Thanks to Arata Keisuke, Chitose, Summer, Kellyn, and Nokia are close to Articuno's location. Elsewhere Ben and his team are also closing in on their target. But what could have caused the legendary birds to go mad?
Near the top of Faldera Volcano, Ben, Keith, Kate, Yuuko, Yuugo, Ryuji and Yu made their way through the intensified heat. By now Yu had to take his white coat off and tie it around his waist. "Man, do you Rangers do this stuff every day?" the exhausted boy asked.
"Nah we also get to go deep underwater and sneak into thug infested tankers and towers, we don't limit ourselves to volcanos." Kate joked.
"How much further do we need to go?"
"Not much." Ben replied. "See that staircase over there? It leads to a seal that I can unlock with Entei's Guardian Sign. On the other end of that seal is the peak where Moltres was asleep before."
"That peak…" Yuugo said. "That was where we tried to stop Red Eyes from waking Moltres. And where Takumi and Ami's Digimon Digivolved to Ultimate. It brings back memories."
"Red Eyes…he's that punk we saw earlier, yeah?" Keith asked. "I wonder what he's up to…"
"You saw Red Eyes?" Yuuko asked.
Ben nodded. "It didn't seem like he was up to anything. But we can figure him out later."
Ryuji nodded. "One thing at a time. For now, let's hurry and find Moltres."
Yuugo noticed his Digimon stopped in his tracks. "What is it, Machinedramon?"
"Multiple life signs detected behind us."
"Behind?" Yuuko turned around. A group of Team One World enemies were entering the area and approaching.
"That's a lot of bad guys…" Keith muttered.
"Think that commander is with them?" Yu asked.
"I don't see anyone that stands out in the crowd." Ryuji replied.
"Then they might be trying to stall us." Ben said. "We better make this quick!"
Yuuko glanced at her brother who nodded to her. "Ben…Take Ryuji and the others and go after Moltres."
"Huh? What about you?"
"My brother and I will stay here and hold them off. You said it yourself, this might be a distraction. We can't let them have Moltres."
"But-
"Don't worry about us." Yuugo said. "You're not the only hero here."
"…Okay. Be careful."
"You sure about this, Ben?" Kate asked.
"Trust, me, they'll be fine. Let's go!" Ben hurried on ahead, with Keith, Kate, Ryuji and Yu. As they did so Yuuko and Yuugo saw the group of Team One World start running towards them, getting out Digimon and Pokemon.
"Let's go." Yuugo said. He and his sister charged with Machinedramon and Gaiomon.
Meanwhile, Ben hurried up the stairs with the others and ran towards the familiar stone blockade. "There's the seal!" He stopped in front of it and drew Entei's Guardian Sign on the rock. It glowed and then slowly dissolved.
"Impressive…" Strikedramon said.
"Moltres has most likely come back here." Ben looked back at his team. "Are you ready?" They all nodded. Ben went through the pathway. One by one the rest of the team followed. They come outside on the peak of the volcano. And there, in front of them, was Moltres. Hovering over the very same spot it once slept. "So, you are here!" Ben said. "Moltres!" They all hurried over towards it.
Ryuji then noticed something. "Hmm? There's something under it. It looks like…some kind of glove…"
"Pichu! Pichu!" Ben's partner was surprised with what he saw. Something protected by a ring of fire.
Ben couldn't believe his eyes. "Is that what I think it is?!"
"What is it?" Keith asked.
"It looks like a piece of the Golden Armor!"
"Golden Armor? You mean like what those Societea guys used?" Kate asked.
"Skreeeee!" Moltres cried out and spread its wings.
"Could the armor be what's causing it to go mad?" Ben asked.
"Moltres is extremely agitated. Please use caution." The Voice Nav. said.
"Thanks, captain obvious."
Keith looked up. "Look out!"
Moltres charged, knocking everyone over. "Ow! No kidding that thing's agitated!" Yu groaned. Moltres spread its wings and fired a wide stream of fire from its mouth.
"Magmotar! Flame Burst!" Kate's friend Pokemon ran in front of them and intercepted Moltres' fire attack with one of its own. But it was quickly overwhelmed, but Kate and the others got away. "Argh, it's too strong!"
"Well, I got it's double weakness!" Keith said. "Donphan, Rollout!" Keith's friend Pokemon rolled up into a ball and slammed into Moltress, knocking it down.
"Two more where that came from!" Ben declared. "Graveler, Rock Slide!" His two Pokemon bombarded it with stones.
"Yeah! That's the way! Buizel! Let's keep up the pressure! Aqua Jet!" Keith's Partner Pokemon rammed into Moltres, cloaked in water.
"Hydro Water!" Gekomon spouted water into it's face.
Strikedramon then charged towards it. "Strike Fang!"
Moltres roared and glowed red. Red flashing blades of fire appeared on the ground all around it. Strikedramon, Gekomon, Buizel, Donphan and both Graveler were blasted away. Ben's Pokemon were forced to retreat. "Oh, come on!" Keith growled.
Ben jumped into the air and drew with his Styler. "Go, Guardian Sign! Raikou, come forth!" A bolt of lightning the legendary Pokemon appeared and roared.
"Electric against Flying…" Kate said. "Nice! And with a legendary Pokemon on our side, we're sure to get an edge here!"
"Wild Charge!" Ben yelled. His Pokemon sparkled with electricity and rammed into Moltres. The Pokemon went flying but recovered in mid air before unleashing a Heat Wave on Raikou, making it stumble back in pain.
"It's losing ground! Magmotar!" Kate's friend Pokemon rammed into Moltres, making it stop the Heat Wave. Keith's Donphan also rammed into it. The Pokemon flew overhead and started to glow.
"What's it doing now?" Yu asked.
Moltres came charging with a mighty Sky Attack, ramming into the Magmotar and Donphan, smashing into them and knocking them out.
"Surround it!" Ryuji said. "If we can restrict its movements and bombard it we can take it out!"
Strikedramon, Gekomon, Raikou, Starly, and Buizel surrounded Moltres and prepared to attack. But Moltres screeched and a series of fiery pillars spread around it forming a star shape and blasted all five of them.
"It's too strong…" Kate shuddered.
Gekomon collapsed and reverted to Rookie status. "Otamamon!" Yu ran over to him. "Please…wake up!
"This is bad…" Strikedramon growled. "At this rate we'll all be whipped out…"
"I can't give up now…" Ryuji said thinking back on his life. "I finally got a chance to start paying my parents back when I got a job from Kamishiro…and this is where I'm a goner?"
"Ryuji…" Strikedramon growled as he got up. "You're right…I still have things I need to do as well…"
"I will survive…We're all going home together!"
Ryuji's eyes glowed red, startling Yu. "R-Ryuji?"
Ben turned around and looked at him. "That's…!"
Ryuji took out his Digivice. "Strikedramon! My strength is yours!"
DIGIVOLUTION
A red beam fired out of the Digivice upward and came crashing down on Ryuji's Digimon. "Strikedramon Digivolve to…" A bright shell formed around him. It glowed brightly before shattering. Strikedramon was now had a silver plate with horns over the top half of its head, a black and silver body and four red wings. "Cyberdramon!"
"Ryuji's Digimon Digivolved again?!" Yu asked. "I thought it was already Digivolved!"
"It reached it's Ultimate form!" Ben said.
Keith scanned it. "Cyberdramon! An Ultimate Level Vaccine Digimon! It wears unique rubber armor that not only boosts its defence but has a feature to increase it's offensive capabilities!"
Moltres glared at the Digimon. It charged towards him spewing fire from its mouth. Cyberdramon moved around the fire as it flew overhead and uppercutted it in the stomach. Moltres gasped in pain before Cyberdramon kicked it into the air. The he flew overhead. "Comet Hammer!" He slammed his fist into the bird's back and knocked it into the ground.
"Man, he's strong." Keith gasped.
"This isn't the time to be daydreaming!" Ben said. "Let's back him up!"
"Right! Buizel! Hydro Pump!" Keith's Pokemon shot a burst of water at Moltres.
"Pichu, Volt Tackle!"
"Stary, Brave Bird!" Both Ben and Kate's partners charged into Moltres. Pichu, glowing with blue electricity as he did so.
"It's working!" Yu said holding Otamamon. "Wait…"
Four fireballs started orbiting around Moltres. "Argh! We won't be able to get our Stylers close with those flames in the way!" Kate growled.
"Then we attack from a distance!" Ryuji replied. "Cyberdramon!"
The Digimon's spread his hands out and they glowed blue. He then held them close together at his right. "Desolation Claw!" He threw a series of blue beams at Moltres. It screeched as started to lose balance.
"Raikou, Thunder!" Ben's legendary Pokemon roared and a bolt of lighting struck Moltres, making it drop to the ground. "Pichu, Keith, Kate! Let's go!"
"Capture on!" The three Rangers fired their Stylers. They looped around the weakened Moltres while Pichu played music on his ukulele. Slowly Moltres' actions slackened.
"I think that did it." Ben said as he pulled his Styler back. Keith and Kate did the same. Moltres stayed there on the ground. Then it slowly flapped its wings and flew over to where it previously was put to sleep, hovering over the Golden Gauntlet.
"Does it still want to go?" Ryuji asked. "Cyberdramon!"
"Right! Desolation-"
"Wait!" Ben stepped forward. His gaze stayed on Moltres. "Is that…?"
"What is it Ben?" Kate asked. "Do you see something?"
"A Guardian Sign…?"
"Guardian Sign?" Yu asked. "You mean those drawings you use to summon Pokemon?"
Ben recorded the figure he saw into his Styler. After he did that the Voice Nav. Spoke up. "Moltres has calmed down. Moltres is no longer a dangerous presence."
Ben looked at the gauntlet guarded by flame. "Could the armor be what's causing them to act up? Then Articuno and Zapdos must also have pieces of Golden Armor!"
"If that's the case, hurry up and grab that thing, Ben." Keith said. "The further away it is from Moltres, the better."
"Frankly I'm not too keen about having that thing anywhere near us." Otomamon muttered.
"No choice." Ryuji said. "We'll take it back to Matayoshi and get his opinion on what to do with it."
Ben looked back at Moltres. "Don't worry Moltres. We Rangers will take responsibility for the disposal of this Golden Armor." Moltres nodded and let out another roar, dispelling the flames surrounding the armor before flying away. Everyone watched it until it was out of sight and the temperature of the area drop. Raikou also left. Ben then looked at the Golden Gauntlet. He climbed up onto the rock it sat on and walked over to it.
"Be carful Ben." Kate said. "You know better than we do how crazy those things are."
Ben knelled in front of the armor part and carefully reached for it. "That armor's mine!" Ben looked up when he heard a woman's voice. Then he saw two plasma spheres flying at him and jumped back just in time. Everyone looked up to see a pink Z.Z. Flyer. On it was a woman with pink hair in a ponytail, and dark pink, knee height boots, gloves, a skirt and a low-cut, sleeveless top.
"Where did she come from?!" Yu asked.
Kate glared at her. "You, again!"
"Unbelievable…" Keith muttered.
Ben glanced at his friends. "You know this person?"
"More then I really want to." Kate replied.
"Nice to see you too Rangers." The woman smirked as she landed. She then looked at Ben. "And you must be Ben Natsuya. One of these overrated "Cyber Rangers"."
"And you are?" Ben asked.
The woman posed with one hand on her hip and the other behind her head. "My name is Lavana! I'm a woman of fiery passion, like this very volcano!"
"Lavana…? Kate, Keith, isn't she…?"
Kate nodded. "One of Team Dim Sun's Sinis Trio."
Lavana smirked as she picked up the Golden Gauntlet. "Hey!" Ben ran towards her, but she took out a handheld device and sent a fox Pokemon with a stick which had a tip lite with fire at him making him back up.
Yu scanned it. "Delphox. A fully evolved Fire/Psychic Type. By using Psychic power, it can generate a vortex of fire of 5400 degrees Fahrenheit to incinerate its foes."
"Thanks for scaring Moltres away." Lavana laughed. "Saved me some trouble."
"The commander Team One World was waiting for…" Ryuji muttered. "Is this woman?"
"Just what do you plan to do with the Golden Armor?!" Ben glared.
"That's for me and my boss to know, and you to find out." Lavana sent out another creature from her handheld. A dragon with six wings, silver hair and a mask appeared. It punched Ben into a rock.
"Ben!" Keith ran over to him. "Did he hit his head? He's out cold!"
Ryuji scanned the Digimon. "Goldramon, Mega Level Vaccine. One of the Four Great Dragons. It exorcises evil with it's holy fists of light."
"Tch. I fought Mega Levels before." Cyberdarmon growled. "But I don't know if I can do it if I can't Digivolve into Justimon."
Lavana smirked at them. "Now then. I got what I came for but…Here I have two of those annoying Rangers who humiliated me in a corner. Plus, one of Oblivia's Cyber Rangers. And two Digimon tamers we somehow didn't know about. Yup. Definitely best that I get rid of all of you now."
The team stepped back as Goldramon and Delphox slowly advanced towards them. "Great." Keith groaned. "Ben's unconscious, Otamamon has no strength to fight with…Now what do we do?"
"Fire Tornado!" A golden spiral of fire came from above and knocked both of the enemies back.
Lavana's eyes widened. "Who-?!"
Everyone looked up. A pink dragon flew overhead. And a familiar figure with a red cloak and mask jumped down. "Stop right there!"
Ryuji watched her land in front of them. "You're…"
"Zero!" Kate gasped.
"That's Zero?" Keith asked. "She looks like a red version of X…"
Ryuji looked at the dragon. "But that Digimon…it's not the one she had with her before!"
Kate scanned it. "Magnadramon! A Mega Level Vaccine, Holy Dragon Digimon! Another one of the Four Great Dragons! Its heroic appearance is reminiscent of a ruler of the sky!"
Zero pointed at Lavana. "Give me that armor. That toy's a little too complicated for an armature like you."
"Excuse me?! I went through a lot of trouble for this! No way am I just handing it over!"
"YOU?! We're the ones who did all the work!" Keith replied.
"Fine. Be that way." Magnadramon said. "But what happens next is on you."
Lavana scowled. "Hmph! Taking care of these weakened losers is one thing. But if I stick around here to fight another Mega Level my makeup will run! Don't think you'll get lucky next time!"
"There won't be a next time!" Zero yelled. "Magnadramon!"
"Fire Tornado!"
"Delphox, Mystic Fire!" Lavanas Digimon blew into her torch, and it shot a spiral of flame.
"God Flame!" Goldramon held its hands together and shot a golden light to go alongside Delphoxs attack. They collided with Magnadramons and generated a bright explosion blinding everyone around it.
When they looked up they just had time to see Lavana withdraw her Digimon and Pokemon before flying away on her Z.Z. Flyer. "She's escaping!" Yu yelled.
"I'll go after her Yu." Zero replied. "You guys check up on Ben." She ran to the edge of the cliff. "Magnadramon!"
"Right!" As Zero jumped her Digimon flew under her and carried her away.
"Hey, wait!" Yu watched as they left. "How does she know my name? And Ben's?"
"She had a different Digimon this time…She has more then one? Like Chitose and Nokia?" Ryuji pondered.
Pichu franticly ran around Ben in circles, trying to get a response. After a minute he stopped in front of him and took out his Ukulele. He played a soft, soothing tune. Ben mumbled as he slowly regained consciousness. "Ow…Did anyone get the number of that fist?"
"Ben!" Kate hurried over to him. "Are you okay?"
"I've been better." Ben groaned as he stood up. "What happened? Where'd she go?"
"She got away with the armor." Ryuji replied. "Zero went after her."
"Zero? One of those masked Digimon users you mentioned back at Rand's place?"
They then heard a thumping sound from the cave. "Hey! Is everyone alright?"
"Yuugo." Ben fired his Styler at the stone slate blocking the cave and drew Entei's sign. It disappeared and Yuugo and Yuuko ran over to them with Hagurumon and Guielmon.
"What happened?" Yuuko asked. "Where's Moltres?"
"We took care of it." Keith replied. "It claimed down and left. We have Ryuji and his Ultimate Digimon to thank for that."
Yuuko looked at the Digimon next to Ryuji. "Cyberdramon…so Ryuji found his Digimon as well."
"What about the grunts?" Ben asked.
"We chased them off." Guilmon replied. "Their commander never showed up."
The group that confronted Moltres and Lavana looked at each other. Kate sighed. "Actually…"
"Did something happen?" Yuugo asked.
Ben looked down. "Yuuko…Yuugo…There was a piece of the Golden Armor here."
Neither twin couldn't hide their shock. "WHAT?!"
"That might have been what was driving Moltres crazy. After we took care of it a woman named Lavana took the armor and fled."
"That's not good." Yuugo muttered. "Is this "Lavana" the commander of Team One World?"
"We think so." Keith replied. "I was wondering what she was up to after ditching Team Dim Sun."
"Team Dim Sun?" Guilmon asked.
"Long story short, back in Almia a group of people tried to take control of all the Pokemon in the region."
Ben grinned. "Didn't I tell you Kellyn, Kate and Keith made quite a name for themselves in Almia? These guys were essential in putting the brakes on Dim Suns plans."
"So, this Lavana was part of that group?" Ryuji asked.
"She was one of their highest-ranking members." Keith replied. "The Sinis Trio."
"So, their aim here was to steal the Golden Armor Moltres was guarding." Yuuko said.
"I guess we have no choice but to leave Lavana to Zero for now." Yu sighed.
"Zero?"
"A Digimon tamer that helped us out earlier." Kate replied. "She and a guy called X gave us Digimon Field Guides and taught Ryuji and his team how to fight with their Digimon."
"They're powerful too." Yu noted. "And skilled hackers. I guess this means we can rule out the possibility of them working for Team One World now."
"But it sounded like Zero was after the Golden Armor as well." Ryuji said.
"A third party?" Yuuko asked.
"We better warn Summer and the others about this." Kate said.
Ben nodded and pressed some buttons on his Styler. "Summer, this is Ben. Come in."
"Summer here. I read you."
"Hi Summer." Yuugo smiled. "It's been a while."
"Yuugo, is that you?"
"Yup. Yuuko is here to."
"It's good to have you and Ben back." The raven-haired girl smiled.
"Thanks. I met up with Arata. Hey Arata, Ben's here, say hello!"
"What's up?" the teen's voice casually asked. "Didn't fall into the ocean on the way here again, did you?"
"You're never going to let me hear the end of that are you?" Ben sighed. "Well…Good to hear from you anyway."
Ryuji whispered to Yu. "That just leaves Kyoko Kuremi and Takumi and Ami Aiba." Yu nodded.
"But we've got a problem. Moltres has calmed down but-
"Let me guess. It had Golden Armor?" Summer asked.
"Yeah! How'd you…wait…Did Articuno-
"Well…"
Shortly before Ben and co confronted Moltres…
Summer, Kellyn, Nokia, Arata, Keisuke and Chitose walked towards the stone slab blocking the way to Articuno's location.
"There's the seal." Summer said. Kellyn spotted a Walrein and caught it. "Articuno has most likely come back here."
"Man, good thing we got flying Digimon and Pokemon." Chitose said. "Dealing with those icy floors would have been a headache."
"What could have caused Articuno to go nuts?" Nokia asked.
"We'll find out soon enough." Arata replied. "Summer, do your thing."
Kellyn heard something behind them. "Hold that thought."
Turning around they could see a bunch of Team One World members enter the room. "There they are! Get them!" They ran down the bath and took their first step on the ice. "WHOOOOOA!"
"Great." Keisuke sighed as they watched them slide. "Here we go again."
Arata sighed. "Diaboromon and I will deal with these clowns. You go find Articuno."
"Wait!" Nokia ran over to him. "I'm staying to!"
"No, you're not! As much as I hate to admit it, you and Omnimon are our big gun! We need you to deal with Articuno!"
"It'll be fine! We got Summer on that job! Besides, someone has to make sure you don't screw up!"
"You have no confidence in me, do you?"
"Not really. Now enough chatting! WarGreymon! MetalGarurumon! It's big gun time!"
"Right!" Nokia's Digimon hurried to her side as Team One World approached, bringing out many Digimon and Pokemon.
DNA DIGIVOLUTION
"WarGreymon!"
"MetalGarurumon!"
"DNA Digivolve to…Omnimon!"
Everyone watched in awe as the Royal Knight descended to Nokia's side. Keisuke looked at it, thinking back to Under Zero. "The Digimon from back then...!"
"Did Nokia's Digimon just fuse together?!" Chitose asked. "I had no idea they could do that!"
Arata sighed. "Welp you certainly got their attention. Guess it can't be helped. You got that Summer? We'll hold them off! Articuno is yours!"
"Okay." Summer nodded. "Arata, Nokia, good luck!" She drew Suicune's Guardian Sign onto the stone slab, and it opened. "Come on! No need to worry about things here, Omnimon's a one mon army!" She and the others hurried inside. Keisuke took one last glance as Arata and Nokia as Omnimon drew his Grey Sword before hurrying after them with Diaboromon.
As soon as Summer and the others were outside, they were met with a raging snowstorm. They then saw Articuno hover over something frozen in ice. "Articuno! So, you did return here!" Summer said.
"Wait…" Kellyn squinted. "There's something inside that block of ice under it."
Summer and the others got closer. It was a piece of armor meant to fit around the body. "Is that…part of the Golden Armor?! In a place like this?!"
"Golden Armor…you mean what the Societea used to control the Sky Fortress?" Kellyn asked. "Could that be what's causing Articuno to act up?"
"Screeeee!" Articuno spread its wings and roared.
"Articuno is extremely agitated. Please use caution." Summer's Voice Nav. Spoke.
"Oh, is it?!" Chitose asked. "And here I thought it just needed to use the bathroom! Great observation Styler!"
"Guys, here it comes!" Keisuke yelled.
Articuno charged towards them. The team moved out of the way as it flew by. It then turned around and flew back towards them, spewing a trail of freezing snow. After dodging that the team took the offensive. "Heaven's Knuckle!" Angemon shot a golden beam at it, but Articuno responded with an Ice Beam that pushed the attack back and froze Angemon's whole arm.
"Angemon!" Chitose couldn't believe it.
"What power!" Kellyn scowled. "That's a legendary Pokemon for you…"
"Tail Hammer!" Ankeylmon charged towards Articuno, but spikes of ice formed around it that launched him into the air when he got close.
Summer drew a figure on the ground. "Go, Guardian Sign! Suicune, come forth!" With a splash Summer summoned a legendary Pokemon of her own.
"Legendary again legendary huh?" Kellyn asked. "Good idea."
"What about that dragon of yours?" Keisuke asked. "Wouldn't it be better to use something else that can fly against that bird?"
"Dragons are weak to Ice Types. Latias wouldn't last long."
"Kellyn! Keisuke! Let's try to surround it!" Summer said. The two nodded. "Suicune! Staraptor!"
"Pachirisu! Walrein! Prinplup!"
"Kabuterimon!" The Pokemon and Digimon got into position.
"Arial Ace! Hydro Pump!"
"Electro Ball! Ice Ball! Bubble Beam!"
"Electro Shocker!"
Just as the attacks were launched and closing in Articuno roared and huge pillars of ice rose around it, easily blocking the hits. "Staraptor!" Summer screamed as her Pokemon was knocked into the air. Once they faded. Ice shards like diamonds surrounded Articuno. It charged into Kabuterimon. The Digimon was knocked into the snow.
Suicune summoned a pillar of water that stopped Articuno and soaked it. Then Summer's Pokemon charged into Articuno tackling it to the ground. "You got it!" Chitose grinned. Articuno roared and shot another Ice Beam, knocking Suicune off of it. "Or not."
Both of Kellyn's Friend Pokemon and Chitose's Digimon charged towards Articuno but the bird Pokemon howled and spread its wings. A mighty Hurricane whirled around it sucking all four of them up. They spun uncontrollably before being flung to the ground. Chitose's Digimon came out in their Rookie forms. When Kellyn's Pokemon hit the ground then ran down the mountain in fear.
"Armadillomon! Patamon!" Chitose hurried to his Digimon. "Are you alright?"
"Someone stop the mountain please…" Patamon groaned. "I want off."
"I feel fizzy…" Armadillomon mumbled.
"I think you mean dizzy." Chitose muttered.
"Now what do we do?!" Keisuke asked. "We're left with fewer Digimon and Pokemon then when we started, and we've barely harmed that thing!" Articuno glanced at him and spewed more snow. Kabuterimon flew to Keisuke and shielded him. "Kabuterimon!"
"Even…If my body breaks…I will protect…my partner!"
"Kabuterimon…Thanks. I can't give up here." Suddenly Keisuke's eyes glowed blue. As did his Digivice.
Chitose looked at him uneasily. "Keisuke?! What's happening?!"
Summer looked towards the blue shine. "Keisuke…that light…Kabuterimon can Digivolve!"
"What?" Kellyn looked at the Digimon and Tamer. "I thought it was already Digivolved!" Keisuke slide his visor on.
DIGILOLUTION
A blue light flew from his visor. It soared straight up before crashing down on his Digimon. A blue shell formed around him. "Kabuterimon Digivolve to…MegaKabuterimon!" He came out bigger with four arms, a red shell and extended horn.
"Keisuke's Digimon Digivolved again?!" Chitose asked.
Summer looked at her Styler. "MegaKabuterimon, Ultimate Level Vaccine Digimon! Muscular tissue on the forearms enhanced its grappling abilities and it protects the weak to the point where its behavior is viewed to be knight like!"
Articuno howled and threw shards of Ice at MegaKabuterimon. But he crouched and blocked that attack with his durable shell. Articuno swooped towards him but when it got close, MegaKabuterimon rose up and rammed his horn into its gut. It was flung upward and the Digimon leapt up and grabbed it before tackling the bird to the ground. He then rose up into the air and charged, but Articuno moved away and the Digimon crashed into the ground.
Articuno was about to capitalize when it was hit in the back by an Electro Ball and a Hydro Pump. Looking behind it, it saw Pachirisu and Suicune. Then Staraptor rammed into it, knocking it back.
"MegaKabuterimon!" Keisuke pointed at Articuno. "Full power!"
A golden light formed on MegaKabuterimon's horn. "Horn Buster!" It fired a thick, gold beam at Articuno. The direct hit, blasted the bird and it went down."
"Summer! Kellyn! Now's your chance!"
"Capture on!" Both Rangers launched their Stylers and started drawing loops around Articuno. After a few seconds they stopped and pulled back.
"There." Kellyn said. "That should do it."
Articuno slowly got up and flew over to where the armor was. It screeched loudly. "Does it still want to fight?" Keisuke asked. "MegaKabuterimon! One more time!"
"Right! Horn-
"Wait!" Summer stared at Articuno. She could see something. "Is that…a Guardian Sign!?"
"Huh? You mean those drawing you use to summon Pokemon?" Chitose asked.
Summer recorded the figure into her Styler. Then she looked up at Articuno. Her Styler beeped. "Articuno has calmed down. Articuno is no longer a dangerous presence."
Chitose sighed in relief. "Good."
"Let's reclaim this Golden Armor, too." Kellyn said.
"Good idea." Summer nodded. "Don't worry, Articuno. We Rangers will take responsibility for the disposal of this Golden Armor." The Pokemon nodded. It howled and the block of ice containing the armor piece shattered. As Articuno left the slow storm started to lighten up. After watching it leave and Suicune disappeared in a slash of water, Summer walked towards the torso piece.
"Be carful with that thing Summer." Keisuke said. "The last thing we need is you going crazy."
Summer slowly kneeled and reached for the part. "Not so fast!" When she heard a man's voice she looked up and saw two plasma spheres coming towards her. She backed away, but the blast radius still flung her away from the part and into the snow.
"Summer!" Kellyn ran over to her and helped her up.
"What was that!?" Keisuke asked as they looked where the shot came from. They saw a man with blue hair and a blue coat with a white pattern.
Kellyn glared at him. "You!"
The man laughed as he landed next to the armor. "Miss me Ranger?"
"You know this weirdo?" Chitose asked, looking at Kellyn.
"I'm afraid I do…"
"Chill fella. Allow me to do the introductions." The man spun around and posed. "My name's Ice!"
"Ice?" Summer's eyes glanced at Kellyn. "As in Team Dim Sun?" Kellyn nodded.
"I was planning on dealing with Articuno myself, but you kids went and stole my thunder. Oh well." Ice picked up the armor piece.
"So, the commander Team One World was waiting for…" Kellyn muttered. "Is you."
"You're responsible for all this then?!" Summer approached when Ice took out a handheld device and an iceberg Pokemon with four legs and a red and green mechanical Digimon with cannons for arms appeared in front of her. The two of them unleashed a strong burst of freezing wind and the girl was completely frozen in a block of ice.
"Summer!" Keisuke yelled.
Ice laughed. "That'll help her cool off."
Kellyn scanned the Pokemon. "Avalugg, Ice Type Pokemon with a body as strong as steel! Its cumbersome crushes anything that stands in its way!"
Keisuke aliased the Digimon. "JumboGamemon, Mega Level DataType Digimon! It added beam cannons to its entire body until the strength of its shell was compromised!"
"What are you planning to do with the Golden Armor?!" Kellyn asked.
"Aww! Can't figure that out on your own noob?" Ice smirked.
"Noob?" Chitose asked. "That's a pretty complex term from a dork who's scared of a giant bird." Chitose snorted.
Ice looked at him and Keisuke. "We weren't informed about any other Digimon users. Well…now that I have one of those bratty Rangers that humiliated me in a corner, I can use you as an excuse to wipe you all out."
Neptunemon and Avalugg slowly approached making Keisuke, Kellyn and Chitose back up. "This is bad…" Keisuke thought. "Kabuterimon just Digivolved, but he's still no match for a Mega Level. Summer's frozen and can't summon more Pokemon, Kellyn lost two of his and Chitose's Digimon are still too hurt to fight…Is…is this it? I finally got the chance to see her again…Erika…I'm sorry…"
Ice grinned at the terror on the faces of the three boys. "Sayonara."
"Garuru Tomahawk!" Suddenly a missile came flying in and landed in between Ice's Pokemon and Digimon. It detonated, blowing them both back over to their master.
"Gah!" Ice grunted as he was caught off guard. "What in the-
A black version of MetalGarurumon flew towards them. On his back was a masked and cloaked man who looked right at Ice. "That's enough!" He jumped off his Digimon as he got close.
Kellyn watched him slide his feet in the snow before coming to a halt in front of them. "It's you!"
Keisuke was thrown of guard, but he recognized this man. "X?!"
"That's X?" Chitose asked. "The guy that helped you and Yu? He really is a blue Zero…" He then noticed X's Digimon who landed next to him. "That Digimon looks like one of the ones Nokia has!"
"That's not the Digimon he was using earlier…" Kellyn said. "What's going on?!"
Keisuke scanned it. "BlackMetalGarurumon! Mega Level! A Virus version of MetalGarurumon that keeps a lock on whatever it's laser sight targets!"
Ice growled. "Another Digimon user we don't know about?"
"Hand over that Golden Armor part." X demanded. "Now."
"Not a chance. Still how annoying. I had the perfect chance to get rid of Kellyn and then you had to interfere. As much as I would like to put you in your place as well, I'll get an earful if I keep the boss waiting."
"That's the least of your problems now." Black MetalGarurumon replied, keeping his weapons locked onto the man's Pokemon and Digimon.
"If you won't surrender the armor part…Then I'll take if from you. By force." X said coolly.
"Is that so?" Ice slowly reached into his coat pocket. "Take this instead!" He threw a strange object that exploded in light. Everyone was temporarily blinded, but they could hear Ice withdraw his Pokemon and Digimon. When they could see again, they saw him flying away on his Z.Z. Flyer.
"He's getting away!" Keisuke said.
X glanced at him. "Leave him to me Keisuke. You guys help Summer."
"Huh? How do you know my na-
X turned to his BlackMetalGarurumon. "Let's go!"
"Right!" the Digimon nodded. X ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped. His Digimon zoomed under him, and he landed on it before they sped away.
"I guess all we can do is leave it to him for now." Patamon sighed.
"Then let's do something about Summer." Kellyn said, looking at the block of ice his fellow Ranger was frozen in. "I don't suppose any of your Digimon have fire techniques."
"My, my." They heard a voice and looked behind them. A new person with a heavy plain cloak stood with a gold staff with rainbow colored wings stood behind them. "Seems like you've been through the thick of it."
"Who are you?" Kellyn asked. "Are you with X or Ice?"
"Me? I'm just your average adventurer. More importantly, we better thaw your friend out." He held his staff in both hands. He pointed the tip forward and the wings started to glow. He drew into the air with it leaving a sparkling trail.
"What's he doing?" MegaKabuterimon asked.
The man completed his drawing and it started to glow. "Come forth! Typhlosion!" In a burst of light a fully evolved Fire Type Pokemon appeared.
"It can't be…" Kellyn gapped. "A Guardian Sign?! Who are you?!"
The man pointed his staff at Summer. Taking the signal Typlosion roared as the fire on his back erupted and he spewed a Flamethrower at Summer. The ice slowly started to melt, and she closed her eyes and collapsed.
Keisuke ran over to her. "Summer, are you alright?!"
"Ngh…" The Ranger weakly opened her eyes and shivered when she heard her Staraptor cry out to her. "What happened?"
"Ice froze you and escaped with the armor." Kellyn said. "Then this guy- he gestured to where the mysterious man once stood but both he and his Pokemon were gone without a trace. "Oh great, it's X all over again."
"Wait…" Summer groaned as she slowly got up. "He got away with the armor?! We have to go after him!"
"A bit to late for that unfortunately." Keisuke sighed. "But X showed up and gave chase."
"X? One of those masked Digimon users?"
"But he had a different Digimon with him this time." Kellyn said.
"Is it really that weird?" Chitose asked. "I have two Digimon. So does Nokia."
"Good point..."
"Wait, how' he get here?" Summer asked.
"His Digimon flew over." Chitose replied.
"How?! The winds make it impossible to fly straight to the peak! Wait, now that I think about it, how'd Ice get up here on a Z.Z. Flyer?!"
"Maybe when you captured Articuno, the blizzard settled down?" Patamon suggested.
Kellyn looked around. "It does seem warmer up here all the sudden."
Just then they heard a thumping from the cave. "Hey, what's going on?! Is everyone alright?!"
"Nokia!" Summer shot her Styler at the slate blocking the cave and drew Suicune's Guardian Sign. It disappeared and Nokia and Arata ran over to them with Omnimon and Diaboramon.
"Those One World losers ran off." Arata said. "What happened here? Is Articuno alright?"
Kellyn sighed. "We captured Aticuno and calmed it down but…"
"And after we finished explaining what happened to them is when you guys called." Keisuke concluded.
Ben and his team were still at the peak of Mt. Faldera as Keisuke explained what happened on their end. "So, it's not just Lavana who's back, but Ice as well." Kate said.
"Lavana is in Oblivia too?!" Kellyn asked.
"Two members of the Sinis Trio…" Keith growled. "Not good."
"She took off with one of the Golden Gauntlets after we dealt with Moltres." Ryuji said. "Zero showed up and went after her."
"So, Team One World is after the Golden Armor." Summer said. "And so are X and Zero for some reason…"
"I'm also curios about that other man you encountered." Yuuko said. "I never would have imagined that someone other then you and Ben could perform Guardian Signs."
"First Team One World, then X and Zero, then the Golden Armor, then Lavana and Ice, and now this stranger with Guardian Signs?" Ben asked.
"The rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper." Yu sighed.
"Let's head back to Matayoshi for now and plan our next move." Ryuji asked. "His insight always helps."
"I couldn't agree more." Ben nodded.
"Okay." Summer replied. "See you guys back at Rand's house."
Ice's Z.Z. Flyer dashed through the sky. BlackMetalGarurumon and X were hot on his tail. "Shot that flyer down if you have to." X ordered. "We can't let him escape with that armor."
"Ice Archery!" Black MetalGarurumon shot frozen shards at Ice.
The Team One Order Commander swerved to dodge the attack. He then turned his craft around while still flying away and shot plasma spheres at the Digimon who effortlessly dodged. "Ngh! This was more trouble than I bargained for…"
BlackMetalGarurumon was slowly starting to catch up when X heard another plasma shot fire. "Look out!" He guided his Digimon upward to avoid getting hit to the left.
Ice saw Lavana slowly close in on her. "Nice of you to show up to help."
"So, you got a pest chasing you too." The woman sighed.
"What are you-
"Holy Light!" A golden sphere flew towards them that they narrowly avoided. Magnadramon was chasing them with Zero on board.
"You had another enemy following you and you lead them right to me?!" Ice glared.
Magnadramon and Black MetalGarurumon closed in as they got close. "She has a piece of the Golden Armor!" Zero warned.
X growled. "So does that guy…we can't let them get away! BlackMetalGarurumon!"
"Magnadramon!"
"Thunder Fall!"
"Shinning Laser!" Bolts of lightning and flashes of light started to rain down with Ice and Lavana zig zagging as they flew franticly dodging.
"Gah! These jerks and their Digimon are no joke!" Lavana yelped. "I saw other Digimon users that weren't among the Cyber Rangers with the Pokemon Rangers too!"
"Same here." Ice growled. "We underestimated the Rangers reserves…we need to inform the boss ASAP!"
"Can we worry about ourselves first?!" The two of them turned around and continued to fire.
Ice then spotted two Pidgey flying nearby. "Hey." He tapped Lavana's shoulder and grinned, pointing at them. The woman looked at them and smirked.
"Heads up!" Zero said as she saw their faces. "They're up to something!"
Both Z.Z. Flyers faced the Pokemon and charged energy. X glanced in the direction they were aimed at. "Oh no! BlackMetalGarurumon!"
"Magnadramon!" X and Zero's Digimon flew into their path as they fired a huge barrage of plasma shots.
"Ice Wolf Claw!" BlackMetalGarurumon shot a barrage of missiles towards their concentrated attack.
"Fire Tornado!" Magnadramon spewed a spiral of fire. The two attacks countered the Team One World Admins' but they caused a huge explosion blinding them. The startled Pidgey flew away.
When X and Zero could see in front of them again Ice and Lavana were gone. "Dang it. Cowards." Magnadramon scowled.
"Now what do we do?" BlackMetalGarurumon asked.
X sighed. "This is a disaster…for now let's head back and report to-
"Skraaaww!" After hearing a screech echo through the sky, X and Zero looked behind them to see Zapdos flying by towards Layuda Island.
"Wasn't that Zapdos?" Zero asked. They watched it fly into the stormy clouds that boomed with thunder above its island.
X watched it disappear into the dark clouds. "Could it be…?"
With many new allies new enemies were required. For those who don't know Ice and Lavana were antagonists in Pokemon Ranger Shadows of Almia.