Episode 8 - Munitions Are Dusted

Digimon belongs to Toei Animation Co., Fox Kids, Saban Entertainment,
Bandai, and so on... and is used without consent. I'm only borrowing
them I'll return them as soon as they release uncut episodes with
original Japanese language and subtitles.
Daisuke: What?! They'll never do that!
Archive: It's not my fault they won't cater to their market.

I'm using strict Japanese spelling for all names when possible.
If I used an English name for a digimon or his attack and you know
what the name is supposed to be in Japanese-- please tell me so I can correct it.

_________________

"I have serious reservations about the leadership of our group."
Takeru sighed. "After finding out that Taichi royally screwed up
in the past, they put my friend, Daisuke, as the leader. He then
got us hopelessly lost. Okay, it's not like it was really his fault,
but after running from a horde of evil digimon on an alien planet
and no clue as to where to go-- you'll want to blame somebody for it, and he is the leader.

"Things sort of improved when we found a small piece of civilization.
A diner in the middle of nowhere. We got some food and medicine
for Gomamon, who had gotten poisoned. We then had a problem with
the bill, considering they only took American money. They took Koushiro's
computer as payment and punted us out of the diner."

Takeru smirked. "Miyako got pissed about all of it. She let loose
a rant about getting Koushiro's computer back and somehow that activated
the Digimental of Junshin. With that we knew the portal should be
in the nearest non-natural structure, which was the diner. We fought
with Digitamamon and blinded him in one eye, but we made it through
and found our way back to File Island."

_________________

In the temple maze on File Island, three voices drifted from a room.

"Are you sure we should still leave Koushiro, Tentomon and Gomamon behind?" Yamato questioned.

"Gomamon is useless without his partner." Taichi folded his arms.
"As for Koushiro, his leg is a liability. How much use was any of
them on the last mission? Besides we need Koushiro to finish translating the writing on those walls."

"Taichi-sempai may be a bit crude about it, but he does have a point,"
Daisuke said. "It'll be easier for us to move without them. Removing
them from the group doesn't weaken us all that much either."

Yamato folded his arms. "But we also run the risk of not having
Tentomon learn how to evolve because of this."

"That's a risk we're going to have to take. We need those translations done," Daisuke argued.

"Who says we need them done now?" Yamato affirmed.

"We're at war." Daisuke pointed out. "Ending it quickly to lessen
the casualties is very important. One less day of fighting may mean thousands of lives saved."

"But if we don't bring Tentomon and Gomamon along, we're shorting
ourselves potential firepower." Yamato scowled.

"What firepower?" Taichi questioned. "Neither of them can evolve.
Sure, Tentomon might be able to, but he's a liability until then."

"Don't worry about it." Koushiro hobbled into the room. "I'll stay
behind. I'd rather work on translating these hieroglyphics than fight any day."

"And if you don't want me around, then I won't go either." Gomamon
raised his nose as he stood near the door. "I won't go somewhere
I'm not wanted." He then glared at them. "And next time, choose
to argue in a room that doesn't carry sound to the rest of our rooms."

_________________

The Chosen gathered what gear they could as they prepared for their
next mission. Unimon's troops were there, doing what they could to help.

Mimi sat down. "I'm not going."

Palmon sighed.

Daisuke stared at Mimi in shock. "What do you mean you're not going?"

Mimi sat on the floor in the temple maze. "I will NOT go with you
murders. There was no need to kill all those Bakemon. And it certainly
wasn't right for you and V-mon to blind that poor digimon."

"But he was trying to kill us!" V-mon said defensively.

Koushiro raised an eyebrow. "That 'poor' digimon also made me relive
the moment a Yakuza took a baseball bat to my leg. I certainly don't
see anything wrong with maiming him."

Miyako shook her head. "Fladramon might have been a bit excessive,
but I don't see how else we could've beaten him. He blocked the way to the portal."

"We could've tried talking to him. But did you try? NO! You tried
to fight him instead." Mimi glared. "We could've gotten home without
any trouble if you guys were more reasonable."

"Mimi-chan, that guy wasn't reasonable at all. We tried to talk
to him, HE kicked us out. Remember?" Sora pleaded.

"You all needed to be nicer to him. That's all. It's not like he
was even one of those evil lords. He's just making a living and
we blinded him because we couldn't pay his bill. We were the ones
being evil, not him." Mimi turned her head away from the group.
"And we shouldn't go around killing the servants of those lords
either. They're only following commands."

Daisuke's mouth hung open. "But, Mimi-chan...."

The black Piyomon, 'Kuro,' from Unimon's troops stepped forward.
"I think it would be better if you go without her to get that Digimental
of Seijitsu. There's something she should see."

"Piyomon, are you sure about that?" the pink Piyomon asked.

Kuro nodded. "She doesn't understand what war is, so I will show it to her."

"You're not going to take me somewhere to force me to kill something, are you?" Mimi questioned.

Kuro shook his head. "While that is an idea, it's not what I had
in mind. There should be nothing to fight where I'll take you. If
there is, we had best run-- not fight."

"Will Mimi-chan be safe?" Sora questioned.

"I'll go with her," Unimon stated. "Along with Palmon, she should be safe enough."

"I guess she should go with you guys then." Miyako waved. "Good luck."

"Ah, sure." Mimi replied uncertainly. When did she agree to this?

_________________

"I don't like this. We're supposed to be some army force and we're
short a third of our crew," Takeru complained, as he walked with
most of the Chosen and digimon along the coast of an ocean.

"There's not much to do about it." Miyako sighed. "Koushiro-sempai
has work to do, and Mimi-san has things she needs to work out."

"I know, but maybe we should wait until we have our forces at full strength," Takeru commented.

Hikari shook her finger. "That's what our missions are for, to gain
strength. To fight Devimon, is to face an army-- so we must be an army as well."

"How much farther is the digimental?" Taichi asked.

"Not much farther, niichan," Hikari replied.

"Hey, look a oil-rig!" Daisuke pointed out in the distance. "I bet that's where it is."

"If the portals are supposed to be in the nearest non-natural structure
to a digimental, then why didn't we just port into the oil-rig?" Miyako wondered.

Hikari shrugged. "Maybe it's not set up right to have a portal.
After all, the portal rooms have all been made out of stone and that place is all metal."

"I guess." Miyako scratched her head. "Now let's see who gets this one."

Daisuke grinned. "I bet it's mine."

"Fat chance of that." Takeru laughed. "Trustworthy and honest you aren't."

"Hey, you can trust me." Daisuke frowned. "When have I ever let someone down?"

The ground began to shake.

"What was that?" Taichi asked.

"An Earthquake?" Daisuke questioned.

"It's just a ground-quake... I hope," Piyomon said.

An enormous golden head on top of an impossibly long serpentine
body rose from the ocean water. "What do we have here? Chosen or
a small snack, not sure which."

"Holy shit!" Daisuke stepped back. "Who the hell is that?"

The gigantic serpent chuckled. "I'm Metal Seadramon, and I shall
destroy all of you now. Then I won't have to bother with you later."

"M-m-me-me-metal Seadramon?!" Piyomon, Agumon and Gabumon called out in shock.

"Um, so he's Metal Seadramon. What's the big deal?" Daisuke questioned.

"He's one of the Dark Masters! He's an Ultimate digimon. We've have
NO way to beat him now!" Piyomon yelled. "We've got to escape now!"

"But what about the digimental?" Daisuke pointed toward the oil-rig.
"Would that give us the power we need?"

"Not likely," Gabumon commented.

"A digimental? Let's just remove that from consideration. Ultimate
Stream!" A beam of pure destructive power shot out of Metal Seadramon's nose.

The energy beam lanced through the oil-rig. A second later it exploded
into a gigantic fireball, shaking the ground, flinging debris into
the air, and covering the area in smoke.

Metal Seadramon coughed as the cloud rolled over him, obscuring
his sight. A moment later it cleared. He blinked several times.
"Where did they go?! Ultimate Stream!" He fired at the nearby trees.

"So, what now fearless leader?" Taichi mocked. "Thanks to you, he
destroyed a digimental and now he's blowing up landscape."

"About all we can do. We retreat." Daisuke looked through the trees
and could still see the massive digimon. "We don't have the power
to take on that. I don't know if we'll ever have that power."

Piyomon nodded. "We'll certainly need more than being adult level
to beat him, but we will have to get that power somehow-- or all will be lost."

"We better get going before he finds us," Gabumon pointed out.

"Yeah, let's go," Yamato agreed.

Metal Seadramon observed the damage and growled. "They've escaped.
No matter. They're too weak and will die soon enough."

_________________

"What is this place?" Mimi questioned as she looked over barren land.

"This used to be a Pyocomon village," Kuro said simply. "There used
to be over a hundred of stage two baby digimon here. But Devimon's
troops came and attacked. The ones that lived evolved to fight back, everyone else died."

"There were only four survivors," Unimon stated. "Him, Sora's Piyomon,
and two others that were put under Devimon's control through the Black Gears."

"Why did you bring me here?" Mimi asked not wanting to see this devastation.

"Because, despite all this damage, Devimon wasn't apart of that
battle. It was only his minions. Sure, some of them were under his
control through the Black Gears-- but others, like Ogremon and the
Bakemon, did this of their own freewill. They chose to fight for
Devimon and kill defenseless digimon. They don't have the excuse
to say they were controlled, they volunteered for it!" Kuro ranted.

"But they only followed their master's order," Mimi reasoned.

"From Ogremon, I can accept that. He didn't seem to like it much,"
Unimon recalled. "The Bakemon, however, enjoyed themselves."

"You were there?" Mimi wondered.

Unimon nodded. "Yes, but my forces were too small to help. We tried,
but only served in strengthening Devimon more. While we tried to
save the Pyocomon, Devimon had the time he needed to corrupt Leomon."

"Such a sad story," a growling voice commented. "Brings a tear to my eye and joy to my heart."

The group whirled around.

"Leomon?" Unimon questioned, but the digimon before him looked wrong.

The digimon stood well over three meters tall with gray fur, but
otherwise looked like the humanoid lion that was once the leader
to all the good digimon on the island.

"Wrong. I used to be Leomon, now I'm Panjamon." He drew out his
sword. "It's time I put your rebellion to an end."

"Y-you've evolved?" Unimon questioned in fear.

Panjamon smirked. "Yes."

"Retreat," Unimon backed away. "Mimi-san, Palmon-- get on my back."

"Think I'll let you get away that easily? Ice Beast Fist!" Panjamon
punched the air sending a streak of super-frozen air that crashed next to Unimon's hooves.

"We're out of here." Palmon grabbed Mimi and used her vine-fingers
to pull both of them to Unimon's back.

"Magical fire!" Spirally energy crashed harmlessly off Panjamon's shoulder.

"Pathetic bird," Panjamon snarled. "Fire is useless against me. Ice Beast Fist!"

Kuro cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

"Poison Ivy!" Palmon stretched out her vines and grabbed Kuro.

Unimon flew away as fast as his wings could carry them.

"That's Leomon? Your leader?" Mimi questioned while trying to do
what she could to make Kuro warmer.

"He was," Unimon replied. "But he is no longer our leader. Even
if Devimon dies, it might not free Leomon anymore. He is now an
evil viral digimon, and might have to be destroyed."

"Wasn't he your friend?" Mimi asked, shocked.

"He was my best friend. But if he stands in our way to victory and
keeping any more innocent digimon from suffering, he must die,"
Unimon said firmly. "I hope there is a way to bring him back, but it looks hopeless now."

"You can't give up hope! I'm sure you can find a way that won't
kill him. You just have to try," Mimi pleaded.

"If I'm given a choice, I will try to save him-- even at the cost
of my life. I will not risk my men, you Chosen, or any innocent.
I will kill him to protect others. I hate it, but it is what this
damned war forces me to do." Unimon sighed. "I hope that you and
the others can bring an end to this fighting soon. I never wanted
to be in this position. I was happy to live on the side of Infinity
Mountain, but until Devimon is destroyed-- I can not live a free
life for he would enslave or destroy me. I have less choice in this fighting than you do."

"I understand." Tears leaked from Mimi's face. "I don't like fighting, but I'll help."

Palmon sighed. Mimi hadn't said anything about actually fighting
or killing. She would probably still be restricted in the coming battles.

Unimon gazed toward Infinity Mountain. "There is one thing I don't
understand. How can an adult digimon like Devimon not only be able
to control a higher level digimon, but make a digimon evolve to that higher level."

Mimi and Palmon shrugged cluelessly.

_________________

"Yes, how indeed?" questioned a red skeletal figure with bat wings
coming out of his back that sat on the throne on top of Infinity
Mountain. "How could I, as Devimon, possibly do that?" He laughed haughtily.

"Now show me the way to your base and the weakness within. I shall
not fail to destroy you this time."

_________________

Author's notes:

Panjamon is a perfection level digimon and can evolve from Leomon.
Considering he looks almost exactly like Leomon, the evolution is
likely to be the normal one. However, the Digimon Battle Card with
Panjamon is for a vaccine type with white fur. Saber Leomon is the
ultimate form, which Leomon 'warped' to during the original series.

Omake! Omake! Omake! Omake! Omake! Omake! Omake! Omake! Omake!

Chibi-Taichi tossed aside an empty cardboard bucket that used to
have popcorn in it. "Kamiya vs. Kamiya round 3." He sighed. "Hopefully the fighting will start now."

"I doubt it," chibi-Sora chirped. "There are some spoilers for the
Rurouni Kenshin manga series in this plus some fictional additions to it as well."

~~~~~

A large field that bordered on one side by a river and a grove of
trees on the other. It stretched for a few kilometers in either
direction. A large group of people took to sitting across the river
and hopefully out of harms way.

"Looks like we're in time to see Kenshin fight."

"Certainly does look like that. But what is Ken-san fighting? It looks like a lizard."

Kaoru, hearing those voices, blinked and looked over. "Megumi? Sa...no...suke?"
She blinked again. The woman was definitely Megumi, but the man
next to her kind of looked like Sanosuke, but he had red hair and
he wore western styled clothes.

"Hey, Sano, what's with the dye job?" Yahiko questioned. "Trying
to lay low from the cops still?"

"I'm not this 'Sano' guy, I'm Sagara Himura," the red haired man said proudly.

"A pathetic attempt at hiding, Aho. Anyone searching for your whereabouts
could easily discern you've shacked up with the fox-lady."

'Himura' whirled around and raised his fists. "Saitoh," he cursed.

Saitoh, dressed as a finely groomed policeman, crossed his arms.
"Don't worry. If I wanted to arrest you, I would've done it when
you returned to Japan four years ago."

Kaoru's hair stood on end. "You've been living WITH Megumi for the past four years?!"

"He's only stayed with me for the past couple years," Megumi stated.
"Though we didn't start sharing a room until a few months ago. I
understand you couldn't wait for the wedding night either."

"More like lack of waiting forced it." Yahiko grinned before getting
smacked on the back of the head.

Kaoru's face was crimson. "Don't talk about stuff like that!"

Saitoh chuckled. "Aho, if you're going to hide out until the statute
of limitations is up in a couple years, then I suggest you chose a better name."

"Oh? And what would an ass hole like you suggest?" 'Himura' growled.

"Borrow a name from a dead friend, one without a criminal record," Saitoh answered tersely.

'Himura' scowled. "Problem. My friends were drug-addicts, gamblers, and such."

"Oh, Sano, you wound us!" a guy called out. "And where's the two yen ya owe me!"

'Himura' sweat-dropped.

Saitoh gazed up slightly. "Right. Guess I should name you. Which
of the Shin-Sen-Gumi could you use? Takato was enough of a runt to work...."

"Okita is free!" a woman chirped.

"Do you really want to soil that name?" Saitoh questioned.

Kenshin had been trying to get prepared for the match. He wasn't
quite sure how to fight the lizard-like creature. He would have
enough time to say hello to his friends afterwards. But the last comment came as a surprise.

Kenshin slowly looked over and saw the woman who offered the name.
The sakabato sword slipped lifelessly from his fingers. "O-O-O-O-Okita?!"
He pointed at the woman with a shaky hand.

"Now, now Kenshin-san. My name is Tokio, not Okita." She smiled
fiercely. "Right." That wasn't a question.

"Whoa, wait. Are you telling me SHE is Okita, a captain of the Shin-Sen-Gumi?!" 'Himura' questioned in shock.

The woman scowled. "I'm Tokio, mother of these two fine boys."

"Tell me they're BOTH adopted," Kenshin pleaded.

"You know one of them is. The other is why Okita was a little sick
at the end of the war," Saitoh smirked before his head jerked forward as if slapped.

"Secrets are supposed to be kept," Tokio stated angrily.

"What happened?" Tsubume, a young girl in a French Maid outfit, asked.

Yahiko blinked. "She slapped him."

"She didn't move," Tsubume replied.

"Yes she did. She hopped over, slapped him, and then hopped back."
Yahiko scratched the back of his head. "No wonder she gave Kenshin a run for his money in Kyoto."

Kenshin began to cry. "He-he bred. Another generation of Saitoh."

Saitoh scowled. "The same could be said of your brat." His head rocked forward again.

"That's not a nice thing to say," Tokio scowled.

"I thought Kenshin had it bad with Kaoru. At least he lets her hit him," Yahiko observed.

"It would only be worse if Hiko had a kid," Kenshin continued to
sob in horror, but stopped as he was knocked to the ground.

"That is hardly the way to talk about me, Baka Deshi." A towering
man of two meters in height stood over Kenshin.

Kenshin turned white and bolted up from the ground. "H-Hiko?!"

Hiko crossed his arms. "And I'll have you know I do have a daughter,
but I wisely kept her away from you."

Kenshin looked over at the confused Tai Kamiya and Agumon. "Kill
me now. Please. I can't take much more of this."

Tai scratched the back of his head. "I just want to defeat you, not kill you."

"Don't you dare die, Kenshin, or I'LL kill you!" Kaoru screamed.

~~~~~

"That's it?!" chibi-Taichi yelled. "One freakin' line! That's not freakin' right."

"Tell that to the freakin' writer." Chibi-Sora patted chibi-Taichi
on the back. "The next part will be the fight."

"Pwomise?" chibi-Taichi cooed.

Chibi-Sora rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever. Until then, be seeing you!" She waved.

Chibi-Archive walked up wearing massive armor and a cape that trailed
behind him for a kilometer. "Kenshin spoilers: Kenshin and Kaoru
have a son, Kenji. Sanosuke left Japan at the end of the Kenshin
main series after having a bad run in with the law. Megumi moved
away to start her own medical practice at the same time. According
to the manga series Burai-- Saitoh, the star of the series, first
met Tokio as she tried to spy on the Shin-Sen-Gumi by infiltrating
them as a man named Takamoto. I've only seen the first five volumes
of the Burai, so I have no clue what happened to Tokio before Saitoh
met Kenshin. Okita is not in those volumes of Burai either."

Chibi-Archive coughed. "The remaining comments of Saitoh having
a kid, Hiko having a daughter, Sano staying with Megumi, as so on...
are largely my creative additions."

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