Disclaimer: Do YOU own Digimon? Well I don't either...that's a darn shame.

So I just wanted to mention that I am planning on printing this story as a book once im finished completely with it. So I just want to ask a quick favor to help me out. So if you see a grammar or spelling mistake, please let me know so Im not sitting in bed with my finished printed book and notice a simple spelling mistake that my spell check didn't pick up...OCD...that is all.

I really appreciate any help. And also if you notice something that doesn't make any sense or needs cleared up, please don't be afraid to let me know. I want my first print to be as perfect as it can be.

With that said, drum roll plz for our lovely Tamer, Ryo...

Ryo: "On the last episode of Digimon, Worm finally decided to show up but wouldn't let Matt and the gang on to cross the ocean without tickets! He sent them to a Gazimon village on the beach where the Elder Gazimon refused to give them tickets cheaper than 25 Digibucks! Then Seadramon, the villages 'guardian' attacked and injured the Elder! Luckily Vermillimon got rid of the virus infected snake without much trouble. Now it's off to the castle across the ocean!"

Digimon Fusion

Episode 14 - One For One

Tai sat in complete darkness. He never knew how long he spent awake staring into nothing but black emptiness. He expected it was consistently more than 20 hours out of each day. He hardly slept. His mind raced. His blood boiled…

"When is this going to end!?" Tai beat his fists on the invisible barrier that surrounded him. He had become increasingly familiar with his boundaries since his capture. He couldn't even guess how long ago that was.

Sinking to his knees, he hung his head in defeat, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He refused to cry every time.

"Now, now, child."

That voice…

That cold, disturbing voice. What sort of mental torment awaited him this time? He was always prepared for Astamon. Not this time. He didn't even bother to look up. Nothing was there, anyhow. Nothing to direct his anger and hatred towards. Just that voice…

"Dear child, I bring good news today."

Tai refused to get his hopes up for anything.

"Ahh, I see. You don't care to know, then." Astamon's voice conveyed an important matter.

No reaction from Tai except a sniffle.

There was a short pause...

"Oh, would you look up already?"

Filled with dread and reluctance, Tai lifted his head to gaze at the void talking to him. He saw a vision hanging in the air and stood immediately.

"Matt!"

Tai stared at the vision of Matt and Kouji crossing the ocean on a Trailmon.

"Yes, they are on their way here as we speak." Astamon smiled crookedly to himself, watching Tai's mixed expression of worry and relief, "But don't worry. I'll make sure they get a…'proper' greeting…"

And with that Astamon's presence left him.

"No! Astamon!"

XxXxXxX

Matt glanced at Kouji, who stood leaning on the railing, watching the horizon ahead while his long, black hair whipped in the wind. Expressionless as always.

He always looked so cool and collected. But what was really going on in his head?

Chaos? No he couldn't possibly hide it this well…He's probably as lost and confused as I would have been in this situation a while back.

"It's hard, I know…" The words emptied out of his mouth without warning. His thoughts formed words and those words found their way to his lips.

Kouji obviously heard him, but decided not to respond.

"We have to work as a team, Kouji." Matt tried to justify what his previous statement meant, "Whatever concerns you have are my concerns as well."

He waited for some feedback or any sort of reply at all.

There was a short silence, then Kouji sighed lightly and turned his eyes towards the water over the railing in front of him.

"Why do you think we're here…?"

Matt blinked in confusion. He hadn't expected such a change in topic and couldn't respond immediately.

"Umm…..well, I don't know. We're here to stop Astamon."

"Right, but why us?" Kouji watched as Worm's forward movement sent the water into gentle ripples, "Why were the three of us chosen?"

Matt had no reply to such a question.

"I don't think any of us know, Kouji," Was the only thing he could put together after a moment's thought.

Kouji looked faintly disappointed and said nothing else.

Matt searched for something to keep him talking, even just for small talk. Any bonding could bring them closer and make them stronger as a team. They needed to understand each other and develop a trusting bond between them. He was beginning to open up.

"You shouldn't think too deeply about these things, bud," Matt smiled, trying to lighten the mood and hopefully change the subject to something more appealing, "I used to do the exact same thing and it did more harm than good, trust me."

He laughed and managed to get a smile from Kouji.

"Yeah, I know. I just need some answers." Kouji looked over at Matt, his deep, innocent eyes searching for something. He paused, keeping Matt locked in his eyes, then sighed to himself and averted his gaze.

Blinking away the moment, Matt leaned in beside him and looked out across the ocean in the same direction.

I'm sure someone out there has some kind of answer for us."

XxXxXxX

"Shawujingmon…"

"Yes, Master." Shawujingmon appeared in front of Astamon's shrouded throne and knelt before his lord.

"I have a task for you, and I want you to listen carefully...and for the love of all that is Holy, do NOT mess this up...""

Shawujingmon remained silent, his way of showing respect and open ears.

"The children are on their way across the tracks. I need you to greet them when they arrive and retrieve something of mine…"

"Of course, Master. What are your orders?"

XxXxXxX

Matt fought to fill the awkward silence that had settled on the two of them.

"So," He began with nothing particular in mind, "So what exactly is it like being a Digimon?"

"?" Kouji looked over at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you get to be a Digimon! That must be amazing."

Kouji smirked at that comment, "I guess it is kinda amazing."

"Yeah, I mean, you get to share Lobomon's power and strength. You get to be right in the action! If Gabumon and I could do something like that, man, we'd be unstoppable!"

The wide grin on Matt's face kept Kouji from bringing up the obvious. He was allowed to dream.

Both boys were distracted and came back to reality when they saw a flash of black creep around the back of the train.

"What was that?"

"I don't know…" Matt followed Kouji around the railing and over to the other side where they saw nothing but water.

"Weird, I could have sworn-" The entire end car was suddenly thrown off the tracks, cutting Kouji off mid-sentence. Reaching out, he managed to grab Matt before he tumbled over into the ocean.

They both held fast to the railing as Worm grinded to a halt, the back end throwing his balance off. Any further movement would derail him completely, as he had been going backwards the entire trip.

Kouji and Matt inched up the hazardously tilted walkway, using the railings to practically pull themselves up to the next level train car. As soon as he was safe, Kouji turned and took Matt's hand to help him the rest of the way.

A flash out of the corner of his eye.

?

Matt looked over his shoulder. What he saw terrified him.

A set of gnashing teeth dripping with a green fluid came at him at an alarming speed. The deep, red eyes pierced through the black energy that radiated whatever beast this thing took form as. Kouji pulled Matt out of the path of the deadly jaws at the last second. He would have been crushed instantly. Standing up, Matt recovered from his daze. Kouji instinctively threw his arms out to the side, protecting Matt without even thinking what could happen. They both stood and stared at the beast as it settled on top of the derailed cart.

It stood looking down at them, its snarl more ferocious standing still than it had been in motion. It took the shape of a huge, black dog, a three-headed dog almost, except the heads to the side were lifeless and seemed to act more as armor than thinking beings. Wide, blood-red eyes stared into their souls. Nobody said or did anything, and the stare seemed to last a lot longer than it actually did. Then the attack.

Before Matt knew what had happened, Lobomon was slashing at the dog in more of a defensive manner than an all-out attack. The dog's tail whipped around in a blur, and the sound of metal on metal rang, sending Lobomon into the water below.

Matt ran to look over the edge just as Lobomon surfaced, His grip on the railing turning his knuckles white.

There was a loud humming sound and the dog floated in mid-air momentarily, charging an attack. It spewed a great green jet of flame towards Lobomon, a direct hit not necessary for such a blast. Lobomon was lost in the waves the flames created. The hound bolted in after him, and they both disappeared under the surface.

"Kouji!" Matt searched desperately for any sign of movement, but the water steadied and evened out. A green glow flickered briefly deep down and then nothing.

Matt stood for what seemed like forever staring into the water that he hadn't even realized the Digimon joined him and were frantically asking him questions. Dorumon poked at his leg and pulled on his shirt, scared out of his mind.

"Matt, what's happening?"

Where is he…?

Matt's eyes scanned the still waters over and over.

Kouji, no...

Panic settled in and he felt he was about to throw himself overboard to find him, no matter how futile the attempt would be. Then he saw bubbles. And he waited.

A figure burst through the surface and Lobomon panted and gasped for air. Matt breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as he had caught his breath, Lobomon turned in the water to see the beast he had fended off retreating over the horizon. It was swimming swiftly and soon disappeared.

Lobomon wasted no time. He was on the tracks in an instant, pulling the end car back onto the tracks so they could carry on their way as soon as possible. With a bit of heaving, he was able to set the wheels securely back on its track, and he returned to Kouji when he set foot back on the walkway beside Matt.

He felt an embrace.

"Kouji, I thought you were gone!" Kouji could feel the worry course through him just from the embrace Matt held him in. He blinked in confusion and felt a hot flush on his cheeks.

Matt let go shortly after and held his shoulders, looking into his eyes.

"What happened down there?"

Kouji paused as if trying to remember, "I'm...I'm not sure."

While he said this, Matt patted him down briefly to make sure he didn't have any devastating wound that needed immediate attention.

Kouji jerked out of his grasp and put on his annoyed face, "I'm fine."

He saw the sting to Matt's heart and softened his expression.

"There was something else down there. But it wasn't after me."

The group swayed momentarily as Worm jerked back into motion.

"Y'know, I did say no swimming, but I guess I'll let this one go."

Matt smiled at Kouji, who surprisingly smiled back at him. They forgot the incident, Kouji unwilling to talk more about it and Matt just glad he was still alive.

XxXxXxX

"There it is!" Dorumon pointed out across the water from atop Matt's shoulders. The land before them slowly came into view and his smile grew broader.

"Woo wooooooo!" Worm made his way to the station, steadily decreasing in speed until he was backing up at a crawl, "How's it lookin' back there?"

"You're good! Keep comin'!" Kouji waved him forward a few more feet until Worm was perfectly settled in the station.

There was a replica of the metal stopper bar at the first station built at this one as well. As soon as Worm was stationary, the bar made its way up the tracks and swung itself around his front wheels as expected. The group exited once he had come to a complete halt, then turned towards him.

"Thanks for the lift, Worm. We really appreciate it."

"No problem, kid. I wish you guys the best of luck. And please don't get yourselves killed, will ya? I'm really lookin forward to them noodles."

"We'll get you those noodles, don't worry," Matt smiled.

"And once I get Tai back, I'm coming back to get rid of those aweful things for you," Agumon pointed at the stopper bar, "I'll melt that thing right off!"

Worm chuckled.

"I appreciate your generosity, and I look forward to your return, kids." He yawned, "And now time for a much deserved nap."

He drifted quickly off into a deep sleep, his snoring likely heard by every single living being within a 10 mile radius.

Dorumon plugged his ears and followed the group out into the plain of trees. He walked beside Matt and took his hand after a moment of observation. There was no other plant present except for the trees, which were spaced oddly. A short, prickly grass grew everywhere else, broken up by small patches of dried mosses here and there. No tree was directly beside another, and they appeared to be evenly spaced from any other tree by about 20 feet. The sun had no problem penetrating the practically non-existent canopy.

"This is weird..." Matt walked by a tree and noticed a wire coming out of the trunk and snaking its way to the ground, where the ending was 'plugged' into the dirt.

He continued to gawk at the tree for several more moments and didn't notice something standing in front of him that hadn't been there a minute ago. He bumped into it and jumped back in shock.

The figure jumped back as well in an attempt to avoid further contact.

Kouji took a defensive position, realizing who it was.

"Well, well, we meet again," The figure stood straight up, revealing the familiar beaked face from before. He planted the crescent end of his staff into the ground and looked over everyone with masked eyes.

"What do you want from us this time?" Kouji snarled.

"I do not wish to fight you, weakling." Shawujingmon started, "I have orders from my boss. He says you have something he wants."

"And what is that?" Matt stepped forward.

Shawujingmon pointed at Dorumon.

Dorumon hunched and hid behind Matt, his ears dropped behind his head in fear.

"I don't think so! You cant just take him!" Matt grew angry, "You'll have to go through me first."

Shawujingmon stifled a snicker, "I don't think you understand. He would like to bargain with you."

Shawujingmon held his unoccupied hand out to the side and a figure appeared, a figure that looked quite small in comparison to Shawujingmon's tall, lean stature.

He clasped his large hand around his prisoners neck and shoulders.

"Tai!"

"I will offer only once. Give me the rat and I'll let your friend go."

Matt stared into Tai's frightened eyes. He sat in silence for a lot longer than he wanted to. Seeing Tai again froze him in place, not being able to think straight. He was obviously in pain, and he looked noticeably thinner since he was taken away.

"Matt, don't do it..." Tai managed to say beneath Shawujingmon's crushing claws. He attempted pulling the Digimon's hand away with what little strength he had, although overpowering such a being was nearly impossible in even his best state.

What now? He couldn't just leave Tai with this monster! He was obviously being mistreated and didn't deserve such torment. He was Matt's best friend. He had always been there for him, even when he pushed him away. He always came back because he could see right through his tough act and knew he had a good heart with good intentions. There was no question that he thought of Tai as his brother as much as TK was his brother.

And Dorumon. He couldn't even think of letting him go with this Demon. Not only did he save him and nurse him back to health, but he showed him a lot of things he'd never seen before. It was only a short time, but they've shared many memories already. He looked up to Matt and knew he would protect him. It would completely destroy his trust in anyone if he simply let him go with this evil back to Astamon's castle. Hisharyuumon himself wouldn't even know what would happen to him there.

What does Astamon want with Dorumon? Why is this happening?

"I..." Matt stuttered. He was lost. There was no winning this time. He was done. He didn't have the heart to make this decision.

"Take me."

Matt blinked and turned towards the voice.

Kouji stepped forward.

"The Master gave me specific orders to retrieve the furball," Shawujingmon stated, "What use could he possibly have for you?"

Kouji flashed his D-Tector at Shawujingmon, "This."

"Kouji, don't do this..." Matt stepped towards him, but Kouji held his hand up.

"I'm sure Astamon could get much more out of this than he could Dorumon. Take me and let Tai go."

He was so unafraid. So fearless of what might happen to him or how long it would be until they could rescue him. Matt had a new-found admiration for him at that moment.

"Kouji..."

Shawujingmon pondered for a moment then smiled an ugly smile, "Very well then."

He shoved Tai to the ground and held his hand up to Kouji, encasing him in an invisible bond. He eyed the D-Tector hungrily.

Matt was at Tai's side immediately.

"The Master will be pleased." His crooked smile made Kouji a bit uneasy.

A small sound of protest found its way out of his restricted lungs as Shawujingmon pulled him closer.

Matt looked up after helping Tai to a seated position. A flare in his heart set him off and he was leaping towards Shawujingmon in an instant.

"You bastard!" He swung his fist, but Shawujingmon was gone with Kouji. His body passed through thin air, and he stood dumfounded, a look of dread plastered on his face.

Then he felt arms around his shoulders.

Tai...

His spirit lifted slightly. And he smiled.

Ryo: "Wow Tai's back! But not without a price. Now Kouji is gone! Are they ever going to get their team together to finally face Astamon? Find out in the next Digimon: Digital Monsters!

fanakatsuki: I'm really glad you're still reading! I'm trying my best to get these chapters out in a reasonable amount of time! Thank you again!

Antylamon: Oh how I wonder so...

Wow ok so I didn't expect to have another out so soon...but here she is. I'm hoping I can keep this writing streak up and get a few more out in the next week or so.

Keep reading!

Kitty