"Well, at least we're not in the virus zone again," Zack offers, resting a hand on top of Patamon's head as they walk through the Data Zone, keeping an eye on their Digivices while looking for the trouble that their maps are pointing them towards.

"Because we've always had so much better luck in Vaccine or Data zones," Dolph says, squinting against the bright midafternoon sun. "Why did we forget to bring sunglasses? Ugh..."

"I didn't forget," Zack smirks, adjusting his pair over his eyes with a smirk. Dolph rolling his eyes at him makes him only grin brighter and Dolph swats him in the back of the head, trudging after him. Seth, Alicia, Wade and Heath are scattered around, walking quietly towards the spot on the map when there's a flash of blue that Zack looks towards with a frown. "Hey, bros, hang on," he calls to the others. They all slow and peer back at him but see nothing other than Zack looking confused. "I think I saw something," he says, taking off his sunglasses to get a better look.

Seth quickly loses patience with him and continues on, his hands buried in his pockets as Betamon loiters on his shoulder, the others following his lead when there's another flash of light that attracts Zack's attention, his eyes searching the immediate area to try to find the cause of it. He doesn't say anything this time, however, quietly following the others. Every time he sees a streak of blue or gold, however, he stops and tries to find it again just to realize that it's gone missing again.

He's just beginning to think he's losing his mind when there's a deep explosion not far away, sending them all flying feet away. Zack stirs and sits up, trying to wipe his face clean of dirt and grime when he spots it. There's a deep crater in the ground, as wide as it is deep and all he can do is gape down at it in shock. "What the hell is this?" Another flash of blue and gold and he feels an intense heat by his elbow when... he's knocked back once more, his entire body tense with the pain of it. He thinks he hears a whisper in the wind but he can't grasp it, only able to see blue and gold flashes beyond his eyelids.

He's not sure how much time has passed when he feels something staring at him. He's tempted to swat at it, thinking it's either Dolph or Impmon, but his instincts stop him at the last moment and he instead squints his eyes open, peering at the creature before him. "...Shit," he breathes. He has a human shape, but there's intense golden energy arcing around his body, leaving him impenetrable. "Who are you?"

The creature doesn't say anything for a long moment. "I am Mirage Gaogamon," he breathes, sounding as if each word causes him pain. "Burst Mode... You are Digidestined."

"Yes," Zack mumbles, trying to stay conscious as his head throbs from the hard landing he'd suffered during the explosion. By the looks of it, the others hadn't faired much better.

"Why are you here?" the blue armored humanoid asks. "I thought I was alone so I could drain some of my energy by attacking the ground..."

"We were alerted there was a problem, bro," Zack tells him. "We have to investigate each report, so we came here... I thought I was seeing you, but you disappeared as soon as I caught sight of you each time, so I didn't know what was going on. And no one else saw you..." He groans and closes his eyes, wishing he had tylonel on hand.

"I was a normal Mirage Gaogamon once," he says wistfully. "But my energy levels began to multiply and I mode changed into this form... now I can't control my attacks unless I try to drain my power... I grow weary of this existence..." Mirage Gaogamon Burst Mode stares down at him. "You claim you're here to help with issues. Help me..."

"How?" Zack demands. "I don't know how to help you, bro. You're too powerful and I'm the only one here who's still conscious. What can I do?"

Mirage Gaogamon Burst Mode releases a breath. "I have an attack, but it doesn't work properly on inanimate objects." He looks doubtfully at Patamon as he listens to them, blue eyes intense on the powerful Digimon. "Can your partner Digivolve?"

"Yes," Zack says quietly. "Why?"

"My attack is... it allows me to drain all of my power," Mirage Gaogamon explains. "If I could try to hit your partner with it, and he could avoid, I would be freed from having to do this just to function."

Zack looks at Patamon, who looks reluctant. "I... what do you think, Patamon? Do you want to help him? Digivolve to Darcmon and see how it goes?"

Patamon stares up at Mirage Gaogamon for a moment, taking in the deep desperation and weariness in his gaze, making him want to help. "...Alright," he says finally. "Patamon Digivolve to... Darcmon!" Once the light of the evolution fades, he stands straight and stares at Mirage Gaogamon, watching as he holds his weapon out in front of him, gold energy streaming around his hands and growing with each second. As it pulses, Darcmon holds his breath, trying to trust in Zack's decision to help this Digimon.

As he stands still and watches, Mirage Gaogamon Burst Mode focuses on the energy cycling through his hands and growing in intensity until his body starts to waver and drift, data streaming around him. As his attack grows, more of his body deletes. Darcmon prepares to move away as his fingers start to fade away, Mirage Gaogamon finally aiming the attack at him with the last of his strength. It blows towards him, pulsing and preparing to explode. The closer it gets, the harder Darcmon finds it to focus...

"MOVE DARCMON!" Zack screams, snapping his partner out of it. Darcmon flies up and away, missing the most of the attack. A bit of his wing is singed, causing him to land heavily into the ground and skidding. He then dedigivolves when Zack runs up to him, scooping him up. When he stands up and turns to look, Mirage Gaogamon is gone, leaving nothing behind but the craters to prove he'd just been here. "What just happened, bro?" he asks Patamon, who's lounging limply in his arms.

"I don't know," Patamon mumbles, his eyes closed. "My side hurts."

"I'm sorry, bro," Zack whispers, touching where the attack had briefly impacted. "You're going to be ok. Put you back in the digivice and go home."

"Sounds good," he sighs. They're still standing there, catching their breath, when there's a bright glowing light engulfing one of the craters. "What is that?" When the light fades away, a Digiegg is laying there and Zack slides down the side, picking it up. "Do you think this is Mirage Gaogamon?" he wonders, examining the designs on the egg.

"Probably," Patamon says quietly. "We should take him to Luke, maybe he can help him control his power once he Digivolves to a higher level."

"Sounds like a plan, bro," Zack grins. "Let's go wake the others up and do that."