Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Ruin ❯ Incidents Happen ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The next morning, Taichi woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. "No wonder," He groaned to himself. The clock on the wall said it was 9 in the morning. He quickly woke up Agumon, and walked out of his dorm. Taichi made his way into the large dining cavern, but to his dismay, only found some cleaners wiping the table.
"Aw crap." Taichi and Agumon said in unison.
"Hey guys…" Sora said from behind them. "I saved you some breakfast."
Taichi immediately grabbed a slab of bacon, while Agumon devoured a sausage whole. Sora winced at their terrible manners.
"So, uh, Zubla have anything planned for you today?" Sora asked as Taichi popped the last bit of meat in his mouth.
"Actually, I haven't talked to him about it yet."
"Well, you should. Makes a good impression on you."
"Hmm, guess you're right. I'd better go.
"Take your time. For Zubla, it's late to bed, late to rise."
"Sounds cool… uh, which way to his room?"
"Just down that hall, but take your time, explore a bit."
"OK, I'll see you, I guess." Taichi went off down a random corridor.


Taichi spent about an hour looking around Zubla's Chimera Institute. They had just about everything a town could have. An arcade with flight simulators, an Infirmary, a pool, a cafeteria, an enormous hanger that opened up into the above ground, even a library, although that was rarely occupied. Several giant power generators provided electricity for it all, and in the deepest part were all the dormitories.
Afterwards, Taichi stood in front of the door to Zubla's room. Quietly, he knocked. The boss's bass voice rang out. "Who's there? Come in!"
Taichi opened the enormous doors. "Uh, it's me, Taichi Kamaiya."
"Oh yes, the newbie. Enter!"
The pilot did so. "I was… just wondering, um… when my first assignment would be."
"Hmm," Zubla stroked his thick moustache. He turned to the people and Digimon in his room. "If you'd all be so kind…"
Wordlessly, the other occupants left.
Agumon's eye caught a Floramon, and he turned to get a better look. "I'll be right back." He mumbled, and followed her out the enormous bedroom.
Taichi lightly chuckled and turned back to Zubla.
"Yes, well, let's get right down to business." Zubla brought forth a large black case. As he opened it, an eerie bright glow enveloped the room. Six thin tubes, each, containing a liquid, rest in it. "These are uranium rods. Just one could cause an explosion 10 miles wide. We discovered trace amounts of it in a local cave lake. About 200 miles from here, there is a building owned by a friend of mine, Merton. He has run out of coal, and he says that uranium rods should last him 6 months. Ample time to find an alternative source."
Taichi nodded, absorbing all the information. "OK then, I'll get right on it."
Zubla chuckled. "That's what I like to see, initiative. You have that advantage Taichi. That's why I trust you with this. Don't fail me, for both of our sakes."
Smartly, the pilot saluted. "Yes sir… err… Zubla."
"Dismissed." The fat boss of Chimera Institute waved his hand.
Taichi grabbed the closed box, tucked it under his arm, and exited.


An hour later, Taichi had gotten out of the underground city, boarded Peregrine, and began to ascend into the cloudy sky.
Agumon was melting all over himself so much; Taichi had to remind him what to do.
"How's the reactor looking Agumon? Yo, Agumon!
"Hunh? Oh, uh, it's green." He sighed and gave a goofy smile. "Green just like her…"
"Geez man, what the hell did you drink in the cafeteria?"
"Yeah, that's where I talked to her, the cafeteria."
"Dude, are you talking about that Floramon?"
Agumon sighed. "Ahh, Floramon, such a beautiful name."
"Oh please, can I puke now?" Taichi checked the remaining systems then got up. "I'm gonna finish that turkey before it goes bad. Can you fly Peregrine without crashing?
"Yeah, sure."
Taichi groaned. The last thing he wanted was a lovesick Digimon for a partner. He went into the tiny room that served as a kitchen, and quickly ate lunch. Later, he returned to the cockpit, finding Agumon slowly turning back and fourth in his chair.
He didn't see the approaching cliff.
"Agumon! Look out!"
The dinosaur Digimon snapped out of his trance, and yelped in surprise. He gripped the controls and pulled Peregrine into a steep climb. Taichi barely had enough time to strap in.
The rocky face was getting too close fast. Agumon pulled his entire weight on the stick, desperately trying to cheat death. The ship was at a 45 degree angle, the cliff was close enough to see rock patterns. Taichi watched his short life flash before his eyes. Agumon relentlessly pulled, hoping his luck wouldn't fail him. Finally, the Peregrine was flying vertically. The sounds of rocks scarping against metal wailed out, then, silence.
Taichi opened his eyes. The seen of gray sky made him think he was going to heaven, but he realized he'd lived. Agumon straightened out the flight, and slumped down in the seat. Perspiration was across his face. Taichi shook his head and chuckled, despite his brush with the Grim Reaper. "Damn Agumon, that must be one hell of a Digimon you're gushing over."


The rest of the flight went without incident. Taichi had spotted the building where Merton's gang hung out. A feminine voice came in over the communicator. "This is Merton Air Traffic. You're in restricted air space. Please change course or you'll be fired upon.
Taichi already saw the dozens of laser turrets point his way. "Woah! Relax! I'm just a delivery guy. Zubla sent me."
After a brief pause, the women on the other end spoke again. "What is your delivery?"
"Six uranium rods." Taichi replied.
Another moment's silence. "You'll be guided to a platform. Don't attempt any tricks, or we will shoot."
Taichi followed the instructions to a small platform at the east wing. As he landed on the flat surface, he grabbed the box of explosive elements, and walked down the ramp. At least 10 guards, each with a large laser rifle, met him and escorted him down a long hallway. Taichi was careful not get too close, but at the same time, kept a cool exterior. Finally, after a series of doors, each larger than the rest, Taichi reached the person he assumed was Merton. He got the box ready.
"Taichi Kamaiya, one of Zubla's men, correct?" Merton was very much the opposite of Taichi's boss. He was short, skinny, pale, and wore glasses. The sharpness in his high-pitched voice though, showed he wasn't some 100-pound wimp. "Well, what the hell do you have for me?"
"Uh… Uranium rods from Zubla."
A quick snap and one of the troops took the box from Taichi and gave it to Merton. Eagerly, he opened it. He took one out, studied it, then to Taichi's surprise, he threw it on the floor. The tube shattered into dozens of pieces, and the liquid inside oozed out. "What kind of fool do you think I am! I know uranium when I see it, and this crap isn't uranium!" He shouted.
Taichi slowly tried to back out. "I'm sorry, I'm just a delivery guy! I don't know these things!"
Merton snapped his fingers again. Immediately, all six of the guards in the room drew laser guns. "Well then you should've chosen better employers."
Taichi stood stock still, his mind racing impossibly fast. Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind. As a guard to his right slowly closed in, he grabbed his gun by the barrel, then twisted it out and roundhouse kicked him in the head hard enough for his helmet to go flying. He squeezed the trigger, sending a stream of deadly fire through the room. It took out 2 more enemies, and nicked Merton in the leg.
The injured boss roared loudly, "Get him!"
Taichi bolted, lasers closely trailing him. Guards were surprised to see a young man burst through the door with a dozen troops following. Years of being on the streets had made Taichi strong. He quickly retraced his steps back outside to the platform, now with more than twenty men on his tail. He signaled to Agumon, who waited patiently in the cockpit. The ramp lowered, allowing a breathless Taichi to leap aboard.
A numerous amount of lasers fired at Peregrine, but they were meant for human targets, and it did little damage. Even so, Agumon took off in a hasty manner while the pilot manned one of the turrets.
Taichi quickly powered up the small pair of guns, but it was too late. Agumon was already in the air.
Within seconds, the Peregrine was half a kilometer away, but the trouble wasn't over yet.
"Taichi! Missiles incoming!"
"Crap…" He muttered to himself. Swinging around, Taichi saw the oblong missiles coming in at an alarming rate. Carefully, he lined up the target to the incoming explosives. He let forward a salvo of scarlet red lasers. Out of the 4, only 1 exploded. Dismayed, but still determined, Taichi continued firing. Another missile burst in a fiery explosion, then the third.
Agumon warned Taichi over the communicator that turbulence was ahead.
"Great, just what I need." The gunner mumbled. Immediately, Taichi felt the rough wind bounce him in the turret. There was no was to hit the missile with such distractions. He braced himself for the impact, tightly gripping the ladder that led up.
The missile hit.
Taichi smacked his head.
The world faded.


Sora was following Xantos.
Carefully, she edged her way across the wall, the android person walking down the hall. Slowly, she turned her head and peered down the corridor, she watched him turn and walk down the right passage. Like a shadow, she slid down the hall in perfect silence. As steadily as possible, she turned the corner.
A metal hand roughly grabbed her neck and lifted her off the ground.
Xantos's voice buzzed angrily. "Why are you following me?"
"Gah! I wasn't following!"
"Then you were spying?"
"Put me down! Erg!" Sora kicked in midair. Xantos roughly let go. Sora tenderly rubbed her neck and said, "I was just, curious about you."
"What is to know about me?" Xantos's one blue eye bored into hers. "Why do you want to learn about my past? There isn't a thing you can do about what's happened already."
"You can't change it, but you can change the way you feel about it." Sora tried to hide her resentment to his rudeness. "It's better to tell someone about it than keep it bottled up."
Suddenly, a thin, foot long blade erupted from Xantos's right forearm. With alarming speed, he whirled around and stuck it into the wall just a hairsbreadth from her face. "Shut up! You can't decide how I want to live my life!" He removed the menacing stiletto from the wall. "If I ever catch you following me, I'll drive steel into your neck."
Sora got the message, and quickly scurried off, her thoughts a jumble. She just couldn't shake off the weird attraction to Xantos. He was so mysterious, and seemed, somehow, connected to something. Sora shook her head. This was too much to think about on an empty stomach.
She headed for the cafeteria to eat something, but saw a bustle of people and Digimon rushing through. "Hey, what's going on?" She stopped to ask a person.
"Some guy was hit I the head, and their trying to bring his ship down!"
A horrible thought struck Sora. No, it couldn't be… she had to check. Following the crowd, she made her way to the hanger. There, the worst thing she thought could happen, did just that.
The Peregrine, scorched with flames, and pieces of wire dangling out of gaping holes, slowly touched down. A medical team rushed in to get the wounded Taichi out. Sora watched in horror as he came out a minuet later, unconscious and with blood smeared on his face.


Taichi furiously worked the controls, touching down on the cracked ground. He leaped down the ramp before it was halfway down. He was too occupied to care about the pain that shot up his legs. The black smoke of the wreckage filled the air. Leaping over debris, Taichi searched among the pieces of Windrider for him. "Yamato!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "Yamato!" Again and again, he screamed his friend's name, until his voice was horse. "No… don't go yet Yamato, please, you're the only friend I have…" He mumbled. For hours, he looked among the graveyard of ship parts, turning over large sheets of metal, hoping to find Yamato there, alive. But nothing turned up. Taichi crawled away from the scene, grief stricken and with a tear in his eye. His best friend, lost, because of some stupid race. Taichi frustratingly pounded the side of his ship, leaving a fist-shaped dent. Gone… gone… his friend… gone…


Suddenly, Taichi awoke and lay straight up. Breathing heavily, he looked around. He was in a white room, with counters filled with bottles, little black screens, and. "Medical tools? Am I in the hospital?" He said to himself. To his left, he saw Sora, curled up and asleep. "She's been waiting for me? Why'd she do that? She doesn't really care about me, does she?" He thought to himself. "Ah, well, might as well get some rest. My head feels like it's been in a vice." He lowered his head on the lumpy pillow, shifted around for a few minuets, then fell back asleep.


Taichi awoke once again, thinking he'd spent the better half of a day asleep. Slowly, his eyes opened and squinted back shut to get used to the light.
"Taichi! You're awake!" Sora's familiar voice brought his eyes back open. "Oh thank God, they said you were close to a coma."
"Ugh…" Taichi groaned as the well-known pain in his head also welcomed him. "Man, I feel like I was hit by a freighter. What's been happening? How long have I been asleep?"
"About four days. Zubla has been visiting every ten minuets. Keeps saying he doesn't want an up-and-coming pilot like you going so quickly. Oh, he had to attend to something, so he asked me to tell you he's very sorry about the incident. It was his mistake, and he'll do full repairs on your ship."
"That's some light out of the dark, I guess." Taichi carefully sat up. "I'm starving, what time is it?"
"About an hour before dinner."
Taichi slowly slid off the bed, then stood up, testing his legs. "I'm gonna hit the showers. Later."
Sora stood up. "Are you sure you're feeling OK?"
"Yeah, fine." Taichi went off down the hall.
Along the way to the showers, Taichi brushed by the android-person.
"I see you're well. Good."
"What do you care?" Taichi asked the suspicious man.
"… Nothing."
"Bullshit! You're out for something, aren't you? What is it!?" Taichi approached him.
Using the strong motors in his arm, the person grabbed Taichi's shoulder and squeezed hard. "My name is Xantos, don't forget it. I'll be the one dances on your grave!" Calmly, he let go, then continued down the hall.
Taichi, completely shocked, realized that Xantos would cause problems for him.