Chapter 9: Soulmon's Trap! Greymon and Veedramon's Tag-Team Rescue
It was about mid-day, the sun just reaching middle of the sky. At Maze Castle, Belphemon was all but happy about Devidramon's failure.
"Devidramon…" Belphemon growled under his breath. "You had Yggdrasil… You should have left… Now I find out that you failed because you just HAD to stay and watch Dorumon!"
Belphemon's personal thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps entering the room. He turned to see BlackGabumon approaching. He gave a yawn as placed his right hand over his mouth. More than likely he had just awoken from a nap.
"So, what's this I hear about you failing?" he asked.
"I didn't fail!" Belphemon roared.
"That's not what I heard," BlackGabumon replied with a small chuckle. "What's more, I heard he can digivolve. How do you expect me to beat him now?"
"That was Devidramon's fault!" Belphemon retorted. "Maybe if you weren't sleeping and would help out around here, things would go better!"
"Well EXCUSE ME for following YOUR orders and staying put," BlackGabumon cackled sarcastically.
Belphemon turned and grumbled to himself. For once, BlackGabumon had made a valid argument.
"No matter," Belphemon finally said. "I have a few more henchmen lurking in the city where they were last seen. I originally planned on doing this after Yggdrasil had been captured, but now it's time to improvise. Dorumon's weak at the moment, so we just need to get the others away from him and Yggdrasil."
"Does this plan include me?" BlackGabumon asked.
"No, you will be staying here for now!" Belphemon answered. "If you want to make yourself useful, go train in the designated room on the other side of the castle."
"Fine," BlackGabumon mumbled as he turned around and walked away. He didn't want to risk disobeying Belphemon at the moment. "Just don't come crying to me when your plan fails again!"
"It won't," Belphemon told himself. "At least, it better not!"
Belphemon turned his head towards a shadow in the corner where a mysterious ghost-like character lurked.
"Soulmon," Belphemon called. "I trust you won't fail like Devidramon! If you do, prepare to suffer the consequences."
"Don't worry, my lord," the characters replied. "Devidramon was a fool, I won't take any chances. Just remember our deal, I didn't join you because your master ordered me to. My followers and I won't stick around should you break your promise."
"I'll keep my promise, so long as you don't fail," Belphemon growled, insulted by Soulmon's untrusting behavior. "You may use them for whatever you like!"
Back in the city, Nero and the others had stopped at a small, but nice-looking restaurant, where many NPC Digimon were currently hanging out for lunch. The group was located at a booth near the corner, but next to a window. Dorumon finished cleaning off a plate of food that he had just eaten.
"You were hungry," Nero stated while smiling. "Next time, don't wait so long to let me know you're hungry. Don't worry about bothering us. I mean, look at Agumon and Veemon."
"Hey!" Veemon snapped, about a halfway done with his current plate. "I don't eat as much as him!"
"Actually, you ate more than he did," Alex replied, glancing down at the plates around him.
"I was referring to Agumon," Veemon responded, realizing that his reaction could have given the impressions he was referring to Dorumon.
"Oh…" said Alex, realizing how much Agumon had already eaten. "Sorry, Veemon."
"I've got to admit, he does eat a lot," Aimi said.
A couple of cream-colored Digimon known as Burgermon approached the table. They had hamburger-shaped heads, blue eyes, and pink dots on each of their cheeks. They were a little taller than Aimi, but not the height of Nero or Alex.
"Thank you for the food," Nero told them. "How much do we owe you?"
"Oh, we couldn't possibly ask Lord Yggdrasil for money," the Burgermon on the right answered.
"We just wanted to know if the food was to your liking?" the Burgermon on the left added.
"It was delicious!" they all replied honestly.
Nero took out 10,000 Digidollars from his account by using the menu on his Digivice and handed it to the Burgermon. Though they refused to take it at first, Nero insisted. Besides, money wasn't an issue for him. There was nothing he probably couldn't afford in the Digital World. The two Digimon bowed politely and left the scene.
As the two Digimon disappeared behind the open door leading to the back rooms and kitchen, a loud "Thunk!" sound was heard. Shadows could be seen of two ghost-like figures ambushing the two Digimon and knocking them unconscious. They were dragged off the scene.
Two Burgermon emerged from behind the door, but something was a bit odd about them. Instead of blue eyes, they had black eyes. Nobody seemed to notice any changes as they approached the group's table. They sat down a couple dessert plates and bowls filled with ice cream and pie.
"Dessert's on the house!" both Digimon announced.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Dorumon replied. "Sorry, but I'm stuffed!"
Dorumon wasn't lying either, he really wasn't hungry this time.
"Well, I'm not!" Veemon announced, taking an ice cream sundae plate.
"Me neither!" Agumon stated, taking two plates of pie.
Aimi and Alex both sighed as the Digimon began to wolf down the dessert. Nero announced that he and Dorumon were leaving to go shopping, and that they would meet the others back at the hotel. Aimi and Alex both nodded and watched the two leave the restaurant. The two Burgermon leave the room and head into the back, snickering evilly.
A couple hours passed and Nero and Dorumon returned to the hotel, surprised that the others weren't back yet. Nero set the things they had bought on a small stand and plopped himself down on the bed, heaving a sigh.
"Are you okay?" Dorumon asked.
"Yeah, just a bit tired today," Nero answered. "I'm surprised that you aren't tired, after everything you went through today."
"Of course I'm tired," Dorumon admitted. "I just have to keep an eye on you! I can't be too careful any-"
Dorumon cut off his sentence and gave a low growl, turning to the closed door. He took a battle-ready pose.
"What is it, boy?" Nero wondered.
"There's a virus-type Digimon on the other side of the door!" Dorumon alerted. "Stay back, this could be dangerous!"
Meanwhile, Veemon stretched himself out as he opened his eyes. He realized that he had fallen asleep while eating, unusual for him. He looked and saw Agumon with his back against the cushioned seat, drooling a bit as he slept.
"Ugh, how long was I out, Alex?" he wondered. Veemon didn't hear and answer. "Alex?"
Veemon turned and saw that neither Alex nor Aimi were sitting with them.
"Alex!" he called. "Hmm, must be in the bathroom!"
Veemon waited for a few minutes, but nobody returned. He went up to one of the Burgermon working in the restaurant and asked if they had seen Alex or Aimi. The Burgermon told him that he had not seen either of the humans, and that Veemon had been asleep at the booth for a couple hours. Veemon turned back towards the table and realized that it had been cleaned off.
"You two were in such a deep sleep that we couldn't wake you!" the Burgermon informed.
Signs of fear and panic began to spread over Veemon's face. He knew his partner wouldn't just leave him, even if she were mad at him for eating like a glutton or falling asleep in public. Something was wrong!
Veemon rushed over to Agumon and began shaking him until he woke up. When Veemon told him what had happened, Agumon became equally as worried.
"We have to find them, fast!" Veemon exclaimed. "Lord Yggdrasil will never forgive us if something happens to our partners!"
"Maybe they went back to the hotel," Agumon replied.
"I doubt it," Veemon responded. "If that were the case, they would've have woken us. I really think something bad happened!"
Just to be sure, they began asking all of the Burgermon that worked in the restaurant if they had seen their partners. They were able to find the ones that originally served them their meals and found out that neither they nor any of the Burgermon had given them any dessert. Veemon was no certain that something happened and the two ran off. They ran out into the city and began calling out the names of their partners, desperate to find them.
Meanwhile, two familiar-looking figures could be seen riding on the back of an Airdramon in the sky over the city. Airdramon was a blue serpent-like Digimon with big red wings. Its face was covered with a skull, and its mane was stuck out like spikes with a red and yellow color. The tail was also the same mix of colors. Airdramon approached the top of a building and the two characters hopped off its back, revealing they to be Hikaru and Ryudamon.
"Thanks for the lift!" Hikaru told Airdramon.
"It was nothing," replied the Digimon. "It's the least I can do for the service you two did."
Airdramon was referring to something that happened a couple days ago. While travelling through the Dragon Spring Mountains, the two had come across young blue dragon-like Digimon known as Dracomon. The Dracomon had been badly injured something, most likely a Digimon controlled by a human player in the game, and had somehow gotten trapped underneath a boulder. The two freed it, and Ryudamon led Hikaru to the Dragon Spring Village to drop it off. Gaiomon had witnessed everything, and although he was never seen, his voice rang out through the village and they would be forever welcome, so long as they didn't harm any Digimon with the small village. As a thank you, they were allowed a request, and they asked for help reaching a certain destination. Airdramon was sent to take them wherever they wanted to go.
Airdramon took off and the two waved goodbye. They headed down the stairs and found the elevator, taking it to the bottom floor. No sooner than they left the building, they were knocked over by something.
"Hey!" Hikaru shouted after falling on his rear.
He and Ryudamon looked up and saw that Agumon and Veemon had bumped into them.
"Sorry!" Veemon apologized, getting up and rubbing his head. He looked up and saw Hikaru. "Hey, you're a human!"
He helped Hikaru get up while Ryudamon stood up and helped Agumon. Veemon told the two that their human partners were missing, though he never mentioned how it happened or who they were.
"What do you say, Ryudamon?" Hikaru questioned.
"It would be wrong not to help, Hikaru-sama," Ryudamon answered.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Dorumon held his pose as the door opened. He and Nero soon relaxed upon seeing who it was. It was Ana and Guilmon.
"Sorry," she apologized. "Guess we should have knocked."
Ana and Guilmon introduced themselves, knowing that Nero was Yggdrasil due to having scene the events earlier in the day. She knew this was his room because she and Guilmon had asked Mikemon about Yggdrasil's whereabouts.
As Hikaru and the Digimon looked around the city, Ryudamon asked them about their partners. They only mentioned the names Alex and Aimi, not really knowing much else. Hikaru stopped for a brief second upon hearing the name Alex, thinking it sounded familiar, but then resumed walking.
"So, how'd you two end up here?" Veemon questioned.
Hikaru told Agumon and Veemon what had happened, and both listened in with interest. They had walked around the city, finding no trace of the two missing girls. When they passed by the restaurant again, a Burgermon ran out and began shouting for them.
"Hey, guys!" he shouted, causing them to come to a halt. "We were examining the food you guys ate, and it turns out the ice cream and pie were loaded with a high amount of sleeping potion! You guys ate so much of it that you were knocked out into a deep sleep! Still, what amazes me is the fact that such a high amount would normally knock a Digimon out for days!"
The Burgemon left the group with that knowledge and returned to the restaurant. Ryudamon looked at Veemon with a rather unhappy gaze.
"Why didn't you tell us that was what happened?" she growled, angry with them for not being told how it happened. "So, your partners were abducted because you two were pigging out on ice cream?!"
"There was pie too," Agumon added.
"Whatever!" Ryudamon exclaimed. "If you two had been paying more attention to what you were eating and keeping an eye on your partners, this wouldn't have happened! If you two are so dimwitted that you would put food ahead of your partner's safety, then maybe you don't deserve to have one!"
Ryudamon turned away, telling Hikaru to follow.
"Don't bother searching for your partners anymore," Ryudamon told the two Digimon with her back turned. "We'll find them for you!"
Agumon and Veemon felt ashamed of themselves for letting such things happen. Ryudamon had been right, they didn't deserve partners. Veemon began to cry, getting to his knees and slamming his fist against the ground.
Evening was slowly approaching as the sun began to set, and Nero grew worried about the safety of the others. He and Dorumon set out, asking Ana and Guilmon to help out. Both agreed and the group left the hotel.
Agumon and Veemon were sitting on a bunch near one of the roads, the streets were beginning to fill up with Digimon. Agumon tried to cheer Veemon up, but Veemon was in no mood.
"Maybe…" Veemon finally said. "Maybe if I would've realized how much Alex meant to me, and I didn't act the way I do, this wouldn't have happened."
"You can't change who you are," Agumon replied, speaking words of wisdom for a change. "You and I both like to eat; there's nothing wrong with that. We were careless is all, it's not your fault."
"But it is!" Veemon stated.
"If you really think that is true," Agumon responded, his voice sounding a little more unpleasant. "Then why don't you do something about it?! Why not save her, rather than letting Ryudamon do it!"
Veemon looked up upon hearing this, Agumon was right. Alex was his partner, not Ryudamon's! He had to save her, not her!
It was then that Veemon realized a place they hadn't checked yet. He called for Agumon and the two found the nearest manhole cover. Veemon knew it was the only place, they were in the sewers.
The two followed the path of grimy water and rusted pipes down the narrow chambers. After they ran down the paths for about a mile, Veemon told Agumon to stop. He sensed an uneasy presence in the air. Sure enough, he was right. Three ghost-like Digimon emerged from the murky water, all of them with sharp teeth and white round dots in black irises for eyes. They were known as Bakemon.
"You shouldn't have come!" one of them announced. "Now we can dispose of you without worrying about any interference!"
"Give us back our partners!" Veemon ordered.
"Yeah!" Agumon exclaimed.
The Bakemon simply began to laugh. Veemon gritted his teeth and lunged at one of them, trying to punch it. He was fast, but the physical attack did little damage against the ghostly Champion-level Digimon. Agumon tried his luck, spewing fireballs from his mouth, but the Digimon simply avoided the sow attacks.
"I can't hit them!" Agumon whined.
"Soulmon should be pleased to hear that we've disposed of the partner Digimon of those two subjects!" a Bakemon cackled.
As he and Agumon fought the Bakemon, Veemon discovered that the Digimon weren't trying to avoid his attacks, but were afraid of Agumon's. He knew that Agumon was the only one who could injure them. He managed to get back-to-back with Agumon.
"Hey, Agu," he whispered. "I've got a plan!"
"All right!" Agumon whispered back after Veemon whispered the plan to him.
"Let's go!" Veemon announced.
Agumon turned and hopped onto Veemon's back, making it appear that Veemon was giving Agumon a piggyback ride. Veemon was actually really strong physically, allowing him to run and carry Agumon without hindering his speed by too much. Though he was slower, Veemon was able to move Agumon fast enough to the point where he get close enough for Agumon to launch a Pepper Breath attack directly into each Bakemon's face.
"We're a pretty good team," said Agumon.
"Yeah…" replied Veemon. "I guess we are."
Strong as Veemon was, he couldn't carry Agumon forever. He set Agumon down and the two continued down the sewer paths, fighting off a few more Bakemon every other turn. After running for a while, the two came to a sewage waterfall that emptied into a large chamber below. On the walkway surrounding the chamber, they two could see Aimi and Alex, both unconscious and chained up against the wall. It didn't look like any harm had come upon them yet.
"Aimi!" Agumon unwittingly called out.
"You idiot!" Veemon snapped, knocking Agumon on the back of the head.
Within a few seconds a large group of Bakemon had surrounded the two. From behind the Bakemon, a lone Digimon began to laugh menacingly. It looked like the Bakemon, only it wore a black witch's hat that seemed to cover its eyes.
"I'm guessing you're Soulmon!" Veemon growled. "So, what have you done to our partners?!"
"They're fine at the moment," Soulmon cackled. "I have been given permission to use them for whatever purposes I like, since their fates are unimportant. I have quite a few experiments I've been wanting try on human test subjects. If I were you, I'd be concerned about my own fate."
Veemon gritted his teeth as the Bakemon charged at the two Digimon. They both attacked, Agumon being the only to actually do any damage. This time there were too many of them, and Agumon and Veemon were forced into submissive position. Aimi and Alex finally began to stir, their eye opening and witnessing the situation. However, they didn't care for the fact that were chained up and saw a Bakemon raise a claw to finish off the two Digimon once and for all.
"Veemon!" Alex cried.
"Agumon!" Aimi yelled.
The two Digimon's eyes opened widely upon hearing their partners call them. They couldn't give up. It was then that the two Digivices of the humans, strapped to their sides, began to glow. Two beams of light shot out and struck the Digimon, allowing them to Digivolve. Soulmon had been a fool, the experience gained from fighting all of the Bakemon gave them the power.
"Agumon digivolve to…" said Agumon, his form changing. Agumon severely grew in height, his body taking on a form that more resembled a Tyrannosaurus Rex. He had a well-muscled chest and forearms, orange skin with blue stripes, and a brown helmet with antler-like horns on the side and a large horn for the nose. He glared at the Bakemon with fierce red eyes, shouting his new name as he finished changing. "Greymon!"
"Veemon digivolve to…" Veemon stated, changing as well. Veemon became a larger version of himself, the "V" mark disappearing from his forehead and reappearing as a large blue "V" on his chest. A cross-shaped scar appeared under his red eyes, and his horn on his nose grew in size while his ears became large white horns as well. His tail became longer and thicker. He shouted his new name as well. "Veedramon!"
The Bakemon began to scatter as Veedramon fired V-shaped heat beams at them and Greymon unleashes massive blazes of fire. The Bakemon that weren't destroyed immediately fled the scene. Soulmon grew angry and used his magic to block an attack from Greymon, who was spewing flames at the Digimon. This, however, left him wide open for a direct attack from Veedramon. Veedramon used his V-Nova Blast attack to fire a V-shaped heat beam at Soulmon, vaporizing him in an instant.
Both Digimon reverted to their Rookie-level forms as the battle finished. They ran over to their partners and freed them. The Digimon apologized for what they believed to have been their fault. Though the humans tried to tell them otherwise, the Digimon refused to let them.
"Let's go back, Alex," Veemon suggested after hugging her. "I bet Lord Yggdrasil and Dorumon are getting worried."
"Come on, Aimi," Agumon said to his partner. "I bet you're tired and hungry."
Though Agumon had brought up the subject of food, it was the first time that he and Veemon were not thinking about it. As the partners searched for a way out of the sewers, they were unaware that Hikaru and Ryudamon had walked in on the scene at the last moment, allowing them to witness the ending battle.