==Dark Hybrid keep. Sorry, that's the best name I could think of.

"FOOLS!" Cherubimon's shadowy form roared. "INCOMPETENTS!" The shadow seethed still more, his fury shaking the chamber that Ranamon (barely aware of her surroundings, and holding one hand over the scar on her face) and Mercuremon were in. "Not only have they saved one of those humans, but THEY TOOK BACK THE B-SPIRIT OF LIGHT! I have lost five Spirits thanks to your bumbling!"

"Master-" Mercuremon said, trying to calm the angel down.

"Leave me while I consider what to do with you." Cherubimon growled. "I said out!" he roared, using a wave of force to practically fling the two hybrids out of the room.

"Fat headed egomaniac." Mercuremon snarled, storming off. Dully, Ranamon got up, hand still over her scar. The only reason she was even aware of her surroundings was the constant desire of hers to find, maim, and very slowly kill Orimoto Izumi. And, a part of her decided, she had to be somewhat lucid to do that. She got ready to walk back to her quarters when she heard Cherubimon speak. Curious, she listened.

==== Digicross Frontier episode 14
'Dark Mermaimon's entrance' ====

"Master." Cherubimon begged, body trembling as the psychic assault tore at him. "It was not my fault! Those two-"

"I give you power." another voice, source unknown, interrupted. "I give you might over the other two angels, I allow you to take over this pathetic excuse for a world, and you only give me failure?"

"I have sent you the digicode you requested!"

"Liar!" Cherubimon howled as new pain flooded him. "I still do not have Seraphimon's digicode, nor do I have Ophanimon's, for that matter."

"She is not ready, the time is not-"

"YOU ARE NOT ONE TO TALK ABOUT TIME, WHELP!" the voice tore into Cherubimon's mind, nearly destroying it. "Fail me again and I shall eat your digicode, and have your digiegg for dessert."

"Yes." Cherubimon answered weakly.

"What?"

"Yes...master." Recovering slightly, Cherubimon teleported back to his castle.

A few moments later, the door cracked open and Ranamon stepped in. "So. Even the big bad angel has a boss. I never knew he was being led around like a dog on a leash." She nodded, confirming what she had suspected for some time now (See Frontier 12. -ed). "Maybe this one's smarter."

==Mountain village

Sorcerimon looked at the small group of humans and their digimon, and sighed. "They have come again, Angemon."

"I know." the angel replied. "Should we move again? Now that Cherubimon knows we are here, he will almost assuredly come after us."

"Yes. But should we go with them, I wonder? They may need our help to rescue the child."

"Tomoki? Yes. Perhaps we should go with them for a while. But if we do leave, then this village would be left defenceless. Ranamon and Mercuremon would surely start their search here. The only option there would be to make sure that the evil hybrids knew we were leaving with them, and all that would do would make sure that they came after us in force."

Sorcerimon nodded. "And?"

Angemon sighed. "And, if they knew you were with us, they might not bring out Grottomon. They almost certainly know that you and that Sneasel have the power to undo Mercuremon's work."

"Also true. But with their losses, they may be forced to bring him out. Probably as Gigasmon." Sorcerimon tapped his staff on the ground, agitated. "I can't believe they would do something like this! Even with everything that has happened, how could Cherubimon even think of doing this...to a child?"

"It sickens me as well." Angemon replied. He looked at the humans again. "They know that both Sneasel and I have Seraphimon's digicode. If we go together, they may be desperate enough to risk an attack on us."

"Quite." Sorcerimon agreed. "But Mercuremon is a sly one, don't forget. And Grottomon may not be his only trump card."

==

Ryoko sat by the fire, holding the B-Spirit of light in her hands. "You seem preoccupied." Sneasel said. Ryoko mumbled something, but didn't really answer coherently. "I'm sorry, but I fail to see the problem. You're just giving it back to Kouji, right? His B-Spirit?" Blushing a bit, Ryoko nodded. "So?"

"It's not that simple." Ryoko argued.

"What, that you like him? It seems fairly straightforward to, oh, everyone we've ever met."

"Why didn't I bring a pokeball for you?" Ryoko groaned.

"Don't worry. Encouraging idle gossip about the love lives of our human partners is what digimon do best." Sneasel shrugged. "Ask Gatomon sometime."

"Far be it from me to interfere with that." Junpei commented, sitting down by Ryoko.

"Junpei." Ryoko almost growled.

"Man, like that, you almost sound like Izumi." Junpei sighed, hands behind his head. Ryoko muttered something dark. "Must be me."

"Is there a reason you're here, aside from tormenting me?" Ryoko asked, pained.

"Actually, yeah." Junpei replied. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me." Ryoko looked confused. "Hey, it was you and Sneasel that figured out how to undo that stuff Mercuremon did to me." His face darkened as the memory came back. "The next time I see him, I'm gonna break those mirrors and give him the bad luck. Still, it wasn't a complete loss. I still have the Wood spirits." His grin returned. "I bet he's getting roasted for losing them."

Sneasel glanced at Junpei. "You sound well. Are you sure that you're not feeling any...after-effects from Mercuremon's attack on you?"

"Hmph. Nothing that feeding Mirror-boy a few thunderbolts won't cure." Junpei replied, smirking.

"That's good. I was afraid that we were going to have the Tai syndrome played out again."

"Huh?" Junpei asked, confused by the pokemon's words. "Uh, explanation, Ryoko?"

Ryoko sighed. "Oh, it's just something that Takeru cooked up. When our parents were our age, and they went to the digital world, either uncle Tai or uncle Matt would feel like they'd massively screwed up, and have a big grand mal angst fest. Kari was ready to smack both of them around at one point, and she was the youngest digidestined there."

"Must be nice to have this sort of thing run in the family."

Ryoko shrugged. "Yeah, but you don't have to listen to the war stories."

"True." Junpei got up. "Well, I'm going to hit the hay. See ya tomorrow."

==Dark Hybrid keep, in Cherubimon's 'room'

"Hello?" Ranamon called quietly, not sure she should be doing this. "Anyone there?"

"Who disturbs me?" a voice rumbled. Ranamon jumped, startled by the power contained in that voice. "You are not...ahh, Ranamon. I had hoped to see the Maiden of Water."

Smooth, Ranamon thought. "You've heard of me?"

"Yes. That oaf Cherubimon spends many hours going on about how you and the other Hybrid digimon aren't able to defeat the digidestined. I am starting to wonder if maybe enlisting his help was such a wise idea."

"Well, don't go blaming me." Ranamon replied, annoyed by the voice's almost insolent tone. "It's not my fault that those humans can double spirit evolve."

There was a pause. "Really? Cherubimon has failed to tell me of this development. Tell me more of this...double spirit evolution."

==Same place, Mercuremon's lab

Mercuremon scowled, looking at the still form of Grottomon. He had done everything that he could think of to ensure that Tomoki couldn't be freed like that brat with the thunder spirits had been. A part of him marvelled that Cherubimon hadn't char-broiled him on the spot, a fact for which he was thankful. In his hand was a small statue, looking like a number of small green spheres piled on top of one another.

"So, this is my Beast-Spirit." he mused, looking at the results of Grottomon's latest recovery. It had been almost an accident; he had been very carefully checking the level of control he had over the former Ice Hybrid. This had been done by sending him against opponents that were carefully picked to remind the human trapped inside of his former allies; Flare Lizamon, Lilymon, Knightmon...he had callously thrown away several digimon's lives with his sadistic torture. And Grottomon passed. If anything was left of the boy, it wasn't strong enough to take back control.

The only thing that did worry him was the return of that boy that looked like Tomoki. That might be enough to trigger something, though he had reduced the chance of that as much as he could. He had every intention of being there when Grottomon was sent against the humans. Though it was not out of any sense of nobility or bravery.

No, ending his life on Raidramon's claws might be preferable to what Cherubimon would do if Tomoki was rescued.

==Cherubimon's quarters

"I see. So the humans have learned how to combine the two spirits they carry." the voice said, almost thoughtful. "And Cherubimon has done nothing to redress this imbalance?"

"No, just keep sending us out." She removed her hand from the scar on her face. "And this is what it got me. Scarred and ugly."

"And what will you do?"

Ranamon's face twisted into an expression of almost sadistic cruelty. "I'll maim the one that did it to me, and make her watch as I melt her friends."

A grey...no, black and white mist seemed to come out of nowhere. "A sentiment I know all to well, Water Maiden. I will restore your beauty, and give you the means to battle the humans on a more...equal level." Ranamon gasped as something brushed her face over her scar, seeming to freeze it. "Undoing this wound is no effort." the voice continued. "But empowering your spirits will require some...discomfort."

"Do it."

==Mountain village

Izumi stuck her head in the tent. "Junpei? Ryoko got off the phone with Hiroki. We're going to meet up with them tomorrow. Kouji was actually glad to hear you were alright." she added with a smirk.

Junpei raised his eyebrows. "Kouji, happy? Right, sure. Why isn't he with you? Sending him with Hiroki was rather cruel, Izumi."

"We had to split into two teams, and it made more sense to send him with Hiroki than to have him go with Ryoko." she answered, winking knowingly.

"That'll be some reunion." Junpei mused.

"Too late, they already had theirs. Well, after I slapped him."

Junpei sat up. "You...slapped Kouji? PLEASE tell me you have a picture!"

"Sorry. He was off on one of his solo tears, and just tried to blow off Ryoko." Junpei winced. "So I slapped him and told him that I wasn't about to let the best thing that ever happened to him walk away." She looked at Junpei. "I missed you." she said, quietly. "But don't get any ideas."

"Too late." Junpei replied. Izumi's face went red, prompting a bout of laughter. Somewhere towards the end, Izumi saw what was coming, and put her arms around Junpei, just as he started crying. The whole ordeal had finally caught up with him, breaking through the wall he had tried to set up.

==Dark Hybrid Keep, Ranamon's room

Flawizarmon waited by the pool Ranamon typically lived in. At no time did he think of leaving Ranamon's side. "My lady?"

Ranamon strode in. FlaWizarmon stood up, curious. Ranamon was moving differently now. She seemed a bit taller, her looks more seductive than cute now. Most importantly, the scar on her face had vanished. "You never left here?" the hybrid asked.

"No. I have waited here until your return. Your commands?"

"All of my followers have left me, except for you." Ranamon stated.

"They were faithless cowards. Only I could see your true beauty."

"Oh? Even as Calmarimon?" she asked, shifting into her monstrous beast form.

FlaWizarmon did not flinch. "That you would be willing to sacrifice yourself for your cause makes you even more beautiful in my eyes." he replied quietly.

There was a flash, and Calmarimon became Ranamon again. "I have erred. Such loyalty should be rewarded." She walked over, and kissed FlaWizarmon. The fire digimon gasped as he felt a flood of raw power flow into him. "I name you my knight, FlaWizarmon. And I grant you a piece of the power that was passed to me."

"By Cherubimon?"

Ranamon laughed. "No. By the one who holds his leash. Come, we have much to plan, my knight." She dove in. FlaWizarmon, without hesitating, dove in, not caring if the water destroyed him.

To his surprise, he felt nothing. "My power has freed you of your vulnerability to water, my knight. A Queen should always be with an escort, yes?" FlaWizarmon nodded, awed at the honour he felt he was receiving. "And I should have someone to do the grunt work too. Come, let us pay a visit to Mercuremon." She laughed again, voice filled with evil. Her form shifted again, but not to Calmarimon. "I need a pawn, too."

==Mercuremon's lab.

Mercuremon stared at Grottomon, somewhere between furious, annoyed, and terrified. He knew that the Earth Hybrid was Cherubimon's to control (And, more importantly, HIS), and that he had taken every possible precaution. And yet...he felt something tugging at the back of his mind. Something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what.

The small pool bubbled, and the annoyance took over. "What is it, Ranamon? Can you not tell that I am occupied?"

"Make time." the digimon said, stepping out of the pool.

Mercuremon turned, ready to strike down Ranamon, and stopped. "Who...What are you?"

The digimon was about his height, clad head to toe in black leather. His first thought was that a Lady Devimon had gotten loose, but then saw that what skin was exposed was bluish-green, not white. From her back there were several long octopus like tentacles, something vile and acidic dripping off the end of them. "Ranamon?" Mercuremon breathed.

"Here's a hint." Two of the tentacles suddenly snapped up, holding an oversized boat anchor between them. They hurled it, striking Mercuremon before he had a chance to react. "Oh, and it's Dark Mermaimon, now." Cackling, she walked over, picked up Grottomon with two more of her tentacles, and blasted through the rock wall with a bolt of water. "Come, FlaWizarmon." Dark Mermaimon commanded. FlaWizarmon climbed out of the water, steam coming off his clothing. Eagerly, the smaller digimon followed Dark Mermaimon.

Mercuremon staggered to his feet. It galled him, but he had to report this to Cherubimon.

Now if he could do it without the angel striking him down...

==Next Day

They had been on their way for four hours already. To everyone's relief and surprise, Angemon and Sorcerimon had agreed to go with them. Sorcerimon pointed out that they would need all the power they could muster to free Tomoki. And, the town was no longer safe, with Mercuremon knowing where one of the holders of Seraphimon's digicode was.

Sneasel, deciding to act as point, waved everyone to a stop. "Someone's coming." his voice said over Ryoko's digivice. "It looks like..."

Ryoko glanced at her digivice. "Sneasel? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. In fact, something's gone quite right for a change."

==Cherubimon's castle, most assuredly NOT in the Keep

Mercuremon hadn't been killed on the spot, which came as a pleasant surprise to the Steel Hybrid. Instead, Cherubimon had only nodded, and cut communications.

The angel had then spent hours howling in rage, destroying the entire wing of his castle. He then stormed into the centre of his castle, looking up at a cube made of light. "This was your doing, wasn't it?" he howled. No response. "I will have his digicode, and I will have all of the Spirits, Ophanimon! And I will crush those humans under my heel, starting with that brat who now carries the Earth Spirits!"

The cube seemed to shake. "Do not touch them, Cherubimon! If you do-"

"You are in no position to make demands, Ophanimon! But you are in an excellent position to watch." He snapped his fingers.

Inside the cage, Ophanimon leaned forward, wondering what Cherubimon was talking about. She gasped as she saw a figure emerge from a small side room. "No...Cherubimon, not him! Haven't you done enough?"

"My dear Ophanimon...I have not even started." He nodded to the figure. Instantly, he was swallowed up by black clouds. When they cleared, a tall warrior wrapped in black armour stood there, eyes dull. "Duskmon. Kill the humans and take their Spirits." Duskmon nodded, getting ready to leave. "Wait. With the humans carrying the spirits are two outworlders. Bring one back, not too badly injured." Furious, Ophanimon hammered at the bars on her cage, trying to break free. "Do not fret, Ophanimon. This one has served me well enough; perhaps the outworlder will want to join my ranks...after some persuasion."

"Cherubimon," Ophanimon growled, "I will make sure you pay for this."

==

"Well, go on." Izumi whispered to Ryoko.

Kouji looked confused. "Go on what?" he asked. Both he and Ryoko's faces were red, a reaction that made it impossible for Junpei and Hiroki to not laugh out loud. Which didn't help Ryoko or Kouji much. Which provoked more laughter.

"There's only one way to end this." Sneasel agreed.

"Umm...right. Here." Ryoko stammered, holding out Kouji's B-Spirit of Light. Suddenly, the ground seemed very interesting to Ryoko.

"My Spirit." Kouji whispered. Awkwardly, he tried to take it without touching her hands, sending Izumi over the edge with peals of laughter.

"Ain't love grand?" Armadillomon asked.

"I wouldn't know." Sorcerimon replied flatly. "But this is taking a bit longer than I'd like."

"Some things should be enjoyed." Angemon answered lightly. "There's been little enough laughter of late." he added, more to himself than anyone else.

Finally, Kouji took out his D-Scanner, nearly dropped it, and scanned in the Spirit, much to his (and Ryoko's) relief. "Thanks." he mumbled. "We'd better get going." he said in a louder voice. He started marching off, trying to force his face back to it's normal white colour (As opposed to the beet red it was right now)

"Uhh, Kouji?" Junpei called. "We're going the other way?"

==Next Episode

Dark Mermaimon captures Izumi and Hiroki, eager for revenge. However, before the others can go to their rescue, Duskmon attacks, and tries to take Ryoko as his prisoner. Can our heroes defend themselves from two separate enemies? Next time on Digicross Frontier:
'Breaking point: Beowulfmon versus Velgmon'