"He... he almost looks like Calumon," Mie murmured. "I've seen him multiple times, hanging out with our children..."
"So you're the embodiment of the artificial digivolution power?" Sheperdmon asked. "So... how do you feel about this?"
BioCalumon shrugged. "It's a living."
"You know what to do with him," Zhuqiaomon spoke up. "I and all of the other Souvereigns are counting on you, so don't fail us!"
"We won't, Zhuqiaomon!" Mie said and knelt down, indicating for the others to do so as well. Only BioCalumon kept floating around, grinning at the Fire Bird Mega.
"Good," Zhuqiaomon grumbled. "But wait... before you go, there's something else I want you to do."
'Oh now what?' Taomon thought to himself.
Zhuqiaomon watched the four champions intently, then he sighed and said in a quiet voice: "After you completed your first mission, there I something else you have to do. You must know that the Demon Lords have already imprisoned a powerful Mega Digimon that is on our side. And now that Barbamon and the others are busy with Yamacus and his army... I want you to use that chance and free her. She is a Magnadramon."
"Magnadramon?" Sheperdmon asked in surprise. Compsomon silenced her with a quick gesture. The she bowed her head and said. "We shall do so, Zhuqiaomon. But where is she imprisoned?"
"In the Digital World, there is a floating tower... that is the mobile fortress of the Demon Lords. Up to now, we couldn't have saved her, because Barbamon has always been very attentive. But we know that right now, only the Mistress of Lust is in there... and she has yet to reach her Mega Level. It won't be no problem to get in there and break her free. Magnadramon is imprisoned in a cell made of a material that repels the power of a Mega Digimon. But with the right key, you should be able to open it. We are putting this task in your hands because we know how capable you are. You are our Champions, after all..."
"We accept this task and will do our best to accomplish both mission," Leomon said.
Zhuqiaomon nodded. "Good! Now, go!"
The four Champions rose to their feet, saluted the Souvereign one final time and left.
Sheperdmon smiled at Bio Calumon. "Come along, little guy!"
"Wow, finally!" the grey Calumon said happily. "It has been such a long time since I was allowed to get out of here. Whoohoo, going on an adventure, going on an adventure..."
Zhuqiaomon sighed when they were outside.
"Finally I'm rid of that pesky, artificial Digimon..." he murmured. "If I knew how skittish it turned out to be, I'd have thought twice before I turned it into a Digimon..."
"Still I am glad that you made this decision," a voice suddenly spoke up.
Zhuqiaomon raised his head. He knew this was one of the other Souvereigns, contacting him from his palace.
"Azulongmon? Do you always have to spy on me?"
"I'm not spying on you, I just wanted to see our dear old friends again. I think family life did them good, don't you think?"
"Well, you must know..." Zhuqiaomon grumbled.
"But Taomon is still a bit bitter, I'm afraid... if he only would spend more time with his family..."
"Are we talking about our Champions' family lives or is there another reason why you're calling?" Zhuqiaomon snapped.
Azulongmon sighed. Zhuqiaomon, I... I just wanted to thank you."
"What for?"
"You know that pretty well, don't you?" Even though he couldn't see the dragon Digimon's face, Zhuqiaomon could very well see the smug smile on his bearded face. "You didn't have to ask them to free my wife, yet you still did it."
"You would do the same for your sister, if you had one, right?"
"She isn't your sister, Zhuqiaomon..."
Zhuqiaomon shrugged. "The humans programmed her the same time they programmed me, and we shared the same crib... so she was like a sister to me."
Azulongmon chuckled. "What?" the bird Digimon snapped.
"Oh nothing, I just didn't think it possible that you of all Digimon would have nostalgic feelings."
Zhuqiaomon grimaced. "My sister might be the only thing I still HAVE nostalgic feelings for, old friend... When I think about everything else, I... I..."
"You still are reminded of the fact that everything was just created by the humans, right?" Azulongmon asked.
"Yes, you are right..." Zhuqiaomon mumbled. "I always thought we were something special... and when I saw the... capitalism they were treating our world with..." He snarled. "I'm still shaking with rage..."
"But you have learned that not all of them are like that, right? And that is the reason why you couldn't bring yourself to kill the Hybrids Dr. McCoy created. Everyone believed you handed them over to the human government or imprisoned them yourself... but no one could have believed that you actually made them your students."
Zhuqiaomon allowed a proud smile to appear on his beak. "They both needed a guiding hand... Kouki always wanted to prove himself, but he couldn't see that there was no honor of beating up those that were weaker than him. Ivan has a gentle heart, but his absend-mindedness is still a big problem. I think... in a way they have become the children I never had..."
"Just like Alice has become Magnadramon's and mine third daughter," Azulongmon smiled. "Say, is that the only reason why you'll let them use BioCalumon's powers? Would you have done it if they were just some strangers that are on our side?"
"I... I can't say for sure," Zhuqiaomon admitted. "But you are right, I'm seeing the humans in a much different light, now that history has changed... Why didn't you want me to tell our champions of the program that the kids used to change reality?"
"Because not everyone can handle the truth," Azulongmon explained. "Mie has already heard about it from her children, just as Rika's mother has... I'm not too sure about Sheperdmon and Leomon, but I doubt Taomon will be ready to accept it for some time. But... there is one thing I was wondering..."
"And what could that be?"
Azulongmon smirked. "Would you still have taken Kouki and Ivan as your students if reality wasn't changed... or would they have been replaced by two other Digimon?"
Zhuqiaomon closed his eyes for a while. "I refuse to ponder that question, old friend! Let's just say I'm satisfied with how things turned out to be... Or rather, I will be satisfied as soon as the threat of the Demon Lords has vanished. But I'm sure you have your reasons to still believe in those children, do you?"
Azulongmon smiled. "Well, they did save both of our worlds once, did they not?"
Both Mega Digimon were silent for several minutes after that.
Then, Zhuqiaomon spoke up again: "Azulongmon..."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Did you... did you ever believe for a second that the humans had intended us to become the Souvereigns of the Digital World when they created us?"
Azulongmon pondered that question for a while, before he replied: "I believe that only the humans that created us are able to answer that question. Why don't you ask them?"
"Very funny..." the fire bird grumbled.
"No, I'm serious! After all, Sheperdmon married one of them, did she not?"
"And what am I supposed to say? Hello there, we are some of the Digimon you are created, nice job by the way, but could you tell me if you had planned to make me as powerful as I am today?"
"Well, look at all the Digimon that are living on Earth today..."
"Only because reality has changed! And besides, we are the Souvereigns! That's different!"
"Different?" Again, Zhuqiaomon almost saw how Azulogmon raised an eyebrow. "How is that different?"
"I... I just can't!" The fiery Souvereign closed his eyes. "Now, I need to meditate... could we hold this conversation some other time?"
"Well, if you insist..."
A short pause. "You do know that Magnadramon chose to stay behind to save our daughter, do you?"
"She will listen to reason! It's too dangerous to stay there. I will bring her back, and if I have to drag her and that rebellious daughter of yours out of there myself!"
Azulongmon sighed. "You know, you haven't changed completely... you're still as stubborn as always!"
And he left the other Souvereign alone, in peace and quiet.
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(Posted Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:40)
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