The other four digidestined stop by a tree and marked it for Cody to use. They had faith that he and Ankylomon triumphed over Madleomon and were trying to catch up with them right now.

"That should do." T.K. said.

"We better get going." Ken said.

"You're right." T.K. said as they got on their digimon and kept moving. 'Please be safe, Cody. I know you and Armadillomon can beat that guy.' He thought.

….

Cody

Ankylomon crushed own on Madleomon and they thought the fight was over. Ankylomon and Cody were trying to rest for a minute, but they knew they couldn't since they had to catch up with the others.

"Are you doing okay? Can you move?" Cody said.

"Yeah. We better get moving." Ankylomon said, but before they could move, a dark light came under Ankylomon and he was being lifted in the air.

"Madleomon digivolve to…Malleomon"

"He's still in one piece?" Cody said. The figure under him lifted them high up and tossed Ankylomon away and they both hit the ground hard. When they looked up, Madleomon changed as he wore a black cape and took a human like form. His hair was standing up and a cap on his head. He kind of looked like a dark version of Bancholeomon. "No way, he digivolved?!"

"That's right. All four members of the Gates of the Dragon have the ability to do it." Malleomon said. "Now that I am at the mega level, you don't have a chance against me."

"Ankylomon, can you get up?" Cody said and Ankylomon was able to stand.

"I'm just getting warmed up." Ankylomon said.

"Oh please, you should just give it up shrimp." Malleomon said and formed dark flames around the palm of his hand. "I guess I have to show you that you are in way over your head."

"Dark Regulis Flames."

Malleomon launched the flames that took the form of a lion head. It caused an explosion and when the smoke cleared, Cody and Ankylomonwere lying in the ground.

"Told you so. I can't believe I had to waste using my mega level on this kid and he's already down." Malleomon said and walked right over to them. "Come on, get up. That couldn't have finished you off because you're still here." He started kicking Ankylomon in the head to get him to wake up. Cody saw what he was doing, but didn't know what to do.

…..

Flashback

Cody was finishing up his day at school and was walking home. He was just minding his own business when he saw a few kids playing basketball.

"Hey, is it okay if I play too?" Cody said as he went on over.

"No way. This game is for big kids only."

"But you're only about a year older than me." Cody said.

"Which means you're a year too young to play with us. Now beat it." The bigger kids said as he shoved him away. Cody didn't bother fighting back and just kept walking. As he was walking, he saw two brothers and the younger one was crying.

"Don't cry, you just need to stand up for yourself and your friends." The big brother said.

"But they're much bigger than I am." The little brother said.

"It's all part of growing up, when a boy becomes a man. You stand up for yourself and stand up for your friends." That's what Cody didn't do.

End of Flashback

…

Cody didn't stand up for himself when he was picked on, but that was because they were humans and they never threatened anyone. This was different because his friend was getting assaulted right in front of him and he had to do something. Malleomon kept kicking Ankylomon in the head. He stopped when he felt something pulled on his cape and looked down to see it was Cody.

"So you do still have some fight in you." Malleomon said and kicked Cody in the chest as he was pushed back. "You forced me to bring out my mega level. You might as well try and make it worth my wild."

"We'll do more than that." Ankylomon said as he tried to get back up, but it was getting harder and harder for him to do it. "We're going to completely destroy you." Malleomon grabbed onto his head and threw him to Cody as he slid against the ground.

"There's no way you can beat me. How many times am I going to tell you that?" Malleomon said. "You're nothing, but a stupid little kid that walks around with his pet rock." Cody managed to push himself off the ground and stood between the two digimon. "What are you doing now?"

"It's called growing up." Cody said. "When a boy becomes a man, he has to stand up for himself and his friends. That's what I'm doing now."

"Cody?" Ankylomon said.

"Don't worry Ankylomon. We'll find some way to beat him." Cody said. "I might be the youngest of this group, but I'm just as strong as the others."

"You're wrong." Ankylomon said. "Characteristically, you are the youngest, but in my eyes, you're older. You're very mature for your age and you're a real man because your there when your friends need you and you're smart for someone so young. I say you became a man before you even knew it. That's why you hold the digi-eggs of knowledge and reliability."

"Will you two quite talking nonsense?!" Malleomon said. "What the hell are you even talking about? Let's just put an end to this." His dark flames started to engulf his hands that took the forms of lion heads. "I'll ask your friends to say hello when you see them in the afterlife."

"Demon Lion Fist."

He charged right at them, but Cody stood his ground. Cody knew that Ankylomon was right. His friends were counting on him and he wasn't going to let them down. IT was that kind of thinking that caused Ankylomon to glow purple and grey. He whacked Malleomon with his tail and had him smash through the trees.

"What the?" Malleomon said.

"Ankylomon, what's happening?" Cody said.

"Somehow the digi-eggs are giving me even more power." Ankylomon said. "I feel even stronger than I've ever felt before."

"Yeah right." Malleomon said as he came walking back into the clear field. "You just got a damn lucky hit is all." Cody ignored him and got on Ankylomon to ride him. Malleomon was done fooling around with them. He ran straight for them again.

"Not this time." Ankylomon said as he was able to dodge his right hook. Malleomon tried to swing around and attack again, but Ankylomon blocked him with his tail.

"What? How did you do that? Where is this power coming from?" Malleomon said. Ankylomon pulled his tail up and knocked him in the air. Malleomon hit the ground and Ankylomon stomped down on him.

"You made a big mistake by taking on of us in the first place." Cody said. "You're biggest mistake was underestimating me. I'm not some stupid kid like you think. Ankylomon, show him what I mean."

"My pleasure." Ankylomon said as he raised his tail.

"No, don't!" Malleomon pleaded.

"Now who's the little kid?!" Cody shouted, referring to Malleomon was begging like one.

"Tail Hammer."

Ankylomon swung his tail down against Malleomon's gut. It held even more power than before as it formed a crater. Malleomon couldn't handle the pain, it hurt so much that he didn't have the strength to even scream. The battle was over this time as Cody watched his body turned into data. Ankylomon reverted back into Armadillomon and Cody fell off. Armadillomon was out cold.

"Guess that took a lot of energy." Cody said, but he soon began to feel the pain throughout his body. "No, I've got to work through it. We've got to keep moving."

….

The Digidestined

They kept moving through the forest, but T.K. felt like something bad happened with the cold shiver running down his spin as he looked back.

"You felt that too, didn't you?" Angemon said.

"Yeah. Cody." T.K. said as he knew something bad must have happened to him.

….

Cody

Cody was going the rest of the way on foot as he tried to fight through the pain. He carried Armadillomon as he was doing his best to keep moving. Cody saw a tree that had a few carvings. One of them was an arrow telling them which way to go.

"The others must have left it here." Cody said. He then saw messages they left for him. "Catch up when you can big guy. That's from Matt. Don't quit you young man. T.K. wrote that." He saw that the others saw him as a fellow man as well and that made him happy. Sadly, Cody didn't have the strength to keep going as he rested against the tree. He laid back as he rested, not as a boy, but as one of the guys.