Takato, Kai and Guilmon were sitting all around Leomon and listened to his tale breathlessly.
"It's as if the memories of three different persons have been put into my head..." the tall warrior groaned as he clutched his forehead. "I know of everything that has happened in this new 'reality', but I also know about everything that happened to the Leomon and the Tadashi Katou you knew... And now, I am all of those people, but at the same time, I am neither..."
"I knew it..." Takato looked down again. "It IS my fault that everything changed. And now only the three of us, Rika and Renamon are the only ones to remember what really happened."
"I wouldn't say that," Leomon shook his head. "I'd rather say that, ever since you used this game, everything DID happen just like the others remember. In a way, you might have completely and literally re-written history."
Takato gulped as he looked at his computer. If that was true, this piece of software was even more powerful than they imagined...
"I still remember how I... the Leomon part of my soul... died," Jeri's father grumbled. "I remember a sharp pain when Beelzemon attacked me... and then, I was floating around in nothingness. I felt how something was pulling me away from where I was, I suppose that would have been the way all Digimon go to be re-born... But then, a more powerful pull drew me inside of Beelzemon's body. I could see and feel everything he felt... so I already know how ashamed he later was, after he turned back into Impmon. But, after he turned into Beelzemon for the second time, he wanted to save Jeri... and this strong will allowed me to support him while he attacked D-Reaper.
And that was the time when I left his body... I was floating around aimlessly, like a restless spirit... and maybe that's exactly what I was. I couldn't find back the way to the Digital World by myself, so I decided to stay and stick around Jeri, to watch her from beyond the grave, so to speak.
But then came the day when you used the game for the first time... I could feel a powerful presence coming from your home, so I decided to take a look. And so I saw everything you did, and every time you made a change to reality, I could feel a stream of power exiting your computer. I realized that Jeri would digivolve soon enough, with the changes you made to her."
Takato uncomfortably at his feet, but Leomon put a paw on his shoulder and smiled. "I don't blame you for anything, Takato! I know you wouldn't have done it if you knew, and besides, Jeri seems to like her new changes very much.
Well... not too much later, you changed the world as if it would be normal for children to have both Digimon and human parents." He looked at Kai. "At that time, I once again felt something pulling at my soul... I - that still means, the Leomon part of my soul - drifted over to the house of Jeri's parents. According to your instructions, the human and Digimon parts of my soul merged, resulting in me."
"Jeri's father..." Takato spoke up. "Um, I mean, Jeri's father, as he used to be... He's still in you, is he?"
"He is me. I am him... as well as I am Leomon. You see, before my two aspects merged, my Leomon side could feel that my human side was ready and willing for what came next. He... I was glad that I would be able to protect my daughter with the strength I now possess."
He shook his head with a smirk. "Gosh, it feels really strange, talking about me and myself like this, I'll tell you..."
"I can imagine," Kai replied. "And after you merged, what happened next?"
"Reality snapped back into place... so to speak. For a while, I felt as if things had always been like this... and I think from how I'm interpreting the game's powers, that's just how it was. My new form completely natural for me, and it was only after a few minutes that I remembered my original two halves."
"Incredible..." Takato murmured. "So that makes you essentially the only living being with three separate memory sets?"
"That's about it," Leomon nodded. "I came because I felt you deserved to know the truth, and I'm most likely the closest person that could answer your questions, as I felt the changes, back when I was only a digital spirit."
"So... what do you suppose I should do?" Takato asked. "Should I continue to use the game? Or should I lock it away or even get rid of it as fast as possible?"
Leomon earnestly looked at the young boy. "I can give you one advice, Takato: If there is a chance you can help your friends, use that chance. And if you should decide to use the game again, try not to make any changes that affect the whole world anymore... Confine yourself to changes that affect not too many people at once, okay?"
"O-okay..." Takato. "I think I got it..."
Leomon smiled. "Good." He stood up. "Well, so much for that... Now I have to hurry, if I still want to keep up with your mother and the others."
"What?" Guilmon shouted in surprise. "You'd still be able to catch up with them?"
"Oh, please..." the humanoid lion smirked. "They took the car, right? I suppose keeping up with a lousy Volkswagen won't be that much of a challenge."
Takato chuckled. "That's what Mom gets for buying a German brand car."
After Leomon had left, Takato turned around to face Kai with an adventurous smirk on his face. "Well, what are we waiting for? The game doesn't write itself, you know?"
Kai smirked back. "Well, at least we wouldn't want that, right?"
"That's the spirit!" Guilmon shouted. "You can do it, guys!"
----
"Shogun Swo... AAAAARRRRGGH!"
Devimon grinned with satisfaction as the Musyamon fell under his Death Claw. "Too easy! Next!"
As the Samurai Digimon was limping away, a resolute Grizzlymon stepped into his place. "You may have surprised him, but that won't happen to me. After all, you were just a mere Rookie days before - how powerful can you be?"
Devimon snickered. "Well then... try your luck!"
"You bet I will..." the powerful bear Digimon growled. "MAUL ATTACK!"
"HELL CONTRACT!" And Devimon stopped his opponent with a blast of dark energy he fired from his palm. With a groan, Grizzlymon fell down to the ground.
The devil Digimon yawned. "You know, you actually sounded if if you would have made a challenge... anyone else?"
"But no one of the assembled Rookies or Champions felt like being beaten up by the new captain of their squad.
Devimon laughed. "Wimps!"
He then walked over to the captain's chair, where a pair of attractive Witchmon was waiting to massage his back. He leaned back, grabbed a glass with iced tea and relaxed for now, while the girls did their work. He sighed in pleasure.
From one corner of the room, a Roachmon was eyeing him spitefully. Just yesterday, he had been the leader of the Rookie/Champion fraction of Lord Yamacus' troops, and now that upstart was claiming his rightful position.
The sad truth was, he couldn't do anything about it, as he had already tried defeating Devimon three times, and every time, he had failed.
Devimon, on the other hand, was very satisfied. So he lost against the combined power of the Hybrid Tamers and their parents... so what? They had outnumbered him and Riley clearly. But still, his new powers allowed him to easily take his position as the new leader of the lower-ranked troops under his lord's command.
Sure, he'd loved to be a commander within the elite troops, but to claim such a position, he had to be at least an Ultimate.
Besides, he doubted that he would already be strong enough to beat a powerful Ultimate just like that.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw a purple-furred fox Digimon with fiery tips on his nine tails, and a white mane.
Devimon was puzzled. Was this Digimon new? He'd clearly remembered a Champion like that, if he had seen it before. It was amazing how similar it looked to Renamon's Champion form, Kyubimon.
"What do you want?" he asked as the stranger approached him on silent feet.
The fox-Digimon smiled. "Oh, I just wanted to take a look at the new leader of the squad. So tell me, how does it feel to be in charge of your own little troop?"
Devimon considered simply telling this guy off, but he was in good spirits today, so he simply took a sip out of his glass and grinned. "Well, can't complain! Yesterday, I have only been his Lordships messenger boy, but now, I'm in charge of the Rookies and Champions."
"Surely you are thankful for that... and I suppose you would like to give whoever made it possible for you to reach this position your thanks."
"Yeah, you can say that ag... what? Hey, wait a minute!" Devimon put down his glass and looked at the other Digimon suspiciously. "How do you know that?"
The stranger simply smirked mysteriously.
The two Witchmon that had been massaging Devimon's back stopped their work and looked at each other in confusion. Devimon looked back at them. "Okay, that's it for now. Leave, I have some business to take care of."
The Witchmon shrugged, but bowed and left Devimon alone with the stranger.
After they had left, Devimon stood up and snarled furiously. "All right, who are you and how do you know about where I got my powers from?"
"Relax! My name is Youkomon... and I'm simply an emissary from those who granted you those powers."
Devimon calmed his posture. "So, if that's the truth... what do you want from me? Don't tell me it's already time to collect the debts..."
"Not yet!" Youkomon's eyes glinted mischievously. "But my master instructed me to tell you that he is very satisfied with the progress you made... not all Digimon would be able to fight as well in their new, digivolved form as you did."
"Well, I must say, I can't wait to use those powers in my master's services." He grinned. "When I get my claws on those kids and their pesky Digimon... I'm gonna beat them up, one by one."
"Well, just keep in mind that it was thanks to us that you got so strong in such a short time. Stay on our side, and we might offer you more services at the right time."
"Sure, sounds great... but say, what kind of mysterious organization are you anyway? Usually only members of Lord Yamacus' army would be able to sneak into this building. Are you some sort of double agent? And who is your 'master' anyway?"
Youkomon just smiled. "I won't tell you just yet... When my master believes you are worthy of becoming a full-time ally, you shall learn more about our little... association."
Devimon frowned. He didn't like it if someone keeps him in the dark about something... but he would not press the fox Digimon for details. First, he had to make sure that this alliance would really be worth it.
Suddenly, a Gotsumon ran around the corner. "Devimon!" he shouted. "I've just received order..."
"That's SIR Devimon, shrimp!" the devil snarled angrily. "Or have you forgotten who's in charge here?"
"N-no, of course not, sir!" the Gotsumon quickly said and bowed. "Um, Sir Devimon... I just received order from Lady Riley... you shall come to the Throne Room, quickly!"
"Huh? I wonder what they want... Hey, maybe Lord Yamacus wants to congratulate me because of my new status."
He turned around to face his conversation partner. "Say, can we talk later? I have..."
But Youkomon was gone.
Devimon scratched his head. "Huh? Now where did he go? Oh well, have better things to do, anyway... Gotsumon, go and clean my boots. I want to look perfect in front of His Lordship."
"B-but sir... your boots are already perfectly clean, sir!"
"Don't question me!" Devimon snapped. "Do as you're told!"
"R-right away, sir!"
In a dark corner just underneath the ceiling, a pair of glowing eyes looked down at the fallen angel Digimon.
"Soon enough, you'll realize just how much power you will be able to acquire, once you joined us willingly... Fourth One!"
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(Posted Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:28)
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