Summary: DevilÆs Advocate Side Stories. How does the world look through anotherÆs eyes? A story of how TakatoÆs actions look from Multiple Perspectives.
DevilÆs Advocate: Devil in the Details
Glimpses of the Future
Flowers in the Dark
The Right Hand of the Devil devours all.
Those who enter the Obsidian DukeÆs dominion first learn that he eats light, for the sun grows dim at his borders. Then they learn that he eats color, for his kingdom is a realm of gray.
Those who advance further into his dark wastes realize that parts of it bare the contorted markings of other life; a rock may have the shelled form of CrabmonÆs limbs or a grey tree trunk may reveal the frozen face of a forgotten fool who once braved the Darkness. For he also devours independence and identity, assimilating lesser creatures into his world.
There are places within the Dark that bear the marks of his rapacity upon the fabric of space; where a single step may cover many miles of distance or where every path leads in a single direction because every other course has been devoured. And an hour's passage in other places is as days elsewhere, because there he has gnawed at the bones of Time.
And then there are the places where, in his hunger, the Beast has chewed holes in the World. Gray sands begin to slowly fade into the roughness of concrete and asphalt, or the lushness of fresh grass, or the heat of desert sand and the cold of arctic ice. ItÆs said that creatures and men from strange worlds wander there at times and lose themselves in the darkness, for even the great beasts of the Digital World find it difficult to wrest free from these traps.
The Duke himself is not the only one there who hungers. Many of his abyssal servants share his appetites, and they feed on enemies and on unwary travelers with equal glee. Some are swifter than serpents and stronger than tigers. Others are as stealthy as shadows despite their impossibly brilliant plumage. They rarely deem fit to devour merely their victims' lives, preferring to steal their victims' strengths for themselves.
Few see fit to enter the DukeÆs Kingdom who do not also call it home. Even those who revel in darkness and silence seldom join them. For they seek those things for the solace and comfort they bring.
There is no solace or comfort in that Dismal World.
He has devoured that too.
XxXXxX
ôWe shouldnÆt be here.ö Gekomon said.
Gotsumon continued moving regardless.
ôThis is where they said Matsuda Takato vanished to.ö
ôB-but Gotsumon, this is the DukeÆs Territory!ö Gekomon whispered fearfully, as if the mere title would summon its owner.
ôàThe Duke is fighting Lucemon.ö Gotsumon said after a moment. ôAnd he opposes Yggdrasil as well. There are stories about him-ö
ôReally horrifying stories! You heard them too; if he did a tenth of what they say-ö
ôIf heÆd done what those tales say he did, heÆd be Matsuda Takato.ö Gotsumon stated.
ôàYou donÆt thinkà?ö
ôMaybe.ö The rocklike Digimon said. ôAfter allàDukemonàö
ôThen why are we here! What are you thinking; if you suspect he could be the DevilÆs Right Hand, than why the hell do you want to go!?ö
Gotsumon was silent for a moment. Honestly, he wasnÆt sure himself. He didnÆt have any proof that the Duke was Matsuda Takato, but it seemed like a pretty big coincidence for them both to share that name.
Added to the fact that there were rumors that the Right Hand lived in this place.
Gotsumon had heard of Matsuda Takato, of course. He had even seen him once and heard him speak. Back in the days of the Kaiser, everyone had thought him a hero.
And then the Kaiser had fallen and something even worse had taken his place. The things Matsuda Takato and his allies had doneàhis name still brought rage and fear to LucemonÆs enemies. And LucemonÆs alliesà
Well, there was a reason they called him the Right Hand of the Devil. He was worshiped almost as a God would be. HeÆd been called LucemonÆs Son, LucemonÆs General, and LucemonÆs Greatest Triumph. It was said that they were a Trinity; an dark reflection of the Three Angels. Lucemon, Takato, and that unholy beast of Megiddo that had rampaged across the Digital Worldà
Butàif the Duke was Matsuda Takato like he suspectedà
Why?
The Duke fought Lucemon and his armies at every turn. Why would he do that to his master?
There was so much he didnÆt know and nobody who knew would tell him.
Well, he wouldnÆt have the balls to actually ask them in the first place.
But was that all? Was curiosity the only thing motivating him? Was that the reason he came here?
àWhat would he even do if he was right? If the Duke was Matsuda Takato, would he kill him for knowing?
Actually, they really might kill him, just for being here, if those rumors were true.
Why then? Whyàwhy did he come here if it was so likely that he would die?
But then, he supposed that was the draw of Matsuda Takato, wasnÆt it?
A sudden buzzing interrupted his thoughts, but he didnÆt have more than a moment to think about it when a Kuwagamon crashed into the Earth.
ôSup, bitches!ö A boisterous voice suddenly cried. ôWhat the hell are you little pucks doing here!?ö
Gotsumon stared in stunned confusion, for a moment thinking the voice had come from the Kuwagamon.
ôA-ara, Sister, thatÆsàö Another voice began, quickly destroying that theory.
ôWell, its true, isnÆt it!?ö The first voice replied. ôI mean, a Gekomon and a Gotsumon walking into the Boss manÆs territory? TheyÆre either really ballsy or really stupid! Oi!ö
Gotsumon, feeling that the voice was now talking to him, hesitantly replied.
ôY-yes?ö
ôI hope you guys are grateful that we were passing through! If youÆd stumbled upon someone else, yaÆ might have got eaten! Now stand back; IÆm coming down!ö
However, they werenÆt even given a moment to step back before something leapt down from the KuwagamonÆs back and crashed into the ground before. A dust cloud was kicked up by the impact, hiding the new arrival from sight, but that didnÆt keep them from identifying her.
She wasnÆt very subtle.
ôThe great Rosemon has arrived!ö She announced. Even before the dust had faded, a rose garden was growing across the ground.
Gotsumon froze and Gekomon swore behind him.
They knew that name. They knew that Digimon, too, if only by reputation.
Rosemon.
General of the Jungle Troopers.
DevilÆs Advocate: Devil in the Details
Glimpses of the Future
Flowers in the Dark
The Right Hand of the Devil devours all.
Those who enter the Obsidian DukeÆs dominion first learn that he eats light, for the sun grows dim at his borders. Then they learn that he eats color, for his kingdom is a realm of gray.
Those who advance further into his dark wastes realize that parts of it bare the contorted markings of other life; a rock may have the shelled form of CrabmonÆs limbs or a grey tree trunk may reveal the frozen face of a forgotten fool who once braved the Darkness. For he also devours independence and identity, assimilating lesser creatures into his world.
There are places within the Dark that bear the marks of his rapacity upon the fabric of space; where a single step may cover many miles of distance or where every path leads in a single direction because every other course has been devoured. And an hour's passage in other places is as days elsewhere, because there he has gnawed at the bones of Time.
And then there are the places where, in his hunger, the Beast has chewed holes in the World. Gray sands begin to slowly fade into the roughness of concrete and asphalt, or the lushness of fresh grass, or the heat of desert sand and the cold of arctic ice. ItÆs said that creatures and men from strange worlds wander there at times and lose themselves in the darkness, for even the great beasts of the Digital World find it difficult to wrest free from these traps.
The Duke himself is not the only one there who hungers. Many of his abyssal servants share his appetites, and they feed on enemies and on unwary travelers with equal glee. Some are swifter than serpents and stronger than tigers. Others are as stealthy as shadows despite their impossibly brilliant plumage. They rarely deem fit to devour merely their victims' lives, preferring to steal their victims' strengths for themselves.
Few see fit to enter the DukeÆs Kingdom who do not also call it home. Even those who revel in darkness and silence seldom join them. For they seek those things for the solace and comfort they bring.
There is no solace or comfort in that Dismal World.
He has devoured that too.
XxXXxX
ôWe shouldnÆt be here.ö Gekomon said.
Gotsumon continued moving regardless.
ôThis is where they said Matsuda Takato vanished to.ö
ôB-but Gotsumon, this is the DukeÆs Territory!ö Gekomon whispered fearfully, as if the mere title would summon its owner.
ôàThe Duke is fighting Lucemon.ö Gotsumon said after a moment. ôAnd he opposes Yggdrasil as well. There are stories about him-ö
ôReally horrifying stories! You heard them too; if he did a tenth of what they say-ö
ôIf heÆd done what those tales say he did, heÆd be Matsuda Takato.ö Gotsumon stated.
ôàYou donÆt thinkà?ö
ôMaybe.ö The rocklike Digimon said. ôAfter allàDukemonàö
ôThen why are we here! What are you thinking; if you suspect he could be the DevilÆs Right Hand, than why the hell do you want to go!?ö
Gotsumon was silent for a moment. Honestly, he wasnÆt sure himself. He didnÆt have any proof that the Duke was Matsuda Takato, but it seemed like a pretty big coincidence for them both to share that name.
Added to the fact that there were rumors that the Right Hand lived in this place.
Gotsumon had heard of Matsuda Takato, of course. He had even seen him once and heard him speak. Back in the days of the Kaiser, everyone had thought him a hero.
And then the Kaiser had fallen and something even worse had taken his place. The things Matsuda Takato and his allies had doneàhis name still brought rage and fear to LucemonÆs enemies. And LucemonÆs alliesà
Well, there was a reason they called him the Right Hand of the Devil. He was worshiped almost as a God would be. HeÆd been called LucemonÆs Son, LucemonÆs General, and LucemonÆs Greatest Triumph. It was said that they were a Trinity; an dark reflection of the Three Angels. Lucemon, Takato, and that unholy beast of Megiddo that had rampaged across the Digital Worldà
Butàif the Duke was Matsuda Takato like he suspectedà
Why?
The Duke fought Lucemon and his armies at every turn. Why would he do that to his master?
There was so much he didnÆt know and nobody who knew would tell him.
Well, he wouldnÆt have the balls to actually ask them in the first place.
But was that all? Was curiosity the only thing motivating him? Was that the reason he came here?
àWhat would he even do if he was right? If the Duke was Matsuda Takato, would he kill him for knowing?
Actually, they really might kill him, just for being here, if those rumors were true.
Why then? Whyàwhy did he come here if it was so likely that he would die?
But then, he supposed that was the draw of Matsuda Takato, wasnÆt it?
A sudden buzzing interrupted his thoughts, but he didnÆt have more than a moment to think about it when a Kuwagamon crashed into the Earth.
ôSup, bitches!ö A boisterous voice suddenly cried. ôWhat the hell are you little pucks doing here!?ö
Gotsumon stared in stunned confusion, for a moment thinking the voice had come from the Kuwagamon.
ôA-ara, Sister, thatÆsàö Another voice began, quickly destroying that theory.
ôWell, its true, isnÆt it!?ö The first voice replied. ôI mean, a Gekomon and a Gotsumon walking into the Boss manÆs territory? TheyÆre either really ballsy or really stupid! Oi!ö
Gotsumon, feeling that the voice was now talking to him, hesitantly replied.
ôY-yes?ö
ôI hope you guys are grateful that we were passing through! If youÆd stumbled upon someone else, yaÆ might have got eaten! Now stand back; IÆm coming down!ö
However, they werenÆt even given a moment to step back before something leapt down from the KuwagamonÆs back and crashed into the ground before. A dust cloud was kicked up by the impact, hiding the new arrival from sight, but that didnÆt keep them from identifying her.
She wasnÆt very subtle.
ôThe great Rosemon has arrived!ö She announced. Even before the dust had faded, a rose garden was growing across the ground.
Gotsumon froze and Gekomon swore behind him.
They knew that name. They knew that Digimon, too, if only by reputation.
Rosemon.
General of the Jungle Troopers.