Everything feels off balanced when one of their own is missing. Even though Alberto doesn't know Alicia that well, still. He glances around uncertainly, relieved that Gabumon is right next to him as he trudges after the others. Nothing really has been going the way he wanted it to upon his return- his US title reign, being digidestined again... it all just feels wrong, and he assumes it's because Ricardo isn't by his side but the former ring announcer seems happy in India so he tries to focus on his own career, what needs to be done from here on. To retain his US title, to help find Alicia and ensure she's safe and whole.

"So where is this village?" Dean asks, burying his hands in his pockets as they walk past a cluster of houses.

"Check your digivice," Alberto grumbles when no one else seems in a hurry to respond. Dean stares at him, unimpressed, until Alberto huffs out a sigh and looks at his own. "Should be just ahead," he says simply. Matter of a fact, there's a village just within sight that, as they approach, is proven to be the very blinking light on the Digivice. As they enter, a group of Digimon look up at them, fear in their eyes.

"Oh, help has arrived!" an Agumon exclaims, relief and joy in his voice as he runs up to the Digidestined. "You are our saviors, yes?"

Alberto hesitates as Dean, Dolph and Zack exchange glances. "Sure, bro?" Zack finally speaks up. "Well, I mean, there's some trouble here, right?"

The few Agumons and Koromons visible all hesitate. "Maybe," the initial Agumon who confronted them hedges. "You see, when this village was first made, it was to be a peaceful place for us Agumon and Koromon to live, and although we welcomed a Toy Agumon to reside alongside us, he was disruptive and destroyed everything he touched, so we had no choice but to exile him. On his way out, he promised to return and make us suffer for this humiliation."

"Ok... well, do you know a specific date, or...?" Dean asks, his hands moving around with no obvious rhyme or reason as he considers having to guard this village for who knows how long until the digimon with dark intent returns.

"Actually, we have some idea," another Agumon speaks up. "Neighboring villages have reported seeing a RizeGreymon approaching this area. It's him, it has to be. We need your help to prepare to defend against him."

"Well, at least we have a time frame," Dolph mumbles, turning to look away from the village. "Did they say how far away he was?"

"Not far, and he moves very quickly," a Koromon squeaks fearfully.

"Well, then, guess we'd better be prepared, just in case," Dean mutters, trudging back towards the entrance of the village. "Fan out, we'll keep an eye out on all sides. You all will be fine," he promises the young Digimon, trying to ease their fears.

Zack and Dolph take the west and south sides while Alberto goes east, Dean remaining on the northern track. Pondering how long all of this might take, Alberto glances down at Gabumon, who is searching the sky as best as he can from his height. "See anything?"

"Not yet," he murmurs. "RizeGreymon... they are vicious Digimon, with strong attack powers." He glances up at Alberto. "It's an ultimate level, Alberto. At least most of us can digivolve to that strength, but Otamamon..."

"Right," Alberto mumbles. Another reason he's still not sure Dean was the correct choice as leader, since at least Gabumon could digivolve to ultimate. Hell, even Ziggler's partner could digivolve to mega by now. Dean was just too fresh, too inexperienced. He paces around a bit, watching the sky, listening... when he finally hears it. A distinct roar, off in the distance... but it's not heading his way, no... it's heading towards the front of the village.

He grits his teeth, realizing that the attacking Digimon is targetting their most vulnerable spot. "Come on, Gabumon!" he exclaims, rushing around to the northern part of the village. It takes a good five minutes at a run to reach the area and by the time he arrives, Otamamon is downed, a missile launcher aimed right at him. A second is directed towards Dean and Alberto breathes in deeply, barely lifting his digivice when the digivolution sequence has begun.

Vajaramon stomps against the ground menacingly, watching as finally RizeGreymon turns towards him, losing interest in Otamamon and Dean as soon as he sees the challenge of someone close to his power. Vajaramon laughs dismissively as RizeGreymon growls, aiming his launcher at him instead. As soon as the blast is released, Vajaramon lifts his sword and deflects it, the attack harmlessly blowing up in the sky overhead. Burning fragments rain down but neither digimon seem to mind as they approach each other. "Treasure sword!" Vajaramon cries out, slicing at the dinosaur and scraping along his armor until he slices through flesh.

RizeGreymon screams in pain before aiming his missile launchers once more at Vajaramon, the beast powering them up all at once even as data trickles lazily from the wound. "Trident revolver!" he cries, shooting them off three times in a row. Vajaramon moves quickly, dodges the first, but the second clips his rump and the third hits him directly.

"VAJARAMON!" Alberto cries out, rushing forward and catching his partner as he dedigivolves back to Gabumon, singed and barely breathing. "No, no, no-" His distressed mumbles cease when he looks up to find himself inches away from RizeGreymon. "Ay dios-" RizeGreymon swipes at him, sending him flying backwards, Gabumon still held in his arms.

They land a few feet away, Alberto staring up blankly as he struggles to breathe again. RizeGreymon is coming, Alberto can feel the ground rattling with each step... but then there's a yell. "Hey! Pick on someone your own size, huh!?" and it's Dean, and it's so stupid because Dean can't do anything, Dean is a mere human like himself, with an injured rookie partner... but then he realizes there's a glow coming from nearby, then a crest shoots out and fits perfectly in the palm of Dean's hand. "Otamamon!"

The digimon is still weak but he responds to his partner's voice, he gets to his feet and stumbles forward as the digivolution sequence begins. Once he's settled, once he's grown stronger, Alberto squints at the digimon. Similar to Seth's partner, WaruSeadramon has a bright red body with black armor and a golden horn, his teeth extended as he snarls at RizeGreymon, eager for this rematch.

"Trident revolver!" RizeGreymon yells, shooting rapidly at the newly digivolved creature... but WaruSeadramon dodges, his serpentine body dancing around until he's facing RizeGreymon once more.

"Darkstrom!" he cries out, flooding the area in front of him with a very carefully controled whirlpool- it only surrounds RIzeGreymon, WaruSeadramon keeping the humans safe. As soon as RizeGreymon is surrounded, unable to escape, WaruSeadramon bursts through the wall of water and pierces him with his horn, shattering his armor and leaving him limp on the ground once the water disappears.

He deletes slowly, clearly struggling through the pain, and WaruSeadramon returns to Dean's side, the group of them watching as RizeGreymon fades into little particles of data scattered by the wind. "Well," Alberto sighs, cringing as his body protests the impact of it all. "Gracias." It's weird thanking anyone, but Dean had saved his life, so. Here they are.

"You're welcome. Let's find Zack and Dolph and go home, huh?"

Gabumon is wavering at Alberto's feet and, when WaruSeadramon dedigivolves, Otamamon collapses into Dean's waiting arms, already fast asleep. Alberto nods. "Sounds great."