Disclaimer:
Toei and Bandai own Digimon. Nintendo owns Pokemon.
The Stones of Doom
By: RB3
Chapter 10: The Evil Empire
The Dark Area was a world of eternal night, the domain of the Sovereign of the Dead, Anubismon. The moon was full and beautiful, and illuminated the forest landscape of the Dark Area. The waters of the sea were an inky black, hiding whatever might lurk in the depths below. The touch of the air itself was chilling, as though it was freezing a person's very soul. In the sea was an island with a single rock formation of pure onyx. This formation was surrounded by a violet aura that radiated power.
A swirling vortex opened, and eight trucks drove out, driven by the Kanto Nationalists. Each truck was designed for heavy-duty labour, like that in a construction site, and each held a stolen Destiny Stone. Giovanni emerged from the portal, with the rolled up translation of the Curse of the Eight Dooms. Three underlings followed him, carrying three suitcases filled with the stolen Mega statues within. Vilemon and Phantomon were the last to set foot on the island. In their sack was the data gathered from hundreds of dead trainers and Pokemon.
Phantomon opened his sack towards the rock formation. "Everyone remain quiet. Giovanni, face the formation of onyx and read the curse."
Giovanni nodded, cleared his throat, and read the Curse of the Eight Dooms:
Eight Dooms to crush the Eight Virtues:
Six are diseases of the heart; six sources of blight.
One from the seekers of evil's might,
One from he who's not a lover of Light.
The ground began to rumble, and the rock formation shuddered. The terrorists and Team Rocket were surprised, but Giovanni continued his reciting. As he moved to the next eight lines, an invisible, magical force lifted the Destiny Stones into the air. In a churning black cloud, pure darkness consumed each Destiny Stone. As Giovanni named the Eight Dooms, each of the Destiny Stones recited with him.
The Grip of Fear:
One sends soldiers to oppress the bold, and furthers a tyranny's hold.
The Rift of Hostility:
One is the bringer of ire, and wracks the world through rains of fire.
The Fires of Hatred:
One cares not in the least, and turns the calm into a beast.
The Veil of Ignorance:
One is a closing of the mind, and tints the world for the blind.
The Sloth of Negligence:
One spreads like a flame; it is evasive and passes the blame.
The Mask of Hypocrisy:
One tells a lie to your lover; to show one face, and hide the other.
The Prison of Despair:
One brings a life most grave, crushes Hope, and makes you a slave.
The Omen of Darkness:
One is the Evil One's endeavour; to devour the world in Darkness forever.
Upon utterance of the names of the Dooms, each Destiny Stone transformed into a new form. All eight were now made of a new glossy material. This material was like gemstone, but the deepest black in colour. Each corrupted Destiny Stone emanated dark, chilling sensations, as though a dark power was concentrated in each corrupt Destiny Stone. The corrupted Destiny Stones had taken on new forms to reflect their dark new power.
The first Destiny Stone changed into a gauntlet with spikes on its knuckles. Its fingers were clasped around a sphere representing a planet. The sphere seemed to be crumbling, as though the hand was crushing it with great strength. The second Destiny Stone turned into the effigy of two soldiers with guns drawn. They glared at each other with the intent to kill. Each soldier was standing on a cliff, and separated from each other by the chasm in between.
The third Destiny Stone took on the form of a flame. On the front of the flame was a face, a face that was contorted by pure contempt for the world and those around it. In fact, one would think the flame itself was an evil spirit. The fourth Destiny Stone had two parts, a bald female head looking at a devil. A translucent veil covered the face, and on the veil was the image of a beautiful female angel. The head's positioning made it clear that instead of seeing the devil, the person was actually seeing the angel's image.
The fifth Destiny Stone transformed into a bizarre scene of a sloth reclining against a tree. The sloth was yawning, and nearby, several animals were running from a massive forest fire. The sloth didn't seem to care for anyone's safety, including its own. The sixth transformed into the small statue of the head of a woman removing her mask. The mask resembled a beautiful woman with smooth skin. However, the face behind the mask was that of a foul, decrepit, old hag.
The seventh became a small, cubic cage. Inside it was the effigy of a man whose face was filled with anguish. His hands were clasped around the bars in a desperate attempt to pry them apart. The last Destiny Stone merged with the onyx rock formation, and shook the very earth itself. The rock formation enlarged itself into a massive mountain, and the clouds overhead swirled. The mountain cast an ominous aura, a portent of a dark future.
Eight Dooms brought by an evil hand,
Eight to bring ruin to the land!
A slab of amethyst burst out of the ground. Inside was a cloud of churning darkness with a pair of glowing, crimson eyes. Data began to flow out of Phantomon's bag, and into the slab of amethyst. The data churned inside the slab as the dark spirit within began assimilating the data. After a few seconds, cracks ripped down the length of the slab. A bright violet light emanated from the amethyst, and with a deafening boom, the slab exploded into pieces!
After everyone recovered from the shock of the explosion, they came face to face with a tall Digimon. His head was like that of an unholy white goat, with long, curved horns. His violet fur fluttered from the wind created by the flapping of the two black, gargoyle-like wings on his back. The wings were torn up, as though they were damaged from battle. As the demonic beast breathed, noxious black vapour seeped out of his nostrils and mouth.
"At last, I am free!" said the demon with joy. "Greetings, seekers of evil's might. I am Mephistomon, lord of the dark Digimon. Have you brought the statues, Team Rocket?"
On cue, the Team Rocket grunts opened their briefcases to reveal the gemstone statues held within. Mephistomon looked over the statues and grinned. "Most impressive! We can now proceed."
"We were unable to decide where to build our power base. Our meeting was interrupted by our enemies," said the terrorist leader.
"Very well, I will decide. We will create our power base in the nation of Kanto in the Pokemon World."
"What should we do about the Destiny Stones?"
Mephistomon smirked. "For one thing, calling them 'Destiny Stones' isn't appropriate anymore. They will now be called the 'Stones of Doom.' We will use their very presence to corrupt the hearts and minds of people and Pokemon. The Veil of Ignorance is the perfect tool to turn the people of Kanto into our loyal subjects."
"...And the others?"
"This mountain, the Omen of Darkness, shall be our base, and the symbol of our power. As for the rest, we will decide in due time."
Thus, Team Rocket and the Kanto Nationalists, the seekers of evil's might, have found power. Mephistomon raised his hands and created a ripple of darkness in the air. In this ripple was a clear image of a large city. It was a metallic wonder with glistening buildings from a modern age. One of the buildings, the most notable one of all, was the headquarters of Silph Co. Mephistomon looked at the city, Saffron City, and smiled, for it would be the perfect capital of his new empire.
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It was early morning in Silph Town, one day after the heroes' failed attempt to catch the enemy in one fell swoop. At Silph's dimensional gates, the technicians looked at the meters and recorded the readings. Another technician punched some buttons on the panel, and copied the diagnostic and integrity test results onto his clipboard. For some reason, the gates in Saffron were not responding to the technicians' signals. A different technician's panel beeped, indicating new signals coming in.
"Where are these signals coming from?" asked the head technician.
"Rustboro, sir! It seems there's an emergency at Rustboro, but I don't get it. Devon Corporation's gates shouldn't be ready for at least another month or so."
"Connect our gate to Devon's, we'll sort this mess out later."
The technician complied and pressed a few buttons on the panel on the arch-like gates. The gates turned on with the crackle of energy. A swirling nimbus of data symbols formed in the arches and suddenly, the first pod shot out of the gate and into the tubes on Silph Town's side. The bullet-like pod slowed and eventually stopped beside a disembarking station. The first two people got off and took in the sights and sounds of Silph Town.
One was a beautiful young girl with tanned skin. She resembled a bike racer wearing her body hugging red and black sports top, and black shorts. On her head was a red bandanna with the white symbol of the Pokeball. The wind picked up, blowing locks of her brown hair into her blue eyes. Around her waist was a small yellow pouch where she kept her belongings. She was May, a new Pokemon trainer beginning her journey.
The other was a portly man in his early thirties with a brown beard and brown hair. He wore a navy blue shirt, and his lab coat gave away his academic background. However, his khaki shorts and sandals made him look more like a person who preferred being outdoors. This man was May's friend, Professor Birch, a Pokemon expert like Samuel Oak. Birch was the same man who had given May her starter Pokemon, Torchic.
Meanwhile, a gate technician struck up a conversation with the pod driver: "What happened? What's the emergency?"
"Kanto has invaded Hoenn!" warned the pod driver. "They have already taken Dewford, Littleroot, and are moving to Petalburg!"
"Are these people refugees?" asked the technician.
"Yeah, these people came here to escape the war. We need to work out some housing arrangements for these people."
****************************************
On the TV screen near Oak was a picture of a human and dinosaur hybrid. This Digimon had orange skin, and his hair was red. On his hands and arms were a set of sharp, yellow hand claws, and on his back was a yellow shield open into halves. He wore a silver helmet, and down his cuirass ran a series of tightly wound red tubes like stitching. This Digimon looked like a mighty warrior.
"This is War Greymon, a powerful Digimon of the Mega level," lectured Oak. "His armour and claws are made of Chrome Digizoid, a super metal frequently found on many Ultimate and Mega level Digimon."
Izzy continued: "War Greymon is a dragon slayer. The claws on his hands are called Dramon Killers, and were specially designed to kill dragon Digimon. We Digidestined used this fact to beat two of our greatest enemies. I suspect a Dragon-type Pokemon would be just as vulnerable to these claws as a dragon Digimon."
"Let's go to the question and answer session," said Mary.
Mary called out a random boy in the audience. "How do Digimon types work? Are they like Pokemon types?"
"Good questions," said Oak. "I've spoken with some trainers and the Digidestined, and it seems like Pokemon types don't apply to Digimon in quite the same way. It seems a Digimon's type advantages and weaknesses depend on who you're fighting."
"Digimon have a type that Pokemon do not, called the 'Holy' type," said Izzy. "This type isn't very common, some Digimon of this type include ."
Tentomon continued: "There are also mechanical Digimon, like those Hagurumon fixing the police station. Their closest Pokemon counterpart would be Steel type Pokemon."
"There aren't many Pokemon that can be considered mechanical, except for the evolution line of Magnemite and Voltorb," continued Oak.
"That's all the time we have for today. Tune in tomorrow for our show on Digimon with special roles in the Digital World," announced Mary.
Oak gave a preview of the next show: "In that show, you'll hear about the Sovereigns themselves. You'll hear about Digimon such as Zhuqiaomon, whose Digimon invaded Silph Town, and Azulongmon, the ruler of the region where Silph Town was built."
"This is DJ Mary signing off." Mary left her table and to talk with one of the radio technicians. "Did you find out what the problem was?"
"No, sorry, we still can't get through to Goldenrod."
"I wonder what's going on there?" asked Mary. "Keep trying, they might be having technical problems."
****************************************
Birch and May approached the Silph Pokemon Centre. It was a hi-tech building with clean white walls and sliding glass doors. The building was marked by the symbol of the Pokeball. Inside, the floors were tiled and blue, and at the side of the room opposite the doors was a reception desk. A happy, pink, egg-shaped Pokemon was helping the resident nurse. In the small pouch on her belly was a smaller white egg. This Pokemon was Chansey, a common sight in Pokemon Centres across the Pokemon World.
Nurse Joy took position behind her desk. "How may I help you?"
"I need to stay here for awhile. The mayor made some arrangements for me to stay here," replied May.
"Okay, just tell me your name and I'll take care of everything." May told Nurse Joy her name. Nurse Joy looked up May's name in a book and gave her the key to her room.
"Thanks, Nurse Joy!"
Birch began a lecture about the facilities. "Okay May, Pokemon Centres are free rest stops for trainers like yourself, and hospitals for your Pokemon. Give your Pokemon to Nurse Joy, and she will take care of the rest. They are also the best places to meet trainers, since they are bound to come by here sooner or later."
"I have a place to stay, but I'm worried about you. Where are you going to stay?"
"I have a colleague of mine here. His name's Samuel Oak, and I'm going to see if he can let me stay in his lab in exchange for helping with his research. Take this map if you're going to explore, and give Torchic to Nurse Joy so she can give her a little boost."
May took the map and looked it over. "Thanks, Professor!"
Nurse Joy took May's Pokeball and placed it onto a recharging machine. Once Torchic's energy was fully restored, Joy returned the ball to May. May spotted a poster advertising a radio show hosted by DJ Mary. On this poster were pictures of Mary, Professor Samuel Oak, a third person that May didn't recognize, and what looked like a Pokemon. The poster showed the person's name was Izzy Izumi, and the 'Pokemon' was Tentomon.
Three new trainers entered the Pokemon Centre. The leader was a ten-year-old boy with a red and white cap covering a head of black hair. On his shoulder was a mouse-like Pokemon with yellow fur and red spots on his cheeks. The second was a ten-year-old girl with orange hair tied to the left. She cradled an egg-like Pokemon in her arms. The last boy was a bit older, around twelve or thirteen years old. He was taller than the others, and had a tanned complexion and black hair.
"Hi, Ash!"
"Hi, Nurse Joy! We're here to give our Pokemon a boost," said the leading boy, Ash.
"No problem, just let me have your Pokemon." The three trainers handed their Pokeballs and Pokemon over to the nurse. After a few minutes of waiting, Joy returned them all refreshed and ready for battle.
"Thanks Nurse Joy!"
"So how was Professor Oak's show?"
"It was great! I learned a lot about Digimon. Did you know that Digimon had a type that Pokemon did not?" asked Ash.
"Yeah, I heard about that; the Holy type," replied Nurse Joy.
"I wonder what the Holy type's advantages and disadvantages are?"
"Sorry about eavesdropping, but you guys went to the show, right?" asked May.
"Yeah, it was a nice show. I really learned a lot about Digimon," replied Brock.
"Cool! I wish I could be there, by the way, I'm May, a new Pokemon trainer."
"I'm Ash, a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town. These are my friends Brock, Misty, Togepi, and Pikachu." Each of Ash's friends greeted May.
"Pallet Town?"
"That's right, it's in Kanto. So you came here to see the Digital World, right?"
May remained silent momentarily. "No... I was forced to come here because of a war between Kanto and Hoenn."
"I'm sorry to hear that," consoled Misty. "At least you got here safely."
"I know. I was lucky to make it out of there," said May.
"Ash," called Nurse Joy. "Professor Oak just called you. It seems a man named Gennai has called a meeting. They want you to go back to the Professor's lab to attend."
"Alright, I'm going right now," replied Ash.
Brock gave May a pensive glance. "You know, May, why don't you come with us? I have a gut feeling that this has something to do with the war you were talking about."
"You really think so? Alright then, lead the way," replied May.
****************************************
The four trainers ran to Oak's lab as quickly as they could. Everyone was already there, standing in a huddle around Gennai. The others' anxiety over waiting for Ash, Brock, and Misty faded away, to be replaced with curiosity about the trio's new friend. May introduced herself to the others and vice versa. Gennai cleared his throat and began the briefing.
"I now know who is leading our enemies!" stated Gennai.
Everyone was shocked. "Who is it?" asked Tai.
"His name is Mephistomon," replied Gennai.
Gennai told the group about Mephistomon's origin. During the reign of the Dark Masters, there were only four Sovereigns. The Dark Masters sealed them away with the help of their creator Apocalymon. After the fall of Apocalymon and the Dark Masters, the seal on the Sovereigns fell apart and the Sovereigns broke free. It was later on that there would be six Sovereigns, but many months had passed before that happened. During that time, the data of dead Digimon entered the Dark Area and formed a dark spirit.
"Mephistomon was that spirit?" asked Sora.
"Yes. Mephistomon would have become a new Apocalymon if given enough time and data. However..."
The Sovereigns made a pre-emptive move against the dark spirit. They sealed it away in a remote location in the Dark Area long before it could take on a physical form. The spirit stayed there, until the coming of people and Pokemon from the Pokemon World drew its attention. It began to stir, to take advantage of this perfect opportunity to break free. It lured servants to its service with the promise of great rewards.
"Team Rocket!" blurted the Pokemon trainers.
"The Kanto Nationalists!" continued the Digidestined.
"That's right," said Gennai. "They interfered with the spirit's formation process and freed it from its prison. All those stolen statues, Destiny Stones, and dead people were to bring a new 'Apocalymon' to power."
"I don't get it... Why did he come back as Mephistomon, and not as Apocalymon?" asked Joe.
"I'm not sure of the reason, but I think it's because they used Pokemon and human data in addition to Digimon data."
Gennai gave Izzy a translated copy of the Curse of the Eight Dooms. "This looks like a prophecy," remarked Izzy.
"Actually, it's the spell they used to revive Mephistomon. It corrupted the eight stolen Destiny Stones and turned them into the eight Stones of Doom."
"Stones of Doom?" asked Brock.
"Each Destiny Stone took on a form relating to its respective Doom. The Dooms are dark powers that corrupt people who are exposed to them for prolonged time periods. The enemy is using the Stones of Doom to attack the Pokemon World!"
At that moment, the room fell silent and everyone's jaw dropped. "Wait a minute, if Mephistomon is an Apocalymon, then can he accelerate time like the one we fought?" asked Izzy.
"Yes, Mephistomon and his followers have been in the Pokemon World for months now," replied Gennai, drawing gasps from the heroes.
"Oh man, it just gets worse and worse!" commented Matt. "I'm scared to think how much damage he could do in that time."
"That place is going to be a mess," said Biyomon.
"We're wasting too much time here! We have to get back right now!" demanded Ash.
"I understand your urgency, Ash, I will transport all of you to the Pokemon World."
"Hold on, you're actually going to take on Kanto?" asked May.
"You bet! We'd really appreciate your help," said Ash. "You want to stop Kanto, don't you?"
"Of course, but what can I do? I've just started being a Pokemon trainer! I'm not an experienced trainer like you are, and I'm not a Digi-whatchamacallit like the others are!"
"That's 'Digidestined,'" corrected Izzy.
Ash reassured May: "Don't worry, we're all friends here. We'll be here with you the whole way. We didn't get this far without each others' help. Izzy's an expert on Digimon, and I'm an expert on Pokemon!"
"Oh, brother..." commented Misty offhandedly.
"I can teach you along the way," promised Ash. "But I won't force you to come."
May weighed her options carefully. "Okay Ash, I'm in!"
"Where should I take you?" asked Gennai.
"How about my old lab in Pallet Town?" suggested Oak. "I'm staying here for awhile so you are free to use it as you like."
Ash received a set of keys from Oak. "Thanks, Professor. Gennai, take us to the Professor's lab in Pallet Town!" said Ash.
****************************************
On a battlefield near Petalburg in Hoenn, Mephistomon's power was being displayed in full effect. Every nation of the world, with the exception of Johto, had banded together in the Hoenn Alliance to retaliate against Kanto's aggression. The air was thick with the scent of smoke from burning war machines. Every few seconds, a jumbled set of bangs and booms could be heard ripping through the air. The ground rumbled as a trio of giant Digimon, Dragomon, made their way onto the field of battle.
Hoenn soldiers looked at the Digimon from their entrenched position. "What the hell are those things?" asked one of the soldiers.
"Who cares what they are? Just kill them!" responded another soldier.
The soldiers and Hoenn tanks unleashed a seemingly endless stream of shells and bullets. Each shot hit the three Dragomon's rubbery chests with a bang and the occasional explosion. However, the beasts remained standing, not even flinching from the attack. The Dragomon continued to advance to the Hoenn Alliance line, which looked like miniature toys to them. A smile formed on the octopus-like face of each Dragomon, for they would have a lot of fun.
The first Dragomon stomped a tank into a flat metal pancake. A shell came and exploded on his right shoulder, but Dragomon skewered the offending tank using his trident. The second Dragomon dropkicked a tank across the battlefield. The third picked up an APC and crushed it with his mouth tentacles like a soda can. One by one, in a series of explosions and crunching metal, the Hoenn Alliance forces fell.
Unlike the war zone in Hoenn, it was a peaceful summer day in Pallet Town. However, Mephistomon's evil was boundless, and no one was truly safe. On this day, an attractive, young, red-haired woman was tending to her crops with the help of a Pokemon. She was in a pink summer dress, and wore a straw hat. She took off her hat and wiped the sweat off her brow. She was Ash Ketchum's mother, Delia Ketchum.
Her Pokemon friend looked upon the tomato vines. A pensive expression came upon the pink face of the Pokemon. He pulled the tomatoes closer with his white gloves, and inspected each one. As he moved the vine around, he revealed the red spots on his cheeks and chest. Sweat soaked the two tufts of blue hair that pointed outwards from his head. The tomatoes were still green, so the Pokemon decided to water the tomato plants.
This Pokemon, Mr. Mime, suddenly sensed someone hostile approaching. "Mime! (Danger!)"
Delia followed her Pokemon's finger to several faceless men in mottled green camouflage uniforms, and boots. On their heads were round, green helmets made of metal. All of them were armed with assault rifles and cast unpleasant looks upon Delia. Mr. Mime's sense of urgency increased, and he placed himself in front of Delia to protect her. Due to all of the negative rumours and news he had heard, Mr. Mime didn't want to take any chances.
Globally, Kanto became known as an aggressive, hostile nation. They fielded an army made not only of human soldiers, but Pokemon and Digimon as well. Kanto had invaded Hoenn, with the Kanto news spreading propaganda glorifying the war. Johto was in an excellent position for a counter attack, but had signed a non-aggression pact with Kanto. Even with the help of other nations, Hoenn was falling to the nigh unstoppable might of the Kanto army.
In local news, Kanto had turned into a fascist state. The police and army began to arrest anyone suspected of being enemies of the state, whether or not the suspicions had merit. Those that criticized or opposed the government were silenced by a firing squad. There was also controversy surrounding the death of Kanto's former president. The current leader was accused of masterminding the former leader's assassination, and then turning Kanto into its current state.
"Delia Ketchum, you are under arrest!"
A soldier went to grab Delia, but Mr. Mime shoved him away. "Damn Pokemon, get out of our way!" Two different soldiers shoved Mr. Mime out of the way, and reached for Delia.
Mr. Mime's eyes glowed blue as he channelled energy into a Confusion attack. The two soldiers glowed with a blue aura before being telekinetically thrown down. Mr. Mime glowed blue again, this time activating his Light Screen ability. Several sheets of clear plastic formed around Mr. Mime and Delia like a barrier. The soldiers' guns banged as they opened fire, and sparks bounced from the barriers with each hit. Fortunately, the Light Screen held out, so the soldiers had to employ a new method of attack.
"Tyranitar, go!" The Armour Pokemon appeared in front of a soldier. "Hyper Beam!"
A concentrated, golden beam erupted from Tyranitar's maw. It ruptured a gaping hole into Mr. Mime's barrier and smacked him in the chest. Mr. Mime landed onto the ground in a heap and his barriers vanished. Delia went to check up on him, only to be grabbed by the soldiers, and kicked hard in the ribs. Delia took a blow to the back of the head, and everything faded to darkness.
A different soldier pulled a grenade off of his strap. The grenade resembled a metallic, handheld pineapple that was dark green in colour. Using his teeth, the soldier pulled out the circular pin on the grenade's top, before throwing the grenade into the first floor window of the house. With a loud boom, an explosion shattered the glass, and destroyed everything in the living room. Several further explosions followed with the other soldiers lobbing grenades at the house.
"We got what we came for, return to base!"
The soldiers took Delia with them back to headquarters, leaving Mr. Mime sprawled on the ground. They tossed the unconscious Delia into a transport truck, and shut the doors. The truck started and drove off to an unknown location. The soldiers hit the recreation room of their headquarters, a medium-sized room with white walls, and a large brown couch in the opposite left corner. There was a ping-pong table at the right side of the room with two soldiers playing an intense game. Another soldier turned on the TV in front of the couch to watch.
A news reporter appeared on the screen. "The mighty Kanto army has captured the city of Dewford in Hoenn! They are making their way north to conquer the towns of Littleroot and Petalburg. Soon, Kanto will control all of Hoenn. Glory to Kanto!"
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A week later, the heroes popped up inside the interior of Oak's former lab. It was dusty and cobwebs were everywhere. It was the typical, sterile environment used by people in the sciences. The room was filled with electronic equipment with dials and switches, whose purpose was unknown. It was quiet as their master, Oak, had left to pursue his studies in the Digital World.
Ash covered his mouth and nose as he checked the place out. "It sure is dusty here..."
"I must return to the Digital World, my friends. I wish you good luck in your journey!"
"Good bye, Gennai!"
Everyone waved as Gennai vanished in a rainbow of light. In Oak's office, Izzy found a nice wooden desk to look over Gennai's parchment. A thick layer of dust had formed on it from months of disuse. Izzy fetched a duster from elsewhere in the lab and began to wipe the area clean. He turned on the lamp and began to read the parchment. It was an interesting read, and made more interesting by the information Gennai had given him.
Tai came behind Izzy and looked at the parchment. "Did you find anything, Izzy?"
"The eight Dooms are the opposite of our Crests. If we find a place with a situation like in the descriptions, a Stone is sure to be nearby."
"I guess we'd better keep our eyes peeled for these signs."
Misty ran into the room. "Tai, Izzy, come to the front door. There's something you should hear."
At the front door, the group was huddled around the Mr. Mime belonging to Ash's mother. He was very agitated and blurted his words unintelligibly. "Mime Mime Mime!"
He pulled Ash's hand to lead him somewhere. "Where are you taking me?" asked Ash.
Ash and the other heroes followed, just as Tai, Izzy, and Misty came out of Oak's lab. They came upon a charred suburban house. Several black marks and potholes from unknown explosives ruined the garden. The windows were shattered, and there were several small holes punched into the walls. Several casings from fired bullets laid discarded on the ground. Ash gazed at this house, his home, in horror.
His jaw dropped. "Ah, what happened here? MOM! Where are you?"
Ash ran into his home, and Misty pursued. "Ash, wait!" she cried.
Inside his former home, Ash looked around, calling for his mother. The living room was smashed up and in disarray, as though something had exploded there. The couch was scorched black, and the stuffing inside was ripped out. Books were scattered all over the ground, and the TV screen was smashed up. On the ground was the blast mark, a black, circular pattern. The explosion was quite large, and made several black scorch marks on the walls.
Ash ran up the stairs and called for his mother but no one answered. He checked each bedroom and found that they too were ruined. In his own bedroom, an explosion charred his bed, and smashed his table and chest of drawers. The windows were shattered and glass was all over the ground. All of Ash's belongings were destroyed by whoever ruined his home, but worst of all, his mother was nowhere to be seen.
Toei and Bandai own Digimon. Nintendo owns Pokemon.
The Stones of Doom
By: RB3
Chapter 10: The Evil Empire
The Dark Area was a world of eternal night, the domain of the Sovereign of the Dead, Anubismon. The moon was full and beautiful, and illuminated the forest landscape of the Dark Area. The waters of the sea were an inky black, hiding whatever might lurk in the depths below. The touch of the air itself was chilling, as though it was freezing a person's very soul. In the sea was an island with a single rock formation of pure onyx. This formation was surrounded by a violet aura that radiated power.
A swirling vortex opened, and eight trucks drove out, driven by the Kanto Nationalists. Each truck was designed for heavy-duty labour, like that in a construction site, and each held a stolen Destiny Stone. Giovanni emerged from the portal, with the rolled up translation of the Curse of the Eight Dooms. Three underlings followed him, carrying three suitcases filled with the stolen Mega statues within. Vilemon and Phantomon were the last to set foot on the island. In their sack was the data gathered from hundreds of dead trainers and Pokemon.
Phantomon opened his sack towards the rock formation. "Everyone remain quiet. Giovanni, face the formation of onyx and read the curse."
Giovanni nodded, cleared his throat, and read the Curse of the Eight Dooms:
Six are diseases of the heart; six sources of blight.
One from the seekers of evil's might,
One from he who's not a lover of Light.
The ground began to rumble, and the rock formation shuddered. The terrorists and Team Rocket were surprised, but Giovanni continued his reciting. As he moved to the next eight lines, an invisible, magical force lifted the Destiny Stones into the air. In a churning black cloud, pure darkness consumed each Destiny Stone. As Giovanni named the Eight Dooms, each of the Destiny Stones recited with him.
One sends soldiers to oppress the bold, and furthers a tyranny's hold.
The Rift of Hostility:
One is the bringer of ire, and wracks the world through rains of fire.
The Fires of Hatred:
One cares not in the least, and turns the calm into a beast.
The Veil of Ignorance:
One is a closing of the mind, and tints the world for the blind.
The Sloth of Negligence:
One spreads like a flame; it is evasive and passes the blame.
The Mask of Hypocrisy:
One tells a lie to your lover; to show one face, and hide the other.
The Prison of Despair:
One brings a life most grave, crushes Hope, and makes you a slave.
The Omen of Darkness:
One is the Evil One's endeavour; to devour the world in Darkness forever.
Upon utterance of the names of the Dooms, each Destiny Stone transformed into a new form. All eight were now made of a new glossy material. This material was like gemstone, but the deepest black in colour. Each corrupted Destiny Stone emanated dark, chilling sensations, as though a dark power was concentrated in each corrupt Destiny Stone. The corrupted Destiny Stones had taken on new forms to reflect their dark new power.
The first Destiny Stone changed into a gauntlet with spikes on its knuckles. Its fingers were clasped around a sphere representing a planet. The sphere seemed to be crumbling, as though the hand was crushing it with great strength. The second Destiny Stone turned into the effigy of two soldiers with guns drawn. They glared at each other with the intent to kill. Each soldier was standing on a cliff, and separated from each other by the chasm in between.
The third Destiny Stone took on the form of a flame. On the front of the flame was a face, a face that was contorted by pure contempt for the world and those around it. In fact, one would think the flame itself was an evil spirit. The fourth Destiny Stone had two parts, a bald female head looking at a devil. A translucent veil covered the face, and on the veil was the image of a beautiful female angel. The head's positioning made it clear that instead of seeing the devil, the person was actually seeing the angel's image.
The fifth Destiny Stone transformed into a bizarre scene of a sloth reclining against a tree. The sloth was yawning, and nearby, several animals were running from a massive forest fire. The sloth didn't seem to care for anyone's safety, including its own. The sixth transformed into the small statue of the head of a woman removing her mask. The mask resembled a beautiful woman with smooth skin. However, the face behind the mask was that of a foul, decrepit, old hag.
The seventh became a small, cubic cage. Inside it was the effigy of a man whose face was filled with anguish. His hands were clasped around the bars in a desperate attempt to pry them apart. The last Destiny Stone merged with the onyx rock formation, and shook the very earth itself. The rock formation enlarged itself into a massive mountain, and the clouds overhead swirled. The mountain cast an ominous aura, a portent of a dark future.
Eight to bring ruin to the land!
A slab of amethyst burst out of the ground. Inside was a cloud of churning darkness with a pair of glowing, crimson eyes. Data began to flow out of Phantomon's bag, and into the slab of amethyst. The data churned inside the slab as the dark spirit within began assimilating the data. After a few seconds, cracks ripped down the length of the slab. A bright violet light emanated from the amethyst, and with a deafening boom, the slab exploded into pieces!
After everyone recovered from the shock of the explosion, they came face to face with a tall Digimon. His head was like that of an unholy white goat, with long, curved horns. His violet fur fluttered from the wind created by the flapping of the two black, gargoyle-like wings on his back. The wings were torn up, as though they were damaged from battle. As the demonic beast breathed, noxious black vapour seeped out of his nostrils and mouth.
"At last, I am free!" said the demon with joy. "Greetings, seekers of evil's might. I am Mephistomon, lord of the dark Digimon. Have you brought the statues, Team Rocket?"
On cue, the Team Rocket grunts opened their briefcases to reveal the gemstone statues held within. Mephistomon looked over the statues and grinned. "Most impressive! We can now proceed."
"We were unable to decide where to build our power base. Our meeting was interrupted by our enemies," said the terrorist leader.
"Very well, I will decide. We will create our power base in the nation of Kanto in the Pokemon World."
"What should we do about the Destiny Stones?"
Mephistomon smirked. "For one thing, calling them 'Destiny Stones' isn't appropriate anymore. They will now be called the 'Stones of Doom.' We will use their very presence to corrupt the hearts and minds of people and Pokemon. The Veil of Ignorance is the perfect tool to turn the people of Kanto into our loyal subjects."
"...And the others?"
"This mountain, the Omen of Darkness, shall be our base, and the symbol of our power. As for the rest, we will decide in due time."
Thus, Team Rocket and the Kanto Nationalists, the seekers of evil's might, have found power. Mephistomon raised his hands and created a ripple of darkness in the air. In this ripple was a clear image of a large city. It was a metallic wonder with glistening buildings from a modern age. One of the buildings, the most notable one of all, was the headquarters of Silph Co. Mephistomon looked at the city, Saffron City, and smiled, for it would be the perfect capital of his new empire.
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It was early morning in Silph Town, one day after the heroes' failed attempt to catch the enemy in one fell swoop. At Silph's dimensional gates, the technicians looked at the meters and recorded the readings. Another technician punched some buttons on the panel, and copied the diagnostic and integrity test results onto his clipboard. For some reason, the gates in Saffron were not responding to the technicians' signals. A different technician's panel beeped, indicating new signals coming in.
"Where are these signals coming from?" asked the head technician.
"Rustboro, sir! It seems there's an emergency at Rustboro, but I don't get it. Devon Corporation's gates shouldn't be ready for at least another month or so."
"Connect our gate to Devon's, we'll sort this mess out later."
The technician complied and pressed a few buttons on the panel on the arch-like gates. The gates turned on with the crackle of energy. A swirling nimbus of data symbols formed in the arches and suddenly, the first pod shot out of the gate and into the tubes on Silph Town's side. The bullet-like pod slowed and eventually stopped beside a disembarking station. The first two people got off and took in the sights and sounds of Silph Town.
One was a beautiful young girl with tanned skin. She resembled a bike racer wearing her body hugging red and black sports top, and black shorts. On her head was a red bandanna with the white symbol of the Pokeball. The wind picked up, blowing locks of her brown hair into her blue eyes. Around her waist was a small yellow pouch where she kept her belongings. She was May, a new Pokemon trainer beginning her journey.
The other was a portly man in his early thirties with a brown beard and brown hair. He wore a navy blue shirt, and his lab coat gave away his academic background. However, his khaki shorts and sandals made him look more like a person who preferred being outdoors. This man was May's friend, Professor Birch, a Pokemon expert like Samuel Oak. Birch was the same man who had given May her starter Pokemon, Torchic.
Meanwhile, a gate technician struck up a conversation with the pod driver: "What happened? What's the emergency?"
"Kanto has invaded Hoenn!" warned the pod driver. "They have already taken Dewford, Littleroot, and are moving to Petalburg!"
"Are these people refugees?" asked the technician.
"Yeah, these people came here to escape the war. We need to work out some housing arrangements for these people."
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On the TV screen near Oak was a picture of a human and dinosaur hybrid. This Digimon had orange skin, and his hair was red. On his hands and arms were a set of sharp, yellow hand claws, and on his back was a yellow shield open into halves. He wore a silver helmet, and down his cuirass ran a series of tightly wound red tubes like stitching. This Digimon looked like a mighty warrior.
"This is War Greymon, a powerful Digimon of the Mega level," lectured Oak. "His armour and claws are made of Chrome Digizoid, a super metal frequently found on many Ultimate and Mega level Digimon."
Izzy continued: "War Greymon is a dragon slayer. The claws on his hands are called Dramon Killers, and were specially designed to kill dragon Digimon. We Digidestined used this fact to beat two of our greatest enemies. I suspect a Dragon-type Pokemon would be just as vulnerable to these claws as a dragon Digimon."
"Let's go to the question and answer session," said Mary.
Mary called out a random boy in the audience. "How do Digimon types work? Are they like Pokemon types?"
"Good questions," said Oak. "I've spoken with some trainers and the Digidestined, and it seems like Pokemon types don't apply to Digimon in quite the same way. It seems a Digimon's type advantages and weaknesses depend on who you're fighting."
"Digimon have a type that Pokemon do not, called the 'Holy' type," said Izzy. "This type isn't very common, some Digimon of this type include ."
Tentomon continued: "There are also mechanical Digimon, like those Hagurumon fixing the police station. Their closest Pokemon counterpart would be Steel type Pokemon."
"There aren't many Pokemon that can be considered mechanical, except for the evolution line of Magnemite and Voltorb," continued Oak.
"That's all the time we have for today. Tune in tomorrow for our show on Digimon with special roles in the Digital World," announced Mary.
Oak gave a preview of the next show: "In that show, you'll hear about the Sovereigns themselves. You'll hear about Digimon such as Zhuqiaomon, whose Digimon invaded Silph Town, and Azulongmon, the ruler of the region where Silph Town was built."
"This is DJ Mary signing off." Mary left her table and to talk with one of the radio technicians. "Did you find out what the problem was?"
"No, sorry, we still can't get through to Goldenrod."
"I wonder what's going on there?" asked Mary. "Keep trying, they might be having technical problems."
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Birch and May approached the Silph Pokemon Centre. It was a hi-tech building with clean white walls and sliding glass doors. The building was marked by the symbol of the Pokeball. Inside, the floors were tiled and blue, and at the side of the room opposite the doors was a reception desk. A happy, pink, egg-shaped Pokemon was helping the resident nurse. In the small pouch on her belly was a smaller white egg. This Pokemon was Chansey, a common sight in Pokemon Centres across the Pokemon World.
Nurse Joy took position behind her desk. "How may I help you?"
"I need to stay here for awhile. The mayor made some arrangements for me to stay here," replied May.
"Okay, just tell me your name and I'll take care of everything." May told Nurse Joy her name. Nurse Joy looked up May's name in a book and gave her the key to her room.
"Thanks, Nurse Joy!"
Birch began a lecture about the facilities. "Okay May, Pokemon Centres are free rest stops for trainers like yourself, and hospitals for your Pokemon. Give your Pokemon to Nurse Joy, and she will take care of the rest. They are also the best places to meet trainers, since they are bound to come by here sooner or later."
"I have a place to stay, but I'm worried about you. Where are you going to stay?"
"I have a colleague of mine here. His name's Samuel Oak, and I'm going to see if he can let me stay in his lab in exchange for helping with his research. Take this map if you're going to explore, and give Torchic to Nurse Joy so she can give her a little boost."
May took the map and looked it over. "Thanks, Professor!"
Nurse Joy took May's Pokeball and placed it onto a recharging machine. Once Torchic's energy was fully restored, Joy returned the ball to May. May spotted a poster advertising a radio show hosted by DJ Mary. On this poster were pictures of Mary, Professor Samuel Oak, a third person that May didn't recognize, and what looked like a Pokemon. The poster showed the person's name was Izzy Izumi, and the 'Pokemon' was Tentomon.
Three new trainers entered the Pokemon Centre. The leader was a ten-year-old boy with a red and white cap covering a head of black hair. On his shoulder was a mouse-like Pokemon with yellow fur and red spots on his cheeks. The second was a ten-year-old girl with orange hair tied to the left. She cradled an egg-like Pokemon in her arms. The last boy was a bit older, around twelve or thirteen years old. He was taller than the others, and had a tanned complexion and black hair.
"Hi, Ash!"
"Hi, Nurse Joy! We're here to give our Pokemon a boost," said the leading boy, Ash.
"No problem, just let me have your Pokemon." The three trainers handed their Pokeballs and Pokemon over to the nurse. After a few minutes of waiting, Joy returned them all refreshed and ready for battle.
"Thanks Nurse Joy!"
"So how was Professor Oak's show?"
"It was great! I learned a lot about Digimon. Did you know that Digimon had a type that Pokemon did not?" asked Ash.
"Yeah, I heard about that; the Holy type," replied Nurse Joy.
"I wonder what the Holy type's advantages and disadvantages are?"
"Sorry about eavesdropping, but you guys went to the show, right?" asked May.
"Yeah, it was a nice show. I really learned a lot about Digimon," replied Brock.
"Cool! I wish I could be there, by the way, I'm May, a new Pokemon trainer."
"I'm Ash, a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town. These are my friends Brock, Misty, Togepi, and Pikachu." Each of Ash's friends greeted May.
"Pallet Town?"
"That's right, it's in Kanto. So you came here to see the Digital World, right?"
May remained silent momentarily. "No... I was forced to come here because of a war between Kanto and Hoenn."
"I'm sorry to hear that," consoled Misty. "At least you got here safely."
"I know. I was lucky to make it out of there," said May.
"Ash," called Nurse Joy. "Professor Oak just called you. It seems a man named Gennai has called a meeting. They want you to go back to the Professor's lab to attend."
"Alright, I'm going right now," replied Ash.
Brock gave May a pensive glance. "You know, May, why don't you come with us? I have a gut feeling that this has something to do with the war you were talking about."
"You really think so? Alright then, lead the way," replied May.
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The four trainers ran to Oak's lab as quickly as they could. Everyone was already there, standing in a huddle around Gennai. The others' anxiety over waiting for Ash, Brock, and Misty faded away, to be replaced with curiosity about the trio's new friend. May introduced herself to the others and vice versa. Gennai cleared his throat and began the briefing.
"I now know who is leading our enemies!" stated Gennai.
Everyone was shocked. "Who is it?" asked Tai.
"His name is Mephistomon," replied Gennai.
Gennai told the group about Mephistomon's origin. During the reign of the Dark Masters, there were only four Sovereigns. The Dark Masters sealed them away with the help of their creator Apocalymon. After the fall of Apocalymon and the Dark Masters, the seal on the Sovereigns fell apart and the Sovereigns broke free. It was later on that there would be six Sovereigns, but many months had passed before that happened. During that time, the data of dead Digimon entered the Dark Area and formed a dark spirit.
"Mephistomon was that spirit?" asked Sora.
"Yes. Mephistomon would have become a new Apocalymon if given enough time and data. However..."
The Sovereigns made a pre-emptive move against the dark spirit. They sealed it away in a remote location in the Dark Area long before it could take on a physical form. The spirit stayed there, until the coming of people and Pokemon from the Pokemon World drew its attention. It began to stir, to take advantage of this perfect opportunity to break free. It lured servants to its service with the promise of great rewards.
"Team Rocket!" blurted the Pokemon trainers.
"The Kanto Nationalists!" continued the Digidestined.
"That's right," said Gennai. "They interfered with the spirit's formation process and freed it from its prison. All those stolen statues, Destiny Stones, and dead people were to bring a new 'Apocalymon' to power."
"I don't get it... Why did he come back as Mephistomon, and not as Apocalymon?" asked Joe.
"I'm not sure of the reason, but I think it's because they used Pokemon and human data in addition to Digimon data."
Gennai gave Izzy a translated copy of the Curse of the Eight Dooms. "This looks like a prophecy," remarked Izzy.
"Actually, it's the spell they used to revive Mephistomon. It corrupted the eight stolen Destiny Stones and turned them into the eight Stones of Doom."
"Stones of Doom?" asked Brock.
"Each Destiny Stone took on a form relating to its respective Doom. The Dooms are dark powers that corrupt people who are exposed to them for prolonged time periods. The enemy is using the Stones of Doom to attack the Pokemon World!"
At that moment, the room fell silent and everyone's jaw dropped. "Wait a minute, if Mephistomon is an Apocalymon, then can he accelerate time like the one we fought?" asked Izzy.
"Yes, Mephistomon and his followers have been in the Pokemon World for months now," replied Gennai, drawing gasps from the heroes.
"Oh man, it just gets worse and worse!" commented Matt. "I'm scared to think how much damage he could do in that time."
"That place is going to be a mess," said Biyomon.
"We're wasting too much time here! We have to get back right now!" demanded Ash.
"I understand your urgency, Ash, I will transport all of you to the Pokemon World."
"Hold on, you're actually going to take on Kanto?" asked May.
"You bet! We'd really appreciate your help," said Ash. "You want to stop Kanto, don't you?"
"Of course, but what can I do? I've just started being a Pokemon trainer! I'm not an experienced trainer like you are, and I'm not a Digi-whatchamacallit like the others are!"
"That's 'Digidestined,'" corrected Izzy.
Ash reassured May: "Don't worry, we're all friends here. We'll be here with you the whole way. We didn't get this far without each others' help. Izzy's an expert on Digimon, and I'm an expert on Pokemon!"
"Oh, brother..." commented Misty offhandedly.
"I can teach you along the way," promised Ash. "But I won't force you to come."
May weighed her options carefully. "Okay Ash, I'm in!"
"Where should I take you?" asked Gennai.
"How about my old lab in Pallet Town?" suggested Oak. "I'm staying here for awhile so you are free to use it as you like."
Ash received a set of keys from Oak. "Thanks, Professor. Gennai, take us to the Professor's lab in Pallet Town!" said Ash.
****************************************
On a battlefield near Petalburg in Hoenn, Mephistomon's power was being displayed in full effect. Every nation of the world, with the exception of Johto, had banded together in the Hoenn Alliance to retaliate against Kanto's aggression. The air was thick with the scent of smoke from burning war machines. Every few seconds, a jumbled set of bangs and booms could be heard ripping through the air. The ground rumbled as a trio of giant Digimon, Dragomon, made their way onto the field of battle.
Hoenn soldiers looked at the Digimon from their entrenched position. "What the hell are those things?" asked one of the soldiers.
"Who cares what they are? Just kill them!" responded another soldier.
The soldiers and Hoenn tanks unleashed a seemingly endless stream of shells and bullets. Each shot hit the three Dragomon's rubbery chests with a bang and the occasional explosion. However, the beasts remained standing, not even flinching from the attack. The Dragomon continued to advance to the Hoenn Alliance line, which looked like miniature toys to them. A smile formed on the octopus-like face of each Dragomon, for they would have a lot of fun.
The first Dragomon stomped a tank into a flat metal pancake. A shell came and exploded on his right shoulder, but Dragomon skewered the offending tank using his trident. The second Dragomon dropkicked a tank across the battlefield. The third picked up an APC and crushed it with his mouth tentacles like a soda can. One by one, in a series of explosions and crunching metal, the Hoenn Alliance forces fell.
Unlike the war zone in Hoenn, it was a peaceful summer day in Pallet Town. However, Mephistomon's evil was boundless, and no one was truly safe. On this day, an attractive, young, red-haired woman was tending to her crops with the help of a Pokemon. She was in a pink summer dress, and wore a straw hat. She took off her hat and wiped the sweat off her brow. She was Ash Ketchum's mother, Delia Ketchum.
Her Pokemon friend looked upon the tomato vines. A pensive expression came upon the pink face of the Pokemon. He pulled the tomatoes closer with his white gloves, and inspected each one. As he moved the vine around, he revealed the red spots on his cheeks and chest. Sweat soaked the two tufts of blue hair that pointed outwards from his head. The tomatoes were still green, so the Pokemon decided to water the tomato plants.
This Pokemon, Mr. Mime, suddenly sensed someone hostile approaching. "Mime! (Danger!)"
Delia followed her Pokemon's finger to several faceless men in mottled green camouflage uniforms, and boots. On their heads were round, green helmets made of metal. All of them were armed with assault rifles and cast unpleasant looks upon Delia. Mr. Mime's sense of urgency increased, and he placed himself in front of Delia to protect her. Due to all of the negative rumours and news he had heard, Mr. Mime didn't want to take any chances.
Globally, Kanto became known as an aggressive, hostile nation. They fielded an army made not only of human soldiers, but Pokemon and Digimon as well. Kanto had invaded Hoenn, with the Kanto news spreading propaganda glorifying the war. Johto was in an excellent position for a counter attack, but had signed a non-aggression pact with Kanto. Even with the help of other nations, Hoenn was falling to the nigh unstoppable might of the Kanto army.
In local news, Kanto had turned into a fascist state. The police and army began to arrest anyone suspected of being enemies of the state, whether or not the suspicions had merit. Those that criticized or opposed the government were silenced by a firing squad. There was also controversy surrounding the death of Kanto's former president. The current leader was accused of masterminding the former leader's assassination, and then turning Kanto into its current state.
"Delia Ketchum, you are under arrest!"
A soldier went to grab Delia, but Mr. Mime shoved him away. "Damn Pokemon, get out of our way!" Two different soldiers shoved Mr. Mime out of the way, and reached for Delia.
Mr. Mime's eyes glowed blue as he channelled energy into a Confusion attack. The two soldiers glowed with a blue aura before being telekinetically thrown down. Mr. Mime glowed blue again, this time activating his Light Screen ability. Several sheets of clear plastic formed around Mr. Mime and Delia like a barrier. The soldiers' guns banged as they opened fire, and sparks bounced from the barriers with each hit. Fortunately, the Light Screen held out, so the soldiers had to employ a new method of attack.
"Tyranitar, go!" The Armour Pokemon appeared in front of a soldier. "Hyper Beam!"
A concentrated, golden beam erupted from Tyranitar's maw. It ruptured a gaping hole into Mr. Mime's barrier and smacked him in the chest. Mr. Mime landed onto the ground in a heap and his barriers vanished. Delia went to check up on him, only to be grabbed by the soldiers, and kicked hard in the ribs. Delia took a blow to the back of the head, and everything faded to darkness.
A different soldier pulled a grenade off of his strap. The grenade resembled a metallic, handheld pineapple that was dark green in colour. Using his teeth, the soldier pulled out the circular pin on the grenade's top, before throwing the grenade into the first floor window of the house. With a loud boom, an explosion shattered the glass, and destroyed everything in the living room. Several further explosions followed with the other soldiers lobbing grenades at the house.
"We got what we came for, return to base!"
The soldiers took Delia with them back to headquarters, leaving Mr. Mime sprawled on the ground. They tossed the unconscious Delia into a transport truck, and shut the doors. The truck started and drove off to an unknown location. The soldiers hit the recreation room of their headquarters, a medium-sized room with white walls, and a large brown couch in the opposite left corner. There was a ping-pong table at the right side of the room with two soldiers playing an intense game. Another soldier turned on the TV in front of the couch to watch.
A news reporter appeared on the screen. "The mighty Kanto army has captured the city of Dewford in Hoenn! They are making their way north to conquer the towns of Littleroot and Petalburg. Soon, Kanto will control all of Hoenn. Glory to Kanto!"
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A week later, the heroes popped up inside the interior of Oak's former lab. It was dusty and cobwebs were everywhere. It was the typical, sterile environment used by people in the sciences. The room was filled with electronic equipment with dials and switches, whose purpose was unknown. It was quiet as their master, Oak, had left to pursue his studies in the Digital World.
Ash covered his mouth and nose as he checked the place out. "It sure is dusty here..."
"I must return to the Digital World, my friends. I wish you good luck in your journey!"
"Good bye, Gennai!"
Everyone waved as Gennai vanished in a rainbow of light. In Oak's office, Izzy found a nice wooden desk to look over Gennai's parchment. A thick layer of dust had formed on it from months of disuse. Izzy fetched a duster from elsewhere in the lab and began to wipe the area clean. He turned on the lamp and began to read the parchment. It was an interesting read, and made more interesting by the information Gennai had given him.
Tai came behind Izzy and looked at the parchment. "Did you find anything, Izzy?"
"The eight Dooms are the opposite of our Crests. If we find a place with a situation like in the descriptions, a Stone is sure to be nearby."
"I guess we'd better keep our eyes peeled for these signs."
Misty ran into the room. "Tai, Izzy, come to the front door. There's something you should hear."
At the front door, the group was huddled around the Mr. Mime belonging to Ash's mother. He was very agitated and blurted his words unintelligibly. "Mime Mime Mime!"
He pulled Ash's hand to lead him somewhere. "Where are you taking me?" asked Ash.
Ash and the other heroes followed, just as Tai, Izzy, and Misty came out of Oak's lab. They came upon a charred suburban house. Several black marks and potholes from unknown explosives ruined the garden. The windows were shattered, and there were several small holes punched into the walls. Several casings from fired bullets laid discarded on the ground. Ash gazed at this house, his home, in horror.
His jaw dropped. "Ah, what happened here? MOM! Where are you?"
Ash ran into his home, and Misty pursued. "Ash, wait!" she cried.
Inside his former home, Ash looked around, calling for his mother. The living room was smashed up and in disarray, as though something had exploded there. The couch was scorched black, and the stuffing inside was ripped out. Books were scattered all over the ground, and the TV screen was smashed up. On the ground was the blast mark, a black, circular pattern. The explosion was quite large, and made several black scorch marks on the walls.
Ash ran up the stairs and called for his mother but no one answered. He checked each bedroom and found that they too were ruined. In his own bedroom, an explosion charred his bed, and smashed his table and chest of drawers. The windows were shattered and glass was all over the ground. All of Ash's belongings were destroyed by whoever ruined his home, but worst of all, his mother was nowhere to be seen.