Mechanical Ascension

by Reiko Lupus

Jellymon brings Kiyoshiro to help her with one of the odd jobs. This time, they are helping a Digimon hack into the systems of an abandoned facility so he can properly make it his home. But what are the true intentions of this Digimon?

Author Notes:

This is a story I wrote when Digimon Ghost Game was coming out. I wanted to make a one-shot fanfic that would fit nicely as a real episode inside the series, and especially wanted to make one about Kiyo and Jelly.

This is pretty much the "Prototype" that made me think and later on properly write my still on-going fanfic "Digimon Ghost Strife". Because of that, I have a strong attachment to this one.

Well, enough of this old hag reminiscing about her actions of the long forgotten past!

Hopefully you enjoy this one!

Mechanical Ascension

"Where… Where are they…"

Tears streamed down my eyes. I crawled through the floor. I had to escape, but I… I couldn't feel my legs. I tried to move them, but they wouldn't respond.

"There is no need to crawl on the ground, human. They are here."

The creature, the monster was holding some strange machines, presenting them to me.

"N- No…"

"What?"

"THOSE THINGS AREN'T MY LEGS!"

…

"Hahaha, it was foolish of you to think you could beat the great Higashimitarai Kiyoshiro!"

Some last small combos, and another opponent fell against my superior technique. It has been the thirteenth one in a row, and I had barely started the day!

Ginkakumon had challenged me to have a small competition of how many high-rank opponents we could beat in a row while not using defense nor ultimate moves, as a small fun test to see who could fight better with our hands tied behind our backs.

We were going to do it tomorrow night, so we had time to practice before starting, and I could already feel there was no way I could lose!

I started the next fight, connecting to yet another opponent in the Top 100 of this game. And as the ones before, I dominated the game. Only a few more hits and-

"Darling!"

A face suddenly emerged from my screen.

"Uaaaghh!"

*Thump!*

I fell from my chair, sending it rolling backwards.

"J-Jellymon-sama, wha-!"

Behind her, I could see my screen. My opponent had taken the chance to start comboing on me!

"Darling, I want your help with something!"

I rushed back into my computer. Jellymon-sama looked displeased, but if I lose…!

"Ahhhhh, my win streak!"

I couldn't save that fight. By the moment I came back to the controls, I was already trapped in a combo that erased my remaining HP.

While I watched in despair the losing screen, I received a message that appeared in the front of my screen.

'Hahaha, only 13? You'll need more than that to beat me tomorrow!'

"Ugh, this humiliation!"

Jellymon-sama came closer, a mischievous look in her face and a hand over her mouth.

"Ah, did I get in the middle of something important? Sorry〜!"

"Why did you come out of my screen in the first place!?"

"Because I thought it would be funny. But that doesn't matter! Come help me with something!"

(That's strange, Jellymon-sama rarely asks for help… Though that makes it even more suspicious.)

"…What is it?"

"I was doing someone a favor by helping in hacking into a system with some military information he needed for his research, but the system is too though and is taking too long, so come and give us a hand."

"Wait, are you asking me to get in conflict with the army!?"

"Of course not, darling! The base that he's using as home is abandoned. The few things left were some computers connected to the security systems and keeping some of the research that was being made there. But they are heavily encoded and hard to access, so he could barely get any useful information, and can't control the doors."

Jellymon-sama floated higher, and with a hand in her chest, talked proudly.

"That's where we come in! We'll hack into the system, break down the defenses, and set it so he can operate the place as much as he wants!"

(Uhhh, it didn't sound so bad, but something about it isn't clicking well with me…)

"Why do you even need my help for it? You probably can hack into it on your own given enough time."

"…Ugh, Darling, you are so stupid! If I'm asking you is because I can't! I may be faster than you, but you understand human systems better than me!"

(Well, that was… Reasonable.)

"…When should we go?"

"Right now!"

"Now!?"

"Of course! I have been trying to get into that system all night, and I don't plan to sleep until I do!"

She then grabbed me by the arm, and dragged me outside the room.

"Let's go, Darling〜!"

"Ahhhh, wait, at least let me take my coat and turn off my computer!"

"…I'm going home."

"Stop being such a coward!"

I had my suspicions when we were coming. I didn't know exactly where it was, but based on the train we took and the 2 hours it took to reach here… Seeing it in person, it was exactly where I thought it was.

"This is the abandoned Sādoāmu research institute! A military research center that is said it was closed by a series of mysterious deaths that happened inside, and that nobody that goes inside comes out!"

(There is no way I'm going inside there! That's not happening!)

"Kishishishi, are you scared that some monster inside could eat you? Or maybe that it'll collapse on top of you〜?"

"Stop, if you say it out loud you'll make it happ-!"

*Creeeech*

(What… Was that?)

Slowly turning my eyes to the gates of the institute, I didn't see anything there… No, there WAS something.

A small metallic hand was keeping the gates open. And from inside, a small metallic face peeked out, an eye surrounded by wrinkled skin behind the metal.

"Aaaaahhhhh"

I fell on my butt, my legs shaking.

"Hey Nanomon, I'm back!"

"Thanks for your help. Is that the human you mentioned?"

"He sure is! Now we'll get that computer to cooperate in no time at all!"

(Was he… The Digimon Jellymon-sama was helping out? Ugh, how embarassing.)

I got up and tried to clean a bit my pants from the dust, trying to keep some of my dignity, while he walked towards us.

He was a bit slow. When he was close enough, I offered him my left hand.

"I am Higashimitarai Kiyoshiro. It's a pleasure."

He raised his long, metallic hand, and grabbed mine. It was very cold…

"…"

He continued looking at me in silence, holding my hand firmly.

(This… Is a bit awkward)

"…Ehm, is there something wrong?"

"…You are a pretty interesting human."

"Eh?"

And just like that, he released my hand.

"Isn't he? My Darling is the best human around!"

"Let's get to work then. Hopefully, I'll finally be able to get the main computer to cooperate."

He then turned back, and walked back into the abandoned building. Jellymon-sama following behind.

"I have a very bad feeling about this…"

"This place is better equipped than I expected…"

The interior of the building was old and in a bad pretty bad state. Not strange considering it was abandoned almost 15 years ago.

But it was very well equipped. The walls and nearing the doors we passed by were full of various types of machines and clearly active pipes. Security cameras decorated the ceiling, but they looked inactive. The lights set between the walls and the ceiling were inactive, but various lamps have been set around.

(All equipment should be removed when a place like this was abandoned. And there is tons of people that get into abandoned buildings to take anything they think may be valuable. There should be only a few things left…)

"I have been slowly setting up my laboratory here since a few months ago. I built everything you see here."

"All of it!?"

"Correct. Though a lot of it is simply lying around to be set in place later. My research needs a lot of material, equipment, and machines to manufacture everything."

"Nanomon was apparently part of a big research team in the Digital World!"

"It wasn't as big as Jellymon makes it sound. Also, we have arrived.

Deep into the building, we arrived at what appeared to be a control center with a pretty big and old-looking computer set on the wall with various keyboards and screens set up on them.

"This is the main computer. For what I have been able to get out of it, it contains a lot of the research made here before it was abandoned. It also controls the security systems and the doors, so I wanted to use them instead of building new ones… But I in the months I have been here, I haven't been able to hack my way into it."

"This damn computer has been such a pain! I spent hours obsessing over it, and I barely made any progress! Why do they even make security so though!?"

"No, well, it WAS the military running this place, it needs to be secure…"

Nanomon looked at me in the eyes.

"Do you think you can help?"

"Hack into a military system… Well, this is your lucky day! I may have some doubts if ti was their modern systems, but I can crack open a 15 years old one with my eyes closed!"

"That's right! Teach him how it is done, Darling!"

"I see. You are really lifting a burden off my shoulders, human."

"Don't relax already."

I confidently sat in front of the center monitor of the computer.

"I'll need help if I want to finish this today. Get on the computer and lets start working."

"You really can't do anything without me, Darling〜!"

"I'll provide all the assistance I can."

They sat down, and we started working.

Various hours had passed, and we were making good progress. Only an hour or two more and we would probably be ready.

(Mmm, so this is the type of research they were doing?)

While working, I catched some glimpses of files we made accessible. It appeared to be a lot of research focused on prosthetics and machines integrated into the human body, assisting or replacing it's functions.

"Mmm…"

I took a quick glance of Nanomon. His small metallic body hiding skin behind the cracks on his face.

(This research must be especially important for him… No, if there are more Digimon like him, this must be a pretty important subject in the Digital World.)

Looking back into my screen, I pushed that thought aside for now and continued working.

"Hahahaha, not even the military can stop the great Higashimitarai Kiyoshiro!"

A last button press, and ti was done. It had taken 7 long hours, but all the security barriers and encryption had been taken down.

"With this, you can access all the files left behind, get access to not only the security systems of the building but be able to manipulate all the systems in the building, and even move them to any other computer you set up in the future!"

"Yaaay, thank you Darling! You are amazing!"

"This is incredible, you are truly the real deal."

"Fufufu, I know."

"It's as if you have some special connection to machines…"

Nanomon kept looking at me, his gaze unwavering.

(Right, now that I think back about it, I did find a bit about the research being done here.)

"Is your research related to prosthesis and flesh-machine interfaces?"

"You could make it out in the middle of hacking the system, with few scattered research pieces…?"

"Ah, now that Darling mentions it, I don't think I ever asked what type of research you are making. Is that it?"

"Indeed, he's right. Mechanization is a very hard procedure, but an important one. Creating basic androids and doing their maintenance is relatively simple, but creating cyborgs and maintaining their cybernetic parts is a very difficult process, with high chances of failure. The body may reject the implants, or the implants may become damage the body over time."

He pointed at his eye, surrounded by wrinkled skin.

"Some Digimon like me naturally become cyborgs, evolving into a species that is already a combination of flesh and machine. But that means taht we don't entirely understand how we work, or how to take care of our mechanical parts without damaging the biological part. My research in the Digital World, and now in the Human World, was focused on the mechanization of any and all body parts that may be necessary to replace or improve, and their maintenance."

He then looked at my bandaged right arm, before looking back into my eyes.

"Humans have also done a lot of research of their own, and expanding my research to help them too."

"Ehhhh, that's one very interesting and wonderful research. Since I have already spent so much time working on this, do you mind if I take a look at your research?"

"It would be my pleasure to show you. In fact, I was going to ask it myself. I feel like you can help further my research more than anyone else."

"Ahhhh, damn, I know those eyes. Darling will be looking at this non-stop for days…"

Nanomon jumped down from his seat, and walked towards the door.

"Come with me, I'll show you my laboratory."

I followed Nanomon enthusiastically. His research was very interesting, and it would help a lot of people. Jellymon-sama looked annoyed, but followed us without complaining more.

I was hyped about this, but…

(…For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this.)

We passed through a couple of hallways, the closer we got to the laboratory, the more organized the machines around were set. We walked while we talked about Nanomon's research.

"So, the prosthetics are common in the Digital World?"

"Well, it depends. You can recover lost limbs when you evolve, so Digimon focus on getting stronger to evolve faster when they lose them, though there are exceptions. Not everyone is willing to wait and work hard for so much time. It's more common for Digimon to want to replace them willingly."

"Eh!? Why would they choose to do that?"

"To grow stronger, of course. Our prosthetics focus more on battle, they need to be strong, unlike human's prosthetics that simply need to be a replacement. Integrating all types of weapons into them, and making them sturdy enough to stop any attack. Though… Human's designs are very interesting in their own way."

"Are they? We have made lots of advancement on them, but I wouldn't say they are better than what we are born with."

"But they have very elegant designs. We have always focused on strength above all else, but humans give them… Beauty."

Getting deeper into the building, some stronger smell started to permeate the air. Jellymon-sama looked bothered by it.

(It smells like… Iron?)

"Humans spent a lot of effort into turning them not into a weapon, but almost in a piece of art… That's something that we never considered. If we were to combine both, the technology of the Digital World and that of the Human World…"

Nanomon stopped for a moment. His tone of voice was… Off. The smell… The odor permeating the air was getting stronger, and a smell like… Rot.

(Something's strange… What's is this smell…?)

"We have arrived."

Nanomon broke the silence, and gestured to the closed steel doors besides us. The control panel to open it has been removed, and it was slightly open. The door must have been broken to be able to slide it open or closed manually. And…

'Ughhhhh…'

I could hear slight groans from inside. The smell was the strongest here, clearly coming inside.

"Eh, D-Darling…?"

Jellymon-sama grabbed my shoulder, worry clear in her voice.

(W-What is inside there?)

With a trembling hand, I slowly grabbed the edge of the door, and started to slide it open. Nanomon said no words.

As the door was opened, light started to creep into the room, and the stench in the air became stronger and stronger.

Eventually, the door was opened completely, and I could see the inside.

(Ah… Ahhhh…)

There were people around the room. Strapped to beds. Connected to the walls. Hanging from the ceiling by chains. Missing arms. Lost legs. Strange machinery connected to their body. A man's arm replaced by a mechanical one. A woman's thighs turned to machine, her flesh and rotting legs dangling from them. A jaw swaped for iron. Eyes changed for a visor. Spots on a torso missing. Half a body converted. Blood decorating the walls and floor, strange machines holding human body parts.

Before being able to fall backwards, I was assaulted by an intense electric shock.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"DARLING!"

*Thump*

I fell to the ground, paralyzed by a strong electric shock.

(W- What is happening!? What is all this!? Did I get electroducted!? Did Nanomon do it!? What happened to all this people!? Why did Nanomon do this!? What is he going to do to me!?)

I struggled to move my head and look backwards. I saw Jellymon-sama punching Nanomon repeteadly, but he easily blocked them.

"Jellymon, I ask you to calm down."

"Nanomon, what is the meaning of all this!? Why did you attack my Darling!?"

"This human… Kiyoshiro, is the ideal subject. I'm truly grateful to you Jellymon, now my research will surpass all my expectations and imagination."

"Shut up! As if I would let you touch him!"

Jellymon-sama tried to reach me, but she was grabbed by the throath by Nanomon's elongated arm, and kept away from me and the room.

"Gah!"

(Jellymon-sama!)

"Please, don't make me hurt you, Jellymon. You have nothing to worry about. Kiyoshiro is safe, I will simply improve him. He has the potential to ascend into something above all Humans and Digimon."

"Gh… Wh- What the hell are y-you talking about…!? L-Look at this room! Are you trying to kill my Darling!?"

She was chocking in the pain of being strangled.

(I- I can't remain like this! Jellymon-sama is…!)

I tried to move my body, but the shock was still running through my muscles.

(Guh! Move dammit! This is no time for this!)

Putting all my willpower into it, I forced my body to move. It was hard and painful, but I could do it. Maybe all the times I was shocked by Jellymon-sama helped my build resistance.

"I understand your worries, but there is no need for it. I have learned plenty from my previous tests, and the research data we acquired today is all I need to-"

Standing up, I grabbed a nearby tube, and swing it as strong as I could at Nanomon's arm, in between the steel, at the soft flesh inside it.

"Kuh!"

Nanomon staggered in pain, releasing his hold on Jellymon-sama. I held her hand, and ran.

(We need to get out of here! We need to get out of here right now!)

"D- Darling〜!"

Then, running past a corner, I stumbled and fell to the ground.

"Gah! I'm, I'm still not recovered…!"

"Oh geez!"

Jellymon-sama grabbed me by the shoulder, and started flying as fast as she could carrying me.

"Darling, why are you so useless!"

I saw Kiyoshiro and Jellymon run away.

(Well, it was expected. Humans have a bigger reluctance to getting enhanced, probably because their advancement in the area is still in it's infancy infancy.)

I walked to the electric pannel on the door, opened it, and connected my hand to it.

(Since everything is working again, I don't need to rush.)

We ran as fast as we could down the hallways of the building, retracing our steps.

"Jellymon-sama, why did you want to help this monster!?"

"How was I supposed to know!? It's not as if I went to explore this huge building when I first came! Now shut up and run!"

We could finally see the entrance. I could finally leave this nightmare, but… In front of our eyes, the entrance was blocked by a huge steel plate falling into place.

"Ahhhh, we are trapped!"

"Stop crying, we simply have to open it!"

Jellymon-sama moved to a nearby electrical panel, ripped it open, and connected her tentacles to it.

"I'll hack this open in less tha-!"

*Shrboooom!*

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Suddenly, a bright flash came from the control panel, and an explosion of lightning enveloped it. It sent her flying and crashing into the wall.

"Jellymon-sama!"

I ran towards her and checked her condition, but…

(She's… Unconscious!? This is bad! This is really bad!)

I desperately look around. At the door. At the hallways. At the nearby rooms. At the security cameras. And at my bracelet.

(What can I do!? Think, Higashimitarai Kiyoshiro! Jellymon-sama is out cold, there is now way we can fight that thing! Can I open the blocked door!? No, I can't access the panel without the proper tools! Are the cameras tracking my position!? No, even for a Digimon, setting up a system to access all cameras only minutes after they start working should be too much! Are there other possible exits!? No, it wouldn't make sense to only be able to block one exit! Would moving to the lake or canyon dimension change anything!? No, neither of them would change the current situation!)

Then, I heard it.

*Thud* *Thud*

(Steps! He's coming! Quick, think, what can I use to get out of there!? …The main computer! It should be in control of the security system! If I get into it I can get the doors open, and I can get it stuck so they can't closed anymore! But how do I get past Nanomon!? …I know!)

I pressed the buttons in my bracelet, and a force field quickly expanded, covering everything as far as I could see and transforming the world in front of my eyes. The walls and ceiling dried, sand covering the floor on patches and the sound of strong winds on the outside could be heard.

I couldn't heard the steps of Nanomon anymore.

(Please, let it work!)

I took off my shoes, and rushed into one of the nearby rooms, doing as little noise as I could. I hid behind an old cabinet, firmly hugging Jellymon-sama, and lowering my breathing as much as possible.

(Dammit, it's not as hot as I hoped it would be… Please God, Buda, Pachamama, not let him have any type of sensor to find me!)

Time passed, it must have been minutes at most, but it felt like hours. I could hear Nanomon's steps, now close enough to hear him.

(He sounds to be at the end of the hallway, near the first rooms…)

"Changing the entire world around us… Did you send us to an alternative dimension? It feels like the Digital World, but it's not exactly it… You continue to impress me more and more."

(Ugh, did he find me, or not!?)

I could hear him walk up to the first room, and… He entered?

"Please, there is no need to hide. I understand that it may be scary for a human, but I can guarantee that the chances of success of the procedure are of 100%."

(He's searching in the wrong place, and trying to make me reveal my location… That can only mean one thing! He can't find me!)

I could hear him move to another room.

"No, I should say that the only reason that it will work is because it's you, Kiyoshiro. I could feel that you were a special existence when we first met. You… Aren't fully human, are you? There is a bit of Digimon in you."

(Of Digimon!? What is he talking ab-… No, wait… Could he be referring to that time with Ajatarmon!? I was healed, but did it leave sequels in my body!?)

"And that's not even half of it. Your right hand hidden behind the bandages, your superior intellect and brain, and the adaptability of your body to electrical discharges. You are uniquely capable of becoming one with the machine… No, of pushing it even further."

The steps and his voice narrowed even closer.

"With all the knowledge of the Digital World, all the knowledge from the Human world, my expertise, and your apparently unlimited potential, we could make you ascend above our wildest imagination. You could have the strength of a god like Mars, the beauty of a goddess like Venus, your brain could be expanded to reach even further than the World Tree… )

(What is he even talking about!? I don't wanna have anything to do with any of that! There is no way in hell I'm letting this lunatic catch me!)

And then, I could hear him entering the room next to this one.

(Now!)

I broke into a sprint, clashing my shoeless feet against the dry, cracked, and covered in sand floor. It was painful, but looking carefully where I was stepping, I ran making almost no sound at all. I passed through the next room, and saw Nanomon, his back turned to me, still walking into the room.

(NIce! I timed it perfectly!)

Then, Jellymon-sama started to move in my arms.

"…Eh, Darling?"

And Nanomon didn't miss it. I could hear him quickly getting out of the room.

"Dammit, that was the worst timing possible!"

I stopped being silent and ran as fast as I could.

(We were found out, but we aren't cornered anymore! Nanomon is slow, if we can make past a few corners, we'll be safe!)

*Bang!*

(…Eh? What was… That?)

I stumbled on my feet. As I fell, I could see Jellymon's face, slowly changing from confusion to panic.

*Thump!*

I fell to the ground, Jellymon still in my arms. I could see back at Nanomon. There was a small tube and some machinery attached to his arm, leaking a bit of smoke.

I looked down, and I saw… Blood, starting to staunch my clothes, and a small hole in them.

"DARLING!"

"I haven't shot your vitals, but you'll die soon without treatment. Now, please, stop resisting. We can improve your body so you never have to go through something like this again."

"NANOMOOOOOON!"

Jellymon-sama rushes towards Nanomon, but Nanomon slams her to the ground with a single hand. Then, energy emerges from his hand, and she's covered in purple sphere of energy. She starts groaning in pain.

"Nano Crash"

"J- Jellymon-sama!"

"D-Darling…!

"Now, stay quiet and…"

(Don't you dare let him do whatever she wants with Jellymon-sama, Higashimitarai Kiyoshiro! Move! You aren't even in pain, the adrenaline is completely dampening it! SO MOVE!)

I pushed myself unto my feet. It was hard, my body rejecting the idea of getting up with this wound. But I managed to push myself to stand.

"JELLYMON-SAMA!"

Her expression of pain was replaced by one of hope.

"D-DARLING!"

(Yes, this is the expression that you should be showing me. Now, let's get out of this together!)

I focused my thoughts on my bracelet, and it started to bright up. I could feel my connection with Jellymon-sama growing stronger, and she was encased in a bright blue light.

"Jellymon Evolution!"

The light gathered together, absorbed by her and growing into a new form.

"TeslaJellymon!"

"What? She evolved?"

"Physalist!"

"Huryyyyaaaaaa!"

Quickly, without losing a moment, TeslaJellymon-sama punched Nanomon, sending him flying against a wall and sending lightning flying everywhere.

"…Being able to make Digimon evolve through your will. You are truly someone special, Kiyoshiro."

He fell to the ground on his legs, apparently unharmed, and as calm as ever.

(Ugh, this is bad, he's too strong! Is there a way to win…!? No, we are already too hurt for this! Remember, we simply need to escape, not win!)

"Stop talking about my Darling, you-!"

"TeslaJellymon-sama! We need to retreat!"

"What!? But-!"

"Please, there isn't much time! We need to go to the central computer!"

"Ugh!"

She seemed displeased, but she unengaged Nanomon and flew at me, quickly grabbing me and carried me to escape.

"Stop running away."

*Bang!* *Bang!*

Shots could be heard behind us, but we managed to get away unharmed.

(I should have thought about it! Being a cyborg dedicated to developing cybernetic prosthetics, he would be able to easily assemble weapons to integrate into his body!)

I grasped at the wound on my side. A gaping hole from side to side, a projectile having passed through my body cleanly.

(I let my guard down!)

"Darling, are you okey!?"

"Yes, the adrenaline is keeping me from feeling the pain, but that won't last forever. We need to escape now!"

"Then what's the plan!?"

"We are going to go to the central computer, and force all the doors open. After it, we'll fry the computer and all it's connections, so Nanomon can't close them anymore! With all the doors and windows leading to the exterior open, we can escape from anywhere!"

"Understood! Grab me tightly and don't bite your tongue!"

And so, she flew faster than I have ever seen her flew before. The worry was clear in her face.

(We'll make it out of here, I'll make sure of it!)

In almost no time at all, we reached the central computer. I kicked the seat aside, and we started working right away.

After a couple of minutes of almost getting it, TeslaJellymon-sama cried out to me.

"Darling! He's coming!"

"This quickly!?"

(Dammit, we have had almost no time!)

I moved from what I was doing, and after performing almost a hundred commands faster than I have ever worked in my life, a giant steel plate descended, cutting access of this room from the outside, of us and Nanomon.

"TeslaJellymon-sama, focus on anti-hacking! Don't let him open that door from the outside!"

"U-Understood! But how are we getting past him later!?"

"We'll have to do our best!"

"He, I like how that sounds!"

Right after that, I could see TeslaJellymon struggling to keep him outside. My own progress was slowed down by not counting with her help.

A minute that felt like an eternity later, TeslaJellymon-sama visible stopped frenetically assaulting the keyboard.

"He stopped trying to open it!"

"He may be planning something, we need to finish this as quicklly as possible!"

"Okey!"

We started working at it again, and after a minute we finally managed to break his security. But from the outside, the sound of machinery continued to grow noisier with each passing moment.

"We did it, Darling!"

"Yes! Now, prepare yourself! We are breaking past Nanomon at the count of 3!

"I'm ready!"

"1!"

"…"

"2!"

"…!"

*Thump!*

But before I could count 3 and open the door, it was bent inwards by a huge impact.

*Slam!*

"Are you serious!?"

*CRASH!*

Bulldozing over the door and part of the wall, a giant machine made from an apparently random assortment of machines, tools, and weapons, entered the room. Long cables extended from it's back towards the hallway. And at it's center, there was Nanomon, connected to the machine as it's core.

"Ahhh... Ahhhhhh…!"

"Kiyoshiro, Jellymon… No, TeslaJellymon, I will have you know that, if needed, I'll have to rip off your legs before we arrive at the operation table so you stop running away, It will be a terribly uncomfortable experience, but I ask you two to put up with it."

(Ahhhh! This can't be happening! What do I do now!? Is there something I can do!? If I can't, what'll happen!? He- He'll tear us apart! Remove our legs, break our arms, machinise ourinsidesdrainourbloodtakemybrianoutmybodydestroymyhumaitytearjellymon'sfacekillusturnusintopuppetexperimentonus…)

"I- Interger Overflow…"

My mind went blank. I could feel my consciousness fading away as I fell to the ground.

*Thumb*

…

…I felt myself floating in the dark. As if my brain cut me from reality to protect me. All my fears, all my worries, they all disappeared inside this darkness.

It was warm, and comfortable.

(Ahhh… Why was so worried about in the first place…?)

It was so pacfic…

So safe…

"D—-i-g, w—- -!"

(Mmm? What was that?)

I could hear a voice, and a deep warmth. Far warmer and kinder than this darkness, embracing me.

"-arl—-!"

(Who… Is it? I feel that I know that voice. It's a… Very important and dear voice.)

I could hear voices beyond the darkness. I can't clearly make out what they are saying, but it sounded like a discussion.

The warmth left me, and I could hear that voice growing distant, but it felt that it was shouting… Crying. And then, I could hear a crash.

(..No…Stop…)

I heard that voice crying again, before another loud clash. The source of that voice moved rapidly, as if it was thrown away, followed by a cry of pain.

(Stop! I don't… Wanna hear you cry!)

And then, the cry happened again, followed by an explosion, and cries of pain.

(No! I can't let this happen! I can't remain here! I need to… Protect TeslaJellymon!)

I opened my eyes.

I slowly got up, looking around.

TeslaJellymon was limping, clutching a burn in her left arm. Nanomon was unharmed, he hasn't moved from that place.

(I see, I know what I have to do now.)

"Max Level… Limit Break!"

"D- Darling〜!"

"TeslaJellymon, I'm going to put an end to this. I need you to give me 30 seconds in the computer."

"Kiyoshiro, give up. Your wound doesn't let you think straight. You just fainted from blood loss. It would be ideal to work on an healthier body than one ripped apart."

"..He. Leave it to me!"

TeslaJellymon charges at Nanomon, and I don't lose any more time. I face the computer, and start introducing commands.

Each second felt like an hour. I pressed buttons faster than I have ever done before. The felt as if my brain was overclocking itself.

With each passed second, I could feel tremblors, shootings, explosions, and cries of pain. It felt like my heart was beating a thousand times per second.

Sometimes I felt like shrapnel flew and lodged itself in my back, sometimes it impacted the computer, but we both managed to hold up.

I felt like blood started to run from my nose, as if my brain was tearing itself apart.

And then, 24 seconds later, after a last button press, I turned back, facing Nanomon.

"PHYSALIST!"

I didn't need to explain my intentions to her. We both knew what the other was feeling and thinking.

"Oryyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

And so, TeslaJellymon smashed the computer behind releasing a stream of lighting into the room.

"I do not know what you are planning, Kiyoshiro, but it won't w-."

As the gigantic hand of Nanomon approached me, suddenly the cables connected to Nanomon's back lighted up in lightning, and all the prosthetics connected to his body, the lights on the room and the hallways, and the computers around started to explode and turn on fire.

"Wha- What have you done!?"

"Your armor was a rushed job, so in lack of a proper power supply to feed all of those machines, they were all connected to the power supply of the building. We could have cut them to deactivate it, but…"

"My Darling thought it was a better idea to redirect all the energy from the building into it, and with a small push from me, create enough to break through the limits that it can manage, making it explode from the inside. And since you are directly connected to it…"

"Ahhh… Ahhhhh…!"

Nanomon tried to take a step forward, but his leg explodes, making him fall to the ground. He reached out to me, with a hand turned on fire and breaking to pieces.

"Wh- Why…? You could have… Become a God!"

"Why? Because it was foolish of you to think you could beat the great Higashimitarai Kiyoshiro!"

And then, the explosions quickly spread through his body, turning his visage into a black silhouette inside a giant fire.

And soon, more explosions followed, turning the room into a fiery inferno, and throwing me to the ground. I tried to get up, but failed, my body weakened from the blood loss.

"Oh Darling, why are you so useless〜!"

I could see TeslaJellymon's face besides mine. Her smile was radiant.

(Yes… This is the face that suits you the most.)

She then raised me in her back, carrying me piggy back.

"Ehm, TeslaJellymon, this is embarassing."

"Hold tight and don't bite your tongue, we are getting out of here!"

And then, she started running through the fiery and exploding building.

(Wait, running? Why isn't she flying?)

Looking at her, her body was a disaster. Holes covered her body, cuts and burns decorated as far as I could see.

I gritted my teeth.

(What type of disgrace am I to make her carry me in that state!?)

Jumping back from her back, I immediately jumped forwards, grabbing TeslaJellymon and carrying her in my arms, breaking into a sprint.

"Wah- Darling, stop, your injuri-!"

"Think a bit of yourself first!"

She fell into a silence, looking at my face with a strange expression in hers. And I kept running.

I ran and ran through the fire and the ocassional explosion, and finally, we reached the outside. A giant canyon expanding in front of my eyes, the clean air feeling my pained lungs.

I closed my eyes to appreciate the moment.

"We… Did it…"

…

*Thump!*

"DARLING!"

When I opened my eyes, I was in an hospital room.

I tried to get up, but it was too painful. As if all the pain that I didn't feel before came back at the same time. And so, I feel back into the bed.

(How long… Have I been asleep?)

"Darling〜!"

Jellymon-sama suddenly jumped on top of me, sending bolts of pain through my body. Her body was covered in bandages.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH! Are you trying to kill me!?"

"Kill you!? You are the one trying to kill yourself! What was that while we escaped!? Are you an idiot!? You should know that my body is far stronger and resilient than yours!"

"Bu- But!-"

"That's not what you should be saying!"

"…I'm- I'm sorry, I go carried away."

"…"

Silence overcame the both of us, Jellymon-sama looking at me strictly. But after a few moments, her expression softened up, and a tear streaked down her eyes.

"Oh Darling, you are seriously an idiot."

And then she hugged me.

"You are the most amazing human in the whole world."

Taken a bit aback, I relaxed, and placed my hand on her head.

"And you are the most amazing digimon in the whole world."

There was a moment of silence, until someone entered the room.

"Oh, you woke up?"

"Ah, Mummymon-sensei!"

"Jellymon told me everything. You two had a truly terrible experience out there, eh?"

Then, I remembered everything that happened. Including the people experimented on by Nanomon. And so, I started to panic.

"Wait, Mummymon-sensei, all the people trapped there-!"

And so, he put a hand on my head.

"I'll take care of the remains with some friends. We'll save whoever we can."

"But-!"

"Don't try to assume responsibility for that. You are another victim in all of this, lucky to have gotten away. Leave the rest to us doctors and the police."

"And you aren't even in a state to get up, what do you want to do going there again!?"

"I-"

I stopped what I was about to say. They were right.

"I'm sorry, you are right. I should simply lie down and rest."

"Good. Now, I'll do some quick exams to you two. If everything goes as expected, you two should be discharged in a week. After that, simply visit me once a week for a check-up."

"Yes, understood."

And so, a week passed, and we went back home.

We never really talked about what we saw to the others. I simply didn't want to think about it.

All that matters is that we are back and safe at home, and our daily routine started once again.

(I have no doubts that we may meet something like this again in the future. But… I know we'll be alright as long as we are together.)

"Hey Darling, a friend living in the cemetery in the next town needs help with something!"

"I REFUSE!"

Author Notes:

And that was my dear Mechanical Ascension!

It's funny how this little story that I wrote while watching Digimon Ghost Game week to week ended leading to me starting writing my absurdly long Digimon Ghost Strife.

Kiyo and Jelly are simply too powerful, they forced me to put so much work into writing...!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed it!

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