kneeling on the floor, head in the toilet bowl, throwing up. She stood by the sink, to wash the puke from her mouth. She leaned heavily against the sink, shaking visibly. Koichi had never seen Renamon like this.
"That Red Card...", she paused to catch her breath. "I think it fucked me up... I... I'm afraid I'm dying. Ever since the last battle... It's getting worse"
"Why didn't you say something?!"
"I thought it would pass. I didn't want to worry you..."
"You're my partner. You should have said something... I'll get in touch with Yamaki".
"No, Dad, I'm ditching classes today. There's something wrong with Renamon, and I'll need to see her to Hypnos".
He dialed Yamaki's private line: "Mr. Yamaki? Glad I caught you in..."
"I'm doing just fine..."
"Renamon's the one not doing so great. She thinks she's suffering from side effects of Shibumi's Red Card algorithm cockup. I need to get her looked at..."
"Yes, I know it's short notice, but your digimon specialist, can you perhaps persuade him?"
"I'll be expecting your return call".
"I didn't think digimon got sick?", Doyle asked.
"Just because none of the others have, doesn't mean it's not possible".
"Then..."
"I don't know. The longer they stay here, the more likely it becomes. The more they're exposed to Material World germs, the more likely they'll catch one".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
It wasn't until 3:00 before Yamaki's digimon specialist could see them.
"Renamon?", the nurse said, as she got up to follow to the examination room.
"I'll be waiting", Koichi said, as he returned to the article in the waiting room magazine.
"OK, Renamon, up on the scale. Let's get your weight".
"Open wide, and under the tongue"
Five seconds later, the thermometer beeped.
"Well?", Renamon asked.
"You've put on some weight, almost five kilos, since your last visit. Your temperature is up a couple of points".
Next the nurse handed her a cup: "Fill this if you can, and leave it on the counter", as Renamon was shown the small restroom.
Renamon sat down, spread her legs...
"You can close the door, yannow", the nurse pointed out.
"I keep forgetting that".
After Renamon was done, the nurse pulled out a fresh sheet of paper over the examination table: "Up you go; the doctor will be with you shortly".
Renamon gave a backwards leap up, and sat to wait, and wait, and wait. She was beginning to wonder why she didn't bring along one of the magazines when the doctor finally arrived.
"Not feeling well, I understand".
"I can't seem to be able to keep anything down, and most food scents make me sick to my stomach... I'm worried..."
"I'm sure it's nothing..."
"I'm afraid that Red Card did something to me... Either that, or the transit on the Ark fucked up somehow".
"We'll see..."
Once again, he shined a light into her eyes, looked into her ears, stuck a tongue depressor in her mouth, listened to her heart and lungs.
He reached under her mane, and she winced as soon as he touched her breasts.
"That hurt?"
"Yeah, a little".
"How about this?", he asked as he pressed a hand into the small of her back. "any discomfort?"
"Some".
"Hmmmm..."
"Doc?"
"When it comes to digimon physiology, I'm flying by the seat of my pants. However, in your case, I don't need to wait for the results of the urinalysis. I know what it'll show, for what it's worth without a baseline... All the classic symptoms are there..."
"Does it have anything to do with that Red Card?"
"No, it doesn't"
"Then what's wrong with me?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Renamon: you're pregnant"
"What?!"
"You're pregnant"
"Howthehelldidthathappen?!"
The doctor fake coughed to cover up the laughter: "If anyone other than a digimon said that..."
"What?"
"Never mind. Bad Material World joke. I'll have to consult with Yamaki, see what he can come up with... Congratulations, you're gonna be a mother".
"Mother?", she said it more for herself. "I'm a digimon warrior, and there are a lot of other things I thought I'd be, but, mother... I like the sound of that".
"I don't know how much good this will do you", he said as he handed her every pamphlet about pregnancy he had on hand. You might want to Google up information on canids as well. That's about all I can do for you".
Hypnos Headquarters
"You asked to see me, Mr. Mizuno. Did you find out anything?", Ruki asked.
"Yes, we did. I have the results of your scan. We did find something. You do have Leomon's data. And Icedevimon's too".
"Then..."
"I'm afraid I have some bad news. The data isn't complete, as I feared. Even if we reconstructed the missing data, that still wouldn't bring Leomon back. He'd just be a copy, not the original Leomon. Besides, that's a moot point. His data is so intermingled with your own, there's no possibility of separating Leomon's from yours. At least with our current technology".
"Oh", she said, as she looked down at the floor.
"I'm sorry to have to disappoint you, but you knew it was a long shot".
"Yeah"
"It was a good thought, Ruki, and I know you wanted to do something nice for Juri".
"C'mon, I'll take you home", Lutramon said. "You did everything you could".
"I guess..."
Koichi and Renamon were meeting with Yamaki and his specialist.
"We found nothing when we reviewed the records from Operation Doodlebug", Yamaki was explaining. "Our original assessment was correct: there are no lingering after effects from the Red Card algorithm, despite its not working as planned.
"However, we did find something when we checked the records from the Ark more closely. Renamon was about to fork a process".
"A digiegg", Renamon said.
"Yes, it would have appeared in the Primary Village as a new digiegg", Janyu agreed. "The rematerialization algorithm interpreted this data in the only way it could, and rematerialized it as a foetus".
"Could it be mine?", Koichi asked.
"Under normal circumstances...", the digimon specialist put up two displays, side-by-side.
"Humans have 46 chromosomes", as he pointed out the left hand display showing the chromosomes laid out in 23 rows and two columns.
"Renamon has 54 chromosomes", the additional eight lengthened the columns of the right hand display. "there is no way in hell you could get her pregnant if you had 'relations' (finger quotes) here in the Material World.
"However, you tell me you did have 'relations' while you were in the Digital World. That's not supposed to happen, and digimon don't have sex as we know it while in virtual form. Everything we assumed about digimon and the Digital World says it shouldn't be possible. Hell, digimon don't even know what sex is, besides what they learn of it from the Material World. They're not supposed to even have those kinds of feelings in their world.
"However, Renamon acquired the organs, the genitalia, and all the feelings that go with them when she materialized that first time in Ruki's house. Then she took them back to the Digital World with her. The both of you existed there as virtual life: disembodied data. Could you intermingle your ones 'n' zeros, unlike your chromosomes? Hell, I don't know".
"What of the child? Will he or she be able to digivolve?"
"I don't know".
"What if I returned to the Digital World?"
"I don't know... You have all the questions, and I have none of the answers".
"What about Janyu and his Wild Bunch?", Koichi asked. "Aren't they the ones who're supposed to have all the answers?"
"No good", Yamaki explained. "Your independent evolution has gone on so long now, you've left your original designs far behind. They don't know any more than we did. I had to learn that the hard way, after I brought them here to develop Shaggai".
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Koichi put the key in the ignition, but didn't start right away.
"What?", Renamon asked.
"It's just that... I'd like to think there's something of me in there", he said as he placed his hand over Renamon's uterus.
"I agree", she said.
"Wow... fatherhood".
"Wow... motherhood", Renamon repeated. "What do you suppose it means?"
"I'm sure of one thing. From what I've seen of the Digital World, I don't think it was just confusion on the part of Yamaki's mainframe. I'm certain the Ancient Ones had a lot to do with this. What better way to unite the two worlds? If humans and digimon are really meant to live together, what better way...", he paused, seeming distracted.
"Yes?", Renamon asked.
"There's just one problem that concerns me..."
"Which would be?"
"Zhuqiaomon".