Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, but some of the characters in this fic are my creations.

This fic continues on from "Look! No Hands!"

Previously: Microscopic traces of the D-Reaper mass left within Jeri's puppet have become active again, thanks to the work of a mysterious individual who stole the puppet after Charlene's wake. Acting on it's own, the puppet attacks Takato, but he manages to trap it, and takes it to Henry's father, who calls in Izzy to help with the examination procedures at the Hypnos building. As Izzy probes the puppet, it's strength increases...

- - -

"THE BIG COMEBACK SPECIAL!"

"Reap What You Sow," Part Two

By Chris McFeely

- - -

The puppet wrenches itself free from Takato and Janyu's hands, throwing them to the ground, and hauls itself up. The probe clatters to the ground, and shatters. The signal disappears from the computer.

Puppet: YOU ARE MINE - -

The puppet launches itself from the table, directly towards Izzy.

Puppet: - - FOREVER!!

Izzy: Ack!

The puppet lands on Izzy's face and clings on tightly. Izzy waves his arms and staggers around.

Izzy: Get it off! Get it off!

Tentomon: SUPER SHOCKER!

A bolt of electricity lances from Tentomon's antennae, and strikes the puppet. It screeches in pain, and falls to the floor, blackened on it's back. Izzy is also suitably charred, and coughs out a smoke cloud.

Tentomon: Whoopsie!

Guilmon: Smells like bacon.

Terriermon pokes the puppet. It doesn't move.

Terriermon: It's out like a light!

Janyu: Then, quickly, get it contained!

Takato snatches up the puppet and drops it back into the hamster cage.

Guilmon: You okay?

Izzy: *coughs* A mere momentary setback.

Janyu picks up the broken remains of the probe.

Janyu: Maybe more than momentary.

Terriermon: Moumontai!

Tentomon: Do you have any idea how annoying that is?

Terriermon: Yup!

Izzy shakes his head to get himself together, and walks over to the computer. He starts tapping keys on it.

In the background, Jeri sniffles and Takato attempts to act manly.

Jeri: I was so scared...!

Takato: Ah, I was on top of the whole thing! Not scared at all!

Jeri sniffs.

Jeri: ...what's that smell?

Takato pauses.

He takes a step forward, then a step back.

His underwear goes "squelch."

Takato: ...excuse me for a moment.

- - -

Takato returns a couple of minutes later.

Takato: Whoo-EEE! I'd give THAT a little while if I was you!

Everyone is crowded around the computer. Takato peers over everyone's shoulders at the screen, which is displaying what looks like a sound wave.

Takato: What's up?

Izzy: *taps screen* This is the signal the probe picked up from the puppet before. I managed to get the computer to make a copy in time... but I can't discern why it's so erratic.

Puppet: ALL SHALL BE ONE!!

Everyone turns around to see the puppet shaking the bars of its cage.

Takato: Heeeeey, look who's up.

Henry: Up is a relative term. Down, down, dooby down.

Janyu: I'm sure it is, son. I'm sure it is.

Izzy scratches his chin.

Guilmon pokes a claw through the bars of the puppet's cage, and it sets upon it, biting it with its soft felt mouth.

Puppet: Millennium hand and shrimp!

Jeri: It's so violent...

Henry: Wise man once say, two in hand worth - -

Izzy: THAT'S IT!

All: Huh?

Puppet: Buggrit?

Izzy frantically taps keys on the computer.

Izzy: Two in the hand... of course!

Janyu: What are you getting at?

Izzy slaps the screen with the back of his hand.

Izzy: This isn't just one, erratic signal - it's two opposing signals, interspliced together! The secondary signal is buried deep within the first, but it's corrupting it from the inside out. IT'S what reanimated the D-Reaper mass within the puppet!

Tentomon: But... where did it come from?

Janyu studies the screen.

Janyu: Someone must have programmed the secondary signal, and injected it into the puppet somehow... but who?

Izzy: We'll have to analyse the signal to see what can be learned. But we can't do that without separating the two of them...

Everyone turns and looks at the puppet again.

Puppet: Anomaly...

- - -

A little later...

Guilmon is sitting on the puppet.

Puppet: BAD!

The puppet squirms a bit, but can't move. Janyu and Takato attach cables to it.

Jeri: So... this will... take the D-Reaper... out of it?

Izzy: Theoretically. By removing the secondary signal, the original D-Reaper mass should revert to it's dormant state, and we can subsequently purge it.

Izzy plugs the cables into the computer. The signal from within the puppet becomes visible on the screen. He holds up another cable.

Izzy: Now, just need something to transfer the second signal into...

Janyu holds up Terriermon.

Janyu: Worked before.

Henry snatches Terriermon away.

Henry: Confucius say: DEATH UPON YOU, OLD MAN!

Terriermon: Mouman-

Tentomon: Seriously, will ya shut UP?

Izzy pats his pockets and pulls out his D-Terminal.

Izzy: Ah, this'll do nicely.

Takato: Oh... my... GOD!!

Takato rushes over and hesitantly pokes the D-Terminal with sweaty little hands.

Takato: It's a REAL D-TERMINAL! JUST LIKE ON TEE-VEEEEEEE!!

There's a thump as Takato faints.

Izzy looks down at him.

Izzy: That's very tiresome.

As Jeri pats Takato's hand, Izzy plugs the final cable into his D-Terminal and taps the keyboard some more.

Puppet: Separation anxiety...

Izzy: Downloading now.

The signal onscreen wavers, and splits into two. A blue download bar appears by the second one.

Izzy taps his foot.

Izzy: You know, you'd think a secret government communications interceptions facility would have faster computers.

Yamaki pokes his head through the doorway.

Yamaki: Tell me about it! I try to tell her these things, but she's all "It's the best monthly package we can afford!" I ask you!

Riley (v/o, in other room): ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ME?

Yamaki: *yells back* NO, "DEAR!" *to the others* And she's limiting me to a pack a day! A PACK! *flicks his lighter in agitation* I ASK you! How can a man survive?

Riley's hand appears and seizes Yamaki's ear, dragging him off.

Yamaki: You never hear me complaining when YOU go to the spa all the time, do you?

Riley: You never appreciate anything I do for you!

Terriermon: *whipped noise*

Yamaki & Riley (v/o): I HEARD THAT!

Everyone sweatdrops as they watch them go - Takato included, as he's been woken up by all the yelling. The silence is broken with a beep as the download completes.

Izzy: Ah. Right. Done.

Izzy disconnects his D-Terminal.

Izzy: Now, let's see what we've got here...

Takato: Uh... Izzy?

Izzy: Hmn?

Takato: Should it be doing that?

The puppet is heaving and snarling beneath Guilmon.

Jeri: I thought it was going to stop!

Janyu looks at the remaining signal on the computer.

Janyu: It's... mutated!

Izzy: What?!

Janyu: The D-Reaper... it... grows and evolves with each new experience it has... it used that second signal to transform itself.. it doesn't need it to stay active any more!

Izzy looks from his D-Terminal to the puppet in horror.

Izzy: But... that means... without this signal disrupting it's programming... it's... going to return to it's original state...!

Takato: Guilmon, get off it!

Guilmon: Huh?

Puppet: ANNIHILATION!

Guilmon is hurled into Takato as the puppet leaps up and cackles maniacally.

Puppet: GLORIOUS CHAOS!!

The room distorts with a haze of heat, as red, gelatinous chaos starts to spill forth from the puppet, swelling around it, and beginning to spread through the room.

Jeri looks horrified.

Jeri: Not again!

Janyu: It's replicating!

Tentomon: Oh, *great* work, Izzy! Real top notch!

Izzy: This is most NON-prodigious.

D-Reaper: JOIN US!

Terriermon: I've never been much of a joiner...

Takato: RUUUUUUUNNNN!!

Everyone charges out of the room, the chaos slurping at their heels.

Yamaki: Well, YOUR mother - huh?

Yamaki turns, his attention draw by the screams, as chaos gurgles out of the doorway, spreading across the floor.

Tally: RED ALERT!

Klaxons begin to blare throughout the building, as evacuation procedures begin.

Yamaki: What did you DO?

Janyu: I'll explain later!

D-Reaper: Fleeing is irrational. Be one with us.

Yamaki: Why don't you MAKE me?!

Yamaki slaps his hand down on a large button on his console. Multiple panels slide back from the walls, and a series to prods extend out into the room.

Janyu: What...?

Yamaki: Something we've been working on! Miniature projection units for the Yuggoth system! They'll buy us some time!

The chaos comes into contact with a prod, which buzzes, and the D-Reaper recoils with a shriek.

Takato: Let's GO!

A Bubbles forms out of the chaos, and shoots out one of the prods.

D-Reaper: None may cage us!

More Bubbles appear, and start blasting at the prods.

- - -

Outside of the building, operatives mill into the street. Takato and co. are the last to come running out, as the chaos continues it's spread through the building, swelling within it, pressing up against the windows. Everyone looks up.

Tentomon: Oh yeah, REAL nice work.

Izzy: Will you get off my back?

Tentomon: Sorry.

Tentomon hops down off Izzy's back.

Tentomon: It's just so comfy.

As everyone watches, out of the corner of Takato's eye, he sees something flash past in the sky above, and disappear through a window of the Hypnos building.

Takato: Hey, boy, did you see...?

Guilmon: Me no see anything, Takatomon.

Takato: I could've sworn...

- - -

Back inside the now-abandoned building...

D-Reaper: Pathetic flesh... they delay the inevitable...

Something shifts within the shadows.

D-Reaper: One who will challenge us?

A Horn Striker leaps from the chaos. The figure in the shadows holds up his hand, and speaks with a familiar voice - the voice of the one who stole the puppet.

Figure: Stop.

The Horn Striker screeches to a halt, and melts back into the D-Reaper's mass.

The figure waves his hand.

Figure: Reveal yourself.

The D-Reaper shudders and splits in two, allowing the figure to walk down the path created in between the two walls of chaos. At the end of the path, the Kernel Sphere - the core of the D-Reaper's consciousness - is revealed.

Figure: Open.

The Kernel Sphere splits open, and the figure walks inside.

Figure: Perfect...

- - -

Tally runs around screaming.

Tally: RED ALERT!

Terriermon: Moumontai!

Tally: RED ALERT!

Terriermon: Moumontai!

Tally: RED ALERT!

Terriermon: Moumontai!

Tentomon: God, please, make it STOP...

Henry: Bad to worse is not so good.

Janyu: It certainly isn't, son. It certainly isn't.

Jeri looks at Takato.

Jeri: Wh... what are we going to do Takato?

Takato: Well, in a situation like this, I tend to find that stopping to bake bread then doing nothing for a straight week tends to work out pretty good.

Tentomon: Izzy, now might be a good time to formulate some kind of strategy...

Izzy: This is... inconceivable! How could I have not planned for this? Why didn't I KNOW?

Tentomon: Okay, so you messed up. But, really, Izzy, there wasn't anyway you could have kn-

Izzy picks up Tentomon and shakes him, as tears roll down his face.

Izzy: CHARLENE WOULD HAVE KNOWN!!

Tentomon: *stutters with the shaking* W-well... sh-she's... dead! And... y-you... have... t-to... ac-accept... that!

Izzy freezes, and drops Tentomon.

Izzy drops to his knees, and Tentomon rights himself.

Tentomon: I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that...

Izzy: No... no... you're right... I do... I'm... I'm the one who's sorry... I don't know what came over me... I... I just...

Voice: What ho!

Voice #2: GNNSH!

Everyone looks up into the sky... just as Cyberdramon lands, and Ryo vaults down off his back, landing smartly.

Ryo: Cyberdramon detected the mellifluous scent of villainy afoot! What plagues the free world here, on this foul and fair day?

Takato points over his shoulder with his thumb at the Hypnos building, just as the windows shatter, causing Jeri to shriek, and chaos starts to run down the building's sides.

Ryo: GADZOOKS!

Cyberdramon: Crush! Kill! Destroy!

Takato balls up a fist.

Takato: Looks like it's up to us to stop this...!

- - -

Somewhere, at a tropical seaside resort...

Tai sits up in his sun lounger, and takes off his shades. The other 01 and 02 DD (sans Izzy, natch) are sitting/playing/swimming around him.

Tai: Did anyone else get an overwhelming sense of impending doom just now?

Matt shakes his head.

Matt: Didn't feel anything.

The rest of the kids shake their heads.

Tai: Must just be me, then.

Tai puts his shades back on, and lies back down.

- - -

Meanwhile, back at doom central...

Everyone listens as Takato formulates what he considers to be a plan.

Takato: Okay, we're going to need everyone on this! Henry, you can get Suzie and Lopmon.

Henry: Old proverb say, sisters are doing it for themselves.

Takato: Yeah, well, how about you do it, just this once?

Henry: Brother, my brother, tell me, what are we fighting for?

Takato: That's a darn good question, Henry.

Henry: I know.

Takato: Anyway... I'll call Kazu and Kenta, and Ryo, you and Cyberdramon can fly and get Rika.

Ryo: Oh-HO! A mission of great importance for the legendary tamer!

Takato: Uh... yeah.

Ryo: Strike a pose!

Ryo strikes a pose, as a fanfare plays, and Cyberdramon chews on a lamppost in the background.

Suddenly, everyone look up into the sky, as a voice rings out!

Voice: I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting of the minds...

The portion of the chaos nearest to the ground swells and parts, exposing the Kernel Sphere. A figure can be seen within it.

Voice: ...but I thought it was time your minds met ME!

Takato: Someone's inside that thing... willingly?

Jeri shivers and wraps her arms around herself.

Jeri: *mumbles* No, no, I don't want to remember...

Takato scowls, and yells up at the Kernel Sphere, shaking his fist.

Takato: Why don't you come out of there and show yourself?

Figure: Delighted!

The Kernel Sphere splits, and chaos surges out in front of it, extending downwards and forming a walkway that ends in front of and just above the assembled group below. The figure within the sphere stalks down it.

Tentomon: Holy Frijoles!

Izzy: It... CAN'T be!

Figure: Oh, I'm afraid so! That's right, kiddies - - !























A black cape lined with crimson blooms outward as the tuxedo-clad figure stretches his arms above his head...
























...a head framed by a high collar, and adorned with a top hat.















A cane is clutched in a white-gloved hand... and the figure's face is obscured... by a white...











....inexpressive....












...mask.

Figure: - - THE FOX KIDS FANTOM IS *BACK*!!

- - -

TO BE CONTINUED!

- - -

A new Fantom equals a new foe! But the question is - what face is hidden behind the mask this time? And how can the Tamers hope to defeat him when he has the D-Reaper under his control? Things are only going to get worse as the military arrive on the scene, with orders to deploy their secret weapon! Be here for:

"ALWAYS ROOM FOR JELL-O!"

Featuring a very special guest star!

- - -