Prologue:
Earth Date: August 31st, 2000
Digiworld Date: Somewhere in the middle of the year 6323 A.P. (After Apoclyamon.)
A porcelain teapot in the shape of a pink pig whistled shrilly, bringing the prostate form of a man, ancient in years, back to reality. He moved from his library where he had been browsing through his vast collection of comic books, into his kitchen with a small stack of them under one arm. Switching off the heat, he poured himself a steaming mug of tea into a large white mug emblazoned with red letters which spelled out, 'You the Mon!' He twirled his snow-white mustache and sipped his tea, still deep in thought. He felt, or at least, he thought he felt a disturbance . . . somewhere. The power of evil that had not been felt for . . . how long ago was it since the Digidestined had come to the Digital World? He frowned to himself, but for the moment, did nothing but contemplate. The pile of comic books remained untouched, at least for the moment.
Halfway across the Digital World, in the ancient castle that had once belonged to the long-ago defeated Myotismon, a black shape slowly took shape in the large stone chair in the castle's immense library. Ages ago, in that very library, Myotismon had discovered the secret to opening the portal to the realm of Earth. In the throne where Myotismon, the peak of evil and power in his time, the darkness grew.
It increased in size and color, until it took on a humanoid shape and was as black as anthracite. In a black flash, a being, not unlike Gennai with powers rivaling his own, appeared in the chair. He was Darkota, a being of pure evil. He stood perhaps five feet tall, with a long curling black mustache, with long bangs of black hair jutting out from his head like two horns. A short double-edged sword was at his side.
A sallow, pale white hand rose, and Darkota stroked his mustache a wicked laugh emitting from his thin lips. He gestured with his other hand, and a computer keyboard and monitor appeared to fold out of the side of the throne and come to rest in front of him.
"All I have to do," he said, in an odd, sing-song voice, full of malice, "Is to reprogram a few key components. Then the Digital World shall be mine for the taking." He brought up a small map of the entire Earth on the computer screen before him, and entered a command into the keyboard. "Within moments I shall know the four hapless fools who shall become the new set of Digidestined." Four blinking dots, all situated in the state of Illinois over the country of America, appeared. Darkota laughed again and hit a single key on the keyboard. "I have only to wait," he said, his voice echoing in the large library.
"So begins the end of the balance of good and evil in the Digital World. It is time for the forces of evil to take control once more." He sat back into his newfound throne, his eyes burning like smoldering coals.
Across a spectral barrier, in the realm called Earth . . .
Jake McCain, a freshman at Springfield High, looked anxiously at the blue bulletin board outside of the Drama Office. He scanned the ten-person cast of the upcoming fall play, 'The Diary of Anne Frank', and then continued down the hall. He had not made the cut. The fluttering of butterflies in his stomach settled down. School had let out for a three-day weekend, but his mood was far from happy.
He cut across one of the large grassy fields that surrounded the high school, his thoughts momentarily filled with gloom. Ahead of him a game of football was underway, and behind him was a literal sea of students, which had exploded from the schools and was coming towards him: students finally let out into the warm sunshine after being tortured in dark dungeons underground and forced to learn pointless things of all sorts.
Just as Jake had made up his mind to drown his sorrows with a few hours of Final Fantasy Seven, a terrific explosion of dark light erupted in the sky directly above him. As he recoiled from the light, something exploded out of the ground beneath his feet, tripping him up. He landed hard on the palms of his hands, and as shivers were sent up his arms from the impact, he rolled to his feet.
Lying on the ground, perfectly smooth ground that did not look like anything had exploded from it, was a small, black, oval-shaped cell phone with a mini-computer screen on the front. Picking it up, full of questions, he suddenly noticed that the once active game of football several yards in front of him had stopped.
Totally.
The football itself, which had just been punted, was hanging in midair. Like someone had bolted it there. The football players stood motionless, frozen like the football. One of the players stirred, holding his leg with one hand and clutching another of the strangely shaped cell phones in the other.
"What butt munch threw this melted cell phone at me and caused me to trip?" he demanded, oblivious to the near-impossible fact that his fellow football players were now frozen and he was the only one moving among them. He moved past the cluster of the statue-like football players, and spotted Jake, who was staring at the frozen football, still hanging in midair. "Hey Jake, did you see who tripped me and caused me to fumble the ball?"
It took several seconds for the words to register within Jake's cerebral cortex before he responded. "Brian, right?" without waiting for an answer, he continued. "What's up with the frozen time bit?"
Brian turned and glanced at his fellow football players, still frozen, as if noticing them for the first time. "Weird, huh? You have one of those melted cell phone things too?"
Jake was more taken aback by Brian's frank indifference to the situation than by the question. "Yeah, it kind of popped out of the ground."
"Hey Jake!" Jake turned back to the sea of students that had at one time been moving en masse towards him. Now they too were frozen, just like the football players. Only two figures moved in the large group of frozen figures. Both Jake knew, slightly.
One, a rather good looking blond haired girl wearing short jean shorts and a dark blue GAP t-shirt, was Nicole, a freshman cheerleader. The other was a girl named Michelle, with long brown hair, wearing a black Metallica t-shirt, sporting headphones around her neck.
"Kind of funky, right?" the cheerleader said. She had yet another of the melted black cell phones clipped to her jeans.
"Actually, the mere fact that the laws of physics are broken is more surprising than these new-found Digivices, not even to mention the fact that in having these, we must be the new generation of Digidestined."
"Digi-what?" Jake asked, now really confused. How did Michelle, even though she was very smart and spoke in big words, know what these weird things were, if he had never even heard of them before?
"Digivices. My cousin Mimi told me about them and the Digital World."
"What kind of name is Mimi?" Brian sneered, though he was trying to cover up that he was as confused as the rest of them.
"She's Japanese, you jerk!" Michelle snapped, flaring up. She took a few deep breaths, still glaring at what she perceived as a dumb jock. "Anyway, a year ago, she went to summer camp and she and seven of her friends accidentally were transported to the Digital World."
"Is that slang for the 'Net, or something?" Nicole asked. She glanced at Jake, and despite herself, she smiled. Wow, she thought, I never noticed him before.
"No. Strickly speaking, the Digital World should not exist. It defies all the laws of physics that such a world could coexist so spectrally close to Earth. Anyway, it's full of these creatures called Digimon, and—"
"You been smoking some—"
"I'm warning you, jocko-boy!" Michelle flared again.
"Wait a minute." Jake interrupted, who had been quiet through this exchange, glancing at Nicole. In his mind, however, he was trying to figure this out. He held out his black Digivice before Michelle. "So you're saying you know what this thing does?"
"Well, if it is the real thing, then if we all hold them out ina circle, then we will be transported to the Digital World." Michelle said. She too held out her Digivice. Nicole looked uncomfortable, but seeing as there was no alternative but to open a sculpture museum with all of the rest of the student body as statues, she unclipped her Digivice from her jeans and held it in the circle.
Brian looked away, and he was about to bolt for the safety of his car in the parking lot, when Michelle said, tauntingly, "What's the matter, Jock? Afraid?"
This appeared to stiffen Brian's resolve at once, and he turned. "I'm not afraid of anything."
"Prove it."
Brian visibly gulped, but reluctantly held out his black device to join the others, forming a full circle. All four Digivices exploded with white light as their screens lit up. Jake shuddered as he felt energy, almost limitless, pouring down his arm like a powerful electric signal. He almost dropped the device, but kept a firm grip on it.
More and more energy was fed into the four chosen new Digidestined, and the light grew brighter and brighter, until with a surge of power, it appeared that the ground under their feet was yanked away, indeed, everything—the sky, grass, trees, even the statues of the still immobile students, was traveling away from them. Darkness surrounded them for several long, uncomfortable moments, until they suddenly found themselves standing just on the edge of a thick, lush forest.
"Is this the so called Digital World?" Brian asked, his voice filled with scorn.
"Well, Mimi didn't mention anything about a forest like that." Michelle said, not sounding too comfortable.
Nicole shivered, and glanced towards the dark and ominous forest. "Let's get out of this place, at least."
"Well, what did your precious cousin say about this?" Brian sneered.
"You—" Michelle didn't even finish. She raised her hand and was about to slap Brian across the face, but Jake grabbed her arm in time. "Don't Michelle. We don't' need any trouble, especially now."
"Really Michelle, did Mimi say anything about this place?" Nicole asked, tucking her long blond hair behind her ear.
Michelle looked a little embarrassed as she shook her head. "No. From the way she described it, it was like big terrible monsters were everywhere."
"Great." Brian muttered. "Can't we just go back home the way we came?"
The circle of four black Digivices was once more formed, but nothing happened.
"This was all your bright idea, Michelle!" Brian stormed, jamming the apparently useless Digivice into his pocket.
"Well, if you weren't being such a jerk—"
"Why is it only you think I'm a jerk?"
"Maybe because everyone else are pinhead airheads!" Michelle glanced sidelong at Nicole. "No offense."
"I would have taken offense if I disagreed with you," Nicole said, glaring pointedly at Brian, who winced. "but I don't."
"What?" Brian demanded, almost disbelieving.
"Not so easy without your little fan club, is it?" Michelle demanded, almost smirking.
"I don't have to take this crap!" Brian yelled, and stomped off, away from the forest.
"You think you'll survive without us? All you have is your muscles!" Michelle yelled after him.
Brian turned, a smart come back all ready, but when he faced the others, his eyes bugged out, and he screamed at the top of his lungs: "Monsters!"
"You're even dumber than you look!" Michelle yelled, "If you think we would fall for something like that!"
The three of them then saw Brian standing as rigid as a board, his eyes doing an imitation of dinner plates. Jake slowly turned as did Michelle and Nicole, and as they did, they saw a small, two foot tall Digimon, seemingly made out of a pile of rocks. His large yellow eyes were wide open.
"Brian!" it called out, running past the three astonished others.
"Ahhhhhh!" Brian yelled. "It's out for blood!"
He finally came to his senses and ran full speed in the other direction. The rock-type Digimon jumped and tackled Brian to the ground hanging onto his legs.
"Brian! What took you so long?" the rock-Digimon asked, almost bouncing atop Brian.
"Get it off!" Brian yelled. "What is it?"
"I'm Gotsumon!" the rock-Digimon practically yelled with glee. "I'm your Digimon and your pal for life!"
"Michelle!"
Michelle turned at the call of her name, back to the forest. Nicole and Jake did as well, leaving Brian to take care of his own. A small pinkish red crab-Digimon ran out from the depths of the forest and ran around Michelle, who stood stock-still.
"Who are you?" Michelle asked, somewhat shakily. "How do you know my name?"
"I'm Crabmon! I know all about you!"
Michelle gulped, and smiled nervously down at the small Digimon still running laps around her in blind happiness. "Mimi never mentioned anything about hyper-active Digimon." She muttered.
"Nicole!" another voice, this time deeper and with a slight edge of gruffness to it materialized out of the gloom in the forest. Nicole and Jake looked at each other. "I don't want to know who . . ." she glanced at the still hyper-active Crabmon, "Or what that thing is."
"Nicole? Don't be a stranger!" the voice rang out again, louder and a good deal nearer to where Jake and Nicole were standing and looking at each other.
"So . . . " Jake began. Nicole smiled warmly at him, and Jake smiled back. She began to say more, but just then a large mushroom-like Digimon with a purple cap stepped out of the forest and tapped Nicole on the shoulder.
She turned, and had to force herself not to scream. Very shakily she said, "W-ho are you?"
"I'm Mushroomon!" the Digimon said brightly. "Pleased to meet you, Nicole. I've been waiting for a while in that forest over there for you to show up in the Digiworld." He jerked his thumb back towards the forest.
"Wait a minute," Jake said. "You were waiting for us? Why?"
Mushroomon scratched his cap, evidently perplexed by the question. "I don't really know." He turned to the other Digimon and whistled. They came over in a flash, followed warily by Michelle and Brian. "Hey you guys, do you have any idea why we're here?"
Crabmon clicked his small yet powerful pinchers together rapidly, like castanets. "B-e-c-a-u-s-e we are!" Gotsumon and Mushroomon both shot him poisonous looks, and he stopped. "Actually, I don't know either."
"Me either." Gotsumon admitted. "I just knew I was waiting for someone, and when you four humans showed up, I felt you were the right one!" he turned to Brian. "How did you get here, anyway?"
Jake was about to answer when he heard his own voice being called, faintly. "J-ake! Hey Jake!" The low sound of beating wings came with the voice.
"Who's the bowling ball?" Brian asked, pointing behind Jake towards the forest.
Jake felt a light breeze on his neck, and turned, to come face to face with a small, dark blue, round Digimon with beating wings and large yellow eyes. "I'm DemiDevimon!" he said, and landed on the ground, and made a little bow. He then rose, and glared pointedly at Brian. "I'm not a bowling ball!"
Nicole moved close to Jake and whispered in his ear. "Jake, don't take this personally, but your Digimon looks like nothing but trouble."
Jake nodded slightly, and glanced at Nicole, locking eyes with her. He smiled, and she returned the smile.
"Hey DemiDevimon!" Crabmon called, walking sideways over to the blue Digimon, still alighted on the ground. "Do you know why we're here?"
DemiDevimon paused a moment, and considered. "I don't know, really. All I know is that I was wandering around in the forest and looking for Jake."
"Did Mimi ever mention anything like this?" Nicole asked Michelle, who was watching Crabmon doubtfully, as if there was some mistake and she had gotten the wrong Digimon.
"What?" Michelle asked, and Nicole asked again. "Well, when Mimi and her friends first got to the Digital World, they each met their own Digimon. They all said basically the same thing: they had been waiting their whole lives to meet them."
"So we each got our own Digimon," Brian said. "Big deal. None of them look like they can take on even a—"
GRREEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!
A horrible noise, like some wild animal screaming, erupted from the forest. There was a terrible sound of trees being broken in half, as if some large creature shoving through the trees, only caring about getting to the Digidestined.
In a sudden explosion of branches, split wood, and a torrent of leaves, a large red and black flying beetle Digimon shot out of the dark forest like a shot from a gun. It had large, invisible wings, a large red and black slashed carapace, wielding two huge pincers.
Crabmon immediately stopped moving and stared up towards the oncoming Digimon and his eyes bugged out. "It's Kuwagamon! A Digimon that gets mad for no reason!"
"Why is he so much bigger than you guys?" Michelle asked, strangely calm.
"He's at a higher level than us." Gotsumon said, and grinned weakly. "He works out more than we do."
"That's great." Brian muttered, almost shaking.
Kuwagamon flew up high, cried in his high-pitched scream, and dove down towards the panic stricken Digidestined.
"We better run." Nicole said. "But where?"
Crabmon suddenly seemed to stiffen his resolve. "We've got to fight him."
Gotsumon stepped up to stand with Crabmon. "Right. We have to protect the Digidestined."
"Who?" Brian asked, apparently shocked that the Digimon would stand up against Kuwagamon.
"Digimon attack!" DemiDevimon commanded, flapping his wings and going to the air.
"Rock Fist Attack!" Gotsumon shot out a rock projectile, and it struck Kuwagamon head on, surprising him enough to halt in midair.
"Scissor Magic!" Crabmon snapped out with his small yet surprisingly powerful claws, generating energy projections, which slammed into Kuwagamon, hurting him slightly. Kuwagamon yelled out in pain, and shot back up into the sky and turned, to dive down again.
"Fungus Cruncher!" A large purple energy spark exploded from Mushroomon's outstretched fists, and slammed into Kuwagamon, knocking him further back, out of his intended flight.
"Demi Dart!" A small dart-shaped energy projectile was thrown from DemiDevimon's talons, and struck Kuwagamon squarely, knocking him back into the forest, to crash headlong far into the dark forest.
"Yeah! You guys rock!" Brian yelled, jumping up from where he was crouched on the ground, hiding his eyes from the battle.
"For little guys, you sure are strong!" Nicole said, smiling down at Mushroomon, who grinned up at her. "It was nothing." He said, cracking his knuckles.
"Good job, DemiDevimon!" Jake said.
"No problem." DemiDevimon said, and he flipped around in midair in victory.
"DIGIDESTINED!" A voice appeared to come out of everywhere at once. From the ground, sky, open plain, and especially the dark forest before them. The Digidestined and their Digimon cringed before the voice.
"DIGIDESTINED!" The voice boomed again. "COME FORTH!"
"Come where?" Nicole asked. Jake glanced at her. Already, he had come to develop feelings for her, but could he ever show her at the way they were going?
They appeared to transport from the place where they were crouched from the impact of the voice. They appeared to be yanked out from the edge of the dark forest, and darkness surrounded them by all sides.
There they stood for a long moment, in a place where time had no passage or meaning, and the place where Digimon were sent when they were defeated. This was the place where Etemon had been sent after his defeat by MetalGreymon and the original Digidestined, and where he had become the infamous MetalEtemon, but the current Digidestined did not know this, or care. All they wanted was to get out.
Just when Jake felt he could stand it no more, the darkness fell, and the Digidestined appeared in a large open arena, circular, walled with stone archways going perhaps fifty feet into the air. A few stone pillars stood before them, and they were standing on several steps that appeared to be carved from rock.
"This looks like the Roman Coliseum." Michelle commented. "What is it doing in the Digital World?" She frowned to herself, trying to recall something. "Mimi mentioned something about a place like this . . . but I can't remember what it was."
"I've got a better question." Brian said, apparently still shaken up from the close encounter with Kuwagamon. "What are we doing in the Digital World?"
"What's the matter, Jock-Boy?" Michelle asked, turning on Brian because she didn't like him to begin with, and his sarcasm wasn't helping the situation, which didn't feel right to her. "Confused now that you don't have a play book to follow?"
Brian scowled at her, but said nothing. Apparently, for the moment, he had run out of things to say.
"This place doesn't feel right." Nicole said, voicing Michelle's thoughts. She glanced at Jake, and he nodded in agreement. "I can't really put my finger on it, but there's something wrong with it. Something's not right."
Here was something Brian could work with, so after shooting Michelle a poisonous look, he said, "Is that the first time you've noticed that—"
"Digidestined." The same voice that they had heard back on the edges of the dark forest echoed throughout the empty stone behemoth, appearing, from the echo, to come from everywhere at the same time.
"Where is it coming from?" Crabmon asked, scuttling from side to side nervously, his six legs clacking magnified uncannily from the stone giant which appeared to confine them.
"How will you be able to work together," the voice sounded again, but this time, the Digidestined could tell were it was coming from. A being, wrapped in flowing black cloaks with a long flowing black beard appeared to float from behind one of the stone columns, and come to rest maybe five feet from where the Digidestined were standing. It was Darkota, the dark force that had actually summoned them to the Digital World in the first place, and given them their Digivices, but the Digidestined didn't know that.
"Darth Vader?" Brian asked, blindly speculating.
"I am Darkota. I summoned you to the Digital World because we need your help. Only you, with the power of the black Digivices can allow the chosen Digimon to digivolve, and so bring balance to the Digital World." Balance, he thought to himself, smiling wickedly, so that darkness may have complete control, and the evil Digimon of old may be resurrected and I will rule the Digital World completely, and finally be rid of Gennai, the only one who is actually a challenge for me.
"Are you a Digimon?" Nicole asked. Michelle was looking at Darkota strangely, as if she was trying to remember something else.
"I am like a Digimon, and yet unlike." Darkota said, and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes in disgust.
"Why are the Digivices called Black?" Michelle said suddenly, unclipping hers and holding it up.
"What is their outward color?" Darkota asked, and then quickly said, "The name is no indication of what lies within." He glanced briefly at Michelle, and made a mental note to watch her and Jake and Nicole. Brian was a fool, and he would be the most easy to corrupt and bring about the other three's ruin.
"What about the Digimon?" Jake asked suddenly. He had seen how Darkota had suddenly fallen silent when Michelle had asked him the question, but he couldn't figure out why, just yet. "And why us? Why pick us when there are billions of people you could have chosen for the job?"
"The Digimon are the chosen ones, named in a prophecy written long ago. One of many, which spoke of when evil threatened the land, and the undead Digimon of evil would rise again . . . and other such things. In it, it named the four rookie Digimon which would be able to Digivolve to the highest known level, that of Mega level, and bring balance to the Digital World."
"What do you mean by 'Rookie' and 'Mega'?" Brian asked, scratching his head. "Does that mean that they can change?"
"Yes." Darkota said, slowly and quietly, and he had to stop himself from striking down such a mindless bumbling fool. "Rookie shall Digivolve into Champion, which shall Digivolve into Ultimate, and Mega, the highest stage, is above that."
"Okay, I understand that," Nicole said. She had also noticed how Darkota had been reacting to their questions, and was not totally satisfied with some of the answers he had been giving. "Does that mean the Digimon have to win battles or something in order to Digivolve?"
"Precisely." Darkota said. Finally, he thought, these witless humans understand. How they lasted long enough to create fire was inconceivable to him. Now I must convince them that what they are doing is good, while it is actually all in aid of my master plan.
"In the prophecy I have spoken of," he continued, "There is a band of renegade Digimon trying to upset the balance of power and bring forth the undead evil Digimon rulers of long ago." He snapped his fingers, and a large white screen unfurled behind him. He snapped again, and five pictures appeared on the screen with computer-coded language written in tiny script below them. "These are the strongest of the resistance, here on the Digital World." Moving closer to the screen, and pointing with one deathly white, bony finger at the first picture of a tall robot, he said, "This is Andromon, the leader of the rebels." Continuing down the length of the screen, pointing at each picture as he came to it. "This is Musyamon, a powerful wizard-ninja Digimon. Piximon, the smallest but perhaps most cunning, is next, followed by Asuramon, a powerful wizard-Digimon. Last, but certainly not least is Digitamamon, classified as a 'Perfect' Digimon, completely covered with armor. None of these are to be taken lightly, even Musyamon, even though he is but a Champion."
"You mentioned something about that these five were the strongest on the Digital World. Are there actually Digimon on Earth?" Jake asked.
"Actually, also in the prophecy I spoke of, there were eight other children, chosen long ago, which have since been corrupted by Gennai, basically the evil of the dark side of the Digital World." He said, lying through his teeth.
"So how are we—" Michelle began, but Darkota held up his hand. "There will be a time later for questions. You must defeat these five Digimon so that the eight children I spoke of will come once more into the Digital World, bringing their terribly powerful Digimon into this world also, and so you will fight, for the fate of both worlds." He paused, and then appeared to be considering for a moment. He snapped his fingers again, and a large white duffel bag appeared out of thin air and appeared to float down to rest at the Dark Digidestined's feet.
"In that bag you will find food and other necessities to last you for some while. Go now. I will transport you to the base of Navjio Canyon, where the five rebel Digimon were last seen last. I will be in touch with you at all times, so you may inform me of your progress." He snapped his fingers once more, and the Digidestined, their Digimon, and the new-found bag of food, transported in much the same way as before, to land directly in front of a large canyon, rimmed with black, brown, and yellow stone. Just off to one side was a gentle ramp cut directly into the rock, jutting down and leading to the base of the canyon.
"Um . . . that was not right." Michelle said, as Brian took up the duffel bag, and they started slowly down the slope. "Why would he do this? And he seemed kind of hurried, and kept changing his story, kind of."
"Yeah." Nicole said, and she and Jake exchanged glances. "You could tell he was almost insulted by talking to us, like he was some powerful figure and we were ants or something."
"So what are we going to do?" Brian asked. He was taking up the rear with Gotsumon prodding along at his side.
"Actually, as crazy as it sounds, he kind of made sense." Jake said, and shrugged. "We could try and do what he said and see what comes up."
"I'll follow whatever you say, Jake." DemiDevimon said, speaking for the first time since they had left the dark forest, and the other Digimon agreed with him.
"Well supposing this is all in aid of something," Michelle said, as they reached the bottom of the rather long ramp and continued cautiously across the immense, seemingly empty canyon. "But what? That so-called prophecy was a little too convenient for my taste. From the way he was going, I wouldn't be surprised if he had made it up on the spot." She sighed heavily. "Then again, it is the only thing that makes any kind of sense in this world, anyway."
"What's the big idea?" Brian called back, who had now taken the lead. "We do what this guy wants, kick some Digi-Butt, and we go home."
"It isn't as simple as that." Nicole said.
"Why not?" Brian stopped walking and turned to face the other three. "Didn't you hear him say, 'oh your Digimon are the most powerful. All you have to do is get them to Digivolve to their highest stages, and you will layeth the smacketh down on all candy asses."
"Yeah, but how do we get the Digimon to Digivolve that high?" Michelle asked, crossing her arms, and glancing down at Crabmon, who was walking nonchalantly at her side as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Mimi mentioned something about that—one of their Digimon was kind of forced to Digivolve, and he Digivolved into an evil monster instead of the right one."
"Why do we always have to do what Mimi says?" Brian asked, glaring pointedly at Michelle.
"Because," Nicole said through gritted teeth. Even she was reaching her breaking point with Brian, and cheerleaders were always supposed to be peppy and never get angry, and always happy about something. "She's been here before and through this world, and we haven't."
Brian looked startled, and opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Evidently he never expected to hear any cheerleader yell at him, so he fell silent and turned back to the immense canyon.
"Supposing we do run into these 'bad' Digimon?" Jake said, as they continued across the vast canyon. "What should we do? We still don't know if we should do what Darkota said."
"You decide." Michelle said suddenly, turning and looking at Jake, who was bringing up the rear with Nicole. "I've watched you, Jake, and I feel you would be the best one for being leader of this new group of Digidestined."
Brian grudgingly nodded as well, and Nicole beamed at Jake, having not to say a thing. The look in her eyes was more than enough.
"All right then." Jake said, and sighed heavily, weighing the options. He was silent, thinking for a moment. "We'll go along with what Darkota said, at least for now. But we had better keep our eyes open and watch out."
"To say the least," Michelle said, as they continued across the canyon, their Digimon plodding obediently at their sides or flying overhead. "Mimi said that the Digiworld was covered with evil Digimon. The way she put it, every time she and the other Digidestined defeated one, a—"
Suddenly Brian, who was still in front, travelling with Gostumon, stopped dead in his tracks. "W-What is t-that?" Brian stammered, pointing ahead.
A Digimon, perhaps five feet tall covered in what looked like ancient Japanese armor and had a long curved sword shoved through his belt, stood perhaps twenty feet ahead of them, apparently standing guard over the middle of the empty quarry.
"Who is that?" Nicole whispered to Mushroomon, as she and Jake and Michelle both stopped as well and stared at the angry-looking Digimon.
"That's Musyamon. He's a wizard ninja Digimon, and one of the strongest of all of the champions! He uses his Shogun Sword attack to cut apart his opponent like an onion."
"Who are you?" Musyamon asked in a muffled voice. "Why do you come to this secret place?"
"We're the . . . Digidestined." Jake said, almost unsure of himself. Musyamon, although he looked fierce, did not appear to be evil, in the least. Still, he had resolved to follow with what Darkota had told them, so if they had to fight this Digimon, they would.
"The Digidestined have not been in this land for many centuries, so you lie!" Musyamon took hold of the handle of his sword.
"What do you call this, then?" Brian asked boldly, holding out his black Digivice before him. A dark light seemed to explode from the small screen on the device, and Musyamon was bathed in it. As the light hit him, he seemed to be hurt, and cringed, taking a few steps back almost as if he had been physically hit.
He recovered and stared at the black Digivice first in wonderment, then complete fear. "The Prophecy . . . it . . ." he didn't finish his sentence. He drew his long curved blade. "I must prevent you from journeying any closer!" he swiped out sideways with his sword, the blade glinting eerily. "Ninja Blade!" a curved arc of energy appeared to fly from the blade and slam into the midst of the Digidestined and their Digimon, sending everyone sprawling, unhurt.
"DemiDevimon!" Jake yelled, climbing to his feet, and helping Nicole up.
"I'm on it, Jake." The small blue flying Digimon said. He shot up and soared down. "Demi Dart!" a black bullet shaped projectile was thrown from his talons, and struck Musyamon head on, not even fazing him.
"Rock Fist Attack!" A rock the size of a softball was thrown at Musyamon, from Gotsumon, but it bounced harmlessly off his armor.
"Fungus Cruncher!" an energy projectile flew from Mushroomon's outstretched hands, which was deflected by Musyamon without much interest.
Crabmon was about to attack, when Musyamon slashed out again with his blade, knocking Crabmon bodily back into Michelle, causing her to fall back, hard.
"That's it." She grunted, rubbing her behind, "Let's see some of that evolving to the next stage."
"That I cannot allow!" Musyamon announced, and brandished his long, curved blade yet again. "Shogun Sword!" The blade glowed with power as Musyamon sliced through the air with it, and the shockwaves sent all of his opponents flying head over heels.
From where he was lying, somewhat dazed on his stomach, Jake rose on his arms and yelled, "DemiDevimon! Digivolve!" His Digivice at his belt glowed with a chilling black light, which enshrouded DemiDevimon, surging him with energy.
"DemiDevimon Digivolved to . . . Wizardmon!"
Where DemiDevimon had been flying, there now floated a short Digimon, clad all in blue robes and had a pointed wizard's hat. A red bandanna covered his mouth, and only his blue eyes and a few tufts of blond hair could be seen. He carried a wooden staff in his hand, tapering off to a large knob at the end, crudely fashioned as a sunburst.
Crabmon, who was shakily getting to his six spindly legs said, "That's Wizardmon! His magic is strong, but he has an uncanny knack for a powerful electrical attack, Thunder Blaster."
Musyamon's eyes widened under his helmet as he saw Wizardmon floating before him. "So the prophecy is true!"
"Of course," Wizardmon said, "And why should it not be?"
"Ninja Blade!" The arc of energy slammed into Wizardmon, but he quickly recovered. "Magical Game!" He thrust out his staff before him, the staff head glowing with energy. The energy erupted from the staff and slammed into Musyamon, knocking him back.
"Crabmon!" Michelle said. She had gotten up, and was still smarting from being hit twice. "Digivolve!" Black light spilled from her Digivice, and Crabmon was bathed in it.
"Crabmon Digivolved to . . . Seadramon!"
Crabmon now stood as Seadramon, a fifteen foot long snake-like Digimon.
"That's Seadramon." Mushroomon commented casually. "Whoever he doesn't like, he freezes rock solid with his Ice Blast attack!"
"Shogun Sword!" the attack went wild as Musyamon grew even more afraid, and slammed harmlessly into the far wall of the canyon.
"Ice Blast!" A blast of frigid cold blue power leapt from Seadramon's opened jaws and slammed into Musyamon, just as he was attempting to block with his sword. The ice quickly spread over his body, completely freezing him into an immovable statue.
"Now to finish him off!" Wizardmon said, and stretched out his right hand. "Thunder Blaster!" Energy grew in his palm and it flew straight for the ice sculpture of Musyamon and exploded. Musyamon yelled out, and disappeared in small fragments.
"All right!" Jake said, as Wizardmon and Seadramon turned back to the other Digidestined, and before he knew what was happening, he was hugging Nicole. He certainly did not mind, but maybe he felt that Nicole did not share his feelings as to how he felt about her. Luckily, though, she did not pull away from his touch. Instead, as he found somewhat surprising, she hugged him back before they both withdrew.
"What have you done?" a loud voice erupted from across the canyon. Metallic footsteps followed, coming nearer to the four Digidestined.
The Digidestined turned, and saw four figures coming towards them, and not too slowly either. As they came into view, they saw the first was a tall robot made out of metal, a cyborg, followed by something that resembled a giant white egg on green feet. Just behind this walking hen-fruit was a large black skinned humanoid Digimon with four arms and an unusual amount of gold jewelry about his waist and neck and wrists. Bringing up the rear from the air was a small pink ball with gossamer wings beating furiously, with pink claws on his hands and feet, carrying a long black staff.
"What are those Digimon?" Michelle asked.
"That's Andromon." Wizardmon said, indicating the android-type Digimon in the lead. "He may be a robot but watch out—he's an Ultimate Digimon!"
"And that's Digitamamon!" Mushroomon said, pointing to the egg-shaped Digimon. "He's fully Digivolved and protected with his Digi-Armor."
"That mon behind him with the four arms," Gotsumon said, "Is Asuramon, a powerful wizard Digimon, fully evolved. His 'Fist of Asura' attack sure packs a punch!"
Seadramon reared up over the other Digidestined and growled loudly. In a gruff voice, almost filled with malice, he said, "The flying pink ball in the sky is Piximon, a pixie Digimon. He is a well-known trainer of Digimon and teaches them how to Digivolve."
"Who are you, and what have you done to Musyamon?" Andromon demanded, stopping perhaps five yards in front of them.
"He attacked us first, you pile of bolts!" Brian yelled, not intimidated by a machine.
"Peace, human!" Asuramon said in a grave voice. "We have not come to fight, and perhaps we may settle this without fighting."
"So you had to delete him?" Digitamamon asked, from behind his egg shell.
"He attacked us first . . . " Michelle said. "Something about a prophecy and how he had to stop us."
Andromon appeared to blink, and then process this information for several seconds, as he stood stock still with his eyes staring at nothing. "There was a Prophecy long ago, when File Island was first formed . . . but how could that have anything . . . there was something about four Digidestined humans coming to the Digital World and they would allow the four Digimon to Digivolve to Mega form with black Digivices . . ." he fell silent.
"These humans have black Digivices," Piximon commented, indicating with his long staff. "Could it really be true?"
"They got those Digmon to digivole and destroy Musyamon," Digitamamon said, with an edge in his voice, "So it probably is true."
"Then we cannot allow these humans to pass out of the canyon with the black Digivices intact." Asuramon said quietly.
"Who's gonna stop us?" Brian demanded, holding up his fist. "Certainly not the four of you."
"Actually, we will, as we must." Andromon said. "We have sworn to protect all good Digimon, even if it means being destroyed. We will have the Black Digivices. Either you give them to us, or we shall take them from you."
"Well, Mr. Fear-less leader," Brian asked, turning to Jake, who stood back with Michelle and Nicole. " What do you say?"
"Decide swiftly, regardless of your choice," Andromon said.
Jake paused, and when he did, Digitamamon said, "Let's just take them! Either way, we must have the Digivices!" he stepped up, and a crack appeared in his armor, around his eyes, and the void within was coal-black. "Nightmare Syndrome!" A black energy blob shot out of the hole, and streaked straight for the Digidestined.
Wizardmon and Seadramon leapt, and just barely managed to dive in front of the energy blast, putting themselves between it and the Digidestined, and they were hit hard, throwing them several feet. As Michelle and Jake ran to their fallen Digimon, Brian turned, glaring at Digitamamon.
"You just got in, way over your head, egg-boy. Go Gotsumon!"
"Go where?" Gotsumon asked, obviously not too keen on facing four Ultimate Digimon, when black power and light erupted from the Digivice in Brian's pocket and slammed into him.
"Gotsumon Digivolved to . . . Monochromon."
"That's Monochromon!" Mushroomon said. "He's built like a tank, and just as strong!"
"We cannot allow the prophecy to come true!" Asuramon said flatly. "Even if we must fight you!" He rose up, his four fists brimming with energy. "The First of Asura!" His four fists punched out as one, and the energies converged as one, and slammed heavily into the three champion Digimon, sending them sprawling.
Monochromon, who recovered first, leapt to his four tree-trunk like legs. "Volcanic Strike!" A volley of fireballs erupted from his gaping jaws, and streaked like missiles towards Asuramon, who brought his four arms in front of him, and blocked the attack.
"Thunder Blaster!" a ball of lightning leapt from Wizardmon's outstretched hand, and exploded at Andromon's feet.
"Ice Winder!" A volley of ice-spears erupted from Seadramon's jaws, and rattled harmlessly off of Andromon's metallic covering.
"Mushroomon—" Nicole said, looking down at the small Digimon, but Mushroomon had already stepped into the stream of energy pouring from her black Digivice like a shot.
"Mushroomon Digivolved to . . . Woodmon!"
Woodmon stood, perhaps only three feet tall, appearing to be a wood stump with feet and long arms.
"I'm Woodmon!" Woodmon said. "I'm a vegetation Digimon, but watch out for my Woody Smasher attack."
"At the moment," Asuramon said, watching as the four Champion Digimon gathered together, "These Digimon are not strong enough to harm us."
"No, but they soon may be." Andromon said.
"We must defeat them before they are allowed to Digivolve again!" Digitamamon announced. "Nightmare Syndrome!"
A black explosion of energy erupted from his shell, and engulfed Monochromon and Seadramon, sending them flying.
"Twig Tap!" Several razor sharp twigs shot out from Woodmon, but bounced harmlessly off of Digitamamon.
Jake grabbed his Digivice from his belt, and held it out. "C'mon, Wizardmon! Crank up the power! We can't win like this!" The Digivice again erupted with black power, and slammed into Wizardmon.
"Wizardmon Digivolved to . . . Phantomon."
Wizardmon stood now as Phantomon, draped in gray and a red cape that covered his face, revealing only two blue points for eyes. In his right hand he held a long golden scythe.
"Phantomon . . . " Piximon said, his eyes suddenly wide. "It is true then!"
"Have a taste of my Shadow Scythe!" Phantomon said, and slashed out with his golden scythe, brimming with black energy. Andromon fell back, a long gash across his metallic chest, with wires and conduits poking out.
"You'll get it for that!" Piximon yelled. "Pit Bomb!" A small black bomb the shape of a bat was thrown, at exploded at Phantomon's feet, sending him sprawling.
"Seadramon! Digivolve!" Nicole yelled.
"Seadramon Digivolved to . . . MegaSeadramon!"
MegaSeadramon stood, larger and longer than Seadramon, wearing a golden metallic helmet covering his entire head, with a sharp spear-head sticking out from his forehead.
"Thunder Javelin!" A bolt of lightning leapt from his horn, and slammed into Piximon, sending him airborne.
"The Fist of Asura!" Energy rippling from all of his fists, Asuramon brought them together, and a terrific explosion of energy slammed into MegaSeadramon and Phantomon, knocking them back several feet.
"Monochromon!" Brian yelled, turning to his Champion-level Digimon, "Digivolve again!" His Digivice exploded with energy and dark light.
"Monochromon Digivolved to . . . Megadramon!"
Megadramon flew up on purple wings, his long, serpent like body trailing behind. Instead of paws, he had two metal pronged devices that unfolded to reveal two powerful cannons. A dark sheath covered his head.
"Dark Side Attack!" His two cannons opened, and yellow orbs of energy exploded from within, pounding Digitamamon into the ground.
"Now, MegaSeadramon!" Megadramon yelled, turning back and diving higher into the air.
"Mega Ice Blast!" An incredible blue stream of icy blue energy shot from MegaSeadramon's gaping jaws and hit Digitamamon, freezing him into a statue.
"Shadow Scythe!" Phantomon slashed out with his glittering scythe, slashing fully through the ice, splitting it, and the Digimon inside, into two, and the two halves of Digitamamon shattered into small fragments, and disappeared.
"One down, three to go." Brian said, punching the air with his fist. "Our Digimon rule!"
"Gattling Attack!" Two silos at Andromon's side opened, and out shot two small black missiles, knocking all three Ultimate Digimon back.
"The Fist of Asura!"
"Pit Bomb!"
As Phantomon recovered, warily taking to the air again, he said, "Can't take much more of this."
"Yes," MegaSeadramon said, rearing up again. "And the same trick won't work twice."
"Target the little pixie!" Megadramon snapped, taking to the air.
"Thunder Javelin!" a powerful bolt of electricity sparked and leapt from MegaSeadramon's horn, just as Megadramon's twin cannons cycled open.
"Dark Side Attack!"
Both attacks slammed simultaneously into Piximon. Piximon was sent flying high into an arc, and as he reached the apex of the arc, he shattered into small digital fragments, and faded. His black staff fell, and before it hit the ground, it too dissolved, and the fragments were borne away with the wind.
"We must not fail!" Andromon said, his chest still sparkling from the gash in it. "We must destroy them, regardless of what becomes of us."
"Agreed." Asuramon said, and turned to the three Ultimate Digimon, his fists brimming with energy. "The Fist of Asura!"
"Dark Side Attack!" Megadramon's attack was not able to blunt Asuramon's attack, which slammed into Megadramon, knocking him clear out of the air.
"Lightning Blade!" Andromon spun, his right arm brimming with electrical energy, condensed into a small space. The attack slammed into the large form of MegaSeadramon, lying him flat on the ground of the canyon.
Jake turned to look at Nicole, and she smiled back in acknowledgement. "Woodmon, it's your turn!"
"Right!" Woodmon said, and stepped into the great dark energies that erupted from Nicole's Digivice.
"Woodmon Digivolved to . . . Cherrymon!"
Cherrymon stood, a tall, wide cherry tree, perhaps thirty feet tall and fifteen feet wide. His roots were not sunk into the ground, but rather they acted as feet, so he could move. Six of his lower branches served as hands for him, and in his lower right hand he held a large crudely shaped cane. Under his yellow eyes he had a mustache of green moss.
Cherrymon moved with amazing speed for a Digimon of his size, and held up his cane, which had the odd shape of a crude hammer.
"Pit Pelter!" Raising his cane and pointing it towards Andromon and Asuramon, small energy projectiles shooting out of the cane and slamming into them both, knocking them back.
Andromon moved to attack, but Phantomon was quicker, gliding up, his glinting scythe at the ready.
"Shadow Scythe!"
Andromon's robotic insides were revealed as Phantomon's scythe sliced cleanly through Andromon's chest. Andromon turned, as if confused, and then feel dead forward, his systems shutting down.
Asuramon looked upon the four Ultimate Digimon, swiftly bearing down upon him, and he rose, ready and defiant. Strangely, he felt calm, as energy burned within his fists.
To Be Continued . . .
