Disclaimer- I do not own Digimon or the idea of Digimon I only own the characters I make up and this storyline. Digimon is copyrighted to Bandai, Toei, and of course it's Original Creator and anyone else who might hold the copyright for it.

A/N - I don't know how many of you have seen my post in my profile that I did recently, but chapters have been delayed due to my tablet dying... The other problem that is delaying chapters is a family issue that is beyond my control right now. So when I do have time at a computer I am trying to get as many post ready as possible. There will probably be errors that I will, or someone else, will catch at some point. I will be posting a more thorough explanation in my profile if anyone is interested.

I apologize for this and I will try to get things under control as soon as I can. Well what I can get under control...

Guest - I have to say reading your reviews always puts a smile on my face :D. I am glad that you liked the chapters so much and even happier that you like Kyte. I was a little iffy on introducing him, but he is needed. Thank you for letting me know about readability of chapter twenty-two when compared to twenty-three and twenty-four I'll keep that in mind. I also keep in mind your suggestions about Tokamon's pov scene when I go back through it later. Thank you very much for the review!

Also a thank you to all the new followers whether you are currently reading or waiting until I'm done writing :D.

Chapter Twenty-Five The Virus

"I'm caught up for the moment. The problem is how are we going to get more? Krista was the one in charge of getting it for Trace, Lexi and I and as for Lee he was being taught by Krista's boyfriend so there is no telling if he has forgotten all about us or not," Luna said with a slight sigh. "Trace managed to get ahead with how little he sleeps before Krista vanished which is saying something seems how he was so far behind before. I'm probably going to have to make a trip back home soon to find out just how much trouble the person who took Krista and Lexi has made for us since she is also Lee's legal guardian on our world." Takeru frowned slightly having not thought about how Krista's disappearance might affect the rest of the Star siblings normal lives.

"Good luck," Takeru said since it was the only thing he could think of to say and Luna nodded. Lee came back a bit later once he had retrieved his back with his school work in it then set himself up at the desk in the room to work on it. It was long after he had arrived that the food Luna had ordered arrived and Takeru's stomach was very happy at the sight of it.

Later that afternoon, Daisuke and the others showed up at the hotel. With them they brought copies of Hikari and Kohana's notes for Takeru and Aiden. Kohana had copied her notes because she had done them both in English and Japanese for Aiden's sake to make it easier for him to read. She had written them in both languages in hopes of helping increasing his skills in Japanese. By then Trace and Kyte had already gotten back with various things for Kyte and things the Star siblings had needed as well. Takeru noted that Kyte seemed surprised by just how many kinds and Digimon had shown up so far. It made Takeru wonder what he would think if all of his friends happened to show up.

It wasn't long before a fighting game tournament was started by Lee in the room he now shared with his uncle. This made several people happy, mainly Daisuke and V-mon, since there was nothing they could do to help at the moment. Takeru ended up in Aiden's room to work on his homework and go over the notes from Hikari. He had also gone into this room because Sora had to leave soon and he didn't want Yamato watching Aiden on his own.

By the time Sora had left Aiden's fever had finally started to go down. This meant they wouldn't have to take him to the hospital as Jou had told them to do by tomorrow if it hadn't gone down. Punimon kept a close eye on the two brothers though he didn't seem to mind Patamon or Tsunomon going near him or Aiden. Takeru figured he had the same opinion on Digimon and humans as Aiden did.

It was made even more obvious by the fact Punimon was currently sitting at the foot of the bed Aiden was asleep in watching Patamon as he played on his DS Lite. His focus was more on the game then it was Patamon. As for Patamon he was playing in here because his hands weren't suited for the controllers of the game system Lee owned. Due to that he had just followed Takeru into this room. He had originally been on the other bed, but when Punimon had shown interest in his game yet a reluctance to join him on the other bed Patamon had moved to him.

As for Yamato he was now looking through the papers from Aiden's backpack. Takeru had a feeling that he wasn't really learning anything from them. He believed his brother was just going through them for something to do. To Takeru the writing on the papers looked like chicken scratch and it really didn't help that it was in another language. It gave him a headache just looking at it.

Takeru was in the middle of putting his homework into his school bag when he heard Aiden groan. Takeru turned to look at the red headed teen in time to see Aiden sit up slightly. "Where am I?" Aiden asked as he looked around the room his eyes stopping on the two brothers.

"You're in a hotel room that the Star siblings are currently renting," Takeru answered him as Punimon quickly hoped up to Aiden. Aiden seemed a bit shocked to see the Baby One Digimon as he picked him up.

"Where is Black Agumon? Or most likely Botamon?" he asked as she looked around the room again not seeing the small Digimon anywhere in the room.

"Kitsumon has him," Yamato answered him as he set the papers down. "He grabbed a hold of him before any of us could. Punimon is only safe because Kusarimon managed to grab him before someone else did. He tried to get Botamon back for you and was injured because of it."

Aiden starred at his Digimon for a moment before he said, "He won't harm him... Most likely he'll try to use him to get the laptop and things back that I took from him."

"Speaking of that, just what are those things? They have to be pretty important to take the risks that you did," Takeru said as he glanced at the laptop. It was still plugged in, but it hadn't been turned on since the first time.

"It's the data on the virus I told you about before... On how it was made, the testing results, the thoughts of the man who made it before and after it was released unto my world. I didn't want to leave it with Kitsumon because he was obviously very willing to use it. I also kind of hoped that maybe someone you knew could make some type of cure with it or something like that..." Aiden told him while he set his Digimon back down on the bed. He was a lot calmer then Takeru would have been in his place given his situation.

"And the Digi Egg?" Takeru asked pointing to where it was now currently resting on a pillow in a corner of the room wrapped up in an electric blanket. Takeru didn't know if heat was actually needed for a Digimon Egg to hatch but it was better than doing nothing at all. That and Lee had insisted an egg needed heat and no one could persuade him otherwise. Patamon had more than once while he had been in the room flown over to it and gently rubbed the Digimon Egg, but there was no sign of it hatching any time soon from what Takeru was able to tell.

Aiden looked at it then sighed. "It's Minervamon's. I asked her to choose sides and surprisingly she picked mine. That's what ended up happening to her. I'm glad to see it's alright cause when I saw it last it wasn't looking as solid as it is now. I was afraid she wasn't going to survive," he answered and Takeru was a bit surprised. He knew Minervamon liked Aiden, but he didn't think she had liked him enough to actually fight against Kitsumon for his sake. Apparently she did and even at the risk of being deleted she had continued to fight. Just what had Aiden done to gain her absolute trust like that?

"Did you happen to learn anything new about the virus?" Yamato asked him and Aiden nodded.

"Apparently it wasn't actually meant to be as lethal as it was. The man that made it was actually trying to find a way to make other Digimon besides the Chosen's on my world to evolve higher than their Adult stages or stop the evolution completely. He tested it on Digimon who had volunteered, but he could tell after the first test that it was in no way what he wanted and that it could even be dangerous if one wasn't careful with it.

"After that he tried to destroy it since he was working for a company that had a real close ties to the military. In the end the virus was discovered when the Digimon he tested it on overwhelmed the safety precautions he had used. After that he goes on to say he was forced to continue development of the virus though he never did state just how they were forcing him to do it. We were told they developed the virus to stop Digimon from evolving past their adult stage but instead what it really was meant to do was make an adult Digimon more powerful then even an Ultimate," Aiden told them.

"But it didn't do just that," Patamon said remembering what Aiden had told them about the virus.

"Exactly, they stupidly released it onto the military connected Digimon and from there it spread far faster than anyone could try to contain. The Digimon must have wiped the entire base out as well because after the man wrote how horrified he was about what was happening and what he had made the entries just stopped. I don't think he survived what happened that day," Aiden told them then shook his head. "After that it was made illegal to do experiments on Digimon or the Digital World because they realized to late they were messing with something they just couldn't handle."

"To bad others had to pay the price before they learned that lesson," Takeru said and Aiden nodded in agreement. "If you can would you translate it for us so we can try passing it on to some people that we know that are studying Digimon? If anyone would be able to break it down and make a cure it would be them, but why do you want a cure?"

"Because Kitsumon had this stuff long enough to at least make some of the virus and with how it had a tendency of spreading it wouldn't take very long for all of Japan to be infected by it. Also I seriously doubt you guys would want to wait for the Digivices to change like ours did. He'll most likely want it back though because he probably wants more to be able to spread it around all the much quicker," Aiden told them then asked, "Have you heard from him yet?"

"No not yet... He's probably to busy relocating right now to worry about contacting us right this minute..." Takeru told him and then asked, "Are you going to hand it over to him?"

"Hell no!" Aiden snapped a look of anger on his face for a moment then it was gone just as fast as it had appeared. "No I wouldn't trust him to give my Digimon back even if I did give him everything! No, I'm keeping it and I'll just have to figure out some other way to get Botamon back from him!"

"Well we'll do what we can to help you. I really don't like the idea of leaving any Baby One Digimon in Kitsumon's hands," Takeru told him and looked at his brother who was in agreement with him.

"You do realize that the only other thing he's going to be willing to trade for my Digimon if I won't give him the virus data will be either you or Patamon?" Aiden asked as she looked at Takeru. The fact Takeru and the others were helping him wasn't that much of a surprise to him anymore. He was already used to the fact that he couldn't get the Chosen Children to mind their own business. The question now was just how far were they actually willing to go in order to help him and his Digimon?

"I know and I'm willing to do it," Takeru told him and he looked at his brother again missing Aiden's look of shock. This time Yamato wasn't looking at Takeru and Takeru had a feeling he was doing it on purpose. His brother was most likely very angry at him for willing to do it, but he also knew his brother would do it if the situations where reversed. "I have an idea on what to do, but I'm going to need to ask some things first..." Takeru added as he pulled out his cell phone to let the others know Aiden was awake and that he wanted them to join him in here if the could.

"Why? Why are you willing to put yourself at risk for my Digimon?" he asked Takeru as the teen put his cellphone up.

"No one should ever have to go through the pain of losing a Digimon. You already felt what it was like to see a friend risk their live in order to save yours and I am not sure just what you did to make Minervamon like you that much, but I'll tell you now the feeling of losing your own Digimon will be much worse," Takeru answered him. He also felt a bit guilty as well. If he hadn't pulled the bracelets off Aiden then his Digimon might have been able to continue fighting until they had manage to get Aiden to safety. Then again either the Digimon or Aiden might have ended up dead if he hadn't. He was trying his hardest to convince himself that it wasn't his fault because in all honesty there was no way for him to know how either choice would have turned out. He had made the one he thought was best at the time and he just had to remember that.

"Granted as I said I have a plan because I promised someone I wouldn't do anything stupid," he told Aiden as he remembered his promise to Taichi. Soon they were joined by the others who were either forced to sit on the bed, floor or to just stand since the room didn't have a whole lot of places to actually sit. Yamato explained to them what Aiden had already had told them and they asked their own questions of him. Takeru didn't pay that much attention to what was said as he tried his hardest to work on the plan he was forming. It would have to be a good one to get his friends to agree with it after all.

"Luna is it possible for me to use your key?" Takeru asked her after they had finished asking Aiden their questions about the virus. The red headed teen was already working on translating the papers to English having decided it would be faster to have him do that then Kohana would translate it to Japanese when he had one page done. Kohana and Ken both watched him as he worked unless Kohana had a page to work on. The two seemed to be trying to learn the language most likely with the idea if they could then maybe they could help Aiden because there was quiet a lot of papers to translate. Takeru wished the two of them luck on that.

"I thought I've answered this already? If I give you permission then you should be able to use it. Just realize that you can only probably open a door once in a day two if your lucky or you'll end up like Lee when you saw him open two that one day," Luna answered him then thought over it realizing this was a strange question. "Why do you want to know? What are you planning?"

"Aiden thinks that Kitsumon will ask for either Takeru or Patamon in exchange for his Digimon since he won't give up the virus data. Takeru already knows that we won't let him do so unless he can come up with a very good plan that will keep himself from getting killed," Yamato answered and he had yet to look at Takeru at this point. Takeru had the bad feeling he had managed to anger his brother a lot more than he could imagine and if he didn't think of a good plan not only would he not be able to help Aiden his brother would most likely be angry at him for awhile for even suggesting it.

"Are you thinking of using Luna's key as a means to escape? What happens if Kitsumon locks you up in a cell like the one he had you and Trace in earlier?" Rascmon asked him which was of course a very good question. The Dog Digimon was sitting curled around Minervamon's egg at the moment since it was out of the way of the others and served to help the egg at the same time.

"Simple, I wouldn't wait long enough for him to do that to me. I'd only wait just long enough for him to hand over Aiden's Digimon then I'd get out of there. Patamon will be useless fighting once I'm gone since I doubt he'll do the trade if we walk up with a whole bunch of ultimate Digimon. If we do this Patamon I want you to stay with Yamato or anyone else that happens to have an Ultimate level Digimon at the time, okay?" Takeru asked looking at the Digimon who was still on the foot of the bed. Patamon wasn't playing anymore, but Aiden's Digimon was sitting beside him so maybe he had managed to make a new friend. "If he gets a hold of both of us somehow things are going to go downhill fast."

"Alright I will," Patamon told him and Takeru nodded glad that he agreed to do so.

"We still haven't agreed to do this yet," Daisuke pointed out to Takeru. "How do we know that Kitsumon won't just take you and run while not handing over Aiden's Digimon to him?"

"Or that he'll really give us Aiden's Digimon? I've been to Primary Village there are a ton of Baby One Digimon that look just like Aiden's Botamon. I wouldn't put it past that fox bastard to snatch one of them to use as a substitute for the real thing," Trace said and Takeru had to agree with him that it would be just like Kitsumon to do something like that.

"Elecmon would tell us if something like that where to happen since he'd want us to help him get the baby back for him," Takeru argued knowing full well his friend wouldn't just let a baby Digimon be stolen from him without asking for help in get them back if they couldn't get them back first that is.

"If he can. Elecmon wouldn't be able to save himself if Kitsumon decided he didn't want anyone spilling his secrets," Trace countered and Takeru knew that he was right. Elecmon wasn't the strongest Digimon out there after all...

"Then if we have to we can have someone camp out in Primary Village to make sure that doesn't happen. I bet you could do that Trace since I know Rascmon would love to be there," Luna said looking at her brother with a look that told him he better watch his words better. "That way if he does show up or if something has happened we'll know. Kusarimon should be fast enough to get you to the closest terminal before Kitsumon caught you. The only reason you got caught that time was because you two had no idea where to go. At least that's what you told me."

Trace glanced at Rascmon knowing full well that his Digimon really would love to spend time in Primary Village again. As it was the only reason he wasn't near Punimon was because of how nervous the little Digimon was. "I'll do it, but I'm taking Lee with me," he said looking at his twin who nodded in agreement. Better there than anywhere else right now.

"Hey! I wanna help Takeru," Lee shouted as he looked at his older brother a pleading look on his face. Trace just shook his head.

"You will be. You'll be making sure he doesn't trade himself for something other than the Digimon we are after! Besides we need to be free of the battle to go pick him up if he happens to end up someplace other than this world," Trace told him and while Takeru could see Lee was now pouting the younger teen nodded in agreement.

"Alright we have that problem worked out but what happens if you get trapped in another illusion? Or worse yet if a certain someone does happen to show up and you freeze up?" Yamato asked him and Takeru knew then that Taichi had told him about what Kitsumon had been hinting at. Takeru had only given him the bare details in the e-mail he had sent him. He wasn't all that surprised really that Taichi had told him in all honesty since it was something his brother should know in case Devimon did happen to show up.

"Then you my dear brother can come save me," Takeru told him as he looked at Yamato. "After all if he traps me in an illusion I'll suddenly vanish so you'll know what has happened. As for that certain someone, since he is only an Adult Digimon, Metal Garurumon should be able to deal with him and if not I'd be really surprised and know then that he's just an illusion as well. Besides I doubt I'll freeze up just from seeing him." He'd probably get extremely angry and want to punch him or something, but freeze? No he didn't think he would freeze. Well he hoped he wouldn't...

"Are you sure? From what Taichi told me you reacted pretty badly when you thought there was a small possibility he would come back. Can you honestly tell me, Takeru, that you wouldn't react poorly if you did happen to see Devimon again? I mean look what you did to Ken just for taking a bit of his data," Yamato reminded him and Takeru wasn't sure just what type of answer he could or should give his brother,

"Don't worry," Patamon said as he flew over to Takeru landing on his lap and looked up at his friend. "The only thing Takeru has to worry about is how fast it'll take one of us to send him back where he came from!" Takeru smiled at his friend while Yamato just sighed. Luna looked at Yamato for a moment before she pulled one of her cards out of her pouch. There was a flash of light that caused everyone to look at her as she handed it over to Takeru.

"What is it?" Takeru asked as he looked at it. He was used to seeing these things with some type of words on it, but this one was completely blank besides the pattern that was on the back. The whole back and red diamonds in checkerboard pattern.

"You'll know when you need it," Luna said then sighed when Takeru continued to stare at her. He obviously wasn't going to take that type of answer and neither where the others. "It's whatever you want it to be as long as it is something I'm capable of currently making. It might help or it might not, but that's the most I can offer you."

"That's still a bit vague," Takeru said as he looked at the card again. Just what was within her limit to make? After all she had managed to make not one, but two Digimon. For now Takeru slid it into his pocket before he somehow used it for something stupid.

"Yeah well without being able to know more about what could happen like I said that's the most I can do for you. That and be there so Bithamon can fight, but even that isn't much since she can't go past her Adult stage yet," Luna told him.

"I'm beginning to wonder if they can," Trace answered as he looked at Rascmon. He'd been stuck at his Adult stage a lot longer than Bithamon had. The fiery dog Digimon just shrugged. It wasn't like he could know. If he did he would have told them by now.

"Give them a chance Trace you're better off then some of us who require Jogress evolving to reach higher than adult ranks," Ken told him and Trace nodded. "Besides your life hasn't been in danger since Luna made those bracelets for you."

"Still wish we could be more help," Trace grumbled and Takeru couldn't really blame him. It really wasn't a nice feeling when one felt worthless when things kept going bad like they were.

"Anything else we can cover? I'm not going to let Takeru do this unless I know it's actually going to work," Yamato said as he looked around the room and Takeru couldn't help but wonder just how he would stop him. Not that he would do this without Yamato's approval because that was a good way to get himself killed since it would mean at least one less person that would be helping him come back alive.

"Keep an eye out if he chooses any place in the Digital World that isn't open. He might decide if he requests the trade to soon and you guys can't fight that it'll be to his advantage to just attack then to do the trade," Aiden told them as he continued to translate the papers as he spoke. "He shouldn't have very many powerful Digimon left with him right now since Minervamon took it upon herself to take as many down as she could before she was forced to devolve to her Egg. From what I know of though he has one hell of a recruitment policy. The help me or die type."

"I wish him luck then. If they find out they are going to end up going against us they might just choose to take their chances and go after him any way. We are known he is an unknown," Daisuke said and Takeru knew he was right. There wasn't any Digimon that didn't know about them at this point and none of them would be very willing to go up against them unless there was some type of guarantee they would in fact win. After all, as Daisuke had put it, why face up against a group that was known for winning compared to an unknown Digimon you never heard about who was suddenly threatening to kill you if you didn't listen to him?

"Some of them are joining freely as well. They're the type that want to test their power out on you and don't really care for anything other then fighting," Aiden said as he looked up from what he was doing for a moment. "If you're lucky he'll get more of those type and they might just end up fighting each other like they did the last time."

"He's an idiot if he recruits more of those type of Digimon..." Daisuke muttered and V-mon agreed with him. It would just help them in the long run instead of hindering them.

"Don't carry the key in your pocket or in any other obvious place that might get checked by him. Other wise Kitsumon will most likely find it and take it away from you. Then you'd be in trouble," Aiden added ignoring what Daisuke said.

"Anything else?" Hikari asked him.

"Yeah Kitsumon is going to know you won't hand over Takeru without some type of plan. He's going to do everything he can to foil your plans so you guys have got to figure out several different ways to beat him. Whatever plan you guys make you are going to need to think of the ways it can go wrong, acknowledge it then find ways around them. Then have more plans in case your back up ones do manage to fail somehow. Kitsumon may act like this is all a game to him, but he wants Takeru and Patamon badly and he will be willing to do anything he can to get them."

"Well this is going to be fun," Trace said with a sigh. Takeru hadn't thought this was going to be easy, but as Aiden spoke he realized it was going to be a lot harder than he had previously thought it would be because Takeru knew he was right.

They all stayed in the room for awhile discussing different plans and throwing out others. Soon Taichi and some of the others arrived to lend their point of views on the matter. By the time most of the Chosen had to leave to head home they weren't any closer to a plan that Yamato would actually agree on. Takeru had begun to wonder if he would agree on a plan. He knew Yamato was doing his best to look out for him and Takeru was thankful to him, but sometimes one had to take chances. Takeru, in all honesty, wasn't sure if he was one hundred percent certain that he actually wanted to take this type of chance for Aiden. The red head teen wasn't exactly someone he would consider a friend. For Botamon, however, he was more than willing to do it. Botamon had gone out of his way as Black War Greymon to make sure Hikari's Digimon was safe once she had been knocked out of that one battle and had put his life on the line to keep Aiden safe. Botamon deserved more then to be left in the hands of someone like Kitsumon.

Before Hikari had gone home with Kohana Aiden had given her his key to the apartment he was currently living in. Since Kitsumon was the one paying for it somehow more than likely the payments had stopped as soon as Aiden had betrayed him. Aiden wasn't even sure how Kitsumon had gotten a hold of the apartment in the first place, but there was no reason for Kitsumon to keep it. With Aiden no longer helping him there was no one else the fox Digimon had on his team that would need it. Aiden wanted his stuff out of that place before the owner decided to sell it or worse Kitsumon went after it for some reason. He had told Hikari when she had gotten the key if nothing else he wanted the two black boxes he had stored in the closet he didn't really care about what happened to the rest of it since he could replace it, but those two boxes where irreplaceable. Hikari had promised that she would bring them back for him.

Since Aiden was obviously not going to cause them any more trouble with what had happened Takeru decided to go ahead and go home with Taichi and Yamato escorting him to make sure nothing happened on the way. Takeru was looking forward to being able to get some sleep but he wasn't quiet certain if he could trust the dream catcher completely. It wasn't because he didn't trust Aderes, she had more than ample opportunity to do something to him already, something about her just made it hard for him to distrust her as well, but it was because she had told him it only hid him. It wasn't absolute in other words. Something hidden could be found as far as Takeru was concerned which meant Kitsumon could try to reach him if he really wanted to. Takeru would sleep tonight though because he really wanted to try and get his sleeping habit back to normal before it was completely wrecked.

It Kitsumon did happen to find him while he slept then Takeru would just have to deal with it at that time. For now he wasn't going to worry about it because he already had enough to worry about as it was. Like would he really escape alive if he did trade himself for Botamon? Or if he was going to come through this entire ordeal in one piece and he meant mentally just as much as he did physically. Yes, there was a lot more to worry about right now and most of it he couldn't do anything about which made it that much more worse as far as he was concerned.

Despite his worries Takeru didn't have too hard of a time falling asleep that night. He didn't dream of Aderes nor did he happen to encounter Kitsumon either. For once he had a normal, every day dreams. The type one wouldn't recall once they had woken up the next day.