Memories of Ogremon/Escape from the Illusion World

*(After the blinding light died down, Satsuki’s group, with Haku back in his human form and Celebi missing, slowly woke up in a blank white area surrounded by images. Noticing the images, they got confused while Haku only heard whispering voices coming from the images)*

Satsuki: Where are we?

Rita: And where’s Celebi?

*(After listening carefully, Haku realized where they are)*

Haku: We’re in the Illusion World.

Satsuki’s group: (Surprised) The Illusion World?

Haku: It’s where our memories from the past reside. And only one of the memories leads to the exit.

*(Looking around, Satsuki’s group saw each image, among them the Kansas children’s good memories of their home in Topeka, Kansas with their families and friends. Even one of Ogremon and Ace in a wintery area skating on a frozen river. Seeing that, Ace turned away and noticed a good memory of when the group met up at Ruby University)*

Ace: I say we go through there!

Popple: But what if it’s not the way out?

Vincent: It won’t hurt to try.

*(The group turned to Vincent)*

Vincent: Even if we can’t sense where the exit is, it won’t hurt to go through those memories and see where the exit is.

*(Deciding to give it a try, Satsuki’s group ran into the Ruby University memory and found nobody in there. Just an empty area with them the only ones in there)*

Mei: Why aren’t there people in here?

Yuffie: Probably the people here are illusions you can never interact.

Rita: What?!

Miss Kitty: You mean we can’t ask for directions?

Haku: Yes. Yuffie’s right. The people in the memories here are nothing but illusions that can’t see or hear us.

Satsuki: Well…. Illusion or not, we got to find a way out!

*(They ran around, searching for the exit until Mushu and Fidget spotted a glowing white portal)*

Fidget: There’s a portal!

Mushu: Could it be the way out?

*(Satsuki’s group saw it and deciding to take the chance, they go through, only to find themselves back in the blank white area. Then the Ruby University memory vanished behind them, much to their notice)*

Tiger: It vanished.

Runt: But why?

Pinocchio: Apparently, that was a hoax exit.

*(They see the Kansas memory and go through that. Once there, the Oz group looked around in amazement)*

Jiminy: So this is what your farm looks like.

Satsuki: Yep.

Mei: The best of both worlds.

Basil: But what’s more important is finding a way out. So keep your eyes peeled.

*(The group nodded and looked around until Chihiro, with Haku by her, noticed another portal)*

Chihiro: Here’s a portal!

*(They go up to it. They took a little deep breath and go through there. But like before, back in the blank white area again. Then they go through every single memory, except the frozen river one, in desperation, but to no luck, couldn’t find the way out. After the fifth try, the group panted in desperation and exhaustion)*

Ace: There has to be a way out!

Snake: There jussssst hassss to be!

*(They run through the area, but all that was is a neverending area with no walls and the frozen river memory was floating along with them. Suddenly, as they ran, Chihiro tripped on a stone bench as they run by and fell down. The others stopped and helped her)*

Kiki: You okay?

Chihiro: Yeah.

Ace: Then let’s move it!

Dawson: But there’s no sign of the exit!

Olivia: And the only memory available to torment us is that frozen river involving Ogremon!

*(The Gangreen Gang noticed what the others saw; The frozen river memory. Their determined looks slowly withered away and became sad slowly. Satsuki’s group sat around the stone bench to rest)*

Tombo: Do you think…? We’ll get out?

Yuffie: I’m not sure, Tombo. I don’t think we will.

Fidget: We just gotta keep our heads and then….

*(He stopped talking when he saw Satsuki’s group, except the sad Gangreen Gang, looking at him sadly with hopeless looks, and then he got slowly sad too as he sat down too)*

Fidget: You’re right. There’s no way out.

Billy: But….

Kanta: There isn’t! We’re stuck here.

Jiji: And we might never save Oz.

Kiki: Or my parents….

Satsuki: Or even Celebi, wherever she is….

Basil: Or even reach Emerald City first….

*(Believing they’re right, the Gangreen Gang got depressed even more and collapsed on their knees. Feeling the urge to cry coming on, they tried to fight it. As that happened, they tried to put on a soft smile)*

Ace: (Voice breaking) Since we’ll never get out, I guess we can reminisce…. About….

Satsuki’s group: (Sadly) Ogremon?

Ace: (Voice breaking) Yes.

*(Arturo pulled Maria out and hugged her to him)*

Arturo: (Sadly) I know, Maria. This is hard times.

*(Billy then spoke up)*

Billy: (Sadly) Do you remember when Ogremon nursed me back to health when I fell sick with a high fever…?

*(They nodded sadly)*

Arturo: (Sadly) Literally thought you wouldn’t make it before….

*(Grubber blew a sad soft raspberry in agreement)*

Snake: (Sadly) I could recall laughing at Ogremon’ssssss jokessss all the time….

*(Finally, the Gangreen Gang started to shed tears slowly)*

Ace: (Voice breaking) And how he could teach me how to cook….

*(Billy then sobbed softly)*

Billy: (Crying) I miss him!

*(The other Gangreen Gang members, except Ace, started crying softly as well)*

Snake: (Crying) Why did he havessss to go and then…?

Arturo: (Crying) *Muerte*? Meaning “Die.”

Ace: (Voice breaking) All because of that stupid Ratigan!

*(Then finally, Ace finally bursted out crying softly with his Gangreen Gang members and hugged himself in comfort as Snake pulled the handkerchief out and cried on it after blowing his nose. Watching the crying Gangreen Gang sadly, Satsuki’s group just hung their heads sadly, for their hope and confidence in them have vanished. All was silent, except the Gangreen Gang’s sobbing. Then, a soft gust of wind got their attention, snapping them out of it. As they looked around softly in confusion and Snake puts the handkerchief away and Arturo puts Maria away, a glowing transparent body slowly materialized in front of them)*

Fievel: Another illusion?

Vincent: Or is that…?

*(Then the body finished glowing to reveal the ghost form of….)*

Satsuki’s group, except Gangreen Gang: What?!

Ace: (Tearfully) Pop!

Gangreen Gang: (Tearfully) Ogremon!

*(Ogremon walked up to them softly as the group watched him approach and stood up, calmly surprised to see that he can see and hear them)*

Ogremon: Don’t be afraid.

*(Getting slowly happy, Satsuki’s group, except a calm happy Haku, Vincent, Mushu, and Fidget, went up to him and hugged him)*

Ogremon: You now know I’m not an illusion, huh?

*(After the hugging ended, Ace got happy a little as tears spilled from his eyes)*

Ace: (Sadly) Pop, I thought…?

Ogremon: (Shakes his head a bit) No. Still dead. But not at rest.

Satsuki: (Confused) Not at rest?

*(The group slowly realized immediately on what he meant)*

Satsuki: (Realizing) I see…. A wandering ghost.

*(Ogremon nods. The Gangreen Gang wiped their tears away and Ace spoke up)*

Ace: You have an idea of what we’ve been through?

Ogremon: Yes. I know already. I’ve been following you on your journey since day one when Aurora and Phillip prayed to me.

*(Satsuki’s group smiled softly)*

Ogremon: And you now understand what I tried to tell you when I died?

*(The group nods)*

Satsuki: You tried to tell us that Ratigan shot you and what he, Myotismon, and their army are planning with their conquest.

Fidget: Can you help us get out of here?

*(Ogremon nods)*

Ogremon: Yes. In order to escape this place, in order to reach Emerald City, you must go through there.

*(He points at the frozen river memory, much to the group’s calm surprise)*

Ace: I thought it was there for torment?

Ogremon: No. The happy memories claiming to be the exits are the illusions. The only way out is through a memory that can haunt you. Like this frozen river memory, for example.

Ace: Oh…. That memory when you taught me how to skate.

Ogremon: Yep.

Satsuki: Let’s get to that portal then.

*(The group then followed Ogremon into that memory)*

Mushu: I’m surprised it’s not making us freeze.

Ogremon: Well, it’s an illusion.

*(Noticing the portal on the other side of the river, they were about to cross when the river cracked and only an ice bridge formed in a straight line)*

Ogremon: It’s a test. If you wish to cross to that portal, you must overcome what happened in this memory.

*(The group realized immediately)*

Runt: You mean…?

Ogremon: Yep.

Ace: I get it. We must skate across without falling in to reach the other side.

Ogremon: Exactly, Ace. And this memory, I wish to say, is your final stage in the Five Stages of Grief.

*(The group slowly got surprised, but Ace reacted a little. Then Ace looked at the portal across the river)*

Ace: Acceptance….

*(Then he recalled how his journey helped him without Ogremon)*

Ace: Come to think of it…. All my time, I thought you were never there after you died….

*(He smiled softly as he watched the group easily skated across the bridge to the portal)*

Ace: But now seeing this…. I now understand what everyone kept telling me before the journey began….

Ogremon: And what is it they tell you?

*(Ace got determined slowly)*

Ace: They said you will always be there…! Even if you’re gone, you’re always there for me and my friends! And to accept it….

*(He got on the start of the ice bridge in determination)*

Ace: I have to move on!

*(Satsuki’s group and Ogremon smiled softly and proudly upon Ace’s announcement. Then Ace gracefully skated across carefully and made it. After the group congratulated him, they turned to Ogremon, who remained behind. Then, as they slowly vanished through the portal, they waved goodbye with soft smiles)*

Satsuki’s group: Thank you, Ogremon! And goodbye!

*(Ogremon waved back at them)*

Ogremon: You’re welcome, goodbye, and good luck!

*(Then with that, everything vanished in a bright light. After it died down, Satsuki’s group slowly woke up back in reality in the Forbidden Forest’s glade. After looking around happily, glad to see themselves out of the Illusion World, they then looked around for Celebi)*

Satsuki’s group: Celebi, where are you?

*(Suddenly, the bushes rustled nearby them. They turned and saw to their happiness it was Celebi, who saw them reappear while hiding in the bushes)*

Satsuki’s group: There you are!

*(Celebi flew up to them and chirped happily)*

Satsuki: We’re alright. Don’t worry.

*(Suddenly noticing a hilltop, Satsuki’s group turned to Fidget)*

Olivia: Care to fly again?

Fidget: (Looking at the hilltop) Fly….

Basil: You said you want to relearn that after your wing healed. So, now’s your chance!

*(Hearing the encouragement, Fidget then got determined)*

Fidget: (Nods) Yep.

*(He runs up the hilltop and after preparing himself, he took a deep breath and fell belly down towards the ground, his wings spread out. Then, to the group’s happiness, Fidget suddenly swooped around in the air just when he impacted the ground. He is now flying again)*

Satsuki’s group: You did it!

*(Fidget flew around, flapping his wings and becoming happy slowly)*

Fidget: (Becoming happy slowly) I’m flying again…. *(Now extremely happy)* I’m flying again!

*(He flew around the group like a bird and then landed gracefully on the ground. Then the group congratulated him. After that’s done, the group got determined)*

Satsuki: Now, let’s get to Emerald City!

Group: Right!

Ace: And avenge Pop and all of those who died at the enemy’s hands!

Group: Yeah!

*(Then they raced ahead. Up in the canopy, Demidevimon saw the whole thing and was shocked)*

Demidevimon: Myotismon is not gonna like this!

*(He flew away to tell Myotismon and his army)*

***Coming up: Myotismon and his army decide to capture Fidget and the Kansas children besides Celebi, Yuffie, and Kiki in order to use as not only hostages against Aurora and Phillip, but also as slaves after the conquest is complete. At the same time, Satsuki’s group nears Emerald City and Haku and Vincent, after getting permission from Basil and Dawson to make garlic bombs to use against the enemy, decide to temporally leave to make them.***