"Takuya-oniichan! Yell if you can hear me!" Tomoki continued to call. Izumi stood beside him, looking around for the Warrior of Flame. "He might not be around here anymore, guys... Maybe we should look somewhere else..." She tugged at her hat.

Kouji crossed his arms. "We should keep going to the Venus Rose. If anything, Takuya will meet us there."

"Have you forgotten that we're still lost, Kouji?" Izumi argued. "Like I said, Takuya will meet us there. If we just keep going downriver, we'll get there." The Warrior of Light countered. Izumi huffed and crossed her arms. "We'll have more luck at finding him if I look from the air."

"I actually agree with that. We can keep looking on the ground, then, and keep going downriver at the same time." Bokomon, a small, gnome-like Digimon, chided.

Izumi gave a small smile, bringing out her D-Tector. "Better be able to keep up, boys! Spirit Evolution!" Fairymon got a running start and leapt up into the air.

"Do you think their still down there, Rana?" Takuya asked his new-found companion. Ranamon trailed behind a little, keeping an eye out for anything. "Hopefully. But if they aren't, where do you think they'd be? I mean, we haven't seen anything for a while, not even other Digimon, ya know?" Ranamon inquired.

"Well, that's kind of a good thing. I can't really fight without my D-Tector." Takuya said, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Ranamon looked up and started tugging on the Warrior of Fire's jacket. "Takuya! Look up there! Isn't that-"

"Oi! Fairymon!" "Takuya-oniichan!" Takuya grinned as Tommy, Junpei and Kouji emerged from the tree line and Fairymon de-evolved on the ground. "Hey, Tomoki! Are you guys okay? Did Duskmon flee again?" Takuya asked, after getting hugged by Tomoki.

"Yep. But that's good right?" Tomoki answered. Kouji, who was hanging back, stiffened. "Takuya. You do know whose behind you right?"

"Huh?" Takuya turned around and saw Ranamon standing farther back. "Oh yeah. Explanation. You see... Ranamon saved me in the river. I would've drowned if she hadn't."

Kouji crossed his arms. "That doesn't explain why she's here. She's one of Cherubimon's Warriors."

"She here because she want's to help. Rana's on our side." Takuya replied. "So she's going to help us fight Cherubimon?" Tomoki asked. Takuya nodded and crossed his arms. "That's right Tomoki." He glared at Warrior of Light. "Besides, you haven't figured it out yet, Kouji?"

"Tch. No, I haven't. What's your point?" Kouji argued.

"You remember the elevator thing? That time we first met." A nod from the black haired boy. "You remember that girl that was in there with us?"

Another nod from Kouji. "Yeah. Asai or something."

Takuya snapped his fingers. "There! You just explained why Rana's here!" Kouji's eyes widened. Izumi held up her hands in a 'stop' gesture.

"Wait a sec. You mean you two knew Ranamon and she's actually human? How- Wait, where's Junpei?"

"And viola! Separated once again!" Junpei voice announced. "See? I told you it was cool, Rana!" "How'd you do that?"

The arguing trio looked to source and saw Junpei doing his magic and Tomoki and Ranamon watching. Takuya smiled and noted, "They're getting along pretty good."

Kouji shoved his hands in his pockets. "I don't think this is a good idea. We have no certainty if it's really that Asai girl."

Takuya put his arms behind his head. "Well, she remembers us. That's something, at least. Anyways," he looked at the other Warriors, getting serious. "We're still heading to the Venus Rose, unless I missed a thing while I was gone."

"Takuya, are you forgetting something?" Izumi chided, her arms behind her back.

"Huh? What?"

Izumi huffed. "You are a clueless goggle-head, know that?" She reached into her jacket's pocket and pulled out Takuya's D-Tector. "It's good thing this didn't break when you got blasted." She walked over and handed it to him.

The Warrior of Flame let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Iz. I was worried it got lost in the river."

Izumi huffed again and looked away. "Just be more careful. I don't wanna have to save your butt again."

Takuya grinned and pocket the Digivice. "Well, let's get going with our little band of misfits!"

Not even a minute had past before Tomoki and Ranamon were running around, chasing each other. Tomoki already had a ton of energy, but Ranamon had just as much.

Kouji kept a scowl on his face as the Warriors walked. "This is going to real annoying real fast."

Takuya shrugged and kept walking. "What do you expect? They're getting along just fine. Let 'em chase each other."

Kouji glared at the Fire Warrior and sped up.

After trailing behind a little, Junpei interjected, "I'll just point this out really quick. Rana didn't seem like she wanted to fight when we were on that island. Plus, if she was on Cherubimon's side, don't you think she would've attacked us before now? Not running around and laughing her head off."

"It's still a bad idea to have someone on the side of the enemy traveling with us." Kouji continued.

Takuya returned Kouji's glare and countered, "And I told you, she's on our side. I trust her." He started looking around for the younger Warriors, seeing them a little father ahead. The goggle head noticed the two were standing strangely still. He started to call out, "Hey, what's wrong, you two?"

"Takuya-oniichan? You should see this." Tomoki called.

Confused, Takuya jogged ahead. He stopped beside the Warrior of Ice, and saw why the two had stopped. "Oh."

In all the strange things Takuya had seen in the time he'd been in the Digital World, this had to be one of weirdest. An expanse of land covered in snow and ice extended in front of them, snow suddenly appearing on the grass. A bit further down, a small town was there, smoke billowing from a few buildings.

"Oh my. It appears that were near Akiba Market. We should be able to find a way to the Venus Rose there." Bokomon mused.

The other Warriors caught up shortly and were just as surprised. "Global warming at it's finest. " Junpei joked.

Takuya started scanning the town for a Trailmon station when one of the buildings went up in a plume of smoke. However faintly, Takuya heard something yell, "Leaf Cyclone!"

"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Izumi whispered.

Ranamon's eyes widened. "Petaldramon. He's attacking Akiba Market!" She balled her fists and ran down the hill, tripping over herself.

"Rana! For crying out loud... She's gonna get herself scanned if she goes by herself!" Takuya yelled, running after the Warrior of Water.

Kouji felt like he should give that goggle head one up-side the head. Bringing an enemy Warrior to rescue Ofanimon was bad enough. Having to go and save her behind? He thought that was worse.

Kouji quickly pulled his D-Tector out and scanned the data around his hand. "Spirit Evolution!" Wolfmon grabbed the hilt of his belt, the blade of light forming. Shutumon flew past him, and Chakmon slid down the hill on his skis'.

"Petaldramon! What do you think you're doing?!" Ranamon shouted.

The giant leaf-lizard turned slowly to face the smaller Warrior, who stood there without budging. "What am I'm doing? Getting data for Cherubimon-sama."

"Ranamon! Get out of here! We'll handle him!" Vritramon, Agnimon's Beast Spirit, bellowed. "Corona Blaster!" The yellow blasters swiveled and began firing at Petaldramon.

The Warrior of Wood flinched, but quickly retaliated. "Thousand Spike!" The roots dug into the ground, grappling Vritramon in them.

"Hold on! Wind of Pain!" Shutumon's attack whipped around the roots, releasing the Warrior of Fire. Flames coiled around him. "Flame Storm!"

"Leaf Cyclone!" Petaldramon's frill began to spin and released a storm of leaves. Though quickly burning up, it dissipated the Flame Storm to a small size.

"Damn it! I thought that would work..." Vritramon flapped his wings again.

"Vritramon. Let me take him." Wolfmon called. The Warrior of Fire nodded. "Slide Evolution!"

Garmmon rushed forward, the blades on his back popping out. "Speed Star!"

The wolf-like Digimon sped closer and closer to the opposing Warrior when- "Thousand Spike!" Garmmon cried out as Petaldramon's tail wrapped around him, crushing him.

"Garmmon!" Chakmon exclaimed. "Tsurara Lala!" The bear Warrior crashed towards the two, only to be whacked away by the tail that still held the Warrior of Light. Chakmon barreled over a snow drift and landed with a loud 'Pwuff!"

Garmmon's vision blurred as he was whipped around, wind whistling wind his ears. He faintly saw the others, a shining blue-ish light and some kind of roar. Petaldramon's tail stopped abruptly, Garmmon's breathing getting stronger as he felt the roots loosen.

"Glacier Torpedo!" Garmmon saw the light again, and saw some kind of arrowhead wrapping around Petaldramon and causing him to release the Light Warrior. "Rain Stream!" Garmmon twisted around to see who had helped him and saw a giant white-haired beast, with strange markings. As it's arrowheaded dreadlocks zoomed back into place, the yeti clasped his hands together. A blue figure stood beside it, a dark cloud barely visible.

"Aw, yeah! Go Tomoki! Rana!" With a jolt, Garmmon realized the yeti must have been Tomoki's Beast Spirit and that the two of the were fighting together.

Petaldramon crashed down onto the ground, snarling, "What are you doing Ranamon?!" he demanded.

Ranamon raised her hands up. "What's it look like? Fighting you. Rain Stream!" Petaldramon barely flinched.

The yeti unclasped his hands and roared. "Avalanche Step!" Two tomahowks fell out of nowhere in the sky and stuck into the ground. He yanked them out and rushed towards Petaldramon, the axes slashing said lizard. Petaldramon reeled backwards, going up slope on the snowy hill the Warriors had slid down.

"Glacier Torpedo!" Once again was yelled and the Beast Spirit sent Petaldramon flying off into the distance.

Kouji felt himself de-evolve and collapsed, exhausted. "Kouji-san, are you okay?" The Warrior of Light tilted his head up and saw Ranamon, eyes wide. He gave a curt nod and started to stand up.

"Takuya-oniichan! Did you see me? I finally got my Beast Spirit!" Tomoki's joyous cries were loud and proud as his big brother figure picked him up and rubbed his head. "I saw you, sure enough, Tomoki! You and Rana both!"

Ranamon looked slightly down at the mention of her name, her arms going behind her back.

"You two make a good team." Kouji stated. Ranamon flinched a little and looked at him. Kouji guessed she didn't think he'd have anything good to say about his fellow Warrior. After a moment Ranamon tilted her head and smiled.

' Maybe working together won't be so bad. If she really is...'

Good gosh, I'm taking way too long with these chapters. High school, it kills me. Anyways, hopefully more story next chapter. As always, read and Review. I'm Tigeress, signing off.