There was quite an uproar at the Rebel base: one of their own had been captured!
"I don't know exactly what happened," said Weregarurumon as he explained what had happened for the umpteenth time. "Wargreymon and I each had a hold on Exveemon, but he somehow managed to break free right before we got him through the portal. Then that crazy digimon went at all those Etemon and Gazimon with his V-Laser attack, and then there was this explosion! I don't know how or what could've set it off, but I'm guessing that Exveemon's attack might've hit a wire in the wall or something, or maybe it didn't have anything to do with Exveemon. But either way, there was an explosion, Wargreymon and I were thrown through the portal, and by the time we came around, we were back here and they were telling us that the portal in Metaletemon's lair had been destroyed, and that Exveemon never came back. Now there's no way back there to the Black Palace, and there's little chance we'll ever see Exveemon again."
The werewolf-digimon's audience sat silently throughout all this, only to start talking once he finished.
"No way at all?"
"But that was our one chance of destroying the Black Network!"
"Oh why did we let Exveemon come along with us?"
"Isn't there any other way?"
"I don't know if there is," Weregarurumon called over the noise. "We could try making another portal, but, like the other one, it'll still take a very long time to create, and perhaps even trickier if Metaletemon realized what we were doing."
"Do you think he or one of his guards saw you when you came in through the portal?" someone asked.
"I don't know," the werewolf-digimon replied. "Its... its possible there were security cameras in the Black Palace, but nobody has ever been there, save for Metaletemon and his cronies, and I doubt they would've gone around talking about it."
"That must've been it! He must have security cameras."
"Why wasn't that taken into account?"
"Because we had no idea there would be any," Weregarurumon growled.
"Oh, but now we've lost all chances of ever defeating Metaletemon-!"
"No we haven't!" Weregarurumon shouted. Then he said in a calmer voice, "We don't know for sure if Metaletemon saw the portal; its very possible the portal let us off in one of the cameras' blind-spots. So there is another chance of trying it again with another portal."
"Couldn't you have tried to get the portal to let you off at the main battery or whatever it is for the Black Network?"
"We did think of that, except portals are very tricky to place in areas you've never been in," Weregarurumon explained. "Plus, we have no idea exactly where Metaletemon keeps his so-called 'battery', so..."
"Will Exveemon be alright?" asked a concerned Kazemon.
"Who cares?" said a cold voice.
Everyone turned startled eyes towards Blackweregarurumon, who had spoken.
"Frankly, considering what he'd done back there, I'd say he had it coming."
"That's low, even for a digimon like you!" Kazemon cried.
"You're not at all worried about what Exveemon might be going through over there?" Weregarurumon inquired softly, yet everyone heard him.
Blackweregarurumon looked back at his blue counterpart steadily. "Allow me to be a little more detailed. Am I glad that he's there? No, even I don't think anybody deserves to in the clutches of a crazy monkey like Metaletemon. But look at the facts: Exveemon was never very useful, was he? Sure, he was strong, and he was brave, give credit where credits due. But he was foolhardy, stubborn, rash, and he displayed all of those qualities back at the Black Palace. He disobeyed orders, foolishly charged a whole army of ultimates, and its very possible that he was the one who caused the explosion.
"Had he been obeying orders and running towards the portal like he should have, but ended up missing it anyway, then I'd feel more sorry for him. But right now, I think he brought his current predicament on himself. So really, I can only shake my head in pity, both because it is a terrible fate, and because he wasn't wise enough to avoid it."
The other digimon glared at Blackweregarurumon throughout his speech, yet none of them could really argue with his logic.
"So that being said," the black werewolf-digimon said to Weregarurumon. "What's the next plan? Do we just shut ourselves up in here for awhile while another portal is made? Or is there another line of action?"
"I don't exactly know," the blue werewolf-digimon replied. "Wargreymon is the one who gives orders around here."
"I see, and where is our O great leader?"
Wargreymon was, at this moment, in his private quarters, sitting hunched on the edge of his bed, head buried deep in his hands.
He had left a soldier behind.
As leader, it was his responsibility to look out for all of his digimon, to make certain that each of them made it back to base...
And he had failed. Oh, so miserably had he failed...
Suddenly the door opened.
Wargreymon turned his face away. "I don't want any company right now."
A rich, sweet scent overcame him, and the mega digimon knew right away who was there before she spoke.
"You can't sit there, wallowing in self-pity like that," Rosemon said. "We still have a cause, and lots of digimon are still looking to you to be their leader. If you fall apart now, then all will be lost."
Wargreymon finally looked up, and Rosemon was a bit surprised to see that his green eyes were slightly watery.
"I left a digimon behind-"
"No you didn't," the beautiful flower-digimon interrupted. "I was told the whole story. You were thrown back into the portal before you could get him. You were trying to get him back, but something prevented you! Things like that happen, and you can't let them get you down. And besides, the more you sit here, the less chance we have of saving Exveemon. Now, are you going to come with me and formulate a few plans, or are you still going to sit here?"
Wargreymon's eyes lost their wateriness. "Thank you, Rosemon."
"It was my pleasure," was the sultry reply before she kissed him on the cheek.
Exveemon groaned.
The last thing he remembered was being hauled off by four of those Etemon before something or someone knocked him upside the head (probably Metaletemon), turning the whole world black.
He opened his eyes, only to squeeze them shut. Ugh, it must've been Metaletemon who clubbed him, his head hurt!Fortunately, the pain slowly began to subside, and Exveemon was able to sit up and look around.
He was in a room, no door and no windows. There didn't look like there were any light bulbs or torches around, and yet he could see everything rather clearly... not there was much to see, anyway.
Exveemon stood up carefully; his limbs felt a little stiff, probably from being stretched they were earlier. Well, no matter, he better figure out on a way out of here!
If there was.
He walked up to one of the walls and pushed against it.
"It's all made of Chrome Digizoid, so don't bother."
Exveemon yelped and whirled around.
There, leaning against the wall opposite of him, was Metaletemon himself.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" the dragon-digimon snapped. "And where'd you come from? You weren't there a second ago!"
"I have my ways," the android-digimon answered evasively. "Well, no matter, this your interrogation, not mine. Or is it 'mine and not yours', because I'll be the one asking questions? Heh heh, I always get those mixed up-"
"Well I'm not answering any questions of yours'!" Exveemon snarled, putting up both fists.
This time Metaletemon did laugh, slapping his thigh. "Dahahahahaha! Its so funny the way how you, a champion, think you've got even a chance against me, a mega."
"Don't be so sure of yourself," growled Exveemon, starting forward.
Metaletemon also started forward. "I think I should be saying that to you."
Exveemon gave a roar and charged, landing a left-handed punch into Metaletemon's chest-
"AUGH!"
The champion-digimon groaned as he tenderly held his hand, which felt like it might be broken.
Metaletemon, who hadn't moved at all, grinned charmingly. "You're not very smart, are you?"
Suddenly Exveemon leaped into the air over the mega's head, kicking backwards into his back.
This time Metaletemon did react, stumbling forward a little, but that was mostly from surprise. As for Exveemon, he gave another startled grunt of pain and landed belly-down on the floor, his ankles feeling like they were dislodged from their feet.
Metaletemon sighed and shook his head as he turned around to survey Exveemon. "You're just making this hard on yourself, y'know. I already knew you couldn't stand up to any of my attacks, which is why I haven't any intention of fighting you."
"Then..." gasped Exveemon, rolling over onto his back. "What... do you plan... to do?"
"Not sure, really," the mega-digimon replied, squatting down net to the champion. "Can't use violence to get you to talk..."
"And I'm not going to tell you anything!" Exveemon yelled, propping himself on one elbow.
"I figured you wouldn't be willing to cooperate either," Metaletemon replied smilingly. "Which is why we're here in this room. There's no way for you or anyone to get in or out. I, however, can get out, though how, you'll never hear from me until you give me some answers."
"Well then," Exveemon said after a moment. "I suppose I'll just have to stay here until I die, then."
Metaletemon's smile became a grin. "Not before I persuade you to give me at least a few answers."
"You'll never be able to 'persuade' me to do anything!"
"You'd be surprised. I'm very persuasive."