Digimon Adventure ND Book One: Manipulamon Reigns - Chapter Eighteen

This chapter is a whopper. It's a little longer than my usual chapters, because it features the final fight with Jeremy, and the first clear description of the "other human", the one who was at Drimogemon Village, and who almost seems to be following behind our heroes, watching them.

This chapter also sets up the plot for the rest of the book. Things are going to change from here on out. The battles will get bigger, and the stakes will get higher. Manipulamon's endgame is beginning, and the kids decide that they need to play too.

The final line of this chapter may seem a little less dramatic that it's intended to be. I'll admit that, even though I tried to give it added weight through Jeremy's dialogue, it is really meant for the people who have read my Yu-Gi-Oh! DF series. 

Chapter Eighteen

In The Nick of Time!

We'll Battle Jeremy As One!

John


“I’m taking you down!” growled WingedDragonterramon. He rushed MegaMechamon and flapped his wings once, rising up over the foe’s head. On his way over he dropped a mouthful of flames down on the slower machine. MegaMechamon raised his left arm to deflect the flames and raised his right blaster, transformed into a hand, and grabbed WingedDragonterramon’s tail. With one swift tug he pulled WingedDragonterramon back and slammed him into the ground. MegaMechamon was slower, but he was easily twice as strong.

MegaMechamon aimed his blasters at WingedDragonterramon’s head and prepared to fire at point blank range, but he was interrupted by JousterStaliamon leaping at MegaMechamon’s head. MegaMechamon spun his torso at the waste and knocked JousterStaliamon away. JousterStaliamon threw his weight and flipped in midair, landing firmly on his feet as MegaMechamon turned back to WingedDragonterramon, finding him already risen and ready for more.

WingedDragonterramon took a step and raised glowing claws, preparing to slash, when MegaMechamon called, “Missile Assault!” Several panels on the machine’s body opened up revealing missile launchers. They fired, unleashing a wave of small missiles. WingedDragonterramon jumped up and flew backward in an attempt to dodge, but he was too close. The missiles hit and WingedDragonterramon was thrown to the ground.

“Lightning Joust!” called JousterStaliamon from behind the enemy. He summoned electricity to his extendable icy lance, but before he could complete his attack MegaMechamon rotated his torso around to face him and fired his blasters, JousterStaliamon avoided one of the two electrically charged beams, but the other caught him in the side. He seized and collapsed.

WingedDragonterramon tried to use the opportunity to attack, but MegaMechamon rolled forward without even looking first and hit him with a fierce uppercut. The mighty dragon was thrown onto his back, his wings crumpled beneath him.

“Full Weapon Assault!” called MegaMechamon. He fired a beam and several missiles at both of his opponents. The attack hit, tossing my Digimon through the air surrounded by dirt, dust and debris. When they landed, they were covered in it.

“Alright MegaMechamon,” said Jeremy, smiling evilly, “kill them both!”

He'd spoken too soon, however, because as MegaMechamon charged up his cannons to full capacity for the finishing attack, WingedDragonterramon jumped up with surprising strength and tackled the machine Digimon. He couldn't knock him over because his treaded base was too wide, but he did push his opponent back and pinned his arms to his sides. He allowed the energy in his cannons to dissipate harmlessly, as firing them in the direction that they were now pointing would do little more than blast off MegaMechamon's own legs.

With effort, WingedDragonterramon was able to spread his injured wings. He flapped them once, twice, three times, and managed to lift MegaMechamon off of the ground.

“No!” Jeremy Exclaimed, as WingedDragonterramon rose a dozen or so feet and then dropped, slamming MegaMechamon into the ground beneath him. The dragon immediately sprung up. He expected his enemy to be too damaged to counterattack as he summoned up a finishing attack, but he'd made the same mistake as his opponent had earlier.

As fireballs built in front of each wing, MegaMechamon fired off his rockets, rising up into an upright position, and he fired his missiles. WingedDragonterramon fired his Wing Fireblaze, and the two attacks met. The resulting explosion blew both Digimon back.

“Enough of this,” said JousterStaliamon, finally back on his feet. He circled his opponent, ending up behind him. His icy lance extended, and caught MegaMechamon in the back. Ice spread over the back of the machine, threatening to encase him, but he fired up his jets again, melting the ice away.

JousterStaliamon jumped up. As he did, ice crystals formed under his hooves, allowing him to literally walk on the air. He galloped around up in the sky as easily as he might on the ground. Once he was right above his opponent, he allowed the ice crystals to melt, and fell toward MegaMechamon, head first. The ice usually allotted to forming his lance reallocated to his horn. It grew thicker and stronger, and became charged with lightning.

“Lightning Joust,” JousterStaliamon called as his horn hit the machine. There was a tremendous flash of electricity, and when it passed, JousterStaliamon was being held aloft above MegaMechamon, his horn caught between MegaMechamon's palms, which were likewise charged with electricity.

MegaMechamon threw JousterStaliamon away. He hit WingedDragonterramon, who, unlike MegaMechamon, had been knocked off of his feet and stunned by the meeting of their attacks. The two Digimon rolled over each other, but it was enough to shake the dragon back to reality, and JousterStaliamon was still in better shape, jumping to his feet very quickly. When he turned to face his two opponents, MegaMechamon found them both on their feet, ready to continue the fight. They were battered and beaten, but so was he. It was still unclear which side would come out on top.

“Excellent job, Digidestined,” said a new arrival in a husky voice. At once, Sarah and I and our Digimon looked up toward the source of the voice, and there was Manipulamon! He's come as well.”

“No!” exclaimed WingedDragonterramon. He and JousterStaliamon turned around and fired their attacks at Manipulamon, hoping to catch him off guard, turning their backs on Jeremy to do so. I realized then what was actually going on, and yelled for them to wait, but it was too late. The attacks hit, and Manipulamon's latest avatar turned back into a Serpenterramon before breaking apart. Then, just as it did, MegaMechamon fired beams and a barrage of missiles at my Digimon partners, hitting them from behind. They were tossed up into the air again, and this time, when they landed hard back on the ground, they didn't get back up.

“Don't you get it?” Jeremy asked. “My Digimon is at the same level as your Digimon, but he's a machine. He can be damaged, but he doesn't feel pain. He can run out of energy to Digivolve again and again, but he constantly recharges, and he never gets tired. With your Digimon already tired out from fighting, they stood no chance against mine. There energy is almost gone. I can kill them with ease.”

As he spoke, MegaMechamon raised his guns and took aim, once again meaning to strike a finishing blow.

“You can’t,” said Ponymon, “ because I won’t let you.” She stumbled, trembling, between her allies and the much larger Digimon.

“Fine,” said Jeremy, “you’re first then. Your Digivolved form is the only one left which might be trouble for Manipulamon, after all. MegaMechamon, destroy her.”

MegaMechamon raised one of his blasters and took aim at the small horse. One shot would be enough to kill her. MegaMechamon's eyes flashed as he locked on target, and he fired.

It was just them that a massive form swooped in with what sounded like a sonic boom and planted itself between MegaMechamon and Ponymon. MegaMechamon’s blast hit one of the massive jets on the form’s back. From the form’s back jumped Jen, Coltmon, and Amanda. Amanda turned to the new arrival and said, “Get him MetalBrauntomon!”

At Amanda's urging the huge, cybernetic dinosaur turned swiftly on hover jets located in his feet to face the other machine. I realized, amazed, that the new arrival was BrauntoPhoenixmon's Digivolved form. As he clashed with MegaMechamon, Jen stood and faced the battling Digimon, Coltmon at her side. Coltmon grew becoming the mighty BattleStaliamon. Jen plugged a disk into her Digiplayer and called, “Initiate Digiplayer Digivolution!”

“BattleStaliamon,” her partner called, “Digivolve to, MetalStaliamon!” The newly Digivolved armored horse fired up his boosters, launching himself into the air.

“MetalBrauntomon and MetalStaliamon, huh?” I said with a smile. “WingedDragonterramon, JousterStaliamon, we’re gonna need you guys soon”

“Huh,” said Jen, smirking back as my two Digimon struggled to their feet, “so it’s JousterStaliamon now.” There were no hostile words exchanged, or feelings picked up on, because the hostility just wasn't there. It wasn't important. What was important was that the nine of us were back together.

Ponymon ran back to Sarah’s side, and three more Digimon dropped from the sky: Dokugamon and Birdramon, plus a massive horned beast Digimon. They moved along with MetalBrauntomon and MetalStaliamon to surround MegaMechamon. He turned to try and find a route of escape, and he was cut off by JousterStaliamon and WingedDragonterramon. They were battered, but they still had some fight in them.

“Well,” said Jeremy, “this could get interesting.”


Sarah


“Take him down,” John said, “but don’t hurt him too bad. He’s still our friend deep down.”

“Sorry,” said Jeremy, “but you guys need to face facts. We aren’t your friends anymore. Our only ‘friend’ is Lord Manipulamon.”

“Come on,” said John, “don’t you get that he’s just controlling you?”

“Nobody controls me,” said Jeremy forcefully. MegaMechamon took that as his cue to attack. The Digimon fought back, but they were too concerned with not dealing any mortal damage their foe to fight with their full strength. Claws slashed, metal crunched, and Digimon cried out in pain. If this kept up I had no doubt that someone would eventually die, and whether it be one of us, or MegaMechamon, I didn't want that to happen.

We needed another option, but what other option was there? What could I do to change the course of such a huge battle all on my own? I have to clear my head and concentrate, I told myself, grasping at straws. I closed my eyes and reached deep within myself, and suddenly the sounds of battle were gone. I was at peace. I reached inside myself, searching for some epiphany of some kind, some realization that would allow us to come out on top. Basically I was trying to do what John had done in the battle with Okuwamon. I didn't find anything before a ball of dirt kicked up by one of the attacks landed in my mouth. I spit it out, and came to something of a realization. I realized that I'd had enough.

The two sides clashed and then separated, facing of, and then rushing each other. I opened my eyes and yelled at the top of my lungs, “Stop!!!” My voice boomed, echoing far too loudly between the trees. Everyone, Human and Digimon alike, stopped and turned to see who had made such a sound, and everyone was surprised to see that it was me.

I stepped forward, the Neo Crest of Light around my neck glowing. Ponymon walked at me side, her wounds healing all at once, and became Fillimon.

“Jeremy,” I said, “this is it. Either fight Manipulamon’s control, or we're going to end up hurting you, or your Digimon, or both. I’ll help you as much as I can, but I can’t fight your battle for you. You have to do this yourself.”

My crest slid from its tag and became a disk that floated in the air ahead of me. I plugged it into my Digiplayer, attached the Digiplayer to the back of my Digivice, and called, “Initiate Digiplayer Digivolution!” As I spoke Fillimon began to change.

“Fillimon, Digivolve to!” A black apparatus shaped like a half pyramid appeared on her back. From each side of it extended a back-swept flattened triangle ending in a rocked booster. Exoskeletons appeared around her legs, greatly enhancing her strength and speed, and a red helm and mask shaped like a dragon head, but with glowing red eyes, appeared over her face and head, cords running from it under the fur and skin of her neck along her upper spine, “TechnoFillimon!”

The newly Digivolved Digimon spread her wings and called, “Cleansing Light!” Her fur began to glow and her technological components became charged with static energy. A beam that was half light and half static burst forth toward Jeremy. MegaMechamon opened his boosters and fired them up, throwing himself into the path of the beam. He was hit, and an M-Tag fell from between the panels in his chest and broke apart. Immediately he de-Digivolved to Mechmon.

“No!” Jeremy cried in frustration.

“Yes,” I said, and TechnoFillimon fired again, her beam engulfing Jeremy. For a few moments he seemed to struggle, but then I saw him relax, and another M-Tag fell from under his left sleeve and broke apart. Jeremy collapsed, unconscious. Our Digimon de-Digivolved and we ran to our friend’s side.

“Oh yeah,” I said, beaming, “am I good or what?”


John


We laid out one of our bed mats, an extra that we had been given by the Gekomon before leaving in case this happened, in case Jeremy was freed, and we placed our fallen friend on it, giving him a chance to rest. Turns out that the reason he was able to so easily stay ahead of us was because Manipulamon had commanded him not to sleep and to keep moving. He had been going for days without rest. While he slept my team, our allies and I sat with Mechmon, who, of course, could recharge without going unconscious. He was far more animated now. As we sat and listened to the little machine's story I glanced over at Sarah. Part of me was bummed that I hadn't actually been the one to get Jeremy back, but that part of me relented to reality when I saw how happy Sarah was to have saved him. She was smiling, holding DemiPonymon in her arms and stroking her mane.

“When Jeremy arrived here,” Mechmon told us in a voice that sounded like a young kid talking through a cheap voice changer, “I was already waiting for him in these northern woods, back further to the west. We traveled for awhile together before we came to a collapsed shrine in the forest where we fought our first battle together against a group of Insectoids. It was then that I Digivolved into Mechamon for the first time. After the battle Jeremy came across a message in his Digicalculator that led us in the direction of the Amphibian Village, where we learned about our mission. But-.”

“But,” said Jeremy, sitting up behind his Digimon and looking groggily at us, “we were led off course on our way to the bridge by a couple of Manipulamon’s Digimon, and we found ourselves in an old ruin, probably of a city. Manipulamon was waiting for us there. He knew that there were other Digidestined somewhere, and he had heard stories of a village that no evil Digimon could find. He formed a plan that, if all went well, would allow him to destroy the Digidestined and the village all at once, and bring a Digidestined to his side. So he tagged us to use in his plan. It almost didn't work, though. It turns out that the reason Digidestined are able to fight Manipulamon better than Fighters is because we and our Digimon both have to be tagged, at the same time, for the tagging to take. Manipulamon had to try three times to get it to work.”

Jeremy looked over the rest of us, even our partner-less Digimon allies, and said, “If I'd managed to evade Manipulamon, or get away before he could figure out how to make his tags work on us, he never could have sent the two of us to trap you, and then go after you later. If he hadn't had me, he would have had to rely on his main forces more in the field, and he wouldn't have been able to kill and tag as many Fighters as he has. I'm sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault, man,” I told him. “You were faced with the Big Bad alone, and you kept your cool. You resisted him to the point that he had to tag you, when others might have just done what he wanted to save there own butts. All that matters is that you’re free again now to fight for the right side. Not even an army can stop us at this point. Manipulamon’s time is up!”

“Wait, John,” said Jen. To Jeremy she said, “You mentioned the 'field'? What field is that? I thought that the Fighters were scattered. Are they really fighting Manipulamon off so successfully?”

“No,” Jeremy said, “when I say that there are fighting fields, I'm talking about the only really civilized place in this world, and the only place with the power to oppose Manipulamon outright.”

“Do you mean,” Dokugamon asked, reminding me that she was behind me, making my skin crawl (arachnophobia, you gotta hate it), “the citadel of the Machine Civilization?”

“That's right,” Jeremy said, holding his head in his hands, “but Manipulamon won't have to worry about them much longer. He's amassing an army. A huge army, bigger than the machines' forces. So big that it will quickly overwhelm whatever they have. Only their leader will be strong enough to fight back, and when that Digimon appears, he will be waiting for it.”

“He?” Mainemon asked.

“I know this one,” I said with a wry smile. I'd almost forgotten. “You're talking about the other human, aren't you?”

Jeremy looked surprised, “You know about him? Have you met him? You can't have fought him, you wouldn't be here.”

“No,” I said, “we haven't actually seen him, but a group of Drimogemon, giant mole Digimon, told us that he was originally with the army that came to take their village. We thought that he might be you at first before the Drimogemon mentioned that he has a fire Digimon.”

“He's an enforcer,” said Jeremy, perking up more now that things had gotten serious. “Manipulamon send him out to wherever he's needed. He can get around really fast, and he's ruthless. He can fight really well on his own, and his Digimon is able to reach Perfect Level. But he's different from other enemies. He only cares about testing himself, and even though he doesn't seem too book smart, he's good at strategy. It's like he didn't realize he was until he got here, and now he does nothing but come up with strategies to beat people.”

“Is he being controlled?” Sarah asked in a way that made me think that there was a silent “because I can take care of that” tacked on at the end of her question.

“No,” Mechmon answered, “he can't be. In his Child form the Digimon partner of the human in question is made of living fire. He would burn the M-Tag off rather quickly.”

“Then why is he working for Manipulamon?” I asked.

“He's a Willing,” Jeremy replied. “He fights for Manipulamon because he sees it as the best chance to test himself in as many situations as possible.”

He looked right at me, his gaze so serious that it was piercing, “This guy is dangerous, John, maybe as dangerous than Manipulamon himself.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay,” I told Jeremy, “before you turn in and get some more sleep (because you're definitely doing that, no arguments) tell us everything that you know about this guy. Everything, as long as you think it could help us fight him, and then maybe throw in a few things that you don't. If he's so dangerous, then I want to be ready.”

“Well,” said Jeremy, “he's taller. Taller than all of us by several inches. He has spiky red hair that kinda looks like flames, and he carries a lighter. He's a really tough fighter, but the times I've seen him fight it looked like he was self-taught. He's stronger than he looks, too, and younger. He looks like he's in high school, but he's not. He's your age, John.

“I don't know his Digimon's name,” Jeremy continued, “it never talks to him, and he never talks to it except to give it commands. It's really good at Digivolving, too. It goes back and forth so quick that I've barely ever gotten a look at its higher form. I don't know if it's a really unintelligent Digimon or something, but it never protests anything that this guy has it do, and it always seems cheerful, always hovering around the guy's head. It doesn't seem evil or anything, but it does seem to be enjoying itself, which is really weird.

“This guy is going after Machine Citadel,” Jeremy concluded. “As strong as Manipulamon's armies are, if the Citadel falls, he'll be able to set them all upon us and the Fighters who are still out there, and we won't stand any kind of chance. We have to get to the Citadel and stop Manipulamon's plan, and maybe beat that guy in the process.”

“Jeremy’s right,” I said. “Whatever we do we can’t let Manipulamon destroy this Citadel, or its leader, or whatever exactly he's planning to do. Frankly I don't care what his plan is. He's been allowed to just do whatever he wants in this world for too long. It’s time that we go on the offensive, and take the fight to him!”

My friends agreed. Even Jeremy looked a little inspired, though he mostly just looked wiped.

“Alright, man,” I told him, “you've said enough. You need to go to bed. We'll head out when you wake up on your own. We've got to be at our best for this one.”

“Wait,” Jeremy insisted, “there's one more thing that you need to know. I don't like to say the guy's name because it freaks me out that someone would call himself that, but you need to know. It speaks to how far he's willing to go.”

Jeremy looked me right in the eyes, “He calls himself Pyro, as in pyromaniac. John, he calls himself Pyro Tucker.”

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