Chapter Eight – “Tranquil Cataclysm”
Guilmon remembered meeting Ciphermon many years ago in Nibelcycer. It happened back when the prison had just been built, the Digital Accords had been passed, and Guilmon was still relatively wet behind the ears in terms of being Emperor.
“This place looks horrible,” Guilmon said looking around. Nibelcycer was dingy and dark with brack walls and metal bars. There were a few torches on the walls many yards across and there were no windows making it very gloomy inside. “Its really quite disturbing actually.”
Andromon, who was beside him, cracked a rare cybernetic smile.
“Well if this place is to stand as a real threat,”
Andromon said. “Then we have to make
it as horrible as possible. We don’t want to send criminals to
Guilmon sighed.
“I hope you’re right my friend,” Guilmon said looking at one of the cells across from them. It looked like a normal cell with rusty bars and a dark damp inside, but there was a special electromagnetic field around each cell. Once a Digimon was inside, their energy would be drained to the point where they only had enough to hold their data together. In addition, the entire prison has another field around it preventing the use from any abilities or attacks a mon usually would have access to. “Because if you aren’t right, I won’t be able to sleep at night, I swear ...”
Andromon smiled again.
“The price for peace is sometimes high Emperor,” he said. “But sometimes you have to be willing to pay for the greater good. We can’t always feel good about ourselves, but if our self-hate can result in worldwide peace, than so be it.”
All Guilmon could do was nod.
“Yes,” he said quietly. “That makes sense ...”
“LET ME GO!”
Guilmon turned to look down the corridor for the source of the noise. He saw two large shadowy figures holding a smaller figure by the arms. The small figure was so short that he was hanging by the large figures’ arms kicking and flailing in the air.
“Oh God,” Guilmon said feeling sick. “Andromon ... I don’t think I can deal with this ...”
Andromon didn’t respond.
The figures stepped into the light and were revealed to be two Mega Level WarGreymon holding a Pumpkinmon between them. Upon seeing the Emperor they bowed slightly and stopped to explain.
“We found this Digimon trying to rob a bank in Digitopolis last week,” one WarGreymon guard said. “Don’t be fooled by his ... cute appearance. At the time he was an Ultimate Level Myotismon. He deleted several Digimon in the process. It took several Leomon to get him under control. Then he tried to break free of their grasp by changing into a Pumpkinmon, but was unsuccessful.”
“Isn’t he supposed to ...er... have a trial?” Guilmon asked. “I don’t think you can just throw him in here-”
“He attacked the Judge,” the other guard said. “During the whole ordeal the Judge was setting up a new checking account. In addition, several jury members also were in attendance. The trial happened three days later, and a unanimous decision was made. He was then rushed over here.”
Guilmon wasn’t sure he agreed but nodded his head.
“Carry on,” he said, but the Pumpkinmon was looking at him, his face scarlet with pure unmistakable rage.
“È tú Brutè?” he growled still fighting the WarGreymon but to no avail.
“Excuse me?” Emperor Guilmon said quizzically. “What do you mean?”
“How soon your forget Emperor,” Pumpkinmon growled. “That you and I are more alike than you think. We’re brothers you and I. You deny your roots and play the part of a Vaccine Digimon, when, in actuality, you’re a virus type just like me!”
“I don’t understand,” Guilmon said blinking. “What do attributes have to do with-”
“Even with your silly accords,” Pumpkinmon interjected. “And this prison ... walls cannot hold destiny Guilmon, and the destiny of the virus Digimon is to rule the world! You, obviously, do not count. One day Guilmon ... you’ll regret the side you’ve chosen in this prelude to cataclysm. All you’ve done is quieted things down ... but nothing can stop what is to come ... nothing can stop destiny!”
Guilmon looked shocked at his words as the WarGreymon finally continued their course down the corridor back into the darkness.
“Sorry Emperor,” one of them said before retreating. “Quiet you.”
But the Pumpkinmon had no intention of being silent.
“SOON!” he cried even as they continued to drag him into the darkness. “SOON THE WORLD WILL SEE THE TRUE POWER OF THE VIRUS DIGIMON! SOMEDAY WE, THOSE TRULY DESTINED TO RULE THIS WORLD WILL ARISE FROM THE QUIET AND DESTROY YOU’RE PEACE GUILMON! THAT IS WHEN I, THE GREAT CIPHERMON, WILL TAKE YOU’RE THRONE EMPEROR! THEN I’LL DELETE YOU PERSONALLY!”
Guilmon, eyes went wide.
“NO! LET ME GO!” Ciphermon cried. “THE ONE WHO WON’T BE TRUE TO HIMSELF MUST DIE! THE EMPEROR MUST DIE! CHEATER! CHARLATAN! PHONY! FRAUD!”
“I’m not a phony!” Guilmon cried back on impulse. “I am not a charlatan, I am not a cheater, I am not a fraud!”
“Emperor,” Andromon, who was perfectly calm, said. “Don’t pay him any attention!”
But those cries would forever ring in his mind to this very day.
“CHEATER!”
“CHARLATON!”
“PHONY!”
“FRAUD!”
“Emperor Guilmon!”
Guilmon snapped out of his daze. He was no longer in that
horrible prison all those years ago. He was here in
“Sorry Andromon,” Guilmon said. “I must have dozed off ... my apologizes Elder.”
The Gazimon Elder snorted.
“What’s the matter Guilmon?” he asked sarcastically. “You don’t find our business worthy of your conciseness?”
“Yes Emperor,” came the voice of another present Governor. “What’s the matter? Didn’t get enough sleep last night?”
Andromon frowned at the Governor.
“Nobody asked you here Governor Beelzemon,” Andromon growled. “As you presence is neither needed or warranted, we would appreciate your silence while the Emperor sorts out this conflict.”
Emperor Beelzemon smiled.
“Sure thing kid,” he said with a chortle. “Don’t get your circuits in a bunch.”
Andromon rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the Emperor’s dealings.
“Now then Elders,” Guilmon said folding his hands. “We have a proposition for you and your citizens. I will increase your food and supply allocations if you agree to ... um ... persuade your renegade citizens from pillaging from the Tokomon and Augumon villages.”
The Gazimon Elders smiled.
“How do they know that they aren’t getting a raw deal?” Beelzemon breathed. “It could be some government trick.”
Andromon gritted his teeth.
“I will ask you once again Governor,” Andromon said
irritably. “To silence yourself. Otherwise I will be
given no other alternative than to remove you from
Beelzemon rolled his eyes.
“Somone woke up on the wrong side of the motherboard this moarning,” he said laughing again twirling his handy switchblade which he always had handy in between his fingers. The damage had already been done however.
“Yeah,” one Elder said. “This could be some kind of trick!”
“I assure you that this is no trick,” Guilmon sighed. “Now if you want this deal to go through-”
“Now he’s giving us an ultimatum!” another Elder cried in an amused tone. “Emperor Guilmon is giving us an ultimatum! All hail the glorious Emperor Guilmon!”
“-Going to have to ask you to settle down-”
“I bet he doesn’t give his vaccine buddies ultimatums!”
“THIS MEETING IS AJOURNED!” Guilmon roared. “YOU WILL NOT
COME INTO MY HOME AND DISRESPECT ME
AND MY ASSOCIATE! YOU NOW GET NOTHING MORE! IF I FIND ANOTHER REPORT OF
JUST ONE MORE GAZIMON STEALING FROM ANOTHER VILLAGE, I’LL PUT THE
The Gazimon Elders’ smiles all dropped simultaneously. A tint of fear showed in their eyes.
“E-Emperor, we meant no disrespect,” one of them stammered. “T-that’s a b-bit harsh don’t you think-”
Guilmon’s angered expression pursued.
“Good day Elder,” he said through gritted teeth.
“But-”
“The Emperor says good day Gazimon,” Andromon retorted coldly. “Now if you’ll allow, I’ll escort you to the exit of the tower ...”
And despite all their stammering and apologies, they followed Andromon out the door. Before he left Andromon gave one last hateful glance at Beelzemon who was still playing with his switchblade.
“I’m sure there’s a nice cell in Nibelcycer for you too,” he whispered. “If you continue to disrupt things like this Beelzemon.”
Beelzemon simply smirked.
“You have no idea Tin Man,” he said, and Andromon left.
They waited a few moments until they knew nobody was in earshot. Guilmon got up, crossed the room and closed the shutters. Beelzemon got up and closed the door in turn. Then they retook their seats across from each other.
“You know you’re putting it on a little thick Beelzemon,” Guilmon sighed. “And you’re really upsetting Andromon.”
Beelzemon put down his switchblade and smiled.
“Then I guess I’m playing the part of delinquent-viral governor right,” he said, and before they knew it they had leaned across the thin table and embraced in a friendly hug.
“Ah Beelzemon, my friend,” Guilmon said patting him on the back in mid-hug. “Its so good to see you again. I hope that you’re well?”
They sat back down in their seats breaking the hug and they both shared a smile.
“If I wasn’t then I wouldn’t be here,” Beelzemon said winking. “And don’t worry about the Gazimon, they’ll be too scared to do anything.”
Guilmon smirked.
“Sometimes the fullest threats are the empty ones,” he said returning the wink. “What brings you to Digitopolis today? You usually only come back to report during the bi-monthly council meeting.”
Beelzemon got very quiet and his smile vanished.
“I have urgent news,” he said. “About the Sleber Tsal.”
At these words, Guilmon’s smile vanished as well.
“...Well?” Guilmon squeaked urgently. Beelzemon was Guilmon’s personal spy. In the spotlight, Beelzemon played the part of someone who might be against the government in order to gain the trust of Digimon with information about the going-ons in the underground world. As for his ability to stay in his Digivolved state, he owed that to a device called the Upgrade Stabilizer, installed in his brain. It stabilized his Champion form allowing him to remain in it indefinitely. “What did you find out?”
Beelzemon sighed, grabbed a glass of water sitting on the table and took a long drink before talking.
“They’re about to make their move,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “My sources tell me that Ciphermon is leading the group out of hiding in order to search for something.”
“What?”
“A weapon,” Beelzemon replied. “None of my sources know exactly what the weapon is, but they quoted Ciphermon himself on saying it was more powerful than a thousand Omnimon.”
Guilmon gasped.
“What weapon could be so horrible?” he asked himself aloud. “Do you have a location on anything? Ciphermon, the Sleber Tsal, or the weapon?”
“No, no, and no,” Beelzemon replied sadly and Guilmon’s head hung as he sighed. Ciphermon was no joke. In all the time Nibelcycer had been in existence, there had only been one escapee: him. “But my sources have told me where I might be able to find information about the weapon. Once we find out what it is, we can probably find out where it is.”
“And where ever that weapon is,” Guilmon said continuing the train of thought. “Is definitely where Ciphermon and his goons are. I’ll contact Terriermon, and Lopmon. There the only two people available I can trust.”
“What about Renamon?” Beelzemon asked.
“She’s still missing,” Guilmon sighed. “Believe, me I want her in my corner in a situation as dangerous as this as much as you do, but we have to act now. We’ll leave today if possible. Where is it Beelzemon? Where is the place where we’ll find all this information?”
“I haven’t really been there,” Beelzemon said. “But my
sources gave me directions. Its some dusty old place called