Author's Note: Here we have an extra long chapter lol, cause I was gonna make it two but decided to just combine them because splitting it would be like asinine or whatever. xD They fit too well together lol...

Edit: Lol had to fix some huge spelling mistakes and continuity errors due to editing this shit at like 3 AM on lack of sleep. My eyes and brain somehow missed a lot of terrible shit. xD It should be fixed now though! Still embarrassing...

End of AN.


Rachel sat upon her bed, legs crossed, gazing down on the two towering women on the floor of her bedroom.

LadyDevimon was sitting with her back to the bare stretch of wall; Angewomon was resting on her knees, hands on her legs - her head resolutely turned away from LadyDevimon.

"Okay, you two, listen up: I've decided to give you both actual names," Rachel began.

"Why...?" LadyDevimon said, puzzled.

"Because if I'm going to be having you two on hand for any kind of action, I want you to be on hand for the action," Rachel responded. "I'm not going to be wasting my time fumbling with my pockets for my Digivice every time something goes down, trying to find the right button to press in a life or death situation! Apparently - like my mom - you two look basically like human women, so we should be able to just get you two out of those rocking outfits and into some normal clothes, and then I will be able to take the two of you anywhere on this Earth that I want - and nobody will be any the wiser! And for that, you need proper names." She paused. "Although, besides that...I'm still not going to go around calling you LadyDevimon and Angewomon. I mean, why don't you have names in your world? We invented the concept of names because it was too confusing to go around calling people 'woman' and 'other woman.' Etc etc! With all the other LadyDevimons and Angewomons running around in the Digital World, life has got to be pretty confusing."

LadyDevimon laughed. "I see, Tamer. So you just assumed we don't already have unique names."

"If you had unique names you would have told me what they were, instead of leaving me to call you genericmom."

"Or, I haven't told you for a good reason," LadyDevimon replied.

"Oh yeah? What's the reason, then?" Rachel said.

"The reason is that our names as individuals are a private matter," LadyDevimon answered. "They're not given so freely; only those we're closest to are allowed to know them, let alone use them."

Rachel frowned, pondering the information. Then she gave a nod. She gestured to Angewomon. "I get it. That's why you two call each other your generic type names, isn't it? Because you're not close anymore."

"Exactly," LadyDevimon stated.

"Well, I'm not going to be that white bitch who disrespects other people's cultures, so I'll just give you that human name, alright?" Rachel said quickly, grinning at LadyDevimon. "I'm sure you'll tell me your name in due time - but I'm not demanding it. I'll just have to become your true, best friend in both worlds."

Surprise crossed LadyDevimon's face. Then, gratitude. She smiled, nodding. "That works for me - I can see the value in a more stealthy approach here. I'll gladly do as you ask, my Tamer; you know your world best, after all."

"Awesome! How about you?" Rachel said, turning to Angewomon.

Angewomon turned her head to meet Rachel's gaze. Her lips parted, then she pressed them tight. "I'll do ask you ask, Tamer."

Rachel frowned at the woman. She sighed. She kicked her legs and fell back onto her bed, raising a hand to her forehead. She brushed long blonde locks out of her eyes. "Well that won't do, will it?" she said loudly.

"What do you mean?" Angewomon asked.

"Angewomon..." Rachel began, raising her hand to wave it about, her eyes on the ceiling. "That whole business back at the school earlier - you were there. You saw that Bastemon attack Marlene and her way-too-cute Lopmon. You didn't help - but you watched. You stood there the whole time, watching it go down. Your big boss, the Empress, she's just another bitch, named Helena. She came after us - just some kids - and tried to kill us. She sent an assassin, and then, she showed up in person. Why? Because we have these Digivices, and we have Digimon Partners to go with them. We didn't even know about her, or your world. But she came at us anyways. If your whole thing is justice and righteousness, then tell me this one: how is that justice, how is that right? To go after innocent kids who haven't done a thing to you? Who don't even know who you are? Isn't justice about protecting the innocent? That's my definition of justice, anyway...I don't know about you..."

"I'm sure her reasons were just."

"Bup bup bup!" Rachel swung herself up, looking right at the woman with a small grin. She pointed her finger sharply. "That is called a fallacy. You're going to argue that she was justified because her reasons were just? She's just because she's just? That's just so perfect and circular and can be used to excuse anything in the world. But we don't do that here. What we do is we use our heads and do some thinking for ourselves, alright? I want you to try that. I get the feeling it's not something you do often, so don't strain yourself, but...give it a go."

Angewomon's cheeks flushed, her lips drawing back. "I do think for myself. Every choice I make in service of my duties is given every consideration before I-"

"Except the duties themselves, am I right?"

"What?"

"You can't make circular reasoning, and you can't go appealing to authority, either. Here in my world, we have this big, terrible lesson we learned about people who say: I was just following orders." Rachel planted her feet and stood up straight, gazing down on Angewomon. She crossed her arm, putting the other in her pocket. "If your boss, for instance, orders you to go and ravage a city full of innocent little babies and families...then your duty is to disobey that order. What's just...is to protect those people against her. You can't claim to be an unthinking, mindless soldier of duty, the instrument of your empress. That's just a big old excuse."

"You know what the truth is?" Rachel continued on. "The truth is that she's not even an empress. She's a megalomaniac, a psychopathic dictator, and a delusional, flawed chick with a god complex! And you are following the orders of that wildly imperfect nutjob! What you should be doing instead, is pulling your goddamn panties up, and making the actually right choice to help fight her sick and twisted rule alongside your sister! Someone dedicated to justice and rightness would follow where those things lead, not follow an insane bitch with blind loyalty, like some kind of-"

Angewomon leapt to her feet, her six wings flaring behind her, as an aura of pink light shrouded her.

LadyDevimon was up in a second, leaping forward and grabbing Angewomon's arm, her long claws glowing red.

Rachel stood there, staring Angewomon in the face, her heart skipping a beat. She took a breath, letting a small smirk come to her face. She raised her arm and crossed it with the other over her chest. "Oh, sit back down - no one has the time or the inclination to watch you throw a tantrum," she spoke, slow and clear. "Especially because you're only about to throw it because I hit a nerve: you know I'm right. And you know your sister is right, too. So...sit...the fuck...down. Or do I have to make you go bye-bye into the Digivice again for a little while? What do you want to do, Angewomon? Digivice, or go on a fun shopping trip together?"

"Shopping trip...?" Angewomon said, bewildered more than angry now.

"For those banging human disguises for some equally banging bodies," Rachel confirmed, nodding. "Come to think of it, you'll probably, actually need it. Helena isn't going to be happy about you being my Partner, is she? She'll probably just try to kill you with the rest of us. Because you're nothing to her anymore - you're not a holy soldier of hers or whatever, you're not an ally, you're just another threat that her paranoid brain is going to want to wipe off the face of the Earth. So, really, like it or not...you're stuck with us here on this side of things. But at least now you're on the right side of things! So, silver linings."

Angewomon stepped back, her shoulders slumping. The energy around her body disappeared. LadyDevimon cautiously released her, looking to Rachel. "Do what you will, Tamer..." Angewomon murmured out. "I am bound to you now, after all. You're right about one thing only: my fate is sealed. I'm a traitor to the Order of the Royal Knights, and a traitor to my Empress - and it wasn't even my own doing."

Okay, that was some major stick smacking - now let's try some of those carrots. No...strawberries!

Rachel spread her arms, stepping forward with a grin, and smacked Angewomon on the arm. "Yep. I know it's a big change - it's a real pickle you're in now, huh? You know what cheers me up when my life is in a bad spot?"

"What?" Angewomon raised her head, her mouth open in confusion.

"Ice cream. And I think we just so happen to have some you-flavored ice cream."

"Me...flavored...what?"

"This should be interesting," LadyDevimon chuckled out.

"Come on - to the kitchen with you two," Rachel ordered, stalking out the door of her room. She strode through the hallway, passing into the kitchen. To her surprise (though it shouldn't have been, in all hindsight), her mom was there, doing what she loved to do: cook. Rachel stood there for a moment, lingering - then she pulled on a grin and strode on in. "Hey, Digi-mom - what's up!"

Mom turned with a start. She stared at Rachel - then looked at the other two Digimon. She didn't hesitate to raise her hands, and start weaving them and her long, painted nail fingers into intricate gestures - sign language. "How is life in our world?" she signed, her face showing a smattering of different emotions. Nervousness, fear, but...something like longing to go with them. "It's been a long time since I was last there; it's probably changed a lot."

Rachel turned to the two puzzled Digimon of hers. "She wants to know how life is like in the Digital World these days - it's been a long time since she was there last, and she thinks it's probably changed a lot," she informed, interpreting.

LadyDevimon and Angewomon both were looking at mom with curiosity - even fascination. Undisguised. It was probably as much of a mindblower for them to learn that this Digimon woman had lived in this other world for so long, raising another kind of being as her own kids, as it had been for Rachel to learn all about their world and them. At the question, though, relayed by Rachel, LadyDevimon gave a glance over at Angewomon before replying.

"Twenty-thousand years, isn't it?" LadyDevimon responded to mom. "You're practically one of those ancient type Digimon, from my perspective. Though, here in this world...it's only been a mere fifteen years, I heard?"

Mom simply nodded. Waiting. Watching LadyDevimon closely.

LadyDevimon laughed softly, raising her normal hand to touch her long silver hair. "You were the Partner to one of the original Tamers...the same group that inspired me to fight this lifelong battle against the Empress. You could say you're one of my idols."

Mom flushed, glancing away, a single clear emotion on her face now: shame. Guilt.

"But enough about that - you had a question," LadyDevimon went on. "To tell you the truth, life is the same as it was back in your time. The pockets of free Digimon live as they want, while the rest live it under the terrifying reign of the Empress and her armies. Though, that might finally change for us all now, won't it? With my Tamer - your...daughter?"

Mom signed again, slowly and hesitantly, before dropping her arms - her shoulders and all, too. Looking at the floor.

LadyDevimon looked to Rachel.

Rachel put her hand in her pocket, leaning against the counter. "She says, 'Sorry we failed everyone before.'"

"I'm not so sure it was a failure," LadyDevimon said, gazing at mom with a surprising amount of compassion. "But there is one thing I'd like to know: why did you disappear - all of you - back then? What happened in that final battle? Why have you stayed here for all this time?"

Mom lifted her head, starting to sign again. In that same, unsteady, hesitant way. "We were desperate, and we launched one last attack on Helena. We got close, but we lost. We lost people we cared about, and then we lost hope. We devolved, and she destroyed our Digivices and banished us from the Digital World for good. If I could have found a way back...I would have tried. Daniel and I both would have still kept trying. I can't speak for the other Digimon or their Tamers, but we haven't given up, not even to this day. All we need is a way...and we would be there in a heartbeat. But with no way back, I had to accept that I had to live in this world now...and in time I came to love it. I love the people in it, too," she finished, turning a soft look to Rachel. Soft - and still a little nervous.

In the corner of her mind, Rachel thought it was pretty funny the way mom had signed out "Digimon". She had actually, literally signed "digital" and "monster". Digimon - digital monsters. It sort of had a ring to it. Kind of...kind of made sense, in hindsight. Or foresight. Whichever! Whatever. But she had something more important for her mind to focus on right then - a point she had to get across to the woman!

"I still love you, too," Rachel spoke firmly. "You think this changes anything? Come on, mom. It just makes you one thousand percent more awesome, to me! How many other girls get to say their mom is some badass, digital monster chick from another dimension?" With that said, she turned back to LadyDevimon, relaying the rest of the message.

"I'm already starting to see why you like this place," LadyDevimon spoke to mom casually. "And the humans that live in it. It's all so...different, and interesting."

Mom just nodded. She turned and shuffled off out of the kitchen in her usual silence.

Rachel shook her head after the woman. She turned her focus to the other two Digimon now, taking out a big tub of different flavored ice cream - all mixed up together. She retrieved two big spoons from a drawer, and slapped them down on the kitchen table (along with the ice cream). She pulled out two chairs, side by side, resting her hands on the backs of them. She looked to LadyDevimon and Angewomon, raising her eyebrows. "Come on, sit down - right here - both of you!"

LadyDevimon moved first, taking her seat in one of the chairs. Angewomon hesitated before sitting down in the other one.

"Now: eat!" Rachel ordered, leaning forward between the two chairs in anticipation.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," came dad's voice, sudden, quiet - from the doorway. Quiet but amused.

"Huh? Why not?" Rachel said.

"Human food acts like a supercharger for Digimon - the amount of energy they gain from it, compared to the amount of food they need to eat in the Digital World to reach the same heights...it's magnitudes greater," dad stated. "But it doesn't just increase power or strength for them: it's like a sugar high. If you want to deal with that, be my guest..."

"Hah. So that's why mom always eats so little. And you told me she had that digestive whatever disorder-" Rachel barked out a laugh.

"We had to explain it somehow," dad said simply, his lips quirking.

"Probably a better lie than what I would have come up with." Rachel grinned. "Good work, dad."

Dad frowned, shaking his head. "I don't enjoy it, Rachel. Keeping my work from you - keeping a huge part of my whole life from you - and your mom keeping her entire nature a secret-"

"Dad: I'm not upset. I one hundred percent get it - and I would've done the same thing. So don't sweat it."

"Right..." Dad nodded, sighed. He gazed over to LadyDevimon and Angewomon again. "Just make sure they eat in extreme moderation."

"Hey, I've watched mom eat my whole life - as little as she ever does," Rachel retorted. "I can babysit mine."

"Rachel, they're not pets - and they're not just slaves you can order around, either," dad spoke slowly, his eyes narrowing. "I hope you truly understand that. You have a bond, yes - something tangible yet invisible - but it's real, and it's not a leash or a collar. It's a two-way street, one that you need to treat with equal respect in both directions. It needs to be respected, as much as the people on the other end of it need to be."

Rachel sighed, put her hands on her hips and tossed back her head. She looked her dad in the face, nodding. "I know that. I know - okay? But if it means, at bare minimum, that we're stuck together, then it's obviously up to me to help them navigate our crazy world."

"I hope so," dad repeated, low and hard now. His eyes bore into hers, intense and darkened. "I've seen what happens to both a Digimon, and the Tamer who abuses this bond. And it would be the biggest disappointment of my life if I had to see my own daughter treat her partners the same way."

"Oh, so now you're saying I'm going to be some abusive slavemaster?"

"I'm saying that this isn't a game," dad retorted evenly. "If you're going to be a part of this, then you need to take it seriously. These are real people, with real lives, feelings and thoughts, and all this is a very real, dangerous situation with no takebacks. If you screw up, if someone dies...you can't just undo that. You can't restart, reboot from a checkpoint. Helena might see it that way - that it's all no big deal, because she can just create more Digimon, and because it's a virtual world in another dimension - but if you do..."

Rachel was going to argue the point that she knew that Digimon, at least, did, in fact, restart after death - but...she knew the point he was making. She let her hands slip from her body. She nodded again, making her utmost serious face. "Alright. Understood."

"Good. Then, let them eat, and then we're leaving," dad said.

"Leaving where?"

"My workplace. I've already called in - they'll be expecting us."

"That place that you've always said was so classified, so hush-hush, they'd have to literally kill you if you even breathed a word of what you were doing-"

"Yes," dad interjected flatly.

"Best take your daughter to work day ever..." Rachel whispered.

Dad just shook his head, leaving the kitchen.

The two Digimon (who had been watching the whole exchange like spectators at a damn tennis match), both looked to Rachel now in the aftermath of it.

Surprise rose in Rachel's chest. She fixed a grin and shook her head. "Sorry you had to see that - so embarrassing. Anyways! How about that ice cream? Go on, take a bite. But not...too much of a bite. You both heard dad, and my digimom could tell you from experience."

LadyDevimon smiled, picked up her spoon, and scooped up some chocolate ice cream. She brought it to her lips, eating it delicately. Or cautiously, depending on how you wanted to look at it. She made a face, gasping. Swallowing. Her eyes got huge. A look of pure joy came over her face. The chains hanging from her tattered black leotard rattled as she started vibrating in her seat.

Rachel stared. She choked on her own spit, then turned and called out to the living room: "Hey, dad - quick question for you: can Digimons have an orgasm? 'Cause I think mine just did."

"What?" came dad's shocked, strangled tones from the other room.

"So that's a no on the-"

"No!"

Rachel grinned to herself. "So then, that means that in fifteen years you've never once made mom have a good time? Damn...fullest sympathies, mom!" she called out.

"Rachel!" dad yelled back at her, exasperated and angry. More angry now, though. Go figure, right? Rachel was sort of pushing her luck on this one, wasn't she?

Rachel laughed loudly, sliding over to stand beside Angewomon. She bent down over her chair from behind, placing a hand on her shoulder. The Digimon startled, twisting her helmeted head to stare at her. "Go on, take a bite. You know you want to..."

Angewomon's lips pressed thinly. Then she straightened forward and hesitantly took up her spoon. She scooped up the smallest amount of strawberry ice cream possible, and bit into it. Just a little nibble. In an instant her face transformed (what was visible beneath her visor, that was), taking on the same expression as LadyDevimon - who was now ravenously devouring her bowl of ice cream. After another moment's hesitation, Angewomon took up a new, nice big scoop and ate it whole.

Rachel stepped back, crossing her arms with satisfaction. Okay - if we're not going to win her over with logical arguments or appeals to morality, then we'll win her over with the power of ice cream. Hey, whatever works!


"Are you two good to go in there or what? We're ready to go - dad's on my ass about it!"

Rachel suppressed annoyance as she paced before the closed door to her parents' bedroom. Inside were LadyDevimon and Angewomon; dad had refused to let Rachel take them shopping, so mom had offered to let them try on some of her clothes as a compromise. Because Rachel had thrown dad's whole argument about Digimon being people deserving of respect right back in his face when he had told her to just suck them back into her Digivice again, and he hadn't been able to counter it. So - hah - Rachel won. Of course she won.

The door opened, and LadyDevimon stepped out first. She had on one of mom's nice, blue dresses with ruffled hem and thin straps. It looked a bit small on her - okay, more than a bit small - but damn did she still rock it regardless. In fact, the smallness on that figure, with those loooong legs of hers just all out in the open and-

"Ugh you are killing it, babe!" Rachel exclaimed, jumping forward and seizing LadyDevimon's arms, beaming at her. "Now how about your brat sister?"

Angewomon gave a huff from within the room, then strode out into view. Her movements were slow, awkward - and her expression...she had an expression that could be seen now, without that damn metal helmet and all-encompassing face visor of hers on now. Her expression was just one word Rachel could have thought of: vulnerable. Maybe scared, even. Just outright afraid. Angewomon was wearing a long, light pink gown with a leg slit and a neck tie, and an exposed back that plummeted right down to an ass to die for. it was just too bad it was attached to a homicidal angel bitch because damn would Rachel love to tap that...so hard.

What a cruel and unfair world!

"You have the makings of a natural supermodel, bitch-babe," Rachel told Angewomon with a grin, giving a thumbs up. "After this is all over - you should seriously consider going into the business. You'd be a star."

Angewomon blinked light blue eyes in confusion, gazing down on her. Then she shook her head, her long blonde hair billowing.

"So, what happened to your old outfits - and your wings?" Rachel asked LadyDevimon. "Were those just a fashion statement? Because, you know, there I was thinking they were an actual part of your bodies."

"Our old clothing was dematerialized - so were our wings," LadyDevimon responded. "Our wings are a part of our body, but we Digimon can make minor modifications to our appearances if we choose to. Nothing so great as giving ourselves more weapons, or stronger forms, like digivolution does for us. And of course, other Digimon, like your...mother - Arukenimon - have the ability to transform their shape without digivolving. Though those powers are usually still illusions or imitations - cosmetic, just the same."

"Sweet! Let's get on out to the car, then, before dad blows a whole gasket," Rachel said, spinning on her heel and striding off through the house.

Rachel led the way outside, over to their car. Dad was in the driver's seat - mom was passenger side. Josie was in the backseat, right on the far left (her preferred spot). Rachel slid in next to her sister, then motioned to the two Digimon. LadyDevimon bent down and got in awkwardly, and then Angewomon did the same; the two Digimon squished together, as well as squished right up against Rachel. But they were all in.

"Why does Rachel get to have her Digimon out but not me?" Josie spoke up flatly.

Rachel flashed a grin at her sister. "Because there was enough space for mine - and because mine can pass for some gorgeous human women. Yours wouldn't fit, and would also make people run away screaming. Sorry."

"Keramon isn't scary - he's cute," Josie replied.

"Debatable," Rachel murmured.

"No it's not."

"Yeah, it is."

"No-"

"Girls - please don't," dad spoke up loudly as he started off down the road. "Not now. Not today. Just behave yourselves."

Josie squirmed in her seat, leaning away from Rachel. She pressed to the door. She placed her long, thin, wired earbuds in her ears and stared down into her lap, messing with her phone. Her face went vacant - she was gone again. Lost, just like that, in her own little world.

Rachel mentally shrugged, trying her best to lean away from her sister. Though, that meant squishing LadyDevimon back up against Angewomon...which neither Digimon seemed to be a fan of. Well, tough luck: Rachel needed to give her sister her space - or risk a buildup to a damn meltdown, on a day as stressful and chaotic as this. Every little bit helped.

Fortunately, the ride was a pretty short one, all in all: it only took around ten minutes, traffic included.

Then they were all squeezing out like fish out of a can. Angewomon was tense, her head on a swivel; she was way too twitchy for Rachel's liking.

"Hey - chill," Rachel said, clambering out of the car and pushing back her hair. "It's just a city full of normal ass randos. I guarantee you none of them want anything to do with you."

Angewomon gazed at her, frowning intensely. She toyed with her dress, shifted on her feet. "...Of course, my Tamer..." she muttered out, crossing her arms over her (sizable) chest.

"Lady D, keep an eye on her for me, would you? In case she decides to go on another psychotic rampage," Rachel told LadyDevimon.

"Of course," LadyDevimon said simply.

Angewomon scowled in offense - full force visible now, without her visored helmet anymore. But...she didn't actually do any backsassing.

Maybe that was a miniscule improvement? Possibly a sign of good things to come?

Who the hell knew?

Rachel and the rest of their group followed dad into a towering, nondescript skyscraper, which was surrounded by dozens of others in the downtown area of Wallgate City. Just another glass tower you'd pass on by, never give it a glance. But of course there was more to it.

Dad led them inside - into a nice, cool lobby. A bit too barren for Rachel's liking. There was just a single front desk, with metal gates drawn out to the left and right of it - forming a tall, steel wall. Behind it was a metal detector. And, standing on either side of the lobby were these suited up guys with their hands at their waists. Like actual secret agent bodyguard types. It would have been hilariously cliche of a sight to laugh at if Rachel hadn't taken note of the handguns holstered to their hips - partially visible beneath their outer jackets.

Rachel noticed Josie noticing them, too, her face flashing with anxiety and fear. "Hey, don't even worry about them - they're just here to keep things cool. But we're cool, so we're fine," she murmured to the girl, mustering a little smile. "We're meant to be here."

"Dan! Welcome back, superstar!" the guy at the front desk called out as he noticed their entourage. He spread his hands on the desk, grinning widely. It wasn't a friendly one. "And what the- what the hell is this? First you bail out on your shift, now you show up with the whoooole family? Come on, man, what do you think this is, bring the family to work day?"

Dad stalked up to the desk, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a fancy, black ID card of some kind, holding it forward. "You know I called ahead; just scan us in, Stanley."

The desk guy - Stanley - laughed. Chortled. He lay an arm on the desk and leaned across it, his eyes sweeping them all over. "Dan, Dan, buddy...what is it, really? You think because you're the boss's pet that you can just break every rule and protocol we have here? You do remember the rules, don't you? No one without authorization is allowed to even get past the front desk: me, if you were unsure."

"They have authorization: from Commander Sampson himself," dad spoke tersely. "Scan us in, now. This is something of an emergency situation."

Stanley tutted, waving an arm and sitting back in his chair. "Something of an emergency? So - what? - is it or isn't it...an emergency? Or is it neither? Hmm? Is it...imaginary? Like your...your imaginary little wife over there?" He gestured at mom flippantly. He turned his gaze on LadyDevimon and Angewomon. "And who are these two? Not part of the family, are they? Did the Commander authorize two random ladies to come waltzing in with you like you own your own personal harem now, or what? Looking like they're going to a real fancy party... No, no - dinner date? Does your wife know you're courting two actual human women on the side now? At least, I assume they're actual human women-"

Dad slammed his palm down onto the desk, smacking the ID card in front of the guy - who jumped horribly. The secret servicey guards shifted across the lobby. "Stan, we have had multiple incursions in the past twenty-four hours alone, an assassin Digimon was sent after my daughter at her school earlier, and Helena herself paid a visit to Bethany Faber's house. So if you could find it in yourself to do the one job you have here...that would be great right about now."

Rachel suppressed a soft chuckle, admiration in her chest. And appreciation. She'd only seen her dad like this once before, and damn was she so not going to stop him when he was on this much of a roll!

Stanley stared at dad, wide eyed. Then he whistled, putting his hands behind his head. "And there's about a hundred more violations just by mentioning those words around civilians," he said idly. "We are really going to have to take them in now, you realize that."

Dad gritted his teeth, stepping away from the desk. He looked to Rachel, held out his hand. "Your Digivice, please."

Rachel blinked. She fished the thing out of her pocket and handed it over without question.

Dad turned with the Digivice and shoved it in Stanley's face. "You see?"

"See...what? What is that - a toy?" Stanley raised his eyebrows, leaning forward again. "Something you mocked up to stir us all up into a frenzy over some great threat to the world? Listen, Dan, the Commander and everyone else in this place might have fallen for it all - hook, line, sinker - but not me. I'm the one guy you can't just pull the wool over. I'm the guy that sees you for what you are: a manipulative, attention-seeking suck-up who can't just-"

"Lady D, could you just rock this guy's world for us so we can get through?" Rachel muttered to the Digimon woman, turning with a hand on her hip.

LadyDevimon's lips curved a tiny amount. "I thought you'd never ask, my Tamer."

"NO - DON'T DO ANYTHING-" dad yelled, whirling.

LadyDevimon's back swirled with green particles of light - green little cubes - and from out of her back came her two, tattered black wings, forming from the base outward. They spread wide, blocking out the sun streaming in from the front doors.

The guards all reacted in an instant, pulling out their weapons and aiming them out at them all. Dad, mom, Josie, Rachel - LadyDevimon and Angewomon, of course. Lady D most of all.

Mom immediately spun around and threw herself at Josie, pulling her into her arms and turning her away from the guards - putting herself between the guards and her kid.

"T-THAT- THAT IS- THAT..." Stanley yelped, stammered, leaping to his feet and almost tripping backwards over his chair. He jabbed a finger out at LadyDevimon. "THAT proves NOTHING! Just that you're- you're bringing yet another monster right into headquarters! But the rest - the rest-"

Angewomon turned sharply, her blue eyes narrowing at the guards without fear. Just anger, outrage - offense.

LadyDevimon was tensed, too, but she held herself where she was, her eyes...just falling right onto Rachel. Just looking at her. Wanting advice? An order? What?

Suddenly dad was shoving the Digivice into Rachel's palm. "Get those two out of here - NOW," he barked out. He strode out to put himself between Rachel and the guards, raising his hands. "No one. Shoots. Get ahold of yourselves!"

Rachel wondered for a moment why he hadn't just done it, instead of asking her - but she shrugged it off and made to do ask asked, taking back her Digivice and holding it up. As she stared at its blank screen, it suddenly flickered to life. It had been turned off...? Because dad had had it? Or was it just responding to Rachel again? Or...was it that no one could even use it but the owner...?

"Now..." Dad was saying, voice hard, as he looked at Stanley. "Scan us. In. Or do I need to call the Commander up here himself?"

Ding.

"No need," came a new voice. A deep man's voice. Rachel looked across the lobby - past the metal gate - to see a man stepping out of an elevator. He was tall, broad-shouldered as all hell, with long black hair and messy fringe hanging over one eye, and was wearing a grey longcoat and sunglasses. The man came striding through the lobby, passed through the metal detector without pause, and came right up to stop before dad and the rest of them. The man pulled off his sunglasses, fixing hard black eyes on the guards around the lobby. "Weapons away - back to your posts." He turned away, just with that said, and looked to Stanley now. Just looked at the guy, for a long moment.

Stanley looked left, then right. He gulped. Then he shrugged, holding up his hands. "W-what? What did you want me to do, Commander? The guy walks in like he owns the place, brings his whole family along, and two random women we knew nothing about- I mean I don't know about him, but I read the handbook, and the protocols in these situations are extremely clear-"

"And I waived those protocols in light of the current situation, and passed down the explicit order that he and his family be allowed into the building," spoke the broad-shouldered man, deep, calm, and clear.

Commander Sampson, huh? So this is him? Not bad - for a guy...

"Right - right - family. Those two don't look like family to me." Stanley gestured to LadyDevimon and Angewomon. "Unless - wait - are they his wife's sisters? Cousins? From what part of candyland are we assuming they hail from-"

"Enough," Commander Sampson said. Simple. Calm. But commanding. Stanley fell silent immediately. Sampson paid the guy no more mind, looking to dad instead, and gesturing him on through the metal detector. "All of you - come with me. And I sincerely apologize for this entire incident." His eyes found mom, and Josie. His tone softened at the end. Rachel could believe he was really sorry for it. The man's gaze flickered over to Rachel now, directly. And then to Lady D and Angewomon. Sampson looked at them both, and he didn't even flinch at the sight of those black wings of Lady D's. Not even the slightest widening in surprise of it. Either he was that composed, or he'd seen a Digimon before too.

Rachel watched mom go through with Josie first, her hands on the girl's shoulders. Then she gestured LadyDevimon and Angewomon on through after. Dad brought up the rear now, while Sampson obviously took the lead for them all.

The group all piled into a spacious elevator, with a nice carpet floor and walls, and a fancy chandelier hanging from above. Sampson worked the button panel, and then the elevator hummed and began to descend. Some gentle elevator music started playing over their silent selves.

"Soooo...what is this whole place? What's the deal here? Top secret government organization? MI6? MIB? SHIELD? Am I getting close?" Rachel spoke casually, leaning back against the wall, hands behind her back.

Sampson glanced back at her, amusement in his eyes. "DATS - D.A.T.S. Digital Ambassadors and Territory Safeguard."

Rachel snorted. "You couldn't decide which one you wanted to be? Peaceful hand or the strong weapon?"

Sampson gave a small chuckle of his own, to her complete surprise. "It's more that we're capable of being either or both, depending on the situation." He looked to dad. "How much do they know already?"

"Our past - everything about Helena - and the Digital World," dad replied. "Both of them have Digivices, and Digimon partners - as you can clearly see. And there's another person...Jessica's daughter, Marlene Faber. Ymir seems to be sticking with the families, if this is a pattern that holds."

"Any others?" Sampson asked.

"Not that we're aware of - or them," dad answered, nodding to Rachel. "Not yet. But it's a safe bet that there are more out there...or that there will be soon. We know her limit is six."

"Six...Tamer limit? Digimon limit? Or is it both?" Rachel questioned. "And why so specific?"

Dad traded looks with Sampson. He gave a weak smile, a shrug. "We've never been too sure about that part of all this," he replied honestly. "It might be something to do with data transfer rates, the number of links between our world and the Digital World, or just a limitation of Ymir's abilities herself. She just told us, a long time ago, that she could only create six Digivices - six bonds between six humans and six Digimon."

"Well, if I've got two, then I probably stole someone else's Digimon," Rachel remarked. "Or this Ymir chick managed to find a really awesome loophole."

Commander Sampson gazed at Rachel again, and he gave a tiny smile. "Why haven't you brought them in to meet me before now, Dan? I like this one. She has a sharp mind for this sort of thing."

"Life's gotten in the way," dad said lightly. "And now...well, sorry, Richard. It's about to be infinitely more busy for all of us."

"Hm. We'll deal with it as it comes," Sampson replied. He straightened and replaced his sunglasses - adjusted his coat. A second later, the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

Did he time that shit?!