A/N: Hey guys, remember when I thought this would be a story with fast updates? Remember when I had freedom? Hahaha... that's not happening. but thankfully, this fic is still oodles of fun and I'm enjoying way too much to hiatus it until life stops being a prick. Thinking about it, that's basically never, so hey!

To all of my new reviewers (who I have yet to talk to and really should, hello everyone) get ready for the crazy train because this ain't gonna stop! I hope you all come back for more.

For my old readers, following this fic, while i write out the 01 pilot story and War Game fics (the latter at least will be out before the 02 story because it has direct prevalence to the 02 story (yes, this series isn't stoppin until... probably about the time of the epilogue, at which point, I will have to stop unless someone wants to write those stories I will leave enough details in those last stories for everyone to make up their own ideas), there will be a prequel story, detailing the original Chosen Children. Original Characters, because i have some running around in my brain and I really need to use them before they decide to run off and join the revolution with the others...). The reason I'm saying this now is because hints are going to start appearing in these stories about them, as well as any other little side-fics that I can push into this world.

All right, guys! Here we go, and please drop your wonderful words at the box at the bottom of the page so I know how I'm doing for you all! (Or not,either's fine!)

2-4

The woman, a woman made of roses, pulls herself into view, hefting Mimi in one arm. Then she turns and whips a golden vine of thorns at the strange boy, who catches it around his hammer and tugs, like a game of skip rope. The woman digs her feet in and yanks, and the boy glares, trying to prevent the weapon from slipping from his fingers.

"I win the games, not you!"

Rosemon smiles, lips red and curling coldly. Then at some signal between the two of them, she whips the clown, ignoring her real opponent completely. He blocks and Sora drops from his grip. Her partner leaps and manages to catch her in her talons, pink wings flapping hard to keep from losing her. She circles quickly to the ground, placing Sora down and rising back into the air. Patamon joins her and the others are moving forward, exhaustion or not.

Piemon, the pierrot, claps his gloved hands. "I do love the excitable arrogance of children. You think one ultimate can defeat us all?"

"We can all fight!"

Jyou groans. "Gomamon…"

Koromon is glowing a soft gold and then an orange dragon takes his place. "Not to spoil the possible friendship speech, but there could be three of us and there are five superpowered nutjobs surrounding us. Anyone know how to dig?"

"In this place, are you nuts?" Yamato snaps and Agumon shrugs.

"I'd like to see you fly away from five of these guys with the dead weight called humans on their backs."

Yamato bristles, and Sora shushed him, watching the others with their own expressions of dread and discomfort. Not even the euphoria of another evolution has stopped them from realizing what is essentially obvious once they look hard enough:

They needed a leader, and none of them knew how to lead.

Taichi then taps his foot. "Can we make a big boom?" he asks, all child grin and sudden "I've got an idea!" that they're all starting to realize is par for the course with this small child. "Like, make a lot of smoke and then get outta here!" At them all staring, he pouts. "I don't see you guys thinking of anything."

Hikari giggles and flips the air. "Poor lost, little ducklings."

"Stop using my sister's voice!" Taichi's shout is almost capable of making the ground shake and Piemon laughs.

"Are you sure you want this one Pinnocchimon? He may not last…"

The boy laughs. "That's why I'm getting two, stu-pid!" He jumps from the dying tree he's been standing on and swings to crack the Earth and Piemon swoops to pin Rosemon by her throat and three things happen very fast.

The Digimon all evolve together, lunging to protect their partners, Pinnocchimon and WarGreymon clash together in a flurry of sparks…

And Hikari firmly lodges her scythe in Piemon's eye.

There is a cackling scream and a wash of red and their former friend hovers in the air, smiling like the cat with cream on its tongue.

Then Plotmon says, in a rush of triumph. "I told you she was mine."

The thought isn't comforting in the slightest.