Tears filled his eyes as Stingmon fell to the ground. Ken yelled for his partner and was about to run to him, until Piemon suddenly appeared in front of him and picked him up. Ken struggled as rope was magically tied around his hands.

"STINGMON! HELP! STINGMON!" Piemon laughs as he holds Ken with one arm. Ken could only scream for his partner, hoping he was okay. Stingmon was only an Adult. He could barely scratch an Ultimate, especially this one. Tears leaked from his eyes as Piemon began to float in the air. Ken saw his partner on the ground, not moving. "STINGMON! WAKE UP! STINGMON!"

Piemon laughs. "What a shame? Your only protector has once again failed to protect you."

"You're lying!" Ken snaps back in denial. If anything, he has failed Stingmon. "STINGMON! WAKE UP, PLEASE!"

"Oh, am I?" Ken involuntarily shivers at the tone of the Ultimate's voice. "Has he even told you about who he was back then?" Ken frowned. "How he died or how exactly does he know me, hmm?"

Ken continued to shake his head in denial. If Stingmon was keeping something from him then it was probably to protect him. Stingmon had been worried that an old friend might attack them. Ken's eyes widen as something came to him. "Y-you're Stingmon's old friend."

"Smart boy," Piemon spoke in a tone that made Ken want to cringe. "Did he tell you that or did you figure that out on your own?" Ken didn't answer. He was too afraid to say anything. What Stingmon did to have this digimon hate him so much, terrified him. At this one moment all Ken wanted to do was go to Stingmon, make sure he is alright, and go home. "Pity, looks like we have visitors."

Ken blinked as four digimon burst out of the forest. There was a Lillymon, but she was black and wore a red and white outfit, a Leomon with a coat, a Mamemon with a bat and military cloak, and a Golemon with a cape. Ken blinked in confusion as Lillymon and Mamemon charged straight for them.

"Piemon! Release the boy!" The Mamemon yells.

"Hang on dear, we're coming!" The Lillymon tries to reassure him.

Ken could only look at them pleadingly as Piemon smirks at them in triumphant. "You're too late." More tears fell down his cheeks as the two digimon screamed, while both he and Piemon teleport away.

Stingmon...help...

"No!" They yell in unison as Piemon managed to escape with the Chosen. This couldn't be happening! They were so close, so close! They had been tracking Piemon for years after Stingmon sacrificed himself to save them. They knew Stingmon was reborn into a Chosen Digimon, but they had been so busy that they couldn't reunite with their friend.

They sighed at the realization that they failed to save Stingmon's partner. With their latest failure hanging over their heads, BanchoLillymon and BanchoMamemon returned to the others. BanchoLeomon was checking for any injuries that Stingmon might have gotten, while trying to protect his partner. It was a relief to know he was still alive, but the guilt of not saving Stingmon's partner was still hard to swallow. How would Stingmon react to this when he woke up?

"How is he?" BanchoLillymon asked.

"Minimum damage," BanchoLeomon told them. "Stingmon should be fine after some rest and some food."

"Piemon got away with the child?" BanchoGolemon asked.

"Affirmative," BanchoMamemon said with a frustrated huff.

"What did Piemon want with Stingmon's partner?" BanchoGolemon's mused out loud as he watched BanchoLeomon treat Stingmon's injuries.

"I don't know, but we have to find him!" BanchoLillymon punched her hand with her fist. "You should have seen the child! He was so terrified. He was practically pleading for us to help him!" BanchoLillymon gritted her teeth as terrified, pleading, tear-filled violet eyes replayed in her mind.

"We'll find him," BanchoLeomon said calmly.

"How can you be so sure?" BanchoLillymon snaps.

"Because," BanchoLeomon puts the healing cream that he was using back into his jacket jacket as he was addressing her. BanchoLeomon looks at her calmly. "We both know how powerful the bond between digimon and humans are." BanchoLeomon crossed his arms across his chest as he continued. "We both knew that Piemon was up to something. We all hunched that he still had issues with Stingmon, even after killing him the first time." The others averted their gazes at the reminder.

"Why did he kidnap the child then?" BanchoGolemon asked with a frown. "He could have easily taken Stingmon out, considering their levels of power."

"It's the child," BanchoLeomon told them.

"The child?" BanchoGolemon asked, confused.

"You haven't been around when these children fight. Don't underestimate the power between their bond. Stingmon has the capability to shinka further and it all comes down to his bond with his partner."

BanchoGolemon's eyes widen in surprise. "Is it really that strong?"

"Affirmative," BanchoMamemon confirmed. "Chosen Digimon's power all depends on how strong their bond is with their partner. There is also the factor of the emotional state as well. Chosen Digimon has the ability to shinka further if the child is in danger. The combined fear of the child and the digimon's will to protect that said child is what triggers the shinka."

"Let's not forget the child, itself," BanchoLillymon chimed in. "When the child is emotionally distress and conflicted the digimon can't shinka, and vice versa. It's like the time when Stingmon's partner was conflicted when his base was about to explode. From what I could tell he felt lost and guilty and lonely. But when the other Chosen talked some sense into him, made him see more clearly, it managed to trigger Jogress Shinka."

BanchoGolemon look impressed by this information. "So it all comes down to how strong their faith is in each other as well as themselves."

"Affirmative."

BanchoGolemon sighed. "If this is the case then Stingmon could have shinka to a higher form in order to protect his partner."

"Piemon knows this," BanchoLeomon said grimmly, finishing what BanchoGolemon was going to say. "That's why he took the child in the first place."

BanchoLillymon stood straighter with a burning determination in her eyes. "And this is why we are going to get the child back and put an end to Piemon once and for all."

Ken wasn't sure what was worse: being kidnapped, being thrown into a cage, or being forced to partake in one of Piemon's twisted games. Ken shuddered as he looked for a place to hide. Piemon had thought it would be fun to play hide-and-seek. "More like hide-and-hunt," Ken mumbled to himself.

Ken opened one of the many doors in the creepy castle. He blanched when the room he entered was filled with clown tools and props, swords, huge toys that were taller than him, a bed, on the far wall was digimon keychains, and to top things off - no windows.

Ken stared uneasily at the room. Something didn't feel right for him or it could be the fact that he might have entered Piemon's bedroom. Creep.

Ken glanced around, hoping to find a place to hide. There was no time to run out and go into another room. Piemon was down the hall, laughing his head off as he called out his name like a predator. Ken's violet eyes glanced at the far end of the room. There were two huge stuff teddy bears, which was painted to look like a clown, in the corner. Ken ignored the lingering fear as he rushed towards them. Thankfully there was a small opening for him to slip behind them without notice. It was just in time too. Because as soon as he got through and huddled on the cold ground the door opened.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" The Ultimate sang as the sound of the door was closed shut behind him. Ken covered his mouth with his hand to prevent himself from making a sudden sound. "There's no need to hide from me, child. I know you are here." The clown digimon hummed, pleasingly as the sound of something being moved was heard.

Please, don't find me. Please, don't find me.

"Do you like my room?" Piemon's voice echoed in the large room. "I had spent many centuries getting my way to the top. I collected all these wonderful trophies." Ken felt sick at the tone of his voice when he said 'trophies'. "But do you know what I love the most?" There was the sound of something clanking against metal followed by a swooshing sound and footsteps.

Ken's eyes widened fearfully when his only source of protection was pushed aside by the clown's hands. Piemon smiled creepily at him, his eyes revealing the depth of his insanity. Piemon bent down on his knees, leveling his eyes level to Ken's. Piemon dangled a Angewomon, with black and white features, keychain in front of his face. Ken blinked, not removing his eyes from the keychain.

"How fun it would be when I add Stingmon to my collection?" Piemon said as he moved the keychain from side to side.

Ken's eyes widen as he took in both the Ultimate's words and the keychain in his line of sight. "That's a…"

Piemon smiled, giving Ken goosebumps. "A living Digimon? Why yes it is." He laughs. "When your partner comes to rescue you, he will face the same fate as the others."

Ken suck in a breath when Piemon released the chain and allowed it to fall to the floor. That's a digimon? A living digimon? But- Ken stared at the digimon keychain in shock. That means that it lost and was turned into that. And Stingmon might be-

"NO!" Ken jumped up to his feet as he glared angrily at the Piemon in front of him as his words registered into his mind. "STINGMON WILL SAVE ME! HE WILL DEFEAT YOU!" Ken wasn't sure where this boast of anger was coming from or where his fear had gone. All he knew was that Stingmon will come for him. Stingmon will save him and hopefully all those poor digimon that were transformed into keychains. Ken swiftly grabbed the strange Angewomon keychain that was on the floor and bolted out of the room with speed that only a talented soccer player could possess.

Piemon watched as the child left. The child was very interesting. He had sense the darkness within the child. Why he was partnered to his pathetic old friend was beyond him. It was a pity that the child had so much faith in Stingmon. He would have to fix that one problem, wouldn't he? He smirks at his own musing. He will finally get rid of Stingmon and when that happens the last of the child's hopes will be crushed. He laughs madly at the mental picture. It was going to be fun to see the child fall to darkness once again. And and then and only then will Stingmon's partner be his. And no one will stop him.