Taichi clenched his teeth, watching as Greymon leapt back from one of Grizzlymon's swipes. As the bear took another, Greymon grabbed his claw and slammed him to his back. Grizzlymon's other claw lunged out, Greymon barely leaping back in time.

Greymon spit out a burst of blue flame as Grizzlymon rolled back to his feet, the flames barely reaching the bear. Maybe giving Greymon more fire in the middle of this forest was a mistake, Taichi reflected with how his partner seemed to be holding back a bit. He shook his head, looking up at the floating head of green lights. No. I can't assume PetriWoodmon's going to be a wimp like Phantomon.

He looked at Kabuterimon and Kuwagamon who were flying circles around each other. Metallic shards fired from Kabuterimon, with Kuwagamon swerving around each shot. Given all the nearby water, Koushiro decided that more electricity could be too dangerous. Instead, he gave his partner the Geo Core, which allowed Kabuterimon to fire some sort of magnetic metal. It didn't hit much harder than the normal electric blasts but the shards were aerodynamic and delivered a good impact.

Kuwagamon suddenly shot into Kabuterimon's stomach and drove the beetle into the ground. Then a metal shot straight up, through Kuwagamon's body, and the red beetle disappeared into data particles. That's the bug. Now what about the bear? Greymon had just spit out a fireball but Grizzlymon drove his claws into the ground and flung himself out of its way. "No!" Greymon roared as the fireball stuck against the grass, leaving flames behind, but little else. See Greymon?! This place is too wet for you to burn down so easily! Let him have it! The instant Taichi sent the Tmail, Greymon spewed a stream of flame at Grizzlymon. He used to ground to fling himself away but Greymon immediately followed with a fireball. A direct hit and Grizzlymon was gone.

And that was it for the flunkies. At least the ones we were stuck with, Taichi reminded himself. Still, he couldn't imagine Ishida losing to that green guy. Sora and Jou are out there too. Sora and Ishida will save TK and Mimi, so we just have to handle the grumpy green giant. Back to PetriWoodmon. What was it going to do now that its flunkies were gone? "Failures!" Oh. Throw a temper tantrum. "You all failures trials!" Taichi winced under the noise; it almost felt like it was reopening his wounds. He really needed to lie back down.

The big green head moved right in front of Koushiro, glaring down on him. "You, Deceiver! Destroyer!"

"Get away!" Kabuterimon shouted, firing a shard through the head. PetriWoodmon ignored the bug. Koushiro visibly took a breath.

"Please, let's just talk about this," he said, his voice containing a slight tremor, "We're very new here and-"

"Silence!" PetriWoodmon shrieked an interruption, followed by two more of Kabuterimon's shards and even a fireball from Greymon, "With Unlife, you have Tainted Darksie Children! Deceiver! Destroyer!"

"Shut up, already!" Taichi shouted, "We're just trying to get back home! We don't know anything about this darksie unlife crap!" PetriWoodmon shot him a searing glare that he could almost feel himself shrink before. Instead, he took a breath and kept himself straight. He was not giving the big ugly head that satisfaction.

"Unlife!" PetriWoodmon shrieked, "Deadsie metal! Falsie plastic! Coldy electricity! Virtues born in Darkness! Light burn Virtues! Replaces with wickedshadow!" Well, that was almost coherent.

"So, you're saying technology is bad?" Koushiro asked, sounding completely unbelieving. PetriWoodmon whipped around to face him.

"Wickedshadow bring unlife! Wickedshadow spread unlife! Unlife is wickedshadow!" Its voice dropped a bit. "You use unlife! Deceiver! Destroyer!"

"Everyone uses stuff like that!" Taichi shouted, "and they don't bring those evil shadows you're so scared of!" PetriWoodmon went into a dead silence.

"Feared as I have!" it said at last, "Your Darksie world has fallen to Taint of Unlife King. And attempts to absorb Defecty Child is fails. Darksie Virtues must be released."

"What do mean, 'released'?!" Taichi demanded, "What are you going to do to us?!"

"My Weed Killers will slays the Tainted Children! New Darksie Children bes chosen!" PetriWoodmon went on, "Tainted Beasts must too be struck down! Regrets I feel but is mercy compares to wickedshadow!" Tainted Beast Taichi could guess meant the digimon, but Weed Killers? He immediately readied his Tmail. Sora! Something called the Weed Killers are after you and the others! An error message flashed. Damn it! "The Deceiver, Destroyer, will dies by my hand!"

The lights darted into the tree in the lake. The tree began to shake and rise, with the bottom rotating to the top, revealing the exact same head as in the lights. As the waves of water poured off, the two chunks of wood closest to the head turned out to be just elbows, connected to bulging forearms that looked about as big a Greymon. The upper arms, while thinner, didn't appear to have any trouble supporting the weight. The remaining four wood chunks were knees, the shins as big as the forearms. The body itself was completely upright, it's gigantic mass making it obvious why this monstrosity had four legs.

The DigiScanner's information on the behemoth burned in. PetriWoodmon was an ancient and overgrown Woodmon who's bark had become petrified. It no longer possessed the Woodmon's energy draining powers but its stone-like bark was near indestructible, protecting its old and rotted wood. Despite the poor condition of its inner body, it possesses an incredibly vitality allowing it wield its tremendous bulk with little effort. It can also fire pollen and seeds that grow in seconds, though the resulting plants die just as quickly. And there was some sort of life supporting energy detected inside its body that was likely enhancing its plant creating powers.

Greymon slammed into it, slightly nudging it back. "Greymon's got this," Taichi assured, both himself and Koushiro, "I mean, Warden of Life or not, its just a big piece of firewood."

"It's fossilized, Taichi," Koushiro said, not sounding at all assured, "Its wood's been replaced with alloys. It's not flammable." Wait, what?! Wood that wasn't burnable?! He sighed and prepared to send a Tmail to Greymon. Okay, Greymon, according to Koushiro PetriWoodmon is made out of some sort of stone wood or something. Basically, its not flammable. A loud grunt sounded, indicating that Greymon received the message.

Its tree trunk arms swooped down, lifting the dinosaur into the air and throwing him back. Kabuterimon slammed into PetriWoodmon from behind, lurching it forward slightly, wrapping his arms around PetriWoodmon's. Back on his feet, Greymon leapt at PetriWoodmon, latching on to its head and started prying at its mouth. A burst of yellow shot from PetriWoodmon's mouth, exploding into a powder against Greymon's head. Greymon fell off and stumbled away before falling to his knees in a fit of fiery coughs.

Greymon! Taichi looked at his CoreBlaster. I can use the Aero Core to blow it away- no wait! That might just spread it! Maybe I should use Hydro to wash it? A yelp from Kabuterimon interrupted his thoughts. PetriWoodmon had just launched right up into the air. "Crap! Crap! Crap!" the beetle shouted as he scrambled away. PetriWoodmon crashed down next to him, splitting the ground, and Taichi lost his footing from the resulting tremor, biting back a scream as he fell. His back did not need that. He felt Koushiro take his hand.

"Let's do this slowly," the other boy ordered, "You're still pretty hurt."

"I'm aware of that," he grumbled as he slowly rose to his feet, wincing over his back's protests. He focused back on the battle just in time to see a greenish yellow haze overtake Kabuterimon. It faded, leaving the giant beetle wrapped in bushes and flowers with very visible thorns. He heard a gasp from Koushiro.

"I'm coming!" Greymon called, standing up while PetriWoodmon lumbered over to Kabuterimon. The digimon sounded a little hoarse from the earlier attack, but just fine otherwise. That was a huge relief. The plants holding the beetle disappeared into data particles but before he could get back in the air, PetriWoodmon grabbed him by the horn and lifted him up, swinging him down on the charging Greymon. Gritting his teeth, Taichi summoned his CoreBlaster but then banished it. There was no point; that little ray gun did not have anywhere near the firepower needed to break through PetriWoodmon's shell, and even if did, it was all he could do to stay standing. Doing anything to draw PetriWoodmon's attention was suicide.

A sudden blast of blue flames struck PetriWoodmon in the back of its head, leaving it in a layer of ice. The wooden behemoth stumbled back, its large arms flailing as a large glowing bird with a wolf in her talons flew in from behind it. Birdramon! Garurumon! Sora and Ishida are okay! Not that Taichi was entertaining the idea that something did happen, but it was still a big relief. PetriWoodmon slapped its hands against its face, shattering the ice as Birdramon lowered to the ground. Unfortunately, right as she released Garurumon, one of its arm swatted her on the side, sending her and Garurumon sprawling along the ground.

Taichi ran over to the pair. "What happened?!" he asked as Garurumon stood, "Where's Sora and Ish- uh, Yamato?!"

"We were separated," Garurumon growled, "I underestimated that Monochromon." He looked at the treewall. "I need to get to him! That Ogremon is still there!"

"Sora will help him!" Birdramon said as she stood.

"They will failures!" PetriWoodmon shouted, "All Darksie Childrens failures!"

"They will not!" Garurumon shouted back, "The fact that we still stand is proof!"

"You know there's only one way to get through the treewall, right?" Taichi asked, glaring at PetriWoodmon.

"Yes," Garurumon growled, "through PetriWoodmon!"

"And we will!" Birdramon said as she took off towards PetriWoodmon. As it swung at her, she swerved upward, launching a wind blast into its face. Garurumon followed with a stream of freeze against its nearest foot. PetriWoodmon moved its hands to smash the ice but a large blaze blasted into its face. It gave a roar and was suddenly in the air again, the ice shattering in a split second. How can something that big jump that high?! Birdramon swiftly stopped above Greymon and fired a blazing cyclone and Greymon added his flames, recreating the red and blue firestorm that vaporized Phantomon. The beast landed on one rear leg, nearly falling over before catching itself with another, but no sign of any damage on its body.

With a snarl, Garurumon leapt on to PetriWoodmon's head. PetriWoodmon gave a snarl of its own as it reached for the wolf, but Birdramon and Kabuterimon latched on to its arms, holding them back. Garurumon fired a freeze blast into its face again, but this time the mouth was left open, allowing more of PetriWoodmon's roars.

PetriWoodmon's arms tore free and smashed the ice while Greymon fired a stream of blue-hot fire. As it moved its hands to block, a metal shard slammed into its face. Greymon and Birdramon delivered a second blazing cyclone while Kabuterimon fired more shards. PetriWoodmon's face. PetriWoodmon began to stumble back as its hands moved to block the assault.

Green vines shot out of PetriWoodmon's mouth, snaking down its body and along the ground. Greymon! Its sending vines after you! The moment Taichi sent the Tmail, the fire cyclone stopped and Greymon was leaping back. But the vines, no longer needing to slither beneath the cyclone, lunged at him even faster, wrapping around his ankles, tail, arms, mouth, and throat. "Greymon!"

"I'll save him!" Garurumon said.

"No, wait!" Taichi shouted. Birdramon was already on the vines, clawing at them, "Birdramon's got this! PetriWoodmon's probably a bit distracted-" PetriWoodmon's laughter punctuated the statement. Taichi growled to himself before continuing. "Focus on its knees," he instructed, "there's no way PetriWoodmon has four legs because its a soccer player."

Garurumon gave a nod and took off. Taichi turned his attention back to Greymon. Birdramon wasn't clawing at the vines anymore, but rather swooping down on them. As she curved back upwards, he could see the vines were darkened where she struck. How strong are those things?! While Birdramon made her second assault on the vines, Kabuterimon fired a shard right into PetriWoodmon's open mouth. Taichi had to admit the sound it made as it coughed metal out was very gratifying.

PetriWoodmon inhaled deeply and expelled a bright yellow beam from its mouth. It streaked across the land as Taichi stumbled back, practically dragged by Koushiro. The beam passed by just in front, leaving in its wake a thick fence of thorny weeds. The sight was almost enough to make him want to sneeze. Greymon and Garurumon were both wrapped up in the thorns. "I'm coming!" Birdramon called as she placed herself above Greymon and flapped her wings in Garurumon's direction.

PetriWoodmon spit three of its yellow shots at Kabuterimon. The beetle managed to weave around the first two but the third struck him in the chest, leaving him enveloped in the yellow cloud. Coughing, he fell to the ground. PetriWoodmon stomped over to the fallen digimon, and raised a foot above him when one of Garurumon's ice bullets slammed against its knee, a blue fireball following. PetriWoodmon stepped back as the leaves holding Kabuterimon disappeared into data particles and spit out another yellow beam. Garurumon quickly jumped away but Greymon was overtaken, leaving him wrapped in weeds like that yellow beam left. Taichi wasted no time Tmailing his struggling partner. They'll fade quickly! Just stay calm!

Greymon's struggling began to settle down and the plants started fading. Garurumon shot PetriWoodmon's knee again and a shard from Kabuterimon followed. Taichi was positive it was the same knee getting hit each time, but still, no sign of damage. Greymon stood and Birdramon placed herself above him, the firestorm quickly following. PetriWoodmon moved both its hands, blocking the cyclone, and looked in Kabuterimon's and Garurumon's direction. A large venus flytrap head shot out of its mouth, clamping down on Kabuterimon.

"Let him go!" Garurumon roared, spitting ice bullets and battering plant, causing it to open and release Kabuterimon.

"Enough!" PetriWoodmon shouted at the firestorm faded, Greymon and Birdramon looking pretty winded. A quick movement of its legs, and it was in the air again, and this time falling towards Taichi and Koushiro! He turned and started to run, Koushiro just starting to follow with the ground shook with a crashand he found himself lifted off his feet. As he landed, his back exploded with agony and then nothing.


Yamato gritted his teeth. This was a hard decision to make- no, make that accept. The choice itself was easy and he really hated himself for finding it so. "Jou-kun," he told Sora, "Even without Gabumon and Piyomon, we're still in better shape than Jou-kun." Sora looked down the river their partners had fallen into.

"I-I know you're right," she said, her voice cracking, "b-but I'm still worried." Yamato nodded. He felt the same. It was taking all of his willpower not to jump into that river and find Gabumon.

"The river leads back to the lake," he said as much to himself as to Sora, "They'll be with Koushiro-kun and Yagami-kun."

"B-But wh-what about th-the W-Weed Killers?" Mimi's voice was just over a whisper. She sounded afraid to speak up and was looking at the ground.

"We'll just have to keep moving," Sora answered coldly. Mimi practically flinched under the tone. Yamato almost felt sorry for her. Almost. He spared a glance at TK, who he was keeping right next to him. His little brother was completely silent, reigniting Yamato's anger. To bring back those memories for some damn "judgment"! Forcefully swallowing the rage, he looked ahead. The path continued winding through the trees. He grimaced. This was not the kind of place to traveling with a bunch of plant monsters after them.

He moved along the path with Sora taking up the rear, Mimi and TK between them, stopping at every sound. A small clearing was just ahead. "Got a clearing here," he called back to the others, "Wait until I signal you." He stepped into it. There was a boulder in the center but nothing else. "It looks safe," he announced.

Leading TK and Mimi towards the boulder, he took a look at the sole path leading out. More of the forest-labyrinth. "What's better?" Sora asked behind him, "Out in the open where we can at least see the Weed Killers-"

"Or on the trail where we might be hidden but so will they?" he finished. He had no idea. We're not cut out for this! Why are we even here?! A scream! Takeru! Mimi-san! He whipped around and saw a bush with long, stem-like limbs walking towards the two! The DigiScanner wasted no time telling him its identity. It was an artificial assassin digimon called Bushmon. Bushmon camouflaged themselves as bushes and could live off just water indefinitely but their stems were meant for drawing out blood. Being artificial, they had little in the way of special powers and their overall strength far below average, but they more than made up for it with their numbers and perfect camouflage. Even the strongest digimon have fallen to their swarms.

As the information was burning its way in, Yamato found himself rushing towards the killer plant, drawing his CoreSaber, and preparing to arm it with the Pyro Core. No! Too close! If that thing bursts into flames, TK and Mimi-san might get hurt! He threw himself in front of the Bushmon as one of its spear-like stems lunged for Mimi, throwing an arm in the way. He clenched his teeth as the stem penetrated his arm and the sensation of something being sucked out followed. What else can I use?! Plants hated ice, but Cryo was on Garurumon. Electro? Wood wasn't really conductive, but it did burn. That's it! He armed the Photo Core. The PhotoSaber lit up as he raised it and swung down. The blade passed right through the Bushmon leaving only the smell of burnt leaves as the digimon disappeared.

Right behind it, there was some sort of bug-like about Tentomon's size with a flower on its back. Plantmon. Another artificial assassin. These digimon can live entirely off sunlight, but are extremely carnivorous and territorial. The plant on its back can be made to look like any kind of plant and it can fire leaves sharp enough to cut through steel. Like the Bushmon, they were weak but hidden and numerous.

He set the Pyro Core to the CoreBlaster and started to move away from TK and Mimi, pointing the gun. He took a couple shots, the fireballs blasting against the ground near the Plantmon, but not hitting them. But the trio did turn and start following him which was just what he wanted. Something whizzed by his head. The leaves! He threw himself on to the ground as more leaves shot right were his neck was. His gun still pointed out, he fired and struck the middle Plantmon, the creature disappearing in a fireball. One left… There should be two! He felt something land on his back. Then a light flashed over top of him and the weight was gone. He rolled to his back to see Sora with a PhotoSaber, and pointing her PyroBlaster at the last Plantmon.

He took a quick look over at TK and Mimi. Three more Bushmon were approaching them. Mimi was holding TK and looking more than a little lost. Yamato opened fire, making sure to not hit the other two, but he did manage to take out a Bushmon. Unfortunately, more Plantmon began emerging behind the Bushmon. He began shooting at the group and Sora's fireballs joined in. He took a quick glance back and… more Plantmon?! "They just don't stop!" he growled, shooting at the new group.

"I just got those ones!" Sora complained. One Plantmon suddenly shot forward and the next thing Yamato knew, he was on his back with the Plantmon standing on his chest. Leaves fired off its back and Sora grave a yelp. His PhotoSaber still in hand, he managed to wave it enough to cut two of the Plantmon's legs off. It stumbled off of him and Sora gave a pained scream. Yamato quickly stood, bisecting the Plantmon, and saw that a Bushmon's stems were in her stomach. He blasted it with the PyroBlaster and screamed as he felt woody mandibles dig into his back. Sora grabbed Yamato by the shoulder, spun him, and with a flash of light from her PhotoSaber, the bite was gone. He turned back to thank her just in time for a Plantmon to tackle her to the ground. A flash of his PhotoSaber dealt with it, but he suddenly found himself being rushed by a pile of leaves as the Bushmon's stems entered his stomach.

No sooner had he screamed when Sora's PhotoSaber saved him again while two more Bushmon lunged at her from behind, digging into her shoulders. Yamato forced himself up at her cry, his bleeding stomach nearly throwing him back down. He managed to force himself into a rush behind her, sparing a brief look at TK and Mimi. Looked like they were completely forgotten by the plants. At least we have some good news, he thought bitterly as he cut down the two Bushmon. Sora immediately pushed him aside, earning a sharp painful jolt from his stomach, and opened fire. The fireball exploded a little closer than he would've liked, but the smell of burnt leaves told him how much worse it could've been. The wound's not that deep! Ignore it! Sora-san's in worse shape!

Another Plantmon emerged from the mist. Gritting his teeth, Yamato yanked Sora aside as it fired several leaves right at her head, earning a yelp from her. Four more Plantmon came right behind. He swore to himself as he opened fire. One, two, three- and they jumped, biting into his shoulders. He clenched his teeth, struggling not to give them the satisfaction of his pained scream. Another slash of Sora's PhotoSaber saved him while he looked at she was facing. Three Bushmon, each with a Plantmon on its head. He pointed and fired, aiming at the Plantmon; they seemed to be the more dangerous of the two types. Two of the Plantmon were stuck down, but his third shot went low and struck the Bushmon instead. The Plantmon bolted off of its fallen ride and Sora screamed as it landed on her back with a bloody bite. Yamato swung PhotoSaber as carefully as he could while pointing the PyroBlaster behind himself and firing. It should at least keep the Bushmon back.

A Bushmon stem lanced his shoulder and his PhotoSaber flew from his hand as the scream escaped his throat. Sora whirled with her PhotoSaber, the Bushmon's stem disappearing as two more Plantmon came rushing towards her. Just flesh wounds! Yamato reminded himself as he recalled his PhotoSaber and rushed back, slicing through the pair. Six more came marching behind and he could just make out the silhouettes of three Bushmon. "I think PetriWoodmon's sent the entire forest after us!" he complained as he fired.

"Look on the bright side," Sora said, sounding just as frustrated, "When we're done with these guys, this place really will be safe!"


Afterword: Oh boy. Going over this chapter I'd realized I hadn't really paid much attention to how Yamato and Sora were feeling taking those hits. And that kind of thing really has to be covered in the planning.

I do like how the PetriWoodmon part came out.