Last time, Luradamon proposed giving them the children the stone crests and saving their parents, but they knew not to trust her. She showed them that she managed to steal the stone crests from the Dark Masters, but the children still knew better. Piedmon attempted to win everything, but UlforceVeedramon managed to hold him back. Luradamon did slip away and tried going after the last two stones, but the children opposed her and plan to prevent her from having all that power.

Di-Gi-Mon

Look to the past

As we head for the future to reclaim the Digital World

With faith in ourselves

And trust in each other

We live by the lessons we learn

As we work towards one solution

Through Digivolution

I am the one

I am the one

(Di-Gi-Mon)

Forever united as one

(Di-Gi-Mon)

Together the battles are one

(Di-Gi-Mon)

Through us let your spirit evolve

If we're all for one world

There's one for us all

If we're all for one world

There's one for us all

I am the one

I am the one

Di-Gi-Mon

Making A Dangerous Trade

"What happened you blundering idiots?!" Piedmon shouted and practically threw Puppetmon against a wall. "How could you allow Luradamon to steal all the stones we had?!"

"It's not like we planned it." Puppetmon claimed.

"She swiped the stones when none of us were looking." MetalSeadramon claimed. "I can't believe she actually played us the way she did. She was after the stones herself and used us to get them. She just wants to keep all the stones for herself."

"When we find her, we'll tear her to pieces." Machinedramon said.

"Yes, but we must move fast. If those children can't stop her, she will have all eight stones and become so powerful." Piedmon said. "If anyone is going to have all that power, it's going to be us."

"Yeah, but what do we do once the kids do get the stones?" Puppetmon questioned.

"What do you think?!" Piedmon shouted.

"Okay! Just don't throw me against the wall again!" Puppetmon said in fear. "Why did you throw only me?"

"Because you're the lightest. Now get to work on finding those brats!" Piedmon ordered.

...

The Digidestined

Luradamon is a shifty and crafty one. She's now holding all eight stones, but the children will make sure she doesn't get the chance to use them.

"Now that I have all eight stone crests, I'm not giving them up and you children can't stop me." Luradamon said.

"We'll see about that." Benson said.

"You're nuts. You're not going anywhere with those." Musuko said. "In fact, you're trapped in CannonBeemon. You've got nowhere to go. Nowhere to run."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" Luradamon called as she held up her hand and unleashed a bright light that blinded all of them. Once she did that, she took the case holding all eight stones and ran off.

"After her! She's got all eight stones!" Musuko called. Luradamon hurried through CannonBeemon. She has all eight of the stone crests now. All she needs is a way to escape and unlimited power could be hers.

"What fools. Did those mere children think they could actually stop me?" Luradamon mocked. "What's more is that there isn't much room in here for them to fight. If they digivolve now, I'll still hold the advantage." She kept running off, but a whip came at her and knocked the case right out of her hands. It also caused the stone crests to fall out. "No!"

"Yes, for us at least." Luradamon turned around and was met with Gardeniamon. "We said you're not taking those stones."

"And we're not as helpless as you might think." She turned back around and saw that Seraphimon and UlforceVeedramon blocked her only way of escape. "Now stand down and surrender." Seraphimon offered.

"What's this? We're giving her a choice? I say we kick her butt for all the trouble she's caused." UlforceVeedramon claimed.

"I wouldn't be so sure. You won't take me!" Luradamon said.

"So be it!" Seraphimon claimed.

"Strike of the Seven Stars!" Seraphimon unleashed his own attack right at her.

"Angel's Reflection!" Luradamon formed a shield and redirected the attack back at them. Both Seraphimon and UlforceVeedramon got hit by the attack and was knocked back.

"Stop!" Gardeniamon called as she tried using her whip, but Luradamon unleashed another blinding light. "Not again!"

"Quick! Grab the stones before she can!" Seraphimon said. All three of them dived into the light and tried to get the stones back. When the light cleared away, the three of them saw that she was gone.

"Where did she go now?" Gardeniamon said.

"Don't worry about that now. Where are the stone crests? Did we get all of them?" Seraphimon said as they tried to do a count.

"Hey!" Musuko called as all of them hurried out to them. "Where is she? Where is Luradamon?"

"Slipped away again, but we have the stone crests." UlforceVeedramon said.

"That's good. Did you get all of them?" Gatomon said.

"Not quite. We're short by one, and we can't find it." Seraphimon claimed as he showed just that. They only have seven. "We're missing the one of light."

"But where is it?" Koji said. They looked for it, but didn't see the last one anywhere. Just then, Gatomon realized where it could be.

"Luradamon!" Gatomon said, and she was right. Luradamon was able to grab at least one stone. She had the stone crest of light with her and was heading for an exit. Deciding to come back for the rest another time so that all eight can't be used against her, she blew an opening right through the structure that mixed with CannonBeemon and actually jumped right out.

"I'll get those stones yet!" Luradamon called before she vanished into hyperspace. By the time the kids got there, she was long gone.

"Where'd she go?" Benson questioned. "Did she really jump out?"

"Yeah, and she took one of the stone crests with her." Musuko said.

"But where did she go?" Veemon questioned.

"I have no idea. There's no telling what happened to her or where she could end up." Patamon said.

"At least we got the other seven now, but what are we going to do now?" Benson questioned.

"Guys! We're getting a call! You better come back to the main deck!" Natalie called.

"What now?" Musuko said as this was getting nuts.

...

The Main Deck

The kids used the case to gather the other seven stone crests together. Once they were, they all gathered on the deck for the call. What they didn't expect was that it was Piedmon.

"Hello again, children. Where is Luradamon?" Piedmon said.

"Did all that clown makeup get in your eyes? She isn't here. Now what do you want?" Musuko said.

"I see you managed to get the stone crests. I'm here to take you up on the previous offer." Piedmon said. "I'll give you back your parents in exchange for the stones. Eight prisoners, eight stones. Sounds fair."

"You're really going to give them back?" Koji said.

"This better not be a trick." Gatomon said.

"No trick at all. We're on our way to you right now." Piedmon said. "We'll be there shortly to deliver. No funny business. Even a clown like me has limits." He claimed before ending the transmission.

"Are we really getting our parents back?" Mason questioned.

"I think so. It's the only thing Piedmon has that we want." Natalie said.

"But we can't let the Dark Masters get them." Biyomon said.

"But we also have to get our parents back." Natalie claimed.

"Hold on for a second. Piedmon believes we have all eight stone crests, but we only have seven." Benson said. "He doesn't know that Luradamon took off with one."

"So what?" Natalie questioned.

"Piedmon is only making this trade because he thinks we have all eight, but maybe we can use this to our advantage." Benson claimed. "If we can get our parents before the Dark Masters realize they don't have a whole set, we'll have our parents back and can go finding the last stone."

"I get it." Musuko said. "We can get our parents back, and then try to find the one Luradamon took from us before the Dark Masters realize it."

"Exactly. Once we find the one Luradamon took, we'll have our parents with us and can work on getting these seven back." Benson said.

"I don't know. This sounds like a gamble." Gatomon said.

"Who cares? At least we can finally get our parents back." Musuko said. They finally have a chance to get their parents back and get one up over the bad guys.

...

The Adults

At the same time, Tai and the others have made a decision of their own. It wasn't easy for them, but they thought it had to be done. They all stared down at a box and all kept telling themselves that this was for the best no matter how painful it was.

"I know it's going to be hard, but this must be done." Tai said.

"We know, but it's not making this any easier." Matt said.

"Okay, let's go!" Puppetmon called as he marched right in with MetalSeadramon and Machinedramon just outside.

"Don't you people knock? What do you want now?" Mimi said.

"You're getting what you want. We're letting you go." Puppetmon said. None of them expected that.

"I would have much rather destroyed you instantly, but we made a deal with those kids." MetalSeadramon said. "At least we'll get the stones." This is just going to make it tougher, but they have to do what needs to be done.

...

Later

The base of the Dark Masters was able to find CannonBeemon in hyperspace. When they got there, they docked with CannonBeemon. The kids awaited for them to show themselves and make this trade. When the doorways opened up, they were faced with Piedmon.

"Hello again. I must admit that you kids are smarter than I thought." Piedmon claimed. "Making this trade now is a wise move." He looked and noticed the case. "I'm glad to see my precious stone crests are in good hands."

"Get over yourself. Show us our parents first." Musuko said. Piedmon snapped his fingers and they saw a doorway opened up. Then, they saw their parents tied up with Puppetmon's strings and escorted by the other Dark Masters.

"Kids!" Tai called.

"Uncle Tai! Mom!" Musuko called.

"Musuko! Koji! I'm so happy to see you both again!" Kari cried.

"I'm so glad to see all of you! Mason, have you been eating well?" Mimi said.

"Hey, Benson. I'm sure you've been taking good care of everyone." T.K. said.

"Natalie! Thank goodness you're okay!" Sora said.

"Hey, honey. I'm glad to see you're doing well." Matt said.

"It's good to see you kids are all doing well, but I do wish Susan and Clare was here." Izzy said.

"Yeah. Do you kids know if everything else is okay?" Joe questioned.

"Enough. You'll find out all of that when we give you back." Puppetmon said.

"Let's go." Piedmon said as he grabbed Tai and pulled him closer. "You want your parents back. Time to hand over the stone crests."

'Here goes.' Musuko thought as this was the chance they were waiting for. He was about to step in and deliver the case...

"Musuko, wait!" Tai called and stopped him. "As much as we would love to take you kids in our arms again, you can't let the Dark Masters get those stone crests."

"Be quiet! We're letting you go and you can be with your beloved children again. You don't really want to give that up." Piedmon said.

"Musuko, listen to your uncle! Don't give those to them!" Kari said.

"But we can't leave you with them." Musuko said.

"Kids, you do it and you're all grounded." Mimi threatened.

"Our lives aren't worth it." Tai said. "We know those stone crests can give them grand power. Both worlds will suffer."

"We know that." Musuko said. When he did, Piedmon thought of something.

"Quit stalling and make the trade!" MetalSeadramon insisted.

"No. Wait just a moment." Piedmon said as he was now suspicious. "How do we know this isn't some sort of trick? Open the case." That would mean their one edge would be gone.

"But..." Musuko tried to think of a way out of this, but nothing.

"Well?" Piedmon said.

"The truth is that we only have seven!" Musuko admitted.

"What?! Only seven?!" Piedmon said.

"What happened to the last one?!" Puppetmon questioned.

"Luradamon took off with it when we tried to stop her." Musuko admitted. "That's why we went through with the trade."

"It would matter if you only had one. You can't do this." Tai said. "That's why this trade isn't happening. Kids, when you get home, let all our love ones know how much they meant to us."

"No..." Musuko said. The kids couldn't believe this. Their parents are staying as their prisoners.

"No! They will hand those seven over!" Piedmon said.

"Tai, now!" Matt called as he tossed the box over to Tai. Then, Tai kicked the box and slide it over to the kids. Once he did that, he broke free from Piedmon and hit a switch that closed the door and separated them with their parents saying goodbye.

"No!" Musuko called as all the kids pleaded for this not to happen.

"Bye, kids. Love you all." Tai said just before the doors closed.

"No! Mom! Uncle Tai!" Musuko cried as they all separated with CannonBeemon flying away. That was their best chance to get their parents back, but they chose to give up their lives for both worlds. They're really gone.

...

The Real World

Meanwhile, so many were unaware of what's going on. Out of all the places in the world, Luradamon would end up in the home of the children.

"So this is the human world. Well, I might have only one stone, but I can still use it." Luradamon said as she tried to tap into the power of the stone she did have and was ready to destroy everything now.

...

The Digidestined

The kids were all in shock over this. Some of them could barely stop crying. Now they'll never get their parents back because their parents would rather sacrifice themselves to prevent their enemies from winning.

"This can't really be happening. What are we going to tell everyone back home?" Mason questioned.

"They were counting on us to save them, and we let them all down." Benson said.

"I want Mommy back." Koji cried.

"I'm sorry, but what's in that box they gave us?" Veemon questioned. They all looked down at the box and wondered what was in it. When they opened it up, it was just a bunch of paper.

"Paper?" Musuko questioned.

"Wait..." Benson took one and saw some writing. "This is my father's handwriting. It's addressed to Mom." Curious, they all took a look and saw they were all from their parents.

"They're all letters, and each one is addressed to us or someone back home." Natalie said.

"They all explain why they're not home." Mason said.

"I guess they wanted everyone to know how much they loved us." Koji said, but this made them miss them even more.

"This is all Luradamon's fault. We would have had our parents back if it weren't for her." Musuko blamed. "That's why we get the last stone back and make her pay for this." All of them were in agreement to this. Luradamon must pay.

...

Returning home wasn't what the kids wanted yet, but Luradamon must be stopped. To get back the last stone, the thing standing in her way is a little boy named Koji.

Next time: Angel vs. Angel