"Everyone, I have some good news for once!" Shibumi said, once all seven of the kids and their Digimon had arrived. "There is a powerful Digimon called Grademon watching over the Digimon we're looking for today, so if any evil Digimon are in the area, Grademon will have already dealt with it."
"Well, that's a relief; I need a break from fighting all the time!" DemiMeramon said. "So, who's going to get their Digimon partner today?"
"This time, Theo will do us the honors of receiving the next Digimon," Shibumi said, handing Theo an emerald-colored Digivice.
"I wonder what kind of Digimon I'll be getting…" Theo said.
"I'm sure it will be a cool one, but I doubt it will be as cool as I am! I'm sure it will be pretty strong, though, but I doubt it won't be-" Koromon said, before being interrupted by Tomoya sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, taking everyone to the Digital World. Once the light disappeared, they could clearly see they were in a vast wasteland near a tall mountain. There wasn't a single living thing in sight.
"Where's my Digimon partner?" Theo asked.
"I don't know; he was supposed to be right here with Grademon," Shibumi said. Theo noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see it was a piece of paper under a rock.
"Guys, I think there's a note here," Theo said, picking up the note. "What is this? I don't know what it says!"
"It's written in DigiCode. Mind if I take a look at it?" Candlemon asked as Theo handed him the note. "It says, 'This is Hawkmon, Theo's partner Digimon. I'm writing this to say that we (that is, Grademon and I) have been defeated and are about to be taken to the top of the mountain you see before you. Please come get us. Signed, Hawkmon.'"
"My Digimon's been taken captive?" Theo exclaimed. "We've got to go help him!"
"But, how? If a Digimon as strong as that Grademon Shibumi was talking about got defeated, then there's no way any of our Digimon would stand a chance!" Tomoya said.
"Well, we've got to at least try!" Candlemon said.
"Wait! We don't know what that mountain is like up there! Our best chance is to fly up!" Tapirmon said.
"But, Tapirmon, you're the only one who can fly! If you, Lilac, and Theo all go up there together, then it will be just you fighting off whatever beat Grademon to save Theo's partner!" Mia said.
"Well, what if, say, Tomoya and Candlemon were to go up there with Theo? Then we'd have two Digimon to fight whatever's up there until we free Hawkmon," Tapirmon suggested.
"It…it's all right with me…" Lilac said.
"Ok, I'll go up there with Theo," Emerilla said. "You ready, Lunamon?" she asked her Digimon partner, who nodded enthusiastically.
"All right, now that that's all settled…Tapirmon Digivolve to, Unimon! Come on guys, climb on!" Unimon said as Theo, Emerilla, and Lunamon climbed onto Unimon's back. "And we're off!" After about thirty minutes of flying, Unimon decided to take a short break on the mountain.
"Emerilla, thank you for going with me," Theo said.
"Theo, we've known each other for two years; you're like a little brother to me," Emerilla said softly.
"Guys, it's going to get colder the farther up we go," Unimon said. "As a Digimon used to living on mountains like this, I'll be fine, but the three of you should be careful."
"You don't have to worry about me, Unimon; at the Champion level, I have ice and water attacks! The cold should only make them stronger!" Lunamon said, jumping onto Unimon's neck.
"I don't intend to stay on this mountain for very long," Emerilla said, climbing onto Unimon's back. "With you, Lunamon, and Theo's Digimon all at the Champion level, I expect this to be an easy victory."
"I should've guessed that you'd say something like that," Unimon said as Theo climbed on her back. As soon as Unimon spread her wings and took flight, a stream of black flames scorched the ground where she just was. Looking over to where the flames came from, they immediately saw an enormous dragon.
"An Airdramon? THAT'S what defeated Grademon?" Emerilla exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Lunamon asked.
"Airdramon's only a Champion level Digimon, while Grademon's and Ultimate," Theo said.
"This Digimon must be incredibly powerful to have taken down that Grademon," Unimon said, flying back down to the mountain to let Theo and Emerilla off as Emerilla's Digivice began to glow.
"Lunamon Digivolve to, Lekismon!"
"I don't care what you say, Unimon; I say this is going to be an easy fight for you guys!" Emerilla said.
"You're a fool if you think that!" Airdramon roared. "Why do you think I LET Hawkmon write that note for you to find, because I don't have hands? I WANTED you to come up here! I WANTED to challenge you!"
"What makes you so sure our Digimon won't beat you?" Emerilla asked.
"If there were three of you fighting me, I might be worried, but Hawkmon and Grademon are hidden somewhere on this mountain, trapped in ice! And there's only so much the two of you can do to me!" Airdramon said to Unimon and Lekismon.
"No problem; I'll just go and get a couple more Digimon from-"
"Spinning Needle!" Airdramon unleashed the stream of black flames from his mouth at Unimon, slamming her into the mountain. A few pounds of snow fell from up above and landed on Unimon.
"Tear Arrow!" Lekismon shot an ice arrow from her back, but since it was cold, the arrow was larger, dealing more damage than usual as it struck Airdramon in the face. "Moon Night Bomb!"
"Wing Cutter!" Lekismon formed a ball of water in her glove that instantly froze, and as she threw it at Airdramon, he flapped his enormous wings, sending two blades of air that shattered the ice ball and struck Lekismon, sending her falling to the ground.
"Aerial Gallop!" Unimon burst through the snow and flew at a high speed, striking Airdramon across the face with her horn. "Aerial Attack!" Unimon fired a blast of energy from her mouth at Airdramon, but he flew out of the way, causing Unimon's attack to hit the mountain. However, when it did, it melted the snow on the side of the mountain, revealing a small cavern with two Digimon inside it.
"That must be where your Digimon is!" Emerilla said, running into the cavern with Theo.
"Hawkmon! Hawkmon, are you ok?" Theo asked, vigorously shaking the bird, and soon, his eyes opened.
"Theo? Thou art Theo, aren't thou?" Hawkmon asked, speaking with a Shakespearian dialect (and a voice that sounded similar to Mercurymon from season 4.)
"Yes…yes, that's me!" Theo said, tears in his eyes as he hugged his Digimon. "I'm glad you're ok!"
"Thou art mistaken, Theodore; none could ever hope to defeat me in the field of battle!" Hawkmon said with a warm smile. "Now, let us assist thy friends! Hawkmon Digivolve to, Thunderbirdmon!" the immense blue Digimon instantly took flight and left the cavern, and instantly tackled Airdramon.
"Damn it, they've set you loose! And that means that Grademon…"
"Is right behind you!" a golden armored Digimon said as he slashed Airdramon across the back with his swords
"Spark Wing!" Thunderbirdmon swung his wing, firing multiple electrified feathers from it, striking Airdramon in the face and wings, making him fall on his back on the mountain, where he then slid headfirst all the way down to the bottom. "Many thanks for thy assistance, Grademon."
"It was the very least I could do after failing to protect you," Grademon said solemnly.
"Well, come on; let's rejoin our friends at the bottom of the mountain!" Unimon said as Emerilla and Lunamon, who had de-Digivolved from Lekismon once Thunderbirdmon sent Airdramon to the bottom of the mountain, climbed on her back. Theo climbed onto Thunderbirdmon's back as he flew down, and Grademon simply jumped down. Once they all reached the bottom, they could all see that Airdramon was still alive.
"Enjoy this victory…while you are still able to!" Airdramon snarled. "Eat, drink, and be merry, little Digidestined, for soon you shall all be crushed!" and with that, Airdramon spread his mighty wings and took off.
"Everyone, I wish to apologize for not being able to defeat that fiend," Grademon said. "He struck me as hard as he could from behind; I didn't have time to react as he took me and Hawkmon up the mountain, where he forced Hawkmon to write that message."
"Hey, don't worry about it, Grademon. I'm just glad you're still alive and well," Shibumi said.
"…I take it that means you have another job for me to do?" Grademon asked.
"Yes, I'd like for you to take this message to…our beautiful friend," Shibumi said, handing Grademon a piece of paper. "Make sure you aren't followed."
"Yeah…wouldn't want anything bad to happen to any innocent evil Digimon that happen to wander into her house," Grademon said with a laugh, then took off.
"No, Nathan, it's not an Angewomon he's going to go see, and no, you can't go with him," Shibumi said with an exhausted sigh.
"How'd you know what I was going to ask?" Nate asked, truly bewildered.
"We've known each other for about a week; it's gotten quite obvious."
"All right, let's go back home now!" Tomoya said, sliding the yellow card through his Digivice, taking everyone back to the human world.
"Well, it looks like you're at the In-Training level now," Theo said, looking at his Digimon.
"Indeed; I am Poromon now," the small Digimon said.
"I still can't believe you didn't take me up the mountain with you! I bet I could've destroyed that dragon with a single attack!" Koromon said rapidly.
"Koromon, will you let it go?" Nate pleaded.
"Yeah, but I'm like the strongest Digimon ever! I know I could have-"
"Will thou stop that?" Poromon shouted, smacking Koromon with his wing.
