Yamato Ishida (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
angry_friendship_wolf) wrote2021-05-25 04:26 am
angry_friendship_wolf) wrote2021-05-25 04:26 am
[tri OOM] Gennai and Dorumon
Gennai’s fingers dance over the console, as he performs search after search for Meicoomon. Nothing. Wherever she’s gone, she’s gone beyond his ability to find her, let alone his ability to control her. His plan is dead without her.
(It’s dead anyway, a voice at the back of his mind reminds him. The Chosen can cure the Infection again and again now, which means that even if Meicoomon spreads it, they can stop it in its tracks, reduce all of Gennai’s progress to zero again and again.)
Which leads into the second problem: There’s a superweapon, the incarnation of Apocalymon himself, on the loose, and Gennai doesn’t know what it’ll do next.
“Gennai.”
Dorumon’s voice. The fact that the little Digimon is here in its Child form, instead of borrowing Homeostasis’ power to become Alphamon, is proof of his failure: Homeostasis must not even view him as a threat anymore.
“I’m rather busy, Dorumon,” he says archly.
“I can see that,” Dorumon says, taking a few steps deeper into the husk of the old Server Tree. “I had hoped you would be able to give me counsel. If anyone knows where Meicoomon is hiding, it would be you, after all.”
Gennai huffs a quiet laugh. “And why would I tell you?”
“Because you’ve already failed. There are no more moves you can make, Gennai,” Dorumon says calmly. “But there are others who would use the weapon you set loose on the world for their own ends, and I doubt your pride will permit that.”
Gennai turns, watching Dorumon out of the corner of his eye. “Others?”
“Is that such a surprise? People are opportunistic. You’ve created an opportunity.”
“Only a fool would seek to use Meicoomon for anything other than destruction.”
“Unfortunate, then, that there are a great many fools,” Dorumon says. “And more with every moment.
“To the east, the Ironworks Trading Syndicate has begun making moves to try to lure her and trap her. With her in their grasp, they reason, they can control her and graduate from being small-time bandits and smugglers into being an empire in their own right.
“To the west, a group calling themselves the Coven scheme to bring her to earth and absorb her, using the power of Apocalymon to become transcendental beings.
“To the north, a cult of Vademon seek to create the perfect Digimon, a being that is pure of both form and essence, and believe that if they can observe Meicoomon, they will be that much closer to success.
“And to the south, a contest over who should be the king of an ever-expanding region has become a hunt for Meicoomon, in the belief that whoever defeats her will attain the right of kingship. Oujamon, Entermon, and Globemon are the three current candidates, and they are unconcerned with the damage their hunt will cause.
“And it doesn’t stop there. Pirates looking to capture the ultimate treasure; a dozen different petty warlords hoping to acquire her as a weapon; fools who think they can catch a glimpse of the great destroyer; zealots who believe they can become gods -- those who would make use of Meicoomon are appearing in their dozens, and there’s no sign of them stopping.”
Gennai hums softly, hands settling against the console. This, he should have foreseen, he supposes. That the moment his plans collapsed would be the moment every other two-bit thug and schemer would emerge from the undergrowth to fight over their remains.
“And you believe I’ll help you quell these rabble-rousers?”
“I do.”
Gennai shakes his head. “I haven’t yet given up on seeing my goals realised, Dorumon. I will find Meicoomon, I will bring her back under my control, and once I do, I will find a way to set my plans back on track. Until then, let the vultures fight. If the world burns, it doesn’t matter to me. And besides,” he said. “You’re only here because you can’t deal with them yourself. How many more times can you become Alphamon? Once, twice?”
Dorumon’s brow furrows. “I see I made a mistake in coming here. I’ll leave you to wallow in your failures.”
“Why not go to the Chosen?” Gennai asks. Dorumon’s stare turns cold. “-- Ah, of course. There’s something you don’t want to tell them.”
“Homeostasis’ orders are that she be killed,” Dorumon says. “And I will carry out those orders. And if she grows too much, and becomes a threat, then -- …”
“A second-level Reboot, is that it?” Gennai finishes. “A Reboot that will utterly destroy any digital technology within the human world, killing thousands, millions. Tell the Chosen that, and they might become your enemies. You have such pretensions of nobility, but when backed into a corner, you’ll betray your allies so easily.”
“It’s a -- worst case option. If Meicoomon should come into her full power as Apocalymon, it will be the only way to save every world,” Dorumon says. “That’s all. This is a necessary evil.”
“So said every one of history’s monsters,” Gennai replies.
(It’s dead anyway, a voice at the back of his mind reminds him. The Chosen can cure the Infection again and again now, which means that even if Meicoomon spreads it, they can stop it in its tracks, reduce all of Gennai’s progress to zero again and again.)
Which leads into the second problem: There’s a superweapon, the incarnation of Apocalymon himself, on the loose, and Gennai doesn’t know what it’ll do next.
“Gennai.”
Dorumon’s voice. The fact that the little Digimon is here in its Child form, instead of borrowing Homeostasis’ power to become Alphamon, is proof of his failure: Homeostasis must not even view him as a threat anymore.
“I’m rather busy, Dorumon,” he says archly.
“I can see that,” Dorumon says, taking a few steps deeper into the husk of the old Server Tree. “I had hoped you would be able to give me counsel. If anyone knows where Meicoomon is hiding, it would be you, after all.”
Gennai huffs a quiet laugh. “And why would I tell you?”
“Because you’ve already failed. There are no more moves you can make, Gennai,” Dorumon says calmly. “But there are others who would use the weapon you set loose on the world for their own ends, and I doubt your pride will permit that.”
Gennai turns, watching Dorumon out of the corner of his eye. “Others?”
“Is that such a surprise? People are opportunistic. You’ve created an opportunity.”
“Only a fool would seek to use Meicoomon for anything other than destruction.”
“Unfortunate, then, that there are a great many fools,” Dorumon says. “And more with every moment.
“To the east, the Ironworks Trading Syndicate has begun making moves to try to lure her and trap her. With her in their grasp, they reason, they can control her and graduate from being small-time bandits and smugglers into being an empire in their own right.
“To the west, a group calling themselves the Coven scheme to bring her to earth and absorb her, using the power of Apocalymon to become transcendental beings.
“To the north, a cult of Vademon seek to create the perfect Digimon, a being that is pure of both form and essence, and believe that if they can observe Meicoomon, they will be that much closer to success.
“And to the south, a contest over who should be the king of an ever-expanding region has become a hunt for Meicoomon, in the belief that whoever defeats her will attain the right of kingship. Oujamon, Entermon, and Globemon are the three current candidates, and they are unconcerned with the damage their hunt will cause.
“And it doesn’t stop there. Pirates looking to capture the ultimate treasure; a dozen different petty warlords hoping to acquire her as a weapon; fools who think they can catch a glimpse of the great destroyer; zealots who believe they can become gods -- those who would make use of Meicoomon are appearing in their dozens, and there’s no sign of them stopping.”
Gennai hums softly, hands settling against the console. This, he should have foreseen, he supposes. That the moment his plans collapsed would be the moment every other two-bit thug and schemer would emerge from the undergrowth to fight over their remains.
“And you believe I’ll help you quell these rabble-rousers?”
“I do.”
Gennai shakes his head. “I haven’t yet given up on seeing my goals realised, Dorumon. I will find Meicoomon, I will bring her back under my control, and once I do, I will find a way to set my plans back on track. Until then, let the vultures fight. If the world burns, it doesn’t matter to me. And besides,” he said. “You’re only here because you can’t deal with them yourself. How many more times can you become Alphamon? Once, twice?”
Dorumon’s brow furrows. “I see I made a mistake in coming here. I’ll leave you to wallow in your failures.”
“Why not go to the Chosen?” Gennai asks. Dorumon’s stare turns cold. “-- Ah, of course. There’s something you don’t want to tell them.”
“Homeostasis’ orders are that she be killed,” Dorumon says. “And I will carry out those orders. And if she grows too much, and becomes a threat, then -- …”
“A second-level Reboot, is that it?” Gennai finishes. “A Reboot that will utterly destroy any digital technology within the human world, killing thousands, millions. Tell the Chosen that, and they might become your enemies. You have such pretensions of nobility, but when backed into a corner, you’ll betray your allies so easily.”
“It’s a -- worst case option. If Meicoomon should come into her full power as Apocalymon, it will be the only way to save every world,” Dorumon says. “That’s all. This is a necessary evil.”
“So said every one of history’s monsters,” Gennai replies.