"Say, does any of you think this is too easy..." Romi muttered while they climbed down the dark and murky shaft.
"Why, sis, are you complaining?" Bimon asked from up above.
"No, but... wouldn't you say a top secret base wouldn't have a bit more security than a shaft that is covered with a trash can?"
"She has a point," Henry spoke up as he floated down next to his adult, human sister. "This is a bit TOO easy... Lucemon would have already found the base if this is all she has to do..."
"Just wait and see," Gargomon shrugged. "If there are any more defenses, we'll see them soon enough."
He was right.
The shaft and ladder ended in a small, circular room with a narrow passageway leading into another, bigger room. This room was squarish and had only one other exit. And that exit was blocked by a massive, metal door with no locks.
Bimon frowned and walked up to the door. She tapped a few times against the metal and sighed. "End of the road, people... this is Digi-Chrome, we won't be able to open this one."
"Are you sure?" Yui wondered. "Doesn't the protagonist in all RPGs always find a way to get to the end of the dungeon?"
Romi sweatdropped. "This is hardly a 'dungeon'... this is an empty room at the end of a trash can shaft."
"Not quite empty," Turuiemon said. "Look!"
They all looked at the switch on the wall.
Suzie walked up to it. "You know, it's just a feeling but... I'd say if we pull this switch, the door opens."
"You've GOT to be kidding me..." Romi muttered.
"She's right," Gargomon nodded. "I don't think Kei would come up with such a sloppy puzzle."
Suzie shrugged. "Well, only one way to find out..."
"Sis, wait a second!" Henry gasped as Suzie reached out to press the switch. "Maybe it's a trap..."
Suzie pressed the switch and looked at her brother. "Huh? What did you say, Henry?"
Henry sighed. "Never mind..."
"Looks, there's something moving," Yui shouted and gestured at the middle of the room, where four big stone blocks were coming out of the floor. Two of them were colored white, the other two were black.
Gargomon nodded. "Aha, the obligatory 'block pushing' riddle... I was wondering when we would stumble into one."
"Block... pushing?" Romi asked.
"Yeah," Gargomon said. "You push the blocks were you need them, and the door should open." He looked around. "Still, I wonder WHERE exactly we are supposed to push them..."
"Here's a label," Suzie said and looked at the wall next to the switch. "Align the rooks and the path opens."
"Great, a riddle..." Yui groaned. "I never was good at these..."
"Wait, rooks are chess pieces, aren't they?" Turuiemon asked. "And since we got two black and two white blocks here... I believe those are supposed to be the rooks we are looking for."
"And how does that help us?" Romi asked.
"You know, Romi is doing great in Rika's place..." Gargomon whispered into Henry's ear. "She's even as cynical as old pineapple-head..."
"Gee, sis, isn't it obvious?" Bimon grinned. "We have to push the blocks in the places where the rooks normally stand." He paused. "Um, which place would that be?"
"In the four corners of the chess board, every child knows that," Romi grumbled.
Suzie smirked. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's push the blocks into the corners of the room!"
"But wait, we have to put the white ones opposite to the black ones," Henry reminded her.
"Duh, I'm not stupid," she said.
Romi watched how Gargomon, Turuiemon, Suzie and Yui were each pushing one of the blocks into the four corners of the room. "This is stupid..." she groaned. "Those words on the wall could mean anything. Why should pushing blocks open the..."
Her mouth stayed wide open when something within the walls clicked, and the door of Digi-Chrome slowly opened.
Bimon grinned. "You were saying, sis?"
"Everyone, keep the gates closed!"
"But they will melt through anyways."
"No matter, we have to stop them as long as we can. Commandramon, support our troops in the battle against the fire Digimon, they are being pushed back."
"Do I have to... that looks dangerous."
"What are you, a soldier or a little kid?"
"Um... both?"
"Quick, there come the next wounded, bring more bandages."
Romi and her little group of 'replacement heroes' stared at the scene in front of them. Digimon of all kinds were running back and forth, many of them Rookies. Several human children were helping as well, although a couple of them were just huddling in the corner, crying softly. A few machine Digimon worked on huge, metal gates, while others ran into a small tunnel, ready for battle.
"What is the world is happening here?" Henry wondered.
"Say, Henry..." Suzie spoke up. "Those two kids over there... don't they look familiar?"
"Of course!" Gargomon said. "Those are Kenta and Kazu, I would recognize those two anywhere. Hey guys!"
The two little boys turned around. "Kenta, look, it's Gargomon!" Kazu shouted, a big grin on his face. "How are ya doing, buddy?"
"I'm here, too," Henry said.
"GAH!" Kenta gasped. "It's Calumon's evil twin..."
"Actually, that's just Henry..." Suzie giggled.
Kazu looked at her. "Um, do I know you?"
She giggled again. "It's me, Suzie."
"SUZIE?? B-b-but... I mean... you are..." Kazu stammered.
Suzie smirked. "Yes?"
Kazu blushed. "You look hot..."
"Good to see you are as mature as always..." Turuiemon groaned. "So this is where you two have been... you know the guy who's in charge of this base?"
Kazu grinned. "You're standing in front of him!"
"Actually, those two are just in charge of bringing out the garbage," someone behind them chuckled. "Belphemon is the leader."
Romi turned around and faced the little boy in front of her. Still, she figured he had to be an adult who was just changed into a little kid, just like her. She frowned. He looked familiar. "Do... I know you?" she asked.
"Hey, that was my line," Kazu protested.
"It depends..." the boy replied. "Are you Renamon?"
Romi sighed. "No, not quite..."
"Ah, my mistake... so you're Rika, then?"
"NO! I'm their father!"
Now it was Daisuke's turn to boggle. "Father? I mean, I would understand it if you said mother... after all, I was regressed as well... but why did it change your gender?"
"Long story..." Romi grumbled. "Still, that doesn't answer my question."
"Oh, right! I am the father of Mako and Ai... maybe your daughters once told you about them... a pleasure to meet you."
Romi felt a pang of guilt. She rarely heard anything from Rika or Renamon... back when he was still male and adult, Roshi Taomon Nonaka hadn't spoken to his sisters for quite a while. All he knew about their adventures as Tamer and partner was what he saw in the news, or heard from his Sovereign...
"Ai's father?" Henry asked. "Oh, sir, I... I am sorry for what happened to your..."
"Henry!" Suzie hissed and nudged him with her elbow.
"It's all right," Daisuke sighed. "I guess I can tell myself that the monster who has done all of this to us is not my sweet, little daughter anymore... But if only my wife were here as well..."
"Say, am I the only one who heard him say that BELPHEMON is the one in charge here?" Gargomon asked.
"Belphemon?" Romi gasped. "But... but he disappeared right after the battle with Yamaki and his troops..."
"That... is not quite true," Daisuke said. "He regressed to his Rookie Level and stayed in our house. He was very well-behaved..."
"Your should have reported him to the police," Romi grumbled. "He's a wanted criminal."
"Above everything else, he's a little boy!" Daisuke said sternly. "And unlike DemiDevimon and Betamon, he wasn't in control of what he did."
"But if he's Belphemon again... does that mean he's back in his Demon Lord form now?" Henry asked in a worried tone of voice.
"Say, who is this 'Belphemon' you all are talking about?" Yui wondered.
Everyone looked at her.
"PLEASE tell me you're not serious," Turuiemon told the female Meramon.
"Didn't you watch the news that day?" Henry asked.
"Everyone has heard of him before," Gargomon added. "You know, big Demon Lord guy..."
Bimon scratched his head. "Demon Lord... Demon Lord... now why does that sound familiar..."
"Th-that's not important now, bro," Romi stuttered.
Then Bimon snapped his fingers. "Of course! I know where I have heard that word before!"
'Oh no...' Romi thought. 'Please don't let him regain his memories, not now!'
Bimon grinned. "The Demon Lords... that's that one new rock band, isn't it?"
Everyone facefaulted at once.
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(Posted Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:24)
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