Michael and Angewomon continued down the path that Mikemon pointed out making their way to the village of fortune tellers in hopes of reuniting with Takuya and the other four with WarGreymon close behind. Michael gently held Guardiamon's digi-egg in his arms softly humming a melody his mother sung for him when he had nightmares while gently rubbing the egg.
"That's a lovely song, Michael." Angewomon complimented as she listened to Michael hum.
"Thanks, my mom always sung it to me whenever I have a nightmare." Michael said smiling up to the angel digimon when he thought of his mother. "She told me that she came up with it the moment she saw my face."
"So she made that song?" Angewomon asked as she thought back to the melody and felt that it was filled with warmth and love. "She must love you so much to make a song just for you."
Michael nodded in agreement as he thought about his mother. "And I love her just as much." His smile turned sad as he stopped walking and Angewomon stopped next to him giving the blond boy a questioning look. "I just wish I deserve her love."
"Why would you say that?" Angewomon asked in confusion when she processed Michael's words.
"I'm not actually her son." Michael replied lowering his head suddenly finding the ground very interesting. "I'm adopted." He looked up and saw that the confusion hasn't left Angewomon's face and explained. "Adopted means that someone without a family is taken in by another family." When he saw her nodded in understanding his gaze went back to the ground and continued. "It was on accident, but I found copies of my adoption papers in a box mom always kept in our closet." Michael's gaze fell on Guardiamon's digi-egg before looking back to the ground.
"You must have been shocked to learn that." Angewomon said sympathetically kneeling next to the blond placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. She couldn't even begin to imagine the young boy's reaction when he learned that the person who raised him wasn't even related to him by blood.
Michael nodded as he thought back to when he learned that he was adopted. "I was so shocked that I just placed the papers back in the box and put it back where I found it trying to forget that I ever saw them." He shook his head before slowly sitting down on the ground being careful with the digi-egg in his arms crossing his legs. "That obviously didn't work and after a week I couldn't take it anymore." Michael sighed and looked up to the sky watching the clouds float by. "I needed someone to talk to about it, so I told Takuya."
*Flashback*
A six-year-old Takuya and Michael were in a public park sitting on the swings with Michael sniffling as tears ran down his face tightly gripping the chain of the swing he was sitting on.
"You're adopted?" Takuya asked eyes wide in shock after hearing what Michael called him to the park for. Michael nodded trying to wipe the tears away but it was in vain as more tears welled up in his eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Takuya, I saw the papers with my own eyes." Michael said softly his voice raspy from sobbing uncontrollably as he dragged his feet across the sand. "They had my name and everything." He lowered his head so his hair was shadowing his eyes but one could still see the tears falling out of them to the sand below. "Why didn't she tell me?"
"Maybe she was scared that you would hate her if you knew." Takuya guessed casting a worried glance to his friend as he was use to seeing the blond always having a smile on his face. "Why else would she hide it?"
"I could never hate her!" Michael exclaimed looking at Takuya with a surprised look on his face as if the very thought of hating his mother was outrageous. "Mad yes, but never hate." His eyes found themselves staring back at the sand as he continued to drag his feet across it making squiggly lines. "I don't know what to do, Takuya."
"Why not talk to your mom?" Michael looked back to Takuya giving his goggle wearing friend a confused look. "If you ask her, I'm sure she'll explain why she never told you."
Michael chewed on his bottom lip as he contemplated Takuya's suggestion and what his mother's reaction would be. When his thoughts went back to the adoption papers Michael just wanted to march home to scream at his mother for lying to him his entire life and started to question if she really did loved him as her son. Then he thought about his mother's reaction if he did that and didn't know if she would either deny it and try to change the subject or fall to her knees crying asking him to forgive her. When he thought of his mother crying, Michael felt a pang of guilt well up in his chest knowing that it would be his fault that she was sad if he did confront her about his adoption.
"Argh! This is annoying!" Takuya shouted in irritation when Michael didn't responded as he got off the swing he was sitting on and stood in front of Michael who looked up in surprise at his friend's sudden shout. Takuya had a frown on his face and his arms were crossed as he looked down to his blond friend before uncrossing them to grip Michael's shoulders looking him in the eye. "Does it really matter if your adopted or not? She's still your mom and nothing can change that!"
"But-" Michael started but paused when Takuya tightened his grip on his shoulder.
"No buts." Takuya said sternly loosening his grip when he saw Michael close his mouth. "Think about it Michael, if your mom didn't love you, would she express how much she cares about you every day?"
Michael said nothing as he thought back to all the times he shared with his mother. The times they were happy, the times they were sad, and the times she would sing him to sleep. Every time he saw that smile on her face, every time he heard her voice, he could see and hear nothing but motherly love and felt safe in her arms when she held him.
A small smile made itself known on Michael's face as he shook his head. "You're right Takuya, she wouldn't do that if she didn't love me."
"There you have it then!" Takuya grinned releasing his hold on his blond friend's shoulders and placed his hands behind his head. "No matter what, she'll always be your mom." Michael nodded and the two proceeded to play in the park until the sun began to set.
*End of Flashback*
Michael's small smile grew when he remembered what Takuya said to him that day. "I felt a lot better after telling Takuya and dealing with the fact I'm adopted got easier now that I had someone to talk to about it."
"And your mother?" Angewomon asked carefully unsure if she should pry. "How did she take you knowing the truth?"
"I never told her." Michael replied surprising the angel Digimon as he got back to his feet. "I didn't want anything to change between us, so I decided to not say anything until she was ready to tell me."
"What if she decides to never tell you?" Angewomon asked as she watch the human blond look up to the sky then down to Guardiamon's digi-egg.
"Then that's fine with me." Michael replied gently rubbing circles on the digi-egg. "I'll continue to wait until she's ready to tell me." He then looked up to Angewomon and gave a bright smile. "After all, she'll always be my mom, no matter what."
'What a strong kid.' Angewomon thought having newfound respect for the blond boy. 'He is carrying a heavy burden from a young age, yet he harbors no ill will towards the one he calls his mother.' Once again she could see an astral image of Guardiamon overlapping with Michael. 'This boy is not only similar to lord Guardiamon in appearance, but in benevolence.'
"I think I can see it!" Michael's voice brought Angewomon out of her thoughts as she saw the blond pointing to an array of tents in the distance.
"That's the fortune tellers village alright." Angewomon said in confirmation when she saw the tents before pointing to a temple at the top of a hill. "And the fortune teller we'll be seeing, Shamanmon, lives up in that temple."
"Shamanmon?" Michael looked to Angewomon in confusion. "Is he the leader of the village?"
Angewomon chuckled at Michael's confusion and shook her head. "No, he's the best fortune teller in the village. All of his predictions have come true without fail."
"Will he be able to help us find my friends?" Michael asked hope filling his clear blue eyes.
"Only one way to find out." Angewomon replied picking up Michael bridal-style before taking off into the air flying to the temple. "Maybe we should ask him about the fate of the digital world as well." As they got closer to the temple, Angewomon noticed seven figures climbing the stone stairs up to the Shamanmon's temple. "It seems we're not the only ones seeking Shamanmon's guidance."
Michael looked to where Angewomon was looking in confusion when he caught sight of a familiar looking light brown cap and goggles. "Is that?" Once they were close enough to distinguish the figure's appearance, Michael's eyes widened and a smile etched itself on his face. "It's Takuya!"
Upon hearing his name, Takuya looked up to the sky to see Michael being carried by a female angel digimon and his eyes widened in surprise. "Michael!"
"Did you say Michael?" Bokomon asked looking to Takuya before looking up to where the cap wearing boy was staring. "It is, and he's with Angewomon!"
"Hey guys!" Michael called out as Angewomon landed next to the group and let him down. "Glad to see you're all alright."
"Same could be said about you!" Takuya grinned looping an arm over Michael's shoulder. "Nice to see you're still in one piece, buddy!"
"We were starting to get worried when we didn't run into you." Tommy smiled and wrapped his arms around the blonds legs in a tight hug.
"Hey Michael, what's with the egg?" J.P. asked pointing to the digi-egg in the blond's arms.
Michael looked around the group of humans noticing that Koji was with them but decided to ask about it later. "You guys probably won't believe me." He looked down to Guardiamon's digi-egg lightly rubbing its smooth surface. "This is Guardiamon's digi-egg."
"Guardiamon?!" The group of humans and digimon exclaimed in shock.
Michael nodded his head confirming they didn't hear him wrong. "Back at the KaratsukiNumemon's village, I had another dream about Guardiamon."
"Another?" Koji raised an eyebrow in confusion looking to the group. "This happened before?"
"Yeah." Zoe replied before explaining. "Back at the Candlemon village, he had a dream where Guardiamon told Michael to go to the Sky Terminal."
"What did Guardiamon had to say this time, Michael?" Bokomon asked the blond wanting to know what the legendary angel digimon had to say this time.
"He looked worried about something when he told me to find his digi-egg." Michael replied thinking back to his encounter with the angel digimon. "He told me that Cherubimon's followers were close to finding his digi-egg and that if they did they would destroy it." His hold on Guardiamon's digi-egg tightened slightly but not hard enough to break it. "I was lucky to find it before them."
"How can we be sure that's really Guardiamon's digi-egg?" Koji asked casting a skeptical look to the digi-egg in the blond's arms. "I find it hard to believe that you found it shortly after being separated from us."
"I'll admit that I had my doubts as well." Michael admitted looking down to the white egg with a gold ring on top. "But I knew right away that it was Guardiamon's because he showed me what it looked like."
"That makes me even more skeptical." Koji's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he continued to stare at the digi-egg. "Guardiamon disappeared years ago and hasn't been heard from since." His gaze then went to Michael who started to feel uncomfortable when he looked into Koji's eyes. "So why is it that all of a sudden he's talking to you?"
Michael opened his mouth to respond but closed it when he couldn't think of anything to say to Koji's question and looked anywhere but the bandanna-wearing boy. The blond had to admit that it was strange that a powerful Digimon that disappeared would suddenly appear to talk to him of all people and he doesn't know why only him. The thought always haunted Michael whenever he looks at his feather necklace as countless questions filled his head.
"Leave him alone, Koji." Takuya said standing in front of Michael. "Michael's not a liar, so if he says that's Guardiamon's digi-egg then I believe him."
Koji scoffed placing his hands in his pocket. "Whatever."
"That's enough you two." Bokomon said getting in between the two human boys with his arms up to stop a coming fight. "Don't forget that we're here to see Shamanmon."
"I still don't see why we're here, Bokomon." J.P. said looking down to the tents from the stone stairs they were standing on. "All these fortune tellers are fake."
"Like my Grandmamon's teeth." Neemon said as they continued their way up the stairs to the temple.
"Have a little faith please?" Bokomon said as they reached the top of the stairs to the temple before opening the doors and walking in. "I do know what I'm doing, Shamanmon is the real thing."
"It's true." Angewomon nodded in agreement. "There is nothing that Shamanmon can't predict." On the other end of the temple stood a figure with their back turned to them. "In fact, I'm willing the bet he already knew that we were coming."
"You are correct, Angewomon, I have known you were coming." The figure turned to face the group to reveal a digimon similar in appearance to the Goblimon, the only difference is that it had a skin that was a darker shade of green. "And I also know you have come for some guidance." The humans in the group gasped in shock at the ogre digimon's appearance.
"Wait a minute!" Takuya shouted pointing to Shamanmon. "I remember you!"
"You're one of those nasty Goblimon from the wind factory!" Zoe said as she remembered their encounter with the ogre digimon and the Kokuwamon.
"Come on, guys!" Tommy shouted. "Let's get him!"
"No, no, no!" Bokomon shouted getting in front of the human children flailing his arms around. "Shamanmon's one of the good guys!"
"Shamanmon, a rookie level Ogre digimon." Michael jumped at the sudden mechanical voice and reached into his pocket pulling out his phone to see that it had a picture of Shamanmon on the screen. "By doing a ceremonial dance with his magical club, Shamanmon is able to see into the future."
"Since when can your phone do that, Michael?" Takuya asked looking at his childhood friend's phone in confusion.
"Since never." Michael replied looking equally as confused as the goggle wearing boy. "It's never done this before."
"Never mind that for now." Bokomon said filing away that Michael's phone gave information about Shamanmon for later contemplation before looking to the ogre digimon. "Oh, wise Shamanmon, we ask for your insight and advice."
"Very well." Shamanmon nodded before beginning to hop from one foot to the other waving his club around in a ceremonial dance. The group watched on anxiously as the ogre Digimon continued his dance awaiting what he would say. "You should be very careful. Ahead, you face much danger." Shamanmon continued to dance as the group listened. "You will come up against a foe you have faced before. But, this foe has a friend and in meeting him you will find a friend is your foe."
"A friend is your foe?" Michael muttered under his breath as he mulled over the ogre Digimon's words. "I don't like the sound of that."
"I don't buy it." Takuya said with half-lidded eyes with Tommy nodding in agreement.
"Then listen to this!" Shamanmon shouted pointing his club at the two who jumped at the sudden shout. "The greatest test will be faced by you two!" Takuya and Tommy looked nervous as Shamanmon got in both their faces. "This test has the power to destroy you all if you're not careful." After saying that, Shamanmon turned his back to them and walked back to his previous position.
"Destroy us all?" Michael repeated nervously looking up to Angewomon. "What does he mean by that, Angewomon?" The angel digimon just remained silent as she didn't know what the ogre digimon's words meant either.
"Hey, come back!" Tommy shouted out to Shamanmon.
"Yeah, we don't want to get destroyed!" Takuya said wanting to know how to prevent his friends from getting destroyed.
"Then remember who you are." Shamanmon said as he once again did his ceremonial dance. "And trust in each other and your friendship-" Shamanmon didn't continue as he was interrupted by a sudden earthquake that made him lose balance and fall on his back.
"Run for it!" J.P. shouted before the group ran out of the temple to see a giant humanoid digimon made of stone wearing a metal mask burst out of the ground with Grumblemon riding on its back.
"Old foe, big friend!" Takuya exclaimed in surprise at seeing Grumblemon with a companion.
"It's Golemon!" Bokomon said once he saw who the giant digimon was.
"Grumblemon back with big angry surprise for little spirit kids." Grumblemon said with a grin in his face.
"One of these days, I'm gonna beat this jerk for good." Koji muttered with a hand hovering over his pocket where his D-tector is.
"When are you gonna learn?" Zoe questioned giving the bandana wearing boy a disapproving look. "How about working with the rest of us, huh?"
"Hurry, Michael!" Angewomon said pulling the blond human back inside the temple while his other human friends began to spirit evolve. "We should stay in here where it's safe."
"But what about my friends?" Michael protested trying to struggle out of the angel Digimon's grip. "I can't leave them to fight Grumblemon!"
"Michael, from what you told me, they should be able to handle themselves!" Angewomon said as she wrapped her arms around the blond human to keep him from running out into danger. "You can't turn into a digimon like they can, you would only hold them back!"
"Even so!" The rest of Michael's words were silenced when he looked up to Angewomon and saw that she was frowning in worry for his safety.
"Think for a moment, Michael." Angewomon said softly as she slowly loosened her grip on Michael to turn him around to face her and knelt down placing her hands on his shoulders. "If you go out there, then your friends won't be able to concentrate on the battle as they would be worried about you the whole time." She then pointed to the digi-egg that was still in the blond's arms. "Do not forget that lord Guardiamon's digi-egg is in your care, so you would not only be endangering yourself, but also lord Guardiamon if you try and fight."
Michael looked down in guilt as he thought about Angewomon's words knowing that she was right. He knows that he couldn't turn into a digimon like his friends could and because of that he would hold them back, but the thought of watching on helplessly as his friends risk their lives while he stood by in safety rubbed him the wrong way.
"Do not worry, young one." Michael and Angewomon looked to Shamanmon to see that he was doing his ceremonial dance once again. "They just need to remember what they have been told and they shall prevail." He suddenly gasped and stopped dancing to point his club at Michael. "But you, on the other hand, must beware young one. For there will come a time that you must make a difficult decision."
"A difficult decision?" Michael didn't like the sound of Shamanmon's words as the ogre continued his dance. "What kind of decision?"
"A decision that would decide the fate of the one who you call your greatest friend." Shamanmon said balancing on one foot to do a spin before dancing again as Michael devoted each word uttered to memory. "But be warned, for once a choice has been made, there will be no turning back from the path you have chosen."
"My greatest friend? Path I have chosen?" Michael didn't understand anything that Shamanmon was saying, but he knew that it was important and that the fate of the digital world may rely on him to remember this prophecy.
"Do you know when he will have to make this choice, Shamanmon?" Angewomon inquired keeping the blond child close to her as she waited for an answer from the dancing ogre Digimon.
"I do not." Shamanmon replied ceasing his dance to once again point his club to Michael. "All that has been revealed to me is that his choice will be made inside the halls of a great castle in the clouds."
"Castle in the clouds?" Angewomon repeated under her breath trying to recall if there was any such place in the Digital World and gasped when one place came to mind. "You don't mean-" She couldn't finish as the temple began to shake and looked back out to see that Michael's friends weren't faring well against Grumblemon, who slid evolved into Gigasmon, and Golemon. "This is bad."
"Not Gigasmon again." Michael watched with dread as Gigasmon used his Quagmire Twister to deflect Kumamon's Blizzard Blaster and engulfing the ice bear inside. "Tommy!" Kumamon was released from the twister with his fractal code and spirit visible before Gigasmon devoured the spirit and Kumamon reverted back to his human form. "No, he got his spirit!" Michael fell to his knees shutting his eyes in frustration as the temple shook once more from Gigasmon's Tectonic Slam. "Why don't I have a spirit? Why can't I spirit evolve like they can? Why do I have to be so useless?!"
"Michael." Angewomon said softly watching helplessly as the young blond continues to berate himself for being so weak and being unable to help his friends fight Gigasmon. She went to go comfort the young human when a bright light halted her advance and she turned to face the source of the light. The light was coming from the back of the temple as the double doors began to open and Angewomon stood protectively in front of Michael. "Shamanmon, what's in there?"
Before Shamanmon could respond, a beam of light shot out of the doors and stopped to float as an orb in front of Michael. Inside the orb was a totem of a squatting red and gold dragon with a white helmet, white talons, and orange feathered wings.
"A spirit?" Michael whispered in wonder as he took in every detail of the totem in front of him. When he looked closer, the eyes seemed to have flashed red and Michael's eyes lost the light in them as he slowly reached for the spirit.
"Michael, no!" Angewomon shouted in alarm but was too late for when Michael's fingers touched the spirit, he was engulfed in a cocoon of code letting out a painful scream. "Michael!" The cocoon increased in size and Guardiamon's digi-egg was expelled from it falling into Angewomon's arms as she back away. "Michael, can you hear me?!"
The cocoon dispersed to reveal in Michael's place was a large bipedal dragon Digimon with avian characteristics. Its head has a bird-like beak, albeit filled with razor-sharp teeth, red, raptor eyes, and is almost entirely covered by silver helmet with crimson stripes, an emblem, and three horns the sides of the head and nose. It has orange, feathered wings and sharp claws on each of its limbs, and its muscular body is covered with crimson armor, inlaid with silver panels and gold etchings. Both of its forearms are equipped with triangular, golden blasters, and a long, thick, armored tail. The Digimon released a mighty roar that shook the temple and unfurled its wings destroying the stone pillars that were near it.
"We must leave!" Shamanmon hurriedly said as the ceiling of the temple began to crumble. "It is not safe here anymore!"
"But, what about Michael?" Angewomon asked in concern as the dragonoid digimon flaps its wings creating powerful gusts of wind.
"There is nothing we can do." Shamanmon pushed Angewomon out of the temple as the digimon continued to flap its wings lifting itself into the air and out of the temple destroying it in the process. "He is possessed by the beast spirit."
"Beast spirit?" Angewomon repeated in confusion looking to the beast digimon that flew to where Michael's friends were stilling fighting Gigasmon and tackled the mineral digimon knocking him into a stone pillar. The beast digimon let out another roar frightening Tommy who ran to join Zoe, Bokomon, and Neemon.
"What is that thing?" Agunimon questioned, taking a defensive stance alongside Beetlemon in front of of Zoe, Tommy, Bokomon, and Neemon.
"You mean other then bad news?" Beetlemon asked sarcastically.
"Now, just hold on!" Bokomon called out. "That thing may be on our side!"
"Okay, but." Agunimon said with uncertainty as his eyes never left the beast digimon. "Somehow I don't think so."
"Whoever he is, he seems upset." Neemon pointed out before the beast digimon started to laugh triumphantly. "Maybe not!"
Suddenly, Golemon's hands bursts out of the ground, grabbing the beast Digimon's legs before dragging it down into the ground. However, the beast Digimon gave its wings a powerful flap bringing both itself and Golemon into the air before pointing its blasters at the rock Digimon and began to rapidly fire at him until Golemon lost his grip and plummets to the ground. Before Golemon hits the ground, he was engulfed in a cocoon of data and when it dispersed, there was nothing but a metal mask left of the rock Digimon. The beast Digimon stepped on the mask destroying it before charging at Gigasmon.
"I go bye now!" Gigasmon shouted in panic before burrowing into the ground barely avoiding the beast Digimon's claws who lets out a roar of anger that its prey escaped. After Gigasmon escaped, the circle restricting Koji's movements disappeared before picking up his D-tector and running to join the others.
"He's really strong." Tommy said nervously.
"Too strong." Koji said narrowing his eyes at the beast Digimon that easily defeated Golemon.
"If he comes after us, there's no way we can beat him." Zoe said worriedly hoping that the beast digimon would ignore them.
"Right, time to go." Bokomon said as they began to leave.
"Agunimon, come on." Beetlemon called out moving to join the others.
"Yeah." Agunimon looked over to the beast digmon one last time and couldn't shake the feeling that he knows the beast digimon from somewhere.
"Wait!" Angewomon shouted descending down from the demolished temple with Shamanmon in one arm and Guardiamon's digi-egg in the other. "That thing is Michael!"
"Michael?!" Agunimon shouted in shock looking back to the beast digimon. "But how?!"
"We were in the temple when the beast spirit was revealed." Shamanmon explained as he thought back to what happened. "The instant that Michael touched it, he was possessed."
"So that thing really is Michael?" Agunimon couldn't believe his ears that his childhood friend, someone who wouldn't even hurt a fly, did something so violent. "How can this be possible, he doesn't have a D-tector."
"I don't know." Beetlemon said standing protectively in front of his defenseless friends. "One things for sure, if we don't do something, he's going to do something he'll regret later."
"You're right." Agunimon nodded and slowly started to approach the beast Digimon. "Michael, if you can hear me, give me a sign!" The beast Digimon let out another roar as his body was engulfed in flames before swinging his tail at Agunimon who jumped out of the way before covering his hands in flames. "Pyro Punch!" Agunimon punched releasing balls of fire that were blocked by the beast Digimon's blaster before it released a flurry of blasts. Because he was in the air, Agunimon couldn't dodge and the blasts connected sending Agunimon flying onto his back. The beast Digimon didn't let up and charged straight towards Agunimon who was trying to push himself back up only foe the beast Digimon to stomp on him pushing him back to the ground. Agunimon turned to the beast Digimon only have a blaster to his face.
"Agunimon!" Tommy shouted in worry running only to be held back by Angewomon and struggled to get out of her grip. "Let me go Angewomon, I gotta help Takuya!"
"There is nothing we can do." Shamanmon said getting everyone's attention. "All we can do now is watched and see what happens."
"Michael, this isn't you." Agunimon said trying to break through to his friend as the blaster was pressed closer to his face. "Don't you know who I am? It's me, Takuya!" The beast Digimon's claw twitched at the name and Agunimon saw it knowing what he had to do. "Don't you remember when we first met at preschool? You sat next to me and you were so shy back then!"
"What's Takuya doing?" Beetlemon asked in confusion not daring to take a single step, worried that the beast digimon would set his sights on him.
"He is trying to reach out to young Michael." Shamanmon said and Beetlemon looked to the ogre digimon. "He is hoping that by reliving their shared past, it will be enough to break the beast spirit's hold on his friend."
"That's crazy!" Koji shouted looking to Agunimon like he lost his mind. "There's no way that's going to work!"
"You don't know that." Zoe said as she anxiously watched the two childhood friends looking each other in the eye as Agunimon continued talking about their past. "I just hope they'll both be alright."
Agunimon was starting to get nervous, nothing he said seemed to have phased his possessed friend and he was running out of things to talk about. He remembered one subject he never talked about yet and was hesitant to say it, knowing how sensitive his childhood friends was about it. Knowing it was his only of hope getting his friend back, he silently asked Michael to forgive him and began to speak.
"Remember back when we six years old?" The beast digimon's eyes widened slightly and Agunimon knew that this was chance as he continued. "You were so shocked and in tears when you found out about it."
"Look!" Tommy shouted pointing to the blaster to see that it was shaking.
"He's shaking." Bokomon had a hopeful smile when he saw that the beast digimon was gritting his teeth like it was in pain. "Whatever Takuya's talking about must be working!"
"But what could it be?" Koji looked to Angewomon and saw that she had a sad look on her face. "Do you know, Angewomon?"
Before Angewomon could respond, Agunimon's voice brought their attention back to him and the beast Digimon. "I was the only one you told about it, that you're adopted." There were looks of shock on the faces of everyone present except for Angewomon who was already told of this before they arrived at the village. The beast digimon clenched its eyes shut letting out a painful roar as it moved its blaster away from Agunimon to clutch its head. Agunimon quickly got to his feet said what he knew would be the final push. "But remember what I told you that day?! No matter what, she'll always be your mom!"
The beast Digimon's eyes shot wide open as its scarlet red orbs slowly bled to sky blue as memories of its childhood flashed before its eyes. The beast digimon's hands slowly moved from its head before looking down to Agunimon and recognition shone in its eyes. "Takuya?"
"He's back!" Beetlemon shouted pumping a fist in joy as everyone else cheered except Koji who just smirked.
"Takuya, what's going on?" Michael asked, confusion evident in his voice. "All I remember is everyone fighting Gigasmon and Tommy getting his spirit taken before..." Michael paused as he just realized that he was looking down at Agunimon. "Wait, why are you smaller than me now?" Michael felt something on his back and looked over his shoulder to see his orange feathered wings. "Why do I have wings?" He began to looked over his entire body and his eyes widened in panic. "What happened to me?!"
"Michael, calm down." Angewomon said calmly as she floated up to be at eye-level with the human turned digimon. "You were possessed by the beast spirit in Shamanmon's temple."
"Beast spirit?" Michael repeated in confusion before shutting his eyes tightly clutching his head again letting out a painful scream.
"Michael!" Everyone shouted in concern as Michael backed away from them.
"T-Takuya!" Agunimon jumped at hearing his human name coming out of his friend's mouth in a growl when Michael opened his eyes that were flashing between red and blue to look at him in pleading. "P-please, a-attack m-me!"
"What are you saying, Michael?!" Agunimon's eyes widened in shock at the words that left his childhood friend's mouth. "I can't attack you!"
"Y-you have to!" Michael raised his head to the sky to let out another painful scream that slowly turned into a roar. "H-hurry!"
"The beast spirit must be trying to take over again!" Bokomon shouted in realization before looking to Agunimon who looked conflicted. "Takuya, you must attack now!"
"But..." Agunimon watched helplessly as his childhood friend continued to beg him to attack. He gritted his teeth before pounding his fists together covering his arms in fire. "Pyro Punch!" Agunimon punched towards Michael releasing balls of fire that connected and knocked him to his back as a ring of fractal code appeared around him with the totem of the beast spirit in the middle. "Sorry if that hurt, Michael. But soon, you'll be free." Agunimon pulled out his D-tector and swiped it against the fractal code. "Fractal Code Digitize!" As the beast spirit entered the D-tector, Michael began to revert to his true form unconscious.
"Michael!" Angewomon ran over to the unconscious boy and knelt down next to him. She looked him over and let out a sigh of relief before looking to the others. "He's just unconscious, he'll be fine." Everyone would have been relieved, except Agunimon started to scream and enveloped in a cocoon of data.
"Something's wrong!" Beetlemon shouted in panic as everyone else started to call out to Takuya. When the cocoon dispersed, in Agunimon's place was the beast Digimon that possessed Michael.
"Holy sock!" Neemon shouted in shock.
"For once, I completely agree with you." Bokomon said nervously as the beast Digimon let out a low growl that turned into a roar as fire burst out of its body.
"Oh no, Takuya!" Zoe shouted in concern. "No!"
"It seems that the beast spirit has possessed him as well." Bokomon in fear as the beast digimon turned towards them glaring at Beetlemon.
"Takuya, it's me!" Beetlemon called out trying to reach his friend like how Takuya reached out to Michael. It was all in vain as the beast digimon tackled him to the ground.
"Take cover everyone!" Bokomon yelled as he, Zoe, Tommy, Neemon, Shamanmon, and Angewomon carrying Michael began to run with Koji staying behind as the beast Digimon punched Beetlemon.
"Takuya, that's J.P.!" Koji yelled and the beast Digimon jumped to attack him next. Koji gritted his teeth seeing this and pulled out his D-tector.
"You leave us no choice." WarGreymon declared as he prepared to take on the beast Digimon.
"Fine!" Koji moved his right arm to be in front of his left shoulder and his left arm to his right shoulder as multiple rings of data surrounded his left hand before putting over the scanner and held his hands over his head. "Execute!" He swiped his hand down as he got surrounded by rings of data. "Beast Spirit Evolution!" He lost his features and his canines elongated as the rings had armor of a bipedal wolf starting to fit him before they became screens of data in his front and back with the armor on it getting closer to his body. When the armor was on in Koji's place was a white, blue, and gold mechanical wolf with two blades on its back. KendoGarurumon!" KendoGarurumon and the beast Digimon began to growl menacingly at each other.
"You guys!" Beetlemon shouted as he and the others watched the stare down between WarGreymon and the two beast Digimon. "This is crazy! Think about what you're doing!"