Chapter Twenty One: The Virus and the Darkness

"Who is this guy?" asked BurningGreymon.

"No idea…" I said.

"I am Duskmon legendary warrior of darkness." He introduced.

"Well that explains the outfit." BurningGreymon said.

"You have done well against my brethren," He said raising his sword we tensed. "Let's see how strong you really are." He said slashing.

We dodge the attack. The smoke disappeared to show a ditch in the ground where his attack was.

"All he did was swing his sword." Korikakumon gaped at the crevasse.

"I got a bad feeling about this." Said Zephyrmon.

I nodded.

"Come on there is only one of him." Encouraged BurningGreymon. Duskmon laughed.

"If we can defeat Grumblemon and Petaldramon then laughing boy, over there should be a piece of cake. Remember we're legendary warriors. There no way we can lose." Said BurningGreymon.

"Bolo Thunder" MetalKabuterimon said firing.

"Yes" Duskmon said.

"Laugh at this." BurningGreymon said punching Duskmon. Duskmon disappeared and grab BurningGreymon's arm and slung him over. BurningGreymon flip and fell on his back groaning at the pain.

"Takuya!" we all yelled.

"You're weaker than I thought; I should at least give you the chance to surrender." Duskmon said.

"You can give it, but we won't take it." Said Lobomon.

"You are proving to be very foolish creatures." Said Duskmon.

"J.P, Tommy switch to your human spirits." Lobomon commanded.

"Right" They said and turn back.

"Lets go" said Lobomon and we charged towards Duskmon.

Lobomon took out his sword and swung it at Duskmon. Duskmon blocked with his own sword.

"Each of you're attacks seems to get weaker not stronger, you know you can't defeat me." Said Duskmon.

"Guy's a little help." Said Lobomon.

"Plasma paws"

"Roses Rapier"

"Thunder Fist"

"Frozen Tundra" We all attacked at once.

"Where did he go?" asked Lobomon as the smoke cleared.

"Deadly Gaze." Duskmon shouted and fire red beams at us.

Throb Throb What's going on? I asked myself as my head started to hurt.

"Get out of there." Lobomon shouted.

Throb, throb What the- "Ahhhh" I scream as the attack hit me and at the pain I felt from within.

"Sakura." They scream as I landed. I clutched my head and back away. "Surely you have more power than that." Mocked Duskmon.

"Thorn Whip" I scream and started whipping around with one hand while the other clutch my head. I was whipping wildly trying to get the pain out of my head. I scream again. I accidentally hit Lobomon and he was electrocuted. Lobomon screamed at this I grab my hand back and fell to my knees and then to the ground. I reverted back to my human form and fell unconscious.

"You want power I'll give you power." Cried BurningGreymon who didn't know about my attack. "Wild Fire Tsunami." BurningGreymon fired a tornado at Duskmon. "Now's that what I'm talking about." He said proudly.

"Takuya get out of there." commanded Lobomon.

"Why I think I defeated him." He said utterly clueless.

"All of us combine couldn't defeat him and you think, you by yourself can defeat him." Argued Lobomon.

"Well yea…" he said

"Just come on." Lobomon said as Zephyrmon grab the unconscious me and flew for it

"Rose petals?" she asked as she saw me.

"Man the dark continent sure is dark." J.P said.

"You know guys the more I think about it the more I think I did beat that guy." Takuya said.

"Sorry…" I whispered. "I think I can walk now…" I said weakly. They ignored me at my fifth try.

"I just don't believe an attack that powerful won't do at least something to him. You know? Fine." Takuya asked.

"Do you guys hear something like someone talking?" asked J.P.

"Not me. But if I did hear that I'd say that it is getting pretty annoying." Stated Koji.

"Play you're little game all you like. But I'm tell you that guy is toast there is no way he can stand there and take that fire attack." Said Takuya.

"Yea right were you in some other fight? He took all our attacks and he didn't even flinch." Said Koji.

"Ahh, So you can hear me now huh? Then answer me this smart guy, how do you know he's okay if you made us all run away?" asked Takuya.

"Do you really think he's still alive?" Zoe asked.

"There no doubt about it. None of us did any serious damage to him." Said Koji.

"So how are we supposed to beat him?" asked Tommy.

"I don't know we'll find some place safe and figure out a plan." Said Koji.

"Then we'll never have a plan there is no place safe in this world." Said Tommy, sadly.

"You know what Koji this is all you're fault. If only if you haven't been so eager to turn tail and run." Blamed Takuya.

"Just what do you suppose, we already have someone injured." Said Koji.

"Sorry…" I apologized. "I'm saying we work as a team we might have beaten him." Takuya stated.

"And what do you know about working as a team?" asked Koji.

"What? What do you mean?" asked Takuya.

"I mean you didn't look so much like a team player when you went charging in at Duskmon by yourself. Did you?" Koji stated walking forward. "You could have been hurt, we all could have been"

"So?" Takuya said I was not stuck between Takuya and Koji.

"Well I'm famished who wants to eat?" asked Bokomon. Takuya almost fell over.

"Are you kidding me? We are right in the middle of an argument." Scream Takuya. I covered my ringing ears.

"Being easily angered is a sure sign of being hungry, now lets take a seat and discuss this like civilized people. If you can" Said Bokomon.

"Yea, let's eat." Neemon said.

"I second that." Said Zoe.

"Count me in." Tommy said.

"Yea I'm wasting away to nothing." Said J.P looking at his fat stomach.

"It'll keep Takuya's mouth occupied." Bokomon said. I giggled.

"Hey Sakura did you dye the bottom of you're hair yellow?" asked Neemon pulling my hair gently.

"No why?" I asked.

"Because it's yellow." Stated Neemon.

"It is?" I asked pulling it up to examine. It was yellow. The top of my hair was still the same but the bottom had a fringed of yellow. Zoe walked by with more firewood. They started to talk about balance. I overhead J.P said something about two Takuya's. I thought about how that would work and I quickly push that thought away. I don't like falling from very high places every since the incident with the KarasukiNumemons. "Sorry Zoe" I said as I steady myself on the ground.

"Why?" Zoe asked.

"For losing control and attacking at random." I said.

"It was probably the attack and you should be apologizing to Koji, he's the one you hurt." Zoe said. This shocked me. I had hurt my childhood friend who I recently had replenish the friendship.

"I will but I'll say sorry to the rest as well." I said smiling. "But I think there another reason for me losing control." I said.

"What that?" asked Zoe.

"Well, before he hit me and after the first time I beast spirit evolve to Rosemon X I felt pain in my head. At first it was a little so I didn't mention it but last time it hurt like heck." I said.

"That is weird, are you sure you're alright? Maybe we'll get Bokomon to help." asked Zoe

"You have a plan?" Zoe asked while I nibble on my food.

"Yea. It's attack all at once." Takuya said.

"How long did it take you to figure that out? A second?" asked J.P

"I know it seems similar but you'll see how it's done when I show it to you. Tommy, show them the plan" Assured Takuya.

Zoe helped me walk over to the table. Tommy held out a figure of Duskmon that look really like him. "Wow Tommy did you make this?" Zoe asked.

Tommy nodded.

"Wow this look exactly like him." I commented.

"Do we all get one?" asked J.P

"Yep" Takuya said while he and Tommy held up the rest.

"So, I'll spirit evolve into Agunimon and distract him while the rest of you spirit evolve into your beast and surround him. Korikakumon and MetalKabuterimon will move in while Zephyrmon, and Kendogarurumon will sneak up from behind, Rosemon X will come from the top and when I give the signal we'll all attack." Explained Takuya.

"That might actually work." Zoe said.

"Yea, except the big problem: How do you expect to distract him when you couldn't even do that in you're beast spirit without getting thrown around?" asked J.P.

"Well last time I wasn't on guard this time I'll know what to suspect" said Takuya.

"I don't like it." Said Koji from the fire.

"What's the matter not enough running away for you?" mocked Takuya. "When did he become such a chicken?" whispered Takuya.

"Duskmon is unlike anyone we ever face before and Sakura-" Koji started.

"You're not thinking of running away are you?" asked Takuya.

"Yes, I am" Koji admitted.

"You're pathetic what makes you think we can run away?" asked Takuya.

"Come on, don't fight." Said Tommy.

Koji stood up and walk past us. "Takuya lets talk." Koji insisted.

"Yeah, Lets" Takuya agreed. "Guys don't do anything stupid." Cautioned Zoe.

"Don't worry we're just going to talk." Assured Koji.

"Yea if he's lucky." Said Takuya.

They walk down a case of stairs and stood there for a few minutes. "Tell me Takuya, why do you think we were sent to this world for?" asked Koji.

"To save the world." Stated Takuya.

"You say that like this is some kind of games, like there nothing at stake. This is not some kind of videogame where you can walk away from when things don't work out." Koji said.

"I'm not stupid you know. I know that." Takuya said back.

"Sometimes I really don't think you do." Said Koji. "There no second chances for us here. If we mess up then it's over." Koji said.

"Yea… I know that." Takuya fumbled.

"Then how can you stake our lives like that on some kind of plan you assume it going to work. We don't know anything about this guy." Koji said.

"So what we'll all be safe if we run away." Takuya yelled back.

"I didn't say that."

"Then what are you saying?" asked Takuya. Koji grab Takuya's collar and push him on a wall. "Listen Takuya you weren't there when I crossed swords with him or when he shot Sakura. I doubt he used even half his strength with me. He was toying with us the whole time." Koji said.

"Yea, maybe." Mutter Takuya. "But we're the good guys there has to be a way to win."

"He's too strong."

"I know he's strong but every time we run into someone stronger than us we work together and everything turn out fine. I really think if we all attack as one we'll win." Takuya said.

"Open your eyes Takuya." Koji said frustrated.

"Open your own eyes we're more powerful than you think" Takuya said back. They stood there for a few minutes until Koji let Takuya down.

"You just don't get it. Tell me something, it's obvious that you don't care about yourself but can you promise that the others will be okay? If you can't you might as well go home now because I won't let you risk their lives." Koji said and started heading for the exit when the ground shook.

"An earthquake?" asked Takuya.

"No it him" Koji said.

"Execute Beast Spirit Evolution" We all shouted.

"MetalKabuterimon."

"Zephyrmon."

"Korikakumon."

"Rosemon X"

"How did he find us so quickly?" asked MetalKabuterimon.

"Nnn" I whispered at the pain.

"Good bye you won't have long to live anymore" said Duskmon.

"Why do I find that reassuring?" asked Zephyrmon, worriedly.

"It's okay just stick to the plan" Korikakumon said.

"What good is a plan for all of us to attack if we're all not here?" Zephyrmon said.

"If those two don't come back soon, I switch to my human spirit and we'll do the plan by ourselves." I said.

"That stupid you're injured." Korikakumon whispered back.

"That's why I'm the best for the spot, if one of us is going to die, it might as well be me I'm already injured and dragging you down." I reason with them. Agunimon and Kendogarurmon landed in front of us.

"This is it guys, attack" Agunimon said.

"Wait" Kendogarurumon called.

"I guess that's it we got to follow his plan now" MetalKabuterimon said.

"Hey don't worry it's a good plan" Korikakumon said.

I winced at the pain that was still left. "I hope so" I muttered out without the pain in it.

"You're nothing against all of us." Agunimon said firing two flames at him. Duskmon dodge with ease. "Alright Speedy, let's see you dodge this." Agunimon said turning himself into a tornado. He kicked Duskmon on the face. Duskmon laughed.

"You fool did you learn nothing form our last meeting."

"No, I can't lose, but how can I win?" Agunimon said and charging a punch at Duskmon. He punched a few times before realizing.

"Are you finished?" asked Duskmon. "

There no way, he's just too strong." Said Takuya. Agunimon went around and seize Duskmon from behind. "Attack now" Agunimon screamed.

"That's our cue" said Zephyrmon as we went to our position.

"Let him have it." Said Agunimon.

"Hurricane Gale"

"Roses Blood"

"Lupine Laser"

"Bolo Thunder"

"Avalanche Axes" Agunimon jump out of the way as our attacks hit.

"All right" Agunimon yelled.

I fell to my knee. The pain isn't gone yet. Nnn I thought.

"Sakura!" Zephyrmon went to my side.

Duskmon growled and absorbed all of our attacks.

"It's not possible" cried Agunimon.

"You'll be first" said Duskmon and he sped to Agunimon. He took his sword.

I gotta do something. I try to stand but the pain was too great. Zephyrmon place her hand on my shoulder and to try and make sure I don't push myself. He sliced down at Agunimon.

"Koji!" we all shouted.

Agunimon was surprised not to hear his name. He looked up to see Kendogarurumon in front of him. Kendogarurumon reverted back to Koji. Duskmon started to freak out and he clutched his head. There was darkness leaking out of him. It soon filled the area around us.