"So, is there a reason you're sticking around, or is it just because you want to?" I asked.

Settling down to lounge on my shoulder, the DigiGnome chirped twice, shaking its head.

"You just want to?"

It trilled, smiling.

"Well, okay then."

Actually...

Hmm.

"I'm going to go see a few people now. Are you sure that you want to come?"

It looked at me for a moment, before chirping. "You're interesting."

Aha.

Opportunity.

"Well, okay then."

Off to the Monster Makers we go.

"So, how's everybody here?"

The Monster Makers, and Yamaki, spun around, to find me walking over to them from the corner of the room.

Save for Janyu, who didn't even twitch.

"Greetings." He stated, focused on his screen. He looked up after a few moments, and then spotted the DigiGnome on my shoulder.

"You have a..."

"It's called a DigiGnome." I said. "It's a rather helpful little being."

The DigiGnome chirped happily, puffing up in... pride?

Yeah, pride.

The Monster Makers, and Yamaki, all turned away, going back to whatever it was they were doing.

"So, what are you all up to?"

"Deciphering Shibumi's code." He said, turning back to the computer screen. "Which would be much easier if Shibumi himself were here."

The DigiGnome's smile widened. "Sounds like you need help."

I idly wondered exactly how bad of a decision I made in bringing it here- but didn't get the chance to think for long before the DigiGnome hummed, beginning to glow with bright, white light.

Which, incidentally, promptly caught the attention of everybody again.

The light shot from the DigiGnome to a projector, which promptly flickered to life -despite the fact that it wasn't actually plugged in to anything- and began to display an image on the wall.

Specifically, the image of a translucent, lazy looking brown haired man- none other than Gorou Mizuno himself.

He looked back at us, a surprised look on his face, mouth slightly opened and eyes slightly squinted.

"Sh-Shibumi?" Janyu asked.

Gorou's eyes flicked to Janyu -despite the fact that there wasn't any cameras or microphones around- then narrowed.

And then shot wide. "Tao?"

There were also no speakers- but it was readily apparent that in a conflict between reality and the DigiGnomes, reality lost, so I wasn't going to comment on that.

"And Daisy. And Babel. And Dolphin. And Curly." He named each one in turn. "How... did you-"

His eyes fell upon the DigiGnome on my shoulder.

"Oh. DigiGnome. Nevermind, that explains everything." His head came to rest on his fist, smiling. "So, how are you?"

"Good." The sheer normalcy with which Gorou greeted them startled Janyu, but he quickly shook off his shock. "Just... analysing your code."

Gorou perked up, suddenly much more interested. "My code? My algorithm?"

"Indeed." I spoke. I wasn't entirely sure if he could hear me, but he turned to me a moment later, so I guess he did.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out the Blue Card that Takato had wished for.

Gorou smiled at the sight of it. "So it takes the same form no matter which side that you're on... That's really interesting."

"I'm sorry, I'm just a little lost here." Daisy interrupted. "What just happened? How are you communicating with us? What are DigiGnomes? What is going on here?!"

Gorou blinked. "Well, in order and if I had to guess; I assume that the DigiGnome opened a connection; I have no idea; a type of Digital Lifeform; and we're talking." He smiled.

Daisy stared at him, and then slumped. "You haven't changed at all."

His smile twisted into a brief smirk. "Of course not."

"I hate to be the one to ruin the fun here," I really, really do. "But there is a more serious matter at hand."

Shibumi smiled slightly, his head turning to rest on his other palm. "And what would that be?"

"The D-Reaper."

Shibumi froze, going completely still.

And then he sighed, all traces of humour draining away from his face. "Yes... That would do it."

His eyes closed. "That's not a name that I hear particularly often. It's not a name that I want to hear particularly often either." His eyes opened, and he stared upwards at something out of sight. "But I suppose that since it's going to arrive soon, there isn't much I can do about that."

"You know when it's going to activate?" Yamaki asked.

"Oh, it already activated." Gorou spared a glance at him. "It has been active for a while now, actually. It's just been... growing. Adapting. Mutating. Evolving. Not unlike Digimon, really."

"You have a way of monitoring it?"

"No. The only reason I know about that, and also the only reason that I actually know about it, is thanks to the DigiGnomes. Wonderfully helpful creatures, those."

The DigiGnome chirped. "Yay!"

"So, I'm going to take a wild guess and say that since you're all gathered together and none of you were surprised at all about the D-Reaper, you're trying to find a way to stop it?"

"Yes." Aishwarya answered.

"You've done the same, I take it?" Babel asked.

"Naturally." Gorou frowned. "Unfortunately, I haven't been making too much headway. The D-Reaper is remarkably... well, I'd say stealthy, but that doesn't really apply. The point is, I haven't been able to obtain a copy of its program, nor have I managed to figure out where it's hiding or how it works, the method of how it mutates and adapts... None of that. If I had any of that, I might actually be able to do something, but... Well, not even the DigiGnomes can get me that."

The DigiGnome frowned, trilling soundly. "We couldn't help..."

"Much as I dislike it, there doesn't seem to be much we can do about it until it shows itself, and by then..." Gorou trailed off. "Well, it's going to be attempting genocide."

For a few moments, there was a strange silence that rang throughout the room.

"How long do we have?" Yamaki asked, breaking it.

"Not long." Gorou sighed. "It's been a little while since the D-Reaper's threshold was crossed. If I had to guess... I'd say less than a week."