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Fateful encounters!

Leo was stumbling right into Cherry grove city, checking around for any signs of Max or Jesse, when he found that the coast was clear he let out a sigh of relief and headed over to the market, standing before him was what looked to be a Beelzemon sitting ontop of on of their signature motorcycles. He walked over to the demon like digimon and handed him the letter as well as the box for Max. "I came across...complications trying to reach Max. Jesse found me and I had to teach the snotty brat a lesson or two."

Upon accepting the items given to him, Beelzemon gave a nod. "What happens, happens. Still how will Max be able to learn anything of what he can do from me? Sending me to train him in your stead won't do him any good, Brother."

"No...I don't expect you to train him I expect you to keep an eye out for him." With that Leo looked up at the sky, chuckling to himself and then placed a large paw on the Beelzemon's shoulder. "Believe me...before Max was even born there were precautions taken in case something like this happened. Bang you stay safe and make sure Max gets the package! After that stay a clear distance from him." He gave Beelzemon a quick hug before trotting off to the nearest bar.

"Same as always...such a heavy drinker." Bang muttered to himself. Still...he wondered just what kind of precautions could have been made, Securing the letter and the package in his jacket, he placed his foot down on the pedal of his motorcycle and took off.

---

Scav held onto a lantern they found at the entrance of the cave, using some of his magic he lit the wick inside and they started walking down the cold, damp path of the cave. How anyone could meanuver through such a maze without a lantern or a compass was beyond him or the fact from what Max said...that there was supposed to be a hidden passage through these tunnels was something he doubted as well. "Run this by me again Max...You had a dream while you were out cold, And this GIANT Arcanine spoke to you? I don't recall ever hearing a pokemon speak in the english language unless it was that one Meowth...or a psychic pokemon."

Max followed closely, hearing the squeaks of Zubat's flying around but managed to keep his cool, Bulbasaur having more trouble though as he clung to Max's head, sometimes gripping the hair and pulling on it with his claws, making Max cringe as he started rubbing his partner's broad muzzle. "I'm telling you it spoke to me...it even knew about you guys. I can't explain it but ever since I started this journey, every now and then I'd hear a voice. Sometimes from my bud here..." he pointed up to the still trembling grass type. "Sometimes from others, Larvitar wouldn't speak at all until our battle with Falkner and Sentret spoke his first words when I battled Fang earlier. It's not my imagination I know it! Bulbasaur...can you please say something? Loudly so they can hear ya?"

He pulled on Max's hair a bit more, making the trainer yelp then when he was told to speak he peered down at Max and shivered. "H-How long do we have to stay in this cave?!"

"We shouldn't have to be here too long bud...Once we find that Arcanine we'll be able to leave and go to our next Gym battle." While Bulbasaur nodded, trying to calm itself, Max turned to his friends. "See? I told you...they're talking."

Both Fang, and Scav gave him a puzzled look, then Scav sighed, turning forward again and leading them through. "And I'm telling you I don't hear it saying anything but it's name...But you don't seem to be lying." He looked to the left and right, grunting* there's so many small lakes in here that finding the right one in the description would be like trying to find a needle in a hay stack."

Fang smiled, nodding as he wagged his tails a bit. "Max I find it hard to believe you'd lie about something like that. Maybe I can build a translation device so that we can all hear them. But a dream is another story, your mind may have wandered off. You want to get stronger and your subconscious wanted to give you an escape. The only pokemon I can see here are Zubat and a few Geodudes...an occasional Onyx here and there. This cave doesn't seem friendly to fire type pokemon especially with all the water." He then started sniffing the air, his ears pressing down. "So then why do I smell something burning, nothing in this damp cave could be causing that smell..."

"What do you mean burning? I don't smell anything." Max then blinked when Fang started getting on all fours, kind of a shock to see such an intelligent character turn so feral. Scav simply nodded, taking a few sniffs and both his friends took the lead, they could obviously smell something he could not. "Hey bud...can you smell anything?"

Bulbasaur stopped shivering and started smelling the air as he was asked before nodding, smiling. "Yeah, it's down that-away." He used a vine to point in the direction Fang and Scavenger were going. "Maybe you can't smell it because you're human?" He asked innocently enough.

Max decided not to answer, simply following their guides silently. It bugged him that he was the only one not able to pick up on the scent but Bulbasaur might have a point, he was only human Their noses were bound to be much more sensitive to things like this. It wasn't for a few more minutes, that Max finally decided to speak. "You know...my dad wasn't human...he was something else. Some sort of creature, I didn't know what to make of it. His body was strange, powerful and feral but his eyes had a strange gentleness to them."

Bulbasaur silently listened as Max told him everything about his childhood, it was like a bedtime story to the little guy, he enjoyed every minute of it. "He sounds like you Max." This shocked Max and made him stop for a moment, wondering how Bulbasaur saw the comparison. "You may be human, but I think that you ARE powerful! You don't need to be a wolf...or a dragon or heck...even a bulbasaur like me. You're strong, even if you don't see it." he then let out a small giggle, using his vines to rub Max's neck a bit.

Max smiled, using a finger to trace those vines to the bulb and then started scratching Bulbasaur's nose gently. "Well I'm glad you think so. And you know what?" He then poked that nose, laughing. "You're pretty wise for only being what? not even a month old?" He teased and blinked when he bumped into Scav. "Why'd you stop?"

The dragon didn't turn around or flinch when Max bumped into him, he simply looked forward and lifted the lantern to the side, showing what looked like a crevice in the wall. "We're here, the scent is coming from behind this wall. A secret cave just like your Arcanine buddy described...the question is how do we OPEN it?"

Getting up, Fang started brushing himself off and blushed. "Sorry...feral side of me likes to come out sometimes. There's gotta be a switch somewhere around here right?" Fang and Scav both started pressing against the wall, hands moving about for any sort of switch. "It's definitely man made so it's not a natural cave in, if it were then..." He took Scav's lantern, and showed all the writing on the wall, whistling. "These...symbols wouldn't be etched into the walls. The question is what do they mean. Any ideas Scav? Max?"

Scavenger shook his head, running a finger down one of the runes. "Beats me...it's no language that I've ever seen...they don't even look to be letters or numbers...just random shapes." he poked one, chuckling. "They weren't carved in so this wall was made by somebody."

As Max studied the wall, he let out a small gasp, whispering to Bulbasaur. "I can read it...all of it is clear to me." Bulbasaur raised an eyebrow when he heard that, then smiled as Max approached the wall, both of his friends staring at their human companion with confusion. "I don't know the language...or what system it uses but I can read it. there's no switch, just a trigger. It says...those of a flaming spirit press your hand onto the tablet and speak your name."

"Hold on now...You're saying you can understand this chicken scratch?" Scav asked, rubbing his chin, then he smirked, grabbing Max by the wrist and pressed his left hand to the wall. "If you can read it then give it a shot and speak your name. He came to you in your dreams, maybe you have this so called flaming spirit."

With a yelp Max felt his hand getting hot against the wall. "Weird...it's...pulsating." when he said that, both Scav and Fang backed away as if worried something would happen. "Gee thanks for the support guys!" Bulbasaur made no effort to move though, he simply smiled down at Max and nodded. "Thanks bud, glad you'd never abandon me." He then took a deep breath, the wall glowing a bit as he spoke. "My name is Max Smithy! open for me." For a moment, it seemed like nothing would happen, then his hand went ablaze, the flame traveling from his palm to the wall itself, after which the wall simply vanished as if it was never there, Leaving just another empty cavern for them to explore. He looked at his hand, the flame now extinguished but his hand took on a more reptilian look, it had red scales and a bio hazard mark on the back of his hand while his fingers were replaced by three sharp claws. "Now THIS is freaky..." Bulbasaur examined his hand as well, though if he was suprised the small pokemon did not show it.

Scavenger however did not have the same response, his eyes going wide as he examined Max's hand. "Are you okay?! What did it do to you? it's like the door mutated you."

There was a rumbling in the cave a moment later, it sounded like a chuckle as if whatever creature caused it was amused. The three friends stared at one another then nodded as they continued walking into the new path that was opened to them. Fang handed Max the lantern he'd taken from Scav and chuckled. "Here...the wall opened for ya so you should be the one to take the lead."

Taking the lantern, Max nervously started taking the lead, Bulbasaur rubbed his shoulders with vines to relax his trainer. "Thanks bud....I'm just nervous, I certainly hope he doesn't shove me out of the cave this time."

with a whisper, making sure Scav or Fang couldn't hear him, Bulbasaur responded with a chuckle. "He came to me too Max...the past couple nights in my dreams, so I know that he's here. and even if he is a fire type I'll protect you."

"You know...you got over your fear of the dark pretty quick." Max couldn't help but tease, it lifted the tension.

"No Zubat's in this part of the union cave...I assume that that Arcanine ate them all."

Their conversation went on a few moments longer, then they stopped as they came upon a massive ball of fluff! It had to be at least 10 feet tall, the Arcanine's eyes staring down at the group as he stifled a yawn. "You kept me waiting quite awhile boy. I assumed you'd have come to me the moment you woke up."

Max looked at his hand again, flexing the claws that were there and winced. "Yeah well...I have a lot of questions I'd like to ask you...for one...why did you deform me? Why am I suddenly...all scaly on my left hand?? And why such a complicated riddle?"

snorting in amusement, the Arcanine stretched out to his full height, towering over Max as he smirked. "I take it that neither your father OR your grandfathers told you anything then? Well I'm not surprised...they probably let their sentimentality get in the way." When Max looked like he was about to talk, the Arcanine set a paw in front of Max and lightly pushed, forcing Max to sit down on the floor. "I can answer all of your questions most of which will be solved with one answer. If you must know I did not deform you, the wall was devised and created by your grandfather on your papa's side. He was a great and powerful digimon and a fighter for peace. Oh wait...I bet you don't even know what a digimon IS do you?"

"I can't say that I do...but I assume it's what my father was?" Max asked, wondering why he never even knew this himself or why his mom never mentioned it.

"Indeed. Your father was a digimon, a species we like to call Growlmon. It's one of the many evolutionary paths of the guilmon line. But you make me lose track of my story. Your grandfather set this wall up a long time ago, He set it as a sort of secret base for the digimon stationed in the human world...a sort of ambassadorship if you will...and a safe haven for those discriminated against." He took a deep breath. "That wall's been there for oh...I don't know...I'd say 300 years?"

Scav blinked, then growled as he stood up and approached the Arcanine. "You lie! If it had been there then my own gaurdian would have informed me of this place. And it would have already been in the guidebooks of Johto! and wait...how is it that I can understand you?"

Arcanine growled, staring at Scav and getting down to his level, his large head pressing against the dragon. "Lots of practice gave me the gift of speech. It HAS been recorded by the way. however it was Max's other grandfather who recorded it. and it was he who left me here. You see...Max you've been told the story of when you and your family were forced to live on the island correct?" When Max nodded he continued, lifting his head back up. "After that day several things were put into effect...one...We had to make sure that YOU would be able to function on your own even with the restrictions the village set on your fathers ability to care for you. Your human grandfather took shelter on the village, his estate as you've probably seen is pretty secure. From there he was able to watch over you without the villagers ever suspecting a thing. Because of that it was easy for him to become your master and teach you the things you know now. Skills that keep you alive and skills that will be useful in the future."

Max sprang up, no longer sitting down when he heard the canine speak. "Do you realize the weight of the words that you're saying right now? you're saying that my MASTER...was my grandfather?" Arcanine pushed Max back down, then gave a short nod, smiling sadly. "It makes sense...I saw him every day...even before he took me in he'd scold me...tell me if I was doing something wrong, and would make sure I went back home with something to eat for my mother and I...Why didn't he tell me that he was...you know?"

Arcanine took a deep breath, shrugging his shoulders. "Before you were born he released me and set me in here. told me to wait for you and help you if you ever got this far. My guess would be that he couldn't. His role was to remain impartial, to make sure you got out alive. Nobody could be allowed to know that you were related." His eyes softened then. "But from what you said just now...it sounds like he couldn't help himself from dotting on his grandchild when the opportunity let him. He loved you, of that I'm sure. Before I continue, how is the old man?"

"He..." Max looked down and sighed, trying not to cry. "He died...heart attack."

"I expected as much..." He chuckled, his eyes sad, looking as if he wanted to join Max in crying. "He always took on a little too much. I'm sure that he was glad to be able to spend what time he had, teaching ya." He gave Max a few minutes, letting the poor boy come to terms with this new information and the realization that the one person who taught him everything he knew, was his grandfather. "With your father's help, they managed to reseal the door behind me. There was plenty of food and little vermin somehow wiggle their way in here from time to time so I never really go hungry, and plenty of space for me to get my exercise. with that done they had a way to make sure that even if you leave, and become a trainer that you'd still have a guide. One that could teach you how to use your hidden abilities as a digimon. As well...as to purify the shadows."

"Purify the shadows? What do you mean?" Inquired Max, the puzzled look on his face never seemed to cease neither did Arcanine's amusement.

"The day of the attack on the town...your father sensed something, it wasn't a random terrorist attack. There was malice behind it, cold unrelenting malice. Your father managed to save countless lives that day, bringing those that remained to the village for safety but without the light to guide him he could not overpower the darkness that shrouded the town and bathed it in it's evil." He took a deep breath. "Gazing through your dreams from the day you touched land in newbark town, I could sense your search for Jesse. That darkness that attacked the town that day, destroying it...Is now housed within Jesse, fueling his anger."

"Wait a minute...hold on just one flipping minute!" Max sprang back up, growling. "Jesse didn't change until the attack on our village! So that same darkness couldn't have been the cause of Jesse's cha-"

When Max's eyes widened, it was then that Arcanine nodded. "The darkness chose your village as it's next target. Then chose to take your friend Jesse as it's vessal. Why?" He then let out a chuckle and pushed his paw on Max, this time pushing the trainer towards him, warm breath hitting the trainer now as the canine spoke. "You. Your father was tained by nightmares in his youth about the trifles of man, because of this he lost his innocence, he was too weak to retain his purity but from you came a light that can illuminate the dark. Why else would this darkness choose to attack just DAYS before you were to be born? And why would it single out a small village like THAT as it's next target?" He let both scenario's play in Max's head for a moment, chuckling as he saw a slight cringe on his face. "You're the threat, in taking Jesse it hoped to utterly crush the light dwelling within you. but you remained steadfast in your search. with Jesse in mind, and the idea of bringing your friend back from the darkness you managed to retain that purity in you!"

Arcanine's hot breath would have made him wiggle and push away, if he hadn't been listening so closely to the pokemon's words, it all made sense to him. "My father was prevented from taking care of me...from speaking these matters to me in hopes that I retain the innocence he lost as a child...and my grandfather, he TRAINED me so that I could be prepared for when I'd have to face it."

Arcanine nodded, showing his teeth to Max and releasing the boy. "And left me here to tell you all of this in the safety of the ambassador's cave. Max you are special, Don't let anything take away your dreams or your innocence. Not the darkness, not Jesse...not anyone." With that he stretched out, smiling. "I will accompany you on your travels...guiding and completing the training that your grandfather could not finish in his limited time. I will also train you in controlling your digimon powers, the first of which I shall do so now. to control your powers you must first know how it feels to go into such a state. Are you ready to be transformed?"

when he was let go, he started fixing his hair, the canine's moist breath, wetting it down as he groaned in disgust, he then made sure to put down Bulbasaur who was equally dissatisfied with being drenched, worse with the scent of the giant's breath. "Teach me sir...After all of this I believe the only title that is befitting for you is master."

Arcanine shook his head, chuckling. "Master is not a term you should associate me with. Honor your grandfather's memory and leave such a title for his honor and his alone. You may call me Pyre...It's a name your grandfather gave to me, as well as this." He pushed a small box towards Max, it looked rather old and dusty, when he'd open the box he'd find an old pokeball inside of it. "Feel free to call me comrade. now..." He took a deep breath and looked at everyone. "May wanna step back!" He roared before bathing Max in a sea of flames.

Everyone looked shocked except for Bulbasaur, his eyes only lit up as if he'd been expecting this moment for a long time. As the flames started to fade out thanks to the dampness of the cave, a new form began to stand before them, as Arcanine had promised, Max's clothes somehow remained unharmed, as did the poke balls on him, but the rest of him had transformed. he stood hunched over with three clawed toes, the same going with his hands, tail swaying behind him as if it had always been there. His ears replaced with what sort of resembled bat like wings. His eyes remained the same, being the brilliant blue they always were, though he looked pretty funny with his backpack on and the clothes seemed like they barely fit. "Now this...is awesome..." He uttered, chuckling as if a fog had been lifted from his mind. "Pyre, thank you. This is the best gift anybody's given me other than my Master's love."

Pyre chuckled, looking Max over with a nod. "No, it's not a gift from me. your FATHER deserves the thanks for equipping you with such a unique gift. Now...Let's combat the darkness together. And make your dreams true." A sparkle in the canine's eyes as he seemed genuinely happy. With a nod from both Scavenger and Fang, they began to walk back from the way they came.

Once they got out of the ambassador's cave, the entrance sealed itself back up again and suddenly it dawned on Max. "Uhm...Pyre...how do I turn back to normal?!" Bulbasaur face vined himself before the entire group burst into laughter. "Oh well...hopefully it wears off before we get to the gym." Bulbasaur climbed ontop of Max's head once again, chuckling at the new warmth on top, though just as quickly, the grass type began trembling again, this time grabbing a hold of Max's new ear appendages and yanking on them. "OWWW Bulbasaur!" He shouted, getting another laugh from the group. (To be continued)