My name is Yamato Ishida, a member of DATS…at least, for the time being, DATS could very well be shut down soon. The Demon Master, Masanori, had the Demons attack Tokyo so he could get the Flail of Chance from DATS command. Taichi and Sora's daughter, Kasumi, was part of that attack, but Michael and Mimi's son, Gabe, was able to save her. But we couldn't stop the Demons from destroying a large portion of the city. The Diet blamed us, saying we didn't do our job properly, and now wants to investigate DATS. Taichi's the head of DATS, so he and Mitsuo had to stay on Earth, and the rest of the team was injured, so we're stuck here too. Our kids then snuck into the Digital World to save Asami, who was kidnapped by Shinji of the Demon Chosen.

Departure:

Chapter II

Yuuto of the Decima Demons ran through the darkness of the forest, in his arms was the unconscious Asami and Leormon. Shinji had handed the DATS girl and her partner to Yuuto to transport back to the Demon's Base while he battled against Gabe and the Hunters. Now, he was trying to reach that base before Shinji returned.

"I still don't understand why I couldn't just gate into the base," he wondered, "It was like a force field or something."

He continued to run along the path until he arrived at two large trees with black bark that were growing on both sides of the path. As soon as he passed between the trees, Asami's body began to glow and it seemed as though she and Leormon crashed into an invisible barrier. They fell out of the Demon's arms and fell to the ground.

"What?" he gasped. He lifted Asami and attempted to walk through the trees again, but while he passed through, she simply could not. He pulled on her arm, but she would not pass through the two trees.

"Damn," he frowned, "This is why I couldn't gate in, her power won't let her enter the boundary of our base."

He glanced over his shoulder, the base was still half a mile away. He was alone, he did not have a communicator, and he could not bring Asami with him into their boundaries. He stared at her, she and Leormon were unconscious. "I don't have a choice," he frowned. He took one last look at her before running towards the Demon's base.

When the DATS teenagers arrived in the Digital World, Eliane and her Mushmon could hardly contain their joy, "Zis is amazing!" the girl gasped, "Simply…I…I have never zeen anyt'ing zo…amazing!" She then began to speak in her native language. Mushmon responded in kind.

Yasu, wanting to practice her French, attempted to add to the conversation, but after she finished, Mushmon began to laugh. "What?" she asked in Japanese.

"Nothing," he giggled, "you just said that you were happiest when we were going to the world of computers."

"Mushmon!" Eliane snapped. She turned to her friend, "Je suis désolé," she apologized, "You just have not learned enough yet…"

Yasu did not seem convinced and was in a bad mood from embarrassing herself.

The others were gathering their supplies. Kenji looked around, "Where are we anyway?"

"This looks like Clotho," Kotemon commented.

"Light Continent?" Kasumi gasped, "We're supposed to be on the Dark Continent, that's where the Demons' Base is!"

"Sorry," Shiro said with a slight shrug, "My coordinates must have been off."

"Then let's move!" Kasumi shouted, hoisting up her backpack, "We've got to get to a port or something."

"Hey!" Yasu snapped, "You're not in charge, Oniichan is!"

She snarled at the younger girl, "Does Oniichan have any better ideals?!"

"Well," Shiro said, rubbing his chin, "To get to the Dark Continent, we're going to need to cross the ocean."

"Ha!" Kasumi laughed.

"But we're gonna have to pay for it," Gabe added, narrowing his eyes.

"Pay?" she asked.

Psychemon nodded. "If we do get to a port, I'm sure the digimon there aren't going to take us to the Dark Continent for free."

"Then we'll just force 'em!"

"Force 'em?" Akira gasped, "Oneechan, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"We all want to get Asami back," Shiro said, "But we can't let the ends justify the means."

"What?" Kasumi asked.

The blond boy sighed, "Let's just go to the shoreline and check it out."

The pony-tailed girl grumbled and crossed her arms. "You're doing this for Asami…you're doing this for Asami…your doing this for your only cousin…"She sighed deeply, Asami was the sweetest, kindest girl in the world…far more likeable then Kasumi herself, and, as the newly-transformed Demoness thought back on the years, she realized she was never that nice to her younger cousin, teasing her and annoying her, but, she now realized, it was only because she was jealous of her. But no matter what, Asami still respected her and still did everything to save her. Kasumi held her head low, she deserved to be a Demon, that is what she really was…

She shook her head fiercely, she could not think like that, her parents had always taught her that it was never to late to change, she could make things right again…she would make things right again. "Asami, I'm coming."

Gabe's head was focused firmly on the horizon in the distance, his eyes were burning with determination, his fists clenched tightly together. His family watched him with concern. "Hey, are you okay?" Lizzie's Alruamon asked.

"Fine," he growled.

His sister placed her hand on his back and pulled it back quickly. She could feel the tension beneath his skin, "I think you need to calm down a little, Big Bro."

"I am calm," he retorted.

"Oh, I…I see," she said, not knowing how to reply, "Um…"

"I am perfectly calm," he said again, "I'm going to save Asami!"

His sister sighed, "Gabe, I understand, but you can't do everything yourself!"

"I don't care about the danger, I'm going to save her!"

She sighed again, shaking her head. "There he goes again, it's like talking to a freakin' brick wall.."

Shiro stood at the head of the group, his mind wandering. He was the leader, he should be focusing on their mission, but his mind kept wandering back to the discovery he had made before they entered Neodigital. He was having a difficult time believing it himself, but he knew it was true. How was he going to tell the others?

When Yuuto returned to the Demon's Base, he quietly snuck into the Decima's quarters. When he entered his room, he found his partner seated on the couch, watching television. "Phelesmon!"

"There you are," the fire digimon replied, rising to his feet, "Why did you go to Earth and not bring me?"

"That doesn't matter right now," he whispered, "You've got to come with me, I left Asami Yamaki outside the…

"You left her there?" a female voice shrieked.

Yuuto turned to a girl that was dressed similar to all Decima females-a gray school uniform, in this girl's case, a sailor fuku."Hiroko," he said with relief, "I thought you were Yuuji."

"Yuuji is not coming back," she said with a slight grin, "Apparently she was killed by Kasumi Yagami."

"I knew that she would not remain under control for long," Yuuto said with a smile, "But what of Shinji?"

"He is speaking to the Master now," she replied, "Now, why did you leave Asami Yamaki…"

"She could not pass through the barrier to our land," he answered, "We have to grab her and attempt to bring her through before Shinji or the Master knows that I have returned. Are you with me sister?"

Hiroko nodded. "Yes, just let me find Lampmon."

"Just hurry."

Unfortunately, it was too late, the Demon Master had been listening from behind the closed door. Now, enraged, he kicked the door with such force that it flew from its hinges. Before Yuuto could speak, he leapt across the floor and wrapped his right hand around the lesser Demon's neck.

"Where is Asami Yamaki?"

Yuuto struggled to break free, his Phelesmon partner too afraid to move.

"Where is she?"

He struggled to speak, but no sound emerged. The Demon Master pulled Yuuto closer to his face, "Listen to me right now! That girl is the key to opening the gate, and you just left her alone in the forest? If you don't bring her back here, I will hunt you down and rip the skin from your bones!" He threw him into a wooden table, shattering it into splinters.

He glared at Hiroko, "Do not come back empty-handed!"

Unbeknownst to the Demons, Asami and Leormon had regained consciousness shortly after Yuuto left them in the dark forest. The teenager girl was glancing around, jumping at every sound. "W…where are we?"

"I don't know," her partner replied, "But we're in Neodigital…it doesn't smell like Earth."

"This is the D…Dark Continent?" she asked, holding her hands near her chest.

"Yeah."

"But…Shinji gave us to that other Demon Chosen, why are we here? This isn't the Demon's Base, is it?"

Her partner thought for a moment, "No, this doesn't look like it."

"Then why did he just let us go?"

"I don't know..do you want to wait to find out?"

The teenager girl shook her head, sending brown hair flying into her face, "No, but how are we going to know which way to….wait! I know!"

"What?"

Asami reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out her D-terminal. "Are you going to call someone?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not getting a signal, but that doesn't matter. Dad made us download a map of Neodigital, remember? So…ah, here we go. The Light Continent is to east of us, so…"

She scanned the sky until she saw the sun dipping towards the horizon. Due to the darkness of the Dark Continent, it appeared to be behind a sea of dark clouds, but she could still see it. "Now my D-terminal's clock says that it's almost nighttime, so that means the sun is setting, so if the sun is setting…there," she pointed, "That must be west, so east is in the other direction."

"Wow," Leormon smiled, "I'm impressed, good work."

She just smiled, "Yeah, I'm not as smart as Shiro, but…"

"But nothing, let's just move!" her partner ordered as he began to run. The teenage girl nodded and ran after him.

Shiro and the others did find a port town along the shoreline. The digimon inhabitants were hospitable towards the humans, either that, or they just did not care. Money was money as far as they were concerned, thankfully they accepted the Japanese currency…probably to sell as an exotic item or something.

They found a hotel near the center of the town, but there were not many rooms left, so the boys had to crowd into one room, with the girls in the other. Gabe was not happy however…

"Nice and comfy," he said, almost in a sneer, "And while we're getting pampered, Asami's probably being torture!"

"I don't think so," Shiro said.

"What?"

"If they wanted someone to torture, why didn't the Demon Master take one of our parents when they fought him? I mean, Mr. Yamaki was there, he would certainly know more then Asami."

Gabe was not about to let the argument end. "Then she's probably already dead!"

"Why got to the trouble of kidnapping her?" Psychemon asked, "They want her alive for something, and they're probably going to at least give her a room and a bed until they get it."

Gabe just crossed his arms and stared out the window. Shiro placed a hand on his shoulder, "We all want to save Asami, but what good is it going to do us to travel in the middle of the night when we're tired as it is?"

The other boy sighed, "Yeah, I guess."

Meanwhile, in the girls' room, after throwing her bags onto a bed, Lizzie charged into the bathroom, where she saw a: sink, a toilet and a shower. "Yes!" she shrieked, "That was all I needed, I'm in heaven, oh…"

The other girls all rolled their eyes as they claimed their beds. Kasumi was nearest to the far corner, and she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, motionless. Yuki Agumon was lying beside her, her eyes already begin to droop. Nearest to the door were Yasu and Eliane. The French girl pulled off her shirt, revealing the red splotches along her back. Kasumi knew how uncomfortable it was to change for P.E. as it was, but Eliane would need to reveal her BD-2 infection to the rest of her classmates every time…Unless she went to a private school. Her family had money, so probably. Kasumi thought of the problems that Akira had to face and she even felt sorry for Yasu, who did not even have a right hand. She wished she could just save them, get rid of the BD-2, make them normal…

She found herself smiling slightly. Lately, she had been experiencing feelings she had not felt before…at least, not in this intensity. She knew about Eliane's problem, but when she thought of it, she knew she was supposed to feel sad, but…she did not feel sad, but now…

But, she knew she was snapping at everyone, her temper seemed worse than before. Did she really change, or was it just fake, a way to overcompensate for being turned into a Demon?

"Hey Kas, do you want to get in there?"

She turned to see Lizzie emerging from the shower, wrapped in a robe and her head was wrapped in a towel. Kasumi shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

The other girl sat down on the bed next to hers and smiled comfortingly. "Still upset, huh?"

Kasumi sighed, "This is like a fucking nightmare that I just want to wake up from…" She sighed deeply.

Lizzie patted her shoulder, "I know, but, we'll get through this, we'll help you."

Kasumi shook her head. "No, it's…" She sighed again, "It's like this is it, like this is what my whole life has got me. Like…this isn't the real me. I'm so fucking confused right now, I have no idea who I really am!"

Eliane and Yasu had walked over to join the conversation. "Like ze real you is sleeping inside you?" the French girl asked.

Kasumi pointed at her, "Yeah, yeah, that's exactly it! How did you come up with that?"

Eliane smiled slightly, "Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken."

"Where'd ya get that?" Yasu asked.

She gave a slight nod of her head, "From ze book, Dune."

They all gave her blank expressions. "Maybe Oniichan would know it," Yasu suggested.

Yuki Agumon rolled her eyes, "A little melodramatic, aren't you?"

The teenage girl lightly punched her partner in the back of the head. "Hey, what was that for?"

"For your big mouth again."

"Oh yeah?" the white dinosaur asked, tackling her partner into the bed. Yasu and Labramon were giggling.

"This is funny?" Alruamon gasped.

"They do this all the time," Labramon replied, "So I guess it just means they're getting back to normal."

After the girls showered, they met the boys in the dinning area where a Bakumon in a apron waited on them. After placing their orders, they sat in silence around the table, everyone was too focused on their mission to speak. As a Floramon walked past, Kenji's Otamamon suddenly said, "Hey Kenji, remember Kara?"

"Kara?" Gabe asked.

"She was Kenji's girlfriend," Shiro answered.

"No she wasn't!" Kenji protested, "She was just a friend, all right?"

"What happened?" Lizzie asked. Suddenly, there was a conversation, and she was not about to let the silence returned, "Did you have a jilted love affair?"

Kenji stared at her, "No, I met her when I was an exchange student in America."

"Oh," the girl replied, somewhat sadly, 'So, there was nothing between you two?"

"No, we were just friends!"

"Yeah," Otamamon declared, teasing his partner, "Mr. Langelet's the one he wanted to kill."

"Langelet?" Yasu asked, recognizing the French name.

Kenji glared at him, "Why did you bring that up?"

Now the entire table was listening. "Who was he?" Akira asked.

Kenji sighed, glaring again at his partner, "Well, now that I have to tell you." He kicked Otamamon beneath the table, "Mr. Langelet was one of the teachers I had when I was in America. "

"He was French?" Yasu asked.

"Canadian I think. Anyway, he wasn't really, um…"

"He was an ass," Otamamon interrupted, climbing back into his seat.

"Yeah, an ass," Kenji sighed, "He used to insult me because he thought I didn't understand English. Plus, he was one of those teachers that believed in 'jocks,' and 'nerds.'

"And you were a nerd," Kasumi said without thinking.

"What happened?" Shiro asked quickly, "You never mentioned him before."

Kenji closed his eyes, an image of Mr. Langelet-thin, with a nose like a vulture-being led to a police car…"Nothing, he was just an ass."

Otamamon knew when to push his partner, and when not to; this was a time to just let it be.

"I zaw Canada once," Eliane spoke up, "It was when my family was traveling through North America."

"So you were in the United States too?" Lizzie asked.

"Oui," she nodded, "Momma and Papa brought me zere every summer."

"You're lucky," Kasumi frowned, "Our parents don't take us anywhere."

"Dad never has the time," Akira sighed. He looked to Yasu, "Did you like America?"

She nodded. "Oui, it was zo nice just to be away from…" She caught herself and stopped.

"Away from…?"

She hesitated, "I…um…"

The others stared at her. She sighed, "From ze other children." She closed her eyes, "Zey would tease me so awfully…"

"Because of your infection?" Yasu asked.

Eliane nodded. "Oui. Ze ot'er girls…zey…" She shook her head, tears coming to her eyes, "Zey would make me feel zo...zo…" She searched for the right word, "So ugly."

Her Mushmon stared at the floor, a sad look in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Lizzie said.

Eliane sniffled, "And zose girls zat were nice to me…zey would go to ze beach, but I could never go, because I would near to wear a swimsuit, and…and sleepovers…and…" She began to sob. Yasu looked down at her missing arm, then hugged her friend.

"It's okay."

"And Momma and Papa…zey couldn't stand me either! I'm just an embarrassment to zem!"

The table gasped. "What?" Yasu exclaimed.

"Zey just left me here!"

"Oh Eliane," her Mushmon said, embracing her.

Yasu stared at Eliane, trying to think of what to say, but surprisingly, Kenji walked over to her. He placed at hand on the French girl's shoulder. "Hey, don't cry, all right? Your parents just brought you here so you could learn how to take care of Mushmon," he mentioned to her partner, who was hugging her tightly, "And maybe they just wanted your to make some friends that knew what you were going through."

She sniffled, her tears stopping, "R…really?"

"Sure," he smiled back, "We're all your friends."

Gabe nodded, "And our parents left us here too," he mentioned to Lizzie, "So we kinda know, you're just homesick, that's all."

The French girl chuckled slightly, "Oui, I guess…"

Lizzie giggled, "I know what will make you feel better, after we eat how about a chocolate sundae?"

The younger girl's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Akira stared at her, then at his sister.

"Something wrong?" Gabe asked, who was sitting next to him.

"That was what my Mom did when Kasumi was upset," he replied," What is it with girls and dessert? "

He shrugged. "Who knows."

"The same thing with boys and greasy burgers!" Yasu shouted from the other end of the table.

Gabe sighed slightly, "Yeah, yeah…" He placed a hand on Akira's shoulder, "Just take my advice when it comes to girls, flattery will get you everywhere." He moved closer to Akira's face and whispered, "Listen, if you want to get Eliane's attention like that, you should really said she's pretty or something."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you just heard her said how ugly she thinks she is, if you tell her she's not..well…" He flashed a quick smile.

"But…isn't that, like…"

"Like what…"

"Using her or something…?"

"Look, do you think she's ugly?"

"No…"

"Then how is that using her problems? First of all, you're just trying to make her feel better, and second of all, well…you're trying to make her feel better."

The younger boy nodded. "O…okay…Should I tell her now?"

"No…no! Make it romantic. Later tonight, take her on a date or something, watch the sunset, see the stars, that kind of thing."

"All right, I understand, thanks."

"No problem," Gabe said, leaning back in his chair, and exhaling deeply, "Yup, trust me, when it comes to women, I'm kind of an expert…"

Lizzie began to roar with laughter, "Yeah, okay, Don Juan, when was the last time you even had a date? When the dinosaurs roamed the Earth? Ha ha ha!"

He made an annoyed expression, but said nothing.

Tsuragi could not help but chuckle when he saw Shinji in the infirmary, lying down on one of the beds. "So, I hear you had a little problem with Kasumi Yagami, huh?"

He glared at his rival, "I see Shigeru has quite a homely nurse."

The other Demon sneered, "Is that really the best you can do?" He glanced around, "So, where's Yuuji?"

Shinji smirked, "She fulfilled her duty."

Tsuragi stared at him. "You really are a heartless…"

Before he could continue, Araki entered. She was a teenage girl, around the age of the other Demons, with long brown hair and draped in a yellow dress with a bronze cape trailing behind her; her feet were covered by a pair of yellow heeled sandals. "Tsuragi, I see you're doing better."

He flexed his arm, "Yeah, thanks to you, Doc."

Araki turned to Shinji, "Now, for the results, your defeat from Orochimon damaged your body so much that the Gift of Demons has to work even harder to repair it, because of that, you man expearence transitions back to your real form."

Tsuragi began to laugh, "So, we'll be seeing more of that dainty…"

"I'm not that person anymore!" he snapped, "I am Shinji of the Demon Generals! He sat up and clenched his fist, "And once the secret of evolution is revealed through Kasumi Yagami, I'll be more powerful then anyone!"

Araki pushed him back down, "Until then, you need to relax and heal, understand?"

Shinji did not reply. The girl excused himself and returned to her private room. Masanori was waiting, "Hi, I wasn't expecting you," she smiled.

He shrugged, "I am Master, I go where I please."

Araki's smile grew, "I am eager to begin the extraction…"

"Those idiots have bungled this simple operation," he sighed, "Asami Yamaki has escaped."

"What?"

"Yuuto and Hiroko are searching now."

Araki was silent for a moment, "There may be another way."

The Demon Master blinked, "What? Explain."

"Shinji believes that the keys to ascension lie with Kasumi Yagami, and her Gift of Demons power is that of Decima, which has come from your own. Therefore, if he unlocks the secret, we may be able to use it to boost your own strength, rather then rely on Asami Yamaki to augment it."

"Shinji's way is a fool's path. Even if he is able to evolve, doing so without a force to contain it would result in near-mindless state. Even Gennai knew that when creating those crests, he knew Yagami and Ishida could not control their Mega digimon without them. However, we will keep an eye on his progress, maybe it will prove…useful." He smirked, "If nothing more than to turn him against the Agent of Destruction once the seal is broken." He frowned, "But we must hurry. Father is growing impatient."

When Yuuto arrived at the area where he had left Asami and saw that she was no longer there, he felt a wave of ice shoot up his spine. Hiroko sighed, "Your expression does not fill me with confidence."

"She was right here!" he gasped, "Damn it! Come, we must find her or…" He shivered at the thought.

It was just past midnight when Asami and Leormon had reached the shoreline of the Dark Continent. The brown-haired girl frowned as she stared across the waters. "I was hoping we would have found that Goblimon village…"

"Who care?" her partner asked, "We can just get to the Light Continent."

"How?"

They glanced around until they spied a wooden dock jutting out from the beach. They ran over and saw a small wooden stand with a wooden sign hammered into the ground, "TIRED OF FROGMON'S EXPENSIVE PRICES? WANT A BETTER FERRY FOR LESS? THEN RING THE BELL."

The girl and the digimon glanced at each other, then she gently clanged the clapper against the metal cylinder. A small pink mouse popped his head over the counter. "Chuumon?" Leormon asked.

The mouse stared at them. "What do you want?"

Asami was a little taken back, but answered, "Um, please forgive me, but we would like you to ferry us across the ocean?"

"Customers?" he gasped. He began to shuffle under the counter. He emerged later with a tea pot and two cups, "Have something to drink?"

Before they could respond, the Chuumon threw down onto the counter a large map. "So, where is it you want to go?"

They both studied the map. There was a large continent shaded with a dark coloring, complete with an image of a smiling Chuumon; they gathered that this was the Dark Continent. Asami pointed to another continent, one that was nearly white in color. "That one."

Chuumon nodded. "Right, right. I should be able to get you there for about…let's say, 2,000 yen?"

Asami blinked. "That's all?/Wait, how do you even know about the yen?"

"What are you talking about? We've always used the yen?"

"This gets stranger and stranger," she thought as she reached into the pockets of her denim skirt and emerged with neatly coins and folded bills, which she handed over. The Chuumon nodded.

"Great! One moment…" He whistled loudly and instantly they were covered by a large shadow as two Flymon descended, carrying a large basket between them, like a hot air balloon. When the basket had landed, the Chuumon jumped inside and mentioned with his hands, "Come on."

Asami and Leormon climbed inside as well and the Flymon took to the air. The small lion was laughing as the wind rushed over his fur. "Ha ha!"

Asami, however, was crouching inside the basket, her head buried in her knees. "Just tell me when it's over."

"How could you just let them go?" Noriko screamed.

Yamato glanced to the other parents, a helpless expression on his face, "Um, honey, listen, we…"

She was shaking her head, "They can't handle this alone!"

"They're more experienced then we were," he replied, mentioning to Taichi, Sora and Jyou.

"And they were the only hope to get Asami back," Taichi added.

Hikari frowned. "You shouldn't have sent them…what if they get hurt?"

Sora smiled warmly and placed a hand on the younger woman's shoulder, "Hikari, you don't have to worry, they'll be fine and sow will your daughter."

"They're stronger then you all think," Agumon X said.

Piyomon looked to him, "But, they don't know…w…what if something happens if they have something they can't handle? What if someone…dies?"

The room fell silent and all their eyes stared blankly at the floor. "They'll be fine," Taichi forced a smile, "They'll save Asami and come home as soon as possible."

Mitsuo frowned, "And we can't even help them since we can't even get into DATS!"

"That'll work out too," he added quickly, "I've got hope."

Sora palced a hand on her husband's shoulder, "Yeah?"

He sighed, "Yeah, I have to believe it."

"20,000?" Kasumi screamed, "That's a fucking rip-off!"

Alruamon looked to Lizzie. "How much is that in dollars?"

The teenage girl hesitated, then scratched her head. "Um…uh…"

"It's about 200 dollars," Gabe replied, "And I've got to agree with Kasumi."

Shiro sighed, "We've got no choice, none of our digimon can fly, except for Diatrymon, and I doubt he's going to be able to carry all of us that far."

Falcomon nodded, "Yeah!"

"So we're going to have to pay," Psychemon said, "Everyone…hand it over, come on."

The group grumbled and dug into their pockets, pulling out all the money the had; all except for Yasu, who held tightly to her purse. "No way! I'm saving up so I can get my ears pierced!"

"We don't have all day!" Kasumi shouted.

Akira nodded. "Yeah, we all had to pay. I wanted that new video game, but…"

The girl was not convinced. She shook her head fiercely, "No!"

"Why don't you just ask to be reimburse?" Lizzie suggested, "I'm sure your parents'll…"

"They're not gonna give me money for that!" she protested, "They won't let me get my ears pierced yet!"

Lizzie blinked, "Oh, yeah, I…hmm…"

Shiro sighed again and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Yasu…."

She stomped her foot and threw her bag into her brother's hands. He calmly pulled out her money and handed it back to her. He had obviously dealt with her mood swings before. "All right, I think we've got enough."

He walked back to the large metal stand that was resting in front of a series of wooden docks. There was a strange frog creature with two metal arms seated behind the counter. Shiro placed the money down, "Here."

Frogmon counted it then nodded. "All right, climb on aboard."

Shiro mentioned with his hand and the rest of the team followed him down the dock to where a large Whamon was floating in the water, there was another Frogmon seated atop the giant digimon. "Hiya, I'm your captain, welcome aboard."

Once on top, Yasu glanced around, there were just a group of seats attached like a saddle. "All that money for this! Ohhhh," she gently rubbed her ear lobes.

Asami and Leormon had arrived in the same village as the others, unaware they had already left. The digimon population seemed uninterested in her as they were with the others, so they did not even mention meeting other humans. The pair had been running for most of the night, so they check into the same hotel as the others had, only hours ago.

Asami broke into a smile when she saw the bathroom, complete with shower. "Oh, I'm in heaven!"

Leormon sniffed the air, "I think we're going to need to do laundry."

Asami examined her clothes, "Yeah, I smell really bad." She chuckled and entered the bathroom. She slid off her knee-high boots, then unbuttoned her skirt and let it slid down her legs and fall to the floor. She unbuttoned her blouse and threw it into the pile. She stared at her reflection and ran a hand along her side. She frowned, thinking of the super-models in the fashion magazines. She shook her head and removed her pink bra and panties, throwing them into the pile before climbing into the shower.

After she was finished, she pulled on the white robe, which hugged her curves tightly and exited. Leormon was lying on the bed, staring at the television, a pile of food lying around him. When he saw her staring at him, he smiled sheepishly, "Uh…room service?"

The teenage girl just sighed.

The others were currently seated atop Whamon's back as he sped through the ocean. The Frogmon in the captain's seat glanced at the group. "So, why are you heading towards the dark lands?"

"We need to rescue someone," Gabe replied.

"Oh really? Figures those lousily bastards would do something like that/"

"What bastards?"

"You know, those Goblimons. They're evil, why else would they live in that place?"

Yasu narrowed her eyes. She was already mad over loosing her allowance money and wanted a chance to vent that anger. "Why are they evil just 'cause they live in darkness? Darkness isn't evil! It's 'cause of people and digimon like you that make it seem like just 'cause there's not light, then it's bad!"

"Jeeze, sorry," he said, turning back to the water.

Eliane placed a hand on Yasu's shoulder. "Please, calm down."

Kasumi frowned, staring down, "Yeah, when I became evil, my hair turned blond, not darker." This thought only brought her depression back, and her eyes moved to the water as Whamon swam, "If I jumped off, would it kill me? No! Don't think like that, you've got to save Asami! Save Asami, save Asami!"

Suddenly, an explosion of water erupted into a geyser that showered the DATS team. Whamon slowed to a stop as two large digimon appeared hovered them: one was Phelesmon-a devil creature with red wings and carrying a pitchfork, the other was Lampmon-a green genie. They were both carrying their partners on their backs: Yuuto and Hiroko respectively.

"Demons!" Shiro declared.

Yuuto smirked, "Well, DATS brats, huh? Hand over Asami Yamaki!"

The team glanced confusingly at one another. "We don't have her," Gabe said, "you do!"

Akira smirked, "What happened, did you lose her?"

"Idiot," Hiorko sighed deeply, rolling her eyes before glaring at her brother.

Yuuto frowned, "Whatever. I'm certain that if we were to bring our master the heads of the DATS chosen, it would prolong our punishment…"

Shiro gasped, "Get ready to fight!"

"Oh no!" the Frogmon shouted, "You guys are on your own!"

Whamon began to flip and twist from left to right. The DATS team could not hold on and where thrown into the water. The massive digimon displayed an almost impossible display of agility to twist around and swim back to the Light Continent. The Demons were not interested in Frogmon and Whamon, and kept their attention focused on the water, waiting for the DATS team to surface. Instead, a massive snake tail whipped from beneath. Phelesmon and Lampmon twisted in opposite directions as the tail flew beneath them. It did not strike, but it did allow enough of a distraction for the rest of Orochimon to surface, her eight heads each containing: Shiro, Psychemon, Gabe, Kotemon, Yasu, Labramon, Eliane, Mushmon with the eighth in the center reserved for Kasumi herself. Shellmon surfaced a moment later, with Kenji, Akira, Falcomon, Lizzie and Alruamon.

"Great job with that!" Shiro complimented, "Good quick thinking."

Kasumi smiled, "Thanks, but it was just fear of drowning, right Orochimon?"

The snake chuckled, then turned all of her heads back to the sky. The Demons hovered back over them. "Good move," Hiroko smirked, "But not good enough, you traitor."

Akira stared at Kasumi, "You know them?"

The Demoness sighed, "I was with them for a few weeks, remember?" Her frown turned to a smile, "But, these two were the stupidest out of all of them."

"You bitch!" Yuuto snapped, "Phelesmon…"

"Attack!" Kasumi ordered. Orochimon's tail began to jab at Yuuto and Phelesomon, but the flying digimon simply floated to safety. Kasumi knew that her partner's heads would be better, but with the other riding atop them…

"Orochimon, you're gonna have to use the electric tail attack…"

"Are you insane?" Gabe shouted, "We're surrounded by water!"

"You got a better idea? We're sitting ducks!"

Shiro answered, "I think Weregarurumon and Mystimon can help." He nodded at Psychemon, who nodded back.

"Right," Gabe and Kotemon nodded. Both humans gripped their digivices and the evolution began.

"Kotemon evolve to Gladimon! Gladimon evolve to Mystimon!"

"Psychemon evolve to Gururumon! Gururumon evolve to Weregarurumon!"

The two Fully Evolved digimon stood firmly on Orochimon's heads. "What about us?" Eliane's Mushmon asked.

"Leave it to us," Mystimon answered. He executed his Core Dart attack, sending a wave of flaming daggers into the air, which Phelesmon darted aside with ease. Weregarurumon used his Kaiser Nail to send a wave of energy into the devil's side. He dodged that as well, but when Orochimon's tail charged him, he was forced to block with his trident, and with a twist, he sent the tail twirling backwards. Weregarurumon attacked again, but with his trident, Phelesmon was able to bat it aside.

Mystimon stomped his foot onto the head on which he was standing, "Hey, fling me into the air!"

The Demonic Dragon whipped up her head as high as she could; Mystimon began striking his swords at the hovering demon, but he blocked every time with his own weapon. However, as gravity took hold again, Mystimon was able to clip his leg before landing back on the head.

Phelesmon growled and pointed his trident at the team. "Shit!" Kasumi gasped, "Everyone hang on, hang on, hang on!"

"Demon Shout!" Phelesmon screamed, a blast of air and sound exploded from his mouth. Orochimon could not maneuver that well on land, and in the water it was impossible. They were tossed about; the current grabbed them and pulled them racing through the waters. They approached a rock jutting up from the sea, the Demon Dragon wrapped her tail tightly around it, and they stopped with a jolt.

Yuuto and Phelesmon were right behind them. The devil raised his trident once again…

All of Orochimon's heads whipped into the sky, "Sake Breath!"

The alcohol-induced breath enveloped the Demon Chosen and his partner. Weregarurumon readied his claws and fired. "Kaiser Nail!"

The attack hit its mark and Yuuto and Phelsemon sank in to the water. Unfortunately, the shockwave destroyed the rock and Orochimon vanished into the current, along with her passengers.

Shellmon, meanwhile, was having a more difficult time against Lampmon and Hiroko. He continued to fire his Hydro Pressure, sending a geyser of water forth from the tip of his shell at the hovering Demons, but they maneuvered through the air with ease. Diatrymon floated beside them, but could not get close enough to execute a proper attack. He could only unleash his Destruction Roar again and again, which passed through the smoky body of Lampmon. Hiroko was riding atop the lamp itself, which Lampmon's actual body was attached to.

Alruamon frowned as she watched Diatrymon fight, "I wish I could help…"

"You can't fly," Lizzie reminded her, sadly.

The plant digimon stared at Hiroko riding atop the lamp, "Still…"

"No worries," Akira said with a smile, "We've got this. Diatrymon, don't give up!"

"Destruction Roar!" his partner screamed.

Lampmon darted out of the way, and his turban suddenly came to life, wrapping tightly around the Ancient Bird. "Phantom Turbin!"

Akira gasped, but Shellmon was ready. "Hydro Pressure!" The colom of water passed straight through the evil genie's body.

"Sorry," he smirked, "Those kind of attacks just wont work. You can't win against us, none of you have an energy attack powerful enough to defeat me."

"Just give up," Hiroko snickered, "Make it easier on yourselves, maybe the Master'll just make you a slave, you'll still be alive, right."

Kenji sneered as he held tightly to his partner, "Don't give up guys, come on, we can do this."

Lampmon snickered as his turban tightened even tighter around Diatrymon, "No, you can't."

"Yes we can!" Lizzie shouted, "Now!"

Alruamon held out her hands and her vines whipped forward, wrapping tightly around Hiroko and the lamp. The Demoness gasped in horror, "No!"

The Plant digimon grinned, "Oh yeah!"

Lizzie grinned as well. "I guess that's your weakness, huh? It was really just a shot in the dark…"

Hiroko tried to free herself from the vines, but could not; Lampmon seemed paralyzed, and his turban unwrapped itself from Diatrymon, and the Ancient Bird shot back to safety. Shellmon executed his Hydro Pressure, which now was successful. The evil genie and his partner were caught in the attack and sent flying into the distance.

"Yeah!" Lizzie cheered, hugging her partner, "Yeah, we did it!"

Kenji did not join in the celebration, he was too busy searching the water, there was no sigh of the others, "What now?"

After her clothes were washed and dried, Asami and Leormon wandered through the village to locate a place to eat. They found a small café run by a Kongoumon, a gold beetle with multiple arms. They sat at the bar area, and overheard a conversation between a Frogmon and the owner.

"…and then these other humans came out of nowhere and attacked us!"

"Other humans?" Asami thought.

"And then what?" the Kongoumon asked.

"Well," the Frogmon said, "I had no business interfering in whatever problem those groups had, so I ran out of there as fast as I could." He shuddered, "And that one female was still complaining about by prices. Said she was saving up to lance her ears or something."

The owner nodded, "Humans are so strange."

Asami thought on that statement. "I don't know if any of the Demon girls had their ears pierced, but all of the DATS women did, me and Lizzie had them done a few years ago…so did Kasumi, even if it was only once in a blue moon that she wore earrings…but Yasu didn't, and she was complaining to her mother about wanting them…"

The teen jumped up and ran over to the Frogmon. "That girl, did she have brown hair in two long pigtails?" She used her own hair to illustrate what she meant.

He nodded quickly, "Yeah, so what?"

"Where did you take them?" she demanded.

"To that evil continent."

Asami and Leormon stared at one another. "They're going to rescue us?" the small lion asked.

"And they don't know we escaped!" she gasped, then sighed, "We've got to go back."

Yuuto and Phelesmon found Hiroko and Lampmon floating atop the water. "What are you two doing?" Yuuto snapped, "They're getting away!"

"You have some nerve!" the Demoness snapped back, "Now, because of you, we will be punished by the Master."

"Don't worry," he grinned, "See where they're going?" He mentioned to the Dark Continent.

"Yes, what is your point?"

"They are going to attempt to rescue her, not knowing that she has already escaped. My guess would be, once Asami Yamaki hears of this, she will come back to find them." His smile grew, "And then we will have her!"

Next: Death!