Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
On a note, thought I would update the order of the series what with the newest addition. The order to Read the Digital Record Series is as follows:
Short Story One- A Birthday for the Ages
Short Story Two: The Meridian Years
Then the novel series: Realized, Personified, Finalized, and Deified.
Chapter Forty-Seven: A Stranger Passing Through, Ryo Akiyama
Despite how Rei had downplayed the events from yesterday, even when he laid down to rest, the images of Takeru rescuing Hikari were seared into his memory. It was, for all intensive purposes, baffling! He would wake up in a confounded state, just wondering why it was so mesmerizing.
It didn't take long for his minions to notice his change in behavior, but Rei played it cool.
"I've never seen you so frazzled Rei," Ygdrassill said observing him.
Cthulusmon also seemed to watch him from the side as if concerned about him.
"Frazzled? You must be mistaken," he said, his lip twitching. "No, more than anything, this 'miracle' has created quite the opportunity for us," he said snapping his fingers, a sea of viral data swirling around like a vortex sucking in air and rookie or less viral digimon.
"That's so cool," Ygdrassill said a bit enamored by it. "I can use that if I want to eat them like popcorn!"
"Oh, your imagination knows no bounds," Cthulusmon sighed. "Our Lord has a much more noble purpose for it, I'm sure."
"Right you are," Rei glanced back at them with a smirk. "When the two children escaped the Dark Ocean, something that should not be possible, that opening created a rift into the Digital World."
"But I thought it was from the human world," Cthulusmon frowned. "How can that be possible?"
"It's the negative emotions," Rei snickered. "Those feelings followed the two of them, but since they couldn't stay in a physical form in the human world, where do you think is the next best thing? The Digital World no doubt."
"I see, "Ygdrassill said excited. "I still feel them flowing out of the dark ocean through that rift. But, there's so much viral data here, it's flowing out slowly.
"Exactly," Rei said. "But, if I take some very potent viral data, suppose one that was extremely powerful, and make that the source the viral data will swirl around it and pull any digital beings into it absorbing them."
Cthulusmon clicked his tongue and rubbed his head through his hair a bit frazzled. "But why my Lord?" he asked. "What good will this do us?"
"What do you think?" he said glaring at him with a dangerous grin. "We can't do anything, but the one causing havoc in the Digital World, I believe, the Digimon Kaiser he was called, yes? He'll be the one to cause some chaos. I'm sure he'll take data from it in order to challenge this newer generation."
They both stared at him as if a bit enamored by him.
"Heh," Ygdrassill chuckled. "I can't wait to see what he does."
"Neither can I!" a familiar face said as Gennai appeared as cheerful as ever.
"Good to see you old man," Cthulusmon chided. "What mischief have you been up to?"
"Only the best kind," he grinned. "I had been going through some of my old files and came across something interesting."
"Oh? Do tell," Rei said.
"So yeah," he said scratching his head. "Apparently, those 'crests' given to the Digidestined at first were not meant to give Digimon power indirectly. They were meant to power other Digimon, but not because of humans."
"Most curious," Rei said walking towards him "Before the First I'm quite curious what they used them for."
"Can't say I know," Cthulusmon said. "However, there were rumors of some type of stealth camouflaging ship that the book mentioned of that was said to contain a crest. I guess there was no child suitable for it yet at the time."
"Very odd," Rei said.
"Yes, quite strange," Ygdrassill agreed. "You know, I swore I felt some sort of power get lost when I went on a bloodthirsty rage in the Heavenly Dimension. I couldn't see it, but maybe it contained that power."
"Right you are!" Gennai said heartily. "And conveniently that Digimon Kaiser brat seemed to find it faster than anyone else-Almost too conveniently," he said keenly glancing at Rei.
"This time," Rei quipped, "It was not my doing."
"Then if not you then-"
"-Probably an old servant with a bit of a chip on his shoulder," Rei shrugged. "He's certainly picking up on the other pieces I've laid out for him. And I might add, he's not doing too bad of a job with his own minions," he smirked.
"Hmm," he glanced at Rei, Rei completely aware of his suspicions. "Let me just ask," he said, "now that you can tinker around a bit what's the next part of the plan?"
"What do you mean?" Rei questioned indifferently.
"Like, what would you have me do?"
"Oh, that," Rei chuckled. "Just continue what your doing. I'm sure that witch Homeostasis will summon you to task pretty soon. She'll probably have you guide the children again."
"But, won't she question my appearance?" he asked.
"Then you think of something," Rei said annoyed. "You can't expect me to figure out everything for you, right? You're cunning enough. I doubt she would even begin to suspect you," Rei said with a lying smile.
"I gotcha," Gennai said turning around waving his hand. "Though, if you really expect me to be able to guide those kids how can I even possibly do that when I am trapped in this dimension?"
"OH, that's an easy one," he said gnashing his teeth. "Firstly, the viral data that changed your appearance could have a reverse effect if you betray me," he said. "So if you don't want to look like a wrinkled mess you best continue your devotion to my cause."
"Not a problem," he glanced back.
"Good. Secondly, how good are you...at swimming?"
He paused momentarily staring at Rei strangely.
"Swimming?"
"Cthulusmon, if you would please," Rei said nodding his head.
He came over to Gennai smiling pleasantly. "My apologies," he said picking him up and throwing him into the portal where the dark vortex had begun to wreck havoc in the Digital World's Digital Ocean, Gennai screaming at the top of his lungs until he faded away into the void.
"He's a funny guy, isn't he?" Ygdrassill beamed. "I wonder if he would taste good?"
"He's off limits…" Rei said, "...As long as he continues to be of use to us."
Many days had passed since Gennai had been yeeted into his next mission. No data came through from Gennai to Rei yet, but soon whispers made their way into the Dark Ocean, Ygdrassill processing them. Apparently that Digimon Kaiser made a Digimon named Kimeramon, but alas he was defeated. Once that data had arrived, it grew remarkably quiet.
Rei bided his time constructing extensions to his domain building a castle, Cthulusmon at the forefront of his efforts. By the time it was complete, Rei Kurenada marveling at himself for his accomplishments, Ygdrassill came by to tell him of some 'interesting events'.
"Data from the towers turning into Digimon you say?" he said trying to hide his smile.
"Yeah Rei, It's pretty cool!" she said enthusiastically. "And now because of that we're getting updates from the Digital World about the activities of the Digidestined!"
"Good," Rei said. "I definitely want to keep-"
"-Augh!" she shouted, Rei confounded by her behaviour.
"What's wrong my dear Ygdrassill?" he asked.
"Heh heh! Ha ha ha!" She started laughing maniacally. "Rei! Rei!" she said shaking his shirt barely controlling herself. "Three of them are here!"
"Three?" Rei questioned.
"I can sense them!" she said ecstatically. "Three humans and their Digimon. And, wouldn't you believe it? Hikari is there with them!"
"That is a surprise!" Cthulusmon replied back in slight amazement. "My Lord, I must take my leave at once," he said sinisterly.
"Oh no you don't you squid!" Ygdrassill snapped holding his arm. "Torturing her is my privilege!"
"Oh, you can have the brats," he said annoyed. "My appetites are yearning for her," he said with a twisted grin.
"Neither of you will do a thing," Rei said, both of them attentive to him. "They are at the outer fringes of the Dark Ocean still in the Forest. And it appears one of those fake Digimon are there waiting for them."
"Shall we go see what's going on?" Cthulusmon suggested. "I don't mind going by my-"
"-You are not to be trusted," Rei said slyly. "I will go there myself. Hold down the fort while I'm away," he said heading out of his domain.
Not much later Rei arrived, sticking to the shadows observing each of the Digidestined start to lose it. In fact, to his delight Ken accidentally dropped them off a cliff edge. Hikari and one of the other Digidestined seemed to have a warm putrifying moment of friendship, and this kindled a close bond between them. I mean, what else can you call two people who purposefully slap each other when they are losing their minds?
Then, in an odd fashion a strange light enveloped the two of them, their two Digimon fusing together into an ultimate Digimon that resembled a really bad cosplay character reminiscent of one of the cafe's Rei had been to before.
"Hmm," he said out loud to himself. "Now that is quite interesting. I do believe I have seen it somewhere before," he said the term on the tip of his tongue. "But, it seems the word escapes me."
Working together, the being blasted a false Blossomon with a 'Static Force 'attack decimating it, and, with the threat gone, somehow the Dark Ocean Dissipated around the three of them and their Digimon vanishing back into the Digital World.
Rei pondered about it, making his way through the misty woods enjoying his pleasant stroll back to his castle. He kept thinking about the two of them in sync with each other like sports teammates sharing the same goal and obtaining a victory, but still, he didn't quite remember what it was.
It really started bothering him by the time he reached the ocean. He sat down there by the waters staring out into the depths where his true power remained confined.
A sudden screech of a monster caught his attention, Rei turning his head to the right noticing a bunch of Formless Ones acting madly.
"I wonder whatever is wrong with them?" he said to himself walking over. "Hey there," he said with a half wave.
"Our master!" the Formless one groaned. "It is good to see you. We are in distress-distress!" he hissed.
"I can see that," Rei noticed. "Whatever for?"
"A human! In the mountainsss," it seethed. "It has entered into the domain of our master!"
"Right," Rei said rolling his eyes. "Your master. I'm your master. He's your master. I get the picture," he said. "They recently left us," Rei informed them but as if talking to himself. "You have no reason to fret now unless I give you one," he said starting to get annoyed with him.
"No, Master!" the Formless one groaned. "He's here! He's still on the mountain! The human child!"
Rei glanced towards the forest of trees puzzled. "What did this boy look like?" he asked.
"W-well," it said looking down. "It isn't a human I have seen before. It was a...boy."
"Ah, there was one that entered here not too long ago," Rei said a bit calmer. "You probably were referring to him."
"Ah, the one with spiky hair then?" The Formless one said relieved. "I am pleased you aren't angry my Lord," he said bowing his head.
"Spiky?" Rei said a bit on edge. "Was there a child with spiky hair among those three earlier? I think not."
"He went to the mountain!" the Formless One pointed. "We must catch him sire!"
"You should have alerted me sooner," Rei growled grabbing his head and completely crushing it in his grasp- the body dissolving..
The other Formless Ones twitched severely, all of them fearful of Rei.
"You should stop sniveling or you all will meet a similar fate," Rei said gently. "My fingers are just itching to dissolve some data," he warned.
They all started bowing to him profusely in apology before disappearing back into the ocean depths when he simply nodded his head.
"Now then," Rei said looking towards the mountain. "Let's end this game of hide and seek quickly, shall we?" he suggested with a twisted grin.
He started walking towards the mountain when bursting through a thicket of a trees a youth appeared looking in all different directions, before his eyes landed on Rei.
"Hi there!" he said holding up his hand in a casual manner.
He wore strange clothes, almost as if he had under armor on. His blue eyes were unwavering; his spiky hair built upon his head as if he was some kind of anti-hero. Somehow he reminded Rei of the First.
Rei turned towards him curiously. "It seems you've stumbled into the wrong place friend," he said casually walking a bit closer to him with his hand in his pocket. "Just who are you? I don't recall seeing you before."
"Oh, I'm nobody," the boy said confidently. "Just a stranger passing through."
"Is that right?" Rei said glancing to the left as a swarm of Formless One manifested from the depths ands went near him.
"There are no strangers here," he quipped. "You're either a servant or food. And you, my spiky haired friend are the latter."
The boy smirked drawing what looked like a blade from his side pocket. "Should have known," he said cockily. "You should be careful you don't bite off more than you can chew."
"We'll see," Rei said snapping his fingers as a swarm of them attacked him.
With razor sharp precision the youth sliced one in half, followed by sticking the blade behind him impaling another formless one through. He made quick work dicing up the formless ones, each of them dissolving.
"That's quite a blade," Rei noticed. "Tell me where you acquired such a weapon."
"Sorry, no can do," he said sheathing it. "That violates the Law of Dimensions you know," he smirked.
"Cocky brat, aren't you?" Rei said even more curious. "What are these Law of Dimensions you speak of? Under whose authority have you come?"
The youth sighed and sat down on the beach comfortably. "It's like this," he said. "I'm here because I want to be here. You have something I need."
"Interesting," Rei said glancing down at him cruelly. "And what could someone possibly need in the Dark Ocean?"
"You have the soul of someone not from your dimension."
"Really?" Rei said finding this conversation more and more fascinating.
"Why would I lie?" he said confidently. "And I've come to get it back."
"I'm afraid your way too late," Rei grinned. "When a person enters the Dark Ocean and their body is stripped of flesh and their soul remains it is eventually absorbed into it, leaving only lingering feelings and negative emotions of remorse, regret, and hatred."
"Yeah?" the boy said as if he had an advantage against him. "Then there is no way her soul has dissolved. That would violate the Law of Dimensions."
"Again, that term," Rei wondered aloud. "Whatever do you mean?"
"If you don't know the Digital Creator then you won't get the whole thing, but," he said glancing to the ocean, "let's start with the First Law: If someone's soul enters into another dimension under the Protection of The Digital Creator then they can't get hurt and they are preserved."
Rei snickered barely able to hold in his laughter. "What nonsense," he said in slight disgust. "Are you saying if I impale you with Dark Digital Data you won't get injured?"
"That's not what I'm saying," he said. "I mean I'm preserved. Basically I can't die and will revive."
"Oh, you will, will you?" Rei said grinning, blinking once and then immediately stabbing him through twisting his arm into a blade made of viral data.
The youth coughed up blood, his eyes strained as if amazed by what happened.
"Go ahead," Rei chuckled. "Revive. Not that you can. Not in my domain," he said teasing him. "I am the one here who dictates life and death. As for you? Well, you see the result," he said pushing on his face and removing the blade, his blood spraying everywhere, his body leaking a pool of blood on the ground.
Rei turned around flicking the blade on a tree and walking away from the corpse. He was a curious lad, but Rei had no time for jokes or anyone to show authority in his kingdom.
"Well then," a familiar voice said as Rei turned around staring at the youth back in his form as if he had never been fatally injured, "Now for The Second Law."
He took his blade and ran towards Rei, but immediately his attack went through Rei as if an illusion had passed through him.
Re glared at him having no idea what exactly had been occurring.
"The Second Law: Those from another dimension under the authority of The Digital Creator cannot touch another living being- but, your most basic lifeless 'Formless Ones' don't count," he acknowledged.
"But, that means I can touch you, right?" Rei said dangerously. "Even if I can't kill you, that is."
The boy held up three fingers. "And that leads to the Third Law: Those from another dimension under the authority of The Digital Creator cannot feel peel pain in that dimension nor can they perish. So not only can you not kill me. You can't even hurt me no matter how it appears."
Rei stared him down, still trying to process this enigmatic child.
"Tell me," he said, "Are you a Digidestined?"
"Not from this Realm," he said. "We're called tamers where I am from. And as far as why I've come, I've already told you."
"You alluded to it," Rei said walking closer to him, the youth on edge. "You couldn't be more than fourteen," he noticed coyly walking around him.
"Whose your partner?" he asked.
"Cyberdramon."
"Ah, that sort of beast," Rei sad pondering him. "If he is your partner, where is he now?"
"He's out there going berserk I suppose. I don't really know, but I'm going to find him."
"And your hopping supposedly through 'dimensions' just for that?"
"Not only for that," he said, "But I have no reason to tell you."
Rei raised his eyebrow, his eye twitching.
"Suppose I humor you," he said with a sharp bite in his tone. "Suppose this 'soul' you're looking for is in the Dark Ocean. Why would the Digital Creator or Homeostasis want it back?"
The youth swallowed gripping his fist as if he didn't want to tell him.
"Come one!" he shouted looking up at the sky. "Don't make me say it! This isn't right!" he shouted.
The whole situation turned even more bizarre as the boy started arguing as if with the sky.
"Fine!" the boy said finally with a sigh. "All right, you want to know? It's because she's the oracle of my dimension."
Rei's eyes widened seeking to envelope everything about the youth. "Oracle, you say?" he grinned devilishly.
"That's right," he said. "That's Law Number Four mind you: Every visitor to another dimension under the authority of The Digital Creator must answer truthfully when asked a question."
"I am really becoming fascinated by your presence boy," he said with a threatening tone. "So I will take full advantage of this and continue my torture- I mean inquiry," he snickered on purpose.
"Yeah, just keep them coming," the youth sighed.
"Next I will ask you what is the name of the oracle of your dimension? And what is the purpose of the oracle?"
The youth crossed his arms his eye twitching. "If you look in that ocean of viral data there," he said glancing at it, "You'll find the preserved data of a one Alice Mccoy. And for your information an oracle is part of a solution for greater or lesser to prevent a calamity from destroying a world."
"Ah, I see then," Rei said. "An oracle of Homeostasis then, yes?" he said inquiring further detail.
"Yeah, I guess so," the boy said irked having to answer him.
"My next question. How did her soul get here?"
The youth sighed staring at him plainly. "It was a terrible experiment gone wrong. Her Father accidentally sent her to the Digital World, but during the transfer her soul was separated from her body. Because of the distortion of this dimension, it's affecting other dimensions and it pulled her soul here."
"Hmmm," Rei said studying him. "So, the Dark Ocean's influences even go beyond worlds. They go to other dimensions as well. Then let me ask you," he said, "What cataclysmic event brought you to this dark dismal place?"
The youth glanced to the side. "You might be the biggest threat to the Digital Creator and Homeostasis, but you aren't the only one."
"What does that mean?"
"I've been chasing a really bad Digimon throughout time and space," he said. "He's called ZeedMillleniummon, and he always changes form. I already chased him out of this dimension already."
"Interesting. What is it that this ZeedMilleniummon wants?"
"Just to destroy any other being weaker than he is," the boy confessed. "He's also the one that put a 'berserker' curse on my Digimon. And I won't forgive him for it."
"Interesting," Rei sneered. "Then, And, my final question," Rei said dominating the conversation, "how do YOU factor into this?"
"Me?" the boy said pointing to himself. "I'm what's known as a Dimensional Shifter. Basically with the blessing of the Digital Creator I can traverse worlds in pursuit of my goal as long as I meet His demands while in those dimensions. It's a give and take kind of thing. When I'm all done I get to go back to my own world and hit things off with my girl Rika. She's pretty feisty," he grinned.
Rei realized the boy himself though strong and a bit reserved truly did act with authority and little fear-even in this forsaken place. And even then he did not worry about telling him personal information.
"So then," the youth said, "Now that I've answered all of your questions- answer mine. Where is the soul of Alice Mccoy?"
Rei glanced at the Dark Ocean, held out his hand towards it, and then snared the youth with Dark Viral Chains trapping him where he stood.
"Hey!" he shouted.
"Come now," he said, "Did you really think I would really play fair? I may not be able to kill you right now, but I can submit your body to all kinds of terrible experiments," he leered. "Even if you don't feel pain, in one in a million tries I'm sure you will learn to feel it."
"That's not fair," he shrugged. "I acted in good conscience knowing who you are Rei Kurenada," he said. "And you betrayed that good faith."
"I don't recall ever submitting myself to you," Rei said standing over him. "You will soon know your place. And, as for your little friend Alice? Oh I'm sure both of you will be in a world of hurt eventually."
More chains wrapped around the youth, Rei more than ever assured of having overcome him.
"Heh," the youth smirked. "You might think you have me, but you couldn't be more wrong."
Rei immediately grabbed the chains and pulled cutting into his skin. "How so?" he asked dangerously calm.
"Because you just activated my trap through the Fifth Law," he grinned. "It's The Law of Good Faith," he said taking a quick breath. "If, in the event a visitor under the Authority of the Digital Creator acting in good faith results in the opposing party acting in negative faith the conditions for the Sixth and Final Law don't need to be met."
"And?" Rei said indifferently. "What nonsense is this last law?"
Blood leaked from his mouth as Rei pulled even more, the chains tearing into the boy's skin, but the boy showed no symptoms of pain or discomfort.
"The Sixth Law is The Law of Equivalent Exchange. A visitor under the Authority of the Lord of Dimensions must leave something of equivalent value in place of what is taken out of that dimension. In this case, my very soul WOULD have been cast into the Dark Ocean and Alice Mccoy's would have been freed."
Rei smiled wondering if this youth had truly lost it, but then again he did live through that miraculous death blow he gave him.
"But now that you have broken the Law of Good Faith, there are no conditions for equivalent exchange as long as I gave you something, which, in this case, it was information. Her soul is coming with me and we're out of here!"
"Rei stared at him, his arms crossed.
"Then prove it," he challenged.
"With pleasure," he said, as something in his coat pocket vibrated and the chains fell limp. He then took out what appeared to be a Digivice and pointed it towards the Dark Ocean.
"The Law of Good Faith Has Been Broken!" He shouted! "In Accordance with the Law of the Digital Creator I take back the soul of Alice Mccoy!" he declared as a light broke through the Digivice shining on the Dark Ocean. The waters parted and the light captured a particular patch of Data, perfectly preserved and it went into his Digivice.
The waters fell upon themselves stirring a bit and then calming, Rei completely at a loss for what just happened.
"Now that the conditions have been met," Rei said pointing his Digivice to the ground creating some kind of symbol on the ground, "I can freely leave your world. It's all thanks to you I was able to do this to begin with Rei Kurenada."
Rei stayed solemn as a statue as the youth walked forward stopping in front of it, the sign lighting up creating a huge beaming light shooting up in the air.
"I'll tell you one thing for helping me out," he said. "What you just saw earlier? That was DNA Digivolution. It's when two Digimon and two humans of similar wavelengths combine their strengths and hearts to create a powerful Digimon. In my world, it is similar, but only between humans and their Digimon. It's called Biomerge," he said seriously. "Each threat to the Digital World can be contained by these different Digivolutions. I would watch out for the Oracle of this Dimension Rei Kurenada," he warned. "She will be part of your undoing."
With that the youth entered the beaming light, Rei a bit beside himself. He turned around staring into the brilliant light, his teeth shaking in rage.
"Tell me your name Dimension Shifter!" he shouted.
The youth grinned holding up his digivice pointing it at him like a sword. "It's Ryo Akiyama!" he shouted. "And don't you forget it!"
With that in the brilliant light he vanished, Rei left alone simmering in his rage for the Digital Creator, the image of the victorious youth burned ever in his mind.