Chapter 11: Unexpected Outcomes

Author's Note: Hey all! I meant to post this chapter last weekend but I only managed to get it half written. Oops. Well here it is now! I decided to have some fun with my plot in this chapter! Hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer:I live in a plain house with just a few expensive items. And I do not own a car. So do you think I own Digimon? That's right I don't. If I did I would at least have my own car.

A loud crash came from the forest up ahead. Henry looked up worriedly to see trees fall over. A fight was going on and Henry hoped none of his friends were in trouble.

"I hope everyone's okay," Henry overheard TK say to Kari.

"I agree," Kari responded. "But I think they can handle anything thrown at them."

But Kari's belief was quickly shattered as a digimon flew through the sky and landed a few feet ahead of them, making a crater.

Henry quickly raced over to it and recognized it almost immediately.

"Growlmon are you okay?" Terriermon questioned as he leaped down from his perch – Henry's head.

"Takato needs my help," Growlmon said as he tried to stand up. By now all the rest of their group had gathered around the beaten up Champion level digimon.

"Growlmon," Ai said fearfully. "You shouldn't stand up. You're hurt."

Another blast came from the smoking forest.

"No," Growlmon said forcefully. "I need to help Takato."

"We'll come with you," Keenan offered.

"Are you insane?" Henry snapped as he turned around to face the boy. "Growlmon is one of the strongest Champions from our group! If he's this beaten up I don't want to take people who can get hurt easily into that fight!"

"Henry," Suzie said softly, tugging on her older brother's sleeve. "We aren't as young as we were when we first came here. We want to fight as well and not be a burden."

"But," Henry protested.

"Leomon and I can look after them," Jeri supplied. "That way you and Terriermon can focus of the fight."

Henry looked around him. He was worried about them but he trusted Jeri. "Fine," he finally said. "But be careful."

"Can you take us to the fight?" Kari questioned Growlmon, who nodded in assessment.

"Before we rush into battle don't you think you should Digivolve us?" Gatomon asked.

"That would be a good idea," Keenan responded while pulling out his Digivice. A dark purple color appeared on his unoccupied hand, which he promptly slid over an end of his Digivice and said, "DNA Charge!"

"Falcomon digivolve to Peckmon," the blue and black bird digimon said as he transformed into an orange and yellow ostrich wearing blue clothes.

"Why only my Champion form?" Peckmon questioned.

"I meant for you to Digivolve all the way to Crowmon but I guess it didn't happen for some reason," Keenan said thoughtfully. "Maybe we can only go to out Champion form now."

"That would be correct," Bokomon said. "At the moment this Digital World has a different digital signature than your old Digital World so your digimon can only safely digivolve to their Champion forms. Hopefully, in time, you will be able to Digivolve your digimon completely. If your signature conforms to this Digital World's signature, that is."

"Okay," Keenan said skeptically.

A chorus of "Digivolve!" filled the air.

"Patamon digivolve to Angemon!"

"Terriermon digivolve to Gargomon!"

"Lopmon digivolve to Lopmon!"

"Impmon digivolve to Impmon!"

"Huh?" both Lopmon and Impmon exclaimed. "Why didn't we digivolve?"

"It could be because you rarely use your Champion form so you wanted to jump straight to your Mega or Ultimate forms," Henry speculated. "Whatever the reason be safe."

"Let's go!" Growlmon said restlessly. "Takato could be seriously injured!"

Dust filled the air. Joe coughed as he struggled to sit up. His body hurt all over, luckily nothing was broken. He gazed about the dust filled clearing. Their opponents, who had introduced themselves as Piedmon and Leopardmon, stood in the middle of the wreckage completely unscathed. As he glanced around, keeping his movement to a minimum so he wouldn't be spotted, he spied the rest of the group and their digimon partners, de-digivolved, sprawled on the ground.

"These guys are weak," Joe heard Leopardmon say to Piedmon. "You sure these guys defeated you in the past?"

"Well not these specific Chosen Children but close enough," Piedmon said. Joe almost swore that his next words sounded wistful. "I thought they would have gained more strength, especially after their fight with Apocalymon."

"Well they didn't," Leopardmon replied sharply. "It was a waste of our time. I don't even know what he was thinking when he sent us here. Let's go."

"Wait!" Joe heard a voice call out. He was still weak, even though he was slowly gaining strength, but he managed to turn around to see his friends and others from the train.

"You returned?" Piedmon asked surprised at the same time Takato shouted "Growlmon!"

"Looks like we might get actually get a good fight," Leopardmon remarked as he shifted into his "Leopard Mode."

"What's that?" Joe heard one of the train riders ask.

"It's a form he used against us," Growlmon replied. "Careful. He's fast."

Before anyone could respond Leopardmon attacked. "Blockade."

Everyone was forced to duck as chunks of rock flew at them. Piedmon took this advantage to attack as well. "Trump Sword."

Joe watched as the same pattern of attack was used to fight his friends. It was going exactly as it had before. He watched as the four swords appeared and went flying towards Gatomon, Angemon, Impmon and Lopmon, if he remembered their names correctly. Just as the swords came close to striking them Growlmon intercepted the swords' flight. The giant red dinosaur de-digivolved back into Guilmon, who immediately crumpled upon the ground. His sacrifice was not in vain, Joe realized, as he watched a giant green bunny and orange ostrich attack simultaneously.

"Gargo Pellets!" the bunny called while the ostrich called "Kunai Blade!"

Both attacks hit their enemies, stunning them both. As their tried to regain their balance Angemon and Gatomon attacked. Angemon's Hand of Fate hit Leopardmon while Gatomon's Lightening Paw hit Piedmon. Both attacks knocked down their opponents.

Joe forced himself to stand as he watched the other group rush to their friends. He managed to find Gomamon and as he approached the beaten up Rookie he was glad to see that his partner was stirring.

"Are you alright?" Joe asked his partner.

"Absolutely peachy," Gomamon responded weakly as he struggled to stand. "Where are they?"

"TK, Kari, Angemon, Gatomon and some others from the train came to our rescue. I think Angemon and Gatomon managed to beat them," Joe said, scooping up his partner into his arms.

A laugh sounded from beyond the clearing. Joe realized that is was in the general direction they had sent the digimon flying. He felt Gomamon squirm out of his embrace and saw him take up a defensive position in front of him. Joe noticed the other digimon do the same with their respective partners.

"Gomamon you're in no shape to digivolve much less fight!" Joe exclaimed to the half-conscious digimon.

Similar protests from Yoshi, Kenta, Kazu, Izzy, Mimi, Takato and Sora could be heard. Their digimon were badly beaten up from when Piedmon and Leopardmon had first shown up. But their partners wouldn't move so their pleas fell on deaf ears.

Piedmon and Leopardmon reappeared from the brush. The Digidestined could hardly tell that they had been hit, much less fought against twelve different digimon. They seemed to emit a different aura this time as they walked closer.

"We'll fight you again!" Biyomon called fiercely, trying to cover up the weakened state she was in.

This statement caused two digimon to laugh, stunning their opponents. "Relax," Leopardmon said after he had recovered from his laughing fit – he had changed back into his first form. "We aren't going to fight you anymore."

"Why not?" Yoshi asked.

"We were merely testing you," Piedmon responded. "And you've passed. I have to admit we had our doubts."

"You were testing us?" Henry asked confused.

"Yes," Leopardmon stated. "A new enemy has arisen for us and this time we need to work together to defeat them."

"Why should we trust you?" Izzy inquired. "Both of you were enemies during previous encounters. Why should we believe that you've changed?"

"Piximon told you that everything has been given a new life, correct? Well with a new life comes a chance to change our ways," Piedmon answered. "I was previously under the control of Apocalymon and Leopardmon was under the control of King Drasil – or Yggdrasil as he is known throughout time. We had no choice in what we did. So that is why this time we would like to right our wrongs and work together with you Chosen Children. What do you say? Will you become allies with us?"

Jeri turned to see Piximon, Henry, Takato, Sora, Izzy, Yoshi and Keenan talking together. She couldn't hear them but she noticed Henry and Sora looking a little upset at what was being said. At the end of their conversation Keenan stepped forward.

"We would like to meet your leader before we decide to work with you," Keenan stated firmly.

Piedmon and Leopardmon nodded, as if this was an expected answer. They turned and walked towards the only edge of the clearing that lead out to a seemingly never ending expanse of grass and other similar vegetation.

"Please follow us," Piedmon said. "The castle is not that far away. We can reach it by nightfall."

And that's a wrap!

So what'd you think? Bet you didn't expect that to happen! Well this is going to lead to some interesting situations! And yes I do think that all the enemy digimon couldn't control what they did. So if you want to find out what happens next you'll have to wait two chapters. Why two? Cuz the next one is centered on all the people who weren't in this chapter!

Oh and if any of you guys are Bleach fans feel free to read my new story!

Over and out!