Trekking further into the depths of the forests and retaining her focus, Kari glanced down at her Digivice, making sure both she and her Digimon partner were following the correct path as they headed towards the pair of blinking dots displayed upon the screen.
Meanwhile, and ensuring the safety of her partner, Gatomon was on high alert, her sharp eyes peeled for any and all signs of danger as being deep within enemy territory it was highly likely that she and Kari could run into trouble, the sight of a Dark Spire not too far off in the distance serving as a reminder of this fact.
"Kari, Gatomon!" A familiar and frantic voice then shouted from behind the Digidestined and Digimon of Light, the panicked tone causing Kari and Gatomon to turn and to see TK rushing toward them as Patamon clung to the blond Digidestined's hat, to their surprise.
"TK?" Kari inquired, surprised to see the Digidestined of Hope who was approaching both her and Gatomon, the blond haired boy resting his hands upon his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw that you were both going to the Digital World ahead of us." Patamon replied in his partner's stead as he allowed TK to compose himself. "Given where we are, we figured it would be best to catch up with you."
To the winged Digimon's surprise, instead of words of gratitude, Kari's eyes widened and a look of panic spread across her face.
"Did you tell Davis and the others as well?!" She questioned, her tone laced with concerns.
In his head, TK groaned, feelings of frustration bubbling up within him at the fact that Kari's priorities were once again focused solely on Davis instead of the situation that they found themselves in.
"I texted him that we came ahead of him and the others and that we'd meet them here." TK then assured her, his breathing having returned to normal and allowing him to speak.
His words did little to dissuade the brunette's fears, hearing that the maroon haired boy knew she'd gone off on her own.
Turning away from TK, Kari set off once again, following the directions that would lead her to the blinking dots on the screen on her Digivice.
"K… Kari!" TK called in confusion as he, Gatomon and Patamon remained taken aback by her actions.
"Kari, please wait!" The Digidestined of Hope called out for a second time, concern filling his voice, as he along with both Gatomon and Patamon followed after the Digidestined of Light.
"It's too dangerous for us to just be wandering around the Digital World alone, we should wait for the others to get here!" TK said sternly, which didn't abide too well with Kari.
"No!" The brunette snapped back in reply, her eyes fixed upon her Digivice, without even looking back as she continued to talk ahead of the group, her attitude concerning TK further. "I need to do this before Davis catches up!"
Keeping his level of concern as he approached the Digidestined of Light, TK then questioned. "Do what exactly?"
Stopping in her tracks, Kari turned to face TK, the blond boy taken aback by the look of determination on both her face, and beaming within her eyes.
"There are two Digi-Eggs out there, my Digivice is leading me to them." Kari explained as she lifted up her Digivice, showing him the blinking dots on the map displayed on the screen.
"If we can get them we can help Davis and the Digital World!" The Digidestined of Light then declared with a further determination within her voice.
TK's eyes widened at hearing Kari's declaration, all of a sudden a beeping sound emanating from his own pocket.
Reaching within and retrieving his Digivice, the Digidestined of Hope expressed a silent awe to find a similar map displayed upon the screen, complete with the two blinking dots.
To the sight, TK found his surprise only growing as he realized that Kari was right, that perhaps both he and the Digidestined of Light were once more meant to protect the Digital World and aid their new friends against Millenniummon and his evil.
"This is great, but we should wait for Davis and the others so we..." TK began to say, expressing his concerns for Kari once again, but fell silent as the brunette turned and began to walk off once again.
"No, I need to do this myself, it's the only way I can stand alongside Davis!" Kari said stubbornly as she continued to walk ahead of TK and their Digimon partners.
Sighing to himself as he knew he couldn't talk Kari out of her ideals, a soft smile appeared upon TK's lips.
"Davis, he means alot to you doesn't he?" He inquired with a deep sincerity expressed within his voice.
From hearing this, Kari glanced over at TK, her expression one of pure annoyance and anger.
To TK, it was clear that Kari didn't appreciate him questioning her relationship with her best friend, that was until she saw the smile on TK's face, the sight of it causing her anger to fizzle away as she realized that with everything that has happened in the past few days, the Digidestined of Light never had a chance to sit down and talk to one of her closest friends in the way she had intended, especially when it came to the maroon haired Digidestined.
Expelling a soft sigh and managing to calm herself down, Kari gained a soft smile as she looked back at TK, one that let the Digidestined of Hope know that the young Kamiya was ready to talk.
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Continuing their way toward the location indicated upon their Digivices, TK, Patamon and Gatomon now walked alongside Kari, who now moved at a slowed pace.
Staying close beside her friends, a soft smile graced Kari's face as she looked to the sky and allowed the memories of the past to come to the forefront of her mind.
"When I was six, Tai and Sora took me to the park to play some soccer, and during the course of the game, Tai kicked the ball a little too hard. It went flying past me, so I chased after it." Kari explained as she began her tale.
"When I finally caught up to the ball, it had rolled to the foot of a boy sitting alone underneath a tree, and when I introduced myself, he looked at me and smiled and..." The Digidestined of Light went on to say, before her smile grew as she then told TK and their Digimon partners. "And I just felt like all the troubles in the world just vanished. I wanted to see that smile every day, and that was when Davis and I first became friends."
"Since then, he's always been there for me, and I for him. When I was sick, he was there to take care of me, and whenever he needed me, I made sure I was there for him. He's an amazing person and a good friend, and I was hoping you would become friends with him as well." Kari said as she looked upon TK with a soft smile, one the blond haired Digidestined returned with his own.
"Hmm, when you put it that way, he does sound like he is a great guy and a reliable leader." TK replied, before the Digidestined of Hope then asked with a small hint of solemness within his voice. "You really care a lot about him, don't you?"
"Of course I do, he's my best friend." Kari replied with a sweet smile, her reply causing TK to sweatdrop.
'Friends... don't act like this with one another.' The Digidestined of Hope thought to himself as he recalled his conversation with Sora the day before, realizing that just like the older Digidestined had told him, Kari wasn't truly aware of her true feelings for their maroon haired leader, at least not yet.
"And that's why I need to do this. Davis has always been there for me, and I'll never forgive myself if I am unable to do anything while he fights Millenniummon alone!" The Digidestined of Light then said with a fiery determination within her voice, one that TK rarely saw within the brunette, at least one he hadn't seen when they were last in the Digital World together.
"And I'm not alone in that mindset, Gatomon feels the same way with Veemon." Kari then said as she looked upon her Digimon partner, who seemed to be in thought.
"Right?" The Digidestined of Light then questioned as she wanted to be sure of her statement and belief.
"Yeah..." Gatomon merely replied as she continued to walk alongside her partner and stare ahead, while Kari gained a bright smile to hear the feline Digimon in agreement with her.
"But there's something I don't understand." Gatomon then said, her comment causing Kari, TK and Patamon to look upon the Digimon of Light with a shared sense of confusion.
"When I first saw Veemon... I can't explain it, but I felt my heart race as I looked upon him, and I felt as if I knew him, as if I have been waiting for so long to see him again." Gatomon explained as she looked toward the sky and felt her eyes soften toward the thought of the Digimon of Miracles.
"I feel the same." Patamon then confessed, his words causing Kari, TK and Gatomon to give him a strange look, before the Digimon of Hope corrected himself.
"Well, not exactly the same as Gatomon, but when I first saw Veemon myself, I felt like I have known him for a long time, but I have never seen him before as far as I can tell." He informed the others as he thought more of the moment he and the others first met the V-marked Digimon.
"And we're not the only ones, Agumon felt the same, like he met Veemon long ago and we knew we could trust him." Patamon then said, before gaining a thoughtful look as he added to his statement. "But neither Tentomon nor Biyomon had the same feeling."
Making a mental note toward Patamon and Gatomon's comments and continuing to move forward, the group found themselves thinking deeply about the possible connections shared between their Digimon partners and the Digimon of Miracles, before TK's eyes widened as a thought came to mind.
"Wait, Digimon are reborn again and again, sometimes without memories of their past, right?" The blond Digidestined questioned, his words gaining the attention of Kari and the Digimon as TK then surmised. "Maybe you guys and Agumon knew Veemon in a previous life?"
As the group pondered TK's theory, Kari refocused attention upon her Digivice as the blinking dots indicated that they were getting closer to the Digi-Eggs, while Gatomon found herself once again lost within her thoughts of Veemon.
If what TK said was correct and with what she felt when it came to the Digimon of Miracles, Gatomon found herself continuing to wonder if in another life if she was close to Veemon, and perhaps even more.
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Meanwhile and not too far behind Kari, TK and their Digimon partners, Davis, Veemon and the rest of the newer Digidestined and their Digimon partners were doing their best to catch up to the Digidestined and Digimon of Light and of Hope.
With his Digivice drawn, Davis followed the map displayed upon the screen which led toward a pair of blinking lights.
Upon returning to the Digital World and as they had expected, DemiVeemon and the other Digimon Digivolved back into their Rookie level forms, before the group quickly confronted Gennai and Ogremon as to the whereabouts of their friends.
After Gennai answered Davis' questions as best as he could and explained what Kari was trying to accomplish, the maroon haired Digidestined quickly took after Kari, TK, Gatomon and Patamon as he led Veemon, Yolei, Hawkmon, Cody and Armadillomon after their missing friends.
As Yolei, Cody and the Digimon kept watch of their surroundings for any signs of potential attacks, Davis clenched his hand around his Digivice as an unsaid anger continued to grow within him, one directed more at himself as opposed toward Kari and her impulsive behaviour.
Davis knew how much Kari wanted to keep her promise to him, to always be there for him when he needed her, as well as the dream she shared of the two of them being Digidestined together.
But the maroon haired boy also knew how much it bothered Kari that she couldn't help him when Myotismon came for her, as well as how the events of the previous day and her inability to help him when they were both captured continued to disturb the Digidestined of Light, where Davis silently vowed to himself that he would sit down and talk to his best friend once they caught up to her.
However...
"Bada Boom!" A small but cruel voice then suddenly declared, before a series of fireballs crashed into the ground ahead of the group, the attack causing Davis, Yolei and Cody to stop in their tracks, while Veemon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon quickly moved before their partners.
Ready to defend Davis, Yolei and Cody, the Digimon looked upon the trees and toward their unknown attackers, to find about a dozen small imp-like Digimon resting upon the branches as they smirked wickedly upon the group below.
Taking in their attackers, Davis, Yolei and Cody saw that the Digimon shared in their appearances.
Holding a devilish form to them, which consisted of a dark purple skin, a spiked tail and sharp clawed feet, Davis and the others knew this was a Digimon designed for causing chaos.
Alongside the red gloves and matching bandanas they wore around their necks, the Digimon's appearances remained a combination of evil and cute deception, namely toward the creepy fanged smiley face upon their stomachs.
Holding a pair of gleaming green eyes, accompanied by dark smiles on their faces, the wicked Digimon stared down the Veemon and the others with further malice.
"Impmon." Veemon growled as he prepared himself to fight, the emotions shared by Hawkmon and Armadillomon, who moved to guard the Digidestined behind them.
"Be careful, they might be Rookie level Digimon, but they are servants of Beelzemon and should not be underestimated." Hawkmon told Yolei, his tone containing a further seriousness.
Looking upon the Impmon, Davis took note of how their neck scarves held the same mark he saw upon the BlueMeramon, the Mark of Gluttony as Veemon explained the night before.
"Well, lookie at what we got here. I was hopin' we'd run into you guys." One of the Impmon said.
"The boss wants you guys beaten down, so we're here to deliver that beating." Another Impmon added as he and his comrades chuckled wickedly.
"Oh yeah, you and what army?!" Yolei asked as she tried her best to act tough and brave in front of Davis, knowing that all Hawkmon, Veemon and Armadillomon needed to do was Armour Digivolve and they could take care of the annoying imp Digimon with ease.
However, the purple haired Digidestined found her confidence quickly shrinking as the lead Impmon continued to smirk, before he pointed behind himself and his fellow Impmon as he then replied with a somewhat sadistic tone of voice. "This army, kid."
To Impmon's words, Davis and the others then heard a series of roars emanating from the forest around them, followed quickly by the ground beneath them shaking as a large number of beings came charging through the trees, knocking a few trees down in the process.
Soon enough, the Digidestined and their Digimon partners found themselves surrounded by a dozen or so large reptilian-like Digimon, each glaring down upon the group with feral green eyes.
Looking upon their newer foes, Davis, Yolei, Cody and the Digimon saw that these newer Digimon had green mohawks growing on top of their heads, red neck scarves, black vests with shoulder spikes and black metal braces upon their mouths.
Black belts with grey buckles were wrapped around each of the wicked Digimon's forearms, upper legs, ankles and base of their tails, the tips of which contained piercings.
Upon each of the Digimon's claws were golden brass knuckles with Digi-Runes upon them, while a letter A in a circle was tattooed on their white torsos as the lizard Digimon appeared ready for battle.
"Punkmon!" Veemon said with a great concern within his voice, adding with a sense of warning to Davis and the others. "They're the Digivolved forms of Impmon. Not only do they fight dirty, they pick on weaker Digimon to improve their overall strength, so don't take them lightly!"
Letting out wicked laughter, the Impmon then jumped from the tree branches as they each landed upon a Punkmon's shoulder as the servants of Beelzemon prepared themselves to strike down Veemon and his allies once and for all.
Growling to himself, not only to the fact that they would now have to fight, but also to the fact that they couldn't catch up to Kari, TK and their Digimon partners right away, Davis steeled himself as he brought his Digivice out and told Yolei, Cody and their Digimon partners with a sense of authority within his voice. "We need to fight, guys. Time to Armour Digivolve!"
Nodding in agreement, Yolei and Cody both took their Digivices from out of their pockets, while Veemon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon readied themselves as their partners all declared as one. "Digi-Armour, Energize!"
With Davis, Yolei and Cody's call, their Digimon partners were consumed within bright lights, a sight that caused the Punkmon to step back a little, but keep their bloodlust as they heard their enemies each declare their transformations with a shared might.
"Veemon, Armour Digivolve to… Flamedramon, the Fire of Courage!"
"Hawkmon, Armour Digivolve to… Halsemon, the Wings of Love!"
"Armadrillomon, Armour Digivolve to… Digmon, the Drill of Knowledge!"
With their shared battle cries, the light faded around Flamedramon, Halsemon and Digmon all took their own battle stances as they prepared to defend their partners and deal with the threat before them, while the Impmon remained with wicked smiles as their Punkmon allies each expelled fearsome roars at the idea of combat.
As he prepared to aid Flamedramon and the others as best as he could within the battle to come, Davis briefly hoped that Kari, TK, Gatomon and Patamon were alright and would be safe.
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Meanwhile and not too far from where Davis and the others were battling their latest foes, Kari, TK, Gatomon and Patamon had just arrived to the entrance to a large cavern, one that reminded the group of the cave that they had found Veemon and the Digi-Egg of Courage within.
Entering the cave and proceeding with caution, the Digidestined and Digimon of Light and of Hope found that the cavern was not only lined with lit torches, just as Veemon's cave was, but like the cave that the Royal Knight was found in, the walls were also adorned with ancient murals.
Like the paintings within Veemon's cave, Kari, TK, Gatomon and Patamon were unable to translate the writing, but the group saw recorded history of the Royal Knights in their ancient battle against Millenniummon and the Demon Lords.
Unlike the paintings they observed from Veemon's cave, however, the imagery around the Digidestined and Digimon of Light and of Hope also depicted what appeared to be many angelic Digimon fighting alongside the Royal Knights, some the group recognized as Angemon, Angewomon and MagnaAngemon, while others were not like any the group had seen before.
Turning their gaze upon one image in particular, Gatomon and Patamon both felt a strange sensation as they looked upon a trio of angelic Digimon fighting alongside the Royal Knights, two humanoid Digimon and one of a beast-like nature.
Observing the imagery, Patamon and Gatomon couldn't shake the sense of familiarity as they continued to look upon the figures.
Hearing the sound of Kari's Digivice as it beeped even louder than before, TK and the Digimon then turned their attention upon the Digidestined of Light, where they looked to find the young Kamiya now standing before a stone altar, one similar to the ones the previous Digi-Eggs were found upon.
Moving to stand alongside Kari, TK, Gatomon and Patamon saw that upon the altar were two more Digi-Eggs, two more Digi-Armours for the team to use in the battle against Millenniummon and the Demon Lords.
Looking upon the first Digi-Egg, the group at first thought it was a white egg, but then realized that the Digi-Egg was shaped to look like a pair of closed wings, with two clawed feet emerging from the bottom while a golden V shape emerged from the top like a pair of ears.
Looking upon the Digi-Egg even further, Kari found her excitement growing as she saw the Crest of Light engraved upon the front of the object, a sight that only fueled the young Kamiya's hope that her desire to stand alongside Davis was about to come true.
Meanwhile, TK and Patamon turned their gazes upon the second Digi-Egg, finding it to be a golden coloured object with two small wings emerging from the top as they flanked a white mane of hair.
The Crest of Hope displayed brightly upon the outer shell, which furthered the unsaid awe shared between the Digidestined and Digimon of Hope.
However, the awe TK felt quickly faded after Kari set her Digivivce away and moved to approach the Digi-Egg of Light.
Although eager to obtain the potential power within the Digi-Eggs, TK tried to remain logical. "Kari, maybe we should wait for the others and..."
"Why?! We're here, these can help us aid Davis and the others!" The brunette suddenly interrupted.
Approaching the Digi-Egg, Kari felt her excitement growing as she prepared herself to grab the Digi-Egg, believing she would be able to lift it up with no trouble and bestow its power upon Gatomon.
Mentally sighing in frustration to Kari and how she continued to ignore him, TK held a look of uncertainty, before he expressed his biggest worry.
"What... What if there are other Digimon in there like Veemon and the others? If so, does that mean that Patamon and Gatomon aren't our partners anymore?" The Digidestined of Hope felt he had to ask.
To TK's inquiry, Kari's hands came to a halt just before she could so much as touch the Digi-Egg, her eyes widening in shock as the Digidestined of Hope's words rang within her mind.
In her push, her need to be able to stand alongside Davis, Kari hadn't even considered the idea that getting this Digi-Egg would mean that she and Gatomon might not be partners anymore, a thought that did not sit well with the young Kamiya.
Looking upon one another and sensing the concerns and worries of their partners, but also trusting the Digidestined, Gatomon and Patamon shared a silent agreement as they moved to reassure the duo.
"Kari, I don't think that will be the case." The Digimon of Light said as she got Kari's attention, before Gatomon then explained. "I can't explain it too much, but I feel... no, I know this Digi-Egg, this power, is for you and I. We are partners, Kari, and we always will be, no matter what."
"Gatomon's right." Patamon said.
Sharing in Gatomon's emotion, the Digimon of Hope continued as he told TK and Kari. "We were chosen to be partners, and there's nothing in the Digital World that will change that!"
Smiling toward their Digimon partners and their heartfelt words, Kari and TK looked upon one another, the two Digidestined nodding toward one another, before they approached their respective Digi-Eggs and placed their hands around them.
Moving at the same time, Kari and TK were left in awe as they lifted the Digi-Egg of Light and of Hope with no effort, the items resting within their possessions as TK commented jokingly. "Wow, I guess I am stronger than I thought."
Barely a second later, the two Digidestined were shocked when their Digi-Eggs began to shine with intense bright lights, the Digi-Egg of Light glowing a bright pink, while the Digi-Egg of Hope shone with a powerful golden light.
Looking upon the altar, Kari and TK were fearful for a moment that two pillars of light would then appear, indicating that their fears were correct and two Digimon were indeed sealed along with the Digi-Eggs, but those fears quickly faded when they did see a pair of lights appear, not from the altar, but from their own pockets, this causing Kari and TK to quickly withdraw their Digivices and find the objects glowing in a bright light.
Holding their glowing Digivices within their hands, Kari and TK then watched in awe as the items transformed before their eyes, the Digivices now resembling the same electronics which Davis, Yolei and Cody possessed, with Kari's having a pink hand grip, while TK's was a dark green.
At the same time, Gatomon and Patamon felt a surge of energy flow through them, this sensation letting them know that the Digi-Eggs were indeed meant for them, and that they remained bonded with their partners.
"I think you both know what to say next." Gatomon said with a bright smile, knowing that like Kari, she, TK and Patamon were eager to help their friends against the evil threatening the Digital World.
Looking to one another and sharing in their emotions, Kari and TK held expressions of determination as they held their Digi-Eggs aloft and declared with a shared might in their voices. "Digi-Armour, Energize!"
With Kari and TK's declaration, not only did the brightness of the Digi-Eggs of Light and of Hope intensity in terms of strength, but Gatomon and Patamon began to glow with matching lights.
Feeling the power of Digivolution flowing through them, even if it was slightly different from the sensations they remembered from the past, Gatomon and Patamon accepted the power as their own.
"Gatomon/Patamon, Armour Digivolve to…!" The Digimon of Light and of Hope exclaimed as one, before Kari and TK watched with a shared sense of awe as the Digimon grew and changed shapes through their Armour Digivolutions.
Eventually and as the light of Digivolution died down, Kari and TK were left with a shared sense of amazement toward the appearances of their Digimon partners.
Finding her attention focused upon Gatomon, Kari now found many notable changes within the feline Digimon's new form.
Now resembling a giant white sphinx-like creature covered in armor that closely resembled the Digi-Egg of Light, Kari felt the overall strength of her Digimon partner, who spread a pair of large angelic wings and declared with might in her voice. "Nefertimon, the Angel of Light!"
Meanwhile and having observed the Digivolution of his Digimon partner, TK remained within his own state of awe as he took the changes within the Digimon of Hope.
Changing his form, Patamon now resemble that of a mythical winged horse, with golden ornamental armour now rested upon the Digimon's face, hooves and torso.
His golden mane flowing alongside his tail, the Digimon of Hope spread his wings and declared with a great might in his voice. "Pegasusmon, the Flying Hope!"
Left in awe to see that their Digimon partners had Armored Digivolved, Kari and TK, as well as taking notice to see the Digi-Eggs within their possession had transformed into the same terminal-like devices Davis and the others now possessed, the Digidestined of Light and of Hope then placed their Digivices and new terminal devices within their pockets as they rushed over to examine Nefertimon and Pegasusmon.
Not only happy to see that their partners could Digivolve once again, but Kari and TK were also filled with joy to know that the Digital World still had need for them, that they could help their friends, both human and Digimon.
For Kari, the fact that she could now fight alongside Davis left the brunette in a state of pure joy, which led to the young Kamiya silently vowing that she would not let her best friend down ever again.
As the Digimon of Light and of Hope adjusted themselves to their newer forms, Nefertimon turned her head toward the entrance of the cave, her enhanced senses picking upon the other Digidestined, their Digimon partners and their current situation.
"The others are battling the enemy, we need to hurry!" The Digimon of Light declared, her words and the seriousness of her voice further concerning both Kari and TK.
"Hop on!" Pegasusmon then told his partner, his tone expressing a further seriousness.
Looking to Kari, who nodded in agreement, the Digidestined of Hope and of Light proceeded to mount their Digimon partners and to rush their way out of the cave, before spreading their wings as they took off to the skies.
Making their way toward the battle, the Digidestined and Digimon of Light and of Hope held a shared sense of determination to help their friends, while also praying that they weren't too late.
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"Fire Rocket!"
"Tempest Wing!"
"Gold Rush!"
Unleashing their attacks as a team, Flamedramon, Halsemon and Digmon directed their respective moves upon the Punkmon and Impmon in an attempt to strike their foes down quickly.
However, and at the direction of the Impmon riding them, the Punkmon easily dodged the attacks, or deflected the ongoing assault with their brass knuckles.
Looking to the skies and toward Halsemon, several of the Punkmon opened their jaws and unleashed blasts of dark purple fire upon the Digimon of Love, the onslaught of dark infernos forcing Halsemon to retreat as to avoid incineration.
Meanwhile, the remaining Punkmon charged at Flamedramon and Digmon, their brass knuckles consumed in dark flames as they delivered swift jabs upon the Digimon of Courage and of Knowledge.
Trying to counter, Flamedramon and Digmon used their claws and drills to block and parry the strikes from the larger sized Digimon, but they knew they couldn't remain on the defensive front forever.
Watching from the sidelines and powerless to fight themselves, Davis, Yolei and Cody each held expressions of concern and frustration.
Clenching his Digivice, Davis remained frustrated, not only to the way the Punkmon and Impmon were acting as a team but to how their numbers continued to overwhelm Flamedramon and the others.
Looking over his enemies, Davis knew that these were not Digimon infected by Millenniummon's darkness, but were wicked Digimon such as the Troopmon and BlueMeramon who willingly served the Dark Digimon and the Demon Lords.
They were more coordinated than the foes they had fought previously, which made the fight much more dangerous.
Watching as another Punkmon dodged a strike from Flamedramon, Davis mentally growled as he tried to figure out a solution to aid his partner.
Strategizing and knowing that if they could get the Punkmon and Impmon together in one spot, they might have a chance to take them all out with a single attack, Davis believed with their current level of strength, such a task would be difficult.
"Bada Boom!" Several voices then called out as one, this snapping Davis out of his internal thoughts as he saw a series of fireballs bombarding down and upon him, Cody and Yolei.
Acting solely out of instinct, Davis wrapped his arms around Yolei and Cody as he pulled them to the ground and away from the barrage, the trio rolling across the ground, before coming to a halt as Davis' right arm slammed into a rock, inflicting a fair amount of pain upon the maroon haired Digidestined.
"Davis!" Yolei and Cody cried in deep concern.
Moving to the sides of their fallen leader, concern remained within Yolei's tone of voice as she asked. "Are you alright?!"
Sitting up and clenching his right arm, Davis gritted his teeth as he pushed through the pain.
Knowing from past experiences with soccer that his arm was likely bruised, a sprain at most, Davis had to admit it still hurt as the young Motomiya refocused his attention upon the battle.
Looking in the same direction that Davis appeared to be, Yolei and Cody saw that Flamedramon, Digmon and Halsemon were now right in front of them, their Digimon partners kept in a protective formation as the Punkmon and their Impmon allies surrounded them.
From their apparent victory, the Impmon chuckled wickedly as the Punkmon prepared to end their foes.
Seeing the Punkmon gathering flames within their jaws for a massive and powerful onslaught, Flamedramon, Halsemon and Digmon braced themselves to keep their partners protected.
"Rosetta Stone!"
"Star Shower!"
From the unexpected declarations a series of stone tablets rained down from the skies and then slammed into several of the Punkmon's chests, the impact knocking the large Digimon down to the ground and causing the Impmon riding them to fall off with startled cries.
Along with the sudden stone attack, the remaining Punkmon and Impmon expelled started cries of their own as a barrage of star shaped energy blasts rained down upon them, the attack knocking the remaining Impmon from off of their allies' shoulders as the Punkmon moved to take cover.
Surprised by the assistance, Davis, Flamedramon and the others looked toward the sky, where they beheld two Digimon they had never seen before, while two familiar faces were riding upon their backs.
"Davis!" Kari called with a friendly wave, the brunette beyond happy that she, TK and their Digimon partners seemed to have arrived just in the nick of time.
Seeing Kari and TK, Davis, Yolei, Cody and their Digimon partners quickly realized that the newer Digimon they were riding were the Armour Digivolved forms of Gatomon and Patamon, thus bringing a smile to the maroon haired Digidestined.
Ignoring the pain in his arm for a moment as Yolei and Cody helped him to his feet, Davis remained prideful toward the Digidestined of Light.
Although Flamedramon shared in the pride of his partner, the Digimon of Courage found his attention turning back to the Punkmon and the Impmon, who held a clear rage within their expressions as they glared up and upon Nefertimon and Pegasusmon.
"We need to get them together!" The Digimon of Courage told Nefertimon and Pegasusmon, his call receiving an understanding nod from the Digimon of Light and of Hope.
"Leave that to us!" Nefertimon said in reply, before Pegasusmon then spoke up and told TK in warning. "Hold on tight, TK!"
Taking in the warning, Kari and TK held tightly on to their partners as they watched the armour around Nefertimon and Pegasusmon's front claws and hoofs softly glow with a bright energy.
"Golden Noose!" The Digimon of Light and of Hope called as one as a string of energy formed between them, before the pair then flew down and toward the wicked Digimon.
Before they knew what hit them, the Impmon and Punkmon found themselves all caught up within the Golden Noose, the dark Digimon struggling as they were wrapped within the energy and lifted into the air as they were pressed together.
"Wait, wait, can't we talk about this!?" One of the Impmon questioned with a growing sense of fear, one shared by his fellow Impmon as they were left in absolute panic and desperation toward their situation.
Narrowing their eyes upon their enemies, however, Nefertimon and Pegasusmon merely released the energy chain attached to their armour, leaving the Impmon and Punkmon still restrained within the energy as they came crashing down to the ground with a loud thud, the wicked Digimon still struggling as they tried to free themselves from the light bindings.
And seeing the Impmon and Punkmon now in one spot, the Chosen Digimon worked together to end their threat once and for all.
"Fire Rocket!"
"Tempest Wing!"
"Gold Rush!"
"Cat's Eye Beam!" Nefertimon then followed with a mighty cry as she fired a pair of pink energy beams from the serpent ornament upon her face mask.
"Equus Beam!" Pegasusmon bellowed as his forehead glowed with a light green energy, which he then unleashed upon his foes.
To the onslaught of energies heading toward them, the Impmon began to panic while the Punkmon tried to escape, only for the wicked Digimon to be consumed within the combined attacks as their bodies broke apart into Data particles, leaving only a smoking crater where they once laid.
To see their foes defeated, the Digidestined and their Digimon partners expelled sighs of relief, before Davis, Yolei and Cody watched as Nefertimon and Pegasusmon landed on the ground, where Kari and TK then removed themselves from off of their partners and rushed over to check on their friends.
"Davis!" Kari called out with joy as she rushed toward her best friend, only for her smile to morph into a look of pure concern as she saw the soft pain within his expression, alongside the way Davis was holding his right arm.
"Davis, are you alright?!" The young Kamiya asked with a growing concern within her voice.
"It's alright Kari, I..." The Digidestined of Miracles started to say in the hopes of alleviating any worries the brunette held.
"He slammed his arm into a rock protecting Yolei and I." Cody said with some self blame within his voice as he interrupted Davis.
Knowing Cody was only trying to look after him, Davis deflated a little as he knew what was going to happen next.
Before he could even blink, Davis found Kari quickly upon him, the Digidestined of Light pestering him if he was in any pain, if his arm was broken and questioning him on what she could do for him, the sight causing TK, Cody and the Digimon to chuckle a little to the sight, while Yolei grumbled to herself as she saw that she wasn't going to be able to have Davis all to herself with Kari now here permanently.
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As the sunset over the skies of Odaiba, Davis and Kari walked side by side toward the Motomiya residence.
As Davis carried DemiVeemon within his left arm, while Gatomon relaxed within Kari's embrace, the Digidestined remained in high spirits toward their latest victory.
Furthermore and as they walked side by side, Davis allowed his right arm to rest within the makeshift sling Kari had made for him, while the brunette remained relieved to know that Davis' arm was only bruised and nothing more.
After dealing with the Impmon and Punkmon horde, as well as destroying the Dark Spire to free the area from Millenniummon's dark influence, the Digidestined and their Digimon partners returned to Gennai's house so they could inform the Digital Human on the events, which included the finding of the Digi-Eggs of Light and of Hope, as well as the battle against Beelzemon's servants.
Returning home afterwards, the Digidestined and their Digimon partners went their separate ways as they each went home for the evening, and despite Davis assuring he would be fine, Kari and Gatomon insisted they stay close by.
Though Yolei had offered to join them and to "treat" Davis' injuries once they got to his place, the purple haired Digidestined found herself annoyed when Poromon reminded her of her parents' warning about being out to late, where Kari reassured Yolei that she would make sure Davis got home safely, a remark that only added to Yolei's silent frustrations.
Walking alongside Davis, Kari couldn't help but keep a smile upon her face, especially as she reveled in the knowledge that she was able to save her best friend this time, that she was able to be there for him.
"Kari." The maroon haired Digidestined then said, his call earning Kari's instant attention
"I know how much you want to be at my side during all of this and I am glad Gatomon can Armour Digivolve, but please, next time wait for me."
"I'm sorry, Davis, but I couldn't. I had to do this myself. You've always been there for me and I needed to prove to myself that I can be there for you, that I can save you." The Digidestined of Light said in reply.
From Davis' words, Kari felt divided as there was part of her feeling guilty for making Davis worry about her, while the other half of her felt she had done what she needed to do.
"You did save me already, Kari." The Digidestined of Miracles said with an honest tone of voice, his comment causing Kari to look over him with some confusion.
"I was lost and alone until I met you. You gave me a reason to open up, to be myself, and I'll always thank you for that." Davis went on to say, much to Kari's surprise.
To Davis' remark, Kari gained a soft blush upon her cheeks, before she leaned over and rested her head upon his shoulder, which Davis happily accepted.
Remaining with soft smiles as they each vowed in silence to be there for one another, Davis and Kari continued to walk in silence.
Meanwhile and looking upon her partner and Davis with a smile, Gatomon then turned her attention upon DemiVeemon, who didn't seem to notice her gaze as he looked upon Davis and Kari with his own smile.
Though the V-marked Digimon seemed like an open book to her, there was still so much Gatomon wasn't sure about the Digimon of Miracles, especially with the sense of familiarity and... more she felt about him, these feelings leaving the Digimon of Light desiring to find out the answers she sought out.
Eventually arriving at the Motomiya residence and assisting Davis a little further as she opened the door for him, Kari, Davis and their Digimon partners found Jun seated upon the couch, casually reading a magazine.
"Hey guys, welcome home." Jun said with a bright smile as she set aside her magazine and turned to face the group.
"Hi, Jun!" Davis, Kari, DemiVeemon and Gatomon said back with their own joyous smiles as Jun got a good look at them, where she took notice of the sling now set around her brother's arm.
Despite the smile upon her face, a deep, burning rage built up within the older of the Motomiya siblings as she saw her little brother injured, which led her to focus her rage solely at one individual as she mentally screamed. 'KAAAMMIYYYYAAAA!'
Walking toward to Motomiya residence himself to check on how the day went for Davis, Kari and the others, Tai suddenly came to a halt as he felt a familiar chill run down his spine, a look of dread upon his face as he quickly turned and headed on home, deciding it would probably be safer for him if he waited for Kari and Gatomon to come home to hear any news.
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Meanwhile and sitting upon his throne, Beelzemon watched the replay of the battle between his servants and Magnamon's allies through a black orb, a smirk remaining upon his face even as the shadowy images of Lucemon and Daemon surrounded and glared upon him.
"Enough with your silly game, Beelzemon, deal with Magnamon now!" The Demon Lord of Pride demanded with a sense of authority within his voice, one that caused Beelzemon to just scoff in reply.
"I will deal with him and his pets when I'm ready. Now leave, you're boring me!" Beelzemon then said back maliciously, his remarks causing Lucemon and Daemon to growl as their shadowy images faded away.
Returning his attention back upon the images displayed upon the orb and further observing the fight, the Demon Lord of Gluttony held a growing smirk on his face as he looked upon the Digimon of Miracles and knew he would have to be patient.
Unlike his brethren, Beelzemon wanted the Royal Knight to find his missing armour, he desired Magnamon to be a challenge worthy of his attention, and only then would he put an end to the Royal Knight once and for all, a thought and a battle Beelzemon found himself looking forward to.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Beelzemon, Millenniummon watched from the depths of his prison as the Dark Digimon felt a smile spread across his faces, for all was going as he had foreseen.
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Author's Note: Gatomon and Patamon have now gained the ability to Armour Digivolve, and with it, Kari and TK officially join the team, what adventures still await our heroes? Find out as the story continues.
PS: And the story continues. As mentioned, between work and life it'll take me a while for each chapter, so I hope this one was worth the wait for you all.
And yes, despite this being a retelling of Adventure 02, I'll be using as many newer Digimon that have come out since then for this story, the Punkmon are just one example of this.
Happy New Year to all and I'll see you all again when the next chapter is ready.