"Miz is away filming a movie," Alicia tells Luke. He stares at her, before staring at the other Digidestined scattered around. "It won't be for long, just a few weeks. I think we'll be ok until he's back."
"Of course we will," Seth says, his confidence as WWE champion bleeding over to the Digital World. "Who needs the Miz anyway? Right, Betamon?"
The Digimon nods, looking slightly uncomfortable with being put on the spot like that, when Luke clears his throat, distracting them all. "Perhaps, but you all are a team right now, so you need to work together."
"Right," Seth says dismissively. "So where're we going this time?"
As Luke accesses the map, Alicia glances around at the others. No one seems thrilled by Seth's comments, but they turn their attention to the dot flashing on the screen. "It's another in the Virus Zone," Luke says needlessly.
Seth watches as the map activates on his Digivice. "Let's get going then," he says, not bothering to look behind him to make sure the others are following.
Alicia stays close to Zack and Dolph, feeling strangely vulnerable as their numbers diminish more and more with each passing week. "Is it just me or are more of these missions happening in the Virus zone?" she asks after a few moments.
Both men slow, allowing her to walk between them as Patamon, Palmon and Impmon walk in front of them. "Ya know, she's right, bro," Zack says, glancing at the other man. "Which sucks even more now that there's only six of us left."
Dolph glances back at him for a moment before looking away, uncomfortable at having to look at the faint bruises covering his face from the beatdown by Sheamus last Monday. "It'll be ok, kid," he says simply. Since Zack had been taken by evil Digimon while injured, Dolph's been very protective of him. Which, Alicia thinks, is why Dolph interceded and saved Zack on Monday.
She squeals and hugs both men. "You two are adorable!"
"Uhh," Dolph mumbles, laughing when he sees the blush on Zack's face. "Come on, Foxy. The others are getting far ahead of us." She obliges after a few moments, letting go of them so they can continue on.
Alicia lands awkwardly after the portal is activated, her mouth immediately going dry as she takes in the area around her. Ther's a village before them... or was... but it lays in shambles right now, rubble and dust all that remains. The destruction is awful and, if the surroundings are any indication, it's not the only village that's been destroyed. "Oh my God," she breathes. The smell of smoke is acrid, her eye sstarting to water from it, and they're all looking around for the cause of this devastation when there's a whistling sound and an explosion follows not that far away, rattling the ground under their feet.
Alicia feles as she's pushed down, hitting the ground hard, Zack's hands warm on her shoulders. Palmon is down too, their eyes locking, and Alicia fumbles for her Digivice. As soon as she touches it, she nods. "Digivolve!"
Palmon nods too and within moments, Kiwimon is standing in front of her, Darcmon and Wizardmon soon joining her. They're all dwarfed, however, by the Digimon who appears, easily responsible for the destroyed villages surrounding them. Alicia struggles to breathe as their Digimon attack him in a sequence of multicolored blasts.
The robotic Digimon that Alicia thinks loosely resembles a dinosaur doesn't even flinch, a simple blow from him enough to send MegaSeadramon flying while Seth watches, agape with horror. Mammothmon and Nefertimon fairs no better and Alicia can do nothing but watch as he picks Kiwimon up and stares at her distastefully.
"No," she whimpers as he begins to squash the Champion level Digimon between his claw. "Please," she cries out, begging for her partner's life. "Don't hurt her, I need her- she's my friend... My only friend!" It's true. Whereas she would demand or beg for companionship from anyone else, Palmon had never strayed, always happy to spend time with her, no matter what she does or says.
Tears pouring down her face, Alicia barely notices the glow coming from a grassy knoll nearby... until her fingers close around something solid and cool. She sniffs and stares down at it blankly as it and her Digivice begin to react to each other. "Wha- what..."
Kiwimon is glowing too now, her body starting to deconstruct, reforming into something tall and beautiful, graceful and etheral. "Kiwimon Digivolve to..." A soft, floral scent soothes Alicia as the new Digimon appears before her eyes. "Lilimon," she says quietly. Her eyes are dark ovals, petals are blossoming out of her head and surrounding her lower body, four leaves sprouting from her body like wings.
Alicia can't take her eyes off of the creature, in awe that she's her partner. "You're beautiful," she gasps, scrambling to her feet as Lilimon winks at her before turning back to the evil Digimon still trying to grab at her, her always active wings making this nearly impossible.
"FLOWER CANNON!" she cries out, the leaves of her hands coming together, a massive beam engulfing him. His body immediately cracks under the pressure, a shocked look on his face, and Alicia sinks back to the ground, feeling shaky and emotional. "Are you ok?!" Lilimon's touch is about as soft and comforting as her voice and Alicia grabs her in a tight hug.
"You're incredible," she breathes, watching over Lilimon's shoulder as the other Digidestined regroup, collect their partners and look over the damage.
"Because of you," Lilimon tells her. "I wouldn't have made it this far without your sincerity and friendship."
Alicia, remembering, looks down at the crest in her hand, finally getting a real chance to examine the emblem. "So this is..."
"The crest of Sincerity, yes," Lilimon says with a smile. "It suits you."
Alicia grins, running a finger along its surface. "Thank you. For everything." When Lilimon de-volves, Alicia hugs her tighter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you."
Palmon grins. "I love you too, Alicia."
