Chapter 8
The elevator doors slid open. The group stepped out into a spacious, shadowy, torch-lit chamber. A man sat at the far end. He was wearing black clothing with black boots and a deep scarlet cape.
"Ah, you're here," said the man. "Come closer, so that we can talk."
"I don't have anything to say to you," Tai said angrily, as they stepped forward.
"I do," said Tentomon. "Why let us in here? Why not just capture us in the first place?"
"I enjoy fighting opponents," Shinosama explained, "but only if they are worthy. You have proved yourselves worthy by passing all the tests on the way here. Therefore, if you want to fight, so be it."
"He must be pretty sure he'll win," Tai said quietly.
"You are correct," said Shinosama. "Nothing lives for long around me. I take life force and use it to build my power, so that someday I can control your worlds!"
"But why do it to our two worlds?"
"I am a product of evil forces from both worlds. When those forces ceased to exist, parts of them came together and created me. I want to avenge them, and so I must wreak my vengeance on the worlds that rejected them."
"Then I guess you know who we are."
"Yes, I do. Now are you ready to fight?"
"Yeah, let's go!"
"We should save some of our Pokémon for later in the battle," Misty said to her two friends.
"Good thinking," said Ash. They set to work choosing their first and second groups of Pokémon. Meanwhile, the Digimon were preparing for battle in their own way.
"Agumon Digivolve to . . . Greymon!"
"Gabumon Digivolve to . . . Garurumon!"
"Biyomon Digivolve to . . . Birdramon!"
"Tentomon Digivolve to . . . Kabuterimon!"
"Gomamon Digivolve to . . . Ikkakumon!"
"Palmon Digivolve to . . . Togemon!"
"Patamon Digivolve to . . . Angemon!"
"I can't Digivolve!" cried Gatomon.
"Some of your power is blocked here," said Shinosama. "You won't be able to Digivolve to Ultimate."
"We'll fight anyway!" said Ash. "Hey, Mimi, Togemon – let's start it off Grass-style!"
"Sure!" said Togemon. "Needle Spray!"
"Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!"
Shinosama recoiled, but then said, "It's only a scratch." He hit the two grass monsters with beams of dark energy that left Bulbasaur motionless and Palmon back in Rookie form.
"Let's try some water!" said Misty. "Horsea, Goldeen, Starmie, Staryu, Water Gun!"
"You too, Squirtle!" added Ash.
"Harpoon Torpedo!" Ikkakumon threw in.
Shinosama used more of the same energy to create a shield. The water streamed off it and flowed across the floor, but the torpedo cracked it and it flickered and died.
"Nice try," said Shinosama, "but not enough."
"Can we just all attack together now?" Ash said impatiently.
"Yeah!" said Tai. "Let's do it!"
"Pikachu, Thunder Shock! Charizard –"
Charizard wasn't listening.
"Never mind."
"Hit him with it again!" Misty told her team of water Pokémon.
"You all know what you best attacks are," Brock said to his Pokémon. "Go for it!"
"Nova Blast!"
"Howling Blaster!"
"Meteor Wing!"
"Electro-Shocker!"
"Harpoon Torpedo!"
"Angel Staff!"
"Lightning Paw!"
Some of the attacks hit home. Shinosama countered the others and, almost before the heroes knew it, fought back and froze everyone in place.
"You fight well," he said, "but do you realize how strange what you're doing is? You should never have had anything to do with each other."
"What?" said Ash.
"Think about it. Pokémon. Digimon. You're so different, it's astonishing you like each other at all. Think of all the differences between you. The numbers of attacks. The numbers of monsters per person. And above all, the ways you evolve."
The words made Ash remember how it had felt when he had first learned about Digivolving. It was so different, so much better, and yet so wrong. "Yes," said Ash. "They're so stupid . . . so different . . . I ha –"
"Ash, snap out of it!" said Misty. "You're their friend, remember? Shinosama is just trying to turn you against each other. You and the Digidestined have a lot in common. You're good and you defend what's right . . . and your monsters are your best friends. You can be friends with them, too." For emphasis, she kissed him on the cheek.
"Huh?" said Ash.
Misty winked at Sora, who grinned back and said to Tai, "How about it? Friends to the end?"
"Friends to the end!" said Tai.
"Yeah!" said Ash.
That started a reaction. The crests and badges the heroes were carrying freed themselves and floated up into the air.
"Our crests!" said Tai.
"And badges!" said Ash. "What are they doing?"
Each crests joined up with the badge it had traded places with when the adventure had begun. From each pair came a beam of light the color of the crest that was part of that pair. The light traveled to the Pokémon and Digimon associated with that crest and badge, breaking the freeze on everyone.
"They combined their powers!" said Tai.
"We can Digivolve to Ultimate now!" Greymon declared.
"Pika pika!" The Pokémon were ready to fight, too.
"Go for it!" said Tai.
"Greymon Digivolve to . . . MetalGreymon!"
"Garurumon Digivolve to . . . WereGarurumon!"
"Birdramon Digivolve to . . . Garudamon!"
"Kabuterimon Digivolve to . . . MegaKabuterimon!"
"Ikkakumon Digivolve to . . . Zudomon!"
"Palmon Digivolve to . . . Togemon! Togemon Digivolve to . .
. Lillymon!"
"Angemon Digivolve to . . . MagnaAngemon!"
"Gatomon Digivolve to . . . Angewomon!"
"How can this be?" cried Shinosama.
"Our mutual friendship made the crests and badges release their power!" Izzy reasoned.
"Giga Blaster!"
Amazingly, Ash's Charizard joined MetalGreymon in the fight and hit Shinosama with Flame Thrower.
"Wolf Claw!"
"Wing Blade!"
"Horn Buster!"
"Vulcan's Hammer!"
"Flower Cannon!"
"Heaven's Charm!"
"It's working!" said Tai. "What's the best way to finish him?"
"This," said MagnaAngemon. "Gate of Destiny!"
MagnaAngemon opened a gate in the air and the other Digimon threw the badly beaten Shinosama through it. It closed and disappeared.
"We did it!" Ash cheered. "We really did it!"
"Yeah!" Everyone hugged someone. Sora was even brave enough to quickly kiss Tai, much to his confusion.
The elevator doors opened again. A swarm of something came out of it.
"Unown!" said Ash. "We did it!"
CONGRATULATIONS STOP YOU DID VERY WELL STOP
"So what exactly happened with the badges and crests?" Izzy asked.
AS YOU SAID YOUR FRIENDSHIP MADE THEM RELEASE THEIR POWERS STOP REMEMBER THE BADGES HAVE THEM TOO STOP GO BACK OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN AND WE WILL TELL YOU MORE STOP WE WILL TAKE YOU ACROSS THE BRIDGE STOP
"Okay," said Ash. The group and the Unown crowded into the elevator.
To be continued . . .
Disclaimer: Digimon belongs to Saban, Fox, Toei Animation, et al.
Pokémon belong to Nintendo, Creatures, Gamefreak et al. No
money is being made off this; I write because it's fun. :-)