"Oh, woe is me..." Guardromon sobbed as best as a machine Digimon could. "I failed to fulfil my duties as a knight and thus, poor Kazu has been abducted by those villains..."
"Now, now..." MarineAngemon patted his friend's metal shoulder comfortingly. "It's not your fault, they surprised us, that's all."
"Yeah, instead of blaming yourself, you should save your strength when we're ready to kick some Commandramon butt," Terriermon nodded.
"Terriermon?" Harmony wondered as she came down from Takato's room, together with the others. "You're here, too?"
"Well, excuuuse me for being a part of the team," the humanoid dog/rabbit smirked.
"I don't get it." Kai shook his head. "Why would Yamaki kidnap Kazu? From all we heard from Devimon and Riley, he's only after Hybrids, right? I mean, that's how we programmed his new character."
Kenta shook his head in confusion, then cleared his ear with his index finger. "Sorry, but can you say that again, buddy? Because I just thought I heard you saying you programmed Yamaki. He's not a computer, you know?"
"It's true..." Takato groaned. "Because of me, he's like this... He turned into a madman, and Riley and Tally into Digimon..."
"We'll explain that later," Jeri said quickly as she saw the confused expressions of Kenta and the two Digimon. "Let's just say that something went wrong and now Yamaki's a bad guy."
"Could you see which direction the van was taking?" Mie asked. "Maybe we can limit our search to a certain area."
"Well, we lost them when they were heading towards the middle of the city," Kenta explained. "But I guess they've been heading towards those towers. Umm..." He scratched his head. "What's that building again?"
"Their headquarters!" Renamon sighed. "Of course! The Hypnos main frame. I'll bet that's where their new hideout is situated."
"That's it!" Takato nodded. "I used the Hypnos building as a template when designing Yamacus' fortress."
"Well, but if that's true, how do you explain that it doesn't look like an evil mastermind's hideout at all?" Terriermon asked.
"It only looks like it usually does from the outside," Kai explained. "I saw the changes Takato made with the game... only on the inside does the building look like a real fortress."
"And I suppose you didn't get to design the complete 'dungeon' yet, am I right?" Harmony sighed.
"Um... no, not really..." Takato admitted.
"Um, guys?" Kenta spoke up. "Are we really talking about how Takato changed reality with a computer game?"
"Get used to it," Jeri said. "It will spare you some serious headaches if you don't think about it."
"But I seriously believe Kai and Takato by now," Harmony said. "There have been too many weird things been happening lately, and I also don't think that they just came up with that story, as weird as it might sound. Well, we might not be able to see it, but perhaps this 'program' just has been designed that way. And while I'm still kinda... uncomfortable that they, Rika and Renamon remember me as a boy... I think that they might be actually right."
She waved her hands around. "Don't get the wrong idea, I like how things are, and I certainly don't wanna be a boy... but if what they said is true, why not simply use the game to make things normal again?"
Rika snarled, even if she wasn't in her Hybrid form anymore. "Try asking Mr. 'Game Master' over there... I think he would prefer us to stay freaks."
"You don't get it, do you?" Takato yelled. "Something much, much worse could happen if we use that game again."
"Now calm down, both of you!" Mie raised her voice again. "Takato, listen to me for a moment! And consider: If that game would be the last chance to save your friend... and to turn Mr. Yamaki into what he has been before... would you do it? Or not?"
"I... I don't know..." Takato stuttered. "Perhaps..."
"But I don't understand you either, Rika," Jeri shook her head. "I mean, why do you say we're freaks just because we're half Digimon? You wouldn't say it's freakish that our parents are both Digimon and human, would you?"
"You don't get it!" Rika snapped. "That's just it! Humans and Digimon weren't supposed to have relationships like that!" She gestured at Takato's mother. "In the reality I remember, she and Jeri's dad and my father, they... they were all humans. What do you think how I feel when I suddenly see all those persons I know turn into Digimon all around me?"
"Well, I didn't think about it like that..." Jeri admitted. "I suppose, it would be kinda freaky when suddenly, Mrs. Asaji would turn into a human, and I would be the only person to remember how she used to be."
Rika groaned. "Never mind..." she muttered.
"Guys, we have a more serious problem right now, remember?" Kenta reminded them. "Kazu can't wait forever, you know?"
"Who knows what they will do to him?" Guardromon wailed. "Oh, how could I ever fail him?"
"Okay, attention, everyone!" Mie shouted. "We have to assemble a rescue team. We somehow have to get in there and bail Kazu out. Jeri's father and Harmony's mother are going to Harmony's father's working place, to tell him about what happened. Perhaps he and his team can figure out a way just how this 'Hybrid Digivolving' works. After that, they will join us."
She pointed at some of the assembled children and Digimon.
"Jeri!" "Uh-huh?"
"Terriermon!" "Yes, ma'am?"
"Harmony!" "Right here!"
"Guardromon!" "Awaiting orders!"
Mie looked at them with determination. "You are coming with us." She sighed. "Renamon, Rika... I know this is all hard for you, but... would you join us as well?"
Renamon looked at her Tamer. "Rika?"
Rika looked down at her D-Power, then clenched it between her fingers. "Count us in!" she grumbled. "Fake reality or not, Kazu's still one of us!"
Renamon smirked. "That's the spirit, Rika!"
"Uh, Mom, what about us?" Guilmon asked.
Mie looked at her two sons, her nephew and her husband and sighed. "Guilmon, you have to stay home this once... if that computer game is really as powerful as they say, we can't let it fall into the wrong hands. I want you to guard it. And Takato..."
"Uh, yes, Mom?"
Compsomon stared into her older son's eyes. "Get your butt at that computer and find a solution for this mess!"
"But, Mom..."
"No buts!" she snapped. "This isn't about you or your decisions, young man... this is about everyone here! And if that game is the only chance we have to save Kazu and maybe Yamaki and his employees, then you're gonna use that chance! Are we clear?"
"C-crystal clear..." Takato mumbled meekly.
Mie nodded. "Good! Kai, you're gonna help him as best as you can!"
Kai nodded. "Sure thing, auntie!"
"And dear..."
"Uh, yes?" Takehiro looked up at his Digimon wife uncertainly.
She sighed. "Try not to burn the house down when you prepare dinner tonight, okay?"
Her husband chuckled. "I'll try, honey!"
"Um, Mrs. Matsuki..." Kenta spoke up. "What shall MarineAngemon and I do?"
Mie looked at them. "I want the two of you to go out there... and find Calumon! We might need him if we want to find out more about the Hybrid Digivolution!"
----
Kazu looked at the five Commandramon that were sitting around him, with their rifles brandished, while the van they were sitting in drove on through the city.
"So, um..." he tried starting a conversation. "Anyone of you guys ever played the Digimon Card Game?"
The dinosaur soldiers looked at each other. "Um, no," one of them responded.
Kazu smirked. "You know, it has become pretty boring back here... would you be interested in learning the rules?" He grabbed into his pant's back pocket. "I just happen to have enough cards for several players with me." He reached for them.
On edge, the Commandramon raised their weapons.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" Kazu shouted. "I'm just getting the cards." He took them out of his pocket and showed them. "See?"
The Rookie soldiers relaxed, while Kazu shuffled the cards. "So... you wanna know how to play?"
Uncertainly, the Commandramon looked at each other, before one of them approached Kazu curiously.
"Show us."
Kazu smirked. No matter how powerful they might be or how tough they act, deep within, all Rookies were still curious kids.
----
The backdoors of the van opened.
"All right, soldiers!" the Sealsdramon Sergeant snapped. "Now bring the prisoner..."
He stopped himself when he saw how his troops were playing cards with the boy they were supposed to guard. Angrily, he clenched his fists. "What... what the heck do you think you're doing?"
"We're playing cards, sir!" one of the Commandramon explained. "You wanna join us? It's fun!"
The Sealsdramon snarled.
"STOP FOOLING AROUND AND BRING THE PRISONER DOWN INTO THE LAB!" the Champion officer yelled.
Frightened, his troops jumped back to their feet and snapped to attention. "R-right away, sir!"
Kazu sighed. Oh well, it had been fun while it lasted...
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(Posted Thu, 25 Jan 2007 23:00)
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