Ch 9: Dark Evolutions and trickery
The rising and falling of sand dunes could be seen stretching endlessly into the distance. The arid land greedily soaked up light from the sun, giving off a heat haze. They felt like the insides of their shoes could melt off. Their dripping sweat left soak marks on the backs of their clothes, and sand grains in the wind flew into the corners of their eyes, tearing them up.
After parting with the Koromon at the oasis (the Koromon hoped to build their new village there), the group continued on west. According to a map that Gennai had sent them, if they kept going in a straight line west, they should be able to come upon a large lake called Temp Lake. They didn't necessarily have anything to do at that lake, but considering that Etemon was after them, staying in the barren desert with no cover or hiding places was dangerous.
Everyone's feeling discouraged, Tai thought. I have to cheer them up somehow. And proudly, he raised the Crest that he had gotten at Koromon Village for everyone to see.
But the other children only stared at it darkly. Some eyes were filled half with doubt about whether or not that Crest would help them beat Etemon, others reflected envy and jealousy that Tai was the only one who had it, while even more were filled with discouragement upon knowing that without a Crest of their own they were only pulling everyone else down…
He grinned widely at his partner.
Agumon looked at them in bewilderment, but Tai thought that everyone understood and looked satisfied. "But still, that energy thing… since he's gonna be evolving to Perfect, he's gotta have even more energy than before, right?"
A sly grin spread across his face. "Do your best to eat! Everyone gave you all of their food because they're looking forward to you evolving! Right, guys?" Tai said loudly, looking for the others' agreement.
Tai kept patting Agumon on the back to help make the food go down faster.
"He's gonna give him indigestion that way…" Dana sighed.
"You chosen children and Guardians better watch out. I'll find you and when I do, you'll wish you never crossed Etemon!" Etemon jeered happily. "I'll get'cha!
"Boss, Boss!" A Gazimon waves his paw at Etemon.
"What in the Sam Hill!?" Etemon growled. "I've told you NEVER to interrupt one of my villainous monologues! NEVER..."
"Except!" The Gazimon waves its paw frantically to an odd looking bone shaped communicator. "For HER!"
Etemon gasped dramatically, and snatched the cell-bone out of his minion's hands.
"Give me that!" Etemon puts on a bright smile. "My Mad Artist Mama, how's it going beautiful?" He turned on the charm, knowing he owed everything to the person on the other end, and indeed.
Elsewhere someone was looking at the loud-mouthed monkey through Mercurymon's round mirror face, his pink lips present on the image of Etemon.
The woman remains unseen for the moment, but her long arm and hand were seen, but this was her left hand and on her pointer finger was a silver finger casing with a purple crystal on it, tapping on a stone throne.
"I am fine. Matters are progressing nicely," the woman spoke. "But Devimon has failed us, Etemon. The Chosen children and Sirene's heir SURVIVE!"
Etemon shivered, but struck a flexing pose as he spoke into the communicator.
"Well, don't you worry, Darling Damsel of Disaster," Etemon brags. "I've found those kids, and will destroy them without hesitation, and their crests!"
"I know you will, or suffer in eternal agony," The lady warns, chuckling as Mercurymon mouth twists in disdain at Etemon.
But she seems agitated as she taps her talon faster on the stone of her thrones armrest. "But their leader has FOUND his crest of courage, you must break him first. If he discovers how to use it to evolve his Partner, the others will know and WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!"
Etemon sweats nervously at her mentioning something he didn't think she'd know about, and how her voice raising near the end.
"Break the leader Tai's spirit, or his legs. His crest anything you can think of, Etemon. But I want those children and theose meddling guardians finished!" The lady orders.
Etemon salutes, believing rightfully that she could see him.
"You can count on me, Mad Artist!" Etemon proclaims.
"Well, that remains to be seen, but you're all I've got." The woman said and raised her hand to make a slicing motion. The image of Etemon disappeared, revealing the reflection of a shadowed woman, who's pink, cat slit eyes flowed in the dark.
"The mon is a lumbering buffoon, My Lady." Mercurymon proclaims.
"Perhaps. But he is extremely powerful and loyal," The Mad Artist states. "And with the others busy, he's all I got to send in those miserable children."
"And the heir…" Mercurymon said softly.
"Yeeeees..." The Mad Artist hissed. "But we must have those children and guardians taken care of first, I have something very special in mind for Sirene's precious daughter."
In the meantime, Joe's tag had begun glow a bright silver. Tai had looked around using his spyglass spotting what looked to be something built in stone.
Joe had been moving the tag around and noticed it glowed when moved in that direction in particular, so he attempted to run towards it. "That means the crest is close!"
In his rush, he tripped over something. Het got up, "What was that?"
Gomamon hopped over and touched the cable inquisitively, "What's a cable doing in this place?"
None of them knew how much danger it represented.
"STOP!"
Immediately, the monochromon pulling Etemon's trailer slid to a halt in the desert.
"What is the matter, Lord Etemon?" asked a Gazimon.
The trailer opened revealing Etemon seated at the control panel, chukling deviously. "Something got caught in the Dark network! Area L-7… let's see… where was that? 7 boxes down L, and… Found it!"
"Where is it?"
"It's near the Coliseum! Remember? The place where I hold a yearly concert! How'd they get to such a far off place…"
"Eh, it's pretty far, isn't it?" asked one of the Gazimon.
"Yup. But I have a big surprise set up there!"
In effect, in said area, a lone Gazimon wearing sunglasses was relaxing on a lawn chair under the shade of a beach umbrella. A cellphone began to ring, he picked up to answer. "This is the L-7 area."
"It's me."
"H-Hello, sir!" The Gazimon quickly jumped to its feet attentively at the sound of his boss' voice.
"Some guests will be arriving there soon, so prepare a welcome party."
"W-Welcome party? You don't mean that thing…?"
"Exactly."
"U-Understood, Lord Etemon!" Once his boss hung up, the Gazimon hurried to the coliseum at the same time as the group.
At first, it looked like a coliseum from Roman times except for two key differences: Up on side was a giant screen much like those during sport events and instead of a quadriga, there was a soccer field complete with two goal nets.
Joe was still searching for where the crest may be while Sora found a soccer ball and tossed it around to the others. However Tai kicked it away and rebuked the others for trying to play a game at a time like this.
"Actually we got time, Joe still hasn't found it and neither has the bad guy, I'd say we're in a pretty good spot." Theo remarked.
"Any sign of it?" Zaira called out to Joe.
Joe was looking at his crest intently, "It must be close…"
Suddenly, the sound of an organ rang out in the air – the kind played in baseball games. It was coming from the screen, on it were two hands clapping and a horribly familiar voice. "I finally found you all."
All five present guardians face-palmed in vexation.
Mimi was the first one to take off running in fear, closely followed by the other children towards the goal Joe was at. The older girls only followed to keep them safe only for the whole goal post to close around them like a cage, leaving Agumon the only one outside.
"Goal! I've caught you!" Etemon crowed.
"It was a trap!" Tai noted.
"What a dope, does he think he can keep us in here with just this?" Tentomon commented and attempted to fly out.
But he was electrocuted and fell backeards tonto the group.
"Oh, you'll injure yourself if you do that!" Etemon bragged. "After all, that net has electricity running through its wires! The truth is, I'd love to be there face-to-face, but unfortunately, I'm in a faraway place right now. Superstars have busy schedules, you know! Good to know, you and the Heir came here so I didn't have to waste time looking for you. That coliseum is where I hold my yearly concert, with the seats always packed, of course!
"Ha!" Beth scoffed. "With him singing? As if!"
Etemon continued. "But don't worry! There's a special guest who'll be taking my place! Who do you think it is?
It's a Digimon you know very well."
"And we're supposed to guess?!" Zaira sneered.
The seat platform directly underneath the aurora vision screen split in the middle, sliding apart with a loud grinding of gears. And then, from the darkness that came out of that wide mouth was, to everyone's surprise, a Greymon.
Agumon Digivolves into his own Greymon to fight him. Unfortunately, Tai's Greymon is losing. Everyone knows that he can only win if he Digivolves again. The two Greymon wrestled with each other on the field. The enemy Greymon could be easily told apart by the black cables it was dragging around. The cables were connected back to the dark hole that he had stepped out of from the audience seats, and it was probably through them that someone was controlling him, either directly or through remote control.
"Greymon! You've gotta evolve!" Tai cried out, raising his Crest high so that his Greymon could see it. "If you evolve to Perfect Level, you'll be able to win! Evolve!"
"It's impossible, Tai!"
But Tai didn't even bother to acknowledge the words from the others.
The others were trying to find alternate ways to get out of the electrified goalpost. They moved side one of the stone bricks only to find another one in the way, except this one had a symbol on it. It looked like an outlined cross with four rays of light coming from behind it. Joe's tag glowed a brighter silver as he placed it down, there was a flash of light and the group tumbled downwards into an underground tunnel, allowing them to escape.
Getting a little to close to the battling Greymon, Tai clenched his Crest tightly. Still, the Crest showed no change. Lowering his head and upper portion of his body, the enemy Greymon charged with the intent to hit him with the horn on his nose.
Tai jumped down from the audience seats onto the field and ran at full speed towards the Greymon.
The group looked on, baffled at what Tai was starting up now, but Izzy recognized at once what he was trying to do. He had even said it himself, hadn't he? The two conditions for making their partners evolve. The first was that a large amount of energy was needed. The second was when their partner was in terrible danger.
As he watched the monitor screen within his large trailer, Etemon controlled his own Greymon with a remote control.
Rather than as if he was playing a video game, he looked more like he was choosing a song for karaoke. His commands were a string of numbers that he now sent, ordering his Greymon to change his target from the other Greymon to Tai.
Feeling the earth trembling up his legs as the enemy Greymon came charging towards him, Tai froze. All of his instincts were screaming at him to run, but Tai stubbornly pushed them down. One of them was the feeling of making Greymon evolve to Perfect Level. Tai squeezed his eyes shut. He was prepared for the possibility that he might die.
Unlike the usual white light they had always seen with evolutions, Greymon glowed like a cheap neon light.
And then, when that light pulled back, there stood — Having lost his regal shape, the glossy skin that spoke of dignity, and even the eyeballs that showed his pity for the weak, there stood a violent-looking carnivorous dinosaur Digimon changed into a bare skeleton.
SkullGreymon bellowed. Graaaagagagagagogogroooo!
Tai, whose eyes had been shut, opened them upon hearing that voice.
With the blue sky hazy with yellow sand behind him, SkullGreymon moved around so that the scrape of his bones gave an almost belligerent sound as he tested the performance of his newly gained body.
SkullGreymon sprang upon his escaping prey, leaning forward to the fullest extent his position would allow to crush him with the palm of one hand.
The enemy Greymon's bones, flesh, and final cries of agony merged into a bloody meatball pulp. Both the enemy Greymon's remains and the aurora vision screen disintegrated within the flash.
"G–Greymon?" Tai blinked rapidly, raising an uncertain voice to SkullGreymon. He didn't know whether or not his voice reached him, but SkullGreymon looked down at the boy with his hollow eyes.
Since Greymon's form disappeared and SkullGreymon appeared in his place that would be the logical conclusion. But as he looked at SkullGreymon, Tai felt that he couldn't accept this form. He just couldn't. He hadn't felt this way before when Koromon had evolved into Agumon and Agumon into Greymon. It was neither confirmation nor a denial.
And if Beth and the other guardians didn't know any better, they'd have said that this digievolution was the result of dark forces tampering with the digievolution.
Raising his head like a snake and slowly swiveling it around, SkullGreymon looked to see if there were any new enemies he could be entertained with. Garurumon had jumped down to save Tai, but upon the unexpected arrival of SkullGreymon, he had stood back to watch how the situation would turn out along with the five guardians, Birdramon and Kabuterimon in the skies.
SkullGreymon chased after Garurumon, his footfalls causing the earth to shake.
Unfortunately, their assumption was accurate and SkullGreymon's body didn't even flinch when their attacks hit him. Instead, he made a lazy swipe at Birdramon and Kabuterimon with the back of his hand, from which they crashed into the walls and the ground, returning back to their Child Levels. The guardians had scattered out of the way like frightened birds, their spells also had no effect on him.
SkullGreymon let out an unhappy growl and looked around, searching for his lost prey.
Boom! The entire southern part of the coliseum disintegrated instantly.
Rubble that had resulted from the explosion clattered around him as Gabumon rose from within it, his wounded body shaking as he tried to sit up. His wounds were of some concern, but it was a miracle that he had barely escaped from dying in that explosion.
Escaping through the space in the wall that he had broken down, SkullGreymon jumped out of the coliseum. The group was still inside the coliseum, but from their pathetic trembling, SkullGreymon could see that they were not his enemies and lost interest in them.
It sounded like a pleased cry of victory. Rather than the triumph of having brought down his kill, it was more like the joy of being able to freely unleash all of his savagery. SkullGreymon ran through the desert at an immense speed, raising up a cloud of dust behind him. All they could do was watch SkullGreymon rampage from a distance…
But it caused him to eat up so much energy that he degenerated all the way down to Koromon. It was possible that he'd run out of so much energy that he didn't even have enough to stay in his Agumon form.
"I'm sorry, Tai…" Koromon apologized disheartedly, his eyes downcast.
"It was all my fault. I'm sorry," Tai apologized, first to Koromon and then to everyone else. "I really am sorry."
If they had blamed him, if they had shunned him and made him go on his knees and beg for their forgiveness, he might have been able to pour out his feelings of regret along with his tears. But because he was unable to do that now, those feelings piled on top of each other like a poison inside his body and slowly ate away at the inside of Tai's heart.
And like a disease, Tai's depressing reserve spread to the other children, until all of them felt as if their hearts were filled with dark clouds and a downpour of rain where summer would never arrive.
So it was up to the guardian to guide and encourage the children, so they do not lose sight of what they need.
However, just as the villains had an equally evil force giving orders, the group had someone else looking after the children's welfare and best interests, as she does for the Guardians.
This lady knew that they would need an extra helping hand in magic but could not manifest herself entirely in the Digiworld, so she spoke to the only one who could relay an uplifting message.
"I need you to look out for those girls too, Gennai. I will do what I can from my end, and send help if possible, but you must watch out for them as much as the Chosen children."
The enigmatic sorceress passed in front of her full length, gold framed mirror, inside of which was Gennai in question.
"I'll do what I can, Your Dark Majesty. But unlike you, I'm no supreme wizard." Gennai said.
"I know, I just wish the cosmic laws didn't keep me out of there," Vanessa pursed her lips. "But I appreciate whatever you can do."
Now, the kids began to think that the crest were too much trouble despite the girl's encouragements.
The kids continue to walk through the hot desert with almost nothing else in sight but sand suns and cactuses. Though Tai is feeling guilty because of his mistake with Agumon, Mimi tries to make him feel better. After Palmon fantasizes about shading everyone from the sunlight, the group sees a large cactus that turns out to be nothing more than a mirage.
"Guardians, Chosen Children!" A voice called out, and as they looked around for the source they found a holographic projector, revealing Gennai's holographic image.
"Gennai!"
"Hey, Gramps! I got the Tag and Crest just like you said, put them together and fought the bad guy, but he didn't evolve at all! What's more, poor Agumon degenerated into Koromon!" Tai snapped and got a smack in the arm from a disapproving Kylie.
"I don't want the Crest!" Mimi whined.
Tai turned to Kylie indignantly. "What was that for?!"
By then, Beth was getting fed up with their attitude. "Shut it, all of you!"
Kylie then said, "It's one thing not to understand how the next digievolution step works, but when you start verbally attacking the only other individual who can guide us through this journey…"
Theo interrupted. "Well what I wanna know, when does this next fairy form take effect?!"
"All of you, calm down." Gennai said unfazed by the irritated disposition of the group. "The Crests will become yours someday, whether you like it or not. Both the Tag and Crest will naturally light each other up."
"No way." Mimi griped.
"Suck it up, wuss!" Beth hissed at her.
Gennai continued, "Let me explain why Agumon degenerated into Koromon. Even with both the Tag and Crest on you, unless you raise your Digimon correctly…"
"Raise them correctly?" Tai interrupted.
"Yes. Unless you give them good upbringing, they won't evolve the right way."
"How do we raise them the right way, then?"
"When thinking about giving appropriate care…"
"Gennai!" The image died and we were left alone once again.
"That old geezer!" Tai scoffed. "Everything he says is confusing!"
"Not everything, he said raise them right." Zaira said rather sternly. "And last time I checked: giving your partner indiogestion or running headfirst into danger deliberately pressuring him to digivolve into something unporedictable doesn't fit into 'raising right'."
Matt put his hands on his hips. "Well, who put you in charge?"
"He mentioned raising us right." Piyomon turned to Gabumon.
"Are we being brought up the right way, though?"
"Gabumon! Wait a second!" Matt was taken aback.
"I'm… not confident I can do it." Izzy looked down in the mouth.
"Wait, wait, Izzy. What do you think you're saying?"
"What about me?" Gomamon asked Joe.
"I don't think myself capable. I don't have a shred of confidence. Self-confidence at zero percent."
"Oh, come on!" Dana griped, "It's no different than looking after a family member or a beloved pet you can actually speak to."
"We're mortals!" Sora reminded her curtly, "We're not one with nature or any other magical creatures like you are!"
Skeptically, Theo rolled her eyes, "Could've fooled me when your own digimon attached themselves to you the first time you met."
They were interrupted by the sound of a ship's horn, where's it coming from? They saw that it was a luxury cruise ship headed right towards them.
"Is that a mirage too?" T.K. asked.
"No it's not!" shouted Matt.
Quickly, the group ran to the right, out of the way. Then the ship stopped nearby, then two familiar eye stalks peered at them from the side of the ship. It was a Numemon in a sailor's outfit.
Koromon groaned audibly, he didn't look too good.
"Numemon! Please, let us rest on your ship!" Tai pleaded.
However the Numemon just looked warily at him. Then Mimi, Theo and Dana stepped up.
"Don't worry, we'll convince him." offered Mimi confidently. "Numemon! We're very tired! Could you let us rest ourselves for a while on this luxurious ship? Pl-ea-se."
"It would be a BIG help." Theo said, flipping her dark hair and smiling brightly.
"Pretty please?" Dana requested, batting her eyelashes to make herself look cute, "We won't be any bother."
The girls were turning up the charm and it worked. The Numemon just took a good look at them, had hearts in his eyes and let down the draw ramp. Naturally the group didn't waste any time running aboard.
Inside, the ship was well kept, just like a five star hotel: pools, dining rooms, great banquets, showers, and the works. So the group split up to explore Joe and Tai were resting in the pool.
Matt, T.K., Dana, Kylie and Izzy were eating the decadent amount of food laid on the long dining table. While, Theo, Sora, Beth and Mimi hit the showers.
Unbeknownst to the two boys resting in the pool, someone was watching. At first glance, it appeared to be a human captain but that was not the case at all.
"Chosen Children…Guardians… Your fates…" He crouched forwards before the false skin burst, revealing a large bird covered in creamish white feathers with its wings purple at the ends while its tail feathers are purple at the base and red at the tip. The upper mandible of its mouth is covered in rhinotheca with teeth while the lower mandible covered in feathers with three protruding teeth at the tip. It has red eyes with slit pupils like a reptile and the crest of black feathers. Its feet each have four talons and a single dewclaw.
"…are in the hands of Cockatrimon!" He squawked.
He walked over to the bridge and went up to a computer screen. "I'd better report this to Lord Etemon and ask him what I should do with them."
Now the ship had one of the cables from the Dark Network attached to it. But the attack from Skullgreymon had caused nothing but trouble for Etemon and his infamous network. And as a result, he was unable to communicate with his underlings nor track down the group.
"You useless twerps! Hurry up and fix my network!" He yelled at the three frantic Gazimon. "Who do you think I am? I am the King of Digimon, the powerful Etemon! Got a problem with that?"
The three Gazimon stopped briefly to bow down submissively. "None at all!"
Abruptly the lights the lights shining on him as he performed just as if he were on stage.
"YEAH! Who's the strongest in the world? That's me! Yeah! I'm the coolest cat there is, and if you don't watch out I'm gonna getcha 'til you scream and shout, 'cause I'm the hippest Digimon in town! Yeah!" He sang.
Behind him, the three Gazimon had gotten carried away with the music, even dancing to it, only for Etemon to hit them over their heads.
"So, who gave you permission to dance?! Don't just sit there crouching and holding your heads!"
Quikcly, the Gazimon continue to fix the network.
Back win the ship, there was only static going on Cockatorimon's screen.
"That's odd. I can't contact Lord Etemon. No other choice. I'll just get rid of them bawk." He then spoke through the speaker port to the Numemon dressed in sailor's suits that were below deck. "You Numemon, I'll raise your pay rate up to a pretty little sum for anyone who captures the Chosen Children, the guardians or Sirene's heir!"
It was enough incentive for the Numemon to start rounding up the group. Naturally the digimon tried to fight back, but their digimon were turned to stone, thus only Sora, Mimi, Beth and Theo were left to be captured.
But when he and the Numemon searched the room and showers, they'd noticed that they girls have escaped out the window.
Fortunately, thanks to Biyomon's exceptional sense of hearing, the girls were able to escape. It was awkward seeing as the girls were in nothing but a towel and the older ones wearing their undergarments.
They didn't see the others but unfortunately as they were fleeing, Cockatorimon suddenly appeared before them right on the side deck. "Here you are!"
"Cockatrimon!" Palmon and Piyomon cried out.
"Is he one of Etemon's minions?" Sora wondered.
"I think so!" Piyomon replied.
Then the girls noticed the giant chicken was holding something in his
"Those are Tai and Joe's Crests!" Mimi gasped.
"What did you do to our friends, you big chicken?!" Beth snarled, rather aggressively.
"I've captured the other nine and put them out to fry in the sun! Keep them out there for a while, and I'll have them dried and crunchy!"
"That's terrible!"
"What about their Digimon?" Piyomon inquired.
"I've turned them into stones with my power. I can use them to boil some yummy soup. But don't worry, you'll be joining them."
"You're unforgivable!" Piyomon leapt up. "Magical Spiral!"
"Poison Ivy!"
Cockatrimon jumped to avoid the attacks. "Petrifier!"
The girls fled before said attack could hit any of them. They kept running until they reached the bow of the ship. It was a dead end and too high for them to jump to safety. Except the Chicken had failed to notice two ever crucial little details: Sora and Mimi still had their digivices, whilst Beth and Theo can still transform.
Birdramon's meteor wing and Beth's energy bolts made Cockatorimon back up and lose his grip on the two crests he's taken.
Next it was Togemon and Theo's turn to fight, the combined fighting attacks were enough to send Cockatorimon flying right into the frontal smokestack. It shot off fire and smoke two seconds later.
Quickly the girls ran back to the room to get their clothes then ran into the others. It seemed that when Cockatorimon was dealt with, the petrifying effect had completely worn off. At the same time the Numemon had escaped the ship in quite a hurry.
Izzy theorized. "That must mean it's dangerous to stay on this ship."
"Then we better hurry up and get off here!" Sora suggested.
Everyone agreed and departed from the ship as soon as possible but of course after a few minutes of walking they were already tired of having to go through the desert.
They heard the ship's horn once again then turned around to see the shiop coming after them! Naturally the group fled in fright and uop ahead they saw something,
"A giant cactus?" Palmon piped up.
"Is it another mirage?!" wondered Dana.
Tai cheered. "No, it has a shadow!"
Quickly, they all ran behind the cactus to take cover. Then what happened next defied the laws of physics entirely. The pursuing ship crashed headlong into the cactus but the cactus stood straight up again causes the ship to be catapulted into the distance. But since the ship was connected to certain black wire that started to rip before exploding, vaporizing the whole ship and Cockatrimon along with it.
"It… wasn't a mirage!" Mimi muttered about the cactus.
"Boy that was lucky!" Dana grinned.
Then as the sun started to set, something glowed at the top of the cactus. A pink flower began to sprout.
"Oh, now that's a pretty sight." Beth remarked in awe.
The flower bloomed open to reveal a large flat stone with a symbol on it, a raindrop with two circles inside of it.
"What is that?" Mimi asked.
"Another crest!" Zaira stated in surprise.
Then to Mimi's chagrin, her own tag floated out glowing a light green. The stone slab began to glow the exact same color then floated downwards, shrinking until locking itself right into Mimi's tag.
"So this is what Gennai meant… The Tag and Crest light each other up!" Sora spoke up.
"And I didn't even want this… Will I be able to bring Palmon up properly?" Mimi asked herself.
"Nothing's impossible if you put your mind to it!" Kylie tried to say brightly, but none of the children seemed to feel the same way.
"Well, you can't please everybody!" Beth huffed, giving Mimi a dirty look.
They walked off intending to find a place to camp for the night.
To be continued…
