(A/N: This chapter was a lot of fun to right, especially the first part. Things are going to start to get underway after this, so I hope you enjoy the next installment.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 7: Deadline

The sound of the doorbell drew everyone's attention away from the monitor, even the mesmerized Professor Stevens. He seemed legitimately surprised that someone was at his door, especially considering how unpopular he was in town right now.

"Who could that be?" he wondered out loud. Glancing at the others, he got to his feet. "You guys stay here. Keep the Digimon hidden. It might cause a panic if the townsfolk find out that there are more of them around."

The others readily agreed and stayed behind as he went to answer the door. Punching in the code, he unlocked it, and opened it a crack. "Yes, may I help-"

The door burst open, and a woman with magenta colored hair done up in braids, and glasses waltzed in. She was dressed as a reporter and was wielding a microphone. After her came a blue haired man with a curly black mustache carrying a TV camera. Lastly was a small man who looked a little too hairy dressed as a cliché director with sunglasses and a megaphone.

"Ok!" he said loudly, speaking into the megaphone. "And t'ree, two, one, action!"

The woman moved in front of the camera and brought the microphone to her mouth. "We're here live in Cotton Town where something amazing has happened. Renowned scientist, Professor August Stevens of Silph Company, has made an astonishing discovery. A whole other dimension similar to our own."

The professor looked completely bewildered as he stared at the group. "Um, excuse me, but who are?"

The newswoman ignored him. "But this discovery hid great danger, a monstrous creature known as Devimon has come to our world." She put the microphone in his face. "Professor, how do you explain what you have done?"

Professor Stevens looked from the microphone to the camera, flabbergasted . "Um… it was an accident…"

The woman took her place in front of the camera again. "An accident with catastrophic results. But where there is despair, there is also hope. It seems that a group of children with Pokemon-like friends called Digimon have come from this other world as well to defeat Devimon. Is this true?"

She stuck the microphone back into the professor's face, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Wha…? But how did you… know that…?"

"Never underestimate the power of the press!" the news team declared together.

The director pointed to the empty doorway. "Lets bring out our visitors."

Having been eavesdropping, the DigiDestined hesitated, exchanging uncertain looks. "Should we?" Yolei asked.

"Well, they already know about us," Cody pointed out. "So we might as well."

"Yeah," Armadillomon agreed, "we can assure everyone that they'll be safe from Devimon with us around."

One by one, they entered the room with their Digimon. The cameraman hurried over to them, pointing the camera in each of their faces.

"So very nice to meet you," the newswoman told them. "You're the humans from another dimension." She took out a notepad and read, "Davis Motomiya, Ken Ichijouji, Yolei Inoue, Cody Hida, Takeru Takashi, and Hikari Kamiya."

TK blinked. "Uh, you can call me TK."

"And call me Kari. How'd you know our names?"

"The power of the press!" the news team repeated.

The newswoman bent down to the Digimon's level. "And these are your Digimon partners," she glanced at the notepad, "Veemon, Wormmon Hawkmon, Armadillomon, Patamon, and Gatomon."

"You know our names too?" Wormmon asked.

"The power of the press!"

"And now," the newswoman continued, "if our sources are correct, there was an Ash Kentchum of Pallet Town, Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City, and Brock Harrison of Pewter City who were also present when this dimensional portal appeared. Would they please come here now."

Looking nervous, Ash poked his head into the room. "Um, the power of the press?"

"That's right!" the news team declared.

The newswoman twirled her microphone. "And now, if you don't mind, I would like to get a shot with all the humans in one spot and all the Digimon in another."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "This is getting weird."

The cameraman aggressively shoved the humans into the corner, separating them from the Digimon. "No complaining. This is for all the viewers at home."

Once the two groups were separated, he pointed his camera at the Digimon. The newswoman came up beside him and clapped her hands together. "So, what do you think?" she asked the director.

The director studied the group of Digimon curiously, tapping his jaw with a gloved hand that made it appear as if he only had three fingers. "Hmm. Somet'ings missin'… I know! Lets include t'e Pikachu in t'e shot wit' t'em so we can compare Pokemon to Digimon."

"Brilliant!" the newswoman declared, and waltzed over to Ash. "We're borrowing this."

Plucking Pikachu off Ash's head, she set him down in front of the group of Digimon. The cameraman pointed the camera at them, getting the group in frame. "A little to the left. A little more. Perfect!"

"Ready?" the newswoman asked him.

He nodded and gave her a thumbs up. "We're all set."

"Alright, lets get this show on the road."

"You said it!"

The camera lens suddenly shattered as a large net shot out of the camera. Pikachu and the Digimon cried out as the net fell over them, trapping them inside.

"Hey!" Ash cried.

"Haha!" the newswoman cried, throwing her microphone at the humans. It exploded into a cloud of smoke, and they began coughing and sputtering, blinded.

The net was reeled in by the cord coming out of the camera lens that seemed to be attached to the cable in the back of the camera as the news team took off, disappearing into the forest with their captives.

"What's going on?" TK demanded, coughing.

"I have a feeling," Ash grumbled as the smoke began to clear. "Come on."

They ran outside, but saw no sign of the thieves. An obnoxious laughter drew their attention, and they looked up to see Pikachu and the Digimon on the net hanging down by a cable from a hot air balloon shaped like the head of a Meowth. The news team stood in the basket, rising higher and higher. Clothes suddenly went flying as they removed their disguises to reveal their true identities.

"Prepare for a digital helping of trouble."

"When two worlds collide, it's gonna be double."

"Not you guys again!" Ash interrupted.

Team Rocket almost fell over the side of the basket, and Jessie glared down at him angrily. "How dare you interrupt us as we're about to introduce Team Rocket to residents from another world!"

"Who are they?" Kari asked.

Ash growled. "They're Team Rocket. They're criminals who steal other people's Pokemon."

Jessie flicked her hair back. "And now we're upgrading to stealing Digimon."

James placed a rose under his nose. "And we've got Pikachu too."

Ash glared. "Oh yeah, Pikachu, Thunderbo-"

"Ash, wait!" Brock cried. "If Pikachu shocks them, it'll shock the Digimon too."

Another growl escaped Ash, but Davis placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I got this." He held up his Digivice. "Veemon, you ready?"

The dragon Digimon smirked. "You got it. Veemon Digivolve to… ExVeemon!"

He easily tore through the net, freeing Pikachu and the other Digimon, and each of the humans caught their respective partner. Team Rocket, on the other hand, was completely flabbergasted.

"Impossible!" Jessie exclaimed. "How did they break out!? That netting was stronger than steal!"

Meowth had tears in his eyes. "Gatomon, come back to me…"

Jessie angrily rounded on him. "Get over it! We just lost our entire catch!"

"Hey, guys," ExVeemon called flying up beside their balloon, crossing his arms. "I don't appreciate being caught in nets."

Meowth jumped back. "I t'ink we're in trouble. T'at little blue guy jus' evolved into a big blue guy."

"I'll handle this," James declared. "Go, Weezing!"

He threw out a PokeBall, and the two-headed purple Pokemon appeared. "Weezing, Weez."

"Weezing, use Poison Gas."

"Weez!" A thick cloud of dark green smoke poured out of the poison gas Pokemon's mouth. ExVeemon scowled and held his breath as he flew into the cloud and punched Weezing in his larger head's face. The poison gas Pokemon went flying backwards, crashing into Team Rocket in their basket.

ExVeemon grinned. "That'll teach you."

Pushing his Pokemon off him, James pointed at the dragon Digimon. "Don't give up, Weezing! Use Sludge attack!"

"Weezing!"

A thick black fluid spat out of its mouth. ExVeemon held up his arm to block it, but some of it splattered across his face and over his eyes.

"Ah! My eyes!" he wailed, rubbing at his face. He attacked blindly, firing his Vee-Laser. Despite being blinded, the X-shaped beam flew straight for Team Rocket.

"Counter it, Wobbuffet!" Jessie ordered, throwing out her PokeBall.

There was a flash of light, and Wobbuffet appeared, calling out his name. Saluting, he began to glow as his black tail rose into the air. ExVeemon's attack hit, but stopped upon touching the glowing outline of Wobbuffet's body, and suddenly shot back and struck ExVeemon, knocking him from the sky.

"ExVeemon!" Davis cried. "What was that?"

"Wobbuffet's Counter," Brock replied. "It lets Wobbuffet send attacks used against it back at its opponent."

"Aw, come on, that isn't fair."

Patamon flew up beside his partner. "Hey, TK, how about we give it a try?"

He held up his Digivice. "Sounds like a plan."

"Patamon Digivolve to… Angemon!"

The Trainers looked on in wonder at the angel Digimon as Professor Stevens furiously scribbled notes.

"Amazing…" Ash awed.

"Is that really Patamon?" Misty marveled at the drastic change. While some Pokemon looked very different from their pre-evolved forms, this was something else entirely.

The angel Digimon flew up to Team Rocket's balloon. The three criminals huddled together, feeling more than a little intimidated. But then Jessie attempted to put up a brave front and disentangled herself from the others. "We're not afraid of you! Go ahead, try your worst; Wobbuffet will just send whatever you've got right back at you!"

Angemon simply stared at them for a few moments before looking up. Smiling, he flew a little higher until he was level with the balloon. "Hand of Fate!"

A beam of holy energy burst from his fist, making a hole in the balloon. Team Rocket was suddenly flying about wildly as the escaping air took them for a ride, Weezing getting scooped up in the basket as well.

"This soon?" Jessie cried with dizzy swirls in her eyes.

"Looks like it," James replied, equally as dizzy.

"Gatomon…" Meowth lamented.

"Wobbuffet!"

"We're blasting off again!"

And then they were gone. Angemon flew down beside ExVeemon, and the two returned to their Rookie forms, the latter still rubbing his eyes.

"Nice job, Patamon," TK told him.

The mammal Digimon smiled as he flew into his arms. "It was nothing. Once I identified their weak spot, it was easy to exploit."

Kari frowned as she looked up into the sky where Team Rocket had disappeared. "Yeah, but will they be ok?"

"They'll be fine," Ash assured her. "They've survived a lot worse than that numerous times… somehow…"

Veemon was still rubbing his eyes. "Yeah, but what about me? Will my eyes survive this?"

Misty took out a PokeBall. "Here, let me give you a hand. Go, Politoed. Rinse out Veemon's eyes."

"Poli!" the frog Pokemon cried when it appeared. It unleashed a spray of water into the dragon Digimon's face, knocking him off his feet in the process.

When the spray stopped, Veemon spit out a mouthful of water. "Thanks for that, I think." He blinked a few times. "Oh man, I'm seeing double."

"That'll wear off," Brock assured him.

Professor Stevens was still furiously writing away as he jumped from Patamon to Veemon. "This is incredible! Digivolution is astounding! They had both gone to the Champion level, right?"

Veemon took a step back uncomfortably. "Um, yeah, we did."

"Amazing. To see how humans and Digimon work together is astonishing." He began looking over his notes. "Yes… yes, I see how it works. Wild Digimon need to train to become stronger over the course of many years in order to Digivolve. But Digimon with human partners, they use a Digivice to gain power from their human partners in order to Digivolve very quickly and easily. And even if they die, they can reach the level of power they were at before very quickly, but wild Digimon will need to start over again from scratch.

"Both methods have their pros and cons. The wild Digimon eventually are able to maintain their Digivolutions and stay in them, but it takes a very long time and will be lost once they're reborn. Digimon with human partners don't have this problem, but they're almost entirely dependent on their humans, and if they're ever separated from them or if their Digivice gets lost or broken, then they can't Digivolve at all unless they manage to achieve Digivolution with their own strength, like Gatomon here."

Yolei laughed uncomfortably. "Yeah, that's about the long and short of it."

"Amazing!" Professor Stevens' mind was going a mile a minute. He began to wonder if a similar method could be applied to Pokemon. There were studies being conducted with newly discovered jewels dubbed Mega Stones to allow Pokemon to Mega Evolve, as well as using the power of the newly discovered Z-Crystals to allow a Pokemon and their Trainer to share power. Perhaps he could compare the studies to what he was learning about Digivolution. Maybe the Digivices even contained traces of elements similar to those found in Mega Stones and Z-Crystals.

"There's so much to do," he said to himself. "So much to learn. So many studies I have to look into. I have to get started right away."

Misty sweat-dropped. "Anyone feel like he's a little too into this?"

The others nodded.

As Professor Stevens continued to write away, a familiar siren soon drew their attention. It seemed Officer Jenny was approaching, drawn to the battle with Team Rocket. It didn't occur to anyone that the Digimon and the DigiDestined shouldn't be seen as she pulled up on her motorcycle.

"Alright, Stevens," she demanded, "what's going on this time?" She raised her eyebrows at the DigiDestined and Digimon. "Who are all these kids? And what type of Pokemon are those?"

As the others tried to come up with an excuse, Professor Stevens hurried over to her. "Officer Jenny, look, look! More visitors from the other world. They followed here after Devimon. It's incredible! I never expected anything like this! Their race, its so similar to Pokemon, yet so different. Um, the Digimon are, not the kids. And they're-"

"Hold on a minute," Officer Jenny interrupted, holding up a hand to silence him. "Are you saying that your machine brought more people and Digimon from Devimon's world?"

He wobbled his head. "Well, indirectly, but yes. Ouch!"

Officer Jenny had grabbed him and bent his arms behind his back, slapping a pair of handcuffs on him. "Didn't you learn the first time? Wasn't bringing Devimon here enough? Now you've brought more? You're under arrest for reckless endangerment of the public."

"But, but, but, but…"

Kari took a step forward. "Excuse me, ma'am-"

"And you!" Officer Jenny snapped, turning to the DigiDestined. "I'm not taking anymore chances with another invasion. You're all under arrest too!"

Davis' mouth dropped open. "What for? You got nothing on us!"

"How about illegal immigration, and unlawful entrance to our country. I mean, dimension."

Cody's eyebrows rose. "Well, she's got us there."

The professor struggled to find his voice as he attempted to reason with the policewoman. "N-No, you don't understand. These brave children have come here to stop Devimon. They're on our side."

She cut her eyes at him. "Are they now? And how do you know they're not deceiving you and are really working for Devimon."

Ash glanced at his friends. "Is it just me, or does this Officer Jenny seem a little more on edge than the others?"

Misty nodded in agreement. "I guess having Devimon around will do that."

Brock had hearts in his eyes and was blushing heavily. "I love it when she gets so authoritative."

Officer Jenny continued to glare at the DigiDestined. "If you're really on our side, then come down to the station. Whether you're guilty or innocent will be determined there."

The DigiDestined exchanged uncertain looks. "What do you guys think?" Ken asked.

Cody tapped his chin. "Maybe we should go along with her to prove we're not a threat."

"Yeah," Armadillomon agreed, "if worst comes to worst, we could always just Digivolve and get out of there."

Hawkmon crossed his arms. "I'd like to point out that we still don't know everything about this world. There's no telling what type of trouble we could be walking into if we do this."

Patamon fluttered nearby. "I have to admit, he's got a point."

Chuckling arrogantly, Davis wrapped his arms around Ken and Kari. "Guys, guys, relax. I'm sure that the Pokemon world judicial system will see us treated fairly."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

The cell door slammed shut, and the keys locked it.

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind," Davis grumbled.

Officer Jenny stepped away from the door. "You guys just sit there quietly while we figure out what to do with you."

TK sighed and looked at the policewoman through the bars. "Ma'am, could we at least have our Digivices and D-Terminals back, please?"

She crossed her arms. "Absolutely not. Who knows what dangerous items they could be. For all I know, they could be weapons. Until your innocence is determined, all foreign items are confiscated."

Cody sighed. "I thought it was innocent until proven guilty."

"Not when there's a potential threat," Officer Jenny told them. "If you're really here to help, like you say you are, then I apologize in advance. But I'm afraid I can't take any chances right now, not with Devimon's deadline approaching." She checked her watch, her face scrunching up with worry. "Which should be any minute now."

In a cell separate from the humans, Veemon grasped the bars. "Miss, please, you're going to need our help to stop Devimon."

She turned to him. "We haven't even decided what we're going to do about Devimon yet. If what you say is true, you can fight him later, but for now, we have to act in our town's best interest."

In a different cell, Professor Stevens sweat-dropped. "Um, is it really necessary to keep me in here?"

Officer Jenny glared at him. "You're here so you don't cause anymore trouble. Whatever experiments you're planning, I'm putting a stop to it."

With that, she left the cellblock. Ash and his friends were waiting, and they immediately crowded around the policewoman.

"Officer Jenny," said Ash, "they really are here to help. They told us a lot about where they came from and about Devimon and the things they've done."

"It's true," Misty agreed. "I really think they're here to stop Devimon."

"And based on what we've seen they're capable of," Brock added, "if they didn't want to come along quietly, there's nothing we could have done to stop them. Doesn't that show that they don't want to cause any trouble?"

Officer Jenny held up her hands. "Look, I understand where you're coming from, but I'm afraid it's a chance we cannot take. We'll work all this out later, but for now, we've got Devimon to deal with."

At that moment, the loud dong of the town's clock was heard. Officer Jenny's head snapped to the clock hanging on the wall, and she scowled as the hands indicated it was 9:00.

"It's time," she whispered. "You kids stay here."

She ran out of the station. The three Trainers hesitated before heading outside as well. All around, windows and doors slammed shut, many curtains being drawn and lights being turned off as the residents coward in their homes. Not everyone though, a few brave individuals flocked to the town square where the clock continued to chime. Officer Jenny was among them, trying to control the situation.

"Everyone clear out," she ordered. "You know what Devimon is capable of. Do you want to get yourselves killed?"

"Hey, Officer Jenny!" Ash called as he and his friends hurried over to her.

She turned to them, at first looking surprised to see them, then angry. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the station."

"We're here to help."

"Pika, Pika!"

A middle-aged man with a balding head and a bushy mustache approached them. "You kids must not be here. It's far too dangerous."

Officer Jenny turned her attention to him. "Mr. Mayor, has a decision been made?"

The mayor looked uncomfortable. "Well… I… I…"

She grabbed hold of him. "Mr. Mayor, I need to know. What was the council's decision? Do we fight? Do we surrender? Do we pretend to surrender but secretly plot against him?"

The mayor was sweating nervously. "I… I don't know. The council couldn't decide."

Officer Jenny growled irritably and let him go. "Ah, politicians!"

"Please, Officer Jenny," Ash begged, "let us help."

"You kids are going to get yourselves killed," she told them sternly. "Devimon isn't like a some Pokemon with a violent nature. He'll kill you without a second's hesitation."

A shadow passed over them, and the color visibly drained from her face. She looked up at the night sky as a dark figure flew overhead, blocking out the stars. "He's here."

The mayor gave a frightened squeak and scrambled away. Most of the townsfolk that had come out to confront Devimon suddenly lost their nerve and fled as the fallen angel Digimon circled above them.

He finally came in for a landing, touching down on top of the clock as it chimed one last time. "Your time is up," he announced to the townsfolk. "What is your decision?"

(A/N: Trouble's brewing. The deadline has come, and both the Digimon and the DigiDestined are locked away. So much for that. In trying to protect her town, has Officer Jenny actually doomed it? Will Ash and his friends be able to fight off Devimon? And what of Team Rocket? Have they blasted out of this story? All great questions that will be answered, but you've got to stay tuned.)