CHAPTER 10
Sao held up her right hand, palm-up. First a faint glow, then a black and red flame that was sparking with black electricity appeared in her hand. Lisa followed suit.
"No!" Sao hissed. "Now, go find the rest of the D-Tectors. My Pico form probably won't be a match for him if he Beast Spirit Evolves or Fusion Evolves."
"Right." Lisa nodded, closing her fist and taking off down the corridor.
Sao closed her eyes and allowed the sparking black flame to engulf her. The flame was replaced by an egg of Fractal Code and when it cleared, a dog-like Digimon stood in Sao's place. The new Digimon dashed down the hall after Takuya. A few moments later, she passed Takuya, who appeared oblivious, and continued until she got to the room where the others were being kept.
"Hey, who's the new Digimon?" Tommy asked curiously.
The Digimon looked at them. "Stay in there."
The others instantly recognized the voice. "SAO!?"
The Digimon shook her head. "FlaDiiamon now."
"Why do you want us to stay in here?" JP asked.
"TAKUYA!" Tommy exclaimed excitedly.
FlaDiiamon spun around to face Takuya. Now she knew what was wrong. Instead of his eyes being their normal hazel, they were pitch black. The shine of light was gone.
Kouichi opened the door and then Koji, Zoe, JP, Tommy and him ran out to greet Takuya. Takuya stood solemnly, his expression still distant and cold. Just when the other Warriors were a few feet away, Takuya raised his D-Tector into the air. The others stopped dead in their tracks.
"Takuya?" Zoe asked nervously.
"Execute . . . Spirit Evolution!" Takuya said dully. "Agunimon!"
"HUH!?" The others gasped in confusion.
FlaDiiamon jumped between Agunimon and the other Warriors. "I told you to stay in there." FlaDiiamon snapped to the Warriors, not taking her eyes off Agunimon.
"Pyro Darts!"
FlaDiiamon jumped out of the way and the attack blasted a hole in the ground where she had been.
"Pyro Punch!" Agunimon said dully, sending the fire at FlaDiiamon, who barely dodged.
FlaDiiamon jumped back a few feet. "Flaming Diamond Blast!"
A beam of black and red energy hit Agunimon, knocking him to the ground. Agunimon was encased in an orb of Fractal Code. "Agunimon Slide Evolution . . . BurningGreymon!" The Fractal Code disappeared.
"What's going on!? Why's BurningGreymon fighting FlaDiiamon?" Tommy asked, genuinely confused.
"Pyro Barrage!"
FlaDiiamon barely managed to dodge.
"Pyro Barrage!"
FlaDiiamon was hit and knocked to the ground.
"Wildfire Tsunami!"
FlaDiiamon was hit and sent skidding across the hall. She struggled to her feet.
"Pyro Barrage!"
FlaDiiamon was hit again. This time she ended up in the middle of the hall.
"Takuya! Stop!" Zoe yelled.
BurningGreymon ignored her. He stepped behind FlaDiiamon, who was still trying to get to her feet.
"Wildfire Tsunami!"
FlaDiiamon was hit and sent smashing into the wall. She dropped to the ground and lay motionless. The other Warriors gave worried gasps. BurningGreymon took a few threatening steps closer to FlaDiiamon, who was just starting to wake up. BurningGreymon growled.
FlaDiiamon managed to pull herself into a sitting position, but her front legs were shaking, threatening to give out.
"And now to destroy you." BurningGreymon snarled.
"Sao!" The other Warriors exclaimed.
"Wildfire-"
"Hold it right there!" A familiar voice ordered from behind them.
BurningGreymon turned to face the voice and the other Warriors looked past him. FlaDiiamon collapsed. Holohomon stood in the hall, holding the D-Tectors.
"Hey everybody! Catch!" Holohomon called, throwing the five D- Tectors.
The boys caught theirs and Zoe caught hers and Sao's.
"Execute-"
"Wait!" Holohomon snapped. "He's mine. Flaming Thunder!"
BurningGreymon dodged. "Wildfire Tsunami!"
Holohomon dodged and was engulfed in Fractal Code. "Holohomon Slide Evolution . . . BurningFolamon!"
BurningGreymon tensed.
"Sorry I have to do this, Takuya." BurningFolamon whispered. "Fire Horseshoe Blast!"
BurningGreymon was hit hard. After the attack cleared, he turned and was engulfed in Fractal Code. The Fractal Code disappeared, leaving a battle-beaten Takuya.
BurningFolamon de-Spirit Evolved.
"Are you guys okay?" Zoe asked, running over.
"Yeah." Lisa answered.
Takuya didn't say anything before he broke into a run down another corridor.
"Let him go . . . for now." Lisa said seriously.
"What about her?" Tommy asked, pointing to FlaDiiamon, who was still lying motionless by the wall.
"Well, I suppose we'd better find a way to get her home-"
Koji was interrupted by FlaDiiamon, who weakly pulled herself into a sitting position. Once again, her front legs were shaking quite noticeably.
"Sa-er, FlaDiiamon, are you okay?" Zoe asked slowly.
"I'm . . . fine." FlaDiiamon said weakly, trying to stand, but not succeeding.
"Why don't you just de-Spirit Evolve?" JP asked.
"It's not that simple . . . I can't." FlaDiiamon said slowly, just managing to stand. She had to brace her legs to stay standing.
"What do you mean you can't?" Koji questioned.
"Long story, and there's no time for it. We've got to get back to the Real World." FlaDiiamon said, taking a few steps towards a corridor. "Coming Lisa?"
Lisa nodded, then held out her hand. A few moments later, she was covered in Fractal Code. It disappeared, leaving a horse-like Digimon in her place. She joined FlaDiiamon.
Once they reached the connecting corridor, they burst into a run and disappeared around the corner.
"FlaDiiamon! Lisa! Wait! Are you telling us we're in the Digital World!?" Koji called after her.
The group burst into a run after FlaDiiamon.
"FLADIIAMON! Answer me!" Koji yelled as he ran.
The school yard was dark, quiet, and only the school's outside night lights cast a dim glow on the area. A portal opened outside the school building, and the seven Warriors fell through. Sao landed first, then Lisa, then Koji, then Zoe, then Kouichi, then Tommy and finally JP. The group fell over, leaving Sao, Lisa and Koji in their original pile.
"Get off me you dead-weights!" Sao snapped, throwing Lisa and Koji off her. She then stood up, dusted off her jeans and turned to leave.
The others scrambled to their feet. Lisa followed Sao out of the school yard.
"Takuya, return to your world . . . gain their confidence and then smother them."
Takuya nodded and turned to step through the portal into the real world.
"Alright class, settle down. I have a very important announcement to make." The teacher said.
The class fell silent.
"Okay, I know this is last minute and VERY unusual for this school, but I've just gotten a call from the principal saying that we're going on a field trip tomorrow. He didn't say why, he just said to be ready to go swimming at the community center tomorrow." The teacher explained.
Various shouts of joy erupted from the class.
"Yeah-ha!" Takuya exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "I THINK I can fit it into my schedule." He added, a little more quietly.
Zoe, who was sitting next to him in the bleachers, giggled. "And what schedule would that be?"
Takuya face faulted. "Ha, ha. VERY funny Z."
Zoe looked over at Sao, who didn't seem excited, like the rest of the class. Instead, she was dead silent with a cold look of thought on her face.
"Um, Sao? Aren't you excited about this trip?" Zoe asked.
Sao momentarily jerked out of her thoughts. "Something's not quite right." She said, so quietly that Zoe could barely hear.
Takuya obviously overheard, because he turned to look at Sao. "Aw c'mon buddy, lighten up!"
Sao stood up with an angry look on her face. With a swift hand movement, the entire gym was doused in darkness. Many of the students gasped or screamed. Zoe felt Takuya stand up next to her.
"Takuya! What are you doing? You'll get yourself killed trying to get off these bleachers in the dark!" Zoe whispered harshly.
Too late. She heard Takuya cautiously find his way down the bleachers and jump down onto the gym floor. Amazingly enough, he never fell. A few moments later, the lights turned back on. Zoe saw that Takuya was now standing in the middle of the gym. Sao was nowhere in sight.
Takuya and Zoe walked into the lunch room, and sat down at their normal table. The other three Warriors joined them shortly.
A few moments later, and much to their surprise, Sao and Lisa walked over.
"Takuya, come with me." Sao stated simply.
"What? Why?" Takuya asked.
"Let's just say it's in your best interest." Sao said coldly, turning and heading for the cafeteria doors.
Takuya then stood up and followed Sao outside.
Lisa sat down at the table, and leaned in towards the other Warriors.
"Alright, so what's so important?" Takuya asked Sao when they stopped in the park across from the school.
Sao held up her right hand, palm-up, and the familiar sparking black and red flame appeared.
Sao held up her right hand, palm-up. First a faint glow, then a black and red flame that was sparking with black electricity appeared in her hand. Lisa followed suit.
"No!" Sao hissed. "Now, go find the rest of the D-Tectors. My Pico form probably won't be a match for him if he Beast Spirit Evolves or Fusion Evolves."
"Right." Lisa nodded, closing her fist and taking off down the corridor.
Sao closed her eyes and allowed the sparking black flame to engulf her. The flame was replaced by an egg of Fractal Code and when it cleared, a dog-like Digimon stood in Sao's place. The new Digimon dashed down the hall after Takuya. A few moments later, she passed Takuya, who appeared oblivious, and continued until she got to the room where the others were being kept.
"Hey, who's the new Digimon?" Tommy asked curiously.
The Digimon looked at them. "Stay in there."
The others instantly recognized the voice. "SAO!?"
The Digimon shook her head. "FlaDiiamon now."
"Why do you want us to stay in here?" JP asked.
"TAKUYA!" Tommy exclaimed excitedly.
FlaDiiamon spun around to face Takuya. Now she knew what was wrong. Instead of his eyes being their normal hazel, they were pitch black. The shine of light was gone.
Kouichi opened the door and then Koji, Zoe, JP, Tommy and him ran out to greet Takuya. Takuya stood solemnly, his expression still distant and cold. Just when the other Warriors were a few feet away, Takuya raised his D-Tector into the air. The others stopped dead in their tracks.
"Takuya?" Zoe asked nervously.
"Execute . . . Spirit Evolution!" Takuya said dully. "Agunimon!"
"HUH!?" The others gasped in confusion.
FlaDiiamon jumped between Agunimon and the other Warriors. "I told you to stay in there." FlaDiiamon snapped to the Warriors, not taking her eyes off Agunimon.
"Pyro Darts!"
FlaDiiamon jumped out of the way and the attack blasted a hole in the ground where she had been.
"Pyro Punch!" Agunimon said dully, sending the fire at FlaDiiamon, who barely dodged.
FlaDiiamon jumped back a few feet. "Flaming Diamond Blast!"
A beam of black and red energy hit Agunimon, knocking him to the ground. Agunimon was encased in an orb of Fractal Code. "Agunimon Slide Evolution . . . BurningGreymon!" The Fractal Code disappeared.
"What's going on!? Why's BurningGreymon fighting FlaDiiamon?" Tommy asked, genuinely confused.
"Pyro Barrage!"
FlaDiiamon barely managed to dodge.
"Pyro Barrage!"
FlaDiiamon was hit and knocked to the ground.
"Wildfire Tsunami!"
FlaDiiamon was hit and sent skidding across the hall. She struggled to her feet.
"Pyro Barrage!"
FlaDiiamon was hit again. This time she ended up in the middle of the hall.
"Takuya! Stop!" Zoe yelled.
BurningGreymon ignored her. He stepped behind FlaDiiamon, who was still trying to get to her feet.
"Wildfire Tsunami!"
FlaDiiamon was hit and sent smashing into the wall. She dropped to the ground and lay motionless. The other Warriors gave worried gasps. BurningGreymon took a few threatening steps closer to FlaDiiamon, who was just starting to wake up. BurningGreymon growled.
FlaDiiamon managed to pull herself into a sitting position, but her front legs were shaking, threatening to give out.
"And now to destroy you." BurningGreymon snarled.
"Sao!" The other Warriors exclaimed.
"Wildfire-"
"Hold it right there!" A familiar voice ordered from behind them.
BurningGreymon turned to face the voice and the other Warriors looked past him. FlaDiiamon collapsed. Holohomon stood in the hall, holding the D-Tectors.
"Hey everybody! Catch!" Holohomon called, throwing the five D- Tectors.
The boys caught theirs and Zoe caught hers and Sao's.
"Execute-"
"Wait!" Holohomon snapped. "He's mine. Flaming Thunder!"
BurningGreymon dodged. "Wildfire Tsunami!"
Holohomon dodged and was engulfed in Fractal Code. "Holohomon Slide Evolution . . . BurningFolamon!"
BurningGreymon tensed.
"Sorry I have to do this, Takuya." BurningFolamon whispered. "Fire Horseshoe Blast!"
BurningGreymon was hit hard. After the attack cleared, he turned and was engulfed in Fractal Code. The Fractal Code disappeared, leaving a battle-beaten Takuya.
BurningFolamon de-Spirit Evolved.
"Are you guys okay?" Zoe asked, running over.
"Yeah." Lisa answered.
Takuya didn't say anything before he broke into a run down another corridor.
"Let him go . . . for now." Lisa said seriously.
"What about her?" Tommy asked, pointing to FlaDiiamon, who was still lying motionless by the wall.
"Well, I suppose we'd better find a way to get her home-"
Koji was interrupted by FlaDiiamon, who weakly pulled herself into a sitting position. Once again, her front legs were shaking quite noticeably.
"Sa-er, FlaDiiamon, are you okay?" Zoe asked slowly.
"I'm . . . fine." FlaDiiamon said weakly, trying to stand, but not succeeding.
"Why don't you just de-Spirit Evolve?" JP asked.
"It's not that simple . . . I can't." FlaDiiamon said slowly, just managing to stand. She had to brace her legs to stay standing.
"What do you mean you can't?" Koji questioned.
"Long story, and there's no time for it. We've got to get back to the Real World." FlaDiiamon said, taking a few steps towards a corridor. "Coming Lisa?"
Lisa nodded, then held out her hand. A few moments later, she was covered in Fractal Code. It disappeared, leaving a horse-like Digimon in her place. She joined FlaDiiamon.
Once they reached the connecting corridor, they burst into a run and disappeared around the corner.
"FlaDiiamon! Lisa! Wait! Are you telling us we're in the Digital World!?" Koji called after her.
The group burst into a run after FlaDiiamon.
"FLADIIAMON! Answer me!" Koji yelled as he ran.
The school yard was dark, quiet, and only the school's outside night lights cast a dim glow on the area. A portal opened outside the school building, and the seven Warriors fell through. Sao landed first, then Lisa, then Koji, then Zoe, then Kouichi, then Tommy and finally JP. The group fell over, leaving Sao, Lisa and Koji in their original pile.
"Get off me you dead-weights!" Sao snapped, throwing Lisa and Koji off her. She then stood up, dusted off her jeans and turned to leave.
The others scrambled to their feet. Lisa followed Sao out of the school yard.
"Takuya, return to your world . . . gain their confidence and then smother them."
Takuya nodded and turned to step through the portal into the real world.
"Alright class, settle down. I have a very important announcement to make." The teacher said.
The class fell silent.
"Okay, I know this is last minute and VERY unusual for this school, but I've just gotten a call from the principal saying that we're going on a field trip tomorrow. He didn't say why, he just said to be ready to go swimming at the community center tomorrow." The teacher explained.
Various shouts of joy erupted from the class.
"Yeah-ha!" Takuya exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "I THINK I can fit it into my schedule." He added, a little more quietly.
Zoe, who was sitting next to him in the bleachers, giggled. "And what schedule would that be?"
Takuya face faulted. "Ha, ha. VERY funny Z."
Zoe looked over at Sao, who didn't seem excited, like the rest of the class. Instead, she was dead silent with a cold look of thought on her face.
"Um, Sao? Aren't you excited about this trip?" Zoe asked.
Sao momentarily jerked out of her thoughts. "Something's not quite right." She said, so quietly that Zoe could barely hear.
Takuya obviously overheard, because he turned to look at Sao. "Aw c'mon buddy, lighten up!"
Sao stood up with an angry look on her face. With a swift hand movement, the entire gym was doused in darkness. Many of the students gasped or screamed. Zoe felt Takuya stand up next to her.
"Takuya! What are you doing? You'll get yourself killed trying to get off these bleachers in the dark!" Zoe whispered harshly.
Too late. She heard Takuya cautiously find his way down the bleachers and jump down onto the gym floor. Amazingly enough, he never fell. A few moments later, the lights turned back on. Zoe saw that Takuya was now standing in the middle of the gym. Sao was nowhere in sight.
Takuya and Zoe walked into the lunch room, and sat down at their normal table. The other three Warriors joined them shortly.
A few moments later, and much to their surprise, Sao and Lisa walked over.
"Takuya, come with me." Sao stated simply.
"What? Why?" Takuya asked.
"Let's just say it's in your best interest." Sao said coldly, turning and heading for the cafeteria doors.
Takuya then stood up and followed Sao outside.
Lisa sat down at the table, and leaned in towards the other Warriors.
"Alright, so what's so important?" Takuya asked Sao when they stopped in the park across from the school.
Sao held up her right hand, palm-up, and the familiar sparking black and red flame appeared.