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: 02/ The Survivors
Twin seats, positioned high above the floor, swiveled about in a circular room filled with screens. The two women seated, their eyes covered by a pair of visors, tapped on their control panels. On the screen, a single red dot moved, chased by a yellow, triangular symbol.
"High level wild-type confirmed," said one of the women, a brunette as she typed in a few more commands. "The data stream is congested. We might not get a visual."
Below them, a blond-haired man wearing sunglasses – Mitsuo Yamaki – flicked open his lighter, a frown on his face. Making his way over to his control panel, he ran an analysis of the data.
"Mega level," he said. His frown deepened. It had been some time since the last time a Mega had appeared. The last one had been a GranKuwagamon and while the damage hadn't been bad, it had been something of a black spot in the reputation of Hypnos and the remaining Tamers when it came to protecting the city from incursions from the digital world.
There was something else as well. Some kind of echo.
Two Megas? He flicked the lighter closed with a loud snap. Is something else trying to sneak through using some kind of stealth program?
"Tally, do a diagnostic on the sensors. Riley, what's the most likely location for the bio-emergence to occur?"
"Hanazono Shrine, according to current calculations of the Wild One's progress," a red-haired woman reported from behind the brunette. She frowned beneath her visor. "The congestion in the data stream is getting worse. I'm losing contact."
Yamaki pressed his lips together tightly. They didn't need this. Not again, and so soon after the GranKuwagamon. For years, they had kept the bio-emergence of wild digimon to a minimum, with only Rookies and Champions getting through. Most of them, at the time, simply wanted to return home. Now, it seemed as though there were more and more powerful digimon showing up looking for a fight.
What is going on in the digital world? he wondered, flicking his lighter open once more before snapping it shut. No answer came to him. For the time being, they were going to have to fly blind.
"Alert our associates," Yamaki ordered.
"Yes sir," replied Riley.
###
His dreams brought him no comfort this time. It had been that way for four years now. Some months were easier than others, but some, especially on certain anniversaries, were always the worst.
He groaned, shifting in bed, trying to escape the nightmare that harried him, but it did no good. Where had it all gone wrong for them? He didn't know, but his mind brought him back to that horrible, final battle with the malevolent program known as the D-Reaper, where it all culminated. He could hear them dying, one by one, even as far away as they were. Their screams were loud and piercing, cutting him to the soul. He didn't have to look to hear Kazu and Guardromon's death. Or Ryo's and Cyberdramon's. Not that the D-Reaper would allow him time to. Instead, the creature – some hideously deformed parody of his now departed friend, Jeri Katou – slammed into him, pummeling his face with fists strong enough to bend the digichrome armor of his helmet.
It's not enough, a part of him thought despairingly as the J-Reaper seized hold of him and thrust him into the many-tentacled body of the Mother Reaper entity that held Jeri imprisoned. He had just enough time to catch a glimpse of a horrid creature off in the distance use a scythe-like limb to cut into MegaGargomon's midsection, nearly slicing him in half.
NO!
Takato awoke with a sudden start as a slimy tongue roughly slid across his face. Bewildered and frightened, the boy shot up and found himself staring into the innocent, worried eyes of a red-colored dinosaur. His best friend and creation, Guilmon.
"Are you okay, Takatomon?" Guilmon asked, his worry making itself known by the slipup with the boy's name. "You looked like you were having a bad dream again, so I came to rescue you."
In spite of himself, Takato found himself smiling.
"I'm fine now, boy," he nodded. "Thanks for saving me."
Adjusting his grip on the edge of the boy's bed, Guilmon brought his chin to rest the blankets, his big, golden eyes watching him with concern.
"It was the D-Reaper one, again, huh?"
"Well, it is that time of year," Takato pointed out, draping his arm over his eyes. A sheen of sweat was on his brow. "I always get them around now."
"I wish they would go away and leave you alone," Guilmon moaned. Lifting his arm slightly, Takato again smiled at his partner. It was natural and honest, if lined with tension.
"I'll be okay, boy." Reaching out with his scarred, free hand, he gave his partner's ears a loving scratch. Guilmon leaned into it and made a happy, crooning sound. They remained like that for a moment until the buzzing of Takato's cellphone caught his attention. With a groan, Takato sat up and Guilmon half-slid, half-slipped down the ladder leading up to the bed. Takato swung himself down, joining him.
"Yeah? Hello?" he asked, snatching up the phone and hitting the reply button.
"Did I wake you?" came Riley's voice from the other end.
"N-No!" he replied swiftly, all his senses coming alert. "I just woke up a minute ago. What's up?"
"We're detecting a Wild One and it looks like it's going to bio-emerge somewhere near Hanazono Shrine within a few hours. High level. Make sure you suit up for it."
Takato nodded, his expression hardening. "We'll be ready."
"I'll contact the others. You'll meet them at the usual place?"
"The park, yeah." Takato felt himself grow tense at the mention of the others. "I'll-I'll see them there."
"Okay. Good luck out there. We'll have response teams standing by should you need assistance."
With that, the line went dead and Takato hung up his end.
"Another digimon?" Guilmon asked. Takato nodded numbly.
"Big one too. Probably Mega. Man, the digital world just doesn't take a day off, does it?"
Guilmon's brow knotted, hearing the touch of fire that crept into his partner's voice.
"Momentai?" he prompted, adopting the wisdom of their long-gone friend, Terriermon. For an instant, he thought Takato would get mad at him for using the word. He never did, of course, but his scent always became stormy when it came up. However, Takato heaved a tired sigh.
"I'll try," he said. "I need to get changed. Better get some breakfast, boy. I have a feeling you're going to need it."
"Okay. But make sure you get something to eat too, Takato. You need to keep your strength up as well."
"I will. I promise."
Turning, Guilmon exited the room, but hesitated for a moment at the door. Looking back, he saw his partner shrugging out of his pajamas. His body looked so much rougher than Guilmon remembered seeing back when they first met. Scars lined along his back, marks from where the D-Reaper had come close to killing them during the first attack on its Kernal Sphere. It had retaliated by evolving a Gatekeeper ring form and then launching a number of razor-sharp blades that chased after them no matter how far or fast they fled. Only Gallantmon's thick, powerful armor had saved them from getting killed outright.
The marks of his injuries didn't stop there. Indeed, the years and battles had caused them to mount up like a macabre of merit badges. His right arm was traced with a number of thin, jagged, vein-like lines reaching up to his elbow, as if a lightning bolt had struck him there. Another spot on his forehead just above his left eye had a knotted gash of pale skin that stood out in stark contrast to the rest of his lightly tanned body. The ghosts of these injuries haunted him at times when it rained.
Closing the door, Guilmon wondered how long they could keep fighting like this. Takato never said anything, but Guilmon knew his partner well enough by now to know he was often looking doom in the face with each and every battle they engaged in. It was more than just taking things seriously. He saw it as them running down the clock until the day came that they fought something they weren't strong enough to defeat, even with Kenta and Suzie's help.
###
Suzie had been eating her breakfast and enjoying something that would be called a typical, normal morning for an 11-year-old girl. Had been. Things were off to a good start at least. The presence of the greyish-brown furred, long-eared digimon, her partner and best friend, would have been seen as little more than a stuffed toy, if not for the fact that Lopmon was eating cereal alongside the girl and watching their favorite show, Magical Girl Yokai Capturer Midori! Later, Suzie would hook up with some friends at the park and with the exception of homework she had to complete, her day was otherwise full of fun things to do. She wasn't expecting to think about anything else, nor did she want to.
Then her cellphone rang.
Behind her, she could feel her mother, Mayumi, tense up while the window reflection of her older sister, Jaarin, visiting from college, looked up in her direction. Both knew what the ringing of that phone meant and neither liked it. Suzie's mood soured immediately.
"How bad is it?" she asked as soon as she hit the reply button. She didn't even bother to check the caller ID. She never had to with this phone.
"High level Wild-Type," came Riley's curt response, long used to Suzie's frustrations with Hypnos. "Takato and Kenta are on their way to the park to meet you."
"Yamaki couldn't handle it without those two still?" Getting out of her seat, Suzie proceeded to dump her soon-to-be-soggy cereal into the waste basket. "I thought you said he was working on a new program to keep stuff like this from happening."
There came a sigh at the other end. Suzie felt a stab of pity for her. Being the messenger of bad news absolutely sucked and Riley was long in suffering in this position. Tactfully, she went back to the main topic.
"Where's it going to bio-emerge?"
"Hanazono Shrine. We're sending transportation."
"Don't bother," Suzie said, collecting her digivice and cards while behind her, Lopmon apologetically gave Mayumi her bowl and bowed politely. "I've got this. Takato and Kenta can take a backseat for once."
"Suzie, I strongly recommend against that course of action. Our readings suggest it's potentially Mega level."
Suzie opened her mouth to counter that argument. After all, Lopmon could reach Mega level as well, but she found herself remembering the image of Takato, lying on the ground unconscious, his right arm smoking and badly burned. Jeri sat next to him, sobbing into her hands uncontrollably. Her lips set themselves against each other and she scowled.
"All right," she grumbled. "Fine. I'll be at the park."
With that, she hung up before Riley could say anything else. Snagging up her purse, she put her digivice and cards inside it and hung it off her shoulder.
"Lop and I are off to work, Mom," she chirped, putting on as bright a smile as she could. "We'll be back!"
"B-Be careful, Suzie!" Mayumi stammered out, clutching at the table, she almost lurched toward her daughter as the girl hurried toward the door to get her shoes. Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes and her mouth began to tremble. Suzie saw it all, but kept on her brave face.
"Don't worry, Mom," she said, not meeting either Mayumi or Jaarin's eyes. "Everything's under control. I'll have it all wrapped up in a nice pretty bow by lunchtime."
Kicking on her shoes, she gave one final wave over her shoulder before exiting the apartment.
When the door shut, Mayumi broke down crying and Jaarin ran over to comfort her.
###
Kenta found Takato seated at the gate of the old concrete bunker that once served as Guilmon's home away from home, his head bowed and eyes closed in apparent sleep. He glanced over at Guilmon, who had a claw raised to his mouth, indicating for them to keep quiet. Taking the gesture to heart, the bespectacled boy waited until he was closer before speaking in a low voice.
"Bad night?" he asked.
"D-Reaper dreams again," Guilmon nodded. "He's getting as much sleep as he can before we have to fight."
Kenta nodded in understanding. He always had them this time of year too, though not as intensely as Takato.
"I wish there was more I could do," he said, dropping down next to the other boy and looking him over. Takato wore a long-sleeved, white t-shirt under his usual blue hoodie and, as always, his goggles sat atop the messy mop that was his hair. They did not completely hide his scars, but they were sufficient for the casual goer to overlook if they didn't pay close enough attention.
"Same," Guilmon agreed, before sniffing the air. "Suzie's here."
"Oh, great," Kenta sighed, earning him a concerned look from the floating, pink fairy-digimon next to him – MarineAngemon. Reaching over, he gave Takato's shoulder a shake and the boy snapped awake almost instantly.
"Ah! H-Hey! Guilmon, how long…?"
"Are you bozos ready to get going? Or are you going to keep sleeping on the job?"
Takato, Kenta, MarineAngemon and Guilmon all turned to find Suzie climbing the final steps to the bunker, an annoyed look on her face. Sighing, Takato got to his feet and dusted himself off.
"Yeah, I'm ready," he said resignedly. With nothing more to be said, Suzie stepped to the side and folded her arms together, waiting for them to go first, as was her habit in recent years when it came to Takato.
"Are you sure?" Kenta asked, looking at him worriedly as they started off. "Guilmon says you had a bad night."
"I'll be fine," Takato replied, his tone dull. He didn't bother looking at Suzie as he passed by her.
"You can always sit this one out, you know," Suzie said, her voice terse. Takato paused at the first step for a moment before resuming.
"I've got this. The level's too high."
Suzie made an angry sound and clenched her fists. Seeing that she was about to explode – again – Kenta hurriedly stepped between them, hands raised in a placating gesture.
"Look, let's not argue about this, this time, okay? Let's just do it like we did before. MarineAngemon and I will be backrow while you and Antylamon run support and flanking. It worked against GranKuwagamon, right?"
"Barely!" Suzie grated, narrowly containing her anger. "It nearly took his goggleheaded head off!"
"Suzie…" began Lopmon, attempting to intervene. But Suzie wasn't listening.
"If you'd just let me digivolve Lopmon to Mega…"
"Pihpihpih!" piped in MarineAngemon, causing Suzie's glare to snap toward him.
"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?!" she shouted. "You don't have to keep bringing that up!"
"He didn't say anything about…"
"Both of you, stop it!"
Takato's angry shout cut across their argument, silencing them both.
For Kenta, having known Takato for years, it always struck him with surprise whenever the boy lost his temper even a little bit. Even at his worst, he tended to keep a lid on the more negative emotions and it took uniquely stressful circumstances for his control to slip. One such incident had been when Jeri Katou's partner had been murdered in front of them by their former friend, Beelzemon. Jeri's scream had caused him to snap and force Guilmon to digivolve into the world-destroying Megidramon and his very existence nearly killed everyone. Since then, Takato had taken to greater lengths to keeping his temper on a tight leash.
Suzie however wasn't surprised. Her interaction with Takato, especially in the first year of their association, had been much more limited. On her first real interaction with him, he had been stressed and exasperated by Guilmon suddenly being whisked away by something alien and unknown from the digital world. The next time she saw him, Megidramon nearly destroyed the digital world. To her eyes, he was the 'Angry Kid' and she knew all too well to be cautious around his temper once it was loosed.
As they both watched, Takato drew in a deep breath and steadied himself. Suzie had enough time to note the bags under his eyes.
"We'll talk about this after the fight, if there is one," Takato began, his tone brooking no argument from either Tamer. "A Mega level is too dangerous to risk Cherubimon going out of control again. I barely stopped her last time."
"That's rich coming from you."
"Suzie!" Lopmon scolded sharply as Kenta drew in a sharp breath. His eyes darted over to Takato, waiting to see his response. The goggle-wearing teen however only looked tired and worn down.
Takato's eyes fell to Lopmon and his expression softened. "I'm sorry, Lopmon. We'll try again another time."
"It's quite alright, Takato," Lopmon bowed politely. Folding her arms, Suzie made a huffing sound.
"Do you have to take his side?"
"Suzie…"
Suzie huffed again. A shadow passed over her eyes just then, a memory stirring in her mind and she grew quiet. After several moments, Takato spoke again.
"We've got to get going. People are counting on us."
As he turned to start down the steps again, Guilmon spoke up.
"Momentai, Suzie. Momentai."
Kenta saw Suzie's mouth twist in pain at the word, but she held firm and said nothing about it.
###
They didn't have to wait long for the Hypnos vehicle to pick them up, and they were soon on the road. Kenta leaned against the window, trying to pretend they were traveling in luxury style in a vain attempt to ignore the nervous jackhammering of his heart.
A Mega. That last one nearly killed Takato and Guilmon. What if we do have to rely on Cherubimon again? MarinAngemon doesn't have enough fighting power to put a dent in most Megas. The most we can do is help Takato and Guilmon outlast whoever they're fighting.
He thought back to that disastrous day from…When was it? Three years ago, now? He shook his head. However long ago, it had been bad. Not anywhere near as bad as the final, devastating battle with the D-Reaper, but Cherubimon, having gone viral and out of control, had caused Gallantmon considerable trouble, raining bolts of lightning on him by the score in an effort to delete him. It still amazed him that Takato and Guilmon had survived.
Not for the first time did he wish for someone like Henry, Ryo, Kazu or Jeri were here.
They always knew what to do. Since they died, it feels like all we've been doing is struggling to keep our heads above water.
As they turned off Ome Kaido Ave and into the area of Hanazono Shrine, Kenta glanced down in the direction of the distant Gyoen Park, catching a glimpse of its greenery. He sighed, captivated by its beauty and wishing they were going there instead to have fun. It was much larger than the Chuo Park that had been so central to their digital adventures.
Maybe we can still go there later? Maybe that wild digimon won't want to fight and we can just take it to the portal in Chuo and send it home.
His eyes returning to the shrine, he traced his gaze along the people gathered there, somewhat envying them for their more normal lives. Granted, they should be in shelter now. The warning had been sent almost an hour ago. The trip from Chuo had barely been a sixth of that long.
Kenta blinked as something clicked in his mind. Sitting up, he pointed in the direction of the crowd of people.
"Hey. Shouldn't they be gone by now? I thought Hypnos sends out a warning to let people know they need to get to shelter when a strong digimon is about to show up."
The other two Tamers exchanged looks.
"Maybe they're just getting to shelter?" Suzie suggested and Takato nodded.
"Shrines are designated shelter spaces," he agreed, but he sounded concerned. Kenta couldn't blame him. The presence of civilians out in the open when a potential battle was about to take place always made him worried.
Well, we should still have another hour or so before the digimon bio-emerges, so maybe it won't be a big deal?
As if to spite them, all such thoughts on the matter were obliterated just then by the shriek of all three of their digivices. A column of light suddenly exploded from behind the shrine and a dense fog began to form.
"Ah, nuts!" Takato exclaimed. "Stop the car!"
"Eh?" began the driver, confused. "But we're almost there!"
"Stop the car now!"
Wheels came screeching to a halt and the Tamers jerked forward against their seatbelts. Not waiting, they quickly unbuckled and threw open the doors. Takato's foot caught on a corner of the car floor, causing him to trip up and dance on one foot in an attempt to catch his balance.
"Aw, nuts…" he grimaced, landing on one hand as he finished tottering. Looking up, he zeroed in on the civilians, only for his attention to be snagged by a black shadow erupting from the digital mist behind the shrine.
Ah, nuts!
###
"Whoa!" Riley shouted in surprise. "The Wild One's energy levels just skyrocketed! It's breaching ahead of its predicted time!"
"Are the Tamers there?" Yamaki demanded, his hand clenching his lighter tightly.
"Confirmed!" Tally reported. "Takato, Kenta and Suzie are on location! But it appears that there are civilians still in the area!"
"There's what?!"
###
"This is stupid."
"It couldn't be helped, Ms. Nonaka. I know you just finished putting on that 'stupid getup,' as you called it, but you know the rules."
Rika huffed in annoyance. She cast her eyes about, doing her best to ignore the breeze caressing her bare arms and shoulders and instead focus on trying to walk in the 'stupid high heels' that went along with not stepping on the long, 'stupid, fluffy dress' she had put on for the photoshoot.
Where are the Tamers? The Digimon Alert said this was the area. Shouldn't they be here by now?
"The least you could have done is give me something easier to walk in," she grumbled, trying to distract herself from her nervousness. "I might as well just be standing on my toenails. Why would anyone want to walk in these stupid things?"
The bespectacled woman next to her – named Hana – simply sighed, clearly frustrated with Rika's lack of interest and motivation with regards to the fashion industry and her never-ending list of complaints about it.
"Sorry," Rika sighed, feeling guilty. "I know I'm being a pain."
The woman looked at her with a raised eyebrow before shrugging.
"It's fine. I know this business isn't your preference," she admitted before adding, "You're hardly the first daughter of a world-famous supermodel to be pressured into something they have no interest in. To be honest, you weren't my choice for this shoot, but your mother insisted when she heard about this particular project."
Rika scowled, continuing to glance about her. She saw a vehicle approaching now. More civilians seeking shelter?
Where is he?
"Sounds like Mom. I'm starting to think that…"
Rika was abruptly cut off when a sharp and powerful wind suddenly struck her, upsetting her already delicate balance and sending her toppling to the ground. She didn't have time to curse the heels for her fall when the car she saw screeched to a halt, as if in panic. The doors swung open and just like that, Rika felt her heart skip a beat.
He was here. Takato Matsuki, tumbling out of the car and looking more than a bit frazzled. She absorbed his appearance, fascinated by how familiar he looked to her now despite having only met him in person briefly – and then, only his counterpart in that other dimension. She wasn't entirely sure what she expected. Some crucial difference the way she had been from the other-Rika. But here he was, still a Tamer and still looking a little bit like a goofball. His eyes though. His eyes were determined.
Just like he did when I first saw him, she thought, remembering not his counterpart this time, but when his face had been blasted across every television and computer screen on the planet. The rawness of his determination then had struck her. She knew nothing about him then. On occasion wondered about him and what he must have been thinking about at the time, going into battle, meeting danger head on. There had been times where, when roaming the streets of the city, she hoped to run into him, but she never did. So, he remained little more than an occasional figment in her imagination. Until, that is, she found his alternate reality counterpart staring at her in surprise.
The reality of his personality had been something of a surprise, not at all like she imagined him to be, but at the same time, oddly enough, far, far better than what she envisioned. She wasn't even disappointed that his realness destroyed the expectations she had developed about him. Awkward, honest, wearing a ridiculous set of goggles on his head like some stupid fanboy, and possessed of a warm heart that accepted the thorns of the other version of her, seemingly without question. In short, an utter sweetheart. Before she knew it, a blush began to rise on her cheeks.
Yet, upon closer inspection, she began to see the differences between this version of Takato and the other one. Hers appeared more tired and grim. Certainly inevitable, she felt, given that he lost most of his friends in that last D-Reaper battle. She also saw something unusual about his right hand. Some kind of marking that she couldn't quite make out at this distance.
Continuing to watch and puzzle him out, she saw him dip his strange hand into his pocket and produce his digivice just as Guilmon pulled up next to him. Raising the digivice to the sky, a blast of light enveloped the pair and just like that they were replaced by the armored knight she had seen on the news so many times.
Gallantmon, the Knight of Shinjuku, was here, clad in red and white plates with a crimson cape billowing behind him. And just in time too, as a black-armored figure came crashing down in front of him, causing the earth to shake beneath Rika once more.
Her chest went cold as she looked at the newcomer. He resembled a samurai somewhat, if a bit more reptilian in appearance, with a jagged, metal horn sprouting up from his nose like a frozen bolt of lightning. A mane of white hair billowed behind him, a sharp contrast to his black armor and he bore two great swords in each hand, appearing boomerang-shaped in structure with nasty, pointed ends at each joint. Rika recognized the creature instantly from her digimon card collection.
Gaiomon. Mega Level. Virus type. Her heart fell into a black pit in her stomach. She didn't need to be a Tamer to know that this wouldn't be an easy fight.
Gallantmon fell into a fighting stance, a lance and shield morphing into reality from his hands.
"We're offering you a chance to surrender and go home," Gallantmon spoke up firmly in the twin voices of Guilmon and Takato. "We have a portal we can escort you to, if you'll let us. But we can't have you roaming around."
Gaiomon hefted his swords and pointed them at Gallantmon.
"I have no interest in returning to the digital world," he said. "Only to fight you, oh Warrior of the Hazard."
"Aw, nuts."
Just like that, the battle was joined. Before Rika could even blink, Gaiomon crossed the distance separating him from Gallantmon and swords slammed against shield and lance with such force that Rika, who had just been staggering back to her feet, was nearly knocked over again by the shockwaves.
"Looks like negotiations have broken down!" she heard one of the other Tamers call out – a young girl who looked no older than eleven. Rika recognized her as Suzie, the one who brought her to the other reality in the first place. The girl was already slashing a card through her digivice, evolving her partner to Antylamon. Rika's mouth fell open in shock.
Antylamon?! But that's no good against this guy!
She had no further luxury to think on such things. Hana was already hauling her in the direction of the shrine and away from the fighting.
"Rika! Come on! We've got to get out of here! Stop dragging your feet!"
Rika staggered, almost falling again. This time she did curse the stupid heels and quite colorfully at that. They were most definitely not meant for running in.
Another shockwave buffeted her. The ground shook and splintered from the forces clashing against one other and both she and Hana were sent sprawling to the ground. Rika risked a glance over her shoulder, watching Gallantmon and Gaiomon slash and stab at each other, their movements so rapid that she only saw the blurry outlines of their weapons as they sparked from every impact.
Consequently, she failed to see the digimon, female-shaped, wearing a purple fox mask and a miko-styled robe, standing atop the roof of Hanazono Shrine, arms folded over her chest and observing the field of battle.
9