Werewolf Tale X Digimon

[Renegade_Productions]

- Part 19 -


Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Moon Phase = Waning Gibbous

7:49 p.m.


“Then if Jude reaches out to us, we’ll tell him that.” Shelly said.

“I just hope she doesn’t do anything risky trying to get some kind of fruit.” Alex said.

“Floramon is smarter than that,” Kudamon said.

“Still… Shelly, when it gets cold, do your grocers keep some fruits outside overnight?”

“Some do. The larger chains, certainly.”

“...Jude was sent to Sherman, wasn’t he?”

“Think so, yeah.”

“Okay. Give me a few minutes.” Alex then put Shelly on hold and began searching for maps of the area. “Judging by the size of that city, there might be one or two major grocers.”

“Central, or on the outskirts?”

“Probably the latter. The central area is almost all houses from the look of it.”

“And Floramon like forests much more than buildings,” Kudamon added.

“So do I.” Bearmon said.

“Still, why would she not be near the device?” Shelly asked.

“Maybe she left it there, thinking no one would find it?” Alex said.

“I disagree.” Kudamon said. “All of us were well aware these devices are too important to leave behind. Unless something extreme happens, like it did with Gomamon.”

“That reminds me,” Shelly began. “Jude didn’t say where he found the device, did he?”

“...No, he didn’t.” Alex replied.

“Maybe we should get in touch with him right now. Might save him an hour.”

“Yeah, let’s.”

Shortly after, Shelly’s text appeared on the group chat.


Shelly O’Reilly : Jude, where did you find the device?


Jude’s answer came half a minute later; Alex and Shelly hung up in the interim.


Jude Bianchi : Someone’s backyard.


Alex raised an eyebrow at that.


Shelly O’Reilly : Wait, really?


Jude Bianchi : Chill. No one was home, and the gate was unlocked.


Shelly O’Reilly : Still.


Alex Stryker : How’d you know no one was home?


Jude Bianchi : Knocked on the door and rang the doorbell. No one ignores the doorbell but, this house did.


Shelly O’Reilly : And no one came home from work?


Jude Bianchi : Nope. Neighbors did, though.


After a moment, something occurred to Alex.


Alex Stryker : I wonder: what if the one she was supposed to meet is away from the house, on vacation somewhere?


Jude Bianchi : You know, that makes total sense.


Shelly O’Reilly : Then it wasn’t because she was rejected.


Alex Stryker : Doesn’t answer where she went, though.


Jude Bianchi : Unlocked gate says to me she should be back. Just a question of when.


Alex Stryker : If it helps, Bearmon pointed out Floramon like fruits.


Jude Bianchi : Good to know. Thanks.


Shelly O’Reilly : No problem. Keep us posted.


Jude didn’t reply, leaving Alex to hope he would be successful waiting for Floramon. That just leaves Dustin, Jason, and Fran. Though curious how they were doing, he had begun yawning within the last half hour. As busy as the day had been, some good sleep felt in order.


Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Moon Phase = Waning Gibbous


When Alex awoke, there was no sign of Kudamon and the moonlight was still streaming past his blinds. With Bailey still in his bed, and the house as a whole lacking any noise, he kept quiet himself as he checked on the device and his phone. The latter had no new messages, but the group chat had continued well after he’d turned in.

Jude had followed up half an hour after Shelly’s last message, with word that he had found Floramon. She had confirmed Alex’s theory about the one she was supposed to meet being away on vacation, had used the empty house for several days as a shelter and source of food, and had left the device outside to ensure one of them would find it.


Jude Bianchi : She’s pretty bummed. Don’t blame her.


Shelly O’Reilly : Maybe Seraphimon will let her have another chance?


Alex Stryker : (Kudamon) - He may. When you bring her back, ask him.


Jude Bianchi : Sure thing.


Fran had followed up soon after, saying she had dropped off Salamon and was heading home to get some sleep.

Wonder why Jason and Dustin have stayed quiet. Doubtful it was because of anything serious, Alex got out of bed and snuck out of the room; Bailey’s ears moved when he came close, though his eyes remained closed. The guest room, bathroom and living room showed no sign of Kudamon, though Alex could smell warm circuitry all along the hallway. It was as he drew closer to the kitchen that he heard grapes being plucked from stems and munched on.

His curiosity satisfied, Alex returned to his room to listen to some music and read something. When Kudamon returned, he did so in a skulking fashion to keep Bailey from waking up, pausing briefly when he noticed Alex was up.

“So, what happens when all the lost ones are back?” Alex asked in a whisper.

“Seraphimon may summon us. Beyond that, I do not know.”

“Checked a minute ago. Dustin and Jason haven’t responded.”

“If it was a problem, they would tell us. I have faith in them.”

Alex nodded. “Alright.”

* * *​

Hours later, before the sun began to creep over the horizon, a response finally came from Jason.


Jason Van de Berg : Finally caught up to our guy. Getting him back soon.


That’s a relief. Alex thought as he made his way to the bathroom for a shower. A while after, while he and Kudamon were eating, Dustin finally responded.


Dustin Allers : Bringing Kokuwamon back soon. Had to wait for the local utility workers to clear out.


Alex Stryker : Where was he?


Dustin Allers : Near a power grid substation. There was a blackout in the area soon after we arrived; he must have done something to short out the substation.


Alex Stryker : Yeah, that would get the city to check on things.


Dustin Allers : That aside, I’m the last one, right?


Alex Stryker : Yep. That’s all eight of us. All safe and sound.


Dustin Allers : Will be shortly. Guess we’ll see what’s next.


“That’s all of them,” Alex said as he set the device down.

“Good to hear. While we have some time, do you have any plans beyond more studying?”

“Yeah. Go skateboarding around the block, maybe go to a skatepark.”

“That sounds fun.”

“Yeah it is. I’d have to keep you in the device if we go to the park, though. Too many eyes.”

Kudamon agreed before going back to eating.

* * *​

When Alex arrived at the Tampa Skateshop an hour later, Walter and a new employee were working the two counters. The noises from the park, as well as the human scents he could notice, gave an estimate of three to five other skaters.

“Hey, Alex.” Walter said as he came closer. Alex responded with something similar. “How long do you want to skate?”

“Just an hour,” Alex said as he pulled some cash from his pocket and readied his backpack to hand over.

At the gate to the park, more unique scents began wafting through the chain link, the reefer among them prompting an exhale out of his nose. Alex let his skateboard fall to its wheels a moment later before stepping on and pushing off. The scent lost its impact in turn, though he quickly figured out who it was coming off of.

Alex coasted around the park for several minutes, enjoying the atmosphere and doing the occasional Ollie and occasional rail grind. As he stopped to catch his breath, he checked on Kudamon; he shook his head when he looked at him, their agreed upon signal for ‘nothing yet’.

“Want to watch for a minute?” Alex asked.

“Let me see the area first.” Kudamon replied.

Alex nodded before climbing to the top of the park’s main halfpipe and aiming the device’s screen out towards the park.

“Hmm. Go ahead, so long as you are quick. I will keep as still as I can.”

“Alright. I think you’ll enjoy this.” Once he was back on the ground floor, Alex dropped his board and climbed on, pushing off towards one of the inclines. On the way down, he adjusted his stance and pivoted, his wheels scraping the smooth concrete. Ahead was a short rail, and a quick Ollie set him up for a grind along half its length.

As he came to a stop near the stairs behind the halfpipe, he turned the device around to find a small smile on Kudamon’s face. “You were right. That was enjoyable.” he said.

“Thought so,” Alex said before wiping his forehead. As he stayed seated on the stairs, two of the younger skaters left the park, leaving two actively riding. “One more go?”

Kudamon nodded. “Go ahead.”

Alex then stood up, only to hear a familiar voice come from the device. “Kudamon? Alex?”

Seraphimon. Alex turned around and climbed the stairs before responding. “We’re here.”

“Good. I have more to discuss with you and the other seven. If you are able, return here by noon your time and I will explain.”

 

[Renegade_Productions]

- Part 20 -


Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Moon Phase = Waning Gibbous

9:51 a.m.


Noon… Alex checked his phone. That was just over two hours away.

“Are the other seven back?” Kudamon asked.

“Yes. Dustin delivered Kokuwamon some hours ago. My thanks to you both again for bringing Gomamon home safe.”

“So, what’s going on? Can you tell us anything?” Alex asked.

“Only that after I discuss things with you and the others, I request that you and Kudamon remain here for a time. Half a day, at least.”

Alex caught himself before denying the request. “Your time?”

“Yes.”

Kudamon nodded when Alex looked at him. “Alright. I can do that.”

“Good. Until then.”

Alex waited until he felt Seraphimon was no longer hearing them. “Is talking to him like this not secure?”

“It should be, but ensuring we all hear the same things is likely what he wants.”

“That’s fair.” Alex stood up again. “Alright, where were we?” he said aloud before getting on his board and pushing off. For the laps that followed, Alex kept up his routine of facing the device away from other skaters, adding more grinds where he could.

Near the end of the third lap, Alex rolled at full speed towards the top of the central funbox, sliding his shoes into position and aiming the screen down. As he neared the top, he started an Ollie and flicked his toes to flip the board, catching it just before landing. He came to a stop near the halfpipe stairs afterward.

The impressed smile had since returned to Kudamon’s expression. “What was that you just did?”

“A flip trick. There’s dozens of them in this sport.”

“Really? Hmm.”

“I’ll show you more another time.” Alex said as he stood back up. “My hour’s almost up.” He then pocketed the device and left the park to recover his things.

Back at home, Alex entertained Bailey with another walk and a few rounds of fetch. Kudamon said nothing until they were back inside and out of the device. “If we are needed for that many hours, we should prepare as we did for Kingston.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same.” Alex said before heading for his room. Seeing no reason to carry more clothing, he removed the ones he’d stashed from his backpack, replacing them with more useful, he hoped, tools. The snacks Gomamon had eaten were then replenished, and the bottles of water refilled.

Alright, what else? With the park session fresh in mind, Alex strapped his skateboard to the backpack. After some more seconds, unable to think of anything else, he turned to Kudamon. “If you’ve got any ideas, let me know.”

“I believe what you have should suffice for twelve hours.”

“Alright, then.” Alex said as he laid his pack on the floor. The following hour passed quickly, with him giving Bailey a few head rubs and a hug as he’d done before leaving the previous time.

When the gate was opened, Alex tucked the device away and allowed himself to get pulled in. He grabbed the device a moment later and gripped it tightly. Nothing. It spared him another shock and didn’t glow.

Kudamon noticed the same from inside the device. ‘Still no shocks. Quite a good sign.’

‘Yeah, agreed.’

Eventually the other side of the gate approached and Alex shielded his eyes in anticipation. As his feet touched the ground, and he could see the projection of his room, he pulled the device from his pocket, allowing Kudamon to leave it.

On the other side of the door, Jude, Jason, Shelly, Graham and their partners were already waiting. Seraphimon was nowhere in sight.

“Ey, man,” Jude said with a quick wave after spotting him. In contrast to the others, he was laying down on the bench.

“Hey Jude, guys.” Alex replied.

“Hope you’ve got something to read.” Graham said after returning the greeting. “The others are taking the sweet time.”

“Yeah I do. Figured I’d need a few,” Alex said as he set his backpack down.

“You brought a skateboard too? Right on.” Jude said. Alex nodded with a smile in response.

The next to arrive was Fran, after what felt like half an hour; Lopmon was laying chest down on her head, her ears hanging low enough to work as earmuffs. “No sign of Seraphimon?” Fran asked.

“Nope. Probably waiting for all of us to get here.” Jude replied.

Fran sat down without a reply beyond a hum, removing Lopmon from her head and placing her in her lap after.

Dustin and Renamon were next; as he exchanged greetings, Renamon kept quiet and only waved. How bodyguard-like her behavior was prompted Alex to get Kudamon’s attention.

“Are all Renamon like her?”

“Most are. Why?”

“Just curious.” Alex replied, though as he kept his focus on her, a question began to form.

“Do you need something, Alex?” Renamon suddenly asked.

“Possibly.” Alex then stood up and made his way closer to her, Kudamon following close behind. When he was close enough, he asked in a lowered voice, “Dustin, would you mind if we talk away from the others?”

Dustin looked towards Renamon, who gave no gesture in response. “If it’s with the two of us, sure.”

“That works. I’m just curious about something.”

“What I felt in you when you shook my hand, yes?” Renamon asked.

“Yeah, exactly.”

Renamon nodded with a hum before the four of them moved away from the firepit. “Are you looking for answers, or something else?” she asked when they were far enough.

“Bit of both I guess.” Alex then held his hand out again. “Do I give the same impression now?”

Renamon glanced at Alex’s hand before extending her own and shaking it. This time, her eyes narrowed. “Yes, the exact same. I can feel something inside you, but not exactly what it is.”

“Did Seraphimon ever tell you what that was?” Dustin asked.

“He is still investigating I believe.” Kudamon replied. “Otherwise, as he told us back when we all met, this ‘virus’ code is stable.”

“Stable, maybe, but still present and effortless to feel,” Renamon said as she motioned to have her paw back.

“Yeah I know.” Alex said as he acquiesced.

The four stayed silent for a minute after, thoughts coming and going from each of their minds.

“Do you think this will this be a major problem for me, as is?” Alex asked.

“Possibly.” Renamon replied. “If we can feel this virus code just by touch, the best I can recommend is avoiding shaking hands, or any likewise human behaviors.”

Alex sighed. “Guess that’ll have to cut it for now.”

“Remember, you have Kudamon. He can handle some things for you until a solution is found.”

“Yeah, true.”

“What kind of solution is there for something like this?” Dustin asked.

“I have no idea.” Renamon replied.

Kudamon replied similarly, adding, “And it would be best if we do not over-speculate.”

Alex silently agreed, his own ideas making him nervous. “That aside, hopefully we’re all working together with what’s coming.” He received agreement in various ways as the four of them returned to the firepit and surrounding benches.

When Margarete at last arrived some time later, she immediately apologized for being late. “Had to make sure my little brother had someone to watch him while I’m out.”

“It’s cool, brah.” Jude replied as he sat up. “We’ve been chilling anyway.”

“Seraphimon hasn’t come yet?” Margarete asked.

“Not yet. More than likely he is assisting the Sovereigns with something.” Kudamon replied.

Margarete hummed. “Alright, then.” She then claimed the last bench and pulled Gotsumon up to her side. “So, how did the rescues go for everyone?”

“Felt a bit sad for the one we went after.” Fran replied.

“What happened?”

“The one she met just…ignored her. Completely.”

“How exactly?” Graham asked.

“They just did.”

“...I dunno how, seeing as all of them can talk and all.”

“Sounds like denial to me.” Jason said.

“You said ya wanted to show her some love, Fran?”

Fran nodded. “Yeah. A nice meal, some head and belly rubs. You know, stuff dogs would like.”

“I can attest to that,” Alex said. “Probably made her day doing that.”

Fran gave a small smile in response.

“Shelly and I had about the same experience.” Jason said. “Since both of us were chasing birds, and the device signals, for hours.”

“They stayed up high?” Dustin asked.

“Yeah, and had quite a bit of flight stamina.” Shelly replied.

“Why were they turned down? Did they say?”

“The one I was after, Hawkmon, had no choice.” Jason said. “The parents of his partner wanted him gone as soon as they found out. Wouldn’t let him use their computer to go back either.”

“Biyomon though, the poor guy, he was chased out of the house he came into. Told not to come back, though he tried a few days later and was turned away.” Shelly said.

“Something similar happened with Gomamon, the one we were after.” Alex said. “He was still upset when we found him.”

“Rightly so I think.”

“Aww, it’s not that bad.” Bearmon said. “Remember what Seraphimon said? About lots of us being sent in case that happened?”

“And we got eight this time. That’s better than five.” Coronamon added.

“It may be nine.” Jude said. “Gotta ask the big man about that one when he comes.”

“I’m sure he’d agree to another try. After all, what were the odds of that happening?” Candlemon said.

“True that.”

Things went quiet again for a time; when Alex reached for his phone and saw its screen glitching out, the device was back on his mind. “Does this thing convert time, or have a clock?” he asked of Kudamon.

“Good question. That would be useful.”

“Something to ask Seraphimon?”

“Yes. If these can be programmed with new functions, he should be able to code such a tool.”

Alex nodded and tucked the idea away for later.

After what felt like another half-hour, the first hints of Seraphimon at last appeared in the room. A new gate opened in the ceiling and he descended from it, stopping inches from the floor.

“Greetings to all of you. My apologies for the wait, if it was a bother.”

Alex and the other seven responded generally that it wasn’t.

“Good, good. As all of you know, I have more to discuss about the matters at hand, but before that, my thanks once again for bringing the missing eight home safe and sound.”

“About that,” Jude began. “The one we found, Floramon? Can she have another chance?”

Seraphimon hummed. “I will discuss the possibility with her. Should she agree, I will send her back again in a few days your time.”

“Thanks.”

Seraphimon’s helmeted head nodded. “Now then, permit me to tell you more about certain things. I will move to the matters I intended to bring to all of your attentions afterward.”

 

[Renegade_Productions]

- Part 21 -


Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Moon Phase = Waning Gibbous

?:??


Seraphimon waited a moment before continuing. “All of you have by now seen others of our kind cross over to your world. Do you know why they do this?”

Expecting at least one of the others to say they did, Alex waited to find out who. When no one did, he drew Seraphimon’s attention and said, “They want something we have, right?”

“That is a reason, yes.”

“Curiosity?” Graham asked.

“In some cases, yes.”

Things went silent again.

“Consider this: is there a common thread between those answers?”

Shelly beat everyone to the answer. “Desire.”

Seraphimon nodded. “Correct. In every case of our kind crossing over to your world, that is the lynchpin.”

Alex thought back to the Guardromon at that, to his words about how he did not have the means to help him make something come true.

“And it was also the catalyst for the very first crossing. A desire to see what was beyond this world, possibly what had created us as a species. It took many of our years, as I and others discovered, but nonetheless it succeeded and one of our kind made it into your world.”

“What happened to them?” Jude asked.

“Before I say, I must ask: how many of you have heard of the alien theories surrounding the city of Roswell?”

Jude’s eyes widened, while Alex felt a grin cross his face. “...No way.”

“For real?” Fran asked.

“Yes. The first of us to cross over, one by the name of Vademon, was partially responsible for some stories you may have heard, though not the original theories from your year of nineteen-forty-seven. His crossing was decades later, near the end of your nineteen-seventies.”

“Whoa. That’s crazy.” Jude said.

“Yeah but doesn’t that mean the feds know about this place, and you?” Dustin asked.

“I can assure you, I and those I assist ensure they do not.” Seraphimon replied. “Erasing evidence and the like on human world computers, even ones belonging to these ‘feds’? Tis a simple task, but an essential one.”

“So, if we’re in a situation where…” Fran began, then stalled.

“Where the damage caused by our kind is minimal, then yes, I and others will ensure traces of your presence that we can affect will vanish.”

“What about Vademon? What happened to him?”

Seraphimon then held a gauntleted hand out and displayed an image of an alien-like creature with an external brain and noodleish body holding a ray-gun. Alex felt a chill at the sight. “He still exists in your world, and spends much of his days working with human technology. Tis how some of us know many things of relevance to the human world, but he is not a flawless ally.”

“How come?” Margarete asked.

“Being one born from virus code, he has some malicious tendencies. What those are, I will not say, but think of him as a, to use a human phrase, ‘genius used car salesman’ and you will have a fair understanding. We keep an eye on him regardless in case his presence is discovered.”

“So, what’s happened since?” Dustin asked.

“Since then we have worked to keep others from achieving what he did. For many of our decades, because the majority of your computers could not process our bodies beyond the most basic, this was a simple task. As of the last ten of your years, this task has become much harder, and resulted in what some of your partners might have called ‘expeditions’.”

Alex glanced at Kudamon, who nodded in response.

“To explain in brief, four of our own managed to cross over, in human time, eight years and nine months ago. By the time this was realized, more than a day of your time had passed and we had no way of tracking down the ones who made it through. Thus, we sent five more in search of them and eventually found the lost ones, thanks to the one human who did not reject us on sight and deem us monsters. That was the first expedition.”

“The one you showed us a minute ago? Did he not know it happened?” Alex asked.

“That was our impression at first, but as we learned, he was well aware, just unwilling to say anything before he was prompted.”

“So, he doesn’t care if others cross over?”

“His behavior at the time did not give that impression, but personally I do not discount the likelihood. Yes, more of our kind crossing over threatens the peace he has made for himself, but his position is also one where he could abandon his quarters in seconds and be back here, free of any responsibilities your world put onto him.”

“Leaving a digital trail the size a’ Florida I’d wager.” Graham said.

“Hence why we watch him closely to this day.”

“Me, I’m wondering,” Jason began. “If the second crossing was that long ago, how many have happened since?”

“At the time your partners were sent to find you, six hundred and seventy-nine crossings have been successful, twenty-one of them within the week preceding their arrival.”

“Whoa. Huge jump.” Jude said.

“Indeed. Many of the crossings have been handled by our first human ally and his partner, but his human obligations made it clear very early that we should not depend solely on the two of them. Three were added to his ranks with the expedition that followed, and then four the third time. The eight of you are part of expedition four, and bring the number of pairs to sixteen.”

That sounds promising.

“I’m guessing we won’t be the last.” Shelly said.

“You are the newest after a period of four of your years. So, while you could be right, we may have a solution to this problem long before we need more like yourselves.”

“Not that more is a bad thing.” Bearmon said as he rested a paw on Shelly’s hand, drawing her attention. “Lots of us dream of having human partners.”

“Tis true, but as all of you know, not all of humanity will accept us and our numbers are exponentially greater than those of humans.”

“By how much?” Fran asked.

“Easily three times, and that number grows by the day.” When the room stayed quiet, Seraphimon asked, “Is there more that any of you wish to know? If not, I will move to the other matters.”

Dustin got Seraphimon’s attention a moment later. “How long has this place existed?”

“Precisely? I do not know. Our earliest recorded records would place the creation of this world, and us, in the earliest of your nineteen fifties. However, I believe an argument can be made that we have always existed alongside humans, separated by something that the march of your technology had made easier to break though.”

“But, wasn’t data something that didn’t exist until computers came around?”

“True, but remember, humans created computers. Such a concept is newer to you than us, as data is all we know.” Seraphimon paused before asking, “Is there anything else on your minds?” Alex shook his head; the others did the same or said nothing. “In that case, to the matters I mentioned before.”

Seraphimon then made the image of the alien creature vanish and replaced it with a series of maps, one similar to Earth’s spherical map with several locations highlighted and shown in pictures. The hexagonal structure of things on the spherical map stood out to Alex immediately.

“What you see now is a representation of our world. Much like yours, there is civilization scattered about, with rural areas besides. You will also see places like this,” Seraphimon pointed to a certain spot, “where many virus-types have made home.”

“Is that our next assignment?” Graham asked.

“For the moment, no. It is simply a statement of fact. The eight before you currently handle any situation that arises in these areas, though the time may come when these places must be visited by the eight of you.”

“So then, what is our next assignment?”

“To spend some time among the ones who inhabit this world, and to assist them if needed. This is why all of you were told to prepare for twelve hours of our time.”

Alex raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kudamon, who nodded. “So, are we…ambassadors or something?”

“In a way, yes.” Seraphimon replied. “There will be diplomatic aspects to these coming twelve hours.”

Alex glanced around at the others, meeting some of their gazes by chance. None of them seemed bothered, though Jude and Fran were in more thought than usual.

Jason spoke up after a time. “What’s the likelihood of us…uh, let me rephrase. When you say ‘assist’, does that mean labor or combat?”

“It can mean both, though more likely the latter.”

“Glad I know what Coronamon is capable of, then.”

“Indeed, though I see no need to worry about a serious incident. If anything, you will be asked questions about yourselves or asked to help with minor issues.”

“Virus-types are always causing trouble somewhere,” Coronamon said.

“And some of us have held them off before,” Dracomon added.

“Tis true. Virus-types are well known for being confrontational and tribalistic.”

“You guys keep saying ‘types’. What other types are there?” Dustin asked.

“Vaccine and Data. All of us here fall into one of these two types.” Kudamon replied.

“Yep. You’ll see lots of Vaccine-types working as guards in civilized areas. Someone’s gotta protect all the Data-types out there after all.” Bearmon said.

“Isn’t that what we are?” Margarete asked.

“Yes, so should, in the future, you encounter any very dangerous Virus-types, keep them away from you at all costs.” Seraphimon said.

“It’s okay, Seraphimon.” Gotsumon replied. “They won’t touch our buddies. No way.” Coronamon, Bearmon, Dracomon and Candlemon all replied with similar enthusiasm. Alex didn’t look towards Kudamon, but quietly figured he was thinking the same.

“I am glad to hear it.” Seraphimon said. “Now, I believe all of you have the information needed to begin your twelve hour stay. If you feel you are ready, I will bring all of you to one of the cities where your presence has been requested.”

“Does it have a name?” Fran asked.

“Currently, it goes by the name of Berg. Tis a stone-walled city with a modestly sized castle, bordering a wide river and dense forest. The rest I will leave for all of you to discover.”

“Don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait.” Jude said when things went quiet.

“Berg’s quite the place. You guys will love it.” Candlemon said.

“To that, I agree.” Kudamon said. Renamon seconded his statement, and Alex couldn’t help but feel a smile come on.

“I think we’re ready, Seraphimon,” Alex said as he stood up and gathered his backpack. “Though, what happens once the twelve hours are up?”

“When that time comes, you will be able to return…” Seraphimon then casually moved his left arm to the side. When it stopped, a gate, un-tethered to any kind of computer, appeared, in the shape of a sphere partially buried in the stone floor. “via this gate. It will bring you into Berg, and bring you back to this place.”

“Only we can use it?” Shelly asked.

“Yes. It will allow no others to pass, and will close once all eight of you have passed it, in either direction.”

“Cool.” Jude said before picking up Candlemon by the metal of his holder. “Well then, off we go.” Within seconds, he had approached the gate. “See you guys on the flip side, guys.” he said before walking through it with barely a break in his stride.

Seraphimon chuckled afterwards. “Such enthusiasm. It is to be admired.”

“We should go next,” Renamon said.

“As should Alex and I,” Kudamon said, to which Renamon nodded.

Instead of holding Kudamon, Alex let him follow at ground level. Dustin and Renamon were close behind, with Alex noticing some of the others beginning to follow suit as he neared the gate. He felt no pull or pressure from it up close, nor heard any noises from beyond it.

“Until next time, Seraphimon,” Kudamon said.

“Yes. Until then.”

Following Jude’s example, Alex didn’t break stride as the gate came closer; his forward leg, then the rest of his body, went through it as easily as one would pass thick fog. On the other side, he was met with what could be recognized as a cathedral. Smokey white stone made up its walls and pillars, paintings covered the arched parts of the several story high ceiling, and marble tiles as long as his body was tall lined the entirety of the floor. Jude and Candlemon were a ways ahead, and near them was another creature. Despite being quadrupedal and having wings, it was dressed in something similar to priest robes.

Soon, its attention fell on Alex with a piercing stare. “That is Hippogriffomon,” Kudamon said after a moment. “This place and everything it contains is under his care.”

Alex didn’t reply, instead hoping what he knew his body contained was not exposed by this new creature.

 

[Renegade_Productions]

- Part 22 -


Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Moon Phase = Waning Gibbous

?:??


The Hippogriffomon soon raised one of its front paws and gestured for Alex to approach. His hesitation allowed the sound of footsteps behind him to emerge; Dustin was through the gate, with Jason and Shelly behind him. All three of them were in awe of the place they came into.

“I don’t bite. Come closer, all of you,” the Hippogriffomon said after a moment. Alex made the first move again and came in closer to Jude. Glancing behind himself as he did showed Graham was through the gate, leaving two until it closed. “Six pairs. How fortunate we are.”

“Eight, actually.” Jude corrected. “Last two are still coming.”

“Even better. Welcome, all of you, to Berg. I am Hippogriffomon, guardian and priest of this grand structure.”

“Thanks. Quite a nice cathedral here.”

Hippogriffomon nodded. “Indeed it is. Built by the greatest artisans and craftsmen we have, myself included. Feel free to stay and look around.”

Alex waited for Jude to move before doing so himself. With another look behind himself, he saw that Fran was finally through, and Margarete was emerging. The gate closed a moment later without a sound, allowing him to see what was behind it: a table with four marble statues behind a large silver plate.

Alex’s attention stuck to the statues long enough to get him to move towards them; the others moved towards Hippogriffomon or began looking in other directions. As he drew closer, the names carved into the statue plaques became clearer, as well as the finer details of each.

“Are these the ‘Sovereigns’ Gomamon was talking about?” Alex asked after bringing Kudamon up to chest level.

“Yes, these are them. The most powerful of our kind.”

“Probably the oldest ones, too.”

“Without doubt, and the wisest as well. Very few have the honor of being their agents, much less speaking to them.”

Alex hummed in response, then after a time stepped away from the display. His attention then changed to the ceiling of the cathedral. In four directions ran four unique paintings, each one depicting a single Sovereign with a matching theme and color of background. The longest one, depicting a light blue bearded dragon, showed more near the end. A progression of color to more purple and black, and the depiction of several other creatures, painted in ways that made them appear like barbarians at the gates of Rome.

“And them?” Alex asked.

“Some of the worst evils of this world,” Hippogriffomon said from behind him, tearing Alex’s attention away from the paintings.

“And all Virus-types, except for one.” Kudamon added. “The one with the eight white wings.”

Alex gave the painting another look. Nothing about that one seemed very threatening compared to the others, yet something about it, its child-like appearance… “Does it have a name?”

“Yes, but I will not offer the breath to speak it.” Hippogriffomon said with a noticeable growl in its voice.

Alex shivered at the growl. “Sorry. Was just curious.”

“My disgust is not meant for you. Only him and his treasonous ways.”

That’s a relief.

“We should head out into Berg, Alex. We can return here later.” Kudamon said.

Before answering, Alex looked around to see where everyone else was. Dustin and Renamon were the only ones near what had to be the doors to the cathedral. Said doors were massive, several stories in height, and built out of a combination of wood and possibly iron.

“We might need some help there.” Alex said.

“With the doors?” Hippogriffomon asked. When Alex nodded at him, he continued. “They may be gigantic, but they are weighted quite well. You can open them at any time.”

Alex responded with a ‘Huh’ before glancing back. “Thanks, for your time.”

“Certainly.”

As Alex made his way to the doors, Renamon turned her attention towards him. “You guys about to leave?” Alex asked once he was close enough.

“Already were. We were just waiting for you or one of the others.” Dustin said.

“Alright. I’m all set.” Alex said as he made for the proportionally off-sized handle. Dustin did the same before the two of them pushed. Hippogriffomon’s word proved true as the doors swung open with some effort. A heavy creaking noise echoed through the cathedral behind them in turn, and as the light from outside broke past, Alex squinted.

Despite the reaction, the cobblestone road with lightposts, water fountain many yards in diameter, and buildings constructed of wood and metals left an immediate impression of a medieval or rustic town. Far in the distance was the castle Seraphimon had mentioned, modest in only the loosest sense. Alex had no doubt it was several stories tall, even at the distance they were from it.

It was then that he realized dozens of the creatures near the cathedral were staring at him and Dustin. Any words he could think to say locked in his throat as his attention drifted from one to another in rapid succession, his body freezing in place as well.

“This…is awkward.” Dustin soon said, drawing Alex’s attention.

Renamon chuckled in response. “Shall we introduce you, then?”

Alex’s skin tightened at that. “No, thanks. We’ll do it.”

“As you wish.”

As Alex tried to work up the courage to act, two of the creatures in the crowd started coming closer. One an insect with black wings, colored and shaped similar to a honey bee, the other a short, plant-looking one with a fully bloomed flower on its head. The insect came closer to Alex and hovered a few yards from him, its strangely human eyes giving his body a once-over.

“Hi, there.” Alex finally said, a slight, if nervous, smile working onto his face.

“Palmon, are they real?” the insect asked.

The plant creature hummed in response. “They look real enough to me. A bit nervous, though.”

“Unintentionally, I promise.” Dustin replied.

Renamon chuckled again. “Forgive them. They had no idea what to expect beyond the cathedral’s walls.”

“Oh. Well then, I’m Palmon. Nice to meetcha.” the creature then extended its fingers into longer vines, which Dustin eventually shook before giving his name.

“FanBeemon. I don’t sting…much.” the insect said.

“Alex. A pleasure.” Alex said with a nod, thankful the first new creature had no limbs to offer a handshake with.

“So, is it just the two of you?”

Alex shook his head. “Eight, in all.”

His response caused part of the crowd to start talking between each other, and Palmon and FanBeemon to look at each other. Behind him a short time later, he could hear footsteps on the marble tiles, and turned around to find Jude and Candlemon coming their way.

This time, his stride was halted by the sight of the dozens of creatures in the town square. “Yo.” Jude said as he waved to all the creatures in the square. He then looked between Alex and Dustin. “Am I sensing tension here?”

“No, just surprise.” Kudamon said.

“Oh. Well, in that case,” Jude then wrapped an arm apiece around Alex and Dustin’s necks and pulled them a few feet forward. “Gotta make a good impression, don’t we?”

“I thought we were,” Dustin replied.

Alex gave no reply, instead hoping Jude wouldn’t put him in an awkward position.

“If there’s one thing I know about making a good impression, it’s don’t be a wallflower.” Jude said as he pulled Dustin and Alex a little further. Before they moved too far, a cluster of tiny creatures, shaped like seeds with saplings growing from their tops, crossed Jude’s path, stopping his movement and drawing his attention. “Hey there, little dudes,” he said as the living seeds stopped moving and looked up at him.

“Those are Nyokimon,” Kudamon said. “Some of the smallest of our kind, if not the smallest.”

“Small, maybe, but…” Jude then let Alex and Dustin go before crouching and holding out a hand. Several of the creatures, themselves a quarter the size of Jude’s palm, eyed it with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

“It’s okay. He won’t hurt you.” Alex said, leaning on his vet tech instincts.

After several more seconds, one of the Nyokimon mustered enough courage to bounce onto Jude’s open palm. When it did, he brought a finger from his other hand close to it. “It’s alright, little dude,” he said before at last touching it and rubbing the side of its transparent skin. The creature’s eyes slowly closed and it started making a cooing noise that excited the other ones, all of whom began bouncing and making excited noises. Jude chuckled at the sight. “I get you. One at a time, though.”

Alex looked over at Dustin, tilting his head when he noticed. One by one, between him and Jude, the Nyokimon were held and petted; feeling left out, Alex scanned the crowd to gauge the mood.

Close to a third of the crowd had dispersed, leaving a smaller group of several dozen looking at the three of them and their partners. Several had faces he could see, and reasonably gauge, that left impressions that Jude’s idea was cute. Behind him the doors of the cathedral were still open; Alex suspected the missing third of the crowd had gone inside.

“Back in a minute, guys,” Alex said before he and Kudamon made their way back to the cathedral. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, his hunch was proven right, with at least two creatures each meeting the other five. Fran was the only one that seemed nervous now; Jason and Shelly were both smiling and embracing; Graham was smiling widely, looking like he was having a great time talking to the several near him; and Margarete was kneeling while talking to the ones near her.

“Excuse us,” said a voice nearby a moment later. Alex spun around to find three creatures standing a few yards from him. A blue-furred bipedal dog with a red headband and boxing gloves, a dinosaur with a red gem on its forehead and Japanese style armor around its limbs, and a green-furred bunny-looking creature that looked almost exactly like Lopmon.

“Hi. Can I help you?” Alex asked as he crouched down.

“You’re one of the new humans, right?” the green-furred bunny asked.

“Yeah. Name’s Alex.”

“Ryudamon,” said the one in armor after a nod. “That’s Gaomon,” he continued, tilting his head towards the dog with boxing gloves, “and he’s Terriermon.” The green-furred bunny smiled and laughed in response, while Gaomon simply said ‘Hello’.

“I recognize you three.” Kudamon said before Alex could respond. “You were in my library the day Seraphimon came looking for me.”

“Yeah. We heard you didn’t come back right away and figured a human had picked you.” Ryudamon said.

“Lucky you.” Terriermon said, looking up at Alex.

Kudamon shook his head once. “Luck had nothing to do with it. Alex was simply the right kind of human we need.”

Alex nodded his thanks before asking, “So, these three were students of yours?”

“They still are, even though I was chosen for this recent expedition.”

“So then, should I assume you three have a lot of homework to turn in?” Alex asked with a smirk growing on his face.

The confused expressions of all three creatures wiped it away just as quickly. “Homework? What is that?” Gaomon asked

“A human world concept, and a standard of it as well.” Kudamon replied.

“Wish it wasn’t.” Alex said.

“Actually, we’re interested in learning some things about the human world.” Gaomon said. “And you being a human…”

Alex nodded. “I get you. Sounds like fun.”

“Agreed, though Alex?” Kudamon said.

“Yeah?”

“The library I work for and taught at is located within this very town. I would very much like to show it to you, and we may meet more of my students there.”

“Fancy that. Alright, let’s do it.”

Kudamon nodded with a smile as Alex pulled his device out and opened the texting application. The other three also started smiling, Terriermon exclaiming ‘Yay’ as well.


Alex Stryker: Guys, Kudamon’s inviting me to the library in town. Gonna hang with him there for a while, maybe see the town too. I’ll be there if you need me.


“That should give everyone else an idea of where we are,” Alex said as he pocketed the device and stood up.

“Then we should be off.” Kudamon said.

Before Alex moved very far, he noticed Renamon moving away from Dustin and coming his way. Wonder what she wants.

“Alex, a word please?” she said once close enough.

“Sure.” Once he and Renamon had stepped away, he asked, “What’s going on?”

“I just had a thought about what you asked us before, and figured you would find it interesting.”

“Okay.”

“Hold your arm out in front of you, please.”

Alex raised an eyebrow at first, then did so. Renamon then grabbed his arm, before looking over the rest of his body, and then smiling at him.

“What?”

“I believe we have a solution to your ‘virus’ problem, temporarily.”

Alex looked at his jacket sleeve as Renamon let go. “My clothing doesn’t feel like a virus?”

Renamon shook her head. “Your clothing is simply data. Your body is the virus.”

Alex began to smile a moment later. “Thank you, Renamon. That’s a huge help.”

“My pleasure. Now go. We will catch up later, if Dustin feels like it.”

Alex nodded to her before turning around, feeling like a boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.