Chapter 8: Remorse & Relocation


BlackWarGreymon. Why? Why did he sacrifice himself? It was nighttime where everyone tried to sleep, a heavy heart settled when Yukio destroyed the "Digimon" created out of control spires. It was a long and hard night for the heroes. Even at her home, Yolei had an issue with sleep. Ash couldn't sleep. He kept replaying and replaying the moment where BlackWarGreymon threw himself in front of Ash and protected him from the shot. Why did he throw his life away? Yolei felt the uneasiness in the room and opened her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy without the glasses, yet saw Ash up and looking out of the window. "It's after midnight," she sleeplessly groaned. "Get some sleep." Ash didn't react. He was so minded of the moment he met the spirits of Sir Aaron and Lucario. He was so minded of what he did to protect an innocent girl. He was so minded...on the last moments of BlackWarGreymon's life.

"Why did he?" he muttered. "Why did he protect me? Why did he let himself die instead of letting us help him?" Yolei understood the trouble Ash was going through. She got to her feet and got to the window sill with him.

"I've told you five times already, he wasn't a real Digimon to begin with." Five times? Ash may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but his hearing may be in question. "BlackWarGreymon wanted to find a meaning in his short and artificial life. He fought us and showed how powerful he became. Then he met Azulongmon and things changed from him wanting to fight powerful Digimon to finding a more proper purpose." All that and Ash still had a hard time wondering why BlackWarGreymon would fight the Digidestined but allowed himself to side with him? It didn't make sense.

"But why didn't he fight me? I could've been one of his enemies and got annihilated but he didn't show any signs of aggression." That could be the part that troubled him the most. BlackWarGreymon fought the Digidestined but not Ash who was as human as they were. This further troubled the Pallet Town trainer.

"I think that's what's running constantly through your mind. You know, he did have a 'heart.' He probably wanted someone he could trust to help us through this endeavor." Ash looked back outside, BlackWarGreymon's remains scattering the streets like a soft hailstorm. "You believe that his death will live on inside you. He did fight for us in the end, don't get me wrong."

"No, no, I understand that part." Finally, he sighed a hard breath. "I'm sorry. Just having everyone see BlackWarGreymon's death, including Max and Noriko...It's a way of going that had me thinking back to Latios back in Alto Mare. Two members of Team Rocket stealing Latios' strength to power up the AMD system along with the Soul Dew and nearly destroying the city. He used the last remaining strength to stop the wave that would've been the end of us. It left his sister, Lorenzo, Bianca and us grieving for him. I...didn't want to relive it but..." It did happen to him. Yolei saw the fear in Ash's tone. She wrapped her arms around Ash in a hug, one far more gentler than the one she applied at the beginning. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

"Listen, Ash. All I want you to do is concentrate on the battle tomorrow. Then, you can go to Sinnoh when we're done." Tears trickled onto Ash's shoulder. Ash was in grief but Yolei was in desired fear. She did not want Ash to forfeit his life in the sake of BlackWarGreymon's namesake. It would be a hard night for anyone to sleep on but they had to try. The next morning, the challenge was on. The second generation Digidestined, Izzy, Matt and Ash watched on, wondering when the children would show up at a bridge crossing over a street. The location: Highton View Terrace. "This is the spot." The rendezvous point for Yukio to make his move.

"Yeah, but no one's even here," Davis pointed out. As true as it was, they continued to view. Suddenly, a little boy popped up. To Kari, the prediction was correct.

"There's one of them, now," she noticed. It wouldn't take long for a taller girl to show herself. Then another boy and a girl.

"They're taking their time showing themselves one by one," Patamon mulled, wishing that they all would appear. The ever-growing amount idled around the bridge railing.

"You guys believe they're waiting for Oikawa?" Izzy guessed. Cody believed so.

"It would make sense," he gritted. "This would be our chance to take vengeance on what he did to BlackWarGreymon." That would be bad to Ash. He was about to let them know.

"Timeout, Cody," he spoke. "We don't even know if that is Oikawa. Remember that BlackWarGreymon and I saw some shadow within Yukio."

"And besides, BlackWarGreymon sacrificed himself to seal Odaiba from access to the DigiWorld," Matt added. "Those kids may not know, but there's a chance that Yukio doesn't either." It was sounding like a safe bet. Still, it made Ash worry...and not just because of the kids that were still forming on the bridge.

"Say, wasn't Max with Tai and Sora after Noriko?" Yolei asked. Now things got interesting. Ash nodded without a hesitant flinch. Izzy turned to Matt, not really liking the concept of Tai and Sora being together.

"If you ask me, I don't like the plan of those two being paired to watch one of Yukio's favorites," he expressed his displeasure.

"Relax, Izzy," Matt reassured with a smile. "Tai's my best bud. There's nothing to worry about." If he said so...

"And besides, Max is right there to make sure everything is going straight," Ash added. "He's managed to do that with Brock." So Max was with the two older teens to make sure they were on line with the task. As they were talking, Ken looked up a skyscraper, sensing a feeling to look in that direction. Nothing.

"Is something wrong, Ken?" Wormmon wondered in concern. Maybe it was a false alarm.

"Nothing," he tried to ease. "I thought I saw something." Hoping so, Wormmon hid back in the bush with Pikachu and the Digimon. It was a waiting game...that wasn't going to last long. Pikachu saw the oncoming force.

"He's here!" he called out. You should realize that he's wearing the collar again. All turned to see Yukio and his posse approach the kids. Ash saw something and wanted to bring that something out. It was time to confront the "man" and his group.

"It's time!" Davis growled. "Let's get Oikawa and save the kids!" Yes, while they're kids themselves. The group dashed out but were cut off halfway by the Digimon Ash had to fight solo a couple chapters back: Arukenimon and Mummymon in their digital forms.

"Where do you think you're going?" Arukenimon sneered. She was ready for action.

"You should be answering that question!" Ken roared. "Don't you dare touch a hair on those children!" Yukio smiled an evil grin.

"I'm afraid that can't be done," he "sincerely" regretted. "The dark flowers growing in these children are spreading at a rapid pace. They need to be tended to for them to be saved. Otherwise the seeds inside will destroy them by mutating them into dark trees." Ken grew horrified. Any reason?

"So the dark flower in Noriko's locks would've killed her and you'd have no remorse?" Ash angrily gritted. Yukio was about to fill Ash in on a little secret that he wasn't aware of.

"Let me advise you on something involving one of the Digidestined. He carried the first dark seed which caused him to think he was in control of everything. That seed lived in a contolled manner so it wasn't capable of destroying you. The seeds inside these children are unbalanced copies and need tender care." Hearing this information, Ash turned to Ken. All those incidents that followed Ken...

"So what you're saying is that you intended to use my dark spore to wreak havoc on the minds of the youth without a care in the world?" Ken groaned in spite. Yukio laughed. That's showing that he didn't care.

"Surely you jest. These kids wanted what you had: fitness, intelligence, power. Don't blame me if I'm fulfilling their wish. But enough talk." He brought out his laptop and began to work on it. "The digital world awaits!" He was unaware of BlackWarGreymon's seal.

"What makes you think it's easy for you to access the DigiWorld?" Davis yelled. Suddenly, TK had an idea.

"Let him try," he murmured. What was he thinking? "That way, we can rescue the kids." Davis gave it a moment to think about it before he nodded, going with the plan. However, it was too late. A blue sphere formed around Yukio and the kids. This was not good. Finally, a light shone open a doorway. Yukio cackled in delight.

'Finally, I'm returning home,' he thought loudly. Ash and Davis weren't about to let Yukio get away with the children. Ash and the Digidestined began to pursue the madman by plowing passed the stunned mummy commando and demon spider. Those two recovered and followed everyone else into the light. Nothing good could come out of this. The other side had a lake with a few trees. The light door opened to allow everyone to escape. The children, happy as possible, frolicked onto the scene. "Gather around, children! We have arrived in the digital world!" It seemed that Yukio was able to bypass BlackWarGreymon's seal just as Ash and the Digidestined arrived. Suddenly, a boy screeched. Yukio turned to the boy and ran over. "What's wrong?" The boy sensed something...but not the feeling of being in the right place.

"This-" he stuttered. "This isn't the DigiWorld!" Yukio looked around. That's when he felt the same feeling. He realized that he wasn't in the same place he wished for.

"W-What's going on? If this isn't the digital world, where the heck are we?" None of the kids knew. None of the Digidestined knew. Ash studied the spot.

"Ash, you seemed to be familiar with here," Kari noticed. "If Oikawa's right and we're not back in the DigiWorld..." Ash got the whiff and realized where they were placed.

"It seems that BlackWarGreymon had taken us back on my home world," he scoffed. That meant... That meant that they were in the Pokémon World. Not the ideal place Yukio was looking forward to. He shot a glace at Ash who smirked greatly at the scenario. "Well, Oikawa, I'd like to welcome you to Mt. Quena well in the Johto Region." Yukio groaned in displeasure, feeling that he was wronged by what happened.

"You mean to tell us that instead of being in the world of monsters we're knowing about, we're actually in a world of your birth?" he theorized. Ash chuckled a little as he continued his stare down.

"It seems when you destroyed BlackWarGreymon, you failed to see the repercussion of your action. He sealed the gate over Odaiba and when you thought you could still reach the DigiWorld, you bounced off a firewall and were redirected to a location hosting some powerful creatures who would do anything to maintain natural balance." Ouch! Ash was talking about the issue as if he directed a movie. Poor Yukio couldn't fathom the location he was sent to

"This isn't fair! This isn't fair in the least!" While he was freaking out, a battalion of Pokémon came out, varying different species and colors from cats to bees to mice. Hey, another Pikachu! The children saw the Pokémon but were bewildered and confused about why this became their fate. That's when one larger creature revealed itself. It was a white deformed creature which was human adult height with a lilac tail which expanded to it's abdomen. It had three fingers in each hand.

"Who dares disturb the home of the clone Pokémon?" it announced. Telepathy? The sight of the new creature brought more fear into the seeded kids. Arukenimon and Mummymon saw their boss, then the kids and the creatures.

"Okay, Mummymon," Arukenimon wondered. "Do you have any idea what's going on?" Mummymon wasn't sure on how to respond. Then again, his thought process was slower than a Slowpoke.

"Don't look to me, I'm still wondering where the heck we are," he bobbled on mind. Ash ran on over to the new creature to inform it on the situation.

"We could use your help, Mewtwo," Ash noted. "That guy has something inside of him that needs to be removed as well as dark spores in those kids that are huddled in fear." A rather tall order for Mewtwo to do, huh? "We've got that mummy and spider." Yukio got back to his feet, still upset about being sent somewhere other than his proposed destination. He turned to Ash and Mewtwo with anger.

"This is all your fault," he groaned. His fault? Dude, you're blaming the wrong person...or species. "This...is all your fault! I wanted the digital world, not some back wood explanation of why my wishes were denied!" As if the only threat were Yukio and the Digimon, a rapid headache smacked the elder to the floor.

"You have failed the wishes of my returning desire!" a voice echoed out. Ash heard it, wondering what it was. It sounded like Yukio but was much darker. Mewtwo and the Digidestined heard the voice too, but none more clearer than TK and Kari.

"Don't tell me..." TK stuttered. "He's still alive after all this time?" Kari shivered in distraught fear of the voice as well. Whoever it was, sounded completely villainous. That's when Yukio began to emit a purple light which formed a human shape. The veil removed itself and...another Yukio? This Yukio wasn't too upset that he was somewhere different...but was rather appalled.

"Yukio Oikawa, you have become a disappointment throughout this ordeal," the new Yukio groaned. The first Yukio was groveling, trying to plead that he had no idea what just happened and that it was out of his hands.

"Please forgive me!" he whined. "I had no idea this would be the problem!" The second Yukio wasn't in that mood to let bygones go. "I'm sorry, Hiroki. I wanted to take your dreams to the digital world. I failed." The second Yukio gazed around, viewing the kids before spotting Ash and Mewtwo.

"I know you've been helping the Digidestined, boy. Tell me how we wound up in your world and not back home." He was questioning Ash? What for?

"I, too, require an explanation on why you and these children are on Mt. Quena?" Mewtwo asked. Ash was left no choice, feeling that he had to say something.

"It was actually BlackWarGreymon that sent us here," he surrendered. "He used the last of his strength to seal the digital ports in Japan and blocked access to the DigiWorld." The second Yukio seemed rather humored. Did he think it was a joke?

"So that control spire-made Digimon used his own body as a firewall and denied any access whatsoever," he scoffed. "I didn't think he would be of any use other than eliminating the Digidestined. Now, here we are in a world where monsters co-exist with humans, much like the digital world. A little time and this world is mine to rule." That's when he gazed down at the Yukio he emerged from. "At least failures will not get in my way." Suddenly, A purple blade was formed out of the "gas" still emitting from himself. The blade swung down. Kari, Yolei and Cody, as well as the Digimon, couldn't bear to watch. SLASH! It struck the first Yukio. It didn't look like much until blood began to stain his coat. Yukio was wounded. As added measure, the gas smacked Yukio to the side like he was hit by a sledgehammer. Yukio was laid out near the lake. The boys were horrified with the display.

"What was that for?" Davis screamed in furious anger. Yukio seemed very calm for someone who had swiped the other off.

"He may not have taken me to the digital world but he did serve his purpose." Arukenimon and Mummymon dashed over to the downed Yukio, their boss seemingly clinging on to whatever life was left.

"Boss!" Arukenimon pleaded for Yukio to wake up. "Boss!" It wasn't working. Was Yukio dead? It made Arukenimon hissing mad. "You'll pay!" In pure frustration, Arukenimon launched her Spider Web at the conscious Yukio. The purple mist blocked the strike. Before Arukenimon could fire again, the mist acted like a javelin and pierced right through her chest. Arukenimon was stopped.

"You and Mummymon are only puppets to my glorious return. However, knowing that we're somewhere else conducts the failure." Harsh but meaning the truth. Then...BOOM! Arukenimon exploded. Nothing remained. Was it a Digimon's override program? Did the standing Yukio had the mist blow up inside her? Whatever the cause, Mummymon was seething anger.

"Darling!" he cried. "I don't know who or what you really are but deleting my darling like that will earn you demise beyond your wildest nightmares!" He ragingly fired his sidearm, firing white bolts of lightning. The mist guarded Yukio flawlessly as he stood by and watch. Mummymon figured that he wasn't taking damage and proceeded to fire his Snake Bandage. Surprisingly, the wraps snagged Yukio around the ribs, arms and neck. However, it never deterred Yukio as the bandage around his neck tightened. Mummymon yanked harder and harder. Nothing.

"Poor Mummymon," Yukio mocked without sounding different at all. "Are you showing me anger or sadness? You want to hurt me and yet these wraps are just giving me a massage." Mummymon couldn't fathom the fact that nothing was working on him. He wouldn't be able to live too long. The mist fumed out and using the wraps as a guideline. The mist ruptured into flames and engulfed Mummymon. He let out a blood-curdling scream for mercy. "This is the moment the pharaoh of Digimon is laid to a permanent rest." Everything on Mummymon burned. Even his rifle was scorched. When the fire subsided, all that remained from Mummymon was a few bandage wraps that still burn. Arukenimon was no more. Mummymon was no more. That one man was still down.

"Those were creatures who followed your orders," Mewtwo growled. "Yet you kill them for something beyond their control?" Yukio laughed, feeling relieved than mournful. Cold.

"I don't allow mistakes to occur. You see, I used that poor, soul-broken man as a tool to try and see a way to return home after my failed attempt to rule the humans four years ago." That alarmed Kari and TK. "Coming to this place was a setback that I may have overlooked. However, this may be a step up to ruling not one but three worlds." That Yukio wasn't human. TK finally put the pieces together.

"That's what you think, Myotismon!" he loudly scowled. Who was it now?

"Congratulations, Takeru Ishida. You figured me out. But my prize isn't really what a human wants...at least right away." As the Digidestined got ready to battle, the mist engulfed the man. It was a Digimon. But who was Myotismon? Mewtwo and Ash knew that this was a battle...one they may not survive.


TO BE CONTINUED...