#in which daisuke is totally not being followed by a not digital being who was once living

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with DigiAdvs 02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.s]

O.C. 'Mon, in clear Hebrew: "BE NOT AFRAID", I AM--- International O.C. Chosen Shane, Floating, ALSO in clear Hebrew: Cut out the theatrics, I KNOW I'M "Like That" right now--- O.C. 'Mon, Who Might Also Just Be Messing With Partner Because: (I don't "always" say it.) Shane: (I Know) (even if others don't) Shane: (but Come On) My head feels like it's splitting already... O.C. 'Mon, Following: You're in "The Void" again. (I'm surprised you can even "feel" anything right now.) Shane: I KNOW. I'm trying to GET OUT Again. ("Look, Its probably A Sensory Thing. Maybe its Digital Stimuli, who knows, but I Sure Don--") O.C. 'Mon: While I could help you, it would require- Shane: The possible destruction of the Worlds if Hashem actually gets involved. I Know. LOOK I'll Just (*FLOATS*) (*Floats More*)-- (*Floaaats*) Shane: This is ridiculous... O.C. 'Mon: May I ask "what happened" This Time? Shane, Exhausted Floating backwards: I pushed "someone" out of the way of a moving truck. O.C. 'Mon: "Someone". ("Not {O.C.} Hikaru"?) Shane: (I still can't reach Hikaru, So) O.C. 'Mon: You'd need that "Someone", if not someone Else, to establish a connection that could "bring you back" to your connection to your specific "Earth" from the Digital realm. Perhaps, by--- DAISUKE, SHOUTING: DIGITAL GATE OPEN!! DAISUKE: DIGITAL GATE OPEN DAISUKE: *DIGITAL GATE OPEN!!!!* Daisuke: Why won't it worK--- SHANE: Shane: (I guess I should have expected this but---) O.C. 'Mon: There is the "connection" you need. If I am not of need, I will see you "later". Shane: right. Later-- (*Digital form getting pulled through the Void*) (*EXPLETIVES---*) DAISUKE: (WHOA) Shane, "Digitally" laid out across Daisuke's lap as if Shane would be normally, in Japanese: Do you always "panic" like that when these things Happen??? Shane, in Mind: (It saved my "life" just now that Daisuke Tried, though.) Shane, Tiredly: What if you hadn't been able to establish the connection and "something ELSE" happe- DAISUKE, Who Totally Didn't Try The Exact Same Thing When Hikari Went Missing Back Then: LOOK you're here *NOW* SO--- (Wait, you knew Japanese??!?--) (I spoke English the WHOLE time except at the start--) Shane: (Wait until Daisuke realizes I AND my Partner 'Mon also know Hebrew.) Shane: (Ugh) (I Am) ... (How do I 'sit up'.) DAISUKE: Uh, so (*shifts... away*) Maybe I can?-- (*holds out hand???*) Shane: (I'm supposed to be Digital---) (*reaches*) DAISUKE+SHANE: SHANE, SEMI-PHYSICAL: (WHAT...) DAISUKE: WAIT, I should-- (*TAKES OUT DIGIVICE*) SHANE, AUTOMATICALLY: It won't WOrK--- DAISUKE: (*SNAPS on Cell-Digivice*) But I gotta get this to Koushiro and Ken!!-- {AND "Hikaru-chan"} SHANE, GLITCHING WorSE: (*SIGH*) Daisuke: ... Its blurry. Daisuke: But you're half-here in frONT OF Me--- Shane: That's the best you'll get at this-- (*wobbles in and out Digitally while half-falling*) SHANE: (*EXPLETIVES---*) Shane: Is that really the first thing you do?!?? Daisuke: (But they'll NEED IT---) VMON: DAISUKE SHANE: (*Fades*) VMON, Distressed for being Late to help: DAISUKE, WHAT HAPPEN--- DAISUKE: (I HAVEN'T TOLD VMON) Um, well-- Vmon: Who were you talking to?!??! Daisuke: UM (*shows... pic*) Pic: (*is low quality 90s-esque .jpg AF*) VMON: ... (*Suspicious Looks @ Daisuke*) Why is it so blurry?!?? DAISUKE: Listen, Vmon, I'm OK, Its a Long Story, we HAVE to get this to Koushiro--- (*SENDS*) SHANE, Trying Very Hard To Not Phase In Physically or make self Obvious to nearby Humans: (Why.) {To Be Continued, Maybe}

[linaa-vera]

Digimon Fanfic Recommendations PART 1

So, during this quarantine I was dragged by the Digimon fandom again and I’ve been completely immersed in it. And at this point I’m past halfway the total pages of fanfic both in Fanfiction and in AO3.

So I present you the fics I think you need to read because they are worth it, ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE COMPLETED SO YES.

PS: I tolerate all ships.

PS2: I’ll put in the name if it’s incompleted o completed. If it has 5 years without an update I’ll put dead.

PS3: THIS FIRST PART ARE FANFIC ONLY ON FANFICTION.NET

MANZANAR by GeminiStar01 (Short-story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2781728/1/Manzanar

Summary: “Kouji and Kouichi find themselves in a JapaneseAmerican interment camp in World War 2 California. They're certain that the Digimon have something to do with thier coming here, but to what end?”

Thoughts: It has good writing, very realistic. It’s really concerning when they realize where they are and I really like how both are portrayed in the fic, both are in character which is amazing. Also good history lessons.

TIGER LILIES by AncientLou (Short-Story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8042317/1/Tiger-Lilies

Summary: “A human lifepsan is an adventure, but much like the adventures in the digital world, they end. What becomes of a digimon left behind?”

Thoughts: VERY EMOTIONAL. I was about to cry every chapter. Very good writing. Puts in perspective that the digidestined are only humans, unlike the Digimons. The story follows what happens to almost every partnered digimon when their human dies. Broke my heart but it was worth it, it shows them in character really well.

YOU MISS HIM by bobtheacorn (One-Shot. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12370178/1/you-miss-him

Summary: “Overhead, Kari yawns; a sound muffled under her hand, barely even a sigh. / Kamiya Sibling stuff.”

Thoughts: I really love sibling relationships portrayed in fanfics. It’s very sweet and this one isn’t the exception. The author showed what it’s like living on the Kamiya residence and their relationship as siblings very well.

CONTACT by bobtheacorn (One-Shot. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11700482/1/contact

Summary: “Davis doesn't start the fight, but he does finish it. / rushprompt”

Thoughts: When I first read it I found it that could very much happen, Daisuke is someone who would not back down when someone threatens his friends. Everyone is in character, and I LOVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KEN AND DAISUKE IN THIS ONE. It can be taken as romantic or simply friends, the way you like it the most.

BROKEN WINGS by Kaeera (Short-story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/722250/1/Broken-Wings

Summary: “Everybody thought that Daisuke was carefree, not? Everybody believed that he was happy...but what, when the truth is different and he has to deal with a trauma he is not ready to deal with?”

Thoughts: ANGST TO THE BONE PEOPLE. I SUFFERED. But otherwise enjoyed. I think there’s a lot that can be learned in this fic, very well written and down to earth. People can do horrible things every day, and many unknown people suffer the consequences in more ways than we can imagine, like our two protagonists.

ALL SEEMS BEAUTIFUL by Fizzing Wizard (Long story. UNCOMPLETE. Dormant since 2017, also on AO3 but with less chapters)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4446177/1/All-Seems-Beautiful

Summary: “After a bizarre incident at the camp, Taichi learns he's vanishing from his own world and becoming part of the Digital World. Meanwhile the Chosen take hits from every corner: the Spore Children, plus an enemy or several on the digital plane. And they can't keep their personal lives from tangling. ACT 2: The Chosen were dealt the worst blow possible, and it's tearing them apart.”

Thoughts: I was looking for a Taichi/Tai’s fanfic for so long. AND I FOUND IT. This story has everything, betrayals, love, FRIENDSHIP, and death. Everyone is in character which is wonderful, Taichi’s way of dealing with everything is very “goggle head like”. The descriptions are very accurate, and feel very natural.

FRIENDS TO THE END by Schnickledooger (one-shot. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5915938/1/Friends-To-The-End

Summary “Matt and Tai. Together in trouble again. Lucky they're friends, right?”

Thoughts: Really good portrayal of their friendship. Warms up my heart every time I read it.

HERE WITH ME by Mika-chan (One-shot. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/569622/1/Here-With-Me

Summary: “Taichi needs an appendectomy; he isn't thrilled. Taichi & Yamato friendship story.”

Thoughts: To quote a review “straightforward, simple, and sweet.” VERY WHOLESOME.

TOMORROW by Mika-chan (Short-story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12130819/1/Tomorrow

Summary: “It's times like these when his father won't stop lecturing him about school and when Yamato won't stop being so self-absorbed, that Tai wishes life could be simple again—could really be just about fighting evil Digimon and saving the world.”

Thoughts: I really like this story because it shows how school can sometime be very stressful. And more importantly it depicts Tai very well, because it shows that he’s alone, or he thinks he’s being abandoned by everyone.

THE LOST TAMER by Miss Anonymous hp (Long Story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10205417/1/The-Lost-Tamer

Summary: “Even before Takato was electrocuted, he was having a crummy day. It all started when he woke up with no memory, in a strange place, and surrounded by a group of kids known as the digidestined looking for somebody named TK. Now he, Guilmon, and five worried kids must set out to find out what exactly is going on… and why.”

Thoughts: I really like this portrayal of Takato. He’s very mature and his comments are very realistic. GUILMON IS THE SWEETEST. Even when you have all this characters in scene you don’t lose the essence. Very recommended. Has a sequel but it hasn’t been updated.

THE TEACHER OF ALL THINGS by Sadhelm2 (Long Story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9801628/1/The-Teacher-of-All-Things

Summary: “That time in summer camp wasn't the first time Tai went to the Digital World. How different would things be if a more experienced and jaded Tai was sucked into the Digital World? V-Tamers/adventure01”

Thoughts: Tai’s very mature for his age in this fic and I love it. He knows stuff, and he’s not what I expected in this fic. But that’s what I love it, if you guys read it you have A LOT of suprises coming. 10/10

           HAS A SEQUEL TO KEEP ON RISING UNCOMPLETED. Set in 02. Dormant, last update on 2018.

WHAT WAS FORGOTTEN by Prince of Flames (Short Story. COMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8197908/1/What-Was-Forgotten

Summary: “During his battle with Cherubimon, Takuya falls unconscious. While he is asleep, he dreams of a past forgotten, and friends that he once knew.”

Thoughts: It’s a 02x04 crossover. Very short and has fluff. Love it. Although it’s not showed you can’t tell the friendship the two other protagonists had with Takuya is real.

CROSSING WORLDS: THE SEALED DIGIVICE by Sigthbent (Long Story. COMPLETE) (Has prequel, completed. And has a Sequel, uncompleted).

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5493589/1/Crossing-Worlds-The-Sealed-Digivice

Summary: “On a mission that has led Takuya out of his own dimension, he has ended up lost in another. Not only does the fate of multiple worlds rest on him succeeding, he'll also meet someone who will become forever intertwined with his destiny”

Thoughts: Another 02x04 crossover with GREAT worldbuilding. Everything is explained and you can understand the concepts easily. Takuya had a serious demeanor here, because of his new role as a “superior digidestined”(?) But has his charismatic smiles all over, very good characterizations of everyone. Cliffhangers, angst, fluff, EVERYTHING. AND THE POWER OF---

THE TAMER – A DIGIMON ADVENTURE by leonardo1123581321 (Long Story. COMPLETE) (Has a sequel, COMPLETE. HAS A THIRD PART ALSO WHICH IS ONGOING AND A LOT OF SHORT STORIES???)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11575755/1/The-Tamer-A-Digimon-Adventure

Summary: “Six young kids go to camp for the summer, wind up living in a Digital Land. With devices that let them digivolve their partners to make them stronger, our six heroes set off on an adventure to find a way back to their world. But stories tell of another boy trapped in this world for a long time and they fear the same fate. Mysteries abound in this new world. Will they get home?”

Thoughts: This is a masterpiece. If you like Doctor Who then you’re gonna love this. It’s the perfect match. The Tamer owns the situations every time he appears. I just can’t explain it further YOU HAVE TO READ THIS. IT’S AMAZING.

           Sequel: THE TAMER V1-2: ANOTHER DIGIMON ADVENTURE. (COMPLETE)

           https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12428191/1/The-Tamer-v1-2-Another-Digimon-Adventure

FORGOTTEN LEGENDS by Sightbent (Long story. UNCOMPLETED. DEAD since 2015 :c )

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6472937/1/Forgotten-Legends

Summary: “With the reemergence of a long lost continent in the Digital World the Digidestined have set out to discover its connection to recent troubling events happening in the real and digital world, but in doing so they will stumble across long forgotten legends and a chaos that has waited a long time to engulf both worlds. 02x04”

Thoughts: Ashh this fic. I really like it, I like the story, the world building. Everyone is in character, there’s so many mysteries. I’m really sad because the last chapter’s ending wasn’t what I expected and I need to know what’s happening. A good ride tho.

DIGIMON: CHAOTIC EVOLUTIONS REDONE by Katreal (Long Story. UNCOMPLETED. DEAD since 2015)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9679932/1/Digimon-Chaotic-Evolutions-Redone

Summary: “Posing as a Digidestined pair, and barred from spirit evolution save in the most dire of circumstances, Kouji and Kouichi struggle to aid the Chosen Children in discovering the secret of evolution, all while trying to unravel the truth of the connection between their Spirits, and themselves.”

Thoughts: I got a bit confused with the names of the digimons so I had to write them down to know which one was which, but I think that’s because I found it when my English wasn’t that good? So, meh. I really like this story, everyone is on character, very nice rhythm, good descriptions and conflicts. I love Koji and I love Kouichi and their relationship throughout the story.

ADVENTURE 02 X FRONTIER by Freefan1412 (Long story. UNCOMPLETE. On hiatus)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7484328/4/Adventure-02-x-Frontier Summary “Four years after BelialVamdemon's defeat the peace in the Digiworld breaks apart. A mysterious army of evil Digimon is wreaking havoc and destroying everything the children have struggled to build. And the key to evil's victory, lies with 6 'visitors'. 02 x 04 crossover. Rated for violence. Hiatus.”

Thoughts: One of the first “mature” fanfic I’ve found and what I loved about this is the fact that the warriors are more attuned with their spirits, they are vessels for them to manifest and it’s amazing. And it clearly shows that their world (frontier) was harsher and brutal than the adventure gang.

DIGIMON: FLAME WITHIN MIRACLES by Loki921 (Short story. UNCOMPLETE)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11854296/1/Digimon-Flame-Within-Miracles

Summary: “Davis holds a secret about himself that the other the Digidestineds, except for Ken, don't know. What does this secret have to do with the mysterious digimon that has been spotted recently and Kari seems to know? When evil once again rises, the Digidestined better be prepared for all they know to be turned upside down and a fight for their lives. Season 2 and 4 Crossover.”

Thoughts: I re-read this recently and I still love it. It’s an easy read. The battles are amazing and well written in my opinion. Everyone feels real and the interactions also feel amazing.

   At this point I think I made you a favor. Your welcome. If you pick any of the fics then I love you and go give your kudo to the fic because they deserve more recognition.

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Pain of Healing:  Chapter 2

 Contrary to his expectations, Daisuke slept fairly well, even with the way his stomach growled and he wanted something to drink so very badly.  He thought later it would have been better if he'd been at home and had Chibimon snuggling up next to him.  But for being collared by his apparently out of his mind soulmate, being here against his will, and having to sleep on a comfortable futon instead of in his own room at home, he actually slept well.  He didn't notice any bad dreams if he had them, and woke up at the sound of Kaiser moving around.

He didn't get up just yet.  He opened his eyes and watched as Kaiser prepared for his day, entering the bathroom and coming out some time later in his full garb, a very pleased look on his face when he turned towards Daisuke.  That look made Daisuke watch carefully.  His stomach rumbled fiercely and he winced as Kaiser smirked.

"Good morning, my soulmate."  Kaiser purred as he strolled over to stare down at Daisuke, who started to scramble to his feet at a gesture.  "Did you sleep well?"

It had only been a few hours, but Daisuke already knew what Kaiser wanted from him.  It had been rather thoroughly hammered into him the day before by V-mon being taken from him.  He swallowed and forced himself to be polite instead of raging.  Raging wasn't going to do anything but get V-mon hurt.  That was his partner.  He couldn't do it.

"Yes, but I'm hungry."  He wasn't surprised at all to see Kaiser's eyebrow quirk up ever so slightly.  With a deep breath he forced out the last word.  "Master."  That tasted so wrong on his tongue.  But it was what he had to do.

Kaiser nodded in pleasure.  "Yes, I expect so.  Do you regret what you did yesterday?"

Truth to tell, Daisuke wasn't even sure anymore of what he'd done to get Kaiser so angry at him.  He'd not bowed down to him at once, but that couldn't be it, could it?  It was all he could think of and while he didn't regret it, he also did regret what came from it - the threat to V-mon, the fact that he hadn't eaten or drunk in hours and he could hear that in his voice.  He managed to speak, but his voice was dry and he knew he'd do whatever Kaiser wanted to get a meal.  And a drink.  Oh, he wanted to have a drink so very much and he'd call Kaiser anything he wanted for that.

So he nodded quickly, not quite trusting his voice to keep on speaking.  Kaiser chuckled at him..  "Let's see how long that lasts when you're eating. Come with me."

Daisuke followed as quickly as he could, looking forward to having some breakfast.  He settled down on the cushion at the Kaiser's feet without a protest this time, not even needing the Kaiser's gesture to do so.  He knew if he tried to resist, Kaiser would simply forbid him food for another day.  He told himself, just as he had the night before, that he would do this only because he needed the food.  If it weren't for that, then he wouldn't give in even this little bit.  Kaiser made it clear that he didn't have that option.

Enslaved Digimon brought out breakfast, which was traditional steamed rice, grilled fish, pickles, miso soup, and seaweed.  Whoever cooked was really good at this.  Wormmon settled near the Kaiser himself, looking ready to do anything, and Daisuke suspected he didn't want to be doing any of this.  Just the way those large blue eyes stared at Kaiser, with tiny flicks towards Daisuke, said everything that Daisuke needed to know about that.  He wished he could talk to Wormmon, but that wasn't going to be an option right now, not with Kaiser watching over him like the proverbial hawk.

Kaiser ate swiftly.  He didn't give Daisuke a morsel until he'd finished his own share of the meal, then slowly fed Daisuke by hand, each little bit set in his mouth.  Daisuke wasn't going to complain about that.  If it had been up to him, he would have cleared off the whole plate in seconds.  Knowing Kaiser, that would probably just piss him off even more.

So Daisuke dealt with being hand-fed as if he were a dog of some kind by thinking about V-mon and hoping that he was all right.  He didn't ask until they were done eating and heading into the control room.

"V-mon's fine,"  Kaiser dismissed the question with a wave of one hand.  "He was fed with everyone else this morning and no, he doesn't have a Ring on him.  Remember, as long as you don't get me angry, he won't."

Using V-mon for Daisuke's good behavior.  Daisuke ground his teeth together and plastered a fake look of blandness on his face.  It didn't feel right doing so.  What he really wanted was to take his partner and go home.  Soulmate or no soulmate; that didn't matter right now.  He would have happily existed far away from Kaiser.

Only that would also mean leaving the other Digimon in this world to their fate with him, and while Daisuke wasn't the sort to think that he alone could free them, he wanted to be sure that they were freed. 

The more he thought about it, though, the more a potential idea flickered at him.  It wasn't much and he had no idea at all if he could pull it off.  He didn't have any real backup unless he could somehow get V-mon back and he didn't know if V-mon would agree with him.  There were so many things that could go wrong - like if the Kaiser found out what he was doing.

A core of solid steel that Daisuke had scarcely even known was there hardened itself.  I don't care.  He's doing everything wrong and he either doesn't know it or he doesn't care.  Someone's got to stop him.  That's not just why I'm a Chosen - it's why we're soulmates.  No matter what he thinks.

The Kaiser - Ichijouji Ken - needed someone who could show him the right way.  Daisuke determined that he would be that person.  He didn't have the faintest idea of how he'd do it or even if it could be done.  The Kaiser might be way too far gone for it to work.  But he had to try.  He had to make the effort, no matter what it cost to himself.

So for right now, that effort involved learning about him, and the only way to really do that was to stay right where he was.  He didn't enjoy it.  He had to wonder what calling this jerk "Master" was going to do to him.  If Kaiser got annoyed because of anything Daisuke did, he'd not only not be allowed to eat, but he'd risk getting V-mon Ringed.

There were so many things that could go wrong, but Daisuke wasn't going to give up.  He wanted to go home.  There would just be a very long road to get there.

Kaiser settled into his chair and started work on the next phase of his plans.  He would have to return to Earth at some point today and get things sorted out there.  He did intend to set up matters so it would look as if he and Daisuke ran away together.  It wasn't unknown, even for people of their age.  Usually those who were underage came back after a few weeks or months.  Sometimes it was seen as completely understandable, soulmates needing time together to adjust to this new facet of their lives.  He'd always rather scoffed at the concept, but now it turned out to be far more useful than he'd originally thought.

Putting a Ring on V-mon wouldn't be in his best interests, no matter how willing he was to threaten to do so to keep Daisuke under control.  He suspected that it wouldn't work forever, either.  Daisuke was a stubborn soul, and while that mostly annoyed him, there was a small part of him that found it intriguing.  He did his best not to pay attention to that fact for now.  He would squash the rebelliousness out of Daisuke.  He'd already made significant inroads on that.  Hunger and thirst were very fine tools in his arsenal.

For now, he had other plans to work on.  Once he got everything set up for their disappearance, it would be time to deal with the Chosen themselves.  He didn't doubt for a second that Daisuke had told them that he and Ichijouji Ken were soulmates, which meant if Daisuke vanished and then reappeared in the Digital World with the Kaiser, then they could easily figure out what was going on.  Best to reveal it in his preferred fashion.

That would involve Daisuke as well.  He would take that carefully.  First came setting up their 'running away'.  He decided a note would do, as well as packing a few clothes.  He didn't want to take any of his school uniforms - he rather hated how drab and gray they were.  He wasn't much invested in fashion, but he knew they could do so much better.  Uniforms didn't need to be so boring. 

He wrote the note quickly and to the point.  Motomiya Daisuke is my soulmate.  We are leaving to deal with this.  Good-bye.  If he'd done this other circumstances, he would have tossed in an insult to the tune of 'insects', since he had no intentions of ever returning.  It wouldn't matter if he cut all those ties.  It didn't matter now but if they thought he was just off with Daisuke, then there wouldn't be as big of a search for them.  He personally didn't care one way or the other, but this way would ensure that the Chosen wouldn't be able to reveal any secrets that he didn't want them to.

Would he be your soulmate if the Digital World were nothing but a game?  The question ghosted around in the back of his mind and Kaiser promptly ignored it.  Of course he would.  The game's existence didn't have anything to do with human reality, and he and Daisuke were both humans. 

With that safely out of the way, he passed a piece of paper and a pen to Daisuke.  "Write a note,"  he ordered.  "It's to your parents, informing them that you are running away with me.  Don't give an expected time of return or a way to contact you."

He enjoyed the very annoyed look in Daisuke's eyes as the other accepted the paper and started writing.  He suspected Daisuke wanted to revolt against him.  Anyone would, after all.  But as long as Daisuke behaved himself, Kaiser would be pleased.  Eventually that obedience from fear would become obedience because Kaiser was right and Daisuke wanted to support him.

It would take time but Kaiser had a lot of that.

Once Daisuke finished the note, Kaiser checked it out for any hidden messages - not that he thought Daisuke would actually be able to sneak one in but he hadn't gotten as far as he had without being suspicious of everything - and then gestured to Daisuke as he picked up his Dark Digivice.  The other stood up, clearly confused, as Kaiser quickly arranged a portal on the main screen.  He wrapped one hand around Daisuke's wrist and sent the two of them through the gateway.  

They were in his bedroom on the other side in moments.  The apartment was silent - Kaiser had timed this visit carefully, so that they arrived when both of his parents were at work.  Technically he should have been at school.  He wasn't ever going back there.  Instead, he pointed Daisuke to the dresser.

"Get out three outfits.  Anything that's not a uniform.  Put them in the bag."  He pointed to the closet.  "Then just wait for me.  This won't take long."

Daisuke got to work on that.  Kaiser made a mental note to arrange a mild reward for him for his obedience.  But that would come later.  For now, he darted outside and set the note on the table in the living room.  His parents would see that when they came home from work. 

Then he headed back into the room, pleased to see that Daisuke had followed his orders.  Those weren't his favorite clothes by any means - his favorite was the Kaiser outfit - but these would do to cover up the fact he didn't intend to return.  Then he downloaded the two of them back to the fortress, and rearranged the gate once more.

"Now where are we going?"  Daisuke wanted to know, dropping the bag in the corner Kaiser indicated while he worked.

"Where do you think?  We're going to leave that for your family,"  Kaiser replied, gesturing to Daisuke's note.  He smirked.  "Then it's time to arrange a little meeting with the Chosen."

Daisuke tensed up at once.  "What do you mean, a little meeting?"

"Oh, you'll see.  I told you that they're going to know that you're with me."  Kaiser smirked in satisfaction before once again heading through the gateway.  He much preferred associating with a human than with Wormmon.  Wormmon simply couldn't do anything useful beyond bring meals.  At least Daisuke could do something other than insist Kaiser should be a good boy.  And if Daisuke weren't his soulmate, he wouldn't have even been useful for that.

Kaiser glanced around the room, his lip curling before he shook his head, then gestured to Daisuke.  "Go put that somewhere they'll find it, then get back here and get your clothes and whatever else you would take with you.  Hurry up."

Daisuke pressed his lips together and hurried out of his room.  It was the wrong time of day for his parents or Jun to be there, so all he could do was set the note on the refrigerator in the kitchen and go back to his room.  The ever present threat to V-mon's well-being hung in the back of his head.  He had to keep reminding himself that the Kaiser would do horrible things to him if Daisuke didn't do as he was told.  That didn't make it any easier, not even when he considered this part of his plan to eventually change Kaiser.

He cast quick glances all around the apartment.  He didn't know how long it would be until he saw it again.

If it wasn't for that whole world-conquering thing, I think I'd like to run away with him.  Running away with your soulmate - he'd thought about it a few times before actually meeting his soulmate.  There were so many movies made about soulmates who ran away together and one of his favorite manga series involved two people who weren't soulmates but wanted to be so pretended they were - and all signs were they actually were, just with one of the rare signs.

But now that he was dealing with it personally?  Daisuke didn't think running away was all that great.  Especially since he wasn't so much running away as he'd been lured in and then not allowed to leave.

"Don't waste time."  Kaiser ordered, standing in the doorway of his room.  Daisuke bit back a sigh and started back in, grabbing some of his favorite outfits and looking around for any keepsakes.  He found one that he wanted - the cushion that V-mon liked to sleep on.  He looked over at Kaiser.

"This is V-mon's.  Can I give it to him?"  He couldn't shake the feeling the answer would be no.  Kaiser wasn't a giving sort of person.

But the other regarded him thoughtfully before nodding slightly.  "You'll have to earn being able to give it to him.  Working with me on my plan for the Chosen will do that.  Do everything you're told and I'll allow it."

Daisuke didn't hesitate for a moment.  He stuffed the pillow into his bag and made sure there wasn't anything else he wanted before presenting himself to head back to the Digital World.  Kaiser nodded in approval and Daisuke tried not to feel too good about that. Most people didn't tell him that he'd done something good and well -

Kaiser brought them both back through the portal.  Daisuke gladly sank down onto the cushion, breathing in deeply.  Traveling quickly like that got him a lot more tired than usual.  He wondered if that had anything to do with the Kaiser's Dark Digivice as compared to their own.  He also wanted to get his D-Terminal back so he could send a real message to the others and let them know what was going on.  He didn't want to let them find it out from Kaiser. 

He didn't even want to think about what Kaiser had in mind how to spend the rest of the afternoon.  It wouldn't be anything good at all.  But to have even a chance of giving the pillow to V-mon, he'd have to go along with it.  Working with Kaiser kept V-mon safe but put other Digimon at risk.  Not working with him meant V-mon would suffer for it.  This wasn't how being soulmates was supposed to work.  He'd find a way through all of this, no matter how long it took.

But for now, he watched as Kaiser worked at his keyboard again, various images of areas he didn't recognize and Digimon he'd never seen before popped up.  Kaiser appeared not to approve of most of those and kept on whittling down his choices.  Daisuke finally ventured a question.

"What exactly are you looking for?"  He wasn't sure if he wanted to know so he could suggest something or so he could find a way to stop it.  Everything was so complicated and he didn't like that.  Complicated things got so complicated and he couldn't keep track of them all. 

"Three powerful Digimon.  Preferably of the Perfect level."  Kaiser didn't look at him, but Daisuke thought he sounded annoyed.  He wasn't sure why but he thought it was because finding Digimon that strong wasn't easy. 

Daisuke worried at his lip, then shook his head.  He didn't know any Perfect level Digimon.  He'd hardly known that Perfect Digimon even existed, at least not until they'd encountered Andromon.  Hikari-chan had mentioned that he was a Perfect level and there would be others.  But he not only didn't want Kaiser to have strong slaves, but even if he had, he didn't know where they could be found.  From what he'd seen, most Digimon seemed to be very young and very small.  The ones who weren't stuck together in herds or packs or something, with a small handful of villages or even towns gathered together.  The longer the Kaiser's reign went on, the fewer of those areas they were.

Kaiser didn't seem to expect him to help make the decision.  So Daisuke watched as Kaiser winnowed through the options before him, finally selecting one Perfect and half a dozen Adult levels.  Clearly they weren't exactly what he wanted but they were what he had to work with for the moment.  He selected an area and sent them all there, arranging them like pieces on a gaming board.  Once he had them in place, he turned towards Daisuke.

"Are you ready?"

To Be Continued

Notes: Next week we finish this up! Hope you’re looking forward to it as much as I am.

[digimonadventuretimelines]

[09- Save the Outer World’s Digital World! Chimeramon Showdown]

“You’re late.”

“Sorry, I’ve met with a friend” Daisuke responded, he had finally arrived at the Kaiser’s base in the DigiWorld. However, he sounded differently from the cheerful Daisuke who had met Daichi “Uh, Ichijouji… Care to talk about a thing first?”

“What is it?” Ken kept typing and analyzing data, with Wormmon and V-mon in the corner watching the boys.

“... Maybe we should stop doing this thing and… Join the Chosen’s side.”

“You suggested us to WHAT!?” he glanced at Daisuke. How infuriating! How dare Daisuke to suggest that!

“... Ichijouji, what we’re doing… Don’t you see how much we’re hurting the digimon? You wouldn’t dare to put a dark ring on our partners, right?”

“Motomiya, what’s wrong with you!? I thought we shared the same opinion about the digimon!”

“We need to fight the evil digimon, not all digimon. Don’t you see it!?”

“You were with those insects, weren’t you!?”

Daisuke clenched his fist. He wouldn’t accept Ken yelling at him anymore.

“What if I was!? What’s wrong with them!? They’re right, and we’re wrong! They can fight the evil with true power of friendship and teamwork. All we do here is submit to your orders!”

“Heh… You’re dumb Motomiya.”

“No, I’m wise because I know to stop when I’m wrong.”

“He’s right, Kenchan” Wormmon spoke with a quiet voice “You had been chosen to protect the digimon, not to… hurt them.”

“You need to stop,” V-mon added “We can find the digimon who caused Osamu’s accident, but first you need to--”

“SILENCE!” Ken shouted “I’ve found the solution to beat them for all once.”

Daichi, who was outside the room listening to the convo, decided to step in with Natsu and Ulforce. Then Natsu saw… This Ken had the Digimon Kaiser motif, but darker colors. His belt had a purple gem on it. The bracelets and gloves were totally identical to the fake Kaiser, but the red of the gloves was purple. The glasses were oval-shaped with golden frame and purple lenses, same as the fake Kaiser. Also, this Ken’s hair wasn’t that different from his normal haircut except it had a few rebel hair strands and a ponytail, tied with a metal-lookalike elastic hair.

“Mr. Ichijouji please” he said with a serious voice “You have to listen to us. What you’re doing will cause a huge damage to you and everyone!”

“What!? You brought him here!?”

“Yes, I did” Daisuke responded with a nod “Daichi came to help me convince you to stop, because things aren’t okay anymore!”

“You traitor…!”

That word hit Daisuke so bad he got petrified for a few seconds. Despite that world being different, Daichi could see that that Daisuke wasn’t different from his dad. Daisuke put the helmet on and cracked his knuckles.

“I gonna show ya why I’m so done with that attitude, pal.”

And then Daisuke threw himself against Ken, starting a fist fight with him.

“Why the helmet-- Oh nevermind, what’s on that screen digi-girl?” Ulforce pointed at the big screens with some kind of digimon on it.

“Chimeramon” She gasped “Daichi, this is bad! If Ken’s working on Chimeramon this means he will end up destroying the Digital World!!”

“What!?” Daisuke exclaimed, and that was enough to Ken shove him away and run to the keyboard.

“That’s it, insects” Ken smirked “I gonna release Chimeramon and then no one will stop me!” and he pressed a few buttons, ending with a very dramatic button pressing on the ‘Enter’ from the keyboard.

The lights turned red, and alarms had been heard.

“I’m scared…” Wormmon cried.

“D-Daisuke, we need to stop him!” Natsu shouted “Do you know how to use these!?”

He shook his head, “I ain’t the brains of this team, y’know…”

“Nice, we’re dead now” Ulforce sighed “What’s the plan, Daichi?”

“Uhh… Wait, mr. Ichijouji’s escaping!”

“You four stay here” Wormmon said “I will go after him!” he left the room after Ken.

“I will give Wormmon a pair of fast legs!! Send a message to the Chosen Children, and try to prevent Chimeramon from being released!!” Natsu said, and then caught wormmon, lifted him from the floor and chased Ken.

“L-let them know!?” Daisuke babbled “Does she know that they don’t… At least Miyako and Iori don’t like me!?”

“I will message them” Daichi replied, “I’m not good with computers, but I know how to send multiple messages. Sometimes I need to give my dad an extra help.”

“... Why are you trying to help me, anyway?” Daisuke got up from the floor “I… I attacked you that other day. And why do you seem to like me?”

Then the computer made a beep, showing a new message on screen.

“They’re on the way! Don’t worry mr. Motomiya, we will stop mr. Ichijouji and save him.”

“How do you…”

“Because I’d like to save him as well. You’re his friend, and friends don’t give up on each other.”

“... We need that to stop him” V-mon said “Please, follow me.”

“We need what ...?”

 -----------------

“Why is Daichi with Lightnimon and the Kaiser?” Miyako pouted “I thought he tried to stop them!”

“According to the message” Iori began “There’s a dangerous digimon to be released and we need to stop it before it destroys the Digital World.”

“What!? What did the Kaiser do this time!!”

“M-Miyako please” Hikari asked “... I think Daichi went to talk with Ichijouji and Daisuke.”

“He said he would” Takeru confirmed Hikari’s suspicion “Maybe it worked… Partially.”

“Everyone…” Patamon shouted “What’s that!?”

“... Chimeramon” Tailmon stared at the terrible digimon appearing in the horizon.

-----------------  

“Kenchan please stop!!” Wormmon yelled “You have to stop!!”

“Why are you here!?” Ken hissed “Stay away, I will make them pay for what they had done to Osamu!”

“You brat,” Natsu gritted her teeth “you had given me no other option but…” and then put more effort on her legs, catching Ken with her other hand “YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW, MR. ICHIJOUJI KEN.”

“Let me go, you you shouldn’t have been here! Adults can’t--”

“I’m the proof that adults can so why not listen to your elders?”

-----------------

V-mon led them through the base, to a dark room. and pointed at the strange object floating there. However, Daichi felt it wasn’t his job to use whatever was that…

“Mr. Motomiya, you should fight Chimeramon.”

“H-huh!?”

“If you want to fix your mistakes, you have to fight it” he put a hand on Daisuke’s shoulder “Please, be the hero you meant to be.”

“Are you sure Daichi?” Ulforce looked at the boy.

Daisuke looked at V-mon and then nodded. He entered in the room with his partner while Daichi watched from behind. When Daisuke approached from the object, it showed a crest (Kindness) on it and then… The light consumed the place. The dust vanished and revealed a golden Digimental, which flew directly to Daisuke’s hands.

“Is that… a-another Digimental?”

“Daisuke, it’s time!” V-mon clenched his fists.

“Right” he responded, took a deep breath and then shouted: “DIGIMENTAL UP!!”

V-mon, Armor Evolve!! The Radiance of Miracles, Magnamon!!

The same light… Gave Daisuke a new outfit -- a sleeveless crimson jacket with red flames, the gold line forming the flames on it. A Blue shirt with a white stripe and two yellow stripes on the edges. Light brown shorts, dark indigo fingerless gloves, crimson wristbands with stripes in gold and in the middle of the gold in orange, white socks and crimson sneakers.

-----------------

“What you’re doing is wrong and you know it” Natsu said with an annoyed tone of voice “especially because you had been chosen to protect this world, not to destroy it.”

“But my--”

“Shh, there’s good digimon too. And they would’ve helped your brother to heal, or they would’ve tracked down the digimon who caused that misfortune to him, to your family and to you.”

“... You think that… They would help to make Osamu walk again?”

“I don’t say heal in that way, but to overcome it-- What’s that sound!?”

“It’s a fight, outside. I think” Wormmon mused “Maybe Daisuke wasn’t able to stop the release program.”

“What have I done…!?” Ken cried “All I wanted was… Was to… protect Osamu.”

“If you want to fix your mistakes… Let me fight!” Wormmon stared at Ken “Use your power!”

“My… power?”

“Natsu!! Wormmon!!” Daichi came with Ulforce and Daisuke to meet them in the middle of the hallway.

“Daichi! Daisuke!” she smiled “I’ve talked with mr. angsty kid and he changed his mind.”

“Magnamon is fighting outside” Daisuke said, “and I think with the Chosen Children as backup.”

“Outside?” Ken got shocked by that information “No no no!”

“There’s no time to complain!” Daichi said with a serious tone “We need to seal it all again…!”

“But how??” Wormmon asked.

“... We can delete it instead” Daisuke said quietly “There’s no reason to keep that digimon alive, the others must understand it.”

Outside, the Chosen Children had been in touch with Magnamon but not suspecting of him being Daisuke’s partner. A chaotic battle was in progress, with Pegasusmon and Nefertimon trying to capture Chimeramon, Digmon and Horusmon giving support to Magnamon.

But Chimeramon was strong. None of their powers were enough, not even with Magnamon’s help. Lasers and mass destruction had been caused to the desert area where Chimeramon had been sealed previously. But sealed by who? No one knows.

Daichi, Ulforce, Natsu, Daisuke, Ken and Wormmon left the base only so almost get hit with the hot air caused by the enemy’s attack. Luckily, Ulforce used his plasma shield alongside Natsu’s and prevented them all from getting hurt.

Daisuke decided to use that time to address the Chosen Children about his plan: They needed to combine attacks and destroy Chimeramon. But how? They had no idea yet. While Miyako and Iori complained about their former enemies trying to help them from saving everyone and the DigiWorld, Takeru accepted the help. The exchanges of ideas and strategies between the terrific duo and the heroes kept happening as Natsu used the shield to keep them safe from the attacks. 

Nefertimon and Pegasusmon tried another combo-attack, using Sanctuary Bind to tie the oppenent’s mouth, while Horusmon tried to use his Udjat Gaze to stunt Chimeramon. Digmon was quite ‘useless’ but he decided to work on the kids protection, opening a hole so they could hide themselves in and escape from the blast techniques.

“We need to aim our attacks here” and Ken used his bracelet to generate an hologram of Chimeramon, pointing at the stomach of the digimon “It’s its weak spot, but it will be harder so we need to work together.”

“We have like seven digimon right now” Daisuke mused “How about the rest keep it busy, and then Magnamon finishes it?”

“... Wait a moment” Daichi interrupted “It would work but… Mr. Ichijouji you know everyone’s abilities, right? Can you think of something?”

“Hm…” he started to think “Actually… Nefertimon and Pegasusmon tie the arms. Horusmon use Udjat Gaze to force it stop moving. Digmon continually use Gold Rush on Chimeramon stomach. Magnamon… I never had seen it before, but… Give me a sec” he scanned Magnamon’s data “Right. I got it… Magnamon does not have any sharp cut attack--”

“Here,” Ulforce removed one of his V-bracelets “He can use this. He’s a V-mon too so I assume he can manage to control part of my power.”

“You sure…?” Daichi asked.

“There’s no time for that!” Daisuke bit his lips and took Ulforce’s bracelet “Magnamon, everyone! Come here, we got a plan!”

The digimon returned, the kids explained the plan and Daisuke gave the V-bracelet to Magnamon. Then, they all executed those commands: Pegasusmon and Nefertimon used Sanctuary Bind around each hand, taking advantage its low speed. The holy beast duo pulled the strings and flew high, forcing Chimeramon to stretch the arms up. Next, Horusmon stood in mid air in front of the enemy, releasing the hypnotic eyes of Udjat Gaze at it, stunting then for a while. 

Ken armor evolved  Wormmon to Shadramon, Daichi evolved Ulforce to XV-mon, and both digimon grabbed the strings to give an extra strength to the holy beast duo. Digmon started bombarding Chimeramon’s stomach with his drills, making the opponent scream in pain.

The final attack was Magnamon using the V-Bracelet’s plasma sword to slash the damaged area, dissolving Chimeramon after the cut. A big explosion of data was seen and heard by the kids. Instead of feeling victorious, all of them were relieved and exhausted. Miyako and Iori were quite angry at Ken and Daisuke. Despite the latter having zero fault at this event, the previous attacks Daisuke had part of kept ruining their interactions.

And Daichi was just there, watch both Daisuke and Miyako fight just like the times his parents had been fighting for something dumb, like who had eaten the last chocolate bar.

V-mon gave the bracelet back to Ulforce, who put it back on the wrist.

“Oh, it’s full again!” Natsu showed to Daichi and Ulforce the crystal pendant “We can go home now!”

“Uh, what do you mean by that…”

“I’m sorry mr. Motomiya, but I came from another world” Daichi bowed quickly “B-but glad to meet you here…!”

Daisuke frowned but didn’t mind it at all.

“Okay go home. Thanks for the help Daichi!” he smiled.

“Stop smiling because you are still part of the problem, Motomiya!” Miyako was mad, arms on the hips and staring at both Daisuke and Ken “And YOU you have to be grateful we helped you to clean your stupid mess!”

“M-Miyako” Takeru laughed nervously “Slow down…”

Natsu opened the portal with her pendant, and the space-time traveling trio left.

 . . .

The little intervention has been watched by Skuld, and she realized that another door had appeared and it was from the new door that they came out. The changes on that world made her smile at Daichi, but the boy didn’t get it at all.

Instead, he, Ulforce and Natsu returned to home.

[orbemnews]

What to Watch in Janet Yellen’s Affirmation Listening to: Stay Enterprise Updates Right here’s what it is advisable know: Ms. Yellen served as chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018.Credit score…Kriston Jae Bethel for The New York Instances Janet Yellen, nominated to be the following Treasury secretary, will inform lawmakers on Tuesday that america wants a sturdy fiscal stimulus program to get the pandemic-stricken financial system again on monitor and that now shouldn’t be the time to fret in regards to the nation’s mounting debt burden. “Proper now, with rates of interest at historic lows, the neatest factor we are able to do is act large,” Ms. Yellen will say, in accordance with a replica of her opening remarks to the Senate Finance Committee reviewed by The New York Instances. Ms. Yellen is considered one of a handful of nominees of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. that may go earlier than senators the day earlier than Mr. Biden’s inauguration. Her affirmation listening to is scheduled for 10 a.m. Japanese. The affirmation course of for Ms. Yellen, a seasoned economist and central banker who served as chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018, is predicted to be a comparatively clean one. “That is the worst financial disaster in 100 years, and no one is healthier certified than Secretary-designate Yellen to steer an financial restoration,” stated Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who will turn out to be the Finance Committee chairman when Democrats take management of the Senate. And Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, presently Republican chairman of the Finance Committee, has spoken positively of Ms. Yellen since Mr. Biden picked her for the job. Ms. Yellen, who was confirmed to be Fed chair by a Senate vote of 56 to 26, will probably face questions on America’s financial relationship with China, her place on sanctions coverage because it pertains to Iran and her ideas on tax coverage. Whereas serving to to craft and oversee the Biden administration’s financial aid efforts will initially be her high precedence, Ms. Yellen may even steer the federal government’s sprawling regulatory energy over banks and the monetary sector. On the listening to, she will likely be below strain to indicate Democrats and progressive teams that she is able to finish what they view because the coddling of Wall Road by Steven Mnuchin, the outgoing Treasury secretary. Many politicians have turn out to be much less frightened about authorities borrowing because of traditionally low rates of interest.Credit score…Erin Schaff/The New York Instances Up to now, lawmakers tended to evangelise allegiance to full employment — the bottom jobless fee an financial system can maintain with out stoking excessive inflation or different instabilities — whereas pulling again fiscal and financial assist earlier than hitting that concentrate on as they frightened {that a} extra affected person strategy would trigger value spikes and different issues. That timidity seems much less prone to rear its head this time round, experiences The New York Instances’s Jeanna Smialek. President-elect Joseph R. Biden is ready to take workplace as Democrats management the Home and Senate and at a time when many politicians have turn out to be much less frightened in regards to the authorities taking up debt because of traditionally low borrowing prices. And the Federal Reserve, which has a monitor document of lifting rates of interest as unemployment falls and as Congress spends greater than it collects in taxes, has dedicated to better persistence this time round. Within the mid-to-late Sixties, Fed officers had been tightly centered on chasing full employment. As they examined how far they may push the job market, they didn’t attempt to head inflation off because it crept up and noticed larger costs as a commerce off for decrease joblessness. When America took its remaining steps away from the gold customary and an oil value shock hit within the early Seventies, value positive factors took off — and it took large financial belt-tightening by the Fed and years of significant financial ache to tame them. There are causes to imagine that this time is totally different. Inflation has been low for many years and stays contained the world over. The hyperlink between unemployment and wages, and wages and costs, has been extra tenuous than in a long time previous. From Japan to Europe, the issue of the period is weak value positive factors that entice economies in cycles of stagnation by eroding room to chop rates of interest throughout time of bother, not excessively quick inflation. Credit score…Paige Vickers On the heart of an antitrust lawsuit filed by 10 state attorneys basic final month is a deal Google prolonged to Fb to be a accomplice within the digital promoting area, in accordance with courtroom paperwork. Particulars of the settlement, based mostly on paperwork the Texas legal professional basic’s workplace stated it had uncovered as a part of the multistate swimsuit, had been redacted within the criticism filed in federal courtroom in Texas final month. However they weren’t hidden in a draft model of the criticism reviewed by The New York Instances, report Daisuke Wakabayashi and Tiffany Hsu. Executives at six of the greater than 20 companions in a digital promoting alliance, all of whom spoke on situation of anonymity to keep away from jeopardizing their enterprise relationships with Google, instructed The Instances that their agreements with Google didn’t embrace most of the identical beneficiant phrases that Fb obtained and that the search big had handed Fb a major benefit over the remainder of them. Maybe essentially the most severe declare within the draft criticism was that the 2 corporations had predetermined that Fb would win a set share of auctions that it bid on. “Unbeknown to different market members, regardless of how excessive others would possibly bid, the events have agreed that the gavel will come down in Fb’s favor a set variety of instances,” the draft criticism stated. A Google spokeswoman stated Fb should make the best bid to win an public sale, similar to its different alternate and advert community companions. Fb had 300 milliseconds to bid for advertisements offered by Google’s community, in accordance with courtroom paperwork. However the executives at Google’s different companions stated they normally had simply 160 milliseconds or much less to bid. Fb was allowed direct billing relationships with the websites the place advertisements would seem, in accordance with the courtroom paperwork. For many different companions, Google managed pricing info, successfully placing up a wall and hiding how a lot of successful bids websites find yourself receiving, the executives at different corporations stated. Google agreed to assist Fb have a greater understanding of who can be proven the advertisements by serving to the corporate establish 80 p.c of cell customers and 60 p.c of net customers, the paperwork stated. However a number of different companions stated they’d little such assist understanding who was being proven advertisements. Costco is promoting a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth on its web site for $64,000.Credit score…Costco When you’re out there for sports activities memorabilia, you would possibly need to head to Costco. Sure, Costco. The membership-only wholesale retailer, identified for its bargains on bulk meals and cleansing provides, is promoting a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth on its web site for $64,000. Costco describes it as “one of many nicest signed Babe Ruth House Run Particular Balls ever made accessible to the general public, and is over all one of many nicest signed Babe Ruth balls identified to be in existence.” Costco listed one other ball signed by the Sultan of Swat in Could for $30,000. The idea would possibly look like a departure from Costco’s model, providing prospects staples on a budget. Not so, stated Andrew Lipsman, an analyst on the analysis agency eMarketer. “It’s not completely out of character for Costco to promote high-ticket objects,” he stated, noting that the corporate has offered furnishings and engagement rings, generally for a whole bunch of hundreds of {dollars}. “My sense is that that is some type of experiment in high-ticket objects and seeing what’s going to promote.” Mr. Lipsman added that it is likely to be an indication that the corporate was aligning round a rising market. “Sports activities memorabilia has been skyrocketing over the previous yr,” he stated. Certainly, the PWCC 500, an index of the highest 500 buying and selling playing cards, reached a document excessive in June, and has continued climbing. Specialists attribute this to the spending energy of child boomers, millennials getting into the market and growing curiosity from foreigners, The Wall Road Journal reported. Costco declined to remark for this text. Baseball collectors’ objects typically fetch the best costs. A Ruth jersey offered for $5.67 million at an public sale in 2019. Together with 27 different objects on the “sports activities memorabilia” part of its web site, Costco can also be promoting a bat signed by Ty Cobb. The bat, which Costco describes as “extremely uncommon and extremely beneficial,” is inscribed with the phrase “With Finest Needs Sincerely” and dated “3/14/49.” It’s priced at $160,000. Each gross sales finish on Jan. 31. A web page from the Paycheck Safety Program mortgage software in Could.Credit score…Lucas Jackson/Reuters The Paycheck Safety Program’s free guidelines allowed nearly any small enterprise or firm in America to qualify for a government-backed aid mortgage. Residents and activist teams have criticized hundreds of recipients that they deemed unworthy, together with rich legal professionals, politicians and political lobbyists, publicly traded corporations and companies below authorities investigation. Now, an advocacy group that fights on-line misinformation is drawing consideration to a bunch of mortgage recipients it finds troubling: anti-vaccine activists. Six organizations which have challenged the security of vaccines and made claims that scientists have referred to as false obtained loans that collectively added as much as greater than $1.1 million, in accordance with knowledge from the Small Enterprise Administration, which manages this system. (The info was launched final month below a courtroom order, in response to a lawsuit filed by The New York Instances and different information organizations.) The teams that obtained the loans are Kids’s Well being Protection, based by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; the Knowledgeable Consent Motion Community; the Nationwide Vaccine Data Heart; Mercola.com Well being Assets and Mercola Consulting Providers, each affiliated with the distinguished vaccine skeptic Joseph Mercola; and the Tenpenny Integrative Medical Heart, a medical observe run by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, a doctor and creator who opposes vaccines. The loans, which had been made by banks and backed by the federal government, ranged in dimension from $72,500 to Dr. Tenpenny’s medical heart to $335,000 to Mercola.com. They don’t seem to violate Small Enterprise Administration guidelines: P.P.P. loans had been extensively accessible to any small firm or nonprofit (usually these with 500 or fewer employees) prepared to certify that “present financial uncertainty makes this mortgage request needed” to assist their persevering with operations. The Heart for Countering Digital Hate, a London-based advocacy group, uncovered the loans and alerted The Washington Submit, which first reported on them. Imran Ahmed, the group’s chief government, referred to as it “bananas” that such teams had been eligible for taxpayer-funded aid cash. “There’s an anomaly right here,” Mr. Ahmed stated. “The P.P.P. was wanted to cope with the financial shock of Covid, and the anti-vaxxers essentially inhibit our potential to defeat Covid and transfer previous this.” Barbara Loe Fisher, the president of the Nationwide Vaccine Data Heart in Sterling, Va., stated by electronic mail that her group utilized for the mortgage “when it turned obvious that lockdowns and social distancing restrictions straight threatened the job safety of quite a few our staff and jeopardized continued rental of our Virginia headquarters workplace.” The group used the mortgage to retain all of its 21 employees, she stated. Ms. Fisher disputed the notion that her group is anti-vaccine. The group “doesn’t make vaccine use suggestions and encourages everybody to turn out to be totally knowledgeable in regards to the dangers and problems of infectious ailments and vaccines,” she stated. The Paycheck Safety Program distributed $523 billion to greater than 5 million small corporations from April to August to assist them endure the shutdowns and different financial shocks brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. As long as recipients use a lot of the cash to pay their employees and adjust to different guidelines, the loans are eligible to be totally forgiven and paid off by the U.S. authorities. Supply hyperlink #Business #confirmation #hearing #Janet #Live #Updates #watch #Yellens

[mastcomm]

Why Google Backtracked on Its New Search Results Look

SAN FRANCISCO — Earlier this month, when Dan Shure was searching on Google for information about butchering meats, he did something he had avoided for the last 20 years: He unknowingly clicked on an ad.

Mr. Shure, a 40-year-old consultant who helps companies manage where they appear in Google search, had always thought it was easy to to distinguish between paid search results and unpaid links.

That changed on Jan. 13 when Google revamped the look of its search results page for desktop computers. Even for someone with a trained eye like Mr. Shure, it was hard to see the difference between an ad and a regular link.

“I felt dumb because I had never clicked on an ad before,” said Mr. Shure, the owner of Evolving SEO, a consulting firm in Worcester, Mass.

In the two decades since Google first introduced text ads above search results, the company has steadily made ads less conspicuous. But Google’s latest look may have pushed things too far. Users complained that Google was trying to trick people into clicking on more paid results, while marketing executives said it was yet another step in blurring the line between ads and unpaid search results, forcing them to spend more money with the internet company.

The dust up comes at a bad time for Google, which is facing accusations around the world that it unfairly takes advantage of its search engine dominance. And it is an indication of just how careful the internet giant now must be when it makes subtle — and sometimes unsubtle — tweaks to wring more money out of its giant ad business.

Regulators and politicians are investigating Google’s influence over the digital advertising industry. And some advertisers are openly challenging search ads as a “shakedown” and “ransom” by the tech giant, which controls about 90 percent of web search.

Ginny Marvin, editor in chief of Search Engine Land, a website that covers the search industry, said there is more awareness among users of Google’s behavior because of recent privacy complaints and government antitrust probes.

“There is much more scrutiny by your regular user who may not have thought anything about this a year or two ago,” Ms. Marvin said. “To see them make this change in the face of antitrust regulation” was not going to go unnoticed.

Earlier this month, Google said it will eventually strip third-party trackers, or cookies, from its Chrome browser, a decision it described as an effort to build “a more private web.” But the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers quickly complained in an open letter that removing cookies could “choke off the economic oxygen from advertising that startups and emerging companies need to survive.”

The reaction to the recent search page changes was so negative that Google took the rare step of reversing some of the design changes last week. In a statement, Google said it was “experimenting with a change” to the new logos next to the unpaid links, although it did not alter the new ad logo.

Lara Levin, a Google spokeswoman, said in a statement that the recent design changes mirrored a new look the company introduced for search results on mobile phones in May 2019. The company tested the new look on desktop search and the results were positive, she said, but it decided to make some changes to respond to “feedback from users.”

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is expected to report next week that annual revenue topped $150 billion in 2019. But Google’s ad business is under growing pressure from rivals like Amazon and Facebook.

Money from Google advertising accounts for about 80 percent of Alphabet’s total revenue. Search advertising is essential to the future of Google, though the company does not say how much it makes on it alone. Magna, a media intelligence firm, estimates that overall search advertising increased 14 percent in 2019 to about $144 billion.

Google constantly tinkers with the design of its search results page and its once bare bones approach to search results — characterized as “10 blue links” — has changed dramatically in recent years. The company once tested 41 different shades of blue to find which one users liked best, and it has steadily made its search ads more inconspicuous over time.

Increasingly, Google’s search results page is not just the on-ramp to direct you to the most relevant information on the web, it’s also the destination. The unpaid links are buried amid a hodgepodge of fact boxes, news links, ads and snippets of text.

For marketers, who rely on Google to bring them web traffic, the blurred lines between ads and regular results make it hard to decipher whether the customers being redirected to their sites are people who were going to come to them anyway or those who stumbled upon them because of the ad.

“You can’t figure out where the highest value customers are coming from if everyone comes in through that paid ad. Right now it’s just a bidding war and brands now have to buy against their own name as a defense mechanism,” said Amanda Goetz, vice president of marketing at The Knot Worldwide, a wedding planning group. She called the redesign a “transition to this almost deceptive dark pattern.”

Josh Zeitz, another Google spokesman for the ads team, said the design changes were in line with guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission. In 2013, the F.T.C. made recommendations for how search engines should label ads, but stopped short of specific requirements other than that paid results should be “noticeable and understandable to consumers.”

Google’s recent changes adhered to some of the guidelines but ignored others. Google did not follow what the F.T.C. prescribed for “visual cues” with paid results marked by either “prominent shading that has a clear outline” or a “border that distinctly sets off advertising” from unpaid search results or both. But the new ad icon met the F.T.C.’s recommendation for ad labels to appear before the paid result on the upper left hand side.

Google declined to comment on the record about how it interprets the F.T.C. guidelines, citing a quiet period before earnings. F.T.C. spokesman Mitchell Katz declined to comment on Google’s changes.

Google is not alone in trying to squeeze more revenue from prominent internet properties. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Amazon are increasing the numbers of ads that appear on their sites and apps and labeling advertisements in different ways.

For Mr. Shure, Google’s recent changes were more jarring on desktop than the introduction on mobile because there is so little visual difference between the paid and unpaid search results. He said he found that there was no difference in font size, spacing or color between the ads and the regular or organic results. On mobile, each ad is contained within a box and comes with an “i” or information icon on the right.

“If you look at a result that is ads and organic links, it all looks the same,” said Mr. Shure. “And that’s a problem.”

Daisuke Wakabayashi reported in San Francisco, and Tiffany Hsu from New York.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/why-google-backtracked-on-its-new-search-results-look/

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with DigiAdvs 02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.s]

Daisuke: ... You know, we've been "talking" for a while Inter-national O.C. Chosen Shane, nodding: I Guess Daisuke: And I'm kind of hungry Shane: (It's because you ate early at the place with all the others) Daisuke: Sooo maybe {we} I should grab something to eat??? Shane, Digitally Floating: I can't exactly *stop* you, so. Shane: (You're still going to "see me" while staying in this location because I'm ""~tied~"" to "this place", but anyway) Daisuke: Cool, I'm going then!! Shane, Slowlyyy Following: (Bad feeling.) Daisuke: ... It's pretty late actually. Shane, Following: (That's because it took all evening for you to "notice" me.) Daisuke: Wow, I always forget this place was so huge. You can't even WALK here. Why is everything so far???! Shane: (Welcome to our world...) Daisuke: (OK, but the place isn't *that* far, just 10~15 minutes away, *maybe* I can--) Truck: (*comes swerving*) SHANE: SHANE: (*EXPLETIVES*) SHANE: (GET OUT OF THE WA---) (*LEAPS*) DAISUKE: (?!???!??!) SHANE, Somehow Pushes Daisuke Away During A Split Moment Seeming "Physical" Despite Currently Being "DIGITAL": DAISUKE: SHANE, AS The Truck 'Hits': (*EXPLETIVES*) Shane: (Guess I'm going to be stuck in that "void" again now...) DAISUKE: (WAIT, WHAT HAPPENED?!??!) {To Be Continued, Maybe}

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with Digi-02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.s]

Daisuke, watching O.C.: Inter-national Chosen O.C. Shane, lazing: Daisuke: ... You DID have an actual "partner", right? Like, 'digita'--- SHANE: I did, but they're "not here" right now. DAISUKE: Shane: Shane: They're protecting the Digital "void" you re-met me in "back then", so you won't be able to "see them" for a while. Daisuke: (Oh.) Daisuke: But like, their LOOK?... Shane: ... Shane: They're 'technically' like an 'angel'. DAISUKE: SHANE: But Not Like {"Takeru"'s??} 'Angel'. D A I S U K E: Shane: So you probably won't get to "see" them in action any time soon. They might even "look" Different to you. Specifically- Shane: (Their form reflects whatever the person in mind would *like* to "see" and would thus have the "ability" of any such form.) Daisuke, Not Knowing Context: OK but you're saying they DON'T Look Like Angemon{s}??? Shane, Affirming: Not Like Angemon{s}. DAISUKE: I want to meet them someday!! Shane: (No you don't, you'd be "dead" again.) Daisuke: But uh, then, how do they "act" like...? Shane: Kind of "like me". Kind of "not". Daisuke: Shane: They have some "better points". Maybe rubbed off from {Mutual O.C.} Hikaru. I don't really. Daisuke: ... Daisuke: I don't think so-- SHANE: Shane: (Don't just say it just to say it.) Daisuke: No, I MEAN--- Shane: What. Daisuke: Well, I was visiting a kinda-unfamiliar place for the first time in a While, and you still hung out with me. And talked a little bit about {Mutual O.C.s} Hikaru and Hikaru's friends with me when I didn't know a lot, and didn't know Hikaru *well* Yet, so that made it less "awkward". And you weren't... "bugging me" back then too. Shane: I was observing. Daisuke: Daisuke: But what we talked about--- Shane: That was legitimate. Daisuke: (Knew it.) That's what I MEAN though. Shane: But I'm "here", so that means I probably haven't really reached my "potential" or whatever that other person told you all back then. Daisuke: But even Koushiro thinks that's not exactly what she meant. Shane: Then what does it "mean", how our 'Digital' partners "reflect" 'ourselves' then? Daisuke: ... You know... (Good question.) But when I talk to Vmon I feel like I'm almost talking to 'another' "myself" at some times... Shane: Well, I've "talked" with mine, but so-called "Angel" ones can be a little "much" all around. Daisuke: (Yeah, I Get It.) You should still show me your partner sometime though!!! Shane: (Daisuke rEALLY Doesn't Get It.) Shane: ... Shane: Maybe Someday. DAISUKE: DAISUKE: Great!! I'll look forward to meeting them!! Shane: (I'm going to have to "look out" for Daisuke for a while, then.)

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with Digi-02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.s]

Daisuke: (Oh, yeah, I have to message Ken now too, Ken told me to contact after I got there. But now...) O.C. Inter-national Chosen Shane, Casually Still Chilling Nearby: (*CHILLING*) Daisuke: Daisuke: (...OK, well, I have to try--) (*takes out cell phone Digivice Made Exclusively By Izumi Corp.*) (*Type type type...*) Shane, Noticing Immediately: Shane, materializing over in an Instant: DAISUKE: Shane: (Let me see?) Daisuke: (WAIT---) (*...sighs, shows anyway*) Shane: (Who's "Ken"?) Daisuke: You didn't really get to meet Ken back then because we were in the middle of a world-ending BATTLE, but Ken's also on my team-- Shane: (Oh, right. There was the "Ichijouji" person. They almost all called them by "Ichijouji" except one or two of them and Daisuke (and "my friend"). But Daisuke was half out of commission at the time because Daisuke was floating in the Digital void and re-"met" Me.) Shane: Let me see. Daisuke: WAIT--- Shane, Accessing: ("Hey, sorry about your Queer-platonic Life partner. They're hanging with me right now because I'm Kind Of Dead. Get in contact with Koushiro for me, will you? Daisuke doesn't like "bugging anyone with" Daisuke's 'problems' but this is too big a 'problem' for Daisuke to solve alone. Yeah, Daisuke's ""OK"", but well, 'this' is happening. Sorry I didn't get to meet you "back then". Things Happened. A lot of Things. Maybe we'll get to meet after 'this' is over. Yeah, Daisuke's being shown around again by me right now too. Would be cool if you were here later. Say "hi" to the rest for me, even if I didn't really get to meet them, too. It seemed like you were going through "Some Stuff" too "back then", so I didn't exactly *want* to interfere, but now I kind of have to. Yeah, sorry.") DAISUKE: (HOLD ON---) SHANE: (*CLICKS SEND*) D A I S U K E: Shane: It slipped. Sorry

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with Digi-02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.s]

Daisuke: So... O.C. Inter-national Chosen Shane, Casually Chilling Nearby in the place Daisuke's staying at because this O.C. absolutely *has nothing else to do* except Hang Around Daisuke Forever: Daisuke: WELL... Shane: DAISUKE: Shane: Daisuke: I mean... why me though? Shane: If I could have chosen to 'hang around' *my* {other?} friend (Mutual O.C. Hikaru) I would have by now. Daisuke, Maybe-Dating ? Hikaru: I know. Daisuke, Confuse: So.... Shane: YOU were the one who nearly killed *yourself* trying to use the Digimental of "Miracles" again after being warned NOT TO. DAISUKE: Daisuke: (Oh) Shane: Anyway, since you did that, you're stuck with me now. {Mutual O.C.} Hikaru can't see me anyway, I tried-- Daisuke: --When you were at Hikaru's place back then. When we were still teens (And you met ME.) Shane: right. Hikaru couldn't see me but YOU Could. Shane, Musing: Don't you think there's something strange about all this? It doesn't even feel like the right *narrative*. For either of us Daisuke: ("Narra-what?") Maybe, but... well, you were friendly to me "back then" too. Shane: (Yeah, maybe I Was.) It's not that I *dislike* you or anything Daisuke: Shane: Daisuke: Shane: ... Shane: Anyway, I don't hate you. I don't really "hate" anyone so. ("Too Much Effort.") Daisuke: (That's Ok... I guess) But then *why* are you... Shane: "Attached to the physical realm"? I don't know. Maybe there's "something else" I need to do here while stuck as "Digital". (And pretty much "dead".) Daisuke: Which is why you're... Shane: Hanging around *you*. Daisuke: (I might need to actually talk to Koushiro about this Issue, but I'm not sure *Koushiro* is able to see them either.) Shane: (Not possible. Tried there too. Not even Taichi. *You're* the one that came closest to "death", here. Which feels like it should be Saying Something if even *theM*---) Daisuke: (*groAN*) I get it, I get it...

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with Digi-02's Daisuke+Co. [and some O.C.'s]

O.C. Shane: So you've said you've been here before some times, but you never really talked to me much about it. Daisuke: We didn't HAVE TIME to "Talk" About It. (You almost never "talked"!!!) Daisuke: (And /you're/ "'NOT-'HAUNTING''" ME *NOW*) Shane: Soooo tell me what you know Daisuke: (AAGH) Daisuke: Well, the 'first' time, it was because we had to land here while travelling the world to return enemies to the Digital World. The times 'after' we ...often?? landed back here too. You all in general are known for your theme parks?? But they're much further *up* from 'here'. But... Shane: "BUT"... Daisuke: (CHILL--) Uhhh, I guess there's that *almost complete blank space* in my memory from *before* I was, like, 5, or so, I guess-- Shane: That young, huh? Daisuke: What about it? Shane: It's nothing {just around the "timeframe "I first met your *new* "partner"} Keep Going Daisuke, Not Picking Up On The Context: Well, anyway, so my family moved at one point, then moved /again/, I think, but I /know/ *I* was? ?? 'here' at least *once*. And I was excited to be 'back' here when I came back!! It was kinda strange, actually. I still don't know *why* we didn't stay longer... Shane: (I KNOW Why. The ""bombing incident"") Shane: (I don't know how much Koushiro and the rest got to relate to Daisuke about that...) Well, thing is, I've lived here *almost* my whole, entire life. Just to clarify. Because I didn't 'move' to your location until "recently", and that was only for a short time, too. Less than a year, even. {It's why me and "Hikaru" had to part ways, even if we stayed friends... for as long as we *could*} Daisuke, Acquainted with Hikaru, Not Even Hearing Unspoken Context: Shane, Totally Casually & Unbothered: Until "that" happened, but, you know (*shrUG*) Daisuke: (...I feel kind of bad now. Even if they're "'NOT-'HAUNTING''" me.) Shane: (Well, the moving part, of both your family and mine and *everyone*'s wasn't your fault, that "just" "happened") Anyhow, don't worry about it. Shane: (Because of Hikaru my "life" was 'fine'.) Daisuke, Who Is Now Dating Said Person KIND OF But Doesn't 'Hear' Unspoken Context: ...?? Shane: OK, so what else do you know? Or remember? About this place. Daisuke: Daisuke: Uhhh. The weather. It's *always* rAINING in the *summer*, isn't it SUPPOSED to "ALWAYS BE SUNNY"-- Oh, but it was still kind of neat to learn the weather ("climate") is similar to a place from my country. Shane: (Check.) Anything else? Daisuke: Where I stayed was fun. I made lots of buddies! Shane: (The community here.) What about 'favorite things', like, to do, to ea--- Daisuke: The food here is Good Shane: (Guess that's the specific I'm getting.) But like things you did? Daisuke: Wellll, there were the other rides, too, and... Shane: (Huh, we did often have that 'fair'. Hikaru really enjoyed those too.) Yeah, I guess if someone was here long enough, you'd get to try that. Daisuke: Oh! I remember now!! SHANE: Daisuke: *Football*. I got to practice a lot here!! Except, it's not even called "football" here. Shane: (Actually, yeah, this makes sense. Daisuke would have played a lot whenever Daisuke got the chance. I never really cared for sports much on a personal level myself. But) Shane: Those sound like nice enough "memories", but it looks like I might have to "show you around" some more. You know, to jog more "memory"... Daisuke: ...?? Sure, I guess, it's been a while. I do have to visit Hikaru in-between too, but Shane: (By the time we're done Daisuke's probably going to be getting a kick out of it. Or at least I will be.) Shane: Thing is, though, you're *not* just getting shown the "tourist-y" stuff again. We're going *all out*. Daisuke: Shane: Daisuke: Shane: (I can't wait to see Daisuke's reactions.)

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Crafted For Command:  Chapter 1

“Wake up.”

Daisuke didn’t want to, but his eyes opened anyway and he blinked, absolutely lost on where he was. Where had he been?

Right. The Digital World. Fighting the Kaiser. Then something had sorta blown up near him and everything turned red, then black, and now he was… he was…

Apparently in a very deep pit of trouble.

Kaiser stood in front of him, hands on his hips, whip hanging off of his belt, a smirk on his lips that Daisuke hated the sight of right away.

“That’s a good boy,” Kaiser praised and Daisuke wondered why in the world he liked the sound of that when he hated the Kaiser so very much.

Daisuke drew breath to demand to know what was going on, where he was, and what the Kaiser thought he was doing. He couldn’t get a single word out before Kaiser pressed a gloved finger against his lips.

“Be quiet. You weren’t given permission to speak.”

What’s that got to do with it? Daisuke wanted to ask but it was as if his voice no longer worked. He checked himself over as quickly as he could. No Ring. No Spiral. Did those work on humans? If they did, Kaiser hadn’t ever tried it before. And since he couldn’t find one now, even if they did, that wasn’t what was going on now.

Kaiser’s finger remained where it was, but now he tapped it on Daisuke’s lips.

“I know that you’re confused and have questions. I’ll tell you what you need to know. I’ve learned something very interesting about you, Motomiya Daisuke, and I want to make certain that it’s true.”

Confused didn’t even begin to cover everything. He jerked his head around again, pulling it away from the Kaiser’s touch, trying to find V-mon and his friends. He came up with nothing.

Was he the only one who’d been caught? That didn’t look good in the slightest.

Kaiser cleared his throat and Daisuke turned back to him as if his head were on a string.

“I want you to pay attention to me and only me. There’s no one else around for you to listen to anyway. I’m the only one allowed access to this room. Not even Wormmon can come in.” He cupped the side of Daisuke’s face with one hand. “It’s just you and me, Daisuke.”

If Daisuke could’ve spoken – and his voice remained oddly frozen – he would’ve declared how much he hated that fact. All he could do was stare at the Kaiser, though, and let his eyes do the talking.

“Are you aware that not all of your Chosen friends are as human as they appear?”

Daisuke blinked, tilting his head. Then he shook it carefully, since Kaiser seemed to be expecting an answer. He’d never heard of anything like that. He wasn’t going to believe it just on the Kaiser’s say-so, either.

A gesture and a screen appeared behind Kaiser, where Daisuke could see it. “Watch and learn, then. I’ve gathered some very interesting information.”

The screen flickered, then resolved into an image of Taichi and Yamato lounging together by a river. Daisuke didn’t recognize it, but he also spied Gabumon and Agumon with them, so it was probably somewhere in the Digital World. He wasn’t sure of what they were doing nor could he hear them, but Yamato raised up one hand and if Daisuke could’ve rubbed his eyes he would have.

Because as far as he knew, people’s hands didn’t just burst into flames like that. They should’ve jumped and screamed and done… something. Instead of Yamato trailing one hand in the air, a bit of fire following behind, and Taichi smiling.

The scene shifted over to Sora, and this time he recognized where she was: the area that Birdramon patrolled. Only now they were patrolling it together, which wasn’t so unusual. The older Chosen visited their partners whenever they could, usually when the younger ones kept the Kaiser distracted.

Only he’d never, ever seen Sora-san flying while she was in the Digital World, and doing it as easily as if she did it every day of her life.

Again the scene shifted and this time it showed Koushirou-san, chatting with a powerful lion-like Digimon, in a place that Daisuke didn’t recognize, but it had a lot of baby Digimon there. Then the two of them turned to what looked like a row of targets, set up out of range of the babies, and the lion Digimon raised up one fist, blasting his attack, Fist of the Beast-King, toward one of them.

That wasn’t so unusual either. This time, what set it apart was that Koushirou did a version of the same attack, red-gold flames incinerating one of the targets, and the lion Digimon nodded, resting one hand in pride on Koushirou’s shoulder.

Last and not at all least, he saw Jou-san. He looked like he was just in his room, or a place Daisuke guessed was his room. Underneath his table there rested a small refrigerator, but instead of pulling out a soda of some kind, there was a vial in Jou’s hand when he stood back up, one neatly labeled.

The screen moved in on it and Daisuke had time to read it before it changed. Understanding it took a few moments longer.

Blood?? He’s drinking blood?

He wanted to shake his head even more. This didn’t seem like anything at all he wanted to believe about any of his friends.

Why wouldn’t they tell us? I mean, I can get not telling us here, because of the Kaiser, but why not at home? He would’ve asked all of that out loud if he’d been able to. Then the Kaiser touched him again.

“They are part Digimon, part human. I’ve taken samples from all of you to determine precisely their lineage and their types. I can instruct you in that another time: when you’ve learned your place properly.” He smiled and that drove at least some of the worry and confusion out of Daisuke. “But let me continue. Not only are they of Digimon breeding, but so are you.”

Daisuke blinked again. Then he shook his head, far more furiously than before. He didn’t care what the Kaiser had in mind. Those images were probably faked anyway. He knew who he was. He knew who he wasn’t.

But the Kaiser wasn’t going to let it drop that easily. “What I learned from the scans of you I’ve done turned out to be very useful. You’re special, Motomiya Daisuke. More so than any of the rest of them.”

His hand rested again on Daisuke’s cheek, then slid downward to cup his chin, turning his head so that Daisuke looked right at him.

“You won’t believe what I’ve learned if I told you. So I will demonstrate instead. This will take time. Days. Perhaps even weeks. I doubt any longer than that. You’re not that stubborn.”

Daisuke determined that he would be, no matter what. Perhaps that showed in his eyes, since the Kaiser chuckled.

“These are my orders, which you will obey.”

No sooner did he speak, than Daisuke noticed something strange about his voice. Stronger, deeper, commanding. Everything in Daisuke urged him to listen and to obey.

“You will only leave the fortress if I not only grant you permission, but have you on my leash. Leaving otherwise is not an option.”

Kaiser’s hand moved downward from Daisuke’s chin to rest on his chest. Daisuke’s heart beat faster at the touch. He told himself it was because he was furious. He wasn’t sure of how convincing he was.

“You’ll speak only when I ask you a question or give you an order. When you do speak, you’ll be respectful of me. No insults. No trying to get around your orders.” His hand moved again, splayed now across Daisuke’s stomach. “You will only go to places in the fortress or out of it that I order you to go to. I won’t have you roaming around unleashed.”

He moved his hand away from Daisuke, who at once told himself that he didn’t miss the contact.

He knew he lied on that one right away.

“Do you understand your orders?”

Of course I understood what you said! What makes you think I’m going to do what you want?

What came out of his mouth was a single word. “Yes.”

Kaiser smiled. “When you address me, you will call me master. Now, do you understand your orders?”

Part of Daisuke, the part he was most familiar with, ached to scream and resist. The rest of him, a part that he’d never even known existed and wasn’t sure why it was making itself known now, luxuriated in the thought of orders and control and being ruled.

“Yes, master.” He even sounded like himself to his own ears, only he wasn’t saying what he wanted to say!

Kaiser fisted his hand in Daisuke’s shirt and pulled them closer together. Only now did Daisuke realize that he hadn’t been restrained at all this whole time. He’d been too surprised and far too confused to even notice until now.

And now Kaiser’s actions spun every other thought out of his mind.

He gave no orders. He demanded everything.

Kaiser’s lips landed on Daisuke’s and kissed hungrily, as if Daisuke held the very breath of life within him.

To Be Continued

Notes: The M-rated portions will come in due course. Gotta set things up first.

[higuchimon]

[fanfic]  Crafted For Command:  Chapter 7

His creation stirred. He could feel it.

He could feel little else. He had no form, was little more than a consciousness floating in the depths and shadows in between worlds.

But from the moment he’d given his creation life, the two of them had been bound to one another. He wished it that way and in the case of his creation, his will overruled all.

It wasn’t time yet. It might not ever be time. There were so many points that needed to be checked off before he could claim what was his. But someone out there was doing their very best to see to it that he could rise once more.

They likely knew nothing of what they were doing. It was why he’d crafted his creation the way that he had. To the unknowing eye, his creation was little more than a toy to be used or a weapon to be wielded.

To his eyes, to his knowledge, it was so much more.

But the first steps already had been taken. He had no sense of time, not here, and very seldom anywhere else. But his creation would call to him when the moment arrived, when it would be time to take back what was his from whoever it was that thought they could tame him to their will.

His creation truly bent only to his. He might take orders from others, but when he arrived, Akigaramon would kneel only to him.

Akigaramon. The empty shell crafted for many purposes, to accomplish many tasks, but with one overriding reality.

Akigaramon was an empty vessel, given awareness of himself only because of accidents and foolishness.

A vessel existed to be filled.

And a son existed to carry out the will of his father.

Daisuke opened his eyes, realized where he was, and closed them again.

Damn it. Not a dream. He’d wanted it to be a dream so very much. He’d hoped he’d either wake up to find himself back home or at the least in his little closet-room at the Kaiser’s fortress.

He didn’t want to wake up to find himself tucked into the Kaiser’s arms, wearing almost nothing. But here he was and there was the Kaiser, snoozing peacefully against him, and wearing almost nothing himself.

Daisuke couldn’t remember everything that happened. He tried, but the best he could manage was the touch of Kaiser’s hands on him and the bliss that followed. Which weren’t technically bad memories but ones that he would’ve definitely rather not had.

He knew Kaiser would ask him again and again about who he belonged to and what he enjoyed about what happened. He’d want to know if Daisuke was ready to join him in bed.

It… it wouldn’t be that bad, he told himself. The thought of doing it still sent unwanted shivers all through him. But if he didn’t think about it as anything but sex, if he didn’t consider it being a slave or a concubine or anything else, well…

He put it simply to himself. Sex with the Kaiser, if last night was any indication, would be damned good.

Only that wasn’t the only thing to consider. He wasn’t going to turn on his friends or his partner, no matter what. Good sex wasn’t that good.

And it didn’t matter a bit that he was a Digimon.

If Kaiser wants me that much, he can just damned well slap a Ring or a Spiral on me and that’s it. Cause that’s the only way that he’s getting me.

So what if his body wanted to obey or just obeyed anyway? That wasn’t what he wanted, and what he wanted was to get out of here and find the others and tell them what he’d found out.

Kaiser’s lips brushed against the back of his neck without warning. Daisuke gasped, jerking a bit, but he couldn’t go very far, not with Kaiser’s arms around him.

“Good morning,” he murmured, tongue tracing alongside of Daisuke’s neck and going up to his ear.

“I want to go home,” Daisuke replied, steeling himself. “And I want to go home now.”

Kaiser’s grip tightened on him. Daisuke wasn’t surprised. Any time he did anything that showed he wasn’t bending to Kaiser’s will, his enemy got annoyed. That was fine and well for Daisuke. It meant he was doing something right.

“That’s not how you say good morning.” He bit on Daisuke’s ear while his hands began to roam up and down. “Answer me properly.”

The command took root and Daisuke heard himself answer when he really wanted to stay quiet.

“Good morning, master.” He loathed his own voice right now. Whoever had ‘made’ him clearly had issues. Lots of issues.

“Good. Remember that whenever you wake up with me.” Kaiser instructed. “Now, did you enjoy our little session last night?”

And again Daisuke could feel the command forcing him to answer truthfully.

“Very much, master.”

Daisuke couldn’t see Kaiser’s face with the other behind him, but he knew what it looked like anyway. He bit back a groan as Kaiser’s hands roamed freely over him.

“Do you enjoy this now?”

Daisuke wanted to lie with all of his heart. But Kaiser learned fast about where he could touch to get the reactions that he wanted out of Daisuke and he did that right now, hands going down Daisuke’s sides.

“Yes!”

I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I hate that it feels so damn good, stop, stop, stop!

“Do you want more?”

There! Daisuke grabbed onto that with all of his heart. He could have an opinion, he could say what he wanted to say!

“I do...” His heart raced faster, he couldn’t let it end like that. “But I don’t want to want it.”

“Of course you don’t.” Kaiser’s hands ghosted down to Daisuke’s hips, a trail of intense fire following. “You still think you’re something other than my possession. But think about this: you obey my every command. You enjoy everything that I do to you. You want what only I can give you. You are a Digimon. You belong to me. Do you understand all of that?”

Daisuke did. He just hated every bit of it. “Yes, master.”

“Good. Now think about this: why shouldn’t you want to want me? Why shouldn’t you want to enjoy everything I can do to you and with you? Why shouldn’t you want to be mine in every way?”

He at least would let Daisuke answer the way he wanted. He wanted the truth, and now Daisuke gave it to him.

“Because no one should belong to anyone! Because I don’t want to hurt my friends or my partner!” Everything he’d thought before came spilling out. “I don’t care how good you are in bed! What you’re doing is wrong!”

Silence. Had he gotten through to Kaiser, to the Ken underneath?

Then Kaiser laughed. He sounded genuinely amused, something Daisuke didn’t think was possible.

“Because no human should rule the Digital World, right?”

Daisuke really didn’t like the way that sounded. But he nodded. If Digimon wanted a ruler of their own, that was up to them. It wasn’t something that humans should do. Especially not this human.

Kaiser’s right hand extended forward. Daisuke watched, confused, as he tilted it briefly.

A long, sharp-edged sword appeared in his hand. There was something on the hilt, but Daisuke couldn’t see it well enough to be sure of what it was.

“Oh, Daisuke. You never asked if I checked myself for Digimon blood. You were too busy being confused over what you are to think about what I am.”

Daisuke had a few answers on that part, but he couldn’t form them right now. He just kept staring at that sword.

“I couldn’t figure out who created you, but I found out who my father is. It took a great deal of effort, but I managed it.”

His lips rested against Daisuke’s neck again, his breath warm against the skin.

“I want you to understand this, Daisuke. I am Akogimon, son of Piemon, and heir to his throne.” Kaiser laughed a brief, harsh laugh. “Of course, I might have to fight my brother for it. But I don’t think he’s that interested in ruling.”

“B-brother?” Daisuke’s thoughts spun in a thousand directions, none of which made any sense right now. He couldn’t remember Ichijouji Ken having a brother.

Again Kaiser kissed the back of Daisuke’s neck, which didn’t help him focus at all. That was probably what Kaiser wanted.

“I don’t think he knows about me yet, but I’m looking forward to introducing myself properly.” He chuckled. “You know him mas Ishida Yamato. But I much prefer to call him Anbumon.”

That made no sense at all to Daisuke, who started trying to inch forward again. Kaiser’s sword vanished and he pulled Daisuke close again.

“We don’t have much time this morning. I have plans. But for right now, I think we’re going to repeat last night. Only this time, you’re going to do everything you can to please me.”

Daisuke struggled again for words. At least this he sort of understood. “What happened to waiting until I want it?”

Again a kiss. “Don’t you want to know how good you can make me feel, Daisuke? What you can do to make me lose control like I did to you?”

And as much as Daisuke didn’t want to think about it...he kind of did.

To Be Continued

Notes: If all you think you have is an obedient slave who just needs to be trained... you aren't going to pay as much attention to who made him that way.

[higuchimon]

[fanfic]  Crafted For Command:  Chapter 5

Daisuke had no idea of how much later it was when he finally was allowed to collapse to the floor, worn down to the bone. He took in one shaky breath after another, barely noticing when Kaiser set food against his lips, except to accept it, chew, and swallow. He couldn’t have said what it was or if it even tasted good. His stomach demanded it.

He also needed a serious nap. He couldn’t remember having been this exhausted, without a shred of strength to his name.

Kaiser’s hand brushed through his hair, pride in his voice when he spoke. “You made so much progress today.”

Daisuke said nothing. He didn’t think there was anything that he could say. Over the last few hours, he’d learned things about himself that he’d never even imagined.

He couldn’t deny that he was somehow part Digimon, or even a whole Digimon, not now. Now when he’d seen energy forming on his fingers and lashing outward, slicing into whatever he aimed for. He needed to focus it and it helped if he wasn’t hungry – it helped a lot – but he could do it and it obeyed his will and there wasn’t any other way he could do this if he wasn’t what he hadn’t ever thought he’d be.

All of which made denying Kaiser’s praise and touch that much harder, too. If Kaiser was right about him being a Digimon, then it sort of followed that he was right about everything else, wasn’t he? Right about Daisuke being someone’s creation, right about Daisuke being born to be ruled by someone else, right about himself being the one to claim that right of rule…

Something about that part still disturbed him, more because he didn’t have any way to stop it. His mortal enemy, the one trying so hard to take over the Digital World, picked him up and started to train him like he was some stray off the streets.

Kaiser’s hand tightened in his hair, pulling Daisuke away from his wandering thoughts and forcing him to focus on what was going on in front of him.

“You’re supposed to pay attention to me,” Kaiser reminded him. “You’ve been very good. You don’t want me to get angry, do you?”

The tone of his voice told Daisuke very clearly that there was only one acceptable answer to this. He groaned, raising his head a fraction of his own will to look up at the Kaiser.

“No, I don’t, master.” The more times he said that word, the easier it became to say it the next time. He hated it. He loathed it with every part of himself.

Kaiser’s hand turned softer, caressing gently. “That’s good. I don’t want to be angry at you either.”

Daisuke didn’t think he believed that. But it was a lot easier just to say what the Kaiser wanted, didn’t take as much energy to struggle all the time, and he had almost no energy left to spare anyway.

“You’re still hungry, aren’t you?”

“Yes, master.”

“Get up, then. We’re going to have dinner. And afterward...”

Daisuke looked up in time to see the Kaiser’s smile and groaned under his breath. That expression never meant well for anyone, especially him after he’d woken up here. “Afterward?”

Kaiser’s hand cupped Daisuke’s cheek in a motion becoming as familiar as that smile. “Afterward, I think we have a little bonding to do.”

Daisuke’s brain wanted to get up and shove his fist right into Kaiser’s face. Daisuke’s body leaned into Kaiser’s touch, letting himself relax into it for a few moments before he stood up and followed his master out of the training area and to the dining room.

V-mon and Wormmon served dinner as they had breakfast, and Daisuke could see V-mon’s worried gaze.

Yeah, buddy, I’m worried, too. He didn’t like how easy it was to do as Kaiser said. He wanted to fight and yet the idea of fighting seldom got past the surface of his mind. Deep underneath, sunk into his bones, there was just the urge to relax and let himself be told what to do.

That wasn’t right. That wasn’t what someone who wore Taichi’s goggles was supposed to do.

He slid one hand up into his hair to check if they were still there. He wouldn’t have put it past Kaiser to take them away when he wasn’t looking. He was so used to them being there that he might not have even noticed.

But his fingers encountered them anyway and he sighed in relief, regretting it a heartbeat later when Kaiser turned toward him, and yes, he was smiling again.

“You’ll give those up to me when you realize you don’t need them anymore,” Kaiser said, and the command wrapped itself around the deepest part of Daisuke. He tried to shake his head, but it wouldn’t move. Kaiser chuckled at that. “I’ve told you. You can’t deny me. I won’t allow it.”

Daisuke’s fingers clenched into fists. One moment, that was all he wanted, one moment where he could jump and punch Kaiser, that was it.

Kaiser reached over, picked up one of his hands, and brought it to his lips, trailing his tongue over the knuckles. Daisuke grunted, trying to push it forward, and going nowhere. Kaiser touched his tongue to each of Daisuke’s fingers, one at the time. Daisuke’s breath caught in his throat and he tried to close his eyes or at least turn away.

Again his body obeyed Kaiser instead of him. He snarled to himself; why couldn’t he do anything? Why did whoever made him have to do this to him? What kind of a …a...Daisuke didn’t even know what to call whoever it was. But he didn’t forget the question: who would do this? Who would create someone… who would make a person who could be made a slave like this?

What annoyed him even more was that the Kaiser was just the kind of person who would want to take advantage of this. Who was taking advantage of it and who was enjoying it so very much.

And to make it worse, if it could possibly get worse, Daisuke realized dimly that he liked the feeling of the Kaiser’s tongue on his fingers, as much as he enjoyed those mindbogglingly good kisses, and the way Kaiser’s hand fit against his head and felt against his scalp.

Every time the Kaiser touched him in any way, Daisuke enjoyed it, whether he wanted to or not, and it infuriated him to even think about, even as a larger and larger part of him ached to slip away into the bliss of the caress.

“Get up.” Kaiser said, breaking Daisuke out of his half-trance and urging him to his feet. “This is entertaining but there are far better places where we can bond.”

Daisuke bit back a groan, more because he didn’t want to see the Kaiser smirking at him again. As Wormmon and V-mon cleaned off the table, Daisuke followed Kaiser until they reached Kaiser’s bedroom again.

It’s a little early to go to sleep, isn’t it? Daisuke wondered, until Kaiser settled himself down on his bed, stripped off his gloves and glasses, and gestured for Daisuke to join him.

“What do you want, master?” Daisuke managed to ask as he slid onto the bed and Kaiser pulled him into his arms. He wanted it to sound annoyed and out of sorts. What he did sound like was curious.

He hated his life. He hated what the Kaiser had made his life become. It didn’t have to be painful for him to hate it. He learned that very quickly. If anything, he hated it more because it wasn’t painful. Painful he could’ve dealt with. Painful he could've learned to withstand.

But with every one of Kaiser’s tender touches and unrelenting dominance of him, Daisuke’s resistance crumbled just a little more. He had no idea of how much he had left, but he was determined to hold out until the bitter end.

“I want you to come over here, to rest in my arms, and to answer my questions truthfully. Even if you don’t know the answer, tell me that instead of trying to lie about it,” Kaiser instructed. Daisuke obeyed, once again more from wanting to save what strength he had left than anything else. He would resist when it really mattered, not over something like this. He couldn’t imagine anything Kaiser would ask him that would be worth lying about anyway. He didn’t need information. He could spy on them whenever he liked, except maybe when they were on Earth, and Daisuke had no idea of what the others were doing there now.

He kind of hoped they were looking for him. His deepest heart told him that they were. But he didn’t know.

Once Kaiser had his arms settled all the way around Daisuke, a tense silence hung in the air. Kaiser finally broke it with his first question.

“Are you enjoying yourself with me, Daisuke?”

Daisuke had a few moments before answering. He knew the truth and he said it. “Kind of, but I don’t want to.”

“Explain.”

“What you do – the touching and stuff – that feels good.” Daisuke hated his voice and his brain both for doing this. “But I don’t want it to. I don’t like that it does.”

Kaiser chuckled, resting one hand on the back of Daisuke’s neck. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

Other questions followed, ones Daisuke sort of expected and some that he didn’t. Had he kissed anyone other than the Kaiser? No. Had he ever wanted to kiss anyone else? A few people, but he’d never gone through with it. Did he miss being at home? Yes, yes he did, very much.

And then one more.

“Do you want me, Daisuke?”

To Be Continued

Notes: Pain you can fight. Pleasure...is a little more difficult to deal with.

[mastcomm]

Why Google Backtracked on Its New Search Results Look

SAN FRANCISCO — Earlier this month, when Dan Shure was searching on Google for information about butchering meats, he did something he had avoided for the last 20 years: He unknowingly clicked on an ad.

Mr. Shure, a 40-year-old consultant who helps companies manage where they appear in Google search, had always thought it was easy to to distinguish between paid search results and unpaid links.

That changed on Jan. 13 when Google revamped the look of its search results page for desktop computers. Even for someone with a trained eye like Mr. Shure, it was hard to see the difference between an ad and a regular link.

“I felt dumb because I had never clicked on an ad before,” said Mr. Shure, the owner of Evolving SEO, a consulting firm in Worcester, Mass.

In the two decades since Google first introduced text ads above search results, the company has steadily made ads less conspicuous. But Google’s latest look may have pushed things too far. Users complained that Google was trying to trick people into clicking on more paid results, while marketing executives said it was yet another step in blurring the line between ads and unpaid search results, forcing them to spend more money with the internet company.

The dust up comes at a bad time for Google, which is facing accusations around the world that it unfairly takes advantage of its search engine dominance. And it is an indication of just how careful the internet giant now must be when it makes subtle — and sometimes unsubtle — tweaks to wring more money out of its giant ad business.

Regulators and politicians are investigating Google’s influence over the digital advertising industry. And some advertisers are openly challenging search ads as a “shakedown” and “ransom” by the tech giant, which controls about 90 percent of web search.

Ginny Marvin, editor in chief of Search Engine Land, a website that covers the search industry, said there is more awareness among users of Google’s behavior because of recent privacy complaints and government antitrust probes.

“There is much more scrutiny by your regular user who may not have thought anything about this a year or two ago,” Ms. Marvin said. “To see them make this change in the face of antitrust regulation” was not going to go unnoticed.

Earlier this month, Google said it will eventually strip third-party trackers, or cookies, from its Chrome browser, a decision it described as an effort to build “a more private web.” But the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the Association of National Advertisers quickly complained in an open letter that removing cookies could “choke off the economic oxygen from advertising that startups and emerging companies need to survive.”

The reaction to the recent search page changes was so negative that Google took the rare step of reversing some of the design changes last week. In a statement, Google said it was “experimenting with a change” to the new logos next to the unpaid links, although it did not alter the new ad logo.

Lara Levin, a Google spokeswoman, said in a statement that the recent design changes mirrored a new look the company introduced for search results on mobile phones in May 2019. The company tested the new look on desktop search and the results were positive, she said, but it decided to make some changes to respond to “feedback from users.”

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is expected to report next week that annual revenue topped $150 billion in 2019. But Google’s ad business is under growing pressure from rivals like Amazon and Facebook.

Money from Google advertising accounts for about 80 percent of Alphabet’s total revenue. Search advertising is essential to the future of Google, though the company does not say how much it makes on it alone. Magna, a media intelligence firm, estimates that overall search advertising increased 14 percent in 2019 to about $144 billion.

Google constantly tinkers with the design of its search results page and its once bare bones approach to search results — characterized as “10 blue links” — has changed dramatically in recent years. The company once tested 41 different shades of blue to find which one users liked best, and it has steadily made its search ads more inconspicuous over time.

Increasingly, Google’s search results page is not just the on-ramp to direct you to the most relevant information on the web, it’s also the destination. The unpaid links are buried amid a hodgepodge of fact boxes, news links, ads and snippets of text.

For marketers, who rely on Google to bring them web traffic, the blurred lines between ads and regular results make it hard to decipher whether the customers being redirected to their sites are people who were going to come to them anyway or those who stumbled upon them because of the ad.

“You can’t figure out where the highest value customers are coming from if everyone comes in through that paid ad. Right now it’s just a bidding war and brands now have to buy against their own name as a defense mechanism,” said Amanda Goetz, vice president of marketing at The Knot Worldwide, a wedding planning group. She called the redesign a “transition to this almost deceptive dark pattern.”

Josh Zeitz, another Google spokesman for the ads team, said the design changes were in line with guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission. In 2013, the F.T.C. made recommendations for how search engines should label ads, but stopped short of specific requirements other than that paid results should be “noticeable and understandable to consumers.”

Google’s recent changes adhered to some of the guidelines but ignored others. Google did not follow what the F.T.C. prescribed for “visual cues” with paid results marked by either “prominent shading that has a clear outline” or a “border that distinctly sets off advertising” from unpaid search results or both. But the new ad icon met the F.T.C.’s recommendation for ad labels to appear before the paid result on the upper left hand side.

Google declined to comment on the record about how it interprets the F.T.C. guidelines, citing a quiet period before earnings. F.T.C. spokesman Mitchell Katz declined to comment on Google’s changes.

Google is not alone in trying to squeeze more revenue from prominent internet properties. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Amazon are increasing the numbers of ads that appear on their sites and apps and labeling advertisements in different ways.

For Mr. Shure, Google’s recent changes were more jarring on desktop than the introduction on mobile because there is so little visual difference between the paid and unpaid search results. He said he found that there was no difference in font size, spacing or color between the ads and the regular or organic results. On mobile, each ad is contained within a box and comes with an “i” or information icon on the right.

“If you look at a result that is ads and organic links, it all looks the same,” said Mr. Shure. “And that’s a problem.”

Daisuke Wakabayashi reported in San Francisco, and Tiffany Hsu from New York.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/why-google-backtracked-on-its-new-search-results-look/

[higuchimon]

[fanfic]  Crafted For Command:  Chapter 11

If it hadn’t been beneath his dignity, Jikomon would’ve exploded into gales of triumphant laughter once he swooped out of range of the Kaiser’s fortress. Getting in there without being detected had been difficult enough in the first place, though not impossible.

Very little was impossible for him when he put his mind to it. This wasn’t any exception.

Akigaramon hung in his arms, still dazed and unaware, and Jikomon intended to keep him like that. Conversation wasn’t one of the purposes that he had in mind for his new toy.

He is beautiful, though. I wonder how much more so he’ll be when he evolves.

Jikomon looked forward to finding a way to spark that evolution. Doing so would be risky: sometimes evolving meant he had to work on the hold he had over someone else’s mind all over again. He’d been able to do so for Akigaramon because the other had already been distracted and confused by the Kaiser’s machinations. Starting from fresh could be more difficult than he wanted to try, given the chances of a different evolution.

His lip curled for a moment at the passing thought of the Kaiser. He did the beginning work, at least. But did he really think that he deserved such a prize?

The Kaiser might well be Piemon’s spawn but in Jikomon’s mind, that gave him no rights at all to owning Akigaramon. Only Jikomon could do that, and only due to certain reasons.

Without warning, the voice pressed into his mind.

Take care of him. Use him as you will but harm him not.

Jikomon shuddered at the words, more from how they echoed in the depths of his mind than anything else. He swallowed, steadying himself, and kept on going, not wanting to lose his grip on Akigaramon.

“I understand, my lord,” he replied, keeping his voice low so it wouldn’t wake up his precious passenger.

He’d never been so grateful not to get a reply back as he was this time. He’d never seen the owner of the heart-shaking voice, but he’d heard stories, and he didn’t want to see him.

How someone like that could create beauty such as Akigaramon’s baffled Jikomon. Beauty should come from beauty, not from hideousness. There shouldn’t be a shred of ugliness in all the world.

But he could deal with that another day. What he wanted right now was to get home and install Akigaramon in his new quarters and begin to teach him his new lessons. Whatever Kaiser taught him needed to be wiped away.

In Jikomon’s mind, beauty started with one and only one place: obedience to him.

Kaiser watched the security recording, lips pressed together, eyes flashing in ways that would’ve made almost anyone else seeing him look for the nearest exit.

His fingers brushed against a few keys and an analyzer screen came into existence.

“Jikomon,” he murmured, reading it over. “A Perfect-level Digimon whose attacks are Hypnotic Wing and Wing Daggers. One of the few Digimon never born at the Village of Beginnings and also one of the few to have known kindred: one sister and one nephew.”

Once again his fingers flew across the keyboard, and another face showed up. Kaiser read the information, then turned to the two Digimon who watched him in terrified silence.

“V-mon,” he snapped. “You’re going to the Chosen. You’ll tell them nothing of what’s happened until I give you the command.”

“But Daisuke...” V-mon tried to protest and the Kaiser cut him off at once.

“You can listen to me because this will bring Daisuke back, or you can ignore me, and I’ll put a Ring on you and you’ll do what I want anyway. The choice is yours.”

He looked to Wormmon. “I expect you to actually be useful in this.” He cast a quick glance back to the analyzer and the image there, then to Wormmon once more. “Do you understand me?”

Wormmon scuffled a bit. “Yes.” He didn’t look any happier about it than V-mon did.

“Good. Now escort V-mon out of here. I expect this won’t take long.”

He didn’t want it to. The longer that Daisuke was out of his control, the more chances that either Jikomon would find a way to assume mastery of him, or even worse, Daisuke would star to think for himself, and that definitely wasn’t what the Kaiser wanted.

Why didn’t he listen to me the first time? That would’ve kept him right where he was, completely safe. If Jikomon dared to approach Kaiser himself, Kaiser wouldn’t have let him leave with his wings or his life intact. But something had gone wrong, and Kaiser had no idea of what.

He would find out, he would correct it, and Daisuke would be his once more. Daisuke needed a master, needed someone who could control and tame him, and Kaiser knew there wasn’t anyone better suited to the task than he was.

Not to mention he thoroughly enjoyed the process of taming Daisuke, of feeling his warmth against his body, knowing that Daisuke thoroughly enjoyed his time in Kaiser’s bed, even if he hadn’t properly admitted it yet. He couldn’t read Daisuke’s mind, but he could read his body very well indeed.

A soft smile touched on his lips for a few heartbeats as a thought occurred to him.

This may be what needs to happen for Daisuke to understand his proper place. Jikomon won’t treat him as well as I will. Daisuke will come running to me when he sees me again, no matter what Jikomon does to him.

He did want to find them before Jikomon did anything to him. He wanted to be the only person that knew what Daisuke looked like in the throes of orgasm. He couldn’t guarantee that, though. No one knew where Jikomon lived, which meant they could get there far too quickly for Kaiser’s own taste. And he knew if it were him, then the moment he had Daisuke hidden away from all others, he would embark on seducing him quite thoroughly.

After all, that was what he’d been doing here all along, and doing quite successfully. It would’ve taken only another few days, at most, because Daisuke would’ve craved him so much that he would beg to enter Kaiser’s bed, for far more intense sex than they’d had until now.

I was looking forward to that.

And now because of Jikomon, it would be put off. Not for long; Kaiser would find Jikomon and either send him straight to the Village of Beginnings as an egg, or find out if his Spirals could work on him.

His gaze moved back to the scene on one of his screens, where the Chosen, today including Ishida Yamato and Izumi Koushirou – both of whom he’d marked for future trials with advanced Spirals – searched both for his Towers and for Daisuke.

They hadn’t found a trace of him in the handful of days that Kaiser had him, but Kaiser made certain they wouldn’t. Keeping the base moving helped with that. He’d long since intended they would see neither hide nor hair of Daisuke until he’d finished his training, accepting his place in Kaiser’s arms and bed.

Then he would take the rest of them and this foolish war would be over with.

He hadn’t changed his mind a great deal on that score. There would just need to be a little revising of his personal timeline before it all came out the way that he wanted.

A single flick of his fingers brought the image of Daisuke in Jikomon's arms back up. Kaiser growled just at the thought of it, but refused to look away. Daisuke belonged to him. Daisuke would be back where he belonged soon enough. And once he had the entire Digital World crushed beneath his feet, no one would ever dare to take what was his away from him again.

Daisuke groaned, his head spinning, trying to figure out what had happened. Vague memories flickered, but nothing very solid, just images of flying… had Kaiser taken him somewhere?

No…no, it hadn’t been Kaiser. He did remember hearing Kaiser’s voice, telling him to stay where he was, and for once, it hadn’t affected him. He’d been able to run. So he had run. He didn’t understand that, especially not when the next set of orders struck hard into him.

A gentle hand pressed against the side of his face and he blinked. Someone who wasn’t Kaiser touching him? He moved away without thinking, and the hand turned not so gentle, gripping onto him.

“Don’t do that,” a far too pleasant voice spoke. Hearing it brought back other memories and he tried to open his eyes.

What – who – he saw in front of him was an angelic face of beauty, with a cascade of reddish-blond hair, eyes as startling green as fresh leaves, and a body that would’ve made most models weep in envy. Shimmering wings rose up behind, drawing Daisuke’s attention at once, before the stranger touched him again.

“I’m so glad to see you awake, Akigaramon. I’ve been looking forward to this for a very, very long time.”

To Be Continued

Notes: Next week, the last chapter of this story!