I'm so sorry… I haven't updated in nearly four weeks! I guess I had a bit of writer's block, and I've had lots of exams, but now I'm back! And the gap between two chapters will never be this long again! I hope…

Chapter 21

Another Digivolution

" I still think we should have gone after Impmon," Ai muttered, as they walked through an area of trees that none of them had noticed until they got there. This world was strange like that.

" I'm still not quite sure what happened," sighed Mako. " One minute everything was fine, and the next he was running off!"

" Ai, if you want to go find him, then go," said Rika. " But we have to stay focused on getting Jeri back."

" I think I'll stay with you guys," she replied. " He'll survive without Mako and I until we help get your friend back. Then we'll go find him."

" Ifget Jeri back," said Kazu. " We may never even reach this damn mountain," But then he caught Rika's eye, and he hastily added " On second thoughts, I have no doubt we'll get Jeri back within the week!"

They lapsed into silence as they continued through the cluster of trees. They were all a little more cheerful than they had been, having stopped for a meal a little earlier after Guilmon and Terriermon had succeeded in finding… berries. So now none of them wanted to see another berry ever again, but at least they weren't hungry. For now.

" Listen!" said Ryo suddenly.

" What can you hear?" Takato asked him.

" Didn't I just say listen? Be quiet."

They all strained their ears in attempt to hear whatever Ryo could. Suddenly, Guilmon straightened up, and Terriermon raised his ears; the Digimon could hear it too.

" What? What is it? How come Ryo has better hearing than the Digimon?" Kenta demanded.

" Because I'm amazing, now shush," said Ryo. " Something's coming."

Whatever it was was coming closer. Now the humans could hear it too. Heavy footfalls. Someone or something was running in their direction. They all wheeled round in the direction of the sound, which was behind them. A dark figure had appeared in the distance.

" Is it another Hybrid?" Henry.

Lopmon shook her head. " No, it doesn't look like it, and I know all of the other Hybrids."

The new Digimon was upon them. Suzie let out a little moan, as did Kenta.

" He looks pretty tough, doesn't he?" muttered Rika.

" I don't suppose there's any chance of him being friendly?" added Takato.

The Digimon looked down at them, and they found themselves staring into his cold red eyes.

" Ready to die?" he said.

" No, he's definitely not friendly," Henry sighed. " Who are you?" he called to the newcomer.

" Yeah, and why do you want to kill us?" Takato asked exasperatedly. " What do we do to you?"

" I have orders," growled the Digimon. " Orders to dispose of you. Oh, and by the way, the name's Beelzemon. Do you not recognise me? I'm Impmon, in my digivolved form!"

" But that's impossible," said Ai. " You can't digivolve, Mako and I don't have a digivice - "

" I didn't need the help of a digivice," he said. " I have friends in high places."

" You're working for Reddevilmon!" exclaimed Ryo.

" That's right. And now…" Beelzemon raised two guns he was holding in each hand. " Prepare to die."

" Yeah, because we're really going to stand there and let you shoot us," muttered Rika. " Come on guys, time to fight."

" What's the point?" said Beelzemon. " You'll never beat me, I'm at the mega level."

There was a flicker of fear across the children's faces, but Guilmon, Terriermon and Renamon digivolved to the ultimate level anyway. But when Lopmon tried, she found that she couldn't.

" Lopmon? Why can't you digivolve?" Suzie asked her, holding her digivice loosely in her hand.

" I don't know… this must be Reddevilmon…" replied Lopmon. " She's stripped my powers!"

" Oh look, she's finally figured it out," sighed Reddevilmon, watching the events unfold back at the mountain. " Oh, if she thinks that's bad, she better hope she doesn't reach the mountain!"

" I thought you wanted them to reach the mountain?"

It was Jeri, who Reddevilmon had now decided to keep locked in one particular room, claiming that it was for her own good.

" Well yes, that would be more interesting, but it might be fun to watch them fight Beelzemon."

" What will you do if they win?"

Reddevilmon sighed. " If they win, them maybe I'll… help them along their way? I would quite like them to turn up soon."

Jeri didn't know what to say to this, but she knew she didn't want to watch her friends potentially being killed, so she turned her back on Reddevilmon.

In the clearing, the battle had begun. They tried attacking Beelzemon, but he repelled them every time. His guns fired at the Digimon, and they fell to the ground like toys.

" Maybe we should try to combine all our attacks?" Henry suggested as Wargrowlmon was knocked to the ground for the fifth time.

" It's worth a try," said Takato. " Guys!" he shouted to the Digimon. " On the count of three, all focus your attacks on Beelzemon's guns. One – two – three - "

All the Digimon focused their attacks on the guns. But Beelzemon dodged.

" Do you think I can't hear you when you shout out instructions?" he yelled manically.

" Impmon – I mean, Beelzemon," said Ai suddenly. " Why are you doing this? Mako and I are your partners!"

" Not any more," he growled. " You never helped me get what I wanted, and now I have it. I have power, and if I get rid of you, I can keep it."

" So you'd choose power over your friends?" snarled Rika.

" Every time."

" Double Blade!"

While Beelzemon had been talking, Wargrowlmon had managed to attack without him blocking. With a small moan he fell to his knees, but he was soon up again.

" Come on!" he exclaimed. " Is that the best you've got?"

Once again, the tamers found themselves bathed in light, as though Beelzemon's words and their determination to beat him had acted as a trigger.

" Maybe we'll get a new Digivolution!" said Takato excitedly.

" Maybe I'll be able to digivolve again!" added Lopmon.

The light vanished, but Takato, Henry, Rika and Ryo's digivices were flashing. Suzie's had flashed for a split second.

" Press some buttons, and see what happens," muttered Takato, disappointed that nothing had instantly happened.

He found himself enveloped in a red light as soon as he hit the central button. Guilmon was there.

" When did you de-digivolve?" he asked him. " This isn't helpful…"

" No, Takato," said Guilmon. " I think this means that I can digivolve to the mega level. Then we'd be able to beat Beelzemon."

Takato nodded. " I hope that's right. I'll press the button again, shall I?"

So he did.

" Guilmon biomerge digivolve to… Gallantmon!"

But this time, it wasn't just Guilmon. Takato had digivolved as well. He could see everything from a Digimon's point of view. Everything Guilmon saw, he saw too. They looked around, and found that Rika, Henry and Ryo had all digivolved with their partners as well. Kazu was having a fit because the same thing had not happened to him. Kenta and Suzie both had a look of awe on their face. Beelzemon looked like he'd just been slapped across the face. He also looked a little worried.

" Do you still want to fight us?" said the combined voices of Rika and Renamon. It was weird to hear them speak in unison.

Beelzemon sunk to his knees again, but this time didn't get up.

" I'm so sorry," he said. " I promise I won't attack. You're just as powerful as the Hybrids, and I hope you beat them."

With a small sniff, he became Impmon again. Ai and Mako rushed over to him.

" Don't worry," said Mako. " We forgive you Impmon."

" Well how very touching," came a new voice just as the mega Digimon de-digivolved.

Their faces went white as they were confronted with Reddevilmon.

" That was a big disappointment," she said in a dangerously soft voice. " No big fight?"

" What have you done with Jeri?" Takato demanded.

" She's safe for now, in the mountain," she smirked. " Perhaps you'd like to join her? That can be arranged."

She walked around them, enclosing them in an invisible circle.

" I'm tired of waiting. I will bring you to the Crystal Mountain myself, and we can have a proper fight there."