Dreaming To Reality: Oneiromancy

by Yuki Ryu

The Digimon Kaiser had been outed, defeated, and purified. Life should have been peaceful for the Chosen, but when the Digimon Kaiser reappears, colder and more distant than ever, his war continues anew. With their lives on the line, the Chosen are forced to face not only enemies that should have been their friends but even the source of the Dark Ocean itself.

30. Chapter 30

The Digimon Kaiser main fortress was Fort Opus as Osamu had named it. It had been so long since Ken had been in this place, or at least it felt that way to him. Although the dream he had in the Dark Ocean had faded and he now found himself solidly in reality, it still felt as though it had been years since he had last seen the place.

It had changed in some minor ways, but the strongest change was the attitude of the Digimon. Ken still couldn't get used to seeing their smiles or the black bands they freely wore that symbolized the Evil Rings. Osamu seemed to sense his discomfort when observing the Digimon down below his new bedroom window once he woke up, and he hadn't yet met any of them face to face.

What also was strange was to see Osamu dressed as the Digimon Kaiser, albeit in a modified version of the outfit. He seemed wholly comfortable wearing it until he noticed Ken struggled to look at him, then he switched out for a much more casual outfit consisting of a sweater and blue jeans.

Ken just couldn't get over how much pride Osamu took in owning his legacy of misery, or how his brother turned it into something worthy of being proud over.

Fortunately, Osamu didn't press the issue after offering Ken access to any and all information about the changes he had made and was turned down.

Ultimately, Ken wasn't concerned with any of it. One thing, and one thing only, was on his mind.

As the door slid open with a swish, the gentle glow of a liquid-filled tube greeted the Chosen of Kindness. As black and pink mingled inside the tube, a Digimon's egg hovered in it, suspended in the liquid's gentle embrace.

Ken stared at the egg. It felt like it had been an eternity since he last saw it, way back when he had first arrived in the Digital World with Ryo. They had both been so young, so ignorant of what they were about to be thrust into - and that went for Wormmon as well. To see his partner back in this state, as if they were starting all over again, made his heart clench. It was all so eerily familiar.

The gray stains were also extremely familiar.

Ken clenched the front of his shirt with his right hand, as if he were grasping his heart. He felt like it was twisting, clenched in a vice. Still, as much as it hurt, he had to remind himself that at least the egg was here - it was proof that Wormmon wasn't trapped.

It was a small consolation for what he had put his partner through.

Slowly, the Chosen of Kindness approached the tube, reaching out to feel the glass. A gentle warmth greeted him as the pink energy flared up, responding to his presence.

"Wormmon," Ken murmured.

Osamu stood off to the side, leaning against the wall with his arms tucked close to his body. He gave his little brother a minute despite the awkward tension slowly creeping down along his neck, until finally he had to say something. "He's getting better. I've got the data charted along with estimations for when the taint will be fully purged if you want to see for yourself."

"No, that's fine," Ken said softly, before he moved to press his forehead against the glass and closed his eyes. "I believe you."

Osamu found himself at a loss for how to respond or how to help his little brother handle such turbulent emotions, so he simply let out a small grunt of acknowledgement as he looked away.

Dracomon looked as though he was watching Ken, but he was actually glancing at Osamu with his peripheral vision. After a moment, he silently moved closer to press his side against the Chosen of Pride's leg.

The action briefly startled Osamu before some of the tension softened around his face and a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. Words still failed him, as such support from his partner only made him that much more aware that this was what his little brother missed so desperately, but he appreciated it all the same.

"Wormmon will be fine," Osamu finally said. "He'll be home with you soon. I'll make sure of it."

Ken said nothing, merely sighing softly as he leaned against the tube.

Osamu gripped his arm a little tighter and tried not to feel helpless at the situation. "Helpless" was not something that could describe the Digimon Kaiser, ruler of the Digital World.

Wormmon would recover, no matter what it took.

After all, Osamu didn't mind becoming the bad guy if it ensured Ken's happiness.

---

The evening sun was starting to rise as Yamato and Takeru finished their errands, purchasing ingredients for dinner at the local grocery store before preparing to head back. Both looked more than a little bedraggled, but it was hard not to be after what had happened that morning.

They weren't even the ones suffering the worst of it.

Takeru glanced down at his feet as he walked, holding the plastic grocery bags by their handles so that they dangled at his sides. He spared a brief glance upward to see Patamon watching from the rooftop before he returned his eyes to the ground. He didn't bother looking for where Gabumon was hiding, as he didn't want to risk drawing attention to him given how much more precarious his hiding situation was, but his brother's partner was also on his mind.

V-mon was especially on his mind.

Takeru grimaced as he furrowed his brow. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he jumped a little when he felt Yamto's hand rest on his shoulder. The Chosen of Hope looked up sharply before his eyes met with his brother's gentle smile, causing his own features to soften into a matching smile of his own.

"You did what you could," Yamato said. "Daisuke knows you're there for him, and that you know exactly what he's dealing with."

Takeru paused before he gave a small nod. "I just wish I could… ease the pain. But I also know that's impossible, not until they're hatched and back to normal. And even then…"

"Scars linger," Yamato agreed. "None of us want our partners to die, and the fact that they can revive afterwards doesn't make it hurt any less. We don't want them to suffer for our sake… And I think that's a really important feeling for us to hold onto - it shows the strength of our bond."

"Yeah," Takeru agreed after a pause. "Tonight's going to be rough for Daisuke… and the next few days as well. I'll keep my DT2 off of vibrate while I sleep, in case he needs to talk during the night."

"Good idea," Yamato said. "That'll-"

"You can do it, Agumon!"

Takeru and Yamato immediately stopped short. They turned to stare at each other blankly before glancing over their shoulders, just in time to see a very familiar yellow dinosaur racing across the television screens that made up the massive display in the storefront they were passing by. The two stared as an animated Agumon spat a fireball at some enemy off screen before a young boy who looked ridiculously close to but not quite Taichi came into view. He had fluffy red hair, square goggles, and was dressed prominently in a school uniform, but it was still striking enough that those who knew Taichi would not be able to miss the similarities.

Not-Taichi adjusted his goggles with both his hands as he grinned, then pointed directly at the viewers. "It's Digimon Tamer time!"

The two brothers outright gawked, their fingers going limp as their grocery bags fell out of their hands onto the sidewalk.

Elsewhere, Miyako was in the middle of dinner with her family when the commercial came on the television in the other room. She similarly stopped short and stared as the commercial boasted about a new line of video games, trading cards, and accompanying anime, all brought to the world by Digital Max. All the while a multitude of Digimon flew across the screen alongside children, with even Omegamon making an appearance to slam his sword into a mountain.

The rest of her family didn't seem to catch the references, but Momoe certainly did. She stared at the screen before she whipped around towards Miyako, who turned her head just in time to see her elder sister's gaping stare.

"You're in an anime nerd club!?" Momoe blurted out.

In West Shinjuku, a young boy with fluffy brown hair and red eyes was watching the television in his room with dazzling eyes before he hopped to his feet and raced downstairs to the bakery on the first floor, where his mother and father were hard at work.

"Mooooom, Daaaaaad, can I be a Digimon Tamer!?" he called out, to his parents' confused stares.

Similar reactions were happening across Tokyo, as the newly announced Digimon World franchise made its debut.

A little girl with light red hair sporting orange streaks watched the commercial in fascination, completely ignoring her mother's photo shoot on the beach set nearby.

A young half-Chinese boy with dark blue hair was sitting in front of the television set with his rosewood-haired baby sister bounced excitedly in his lap, both children oblivious to their purple-haired father's shock and confusion as he sat on the couch behind them. His square glasses slowly slid down his face as his jaw dropped.

In another part of town, Oikawa sat frozen in mid-puff, his cigarette dangling from his mouth as he had been lounging casually at his desk in his government office before the commercial appeared on the small television set in the corner of the room. Yamaki's expression was similarly flabbergasted as he stood in the doorway, folders of documents in his arms, as he craned his head towards the television.

At the top floor of the Digital Max building, Kigaru reclined in his chair as he couldn't help but smirk, his fingers laced together as he watched Tsuyosa, Sera, and Sakura react to the commercial as it played on his big television screens. Tsuyosa sat quietly as his eyes were fixed on the television screen while Sera was squealing with excitement, running around the room as she flapped her arms. Sakura chased after her cousin, though with less screaming but the same level of excitement.

"You sure this was a good idea?" Jin asked as he tilted his head, leaning against the wall by Kigaru's desk. "Though I'm well aware it's a bit late to ask that."

"If nothing else, it will make their jobs significantly harder," Kigaru said with a smile. "Now they'll have their work cut out for them sorting through real Digimon and fandom Digimon."

"Sounds about right," Jin agreed before he paused as a vision of Angewomon flashed across the screen, blowing a kiss to the audience. "You know they're gonna draw porn of that, right?"

"Oh, absolutely," Kigaru said. "That's also something our detective friend will have to sort through."

"Occupational work hazards, huh," Jin chuckled before he watched his daughter rush by. "You like it, Sakura?"

"Yeah!" Sakura chirped as she lifted her hands upwards, then twirled around in place. "Digimon Tamer!"

"I'm a Digimon Tamer too!" Sera agreed as she mimicked her cousin, raising her hands skyward and waving them around as she twirled like a top. "Digimon Tamer time!"

Kigaru got up from his desk before heading to where his son sat. He squatted down carefully so that he could lean close to the boy and tilted his head. "Do you like it too, Tsu?"

"Yeah," Tsuyosa replied. "But I don't want to be a Digimon Tamer."

Kigaru blinked at that. "You don't?"

"No. I want to be a Chosen Child," Tsuyosa replied, though his eyes never left the screen. "Like Aunt Keiko."

Kigaru blinked again before he smiled softly. "Well, I think you're like her a lot more than you think, and I think Aunt Keiko would agree."

The young boy paused at that as he finally looked at his father, before a small smile appeared on his face. "Yeah."

---

Zeed hummed to himself as he looked over his notes scattered across the table, occasionally adding new ones or erasing others that no longer met his needs. Across from him, Mimi was sorting through various pictures of idols, making piles based on a list that Zeed had given her. They were both very hard at work with their respective tasks and the stacks beside them spoke of their productivity.

The only one who wasn't contributing was Daisuke.

The Chosen of Tenacity sat at the table, his expression sullen as he had his arms wrapped tightly around his partner's egg he cradled gently in his lap. He didn't have anything to say, and no opinion towards the task the others were working on in front of him. He wasn't even supposed to be there, as it wasn't his shift; without Chibimon, he wouldn't even be much help to begin with.

But Daisuke couldn't go home, not to someplace that felt so empty without Chibimon. He locked himself away in his room until the silence deafened him with whispers of destructive thoughts that he worried were not entirely his own. Outside of his room was little better; he couldn't handle his mother's probing, his father's awkward attempts to figure out what was wrong with him, and he suspected that if he crossed paths with Jun, he just might kill her. Fortunately, after their last encounter, she made sure to avoid him like the plague, which suited him just fine.

His other friends - outside of the Miracles Chosen - were comforting enough, but there was a tension whenever Daisuke was around them that gave him no real sense of relief. Zeed would fix that problem eventually, repair whatever was broken in the minds of the other Chosen, but until then, he struggled to feel like he truly belonged with them right now.

That was what brought Daisuke here. Sure, he was useless, knowing nothing about models, idols, and other sorts of famous pretty boys besides Ken, but at least he wasn't alone with those dangerous thoughts.

Zeed took a moment to sit back and rub his chin thoughtfully. He paused before he looked towards Daisuke, noting his despondent expression. Furrowing his brow slightly, he cast Mimi a quick glance before returning his attention to the boy.

"You should attempt to get some sleep," Zeed said, finally. "Exhaustion is not good for your health."

Daisuke shook his head slightly, both in answer to Zeed's question and to rouse himself from his tired stupor. "I tried, Lord Zeed," he mumbled. "Had bad nightmares." He hugged the egg just a little closer, though he made sure to be delicate. "I'll sleep after Chibimon's back."

Zeed regarded Daisuke for a long moment before he looked down at Chibimon's egg. "I see."

Mimi looked up to shoot Daisuke a sympathetic glance. Zeed noticed that her own eyes were rather red and moist, hinting at the amount of crying she had done for Chibimon's sake.

Zeed considered his words carefully, mulling them over in his head, before he returned his attention to Daisuke once again. "V-mon did what he wished, what he felt was right. And he would gladly do it again, a thousand times over, if it meant keeping you safe. I am certain that he has absolutely no regret for what happened, save that he was not able to take that filth with him. He would not blame you, and would not wish for you to blame yourself."

"I-I'm not!" Daisuke sputtered as he raised his head. A moment later his expression twisted and he had to look away, shamefaced. "I mean… I'm trying. I-I know… I know Chibimon will be okay, and he was keeping me safe, but… I…" He trailed off as words failed him.

Zeed was quiet for a moment as his mind wandered. Visions of that day, that hateful day when the world nearly stole his Beloved from him, played through his mind. While he sat vindicated as one of the primary perpetrators had been properly dealt with, the emotions he had felt at that time still lingered. Seeing his Beloved dying, his panic and fear, and most of all his pain, was something that he could never forget.

He would never regret what he did, what he had to do, in order to save his Beloved. Not even now.

"It is hard to accept, I understand," Zeed said. "There was no hesitation on V-mon's part, nor do I believe any of the other Digimon would hesitate if presented the opportunity. But it is not a victimless choice, for you are left to deal with the emotions that come from their decision. And you are allowed to feel those emotions, as it is proof of the bond you share… and vindication of V-mon's decision. Sacrificing yourself for the sake of someone who does not care or even acknowledge your pain from that sacrifice would be far more painful than the death itself could ever be."

Mimi clasped her hands together as she closed her eyes, tears gathering once more even as her eyes stung from her past several hours of tears. Palmon looked similarly misty-eyed as she went to her partner's side and reached out to touch her arm.

"Y-yeah," Daisuke said shakily. "You're right, Lord Zeed, I know you're right… but I just keep thinking…"

"Would it help if you were to hear it from V-mon himself?" Zeed asked with a tilt of his head.

Daisuke paused at that before he let out a broken laugh. "Y-yeah, I guess. But it'll be a long time before-"

In that moment, Zeed leaned forward and pressed the tip of his snout against Chibimon's egg. He began to glow gold, which drifted from the Dorumon's nose into the egg itself. The egg's warmth intensified as it sat in Daisuke's lap, growing so hot that it might have burned his skin if not for his pants protecting him.

Daisuke jerked his arms back in a squeak, startled by the heat. It was then that the egg began to crack. He only had a moment to realize what was happening before the egg burst open, revealing a blue slime Digimon with a floppy "horn" and beady black eyes. The Digimon blinked blurrily and stared at Zeed, who smirked down at him, before he quickly turned to face Daisuke.

"Daisukeeee!" the Digimon chirped. "I'm back! Already!"

"C-Chibimon!?" Daisuke blurted out.

"Chicomon," Zeed corrected as he sat back down. He sounded out of breath, though he did his best to hide it with his usual air of confidence. "He will evolve to Chibimon once again, given enough time." He quirked a sly grin. "But I assume this is good enough for the moment?"

"I was kinda awake but also kinda not, and really groggy, but then I felt super warm and strong and then bam!" Chicomon babbled out in a rush as he squirmed in place, the remnants of his egg dissolving. "I was awake and there you are, and I'm so happy!"

Tears welled up in Daisuke's eyes as he pulled Chicomon close. "Th-thank you, Lord Zeed! Thank you! God… I'm so glad you're back, Chicomon… so glad…"

"I'm so glad I'm back and you're okay, too!" Chicomon said as he did his best to return the hug despite having no limbs to speak off.

Mimi started sobbing again, in spite of herself, and she tried in vain to wipe away the tears that just kept coming, but from joy instead of pain this time. "T-that's great, that's so great, Daisuke!"

"But of course," Zeed said. "I am nothing if not benevolent." He didn't feel a particular need to vocalize how uncomfortable seeing the miserable boy made him. It bothered him on a deep level that he didn't fully understand, and he hated not fully understanding anything. It was best to resolve the situation immediately rather than let it linger on, and pass it off as a favor to the boy born from his own benevolence and nothing else.

His benevolence was truly astounding.

A loud beep interrupted Zeed's thoughts and he looked up sharply, his attention drawn to the DT2 that rested on the table beside Mimi, who jerked at the sound. He frowned when he recognized it as a message notification and watched as she hurried to check it.

After flipping open the DT2, Mimi had to take a moment to wipe furiously at her eyes so that she could make out the text on the screen. Though she didn't clear her eyes completely of tears, she managed enough to read the message she received. "Huh?"

"What is it, dear?" Zeed asked.

"It's from Taichi," Mimi said. "He said, 'Did you all see that shit?' in all capital letters…?"

"How vulgar," Zeed said as he arched an eyebrow. "And what 'shit' would that be, I wonder?"

Mimi clicked the link Taichi sent along with the outraged outburst and was immediately greeted by the sight of an anime trailer with a boy who looked eerily similar to Taichi and Agumon. She gave a start as music played, the commercial making its entire spiel known far and wide.

"It's Digimon Tamer time!"

---

The word "chaos" could not even begin to describe the scene in the chatroom. While it had been bad when Miyako had first told them about her confrontation with Momoe, that reaction paled in comparison to the frenzy that the global commercial had sent the members into.

GODHACKER: WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF

CheerfulHeaven: It looks like the official website is fully functional now.

CheerfulHeaven: It has the whole commercial uploaded, so you can rewatch it directly from their site.

CheerfulHeaven: There's also a lot of extra promotional stuff, too.

GODHACKER: WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF

SailorMoon96: It looks like it's not just an anime. We're talking video games, card games, the whole nine yards.

GODHACKER: WTF WTF WTF WTF

BunnyHop: Kinda weird to announce an entire franchise in one go

GODHACKER: WTFWTFWTF

OnEwInGeDaNgLe: dUde, kinda weird for it to be a franchise IN THE IFRST PLACE

/~*~angeldancer~*~\ : NGL i signed up for the email list

GODHACKER: F

RainbowBuilder: Not helping.

GODHACKER: WTF IS THIS BSSSSSS!

Miyako pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt her headache coming back with full force. It was bad enough having to try and explain herself to her parents and Momoe, but she was still reeling from the "Digimon World" announcement. It had come out of nowhere, like a swift punch to her trachea, and she knew the feeling was mutual for the rest of the Chosen Children.

To say nothing of the not-so-gentle reminder that the brainwashed Koshiro still had administrator access to the chatroom.

Koshiro: The website looks completely legitimate, as far as I can see.

Koshiro: I can't find anything weird in the coding.

Koshiro: I asked Lord Zeed about it, and he said he didn't see anything unusual, either.

Miyako flopped forward, her forehead unceremoniously bonking against her desk. "Like we literally don't have enough to deal with as it is."

Kudamon floated over to massage her partner's shoulders with her little paws. "There, there…"

Bunnyhop: The details for the kids are wrong

Bunnyhop: But the Digimon are completely on the nose!

/~*~angeldancer~*~\: prolly legal stuff

/~*~angeldancer~*~\: yknow the whole based on a true story legalese

SailorMoon96: People are already thinking that the fight with Diablomon was a publicity stunt.

GODHACKER: 3 YEARS LATER?

OnEwInGeDaNgLe: talk about playing the long game LOL

CheerfulHeaven: That's not necessarily a bad thing.

CheerfulHeaven: Sounds like a silver lining.

GODHACKER: silver lining to this absolute SHITSHOW

GODHACKER: what I DONT GET is HOW

GODHACKER: HOW DO THEY EVEN KNOW WTF A DIGIMON IS

Miyako grunted as she rested her chin on her desk, glaring at the screen as Kudamon rubbed her shoulders. "That's the million dollar question, isn't it? And there's no way it's a coincidence, not with how accurate they are."

CheerfulHeaven: The answer to that might be easier than you think.

Koshiro: Did you find something?

CheerfulHeaven: Digital Max is owned by Kigaru Tengoku.

CheerfulHeaven: Sound familiar?

GODHACKER: not really

CheerfulHeaven: He's Tsuyosa's dad.

CheerfulHeaven: Tsuyosa Tengoku.

GODHACKER: !

Miyako sat up straight at that, jerking up like a flagpole. Kudamon sensed it coming and quickly flew back to avoid being hit in the face by the back of Miyako's head. Kudamon carefully landed on her partner's shoulder, blinking, before turning her attention to what Miyako had reacted to.

"Wait, Tsuyosa's dad?" Kudamon repeated. "You mean that Tsu kid at the Ryuzaki's? His dad?"

Koshiro: Wait, wasn't he the one that helped Ken mass-produce our DT2s?

GODHACKER: SO WHAT HE'S A FUKKIN MOLE?

GODHACKER: YOU SURE THERE'S NO SPYWARE OR CRAP

RainbowBuilder: They've already been thoroughly searched after the whole Kaiser fiasco.

GODHACKER: THAT'S RIGHT!

GODHACKER: ITS FUKKIN KEN ICHIJOUJI AGAIN!

GODHACKER: ITS HIS FUKKIN BUDDY!

* DigimonKaiser has joined #Digimon

DigimonKaiser: I just came in to say that anyone can easily hack into these "private" chatrooms and read everything you're saying without having to join.

DigimonKaiser: They can also give themselves admin privileges and enter without needing to know the password.

DigimonKaiser: Sota Ishihara, if you insult Ken again, I'll nuke your computer with every virus known to the internet.

GODHACKER: WTFFFFFFFFF? HOWDID YOU GET MY NAME!?

DigimonKaiser: Your security is more pathetic than the one for this chatroom.

DigimonKaiser: Your handle is rather undeserved.

* GODHACKER's name has been changed to PatheticHacker

Miyako made a face of pure confusion for several seconds as the chatroom went crazy at the sudden intrusion before it instantly clicked. Her face immediately deadpanned and she began typing.

RainbowBuilder: Hello, Osamu.

RainbowBuilder: Any insight or thoughts you might have for this little Digimon World nonsense?

DigimonKaiser: Just ask the man responsible.

DigimonKaiser: CheerfulHeaven, should I tell them who you are, or are you going to introduce yourself?

Back at Digital Max tower, Kigaru stopped short. He stared at the screen for a moment and blinked. Then, he began to chuckle as a rueful smile appeared on his face. Admittedly, he hadn't meant to keep the charade indefinitely and knew that he'd eventually have to shed his years-long persona at some point, but he certainly hadn't expected it to be taken from him.

CheerfulHeaven: You're a scary kid, you know that?

DigimonKaiser: You're one to talk.

PatheticHacker: WTFWTF WHY CANT I CHANGE MY NAME BACK?!

CheerfulHeaven: I suppose it was inevitable.

CheerfulHeaven: Of the two geniuses, you are definitely the better between us.

PatheticHacker: FUCK YOU!1

SailorMoon96: omg

DigimonKaiser: Flattery doesn't work on me, Kigaru Tengoku.

* PatheticHacker's name has been changed to WhinyHacker

CheerfulHeaven: Is it flattery if it's true?

WhinyHacker: WTFFFFFFFFFFFF!111111

OnEwInGeDaNgLe: u mite want to stop prvoking the dude ,dude

CheefulHeaven: Anyway, I suppose it's a pleasure to finally meet you all.

Miyako stared at the screen in disbelief as the situation slowly filtered in through her brain. She tuned out the hastily typed reactions of the others, as most of it was just keyboard smashing nonsense. She blinked once, twice, and a third time before she reached up to rub her eyes with the back of her hands.

WhinyHacker: WHAT?

WhinyHacker: YOU SAID YOU WERE A GENIUS CHILD HACKER?

CheerfulHeaven: I did. And I was.

CheerfulHeaven: And then I grew up.

CheerfulHeaven: Kids don't stay kids forever, you know. :)

CheerfulHeaven: All children eventually grow up, genius ones included.

CheerfulHeaven: All I did was smudge the past and present a little.

CheerfulHeaven: And allowed assumptions to fill in the rest.

/~*~angeldancer~*~\: how old ru

CheerfulHeaven: Old enough to have a son.

CheerfulHeaven: But still young at heart. 3

WhinyHacker: SO YOU REALLY ARE A FUKKIN MOLE

CheerfulHeaven: Can you be a mole if you were here from the very start?

CheerfulHeaven: Semantics aside, if I were a mole, I would say I wasn't a very good one.

Koshiro: What do you mean?

CheerfulHeaven: I didn't particularly gain anything from this, did I?

SailorMoon96: You found out about Digimon from us, didn't you?

CheerfulHeaven: You didn't teach me anything I didn't already know.

/~*~angeldancer~*~\: wat

CheerfulHeaven: I've known about Digimon since before you were born.

DigimonKaiser: Explain.

CheerfulHeaven: Let's just say I made a deal with the devil.

CheerfulHeaven: Not that I knew it at the time, for what little that may be worth.

CheerfulHeaven: I helped a former classmate fund a very ridiculous-sounding project.

CheerfulHeaven: One that never would have found funding otherwise.

CheerfulHeaven: And got a lot more than I bargained for in exchange.

Miyako found herself trembling slightly. She squeezed her hands together for a moment before she began to type.

RainbowBuilder: Can we meet up with you to talk?

RainbowBuilder: IRL?

CheerfulHeaven: We can, though it will have to be at the Ryuzaki's.

Koshiro: Why is that?

CheerfulHeaven: Because my business is most likely under surveillance.

CheerfulHeaven: And most definitely will be after this little broadcast.

CheerfulHeaven: By the same people who approached your sister.

CheerfulHeaven: The Ryuzakis can ensure you some level of security.

CheerfulHeaven: To a higher level than I can.

/~*~angeldancer~*~\: bein yakuza kinda does that

Miyako leaned back and took a deep breath. She took her glasses off and set them aside on her desk so that she could rub her eyes firmly in a futile attempt to relieve the tension.

"So the chatroom is compromised to hell and back," she muttered. "Greeeaaaat…"

Kudamon looked over at Miyako with worried eyes as she returned to rubbing her partner's shoulders with her little paws. "Is this going to be a problem, Miyako?"

Miyako sighed as she slowly slid her hands downward, fingers tugging at her skin as her eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. "Compared to all the other problems dogpiled on top of us? We'll find out when we meet Tengoku at the Ryuzakis' place."

With that, Miyako put her glasses back on before she rotated in her chair, snatched up her DT2, and began to type.

---

The Ryuzaki residence was bursting with activity so early in the morning, preparing for the arrival of their guests. Kigaru and Tsuyosa were the first to arrive, greeted by Jin and Akane who were well aware of what was about to take place and clearly planned to be there for it. The three adults made their way to the playgroom, their young children in tow.

Tsuyosa hadn't even wiped the sleep from his eyes, his head slightly nodding to the side as he sat on the sofa beside his father. Kigaru smiled down at his son and reached down to ruffle his hair. When he noticed Sakura and Sera staring up at him with wide puppy-dog eyes, the Tengoku patriarch chuckled before reaching over to give them each a ruffle of their own.

Keiko was the first to arrive, appearing out of thin air and without any fanfare as she manifested in mid-pick up, hefting the groggy Tsuyosa up and placing the boy in her lap. It made Kigaru jump slightly, but Tsuyosa barely responded beyond flopping back into his aunt's arms as he let out a sigh.

Immediately, Keiko rounded on Kigaru, her red eyes piercing through him. "Why would you do this? Don't you know how important it is to keep Digimon a secret?!"

"Yes, I do," Kigaru said as he turned to face Keiko, his expression showing no sign of defensiveness in response to her anger. "And I also know that it is physically impossible to do so at this point."

That only riled Keiko up further. "Only because of that damn trailer-"

"The police approached Miyako's sister, at her family store, and specifically asked her about Digimon and Miyako's involvement with Ken," Kigaru cut in, causing Keiko to jerk back and gawk at him in shock. "Miyako hasn't told the others yet, but their home is literally right above their store. Meaning they know where she lives and that she's involved with Digimon." He paused to shake his head slowly. "At this point, Digimon is a secret in name only."

Keiko grimaced, looking as though she had swallowed a bug.

"And after that, Oikawa came by my office and brought one of them with him," Kigaru continued. At Keiko's confused stare, he offered her a thin-lipped smile. "One of the original creators of the entire Digital World - the Wild Bunch," He leaned forward, tapping his right pointer finger against his temple. "How are Narakumon and Tenraimon going to keep their world a secret when their own gods are betraying that secret?"

Keiko could only stare at Kigaru in mute horror for a long moment as her body began to tremble until finally words came sputtering out. "H-how could they?! They abandoned the Digimon! How could they just… How could they!?"

"They threw the Digimon away once, without any regard," Kigaru agreed, with a sharp edge of condemnation in his tone. "It would seem that they have even less regard now than they did then."

Keiko's eyes started to water, and she looked away, stubbornly blinking back the moisture as she hid her face behind Tsuyosa's head.

Kigaru paused to regard Keiko. He was aware, even if distantly, of her family situation, if only because of his friendship with her sister Akane. He was well aware of the type of person their mother was. He had a feeling that her distress and confusion wasn't just directed towards the actions of the Wild Bunch, but people like her biological mother as well.

Kigaru took a moment to consider his words with care, as well as the presence of his very young son, and spoke in a much softer tone. He noticed Akane seemed to have a similar idea, as she was quietly ushering out Sera and Sakura, who were far too young to really understand what was happening beyond their aunt's obvious unhappiness.

The CEO waited a moment for the three to leave the room before he turned to Keiko. "I'm afraid some parents just don't see their children as people, my dear, but as possessions for them to use and discard. In the case of the Wild Bunch, the children they created might have been 'alive', but they were little more than pixelated images on a screen - zeroes and ones that proved a theory they had. While I can't say whether or not they all felt this way, but, to them, the life they created… the children they made were not human… and that makes it easier for them to not view their actions as neglectful or unjust." He paused for a moment to let out a weary sigh. "It can also cause them to be afraid of their children if they become too much for them to handle."

Keiko was silent as she took in Kigaru's words and eventually nodded ever so slightly. "They're selfish," she eventually muttered.

Kigaru sighed again and reached out to lightly pat her head. "Yes. They are."

"And how is an anime trailer supposed to fix any of that?"

Kigaru paused and glanced over to see Miyako staring at him, her hands on her hips. The other Chosen Children had arrived - all, save a noticeably absent Daisuke, Osamu, and Ken - at some point during the discussion with Keiko, and while it was hard to tell just how much was heard, it was clearly enough for them to follow.

"It's quite simple," Kigaru replied. "Before, when you entered 'Digimon' in a search engine, you would get results on various… incidents that couldn't be fully erased. The egg Hikari formed over her school when summoning Tailmon, Omegamon and the fight against Diablomon, and even discussions about Vandemon's invasion and what happened at Hikarigaoka. All of it speculative, admittedly, but still very valid information hidden among said speculation."

"Wait, what!?" Yamato blurted out and glanced at Koshiro, who gave a small nod of confirmation with a grim expression.

"The security program the Digital World uses is effective, but it isn't perfect," Kigaru said. "It can leave lingering thoughts, disjointed memories, and other droplets of information inside people who may be resistant to its influence - like leaving streak marks after cleaning a window. And when those people then gather and exchange information, they can collectively piece things together into something more cohesive." He gestured in the air, bringing his pinched fingers together as if he were putting together a puzzle piece by piece. "And deleting it off the internet doesn't do any good, as they can simply upload the information again - and take the perceived persecution as proof, and feel emboldened by it. The program can wipe data off USBs and harddrives, but it can't do anything against good old fashioned photos and video cassettes - older technology from before the era of computers."

"Up until this point, they were considered nothing but conspiracy theorists," Kigaru continued. "And it certainly didn't help with the Ryuzakis muddying the waters, so to speak, by introducing random nonsense every now and then." He cast Jin a glance, who smirked and looked rather proud of himself. "But now, the police seem to be taking them a lot more seriously, especially with the Wild Bunch getting involved. Which elevated these small-time conspiracy theorists from harmless superstition to something a little more legitimate, and much more dangerous as a result," He then gave the Chosen Children a wry grin. "However, now? Well… why don't you see for yourself?"

Taichi paused at that before he pulled out his DT2 and did just that. Instantly, he was greeted by promotional material for the upcoming franchise, people talking about that franchise, and even fan art for it.

Front and center of which was a drawn picture of Angewomon in an unfortunate position.

"Bwah-!?" Taichi jerked back at that, nearly dropping his DT2 as his face turned red at unexpected softcore porn. He swiftly shut his DT2 before Hikari could see what he had seen.

"Yeah, yer gonna see a lot of that, too," Jin said, earning him confused stares from the other Chosen Children and a mortified blush from Taichi. "At this point, you can't filter through what's a real sighting and what's just fandom fantasy. And it's coming from everyone, across the world, rather than just us."

"There's even talk that the Omegamon fight was a promotion for my franchise," Kigaru said before he flashed Taichi and Yamato a grin. "We've been getting a lot of comments about how we recast the main leads, too. With some preferring the new leads, and others wishing we had kept the originals."

Yamato blinked before he arched an eyebrow. "So my acting career ended before I knew I even had one?"

"So you are… discrediting the Digimon rumors," Iori said. "Rather than continuing to silence them, you're inundating the internet with fandom to try and bury the kernels of truth."

"Bingo~!" Kigaru said, brightly. "Anyone who tries to claim Digimon are real will instead be labeled as an otaku."

Miyako twitched slightly, her lips pulling into a straight-lined grimace.

"[Otaku?]" Wallace asked, his voice quiet.

"[It's like 'nerd' or 'geek',]" Mimi explained quietly. "[Except a bit more… extreme.]"

"[Juuuust a bit,]" Kigaru said, making both Mimi and Wallace jump to stare at him. He flashed them both a grin. "[For some, it's the worst thing in the world to be called. They consider it totally delegitimizing, even more so than 'conspiracy theorist'. Others wear it as a badge of honor, as a symbol of their dedication. Even America has them. If you've ever been to a sports event or movie premiere, I'm sure you've seen a few yourself.]"

Wallace's expression deadpanned at that. "[Ah. That.]"

"[Waaaaaallace,]" Noir began as he tilted his head to the side so that he could peer at his partner. "[Are you thinking about that time when that woman showed up at your dad's big premiere and took off her shirt in front of you all to show her tattoo of his character that made him look like he was groping her boo-]"

Wallace clapped a hand over Noir's mouth, causing the Black Terriermon to blink. "Yes," he said stiffly. "Thank you, Noir."

"Is this really going to work?" Sora asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"The reception seems to have gone really well, much better than I had anticipated," Kigaru said with a shrug, still smiling. "If nothing else, it will make it that much harder for them to convince a judicial officer to issue a warrant over an 'anime character'."

Jou pursed his lips together in an unpleasant frown. "I know that's supposed to be reassuring, but the fact that it can even happen at all is a little terrifying," he muttered.

At that moment, a new golden gate appeared in the room, startling the assembled Chosen Children. Within seconds, Daisuke appeared among them, Chicomon comfortably in his arms. The sight of Daisuke was startling enough, but Chicomon drew the biggest reaction from the non-Miracles Chosen Children, who whirled to gawk and stare.

"Uh, s-sorry I'm late!" Daisuke said as he reached up to rub the back of his head. "Lord Zeed said I, uh… should probably attend, as it's kinda a big deal, so…"

"Daisuke, is that…?" Takeru began, staring at Chicomon, who squirmed and wiggled happily in his partner's arms. It wasn't that he didn't know it was V-mon's baby form, but more the stunned reaction at the egg having hatched so quickly. Both Patamon and Tailmon spent some time as an egg. Patamon had been an egg for roughly a day or so, while Taimon had spent weeks inside hers due to the severity of her death. They certainly didn't hatch within a couple hours.

"Oh, yeah!" Daisuke immediately brightened up, beaming. "Lord Zeed hatched Chicomon's egg for me! Isn't he just so great!?"

"He… hatched his egg!?" Ryo repeated, his eyes widening as he stared at Daisuke. "He can do that!?"

Tailmon narrowed her eyes at Chicomon and Daisuke. "If I had to guess, he probably donated a portion of his power," she said after a moment, her words carefully measured. "And essentially jump-started him. No different than when he makes other Digimon evolve."

"Does this mean I could have jump-started you and helped you hatch sooner?" Patamon asked, furrowing his brow as he turned to face Tailmon.

Tailmon paused at that as she considered it, crossing her arms. She thought back to how they first helped Gabumon and Agumon reach their ultimate level against VenomVamdemon by using arrows of light. At the time, it had seemed to be a sort of prophecy. But now she understood it to be very similar to what Zeed did - donating energy. "Possibly. But it's not like we'd ever have thought to do it, so don't worry about that so much. Given what we know now, it seems this sort of thing is just second nature to Zeed. It appears to be literally the forte of Miracles itself."

Ryo hesitated as he considered what he was being told. "Zeed… did that? Zeed cared enough to do that…?"

Daisuke turned to Ryo with a look of confusion that matched the other boy's. "Yeah, of course. Lord Zeed cares about all of us, after all!"

Jou tutted lightly as he shook his head. "There's no point trying to talk to them about this until Lord Zeed fixes the error in them, Daisuke."

"He's right," Koshiro agreed. "It will just upset them needlessly."

"Oh, right," Daisuke said, a bit flustered by needing to be reminded.

As the Chosen Children and assembled adults were being distracted by Daisuke, none of them noticed the tiny snout in the doorway leading into the hallway, belonging to none other than Zeed. The Dorumon peered cautiously into the room, his eyes narrowed.

"Mmm, yes," Zeed murmured to himself. "My Beloved seems to be in better spirits… good."

The Dorumon silently watched the Chosen Children, listening to their conversation. Ultimately, he didn't care much about this commercial that seemed to have them in a tizzy. The implications seemed rather dire to them, but it was of no consequence to him.

What did it matter if people knew that his digital world existed? If anything, it would make things easier, as the human world belonged to him just as much as the other. Why shouldn't the humans know their master existed?

Before he could think too deeply on it, Zeed paused as he noticed a faint aroma of cooking. He glanced about before his eyes drifted down the hallway, quickly focusing on a distant room.

Zeed made a thoughtful hum, one that was accented by the sudden rumbling of his stomach, stirred by what smelled rather delectable so early in the morning. He cast Ryo one last glance before he hurried down the hall, his footsteps nearly silent as his paw-pads softened the noise.

The smell led Zeed straight to a magnificent kitchen, far larger than the one he had built in the Temple of Miracles. He made a point to notice the details, particularly what features his kitchen lacked so that he could address it later, before he stopped to stare at the beings occupying the space.

At a large table sat Sakura and Sera, who were holding large ketchup bottles, using them to draw designs on their omelet rice breakfast. Akane stood nearby, helping them steady the bottle, as Sakura drew a little cartoon rabbit head and Sera drew what appeared to be a grinning imp face.

The Dorumon stared at the children before turning his attention to their breakfast. He had never seen such dishes before, but the smell was absolutely divine. "Hm."

Akane was the first to notice their guest, blinking in surprise before offering the small furry creature a smile. She didn't recognize this one, but there were so many little creatures making friends with the children, she wouldn't be surprised if more got added to the group. "Got bored of the conversation, huh?" she guessed.

Zeed gave a start at that before he mentally cursed his carelessness. He then paused before glancing down the hallway, then back to Akane. She didn't seem to realize who he was. While that would normally irritate him, it seemed beneficial for now - she wasn't kicking up a fuss.

"Why don't you join us for breakfast?" Akane suggested as she helped Sera finish the decoration and set the bottle down. "We don't have extras made, but I'll get someone back in here to cook pretty much whatever you like."

Zeed immediately perked up at that, his eyes practically glittering at the thought. He swiftly entered the kitchen, minimizing the chance of anyone else accidentally noticing him, before he approached the table. He paused as he stared at the two children, then noted the chairs they were sitting on. Without any further hesitation, he hopped into an open chair and got himself situated, his tail dangling over the edge.

Sakura stopped in mid-chomp to stare at the Digimon that had come to join them, her eyes lighting up. She quickly pointed at him. "Digimon Tamer!"

"Hm?" Zeed paused at that, blinking, before recognition hit him. "Oh, yes. That thing they were talking about. The, ah… 'anime'?"

"Yeah!" Sera agreed, waving her fork in the air. "It's so cool!"

"Is it now?" Zeed asked. "One would think with how they are reacting, it was something rather unpleasant."

"Unpleasant?" Sera repeated, her expression going blank.

Zeed paused. It would seem that these smaller children are not quite as intelligent as the company he was used to. "…Bad. That it was a bad thing."

It was then that the Dorumon stopped and stared at Sera. His eyes focused on her bangs, and the decidedly unique two-tone coloration. While he had certainly seen different colorations on Digimon, be it spots or stripes or the multitude of other hide patterns they may come in, it was the first time he had seen it on a human. At least, one so striking with the sharply contrasting blond against purple. He would have to make a mental note of it.

"Hi!" Sera said as she waved at Zeed. "My name's Sera. What's your name?"

Zeed was about to respond when he immediately thought better of it. Even if they didn't know who he was at the moment, surely they would have heard his name at some point. He was, after all, world-famous. And yet the thought of not using his illustriously chosen name made his tongue taste like ash.

However, he was not so foolish as to reveal himself and cause a situation over such a small matter of pride when there was nothing to be gained from it.

"Dorumon," Zeed said after a moment's hesitation, even as the name sounded foreign to him. "Good morning."

"Good morning!" Sera said, cheerfully, then pointed dynamically across the table with her fork, drawing Zeed's attention across the way to the other little girl. "That's my cousin, Sakura!"

"Good morning," Sakura said, with a well-rehearsed politeness.

"Good morning, Sakura," Zeed said.

Back at the playroom where the Chosen Children were assembled, the conversation had seemed to reach a lull. It was during that moment that Jou approached Daisuke, his expression concerned.

"Daisuke, perhaps it would be best for you to return now," Jou said, his voice soft to lessen the chance of the others overhearing their conversation. "Lord Zeed's generosity knows no bounds, but we should not leave him unattended for too long."

"Oh, no worries," Daisuke chirped, smiling brightly. "You don't need to worry about that."

"Why not?" Koshiro asked as he approached the two.

"Because Lord Zeed is actually here right n…," Daisuke began before he immediately stopped, his eyes nearly bugging out of his eyes as he realized what he had done. He jerked his head to see if anyone else had heard him.

To his unending embarrassment - and no small amount of panic - the Chosen of Tenacity saw that everyone had heard him. All conversation completely stopped as the other Chosen Children turned to stare at Daisuke.

"Hey, so, you wanna run that by us again?" Yamato said, his arms crossed. "What do you mean by 'Zeed is actually here'?"

"As in… here, here?" Taichi asked, joining in, as he pointed down at the floor. "As in physically here on Earth, in this house, here?"

"Uh…," Daisuke faltered before he shook his head vigorously. "Nope! Not at all! Totally not what I meant! Nope, nada, no way!"

"Uh huh," Miyako said, her tone totally giving away just how much she believed him. "So what did you mean?"

"N-nothing!" Daisuke said. "I-I didn't mean nuthin'! You know, just… typical Daisuke stupidity, right? Ahaha, who knows what random bullshit I'll say next, am I right?" He forced out a laugh, or at least tried to, but it only came out awkward and stilted.

"Bullshit," Tsuyosa repeated.

Kigaru glanced down at his son before he gave a dry chuckle. "Hmhm."

"Wait, so you're saying Zeed is here!?" Ryo demanded, panic clear on his face. "Right now!?"

"N-no, no, no!" Jou quickly jumped in, waving his hands. "Absolutely not!"

"T-that's right!" Mimi said with a nervous giggle. "Why would Zeed-chama be here?"

Miyako's expression deadpanned as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Wow. That was. So. Convincing. I totally believe you."

Jin narrowed his eyes before he pulled out his cellphone. What the Chosen Children couldn't see was Keiko's brother accessing an app that pulled up a live security feed, which showed the various hallways in his home. He cycled through different shots at lightning speed until he came across a scene that chilled his blood. He snapped his cellphone shut as he took off running, startling the Chosen Children as he rushed by. "The bastard is in the kitchen with Sakura and Sera!"

Tsuyosa let out a quiet yelp as Keiko hastily placed him down on the sofa before disappearing, Nyamon quickly following after.

"Shit!" Taichi shouted as he ran after Jin, only to be seized by the arm and forced to a halt.

"Senpai, wait!" Daisuke shouted as he tugged Taichi back. "What're you planning to do to Lord Zeed?"

"What am I gonna do?" Taichi repeated, incredulously. "What is he gonna do to those kids!?"

"Nothing!" Mimi said, sharply. "Honestly, Taichi! Zeed-chama wouldn't harm a bunch of innocent children!"

"We don't have time for this!" Yamato barked as he dashed past the Miracles Chosen, following after Jin.

Zeed hummed happily to himself as he ate his omelet rice, showing a surprising amount of dexterity with the knife and fork despite his clawed limitations. Sera had drawn a simple but admittedly cute crown for him with ketchup, and he was taking care to let the illustration remain as long as possible while he ate around it.

It was while Zeed had been in the middle of savoring a bite that he caught motion in the corner of his eye. He turned just in time to see Keiko and Nyamon appear in the kitchen, though no one else had - for obvious reasons. He paused as he met their harsh gazes, his eyes widening as realization struck him - he had been discovered.

"Get out," Keiko snarled as she glared daggers into Zeed.

While Zeed was loath to do anything when expressly ordered to do so, especially when said order came from an undead little urchin who had been nothing but a thorn in his side since the moment they met, he knew far better than to press the subject. Zeed knew it was only a matter of time before Keiko called for the others, and if the sound of hurried footsteps he heard in the distance was anything to go by, she already had.

Zeed let out a thoughtful hum before he jabbed his fork into the omelet indelicately to shovel the rest into his mouth in one big bite. He then set down the silverware and dabbed his chin with a napkin. "Well, then. It would seem my welcome has been worn out, so I shall take my leave."

"Huh?" Akane blinked, before she was startled to see the strange Digimon suddenly disappear with a golden light. It was at that very moment that Jin burst into the kitchen, with his gun drawn from his holster that was normally hidden under his jacket.

"Get away from them, you bastard!" Jin barked before he froze, finding himself staring at his daughter and niece, as well as his sister, but no enemy Digimon insight. "Uh?"

"Bastard!" Sera chirped as she waved her fork in the air.

"Bastard," Sakura agreed as mimicked her cousin with her fork, adding her knife with her other hand for good measure.

Akane looked from the girls to her brother, her eyes sharper than the knives the girls held as she focused on the drawn firearm her brother held. "You better start explaining what that was about. Now."

"Psychotic murderous Digimon," Jin said while lowering his gun before the Chosen Children started clamoring into the kitchen.

Akane took a deep breath before letting it out through her clenched teeth in a hiss.

"Shit."