Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Digimon Tamers: Reconfigured ❯ Painful Memories ( Chapter 2 )

DIGIMON TAMERS: RECONFIGURED

Disclaimer: I own Shadowdevimon only. All the rest is property of Toei and Bandai. See? Nice and short this time.

WARNIGN: THE SPELCHEQUER IZ ON VACTION.

Okay, seriously, this is where it starts getting to the rating. That last chapter was maybe a middle PG, but this one (a very strong PG-13) will push the content up to match the rating. Hell, it may reach "R" shortly!

Narrator: So the Tamers had a reunion in the park and their Digimon reappeared, apparently running from a major threat to the digiworld. Rika broke the news to Impmon about Ai and Mako's deaths after Takato sidestepped around it. Then Shadowdevimon appeared and the Tamers discovered that their Digimon couldn't go past the Champion level. Fortunately he just vanished. Later, however, Takato got a call from Yamaki telling him about Shadowdevimon's power. And he was only the first one; there was a force of evil Digimon growing on the other side of the portal. Not knowing this, the Tamers went back to the park, where Myotismon appeared right in front of them. Fortunately he was just looking for his partner… Jeri. I can't see this ending well!

THEME

"Painful Memories"

(Juri's memories. True evil of D-Reaper)

(Rika's house)

Rika: I'm going out again.

Ms. Nonako: Okay, just try not to get yourself killed or anything.

Rika: Mom, I'm only going over to Ryo's.

Ms. Nonako: In that case, try not to get yourself pregnant or anything.

Rika: I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that and that you have more faith in me.

Ms. Nonako: Sorry, it's just that I was only about a year older than you are now when you were born. Just try to learn from my experiences.

Rika: Thanks, Mom, but things haven't gotten nearly that far yet. On a completely unrelated note, do you know where I can get some Gravol? I've been feeling kind of sick in the mornings.

(Ms. Nonako looks shocked)

Rika: (smirking) I'm kidding. You just can't take a joke, can you? Well, see you.

(Rika leaves)

Ms. Nonako: (quietly) To you it's a joke, to me it's a memory.

(cut to Takato's house where he's on the phone with Henry)

Henry: …So it's not going to last because it's a battle of superegos?

Takato: That's my best guess, but don't put any money on it. Think about it, can you think of two people who think more highly of themselves?

Henry: Okay, great. See you later.

Takato: Yep. Bye.

(Henry hangs up)

(Takato hangs up)

Guilmon: Takato, what was that?

Takato: That was Henry asking about the chances of Rika and Ryo staying together.

Guilmon: Why would he need to know that?

Takato: He's just always had a small crush on Rika since the start.

Guilmon: Does it hurt Rika when he crushes her?

(Takato sweatdrops)

Takato: No, a crush is a romantic longing.

(Takato turns on the TV and a Digimon episode from 02 is on)

Takato: Like Davis has on Kari in the Digimon anime.

Guilmon: Why don't Kenta and Kazu talk about girls much?

Takato: Well, they're… special people.

Guilmon: So are you, Takatomon. Not everyone's a Tamer.

Takato: (uncertainly) Anyways, they… care a lot more about each other than… they do… about… girls and…

Voice: Sheesh, call a spade a spade and a fag a fag!

Takato: I knew I should have let someone else take you home yesterday.

Impmon: Hey, I c'n probably help Dino-boy more than you can wit' dis.

Takato: Try it.

Impmon: No problem. Ya see, Guilmon, Kenta an' Kazu're "gay". Dey don't like goils, dey like guys. Dey have boyfriends instead'a goilfriends.

Guilmon: Takato has girl friends and boy friends.

Impmon: Not like dat! Dis is gonna take longer dan I tought. Okay, dey love guys. Dey sleep wit' guys.

Guilmon: Sometimes I sleep with Takato.

Impmon: (becoming annoyed) Dey "mate" wit' guys.

Guilmon: How does that work?

Impmon: It's not particularly `ffective fer reproduction, but dey `njoy it.

Guilmon: Why?

Impmon: Who knows? Deir brains're wired diff'rently dan oter people's.

Guilmon: Does that mean Jeri's "gay" for going out with Takato?

Impmon: Nah, Jeri'd only be gay if she was goin' out wit' anotah goil.

Guilmon: But you said…

Impmon: What I sed earliah only applies ta guys.

Guilmon: I'm confused.

Impmon: A guy who goes out wit guys is gay. A goil who goes out wit goils is gay, or a "lesbian". Got dat?

Guilmon: Yes.

Impmon: Good. Now, some people go out wit guys and goils. Dey're called "bisexu'ls"

Guilmon: Takato rides a bicycle.

Impmon: I give up!

[Kenta: A Tamer always has to know when to take a rest. But we'll be back.]

COMMERCIAL

[Impmon: Hey, wuddayaknow? We're back!]

(Fade in to Jeri's house)

Jeri: This is Bakemon. He's my new partner. Hopefully he'll last longer than the last one.

Mr. Katou: Glad to see you've finally gotten over that whole thing with Leomon. I was afraid you'd never smile again. At least not with Digimon involved.

Jeri: Don't worry about it. I've changed for the better.

(Jeri and Bakemon go upstairs)

Bakemon: Leomon?

Jeri: Long story. He was my first digimon partner. I remember when he first showed up.

(Flashback with images from "Jeri's Quest")

Jeri (VO): That big rat was attacking me and he showed up just to save me. Of course I didn't have a D-Power at the time so I couldn't use any Modify Cards.

(Flashback with images from "A World Apart")

Jeri (VO): Then, when we went to the Digital World the last thing I did in this world was get my D-Power. It felt great to be an official Tamer. But, all good things must come to an end.

(Flashback with images from "Motorcycle Madness")

Jeri (VO): Impmon, that's the one in the group without a Tamer, had become power hungry and, looking for a way to digivolve, he turned to the dog Deva for help. The dumb mutt enabled him to digivolve to Beelzemon, his Mega level on one condition; he had to destroy us!

(Flashback with scenes from "Lionheart")

Jeri (VO): None of our Digimon wanted to fight him, regarding him as a friend, or at least an ally. Leomon tried to talk some sense into him and for his troubles he was deleted and loaded.

(Back to current time)

Jeri: Needless to say I was devastated

Bakemon: And that was the end of it?

Jeri: No…

(Flashback with images from "The Battle Within")

Jeri (VO): …eventually Takato and Guilmon were able to Biomerge and talk some sense into Beelzemon.

(Flashback with images from "Beelzemon's Big Day")

Jeri (VO): Beelzemon showed up again later in his "Blast Mode" to help us fight the D-Reaper… ARGH!

(Jeri collapses on the floor and starts crying)

Bakemon: What's wrong?

Jeri: Just the mention of that horrible thing sends shivers down my spine remembering what it did to me.

Bakemon: What did it do?

(Flashback with images from the beginning of "His Kingdom For a Horse")

Jeri (VO): It trapped me in its core, took all of my worst memories, and used them to weaken me.

Bakemon (VO, interrupting): As bad as that would be, it doesn't seem enough to account for your reaction.

Jeri (VO): That's not all.

(Flashback with scenes from "The D-Reaper's Feast" up until the point where Jeri is pulled against the wall of tendrils)

Jeri: (VO) It then evolved into a higher form, and the core changed into an area full of tendrils and… and it… it…

(Flashback ends abruptly)

(Jeri breaks down crying again)

Bakemon: *winces* Have you told the others about this?

Jeri: Only the first part, although Takato broke in to save me when it was in its final stage and he's had a year to put two and two together now. But that thing's been destroyed, right?

Bakemon: No, only reduced to its original state. Its total destruction would require the Ultimate Power to be unleashed.

Jeri: What's the "Ultimate Power"?

Bakemon: It's just an old legend about a Digimon created by the Sovereigns unleashing its true power and a Digimon created by a Human, its creator, and a machine combining into one all-powerful Digimon.

Jeri: But, that happened a year ago.

(Images from "Janyu's Ark")

Jeri (VO): Calumon unleashed the Light of Digivolution…

(Flashback with Guilmon's biomerge sequence)

Jeri (VO): …and Takato and Guilmon Biomerged to Gallantmon…

(Flashback with images from "Such Sweet Sorrow")

Grani: (in the flashback) Gallantmon, take my wings.

Jeri (VO): …who combined with the Ark, also known as Grani to form Crimson Mode.

(End flashbacks)

Bakemon: Sorry, I'm just a bit slow on the uptake. I guess it would take more than that, then.

Jeri: You've got that right. A lot more.

(Cut to Shadowdevimon floating around the town)

Man: Is that a Digimon?

Woman: It doesn't look like any I know of.

Man 2: Well, it's big, ugly, and floating. It's either a Digimon or a sixties flashback. And I wasn't alive in the sixties.

Shadowdevimon: How very like now. Shadow Strike!

(The man's shadow turns into a dark knife and flies straight towards him. He falls to the ground bleeding)

Shadowdevimon: Final Darkness!

(All the shadows around combine into a giant shadow-sword which flies to Shadowdevimon)

Man 2: Oh shi…

(Shadowdevimon uses the sword to slice through the man's neck and decapitate him. Everyone in the immediate vicinity runs away.)

Shadowdevimon: Anyone else got anything to say? DNA DATA CONVERSION!

(Shadowdevimon drains energy from the man's body before fading out)

[Guilmon: Time to have a snack, but we'll be right back.]

COMMERCIALS

COMMERCIAL [Commercial narrator: Next time on Digimon

(Spinning logo)

(Image of a girl with long red hair and green eyes wearing a red and white striped shirt, a blue miniskirt and black shoes holding a black D-Power standing beside Impmon)

C. Narrator: A mysterious new Tamer arrives.

(Scene of Takato greeting the girl)

Takato: I haven't seen you around here before…

(Scene of the girl giving Rika a chilly reception)

C. Narrator: But is she a friend?

Rika (VO, not in scene): There's something not quite right about her.

(Scene of the girl commanding Impmon against Renamon)

C. Narrator: Or a foe?

Girl: Impmon, destroy her!

C. Narrator: Don't miss the next episode of Digimon.]

[Terriermon: Momentai, we're back!]

(Impmon is wandering the streets)

Impmon: Well, wit Myotismon's arrival I lost my last shot at a Tamer. Guess it's back ta `who needs `em?'.

Voice (female, deep): You are looking for a tamer? What a coincidence, this weird fire bird just gave me this…

(? Pulls out a black D-Power which is visible when she reaches into the light)

?: …And I am looking for a Digimon.

Impmon: "Weird fire boid"? No way! I'm never associatin' wit him or any a' his warriors again!

?: You seem somewhat stubborn. What is your reluctance?

Impmon: He hates humans an' tamed Digimon. Dis is prob'ly a suicide mission ta get us outta his way!

?: If he wanted my destruction why would he have summoned me and given me my D-Power?

Impmon: Okay, you've convinced me. But, who are you?

?: My name is Ashley Makiya. I already know that you are Impmon.

Impmon: Okay, Ashley, why do ya talk so propahly and poifectly? What kinda preppy are ya? What kinda person don't even use contractions?

Ashley: It is the result of going to a terribly proper private school when I was younger.

Impmon: Okay, what did Chuchie tell ya ya had ta do?

Ashley: He told me I was to replace Ai and Mako, but that is all I was told.

Impmon: Then ya got da right guy. You got any enemies?

Ashley: Only one. I have never liked Rika Nonako.

Impmon: Rika? Dat could be a problem! She's a membah of da team, and has been since da start.

Ashley: Would you listen to anything I told you?

Impmon: Yeah.

Ashley: Good. Destroy Rika Nonako and her pathetic partner Renamon.

Impmon: I'm not happy wit dis, but since you, in da (heavy sarcasm) infinite wisdom of yer six minutes as a tamer, (normally) want me ta, I have ta.

Ashley: Good.

(Impmon walks off with his new tamer.)

(Cut to Takato, Henry, Kenta, and Kazu on the phone in a four-way call)

Takato: Okay, you think it did WHAT to Jeri?

Henry: I think it tentacled her.

Takato: `Tentacled' as in tentacle rape?

Kazu: Henry, you watch way too much hentai for someone your age.

Henry: You're just as old as me!

Kazu: Yeah, but I don't spend every dollar on animated porn!

Henry: Neither do I!

Kazu: Bullshit! How else would you get an idea like that?

Kenta: Hear him out; he might have a reason for his thinking.

Henry: Okay, Jeri's been acting like something happened that should never happen.

Takato: Yeah, but no one's mind should ever be probed by a program created for destruction.

Henry: That's true, but whenever the topic turns to the D-Reaper she goes completely silent. Combined with Takato's description of the chamber where Jeri was kept it's a logical conclusion

Kazu: (to Takato): Just repeat what you said for the last one, Chumley. That shouldn't ever happen! (to Henry) Now are you going to be wasting any more of our time with your bizarre hentai-inspired theories?

Takato: I think Henry might be right. I would expect her to try to avoid the subject as much as possible, but not to completely clam up! And the look of that area should have been a dead give-away.

Kazu: So you believe Whackboy on this?

Henry: Whackboy? You don't have any proof that I even possess one piece of hentai!

Kazu: You're "Dogbunnyboy" on Kazaa, right?

Henry: So wha… Dammit!

Kazu: So, that's some pretty incriminating "nothing". Is that Ai and Mako in "Sibling Rivalry"? And why are they fighting over who can lay Impmon better?

(Henry starts blushing)

Kazu: Hey, Kenta, check this one out. Matt and TK, "Brotherly Love"

(Henry blushes more)

Kazu: I always wondered where I could find every episode of "Urotsukidoji" known to man in one place! And "Overfiend" too. What a treat!

Henry: That's enough!

Kazu: Someone's mad at getting caught.

Kenta: Hey, he even drew us a picture of his theory in action. How considerate. "Stolen Innocence".

Kazu: Take a look at this one. "Angelic". I didn't know Angemon's staff worked for that! But there it is, crammed right up Gatomon's…

(Henry hangs up)

Takato: Well, congratulations. You scared him off.

Kazu: Oh yeah, we da men!

Takato: (quietly) how many does he have involving himself and Rika?

Kenta: Twenty, and still loading some.

Takato: How many with just Rika?

Kazu: Ah, man. My computer crashed!

Takato: Okay, that's alright. Just wondering. Bye.

Kazu: See ya, Chumley.

(Takato hangs up)

(Kenta and Kazu both hang up, revealing that the call was actually three-way with Kenta talking on a cordless at Kazu's house)

Kenta: Okay, now what do we do?

Kazu: I've gotten together a file to send to Ryo.

Kenta: What's in it?

(Kazu looks at him like that's the stupidest question ever)

Kenta: Oh. Just the "Henrika" or all the Rika?

Kazu: All the Rika wouldn't fit onto one file, or my computer for that matter.

(Camera zooms to an outside shot of the house)

Kenta (OS): Do you think that's to scale?

Kazu (OS): Objects in hentai may be smaller than they appear.

[Rika: It is in the cards that Digimon will be right back.]

COMMERCIALS (including "next week" commercial)

[Takato: Where are you going? We're back!]

(The next day in Takato's house the news is on the TV. The anchor bears a striking resemblance to '25 years later Cody')

Anchor (on TV): Last night we were given a shocking reminder of the power of Digimon as Dan Ishonda, a local man, was attacked and killed by one. Witnesses describe the creature as "a formless shadowy figure"

(Takato looks up)

Anchor (on TV): …and say that it killed him with his own shadow. It is still unknown whether this attack was provoked…

Takato: Shadowdevimon!

(Takato quickly eats breakfast)

Takato: Sorry, but I've got to run down to the park. I promise I'll be back before six.

Mrs. Matsuki: Okay, but be careful. This is the first time a Digimon's actually killed a human.

Takato: Guilmon's coming with me. He'll be able to protect me.

Mrs. Matsuki: But…

(Takato and Guilmon leave)

Mrs. Matsuki: …who will protect him from the anti-Digimon mobs?

(Cut to Takato arriving in the park)

Rika: Well, you certainly took your sweet time, Goggle Boy.

Takato: I got here as fast as I could.

Rika: Do you have any idea where Henry is?

Takato: No, why?

Rika: Ryo forwarded me a message with an attachment he received anonymously…

(Kazu snickers, then looks around innocently)

Rika: …and I want to see him get what's coming to him.

?: Yes, you were always one who enjoyed watching suffering.

(Impmon steps out of the darkness with Ashley presumably behind him)

Rika: Where do I remember that voice from? Oh, of course. Ashley Makiya.

Ashley: Good guess.

Rika: (continuing) The only student who attended her own Parent Teacher conferences because she ran away from home. Why did you do it anyways? Did Daddy love you a little too much?

(Jeri casts a glare at Rika)

Was Mommy locked in a closet decomposing?

Ashley: I refuse to answer those questions.

(Ashley steps out behind Rika, but is still obscured)

Ashley: Now why do you think I'm here?

(scene freezes as the narrator comes on)

Narator: Uh oh, the two old rivals have met, and Ashley plans on only one leaving! How's this gonna end? Find out next time on Digimon: Digital Monsters.

AUTHOR'S WRAPUP

Homophobia? Implied tentacle rape? Graphic deaths? Jenrya no Echi? What are you thinking?

Okay, looking over this, the things most likely to get me flamed are Impmon's comment while Takato's trying to explain Kazu and Kenta's situation to Guilmon and Jeri's experience in the D-Reaper. And possibly the scene with Shadowdevimon.

First thing's first, Impmon's Comment. Impmon is a loud-mouthed, straight to the point Digimon. His comment turned attention to him, so that he could attempt to explain things to Guilmon better than Takato's clumsy attempts.

Now, onto Jeri. First, this does not make this AU, as it could have happened inside the timeline. But that's not what you're concerned about. What you're concerned about is the use of rape, particularly tentacle rape, as a plot device. Isn't that one of the things I stand against? Well, no, I stand against portrayals of graphic, out-of-character rape at a time when all characters involved were accounted for. That and the "She starts loving it" and "She was asking for it" varieties are what I hate (the latter two regardless of how much detail actually exists in the story or how the timeline is handled). The modified events in the D-Reaper were not described at all (or even actually mentioned) and it would not be the slightest bit out of character for the D-Reaper (which views human pain and emotions as weaknesses) to torment Jeri in such a way. That said, read over the first episode again and "SPOT THE FORESHADOWING" of this revelation. Hint: Sometimes your choice of words says a lot more than you think it does.

And to anyone shocked by the scene with Shadowdevimon, please keep in mind what this thing digivolves from and to. Daemon was willing to burn down an entire apartment building just to distract the Digidestined and Devimon was the first real villain in the series. I don't think taking one life is exactly beyond Shadowdevimon.

As for Henry… let's just say it lightens the mood. No further explanation is required. Plus it creates several plot points later on. And you know Ryo's gonna be pissed when he gets to the park… (Smiles).

Okay, now that I'm not fighting controversy any more, you may have noticed the commercial. This is to give a preview of what's coming. It, like the lead ins and lead outs was meant to closely resemble the Fox Kids format (hence the spinning logo). Also, I'm "borrowing" some of the actual lead ins/outs (as you may have noticed) but removing any reference to Fox Kids. This is also the reason I made such a point of keeping Ashley concealed during the story even though she appeared in the commercial. It was a joke on how the commercials often reveal things which were kept secret in the actual series. Particularly with the "Saga of the Devas" where the characters were unsure of Mihiramon's origins while the commercials were screaming "the Chinese Zodiac" and "What are the Devas?" Well, that ends my rant. The next chapter will bring the rating up to "R", due partially to the fact that it would be much easier to re-write "Darkened Hopes" ("R" from the start) as a "G" rated fic (albeit a very dodgy fic) than to even bring this one down to "PG". (I mean, seriously, I'd have to cut the entire subplot with Henry, Jeri's treatment by the D-Reaper, etc. Plus future plot-twists would be shot to hell.)

Stay tuned next time, when you find out that the couple easiest to support is the one with a character of your own invention. (Who can guess where I'm going with Ashley?)

Next episode: "The New Kid" (Impmon's new tamer? Ruki's nemesis!)