PART FOUR

By Fritz Baugh/Veedramon

Digimon is © Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei. Ghostbusters is©1984 Columbia Pictures. Ghostbusters 2 is ©1989 Columbia Pictures The Real Ghostbusters is ©1986 Columbia Pictures Television and DiC Productions. No use of characters and images associated with the above is intended for profit, or to challenge the copyrights of the above holders. Characters not appearing in the above copyrighted works are to be considered © Fritz Baugh and/or their respective creators
Ghostbuster Continuity Note: This story is not intended to fit into the Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline; it takes place in a "nebulous time" that is both sometime after Season Five and in early 2003. Even though in this chapter I start to use some Digimon who weren't thought up yet in 2003--maybe Ray's actually watching reruns on Toon Disney (lol).
Previously
The four famous paranormal investigators, the Ghostbusters (Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore) along with their secretary (Janine Melnitz) have been transported to a place that Ray identifies as the Digital World from the anime Digimon; the five have been regressed in age to pre-teens and given some of the powers of the DigiDestined from the show's fourth season.

Turns out they were brought to the Digital World by Ophanimon, the Celestial of Light, to help defeat an enemy called "the Master of the Dark Network". Veemon, a different one than the one on TV, was sent to guide them to the Wind Terminal, and reawaken the slumbering Celestial of Hope, Seraphimon...but just after they do that, the aforementioned "Master"--Etemon--shows up. The five Legendary Warriors and Veemon--who Digivolves to Veedramon--fight Etemon's minions, but are defeated by the Dark Network Concert Crush.

Etemon absorbs most of Seraphimon's data, but Leomon saves the Celestial from total destruction. He is not so lucky saving himself when Etemon uses Seraphimon's power to become KingEtemon; the Ghostbusters are forced to flee, taking what is left of the Angel of Hope with them in a mad dash.

Venkman, Winston, Louis, and Slimer come across Trailmon-jackers using the Beast Spirits of Ice and Wind, Korikakumon and Zephyrmon. Not to mention a couple of complete mental cases named Hanumon and Thunderballmon.

Egon and Janine, meanwhile, rush Patamon--all that is left of Seraphimon--to safety, while Falcomon is being chased by BurningGreymon and KendoGarurumon, the Beast Spirits of Fire and Light. They save Falcomon, and continue on their way. Oh, and Patamon and Janine sound exactly alike.

The Digital World
"This just bites..." Ray Stantz muttered to himself ruefully.

"We do seem to be doing a lot of running today..." Veemon agreed.

"We could Digivolve..." Ray suggested.

"Do you think we even can after that thing Etemon did to us?" Veemon replied.

"Good point..."

Three lizards wearing body armor and carrying M-16's came out of the brush.

"No sign of the intruders, Sir!" the one on the left barked.

They were all bluish, though their skin was spottled in a way that made it look like a camoflage pattern.

"TyrantKabuterimon is not going to be happy with us if we let these intruders get away, Sarge..." the one on the right said.

The one in the middle had stripes on his helmet and a big, unlit cigar stump in his mouth. "Then we're going to make sure they don't get away, Corporal."

"There does seem to be a lot of chasing around in this world..." Ray sighed, he and Veemon taking a quick stop because they absolutely had to.

"Well, the Digital World can be a vicious place..." Veemon replied. "It can be very Darwinistic: Digimon can get stronger by deleting other Digimon and absorbing their fractal codes. The strong get stronger, the weak get sent back to Primary Village to start all over again."

Ray had to chuckle. "Just our luck the lizards with guns are after us... My buddy Winston--the one with the Lobomon spirit--he's the one who survived an actual war. Or my older brother--he's still in the Air Force..."

Veemon was picking around on the ground. "It'd help if there was something to eat here...even if Etemon's whammy is worn off I still don't have the energy..."

Gunfire erupted all around them. The voices of the Commandramon howled their bloodlust (except for the one that shouted "Watch where you're aiming that thing!!!")

I can't believe this...after Gozer, and Cthulhu, and all the rest, I'm gonna be done in by triggerhappy reptiles in a video game...it's not fair...I never even told Elaine how...

Then there was a different noise. The loud roar of engines.

More gunfire. The Commandramon shouting, including one clear call of "Unchiiiii!!!"

An electric crackle. A deep metallic voice shouting "Electron Cannon!!!"

Explosions.

More shouts from the Commandramon.

Another crackle and explosion.

The Sarge shouting "Retreeeeeeeeeat!!!"

"Something....just scared off the Commandramon..." Veemon felt compelled to state the obvious.

"That doesn't necessarily mean it was friendly" Ray pointed out.

They neverthless peeked up, and saw the Commandramon's attacker. It was a Digimon that looked vaguely like some kind of tank with robotic features, it's arms ending in in cannons, it's "legs" being massive caterpillar treads, and another giant cannon barrel extending out of its head.

"That'll teach those punks to mess with my tree..." MetalKabuterimon rumbled.

"MetalKabuterimon?!" Ray shouted, jumping out of the bushes. "Egon!!! You have no idea how glad I am to see you!!!"

"Wha--?" Veemon exclaimed, shocked, so shocked he actually jumped up to follow him.

"Hold it right there!!!" MetalKabuterimon snarled, aiming his right arm at Ray.

"Egon, I know from the show the Beast Spirits are hard to control, but it's me, Ray, I..." Then Ray felt like kicking himself. So much else here hadn't matched up the cartoon, but here he blundered in after a very massive assumption that it did. "You're...not Egon, are you?"

"Considering that I have no idea who you're talking about..."

Veemon jumped out. "Er, listen, those guys you fragged? They were chasing us, so I hope that means 'Enemy of my enemy' and all that...er, I hope?"

MetalKabuterimon lowered his guns. "If the Commandramon are trying to delete you, that means you're probably all right. Besides...I'm quite curious about what an Analog is doing in the Digital World."

"Um..." Ray said, not sure what reaction he should have.

"Not here, though. As they say, 'they'll soon return, and in greater numbers' Follow me." MetalKabuterimon prompted.

They were led to a particular tree, which MetalKabuterimen told them to go into. Recognizing the "hiding tree" idea from the first episode of the anime, Ray stepped inside. "More like a 'living tree' in this case."

"It's nothing fancy, but I call it home..." MetalKabuterimon said as he entered behind them.

Ray looked around. There were various books, and a laptop computer. It looks like Izzy's computer from the show....the iFruit or whatever they called it.... The screensaver featured various sexy poses from the foxlike Digimon Renamon...

"Er...this place looks a little...um..cozy for a healthy fella like you..." Veemon pointed out. He kept looking back at the screensaver. I want one like that...

MetalKabuterimon chuckled, and there was a flourish of fractal codes. MetalKabuterimon was replaced with a Digimon closer to Veemon's size, one looking like a ladybug with an armored carapace. "Well, I have no doubt MetalK would only be able to use my toilet once..." he quipped, in a somewhat pitched voice.

"Tentomon!" Ray shouted.

"I have that name trademarked, you know." Tentomon quipped. "You now owe me one quarter of a Digidollar."

"Um...does it look like I have pockets on this thing?" Veemon retorted.

Tentomon managed a dry laugh. "I'll bill you later. Now...please, tell me why you're making so much trouble in my peaceful little forest?"

"...Intruders in Sector Twelve were sighted and pursued." the Seargeant Commandramon reported. "We had neared the prey when enemy M-K appeared."

"MetalKabuterimon..." the Commandramon's shadowy superior rumbled.

"Enemy M-K opened fire, and I lost troopers Stoner and Buchanan..."

"By the Tyrant's Mandibles, I am becoming tired of this...it is time I have it out with MetalKabuterimon once and for all." the giant leader turned. "O'Reilly, Gramm, you're Sergeant Gingrich's new unit..."

The two Commandramon looked at each other and gulped.

So did the Sarge. "I...have to go back out there again?"

"What is the matter with you, you turning into some kind of little baby ChickenHawkmon or something?!" the leader screamed, throwing his own cigar. It hit the Sarge on the head, knocking him down. "We will be pursing our enemy--and I will see to his elimination personally..."

"...And then after Leomon got deleted, we kinda got seperated in the mess." Ray was just about finished explaining. "Peter and Winston grabbed Slimer and Louis and ran off one way, Janine had Seraphimon and went with Egon a second direction, and Veemon and I ended up going a third."

"And now you're here..." Tentomon nooded. "Curiouser and curiouser..."

"You think you can help us get to the Rose Morning Star?" Veemon asked.

"That's quite a distance." Tentomon answered. "There is a Trailmon line on the other side of the Garrison, but to get there, well, we have a long walk around the Garrison."

"The Garrison?" Veemon asked.

"The hideout of those Commandramon. They're here to enforce the rule of the local lord, an unpleasant fellow called TyrantKabuterimon. Gives the entire Kabuterimon family a bad name, I say. They were running pretty roughshod over everyone until I found the Spirit..."

"You mean the Beast Spirit of Thunder." Ray nodded. "It's what lets you turn into MetalKabuterimon. Like I explained, one of my friends has the Human Spirit of Thunder, so when I first saw you I thought maybe you were him, that maybe he'd found the other Thunder Spirit."

Ray's Digivice suddenly started beeping. Ophanimon's voice called out "Obtain the Beast Spirit of Thunder...with it, your friend will attain greater power, the power he needs."

Tentomon jumped back. "He can't have it!!!" he shouted. "I found it, and it's the only hope we have to defeat the Tyrant!!!"

"Whoa whoa whoa!!!" Veemon put himself between Ray and Tentomon. "Let's not get hasty here!"

Ray looked at his Digivice sadly. "I'm not taking anything from anybody. Especially not when it's needed here. It'd help, but we'll just have to find a way without it."

Tentomon was quiet for a few seconds. "Just so we're clear on that..."

There was a knock at the tree. "Tentomon!!!" a breathy voice said.

"Gabo!" Tentomon responded, and leaned outside the tree. A second later, another reptilian Digimon, this one wearing a blueish-grey pelt, appeared.

"The Commandramon are back!" Gabo explained. "And they're not alone--their leader is with them, and he's..." Gabumon shivered. "Horrible. He's already deleted Psychemon and Aururamon..."

Tentomon ran outside, and saw a plume of smoke in the west. "This will not be allowed!!!"

Ray and Veemon moved beside him. "Let us help..." Veemon explained. "We owe you one for saving our outputs from those guys earlier."

"Plus I just don't like it when big guys pick on little guys." Ray nodded. "We've eaten, so we have more than enough energy now..."

"It will be an honor to fight alongside a fellow Legendary Warrior." Tentomon nodded. He pulled out an item, like an idol, that looked a miniature MetalKabuterimon. "Execute--Spirit Evolution!!!"

With a swirl of fractal codes, Tentomon was gone. "MetalKabuterimon!!!"

Ray pulled out his Digivice. "Time to see if the Dark Network has worn off...Execute, Spirit Evolution!!!"

Ray was relieved to be transformed, once more, into the Human Spirit of Ice. "Kumamon!!!"

"Oh yeah, the whoopass can now commence..." Veemon grinned. "Veemon...digivolve to... Veedramon!!!"

Gabo was clearly impressed. "Whoa..."

"Time to take out the trash..." MetalKabuterimon rumbled.

"Full barrage!!!" Sergeant Gingrich, the lead Commandramon, shouted. His two subordinates, Gramm and O'Reilly, continued to indiscriminantly hose the forest down with M-16 fire.

"That's quite enough of that..." the metallic rumble of MetalKabuterimon broke in, and the Commandramon found themselves knocked back by Bolo Fire.

"Let's play this cool!" Kumamon added. "Crystal Freeze!!!" he shot out an ice beam at the two Commandramon subordinates, one of which shot himself in the foot in the panic.

"This forest ain't big enough for all of us, so somebody's gonna leave. I nominate you!" Veedramon said, then unleashed a Vee Nova Blast at Sergeant Gingrich.

"Gyaaaahhh!!!"

"I shot myself in the foot!!! I want my Mommy!!!"

"Can I surrender now?"

It's just about then that MetalK, Kumamon, and Veedramon's moment of euphoria vanished in a blaze of bullets and explosions directed, this time, against them

"So...I meet the famous MetalKabuterimon at last..." a voice just as deep and metallic as MetalK's, but oozing with menace, surrounded them all. "Let's see if you're worth the trouble you've been causing us..."

"Go get'm Sir!" the Sarge called out from where he was cowering.

"Shut up!!!" the superior snarled back. "You ChickenHawkmon are an embarrassment to the D-Brigade!!! I'd shoot you myself except I didn't want to do the f***ing paperwork!!!"

Ray gathered his wits and took a look at their new foe. At first glance, he actually had to admit there was a little bit of a resemblance to MetalKabuterimon--he was about the same size, and like thier ally their enemy had caterpillar treads for legs. His hands ended in metallic spikes, and several large, ugly cannons were coming from his back. His upper body was unshirted, and blue, and his head was reptilian.

"Tankdramon..." Veedramon observed. "He probably used to be a Commandramon himself two Digivolutions ago..."

"Ultimate level?" Kumamon realized. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

"Now take my greeting, nume-sludges, in the name of TyrantKabuterimon" Tankdramon howled. "Blast Gattling!!!"

The forest erupted again in another fussillade of violence, noise, and explosions.

"You think that baby barrage scares me?!" MetalK retorted. "Eat Bolo Thunder, you ugly pile of scrap metal!!!"

More noise and explosions.

"Haw! You call that an attack!?" Tankdramon chortled, unleashing another round of Blast Gattlings.

"That the best you can do?!" MetalK made a dismissive noise and fired back.

Kumamon, under cover with Veedramon, shook his head. "I don't think this is helping at all..."

"No kidding." Veedramon agreed. "Next thing you know they'll start waving their outputs at each other."

"I mean every attack damages the forest even more. We gotta do something to end this fight quick!"

"You don't know how right you are..." Veedramon mused enigmatically.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know if it's true....but I heard something once about Tankdramon. If he's losing...and has the time..." Veedramon paused. "Well, let's just say it would not be good."

Anyway a few minutes later, the battle was over and...

...

...

Did I have you going? At least for a second?

"When I defeat you TyrantKabuterimon will give me a promotion! Maybe he'll make me the governor of this shithole! All I have to do is defeat you!!!" Tankdramon snarled, firing some more rounds at MetalKabuterimon.

The rounds hit MetalK, but his armor took the brunt of it. He fired back, his own electrical attacks being absorbed by Tankdramon's shell.

"Tankdramon is probably grounding himself somehow..." Ray mused. "That's why MetalK's attacks aren't doing maximum damage..."

Veedramon's eyes glazed over. "Huhwha?"

"Haw haw haw haw haw!!!" Tankdramon gloated, spraying the area with more bullets. "I figured you out, Bug Boy...I heard you used electricity in your attacks! You won't do shit to me, because I'm grounded!"

Kumamon levelled his own weapon. "Crystal Freeze!!!" An icy beam shot onto Tankdramon.

"You expect this pissant baby attack to hurt me?!" Tankdramon chortled. "Hang in there, I'll make some popsickles out of you once I'm done with the scrap metal."

"Now, Vee!!!" Kumamon shouted

"Vee Nova Blast!!!" Veedramon shouted, firing his distinctive, wedge-shaped energy burst into Tankdramon. It slammed into the giant Ultimate, but didn't really hurt him very much. All it did was melt the coating of ice Kumamon had just shot over him into a watery glaze.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" Tankdramon chortled again.

"Truth to tell..." Kumamon grinned. "No..."

Tankdramon looked confused. "No?"

"Now, MetalK!!!" Veedramon grinned.

"Electron Cannon!!!" MetalKabuterimon shouted, a flow of energy gathering into the giant barrel on top of his head.

This time, the attack hit Tankdramon hard, enveloping him in a coruscating electrical light show.

Thank goodness, whether Digimon have the same kind of skin oils humans do or not, all the greases and stuff in his weapondry did the trick. Ray mused to himself. The water aquired enough impurities to be electroconductive, and even his grounding didn't save him from that.

"not...not bad at all, punks..." the woozy Tankdramon muttered. "too bad you still lose..."

"Excuse me, but I don't see us on the ground with our asses whipped." Veedramon retorted, doing an endzone dance.

"Striper Cannon...activate!!!" Tankdramon sneered.

Veedramon stopped dead in his track mid-dance.

"Oh Unchiiii!!!" the three Commandramon shouted, and ran off as fast as they could, each leaving a smelly pink pile behind them.

"What in..." Ray sputtered.

Veedramon suddenly looked very very nervous. "That's what I was tryin' to warn about earlier...the Striper Cannon is like, thermonuclear or something."

"Everything within a thirty kilometer radius will be destroyed." Tankdramon grinned. "Enjoy your victory, suckers--all thirty second of it!"

"Oh crap..." Ray inhaled, once again experiencing a moment of dread and regret.

"Maybe I can blast him to pixels before the Striper Cannon fires..." MetalKabuterimon suggested.

"That'll just make it go off quicker!" Tankdramon grinned.

Ray started to think hard. Maybe I can deactivate the Cannon...but then, first I'd have to get close enough to study the systems, and there's no telling if it even works like any conventional Earth tech even though this place is based on Earth computer data or at least that's what we think...

Veedramon started to golf clap.

All three of the other Digimon looked at him.

"Good job, Tankie...you got us beat. Gonna blow yourself and us to smithereens. Well, I mean, let's be accurate: yourself, us, the forest, and two of the Legendary Warrior Spirits." Veedramon said, shrugging. "Kind defeats the purpose, right? Blowing up the stuff you came to capture? I bet old TyrantK will be pretty pissed..."

Tankdramon looked just a little spooked. "I'll be dead...why should I care?"

Veedramon shrugged again. "Yeah...never mind what it'll mean for the D-Brigade, right?"

"What?" Tankdramon asked.

"You not only didn't complete the mission, you blew the objective up so that nobody will ever get it. Why, if the D-Brigade doesn't blacklist your service record out of the shame of it, ol' TyrantK will probably outlaw them and have the rest of them wiped out."

Tankdramon's poker face was starting to crumble.

"'Course I guess ol' TyrantK could forgive them for your screw-up. We all know what a nice, tolerant, forgiving leader TyrantKabuterimon is..."

Tankdramon's eyes bulged.

"Tankdramon, destroyer of the D-Brigade, that's what they'll remember you as..."

Tankdramon started to wave his arms frantically. "No! No! No! I won't let you talk me into doing that!!! Striper Cannon shut down!!! I may have been beaten, but the D-Brigade will endure!"

"Thank you very much!" Veedramon grinned amiably, right before he and MetalKabuterimon beat him unconscious.

"Hey...you little creeps!!!" MetalKabuterimon shouted. "Come take your thoroughly whipped boss out of here!!!"

The three Commandramon slunk back. "Do we have to?" Sgt. Gingrich asked.

MetalKabuterimon didn't even answer vocally--he just waved one of his gun arms at them.

Sweating, straining, and swearing, the three Commandramon picked Tankdramon up and shuffled off.

Kumamon reverted to the eight year-old version of Ray Stantz. "You must have some of Peter's data in you after all--that was just like one of those cons he'd pull."

Veedramon reverted to Veemon. "Well, I guess since Venkman does start with the letter 'V'..."

MetalKabuterimon reverted to Tentomon. He looked at the Beast Spirit of Thunder idol for a few seconds. "I really can't let you take this...I'll need it when Tankdramon recovers, and comes back for more. And to take down TyrantKabuterimon himself..."

Ray nodded. "I understand, Tentomon. Just give us the directions we need to get to the Trailmon, and we'll go. We'll find out a way to beat KingEtemon without the Beast Spirit..."

Tentomon waved a dismissive claw. "You didn't let me finish! There is a mutually workable solution--since it will take a while for the D-Brigade to find out and deal with this, I can leave the forest for a brief time. I will go with you, your Egon friend can use the Beast Spirit to help defeat KingEtemon, and then since you'll be returning to your world I can get it back--maybe even get the Human Spirit in the process!"

Ray grinned. "I think that will be more than acceptable! Thanks, Tentomon!"

"Yeah!" Veemon agreed.

"No, my friends, thank you..." Tentomon corrected. "Without your help Tankdramon probably would've beaten me. You've brought a lot of new hope to this forest, and that is a debt I fully intent to repay..."

To Be Concluded


Questions? Comments? Go to the Ectozone Message Board