//------------------------------// // Illusions of Grandeur // Story: Digital Harmony // by Zennistrad //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie squinted, trying to get a better view of the mist-shrouded control spire in the distance. The fog had made it all but impossible for her to see her surroundings at a high altitude. She shivered briefly as they flew closer; she could feel the evil radiating from it. Looking back at Kari and Nefertimon, she reflected on her situation. She was glad to have made a new friend, and relieved to learn that Twilight was alive, but her other friends were still out there, somewhere, and she had no way of knowing if they were alright. Kari looked back at Pinkie, seeing her ears flattened against her head. “Are you okay, Pinkie? You haven’t said anything in a while.” “I was just thinking about my friends,” she replied, “it’s great that Twilight’s okay, but I still don’t know what happened to everypony else. What if I never see them again?” Kari smiled warmly. “I can understand if you’re worried, Pinkie, but you shouldn’t give up hope. We’ll find your friends, I promise.” “Pinkie Promise?” Kari paused for a moment. “Uh... Sure, whatever that is.” Pinkie giggled. “No, silly! It’s like this, see? Repeat after me: cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” With the tip of her hoof, she traced the shape of an X across her chest, and then pointed to her eye. Kari couldn’t help but laugh at how silly it sounded. “Alright then, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my- OW!” She yelped in pain as she accidentally poked herself in the eye with her finger. “Is everything alright up there?” asked Nefertimon. “I’m alright,” said Kari, rubbing her eye with her fist, “just being a bit of a klutz.” “Don’t worry, it happens to everyone,” said Pinkie. “But you’d better keep that promise, okay? Breaking a friend’s trust is the fastest way to lose them...” Pinkie briefly paused for dramatic effect. “Forever!” “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll find your friends. Nefertimon is keeping a close eye out for anything on the ground. See anything, Nefertimon?” “Not yet,” said Nefertimon, “Wait... Actually, I think I see something around the base of the control spire.” “What is it?” asked Kari. “It looks like... A circus tent?” Pinkie gasped. “Ohmygosh! A circus? Can we go, Kari? Can we? Can we? Can we? Can we?” She jumped up and down excitedly, causing Nefertimon to sway uncontrollably in midair. “Hey, be careful up there!” said Nefertimon, “you’re going to make me-” The three screamed as Nefertimon suddenly started plummeting towards the ground at high speed, before skidding through the muddy soil as she crash-landed onto her face. Kari and Pinkie held on for dear life, Pinkie somehow managing despite having no opposable digits to speak of. Kari let out a sigh of relief as they finally came to rest. Her relief was short-lived, however, as immediately afterward Nefertimon de-digivolved, leaving her two riders to collapse on each other in a heap. “Get off me!” exclaimed Gatomon, her voice muffled under the weight of the weight of the others. Pinkie and Kari scrambled off, watching as Gatomon picked herself of ground, wiping off her mud-covered face with a paw. “Pinkie Pie!” shouted Kari, “What were you thinking!? You could have gotten us killed!” Pinkie visibly flinched at the harshness of Kari’s words. Even though they hadn’t known each other very long, she could already tell Kari wasn’t one who angered easily. “I’m sorry!” said Pinkie, “I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt! I-I was just so excited about the circus; I couldn’t help myself!” Kari sighed. “It’s alright, Pinkie, I forgive you. But I need you to promise me you’ll be more careful next time.” “Sure thing!” Kari crossed her arms and gave Pinkie a disapproving glare. “Pinkie promise.” Pinkie smiled mischievously. “Ooh, you’re good! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Kari smiled as Pinkie performed the gesture, making a mental note to avoid poking herself in the eye if she ever did it again. “Alright, that’s good. Gatomon, do you have enough energy left to digivolve?” Gatomon shook her head. “That crash landing took quite a bit out of me. But with my tail ring I should be just as strong, if not stronger.” “Alright, then,” replied Kari, “Here you go.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the same golden ring that had appeared in her hand during Gatomon’s armor digivolution. With a flick of her thumb, she flipped it into the air, letting Gatomon catch it around her tail. “Thanks,” said Gatomon. She turned around, facing the control spire, which was a fair distance away, visible despite the fog due to its sheer size. “The tent should be surrounding the base of the spire. I think it must have appeared inside the tent.” “Let’s head for the tent, then.” replied Kari, “And be sure to keep an eye out for anything, we don’t know what could be lurking in this fog.” “Aye-aye, captain!” Pinkie said, saluting with her foreleg. Kari briefly wondered how her knees were able to bend that way, but decided not to bother with the question. With that, the three turned to the control spire and started walking towards their destination. ———————— Soon the group approached the tent, colored bright red with red stripes. Sticking out the top of the tent was the massive control spire, large enough to be seen for miles around. The tent was surrounded by all manner of wheeled concession stands that sold various goods, such as popcorn, funnel cakes, and cotton candy, as well as various carnival games. Several Opossumon wandered throughout the area, having abandoned the traveling stands they likely had staffed before the control spire appeared. Kari looked at the scene confusedly. “Who the heck sets up a circus in the middle of a swamp?” “Who cares? It’s fun! Ooh, do you think they have a bearded mare?” “Now’s not the time to be worry about that, Pinkie. We have to focus on taking out the control spire. Gatomon, can you take those other digimon out?” “Sure thing,” replied Gatomon, “Lightning Paw!” Leaping swiftly into the air, Gatomon charged forwards, and struck one of the Opossummon on its dark ring, causing it to shatter as the digimon fell to the ground, unconscious. The other Opossummon swiftly turned around to face their attacker, but before they could react, Gatomon had once again launched into the air. Leaping between the Opossummon, she swiftly shattered each of their dark rings in succession, before jumping back to meet Kari and Pinkie. Pinkie stomped her hooves on the ground in a gesture of applause. “Bravo! Bravo! Encore! Encore!” Gatomon humored the pony by bowing dramatically. “Oh wow, did you see that, Kari? They were all ‘bwuh? What’s going on?’ and Gatomon was all ‘Lightning Paw!’ and then she went totally ninja on them! Except she’s not a ninja, ‘cause she’s a cat! Unless she’s both, which would make her a ninja cat! Wouldn’t that be the coolest thing ever?” Kari rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. Come on, let’s go inside. There could be some more digimon out here, and I don’t want us to be on the receiving end of an ambush.” Pinkie and Gatomon followed Kari as she made her way over to the tent and slipped under the front flap. The three surveyed the darkened tent, which was somehow also shrouded in fog. The size of the tent was very large, enough to fit an entire baseball field in, with plenty of room to spare. In the very center was the control spire, sticking up through what appeared to be a large wooden platform stage, piercing straight through the wood and continuing upwards until it breached the fabric of the tent ceiling. Above the stage were two tightrope platforms, with the broken rope hanging loosely from each platform, and several trapeze swings. Between them and the stage was a safety net, which had also been broken by the spire. Pinkie gasped at the sight of the ruined stage. “Oh no! The circus is ruined! Who would do such a thing?” “Don’t worry Pinkie,” said Kari, “we’ll figure it out.” “No, you don’t understand! You can’t have a circus without a tightrope! You just can’t!” “I’m sure they’ll be able to fix it,” replied Kari, “but for now we should focus on destroying the spire.” “I should be able to take it out if I hit it right,” said Gatomon. “What’s the hurry?” said another, male voice, “the show is only just beginning!” Suddenly, the tent brightened as many large overhead lights were switched on, cutting straight through the fog. The light revealed the tent to be lined with a series of bleachers, each of which was filled with dozens of Opossummon wearing dark rings. Several of the lights focused onto the center of the stage, revealing a small, humanoid figure to be standing in front of the control spire, dressed in a white robe and wizard hat, and wielding a staff with a head shaped like a snowflake, and dark spiral around his arm. “Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Sorcermon!” ========== Digimon Analyzer: Sorcermon Type: Wizard Attribute: Vaccine Level: Champion Special Attacks: Crystal Barrage, Curse of Silence ==========