Chapter 9: Death & Choice
This was a dangerous scene on Mt. Quena. The being that looked like Yukio took out the real deal as well as his Digimon. With a score of scared kids from Odaiba, a legion of Pokémon and the Digidestined ready for battle, what was the phony Yukio, or Myotismon, changing into? "Do you think he'll emerge as Myotismon or VenoMyotismon?" TK weighed. TK watched, feeling the power of the dark energy emitting from the false man. Suddenly, the veil of darkness unraveled. Out came a white fiend creature that appeared to have an exoskeleton as armor. The tail had to have come from an scientific fictional flick. There was a dark mark on it's chest in the shape of a bat. The shoulder pads had fangs and eyes. Some people have argued that two heads weren't better than one. How about three heads? The wings were outrageously mutated like it appeared as a bat mixed with a large parasite. The head was somewhat human, until you saw how huge his jaw was, since the teeth were serrated like a shark's. This was not what TK or Kari had in mind from their displeased but surprised faces.
"If that's Myotismon, he certainly become far more serious," Kari noted.
"That's for sure," Cody pondered. "He's Mega level...but I thought VenoMyotismon was Mega level too. No way there's a level higher." So, what did it mean for the new Myotismon, if that was his name?
"That's because I've grown stronger feeding off the miniscule emotions of humans worldwide as I was recovering from the defeat those four years ago," he scorned the Digidestined. "Of course, in order to understand, I used the poor man's vessel to regain and re-plan. So heartbroken about the loss of Hiroki Hido. If I'm not mistaken, that was your father who was killed in the line of duty by a panicked teenager who stole the family car and his father's revolver, am I right, Cody?" Cody cringed in relevance to his past. Armadillomon raced over to comfort his partner.
"Cody, don't let his words get into your head," he tried to reason.
"I know, Armadillomon," Cody replied. "But- But he has no right to bring back my past like that, whoever he is!" The fiend seemed satisfied about the taunting result.
"Perhaps I should tell you who I am," he sneered. "I am MaloMyotismon, the meanest Virus Digimon in the world. I'd rather break down my enemies before I destroy them. Makes the experience a little more enjoyable." Ash and Mewtwo grew angrier and angrier the more he teased the issue. The kids were too scared to stand up and move.
"Was that your plan this whole time?" Ash growled. "Play with these kids' minds and wear them down to kill them before they could live?" Ash was focused on the kids that he forgot the plan of the fiend's return.
"Did you forget? I wanted the power of the dark spores and their emotions to power me in returning to the DigiWorld. All these kids have become were small casualties." MaloMyotismon didn't care about the children, making Ash more furious. Davis was boiling over.
"That's it!" he yelled. "It's about time that we shut you up for good!" The Digidestined digivolved their Digimon expect for Kari and Gatomon and Ken and Davis got Imperialdramon to show itself. That wasn't all. There were new Digimon from before more action. Patamon had changed into an angel with a silver helmet and staff. The red horned bird also appeared. Then came something that was seen...except with different Digimon.
"Ankylomon!" Armadillomon which digivolved to Ankylomon, roared.
"Angemon!" shouted the angel. That's when they began to mix.
"DNA Digivolve to...Shakkoumon!" they shouted as they united and became a large silver metallic doll that looked like a figure seen in Mexico's hieroglyphics. It wasn't the only one.
"Aquilamon!" the bird named itself.
"Gatomon!" the cat meowed, ready to be blended. Here was the new mix.
"DNA Digivolve to...Silphymon!" they called out. The mix became...a human? Aquilamon's talons were the legs, Gatomon's claws were the arms which had small wings but could anyone explain the helmet or the breastplate in the front? Gatomon's ears stuck out of the black hair and the face was skin like a human was. Weird. With Ash and Mewtwo on standby, it seemed that MaloMyotismon's work was cutout. Yet, he remained deterred.
"So, you've managed to master a new digivolution," he sneered. "It won't really matter too much. By the time the sun rises, everyone on this mountain will cease to exist." The Digidestined became enraged as MaloMyotismon cackled. No one was aware of a sneak attack.
"Dragon Rage!" screamed an older female. MaloMyotismon heard and turned to the sound. Three orange dragons showed up and fired yellow orbs of fire. Two of the dragons had horns on the head and flames on their tails. One of those two also had pink ribbons. The other one had a horn on the crown and was a bit larger than the other two. The three orbs united and blasted MaloMyotismon, sending him to the far wall. The force of the shot nearly plowed him through the rocky wall. The dragons landed and the scared kids finally looked to them. Jumping down were two women with ponytails. Can- Can we call those ponytails? Let's change them to dragon tails for the while. One was a sky blue-haired wearing a dark blue robe. The other was a green-haired in some rad red suit. Ash was flabbergasted to see who it was.
"Liza?" he gulped, calling the girl in red. "And Clair? What are you two doing here?" Clair, the blue-haired, turned to Ash.
"Liza and I were on our way to the Holy Land when we heard cries of children," she explained. "We never assumed that there was anyone than Pokémon on here since this is a prohibited area." Ash and the Digidestined were trespassing? That's when she and Liza viewed the Digimon which began to get his legs back under him.
"By the way, who's he?" Liza wondered. Ash could go into detail but TK beat him to the punch.
"Ash, we'll deal with MaloMyotismon!" he shouted. "You get the kids to safety!" Ash wanted to help. He knew the kids were more important. He, Pikachu, Clair and Liza dashed over to the seeded kids after agreeing with the blond. No, none of the kids were pregnant, it's the dark spores.
"Dragonite!" Clair called the larger dragon. "You, Charla and Charizard do what you can to protect those kids!" She pointed to the Digidestined, having the three dragons side up with the Digimon. Hearing the plan, MaloMyotismon chose to attack.
"You won't get the chance!" he shouted as the shoulder guards began to open up like big mouths. Seriously, those were huge peep holes that opened. Out came balls of black, heading right at the scared youths. Ash jumped in front of the projectiles.
"Ash!" Yolei screamed out. "Don't!" No choice. It was now or never. That's when Ash began to glow blue, his aura activated. Now was the moment.
"I don't need those!" he roared as he swatted the orbs away...right back at MaloMyotismon.
"What?" he gasped. BA-BOOM! The balls blasted MaloMyotismon off his feet once more. Liza and Clair were shocked at what Ash was able to do. Davis, Ken and Cody were surprised about that deflection as well.
"Did you see that?" Davis wondered.
"I saw it, but what did he do?" Cody questioned. Kari, Yolei or TK could answer but this was an opportunity to hammer MaloMyotismon.
"Never mind!" Yolei shouted. "This is our chance!" The DNA Digimon got ready to finish MaloMyotismon off, including Dragonite, Charla (the one with the ribbons) and Charizard. Mewtwo hovered to the kids, willing to advise Ash about something.
"Ash, these kids were tainted with a Dark Spore, right?" he wondered. Ash turned and prepared to answer.
"That's right," he replied. "But their spores are unbalanced copies of the original that was once carried by one of the Digidestined." That made Clair and Liza gulp.
"What do you mean unbalanced?" Liza asked. Ash would answer but Clair placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It means if we don't do something, these kids may not live," she summarized. That had Mewtwo coming with an idea as the Digimon engaged in combat with MaloMyotismon.
"It's a long shot but the underground lake cleansed me of my sins and wounds," he thought up. "We can gather the kids and have them swim in that same lake, the dark spores should be washed out inside!" A lake which purifies someone who would bathe in it? It did sound like a long shot. Meanwhile, Silphymon raced in, it's body growing red and its wings...er, arms crossed.
"Static Force!" it yelled. It fired a red shot of energy, striking MaloMyotismon. He shrugged off the strike and fired more of the black balls. It struck Silphymon in which it went down quick, making Kari and Yolei worry. Shakkoumon stood up and opened a compartment in the midsection.
"Kachina Bombs!" it roared. Volleys of discs shot out and came at MaloMyotismon. All he did was scoff.
"Really, is that your best?" he sneered. That's when he spewed a bloody red mist which made contact. The discs melted away like a burning piece of toilet paper in lava. Ash, Clair, Liza and Mewtwo tried to get the kids' attentions.
"Listen, all of you!" Clair yelled out. "By being here, you put your lives in jeopardy! Do you want to cower around the battlefield, waiting for an attack to destroy you?" The kids, already upset, bewildered and confused, didn't hear the words of the blue-haired woman.
"We were-" one girl cried. "We were promised to go to the DigiWorld!" That again?
"We-" one boy hiccuped. "We didn't want to come here!" The cries of innocent children... Clair wanted to try and straighten them up when Ash had an idea. That promise... He had a plan to get the children to move.
"You can still go to the DigiWorld," he spoke up. That made the kids turn. It would seem that they were susceptible to any promise. "You can!" That made Liza and Clair suspicious of his plan.
"Really, Ash?" Liza criticized. "How can you make a promise of something that doesn't exist like this DigiWorld?" All Ash did was shoot a grin. He knew something she didn't...or Clair or Mewtwo or anyone else in the five meter vicinity.
"Well, Liza, you haven't been in Pallet Town, have you?" That still didn't clear the fog in Liza's head. It did clue Clair on what he meant.
"Are you saying that your hometown has a link to this DigiWorld?" she guessed. She's getting hotter. That's thinking wise, not body you pervs.
"Yeah, did you hear about the abandonment of Pallet Town a while back? I happened to discover it when I came back from a delivery to Prof. Ivy." Ash gazed at the kids and realized that further talking would not get them anywhere fast. "Mewtwo, lead the way." Mewtwo nodded as he levitated away. "Let's go!" Ash, Liza, Clair and the kids dashed in pursuit of Mewtwo. The area cleared of kids, the Digidestined were ready to really open up.
"Good work, Ash," Yolei hushed a compliment. "No wonder why you're a great hero." MaloMyotismon wasn't too proud of losing the kids.
"That was your game plan the entire time?" he scoffed. "Not only was BlackWarGreymon's sacrifice a bit of a turn but to use the new area to evacuate the kids? Most clever. Too bad that will be your last waking moment." That's when a white mist began in envelop the crowd. The mist clouded the Digidestined and Digimon with no problem. Meanwhile, Ash and the rest reached a large location with a giant lake. The grass surrounding the lake was blanketed with flowers. Was this the place Mewtwo wanted to take them?
"Here we are," Ash confirmed. "Everyone, into the pool!" Finally, they could wash away the grief that they've endured. But no one budged. Everyone stood still. "Now what?" This was becoming annoying. They didn't want to swim?
"N-None of us brought anything to swim in," one girl opened up. Of all the excuses...
"Your lives are more important than a simple wardrobe," Mewtwo argued. "We'll have your clothes cleaned and dried up when it's all over." They were believing promises left and right. Giving in, the kids jumped into the lake, even sampling the water. Suddenly, one girl began to cough. A few seconds passed when a black seed was vomited. Was that the dark spore? When it touched the water, the seed vaporized. Watching that, Ash, Liza and Clair were happily shocked. It worked.
"Everyone, drink the water!" she cheered. The kids gulped down the water. The coughing proceeded before the spores were puked out. One by one, the spores became dust. Mewtwo snagged one with his psychic power and "pulled" it to him for him to examine.
"So, that's what was inserted into the kids," Liza figured. It appeared to be.
"These seeds contain an energy that no one, not even evil can fully obtain," Mewtwo discovered. "The envelopment of madness and depression in each spore have no limit and can destroy anyone, even in the right hands." That anger made Mewtwo crush the last seed. Just in time too. MaloMyotismon found the spot.
"You've destroyed my dark spores, have you?" he growled. "Why do some of the simplest things provide the toughest of complications? Then again, why does it have to be Pokémon trainers and these feeble creatures become the greater enemies to Digimon?" Pokémon and Digimon enemies? Someone clue him in.
"Anyone who harms children, whether physically or mentally, is not anyone I'd consider a friend," Ash growled.
"That's too bad. You would've been a great experiment to equalizing the effects of the copied spore treatment." Did MaloMyotismon think that the Dark Spores were a spa treatment? "By the way, I've let the Digidestined have a little time off. Surrounded in my mist of Mental Illusion, those brats won't be bothersome while I take back the kids from you." That would mean that the monsters are also in the mist. Now all that stood between the children and MaloMyotismon was Ash, Pikachu, Mewtwo, Liza and Clair. "Now, move!"
"Okay," Ash quickly agreed before moving swiftly...at him! MaloMyotismon grinned at the moment where he would easily beat the kid.
"Ash!" Liza and Clair shrieked in fear. MaloMyotismon readied his arm to swat Ash.
"Stupid boy," he smiled. "You've made your date with destiny!" He swung. Ash's aura activated. Ash ducked and spun. A miss! "What?" Ash fired a punch from the spin. It made contact with the jaw and fired MaloMyotismon through the wall...and out the side of the mountain. The wings opened up and he began to fly. Ash was the only one out there who braced for more. "You think by using that inner strength that you'll keep me away from those kids?" That's when Ash flashed a smile.
"I hate to steal this from Misty but I don't think, I know!" he cheered. Did he know something MaloMyotismon was not aware of?
"Terra Force!" sounded...WarGreymon? A massive orb of red energy rained down at MaloMyotismon. KABOOM! The blast seemed to have knocked the enemy from the sky. He began to recover as more Digimon showed up. One was a metallic wolf with blades over the body. Another was a giant red beetle with a turquoise jewel on the back. There was a giant red griffin that stood like a human if not for being in the air. Let's not forget WarGreymon and Lillymon. Ash gawked at how right he became. That's when he turned and spotted the first generation Digidestined.
"Ash!" shouted Mimi.
"Are you okay?" Matt asked.
"Yeah, we've eradicated the dark spores from the kids," Ash replied. Tai snickered and flung a thumbs up.
"I knew you'd come through," he grinned. "All we need is Noriko to rid what ever is left of the spore in her."
"Easy. Have her take a drink of the spring water and she should extract the spore in short time." Joe got the detail and ran over to help Noriko. She made the trip as well?
"I don't go down that easily," MaloMyotismon roared as he soared higher and at the troupe. "Crimson Mist!" Out from the shoulders came more red mist.
"Wing Blade!" the griffin roared which spewed a raging blaze in the shape of a bird. It swooped into the mist, hoping to burn it. No dice. The attack fizzled in the cloud. MaloMyotismon followed it with more black orbs. Lillymon flew onto the plate.
"Flower Cannon!" she shouted. A blast of green energy was launched from the flower and hit one of the black orbs, destroying it. There was another orb which hit her and knocked her out of the air. MaloMyotismon then raced at WarGreymon who locked arms.
"You're still as slow as ever, WarGreymon!'" he mocked.
"Don't doubt me, you fiend!" WarGreymon countered with an uppercut to the jaw. MaloMyotismon flapped clear of the attack. As the group continued, Ash and the First-Gen Digidestined, along with the kids returned above ground...where there was an even larger group of people and Digimon that nearly covered the peak of Mt. Quena.
"It's the Global Digidestined!" Matt shrieked. Global Digidestined? From all over Earth? The flying Digimon rose back up to the top of the mountain where MaloMyotismon got a look at the endeavor in front of him.
"What's this?" The Global Digidestined rose their devices which shone brightly, including Japan's team who broke out.
"USA!" shouted Maria.
"Viva la France!" A blond girl roared.
"For Mother Russia!" three kids unified their call. The lights fired and struck MaloMyotismon, paralyzing him. The Digimon launched an array of attacks and struck MaloMyotismon. The combination of blows did the job and destroyed the Mega Digimon...or so it seemed. MaloMyotismon was replaced by a cloud of black.
"You cannot destroy evil!" he gloated. "I will manifest myself into all of you and no one can escape!" The cloud began to descend onto the kids. Mewtwo came forward and fired a blue beam, striking the cloud. The cloud began to rip. "NO! I...CANNOT...LOSE!" One final scream and suddenly, the cloud became nothing. The kids were cheering in the overwhelming victory. Mewtwo, Liza and Clair watched on as the union of the Digidestined was in full bloom. With MaloMyotismon gone for good, there was one task left to do: bring the kids home to Japan.
TO BE CONCLUDED...