In the previous chapter:
Tai and Sora had arrived in the DigiWorld to discover from Agumon and Biyomon that with the defeat of Piedmon and Puppetmon by Lillymon and WereGarurumon, the good side have really enraged the other two dark masters, Machinedramon and Metalseadramon. Now, with Mimi and Matt back in the real world, the rest of the battle remains in Tai and Sora's hands…
~ Narrator's POV
Tai and Sora were explained the whole situation by Agumon and Biyomon. It was a long, boring story, and half of it could've been wrong anyway, since they heard it from Gabumon and Palmon. Tai and Sora, on the edge of bush, were leaning against an enormous old tree, drooped and wrinkled like a human elderly would, with leaves turning yellow and dry. Agumon and Biyomon stood facing them, continuing to talk as if they'd be willing to listen for years in one sitting.
Suddenly, Tai propped up, taking Sora's hand. Sora looked up at him as if he were some kind of nut, but she soon realized by the lines of worry on his face that something was wrong.
"What's… wrong, Tai?" Sora said slowly, still looking up at him.
Tai did not look at her, but was staring into space. But even as he did so, it was obvious that he was not even looking into the space in which he was staring, which was odd and impossible at the same time. He was searching for something, it seemed, but it was not something that he could see.
"I feel like… we're being watched…" he mumbled, releasing Sora's hand.
Sora, Biyomon and Agumon looked at each other, and then they really did look at Tai as if he were some kind of nut. They could sense nothing. They were so busy trying to sense what Tai had sensed that they did not realize that what Tai had sensed was in the bushes, near them. Somehow, by some nature, they were unable to intuitively pick up its presence.
Beside Tai, it let out a deep, low growl. This time, although the growl was far too low-pitched for anyone to hear, they all now could sense something was in the air, something that was definitely not pleasant. Suddenly, two gleaming eyes shone from inside the bushes-
"Tai! Watch out!"
-And a huge monster leapt out. It was metallic, its growl now more high-pitched for them to hear, its gleaming eyes more clear for them to see. Luckily, Biyomon's call had saved him. Tai had grabbed Sora's hand again, feeling the unpleasant instinct so close and breathing down his back, and had run away from the tree, dragging the confused Sora with him.
"Machinedramon!" Sora got so annoyed all of a sudden. "We should've known it was you! No wonder that smell was so terrible!"
Machinedramon ignored this rebellious remark, and stared at them as if focused on only one thing. "Yes, and your 'squadron of the good' had dared to defeat two dark masters? You… you… I can't believe you," he cried, getting louder and more intense with every word. "You will die! GIGA CANNON!"
Before the powerful Mega stage attack had reached them in a flaming ball of destruction, Biyomon had jumped out to save the day.
"Biyomon, Digivolve to… BIRDRAMON!"
Birdramon leapt out, driving him away from the bushes and out onto the sandy beach where there was more open space to fight properly. But just as Birdramon had seemed like a winner, a large, familiar, slippery sea worm emerged behind Machinedramon, in a dazzling water display with many splashes like a giant sea-serpent fountain. Although it made Tai and Sora go into a depressed moan.
"It can't get any worse than this," Sora groaned, turning her body away.
"Uhh… it's Metalseadramon," Tai moaned in a tone dripping with boredom, following Sora's example and also turning his body away.
Rage bubbled up inside of Machinedramon. "What are you groaning about?!" he yelled in his deep annoying voice. "GIGA CANNON!"
Birdramon again leapt forward, and as she had efficiently used her wings to block out the first attack, which slightly put her into a daze, she had been ready for the second beam. In fact, she laughed inside her heart that Machinedramon was so predictable that she could've guessed exactly the next thing he was going to say.
"Birdramon, Digivolve to… GARUDAMON!"
Garudamon blocked out the second attack very skilfully, this time using her hands instead of her wings, then flew forward to Machinedramon and tried as best as she could to hit him and bring him down. Instead, while she was trying to scratch him to pieces with her jagged claws, he had already tackled her with a loud lion-like growl and she fell down onto the sandy ground helplessly.
"Oh no, Garudamon needs me," Agumon whispered, then yelled, "Agumon, WarpDigivolve to… WARGREYMON!"
WarGreymon helped Garudamon sit up, whispering words of comfort, telling her that he would not leave her for the world and that she was going to be okay no matter what, for he was by her side, and that is where he intended to stay.
This struck Sora and Tai very greatly. It was now clear to them that Biyomon and Agumon were not just ordinary friends as they had thought them to be. They were partners, even in fighting, even in war, even in battle. Thick and thin, through love and hate, through war and peace, it was meant to be that they were together, as partners all the way.
Without realizing it, she cried a little and reached out for his hand and took it, and without realizing it also, he stroked and massaged her palm, telling her that he would bring down Machinedramon again, as he did last time, hopefully that he would never be reborn again.
Suddenly, with nobody expecting it, not even himself, he swung around as fast as lightning and, using his powerful claws, sliced Machinedramon into many pieces. Machinedramon screamed in shock and despair as each part of his body dissolved away into nothing. After being reborn, he was killed by the same foe, exactly the same way as his first death.
~ WarGreymon's POV
After a very tiring battle with Machinedramon, I was so exhausted that I was about to turn back into Koromon, but I fought against it. There was still Metalseadramon to go, plus there was Garudamon hurt next to me.
I turned to her and a blanket of sympathy swept over me. I touched her hand with my chunky robotic claws; compared to her, I was a monster even with my heart on the good side. I wished at that moment that I could've done more to deserve her… but there was no time for that. She was already weakened by Machinedramon's Giga Cannon, then again by his tackle.
"Are you okay, Garudamon?" I asked gently.
"Yeah, of course," she said with a falsely active strong voice, as if she was not tired or weakened, but it was obvious with her voice cracking and dripping with lies. "I'm fine. Okay, let's kick butt."
"No, no!" I stopped her getting up. "You need a rest. Just sit here and I'll stop Metalseadramon for you."
"Oh yeah, like you really could," said the booming voice above me, the impatient giant sea worm glaring at me through one eye.
"Oh, SHUT UP!" I yelled, as my eyes accidently ran over to Tai. He was tightly holding Sora's hand, with both hands in fact. Sora had placed her other hand on her chest, symbolizing her need, her hope for a victory. I was more determined than ever at that moment as I saw them like this. Only Metalseadramon was left, and since we defeated him before, I was certain we could defeat him again.
To be continued…