Disclaimer: In no way do I own Digimon.

NatNicole- You're observant, that is an important plot point for this story arc.

The forces are gathering, and the destination: Forest Temple! Only Jyou and Mimi are missing.

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Binary

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It is not that Koushiro doesn't miss the Digital World, he does, but he also knows that leaving no one to monitor the gateway from the reality sector of the Port is a bad idea. And seeing how eager Miyako is at the chance to explore the parallel world, Koushiro really doesn't have to heart to stop the girl from going. And at this testing stage of his program, he doesn't trust anyone else not to mess up. Nothing against Tai or Matt of course, but neither of them shows any potential in the field of mastering electronic mechanisms, and that is just facts.

Besides, once he is sure that his software is a success, he'll be able to visit Tentomon as often as he liked. There is no need to hurry, and that is enough to bring a fond smile onto his face. So, with that thought in mind, Koushiro clicks up the Port interface on the computer and moves aside.

"Alright guys, let's get going!" Daisuke says fervently, holding up the newer digivice model, and brilliant rainbows engulf the seven DigiDestined new and old into a different world.

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17:01:34 Friday. Digi-Port OPEN.

17:01:38 Friday. Digi-Port CLOSE.

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Koushiro sighs humorously to himself when the others are gone in a flash, shaking his head as he shuts down the computer program to make sure that nothing gets through by accident in the meantime. And is just debating what he should do to pass the time while the "kids" have their fun, when the computer lights up again and the program he has written opens automatically like a pop-up ad.

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17:02:12 Friday. Digi-Port OPEN.

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That's odd. Koushiro pulls over a chair wondering if he should inspect the computer case, and is quite perplexed to suddenly see Takeru through the screen, with Patamon wide-eyed in his arms and Tsukaimon under his hat wearing a scowl. "Hello, Izzy," Takeru is saying, before turning to look at someone outside the monitor, "It worked! We can open the Port from this side!"

And then Hikari moves into view with Gatomon, and both wave their hello graciously, "Good to see you again, Izzy." Though that leaves Koushiro holding his palm up a bit awkwardly, not sure to greet them as is polite, too, or get to the point right away. It has barely been a minute since they left after all.

"Hmm... Did you forget something on this side?" Koushiro finally asks.

"No, no," Hikari says softly, expression very serious, "We've been separated from my brother and the others, and they are apparently too far away for our digivices to track. Do you think you would be able to help us locate them?"

"... Pardon?" Koushiro thinks he must have misheard, "How did you guys manage to loose sight of each other in under a minute?!"

There is matching bewildered looks on both Takeru and Hikari, and an eye roll from Tsukaimon. The boy pulls himself together first though, "Izzy, it has been at least two hours, maybe longer." Takeru isn't joking and Koushiro frowns, but past experiences immediately flash across his mind, and the teenage genius at once moves to turn on a second computer.

The Real World and the Digital World have always been out of synch, Koushiro can't believe he forget about such an important detail. "I am going to pinpoint your location first," the red-headed teen says, unwavering and level even during possible crisis. He lets the second computer run, calculating the differing flow of time between the two existential planes while he sets up another program to do the mapping of landscape in the DigiWorld. "You guys are now at Freezeland... Ice Sanctuary?"

"Yes," Takeru confirms, "A lot has happened, and-"

"IZZY!"

Koushiro jumps a foot into the air when the door is suddenly slammed open, calming down only after he sees who it is. Yamato is completely out of his breath, face flushed with his shirt loose and blond hair a mess, having run all the way here. "Sheesh, Matt, what's got into you?"

Yamato hasn't regained his ability to speak properly, so he holds up the D-Terminal to show Koushiro the distress message from Sora. "I don't..." pants, "... know why this device..." huff, huff, "... is in my possession," Yamato says in between heavy breaths, "... Explain."

Koushiro doesn't move to take the portable computer, his mind racing a mile a minute. "Too many problems are happening at once, we have got to sort out our priorities," he turns back to the illuminated monitor, fingers typing furiously. "I'm looking for a few missing friends for TK, so I'll figure out where that D-Terminal came from afterwards, okay?" "Sora is really in the Digital World?" Yamato asks anxiously, already agreeing as he moves to stand behind the redhead to look at his younger brother's worried face over the teenage prodigy's shoulder; he is puzzled by the off-colored Patamon pouting underneath TK's hat but makes no comment on it, right now at least.

"Hello, TK, you alright?"

"For now," Takeru says, but is holding Patamon tighter to chase away the chills and his teeth are chattering. Hikari isn't fairing any better, as her lips are turning blue, and she hugs Gatomon closer to her person. "But Izzy, please hurry. We are standing in the snow talking to a plasma screen frozen in solid ice, it's really cold."

"I thought you guys are at Ice Sanctuary?" Koushiro asks and Yamato frowns.

"In the backyard. We're lucky to find a computer at all. The original entrance is likely buried in the snow by now, or destroyed."

"Izzy," Yamato says suddenly, "Does my D-Terminal work?"

"Yes," Koushiro answers, not taking his eyes off the calculations popping up on the computers, and is muttering under his breath in frustration when the first result is less than ideal. "Tropical Jungle... Tropical Jungle... Where in Tropical Jungle?"

"Then I'm going," Yamato is not waiting for a reply, already holding up his digivice to the Digi-Port program, "Contact me through this when you found Sora."

"Huh?" Koushiro looks up, "Wait-" but too late. Yamato is gone in a flash of rainbow lights.

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17:06:56 Friday. Dungeon, Forest Temple, Tropical Jungle, File Island.

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"Gah! It's no use," Miyako kicks the wooden door that is actually a lot sturdier than it seems. This isn't how she pictured her trip to the Digital World to be like, there is no fairytale landscape and songs, there is only freezing cold and horror and a prison in a dungeon. Iori is sitting on the ground beside her, dejected as well, but he says nothing.

Then, sounds of footsteps echo down the narrow halls outside. They both quickly get up and back into a corner, wary of the visitors' intent. The wooden door is carelessly flung open and another person is thrown in by a pair of Mushroomon.

[Mushroomon] [Rookie-Virus-JT/WG]

In the dim light, Miyako is surprised to see that the person is actually Sora, and she is already hurrying over before the prison door is fully shut. "Sora? Are you okay? Why is your hands bleeding?!" Miyako is frantic, not sure what to do, but then she finds a pair of wounded hands steadying her trembling shoulders.

"Listen, Miyako," Sora says, voice faint but impossibly calm, "Iori," she looks over to address the younger elementary kid as well, who is attentive but diffident. "There are two Digimentals upstairs in the main chamber that I believe are yours. So you have to get them and release your digimon partners..." Miyako lights up in interest, but Sora isn't finished, "There are also a lot of dark rings floating up there," Sora warns, "Do you two understand? There's only one chance, you have to digivolve your partners the moment they are freed... or they'll be caught."

"What?!" Iori exclaims in shock, already shaking his head, "There is no way it can be done, we don't even have any experience!" Miyako is also hesitant, looking down.

"You just have to trust your partners," Sora says resolutely, though she is trying to feel as confident as she sounds, "and to trust in yourselves. The Digimental of Knowledge will recognize your curiosity for the unknown, Iori," she nods her encouragements to the younger of the two children, and then turns back to Miyako, "And the Digimental of Love will react to your care for the others."

"But..." Miyako bits her lips.

"Be prepared," Sora stands up, looking around the close-off prison, "We'll find a way out of here."

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17:08:11 Friday. Main Chamber, Forest Temple, Tropical Jungle, File Island.

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"The Port is being opened again, Master," a voice sounds from the intercom built into Ken Ichijouji's wristwatch, and the child Emperor frowns deeply at the holographic image of PicoDevimon, who has temporarily taken over monitor duty at the base. And true, Ken can see himself that the clock hands on his watch aren't keeping as still as they ought to, and he is loosing time fast.

[PicoDevimon] [Rookie-Virus-NSo]

"Do you need to return home?" PicoDevimon cautions, "Coronamon and I can keep things running in your absence."

The child Emperor almost hisses at the thought, causing the small devil to wince. Ken looks back at the Digimentals he failed to recover. If he leaves now for the Real World, the relics would surely be lost to the others' hands...

"Have you located the other DigiDestined?" Ken asks instead.

"Yes, sir," PicoDevimon immediately does a salute with his leathery wings. "Two are traveling by land and three are traveling through the air," he says humbly, "All are en route to your location, Master, therefore I strongly suggest abandoning the project, for the Forest Temple is not yet within your jurisdiction."

Wormmon seethes silently as he watches his human partner talk to that foul creature, that virus! A moment of despair and weakness, and Ken- kind naïve Ken- has been completely brainwashed by that devil's poisonous word, and even now Wormmon has been beating himself over the head for his carelessness.

"How fast will they arrive?"

"Estimate in a little over an hour."

"Hmm... then first deploy a team of Tyrannomon to Forest Temple," Ken says after a long consideration. Through the transmitter, PicoDevimon is confused, "If I may ask, Master, what for?" "I cannot allow my enemies the chance to stand against me," Ken gives one last look at the Digimentals, then he lets out a bloodcurdling chuckle, "I am going to bury the Child of Love along with this temple, that way, there will be no hope for the DigiDestined."

Wormmon's eyes widen is horror when he hears that, and his heart breaks a little more for his boy. But maybe there is something he can do? Sneaking a look at Coronamon who still stands before the altar gazing at the egg-shaped items with innocent curiosity, Wormmon's decision is set. There's some time left, it will take the Tyrannomon team at least an hour to get here from the base at the foot of Mt. Infinity, now is his chance.

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18:00:04 Friday. Northern sky, Tropical Jungle, File Island.

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=You guys are really close to Sora's location now,= Koushiro tells Yamato through the D-Terminal, =I've contacted Tai, he'll be coming from the East on land with Daisuke. I'll be uploading a clearer map to you in a second.=

"Thanks a lot, Izzy, you're a great help," Yamato says, before relating the information to Takeru, with whom he has been riding on Pegasusmon. Gabumon is also there on the winged stallion, holding tightly onto his partner's waist from behind, not exactly liking the heights. It's cramped with three riders onboard, but Pegasusmon is dignified and refuses to voice his discomfort.

"Almost there, Pegasusmon," Takeru runs his fingers carefully through his digimon's manes, Pegasusmon has been maintaining Armor level flying for a long period before and after the fight with Garurumon, with hardly any rest in between, and now has to carry such a heavy load. Though already nearing the target, Takeru is actually not sure he'll be willing to let his dear friend fight in this condition...

Sensing his human's troubled thoughts, Pegasusmon half-turns his head and focuses a piercing gaze. "I am fine, TK," he says quietly, slightly shifting the angle of his wings, "Besides..." Pegasusmon does not continue though, and Takeru taps him curiously on the back. "What it is?" The flying horse turns back to the open sky, he can already see their destination in a distance, a speck of gold amid the tropical green. "It is nothing," he decides not to elaborate, but in truth he is glad for any excuse to get Tsukaimon off his partner, however temporary, "Just look after yourself, okay?" Takeru nods, and he doesn't need to see it to know that, thus for now, Pegasusmon is content.

But as if sensing his ill-willed thoughts, Tsukaimon shoots the aurulent horse a glare from upon Nefertimon's back, which Pegasusmon gladly returns, and Hikari observes their exchange, finding humor in the two's child-like animosity.

However, now with a more matured mind, Pegasusmon no longer regards Tsukaimon as merely an unwanted competition for TK's affection. Why does a Tsukaimon choose to hang around Takeru? Pegasusmon is wary of this fact. Those virus Rookies are not exactly known for their affability...

Tsukaimon scoffs, turning back to the young human girl he has been forced to share a ride with. It is not that he likes Takeru's company, just the contrary, but- suddenly, he sits up straighter.

"Tsukaimon?" Hikari notices the abrupt change in the little digimon, "What is it?"

"I sense no Control Spires in this area," Tsukaimon says, his big yellow eyes blinking in the howling wind. "Really?" Hikari is delighted at the news, "Can you digivolve?"

"Do you want me to digivolve?" Tsukaimon asks, tone incredulous. Hikari just smiles softly at the small virus type, "We will need all the help we can get if we want to take down the Emperor once and for all." Tsukaimon stares at her disbelievingly for a few seconds more, before turning away in a pout with his cheeks puff up, "I can't anyway, nature digivolutions on this island are all shunted by the main tower, there," he points to the top of Infinity Mountain, "But your digivices would likely work, so you should inform Friendship about that."

Hikari chuckles placing a hand on Tsukaimon's head and pats him gently, "Thank you, Tsukaimon, you're not a bad person at all."

Tsukaimon says nothing and is still looking the other way, but he lets the hand stay.

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18:10:04 Friday. Eastern outskirt, Tropical Jungle, File Island.

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"Are we still heading in the right direction?" Daisuke asks.

"We're following the map Izzy send us, don't worry," Taichi answers tersely, "But we have to hurry, or we'll be late to the show." Hearing that, Daisuke's eyes blaze in fire, "No way I'm showing up after TJ! And he's with Kari, too, that little-"

"What are you guys complaining about!" Ogremon huffs, tramping through the dense woods, while carrying two human teens and three Rookie digimons in his large arms. "Sorry about that," Liollmon says, not sounding sorry at all, "This way saves the most time." "Thanks for the lift, Ogremon," V-mon says. And Agumon laughs, tapping the Champion virus on the biceps, "Just think of it as a payment for that time you tried to kill us."

"You guys are so going to get it!"

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18:20:04 Friday. Dungeon, Forest Temple, Tropical Jungle, File Island.

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Wormmon slowly opens the door to the underground cell, it has taken him longer than anticipated to cheat the guards out of the prison keys, but he's afraid to raise suspicion if he asked Coronamon for his spare pair. From the shocked and guarded looks on the DigiDestined's faces, it's obvious he is not what they expected of a rescue party.

"Hurry," Wormmon opens the door wider, gesturing frightfully. He will be in a lot of trouble if his actions were discovered. "There is not much time left!"

Sora glares at him in distrust. She hasn't forgiven him for leading her digimon partner to torture. "What do you mean 'there is not much time'?"

"A Tyrannomon team is being dispatched to this location," Wormmon explains, eyes occasionally glancing backwards to check his surroundings. "The Emperor is going to bury this place, you have to leave! And hurry!" The warning catches their concern and the three human children look to each other, communicating silently with their gaze. They must have judged that the desperation in his tone as genuine, for then Sora nods.

"We'll trust you this once," Sora levels, "But if this is a trap..."

Wormmon is already shaking his head in deny, his antennas jerking wildly. "I'm telling the truth," he says, six tiny feet scurrying quickly on the dirt, "Follow me, it is the shortest way outside."

They make it up one flight of stairs without problem to the ground floor, only having to evade a pair of Mushroomon patrols. The exit is in sight. But then Miyako stopped.

"What is it?" Iori asks.

"But..." the young girl takes a deep breath, "But what about our digimons?"

Wormmon widens his eyes, "There is no time!" he cries out, arms waving frantically, but the glasses wearing teen just shakes her head. "No, I am NOT leaving my digimon behind!" "But if we don't leave now," The insect digimon wants to argue, how foolish! Does this human really want to die for a partner she's never even seen? "The Tyran-"

A violent shake of the ground cuts him off, throwing Wormmon violently against the wall. Iori cries out in pain when he looses his footing and lands hard on the floor. Sora manages to brace herself against a pillar while holding Miyako steady.

"What was that?" Miyako asks, voice shaky.

That's when another thundering sound vibrates through the whole temple and the four of them whip around to the opening down the hall to see the source of the chaos... to find a red reptilian hind foot the size of a car with four shiny claws tearing through the temple slabs like sandpaper.

[Tyrannomon] [Champion-Data-NSp/ME]

"Oh no..." Wormmon mutters, "We're too late."

Blaze Blast! Blaze Blast! Blaze Blast! The sound of collapsing building echoes as fire balls smash through wood and rocks, and the four in the tunnel have to duck to avoid falling debris. There seems to be no end to the brutal assaults, and there's no telling how long the building will hold.

"Miyako, Iori, you guys okay?" Sora waves her hands, trying to clear away the dust.

"Sora..." cough, cough, "Sora," Miyako calls out, "Our digimons...!"

Sora nods, holding onto both Miyako and Iori's hands. But before leading them away, she turns to the young boy. "Iori?" Sora asks one final time, and the boy only hesitate a split second before nodding also.

"We should get our digimons."

Sora smiles at the answer, "Good," she says.

The three then turns for the stairs leading up. And Wormmon looks at them with worry, has no choice but to follow.

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18:22:26 Friday. Forest Temple ground, Tropical Jungle, File Island.

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Taichi hops off Ogremon just as Yamato leaps off Pegasusmon in some distance. This isn't a Control Spire influenced area, so there's no way neither of them are staying out of the fight, especially with four Champion level Tyrannomon demolishing that Forest Temple where Sora is said to be at. Taichi and Yamato don't need anymore incentive.

And so over a hundred yards apart, without rehearse, they call out simultaneously!

"Agumon/Gabumon, digivolve!"

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001000100100111010011011001111011001011000101

001011011001111011001011000101

01001011101010001111

0001101000

00001

01101

10000

01001

01111

01110

000010011110101011010111101110

Agumon

... digivolve...

00111100100010111001011010111101110

Greymon

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00111000010001010101011010111101110

Gabumon

... digivolve...

001110000110010101011001010101011010111101110

Garurumon

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A massive orange dinosaur with hardened cranial bones and large horns roars, flexing his dangerous claws and baring his teeth. And a beastly wolf echoes that call with his howls, fangs showing and glistening in threat.

[Greymon] [Champion-Vaccine-DR/NSp/ME]

[Garurumon] [Champion-Data/Vaccine-NSp/ME/NSo]

"Matt!" Taichi looks to his best friend. Yamato nods in reply. And from two different cardinal directions, the Champions arrive with their respective DigiDestined riding on their shoulder and back.

Daisuke turns to his own partner, "We're not losing to the older guys. Go! V-mon!" he cries, holding up his digivice, "Digi-armor energize!"

(V-mon)... armor-digivolve... Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

"Nefertimon?" "I'm ready, Kari!" "And you, Tsukaimon?" "Hmmph."

"Sure about this, Pegasusmon?" "I am fine, TK. Get ready."

"Looks like a full party," Ogremon says, swinging his club. Liollmon roars.

And from the topmost level of the slowly crumbling temple in the main chamber, Ken watches as the small army gather at his doorstep. They have three Champions, three Armors, and two Rookies... against four of his Tyrannomon and two dozen worthless Mushroomon. The odds are clearly not in his favor.

"Master Osamu!" Coronamon cries, latching to the child Emperor's sleeve. "Let me digivolve, I WILL protect you! I won't fail... never ever again."

Ken bits his lower lips hard, pulling away. "No," he says coldly, his grip tightens around his own digivice that is a dark purple color. "Biyomon?"

"Yes," the wounded pink bird walks up, red eyes blinking slowly, "Master?"

"Biyomon, digivolve... into Ultimate!"

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A/N: Reviews and comments are loved.

If anyone is curious, the binary code for ordinary digivolution says 'digivolve into Champion' in addition to their names.

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Attributes
Vaccine
Data
Virus
Variable- Mimics the opponent's attribute(s)
Free- No strength, no weakness

Fields
(NSp) Natural Spirits
(DR) Dragons' Roar
(VB) Virus Busters
(NSo) Nightmare Soldiers
(JT) Jungle Troopers
(WG) Wind Guardians
(ME) Metal Empire
(DS) Deep Savers