Chloe: Sorry to you readers, but this chapter will be short and will continue with something that was linked to a discussion between the time travelers in chapter 20. Warning: If you remotely like a certain purple-haired trainer, you might want to skip the flashback sections that are labeled.

Chapter 23

Memoirs of a Dark Warlord's Rage and Grudge

(No symbolic comments thought of for this one.)

In some kind of tunnel with swirling shades of blue colors, Ash, Chloe, Pikachu, Sakura, Sailor Moon, and the original Digidestined were transitioning into another major event in David Ketchum's life. Some of them were discussing about multiple things especially about the boy in question.

"Hey, Sakura." Mimi addressed the Card Mistress. "Although, I'm enjoying this time traveling with you and everybody else here, I'm curious to know how long this will take. I'm not complaining since everything your best friend was doing in his life is exciting and all but I'm just wondering how long will this Return Card play out."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "Well, it depends. The traveling through my best friend's life ends when the events of his past connect to the present. Also, according to my watch it seems like it's only been twenty minutes since I transported ourselves to David's past."

"Twenty minutes?" Matt asked surprised at how slow time has gone. "It feels like an hour or two or three passed."

"Kind of feels like we're in the Digital World again with time going faster than it was in the Real World huh?" Sora reminded her fellow Digidestined about their experiences of time differences. They all nodded in agreement.

"Hey Chloe?" Ash called out to the psychic trainer.

"What's up Ash?" Chloe asked.

"I was wondering about something concerning my brother. Since that last event we saw and based on how you explained his mood swings, were there any incidents that my brother's ego caused?"

Chloe thought for a moment. "There was an incident in a restaurant where your brother had to keep a bunch of lecherous high school punks away from me and there were certain moments where your brother really took his frustrations to the maximum."

"Can you name one big one?" Sailor Moon asked who listened in. Apparently, everybody else was interested in stories so they gathered up as well, ignoring the flashy blue background.

"I know at least one particular person who ends up on the receiving end of David's temper. Ash, you mentioned one of your current rivals being a purple-haired trainer named Paul right."

"Yeah…" Ash said. "I think I've wrote an e-mail or two to you about him. He's quite an aggressive trainer. Something about him makes him interesting as a rival but I really hate his training methods at times. I try to be nice to him as a fellow trainer but that jerk keeps brushing me off with his cold attitude. That guy is such a…such an…"

"An 'A-hole?'" Chloe completed.

Ash chuckled. "Not what I was going for, but that will do. Let me guess…"

"Yep…you guessed it!" Chloe answered him. "Your brother and I have a run in with him as well. I hate his guts because of the way he acts like he's better than any trainer he meets whether he losses or not. Your brother really despises him to. He knows Paul's brother and thinks of him as a friend but he thinks of Paul as what I quote from you bro, 'some punk kid' who neglects his Pokémon whenever he loses with them. I recall a time when there was a Tag-Battle Tournament in the Kanto Region. Unfortunately for your brother, he ended up being partners with Paul. Neither of them liked it at all. Despite not being able to work completely as a team, they managed to get far in the contest. Paul had this Snorunt that he tried to mercilessly toughen up, but the poor Pokémon struggled to meet its trainer's goal. During a battle, Paul was so disappointed in Snorunt's performance despite doing an okay job that he turned his back on the poor critter and refused to give it any orders. David was furious at this and called him a disgrace to all Pokémon Trainers and shoved him hard out of the trainer's box. He then won the match by successfully calling out the right attacks of his Pokémon and Snorunt's. He was disqualified though for his treatment of his so-called partner. Afterwards, David saw Paul released Snorunt and decided to take it in. Paul criticized David for and considered him pathetic as his Snorunt. David snapped back by saying that if he was pathetic, then Paul was worse in being both pathetic and a coward and those two got into a fight. Overall, let's just say if those two ever meet eye-to-eye just know that Paul hates your brother's guts and he hates him back because of their differences in their training methods and probably some other issues."

Ash was surprised at the explanation. He wasn't too surprised in the way Paul acts towards some trainers, but he was surprised that was brother has a lot of animosity towards his current rival. "Wow, this was exactly what happen to me when I got his Chimchar. And I thought I had it bad with him."

"I guess that creep hasn't changed at all." Sakura remarked. "Even when they first met…"

Ash looked over at Sakura. "You met him before with David?"

Sakura nodded. "It wasn't a pleasant encounter but here's what happened…

-----------------------------------------------------*Flashback*-----------------------------------------------

(Sakura's POV)

It was during David's first journey as a Pokémon Trainer in the Hoenn region. With permission from our family, Madison and I were allowed to travel with him. One day, we were relaxing by a lake with David sitting on a chair and Madison and I were swimming and splashing each other in the lake. We were all minding our own business when suddenly a spiraling fury of glowing green leaves was heading over to our direction.

David saw this. "LOOK OUT, YOU TWO!" He shouted.

We both saw the spiraling leaves and we dodged in opposite directions as the power of the glowing leaves was enough to make a riffle of waves in the water and knocked some small trees down.

David ran over to the edge of the lake. "Sakura, Madison, are you alright?" He asked his voice not hiding any sort of concern.

We both nodded. "We're fine!" I told him.

"What was that about?" Madison asked as she gasped at such a close call.

David pointed to where the direction of the attack came from. "Whatever that was it came from over there, I'm going to see what the heck that was."

"We'll come with you!" I said as Madison nodded in agreement to join him.

We both put on some sandals as we all went into a small forest. We then went into a clearing and saw where the source of the attack came from: it came from a Grass-type Pokémon known as a Turtwig, though back then I didn't know its name. That Turtwig belonged to the very same purple-haired trainer whom you are rivals with, Ash. We knew that leaf attack was from that same Turtwig when Paul commanded to shoot what he called 'Leaf Storm' at some nearby tree. David gritted his teeth the moment he saw him. Paul turned his attention to us and I'll never forget that icy look in his eyes when he looked at us along with those cranky eyebrows.

"What do you want!?" He asked coldly.

David, of course was not intimidated by his cold stare as he glared back. "Hey you! Your Pokémon's attack almost hit my two friends here." He gestured over to us. We both felt a bit of shivers on our backs the way Paul glared at us. David noticed this. "Last time I checked, it's rude to glare at two innocent girls who wouldn't hurt a fly. What do you have to say for yourself, punk?!"

Paul ignored the remark about the staring treatment. "That's it?" He then looked at Madison and I carefully. "I take it that these two don't live in this region, let alone the Pokémon Isles do they?"

David was growing impatient. "And so what if they don't?! That doesn't hide the fact that you're quite reckless with your Pokémon's attack as it nearly hurt these two. I demand an apology from you to these two right now!"

"Whatever…weak little girls shouldn't come to the Isles!" Paul spat as he returned his Turtwig to his Poké ball. "All of you should stay out of my way if you know what's good for you and if you're such a smart trainer, you should take those hussies home!" Without any sort of remorse, he simply turned his back behind us as if we're trash.

We were shocked to what Paul said about us but David gestured us that whatever he said was just bogus. David snarled, disgusted with Paul's attitude. He then ran straight behind him. "Look at me you stupid idiot!" He then grabbed both of Paul's arms and turned him around so he could face him. "That was the sorriest excuse of an attempt to justify your actions. Don't you ever offend my two best friends here ever again! Your lack of responsibility for you Pokémon's recklessness hides the fact that you're the most thick-headed excuse of a trainer."

Paul increasingly grew angry with David's criticism. Not taking it any more, he tried to punch David but he blocked it. However, he used his free hand and punched him in the stomach. David wasn't too fazed as he used his free arm to block the second punch and David released his hand that was blocking Paul's fist and he struck Paul in the cheek. David then grabbed his arm and tossed him over his shoulder and went on to punch him on the ground until he knocked him out. Of course, Madison and I took it upon ourselves to restrained him and talk out of beating him to death.

I guess to justify David's actions he was just being protective of me and Madison since he we were his responsibility. And a guy like Paul was just someone whose remorseless, cruel, heartless ego was something David couldn't tolerate at all especially when he put us in danger like that.

(End of Sakura's POV)

-----------------------------------------------*End of Flashback*--------------------------------------------

"Wow, talk about taking your frustrations out on somebody the physical way!" Matt remarked.

"I would say that I can't believe that David and Paul actually met and they met in a violent confrontation." Ash said. "But I guess judging from the way Paul acts now, and from what you told me Sakura it just means that Paul's attitude didn't let him get away with everything. It surprises me a lot that David wanted to hurt Paul that much."

"You can say that again, Ash." Kari remarked. "Though, David never did tell me about that incident in full detail, I did see him have another unpleasant encounter with that creep."

"When was this?" Ash asked incredulous at another bad blood scenario.

"I witness this sometime when I competed in Indigo Plateau."

"Oh no, I remember that time too since I came to visit both you and David!" Sora commented.

"Did this bastard do anything to you, Kari?" Tai walked up closely to his little sister. "If he does, then next time I even see him…

Kari chuckled. "Don't worry, Tai he didn't touch me or anything. And besides I don't think you know what he looks like anyways don't yah?"

Tai was now dumbfounded. "Well…see, I…I…"

"Anyways…here's what happened based on what occurred with that last vision we saw about David…"

-----------------------------------------------------*Flashback*-----------------------------------------------

(Kari's POV)

It was about seven months ago. As David's protégé in Pokémon training, I decided to take a crack in competing in the Pokémon League in Kanto. After collecting the badges necessary to qualify and after training in preparation back at Odaiba, I was ready to compete in the same Pokémon League I first saw Ash competed in as well as the same tournament that really catapulted David's rise as the World Champ in his Midniteryder persona. David was coaching me and was by my side during my matches. At the time, I did feel some kind of cold feeling around him, but it disappeared and he was very proud of how strong I became as a Pokémon Trainer. I was chatting it up with Sora and David during my two hour break before my finals match.

"This is it huh, Kari?" Sora inquired. "Your very first Pokémon League ever and you made it to the finals."

I sighed as I took in the realization. "Yeah, it feels quite nerve-wracking. All my hard work and training with both you and David paid off big time. I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it that far."

David chuckled as he grinned at pride at his protégé/cousin in pride. "C'mon Kari! Have more faith in yourself! Your skills as a trainer helped you made it this far. My brother had his first big league tournament here and he had only made it to the top 16 amid controversies that halted him completely. And I was mighty surprised that Sora here competed at the same time Ash has and actually won it all all those years ago. Here you are, also a nonnative of UltimaPokétopia and you're breezing through the preliminaries and the main fields. I can honestly say when I competed in my first league, I was only three quarters as tough as you are when I reached the finals of the Ever Grande Tournament. I know you can do this Kari! I always had faith in you since the day I took you in as my protégé and now look at you now."

I smiled warmly at him. "Thanks David, you're the best! You too, Sora. I can't wait for…"

"For your big humiliation?" A scorning voice called out from behind. Before I even looked to see who said that insulting comment, I noticed David's grin faded and turned into teeth gritting in anger. We all looked to see that it was none other than Paul who seemed to be a bit of a sore loser after I defeated him in the quarterfinals. "Or to prove how much a joke you are as a pathetic trainer?"

"That was rude!" Sora exclaimed. "Who are you to bad mouth my friend here? You can't just criticize others."

"Your point?" Paul huffed. "I just came here to point out to this little outsider here that she got very lucky when she managed to beat me. You see, if it weren't for that weak-minded fool sticking his nose in where it didn't belong and spoon-feeding you, I would've wiped that that sugary sweet attitude you have off your face!"

I was really offended with what he had to say while David had his eyes closed growling with buildup pressure of rage. He honestly thought he could easily beat me just because I don't live in UltimaPokétopia and accuses me of being a spoiled brat. "Listen here you jerk!" I snapped back. "I find that whole remark pathetic coming from a morbid, apathetic trainer like you. I was the one who battled you and everybody else in the matches I was in; my cousin here was only spectating and motivating me all that time. You know nothing about me so why don't you just be a man and just accept what happened to you. A lost is a lost and a win is a win."

Unfortunately, my words didn't really reach that thick skull of his. "Spoken like a true foolish girl who only got this far because of…" He didn't get that far in speaking when…

*SMACK*

Fed up with all he had to say, David quickly went up to Paul and smacked him across the face with the back of his hand. After that he kicked Paul in the gut and did I think what he called a "Stone Cold Stunner," some wrestling move he learned on T.V.. With him knocked out and laying flat on his back David went on to stomp him in many parts of his body. I was completely shocked at how violent he was and didn't know what he was capable of so Sora and I decided to quickly restrain him from doing anything worse.

"Stop, David that's enough!" Sora yelled. She and I grabbed each of his arms and pulled him away from the knocked out trainer.

"No, let me at him!" David snarled. "That rat bastard needs to be silenced the hard way!"

I decided to walk up in front of him and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Please stop, David!" I pleaded. "Please no more! Thank you for standing up for me and all, but please I'm begging you don't kill him!"

David stopped struggling and stared deep into my eyes. He could somehow tell I was scared of what he was doing and knew that I was desperate for him to stop acting like a complete monster. I could tell there was some mental conflict going on with a part of him wanting to rip Paul to shreds and a part of him wanting to stop for me. I sighed in relief as he closed his eyes and turned around away from Paul's knocked out form.

"Alright, only because you said please." David gave in. "As to why I acted the way I do, let's just leave it me and the douche bag having a bad history between us. No more, no less."

And with that he left, and Sora and I followed after placing Paul on some bench so he could recovered.

(End of Kari's POV)

-----------------------------------------------*End of Flashback*--------------------------------------------

"To be honest, David was lucky that he didn't get into any trouble after that." Kari commented. "I didn't know it then but after what Sakura told us all just now, I guess whatever happened during David and Chloe's quest in the Digital World and that whole shifting attitude and all, David is simply impatient with people he has serious problems with and will react physically and violently."

"Ouch, I can't really blame David that much for acting the way he does in those stories you, Sakura, and Chloe told us." Mimi said. "It may be arrogance with David going from nice and rational Dave to completely mean Dave in just a matter of moments, but at least it shows that the guy cares about the two of you. Still, it's a bit uncalled for in my opinion with the way he acted."

"I'll agree with you on that part, Mimi." Ash said. "But I can't believe that Paul has been such a completely rude hothead to Kari and Sakura. And to think I wanted to try and be friends with him. It just makes my blood boil at just how blind I am!" Ash emphasized his frustrations with his fist pounding to his palm. He then looked over at both Kari and Sakura with a sympathetic look on his face. "Neither of you deserved that kind of attitude from a guy like him. If I knew how he acted towards you I…"

"It's okay, Ash." Sakura assured him. "All of that was ancient history. You didn't know about it and I didn't think it was too much of a concern to point out."

"Don't worry about it one bit." Kari said. "His verbal rants never stopped me at all, and David was there to back us up. Still, I appreciate your concern."

Ash nodded, glad that at least his best friend and his cousin were not affected by his rival's attitude towards them in those separate time periods. 'Still, I can't help but envy my brother. It's not about the fact that he outranked me as a trainer from day one, but he seems to have such a close relationship with our family and our friends. I, on the other hand don't spend a great deal of time with them and only visit them for a short period of time before going on to my next journey.'

"Something wrong, Ash?" Sailor Moon whispered as everybody else was awaiting the end of the transition to another point in her cousin's life.

Ash sighed. "It's nothing, Serena."

Sailor Moon shook her head. "C'mon, Ash. I may act like a ditzy blond when I was your age, but I'm not naïve. Is there something bothering you?"

"Is it okay, I can explain it to you after all of this?"

"Okay, but I want to you to tell me what's going on in your head. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Right…"

Suddenly, the time travelers arrived floating in the sky of Primary Village. They all looked down and saw various huts and even a diner. They spotted four people, no five if the figure with wings counted.

"Guys, I think this next vision is taking place in the Digital World!" Izzy hypothesized.

"I think so too." Joe agreed. "I think I see a bunch of Koromon bouncing below us."

"Wait a minute!" T.K. said. "If this is Digi-World, then why are there four other humans down there and is that MagnaAngemon?"

"Huh?" Patamon asked. "MagnaAngemon?"

"Did you digivolved or something at the time, Patamon?" T.K. asked.

Patamon thought really hard. "I'm not sure. To be honest, I don't remember digivolving without you T.K..

"Maybe we should float down and take a closer look?" Sakura suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea." Chloe agreed. She then thought for a moment herself. 'Why does all of this seem familiar to me? Wait, could it finally be…oh I'm just going to wait and see.'

The time travelers then descended over to the diner and were surprised as to who they are seeing.

To be continued…

Chloe: Well, that was short. The author wanted to separate this chapter from the final part of the arc to focus a bit on the discussion that went on in the last chapter of "The Dark Warlord IV part 2." Anyways, don't worry he'll update ASAP!