Davis might be under Lineer's manipulation, but Marinda is stepping up and actually fighting on the same side as the other pilots. Davis might have beaten Ichika and the others, but Marinda is stepping up and she might be the only one who has a chance against him.

"Look at this, Marinda. No matter how it happens, you and I keep facing each other on opposing sides." Davis said.

"Spare me the talk." Marinda said. "No matter what the reasons are, you are my enemy at the moment and I'm taking you down like any other enemy. Tartarus!" She summoned her I.S. and was ready to do battle.

"Good. This time, you're dead!" Davis shouted as he charged right at her. Marinda pulled out her twin axes and blocked his attack as he tried to push her back. Marinda lifted her leg and kicked Davis off of her. Marinda took to the sky and Davis went after her. "What's the matter, Marinda? Are you actually scared to fight me?"

"Not even!" Marinda shouted as she fired her cannons, but Davis was able to deflect each one of her attacks.

"Even you know that the father the opponent is, the weaker those attacks become." Davis said, but Marinda surprised him by getting up close.

"How about now?" Marinda said as she charged another blast and hit Davis up close with him falling out of the sky.

"Damn! She's so going to pay for that one!" Davis said. As the two of them were fighting in the air, all Ichika and the others could do was watch.

"I can't believe MArinda is actually fighting on our side." Ichika said.

"It's probably for the best. She's one tough pilot." Houki said. "She really could be the only to be a match for Davis the way he is now." Davis flew at Marinda and the two of them locked weapons again.

"You surprise me. You might have been pitiful, but I never thought you would actually fall victim to Lineer's power." Marinda said.

"Are you kidding?" Davis said. "I'm a whole lot stronger now than I've ever been and this I.S. makes me feel amazing. You would be a fool to turn it away." He put some strength in and pushed Marinda back.

"Spoken like one of Lineer's puppets." Marinda said.

"Shut up!" Davis said as he got over her and swung down. Marinda switch to her sword and tried to block the attack, but there was a lot of force behind that attack and cuased her to slam against the boat.

"Incredible this thing is still floating." Marinda said. Davis landed down and was getting ready to finish her right then and there.

"You're just jealous that you gave all this up." Davis said. Marinda tried to strike him, but Davis used his sword to hold hers back and Davis grabbed her by her neck. Marinda tried to get free, but Davis' grip was too strong. "Look at you, Marinda. You acted like some high and mighty queen when you're really just a failed little girl who couldn't keep up with her mother. You had the right idea about something and Lineer has helped me seen it. Power is everything. If you're strong, you win. That's why I couldn't keep up with you, but now the tables have turned. I'm much stronger and that means I'm the winner." It seemed like the Davis they all knew was gone and bringing him back would be difficult if not impossible. Davis was ready to finish her off, but a laser came at him and shot him. It allowed Marinda to break away and get some distance from him. Davis looked to where the blast came from and saw it came from Serene.

"Don't you dare say that with Davis' voice!" Serene said with a serious glare. "He would never say something like that."

"Right!" Davis looked to the other side and saw Sierra with her missile launchers and started shooting at him. "You're just an imposter and the real Davis is trapped inside you."

"But the hell out!" Davis shouted as he deflected the missiles. Kimi and Lita flew in through the smoke and tried to slash him, but Davis blocked the both of them. "Kimi? Lita? You too?"

"That's right because Marinda had us open our eyes." Kimi said as the two of them tried to attack him.

"We all care about you, Davis. That's why we're fighting you. We're doing this to free the REAL you, Davis." Lita said.

"The Davis you all know is long gone!" Davis said as he pushed the two of them away.

"Davis!" Davis looked through the crowd and saw Kari and Veemon were there as well. "Davis, this isn't you." Veemon said.

"We all know you're hurting, but that's no reason for any of this." Kari said. "We're all your friends. We all just want to help you."

"What can you two do anyway?" Davis asked.

"Nothing." Fria said as she appeared behind him. "But they did provide a good distraction." Fria used the A.I.C. and had Davis trapped.

"What the hell?! Even you, Fria!" Davis said.

"Of course." Marinda said. "All your little friends were hesitant to fight you. I had them convinced that if they really did care about you, they would have to fight you. This way we would free you from Lineer's poison."

"Marinda came up with the plan on using herself as a decoy." Veemon said. "That way, Lita and the others could surprise you with their attacks while Fria got into position to capture you like that."

"Sorry, Davis. It is for your own good." Sierra said.

"Don't apologize." Serene said. "That is not the Davis we all know. The Davis we know would never say the crude things he just did. The real Davis is just trapped inside and we have to free him."

"Damn you, Marinda. You set me up." Davis said.

"I'll do anything to obtain victory. You should know that by now." Marinda said.

"All that is left is to strip you of that I.S. I only wish the stripping would be for a different reason." Fria said.

"Wait until I get my hands on all of you. You're all dead!" Davis said. Marina thought victory was brought upon them, but she looked up and saw something up there.

"Ivakin! Above you!" Marina shouted, but it was too late for Harina came right down and slashed her scythe against the A.I.C. and got Davis free.

"You fools actually thought you could save him? You're all so silly." Harina said.

"Harina! Why are you here?" Marinda questioned.

"I was going to ask you that." Harina said. "You tried to kill these fools, Marinda. Why are you here? Besides, I wanted to see the look on your faces when you learn that you can't separate Davis from Dragonic Hell."

"What do you mean? Why can't we?" Marinda said.

"Lineer knew you would try something like this." Harina said. "That's why she added one more special feature to this I.S. It's connected to Davis' nervous system. If you try to take it off him, it could cause his brain to stop functioning or his heart to stop beating. That wouldn't be good. No. No. No."

"So we can't remove it?" Serene said as that was a scary thought to everyone.

"No. There has to be a way. Those monsters. They won't do this without paying." Ichika said.

"Davis, continue your fun and make sure to kill all of them." Harina said.

"I don't need your permission to do that." Davis said as he was getting ready to attack again.

"Davis, stop!" Lita said as she grabbed a hold of his arms. "Look around at what you're doing. This isn't you. You've got to fight them, not us."

"Shut up!" Davis said as he broke free and kicked her back. "This is who I am now, baby. You want to know something else? I like it."

"I didn't want to do this, but you're not leaving a lot of choice." Serene said as she started shooting at him, but Davis was able to avoid each of her attacks. As Davis was fighting off his friends, all Kari and Veemon could do was watch.

"This is terrible. We have to do something or else Davis might actually kill someone." Veemon said. "Even if we save him, if he kills someone, Davis will never be able to forgive himself."

"I know, but how." Kari said. Kari looked down at Dragonic Heaven in Veemon's hands. She didn't know much, but she knew enough to know that she has to get that to Davis. As Davis continued to fight his friends, Harina enjoyed the show like a child watching her favorite series.

"I don't know why they keep fighting. There's nothing to hold Davis back. He's going free and nothing can stop him." Harina said.

"You should start wishing that you were the same." Marina said as she appeared behind Harina. She tried to strike her, but Harina blocked it.

"Doesn't anyone listen to me? I'm saying that it's pointless." Harina said and the two of them continued to clash their weapons against each. "Davis belongs to us now and you can't save him."

"Don't be so sure. We might still be able to obtain victory thanks to you." Marinda said.

"Because of me?" Harina said. The two pressed their weapons against each other and tried to hold back the other.

"That's right." Marinda said. "I think you don't fully believe that Davis has submitted to you. If he has, why are you even here?"

"Huh?" Harina said as she was confused.

"You must see him as an asset and don't want to lose him." Marinda said. "That's why you revealed he could die if we remove that I.S., but there's another reason. You believe that we might be able to switch him back to our side and you know you can't afford that." Harina actually frowned at Marinda for that. "Thank you. That expression on your face is all the proof I need to tell me I'm right. Victory is still in our reach!" Marinda pushed hard and was able to push her back. Fria tried using her halberd against Davis, but Davis deflected her weapon and kicked her down as well.

"This is just dragging on." Davis said as he walked over to her. "I think it's time I start collecting heads." Ichika acted fast and stood between the two of them.

"That's enough, Davis. Do you even have the slightest idea of what you're even doing?" Ichika said. "You're only being used like some sort of puppet."

"I'm getting tired of hearing this stuff." Davis said. "Ichika, you can't stop me. Byakushiki has no more power. If you want to die first, you asked for it." Davis was about to strike him down, but he felt something grab his other arm and stopped him. Davis looked to his side and saw it was Kari.

"Stop it, Davis. Stop acting like this. I know you're stronger." Kari said. "Remember how we had to fight MetalGreymon and you didn't know if you could do it, but you found the strength. Your friends are going through the same thing you did. Can't you sympathize with that? What about when we fought MaloMyotismon? You were the only one that withstood his spell. So I know you can withstand this."

"Listen to her, Davis!" Veemon said.

"Get off!" Davis said as he shoved her off. "I don't care for any of that anymore. I have real power. You don't seem to have any. So I suggest you move out of the way unless you want to die with everyone else."

"Davis, how far have you fallen into their trap?" Veemon said.

"I've had enough of this." Davis said as he was getting fed up with all the interruptions and just wants to end it now, but Marinda came up behind him and grabbed him from there. She grabbed the black dragon head and was prying the mouth of it open. "Damn it! What are you doing now?"

"Now, creature!" Marinda shouted.

"You mean me?" Veemon said.

"Place Dragonic Heaven inside! I'm hoping it could cause this one to malfunction and he comes back to his senses with his true I.S." Marinda said.

"Okay." Veemon said as he charged in. Veemon jumped and slammed Dragonic Heaven inside. Davis was able to shake Marinda off with her I.S. running out of power, but Veemon wasn't letting go. "Davis, come back to us!" Dragonic Heaven heard the pleas and emitted a bright light that enveloped around the two of them.

…

Davis' Mind

Inside Davis' mind, he was as happy as he could be. It was like every trouble he had never existed. He had all his friends, Kari as his girlfriend, and his real mother with him acting like an actual mother.

"I've never been happier!" Davis said, but it all faded away like dust.

"Davis!" Davis turned around and saw Veemon there.

"What are you doing?!" Davis said as he was acting just like he was outside. "You're interrupting with my happiness."

"You think this is happiness?!" Veemon shouted. He jumped at Davis and bashed his head against Davis. Veemon grabbed Davis' collar and placed his feet on him to keep him where he was. "You know none of this is real happiness. You know better than this. Davis, all your real friends are outside waiting for you. Don't you remember what Ichika and the others told you? They're still your friends. All that is real. Do you really want to lose all that for something that won't be real?"

"Veemon, get out of my head!" Davis said.

"No. I'm not leaving you like this." Davis said. "All of what you see in here can come true in the real world. I know it's not easy to face reality, but it becomes easy when you have friends to face it with. The only way all that happiness can't come true is if you give up on it. You taught me that." Davis wasn't listening as he summoned his sword and actually stabbed Veemon with it. "Don't let them….take it all away." Veemon said before he faded away as the sparkles shined around his eyes in hopes that he sees clearly and be free from this false happiness.

…..

Outside

The force of the two units acting against each other inside Davis caused an explosion of light to go off and Veemon was blown away from him with Dragonic Heaven.

"Veemon!" Kari called out as she raced over and caught him with Dragonic Heaven landing near them.

"Davis!" Veemon shouted. All of them turned to him to see he dropped his sword and was taking deep breaths.

"Did it work?" Sierra asked.

"I can't tell." Kimi said, but they were all hoping it did, but it didn't seem like there was any change.

"Looks like they did fail to get Davis back." Harina said and turned from him. "Oh, Davis! I have a great idea. Let's sink this boat!" She raised her scythe and was ready to destroy the boat with Davis. What she didn't see was that Davis came right at her and drove his foot against her back and sent her crashing against the tower of the observation deck. Harina pulled her face out and didn't understand what just happened. "What the?" Everyone looked to Davis and could now see something was different that how he was before.

"I'm sick and tired of all your yapping!" Davis shouted and energy exploded around him from his rage. "How dare you bastards mess with my head like that!"

"Davis!" Veemon shouted. Davis grabbed a hold of the I.S. and tried to force it off him.

"Get this thing off me!" Davis said. As he was pulling, it was damaging his body.

"Davis, stop it!" Chifuyu said.

"I want it off!" Davis said.

"No/Stop/Don't/ No, you idiot/ You can't!" Ichika's friends said.

"I want it off!" Davis said.

"Davis!" Lita called out.

"You can't do that!" Sierra said, but Davis wasn't listening to any of them as Dragonic Hell was being torn up.

"Stop it, Motomiya! You'll die if you just tear it off!" Marinda shouted.

"I don't care!" Davis said as he nearly succeeded. "I'm taking this thing off even if it kills me!" Davis shouted as an electrical surge exploded around him as he ripped every piece of the I.S. right off him. His body became badly damaged and it took the illusion that he actually killed a friend to free him from his prison. Somehow, he was still able to stay alive and snapped back to it. "I've got to….cause Dragonic Heaven is the only I.S. for me."

…

Davis: I can't believe that snake and purple witch messed with my head like that. I've got some friends to do what they did to me. Marinda, on the other hand, is a different story. She claims that she'll fight by our side now. I still don't know if I can trust her. I need to know if she's truly convicted to this job and I think I know how I can do that.

Next Time: The Brother and the Sister

I also got Kari to thank. She came all this way to help even though she doesn't have a way to fight.