"Fear and Loathing in Los Arboles"
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The wild Beast, BurningGreymon, attacked Beetlemon by kicking him down and sent the Warrior of Thunder flying into the pillars behind him.
"JP!" Bellemon gasped as she swooped down to help her friend up and get away before the crazy Beast attacked them.
"Takuya, stop!" KendoGarurumon called as he ran over.
When he got close enough, BurningGreymon whipped the wolf with his tail, sending him tumbling back.
Turning his attention over to Bellemon and Beetlemon, BurningGreymon started storming over to them.
Bellemon, who was helping Beetlemon limp away, stopped as she turned to look over at the charging Beast.
Narrowing her eyes, the Warrior of Miracles pushed her friend out of the way as she then sent out her Paradise Crucifix at BurningGreymon making him grunt in surprise as the golden light pushed him back.
"Nice one." Beetlemon commented as he and Bellemon took to the air.
"Thanks." she grinned.
Roaring, BurningGreymon used his flames to cut through the lights and flew off after the two winged Warriors and grabbed them by their ankles.
"Ah! Let go!" Bellemon gasped in shock.
"Put me down!" Beetlemon yelled.
Seeing his two friends in trouble, KendoGarurumon lifted himself up and rushed over to save the two Digimon that were pulled out of the sky.
As the wolf rushed over to help, he was stopped by BurningGreymon who then threw the two Warriors down on top of KendoGarurumon making them all cry out.
Turning around, BurningGreymon started destroying the pillars that were set up around the area and then gave a loud roar that echoed all around the area, piercing the air.
"There has to be a way to stop him." KendoGarurumon said as he, Beetlemon and Bellemon stood up.
"But how?" Beetlemon asked.
"There has to be something we can do." Bellemon insisted.
Across the field were where Zoe, Bokomon, Neemon, Tommy and Chibomon were standing as they watched the battle going on with looks of worry and fear.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Zoe asked.
"Yes, get out of here before it's too late." Bokomon said.
Chibomon, who was being held in Zoe's arms, was staring after his human with worried violet colored eyes.
He didn't like seeing her in danger and wanted to be free so that he could help.
"Alright, if it's a fight you want, fight me!" KendoGarurumon yelled.
BurningGreymon turned his attention over to where he heard the voice, his red eyes landing on Beetlemon who was standing in front of the wolf.
"Don't look at me!" Beetlemon said as he flew up into the air.
KendoGarurumon then pounced forward to fight with his fellow Beast while the two winged Warriors watched.
"Oh, this is so not good." Bellemon moaned in distress.
"Is he really going to try and fight him? What if they hurt each other?" Zoe asked as she held Chibomon to her chest.
BurningGreymon then charged at KendoGarurumon, the wolf using his Lupine Laser on the other Beast, but he jumped up away from the attack and then landed a kick to KendoGarurumon's head.
Beetlemon and Bellemon then joined in as they both kicked BurningGreymon in the chest, sending him flying back from KendoGarurumon.
"That's enough!" Beetlemon yelled.
"Come on, we need to lead him away from the others!" Bellemon called.
"Right!" KendoGarurumon nodded.
The two males then followed the angel towards the forest while BurningGreymon pushed himself up, staring after his three 'enemies'.
Lifting his arms; the Beast sent off his Pyro Barrage after them and the lasers hit the trees, setting the forest on fire.
"We have to do something before he levels the whole forest or the whole world." Beetlemon said.
"Well, if you've got a plan, I'd love to hear it." Bellemon commented.
"I'll stop him." KendoGarurumon growled as his wheels spun and he shot off, his blades out and they cut down some trees as he went.
"You're supposed to stop him, not help wreck the place." Beetlemon muttered as he pushed the fallens trees out of the way.
Bellemon gasped as a burning branch fell down in front of her and she flew over to Beetlemon's side.
"In this case, I think I'd rather be the Warrior of Water." she said as she stared at the flames and smoke all around her.
"If we'll have to fight trees, he'll be deadly." Neemon cowered.
"Then count your blessings we're not trees. Let's go." Bokomon said as he, Zoe and Neemon took off while Tommy watched in worry, wishing he could do something to help.
Seeing the little boy wasn't following, Zoe rushed back and held Chibomon in one arm as she grabbed Tommy's wrist.
"Tommy, this is no time for day dreaming. Come on!" Zoe urged as she dragged him away.
"Oh man, if he keeps this up, then they're gonna have to rename it to Burnt to a Crisp Kingdom." Beetlemon groaned.
Just then, BurningGreymon ran over to the three with great speed which stunned them when he began his attack.
He punched KendoGarurumon, then whipped Bellemon in the face with his tail and finished his attack off by kneeing Beetlemon in the chest.
The three friends groaned in pain as they hit the ground, but then BurningGreymon stomped his foot down on the Warrior of Thunder.
"Takuya, don't! It's me!" Beetlemon cried.
Looking over as she rubbed at her sore jaw, Bellemon gasped when she saw BurningGreymon raise his sharp claws.
"Takuya, stop it!" she gasped.
BurningGreymon lowered his claws as his eyes glowed blue as he stared at the beetle, Takuya trying to fight through the power of the Beast that was clouding his mind.
"I can't believe this is how I'm gonna check out." Beetlemon groaned.
Suddenly, BurningGreymon lifted his foot up and allowed Beetlemon to roll away much to the relief of everyone.
As the three watched BurningGreymon, they saw as his gaze roved over to them and then his eyes glowed red once again.
Growling, he charged at the three friends making them dive out of the way of the enraged Beast.
He whipped his tail at KendoGarurumon, but the wolf dodged it and BurningGreymon roared loudly, the angry sound piercing the air.
Turning around, BurningGreymon took off making Bellemon stare after him in confusion.
"Where is he going?" the Warrior of Miracles asked.
"He's probably after Zoe and the others!" Beetlemon gasped.
"Let's go!" KendoGarurumon said.
Running after the Beast of Flames, the trio caught up to him to see BurningGreymon had found Zoe, Tommy, Chibomon, Bokomon and Neemon.
The group cried out in fear at the sight of the violent creature.
"When's sooner gonna get here?" Neemon asked.
"Cut it out!" Beetlemon yelled as he tackled BurningGreymon to the ground.
Turning around, the group took off running towards the forest to escape the battle.
"Quick, back to the burning forest! I can't believe I said that." Bokomon panted.
Tommy then suddenly stopped running as he turned his attention to his friends as they tried to protect the humans and Rookies from BurningGreymon.
Beetlemon was then slammed into the ground by the wild Beast next while KendoGarurumon stood his ground.
Bellemon flew in and used her Paradise Crucifix to stop BurningGreymon from charging them, but he fought through the attack and threw a punch at the angel, hitting her in the gut.
Frowning with renewed confidence, Tommy started running towards the fighting Warriors and Beasts making Zoe gasp when she noticed the boy running off.
BurningGreymon was pulling on KendoGarurumon's tail, trying to tug the wolf closer to himself, but then lifted the wolf from the ground and tossed him to the side.
"Takuya, stop!" Tommy cried as he ran over.
"Tommy!" Zoe called.
"Please, you gotta stop this. Fight it, Takuya. I know you don't wanna hurt any of us. This isn't really you. You're just out of control and afraid." Tommy tried to reason.
As he took a step closer, BurningGreymon gave a warning roar as KendoGarurumon, Bellemon and Beetlemon jumped over to protect Tommy in case the Beast attacked him.
"Takuya, listen to him!" KendoGarurumon called.
"Yeah, come on, Taky. It's us." Beetlemon said.
"We're your friends. Don't you remember us?" Bellemon asked.
BurningGreymon simply roared at them, telling them to stay back.
"Don't you get it? We're your friends. We're here to help you." Tommy told him.
The Beast's eyes flashed blue, but then shone a darker shade of red as he then reached out and grabbed Tommy making everyone gasp in worry.
"Don't you remember what happened? I learned that true courage isn't paying bullies back; it's standing up to them. You helped me see that fighting back is just as bad as being a bully. You can't let fear control you, you have to fight it. I know you won't hurt me if you remember we're friends." Tommy sniffled.
A tear drop fell from his eye and dripped onto the Beast's eye and his eyes then lost the primal red color and returned to the natural blue.
BurningGreymon then set Tommy down making the boy smile at him, but was confused when the Beast ran off.
Stopping in front of a boulder, BurningGreymon rammed his head into the boulder making everyone gasp in shock.
He continued to beat his head into the boulder a few more times before he lifted his head to the sky and roared out his pain.
Blue data covered his body as he then transformed into Takuya, the boy wailing as he grieved the way he attacked everyone.
(Later...)
After the flames were put out, the group left the burnt area of the forest and found a lake to rest by.
Takuya hadn't said a word to anyone since Tommy was able to talk him out of his crazed state and was currently staring at his reflection in the water.
No one knew what to say to the goggle head, so they simply watched him as they waited to see if he was feeling better.
Finally, Tommy had enough of waiting and took a few steps towards the boy to speak with him.
"Um, Takuya, are you okay?" Tommy asked.
"I should be asking you that. Thanks Tommy." Takuya stood and faced the bashful boy.
"Aw, it was nothing, but you're welcome anyway." Tommy blushed.
"It wasn't nothing, it was the bravest thing I've ever seen." Takuya said seriously.
"Well, I owed ya one. Now we're even." Tommy smiled.
"Aw, the trials of friendship. Take note you three for when you get your Beast Spirits." Bokomon advised.
"Um, why don't you go first?" JP joked at the blonde.
"Oh, no, you. I insist." Zoe mock bowed.
"I'm good with waiting, thanks." Daisuke grinned as she cuddled Chibomon to her chest.
"Yes, well, of course you still have to get back those Spirits that you lost to Grumblemon." Bokomon reminded.
"Thanks for the reminder." Takuya muttered as he stared down at his D-Tector.
"How are we even going to find Grumblemon anyway?" Koji asked.
"Geez, it seems harder to avoid him than to find him. I think we should just keep going. I bet we'll run into him sooner or later." Takuya said.
"Sounds good to me." Zoe drawled.
"I know you want your Spirit back, but how can running into Grumblemon sound good? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard." JP complained as they started walking.
"You better hope you get your Beast Spirit first pal, cause I'm coming after you when I get mine." Zoe warned.
"Now I know what Bokomon meant by the trials of friendship." JP muttered.
(Later on…)
The group had ventured into the forest, being careful of the large tree roots that stuck up all over the ground.
"The Book says the roots make the forest path treacherous. Oh, that's redicu-OH!" Bokomon gasped as he tripped over a root and fell to the ground.
"I don't think the forest liked you making fun of it." Daisuke commented as she stood beside the Rookie while Chibomon giggled.
"Hey, check it out. What's up with these roots?" JP asked as they found roots that were in the shapes of squares that went down a hill and at the bottom were four Xs and one O.
"Ooh, do those symbols stand for hugs and kisses?" JP asked.
"Yeah, like you'd know." Zoe scoffed lightly.
"Hey!" JP complained.
"It's like a maze." Neemon said.
"Well, not really. All the roots connect." Bokomon observed.
"We can make it a maze. Everyone gets your own vine and let's go. Hoo hoo!" Neemon giggled.
"Cool, I'll take this one." Zoe said.
"And this one's mine." Neemon smiled.
"Ready, set, go!" Takuya called.
After choosing a root, everyone started running down the hill, following the roots and laughed at the simple childish game.
"We win." Takuya and Tommy cheered as they stood on the O.
Beside them Neemon, Chibomon and Daisuke pouted as they stood on an X, then it Koji and Bokomon frowning at the X they were on, then it was Zoe and lastly JP.
"Yeah, so what's the big deal?" JP asked.
The ground then moved making the group on the Xs cry out as the ground turned into mud and they sunk, everyone screaming as they tried to get out.
Chibomon was sitting on top of Daisuke's head, safe from the quick sand or else he would easily sink without any arms or legs.
"Stop struggling. You're only gonna make things worse." Takuya called as he and Tommy stood on the ground, safe.
"Easy for you to say." JP retorted.
"Here." Takuya threw a vine at the heavyset male.
"About time." JP caught it and everyone moved over, grabbing onto the vine or the Warrior of Thunder as Takuya and Tommy started trying to pull their friends out.
As that was going on, something exploded out of the ground and the dirt fell away and revealed Grumblemon.
"Look who here." He smirked.
"It's Grumblemon, no!" Takuya gasped.
"Grumblemon, yes, and you just where I want you. Looks like you two won race. Now winners big losers. It's Spirit taking time!" he laughed.
"Actually, I think it's getting stuck in the mud time." Neemon commented.
"You not quiet. You learn hard way it really hammer smashing time, got it?" Grumblemon glared at Neemon who whimpered.
"And now take care of you." Grumblemon pointed at Takuya.
"Why can't we just be friends?" Takuya whined.
"Quiet now! No one give me much trouble as you. You know you lose why not you play nice?" Grumblemon asked.
"So, what? We should just hand over our Spirits? Forget it! That's never gonna happen, especially now that I have my Beast Spirit." Takuya stood in front of Tommy protectively.
"Now, why me not afraid of that?" Grumblemon sneered.
"Well, you should be 'cause it's very powerful." Takuya warned.
"Only powerful if you can control and I betting that you not learn yet or why you look so afraid?" Grumblemon sneered as Takuya whined and stepped backwards, closer to Tommy with his arms out to protect the boy.
"See, you tell me all I need know." Grumblemon said as he reached his hands into the ground and pulled out his hammer.
The boys then started running as Grumblemon tried to hit them with the hammer, diving out of the line of attack.
"Hurry!" Takuya called as he pushed Tommy up a tree, the boy climbing while the goggle head pulled out his D-Tector.
"Execute: Slide Evolution!"
"GIGASMON!"
"Execute: Spirit Evolution!"
"AGUNIMON!"
"Hasn't the forest had enough fire today?" Bokomon asked.
"Right." Agunimon said as he charged at Gigasmon who caught him, judo chopped his neck, and then tossed the blond to the side.
Gigasmon then used Quagmire Twister, attacking Agunimon and sending him high up into the air as Giasmon knocked down trees in his path.
"Agunimon!" Tommy yelled as he was then grabbed by the Earth Beast.
"Gigasmon, put him down!" Agunimon ordered.
"If you want him, you have come take him." Gigasmon snickered as he climbed to the tree tops.
"But…" Agunimon glanced at his friends.
"Don't worry. We're fine now. I mean, we're kind of stuck here." Koji said.
"Go get Tommy, hurry." Daisuke told him.
"Okay." Agunimon nodded as he jumped up to the tree tops.
The group watched as they saw the two digimon fighting above them, Gigasmon punching and ramming Agunimon into trees.
They even swung around on vines and heard yelling and laughing, but couldn't hear or see too well due to the thick branches and leaves.
"THIS IS GONNA HUUUURRRRRT!" they heard someone yell.
Agunimon was then seen falling down, bursting from the branches and landed on the ground hard enough to leave a dent in the earth as everyone exclaimed in worry.
"I was right." Agunimon groaned as he turned back into Takuya.
"Takuya!" Zoe, Bokomon, Neemon and Daisuke exclaimed.
"Are you okay?" JP asked.
"Yeah, but Tommy's still in trouble and I don't know how to save him." Takuya lifted his head up.
"Looks like a Human Spirit just can't compete with the Beast Spirit. You have to turn into BurningGreymon." Koji called.
"But I can't. What if I lose control again?" Takuya stood up.
"Don't be afraid. Just remember what Tommy said. Remember who yoru friends are and you'll be fine." Zoe told him.
"Stop being so afraid, Takuya. You can do it." Daisuke encouraged.
"What? Not want to help friend?" Gigasmon asked as he lowered Tommy who was tied up by vines.
"Tommy!" Takuya gasped.
"Play time over, now give me Spirits. You hurry and maybe you save him." Gigasmon laughed.
"No, don't do it, Takuya! Don't trade your Spirit for me! It's okay, I'm not afraid!" Tommy assured.
"No!" Takuya yelled as Tommy was pulled back into Gigasmon's hand.
"Someone friend you be. Won't even give up Beast Spirit to save friend." Gigasmon mocked.
"I'm not afraid of you." Tommy glared.
"You should be." Gigasmon laughed as he then swung off on a vine again.
"No, Tommy! That's it. If Tommy can show courage in the face of that freak, then so can I." Takuya said.
"Execute: Beast Spirit Evolution!"
"BURNINGGREYMON!"
"So, let's see if can control." Gigasmon narrowed his eyes as he stood on a branch.
BurningGryemon ran at the tree Gigasmon was in and he rammed into it as the Earth Beast jumped to another branch and the fire Beast slammed his tail into the trunk making Gigasmon lose his footing and fell, but grabbed onto the branch.
Picking up a branch, BurningGreymon threw it at Gigasmon's hand making him cry out in pain as he released Tommy, who fell towards the ground.
"Not going make it." Gigasmon taunted the Fire Beast as he ran over to the boy.
Jumping, BurningGreymon caught Tommy in his hands as he then slid across the ground, the boy safe.
"Tommy, you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. Hey, check it out. You got control of your Beast Spirit." Tommy smiled as he stood up.
"Thanks to you, buddy." BurningGreymon said as he went up on his knees to stare down at the boy, his eyes a sky blue color.
"I'll help the others, now go get him." Tommy encouraged.
"Right." BurningGreymon flew over to Gigasmon, picking him up and going above the tree tops.
From the ground, everyone could see that Gigasmon was getting thrown around and punched into trees by BurningGreymon.
The fight moved to the ground and further off from the group as they watched on.
"Tommy, hurry, throw me the vine!" Daisuke called to the boy.
"Right. Here, catch!" Tommy said as he tossed the vine over to the girl.
Once Daisuke and Chibomon were pulled out of the quick sand, they helped Tommy pull the others out one by one.
After they were all free, the group quickly rushed off to where they felt the ground shaking and heard the sounds of a battle taking place.
Running through the forest, the humans and Rookies stopped when they found themselves at the edge of a canyon.
Grumblemon was standing on a pillar of earth while BurningGreymon was hovering in the sky above them.
He used his Wild Fire Tsunami on Gigasmon, the storm of fire swirling around Gigasmon and four Spirits were shown around him along with his Fractal Code.
Flying over, BurningGreymon grabbed the Beast Spirit of Earth that shown and downloaded into his D-Tector.
"Gigasmon's Spirit." Bokomon gasped.
"Now for Tommy's. Here ya go, buddy, got a little present for ya!" BurningGreymon called as he threw the Spirit of Ice at the boy.
The icy winds blew by the group and the Spirit went back into of Tommy's D-Tetcor making him smile.
"Hey, my Spirit. Ha, ha. Yeah, this is better now birthday and Christmas combined!" he cheered.
"Now to get Zoe's Spirit." BurningGreymon turned back to the evil Warrior.
Sadly, he waited too long and Grumblemon returned to normal and started digging into the ground as BurningGreymon charged at him.
"Me leave while behind." He said.
"Ah! No, he still has my Spirit." Zoe said sadly.
"Don't worry, Zoe. We'll get it back next time we see that creep." Daisuke assured as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Sad emerald eyes peered into comforting chocolate eyes and Zoe nodded at Daisuke, knowing that they would get her Spirit back soon enough.
(That night...)
After the battle, the group had started making their way to the Forest Terminal but had stopped when the three moons and stars came out.
The group was standing on a cliff as they stared up at the beautiful moons that lit up the night sky, giving them the light they needed to travel by.
Chibomon had long ago fallen asleep, the excitement of the day being a little too much for the baby.
"Isn't that pretty?" Tommy asked.
"Yeah, I guess." Zoe sighed.
"Come on, guys, we've got a long road ahead of us." Takuya said as he turned around.
To be continued...