AN: Howdy, everybody. Hope you're doing good. I'm finally in my apartment, so that's better. And I finally finished this chapter, too! Another bonus. I hope you like it, because I had fun writing it!

Anyhoo. Time for responses:

To smartalec121: Jen's apprehension is more about the methods, yeah. Doing what Chiros suggested wouldn't sit well with anyone, and it honestly doesn't sit well with him, really. But he based his life off of Greek heroes, and they're terrible when they think it calls for it. So he's willing to be, too. Not a 'good' guy, honestly. Taj and BG are... interesting. It's not always going to swerve the direction you think. Finally, I'm glad you liked checking in with Takato and Rika. Yeah... some things never change. And Terriermon having a bigger mouth than his body is one of them.

To Guest: I hope you enjoy what comes next here. As for Taj's hair... How dare you ask me for that? Biggest spoilers ever! Come on!
… Really, the hair just boils down to one thing. I'll address in this chapter – because of your reminder, actually, so thanks. I kept forgetting to put that explanation in. It also didn't seem... organic, all the time, to mention haircuts. In this chapter it's about... mid to late November, so they'll be having Thanksgiving then Christmas breaks soon, so I'll probably just mention that it happens during those times.

Well, everyone... enjoy!

Episode 19: Finally! BlackGrowlmon's Roar!

I still hadn't been over to see BlackGuilmon, even after a week of waiting for the both of us to calm down. Every time I wanted to, I just... I got so mad. Besides, there was too much going on. After our school's team had won the game, they were in for the State Championship, and the school had gone crazy. Pep rallies, school events, and encouragement from the faculty to watch the practices. No detentions this week, though. That meant that I finally had my Digivice back from Henry... even if I couldn't do anything with it.

Predictably, May was ecstatic about the game. She was dressed head to toe in red memorabilia our school sold, and had even managed to stuff Dorimon into a toddler's shirt despite her protests. May had foam fingers, a jersey, flags, a hat, chairs, blankets. The whole ten yards. Yeah, I didn't think it was all that funny when she said it either. Dorimon laughed of course, but that doesn't mean anything. And Davis didn't laugh, but he's been so worried about that Greek guy lately that it probably means even less. It was going to be nice to have a day off from them.

I pulled into the school's driveway and parked my truck. There it was, the big bus taking a big chunk of the school out to Mile High for the State Championship. May was crazy about it... as evidenced by the fact she hadn't stopped screaming team chants the entire time I'd been driving her, her Digimon, and Davis to the school. "We're here!" I snapped, stopping her chanting for a moment. I coughed and leaned back in my seat. "I mean, uh, we're here. Yay."

"Come on, Taj, why won't you come to the game with us?!" May asked, pouting in the passenger seat. Dorimon started to do it, too.

Davis glowered at me from the back. "Yeah. Why do I have to go alone?"

"Because the boss said I didn't have to go. So I'm not," I supplied with a shrug. "Hey, it's your fault for not finding the guy, yet."

Davis could probably kill a Champion Digimon with the glare he gave me. I threw my hands up defensively. "Sorry! Sorry... I'm just busy, okay?"

"Your mysterious 'plans,'" May remarked. She reached out and ruffled my hair, continuing despite my protests. "Is it finally time for that haircut?"

"So I can have blue frosted tips? I'll wait a little while longer!" I snapped when I finally managed to shove her hand away.

"Because the blue-orange modern art hair is better than that," Davis remarked. This time my glare could kill a Champion. "But what are you doing?"

I turned to look out the windshield and leaned back into my seat. My eyes locked on the bus other people were piling into. I'd have gone if he'd wanted to go. And if he'd DeDigivolved; I'm not taking a velociraptor out in public."... I think I know where BlackGuilmon is."

May and Davis leaned on the center console, Dorimon leaping onto it between them. "You sure, Dummy?"

"Yeah. I need to see him before this gets any worse." I nodded at the bus. "That means get the hell out of my car so I can!"

"... Do you have to?" May asked dryly. "It's been so nice and quiet without him."

I rolled my eyes. "Have fun, Guys," I told her. I unlocked the doors to make sure she and Davis knew... get the hell out. They didn't. "You're going to miss your bus."

"Crap!" And May was out the door, forgetting Davis and her Digimon in the process. And to close my door!

We watched her go for a moment, then I turned on those she'd left behind. "You're going to want to catch up with her."

"Yeah, probably," Davis sighed. He picked up the obviously annoyed Dorimon, then got out of my truck, slamming his and May's doors closed as he went. A quick wave at me, and he was on his way to the bus where May... I don't want to say waited, because she was too busy talking stats and hyping up with the Football players to notice they hadn't followed right behind her. I rolled my eyes and waved back, waiting for them to get on the bus and pull away.

"Well... I guess it's time to deal with my other friend," I groaned. I let my head fall forward to rest on top of the wheel. "Ugh..." When would I catch a break? I let myself wallow for a few more minutes, then looked up and got ready to leave. Ms. Jennings was there, talking with another teacher about something. I shot her the dirtiest glare I could before pulling away. I was pissed off at BlackGuilmon, but I couldn't do anything about that if I wanted us to make up. But I could definitely hate a substitute teacher with an 'I'm a real teacher' complex.

I flipped her off over my shoulder for good measure. I had to get all this out of my system before I accidentally aimed it at BlackGuilmon. He'd never come back then.

X X X

Davis still wasn't sure about all this. The game last week had bothered him. Something about it was... wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. But he at least was sure no one would try anything here, surrounded by all these people and cameras. Revealing Digimon to the world was a bad idea, even the freelancers and crazies understood that for some reason or another. He was sure that this Chiros guy would hold off while his prey was in some place this public, but he knew if the man decided to do something stupid he was the only line of defense that almost a thousand kids had against an Ultimate level Digimon. All because May had to go to this game.

Which they were losing, so Davis couldn't even enjoy himself as she screamed loud enough from very high up to be heard on the field. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT PLAY CALL!?"

Davis sighed and shook his head. He helped her sneak in Dorimon for this, and all the Digimon was doing was gorging herself on Licorice under the chairs while her partner screamed at the field because their team was just worse than the other one. "Jeez, they're worthless down there!" May growled as the team punted the ball again. She sat down with a huff. "Worthless!"

"Would it have been better if they'd lost last week?" Davis asked earnestly. Losing a tight game was better than getting destroyed... by twenty four points at the end of the first quarter. "Ouch..."

May obviously did not think that was a good question, given she whirled on him and jammed her finger into his shoulder. "What kind of stupid question is that, Davis? The chance to go all the way is more than worth the embarrassment of being the biggest state losers in memory!" The coach turned around on the field and threw his arms up at her. She was demoralizing the team now, apparently.

"Sorry I asked," he supplied quietly, placating her enough to take her seat once more. Davis groaned and leaned back in his seat, ignoring the other students packed tight around him.

"Davis, there's a Digimon here!"

Davis fought the urge to snap his eyes open and surge to his feet. He calmly opened his eyes instead and leaned forward, seeing Huckmon appearing beneath the chairs. "I can smell him." Dorimon was the same, apparently, shivering with wide eyes and even ignoring the candy nearby. Huckmon met his partner's gaze. "I don't know exactly where, though. This place is full of all sorts of new smells I wasn't ready for."

Davis looked over at May, whose face was serious, the game below forgotten. "This was a bad idea..." she growled at herself. She slammed her hand on her leg and gripped it tight until her knuckles became white, then snarled down at the appendage. "What was I thinking?!"

"I agreed to help out with it, so it's not your fault," Davis cut in, seeing her spiraling down in the same manner he once had. He began to look around, trying to find any hint of the enemy. "And the Director signed off on it, so if you want to blame anyone you can blame him."

"Blame him? Wow, G-Man, I never thought I'd hear you say that," Dorimon piped up. She sniffed the air and sighed. "Too bad BlackJerkmon isn't here. He could smell the guy through all this."

May chuckled at that, then turned to Davis and smiled. "Thanks."

He shrugged and was about to reply, but was cut off by a scream. He whirled on the field and a snarl flew onto his face. The players had run off the field, trying to avoid an expanding, swirling fog crackling with electricity. "Students, it seems there is some kind of weather phenomena occurring. Please carefully evacuate now."

Davis looked at May. "Leave. I'll catch up."

May stood up, picking up Dorimon and fixing Davis with a serious look. "Be careful, Davis. We don't want you to die just when you became our friend."

Davis smiled back. "Have I lost yet?"

She nodded. "KayKay. Kick his ass." Then she turned and rushed off after the rest of the class.

Davis watched her go for a moment, then stood up and began rushing in the opposite direction. He pulled out his Digivice and sent a message about what was happening to the Director so he could eliminate any evidence. "Huckmon, ready?" he asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his shining, Blue Card.

"To keep a friend safe? I hatched ready!" he shouted as Davis reached the edge of the stands. He appeared beside him and leaped off. "Huckmon Matrix Digivolve to..!"

Davis swiped the card and leaped off after his partner, arms stretched out as the massive, see through egg appeared and exploded. SaviorHuckmon shouted his name, then threw his arm out to catch his partner. They plummeted for a moment, then SaviorHuckmon hit the ground and absorbed the impact for the both of them and they landed on the field, skidding through the grass and leaving deep gouges of dirt. Davis shoved his sunglasses on as they slid into the Digital Field, and then leaped from his partner's arm, rolling to his feet and preparing for battle. The ever expanding Digital Field finally settled, taking up the entire football field and leaving the combatants alone and unseen. "Agent Chiros, right?" Davis growled at the man standing beside a large, black and red Sagittarimon.

"And you're Davis Estevez." He crossed his arms and glared at the young man. "So, you're training children to be like you now? How many have they killed by now?"

Davis snarled at the reminder of what he'd done. "SaviorHuckmon! Take him!" Davis snapped, deciding he wouldn't suffer this guy any more. "Digi-Modify! Swift Blue Wolf, activate!"

The image of SaviorHuckmon flickered for a moment, then a half dozen more appeared all around him as he began to bounce from location to location as he ran, faster now, at Sagittarimon. "Psifitropo!" Chiros shouted, turning his Digivice and tapping the screen twice. "Ektelo, MavrosDankomon!" Sagittarimon glowed for a moment, then began to quickly nock and fire arrows at the many SaviorHuckmon copies rushing him.

Davis grimaced when he heard that. This guy wasn't going to give him any space to operate, Modifying his Digimon in Greek... The arrows streaked across the field, golden beams arcing towards the various SaviorHuckmon. Most passed through, distorting the image for a moment before hitting the ground. "I was hoping that would end the mirage." Davis turned and raised his arms, barely blocking the punch that Chiros had launched his way. Davis hissed in pain and shoved, giving himself enough space to ready himself for a fight. Nearby, the images of SaviorHuckmon snarled and clutched at their left arm. Chiros readied himself as well. "Now... to the death." He rushed forward again, fist raised and swinging towards Davis once more.

X X X

I cursed at the mud when my shoes slipped on the ice for the fifth time, slowing me down enough that I was sure the Cinnabons I'd packed were starting to get cold. At least all that training with Davis and May was paying off; I may have been slipping and sliding, but I wasn't losing my footing despite that. I stopped and reached into my bag, rooting around and eventually pulling out something else Davis had told me to buy once it snowed – ice cleats, metal chains that wrapped around a boot. I found a rock to sit on and looped the chains around, then stood up and shouldered my bag again. The Digivice said I was close.

Eventually, the compass began to spin wildly and shut. "I know you're here, BlackGuilmon," I shouted to the empty, cold park. No animals chittered in the trees. Another tell – he'd scared them all off. I sighed at his silence. "I brought Cinnabon!"

There was the grumble of a hungry stomach when I said that, followed by a sad whine. Slowly but surely, BlackGuilmon prowled out of the shadows. He huffed and sat down beside me, but he had the patience to not immediately shred my backpack this time. "Huh," I grunted before reaching over to grab the first Cinnabon for him.

"What?" he hissed angrily at my noise.

"Just... surprised you're being so calm," I explained before offering the first peace offering. He turned and sniffed the Cinnabon, then tore it from my hand in a single bite, nearly taking off a finger with it. "Never mind!"

He swallowed his snack and turned to me, glaring angrily. "... Thank you. I was hungry." He turned away and cast his gaze down.

"'Thank you?' Wow, you must have really been hungry," I remarked dryly. He turned and glared at me, growing annoyed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding... You could have come back, you know."

He huffed again and nodded at my backpack. I sighed back before getting him another cinnamon roll. "I'm sorry," I told him as he devoured the snack. He stopped mid bite and stayed there, frozen. "I... I shouldn't have gotten that angry with you. Not when you were trying so hard just by being there. I'm sorry."

He turned his eye to me and shut his mouth. There was silence and stillness, just the mist and noise created by our breath in the cold air to interrupt. Finally he sat up straight and nodded. "I am... also sorry, Tasuke," he finally said. "I should not have said that about your parents. It was... mean."

My jaw dropped and my mind went blank. He..? He had really apologized? My Digimon? He must have been able to read my surprise, because his sincere look turned annoyed. "Well? What do you have to say, Tasuke? Or are you just going to sit there freezing your tongue?" he snapped impatiently.

My jaw snapped shut; that was more like him. In a good way, though. "Thank you, BlackGuilmon." I smiled and reached out to pat his head. He stiffened, but eventually leaned in to the sign of affection. "Guess we should get out of here and catch up on the last week, huh? Maybe let you sleep somewhere warm?" I shivered.

"... There are many Cinnabons I missed," he admitted. I chuckled and reached for the last one, and he devoured it in a single bite. "I have been thinking..."

I resisted the urge to make a remark about him thinking. At all.

"Perhaps, maybe, – " His head shot up and his pupils, round for a moment, became thin, reptilian slivers once more. Smoke began to rise from his mouth and he sniffed the air. "There is a Digimon I do not recognize nearby. And a human."

My eyes widened. "We're being hunted? Of course... that Chiros guy fought her here. He must have come here to set a trap!" I growled. I slammed my palm into my face. "Dammit, we have to get out of here!"

"They are coming from that direction," BlackGuilmon explained, turning to stare at the same path I'd arrived from.

"Shit. We can't get back to the car then..." I shut my eyes and traced the path of the forest in my mind, thinking about the traps that Davis demanded we memorize when we'd placed them. "Okay, follow me." I sprinted off, BlackGuilmon at my heels, trying to think. We didn't have a single advantage other than our traps; Sagitarrimon could destroy the trees and sprint after us easily if he wanted to, but I was hoping that the drain of going Ultimate when you just got it would be enough to keep them from immediately going that far. But unlike May, the traps I was using wouldn't be to distract.

"Stay to the right of that tree, then swerve after me," I told BlackGuilmon as we passed the first trap. He followed after me, leaving the net undisturbed. We kept running, snaking between and past different traps. Nothing had gotten in one yet, but I couldn't tell how far back the enemy was so that might not mean they were dodging them. Besides, the real trap they had to worry about was just ahead. "Jump... now!" I leaped over the trap, BlackGuilmon leaping past me and running into the open field. We kept running until we got to the other side, sliding into the trees and stopping so the enemy wouldn't notice we were looping around.

We stared intently for a while, waiting. "They are getting closer," BlackGuilmon whispered. I nodded and pulled my backpack open, pulling out my crossbow and putting it together. I slid in some of the ammunition and shouldered the bag again. "They are nearly at the last trap now."

I took a deep breath, ready for the Ultimate to burst through. I pulled out my Digivice and sent a message to the others. "I'm being hunted by Chiros at the park. Hurry."

Then two figures burst through the trees. One was a large robot that cut through the spike ball that had swung down from the tree, only for the tree he was standing beneath to collapse around him and slam him into the ground. The other was – "Ms. Jennings?" I asked, standing up straight in my surprise.

She turned from trying to cut her giant, cyborg Digimon out from under the tree. I looked over at it and my eyes widened. Sealsdramon, a Champion. I hated to say I was happy that was hunting us, but compared to an Ultimate like Sagittarimon, this was way better. "What are you doing here?" I asked, taking a step forward. BlackGuilmon moved with me, still smoking with a death threat.

Ms. Jennings sighed and crossed her arms. "I don't want to hurt you, Mr. Joryawa..." she offered simply before hardening her gaze. "So let us destroy that Digimon."

My eyes widened. "Wh-what!?" I shouted angrily. "You're here to hurt BlackGuilmon!?"

She glanced to the side, then back at me. "I'm Jennifer Smith, former agent of D-CARD," she explained.

Oh, good. Another mercenary in it for money. "So who do you want to sell us to?" I growled at her.

She threw her hands up. "Who would do that!?" she asked, surprising me. "Selling a child? No... It's like I told you, I'm only here to destroy that Digimon. He's dangerous."

"I mean, he can be a jerk -" BlackGuilmon growled at me, but I ignored him. "- but he's pretty good when you get to know him."

"He's a predatory monster."

"Eh..."

"I am not!" BlackGuilmon shouted at me.

I shrugged. "I mean..." I shook my head and raised my weapon at Ms. Jenn – Agent Smith. "He's also my friend."

She shut her eyes. "Please. You don't understand, The Director is involved in something terrible, and it involves your partner. For the good of the world -"

"Gethen's in the government. Of course he's involved in something terrible," I retorted dismissively. "But I need him, and I won't let you hurt my friend."

She sighed and shook her head. "Then I guess this is it." She reached into her pocket.

"Attack the Digimon!" I ordered BlackGuilmon before firing at Agent Smith. She gasped and threw herself to the side, slipping on a rock and tumbling into the icy mud. "Should have worn ice cleats!" I aimed and fired again, but she rolled out of the way.

BlackGuilmon, meanwhile, was strafing the Sealsdramon, launching Pyro Grenades at the prone enemy. The Champion snarled as the explosions rocked against his armor, leaving slight scorch marks and dents all around him. I stopped firing at the human and pulled out my phone and a card. "Digi Modify! Power, activate!" I snapped. The next Pyro Grenade doubled in size and slammed into Sealsdramon's face, eliciting a loud, mechanical cry of pain. Dust, ice, and splinters flew into the air, then began to drift down around him. BlackGuilmon fired again, but there was no cry this time.

"Death Behind!"

BlackGuilmon turned and ducked, the knife of the Champion that had appeared behind him scraping along his back. BlackGuilmon snarled in pain but brought his claws up. "Rock Crusher!" They slammed into the metal and bounced off, leaving a dent. Then Sealsdramon's foot slammed into his face and he was sent flying.

I couldn't help him, though, because I was still stuck dealing with Agent Smith. She had recovered when I tried to help BlackGuilmon last time, and now she was avoiding every shot I made. If I messed up, she'd be able to Digi-Modify Sealsdramon and then BlackGuilmon would be in a way worse position. I aimed again and fired, the sphere slamming into her gut this time. She cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, clutching her gut. I tried to fire again, but the string just shot forward uselessly. Dammit, my last shot!

I rushed her and threw a fist at her face as she stumbled, only for her to catch it. "You aren't really fighting, Tasuke." She stood up, still wincing, and threw me to the ground. "Stay down. I mean it when I say I don't want to hurt a kid."

Sealsdramon jumped on top of my struggling Digimon and slammed his open claw into the ground, pinning BlackGuilmon and causing him to cry out in pain. "No!" I screamed, trying to get to my feet. A foot on my back slammed me into the ground.

"Tasuke, I don't want this to be harder than it has to be," Smith said from above him. I turned my head to glare up at her. She almost sounded like she actually meant that... but she didn't stop her Digimon from readying his knife.

"SCREW YOU!" I pushed up hard and fast, throwing her off suddenly. I got to my feet and jumped on top of her, slamming the empty crossbow down into her arms as she blocked to keep her face safe. "I'll kill anyone that tries to hurt my partner and get in our way! I'm here to save my family, and you won't stop us!"

BlackGuilmon roared behind me, and I stopped attacking. I turned in surprise and watched as he began to glow, a black and red egg forming around him that threw Sealsdramon backwards. Agent Smith's Digivice began to scream, and a red Hazard appeared on its screen. I scrambled over to my Digivice in wonder. There, too, was the Hazard. "BlackGuilmon Digivolve to..!" Something grew within the egg, claws and flame pushing against the shell. The shell glowed for a moment, and shattered. BlackGuilmon was no longer on his back, and he was no longer even BlackGuilmon. "BlackGrowlmon!"

He was huge, Greymon sized and just how I updated my dad's drawing. There were massive blades growing out from his forearms, and massive white claws on his hands and feet. Rings of red all over his body, and tiger like stripes of crimson on his neck reaching down onto his white chest. Red flames flew from his jaw as he screamed at the sky, and his white mane of hair fluttered in the sudden air pressure the heat generated. Baring teeth the size of my hand, he growled and took a threatening step towards Sealsdramon. My Digivice whirred for a moment and the screen changed. "BlackGrowlmon, the Jet-Black Demon Dragon. This is one of the most powerful Virus Champion Digimon out there, with the power to shake the solid earth with his roar alone. Completely sure of its power, this Digimon annihilates its enemies with a full frontal attack that none can survive, be it burning them from afar with his powerful Black Exhaust Flame or carving them to pieces up close with the Plasma Blades on its arms. Your Digimon partner."

X X X

SaviorHuckmon and Sagittarimon danced around one another, the large white Digimon unable to close in because of the arrows flying his direction, and Sagittarimon unable to hit SaviorHuckmon when he kept switching places with the mirage clones around him. Arrows rained down and crashed through the dirt before vanishing in a burst of dissolving data. "I have the advantage here, you must know. Eventually, I will manage to hit you," Sagittarimon said as he unleashed another volley. "Though you show great skill to survive for this long as a close combat oriented Digimon."

"Close combat? Oh, I can see where you'd think that," SaviorHuckmon replied with a toothy grin. He dodged around and flames began to explode from his jaw. "Meteor Flame!" Fire bolts began to fly from his mouth, appearing from whichever mirage he was replacing at that exact moment, and rocketing towards Sagittarimon.

The archer growled and raised his bow to fire at the bolts coming at him, giving SaviorHuckmon more than enough time to charge forward, leaping and aiming the black blades of his feet at Sagittarimon's chest. "Ledge Strayed!" the blades glowed white and crashed into his enemy, forcing him to stumble backwards, but not leaving nearly enough of a wound on his chest given their typing. The Digimon and his human partner hissed in pain, but kept reacting normally. Feedback; they were close, Davis noted. SaviorHuckmon charged forward again. "He's virus type now!"

Davis grinned when he heard that and launched a kick at Chiros' head, only for the attack to be deflected. "So, that's what you said. BlackAgumon," he remarked. Chiros slammed his elbow forward and brought his other hand to his back. Davis saw through the feint and simply blocked the elbow, keeping an eye on the other hand. He was glad he did when he leaned back to avoid the incoming knife blade.

"The other one is my target, but you are a threat as well," Chiros remarked, cold and sad. "If you were still a child and not a murderer, I may have been conflicted about this."

Davis snarled and held himself close. He had to get that knife. Fast. But he also had to help his partner. He spared a glance to see that the mirage had vanished, but now they were in close combat. Davis dodged another stab and threw a fist at Chiros' face that was deflected. The knife angled at his chest and he turned to avoid it, then lashed out with his hand and wrenched Chiros' wrist at an unnatural angle. The wrist snapped and the knife fell, kicked away in the struggle. Davis shoved Chiros back and pulled out his Digivice. "Digi-Modify! Agumon Expert, Activate!"

SaviorHuckmon glowed bright and chuckled. "Now you're in trouble," he remarked.

"What is a fight without danger!" Sagittarimon cried in excitement. He brought his bow around and slammed it into SaviorHuckmon's arm blades, locking them in place. "METEOR GALLOP!" He shot forward, slamming into his opponent and pushing him back through the dirt and slamming his front hooves into SaviorHuckmon's chest.

Davis gasped as the wind flew from his lungs and he fell to his knee. "Feedback of that level? I suppose there is a downside to being Digidestined!" He looked up and rolled to the side to avoid a hammer kick that would have knocked him out, and when he came out of it he was on his back with Chiros on top of him. "I'm sorry that it has to be this way." He looped his hands around Davis' throat and gripped tight. Davis gurgled and immediately began to slam his fists into the man's elbows and hands to get him to let go, but he wouldn't. His hands were just too tight. Davis began to look around and his eyes froze. There. He reached out, grabbing the handle of the knife.

Chiros gasped and let go of Davis when a sharp pain erupted in his thigh. "What the -" He lost his balance as Davis brought his legs up to his neck, then spun to keep him stuck to the ground. Chiros glared at the kid, then at the knife lodged in his femoral artery. His vision brightened for a moment as he felt himself losing blood. "... Murderer. What does that make? A hundred?"

Davis glared at him as the blood began to stain the man's pants, quickly spreading onto his own clothes. "You all came after me."

"Adrian!" Sagittarimon shouted as pain erupted in his leg. He turned to his partner, bleeding out and held firm by the young agent. The Digimon reared up on his back legs and snarled. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

"Trident Saber!" SaviorHuckmon appeared in his path but Sagittarimon raised his Chrome Digizoid bow to block the attack. It could take it, and then he could – The red star appeared, and SaviorHuckmon flashed, reappearing behind his opponent.

And then, all at once, the strikes hit. The first two slashes carved the Digizoid bow apart like a hot knife through butter. Sagittarimon barely had time to register the surprise at that before the third strike hit him, carving him in two vertically and shattering his Digicore and drowning his mind in pain. He stumbled to one side as he began to vanish, data spiraling into the Digital Field and back into the Digital World somewhere. Sagittarimon forced his way through his pain and found his partner on the ground. He reached out for his dying partner. "A-Adria -" And then he was gone.

And his partner, staring into the sky, was gone, too.

Davis let the corpse go and stood up, ignoring the shaking of his hands. He took a deep breath and turned away from the body. "Dammit," he growled at himself and the blood covering him. He needed to clean this up. He picked up his Digivice to alert the Director and froze. "I'm being hunted by Chiros at the park. Hurry." A text from Taj sent not long after his own fight with Chiros had begun. Which meant... "Oh no." He turned to his partner. "We need to hurry to the park. Taj was the target."

SaviorHuckmon's eyes widened, then narrowed. "I'll get us there yesterday," he said before picking up his partner. He stopped for a moment and looked at the man's body on the field. "Are you... okay?"

Davis looked in the same direction. "A hundred and five," he remarked, voice quiet and breaking. He took a deep breath, then looked up. "I'll call the Director on the way. We need to hurry."

X X X

"Black Exhaust Flame!" BlackGrowlmon roared, rearing his head back, then launching forward. Black flames exploded from his mouth, swirling towards Sealsdramon. If that mechanical face could display surprise or fear I bet it would have. Instead, he raised his knife and dove to the side. Black flames exploded where he had been a moment before, glassing the dirt and turning ice to steam.

I whirled on Agent Smith and raised my crossbow like a defensive tonfa. Her arms were bruised from my assault, and her sleeves ripped slightly. And now she had a gun. "I don't want to hurt you," she said as she aimed it at me. "But I have to keep your Digimon out of Gethen's hands. He's working with -"

I threw my crossbow at her while she was distracted and her arms came up. I rushed forward and grabbed her wrist, wrenching the gun's barrel up and away from me. Her hand tightened in surprise and the gun kicked, firing a bullet at an angle that had it slamming into a tree. I slammed my foot into her toes and yanked again, and the bullets began to hit the ground beside us. "I don't care!" I told her while we struggled for her gun. "He can help me and BlackGuilmon get strong so I can get to the Digital World and find my parents! So I don't care!" I slammed my knee into her gut and she dropped the gun. I fumbled with it and it went soaring, hitting the ground with a quiet thud some distance away before being crushed by Sealsdramon's foot when he dodged another slash of BlackGrowlmon's claws.

BlackGrowlmon snarled and roared again, the sound echoing through the air and shaking the earth. Smith and I shook and struggled to find our footing, and even Sealsdramon was forced to clutch the ground with his claws. It was at that point that BlackGrowlmon charged his opponent again, and the cyborg was unable to pull his claws from the dirt in time to avoid his shoulder charge. "Gah!" Sealsdramon cried out as he was sent flying backwards, crashing through trees before flipping back to his feet. He immediately charged BlackGrowlmon and vanished, reappearing behind him. "Death Behind!"

The blade slammed into BlackGrowlmon's shoulder and he snarled in pain, stumbling forward. His tail lashed out and hit Sealsdramon, forcing him back and pulling the knife out. BlackGrowlmon whirled and the blades on his arms extended, glowing bright. "Plasma Blade!" He stepped forward, ignoring the wound, and slashed twice in a massive 'X.' Sealsdramon dodged the first and brought his knife up to block the second, thinking the dense metal would keep him safe. There was a loud hissing noise and the metal began to boil and melt from the point of contact, and BlackGrowlmon's blade cut easily through the weapon. Sealsdramon tossed the weapon to the side and reached for another knife on his back, but BlackGrowlmon was quicker. The blades, still glowing, rushed forward and slammed into his gut. The armor keeping him safe hissed and boiled, too, and massive, melted cuts appeared on his chest as he was sent flying back.

Agent Smith watched with wide eyes. "NO!" She turned to me, brow set... then threw something at the ground and shut her eyes.

And then I was blind. And deaf. "AH!" I screamed, clutching at my face and ears. The world was white and... wobbly, I think. And ringing. Loud. Oh, God, it was loud. "AHH!"

"Digi-Modify! Alias, activate!"

Aw, crap.

"WHAT!? Where did you go, you coward!?"

My vision slowly returned. "How do you shout so loud you can overcome a flashbang grenade!?" I screamed. Predictably, I couldn't hear it.

"They are escaping!"

"Pick me up and take me with you!" I ordered, covering my eyes. "I still can't see or hear!"

X X X

Jen sprinted along with Cadetmon in her arms, cursing under her breath. She was still a little discombobulated, but at least the ringing in her ears had stopped and – unlike Tasuke – she could see. "Dammit, just our luck that he Digivolves when we find him." She glanced down at her partner and slipped on the ice. She hit the ground and twisted to save her partner, crying out in pain that ran through her shoulder when she hit a rock.

"Jen! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" she growled. She sighed and winced as she pushed herself up to her feet. "Ugh... what's the plan, Cadetmon?"

He was quiet as the continued to hurry back to their car. "... We'll meet up with Chiros and Koromon, then run. We can figure something out when we aren't being hunted."

"Unfortunately, you won't get a chance." The two slid to a stop as a massive white Digimon made up of blades landed in front of them. He gingerly placed his partner on the ground and clenched his fists, the red blades on his arms glowing menacingly.

Jen and Cademton stumbled backwards. "Shit... Agent Estevez."

Agent Estevez glared at her. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage," he remarked dryly. "Samantha Jennings can't be your real name."

She glared at him, knowing that was a bad joke. A disadvantage? With an Ultimate Digimon, he held all the cards. "... Jennifer Smith. I used to work for D-CARD, too," she admitted quietly. Cadetmon glanced up and between the humans, then nervously over at the large, foreboding figure of SaviorHuckmon behind Agent Estevez.

"So you decided to work for Greece? An odd choice," he remarked coolly. "Not a lot of money or power compared to some places."

"It wasn't about that!" Cadetmon protested angrily. The eyes of the Agent and his partner whirled on the tiny Digimon, but he stood his ground. "The Director is in league with a monster!"

SaviorHuckmon chuckled. "BG is abrasive and stupid... but he's not a monster."

"No. Reapmon."

Agent Estevez froze. "Reapmon? But that's one of the most evil Digimon there is. Why would he -"

"Something about the Hazard Digimon. They're going to use him after the three of you open the Digital World up. And then it's all over." Agent Estevez was silent at this. Jen sighed and shook her head, saying, "I don't expect a company man like you to believe us. So just kill us and get it over with!"

Agent Estevez took a half step back. "Run." He turned to his partner. "Go find Tasuke and BlackGuilmon, and tell them I've solved this." SaviorHuckmon nodded, then vanished with a gust of wind following him.

Jen blinked. "Uh -"

Cadetmon picked up where she left off: "What are you doing?"

"Did you try to kill Tasuke?" he asked instead of giving them a reply.

Jen glared at him. "I don't want to kill a kid. I pulled a gun to scare him but... I'd never shoot a kid."

He met her eyes and studied her for a moment, then nodded. "I don't want to kill either. I've done it too much already today alone, and I don't want to. Not again. So run. Do what you want – I'm sure you could tell other agents about this and get a few to help you. I'd believe it given all the lies he's been telling lately. All the things that don't add up. Besides, good people with Digimon... there needs to be more of them." His eyes grew hard again and aimed his finger at her eyes. His voice was like the blades of his partner. "But if you try to hurt my friends again, I won't hesitate to correct this decision."

Jen and Cadetmon traded a glance, then sprinted off, leaving Agent Estevez alone in the cold. "Dammit..." Agent Estevez growled under his breath before looking up at the gray sky. "This isn't good..."

X X X

Wow, Not-Me-Guilmon was able to Digivolve! I remember the first time I Digivolved. I wonder if Not-Me-Guilmon will get stuck big, too... He wants to Digivolve more, after all, but you have to want to De-Digivolve to do it. Hm... This is hurting my head. I just want some of those Cinnabons that Taka – Agh! It's Tasuke! I want the Cinnabons that Tasuke keeps giving Not-Me-Guilmon. They sound yummy... But not as yummy as Guilmon bread... Hm...

I don't think that Davis likes his job. It doesn't sound fun. Actually, I think he should stop. Hurting people like that is scary, and I don't like it. At least he let that Jennifer lady and her Digimon go, so I think he thinks so, too. Especially since he knows what a mean guy that Gethen man is now. Maybe one day he won't have to hurt or fight anybody... but I think that's something Renamon would say is 'a nice idea,' and Rika would say is 'a silly dream.' Takato would agree, though!

Well, maybe we'll see if things get better for all of them on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters!