Old Ones Return (IV)

T"Well, he seemed so helpful. I wonder what else we don't know about him?"

E"So what? We just fly around until we see something that we recognize. Eventually, we should be able to figure out whether we're in the human world or the Digital World, at the very least."
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*Outside, they see a group of Angemon & Angewomon in the sky, battling strange mechanical contraptions. An Angemon is struck by a laser & convulses before dissolving into data. By contrast, a machine is struck by 2 Hands of Fate & a Celestial Arrow through the "eye" before it explodes--& then also dissolves into data.*

Cameron:<We can find out if we're in the human world or not easily enough.>

Biyomon:<I'm betting we're in the digital world.>
---
*Lyra and Kotemon watch the fight*

Lyra:<What's going on?>

*Kotemon stares at the monsters, griping his kendo sword tightly*

Azuma: "Of course, he was helpful. Can't manipulate us without our trust. Those missions likely were to lead Senthose and his crew to those locations."

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Hideki: "Do you recognize those mechanical ones?"

Monodramon: "Yes. When they destroy a Digimon, they're gone for good."

E"Wait...that can't be...that means that, all along, we've only been helping him destroy more Digimon! Everyone we saved would have just been better off if they hadn't met us!"

A<Don't think like that. The only reason that the Sovereign have any hope of fighting back at all is us. We gave the Celestials the Red Card, & we told Yamaki our plan. The rest is up to them, now.>
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*A Raidramon Bio-Emerges near Hideki & Monumon. Once it sees them, it growls & fires a lightning bolt at them from its horn.*
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*A Patamon flies by, moments before a Kabuterimon swoops down out of nowhere & devours it. It turns its attention to Kotemon & Lyra & reaches out to grab them.*

Azuma: "All we can do now is hope it works out."

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Hideki gets the hell on out of the way while Monodramon does the same and gets into a fighting stance.

Raidramon, Armor-level, Vaccine-attributed. This'll be a challenge.

Hideki swipes the Darkness Wave card which Monodramon promptly attacks with.

Biyomon:<Now I wonder what really happened to the digimon we brought to Hypnos.>

Cameron:<They were probably killed.>
---
*Lyra runs back then uses Thor's Hammer, which Kotemon promptly uses to try and smash Kanurimon's hand*

*The Kabuterimon jerks its hand back. Quite mad, it punches Kotemon with a cross from the other hand.*
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*He manages to cancel out the lightning, at which point Raidramon runs towards him.*
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A<Let's go.>

E"Right."

*Euryale escorts Taiyo up on the cyborg dinosaur's back. LadyDevimon picks up Thiera & takes off.*

*Karatenmon picks up Cameron then follow LadyDevimon*
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*Kotemon ducks under the blow and smashes the other hair*

Taiyo swipes the Aero Wing card to give Taomon wings and she soon follows. Angewomon and MagnaAngemon pick their partners up and go on.

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Monodramon evades and gives it a shot to the side.

*It rolls upright & blasts him again.*
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<Electro Shocker!>

*The bug's carapace crackles with lightning as it pulls its hand back.*
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*Eventually, the grasslands give way to a desert full of half-buried pyramids. A herd of GeoGreymon can be seen roaming between them, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.*

Azuma: "That's new. Are we even in OUR Digital World?"

===================================

Monodramon counters with Darkness Wave.

*Kotemon jumps up and throws the hammer directly at Kabuterimon's head*
---
Karatenmon:<Are there other digital worlds?>

*It fires the Super Shocker, laying his ass out & demolishing a part of their house. As it readies another Super Shocker for the kill, it staggers back, suddenly caught in a tornado of flame. Tsune & a Gomamon with big old Aero Wings can be seen at the other end of the alley. The Kabuterimon fires another Super Shocker, & Gomamon again counters with an Aero Wing that it breathes a blast of fire into, & mostly they just scorch up the lawns of the surrounding houses. Deciding this is too much effort, Kabuterimon flies off, whereupon it is struck by a laser & dissolves.*
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A<This is the first I've heard of it.>

E"Well, we know that there are at least 2 worlds. Maybe there could be others."

T"Yeah, like multiverse theory."

E"What's that? ...Nevermind."
===========================
*Raidramon quickly leaps to the side, adjusting its angle of attack to keep up the lightning barrage.*

*Lyra runs over to the injuried Kotemon*

<Thanks for the help...do I know you?>
---
Karatenmon:<I hope we can find a way back to our digital world.>

Azuma: "I was thinking quantam physics...mechanics? Whichever one. But multiverse works too."

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Monodramon evades and counters with Darkness Wave then moves in on Raidramon.

T"Quantum physics is only tangentially related to multiverse theory. Quantum theories revolve around studying the smallest units of matter, quanta, from which the name is derived. Observations about these quanta have led some scientists to conclude that there may be multiple universes. This mostly derives from the paradox of how to account for how only 1 of multiple equally likely events can occur at a time."

*Euryale nods & jerks her head repeatedly, trying not to fall asleep.*

D<This is nice, but we still don't know if any of it is even true.>
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*When he moves towards it, Raidramon just makes a quick step forward & stabs at him with its horn.*
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"Nope. What's happening here?"

*The Champion-equivalent Gizumon that had just destroyed the Kabuterimon descends from the sky.*

Azuma: "Well, unless we're in a part of the Digital World that isn't under occupation and is radically different than the section of desert we've been to what else could it be?"

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Monodramon dodged to the side and delivers a point blank Darkness Wave.

<I have literally no idea.>

*Lyra grabs Kotemon then heads over to Tsune*
---
*Cameron's too busy thinking about what Thiera just said to really add anything to the conversation*

T"That's actually quite possible, the Digital World is a huge place."
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*The Darkness Wave glances along its head, but most of it is thrown off by Monodramon's momentum & flies off into the sky. Raidramon growls, a slight crack in its face plate. Then it howls.*
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*The Gizumon fires its laser, so Gomamon opens its mouth & spits out a bunch of rainbow fishes, most of whom explode into data.*

G<...My friends....>

"Let's just get out of here!"

*Tsune grabs him & takes off running.*

*Lyra and Kotemon follow*
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Karatenmon:<Rather that than a whole other digital world.>

Azuma: "Word must travel slow if those Digimon are acting normally."

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Monodramon goes and up and punches Raidramon in the face.

*It looks at him as if slightly offended. And then is joined by what might be a meteor hitting the ground behind Hideki. As the flames clear, it turns out to be a Flamedramon. Tsune, Lyra, their partners, & the Gizumon run down the street from behind Raidramon, while this is going on.*
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D<Why don't we just go down & ask?>

*And so LadyDevimon dives. Thiera screams.*

Azuma: "That won't go over well."

So they stay put.

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Hideki turns around, looking Flamedramon up and down.

Monodramon punches Raidramon's face again.

*Lyra and Kotemon continue following Tsune, with Lyra waving her arms at Hideki*

<You better get out of here!>
---
*Karatenmon follows LadyDevimon*

*Sure enough, Flamedramon raises its claw & starts shooting fireballs at Hideki. Raidramon's helmet shatters & it glares at Monodramon before opening its mouth & firing a bolt of lightning out of it. Gizumon stops & rotates in the air, scanning everyone on the field.*
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T"Excuse me! Um...where exactly are we?"

D<...Hey, pay attention!>

*LadyDevimon smacks one of the migrating dinosaurs. It growls at her.*

GeoGreymon<What do you want? Wait...is that a human? How did it get here?>