Chapter Ten: The Road Less Traveled By.
` Djinnmon glared at Orochimon, hoping to intimidate the giant snake. Unfortunately, the beast merely grinned at him.
` "Foolish human. Even as a Digimon, you have no hope of stopping us!" Orochimon cackled.
` Djinnmon's sword glinted in the purple light of the temple. "I've broken tougher opponents than you. And now it's time for you to fall!" he turned to Lepumon and realized something. "Hold on, if I'm a Digimon, I can't use the digivice, and Lepumon can't digivolve!" He groaned at the mistake.
` "All the better for us" Tsukaimon grinned. "You've been a thorn in my side ever since you defeated SkullGreymon, and I'll make you pay for it!" as he cackled, the light of digivolution encircled him, as with his three companions. In seconds, four Champions and an Ultimate stood before Djinnmon.
` "Bunny Bubble!" Lepumon cried, firing bubbles from his mouth. Orochimon didn't even flinch as they struck him. "Was that supposed to hurt? I could barely even feel it!"
` "Exalted Wish! Fire!" Djinnmon called, sending a flaming crescent at IceDevimon, who was trying to sneak up on him. "You guys don't intimidate us! We've beaten you before and we can do it again!"
` "But you've never had to deal with me!" Orochimon declared. "Inferno Blast!"
` Djinnmon ducked as the combination of fumes and flame filled the air above him. "Genie Impact!" he thrust his blade at Orochimon's head, doing almost nothing.
` "Fool" Orochimon hissed. "Accept your defeat!" His tail came out of nowhere, striking Djinnmon in the chest.
` "Dallas!" Lepumon cried. "Don't give up!"
` "It's no use" Djinnmon thought. "As long as I'm Djinnmon, Lepumon can't help at all!" Making a decision, he leapt back and reverted to himself.
` "Let's show them what we can really do!" Dallas declared. He pulled out one of the cards AU had given him and scanned it. "Digimodify! Speed activate!"
` Suddenly, Lepumon recieved a burst of speed, leaping over Devidramon's Crimson Claw attack and landing a Bunny Bubble attack on Ogremon. "Thanks Dallas, but I could use some extra firepower!"
` "Alright" Dallas declared, holding out his digivice. "Time to take this to the next level."
DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #
` "Lepumon digivolve to...Phasedramon!" the Digimon cried. Data wrapped around him, turning him into his stronger form. "Drago Beam!"
` Devimon jumped out of the way as the ensuing blast of energy nearly hit him. "Surely you can do better than that!"
` Dallas slashed another card. "Digimodify! Agunimon's Pyro Tornado activate!"
` "Pyro Tornado!" Phasedramon called, spinning forward. Flames surrounded him as he collided with Orochimon with a grunt.
` "You can't hope to defeat us with one Champion, no matter how many cards you have!" the hydra bellowed. "Inferno Blast!"
` "He's right" Dallas realized. "It's now or never, we have to digivolve to Ultimate right now!" He held up the digivice. "The other me said I had to cast off my physical attatchments to reach balance. Here's hoping it works." He concentrated on letting go of worldly attachments. He thought of Jason, his sister, and his mother. He thought of his father, whom he hadn't seen for years. With an enormous mental push, he shoved them out of his mind one by one.
` But then he came to Lepumon, the goofy little Digimon who he couldn't have known for much more than a month, yet felt like a brother to him. He tried to cast Lepumon out of his mind, and thoughts sprung up around him. He saw Lepumon without him. Lepumon holding off hordes of Digimon.
` Lepumon fighting. Lepumon losing.
` And then, in great horror, he saw Lepumon struck down, dissolving into data and absorbed by a giant shadow.
` "NO!" he screamed. The digivice dropped from his hand, the light that had begun to emanate from its screen going black. He held his head in his hands, gasping for breath.
` "I can't" he muttered. "I can't do it."
` "Dallas!" Phasedramon called. "Not that this isn't fun, but these guys aren't exactly weak. If you're going to make me digivolve, you have to do it now!"
` Dallas sunk to his knees and grabbed his digivice. "I can't, Phasedramon. I can't afford to lose you..." he frowned. "But I can still help you fight!" He stood once more.
` "Inferno Blast!"
` "Digimodfy! Power activate!"
` "Drago Beam!"
` "Touch of Darkness!"
` "Untouchable Strike!"
` "Digimodify! Harpymon's Wind Seeker activate!"
` "Wind Seeker!"
` "Inferno Blast!"
` "Crimson Claw!"
` "Pummel Whack!"
` It was no use. None of the Cards Dallas slashed were helping. Even with boosts of strength, speed, and extra attacks, Phasedramon was tiring. Slowly, the duo began to give ground.
` "It's useless!" Devidramon cried. "Crimson Claw!" He swept at both of them together, knowcking them away. The last thing Dallas saw before hitting the side of the temple was Phasedramon reverting into Lepumon. Then his head smashed into the stone wall and everything went dark.
-X-
` "Dallas! C'mon, you'd better not be dead! If you're alive, could you let me know?"
` Dallas moaned a bit, trying to open his eyes. "Lepumon?"
` "He speaks!" Lepumon praised. "Thank goodness! I was starting to think you didn't make it."
` Dallas looked around bleary-eyed at an unfamiliar landscape. "Are we in some kind of cave?"
` "I think it's a tunnel" Lepumon replied. "After Devidramon knocked me out, I woke up here with you unconscious like a bag of rocks. I was going to explore the tunnel a bit, but I was afraid to leave you."
` "Lepumon" Dallas sighed. "I'm sorry that I failed you. I wanted to make you digivolve, but I couldn't cast off our friendship. It seems impossible for someone to stay that way all the time."
` "Maybe you only have to do it once and it works after that" Lepumon noted. "The other you and the other me look pretty attached to each-other."
` Dallas nodded. "But that doesn't change the fact that I couldn't abandon you. When I tried, I saw horrible things happening. I'm sorry."
` Lepumon put a comforting hand on his partner's shoulder. "Don't worry about that. If anything, you should come up with a plan to get us out of here. Those nasty Dark Legion guys could be at the top of the tower already!"
` Dallas shook his head. "They need Orochimon to activate the stone, and he and Ogremon can't fly. Plus, I doubt the others could carry them even if they tried. Orochimon will have to climb on his own. Jason can hold the others off, but if it took other me four hours to climb, it can't take Orochimon less than two."
` Lepumon sighed. "I was worried. That will hopefully give us time to find a way out of here."
` Dallas pointed down the tunnel. "I say we follow it this way. The tunnel can't go on forever, right?"
` Lepumon agreed, walking off down the tunnel contentedly. "Well? if we don't hurry, the others might think we're dead or something. Let's go!"
` Dallas followed him, looking at the walls every few seconds.
` "There are pictures of Digimon here" he noted. "It looks like they tell a story."
` "What kind of story?" Lepumon asked.
` Dallas studied the images as they walked. "They seem to be fighting some giant Digimon, who is destroying everything around him. Here, they're attacking it head-on, but you can tell they're getting creamed. Then here, they seem to be building some sort of chain.
` "In the last one, they're wrapping the chain around the big Digimon. I think it's trapping him" Dallas nodded. "They're sealing him underneath a tall building and placing a stone at the top."
` Lepumon stopped to look at the image. "Hey, isn't that the Temple of Dimensions?"
` Dallas scanned the image. "You're right! And this must be the Tempia Stone at the top." he pointed to the object. "It appears to be sealing the Digimon under the temple."
` "So this whole place is a giant prison for that monster" Lepumon concluded. "And the stone is draining his energy like a sponge!"
` "That must be why the temple can transport people between dimensions" Dallas realized. "It's being fueled by that Digimon, who must have some sort of power over dimensions."
` "The same way your friend Chronomon has power over time" a voice behind them stated. Both Dallas and Lepumon spun to see another Digimon standing there. The Digimon seemed to have a thin red body similar to power cables which was then covered by bulky white armor. It had claws, purple symbols on its armor, and a purple sphere set into its chest. The helmet it wore had twin spikes jutting out from the front, forming a V.
` "Who are you?" Dallas asked, suspiciously.
` "The Digimon spread his arms. "I am all that remains of that giant Digimon you see in the mural. My name is Parallelmon, and I was once the ruler of all dimensions."
` "Parallelmon?" Lepumon asked. "Then wouldn't that make you the bad guy?"
` Parallelmon shook his head. "I am no longer a threat to you or anyone. An eternity spent locked underneath an island can give you a lot of time to think. Besides, I'm so weak in this form that you could barely call me a Champion, much less the powerful Mega that I once was."
` Dallas nodded. "So you were sentanced to life in prison, but you have so much power that you can never die."
` Parallelmon nodded. "Plus, since my life force is linked to the capstone above us, I am held in eternal stasis, unable to eat, sleep, or age. Surprisingly, I haven't gone mad. Although I suppose I was already insane to start, hence I could only go to the other end of the scale."
` "That's horrible" Dallas remarked. "Trapped under here, endlessly awake since the beginning of time? I've heard of people being harsh, but no Digimon should have to force that on another. Who chose this fate for you?"
` Parallelmon thought. "Why, I believe the young warrior who trapped me was a Phasedramon."
` Lepumon gasped. "You mean that one of my great-great-however-many-greats grandpa locked you up? That's just wrong!"
` Parallelmon shrugged. "It is what I deserved. Besides, I have grown quite accustomed to this way of life. Even if I was given the chance, I believe I would remain here."
` "Wait, time out" Dallas held up a hand. "If you're the one who controls the different dimensions, why was it Chronomon's power that sent us here?"
` Parallelmon raised an eyebrow. "Chronomon controls time alone. The only way his power could send you here is if he triggered the Tempia Stone from your dimension."
` "But the stone is floating in the sky, not in Chronomon's temple" Lepumon noted. "So it had nothing to with Chronomon, did it?"
` Parallelmon nodded. "I don't know how you could have jumped dimensions so far from the stone, but it's not even in Chronomon's power to do so. Whatever sent you here did it for a reason."
` "Why?" Dallas asked. "Of all the places and possibilities, why would something bring us to this exact place at this exact time?"
` Nobody spoke for a moment, until Lepumon had an idea. "Maybe something important is supposed to happen here. I mean, we were chosen by the Digi-eggs, and you're learning to digivolve me to Ultimate. Maybe we had to do all that here."
` "No" Parallelmon shook his head. "Something tells me that this dimension and your own will be involved in something huge at some point in the near future. It may not actually be now, but you'll likely see more of one another in the future." He decided to change the subject then. "But you mentioned something about wanting to digivolve to Ultimate? Perhaps I can help."
` "Really?" Lepumon asked. "You can help us?"
` Parallelmon nodded. "It wont be easy, but you will be able to reach the next level. I assumed you've already tried the path of defeating the Sins?"
` Dallas nodded. "I couldn't let go of my attachments, so I failed."
` Parallelmon nodded. "Greed is the most cunning of the Sins. It is nearly impossible to stamp out, and all too easy to let back into your soul. Defeating Greed is like defeating yourself. I am not surprised that even a Tamer of your skill could not overcome it. The last time a human attempted to fight greed, he ended up destroying a huge area in the Digital World."
` "You talk about greed as though it's an actual person" Dallas noted. "Isn't it just an emotion?"
` Parallelmon's face clouded. "Who can say? Is it merely emotion that drives us to covet? Or is there something larger pulling the strings? Something...alive?" He chuckled. "But I'm confusing you now. Very well then, follow me if you wish to digivolve." he took off down the tunnel.
` Dallas looked to Lepumon. "What do you think? Should we follow him?"
` Lepumon shrugged. "I think he's been down here one eternity too long. Seems a bit out there. But if he can help us, I see no reason to pass up the chance."
` So the two took off after Parallelmon.
-X-
` "I told him it wouldn't work." AU growled. "Ddallas was unable to overcome his worldly greed. Phasedramon was unable to digivolve."
` "But where'd thet go?" Angemon asked. "I can't see Dallas or Lepumon anywhere. Maybe they were destroyed!"
` AU shook his head. "I think I would have felt it if Dallas was destroyed, the same way Lepumon would have felt his counterpart's destruction. They are both alive for now."
` "But we wont be if we don't do something." Jason cautioned. Orochimon is taking the stairs, but the others are flying up here as we speak. In a few minutes, we'll have to deal with them all at once!" He pulled out his digivice. "I say we get ready."
` AU nodded, turning to his partner and pulled out a card which instantly took on a dark blue hue. "Lepumon, it's time. Digimodify! Perfect Digivolution activate!"
(AN: I know that in Tamers it's Matrix, but Perfect is the one I'll be using.)
PERFECT DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #
` "Lepumon digivolve to..." data wrapped around Lepumon, creating wings, muscled arms and legs, a longer tail, and a dragon head. All of these solidified into a light blue. "Phasedramon! Phasedramon digivolve to..." An ocean of waves crashed down onto the dragon, swirling into sapphire data. Scales formed as hard as diamonds, and his horns grew into long tendrils. His wings tripled in size, before folding down against his back. "MizuPhasedramon!"
` At that moment, Devidramon appeared at the top floor. As he attempted to fly up to the Tempia Stone, an unseen force stopped him.
` "We can only get up there through the doorway" IceDevimon noted as he held onto Ogremon's right arm, supporting him in the air alongside Devimon. "But the humans and their partners are guarding the doorway now. We can attack them and force 'em to let us in!"
` Devidramon nodded. "So be it! We'll destroy the humans and then return to our world!"
-X-
` "Focus" Parallelmon told him. "Feel the universe in motion around you. You must search for the power within you to invoke evolution."
` Dallas clenched his teeth, trying to find the power. The first time he'd done it, it had been instinctual. But now, he could easilly get Lepumon to Champion. According to Parallelmon, it was the same way with Ultimate evolution, but much more powerful.
` "What were you feeling when you did it?" Parallelmon asked. "Lepumon was in danger, and you felt something. What was it?"
` "A connection to him" Dallas replied. "I felt a powerful sense of compassion, and a need to help him, even though I'd never met him."
` "These feelings are what bonds a partner and Digimon together. Though you may be separate beings, in the end, you are truly one. That is why it was so difficult to sacrifice your Greed, was because your connection was so powerful. Interestingly, that connection is exactly what will help you here. Ironic that the two methods of Ultimate evolution you know of are practically opposite in their natures."
` Dallas thought about it. "Am I going to need to repeat this every time I want to digivolve Lepumon?"
` Parallelmon shook his head. "When Lepumon became Phasedramon, it was because you formed a powerful connection with him. Now, that connection is permanent, so it is much easier to evolve him. The connection cannot be destroyed, but it can be strengthened."
` "So after this, evolving Phasedramon will become easier?" Dallas verified.
` Once more, a nod from his teacher. "That is why the you of this dimension can evoke his partner's evolution easilly. In truth, he is a turmoil of emotion. But he aligned himself long enough to forge a connection with his partner."
` "He gave up a connection to strengthen his connection?" Lepumon asked.
` "Focus" was Parallelmon's only reply. "You must find the strength within you."
` Dallas sighed as he went back to his meditation. "I hope the others are doing alright..."
-X-
` "Hand of Fate!" Angemon declared, launching a beam of golden light into Devimon's face. Devimon howled with rage and responded with a Touch of Evil, knocking his heavenly counterpart away.
` "Marine Claw!" MizuPhasedramon fended off an attack from both Devidramon and Ogremon. "For a bunch of Champions, these guys are strong!"
` "We can't hold them off forever" Jason called. "We need Dallas if we wnat to have a chance. If Orochimon makes it here, we'll be too tired to fight him!"
` As Angemon was hit by ice and darkness together, Jason could almost feel his pain.
` "Dallas!" he called. "Where are you?!"
-X-
` "There is a shadow here" Parallelmon declared suddenly. "I've felt its presence ever since you appeared down here. Something wants to stop your progress."
` Dallas looked around the domelike room where they were meditating. "You're saying that I brought evil into this place?"
` Parallelmon listened. "Not evil, exactly, but I sense Greed nearby. It is nothing more than a shade, but it could be a problem for you."
` Dallas stood. "I wont allow evil to invade your temple, Lord Parallelmon."
` Parallelmon snorted. "I am hardly worthy of being called a lord. And it isn't truly my temple."
` "Of course it is!" Lepumon declared. "You control dimensions, and this is the Temple of Dimensions! You're practically its patron deity!"
` Parallelmon considered the thought. "I was a horrible monster, but now you say I am a deity? That is...difficult to comprehend."
` Before any of them could say more, a shadow rose up in the center of the room. It was about Dallas's height, bore a flowing robe, and carried a staff of sorts.
` "It is a shadow of Greed." Parallelmon warned. "I believe it has been sent here to stop your partner from digivolving."
` Dallas pulled out his digivice. "Well whatever it is, it's not going to stop us. Ready Lepumon?"
` The rabbit Digimon nodded, darting toward Greed even as light flashed from Dallas's digivice.
DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #
` "Lepumon, digivolve to...Phasedramon!" he declared, soaring forward. "PhaseDrago Bomber!"
` As the bio-explosives were thrust into the dark entity, Greed simply stood motionless. But as soon as Phasedramon flew away, it stepped to the side. The explosives dropped to the ground, exploding harmlessly beside the shadow.
` "So it can be intangible as well" Dallas realized. "In that case, we'll have to fight fire with fire!"
` "You got it!" Phasedramon called. "Untouchable Strike!" He cleaved at Greed, but missed as the too-fast entity leaned back.
` "Come on, Phasedramon!" Dallas called. "I believe in you! If this thing is all that is stopping us from digivolving, we can overcome it! We're partners, and together we can do anything!" He didn't notice as both his digivice and card holder began to glow. Nearby, Parallelmon nodded his approval.
` Phasedramon roared. "If you believe in me, Dallas, then I can do it! DRAGO BEAM!" The blast of power was too strong for Greed to avoid. The entity fell back, a smoking crater the only remains of its chest.
` "We did it." Dallas realized. "We actually defeated Greed, not just mentally."
` "Congratulations" Parallelmon declared. "I must explain something to you now. When your alternate said that the final human chakra was blocked by Greed, and was defeated by casting off worldly connections, he discluded a few facts. To have an unbreakable bond with a friend is not Greed at all. Nobody can go through existance on their own. We must have companionship, friends. By proving that your power of friendship is more powerful than Greed, you have truly unlocked a higher power." He indicated Dallas's digivice. "now, you must go to help your friends. I sense that they are in trouble."
` Dallas nodded. "Thank you for everything, Parallelmon." He jumped onto Pasedramon's back and the two flew out of the cavern.
-X-
` It was the earth-shattering roar that told them Orochimon had arrived. Even the Dark Legion members cowered at the sound.
` "This is it" AU decided. "We only have one chance of beating any of them." He turned to MizuPhasedramon. "It's time!"
` MizuPhasedramon nodded as all his energy seemed to pool into one point. "Poseidon's Fury!" He unleashed a huge wave of water, crashing into the Dark Legion members and reverting them into Rookies. The power left him in a huge flood, and he immediately degenerated into a small brown Digimon which resembled the Vaccine Lepumon's head.
` "Tripudimon" Jason checked his digivice. "In-training level Vaccine Digimon. He's Lepumon's In-Training form, and is one of the few Digimon who can digivolve into either a Data, Vaccine, or Virus form. His only attack is Triple Hop, and that doen't do much at all."
` AU picked up Tripudimon. carefully. "It was the only way to even the you'll have to fight Orochimon alone."
` Jason nodded, checking his digivice again. "Orochimon, Ultimate level. His special attak is Inferno Blast. I'm not even sure I want to fight him!"
` Said Digimon suddenly appeared, bursting from the stairwell. He roared in anger upon seeing his reverted allies. On his back he carried what looked like a golden star.
` "SemiStarmon, a Rookie-level Digimon. His special attack is shared by the more powerful Starmon, Meteor Squall!"
` "This is the end for you fools!" Orochimon declared. He tossed SemiStarmon over to Impmon, who weakly propped him up. "We will destroy you and reach the Tempia Stone!" He slithered to the opposite side of the room. "I've waited a long time for this."
` "And now we will stop you!" Angemon declared. "Hand of Fate!" He launched the golden blast at Orochimon.
` Nearby, AU heard Impmon suddenly whisper something to SemiStarmon. A look of panic came over the star's face, and he cried "Meteor Squall!"
` Too late, AU realized they had been tricked.
` Orochimon reflected the attack off one of his gleaming metal heads, shooting it straight at one of the door prisms. It collided with SemiStarmon's Meteor Squall and the gate opened.
` "Fooled you!" Tsukaimon cackled, leaping through the doorway. He was followed by his allies and finally, Orochimon.
` "We can't let him activate that stone!" AU cried. "But our Digimon are too weak to stop him!"
` "Mine isn't" a voice declared from behind them. Tamer and Digimon turned to see Dallas and Phasedramon landing on the stone floor. Both of them seemed to glow with power.
` "Dallas!" Jason called. "You're alive!"
` "I'm better than that" Dallas declared. "I'm ready to win this." He pulled a card from his holder, which immediately transformed into a light blue. "Digimodify! Perfect Digivolution activate!"
PERFECT DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #
` "Phasedramon, digivolve to..." Data covered Phasedramon, transforming into metallic armor. His wings transformed into a shiny metal and stretched wide. Twin missile launchers appeared on his shoulders, metallic bracers surrounded his arms, legs, and chest. A visor covered his eyes, and spikes grew along his tail. Finally, his right arm became completely mechanical, sporting a three-pronged claw at the end. "MagnaPhasedramon!"
` "Impossible!" Orochimon hissed. "Who are you?"
` Dallas pulled out his digivice smugly. "This is MagnaPhasedramon, an Ultimate-level Cyborg Digimon. He bears the great Grappler Claw as his greatest weapon, and can pass through anything save for Chrome Digizoid. His plasma-based attacks will send you reeling!"
` "Plasma Shot!" MagnaPhasedramon roared, colledting greenish Plasma in his Grappler Claw. He took aim and fired at Orochimon, destroying two of the monster's heads.
` "Inferno Blast!" Orochimon breathed flames at MagnaPhasedramon, but the powerful Digimon was too fast. With a cry of "Magna Rocket!" he destroyed the other two decoy heads. Now Orochimon had no way to light his toxic breath.
` "You fool!" Orochimon cried. "I will not be defeated by a human!"
` "Human and Digimon together!" Dallas and MagnaPhasedramon cried unanimously. "PhaseDrago Bomber Revision!"
` As Orochimon screamed, MagnaPhasedramon's claws glowed with spheres of light, which solidified into larger explosives than Phasedramon's. He flew at mach-speed, phasing thorugh Orochimon's chest and dropping them. The doomed Digimon screamed in fury as his data was ripped apart.
` "You'll regret this! The Wrath of the Dark Legions will be your doom! I will be avenged!" his head dissolved into data and he was gone.
` "MagnaPhasedramon landed beside Dallas. "And good riddance too!" He flexed his new wings and arm. "I could get used to this."
` "Congratulations" AU said as he reached them. "You succeeded in reaching the Ultimate level. I'm impressed."
` "As am I" a voice declared. The group looked to see Parallelmon standing at the base of the Tempia Stone, grinning.
` "Who's this guy?" Jason asked. Dallas held up a hand to stop him from attacking. "He's a friend." He turned to Parallelmon. "I thought you were trapped down in the caves?"
` Parallelmon chuckled. "The caves? I would still be insane if that was the case. No, tihs whole temple is my abode. After all it does, as you pointed out, belong to me."
` Dallas smiled. "Thank you for your help. Maybe we'll see you again."
` Parallelmon nodded earnestly. "I know we will. Be strong, Dallas. you have many hardships ahead of you. You've defeated Greed, but be wary of Wrath and Gluttony, they will oppose you in your quest. Give my regards to my brother, Chronomon, and don't forget to mention that he still owes me a visit. I haven't gotten a single Visitation Day since the beginning of time, so the least he could do is write."
` Dallas grinned. "I'll be sure he gets the message."
` Finally, AU stepped up to say his goodbyes. "it's been fun while it lasted. I'm glad we were able to meet, Dallas."
` Dallas nodded. "I feel like I've learned a lot about myself being here. And in a way, I have." he noted AU's depressed face. "Don't worry, we'll see each-other again. A friend of mine promised it." This brought a smile to AU's lips.
` "Are we ready to go?" MagnaPhasedramon asked. "No? Yes? Good? On we go! Plasma Fist!" he collected energy in the Grappler and thrust it at the Tempia Stone. Energy crackled and the stone began to hum. Instantly, a portal opened before them.
` "Dallas!" AU called as they were being drawn in. "There was a question I never answered, and I feel that I must do so now!"
` Dallas turned, trying to catch the words. "Our...is alive!"
` Then, the portal closed around them.
-X-
` "Running out of fuel" ShootingStarmon panted. "The air is so thick up here. But I just gotta figure out where that egg is going!"
` Before him, he saw the egg floating toward a giant island in the sky. As it reached the island, a rift of energy opened and the egg vanished.
` "Something tells me I wont be seeing KoHagurumon again for a long time" ShootingStarmon panted. "Where...where is he going?"
-X-
` "Welcome back, Digidestined" a booming voice greeted them. "It is good to see you still alive."
` Dallas and Jason looked up in awe to see a giant white bird Digimon standing before them. He bore symbols and patterns on his wings, and looked down with all-knowing eyes.
` "H-Hyokomon?" Dallas asked hesitantly. "Could that possibly be you?"
` The bird nodded. "I am Chronomon now, my final form. I thank you for helping me to return to this temple, and to regain my power."
` The two Digidestined simply stared. "This is amazing!" Jason declared. "How did you manage to defeat Mercurymon?"
` "After Clockmon unlocked my powers, they continued to grow, even during our battle" Chronomon replied. "It wasn't long before Mercurymon realized he would have a full-fledged Super-Ultimate to fight soon enough. Wisely, he retreated."
` Dallas nodded. "By the way, we met your brother, Parallelmon. He seems a lot calmer than when he was locked up. He sends his regards, and wants to remind you that he's due a visit."
` Chronomon nodded. "Unfortunately, my brother doesn't realize that I was trapped in Digi-egg form almost as long as he was in the temple. I'll be sure to speak with him once everything is in order here."
` "Hey Dallas" Jason spoke up. "It looks like my Digi-egg is gone."
` Dallas looked at the screen of his digivice, flicking the knob to transform it into D-3 mode. His Digi-egg was also gone.
` "I guess that's what the story meant" Dallas realized. "That the powers would be lost for a time."
` "Does that mean we need to find them again here?" Jason asked. "We never get a break, do we?"
` Chronomon chuckled. "If you so desire, I could transport you to Seashell Beach. It's a lovely place for relaxation, and it would take Mercurymon several days to reach you."
` "Sounds good." Patamon grinned. "We deserve a break after all this!"
` Chronomon spread his wings. "Then you shall have it. Farewell, my friends. We will meet again soon." With that, the Digidestined and their partners vanished.
` Chronomon sat back in his throne, satisfied with his farewell.
` "My Lord" Clockmon spoke up. "What are we to do with the others?"
` Chronomon looked toward the four Digimon who sat unconscious in the corner of the room. "Their fates still entwine with those of the Digidestined. I will send them back to their master, where they will hopefully stay for a while." He clicked his fingers and the four vanished.
` "Now, if you will excuse me, there is a reunion I've put off for far too long." Chronomon took a step and appeared inside the Temple of Dimensions.
` "Brother" he called. "We need to talk."
END #
AN: I hope you all enjoyed another chapter after my five month absence from all things Digimon. I've been working on other stories for a while, and I suppose that has kept me away from this for a while. I'll try to do better, of course, but the net few chapters of this stoy will mostly be filler.
Trivia:
*The relationship between Chronomon and Parallelmon in this story is based off of Dialga and Palkia from the Pokemon franchise. Two brothers, one with power over time, the other with power over space, have been in an endless feud since the world began, but eventually learn to set aside their differences and work together.
*MagnaPhasedramon was created about two years after Lepumon and Phasedramon, then known as Bunnymon and Phasemon. His original name was Warpdramon, and he had the power of teleportation.
*As you've likely guessed, many of the aspects in this story, especially during this small arc, are reminescent of the Digimon Tamers series. (The blue card especially) It was the first season of the show which I watched all the way through, and is second only to Digimon Frontier for me.
Funny story, I actually dug up my old notebook with all my original notes for this story, having evolved from a single piece of paper with pictures and descriptions of Bunnymon (Lepumon) and Phasemon (Phasedramon). I created the two almost seven years ago and am finally putting them into a writen story.
Apparently, Phasedramon was originally an angel with a dragon's head. No idea where that came from...
` As always, I encourage you all to review. It would make me ever so happy and keep me motivated to write.
Here's a teaser of the next chapter:
Chapter Eleven: Beauty and the Beast. The DigiDestined have been swept away to hide in the tropical resort of Seashell Beach. As the sun and sand cause them to relax, a darker force is at work. Can they protect the beautiful resort owner, Ranamon, from the terrible beast below?
Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...