In an unknown location,
Sctulemon was on a table in pain. As he laid, grey cord like wirers with yellow stripes worked on the young Digimon, trying to heal him.
"How is he?" a shadow said.
"Duskmon hurt him pretty bad, but I should be able to patch him up," a voice that sounded like a small girl said.
"Oh thank goodness," the shadow said, "I don't think I could bare to lose one of you,".
Scutlemon then struggled to look at the shadow, "D-d-did, I do good?" he asked, struggling to speak.
"You did wonderful my child," the shadow assured, "Some of the reviews even said they liked you,".
"R-really?" Scutlemon said with astonished joy, "Yay, people actually like, ow,".
"Save your strength big brother," the girl voice that the cords were attached to said, "I'm not done repairing your data yet,".
"S-sorry sis," Scutlemon said.
"I need to get back to work," the shadow said, before holding Scutlemon's arm gently, "Hang in, it will be okay,".
"Thanks, I will," he said, trying to sound brave.
The shadow then nodded before vanishing.
"Y-you think they'll be okay?" the girl voice asked, "Are you sure are brother can handle this, he's kinda well, y'know,"
"Treblemon may be a bit blunt, but he has a good heart," Scutlemon said to his sister, "Don't worry sis, I know he'll do great,".
"Well, okay, if you say so bro," the girl said seeming relieved
Back with the heroes,
The digi-destined and the redeemed warriors were still traversing the continent of darkness.
"Those bad guys don't stand a chance now!" JP cheered.
"Not with Arbormon on our side!" Tommy added.
"Why thank yous, y'all are too kind, right," Arbormon said with closed eyes.
The others just smiled in agreement.
But suddenly, the content seemed to get even darker.
"Hey, who turned down the lights, right?" Arbormon asked.
Then something jumped out and stole Takuya, then Koji, and JP. In a matter of moments, all the kids were gone.
"Huh, Grumblemon what's going on?"
Before the gnome could answer, the monster in the dark grabbed him. Then in a few seconds, he Grumblemon screamed in pain.
"Grumblemon, hang on I'm coming buddy!" the robot ran to the scream. But all he could find was the gnome's hat, "No, t-this can't be h-happening, right?" Arbormon trembled as he held the tattered hat.
Then behind the warrior of wood, many red eyes glowed as a figure drew a blood red sword. Arbormon then turned to see the ghostly figure of Duskmon.
"With your beast spirit gone there's really no us for you, now is there?" the demon then dashed forward and slashed the robot.
"Noo!" Arbormon said as his eyes flung open, "Huh, wait a minute?" he looked around to see the other good warriors sleeping, all safe and alive, "It was all just a nightmare, right?"
However, in a few moments Arbormon found himself looking across the dark land as he sat on a rock, deep in thought.
"With your beast spirit gone there's really no us for you, now is there?"
Those words of Duskmon echoed in his head. He never really fought alone without turning into Petaldramon, not counting small weak Digimon that is. This made Arbormon worry that he might not be able to really help his new friends in a pinch.
"What's I'm going to do's, right?" he thought, before looking towards the sleeping Tommy, "I knows he said he'd give me back the spirit after he got to know me better," he then felt glum, as he remembered all the things he had done. He destroyed lots of homes, stolen tons of food, and even turned his back on his best friend. Oh how he hated how much hurt Grumblemon had felt, all because Arbormon wouldn't hear him out, "But after all the things I's done, how could that ever happen?".
He then started to drift back to sleep, he was still a bit lazy after all.
However, the robot didn't know that nearby was a wolf, seeming sad for the wood warrior. The purple Digimon then jetted away, not heard by anyone. Except Neamon who quickly lost interest and fell back asleep.
Many hours later,
The good legendary warriors had just finished resting after the many epic battles the day before and were getting ready to leave for the Rose Mourning Star. Though things were still dark and cloudy just like the day before.
The heroes had just made it to a cliff and were about to head down the slope to get closer to the rose mourning star.
"Thank heavens you're back together again," Bokomon said as the others approached, "So, is everybody ready to go?".
"But where are we going Bokomon?" Neemon asked.
"Your going to follow me and stop asking ridiculous questions," the white Digimon scolded.
"Next stop the Rose Morning Star, right?" JP said.
"And try to keep up!" Bokomon said just before snapping Neemon's pants.
"I'm the leader, follow me everybody!" JP proclaimed as he pointed forward to which the others followed, not taking him that serious.
"Oh well," Takuya said.
"One, tow, three, four, follow me as we explore!" JP chanted, "And five and six and seven and eight, I cannot stand an empty plate!".
"Man, who elected him?" Takuya asked sarcastically, "Not exactly inspirational as a leader,".
"It looks like he's just showing off to me?" Zoe joked.
"Maybe I don't want to see what he's showing," Koji added.
"I want a turn being the leader," Tommy said.
"I don't know, leadership takes independence, you ready for that?" Takuya said to the young boy.
"Hey, JP depends on chocolate and that didn't stop him," Tommy pointed out which made the others laugh, except JP and Arbormon.
"He got point there, ahah," Grumblemon added.
"Oh, you're so funny," JP moaned, feeling slightly hurt.
"Yeah, right," Arbormon said, seeming down.
"You okay Arbormon?" Grumblemon asked.
"Huh, yeah sure, sure," he lied, not wanting to worry the troll, before thinking to himself, "I know they said they forgave me, but are they really cool with me after all I's done?" he thought as the others walked down the cliff, "Still what can I's even do for them, right?", he then stopped walking, letting the others get further and further away, "Perhaps I don't deserve to be with them?" he then turned around and started to walk the other way.
"These kids' funny bunch, huh Arbormon?" Grumblemon said, before he noticed the robot was gone, "Arbormon, Arbormon!?" he then looked around frantically before running back to try to find the warrior of wood.
"Did you say something Grumble?" Takuya asked.
But before the humans could react to their new friends disappearance, the ground began to shake. The cliff then crumbled, before the kids were being sucked by a black wind into a monster that looked like a collection of green spheres with many eyes.
"Neemon help!" Bokomon cried as he hung onto the ground, before the wind stopped. He then saw the monstrosity that stole them, "Well, there's something new,".
Meanwhile with the wood warrior,
Arbormon had gotten pretty far away from the others. The robot walked down the dark path near a river, still down.
"This is for the best, right?" he told himself, "I mean, why'd they want a hunk of wood like me dragging them down,". Arbormon was really lacking confidence. Then again, when a fellow warrior mocks your loss before ending you, it tends to leave an impact. Arbormon then thought of the earth warrior, "Then again, I don't think Grumblemon will be too happy about this, right?" the said, before shaking it off, "No, this way he won't have to worry about me anymores, yeah?"
Just then there was a rustling in the nearby base.
"Huh, hey who's there?" Arbormon asked as he looked at the bush, "Well I guess it was, huh, wha?".
He was then surprised when he saw a small purple wolf with jet wings in front of him and wagging his tail
"Hi there, arf," the dog barked cheerfully.
"Well hi to yous as well, right," Arbormon greeted as he bent down to the canine's level.
"My name's Treblemon!" the wolf explained, "You must be Arbormon, the warrior of wood, arf!".
"Good guess, little guy," Arbormon said as he petted the wolf, "What's a Digimon like yous doing in a place like this?".
"Never mind that, why are you here and not with your friends?" Treblemon asked.
"Well, I don't know if I would call them, friends" Arbormon replied, seeming unsure.
"Why not?" the wolf bluntly asked.
"Look, after all I's done, how could they like me?" Arbormon explained, "Besides, how can I help do them any good without my beast spirit Petaldramon, right?"
"But if you don't try to get to know Tommy better, how you going to get it back?" Treblemon asked.
"Well, I," something then occurred to the robot, "Hey waits a minute, how yous knows about that?".
"Hmm, let me think," the wolf then thought as he scratched his head with his back leg.
But before Treblemon could answer, the nearby river began to rumble. The Digimon then looked to see many blue Digimon that looked like diving fish jumping out of the water and surround the robot and wolf.
"Huh, where'd these guys come from?" Treblemon asked.
"Do I look like I would know, right?" Arbormon replied.
Then out of the water emerged a large white Digimon that looked like a dinosaur with fins. He then landed in front of the wood warrior and wolf.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the dinosaur asked.
"Looks like a spirit right for the taking boss?" one of the blue Digimon with harpoons said.
"Indeed, I think this will please our lord greatly," the dinosaur said with an evil grin.
Meanwhile inside the green monster that consumed the kids,
The Digi-destined had just landed inside the gross innards of the monster, feeling very dazed from the fall.
Zoe had just come to and saw JP on her legs, "Do you mind, get off me!" she yelled.
"Dah, sorry about that," JP said after getting off.
"I really am getting tired of falling all the time," Takuya complained as he got up.
Koji having already gotten up then observed the surrounding area. It looked a hallway that was made of someone's innards with four yellow sponge parts on the corners of the red fleshy hall.
"I don't know how we got here, but it looks like we're trapped," he pointed out.
"Are you serious?" Takuya said before looking at the fleshy room, "Ugh, there's got to be a way out," he then felt the yellow parts of the innards, "Feels kinda spongy, this isn't normal rock,".
JP then wandered away a bit. With Zoe being still mad for him getting to close for comfort, he figured it best to give her space. He then noticed the giant clear red eye at the end of the hall.
"Ai-yi-yi, dead end," he said, not knowing there was a creepy red hand behind him, until it pushed him, "Whoa!" JP cried as he stumbled into the eye.
"Zoe, where's JP?" Takuya asked.
"Hang on, where's Grumblemon and Arbormon?" Tommy asked.
"I guess they didn't get caught in here with us," Koji deduced.
"I think I saw JP go that way," Zoe pointed out.
The kids then walked up to the giant eye.
"The owner's sure got a scary decorator?" Takuya said, "JP where are you?!".
Meanwhile with Arbormon,
The wood warrior tried to comprehend his situation. For some reason or another, he was surrounded by Digimon known as Divermon that were led by a large aquatic dinosaur Digimon known as Plesiomon.
"Okay, what's you guys wants with me?" Arbormon asked.
"Maybe their selling swimwear?" Treblemon suggested as he hid behind the robot.
"We're not sailsmen you mutt!" one of the Divermon shouted.
"Well how was I supposed to know?" Treblemon barked, before Arbormon gently nudged him away.
"I'm not sure if you should really be here little guy, right," he suggested.
"Oh your right, I should go get help!" the dog assumed.
"That's not what I," Arbormon tried to say, before the wold jetted off, leaving the others confused, "Well okay, right?".
"Um, right," Plesiomon said, before shaking his head and getting serious, "We have come to proclaim the spirit of wood from you Arbormon!".
"Now why would yous want to do that?" Arbormon asked, "I mean I's don't think I'm all that popular, but,".
"Quiet, it's not for us!" the dinosaur shouted, "I, Plesiomon, have been ordered by lord Craniamon to gather all the spirits to prevent the creation of Susanoomon!".
"Susu-what?" Arbormon asked.
"Never mind, you will not live long enough to understand!"
"Hang on, wouldn't it be better to wait for all the spirits to be in one place?" Arbormon said with his hands up, "Y'know, so you can nab them all in one swoop, right?".
"He's got a point boss?" one of the Divermon said.
"Silence, we need to take what we can get before Craniamon returns!" Plesiomon shouted, "Attack, for the safety of the ocean!".
"Yes sir!" the Divermon then took a battle stance.
"Well I guess beggars can't be choosers, right?" Arbormon said, before taking a battle stance.
The Divermon then jumped at him, looking fierce. But Arbormon wasn't going to lose his spirit after just getting it back.
"Roundhouse Punt!" he then let loose his limbs and smacked the fish men away, "Oh yeah!".
"Keep up the pressure troops!" Plesiomon commanded.
"Abyss Dive!" the Divermon then jumped at the robot again, their spears ready to poke.
"Blockade Seed!" Arbormon then shot a seed at the divers. It exploded and sent the fish freaks back while wrapping them in vines, "Yeah, that's how it's done, right!".
However, his confidence was short lived.
"Sorrow Blue!" Plesiomon then sang out a blue sonic beam at the robot, knocking him down intensely.
"Yahuauauaua, ouch, right!" he said as he hit the ground.
"Hahahaha, just give up you hunk of junk!" the dinosaur scoffed as he flopped forward, "Your spirit will soon belong to Craniamon!".
Arbormon struggled to get up, "I guess I am useless with my beast spirit after all," he moaned.
Plesiomon was about to strike. But then the ground began to rumble, which confused the dinosaur making him look down.
"Seismic Sledge!" out of the ground emerged Grumblemon who then smacked Plesiomon back with his trusty hammer.
"Gahhhkk," the dinosaur said as he fell back, before shaking off the surprise, "Well well well, looks like another spirit has appeared for the taking,".
"You for no hurt friend Arbormon!" the gnome cried.
"Grumblemon, what are yous doing here?" Arbormon asked, before the earth warrior turned towards him.
"Me should asking you that?" Grumblemon said, seeming worried, "Why for you run off Arbormon, and after me bring you back?!".
"Well, I's," he tried to say.
"Hey, I'm trying to attack you guys!?" Plesiomon said in annoyance.
Treblemon then hopped up on a rock near the dino.
"Let them work this out, this important!" the wolf barked, "You can fight them after this,".
"Oh okay," Plesiomon said reasonably, "I actually want to see where this is going?".
"Well friend?" Grumblemon asked with crossed arms.
"Look, I'm just no good to you guys, right?" Arbormon explained, seeming glum.
"Huh, what you mean?" Grumblemon asked in disbelief.
"It's just like Duskmon said, I'm no good without my beast spirit," the robot explained, "And after all the evils I's did, I just don't think the humans will like me,".
This surprised Grumblemon, "Huh, Why you not tell Grumblemon sooner?" he asked, to which the robot looked away, seeming unsure.
"Maybe he didn't want to hurt your feelings?" Plesiomon suggested.
"Yeah, after all he's put you threw, he probably just didn't want to hurt you more?" Treblemon added, "Besides, He must be feeling pretty messed up from Duskmon,".
"That true?" Grumblemon asked, seeming stern.
The robot was quiet, before he sighed and nodded, "Right, I just didn't want you to worry about me no mores," Arbormon explained, "I really am sorry for all I's down, I'd take it all back if I could, but I can't, right,".
"No, wrong," Grumblemon said, which made the robot look at him, "You no think that Grumblemon not do bad stuff like you too?" He then smiled, "But despite me evil, kids forgive and accept Grumblemon, even give back beast spirit Gigasmon,".
"R-really?" Arbormon asked, seeming astounded, "I figured you just took em when they weren't looking?".
"Yeah, me tried, but it go no good," Grumblemon chuckled, "But after time, Grumblemon get know humans, and humans know better Grumblemon," he said as he thought about all the good times, "You just need give good warriors a chance, they can forgive,"
"But what good am I them, alone I'm nothing?" Arbormon asked, "Without Petaldramon, I-".
"Forget what Duskmon say, that jerk wrong," Grumblemon encouraged, "Arbormon still warrior without beast spirit,"
"You really think so?" Arbormon asked, seeming to begin to believe the earth warriors' words.
"If me can fight without spirits, then so can Arbormon!" Grumblemon said, "Besides, you not have to fight alone, good warriors protect good warriors," he then clenched his fist eagerly, "Together nothing beat us no more!".
Arbormon let the words sink in. He then thought about when he teamed up with heroes the other day. The memories of those times made him understand he wasn't weak, and he had a new bunch of pals to support him. Arbormon then dusted himself off, before standing up, "Alright Grumble, I think I'lls give what you say a tries, right?".
"You more then right Arbormon!" Grumblemon encourage, before the two grabbed each others hands
"Aw, how sweet," Treblemon smiled.
"Indeed, their such good friends," Plesiomon agreed, before remembering why he was here, "Hey wait a fish picking minute, we came to steal the spirits and that's what we're going to do!" the dino shouted, which knocked Treblemon of his rock, "Attack, for the glory of the sea!".
"Yes sir, charge!" the Divermon then sprang to battle, having finally got free of the vines.
The two redeemed warriors looked towards the enemies with confidence.
"You ready Arbormon?" Grumblemon asked with a smirk as he pulled out his hammer.
"Hey, its like I always say, the more things change the more they stay the same, right!?" Arbormon replied before he and his bro jumped into action.
Meanwhile with JP,
The thunder warrior had evolved to Beetlemon to fight a gruff Digimon called Volcamon, who for some reason looked like a football player with a volcano on his back.
The ruff Digimon had been trying to convince the thunder bug that his friends hated him and pushed him into the earth area that looked like the inside of a huge cave with a dirt ground and many rock towers that towered high.
Volcamon had nearly stomped Beetlemon's head after singing at the thunder warrior, badly.
Beetlemon then got up after the football player jumped away, he was getting really tired of the hot head's lies.
"I may have some issues, but I think I know who my friends are, and you're not one of them!" he proclaimed before he charged his fist with electricity and punched the ground, "Thunder Fist!" this sent lighting at Volcamon, shocking him with pain. Lighting then struck Beetlemon's horn, "Proton Slam!" he then charged forward and stabbed the football player in the belly.
Volcamon screamed in pain. However, for a brief moment the football player looked like the warrior of earth, in pain.
"Huh, Grumblemon?" Beetlemon said in shock, before quickly shaking it off and tossing his enemy aside.
Volcamon hit the ground, sparks coming of his volcano back as he reached for his microphone, but it soon shattered.
Beetlemon then turned towards his foe as he took out his D-tector, "I'm going to purify your evil attitude, dude!".
Volcamon looked toward the warrior of thunder as his fractal code appeared, "At Least you won't be lonely anymore, Fractal Code Digitize!" he then swiped it across the fractal code.
"I tried warn yah," Volcamon warned, before flickering between himself and Grumblemon, "Now you have to live with the sad reality that you're all alone, JP!".
The villain then disintegrated as Beetlemon took the last of his fractal code. The thunder warrior then trembled on the ground, "No, that wasn't him, that wasn't Grumblemon!" he breathed heavily as tried to shake of the trauma. But his thoughts were polluted with images of his friends turning on him, "No, he was lying, he had to be ?!" he then stood up, "My friends would never just abandon me like that, would they?".
However, as he said this, his shadow seemed to grow larger.
"I don't know, would they?" a voice that sounded like JP but eviler asked.
"Huh, who said that?" Beetlemon asked with fear as he looked around.
"Oh I think they would," the voice said.
"What?".
"Unless their real friends?" the voice said as Beetlemon's shadow began to warp, "But you've never had any of those, have you?".
"Oh man I'm losing it," Beetlemon moaned.
"And why would you, not only are you a poser, but you're also a merciless killer," the voice taunted, "Just think about how you slaughtered him with no remorse, just because you wanted that girl to like you?".
"But, I, Grumblemon fine now, r-right?" Beetlemon trembled.
Speaking of Grumblemon,
Arbormon and Grumblemon had beaten most of the Divermon.
"Gerr, get them!" Plesiomon growled.
The fish monsters lunged again at the warriors but were quickly thrown back by Grumblemon's hammer and Arbormon's limbs.
"That all got, hehe?" Grumblemon taunted.
"You may have dispatched my troops, but you not best me, Plesiomon!" the dino growled.
"Oh yeah, just go try!" Grumblemon said before jumping at the dino with his hammer,"
"Grumblemon, wait!" Arbormon tried to warn.
"Sorrow Blue!" Plesiomon the shot a blue sound beam from his, sending the gnome flying back into the ground next to the robot.
"I tried to warn yah, right?" Arbormon said, making his pal grown.
"Hahaha, you fools really think you could defeat a mega digimon like myself!?" Plesiomon laughed.
The two tried to figure out how they could beat the beast. When they tried to get close, Plesiomon would force them back with his high frequency voice.
"Air Buster!" Treblemon said as he jumped in before shooting round energy blast out of his nose at the dinosaur.
"How dare you!" Plesiomon then sang an attack at the mutt, but Treblemon jetted upwards and landed next to warriors of earth and wood, surprising them a bit
"Wow, that guy sure can sing," Treblemon said innocently, "I wonder what you need to eat to have such power?" the wolf asked as he scratched his head with back leg.
"Hang on, right?" Arbormon then got an idea, "Grumblemon, I think I knows how to beat this guy!".
"Then hurry and do it!" Grumblemon encouraged, before being surprised by the robots actions.
"Here we go, up and away, right!" Arbormon then grabbed Grumblemon and threw him in their air, while still holding onto the gnome with his hands detaching as the ropes and troll went higher.
"You think that will work, hah!" Plesiomon then readied his attack, "Sorrow, blu-,".
But before he could finish charging his song.
"Blockade Seed!" Arbormon's mouth then opened and fired many seeds from it at the dinosaur's mouth.
"Blahr, bgbgyr," Plesiomon gagged with surprise as the seeds grew vines and held his maw shut, "Hay, Ierb grbubrrgurbrb!" he struggled to speak as shook his head, feeling very annoyed.
"You ready Grumblemon, time to smash, right!" Arbormon shouted.
"Execute, Grumblemon, slide evolution!" the earth warrior then transformed into his beast form, "Gigasmon, me always ready smash!".
Arbormon then pulled down the giant, sending him speeding towards the ground in front of the mega Digimon.
"*Garble*?" Plesiomon yelped with a sweat drop.
"Tectonic Slam!" Gigasmon then pounded the ground, tearing up the ground with an earthquake.
This sent the dinosaur and his remaining lackeys flying far away into the sky.
"Whaaaaaaaaah, my leg!" the Divermon screamed.
Plesiomon crashed into the river he had come from with great force, having been greatly smashed by rocks from the broken ground that Gigasmon destroyed.
"Got em!" Gigasmon smirked, before turning back to Grumblemon.
"You can say that again, right?" Arbormon said as he walked next to his pal.
Plesiomon then poked out of the water, shaking his head before spitting out the seeds, "Argh, You may have bested me, but you won't escape Lord Craniamon wrath!" the dinosaur then dived back into the water and escaped to the ocean.
"Now you know no mess with good legendary warriors!" Grumblemon bragged.
Arbormon then approached his friend, "Hey, I just want to say sorry about running off, right," he said, before seeming nervous, "But you really think those kids will really give me a chance?".
"Of course friend, but only if you give them chance too," Grumblemon smiled.
"Well alright then," Arbormon then smiled with his eyes.
"Hooray, glad to see you happy now, arf!" Treblemon said with joy as he sat like a good dog.
"Hey, why you no fight much?" Grumblemon asked, slightly annoyed at the small wolf.
"Oh, well you seemed to have it under control?" Treblemon said bluntly, before panting and making the troll groan.
"Hmm, why for you remind Grumblemon of some mon?" he asked.
But then something occurred to the wood robot, "Hang on a sec, if you're here, then where are the others?".
"Huh?" Grumblemon then grabbed his head while freaking out, "Oh no, me forgot about them and where for new friends be!"
"Ooh, ooh, I bet I could find them, arf," Treblemon bounced eagerly, before pointing in a direction humorously.
"Well then lead the way little guy," Arbormon encouraged.
Treblemon then jetted off to were the cliff was, with the other two soon following.
"And me thought Scutlemon was weird?" Grumblemon thought.
"You kids better be okay, I's still gots to give you a chance after all, right?" Arbormon eagerly thought to himself.
Back with the Beetlemon,
The voice had forced JP to remember a sad rainy day at school. Back then JP had won the attention of his classmates with magic tricks, cards, and chocolate. But when it came time to go home, none of the kids would walk home with him. For they didn't really care about that the boy, which made JP feel consumed by loneliness.
"Leave me alone!" the bug screamed as lighting erupted from his horn.
"It's time to face reality JP!" the evil voice shouted, "You can't hide from you anymore!".
"I'm Beetlemon!" the bug proclaimed.
"Oh that's a nice strong hiding place," the voice taunted.
"Be quiet!".
"But I see, and so do all your so-called friends," the voice mocked, "Inside all that armor, you're just a scared, lonely little boy!".
"You don't know anything!" Beetlemon wined.
"Takuya, Zoe, even Grumblemon, they're laughing at you," Beetlemon's shadow then covered a large stone tower. Beetlemon then punched the shadow, breaking the rocks.
"That hurt, ehahahahaaha!" the voice laughed.
"Show yourself coward!" the thunder warrior demanded as he looked for his foe.
"Come on, chocolate boy?" the shadow then covered another tower, which Beetlemon then punched "Who are you really fighting?".
"Who are you?".
"Just a reflection of the real you, JP!" the shadow then grew to the size of the thunder warrior, "I am your shadow, as long as you are alive, I exist!".
"This is crazy!" Beetlemon said.
Then many rock towers then sprouted from the ground around the bug. One of them appeared under Beetlemon and threw him in the air then onto the hard ground.
Back with the other kids,
Takuya then felt something that made him wince.
"Takuya what's the matter?" Tommy asked.
"You hear something?" Zoe added.
"No, more like a feeling," Takuya said with concern, "JP's in trouble,".
But before anyone could react, brown mirrors fell from the fleshy ceiling. The startled the heroes and made some of them fall. The mirrors then sank into the flesh flour, but that wasn't the end of their troubles. From the floor and wall came disgusting fleshy tentacle hands that tried to grab the kids.
"Gross!" Takuya groaned, before regrouping with the others, "Guess that feeling was right,".
"Go away slimeys, back, back!" Tommy shouted as he tried to kick away the deformed hands.
One then tried to grab Takuya but missed and got a little too close to Zoe's lower area. This freaked the girl out causing her to quickly grab one of the brown mirrors in defense, unfortunately she whacked Takuya instead, "Block buster!" she then released what she did, "Oops,".
The hands began another assault, so the kids quickly fled.
"Come on!" Takuya said as he helped Tommy up.
"Sorry Takuya," Zoe said sheepishly, still holding the mirror.
"I hope Grumblemon and Arbormon is doing better than us," Koji moaned.
The kids then began their spirit evolution.
Meanwhile with the former evil doers, and the wolf,
Treblemon was a head and had stopped at a cliff.
"I found them, I found them, arf!" he then pointed at what looked like a collection of green spheres with many eyes floating in the sky.
Grumblemon had just caught up with Arbormon close by, "Huh, that no friends, that?!" he gasped with worried surprise.
"That's Sakkakumon, right!" Arbormon added.
"Why for you bring us to that?" Grumblemon asked.
"Well that's where they are, I think?" Treblemon then scratched his ear with his hind leg.
"Hang on, you don't think?" Arbormon asked, which Grumblemon already knew the rest of.
"If Arbormon mean what me think me think, then no time lose there be!" Grumblemon said with worry.
The two nodded and quickly ran to get a closer to the steel beast, seeming to leave behind Treblemon who was still scratching his ear.
Back with in the earth sphere,
"I'm not beat yet!" Beetlemon said as he charged and destroyed more rocks.
"Missed me, just like you missed your chance to have real friends!" the shadow mocked.
Beetlemon then punched the tower his shadow was on, "You're wrong!" he yelled.
"Am I?"
"I, I don't know anymore?" Beetlemon moaned, beginning to succumb to the doubt, "Maybe he's right, maybe I've been fooling myself this whole time?" he said as he clenched his fist, "Living my life like some twisted, sugar-coated nightmare," he moaned, before thinking of his friends "Is it possible that you guys are just part of my self-inflicted bad dream?" he then cried to the sky, "Somebody please wake me up!".
Suddenly the ground began to shake ferociously. Then the earth Beetlemon started to raise into higher and higher.
"What now!?" he cried.
Beetlemon soon found that he was on some sort of battle arena, like a boxing ring, while the rest of the ground around it crumbled into what looked like seats for an audience of a colosseum.
"Oh, this can't be good," the bug moaned, "Whoa?".
Then around the arena's pillars appeared blue lasers that made it look more like a boxing ring.
Suddenly Beetlemon's shadow grew larger as the voice that mocked him laughed evilly. Then from the shadow emerged a black Beetlemon.
"Hiya handsome," the shadowy clone greeted smugly.
"There you are!" Beetlemon then turned to his tormentor, "Nice of you to show up,".
"I've been here all the time," the clone said with his glowing red eyes as his black details began to show, "I've never left your side,".
"You're wrong about me," Beetlemon said, trying to sound confident, "Takuya, Zoe, Tommy, Koji, even Grumblemon taught me how to be a real friend!".
"But have you chosen to be? Black Beetlemon asked.
As the the black thunder warrior said this, illusions of JP's human friends appeared and start shouting horrid mean things at the good bug.
"No, this isn't real, this is just part of my bad dream, come on wake up!" he said, trying to block out the insults, "Wait, why aren't there any Grumblemon there?".
"Why would there be?" Black Beetlemon scoffed, "You destroyed him long ago!".
"No, no, that's not what happened!" Beetlemon cried as the memory of him ending the gnome haunted him, "Let's settle this once and for all, you and me!" Beetlemon said to his shadowy clone.
"Oh, now you want to fight?" Black Beetlemon taunted, "But I am you, your past, your present, and your future, what do you hope to gain?".
"My life back, for starters," Beetlemon explained, "If I can defeat the old me, I can rebuild a new one!" he then clenched his fist as he thought of how the earth warrior grew from foe to friend, "Just like Grumblemon, I'll become a true legendary warrior!".
"Sounds like fun," Black Beetlemon joked sounding interested, "Bring it on, tough guy!".
Beetlemon then charged at his foe, who then jumped out of the way with a taunting, "Toro!".
Black Beetlemon then landed behind his good counterpart and charged at him with a evil laugh. The two then locked horns like kabuto beetles were known two do, struggling to overpower the other.
Beetlemon then raised his arms and grabbed his fists together, "Thunder Fist!" he shouted as it charged up with electricity before he pounced the dark kabuto.
But this didn't faze the villain, who just jumped aside, "Nice try!" he taunted before turning towards the hero, "Sorry bid blue, but that attack is useless on me!".
"Aw great," Beetlemon complained.
"I am your shadow, remember?" the doppelganger explained, "Equal and opposite, well, actually you've made me stronger," he said smugly, "By the way, if you destroy me, you destroy yourself,".
"I don't care!" Beetlemon shouted before trying to punch the black bug.
But Black Beetlemon jumped upwards and readied his attack, "Proton Slam!" his horn was then struck by blue thunder, before the vile pest dive bombed into the warrior of thunder. Sadly, the clone was able to land his attack, leaving a horribly painful impact.
Lighting erupted from the arena, causing the fake audience of JP's friends to cheer for no mercy.
Sadly for the thunder warrior, he accidentally stumbled into the blue laser fence and got shocked. This only made the evil audience cheer for more pain.
Beetlemon then turned back to JP.
"Don't you hear them out there JP?" Black Beetlemon asked as approached the weakened human, "How could you have ever thought they were your friends?".
JP struggled to get up, the despair getting worse by the second.
"The truth hurts, but in a few moments, I'll free you from your pain, permanently," Black taunted, "Just like you did to Grumblemon,".
The audience shouted more insults trying to hurt the chubby boy more.
Meanwhile outside of the steel beast,
Grumblemon and Arbormon had just gotten to the cliff Bokomon and Neemon were on.
"Where have you two been?" Bokomon asked, slightly annoyed.
"Never mind dat, what we's a miss, right?" Arbormon asked as he and his pal slid to a halt.
"I'm not sure?" Neemon said seeming confused, "Suddenly a bunch bug eyed peas appeared?".
"I was afraid of that," Arbormon said as he looked up and the orbs, "That there's Sakkakumon, Mercurymon's beast spirit, yah understand,".
"Oh my," Bokomon moaned as he and the other Digimon gazed at the inanimate beast.
"Me bet Sakkakumon grab friends and seal in sphere, no good," Grumblemon explained.
"So Takuya and the others are, in that thing?!" Bokomon gashped.
"Oh beans," Neemon moaned.
But just then, Grumblemon felt something, like someone he knew was in pain. "Huh, what me feel worry," he then looked at the earth sphere, "JP?".
He didn't know why, but the earth warrior could somehow feel the thunder warrior's plight. He then got determined and looked at Arbormon intensely.
"Arbormon, throw Grumblemon at earth sphere!" he shouted.
"Huh, but what good will that-?" The robot asked, before being interrupted.
"Just do now!" Grumblemon shouted.
"Alright, alright, I'll do's it, right," Arbormon then picked up the gnome and spun around a few times, with his arms soon detaching, "Heres yah go, hoo yah!" he then tossed the earth warrior into the air.
"Have you gone mad?!" Bokomon asked.
"Hey it was his idea ,right," Arbormon protested.
Grumblemon screamed as he flew towards the air, "Naaaaaaaarrrrhgg!".
It wasn't long until he impacted onto the sphere. However, the steel beast was protected by a force field that quickly shocked the the troll.
"Errrgghhm, JP!" Grumblemon cried as he struggled to hold onto the giant orb, "Me not know what wrong with friend,"
"What on earth does he think he's doing!?" Bokomon cried.
"I thought he was earth?" Neemon added.
"Hang in there Grumblemon," Arbormon encouraged with clenched fist.
"But whatever trouble be, don't give up, friend, JP!" Grumblemon shouted with all his might, before the forcefield finally forced him back to the cliff, "Gaaaaaaahh!".
Back in the earth sphere,
"Grumblemon!?"
Despite the troubles, the warrior of thunder was able to hear his former enemies words. The blitzkrieg bug was now encouraged to fight on!
"Those aren't my friends, they're a bunch of fakes!" JP proclaimed, "I believe in my friends and they believe in me!" he then stood up, "And there's nothing you could ever do to change that!".
But the fake audience kept cheering more insults. Chanting for JP to 'give it up'.
"Then where are they?" Black Beetlemon asked, "Don't you think they'd be here if they cared about you?".
"You must have done something to them!" JP accused, not believing his shadow's lies, "They'll be here, and you can't stop that!".
"What!"
Just as he said this, they real Digi-destined entered the earth sphere threw the eyeball that JP stumbled through.
"JP!" Takuya cried as he and the others stumbled, though Koji didn't fall down.
Funny enough, Zoe had fallen on Takuya's back.
"Are you all right?" Takuya asked dryly.
Zoe quickly jumped of, "Of course I am!" she yelled, before holding her skirt, likely still frazzled from the cheeky hand early.
"Okay, now that's weird?" Koji said as he saw the arena surrounded by clones of themselves.
The clones looked at them, but quickly lost interest.
"What is this, some kind of evil house of mirrors?" Takuya asked as he looked around, before seeing the arena, "Huh, JP!".
"Hey, about time!" JP said with joy, seeing his friends finally, "They came, I told they'd come!".
"They probably just want something from you!" Black Beetlemon said, "Whatever, I'll dispatch them as soon as I'm finished with you,".
"Dispatch this shadow boy!" JP shouted before beginning his Beast spirit transformation.
The beast spirit of thunder then roared "Execute, beast spirit evolution!" JP then transformed into his beast form. He was covered in electricity, as the giant beetle tank formed, "Metalkabuterimon!".
"Impressive, but you forget, anything you can do, I can do better!" Black Beetlemon then evolved into his own beast form, "Slide Evolution!" he then landed on the arena with a thud "Let's party!".
"Oh, man," Takuya moaned.
"Wow, there's two of them!" Tommy added.
"Bolo Thunder!" Black MetalKabuterimon then charged up and fired a spinning lighting attack at the good thunder beast.
MetalKabuterimon flinched a little but was still able to fight. The good beast then pointed his cannon at the faker, much to the black bug's surprise.
"What are you nuts!?" the villain asked, "You blow this thing at this range, we're both going to go down!".
"I don't care!" MetalKabuterimon shouted, "It's a risk I'm willing to take to save my friends from you!" he then prepared to lock on, "Bye bye, bad seed!".
"Actually, I think you should reconsider," Black MetalKabuterimon said calmly, before he pointed his own cannon at the good humans, "Blast me, and I'll take your friends with me!" his cannon then began to charge, faster than the good beast.
"Don't listen JP!" Takuya cried.
"We'll just evole!" Koji added.
But before they could even grab their D-tector's, the army of fake kids grabbed the heroes.
"Hey let go!" Zoe cried.
"Stop it!" Tommy added.
"Guys, no!" MetalKabuterimon cried.
"So what's it going to be buggy boy?" his shadow clone said, "If you really care about them, surrender and devolve!".
"I, I?" the bug tank struggled. But he had to put his friends first, so he powered down his cannon and turned back to his human form, "I'm sorry guys,".
"Good choice," the black beetle smirked, before turning his cannon towards the boy, "Make a wish, haha!".
"It doesn't matter if you beat me!" JP shouted, sounding strong, "I know my friends will stop you, because that just how much I trust them!".
Black MetalKabuterimon slowly charged his cannon.
JP closed his eyes. He could hear his friends scream for him, but he glad that he knew that even if he was gone, he still had true friends no matter what.
"It been great knowing you all," JP thought, "Even you, Grumblemon,".
The cannon then flashed as its light covered everything.
Y'known, usually in Digimon when someone goes through a character growth, they usually unlock a digi-evolution. Shall we continue that tradition and fix another wrong? Cue the polymerization, baby, hahaha!
The dimension then began to flicker and swirl. Then JP's D-tector glowed and absorbed the attack of the shadow tank.
"Huh, what the heck?" JP asked as he saw that he was in a black area that had lighting coursing through it, feeling like the inside of a thunder cloud.
Suddenly a bolt of lighting struck in front of JP, startling him a bit. When the lighting cleared, a large Digimon that looked like a blue rhino beetle with golden wings and its lower half being a red stag beetle of some sorts.
"You have done well, my susszzzesor," the bug spoke with a voice that sound staticy.
JP didn't know why, but he felt that he knew the insect somehow, and not just because it reminded him of Beetlemon,
"Your love for your friends, and even former enemies, szzzzzzhines brighter than lighting!" the bug praised.
"Gee thanks!" JP said, trying to be humble, "Um, w-w-who are you?".
"I, am AncientBeetlemon, the original warrior of thunder!" the bug proclaimed as lighting struck, "I too had trouble making friends in my day as well, but the legendary warriors accepted me for who I am, despite my ridiculous looks, and jokes" he then pointed his giant claw at the boy, "You now understand that azzz well,".
"Yeah I guess so," JP smiled.
"It izzzz with great honor, that bezzztows upon you JP, my full power, zzzzzzzz!" AncientBeetlemon then charged up with electricity and sent it into JP, "May your energy power the world to eternity!".
"I will, whatever that means?" JP said, slightly confused.
The realm of thunder then vanished as JP began his new evolution.
Both of the spirits of thunder glowed as the chubby boy was covered in fractal code. The spirits each gave pieces of themselves as JP gained a new form. The fractal code then exploded away, allowing six legs to stop the ground as the giant blue and gold beetle sparked with lighting, he then opened his mouth under his two horns of rhino and stag and proclaimed himself, "RhinoKabuterimon!".
The bug then exploded with thunder into the earth sphere and roared.
"W-what, your not supposed to be able to do that!?" BlackMetalKabuteir said with shock.
"Is that, JP!" Zoe cried with joy and astoundment.
"Wow, he's awesome!" Tommy cheered.
The fusion of thunder was so big you might mistake it for a dinosaur, its face was two golden horns of a rhino and stag beetle fused together with red flaps on both sides, on his back was two large batteries with + and – on them, near his tough beetle wings.
"You won't hurt me, or my friends ever again!" RhinoKabuterimon's voice roared like thunder.
Oh yeah, cue the Electrical Communication, like a megaman!
A magnetic field then surrounded the two beetles, and the fusion used it to drain all of the electrical power from the blue lasers around the arena. The energy then surrounded RhinoKabuterimon's horns
"What are you doing!?"
"This, Thunder laser!" RhinoKabuterimon then fired the energy at his doppelganger, causing great damage and nearly knock him off the arena.
Black MetalKabuterimon was barely able to keep his tacking on the arena, but he treaded forward greatly to save himself.
"Electron Cannon!" the shadow tank then tried to fire his strongest attack at the giant beetle, "Fire!" the blast engulfed the giant bug, "There, you see, your nothing but a poser!".
But the shadow beetle was soon proven wrong as the smoke cleared to show the thunder fusion intact.
"What impossible!"
"Amazing!" Takuya cheered.
"He's become more power then a beast spirit," Koji said with astonishment.
The fusion then lunged at the black bug and pinned the faker to the ground with his front legs
"I'm not that lonely chocolate box anymore, and now you won't be either!" RhinoKabuterimon then charged up all the electricity in is body into his horns, "Condenser Storm!"
The bugs were then swallowed in a giant lighting storm. The lighting raged like crazy, destroying all of the fake digi-destined, freeing the heroes.
The arena then exploded into flurry of thunder. The lighting sparked so brightly, it could be seen from outside of the sphere.
"Whoa, who turned on the lighting, right?!" Arbormon asked from outside.
"JP, he winning!" Grumblemon cheered.
When the light cleared, the arena was destroyed. Black Beetlemon was gone, and in the wreckage lay JP, exhausted from the event.
"JP!" Takuya cried as he and the others ran to him.
"JP no!" Zoe and Tommy cried.
"Jeep, you OK?" Koji cried.
"Speak to me?!" Takuya said as he got down to JP's level.
JP then got up and seemed fine, "Did Koji just call me Jeep?" asked with joy as he looked at his friends, "Hey, you really are my friends,".
"Of course you bonehead," Takuya said jokingly.
"Yeah, but don't tell anybody all right?" Koji said with cool sarcasm.
"I was worried about you JP!" Tommy said, "That new form was awesome!".
"I'm just happy you're all right," Zoe said sweetly.
"You mean that?" JP asked hopefully.
"Sure," Zoe replied sincerely.
"I'm sorry," JP said feeling down.
"Why?" Takuya asked.
"I doubted our friendship," JP said sadly, "It was terrible, I felt like nobody cared about me,".
"Of course we care about you," Zoe assured.
"Thanks," JP said as Takuya helped him up , Thanks, I'll never doubt our friendship again," he then looked all the others, "You guys are like family to me, you're the best friends I've ever had, thanks for coming, I love you people,"
"Okay, now I'm uncomfortable," Takuya said.
"Sorry, it's been kind of an emotional day, you know?" JP said, "I'm just glad the gang's back together again,". But then JP noticed something, "Hey wait, where's Grumblemon, and the other Digimon?".
"I don't think they got stuck in here with us," Takuya explained, "Sorry JP,".
"I-its okay," he said before scratching the back of his head, "I don't know why, but I almost feel like they were cheering me on from a far,".
"I'm sure they're fine,". Tommy said hopefully.
Unfortunately, the reunion was short lived. The creepy hands from early reappeared and attacked the heroes.
"Oh no, not again!" Zoe screamed, before trying to run. But sadly, she ended up falling into another eye ball portal.
"Zoe!" Takuya screamed.
"Where'd she go?" JP added, before the hands soon pushed them all into eyeball portals, separating them once more.
Then across the barren earthly landscape, they familiar voice of the warrior of steel laughed maniacally.
Back outside the beast,
The evil laughter continued, much to the annoyance of the redeemed Digimon.
"Me no get it?" Grumblemon said.
The the sphere below the center of the beast, which was the earth sphere, began to glow slowly before fading to a dark color.
"Looks like they got throughs the earth sphere, right" Arbormon stated as he looked up at the beast, "But there's still 9 more to go unfortunately,".
"You mean they have to get through all of those to escape!?" Bokomon asked with worry.
"That's what I just said, right?" Arbormon replied.
"It was," Neamon replied stupidly, annoying Bokomon.
"They need more help if friends hope to conquer beast of steel," Grumblemon added.
Arbormon thought about this and then got determined, "Then I suggest we find a way in at the soonest of possibilities, yah understand?" he said to the troll, to which Grumblemon nodded, before the looked back at the balls, "It's like I always says, only by entering new and unfamiliar worlds can a person change society as well as themselves, right?".
Narrator Rika: Oh brother, they really got sucked in this time. And what's with all the googly eyeballs? I guess we'll see on the next Digimon Frontier,
Purification Redemption!
Oh boy that was electrifying!
Treblemon: You said it boss, arf.
Sorry again this took so long. The sad truth is I'm still stuck in school, so I can't spend as much time writing as I would like.
Treblemon: But your going to fix that soon, right?
True, I actually graduate in early May. So after that I should be able to get stories out much faster. But its still going to take awhile to figure things out for Sakk-kkakak-aak?! Darn it I can't stand to pounces that blasted name!
Lets just call him Sephirothmon, it sounds so much cooler.
Treblemon: Also makes more sense if know that a Sephiroth is not just a one wing-ed egde lord, arf.
Special thanks to PhoenixP016 , Neo-Warkid4, pokemonking0924, Charmander17, and a guest for your wonderful reviews. Your input is really appreciated and helps me make this story the best it can be.
Treblemon: Thank you again for your patience.
Remember, reviews lead to sooner chapters and better quality stories!.
Treblemon: Later, arf, arf!
Chao!