"I don't know why I'm doing this," Zack sighs.
"Because I'm tired from all of that Denny's food and you offered to give me a piggy back ride after the trip through the portal made me a little sick?" Dolph reminds him with his best grin, Zack looking unimpressed as he hoists Dolph higher up on his back, linking his fingers around Dolph's thighs.
Patamon and Impmon exchange glances, Patamon giggling to himself as Impmon huffs at their partners. The four of them have split from the others to try to sweep the area for any potential problems faster, Dolph immediately wheedling until Zack had offered the piggy back ride so they could just get the show on the road.
All humor leaves them when they hear a solid thud against the ground, Zack immediately standing up straighter and looking ahead, both digimon freezing. "What was that?" he asks, moving so Dolph can hop back down on the ground easier. Dolph barely plants his feet on the ground when there's another heavy footstep, rattling them even worse. Patamon immediately digivolves but he's just barely floated in front of Zack when a massive beam of fire eats through him, sending him flying backwards and returning to his Patamon form.
"Patamon!" Zack cries out, running towards him- just to get caught halfway across and thrown up and back by what looks like an arm bone. Dolph struggles to figure out where he should focus first- Zack or on the approaching enemy when Impmon rushes forward and digivolves, trying to distract the skeleton creature approaching them. "Wha- what is that?" Zack chokes out, just barely conscious a few feet away from where Dolph is standing. His dark eyes are staring forward, and Dolph kneels by him, following his gaze.
"Skull Greymon," Patamon keens, barely able to keep his eyes open. "He... he... Wizardmon, you need to digivolve further, you can't... you can't fight him like this..."
Wizardmon seems to know this but it's difficult to find an opportunity especially when he's fighting alone. Dolph is aware of this and lunges up, chasing towards Skull Greymon, ignoring both Zack and Wizardmon's protests as he races across the grass. Skull Greymon laughs mouthily at him before swiping out, slicing him across the middle and throwing him opposite of where Zack is sprawled weakly. Wizardmon then takes the chance, fueled by worry and determination to save his partner and his best friend. "Wizardmon warp digivolve to..." The flashes of energy and light are blinding and actually quells Skull Greymon long enough for Wizardmon to achieve mega level, Beelzebumon immediately aiming his guns at the skeleton digimon. "You didn't think I'd figure out a way?" he wonders, baring his teeth and smirking at th frozen creature.
He races forward and finally Skull Greymon reacts and slams his hand up, scraping along Beelzebumon's armor, trying to find a weak point. What he's not expecting is Beelzebumon's speed, claws scraping between his bones trying to find his innards... and finally succeeds, aiming his gun in the place his every instinct is pushing him towards. "Heartbreak shot!" he declares, his bullets ripping holes through Skull Greymon's chest, destroying him almost immediately upon his heart's destruction.
As soon as he's gone, Zack crawls painfully towards Dolph and half blankets his body with his own. "Bro," he hisses out. "Bro..."
"I'm here," Dolph mumbles wearily, hand resting against Zack's hair. "Are you ok?"
"I think so." They lay tangled up like that until finally some strength returns to them and slowly they help each other to their feet and drag towards the digiport, eager to get back to the others and go home. "If only there was a third person here to give us both piggy back rides."
Dolph's laugh makes it all worth it for Zack.
