Author's Note: Oh my god, I am so sorry for not updating sooner! But I've been working on Into Fiore and don't always have the time to rewatch the episodes, especially since my only real internet outlet and word processor is my phone. All the same, I hope you like it my faithful friends.
Calumon: He's a really good writer! And he has chocolate bars!
Me: Calumon? You're not supposed to be here until I started on my Tamers fic!
Calumon: What can I say? I love to make new friends!
Me: Well, the impossibility of Calumon's being here aside, I hope you guys like this!
Fear and Loathing in Los Arboles
The remaining Warriors were shocked when Agunimon transformed into that monster, who Bokomon identified as BurningGreymon: Takuya's Beast Spirit. However, that didn't change the fact that the Beast of Flame was going on a rampage.
With a loud roar, Belphemon collided with him to keep BurningGreymon at bay. "Takuya, snap out of it!" he shouted. "You can't let the Beast have control. You need to fight it!" Growling, BurningGreymon released a huge surge of flames to get rid of Belphemon. The Demon backed off before charging again. "Dark Horn!"
The dragon-like Digimon was forced back, so the Beast of Light took advantage of his temporary weakness. "Lupine Laser!" The red beast was blasted towards the tree-line as the two beasts and two warriors readied themselves for an attack.
Roaring, their crazed ally released another surge of flames. If it wasn't for Kazemon creating wind, the forest would have gone up like tinder. BurningGreymon didn't seem to like that as he flew up and tried swatting Kazemon out of the air. She let out a scream as she hit the ground.
"Zoe!" yelled Beetlemon. He then directed his attention towards their opponent and ran forward with KendoGarurumon. "Thunder Fist!"
"Howling Star!" The blades on his sides slammed into BurningGreymon and launched him back towards the trees.
Belphemon followed in. "Lampranthus!" He roared as he launched the black flames against the Fire Beast. In response, the whole forest was set ablaze as the dragonoid stepped out of the blaze. Flying out of the blaze, BurningGreymon grabbed Beetlemon and hurled him into KendoGarurumon.
With those two going by, Kazemon tried distracting their confused ally still while Belphemon tried to get at him. "Dark Horn!" As he charged, the fire beast grabbed his horns and flung him into Kazemon.
"What do we do?" cried Kazemon. "We can't beat him!"
"We've got to keep trying!" yelled KendoGarurumon.
"Yeah," added Belphemon. "But still, it's two Beasts and two humans against him, and we're barely making a scratch!"
Much to their shock, Tommy ran up to the creature. "Takuya, snap out of it, please!"
"Tommy!" Belphemon saw nothing but red when BurningGreymon grabbed the young child in its rage.
Tommy kept pleading with the beast, but Belphemon was only thinking the worst would happen. With a roar, charged his friend, but KendoGarurumon stopped him.
The Beast released Tommy, its eyes now blue. Screaming, he ran to a large rock and began beating his head against it. After pulverizing it, he sank to all fours and screamed again. With a groan, Fractal Code surrounded him and he fell to his knees as Takuya.
-BEELZEMON WUZ HEER-
Takuya sat by the lake, deep in thought. The others were nearby, watching him. Alex, despite keeping his distance from the flame warrior, was the most concerned. When Koji got his Beast Spirit, he had problems moving right. Alex's took control and beat off Gigasmon. But if Takuya's Beast Spirit went on a rampage, would the others as well? And what about Ranamon? She doesn't have her Beast Spirit yet, he thought. He was forced to focus when Tommy went towards him.
"Takuya, are you okay?" he asked.
Takuya looked at him. "I should be asking you that. Thanks Tommy."
"Aw it was nothing," replied the blushing boy. "But you're welcome."
"It wasn't nothing. That was one of the bravest things I've ever seen."
"He's gotta point, Tommy," said Alex. "Even though you don't have your Spirit, you still tried to stop BurningGreymon. That took guts, little guy."
"Well I owed him. So now we're even."
"Aw, the trials of friendship," said Bokomon. "Take note you two for when you get your Beast Spirits."
JP looked at Zoe. "I think you'd better go first," he said nervously.
"Oh no, after you. I insist," she replied with a giggle.
"Yes, well of course we need to get back the Spirit we lost to Grumblemon," reminded Bokomon.
"Thanks for the reminder," said Koji. "So how are we supposed to find Grumblemon?"
"Geez it seems harder to find him than avoid him," said Takuya. "I say we keep going. I bet we'll run into him sooner or later."
"Sounds good to me," said Zoe.
"Makes sense. If you're hunting something, let it come to you," commented Alex as he brushed back some loose hair.
"I know we need to get Tommy's Spirit back, but whoever heard of looking for Grumblemon?" complained JP. "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard."
"You'd better get your Beast Spirit first pal, because when I'm coming after you when I get mine," threatened Zoe.
Alex laughed as JP muttered about the trials of friendship. As he did so, Bokomon began reading about the forest they were walking through.
"Now the book says the forest roots make the path treacherous," he said. As he began to comment on that, he wound up tripping on one of those roots.
"Hey, what's up with these roots?" asked JP. The other Warriors joined their friend and found a large grid of roots going down the hillside. At the bottom were four Xs and one O. "Do those mean hugs and kisses?" he asked.
"Like you'd know," replied Zoe.
"It's like a maze!" yelled Neemon.
"Not quite," said Bokomon. "All the roots are connected."
"Then we'll make it a maze. Everyone pick a vine."
The kids and Digimon each ran to a start point. On Takuya's mark, they all started running down the paths, going every which way. Eventually, they reached the end. Takuya and Tommy were on the O while everybody else was on an X. Alex was sharing one with Zoe.
"We win!" declared Takuya.
"Yeah, but what do you win is my question," said Alex. As soon as he said that, the ground collapsed into mud, leaving Takuya and Tommy on solid ground.
The group started panicking, and were flailing their arms around. "You guys, don't struggle!" shouted Takuya. "You're only making it worse!"
"Easy for you to say!" snapped JP. Soon enough, the mud calmed and the Warriors stopped struggling.
"Here!" called Takuya. He and Tommy grabbed a vine and chucked it to the trapped Warriors and Digimon. They tried pulling, but to no avail.
As the two free Warriors tried thinking of something else, the ground exploded near them. "Grumblemon, no!"
Said Warrior laughed. "Grumblemon, yes! And you just where I want you! Looks like you win race, too bad winners now big losers!" He laughed even more."It Spirit-taking time!"
"Actually, I think it's getting stuck in the mud time," said Neemon.
"You not quiet! You learn hard way it actually hammer smashing time!" he snapped. "And now take care of you!" he pointed at Takuya.
"Why can't we just be friends?" he asked.
"Quiet now! No one ever give me as much trouble as you. You know you lose, why not you play nice?" said the earth Warrior.
"So what? We should just hand over our Spirits?!" yelled Takuya. "Forget it! That's never going to happen. Especially now that I have my Beast Spirit!"
Alex's eyes widened. Takuya, you're taking a dangerous risk with that, he thought.
Grumblemon didn't buy it. "Now why me not afraid of that?"
"Well you should be! It's very powerful!" replied Takuya.
As their little exchange continued, Alex noticed something...blue in the trees. Looking at it, his eyes widened when he saw a scared Ranamon. She gave him a "keep quiet" sign. He in response mouthed "get help". Nodding, his mate ran off.
Alex was drawn back when Grumblemon tried hitting them with a hammer. Takuya got the smaller boy up a tree as Grumblemon turned into Gigasmon. He followed by taking out his D-Tector.
"Execute: Spirit Evolution- Agunimon!"
"Hasn't the forest had enough fire for today?" cried Bokomon.
"Oh, right." As they watched, Agunimon tried attacking the Beast of Earth, but was swiftly beaten down. Alex then felt furious when he saw Tommy get captured.
"Tommy! Gigasmon, put him down!" demanded the Fire Warrior.
"If you want him, you have to come get him!" Laughing, he jumped into the trees.
Agunimon hesitated, and looked at his trapped friends. "Don't worry, we're fine now. I mean we're kinda stuck here, you know." Shortly after Agunimon followed him, he came crashing back down and became Takuya again.
"Are you alright?" asked JP.
"Yeah," he replied while getting up. "But Tommy is still in trouble, and I don't know how to save him."
"Looks like the Human Spirit just can't compete with a Beast Spirit," said Koji.
"Yeah. You need to turn into BurningGreymon!" said Alex.
"I can't! What if I lose control again?" asked Takuya, worry evident in his voice.
"Don't be afraid," said Zoe. "Just remember what Tommy said. Remember who your friends are and you'll be fine."
"What? Not want to help friend?" asked Gigasmon while dangling Tommy from a vine. "Play time over, now give me Spirit! You hurry, maybe you save him."
"Don't do it, Takuya!" called Tommy. "Don't trade your Spirit for me! It's alright, I'm not afraid!"
Gigasmon picked up Tommy again. "Ha! Some friend you be! Won't even give up Beast Spirit to save friend!" He started jumping through the trees again with the Warrior of Ice in hand.
"Do it Takuya!" yelled Alex.
Takuya pulled out his D-Tector and formed his four data rings. "Execute: Beast Spirit Evolution!" He let out a blood curdling scream as he changed. "BurningGreymon!"
Gigasmon laughed, and kept taunting him, and even dropped Tommy. Alex was seeing red, wanting to Spirit Evolve and tear out Gigasmon's throat with Darkness Claw. Luckily, BurningGreymon managed to catch Tommy. Letting him go, he got Gigasmon far away as Tommy tried getting the others out.
Alex was looking around for something, and he saw a Palmon coming to help. She walked up with concern.
"Hey, do you guys need some help?" she asked.
"Yeah," said Alex. "We need to get out of here."
"I'll help," she said. "If, you give me that scarf of yours."
Alex's eyes widened at that. "But, I got this from Impmon. It's a sign of what I promised him!"
"Well then I'm not helping you," said Palmon.
"Please!" cried Zoe.
"We need your help," begged Tommy. "Why can't you just help us?"
"I'll do it," muttered Alex.
"Alex are you sure?" asked Koji. "I thought it meant a lot to you."
"Yes, but I'd rather be free to help Takuya than stuck here waiting." He looked at Palmon. "If you get us out, Palmon, I'll give you my kerchief."
"Deal!" cheered Palmon. She raised her hands. "Poison Ivy!" Her vine-like fingers extended out to the trapped friends. Each of them grabbed on and hung on as she dragged them out of the mud.
"Molto Bene!" said Zoe. "Thanks Palmon!"
"Yeah, you really saved us," said JP.
"You sure did," added Koji.
"And we had a deal," said Alex. Reluctantly, he untied his kerchief and folded it. "Here, Palmon. I always keep a promise."
"Thank you!" Wrapping it around her hand, she smiled. Turning, she skipped away.
Tommy wouldn't let them dwell on it too long. "C'mon you guys, we need to help Takuya!"
"Tommy's right," said Koji. "We need to help him."
They ran through the forest, following the trail of destruction left by the two Beasts. When they arrived, they were able to witness BurningGreymon deal the finishing blow to Gigasmon.
With him weakened, his Fractal Code was revealed. Three Spirits were along it. Grumblemon's Kumamon's, and Gigasmon's. Roaring, he grabbed Gigasmon's Spirit and absorbed it.
He then noticed his friends, and called over to them. "Hey Tommy! I've got something for you!" Grabbing the Ice Spirit, he threw it back to Tommy's D-Tector.
Tommy cheered when he got his Spirit. "Thanks Takuya!"
Before Takuya could take Grumblemon's Spirit, however, he faded back into himself and tunneled away after swearing vengeance.
"Aww, he got away," whined Zoe.
"Don't worry," said Alex as he patted her on the back. "I know for a fact that we haven't seen the last of Grumblemon."
-Meanwhile, thousands of miles away-
Ranamon giggled as she put the red kerchief she had Palmon get for her away in a small box. The box itself looked like an oversized shell. Inside were a collection of photos she had her fans take of her mate during his travels. Pictures of Beelzemon, Alex himself, and even a couple of Belphemon stared at her. Smiling fondly as she remembered how he was her first, she hid the box in her pool again.
Stepping out of the water, she felt the gate into their hideout open as Grumblemon returned. Walking to the entrance of her room, she heard Grumblemon rant about the human children.
"Oh goody, the Beast of Dirt for Brains has another plan. Honey, you couldn't outwit a nitwit," she giggled while hiding her anger.
"What? That you Ranamon?" asked the troll.
"How many other Warriors of Water do you know, sugah?" she replied while coming out of her gate. "Now listen up, Rock-Head. Stop sneaking around behind our backs trying to impress Cherubimon."
"You back off," he retorted. "What I do no business of you."
"Thou art mistaken," came a noble voice. The two turned and saw their mirror wielding ally.
"Mercurymon: Warrior of Steel!"
"Thine thoughtless actions reflect badly upon us," he said. "Thou should study an opponent, not boorishly rush into battle!"
"You got that right!" shouted the fourth Warrior as he jumped down.
"Arbormon: Warrior of Wood!"
"Yo, you want us to rough 'em up for ya?"
Mercurymon crossed his arms. "Then our circle is now complete."
"What about Duskmon: Warrior of Darkness?" asked Grumblemon.
"He has no heart for battle," replied the Steel Warrior.
Good thing too, thought Ranamon. Aside from how powerful Mercurymon is, Duskmon is easily the strongest out of all five of us. He makes us look like Rookies. He'd wipe out Alex and the others without even trying.
Mercurymon continued. "We shall be the one's ruling the Digital World, while he shall only rule the world he sees when his eyes are closed!"
All of them laughed, even Ranamon laughed at Mercurymon's joke. As their laughter died down, Grumblemon looked around. "Me no get."
"I'm surrounded by idiots," groaned Mercurymon.