PHALANX - The series
Episode Twenty-seven: Seven Days of Doom, part four.
"Come on, Sweets. Time to wake up," Daphnix urged his girlfriend. After walking for most of yesterday afternoon, they had fallen asleep in a cave, exhausted. It was a small cave, devoid of any form of life whatsoever. Not having had the foresight to pack, Daphnix and Ami had spent the night cuddled together for warmth.
Ami groaned, and opened her eyes. "Where are we?" she groaned, still half asleep.
"We're on the Island of Ages to retrieve the Stone of Ages. The Gods got us in as close as they could, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Ami said sheepishly. "I forgot."
"Don't think of it," Daphnix said. "The first couple of days after an activation, it's normal for a mind and body to adapt to the changes."
Ami just nodded in answer, and the two broke up their 'camp'. Slowly, they started walking across the mountain range on the east of the island. The two warriors had been deposited in a small clearing, clenched between the mountain range and the sea. Now they were crossing the range, their powers fully deactivated by the strange physics on the Island of Time.
******
Day Four, 0630 hours Universe 702 Digital Time, location: digital World, Jennai's house.
"I still can't believe someone built his house on the bottom of a lake," Jessie grunted.
"At least he built a stairway, and he's able to part the lake like Moses did with the Red sea. What I can't get over is the fact that there are so much digimon."
"At least they're catalogued."
"Sure. In Viruses, Vaccines, and Data. Big deal. Three group for over a hundred digimon."
"Don't forget that they're also split by their level. Trainee, Rookie, Champion…"
David nodded as he stared out the window. He had grown accustomed to the fact that fish were swimming outside. Slowly, he looked away from the window, and turned to face his sister, who had walked up behind him. His face held a strange mix of emotions.
"I miss the Ortega. I never thought I'd say this, but I am beginning to hate being planet-side."
Jessie shook her head sadly. "You're not hating being planet-side. What you're feeling is resentment. I know…I am feeling it too."
"Resentment over what?" David asked, turning back to the colorful fish swimming outside the window. Jessie stepped forward, and stood right next to her brother.
"Over not grasping the situation. We still don’t know who our enemy is."
"Maybe I can help with that," Jennai said, stepping into the room.
"Really?" David asked. "How?" Jessie added.
"I just received word from the real world. The eight digidestined have teamed up together, and are about to start fighting Myotismon."
"Who is Myotismon?" David asked, grabbing for the data pad.
"Myotismon is the embodiment of evil. He is the one who is responsible for all the bad things that have happened to the digital world recently. Now he has migrated to the real world, in an attempt to capture and kill the eighth digidestined child. The seven others went after him, and found the eighth child earlier. Now they're about to start fighting him."
"Good for them. How do we go after them?" David asked, tapping on the small pad.
"Unfortunately, the gate that transported the others has been destroyed. To get you out, I don’t know what to do."
"Great," David grunted. "Gate destroyed, no way out. Wait. Jess, how did we get in here?"
"The digivices. If we reverse the polarity of the digivices, we should be able to use the same path we used to get in here."
"But the digimon?" David asked.
"They're linked, and should be going with us," Jessie grunted. "But that is all theory. We don't know anything about the technology. Not enough to actually put theory into practice."
"Maybe…" David ventured. "Jennai, do you have a connection to the real world?"
"Yes, I do," Jennai said, uncertain. "I can send emails to Izzy's laptop computer."
"One of the digidestined, no doubt." At Jennai's nod, David continued, "you told us we exist only as data in the digital world, correct? Well, I want you to email us, as well as our digimon to Izzy. Tell him to connect his computer to his digivice, and port us to it. That should reverse the process."
"You hope," Jessie said.
"I hope," David added.
"That's a good idea. I wonder why I didn't think of it myself," Jennai grunted, turning around. "Wake your digimon. You're going on a trip."
"Right," the twins nodded, and bolted from the room. Jennai sat down behind his computer, and got ready to send two children, and two digimon, to the real world… trough email.
"Vogumon, up and at 'em!" Jessie shouted.
"Durumon, front and center!" David shouted. The two digimon, thinking that the world was coming to an end, jumped form from the beds they had spent the night in.
"What's happening?" Durumon asked.
"Where's the asteroid coming to end the world?" Vogumon asked as well. The twins burst out laughing at the disheveled expressions of the two digimon.
"Jennai is going to send us to the real world, to help the eight other digidestined. That is, unless you want to stay here," David told the two digimon.
"Let's see… a warm bed, good food, and loitering around, or going to the real world, out in the wet and cold, to fight some unthinkable evil…" Vogumon held his hands like a balance when he said these words. "Easy choice."
"Evil it is," Durumon said, stepping up to David, who smiled. David put his hand on the digimon's head, as if to rub a non-existing pelt.
"Like I said, the choice is easy. I'm going with you. If for nothing else but to see you go flat on your buts…" Jessie slapped her digimon.
"Behave yourself!" she yelled at the winged rat. "Or I'll feed you alive to a horde of raging Ketari Hirongies!" Vogumon, not knowing what Hirongies were, decided to keep his mouth shut.
David just snickered, and shook his head. "You really got yourself a hand-full with that one," he told his sister. She made an angry noise, and stiffly walked out the room, followed immediately after by David and Durumon, with Vogumon closing the line, head bent, feeling as if he wanted to sink through the floor. They walked into the room where the twins had left Jennai.
"There you are. Ready?" Jennai asked. David and Jessie nodded enthusiastically, as did Durumon. Vogumon just nodded a little sad.
"You know, I think you really hurt his feelings," David whispered to his sister.
"He just infuriates me at time…" Jessie whispered back. "But I think you're right." Not one to put pride over friendship, Jessie walked over to Vogumon. "Listen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. But sometimes you just say the most inappropriate things!"
"I'm sorry", Vogumon muttered. "I just thought it was funny…"
"You know what? You try to keep a reign on that sense of humor from hell of yours, and I'll do my best not to yell anymore. Deal?"
"Deal," Vogumon answered, obviously feeling a lot better. Jessie nodded at Jennai, to indicate that they were ready to go now.
"I don't know how you'll feel, but hopefully, you'll come out of Izzy's digivice once he ports you from his computer to it."
"Thanks," David said.
"Yeah, thank you, Jennai."
"Good luck. All of you." With those words, Jennai pressed the button 'send email'. The kids, and their digimon, disappeared. "I think you'll need it," Jennai added as the computer indicated that the email had been sent.
Unknown sensations flooded the senses of the two children and their digimon. When they finally regained a sense of where they were, the children oticed thay had appeared in a large city.
"Tokyo," David identified. Both kids had been in Tokyo often enough during their stay with the Sailor Senshi.
"I'm Izzy," a brown-haired ten-year-old boy said. He was sitting behind the computer the small group had obviously materialized out of. He was wearing a light-brown jacket and green shorts, which reached down to his knees. His eyes stood bright as he looked at the twins, still wearing the black outfits they had arrived in.
"I'm David. This is Jessie, Durumon, and Vogumon. Jennai sent us here…"
"To help, yes. It was an interesting theory of sending you to my computer through email, and then using the digivice to bring you to the real world. I'll have to discuss this with him some time…"
"It was our idea," Jessie told the boy. For the first time, she noticed hat an insect-like digimon was flying close to the scene, as if he were looking out for trouble.
"Who's your partner?" David asked.
"That's Tentamon," Izzy answered. "The others are this way."
"Ok, let's go," Jessie answered; looking in the direction Izzy was pointing. The small band ran toward the fighting. When they got there, David and Jessie stared at something… huge. Jessie pulled out the data pad.
"VenomMyotismon," she read form the tiny screen. "You've got to be kidding me. You allowed Myotismon to digivolve?" she asked, turning to Izzy.
"We killed him," Izzy corrected. "But his bats, which he normally used as a means of attack, gathered energy from the surroundings, and brought him back to life… digivolved."
"A higher-level resurrection," Jessie muttered.
"This is not good," David muttered as well. Izzy joined in the battle, his digimon digivolving abruptly. Tentamon first became Kabuterimon, and then MegaKabuterimon, both looking like giant insects. MegaKabuterimon looked like a giant beetle with a brown shield, and a large trident on his head.
The twins looked around, and noticed the other kids.
"Oh, no! Kari!" Izzy shouted. Jessie and David looked around, to search for the one Izzy called 'Kari'. It was a girl, about eight years of age, with brown hair. David and Jessie noticed that the girl wasn't getting up from the place she had fallen, and VenomMyotismon was about to crush her under his foot. The big and ugly bastard was as high as a skyscraper, and he was now going to crush one of the digidestined.
The twins noticed that the other kids present were all shouting at Kari, but they all seemed to realize that it would take too long to get to her. Nonetheless, they all started running. The other digimon present were also going after Kari, but they too, would be too late.
David growled, and ki leapt up from around him. With a supreme burst of power, he flung himself toward the girl. He knew he couldn't get her out of the way in time. His mind kicked into overdrive, and he knew the only way to save her. landing under the big evil digimon's foot in a crouching position, he grunted in pain as he stopped the foot's descent.
"Get her out of here!" he shouted, not caring who heard him, or who got the girl away. "I don’t know how much longer I can hold on!"
A brown-haired by pulled Kari to safety. David got a good look at him before the strain caused his vision to darken. He had brown hair, similar to Kari's, and wore a pair of pilot's glasses on his forehead. He appeared to be around twelve years old. David was dying. He knew he was dying. The crushing weight of the evil digimon on top of him was too much. He knew his father would lift this weight with a single hand. But he wasn't his father. His father wasn't even here.
"David!" rang through his mind. It was Jessie. With a supreme act of determination, he opened his eyes. he saw Vulturamon and Velocimon attacking VenomMyotismon along with the other digimon. He knew that it would do no good… VenomMyotismon was of a whole different level. When Jessie activated her own ki, and crouched under the foot along with her brother, both noticed that her crest was glowing.
"What the…?" Jessie grunted as she took some, of the strain off her brother.
"Power. Your ki," David grunted. "Ki requires balance…"
"Vogumon…digivolves to…Dragomon!" the kids heard from the outside. Sounds of battle intensified, but both kids knew that, unless the big digimon on top of them was dead soon, they were finished. Jessie's ki was running out as well.
"Go…" David muttered. "We can't die both." His crest started to glow. Faintly.
"No. We're brother and sister. We'll die together," Jessie said. "I've made my peace. I don’t mind dying."
David shook his head. "I intent to take this guy with me," he said. no one noticed his crest was glowing in full intensity, since it was hidden under all of his clothes.
"What?" Jessie said, startled. Using her confusion, David summoned the remainder of his mental powers, and pushed Jessie from under the foot. The next moment, she covered her eyes as she heard hear brother begin to ki-overload.
"NO!!! David, no!!!" she shouted, starting to run after her brother. She was held back as two strong arms grabbed her. she looked behind her, to see a blond-haired boy of twelve holding her back.
"I don’t know what he's doing, but he doesn't want you there," the boy told Jessie. µ
"You don't understand!" Jessie shouted, her power seeming to leave her. When she heard Velocimon shout, she looked startled at him.
"Velocimon…digivolves to…Raptormon!" Velocimon shouted. Raptormon charged at VenomMyotismon, shouting, "We need to push him over! Push him off David!" ^all the other digimon flew, or ran, in conjunction with Raptormon, and managed to push VenomMyotismon hard enough to cause the giant to take a step back. David stood up from the place he had been crouched, his ki diminishing rapidly. Jessie ran to him, snapping herself free from the boy's grip, and held on to her brother.
"Damn you," she groaned. "Damn you!"
"Sorry…" David grunted, before slipping out of consciousness. His body was regenerating, and Jessie knew that it wouldn't take long. At a compression rate of 48 to one, David should be all right after 10 minutes of regeneration.
******
Day Four, 1130 hours Universe 576 Japanese Time, location: Phalanx Star Ship Ortega, Bridge.
Warning! Unauthorized dimensional crossing! Linda's voice boomed over the bridge.
"Where?" Frederic asked, looking up from the console where he and Jennifer were going over some more details of universe 702, where Jessie and david were located.
Right here… Linda's voice indicated that she was definitely unsettled.
"WHAT?? On screen!" Frederic said, turning to the main viewer along with his wife. ^to anyone perceiving the pair, it would have been a remarkable transformation from two concerned parents to commanding officers, in charge of millions. Frederic sat down in the command chair, with Jennifer standing to his right.
A small ship appeared on the main viewer.
Unknown design, although technology is the equivalent of the ESMF in some areas, but is definitely more advanced in others.
Frederic and Jennifer traded a look. Sorcerer… passed through their minds.
We're being hailed.
"On screen," Jennifer's voce was as commanding as Frederic's was.
Sorcerer's face appeared on the screen. His eyes were barely open, his breath was ragged, and a trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. His face was ashen-white, and he definitely looked as if he was dying which, in fact, he was.
"Help…me…" Sorcerer muttered before his eyes closed, and his head hit the controls in front of him with a rather obvious thump.
The couple on the bridge stared at the screen, where the top of Sorcerer's head was still visible, as if the couple had a rather high-tech painting hanging on the front wall of the bridge.
"Linda, get him to sickbay. But first, ready all force fields, and mental dampers you can. Put the entire security grid on full alert. I want every possible precaution taken. Beam me and Jennifer to sickbay before you energize on Sorcerer."
Acknowledged. Frederic and Jennifer disappeared in twin showers of blue light as the transporter did its job. They reappeared in sickbay, where the humming of the force fields was audible. Both Jennifer and Frederic powered up, actually turning Super-two and three, respectively. Both had their weapons ready. Frederic's twin Phalanx Swords were looming dangerously next to Jennifer's golden Dragon's Blade, both pointed at the exact location where Sorcerer was to appear.
Energizing. Prepare to receive casualties.
"Casualties?" Frederic muttered. When Sorcerer appeared, the two warriors' eyes opened completely. The many cuts and bruises looked terrible, but not as horrible s the large wound in Sorcerer's abdomen… a wound where they could see his intestines.
"Fuck!" Frederic grunted. "Now what?"
"Why isn't he healing?" Jennifer asked.
"Let's find out. Linda, full scan of Sorcerer. Why isn't he healing? Show projections as to what can cause this."
Scanning. On one of the monitors, a rotating wire-frame model of Sorcerer's body appeared. Different parts were highlighted as Linda scanned them. On a second diagnostics monitor, a list of possibilities was visible, each possibility altering as the scans progressed. Suddenly, the list started shortening dramatically, until only one possibility remained. The monitors cleared.
Data suggests only one option. One of the monitors lit up, showing the data Linda had collected on Sorcerer. Immortality has been negated by a level-15 negative energy pulse or weapon.
"Class fifteen…" Jennifer muttered.
"Destroyers," Frederic muttered. "It happened to you on 254…but the Phalanx powers healed you then. If he, as a triple Phalanx, can't heal himself…"
"A strong son of a bitch," Jennifer added.
"I wonder where his Jenny is. Oh, well. Now that we know what happened, what do we do?"
"I don't know. We can't help him…he hurt so many people!"
"I know, Love. I know…but he's still my twin. How about I just give him a Senzu bean? It'll patch him up enough for him to heal by himself. We'll then try him on SpaCECoB."
"As what?" Jennifer sounded perplexed.
"War criminal. Atrocities against humanity. Genocide. Take your pick, we'll charge him with it. Enough for him to be put away for the rest of his life."
"He's immortal. That's a long time. Wouldn't it be more humane to just let him die?"
Frederic laughed. "Was he humane to those he killed? To ME? Did he show me mercy? NO! ^now we won't show mercy either! That monster will get what he deserves! He…will…not…die! "
Jennifer looked at her husband as if he were a ghost. "Love…"
"I know, I know… let's just give him a Senzu now. We'll see later." Frederic felt tired. Dead tired. He quietly fetched a Senzu bean from the plants he was cultivating on the Ortega, and slipped it to the barely alive man laying on the sickbay bed. Frederic unceremoniously grabbed control over Sorcerer's nervous system, and caused a swallow reflex. The Senzu worked its magic, and started healing Sorcerer's body. He wasn't fully healed, but enough to be a threat.
"Hold it right there, buster," Frederic said, pressing Sorcerer's shoulders back on the bed.
"Please…Please, help her…"
"Who?" Frederic sounded curious.
"Jenny…the bastards have her…I tried to save her…couldn't. Not strong enough. Not like you. Help…"
"And now tell me why I should?" Frederic's voice was cold as ice.
"Please…do what you want, but help her," Sorcerer's voice was weak, and he tried to grab for Frederic's clothes. He yelped as a force field snapped in his face.
"Why? W-H-Y?" Frederic asked, spelling out the three-letter word to taunt the man who had killed him in cold blood. The man who had waged war, and who caused many deaths.
"Because you know…you know what it's like to live without her… I need to know…she's safe."
Frederic closed his eyes. "Yes. Yes, I know what it's like to live without her. I also know how it is for her to live without us. Believe me, I'm doing her a favor by letting her die. Because she will never get to see you again anyway."
"NO!" Sorcerer seemed to tap into some reserves, some hidden stash he never knew he had, as he rose, and pressed through the force field. He weakly held onto Frederic's clothes. "Please! Help her! ^you can kill me. That's it, isn't it? You want to kill me. Well, you can do whatever you want with me, but please, save her!"
"You know, I would almost believe you. If I didn't know for a fact what a cold bastard you were, I would believe you."
"She's all that matters… If you're not going to help, then all is lost… Please, let me die in peace." Sorcerer turned his head away from Frederic, tears starting to flow.
Frederic stared at his counterpart for a moment. "I know this will probably bite me in the ass some day. I'm going to give you a second bean, to patch you up completely. After that, I want you off my ship as soon as possible. I don't want any destroyers coming here, looking for you."
Sorcerer shook his head. "I masked my signs… Probably don’t know I'm here."
"Sure. Your word means everything," Frederic responded sarcastically as he slipped his twin a bean. Sorcerer swallowed it. Immediately, his wounds healed completely.
"Now, get off my ship," Frederic said, reaching for the transporter controls he had called up on the terminal closest to Sorcerer's bed. Sorcerer closed his eyes
"Then all is lost," he whispered. An incalculable sadness was etched on Sorcerer's face.
"I can't help you. I won't endanger my life, and the life of those I love, for the likes of you." Frederic reached for the energize button. The moment he wanted to press it, there was…something…that exploded into the room behind him. Confused, Frederic turned around, to see a large man stab a black-glowing blade through Jennifer's abdomen, from behind. It was obvious the man had appeared from behind her, and caught her totally by surprise.
The next moment, the man grabbed the now incapacitated Jennifer, and disappeared.
"Assassin," Sorcerer growled. Frederic's eyes hot fire as he grabbed Sorcerer, lifted him off the bed, and threw him into the nearest wall. The next moment, Frederic was back on top of Sorcerer, grabbed his collar, and pulled the face closer to his.
"You…are…dead," Frederic growled. "I will take you apart, piece by piece. Each one smaller than the other."
"I had nothing to do with this! Don't you understand? The Destroyers want to get rid of us both!" Sorcerer shouted.
"Hah! You probably struck a deal! Now, tell me where she is, or I'll rip out your throat. Over and over." Frederic eyes stood dangerous. Sorcerer found himself developing respect for his twin. He now knew that deep inside, Frederic had the same silky darkness, but somehow, he managed to contain it. It was a feat that demanded respect.
Sorcerer grabbed Frederic's collar in return. "Listen to me, asshole! I didn't struck a deal! They want us both! We are the only ones capable of going up against them!"
Frederic grinned. Such an evil grin that it sent shivers down Sorcerer's spine. "True. We're the only ones matched. But! That doesn't mean I like you."
"You don’t have to like me! Just fight with me, against the Assassin!"
Frederic grabbed the sides of Sorcerer's head. The next moment, Sorcerer felt as if his head would explode. "Open up!" Frederic bellowed. "Or I'll rip your fucking shields out!" Sorcerer did as his twin asked, knowing that in his present condition, there would be no reasoning, and no friendliness.
"Gods…" Frederic muttered as he staggered back. "What strength…" He turned to Sorcerer, who was still sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall where Frederic had thrown him. The dent in the wall was still visible, even with all the nanoprobes repairing it. "Listen, shitbag. In 24 hours, we'll leave for the assassin. In the meantime, we're going to train. Just to the culmination of our abilities. But one wrong move, and I'll rip your heart out and feed it to you. Got it?"
Sorcerer nodded, with just a hint of fear shining in his eyes. Even when fighting Frederic had Sorcerer not seen him like this. His thoughts were rudely interrupted as Frederic hoisted him to his feet, and literally dragged him out the room. The next thing Sorcerer knew, his skin was stinging with a sensation of moving at very high speeds. As soon as thee sensations ended, he found himself thrown into a turbolift.
"War Lab," Frederic commanded. Linda set the lift in motion, the small cart reaching tremendous speeds as it sped through the bowels of the battlecarrier. When it ground to a halt, Sorcerer found himself kicked out of the cart, and into the large lab. Frederic strode to a wall, pushed aside a panel, and entered an access code into the panel hidden behind it. The entire wall slid open, to reveal…weaponry.
Without halting, Frederic started strapping on equipment. Sorcerer recognized a Dual-Blade light saber, pistols of some kind, and a container containing some kind of gas. There was a belt as well. Frederic strapped the equipment to the belt, but he held on to the container of gas.
"Come," Frederic snarled at Sorcerer, who hurried to his feet.
"Don't I get equipment?" Sorcerer asked.
"You'll get your Phalanx Swords back when we go to battle. No sooner. The rest is off limits."
Sorcerer looked miserably at the ground. Suddenly, Frederic grabbed him.
"Listen, you, and listen good. This mission is under MY command. You'll do as I tell you, when I tell you. You'll get the equipment I give you. If I say 'jump', you ask 'how high?'. Got it?"
Sorcerer nodded. Frederic grinned evilly, and released his twin's collar. "Then we'll get along just fine." Frederic grabbed Sorcerer's collar in his free hand as the doors opened. Dragging his twin behind him, Frederic stepped up to the holodeck. Sorcerer found himself thrown inside.
"Simulation hide-out," Frederic told the computer. The simulation of Frederic's refuge started. "First off, all my emotions are hidden. My emotional blocks came on automatically. What you've been undergoing now is just the little they can't block. I am now going to drop my blocks. It would be good for you not to interrupt me… unless you have a death wish. If you do, tell me now, and I'll gladly end your miserable existence."
Sorcerer shook his head. "No, that's fine," he said, raising his hands defensively.
"Linda, nighttime." The simulation darkened as the night fell. Literally. Frederic knelt down, and started a fire with a single flick of his hand. He stared into the whirlpool of yellow and red colors. He dropped his blocks. Slowly, one by one, the blocks came down, and Frederic struggled to control the torrents of emotions. As soon as this had been accomplished, he dove into his own mind. His Instructions file was ripped out once again. His directives were altered to 'Get Jenny Back'. Then, he accessed his personality file, and began making the alterations once again. When Zells had kidnapped Jenny, he had created a warrior's personality. This time, he was using Shadow's as a template, and using his own experiences, merged with hers, as behavioral patterns. Experiences were used to the limit, all inhibitions were removed.
Frederic opened his eyes, and stared at Sorcerer. Sorcerer backed off when he saw Frederic's face. It was cold as ice, but the eyes were burning with hatred. Frederic turned Super. Then Super-two, followed by Super-three. Slowly, Frederic stood up, and looked down at the fire.
His genetic pattern changed as he focused on the dormant Ketari gene. Not as extensive as the twins' ability, his genetic pattern became unstable when changed too dramatically. He invoked all the earlier changes, but he made one significant alteration to the pattern: he now included Saiyan genes. The Saiyans, being the warrior race they are, have an innate ability of growing stronger. Every near-death experience made them stronger. Frederic incorporated that into his genetic pattern. Knowing his pattern would decay within half an hour, at the most, he opened the container.
"Nanoprobes," Frederic explained to Sorcerer. "36 hours, then they become permanent."
"I only had twelve, and they're long gone," Sorcerer said. "I didn’t make many changes, so it's not visible."
The nanoprobes assimilated Frederic, keeping his unstable genome stable. He could feel the changes wash over him as he burned the new genome into his cells. Next thing he did was call for revenge.
He began humming the ancient tunes, and called out for the Oech-anya Blood Fever. It would sustain him during the coming battle. He couldn't see himself now, but he was sure that angry ki flames were leaping up around his body.
Next thing Frederic did was shift the Oech-anya Necklace into a dagger, and cut open the palm of his hand.
"I, Phalanx Frederic Fromthefield of the Human, Oech-anya and Ketari races, commander of the ESMF, Master Slayer, Jedi Knight, personal champion to the Gods of the Universe, Universal Savior, inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi and conqueror of the internal Force swear that I will not rest until I have retrieved my love, and avenged the dishonor of her kidnapping!" he shouted into the flames. The Ketari Blood Revenge washed over his mind, poising it for battle. All his abilities were now honed to a razor's edge. But still, Frederic knew that he had to go higher.
He couldn't help but give a dark grin as Sorcerer nodded, stepped forward, and began chanting his own Blood Fever, and Blood Revenge.
******
Day Four, 1230 hours Universe 702 digital Time, location: Real world, Tokyo.
VenomMyotismon's dying cries still rang through Jessie's ear as she watched the other kids intently. They had all gathered around her and David, curious looks visible on all their faces. All except on one face, the face belonging to the blonde boy who had stopped Jessie from going after her brother. He seemed not to care. Much, because Jessie and David could still detect the curious glances he directed at them every now and then.
Jessie recognized Izzy, the boy whose computer they had used to get here. She also detected Kari, the eight-year-old girl David had saved. Seeing the girl reminded Jessie of something. Angry, she turned to her brother.
"What did you think you were doing? You know dad told us not to use techniques we haven't mastered!"
"I couldn't let her die," David responded coolly. "NO matter what the rules are, or under what circumstances, but a life is always worth saving."
Jessie closed her eyes. "Maybe. But did you ever stop to question whether or not you would be the same? You know those techniques are treacherous! You wouldn't want them to control you, now would you?"
"It was worth the risk," David told his sister. "Besides, everything worked out, didn't it?" ^he turned to his sister while answering her, diverting his gaze from the other digidestined for the first time. "Now, let's introduce ourselves before things get totally out of hand."
Jessie nodded quietly. "Right. We can continue this conversation later." Turning to the others, she said, "I am Jessie. This is my brother David, and our digimon, Bémon and Baymon." The digimon had digivolved back to their original states, apparently out of energy due to the digivolving earlier.
"I'm Tai," the brown-haired twelve-year-old, who had gotten Kari away form the evil digimon, said. "You know my sister Kari, and Izzy." Both kids nodded. "My digimon is Gatomon," Kari pointed to a white feline-type digimon
"I'm Sora," a girl with a blue cap, yellow shirt, and blue jeans, said. She appeared to be twelve. "And this is Biyomon." She indicated a pink-and-blue bird-type digimon.
"Matt," the blonde guy who had helped Jessie, said. "And Gabumon," he indicated his furry gray-blue-yellow digimon.
"Hi, I'm Mimi," a brown-haired girl with pink clothes, and a pink hat, said. "And this is Palmon." Mimi indicated a green digimon, with looked…curious…to say the least. She was green, appeared to be humanoid, but sported a pink flower on her head instead of hair.
"Hello. I'm Joe," a serious-looking boy with dark hair, a pair of glasses, white shirt, and brown shorts, said. "And I'm Gomamon," his digimon said.
"I'm Matt's brother, T.K.," an eight-year-old boy wearing sporty green clothes, and a green cap, said. "And this is Patamon."
"Hi," the brown digimon with small wings said.
"Good to meet you all," Jessie answered. "We just got to the digital world when Jennai contacted us… and sent us here, after answering our questions."
"What do you mean with 'just got there'? How much time are we talking about?" It was Joe who asked this.
"Yesterday," Jessie said.
"You mean you got your tags yesterday?"
"I mean we got to the digital world yesterday," Jessie answered. The other kids stared at her and her brother.
"I think you might want to talk to those people first," David said, pointing behind the other digidestined. As the kids turned around, their faces changed. It was obvious that these people were family. Not wanting to intrude, David and Jessie turned around, and started walking away. They held the two low-level digimon in their arms.
"When are we going to see our family again?" Jessie asked miserably.
"I don't know… I just know that it isn't over yet, or the Wise One would have come for us already," David answered. Both kids were sitting on a short wall, marking the edge of the bay. Both were staring out over the water.
The conversation died out at this point, both kids submerged in his or her own thoughts. The digimon kept quiet, not knowing what to say either. It was almost a relief when Izzy came up to them.
"Jennai just contacted me. We need to go back. Something ahs happened to the Digital World."
Jessie and David looked at him. "I told you this wasn't over," David grunted to his sister as they followed Izzy.
"So, what happens now?" David asked as the three kids entered the group.
"We're transported back to the Digital World," Tai said. He took his digivice, and held it up into the sky. He was slowly lifted off the ground, toward the skies. Jessie and David did the same, as did the other kids. To the contrary of the other kids, David and Jessie didn't have anyone standing there to say goodbye to, so they quietly had to endure the fact that the others said their goodbyes while accelerating into the air. When the transportation process really kicked in, the disorientating effects were just as bad as the last time.
******
Day Four, 1830 hours Universe 576 Japanese Time, location: Phalanx Star Ship Ortega, Holodeck 1.
Frederic kept going on and on. Sorcerer stared at his training partner with absolute amazement as Frederic literally increased in speed with every minute that passed.
"How can you stay focused like that?" Sorcerer asked. Frederic's eyes trained on Sorcerer.
"My mind has been altered. All directives and instructions have been revoked. My personality is no longer my own, but a warrior's. All abilities have been unleashed for one goal, and one goal only: to get Jennifer back. My Jennifer. I will hurt whoever stands in my way."
Sorcerer thought for a moment. "How focused are you? Does your rage blind you?"
"I don’t allow it to. Your emotions should guide you, not control, or blind you. The Rage is a tool. Nothing more, nothing less." Frederic's voice was cold and harsh.
Sorcerer shook his head. "I was a fool. I went after Assassin like an idiot, with all my rage in control. I didn't even use my Oech-anya enhancements. I should have gone level six, and used the War Dragon technique. But, not again!" Sorcerer looked up, a look of venom on his face.
"Good. Become Rage itself. Feel it burn inside you. But remember that a good warrior brings no emotions to war. A great warrior allows his emotions to help him focus, but nothing more. Like this." Frederic got in a squatting position, his hands joined at his right hip, palms facing each other. A ki ball materialized inside the cupped hands. Frederic's face twisted in anger, his eyes shooting fire. When he turned Super-1, Sorcerer's eyes opened slightly. Frederic growled as the ki ball grew in intensity. He turned Super-2. Sorcerer's mouth opened slightly. Frederic growl evolved to a primal scream of rage, a sound that couldn't be identified, but seemed to come from the most primitive part of the human brain. Frederic turned Super-three, his entire body shaking in unsuppressed rage. The ki-ball was only the size of a baseball, but it was glowing in an eerily intense bluish-white light. Sorcerer took a step back, his posture radiating awe and astonishment.
I understand. Bottle up your emotions…only to release them when you want to, not when they want to. A dangerous weapon in the hands of those very few with the strength of mind to actually do such a thing.
To Sorcerer's amazement, Frederic primal scream didn't falter. With a last howl that threatened to shatter Sorcerer's enhanced eardrums, the ki blast was thrown forward. Sorcerer had no time to duck. At the last possible moment, the ki ball halted right in front of Sorcerer's nose.
What control!!! Sorcerer's mind shouted. He totally unleashed his rage in a ball of energy, yet he remains in total and absolute control!
"You're lucky this was only a demonstration. In my present state of mind, I have absolute control over my emotions, but it takes a tremendous amount of energy to do so. If this had been war, you'd be obliterated." Frederic turned around, pointing his back to Sorcerer. "Linda, one Shadow breakfast."
Without comment, the bottle of the vile-looking fluid appeared in mid-air. Frederic took it, and unceremoniously dumped it down his esophagus.
"What is that?" Sorcerer asked.
"Breakfast cocktail, containing fish, meat, eggs, seaweed, spices, milk, and some other stuff. All mixed together. Tasted horrible, smells horrible, but contains about 6000 kilocalories."
"Damn. That's the entire energy requirement for a Navy SEAL in training."
"Ideal to keep you active. Now, enough pleasantries. I only have about 17 hours left to get that lazy ass of yours in shape. Linda, 50 gravities."
No wonder he's strong. He trains in high gravity. I should have thought of it myself…
"How high do you go?" Sorcerer finally asked.
"About a thousand gravities. Now continue with those push-ups."
Day four, 1900 hours Universe 704 Island of Ages time, location: edge of mountain range.
"Finally. We made it," Daphnix grunted. "I hate this! I feel like a normal! A day of hiking in the mountains should be nothing! I can train in 100 gravities, for Christ's sake!"
"This was around before the Gods… this place is outside normal physics. We should be thankful we can still live here," Ami answered. Her shyness had been overcome by the enhancements Frederic had given her. She may not have much of them right now, but the knowledge, and the pulsating energy in her veins was enough to convince her that she was different. She did find it strange that, if Daphnix felt the same, why he was complaining. Then, she remembered the brief period before being transported here. The surge of power she had felt before the Gods took her to this place. If Daphnix was used to it like that, he would now feel awfully weak.
The couple walked into the village, feeling awfully uncomfortable as the people present stared at them strangely. The village itself seemed to be constructed in the late-medieval style, with the only difference being the stone houses instead of wood and mud that was used in the Earth period. The roofs were thatched, so that correlated nicely to the corresponding period in Earth history.
A six-person delegation, dressed in black robes, walked up to the couple. Daphnix noticed that the people respectfully bowed their heads as the six people walked by them. When the six halted in front of the couple, Daphnix bowed his head as he had seen the others do. Ami followed his example, trusting Daphnix's greater experience in meeting new civilizations. To her, this was all exciting: being transported to a new planet, discovering a new civilization…her excitement was barely contained.
She examined the people without drawing attention to the fact that she was scrutinizing them. The six were standing in a V shape, with the one closest to them obviously the leader. The robes were black, except for red along the edges. She didn't see any buttons, but she did notice that all had a red belt tied around their waists.
The leader addressed them in a language she didn't understand. She glanced curiously at Daphnix, just to catch a glimpse of confusion on his face. She could see him thinking, before answering in a mixed respectful and examining way. It was obvious that Daphnix was trying to communicate in a language he wasn't familiar with. The leader seemed to accept Daphnix's explanation, though. He asked a second thing, and Daphnix responded by pointing to a temple.
Ami looked up to a hill behind thee village, and she could see a large building. For some reason, she hadn't noticed it before Daphnix pointed at it. It was squarely built, quite a few stories high, and held a flat roof. Ami guessed it looked somewhat like a medieval castle, only without the guard towers and crenels. Ami refocused on the conversation, and noticed that the leader of the party was shaking his head, and making off-warding motions with his hands.
Daphnix shrugged in response, nodded, and said something. The leader motioned for them to follow, so they did. The couple was led to a small house. The six people left soon after.
"They'll start the tests tomorrow," Daphnix told Ami. "They seem to believe our claim is genuine… But I wouldn't know for sure. I don't have Fred's knack of picking up strange languages. I understood a little of what he was saying, and with a few hand-motions on both our parts; we're able to communicate."
"I don’t understand. I thought we knew every human language?" Ami asked.
"The ones spoken on our Earth. Other languages, we have to learn. Thank the Gods we're able to pick them up quickly. Fred can do it best, probably because he's the Phalanx. Now, let's get some sleep… it's going to be a very long day tomorrow."
Ami agreed to that, and snuggled up to Daphnix in the bed provided in the small house.
******
Day Four, 2015 hours Universe 702 digital Time, location: Digital World, seashore of File Island.
David and Jessie were sitting together, watching the sea.
"We know a lot more now," David muttered. Jessie nodded in agreement.
"But we don't fit in," she added. David sadly shook his head.
"We're not normal kids. Kari only joined recently too, but she seems to fit in perfectly. I think we're having trouble integrating because we had to act like grown-ups too soon. And now that we have the chance to be kids, we can't."
Jessie silently nodded in agreement. In total silence, the two kids stared out over the sea, where the sun was now low over the horizon.
"Here you are," Tai said, walking up to the twins. "We were wondering where you went." He walked up to them, and stood right next to Jessie. Tai's digimon, Agumon, as well the twins', Durumon and Vogumon, were with the twelve-year-old.
"We just needed to think," David told him silently.
"About…things. It appears we're having trouble integrating into the group."
Tai sat down. "You noticed it too, huh? Maybe it's because you act so…strange for six-year-olds," Tai suggested.
"We know," David responded.
"Unfortunately, we were forced to grow up quickly," Jessie added.
Tai was silent for a few moments. "Come on," he finally said. "Let's get back to the group. We shouldn't be splitting up now."
"Maybe you're right, Tai. Maybe you're right," David said, getting up. Jessie got to her feet as well. The backpacks were strapped on without the kids thinking of it.
"If you're sure. The last thing we want is to break up a well-working team."
"Sure, I'm sure. Come on, this way," Tai said, smiling, and motioning in a direction. David and Jessie smiled back, nodded, and followed. The three digimon seemed to be good friends by now, as they closed the lines talking to one another incessantly.
Tai guided them to the place where the rest of the kids had established some kind of camp. A campfire was already well underway, and the kids wee seated around it. "I found them," Tai said as he entered the clearing. David and Jessie looked around the circle, more or less embarrassed by their sudden disappearance, and by the worry they had put the others through.
"Where have you been?" Sora asked.
"Just to the seashore," Jessie answered, sitting down at the place the others had made in the circle.
"We needed to think, about us fitting in and all," David added.
"And what did you decide?" Matt asked rather bluntly.
"Matt!" Sora said.
"Nothing much," Jessie answered anyway. "We didn't have a chance to finish. Listen, We didn't mean to make your guys worry. We just needed some time to think. That's all."
"We'll see in the morning. The best way to survive war is to take it one day at a time, and cherish each moment," David said.
"Right," Jessie finished, and fished the data pad from her backpack. She got up. "I'll be back shortly," she told David.
"Okay. I'll put up the tents," David responded. "Want some food when you get back?"
Despite the predicament, Jessie smiled. "Sure."
"Better make it a long log entry. Ten minutes aren't enough for me to put up two tents AND cook."
Jessie's eyes twinkled. "I'm sure you can unwrap those rations in no time. See you guys later," she addressed the last part to the group, and left. David got up, and started putting up the tents.
"Tents? You have tents?" Mimi asked.
"We came prepared… more or less. By the way, anyone else want some food?" David asked as he was fishing two packages from his backpack.
"Yuck! Believe me, you don’t want to try them!" Vogumon exclaimed.
"They're stand-issue war rations," David said, shrugging. He tore the wrapper of one of the bars, and started chewing on it as he put up the two-person tent in record pace. "You know, we're more than glad to share. Unfortunately, our ride here didn't tell us we would be teaming up with eight kids, as well as eight digimon. We were only informed of the digimon partners. As such, we brought a two-person tent each."
"You had time to prepare?" Sora asked. "We were just transported here."
"Well, five minutes… Jessie snuck out and retrieved our emergency backpacks."
"Bad-mouthing me?" Jessie asked with a grin as she entered the clearing once more.
"Never leave a chance, you know that," David said, throwing her a ration bar. Jessie caught it without a thought, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"And it looks like no one wants to try a ration bar," David informed his sister. "Vogumon kinda told them they tasted like hell."
Jessie smiled, and shook her head. The others stared at her and her brother. "What?" Jessie asked, smiling.
"Tents, ration bars,…" Joe began.
"What's next, a house?" Matt asked sarcastically.
"A house is too difficult to transport. Besides, we had to shrink our packs before transporting them here. Once unpacked, a capsule is very hard to repack," david answered with a straight face. Jessie nodded seriously, and handed David the data pad.
"Thanks," he said, getting up. When he passed by her, Jessie grabbed his sleeve. "We only have 48 hours worth of rations. Are you sure about offering them some?" she whispered so quietly even his enhanced hearing had trouble picking it up.
"We now have a team of ten people, instead of two. And don’t forget the digimon… now, the others have survived here for a long time, so I think they know what is edible and what isn't. Don't worry, we won't starve," David whispered back, before disappearing into the forest.
"What do you do, alone in the forest?" Izzy asked. "And what's that tablet?"
"That's a data-pad. We're going out alone to hold our private logs. They're very private… containing our thoughts and feelings."
"I see. But how do you use it? It's too small for a keyboard, and I didn't see a pen, so it isn't a touch-screen either," Izzy pressed on.
"Verbal interface," Jessie answered. "The data-pad records your voice."
Izzy's eyes went wide open. "How much can it contain?"
"About five hundred hours worth of logs."
"WHAT? Five hundred hours of spoken text?"
Jessie mistook his exclamation. "It would be more, if Jennai hadn't uploaded that digimon library into it, and if we didn't need to use the pad as a road-map, as well as an encyclopedia of the Digital World."
Most of the kids stared at Jessie, who finally realized her mistake. Embarrassed, she looked away. David returned shortly after, and handed the pad back to Jessie.
"Jess? What's wrong?"
"Data-pad's out," she said.
"Meaning?" he asked curiously, glancing at the other kids.
"I blabbed. I'm slipping."
David sighed, and sat down next to his sister. "Dad is not going to like this." Jessie shook her head miserably.
"Not one bit," she muttered.
David looked around the group. "Listen, guys… we need to ask you to keep all of this a secret, okay? What we're about to tell you… is our life's story. Most of this stuff is so heavily classified that not many know about it, so I need to know that you will keep all of this a secret, okay?"
"We already know there was a war. What more is there?" Tai asked.
David pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes. a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "We are just over one year old."
"That's funny," Sora said. "Now, enough kidding around."
Jessie looked at Sora. The look in Jessie's eyes made Sora shiver. "He's not lying," Jessie said.
"Listen, we'll tell you the full story," David said. "But you have to promise you will not tell anyone about this, okay?"
"Most wouldn't believe you anyway," Jessie added. So, David and Jessie told the eight others about the Phalanx, their father, mother, the ESMF, the Ketari and Sorcerer Wars, and finally, about them being here because of the Wise One. When asked for proof, David asked them to think back of the battle with VenomMyotismon, and how he had saved Kari.
Everyone went to sleep late that night, the issue of the tents resolved by a simple rule: Jessie and David carried them around, so they should sleep in them.
At midnight, David was sitting back outside, staring into the low flames of the campfire. He looked around the clearing, looking over the sleeping bodies of the other digidestined. Even though he had known them for less than a day, he already felt connected to them. A term popped into his mind. Blood brothers. He had fought alongside these people. War forged bonds that were very strong, and could not be broken easily.
Silently, David got up. He needed a walk. Starting to go toward the forest, he heard footsteps. He spun around, and looked at Kari.
"Kari?" he whispered.
"I never thanked you…" the girl said.
David looked confused. "Thanked me? For what?"
"For saving my life," she said. David smiled as well.
"It was nothing," David answered. "Besides, I was barely able to get you out…shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked, deciding he felt too embarrassed about this talk. He didn't like praise for a job he considered a partial failure.
"Shouldn’t you?" she asked back.
"Well, now that you mention it, no, not really," David said, smiling.
"That's right, the triple alien stuff. But, you know, you don’t have to pretend so much."
"Pretend?"
"Yeah. You're playing that you're hard. But I know that, deep down, you're just as fragile as the rest of us."
"Probably. But I can't allow…"
Kari smiled at him as she shook her head. "From what the rest told me, they have been here for months. And you don’t see them hiding anything, do you?"
David stared at the ground. "Maybe you're right…"
"Of course I'm right!" Kari said with a smug look on her face. "Come on, we both need some sleep."
"Right," David agreed, and together, the two children walked back
to the camp.