Disclaimer: I don't own digimon. They belong to someone else.
AN: Hehehe, I just found another program to download MP3's so I haven't been writing much. Well, here's part 9! Enjoy!

The Power of Three
Part 9: The Plan

Awaking on the block of stone, the figure rose. His eyes were blank, without expression and his hands rolled up into fists. Daemon smirked.

"Welcome back, my friend."

"Thank you. This new body is small, but it will have to do. Though these garments must be changed..."

With the snap of his finger, dark navy blue garments replaced the old black shirt and orange vest. A large cloak covered him entirely (except his head) and a sword was tied with the chain. Nodding approvingly, he smiled and said, "Much better." Turning to Daemon, he spoke. "Are we ready to enter the real world?"

"Not yet." Replied Daemon. "We are coming close to breaking the barrier but it hasn't entirely disappeared yet."

"I see. And who stands in our way?"

"Three ------- two kids." Daemon remembered that one of them had already been defeated.

"Ah, the two I saw in this boy's memory. I sense that they are very strong... we will send someone there immediately."

"And who do you have in mind?"

"Hmmm..." Venomhydramon thought for a minute. "Venomon!" He called out. Venomon came rushing and got down on one knee in front of the two mega digimon.

"You called, my lord?" Venomon said.

"Venomon, reenter the real world. This is your chance to prove to us that you are indeed a powerful and loyal servant." Venomhydramon hissed. "I will supply you with power. You will receive this energy boost from me, and with it, I crave for only the best possible performance."

With the mere point of his finger, Venomon was hit by a wave of black lighting. His figure grew larger, his claws longer and his scythe sharper and tougher. The digimon bowed low in gratitude.

"I want those kids and their digimon destroyed, or don't come back alive. Is that clear?"

"Understood, sir."

"Now GO!"

"Yes, sir." And with that, Venomon exited.

Puzzled, Daemon spoke to his friend. "Those two kids proved that they would be able to defeat Venomon with no problem. Do you think that Venomon can actually handle this task?"

"Oh, I don't believe that he would actually beat them." The mega said, smiling. "That would be our job."

"Oh?"

"You'll see, my friend, you'll see..."



"So what is it now, toots?" Impmon said. "Don't you owe me something for helping you guys?"

"Didn't we already promise you that we would make lunch meat out of you?" Rika asked.

"Fine. Be unfair. See ya losers later! Badaboom!" And with that, Impmon trotted off.

"Wow, maybe we should consider rewarding him." Takato said. "After all, he let us know a lot."

"Oh. So letting him keep his life isn't enough?" Renamon said, smirking.

"Very funny." Terriermon said sarcastically. "But how did he know about all that? He doesn't have connections anywhere."

"Ya, but who knows where he was before he entered the real world." Takato said. Suddenly, a beep from their d-powers alerted them that a digimon nearby. Pulling out the device, Takato pointed the compass around. "This way!" He shouted, leaving the bunker as the others followed behind.

Drawing closer to their destination, the beeping grew louder. Suddenly, an unexpected yelling made them realize who was there.

"Unhand me you slimy digi-slug!"

Impmon.

The one he was describing wasn't too far off from a disgusting slug though.

"Venomon!" Rika cried, recognizing their old foe. "He looks even nastier than before!"

"And what did you do with Henry???" Terriermon yelled, his tiny fists shaking in the air.

Venomon wasted no time. "Venom Shadows!" The attack flew across the area and struck Renamon and Guilmon. His tentacles whipped around wildly, and Impmon was helplessly tied to it.

"Time to even the score!" Rika yelled. "Renamon!"

"As you wish, Rika." Renamon said, getting up.

"Come on, Guilmon!" Takato said, turning to his digimon.

"Right, Takato!" The dinosaur digimon shook of Venomon's attack and prepared for his tamer's command. Pulling out their cards, Takato and Rika card slashed one of them. Calumon, who had followed them through, glowed bright red.

"Digi-modify... Digivolution activate!" The two tamers cried in unison.

DIGIVOLUTION

Guilmon digivolved to... Growlmon!

Renamon digivolved to... Kyuubimon!

"Pyro blaster!"

"Fox tail Infernal!"

The two champions shouted their attacks and blasted them at Venomon. Venomon shielded himself with his arms, but when he put them down, he realized that Kyuubimon was missing. Whirling around, he saw the fox digimon charge at him from the side.

"DRAGON WHEEL!"

The graceful fox spun and struck the tentacle that held Impmon. Impmon fell to the ground, while Venomon, countering Kyuubimon's attack, struck her down with another one of his whips. Kyuubimon landed next to Impmon, who laid flat on the ground, face up.

"Hey toots, I guessed you repaid me after all." The little demon digimon mutter, smirking. Kyuubimon groaned with annoyance.

"Come on, Kyuubimon! Get up!" Rika yelled. "Digi-modify! Power blast activate!"

Kyuubimon glowed for a moment, then she pushed herself off the ground and was ready to fight again.

"It's no use being champions... we need more direct hits and stronger levels."

"Hey, goggle head, maybe that slash we did last time will work again!" Rika suggested.

"Worth a shot! Let's do it!"

Rika prepared a card and Takato held his D-power.

"Digi-modify! Recharge activate!" They screamed together. The d-power blinked, but... nothing.

"Oh no! Why can't I make them digivolve?" Calumon thought to himself.

"Huh!? What?" Takato asked, confused.

"Stupid piece of junk!" Rika screamed. "Why won't this work!?" Venomon threw his head back and laughed.

"Well, well." Venomon chuckled. "I thought this would be tougher than last time. How boring. I guess I'll just have to destroy you easily." Whipping madly, the ultimate digimon's snake like tentacles shot out and grabbed both Kyuubimon and Growlmon. The two howled with pain as Venomon crushed them within his grasp.

"Ugh!" Takato wrapped his arms around his stomach. The pain was breaking his bones and he felt the pain searing through his body as his muscles tensed. Rika rushed up and shook him wildly.

"Stupid Takato!" Rika cried. "You can't just faint on me! Hang on!"

"Believe." He muttered.

"What?"

"We have to believe in ourselves. If Henry were here that's what he'd say."

"Stop being so stubborn, goggle head! You don't even know if Henry's still on our side anymore! How can you say this stuff at a time like this!?" Takato grasped her hand.

"If we believe, then we don't need cards. Think about it."

*flashback*

"Seems like you misjudged the little miracles my friends can perform." Henry said, smirking at Venomon, his eyes still flickered with a certainty that they were going to pull through. "They don't need blue cards... they only need each other."

*end flashback*

Takato continued. "When Henry believed in us, it worked. And he's right. We only need each other."

"I know you're right, Takato." Rika said. "But we don't have much time left! We need to help Kyuubimon and Growlmon!"

"BUNNY BLAST!"

Tiny little green shots hit the dark digimon in the face. Venomon turned to see a green and white bunny digimon narrowing his black eyes at him.

"What do you, want, pipsqueak?" Venomon barked.

"I wanna know what you did with my tamer!!!" Terriermon yelled. Venomon chuckled.

"You're tamer's better off on our side with us... the winning side." He answered. "But since you are his digimon, perhaps we can fit you in somewhere... or..." Venomon thrust the two champion onto the ground. Takato relaxed although his breathing remained short.

"...I destroy you with a single blow!" Venomon advanced on the little bunny digimon.

"Terrier tornado!" Terriermon yelled, but the spinning winds had no effects on the powered up Digimon. Venomon held his scythe high above Terriermon's head and was ready to deal the final blow.

"Leave..." Takato muttered, getting up and holding his wounds.

"Him..." Rika said, supporting Takato as he revived himself.

"ALONE!" They both yelled. Suddenly, their two d-powers activated, Takato's admitting a red light, and Rika's admitted a blue light. The light shone at their partners, and Calumon's triangular mark glued a bright red.

MATRIX DIGIVOLUTION

Growlmon matrix digivolved to...

Kyuubimon matrix digivolved to...

WARGROWLMON!!!

TAOMON!!!

"WHAT!?" Venomon cried. The bright light shining from Taomon and Wargrowlmon was much too bright for his eyes. "NO! This can not be!"

"You're end is here, Venomon!" Takato shouted joyously. "Time to meet your maker!"

"Last shot, and we're gonna make sure you're gone!" Rika grinned. Together, they pulled out their card.

"DIGI-MODIFY! Targeting activate!"

"Talisman of light!"

"Atomic blaster!"

Combined with the targeting card slash, the attacks were a direct hit. It sailed right over to the enemy and a giant puff of smoke indicated that they had been successful.

"Alright!" Takato said, jumping up. "We beat him!"

"We really did it!" Rika said.

They were wrong. Although beaten, the smoke cleared to reveal that Venomon had not dissolved into data. Charred and with his data torn, he remained standing weakly. "Fools!!! I will destroy you with my last ounce of energy!"

"No!" Takato screamed. "We hit you with our strongest attacks... a-a-and... you're still here!"

"Not for long."

A voice echoed in the sky. A menacing voice.

"lord Venomhydramon!" Venomon cried to the skies. "Aid me once more and I will defeat your enemies!"

"I don't see any need for that. The power boost I gave you kept you alive after the tamers attacked you. Without it, you wouldn't be standing."

Venomon's eyes widened. "No! Master! Please, don't!"

"What I can give to you, my servant, I can take away." There was a hint of amusement in his voice. "And once you lose your last bit of strength... you will dissolve into data."

"NO! You can't! I've been loyal! I've been powerful and I, I have aided you in weakening the tamers!"

"Your time has come. Daemon and I knew you were too weak to face the tamers. The only use for you was your data. Since it was not the tamers who defeated you... they can not absorb you. And with every bit of your virus-infected data, you will wear away the last bit of the barrier."

"I BEG YOU, MASTER!!! DON'T KILL ME!!! I WILL HELP YOU DESTROY THE TAMERS!!! I... AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Venomon's shriek pierced the city. Takato couldn't believe the cruelty of Venomhydramon, to abandon their servants and use their death only as a stepping stone.

The last bit of Venomon's energy drained away and his body shattered into pieces. Each speck of data hit the sky and it seemed to burn away holes in the air, like acid, gnawing away on flesh. Soon, a blue patterned grid streaked through the sky.

The gate had open once more.

To be continued in "The Power of Three, part 10"

PLEASE R/R! Hope you enjoyed it! :)