** Kaiba: 4000 LP || Takato: 4000 LP **
Takato grimaced. This tournament had already tested his skills unlike any other challenge before it, but now he was faced with another challenge - battling an enemy player. Takato was sure this stranger was a Duelist because of his age and his disturbing personality. And according to Takato's ark, his opponent was none other than Seto Kaiba, one of the most famous people in the entertainment world. Until recently, this guy was undefeated for ten years straight in every game that he played, including unofficial ones. Only two people had ever beaten him - another duelist, and the guy who used to own Industrial Illusions, the company that created the Digimon card game and all the other games on this island. Takato was way out of his league.
"What's the matter?" Kaiba taunted as he sneered at Takato. "You look like you're scared. I think you finally understand the situation you're in."
Takato refused to back down. He drew his first five cards and held them at his side, like throwing knives about to be used in ninja combat. "I don't care who you are. Nobody is going to touch Jeri."
"Please don't do this!" Jeri cried. Takato looked at her intently. "I don't want you to get hurt..."
"If you believe in me, I won't lose," Takato said in a serious tone. When Jeri didn't answer, Takato repeated his affirmation. "Believe in me, Jeri. Please." Slowly, Jeri looked down to avoid his gaze. Kaiba laughed maliciously at Takato's resulting sadness.
"Looks like she already knows the outcome of this fight." Kaiba drew his hand. "Maybe if you ask her nicely, she'll give herself up to save your life."
Takato huffed and slapped his prized Guilmon card into his ark's active slot. "I'm going to beat you like a drum!" [1900/1150, SPD 30]
Kaiba smirked. "So the little dog plans on fighting until the very end. How admirable." The duelist chose a card in his hand and placed it in his active slot as well. However, the card he played was face-down. There was a shimmer and the sound of summoning, but no monster appeared on the field. There was a ripple between Kaiba and Takato that looked vaguely like a giant beast with wings. There was a growl from something not human, and the ripple started swaying lightly as if preparing for battle.
His monster was played face-down, Takato realized. I didn't know we could do that. The tamer looked at his ark to see what information it could give about the monster Kaiba played, but the information display was filled with nothing but question marks. The only thing Takato knew was that Kaiba played something, and that something was invisible and impossible to scan with the Duel Ark. So Takato had no idea what he was up against.
"Surprised, aren't you?" Kaiba taunted. "By playing a monster face-down, I can protect myself from your creature and use its abilities without fear of revealing its data to you. Should I choose to attack it would become visible, but I'm not going to attack you until the time is right." Kaiba crossed his arms, and a cold breeze blew through the halls of Mihira Dungeon.
Takato calmly looked at the ghostly presence. Guilmon... are you strong enough to attack? Deep in his heart, Takato felt a surge of confidence. He knew how strong Guilmon was, and he was sure that it would be enough to defeat whatever Kaiba had played. He just had to have faith in his Digimon.
The moment Guilmon's energy charged up to maximum, Takato leaped into action. "Get him!!" Guilmon reared his head back and unleashed a full-power Pyro Sphere at the shimmering entity. The energy ball exploded against the beast's hide, and flickers of flame showered in all directions. The entity refused to move, even after being slammed by such a powerful force. Takato was in shock.
No way... what could be strong enough to deflect an attack so easily? Even a Champion would have been knocked back from that.
Kaiba chuckled, again adding to Takato's irritation. "Nice try. As bright as a firecracker, and just as potent. You'll have to do a lot better than that to hurt my monsters." Kaiba extended his hand forward, and his monster changed from an invisible presence into one with scales and claws. The creature was a massive dragon that dwarfed Takato and his digimon and was easily as big as a truck. The dragon roared mightily, making Takato cringe. His Duel Ark beeped rapidly, and he looked down to see what information it had on the beast.
** ATK 2900 / DEF 2500 / SPD 8
** A Power Level 8 Dragon with a "Reflex Blast" that has a second energy wave immediately after the first.
Takato's eyes widened. This isn't good! That attack could destroy Guilmon and hit me directly. I'd be dead in one hit! The moment he realized this, Tyrant Dragon's energy reached its peak and the beast started to gather massive amounts of energy at the base of its throat.
"Reflex Blast!!" Kaiba commanded. The mighty dragon opened its mouth wide and brought a torrent of power on Guilmon and Takato. Jeri cried as loudly as she could to the tamer, but the roar of the attack and its resulting explosion drowned out all other noise. Veemon and Gatomon knocked Jeri down and covered her as the blast sent particles of marble and stone flying in all directions.
Kaiba smirked triumphantly. "Pitiful." He lowered his hand and looked at his ark, but noticed something very odd. Takato's life points hadn't changed, and neither had Guilmon's hit points. Both of them were at maximum health. Tyrant Dragon's attack didn't seem to affect them in the slightest!
"What... how did he...?" A burst of light and a rush of wind brought Kaiba's attention back to the battle at hand. Guilmon's Pyro Sphere slammed into Tyrant Dragon and knocked it back slightly. The attack didn't damage the creature, but it served as warning to Kaiba. The boy was still fighting.
Takato panted as he clutched the Gallantmon card in his hand as tightly as possible. In front of the boy, Guilmon was leaning against the back of a massive red-and-silver shield like that used by the Mega on the card. When Kaiba again looked at his ark's data readout, he realized how Tyrant Dragon's attack was negated.
"You slashed your Gallantmon card to combine its "Shield of the Just" with your rookie," Kaiba said in analysis. "The result added the Mega's defense points to your rookie's, thus making it strong enough to block both Reflex Blasts."
Takato laughed. The threat of death had triggered his sense of humor. "I told you I'm going to protect Jeri. I'm not going to let you beat me." Takato discarded the spent Gallantmon card and reloaded his hand. "And since Tyrant Dragon is at such a high power level, it'll take him a long time to recharge enough to attack and fight. Guilmon only used a little energy when I combined Gallantmon's shield with him, so he'll be able to get in a lot of hits on your dragon before you're even able to fight back. Your dragon is about to die!"
Kaiba scowled. "Well, if you think that Tyrant Dragon is as helpless as you say, then attack." Kaiba folded his hand into a wallet-sized stack, and with the flick of his finger caused one of the cards to rise up and rest between his fingers. He was ready to slash it at a moment's notice.
Guilmon recharged to full power quickly since he had a low power level, so Takato didn't have to wait long. "Hit that dragon with everything you've got!!" The digimon obeyed and continuously blasted the powerless dragon with his special attack. Even though Tyrant Dragon's defensive power was astronomically high compared to the rookie's power, Guilmon's attacks were affecting the creature's scales. After several quick blasts, parts of the Tyrant Dragon's hide were weakened to the point of fracture. By the time the dragon was able to attack again, Guilmon had already done major damage to the creature's defenses. [TD's DEF: 2500 == 1600]
"Cave Dragon!!" Kaiba slashed the monster card he'd been holding, which brought a spiritual version of the creature to the field. The spirit fused with the Tyrant Dragon and powered it up, granting it 400 extra attack and defense points and giving it a quick burst of speed as well [TD's ATK +400 / DEF +400 / SPD +4]. Tyrant Dragon forwent the use of the Reflex Blast, as it would take too long to recharge afterwords, and during that time Takato might find a way to destroy it completely. Kaiba ordered the beast to attack with its claws, which required considerably less energy. Tyrant Dragon's claw slashed down at the smaller rookie, but some quick thinking by Takato saved the digimon's life again.
"Speed Chip!" Takato's option card gave Guilmon a burst of speed that enabled him to dodge the dragon's attack, just in the knick of time. Guilmon leaped onto the dragon's back and unleashed another flurry of Pyro Spheres, which again succeeded in reducing the creature's defenses. Without energy, Tyrant Dragon could do little more than squirm and bat weakly at the intruder on its neck. With the Speed Chip, Guilmon was able to score many more hits than last time before Tyrant Dragon was able to retaliate effectively. [TD's DEF: 2000 == 1100]
"Now, to finish it!!" Takato slashed a Digivolution card, quickly evolving his partner into his Champion form, Growlmon [2750/1750, SPD 24]. The powerful dinosaur roared aggressively as he eyed his weakened opponent.
"Pyro Blaster!!" Growlmon's head reared back as it blasted away with its special attack. With its defenses as weak as they were, Tyrant Dragon could not survive the awesome blast that Growlmon generated. The fiery red energy burnt through the mighty dragon like he was tinder, and erased him from the field once and for all.
** Kaiba's LP: 2350 **
"All right!" Veemon cheered from the side line. "Good show, Gov'! That was great!"
"...It's amazing what one is capable of doing when defending the one he loves," Gatomon said. She glanced wryly at Jeri. "Wouldn't you agree, dah-ling?"
Jeri silently stared at the young tamer. His eyes were filled with determination and ferocity as he glared defiantly at his opponent. She realized that this was Takato's true power – the power she saw when he was fighting the D-Reaper only a few months ago. This was the power that drew her to Takato in the first place.
"Impressive," Kaiba said, his cards still folded in his hand. "I must say, I didn't think you could destroy the Tyrant Dragon, even with one of your digivolved monsters. I never dreamed you'd defeat him with a second stage Digimon."
"A Digimon's power comes from its heart, not its form!" Takato replied. "Growlmon and I will take on anything you've got!" The champion roared in agreement, and returned to an easy sway as it waited for its energy to recharge. This gave Kaiba the time he needed to think of his next move.
"Warm-up is over." Kaiba placed a new monster into his active slot, which materialized as another large dragon. This dragon, however, didn't appear to be made out of scales or claws. In fact, this one didn't even look solid. The dragon seemed to be made completely out of some kind of multi-colored water. It was like a pudding dragon!
Dracoplasm** ATK ???? / DEF ???? / SPD 25
** A Rare Ka made up of liquefied souls. The Dracoplasm's powers depend on what monsters are given to it as Tribute.
** Current Attributes: ATK 0 / DEF 0.
Takato blinked at his ark's data on the creature. "Huh? It's powerless... until monsters are given to it as Tribute. But, what does it mean by Tribute?"
Kaiba smirked. "I'll show you." Kaiba drew a card, and immediately placed it into another slot on his Duel Ark. A massive white-scaled dragon appeared behind the duelist, but it didn't look like it was meant to battle. The beast was trapped by spike-lined chains that cut into its hide and drew blood from various parts of its body. The dragon roared in pain, and seemed to grow sick as wisps of green flame rose from it and turned into vapor. The vapor hovered for a moment, then shot into the Dracoplasm and gave it substance. The chained dragon did not die, but it looked sickly and near death. Its flesh hung from its skeleton, making it look a lot like a zombie or some other undead creature. The dragon struggled with all its might, but it was unable to free itself. It looked like it was in unbearable pain, but struggling only seemed to make it worse.
** Current Attributes: ATK 3000 / DEF 2500 **
Jeri watched this and was horrified by it. "My God... that poor thing..." Beside her, Gatomon and Veemon were pale with fear.
Takato trembled, aghast at the sounds of agony the dragon was making. "You.... monster..."
Kaiba frowned. "In 3rd edition Duel Monsters, Tributes are normally used to summon monsters of higher level. But in this crossover battle system, Tributes must be used differently. Many monsters draw strength from the creatures Tributed to it, such as this Dracoplasm. It's not an uncommon thing in Duel Monsters."
Now, Takato knew for certain that Duelists were all something besides human. They were sick, twisted, and demented. Kaiba was an example of how horrible the Duelists really were. How could they honestly allow monsters to be used like this? If a Duelist ever found real monsters like Takato and his friends did, he couldn't imagine what horrors the monster would suffer.
Filled with rage, Takato took a card and slashed it so hard, that a line of sparks was left in its wake. "GRANI!! Yuggoth Blaster!!" The false digimon flew onto the field and shifted shape so that it could rest on Growlmon's back like a catapult or rocket [GM's ATK == 3400]. Grani's mouth opened wide, and a powerful three-headed blast erupted from it like a cannonball. The attack slammed into the Dracoplasm and shattered it into millions of jello fragments. But just as quickly as the monster was destroyed, its shattered pieces slithered together and reformed into a single entity again. Dracoplasm roared, showing no signs of weakness.
"You won't win by simply blasting it," Kaiba informed him. "It's a plasma-based monster that can reform itself when it is attacked. But just because you can't hurt it, doesn't mean it can't hurt you." Dracoplasm's energy peaked, and the monster used the stolen power of the Blue Eyes Dragon to unleash a White Lightning attack. The hot-white electricity shot into Growlmon and Grani, and dealt major damage to both monsters. Growlmon flew back and rolled across the hall, nearly crushing Takato at the same time. Grani remained linked to the dinosaur, but had major breaks in its armor and several damaged wires dangling from its body like tendons [GM's HP: 2500 = 1250 || Grani's HP: 1400 = 400].
Takato started to sweat. What now? His confidence fading, Takato slowly drew a card from his deck. For a brief moment, the card carried a blue reflection and was labeled with a holographic digimon symbol. Takato read the card, and considered its abilities.
"Better hurry," Kaiba teased. "Dracoplasm's energy is returning quickly. And the next attack will wipe out your monsters and your life points. Then I'll get to take Jeri and let Zero do whatever he wants with her. I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you."
Takato struggled to remain calm, but his face turned red from his blood boiling. He slashed the card he drew. "Psychemon's Illusion!" In a flash, the lone Growlmon/Grani fusion on the field turned into four monsters, each looking exactly the same as the first.
Kaiba growled. "Dammit... why do all the pathetic players have to use stalling cards like these?" He recalled how Yugi Muto liked to use Magical Hats to stall his opponents when his back was against the wall. It seemed, there was one kid like Yugi in every game.
Takato stood there, unwavering and without fear... at least on the outside. Inside, his hopes of winning this battle were fading. If things kept going like this, he would lose the most important person in his life.
[Merry-Go Town || 6 miles from En'Dal]
Yugi slept peacefully, his body still battered and bruised from whatever attacked him. Mokuba brought him to the local inn when he found the duelist in the middle of town, half-dead thanks to being trapped in the burning wreckage of an illegally hacked circus tent. The holographic environments on the island were just as deadly as the monsters, so an environment that was hacked could have serious consequences for anyone unlucky enough to be trapped inside the environment at the time.
"Are you sure you can't figure out who hacked the tent?" Mokuba asked again. He was speaking to the super-computer in the Kaiba mansion. It managed to access the data files that logged the various changes and updates to the Monster Island mainframe, including any changes made to the environment and the wild monsters, and any players that were using their Duel Arks. But despite all this information, the computer was lacking the single piece of information that Mokuba wanted.
"I'm sorry, little mas-tah. The mainframe has no records of the environment's holo-file being opened, so it wasn't changed by the island's mainframe. Whoever changed the file must've been using a highly encrypted connection to avoid being detected and identified by the system's security."
Mokuba sighed. "Well, at least Sakura is safe. I don't know why she wandered off like that. She says she has no idea what possessed her to leave like that."
"Did she run a self-diagnostic?"
"Yes. The only thing she found was a lapse of memory during the period and a depletion in her energy banks. She's really worried. But as long as she's safe..."
"Keep a close eye on her, Mokuba-kun," the computer warned. "Sakura is a fragile kind of girl, in more ways than one. There's no telling what an experimental system like hers can do. There's already enough stress on her system thanks to that Level 9 Duel AI that your brother had her implanted with."
Mokuba frowned. "...I know. Believe me, Sakura's safety is the biggest thing on my mind right now. I can't leave the island without Seto, so I have to stay here and figure out what's going on, and put a stop to it if necessary. I just have to make sure that Zero or Seto don't take Sakura away in the meantime."
Yugi groaned nearby, and Mokuba looked over. The boy was still sleeping, but he was restless. "Yugi was attacked by something dangerous. If it could hurt him this badly, it must be incredibly dangerous to normal players. I think Zero sent a powerful monster or player after us, and Yugi was caught in the crossfire."
Yugi tossed and turned again, and Mokuba watched sadly. "I wonder what he's seeing right now..."
--
"You cannot!" Pharaoh shouted. His powerful voice echoed throughout the great hall of his Egyptian palace. "I will not allow her to suffer such a fate because of your fear!"
High Priest Seto scowled at the Pharaoh's words. To insinuate that a priest was afraid was like spitting on the face of Ra himself. "Pharaoh, allow me to reiterate the importance of this. The slave's hidden powers could destroy Egypt and all her people. Her Ka's strength is beyond God. Even your divine powers would be put to the test if she were to release Exodia's sealed powers."
Pharaoh slammed his fist on the throne and jumped to his feet. His cape flapped as the roar of his power was heard. As his anger built, his shadow powers increased in strength. "I will never condemn a pure soul to the curse of immortal mummification. Such punishment is only to be used on the most dark and horrible demons and sorcerers. And never on a child!"
"The curse is the only ritual powerful enough to seal a God's host," Seto reminded him. "Juri's power is untapped because she lacks experience. But in a moment of rage, anyone can unleash their magical powers and manipulate their Ka. We must do everything in our power to stop Juri from releasing that power, accidentally or on purpose. This is the only way. No tomb or prison can hold a God at bay."
Pharaoh trembled. "But... Juri... she is but a child."
"She is a slave," Seto snapped. "Ra's love is not for them, and you are Ra's incarnation! You are acting foolish!"
The hall went deadly silent. The high priests were powerful in their own rights, but they all served Pharaoh and bowed to his will. But proud Seto always tested the Pharaoh's limits and always came dangerously close to unleashing his fury. However, Pharaoh could not punish Seto. His powers were too great, so his services were necessary. His value as a servant gave Seto power, and he knew it.
Pharaoh bit his tongue to hold back his rage. "I understand the dangers, Seto. But I know Juri personally from her tutorship under Simon. My powers let me see into the souls of all I encounter. She is the purest heart I have encountered... a living angel. She and I have discussed things during her studies that I have never discussed with anyone else. I... will never allow her to be punished because of Fate's hand."
Seto boldly took a step forward, which brought him onto the raised pedestal where Pharaoh's throne, and his magical seal of Sun and Moon, both rested. Seto's eyes locked with Pharaoh's, neither backing down with their intensity. Seto calmly leaned forward, as if bowing.
"She will be buried in the tomb of Ryou-ka," the priest said. "She will be bound within the sealing linens, marked with the three wards of the Gods via burning irons, then mummified alive with the magic-draining Scarabs. They will feast on her body and her soul for a millennium, until there is nothing left of her Ba except scarab dung. Only then will Exodia be vulnerable!"
** FLASH!"You will not harm Juri in any way! Do you understand!!" FLASH! **
"NO!!" Pharaoh roared. A golden eye appeared on his forehead, signaling the awakening of the dark spirit within him, and the power that accompanied it. Osiris, the two-mouthed Dragon God, burst into existence as the young king summoned his powers. Seto was flung through the air by the wind wash created by the God's summoning. Several of the High Priests trembled in fear, for none of their powers could match that of Pharaoh when he was enraged.
"Stop!!" shouted the High Priestess possessing the Millennium Necklace. Isis Ishtar stepped onto the duel arena, where Seto and Pharaoh's dragon were. "We must not war amongst ourselves. We must decide our course of action and make haste. Soon, the Guilty Prince of the Orient will come. As a summoner, he will be protected by many guardians. They will be more than a match for our powers, and we must be ready to back up our claim on Juri. If the Prince proves her astrological lineage that deems her his bride, we will not be allowed to imprison her. The Gods would turn their backs on us."
"...If you imprison her then, a war between the Orient and Egypt will begin, costing many lives on both sides," the Pharaoh finished. "I refuse to allow Juri to suffer in vain, when her imprisonment will not only cause her eternal suffering, but spell doom for my people and the people under Prince Takato's protection." Pharaoh stepped forward, Osiris bowing as low as possible as the divine one passed. "You will obey my commands, High Priest Seto. Is that understood?"
Seto glowered, his face sweating lightly from the threat of Osiris. "...You are not thinking with a god's mind, my Lord. You are thinking with a man's lust." Seto stood, his hallowed cape whipping behind him, and left the great hall. Pharaoh glared at the priest, but made no move to attack him. Osiris remained bowed, until he was dispelled by the Pharaoh and returned to his tablet in the Veja Cathedral.
One of the high priests stepped forward, bowing his head to avoid gazing into the divine one's eyes. "My Lord. There is a risk that High Priest Seto will take matters into his own hands, as he has done before. The slave is in danger."
Pharaoh looked at his holy servants in the same way that a general looked at his soldiers. "Have Juri confined to my quarters for the time being. Place the two best details there to guard her. Isis?"
"Yes my Lord." The woman bowed.
"Care for her. Protect her with your powers. Your Ka has the best advantage against Seto's beasts."
Isis paused. Despite that "advantage", Seto was powerful beyond belief. His power was close to that of the Pharaoh's. It was rumored that Seto would one day be able to summon the Gods himself. Isis was strong... but she had doubts. Regardless, she bowed obediently. "Yes, my Lord. I will protect her with my life."
"...Thank you." Pharaoh looked across the great hall. Simon Muran, his caretaker and teacher, was waiting patiently there, a grim look on his face. "...I will prepare for the Guilty Prince's arrival."
[Mihira Dungeon]
The Dracoplasm blasted away one of the Growlmon's on the field, but no damage registered on Kaiba's Duel Ark. The attack was wasted on a powerless image. And now, during the time it took for Dracoplasm to recharge his special attack, Takato would act.
Just as I thought. His dragon is made of that gooey junk, so it can't make any physical attack or defense moves that I have to worry about, Takato noted. Which means I don't have to sit back and defend. He chose one of the cards in his hand and slashed it, revealing it to be the "Rhinomon" card – an Armored digimon created from Patamon and the Golden Digiegg. Takato wasn't summoning it, so he didn't have to worry about the egg or the rookie. The armored, gold-plated rhino monster floated as a spirit into Growlmon and powered him up appropriately [ATK +500 / DEF +500 / SPD +5]. Growlmon now sported a golden horn on his head that looked sturdy and sharp. The illusionary Growlmon's disappeared in a flash.
"Charge!!" Growlmon pawed at the ground, and ran as fast as it could towards the enemy. Dracoplasm growled with delight and readied itself for a hit.
"Didn't I already tell you that was useless?" Kaiba said. "Dracoplasm will simply reform if you hit him."
"Only if he has enough power to reform!" Takato shot back. "So if I take out your Tribute monster, then your dragon won't be able to do anything but bite the dust!" Growlmon barreled across the field and slammed through the liquid dragon like a kid running through a waterfall. The dragon burst into millions of pieces and slowly started to reform, but this didn't stop Growlmon's charge. The dinosaur ran straight into the chained Blue Eyes Dragon and impaled it on the end of his golden horn. The creature's roar of pain was brief, and the dragon's death was instantaneous thanks to the weakness in its body. Dracoplasm roared angrily as its form started to dissolve and lose the precious green vapor that represented the power of the Tribute monster.
** Current Attributes: ATK 0 / DEF 0 – Unable to regenerate. **
Kaiba chuckled. "Fool. You fell right into my trap. Shadow Spell!!" Kaiba's magic card activated the moment he slashed it, and sent out a storm of black chains that ensnared the massive Growlmon. The dinosaur roared and shrieked as its body was trapped, and the Dracoplasm began drawing from it as it had done the Blue Eyes Dragon. In short order, Growlmon's body was drained of its health, its energy, and its strength. The chains sprouted spines that punctured the Digimon's hide, signaling the change in status of Takato's monster. He was now a Tribute for the Dracoplasm.
"No...!" Takato could only watch painfully as his best friend was tortured by the chains of tribute. "Let him go!!"
"I can't do that," Kaiba answered with mild amusement. "You see, by trapping him and using him as a new Tribute for my monster, I can ensure that you won't be able to defend yourself against Dracoplasm's next attack."
Takato tried to remove Growlmon's card from the active slot, but a violent spark from the ark itself kept him from doing so. Takato gasped in pain and kissed the tips of his fingers where the spark had burnt him. He tried again, but the same thing happened. "Darn it! Why can't I switch monsters?"
"Because your current monster can't move," Kaiba pointed out. "He's under my control while those chains have him trapped. So I can use him as Tribute fodder for my monster and attack you directly." To prove his point, the Dracoplasm powered up and unleashed a powerful Pyro Blaster attack, mimicking the attack used by Growlmon. Takato yelled as an incredible amount of power rushed over him like a wave, and knocked him back with just as much force. The boy ended up a good fifteen feet away, flat on his back and dizzy from hitting his head on the ground so hard.
** Takato's LP: 600 **
"No!!" Jeri cried. She tried to run to him, but Veemon and Gatomon grabbed her arms and stopped her with some effort.
"Are you crazy!?" Veemon chided her. "You'll be killed if you run in there while they're blastin' away at each other! Your boy has that glove to protect him. You don't!"
"I don't care!" Jeri shouted. She squirmed her way out of the Digimon's grasp and ran to where Takato lay, still severely stunned. The girl gently touched his face, and spoke softly too him. "Takato...?"
"Jeri..." The boy's eyes were wet from the sudden shock to his system, and the feeling of impending defeat. "Run away... please..."
"I can't leave you behind," Jeri said. "I won't leave you behind." She remembered how much Takato and the others went through to save her from the D-Reaper, when they could have just as easily left her for dead and destroyed the monster by more forceful means. Her friends had risked all to save her at the risk of their own lives. She had to repay them. But, she... couldn't fight. If she tried, she was sure she would lose Takato the same way she lost Leomon.
"Jeri... run..." Takato cringed and pulled himself to a sit-up position. His head was ringing from the severe blow he'd received. He managed to stand up, and steadied himself. "Run!" he said more forcefully.
"No!!" Jeri shouted, but Takato was already moving. He raced to where he'd been standing before the attack, and pushed a button on his ark that forced Grani to be destroyed. The resulting explosion wiped out Growlmon as well, taking away the Tribute monster Dracoplasm had been using. Watching Growlmon die was hard, but Takato had no other choice but to fight. He refused to let Jeri down. She had to be saved from capture before Kaiba succeeded in killing him.
Time seemed to slow down. Jeri begged for Takato to stop. Takato summoned an Elecmon and ordered it to attack. Kaiba played another Tribute monster, quickly enough for Dracoplasm to absorb its power. Takato tried to stop the impending attack, but was too late. Elecmon was burned by the awesome power of Dracoplasm. Takato was hit by the resulting backlash, which sent a shock to his nervous system and knocked him off his feet. Jeri watched in horror as the boy she loved went limp, and slowly fell forward to the ground. He didn't move.
And that's when it happened.
[Elsewhere on the island...]
Zero looked up as his Ebon Puzzle let off a burst of light. He felt her as clear as day... the girl whom his Pharaoh host had chosen. The slave with Exodia in her heart... it was Juri.
Kaiba has awakened her! Zero laughed and turned around, his cape slapping against the wind as he did. And such power... she must be readying her shadow magic. Poor Kaiba is strong, but even his hatred may not stand against a spirit that has been imprisoned in Ryou-ka for so very long. Zero called upon his own powers, and manipulated the digital world around him to the point where he could move at an incredible speed. Zero became a blur, using his shadow magic to run quickly through the digital landscape. I will be there soon, Juri... sooner than your beloved Pharaoh. I will capture you myself and hold you as bait for the other Ka Bearers. Then, when all are gathered and fully awakened, Sakura can complete the task at hand and free Exodia for my ultimate purpose.
Zero smirked to himself as the environment became a blur of digital world data. It is time the spirits of the past paid for their crimes against Egypt. They will learn why only Nitemare could be the dark side of the Pharaoh, and the only true heir to the Gods of Egypt and Orient.
[Mihira Dungeon]
Kaiba wondered what changed in the figure before him. A moment ago, Takato was defending a little girl who seemed too scared to move. Now, the girl was standing like a woman who'd faced horrible things her entire life. The calmness in her step was unearthly.
"Too bad your little boyfriend isn't around to see you leave," Kaiba said. "Come on, kid. This is your last chance to come quietly. I'd rather carry an unconscious girl than a screaming one." To emphasize his point, Kaiba cracked the knuckles of his left hand by simply flexing his fingers a certain way. He then balled it into a fist. "Let's go."
Juri looked at Kaiba without fear, and waved her hand. The environment fizzled into particles of data, which then changed into the vague shape of jars. Four such jars formed out of nothing, and materialized in a row before the girl. Each jar looked exactly the same to the casual viewer, but each had a special purpose. Juri coldly looked up, and waited for Kaiba's reaction.
"So you can summon monsters without the Duel Ark..." he mused. "You must be "awakened" like Zero said you would be." Kaiba laughed and arched his back. "Excellent! I will test you myself! No way some little girl from the past will make a difference against my corporate empire!" Kaiba returned his gaze to Juri, and called his dragon into action after setting a new beast into the Tribute slot. "Dracoplasm! Attack with the Spear Dragon's energy! Steel Striker!!" [1900/0]
The rare Ka howled and unleashed a quick blast of energy that formed into a swarm of flying steel shards. The girl remained cold and motionless, like an angry statue of a goddess. The shards flew straight for Juri, but didn't get close enough to hit her. The shards hovered inches before the girl's face, before shooting straight into the third jar. The jar glowed silver for a moment, then flashed as it released the energy of the Steel Striker and sent it flying at Kaiba's monster.
"She reflected it!" Kaiba shouted. His dragon was stabbed by the white-hot shards of metal. The plasma hit by the attack was instantly incinerated, which resulted in damage for the beast. Dracoplasm growled, shocked that it had been damaged! [DP's HP: 2000 = 100]
Kaiba grimaced. That attack had taken a lot of health from his dragon, and the girl hadn't even made the attack! He did it to himself! "Damn jars... how did they reflect my dragon's attack?" Kaiba looked at his Duel Ark for information. But the screen of the ark was filled with nothing but static.
"What's going on?" Kaiba asked himself. When he looked up at his opponent again, he saw the most terrifying thing he could imagine. Hovering behind the girl was the translucent image of a great, golden spirit. That spirit was Exodia the Forbidden One. As the creature became visible, Juri's hair and dress flowed from a strong wind. Her powers were growing rapidly.
Kaiba's eyes were locked on the girl, and his cries were stuck in his throat. He was truly afraid. "It can't... be..."
The girl smiled like a fiend. "Se... to...." Her voice echoed like that of a banshee, readying her cry of death. Juri let loose with an ear-splitting shriek, and Exodia's power flared to life. The great god shot his arm forth and spread his hand, just before releasing the devastating blast that could obliterate anything in his path. The Dracoplasm was unable to flee, and unable to survive. Kaiba and the beast were surrounded by Exodia's awesome power.
"AAGGGHHHHHhhhh....!!" Kaiba's cry echoed through the halls of Mihira Dungeon, just before the dungeon itself exploded from the pent up energies inside it. Exodia's presence howled in pleasure as destruction reigned around it. And at the center of all this destruction, was the little girl in the green dress, her eyes filled with demonic rage.
Juri was free. And soon, she would have her revenge.
** Music reaches a crescendo upon Juri's release, then disappears in a flash. **
** The silence is deafening. **
[Kulu Forest || 1:05 PM]
There were Digi-Gnomes here. That was the first thing that Rika noticed when she and Ash found this clearing. After winning two Crests from two different Dungeons, the two decided to find a place to rest for the afternoon. Ash offered to find something edible if Rika started the camp, so Rika was trying to set up a fire. That is, until she saw the Digi-Gnomes playing in the area. The moment she saw them, she ran towards them, shouting questions about Who and Where and How. But as she got close, they disappeared into the trees like ghosts. Rika chased a few others in the area, but they too fled the scene.
After a while, Rika realized that they couldn't be actual Digi-Gnomes. You had to be in the Digital World to see a Digi-Gnome, and there was no way for anyone to get there now. The Red Card's program, combined with the ambient energies of that digital plane, would kill anyone who tried to go through a portal. Seeing those Digi-Gnomes was just a grim reminder of the fact that Rika and the others had been forced to accept. The Digital World, and their Digimon, were gone forever. There was no way back.
Now, Rika was sitting on a stump in the middle of the forest. Her thoughts were on the past, when she was a Digimon Tamer, and had an ever-present shadow that protected her from everything while asking for nothing. Rika never deserved Renamon, but she accepted her presence and servitude so easily, that it never occurred to her that Renamon could one day leave. Renamon was Rika's shadow – a cool, confident adult who saw the world with crystal clarity, knew exactly what she had to do to succeed, and did so with infinite grace. Rika, on the other hand, barely knew how to handle one boy. Renamon was the woman that Rika couldn't bring herself to be.
A single tear slid down Rika's cheek. She wanted Renamon back. She wanted to be respected by everyone. She wanted to become a woman. She wanted all those things, but she couldn't have them. She couldn't evolve into the kind of grown-up girl that Ryo seemed to want. And she doubted she could be a grown-up that would appeal to a sweet, sporty guy like Ash. All she could be was a child with a big mouth and a redhead's temper. No guy wanted a child for a girlfriend.
Rika's heart was heavy. She gasped rhythmically as she tried to hold back her tears. But slowly, her strength gave way. She cried to herself, and let her weakness be revealed to the world, even though nobody was close enough to witness.
Slowly, Rika regained some composure. She thought about Ash, and how embarrassing it would be if he walked in all of a sudden and saw her crying like that. Rika refused to let anyone see her cry as openly as she just had – not even Henry, who knew things about her that no guy should know. She didn't let herself cry in front of him for more than a second, as she had done over the phone a day ago. She didn't even cry in front of her mother.
Rika sighed. She felt a little better, but not much. Her mind was stuck on the painful subject of boys – two boys, in particular. Ryo had shown Rika what it was to be in an adult relationship, even though neither of them were technically adults. Ryo tried to bring their relationship into the physical arena, but Rika refused to take it that far, and fighting ensued because of that. Rika liked the digimon cowboy for his roguish behavior and his ability to make her smile, but she hated his cavalier attitude towards love and the specialness of their relationship. It seemed that Ryo cared only about the physical aspects – kissing, holding hands, and the more adult forms of interaction.
Then there was Ash, this boy that Rika just met, and couldn't act normal around. At first, she thought Ash was just a kid, compared to the teenage Ryo. But as they talked and interacted, Rika started to see Ash for what he really was – a person like her, on the verge of growing up but not quite there. Ash lived the life of a wanderer, and had the same wild aspect that drew Rika to Ryo in the first place. But at the same time, Ash had a dark side caused by his friend, Misty, being injured by his rival in the sport that he loved. Ash saw Misty in Rika, and as a result saw a friend in her. But what else did he see?
And best of all, Ash was sweet. Ryo never mastered the art of sweetness. He called Rika his "pumpkin" a lot, and treated her nicely on occasion, but there was always that physical aspect underlining his words. He would hold her, and nuzzle her, and kiss her while he said those things. Ash, on the other hand, hadn't done anything remotely like that to her since they met. And all this time, Rika expected him to violate her privacy in some perverted manner.
Rika sighed. She didn't know how she felt anymore. She loved Ryo and hated him, and yet she felt something for Ash too – maybe the kind of lust that Ryo felt for her. Lust!? Rika shook the word from her head. Lust was too strong a word for children, and yet she couldn't think of another word to describe her feelings. She wanted to be as close to Ash as this Misty was, and she wanted to touch him. Not any place dirty, but she wanted to hold his hand and sit close to him. That was Lust too, right?
No, it wasn't! Lust was dirty and obscene! But it wasn't Love! Love was a spiritual thing. Lust was a physical thing. That's all that made them different. There was nothing else. Right?
Rika was so confused. She sighed again, and purposefully fell back and lay on the ground. She had to release these feelings of sadness and confusion somehow. And if she couldn't do it through crying, she had to do something else. So Rika did the first thing that came to mind. She started to sing a song – the song she heard her mother singing when she was thinking about her father. She lost herself in the skies above, as the wind caused the trees to gently sway back and forth.
~ Never knew, I could feel like this. Like I've never, seen the sky before... ~
Her voice was quiet at first. She whispered the words, her tune trembling as her tears threatened to flow again. Rika controlled herself by taking a deep breath. She continued the song, still slow but with more force in her words.
~ I want to vanish inside your kiss. Every day I love you more and more. ~
--
Ash stabbed a pocket knife into an apple he found in a tree, and tasted it. The sweet taste of fresh fruit filled his mouth. He hungrily took a bite from the apple himself, and found that it was juicy and luscious. It was a good apple.
"I guess holographic food is good too," Ash shrugged. He tossed one of the smaller apples to his pet Chikorita. "What do you think?"
Chikorita twitched its head-leaf, and took a baby bite from the apple. It let out a satisfied "chiiii..." and took several more bites from the fruit. The virtual pet was smiling brightly.
"Yeah, these are really good." Ash took another big bite from his apple, and picked up the bag he'd filled with all the fruits they found on their search. "Come on. Let's get these back to camp. Rika's probably finished setting up the fire." Chikorita nodded and followed.
Ash lugged the bag down the make-shift trail that Chikorita had made with its Razor Leaf. The bag was full of fruit and rather heavy, but Ash positioned his bag on his shoulder so that it was easier to carry the bulk without getting tired as quickly. Ash had to take a slower pace to keep his balance, but he didn't mind. Chikorita needed him to go slow so that it could keep up. Its teeny-tiny legs forced it to run to match the pace of a walking human.
Half way down the road, Chikorita stopped. Ash paused and looked over his free shoulder. "What's the matter?"
Chikorita turned its head towards the brush, and turned it sideways to listen. "Chi-kah?"
"I don't hear anything." Chikorita hissed, as if telling him to shush, and continued listening. Ash remained quiet, and listened impatiently. Slowly, he heard what had gotten Chikorita's attention.
~ Listen to my heart, can you hear, it sings... Telling me, to give you every~thing... ~
~ Seasons may change, winter to spring. But I love you, until the end... of time. ~
~ Come, what may~! Come, what may~! I, will love you, until my dy~ing... day... ~
It was a beautiful singing voice – the most beautiful he'd ever heard. He'd heard people sing, but never had he heard someone sing with so much emotion. This person – this girl – was singing her heart out. But why? Who was it?
"Chi-kah!" the pokemon snapped. It rushed towards the direction of the voice for a few feet, then turned and bounced up and down.
Ash was about to drop his bag and follow, but his instincts took over. He stopped himself. "...We can't. Its none of our business."
Chikorita puffed its cheeks, and glared with chibi-fied intensity. "Chi-KAH!" it pouted.
"I said No," Ash snapped. "Now let's go, or you're going back into the pokeball." Ash turned and started walking down the path. When he looked to make sure Chikorita was following, it ran into the woods!
"Hey, come back!" The pokemon refused to stop, so Ash dropped his bag and ran after it. It wasn't difficult to catch up to Chikorita, but the moment he grabbed at it, it dodged with its unnatural quickness. Ash tried again, but again he failed.
"...You're really irritating me," Ash warned. "Now, come here!" He held out his pokeball, and released the red beam that would re-capture his pokemon.
The moment the beam got close, Chikorita jumped to the side and avoided it. Ash tried again, but again Chikorita dodged. Ash tried three more times, and three more times Chikorita evaded the capture beam. The little pokemon smirked and wagged its behind, taunting its trainer.
Ash frowned, and pocketed his pokeball. "Fine. We'll go see who it is. But it's not like I care."
"Chi," the pokemon said, sarcastically agreeing. Chikorita sprinted in the direction of the singing, and Ash followed at a slower pace.
--
Rika stared into the sky, and imagined that there was some kind of heavenly being beyond the sky, staring back at her. She pretended that someone out there was watching her, and it was someone she trusted implicitly. It was like pretending that Renamon was there, watching over her again.
"... I think, that I like you," she said, using the imaginary person as a mirror. "I don't know whether I'm wrong for feeling this way or not. But... I want to hold you and feel your warmth."
Rika slowly blinked her eyes, and they sparkled with sadness. "I need you, Ash."
There was a footstep. Rika's heart skipped a beat. Someone was here!
"Are you okay?" Ash walked over, slowly stopped at her head and looked down at her.
Rika stared up at him, her face a little flush. "I... I, um..." Had he heard her daydreaming!?
Ash blinked, and cocked his head. "Was that you singing?" A green pokemon on Ash's shoulder squeaked to emphasize the question.
He heard her gawd-awful singing! Rika panicked for a moment, but managed to recover her senses. She sat up and put on her Too-Tough-to-Care act. "N-no!" she said quickly. "Only little girls who go to church in little pink dresses sing. That's not my style."
Ash frowned. "Oh. I guess the girl just passed through." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm not much of a singer either. But I'll sing if someone else sings with me."
Rika considered that. Did Ash like girls who sang? She quickly threw that thought away. There was no way she could sing beautifully enough to impress a guy.
"Typical boy answer." Rika heard Ash laughing yet again, and gave him a stern look. "What's so funny?"
"You must've hit the ground hard. Your hair shifted."
Rika felt her ponytail, and indeed it had shifted. Rather than pointing back and upwards like normal, it was sharply angled to the left. It looked like a waterspout. Oh, she must've looked ridiculous!
"I-It's not funny!" Rika growled and tried to fix her hair, but the darn thing didn't want to bend back into place. She felt like she was going to die from embarrassment.
Ash put a firm hand on her shoulder, which practically paralyzed Rika with surprise. "What are you-"
"Shhh," he said simply. Rika promptly went silent. Ash slowly raised his other hand, while Chikorita watched curiously from his left shoulder. Ash brought his hand to Rika's hair band, and removed it. Rika's hair fell with gravity, but the sharp angle in her hair caused the tips of the hair to poke out the sides. Since her ponytail was made from both sides of the back of her head, the angled tips spread out more or less evenly. The result was a hair-style that actually looked like it was constructed in a barber shop through a perm.
"There. Now you look like Sora," Ash teased. "She's one of the cartoon characters, right?"
Rika gulped. Ash's hands were still on her shoulders. She just knew her face was too red to hide. She'd never felt more out of control of a situation, and yet she never felt better. "Y-yeah. She's one of the Digidestined. Her hair didn't really look like this until the 2nd season though."
Inwardly, Rika cringed. I can't believe I just said that. I sound like one of those otaku freaks.
Ash's smile faded a bit. "Sorry for messing with your hair, but... For a second... you looked too much like Misty. And... I'm trying not to think about her right now."
Rika looked into his eyes. Ash was lost in thoughts of Misty, somewhere far away in a hospital, trying to regain the use of her legs after that near-death experience caused by her last Pokemon battle. His eyes were filled with guilt. Poor Ash... it was almost like he blamed himself for what happened.
Rika realized that she'd been given her sign. She knew Ash's kind of girl – the kind of girl she'd have to be to get his attention. The only girl on his mind was Misty.
"You don't want me to look like her?" Rika asked softly.
"...No." Ash put his hands back in his pockets and resumed a casual stance. "I guess it sounds a little weird, but... I don't know. It kind of scares me that you and her look so much alike sometimes. Sometimes, I think I'd mistake you for her and do something embarrassing. I might hug you like I did when we first met. Or worse."
Rika smiled lightly. "Yeah. We don't want that to happen."
Ash's seriousness faded. He laughed and nudged Chikorita with his cheek. The pokemon nuzzled back. "Anyway, I found a whole lot of fruit that'll make a great lunch. We'll be stuffed so much, we won't be able to move until tomorrow!"
"Great..." Rika followed Ash as he and Chikorita raced back to the path, with Ash going much slower than normal, as if he were racing a child. Rika watched them, and smiled gently.
A guy like you would fall in love with your best friend. Rika raced after the two, threatening to overtake them if they were too slow. But just you wait Ash Ketchum. Rika Nonaka doesn't give up without a fight.
--
Later that day, Rika spoke to Henry via cell phone. They discussed the day's events, how they felt about the tournament in general, and how far they'd progressed. Henry talked about Joey and their strange partnership, and Henry's battle with the fake Jeri, aka Duplica Imite the Ditto Trainer. Rika talked about Ash Ketchum, and how they'd acquired the Makura Crest [monkey] and the Indra Crest [horse] in two different Dungeons. Rika remembered the battles with those respective Devas like they were yesterday, and was surprised to say that the Dungeon battles were just as difficult, if not more. This island was testing her skills, and she actually felt like she was growing. Henry honestly agreed.
"This island is like one big training camp," Henry suggested. "It's like Zero Muto set up this tournament to test our skills, and force us to adapt to the different game rules, battle strategies, and role-playing scenarios. This entire island is one big puzzle, and we're the pieces. He's got some ulterior motive, I know it."
"Do you think he's working on some project for Industrial Illusions?" Rika wondered. She leaned back, allowing her body to soak in the coolness of the pond. This was her bath for the day. Even though she was naked in the wilderness, she felt very comfortable just relaxing there. Maybe it was because Ash promised to watch for strangers in the area. And she wasn't afraid of a virtual rodent like Pikachu or a... thing like Cyndaquil seeing her in the buff.
"I think he's building an army to conquer someone."
"Get serious." Rika rubbed some water along her arms, trying to clean away the dried blood from a cut she'd earned in her first battle on the island.
"I am serious. Think about Rika. Why go to all this trouble to create an island with so much interactivity and danger? He's not just making a friendly competition for 13 and a half trillion Yen. He's training us to be better Tamers."
Rika groaned. "Listen to yourself for a second, Wong. This is a GAME. It's competitive and a little dangerous, but so is soccer and wrestling. Those guys aren't being trained for recruitment, are they?"
"Soccer players and wrestlers don't have holographic monsters that can kill people or destroy cities."
"Okay, okay, fine. Let's assume for a second that you're right – that Zero is training an island full of gamers to be super-skilled masters of monster battling, and that somehow he has a way to make us obey him. What then? What world are we conquering?"
"...Maybe we're conquering the Digital World."
Rika looked at the phone and shook her head in disbelief before dignifying that with a reply. "You need to take a nap."
"Hear me out, Rika." Rika groaned and relented, giving him her silent confirmation. Henry continued. "Have you taken off your Duel Ark yet?"
"Yes. In fact, I'm not wearing it right now." She glanced at the device, which was lying on her clothes pile a few feet away. "So?"
"...Have you felt any different with it off? I mean besides having less weight on your wrist."
Rika searched her mind for any relevant feelings, but found none. "Not really. Does this have a point to it?"
"Haven't you noticed? While you were wearing the ark, you didn't feel hungry or thirsty until you really thought about the time of day being lunch time?"
"So you're basing your entire Zero Army theory on my appetite?"
"...Fine, I have a better one for you. You're taking a bath, right?"
"Yeah."
"Put on your Duel Ark."
Rika sighed. "...Henry."
"Please, just do it."
Rika groaned, and reached over to grab the device. With some effort, she grabbed it without stepping out of the pond, and slid it onto her arm. "There, it's on. If I get electrocuted, my ghost is coming back to haunt you."
"...Now, just stay underwater for as long as you can. Try to imagine yourself as a fish or something, or pretend that you don't breath."
"...You want me to hold my breath?"
"Yes. Time yourself."
"I don't have to be taking a bath to do that. I can just hold my breath right now."
"That's true. But I want you to try and breathe the water like it was air."
Rika growled. "Henry, you're really starting to piss me off. If this is some kind of joke, you're going to be sorry. I'm going to choke on water with goose crap in it, and it's because of your theories."
"I know it sounds strange, but trust me. It'll work. I've done it myself."
Rika was still waiting for the punchline, but she knew it wouldn't come until she came out of the water sputtering. She figured she should get it out of the way so she can return to her relaxing and decide what kind of revenge to get on Henry. "Okay. I'm putting the phone aside. If I don't answer, it's because I've drowned in four feet of water."
"I'll be waiting." Rika put the phone aside, made sure her Duel Ark was active from her body heat and movements, and dunked her head into the water.
She floated inside the shallow pond for a few seconds, then turned so that her face was looking down to the bottom. Rika kept her eyes tightly shut, since water tended to sting her eyes even if it was clean. Slowly, Rika opened her mouth, exhaled slowly, and breathed in at a steady rate. She waited for the expected choke and cough.
But none came. The water passed into her, and her lungs filled as if she'd taken a deep breath of air.
Rika repeated the process, surprised but still in control of herself. She exhaled, and inhaled again, getting the same result. She continued breathing like this, and her breathing never halted or sputtered. She did this for three minutes before she opened her eyes.
When she did, the water was dark and murky. The dirt from the bottom rose and fell as she kicked around, causing even more murkiness. As Rika looked around though, she considered her situation. Henry told her to imagine herself as being able to breath underwater, and it worked. What else could she imagine and do?
Rika imagined the water clearing. She imagined all the silt and dirt disappearing like dust in the wind, and the water becoming crystal clear to the point where you could see to the other side. Rika turned and looked towards the pond's end, roughly thirty meters away, and imagined the water becoming perfectly clear.
Slowly, the water responded to her will. In a few seconds, Rika was able to see clearly for several inches, then several feet, then several meters, and so on until the entire lake seemed to crystallize. Rika was able to see tiny fish swimming about, grazing on bugs and microscopic plants as most fish did. She saw the occasional water lizard moving about, though not in her direction. Rika admired the pond's spectacular clarity, and swam through the water at a sedate pace as she breathed in and out. She was scuba-diving without scuba gear, and she loved it.
There's only one explanation, Rika thought. She remembered a story that Henry and Takato told her from when they were all real Tamers. About how they were able to imagine themselves as being able to breathe underwater, and were successful in doing so. This allowed them to traverse a dangerous lake... in the Digital World. This is the Digital World! The ark has taken me across the Red Barrier! I'm really here!!
Rika's joy was cut short when she heard a rush of water ahead of her. Rika looked intently, and saw the vague outline of a creature with many writhing tentacles and a sea blue body. It was an undersea monster, not unlike a jellyfish, but much bigger and much meaner looking thanks to its fierce eyes. Rika's Duel Ark reacted and displayed the monster's data.
TENTACRUEL (Wild)** Level 45 Water Pokemon
** ATK 1636 / DEF 1541 / SPD 22
== Field Power Bonus +30% (Underwater)
== ATK 2127 / DEF 2003 / SPD 29
** "Its 80 tentacles absorb water and stretch almost endlessly to Constrict its prey and enemies."
Rika grimaced, causing bubbles to snake their way from her mouth. A monster? Attacking me now, of all times?
The pokemon snaked a dozen of its tentacles towards her, and ensnared her arms and legs quite easily. Rika was drawn towards its maw; the creature seemed to think that she was its prey for the day. The tamer wasn't planning on becoming some Poke-Food, so she triggered her ark's Life Point Barrier with the flick of her wrist. Not only did her barrier knock the tentacles away from her, but a new set of clothes covered her body instantly. The creature's tentacles were knocked aside, and Rika shot backwards in the water until she was a safe distance away.
** Rika's LP: 4000 || Tentacruel's HP: 2300 **
** Battle Music: [Final Fantasy X, boss battle] **
Alright... LPB is activated... holographic system is primed... auto-shuffle is complete. I'm ready! Rika drew five cards and played her opening monster, an insect digimon named Kunemon. [1200 / 1700, SPD 36]
Kunemon got the jump on the bobbing fish and attacked it instantly, by blasting it with a stream of web that floated through the water like a fisherman's net. Kunemon's attack scored a direct hit and ensnared the pokemon, making it impossible for the creature to move its tentacles efficiently.
Tentacruel was motionless in the web trap, but he was far from helpless. The sea creature's mouth changed into a strange shape, and the water around its orifice started to move around rapidly, like a whirlpool. The water built up with kinetic energy until it was launched as a powerful blast. It was Tentacruel's "Water Gun" attack!
Rika quickly reacted, since the special move would crush the little Kunemon. She slashed her Harpymon card, sending out a spiritual version of the Champion to defend against the attack. Harpymon shot into the line of fire like a bullet, and was slammed by the Water Gun attack. The Digimon's armor absorbed enough of the impact to save Kunemon from damage. Kunemon was knocked back by the force of the Water Gun blast, but was able to recover quickly.
Rika slashed another monster card – her "Snimon" card – and combined it with Kunemon to grant it Snimon's special attack. Kunemon's rear end grew into a massive two-pronged tail with Snimon's sickles attached to it, giving the rookie the look of a mutant scorpion or pincer bug. Kunemon charged with its tail, and used its "Sharp Edge" attack to cut into Tentacruel's defense. Tentacruel's tough hide was sliced and weakened by the double-edged attack, and it became vulnerable [TC's DEF: 2003 == 1002]
If I keep this up, I can defeat it, Rika thought surely. Without its natural armor, it won't be able to resist my attacks, and that web is still keeping it from moving. It's a sitting duck.
Tentacruel wasn't through yet. The Pokemon's eyes flashed silver for a second, and Kunemon was caught by the creature's gaze.
Rika's Duel Ark screamed in alarm, and revealed the attack for what it was – a Supersonic blast that had confused her Kunemon! And while it was Confused, Rika couldn't control it!
Kunemon swam around, and it attacked Rika directly with its massive sickle tail. The girl was unprepared for the sudden assault, and cried out in pain as her shield and her body were struck. Even with the attack's strength reduced by the Life Point Barrier, Rika was affected by the attack as if a real knife had sliced her. The lower half of the front of Rika's shirt fell away, revealing a fresh cut just below her chest. It wasn't deep enough to be a serious threat, but it stung like hell.
** Rika's LP: 2800 **
Kunemon swam about, totally confused and unaware of what was going on. When it's energy recharged, it would try to attack her again. Even if it didn't attack Rika, the tamer was in serious trouble without Kunemon there to defend her. Tentacruel might break free from its web prison, or it might use another special attack to attack even though it was motionless.
Rika had an idea, though. Regardless of what kind of powers Tentacruel had, almost all special attacks required line of sight to be used. If Tentacruel couldn't see her, it wouldn't be able to get a clear shot at her. So if Rika could get out of the creature's sight, she could save herself from his attacks and focus her attention on her own monster.
Rika kicked her legs, and focused her thoughts on swimming as fast as possible. If this was really the Digital World, and her thoughts could manipulate herself and her relationship to the digital environment, she could move quicker than normal too. The tamer kicked hard, and let her thoughts carry her through the water. Rika dashed through the water like a marlin, swimming around Tentacruel in half a second. Tentacruel tried to attack with another Water Gun, but Rika was fast enough to avoid it. The tamer came to a stop behind the paralyzed Pokemon, and hovered as she eyed Kunemon warily.
There's no telling when he'll regain control of himself, Rika thought as Kunemon swam around her and Tentacruel like a bird of prey. I can swim around pretty quickly, but so can Kunemon. And he's a monster, so he's much faster than I am. Kunemon still had a couple seconds until he recharged, so Rika quickly reloaded her hand and looked for a card that could help her.
The moment Kunemon made a move towards her, Rika slashed one of the cards she drew. I can't play a monster, but I can still protect myself! The ghostly image of Impmon appeared, and he shot through the water just before curling into a fetal position. Kunemon slashed Impmon to ribbons, and had enough power behind the attack to harm Rika even after her sacrifice.
** Rika's LP: 2700 **
I'm sorry, Impmon, Rika thought. She loved the little guy, even though he was irritating when he was around. I think I've figured out a way to take this situation by the horns.
Rika swam over to the trapped Tentacruel, and wrapped her arms around its head as best she could. The Pokemon flailed its tentacles wildly at her, trying to get a clean hit on her while she was so close. Rika batted away the tentacles as they got close, while trying to keep her eye on the circling Kunemon.
If he tries to attack me again, I can jump off of Tentacruel and he'll run right into it. Then I can hit him from behind with a slashed card. Rika waited, keeping her eyes on her Digimon and her hands and feet moving so that Tentacruel couldn't grab them.
But unfortunately, she wasn't as fast as the Pokemon. One of the tentacles managed to grab her by the ankle, and another one got Rika's opposite wrist. The tentacles pulled hard, and Rika was drawn into a spread-eagle position on the creature's back. Tentacruel couldn't constrict her while her Life Point Barrier was active, but that didn't seem to be its plan. The Pokemon's tentacles grabbed at her other wrist and ankle, completely trapping her on its back. Tentacruel was unable to swim, but now Rika couldn't move either.
It... it knows what I was was trying to do! Rika exclaimed. Kunemon's going to hit me full-force! And without her hands, Rika couldn't slash any card to defend herself!
Kunemon circled around and charged straight for Rika, its fangs bared as it readied its attack. Kunemon put on a burst of speed, ready to pierce Rika's body like a harpoon. Even if her barrier remained active, there was a good chance that Kunemon's fangs would make her bleed to death. Rika would be dead before her Life Points reached zero.
Kunemon's attack came within inches of Rika before the Digimon was knocked aside by a powerful Water Gun. Rika's head jerked in the direction of the attack's source. Floating there was a happy little alligator, doing a strange and hyperactive dance underwater. And floating behind it was a trainer!
Ash! Rika struggled against the tentacles as Kunemon circled around to complete its attack. Ash and his Totodile swam through the water as fast as they could and entered the fray. Totodile tackled Kunemon and wrestled it as best he could, allowing Ash to swim over and help Rika. The trainer pulled out a pocket knife, twirled it around until the blade came out, and sliced at the tentacles until Tentacruel let go of Rika willingly. Rika jumped from the Pokemon as Ash did the same thing.
Tentacruel was now pissed, and it showed as he powered up another special ability. The Pokemon's jelly skin reverberated and burst with light as it activated its "Barrier", which more than doubled its current Defense and had the side effect of destroying the webbing ensnaring the creature. Tentacruel turned around and eyed the two humans hungrily [TC's DEF: 1002 == 2402].
Meanwhile, Totodile's attacks were enough to free Kunemon from his confused state. Kunemon swam to Rika's side as Totodile swam to Ash's. The tamer looked fondly at her savior, and noticed something with a start.
He's not wearing his ark... that means he has no barrier to protect himself! Rika didn't know why Ash was here at all, but in his rush to get here he must've forgotten his ark. So not only was he unprotected, but he was unable to breath. He was holding his breath as best he could, while swimming fiercely and keeping his eyes on the battle and his Pokemon. Totodile must've been summoned from his pokeball directly, rather than summoned with his card.
Ash motioned to the surface, and Rika quickly agreed. Both children swam towards the top, Rika going faster thanks to the Duel Ark channeling her thoughts in the same way her old Digivice could. She tried to take Ash's hand on the way up, but the boy was pulled out of her reach by one of Tentacruel's tentacles. Ash was dragged under, and a wave of bubbles flew from his mouth. He was almost out of air!
Rika wasted no time. She looped vertically like a dolphin and zoomed towards the bottom of the lake where the battle was taking place. Ash was ensnared by a dozen tentacles as Tentacruel tried to drown the mammal. Totodile fought uselessly against the creature's superior defenses and its swarm of slimy arms. Just when Ash looked like he was about to pass out, Rika shot into Tentacruel's embrace and gripped Ash tightly. Without a pause, the tamer put her mouth on the trainer's and breathed deeply.
Rika's eyes were closed, but Ash's were wide open. Ash's lungs filled with air, and continued to do so as if Rika had a limitless supply. The tentacles threatened to crush the life out of him, but Rika was more than making up for it by extending her barrier to protect Ash from the constriction, as well as giving him plenty of oxygen to survive on.
Considering the situation, the kiss was surprisingly enjoyable. Ash slowly closed his eyes, and let Rika revive him.
Eventually, Rika backed off enough to look Ash straight in the eye. Ash nodded in thanks. Rika motioned to her arms with several head nods. Ash figured she was referring to her Duel Ark. While Rika was reviving the trainer, she'd been ensnared by the Pokemon's tentacles, and her body was pulled as close to his as physically possible. Her arms were now trapped at his sides, and she couldn't slash any cards. Kunemon and Totodile were fighting as hard as they could. But without outside help, the monsters would be unable to beat Tentacruel.
Ash didn't have to slash any cards to turn the tides, though. One of his arms was trapped at his side as well, which meant he could grab a pokeball from his belt and open it. The capture beam would shoot out the bottom of the tentacle swarm, and the pokemon would appear on the lake floor, ready for battle. Now that he knew Rika was safe, and her Kunemon was no longer out of her control, Ash could attack Tentacruel with his full power. Ash knew his Pokemon and their pokeballs by heart, so he fished around his belt until he found the one he wanted, and pressed the button that would release the Pokemon inside.
The capture beam descended to the ocean floor, and the legendary Pokemon named Lugia appeared. The holy beast crooned like a whale, and slowly swooped through the water until it was within wing-range of the Tentacruel. It smacked the creature with enough force to stun it, allowing Rika and Ash to swim free with some effort.
[Lugia (pokemon) - Level 85 Water Pokemon / Hoen Legend]
Rika was amazed at the Pokemon's size and strength. When she looked at Ash questioningly, the trainer smiled and winked.
Lugia finished the assault with a blast of water even stronger than the Tentacruel's Water Gun. It was like the Water Gun was a one-shot pistol, while this attack was a rail cannon. Rika's ark identified the attack as a "Hydro Pump", which more than doubled Lugia's base attack strength thanks to the amount of water it collected and focused. Even though a Water-type like Tentacruel could resist a lot of water, Lugia's power was more than enough to blow the creature out of the lake and send it flying through the skies of Monster Island. The Pokemon flew a few hundred meters before crashing into the camp of an unlucky contender trying to take a nap.
Ash held up two of his pokeballs, and both of his Pokemon returned to their proper containers. Kunemon disappeared as the Duel Ark powered down. When the kids decided it was safe, they returned to the surface and crawled out of the water. Rika was completely dry, while Ash was soaking wet and very tired.
"That wasn't very tenta-cool, was it," Rika quipped. Ash nodded, and promptly slumped to the ground from exhaustion.