Old Ones Return (II)

Taiyo: "Bye."

Azuma: "Later."

The three set off.

T"Don't thank me, I was just doing my job."

D<...That was lame.>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*The next day, of course, they arrive at Hypnos. Once there, they find that the computer is tracking a series of multicolor dots across an unfamiliar map. Once again, Kurata is there with the rest of them.*

Riley<Communication delay to the Digital World mobile tower is estimated at 2 minutes. No significant delay in communications between Digital World personnel reported.>

Yamaki<So we can receive audio signals. What about visuals?>

Riley<All systems on both sides functioning properly, Sir.>
======================================
*Cameron is, of course, waiting outside.*

*Kylie walks up to the map, Lunamon in her arms*

<Is this a map of the digital world?>
---
*Cameron leans against a wall ear the Hypnos building*

Yokomon:<Why are we here?>

Cameron:<Because mom thinks we're at the arcade.>

*Cameron reads a book for school*

Azuma: "No, it's a map of Utah."

Taiyo is taking Hitomi to that examination she's to be getting twice daily.

*They do a quick physical, & tell her that she has no signs of internal bleeding, & that she can get on with her day. Also that this should be done off of the clock.*
====================================
Kurata<Oh, good afternoon.>

E"Thanks, you too. Anyway...how accurate is it?"

Yamaki<Questionable. But we have to make due with what we have. It isn't easy to explore another world.>

*DemiDevimon squints up at it.*

D<None of these places look like they're near Devimon's castle.>

Yamaki<I suppose he must not have retreated to it. We aren't sure what we're looking at yet, either. We anticipate multiple reports of areas of interest, so we're having them sent to the upper offices. The employees won't actually be aware of it, but their computers will be scanning for any significant data. Whatever is found will be relayed back here for us to examine.>

T"What's 'significant data'?"

Yamaki<Lifeforms displaying signs of hostility or organization. Reports with certain key words in them. Various things.>

Lunamon:<Awesome. Anything interesting yet?>

Kylie:<Lunamon.>

*Lunamon tries to wiggle out of Kylie's arms*

Kylie:<What would you like for us to do today?>

Hitomi, Taiyo and their partners return.

Taiyo: "What'd we miss?"

*He hands Kylie a paper with directions for 4 specific cups of coffee.*

E"Not much."

*Kylie takes the paper and goes about making them, with Lunamon passing them out to when they finished*

Taiyo: "Oh, okay."

Azuma: "Looks like a slow day, today."

Riley<We're just now receiving visuals of points of interest.>

*Suddenly, several of the dots spread out the farthest blink out.*

Yamaki<The tracking equipment is being destroyed! Riley, what's happening?!>

Riley<An attack, Sir, but don't worry too much, the vanguard should be able to hold out long enough to order a retrea-->

Tally<Wait a second! New transmission, a massive force of Wild Ones have appeared, & are heading for the Digital Gate!>

*Suddenly, dozens, possibly over a hundred Digital Hazard symbols appear clustered around the dots, most of them behind.*

Yamaki<Shut it down! Now!>

*Euryale walks forward.*

E"Are you crazy? You'll strand that team in the Digital World!"

Yamaki<They have orders regarding what to do if the Gate is shut down, & we have Anti-Digimon programs to provide assistance. We cannot allow such a large force to get through. Especially since they can't be contained as easily as if they'd Bio-Emerged.>

Lunamon:<Can we say we told you so?>

Kylie:<Those people will be killed!>
---
*Cameron throws a rock at a nearby wall*

Azuma: "Shall we head for the gate to repel any invaders?"

Riley<Gate closed. Arming Yuggoth.>

Yamaki<Do you think we've been sitting idle this whole time? With the improvements we've made, we can arm 10 Yuggoth programs simultaneously, & recharge them in under a minute after use. We'll eliminate the attacking Wild Ones in no time.>

*Yamaki grins as 10 targeting reticules slide across the map over Digital Hazard symbols.*

Riley<Yuggoth locked on...and...>

*The targets fade away as Yamaki's grin disappears.*

Tally<Yuggoth failed to eliminate any targets!>

Yamaki<What? Were the programs destroyed by the Wild Ones?>

Tally<Negative, Sir. All 10 Yuggoths hit their mark. However, they all have non-Digimon antibodies. Yuggoth cannot delete them. In fact, they appear to have incorporated some of the data stream.>

Yamaki<That's...impossible....>

E"Does someone want to explain what's going on here?"

Yamaki<I have no idea. Except that...our situation is completely hopeless. We've lost.>

*Meanwhile, dots keep blinking out on the map. A few of the Digital Hazard symbols disappear, but the Hypnos Forces are slowly losing.*

Azuma: "Oh, I don't think you've been sitting idle this whole time. I think you just have a little too much faith in your opening plans. Did you consider the possibility that something may go wrong before sending a team to their doom?"

Kylie:<I agree.>

Lunamon:<Now I'm glad we weren't sent to the digital world.>

Kurata<Speaking of...we do have one more option. If we can't destroy the Digimon with anti-data methods, perhaps we could do it with stronger digital attacks.>

Yamaki<Absolutely not. I will not permit them to enter the Digital Gate, under any circumstances.>

*Kylie looks frightened*

<What would we tell our parents?>

Lunamon:<I wonder how long Cameron would wait for us.>

Azuma: "So how do you intend to resolve this issue?"

Yamaki<There is nothing that we can do, short of hoping that, when we are able to reopen the Digital Gate, someone can make it back with a sample. Riley, Tally, let's review those points of interest.>

Lunamon:<Have you noticed that we never do anything but sit around here?>

Kylie:<Hey, I've made several cups of coffee, and we've gone after digimon.>

Lunamon:<Yeah, which isn't even supposed to be our job.>

Azuma: "I wouldn't put much faith in there being any survivors."

Tally<They're doing pretty well so far. All they need is an escape route.>

*Meanwhile, an image comes up of what is unmistakably a burned village.*

Riley<It looks like a destroyed Digimon village, Sir.>

Yamaki<You're right, Riley. An invading force from the real world wouldn't build fortifications with plywood.>

Riley<Could be confirmation that the Digital World is under attack by humans...looking for a video feed to match this.>

*A few seconds later, a panning image across the devastated village is displayed. Some of the buildings are clearly pockmarked with bullet holes.*

Yamaki<It is still impossible to say if those were human guns, or just a Digimon who used bullets. We need more information, keep searching.>

Riley<Yes Sir.>

Tally<Some of the Wild Ones who couldn't get through appear to be Bio-Emerging.>

E"That's not good, are we going to be attacked by an army?"

Yamaki<No, Bio-Emergence is too inefficient for that, & doesn't last long enough. Still, we'll need you to head to the roof to counter the threat. After that, if there isn't anything for you to report, you may go home for the day.>

*Kylie and Lunamon nod and head up there, Kylie texting Cameron to let him know what's going on*
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*Cameron stands up and stretches, yokomon beside him*

Azuma heads for the roof. As do the others.