Story by Green Garden
Against the Ace
Chapter 3: "Virus Freeze"
Other Names: Visit to World of Darkness
Previously on Against the Ace:
On Earth, Ansita learned of Elzom's disappearance, and no one knowing where he was. In the Ancient Digital World, Acemon sent Zanbamon to hunt Elzom and Emeraldmon. When Zanbamon finally found the two in File Island, a battle occurred between Zanbamon and Emeraldmon. However Zanbamon had the upper hand until Otazoidmon Crystal Mode appeared. Otazoidmon Crystal Mode was able to defeat Zanbamon, but at the cost of his and his partner's lives...
In a secret chamber in his castle, Acemon was sitting at a table, with a deck of cards in his paws. Acemon was mixing the deck with his paws. In the chamber with him was another table. There was a closed tube with a card in it, with the tube filled with some liquid and data. The closed tube was on the other table, while there was also another closed tube, with no card in it, but being filled with some black liquid. There was a third closed tube, with a card floating in it.
The card was being charged with black electric bolts from all around the closed tube, from the inside. Acemon stopped mixing his deck of card, putting the deck in one of his paws. With his free paw, Acemon took out a random card from the deck without looking. He slapped the card open on the desk. Acemon nodded, knowing what the card was. Acemon took out another random card from the deck without looking again, and he slapped it open on the desk.
Smiling, Acemon took out a third random card from the deck without looking. He slapped it open on the desk.
"Excellent." Acemon muttered, putting the deck of cards aside on the table.
In front of Acemon on the desk were three cards. The first one Acemon had taken out had the symbol of chaos on it. The second had a picture of Elzom; his D-Satuza, and Emeraldmon. The last card had a picture of Sacred Star Island. Acemon understood what the three cards meant. Acemon glanced back at the other table, and more specifically at the closed tube, with the black lightning charging the card in it.
"The card is being injected with the virus. And according to..." Acemon paused, turning his attention back to the three cards on the table.
"... To these three cards, my plan would be successful." Acemon finished.
"... We'll meet face to face for the first time Greenglade, and I would have a not so pleasant welcoming gift for you and your copedam." Acemon smirked...
Sensing that he was still alive, Elzom slowly opened his eyes. He suddenly shivered, with a wave washing over him quickly, before withdrawing. Elzom slowly got up onto his feet, shivering from the cold. Elzom noticed that he was wearing the same clothes, but the colors had left them. Taking a look around the environment he was in, Elzom noticed that there weren't any bright colors in site. It was either black, or different shades of gray only.
Another cold wave washed over Elzom's feet. Noticing some figure near some cave deeper inland, Elzom sensed that it was his copedam.
'Otazoidmon?' Elzom thought.
There wasn't any response, but Elzom was assured that he wasn't at least alone in such a forsaken world. Elzom was sure he wasn't in the Ancient Digital World anymore, and he had no idea how he came to such a colorless world. Besides the beach and cave, Elzom noticed a frightening forest deeper inland. He wasn't drawn to his copedam, or to the cave or forest, but rather towards the ocean behind him. Elzom turned around.
As far as he could see towards the colorless horizon, there was dark water. Elzom had no idea why he was drawn to the ocean, and he had no idea how he knew it was an ocean for sure. In spite of being drawn to the ocean, Elzom had a comforting sense that everything was right, and that everything would be fine. Not knowing how deep the ocean was, but being comforted, Elzom slowly waded into the dark water. Deeper and deeper Elzom went into the ocean.
He stopped once the water reached his neck, and Elzom was cold from being in the cold ocean. He hesitated, and turned around to return to the beach, but his left foot slipped, and Elzom lost his balance. The result was Elzom falling backwards into the dark cold water. Elzom was quick enough in holding his breath, and he quickly surfaced, breathing in. Elzom noticed that the beach was distancing further and further from his sight, which meant Elzom was going deeper in the ocean.
It was obvious that the ocean was pulling Elzom away from the land, for some reason. Being the adventurer he was, and loving a good challenge, Elzom embraced the dangers he knew he was going to face. He knew that somehow the dark cold ocean would eventually return him to the beach. Patient and trusting in Allah, Elzom took a deep breath, and dived underwater, below the waves. Holding his breath, Elzom dove deeper and deeper underwater.
Elzom didn't know what he was looking for, but he sensed that he was looking for something. Sensing his breath running out, Elzom glanced upwards, towards the surface, and realized he wouldn't make it back up in time. With nothing to lose, except his own life, Elzom continued diving deeper. He saw something glowing in the dark underwater, near the ground of the dark ocean. Feeling like he was going to faint for the lack air, the last thing Elzom saw was a bright green glow...
With Elzom unconscious, the bright green glow became so intense, and it released a dark green beam right at the unconscious Elzom. The beam collided with Elzom, but without harming him in anyway. A dark green sphere formed around Elzom underwater. The dark green sphere instantly protected Elzom against the hostile dark underwater. Cleaned air returned to Elzom, and he automatically started breathing in normally, even though he was underwater.
The dark green beam started withdrawing the sphere towards the bottom. It was bringing the sphere down towards the source of the beam. With air returning, Elzom slowly regained his conscience. He saw that he was floating in a dark green sphere, and breathing normally. Elzom also noticed that he was being pulled deeper underwater, but as long as the sphere was around him, he knew he was going to be fine. The sphere was part of the dark green beam.
The dark green beam didn't vanish, or pull away, after it formed the green sphere, and remained connected to it as the sphere was first formed. Elzom noticed that the only colorful thing underwater was the green sphere, and the green beam. Looking at himself, Elzom noticed that color also returned to himself, and his clothes. Reaching the bottom of the dark underwater, the green sphere stopped near the bottom, and Elzom saw the source of the green beam, and green sphere.
Checking his pockets, and his clothes, Elzom only noticed then that his D-Satuza wasn't with him. It was the D-Satuza at the bottom of the dark ocean, that was the source of the green beam, and so was also the source of the green sphere protecting Elzom. Mentally, Elzom called for his D-Satuza. The green beam shattered, but the dark green sphere remained around Elzom. The D-Satuza shattered, and reformed in the dark green sphere.
Elzom immediately held onto his D-Satuza, and felt that it wasn't wet or anything. Nothing seemed to be malfunctioned, but that was remained to be seen. With the D-Satuza acting the way it was underwater, Elzom was doubtful that it was malfunctioned in anyway. Elzom came to realize that the D-Satuza showed some of its unique capabilities. Elzom realized that his D-Satuza was what was calling him into the dark underwater somehow.
The moment he had touched his D-Satuza, the dark green sphere protecting him, begun to collapse on him. Elzom eventually noticed, and begun to panic, but only momentarily. He decided to trust Allah, and then his D-Satuza. Closing his eyes, Elzom waited for the sphere to completely collapse on him. Holding his D-Satuza tightly in his right hand, the sphere collapsed in a bright flash of green, with Elzom vanishing from site...
Reappearing near the cave on the land, Elzom landed gently on his feet on the sand. One quick glance around him, and he knew where he was. Remembering his copedam, Elzom glanced down, and instead of seeing an unconscious Otazoidmon, Elzom was only momentarily surprised to see Emeraldmon instead. Elzom noted that his D-Satuza, and himself were still colorful. Emeraldmon was colorless, the same way Elzom was at first. Elzom knelt down, and touched his copedam.
Since his D-Satuza was in his right hand, Elzom gently touched Emeraldmon with his left hand. The D-Satuza glowed faintly, and starting from Elzom's left fingertips, color spread to Emeraldmon, eventually returning Emeraldmon to his natural color. Elzom smiled, and he sat down on the sand, with his legs knelt behind him on the ground. Elzom took Emeraldmon into his arms, and Elzom felt Emeraldmon breathing, but with his eyes closed.
Elzom closed his eyes, and hugged his copedam gently. While hugging his copedam, Elzom didn't notice at first, but a dark green sphere formed around the two. Elzom opened his eyes, and glanced around the two of them.
"I wonder where the sphere would take us now." Elzom quietly muttered.
'It had to be the sphere that brought me back here.' Elzom thought.
Just as he expected, the sphere started to collapse on him and Emeraldmon. Elzom closed his eyes, and hugged his copedam. The sphere collapsed on the two in a flash of green light, with both Elzom and Emeraldmon vanishing from site...
A bright flash of green suddenly appeared in the plains of the Ancient Digital World, with Elzom and Emeraldmon appearing. The sphere was gone, and Elzom had his eyes still closed, hugging his copedam. The breeze was gentle and soothing. Elzom sensed that he was back in the Ancient Digital World with Emeraldmon, and he still had his D-Satuza in his right hand. Feeling the gentle breeze, Emeraldmon's eyes slowly opened.
'Chief?' Emeraldmon thought.
Elzom's eyes widened. "Emeraldmon! You're awake!"
"What happened?" Emeraldmon inquired, looking up at his partner.
Elzom had released Emeraldmon from their embrace. They were staring at each other in their eyes, with Emeraldmon's eyes confused. Elzom smiled.
"It's somewhat a little long story. The important thing is that we're alive and in the Ancient Digital World. Where exactly in Ancient Digital? That I don't know." Elzom explained.
"Glad to see that you two made it back alive and well." A sinister voice remarked.
'Promise you'd tell me later on?' Emeraldmon questioned.
'I promise.' Elzom nodded.
The two turned towards the sinister voice. Realizing who the codelimin could be, since the skunk was holding a card in one of its paw, both Elzom and Emeraldmon stood up on their legs, facing Acemon. Emeraldmon was to Elzom's left, with Elzom's D-Satuza in his right hand. Even though he knew who the codelimin was, Elzom still aimed his D-Satuza at it. A 3D image of the codelimin was imitated out of Elzom's digivice, with the codelimin spinning around.
The voice that spoke, giving information about the codelimin, was close to Elzom's.
"Acemon - Mate Mammal Grasl - Acemon was short for Ace Monster. He was part of the Nether Demons family. Acemon was an excellent card player. He was an excellent gambler, who would always win at any gambling game. Unusual for a skunk, Acemon smelled nice. Acemon summons cards to achieve most of his numerous techniques he has in his arsenal. Acemon was the mastermind behind the beginning of invading the Ancient Digital World. He was one dangerous nemesis - His attacks are: Skunk Spray; Ace Guard; Ace Torch; Ace Drench; Ace Lightning; Ace Destroyer; Ace Absorb."
"What?" Acemon gasped. "How does your digivice know about my new technique?!"
Elzom shrugged. "My D-Satuza always surprises me."
He turned to his copedam. "Are you up for this Emeraldmon?"
"You bet chief!" Emeraldmon exclaimed.
Acemon smiled. "You're going to get more than you bargained for Greenglade."
"We'll see Acemon. Let's do this." Elzom muttered.
In his right hand, Elzom felt his D-Satuza glow green faintly. Feeling new power appearing in his form, Emeraldmon prepared for evolution. He turned transparent green, letting the new raw power evolve him.
"EMERALDMON DICRENOL!"
"OTAZOIDMON!"
Otazoidmon appeared. Acemon laughed.
"This is where it gets interesting." Acemon smirked.
'Time for CM Otazoidmon.' Elzom thought.
'CM chief?' Otazoidmon inquired.
'Short for crystal mode.' Elzom explained.
'Of course.' Otazoidmon nodded.
With his D-Satuza glowing brightly green, Otazoidmon turned transparent green.
'Now's my chance.' Acemon thought, preparing the card he had in one of his paws.
"OTAZOIDMON MODE CHANGE IN..."
"Mode change in nothing!" Acemon yelled, releasing the card at the transparent form.
Elzom's eyes widened, and he gasped. The card entered the transparent form, and dissolved, releasing black lightning all around the transparent form. The form yelled in agony, and turned opaque once more. Otazoidmon was on his knees, panting, and he noticed he wasn't in his Crystal Mode. Elzom also noticed, but he was speechless. Elzom sensed a faint black glow from his digivice, but he didn't bother in glancing at his digivice.
"Well, what I wanted to do is done. Have fun not being able to evolve anymore. But that's not the only downside to what I did." Acemon grinned.
"... I'll leave you two to your miseries now, knowing you well can't beat me... And I didn't have to delete you!" Acemon exclaimed, laughing.
Acemon left Otazoidmon and Elzom behind, laughing. Once Acemon was gone, Elzom knelt down beside his copedam.
"Let's try it again. I want to make sure about it." Otazoidmon muttered, with clenched teeth.
Elzom nodded, and he helped Otazoidmon up onto his feet, getting up himself. Elzom glanced at his D-Satuza. The D-Satuza glowed brightly green, and Otazoidmon turned transparent green. In his transparent evolving form, black lightning suddenly appeared, electrocuting the transparent form. Elzom noticed the green glow changing to black, and then the glow fading away. Otazoidmon turned opaque once more, panting on his knees.
"That rotten skunk is right!" Otazoidmon growled, clenching his fists.
"... Acemon said that you not evolving anymore wasn't the only downside. I wonder what he meant by that." Elzom muttered.
"Acemon was able to somehow block my mode change, and I sense evolving to maturity is also blocked, even though I've never evolved to maturity before." Otazoidmon explained.
"Not only you were affected, but also my D-Satuza is affected somehow the same way." Elzom noted.
"Now what?" Otazoidmon inquired, standing up on his feet and turning to Elzom.
Elzom shook his head. "I don't know what we could do about that, but let's head back to Sacred Star Island before anything bad happens again."
"As if my evolving being blocked isn't bad enough." Otazoidmon muttered, folding his arms.
It was the first time Elzom had seen his copedam in such a bad mood, much less in a bad mood to begin with. But Elzom could understand it. With Otazoidmon near him, Elzom held onto his D-Satuza tightly.
"We need to get to the nearest shore." Elzom muttered, staring his D-Satuza.
"I know that." Otazoidmon stated.
Grinning, Elzom waited for a few moments, and he wasn't disappointed. The D-Satuza glowed faintly green. The D-Satuza released a green flash of light out of it, and the green flash of light flashed into a dark green sphere, around both Elzom and Otazoidmon. Otazoidmon noticed it immediately, and he was speechless in awe. Elzom noticed, even without glancing at his copedam. A few moments later the sphere begun to collapse on them.
Elzom put his left hand on Otazoidmon's right shoulder, to assure him. At first Otazoidmon was frightened about the sphere collapsing on them, but Elzom's hand on his shoulder assured him.
'You're so going to tell what happened while I was unconscious.' Otazoidmon decided.
'For sure, but not now. Close your eyes now for a few moments.' Elzom directed.
Otazoidmon closed his eyes, along with Elzom closing his eyes. With their eyes closed, the sphere collapsed in a flash of green light, with both Otazoidmon and Elzom vanishing...
A bright flash of green suddenly appeared near a shore in the Ancient Digital World, with Elzom and Otazoidmon appearing. The sphere was gone, and both Elzom and Otazoidmon had their eyes still closed. The felt the ground different beneath their feet.
'Should I open my eyes now chief?' Otazoidmon inquired.
'Yes.' Elzom replied, opening his eyes.
Otazoidmon opened his eyes, and he saw Elzom heading towards the water. Otazoidmon watched Elzom, as Elzom stopped a few feet in the shallow water.
"Nowara!" Elzom yelled, with his hands around his mouth.
Otazoidmon sweat-dropped. "Why are you calling her?"
'I'm hoping this would work... Nowara could take us on her back to Sacred Star Island.' Elzom replied.
'Can't we get to Sacred Star Island the same way we got here?' Otazoidmon inquired.
Elzom shook his head. 'I prefer to be on the safe side, and not just drop in.'
"Nowara!" Elzom yelled once more.
Otazoidmon sighed, and sat down on the beach, with his knees knelt in from of him. Otazoidmon hugged his knees, keeping his eyes on Elzom. There was only the sound of the cool breeze, along with the gentle splashing of the waves onto the beach. Elzom prepared to yelled out for Nowara, with waves splashing around Elzom's shoes.
"Elzom! Otazoidmon!" A familiar feminine voice yelled.
Elzom stopped himself from yelling out in the air, and both he and Otazoidmon turned their heads to their right. Wading towards them on the wet beach was a Depth Siromon, smiling at them. Elzom wasn't sure if it was Nowara or not, but he remained quiet, and slowly walked towards Nowara. Otazoidmon remained where he was, watching both Elzom and the Depth Siromon. The seal stopped in front of Elzom, with Elzom stopping in front of it.
"Nowara?" Elzom inquired.
The Depth Siromon smiled. "I don't know anyone else besides me with that name."
'It's her.' Elzom thought.
'I wonder if she'll accept to help us.' Otazoidmon reminded.
'You'll see.' Elzom informed.
"Why were you calling for me?" Nowara inquired, smiling.
"It's good to see you Nowara. I need your help. Could you take me and Otazoidmon to Sacred Star Island?" Elzom questioned.
"Good to see you too Elzom... I guess I could transport both you and Otazoidmon to Sacred Star Island. It's not far from here. Why aren't you on the island in the first place?" Nowara asked, her eyes curious.
"That's kind of a long story." Elzom sheepishly smiled.
"How were you able to hear chief?" Otazoidmon inquired, approaching the two.
Nowara turned to Otazoidmon. "I was kind of around underwater when Elzom first called for me. It's the first time any creature called for me like that."
Elzom blushed and lowered his head. "Well... There's a first time for everything."
Nowara nodded. "There sure is. Both of you get on my back, and we'll be on our way."
Even though it was Elzom's idea, Elzom was a little hesitant. Otazoidmon was hesitant and got onto her back. Reluctantly, Elzom also got onto Nowara's back, being seated in front of Otazoidmon.
"Hold on, but not too tight." Nowara requested.
Elzom's shyness got to him, and he was being self-conscious of himself. Nowara went deeper into the water, until on her back and neck were out. Even with Elzom and Otazoidmon on her back, it was easy for her to swim in the water. The water got Elzom's pants and legs wet, as well as Otazoidmon's pants and legs...
The distance between the shore and Sacred Star Island was more than Elzom thought. He trusted Nowara though. Nowara was a marine codelimin, and distance was different for her. At one point when Elzom glanced behind him, he couldn't see the shore in the horizon behind him anymore. It was only all water. Elzom turned to look at Otazoidmon from time to time, and was assured from time to time.
"We're almost there." Nowara announced.
Elzom stared ahead of them, and saw the shore of Sacred Star Island. He smiled along with Otazoidmon. Nowara kept on swimming towards the island, getting closer and closer. However, at a certain safe distance, Nowara was stopped. She slammed into some invisible shield that didn't allow her past it. She had a look of confusion on her eyes.
"What? This never happened to me before!" Nowara exclaimed.
Elzom rubbed his chin. "Another downside..."
"No way!" Otazoidmon gasped. "Are you saying we can't get on Sacred Star Island now?!"
Elzom glanced back at his copedam. "Does the sphere sound like a good idea now?"
Otazoidmon shook his head. "No. Who knows what would happen to us if we tried it."
"I'm sorry Elzom and Otazoidmon. This hasn't happened to me before; I was always able to get close to the island before." Nowara apologized.
"It's O.K. Nowara. It's no big deal." Elzom assured.
"Now what?" Otazoidmon inquired.
"... We need to learn more. I think we need to go to Crystalville." Elzom decided.
"Crystalville?" Nowara repeated. "There's a river nearby Crystalville. It isn't exactly near it, but it's close. The river close to Crystalville is connected to this ocean. I can get there."
"Are you sure you want to transport us there?" Elzom asked. "I mean we have bothered you enough. We don't want to bother you more than this."
"No. I insist." Nowara insisted. "I failed in bringing you two to Sacred Star Island. The least I could do is help you two get somewhere else."
'What do you think Otazoidmon?' Elzom inquired.
'Hey... It's up to you chief. We can't exactly swim all the way back to shore. We don't even know where we are.' Otazoidmon reminded.
'We could use the sphere.' Elzom suggested.
'We could, but Nowara doesn't know about that. Besides, it more than obvious that she's more than willing to help out. Let's let her.' Otazoidmon advised.
Elzom nodded. "O.K. Nowara, get us as close as you can to Crystalville."
"Gladly." Nowara smiled.
She turned away from Sacred Star Island, and started swimming away from the island. Elzom and Otazoidmon kept their sight on the island, until the island was out of site...
COMING UP! CHAPTER 4: DANGEROUS CHARGE QUEST