Raph and Mikey were heading home, Tsunomon tucked under Raph's arm and Patamon on Mikey's head.

"I hope we find this eighth kid soon…" Mikey muttered.

"We will. I bet they'll be great!" Patamon chirped.

"…Do you think Kitty's okay?"

"She's fine, Raph. She seems stronger than she looks." Patamon answered.

"How would ya know?" Raph asked defensively.

"Just a feeling."

"Like that shows how strong she is!"

"Raphie!" Mikey warned.

Patamon seemed a bit hurt, and flew off.

"PATAMON!!!!!"

Mikey glared slightly at his older brother before trying to chase down his partner.

'Great! I lose my temper ONCE and I get BOTH 'a 'em mad at me!'

He followed his younger brother, but they soon lost sight of Patamon.

"Just GREAT…" Raph grumbled, looking around.

It was dark out, so he knew Kitty would worry about them.

That's when he saw two Digimon down the street.

"It's Pumpkinmon and Gotsumon!" Tsunomon stated.

The In-Training Digimon jumped to the ground.

"Tsunomon, Digivolve to…GABUMON!!"

But it seemed the two Digimon were more interested in playing around than fighting.

The two disguised turtles were dragged around the city, and Mikey actually had fun, until he'd remember Patamon wasn't there.

That's when Myotismon appeared…

"We were just…lulling them into a false sense of security!"

"Yeah! Exactly!"

Raph growled, pulling his youngest brother behind him.

"Then get them, you fools!"

The two once playful Digimon turned on them, and Raph ground his teeth together.

'We've gotta run…'

He pushed back his own pride, grabbing Gabumon and Mikey before running.

He ran into an alley, but it was a dead end, a dumpster on the other end.

Pumpkinmon and Gotsumon were soon at the mouth of it, and Raph whirled around.

"Don't ya dare!" He growled.

"Cool it! We're not gonna hurt you!"

Confusion crossed their faces.

"We only want to have fun! We don't want to hurt anyone!"

They paused.

"Myotismon is coming! You've gotta hide!"

Raph nodded, hiding behind the dumpster.

Mikey buried his face in his brothers shoulder, not wanting to see anything, and Raph listened closely to what was going on.

"Where are the children?"

He knew Myotismon's voice only TOO well…

"They got away! Yeah!"

"We lost sight of 'em!"

"You fools!!"

There was a flash of light, and Raph was sure he heard something hit the floor.

'He killed 'em…'

He could hear Mikey whimper beside him, clinging more tightly to his side.

'He killed 'em…they didn't want this…they didn't DESERVE this! He killed 'em fer nothin'!'

Raph's crest started glowing.

"Gabumon, Digivolve to…GARURUMON!!"

The wolf Digimon jumped out of hiding with a snarl, lashing out at Myotismon with his fangs.

Raph stood up, glaring at Myotismon.

"Ya heartless basturd!! How could ya do that to 'em?!"

His crest glowed brighter.

"THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHIN'!!!!"

"Garurumon, Digivolve to…WEREGARURUMON!!"

The two Digimon jumped out of the alley, fighting, and the two no-longer-disguised turtles followed.

"Weregarurumon!!!"

Mikey looked up when he saw a bright white light.

"Patamon, Digivolve to…ANGEMON!!"

"ANGEMON!!!" Mikey exclaimed happily.

"Hand of Fate!"

"Wolf Claw!"

Myotismon fled, weakened, and the two Digimon Dedigivolved.

Patamon landed on Mikey's head, and Gabumon came to Raph's side.

"Patamon…"

Patamon looked at the red-banded turtle.

"…I'm sorry…"

Patamon smiled.

"It's nothing! I forgive you."

Mikey smiled.

"Me, too!"

Raph sighed, shaking his head slightly.

'Now we need ta get back an' tell the others…'

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Kitty sat on the same rooftop, looking up at the stars.

'Where are Raphie and Mikey?'

She didn't notice the exchange going on a couple rooftops away.

She knew Leo and Agumon would come up eventually to check up on her, but she wasn't going to head home until her two brothers came home.

That's when she saw something move in the dark sky to her left, and she looked up to see a Digimon, carrying the one she'd met before, land on the rooftop a few feet away.

She tilted her head curiously.

"Hello, again." She greeted with a gentle smile.

The larger Digimon put a small device in the cat Digimon's paw, giving her a gentle push towards the white-banded turtle.

"What's this?"

She reached for it, and the screen flashed a bright pink when her fingers grazed the surface.

"Then it is true." The other Digimon stated.

"You are the eighth Digidestined child, and Gatomon is your Digimon."

Kitty looked up in surprise.

"Just like my brothers? I'm a Digidestined?"

"KITTY!!!!"

She turned sharply, seeing Leo.

"Leo!! Don't-!!"

"Pepper Breath!"

Gatomon pushed Kitty out of the way, and the attack got her in the stomach.

"GATOMON!!"

Kitty moved to her Digimon's side.

"She…She protected Kitty…"

Leo sounded baffled.

"Because she's my Digimon! I'm a Digidestined, too!"

Leo's eyes widened.

"Y-You're the eighth child?"

The other Digimon nodded.

"Kitty is the eighth child, and Gatomon is her partner."

Gatomon nodded.

"Wizardmon is right. But we still have a problem."

She looked Leo straight in the eyes.

"We need to get her crest back from Myotismon."

"Her crest?" Leo asked, looking at the one around Gatomon's neck.

"This one is a copy given to Myotismon's henchmen in order to find her. Even a copy will glow when it comes within range of her or her Digivice."

Leo nodded, moving closer.

"How can we get her crest?"

"Me and Wizardmon will go and get it. You guys stay hidden. We'll be back soon."

Kitty looked worriedly at Gatomon.

"Please be careful, Gatomon…"

"I will."

So the two Digimon flew off.

"I hope they'll be okay…"

"Kitty, give me your Digivice."

She looked curiously at her oldest brother.

"Why?"

"Just in case. We don't want anyone to find out you're the eighth child."

She nodded slightly, giving him the Digivice, and he strapped on the watch with the white face.

"Just in case."

She rolled her eyes.

"You're getting paranoid, bro. Gatomon said they'd be fine, and they'll be back here soon. Then we can defeat Myotismon."

'…I hope it's that simple…'

They looked out at the city, Kitty straining to see if she could hear anything, when Leo saw a flash of lightning near Liberty Island.

"Uh oh…"

Leo turned to Kitty.

"You need to hide somewhere!"

"But-!"

"This is no time to argue with me, Kitty! GO!"

He grabbed Agumon, running to the fire escape.

'I hope they get there in time…'

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Greymon was moving as fast as he could, trying to reach Gatomon.

Leo, on his shoulder, saw Wizardmon get knocked into the water, holding Kitty's crest tightly in his hand.

"Hey!! Get away from her, Myotismon!!"

Greymon roared, nearly shaking the island itself.

"The Digidestined have come to protect you…you must be the eighth Digimon!"

"Nova Blast!"

Gatomon jumped away, and Leo got off his partner's shoulder.

Myotismon blocked the attack with his cape.

"Greymon!! Digivolve!!!" Leo yelled, standing in front of Gatomon.

"Greymon, Digivolve to…METALGREYMON!!"

"Crimson Lightning!"

Metalgreymon tried to block, but was hit back.

"Giga Blaster!"

The missiles were knocked off course, nearly hitting Leo and Gatomon.

"Mega Claw!"

Myotismon grabbed hold of it, and threw Metalgreymon at the ground behind him.

The Ultimate-level Digimon rolled, Dedigivolving to Agumon before stopping.

"AGUMON!!"

"Grizzly Wing!"

The bats distracted Leo, and some grabbed Gatomon, lifting her up.

"GATOMON!!"

"Leo, HELP!!!"

Leo ran forward as Myotismon flew into the sky.

"With Gatomon, I'll find the eighth child!! And then both worlds will be mine!!"

'I can't let him find Kitty! I can't!'

Leo tripped, landing on his hands and knees.

"You'll never get the eighth child!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" He screamed out, as if trying to reassure himself.

He had to protect her…

"I'll die before I let you!!!"

He felt helpless again, watching Gatomon get carried away.

'…How am I supposed to tell Kitty?'

He helped Agumon up, and they headed back to where they'd left Kitty.

Her head shot up, a hopeful look on her face.

"Is Gatomon okay? Where is she? Where's Wizardmon?"

"…Kitty…"

She felt the sadness, and tears threatened to fill her eyes.

"Leo…"

"She's…Gatomon was taken…by Myotismon…"

The tears nearly spilled over.

"Wizardmon…"

"…I don't think he's coming back…" Leo admitted, and it tore at his heart to see her cry like that.

"Kitty…Kitty, its okay…" He soothed, bringing her into a comforting hug.

"She could be hurt…or worse…" He heard her sob out.

"She's fine. I promise...he's going to use her…to find you…"

Her grip tightened.

"…So it's my fault…"

"No! It's not your fault! It's his…"

"Leo?"

He turned his head to see Raph and Mikey.

"Guys…I need to talk to you…"

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"Myotismon found out Gatomon is the eighth Digimon, so he kidnapped her in order to lure the eighth child to him?" Don asked.

Leo had explained everything, except that Kitty was the eighth child.

No need to make his OTHER brothers paranoid…

"Yep. So we'd better speed up the search. Call the girls later, Don."

Don nodded, saying, "I'll call tomorrow…"

Raph sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"The Shell Cell...well…it doesn't work…"

Don glared at his red-banded brother.

"Why?"

"…Uh…I kinda…fell on it…"

"…YOU WHAT!?!"

"Calm down, Donnie!" Leo said, getting between them.

"It's okay! We'll just have to go ourselves."

Mikey smiled, saying, "I'll go!"

Leo sighed.

"Okay…but if we want them to get the message tomorrow morning, you'd better go now…Patamon, take care of him."

Both nodded, heading for the door.

"Be careful!!"

Raph looked at Kitty, who was sleeping on the couch, her face tear-stained.

"…What's wrong with her?"

Leo looked at her guiltily.

"…Maybe I'll tell you later…"

And he went to bed…