Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I do not own Heroes of Olympus. And I do not own tri.

Author's Note: Written for the Novel with Prompts Challenge found on the Digimon Fanfiction Challenges forum. The prompt for this chapter is "tumble".

Also written for April's Camp Nano. This chapter brought me to 26,203/25,000. The original count on the last day of April was somewhere around 25,103. This chapter just did not want to end! Sorry for the short delay on getting this chapter out. I have been quite sick the past week, and so the next chapter (Chapter 34) has been suffering because of it. I think my writing may slow down a bit now that Camp Nano is over, so I decided to go ahead and post this chapter instead of making ya'll wait. Hope it was a good choice! There's an attack in this chapter that does not have a dub translation, so I gave it one. Sorry if this causes any confusion. Special thanks to Royal KnightX for beta-reading this chapter. He knows how nervous I get about fight scenes.

Enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-Three

"I'm going to enjoy this," Karatenmon said. "I was trained to destroy my master's enemies."

"Give it your best shot, birdbrain!" Takato pulled his D-Power out of his pocket, but unfortunately, it didn't tell him anything useful other than Datamon had been telling the truth. Karatenmon. Ultimate Level. Virus Type. Special Attack: Harmony Swords. "Harmony Swords," Takato repeated to himself. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"That's because you don't know what it is," Elecmon added.

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge if I were you," Datamon said.

"What'd I say?" Elecmon said.

Guilmon took an uncertain step back toward Takato. "Takato… you have a plan, right?"

"Uh…" Takato reached into his pockets and pulled out his Digimon cards. Each familiar and yet mysterious face stared up at him. His hands were shaking, he realized. He suddenly wasn't sure if choosing to fight had been the right choice after all. But what was their other option? Get digitally downloaded and wait for rescue? Yeah, some hero he'd turned out to be. "Maybe…?"

Karatenmon charged.

The birdman was fast. He whipped by both Guilmon and Takato so fast that the Digimon cards were blown right out of his hand. They went everywhere. Guilmon dodged the attack by mere centimeters. Takato fumbled to find a useful card, but Karatenmon was already coming back around for another attack. His golden swords gleamed in the sunlight. Takato snatched up the first useful card he found.

"Digi-Modify! Speed Activate!"

But it was like putting a Band-Aid on a gushing wound. Karatenmon slashed and sliced, and Guilmon barely dodged each strike as it flew by him. Takato could see what was happening before his very eyes; Guilmon was just doing whatever he could to stay alive. If Karatenmon's attacks landed, if Guilmon was hit – Takato could already see Guilmon's data dispersing into millions of little particles. He thought of Davis as he held Chibomon close to his chest and cried openly at the fear of losing his partner. He thought of the pain and panic that had been written all across his face.

Then he thought of something else: A young auburn-haired girl with brown eyes, screaming at the top of her lungs, as her digimon disappeared in front of her forever.

The memory came so suddenly and unexpectedly that it dropped Takato to his knees. His head felt woozy, and he struggled to catch his breath. That was going to be Guilmon. He was going to lose him forever if he didn't think of something quick. Tears gathered in his eyes, and he squeezed his eyes shut in a desperate attempt to keep them at bay.

Elecmon rushed to his side. "Whoa, kid! Are you okay?"

But Takato couldn't answer him. "G-Guilmon…" He didn't know what to do. He'd never felt more helpless in his life. He heard Guilmon cry out in pain as Karatenmon finally landed a hit, and the rookie tumbled across the room. Takato's head shot up. "Guilmon! Digivolve, NOW!"

The room exploded in light. Karatenmon's next sword swing was caught in Growlmon's claw. "You hurt our friends, and you threatened to hurt Takato! I cannot let you go!"

Karatenmon wrenched his sword away and leapt into the air. His eyes narrowed as he regarded the newly digivolved champion.

"He did it," Elecmon said, sounding shocked. "He actually did it!"

"What!?" Datamon roared. "How is this possible? My calculations were perfect! The program was supposed to stop the digidestined's partners from digivolving!"

A tearful grin spread across Takato's face as he got to his feet. He sent a triumphant look toward Datamon. "I'm not a digidestined," he announced with a hint of pride in his voice. "I'm a Digimon Tamer. Get him, Growlmon!"

"A… a what?" Datamon spluttered.

Elecmon stared at him. "Kid, not that I'm not happy that the little guy could digivolve, but what exactly is a Digimon Tamer?"

Takato decided not to point out the irony of Elecmon calling Guilmon a little guy. He also wasn't sure if he could answer his overall question either. The words had just fallen out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Newsflash: Digimon are more than just programs designed to either destroy the Digital World or save it! They are living, breathing creatures, and they are my best friends! I wasn't chosen by the Digital World to save it; I chose this life for myself," Takato said. "That's what makes me a Digimon Tamer. And you have never seen the likes of me or Guilmon."

"Not a digidestined?" Datamon repeated. Then he grinned. "Then you aren't much of a threat at all. Karatenmon, destroy them!"

"Gladly."

"Growlmon," Takato called out, "show them what we're made of!"

"You got it, Takato!"

Then they charged. The first collision sent a concussive blast through the entrance hall. Takato fell back to the floor, and Growlmon and Karatenmon ended on opposite sides of the room again.

"Pyro Blaster!"

"Feather Flare!"

The shockwave from Karatenmon's wings collided with Growlmon's fireball, and the fire dissipated into harmless embers.

Elecmon tried to pull Takato to his feet. "Takato, we should probably get out of the line of fire."

Takato gathered up as many of the cards as he could before Elecmon dragged him over to the wall where he collapsed back against it. His chest was heaving. He wasn't the one fighting, but he still had adrenaline coursing through his system, making him feel like he was the one facing off against Karatenmon right now as well. And there was more to it, as well. His mind had settled into a different mode – analyzing patterns, catching Karatenmon's fighting style, which was all about speed and brute power. But there had to be a weakness in there somewhere. He just had to find it.

"Don't give up, Growlmon!" Takato called. "You can do it!"

"I'm all for a little optimism," Elecmon said, "but don't you think we should be looking for a way out of this? An escape route perhaps?"

"I'm not leaving without the others!" Takato protested.

"We can come back with reinforcements," Elecmon said. "If you and Guilmon are destroyed here and now, who will be around to save them and let Matt and the others know that they're in danger at all? Sometimes it's better to think smart than with your heart."

"No," Takato said. "No, we're not leaving. Not until Davis and Kari and the others are safe."

"Takato…" Elecmon started slowly. "About what you said… about what it means to be a Digimon Tamer… was all of that true?"

Takato hesitated. He looked down at the cards in his hand. He had spoken without thinking, just letting his heart guide the words, but he knew that they were absolutely one hundred percent true. He nodded.

"I see…" Elecmon paused to watch as Growlmon and Karatenmon crossed paths again. "Well, digidestined or not, if you can help the others, then I trust you. I just hope you know what you're doing."

Takato clutched his D-Power tightly in his hand. So do I…

Karatenmon shot into the air and out of Growlmon's reach. He crossed his swords in front of his chest and seemed to glow for a second. "Harmony Swords!" The light dimmed and concentrated on his swords before a beam shot out, hitting Growlmon right in the chest. Growlmon took an unsteady step backwards, but otherwise didn't seem harmed.

"What was that?" Takato asked. "Growlmon, are you okay!?"

"I don't know, Takato," Growlmon said. "I feel okay."

"Of course you do," Karatenmon said. "That attack wasn't meant to harm. I was just reading your data… or your mind. I now know everything that you are going to do or will do or are thinking about doing. Your entire chance at possibly defeating me on a fluke has just been lost. This battle is mine."

Datamon had not moved from his perch on the coffee table. "Karatenmon's special attack, Harmony Swords, allows him to connect with a digimon and read their every move. There is not a thing that Growlmon can do that Karatenmon will not have already anticipated or seen."

"Oh no," Takato said. "Growlmon!"

"Dragon Slash!"

Karatenmon barely bat an eye as he swung his swords through the air, cutting through the attack as if it were nothing. "You're going to have to try harder than that, and I'd save that pyro blaster you were thinking of using next if I were you."

A look of slight uncertainty and alarm crossed Growlmon's face.

"He's just trying to psyche you out, Growlmon!" Takato said. "Don't let him get inside your head!"

"I'm already inside your head," Karatenmon said.

"Karatenmon, get on with it!" Datamon said. "We have work to do."

"Of course."

Karatenmon brandished his swords before he charged at Growlmon. Growlmon tried to spin around to whip him with his tail, but Karatenmon dodged right over it with ease. As Growlmon tried to fight back, Karatenmon countered, sidestepped, and blocked every attack. And then Karatenmon got behind him. He slashed his swords out in front of him, catching Growlmon's exposed back with both blades. Growlmon cried out in pain. Karatenmon rammed his shoulder against Growlmon's back, sending him crashing to the ground. The mansion shook.

Karatenmon lifted off the ground. "Feather Flare!" His jet black wings shot out sonic waves toward Growlmon; every single one of them hit.

"Growlmon!" Takato cried out.

When the dust settled, Growlmon looked down for the count. Karatenmon seemed surprised to find him still alive.

"He's more resilient than I gave him credit for," Datamon said. "Pity he has to be destroyed."

"Indeed," Karatenmon said.

"Uh, kid, if you have a plan, now would be the time to enact it!" Elecmon said.

"He's reading every one of Guilmon's moves," Takato said, his voice trembling with fear. "He doesn't stand a chance. I don't know what to do!"

"Well, you better think of something fast, because Guilmon's about to become digi-history," Elecmon said.

Karatenmon landed and calmly walked over to Growlmon's fallen form. He sheathed one sword and held the other in both of his hands as he raised it over his head.

"Goodbye. You were a noble warrior."

"NO!" Takato screamed. He snatched up the first card on top of his desk and tore it through his D-Power. "Digi-Modify! Stamina Activate!"

Karatenmon's sword stabbed down toward Growlmon's body. Growlmon's eyes popped open. He caught the sword in his claw, inches from his chest.

Karatenmon's eyes widened. "W-what!?"

"That's it!" Elecmon gasped. "Karatenmon's Harmony Swords attack was used on Guilmon, not you, Takato! You're the wild card!"

Takato's heart felt like it was trying to beat out of his chest. His hands shook, but he managed to select another card. "Digi-Modify! Alias Activate!"

The sword slipped from Growlmon's grasp and plunged into his chest – the chest of his clone. Karatenmon looked momentarily confused as the clone dissipated into dust without any screaming or theatrics. Growlmon – the real Growlmon – stood behind him.

"Pyro Blaster!"

Karatenmon leapt into the air, missing the attack by mere inches, and perched on the chandelier overhead. His eyes shot from Growlmon to Takato with a wild apprehension.

"What is this?" he hissed. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"I told you," Takato said with more smugness than he knew he should allow considering how much he still didn't know about his life, "I'm a Digimon Tamer. And this… is Digimon Taming." He turned his attention onto Growlmon. "Alright, boy. We're in this together, you and me. Don't think too hard about what you're doing – just act! I'll do the rest."

"Don't worry, Takato," Growlmon said. "I never think too hard about what I do."

Karatenmon growled deep in his throat. "Digivolving… Digimon Taming… whatever you throw at me, I will defeat. You are just delaying the inevitable. Feather Flare!"

"Growlmon, dodge right!" Takato shouted.

Growlmon instantly listened, but Karatenmon had heard the order too. He charged forward and rammed his shoulder into Growlmon's chest. The difference in size between the two should have stopped Karatenmon like a brick wall, but Karatenmon's size meant nothing compared to the ultimate power hiding in his data. Growlmon was thrown off of his feet and hit the ground with a crash.

Elecmon snatched up a fallen card and handed it to Takato. "Here, try this one!"

Takato barely glanced at it before he slid it through his D-Power. "Digi-Modify! Rock Armor Activate!"

Growlmon's data flashed as the invisible armor was added to his skin. He sat up and gave a shake of his head, trying to shake off the hit. Karatenmon charged at him again. Growlmon tried to roll to the left, but Karatenmon threw a sword at him, missing him by inches. Then he threw his other sword to the right, boxing him in. Karatenmon hovered over him, arms crossed over his chest.

"I told you. Fighting me is useless."

"Fighting you is not useless," Growlmon said, "especially when it's to protect Takato!"

Growlmon leapt to his feet quicker than Takato thought possible before jumping at Karatenmon and kicking him right in the chest. The first kick landed, but when Growlmon whipped around to strike him with his tail, Karatenmon caught it in his hands and used Growlmon's momentum to throw him through the air.

"Feather Sonic!"

The invisible sonic wave shot through the air and caught up with Growlmon's flying form, sending him crashing even further and faster into the opposite wall. He hit with so much force that dust fell from the ceiling and cracks ran up the tall walls of the mansion. Takato could feel his fear mounting, but he couldn't give up now. Not when Guilmon needed him most.

"Digi-Modify! Power Activiate! Digi-Modify! Andromon's Gatling Missile Activate!"

Growlmon sat up just as a metal chest plate appeared on his chest. The chest plate opened, and orange missiles shot from it toward Karatenmon. He leapt into the air to avoid the missiles, but they followed him. He realized this too late. The missiles exploded, sending him crashing into the ground. When the smoke cleared, Karatenmon was already back on his feet, and he was walking steadily toward Takato, his swords back in his hands. He looked more angry than hurt; in fact, he didn't seem to have a scratch on him.

Elecmon tugged on Takato's sleeve. "Uh… Takato… I think now's a good time for you to consider escaping."

Takato took a terrified step back, but he found only wall behind him.

"You… puny human… You really think you can defeat me?" Karatenmon said. "I will show you the true meaning of pain. Feather—!"

"Dragon Slash!"

Two electromagnetic blades struck Karatenmon in the back. He stumbled forward. Growlmon stepped in front of Takato and Elecmon.

"Don't worry, Takato. I'll protect you!"

"Working with these humans… Disgusting. Have you no shame?" Karatenmon asked.

"None," Growlmon said. "Takato is my best friend. I'd do anything for him."

Takato felt his throat start to close up with emotion. "Gr-Growlmon…" He looked down at the cards in his hand. He didn't see anything that could help. He felt like all of his efforts were going to waste. Karatenmon was right; his cards could only do so much. In the end, Growlmon was still just a champion digimon.

Karatenmon raised both of his swords in front of his chest, crossing them in X-shape. "Then you will die for him."

"I won't back down," Growlmon said.

Karatenmon leapt toward him, and they collided, locked in combat. Elecmon tried to pull Takato out of the way before he was crushed or caught in the crossfire, but Takato felt frozen.

"N-no… I can't leave him… Guilmon!"

Another tug by Elecmon made him lose grip on most of the cards in his shaking hands as he stumbled a few steps in the direction that Elecmon wanted to go. He looked down at what he had left, desperate to find something to help Growlmon, but all he had were useless power up cards. Except… Wait a minute…

He stared down at a simple Program Pause card. In his mind, he knew that it simply erased the effects of the other cards to start back with a clean slate. In Growlmon's current state, using a card like this would have left him completely vulnerable and out of energy. But Takato was seeing something else entirely. As he stared down at the card, he saw… blue.

Blue…? A blue card!

He yanked his arm out of Elecmon's grip, dropped the rest of his cards, and held up the Program Pause card to his forehead. He closed his eyes. Please… Please let this work. His eyes snapped open.

"Digi-Modify! Matrix Digivolution Activate!"

Growlmon's entire body froze mid-slash, and he exploded in light. Karatenmon jumped back in alarm.

"What?" Datamon cried. "Not again! Karatenmon, stop him, you fool!"

"Feather Flare!"

"Growlmon, look out!" Takato screamed.

The weaponized feathers shot through the air toward Growlmon's still glowing form. Then, out of nowhere—

"Atomic Blaster!"

Lasers shot out of the light and incinerated the feathers in the air. Karatenmon caught the laser in the face and was thrown to the ground. The light around Growlmon dissipated, but it was no longer Growlmon standing there. Growlmon had managed to grow even larger. He wore chrome digizoid across his chest, arms, and jaw, with rocket boosters along his back to allow him to take flight.

"No!" Datamon screamed.

"He reached ultimate…" Elecmon said. "Takato, how can this be?"

"He's done it before," Takato murmured, in a state of shock. He felt like he watching a movie of his life playing out before him. He'd seen this before, seen this digimon, seen this digivolution. And it was more than that. He could feel it. He could feel the energy and power coursing through his own veins as if he were somehow the one that had just digivolved. The fact that he had been able to do this was no surprise to him, but he still felt lightheaded. "WarGrowlmon…"

WarGrowlmon stepped toward Karatenmon, and the entire mansion shook with his weight. "Goodbye, Karatenmon."

Karatenmon managed to sit up. He held up a hand in protest. "Wait!"

WarGrowlmon ignored him. "Plasma Blade!" The blades along both of his arms lit up white-hot, and he brought them down toward Karatenmon. Karatenmon screamed before he exploded into data. The data floated into the air, and WarGrowlmon turned toward Datamon next. "Now, your turn."

"I must say, I am quite impressed," Datamon said. He looked oddly… unconcerned by what he had just witnessed. "The outcome wasn't what I predicted. I suppose my calculations must have been off. But I can't say that I am very disappointed in it."

"What are you talking about?" Takato demanded. "Your friend was just destroyed! You're next!"

"Ah-ah!" Datamon held up the remote in his hand. "You destroy me… you'll never get your friends back. They'll be lost data forever."

Takato clutched the D-Power in his hand tighter. He was surprised the little device wasn't cracked after all he had put it through this morning. "You're lying."

"Do you want to test that theory?" Datamon asked.

Takato hesitated. He wasn't sure what to do or what to say. "…Release my friends. Get them back!"

"I will, under one condition…"

"What condition?" he asked.

"It was never my decision to work for Huanglongmon, but he didn't give me a choice, you see," Datamon said. "He forcefully reconfigured my data, brought me back, so that I could work for him. He has spies and prophets and all different kinds of digimon under his rule, but he needed me for the cold hard facts. I have skills that no other digimon has. I can hack into the very making of the Digital World. There are many ways that Huanglongmon can be released from his prison – and he has many options already in the works. I was his backup plan."

"You talk too much," WarGrowlmon said. "Get to the point!"

"The point is that I was as much of a victim as you are," Datamon said. "I was his prisoner. I didn't have a choice in the work that I did. I was forced. I'm asking that you bring me along with you and protect me. I know things that you will never be able to find out any other way. I can get you home."

Takato's heart got stuck in his throat.

Elecmon looked up at him and whispered, "Takato, don't trust him. The last time he asked the digidestined for their help, he betrayed them. He is only ever out for himself."

His words made sense. In fact, they rung out as so true that Takato could practically see the episode playing out in his head – the rescue mission that went completely and utterly awry thanks to Datamon's betrayal. Sora's kidnapping. The destruction of the Dark Network. He saw it all. But the idea of home being so close – all he had to do was say yes… It was so painfully tempting. He balled his hands into fist and glared over at Datamon.

"No deal."

"Then say goodbye to the digidestined," Datamon growled.

Datamon moved to press a button on the remote – to delete their programs – but Elecmon was faster. "Super Thunder Strike!" The lightning zipped through the air and knocked the remote clean out of Datamon's hand. Takato dived for it as it hit the ground, and he caught it before falling into a roll. He came to a stop at the base of the coffee table and found himself looking up at an enraged Datamon.

Then a sixth sense that Takato couldn't identify hit him, and he tucked the remote under his stomach before covering his head just as WarGrowlmon cried, "Atomic Blaster!" Based off of the heat that Takato could feel being given off by the attack, Datamon should have probably been turned to dust, but the robot-digimon was fast. He extended his arms, caught the chandelier overhead, and swung out of the way.

As Datamon soared through the air with one arm, he aimed the other down at WarGrowlmon. "Digital Bomb!"

The bombs rained down around WarGrowlmon, and Takato had to roll out of the way so that he wasn't blasted to smithereens. WarGrowlmon raised his arms over his head, using the chrome digizoid to protect him from the onslaught before taking flight to chase after Datamon.

Takato looked down at the remote in his hands, and his heart sunk to the floor. Elecmon's attack had completely fried all of the wiring. "Oh no…"

"Mega Spark!"

Takato spun just in time to see the WarGrowlmon's attack appear to miss Datamon by miles – only to realize that he had been aiming for the ceiling instead. An electric blast ripped through the roof like it was an eggshell. Chunks of ceiling plaster crashed down. Takato and Elecmon threw themselves back against the wall to avoid the falling debris. The chandelier groaned and snapped off its chain, and Datamon screamed as he fell through the air and got pinned to the floor beneath its magnificence. His body twitched from where two of the chandelier rods had crushed and impaled his body.

When the rumbling stopped, freezing rain poured into the mansion. The rain soaked everything, and wires short circuited along every corner of the room. Takato and Elecmon somehow managed to evade electrocution.

Takato shakily approached Datamon's slowly disintegrating form.

"My friends…" His voice shook with emotion. "How do I get them back?"

"I told you…" Datamon's voice crackled like a badly set TV station. "You can't… not without my knowledge… Now, you'll never see them again…"

Anger washed over Takato as Datamon disappeared into data particles. He could not fail his friends. This could not be the end.

WarGrowlmon landed nearby, and Elecmon joined him in front of the fallen chandelier.

"What do we do now, Takato?" WarGrowlmon asked.

"They can't really be gone…" Elecmon said, but he sounded far more uncertain than he obviously wanted to.

A strange beeping caught Takato's attention, and he turned toward the sound. He followed it over to the sofas and dropped to his knees to look underneath. It was Davis's blue D-3. Takato picked it up and stared at the image on the screen: a red blinking dot. Somebody with a digivice was nearby. Somebody like…

"Izzy," Takato breathed.

It was a wild guess with absolutely no basis in reality, but Takato suddenly remembered what Datamon had said about Izzy disabling his security system. He and Sora (and probably the others) had been through here recently. Datamon had said it would take knowledge to recover Davis and the others's data. There was no one more knowledgeable than Izzy.

"Help me get the data discs that Datamon downloaded them to," he said. "We've gotta catch up to Izzy and the others."