Ch.20                    "SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS."

          It was March.  The month in which the cold winter would give way for spring.  The Digidestines were enjoying their March break.  All the members of Davis' team were enjoying themselves at a beach in the Digital World.

          "Surf's up!" Davis shouted as a huge wave came towards him.  Only Ken and Wormmon were looking at Davis and Veemon surfing.  The rest of the team was elsewhere.  Cody and Submarimon were exploring the ocean's beds and creatures while Yolei was flying on Acquillamon's back.  Kari and Gatomon went fishing near the bridge while T.K. and Patamon were out strolling around the woods.

          "Again, Acquillamon!  Again!"

          "You asked for it!" Acquillamon answered.  He picked up speed, and soon he was shooting across the sky like a meteor.

          "O- kay.  You can slow down now, Ac- quillamon!" Yolei barely managed to bellow as she almost lost her balance.

          "Ken.  Oh.  Ken."

          "Yes, Wormmon?" Ken replied as he faced his partner.

          "Ah, don't you think I look a bit different today?"

          "No, not really.  Why?  Are you worried about your figure?"

          "Of course not.  Not now at least."

          "Okay.  But come to think of it, you are acting kinda strange today.  What are you up to?"

          "Nothing.  But the sun is.  I think I'm getting baked in the sun.  Look at my skin, it's beginning to start orange.  I think I want to hide alone in the forest for a while."

          "Sure.  Make sure you're back when the others return to regroup here," Ken informed as he watched Wormmon slithering away.  "Poor Wormmon.  I hope he'll be all right by himself for a while.  All this sun is getting to he and his skin."

          "Hey!  It's a big one!" Kari expressed as she tried to wind in the string of her fishing rod.  "Help me, Gatomon, before it gets away."

          Gatomon quickly rushed by her side and grabbed a hold of the rod also.  They started to pull the rod in as strong as they could.  Finally, they got the rod out of the water.  Unfortunately, it wasn't a fish.  Instead, it was a Whalmon.

          "Ah?" Kari and Gatomon asked in doubt of what just happened.

          "What's going on here?  Who are you, Girl?" Whalmon asked in a loud tone.

          "Kari.  And this is my Gatomon.  Sorry about disturbing you.  But it seems that my fish hook was hooked to you.  It won't happen again though."

          "Of course it won't.  That was our last fish.  And Whalmon just ate it.  Don't deny it now," Gatomon said, watching Whalmon's every move, not that Whalmon was moving very much.

          "Oh.  Don't listen to her.  She's just kidding.  You're not guilty of anything, of course."

          "Of course not.  Now, I better be on my way, I'm late for a meeting with my dentist," Whalmon answered and began his way back into the water.

          "Ah.  That was close.  Don't do that again, Gatomon.  We're not here to cause any trouble."

          "What's got into you?"

          "I was going to ask you the same question."

          "So, T.K., tell me, why are we walking all around?"

          "Actually, Patamon, I'm the one that's doing all the walking."

          "That's why I should do all the talking," Patamon answered.  He waited for his partner to say something, but T.K. just continued walking deeper into the woods.  After a while, Patamon gave in, "Well.  Say something.  Why are we here?"

          "I thought you said you should do all the talking," T.K. joked.

          "Oh yeah, right.  Well, you can do some talking.  Well?" Patamon replied as he fanned with his big ears.

          "Okay.  I'll talk.  I'm double-checking to see if there's any dark pyramid in this region."

          "Well, see any?"

          "Not yet at least."

          "That's because there isn't any here.  You're just a little paranoid ever since your last nightmare."

          "It wasn't a nightmare.  It's just a silly little bad dream that will never come true.  And I'm not worried about that.  I'm just worried that this area could be controlled by the evil Emperor while we don't even notice that.  We've got to stay alert," T.K. replied in an alarmingly jumpy tone as he continued walking.

          "Okay, T.K.  If you put it that way.  But, I hope we don't miss lunch."

          "Of course, Patamon.  Just a few more areas in this forest to cover before we head back.  Okay, Partner?"

          "Then, let's go!" Patamon said impatiently.

          It was now noon, and there was camp fire on the sand.  Lunch was being roasted over the fire.  Marshmallows and the fish that Kari and Gatomon finally caught were being roasted.  "Where are the others?" Cody asked.

          "They're going to miss lunch if they don't return soon," Hawkmon answered.

          "Well, Wormmon's out into the woods for a little walk.  I asked of him to be back by lunch.  As for T.K. and Patamon, they're out walking somewhere."

          "T.K. said he wanted to talk a long stroll with Patamon," Kari added to Ken's response.

          "More for me and you then," Davis said cheerily as he glanced at Veemon.

          "Don't be so sure, Davis.  We're back," a voice uttered and the hand of a figure tapped on Davis shoulder.

          Davis slowly turned, then jumped, startled to see T.K. and Patamon return as soon as he implied that he and Veemon should have their shares.  The others laughed in amusement.  "Back already?  How about taking another stroll into the woods?"

          "And miss lunch?  But I think we'll stroll to the camp fire," T.K. said as he lifted Patamon from his shoulder and beamed at him.

          "All right!" Patamon answered.  "Lunch!"

          "Wait.  What about Wormmon?  He's not back yet," Veemon asked.

          "Should we start without him?" Yolei said with a worried look.

          "Of course.  Start lunch while I look for him.  Be back soon.  Make sure you save some for us," Ken began to say and run into the woods where Wormmon disappeared to.

          As Ken walked deeper into the heart of the forest, he called out Wormmon's name.  There wasn't any reply.  Only the sounds of tree branches swinging back and fro by the breezes.

          Then suddenly, Ken stopped.  He heard something different.  He began scanning his surrounding for clues to whatever he was seeking.  He found his answer instead.

          He spotted two suspicious looking characters with a Wormmon.  Obviously it had to be his Wormmon.  He shouted out to his partner as he ran towards them.

          "Wormmon.  Who are they?" Ken asked as he studied the two strangers.  One of them appeared to a human boy while the other one seemed to be his Digimon partner.  The boy had a half a mask on, covering around his eyes.  His hair was long and pitch black while his eyes were navy-blue, just like Von's.  For a split second, Ken guessed that this stranger was actually Von.  But then, he glanced at the Digimon beside him.  The slithering creature was none that he ever seen in the Digital World.

          "I've got no idea."

          "Tell us, who are you?" Ken commanded.

          "Who?  Me?  Or my loyal subject?" the new boy, wearing all black, asked as he jumped up a tree.  His black cape flew with him up into the tree where he began to sit on a strong branch.

          "I suggest you tell both," Ken said.

          "Well, well, well.  And I thought I was always famous.  I think we better teach them a lesson for their ignorance.  Go, Izamon!" the boy shouted.

          "As you wish, Emperor," the strange new Digimon nodded.

          "What?  Wait!" Ken shouted to the young stranger.  Emperor?  He's the emperor?  He finally showed himself.

          "Oh, I don't think I have the patience to wait.  Make it quick and painful."

          "As you wish, Boss.  Get ready, Wormmon!" Izamon, a snake-looking Digimon with a sharp pointy tail threatened.

          "You don't need to worry about me.  You're the one who should be ready."

          "Digivolve, Wormmon," Ken commanded as he held out his digivice.

          Immediately, Wormmon digivolved to Stingmon.  "Be careful, Stingmon!  He's a new opponent!  Careful what he does," Ken warned.

          "Don't worry, Ken.  Stay back and watch that snake get toasted."

          "Oh, we'll see about that," the boy said as he held out a digivice also.  It was golden.  So shiny, that when the Sun shone on it, the light was reflected.  "Digivolve, Izamon!"

          "This is a new one," Stingmon replied.

          "Yeah.  This is the first time I've notice that the emperor would use his digivice to help his Digimon to defeat his opponents."

          "That's because you were the emperor.  And it was quite stupid of you not to use your own Digimon as well as every other to conquer this realm.  Then again, your failure brought forth my dream of my own realm.  Now, Izamon!  Digivolve!"

          "Izamon digivolve to-"

          "Pythonmon!"

          Pythonmon? Ken thought as he stared at the big python-looking Digimon that had just been Izamon.  The Digimon's tail now wasn't sharp or pointy, but it was long.

          "A bug versus a snake.  I wonder who will win," the Emperor said sarcastically.

          "Of course the bug!  No offence, Stingmon."

          "None taken, Ken."

          "Go get 'em, Pythonmon."

          "Tail Whip!" Pythonmon shouted his attack at Stingmon.  Stingmon barely avoided it.

          "Tail Whip!"

          "Spiking Strike!"

          They continued to fight.  Neither of their attacks was damaging to each other.  Pythonmon's tail couldn't whip Stingmon.  Stingmon escaped every time.  Stingmon had no luck either.  His spiking strike attack couldn't penetrate into the snake's tough scales.

          "Stingmon!  Fly as high up as you can!"

          "You heard the weak lad.  Follow that Stingmon."

          Pythonmon tried to reach high enough with his tail to grab Stingmon, but his opponent was already too high up.

          "Fine.  Stay there," Pythonmon said as he began snake dancing.

          "What is he doing, Ken?"

          "Just focus up there.  Can the others spot you from up there?" Ken shouted to his Stingmon.

          "I think they just did."

          "How can you tell?" the Emperor asked worry free.

          "They're waving."

          "Oh goody.  More the merrier.  Hit it, Pythonmon.  Tell Stingmon stop flying and fall to the ground," the Emperor commanded.

          "What?"

          "You shall do what Master Pythonmon commands.  I command you to listen to me carefully.  Fall straight to the ground, Stingmon."

          "Yes, Master," Stingmon said as his wings stopped flapping and he began to fall.

          "No!  Stingmon!" Ken shouted.  But Stingmon couldn't hear him.  Stingmon was under some kind of trace.

          "T.K.!  Magnaangemon!" Ken yelled when he saw Magnaangemon grabbed Stingmon.  All of his team members arrived and their Digimon were already in their champion or ultimate forms.

          "Don't worry, Ken!  We're all here!" Davis bellowed.

          "Thanks, guys," Ken said as Magnaangemon placed Stingmon carefully onto the grass.  He rushed toward his friends, trying to see if his Digimon partner was going to be okay.

          "Magna-Antidote," Magnaangemon shouted as he healed Stingmon's condition.

          "Is he going to be all right?" Ken asked Magnaangemon.

          "Of course, he will be, Ken.  But that's not what I got to say to you, you so-called Emperor," T.K. shouted.

          "Well, well, well.  It seems to me that we've got a rude and insignificant little fool, don't we, Pythonmon?" the Emperor insulted.

          "Of course, Master," the Emperor's subject answered when the Emperor's digivice beeped.

          The Emperor looked at his digivice and then pushed one of the buttons.  An unfamiliar voice started its speech.  "Master, there's a message for you.  Shall I voice it here, Master?"

          "No.  Of course not.  I'll be back at the base as soon as I can.  Voice the message when I arrive inside the base.  Got it?"

          "Yes.  Of course, Emperor.  Until then, Master," the voice said and faded out.  The Emperor returned his attention to the interrupted battle.

          "Pythonmon.  Let's go!"

          "Yes, Master," Pythonmon replied.  He lowered himself for his master to climb onto him for a ride.

          "Wait a minute!  Are we going to duel it out?" Davis shouted to the Emperor and Pythonmon.

          "Not really," the Emperor replied.  "Maybe later.  You guys need to retreat and come up with a flawless plan if you want to try to duel me and my empire."

          Pythonmon, carrying the Emperor on his back, said, "Slithering Change."

          "Very impressive, Pythonmon.  I wouldn't expect any less of you.  You know that right?"

          "Of course, my emperor," he answered.

          The others watched in amazement as Pythonmon and the Emperor began to camouflage into the surroundings.  They had vanished.  No where to be found.