Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising
Zoe wasn't happy when she realized she was going in the wrong direction. However, she did meet up with Cherrymon. That creep convinced the young woman that Takuya was her enemy instead of her friend. And if she doesn't destroy him, he will destroy her first. Thankfully, Swiftmon chopped down the fibbing tree with the mighty swing of his sword. Elsewhere, Agunimon was having trouble holding his own against Arbormon. He would've been squashed like a pancake, if Kazemon hadn't show up. But even though the two are back together again, can they cooperate and defeat the evil Legendary Warrior?
So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-five!
Forbidden Forest Fight
Normal POV:
An intense staring contest occurred between the three Legendary Warriors. Agunimon clenched his fists tight and dug his feet into the ground. A tiny bead of sweat dripped from his forehead and down his chin, landing smoothly on the grass. Kazemon held her hands up and dropped in her defensive position. Her lavender hair danced with the gentle breeze swaying in the area.
Arbormon faced the two Warriors with vast interest. He carefully scanned both Digimon standing before him. Without a doubt, they were both after him. Two Legendary Warriors against one definitely seem like unfavorable odds to him. On the other hand, the wooden android looked as if he wasn't in a rush to get the fight underway. Instead of dropping in his stance, he casually crossed his arms and pretended to relax against the tree.
"So... two more unintelligent weaklings waiting for me crush them, right?" He chuckled. "Now, which one of you's would like to be destroyed first? Come now, no need to be shy, right? Of course, both of you's will be defeated by yours truly! But I just have to ask, if you's know what I'm talking about?"
The humanoid butterfly felt brave enough to accept Arbormon's challenge. She has defeated another Legendary Warrior once before. Even though there's a Chaos Sphere inside the evil creature's body, Kazemon believed she has what it takes to win. But the moment she took a step forward, she felt someone grab her by the arm. The Warrior of Wind turned and saw Agunimon holding her back and shaking his head. The lavender haired Digimon glowered back at the fiery Warrior. The two stared each other down, trying to force the other into submission.
"Let me go!" Kazemon ordered in a soft, yet demanding voice.
"No!" Agunimon replied with a murmur.
"Didn't you hear me, you big jerk? I said let go of me." The Warrior of Wind spoke once again. This time, she was much louder than last time.
"Back off, Zoe. This guy's mine." The fiery Digimon countered with the same, loud tone as his partner.
"No, he's mine!"
"Mine!"
"You can't even scratch this guy, Takuya! You already had your chance and you failed; miserably I might add! It's my turn to face him! Now for the last time, release me!"
"Sorry, but I can't do that! He's my opponent and I won't let you interfere. Now do all of us a favor and get out of my way!"
"Takuya, knock it off..." grumbled Kazemon, with anger building up inside her.
"I'm only going to say this once. Back away right now, and no one gets hurt!"
"Is that so? Alright then... TAKE THIS!"
*slap*
Kazemon brought her hand back gave the Warrior of Flame a huge slap to his face, producing a loud sound that echoed throughout the forest. Her powerful smack caused Agunimon to fall to the ground, thus releasing her arm in the process. While the Warrior of Flame rubbed his somewhat swollen cheek, Kazemon placed her hands on hips and turned her face away from him. A small 'Hmph' that signified annoyance and frustration escaped her lips.
Meanwhile, Arbormon was amused at what he saw. The wooden android recalled how the humans he fought a long time ago were so close to each other. In fact, the reason why he lost to those meddling kids was because of their unity and teamwork. But now, here were the two humans again. Only this time, they're teamwork appeared to be somewhat diminished. He lets out a small whistle and grinned at the two Warriors with keen interest.
"Ooh! What's this now, eh? Since when did the two of you's have trouble getting along? Hehe, this should be very interesting indeed, right?" He said to himself. As he pondered about their little conflict, he continued to listen on their heated argument.
"Ow! God, Zoe! What did you do that for?" roared Agunimon as he got back to his feet and leered at the female Digimon.
"That's what you get for not keeping your filthy hands to yourself, you sick little boy! And I swear, if you touch me one more time, I'll smack you all the way to next year! Do you understand me?" Kazemon barked.
"Hahahaha! Come on, Z! Is that supposed to scare me or are your threats as empty as you head?" laughed the Warrior of Flame.
He reached for a little bit of Kazemon's hair and gave it a light tug. It did hurt her a little bit, but the fact that her this guy was touching her was really making her as hot as a volcano. The humanoid butterfly flew back a few feet from her best friend. Even so, the smirk on the fiery Warrior's face remained.
"Takuya... you... YOU... UNGRATEFUL LITTLE...
"You guys, please stop fighting!" Bokomon shouted as he ran towards the two Legendary Warriors. He grabbed a hold of one of Kazemon's legs and shook it as rough as he could, trying to get her attention. But it seemed as if they were more focused on each other instead of him.
"Please, I'm begging you!" The Rookie cried. "This isn't the time for fighting! Haven't you two forgotten that we're on a mission? You have to work together in order to defeat Arbor... WHOA!"
An angry Agunimon and Kazemon each grabbed Bokomon by his pink waistband and lifted him off the ground. The Rookie level Digimon saw the angry looks in their eyes and became terrified in an instance.
"You've got a lot of nerve..." said Agunimon.
"...sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" Kazemon finished.
"But... But, Takuya... Zoe... Please! If you two continue to fight like this..." pleaded the frightened creature.
"SHUT UP, BOKOMON!" The two of them screamed.
Together, they tossed Bokomon back into the bushes. He crashed hard on the ground. His body all covered with leaves and twigs. But besides a mild headache and some minor bruises on his body, the Rookie was fine. Then again, the sight of his two friends arguing with each other didn't make his injuries any better.
"Ugh... Oh boy. We're doomed. If this keeps, there's no way they can save the Digital World. It's so sad, is it not? How can two best friends turn on each other like this? Oh dear. It's hopeless." The Digimon wearing the pink waistband muttered to himself.
"Bokomon?" Another voice called out.
The Rookie's eyes shot open as he shifted his attention towards his right. Just a few feet in front of him was a yellow rabbit dressed in red trousers running as fast as he can towards his partner.
"Neemon?" Bokomon called out. He quickly sprung to his feet and sprinted towards his best friend.
"Bokomon! Yay! We found you! We finally found you... WHOA!"
Suddenly, Neemon tripped on one of the tree's roots. His body rolled down the hill and on the ground like a large yellow bowling ball. Bokomon skidded to a halt when he saw his partner tumbling towards him. On the other hand, he couldn't react in time. Moments later, the two Rookie level Digimon crashed hard into each other and rolled on the grass. It took them a few seconds for their bodies to come to a halt.
"You moron! Watch where you're going!" Bokomon said as he rubbed his aching head.
"Hehe, it's good to see you too!" giggled the rabbit. "By the way, what did I missed? Where's Takuya and Zoe?"
Bokomon opened his mouth, but not a single sound came out. He looked back down toward the ground, almost too afraid to answer. Neemon gave his partner an extremely puzzled look. He may not have a clue as to what's going on, but he could sense something was wrong. Finally, Bokomon looked to his right until his eyes found the two Legendary Warriors.
"They're over there fighting." That was all Bokomon could say.
"Who? The Spirits of Wood?" Neemon wondered.
"Well... not exactly." His partner answered.
Neemon checked and sure enough, they were there. The Legendary of Warriors of Flame and Wind were locked in a battle against the Warrior of Wood. But upon further inspection, something didn't appear to be right. Instead of fighting the bad guy, Agunimon and Kazemon were bickering with each other, raising their voices with each argument.
"Scary!" He commented.
"It's been like this ever since the fight has started! What could we do?" asked Bokomon.
"There's nothing we can do." A valiant voice spoke. The two Rookie level Digimon looked behind them and saw a swordsman slowly approaching them.
"Swiftmon!" shouted Neemon.
"What are you talking about, Swiftmon? There has to be something we can do! If Takuya and Zoe don't stop fighting, Arbormon would easily destroy them! You have to get in there and..."
"No... I can't..." spoke the second-in-command while shaking his head.
"But why?" asked the rabbit.
"Swiftmon, what are you saying? Why won't you help our friends?" An anxious Bokomon questioned.
"Even if I do intervene, that still won't stop them from fighting. They've been acting like children since the beginning of this mission. And because of that, our strength has been heavily divided. Those two believe that they can do fine on their own and that they don't need each other to win. And that, Bokomon, could cost them their lives. Unless they put their differences aside and find a way to work together as a team, this fight will be there undoing. And you know what that means? The Legendary Spirits and entire Digital World will belong to the enemy." answered Swiftmon.
"So what? We just sit here and watch?" Neemon wondered.
"Yes. This is a test for the Legendary Warriors. Let's hope they figure it out before it's too late."
Again, Bokomon thought about Swiftmon's arguments. The fight hasn't even started, and yet Agunimon and Kazemon were still going at each other's throats. And it didn't look like the two of them wouldn't be getting along any time soon. This would give Arbormon a huge advantage. Without the numbers game, he could watch those two annihilate each other and have whatever's left over.
On the other hand, Swiftmon did bring up a critical point. Takuya and Zoe had been arguing with each other ever since they had arrived at the Forbidden Forest. Not only they had been continuously bickering, but they even went their own separate ways to find the Spirits. They had grown weaker without even realizing it. He looked down at the ground and sighed. Bokomon has no choice but to follow Swiftmon's orders.
"Alright... but I do not like this." He muttered underneath his breath.
Back at the fight, Arbormon was getting kind of bored watching the Warriors of Flame and Wind getting on each other's nerves. As entertaining as they were, it was about time he got into the fight. He detached both of his arms and pulled them back, getting ready to strike his two opponents. It made him chuckle a bit when he noticed that none of them were paying attention to him.
"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!" He cried as he sent his elongated arms towards Agunimon and Kazemon.
The two Legendary Warriors heard the enemy calling out his attack. They quickly turned their attention back to the battlefield and saw two fists coming their way. Agunimon dove to the side while Kazemon flew out of the way. Both of them successfully dodged Arbormon's first attack. However, the Warrior of Wood had other ideas. Instead of retracting his arms, he sent each one of his arms after his opponents.
Kazemon looked behind her and noticed Arbormon's left hand was quickly approaching her. She maneuvered left and right, trying to get the hand off of her tail. Arbormon's got his target locked on like a homing missile. No matter what flight pattern Kazemon took, his arm easily followed her. The humanoid butterfly had to do something quickly, or she would be shot down.
Figuring that running away wasn't getting her anywhere, she decided to take action. Kazemon turned one hundred and eighty degrees until she was completely facing the oncoming attack. Just when Arbormon's hand was about to make its move, the Warrior of Wind pulled her leg back and gave the hand a huge round kick, sending the hand flying in another direction.
Meanwhile, Arbormon had focus on another target. He manipulated his right arm to attack the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon slid on the gravel and faced the oncoming missile-like hand. He shifted his boy to the right and watched as the hand sailed past his head. But like a heat seeker, the hand quickly locked back on to his target and went after Agunimon.
It closed its fist and went for a punch to the Warrior's face. Agunimon blocked it with his forearm and shoved the hand out of the way. Again, the hand came back for a second round. Once again, the Warrior of Flame defended himself. He quickly noticed that the Warrior of Wood was temporally vulnerable. He quickly sprinted towards Arbormon with both fists clenched tight.
Unfortunately, the wooden android was fully prepared for Agunimon's frontal assault. He regained control of his right arm and shot it towards the fiery Warrior's blindside. Agunimon pulled his arm back, ready to punch Arbormon right in the midsection. All of the sudden, the hand grabbed the Warrior of Flame behind the neck, instantly stopping his attack. Agunimon gagged for air as he tried to break free from the hold. But Arbormon was too strong. And with one simple tug, he dragged his opponent along the dirt while choking him.
Slowly, he retracted his arm back its original position and held Agunimon in the air, squeezing the softest parts of his neck. The Warrior of Flame could barely struggle to breathe. He did manage to get a quick glance at Kazemon. Unfortunately for him, she was so busy dodging Arbormon's other hand, she didn't even noticed Agunimon was in trouble.
"Hey! Look over here, you little missy!" The wooden cyborg hollered, immediately catching the butterfly's attention.
Her eyes widened the moment she saw Agunimon in Arbormon's clutches. Her Legendary Warrior instincts kicked in and she dove towards the two Digimon. Arbormon waited until she was finally in range. Then, with all of his might, he threw the helpless Legendary Warrior at the female Digimon. Kazemon tried to put on the brakes, but it was too late. The two bodies crashed into each other, sending both Warriors tumbled on the ground. It wasn't long before the two of them slammed hard into a tree behind them. The force cause the tree to fall onto the ground.
Agunimon and Kazemon slowly and painfully got back to their feet. The fiery Digimon rubbed his aching head while the humanoid butterfly clutched her swollen midsection. Both of them were also breathing heavily. After taking a minute to recover, the Legendary Warriors glowered at the wooden android. Meanwhile, Arbormon retracted his two arms and stomped towards his two conscious opponents.
"That was a pretty good appetizer, right? What else you's got on the menu?" He laughed to himself.
"Why you..." growled the female warrior.
She stood back up and got in her stance. But before she could advance, someone grabbed her shoulders and threw her back to the dirt. Kazemon landed hard on her back and elbows. The impact made the female Warrior hiss in mildly in agony. After coughing up some dust and dirt in her lungs, she glowered at the fiery Digimon shadowing above her.
"Hey! What did you do that for?" She howled.
"Where were you? Arbormon could have crushed my neck if you hadn't been paying attention!" argued the Warrior of Flame.
"I was paying attention, you jerk! But you said it yourself! You don't need my help! If you got seriously injured, you have no one to blame but yourself!"
"Oh, how heroic of you! Abandoning your comrades in their time of need is so like you! Right Zoe?"
"Don't you dare point fingers at me! Go and save yourself, you selfish, arrogant moron!"
*slap*
Again, she smacked Agunimon's other cheek. The slap was a little bit harder than the first one. Agunimon leered at the female Digimon, clenched his fist and pulled his arm back. Kazemon stood there with a cocky grin on her face, daring him to proceed with his attack. She waited for the Warrior of Flame to strike her. Agunimon gritted his teeth while deliberating whether he should punch his former best friend in the face or not.
"What's wrong, little man? Afraid to hit a girl?" She giggled.
"No..."
But then, Kazemon noticed Agunimon grinning. Even a few chuckles were detected under his throat. But before the humanoid butterfly could react, the fiery Digimon quickly got behind the Warrior of Wind and grabbed her shoulders. She tried to shake free, but found herself unable to. Kazemon leered into Agunimon's eyes, wondering what he has planned for her.
"... BUT THIS GUY DOES!" The fiery Digimon finished his sentence.
Kazemon gasped as Agunimon shoved her back to the battlefield. It took her half a second to realize she was running right towards Arbormon, who was also charging at her at full speed. With little time to react or put up some kind of defense, she closed her eyes and braced for impact. The Warrior of Wood gave Kazemon a devastating high-impact clothesline. Her body folded in half the moment she landed on the ground.
Arbormon the grabbed her lengthy lavender hair and lifted her off the ground. He gave Kazemon a vicious strike to her exposed belly, knocking the wind out of her. The female Digimon gasped for air as her body started to give in. Finally, Arbormon released Kazemon's hair and the dazed Warrior of Wind fell to the ground. But before her feet touched the earth, Arbormon topped it off by giving Kazemon one last punch to the gut, sending her flying into a tree. The wooden Digimon glanced at the fallen Warrior before grinning back at Agunimon.
"Interesting! You's put your friend in harm's way with no remorse, right?"
"I had to get her out of the way so it's just the two of us!" Agunimon grinned without even looking at the barely conscious Kazemon.
"Hey, now! Watch it, kid! I don't think you'll put up more of a fight than your little friend over there!"
"Trust me! I can't do worse than her!"
"Fine! But you're gonna regret it, punk!"
Arbormon sprinted towards the Warrior of Flame and extended his arm to the side, trying to go for another clothesline. However, the same move wouldn't work twice, especially on Agunimon. He ducked out of the way and went for a high sidekick to Arbormon's head. The cyborg easily blocked the kick and went for another straight punch. Agunimon rolled out of the way as Arbormon's fist crashed into the ground, creating a small crater upon impact. Agunimon slid into position and created two fireballs on his hands.
"Pyro Punch!" He cried, launching both fireballs at the Warrior of Wood.
Arbormon pulled his arm out of the circular depression and faced the oncoming attack. But instead of dodging or striking the fireballs, he dropped his hands and allowed the fireballs to hit him. As he expected, the fireballs bounced off his body and into a couple of trees, causing them two explode and burst into flames. After wiping himself off, he stomped at the Warrior of Flame. His evil laughter grew louder with each step he took.
"Not enough heat if you ask me, right?" He smirked. "You got anything better than that? Or should I just finish you's now?"
"Great. Now what do I do?" muttered Agunimon. He took a step back to rethink his strategy.
Suddenly...
"TAKE THIS, ARBORMON!" A voice shouted from behind the wooden android.
Arbormon looked behind him and saw Kazemon not only back in the fight, but on the attack as well. She dove towards the Warrior of Wood with her legs out in front. Arbormon was kind of surprised at the speed this young woman was going, like she was shot out of a cannon. Kazemon unleashed a huge yell as she went for a diving kick to Arbormon's head. Unfortunately, the look on his eye remained the same. All it took was a few steps to his left, and he completely avoided Kazemon's attack.
"Agunimon, look out!" Bokomon shouted from his hiding place.
The Warrior of Flame looked to his side and saw Kazemon closing the distance with her legs still out in front. But for some reason, she wasn't slowing down. Agunimon quickly put his arms up and managed to block Kazemon's kick just in time. With one good shove, he got the Warrior of Wind off of his arms. She landed smoothly on her feet and the two of Legendary Warriors engaged in another staring contest. Or a glaring contest to be more precise.
"What are you crazy? You could have taken my head off!" complained Agunimon.
"That's what I was trying to do, you idiot! But it's a shame! I missed!" Kazemon spoke.
"So you are trying to hurt me, are you? I knew it!"
"Hey! You're the one who started this whole mess!"
"Yeah? Well, I'll make sure I finish it!"
"Oh please! Don't get me started! After all, this is your fault!"
"Oh, so it's my fault now? Why is everything my fault, Zoe?"
"Well, let me think about that... BECAUSE IT IS YOUR FAULT, YOU MORON!"
"Would you guys just stop arguing?" Bokomon shouted, trying to stop them from fighting.
"SHUT UP!" hollered Kazemon and Agunimon. They glowered at the rookie level Digimon for just a split second before turning back to each other.
"I was doing fine on my own! I had this guy right where I wanted him, until you showed up!" argued the Warrior of Flame.
"Oh, and you think getting tossed around like a rag doll is 'doing fine on your own?' Seriously, Takuya! Wake up! Open your eyes! You can't defeat this guy!"
"I can and I will! And I don't need someone like you to help me, you noisy little girl!"
"That's fine! Like I was going to help you, you pitiful, self-centered annoying..."
"BLOCKADE SEED!" shouted Arbormon, opening up his compartment and shooting a few projectiles at his opponents.
The two Warriors turned and saw a couple of seed-like bombs coming their way. They immediately stopped their argument and leaped out of the crossfire. The bombs exploded on the spot where Agunimon and Kazemon once stood. Moments later, the two Legendary Warriors landed back on their feet. Both of them got in their defensive stance and faced the Warrior of Wood.
"I just hate it when I'm ignored, right?" He grumbled. "Seriously, folks. If you're going to argue with each other, at least do it when you're fighting me! That way, I kick your butts while I'm not bored!"
"Excuse me?" Kazemon huffed.
"You little..." Agunimon muttered.
"Well... come at me, right?"
"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The two Warriors screamed as they charged at the wooden cyborg.
Kazemon's wings gave her a boost of speed. She able to get to the Warrior of Wood before Agunimon could. The lavender haired Digimon jumped and went for a tornado kick at Arbormon's body with a back kick as a follow up, But Arbormon easily blocked the two kicks and took a few steps to the side. Kazemon retaliated by delivering a spinning heel kick to his head. But after Arbormon easily dodged in attack, he gave Kazemon a powerful elbow to her face, knocking her to the ground.
Agunimon leaped over the collapsed butterfly and delivered a diving punch to Arbormon's body. The android jumped out of the way and dropped in his defensive stance. Agunimon then went for a couple of hooks to his opponent's head. Arbormon blocked both punches and gave Arbormon a huge punch to the nose. He fell to the ground like a rock.
Arbormon then turned and saw Kazemon back on her feet, going for another frontal assault. Her first attack was a roundkick to the head, then a sidekick to the chest, and a spinning roundkick to the temple. But Arbormon read her like a book. He blocked all three kicks without having to move. Kazemon then went for a punch to his midsection, but the wooden Digimon swatted her hand out of the way.
The Warrior of Wind realized she was too close to her opponent, but it was too late. Arbormon reached his hand out and grabbed Kazemon by the neck. He lifted her off the ground and squeezed tighter on her throat. Kazemon tried to kick and wiggle loose, but Arbormon's grip was too tight. He squeezed hard, blocking Kazemon's airway. Her coughs were weak and shallow. Her muscles started to loosen up and her consciousness was slowly slipping away.
"ARBORMON!" Agunimon shouted.
He came from the Warrior's blindside. With both of his hands covered in flames, the fiery Digimon went for a punch to Arbormon's back. Unfortunately, the wooden android caught the Warrior of Flame from the corner of his eye. With Kazemon still in his grasp, he turned around and causal stepped to the side. While doing so, he gave Agunimon a brutal knee to his gut. The Warrior of Flame bent over, leaving him exposed for another attack. Arbormon followed up by striking the back of his neck, knocking him face flat on the ground. The Warrior of Wood continued his assault by viciously stomping on Agunimon's back.
After the tenth stomp, he got off the fiery Digimon and shifted his attention towards the gagging Kazemon. He lifted her up as high as he could and slammed her down on top of Agunimon. Both Legendary Warriors grimaced in pain when their bodies collided like with each other. Arbormon grinned at his fallen opponents and took a few big steps back.
"Blockade Seed!" He said softly.
A seed-like grenade shot out of his mouth and rolled towards the two fallen Legendary Warriors. But when it stopped, the bomb exploded. As a result, the shockwaves sent Agunimon and Kazemon fling through the air. But gravity quickly got a hold of them just when they reach the apex. Kazemon's back slammed hard into a nearby, unforgiving tree, while Agunimon landed back on the ground, creating a huge crater on impact.
"Agunimon! Kazemon!" Bokomon cried. "Oh dear, this is not good!"
"He's way too strong!" Neemon blurted out.
"I can see that you imbecile! Stop pointing out the obvious!" Bokomon shouted toward his partner, before giving him another wedgie. He then turned towards the swordsman Digimon. He too had witnessed Agunimon and Kazemon getting thrashed by the Warrior of Wood. But his eyes didn't show any hint of worry or concern.
"Swiftmon, now would be a good time for you to do something!"
"No. This is their fight. The outcome of the Digital World will be determined by who wins this battle. We must not interfere." He replied.
"Well... alright." Bokomon sighed and turned back towards the battlefield.
Regardless how much pain he was in, Agunimon managed to get back on all fours. It was a struggle, especially since a couple of his ribs were cracked and his back felt a little stiff. He got to his feet and held his arms up. Agunimon shot a quick glance at the Warrior of Wind, who was still down on her hands and knees. She had one hand clenching her midsection and she was coughing profusely. Agunimon did feel a sense of guilt seeing her in pain like that, but that wasn't his priority. He turned back towards the wooden android with anger in his eyes.
"Ah! Back for more, right?" snickered the Warrior of Wood.
Agunimon pounded his fist together and created two fireballs at the end of his knuckles. He sprinted towards Arbormon with both of his hands on fire. Rapidly and relentlessly, he delivered punch after punch to his opponent. His speed picked up a bit, making his attacks a little bit harder to dodge. Arbormon was fast, but even he wasn't able to dodge all of Agunimon's punches. Then again, it's not like he needed to. The damage to his body was less than minimal. To Arbormon, it was nothing more than a playful tap.
A couple of minutes later, Agunimon movements started to slow down. The flames on his hands were subsiding and his energy was running low. This gave Arbormon another chance to strike. He held his arm out and wrapped his hand around Agunimon's head. With the strength of ten Ogremon, he easily lifted the Warrior of Flame off of the ground. Arbormon held Agunimon in that position for a few seconds before throwing back down on the dirt. The fiery Digimon laid unconsciously on his back. Arbormon lifted up his foot and hovered it above Agunimon's head.
"Say goodbye, twerp!" He chuckled.
But before he could bring his foot down, he caught something on the corner of his eye. He looked to his right and noticed Kazemon flying towards him. She quickly wrapped her arms around the wooden Digimon and drilled her shoulders into Arbormon's body, trying to tackle him to the ground. But the Warrior of Wood refused to go down. Regardless how hard Kazemon tackled him, Arbormon easily stood his ground. He rotated his body a little bit and trapped the Warrior of Wind in a side headlock. He snickered at the helpless butterfly and clinched his free hand into a fist.
"One for the money..." He viciously punched Kazemon straight in the face.
"Two for the show..." Again, he punched the female Warrior's jaw, almost knocking a couple of her teeth out.
"Three to get ready..." This time, he gave the Warrior of Wind a huge knee to her gut.
"OOOOFFFFFF!" huffed Kazemon, feeling as if she's had the wind knocked out of her. But then Arbormon lifts her up over his head with arms fully extended. He turned towards the unconscious Agunimon.
"And here you... GO!"
He threw the defenseless Kazemon over his shoulder and towards the Warrior of Flame. Both of their bodies collided with each other. The two of them rolled helplessly on the ground. Arbormon detached both of his arms and shot them towards both Warriors. He grabbed both of their necks and dragged the two bodies back towards him. As he retracted both of his arms, he noticed Agunimon and Kazemon kicking their legs and twisting their bodies like fish out of water. It brought him great joy seeing his two opponents struggling and suffering at his hands. Arbormon lifted both Legendary Warriors off the ground and tightened his grip. His eyes shift from left to right like he's curious to see who would pass out first.
"You kiddies are making this way too easy, right?" He laughed. Arbormon brought his two opponents together and watched Agunimon's head crashes into Kazemon's. After that he tossed them both to the side. They rolled on the dirt until they slammed hard into another tree.
The Warriors of Flame and Wind laid on the ground, gasping for air. Not only they were tired, but Arbormon has done a good amount of damage on both of them. Agunimon felt like he had a concussion. His back was felt stiff after taking all of those shots from Arbormon. Kazemon, on the other hand, curled into a ball and clutched her injured midsection. She coughed heavily for air.
Elsewhere, Swiftmon had seen the thrashing Arbormon has given those two Warriors. He sighed and shook his head in disappointment. Bokomon and Neemon's reactions were more different. The rabbit had his eyes covered while Bokomon was hiding his face behind his book. He quickly checked the battlefield and his heart stopped when he noticed his two friends lying on the ground, beaten, battered and bruised.
"Takuya! Zoe!" Bokomon called out. "Are you guys alright? Say something."
Slowly, Agunimon and Kazemon got back on all fours. The pain in their bodies was intense, but their willpower enabled them to power through it. It took half a minute, but the Warriors of Flame and Wind were back on their feet. The two of them got back in their stance and were ready to resume the fight. Of course, this only made the Arbormon laugh.
"How is this guy beating us so easily? He's not even breaking a sweat!" grimaced the fiery Digimon.
"You're telling me. He withstood all our attacks like it was nothing." muttered the humanoid butterfly.
"What should we do?" Agunimon eyed the Warrior next to him.
"Um... I'm open for suggestions." Kazemon shrugged.
"Man, this is boring!" yawned the Warrior of Wood. "You two aren't even worth destroying, right? I should just leave and save my appetite for some stronger opponent! Oh well, Lord Malevomon's orders!"
"Malevomon!" Both Agunimon and Kazemon muttered to themselves.
Slowly, the Legendary Warriors gazed into each other's eyes. At that exact moment, both of them were thinking the same thing. This battle wasn't about retrieving some Legendary Spirits. It's about saving the Digital World from Malevomon's evil. He has caused a great deal of harm to many innocent Digimon in this world. So many had fallen trying to stop the evil emperor. Now, they're the only ones that could stop him.
"Come on, you guys! You can do it! Send that evil puppet back to the wood chipper!" cheered Bokomon. The two Legendary Warriors nodded back at their friends before turning back to the battlefield.
"Um... Zoe?"
"Hmm?"
"Look, I know the two of us have gotten off to a bad start and such... but, uh... I, um..."
"Just get to the point! And stop stuttering! It's driving me crazy!"
"Okay, already!" complained the Warrior of Flame. But he shook off Kazemon's remarks and focused on what he wanted to say.
"Listen, if we're gonna defeat Arbormon, then you and I... we're gonna have to work together!"
"So now you want my help? About time, Takuya! Didn't I say you couldn't do this without..."
"ENOUGH!" Agunimon roared, causing the female Digimon to step back. "I didn't say I need your help! But if you haven't noticed, none of us were able to stand up to him alone!"
"Well... I guess you do have a point! But that still doesn't change that fact that you're still a jerk! And I'm not gonna..."
"Listen, Zoe! You hate me? Fine! You want finish our fight when this is over? I'm okay with that! Let's just take care of business and defeat Arbormon! Then you can beat me all you want... if you can!"
"Fine, whatever!" Kazemon sighed.
The two Legendary Warriors dropped in their stance and waited for Arbormon to make his move. They noticed the cables attached to his arms swinging around with the wind. He walked a few feet towards Agunimon and Kazemon before coming to a complete stop. Arbormon pulled his arms back and launched straight at the two Warriors. He clenched both of his hands into a fists and shot them towards his opponents like a couple of missiles.
Agunimon and Kazemon focused on the hands and waited for them to within striking distance. The Warrior of Flame gave the first oncoming attack a vicious left hook, sending it flying to a nearby tree. The butterfly executed a spinning roundkick, knocking the second hand towards another tree. Both fists pierce through the wood and buried itself in the tree's body.
"Get him!" Agunimon ordered. Kazemon nodded and the two Legendary Warriors charged towards the wooden Digimon.
A couple of fireballs appeared at the end of Agunimon's fists while Kazemon flapped her wings and took the skies. Once they were a couple of meters from their opponent, the Warriors of Flame and Wind scattered in different directions. They both landed near Arbormon's side and made their approach from there. Agunimon was the first to make his move.
"Pyro Punch!" He shouted
Agunimon launched both of his fireballs at the wooden android. As the fireballs drew nearer, Arbormon quickly pulled his fists out of the tree and back towards him. His hands snapped back into place, and the Warrior of Wood swatted away both of Agunimon's attack.
"I told you that won't work anymore, right?" declared Arbormon as he pulled his leg back. "Roundhouse Pun..."
"Hurricane Wave!" cried Kazemon.
She flung her hands forward, shooting a bunch of pink cyclones from her fingertips. Unfortunately, Arbormon saw the attack coming from behind him. He used his Roundhouse Punt to fan away Kazemon's tornadoes. He turned around and brought his arms back ready to punch Kazemon's lights out.
"Now!" muttered the Warrior of Flame.
With Arbormon focused on Kazemon, he left himself wide open for an attack. Agunimon quickly closed the distance and crouched below the wooden Digimon. Arbormon sensed the attack coming and immediately turned towards the Warrior behind him. But it was already too late. Agunimon dug his feet into the ground and gave Arbormon a vicious uppercut to his chin.
The blow was powerful enough to knock the Warrior of Wood off of his feet and straight towards Kazemon. But the butterfly Digimon was ready. She lifted her right leg up high and waited for Arbormon to get within striking distance. Finally, she brought leg down, striking Arbormon's head with the bottom part of her heel. The axe kick sent Arbormon plummeting and crashing hard into the ground, creating a huge hole and clouds of dust upon impact. The two Legendary Warriors regrouped and looked at the spot where their opponent has fallen.
"Alright!" Bokomon cheered, swinging Neemon around in circles. "They did it! They've defeated Arbormon!"
"Not quite." Swiftmon skeptically muttered, causing the two Rookie Digimon stop dancing.
"Huh? What do are you talking about, Swiftmon? I thought we won already!" said Neemon.
"And besides, you say Takuya and Zoe needed to work together to defeat him. I don't know about you, but that is what I call teamwork!" Bokomon pointed out.
But before he could argue some more, the Warrior of Wood sat up straight and got back to his feet. He wiped the dirt off of him and glowered at the two Legendary Warriors that knocked him down. Everyone but Swiftmon was in shock.
"It's not enough." criticized the swordsman. "Arbormon's too strong. He won't go down that easily. If they're going to defeat him, then they're gonna have to do more than that."
"I don't understand, what are they supposed to do?" Bokomon asked.
"That's something they have to find out for themselves."
Arbormon stomped towards Agunimon and Kazemon with anger and frustration in his eyes. Even though his body was still intact, there were a few scratches on some of his armor. A few patches of dirt was smeared on his body and his boots caked with the wet mud. He cracked both of his knuckles and chuckled to himself.
"Hmm... not bad! It seems like two losers have finally decided to get serious, right? Excellent! I was getting bored facing both of you twerps one at a time! Now things are going to get more interesting!"
"Jeez, does this guy ever shut up?" complained the Warrior of Wind.
"Keep your guard up, Zoe! This fight is just getting started!" Agunimon pointed out.
"I know that! I didn't ask you to remind..."
Kazemon fell silent the moment her eyes met Agunimon's. The look on his face told her that now wasn't the time for arguing with each other. And if there's anything she wanted to say, she should wait until the fight was over. She sighed and gave Agunimon a quick nod.
"Alright. Just be careful out there." She finished.
Arbormon detached both of his hand and got ready for his next attack. He stretched his arms out horizontally and clenches his fists. Next, he spun around as fast as he could towards his two opponents. Agunimon and Kazemon was amazed how Arbormon has increased his range by at least five meters. And it seemed like it was increasing with each passing second.
The fiery Digimon launched a couple of fireballs at the wooden android, only to have the swatted away by Arbormon's arms. The flames collided against a couple more trees, causing them to explode. Kazemon tried throwing a few of her pink tornadoes, but none of her attacks could reach her opponent. It disappeared right on contact.
Kazemon then thought about trying another frontal attack. She flapped her wings and was about to approach the wooden android, when Agunimon grabbed one of her arm. She looked back at him, more confused than angry. But the Warrior of Flame gently pulled her back to him instead of jerking her to the ground.
"Takuya?" She wondered.
"Listen, I have an idea. But I'm gonna need you to trust me." He murmured. At first, the female Digimon was a hesitant, but she gave her partner a nod in confirmation.
"Alright, what's the plan?" She quietly asked.
But before Agunimon could say anything else, he noticed the spinning Warrior of Wood was coming at them fast. Without thinking, the fiery Digimon grabbed Kazemon's hand and the two of them dove out of danger. They skid on the ground and turned back towards their opponent. Arbormon noticed the two Warriors changing their position and immediately slowed his momentum down. But not without destroying a few trees in the vicinity. One by one, they fell to the ground like dominoes. He changed direction and spun towards Agunimon and Kazemon like a top.
Meanwhile, Agunimon was already whispering to his partner what his plan of attack was. Quietly, the Warrior of Wind nodded her head as she took mental notes of the plan. Once when he was finished, the only response he got from her was an awkward stare that told him that this was not going to work. Agunimon just shrugged due to the fact that he couldn't come up with anything else.
"Well?" He finally spoke.
"You're kidding me right?" Kazemon asked. "That's your plan?"
"It's all I got!"
"Come on, Takuya! You don't really think this could work, right?"
"It has to! If everything goes right, we can turn this thing around!"
"And if it doesn't work? Then what?"
"I, uh... um... well... then, I'm out of ideas!"
"Oh, great! That's just what I wanted to hear!" groaned the Warrior of Wind with a mild amount of sarcasm.
"Look Zoe! So far, it's the only plan we have! We can either try it out or keep up the hit and run strategy tactic! Your choice!" demanded Agunimon.
Kazemon took a deep breath and sighed. Although Agunimon's idea sounded like a plan, it was very risky and could backfire on them easily. But then again, they weren't going anywhere with just shooting their attacks from a distance. She looked into Agunimon's eyes and nodded. Clearly, it was either now or never.
"Okay!" She gulped. "Let's do it!"
"Alright!" nodded the Warrior of Flame. "Step One: Stop Arbormon's Attack!"
Kazemon grabbed Agunimon's forearms and used her strength to carry him off the ground. For the moment, they were out of Arbormon's range. They watched as the wooden Digimon swirling his arms around blindly, knocking down anything and everything in his path. Meanwhile, the other Warriors waited for the right opportunity to strike.
Finally, Agunimon gave Kazemon a nod. The butterfly spun the Warrior of Flame around in circles and released him like a hammer throw. With perfect timing, she managed to heave her partner at the Warrior of Wood. Agunimon dove towards Arbormon with his arms open like a bullet out of a nozzle. Finally, he wrapped his arms around the wooden android's body and tackled him to the ground. Kazemon watched as the two Warriors rolled on the dirt.
"Okay..." She sighed. "Step Two: Set Takuya Up."
As she landed gently on the ground, Agunimon and his opponent were already back on their feet in another hand-to-hand combat. This time, it Arbormon was more aggressive in his attacks. He's throwing in more punches and kicks at the Warrior of Flame with incredible speed and power. Agunimon dodged left and right, avoiding as many strikes as he could. But while he was playing defense, he carefully studied Arbormon's moves and waited for a chance to make his move. He shot a quick glance and Kazemon and noticed she was in position.
"Now!" He said to himself.
Arbormon then went for a right cross to Agunimon's face. The Warrior of Flame timed the punch accordingly. With one quick step to his left, he easily evaded the strike. But then, he quickly got behind the Warrior of Wood and locked him in a full nelson hold. His hands extended upwards underneath Arbormon's armpits, holding the neck with his fingers locking with each other.
"Zoe, do it!" He commanded.
"Right!" She quickly flew in towards the two Warriors.
"You twerps are really starting to bug me, right?" grumbled Arbormon. "I'm getting tired of playing this game! It's time to finish you punks off once and for all!"
He reached behind him and placed his hands on top of Agunimon's. In his mind, he planned to undo the hold and throw the Warrior of Flame into his partner. And then with one last attack, he'll take their Spirits, absorb their Fractal Code and deliver the good news to Lord Malevo...
"Not this time!" grinned Agunimon.
He gave Arbormon a sharp knee to the back. He then released the hold and left the Warrior of Wood on his knees. Arbormon tried to get back to his feet. However, he didn't see Kazemon closing the distance in less than a blink of an eye. She drilled both of her legs into Arbormon's midsection. For the first time, Arbormon showed signs of agony.
"Ugh!" He grunted, feeling as if he's got the wind knocked out of him.
"I'm not done yet!" declared Kazemon. "TEMPEST TWIST!"
She got on her hands and spread her legs out wide. The butterfly spun around in circles, rapidly kicking Arbormon in the face and stomach. The Warrior of Wood tried to defend himself, but Kazemon's kicks were way too fast. The female Digimon wasn't giving him any time to react.
Suddenly, she sprung her hands on the ground, causing her to ascend up in the air. After a full turn, she dove toward Arbormon's head with her legs out front. Like a speeding arrow, Kazemon executed a diving sidekick to her opponent's head. The attack was strong enough to get the Warrior of Wood wobbling on his feet. Finally, Kazemon grabbed her opponent by the arm and launches him into the air with one huge kick.
"Takuya!" She cried.
"I'm on it!" said Agunimon.
He leaped into the air towards the tumbling Warrior of Wood with both of his fists covered in raging hot flames. The fiery Digimon was finally in striking distance and gave the airborne Arbormon a huge punch to the middle of his back. The attack caused the Warrior of Wood to tumble through the air and land hard on the dirt below. Agunimon landed beside the Warrior of Wind and gave her one last nod.
"Step Three: Turn Up The Heat!" The two of them said in unison.
Arbormon got on one knee and glowered at the Legendary Warriors. There were more scratches all over his wooden armor and a few parts of his body were in pain. Being in this situation against those two was nothing short of humiliating. He clenched his fists tight and pounded it on the ground.
"That does it, you twerps! It's time I finish you's off for... Uh-oh!"
"PYRO TORNADO!" Agunimon shouted.
The first thing Arbormon saw was Agunimon running towards him. Large fireballs appeared on his fists. He rotated his body a little bit and started to spin around in circles. Agunimon spun closer and closer towards his opponent. All of the sudden, Arbormon's body was covered in a large fiery tornado. He got to his feet and remained in his stance.
"Oh please, not this move again!" He said. "I told you's already this will never work, right? Sorry kid, but your flames aren't even hot enough to burn my armor! You're only wasting your..."
"ZOE, NOW!" Agunimon shouted.
"TEMPEST TWIST!" The butterfly shouted.
Once again, the Warrior of Wind got on down on her hands, spread her legs out wide and spun very quickly, creating a powerful tornado, She combined her cyclone with the fiery tornado around the Warrior of Wood. The cyclone grew larger and heat waves around the area increased as well.
"What the... What's going on? AAAHHHHHH!" yelped Arbormon.
Inside the tornado, the wooden android could feel the effects of his opponents' combined attacks. Thanks to Kazemon, the heat of Agunimon's Pyro Tornado escalated. The energy caused significant burns all over Arbormon's body. The pain was intense. The Warrior of Wood dropped to one knee as he struggled to fight off the pain he was in. All of the sudden, the fiery cyclone disappeared. Even though that attack did a good amount of damage to his body, Arbormon was still intact. He tilted his head up and leered at his two opponents.
"STUBBORN LITTLE BRATS!" He growled.
"Finish him!" ordered Agunimon.
"Right!" Kazemon agreed.
The two of them ran towards the defenseless Warrior of Wood as fast as they could. Arbormon retaliated by detaching his right arm and viciously swinging it at his two opponents. Agunimon ducked underneath the strike while Kazemon easily flew over it. As they continued their approach, the Warrior of Flame punched both of his fists together, creating large fireballs at the end of each hand. With one last yell, Agunimon gave the wooden Digimon a ferocious uppercut to the chin.
Arbormon grunted in pain as the attack sent him up in the air. But while Arbormon was airborne, Kazemon swooped in and gave her opponent a rotating heel drop, knocking him back down. He fell into Agunimon's striking range and the Warrior of Flame finished off the combo by giving Arbormon a huge punch to the back. The blow sent the Warrior of Wood tumbling on the dirt and crashing into a tree.
"They did it!" cheered Bokomon.
"Nice work guys!" complimented Neemon.
Swiftmon just nodded his head, impressed with the teamwork the two Legendary Warriors had just displayed. But he kept his emotionless face. He knew that the fight's not over just yet.
"Alright! Great job, Takuya!" Kazemon giggled as she landed beside her partner.
"Yeah! You were awesome too, Zoe." He complimented.
Overjoyed with excitement, the Warrior of Wind wrapped her arms around her Agunimon and gave him a huge embrace. The Warrior of Flame subconsciously responded by giving her a hug as well. For a few moments, the two of them cradled in each other's arms as the gentle breeze rustled the colorful leaves on the trees, relaxing the atmosphere around them.
Finally, the two of them parted ways and stared into each other's eyes. Their smiles were bigger and brighter than before. They hadn't laugh like this in a long time. The forest was quiet and a little bit in ruins after their intense battle with Arbormon, but that didn't bother them at all. They had won the fight and both of them were safe and sound.
"Ehem!" Bokomon coughed, snapping the two Legendary Warriors back to reality. Agunimon and Kazemon immediately released each other and turned away, both hiding their flushing red cheeks.
"Hehe... my bad." stuttered Agunimon.
"No... It's fine." She whispered.
"Um... Zoe, I, uh... good job back there."
"Yeah... you too, Takuya. I guess, um... your plan did work."
"Oh, thanks."
"You're welcome."
Again, the forest was covered in awkward silence.
"So, uh... does that mean you..." The fiery Digimon spoke.
"Let's not talk about that right now." The butterfly said.
"Fine..." He sighed. "Come on, we can't leave a mission half finished."
Kazemon agreed and the two walked towards the spot where Arbormon had crashed. They spotted the Warrior of Wood slumped against the tree who appeared to be unconscious. Slowly, the Legendary Warriors approached their beaten opponent with extreme caution. His eyes were closed and he didn't appear to be moving.
"Be careful, Takuya."
"I know, Zoe."
But before the two of them could get any closer, Arbormon's eyes shot open, catching Agunimon and Kazemon by surprise.
"BLOCKADE SEED!"
The Warrior of Wood fired a seed-like bomb at the Warrior of Wind at point blank range. Agunimon tackled Kazemon to the ground and the two of them rolled out of the way just as the bomb exploded. Both Legendary Warriors sprang back to their feet and faced the Arbormon, who was on one knee chuckling to himself.
"Man, I never thought that you pathetic punks could put up such a fight, right? I have to admit, I'm very impressed! Hehe!"
"Oh Arbormon, that means so little coming from you!" smirked Kazemon.
"Give it up, Arbormon! It's over! There's no way you can defeat the two us when we work together!" declared Agunimon. However, that bold statement did not stop the Warrior of Wood from laughing.
"You two are more foolish than I thought, right? You're even dumber than a brainless Sukamon! You know what they say, human stupidity is such pain in the neck, right?"
"Why I oughta..." huffed the female Digimon.
"You're can't win, Arbormon! Even the dark powers of the Chaos Sphere won't be enough to save you!" Agunimon growled.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the wooden cyborg. "Idiots! You haven't even seen my true power yet! The first fight was just the appetizer! But now, it's time for the main course! You can talk about this dumb concept of teamwork all you's like! But when it's all said and done, I'll be the one who will walk away with both of your Spirits and your lives as well! Now, you's kiddies excuse me while I change into something more... comfortable!"
Suddenly, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the cocoon of data, he began to change forms.
"Arbormon, slide… EVOLUTION!"
Finally, the large body of Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared before Kazemon and Agunimon. It was a gigantic lizard with his body covered in green leaves, with brownish leaves for feet. It had two thick wooden branches for his tails. He also had four other wooden stakes sticking out of his back, He had a bud-like head with brown leaves covering it like it was a flower. His ivy tongue licked his lips, showing his humongous appetite. His blackish eyes glowered at the two Legendary Warriors who appeared to be next on the menu.
Agunimon and Kazemon gasped in fear as they slowly backed into a nearby tree. Both of them were shocked at the incredible size of their newest opponent. The Beast Digimon of Wood unleashed a powerful roar that echoed throughout the Forbidden Forest. Meanwhile, the threatening sound caused Bokomon and Neemon to dive back in the bushes.
"PETALDRAMON!" He cried.
The lizard-like Digimon extended his long tongue towards the two Legendary Warriors. Agunimon and Kazemon quickly moved out of the way as Petaldramon's tongue wraps around a couple of tree. He pulled his tongue back, taking the trees along with him. Petaldramon easily munched on the large pieces of wood like steamed broccoli. All of the sudden, the Beast Digimon of Wood began to grow until he was four times his original size. Not only that, all of his injuries has already been healed.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Petaldramon laughed. "Now that's is what I call power surge, baby!"
"Oh man, this guy's huge!" panted Kazemon. "This... could present a problem."
"Be ready, Zoe. Otherwise, we could be his next meal." said Agunimon.
The two Legendary Warriors dropped in their defense stance and prepared themselves for another grueling battle. The fight against Arbormon took a lot out of them. Agunimon's head was still shaking after being tossed around like a rag doll. Plus, since he has been fighting this guy from the beginning, his energy was kind of low. He could still fight, but not for very long. Kazemon, on the other hand, wasn't any better. Her stomach was still in pain after taking a couple of shots in the ribs. And to make things worse, she has only one half of the Spirits of Wind.
Unfortunately for those two Warriors, Petaldramon was four times bigger than his original size and has already rejuvenated all of his minor burns and injuries. And not only that, but the battlefield is still taking place in the Forbidden Forest, giving Petaldramon a huge advantage in this fight. With so many trees at his disposal, the Beast Digimon of Wood has the edge in terms of home field advantage, and regeneration supply. He stood on his hind legs and leered at his two opponents. Of course to him, they appeared to be very tasty. He gave Agunimon and Kazemon a huge smirk before making his move.
"IT'S DINNER TIME! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-five.
Can our two heroes defeat Petaldramon once and for all? Or will this giant lizard have two more Legendary Warriors for dinner? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.
*Don't forget to review!*