The Pokemon Rangers and Cyber Slueths sucsessfully infeltrated the Pokemon Pinchers Submarine and encountered Blue Eyes for the third time. After being defeated in battle, the commander recives a mysterious transmission form an unknown source and soon after launches Plan Z.

"Come on, wake up!"

Summer groaned as she regained consciousness. The blurry images of Ami and Palmon came to her. She held her head in her hand as she shook it. "Owww…"

"Are you alright?" the plant Digimon asked.

"…Yeah…Just…Dizzy."

She then saw Ben still on the ground, to her left. Takumi and Terriermon were trying to wake him. "…Ben?" Summer hurried over to him and shook his shoulder.

"Ngh…Five more minutes…"

"Stop kidding around. Come on Ben!"

The Ranger groaned as he pulled himself off the floor. "Ugh…"

"Welcome back." Takumi said, helping him straighten himself.

Summer sighed in relief. "Oh, good. I thought you've been really hurt."

"Kind am, but I'll tough it out…" Ben then looked around. "Did the room get…narrower? What just happened?"

"Apparently Plan Z is just fancy talk for "let's ram our precious submarine against the rocks on the seafloor and run off like cowards again." Terriermon grumbled.

"Right now, it looks like it's standing on end. You and Summer got buried in the falling junk that came when it tilted and by the time we dug you out, you were both out cold." Ami explained.

Ben looked on the floor. He was standing on a collection of machines and chairs on top of the monitor. Looking up he saw the way out. "How nice of them." Then he noticed something else. "Wait…Where's Pichu?!"

"We don't know…Everything happened so fast, we lost sight of the little guy."

"Pi…chu…"

Summer looked around. "What was that cry?"

Terriermon pointed up. "Look!"

Pichu was just above them, clinging to a console bolted to the floor for dear life. Its little hands slipped, and he fell, landing right on top of Terriermon and they fell over.

"Ow."

"Are you two alright?" Ben asked as he picked Pichu up.

"I think so…" the Digimon groaned.

"Picchuu!"

"Oh, you scared me." Summer said. "I thought you were hurt."

"You worry too much." Ami replied.

"Does she?" Takumi asked. "We're stuck on the Seafloor, Blue Eyes got away, and I see no way out of here!"

Ben looked up. "The exit to the room is way up there…"

"Pi."

"What's up Pichu?"

Everyone glanced at Ben's partner, but it looked at them confused. "Pichu?"

"Huh? That wasn't you just now?"

Suddenly a rope ladder fell down. "Huh? Where did that come from?" Ami asked.

"Why question good fortune?" Ben asked grabbing it. "We can get out of here with it."

"Right." Takumi replied. "Let's get moving."

As they started to climb up, they heard a rumbling sound as they got half way. Summer was nearly shaken off. "What was that?"

"I don't know, but let's not stick around to find out!" Palmon replied.

Ami nodded before they all climbed to the door way. As soon as they were out, a few holes burst in the room they were in and it started to fill with water.

Summer climbed out first. Then Ben, who then helped Takumi out, followed by Ami.

"Pichu Picchu!"

Everyone looked at another Pichu. On of Ukulele Pichu's friends. Ben's partner smiled and ran up to it to hold hands. "Pichu!"

"Did he drop the ladder down?" Takumi asked.

"Picchuu!"

Ami knelt in front of it. "Thanks, little guy!"

"Pichu Pichuu."

Ukulele Pichu nodded. "Pichu!"

Suddenly an alarm went off. "Oh, come on, what now?" Ben groaned.

"The hull has been breached at the front of the Submarine! Extreme danger! Water is flowing in very quickly. All crew should flee within ten minutes. Repeating message…"

Everyone went wide eyed. Summer looked back at the room they escaped from and saw the water lever rise. "Oh no!"

"We gotta get out of here!" Takumi said.

"The little guy must have left the room he was in after the impact." Ami said. "The others must still be around!"

"Pichu!"

Ben patted his partner's head. "Don't worry, pal, we'll help all of your friends. I promise. In the meantime, you come with us." He pressed a button on his Styler and the other Pichu went inside it. "Now we just need to gather all the Pokemon in the Submarine and get out of here."

"How?" Ami asked. "I don't see any more ladders."

Ben grabbed onto the metal grated wall. Or rather floor. "We can improvise."

Matayoshi looked up at the sky. "Heh. Never thought I'd be doing this on the job. Well, another thing I can say I saw before retirement I suppose."

"First time I've ever been on a boat." Date said. "This thing runs pretty smooth huh? No wonder the Rangers take pride in her."

"I'll say."

He currently stood on the deck of the Union. Murph ran up to him with a device in hand. "Nema and Arata found a way to communicate with the Union! They say Ben and his team stopped moving for the last little while for some reason!"

"That can't be good. Full speed ahead Murph! Now's our best chance to find them!"

"Aye, aye!"

Ben and the others were still climbing the metal grid on the wall when they spotted a Pichu hanging onto it.

"Pichu!"

"I got him!" Summer reached over for it to jump onto her arm.

"Look out!" Takumi yelled as he and Ben moved just in time to avoid a trashed Z.Z. Flyer that came down. They pressed onward to the next room. When they got there all the Pokemon that were in there with them hurried past them and kept climbing.

"They must be heading for the exit too." Ben said as Summer put the Pichu they found into her Styler.

"I'm worried about this shaking…It's almost as if we're sliding down a slope on the seafloor." Summer muttered.

"Then let's get out of here before the problem gets even worse!" Ami said.

"Pichu! Pichu!"

Ben looked at his partner. "Worried about the other Pokemon stuck here too pal? It's okay. I saw them following us. If we can reach the exit, we can save them all."

"What if they can't swim?" Palmon asked.

"Summer and I can keep them in our Stylers. Come on, let's go!"

They climbed through another two hallways, before hitting a dead end. "Now what?" Terriermon asked.

"This way." Ben said jumping into a doorway to their right. The others followed.

"Okay, now, where are we?" Takumi asked.

"Pichu…"

"Did you hear that?" Palmon asked.

"Sure did. A Pichu is in here." Ben said. "We gotta find it!"

"There he is!" Ami pointed over to a metal container at the bottom of the room.

"I got him!" Ben jumped down and landed next to it. The Pokemon jumped into his arms. Meanwhile Summer caught glance of a Furret and began a capture as the Pichu conversed.

"Pichu!"

"Pichu! Pichu! Pichu!"

"You okay?" Ben asked.

"Pichu!

"I'll take that as a yes. Come on, let's get out of here." He put the Pichu in his Styler and started climbing up to the others, who started to make their way up to the next room.

"There should be one more." Takumi said.

Summer kept looking up. "Let's find it quickly and get out of here!"

The climbed to the next room. Once there they saw a metal cube with an open end on the side. "Hey…what's that?" Ami asked, walking towards it. I hear…whimpering."

"Pichu!" As soon as she was in front of it, a Pichu ran out and over to Ukulele Pichu.

"Pichu! Pichu! Pichu!"

"The last Pichu!" Takumi said. "Poor little guy. He must have been scared."

Summer picked him up. "You're okay now."

"Finally, we found all the Pichu." Terriermon sighed. "Now we can get out of here!"

"The question is, how?" Ami asked. "Where's the exit?"

"When the Submarine crashed, didn't Blue Eyes say something about a hatch to her crew?" Ben asked. "I bet that's where we came in."

"But will it even open?" Summer asked.

Suddenly the sub started shaking. "Eeeek!" Summer nearly lost her balance before Ben caught her by the arm.

"Okay, this thing is DEFIANTLY sliding down a cliff or something!" Terriermon yelled.

Takumi looked down the doorway they came out of. The water was getting dangerously high. "Trying the hatch beats waiting for the seawater to catch up! Come on!"

Summer put the Pichu in her Styler. "Yeah! Let's hurry! Furret, move that debris out of the way!"

The Pokemon she caught headbutted the object the Pichu was hiding in, so it didn't block the grid on the wall and climbed on ahead. As Everyone followed, they heard steam blasting out of the surrounding pipes. One of them blew hot steam at Ami's face, making her shriek and lose her grip. "KYA!"

"AMI!" Summer caught her by the wrist just in time so she could grab the grid again.

"Thanks Summer."

"No problem."

They made their way out through the next doorway. All the Pokemon in the Submarine were crammed into the top. "Looks like everyone made it out safely." Ben said.

Takumi turned around to see two Pinchers, who had yet to escape. "Look out! It's a ambush!"

"Seriously?!" Ami asked. "You guys want to fight at a time like this?!"

"You're wrong! That's not it!" One of them said.

"In that tremor…Our leader!"

"What's wrong?" Summer asked.

"Look!" Ben pointed to a crate near the Pinchers. They could see a head and a arm sticking out from under it.

"Oh! Blue Eyes!"

"What happened?!" Palmon asked.

"Our leader and the two of us were supposed to leave last, but the Submarine suddenly shook violently when we were escaping.

"That shock sent a crate heading for us! I thought it was all over, but she pushed us out of the way…"

"Our leader sacrificed herself to save us…"

"D-don't…" Everyone's eyes focused on Blue Eyes as she spoke. "You don't have to…tell them that…"

"Hey, hang in there!" Ben said.

"…I'm fine. Just chipped a nail…"

Ben, Summer Takumi and Ami rushed to them. "Oh, the horror." Ami said, rolling her eyes. "You always have to act tough, don't you?"

"Never mind that!" Summer said. "We have to get her out of there!" she turned to the Pinchers as they gripped the crate. "You guys help out, too!"

The Pinchers and Blue Eyes looked surprised. But regardless, the two men nodded. "Of course!"

"…Wait! We're…We're enemies, you now?" Blue Eyes objected.

"At a time like this, there's no such thing." Ben said.

"We can't just leave people behind." Ami said. "That goes against everything we stand for."

"Okay! Here we go!" Summer said. "Ami, get ready to pull Blue Eyes out of there once we lift this thing!"

"Right!"

"Ready, go!" They lifted the box, but it soon came right back down on Blue Eyes before Ami could pull her halfway out.

"Ouch! If you're going to save me, at least be gentle about it…"

"Not a good time for complaints!" Ben said.

"Yeah! The water's rising even as we speak!" Takumi added. "We gotta hurry! Come on, one more time!"

Ben, Summer, Takumi and the Rangers grunted as they lifted the box again. Ami them pulled Blue Eyes as quickly as she could before they dropped it back down.

"We did it!" A Pincher cheered.

"Leader! I'm so glad you're okay. It looks like your wounds aren't as bad as I thought!"

"All right! Now we can finally get out of here!" Terriermon said.

Blue Eyes was at a loss for words. "It looks like you want to say something, but leave it for after we've escaped." Summer said, holding up her hand.

"…Fine."

"There's just one other problem…" One of the Pinchers said. He pointed up where a giant grey shell came out through where the hatch was.

"W-what is that thing?!" Summer asked.

"No idea! Just when the hatch was open and the others got out, that thing came down, blocking it! We can't get out!"

Takumi turned to the Digimon in the group. "Think you guys can push it out?"

"As Gargomon and Togamon, we should have the physical strength. But I don't know how we're going to reach that!"

"We have to try!" Ami said. "So many people and Pokemon are on the line!"

"I agree!" Takumi nodded. "Even if it's hopeless, I at least will know I gave it everything I had!"

Terriermon laughed. "You two…You never change, do you? I mean here we are in a sinking sub, with our chances of making it out to be…bleak at best. I mean, what if the other Pokemon can't swim?"

"Then we can carry them. Ben and Summer can fit them in their Stylers, right?"

"But only seven each." Ben replied.

"It'll work out." Ami smiled.

"You're right." Palmon added. "It always does. Because you two never give up."

Takumi and Ami nodded. Then their Digivices started glowing as they put them on. "Here we go." Ami said.

"Hey…Something feels…different about this light." Terriermon said.

Palmon nodded. "Yeah…"

"Different how?" Takumi asked.

"I dunno. Just…different."

"Well…Here goes."

DIGIVOLUTION

Like usual, a blue screen appeared and when Ami and Takumi touched them, green and yellow light flowed to Palmon And Terriermon and shells of light enveloped them.

"Terriermon, Digivolve to…"

"Palmon, Digivolve to…"

This time when the shells exploded they were different. Terriermon was now this big walrus Digimon with white fur and a horn on his head. Palmon was a flying green plant Digimon with a long tail and a head shaped like a yellow flower.

"Ikkakumon!"

"Sunflowmon!"

"WHOA!" Ben took a step back. "This is different from before!"

Ami was in awe. "They Digivolved into completely different Digimon!"

Takumi looked at his hand. "Could this have something to do with the data Nema installed?"

"Hey, who cares?!" one of the Pinchers asked. "Those things look strong, can't they push that thing out?!"

"We're about to find out. Gargo-I mean Ikkakumon?"

"No problem! And once that thing is clear, Sunflowmon and I can help Ben and Summer carry the Pokemon that can't swim!"

"Alright! Let's-

"Wait a second!"

Everyone turned to Blue Eyes. "What now?" Ami asked.

"Opening the way will give us a chance to escape. Do you still want to do it?"

"Really!? You wasted our already limited time to ask THAT?!" Ben yelled.

"This isn't the time for that!" Summer added.

"If everything that's happened is making you reconsider your choices then feel free to wait for us when we're out of the ocean!" Ami added. "For now, we can't afford to think of ourselves as enemies and allies!"

"If you are a leader, then focus on getting everyone out of here alive!" Takumi scolded. "Look at all the Pokemon here! Let's just worry about giving them the chance to survive!"

Blue Eyes nodded. "I understand." She put on her Aqualung and got on her Z.Z. Flyer. So did her Pinchers. "Whenever you're ready."

Ben and Summer put on their Aqua Lungs. Takumi and Ami nodded before they went over to grab onto Ikkakumon and Sunflowmon. "GO FOR IT!"

"Harpoon Torpedo!" Ikkakumon, shot the horn on his head at the massive shell.

"Sunshine Beam!" Sunflowmon's face glowed as she shot a gold beam at it.

The horn exploded, loosening the shell. Then the beam blew it out of the hatch and water poured in.

"Here we go!" Ikkakumon yelled as he and Sunflowmon charged for the exit with Takumi Ami and a bunch of Pokemon all holding their breaths.

Takumi and Ami let out a huge gasp when they reached the surface. Ben and Summer soon followed. Pichu was standing on Ben's head, prompting a giggle from Summer as they took their Aqua Lungs off.

"We made it!" Ami gasped. "Thank goodness. Looks like everyone made it out."

"That's all well and good, but we're still stranded in the middle of the ocean." Takumi sighed. "I don't see land anywhere and I don't know if Ikkakumon and Sunflowmon can carry us all the way back from here."

"Yeah…I'm exhausted." Summer sighed. "It's just one crisis after another, huh…?"

Ben chuckled. "Story of my life."

Ami looked around on Sunflowmon, who was slightly hovering above the water. "Hey…where's Blue Eyes?"

"She and her crew got away." Ben replied. "You weren't expecting they'd stick around, were you?"

"Kind of. Guess I got my hopes up."

"Let's worry about ourselves for now." Ikkakumon said. Takumi nodded.

Summer then caught a glance of something up ahead. "Look! Over there!"

In the distance a familiar boat approached. Matayoshi, Date, and Murph stood on the deck. "There ya kids are!" Matayoshi grinned.

"Sheesh, we sent you on a serious mission, and now here you are playing in the water." Date groaned.

"Sorry to interrupt you while you're having fun, but it's time to go home!" Murph laughed.

"Wow! I didn't take Matayoshi for a sailor!" Takumi joked as everyone made their way to the Union. Once Sunflowmon lifted Ikkakumon onboarded, he shook his fur dry like a dog.

"Hey! Don't do that here!" Date yelled as she got wet.

"What are these Pokemon?" Murph asked.

"This is Ikkakumon and Sunflowmon." Takumi explained. "They Digivolved from Terriermon and Palmon."

"Really? I thought they become a big rabbit with pants and a cactus with boxing gloves."

"I don't get it either. I think it has something to do with the data Nema discovered." Takumi scanned his Digimon. "Ikkakumon. Champion Level Vaccine. His sharp horn is made of mithril and the skin under his fur is just as hard."

Ami scanned hers. "Sunflowmon. Champion Level Data. It becomes energetic when it bathes in the sunlight."

Murph scratched his head. "Okay…Still, I'm very glad you're safe!"

"Thanks." Ami smiled. "If you guys hadn't come save us, we'd be really stuck."

"Huh? Save you?" Murph asked. "Me? Murph? I was just practicing so I'd get good at sailing The Union."

"It was just a coincidence?" Summer asked.

Matayoshi laughed. "Just messing with ya kids! Nema was tracking ya with a receiver she made when she was eight. She snuck it in Ben's Styler when she was tinkering with it. Ya wandered pretty far from land so we set of to find you."

"She called and told us that it stayed at the same spot in the ocean for a long time, and we immediately guessed something must have happened." Murph explained.

"How'd she contact you with the Wireless Tower down?" Takumi asked.

"Sanada fixed up a special line for us to send messages." Matayoshi replied. "Only works here because he hooked it up to the Union when he was at Tilt Village while you were taking Blue Eyes to Daybreak."

Ami smiled. "That's Arata. Always thinking."

"Well, thanks." Ben said, wringing out his scarf.

Murph looked around him. "Just wondering…But what's with all the Pokemon?"

"They were held inside the Pincher's submarine." Takumi replied.

"What?!" Date asked yelled as she held up a Marill. "The nerve of those Pinchers! Don't they have any respect for these little guys?! Keeping em cramped up in…Why I oughta!"

"W-would they have done that to me, if you never came?" A meek voice asked. It was then when everyone noticed Lopmon at Date's side.

"Aww, don't worry little guy. You're in good hands."

"You brought Lopmon with you?" Ami asked.

"Yeah. I thought it might help if I had a Digimon around like you kids, and Lopmon offered to come with me."

"Date and you humans helped me." The Digimon said. "So, I want to help you now."

"I see." Ami nodded with a smile.

"So, what happened to those Pinchers?" Murph asked.

"Their leader crashed their Submarine into some rocks and bailed." Ben sighed.

Ami bowed her head. "I'm sorry Matayoshi. We had them by the tail, and they shook us off."

"Well, it's unfortunate that they escaped." The detective replied. "But thanks to you, the submarine they used for a base can't be used anymore. Well done."

"That's amazing!" Murph said. "As a result of your efforts, you managed to mess up their plans!"

"Heh. Well, Ukulele Pichu and his little Pichu friends were a lot of help." Ben smiled as he looked at his partner who was running around the deck with his friends.

"Way to go everyone!" Murph said. "It wasn't perfect, but well done! This is still an excellent Mission Clear!" As Ben and Summer posed, Takumi and Ami shared a high five.

"Hey, what's that?" Date asked looking into the ocean. Everyone glanced at a familiar shell drifting in their direction.

"Isn't that what was blocking the hatch?" Summer asked.

Ikkakumon squinted. "Wait…Isn't that…?"

Suddenly it roes up. Attached to it was a big red body with blue eyes and green hair. "WHOA! W-w-what is that thing?!" Murph asked.

"It's a Shellmon!" Sunflowmon replied. "And it looks angry!"

Ben scanned it. "Champion Level Data Digimon. It has a sturdy shell but a soft body."

"Guys, it's gonna ram the ship!" Ami yelled.

"We gotta stop him!" Ikkakumon ran up and jumped back into the water. Sunflowmon flew after him.

Lopmon ran up to the deck. "Makiko! I'm going too!"

"H-hey, wait a minute, are you sure that's a good idea? That guy's pretty big…"

"But if he hits this ship, you and all the people and Pokemon in it will sink! You helped me when those bad humans attacked, so I have to protect you!"

"…Lopmon…Alright! Let's get this creep!"

"Rrraaaaaaah!"

Suddenly Date's Digivice glowed pink in her pocket. She took it out. "Huh? What's going on?"

Takumi and Ami couldn't believe it. "Th-that's-!"

A blue screen appeared in front of Date. "What's this?" She slowly reached out and touched it.

DIGIVOLUION

The screen turned pink and flashed at Lopmon. "Lopmon Digivolve to…" A shell of light formed around him. It exploded and Lopmon was now a taller purple rabbit with yellow gi, a blue scarf, black shoes, red gloves and metal weapons in his hands. "Turuiemon!"

"Wha-wha-what the heck is this?! Lopmon's grown bigger! This can't be good! Change back!"

"There's no need to worry!" Ami smiled. "Date, you made Lopmon Digivolve!"

"Digivolve?"

Takumi nodded. "Yeah! Your determination made Lopmon stronger!"

Summer scanned the new Digimon. "Turuiemon. Champion Level Data Type. It's a martial artist Digimon wielding the Togaken on both arms."

"Really?" Date asked. "I don't really understand it, but it sounds good! Now let's make soup out of that turtle monster!"

"Right!" Turuiemon made a massive leap off the deck and all the way over to Ikkakumon, landing on his back.

"Hey! What the-

Turuiemon jumped of and towards Shellmon. "Ninja Claw!" He slammed his weapon into it's face. It roared as it stumbled back.

"Who are you?" Ikkakumon asked as Turuiemon flipped back onto his back.

"I am Turuiemon! Makiko's assistant!"

"Wait…Lopmon? You Digivolved?"

Sunflowmon flew over to them as Shellmon groaned in pain. "Ikkakumon, this is our chance!"

"Right. Harpoon Torpedo!"

"Sunshine Beam!"

Both opened fire on the Digimon and it exploded into blue shards. Said shards flew over to Takumi's Digivice. "Alright, they did it!"

Everyone cheered as the Digimon made their way back to The Union. Once they did, they reverted back to their Rookie forms. Date lifted up her Digimon. "Lopmon, that was amazing!"

"It's all thanks to you Makiko!"

"Nice work all of you." Matayoshi smiled. "You saved all the lives onboard this ship."

Ami walked over to her brother. "Hey, Takumi, I bet the data from Shellmon can let our Digimon take other forms!"

"Yeah, let's show it to Arata and Nema!"

"Well then, let's get back to Kyo-Kyo and the others, shall we?" Matayoshi asked. "Murph, if you would."

"Aye, aye!"

Once they reached Tilt Village, Ben, Summer, Ami, Arata, and Matayoshi got onto the dock. Most of the Pokemon from the Submarine left to find their own habitats.

"Ahh sweet, sweet land, how I missed you so!" Ami smiled.

"It's too soon to relax Ami." Her brother replied.

Matayoshi nodded. "Takumi's right. Even though we stopped Blue Eyes' operations, her group aren't the only Pinchers around."

Ben clutched his fists. "Red Eyes."

"But we have no idea where he is right now." Terriermon said.

Takumi sighed. "If only we had some kind of clue…"

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE YOU IDIOT!"

"WE'VE GOT A BIG PROBLEM!" Murph and Date ran up to the deck.

Matayoshi sighed. "Alright, what is it now?"

"Is Blue Eyes attacking or something?" Summer asked.

Murph shook his head. "I found a hole in the hull of The Union!"

"What?"

"It must have been from when this klutz hit those logs in the water!" Date groaned. "Until we get it fixed it's too dangerous to use the ship!"

Takumi slapped his forehead. "Wonderful. Well, once report this to Rand we'd better get The Union fixed."

"Yeah. That would be really, really great!" Murph said.

"Then can you guys do me a small favor?" Ben asked. "Now that Blue Eyes' team escaped their base, they could be causing problems anywhere for all we know. I want to take Summer and patrol the area for a bit. Can you look after Pichu's friends in the meantime? We'll come back for them when we're done and take them back to Rand's place."

"Yeah, it's too dangerous to take the little guys with you." Date said. "We got it."

"The rest of us will return to Kyo-Kyo and the others." Matayoshi said. "Meet back with us when you can."

"Right. Take care guys."

So, I better explain the new Digivolutions. I figured since there are going to be a lot more Pokemon then Digimon in this story, I should try to balance out the variety we see. So I decided to give our heroes access to multiple forms in their Digivolution trees. I'm just giving you all a small taste of it now, but we'll be seeing a lot more of this in the second arc of the story. Speaking of which if I had to guess I'd say we're somewhere between halfway and two thirds though this arc.