Old Ones Return (VI)

Malkuth<...I can't believe it. You are actually so stupid that it's not even fun to gloat about it. Fine, I'll spell it out for you: You are in no position to bargain. Kurata, or more accurately his forces, are already on his way here.>

E"Then why even say anything?"

Malkuth<I'm so glad that somebody decided to join Mensa. You have just enough time that you may be able to save yourselves. Perhaps even a few of your young. Well, forestall the inevitable, really. But only with inside information.>
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Yamaki<We won't know until we try.>

*Tally walks down the stairs with Euryale's & Thiera's parents. The parents peer over Riley's shoulder.*

Tally<I've spread the word, Sir, but I don't know how soon the other families will get here.>

Binah<Are you okay? You don't look hurt.>

Th"...No, Mom. I'm fine."

Ceto<Is Euryale there?>

*Suppose Kotemon walks in on this scene.*

Azuma looks around.

Azuma: "She's a little preoccupied, ma'am."

*Kylie's face turns white*

Lunamon:<And in return for that inside info, what do you want?>
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*Kotemon grabs Thiera's sleeve and begins pointing in the direction in which he came from and tugging on it*

Cameron:<Yeah she's busy...hey Kotemon, what are you doing?>

*Kotemon grabs his sleeve as well and tries to drag them towards the others*

D<Speaking of busy, can't you see we're doing something?>

Ceto<Why can't you just go to where Euryale is?>

Th"I suppose that couldn't hurt...."
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<It's very simple. We'll head to the nearest data stream & go our separate ways. Or we both die. Those are your only choices. Oh, but to make sure you don't double cross me, I'll be needing a hostage as collateral.>

*Kylie turns even whiter and closes her eyes, tears beginning to dip down the sides of her face. Lyra puts her hand in her pockets and stares at the ground. After a moment, she speaks*

Lyra:<...We might give you a hostage until you enter the data stream, if that's what you mean. But only if we can confirm the information you gave us is correct. We'd rather go in blind then get faulty info from you and lose one of your companions in the process.>
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Cameron:<Look, we're very busy at the...>

*Kotemon tugs even harder. After a bit, he starts to speak in a squeaky whisper*

<(They're questioning the prisoner! Need help!)>

Azuma: "It might be better to bring her here...."

Th"True, we don't exactly want Malkuth knowing our plans either. And we're expecting important news."

Ceto<Who is Malkuth?>

*The screen flashes & the Monitamon beeps before speaking in a high pitched & chirping, but clearly synthesized, voice.*

<Azulongmon has responded!>
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Malkuth<You expect me to accept a deal where I only gain collateral after you have what you want? You really are a hopeless amateur.>

E"...How do we know that any of this is even true?"

*The mountain rumbles as Ceresmon twists its neck to face them.*

Medium<I can feel them converging from all sides.>

*Her Oracular pool ripples, with each ripple changing the image. They see a camp with a view of the village on the horizon, a line of converted Digimon moving from the Olympian Fort to the nearest data stream, a line of planes entering the space between worlds, shadows swimming from the ocean up a forested river, & Space Oscillation portals opening in several areas they've visited. And that's just what they can make out from the rapid slew of images.*

Lyra:<Give us we'll trade this information for your freedom. You can have a hostage from the time you begin to tell us the information until you enter the data stream...I'll even be your hostage.>

*Kylie, still white and shaky, whispers in Euryale's ear*

<(I'll go find Elecmon and start moving the baby digimon onto Ceresmon.)>

*So she, followed by Lunamon, takes off back to where she last saw Elecmon*
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*Kotemon looks very fusterated*

<Euryale is needed over there!>

*Cameron stands up*

<I'll go see what's going on and report back.>

Azuma: "If you seen what's wrong with her, you'd know she should see her family."

*Ceto rushes up to the computer, Ryota close behind her, looking fearful & angry, respectively.*

Ceto<What do you mean by "wrong"? What's happened to my little girl!?>
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Malkuth<Then I'll give you the most useless piece of information first. If they're still using my tactics, there will be a route that is underguarded compared to the others. You would be funneled into this area, making you easy prey for an ambush.>

*He chuckles.*

Malkuth<And you fell for it every, single, time!>
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*He is not there anymore because he has things to do. Instead, the refugee Digimon are divided between the cradles & the eggs. Those sitting beside the cradles are holding infant Digimon, rocking as they feed them. Those at the eggs seem to be just turning & polishing them.*

*Kylie claps her hands loudly to get the other digimon's attention*

<Everyone, we have some bad news: Kurata is on his way here, but luckily we were warned early this time. Now, don't panic and we'll all get out of this alright.>

*She takes a deep breath*

<We need to load the baby digimon and any supplies here onto Ceresmon. Can you all take care of that?>
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*Upon hearing Kylie's yelling, Cameron races back to Thiera*

<Bad news, Kurata's on his way here. Kylie is trying to rally the refugees to help evacuate. We should go help.>

*He looks up at Ceto and the others*

<We'll try to get Euryale over here, but right now I think we have to help with the evacuation.>
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*Lyra nods*

<Thank you. I guess we gotta set up our half of the bargain.>

*She looks at Euryale from the corner of her eyes*

<This is your department. Maybe you should ask the questions.>

Azuma: "Damn it. It's complicated. Like she has some kind of PTSD."

*Of course they panic, running around shouting to their fellows to get to Ceresmon. A few eggs get stepped on which, as before, immediately reformat into new eggs. Also, the babies have been crying ever since she made a loud noise.*
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*Thiera stands up.*

Th"You're right. If Kurata is coming, we need to try to escape."

Ceto<No...!>

*She begins crying into her hands. Her husband rubs her back, looking stone faced.*

Ceto<We never--should have--let--her--go!>

Ryota<Honey...we couldn't have stopped her even if we tried.>

Th"I'm sorry...."

Yamaki<We'll try to stall them if we can.>

Th"Great. Just in case we can't get out, I think we should make preparations."
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"Like what?"

<I suggest removing these vines.>

*Kylie and Lunamon biomerge to Dianamon, who immediately bangs her scythe on the ground and yells*

<Stop right there, everyone. No one is getting on Ceresmon until we finish evacuating. You're all going to help or else. Do. You. Understand. Me?>
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Lyra:<Uh, Lady Ceresmon, can you remove the vines except for some around his hands and feet?>
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*Cameron and Biyomon stand up*

Cameron:<If you don't need our help, we'll go help Kylie with the evacuation.>

*An Angemon with only a single shredded wing on his left side & less than half of his staff remaining sits down.*

Angemon<What does it matter? We'll never get away from Kurata, no matter how far we run. We should have known nowhere was safe when he pierced the domain of the Sovereigns.>

*Most of the other angel-type Digimon mutter among themselves & sit down, but a Veemon steps forward with most of the Rookie Digimon rallying behind him. She recognizes many from Jupitermon's city.*

Veemon<Well, I don't want to die! I say we grab as many eggs as we can & make a run for it!>
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Malkuth<Whatever makes you feel better.>

*And so most of the vines coil away.*

Th"Fair enough. Monitamon, come with me. We'll need to contact the other Digimon."

Ryota<Little girl!>

D<Hey, who're you calling "Little girl"?>

*In spite of herself, Thiera looks back.*

Ryota<I don't know much about what's going on, but I can tell you're in no position to fight. You promise me--promise me--that you'll escape. It won't help anyone if you throw your lives away. And the first chance you get, call us back. We need to speak to our daughter.>

Mr. Psyche<And the other parents don't even know what happened to our kids. Last the Shikasu family knew, their daughter had been...kidnapped by mermaids....>

Yamaki<It sounds absurd to say, doesn't it? Sometimes even I wonder if maybe all of this--Hypnos, Wild Ones, Digital Worlds & Digimon Tamers--isn't just an elaborate dream. Though the years spent rebuilding Shinjuku suggest otherwise.>

*Dianamon looks at the Angemon*

<You will be destoried if you refuse to keep fighting. Don't lay down your lives yet. We aren't beat.>

*Dianamon nods at Veemon and the other rookie digimon*

<That's a good start. Can you and your friends start moving the baby digimon onto Ceresmon? We also need someone to find Bacchusmon and Elecmon. Can I get a volunteer?>
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*Lyra looks at Euryale*

<Do you want to get something to write this stuff down or can you remember everything?>

*She starts fiddling with her d power in preparation*
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<Don't worry. We'll get her on the line as soon as it's safe.>

*Cameron nods at Thiera, then he and Biyomon head over to Kylie. As soon as he turned around, Cameron's face had gone red*

Azuma: "Tell them Taiyo is safe."

Veemon<I'll do it.>

Angewomon<Look around you: We're hiding in a nursery, & now even that's not safe. The Sovereign are running around, too afraid to fight the enemy head on. Without Ceresmon, we won't survive another battle, & she was nearly deleted before. It's over.>
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E"I guess we probably should...."

Malkuth<As entertaining as your ceaselessness is, could we move this along? Just because you're doomed, doesn't mean I plan to stick around.>
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Ryota<Seeing is believing, Kid.>

Th"But...I don't know if I can--"

*DemiDevimon flies up to the Monitamon, causing Ceto to gasp & jerk back.*

D<Sure, we'll get right on it!>

*Kotemon starts to head back to Lyra, running as fast as he can*
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Lyra:<I can't believe this, but I agree with him. I can't believe I didn't think of this, but takes notes on your phone. You have one that can do that, right?>

*She begins to summon a data stream to the Dark Area*

If he tries to run before giving us the info, he can enjoy Mervamon's sex dungeon.
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Dianamon:<We do not have the time to force you all to come with us. We would be honored to have you, but give up if you must.>

*Dianamon nods at Veemon again*

<Thank you. Please, bring them as quickly as you can. If the rest of you would help me carry the babies, it would be quite appreciated.>

*Dianamon leads by example and picks up as many cradles as she can carry. Biyomon becomes Karatenmon and starts picking up cradles before flying over to Ceresmon. Cameron starts making the walk over with more cradles*

Azuma: "We're missing two others."

*The D-Power displays the code "ERROR: NO DATA STREAM IN RANGE." Euryale digs out her phone.*

E"I guess...what should we know?"

Malkuth<I believe you are forgetting your end of the bargain.>
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Th"DemiDevimon can go get them."

D<What? Why me?>

Th"This is not the time to argue!"

D<Fine, fine, sheesh!>

*She flies off, grumbling.*

Th"Now, please switch the screen to Azulongmon & follow me."

*The Monitamon obeys her command as she starts running, it waddling along behind her.*

Azulongmon<I assume that you are already aware of Kurata's army targeting the Village of Beginnings?>
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*Veemon races off. Unmoved by her speech, none of the Angemon-types help or do anything at all. The rookies have a hard time stumbling around with babies & eggs. A Palmon has to run back to start all over again as she trips over her own roots, dropping an egg, which breaks & reforms back at its nesting spot. The babies, of course, have not stopped crying, only getting louder. Things get worse when they start fighting to get out of their caretakers' grips.*

Lyra:<Damn, there's no data stream in range.>

*Ether way, Lyra walks towards Malkuth, face expressionless. Kotemon stands nearby, staring at Malkuth and gripping his sword. Cameron and Karatenmon likely arrive soon with their babies*
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*Dianamon turns around and walks back*

<Everyone set your babies down and step back. I'll put them to sleep.>

*Assuming they do that, Dianamon uses Goodnight Moon on the baby digimon to make them easier to carry*

OOC: Or they're aware that "put to sleep" is sometimes synonymous with being euthanized.

Taiyo resumes silently supporting Euryale even though everyone's lives would be easier if Renamon just crushed Malkuth's trachea.

*Malkuth grabs Lyra's right wrist & spins her around so he can also grab her left wrist. He hooks his other arm around her neck.*

<Kurata is looking to replace the Bio-Hybrids with stronger hybrid D-Reaper Digimon controlled by copies of his own brain waves. He thinks we don't know, but we do. Vanessa & Gevurah are the most capable of the remaining Bio-Hybrids, but they don't get along. They'll be competing for power. You can exploit that. The other weak link is Netzach. If you want to get behind the lines, his new headquarters is in the Matsushiro Bunker. Your best bet is to emerge in the Mount Maizuru facilities, where the Meterological Agency and the orphanage still reside.>

E"...Why would you tell us all of that?"

Malkuth<Why indeed? It could be that I benefit from you removing my rivals, but know you can't possibly win in the long run. At any rate, I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. I will be taking my leave of you now.>

*Thiera arrives with the Monitamon, looking confused.*

Th"Um...did I miss something?"
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*As babies squirm around, close their eyes when they cry, & overall do shit you don't want them to do, it doesn't work very well. Instead, she mostly just knocks out several rookies who didn't know to look away. Tsune approaches from behind.*

Ts"...What are you doing?"

G<We have to find a way to get their attention fist.>

*He tries to stand on his hind flippers & dance while making googoo noises, but it's mostly just creepy.*
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*Hideki can see DemiDevimon flying towards him.*

D<Hey! Get your ass moving! Kurata's attacking!>

Dianamon:<We're trying to move the babies onto Ceresmon. I thought it would be easier to put them to sleep, but it looks like it's not going to work until Elecmon can get here.>

*She looks out at the rookie digimon*

<If you can carry the babies while they're awake, please do that. If not, group them together so I can put them to sleep once he gets here.>

*She moves among the sleeping rookies, shaking them to wake them up*
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*Cameron and Karatenmon place the babies they've carried onto Ceresmon, watching the scene with Lyra while they do that*

Karatenmon:<We have a job to do. Come on.>

*He carries Cameron back so they can collect more babies*
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*Lyra remains completely still while she's being held*

<We're questioning Malkuth. I can't open a data stream right now. It says there's none in range.>

*She moves now to show him her D-Powers screen*