Digimon World Tour Chapter 29: Pyramid, a digimon fanfic

Digimon World Tour

Recap

[Thomas] Our dear Rika decided to take up songwriting and employed T.K. to assist her. Turned out he wasn't much use to her at all. We were called off the Renault campaign early by the label so we could perform at Disneyland Paris, the "Happiest Place in Europe". However, we faced two obstacles. One was a Robin Thicke cover; the other was Airu Suzuki and her partner Opossummon, who Dark Digivolved to Cho-Hakkaimon. Of course, when Marcus discovered his enemy was actually a beautiful exiled angel in a pig suit, he took advantage of the opportunity. Unfortunately for him, he received no... ahem, pleasure out of the experience. Once the two returned, Rika admitted to Marcus that she loved him, and that confession was enough to invoke her DigiSoul Full Charge. Renamon Warp Digivolved to Taomon, but that wasn't enough to stop their enemy from attacking Rika. That only made Marcus angry, so he awakened his own DigiSoul Full Charge, bringing Agumon to a new form: RizeGreymon. He finished off our other enemy and heavily damaged Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant. I suppose now it's my turn to bring Gaomon up to his Ultimate-level.

Chapter 29: Pyramid

Thomas

Show business was not in my blood. It's not even my major. My involvement in The Teenage Wolves was strictly a hobby, albeit a very lucrative hobby. I am a doctor, first and foremost. Nothing more, nothing less. I applied myself and poured in blood, sweat, and tears for one reason: to cure my sister Relena from a mysterious disease she has. So when I received a mysterious e-mail about a conference relating to this disease in Egypt, I jumped at the opportunity. Besides, I saw this trip as an opportunity to get away from Marcus.

While calling to get clearance for solo travel, I discussed the plan with Izzy. "A conference about your half-sister's rare ailment, eh? Prodigious. And I understand your motivations completely. Sometimes I feel like the smartest person in the entire organization. I should probably consider a vacation myself." "You, take a vacation, Izzy? Aren't you afraid things are going to fall apart at DATS without you?" "Hmmm... I hadn't considered that. …..No! I really should get some time away. I've been overworking myself, and Tentomon had to attack me to bring me out of an acute myocardial infarction." "Really?"

Izzy

I took a sip from my bottle of lemon soda. "Indeed. I was busy developing a new Digivice, and I overdosed on energy shots. I dropped to the floor and Tentomon used Super Shocker on me." "You're right, you do need a vacation," Thomas replied over the phone. "Right, but now I need suggestions on where to go. I'd like to get out of Japan, but I'm afraid neither my education nor my financial situation will allow it." "Have you volunteered for field duty? Sora was called out to London recently." That idea hadn't dawned on me yet. It was brilliant! "Prodigious idea, Thomas! I'll ask about it right away. Thanks a lot." "Any time." "Oh, and I'll clear you for travel to Egypt. There's nothing a good session player won't fix. Bye." Then, I hung up.

Thomas

On the morning the band was supposed to leave for London, I called them together and told them of the conference. I had counted on Marcus being one of the loudest objectors. "Really? You're going to dump us so you can go to some conference in Egypt?" This was the lynchpin to my entire argument. "It's for my sister, Marcus. If you had an opportunity to help your sister, wouldn't you take it?" "Uh... well, yeah of course."

"Still, we're gonna need a replacement in case something happens to me," Rika pointed out. "True. I understand Mr. Oakenfold knows how to play the synth quite well." Matt let out a grin. "Looks like our problem is solved then. You sure you don't need anyone to go with you?" "As much as I appreciate your offer, Gaomon and I will be fine. But thank you anyway, Matt." Marcus' mood whiplashed a complete 180. "I'll help you pack!" he volunteered.

When he arrived in my room, he pulled out all my drawers and stuffed my belongings in my suitcase. I rushed in. "Actually, I think I have everything under control." He continued throwing things into my suitcase. "Ah, no you don't. You caught me in a helpful mood today, and I ain't letting you spoil it." We ended up playing tug of war with the suitcase, and all the contents fell to the floor. Marcus laughed nervously, and I "helped" him out the door.

We said our farewells to the Takaishis and then rode towards the international airport. But just as I was about to depart for my gate, a thought crossed Greg's mind. "Oh wait. Tom! What about 'Home and Away'? Who's going to sing your part?" "Get a session player for bass and have Matt sing it. So long!" I waved briefly and turned around. From the corner of my eye, I could see Matt's face gain a "Why me?" look on it. I let out a smug smile and boarded my flight.

Greg

I read somewhere that "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford" . Well, London was everything it was hyped up to be, and they were definitely ready for us. All it took was one screaming fangirl to recognize us and we were swamped. We had to hire bodyguards to keep all of them off of us.

We checked in at The Kensington Hotel and then went out to explore the city. We had a number of things to do while we were in London. First, we had five shows at Royal Albert Hall. That's where Eric Clapton played all the time. We did have six, but Commander Sampson told us the label's European branch wanted us to perform on The Voice UK before the blind auditions started. Next, Abbey Road Studios was in town, and any recording artist or group visiting London just has to record at least one single there.

So, that's what we did. After we exchanged money, Marcus paid a woman £50 to take a picture of the four males walking down the zebra crossing to the studio. The picture came out beautifully, with Matt in front, T.K. behind him, me behind T.K., and Marcus behind me. "Hey, why do I have to be in the back?" he griped. Matt was the first to speak up. "Guys, it really doesn't matter. I just went up front because I'm the leader." "Well guess what? We're gonna do it again, but this time, I'll be in front and you'll be in the back." "Whatever. It's your money, dude." We ended up taking seven, one with each of us in front. We had to do Marcus' over because a car nearly ran him over. "Hey! I'm walkin' here! I'm walkin' here!" he shouted. He ended up shouting several obscenities at the guy, and Matt apologized. "You'll have to forgive him, sir, he hasn't had all of his rabies shots yet." Marcus showed his teeth and growled, violently shaking his head to demonstrate his point. We would put them on the official Facebook and Instagram pages later.

Finally, we arrived at Abbey Road Studios. Kari drew a picture of her cat on the sign in Sharpie. We walked inside the building and approached the receptionist. "Can I help you?" she asked in a charming British accent. Marcus was first up. "Yeah, lady, we're The Teenage Wolves and we want to rent a studio to record a few singles. You get what I'm saying?" She looked rather taken off. "Perfectly. Do you have a reservation?" "A... reservation?" "Yes." "Eh... you mean artists don't just walk in here and record stuff?" "No. We're the most famous recording studio in the world, nobody just walks in. Have you spoken with your manager?" "No we haven't, but don't you know who we are!? Have you heard our album, lady?" The temperature went down 20 degrees. "My name is Vanessa, and yes I have heard your album. I think it's quite lovely. In fact, it's in my car right now. However, rules are rules. I'm afraid you'll have to speak with your manager and wait about five to eight months." "Five to eight months? Lady, we don't have that long!" "Like I said, rules are rules. Good day." She got up and left.

I shook my head. "Looks like you'll have to walk the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Marcus." "Quiet!"

Thomas

Ideally, the most comfortable months for travel in Egypt are between November and March. However, the climate was bearable for being in the Middle East in early April. The conference was held at the National Training Institute in Cairo, just as the e-mail had said.

The conference itself was just what I thought it would be, but for some strange reason, I didn't learn anything new. It was all information I had gathered earlier in my research. Even my opportunities to exchange notes were unfruitful at best, miserable at worst. All the notes were in Egyptian, which was no problem for me. However, there was no new information I could glean from any of it, nothing that would help Relena at all. Overall, it was not worth the large registration fee I'd paid.

I fell into a slight case of depression and disappointment and tried to relieve myself of that by walking the mysterious streets of Cairo. I've always been a believer of placing logic over base emotion, and yet I could not fight some of the emotions I had felt in that conference. Disappointment, foolishness, perhaps even a twinge of regret.

While I was wandering through the streets, I passed by a tent. A man approached me and beckoned me inside. He was dressed in a royal blue coat and an odd hat with randomly scattered golden buttons while wielding a cane. "Come inside, my friend, come inside." So, I did. "Ah yes, my friend. Just by staring at you, I can discern who you are. You have a strange blend of Eastern and Western blood in your veins... A European of sorts who has Eastern Asian roots. You are quite wealthy... yes, it's coming to me... and you are here in Cairo seeking something. Something you cannot have." Oh joy, a fortuneteller. I rolled my eyes. "Somehow, you are not convinced," he continued. "No, I simply refuse to believe all this rigamarole concerning my fortune. Fortunetellers are nothing but frauds and cheats who have too much information for their own good." "Ah, a cynical skeptic you are. Please, sit down, I will show you more."

In the Bagra Army's base, Laylamon and Blastmon look on with Lord Bagra. "Oh boy, I love this one. The old fortuneteller con," Blastmon gleefully remarks. Lord Bagra nods. "Yes, this could quite possibly be the best trap I've ever laid. You see, this particular human is quite sentimental about his family, or what's left of it anyway. He has a very particular weakness for his late mother. By exploiting that, I can break his spirit and then use him as a bartering chip for the Child of Light." "And how do you know so much, my Lord?" Laylamon inquires. "Oh, I have my ways. Anyway, there is only one loose part in this entire operation. Our next Hunter, Hideaki Mashimo. Come in." A young man wearing a green, unbuttoned long-sleeved shirt over an orange T-shirt walks in. "You called for me, Mr. Boss Man?" "Yes, I did. Come, look at your target." Hideaki gets a good look at Thomas. "Oh, I know him. He's that wealthy boy genius who graduated two years ago. If he didn't get a full ride, he probably bought one." "Yes, that's right, Mr. Mashimo. And the sooner you defeat him, the closer you'll be to that takoyaki shop. And should you lose, I want you to stay and take your medicine." "Of course I'll take it. After all, it would be the only decent thing to do." He grins.

Thomas

I knew the fortuneteller was an out and out fraud, but I decided to go along with his routine out of sheer boredom. "Let me see what my cards say about you." He shuffled his deck, I cut it, he shuffled it again, and then dealt out five cards. He then flipped all five over. "Hmm... I'm sensing an opponent. A disagreeable young man with green eyes. Sort of a... wild figure. A big problem." My eyes widened. He was talking about Marcus. The "mystic" went on. "Ah... this only confirms it. You are here in Cairo on a mission. For someone who is most dear to you." "Who might it be?" I asked facetiously. He held his fingers to his temples, thinking it over. "Hmmm... blonde hair, blue eyes... quite a, fragile, girl, I would say." I gasped. He was right again.

"Finally, you carry a sorrow, buried deep in your heart. Someone close to you has been lost. Your... mother?" I gasped again. "My mother? What do you know about her?" "Ah... first, cross my palm with silver." I gave him a few large bills. "Ah yes... very grave. Very dark. Your mother was tragically hit while crossing traffic. But... perhaps there is a way." "Hmm? What? What are you saying?" In hindsight, I realize I was acting very foolishly. "Yes, there is a way for you to perhaps... reverse the loss." "You mean... I could see, my mother again?" "Oh yes, but first, you must pass a test." "Whatever it is, I'll do it!"

["Voyager/What Goes Up"

Written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson

Performed by The Lord Bagra Project ft. Thomas H. Norstein

Vocals: Thomas H. Norstein (Crispin Freeman), David Paton]

Our "fortuneteller" leads Thomas into a room with a chair surrounded by mirrors beyond it. The room, known as a psychomanteum, is set up to optimize psychological effects such as trance. Its key features are low light or near-darkness, flickering light, and a mirror. The dimness represents a form of visual sensory deprivation, a condition helpful to trance induction, the undifferentiated color without horizon producing the Ganzfeld effect, a state of apparent "blindness". A state of trance is induced by a uniform field of vision. In the way of strobe or flashing light (in this case, the former), stimulus is provided by indirect, moving light in the psychomanteum. It is supposed the indeterminate depth of the mirror's darkness allows the eyes to relax and become unfocused, a state that reduces alertness.

As Thomas makes himself comfortable, the "fortuneteller" turns on a CD player. "Voyager", from The Alan Parsons Project album Pyramid, plays. Thomas, being a very smart man, knows what is going on. However, his mind is so filled with thoughts of seeing his mother that he doesn't care and willingly submits himself to the hypnotism. As the song continues, the Ganzfeld effect takes hold of him and transports him to ancient Egypt. He is exploring and seeing the ancient village of Giza in their heyday while riding in an ancient Egyptian vehicle.

David P.: (VO)

What goes up, must come down
What must rise, must fall
And what goes on in your life
Is writing on the wall

Thomas:

If all things must fall
Why build a miracle at all?
If all things must pass
Even a miracle won't last

David P.: (VO)

What goes up, must come down
What must stand alone?
And what goes on, in your mind
Is turning into stone

Thomas:

If all things must fall
Why build a miracle at all?
If all things must pass
Even a pyramid won't last

In the meantime, in Lord Bagra's cave, Hideaki is using Lord Bagra's dark psychology to go to ancient Egypt as well. Not much more than a century ago, the Pyramids Road existed as little more than a dusty carriage track amongst irrigated fields, leading out from the city to the then small peasant village of Giza adjoining the pyramid field. This is the carriage track Thomas is now riding down.

The three main Pyramids of Giza are the focal point of the Giza necropolis, or cemetery, that served the elite of the Old Kingdom capital of Egypt at nearby Memphis during the mid to late 4th Dynasty (late 3rd millennium BCE). Three pharaohs were buried here in turn - Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure - their astounding burials attracted a number of surrounding associated burials of their queens, family members and nobility. As the pyramids come into view, Thomas is inspired to break out in song.

Thomas:

How can you be so sure?
How do you know what the earth will endure?
How can you be so sure
That the wonders you've made in your life
Will be seen
By the millions who'll follow to visit the site
Of your dream?

David P.: (VO)

What goes up, must come down
What goes round, must come round
What's been lost, must be found

Finally, he arrives at the Temple of the Sphinx. The "fortuneteller" and Thomas exit from the vehicle and enter the temple.

Thomas

It was fascinating, being there in Egypt during its heyday. But what excited me the most was the thought of seeing my mother again.

Gaomon

I observed from inside my Digivice. While I could not agree with Master Thomas' temporary insanity, what with him throwing all reason to the side and falling for a very obvious trap, I did not completely blame him for wanting to see his mother again. Even with all of his intelligence, he is still a young man and still quite human. All I could do is protect him the best I could.

Thomas

"Now, we must enter the Temple of the Sphinx and then complete all the rituals prescribed in the Book of the Dead so we may reach your testing ground," the fortuneteller explained as we walked inside.

In the temple, we each lit a torch and walked through. We arrived in a room that contained a giant statue of Horus and a seemingly blank tablet, with a receptacle for tar just below it. I lit the receptacle on fire, and ancient hieroglyphs appeared on the tablet. I translated: "'Beyond here lies the dock of the Underworld. Those who wish to make this perilous journey must first consult the Book of the Dead before boarding a ferry. And one other word of advice: Do not pay the ferryman until he gets you to the other side.' Fascinating."

So, the fortuneteller prescribed every ritual to me that was applicable. Then, we boarded a ferry, where a nameless Egyptian boatman was there to guide us on our journey.

["One More River"

Written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson

Performed by The Lord Bagra Project

Lead Singer: Ferryman (Lenny Zakatek)]

Ferryman:

Don't look back, cause there's one more river
Don't turn your back, you got one more river to cross
No more fightin' and no more dyin'
No more cheatin' and no more lyin'

Don't look back, cause there's one more river
Don't turn back, you got one more river to cross
Don't start askin' the rhyme or reason
Don't hold back, it's the time of the season

One more mile and one more road
One last bridge and one less load

One more river

The ferry continues its way along the river as Thomas uses the spells in the Book of the Dead to make their way through. Wikipedia seems to be a good resource, so now I'll tell you everything you wanted to know about this river and then some: "The path to the afterlife as laid out in the Book of the Dead was a difficult one. The deceased was required to pass a series of gates, caverns and mounds guarded by supernatural creatures. These terrifying entities were armed with enormous knives and are illustrated in grotesque forms, typically as human figures with the heads of animals or combinations of different ferocious beasts. Their names—for instance, 'He who lives on snakes' or 'He who dances in blood'—are equally grotesque. These creatures had to be pacified by reciting the appropriate spells included in the Book of the Dead; once pacified they posed no further threat, and could even extend their protection to the dead person. Another breed of supernatural creatures was 'slaughterers' who killed the unrighteous on behalf of Osiris; the Book of the Dead equipped its owner to escape their attentions. As well as these supernatural entities, there were also threats from natural or supernatural animals, including crocodiles, snakes, and beetles."

You might understand why Lord Bagra might be interested in all this. He went for realism and authenticity in this trap. The journey becomes more interesting.

Ferryman:

Don't look back, you got one more river
Don't turn your back, you got one more river to cross
Don't start askin' the rhyme or reason
Don't hold back, it's the time of the season

The testing area is in sight, but it seems so far away. Thomas uses his mettle and his skill and clears the last obstacle.

Ferryman:

One more mile and one more road
One last bridge and one less load

One more river
One more river

Finally, the ferry arrives at the testing area and the two exit the ferry. The ferryman holds out his hand, expecting a tip. Thomas pulls out his wallet and gives him a large bill. The "fortuneteller" gives him a few gold coins, which are much better received.

Thomas

We arrived at the testing area. It looked very Egyptian; with fresco a secco paintings, hieroglyphics, and all manner of bas relief and sunken relief. Ahead of us was a gold and platinum sarcophagus that was ornately decorated. Standing beside it was a young man with light brown hair, wearing cargo shorts and a green, unbuttoned long-sleeved shirt over an orange T-shirt. He looked up at me. "So, you must be Thomas H. Norstein. I've heard a lot about you." I realized what was happening. "You're a Hunter, aren't you?" "Hideaki Mashimo, at your service." He bowed. "Save it. I know you're working for Lord Bagra! Well, whatever he promised you, you aren't going to get it!"

"But you certainly are!" At that point, the "fortuneteller" laughed like a madman and revealed his true form. I looked him up on my Digimon Analyzer. "'Mummymon, an Ultimate-level Necromancer Digimon. What he's thinking is difficult to understand because he is taciturn and his facial expressions are concealed, but he is a dangerous being that if attacked will brandish his weapon and completely beat down the opponent.' And I walked completely into it. I should've known." "I guess money doesn't buy a brain, does it, Rich Boy?" Hideaki snarked. I didn't let his attempt at an insult get to me. "All right, what is he promising you? What's your story?" "I didn't come all this way just to have a chat. I have a mission, a goal." "Which is?" "To open a takoyaki shop when I'm 20." I raised my eyebrows. "Takoyaki? But that's just a common street food." "Wasn't expecting you to understand, Rich Boy. Don't you have any culinary taste? Takoyaki's the best street food in the world. The wheat batter mixed perfectly with the octopus legs, all hollow on the inside and fried to a golden brown. Then they're smothered in bonito flakes, powdered aonori and pickled red ginger. Mmmm mmmm!" Obviously, this boy had never been exposed to fine cuisine. "My tastes are a bit more different than yours." "Just what I expected, Rich Boy!" "And stop calling me that! Having a certain level of wealth isn't everything, you know." "Yeah I do. It's the only thing!"

["Money Talks"

Written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson

Performed by The Lord Bagra Project feat. Thomas H. Norstein

Lead Vocals: Hideaki Mashimo (Vic Mignogna) and Thomas H. Norstein (Crispin Freeman)

Additional Vocals: Chris Rainbow

Computerized Voice Programming by Alan Parsons]

Just then, a group of Troopmon come out with instruments. They start playing the song while Hideaki corners Thomas. This is meant to be an argument about the importance of money. Surprisingly, the two have similar tastes in music.

Hideaki:

Money don't grow on a money tree
The more you take leaves the less for me

Thomas:
Money don't buy what you really need
It make an iceman cry, it make a stone man bleed

But when you get right down to it, no matter who you are
It rules your life like a virgin queen

Hideaki:
One day you might get over it, but in the meantime
It rules the world like a green machine

In the bank, in a box, money talks

Thomas:
In the black, on the rocks, money talks

Hideaki:

Money talks

Money don't lose in the money game

Thomas:
It drags you down like a ball and chain (Chris R.: like a ball and chain)
So money don't come with a guarantee

Hideaki:
It make a fool of you, it make a fool of me (Chris R.: make a fool of me) (Chris R.: whoa)

But when you get right down to it, no matter what you say

Thomas:
It ties you down

Hideaki:

but it can set you free, yeah

(Chris R.: whoa)
Some day you might get over it, but in the meantime

Thomas:
It burns you up in the first degree

Hideaki:

Moscow, Bangkok, money talk
Park Lane, Boardwalk, money talk

Much like the Gizumon in Digimon Savers International, these Troopmon are very effective musicians. We get various shots of the "battle" and the band. A number of ornately decorated and affluent members of dead Egyptian royalty walk in like Egyptians and start showing off their bling in time to the music.

Hideaki:

But when you get right down to it, no matter what you try
You deal the cards, give the wheel a spin

(Chris R.: whoa)
One day you might get over it but everybody knows
It's heads you lose and it's tails they win

(Chris R.: whoa)
Yeah, don't have too much to show for it, that's the way it goes

Thomas:

You roll the dice and they cash you in

Pinball, jukebox, money talks

Hideaki:
Redskins, White Sox, money talks
Billboard

Thomas:

Cashbox

Computerized Voice Programming:

money talks

The Egyptians, spooked by the computerized voice, scatter.

Thomas

I let out a brief smile. "So, you enjoy The Alan Parsons Project as well?" "Heh, yeah. Yeah, I do. It was my father's favorite band. He listened to it a lot before he died!" My eyes widened. That last word came out of his mouth like spitfire and went straight to my veins. I softened a little. "What happened?" "We owned a pair of food stands in Shibuya. My uncle ran one uptown, and my father downtown. My family was always a little short of cash, and none of the banks would give us a loan. So, my father made some shady deals with some interested businessmen. Turns out we were used as a front for the Yakuza, and they take no prisoners. When Dad found out we were supposed to be running drugs on the side, he firmly said no. Right away, they asked him to pay back the loan plus all the back interest. It was complete extortion. Dad didn't have the money, so they took his life with a Smith and Wesson. That was five years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday." He scoffed. "You think you can beat that?"

I shook my head. "I'm afraid not. My mother died in a car accident. I've been trying to forget the details for some time now." "Oh, then we'll just have to change that, won't we?" At that point, Mummymon grabbed me, and pushed me into a small pool.

["Can't Take it With You"

Written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson

Performed by Mummymon (Kirk Thornton)

Additional Vocals by David Paton]

Thomas is pushed in and drops down to the bottom. Surprisingly, he can breathe as his feet reach steady ground. He wanders around and realizes where he is. It's his hometown, located somewhere in the upper part of Tokyo. He starts running and approaches a large staircase by a shrine. Seconds later, a blue light comes from the top. Staring closer at it, he sees two blue figures that looked just like his mother and his younger self, walking down the stairs. However, following close behind his mother is a ghostly form of Mummymon in his human disguise. Just as quickly as they came... they disappear. The entire scene goes white, and Thomas bursts into tears. All the while, Mummymon is following Thomas' mother. Thomas looks up from the ground and intensely scowls at Mummymon.

Mummymon:

Well I sympathize completely but there's nothing I can do
I am just a humble servant with a message here for you
Well I know you have good reasons and there's things you've got to do
But the boatman won't be waiting and he's leaving here with you

And you can't take it with you
No matter what you do
No you can't take it with you
Not the place you're going to

(Backing: One more mile, one more road, one last bridge, one less load)

His mind goes back to the day of the Summer Festival. He looks at the clock. "What time is it? 4:00? I can still make it!" Thomas remarks. So, he starts running and keeps going until he reaches a brown building, his house. He looks up in the window as a beautiful woman in a kimono closes the curtains. He rushes toward the door and tries to open it to no avail. So, he pounds on it desperately, calling out to his mother. Finally, the door does open up, but instead of his mother... Thomas is met by a younger version of himself in a blue kimono. He comes out and skips outside right past him, wearing his kimono and wooden sandals. Thomas checks his watch. 4:11 PM. As his mother passes by, Thomas attempts to grab her shoulder to stop her, but his hand goes right through her and he ends up with both hands on the ground.

Mummymon:

Well I sympathize completely but there's nothing I can do
I am just obeying orders, I'm a simple soul like you
Well you really are persuasive, but I've heard it all before
And the boatman's getting restless as he stands upon the shore

And you can't take it with you
No matter what you do
No you can't take it with you
Not the place you're going to

Becoming even more desperate, he picks myself up and rushes to catch up with her, pleading the whole time. She walks right through him. In a last ditch effort, he gets ahead of them and tries to stop the truck. Again, to no avail. The truck goes through him as well. He stares at his younger self in horror, not noticing that the ex-Mrs. Norstein is being forced aboard that ferry to the underworld.

Mummymon:

Can't take it with you
Can't take it with you

Just then, a device lowers itself down from the sky. Thomas tearfully grabs hold of it and comes back up to "ancient Egypt". When he gets out of the pool, his body is surprisingly dry.

Thomas

There was nothing I could do. There was nothing I could do, and I hated myself for that. I dropped to my knees in agony, desperately attempting to hold in my emotions. I was bound and determined not to let them get the better of me, but I was failing.

"Get up, Thomas H. Norstein! Get up and fight me!" Hideaki barked. I looked up. He pulled out his Digivice and held it up. "Dobermon, realize!" A large Doberman Pinscher-like Digimon came out of the device. I got up on my feet and held myself together long enough to call out "Gaomon, realize!" Gaomon appeared and landed on his feet. "Sir, yes sir!" He looked at me with concern. "Are you alright, sir?" he asked. I reluctantly nodded. "Yes, yes I am."

Hideaki cracked a smirk. "That's more like it. Dull the nerves that cause you pain! Ignore the heartache and soldier on, like I had to do." Dobermon growled. The two Digimon warmed up by sparring. "Double Backhand!" But as Gaomon was spinning, Dobermon let out a howl that stopped the attack in its tracks. My partner tried to spin, but became uncoordinated on his toes. "Sir! I believe my attack is sealed. Might I suggest Digivolution?" I nodded and charged up my DigiSoul. It took me more than just a few seconds longer than usual to ignite it. "DigiSoul... Charge!"

"Gaomon Digivolve to... Gaogamon! Rawr!"

Gaogamon

I made my preliminary analysis on Dobermon and his human partner. If the DATS battle footage I had watched inside my Digivice was any indication, Hideaki would more than likely use Dark DigiSoul to Digivolve his Digimon to the next level. The human's story was a sad one, and it was a great pity that Lord Bagra had gotten to him before we had.

"Is that the best you can do? Watch this! HA!" He thrust his hand forward and gained a dark purple aura around his body which was immediately recognizable. "Are you ready, Dobermon?" Hideaki asked. Dobermon made affirmative non-verbal communication. The human brought forward his Digivice and posed with it. "Dark DigiSoul! Full... Charge!" He brought his hand on top of the sensor until it was drained, then brought the Digivice forward. Dobermon increased in size and gained two robotic heads and a robotic armor. "Cerberumon!"

Usually, I would count on Master Thomas to come up with a battle strategy. My human partner is always doing research on something, whether it be a cure for his baby sister or a battle strategy. He has a brilliant head for analysis, and it takes less than five seconds for him to develop a strategy. "Awaiting battle formation instructions, sir!" I called to my partner. I looked back at him, and he wasn't his usual self. "Battle... Formation..." I could see the struggle. Reliving his mother's death had highly affected his concentration and thinking patterns. My opponent ran towards me and spewed a red-hot jet of flames at me. I narrowly dodged them. "Master Thomas! I'm awaiting battle orders!" He did nothing. He was too frozen with fear. "Get your head in the battle, sir!" I practically pleaded.

Master Thomas dropped to his knees. "No... I can't... there's nothing I can do. I couldn't save my mother, and now I can't even think of a strategy." I kept running and randomly attacking, but each time I attempted an attack, my opponent's armor was able to anticipate it and calculate a counterattack. "Sir, that incident occurred eight years ago. There's nothing you can do about it now. That was ancient history, and I fear that if you can't calculate any strategies, we will be history as well!" "You're not so smart now, are you, Rich Boy?" Hideaki sneered.

The battle was becoming more and more intense as time went on. While I was attacking and counterattacking, I tried to help my human partner. "Sir, I wish I could understand your pain. I know both you and our opponent have lost a loved one to violence. Our opponent has resorted to name calling and violence, but you haven't. Just think of all the things you've done. From my understanding, your loss has given you the necessary drive to become the intelligent and successful person you are today. Just imagine it, sir. A medical doctor who plays keyboard in an award-winning band. I have never been more proud of you, Thomas." The attacks went on, and I began feeling the damage. "Grrr... if we're defeated, sir, you may very well die here. I know you wouldn't want that. Your sister wouldn't want that, and certainly not your mother." "My mother!" Oh dear. I had done it. "Never mind that, sir!" "No, I... I can't!" I realized the inevitable. This would be something Thomas would have to do on his own. "Doctor, heal thyself!" And then, I went down.

Thomas

Maybe Gaogamon had a point. I struggled and fought intensely in my mind, trying to find some glimmer of hope. Suddenly, it came to me. I finally let my emotions get the better of me and wept, crying for the first time over her death in many years. It was such a release. My eyes were shut, but I was actually crying. I felt a gentle hand wipe away my tears. When I opened my eyes, I found my mother. "Mother..." She gasped too, but she seemed very happy to see me. "It's going to be all right, Mom. I've been keeping your smiling face alive in my memories. I haven't just held onto the sad things, I try to remember the happy times too." She nodded. "Mmm hmm."

Perhaps it was only a mental hallucination, but it gave me the energy I needed to carry on. I had healed myself. In the real world, I stood up and dusted myself off. Then, I pointed towards Mummymon. "You decided to torture me with that tragic memory of my mom. Mummymon... you'll pay," I decisively stated as I felt an aura of blue DigiSoul cover my body. "What you did was unforgivable," I went on, "You tricked me into coming here, and then forced me to relive my mother's accident, just so you could steal the essence of my heart and throw my concentration. There are consequences for what you've done. Your evil ways must be brought to an end!" Then, I pointed to Cerberumon. "I'll deal with you first!" I popped out the sensor of my Digivice and got in position. "Gaogamon! Stand by for Digivolution!" "Sir, yes, sir!"

[BGM: "Hyper-Gamma-Spaces" by The Alan Parsons Project]

"DigiSoul..." I raised my free hand up to the sky and decisively brought it back down my other arm. "Full, CHARGE!"

"Gaogamon Digivolve to..." He stood on his back legs. His front paws were covered in metal armor and became actual hands, and his back paws became feet. He also acquired a jet pack, a championship belt around his chest, and a pair of designer sunglasses. "MachGaogamon!"

I looked him up on my Digimon Analyzer. "'MachGaogamon, an Ultimate-level Cyborg Digimon. He carries rocket engines with enormous propulsive power on his back. His special attacks include "Winning Knuckle" and "Howling Cannon".'" I had done it. I was finally on the same level as the others. I brought my head back into the proverbial game and did a little research on my opponent. "MachGaogamon, you have incredible speed. Use that to your advantage and throw off Cerberumon's tracking system." "Sir, yes, sir!" MachGaogamon said. With that, he zoomed around the field. Cerberumon tried to keep up, but he failed to do so. "Gaoga Tornade!" MachGaogamon circled the hellhound with maximum thrust and unleashed an extremely high-speed barrage. That sent Cerberumon crashing into the sarcophagus, which turned out to be quite empty. Hideaki clenched his fist. "Get back up!" The dog struggled to do so, which gave my partner plenty of time to go for the kill. "Winning Knuckle!" He attacked with a blow of his fist, boasting supreme impact strength. Cerberumon, Hideaki, and the sarcophagus crashed through at least two walls. Cerberumon reverted back to a DigiEgg, and Hideaki absorbed it in his Digivice. Then, MachGaogamon turned his attention to Mummymon, who tried to counter by summoning ghosts in a bid to drive us into maddened death. It didn't work as Mummymon was soon sent flying into the river of the Underworld by a Winning Knuckle.

After the battle was over, Hideaki got back on his feet and approached me. "Well, I guess you won. Lord Bagra told me to stay and take my medicine in case I lost, so go ahead. I'm your prisoner." "Hmm? You? My prisoner? I wouldn't dream of it. I wish there was some way I could help you, but I don't want to just throw money at the situation. That wouldn't be right." MachGaogamon reverted back to Gaomon. "There must be something we can do for him, sir," he said. I thought it over, and quickly developed a solution. "I've got it. We'll send you to a culinary school in Japan." "Culinary school?" I nodded. "Right. That way, you can learn there's more to cuisine than just takoyaki." He kicked a small rock in front of him. "You're a jerk, Thomas H. Norstein, but I'll take your offer. I'll make the best darn takoyaki in the world. I'll bring it to new levels of culinary excellence." "You do that. However, none of us are going anywhere until we figure out how we return to our time. Now, we were brought here by some variant of the Ganzfeld effect, and I believe I know how to get out. Hideaki, close your eyes." He did, and Gaomon and I followed suit. Using only my mind and my sheer will, I brought us back into the present. My theory was that by closing my eyes, and then opening them again, I would counter the effects of staring into the unstructured, uniform stimulation field.

When I opened my eyes, we were back in the real world. I looked around, and Hideaki was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he'd entered in from elsewhere. Oh well. I turned away from the mirrors, brought Gaomon back into my Digivice, and then left the room. The tent was empty, so I walked back to my hotel room. The next morning, I took a flight to London to join the others. On the flight, I called DATS and asked them to look into enrolling Hideaki Mashimo into one of the top-rated culinary schools in Japan.

When I arrived, I called Marcus on my phone. "Hello?" "Marcus? This is Thomas." "Nerdstein! About time you made it back. We tried getting in at Abbey Road, but we hadn't spoken to our manager, and we'll have to wait five to eight months to record anything there. Can you believe that? And I kinda gave the receptionist a hard time." I shook my head. "Why doesn't that surprise me? Anyway, where are you now?" "Rehearsing at Royal Albert Hall, where else? You better not be late, because we've got a gig tonight. You hear me?" "Loud and clear, Marcus." I hung up.

["To Be With You"

Written by Eric Martin and David Grahame

Performed by The Teenage Wolves

Lead Singer: Marcus Damon (Quinton Flynn)]

Royal Albert Hall is packed. A large screen gives a better view of lead singer Marcus behind his drums. The band has decided to do away with the acoustic rock of the original version and instead is using instruments for an alternative rock feel. After Marcus taps everyone in, the group starts. Kari is on tambourine, while Rika and Thomas are put on handclap duty. Not exactly what Thomas had in mind upon his return.

Marcus:

Hold on little girl
Show me what he's done to you
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad

When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to show you

Marcus/Matt/Greg/T.K.:

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

Marcus:

Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
Wake up, who cares about
Little boys that talk too much?

I've seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you

Matt/Greg/T.K.:

I'm the one (Marcus: I'm the one, yeah) who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too (Marcus: feel it too)
Waited on a line of (Marcus: waited on the line) greens and blues

Marcus/Matt/Greg/T.K.:

Just to be the next to be with you

Marcus:

Why be alone when we can be together, baby?
You can make my life worthwhile,
I can make you start to smile

Greg and T.K. lay down some guitar. Anya plays some saxophone licks on the side. The audience is clapping along.

Marcus:

When it's through, it's through
And fate will twist the both of you
Come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to show you...

Matt/Greg/T.K.:

I'm the one who wants to be with you (Marcus: I'm the one)
Deep inside I hope you feel it too (Marcus: Feel it too)
Waited on a line of (Marcus: waited on the line) greens and blues

Marcus/Matt/Greg/T.K.:

(Marcus: Yeah) Just to be the next to be with you

Matt/Greg/T.K.:

I'm the one who wants (Marcus: I'm the one) to be with you
Deep inside (Marcus: Deep inside) I hope you feel it too (Marcus: You feel it too)
Waited on a line of (Marcus: waited on that line) greens and blues

Marcus/Matt/Greg/T.K.:
(Marcus: Yeah) Just to be the next to be with you

Marcus:

Just to be the next to be with you

The song concludes with a final guitar strum and a cymbal smash. "Whoooooooooooooo!" Marcus cheers. The audience goes wild.

Author's Notes:

I may not be completely accurate with the Ganzfeld effect and the psychomanteum, but I did want to try something other than just plain magic. That's boring. All information about things I do not know personally came from Wikipedia. I tend to use that quite a bit. If you see any inaccuracies, please PM me. Thanks.

Most of the tracks used in this chapter come from The Alan Parsons Project album Pyramid (1978), while "Money Talks" is from Gaudi (1987) and "To Be With You" is not by The APP.

I purposely left out any mention of the Arab Spring or any political unrest that was occurring in Egypt at the time. Thomas was not there to act politically, he was there to find a cure for his sister.

If Thomas being forced to face the events leading to his mother's death sounds familiar, it should be. ShadowLDrago pointed out to me that this is my version of Data Squad with some alterations. I'm trying to fit elements from Data Squad into the Adventure/02 universe. I wanted to try something different, but what I had in mind just sounded boring and uneventful on paper.

Also, if you're reading any other fanfiction out there, you might want to check out IrishDreamer04's "Digimon Adventure 03". She's brought in Greg and Gary from Digimon Savers International. Arc 3 Chapter 10.

Coming soon (within one to two chapters): It's a battle of the Veemons as Greg takes on Davis.

Does anyone have any possible things in London the Wolves could do? Or any monuments or attractions you'd like to see trashed in battle? Just let me know.

Ask the Author!

Nobody's written anything, so I've written this one myself.

"Dear DigitalCorp, I've been reading your fanfiction and I wonder... will you ever write a Digimon Frontier fanfic?"

Great question, and the short answer is no. Why? A couple of reasons. First off, Digimon Frontier shouldn't even be called a Digimon series. I mean, yeah it does have Digimon in it, but Toei completely deviated from the formula. I think they were trying to expand on the Biomerge concept from Tamers. Unfortunately, they took it just a bit too far. The kids actually transform into Digimon. (Sounds like something up Marcus' alley, doesn't it?)

I could never put Greg in it because there are already six main "Legendary Warriors" (Takuya, Koji, Tommy, J.P., Zoe, and later on Koichi). The other four Spirit Elements are taken over by the bad guys, leaving Greg vulnerable. On top of that, he'd never give up Veemon. Never. And for one DigiDestined to have a Digimon and the other six don't? Not fair at all.

Also, near the end of the season, Takuya and Koji get the power to use Unified Spirit Evolution, which requires the other four to give up their spirits and sit on the sidelines. Do you really think Greg would let those two have all the fun? No way. Seeing as how he's the main OC, he's not likely to sit back and let the others handle it. He wants a piece of the action.

Now, it could be possible if two other people were brought in (more than likely Anya and Ed). However, that would require the creation of a new Digimon, and I am not one for creating new Digimon. New humans, definitely. New Digimon, no.

Also, it wasn't like the series was that successful in Japan. It took three years for Toei to recover before they launched Savers.

So, that explains it. However, for you Frontier fans, I have included the main six as "The Test Unit" in Digimon Savers International. Thanks.