Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
One quick note. We never saw the other forms of the Dark Masters except when they Digivolved further. We did not see in-training or rookie forms. This is very important to remember for this story since the villains were reborn directly as versions we had seen them in Digimon Adventure. Now only if I could somehow 'get into form.'
Chapter Thirty-One: The Awakening of the Dark Masters
A few years passed since the child with a Digimon had escaped from Rei Kurenada. And with it, many rebellions. The sight effects of King Yggdrasil became even more pronounced. Digimon from the Digital World started to rebel against Homeostasis. Some of them completely turned against her, the poison of Yggdrasil confusing them, those Digimon coming to conclusion that any and all problems they had were Homeostasis's fault.
Different factions were formed, the digimon fighting each other brutally, a complete opposite view of when the digimon first united to defeat Rei Kurenada. Much data had been showed, the poisoned ones data flowing into the Dark Ocean and then that data spawning to form a dark variation of the digimon. It was a vicious cycle, but with every new victory and ally gained Rei could taste the approaching destined hour he would overthrow and dethrone both the Digital Creator and Homeostasis. But he knew it would not be so easily. One day they would make their move. And he would have to move just as soon as they did.
It happened suddenly. One day the rebellions in the Digital World were suddenly met with a wall of powerful Digimon, many of them at the ultimate level, but the way things were going it appeared that Homeostasis would recover. At the time King Yggdrasil had become even stronger-strong enough to affect the boundaries of the digital world itself, and, because of that Rei created an opening with the viral digital data forming a door from the darkness to the Digital World Haven.
And even then as Rei Kurenada would have to liked to pass through, only at this time Digimon who originally had been infected and then recycled into stronger forms could pass through the barrier.
He gripped his fist yearning to go over himself, but due to the curse placed upon him he was powerless to do so...for now.
"My Lord," Cthulusmon said gripping his fist to his chest. "If you would so desire I will break all of them down to find a solution to get you to pass through their data."
Rei Kurenada chuckled to himself turning away. "No, no, no, Cthulusmon," he lightly scolded. "The only way I will ever be able to go over is if my power gets released from the broken seal. It's far too soon for that to happen."
"Indeed," he agreed. "We must see if they are worthy, don't we? That way perhaps they can break your curse."
Rei went over to his makeshift thrown next to King Yggdrasil and sat down.
King Yggdrasil's egg cell fidgeted a bit as if fussy.
"Has King Yggdrasil had anything to eat today?" he asked.
"Plenty of digital data and it has released it back. The standard my Lord."
"It has done so much for us Cthulusmon. I'd say it deserve a special treat," he sneered.
"What shall I give to it then?" Cthulusmon asked.
"How about a Nightmare Soldier?"
"One of our elite ranks?" he wondered curiously.
"Don't sound so concerned," he said taking his palm and rubbing it over the seed, the seed twitching at each touch.
"All of you are a part of me and will obey my every command. A nightmare soldier should consider it the highest honor if King Yggdrasil wants to eat it."
"I understand," Cthulusmon said tipping his glasses on his face. "I will see it done."
"You do that," he said getting up from his throne and pressing his hand on the seed. "And while you do I will enjoy the show."
"What do you mean sire?"
"King Yggdrasil's data and mine are in one accord. We're in harmony. Because of that, anything she can see, I can see. And King Yggdrasil when it's infection occurs can watch the battle from any digimon on our side that's been infected- just not more than one at a time."
"Incredible," Cthulusmon responded astounded. "To think you have created a tool with such multi-faceted use...I'm almost jealous," he chuckled.
Rei glanced over at him and patted King Yggdrasil with one of his hands. "You all will play a part," he said, "And those who obey me will be rewarded. But those who I have no delight in will be crushed. It is simple as that," he said. "Be grateful for any opportunity you have to be useful to me Cthulusmon," he encouraged, but also warned.
"I shall take your words to heart," he said bowing one arm over his chest.
"Now then," he said feeling the viral digital energy coursing through King Yggdrasil. His eyes lit up as an infected digimon watched the battle.
"So, there are five of them," he smirked, his eyes lit up in a purple hue. He could see through the eyes of a Black Tyrannomon clearly at five different ultimate digimon scraping by protecting their human partners.
"To think I have missed them," Rei said, "I wonder how all of them escaped under my radar? Surely the Yggdrasil system would have picked up on something."
He watched as his forces started thinning out some more, Rei becoming a bit annoyed.
"That's enough of this farce," he said.
With that, he snapped his fingers, great digichronium tombs appearing in front of him with chrysalis translucent container lids containing his generals.
"It is now time for you to awaken my generals," he said. With just the tap of his foot he lifted up the translucent lids, smoke releasing as his generals spilled out onto the ground.
They groaned getting up, Rei pleased about the transformation.
"Before you awaken," he said holding out his hand sucking up a piece of each of their data, "The Straw Villain will be formed from each of your data and any scraps of digital coding unsuited for you," he leered. He then placed it all into one of the chambers and made it vanish into it's own personal space.
"At the heart of the Dark Ocean should do it," he said nodding his head depositing it there. "Until your time comes...Apocalymon."
It wasn't much longer before a few of the dark viral Digimon awakened.
"Of course it would be the Dark Masters first," Rei noticed. "The others are out too soon. They are just not ready," he said depositing them back into their translucent chambers. He snapped his fingers and made them disappear.
Already Piedmon was moving. He yawned loudly and dramatically stretching his arms while already holding a long dagger.
"I say," he said. "I had the most peculiar dream," he mused. "I was entertaining a bunch of children and then decided to use them for target practice," he chuckled. "Too bad it was only a dream."
"Not to worry," Rei snickered. "You'll get your chance."
"And just who are you?" he questioned. "You look human, but, I suppose you're not?"
"Sorry, no," he said wondering about him. "And do you know your name?"
"I believe per my digital code I am known as Piedmon," he said. "Ah yes, that does have a bit of a ring doesn't it, hmm?" he said playing with a knife balancing it upside down on his hand.
"It certainly does," Rei said noticing the others start to stir.
"Hey!" a childish voice called out. "I'm Puppetmon," a wooden puppet digimon said with a toothy grin and hollow mischievous eyes. "We should play."
"Oh goody," Piedmon said in a friendly tone. "I love playing games. What would you like to play my boy?"
"It's called bop 'em with a hammer!" he grinned making a giant wooden hammer appear.
"Fine then," Piedmon smirked toying with him. "We'll use my knives as nails and we can use your hammer to drive them into your skull!"
"What?!" he groaned. "That's not fun at all!"
"It is for me," Piedmon replied.
"Its not!" he fumed raising his fists while dropping his hammer. "I don't-"
"-Will the two of you just go drown in the sea?!" a metallic sea serpent growled, a sharp horn shining dangerously on his head.
"Another one!" Puppetmon exclaimed. "And you're also telling me what to do! Who do you think you are?"
"The Sea Lord Metal Seadramon," he glared. "And in my presence now you're in my territory."
"I ought to string you up right now!" Puppetmon said still angry. "You'll be a can of sardines when I'm through with you!"
"I'd like to see you try toothpick!" he retaliated gritting his teeth.
"Now now," Rei said holding up his hands. "Let's all calm down and act civil, shall we?"
"Just who are you?" Puppetmon asked.
"Another trespasser!" Metal Seadramon growled.
Rei sighed realizing he wasn't getting anywhere.
"Very well. I'm overriding your code," he said holding up his hand giving a metallic looking dinosaur on the ground some extra data.
With that the metallic dinosaur woke up, two cannons on it's back and a menacing soulless stare piercing through hot steam as he elongated his neck forward setting himself up against all of them.
"Initiating code four," he replied, his canons starting to light up in fiercesome yellow light.
"I say those do look dangerous," Piedmon said a bit enchanted with them.
"Those would look great on a Christmas tree," Puppetmon laughed.
"I can use them as guiding beacons over my domain," Metal Seadramon also commented.
Rei shook his head realizing they had no idea what they were in for.
"All right Machinedramon. On the count of three," he said holding out his hand.
"One, Two, three!" he exclaimed, the bright lights starting to envelope the surroundings.
"Huh?" The three bickering digimon said glaring at the attack.
"Giga Cannon!" The Metal Dinosaur shouted unleashing volleys of condensed energy tearing apart the environment.
Once the dust had settled all of the digimon stared at each other a pit perplexed, their wounds making it difficult for them to move.
"Has that calmed you all down?" Rei asked walking through it easily, one hand hung loosely in his pocket.
"I say my good chap, just who are you?" Piedmon asked.
"I also want to know," Puppetmon groaned. "Why aren't you dusted up and hurt like us?"
"And who are you to command the great Lord Machinedramon?" Machinedramon roared. "I have no master!"
"Master…." Rei said thinking about it.
"The Dark Masters...that has a nice ring to it," he said agreeing with himself. "Don't you think so everyone?" he asked all of them staring at him strangely.
"The Dark Masters," Metal Seadramon chuckled. "It does sound nice for us to enslave other digimon. They will fear our power!"
"And play games!" Puppetmon agreed. "Though they might lose a head or two in the process!"
"We shall destroy and conquer," Machinedramon wheezed out smoke. "None will stand in our way."
"Indeed. I'm in the mood for a bit of fun," Piedmon chuckled. "As the Dark Masters we should set out for an audience!"
Rei clapped agreeing with them. "Glad you're all getting with the program. As far as what you will be doing though I want you to attack some humans and digimon and see if you can kill them."
"See if we can kill them, hmmm?" Piedmon inquired. "That's quite an insult. A stab or two will take care of the little kiddies."
"And I'm sure a bop of my hammer and a blast from the lizard and guppy will take care of the digimon!" Puppetmon agreed.
"I suppose," Rei said placing his hand on his chin. "Though, this is your very first battle. None of you have experience yet."
"But we're Mega Digimon," Machinedramon countered. "Our level alone will cause most digimon to flee and scatter from us!"
"They will recognize our power and domination!" Metal Seadramon echoed. "They can just try to stop us," he grinned evilly.
"All right," Rei smirked. "Since you're all so blood thirsty from the get go I'm going to give you the important task of going into the Digital World and slaughtering the humans. However," he said, holding out his hand placing a sigil on each one of their digital data, "Should the battle go ill I will steal you away at the last moment," he said, "Though I can't promise what condition you will be in. At least you'll be alive."
"I doubt your intervention will even be needed," Piedmon chided. "But, I will promise we will put on a good show, won't we my fellow Dark masters?"
They all agreed, glancing at Rei for permission.
"Go on then," he said matching the look in their eyes with his own dangerous ferocity. "March through those gates right in front of you. Kill, eat, destroy. Enjoy it all to your hearts content," he grinned. "Just make sure the humans are gone," he gestured pointing them to the newly created portal for battle.
"We're looking forward to the performance," Piedmon chuckled as they all vanished into the barrier leading into the Digital World.
Rei chuckled, still glaring wickedly himself anticipating the results. "...I look forward to it."
Rei continued watching the battle from the eyes of a WaruMonzaemon.
With the advent of the Dark Masters, the number of Dark Digimon started to decline in death rates. Much to the terror of the children the Dark Masters were able to easily overpower them, though there was some friendly fire and hardly any Dark Digimon remained.
"So, this is the extent of the Digidestined?" Rei scoffed. "How can I use you for my purposes if you're just so pathetic?" he groaned. "If you can't beat the Dark Masters there is no way you can defeat the seal for my power. You're all just wasting my time."
"My Lord," Cthulusmon said, Rei glancing at him a bit annoyed.
"What is it?" he asked.
"About the Digidestined, is it possible that, I don't know, may be we had started too strongly? They are mega level digimon after all."
"It's an entertaining notion," Rei said cupping his chin with his index and forefinger, "But they are ultimate already. If they can't unlock the secret to reaching the mega level then they are just fodder for the Dark Masters."
"I realize that," he said, "But perhaps they will get stronger if you set the curve for them."
"Well see," Rei mused. "in the meanwhile I shall enjoy this," he said looking in, the Dark Masters crippling their forces till all of the Digidestined were on the ground, their digimon too weak to get up.
The Dark Masters prepared their final attacks to finish them all off, each of the Digidestined desperate, Rei enjoying their pleasant horrified faces.
"Farewell Digidestined," he commented. "I hope the next batch of children will be worthy of my time."
The attacks were just about to decimate them when something caught Rei's attention. He glanced down noticing one of the children somehow looked different.
He moved closer, realizing something appeared off about the girl in the middle. He squinted in wracking his brain trying to think of where he had seen her before. Her hair and eyes looked vaguely familiar, but when he glanced over noticing Tapiermon's adult form he marveled at her.
"So, you are the one who got away," he said. "Miss Maki Himekawa?" he snickered.
His snicker quickly faded as he stared at her even more.
Somehow her appearance had changed. She no longer looked fearful. She no longer seemed to bother with her hair getting in her eyes. No, it was the eyes that were different! He recognized them by the strange hue.
In an instant they started to gleam brilliantly, a strange luster of light surrounding Maki.
Rei winced, his viral digital data shivering in rage, his teeth clenched. Being a digital being he should not have had such an emotional response, but he couldn't help remembering how that being had utterly decimated him and his kingdom. It left him broken with most of his power gone, and there were very few survivors.
"To think you can possess a human," he seethed. "One detestable being possessing another," he leered. "How unsightly," he growled in a deep voice.
A boy who had tried to protect her appeared frazzled as well, but Homeostasis possessing her seemed to pay no mind. Her eyes looked around viewing the landscape, but she said not a word.
"If she is in a mortal body," Rei wondered aloud, "Then if I kill her vessel, will she die to?" he questioned, his face contorting into a maddening happy grin. "New plan my generals!" he pointed out. "Use all of your power upon the wretched Homeostasis!" he commanded. "Leave not a shred of digital data remaining!"
He joyfully watched as the Dark Generals powered up there most powerful attacks. The Digidestined and their Digimon below seemed despondent at a loss having been beaten down savagely with no strength remaining.
However, curiously Homeostasis lifted up her hand straight up at the Dark Masters.
Suddenly all around the digimon strange data started filling them, Rei marveling as they transformed into beings that started to look very familiar.
He clenched his fists and teeth barely able to contain the frustration seeping out of him.
"So that's where you were!" he snapped.
Homeostasis's lit up ever more powerfully and dangerously as the newly digivolved Digimon Sovereign glared up at the Dark Masters. She levitated the only one out of the five, Megadramon, Maki's digimon. All the Digimon sovereign seemed to focus their attack on it, Rei amazed at Homeostasis's shrewdness.
The attacks of the sovereign intensified intensely, completely overwhelming the power of his generals.
"We're withdrawing!" Rei declared. With the digital coding placed on them he had to move quickly activating the sequence to transport them back to the Dark Ocean. The Generals stood there indifferently as the attack of the Digimon Sovereign enveloped Megadramon and destroyed him, the attack completely annihilating everything that were in the Dark master's way, except the Dark Master's themselves, for, at the last second, his sequence activated.
He noticed Homeostasis no longer seemed to possess Maki who tearfully cried out lamenting about Tapirmon and all the struggles she had gone through, the young boy next to her supporting her. Their Digimon as well had all departed for the heavens in four different directions, each of the Digidestined bawling their eyes out as a light came from the heavens and they all disappeared from the Digital World.
Rei's connection started to get fuzzy, realizing the WaruMonzaemon had been mortally injured by the attack and had barely clung onto life for a few extra minutes.
Rei lifted his hand from King Yggdrasil and collapsed into his chair panting heavily. He placed his arms on the arms of the throne clenching his hands on the ends of them.
"What Folly!" Piedmon winced having returned; burns and injuries all up and down the clown's body. "To think they had such a trick up the sleeve! It makes my performance seem like a sideshow!"
"I agree," Metal Seadramon groaned. "We had them and then they surged a last minute surprise attack. Losing like this only makes my digital data boil!"
"Yeah that was no fun!" Puppetmon growled. "They cheated! You can't pull a move like that out! The Digimon and Digidestined brats got help!"
"I just want to annihilate them all!" Machinedramon roared. "Every last one of them! They will pay for what they did to us!"
Rei held up his hands to calm them down. "I understand your frustrations," he said smiling passively. "But, we've learned that if things go south for the Digidestined and they are on the verge of death Homeostasis will appear. Well, at least I mean she did this time. The next batch of kids may not be so lucky," he mulled grinning at the thought of using them.
"Even still, we have to wait for such a long time to face them!" Piedmon protested. "I wish I could have taken one of them with me. They would have been a good 'volunteer' to stave off my boredom," he said.
"Well," Rei said holding out his hand to his right, snapping his fingers, and a giant tower manifesting far to the right rising from the ground. "Do you see that tower? That is my gift to you my Dark Generals. From their you can relax yourselves and recover from your injuries. One day you will take over the Digital World, and assert your dominance with this stronghold," he said.
"Good. We all could use the rest," Piedmon said. "Puppetmon, Meta Seadramon, Machinedramon, let us go retire to our quarters. A spot of wine and a morsel of cheese might do us good."
"Just give me a spittle with my enemies roasting on it and I will be contained," Machinedramon agreed.
"The seafood is all mine," Metal Seadramon declared.
"Then I get all the snacks!" Puppetmon chimed in amidst them all.
Rei sighed out holding out a hand. Instantly three LadyDevimon approached him.
"What do you need my Lord?" they asked in unison.
"Escort the Dark Masters to their quarters. Bring the other LadyDevimon with you."
"As you wish," they said bowing taking a knee.
They got up to go assist them.
"I will go over everything with you as soon as I have had some time to analyze this matter," Rei said. "I'll be visiting you shortly."
They smirked and turned to leave.
They began to walk away, the ground echoing their movements, but then the movements would not stop. The ground started to shake violently, Rei glaring around wondering what was happening.
"What in the world?" he questioned standing up, not only the ground beneath them fracturing, but the skies above them seeming to crack like an egg somehow.
"Lord Rei Kurenada, just what is going on here?!" Piedmon shouted.
Rei paid him no mind glancing his eyes this eyes this way and that until he noticed next to him King Yggdrasil's data seemed to be going out of control.
"All of you!" he shouted flipping over instantly to the side just as his throne exploded, strange digital appendages of data pulverizing it, "It seems King Yggdrasil has become unstable!"
"But why?" Cthulusmon asked. "It has been eating well and growing nicely."
"It is indeed strange," Rei said stretching back his neck as an appendage lunged by, but missed. "I can't think of any reason why-"
-Before he could say anything most of the ground around them started cracking with eight appendages coming out with sharp spikes on them. A loud groan escaped from King Yggdrasil the likes of which Rei had never heard before.
"It sounds upset," he said as the appendages started lunging out for anyone available.
"What in the world?!" Piedmon growled dodging a tentacle and throwing his trump sword at it.
"This is is ridiculous!" Metal Seadramon scoffed unleashing an ultimate stream attack at one attacking from the side.
"That's good my generals!" Rei encouraged. "All of you hold the tentacles at bay. I just need to get close to tweak it."
"Tweak it?" Machinedramon roared pouring out a Giga Cannon attack. "What do you think it is a machine?"
"I don't like these kinds of games!" Puppetmon rasped. "It's no fair if you can't win!"
"There's no use complaining about it," Cthulusmon grinned unleashing tentacles of his own wrapping them around the appendages approaching him suspending them. "My Lord, if it's not too much of an inconvenience, let me take care of this myself."
"That will be unnecessary," Rei grinned. He started dodging this way and that by the tentacles that had been seeking to grab him, but he remained unfazed until at last he reached the seed itself.
The tentacles all responded diving towards him, Rei busy recalibrating the seed.
"Let's see here," he said entertained starting to play with the viral digital data. "King Yggdrasil, why are you throwing a fit today?" he wondered, scrolling through the data.
Behind him all three of the Lady Devimon stood up to defend him, combining their Darkness Wave attacks trying to hold off the other tentacles.
Rei closed his eyes pressing his head against the seed still trying to figure out why it was so upset.
He recalled the earlier events and then realized that, just as he used the seed to see the battle before, King Yggdrasil's data also had absorbed the scene as well and remained in it's memory. But that was still not enough to explain it.
"My dear King Yggdrasil," he said petting the seed, "Is it about Homeostasis?"
With that the seed burst our roaring, it's tentacles lashing out even more powerfully against the three LadyDevimon breaking through and piercing a couple, but strangling another breaking her into digital dust.
"My Lord!" Cthulusmon cried out creating even more tentacles, transforming his silhouette into a fiercesome tentacled monster and holding the remaining tentacles at bay as best as he could.
For every tentacle he grasped eventually it broke down, but he just kept replacing them as soon as one snapped and absorbed into the seed.
Rei paid no attention to the dangerous tentacles and closed his eyes. Something about Homeostasis had set King Yggdrasil off and he had to get to the bottom of it or he risked his entire domain being destroyed and absorbed into King Yggdrasil. He could already sense pieces of Kingdom and lower level digimon being absorbed into it. Perhaps the tentacles were not just here, but other-
He turned and glanced amazed towards the Citadel he had completed for the Dark Masters as the whole building started sinking, tentacles in the distance tearing it apart and flying their way.
He scoffed hitting his head against Yggdrasil. "Don't be naughty now," he grinned a bit realizing perhaps maybe he had bitten off more than he could chew with her creation. He closed his eyes concentrating, forcefully going through the data until he realized a powerful truth of the matter.
"You're upset," Rei noticed, "Because of the form you take now? Why is that?" he contemplated, recalling everything he knew about Homeostasis. True, King Yggdrasil had been made out of Homeostasis's copied data, but, even more so when he remembered what he knew about the composition of Homeostasis he realized a powerful truth.
"Of course," he said amazed. "The girls that were sacrificed to ancient digimon a long time ago-those girls weren't just those who carried the data that created you, but, they also did it to protect not just their people-but there sisters. They always had a sister with them in order to protect them."
Rei opened his eyes clearly staring down at the seed who had started to calm down a little bit.
"It pains me to do this," he said forcing his viral data and warping the seed with it, "Because I despise that form. But, if it will stabilize you King Yggdrasil, then I will do what I must," he said rearranging her form twisting it's data to one that was more pleasing with it.
The defensive attacks ceased as King Yggdrasil cried out one more time, it's tentacles pounding against the ground stirring up a cloud of dust around everyone.
As the dust started to settle, the area became eerily quiet. The Dark Master's silhouettes approached Rei silently observing everything. Cthulusmon put his finger to his lips warning them as well.
Rei glanced around the environment taking it in. He took a deep breath calming himself. A stirring of the ground next to him disturbed the atmosphere as it sounded as if something had emerged from the ground.
Through the cloud, he could see a humanoid form, a strange voice emitting from it that sounded almost human.
"...Where is she?" the voice said, Rei wondering about it.
As the dust settled, the naked backside of what appeared to be a youthful prepubescent girl clearly could be seen, her head turning staring at Rei Kurenada directly. "Where…is my sister?"