Sasha Janre-Ishtar - Sasha Janre - Dark Purple
Teegs - Doug Warren - Orange
Tempest Rider - Kajitana Shintaro - Light Purple
Shae Rovana - Derek Shan - Green
Mystic Beauty - Akiko Nishi - White
Sasha groaned, pushing herself to her feet. "Ow...who knew playing Duel Monsters could...send you to another world? What the...?" The lush landscape she was standing in definitely was not native to Edmonton. Or anywhere near Canada for that matter. A small, dark blue device was at her feet. Picking it up, she saw it displayed the time, something her watch refused to do, displaying binary instead.
Curiously, she pressed the buttons, seeing the time on the first screen; empty vertical bars on the second, and the third screen displayed a bunch of beeping dots. What are these dots? They seem to be moving... clipping the device to her jean loop, Sasha looked around. Is there anyone else here? Let's have a look-see. Sadly, she saw nothing, and stared at the dots on the device.
The dots, Derek mused, must represent places. This mountain by the green dot, the building by the... Much to his discomfort, the purple dot which he thought was representing the building was moving. Derek stood and walked a few paces away from the mountain. The green dot followed him. He looked back, the mountain, ovbiously wasn't following him and there was no other living thing around. "I guess that dot means...me...and the others are other people!" He paused, his relief that others were there quickly faded. What if...what if...that's David, searching for me...going to murder me... best avoid them.
Shintaro stared at the cat who was remaining silent, suddenly the cat came out with a new outburst.
"Do you like socks?" the cat asked. Shintaro gave him a look as if he was quite mad. The cat continued, "Ah well, not all know of wooly socks, especially if you aren't real." The Cat grinned wider now. Shintaro took a slowstep back.
"Um...what?" Shintaro asked, unable to find the will to say something nasty, due to the fact that he was freaked out. The cat waved a paw.
"You aren't real, why didn't you know?" The Cat laughed and held out a paw. "I am Cheshiremon by the way." Shintaro gingerly shook the paw.
"Uh...yes...well...that is nice," Shintaro stuttered. The Cat gave another shrill laugh and his paw disapeared from Shintaro's hand, he withdrew the stump and the paw appeared on it.
The dots, Sasha figured, represented people, they were moving around in different directions, but they were in the same vicinity. There was a purple one, a green one, an orange one far away, somewhere near it was a red one, and then her location, a dark blue dot. Being lost in her thoughts, she had walked past the clearing and right into the boy that had been talking to the cat. "Oof...watch where you're going...you...other person!" She looked at him. Thank HYNE there's someone else here.
She blinked. The boy didn't acknowledge her klutzy ways at all. Waving a hand in front of her face, it was like he was in another universe. Suddenly, the image of the boy and the cat disappeared altogether. "What the?"
Akiko woke up near a river bank as she saw the white digivice with dark blue dots. She was very nervous when she was by herself.
"Ouch!" she said. "How did I end up here?"
She decided to check on the digivice. She identified herself as the the white dot. There's a dark blue dot near the forest and other dots well she didn't know yet. Might as well get going because this might be a long walk for me.
Shintaro walked and walked and walked with no particular destination, it was really just to get the cosmically stupid grin of Cheshiremon out of his head, he saw a white dot to his right, he saw a green dot to his left. He picked up a stick and hurled it upwards, seeing which way it would land.
It landed pointing straight forward. Shintaro sweatdropped.
Akiko saw a light purple dot and decided to head towards that. Something was looking upon her some weird creature.
It spoke to her. "You want me, Aki! You have to pass five of my tests. Three are mental and two are physical."
"If you say so," Akiko told her. "Who are you anyway?"
"Muchomon."
Shintaro turned around to see Cheshiremon sitting there with his cosmic grin.
"Want to play a game?" he asked, still grinning, wouldn't he ever stop grinning?
Shintaro stepped back and narrowed his eyes. "What type of game?" he asked, suspicious of the cat digimon's intent.
"A testy type of game," Cheshiremon told him, his stare unmoving and unblinking, his toothy smile unwavering. Shintaro stepped back further.
"Like?" Shintaro inquired, Cheshiremon tilted his head.
"Riddles."
"Riddles?"
"Yes Riddles! Are you deaf?"
Shintaro shook his head. "You want me to ask you riddles, and you ask me riddles?" he asked, Cheshiremon nodded. Shintaro questioned, "And why do I have to do this?" Cheshiremon's grin widened in a sinister way, he crept towards him.
"Because otherwise, you will be sleeping or you will be walking and suddenly..." Cheshiremon's third eye glowed and in a moment he was no longer sitting there, a huge two-headed dinosaur was now threatening Shintaro, waving his claws. "THIS WILL BE ON YOUR DOORSTEP!" The dinosaur roared and transformed back into the cat. "But if you win, I will live to be your guardian and your guide through this world." Cheshiremon placed a claw on Shintaro. Shintaro stared at Cheshiremon.
"How did you do...that...that dinosaur thing?" Shintaro asked, Cheshiremon's eyes twinkled.
"An illusion of course, now will you take the test?" Cheshiremon was pressing him for an answer. Shintaro batted him away.
"No, I will not play your games, I don't need your protection," Shintaro sneered.
Cheshiremon's eyes twinkled again.
"I will leave you to mull it over, in the meantime..." Cheshiremon's tail faded along with his paws, quickly only his grin was left. "Behind you! Hahahahahaha!" Cheshiremon's grin vanished, leaving his laughter echoing, Shintaro took his advice and turned around, and when he had he wished he hadn't.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Left to her own devices, Sasha walked back into the forest, half-hoping some strange creature could come arond and eat her. It'd save her the trouble of this nightmare anyway. The temperature dropped in the forest and Sasha stopped. Looking arond she saw the chlorophyll on the leaves turn to black, the trunks turning a dark shade of brown. The leaves were soon outlined in a silver colour, and a figure dressed in white stood in front of her.
"The time approaches, the young ones need a leader," he said, voice dripping with fake promises.
"Young ones? Leader? You got the wrong girl, buddy," Sasha replied, shaking her head.
"No, I'm quite sure I have the right one. But answer me this, just how strong is your heart? A leader must have a strong heart you know," the man explained.
"A leader needs people to lead first. People don't seem to want to be around me, bucko." Sasha folded her arms and looked unimpressed. "Get me out of this forest."
"The only way you're getting out is if you play my game." The man snapped his fingers and everything went pitch black. "Stage one, begin!"
A huge insect towered over him, waving its antennae.
"Um...hi?" Shintaro squeaked, in a quite un-shintaro-like moment. The bug held a scythe and sent it crashing down, Shintaro dodged and gulped as the scythe slashed down again. "No way is this an illusion!" Shintaro muttered. The scythe was hitting the ground again and again, Shintaro picked up a rock and hurled it to no avail.
"Are you sure you don't want to take my test yet?" Cheshiremon laughed, he was sprawled out on a tree.
Shintaro glared. "Yes I am QUITE QUITE sure!" Shintaro jumped to the side again as the scythe hit the ground, sending dust over him.
Cheshiremon shrugged. "Your loss, I am quite happy to watch your execution!" Cheshiremon's grin was not so cosmically irritating now, as cosmically frightening. The bug was distancing himself from the ground, his scythe's glowing. "Suprise suprise!" Cheshiremon laughed.
"First test is a mental one," she said as Akiko faced the tree. "Riddle time: What is green and black with no face that nestles on top of a temple? You have one hour to figure it out."
Akiko pondered through it as Muchomon gave her the first riddle. She thought about it until she saw a faceless temple of mirrors.
"That's easy." Akiko faced the mirror on top of the temple. "A Mirror."
"Nicely done on the first riddle," Muchomon admitted. "Second riddle! Faces on your left and right and never on the center. What is it?"
A never centered face. That's gonna be a tricky one.
Sasha found herself standing on a flat, circular platform. For as far as she could see, it was pitch black, except for the platform she was standing on. Where am I? That man seems to be gone...
There was a sudden flash of light, and the man stood across from her, dressed in odd robes. "Answer my riddle and you'll be one step closer to winning this game."
"It's not like I have a choice," Sasha mumbled under her breath.
The man gave an enigmatic hum and set his yellow eyes on her. "What creeps on the ground and clings to pillars?" Suddenly dozens of rotting arms shot out from the tiled floor of the platform. A hoard zombies pulled themselves out of the ground and began groping her, clinging, tugging at her clothes.
Zombies?! This guy isn't joking .. th-they're everywhere! S-Stay calm Sasha ... She tensed as more zombies came out of the ground, reaching out and grabbing her, moving upwards on her. Th-This is only an illusion, but d-damn ..I can't break free!
Snimon (the digimon with the scythes) was hurling rays of pink light at Shintaro. Shintaro himself was hopping around. He heard Cheshiremon's voice in the background, singing. "The Snimon walking down the street, said the baker to his smelly feet!" Cheshiremon droned.
"Shut up!" Shintaro yelled. Cheshiremon laughed maniacally and Shintaro sweatdropped. "You're mad!" he muttered before hopping to the side to escape from another scythe-ray from Snimon.
Akiko was relieved to have passed Muchomon's second and third riddle. She now had to brace herself as the remaining two tests were underway.
"Fourth test is now a physical one," Muchomon told her as Akiko faced her. "You must fight what you feared the most inside yourself. Your fears will defeat you."
Akiko saw a shadow version of herself preparing to fight her. She withdrew a Kendo stick to face off with the shadow self.
"Prepare to fight me," Akiko told the shadow one.
The fight was underway as the shadow-Aki advaced to her as she blocked it. In her heart she knew what she was afraid of, failure. I will not let my fears control me. Shadow-Aki, I know what you're afraid of... the mirror. Akiko sommersaulted towards the mirror to see the shadow trying to block its face. She used her kendo stick to bean the shadow. The Shadow disappeared.
"Passed your fourth test," Muchomon told her. "Pass the final test and I'll be your guide here in the Digiworld."
Aki braced herself for the fifth test.
"Damn, don't rush," Sasha muttered to herself, staring down at the multiple zombies that seemed to increase in number as the seconds passed. "..Remember his question.. 'that which creeps on the ground and clings to pillars'..." Attempting to steady her breating, she closed her eyes. "...'that which creeps on the ground' ... is these zombies... !! The pillar they cling to .. is ME!"
The robed man watched with amusement on the other side of the platform. Already the young woman was showing patience, and the ability not to panic. A slight smirk crossed his lips. However, the next test...
On the other side, Sasha refused to open her eyes. It would only serve to cloud her mind. "...If I think about it the other way around... Imagine a pillar standing ... and coming off of it, clinging to the ground ..." Suddenly her eyes lit up. "I've got it! I know the answer!"
He raised an eyebrow. She's solved the riddle so quickly? "What is your answer, young one?"
Sasha stared defiantly at him. "This illusion's true nature is my shadow!" Instantly the zombies dissolved into black smoke, vanishing from the white-tiled platform. "...Jeez..."
The man smiled somewhat at her. "Very good... your heart is not as weak as your looks make one believe. However, this next test is not so easy! Stage two, begin!"
Sasha stared in front of her, into the eyes of her twin brother, Rick. He held a heart-shaped box, one that brought painful memories into Sasha's mind. "Let's play," he drawled, and promptly dropped the box on the platform.
Akiko faced the final test for the round Muchomon was ready to throw at her. She saw the digimon grin at her.
"Here's the final test," Muchomon told her with a smirk. "Here's what you will have to do. Fight the masked woman and you'll win that test."
Aki braced as she faced that said friend of hers, Hikaru, masked and covered in all black. She armed with a samurai sais which Aki herself excelled greatly at.
"Let the final games begin, Aki," Muchomon said as she jumped onto the tree branch for her safety.
"Are you sure you don't want to take the riddles?" Cheshiremon laughed. Shintaro stared at him as if he was crazy, which incidentelly, he was.
"Sure. No tests. No riddles!" Shintaro panted as another ray of pink light crashed to the ground, sending him flying.
"The Snimon said "How long he dead?"
"I have an orange fish to be fed," Cheshiremon chanted. Shintaro hurled a stick in his direction.
"Fine! I will take your tests, I will take the riddles and anything else you throw at me!" he shrieked. Cheshiremon laughed insanely and stormclouds began making their way across the night sky, the Snimon vanished. Shintaro cursed.
"Another illusion... hey Cheshiremon I don't think-" Shintaro was cut off.
"Then you really shouldn't talk!" Cheshire mused. Chains appeared around Shintaro's arms, Cheshiremon brought his face so close to Shintaro's that his cosmic grin seemed to glow.
"Let the games begin!"
Muchomon prepared to watch as Akiko faced an illusion of her friend, when she could've picked someone she loathed like Sayuko.
"The games now begin," Muchomon said as she perched herself on the tree. "Shadow Hikaru, begin battle."
Akiko braced herself as Shadow Hikaru advanced to her. She blocked it and prepared to fight as well like she did in Kendo tournaments against Yayoi Tairu. Aki knew the real Hikaru never will hurt her but the shadow one could.
Cheshiremon gave his first riddle.
"What is the destroyer of civilizations, the killer of kings, it cannot be avoided, it cannot be fought, it can be seen, yet it cannot be seen?" Cheshiremon gave a manic grin and waited. Shintaro thought for a while.
"Um...destroyer of civilizations, that could be a lot of things, killer of kings, that probably means it can kill the greatest, it cannot be avoided, so it isn't an object or person, it cannot be fought, so it can't be reached, it can be seen, yet it cannot be seen?... The answer is Time," Shintaro answered. Cheshiremon clapped his paws.
"All civilizations die with time, all kings do too, you can't avoid time, you cannot fight time, its effects are seen on people and objects, but time itself cannot be seen!" Cheshiremon told Shintaro, Shintaro nodded.
"My turn...what is greater than great, more evil than evil, the rich want it, the poor have it and if you eat it you die?" Shintaro asked. Cheshiremon scratched his chin.
"Nothing... Nothing can be greater than great, nor more evil than evil, the poor have nothing and if you eat nothing you die," Cheshiremon explained. Shintaro nodded again.
"Your next riddle." He smiled.
Akiko continued to block off the Shadow Hikaru as she advanced to her. Muchomon thought as she watched the fight that was in progress, This girl is showing a lot of potential as she progresses with the Shadow Hikaru. She also shows fear, which is bad. I want a smart and strong person as a DigiDestined. Yet Aki passed four of her tests and she will succeed her final test.
Whatever attack Akiko threw at the shadow, the shadow threw one back at her or blocked it. She knows shadows can't stand the mirror but also the light.
Sasha winced as the box dropped to the platform, but didn't break. "You will take a step back in the direction that the tip of the box lands in," the man explained, with a smirk.
"I don't get it. We're on an infinitely long platform," Sasha pointed out. Just as she said this, the rock began to crumble away and Sasha stumbled to keep her balance. When the rumbling finally stopped, Sasha and Rick were standing on a very finite platform, that wasn't very long indeed. She bit her lip, staring across at her brother. "Rick..please, let's not do this."
"One of us is going off that platform. If you don't grow a backbone, it's going to be you," Rick snarled, glaring at her. Sasha frowned, hating to be forced into a death game with her twin, but relented. Rick took a step back on the platform. "Pick it up."
"THIS is my test? To die myself or see my brother fall to his death?!" Sasha demanded to the robed man. He merely stared back expressionless. Growling, Sasha picked up the box and stared at it for a moment. I remember when he gave this to me. Letting it fall, it pointed in her direction. Taking a normal step back, Sasha felt the platform rumble. He's testing the strength of my heart? Over my mind? ... What am I going to do?
The girl will have to make a choice, the man thought idly, watching Sasha stare down her brother, that she thought was real. To be a leader means to have the courage to embrace what makes you, you. The strength of your heart plays a great role in this... Will she succeed?
Rick glared at his sister. "We're going to do this until one of us falls. That's the way this game is played."
"No, Rick, it can't be!" Sasha pleaded. "Just listen to me! I don't want to do this with you! You're my brother, and I won't let this lunatic tear us apart!" Alas, her words had no effect on Rick. Back and forth they played until they were both teetering on the edge of annihilation. Her heart stopped beating for a moment as Rick took the one fatal step back.
That is the end----WHAT? the man's eyes widened. He had expected Rick to fall to his death, but Sasha dashed across and grabbed his wrist. How...
Sasha's twin brother stared up at her with wide eyes. "Why didn't you let me fall?"
"Stupid," Sasha said, tears in her eyes. "You're my brother. There's no way I'd let you go." Suddenly everything disappeared and Sasha was back in the forest. "What the h--"
"Very well done," the man praised, albiet he seemed reluctant. "I didn't expect you to dive for him." A smile crossed his lips. "But that is the mettle of a true leader. Now.. your final test. Stage three, begin!"
Cheshiremon's stare drilled into Shintaro. "What is behind this rock?" Cheshiremon asked.
Shintaro tried to step back but the chains stoppped him. "That's not a riddle!" he told Cheshiremon.
"Yes it is."
"No it is not!"
"Well haha I make the rules here!" Cheshiremon laughed cruelly. Shintaro narrowed his eyes. "Behind the rock you have...whatever is behind the rock." Cheshiremon's face fell, still grinning malevolantly.
It was Shintaro's turn to laugh. "My riddle!...Incidentally, how do you define a riddle?" Shintaro asked. Cheshiremon scratched his chin.
"A question in which the answer is encrypted," Cheshiremon replied finally. Shintaro nodded.
(Flashback) "Don't you see Kajitana! The answer is right there, encrypted in the computer code, zero zero one one zero one zero zero zero one one!" Sensei Senji roared. (End Flashback)
"Zero, zero, one, one, zero, one, zero, zero, zero, one, one!" Shintaro called out.
Cheshiremon growled. "That isn't a riddle!"
"By your definition it is."
"Then I...GIVE UP!" Cheshiremon roared and the chains vanished. Cheshiremon, returned to his cold posture. "Now for your next test," Cheshiremon drawled.
Shintaro turned around and saw his older brother, with his familier oh-I-am-so-better-than-you-everybody-loves-me smile. Shintaro felt a surge of massive hatred for his sibling. He felt something appear in his hand, something metal, he looked down and almost died of shock. Sitting in his hand was the katana that his grandfather owned. Shintaro looked up at the other Kajitana. His brother Yamato stared right back at him. He drew in a deep breath as Yamato raised the katana and swung at Shintaro; in that moment images flashed through his mind.
(Flashback) "My dear boy, you should take an example from your brother," his grandfather smiled.
Yamato stood next to him, grinning that same grin which made Shintaro want to rip his teeth out. "It isn't Shintaro's fault, grandfather, he is just genetically inferior, it is a common occurance, sadly Shintaro was given all the bad genes while me all the good," Yamato was smiling and pretending to be a know-it-all.
Shintaro clenched his fists but said nothing. His grandfather laughed. "Should of been left in the hospital, eh Yamato!" He laughed and they walked off. (End Flashback)
Shintaro swung the katana at Yamato, the two metals clashed sending out sparks.
Akiko pushed the shadow onto the water as she saw the shadow as an illusion and disappeared.
"That masked, shadow woman is just another illusion," Akiko told the white dog digimon. "You created this."
"You figured me out, didn't you, Aki?" Muchomon said as she stood up on the tree. "Anyway you passed the test and now I'm your guide throughout this world."
Yamato swung the sword down sluggishly, as if in slow motion, Shintaro lashed out with all his hate and sent the katana straight through Yamato's heart. Yamato dissolved and Shintaro turned round, waiting for Cheshiremon to tell him he had passed. Cheshiremon's grin was still wide, but anger burned in his eyes.
"You have failed the test," he whispered. Shintaro stared at Cheshiremon, frozen.
"But I beat him," He muttered. Cheshiremon shook his head solemnly.
"Fool, do you really think we want you to be physically strong, that was a test of your heart, a test of your mercy," Cheshiremon became a sillouhette and the third eye appeared on his chest, he flared up into a huge panther, his eyes glowing like suns. "NOW YOU MUST FACE THE DECIDING TEST! PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE TEST OF SPIRIT!" Cheshiremon returned to normal and pointed to a sapling. "You must cut down that sapling, you must not eat, drink or sleep until it has been cut down," Cheshiremon told Shintaro, Shintaro raised an eyebrow and raised his grandfather's katana. Cheshiremon stopped him.
"You may not use the katana, you must use...A TROUT!" Cheshiremon laughed, holding up a dead trout. Shintaro stared in wonder. Cheshiremon fell of the tree laughing.
Sasha felt her eyes shut tightly for her, as if she had no control over her body anymore. Suddenly they were opened and she was still standing in the black forest, the robed man in front of her, a few feet away. "You have done well. Surprised even my old spirit," the man complimented, still holding control over Sasha's body. "But there is still one more test you must complete. To free your heart of all its pain."
"...Impossible," Sasha replied, in a shaky voice.
The man raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"My heart will never be free of the pain it carries," Sasha told him. "I am fortune's fool."
"Why do you say that?"
"...Because fortune gave me happiness, then ripped him away from me just when I thought I was complete. She has a cruel sense of humor like that."
The man smirked slightly. This was perfect for his final test. Snapping his fingers, they appeared to be on the top of a square-tipped tower that was about as high as any New York skyscraper. "Show me what is in your heart." Sasha refused, but the man extended his arm to her, and suddenly, Sasha felt a stinging pain in her chest.
Looking around once the pain had stopped, Sasha noticed another skyscraper a few stories taller than the one she was on, and a plank jutting out from the storey that was on par with the roof she was standing on. Blinking she noticed an Egyptian Ushebti (golden doll) hanging off a net on the side of the building, above the plank. There was a second Ushebti that was a slightly darker colour than its predecessor. "What is this ... ?"
"The final test of your heart. There is something hidden deep within your heart. That you have excellently hidden from all your friends. Only one person truly knows your pain, your brother. But even you hide the pain excessively from him as well," the man went on. "For you to lead these children on the path of Destiny, you must come to terms with this pain." He waved his hand, and smiled sadly. "Ah, I see...look over to the plank."
Sasha frowned and looked over, her eyes widening. Suddenly her voice became very small, afraid. ".....Phoenix?" Standing on the plank in punk/gothic clothes was a slender white teenage male, with long blonde hair in a ponytail, a section of his hair covering his left eye, dyed silver. His amethyst eyes held no emotions, they were pupiless, empty. The crook separating his thumb and index finger was resting on a rope that connected to the wall, with a key of some sort. Sasha soon grew angry. "Have you no respect for the dead? Why are you torturing me with his image?"
"That is no image," the man replied, to Sasha's horrified look. "It is his soul as you remembered it. He is teetering on the plank between being an angel or condemned to hell. If you pass this last test, his soul will be at peace. Begin!"
Akiko was tired from the five tests that Muchomon had put her through. At least she saw the dog digimon smile at her. After how much that creature put me through. I'm surprised she has the nerve to smile at me, Aki thought as the digimon continued to look on as she faced her partner with piercing green eyes.
"Well, let's get going," Muchomon told her as Aki was at a loss for words.
Doesn't look like I have much of a choice, do I? Akiko said in thought as she followed the digimon towards the first adventure they'd have together. She was fast for a tiny one and luckily Aki could keep up with her as she checked on her white digivice with all different dots. One was dark purple and the closest to her was a light purple one.
Shintaro stared incredulously from his demented digimon, to the trout, to the sapling. "You are mad!" he muttered.
Cheshiremon rolled his eyes. "I am not sure whether to say 'Oh my God' really sarcastically, just shout 'Duh' into your face or faint on the spot!"
He growled, Shintaro took the trout, rather dazed and laid the katana to one side, he looked from some sharp rocks to the trout and grinned, he picked up a large rock and stuffed it down the throat, he cringed. He was in all fairness, despite being nasty and cruel, a person who was not gruesome, so he almost puked as the skin at the side stretched, he hacked at the tree and the rock's sharp end potruded from the fish, he hacked again, trying to cut down the sapling.
"Stupid, useless test!" he muttered. Cheshiremon was grinning like a maniac.
Akiko and Muchomon headed towards the one with the light purple dot. She couldn't believe that what her digimon put her through was insane and demented.
"I just want to test you on your bravery, Aki," Muchomon told her as they continued to walk around.
