Digimon AdventureTamers Crossover

by JGoblin

The ultimate crossover! It will take the Digidestined of two worlds to defeat Devimon. A sequel to Evil's Return.

3. Evil Confronted

"How do you get it to do that?"

Tai Kamiya looked in surprise at the girl sitting next to him in the lecture hall. The girl was staring intently at Tai and for a moment he was at a total loss. "Um, how do I get what to do what?"

"Your hair! What do you use to get it to stick up like that?"

Tai sighed and ran a hand through his hand through the thick spiky mass of brown hair on his head. As his hand passed over it the hair sprang back into its original position. "I don't really do anything.", he said rolling his eyes up towards his hair. "It's been like that since I was a kid."

"Well it's pretty cute."

Tai blushed and the girl giggled. "My name's Lori.", she said extending her hand. "Tai.", Tai took her hand and hoped she wouldn't notice that his was sweating. "So uh...", Tai stammered.

"Do you live on campus?", she interjected.

Tai nodded. "My pal Matt and I share a room in Tashi Hall. What about you?" "I have an apartment off campus with a few friends of mine. We're actually having a party tonight. Maybe you and your friend could come."

Tai blushed again and smiled widely. "Sure. We'd love too!"

"Great! Let me give you the address." Lori wrote out the name and street number on a sheet of paper and handed it to Tai. "Things won't really get started until eight, but if you wanted to come over a little early, we could..." Lori was interrupted by a beeping sound from Tai's backpack "What's that?", Lori asked, peering at the pack.

Tai grimaced and reached into the bag bringing out something which he kept hidden in his hand. "Oh that's just my beeper.", he said with a forced tone of calm. I have to make a call but I'll see you tonight!" With that Tai grabbed his pack and ran from the room drawing several curious stares from the students around him and an annoyed look from the professor who had been teaching the entire time.

Out in the hall Tai ducked into an empty room and opened his hand. Sitting in his palm was a small silver device with a tiny screen and a few buttons on it. A red light was blinking in the upper left corner of the screen. "Stupid digivice!", Tai growled. "This better be important!" Tai looked around the room and saw an old computer sitting on a table in the corner. "This ought to do." Tai held the digivice out and pressed it to the black screen of the computer. For a moment nothing happened and then there was a flare of light and Tai was gone. The computer screen remained black and silent.

Di Di Di...

Di Di Di...

Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the champions!

Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the champions!

Change into digital champions, to save and defend the world!

Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the champions!

Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the champions!

Digivolve into champions! Warp Digivolve!

Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the champions!

Digimon, Digital Monsters, Digimon are the champions!

Digimon, Digital Monsters! Digimon!

Digimon: Digital Monsters

Digimon Tamers

EVIL CONFRONTED

"How could you!?"

Matt winced at the sharp female voice. "Sora, Honey..."

"Don't you honey me!"

Matt sighed and resigned himself to the fact that this was not going to end well for him.

"You promised me that we would go out this weekend! We've barely had a chance to see each other lately with all the work we've had to do for midterms! This weekend was supposed to be for us!"

"I know. But the band got a job for Saturday night on short notice. I can really use the money and we could go out next weekend. I promise!"

Sora spun around, tossing her short red hair. "You can shove your promises!" She had thrown open the door to Matt's dorm room and was prepared to storm out when a pair of beeping tones surprised both of them. Sora reached into her purse and pulled out a digivice. Matt retrieved a similar one from his desk drawer. "We are talking about this later!", Sora warned. Matt sighed and nodded.

* * *

"Now, insert your scalpel into the abdomen directly beneath the breastbone."

Joe groaned softly as he set the book aside and felt the blade in his hand pierce the flesh of the cadaver on the table in front of him. His knees began to wobble as a bit of fluid leaked from the incision. "Easy Joe.", he whispered to himself. "You'll never be a doctor if you can't even cut into a dead body.

"Is there a problem Mr. Kido?" Joe looked up to see his biology professor standing next to him.

Joe gulped. "Um, no! No problem! Just getting started."

"Good. Don't let me interrupt."

Joe turned back to the body in front of him. A look out the corner of his eye showed the professor watching him intently with his arms folded over his chest. Sweat formed on Joe's forehead as he attempted to keep his hand steady as he lowered the blade to the incision he had started. Joe swallowed as his arm seemed to freeze. "Come on.", he muttered.

"I'm waiting Mr. Kido.", the professor glowered.

Joe raised the scalpel slightly and prepared to try again. He was so focused on his hand and the instrument in it that he jerked his head up as a beeping sound echoed through the lab. The other students, busy with their own projects looked at him in annoyance.

"Mr. Kido?"

Joe smiled weakly as he pulled the digivice from his pocket. "Uh, I have to go."

Joe's professor glared. "Mr. Kido. Do I need to remind you that this project counts for half your final grade and you only get to do it once."

"I guess I'll have to do really well on the second half.", Joe said, putting the scalpel down with a sigh of relief. He bowed hastily to the professor and ran from the room!

* * *

"What is wrong with this thing?!"

Mimi glanced up from her magazine to look at her roommate who was angrily jostling the brown leaves of the plant on the windowsill. Mimi turned back to her magazine. "I don't think it's getting enough light.", she replied absently turning a page. Mimi's roommate gave her an annoyed look. "Like you know anything about plants!"

Mimi smiled slightly without looking up. "A little bit.", she said slyly. The other girl sniffed and stalked out of the room depositing the plant in the wastebasket on her way out. Mimi looked after her a moment and then reached into the wastebasket and pulled out the plant. She looked at it critically for a minute, then carried it into the bathroom. After filling a glass of water and pouring it into the soil, she walked back into the room. Mimi looked between the two windows on adjacent sides of the room and the placed the plant in a ray of sunlight on the sill across from where it had been before. She gave it an affectionate pat and then sat back on her bed and picked up her magazine. Mimi had only been reading for a minute when a beeping from her desk drawer caught her attention.

* * *

"Izzy, you need to get out more."

Koushiro Izumi, Izzy to his friends, looked up from the computer screen he had been staring at. It was one of three monitors on the desk in front of him. "I do get out Lou. I just happen to be busy now.", Izzy replied turning back to his computers.

Izzy's friend stood in the doorway of the room looking at him for a moment before realizing that Izzy no longer registered his presence. "All right that's it!" Lou grabbed the back of Izzy's chair and spun him around. "You're coming with the rest of us to the club tonight."

Izzy struggled to turn his chair back around. "I can't tonight. I've got to finish this program."

"Bull! You've already got your work for all of your classes for the next month done. Whatever this is, it can wait."

Izzy sighed. "You ought to know that there's no such thing as being too far ahead at this school."

Lou shook his head in amazement. "Just because we attend Harvard University doesn't mean we can't have any fun. Besides, you breeze through everything you do here anyway. I don't think it's possible for you to fall behind. You're going out with us tonight, and you're going to have some fun if I have to get the guys to drag you away from that computer!"

Izzy reluctantly gave in and got up from his chair. "Fine. Give me a few minutes to get ready."

Lou turned to leave. "We'll be waiting down the hall. And you'd better not bring that Laptop. Tonight is going to be one hundred percent work free."

Once Lou had left, Izzy hit a few quick keystrokes and shut off the monitor. Stretching, he walked to his closet and pulled out a jacket. Heading for the door, he instinctively reached for the Laptop computer sitting on the able by his bed but quickly drew back his hand. "Maybe I do need more downtime.", Izzy thought with a smile. His hand was on the doorknob when a beeping sound from his pocket drew his attention. Izzy removed his digivice and turned back towards his computer, this time grabbing the Laptop and tucking it under his arm. "Well, I guess I will be getting out. But I doubt I'm going to get much of a chance to relax."

* * *

"Willis!"

Willis started awake and almost fell out of his bed.

"I thought you took the semester off so you could raise money for your trip to Japan this summer! It's noon and you're still in bed and unless you've found a way to make money while you sleep...!"

Willis ran a hand through his sleep tousled blond hair. "All right, all right!", he groaned. getting up slowly and avoiding his mom's glare. "I'm not even scheduled to work today mom."

"Well that's still no excuse to sleep the day away! If you've got nothing productive to do there's plenty to do around the house! Terriermon and Lopmon have been helping me fold laundry all morning. The least you can do is help put it away." "Fine. Just let me get some breakfast."

"Don't you mean lunch?", Willis' mom asked sarcastically as she turned and left the room.

When Willis emerged into the kitchen his mom was at the table eating a bowl of soup. "There's more on the stove.", she said indicating a steaming pot. "Terriermon and Lopmon helped me make it. It's such a pity you can't be as helpful as your pets."

Willis ladled some of the steaming broth into a bowl. "They're not pets, they're digimon.", he growled.

"Well, they wonderful to have around the house. Especially considering that I get no help from you."

Willis glared at the small white creature with huge flopping ears that pulled out his chair. "Traitor.", he mumbled. Terriermon's only reply was a grin and a wink. Another creature identical to Terriermon, except that his skin was brown instead of white and he had three small horns on his head where Terriermon only had one, entered the room holding a pile of folded towels.

"Thank you Lopmon.", Willis' mom said with a smile patting the digimon on the head.

"Hmmph.", Willis muttered.

"Now, when you're done with lunch you can put the rest of the laundry away and then..." His mom was interrupted by the sound of Willis' digivice beeping.

"Sorry Mom! I gotta take this call!" Willis bolted from the room with Terriermon and Lopmon right behind him. Willis' mom sighed and moved to pick up the laundry that Lopmon had dropped when he ran from the room. In his room Willis switched on his computer to find a message window waiting for him.

"Hello Willis.", a digitized voice spoke to him as the same message was typed out on the screen.

"Um, hi.", Willis said while typing "Hello" on the screen.

"We need your help. Please hold your digivice up to the screen." Willis shrugged and placed his digivice against the computer screen. There was a flare of light and Willis and his twin digimon were gone. A moment later, Willis's mom poked her head into the room.

She started as she noticed it was empty. "He is so grounded when he gets back."

* * *

"What the hell do you mean you sent them out alone!?"

The young man whom Tai had slammed against a tree frowned. "Time was of the essence Tai.", Gennai responded calmly.

"You didn't even tell them what they were up against!", Tai cried. Behind Tai, the other digidestined, Matt, Sora, Joe, Mimi, Izzy, and Willis, stood uncomfortably. They seemed to be trying to decide whether to stop Tai or back him up. Tai had Gennai pressed against a tree and had a death grip on the collar of his white robes.

"Given T.K. and Ken's personal past with Devimon, I thought it would do more harm than good if they knew ahead of time who their opponent was."

Tai growled. "So you sent my sister into a fight with one of the most powerful evil digimon we've ever faced without any warning!"

"I realize now that I made an error in judgment Tai. Please try to understand. Even I was uncertain what the nature of this new reality was. I only knew that Devimon had defeated the guardians of that world and captured a digimon who would allow him to increase his power exponentially."

Izzy stepped forward. "What do you mean the guardians of that world? And what kind of digimon is this?"

Gennai looked at Izzy over Tai's shoulder. "This reality had it's own team of digidestined." The others exchanged looks of surprise. "After his defeat a year ago, Devimon's data was reconstituted in primary village. Something allowed Devimon to gain access to a parallel reality which was connected to a level of the digital world just as yours is. In this world, digimon are able to draw power from human partners, just as they can on your earth. But there, for some reason, only digimon who are joined with human partners have the ability to digivolve. Devimon was able to come into contact with a human boy whom he corrupted and convinced to provide the means of his escape. He then used the properties of that world to draw power until he was able to digivolve into his natural form. When that happened, all of his former power was regained. The digidestined of that world attempted to stop him, but they proved unable to stand against him. Those digidestined had befriended a digimon who had a unique ability. This digimon possesses the power to allow other digimon to digivolve. Once Devimon finds a way to tap this digimon's power, he will digivolve and become stronger than ever. I felt it was necessary to send the younger digidestined to stop Devimon before he could get his hands on that power. but Devimon has grown stronger than he ever was before. The others were defeated and captured."

Tai had released Gennai and was now glaring at him angrily. "Yeah, we got that last part. So now what? We throw ourselves at Devimon and get ourselves in the same position as Kari and the others?"

"I realize now that none of you alone have the power to stop Devimon. Your mission will be first and foremost to rescue your fellow digidestined. I have also contacted the digidestined of this other world and have sent them to free their own digimon partners from Devimon's control. Only if all of you fight together, will you have the strength to overcome Devimon."

"I assume we're on the clock? We still have to get to Devimon before he's able to digivolve even further.", Matt said thoughtfully. Gennai nodded.

"Fine! Let's get going!", Tai cried impatiently. "Call Agumon and the others so we can get this done!"

Matt knew how Tai felt. Matt's younger brother T.K. was among those captured by Devimon just as Tai's sister Kari was. But they weren't going to win if they let their emotions guide them. He hoped Tai would be able to calm down enough to be as effective a leader to them as he had been in the past.

"Your digimon are gathered elsewhere.", Gennai said. "I will transport you all simultaneously to the same point in this alternate reality. You will be within the city that Devimon has taken control of near his base of power. Remember that you must not try to attack Devimon until you are rejoined with the others." They all nodded their assent. Gennai raised his arms and the air in front of them began to shimmer. The space between the digidestined and Gennai seemed to tear open to reveal a glowing hole in the air. "Opening these portals is draining. Once you are through it will be some time before I can retrieve you.", Gennai warned.

Tai was the first into the portal. The others quickly followed leaving only Willis and his digimon. "I am going to be so grounded when I get back.", Willis sighed jumping through the portal with Terriermon and Lopmon right behind him. Once they were through Gennai sank to his knees and the portal faded away.

The world seemed to warp around them. For a moment they seemed to float in space and then they felt the ground beneath their feet. In a moment the sense of vertigo wore off and they got their first look at their surroundings. They were on a city street that looked like it had been through a war. There were no other living things in sight. The doorways to the buildings around them had all been smashed in and there were few windows left intact anywhere. Storefronts were demolished. the entire scene was cast in an eerie red light which came from somewhere above. The red light was the only source of illumination as the entire sky was blocked by a dark obstruction.

They had been joined by six creatures. Agumon, a small orange dinosaur was Tai's partner. Gabumon, a yellow lizard wearing a fur skin over his head and back was Matt's partner. Gomamon, a white furred digimon with flippers for feet was partnered with Joe. Mimi had Palmon who resembled a walking plant with a flower on her head. Sora's partner was Biyomon, a large pink bird. Hovering near Izzy was Tentomon, a red insect digimon.

Willis glanced around nervously. Of all the digidestined, he had had the least experience with this sort of thing. He and his digimon had spent most of their lives in relative peace. Willis had first come into contact with the digidestined when he had met Izzy online years ago. Before that he had never known that there were other humans like him who had formed friendships with digimon. Willis had been thrown headfirst into the digidestines' world when the aftermath of a battle the digidestined had fought on the internet resulted in Lopmon being infected with a dangerous virus which had slowly corrupted him. Years afterward, when Lopmon had finally lost his mind, the newer digidestined, including Kari and T.K. had helped him to free Lopmon from the virus' control. Since then he had kept in sporadic contact with Izzy and various other members of the team. He had even helped Mimi and several other Digidestined from the United States a few years ago, when an evil digimon had attempted to take control of New York City. Other than that he and his digimon had little experience with battle. Willis only hoped he would be able to help in some way. He was not used to fighting with a team and aside from Izzy and Mimi, he had never even met the other digidestined with him now. He had agreed to Gennai's request for help because he felt he still owed the digidestined for helping to save Lopmon and because he couldn't bring himself to refuse to help the people of this world if he could. Terriermon and Lopmon seemed to have none of Willis' reservations and had already joined in a discussion with Gomamon and Biyomon.

"That's got to be Devimon's power-base.", Tai said, pointing towards a black tower which rose over the other buildings around it. He set off at a brisk pace and the others fell into step behind him.

Matt smiled to himself. It had been a while since the six of the, seven including Willis, had been on the front lines. It was amazing how quickly they fell into their old roles. Tai had automatically taken charge and none of the others had thought to question it. Matt, himself walked right behind Tai, ready to back him up at a moment's notice. Izzy had his laptop computer in his hands and was puttering with some program or another. Of course some things had changed since the old days as well. Sora walked beside him with her arm lightly brushing against his. Their earlier quarrel had been forgotten for the moment. Joe and Mimi walked hand in hand and neither of them said hardly a word. Back in the old days, the two of them would have been complaining up a storm. Joe would be fretting over his allergies and Mimi would be stressing over the dust getting on her shoes. And of course there was the fact that T.K. wasn't with them. Matt had kept a better lid on his emotions that Tai, but it didn't mean he wasn't worried sick about his brother. Matt had been forced to accept long ago, that T.K. did not need his older brother looking over his shoulder every second to make it through life. Still, there were certain instincts that never went away. Matt had never failed to help his brother at a moment's notice if he needed it. As he walked, Matt prayed silently that T.K. was all right. And if Devimon had dared to hurt his brother, Matt would personally make him wish he had never been reborn.

* * *

"Watch where you're walking Gogglehead!"

"Sorry.", Takato whispered. It was the second time he had tread on the back of Rika's feet. But in the darkness, he was lucky he didn't walk right into her. He could barely make out the form of red headed girl in front of him. A flashlight would have been a great help, but they feared that the light might draw attention to them and that was the last thing they wanted.

"I think we're almost there.", Henry whispered from behind Takato. "Gennai said we had to follow this tunnel for about a mile."

"And lord knows, the great and powerful Gennai would never steer us wrong.", Rika said snidely.

Takato sighed. Even after seeing people that they had thought to be only cartoon characters fighting for their lives with their own eyes, Rika had remained consistently skeptical. Takato couldn't really blame her. Gennai had promised them that the digidestined would be able to defeat Devimon and they had fared no better than Takato, Henry, and Rika had. Still, they had agreed to Gennai's new plan despite their own doubts. After Devimon had captured the city, his minions had rounded up every person they could find. Gennai had told them that the people had been imprisoned in an old subway station beneath the city until Devimon was ready to do whatever he planned to do with them. Their own digimon were being held with the citizens of the city and their mission was to free them and join the final battle against Devimon. The tunnel they were following was supposed to lead them right to where the people and digimon were being kept. But they would certainly be guarded. The chances of them standing against any of Devimon's followers alone seemed quite bleak. But even if they didn't trust Gennai, what choice did they have. Trying to free their partners was dangerous, but they certainly couldn't fight alone.

After a short while they began to realize that they could see better. As they rounded a bend, the tamers could see shadows flickering on the wall of the tunnel ahead of them.

"I think this is it.", whispered Henry.

Within minutes they reached the end of the tunnel. It led into a large chamber which had once been a subway station. The tunnel leading away at the far end of the chamber had been bricked up. The stairway to the street was blocked off. Torches had been suspended from the walls at various points. They provided just enough light to keep the room from being in complete darkness. Lined up along the walls were the people from the city. They stood stiffly, and though their eyes were open, the showed no emotion. They could easily have been mistaken for mannequins, they were so lifeless. The three children took in the room silently.

"Look at them all.", whispered Takato.

Beside him Rika gasped. She pointed to an older woman with fading blonde hair along the wall closest to them. "That's my grandmother. We have to help her!"

Henry grabbed Rika and pulled her back into the darkness of the tunnel before she could rush out. "Rika no! We're here for our digimon!"

Rika struggled against Henry's grip. "I can't just leave her here!"

"Rika, She's probably safer here than she would be if she came with us.", Takato said reassuringly.

"I won't leave her like that!", Rika cried fiercely.

"Takato is right!", Henry said. "Taking her with us would only put her in more danger. We're going right back to Devimon's doorstep once we get out of here." Rika was silent and stopped struggling in Henry's arms. "All of our families and friends are down here. The only way we can help them is to stop Devimon for good. I know how hard it is Rika. Believe me. But we have to be strong to get through this." Rika silently nodded and Henry released her.

While Henry reasoned with Rika, Takato had been searching the room ahead. "Guys! There they are!" The others looked where Takato was pointing. On the far side of the room, they could faintly see three forms which were separated from the captive humans. They were bound in chains but seemed just as still and lifeless as the other prisoners. "We have to get to them!"

Takato started to step forward but Henry yanked him back. "Takato, look!" Against the wall, behind the captive digimon, the row of mesmerized humans continued. But there was a gap between two of the people occupied by something considerably inhuman. It towered at least a foot over the people nearby. It's chest and arms were bare except for coils of chain which were wrapped around its pale blue skin. Its face was covered by a metal mask and spiky black hair stuck out from behind it. "That's Skullmeramon.", Henry whispered.

Rika pulled her digivice from her pocket and consulted the information it gave her. "Skullmeramon. An ultimate level digimon whose entire body burns with white-hot flames. His attacks are Metal Fireball and Flaming Chain."

"How do we get past him?", Takato asked.

Henry thought for a moment. "I've got an idea. But, we're going to need someone to at as bait."

"Who?", Takato asked.

Rika and Henry both looked at him. For a moment Takato looked back and then he got it. "Oh."

"Hey Big Guy!"

At the sound of Takato's voice, Skullmeramon's eyes snapped open. Blue flames dances around his body as he stepped away from the wall. Takato stood in the entranceway to the tunnel in plain sight. "Come and get me!"

"What the hell?", Skullmeramon muttered.

"What are you waiting for? Come on tough guy!"

Skullmeramon's eyes blazed. "Gonna mess you up for ruining my nap you little punk." The massive digimon stalked across the chamber towards Takato.

At the tunnel entrance Takato glanced back and forth between Rika and Henry who stood in the shadows on either side of the entranceway. "I'm not sure this is a good idea.", he said.

"You'll be fine.", Henry reassured him.

"Just watch it! Here he comes!", Rika warned.

Takato stood his ground as Skullmeramon came towards him. He stopped just outside the entrance to the tunnel and glared down at Takato. Takato looked up and gulped. "Um, hi."

"You're toast kid." Skullmeramon raised a flame-covered fist and prepared to bring it down on Takato's skull. Takato spun and took off down the tunnel. Skullmeramon stood there with his fist raised for a moment. "Hey!" He took a few steps into the tunnel after Takato. At that moment, Rika and Henry jumped out of the shadows and sprinted across the chamber. Skullmeramon spun around in surprise. "Aw come on!" He looked for a moment between the retreating form of Takato and Rika and Henry who were halfway across the room. "I don't get paid enough for this.", he muttered. "Flaming Chain!" Henry was jerked back as a coil of chain shot from behind and wrapped around him, throwing him to the ground. Rika stopped short and looked back at him.

"Keep going!", Henry shouted. Rika turned and kept running.

Takato had stopped running and was cautiously making his way back. Skullmeramon heard him skulking up from behind and turned. Takato froze and prepared to run again. "Flaming Chain!" The chains from Skullmeramon's hand shot out and in a moment Takato was writhing on the floor.

Skullmeramon turned back towards Rika. "You're next Girlie." Rika spared a glance behind her as Skullmeramon paced across the room. He was moving slowly, taking his time. Rika reached the end of the room and was face to face with the captured digimon. Held in the chains were a large red lizard with a white stomach, a small white creature with large flopping ears, and a yellow furred fox-like creature.

"Renamon! Wake up!", Rika yelled to the fox digimon. Renamon's glassy stare did not waver. Rika shook her partner but was unable to have any effect.

Skullmeramon grinned as he advanced slowly. "Give it up kid."

"Come on Renamon!", Rika said under her breath.

Skullmeramon chuckled, walking passed Henry who futilely struggled against the chains binding his arms. "Renamon, please. I need you.", Rika pleaded. With those words, her digivice began to glow. "Wha...", Rika looked at the device in her palm as the warm light washed over Renamon.

"What now?", growled Skullmeramon.

With a jerk Renamon came out of her trance. Her eyes focused on Rika and concern filled her face. "Rika.", she said weakly. "What happened?"

With a sob, Rika threw her arms around her friend. "Renamon! You're okay!" "Flaming Chain!" Renamon's eyes widened with alarm.

"Rika! Look out!" Renamon threw her weight against Rika toppling them both to the ground as the chain shot over them, striking the wall behind and barely missing one of the people standing against it.

Skullmeramon glared and withdrew the chain. "Don't count on me missing twice ladies! Flaming Chain!" This time the chain struck towards Renamon. Rika gasped and tried to move to help her partner but Renamon had already flickered from sight leaving the empty chains that had held her on the ground. Skullmeramon's attack struck the mass of empty chains and shot back into his hand. "Where..." He was cut off as Renamon's foot struck his back. He grunted and turned in time to see her fist smash into his face.

Seeing that her attacks did little to faze her more powerful enemy, Renamon leapt back and flung her arms outward releasing a hail of jagged light fragments. "Diamond Storm!"

The attack pelted Skullmeramon but he barely flinched. "Cute trick! Check this out! Metal Fireball!" A blast of liquid metal spewed from Skullmeramon's mouth. Renamon vaulted into the air as the ground where she had been standing melted away beneath the blazing attack.

Renamon flipped through the air and landed behind Skullmeramon. "Rika! I need your help!"

Rika nodded and removed a card from her pocket. "Digi-modify! Digivolution activate!" She swiped the card downward through the slot on the side of her digivice and watched as both the digivice and Renamon erupted in white light.

D.I.G.I.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.

"Renamon digivolve to...!" Renamon's skin tore away until only a pulsating blue wire-frame of her body remained. As her body changed, new skin grew over her altered form. Where before she had walked upright, she was now on all fours. Her one tail had separated into nine, each tippled with a blue flame. Each foot was circled by a ring of blue fire. A silver mane surrounded her neck. "Kyubimon!"

Skullmeramon stepped back. "Wow."

"Kyubimon take him!", Rika cried.

Kyubimon's body burst into blue flames. She charged at Skullmeramon as the flames around her body took the form of a dragon. "Dragon Wheel!" Kyubimon's fiery form slammed into Skullmeramon, knocking him back. As he struggled to recover, Kyubimon's body reverted to its natural form. Her tails spread and stood straight up. The flames on their tips flared up and launched a hail of fireballs at Skullmeramon. "Fox Tail Inferno!"

"Hey! Quit it!", he cried as the fireballs pelted him.

Throughout the battle, Henry had been struggling to free himself. He now noticed that the chains holding him began to loosen. "With Skullmeramon's concentration breaking, his control over the chains is fading.", he said to himself. Henry struggled upright and the chains simply fell away. Near the entrance of the tunnel, Takato had also freed himself. He got to his feet and sprinted across the room.

"Flaming Chain!" Coils of chain wrapped around Kyubimon and tried to drag her forward. The fox digimon dug her feet into the ground and struggled to hold her ground.

The chains holding the other digimon had fallen apart as well but they remained in their trance state. Henry knelt in front of the white dog digimon. "Terriermon, can you hear me?", he said softly. The small digimon gave him no response. "C'mon buddy. We really need you." Henry's digivice began to glow just as Rika's had. As the light hit Terriermon, life returned to his eyes.

He looked around for a moment confused and then focused on Henry. "Henry?" "Welcome back pal!" Henry hugged his partner who returned the embrace with his large ears.

"Momentai Henry."

A cry of pain from Kyubimon drew their attention. With Skullmeramon's chains wrapped tightly around her body, Kyubimon was being dragged towards his fiery grip. "Back to work I guess.", quipped Terriermon.

Henry drew out a card and positioned it in the slot of his digivice. "You ready?" Terriermon nodded. Henry slashed the card down. "Digi-modify! Digivolution activate!"

D.I.G.I.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.

"Terriermon digivolve to...!" Terriermon's skin stripped to the green wire frame underneath. He grew larger and bulkier. His new skin was the same pale tone as before but the skin around the top of his head was a shade of green giving the appearance of a mask. His thick legs were covered by a pair of blue jeans. His hands and lower arms were hidden beneath large gattling guns. "Gargomon!"

The newly digivolved champion leapt forward and brought one of his gun arms down on the length of chain between Kyubimon and Skullmeramon. "Bunny Pummel!" The chain snapped and Skullmeramon stumbled backward. Pressing the advantage, Gargomon unleashed the power of his guns on Skullmeramon. "Gargo Lasers!" The blasts rocked Skullmeramon knocking him back off his feet.

Takato had reached the third and final digimon. "Hey Guilmon! Wake up boy!" The large red lizard continued to stare forward blankly. "C'mon Guilmon! You gotta get in there. They need your help!" Takato sighed in frustration as there was still no response. "It's dinner time." With a flash from Takato's digivice, Guilmon awoke. "Takatomon!", he cried joyously, tackling the boy in a bear hug.

Takato laughed. "Glad to see you too boy!"

"Can we have lunch now?"

"Sure thing. We just need to take care of one little thing first."

"Huh? What?", Guilmon asked. He followed Takato's eyes in the direction of the fight taking place a few yards from them. "Oh."

"Let's do it buddy!" Takato pulled out his digivice and a card. "Digi-modify! Digivolution..."

"Takato no!" Henry grabbed Takato's arm before he could slash the card through his digivice.

"Henry, what are you doing?", Takato cried.

"Guilmon's champion form is too big to battle in here! One misstep and he could crush some of these people!"

Takato looked around, realizing what Henry was saying. Once he digivolved, Guilmon would be far too large to effectively fight in any kind of enclosed space, especially if he had to watch his step around all the captive people. "Looks like we'll have to do this without digivolving Guilmon."

"No problem Takato!" Guilmon charged into the fray, knocking Skullmeramon away from Gargomon who had been struggling with a tangle of chains.

"Fox Tail Inferno!" With Skullmeramon off balance, Kyubimon released a barrage of fireballs from her tails, fully knocking Skullmeramon off his feet.

"Pyro Sphere!" Before he could recover, a red fireball flew from Guilmon's mouth smashing into Skullmeramon's face.

"Keep him down!", yelled Henry.

Skullmeramon struggled into a sitting position only to be knocked down again by a headbutt from Guilmon. "You guys are so dead!", Skullmeramon growled holding his midsection.

"I don't think so! Gargo Laser!" The blasts from Gargomon's guns caused Skullmeramon to roar in pain.

"Finish him!", yelled Rika.

"Dragon Wheel!" Kyubimon's fiery body washed over Skullmeramon. The evil digimon slumped forward and disintegrated.

With the battle over, Kyubimon and Gargomon collapsed, exhausted. They glowed faintly and reverted to Renamon and Terriermon. Rika and Henry ran to their partners.

"Renamon are you okay?"

The fox digimon eye's fluttered weakly. "I feel so drained."

Terriermon slumped listlessly in Henry's arms. "Digivolving completely sapped my strength."

Takato looked at Guilmon who seemed fresh and at full strength. "Why would digivolving take so much of their strength? It never has before.", Takato wondered. Henry thought quietly for a moment. "Do you guys remember a time when they digivolved that Calumon wasn't there?"

Rika and Takato thought for a moment. "Weird.", Takato mumbled. "The little guy was always there."

Rika snorted. "So what!"

"I've suspected that Calumon had something to do with their digivolutions for awhile. Remember when Devimon said that Calumon was an evolution digimon?" "So...", Takao said slowly, "Calumon is a digimon who helps other digimon digivolve?"

"I wondered if he actually had any power.", Rika said.

"Without Calumon, our digimon can obviously digivolve, but it takes all of their strength to do it. And the longer they remain in their digivolved forms, the weaker they are afterwards."

"Great! What happens if Devimon uses Calumon's power?", Rika snapped. Henry and Takato were silent as they contemplated what Rika had said.

"If Devimon digivolves...", Henry said quietly.

"We can't let that happen!", Takato cried.

"And how do we stop him?! There's no telling how long it will be before Renamon and Terriermon will be strong enough to digivolve again." Rika's expression softened as she looked at Renamon who bodily leaning against her.

"Guilmon hasn't digivolved yet. He's still at full strength.", Takato said hopefully.

"Do you really think he can handle Devimon alone?" Rika gave Takato a disgusted look. Both Takato and Guilmon totally deflated.

"We won't be alone. Gennai said he was getting the other digidestined.", Henry reminded them.

Takato perked up. "That's right! They beat Devimon before!"

Rika fully lost her patience. "That was just a cartoon! This is real life!"

"So, apparently are they.", Henry said.

"The only ones we can count on are ourselves.", Rika replied stubbornly. Renamon stirred and opened her eyes. "No Rika. You're not alone." "Whatever.", Rika muttered.

"Look.", Henry finally said. "We don't have time to argue about this. We've got to meet the others at Devimon's tower. We'll figure something out, but we have to get moving."

"Renamon can't even walk.", Rika pointed out.

"I'll be fine." The yellow fox struggled for a moment and stood up, though she looked as though she would fall over any second.

Henry picked up Terriermon, who was still half-conscious. "We've gotta go." The three tamers and digimon. made their way towards the entrance on the tunnel. Rika stopped to look at her grandmother who still stood against the wall with the other humans. "Maybe we should..."

Henry placed a hand on her shoulder. "They'll be safe here. Even if we can wake her up, she'll be in more danger where we're going than she is here. We'll be coming back for all of them." Rika nodded. As Rika and Takato entered the tunnel, Henry lingered behind and stood staring at a young girl standing among the others. "I promise." He turned and followed after the others.

* * *

Within the city of Shinjuku there was one building which stood nearly as high as Devimon's tower. The top of the building split into two towers giving the structure the appearance of a tuning fork. Deep beneath the building was a basement jammed with equipment. Within this room, a man bent over a table, feverishly working on something. His suit was wrinkled and sweat stained. Despite the fact that the only light in the room came from a bare bulb over the table, he wore a pair of sunglasses. Pausing in his work, he turned from the table and wiped a film of sweat from his forehead. He began to pace the narrow are between his workspace and the equipment around him. He pulled a silver lighter from his pocket and nervously flipped the top open and closed. There was a slight noise from somewhere in the room and he froze. Beneath the glasses his eyes peered into the shadows around him for a full minute. Finally he resumed his pacing.

His name was Mitsuo Yamaki. He was an employee of the Bureau of Administrative Services. Years ago, he had been part of a group of scientists who had worked to create the world's first true artificial intelligence. After years of work, they had succeeded. Unfortunately, they had done their jobs too well. The programs they had created grew beyond their ability to be controlled. They began to show the potential to evolve and adapt far beyond their original parameters. The project had been shut down. The A.I.'s had been erased. Primitive versions of the programs had eventually been used to create children's video games. They had been dubbed Digimon. They became the basis for cartoons, toys, and trading cards. The group that Yamaki had been a part of had broken up and gone their separate ways. Yamaki believed that he had heard the last of his former project. But, years later he had received some startling news. Disruptions in computer systems all over the world had revealed that Yamaki's ill-fated artificial intelligence project had come back to haunt him. The programs that he had thought deleted had evolved even beyond the ability to be destroyed by conventional means. They had lived on. Thriving in the limbo of deleted data. They had grown and created their own reality from the discarded information of the world. The digimon had become far more than a child's toy. But that was not the worst part. Holes had begun to open between this digital world and the physical one. The data that escaped through these holes underwent a startling transformation. In the real world, these rogue programs took on physical form. Yamaki had been approached by the government and asked to head up a project which would find ways to contain and destroy these programs before they could do any damage. It was codenamed Hypnos. Yamaki oversaw the construction of equipment which could monitor the digital world and detect the gaps which formed between it and earth. But the purpose of Hypnos was not simply to monitor. Yamaki's goal was to find a way to destroy the digimon once and for all. To that end he had created the Juggernaut, a computer program that would pierce the barrier to the digital world and destroy it. Initial tests had proven successful. It would only have been a matter of time before the Juggernaut was complete. Meanwhile the appearance of digimon in the real world increased. There were even reports of children associating with the creatures. Obviously they couldn't see the danger these creatures represented. Yamaki had been days away from fully activating the Juggernaut when the city had been cut off. He had known immediately that the digimon were to blame. Nothing else had the power to achieve what was happening. His suspicions were confirmed when the monsters began raiding the city. People began to disappear. Yamaki had worked frantically to activate the Juggernaut but there was no power. When the Hypnos building had been attacked, Yamaki had been forced to flee his control center. It was the first time he had seen his creations in the flesh. He watched as the people he worked with were taken, kicking and screaming to god knows where. He alone had escaped. One of the guards had dropped his gun. Yamaki had taken it, prepared to fight his way out. One of the things had approached him and he had shot it. The bullets hit, and it bled. And then it died in front of him, it's body discorporating before his eyes. Yamaki had realized the truth. They were powerful, but in his world they were also vulnerable. He had hidden, waiting for them to leave. Then he had gathered the equipment he needed and secured himself in the building's sub-basement. In the days since, he had worked without rest. The device was nearly complete now. It resembled a bazooka but at the end of the barrel was a curved plate. He had begun to call it the neutralizer. If it worked as he hoped it would, the neutralizer would release a ray that would destroy digital material. It was the physical equivalent of a computer virus. A few adjustments and it would be complete. Then all he would have to do was test it. Yamaki smiled bitterly and continued to unconsciously flip the lighter. Soon, he would confront the fruits of his past labor. He would make them pay. Their false lives would end. And nothing would stand in his way.

* * *

"This would be much easier on you if you would cooperate."

Calumon whimpered and turned away from Devimon's glaring red eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about.", he said in a small voice. Devimon snarled and slapped his clawed hand against the side of the small white digimon's face. Calumon cried out and tears spilled from his eyes. "Why are you being so mean?", he sobbed.

"You have the power to induce digivolution! You will give me that power if I have to tear you open to get it!" Calumon continued to sob and Devimon growled in anger. His long talons clamped around Calumon and brought the little creature directly in front of his face. "Use your power to make me digivolve!"

"I can't! I don't know how!" Calumon was practically hysterical now. "Why won't you leave me alone!?"

"Perhaps the power is in your little crystal!?" Two of Devimon's fingers gripped the edge of the small, red, triangular crystal in Calumon's forehead and pulled on it violently.

Calumon screamed in pain. "Stop!"

"I will have the power you miserable little fool!" Suddenly Devimon froze and seemed to be listening to something only he could hear. His red eyes narrowed and a smile formed on his bloodless lips. "We have company." He turned back to Calumon with a ghastly grin. "It appears we will have to pick things up a bit."

* * *

"Looks like they rolled out the welcome mat." Surrounding Devimon's tower was a small army of digimon of all shapes and sizes.

Matt frowned. "We've got our work cut out for us."

Tai turned to Izzy. "What do we have?"

Izzy consulted his laptop. "Let's see. Darklizamon, Bluemeramon, Deltamon, Knightmon, Warumonzaemon, Triceramon, and a whole bunch of Bakemon."

Tai pulled out his digivice. "Let's do it guys. You ready Agumon?"

The orange reptile nodded. "Mmm-hmm!"

"Wait Tai!" Tai looked at Matt in surprise. "We can't waste all of our strength fighting these guys. We still have to face Devimon and whatever else is inside that thing. Sora and I will distract those guards and lure them away from the tower so the rest of you can get inside."

Tai looked uncertain. "Are you sure you can handle them alone."

"We only need to keep them busy long enough for you to get inside.", Sora replied.

"All right. Let's go for it."

This time Matt and Sora took out their digivices. "As soon as the way is clear, get in there."

Tai nodded. "Good luck buddy!"

Gabumon and Biyomon were enveloped in columns of light.

"Biyomon digivolve to...!" The little, pink bird grew considerably larger as her feathers turned deep red. Her beak lengthened into a mouth full of sharp teeth. "Birdramon!"

"Birdramon digivolve to...!" Birdramon was enveloped in flames. Her new body was massive. Her arms were thickly muscled. Her feet were sharp talons. Her skin was deep red with a shock of white feathers over her chest. Huge yellow and red wings grew from her back. "Garudamon!"

"Gabumon digivolve to...!" Gabumon's fur coat morphed around his body as it grew. He was now a huge white wolf with black stripes across his fur. "Garurumon!" "Garurumon digivolve to...!" The beast digimon straightened and stood on his hind legs. His proportions became more human. Blue jeans covered his legs and spiked gloves formed over his hands. "Weregarurumon!"

The evil digimon charged forward and Weregarurumon and Garudamon charged forward to meet them. Leading the charge was a humanoid figure engulfed in blue flames. Just as they were about to collide, Weregarurumon jumped up and swung his leg into Bluemeramon's jaw knocking him back into the others behind him. "Garuru Kick!" Behind him Garudamon took to the air. "Wing Blade!" A blast of flame in the shape of a bird erupted from her wings and swooped down into the mass of digimon below. The flame bird struck the ground with an explosion that scattered Devimon's hordes.

"Go!", Matt cried.

With the other digimon disoriented, Tai, Izzy, Mimi, Joe, and their digimon ran towards the base of the tower. "Move you guys!", yelled Tai. Just as they reached the tower a group of Bakemon swarmed in front of them. "Take 'em!"

Agumon and Tentomon moved in front of their human partners.

"Pepper Breath!" A fireball from Agumon's mouth scattered the ghostly digimon.

"Super Shocker!" Bolts of electricity shot from Tentomon's wings driving the Bakemon further away.

Joe was examining the tower in front of them. "Tai! I don't see a door!"

"Then we'll make a door!" Tai's digivice began to glow.

"Agumon digivolve to...!" Agumon's size increased. Blue stripes formed over his orange skin. Thick brown skin grew over the top of his head as well as a pair of horns on either side of his head and one over his nose. "Greymon!"

"Blow it open Greymon!" Tai pointed at the outer wall of the tower.

"Nova Blast!" A huge fireball erupted from Greymon's mouth and slammed into the side of the tower blowing a hole in it.

"Let's move in!", Tai shouted.

"I'll stay here and cover you!", responded Izzy, as the Bakemon charged towards them again.

"Super shocker!" Tentomon's electric attack stopped a few of the Bakemon but more were joining the assault.

"Let's do it Tentomon! Digivolve!"

"Tentomon digivolve to...!" Tentomon's body grew as deep blue and gray armor formed over it. Four wings beat the air behind him and a wicked horn grew from the black armor over his face. "Kabuterimon!"

Tai, Joe, and Mimi entered through the hole in the tower with Greymon right behind them.

Electricity charged along Kabuterimon's armored skin. "Electro Shocker!" Massive bolts of lightning shot from Kabuterimon's four hands. The Bakemon caught in the blast, instantly disintegrated and the others scattered in all directions.

Once inside, Tai and the others were in nearly complete darkness. An opening in the top of the tower let in a thins shaft of red light but it barely reached the bottom of the tower. The inside of the tower was completely hollow and they could se all the way up to the top.

"Now what?", Mimi asked, looking up.

"We go up.", Tai responded grimly.

A sound from the deep shadows around them caught their attention. From out of the gloom, two figures leapt. Their skin was black. They resembled dragons with long arms and glowing red eyes. "Devidramon!"

"You two go! Gomamon and I will handle these things!", Joe shouted to Tai. "I'll stay and help you!", Mimi said moving to Joe's side.

"No! We can deal with these things alone. Tai will need your help." Mimi looked at him fearfully. Joe kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Go. I'll be fine." Mimi nodded and moved to Tai's side. The Devidramon advanced on them. "You're up Gomamon!"

"Gomamon digivolve to...!" Gomamon's short white fur turned to long shaggy hair. His size increased. Long tusks grew from his mouth and a horn sprouted from his head. "Ikakumon!"

"Ikakumon digivolve to...!" The white hair fell out to reveal thick gray skin. His arms and legs bulged with muscles. A spiked green shell grew on his back and a massive hammer appeared in his hand "Zudomon!"

The Devidramon charged and Zudomon swung his hammer knocking one back. the other jumped on his back and he struggled to throw it off.

"C'mon Mimi! We're moving up!"

"Greymon digivolve to...!" A metal sheath formed over Greymon's left arm. Metal panels formed over his chest. A metal helmet formed over his head and horns. A pair of wings emerged from his back. "Metalgreymon!"

Tai, Mimi, and Palmon climbed onto Metalgreymon's back and he rose into the air. Mimi spared a glance downward towards Joe, but Tai kept his eyes focused above him. Metalgreymon ascended rapidly. The red light grew stronger but the walls around them were completely bare and unmarked. Far above, Tai spotted a dark shadow obscuring the light from the top of the tower. "I see it Tai.", Metalgreymon said responding to his partner's unspoken command.

Without warning, a blast from above slammed into Metalgreymon. Tai held on but the impact knocked Mimi and Palmon from Metalgreymon's back. Mimi screamed and her digivice began to glow.

"Palmon digivolve to...!" Her mass increased and thousands of quills erupted from hr skin. She now resembled a large cactus wearing red boxing gloves. "Togemon!" "Togemon digivolve to...!" Togemon's body split open to reveal a human sized woman wearing a pink dress. A flower blossom covered the top of her head and her hair looked like spiky green vines. A pair of nearly transparent wings moved so fast they were almost impossible to see. "Lillymon!"

Lillymon caught Mimi and rocketed upwards with her. Seeing that Mimi was all right, Tai and Metalgreymon turned their attention towards the source of the attack. Devimon swept down at them from above. "I was wondering when you would show up."

"Where's my sister?!", Tai yelled in fury.

Devimon smiled. "You'll be joining her shortly." Tai noticed that Devimon clutched something small and white in his hand. Devimon looked at the object in his hand with disdain. "This pathetic creature will have to wait until after I've dealt with you." Devimon flung Calumon against the wall of the tower. As soon as his little body touched the wall, black tentacles sprang from the wall to envelop him.

"Death Claw!" Devimon's arm shot forward. Metalgreymon dodged to the side but, the clawed hand struck a glancing blow to the side of his head.

"Take him down!", Tai commanded his partner.

"You got it! Giga Blaster!" The panels on Metalgreymon's chest swung open and a pair of missiles launched outward. The missiles struck Devimon and the explosion rocked the tower. Devimon shot out of the cloud of smoke from the explosion showing no apparent damage.

"Fool! You'll find me far more powerful than when we last met! Once all of you Digidestined are mine I will drain your energy and my power will unstoppable!"

"Never gonna happen!", yelled Tai.

Below the fight, Lillymon hovered with Mimi in her arms. "I've got to help!", the winged digimon said urgently. She looked for a moment and a saw a slight outcropping on the side of the tower wall. Lillymon set Mimi set down gently on the protrusion. "Will you be all right?"

Mimi smiled. "I'll be fine. Go help Tai."

Lillymon shot up, a large flower forming in her hands. She pointed the blossom of the flower at Devimon and a green energy burst shot from it. "Flower Cannon!" The blast hit Devimon in the back but he barely flinched.

"Razor Wing!" A hail of razor sharp projectiles flew from Devimon's wings. The barrage hit Lillymon, shredding her skin and destroying her delicate wings. With a scream of pain, she fell from the sky, reverting to Palmon. Seeing her partner fall, Mimi panicked. She leaned out as far as she could. Palmon fell into her arms but her added weight made Mimi lose her balance and stumble off of the ledge she was sitting on. She screamed. Instinctively, one arm shot up and grabbed the edge of the protrusion she had sat on. Mimi hung there with Palmon in one arm. Her grip was already loosening. Above, Tai and Metalgreymon were locked in combat with Devimon. Her fingers began to slip and she released another scream.

Far below, Zudomon grappled with the Devidramon while Joe anxiously watched from the sidelines. When he heard the screams echo through the tower his head shot up. "Mimi!"

* * *

It had taken time, but Willis, Terriermon, and Lopmon had made a wide circle around to the opposite side of the tower as the battle with Devimon's guards. Now, facing the base of the tower they looked up towards the peak far above them. It had been Tai's plan. While the rest of them had distracted Devimon and his forces, Willis and his digimon would infiltrate the tower and free the captured digidestined. As Willis examined the tower, he realized that this was easier said than done. There was no visible doors or windows. His digimon could probably blast their way in, but that would draw too much attention considering that this was supposed to be a stealth mission. "Either of you guys have any suggestions?", he said turning to his two digimon who seemed just as perplexed as he was.

"Maybe we could climb it.", suggested Lopmon.

"I don't know. It's pretty steep.", Terriermon said doubtfully.

"Maybe we can help."

Willis spun in surprise at the voice behind him. Three kids about thirteen tears old stood staring at him. Each of them had a digimon with them. The girl had a Renamon, and the boy wearing the goggles had some kind of red lizard that Willis had never seen or heard of before. The surprise was that the black haired boy had a Terriermon sitting on his shoulder.

"Wow! It's Willis!", Takato said excitedly.

"Who the heck is he?", Rika asked.

Takato looked at her in surprise. "Willis! The digidestined from America. You know? He was in the third movie."

Rika snorted. "I didn't see it."

Henry's Terriermon had hopped to the ground and was staring curiously at Willis's Terriermon. Willis' digimon returned the stare. One raised his arm and the other did the same. One raised his ears and the other mirrored the movement.

"Neat.", Willis' Terriermon said.

"Cool.", Henry's Terriermon responded.

Henry's Terriermon now turned his attention to Lopmon. "What are you? A Chocolateterriermon?"

Lopmon smirked. "Like I've never heard that one before."

"All right!", Rika snapped. "If we're done comparing our bunnies..." "Actually...", Willis's Terriermon piped up. "Lopmon's a bunny. I'm a dog." Rika rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"So, what was this about a movie?", Willis asked.

Takato and Henry looked at each other. "In our world, you and the other digidestined are cartoon characters. We've watched your lives on television and we've seen all of your adventures."

"Up until the battle with Malomyotismon.", Takato added. "And technically, we've only seen you in a movie. And it was supposed to be out of continuity with the rest of the show, but I guess that wasn't exactly right since you're here and obviously you know the other digidestined."

Willis blinked. "I'm sorry, but, what?"

Takato took a deep breath. "Well you see, there were a couple of movies based on the Digimon cartoon and the first two were supposed to fit with the show, but the third was kind of a stand-alone story. It sort of took place during the second season and it was about the newer digidestined helping you to free Cocomon from the virus that had turned him evil and...there you go."

Willis was taking it all in. "Wow. That is weird. But all that stuff you talked about happened over five years ago."

"Apparently, the cartoon was out of sync with the timeline of your reality.", Henry explained.

"Oh.", Willis said. "Of course. I'm sorry, but this is all a bit much."

Takato grinned. "Hey, from our point of view you're a walking, talking cartoon character. Imagine how weird this is for us."

Rika made a sound of impatience. "Enough already! We can talk about all of this later! Right now there's the matter of the big evil digimon and the fact that he's taken over our city and imprisoned out families."

"Rika's right.", Henry said.

Willis turned to the tower. "Tai told me to find a way into the tower so I could free the other digidestined."

"That was pretty much our plan too.", Henry responded.

"I haven't been able to find any way in yet.", Willis said.

"There's a hole in the top.", Henry pointed upward. "We just have to get up there."

Willis looked doubtful. "Terriermon and Lopmon can glide, but they can't really fly. I don't see any wings on your digimon."

Takato and Rika pulled out their digivices. "Not yet."

"Digi-modify! Hyper Wing Activate!" Glowing white wings appeared on Guilmon and Renamon's backs.

Willis was stunned. "Cool."

Renamon put one arm around Rika and the other around Henry. Guilmon did the same for Takato and Willis. Henry held his Terriermon in his arms and Willis did the same for his Terriermon and Lopmon. "Let's go!", shouted Takato.

Renamon and Guilmon shot into the air with their passengers in tow. It was rather slow going due to the weight that the digimon were carrying, but in a matter of minutes they had were hovering over the roughly circular opening in the top of the tower. Faint sounds of battle could be heard from below. "Take us down slowly.", Henry instructed.

"I'm afraid we may have to drop quickly.", Renamon said quietly.

"Why?", Willis asked. Then he noticed that the wings on Renamon's back were flickering.

Henry twisted his head and saw the same thing. "Uh-oh."

Renamon began to wobble in the air. "I'm sorry Rika. I must be weaker than I thought."

The wings disappeared and Renamon, Rika, and Henry fell downward. Terriermon's small toes gripped Henry's shirt and his ears fluffed out acting as a parachute, slowing their fall. "Go!", Willis shouted. His digimon leapt into the air and fell towards Rika and Renamon who were seconds away from bashing into the top of the tower. Terriermon grabbed Rika and spread his ears. Lopmon did the same with Renamon. The three of then angled their descent to take them through the opening in the tower.

"Follow them Guilmon.", Takato said. Guilmon lowered himself after the others.

They all came to rest on a small platform jutting out from the wall just below the hole. Renamon was barely conscious.

"What happened to her?", Willis asked with concern. Rika just glared at him. Willis turned away. "Sheesh."

Takato and Guilmon were looking over the edge of the platform. Flashes of light from below illuminated the battle between Metalgreymon and Devimon. "Wow. It's Metalgreymon.", Takato whispered.

Willis joined him. "Tai's keeping Devimon busy, but I don't know how long he can last." The sound of a scream floated up towards them. "That sounded like Mimi!", Willis cried.

"Renamon and my Terriermon are too weak to digivolve, and none of our digimon can fight effectively in the air. Our only chance is to free the other digidestined.", Henry said.

"Do you know where they are?", Willis asked.

"Check that out." Henry pointed downward. Several yards below them, twelve rounded shapes bulged out of the side of the wall. They were suspended a foot above a larger platform.

"What are those?", Willis asked. "Cocoons?"

"We'd better get down there.", Henry replied. "Takato, you stay here with Rika and Renamon."

"I don't need a babysitter!", Rika snapped.

"Renamon is in no shape to protect you if anything happens. Takato and Guilmon can keep you both safe if there's trouble." Rika knelt by Renamon and didn't look at any of the others. Henry and Willis grabbed the legs of their respective Terriermon, and began to float down to the platform below. Lopmon followed under his own power.

Once on the platforms, they examined the forms protruding from the wall. "These definitely look like some kind of cocoons.", Henry examined.

"So how do we open them?", Willis asked.

"Our digimon could blast them open, but it might hurt whoever's inside."

Willis felt the surface of one of the cocoons. "I've got an idea. Lopmon?" Lopmon nodded. "Blazing Ice!" A blue bolt of energy launched from Lopmon's mouth and struck the nearest cocoon. The surface of the cocoon was instantly covered by a layer of frost.

"Hope this works.", Willis commented. He drew back his fist and slammed it into the side of the cocoon. The material cracked and a large portion of it shattered. Willis gripped the edge of the hole he had made and pulled. Another large piece of the cocoon came apart in his hands. They could now see the inside of the cocoon. A girl Willis' age with purple hair and a pair of black glasses was inside. "Yolei!", Willis cried, tearing away more of the brittle material. Yolei's body slumped forward, unconscious. Willis kicked away some of the lower portion of the cocoon and gently pulled her out. Henry helped Willis lay her flat on the surface of the platform. For a minute she lay still, and then with a sharp intake of breath, her eyes snapped open. She sat up slowly with help from Willis.

"What happened?", she moaned.

Only the tips of Mimi's fingers clung to the ledge above her. Palmon hung, still unconscious from her other arm. Her fingers finally slipped another inch and for a moment her fingers scraped the side of the overhang. Then she was in freefall. Holding Palmon tightly against her, Mimi screamed as she fell. On the ground Joe saw her falling form hurtling towards her and pure panic flooded him.

Feeling a rush of energy, Zudomon swung his hammer, smashing both the Devidramon that had clung to him and sending them hurtling into a wall where they disintegrated. Sensing Joe's feelings, Zudomon's eyes darted upward spying the form of the small girl falling towards them. Tensing his massive legs, Zudomon propelled himself upward. He was unable to jump very high relative to his size , but his outstretched palm still caught Mimi and Palmon. He focused on keeping the muscles in his hand as loose as possible to make the impact easier. Once Mimi and Palmon were in his hand, he loosely curled his finger around them. His body began to drop. Zudomon focused on keeping his arm close to his body to absorb the impact and on not clenching his hand as he hit the ground. Despite the short jump, the impact when Zudomon hit the ground rocked the foundation of the tower. Cracks spread up the sides of the structure and just as quickly, disappeared.

Outside, Kabuterimon had dispatched the Bakemon and joined Garudamon and Weregarurumon in fighting Devimon's minions. Warumonzaemon, a digimon resembling a large black teddy bear grappled with Kabuterimon, forcing him to the ground. "Little help!", Kabuterimon gasped.

"Wolf Claw!" Weregarurumon's claws tore Warumonzaemon away. The evil digimon hit the ground and disintegrated.

"Need a boost Kabuterimon?", Izzy called.

"The bug digimon grinned as best as his segmented mouth allowed. "Couldn't hurt!" Izzy's digivice began to glow brightly.

"Kabuterimon digivolve to...!" Kabuterimon's body was covered by a new layer of red armor. His wings grew together into a shell on his back. His spiked horn grew into a large pronged one. "Megakabuterimon!"

With a flurry of martial arts attacks, Weregarurumon hoarded the remaining enemies into a group.

Flames flew from Garudamon's wings. "Wing Blade!"

An extremely powerful electric blast lanced from Megakabuterimon's horn. "Horn Buster!"

The two attacks converged on the huddled evil digimon. With an explosion that shook the whole area, the dark digimon were blown to dust.

"All right. Now that that's over let's get in there and help Tai and the others!", Matt shouted. The three ultimate digimon and their partners ran towards the tower. They had only gone a few steps when Metalgreymon smashed through the side of the tower high above them and plummeted to the ground. The impact tremor knocked the digidestined off of their feet.

A moment later, Devimon soared through the hole Metalgreymon had been thrown through. "Ah! At last I have the rest of you!"

"No way!", cried Matt.

Garudamon and Megakabuterimon flew into the air and charged Devimon. "Death Wave!" Black energy from Devimon's hands washed over them. They screamed in agony as their muscles contorted. They fell from the sky, reverting to Biyomon and Tentomon. Devimon crossed his arms and grinned. "Next?"

Weregarurumon sprinted forward. "That'd be me! Garuru Kick!" As Weregarurumon's leg slashed forward a wave of red energy flew from it at Devimon. Devimon watched with a smile as the energy approached him. Casually he stuck out his hand and the attack evaporated against it.

Devimon floated lazily to the ground. "Perhaps you'd like to spare yourself the pain and just surrender?" Weregarurumon roared and charged. Devimon grinned. "Good. Death Wave!" The dark energy struck Weregarurumon causing him to collapse in pain. After a moment, he lost consciousness and reverted to Gabumon. "It's over digidestined. I have waited far too long for this."

Matt, Sora, and Izzy moved in front of their wounded partners. "Stay away from them!", Matt cried defiantly.

"Oh please. Death..."

"Vulcan's Hammer!" Devimon spun and stuck out a hand as Zudomon's hammer swung towards him. The hammer bounced back as if it had hit an invisible barrier. Zudomon fell back in surprise. Behind him, Joe struggled out of a hole in the tower supporting an unconscious Mimi and a severely wounded Tai.

"Razor Wing!" Shards of darkness pelted Zudomon, cutting into his skin. Zudomon bellowed in agony and reverted to Gomamon. "And now I have all of you in one place! I will feast on the life force of you and your digimon! Then I shall do the same to the pathetic inhabitants of this city! Then I shall suck the rest of this planet dry!"

"Not a chance!" Devimon whirled in shock! Before him were T.K., Patamon, Kari, Gatomon, Davis, Veemon, Ken, Wormmon, Yolei, Hawkmon, Cody, Armadillomon, Willis, Terriermon, Lopmon, Takato, Guilmon, Rika, Renamon, Henry, and his Terriermon.

"Take a break guys. The cavalry is here.", said Davis.

"Kari.", Tai said weakly.

"Now it's our turn Devimon!", T.K. said. The digivices of the seven digidestined began to glow.

"Patamon! Let's do this!"

"Patamon digivolve to...!" Patamon's small, round body grew into a human form with white skin a three pairs of feathery wings. "Angemon!"

"Angemon digivolve to...!" Armor formed over Angemon's body and a fourth pair of wings sprouted from his back. "MagnaAngemon!"

"Be careful Gatomon!"

"Gatomon digivolve to...!" Gatomon became a human woman wrapped in white silk with four pairs of wings. "Angewomon!"

"Kick his ass Veemon!"

"Veemon digivolve to...!" Veemon's body grew and muscled formed under his blue skin. A silver V marked his chest. "Exveemon!"

"Good luck Wormmon."

"Wormmon digivolve to...!" Wormmon became an armored green warrior with buzzing insectile wings at his back. "Stingmon!"

Davis turned to Ken and held out his hand. "You ready partner?"

Ken nodded and took it. "Yeah. Let's do it right this time."

"Exveemon!"

"Stingmon!"

"DNA Digivolve to...!" The two digimon merged together into an armored warrior with a pair of long guns hooked to his waist. "Paildramon!"

"Go for it Hawkmon!"

"Hawkmon digivolve to...!" Hawkmon became a giant bird of prey with curved horns protruding from his head. "Aquillamon!"

"Armadillomon!"

"Armadillomon digivolve to...!" The small, shelled armadillo became a huge, spiked dinosaur. "Ankylomon!"

"Time to prove ourselves guys."

"Terriermon digivolve to...Gargomon!"

"Lopmon digivolve to...!" He was now the same height as Gargomon but much thinner. His skin was a light shade of purple and his head still bore three small horns. He wore a sleeveless yellow jumpsuit with a blue bandana tied around his neck. On his hands was a pair of red gloves. Strapped to each hand were a pair of collapsible blades. "Turuiemon!"

"I'm going in guys!"

"Give him one for me Gogglehead.", Rika said with a smile.

"Digi-modify! Digivolution activate!"

"D.I.G.I.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N."

"Guilmon digivolve to...!" Guilmon's skin stripped away to a red wire frame. He grew taller and a pair of horns sprouted from his head. A mane of silver hair grew on the back of his head. "Growlmon!"

"Who are they?", asked Sora indicating Takato, Rika, and Henry.

"They must be the digidestined from this earth.", responded Matt. "I'd love to analyze one of their digivices.", said Izzy.

"Better wait until we're done here.", Matt replied.

Ankylomon and Aquillamon lead the charge. "Blast Rings!" Rings of energy from Aquillamon's mouth flew at Devimon. With a flap of his leathery wings, he shot into the sky avoiding the attack completely.

"Spike Barrage!" The bony spikes on Ankylomon's shell pelted Devimon who simply laughed.

"This is not going well.", Cody said fretfully.

"I have an idea.", Ken said. "Kari, have Angewomon distract him. Then, T.K., MagnaAngemon forces him into Paildramon's path."

"Worth a try.", T.K. replied. Kari and Davis nodded.

"Celestial Arrow!" Half a dozen glowing, white arrows struck at Devimon. He smoothly evaded them with little effort. But, in focusing on Angewomon's attack, he failed to notice MagnaAngemon coming from behind with his laser sword pointing straightforward. Devimon's acute senses heard the beating of MagnaAngemon's wings at the last moment and he dove to the side. MagnaAngemon's blade missed him by inches.

"Desperado Blaster!" Diving to the side took Devimon directly into the path of the fire from Paildramon's guns. The rapid-fire laser bolts pelted the demon, but aside from disorienting him for a moment had little affect.

"This isn't working!", Davis cried.

"We can hit him, but our digimon aren't strong enough to hurt him.", T.K. said in frustration.

Izzy used his computer to bring up information on Devimon. "His stats are completely different from the last time we faced him. His strength, defense, and attack are off the charts! He's only at the champion level, but his power surpasses most megas."

"If he were to digivolve...", Joe began.

"He would be truly unstoppable.", Izzy finished.

"Gennai said that Devimon had found a digimon that would help him to digivolve.", Matt said. "We have to find that digimon and get it away from here."

Henry and Rika overheard this conversation. "He must be talking about Calumon.", Henry said.

"So where is that little powderpuff?", Rika asked.

"He must still be in the tower."

"Then we have to find him."

No matter how the digimon attacked, Devimon shrugged off their attacks and struck at them at his leisure. At the moment he had formed his hand into a blade and was matching wits with MagnaAngemon's sword fighting skills. The angel digimon moved too fast for the humans below to track his movements but Devimon easily parried every thrust, and showed no signs of stress. Seeming to grow bored with the contest, Devimon knocked MagnaAngemon's sword out of the way and struck his fist against the angel's jaw. MagnaAngemon lost consciousness and fell from the sky.

Aquillamon came at him from above but Devimon dodged and slashed his claws across the giant bird's throat. With a strangled cry, Aquillamon lost control and hit the ground.

"Tail Hammer!" Devimon's hand deflected Ankylomon's spiked tail.

"Demon Blast" A surge of green energy slammed into Ankylomon cracking his shell. "Three down.", Devimon said with a smirk.

"Take him!", Willis cried.

Gargomon and Turuiemon charged forward. "Gargo Pellets!" Devimon simply stood still as the fire from Gargomon's guns pelted him.

"I got him bro!" Turuiemon performed a series of black flips, the last of which took him sailing over Devimon. As he hit the ground behind the demon, his blades sprung out. "Bunny Slash!" With a flash of steel, Turuiemon's blades cut across Devimon's back. Four tears crossed the back of Devimon's leather wraps but the white skin beneath was unmarked. Turuiemon faltered. "Well that didn't work." Devimon spun with his claws extended. Turuiemon nimbly leapt over Devimon's slash slamming his feet down on top of the demon's head and using the impact to execute a somersault over his head. Landing behind Devimon once again, Turuiemon went into a crouch sweeping his leg into the back of Devimon's knee. The thin leg proved stronger than it looked. Devimon didn't buckle an inch and was already whirling to drive his claws into the ground where Turuiemon stood. But the rabbit was already cartwheeling out of the way. Devimon's attack was lightning quick but Turuiemon avoided it easily. Two back flips away gave him enough space to launch his next attack. "Fury Cutter!" Turuiemon's body flew forward with his arms slashing randomly in every direction. Even Devimon was unprepared for the frenzied assault. The whirling blades shredded his black wrappings but as before, his skin was invulnerable to harm. With a cry of rage he flung his arm forward and sent Turuiemon hurtling away. The blow was only glancing and Turuiemon landed on his feet and skidded backwards. In a moment he regained his balance and leapt forward again.

"Wow. Look at him go.", remarked Sora.

"I thought that Wendigomon was Lopmon's champion form.", said Davis.

"That was when he was controlled by the Diaboromon virus.", explained Izzy. "Turuiemon is his natural evolution. According to the analyzer's data he is incredibly fast and agile. What he lacks in brute strength he makes up for with skill and stamina."

"Bunny Slash!" Devimon met Turuiemon's thrust and locked his claws against the smaller digimon's blades. For a moment Turuiemon was stuck and that was when Devimon's other claw whipped around glowing with red energy. "Death Claw!" The vicious blow struck Turuiemon in the head but he rolled with it and managed to take only a minor hit. Devimon swung again and this time would have taken Turuiemon's head off if Gargomon's gun arm hadn't swung in and deflected it.

Devimon was thrown off for a second and in that moment a hail of heavy blows landed on his head. "Bunny Pummel!" Slightly disoriented, Devimon took a step back and was met with a leaping kick to the chin by Turuiemon. Before Devimon could even bring his head back up from the whiplash of the kick he was hammered by bullets from Gargomon's arm guns. "Gargo Pellets!"

The other digidestined had fallen back to watch the furious battle between Devimon and Willis' digimon. "It's amazing how well they fight together.", Izzy marveled.

"They've lasted longer than the rest of us put together.", Matt noted.

"They're the perfect team.", Ken said with awe.

By this time Turuiemon and Gargomon were becoming winded. Turuiemon's speed and hit and run tactics allowed him to stay one step ahead of Devimon and land a number of hits himself. While not as fast as his brother, Gargomon took advantage of any opening to get a shot in. But despite their superior abilities, they were simply not strong enough to do any real damage to Devimon. Despite the multiple attacks they had inflicted, their enemy was unhurt and they were wearing themselves out.

"Time for the trump card.", Willis whispered to himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gold pendant with a piece of amber crystal imbedded in it. As he clutched his hand around it, the small object began to glow.

"What is that?", Takato asked.

Mimi exchanged a knowing smile with Willis who returned the expression. "The Crest of Caring. Go get 'im guys."

"Gargomon digivolve to...!"

"Turuiemon digivolve to...!"

Gargomon's body grew taller and thinner as it was covered by golden armor. A pair of rockets was attached to his back and his arm guns were replaced by a pair of long-barreled cannons. Encased in armor, his huge ears stuck straight out and resembled a pair of golden wings. "Rapidmon!"

Turuiemon body shot up in height. The purple parts of his skin turned a light shade of brown. His long, thin ears drooped far down his back. His head still bore the three distinctive horns. "Antylamon!"

Takato was confused. "I thought that Willis' Terriermon golden armor digivolved to Rapidmon. How can it be his ultimate form too?"

"When Willis used the golden digi-egg, Terriermon wasn't ready to digivolve to ultimate.", Mimi explained. The egg acted as an artificial power booster to give him access to an evolutionary stage he couldn't have accessed on his own. Willis always had his crest but it took time for him to be able to power it on his own. During an adventure a few years ago, Willis was able to energize his crest and allow his digimon to naturally digivolve to ultimate."

"Wow. I guess I don't know as much about you guys as I thought.", Takato said.

Blocks away, Yamaki was slowly making his way towards the tower. He heard the sounds of battle and it made him more suspicious than ever. He kept to the darkest shadows, avoiding any light all together. The Neutralizer was strapped to his back. From the direction of the tower came a particularly loud noise and he felt the ground shudder slightly beneath his feet. "Have your fun monsters.", he whispered under his breath. "Your time is almost up."

Having partially recovered from her exhaustion, Renamon was slowly teleporting her way up the inside of Devimon's tower. After each jump, she stopped to rest for a moment on the protrusions sticking out from the walls. At each stop, she scanned the area around her for any sign of Calumon. Below, Rika, Henry, and Terriermon looked up anxiously.

"Any sign of him?", yelled Henry.

"She'll let you know if she finds him.", Rika said rudely.

Halfway up, something caught Renamon's eye. Something white amid the utter darkness of the tower walls. Judging the distance, she teleported to the wall near what she had seen. As soon as she materialized, her claws dug into the wall, keeping her steady. A few feet to her right, she saw that her keen eyesight had paid off. Calumon was bound to the wall by a material similar to the cocoons which had held the other digidestined. He was awake, but his eyes were closed and he was sobbing softly. Using her claws, Renamon climbed along the wall to where the little digimon was secured. "Calumon.", she said softly.

Calumon slowly opened his eyes. "Renamon?", he whispered. "I can't see good." One of Renamon's hands released its hold on the wall. A small bit of light appeared over her open palm. In the light it cast, she got her first good look at Calumon and gasped. His face was scratched in multiple places. Some of the scratches were fresh but others looked days old. In addition to the scratches there were ugly bruises covering much of his soft white skin and particularly nasty ones around the red crystal on his forehead. His eyes were nearly swollen shut from prolonged crying. Seeing Renamon in the weak but soft light, he began to smile but winced in pain and whimpered softly. "That monster.", Renamon choked out in a soft voice filled with rage. Softening her expression so as not to further upset Calumon, she inched closer and dug her free hand into the material holding him to the wall. "Hold still.", she said softly. She concentrated and her hand began to glow slightly. Beneath her grip, the black substance began to crack and fall away. It was a highly controlled version of her diamond storm attack. It took incredible concentration to so finely focus her power but she was willing to put up with the strain for Calumon. In a moment, he was free and fell limply into her arm. Holding him close, Renamon quickly teleported back to the ground. Rika and Henry rushed up to her.

"Calumon!", Rika cried, seeing the state he was in. Renamon gently handed Calumon over to Rika who held him against her chest. The rest of his body bore the same cuts and bruises as his face.

"Here.", Henry said gently, taking off his vest and wrapping it around Calumon. The little digimon smiled slightly in Rika's arms and passed into a gentle sleep.

"He's going to pay for this." Rika's voice shook with rage.

"Yes, he is.", Henry replied quietly.

"Rapid Fire!" Missiles launched from Rapidmon's arm cannons and flew towards Devimon. The winged digimon dodged the projectiles but was caught in the explosion as they detonated. Far from being hurt, he used the shockwave to propel him higher into the air and then swoop down through the resulting cloud of smoke. Unable to see his opponent coming, Rapidmon was caught by surprise as Devimon rocketed out of the smoke cloud and raked his claws across the armored digimon's chest. The claws tore jagged gauges into Rapidmon's armor but did not penetrate the skin beneath.

Unable to fly, Antylamon was forced to find his own way to reach the high-flying battle. His long arms and legs effortlessly gripped the sides of a nearby building and he scaled in in a matter of seconds. Now slightly above Rapidmon and Devimon, he leapt off the side of the building. "Bunny Blades!" His hands morphed into razor sharp axes and he brought them down with all his strength on Devimon as he fell towards him. Despite the strength behind the blow, Devimon was unaffected and struck Antylamon away. He flipped through the air and landed on the side of a nearby building as though it were a horizontal surface. Rapidmon pressed the attack to give his brother time to regroup. His rockets sent him into a shoulder charge into Devimon's back. The impact threw Devimon forward but he recovered almost instantly.

"You two are becoming a nuisance.", he growled.

"Sorry about that.", Rapidmon responded sarcastically.

"Not yet, but soon.", Devimon snarled.

Crouching upside down on a nearby building, Antylamon bent his legs and propelled himself off the wall. He cupped his hands and a small ball of blue energy formed in them. "Shockwave Bomber!" Antylamon hurled the energy ball at Devimon were it exploded, releasing a massive wave of force. The shockwave threw the flying demon for a loop.

Rapidmon released a pair of missiles before Devimon could recover. "Rapid Fire!" The explosion sent Devimon crashing into the side of a building.

"Shockwave Bomber!"

"Rapid Fire!"

Devimon clawed his way out of the hole in the building wall in time to see the dual attacks coming at him. "Oh fu..." Another, even larger explosion blasted Devimon back into the building. Amid the could of dust and shifting rubble, Devimon growled deep in his throat. "That is enough!" He shot out of the building to see Rapidmon and Antylamon waiting for him. The two ultimate digimon attacked at once.

"Rapid Fire!"

"Shockwave Bomber!"

This time Devimon was ready. He held out his hands and the attacks exploded a few feet from him. "Death Wave!" Rapidmon rocketed up and Antylamon skittered across a wall but both were caught in the force of Devimon's wide attack. As the black energy waves touched them, both convulsed in pain. Antylamon lost his grip and fell from the building he had been clinging to and Rapidmon lost control of his rockets and fell like a stone.

Both digimon crashed to the ground. Willis ran forward to his fallen partners. In the middle of the crater their impact had created, both were unconscious and had reverted to their rookie forms. Willis made his way towards them. He stopped short as Devimon dropped in front of him.

"You caused me quite a bit of trouble. Allow me to repay the favor." Devimon drew back his claw to gut Willis.

"Positron Laser!" A beam of white light hit Devimon and threw him back. Willis looked behind him in surprise to see a massive digimon with blue skin clad in black armor with a pair of red wings towering over him.

"Whoa.", Willis muttered.

Davis ran up and clapped him on the back. "Relax guy. You earned a break." Ken joined them holding the unconscious but relatively unhurt bodies of Terriermon and Lopmon. "Paildramon mega-digivolved into Imperialdramon fighter mode. It's time for round two."

The digidestined were together again but their digimon were still mostly out of action. Imperialdramon, Angewomon, and Growlmon were the only ones with enough strength to fight.

Tai had recovered although his leg was injured and he was limping with a make shift crutch made from a piece of wood. But his injuries meant nothing now that he was reunited with Kari. The others had advised him to rest somewhere outside of the battlefield but he refused to leave his sister's side.

Matt and T.K. had had a joyful reunion but were now prepared to focus on finding a way to defeat Devimon.

Takato found himself surrounded by his heroes. For him, it was somewhat like living a dream. Even the incredible danger did little to diminish his euphoria. He gladly answered all of Izzy's curious questions about the content of the cartoon which had acquainted him with all of them.

Angewomon swept by Imperialdramon and fired at Devimon. "Celestial Arrow!" Devimon plucked the arrow out of the air with a flick of his wrist.

"Please.", he snorted, hurling the arrow back at Angewomon. She cried out as it pierced her stomach. Clutching the protruding shaft, she fell from the air. She hit the ground and reverted to Gatomon. Kari ran forward before Tai could hold her back. Imperialdramon charged at Devimon who ducked behind the huge digimon. Imperialdramon spun in time for Devimon to swing a clawed fist into his chin. Despite their size difference, Imperialdramon was staggered. Imperialdramon staggered back, raising his cannon. "Positron Laser!" Rather than dodge the blast, Devimon stood his ground and the laser energy splashed of an invisible barrier around him. Imperialdramon responded by increasing the intensity of his attack. The energy was rolling off of Devimon's forcefield in waves but the point of impact was drawing closer to Devimon's body. For the first time he showed signs of strain. The previous battles had done little to hurt him, but his strength had been perceptibly diminished. He was strong and fast enough to fly circles around Imperialdramon but in a standoff like this, he was forced to expend his strength reserves. Deciding to take a chance he dropped his shield and was blasted almost a block away by the sudden force of Impeiraldramon's attack.

Yamaki heard the blast and saw the body of Devimon crash down not far from him. He ducked into an alley and watched in amazement as the very creature which was responsible for city's destruction rise from a smoking hole in the ground. The thing slowly rose to its feet and began to beat its wings. Yamaki stopped from the shadows and pulled the Neutralizer into his hands. "Now you devil..." He stopped short when another of the creatures, this one a veritable giant stomped into view followed by a group of humans accompanied by a number of the smaller digimon. "What?" Yamaki leapt back into the shadows before any of them saw him. "What the blazes is this?!"

Devimon rose from the point of impact and winced. He had actually been hurt. But his gamble had paid off. Taking the hit had expended less energy than continuing to stand up to Imperialdramon's attack. At this rate, he may actually have to fall back. He tested his wings. They were sore but undamaged. He prepared to take to the air but Imperialdramon thundered around the corner of the building closest to him. Imperialdramon pointed his cannon and the barrel began to glow.

"Fool.", Devimon muttered.

"Positron La..."

"Demon Blast!" A storm of green energy flew from his hands and struck Imperialdramon in the chest. Imperialdramon gasped and staggered back. The digidestined behind him scattered as he seemed in danger of falling.

"You fools!", Devimon bellowed. "Did you truly think you could beat me?! I will destroy you all and both your worlds will crumble before me! Death Wave!" The black energy surrounded Imperialdramon and he fell to one knee. Devimon continued to pour it on. "Fall!" Imperialdramon finally collapsed and reverted to Veemon and Wormmon. Devimon was now considerably weakened. But it didn't matter. The digidestined were finished. In a moment he would absorb their life force and be fully rejuvenated. He stalked towards them and they fell back. "Die!", he cried.

"No way!" A red blur slammed into him and he hit the ground. Growlmon towered over him. "Leave my friends alone!", he snarled.

"Pathetic beast!", Devimon snarled and rose to his feet.

"Get him Growlmon!", yelled Takato.

Growlmon roared and unleashed a torrent of fire from his mouth. "Pyro Blaster!" The fire swarmed around Devimon. His leather wraps began to smolder and he could actually feel the heat, growing uncomfortably hotter. With a scream he slashed his claws up, striking the underside of Growlmon's head. Growlmon staggered back and Devimon followed up with a blast of energy. Growlmon fell and returned to Guilmon.

Devimon gasped and rose into the air. His wings felt like lead and they could barely keep him aloft. The battle had left him dangerously weak. Fortunately, there was no one left to oppose him. "Now you're mine!"

"No!"

Devimon looked down to see Calumon standing in front of him. Rika, Renamon, Henry, and Terriermon had joined the group. Now they were all together and Calumon stood at the head of the group staring up defiantly. "You're a bad digimon!"

Devimon laughed. "Quite right, my little friend. And your power will help me to destroy your pathetic human friends and the miserable digimon who were foolish enough to join them."

Calumon clenched his little fists. "No! I won't let you hurt them!"

"And what do you intend to do, you little fool?"

Calumon glanced at Rika who stood next to him protectively. "You want my power? Well here it is!"

The little digimon began to glow and rise into the air. He reached within himself for that warmth he always felt when one of the digimon near him changed. Somewhere, inside he felt the power and slowly drew it out. His crystal began to glow and he could feel the power building. "This is for my friends. This is for everyone." The digidestined looked in amazement as their digivices began to glow. The wounded digimon began to glow as well, their strength returning. Calumon was now enveloped in a brilliant white light. The crystal on his forehead shone like a beacon in the sky.

"He's doing it.", Henry breathed.

"Yes.", Rika said softly.

Calumon felt the power grow so strong he didn't think he could hold it in anymore. So he simply let it go. "Shining Digivolution!" Rays of light fired in every direction. The humans below could only stare in awe. The digimon could do slightly more than that.

"Agumon warp-digivolve to...!" Agumon morphed into his mega form, an orange skinned warrior clad in gold and silver armor. "Wargreymon!"
"Gabumon warp-digivolve to...!" Gabumon's mega was a huge metallic wolf with small golden wings. "Metalgarurumon!"

"Patamon warp-digivolve to...!" The angelic mega was sheathed in blue and silver armor covered in gold designs. Ten golden wings grew from his back. "Seraphimon!"

"Gatomon warp-digivolve to...!" Gatomon's mega evolution was a pink dragon with a dozen small wings. "Magnadramon!"

"Biyomon digivolve to...Birdramon!"

"Birdramon digivolve to...Garudamon!"

"Tentomon digivolve to...Kabuterimon!"

"Kabuterimon digivolve to...Megakabuterimon!"

"Gomamon digivolve to...Ikakumon!"

"Ikakumon digivolve to...Zudomon!"

"Palmon digivolve to...Togemon!"

"Togemon digivolve to...Lillymon!"

"Veemon digivolve to...Exveemon!"

"Wormmon digivolve to...Stingmon!"

"Exveemon!"

"Stingmon!"

"DNA digivolve to...Paildramon!"

"Paildramon mega-digivolve to...Imperialdramon!"

"Imperialdramon mode change to...Imperialdramon Fighter Mode!"

"Hawkmon digivolve to...Aquillamon!"

"Armadillomon digivolve to...Ankylomon!"

Yolei and Cody looked in surprise as their digivices continued to glow. "What's going on?", Yolei asked.

"Yolei, I feel very strange.", Aquillamon moaned.

Ankylomon began to tremble. "I feel it too."

Both champions began to glow. Yolei and Cody's digivices erupted in light and threw them back. The glows surrounding Aquillamon and Ankylomon intensified and then suddenly disappeared. Both digimon passed out and reverted to their rookie forms. "What the heck was that?!", Yolei cried.

"I...I have no idea.", Cody replied.

"Terriermon digivolve to...Gargomon!"

"Gargomon digivolve to...Rapidmon!"

"Lopmon digivolve to...Turuiemon!"

"Turuiemon digivolve to...Antylamon!"

"Guilmon digivolve to...Growlmon!"

"Renamon digivolve to...Kyubimon!"

"Terriermon digivolve to...Gargomon!"

The three tamers stood ready by their champion digimon. "Um...Takato. I feel funny. Kind of tingly.", Growlmon said uncertainly.

Takato looked at Growlmon closely. "You look okay."

"I believe I am feeling the same thing.", Kyubimon remarked.

"Yeah.", Gargomon agreed. "It's like I have a whole bunch of extra energy." Henry looked at his digivice thoughtfully. "Calumon's power seems to be allowing all of our digimon to reach their full evolutionary potential. I wonder..." "Could they be ready to digivolve to ultimate?", Rika asked.

"It's worth a try.", Henry replied.

"Let's do it!", Takato cried.

"Here goes nothing.", Rika said.

The three tamers each pulled out a card. In their hands the cards began to glow with a blue light. "Well that's a good sign.", Henry said.

"You ready boy?", Takato asked Growlmon. The large red lizard nodded. Kyubimon and Gargomon responded in kind.

"All right." Together the three cards slashed through their digivices. "Digi-modify! Matrix Digivolution activate!"

"M.A.T.R.I.X. D.I.G.I.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N."

"Growlmon digivolve to...!" Growlmon's arms and upper body were covered by black, red, and silver armor. Huge blades were attached to the sides of his arms. A pair of rockets extended back from his shoulders. A pair of gun barrels protruded from his chest. "Wargrowlmon!"

"Kyubimon digivolve to...!" Kyubimon retained her fox-like face but her body became more humanoid. She was covered by a white robe and her hands were hidden beneath its long sleeves. A yin-yang symbol was emblazoned across her chest. "Taomon!"

"Gargomon digivolve to...!" The ultimate form of Henry's Terriermon was nearly identical to that of Willis'. Instead of gold, his armor was a deep shade of green. "Rapidmon!"

Devimon now stared down a small army of digimon, all at the ultimate or mega level. His strength was nearly gone but rather than back down he began to laugh. At the sound of his ghoulish laughter, the digidestined drew back slightly. "You little fool!", Devimon cried, pointing at Calumon who had collapsed in Rika's arms. "You've unleashed your power to help your friends, but you have also given me exactly what I wanted. I have absorbed your evolutionary energy as well and now there is nothing to stop me from becoming a dark god!" Devimon's body began to radiate dark energy. "Devimon digivolve to...!"

Devimon rose into the air and his eyes glowed. His body swelled and his leather wrappings tore and fell away. Fully revealed, his pale skin bulged obscenely as if something beneath his skin was fighting to be released. And then, he screamed. Wracked in pain, Devimon clutched his sides and fell from the sky in agony. Stretched to the bursting point, his skin exploded as rays of white light tore outward from within him.

A bloody ruin, his skin hanging from his body in tatters, Devimon gasped painfully and looked up through bleary eyes. "No.", he choked. "This can't be. What happened? How did they beat me?"

"They didn't have to. You beat yourself."

Devimon struggled to raise his head and found Gennai looking down at him. "In your haste to achieve the power you so greatly desire, you proved your own undoing." Devimon struggled to understand what was being said to him. His pain wracked mind tried to fight through the haze covering it. "When you were reborn in this world, you were bound to the physical laws which govern it. You bound yourself to a human partner. And, in this reality a digimon who is partnered with a human cannot digivolve without that human. Your ability to digivolve was tied to that poor fool you so callously slaughtered. You absorbed Calumon's power but your body was unable to digivolve so that power had nowhere to go. The result was...well I think you get the point." The digidestined looked in wonder at the foe who had beaten them so completely. Devimon was little more than shuddering wreck. Tai stepped forward.

"But, if you knew that Devimon wouldn't be able to digivolve, why did you tell us that our top priority was to keep Devimon away from Calumon.", Tai asked.

Gennai stepped delicately around Devimon's body. "Devimon only absorbed a portion of Calumon's energy, just as the rest of you did. If he had been able to take all of the evolutionary power within Calumon, even I don't know for sure what the results would have been. With that much power, perhaps he would have been able to digivolve. Or perhaps the energy would have turned inward leaving in his current form but magnifying his power exponentially. And even if he hadn't gotten Calumon's power, he would still have absorbed the lives of every person in this city. That alone would have given him the power to begin the decimation of the rest of this world. In any case, Devimon needed to be stopped. And I'd say you all did a fine job of wearing him down until his own foolishness did him in."

"So it's over?", Takato asked.

"No!" Devimon rose to his feet. He was swaying, but his eyes burned with fury. "I still have a enough strength to drain the life force of the other captive humans. Their lives will give me new strength and then..."

"Not a chance.", Tai said softly. "Take him!"

The digimon surged forward. Wargrowlmon's blades glowed and he slashed then across Devimon's chest. "Plasma Blade!" Devimon screamed in pain and clutched the fresh wound.

Taomon hovered in the air behind him. "Thousand Spells!" Dozens of paper cards marked with strange symbols poured from the opening of her sleeves. They struck Devimon in the back and exploded against him. The impact threw him forward, straight into Rapidmon.

"And here I was afraid I wouldn't get a chance to give this new body a test run. Tri Beam!" A triangular beam of green energy fired from Rapidmon's body and washed over Devimon. He fell once again but still refused to give up. Once more he began to rise.

"Finish him!", Tai cried.

A ball of red energy formed in Wargreymon's hands and he hurled it at Devimon. "Terra Force!"

A gout of blue flame erupted from Metalgarurumon's mouth. "Metal Wolf Claw!"

A blaze of green fire leapt out of Magnadramon's open mouth. "Dragon Fire!" Seven balls of glowing energy fired from Seraphimon's outstretched hands. "Seven Heavens!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Vulcans' Hammer!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Rapid Fire!"

"Shockwave Bomber!"

"Positron Laser!"

The attacks rained down on Devimon. The force of the explosion rocked the street. For several tense moments, the Digidestined and Tamers waited for the smoke to clear. When they were finally able to see through the haze, they could make out Devimon's battered from lying prone of the ground. The humans all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Standing near them, Gennai shook his head. "Amazing. Despite all the damage he's taken, his physical form remains intact. Although, at this point there is little left holding him together. Now that his power is fully drained, I'll take him back to the digital world so I can find a way to safely destroy him."

"Allow me." Yamaki stepped from the shadows with the neutralizer in his arms. He had watched the battle as it unfolded before him with a kind of morbid fascination. The black one, the one who had done this to the city, had fought with the others and seemingly won. Then, that small white one had begun to glow and he seemed to give strength to the others. Yamaki had no idea why the other digimon were fighting the black one. Perhaps they wanted the city for themselves. Or perhaps these things were simply incapable of anything besides mindless violence. The humans who seemed to be with the digimon were a puzzle to him. Were the monsters controlling them, or were they simply foolish enough to believe that the creatures were their allies. In the end it hardly mattered. Yamaki would take personal vengeance on the one who had defiles his city. Then he would destroy the other ones to make sure that they could cause no more damage to the city or the rest of the world.

"Who the heck is this guy?", Takato asked incredulously.

"And why the hell is he wearing sunglasses in this gloom?", said Rika sarcastically.

"Watch your mouth little girl!", snapped Yamaki. "I'll deal with the rest of you as soon as I take care of this." He pointed at Devimon and leveled the barrel of the neutralizer at the broken demon.

Gennai sprang towards Yamaki. "No you fool! Don't..."

Yamaki pulled the trigger. A green beam fired from the neutralizer and hit Devimon.

For a moment nothing happened, and then Devimon's body simply discorporated. Yamaki smiled grimly and shouldered the gun. "Well that worked extremely well." Gennai grabbed Yamaki and shook him violently. "You idiot! You have no idea what you've done!"

Yamaki growled and forced Gennai off of him. "I know exactly what I did. I destroyed a monster." He swung around and pointed the neutralizer at Wargrowlmon. "And I've just begun."

"No!" Takato rushed between Yamaki and Wargrowlmon. Henry, Tai, and Kari joined his human shield.

Yamaki grinned and simply pointed over their heads at the towering digimon. He was suddenly thrown off of his feet and the ground beneath them began to shake violently. "What the blazes!?", he yelled.

All over the city, the streets cracked open. From the jagged fissures, geysers of darkness shot into the sky. The digidestined looked around themselves in horror. A crack down the middle of the street they stood on forced them into several smaller groups.

"What is it?!", yelled Tai.

"I tried to stop him!", yelled Gennai. "That weapon destroyed Devimon's body but all he did was unleash the immense evil essence contained within Devimon. Without a physical form to hold it in check..."

"We're dead.", finished Tai.

A tendril shot from the could of darkness gathering over them straight at Tai. Wargreymon leapt into its path and it splashed against his chest. The mega digimon screamed in pain and fell to the ground. His chest armor had disintegrated where the darkness had touched it and the edges of the hole were still sizzling and slowly evaporating. The orange skin beneath the armor was scarred and blistered. "Wargreymon!", Tai cried.

Matt and Metalgarurumon were backed against the side of a building as a mass of the darkness slowly drifted towards them. "Stay behind me Matt!", Metalgarurumon snarled. "Ice Wolf Bite!" Dozens of missiles launched from his armor. Instead of doing any damage they simply shot through the ethereal cloud and detonated against the building across the street. "Matt! Get on my back!" Matt scrambled to obey. The large metal wolf spun and crouched. His powerful legs tensed and then released, shooting him upward. Digging his razor sharp claws into the side of the brick building, Metalgarurumon galloped straight up the side of the building with Matt hanging desperately from his neck. Below them the darkness washed over the area where they had been standing and proceeded to spread up the side of the building after them.

Henry and Willis had been forced together as the darkness closed in around them. "Any ideas?", Willis asked.

"Let me get back to you.", Henry replied.

From above them twin voices called out, "Rapid Fire!" Four missiles struck down from the sky into the cloud of darkness. The explosions caused the darkness to spread and dissipate for a moment but it reformed in an instant. The twin Rapidmon swept down and scooped their respective partners off the ground. They rocketed back up a moment before the darkness closed over the area where they had been. As they shot up, they passed Antylamon who was crouched on the side of the building near them.

As the darkness followed them up, he flung his arms forward releasing a sphere of blue energy. "Shockwave Bomber!" The shockwave forced the dark cloud down for a moment and bought them a few extra seconds.

"Kari! Stay close to me!" T.K. stood protectively in front of Kari as half a dozen tendrils of darkness crept towards them.

"Believe me. I'm not going anywhere!", Kari responded. Indeed, she had little choice as they were forced back to avoid the deadly tentacles.

"Heaven's Sword!" Seraphimon flew in front of them, swinging a silver blade through one of the tendrils. Rather than do any damage, the sword passed through it trailing wisps of darkness. Seraphimon looked in shock as the part of the blade which had touched the darkness disintegrated, leaving only half a blade left in his hands. Seraphimon let the hilt fall from his hand and swung a glowing hand through the edge of the closest tentacle. Where his hand touched it, the darkness was cleaved. The part of the tentacle he had sheared off fell and disappeared. But the tentacle kept coming. "Seven Heavens!" The balls of light flew from Seraphimon's hands and exploded inside the cloud the tentacles had grown from. Large portions of the darkness were destroyed, but the empty areas filled in quickly. "Magnadramon! Get them out of here!"

The pink dragon flew down and landed among them. Kari and T.K. got on her back and she flew up and away, dodging through the quickly closing gaps in the darkness overhead.

"What about Seraphimon!?", T.K. cried, looking back over his shoulder.

"He'll be right behind us as soon as he's sure you're safe.", Magnadramon replied. Sure enough, Seraphimon fended off the darkness for a moment longer and then took to the sky after them. But the darkness, which continued to spew from beneath the ground had closed completely around him. Pausing only for a moment, Seraphimon concentrated and his body began to glow. He shot straight up, cutting a path through the darkness until he burst through the top of it into clear sky.

"Talisman of Light!" A glowing symbol appeared in the air in front of Taomon and released a brilliant burst of light driving back the darkness which advanced on her and Rika. Calumon lay, cradled in Rika's arms, half-conscious. "Thousand Spells!" Taomon's cards exploded in the path of the oncoming darkness, but the small detonations did nothing to stop it. "Light is the only thing which seems to stop it! But even that only slows it down for a second!", Taomon yelled to Rika.

"Great! So keep lighting it up!"

"There's just too much of it! It's everywhere." Rika and Taomon kept backing up until Rika brushed against the cloud behind her. She cried out and sprang away but not before the sleeve of her t-shirt was burned away and the skin on her arm bore a nasty burn mark. Clutching her hurt arm and keeping a firm hold on Calumon, Rika stumbled and bumped into Taomon. "Stay close to me Rika!" Taomon raised her arms. "Talisman Spell!" A dome of light formed around Taomon and Rika. The darkness evaporated as it touched the edges of the dome but it continued to press in. Taomon grunted and her face showed signs of strain.

"Taomon, what's wrong?", Rika asked with concern.

"It's feeding off of my shield, draining my energy. I can't keep it up for long." Taomon gasped and the dome flickered. "I've got to get us out of here!" The dome began to rise, forming into a sphere as it left the ground. Taomon was visibly weakened and the bubble rose slowly. The had only risen a few yards when their ascent stopped and the light forming the edges of the sphere began to fade. "I can't hold out Rika.", Taomon gasped. Small cracks began to form in their shield and wisps of darkness began to leak in.

"Heads up!" A flaming bird tore down from above cutting a path through the darkness. Immediately behind it was Garudamon with Sora on her back.

"Hold on!" Garudamon's claws gripped the bubble holding Taomon and Rika. "Are you two all right?", Sora called.

"Just get us out of here.", Rika said.

Garudamon looked skyward but the sky overhead was already blacked out. "Wing Blade!" Another flaming bird erupted from Garudamon's wings and cleared the way above them. Garudamon shot up with the darkness right behind them.

Separated from the others by the fissuring ground and the rapidly expanding darkness, Yolei and Cody stood over their fallen digimon partners. If there was any sentience in the clouds of darkness it seemed to be ignoring them. Nevertheless, the entire area was quickly filling up and they had no place to go. They were surrounded and the darkness was slowly closing in.

"Cody, we're trapped!", Yolei said in despair.

"We have to stay calm.", Cody replied, but his voice cracked.

Without warning one of the clouds began moving towards them quickly. A large tendril shot out and would have enveloped them, but a green ray cut through the surrounding cloud and cleaved the tentacle before it could touch them.

"What?", Cody stammered.

Another green blast cut through the cloud and through the resulting path came Yamaki.

"You!?", Yolei cried.

"Some part of this stuff is digital matter. The neutralizer can cut through it.", Yamaki replied, adjusting a dial on the side of his weapon. "You two stay close to me. I'll clear a path." Yolei and Cody nodded and lifted the prone forms of Hawkmon and Armadillomon into their arms. Yamaki glanced back. "Leave those things. We need to move quickly."

"We're not going anywhere without them!", Cody cried.

"We'll stay here and die before we'll leave them behind.", Yolei said.

Yamaki scowled, then turned away. "Fine. I have no sympathy for traitors." He aimed the neutralizer at the advancing wall of darkness and prepared to fire. From his side, a tendril shot from the blackness and cut through Yamaki's gun. Yamaki gaped in horror as the remains of the weapon sparked and fizzled in his hands. He dropped it numbly and stared as the darkness came over him.

"Positron Laser!" A wide blast of energy cut a hole right through the darkness. Yamaki looked up in disbelief as Imperialdramon charged into the clear space around them. His armor war smoking and melted in many places but still intact. Ken and Davis crawled out from under the armor plates over his shoulders.

"All aboard!", Davis called. The darkness came towards them again and Imperialdramon's laser drove it back once again. Davis helped Cody and Armadillomon into Imperialdramon's outstretched hand. After embracing for a moment, Ken and Yolei followed them with Hawkmon in tow.

Davis looked at Yamaki who was still staring ahead dumbly. "You coming?", he demanded. For a moment, Yamaki looked at him with confusion, then in a seeming trance he climbed into Imperialdramon's hand with the others.

"Positron Laser!" Imperialdramon fired again and charged into the resulting gap.

"This doesn't look good Joe."

"It will be all right, Mimi."

"Oh Joe, I love you."

"I love you too."

"Hold me."

"Forever."

"Could you two focus for a second?!"

Mimi and Joe blinked and looked up at Zudomon, who was staring at them incredulously. "I know we're in trouble, but you guys are not helping with all the melodrama here!"

"Flower Cannon!" Lillymon's energy bursts kept the darkness back but it was steadily gaining ground on them.

"Everyone stay close! I've got an idea!", Zudomon called. "Vulcans' Hammer!" Zudomon's hammer swung into the ground and sent a shockwave through the ground. It struck the building across the street, causing it to collapse. The massive force of the collapsing building dispersed the darkness in their immediate area. Zudomon used his shell to shield Joe, Mimi, and Lillymon from the flying debris.

"Well that bought us a few minutes.", Joe said. "But that stuff is already moving back in and we're fresh out of buildings to drop on it."

"Need a lift?" Megakabuterimon dropped out of the sky.

"Hurry up!", called Izzy from his partner's back. Mimi, Joe, and Lillymon scrambled onto Megakabuterimon's back.

"What about Zudomon?", Joe asked.

Megakabuterimon grabbed onto one of the spikes on Zudomon's shell. "Oof! What'd you have for breakfast?" Megakabuterimon rose into the sky pulling Zudomon with him. He rose slowly at first but picked up speed quickly. Below, the darkness had completely washed over the rubble of the felled building.

"This has been a rough week.", complained Takato.

"At least you didn't have to spent half of it chained up underground Takatomon.", replied Wargrowlmon.

"Good point."

"Can we get out of here now?", Wargrowlmon asked.

"As soon as we're sure the others have gotten away safely.

Together they were slowly making their way through the darkness covering the ground. Using his plasma blade attack, Wargrowlmon's glowing claws cut through the darkness ahead of them. When the clouds of darkness threatened to overtake them from behind, he used a blast of red energy from his chest cannons to clear the way. "Atomic Blaster!"

Ahead, they could make out something behind the wall of darkness. With a final slash of his claws, Wargrowlmon cut into a clear area. Inside, Tai and a severely wounded Wargreymon were standing helpless against the oncoming darkness. "I can't believe we're saving Tai! This is so cool!", Takato said to Wargrowlmon.

"I didn't notice it was getting cold Takatomon.", Growlmon responded.

Tai looked up in surprise and Takato and Wargrowlmon burst through the wall of darkness. "Have no fear! Takato the master tamer is here!"

"Wargreymon is hurt. Do you have any way to get out of here?"

"No problem! Okay Wargrowlmon. Blasters to full power!"

"You got it Takatomon!" Wargrowlmon leaned back and pointed his cannons skyward. "Atomic Blaster!" Twin beams of red energy cut through the darkness above leaving a clear path up.

"Let's go!", Takato cried.

"Can you fly?", Tai asked Wargreymon anxiously.

"I'll manage.", Wargreymon groaned. Holding Tai carefully in his clawed gauntlet, Wargreymon rose into the sky and then took off through the pathway Wargrowlmon had made. His thrusters firing, Wargrowlmon followed right behind. Twice, he fired his atomic blasters again to keep the way clear and then both digimon burst through the top of the darkness cloud.

A few moments later, Imperialdramon rocketed up into clear air. Soon, all of the digidestined and Tamers had gathered in the sky near the top of the dome covering the city. Those who could not fly under their own power stood on a circular platform created by Taomon. None of then had seen Gennai make his way up, but he now stood among them. Yamaki stood on the platform apart from the others who paid him little attention. He stared down at the city and fiddled with his lighter. Below, the entire city, except for the tops of the tallest buildings, was covered by the black cloud.

"Well now what?", Davis asked, rather unnecessarily.

"We have to figure out a way to stop this stuff before it reaches all those people underground.", Henry responded.

Panic flashed across Rika's face. "We have to do something now!"

"We need light.", Tai said slowly.

"But none of our digimon can generate enough light to destroy it all.", T.K. replied.

"So we need another source. But what?", Cody said.

Kari lookup upward thoughtfully for a moment. "What time is it?", she asked. Takato looked at his watch. "About 1:30 in the afternoon."

Izzy followed Kari's gaze and understanding filled his expression. "The sun! If we can destroy the dome..."

"The sun will take care of this stuff for us!", Henry finished.

"What are we waiting for? Let's do it!", Rika cried.

"Without Devimon's consciousness to hold it together, the dome won't regenerate.", Ken said with excitement.

"Everyone spread out! Let's go!", Tai shouted.

The digidestined and Tamers took to the air and spread out across the city. Taomon's platform split into several sections to carry the digimon who couldn't fly. Within minutes they hovered in the sky across the enclosed city. At nearly the same time they attacked.

"Terra Force!"

"Metal Wolf Claw!"

"Atomic Blaster!"

"Thousand Spells!"

"Tri Beam!"

"Seven Heavens!"

"Dragon Fire!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Vulcans' Hammer!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Rapid Fire!"

"Shockwave Bomber!"

"Positron Laser!"

Across the city, explosions rocked the dome. No longer capable of regenerating, it cracked apart easily under the force of their attacks. Huge pieces were destroyed. Each hole released a wide ray of afternoon sunlight into the darkness below. Wherever the sun touched, the darkness was instantly boiled away. To the humans and digimon above it seemed as though the darkness was attempting to hide from the light. The massive cloud seemed to compress itself and draw away from the areas touched by the light, like a frightened animal. But it couldn't hide for long. Within moments, the holes created by the digidestined started a chain reaction. Cracks spread rapidly across the dome, widening the holes. and causing dozens of new ones to form. By the time the digimon and their human partners had regrouped near what was once the top of the dome, the dark ceiling above had nearly completely crumbled away and now the degeneration was spreading down the sides of the dome. The sudden bombardment of light wrought havoc on the darkness. With incredible speed the formless black mass withdrew into the center of the city, losing more of it's mass every second. What was left of the darkness retreated into the remains of Devimon's tower.

Above the Digidestined and tamers waited anxiously. "So now what?", Davis asked. The answer came a moment later when the tower exploding releasing a sphere comprising the last of the darkness which shot towards them like a cannonball. As it flew through the sky, the black projectile lost more and more of it's mass but it became clear than it would reach them before it was rendered completely insubstantial by the deadly sun around it.

T.K. stared at the deadly force coming at them and for a moment he could see the grinning visage of Devimon reflected it it's obsidian surface. "No.", he said calmly. "Not this time."

Seraphimon raised his hands. "Now it ends. Light of Hope!" A brilliant beam of light fired from his hands and struck the ball of darkness when it was only a few feet away. The light tore through it and in an instant there was nothing left but a few wisps of fading shadows.

"It's finally over.", Gennai whispered in relief.

For a moment there was complete silence as if all present were afraid to say anything. Then, Calumon, with his large eyes shining, laughed out loud. "Hooray!" Renamon smiled. "I couldn't have said it any better."

After landing on a rooftop, and spending several minutes celebrating, the conquering heroes began to notice that, with the dome gone, people were flooding into the city. Leading the largest groups were military vehicles and police cars.

"I guess we'd better get down there.", Takato said.

"I agree, but it might not be such a good idea to show ourselves with our digimon.", Izzy replied. "I would imagine that Mr. Yamaki is not the only person who may a bear a grudge against anyone not obviously human as a result of all this." At this Izzy indicated Yamaki, who looked at him briefly and then turned away.

"Izzy's right.", Tai said. "The last thing we need is to deal with an angry mob." Gennai stepped forward. "I will take Renamon, Guilmon and Terriermon to their respective homes, and then return with the others to the digital world. You can all alert me when you are ready to come home."

Renamon bent over to whisper something in Rika's ear. Rika smiled and nodded. Renamon faded from sight. "Renamon is going to get home on her own.", Rika said. Gennai spread his arms and a large glowing portal formed in the air in front of them. After saying some amicable goodbyes, the digimon followed Gennai into the portal which closed behind him.

By the time the collection of young people had made their way down to the street, it was swarming with police, soldiers, and reporters. There was so much commotion, that few noticed them. None of them noticed when Yamaki slunk off on his own.

"We have to make sure that the people Devimon captured are all right.", Rika insisted. Takato and Henry quickly agreed. With the three tamers leading the way, they all made their way to the tunnel entrance that Gennai had shown them before.

Upon arriving, they found the last of the former captives making their way out of the tunnel to join the large crowd gathered outside. Many of the people were being interviewed by reporters or answering questions for the police or military. Takato, Rika, and Henry frantically surveyed the crowd.

Henry was the first to spot his parents, brothers, and sisters. His father was talking to one of the soldiers. Henry raced towards them. A seven year old girl clinging to Henry's mother's leg saw him first. "Henwy!", she cried with joy. The rest of Henry's family noticed him a moment later. There was much rejoicing as they all spent several minutes taking turns hugging him.

"Rika! Thank God!" Rika turned in time to see her grandmother wrap her in a tight embrace. Rika's mother, a young blonde woman, was only a few steps behind.

"Oh Rika. I'm so glad you're okay. It took a moment, and then Rika's eyes released a flood of tears. She gratefully hung onto the two women and released the emotions she had been holding inside since long before the most recent adventure had begun.

Takato looked around anxiously trying to find his own family among the crowd. For several minutes his head swiveled in all directions and then he turned to the digidestined with a look of panic on his face. "I don't see them!", he cried.

T.K. looked thoughtful for a moment. He suddenly gasped and slapped his forehead. "Takato! I think that we met your parents!" Takato looked at him with confusion.

"Of course.", Kari said. "That couple in the bakery."

Takato looked at her in shock. "Bakery? You saw them? When? Are they okay?"

"Shortly after we arrived here. We found your parents and a young girl hiding in their bakery. They said their son's name was Takato.", Ken explained.

"I can't believe I forgot about that!", Davis said with a groan.

"Takato!" Takato turned to see his parents running towards him from farther down the street. He ran to meet them and was swept of his feet as his dad grabbed him. "Takato!", he said with tears in his eyes. Takato was also beginning to mist up. "I'm so glad you guys are all right.", Takato cried.

"Where were you son?" Thinking quickly Takato replied. "I was in the park, and one of those monsters grabbed me. That's the last thing I remember before I woke up with everyone else in the tunnel."

After quite a bit more hugging and crying, Takato's parents finally set him down. No sooner did his feet touch the ground when he was spun around by a small hand on his shoulder. A girl Takato's age grabbed his head and pressed her lips to his. When she let him go a moment later, his face was a deep shade of crimson. "Jeri!", he cried. Jeri just wrapped her arms around him. Takato blushed even deeper, and looked over Jeri's shoulder at his mother and father who were looking at him with raised eyebrows. A sheepish grin was his only response.

It was much later, that the tamers were finally able to extricate themselves from their families and rejoin the digidestined. Now they stood around on the sidewalk, out of the way of the still present crowds of press and law enforcement officials.

"I guess it would be something of an understatement if we told you we were grateful for all your help.", Henry said.

"Don't worry about it. You'd have done the same for us.", Davis replied with a grin.

"I still can't believe I got to meet you guys. I've dreamed about this for, like forever.", Takato said to Tai.

Tai smiled and shook Takato's hand. "Believe me, it was an honor to meet you guys too.", he said.

"Here's a little something that might help you in the future.", Izzy said. He connected his laptop to Henry's digivice.

"What's that?", Henry asked.

"I'm downloading the contents of my digimon analyzer into your...D-power, right? Hopefully, it will come in handy some day."

"Here."

Davis looked quizzically at the small, flat object Rika handed him.

"It's a Veemon card.", she said in answer to his silent question. Davis' grin spread from ear to ear.

"Hey, thanks. Wait'll I show this to Veemon. I wish I had something to give you."

Rika looked at him critically for a moment. Then she darted forward and touched her lips to his. She drew back immediately and turned away. "Thanks.", she said, and walked away.

Davis stood still for a moment. "Huh.", he murmured.

Finally, the two groups stood facing each other. Tai once more shook Takato's hand. "I guess we have to be going."

"I've sent Gennai an e-mail.", Izzy said. "The portal home will be opening in that alley across the street in a minute."

After a few more exchanged words of goodbye the digidestined moved to cross the street. Davis looked back and gave Takato a thumbs up. "Cool goggles dude." Takato grinned back. Davis glanced at Rika who gave him a smirk. Henry and Willis exchanged bows.

"Will we ever see you guys again?", Takato called when they were almost across the street.

Tai just smiled. "You never know."

The digidestined entered the alley and with a flash of light, they were gone. The three tamers stood looking after them.

"Wow.", Takato said.

"You said it.", Henry replied.

Rika rolled her eyes. "C'mon. Let's go home."

* * *

"None of this should have happened.", Gennai said to someone unseen. "Those people suffered needlessly. And worse still, this has all caused those children to develop in ways they shouldn't have for some time. They all have a very specific destiny in store for them, and this was not part of it. And the Tamers weren't the only ones unduly affected. Yamaki has a pivotal role to play in the events to come, and that has been tampered with as well. Calumon has a long way to go before he learns the truth about his abilities. To say nothing of the ramifications for the people of that city as well as that entire world. I don't think we have much of a choice." For a moment, he turned his head to listen to a voice only he could hear. "You'll take care of it then? I agree. It's for the best." Again he listened to his unseen companion. "I don't think there's any need for that. If anything, the digidestined have only been strengthened by this experience." Gennai became somber for a moment. "Although I fear it will help them little in what is to come. No, there's no need to change their memories in any way. The barriers are already repairing themselves. Their knowledge of this other reality will not hurt them in any way. The damage in purely one sided." He listened once more and then nodded in satisfaction. He then turned and went on his way.

* * *

The citizens of Shinjuku woke up the next day and went about their business. The events of the past week had vanished from their memories. The damage done to their homes and buildings was gone. All traces of Devimon's rampage were erased. Not only were the results of Devimon's actions gone, they had never happened. Time had been reset to the beginning of the day when a boy named Jack had been contacted by a voice from his videogame. And it was not just Shinjuku. The entire world had been similarly affected. Life would go on with no knowledge of the tragedy, which as far as they were concerned, had never happened.

There were only three people on the planet who woke up that day with a vague feeling that something was missing. But by the time they had gotten out of bed and eaten breakfast, that feeling was gone and forgotten. The trials they had endured, the victories and defeats, were no longer a part of them. Whether that was for better or worse would remain to be seen.

For the digidestined, life returned to business as usual. Some of them would take more from the adventures of the last few days than others. For T.K., the closure he had gained from knowing that he had defeated his greatest enemy once and for all gave him a sense of ease that he had never realized he had been without. For Ken, it was one more disaster that he could feel responsible for. One more thing that would drive him to be a better person. Izzy made a mental promise to spent his next bit of free time going over the new entries in his digimon analyzer, especially the one for a red lizard whose origins had particularly intrigued him. Tai spent that morning on the phone trying to explain to Lori why he had ditched her last night. Even as he listened to her angry voice, he smiled at the Greymon action figure which now graced his desk. Davis and Veemon made a bowl of popcorn and spent the afternoon watching the Digimon : Season One DVD which he had found in the rubble of a video store. "I can't believe they screwed up Tai's hair like that!", he said.

And in another plane of reality, beyond any earth, beyond the digital world, a dark shadow rose from the depths of a black ocean. With red eyes, it glared through the many barriers which separated its world from all others. Its gaze came to rest on a young woman named Kari Kamiya whose destiny was about to be realized. And, throwing back its head, it laughed, long and hard.

End

So that's it. The end of this series will lead directly into my nest series of fics; Digimon Season 2.5.

In case you wondered, my plan is to write a few filler stories which will deal with a few of the plot threads left over from this story namely Willis' crest, and Armadillomon and Hawkmon's inability to digivolve to ultimate.

Please let me know what you think.

Jason