Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
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Chapter Forty-Four: The Betrayal of Gennai and the Viral Digicore
The days passed like sunlight through the windows. They were shimmering, shining, and before you knew it, gone, taken by night, and pulled down into the underworld beneath the horizon. In the brevity of this opening, Rei had decided to test the waters oncemore. Just one more piece to test the Digidestined. Surely Homeostasis would call upon them again, but he would have to create a new threat; a threat that even though deleted it could return; A threat independent of himself that he could let wreak havoc on an unrighteous world that had no choice but to rely on children to save it.
He contemplated the entire situation while drinking a to go cup of coffee, just wondering how long it would be before he would be unable to travel between worlds.
Children laughed, and adults had adult conversations. Dogs barked giddily, while babies cooed in their mother's bosoms. Sunlight shimmered shining summery lights through the gaps of trees and bushes, and a fresh wind carried the pleasantness of pollen and grass. And all Rei could do was fight against it with just a cup of coffee.
He downed it, crushing it in his grasp and effortlessly tossing it into the nearest trash can, some children impressed clapping.
Rei smiled indifferently walking by the rotting bags of children's flesh contemplating everything he had accomplished so far. Not too long ago he finished preparing the Watchers of the Periphery to clash with the Shadow of Apotheoseia. He was hoping that perhaps he could let loose the Digimon the Hisashi had tamed, however, somehow a human girl and her friend 'Meicoomon' defeated it, but took on the curse of Tanukimon.
And that wretched man Hikuro, delayed matters even further seeking the aid of Hackmon no doubt. The lizard had put to sleep Meiko's memories, so that her emotions would not go out of control and Meicoomon would not digivolve turning into a killing machine.
Rei sighed, knowing that the lulled to domestic ownership would one day be activated again. All Rei had to do was create some carnage. With Meicoomon tamed, another part of Rei's plans had been pushed farther back down the road. Yet still, he could foresee what would happen. The hormones of adolescence would cause a rift between Meicoomon and Meiko. But before that, he was sure Myotismon would regain his form and strike. But again, this would probably take years to happen. He was surely planning something, but Rei cared not for his machinations.
Eventually when the Digidestined were strong enough Homeostasis would reveal to them the Digital Record. Perhaps when they were old enough? They defeated the Dark Masters. They would surely face Myotismon again. And they would have to contend with Rei's curse. Should they become able to defeat them, and the uncertainty of adolescence revealing their insecurities, Rei would have to figure out how to take advantage of this.
He stared up at the sky, savoring the coming days when the worlds would be threatened again. "I suppose," he said to himself aloud, "It's time to pay my old friend a visit."
He cursed and swore all the while Rei finally manage to get in communication with him, the old man practically out of his mind. His invitation to the Dark Domain even surprised Gennai the moment he came across the periphery into Rei's Kingdom.
"We could hear you complaining for awhile," Cthulusmon said disapprovingly.
"Welcome!" King Ygdrassill grinned. "It's Rei Kurenada's domain!"
Gennai huffed a bit taken aback by everything.
Rei stood up from his throne walking over to him, Gennai on edge.
"Why, whatever is the matter my friend?" Rei asked. "Did the journey make you unwell?"
"N-no," he coughed, his cough suddenly going away.
"It's not that," he said his voice, usually gruff and scratchy straightening up.
His wrinkles started to vanish. He increased in stature, Gennai amazed by the transformation. He felt the back of his hair, a rat-tail clinging to the back of his head. "M-my face!" he exclaimed. "By golly! Someone get me a mirror!" he exclaimed, Rei forming one out of data showing him.
"Oh my my," he grinned staring into it. "Just who IS that handsome devil?" he said raising his eyebrows.
"A fallen hero," Rei grinned. "Welcome to the other side Gennai," he sneered. "As promised, you have started to taste the blessing of King Ygdrassill," he lied. "But it's not complete as of yet."
"Really?" Gennai grinned grasping his fist and releasing it repeatedly. "And just when will I receive the full blessing?"
"In time. But first, you must continue paying this little charade until it's no longer necessary," he said.
"No longer necessary? How much longer must I continue these delusional ordinances of Homeostasis? Didn't things go to plan? I'm a very busy man and I hate to dawdle like this."
Rei grinned placing one hand on his shoulder. "Ah, fleet-footed are we? Then why don't we sit down," he said ushering him and his two most faithful servants to his quarters. They went inside and sat down in his chamber. He set up quite the lavish spread for his guest of honor.
"I'll be," he said. "Would you look at that. If I wasn't composed of data and was of flesh and blood I would love nothing more than to feast on this."
Rei sat down and immediately reached out grabbing a leg of roasted lamb. He reached forward and took a bite. Then easily just by tracing the image a few times cut it into bite sized pieces on his plate.
"That's just how you've been brainwashed by Homeostasis to see it," he said.
"What?" Gennai wondered strangely. "It shouldn't taste like anything, but it does. I'm not a Digimon so I can't really-"
"-EAT!" Ygdrassill said enthusiastically slamming a dish full of ham sandwiches on his table. "You have to eat my servant. If you don't I will be displeased."
"S-servant?" he questioned pointing at her. "What is she-"
"-I guess the surprises really keep piling up, aren't they?" Rei said wiping his mouth with a napkin. "That is your Goddess, King Ygdrassill."
"But you're a feminine data file, right?" he asked.
"It's just my title," she chuckled. "But I'm a King because there is no one else but my god who is above me."
"I see," he said nervously.
"And this is the court jester!" she laughed pointing at Cthulusmon.
"I'm a what?!" he said his voice breaking. "You better behave young lady in the presence of our Lord! I'm sure he would not stand for such behavior!" he grinned.
"Oh?" Rei said entertained propping his head up with his other hand. "Your bickering is quite entertaining at times," he agreed, "But if I have a guess I expect that to be kept to a minimum," he said inquisitively.
Cthulusmon nodded his head. "Yes Lord. I apologized gravely for this disrespect."
"Yeah, sorry," Ygdrassill added reaching for a cupcake and snacking on it to her delight.
"B-but you look just like a girl. Like an older Digidestined," Rei said. "I thought only Homeostasis could fashion humanoid non Digimon," he said starting to look on edge. "What is going on? How is this-"
Gennai stared at Ygdrassill, her eyes glowing a dangerous magenta. He realized just how much she was holding back from devouring him, the way her blood lust was directed towards him.
"I would eat if I were you," Rei said.
Not wasting another second, Gennai reached his hand forward and grabbed a sandwich and took a bite.
"Th-this?" he questioned. "I don't believe it! It tastes so much better than anything in the Digital World!"
"That's because we feed our cravings," Rei said. "But, you'll find we prefer the corrupted data of Digimon for our sustenance. All this other flimsy food is just window dressing."
"But what about my snacks?" Ygdrassill pouted.
"Of course, of course," he smiled. "That's a bit of an exception just for you," he said making sure she didn't get angry.
She smiled as he rubbed her head enjoying it.
Gennai coughed a bit as he bit another sandwich punching his chest as he choked it down.
"I think I see what's going on now," he noticed. "And, I want more. More pleasure. More Digimon destroyed. He said, his eyes darkening. "I want to see Homeostasis and the Digital Creator suffer for shelving me. I want to punish them!"
"And you will," Rei agreed taking a sip of tea. "Or rather, WE will," he smirked.
"There is just one little problem to all of this," he said setting down his cup and interlocking his fingers together staring across the table at him.
"I'm listening," Gennai said popping a morsel into his mouth.
Rei glared at him as if looking through him.
"Is something wrong?" he asked a bit nervously.
"No," Rei said refusing to blink. "Gennai, can I really trust you?"
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"You betrayed Homeostasis for me. If you are going to be part of my designs, what can you give to me that will ensure your loyalty to our cause?"
"What can I give?" he asked. "My servitude of course! It's so much better here than with Homeostasis."
Cthulusmon covered his mouth a bit chuckling.
Gennai gritted his teeth turning towards him maniacally. "Something funny Butler?!"
"Oh? Why, nothing," Cthulusmon grinned barely covering his mouth with part of his two fingers. "It's just, I don't think you are feigning our Lord his due diligence," he said rushing towards him, Gennai standing up ready to draw his sword, and then kicking his legs in breaking them both.
Gennai winced as he fell, his sword falling with him.
Rei crossed his arms, taking a breath, glad of the break in tension.
"M-my legs!" Gennai sobbed. "What did you do to my legs?"
"He just kicked them in silly," Ygdrassill said rubbing his hair. "Servant, you have such fine hair. I bet I can make you look all pretty."
"Pretty?" he said alarmed.
Ygdrassill hummed to herself going over to him, Gennai screaming as she combed his hair out to the scalp and braiding it into one large lump with the hair falling down over his face.
"Nooo!" he cried. "Please, King Ygdrassill, have mercy on-"
"-I will grant mercy who I will," she said touching his cheek staring at him dangerously. "Are you worthy for me to have mercy on you? Gennai?"
Gennai's whole body shivered as he cowered in front of her, the weight of Ygdrassill's presence undoing him.
"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "Please, just do what you will. I'm just a lowly servant after all."
Rei had enough of this amusement. He walked forward towards and then without turning around with a flit of his wrist converted the welcoming dining display into dark digital data.
"That's enough Ygdrassill, Cthulusmon," he said, both of them retreating walking away from him.
The eerie sword of Gennai still shown on the ground quite vividly, but spookily.
"Gennai, you're a warrior, are you not? Fallen or otherwise," Rei said walking forward and grabbing the device, the hue of the light blade wondrous to behold.
"I am," he said sniveling, slowly getting his bearings back.
"You have quite the powerful guardians here," he said struggling to get up, but finding he could do so. Somehow his legs had been healed, Rei fully knowing Dark Digital Data in this dimension had certainly been responsible for that. In this way Cthulusmon and Ygdrassill did not overreach themselves after all.
Rei took the blade wincing as he tossed It near him.
"It looks dull and rusted," Rei smirked. "No wonder you were in that retirement home."
"Ah, you see my point!" Gennai exclaimed. "Even being the most loyal dog was not enough for her. She banned me from ever being her warrior again-all because I let one stupid Digital Egg slip!" he shouted. "And that stupid crest of light!"
Rei studied him, realizing just the significance his very presence has had making things fall into place. Yes, he was just the necessary piece he needed. But, he would need to have the utmost loyalty in order for Rei to defer to his servitude.
"So? You are no longer sanctioned then to wield such a blade," he said, Gennai hesitantly picking it up. The blade glowed brilliantly, but the light started fading fast.
"Huh," Gennai sighed. "The glow of the blade and it's sharpness is directly proportional to how much one will bend themselves to the will of Homeostasis," he admitted. "It's almost not glowing at all now."
"What's it fueled by?" Rei asked.
"What? To make it work?"
Rei nodded his head expectantly.
"It's a piece of a core," he said.
"A core?"
"And not just any core. A Digicore."
"Hmm," Rei said looking at it. "That certainly does look like the light of Digivolution as a weapon."
"It really is," he agreed performing a couple techniques with it. "But, it's useless now. The Blade is practically out of power because I don't see eye to eye with her."
"In that case," Rei said, "I have a brilliant idea."
"What's that?"
"We're going to have a little 'fun' with Homeostasis and the Digidestined. "Interested?"
Gennai rubbed the back of his head and scratched furiously. "Oh, I'm all for it," he said closing one of his eyes grinning and picking up the core. "What did you have in mind...Lord Kurenada?"
The wind blew sweetly, Rei calmly sipping just a cup of coffee. It was late afternoon around the time when children would be arriving home from school. The parks were empty on a school night, especially around the park bench he had been sitting at.
A slight rustle in the breeze parked itself behind Rei sitting on the opposite side of the bench behind him.
"It seems you have received my message," Hackmon's voice said, Rei calmly taking another sip.
"I certainly have," he grinned. "It was clever to send it in data to the Dark Ocean. Anyways, what did you think of my present?"
"Troublesome," Hackmon replied, his voice a bit wary of him. "Even if she is powerful, that viral entity, Baskilermon I believe it called itself; it nearly destroyed all of them.
"Oh?" Rei said curiously. "Tell me more."
"The Digimon poisoned Takeru Takaishi. It thrashed Angewomon and nearly set itself on Hikari, but Homeostasis awakened and intervened."
"Just in the nick of time," Rei quipped taking another sip of coffee. "Continue."
"She forced Angewomon to the next level and Magnadramon destroyed him. Thanks to this, everyone was saved."
"A happily ever after huh?" Rei wondered swirling the last contents of his beverage. "Too bad. Why are you telling me all of this anyway?"
"Because," he said, "I need answers. And only you have them."
"Oh? Rei glanced back at him. "Is it something Basiliskermon said?"
"Affirmative."
"Go ahead and tell me."
Hackmon sighed, his tone on edge. "He said that With the angel disposed of the one who desires balance will no longer be able to have a host which will summon forth the harbinger of the one to come."
Rei mulled the words to himself.
He chuckled a bit quickly calming himself. "He was quite the talkative one, wasn't he?"
"No games," Hackmon said seriously but calmly. "What did he mean by those words? Who is this harbinger of the one to come?"
"I inserted all the data he needed just to make that Viral Digimon feel special," Rei said. "But it was merely, a whim, a fancy to test Hikari Yagami. You shouldn't pay attention to such trivial things."
"Trivial?" Hackmon said, his tone threatening. "To you maybe. But Homeostasis considers all aspects to determine if something is a threat to stability or not. Those words have merit. I will have you tell me."
Rei closed his eyes breathing out into the air. "I told you before," he said, "When my time comes you won't be able to do a thing about it. What Basiliskermon said is just a foreshadowing- just a taste of that future."
"Then I played right into your hands accepting that gift," Hackmon winced.
"You certainly did," Rei said. "But I'm sure you gained some valuable information as well."
Hackmon paused for a second as if recalling the events. "I verified the entire course of events," he said. "You might be confident telling me all of this, but I can match that confidence telling you, who was not there to see it, that the bond of Takeru Takaishi and Hikari Yagami has deepened even if they are just children."
Rei turned around to look at him, Hackmon having vanished.
"Really?" Rei said a bit agitated. "You felt my killing intent and fled did you?" he questioned. "That's good. Now go be a good little puppy and report back to your master Homeostasis," he said taking his coffee and letting it slide off his hand into a garbage can.
"As for me, before I head back, I'm going to grab...just one more cup of coffee."
Back in his domain Rei Kurenada kept to himself in his chambers considering Hackmon. He lay down with his arms behind his back looking at the ceiling. He could literally feel time slip through his fingers considering the chains of imprisonment he started to feel once more.
A knock on his door caught his attention, Rei opening it just by staring at it.
Of all entities, Gennai came over, a chipper smile on his face. "It's nearly complete," he grinned.
"Really?" Rei said questionably.
"Absolutely," he laughed heartily. "I got to tell ya, it took quite an effort from the three of us," he said, King Ygdrassill and Cthulusmon appearing behind him.
"What do you mean the three of us?" Cthulusmon questioned placing a hand on his shoulder, Gennai glancing back at him nervously.
"You just provided the part," King Ygdrassill scolded. "We were the ones that did all the work."
"What are you chuckleheads all going on about?" Rei said a bit annoyed all of his thoughts were interrupted.
"We took the data from each of the Digimon for your special project," Cthulusmon said.
"I kept the data together while Cthulusmon packaged them all," she grinned. "All it needs is to be wrapped up by you Lord and he will be all ready.."
Rei went along with it, getting out of bed. "Oh very well. I'll let you humor me," he said, all four of them heading over to an administrative sealed off area only permissible to visit by only Rei's trusted generals.
There, Rei noticed a massive amount of data constricted it to one space.
"Ho?" he said walking around the area inspecting it. "Very clean. Very organized. It has all the makings for creating a strong viral digimon."
"But we know that's not what you wanted," Cthulusmon noticed. "So, with the Digicore we can turn this viral data into a 'proper' digimon we believe."
"It will have a Digivolution process and everything!" King Ygdrassill added.
"Is that so?" Rei considered. "Very well. Gennai," he said, "Toss the core in there."
"What do you mean, 'Toss?' he questioned. "Digicores are very rare-from the sovereign themselves under the rule of Homeostasis. Any Dark Digimon or Dark Data would be incinerated the moment it touches it. I don't want you to waste your time with this."
"If Lord Kurenada demands it," Cthulusmon said confronting him, "Then it will be done."
"But what if it doesn't work? What then, huh?" he replied aggressively holding up his fists.
"It will work," King Ygdrassill replied smiling and rocking her head back and forth. "Because Rei says so."
Gennai stared at them a bit skeptical, but surprised by their loyalty.
"Gennai," Rei said, "Were you not the one who told me about the Digicores?"
"I did," he answered, "But even so-"
"-Didn't you say the blade would be weaker depending on how well you align with Homeostasis?"
"I did, but-"
"-What do you think would happen to a Digicore in such a state?"
Gennai hesitated taking the core out of his pocket, the core practically translucent.
"-It would grow weaker," he acknowledged. "But even still-"
"-You have only tasted a sample of my power," he said, his eyes briefly glaring at him. "Watch," he said prompting him to toss the Digicore a the mass of data.
"Now," Rei said grinning holding out his hands in the air. "Merge!"
With the expertise of a grand weaver Rei threshed and molded the data around the Digicore, the core though translucent only showing darkness inside, even the outer part of it stained to a dark black.
"Amazing!" Gennai exclaimed. "You really did contain it's power and buried it in data."
"You fool," Cthulusmon said shaking his head. "Our Lord has successfully combined a Viral Digimon with the Digivolution Process and not be destroyed by it. He has changed the nature of the core entirely from it's creator!"
Gennai opened his mouth aghast, as if unable to believe it.
"All that's left to do," Rei said is tossing the core in the air and fashioning a viral Digital Shell around it, "Is to think of a name."
"Something Diabolical," Ygdrassill mused. "How about Diablomon? Or maybe, Diaboromon?"
"It resonates well," Cthulusmon said. "That should be the mega name."
"Fine by me," Rei snickered. "It will start as an insignificant tiny virus. Then it will Digivolve more and more wrecking havoc on this world."
"Sounds like a plan," Gennai said. "But, it's too soon from when the brats defeated Apocalymon. It's only been about six months, hasn't it?"
"Don't worry about the details," Rei said. "I'm in a bit of a 'time crunch' he mused playing with the Digital Egg in his hand.
Everyone stared at Rei, a bit on edge.
"It's going to be awhile before I'll be able to play with them again," he said inspecting the egg pleased with it
"Let's just do one final check in to measure their progress…" he said holding up the egg and staring through it
"…Shall we?"
The chase began on screen. Just as the world watched, Rei watched. Virus spread after virus. Infection spanned infection. Fear gave way to desperation. Desperation gave way to chaos. Despite a coordinated effort by some of the Digidestined it was not enough. His Viral Digimon changed form and Digivolved more and more becoming stronger and spreading virus's and hijacking programs at an astonishing rate. Somehow, he even had gotten ahold of the armed forces codes to missiles, Rei pleased by just how quickly he terrorized the world.
Just when it appeared the Digidestined had overcome him, his Digimon Digivolved to Diaboromon and took out both the powerful Wargreymon and Metal Garurumon. To Rei, all of them seemed like a massive disappointment. Within six months time they must have gotten rusty and lost their edge in battle. That's what he thought anyway, until miraculously hopes and prayers flooded to both Digimon creating a new body, both WarGreymon and Metal Garurumon absorbing themselves into it creating another Digimon, one Rei had never seen before.
This Digimon Alphamon to his surprise managed to isolate the true form of Diaboromon whom had made copies of himself and stab through it's head with it's Transcending Sword attack, thus stopping the clock and the destruction of Japan and any further viral damage.
At the end of it, he collapsed in his chair amazed, but entertained.
"My Lord!" Cthulusmon cried. "Are you all right?"
"Well done," Rei ignored him clapping. "This is wonderful news. They've been able to break their limits even more than before," he acknowledged. "But, they made a critical mistake leaving a shard of his data intact," he said, the data starting to flow into his domain. "We'll just have to explore future possibilities later."
"A wise move like always Lord," Cthulusmon acknowledged. "It's too bad he wasn't successful though."
"He did his job," King Ygdrassill said rolling her eyes. "What did you think Lord?"
"Hmm," he said to himself tapping his fingers against his chest. "What do I think? I think when we see those children once again they'll be ready to dance like the puppets they are. All this means is I have an even more powerful puppet," he snickered.
"Really? I can't believe they have a Digimon that strong," Cthulusmon said. "I don't think Gennai told us anything about it."
"Truthfully I don't think Gennai even knew," Rei contemplated aloud. "But what I do know is I'll be keeping an eye on them through the Watchers of the Periphery and the Shadow of Apotheoseia."
"So plans have not changed?" Cthulusmon asked.
"Of course not. If anything everything is right on schedule. The seeds have been planted for the next encounter already. The only thing for us to do," he said prompting to show a design he had made of a black dark tower, "Is to spread the bait for others to take up their own cause against humankind," he said.
"Dark towers?" Cthulusmon questioned.
Rei showed another one as well.
"And what is that?" a dark collar?" King Ygdrassill asked.
"All of this forged from the useless remnants of the black gears, dark cables and any other garbage viral data," he said. "We'll just leave these files lying around in the Beginning Entrance to the Dark Ocean. He won't know what's behind the seal I'm going to make so perhaps he won't consider my whereabouts or knowledge of my missing files."
King Ygdrassill glanced up at him questionably.
"Just who are you talking about?" she asked.
He put a finger to his lips. "That..." he grinned devilishly,
"...is a secret."