Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
How crazy it is to be writing a fanfiction off of a child's show I watched over twenty-five years ago. This is the definition of madness right here. And yet knowing there are others out there who share the same sentiment thrills me to no end. We may never meet, but we bond over moments and stories like these. That being said, you know who it is this chapter is focused on. Can someone say 'Giga Cannon' ten times in a row?
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Metal Dragon of the Mercenaries Giga Unit
With one of his nightmarish minions in place Rei now had the clarity he needed to identify others who would not only be suitable vessels of viral data for his life, but also serve him. He felt ecstatic that things were finally starting to move forward after so many others had disappointed him.
He sat down at a table outside a coffee place contemplating his next move. Finding Pyogo had been a remarkable coincidence, though he really had just been lucky that they crossed paths. Rei thumbed through social media on his phone contemplating who would be a suitable next target.
Not all of his chosen vessels would fall into his lap. Truly if he had to he would need to travel far and wide just to find all of them. Fortunately he had a pretty good indication where he could find the particular negative energy that would be mold-able enough to convince to join him. Around his current environment with happy couples and the occasional disgruntled employee hardly a negative thought seem to be in his visage.
He knew he needed a change of scenery. Rei slipped a few dollars on the table from his pocket then casually walked up a garden path that aligned the coffee place up the road and took a sharp left. Something seemed to pique his interest up the road; A sharp scent, not intoxicating, but one that he could only describe as hot and bitter. He approached a sign that said reserved, Giga Platoon only, and opened the door anyway to get inside.
Instantly two large buffed military looking men with ripped shirts near the muscles blocked his path.
"What are you doing here runt?" one asked gruffly.
"Can't you read the sign? Giga Unit members only!"
Rei studied them and their negative energy wondering about this 'Giga Platoon'. They all carried the same negative energy around them as if it carried the emotions and rage of the battlefield and killing their enemies, but nothing particularly special.
"I'm sorry," Rei said. "I must have the wrong place."
He was about to walk away when they blocked him.
"You have a lot of nerve even though you could clearly read the sign. Tell you what. Why don't we arm wrestle? If I win you buy me a beer. If you win we will let you stay! How about it skinny man?"
Rei glanced at him as if he contemplated absorbing him there on a spot. His eyes quickly settled down.
"I don't mind," he said. "Shall we go to the nearest table?"
With that the whole atmosphere in the place changed. Other members started shouting and roaring around in support for the challenger. Others jeered and mocked him and his appearance, especially his arms, but no matter. Rei would deal with him as he dealt with anyone else.
"All right you dogs!" a scruffy bartender barked. "Let's get to it! Get at it!" he shouted taking a glass mug and breaking it in pieces on the table.
With that Rei calmly grabbed the man's rough hand that encompassed his own.
"Get that beer ready Jock!" he yelled grinning as he grabbed Rei's hand.
"All right let's finish up quickly!" he said Rei firmly holding his hand in place.
He forced his power down, but Rei held him firmly not so much as beading a sweat.
The soldier tried even more forcefully, the other soldiers a bit confused.
"What's wrong Metal Grizzly?" one of the soldiers asked. "He's skinny! He's girly! You should be able to take him down no problem!"
"I'm trying," he panted still trying to force Rei's hand down, but Rei would not budge.
"What's the matter?" Rei taunted. "Surely a big, strong musclehead like yourself can pin the arm of a weak civilian?"
"Dam you!" he cursed. "Just go down!" he grunted trying even harder. "Go down!"
Rei let him bend his hand a little bit, more and more, the soldier grinning. "I've got you now!"
"I'm sure you do," Rei grinned instantly forcing him up and slamming him down, the force causing the man to fall to the side groaning in pain.
"There we are. I do believe I win."
"I don't believe it!" the man said amazed. "I'm the Metal Bear! No one here has bested me at my own game! No one!"
"We all eventually meet our better some day," he grinned sarcastically. "Now then, before I go who is the toughest one here?"
Rei had thought he might have sensed someone possibly he could use, but none of them there could do it.
"Our leader is not present," one of them said roughly. "If you're not going to drink get out."
"Maybe I'll just do that," Rei said, "But Metal Bear is no threat to me. Neither is Screaming Eagle or any of you other weaklings."
"What did you say?" the men said suddenly surrounding him. "Buddy you're asking for a world of hurt!"
Rei chuckled to himself. "I'm not asking for a world of hurt," he said reaching forward and grabbing one of their wrists twisting it, "But I can give it to you…"
...Five minutes Later Rei had dispatched all of the men in the room single-handedly not even breaking a sweat.
"So much for the Giga Unit," Rei taunted. "If only your leader could see you now."
With that a couple of them murmured among themselves and handed a phone to him.
"He wants to meet you with," one of them groaned.
Rei put the phone to his ear.
"Leader of the Giga Unit I presume?"
"10:20 pm. Same place," a rough edgy sharp voice grunted, and then the phone disconnected.
Rei immediately dropped the phone. "Oh my," he said, a twinge of dark energy surpassing all of the others radiating through him. He could not wait to meet with him.
Rei passed the time talking with the other members of the platoon. He learned about call signs, personalities, and the drinking limits of them all. Apparently the leader of the group was known as the Brass Lion. This 'Brass Lion' apparently happened to not only be the leader, but the most level headed and skillful of them all. Perhaps he could fulfill the role that he had in store.
Eventually they all left, except the barkeeper a man with silvery hair, a pulsing mahogany right eye and a scar over his left eye; a black eye patch covering it. The man stood there bulging with muscles himself. He couldn't have been in more than his 40s, but his body looked like he had been through hell and back and gone through another ten years. He said nothing as he cleaned up. Rei glanced him over curious about him.
"You must be pretty strong to take all of them out," he replied gruffly.
"Naw, they were just weak," he said. "I certainly hope their leader is in another league at least."
"Buddy," he chuckled. "You have no idea."
Rei felt a bit suspicious about the entire room, the negative energy from the Giga unit swaying as if the negative energy itself seemed to be deceiving.
Rei stared at the man's arm a bit, then chuckled to himself. "I suppose every army unit needs a man like you around in their unit."
The man grinned back. "...Something like that," he said cryptically, Rei noticing his eyes narrowing.
About 10:30 pm came around, most of the men having passed out from drinking, the others calmly smoking cigarettes and playing cards or with knives. Some were even checking their weaponry.
All of a sudden the doors swung open and another man came in. He wore a leather jacket hung loosely around one arm. A tattoo came around his lower arm to his upper arm, Rei noticing the lion like tattoo fiercesomely staring back at anyone that looked at it.
"So," he said, "You must be the leader of the Giga Unit. They told me you are the strongest one here," Rei said drinking his gin calmly.
The man said nothing and sat down next to him.
"Are you the Brass Lion because you are the top of the chain of command? Or is that due to your intensity on the battlefield?"
Again, the man said nothing. He looked at the bartender, nodded his head, and the bartender went up over to him and poured a glass of whiskey.
"Kid, what kind of world you come from?" he asked drinking it slowly. "This here place is not for the feint of heart. We're not the army. We're a mercenary unit with some of the most terrible sons of bitches out there," he said calmly drinking.
"Ah so you aren't like the ordinary straight laced soldiers in the military," he agreed.
"In this den are some of the worst sorts you'll ever meet. Murderers, Rapists, Thieves, Arsonists-It doesn't matter to me who they are as long as they can handle their weapons. And they are the best of the best there is."
Rei sipped his gin again calmly considering his words. "That being said," he said calmly putting down his drink, "Do you consider yourself among this lot? Are you not a virtuous man of war?"
"Anyone who tells you that crap is a liar," he said angrily downing his beverage, and wiping the excess from his mouth with his sleeve.
"Their is no virtuous man on the battlefield. All that morality nonsense flies out the door in the face of a barrage of bullets. It's kill or be killed."
"So is that a yes?"
The man eyed him dangerously, glanced at the bartender, but then calmed down.
"I used to be," he said. "But then I got injured," he said. "Now I'm here fighting for my life for the hell of it every day."
"Ah, so you are the strongest one then."
Rei could see a swirl of negativity festering from within him, but still oddly it did not seem as if the energy had come from him directly.
"It's not about strength," he said pounding his fist on the table. "It's about blood lust. Who has the most of it is the one to be most feared."
Rei understood what he meant, but still the situation seemed a bit puzzling.
"So it's not you? Then who is?"
The man chugged his drink, then slammed it on the table breaking it. "I'll tell you who. The Metal Dragon!"
At those words Rei found himself a bit bewildered. He grabbed his Gin and finished it, the refreshing salty bitterness percolating his curiosity.
"Metal Dragon?"
"The toughest son of a gun in the Giga unit. He's a secret though. He's not any listed member, but, he is called the metal dragon for one hell of a reason."
"Ah, so he's a trump card. Could it be he can handle any kind of weaponry?"
"No," the man replied gruffly. "But I will tell you since you easily dispatched my men. He's the metal dragon. Dragons are mythical creatures that can only be destroyed by only another dragon or holy blades. And there are no good mercenaries on the field," he grinned. "No matter what the odds are once the metal dragon is deployed victory is assured."
"What does he do?"
"He kills mercilessly."
"Don't they all?"
"You don't get it kid. When he is deployed it's a last ditch effort. His blood lust is legendary. If it is triggered all in that field are decimated. Friend or Foe. He's a walking killing machine."
"And he can't discern friend from foe?"
"With the exception of one thing," he said. "The only way he can tell if you are on his side is if you have even an ounce of the blood lust as he has. It's a matter of respect. Those who don't have it are casualties on the battlefield."
"Well," Rei said calmly, "That sounds good. But, what about strategy and tactics? It takes a cool mind to come up with the method for victory. It's like a game of chess."
"Heh," the leader smirked. "Only those who have never lived on the battlefield can say such drivel."
He grabbed his glass and pushed it to the bartender who caught it. He simply nodded his head and the bartender refilled it.
I would certainly like to meet this man," Rei said. "Is there any chance I could entertain an audience with him?"
The bartender chuckled a bit. "I don't think so. The Metal Dragon is a harbinger of death. Trust me, you do not want to meet him."
"Oh, but I do," Rei said. "In fact, I'm just dying to."
The bartender looked at the leader, both of them a bit at a loss for his remarks and having no idea where the hell this guy came from.
"If you really have that much of a death wish," the leader sighed, "then a week from now we will be at Tsushima ruins. Apparently there is a client whose family was murdered and this is the group's base of operations. He's the only survivor and wants revenge."
Rei Kurenada pushed his glass to the bartender smiling. "This story is getting more interesting by the minute," he grinned. "I'll have another."
Somewhere off the coast of Saudi Arabia Rei Kurenada sat back in the shade of a rock. He laid down resting excited for the evening. He had not slept in days nor did he need to. His memory though almost demanded him to sleep, but Rei would not have it.
He glanced to and fro at the Giga Unit, many of them excited, but some a bit nervous. The commander, the Brass Lion himself walked outside of his tent smoking a cigarette whole checking his magazine on a fine kolashnikov.
"Evening commander," Rei said sliding down a hill of sand over to him.
"Nice evening," he said making sure his weapon had been loaded. "It's a good night for hunting."
"Sure thing," Rei said. "Those terrorists won't know what hit them."
"It's a good thing," the Brass Lion said. "After all the faster we make work of them the less likely they will force us to bring out the Metal Dragon."
Rei paused for a moment, bent down, and inhaled a lilac flower's scent. "When is the operation set to begin?"
The Brass Lion chided him and rubbed his head. "You sound like you're eager for some bloodshed yourself. How about it? Would you like to be an honorary member of the Giga Unit Rei Kurenada?"
Rei glanced at him as if he was insignificant. "Someone certainly has been doing there homework," he said glancing at his phone for the time. "Sure, why not?"
The operation began at 02:30 am in the morning. Like swift shadows the giga unit darted to and fro throughout the ruins. Rei casually kept to himself keeping up with them holding onto a pistol he had been forced into taking. He personally enjoyed the thought of converting them all into dark digital data, but he knew consuming them all would be more of a chore than anything else. He could only think of it as the equivalent of eating very chewy meat that took forever to swallow.
Rei tagged along with metal bear, the man laser locked and focused while Rei casually checked his phone for the time as if he had been bored out of his skull.
"So tell me Metal Bear," he said yawning. "Do you think the Metal Dragon will show up today?"
"Heh," he grinned. "Not likely. He's not shown up in quite a long time. Our group is just too good. The enemy won't know what hit them."
Rei sighed a bit disappointed. "Let's just hope their will be plenty of fireworks."
"Ah," he snarled. "You got some blood lust going on yourself don't ya?"
Rei did not know how much more he could take anymore of this prattle.
At 03:00 am in the morning all the forces were in place according to the positioning of the unit. They had slowly advanced hiding behind pillars, large stones, and even in dark places beyond sight. They were slowly squeezing their way to the prey.
"So who is the target?" Rei asked. "Anyone in particular?" he said rolling his eyes.
"Nope. We kill 'em all and get paid good to do it," he said holding his gun in anticipation. "I live for moments like this."
"I bet you do," Rei said starting to walk away.
"Hey, where are you going?" he asked.
"I just have to go to the bathroom," he lied.
"What? Just take a piss right here."
"I'm afraid I have a bit of a shy bladder," Rei said smiling as fake as possible detesting how bored he was.
"All right, just come back quick."
"Will do," Rei grinned.
No, that was not the plans Rei had at all. He made his way forward past the sight of the Giga unit until he himself had found himself in the camp of their enemy.
He wandered around quickly, hardly anyone even aware of his presence. He checked the fire arms of the enemy and even got a good look at the leader and his consorts. The only nice thing about them were the consorts, but they to would probably be slaughtered.
Rei then went around to their weapon supply and came across a small landmine. It was one of the more advanced pieces of equipment.
Suddenly from behind him a man appeared shouting at him in some language he did not understand and he was about to pull the trigger on his weapon to shoot. He festered with negative energy.
"Oh good," Rei smiled grabbing the gun and his face. "I was just craving a little snack." With that Rei quickly drowned out his screams as the negative data filled him, Rei starting to feel a bit of a blood lust for some more carnage.
"Compared to these fools it doesn't look like the metal dragon will make his appearance," Rei said a bit annoyed. "Well, if that's the case," he said also grabbing a small canister of oil, "I'll have to do something about that."
Not much later Rei Kurenada appeared back to the Metal Bear who looked annoyed beyond measure. "Seriously? How long does it take to take a leak?"
Rei swallowed his contempt for him. "I had a lot of water before the operation," he said. "Are we about to make our move?"
"Heh," he grinned. "This operation will be over in twenty minutes flat."
He noticed to the left a shadowy figure make a hand gesture, a single cigarette lighting up.
"That's the signal," he groaned. Metal bear clutched his gun and started running swiftly darting over nearby towards the others.
"So we've surrounded the enemy?" Rei asked. "With us attacking from all sides they don't have a chance."
"War is cruel," the man said. "It's kill or be killed on the battlefield. It's just business at the end of the day. A man's life is cheap here."
Rei licked his lips, grabbed a dagger from the back foot of Metal Bear and immediately stabbed him through the back.
"W-what?" he groaned turning towards Rei, his eyes bloodshot. "You bastard! Are you working with them? You think you can just betray us and live to tell the tale?!" he growled trying to lift up his gun to shoot him nearly point blank, but Rei held it down despite his best efforts.
"It's the arm wrestle all over again isn't it?" Rei said entertained by his pitiful attempt to get back at him. "Only this time you won't be getting back up again Metal Bear. You'll be down for the count."
Metal Bear started hemorrhaging on the blood from his back spreading out. He wobbled slightly, his body heaving, dropping the weapon. "B-bastard!" he groaned choking on his blood and keeling over.
Rei then flicked the blood on his corpse admiring his newfound weapon. "Thanks for the souvenir," he said. He then grabbed the oil and poured it all over his corpse. "To summon the dragon I will have to make my own fireworks," he grinned. "Let's light up the sky."
Terror had seized the night. Yelling and shouting in Arabic throttled the night as the trap of the Giga Unit started to unravel. A blaze had sprung up on their side, the fire consuming Metal Bear's corpse having alerted the enemy.
"Crap!" one of the giga unit men shouted. "The enemy is reorganizing. Their rushing out towards the fire. They know our location!"
How could this happen?!" The Leader growled, Rei silently observing him. "This is not how the plan was supposed to go!"
Gun fire rung out and two Giga unit members fell, followed by three more to the right side of them as the enemy peered down overhead towards them. They literally pinned bullets into many unit members who had no time to get away and could only hope to cling to the rocks.
"I can't believe we've lost this many men already!" Brass Lion groaned.
Rocket fire rang out as pebbles from the overhanging rocks danced falling down their faces and grubby garments.
"Sir!" screaming eagle growled. "We can't keep going on like this! If this continues the Metal Dragon will come!"
"I know that!" he barked. "But what choice do we have? Kill as many sons of bitches as you can! If we can just get around to their leader whose probably in the back of the cave hiding out we can change the tide of this battle. Maybe the men will lose their initiative!"
Bullets rung out, Rei taking one easily, but healing himself afterwards. He then proceeded over towards the enemy camp holding out his trophy blade as he made quick work of a twelve men front. He dodged a barrage of bullets and cracked a few skulls on the way, his pistol finishing off a few that survived his quick precise slashes.
"Leader!" Rei cried out. "It's ok! I've successfully neutralized the threat from above!"
"What?!" Brass Lion shouted. "That's fine work Rei Kurenada! Let's rally the troops and finish them!" he said as the men followed Rei.
He darted towards a couple of enemy men slashing their throats, even going so far as beheading one of them.
"This way!" he commanded, the giga unit having recovered.
"Way to go Rei!" the Leader said impressed. "You heard him men! Let's go slaughter those bastards!"
Rei ran forward, glancing behind him, noticing the giga unit and then carefully jumped over a large swath of ground where hours ago before the operation began he had planted a little surprise.
"They are just up ahead!" Rei grinned. "We've got them!"
"That's fine work!" Brass Lion grinned. "Everyone, after them!"
With that they all ran forward after Rei, Rei counting their movements until the ground gave out and they all collapsed into the pit he had made.
Quickly Rei dispatched the oncoming terrorists and made his way over to them. A few of the giga unit members had broken their necks in the fall. Others suffered broken bones. He leered down at all of them particularly Brass Lion.
"My, what a pickle you've found yourselves in," he leered from above them.
"Rei!" the leader groaned. "We fell into their trap! You've got to get us out! Go back to base and send reinforcements!" he groaned holding onto his arm. Rei noticed it must have been dislocated.
"Come on Brass Lion," he said casually, "Do you really think these terrorists had the foresight to create a large pit in their own territory like that? How do you think this trap happened in the first place?"
Rei searched his eyes, the man's eyes darting through his mind. Rei could not help, but enjoy torturing him. Brass Lion's eyes then lit up in horror.
"It was you?!" he screamed. "You betrayed us!" he shouted.
Rei held up his hands in the air as if innocent. "I never side I was on your side to begin with," he said. "I only said I would be joining you. And I did for a time. But this is getting altogether too boring," he said coldly.
"You!" screaming eagle growled as if he was about to have an aneurysm. "Just what's your deal? What do you want out of all this?"
"What do I want?" Rei said breathing in. "I think it's obvious," he stared out pointing his pistol and taking out Screaming Eagle with a headshot.
"Summon him."
The giga unit members stared at him in amazement.
"You mean the metal dragon?" Brass Lion said in shock.
"Who else would I be talking about?" Rei said. "I want the metal dragon."
"You're mad!" he shouted. "You'll kill us all!"
"I think you mean you all," Rei said shooting down another member. "I can kill you all evening by myself if I have to. Summon the Metal Dragon or I will summon more bullets. Or should I just bury you all under the rock?" he said menacingly.
The leader growled out howling as if mad. Tears leaked down his eyes as if he did not want to make this decision.
"Brass Lion!" one of his unit members cried. "No!"
"We have no choice!" he said in agony. He took out a flare from his pocket and shot it straight up in the air.
"Dam you to Hell Rei Kurenada!" he moaned. "If we survive then-"
-Suddenly Rei glanced up in the sky noticing a barrage of what looked like flaming balls of fire pouring from the sky.
The fire reigned down on all of the enemy camp completely demolishing it, the rocket fire also cracking the rocks causing the walls to collapse on itself and all of the unfortunate giga unit members underneath.
"Noo!" they cried out, all of them lost under the crushing stone burying them in a rocky tomb.
Rei marveled at the destruction amazed at the firepower that had been unleashed.
"Why didn't they just do this to begin with?" he wondered taking his knife, aiming, and throwing it at the fuel duct of the aircraft. It started leaking oil, Rei knowing the Metal Dragon would have to land.
"Come to me," he grinned. "Come to me and burn everything away my Metal Dragon!"
In smoke and fire a small plane full of heavy weaponry crashed to the ground. Out of the wreckage a man jammed open a door, the intimidating eyes from a silver dragon's head glaring at him. His body covered in body armor and physical armor. He resembled a dark knight from fantasy, smoke practically emanating from his mouth.
On his arm he held a giant weapon of some kind and he held a massive elongated triangular shield with another.
"Quite the impressive display," Rei said rubbing his forefinger against his thumb. "I guess the legends were true after all. You kill even your own kind. At least you're not the discriminating type."
The man creaked in his armor groaning out holding the canon on his arm. "All flesh shall fall," he said deeply, pulling a trigger on the cannon as concentrated fire balls released towards Rei.
Rei jumped to the side, dodging it barely, but somehow the large man appeared in front of him while he had not paid attention and smashed him across the face making him fall to the ground.
"Direct hit," Rei winced. "That armor really throws off your enemies. A fine way to battle."
"The dead shall not return," Metal Dragon said pointing down his cannon at Rei's side. "Flesh shall rot. Corpses shall smolder and burn away."
He then attempted to shoot the cannon at Rei, but Rei pushed the cannon up, fiery smoldering balls of flames shooting in the sky and falling like miniature meteors.
Metal Dragon attempted to hit Rei with the shield again, but Rei this time tapped it slightly and it fell apart in front of him.
"It's not very often that someone has been able to hit me," Rei said. "I will congratulate on you on that much at least."
With that he broke the cannon in his other fist causing it to explode, shards embedding in both of them. Rei instantly healed himself, but Metal Dragon could only creak and groan.
"You've never lost have you?" Rei asked.
"Defeat is death," Metal Dragon replied. "And death is not an option."
With that he withdrew from his back a massive claymore wielding it with both hands.
"Why carry such a weapon?" Rei said perplexed. "Doesn't that weigh you down?"
From behind him Rei could hear the voices of the enemy as a whole group started to approach them firing bullets.
Metal Dragon growled out, used the claymore to slice off a part of the airline and like a bat smashed it in their direction, all five of them down for the count.
"I see," Rei said calmly grabbing a small dagger off of the ground and playing with it.
"You're quite fun aren't you?"
Metal Dragon nodded his head. "Your bloodlust is worthy. Nevertheless you shall die."
"Then come end it then," Rei said calmly holding up the dagger in defense as the berserker like unit member rushed over to him.
Rei bent down narrowly being impaled and then reached into his pocket and pushed something into the ground. He then quickly darted away from him and squared off against him.
"All right Metal Dragon. It seems I've won the victory today," he taunted. "You've certainly injured me more than any other human has though. I give you my congrats."
Metal Dragon groaned as if getting ready to launch toward him. "I will not be mocked!" he snarled lifting off the ground towards him, but Rei's explosive he had set in the ground a moment before detonated, the Metal Dragon groaning out as part of his leg exploded.
Rei marveled at how well everything went, but marveled even more as Metal Dragon groaned out even more attempting to crawl towards him, a small dagger all he could use to pull himself closer towards Rei.
"Even after all that," Rei said admirably, "You still insist to fight? But you're body won't last that long," he noticed. "You are remarkably persistent, but you are still human. But you could be something more," he smiled.
"I will not be defeated," he groaned his voice fading. "I will persist. I will survive. I will-"
With that Metal Dragon's body heaved and then fell forward.
Rei grabbed the dragon helmet on top of his head unmasking his prey.
"At last," he grinned midst the smell of burnt flesh and the tarnished sands and wind. "Metal Dragon you are mine."
A few weeks had passed since the downfall of the Giga Unit. Rei Kurenada sat in a chair in the hospital ward casually glancing over a 'world affairs' magazine looking up the latest technology for his amusement. Compared to his knowledge he might as well have been looking at a preschool book.
In front of him a bed casually shifted slightly, covers being tossed like ripples until a muscular skulking figure sat up in bed half naked. He breathed out heavily, Rei glad he had survived.
"Welcome back...Metal Dragon..." Rei smiled cordially. "...Or should I say Mr. Bartender."
The Bartender glanced over at him and chuckled. "How long have you known?"
"Since the day I saw your tattoo," Rei said. "You didn't hide it very well. But not only that. I had been confused where all this negative energy had been coming from in that place. Even with Brass Lion there the negative energy seemed to emanate from that room and twist like a cyclone, but then I realized something."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. You were in the very center of it. You projected your negative energy onto the others and it appeared as if you yourself seemed calm and docile. Frankly the whole thing seemed quite odd and unbecoming of a character in such an unsavory place."
Metal Dragon stared at him dangerously, but then sighed out. "The only one who knew was Brass Lion. Where is he by the way? And the other unit members."
"You killed them," Rei said plainly. "They were buried under a rock slide," he said gesturing with one hand.
"Oh, gee," he said. "I guess I'm out of a job."
Rei threw back his head and put one hand over his face. "You're perfect Metal Dragon," he grinned.
"You must have lost your mind on the battle field," Metal Dragon replied.
"Au contrare," Rei immediately replied. "The battlefield is where I found my resolve."
"You're resolve?"
"Isn't that the same story with you Metal Dragon?"
Metal Dragon sighed out. He then quickly grabbed a pistol that had been conveniently left on a desk near his bed side and pointed it at Rei Kurenada.
"I don't blame you," Rei said calmly. "I did after all take away your livelihood. You're missing the lower half of your left leg," he said. "Forget about being a mercenary. You wouldn't even make it in a little league team," he taunted. "Your career is over,"he said with finality, Metal Dragon shakily holding the gun.
"I bet you've made quite a few enemies to. I wonder what they will do to you once they find out the legendary metal dragon is now a crippled old fool? The strong do tend to pick off the weak don't they?" he said pushing him even further.
"That's enough! No one will live to know!" he snarled repeatedly pulling the trigger Rei Kurenada's way, but Rei had been prepared. He had purposefully left the gun there, but without any bullets.
Metal Dragon's face turned ashen white as Rei Kurenada's shadow enveloped him.
"It appears your blood lust has gone cold," he said with an iciness in his voice and a freezing stare. "But you don't have to be afraid. You're no threat anymore to me. Nor to anyone else."
The man before him clenched his teeth, his hands over his eyes digging in as if the reality had started to finally set in.
Rei sat down at his bedside studying him. "What is your real name?"
"Bastille," he grunted back deeply, breathing out heavily.
"Why did you kill your own people on the battlefield? Some lame excuse about blood lust does not satisfy my curiosity," he said taking further note of his golden eyes. "I want to know the truth."
Bastille looked at him and then turned to the side. He clenched his fists as if he realizing he had finally tasted defeat.
"A mercenary has no allies on the battlefield. We kill and are killed. The only thing that separates us from our enemies is who pays us."
"But why did you kill them?"
"Why?" he said, a hint of fierceness in his voice. "To prove them."
"Prove them?"
"I had to. The Giga Unit had become soft always relying on their team work to get them through their challenges. But when their teamwork failed they had forgotten the basics of their training: To be cold-hearted killers. Their 'title' became their undoing."
"And you noticed this serving them drinks and beverages," Rei Kurenada realized. "You observed them and noticed this."
He nodded his head.
"I was the only one left. I struck terror into the hearts of allies and enemies alike, but I also kept them in check just by mention of my name alone."
Rei Kurenada put a hand on his own cheek fascinated. "And yet after all that here you are," Rei said. "Perhaps you too fell victim for your own bravado. You underestimated your enemy."
Bastille hesitated. "I know when I have been beaten," he said. "I am no longer fit for this world. As soon as you leave this place I will probably kill myself. I can't live in a world without the thrill of the hunt."
Rei felt a grin start to spread over his face. "What if I were to tell you," he said, "That you have the potential for another world to become an even greater killing machine then you already are?"
Bastille's eyes perked up curiously. "I would say the battlefield drove you insane," he responded.
"Perhaps it did," Rei smiled. "But it just the same gave me back my sanity and showed me purpose. It gave me the authority to take direction. I had no master. I controlled my own destiny...no matter what other forces said otherwise," he said holding back the spite in his voice for Homeostasis and the Digimon Creator.
Bastille put both hands together as if contemplating everything. "How can it be done then? How do I get to this world? Is this some kind of test? Or some kind of cult?"
"I assure you it's not," he said. "Though a particular cult would say otherwise," he chuckled.
"You've got to be kidding me," he scoffed. "I've lived to enjoy killing. I tortured insects as a child. I smashed small animals with rocks. As I got older I killed people and then I entered the battlefield. For you to tell me there is another world where I can kill to my hearts content is just beyond me."
"I supposed it is," Rei Kurenada said turning his head. "He took out a syringe of the viral Digicode out for him to see. "With this you can," he said. "This will change you into a being that will terrorize the Digital World. You can slay as many innocent digimon as much as you want."
"How is that possible?" he asked a bit taken aback. "Are you saying I can be reborn in this world?"
"...Something like that," Rei said deceptively. "You don't have much choice do you? You either take my offer or wait until you are hunted down just like you hunted so many others down."
His eyes darted from one hand to the next, Bastille's hands shaking. "All right," he said clenching them. "Give it to me," he said holding out his hand.
Rei glanced at him, smirked and then pocketed the vial.
"I'm not sure you really want this," he said.
"What? What's the deal? You offered it to me!" he said a bit enraged.
"This is more important than your life," Rei said. "I can't just entrust it to anyone who have not proven themselves-just like you proved your foes and friends on the battlefield. What do you have to offer me in exchange?"
"Anything!" Bastille immediately responded. "You want money? I have a vault! Jewels! Diamonds! An estate! A mansion! All of my weaponry!"
"I'm afraid that's not good enough," Rei said starting to walk away.
"Wait!" Bastille called out. "Who do you want to have killed? I will do it no charge! Anyone you want! The President of a country! Anybody!"
"Not good enough," Rei said seriously having walked to the door opening it.
"Stop!" Bastille cried forcing himself out of bed. He crawled on his hands and knees over to him grasping the back of his heel.
"Please," he gasped as if in pain from the surgery, his body throbbing in pain. "I beg of you. I'll do anything. You can even have my life," he said breathing heavily. "Just...please," he said panting, sweat dripping from his body.
Rei turned and bent down on a knee to him. "That was the only thing I wanted," he said staring directly at him. "I don't need your money, your weapons, or for you to kill anyone. All I needed was the greatest thing you possessed: Your pride. And with that," he said taking out the syringe and injecting it into his arm, "You can be reborn Metal Dragon."
Metal Dragon shivered with joy as his body started to morph, his body starting to dissolve into viral DNA. Rei could not have been more pleased with how seamless the transition seemed to proceed.
"Tell me something," Bastille said looking at both of his hands. "Will I be able to be as much of a threat in this world as I am in the next one?"
Rei smiled confidently. "Why would I lie? You will be a death machine and so much more."
Upon hearing that a cheeky smile spread across Bastille's face. "Then I look forward to it," he said as his body dissolved.
Rei grasped his hand into a fist where Bastille had left him. "Digital Creator, Homeostasis...you have no idea what terrors await you once I have them all. I relish that day that your worlds fall apart before my eyes," he grinned. "How I long for it."