The tamers drew a lot with the numbers 1 and 2. Once they drew the lots, the team was divided thus:
Group 1 (Investigation team) - Jian, Ryo, Ruki, Kenta and Ai (with their respective digimon, except Ai)
Group 2 (Guard team) - Takato, Juri, Hirokazu, Shaochung and Mako (with their respective digimon and Culumon with Juri)
"I guess that settles things," said Takato. Mako looked worriedly at his sister. Ai patted him on the head with a smile. "Don't worry. I'll be ok."
"B-But we're both Impmon's partner. How can I-"
"Like I said don't worry. We'll take turns," said Ai. She turned to her digimon "Impmon, please protect Mako."
"Yeah, I will. You take care of yourself, AI," said Impmon.
"We'll be watching over Ai and I'll personally keep an eye out for her," said Jian, startling Ai. The young girl blushed.
"Thank you, onii-san. I'll make sure to protect Shaochung at all times!" said Mako. Jian nodded.
"Lopmon is with me so I can handle myself!" chipped in Shaochung, hugging her rabbit digimon.
"That maybe so, but remember that I'll still chaperoning all of you. If anything thing happens, I'll be responsible," said Jian sternly.
"We're not little kids anymore, Jian! We can take care of ourselves!" protested Shaochung. Her brother was about to retort when Ruki intervened.
"Alright, alright. Can we get going before you guys start another sibling fight? "
Before Jian could protest, she proceeded to drag him away. With a wave, the investigation team set off. They walked for many hours until they found the said cave. At first it seemed like any other ordinary cave. However as they went further inside, the found a wall with strange inscriptions on it. Jian and Kenta wordlessly puled out their laptops and began analyzing the crypted data. Ai did her best to help them while Ruki and Ryo remained on guard.
The data decoding went on for hours together with neither boy showing any signs of resting anytime soon. When skies turned dark, Kenta finally set aside his laptop for a break whilst Jian persevered. MarineAngemon washed Kenta's face with heart shaped bubbles, in an attempt to refresh him. Ai continued to sit by Jian's side and watched him with much interest. Terriermon did his level best to crack jokes and lighten up the tense atmosphere around his tamer but was brushed aside gently but firmly each time. Ryo and Ruki went ahead and set a campfire. Ruki pulled out some snacks that her mother and grandmother had packed and distributed them to the others. As they were munching on them, Cyberdramon growled.
"What is it Cyberdramon?" asked Ryo. The beast like digimon's growl only increase in pitch. Renamon, who was next to Cyberdramon narrowed her eyes. "Something approaches," she said. Immediately, the tamers except Jian were on alert. Ruki, Ryo and their digimon went outside the cave only to witness a black swirling mist head towards them.
"W-What is that?" asked Ruki.
"I don't know," answered Ryo. "But judging from Cyberdramon's expression, whatever it is can't be good."
The black swirl slowly began to dissipate like will O' wisps. From within, a pointed hat with a skull came out followed by a digimon whose face was hidden by its cape. In one hand it held a sun-like staff. Ruki's device read - "Wizamon, Champion level, Data type."
The tamers and Cyberdramon immediately took up a defensive stance. The kitsune however, calmly walked towards the wizard. "R-Renamon?" called out Ruki, in surprise. Renamon merely glanced at Ruki and nodded before turn back towards the digimon before her.
"Wizamon..." she said, in a voice ever so soft. "What brings you here?"
"Re..na..mon," stuttered Wizardmon, as if struggling to speak. "I...don't have much...time. You...must...find it soon..."
"You're not making sense. What must we find?" asked Renamon, puzzled.
Suddenly, Wizardmon, convulsed, like he'd been electrocuted. "Wizamon! What's wrong?" asked the kitsune, worriedly.
"STAY BACK! D-Don't come near me!" he warned, while writhing on the ground. Renamon ignored the wizard and held him in her paws while kneeling next to him. The two tamers could only watch in confusion.
"Y-You must fi-find t-that...Before the evil one does," he managed through shallow breaths.
"Wizamon, I do not understand what you mean-" started Renamon, but Wizamon pointed towards the cave. Then suddenly, just as he had arrived, a black mist pour out from around him, changing his colour to a dark shade. His blue eyes turned red and he attacked Renamon with his staff.
"Renamon!" yelled Ruki, her digivice shining bright.
"Renamon shinka...Kyuubimon."
Cyberdramon, who had somehow been holding back, launched himself at the dark wizard. Wizamon dodged and summoned a thunder cloud. The Champion's attack barely had an effect on the Ultimate. Cyberdramon was about launch his 'Erase claw' when Kyuubimon called out to him. "No, don't kill Wizamon! He's just not in his right senses!" But it was too late. The dragon had already launched several blasts straight at the wizard.
"STOP IT, CYBERDRAMON!" yelled Ryo, pulling out his digivice to restrain his partner. While he struggled with taming his partner, Ruki rushed through the blasts towards Wizardmon.
"Ruki!" cried Kyuubimon, rushing towards her partner. Ruki climbed on her partner to rescue the wizard digimon but it was too late. The blasts had already done the damage and Wizardmon was already disintegrating to data. Before he was entirely deleted, he said, "You...must get it...And help her...Tailmon..."
They expected wizardmon's data to be absorbed by Cyberdramon. However, the dark data entered Kyuubimon instead. "Wh-What? Why? I didn't want to load his data!" cried Kyuubimon, reverting to her in-training from.
"Renamon, what's going on?" asked Ruki. "What's your connection to that wizamon?" Renamon in silence, unable to answer her tamer. "Renamon?" asked Ruki again, worriedly. But the kitsune avoided her eyes, choosing to stare at the ground in shock at the events that took place.
"Ruki, Renamon, are you both ok?" called Ryo. Cyberdramon managed to calmed down.
"Y-Yeah, we're ok," answered Ruki, before looking at her partner.
"I'll explain once we are inside," said Renamon quietly before heading back inside the cave. It was the first time in a while since Renamon kept anything from Ruki. The fact that something was troubling her made Ruki even more worried.
"Let's go," said Ryo, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Yeah," answered Ruki. But as they were walking back, a cold gust of wind gushed past Ruki, sending a chill down her spine. For a split second, she thought it was IceDevimon again. But there was nothing around. She hugged herself as she headed towards the warmth of the cave.
A/N: Yes, in my story Renamon also has a connection to Wizamon (Wizardmon). As to how he is in the digital world when he died in the human world, possibly another story will cover that.