Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own When the World's Not Ending, by Smartalec121 or any of their associated works.
Off the Beaten Path
Chapter: 33/ The Dark of the Unknown
Himiko stormed into the main control room, a cloud over her head and a storm in her eyes. She looked up at Tally as the woman's chair swiveled about in the air.
"This had better be important," she said, fuming. "I was in the middle of an important call. I don't have time for your mysterious pest controller."
In her chair, Tally bit her tongue against Himiko's referring to wild digimon as 'pests.' Instead, she got right down to business.
"Sleipnir activated on its own. We've tracked its bio-emergence to the Wong family residence."
Himiko's eyes widened and for a moment, her lips visibly struggled to form coherent words.
"It did what?! How?! Sleipnir was supposed to have been completely disconnected from our systems and isolated!"
"We've been trying to determine that since Chuo Park," reported Riley, emerging from beneath Tally's chair. "Unfortunately, we have no information at present."
Himiko nearly remarked on the failed utility of Yamaki's former associates before catching herself. Remembering that these people were professionals – among the best in the business – dealing with unknowns every day, she reigned herself in.
"Have agents been dispatched at least? Have the Tamers been informed?"
"We have agents on their way, but Suzie is already there," Tally reported from above. "Kenta is on his way as well, but he's on the other side of the city. We have been unable to contact Takato and Rika."
Himiko bit back an annoyed growl at the mention of her cousin's daughter. She had seen the girl's numerous displays of physical affection toward Takato. She had said nothing up to this time, but if they made themselves unavailable for a date…!
Focus. Focus. Calm down. Himiko unclenched her hands and took a deep breath.
"Keep trying to get a hold of them," she said instead. "You said Sleipnir was at the Wong family residence? Where's Janyu?"
At this, she saw Riley visibly wince.
"He left as soon as he heard what happened. He should be arriving at his home any minute now. I just checked on where Sleipnir's digivice is stored. He has it."
As if to compound the situation, alarms suddenly blared all around them. Looking up at the screens, Himiko saw found a red signal blazing upon them.
"High level wild type detected!" Tally announced. "This… It's already in the real world?!"
Himiko's eyes read off the statistics as quickly as Hypnos's sensors brought them to her.
Mega level, she thought. Location, East Shinjuku. Down near where Rika is located. Her heart plunged into her stomach as she began to fear the reason why Takato and Rika weren't answering communiques.
"Get a hold of Kenta. Reroute him to the location of the Wild One and continue trying to get a hold of Takato and Rika."
Himiko turned to Riley. "Contact Suzie. Inform her of the situation. Let's see what Sleipnir is willing to do in this situation."
"Understood!" Riley nodded and quickly hurried out of the room. Himiko massaged her forehead. She ran through a mental checklist of any other things she could make use of, but there were none to be had in the short window available to her. The Shaggai units were gone and they presently had no helicopters for their use after the destruction of the previous ones.
More and more, my past decisions are biting me in the ass, she thought ruefully. And now we're becoming stretched too thin.
"Get me eyes on the ground," she said to Tally. "I don't care how you do it, just get it done. And…" She turned to Tally's companion as his chair swiveled around. She fumbled for a name for only a second. "…Daigo," she remembered. "Warm up Juggernaut."
###
Mayumi groaned as she slowly came too. A figure hovered over her, thin with short-cropped hair. Adjusting her glasses, she blinked and Jaarin's face came into view. The girl breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness," she said, her eyes shining and damp. "For a minute there… After you…you…"
Jaarin trailed off, making a choking sound, as if unwilling to continue. Worried about her daughter, Mayumi glanced about her, taking stock of her situation. She was lying on the couch in their apartment and a dull ache throbbed in her head.
"Jaarin, what happened? Did I fall? The last thing that I remember is…"
She froze, her eyes falling on the figure standing next to Suzie, a look of relief on his face. His hair was the color of cream and tinged with flecks of green at the edges. His eyes were gold and his smile spoke of mischief. Despite these differences, his face remained unmistakably familiar.
"H-Henry?" she whispered in a trembling voice. The boy – the same age as when he died – beamed happily.
"Hi, Mom," he – it – said in two voices speaking as one. It was suddenly all too much for her. She swayed in place. Her vision tilted and then she collapsed back down against the sofa.
Suzie smacked Jian on the back of his head.
"You jerk! What did I tell you?"
"Momentai! I just…"
"Don't use that word!" Suzie angrily jabbed a finger in front of the AI, interrupting him. "At least…not until we get things worked out," she amended, seeing the hurt and surprised look on Sleipnir's – Jian's – face. She pressed a hand against her face. "You look so much like him. Too much like him."
Jian tilted his head to one side and then looked back and forth between Suzie and Jaarin.
"I'm sorry," he said to the older sister. The young woman jumped, as if goosed.
"What are you even doing here?" Suzie continued, hoping to keep Jaarin out of the conversation if she could help it. "You were… You were cut off or something, weren't you? Shut down!"
"I don't really understand it myself," Jian explained. Turning around, his gold eyes took in his surroundings. "When I was deactivated, my last thoughts were of this place. The next thing I knew, I was here." He took slow, short steps about the dining area. His hand fell upon the back of one of the chairs.
"This is where he sat…"
"Suzie, w-what's going on?" Jaarin finally managed. "Why is-is H-Henry…?" Her mouth froze. Suddenly making a gagging noise, she doubled over. Suzie quickly went over to her.
"Bathroom! Bathroom!" she ordered. Jaarin broke into a run, with Suzie grabbing hold of her to help her along. As she did so, her stomach heaved once more, this time more violently. She clamped her hand about her mouth, but strands of thick, hot vomit escaped through the gaps of her fingers and splattered on her younger sister. With a final effort, Suzie thrust her sister into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind them, after which Jaarin could be heard loudly throwing up on the linoleum floor. Minutes passed, and Jian waited, neither moving nor saying anything. Simply watching the hall where the two girls disappeared down.
Finally, he glanced down at Lopmon, who watched him warily.
"Is that normal for humans?" he asked, concerned. He was filing through his memories – Henry's memories he reminded himself – and it didn't appear to be the case. Yet, there were instances that he recalled it occurring as a natural response to something powerfully important.
A strange and painful contradiction.
"It is not ideal," the former Deva explained with a shake of her head. "Your appearance is greatly upsetting."
Jian furrowed his brow in thought.
"I'm…not sure if I understand. Why aren't they happy? I look like Henry. Why are they upset?" He cocked his head to one side and his eyes took on a distant look about them, as if he were processing information. "Henry's memories bring a feeling of regret whenever he upset Suzie. And…" His frown deepened. "He worried about Suzie a great deal in the digital world. When she was younger."
"Yes," Lopmon nodded. "What are your feelings about Suzie?"
"I… Henry's memories have left an impression on me. I care for her wellbeing."
"I see. And if she died, how would you feel?"
Again, the processing look.
"Died. Synonym of to die. Verb. To cease living. Irreversible cessation of all biological functions." Jian blinked and his face fell. "Oh. I remember that. I…" Jian's face twisted as if in recollection of pain and he clutched at his side. "Oh. I am a shock." His eyes visibly brightened. "But I can be Henry again. I can bring him back so they should be happy. Once I finish processing the memories, I can assume his personality and…"
"Jian, that is not what you said you were," Lopmon said. "It's not why Suzie named you Jian."
Jian looked at Lopmon, no less confused than before.
From down the hall, the bathroom door clicked open and Suzie emerged, her shirt stained with vomit and tears. Jaarin's sobs could be faintly heard from within as the door closed. She looked at Jian, her face set in a hard expression.
"You're not happy," Jian noted. Closing her eyes, Suzie took a deep breath.
"Okay, first, stop it with that weird double voice thing," she said. "Pick one and stick with it."
"But why?"
"Because it's getting on my nerves!" Suzie exploded. Whirling about, she stormed toward her room. "I need to change. Don't move from that spot."
Jian remained rooted in place. From off to the side, Mayumi could be heard coming back to consciousness again. Lopmon hurried on over to her and hopped onto the couch.
"L-Lopmon?"
"It's all right, Mrs. Wong," Lopmon said, helping her to a sitting position with one, long arm-like ear. "Take a few moments."
Mayumi shook her head. "I had the strangest dream. I thought I saw my-my son…" She looked up and found Jian standing before her. Her audible gasp filled the room.
"Hello," Jian said, this time with a single voice; one belonging to her son. "I am Zero Arms Sleipnir, Unit 001, Jianliang. May I…call you Mom?"
"L-Lopmon?" Mayumi said in a hushed whisper. "What's going on?"
"Hypnos happened, that's what's going on," spoke up Suzie upon reentering the room. "They used data from Henry's digivice to make him and there was a surprise in it." Adjusting the hem of her shirt, she looked at her mother sympathetically. "Jaarin's in the bathroom. She's not dealing with this very well."
"R-Right." Becoming aware of her older daughter's sobbing, Mayumi climbed to her feet.
"Mrs. Wong…" began Lopmon in warning. With her ears, she helped the woman check her unsteady balance.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I just need to check on Jaarin." She gave Jian a frightened, uncertain look before turning to Suzie. "Is your father…?"
"Haven't heard yet, but I bet he's already on his way home and really unhappy about this."
Mayumi nodded and, cautiously, picked her way around Jian. Once she reached what she deemed to be a 'safe' distance, she hurried over to the bathroom.
"This isn't what I expected," Jian said once the bathroom door shut.
"What did you expect?" Suzie huffed. "Gratitude? No offense, but you look like you're wearing my brother's face like a skinsuit."
"It's a digital texture," Jian explained. "Not his skin."
"Well, obviously. He's just bones now."
Jian tilted his head and again that look of processing appeared in his eyes.
"Right. Decay begins immediately after death." Jian's expression changed, becoming unsettled.
At that moment, the doorknob at the apartment's entrance jingled and Janyu burst inside. A digivice – Sleipnir's digivice – was in his hand and a frantic, exhausted look was on his face.
"Suzie!" he panted out upon sighting her. "Are you alright? Where's your mother?"
Suzie lifted an eyebrow at her father. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Everyone's fine, I think."
"Mom had a fall," Jian reported. "And Jaarin is sick. I'm sorry." He dropped his head in shame. "I took them by surprise."
Janyu looked over at Jian and Suzie saw him nearly drop the digivice in shock.
"I-I had heard…about how you look…" He grabbed hold of the wall to keep from falling over. "I don't believe it."
"Momen…" Jian began, only to clamp his hands around his mouth. He turned to Suzie apologetically. "Sorry," he muffled through his hands. Suzie sighed.
"Momentai," she finished for him. "Better take a seat, Dad. You look like you're about to collapse."
Nodding, Janyu quickly took off his shoes. Stepping inside, he approached Jian.
"I-I got here as quickly as I could. You're…" He pressed his lips together as he took in the AI's appearance. He clenched his eyes shut and tears began to flow from his eyes.
"You look just like him," he croaked out. From the side, he heard movement. Turning, he found Mayumi reentering the dining area, arms about Jaarin's shoulders to help steady her. "I'm-I'm sorry. I didn't know this would happen."
Suzie repressed a wince as her sister looked at Janyu in confusion while Mayumi frowned. Of course, Jaarin didn't know. Her parents decided not to discuss Sleipnir's situation after first learning about it at the hospital. She wondered how that affected things between them. They were cordial of course. They didn't argue or fight. Things at home carried on much like they always had. Suzie wasn't blind however to the chill that came to permeate the dining room table when they ate dinner. She didn't think this would be grounds for a separation between her parents, but the thought, once it crept in, sat there in the background of her mind where, every so often, it sent out a tiny root.
Watching as her father held Mayumi's gaze for a long moment, the thought felt even stronger.
"There's nothing to be sorry for," Jian said, breaking the ice. "It's not like you meant for me to look like this or to have my – his – memories." He offered them a comforting smile, but upon seeing their expressions – horror and sorrow – it quickly faded. He turned to Suzie. "I don't know what to do. How do I fix this?"
"Some things can't be fixed," Lopmon spoke up. "Sometimes, you must accept what has happened and learn to live with it and learn from it."
Suzie heard something in the former Deva's tone, and she thought about all the Rookie sacrificed to be her partner.
She turned against the Sovereign to protect me, and he sees her as a traitor. She lives in a world that's not her own, surrounded by things she doesn't always understand. She can't really get out much except to be beat up by other digimon when they show up looking for trouble. She's a reminder to Mom and Dad that Henry is dead and that they might lose me when a really bad day turns up.
Suzie knew all of this of course, but it struck her that this was the first time she really thought about what her partner gave up just to be with her. And why? They knew each other for a brief time before suddenly being thrown in together by the digital world. Perhaps it said something about Lopmon that she did all that willingly – defending her even against her own comrades and ruler in spite of the dangers involved – and she certainly expressed no regrets about her decisions. But all the same, it struck Suzie that she had been so self-absorbed in her own problems and grief that she didn't think enough about her partner.
I'm sorry Lop.
Just then, there came a flash of lightning from outside and the lights in the apartment dimmed. Thunder boomed and dishes clinked against one another from the clap of impact.
"Juggernaut is powering up," Jian said, frowning slightly in recognition.
Suzie's cellphone then rang. Taking it out, she saw Hypnos' number on the caller ID.
"Looks like there's trouble. Big trouble."
But why didn't my digivice react? she found herself wondering.
She hit the call button. Why ask herself that when answers were just a phone call away?
"All right. What apocalypse are we dealing with this time?" she asked.
###
Rika heard the distant thunder, but she didn't care to think about it further than that. She didn't care to think about anything around her until an umbrella abruptly popped open over her head. Startled, she looked up to find herself staring at her own face, umbrella in hand. It took her a second to realize whom she was seeing.
"Renamon…"
"Apologies," the kitsune's voice said from her human visage. "I didn't mean to startle you, but it sounds like it's going to rain soon. It wouldn't help if you caught a cold."
"Thanks." A faint blush touched Rika's cheeks. In spite of her embarrassment at being pampered in such a manner, she found herself grateful. In a way, Renamon was like having an older sister watching out for her. She found she liked the idea and tucked it away into her heart where it warmed her.
"Sorry for always making you look after me," she said. Renamon shook her head.
"There is nothing to apologize for."
"Sure, there is." Rika frowned. "That's how it always is. I'm always doing something that needs an apology. I make Mom and Dad upset. I make Takato upset. I'm always upsetting someone."
"Do not count me among them," Renamon said. "I have no regrets. Questions, to be sure, but no regrets. And while I do not have a complete understanding of the nature of your situation with your parents, you are not wholly responsible for how Takato is feeling. You know that was a matter before the two of you even met."
"I'm certainly not making things better," Rika harrumphed.
"Healing is not a painless process."
"And how am I helping that?!" Rika burst out. "I-I don't even know what I'm doing except comparing myself to some alternate reality twin with an attitude problem!" Gritting her teeth, she glared venomously at the ground. "I'm doing what she was doing. I'm getting in my own way, but I don't know how to even stop! It was pretty obvious what her problem was and how to fix it, but I don't know what to do to help anyone on my end. I can't even figure out how to make you digivolve."
"These things take time," Renamon said. "It has been my experience that the answers we seek are not always apparent from the beginning and we discover them as we move through life. For the longest time, I felt dissatisfied with my existence. Fighting for the sake of fighting and gaining power for the sake of power felt empty and meaningless. Then I found you."
"Don't patronize me." Rika's eyes flashed with anger, but the kitsune didn't retreat or show any sign that her words hurt her. Rika looked down, ashamed at herself for her behavior.
"Sorry. I'm just feeling sorry for myself and taking it out on you. I shouldn't be doing that."
"Perhaps you should apologize to yourself then."
"Not to you?" Rika raised an eyebrow. "Not to Takato?"
"You have already done so." Renamon gave her a small smile. "I can't speak for Takato, but I have already forgiven you." She placed a hand on Rika's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "However, you are blaming yourself for things that are outside of your control. Don't."
Rika glanced away, uncertain about her partner's words. True, she wasn't to blame for how Takato felt about her or how he felt when Jeri died, but the fact remained that she pushed too hard; tried to make things fit with what she saw in the other world.
"Maybe…" Rika began softly before continuing in a stronger voice. "Maybe it's not my fault how Takato feels, but I still might have become a little arrogant after becoming a Tamer and we became partners like over there. Maybe I thought that was a sign that I'm doing the right thing and that I was on the right path and everything would turn out just like I saw even though it can't." She clenched a fist tightly.
"I've still got to do better. And I will."
Renamon, still smiling softly, gave Rika's shoulder another squeeze.
"Choosing a way forward with clearer vision is a good option."
"I really wish I had clearer vision first though," Rika grumped. "This whole learning the lesson after the test is a real pain in the-"
Rika didn't get a chance to finish as suddenly she found herself vaulting through the air. The ground violently exploded below her and a shockwave slammed into her body. It all happened so quickly that she didn't realize right away that Renamon – now back in her normal form – was carrying her bridal-style until they landed atop a wall. Her eyes wide and bewildered, Rika swung her head about in a bid to determine what had just happened.
Upon sighting the digimon standing below them on the street, a smoldering, double-barreled, Berenjena shotgun in a clawed hand. She immediately recognized it as belonging to the Beelzemon species by its leather, fur-collared jacket, bird-like facemask, spiked boots and metal, rat-like tail whipping behind it. However, the resemblance ended there as instead of the black and grey normally associated with the digmon, its body was entirely white, save for the pair of red eyes glaring at her.
"Missed," it tsked before taking aim again with its shotgun."Too bad. I had hoped to make this quick, but I see we're going to have to do this the hard way. Frozen Impact!"
The gun jerked and an icicle spat out from its barrel. Again, Renamon leapt away, easily evading the 'bullet.' However, even as it passed harmlessly by, Rika felt her skin prickle and frost formed along her jacket. Below her, the Beelzemon growled in irritation and began to stalk towards them. With every step, ice crept out from beneath its boots, forming a solid patch on the ground that crunched beneath his weight.
"We've got to get out of here," Renamon began, but another ice bullet smashed into a wall behind her, causing it to explode and send debris showering about them. A chunk of concrete clipped Renamon's head, dazing her for a moment. Her grip on Rika loosened, and the girl found herself slipping into the air.
The Beezlemon dashed forth and snatched her up by her jacket. Rika gasped, feeling the warmth abruptly and painfully vanish out of her clothes. She struggled. She kicked. The Beelzemon laughed and with his other clawed hand, grabbed hold of her by the throat, cutting off any chance of her crying out. Rika gagged as the cold metal dug into her skin, robbing it of heat. She fought all the harder, straining with growing desperation to pry the talons from her neck.
The Beelzemon ever so slightly increased the pressure and the tips of his talons pricked at her skin.
"Now, you will no longer be in my way," he said softly. Rika's eyes widened in realization. This digimon wasn't looking to just delete and load Renamon. He was looking to kill them both!
Yet, despite her terror, her eyes burned with fury. Her attacker smiled upon seeing this.
"Ahhh… You are so exquisite when you are angry," the ice-themed Beelzemon crowed, his voice coming out like smoothest of silk. "It's such a shame that we don't match. Had you a heart of ice instead of fire to go with your will of stone, you would have been perfect to be my partner." His crimson eyes flickering with sudden curiosity, he drew her closer to him so that his cold breath played along her lips, turning them blue. "So exquisite… I've searched for so long for someone like you. Perhaps you might be persuaded to get an upgrade?"
His grip around her neck loosened and Rika drew in a gulp of frigid air and glared defiance at the Mega. She had no idea what this digimon's deal was, but its intentions came through as clear as day. She could see the monster this creature was and she knew she wanted no part of it.
"I-In your d-dreams, pal," she shivered and emphasized her answer with another kick to the digimon's sternum. The Beelzemon's expression soured and his claws clamped back down tightly around her throat.
"Diamond Storm!"
Dozens of razor-sharp, crystalline shards erupted from behind Rika and slammed into Beelzemon's face. The digimon scoffed as they broke apart against his mask harmlessly.
"Perhaps a live demonstration of who the superior digimon is will change your mind," Beelzemon said. After lowering Rika to the ground, he relinquished his grip on her. Hefting his shotgun, he smirked at Renamon. "I hear one becomes quite warm just before freezing. You'll make an excellent addition to my collection."
Collection? Rika looked up at the Beelzemon, a nightmare image flashing through her eyes of Renamon frozen in a pillar of ice, her face locked in an eternal scream. The screen on her digivice flickered on and a light sprang forth from it, enveloping the street and infusing Renamon with power.
"Renamon! Digivolve tooo… Kyubimon!"
The light vanished swiftly, and in Renamon's place stood her quadruped, nine-tailed, Champion form. Wasting no time, Kyubimon curled into a tight ball and flung a serpent-like stream of fire at her opponent.
"Dragon Wheel!" she shouted.
"Goody, goody," the Beelzemon smirked as the attack surged toward him. "Time to fight."
Kyubimon's flames washed over him, but he merely laughed. So deep was his cold that these mere flames could not extinguish him. Aiming blindly with his gun, he fired into the mass of fire, deftly snuffing it out with its frigid temperature.
"Now where…?" he began, searching for his quarry. Kyubimon was not in front of him, charging as many digimon often did. Was she attempting to flank him?
The spot where he left the human girl sat unexpectedly vacant as well. Looking up, he found Kyubimon bounding away with her Tamer atop her back. The attack, he realized, had been a distraction to cover their retreat. Kyubimon was no fool and neither was her partner.
"Clever girl," he smirked before fading from view.
###
Rika massaged her neck as warmth steadily began to flow back into her once more. Hugging her partner's sides with her legs, she read off the stats of the digimon that attacked them.
IceBeelzemon. Mega level. Virus type. Special attacks: Frozen Impact. Subzero Claw.
"Tough," she croaked out, knowing she vastly understated the situation they were in. As much as she hated to admit it, they were woefully outclassed both in level and in type. She doubted even a combo of cards as effective as speed and hyper-wing would be able to level the playing field. They had to find Kenta or Takato as quickly as possible.
Kyubimon gave an abrupt cry of pain as something from below impacted her and once again Rika's view of the world lurched. Losing her grip on her digivice, she nevertheless grabbed hold of Kyubimon's ribbons to keep from falling off her partner as they tumbled together. They struck the pavement hard and Rika hissed as the rough ground tore open her black leggings and clawed at the vulnerable skin underneath.
IceBeelzemon loomed over them, shotgun in hand.
"Perhaps it's better this way, after all," he smirked. "The infamous God of Destruction has fallen far since partnering with you. No matter how hot your heart burns, she can't melt my ice, let alone light a candle. You made her weak. I shudder to think what you would have done to me." He pressed the barrel of his shotgun against Kyubimon's forehead. "I think it's time to end this charade now, don't you?"
Rika's heart leapt into her throat. Before she could say or do anything, a shadow loomed up from behind IceBeelzemon like a great mountain. Sensing the oncoming attack, IceBeelzemon flung himself out of the way, narrowly avoiding being skewered by Gallantmon's lance. Immediately upon landing, the Demon Lord fired off a pair of icicle-bullets, trying for a final play at Rika and Kyubimon, but Gallantmon was already in front of them, his shield slamming into place. The bullets struck the Chrome Digizoid metal, shattering into nothing.
"Sorry, I'm late. Are you alright?" the Royal Knight asked, not taking his eyes off IceBeelzemon. Helping Kyubimon back to her feet, Rika gave her partner a once over before looking up at their friend. She couldn't describe the relief she felt upon seeing the gleaming white and red armor of their merged Mega form. Without realizing it, she found she half expected his previous dark-knight mode to make an entrance. She smiled warmly, feeling as though a ray of sunshine had emerged from the storm-filled sky.
"Better now that you're here," she nodded.
"That will change in short order," IceBeelzemon said. Rika laughed. She heard a hint of doubt in his voice.
"Get ready to be disappointed then."
As if her words had been a cue, Gallantmon charged IceBeelzemon with a thunderous battle cry.
9