T.K. ran back and said to Davis, "Davis, we should pull out first, talk it over with Izzy, and come back with an actual plan."
"Yeah. Maybe Tentomon found some new information," Kari added, trying to persuade him too.
The kids hurriedly disengaged from the fight. Darcmon, Pegasusmon, and Halsemon stayed behind to cover their retreat, while Veemon and Drimogemon sprinted toward the TV.
In a narrow alley formed by steel walls, a television sat quietly in place. As she ran, Yolei pulled out her D-3 Digivice. "Digital World gate, open!"
The TV flared with light, swallowing Yolei as she vanished into the glow. Right after her, Cody, Davis, and T.K. rushed in as well.
Seeing everyone had made it out, Darcmon—still carrying Kari—finally let out a breath of relief. She sliced apart an incoming Destruction Grenade with her sword and was about to follow them through.
Then, a Guardromon suddenly appeared on a steel wall and fired a Destruction Grenade, blasting the TV into pieces.
A computer released a cyan glow as a crowd of kids and Digimon squeezed their way into the computer lab.
"Did something just explode?" Yolei asked.
"I saw it! A Guardromon used its special move on us!" Patamon answered from T.K.'s back, raising its tiny claws.
"Where's Kari?" Davis looked around. "Why isn't she here?"
"No way… is she still in the Digital World?" Cody said, stunned.
At that moment, Kari was hiding in a corner with Gatomon keeping watch. She was using her D-3 Digivice to message the others and report her situation. The entire city still echoed with alarm sirens, and countless Guardromon patrolled back and forth along the streets.
"That should do it… now send."
"Kari, if anything happens, let me Armor Digivolve," Gatomon said, blocking in front of her with a grave expression. "Don't worry. I can still fight."
"Yeah… thank you, Gatomon."
Back in the computer lab, Yolei was still trying to open the gate again. "It's not working. The gate won't open anymore."
"It must be because the Guardromon's attack destroyed the TV. That's why Kari didn't make it back," T.K. said, chin in hand.
"Who wants to hear that?!" Davis, worked up and frantic, grabbed T.K. by the collar. "Kari was right behind you—why didn't you bring her back?!"
"Davis, let go. This isn't T.K.'s fault. Don't blame him," Cody urged from the side.
"Stop talking and shut up!" Davis snapped, completely losing his filter.
"Could you please speak a little more politely?" Cody asked, hurt.
"S-sorry." Davis released T.K. and apologized.
"No… Davis is right. This is my fault," T.K. said with his head lowered. "If I'd been more careful—if I hadn't let Patamon de-digivolve so fast—this wouldn't have happened."
"If you say that, then I—" Davis realized he'd gone too far and looked embarrassed.
Yolei let out a helpless sigh. "Everyone was just trying to survive. Nobody had time to think about anything else."
"Yeah… me too." The two of them started blaming themselves back and forth.
Beep beep. The computer chimed.
Yolei rushed over. "Kari sent a message!"
T.K. and Davis immediately crowded in to read the message on the screen:
"I'm safe. Don't worry about me."
T.K. shoved past Yolei. "Yolei, let me see." He pulled up a map of the Digital World and started searching. "We can't go directly back to that area… but we can reach it from another region." Finally, he found a nearby TV on the map. "I'm going to find Kari." He took out his D-3 Digivice.
"Wait for me, T.K.!" Patamon hurriedly flapped into the light.
"How can we let that guy go alone?" Davis said, dissatisfied. "Let's go, Chibomon!" Ignoring Yolei's attempt to stop him, he opened the gate to the Digital World.
"Poromon, let's go too—" Yolei started, but Cody stopped her.
"Hold on, okay? It's almost dinner time. If Kari and the others still can't get back, someone needs to notify their families. We should tell Tai and figure out what to do."
"Right. I'm supposed to be the responsible one—I need to pull myself together," Yolei said, forcing herself to stand tall.
They quickly split up and left the computer lab. Yolei went to contact Tai, while Cody went to notify Kari's family.
Meanwhile, T.K. and Davis had already appeared in the desert outside the city's region. The two boys and their Digimon walked while talking, hurrying along.
"The sun's almost down. You should go home," T.K. urged Davis. "I'll be fine. My mom's coming home late today, so you should head back."
"I'm fine!" Davis said. "Let's flip a coin to decide who gets to rescue Kari." He pulled out a coin, ready to decide who would perform the grand act of saving the damsel.
"If it's heads, you go home. If it's tails, I go home," Davis said. He lifted his covering hand. "See? Heads! So the one who gets to rescue Kari is me." He grinned smugly.
T.K. snatched the coin in a flash. "This coin has heads on both sides. They sell them," he said flatly.
Davis instantly turned awkward. "You knew?!"
"Let's go together." They looked at each other, and a surge of bromance—no, friendship—rose between them.
In the distance, they could already see the edge of the egg-shaped city. The two of them hid behind a sand dune and watched the guards at the gate.
Back in the human world, Tai—already home—received Cody's call and heard what happened.
"What?! I got it… No, Cody, don't apologize. I understand. Bye." Tai hung up, then turned with a smile to his mother.
"Kari's still hanging out at a friend's house. I'm going to go pick her up and bring her home," he said—then slipped out before she could answer.
Tai met Matt at their agreed meeting spot.
"I already heard the situation from Cody," Matt said. "I'll tell Davis's family."
"Then I'm counting on you." Tai nodded. "I need to get to the Digital World as fast as possible." They immediately split up.
T.K. and Davis were still discussing how to break in without alerting the Guardromon at the gate.
"Come on, Davis, let me Armor Digivolve," Veemon said, choosing the simple and brutal plan: punch their way in.
"Wait—you two…" T.K. suddenly realized something. "We don't have that here, right, Patamon?"
"Right! Only inside the city," Patamon said, lighting up with excitement. "Which means…"
"We can Digivolve." The two of them spoke at the same time.
"Huh? Digivolve?" Davis and Veemon stared at them, completely lost.
"Let's try." T.K. pulled out his D-3 Digivice.
"Patamon, Digivolve… Angemon!"
"It worked! Regular Digivolution works again!"
A form they hadn't seen in a long time appeared, and T.K. looked thrilled—while Davis and Veemon's jaws practically hit the ground.
"A-Angemon?!"
Angemon and T.K. smiled at the stunned pair. Angemon beat his wings and shot forward, flying low and fast toward the Guardromon at the gate.
"Suspicious intruder detected—" it began, but before it could finish, Angemon swung the Angel Rod in his hand and hurled it, shattering the Dark Ring on the Guardromon. He caught the rod as it fell. "Alright. We can go in."
Angemon smashed the lock on the gate and flew inside—but the moment he crossed through, he was wrapped in golden light and de-digivolved back into Patamon.
"T.K., I couldn't hold it. I changed back," Patamon said, sounding miserable.
"It can't be helped."
"Wait… that was Angemon? So Patamon can Digivolve like Agumon and the others?" Davis asked curiously—then immediately regretted his curiosity.
"Of course," T.K. said like it was obvious. "As long as there isn't a Control Spire, we can Digivolve."
"So that means… Kari's Gatomon can too…" Davis got a very bad feeling.
"She can Digivolve into Angewomon," Patamon said innocently.
"Angemon and Angewomon…" Davis suddenly felt like his whole world was collapsing.
"Yeah. Don't you think we're a perfect match, T.K.?" Patamon's sweet, clueless voice sounded like pure evil to Davis.
The veins on Davis's forehead bulged as he redirected his rage. "Veemon!"
"Uh…" Veemon had a horrible premonition.
Davis grabbed Veemon and shook it violently. "You're going to Digivolve into MagnaAngemon, got it?! Digivolve! Digivolve right now! Use your willpower and Digivolve!"
"D-don't do this!" Veemon stammered.
"Alright, Patamon, stop messing with Davis," T.K. said.
"Hehe."
Over on the human side, Matt went to Davis's house and knocked. The one who opened the door was a girl who was clearly a huge Matt fan. After Matt explained that Davis was hanging out at his place, she instantly saw through it—but her attention was completely locked onto Matt. The blazing enthusiasm in her eyes and the blunt way she talked left Matt painfully awkward.
"But you have to go on a date with me next time."
"Huh?"
"It's a deal."
With a bang, she shut the door before Matt could respond, leaving him frozen in an awkward pose.
"A… date?"
Meanwhile, in a dark sealed room inside Tai City, a beam of light suddenly turned on, and a mechanical voice echoed:
"Intruders detected. Security unit failure. Activating Level 2 alert. Repeat: Activating Level 2 alert."
A piercing alarm blared throughout the city. The two tallest skyscrapers opened mechanisms at their rooftops. From one building, a Megadramon rose into the air. From the other, a Gigadramon took flight, its massive body casting a shadow over a wide stretch of street.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810