AN: Howdy, y'all. Sorry it's been a while. Not only have I been busy with my family and trying to find a job closer to home, I have also been distracted. Baldur's Gate 3 is... very fun. But, even more than that, I'm in the hardest part of this to write. The dreaded between. Not at the fight for this mini-arc. Not in the flashback chapters for the disappearance of the Tamers. And not in the Digital World. But also after the introduction and the characters really getting to know each other. I have to make sure all their personalities remain consistent, while also being panicked and worried about Tasuke. It isn't easy.

Anyways, I'm here now. Thank you for staying with me... Responses!

To OldStyle: The May-Davis thing was hinted at as quietly as possible. Or at least, the possibility. It was kind of in that 'I have a crush, but I'm afraid to say' position. We've all been teenagers. You know what I mean. I wouldn't judge May or Davis or even Tasuke too hard. He's got one goal and he'll sacrifice a lot for it, but they lied to him. And Henry... there's a lot there. More than just keeping Tasuke safe. Henry's not perfect, but he loves Tasuke. Not like a son, Tasuke is, in a lot of ways, his son. For your theories, one gets answered pretty fast. For the goggles, yes. It's Rika's eyes and Takato's eyes. Early on I was trying to make his mother a mystery, but it got pointed out – rightly so – that made no sense. – Aside: Thanks again, Smartalec121! – The Digital World is still separated into levels. Takato and Rika have been staying in the least populated since we've seen them – fewer Digimon trying to kill them, and fewer innocent Digimon in the crossfire. You'll see here mentions about the more populated areas. Also, yes about Reapmon blowing up the ground. If Tasuke is the only one without an Ultimate Partner, he's going to be a little erratic.

To jacquelinemueller53: Takato and Rika will see Tasuke. I'm holding off for a couple reasons. One is story. Just hasn't happened yet, and some character moments need to happen. Second is I want to hold off on using incredibly powerful characters too soon. Takato, Rika, and Henry? I'm kind of excited to show the power difference once everyone gets to the Digital World. I just hope I can live up to the hype!

To Guest: Yeah, HYPNOs are spies and politicians. Tasuke's bad attitude is... a few things. BG is a big part, as well as something that's going to be addressed the chapter after this one. Let's just say, he's always been bitter.

To grabdog: That is some very high praise! I watch Tamers again every so often to try and get the tone and ideas down. Let me just say, it holds up. A lot of stuff doesn't, but Tamers is still amazing. Well written, dark without being too disturbing, and it didn't treat the viewers like idiots. It's also, apparently, where my adoration of puns comes from. The more you know. I'm also very happy that I helped you get through quarantine. The idea that anything I write makes anyone's day better at all, and even more that it helped you through these crazy times, makes me beyond happy. I believe that's the goal of a story – one smile. So thank you. I hope one day I can do that with a literary world of my own making, too. Good luck on your story, I can't wait to read it one day! I hope the rest of the story keeps you right on the edge of the seat.

Episode 26: Lost Boy: Deal with the Devil!?

"What. Happened."

May had never seen her uncle like this before. He was usually a pretty quiet guy, and since he'd acted so blasé about BlackJyarimon talking, she was sure he'd been acting pretty ignorant for a while now about knowing what she and Taj were up to with Davis. She wasn't sure what to make of that, but she knew that she didn't like that anger glowing in his eyes that was urging him to leave the seat across from the couch she and Davis stood beside. "Uncle Henry -"

"Now."

Davis stood beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder, then took over. It wasn't his family, so he wasn't as instinctively anxious as she was, but she knew he was worried about their friend. "In September, Tasuke downloaded an app. This app, Digimon: Digidestined, is one of a series that first appeared without a known developer twelve years ago and began to create new Digidestined. Unlike Tamers, such as yourself, the connection with their Digimon isn't a chosen partnership. It's more like in the old shows – destiny. Director Gethen sent me to find him, May, and their Digimon so we can open the Firewall you created and control the Digital World completely. Earlier today, we met with HYPNOS' agents to ascertain -"

"HYPNOS?!" Henry snapped. He surged from his chair. "They're here?"

"Yes. But they aren't interested in you, Taj, or us," May explained. "They told us that before just leaving."

"Not that we could stop them if they tried," Huckmon pointed out dryly. He waited a bit, then sighed and looked over to BlackJyarimon. "Nothing?"

"Like this? I'd be worse than useless..." he acknowledged sadly. "We need to find Tasuke."

Henry frowned and crossed his arms. "Jeri."

"Dr. Katou. Yeah, I assumed she was involved, too." Davis looked over at Henry and placed his hand on his chin. "What are you going to do with her?"

"... I can't worry about her now," he finally growled. He sank back into his seat and began to rub his forehead anxiously, looking a half a dozen years older in a single breath. Henry glanced over at BlackJyarimon. "Is it your fault?"

The group looked over at the blob, but Dorimon jumped beside him and glared back. "No. He tried to stop Dummy and fix it!"

BlackJyarimon looked over at Dorimon with wide eyes, as if seeing the fluff ball for the first time. He glanced down and away from her, ashamed. She was defending him. Why? He'd only ever treated her like a problem. Something to avoid because she just kept making things difficult. She was joking and laughing, and slowing everything down and just... making life more fun. They all just made life... fun. Tasuke had tried to get him to change and instead –

"No, it's my fault," BlackJyarimon cut in. He looked up at Henry. "I did this." The Digimon began to sink back into the couch, making his already miniscule form appear even smaller.

Dorimon looked over at him. "... Dummymon!" she shouted, raising a tiny paw and slamming it into his head. BlackJyarimon yelped and bounced up off the couch. "When he's not acting like a Jerkmon, he's gonna need you, got it?"

Huckmon grinned down at them from where he was standing, front paws on top of the couch. "She's right, BG. And we're going to be with you the whole time."

BlackJyarimon fell quiet, ears drooping and a sad scowl across his entire body. But, he didn't say anything more.

"So, you know BG."

Henry looked over at May, then sighed at her unspoken question. "I've known for a couple months, now. Ever since Suzie's visit," he explained. He gestured at BlackJyarimon and shrugged. "He's been keeping tabs on you since a little while afterwards so I could keep an eye on Tasuke without invading your lives. Without driving him away and into Gethen's hands."

Huckmon growled at the mention. "G Man..."

"You can't trust him," Henry said clearly. He furrowed his brow and placed his clasped hands in front of his mouth. "Making a deal with the Devil is a bad idea. I've had to do so much for your agency over the years and I'm still under his thumb. If Gethen has Tasuke, he's in more trouble than we know. But if he doesn't... who knows where he could be?" He grew quiet for a few moments. "I have an idea." Then, as if the thought just came to him: "Follow me."

The kids glanced at one another, then May scooped up BlackJyarimon and they followed Henry into the basement. "I'll tell you everything when we get Tasuke back. Everything about his parents, our lives. Even how they disappeared. But only when we have him back," Henry began as he reached the bottom of the stairs, flipping on a light and leading them into a separate room. He pushed the door open and gestured for them to enter. It was a deceptively simple room. Mostly empty, aside from tools and a computer on a desk along the back wall. But that computer was custom built by Henry, and May could already tell the tower – which only people who wanted use high power, big pieces these days bothered with – was stronger than anything she had. There had to be a private server here, to keep all the data out of any government's hands. But the most important thing was sitting to the right of the computer. "This is my private lab. And it's where I've been working on getting into the Digital World for the past ten years. It's not much, but... it's enough. " He walked up to the item and picked it up. It was a simple, handheld device made of gray-white plastic with a green ring and strap. "For now, all you need to know is that I was a Digimon Tamer. Like all of you."

There was a pause for a moment. Then, Dorimon broke it with, "They're Digidestined, not Tamers."

Henry stared at her for a few moments, the words and their connotations rumbling through the gears in his head. "They're what!?"

X X X

"You're in a good mood," Takato remarked, grinning at his wife's back as they walked through one of the newer, rebuilt layers of the Digital World looking for some old friends. The rolling, green hills looked like something out of the TV show from when he was a kid, unlike the nearly lifeless desert they had been in while looking for Terriermon. Almost no Rookies were dumb enough to attack them here, though so far it was a calm trip.

Rika glanced over her shoulder. "Are you saying I'm not usually in a good mood?" she growled, quirking an eyebrow up at him.

Takato flinched and threw his hands up. "I – uh, no! R-rika, I'm just – oh, jeez -"

Renamon chuckled from beside him. "I believe, Takato, that she is 'messing with you.'"

Rika smirked at her husband and shook her head. "And you still fall for it after thirty years."

"...Rika..." Takato grumbled. His shoulders sagged and he sighed in relief. "That was mean."

"Momentai, Takato. Not everyone lands their Dream Girl. Just be glad someone like Rika ended up with a goggley gogglehead like you!" Terriermon exclaimed from atop Guilmon's back. "And that bad mood isn't her default anymore."

"Haha! Terrerimon, you made Takato look like a tomato!" Calumon laughed as he glided along beside them, ears turned into large wings. He pointed at Takato and laughed again. "Oh, that's a great new name! Tomato! Takato, Tamato, Takato, Tamato!"

"Hey!" Takato exclaimed. This could not catch on.

"You do look redder than me, Takatomon," Guilmon helpfully pointed out. "But not like a tomato. I can't eat you, so you're not like a tomato at all!"

"Th-that's... Thanks, Boy," Takato finally resigned. He gave his partner an ear scratch. Guilmon leaned in and whined happily.

"But, uh – You do seem happy. I thought you'd be ready to ex – er, I mean, you'd be worried since Henry hasn't told us anything about how Tasuke is," Takato said, stammering when he nearly caused her to actually explode. "I know I am."

Rika slowed to walk beside him and crossed her arms. "I am worried," she explained. She reached out and grabbed his hand. "But I was just thinking... if he has a way to contact us, Henry might be close to finding us a way to get back home. And with Jeri there, it feels like we're – I dunno, coming back together? God, I sound like such a gogglehead..."

"Aw..." Takato grinned at her and pulled her in closer to him. "You are such an adorable gogglehead."

"Stop..."

"You're so lucky a guy like Takato would end up with a goggley gogglehead like you!" Terriermon exclaimed from Guilmon's back, barely holding in his laughter.

"You better shut it before I take you to the vet, you little -" Rika snapped, turning on Terriermon and lunging to grab him. He just jumped and glided away on his massive ears, laughing and calling her a gogglehead while floating just out of her reach.

Takato chuckled at the sight for a moment before turning to glance over his shoulder. "Are they still there, Boy?"

Guilmon blinked then sniffed at the air. "Hm... I think so. I only smell two right now, though. I hope they don't try to attack us. Especially not before I get to eat something!"

Always thinking with your stomach... "We'll deal with that if it happens," Takato said simply. He crossed his arms and glanced over his shoulder at the distance. "Jeez, what kind of Digimon has the time to follow us for months?"

"Big meanies," Calumon said with a harrumph. "It's not nice to chase people like this."

"Hm..." Takato grumbled. He turned back to their path. "I doubt it's anything Gallantmon and Sakuyamon couldn't handle. But still, keep an eye out for them, Boy. Or a nostril, I guess."

"Okay, Takatomon, but both of my nostrils are always out!"

Takato laughed at his partner's words. "Good boy," he said again. Takato grinned at his partner and looked off ahead of them.

"We are almost there," Renamon confirmed before he could say anything. "I believe MarineAngemon is currently trying to comfort a Digimon scared of Guardromon's size."

"Now you know why I left the place," Terriermon explained. He drifted down to Takato's shoulder and put one brunette head between him and the redhead so she'd stop trying to kill him. "Those two are bad enough they make Kazu and Kenta seem less annoying!"

"I think you're forgetting how annoying those doofs were," Rika pointed out dryly.

"Definitely," Terriermon agreed. Still, he shook his head. "But at least their baby voice and big feet aren't as bad as those two Digimon."

"I don't know if you're right about that, Fuzzball," Rika muttered caustically. "But I guess we'll see."

It didn't take them too much longer to reach what Takato had dubbed 'Primary Village' upon finding it so many years ago. It had been their first home base after getting stuck in the Digital World, a safe haven that most Digimon left alone for fear of waking up there one day suddenly powerless and at the mercy of their once-loaded victims without a guardian to keep them safe. In the years since discovering that small patch of rolling hills and natural baby cradles only the Digital World could come up with, it had grown to accommodate the Digimon that stayed to retain a safe haven from the destructive warfare that consumed much of the Digital World. The village-nursery itself occupied the edge of the city with a clear view of the sun-like firewall floating far above around the Digital representation of Earth itself. "City's gotten bigger," Takato noted with a glance up at the growing sprawl of buildings, ranging from simple huts to more complex human-like structures designed from the free data packets that flowed through the Digital World. At this point, he began thinking of the old TV show when walking through this level of the Digital World.

"Yeah," Rika said. She frowned. "With this many Rookies and Champions around, it won't be long until it'll draw in stronger Digimon. To Load them."

Takato crossed his arms. "You don't know that'll happen."

Rika sighed. "We both do."

Takato stared at her, then his gaze fell to the ground. "I wish we could stop that."

"... When we go looking for that jerk we can see if BlueMeramon and Clockmon would be willing to say here. With Gigadramon gone, they certainly have the time," Rika offered. "And, ugh... They might have seen the jerk recently."

"You still really don't like Ryo," Takato muttered, almost impressed by that idea.

"Rika can hold a grudge for much longer than this," Renamon poked fun at her partner.

"Enough from the peanut gallery," Rika grumbled. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and made sure everyone was silent until they arrived at the Primary Village.

"Oh, it's Chumley!" Guardromon shouted, his robotic voice stilted when he began to wave at them. "How are you Chumley?"

Takato waved back, hiding a grimace as a grin. "He takes way too much after Kazu," he hissed to Rika.

"And the Ice Queen!"

Rika growled. "Renamon... tell him if he calls me that again, he'll be waking up in one of those cribs..."

"Rika..." Takato admonished.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm only half joking."

"What's going on?" MarineAngemon asked, floating over and looking over with wide eyes.

"We might get to eat more Guilmon bread!" Guilmon exclaimed before anyone could answer. He laughed and began to dance around, drawing in some more baby Digimon that began to laugh and dance around with him in a circle.

"... What does that mean?"

"Way to explain that, Pineapple Head," Rika muttered. She shrugged. "But it's not wrong. We think Henry's getting close."

"Oh! I might get to see Kazu again?" Guadromon shouted. The baby digimon around him yelped and bounced away in surprise at his sudden shout, then began to warble and cry until MarineAngemon came in and began to coo softly to try and get them to calm down.

"Wow, guys! I think we could film this odd couple and make millions off the tv show!" Terriermon shouted. He jumped from Takato's shoulder and landed on top of Guardromon. "What do you think? Metal and Mommy?"

"Ooh... I'd watch it!"

"Guilmon..." Takato grumbled, hand on his face.

Rika glared at them. "Can we keep this serious for a minute?"

Takato grinned sheepishly and muzzled Terriermon. "Yes, Dear."

Rika shook her head and looked back over at Guardromon and MarineAngemon. "What proof is there he's getting closer?" Guardromon finally asked, voice quiet and hopeful.

Rika bit her cheek. "We got a video message from Tasuke a few weeks ago," she explained, her joy creeping back into her voice and drawing a rare smile to her face. "Somehow, on our Digivices."

Guardromon and MarineAngemon grew quiet, sharing a quick glance.

"What?" Takato asked. He stood up. "What was that about?"

"Well..." MarineAngemon cooed. "A Digimon hatched here a few weeks ago. He said he remembered some children and Digimon fighting him in the human world. One was a boy with red eyes and hair. We assumed he had been Loaded years ago, but now..."

Rika's smile vanished, replaced with a worried scowl. All business, again. "You think Tasuke fought this Digimon?"

"If he's telling the truth, he might have fought a Krampusmon," Guardromon explained. He shivered at the idea. "That's quite the accomplishment. And if a Mega got through, it means that the Firewall is going down."

Rika put her hand on her chin. That was bad. "You haven't told anyone, right?"

"..." MarineAngemon and Guardromon pointedly looked away from Rika's glare.

"Dammit," Rika grumbled.

"What's wrong?" Takato wondered. "It's just more Digimon knowing that the human world is going to be open. As long as we're around or the newer Tamers, that's not a big problem. And they'd know the Firewall was down anyways when it happens, right?"

"It's a problem, Gogglehead, because now they're going to be dogging us. Humans in the Digital World have to know how to get out."

"But we don't!"

"You think that'll matter to a pissed off Gundramon?" she asked dryly.

"... Oh..." Takato grumbled. "I don't want to fight another Gundramon!"

"Too bad, it's going to happen," she growled. Rika rubbed her forehead. "Renamon, are there any incoming enemy Digimon? How about the two that were chasing us?"

"... Not yet. I would expect someone to attack us when we are next on the road, however. Perhaps we should return to the base layer?"

"No, we need to find Ryo," Takato said. "Besides, we can always shove him in to deal with the next Gundramon we deal with. I know how much you love it when he gets beaten up!"

"... Somehow, that feels romantic," Rika said, smirking.

"I take it back. Takato, you were unlucky," Terriermon joked, earning him another gag in the form of Renamon's paw.

"Well, at least we know Tasuke is safe with his friends," Rika said after a little while cooling down. Terriermon was groaning face down in the dirt, which made everything better, she supposed. "He has to just be waiting for us to show up, at this point."

X X X

"So, Digidestined are real? Like in the old TV shows?" Henry asked. Usually he'd be so interested, but the gravity of the situation was dampening the old fan in him. The only thing it could get out is that Takato would be having a field day.

"And the new ones," May pointed out. She shrugged. "Dan's real into the remake of the old show."

Henry chuckled. "I guess he takes even more after Takato than I'd thought," he mumbled. "The Matsukis are always going to be a pain in the neck."

"So they were telling the truth. Tasuke's real last name is Matsuki," BlackJyarimon mumbled tiredly. "You've been lying to him."

"That's one of the things they told him to get him to ditch us!" May snapped in realization. "Wh – Why didn't you tell Tasuke at least? It's his family! I don't understand!"

Henry took a deep breath. Why? "It was the lesser of two evils. Would you have him search for Takehiro and Mie Matsuki? Or Rumiko Nonaka? Either of those would draw HYPNOS or a dozen other agencies right to us. Do you understand that?" Henry asked. He stared down at his reflection in his D-Power's screen. "You don't know what it was like early on, Mayumi. I hate Gethen and I hate that I had to change Tasuke's name, but it was necessary. We were dogged by Tamers. If it weren't for HYPNOs struggling from a change in leadership, we wouldn't be here today. So when Lucas offered my entire family and Tasuke untraceable identities, I wasn't even going to let Tasuke endanger us. I wasn't going to lose him, too." His grip on his Digivice tightened. "I'd do anything to protect him, even lie to him. Until the two of you can say you made a different decision, I don't care about your judgment."

Davis glanced down. He'd made the same choice himself, so he wasn't sure he could argue. "This doesn't matter." He took a deep breath and looked up. "None of this is going to help us find Tasuke, so we need to move on."

"So, how does any of this help us?" Huckmon asked. He got close to Henry and began to poke and prod at Henry's D-Power.

Henry yanked it away and began to rub the place the walking knife had been poking, trying to buff out a scratch that no one else really saw. "I'm getting to that," Henry grumbled. He rubbed the device again and examined it closer before finally deciding it looked fine. "I'm probably the premier mind in the Digital Science fields. I built the Firewall, I have the old Monster Makers' notes, and learned from the best. I also have a... unique perspective, having been to the Digital World before. We need to look now, but we might not find him now. But right now I'm going to need one of your Digivices. I need to scan the data, find the differences in what I have on file for Tasuke's, and use that to build a way to track him without your Digivices or – I'm assuming – the HYPNOs Tamers' Digivices. While the Digivice is being scanned, we'll be searching for him as best we can."

"I'd ask who put him in charge, but he seems to have way more experience looking for missing friends than we do," Dorimon muttered. She looked up at May and Davis. "So, which kid can handle being without their phone the most?"

"I'm starting to understand why Taj thinks you're annoying," May noted dryly. Still, she reached into her pocket and pulled her Digivice out. "So this is as much punishing you as much as it's the smart decision."

"Aw..." Dorimon grumbled. "Well, your boyfriend is better than us at this, so I guess I can't complain about how much it sucks."

"That was complaining," Huckmon pointed out, earning an angry glare from the puffball while May handed over her Digivice.

Henry took the Digivice and turned, plugging wires into it, then placing his own Digivice back on its stand. He peeled the casing off and placed the wires into the D-Power's main body, then another set of wires from his Digivice and into the computer. "I guess this is the best time for my next experiment," he explained when he turned and saw the kids' and Digimon's confused faces. "Your Digivices are having a Digi-Gnome – a miracle like effect on my Digivice. Maybe an upgrade to my Digivice will help me find Tasuke."

"Or find a way to get his parents back without dropping the Firewall," May said quietly.

Henry frowned. "Of course," he agreed. He crossed his arms and motioned at the door. "We need to hurry. Tell me where he was and tell me where he'd go. We'll start there for tonight."

"Tonight?!" May snapped. "And if we don't find him tonight? Are we just going to -"

"May," Davis interjected. He sighed. "If we can't find him tonight, someone has him. Then tactically our best option is regrouping here and starting fresh tomorrow." He reached out to grab her hand. "It's the smart choice, May."

"How you are you this calm?" Davis asked Henry after a moment of silence. "How?"

"I'm not calm," Henry admitted, voice hollow. "My so– Tasuke is missing. When I find him, I can panic then. But right now – now, I have to think. Now, we're wasting time. So let's go." He pushed past them and out of the door, moving quietly up the stairs.

"That guy has seen too much," Huckmon muttered. "And that's coming from me."

Davis gripped May's arm tighter. "We need to be careful. I don't like that only one of us can Digivolve right now. So just – stay close, okay?"

May glanced over at him, trying to hide his worried eyes. "I'll stay close," she agreed. "Promise."

"... Awwwwwwww," Dorimon mocked. "That's adorable!"

"Dorimon..."

"Sorry..."

X X X

"Dammit!" Namaiki snapped as she sprinted through the city, shoving through alcoholics and homeless that got in her way. Today had been going so well. They'd convinced two of those kids to back the hell off, and sent the other one running. She and Wormmon were uninjured from their fight, and she had been observing the Matsuki child after he ran off. Right up until he disappeared on the road, leaving an abandoned car on the side of the road.

And when she'd started looking for him, it didn't take long for that creature to start chasing her down. She'd Digivolved Wormmon to Paildramon pre-emptively and driven towards the city. Most Digimon that would stalk her were Partner Digimon, so they wouldn't attack surrounded by people. Hadn't stopped this thing. Her car had flipped and crashed into a wall, and she'd only survived because Paildramon pulled her out. And now she was running, hoping her team would show up soon enough to help her.

She skidded around a corner and stumbled, slamming into a wall and hissing in pain before sprinting down the alley. "Stingmon, is he close?"

A blur flew down and hovered above her. "Yes. And getting closer."

"We're going to have to fight... Take us up, ten stories at least," Namaiki ordered. She activated the Digital Field with her Digivice, then held her arms out and waited for his claws to loop under her arms. After a moment, she braced and he lifted her into the air, zooming up and away in the Digital fog.

It didn't take long for her to arrive, placed softly on a helicopter pad on top of a tall building. "Okay, are they -"

"Guiltish!"

"Gah! Desperado Blaster!" Paildramon snapped, turning and firing his waist guns at the source of the attack. Bullets of energy crashed into Paildramon's bullets, exploding into data midair until both attacks disappeared.

Namaiki narrowed her eyes and glared into the Digital Field, watching a large silhouette approach and breach the fog. It was a tall, humanoid creature with a long cape coated all over the inside by Japanese amulets adorned with various Digi-Code emblems. It wore baggy, zipper covered pants and in its overly long left arm was a bladed, red whip and its right arm was hidden by a long, belted sleeve. Blonde hair peeked out from beneath a red bandana, a single, glowing red eye at the center of its forehead. The creature chuckled darkly and took a step forward.

Namaiki pulled her 3D up and waited for information. "Reapmon. Demon man Digimon known as the 'Sublime Lord' and a servant of the Demon Lord Digimon. He uses the Dashenbian whip in his Kamiuchi attack to carve Holy Digimon apart, then transforms the amulets in his coat into various attacks with his Guiltish ability to take care of anything else. He'll snatch away a soul with his Leak Information attack, brainwashing humans and Digimon alike with secrets they didn't ask for." She narrowed her eyes at the words flickering in and out beneath that paragraph. "Temporary Partner? What does that mean?"

Reapmon shot forward, swinging his whip at Paildramon and laughing darkly. Paildramon snarled and raised his claws, slashing back to deflect the attack before charging in to attack. "Sting Strike!" The blade in its arms glowed and shot out, trying to stab into his opponent's chest, only for Reapmon to dance out of the way and ready his whip again. Paildramon's other blade flashed and came down at Reapmon, but he had already spun out of the way, using Guiltish to turn a group of talismans into a block of fly paper. Paildramon growled as he was suddenly stuck, hand first, to the building's roof.

"A poor decision," Reapmon explained, smirk clear even behind the mask covering his jaw. He threw his covered arm out, sending talismans flying everywhere, then readied again.

Paildramon scoffed and the flypaper was quickly carved to pieces. "We need to be careful," he told his partner without looking away from Reapmon.

"Agreed," she said quietly. She looked down at her Digivice and moved through her deck. "... Here we go. Digi-Modify! Shurimon's Ninja Wind, activate!"

Paildramon narrowed his eyes and launched forward, blades at the ready. Reapmon scoffed and charged forward as well, swinging his whip up and a massive whip exploded when it hit Paildramon. Or, rather, when it would have hit him. The moment the whip would have hit, Paildramon was obscured by a burst of wind and leaves. The talismans floating were blasted away, some exploding on contact with the leaves, others disappearing as they tumbled out of the Digital Field, and finally some approaching their wielder.

"Damn..." Reapmon growled. He threw his right arm up, catching the talismans and placing them back on his cloak. "Where did you -"

"Cable Catcher!" Razorwire claws shot around him, tying with cables around Reapmon's body and going taut. Reapmon snapped in surprise as the cables pulled and he was yanked into the air, spinning wildly.

"Finish this, Paildramon."

"Gladly!" Paildramon shouted.

"This is the best you can do?" Reapmon asked. He sighed, sounding almost disappointed by one of the strongest Digidestined on Earth. "Well, that's enough time for your allies to get close. Now!"

"Digi-Modify. Phantomon's Phasing, activate."

Reapmon melted through the cables and flipped through the air, slamming feet first into Paildramon's chest, phasing through and hitting the roof behind him. The whip snapped and wrapped around Paildramon's throat before he could respond. Paildramon cried out in surprise and terror as he was yanked by his neck over Reapmon's shoulders, and then thrown off of the building. Cement and steel crumbled around Paildramon as he crashed through a wall, then began to tumble through an empty office building. Paper and office supplies shattered around him before he managed to slam his claws into the ground and slow himself.

"Digi-Modify. Imperialdramon, activate."

Reapmon stood in the hole he had made using Paildramon. "Clever... I love deadly irony." He held his hand up and allowed the black and red data wireframe to connect, filling the sleeve of his right arm and creating a large laser brimming with deadly power. The weapon was aimed on the weakened Paildramon a moment later. "Positron Laser!"

Paildramon watched as the violet energy swirled, filling the world in front of him until all he could see what a wall of doom. And injured as he was, he couldn't dodge. Not even as every cell of his body was vaporized piece by piece. It felt like an eternity as his body was converted back into basic data, annihilating everything about him. As the pain reached a crescendo, the world turning into nothing, he could only think, Run, Ayako. And then, there was nothing left but the anguished scream of his partner.

"That was disappointing," Reapmon said quietly. He turned and stared up at the woman who was glaring down at him with eyes aglow with hatred. "But what the master wants, the master gets." He pulled out a talisman and readied it, turning it into a weapon. "Now for the hard part. I need to be careful enough to not kill you, Fragile Human."

X X X

Henry had spent all of two minutes at the school before pulling everyone back into the car, forcing Davis into the driver's seat, and May and the Digimon into the back. His enforced calm was doing a lot for May herself, suppressing her worry for her oldest friend. If Henry wasn't panicking, then he had to know how to make things better. At least, that's what the angry, primitive thing in the back of her brain was telling her. It did a lot to quiet the front part of her brain that was otherwise panicking, giving her hyper-focus on the road to the Warehouse. She absently rubbed BlackJyarimon's ears and clenched her jaw.

"I'm sorry."

She flinched and looked down at the exhausted Digimon in her arms. "What?" she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"For treating you and – the puffball so poorly. I'm sorry."

Dorimon looked over and wisely decided to move towards Huckmon and talk in a whisper with him to distract herself from a conversation she wasn't a part of. She'd forgiven Jerkmon a while ago, and she'd made that clear. She thought. Well, clear enough. She'd let them settle their own issues.

May blinked, then looked up out of the window at the moving lines of the road. "I didn't help," she admitted. Shaking her head, she scoffed. "I think I was a little jealous. He's never been good with friends. Don't get me wrong, you're kind of an evil little jerk, but... I don't know. Maybe you wouldn't have been if I'd been nicer."

"No. I would," he explained, tired voice tinged with a spark of humor. "... There!"

May's eyes widened. "Stop!" she snapped. "Pull over!"

Davis threw the car across three lanes of mostly empty traffic, sliding into the buffer on the side. Before the car was completely stopped, May had unbuckled and was the first sprinting out of the car. "What the hell?" May wondered as she stood beside Taj's car, shut and turned off.

Henry's presence was like a loud echo despite the fact that he was completely silent. It was like he couldn't even see or hear May, Davis, or the Digimon; the entire world at that moment was an abandoned but unharmed Jeep abandoned on the side of the road. That quiet that had been keeping May together had suddenly become sharp and prickly, and she was getting unnerved.

Henry grabbed the door handle and opened it. "Unlocked," he muttered. He reached in and pulled the keys off of the driver's seat. "... He parked the car here? Why?"

"This doesn't make any sense," Davis grumbled. He walked around the car, hand on his chin, occasionally opening doors and checking the tires. "There's absolutely no signs of a struggle. Huckmon, smell anything?"

"I do." BlackJyarimon shivered in May's arms. "One's old. Two are incoming."

At that, Davis sprung into action immediately. The Digital Field was around them in half a second and SaviorHuckmon exploding out of a Matrix-Warp Digivolution before anything could get close. He extended his weapons as Davis readied his deck. May suddenly wished she used real cards at all so she could hand off her Alphamon or ChaosDramon for a heavier, long range attack. Instead, she grabbed her partner, Henry, and BlackJyarimon and pulled everyone behind Taj's car for protection.

"Anyone we know?" Davis snapped.

BlackJyarimon made the closest movement a disembodied head could to a shrug. "I can only smell them, not who they are. I'm – " His voice trailed off before he took a deep breath and forced his old attitude. "No! I can't tell right now, but think about who it could be!"

Davis grimaced. "Crap," he grumbled right before a Lady Devimon and a ShadowWereGarurumon exploded into the Digital Field. SaviorHuckmon snarled and charged forward to try and take them down, going in as strong as possible accompanied by Davis' Swift Blue Wolf and Ice Devimon cards to give him after image distractions and a way to keep one of them down with a Zero Freeze attack. But that wasn't enough, especially with no backup. ShadowWereGarurumon lashed out with a shout of "Fox Fire," blue flames crashing into SaviorHuckmon's path. He dodged to the side, and barely managed to use one saber to deflect LadyDevimon's Stun Whip that would have left him paralyzed.

SaviorHuckmon charged forward and managed to get Zero Freeze off against LadyDevimon's legs, rooting her in place, before charging after ShadowWereGarurumon. Blades flashed and crashed against the large brass knuckles over the werewolf's fists. ShadowWereGarurumon snarled and deflected the attacks, then finally found an opening and delivered a jumping back-kick to SaviorHuckmon's gut, sending him flying over the truck, his sword tail passing just over the heads of Henry and May as they watched him fly above. He crashed through a fence and was back on his feet in a flash, but by then it was too late.

ShadowWereGarurumon stood with his fist clutched around Davis. Watanabe stood beside him, his lackey nearby thawing her LadyDevimon out. "Stand down," Watanabe shout at Huckmon. "Or else."

Everyone's eyes went to Davis, who begrudgingly nodded. SaviorHuckmon's bladed arms dropped and he DeDigivolved back into Huckmon without another word. The scowl he was shooting them said enough.

Watanabe looked over at Kura and nodded. She narrowed her eyes, but nodded, and LadyDevimon was a BlackGatomon on her shoulder a second later. But ShadowWereGarurumon wasn't going anywhere. In fact, his fist almost tightened a little around Davis as Huckmon got closer, eliciting a hiss of surprise.

"Where is he?" Watanabe growled.

"What are you talking – Gah!" ShadowWereGarurumon's grip tightened again.

"Enough. Where."

"What do you want with Tasuke?" Henry snapped, coming out from behind the Jeep.

Watanabe froze and his eyes widened. "Dr. Wong?" He straightened up and crossed his arms. "It's been a very long time."

Henry narrowed his eyes then crossed his arms right back at him. "Watanabe, isn't it? Still running around for Saito, I see."

"I'm doing my job."

Henry glared but was the first to turn away. "Why do you want Tasuke? They told me you aren't interested in him."

"That was before he turned one of us to data and put another one of us in the hospital!" BlackGatomon lashed out. She jumped from Kura's shoulder and snarled. "So, tell us where he and his little partner are!"

"I'm right here," BlackJyarimon replied. He forced himself out of May's arms and bounced slowly forward, trying to look as strong as possible. He bounced up to BlackGatomon and scowled. As small and defenseless as he was, it didn't give off the message he was going for, but he didn't let that stop him. "Where is Taj? It looks like he's been taken. So you tell us."

"It wasn't us," Watanabe countered. "After our conversation, we had no reason to go after you."

"But here you are," Henry growled. He sighed. "Well, leave this to us. He's my responsibility."

"Like hell, he killed Wormmon!" Kura snapped, only to be cut off by her boss's raised hand.

The Commander slowly let his hands fall, clasped in the small of his back. "We will not be stopping our search for Tasuke Matsuki. We encourage you to stop and get out of our way, or else we will make you. This is your only warning to comply," he said authoritatively. He turned to Henry.

"Huh, where have I heard that before?" Henry asked coolly.

"From the person who still has their Digimon," Watanabe countered. Henry flinched and moved to say something, but Watanabe had already turned away. "We're moving out." ShadowWereGarurumon nodded and let go of Davis, then grabbed hold of his team and they were gone.

Henry glared at where they had been standing for a moment while May rushed to Davis and fussed over him for a moment. "Did you know that guy?" BlackJyarimon asked. Henry glanced down at the shivering Digimon and felt his heart soften.

He bent down to pick the Digimon up and pulled him underneath the down of his coat. "There's time to talk about that later," Henry explained quietly. "When we have Tasuke back." He shut his eyes and fought down the fear, worry, and sadness. What was happening to Tasuke? What was happening to the boy he raised? Whatever it was, it nearly overwhelmed him before he managed to pull away.

Henry opened his eyes and started to speak, then stopped as he felt his emotions rising in his throat. Taking a moment to clear his throat, he drew Davis', May's, and their Digimon's attention. "We're heading back home. It's clear a Digimon has Tasuke," he said, steeling his voice with the war experience from his own childhood. From nearly losing his sister, his Digimon. Hell, his entire world. "... You two are staying over tonight. Tell your parents you're with Tasuke. Davis, you need to guard my home, and May – you're helping me identify the unique code in Tasuke's Digivice and then coding a compass to find him." He stood straight and tall, emulating an exaggerated idea of Yamaki that stuck in his brain since he was a twelve year old trying to stay away from the shadowy man. Authoritative and strong. Exactly the opposite of how he felt.

Henry could see the protests growing on May's face, but shook his head. "We can't find him captured by a Digimon, and we aren't in the position to fight a Digimon that could kill one of them. Rested, with Dorimon and Huckmon at Ultimate, we stand a chance. But with the both of you tired, worried, and at half fighting strength... I'm not letting either of you die. Tasuke wouldn't forgive me for leaving behind another piece of his family."

He pulled Tasuke's keys out of his pocket. Where are you? He wondered. "May... Take this home." He tossed her the keys. "Davis, you go with her. And take BlackJyarimon. I – I'd like some time alone."

X X X

Oh, no, I hope that Henry is going to be okay! I can imagine how he feels. Losing someone who is like your son has to be just as bad as how I felt when I lost Leomon. But Tasuke isn't lost, yet. His friends and Henry will be there to save him. And no one is going to fight harder than BlackJyarimon!

I just hope that they find him fast on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters!