Disclaimer:
Toei and Bandai own Digimon. Nintendo owns Pokemon.
The Stones of Doom
By: RB3
Chapter 1: Another Goldenrod Opportunity
Our story begins with our hero, Ash Ketchum having defeated the Goldenrod Gym leader Whitney. He won the coveted Plain Badge through the application of clever strategy. He went north with his friends and competed in a bug catching contest where he met Casey again. After the meeting, Ash heard about the approaching opening week of Silph's dimensional gate.
"Many people are gathered here at Saffron City to celebrate the opening of the gate for commerce. Beyond this gate is a world filled with species of Pokemon never before seen. With me now is Professor Samuel Oak, a leading Pokemon researcher. Professor would you like to make any comments on the Pokemon of this world or the world itself?"
"I'm setting up a lab in the other world to study these new Pokemon. With all the new Pokemon there, I'm going to be busy catalogue their behaviour for the scientific community. I would advise that trainers be careful dealing with these new Pokemon. We don't know how dangerous or aggressive these Pokemon are..."
In a faraway Miltank ranch, Ash Ketchum listened and was moved by the hype and excitement. As an aspiring Pokemon Master, he wanted to go dearly and improve himself in the new world. This improvement would come in several forms. Ash could learn many more secrets about Pokemon themselves. Ash also wanted to acquire new Pokemon for his team. Ash's friends, Brock, and Misty, also had a similar goal too. The new Pokemon would be excellent additions to diversify their Pokemon line-ups further.
"Uncle Milton wants to expand the family business into the other world. I can get you in for free if you want," suggested Whitney.
"Really?" asked Ash.
"Sure! I can bring along a few people as long as they are meant to help set up or operate a business."
"Who will look after your Gym?" asked Brock.
"I've got that covered, don't worry."
"Well then, I guess we'll be going with Whitney," proclaimed Ash.
"The monorail just opened a few days ago. We'll be taking it to go to Saffron. I also heard a new Gym Leader is opening his Gym in the other world. His Badge can be used to enter the Johto League championships!"
Ash was elated. "Even better! New Pokemon and a new Gym Badge! What are we waiting for? Let's get the tickets and go!"
After lunch, the group packed their belongings to go on the trip. After a long wait in a line up, Ash, Brock, Misty and Whitney took seats with a window on the right. The monorail was filled with people who mostly had professional interests in the world. They included scientists, and businessmen and women from a countless number of industries. There were a few trainers amongst the crowd, but not as many as there could be. The bulk of the trainers would be coming the day after when the gate opened to the public.
Ash stepped out momentarily to get a meal for himself and his Pikachu. The train entered a dark tunnel that connected the lands of Johto and Kanto together. Fortunately, the lights on the train turned on so everyone could see in the darkness. On his way back, he saw the familiar faces of Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny seated at a table near the doorway. Both women were wearing plain clothes and not their work uniforms. He approached them to make conversation.
"Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy! Are you going to the new world too?" he asked.
"Yeah, I just graduated from medical school a few weeks ago. I know my talents will be needed in the new Pokemon Center there," said Joy with enthusiasm.
"Me too. I just graduated from the police academy. They need new officers there to keep the peace. I'm going to do my part," added Jenny with pride.
"Wow, seems everybody wants to go to the new world. I'm going to there as part of my training to be a Pokemon Master! My name's Ash Ketchum and I hope to see you on the other side."
Sunlight lit up the car again as it exited the cave to Kanto. Ash finished his meal and returned to his seat in the passenger car. Misty was busy tending to her Togepi. Togepi climbed onto the windowsill to peer outside at the passing landscape. Soon the grey, metallic buildings of Saffron City loomed in the distance. The monorail stopped at the station in Saffron and the horde of explorers and entrepreneurs disembarked for the new world.
**********************************************
At the site of the dimensional gate, hundreds of professionals and entrepreneurs attended the opening ceremony. It was very crowded even without the general public attending. The dimensional gate itself was actually several gates linked together. They resembled metallic arches whose electronics hummed as they stabilized a portal. A tube ran into each gate, and each tube contained a pair of rails leading to the gate.
At the other end of each pair of rails was a bullet-shaped metal pod the size of a bus. These shiny grey pods had windows at all around it much like a bus would have. Inside were several seats meant for passengers and in the primary seat were the drivers of the pods. The controls were complex and consisted of a series of cryptic flashing lights and buttons. Judging by the set up of the pods and gates, the pods were shot into the gates like a bullet from a rail gun.
The master of ceremonies gave a stirring speech about the thrill of discovery and the wonders of exploration. Beyond the gate laid wonders never before seen by human or Pokemon kind. Beyond the gate may also lay great peril and danger. The MC urged the attending crowd to have courage in the face of adversity. The ancestors of the people in the crowd had in the past migrated around Kanto and Johto. They never knew what lurked outside of civilisation, but persevered and prospered.
After the cutting of the ribbon, the gate was fired up for its first commercial use. The humming grew louder and resonated in the wind. An image of the interior of a tube began to form in the archways. All around the tube was a verdant forest filled with the beauty of nature. The wondrous sight before them captivated the crowd.
Ash and his friends boarded one of the pods and patiently waited for the ride to begin. The doors closed after all the passengers entered. The driver ran through several last minute system checks as the portal was opened before them. Suddenly, they were shot into the gate! The world around turned to a hi-tech grid of data that shimmered. The pathway wound up, down and all around like a death-defying roller coaster ride.
"Whoa, I never knew dimensional travel was this rough!" commented Ash over the screaming of the passengers.
Misty was disoriented to the point of nausea. "I going to be dizzy!"
The sudden shifting of the pod in so many directions was disorienting Pikachu. Pikachu's eyes swirled in a comical manner before he finally gave up and collapsed. Ash tried his best to comfort his long time pal as best he could. The scene soon changed to the world they saw previously at the ceremony. They have finally entered the new world. Ash and company disembarked rushed Pikachu to the newly completed Pokemon Center to help him out.
"Pikachu..." said Pikachu as his voice trailed off.
"Here, have Pikachu take this pill with water," directed Nurse Joy. "It will help fix him up right away."
"Thanks Nurse Joy. Okay Pikachu, you heard what she said," said Ash as he fed Pikachu his medicine. "Say Nurse Joy, have you heard anything about the new Gym being opened in Silph town?"
"Oh yes. The Gym will open in two days. There's also a big parade and celebration tomorrow in Silph town when the gate is opened to the public."
Brock amorously rushed up to Joy and held her hand. "Oh, Joy, I'd love it if you'd go to the celebration with me! We will party all day and night."
Misty grabbed and yanked Brock by the ear. "Easy there Brock, you're not that much of a party animal..."
"We have some time until tomorrow, what should we do?" asked Ash.
"I need some help at my ranch, but only during the night at around 6 or 7 o'clock," requested Whitney.
"Alright, it's the least we could do. I know! Why don't we go check out some of the new Pokemon?"
**********************************************
In a remote part of the Digital World, a man in ceremonial robes communed with the powers of the world. His hood veiled his face as he gazed upon their manifestations. Before him stood six nimbuses of light arranged as a cross. The first nimbus on the top was as green as nature itself. The nimbus on the right was a vibrant azure. The bottom nimbus was a fiery crimson. The left nimbus was as white as snow. Between the four nimbuses were two more; one of gold on the top and a black one on the bottom.
The voice of the green nimbus bellowed as it spoke: "It appears that there are people coming to live in our world."
The voice of the gold nimbus echoed in the wind: "I feel we should leave them be. Unless they threaten our world, we shouldn't interfere in their lives. It may even be beneficial to our world to have them here."
The anger-filled voice of the red nimbus crackled: "Nonsense! They will only be a threat in time. They may have innocent intentions now, but that will soon change... Their thoughts will turn to greed, and our world will pay the price!"
The white nimbus' voice rasped with strength: "I agree. We should be prepared. However, I feel that it is only a small fraction of our 'guests' that will be that way. I believe that there are many who are virtuous among them. Still, I'm preparing my people for war should it ever arise. I will tolerate these people."
The black nimbus' voice echoed mysteriously: "The Dark Area is prepared to handle their newly dead. I will not interfere with the new surface-dwellers."
The voice of the blue nimbus echoed with wisdom: "They have made their home on an island in my domain. I will let them be. Since we cannot come to an agreement, I propose this: Those who were not in favour will have their domains closed off. The Dark Area and Paradise, because of their purposes, will also be made off-limits and by extension so will File Island. Does everyone agree with my proposal?"
The nimbuses of light agreed to the terms of the declaration unanimously.
The blue nimbus declared: "So, the Sovereigns have spoken! Therefore, Gennai, it is your task to bring our decree to the newcomers and exchange information with them for the greater good. The other domains will be considered areas where they are permitted to move freely."
A parchment materialized in Gennai's hand. He bowed before his omnipotent masters and travelled to submit the decree.
**********************************************
Brock pulled out a map and gazed at its information. Currently, Brock and the others were in the square of Silph Town. Silph Town was the settlement constructed by Silph Co. and it was at the southern end of a tropical island. The island itself was shaped like a cigar and named "Silph." Ash and Misty looked at the map over Brock's shoulder.
"Why don't we go north?" suggested Ash. "We can't go too far since we promised Whitney that we'd help her..."
"Hey, there's a beach nearby." Misty eyes became alit with stars as she fantasized about Water Pokemon. "I want to go there to check out all the wonderful new Water Pokemon!"
"That sounds good. So Brock where do you want to go?" asked Ash.
"Hmmm, I'd like to check the mountainous region for some Rock and Ground Pokemon. We'll pass by the beach, so let's go there first."
They trolled the beach looking for any of the new Pokemon they heard about. The chanced upon a diminutive, crab-like creature that was moving across the sand. This creature resembled a Krabby, only it had a greyish-blue shell instead of a red one. It wasn't aware of their presence, being very intent on going somewhere unknown.
Ash scanned the Pokemon with his Pokedex. The Pokedex gave Ash a bizarre jumble of symbols and characters that he didn't recognize. It seemed as though the Pokedex had malfunctioned. Ash tried to correct the problem to the best of his ability, but nothing he did worked. Ash gave up in frustration and decided to let Oak check it out when he returned.
"The Pokedex doesn't seem to be working. Looks like I'm going to catch that Pokemon and show it to Professor Oak!" proclaimed Ash. "Go, Pikachu! Thun..."
Misty interrupted Ash's attack. "I'm taking this one, Ash! You already have a Kingler. Staryu go! Tackle attack!"
Staryu soared into the unaware creature like a spinning saw blade. The creature was struck and thrown into the air, landing flat on its back. Its legs twitched in the air as it tried to return back to an upright position. With the creature disabled, it was ready to be trapped into a Pokeball.
"Pokeball, go!"
Misty's Pokeball turned the crab-like creature to energy and drew it in. However, the Pokeball began to malfunction as well. The Pokeball flashed chaotically in red light, as if its circuitry was scrambled. Misty innate senses told her something was not right. Yet, she had no idea what the problem could be...
"Something's wrong with the Pokeball..." she mumbled.
The creature reappeared outside of the ball in a small burst of crimson energy. It was not happy at all...
"Hey, what's the big idea? I'm just a Crabmon minding my own business until you bozos bopped me!" screamed Crabmon in fury.
"HEY YOU! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
The three trainers and their Pokemon turned around to see the one berating them. Their jaws literally dropped upon discovering that it was a Pokemon, and especially since they could actually talk! This new creature was like a combination of a giant lobster and scorpion. A pair of giant hooked feelers extended from its mouth area. This flesh-coloured crustacean had a blade-like stinger with several more blades protruding from his back and another set used as the creature's legs. Their bewilderment was short-lived once the creature attacked!
"Scorpion Storm!"
A blinding gust of sand erupted from the creature's mouth. The trainers and their Pokemon began to cough and an unnatural fatigue fell over them. A mountain of sand covered them, leaving only their heads showing. Scorpiomon looked on the enemy with satisfaction.
"That'll teach them not to pick on defenceless Crabmon again!"
"You said it, Scorpiomon!"
The two creatures slinked off into the ocean, leaving the trainers sprawled on the ground. Half an hour passed and everyone woke up. They made hacking coughs as they cleared the sand from their throats. They looked around but there was no sign of Crabmon or Scorpiomon anywhere. They had left while Ash and his friends were unconscious.
Brock coughed. "We have to be more careful next time."
"Ugh..." groaned Ash. "Those Pokemon can talk! I thought only Team Rocket's Meowth could do that..."
"Looks like we have a lot to learn," continued Misty.
**********************************************
The trainers travelled through a dense forest and found the mountains Brock wanted to see. At the base of the mountain was a small cat-like creature coming down the road. It resembled a Meowth, but had snow-white fur and bright blue eyes. It stood on two legs like Team Rocket's Meowth, and had yellow, striped gloves covering its front paws. On its striped tail was a golden ring with several characters of a cryptic language. This cat-like creature, a Digimon, was named Gatomon.
Ash tried to scan Gatomon and encountered the same problem with Crabmon. "Hmmm... The Pokedex still isn't working."
Gatomon looked on the Pokemon trainers with curiosity. She mistook them for some sort of new Digidestined that were travelling the Digital World. She looked at Pikachu and Togepi and didn't recognize them as any known Digimon. If Digidestined were in the Digital World, it usually meant there was trouble... However, it also gave her a new opportunity to be with Kari, as she would surely come to investigate.
"How cute!" complimented Misty.
"I wonder if this one can talk?" mumbled Brock.
Gatomon heard Brock. "Of course I can talk! Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"I'm Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town. These are my friends; Pikachu, Brock, Misty, and Togepi."
Everyone greeted Gatomon, including Pikachu. "Pikachu! (Hi, Gatomon!)"
"I'm Gatomon, nice to meet you," said Gatomon to Pikachu.
"You can understand what Pikachu's saying?" asked Ash.
"Of course. He spoke in perfect human talk to me. I suppose you hear something else..."
"Yeah, Pikachu sounds like he's saying his own name to me. Anyways, we're here to explore this world and see all the Pokemon there is to see," proclaimed Ash. "Can you tell us anything about this world and the Pokemon?"
"I'm very familiar with the places of interest in the Digital World, but I doubt you'll find any 'Pokemon' here..."
"What do you mean? You're a Pokemon, just like Pikachu and Togepi!"
Gatomon shook her head. "I don't know what a Pokemon is... All I know is we're Digimon and you're in our world, the Digital World."
"...But you look so much like a Pokemon," said Ash offhandedly.
"I'm sorry but I don't what a Pokemon is. I'm just a Digimon."
Brock stroked his chin in contemplation. "Hmmm... I'm beginning to think that she's not a Pokemon after all. We ARE in a new world, so things are different around here."
"I think Brock's right..." remarked Misty. "Gatomon, what can you tell us about the Digital World?"
"Like I said, we Digimon live here," she repeated. "The Sovereigns rule our world and protect it from those who would harm it."
Brock looked up to see the sun beginning to set and glanced at his watch. "It's getting late and we should be heading back soon. Whitney will be angry if we're late..."
Ash decided it would be best if Prof. Oak were around to hear Gatomon's information. "Actually, can you come with us back to town? We'd like you to continue your story. I know I'm asking a lot, but you don't have to go if you don't want to."
Something in her mind told Gatomon that these people couldn't be Digidestined, despite sharing some similarities with them. "Who are they?" she mentally asked herself.
From their conversation, she knew the creatures these three brought with them were clearly not Digimon. They seemed nice enough, but that could have been an appearance... Gatomon didn't fully trust these humans or their Pokemon, but this was a good opportunity to scout them out. She finally decided to return to town with them.
"Okay, Ash. I'm very interested in hearing you story too."
With Gatomon, Ash, Brock and Misty returned back to the ranch for the night. They piled up at Whitney's door and rang the bell. The doors opened to reveal a somewhat angry Whitney. The Pokemon trainers had come home late and were supposed to come earlier to complete chores. Whitney looked down to see Gatomon looking back at her.
Whitney was impressed. "Way to go, Ash! You just came to this world and already you've caught an undiscovered new Pokemon. You're going to be famous!"
"Uh, I'm not a Pokemon..." objected Gatomon.
"Wow, it can talk too!" interrupted Whitney.
"Ummm... "
Brock chimed in: "It's a long story. This is Gatomon."
Whitney and Gatomon introduced themselves to each other. "Gatomon, they promised to do some chores for me, so you'll have to wait for awhile to speak."
"No problem," replied Gatomon.
The Pokemon trainers' chores consisted of preparing food for dinner. The kitchen was bustling with cooks and helpers preparing food for the staff. Pots and pans hang from a clothesline across the wall. At a table, Brock was in an apron and his knife went up and down like a machine. He cut various vegetables like carrots and celery and gathered them into a holding pan.
In the rear, Ash and Misty were seated on stools. They were separated by another stool on which a large pot rested. In their hands were peelers, and they used them to peel the skin off of potatoes. The skin fell onto a set of newspaper used as a mat. They threw each peeled potato into the pot when they were done. With their help, the ingredients were readied quicker and the Pokemon trainers would feast that much sooner.
Whitney cut some beef into cutlets and threw them into a large cooking pot filled with water. The trainers brought their respective ingredients and mixed them in. With some help, Whitney loaded the pot onto the stove and started heated the stew. Within an hour, everyone could smell the stew and it made their mouths water in anticipation. Whitney served the stew to her friends and the ranch hands to a chorus of complements.
Throughout the dinner, Gatomon talked about the ways of the Digimon. Gatomon made mention of the Digidestined, a group of children who fought the spread of evil forces. Gatomon was the Digimon partner of one of the Digidestined. Before becoming a partner, Gatomon worked for the very evil forces she now strived to defeat.
"Mmmmm... that was a great stew," complemented Ash. He seemed bloated from the seconds and thirds he had consumed.
"This food is great! Did you make it, Brock?" asked Gatomon between bites.
"Yeah, it's my own recipe. I hope to be the best Pokemon breeder and raise strong Pokemon in the future. Being a good cook is one thing I need to be..."
"You said you used to work for this bad Digimon," requested Whitney.
Gatomon told them the story about how she used to work for an evil Digimon known as Myotismon. Before that time, Gatomon waited and searched for what seemed like a lifetime for someone. Before she could find that someone, she was forced into servitude by Myotismon and tortured simply for the defiance evident in her eyes. Eventually, Myotismon launched a campaign to locate and assassinate the eighth Digidestined, Hikari, or Kari for short.
As she told her story, Gatomon grew more and more wistful. Kari was in actuality Gatomon's Digidestined partner and the person Gatomon waited so long for. Through the machinations of her friend Wizardmon, Gatomon discovered her true identity. Unfortunately, Myotismon found out as well... A life or death confrontation broke out between Myotismon and the Digidestined. The Digidestined prevailed, but not without Wizardmon sacrificing his life to protect her and Kari.
Misty noticed Gatomon's wistful expression. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I feel sad. We lost many good friends... Mimi felt the same way when we fought the Dark Masters."
"You don't have to continue."
"No, it's alright. Anyways, I Digivolved to Angewomon for the first time and with my new powers, I defeated Myotismon."
"I heard you use that word 'Digivolve...' What does it mean?" asked Brock.
"Digimon can transform to more powerful forms by Digivolving, like I did to fight Myotismon."
Brock contemplated as he stroked his chin. "Hmmm, just like Pokemon. They can evolve too to more powerful forms."
"It's time to sleep now. We need to wake up early for tomorrow's celebration," urged Whitney.
Toei and Bandai own Digimon. Nintendo owns Pokemon.
The Stones of Doom
By: RB3
Chapter 1: Another Goldenrod Opportunity
Our story begins with our hero, Ash Ketchum having defeated the Goldenrod Gym leader Whitney. He won the coveted Plain Badge through the application of clever strategy. He went north with his friends and competed in a bug catching contest where he met Casey again. After the meeting, Ash heard about the approaching opening week of Silph's dimensional gate.
"Many people are gathered here at Saffron City to celebrate the opening of the gate for commerce. Beyond this gate is a world filled with species of Pokemon never before seen. With me now is Professor Samuel Oak, a leading Pokemon researcher. Professor would you like to make any comments on the Pokemon of this world or the world itself?"
"I'm setting up a lab in the other world to study these new Pokemon. With all the new Pokemon there, I'm going to be busy catalogue their behaviour for the scientific community. I would advise that trainers be careful dealing with these new Pokemon. We don't know how dangerous or aggressive these Pokemon are..."
In a faraway Miltank ranch, Ash Ketchum listened and was moved by the hype and excitement. As an aspiring Pokemon Master, he wanted to go dearly and improve himself in the new world. This improvement would come in several forms. Ash could learn many more secrets about Pokemon themselves. Ash also wanted to acquire new Pokemon for his team. Ash's friends, Brock, and Misty, also had a similar goal too. The new Pokemon would be excellent additions to diversify their Pokemon line-ups further.
"Uncle Milton wants to expand the family business into the other world. I can get you in for free if you want," suggested Whitney.
"Really?" asked Ash.
"Sure! I can bring along a few people as long as they are meant to help set up or operate a business."
"Who will look after your Gym?" asked Brock.
"I've got that covered, don't worry."
"Well then, I guess we'll be going with Whitney," proclaimed Ash.
"The monorail just opened a few days ago. We'll be taking it to go to Saffron. I also heard a new Gym Leader is opening his Gym in the other world. His Badge can be used to enter the Johto League championships!"
Ash was elated. "Even better! New Pokemon and a new Gym Badge! What are we waiting for? Let's get the tickets and go!"
After lunch, the group packed their belongings to go on the trip. After a long wait in a line up, Ash, Brock, Misty and Whitney took seats with a window on the right. The monorail was filled with people who mostly had professional interests in the world. They included scientists, and businessmen and women from a countless number of industries. There were a few trainers amongst the crowd, but not as many as there could be. The bulk of the trainers would be coming the day after when the gate opened to the public.
Ash stepped out momentarily to get a meal for himself and his Pikachu. The train entered a dark tunnel that connected the lands of Johto and Kanto together. Fortunately, the lights on the train turned on so everyone could see in the darkness. On his way back, he saw the familiar faces of Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny seated at a table near the doorway. Both women were wearing plain clothes and not their work uniforms. He approached them to make conversation.
"Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy! Are you going to the new world too?" he asked.
"Yeah, I just graduated from medical school a few weeks ago. I know my talents will be needed in the new Pokemon Center there," said Joy with enthusiasm.
"Me too. I just graduated from the police academy. They need new officers there to keep the peace. I'm going to do my part," added Jenny with pride.
"Wow, seems everybody wants to go to the new world. I'm going to there as part of my training to be a Pokemon Master! My name's Ash Ketchum and I hope to see you on the other side."
Sunlight lit up the car again as it exited the cave to Kanto. Ash finished his meal and returned to his seat in the passenger car. Misty was busy tending to her Togepi. Togepi climbed onto the windowsill to peer outside at the passing landscape. Soon the grey, metallic buildings of Saffron City loomed in the distance. The monorail stopped at the station in Saffron and the horde of explorers and entrepreneurs disembarked for the new world.
**********************************************
At the site of the dimensional gate, hundreds of professionals and entrepreneurs attended the opening ceremony. It was very crowded even without the general public attending. The dimensional gate itself was actually several gates linked together. They resembled metallic arches whose electronics hummed as they stabilized a portal. A tube ran into each gate, and each tube contained a pair of rails leading to the gate.
At the other end of each pair of rails was a bullet-shaped metal pod the size of a bus. These shiny grey pods had windows at all around it much like a bus would have. Inside were several seats meant for passengers and in the primary seat were the drivers of the pods. The controls were complex and consisted of a series of cryptic flashing lights and buttons. Judging by the set up of the pods and gates, the pods were shot into the gates like a bullet from a rail gun.
The master of ceremonies gave a stirring speech about the thrill of discovery and the wonders of exploration. Beyond the gate laid wonders never before seen by human or Pokemon kind. Beyond the gate may also lay great peril and danger. The MC urged the attending crowd to have courage in the face of adversity. The ancestors of the people in the crowd had in the past migrated around Kanto and Johto. They never knew what lurked outside of civilisation, but persevered and prospered.
After the cutting of the ribbon, the gate was fired up for its first commercial use. The humming grew louder and resonated in the wind. An image of the interior of a tube began to form in the archways. All around the tube was a verdant forest filled with the beauty of nature. The wondrous sight before them captivated the crowd.
Ash and his friends boarded one of the pods and patiently waited for the ride to begin. The doors closed after all the passengers entered. The driver ran through several last minute system checks as the portal was opened before them. Suddenly, they were shot into the gate! The world around turned to a hi-tech grid of data that shimmered. The pathway wound up, down and all around like a death-defying roller coaster ride.
"Whoa, I never knew dimensional travel was this rough!" commented Ash over the screaming of the passengers.
Misty was disoriented to the point of nausea. "I going to be dizzy!"
The sudden shifting of the pod in so many directions was disorienting Pikachu. Pikachu's eyes swirled in a comical manner before he finally gave up and collapsed. Ash tried his best to comfort his long time pal as best he could. The scene soon changed to the world they saw previously at the ceremony. They have finally entered the new world. Ash and company disembarked rushed Pikachu to the newly completed Pokemon Center to help him out.
"Pikachu..." said Pikachu as his voice trailed off.
"Here, have Pikachu take this pill with water," directed Nurse Joy. "It will help fix him up right away."
"Thanks Nurse Joy. Okay Pikachu, you heard what she said," said Ash as he fed Pikachu his medicine. "Say Nurse Joy, have you heard anything about the new Gym being opened in Silph town?"
"Oh yes. The Gym will open in two days. There's also a big parade and celebration tomorrow in Silph town when the gate is opened to the public."
Brock amorously rushed up to Joy and held her hand. "Oh, Joy, I'd love it if you'd go to the celebration with me! We will party all day and night."
Misty grabbed and yanked Brock by the ear. "Easy there Brock, you're not that much of a party animal..."
"We have some time until tomorrow, what should we do?" asked Ash.
"I need some help at my ranch, but only during the night at around 6 or 7 o'clock," requested Whitney.
"Alright, it's the least we could do. I know! Why don't we go check out some of the new Pokemon?"
**********************************************
In a remote part of the Digital World, a man in ceremonial robes communed with the powers of the world. His hood veiled his face as he gazed upon their manifestations. Before him stood six nimbuses of light arranged as a cross. The first nimbus on the top was as green as nature itself. The nimbus on the right was a vibrant azure. The bottom nimbus was a fiery crimson. The left nimbus was as white as snow. Between the four nimbuses were two more; one of gold on the top and a black one on the bottom.
The voice of the green nimbus bellowed as it spoke: "It appears that there are people coming to live in our world."
The voice of the gold nimbus echoed in the wind: "I feel we should leave them be. Unless they threaten our world, we shouldn't interfere in their lives. It may even be beneficial to our world to have them here."
The anger-filled voice of the red nimbus crackled: "Nonsense! They will only be a threat in time. They may have innocent intentions now, but that will soon change... Their thoughts will turn to greed, and our world will pay the price!"
The white nimbus' voice rasped with strength: "I agree. We should be prepared. However, I feel that it is only a small fraction of our 'guests' that will be that way. I believe that there are many who are virtuous among them. Still, I'm preparing my people for war should it ever arise. I will tolerate these people."
The black nimbus' voice echoed mysteriously: "The Dark Area is prepared to handle their newly dead. I will not interfere with the new surface-dwellers."
The voice of the blue nimbus echoed with wisdom: "They have made their home on an island in my domain. I will let them be. Since we cannot come to an agreement, I propose this: Those who were not in favour will have their domains closed off. The Dark Area and Paradise, because of their purposes, will also be made off-limits and by extension so will File Island. Does everyone agree with my proposal?"
The nimbuses of light agreed to the terms of the declaration unanimously.
The blue nimbus declared: "So, the Sovereigns have spoken! Therefore, Gennai, it is your task to bring our decree to the newcomers and exchange information with them for the greater good. The other domains will be considered areas where they are permitted to move freely."
A parchment materialized in Gennai's hand. He bowed before his omnipotent masters and travelled to submit the decree.
**********************************************
Brock pulled out a map and gazed at its information. Currently, Brock and the others were in the square of Silph Town. Silph Town was the settlement constructed by Silph Co. and it was at the southern end of a tropical island. The island itself was shaped like a cigar and named "Silph." Ash and Misty looked at the map over Brock's shoulder.
"Why don't we go north?" suggested Ash. "We can't go too far since we promised Whitney that we'd help her..."
"Hey, there's a beach nearby." Misty eyes became alit with stars as she fantasized about Water Pokemon. "I want to go there to check out all the wonderful new Water Pokemon!"
"That sounds good. So Brock where do you want to go?" asked Ash.
"Hmmm, I'd like to check the mountainous region for some Rock and Ground Pokemon. We'll pass by the beach, so let's go there first."
They trolled the beach looking for any of the new Pokemon they heard about. The chanced upon a diminutive, crab-like creature that was moving across the sand. This creature resembled a Krabby, only it had a greyish-blue shell instead of a red one. It wasn't aware of their presence, being very intent on going somewhere unknown.
Ash scanned the Pokemon with his Pokedex. The Pokedex gave Ash a bizarre jumble of symbols and characters that he didn't recognize. It seemed as though the Pokedex had malfunctioned. Ash tried to correct the problem to the best of his ability, but nothing he did worked. Ash gave up in frustration and decided to let Oak check it out when he returned.
"The Pokedex doesn't seem to be working. Looks like I'm going to catch that Pokemon and show it to Professor Oak!" proclaimed Ash. "Go, Pikachu! Thun..."
Misty interrupted Ash's attack. "I'm taking this one, Ash! You already have a Kingler. Staryu go! Tackle attack!"
Staryu soared into the unaware creature like a spinning saw blade. The creature was struck and thrown into the air, landing flat on its back. Its legs twitched in the air as it tried to return back to an upright position. With the creature disabled, it was ready to be trapped into a Pokeball.
"Pokeball, go!"
Misty's Pokeball turned the crab-like creature to energy and drew it in. However, the Pokeball began to malfunction as well. The Pokeball flashed chaotically in red light, as if its circuitry was scrambled. Misty innate senses told her something was not right. Yet, she had no idea what the problem could be...
"Something's wrong with the Pokeball..." she mumbled.
The creature reappeared outside of the ball in a small burst of crimson energy. It was not happy at all...
"Hey, what's the big idea? I'm just a Crabmon minding my own business until you bozos bopped me!" screamed Crabmon in fury.
"HEY YOU! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
The three trainers and their Pokemon turned around to see the one berating them. Their jaws literally dropped upon discovering that it was a Pokemon, and especially since they could actually talk! This new creature was like a combination of a giant lobster and scorpion. A pair of giant hooked feelers extended from its mouth area. This flesh-coloured crustacean had a blade-like stinger with several more blades protruding from his back and another set used as the creature's legs. Their bewilderment was short-lived once the creature attacked!
"Scorpion Storm!"
A blinding gust of sand erupted from the creature's mouth. The trainers and their Pokemon began to cough and an unnatural fatigue fell over them. A mountain of sand covered them, leaving only their heads showing. Scorpiomon looked on the enemy with satisfaction.
"That'll teach them not to pick on defenceless Crabmon again!"
"You said it, Scorpiomon!"
The two creatures slinked off into the ocean, leaving the trainers sprawled on the ground. Half an hour passed and everyone woke up. They made hacking coughs as they cleared the sand from their throats. They looked around but there was no sign of Crabmon or Scorpiomon anywhere. They had left while Ash and his friends were unconscious.
Brock coughed. "We have to be more careful next time."
"Ugh..." groaned Ash. "Those Pokemon can talk! I thought only Team Rocket's Meowth could do that..."
"Looks like we have a lot to learn," continued Misty.
**********************************************
The trainers travelled through a dense forest and found the mountains Brock wanted to see. At the base of the mountain was a small cat-like creature coming down the road. It resembled a Meowth, but had snow-white fur and bright blue eyes. It stood on two legs like Team Rocket's Meowth, and had yellow, striped gloves covering its front paws. On its striped tail was a golden ring with several characters of a cryptic language. This cat-like creature, a Digimon, was named Gatomon.
Ash tried to scan Gatomon and encountered the same problem with Crabmon. "Hmmm... The Pokedex still isn't working."
Gatomon looked on the Pokemon trainers with curiosity. She mistook them for some sort of new Digidestined that were travelling the Digital World. She looked at Pikachu and Togepi and didn't recognize them as any known Digimon. If Digidestined were in the Digital World, it usually meant there was trouble... However, it also gave her a new opportunity to be with Kari, as she would surely come to investigate.
"How cute!" complimented Misty.
"I wonder if this one can talk?" mumbled Brock.
Gatomon heard Brock. "Of course I can talk! Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"I'm Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town. These are my friends; Pikachu, Brock, Misty, and Togepi."
Everyone greeted Gatomon, including Pikachu. "Pikachu! (Hi, Gatomon!)"
"I'm Gatomon, nice to meet you," said Gatomon to Pikachu.
"You can understand what Pikachu's saying?" asked Ash.
"Of course. He spoke in perfect human talk to me. I suppose you hear something else..."
"Yeah, Pikachu sounds like he's saying his own name to me. Anyways, we're here to explore this world and see all the Pokemon there is to see," proclaimed Ash. "Can you tell us anything about this world and the Pokemon?"
"I'm very familiar with the places of interest in the Digital World, but I doubt you'll find any 'Pokemon' here..."
"What do you mean? You're a Pokemon, just like Pikachu and Togepi!"
Gatomon shook her head. "I don't know what a Pokemon is... All I know is we're Digimon and you're in our world, the Digital World."
"...But you look so much like a Pokemon," said Ash offhandedly.
"I'm sorry but I don't what a Pokemon is. I'm just a Digimon."
Brock stroked his chin in contemplation. "Hmmm... I'm beginning to think that she's not a Pokemon after all. We ARE in a new world, so things are different around here."
"I think Brock's right..." remarked Misty. "Gatomon, what can you tell us about the Digital World?"
"Like I said, we Digimon live here," she repeated. "The Sovereigns rule our world and protect it from those who would harm it."
Brock looked up to see the sun beginning to set and glanced at his watch. "It's getting late and we should be heading back soon. Whitney will be angry if we're late..."
Ash decided it would be best if Prof. Oak were around to hear Gatomon's information. "Actually, can you come with us back to town? We'd like you to continue your story. I know I'm asking a lot, but you don't have to go if you don't want to."
Something in her mind told Gatomon that these people couldn't be Digidestined, despite sharing some similarities with them. "Who are they?" she mentally asked herself.
From their conversation, she knew the creatures these three brought with them were clearly not Digimon. They seemed nice enough, but that could have been an appearance... Gatomon didn't fully trust these humans or their Pokemon, but this was a good opportunity to scout them out. She finally decided to return to town with them.
"Okay, Ash. I'm very interested in hearing you story too."
With Gatomon, Ash, Brock and Misty returned back to the ranch for the night. They piled up at Whitney's door and rang the bell. The doors opened to reveal a somewhat angry Whitney. The Pokemon trainers had come home late and were supposed to come earlier to complete chores. Whitney looked down to see Gatomon looking back at her.
Whitney was impressed. "Way to go, Ash! You just came to this world and already you've caught an undiscovered new Pokemon. You're going to be famous!"
"Uh, I'm not a Pokemon..." objected Gatomon.
"Wow, it can talk too!" interrupted Whitney.
"Ummm... "
Brock chimed in: "It's a long story. This is Gatomon."
Whitney and Gatomon introduced themselves to each other. "Gatomon, they promised to do some chores for me, so you'll have to wait for awhile to speak."
"No problem," replied Gatomon.
The Pokemon trainers' chores consisted of preparing food for dinner. The kitchen was bustling with cooks and helpers preparing food for the staff. Pots and pans hang from a clothesline across the wall. At a table, Brock was in an apron and his knife went up and down like a machine. He cut various vegetables like carrots and celery and gathered them into a holding pan.
In the rear, Ash and Misty were seated on stools. They were separated by another stool on which a large pot rested. In their hands were peelers, and they used them to peel the skin off of potatoes. The skin fell onto a set of newspaper used as a mat. They threw each peeled potato into the pot when they were done. With their help, the ingredients were readied quicker and the Pokemon trainers would feast that much sooner.
Whitney cut some beef into cutlets and threw them into a large cooking pot filled with water. The trainers brought their respective ingredients and mixed them in. With some help, Whitney loaded the pot onto the stove and started heated the stew. Within an hour, everyone could smell the stew and it made their mouths water in anticipation. Whitney served the stew to her friends and the ranch hands to a chorus of complements.
Throughout the dinner, Gatomon talked about the ways of the Digimon. Gatomon made mention of the Digidestined, a group of children who fought the spread of evil forces. Gatomon was the Digimon partner of one of the Digidestined. Before becoming a partner, Gatomon worked for the very evil forces she now strived to defeat.
"Mmmmm... that was a great stew," complemented Ash. He seemed bloated from the seconds and thirds he had consumed.
"This food is great! Did you make it, Brock?" asked Gatomon between bites.
"Yeah, it's my own recipe. I hope to be the best Pokemon breeder and raise strong Pokemon in the future. Being a good cook is one thing I need to be..."
"You said you used to work for this bad Digimon," requested Whitney.
Gatomon told them the story about how she used to work for an evil Digimon known as Myotismon. Before that time, Gatomon waited and searched for what seemed like a lifetime for someone. Before she could find that someone, she was forced into servitude by Myotismon and tortured simply for the defiance evident in her eyes. Eventually, Myotismon launched a campaign to locate and assassinate the eighth Digidestined, Hikari, or Kari for short.
As she told her story, Gatomon grew more and more wistful. Kari was in actuality Gatomon's Digidestined partner and the person Gatomon waited so long for. Through the machinations of her friend Wizardmon, Gatomon discovered her true identity. Unfortunately, Myotismon found out as well... A life or death confrontation broke out between Myotismon and the Digidestined. The Digidestined prevailed, but not without Wizardmon sacrificing his life to protect her and Kari.
Misty noticed Gatomon's wistful expression. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I feel sad. We lost many good friends... Mimi felt the same way when we fought the Dark Masters."
"You don't have to continue."
"No, it's alright. Anyways, I Digivolved to Angewomon for the first time and with my new powers, I defeated Myotismon."
"I heard you use that word 'Digivolve...' What does it mean?" asked Brock.
"Digimon can transform to more powerful forms by Digivolving, like I did to fight Myotismon."
Brock contemplated as he stroked his chin. "Hmmm, just like Pokemon. They can evolve too to more powerful forms."
"It's time to sleep now. We need to wake up early for tomorrow's celebration," urged Whitney.