Devidramon

?Aww,? Gatomon said. ?You?re a human, aren?t you? You?re the smallest one I?ve ever seen. Are you okay?? ?Can you... get me out of here?? the child said hopefully, but sadly as if he knew that that was not possible even as he asked. Gatomon shook her head, and the boy lay back down. ?Why did he bring you here?? ?We sorta stole a Mekanorimon,? BlackGatomon explained. ?I guess it knew we weren?t supposed to be flying it, because it brought us here.? ?Meka...? the boy said. ?A flying machine.? When the boy nodded, she asked, ?Why are you here? Surely a hatchling like you can?t have done anything that wrong.? The boy sat up again. ?I don?t know. I was with Mommy, and I saw all these green flying letters... she reached for me but her hand went right through me... then I was in this building. The robots caught me and threw me in here. They?re waiting for someone called Machines-amon... Machina... Machinedramon! Their boss or something.? ?Do you have a name?? Gatomon said. ?Or should we just call you ?Human?? Look, I?m a Gatomon, and that?s my twin sister BlackGatomon.? ?I?m Masahiko,? the boy answered. ?Masahiko,? BlackGatomon said soothingly, taking the boy?s hand in both of her own. ?That?s a nice name. Don?t worry, Masahiko. We won?t let anything happen to you.? Masahiko seemed to accept that. He put an arm around each cat as he leaned back against the wall. The peaceful moment was short-lived. The bars opened again, and an Andromon, maybe or maybe not the same one who had brought them there, was standing in front of the entry. ?Machinedramon awaits. Come.? Gatomon, BlackGatomon, and Masahiko exited the cell and were led back along the same route that the cats had taken when they were brought to the cell. The machine Digimon they passed showed no interest and paid no attention. Soon, they were back at the hangar, where a large machine Digimon awaited. He had the head of a Gigadramon, one Mekanorimon arm, one Gigadramon arm, powerful legs with skulls on the kneecaps and claws on the toes, and two humongous cannons on his shoulders. He may once have had a tail, but it had apparently been cut off at some point. Two Hagurumon accompanied him. ?HOLD THE DIGIMON,? he commanded. ?BRING THE HUMAN.? ?Yassuh, great Lord Machinedramon, suh!? one Hagurumon said. ?Right away! At once! Consider it already done, my master, sir!? the second one added. ?Oh, brother,? Gatomon and BlackGatomon sighed in unison. There was no such thing as a normal Hagurumon. They were always kissing up, or making up nonsense words, or generally being hyperactive. They were usually good at what they did, but the cats wondered whether their service was worth the sheer of having them around. Apparently, Machinedramon had infinite patience. As Andromon restrained Gatomon and BlackGatomon, one of the Hagurumon somehow brought the gears on its side together to grasp Masahiko and carry him in front of Machinedramon. ?WHO ARE YOU?? ?M-Masahiko,? the child stammered. ?YOU HAVE COME HERE TO DESTROY US,? Machinedramon accused. ?I?m not here to destroy anybody! I just ended up here, I didn?t do anything!? Masahiko cried. ?YOU ARE A HUMAN. IT IS THEY WHO MANIPULATE THIS WORLD FOR THEIR OWN SELFISH PLEASURES. WHEN YOU TURN ON A LIGHT, WHEN YOU USE A TELEPHONE OR A COMPUTER, YOU INTERFERE WITH THE WORLD THAT LIES BENEATH IT ALL.? ?I didn?t mean to, honest! I?m just a kid! I didn?t know there was a world in the computer! I just wanted to play Donkey Madness, I promise!? ?YOU WILL BE ANALYZED, THAT YOUR KIND MAY PLAGUE US NO LONGER. WHETHER MILLENNIUMMON FULFILLS HIS PROMISE OR NOT, WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO EXPORT YOUR EVIL AND DESTRUCTION INTO OUR WORLD.? ?Millenniummon?? BlackGatomon gasped, her heart nearly stopping. ?What did he promise you? What do you know about him?? ?IN RETURN FOR HELPING TO RELEASE HIM, HE WILL DESTROY THE HUMANS WHO HAVE INVADED THIS WORLD, AND BEGIN WORK ON ELIMINATING THEM IN THEIR OWN WORLD AS WELL. THEN WE WILL BE SAFE.? ?Safe?? Gatomon piped up. ?Do you know who he is? Do you know what he?s done? The sovereigns themselves banished him from this reality! Data streams are nothing compared to the stories I?ve heard about the things he did! Humans aren?t one hundredth the threat he is!? ?Yeah,? BlackGatomon said. ?I guess since the digital world?s structure is weakened by the D-Reaper, he?s trying to return.? ?You can?t allow this!? Gatomon told Machinedramon. ?He?s a liar and a manipulator. He?ll tell you what you want to hear. By the time he?s done you won?t even [i]remember[/i] D-Reaper. It?s nothing compared to what he?ll do!? ?THE DECISION IS MADE,? Machinedramon said. ?TO BE RID OF THE HUMAN PLAGUE, I WILL RISK WHAT MAY COME AFTER. IF MILLENNIUMMON HAS BEEN SEALED AWAY ONCE, IT CAN BE DONE AGAIN.? [i]?Are you out of your mind!?[/i] BlackGatomon screamed. ?Or your CPU, or whatever you have?? ?TAKE THEM AWAY,? Machinedramon told Andromon. ?THEIR DATA MAY BE USED TO STRENGTHEN ONE OF OUR VEHICLES OR SOLDIERS. SEE TO IT.? ?Compliance,? Andromon said, beginning to walk away with the cats. ?No!? Masahiko screamed, trying to pull away from the Hagurumon. But even a Rookie is stronger than a small child. Machinedramon turned his attention to Masahiko. His cannons pointed at the screaming child, who began to thrash and kick, to no avail. Machinedramon watched him with revulsion. Noted the disorderliness of his movements. There was no logical pattern to them. His screams served no purpose. Expenditure of energy with no gain. Such madness. Such chaos. That was what they brought to the digital world. It troubled him deeply to endure the knowledge that those things were infesting the digital world. Nothing that disgusting could be permitted to exist, especially in a pristine place of order and precision like the Metal Empire. Whatever Millenniummon had done, he was not a disgusting creature housed in flesh and full of blood and bile. ?Please don?t hurt me! I won?t touch a computer again, I swear! Please don?t kill me!? ?CONTINUE ANALYZING IT,? he told the Hagurumon. ?ONCE YOU HAVE LEARNED WHAT YOU CAN, INCINERATE THE REMAINS.? ?Right away, my lord, sir!? As the Hagurumon began to carry a terrified Masahiko away, Masahiko?s wristwatch began to glow, and nonsense figures began to run across it. It fell from his arm as the band shortened and the face became larger. It became a digivice, white with a black band and a black circle around the face, and floated back into Masahiko?s small hands. In Andromon?s efficient grip, Gatomon and BlackGatomon felt a strange surge of energy, and could hear each others? thoughts and feelings. [i]She?s just like me... and yet, she isn?t,[/i] they thought, and then they wondered which of them had thought it, and what she meant by it. Then there was a moment of confusion. [i]Which one am I?[/i] And then, they realized that there was no difference. There was only one now. It felt natural, as if this was how it had always been. Their bodies began to glow, and the glow melded together, becoming one, as their minds were already one, as they should be. ?Gatomon/BlackGatomon...? She only had one voice now, but was able to say both names at once, in both their voices at once. ?...DNA digivolve to...? The glow took on the shape of a tall, beautiful cat girl whose face was hidden behind a purple veil, but could be seen through it. Her arms were similar to Antylamon?s, with three-fingered hands that nearly touched the floor. Two pointy cat ears poked through the flame-red hair that reached down to her knees. Her hair was held in check by an ornament with a jewel at the end, which held it in a braid. She wore four bracelets on each arm, and two on each of her two tails. ?...Bastemon!? she/they finished in a rich, sonorous voice, one better suited for song than speech. The last of the glow faded. A hologram appeared above Masahiko?s new digivice. It identified her as Bastemon, an ultimate-level Digimon of great strength and grace. Her attacks were called Helter Skelter and Vampire Dance, but the digivice offered no evidence as to what they did. Or a reason why Masahiko was able to get that information from the seemingly random strings of numbers that played over the hologram. ?Perhaps this day wasn?t so bad after all,? Bastemon said as she snapped a kick that knocked Andromon into a wall, freeing her from his grip. She executed a flip that put her directly behind the Hagurumon holding Masahiko. A punch sent the Hagurumon flying, and Bastemon pulled Masahiko to herself and leapt away, Machinedramon?s blast narrowly missing them. ?He is in our care now,? Bastemon said. ?We will not let you kill an innocent child over your misguided vendetta. He is not the threat. You are.? Bastemon flipped in midair to hit the wall feetfirst, and kicked off, sending herself flying past Machinedramon and to the elevator, which began its descent the moment she?d touched it. But, knowing she hadn?t the time to wait for it to carry her downward, she sprang from it and launched herself at Andromon. ?Lightning Blade!? Andromon shouted, sending an energy arc at her. She ducked under it and rolled, leaping up and striking Andromon with a vicious flying kick. Machinedramon began unleashing Giga Cannon blasts at her, but she was already moving again. Ducking, spinning, and rolling, she dodged each of the cannon blasts, using the flawlessly efficient Machinedramon?s predictability against him. And she managed to keep a screaming Masahiko out of the line of fire. Finally, she heard the click of the elevator platform reaching the bottom, and she flipped over into it and fell thirty feet, to land easily in the cell block. The platform began its ascent the moment she had touched it, and she easily rolled off of it and leapt to her feet. Before Andromon could begin the chase again, he would have to wait for the platform to finish its rise and then descend once more. Plenty of time to get away. She set a bewildered, dizzy, and slightly green Masahiko on his unsteady feet. The poor kid?s eyes were wider than dinner plates, and he was nearly hyperventilating. ?Are you okay?? Bastemon asked. Masahiko half-nodded, his eyes still wide. Exactly three seconds later, he leaned over and threw up. ?We?re, uh, sorry about that,? Bastemon muttered lamely. ?Can you run?? ?Uh...? Masahiko stammered, wobbling. ?We?ll take that as a no,? Bastemon said sarcastically. ?We?ll try to be more careful with you this time, but we... we mean all of us... still need to get out of this city practically yesterday.? ?Right,? Masahiko said, a bit more steadily. ?There we go,? Bastemon said, smiling. She let Masahiko climb into her arms, and tried to hold him as comfortably as she could. She ran as fast as she could through the small cell block, in search of the next elevator platform. Stealing a ride was out, but she was fairly certain that she could outwit the mindless machines that stood in her way. [i]Maybe we can tell them to calculate pi or the size of the universe, or say that they?re endangering their own mission, and the whole lot of them will shut down,[/i] she thought. [i]Yeah, right. And maybe Millenniummon sings opera.[/i] Then she laughed at herself internally. [i]We?re the same person now and we [u]still[/u] go on like that. Some things never change.[/i] Bastemon ran into an empty room, and once she reached the center, the floor began to rise around her as the section she was standing on began to descend. ?Is this the way you came in, Masahiko?? Bastemon said. ?I don?t know. I didn?t wake up until I was in the jail room.? [i]Guess they knocked him out to make him easier to transport.[/i] Bastemon cursed the machines for hurting a child that young. [i]We oughta turn ?em all into soup cans.[/i] What she said was, ?That?s okay. It?s how we?re getting out. Hold on tight!? ?Like I have a chooooooice!? Masahiko screamed as Bastemon dived into the room the instant the platform descended far enough for her to do so, rolled, and leapt to her feet, glancing around for danger, all with Masahiko in her arms. No opponents were visible, and she sat Masahiko down. ?Could you... warn me when you?re... about to do that?? he gasped. ?If we have the time,? Bastemon said, grinning impishly. ?And do you have to talk like that?? ?Why shouldn?t we? We?re both inside,? she said, tapping her head. ?You?d have to be like this yourself to really understand. But it comes naturally. Any other way just wouldn?t feel right.? Bastemon ran from the platform room to the adjoining hallway, and found it unmonned. She backflipped to land next to Masahiko and usher him into the hallway. ?How?d you turn into one Digimon, anyway?? ?We aren?t sure. We were separate, I was BlackGatomon and I was Gatomon, and then we started to... come together. When our thoughts were as one, our minds became one, and then our bodies became one, and then we were as we are now. That make any sense?? Masahiko nodded, though he was still clueless. ?What?s it like?? ?Wonderful,? she said, twirling. ?We feel each other?s strength, each other?s love... and the power! We could take on an army!? ?Will you always be like that?? ?Do all humans ask this many questions?? ?We don?t when mommies give us that look you?ve got right now.? Bastemon grinned. [i]We think we?re gonna like this kid,[/i] she thought. ?Remember what you said about taking on an army?? ?Yeah?? Bastemon sighed, half exasperated and half amused. ?Can you do it now?? Bastemon looked back at Masahiko, and then followed his eyes back to the room that they had just left. From the ceiling, several spherical Digimon wielding chainsaws and mines floated down to hover about six feet above the ground. ?Oy vey,? Bastemon sighed. ?This thing says they?re Giromon,? Masahiko said, looking at the analysis hologram of his new digivice. ?Mischievous Ultimate Digimon who use their Spinning Mine attack to deal with intruders.? ?What it doesn?t say is that they can throw it up to a hundred and twenty yards,? Bastemon said grimly. ?And their chainsaws can do the same to your limbs.? ?Out of the frying pan...? Masahiko began. ?And into the fire,? Bastemon finished. ===== 'Kay, that's it. And if I may, I'd like to ask that Gato and BG always have to DNA to Bastemon. Please? And maybe AncientSphinxmon for their Mega, though my heart's not set on it or anything.

?Just one of you?? the second Pteramon asked. The goblin crow spoke in an irritating, high-pitched squawking voice. ?The others are right behind me. Not that I [i]couldn?t[/i] handle them myself, but...? Karatenmon gestured, and sure enough, several Halsemon and a few more Pteramon could be seen rising to the battle. The sound of engines rose in the distance, and Captain Pteramon, and therefore his unwilling passengers, turned. ?A good thing,? he said, ?because the Mekanorimon have a big family...? Karatenmon and the other Pteramon turned to see several more Mekanorimon, followed by a Gigadramon. ?The tin lizzy?s mine,? Karatenmon said. ?The rest of you, don?t let the Mekanorimon get through, at any cost!? The squadron of bird Digimon flew to battle against the Metal Empire?s forces. As the two squadrons clashed, the two virus Ultimates put on what would have been a spectacular performance, had anyone been watching. ?Crow Swords!? Karatenmon drew his swords and crossed them, sending a bolt of black lightning into Gigadramon?s back. The metal dragon howled with pain and fury. ?Gigabyte Wing!? The missiles from Gigadramon?s hands sought out Karatenmon, forcing him to fly for his life. He ducked behind and under Gigadramon, hoping for the missiles to accidentally strike their owner. They didn?t. Seeing that they weren?t, Karatenmon surged forward to get out of his foe?s reach. Gigadramon launched more missiles, but Karatenmon sped between his arms, narrowly missing the deadly artillery. Those missiles eventually turned to join the others in seeking out Karatenmon. ?Ballistic Feather!? Feathers fell from Karatenmon?s wings and ignited, flying in erratic, corkscrewing paths. Most of them were able to take out a missile apiece. The explosions ignited the other feathers and missiles, causing a larger explosion that turned the middle of the battlefield into a miniature sun. When the smoke cleared, Gigadramon was not behind it. ?What?? Suddenly, from behind, the Gigadramon?s tail struck him like the crack of a whip, nearly shattering every bone in his body. ?Waugh!? he shouted. ?Oh, yeah, you?re gonna hurt for that one.? ?Whooooah!? two small voices cried as the captain Pteramon carrying the twin cats pulled half of a loop-the-loop, winding up upside-down above Gigadramon, and flipped over. Gigadramon turned his head. Pteramon neatly dropped missiles one by one on top of Gigadramon, laying the sixth straight into Gigadramon?s face. Karatenmon followed up with another Crow Swords. Gigadramon hissed and spun around so that the two bird Digimon were in front of him. They fired at the same instant he did. ?Gigabyte Wing!? ?Ballistic Feather!? ?Sidewinder!? Explosives filled the air, turning the area into an inferno. The force of the Ultimate attacks exploding so close threw Captain Pteramon into the path of a Mekanorimon. ?I?ve got it!? Gatomon said. ?Cat?s Eye Hypnotism!? Her eyes glowed, and she stared straight at the Mekanorimon?s cockpit. ?Get ready to do the same thing to that one down there,? she told BlackGatomon, pointing at a different Mekanorimon which was speeding after a Halsemon. ?This had better...? ?Trust me!? BlackGatomon sensed that this wasn?t the time to argue. She waited to see what her sister would do. [i]Usually I?m the one coming up with the harebrained schemes.[/i] The Mekanorimon sped towards them, on a collision course. Captain Pteramon wasn?t ready for the Mekanorimon?s suicide run. Gatomon released the Mekanorimon in time for it to [i]almost[/i] miss Pteramon. Its arm hammered the Pteramon in the chest, causing him to release the cats. BlackGatomon had realized Gatomon?s plan, and was waiting for this. ?Cat?s Eye Hypnotism!? she said, focusing it on the Mekanorimon below. The pilot went into a trance, and kept his course, flying straight... and directly under Gatomon and BlackGatomon. The cats quickly pulled the cockpit open and dropped in on either side of the Kokuwamon piloting it. ?Hey, Micro Machine, get away from the stick!? Gatomon ordered. ?State. Your. Authorization,? the Kokuwamon droned, its various cords moving around on the console in front of it. ?Cat?s Eye Hypnotism!? Gatomon and BlackGatomon said together, fixing their hypnotic vision on the Kokuwamon before it could do anything like trigger the ejection seat. ?Command. Not. Recognized,? Kokuwamon said. ?Sure. Why. Not. What. The. Heck.? The Kokuwamon shut down, leaving Gatomon and BlackGatomon alone with the Mekanorimon?s controls. ?Do we rule, or what?? Gatomon said, as she and BlackGatomon traded a high-five. ?Time to amscray before the bird-brains and the bolt-buckets come after us.? ?You know how to drive one of these?? ?Uh... not really.? ?Oh, boy.? A beeping sound rang out from a console. ?What?s that?? Gatomon and BlackGatomon said together. They answered each other with ?How?m I supposed to know?? The Mekanorimon began to change directions under its own power. The cats tried to figure out how to make the controls respond, but nothing that they dared to touch changed the semisentient vehicle?s movements. The Mekanorimon carried them back in the direction that it had come from, slipping into stealth mode so it could not be followed. It took its passengers through the clouds, and over barren, dry land. Gatomon and BlackGatomon took turns re-hypnotizing the Kokuwamon whenever it began to stir. After more than an hour, the Mekanorimon arrived at its destination. ?Hey, it feels like we?re slowing down,? BlackGatomon said. The cats looked out of the cockpit to see that they were above a large city, with machine Digimon of every description going about their business in an orderly, logical, efficient manner. ?Ugh,? Gatomon said. ?I don?t think I?ve ever seen this many ninety-degree angles in one place. Machine Digimon have no imagination at all.? ?I?m more concerned with what the Metal Empire will do to beast Digimon in their territory. Especially two who?ve stolen one of their vehicles and KOed its pilot. If you?ve got any bright ideas...? ?Hey, it?s your turn. Besides, our bright ideas got us stuck a zillion miles in the air, then captured, and now this. Maybe we should just tell the machines what happened. They?ll realize that it?s at least possible, maybe do some scans to determine we?re telling the truth, or...? ?...or blast us and load our data,? BlackGatomon said, her arms folded. ?Uses a lot less resources than your option. They?re machines, they?ll do what?s most efficient. You know how the digital world is these days. We?re just one more break in the routine, to be dealt with in as little time and with as little further deviation from the routine as possible.? ?Very optimistic.? ?Do you suggest we wait and find out?? ?Do we have a choice? Even if we pry the cockpit open, because you [i]know[/i] it won?t open if we just push the button, it?s still a long way down.? The Mekanorimon eventually flew into an aperture three-fourths of the way up a building that would be a skyscraper by human standards, and was immense beyond size itself from the point of view of the two small cat Digimon. It flew inside, over a runway of sorts built into the structure. Once it was low enough for the cats to survive the fall unhurt, they Lightning Pawed their way out of the Mekanorimon and jumped to the floor. The Mekanorimon ignored them, landing on its feet and stomping its way over to a Mekanorimon-shaped alcove in a wall. There it settled, wires linking up with it to refuel its power supply. The cockpit opened, and a steel claw came from the ceiling, taking the Kokuwamon out of it and depositing it on the floor. The twin cat Digimon looked at each other and came to an understanding without saying a word. They began to run, to try to find a way to the ground so they could put this place, and the entire day?s events, behind them once and for all. They had gone no more than six yards when they ran into an Andromon... literally. ?You will come,? he said simply. ?Wha...? Gatomon stammered, shaking her head to clear it. ?Do not resist,? Andromon said. ?You will come.? ?Cat?s Eye Hypnotism!? BlackGatomon shouted. ?This unit?s programming cannot be affected in that manner,? Andromon said. ?You will come.? With that, he reached down and seized the two cats. His grip was not painful, but it was inescapable. He was using the least force necessary to hold them, as was most efficient. ?Out of the frying pan...? Gatomon muttered. ?Into the fire,? BlackGatomon sighed. ?What else is going to happen to us today?? ?No frying pan or fire is used in this facility,? Andromon said. ?You arrived in Mekanorimon unit 283. Your destination is Cell 7. Your future beyond that is unavailable.? ?You... answer our questions?? Gatomon said. ?This unit will share information that it is not necessary to withhold,? Andromon answered. ?Will you let us go?? ?No.? ?That sucks,? BlackGatomon said. ?Your statement is in error. No objects in the vicinity operate by suction.? ?Shut up.? ?You do not have command access. Additional: no part of this unit has been opened.? And so it continued as Andromon took them down an elevator hidden in the floor. It was not intended to be hidden; the machines, of course, all knew where it was, and there was no reason to make it appearent to the organic eye. Down they went, through several levels of the building, and when the elevator stopped, Andromon took them to one of several cells. On the floor lay a young human boy with short, uncombed brown hair. The boy sat up to look at Andromon and the cats. His eyes were red, as if he had been crying. When Andromon was close, the bars on the cell slid away. He placed the cats inside, and the bars closed once more.

Most people don't even know this board's back here. Give it time. You want another part? Be careful what you wish for. I wrote this when the boards were down. I'll have to post it in three parts, the "new, improved" board has a stricter post length limit. [Grumbles] ===== ?That?s the last time I ever listen to you, Gatomon,? BlackGatomon said. ?Maybe there?s a data stream nearby,? she mimicked her sister. ?Hey, it?s not like you had a better idea,? Gatomon said. ?Besides, as long as we?re not getting sucked up by some one-eyed freakazoid, we can find our way out of anything else.? ?Oh, really. What do we do, fly down from here?? Gatomon and BlackGatomon were atop a small, flying device that looked like a satellite dish. It was barely wide enough for the cats to stand on. They could not see the ground from where they stood. They were so high that the clouds below them blocked their view. But they could see that the farthest cloud was literally miles below them. ?I do have one idea, for when we get out of this. Once we get back to the others, I?m going to let them have it for ditching us. I?ll tear them apart with my bare claws, I swear!? ?Save some for me,? BlackGatomon agreed. ?Payback is my middle name. I say we sneak some Raremon slime into their food. A few hours of puking oughta fix them.? ?Zilla would [i]so[/i] have our heads on a platter if he found out!? Gatomon laughed. ?But we?ve got to get out of here first.? ?Fear not, my dear,? BlackGatomon said with a toothy grin. ?I?ve got an idea.? ?Uh-oh,? Gatomon said. ?O ye of little faith. Watch this. Lightning Paw!? She tapped the inside of the dish, applying her attack and causing the dish to crack and parts to fly out from it. The plates, screws, and wires would not reach the ground for some time. ?Are you insane? They?re going to...? Gatomon started. ?...going to have to come to [i]investigate,[/i]? BlackGatomon said. ?Gadgets like this always send, receive, conduct, or do [i]something[/i] with some kind of signal. Whatever signal stops getting wherever it?s going, and whoever owns it has to come and check it out, or maybe they reel it in. And bingo, we?re back on terra firma before you can meow.? ?Sounds good to me,? Gatomon said. ?I just hope they understand.? ?Relax,? BlackGatomon said with a wave of her hand. ?All we have to do is explain our situation and say we?re [i]reeeally[/i] sorry, and ask kindly if sir or ma?am will take us back to the forest. It?s just that easy.? ?Oh, really,? a voice said. ?I, for one, would [i]love[/i] to hear that explanation about now.? Slowly, the two cats turned to see what looked like a cross between a fighter jet and a prehistoric bird. Except for the legs and neck, his body was metal. The wings and beak were razor-sharp. Mounted to each wing were six Sidewinder missiles. The organic side was no friendlier, with powerful talons and dagger teeth. And he wasn?t alone. There were five more with him. [i]Why do we always get into these fixes?[/i] ?Uh, Mr. Pteramon, sir, we can explain...? BlackGatomon said. ?I suppose you two just fell out of a random data stream or something, right? When will you saboteurs learn? Don?t think just because you don?t look like Machines, you can fool us. What are your orders?? ?Really,? Gatomon said, ?It?s not like that. We were fleeing from Parallelmon when...? ?[i]Parallelmon?[/i]? a different Pteramon piped up. ?Colonel, they?re not going to tell us anything.? ?They?ll tell Dr. Velgmon whatever he wants to know,? the lead Pteramon answered. ?Take them, Captain.? To Gatomon and BlackGatomon, he said ?Velgmon?s interrogation procedures will put an end to your fairytales.? ?It?s the truth! Do we look like saboteurs? And how do you think we got up here? We jumped into a data stream to get away from Parallelmon, and wound up here. We?d get down on our own, but that first step looks pretty nasty,? BlackGatomon said with a hint of sarcasm. ?So we broke the dish in hopes someone would come to investigate, then we?d hitch a ride.? Colonel Pteramon waved dismissively with a talon and took off. Captain Pteramon took Gatomon in his left talon and BlackGatomon in his right, holding them so that they couldn?t Lightning Paw his talons. He and the others began to follow the colonel. ?Look, I was the one that broke the dish,? BlackGatomon said. ?She didn?t do anything. Leave her alone.? ?Just shut up, okay... aw, [i]nuts![/i] You two?ll pay for this.? The cats wondered what Colonel Pteramon was talking about, until a red beam of energy streaked past. Colonel Pteramon dodged, the beam singing one wing. ?Sidewinder!? the captain holding the two cat Digimon shouted. Two of the missiles under his wings were launched, flying towards the source of the red beam. The first was intercepted by another beam. The second struck a Mekanorimon, blowing off one arm and setting the side on fire. Red specks of data sprayed out of the damaged arm. ?Unit. Damaged.? it said. Several more Mekanorimon were already arriving, and they began to engage the Pteramon in battle. ?What?s going on?? Captain Pteramon demanded of his captives. ?What is this about?? ?Look, we don?t know!? Gatomon said. ?We didn?t mean to...? ?Tell me or I?ll drop you right now!? ?No!? Colonel Pteramon ordered. ?We must...? he dodged a Mekanorimon beam, ?...know what they know, what their plan is. For now, we deal with these guys.? ?Yes, sir,? the captain said. He clutched the two cats tighter as he banked to the right to finish off the damaged Mekanorimon with another missile, and pulled up to avoid the beam from another beneath him. ?Whoah!? Gatomon and BlackGatomon shouted as the beam narrowly missed them. Then they were turned upside-down as Captain Pteramon angled downward to dispatch the Mekanorimon with two Sidewinders. The air was now a battlefield, with dogfighting Pteramon and Mekanorimon filling the air with weapons fire. The Pteramon seemed to have an unending supply of missiles, though at any given time there were never more than three on each wing. Though Mekanorimon didn?t look very aerodynamic, they were as agile in the air as the Pteramon. One of the Mekanorimon used its long arm to grab a Pteramon by the talons and swing him in front of itself, and then blasted a hole clear through it with Twin Beam. The Pteramon dissolved and the Mekanorimon downloaded the data. Less than a second later, a missile blew it apart, and the Pteramon that had fired downloaded it. Colonel Pteramon launched a volley of missiles at three oncoming Mekanorimon. One dodged, to be engaged by another Pteramon, another was destroyed, and the third had its legs blown off, and was sent spiraling out of control, eventually pinwheeling into the path of a Pteramon, which couldn?t move fast enough to avoid it. They collided, destroying both Digimon. Now, three Pteramon and five Mekanorimon remained. ?We need reinforcements [i]now![/i]? Colonel Pteramon shouted. ?Aargh!? he shouted as the tip of one wing was blown away by an energy beam. He struggled to right himself and spiralled around to take a shot at the Mekanorimon who had fired. The missile narrowly missed it, but a narrow miss is still a miss. The Mekanorimon fired again, the next shot striking Colonel Pteramon in the neck, which was not covered in armor. Colonel Pteramon slowly evaporated into data, the deletion starting with the neck and damaged wing, and working its way inward. And then, he was gone. ?[i]Damn[/i] you!? Captain Pteramon shouted at Gatomon and BlackGatomon, figuring that they had played a role in the Mekanorimons? arrival. He launched four missiles at the Mekanorimon that had killed Colonel Pteramon. The machine Digimon deftly twisted out of their way and fired a beam that blazed right between Captain Pteramon?s talons, narrowly missing Gatomon and BlackGatomon, who yelped in unison. The Pteramon launched two more missiles, and yet, he [i]still[/i] had six missiles attached to his wings. ?Just how many of those do you have?? Gatomon said. The captain, of course, didn?t deign to reply. ?Just what do you think this is about?? BlackGatomon shouted across to Gatomon. ?Probably yet another territorial dispute,? her sister muttered. ?The net?s lousy with them. We?ve got to figure a way to get away from these guys without winding up splattered on the pavement... or whatever?s way down there.? ?No, [i]really?[/i]? BlackGatomon said. ?I [i]never[/i] would have thought of that.? ?Hey, it?s not like you?ve got any brilliant ideas...? [i]?Would you two knock it off??[/i] Pteramon roared. ?Sorry... hey!? the twins said as they realized who they were apologizing to. The other Pteramon was now taking the brunt of the Mekanorimons? assualt and Captain Pteramon struggled to help his companion. He managed to take one by surprise and bring it down, but that simply got the others on his tail. ?Where are those reinforcements?? he shouted at no one in particular. From beneath, a feather-shaped dart flew into view, twisting and whirling as it sped toward a Mekanorimon and struck it, blasting it and the three nearest it out of the sky. The Karatenmon who had fired it rose from the clouds.

Sounds kinda like Voyager. No matter how many times they get their butts kicked, the ship?s fixed by next week. No matter how many shuttlecrafts get blasted, there are always enough. No matter how many times the Delta Flyer gets smashed, bashed, and once, destroyed outright, it?s always ready to go next time they need it. One bit of realism that I started noticing during Time Force: Nowadays, when the Rangers get a beating, they actually show it. They?re bruised, burnt, and limping after a good thrashing. Before, they never looked like they?d broken a sweat after demorphing.

I think that parents should use their heads instead of letting the MCAA do their job for them (which is what "You can't watch anything PG-13 or above" is doing.) There are some PG-13 movies that made me think I was too young to be in the room, and some R movies which I wouldn't mind a five-year-old seeing. There are certain kiss-of-death elements that can change the rating no matter the content of anything else. Nudity's an automatic R, which sounds okay at first, but let's look a little closer. [i]Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods[/i] has a scene of nudity. Apophis is looking for a body for his queen, Amonet. Daniel's wife Sha'uri is one of the candidates. He takes off the robe-thing she's wearing, walks around her looking over her, examines her hair, teeth, etc, saying something like "You may be the vessel for my future queen." He decides he likes what he sees, so Amonet takes her over. Next time we see her, she's got glowing eyes and a weird voice. We see everything, but absolutely nothing happened that could be seen as sexual by any stretch of the imagination. As innocent as an alien symbiote implantation gets. :smirk: And yet, for that scene alone, the movie is rated R. The TV version that's known to SG-1 fans as the series premiere, with that scene omitted, is rated PG. However, [i]Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon[/i] has a sex scene. We don't see any nudity, because he's wearing... something... and his body covers hers. However, the way they're going at it was pretty intense, and she's somewhere around fifteen years old to his nineteen or twenty, and the whole thing is made to look romantic, him being the dashing rogue type and her being the high-class girl... it doesn't get more storybook than that. However, it's rated PG-13. So, the one with nudity but nothing remotely sexual gets a rating of R while the one with sex with someone much older than the girl maturity-wise and someone she's known for all of a few days being made to look romantic gets a PG-13. If I had a kid, and I thought he or she was impressionable enough to pick up such "messages" from a movie, CTHD is the one "sending out a message," whereas COTG sends none. The more innocent movie gets the worse rating because they're not thinking content, they're counting square inches of skin shown. Clearly, the rating system is fallible, and, while an average R movie isn't something you wouldn't take a bunch of six-year-olds to see and an average G movie isn't something a bunch of 16-year-olds would be interested in, that kind of simple overview is all the system should be used for.

Shadowdramon: Notice that, starting with Turbo, the opening is liable to change at the drop of a hat, from ep to ep? The two episodes that aired Sunday didn?t even have the same opening scenes. (The best, though, is the one with Trakeena and the Magna Defender. The lack of a supporting cast is pretty bad. In Wild Force, there are virtually no non-Rangers that we?ve seen twice, and only one guest that I remember: The girl that Danny likes. No classmates, no co-workers, no family members, just the Rangers, Shayla, and the bad guys. I think that the problem with Wild Force is that those CGI zords cost a lot to make ep after ep after ep (especially with Zen-Aku around. Then we have the Rangers? zords [i]and[/i] Zen-Aku?s zords.) and the zords take up most of the money that usually goes to paying other actors. Which is really unfortunate, because character development will be impossible without people to interact with. We?ll never get to see any other part of their lives or get to know who the really are, because Org-chasing will be all we get to see them do. You?ll notive how Wild Force has had to skimp on everything else. Villains usually have a full staff of sub-baddies. Rita and Zedd had Rito, Goldar, Scorpina, Baboo, Squatt, and Finster. Mondo and Machina had Klank, Orbus, and Sprocket, plus their wayward son Gasket and his wife Archerina later on, and Rita and Zedd and their sub-baddies trying to take over again. The list goes on. But Wild Force has Master Org, who may or may not even show up, and Toxica and Jindrax, who don?t do much. The monster of the week is usually going about his business causing random property damage when Toxica and Jindrax point him/her/it in the direction of the Rangers. The bad guys never have plans. Then, there?s the sets. The Megazord cockpit is the barest yet, and Master Org?s place of business is essentially an empty room. The Animarium is a pretty cheap set, some trees, some rocks, that?s about it. Schools, workplaces, homes? They don?t have them. It was a pretty grave mistake they made, making the zords look cool at the cost of every other element of the show. As for Astronema, yes, it would be harsh, which is why I would have done it. Things need not always end in the Valley of Duckies and Bunnies with everything just peachy. Zordon?s death was sad, but then, the universe went about fixing itself and making everything so far beyond perfect that it wasn?t believable anymore. A tad of harshness makes it more realistic. As for the Machines, all machines do follow a program of some kind, and programs can be rewritten. If Zordon?s wave could make Rita and Zedd nice, and even fix the damage done to Zedd by the Zeo Crystal, then you?d think it could rewrite the Machines? programs a little. We?ve seen good robots reprogrammed to do evil (Remember The Wedding? Finster put a disk in Alpha that made him go psycho. Remember him messing around with Zordon?s image (Back when they remembered that it was an image. [Glares at PRIS writers]) and giving him hair and glasses, and teleporting Bulk and Skull to the Outback, among other things? All anyone would have to do is figure out how to access Mondo?s computer, slip him a nicer personality, and order him to transmit the same program throughout the Empire. Maybe Zordon?s wave only works on organic creatures, and anything artificial goes poof. (Which would also explain the costume changes when the wave hit.) As for Zeo, I?d have let Turbo be just the one movie, and then everything goes back to normal. Perhaps keep Turbo?s zords and costumes, but that would be the only change. Zeo continues two more seasons, and we skip from it straight to In Space. Maybe have the occasional Divatox attack. Oh, the teacher is Appleby, the principal is Kaplan, the new bar owner is Adelle. Schratn9: There'd have to be a plot to give you an overview of. At the point that I've seen, Toxica and Jindrax suspect that Master Org isn't the real Master Org, but have yet to do anything about it. Master Org, or whoever he really is, was the one to kill Cole's parents. He remembers doing it, but Cole doesn't know. Some guy in green whose name I forget unleashed a wolf man called Zen-Aku, who blames the Rangers for something that happened three thousand years ago. Zen-Aku controls three zords, the Alligator, the Wolf, and the Hammerhead, which combine to make the Predazord. He's also the only serious fighter WF has. The green guy said that Zen-Aku would make him unstoppable (As opposed to making the Orgs unstoppable, or making Master Org unstoppable. It seems he's the Darkonda of the bunch. Or at least, that's what the look Toxica gave him indicates.)

Yeah, it was kinda anticlimactic the way Skaara was rescued. I wanted to see more of the coolness from Within the Serpent's Grasp when they had to go up against Skaara/Klorel again. Instead, it's a trial. And it?s not like we didn?t know how it was going to end. And poor Daniel never gets a break. He?s [i]always[/i] the one to get shot, and his parents died when he was young, Sha?uri gets taken by Apophis, then taken over by Amonet, then killed, and Daniel was there and helpless to stop any of it. And when he does get a love interest, it never works: one got him addicted to the sarcophagus, one turned out to be the Destroyer of Worlds, another gets taken over by Osiris (Yes, a girl, (a really hot one with a cute accent, I might add) gets taken by Osiris, who is male. Meet the Silphymon of the SG-1 universe.) Osiris is almost as cool as Ra. S/he has this cool derisive sneer, and I love the way s/he talks. Quieter than most of the Goa?uld, and the voice effect?s not has guttural as Apophis.? Daniel says he won?t tell him/her anything, and Osiris says, as calmly as ever, ?You are mistaken.? And down comes the brain-fry hand-thingy (which, I might add, he?s gotten four times. Ra, Klorel, Amonet, and now Osiris. That?s a record.) When he gets away (Won?t spoil how) s/he says, calmly as always, ?Make no mistake, Osiris will return. And the rivers of the Earth will run red with blood.? Typical bad-guy line, but the way s/he said it is what makes it cool. Wish they'd kept Klorel around longer. Klorel was cool, and the switching back and forth between him and Skaara was done perfectly. Man, the galaxy has it out for Daniel, doesn?t it? Staff-blasted four times (Movie, The Nox, There But For The Grace Of God, Serpent?s Lair) brain-fried four times (Ra, Klorel, Amonet, Osiris,) a ton of rocks fell on him (Need) he?s been kidnapped several times, Ma?chello switched bodies with him, the big-moose guy in Prisoners tried to strangle him, Ma?chello?s Goa?uld killers drove him out of his mind... How much can one man take in a lifetime? I don't think they'll ever top the first two seasons, when they had episodes like Serpent's Grasp/Serpent's Lair, In The Line Of Duty, The First Commandment, and The Nox. Season Three was okay, though O'Neill seems to think he's doing a stand-up act. I liked it best when they were out exploring, but they don't do that anymore. At about the fourth season things get dull, more talking than doing, more politics than exploring or battling the Goa'uld. But there's been one really good ep on the Sci-Fi channel, the one with Khonsu. (Won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it.) Unfortunately, the others weren't so good. They say something about it taking a pyramid ship to storm Baal's prison, and they say something that lets you know they're thinking about stealing one. Then we switch to O'Neill in the dungeon, and the power shuts off, allowing him to escape. He turns the corner, and we switch back to everybody at the SGC. All the talk's there, but when it's finally time for the big climax... it's missing in action. Nothing on the taking of the pyramid ship. Nothing on how O'Neill got away. (Baal, like every other System Lord, has a ton of soldiers, and the place is such a fortress that it takes a pyramid ship to get at it.) And nothing on the aftermath. Whenver they get their hands on serious technology, something happens to it so they can't use it. So now, they've got a pyramid ship, but, no mention of it, and that's how it'll probably stay. And most episodes don't even have a hint of action, or even things happening in general. All talk, all politics, all negotiations, all the time. CNN with spaceships. As great as SG-1 was in its day, we can safely say that day is over. What I wouldn't give for a perfectly normal "Go through the gate, meet new people, get into or even cause some trouble, fix it, come back" standard-issue episode about now. It'd be refreshing. [Is now doubly glad he has most of the first two seasons on tape] BTW, Teal'c is Christopher Judge, aka Magneto from X-Men: Evolution. (And Neil Denis, aka Teal?c?s son Rya?c, is also in Evolution, but I don?t know who he plays.) The novels by Bill McKay are pretty good, if you can sit through some of the duller spots. It takes place a few years after the movie. Hathor is awakened (like SG-1 Hathor, she was locked in a sarcophagus for being too ruthless even by Ra's standards) and takes over Ra's empire. She's a great main villain. Her second in command is Khonsu, who's a good bit meaner than the SG-1 version. There's a poem about him that Daniel can only remember the last line of: "Khonsu the Killer is." Also, Earth makes a deal with Abydos for the mineral they mine, but they abuse the miners, so Daniel leads them in a strike. And, after the events of the second book (which I won't spoil) Sha'uri is [i]not[/i] too happy with Daniel, and they don't get things patched up until sometime around the third. The third book is great. Hathor is on her way to Earth in the Boat of a Million Years, and Earth has to reverse-engineer the technology from the pyramid ship in the first, and by the end, it's full-scale war. If you?ve ever got a lot of time on your hands, give ?em a try. It even carries the same feel as the movie, only with a bit more military-ness added in.

I mean the movie, or the show, or the books. The movie is one of my all-time favorites. I've seen it six times and still am not tired of it. I love Egyptian mythology, and all of Ra's technology being based on it... there's a neat touch every few scenes. Also, their transporters make more sense than any other movie's or show's. To disassemble someone or something atom by atom, convert them to energy, move the energy somewhere else, and convert it back as something other than atom soup would be nearly impossible. Plus, most shows with transporters or teleporters make it way too easy. Just push a button, you're where you want to be. The Mutant Rangers are beating up on the Power Rangers? "Alpha, teleport them to he command center immediately!" And it's done. Picard and LaForge trapped by fire? "Mr. O'Brien, we need an emergency transport!" And it's done. Stargate eliminates both these problems: A series of rings drops from the ceiling both here and at the destination. What's in Set A goes to Set B, and vice versa. What's in the rings goes, what's out of the rings stays. (So keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. Wouldn't be the first time someone got beheaded by one of those.) And, that means that before you can do a Scotty, Beam Me Up, you've got to get to the rings first. Without getting your brain flambéed by Ra. They also have the cool masks that retract into themselves. And there's little motors inside so the masks actually move. The props themselves, no CGI involved (well, the retracting's a special effect, but not the movements.) So Anubis turns to face O'Neill, and the snout of the jackal mask actually tilts. The Horus masks' ears (or whatever they're supposed to be. Feathers, I guess) actually move. And Ra is just awesome. He has a lot of presence. (Even if he looks like a girl.) He's played by Jaye Davidson, who doesn't exactly have a star-studded career, but is a great actor. He can even make the "Egyptian" words (we know it's not actual ancient Egyptian, but that's what it's suposed to be.) sound like they mean something. Such perfect emotion, especially when you consider the fact that the words he's using mean absolutely nothing to him. Same goes for Kasuf and Skaara, though they're not as good as Ra. Everyone in that movie, from Kurt Russell all the way down to the people whose names you've never heard before, are very good actors. And the music is some of the best I've heard in a movie. David Arnold rocks. You hear his music in a lot of movie promos (though it's not actually in the movie itself, you'll recognise the music in a lot of promos from other movies. I hear the Stargate music everywhere, as well as Dragonheart. (Anna and the King's promo used Dragonheart music, and Mighty Joe Young's promo used Stargate music. You don't hear it in the actual movie, though.) The best music in Stargate is during the opening, and when Daniel's walking down the ramp from Ra's pyramid with one of those staff weapons that Anubis and the Horuses carry.

It is an extremely rare sequel that is worth watching. And yes, there are too many: I remember a commercial for one of the movie channels. There was a long string of movies that had a number of some kind by it. The only really good sequels I've seen are Terminator 2 (which was actually better than the original) and the movie-slash-series pilot that was [i]Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods.[/i] But with very, very few exceptions, sequel quality ranges from "kinda disappointing" like MIIB to "complete waste of perfectly good film" like The Lost World. And Disney's the worst for them, making a sequel of [i]every[/i] cartoon they do. The same goes for sequels to TV shows. Star Trek: TNG, Love Boat: The Next Wave, Crusade, Team Knight Rider, you name it. Most of them are bad, and the ones that are good still can't stand up to the show they're based on.

When I'm depressed, music, no matter what kind, only makes me sadder.

I figure if the Space rangers are in it with Andros' ship still on Terra Venture, they started from Earth somehow, and Skull could make an appearance. They should never have put Bulk on Terra Venture and left Skull on Earth. They played off of each other so perfectly that you can't just have one of them around and it be the same. And if they're only going to appear once in a pale blue moon, it's not like it'd cost too much to keep him around. Did we ever see Dimitria again after she left in Chase Into Space?

Oh, yeah. Cyclops was from Green Candle. Cyclopsus was from Doomdsay. I didn't see the crossover ep. Were Bulk and Skull in it too?

I loved the finale, though I think it was a bit too duckies-and-bunnies the way everything ended perfectly. Also, who was reverted to their good selves and who was turned to dust was completely skewed. Ecliptor wasn't evil, he was just devoted to Astronema. He "loved her like a daughter," always watched out for her. And one of the things he yelled at Darkonda during their big fight in Astronema Thinks Twice was that Darkonda was "without honor." If Ecliptor's so evil, why's he care about honor? No, he should have been spared because he wasn't all bad. The same with the Machine Empire (they're the main villains from Zeo.) Machines are programmed by someone, and can be reprogrammed. Whereas Rita, Zedd, and Divatox showed no signs of having ever had a good bone in their bodies. World domination and generally spreading chaos was all they ever cared about. They never showed a hint of any other emotion (except for Divatox's trying to revive her husband Maligore.) They were all bad of their own free will, and enjoyed being that way. Seeing them being nice is just... weird. Side note: Rita was beautiful without her supervillain getup that covers most of her face. Was that the same actress? If so, which one? There have been two Ritas, the first being Soga Machiko and the second being Carla Perez. (Though the voice is always Barbara Goodson.) This Rita looked Asian, but not quite like the old Rita. Ecliptor and Mondo, though, have a chance. Ecliptor, early in In Space, was taken down and went KABOOM, the standard monster send-off, and was alive and well later with no explanation. Maybe an illusion, or maybe he's like Darkonda, with multiple lives. So, if the body that was turned to sand by Zordon's wave wasn't the last one, he could still be out there. Wouldn't be surprised if he was staying out of sight but watching over Karome as always. And Mondo went kaboom too, in Mondo's Last Stand. I saw no way he could be revived then, either. And yet, he was. (Same for the Power Coins. Turned to dust, and yet the Mastodon coin was intact enough for one final use by Adam.) And we didn't see Rito, Goldar, Baboo, Squatt, Finster, Master Vile, Rygog, Porto, and quite a few other guest villians or non-main villains when Zordon's wave hit. We don't know who was reverted and who was wiped out. I did love to see the bad guys attacking in force. Outer-space dogfighting, alien armies charging after fleeing civilians, I love that stuff. And the bad guys were actually winning, and actually trying. No more monster-of-the-day, they went all-out with many warriors dating back to the very beginning. I would have made it a four-parter, though, and shown all the bad guys' progress across the galaxy. Bring back a few good guys, too. The Blue Centurion was one of many, and yet, we only saw the one. Yes, they're from the future, but the Blue Centurion came back to warn the Turbo team about several villains attacking in force, which was exactly what was happening Countdown to Destruction. I'd have a whole interstellar police patrol up against the Machine Empire, the Aquitian rangers leading a navy against Divatox and a bunch of submarine-spaceships like hers, and all the various teams of past Rangers facing off against the forces of Rita, Zedd, the Varoks (however you spell it. The gold-armored guys hunting the Gold Ranger.) On Edenoi (or however [i]that's[/i] spelled) we'd have Dregon and Nefaria and their army against King Lexion, the Masked Rider, and their resistance (remember "A Friend In Need?") and for Rita and Zedd, forget standing around in the desert. They'd be in the [i]Serpentera,[/i] wasting armies with each shot. Whoever took them on would also have to deal with Lokar, the floating head dude with the spiky hair that Rita called forth sometimes (Doomsday, Island of Illusion.) Scorpina leads armies, while Goldar would be in Cyclopsus (The Green Candle.) All those leftover Zords, like the Ninja Zords, the Shogun Zords, the Zeo Zords, the Super Zeo Zords, the Turbo Zords, Tor, Titannus, the Red Battle Zord, and the Warrior Wheel, would get to come out and play to contend with the bad guy alliance. Also bring back Ninjor, Dimitria, and Lerigot. If all the PR universe's major bad guys are in town, so should all the good guys who kept them in their place over the years. Also, I'd have made the ending a little different. Like I said, who'd get wiped out and who'd get turned good would be different (Ecliptor and the Machines stay, Rita, Zedd, and Divatox go. Finster stays too, because he was more of a scientist. He was interested in making his monsters bigger and better, and didn't care how his work was being applied. He's not really evil, just obsessed/misguided/something.) And instead of making everything absolutely perfect in the end, Astronema/Karome would have died. The shot she took would be fatal, but the device controlling her would have been damaged, so she'd get to be Karome for the last few minutes, and she would thank Andros for stopping her and say she was sorry for the things she did as Astronema, Andros would tell her it's not her fault, and then she'd say goodbye to him and to Ecliptor. And, at the end, Andros and Ecliptor would stay on KO-35, as would Ashley. Zhane would keep the ship and explore the universe (and possibly turn up a time or two in Lost Galaxy.) As for Divatox/Dimitria, you'll notice that in the first season of Turbo, Divatox was played by Carol Hoyt. In the second season, Hillary Shepard Turner, returns to take over the role (Turner is [i]so[/i] hot!) and Dimitria starts appearing on the credits at the end, and she's played by... wait for it... Carol Hoyt. I didn't see all of Space, either. I noticed that Ecliptor looks different in the finale than he does earlier in the show. What happened to him? Also, we see his real face at the end of part one, and he looks way too young. I'd have expected him to look like Bra'tac from SG-1, or maybe General Martok from DS9. Of course, that was just the usual actor not wearing his helmet, and isn't intended to be the character's real face. I liked Astronema's original look best. Complete with the ever-changing hair color. I wonder if that's natural for her and Andros' planet or what? A few things I wonder: do they still have their powers? Good guys and bad. Zordon's wave turned the villains into their human forms, but it did so to the Rangers as well. However, we can see they're still wearing their morphers. Can they still morph? And can Karome still teleport and all? And what happened to that cool lightning spear of hers? Also, how much time was there between Space and Lost Galaxy? The ship's mothballed, and Damon says "it's a museum, not a spaceship," but Bulk, Skull, and Phenomenus aren't much older. Also, how'd Zordon's wave wear off so fast? The Space ending leaves you with the impression that all the evil in the universe is gone, but there's no shortage of villains for Lost Galaxy. I didn't see the Wild/Time Forces x-over, though. But, with the Family channel showing WF once a day, I'm sure I'll see it soon enough.

I know the bison looks exactly like the Magna Defender's zord. I don't mind the Wild Zords matching the Ninja Zords, because they don't look the same. Now, if the Bear Brothers were recolors of Aisha's bear zord, there'd be problems. The real problem would be if the stories started to repeat. As long as they've got a story to tell, I wouldn't mind if the next generation of Rangers unearthed the Turbo Zords and started using them. Can't wait for tomorrow morning. The Space finale and Lost Galaxy premiere, neither of which I have on tape yet. In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "Woo-hoo!"

I think Panny-chan's parents are afraid. Thing about Wicca is this: I've heard many rather unpleasant stories from people who were in it. These are from people that I trust (and I *don't* trust easily. Ask anyone who knows me, I'm pretty paranoid.) and know not to be liars or given to accepting things out of hand. One girl who used to be into it... she scares me sometimes, with the way she looks at me. She knows I'm there the moment I look at her and think about her, even if I'm far away. If she's talking to me and my attention wanders, even for a second, she knows. She has taken up permanent residence in the Outer Limits. This isn't hearsay, I've seen it with my own eyes. And she has told me of a few of her experiences, and how she sometimes still has awful nightmares. When she talks about it, she seems haunted by it in such a way that I can almost feel. If it scares someone like her that badly, then it's something the rest of us have no business touching. Devil or no devil, there's something there that you want no part of. Whatever you believe or don't believe, no matter what confusion you have, read my lips: Don't touch Wicca. Period. Please. Meanwhile, the only Christian horror stories I've heard are about people who mistreat others in ways that involve their belief. Not God's doing, but man's. Panny-chan, once again, I'd like to say that it's not God's fault or the fault of all Christians. Sometimes human beings mess up. Please don't let what you're going through because of them influence what you believe. Just as all drivers aren't like the one who flips you off, all Christians aren't like the ones who'd make you miserable because you're not exactly as they are. Genkai's a Christian and is supportive of you, so am I (or I try to be, anyway.) So were most people in this topic, and there are a lot of Christians here. And, as my screenname indicates, I'm a Digimon fan. Digimon stars Japanese people who probably aren't even remotely Christian. I don't like Witchblade, but because I didn't think it was that good a show. I love Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Psi Factor, and quite a few other paranormal shows. I even know who does the Outer Limits sinister narration voice: Kevin Conway, aka Kahless from Trek. Still Christian, and I still watch those shows with a clear conscience. Heck, my screen name means Devil Dragon Monster, and I'm still a pretty nice guy. Please, don't judge all of us, let alone God, by two people's intolerance and fear. Give Christianity a chance, but on your terms and not your parents.' And you're almost out from under your parents' roof, anyway. You'll be free soon. Just count the months. Soon, you'll be in college, with computer labs where they don't care what boards you're on, TVs where they don't care what you watch.

I *hated* the trying-to-release-MajinBuu eps. For several episodes, they're just standing their flapping their lips, and we get stock footage of the death of some bad guy that Vegeta had wanted to be the one to bring down. Four episodes, and they stand there glowing, and whoever's going after the midget sorceror dude (or dudette. I never could tell.) is always *on the way* to wherever this is supposed to take place, and nothing actually moves. It takes them forever to get down to business, and you only *think* five minutes of digivolving in 02 is bad: there are attacks in DBZ that take full episodes to power up. They are very skilled at seeing to it that the plot hasn't progressed one inch in the four episodes. Sheesh. Yeah, I hate it when a villain becomes a joke. Rito was so devastating in his first appearance, but after that, almost never landed an actual hit. He became the replacement for Squatt and Baboo as the resident lame-brain. In fact, Baboo did manage to get in one hit back in Power Ranger Punks. Rito wasn't even that effective after his first appearance. I hated Goldar being idiotic after losing his memory. He was always a heck of a warrior. After going back to Rita and Zedd, he never did much. I wanted to see him battle it out with some of the Machine Empire's warriors. Also, in Digimon, once BlackWarGreymon showed up, Arukenimon and Mummymon go from being cool and mysterious (well, Arukenimon was cool and mysterious. Mummymon's claim to fame is being the only one who can put Paildramon in his place.) to being the digital Team Rocket. All they needed was a Gatomon-shaped hot air balloon. I hate it when my favorite villains get turned into stand-up acts. If they'd done that to Ecliptor, I'd have had to cause someone some serious bodily harm. I never minded Tommy's frequent costume changes. I can see new costumes coming with new power sources. There was always a reason for it. And Tommy himself never changed. It was just another costume, just like he changed his hair style every month. It was still him. I just wish the costumes had been better. Zeo's the only style I really liked. Add that to the list of grievances, along with the way there's been no good music since the end of Zeo.

And don't judge a religion by the people that practice it. The Bible tells us to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It's said so much that it sounds like a stale platitude, but it is in the Bible, and as such, if a Christian isn't doing that, he/she's out of line. Beating people down like I see some Christians doing is *not* what Christianity is all about, and is *not* proper according to the Bible. I know a lot of people who hate Christians and the idea of Christianity itself because someone tried to beat them down with it, force it on them, or use it as an excuse to feel superior, but to misuse it in such a way is wrong, according to the rules of Christianity itself. Don't judge Christianity, all Christians, or God by those people any more than you'd judge the whole sport of basketball by Allen Iverson. We are supposed to be patient, kind, and generous. We're supposed to be the good guys. And most of the people at my church are wonderful people who will go out of their way for you, and are generally great people to be around. But occasionally, you run into people who don't quite have it down. And their mistreatment sticks in your mind more than the nice ones for some reason. That even happens to me. I used to go to a Catholic school. Almost everyone was wonderful, but I can remember the comments made by the *two* that seemed to think that being Catholic was what set them above the rest of humanity to the letter, and it was years ago. And when I think "Catholic," the hundreds of nice ones don't come to mind, no, it's those two. But, they're the exception, not the rule. So it is with all Christians. Though the bad eggs are more vocal and stick in your mind, you meet the good ones every day and don't even know it. You don't know who you may have pissed off long ago that had the opportunity to return the favor, but didn't. Or the person that *could have* jumped into the lane in front of you, but decided to wait. Or the people that did little favors for you over the years. Some did it because they knew and/or loved you, and some because they were just that nice, but some because it was the Christian thing to do. Or the many Christians on this board right now that know of your conflict and [i]aren't[/i] beating you down about it. [i]That[/i] is most Christians, and it's not always as in-your-face as the people condemning you to hell because you're not of their particular denomination or sometimes work on Sundays, etc so it doesn't stick in your mind as well. But we do try to be the good guys.

Please tell me the finale wasn't this past Sunday. I tried to record it, but Mom changed the channel, so I've got a tape of "House and Garden TV." I did get the shweet Ecliptor vs. Darkonda battle at the beginning of Astronema Thinks Twice, though.

Tommy was around for maybe six seasons. Which is longer than most shows last. But most shows' ending casts match their starting casts very closely, and nobody complains. In fact, the complaining is when the one or two departing characters departs. There was practically nuclear war over Daniel leaving SG-1. In fact, very, very few shows do the new season=new reality/new cast thing. If the same characters for more than one season offends you, how do you stand to watch TV at all? As for Turbo, the worst thing was the repetitiveness. Divatox's one bomb after another. Not necessarily in strategic locations, either. It's hard for a monster-of-the-day show to not fall into formulaic-ness, and Turbo went straight into that pit: if you've seen one ep, you've seen them all. They thought replacing the cast would help, but, no matter who's in it, a show's boring if it doesn't have a story to tell, and Turbo didn't. I can deal with the Turbo Zords. In fact, the vehicles were cool. In Zeo, the Green and Yellow Zeo Zords were just cannons with wheels that the other zords just pulled around. That's not a real Zord. The Super Zeo Zords weren't that impressive. They all looked alike except for the color and the symbol. The Turbo Zords were great, especially when individually, as vehicles. The Turbo folks also got better weapons. But, no story, no dice. Also, they tried to pull the wool over our eyes too much. General Havoc's soldiers looking exactly like Chromite, one of Divatox's early monsters, (in fact, the only one that was really memorable) and the Dark Spector being a copy of Maligore from the Turbo movie. (We did meet the D.S. in the Turbo finale, right?) I only remember seeing Billy's parents that time they had a Parents Day at the school. They were in two scenes. Billy's last name was never spoken in the show. Most sites say Cranston, but they must have gotten that from the official site, as they sure didn't get it from the show. And Tommy's parents weren't there at all, even in the Parents Day ep. We know his brother David, and we know that he's (probably) of Indian descent. That's about it. Cassie was hot, but I think Ashley was just okay. Nobody's hotter than Trini, though. Second is Katie from Time Force. Then Katherine. What do DBZ fans like about DBZ? I've tried to watch it a few times, but it takes forever for things to actually happen. I've never seen anything on it that made me want to be sure to come back at the same time next week, and yet, *everybody* loves it. I really want to know, how is it such a great show?

Loved the last couple of parts, especially Parallelmon vs. Zhuqiaomon. Zhuqiaomon's attitude is always hilarious. He is [i]so[/i] Dr. Chaotica. Say, what are Zhuqiaomon's devolved stages? I was assuming Pururumon/Poromon/Hawkmon/Aquilamon/Garudamon/Zhuqiaomon. For the next part, remember a few things: ?Alice is still clothing-challenged. ?Ryo's never met Caturamon/Catsuramon/Chatsuramon for himself. ?Yes, Caturamon [i]can[/i] do all that stuff. Remember Motorcycle Madness. ?In the other world, the Devas aren't catalysts. ?In the other world, the Devas didn't necessarily arrive in the same order. ?Though Rika's last name is Nonaka, her mother's is Makino. ===== Kenta giggled as he watched Gazimon?s antics, glad that he had been out of Togemon?s poking range. He couldn?t bring himself to feel sorry for Yamaki, though. At least Yamaki?s partner was with him. He still had no clue as to the whereabouts of MarineAngemon. ?Just who was that they were fighting?? Kenta asked, trying to take his mind off of his misplaced partner. ?Bad news,? Alice said. ?He?s an artificial Digimon called ArcaDaemon. We?re lucky he chickened out, because there?s no way even all of us could beat him.? As Alice talked, one of her gestures caused Kenta?s jacket to fall from around her. Kenta gulped and looked away immediately... well, [i]almost[/i] immediately. His face was redder than a Bogeymon?s. ?I-I?m... sorry! I didn?t mean to! I mean I?m sorry, I mean I... I... uh...? Kenta practically screamed, all in one breath. The other humans were also looking away and uncharacteristically quiet. A confused Alice looked around, and then at herself, and finally, it clicked. ?Oh, yeah, I forgot how sensitive humans are about that,? she giggled. ?Kind of silly. But, if it bothers you so much...? Alice closed her eyes, and bits of data flowed out from her body and then wrapped around her, forming the Gothic outfit they had first seen her in. Her hair transformed into the usual pigtails. ?Anyway, ArcaDaemon. Like I said, he?s artificially created. He?s designed to be the ultimate demonic warrior. My father did an analysis on him, and the results are terrifying. At In-Training stage, he is as strong as some of the weaker Megas. The version we met was the Champion stage. But he doesn?t know his own strength. He prefers to let the army do the fighting for him. He?s never fought any seriously powerful foes for any length of time. We must never face him directly. Because if we attack him and lose, and we [i]would[/i] lose, he?d realize how strong he is. And then, he?d waste no time in killing us all, and then anyone else who opposes him, and he?d set about literally turning this world into Hell. The best thing, for us and this world, would be for us to get out of here right now.? ?Just great,? Kazu muttered. ?First Parallelmon, now this creep. Why not just throw all the invincible Digimon at us at once? Why not Apocalymon and Millenniumon and the Dark Masters too while we?re at it? And we still haven?t gone up against VenomMyotismon, MaloMyotismon, or Galfmon!? ?Ol? MarshMaloMyotismon invincible?? Kenta laughed. ?That was the worst episode ever! Just tell him how you want to be a brain surgeon when you grow up, and he?ll go [i]poof![/i]? he said, waving his arms on the word ?poof.? Everyone looked at Kazu. ?[i]Brain surgeon?[/i]? they said at once. ?Hey, it could happen!? Kazu said. ?I said [i]right now,[/i]? Alice insisted, leading the team away. She grinned at Kenta, who smiled back at her. [i]So innocent, so full of life,[/i] she thought. [i]So delicious... no! I can?t! Come on, Alice, fight it. I have to fight it...[/i] ***** ?Who do you Digimon-loving freaks think you are?? the agent shouted at Ryo and Hopmon as the car sped down the highway, Hypnos bound. There were five black cars in front, and five more behind, and one more on each side. [i]Are they really this afraid of us?[/i] Ryo thought. What he said was, ?What do people have against Digimon, anyway?? ?Believe it or not, some people don?t like giant pigs and horses tearing through town. Those things come through destroying everything, killing people, and you bastards treat them like pets! They shouldn?t stop at just killing the Digimon, they should take care of you ?tamers,? too.? ?If not for the Digimon, D-Reaper would have eaten this world alive! Show some gratitude.? ?D-What?? the agent said. ?Look, kid, I don?t know what you...? ?D-Reaper? You know, Jell-O and Tim Burton creations running wild? That did more damage than Indramon and Vikaralamon could hope to do.? ?I don?t know what you?re talking about, kid. I knew you ?tamers,? were crazy, but... forget it. Just shut up.? ?You don?t...? Ryo began. ?I said SHUT UP!? [i]This is all wrong,[/i] Ryo thought. [i]He doesn?t remember D-Reaper, Yamaki?s gone Captain Ahab. How?d this place turn into the Twilight Zone? And now, these guys want to kill Hopmon, and there?s not a Deva in sight.[/i] The drive continued in silence. Hopmon seemed to be trying to sink down into the cushions. He could practically feel the animosity from every human in sight. The sky darkened as if in response to Ryo and Hopmon?s moods. Wait, the sky [i]was[/i] darker, though there were no clouds and the sun had been directly above when they had arrived. What was... The sky continued to darken, until the light level was that of dusk. From high noon to dusk in under three minutes. And that was only the beginning. The highway in front of the lead car began to crumble and fall away. The cars screeched to a halt barely in time to avoid falling off. The highway behind them did the same. ?Release them,? commanded a voice. It was loud and deep, with a slight echo, and its tone was of pure malice, as if evil itself were speaking. Even though it demanded their release, Ryo and Hopmon were not comforted by it. The agent looked positively terrified. The drivers of the other cars were looking around frantically. Up front, in the lead car, unseen by Ryo and Hopmon, Yamaki simply looked angry. [i]How dare they?[/i] he wondered. ?RELEASE THEM!? the voice boomed again, dissatisfied with the agents? inaction. In response to his voice, the streets below began to crumble, falling away to sink into the streams of lava below. ?Release them now, or be consigned to the flame. And the rest of this area will follow.? The agent holding Ryo and Hopmon frantically pushed the button that unlocked the car door. ?Get out!? he screamed. ?Get out!? He knew Yamaki would be displeased, but at this point, he didn?t care. He climbed out of the car, walked around to the back door, and threw Ryo and Hopmon out of the car and onto the ground. ?Thank you,? the voice boomed from behind the agent. He turned to see something that looked like a dog. It was large, but not incredibly so. The dog was lavishly decorated, in a style that he had seen on a few statues. ?Now go,? the dog commanded in the same huge voice, looking forward down the highway. It was now fully intact. ?Huh... wha?? the agent stammered. ?Go!? Apparently, the other agents heard as well, because the cars scrambled around each other to get away. The agent that had been holding Ryo and Hopmon backed towards the driver?s seat, tripping over and falling into it once he reached it. He sped away, not bothering to close the back door. ?Did they injure you?? the dog asked. ?Who... are you?? Ryo asked. ?My Sovereign, what did they do to you? You truly don?t know who I am?? Ryo held up his digivice. It took a few seconds too long for the data to appear. ?It?s Caturamon, an Ultimate Digimon. His attack?s called Howl of the Heavens. Not much else on him.? ?Those symbols,? Hopmon said. ?They remind me of Majiramon?s and Vajramon?s. Think he?s a Deva?? ?Maybe. But the Soverign made them Catalysts, and he doesn?t have the Catalyst symbol.? ?Not you, too, Hopmon,? Caturamon said. ?Did they tamper with your memories somehow? Did... [i]aargh![/i]? Caturamon began to flicker. Ryo and Hopmon looked behind Caturamon to see Yamaki, gun pointed. Some sort of energy was crackling across the three barrels. Around them, the landscape changed again. The rivers of lava vanished, the sky returned to normal, and the parts of the highway were instantly repaired. Cars appeared zooming back and forth along it. Everything was the picture of normalcy. ?Some kind of illusion,? Yamaki hissed. ?You creatures tampering with our very minds!? He squeezed three bursts from his gun. Instead of bullets, energy spheres connected by lighting sped forth. Ryo and Hopmon instantly recognized them as the Yuggoth weapon that Grani had been equipped with. Caturamon wasn?t waiting for another assault. ?Howl of the Heavens!? he roared. The Yuggoth blasts were deflected into the air, and Yamaki was sent flying into the trees beside the road. The Yuggoth gun was still clutched in his hand. Caturamon grabbed Ryo and Hopmon in his teeth, and leapt clear to the other side of the highway. Ryo hit the ground hard and rolled, while Hopmon, being smaller, remained clutched in the dog Deva?s teeth and was simply jostled. Now, Yamaki was fumbling with a device from his pocket. He began speaking into it. Ryo and Hopmon couldn?t hear a sound, but Caturamon?s ears were more sensitive. ?He?s calling for help. Telling them of my illusion. We?d better be getting back to the HQ in a hurry. ? ?HQ?? Caturamon shook his head sadly. ?Just follow me.? He said it softly, which, for him, meant [i]almost[/i] sounding less than evil. He trotted into a small neighborhood by the highway. Not far down the main road, Ryo spotted something that he had, until now, only seen in a certain TV show and card game. A black tower rose into the sky. Ryo and Hopmon put away all thoughts of digivolution. They had been running no more than five minutes (or rather, Ryo had been running. Hopmon was bouncing, and Caturamon had to run far slower than his normal speed in order to not leave Ryo and Hopmon behind.) when helicopters began circling overhead. ?Aw, nuts,? Ryo said. ?How?d they get here that fast?? ?Your military is ready to strike at a moment?s notice wherever Digimon are found,? Caturamon said with a slightly accusatory tone. ?They?re stationed everywhere, and can reach any point in Japan within six of your minutes.? ?Wonderful,? Hopmon said sarcastically. The sounds of sirens rose in the distance, becoming ever louder. The trio ran down a wide street, as people working in their yards began to run inside and lock the doors. Drivers either sped away or pulled over and tried to hide in the floors of their cars. Caturamon turned down another street. ?You remember where it is, don?t you?? ?Where what is?? Ryo said. Caturamon sighed. ?Just turn left on the next street... aw, nuts.? The black cars pulled in in front of them and, as one, the agents climbed out and crouched behind them. ?Fire at will!? one ordered. ?Ma[i]kaaaaaaaaaaaaa![/i]? screeched a voice. The agents held their heads in agony. ?Ma[i]kaaaaaaaa![/i]? Only one voice could screech like that. Sure enough, Makuramon dropped from the trees and landed atop one of the cars. ?Get a move on!? he shouted at the three. Caturamon grumbled at Makuramon trying to tell him to what to do, but made no mention of it. ?A couple of blocks away,? Caturamon told Ryo and Hopmon. ?We?ll just cut through a couple of backyards.? Ryo and Hopmon followed Makuramon and Caturamon, jumping fences. A few guard dogs weren?t too pleased, but backed down when Caturamon growled at them. ?Which way do we go?? Ryo asked. ?You...? Makuramon began, disbelieving. ?They don?t know anything,? Caturamon said. ?I don?t know what Yamaki and company did to them...? Caturamon trailed off as, on the next street, they found themselves blocked in again, from both sides. Makuramon and Caturamon prepared to attack. At the same time, the agents were ready with their Yuggoth pistols. This would be a fight to the death. ?Eagle Eye!? Or not. A Halsemon struck the agents with rings of light that caused them to freeze into place and stare ahead blankly. On his back was the last person Ryo would ever expect to see anywhere near a Digimon. Rumiko Makino reached down and lifted Ryo onto Halsemon?s back. ?Hold on tight,? she said. ?The choppers are on their way.? ?Go!? Caturmon ordered them. ?We?ll be right behind you! Hurry up, Makuramon.? ?All right, all right,? he said, taking out his pearl. ?Hopmon, over here.? When Hopmon bounced over, Makuramon willed the pearl to grow and cover them, leaving a thin, white force field. It carried Makuramon, Caturamon, and Hopmon after Halsemon and his passengers. ***** In the Makino mansion that now served as the Tamers headquarters, Ryo and Hopmon were finally getting what they wanted most: Answers. ?So you don?t remember anything?? Janyuu Wong asked. ?Some things, but they?re different. Hopmon, then Cyberdramon, and I lived in the digital world until we ran into a group of Tamers. We heard about the Devas attacking. They took a Digimon, well, we [i]thought[/i] he was a Digimon, named Calumon...? After Ryo and Hopmon told the story of their adventures up to the present, Janyuu said, ?Well, I think I know where Parallelmon gets his name from now. His blast must have sent you to the wrong ?real world.? If travel between the real and Digital worlds is possible, then it stands to reason that it can happen between other worlds as well.? ?I had the same idea, but it sounded so ridiculous, like some Twilight Zone episode...? Ryo said. ?Before it happened, our present status would sound impossible. Caturamon tells us he didn?t detect any tampering when he read your minds, so I believe you. Some Digimon have amazing powers. Clockmon can freeze time, Myotismon can use his bats as a gateway, so why not a Digimon that can bridge parallel universes?? ?So what happened here?? Hopmon asked. ?A government official named Mitsuo Yamaki happened,? Janyuu said grimly. ?I worked with him for a while on how to stop bio-emergences. He believed Digimon were a threat. Who could blame him after the Deva attacks? But he was obsessed with it. It was all he did, all he thought about. Then, the horse Deva came, Indramon, was it? Someone he worked with, someone named Riley, was on the bridge Indramon crushed. I get the feeling she was more to him than just another agent. After she died, he pretty much declared war on all Digimon. When conventional weapons proved ineffective, he began developing weapons that would attack their data itself. Unfortunately, most other countries agreed with him after word of Indramon and Vikaralamon got around. So now, a Digimon on this side of the gate is pretty much out of luck. Myself and the original programmers of the Digimon started this underground as a way to keep Digimon safe until we can find a way to open the gateway to the Digital World. Then we can send the Digimon home where they need not fear the likes of Yamaki. Since the roundup began, several Digimon and sympathetic humans formed partnerships. At which point, Yamaki developed and bio-emerged the Control Spires, making it impossible to digivolve using digivices or cards. Once the remaining Devas figured out that we were actually trying to help, a few of them came to us to help out. I don?t get the feeling they like humans much, but they know our cause will help the Digimon, so they?re with us.? ?One thing I wonder, though,? Ryo asked. ?What happened to the Ryo Akiyama of this world?? ?We have him here. You should have seen his face when he saw himself on the news. He?d like to meet you.? ?Why not? Unless Parallelmon decides to be nice and send me back, I don?t think I?m going anywhere anytime soon.?

Whoa. How long did it take you to right all that? As for "spitting out the same garbage," it's far better when one season actually follows the season before it instead of trying to reinvent the wheel every time. If they'd stuck to the same universe all along, we wouldn't get the dumb endings like the bad guys getting de-bad-ified by purifying waves or protecting babies. The universe of the show gets to gain complexity, and characters have the time to get developed better. It's hard to get to know and love the one-hit wonders as much as the ones who are in for the long haul like the originals. And they don't get enough time to have rich histories like Tommy's or Billy's.

24's ending was sad, but good. Do you want it to be duckies and bunnies like 02? No. A little tragedy makes it more realistic. The worst endings of all time: X-Files. Quantum Leap. Digimon 02. Animorphs. And some dishonorable mentions: Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Beetleborgs, the original X-Men series, Animaniacs, and the first Pokemon movie.

I mean they should have had Goldar go after Jason during Power Rangers In Space. And Zordon's purifying wave thingy is part of the Duckies-and-Bunnies-ness they need to dispense with. The entire universe fixed at once? On top of that, up until PRiS, Zordon wasn't actually in the jar. He was an actual person who walked on his own two feet (we actually saw him walking around in the flashback in Power Ranger Punks) until Rita zapped him into another dimension. He [i]communicates[/i] via the jar, but the real guy isn't in there. Breaking the jar should just mean he needs a new communication device. Also, there's a lot of zords floating around. Tor, the Ninja Zords, and the Shogun Zords are still out there, as is the Dragon Zord and Titannus. All things Zeo, including the Zeo Crystal itself, are fine 'n' dandy. The same with all the various vehicles and zords of Turbo, except for the RAM. Say, remember when Diabolico was pulling Bansheera into what I guess is the PR Monster Afterlife, did you notice the Eye Guy in there?

Don't they give it a complete overhaul with younger characters, new suits, and new attitudes every other year? I think that what they need is more complex characters and an ending that doesn't leave things perfect and cheerful. They need to do a Tamers season, one that plays for keeps. And one deadly serious recurring villain, brutal like Zen-Aku or the original Green Ranger when he was evil. (Love that laugh!) None of the playing around that most bad guys do, and none of the dancing fighting style that's more for show than for pummeling. Someone whose every encounter with the Rangers makes you turn your head and wince at least once. Also, I'd like to be shown around the universe. You know how in the Morphin/Zeo/Turbo/Space continuity, all these planets are always being mentioned, but we hardly ever see them? Wherever the Veroks, (or Varoks, whatever the bounty hunters in Revelations of Gold were called) came from, as well as Aquitar, Triphoria, wherever the Bookala was going, wherever Rita and Zedd came from? We never saw enough of these other worlds. I thought we finally would in Power Rangers In Space, but even it took place primarily on Earth. Though we did get to see the universe somewhat, all too often we're back in Angel Grove. Also, I'd like to have seen some follow-up on old characters. Goldar once told Jason, "My life is dedicated to destroying you!" Well, now ("now" being during Power Rangers In Space) all things Power Rangers related have left the planet. Jason can yell "It's Morphin Time" until he's blue in the face, and nothing's gonna happen. What if Goldar paid him a visit? Also, whatever became of Scorpina? Once Zedd showed up, she seemed to vanish entirely. She wasn't even in the background in Villain Collaboration scenes. Though a regular between Green With Evil and The Mutiny, she appeared once after The Mutiny that I know of: it turned out that Adam's date for a dance was really her, luring him into a trap. I'd like to see more of her. And, of course, my all-time favorite bad guy, in fact, my second-favorite character of all, (Trini will always be #1) the awesome Ecliptor. He rocked. His powers, his illusions, the way he'd appear out of nowhere. Plus, there's the way that he'd taken care of Astronema since she was young. He always obeyed her, but was never a flunky or a goon. More like a knight in the service to his queen. He was the first villain the writers dared to give a soul. While most were evil for its own sake, Ecliptor served Astronema out of duty, and friendship. (First time we ever saw friendship on the villains' side.) I wish we'd gotten to know more about who he really was behind the mask. But the up side to the whole she-bang getting overhauled every so often: When the writers screw up on a season, fear not: in a season and a half, the slate will be clean. Unfortunately, it also means that all good things must come to an end. Good casts with good stories will be gone within two seasons, and there's no telling what we'll get stuck with next. It's a double-edged sword. One thing they've got to fix: The music. Whatever happened to the great songs from Original and Zeo?

Piximon's got that force field thing. Though I've got no love for the Deus Ex Machina thing [is still mad at the way Justimon dropped off of the last train from nowhere in his first appearance] Piximon's the right choice for one. But how'd Gazimon know Piximon was in whistling range, and why didn't he call Piximon sooner? At any rate, [way overdramatic gesture] we must now extricate ourselves from the quagmire of OTification. :p So, here's the next part. I'm assuming since Alice's Digimon form is Youkomon/Kuzuhamon, she's got the same sorta-telepathy Renamon's got. Oh, and OT=Off topic ***** "This isn't good," Kazu said. "No, you think?" Kenta said sarcastically. "So, Lucemon, do you know what it means?" "No," Lucemon said. "I've never seen a whole village vanish at once. And all the houses and buildings I can see are all intact. It's like everybody got up and walked away at the same time." "Or took them at the same time," Kenta said. "Alice, do you sense anyone?" Lucemon asked. "No. It's just us. But still, something's not right." "Let's go have a look around," HighAndromon said. "Are you sure we should..." Kenta began. "There is nothing to fear when you have [i]me[/i] here to protect you!" HighAndromon declared, already beginning to march onward. "Come on!" The sound of his marching onward made standing there feel like walking through a construction site. Kazu chased after his partner. "Man, that Gardromon's a lot worse now that his power level matches his ego level," Kenta said. "You'd think he could at least try to walk quietly." "He reminds me of someone I used to know," Zilla said smartly. "Gee, I wonder who that might be." He cast a glance to Yoshi, who was still on Majiramon's back about a mile above, or so it felt. Ryo laughed. "At least that racket should be able to drown out their bragging. Come on, let's check out this way." He and Kenta turned towards one of the shops, Hopmon bounding after them. "Maybe there's a clue as to what happened somewhere around here." "Go with them, Vajramon," Majiramon said. "I'll keep an eye out for anything strange." "I guess we should just pick a direction," Lucemon said to Alice. "Straight ahead's as good as any." "What about us?" asked two small voices from behind Lucemon. He and Alice turned to see Gatomon and BlackGatomon. They wondered just how long the two cats had been there. They apparently knew everything. Alice and Lucemon both wondered just how many things the cats had observed in such a manner, without their observees knowing. "Finding trouble's what you two are best at," Alice said. "If anyone can find out what happened, it's you. I guess take any area that's not already taken, and have a look around." "Right," Gatomon and BlackGatomon said together. The twins dropped to all fours and ran into town, quickly out of sight. ----- Hours of searching turned up nothing. Kazu and HighAndromon were now searching high and low (the black android doing most of the [i]high[/i] and Kazu doing most of the [i]low[/i]) for clues and a recently-abandoned house. It was more elaborate than most of the others in the area. It had probably belonged to someone important, or was a place where several Digimon dwelt. [i]This is taking far too long,[/i] HighAndromon thought. [/i] Whatever did this could have gotten from here to Sky City by now. There's got to be a better way to...[/i] HighAndromon heard a low noise from outside, and told Kazu. "All I hear is the racket you make when you move," Kazu said. "Why don't giant robots come with mufflers?" HighAndromon knew that his sensors were far better than human hearing, and what he had heard was real. "Come with me," HighAndromon said. "We need to investigate this." "Whatever. Not like we're doing much good here." The duo walked outside the structure to see something near the edge of the woods. The air itself seemed to be cracked, and tiny data particles seeped through each hairline fracture in reality. "Okay," Kazu commented. "This is officially weird." ----- Lucemon and Alice were having a similarly fruitless search, crouching through the underground dwelling of a group of Numemon. Numemon were highly sensitive to light, so they lived beneath the surface. The holy light from Lucemon's wings were the main source of illumination. "Anything?" Lucemon said. "Nothing," Alice reported. "Same there, I take it?" "Right. Wait a second, here's... oh, YUCK!" Alice exclaimed. A Numemon's favorite way to relax was a nice, cold slime bath. Which is what Alice had stepped in, unable to see it now that Lucemon was farther away. She could here the angel Digimon chuckling. "Ooh, I meant to warn you about that," Lucemon chuckled. "Silly me." "When I get my claws on you..." Alice growled. "Ooh, I'm terrified," Lucemon said, walking toward Alice. "Let me see what..." Alice quickly launched a glob of goop at her companion. Lucemon ducked, but his movement put one of his wings in the line of fire. The glob connected with a squishy BLORP. "Eew!" Lucemon exclaimed as he looked over the sticky purple substance now clinging onto him. Alice laughed, for the first time in far too long. "Well, no [i]solid[/i] evidence here," Alice said squishing the goo between her fingers. "I've already looked through the last tunnel and everything looks perfectly normal." She walked to Lucemon and began trying to de-goop his wing. "Still, I think that... whoa." she said quickly, looking around. "What is it?" Lucemon asked. "Outside," Alice said, beginning to make her way to the entrance as fast as she could. Lucemon, who knew to trust Alice's sixth sense, followed as close as he could, barely keeping up with her. Finally, they reached the entrance, and climbed out into the now-dark sky. Night had come as suddenly as it always did in the digital world. But blacker than night were the strange fractures in the sky, contrasting with the stark white data bleeding through. "What is it?" Lucemon asked. "I don't know, but it's seriously dangerous. It's time we got the others," Alice said, not daring to take her eyes away from the phenomenon. "Hey, guys!" Lucemon turned to shout, but it was too late. The data from the fractures was already beginning to take shape. Majiramon touched down next to Alice and Lucemon, and Kazu and HighAndromon were already on their way, from the sound of it. But the creature before them was almost fully formed. The grains took on the shape of a towering creature half Majiramon's size, made up mostly of cables. Loosely attached were gigantic, white, clawed appendages at the end of the arm- and leg-stalks that the cables formed. A tiny V-shaped head with a single eye in the center sat atop it. The cables at the center of the body cluched a bluish-white globe with a dark center. "What the...?" Kazu asked, taking out his digivice. He activated the analyzer, but the creature's statistics did not appear. What did appear was the profiles of virtually every Digimon he'd ever heard of and a few he hadn't. After the Digimon statistics came human names and faces. They were of every age, every race, every nationality. "Just who or what is that?" The creature uttered a low rumbling sound as it turned toward the team. At first, dumbly, as if it didn't see them, but soon, its eye finally rested upon HighAndromon. Alice let out a curse, and ran in front of HighAndromon. Her body began to glow, and she grew to HighAndromon's size, while her hair became white and waist-length. Then the bodysuit appeared, and then the armor, and she was Kuzuhamon again. "Womb Mandala!" she called. A copy of Sakuyamon's Amethyst Mandala descended upon the giant creature, who stood its ground. "Absorb Bang!" the creature countered. From its eye came a beam of energy. The Womb Mandala wrapped around it, being absorbed. Inside the beam, a line of tangled cables formed, and at its end, a claw. In its center, where the palm of a hand should have been, was a dark, empty hole. The energy of the Womb Mandala was sucked into the hole, and the beam and its claw retracted into the creature's eye. "Okay, [i]that's[/i] different," Kazu commented. "Should we be attacking him, anyway? We don't know he's done anything. Hey, dude!" Kazu shouted at the creature, walking toward it. "This is just a misunderstanding, we don't want any trouble. Look, you know what's happened to the people here? And if you've seen any..." "Absorb Bang!" The beam/claw descended on Kazu as fast as the eye could see. Just as quickly, HighAndromon countered it with his Atomic Ray. The Ray did no damage, but the creature's beam/claw did stop to absorb it, leaving Kazu time to get out of its way. HighAndromon disengaged the Atomic Ray, leaving the beam/claw to lurch forward and impact the ground, causing a huge explosion that threw Kazu and HighAndromon several yards. The black android was unhurt, but Kazu was knocked unconscious the moment he impacted the ground. The Digimon turned to them, when a burst of flame struck it from the side. It seemed to take the creature a second to notice who had done it. It was Zilla, who was standing with Ryo, Kenta, Hopmon and Vajramon. The enemy turned to face then. Majiramon launched into the air, flying straight up, while Yoshi screamed incoherent complaints from his back. The sky became cloudy, and rumbled, sounding angry. Waves of red light rippled around him. The monstrous Digimon turned to look at the dragon Deva, Kazu and HighAndromon momentarily forgotten. HighAndromon took the opportunity to sling Kazu over his shoulder and carry him out of the line of fire. "It takes Majiramon a while to set up his attack," Ryo said. "We'd better keep hitting him in the meantime." "Grand Cross!" Lucemon shouted, spreading his arms and tilting his head in a way that [i]had[/i] to be very uncomfortable. His wings glowed, and a cross-shaped burst of energy shone from him to strike the Digimon. It had absolutely no effect on him. "Atomic Ray!" "Deva Blade!" "Reverse Tengu's Rice!" Kuzuhamon unleashed an attack identical to Sakuyamon's Spirit Strike. Majiramon dropped from the sky, while arrows of energy converged on the strange Digimon. "Flaming Arrowheads!" he shouted. There were explosions from the attacks, but when they cleared, the strange Digimon was unaffected. "Who is this guy?" Ryo said. "My Digivice is showing every pretty much every Digimon [i]but[/i] him. And some of these profiles are for humans." "I can't believe it's real," Zilla said. "What do you mean?" Ryo asked him. "You've heard of him?" "I thought it was just a myth, a tale to frighten naughty children. Its name is Parallelmon. It consumes others and stores them within itself, and feeds on their life force to increase its own strength. That's where everyone is, they're inside [i]that.[/i] And the only way we'll ever get them back is to bring Parallelmon down before their life force has been entirely consumed." The others continued pouring attacks at the strange creature. Parallelmon continued ignoring them. Occasionally he directed a blast their way, playing with them as a cat plays with a mouse before killing it. "If it's feeding on everyone who lived here, then it should be nearly invincible, even against Megas," Majiramon said. "I advise we leave now and come up with a plan, maybe get some help. If what you say about it is true, we'll do nothing but become its next meal as we are." The eye in the center of Parallelmon's head became bloodshot and started to swell. "[i]Absorb Bang![/i]" The beam and its ethereal claw began to descend upon Zilla, Ryo, Kenta, Hopmon, and Vajramon. They scattered to avoid it. Zilla, Hopmon, and Vajramon launched attacks at the beam/claw, but they were only absorbed with no effect. Parallelmon made a low, rumbling sound, and stomped towards them. They and the two humans ran. "Scatter!" Vajramon said. "Don't give it an easy target!" They did so, though it did little good, due to Parallelmon's sheer size. Parallelmon kicked out with a clawed foot, sending rocks and dirt, and pieces of a well their way. The onslaught knocked them all to the ground. Zilla, Hopmon, and Vajramon attacked again, as well as Majiramon, Lucemon, Kuzuhamon, and HighAndromon. The attacks had all the effectiveness they usually had: None. Parallelmon glanced around, picking a victim at random. His Absorb Bang descended towards Vajramon, Ryo, and Hopmon. "Get out of the way!" Vajramon shouted, shoving the human and the In-Training aside. The beam flowed over Vajramon, and the ethereal claw grabbed him. Ryo and Hopmon saw Vajramon vanish in a burst of light. The light spread over Ryo and Hopmon, and they felt like they were pinwheeling through empty space. It was like travelling to the Digital World for the first time, only worse. And then, the light cleared, and they saw that they were no longer where they had been. They were now back in the real world, in Akihabara. There were only a few people walking up and down the streets. Far too few, but no one was in a panic, so it was probably not due to Parallelmon. A few people looked at Ryo and began pointing and speaking in whispers. "Whoa, that wasn't fun," Ryo said to Hopmon. "I feel like the bottom of a birdcage. How'd we get here, anyway?" "Guess there's more to Parallelmon than we know," Hopmon said. "Maybe we were too close to that beam of his, but not close enough to get sucked in." "We've got to figure out how to get back to the Digital World, and we won't find it here. We need to catch the subway back to Shinjuku." "Right," Hopmon said. Soon, a police car, sirens blazing, raced around the corner, heading in their direction. More soon followed. "Ryo Akiyama!" shouted a voice over a megaphone. "We have you surrounded! Get down on the ground!" "What's going on?" Ryo said to Hopmon. "The worst crime I've ever committed is jaywalking." Ryo ducked into an electronics store to find a better escape route. Once inside, they saw the TV displays. Most of the televisions were tuned to a Godzilla movie, but one was not. That one showed a scene being shot from a helicopter. Police were moving in around the electronics store. "It appears the long chase is almost over," a newscaster said. "Ryo Akiyama was last seen entering this electronics store in Akihabara. He is a known member of the criminal band known as the Tamers, who harbor the dangerous creatures they call Digimon." "What?" Ryo said. "This can't be happening." "I assure you, Mr. Akiyama, it is," said a familiar voice. Ryo glanced behind him to see Yamaki at the head of a group of agents, each of which had their guns pointed at Ryo and Hopmon. "Thank you for bringing that creature with you so we don't have to search for it too." Yamaki nodded to two other agents, who grabbed Ryo and and Hopmon, and dragged them outside. The street was now covered up with police cars, into one of which Ryo and Hopmon were roughly thrown. "This is all wrong," Ryo said. "I knew Yamaki wanted to wipe out all Digimon a long time ago, but he's not like that now. And since when are Tamers a criminal band?" "I don't know," Hopmon said. "Everything is different since we were here last." [i]One thing's for sure,[/i] Ryo thought. [i]We've got to get out of this so we can find out what's going on.[/i] ----- "Where'd they go?" Kenta demanded. "Where are they?" "Vajramon is inside Parallelmon now," Zilla said. "Ryo and Hopmon were close to the beam, but not in it. I don't know what happened to them." ----- Millenniumon watched with glee as Parallelmon attacked the Tamers. This was better than he'd imagined. He knew well of Parallelmon and his mastery of dimensional gates. If he could somehow make Parallelmon's appearance work to his advantage, he could be free of his prison today. Now, how to accomplish it? ***** Yes, Parallelmon's for real. In case anybody doesn't know who he is, the V-Tamer issue he comes from is translated at [url]http://www.digimonetc.interica-entertainment.com/~digimonetc/vtspecial.shtml[/url]. Unfortunately, everything from page three until the end is in black and white. The translation there calls Parallelmon's attack Absorbent Bang, but Megchan's encyclopedia, back when it was up, said Absorb Bang. Anybody else think he really, really should have been an ADR?