DARK MASTERS: ICE MEARAMON
Ken kept his gaze towards the floating object in front of him as they walked down towards the bottom floor of the warehouse. "I still can't believe you fouled up!" the object said.
"I didn't exactly see you down here helping, Datamon!" Ken snapped back.
"Careful," Datamon said,"I made you what you are, Myotismon, and I can change you back."
Ken crossed his arms and didn't say anything as he followed Datamon down the stairs and into a large room filled with large glass cylinders and an assortment of machinery. They walked over to one of the cylinders. Inside was a large creature with blue skin.
"This is the creation that you claim will keep the Digidestined away from here when we revive Machinedramon tonight?" Ken asked.
"That is correct," Datamon said. He hovered over to the control panel right next to the cylinder. It had three rows of buttons, and a large green one. He pressed the large one and it turned red. The cylinder slid open, a rush of steam blew out.
The creature inside was very large, his muscle could easily have popped Ken's head. "Ken Ichijoij," Datamon said,"I want you to meet Ice Mearamon."
"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Yolei?" Davis asked, standing outside the restaurant,"I mean, just because we were lovers before, doesn't mean..."
She looked at him,"No, you and I are suppose to be together. Genai told me-er, Sora, so."
She looked him over. If you combed Davis's hair down, and put him in a suit, he really looked niece. She should be happy, but, for some reason, when ever she looked at Davis, she didn't sense Tai, didn't feel him. The only time, as Yolei, that she felt Tai was that time when.....
She pushed that thought out of her head. She didn't want to start thinking that way. It couldn't possibly be true. Tai was right in front of her.
Davis was very impressed with Yolei. She really looked like a knockout. Yet, he wasn't sure that Sora was standing in front of her. But, Yolei was Sora, it was proven when the image appeared, so why couldn't he feel her? And more importantly, why didn't an image of Tai appear around him?
"Ice Mearamon?" Ken asked, gasping at the sight. The creature in front of him was a Mearamon, but insteaded of a bright orange flame surrounding him, it was a blue flame made of ice!
"Yes," Datamon said, looking proudly at his creation,"I took the data from an original Mearamon and expanded upon it."
Ice Mearamon looked at himself and gasped. "What have you done to me?"
"I've made you more powerful than you were before," Datamon said," I am here to make you an offer. We are on a quest, to restore the Dark Masters to their true glory as rulers of the Digital World. Will you help us?"
He looked at the human boy and the floating Digimon. "No, I remember, I was something else. I......I remember fighting the Dark Masters, beside the original Digidestined."
"This is the same legendary Mearamon that was a friend of the Digidestined?" Ken shouted,"Are you insane?!"
"No," Datamon said, calmly,"Ice Mearamon knows that he can't ever go back to them, they would only fear him now."
Ice Mearamon glared at Datamon. "Yes, you are right. I can never go back to them now. It appears I have no choice but to join you."
"So, this is Tokyo?" the boy asked, looking up at the skyline,"Somehow, it doesn't look like I expected."
"Really?" a strange green creature at his feet asked,"It looks exactly like the picture in the travel guide."
"That's not what I mean, Betamon," he said,"and I thought I told you not to talk."
"Sorry, Michael," Betamon said,"I guess I'm just excited about journeying through earth. Someday I have to take you to the Digital World."
Michael didn't say anything as he looked around. "I still don't understand what we're doing here anyway," Betamon said.
"I told you, I can't explain it," his human friend said,"Its...like a feeling, like I'm drawn here."
"You're right," Betamon said,"You can't explain it."
"Come on," Michael said, starting to walk into the city,"Let's find the answer together."
Kari stormed into her room and slammed the door. "Is something the matter?" Gatomon asked, as she watched her human partner slam down on her bed.
"No," Kari mumbled,"Stupid Davis, stupid Yolei on their stupid date."
Gatomon's mouth fell open. "You're jealous!"
"Wh-what?" Kari said,"That's upsured! Imagine me, being jealous."
"I think you are," Gatomon said,"Its nothing to be ashamed about. I mean, Davis might be an idiot, but.."
"Davis?" Kari asked,"Oh-right, yeah, Davis. Um, sure. Whatever."
Gatomon looked at her strangely. "You-"
Just then the phone rang. Kari quickly picked it up, wanting to avoid Gatomon's questioning gaze. "Hello?"
"Kari?"
"Cody, hi, what's up?"
"I've got a reading on a reborn Digidestined."
"Who do you think it is?"
"Well," Cody said,"Its either Matt or Joe. What are we going to do?"
"First," Kari said,"Call Davis and Yolei and break up their little date, and then call everyone else."
That's when Kari's digivice started to go off. She picked it up from her desk. "What's happening?"
"Kari?" Cody asked,"Did your digivice active itself?"
"Yeah, What does it mean?"
"A gate to the Digital World has been opened!"
Michael looked down in awe at the device on his belt that started to active all of a sudden. "What's going on?" Betamon asked.
He reached down and grabbed the device. He looked at it oddly. He moved it far to the right, and the glow faded. He moved it back to the right and it started to glow again. "I think its picking up some sort of signal. Let's follow it."
"Anything to stop wandering around aimlessly," Betamon mumbled.
Davis looked at the girl sitting in the seat next to him in the movie theater. "Why can't I feel anything for her?" Davis thought,"I'm really Tai, so why can't I seem to fall in love with the one I know is Sora?"
He nervously placed his arm around her shoulder, when she flinched away. "Davis?" she asked,"I-I'm sorry."
"No," he said,"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have moved that fast."
"But we were like that...before," she said, lowering her voice in accord with the hushes from the audience.
"Beep Beep"
"That's my Digivice," Davis said,"There's trouble."
"Good," Yolei thought,"Anything to end this date."
Inside of the warehouse, the Mekanorimon worked tirelessly on the giant coffin. They attached giant wires to computers and monitors.
Datamon watched them, and couldn't help but laugh. "Isn't this beautiful?" he asked Ken,"Don't you just love being part of completing the impossible?"
"No," Ken said,"I still think its sick."
Datamon brought his arms up in a effort to shrug. "To each his own."
Ice Mearamon stood in the corner, his arms crossed, silently staring at Datamon.
A red light suddenly flashed the room. "What's going on?" Ken asked.
"Trouble," Datamon said, floating to one of the computers. He pressed some buttons and information flashed across the screen. "The Digidestined are coming. They're not alone......Ah! Micheal is here also! That means every reborn Digidestined is accounted for."
He turned and looked at his creation,"Ice Mearamon, go and get them."
He nodded and started to walk towards the stairs. Ken followed him. "And where are you going?" Datamon asked.
"To keep an eye on him," Ken said,"I don't trust him."
"As you wish," Datamon said,"Just make sure that the Digidestined do NOT make it to this top floor, keep them below."
"Back here again," Kari muttered, looking at the warehouse.
"I know," Jun said,"We were just here yesterday, I don't want to become unwanted guests."
Kari ignored her as they walked inside. She caught a glimpse of Davis and Yolei. They were keeping away from each other. Her heart started pounding. "Why?" she asked herself,"Why do I keep feeling this way when I look at them? Its wrong!"
They walked through the same doors and into the same warehouse. This time, however, they were greeted by a blast of cold air.
"Brrr!" Davis said, grabbing himself,"Its freezing!"
"That would be me," Ice Mearamon said,"I will not allow you to stop Machinedramon's resurrection."
"An Ice Mearamon?" Cody asked, amazed.
"And Ken too," Yolei said,"With a strange Digimon at his feet."
Ken looked around them,"Hmm, you're one short. Where is the Digivice reading we found?"
"We decided to come here first," Kari said,"But what's your story, Ken? What are you doing with the Dark Masters?"
"My secrets will not be revealed so easily," Ken said, smiling,"But, my friend, Ice Mearamon, would be please to talk to you, right?"
Ice Mearamon stepped forward and shot a blast of cold flames from his hands. The Digidestined jumped out of the way. The blue flame hit the door and turned it to solid ice.
"Man-o-man," T.K. said,"What do we do now?"
"T.K., Davis, you're with me,"The rest of you, stay here."
"Where are you going?" Yolei asked.
"To stop Machinedramon!"
Ken went to stop the trio from reaching the stairs, when Hawkmon jumped in his path. "You're not going any further."
"Oh yeah?" Wormmon asked, stepping in front.
As Wormmon and Hawkmon stared each other down, Armadillomon was ready to fight Ice Mearamon when the ice beast suddenly said,"I have no desire to fight you. Get out now!"
"What?" Cody asked.
Ice Mearamon turned around and fired a blast of ice. Ken and Wormmon yelled in pain as they were trapped under a sheet of ice, Ken's hand frozen inches from his Digivice.
"I must prevent Machinedramon from being revived," Ice Mearamon said, walking towards the stairs, "I am going to destroy the main power conduct, which will cause this entire warehouse to explode."
"But our friends are still above," Jun protested,"You can't."
"I will destroy Datamon," Ice Mearamon said, walking towards the stairs,"Do not try to stop me, or you will be destroyed also."
Upstairs, The Digidestined trio burst through the door and saw Datamon hovering near a giant coffin coursing with electricity.
"Datamon!" Kari shouted,"Of course, who else would have the knowledge to bring back the dead? And why are you doing it here? Why not in the Digiworld like Metalseadramon?"
"Who said I didn't resurrect Metalseadramon here?" Datamon asked, turning around.
"It doesn't matter," Davis said,"We're still going to stop you!"
"Too late!" Datamon laughed, pointing towards the coffin,"Lord Machinedramon lives again!"
Beams of light emerged from the edges of the coffins seconds before the lid blew apart. A large being stood up in the coffin. It growled, then looked around. "I....I am alive again?"
"Welcome back, Lord Machinedramon," Datamon said, floating over.
"Datamon?" Machinedramon asked,"What is going on here? The last thing I remember is Wargreymon tearing me apart, how is it possible that I am still here?"
"Metalseadramon will explain everything,"Datamon said, pressing a button on the wall,"in the Digiworld."
Machinedramon disappeared in a burst of light.
"Until his Mega-level strength returns," Datamon said,"He is too weak. I must protect my lord. Now, only Piedmon remains."
"Piedmon?" Kari asked.
"What about Puppetmon?" T.K. asked.
"Puppetmon was resurrected ten years ago," Datamon said,"I used his energy as a beacon to draw the other Dark Masters here."
"What are you talking about," Davis asked.
"Where is he?" Patamon asked.
"He's in this room," Datamon said, hovering towards a wall.
Downstairs, Ice Mearamon walked towards a large panel on the wall. He ripped it open and looked at the array of wires and switches. He nodded and was about to tear into it, when he was hit in the back by something.
"AH!" he lurched forward. Turning around he saw a large stone sitting on the ground. "So," he said, looking up at the Digidestined standing in the doorway,"You disregarded my warning." He stepped forward.
"Stay there," Armadillomon said,"I fired that rock, and I can through another."
Ice Mearamon smiled and fired a blue beam at them. The Digidestined jumped up to avoid the blast, but it froze the ground beneath them. They tried to move out of the way, but they landed on the ice and slid into the wall.
Ice Mearamon was in front of them in an instant. "Now you die."
In the previous room, Ken and Wormmon still stood frozen. The Digivice on Ken's belt started to glow, sending out beams of black energy that shattered the ice.
Ice Mearamon's fist was inches from Jun's face, the other Digidestined cowering beneath her. "You should have listen to me. You had your chance."
"So did you!"
Ice Mearamon turned in time to see a large man-insect punch him in the face, sending him sliding across the room.
"Meet Stingmon," Ken said,"My Digimon might be a Champion, but he's strong enough to take on an Ultimate, like yourself."
"We'll see!" Ice Mearamon said, punching Stingmon. He staggered back, a blade emerging from his wrist. He lunged forward, but Ice Mearamon caught the blade and turned it to ice.
Picking Stingmon up, he through him into the wall. "Now its your turn!"
"What do you mean?" Kari asked,"Puppetmon is in this room?"
A weird feeling suddenly over came T.K."You mean, he's one of us?"
"Precisely," Datamon said, looking at the wall. Then, a panel slid open and he entered it.
"He's trying to get away!" Veemon said, rushing towards the wall, but it was too late. The panel had already slid back into place.
"We've got to get through," T.K. said, trying to punch his way through.
"I think it's better if we leave," Kari said,"He's gone, and we need to help the others."
Ice Mearamon was going in for the kill with Stingmon, when he was pounded in the head.
"A Betamon?" Ken asked, amazed. "Where did he come from?"
"He's mine," Michael said, walking into the room,"and I suspect that you are all like myself?"
"You must mean a Digidestined," Cody said,"And you're right."
"Big deal," Ice Mearamon said, standing up,"You still can't beat me."
"I can try," Betamon said,"I've got to save the others."
"That's right," Michael said.
"You'd risk your life for us," Jun asked,"Even though you don't know us?"
Michael nodded. "Of course. I have the ability, and you're in trouble. That's part of being responsible."
Suddenly, Michael's Digivice start to go off. "Again?" Michael asked. Then he grabbed his head,"What's...what's happening to me?"
A transparent image of Joe appeared around Michael, then vanished.
"Another one has been found," Ken said,"I think its time we leave."
"I agree," Stingmon said. He grabbed Ken and flew out the side of the wall.
"Betamon digivolve to Seadramon!"
"So, you've gotten a little stronger," Ice Mearamon said,"Big deal!"
"It is," Seadramon said, hitting Ice Mearamon with his tail, crashing him into the wall.
"You're still too late," Ice Mearamon said. He reached up and shattered the box on the wall. "I've destroyed the power conduct regulator, without it, Datamon's machinery will suck up too much power, causing them to overload. This warehouse is still going to explode!"
"We've got to get out of here, then," Davis said as he, Kari, and T.K. ran down the stairs.
The entire building started to shake, as explosions could be heard floors above.
"Get out," Ice Mearamon said,"This place will never be used for Datamon's evil ever again. Go!"
"We've got no time to argue," Cody said,"I estimate three minutes before the equipment becomes overloaded and explodes!"
"Let's go!" Kari shouted as they ran out.
Ken and Stingmon watched the building explode in a display of fire and smoke on a rooftop a few blocks away. Ken turned to his Digimon,"I'm not getting paid enough to do the Dark Master's dirty work. I quit!"
"What are we going to do, then?" Stingmon said, turning back to Wormmon.
"We're going to find Piedmon's Digi-egg ourselves," Ken said.
"Joe," Kari said, shaking his hand,"I'm glad we finally found you. Now we can go under the Digital Ocean and find the Crest of Courage."
"Not so fast," Yolei said,"Give him a chance to get used to this."
"Yeah," Michael said,"At least I know why I came here, I belonged here."
"You still do," Jun said, with her eyes gleaming.
While the others talked to Michael, T.K. watched the building burn to nothing. "What's the matter?" Patamon asked.
"What Datamon said to us," T.K. said,"What if one of us is Puppetmon?"
to be continued...
PUPPETMON AND MATT ARE REVEALED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, AND YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHO THEY ARE! IF YOU WANT TO GUESS WHO PUPPETMON IS, I LEFT CLUES IN THIS CHAPTER, AND THE LAST ONE.
Ken kept his gaze towards the floating object in front of him as they walked down towards the bottom floor of the warehouse. "I still can't believe you fouled up!" the object said.
"I didn't exactly see you down here helping, Datamon!" Ken snapped back.
"Careful," Datamon said,"I made you what you are, Myotismon, and I can change you back."
Ken crossed his arms and didn't say anything as he followed Datamon down the stairs and into a large room filled with large glass cylinders and an assortment of machinery. They walked over to one of the cylinders. Inside was a large creature with blue skin.
"This is the creation that you claim will keep the Digidestined away from here when we revive Machinedramon tonight?" Ken asked.
"That is correct," Datamon said. He hovered over to the control panel right next to the cylinder. It had three rows of buttons, and a large green one. He pressed the large one and it turned red. The cylinder slid open, a rush of steam blew out.
The creature inside was very large, his muscle could easily have popped Ken's head. "Ken Ichijoij," Datamon said,"I want you to meet Ice Mearamon."
"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Yolei?" Davis asked, standing outside the restaurant,"I mean, just because we were lovers before, doesn't mean..."
She looked at him,"No, you and I are suppose to be together. Genai told me-er, Sora, so."
She looked him over. If you combed Davis's hair down, and put him in a suit, he really looked niece. She should be happy, but, for some reason, when ever she looked at Davis, she didn't sense Tai, didn't feel him. The only time, as Yolei, that she felt Tai was that time when.....
She pushed that thought out of her head. She didn't want to start thinking that way. It couldn't possibly be true. Tai was right in front of her.
Davis was very impressed with Yolei. She really looked like a knockout. Yet, he wasn't sure that Sora was standing in front of her. But, Yolei was Sora, it was proven when the image appeared, so why couldn't he feel her? And more importantly, why didn't an image of Tai appear around him?
"Ice Mearamon?" Ken asked, gasping at the sight. The creature in front of him was a Mearamon, but insteaded of a bright orange flame surrounding him, it was a blue flame made of ice!
"Yes," Datamon said, looking proudly at his creation,"I took the data from an original Mearamon and expanded upon it."
Ice Mearamon looked at himself and gasped. "What have you done to me?"
"I've made you more powerful than you were before," Datamon said," I am here to make you an offer. We are on a quest, to restore the Dark Masters to their true glory as rulers of the Digital World. Will you help us?"
He looked at the human boy and the floating Digimon. "No, I remember, I was something else. I......I remember fighting the Dark Masters, beside the original Digidestined."
"This is the same legendary Mearamon that was a friend of the Digidestined?" Ken shouted,"Are you insane?!"
"No," Datamon said, calmly,"Ice Mearamon knows that he can't ever go back to them, they would only fear him now."
Ice Mearamon glared at Datamon. "Yes, you are right. I can never go back to them now. It appears I have no choice but to join you."
"So, this is Tokyo?" the boy asked, looking up at the skyline,"Somehow, it doesn't look like I expected."
"Really?" a strange green creature at his feet asked,"It looks exactly like the picture in the travel guide."
"That's not what I mean, Betamon," he said,"and I thought I told you not to talk."
"Sorry, Michael," Betamon said,"I guess I'm just excited about journeying through earth. Someday I have to take you to the Digital World."
Michael didn't say anything as he looked around. "I still don't understand what we're doing here anyway," Betamon said.
"I told you, I can't explain it," his human friend said,"Its...like a feeling, like I'm drawn here."
"You're right," Betamon said,"You can't explain it."
"Come on," Michael said, starting to walk into the city,"Let's find the answer together."
Kari stormed into her room and slammed the door. "Is something the matter?" Gatomon asked, as she watched her human partner slam down on her bed.
"No," Kari mumbled,"Stupid Davis, stupid Yolei on their stupid date."
Gatomon's mouth fell open. "You're jealous!"
"Wh-what?" Kari said,"That's upsured! Imagine me, being jealous."
"I think you are," Gatomon said,"Its nothing to be ashamed about. I mean, Davis might be an idiot, but.."
"Davis?" Kari asked,"Oh-right, yeah, Davis. Um, sure. Whatever."
Gatomon looked at her strangely. "You-"
Just then the phone rang. Kari quickly picked it up, wanting to avoid Gatomon's questioning gaze. "Hello?"
"Kari?"
"Cody, hi, what's up?"
"I've got a reading on a reborn Digidestined."
"Who do you think it is?"
"Well," Cody said,"Its either Matt or Joe. What are we going to do?"
"First," Kari said,"Call Davis and Yolei and break up their little date, and then call everyone else."
That's when Kari's digivice started to go off. She picked it up from her desk. "What's happening?"
"Kari?" Cody asked,"Did your digivice active itself?"
"Yeah, What does it mean?"
"A gate to the Digital World has been opened!"
Michael looked down in awe at the device on his belt that started to active all of a sudden. "What's going on?" Betamon asked.
He reached down and grabbed the device. He looked at it oddly. He moved it far to the right, and the glow faded. He moved it back to the right and it started to glow again. "I think its picking up some sort of signal. Let's follow it."
"Anything to stop wandering around aimlessly," Betamon mumbled.
Davis looked at the girl sitting in the seat next to him in the movie theater. "Why can't I feel anything for her?" Davis thought,"I'm really Tai, so why can't I seem to fall in love with the one I know is Sora?"
He nervously placed his arm around her shoulder, when she flinched away. "Davis?" she asked,"I-I'm sorry."
"No," he said,"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have moved that fast."
"But we were like that...before," she said, lowering her voice in accord with the hushes from the audience.
"Beep Beep"
"That's my Digivice," Davis said,"There's trouble."
"Good," Yolei thought,"Anything to end this date."
Inside of the warehouse, the Mekanorimon worked tirelessly on the giant coffin. They attached giant wires to computers and monitors.
Datamon watched them, and couldn't help but laugh. "Isn't this beautiful?" he asked Ken,"Don't you just love being part of completing the impossible?"
"No," Ken said,"I still think its sick."
Datamon brought his arms up in a effort to shrug. "To each his own."
Ice Mearamon stood in the corner, his arms crossed, silently staring at Datamon.
A red light suddenly flashed the room. "What's going on?" Ken asked.
"Trouble," Datamon said, floating to one of the computers. He pressed some buttons and information flashed across the screen. "The Digidestined are coming. They're not alone......Ah! Micheal is here also! That means every reborn Digidestined is accounted for."
He turned and looked at his creation,"Ice Mearamon, go and get them."
He nodded and started to walk towards the stairs. Ken followed him. "And where are you going?" Datamon asked.
"To keep an eye on him," Ken said,"I don't trust him."
"As you wish," Datamon said,"Just make sure that the Digidestined do NOT make it to this top floor, keep them below."
"Back here again," Kari muttered, looking at the warehouse.
"I know," Jun said,"We were just here yesterday, I don't want to become unwanted guests."
Kari ignored her as they walked inside. She caught a glimpse of Davis and Yolei. They were keeping away from each other. Her heart started pounding. "Why?" she asked herself,"Why do I keep feeling this way when I look at them? Its wrong!"
They walked through the same doors and into the same warehouse. This time, however, they were greeted by a blast of cold air.
"Brrr!" Davis said, grabbing himself,"Its freezing!"
"That would be me," Ice Mearamon said,"I will not allow you to stop Machinedramon's resurrection."
"An Ice Mearamon?" Cody asked, amazed.
"And Ken too," Yolei said,"With a strange Digimon at his feet."
Ken looked around them,"Hmm, you're one short. Where is the Digivice reading we found?"
"We decided to come here first," Kari said,"But what's your story, Ken? What are you doing with the Dark Masters?"
"My secrets will not be revealed so easily," Ken said, smiling,"But, my friend, Ice Mearamon, would be please to talk to you, right?"
Ice Mearamon stepped forward and shot a blast of cold flames from his hands. The Digidestined jumped out of the way. The blue flame hit the door and turned it to solid ice.
"Man-o-man," T.K. said,"What do we do now?"
"T.K., Davis, you're with me,"The rest of you, stay here."
"Where are you going?" Yolei asked.
"To stop Machinedramon!"
Ken went to stop the trio from reaching the stairs, when Hawkmon jumped in his path. "You're not going any further."
"Oh yeah?" Wormmon asked, stepping in front.
As Wormmon and Hawkmon stared each other down, Armadillomon was ready to fight Ice Mearamon when the ice beast suddenly said,"I have no desire to fight you. Get out now!"
"What?" Cody asked.
Ice Mearamon turned around and fired a blast of ice. Ken and Wormmon yelled in pain as they were trapped under a sheet of ice, Ken's hand frozen inches from his Digivice.
"I must prevent Machinedramon from being revived," Ice Mearamon said, walking towards the stairs, "I am going to destroy the main power conduct, which will cause this entire warehouse to explode."
"But our friends are still above," Jun protested,"You can't."
"I will destroy Datamon," Ice Mearamon said, walking towards the stairs,"Do not try to stop me, or you will be destroyed also."
Upstairs, The Digidestined trio burst through the door and saw Datamon hovering near a giant coffin coursing with electricity.
"Datamon!" Kari shouted,"Of course, who else would have the knowledge to bring back the dead? And why are you doing it here? Why not in the Digiworld like Metalseadramon?"
"Who said I didn't resurrect Metalseadramon here?" Datamon asked, turning around.
"It doesn't matter," Davis said,"We're still going to stop you!"
"Too late!" Datamon laughed, pointing towards the coffin,"Lord Machinedramon lives again!"
Beams of light emerged from the edges of the coffins seconds before the lid blew apart. A large being stood up in the coffin. It growled, then looked around. "I....I am alive again?"
"Welcome back, Lord Machinedramon," Datamon said, floating over.
"Datamon?" Machinedramon asked,"What is going on here? The last thing I remember is Wargreymon tearing me apart, how is it possible that I am still here?"
"Metalseadramon will explain everything,"Datamon said, pressing a button on the wall,"in the Digiworld."
Machinedramon disappeared in a burst of light.
"Until his Mega-level strength returns," Datamon said,"He is too weak. I must protect my lord. Now, only Piedmon remains."
"Piedmon?" Kari asked.
"What about Puppetmon?" T.K. asked.
"Puppetmon was resurrected ten years ago," Datamon said,"I used his energy as a beacon to draw the other Dark Masters here."
"What are you talking about," Davis asked.
"Where is he?" Patamon asked.
"He's in this room," Datamon said, hovering towards a wall.
Downstairs, Ice Mearamon walked towards a large panel on the wall. He ripped it open and looked at the array of wires and switches. He nodded and was about to tear into it, when he was hit in the back by something.
"AH!" he lurched forward. Turning around he saw a large stone sitting on the ground. "So," he said, looking up at the Digidestined standing in the doorway,"You disregarded my warning." He stepped forward.
"Stay there," Armadillomon said,"I fired that rock, and I can through another."
Ice Mearamon smiled and fired a blue beam at them. The Digidestined jumped up to avoid the blast, but it froze the ground beneath them. They tried to move out of the way, but they landed on the ice and slid into the wall.
Ice Mearamon was in front of them in an instant. "Now you die."
In the previous room, Ken and Wormmon still stood frozen. The Digivice on Ken's belt started to glow, sending out beams of black energy that shattered the ice.
Ice Mearamon's fist was inches from Jun's face, the other Digidestined cowering beneath her. "You should have listen to me. You had your chance."
"So did you!"
Ice Mearamon turned in time to see a large man-insect punch him in the face, sending him sliding across the room.
"Meet Stingmon," Ken said,"My Digimon might be a Champion, but he's strong enough to take on an Ultimate, like yourself."
"We'll see!" Ice Mearamon said, punching Stingmon. He staggered back, a blade emerging from his wrist. He lunged forward, but Ice Mearamon caught the blade and turned it to ice.
Picking Stingmon up, he through him into the wall. "Now its your turn!"
"What do you mean?" Kari asked,"Puppetmon is in this room?"
A weird feeling suddenly over came T.K."You mean, he's one of us?"
"Precisely," Datamon said, looking at the wall. Then, a panel slid open and he entered it.
"He's trying to get away!" Veemon said, rushing towards the wall, but it was too late. The panel had already slid back into place.
"We've got to get through," T.K. said, trying to punch his way through.
"I think it's better if we leave," Kari said,"He's gone, and we need to help the others."
Ice Mearamon was going in for the kill with Stingmon, when he was pounded in the head.
"A Betamon?" Ken asked, amazed. "Where did he come from?"
"He's mine," Michael said, walking into the room,"and I suspect that you are all like myself?"
"You must mean a Digidestined," Cody said,"And you're right."
"Big deal," Ice Mearamon said, standing up,"You still can't beat me."
"I can try," Betamon said,"I've got to save the others."
"That's right," Michael said.
"You'd risk your life for us," Jun asked,"Even though you don't know us?"
Michael nodded. "Of course. I have the ability, and you're in trouble. That's part of being responsible."
Suddenly, Michael's Digivice start to go off. "Again?" Michael asked. Then he grabbed his head,"What's...what's happening to me?"
A transparent image of Joe appeared around Michael, then vanished.
"Another one has been found," Ken said,"I think its time we leave."
"I agree," Stingmon said. He grabbed Ken and flew out the side of the wall.
"Betamon digivolve to Seadramon!"
"So, you've gotten a little stronger," Ice Mearamon said,"Big deal!"
"It is," Seadramon said, hitting Ice Mearamon with his tail, crashing him into the wall.
"You're still too late," Ice Mearamon said. He reached up and shattered the box on the wall. "I've destroyed the power conduct regulator, without it, Datamon's machinery will suck up too much power, causing them to overload. This warehouse is still going to explode!"
"We've got to get out of here, then," Davis said as he, Kari, and T.K. ran down the stairs.
The entire building started to shake, as explosions could be heard floors above.
"Get out," Ice Mearamon said,"This place will never be used for Datamon's evil ever again. Go!"
"We've got no time to argue," Cody said,"I estimate three minutes before the equipment becomes overloaded and explodes!"
"Let's go!" Kari shouted as they ran out.
Ken and Stingmon watched the building explode in a display of fire and smoke on a rooftop a few blocks away. Ken turned to his Digimon,"I'm not getting paid enough to do the Dark Master's dirty work. I quit!"
"What are we going to do, then?" Stingmon said, turning back to Wormmon.
"We're going to find Piedmon's Digi-egg ourselves," Ken said.
"Joe," Kari said, shaking his hand,"I'm glad we finally found you. Now we can go under the Digital Ocean and find the Crest of Courage."
"Not so fast," Yolei said,"Give him a chance to get used to this."
"Yeah," Michael said,"At least I know why I came here, I belonged here."
"You still do," Jun said, with her eyes gleaming.
While the others talked to Michael, T.K. watched the building burn to nothing. "What's the matter?" Patamon asked.
"What Datamon said to us," T.K. said,"What if one of us is Puppetmon?"
to be continued...
PUPPETMON AND MATT ARE REVEALED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, AND YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHO THEY ARE! IF YOU WANT TO GUESS WHO PUPPETMON IS, I LEFT CLUES IN THIS CHAPTER, AND THE LAST ONE.