"Taichi you idiot wake up."

Taichi rolled over. Standing over him was Yamato. "Time to get up."

"Why?" Taichi asked as he turned away from Yamato. "I wanna sleep."

"Koushiro has an important announcement," Yamato said as he gently nudged Taichi with his foot.

"Tell Koushiro to wait. I'm the leader I get special privileges," Taichi closed his eyes and began to obnoxiously snore.

Yamato nudged Taichi with his foot again, but this time a little rougher. "Ow, you little runt why'd you do that?" Taichi groaned.

"What do you mean by runt? I'm six inches taller than you," Yamato reached down and grabbed Taichi's collar. "For the last time, get up."

"No," Taichi began to snore once more.

Yamato looked up, exasperated. "You have forced me to do this." He leaned down next to Taichi's ear and whispered loudly, "Koushiro and Sora hooked up last night."

Taichi leapt up his eyes ablaze. "What did you say Yamato?"

Yamato looked directly into Taichi's eyes. "I said Koushiro and Sora hooked up last night. You know, made out."

"That little… oh I'm going to kill him," Taichi said, his rage building.

Yamato laughed. "Wait, did I say Koushiro and Sora hooked up last night? What I meant was," Yamato leaned very close to Taichi's ear. "WAKE UP!"

Taichi yelped and grabbed his ear. "You didn't have to yell."

"You weren't listening."

"Well you at least didn't have to attack my weak spots." Taichi put a hand over his heart. "I'm hurt Yamato.

"It was so much more entertaining that way though."

"Bah," Taichi said. "Let's go get breakfast."

Taichi and Yamato strolled over to the fire where breakfast was being served. Taichi glanced around, and noticed that Hikari and Takeru were missing.

"Where's Takeru and my sister?" he asked the four chosen children who were there.

"Don't know," Koushiro said, who was much more concerned about something on his laptop than the two missing chosen children.

Taichi shot Yamato a quick glance. "They couldn't be…"

"No," Yamato shook his head.

"Maybe, I mean anything is possible…"

"I doubt it," Yamato put his hands in his pockets. "Takeru isn't smooth enough.

"At what?"

Yamato jumped up into the air. "Jeez Takeru you scared the crap outta me."

Takeru had walked up behind Yamato, unnoticed." But what aren't I smooth enough at?"

"Your jump shot," Yamato quickly said. "You need to practice it."

"You've never seen my jump shot," Takeru glared at Yamato.

"I can tell it isn't smooth. I'm telling you that you need to practice." Yamato slowly shook his head. "I can't believe my own brother doesn't take my advice."

"I wouldn't take your advice either," Koushiro called from his seat in front of his laptop.

"Thank you Koushiro for your undying trust and support," Yamato said sarcastically.

"Anytime," Koushiro said as his fingers danced across his keyboard.

Yamato turned to Takeru once more. "If your jump shot is smooth enough, let me see it."

"Don't have a basketball," Takeru looked at his feet.

"We can use a rock or something," Yamato stared down at Takeru.

"A rock isn't the right size or weight," Takeru mumbled.

"You're just scared that I'm right," Yamato said with a grin.

"No, I just don't want to hurt myself trying to prove a pointless fact," Takeru said angrily. "Anyways, we don't have a basket to shoot at."

"You know I probably could find a way to digitize a basketball and a hoop," Koushiro interjected.

"Just whose side are you on?" asked Takeru.

"My own," Koushiro said nonchalantly.

"Uh guys," Jou said. "Jump shots aside we still don't know where Hikari is."

"True," Taichi stroked his chin. "Now where could she be?"

"She couldn't be…" Yamato looked at Taichi.

"No," Taichi shook his head.

"Maybe, I mean anything is possible…"

"I doubt it," Taichi struggled to hold a straight face. "She isn't smooth enough…"

"You're right, it's impossible," Yamato said. He turned to the rest. "Everyone, me and Taichi have come to the undisputable conclusion that Hikari is… dead."

Everyone around the fire gasped, except for Koushiro. He looked up at them and shook his head. "Well well, look at these two. I wonder how they'll send your Oscars to you. I wonder if the digital world has a mailing service." Koushiro said sarcastically.

"Wait so they were…" Mimi began slowly.

Koushiro looked at her strangely. "You didn't know they were just messing around."

"Well if she isn't here, then where is she?"

Yamato looked down at his hand, as if he were reading a name off a paper. "And the Most Oblivious Person of the Year is… Mimi, come on down and claim your prize."

Mimi glared at Yamato, then turned to Sora. "I know you know where she is."

"Why would I know where she is?" Sora asked. "I don't know where she is."

"Of course you know where she is, you love playing mother to the group," Mimi said.

"I don't love playing mother to you guys," Sora said defiantly.

Everyone just looked at her.

"Okay, I love playing mother to you guys. It's like crack to me," Sora smiled sheepishly. "And yes, I know where Hikari is."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Taichi asked.
"'Cause once I tell you what she is doing, you will make me stop her," Sora said slowly.

"Taichi can't make you do anything. He left his backbone in the real world," Koushiro called again from his laptop.

Taichi glowered at Koushiro. "Can you be quiet?"

"No, I'm serious, look everyone," Koushiro beckoned everyone towards his computer.

Everyone crowded around Koushiro's laptop. On the screen was a picture of Taichi.

"Now I just make an X-ray of it," Koushiro said as he moved the curser over the 'X-ray' button. "And here it is, look."

On the screen was a picture of a skeleton, except the skeleton was missing it's spine.

"Proof," Koushiro smiled.

Everyone laughed, except for Taichi. "How long did it take you to make this?"

"I started when you showed up this morning."

"Shouldn't you have been doing something useful?" Taichi asked.

"This was much more entertaining."

"What is with all these people annoying me for entertainment this morning?" Taichi asked in disbelief. "First Yamato, now Koushiro. It's like I'm not the leader anymore…"

"Well Taichi, that's why we're here," Koushiro looked at Taichi solemnly.

"What, you mean…"

"That's right, we have a new leader," Koushiro sadly shook his head.

"Why…" Taichi looked crestfallen. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"You just weren't cutting it," Koushiro said sadly.

"Who is it?" Taichi asked, his sadness turning to anger.

"It is," Koushiro paused dramatically. "This pinecone."

Yamato burst out laughing and Taichi grabbed the pinecone. Taichi wound up, and hurled the pinecone into the woods. "Stupid pinecone," Taichi muttered. Then louder he said, "I'm glad I have friends who I can trust and count on."

"Hey hey, don't take it too hard," said Yamato. "Us being able to totally get you three times in one morning just proves that we are comfortable as a group again."

"I suppose that's true," Taichi said, as he sat down. "Well I'm just glad that Sora and Jou didn't take part in this childish behavior."

"I am the mature one," Jou said with a smile.

"Yeah," Takeru agreed. "You're like the father, and Sora is the mother…"

Before anyone could say anything, Mimi shrieked.

"Oh my god it's Hikari!"

Everyone turned and looked where Mimi was pointing. There was Hikari, who was staggering out of the forest, with blood dripping from a gash on her head.

Everyone jumped up and ran over to her.

"Don't stand up," Jou said. "Everyone, help her to the ground."

Everyone gently laid Hikari to the ground.

"What happened?" Jou asked, concern etching his features.

"It was, a pinecone," Hikari gasped. "I woke up a few minutes ago, and began walking through the woods to get here. Out of nowhere, a pinecone flew at me and whacked me on my head."

Everyone glared at Taichi.

"So you expect us to believe a pinecone just came out of nowhere and hit you on the head?" Taichi asked Hikari.

"Taichi you numbskull you threw the pinecone," Mimi said angrily.

"Now now Mimi," Koushiro said, amusement gracing his voice. "Don't be angry at Taichi. He was just overthrowing our new leader. Turned out to be a good thing too, I mean that pinecone can't handle defeat. His first loss and he goes and brains Hikari over her head. Look at that gash, my my he was quite abusive. I think Taichi deserves extra breakfast for saving us from a horrible fate."

"I agree with Koushiro," Taichi said sternly. "You all should be very grateful."

"Oh my god," Hikari began rocking back and forth in the fetal position. "I've gone insane."

"No you haven't," said Koushiro as he leaned in close to Hikari. "It's actually quite simple. The group elected a pinecone to be leader instead of Taichi. In a blind rage Taichi grabbed the pinecone and threw it into the woods. Obviously angry from his loss to a much less intelligent life form the pinecone decided to take his anger out on you, by viciously attacking you in the woods."

Hikari looked at Koushiro. "Yeah, I've definitely gone insane. Now all I need are some cartoon animals to serve me as their queen…"

"Queen Hikari, Queen Hikari," A chorus of voices rang from the trees. The group turned around, and saw a green mass moving towards them.

Hikari groaned. "And here come my cartoon animal servants…"

"You idiot, those are those nuemamon you rescued from Machinedramon. Don't you remember?" said Takeru.

"Wait, so I'm not insane?" Hikari asked.

"No, it's just been a weird morning," Takeru answered.

"Ah," Hikari said as she turned towards the nuemamon. "Nuemamon, how have you been?"

One of the nuemamon stepped forward. He looked just as ragged and tired as pixiemon had. "Queen Hikari, it's been horrible. The Syndrome has consumed the sewers where we once lived. We have traveled for days, just trying to avoid being consumed. As you can see, many of our group has been lost to it."

Mimi rushed up and grabbed the nuemamon. "Oh my, you poor babies."

The nuemamon readily accepted the hug, and then continued. "It's awful, the Syndrome changes them, and it makes them feral and violent. You are our only hope."

The group looked at their feet, ashamed. They had spent most of their time here like a reunion, not a war. Taichi stepped up towards the small group of nuemamon. "I swear that I will see to it that this Syndrome is destroyed."

"Me too."

"I'm in."

"I guess I have to."

"It's my responsibility."

"I'll do it, if not just to get back to home so I can get married."

"Sounds good to me."

Koushiro shook his head. "We have no time for empty promises."

"What do you mean by empty promises?" Taichi asked angrily.

"I'm saying that instead of making promises we need to work. All of you, leave me now, I need to concentrate on making these guys able to digivolve. We won't win with rookies. Break up into your old groups, and work. In an hour come back here." Koushiro ordered.

"Shouldn't we wait for the leader to order us?" asked Yamato.

Taichi looked sheepishly around. "Err… what he said. Let's rock."

As the groups walked off, Koushiro called to Jou. Jou walked over, and sat next to Koushiro. "How you holding up big guy?" Koushiro asked.

Jou smiled and replied, "Not that bad. You talking with me really helped. Please don't tell the others."

"Why not?"" Koushiro asked. "Some group stuff could do you good."

"This is a private matter, and I really don't want them to know. If I told them it would distract the group. We need to focus on beating that virus"

Koushiro smiled. "Now you're thinking like a soldier. Better get running though, Mimi is way ahead of you."

Just after Jou ran off to catch up with Mimi, Sora walked up to Koushiro. "So partner, what are we going to practice today?"

A lump formed in Koushiro's throat. He knew he should send her with a different group, so he could fully concentrate on his work, but he just couldn't…

"Well I think we should have our digimon work on aerial maneuvers. They are going to need to be able to dodge attacks from infected digimon." Koushiro said.

Sora nodded. "I agree. You two up to it?"

Tentomon and Byomon nodded.

"Alright, up you two go." Koushiro addressed the two digimon. They took off, and began doing loops in the air. Koushiro stared up at them for a second and then turned to Sora. "How's your throwing arm?"

"Not bad," Sora replied.

"Good. I want you to throw rocks at them," Koushiro said.

"Why?" Sora asked in disbelief.

"Simulation. They need to learn how to dodge actual objects. If you hit them, it won't hurt that much, but it will hurt them enough to encourage them to dodge and weave."

"I don't know… it sounds a little unorthodox," Sora said slowly.

"Think of it as a necessary evil," Koushiro replied smoothly.

"Can't you do it?" Sora asked sweetly. "For me?"

"Sure," Koushiro replied. "Let the man do the work. You can run off and go do something womanly like pick flowers or cook-"

By the time Koushiro reached the word 'flowers' Sora had already thrown the second rock.

"Nothing better than some reverse psychology," he muttered to himself as he opened his laptop. He stared at the screen, thinking. Then rapidly, he began to type in a code. He scratched his chin. Koushiro opened a folder marked 'Word Docs.' He dragged a black icon that resembled a crescent moon into the code. The screen flashed and Koushiro smiled. He had turned his laptop into a makeshift digivice. He turned and looked at Sora who was still chucking rocks at the digimon. He smiled. Everything was going smoothly, just as he planned.

"I hate him," Taichi confided to Yamato.

"Hm?" Yamato replied, not really paying attention.

"Koushiro, I hate him," Taichi said again.

"And why is that?" Yamato asked, who was much more interested in Gabumon and Agumon who were doing target practice.

"He is a thief. He is trying to steal my job, and my girl," Taichi said, malice flooding his words.

Yamato shook his head. "Can we not go over the whole Koushiro and Sora thing?"

"No," Taichi said decisively. "I mean look at the way those two act together. Also, why did he choose her for a partner?"

Yamato sighed. He really didn't want to talk about this. "I'm going to say this, and I really hope you listen. Tentomon and Byomon are a good combo. That's what he was thinking. Also, he isn't trying to steal Sora no matter what you think. Anyways, it isn't stealing. Sora isn't and never was anything more than a friend."

"But he knows I, uh, you know," Taichi protested.

Yamato looked up towards the sky, exasperated. "Taichi, you're an paranoid idiot. Koushiro will respect everyone's feelings and boundaries. As for him trying to overthrow you… it's absolutely preposterous. He may look like he's in charge now, but this is sort of a down time. Like the calm before the storm. He is an idea guy, and this is the time when ideas are king. When the combat comes, you'll be back in charge," Yamato glared at Taichi. "That enough for ya?"

Taichi snorted angrily. "I'm going to confront him tonight."

"I'm sure that will end well," Yamato said sarcastically. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Shut up Yamato." Taichi began walking angrily off into the woods. "When it comes down, you better choose my side."

Agumon stopped his target practice and ran to catch up with Taichi. Yamato turned to Gabumon. "What a melodramatic idiot."

Gabumon nodded in agreement.

Hikari walked through the woods, about fifteen feet ahead of Takeru. The air around her seemed to be suffocating her. This is so uncomfortable, she thought. Hikari heard footsteps rushing up behind her. She turned to see Takeru rushing up behind her. "Uh, Hikari, can we talk?"

Hikari sighed and said, "I suppose."

"Well, it's about yesterday. I had no right to get angry like that. I'm sorry, and I really want to salvage what's left of our friendship. I don't want it to end with a fight." Takeru pleaded.

Hikari's eyes welled up with tears. "You shouldn't be apologizing. It isn't your fault, it's mine. I've blown you off, I'm the one in the wrong. It's my fault we drifted.

Takeru laughed. "Let's just agree that it was both of our faults. Friends?" He held out his hand.

"Friends," Hikari said as she bypassed his hands and gave Takeru a hug.

The sun beat down on the chosen children as they crowded around for lunch. Takeru and Hikari sat together, deep in conversation. Taichi spent the entire lunch glaring at Koushiro, who was engaged in a conversation with Sora. Yamato, Jou, and Mimi were arguing about who had the best career.

"Traveling the open road, meeting all kinds of people, being a musician is the best," Yamato said.

"Well at least I'm going to have money when I'm forty," Jou said smugly.

"That's not a problem for Yamato, he will die from a drug overdose in a few years," Mimi interjected.

"Thanks Mimi," Yamato sarcastically replied. "I don't even do drugs for your information."

"Yeah, and I'm Whitney Houston," Mimi countered.

"Why would you choose Whitney Houston?" Yamato asked.

"Well were talking about drugs, so she just came to mind," Mimi replied.

"Whatever," Yamato brushed some hair out of his eyes. "Anyways, that is musician profiling and I resent that. We don't all do drugs. I just drink."

"Fine, you will die of liver disease," Jou said.

"Does it matter what I die of?"

"Pretty soon it's going to be my fist if you three don't shut up." They looked up and saw Koushiro standing over them. "I would like you to be quiet when I start talking."

"Sorry Koushiro," Mimi said.

Koushiro glared at her. "As I was saying, tonight we should start with the entire group strategies today. Basically work on not tripping over each other."

"Sounds good," Yamato said, remembering the earlier fight with Kuogomon.

"Aren't I the leader here," Taichi stood u angrily. "Shouldn't I make the decisions?"

"Taichi, Taichi," Koushiro put an arm over Taichi's shoulder. "This is the down time. Where good ideas are what lead the group. Right now, I'm coming up with the ideas. Once we get to combat, it'll be you and Agumon front and center."

Taichi pushed Koushiro away. "Stop b.s.ing me. You aren't the old Koushiro who would've said that. You're different, and you are only in this for the glory. You are manipulative s.o.b. who is out to ruin the group from the inside."

Before Koushiro could respond, Sora spoke up. "Shut up Taichi. Just shut the hell up. You're being a jealous prick."

"Paranoid to boot," Yamato added.

"Thank you Yamato," Sora said before continuing her rant. "You need to get over the fact that some one else is taking charge. You need to stop being so paranoid, and just man up to the new situation. Grow some balls and deal with being in the back seat for once. Has there ever been a time when you didn't need attention? You're always following me around, hanging on my every word. It's pathetic."

"Sora, I-" Taichi began.

"And you know what, some of us like the new Koushiro better," Sora glared at Taichi.

"Who?" Taichi challenged. "Who is suddenly so comfortable with the new change in the status quo?"

"ME!" Sora screamed. "Now either shut up or get out!"

"I'll take the latter," Taichi said stiffly. He turned, and walked away from the group.

"Heh," Koushiro laughed uncomfortably. "We really don't need the group to be split again Sora. However, I am grateful for the defense."

Sora smiled. "It wasn't just for you. There were some things I needed to get off my chest."

Jou stood up. "Well now that the group is split up, what are we going to do?"

"You six practice, I need to work on getting our digimon to digivolve. I'm trying to turn my laptop into a makeshift digivice, but I haven't had any luck," Koushiro said smoothly. "Anyways, when night comes, I'll have a nice surprise for you guys. Now off, learn to fight."

The other chosen children began walking into the field, but Jou lagged behind. "Koushiro, thanks for not telling the others."

Koushiro smiled. "No problem Jou, no problem at all."

When the sun began to set the chosen children who were practicing in the field walked back to camp. In the camp, of all things was an LCD projector. A huge white piece of paper hung from a tree, to be used as a backdrop for the LCD projector. Koushiro's yellow laptop was hooked up to it, and Koushiro was sitting on a log by the monitor. Taichi was sitting on the opposite side of the camp, sulking.

"Finished just in time," Koushiro said as they arrive. "I'll show you my big surprise. Just give me one second before I start. Jou, could you come here?"

Jou walked over to Koushiro. "What is it?"

"The gun Jou. It's nighttime, I think we should get rid of it now," Koushiro said.

"Can't we wait until after this surprise or whatever?" Jou questioned.

Koushiro shook his head. "Just trust me on this one."

Jou sighed, "I suppose your right." Jou and Koushiro walked over to Jou's blue sports bag. Jou reached his hand in, and moved around until he felt cold steel.

"Here," he whispered to Koushiro. "Take it."

Koushiro smiled. "You're doing the right thing," he said as he pocketed the gun. He then walked over to his laptop and addressed the group. "Are you ready my friends, for the big surprise."

"Where'd you get the projector and piece of paper?" Mimi asked.

Koushiro shrugged. "It's the digital world, you never know what you might find. Now let's begin."

He hit clicked the play button, and the big piece of paper lit up with the projector's image. The group gasped. On the makeshift screen was a picture of Vlad, the man Koushiro had taunted Sora with earlier. On the screen below it, white lettering spelled out, 'Sora's first kiss with Vlad.' The slideshow continued, each showing different appalling pictures from each chosen child's past. After five minutes of just staring, the group got angry.

"What the hell is this?"

"What in god's name are you doing?"

"Wait, Koushiro silenced them. "Here's the best part."

On the screen flashed images of Jou finding about the affair, and pictures of him pulling out the gun, and firing on the two lovers.

Jou stood up angrily. "You little-"

"Ah ah, no bad language here," Koushiro said maliciously.

The rest of the group stood up, advancing slowly on Koushiro. In one fluid motion, he pulled out Jou's gun. "I'd stop right there," he said.

"Tsk tsk Koushiro. Don't you know anything about friendship?"

Koushiro turned towards the sound of the voice. Sitting in a tree was Pixiemon. "Your timing is amazing," Koushiro said.

Sora turned to Pixiemon. "This is your fault you flying hairball. You're the one who downloaded our memories," she spat angrily.

Pixiemon put a hand over his heart. "Me? You've been tricked sweetheart. This was all Koushiro's doing."

Sora swirled to face Koushiro, her face ablaze. "Why did you show those Koushiro?"

Koushiro laughed, "I see you don't know who to direct your anger at. Well, let me help you. It's my fault. I stole your memories, I lied to you."

"How long were you planning this?" Sora asked angrily.

"Ever since I became a nice little do-gooder." Koushiro smiled. "I deserve an Oscar."

"Why would you do that?" Sora asked, her voice jumping an octave higher.

"For fun, and to create general discontent amongst the group. I mean how is Takeru going to act around Yamato knowing that Yamato messed around with his girlfriend in high school. Honestly Yamato, he's your brother," Koushiro was laughing now.

Pixiemon flitted over to the LCD projector. "If you think their past is so funny, let's see how they like yours," he said quietly. Pixiemon hit a button, and a high quality movie began to show on the piece of paper.

Koushiro stood there, in shock for a second before saying. "I already told them about what happened to me."

"I'm not showing that two bit lie you fed them, I'm showing them the true story," Pixiemon said sadly. "We just found this yesterday. If we had earlier you wouldn't even be here."

"You're not going to show that," Koushiro said as he raised the gun. Suddenly, Yamato lunged at him, knocking him to the ground. Takeru dived forward and grabbed the gun. Takeru tossed the gun away from Koushiro.

"I don't think you have much of a choice," said Yamato as he spat dirt out of his mouth.

Pixiemon landed on the LCD projector and dramatically said, "Now, for the Koushiro story."

On the screen was Koushiro, standing on the flowing green hills of a college campus. However, unlike the Koushiro that now lay on the ground before them this Koushiro had short hair, and that old spark in his eyes. The most obvious difference was that this Koushiro looked happy. Koushiro was walking around the campus greeting various people, when a police officer walked up to him. The officer flashed his shield and asked, "Are you Koushiro Izumi?"

"That's me," Koushiro replied.

"We need to talk," said the officer as he grabbed Koushiro and dragged him to a car. In the car was a high ranking military officer that Koushiro recognized from the papers. He was a portly man, with a thinning head of hair.

"Ah, Koushiro my boy, let's take a ride," the military officer said.

"Do I have a choice?" Koushiro asked.

"Not really. And you can call me Frank," said Frank with a smile.

Koushiro sighed, and got in the car. Frank began talking. "Is it true that you have visited the digital world multiple times?"

Taken back by the abruptness of the question, Koushiro stuttered out a, "yes."

"Well I'm glad we grabbed the right one," Frank laughed. "Now, onto business. We want you to lead a… research team into the digital world."

"That would be very difficult, you see I'm not entirely sure about how to open a portal into the digital world. I don't think anyone is," Koushiro replied.

"That's where you come in. We have the brightest minds, but we need your experience," Frank said.

"I don't know…" Koushiro said slowly. "Will you do anything to harm the digital world?"

"Of course not," said Frank smoothly. "And we'll pay."

"How much?" Koushiro asked. "One million as a down payment, and another 99 million if you open a portal."

Koushiro's eyes widened at the proposal. "I'm in, what do I need to sign?"

"I have that right here," said Frank as he pulled out a piece of paper.

The movie fast-forwarded, showing Koushiro progress in studying ways to open a portal. He did most of his work out of an advanced government lab, surrounding my many other computer technicians. Eventually the movie slowed down, and showed Koushiro hunched over a computer. He was skimming through files, when he saw one marked, Plan 6. He tried to open it, but it was heavily guarded by a firewall. Koushiro just imputed his all access code he had received, and opened the file. The title read, 'Plans for the Inevitable and Total Conquest of the Digital World.' In the file were multiple hypothetical ways to subdue and enslave the population of digimon. Koushiro calmly printed the file, grabbed it, and went up to Frank's office. He slammed the door open.

"What the hell is this?" he asked angrily.

"What is what Koushiro my boy?" Frank asked,

"This," said Koushiro as slid the invasion plan across Frank's desk.

Instead of denying it, like Koushiro expected he would, Frank said slowly, "How did you find it?"

"I was skimming, and I found an encrypted folder. So I opened it," Koushiro said defiantly.

"Didn't it occur to you that an encrypted file is meant to be hidden?" Frank asked.

"Curiosity is my thing," Koushiro smiled grimly. "I'm done here. I quit. I'm not going to enslave my friends."

Frank laughed. "These things are here to serve us. They are inferior to us, and therefore we have the right to use them as however we please. And we have decided to use them as an army."

Koushiro laughed. "Good luck getting to them without me."

Frank leaned forward, and said softly, "listen boy, we own you. You walk out right now, and you lose anything. I could kill you, and no one would ever know."

Koushiro paled and said, "You're bluffing."

Frank stared at Koushiro, and Koushiro knew he wasn't. Frank clapped his hands together. "Well, let's say this never happened, and I expect to see you at work tomorrow. Good night."

Koushiro walked out of the office, pale with a look fear on his face. He walked back to his apartment, moving slowly and robotically. He paced around his front room, thinking. Then, suddenly having an idea he rushed to his laptop. He began typing wildly. After six straight hours, he called, "Tentomon, can you come here."

Tentomon, flew into the room, looking sleepily. "What is it Koushiro?"

"I just need you to try something," Koushiro said.

"Sure," Tentomon said agreeably. Koushiro ran a cable from his computer to Tentomon. Tentomon grabbed the other end.

"Now don't let go," Koushiro said. Koushiro hit a button on his laptop, and Tentomon began to spasm. His normally bright red shell turned pitch black, along with the rest of his body. Electricity began shooting out from him and he began to twitch involuntarily. He leapt towards Koushiro, and one of his pincers sliced Koushiro on his arm. A black vapor went from his pincer to Koushiro's open wound. Koushiro frantically hit another button, and Tentomon went back to being red and calm.

"What happened Koushiro?"

"Success happened."

The movie skipped, and the next scene was the last thing Koushiro did before the digital world. He was standing on the roof with Tentomon. He stepped forward, looked down and then leapt off the roof. A portal opened just underneath him, saving him from certain doom.

Pixiemon shut off the machine. "I think you've seen enough."

The group was in silence, complete silence. After a few seconds, Taichi's voice croaked from the darkness. "I told you. He can't be trusted."

"Wait, I don't get it," Mimi said. "What was the part with Tentomon.

Pixiemon sighed. "It was an early prototype of the Syndrome. Koushiro created it and tested it on Tentomon. He was the one who released it into the digital world."

"I did it because I had to," Koushiro said suddenly. "Those government monsters were going to enslave it."

"You turn digimon into animals, exactly what the army thinks they are," Pixiemon argued.

"The digimon aren't vulnerable this way. The digital world needed to evolve to combat this threat. They evolved because I made them. I am evolution." Koushiro replied, justification searing his voice.

"How did you know they could open a portal?" Pixiemon asked defiantly.

"They were close, and I had to keep working for them or they would kill me, I had no choice."

Pixiemon shook his head sadly. "You always have a choice."

Suddenly, Koushiro got up lunged forward and hit a button on his laptop. Tentomon twitched all of a sudden, and turned pitch black, just like from Koushiro's past. Except this time, he began to grow. Everyone turned and looked at Tentomon. Using this distraction, Koushiro ran over to where Takeru had thrown Jou's gun. He picked it up, and pointed it at the rest of the chosen children. No one noticed, they were all staring at Tentomon, who had now transformed to massive horned beetle.

"What is it?" Hikari breathed.

"It's the latest for of my Syndrome virus. It let's me control them, and fully digivolves them as far as possible," Koushiro laughed. "Meet HerculesKabutarimon. Now, I'm going to leave peacefully, and you aren't going to stop me."

"You're a monster," Sora said softly.

Koushiro's eyes glinted. "You don't know the half of it." Suddenly, just as Tentomon had began to spasm, Koushiro started to twitch. He squirmed on the ground, black vapor leaking from his mouth. He was now on all fours, breathing heavily. Black vapor continued to leak from his mouth. His clothes, body, and hair were all now pitch black. He suddenly jerked his head up and smiled. His only distinguishable feature were his eyes, with were pale white.

Everyone stared at Koushiro, not believing what they were seeing.

Pixiemon stared in disbelief. "He is the virus, he didn't just create it, he is the virus."

Koushiro laughed, "Now that you have figured me out, I must be leaving. But before I go, Jou, you look like you have something to say."

Jou glared at Koushiro and asked quietly, "Did you just try to comfort me so I would trust you enough to give you the gun?"

"Of course Jou, you big babbling crybaby," Koushiro said mockingly. Jou exploded towards Koushiro. Koushiro squeezed the gun's trigger, and a bullet flew into Jou's chest. Taking this opportunity to act, Sora jumped forward as well. Koushiro took a step back, and calmly blew a hole in Sora's leg. Koushiro stepped towards Sora.

"Sora, you stupid girl. I didn't want to hurt you," Koushiro said as he grabbed Sora's wounded leg. She screamed in pain. "Think of that as punishment, punishment for trying to hurt me."

HerculesKabutarimon's massive hand reached down and grabbed Koushiro. They turned towards Pixiemon. HerculesKabutarimon shot a massive blast of electricity at him. The blast slammed into Pixiemon, smashing him against a tree. "Think of it as a going away present," he laughed as he and HerculesKabutarimon flew off.

The rest of the group just stared, shocked at what just happened.

"Where screwed," Taichi said.

"You just said what everyone was thinking," agreed Yamato.