Dakota stands there in shock next to Asuka, breathing heavily. "Gat- Gatomon?" she breathes, Asuka running forward as Lotusmon collapses, a shaking hand gripping her shoulder. "No, no-"
Asuka wants to help her, but there's too many other things going on at the moment. She ignores Piedmon's presence and grabs Lotusmon, digivice pressing into her wound. "Lotusmon," she says, eyes wide as she searches her partner's face. "Lotusmon."
"Asuka," she groans. "It... it hurts."
Piedmon's shadow looms over them and Asuka grips Lotusmon tighter before looking over her shoulder at him, eyes almost dark with anger. "You did this," she says in slightly stilted English, making her way to her feet. "You killed Gatomon. You hurt my partner. I will destroy you myself."
Piedmon laughs at her, aiming a sword at her. "You think so?" he asks. "You think it's at all possible that a weak human like you can even touch me?" He sneers. "You are all so egotistical and you always pay for it. it will be my honor to be the one who sees it through this time."
Asuka aims her digivice at him, squaring her shoulders as she stares at him. "So you say," she says. "I will not and cannot allow that to happen."
"Curious to see how you stop it," he says, lunging towards her, sword aimed right at her chest.
Asuka tilts her head and then takes a step back. Her digivice begins to shake and glow, energy blasting from it and shattering straight through his sword.
Piedmon snarls in anger before grabbing his other sword and twisting with it in hand, trying to slice straight through her- when Lotusmon appears between them and volleys his sword back with her staff, dark energy pouring from it and eating through his sword, leaving him with no weapons.
"What the hell?!" Piedmon cries out, realizing he's lost a sizeable part of his offense. "I will destroy you both!" He lunges forward but Lotusmon twists and turns her staff onto him, the energy blasting against him, biting into his flesh.
He gasps and stops short, staring at her in horror as he realizes. "I... I lose?"
She smirks at him. "I believe it's I who gets to humble you," she says before stabbing her staff forward, deepening the wound on his chest and causing the data to stream faster as he deletes under her strength.
He tries one last time, grabbing for her, but his hands disappear before he can touch, and then he's gone, one last silent scream coming from his parted lips as he fades into a drifting stream of data.
Lotusmon exhales shakily once he's gone and turns to look at Asuka. "You healed me," she says.
"I did," Asuka murmurs before turning back to Dakota. "Dakota," she says softly.
"Will she be reborn? Like an egg?" Dakota asks, staring helplessly at where her partner had been minutes earlier.
"Yes," Asuka says. "I believe she will."
Dakota nods, eyes squeezed shut. "I hope so," she whispers, fingers clenching against her knees. "I hope so."
